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Saatchi Gallery: My Perception of Art Essay
Every member of the global community should learn about history and arts to be able to reflect the vision of the contemporary world. I have decided to visit an art gallery to enrich my experience and knowledge about contemporary arts and other interesting items that can be encountered in such a place. The Saatchi Gallery was the first place that came to my mind when I thought about necessity of spiritual enrichment.
A Visit To The Art Gallery
Overall impression . The overall impression of visiting this gallery can be compared to the first pictures (images) perceived by a little baby when he/she can see something but does not know what it means or did that. The first thing I saw was the entrance that did not presuppose any of the items I saw inside. There were walls painted with light pink; pictures hung on the walls.
The pictures varied in terms of topics and genres; glass walls that were used in the construction helped to keep in the outer world because there were a lot of different pictures and other items that can bring one to another world. Though some items were really interesting, their meaning is still unclear and ambiguous for me.
Themes and pieces . Every room or, to be more exact, a hall was dedicated to a specific theme or genre. However, I did not manage to find similarities in most pieces of art presented in the Saatchi Gallery. Some rooms were full of garbage that appeared to be full of artistic expression whereas other rooms were cramped with plates, vases, and other items decorated with original ornaments. Though some pictures were brighter than others, they were created to convey an absurd meaning.
On the contrary, pictures with darker colour use seemed to be more appealing than those aimed at attracting attention of the audience. The Saatchi Gallery contains pieces of art that present the history of arts during the last twenty-five years being one of the most valuable collections of items on various themes and genres.
“Pink Cher” by Scott King . There was one piece, a painting that attracted my attention and made me learn more about it. This was the picture called “Pink Cher” created by Scott King. The first aspect that grabbed my attention was the bright scarlet colour of it. The second thing was the format as I remembered to have seen something similar before. Moreover, I came closer and saw the portrait of Cher, a singer.
This was an unexpected decision as I knew that Che Guevera was depicted in this manner. So, the image of this rebellion leader was applied to a woman. I do not know the reasons for making Cher look like a rebellion leader; either do I know the reasons for the colour choice because scarlet is obviously too powerful and attention-grabbing; this colour should be used to provoke thoughts and encourage people for some actions while the image of Cher does not seem to be provoking.
Conclusion
The visit to the Saatchi Gallery made me learn more about contemporary arts and different applications and forms that contribute to the overall impression created with the help of certain colours, shapes, textures, light and shadow use. Each piece of art can be considered unique due to the space given to every item. Though the meaning of some pieces seems to be ambiguous, I saw a lot of beautiful attention-grabbing pieces.
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Safety in the military workplace Essay
Military bases are perhaps the most unsafe areas, in terms of accidents, both accidental and planned. This is mainly due to the kind of equipment that is found in such bases. Accidents and incidences may also arise due to the fact that the military is used to violence.
In some military bases, officers have reportedly engaged themselves in reckless shooting sprees, shooting everyone on sight as a result of their personal problems. Other incidents like weapons accidents like bomb detonations have also occurred in several military bases. The bases are also not an exception when it comes to vehicle accidents, fire accidents, contagious diseases, equipment losses etcetera.
Despite this, measures can be carried out to ensure that the military workplace is safe, and that incidences are substantially reduced. This paper is an exploration of the safety measures that can be taken to reduce incidences and accidents in the military workplace.
One of the measures that can be taken to improve military workplace safety is the implementation of strict guidelines for investigation and reporting of accidents. This will ensure that disgruntled officers do not perpetrate acts of violence on their fellow officers.
It is also of essence for the army to have a safety program that outlines policies, procedures and responsibilities that have been developed for preserving the resources of the army. This is aimed at ensuring that resources do not get lost, and also providing a platform for conflict resolution in the case of theft of resources.
There should also be strict guidelines on the contracting processes used in acquiring army equipment. This will ensure that the materials procured for the army are in good condition, and thus they will not cause accidents. Also of essence is the implementation of strict control measures to reduce the likelihood of spread of diseases among army officers. Emergency treatment measures should also be planned in order to respond swiftly to any outbreak.
Of, arguably, more importance is the efficient management of explosive equipment. This will ensure that explosive equipment do not cause accidents, planned or unplanned, within the military bases.
There is also a need to have fire fighting materials in the military bases. This will be very instrumental in mitigating losses incurred in case of a fire.
Officers should also be appropriately trained on response measures in times of accidents to make them able to mitigate losses incurred in case an accident occurs. Examples of such skills include fire fighting skills, first aid skills, or even vehicle accident response strategies.
Despite the aforementioned need for military base safety measures, many military bases still operate under very risky conditions. On main safety fault military bases commit is the fact that they base most of their operations on trust among the officers.
This is very dangerous since sometimes some disgruntled officers may decide to go on suicide or revenge missions that may leave a number of their colleagues dead.
Additionally, a military base in which explosives can be accessed by a number of officers will be unsafe for the military officers, because the officers who can access the explosives may misbehave, or even handle them carelessly.
As evidenced in the discussion above, safety is a very important element of the military workplace. Policy makers and planners of military activities should ensure that they take sufficient measures to ensure the protection of officers involved in military activities.
Otherwise, it will be very unfortunate if officers become casualties of mediocre safety planning. All in all, the military workplace is very sensitive as far as safety is concerned, and thus every military base should be protected from potential risks to safety.
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Salem Witch Trials Causes Research Paper
Introduction
“Salem Possessed” is a book written by Paul S. Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum which focuses on Salem Witch Trials. The writers explain that the problem began in the year 1691 and was marked by the behaviour of some girls in the same village who were involved in fortune telling. They were using a makeshift crystal ball to foretell their future and were aided by a slave couple which had come from Western India.
The first trial began on February in the year 1692 after the arrest of three women who were being accused of witchcraft. The women were inclusive of Sarah Osborn and Sarah Good who did not did not agree to the charges and Tituba who voluntarily agreed to the charges and did not plead innocent.
Around one hundred and eighty five people had been accused by the time the trials came to an end of which one hundred and forty one were women while the rest were men.
The same study explains that out of the total number of the accused, there were fourteen women and five men. Those who faced trial were fifty two women and seven men and finally, those who were convicted were twenty six women and five men (Linder Para. 6).
Since Salem was a religious community, the trials came to and end following a sermon by Increase Marther. The preacher was for protecting innocent people from being persecuted. With that background in mind, this paper shall describe the Salem witch trials and narrow down to women and property in relation to the same.
The Plot Summary
The introductory part has highlighted the main points of Salem Witch Trials and it is equally important to discuss the summary of activities which were taking place to be in a position to analyze some themes of the same. The plight of Salem started when one of the church elders by the name John Putman invited Samuel Paris to preach in the village.
Paris latter agreed to become the minister of the village after he was given a better remuneration which included a better salary, privileges as well as allowances.
During that period, studies indicate that people were divided into two groups of people: the Porters and the Purtnams and all were competing for political as well as religious leadership (Boyer and Nissenbaum pp. 124).
Witchcraft accusations were stirred by the sickness of a young girl who was known as Betty Paris. The girl was complaining of pain and fever and although there was a likelihood that the symptoms were as a result of a disease or some condition like child abuse, it was not possible by then to know the cause of the misery. Nevertheless, some people in the village suspected witchcraft to be the underlying cause. Villagers started to think more about witchcraft when close friends of the sick girl started to experience the same symptoms.
The three girls who were experiencing similar symptoms were known as Mary Walcott, Mary Lewis and Ann Putnam. Although a doctor was consulted to treat them, studies indicate that he diagnosed the problem to have been caused by a supernatural cause (Murphy, Par. 3).
Since the villagers believed that young children were the main target of the witches, there was little cause to doubt the diagnoses. In view of the fact that Salem villagers supposed that dogs were used by witches to bewitch people, one woman proposed the same dogs to be used to verify whether the victims were actually bewitched or not.
To affirm, this dogs were given a cake that was mixed with the urine of the victim and in case the dog and victim displayed similar behaviour, it was concluded that the victim was actually bewitched. The number of the bewitched girls continued to increase and it turned out to be a matter of concern since villagers became obsessed with it.
The trial began when the two girls; Betty and Abigail named the people whom they thought were responsible for their misery. Nevertheless, the analysis of the trial and accusations revealed that the two girls drafted their accusation stories collaboratively. Other girls who were likewise afflicted maintained that they had seen witches flying during winter and were supported by the family of Putnam which was very prominent (Boyer and Nissenbaum pp. 126).
As highlighted in the introductory part, the first group to be accused was composed of three women namely Osborn, Good and Tituba. While Osborn was old and querulous, Good was a beggar who never had a permanent dwelling place and survived mainly by begging for food and shelter from the villagers.
The two magistrates who were dealing with witchcraft cases were John Hathome as well as Jonathan Corwoin. The girls and the villagers volunteered to offer information concerning the accused women.
While the girls explained that they suffered greatly in the presence of the accused, villagers maintained that their animals disappeared or were born with deformities once the accused visited their compounds. It was clear that the judges believed that the women were guilty especially due to the questions which they asked them such as whether they had either seen Satan or whether they believed whether they were witches or not (Sutter, Para. 5).
The trial would have taken another course were it not for Tituba who confessed to the accusations. The woman explained that she was once approached by Satan who was a tall man from Boston and latter was requested to be his servant and affirm the same by signing a book. The woman explained that the tall man would either appear as a dog or even as a hog. Although she tried to seek religious counsel; the woman described that she was prevented from doing so by the devil.
Most surprisingly, Tituba explained that she had around four witches who were serving Satan with her, Osborn and Good included. Consequently, due to her confession, the ministers started to look for more witches and majority of the witchcraft sceptic also became silent (Boyer and Nissenbaum pp. 90).
Some other women were accused of witchcraft especially after the girls reported that they were being attacked by them. Young girls were also accused of the same evil; as young as four years of age. The audience had no other reason other than to believe especially due the confession of the afflicted girls who even confessed of being made dumb by the same witches.
As time went by, one accused by the name Deliverance Hobbs also confessed to witchcraft accusations. Due to the increased witchcraft cases, Phips the governor by then established a new court for the purpose of conducting witchcraft trials and appointed five judges for the same purpose.
The trials involved close examination of the accused by the judges and even use of gossip, stories and hearsay. The accused were most disadvantaged as they were not allowed to appeal or to have witnesses to testify on their behalf.
The trials continued to take place even after the trial of Bridget Bishop who was the first man to be tried and hanged. It was risky for anyone to be against the accusations and such a person also stood a chance of being victimized. Some of the people who confessed were allowed to live but most of them were hanged, stoned and some died in prison (The Salem Witch Trials Par. 8).
Further studies indicate that the trials came to an end in the year 1693 and some of the accused who were still prison were pardoned and allowed to continue with their normal lives.
Analysis
Women and Property
Most scholars have been committed to analyze the issue of Salem witch trials and have come up with different conclusions. To begin with, a virtual analysis of the accused witches indicates that the total number of the accused women were far much more than men.
Most importantly, although some couples were accused, studies indicate that most of the women who were accused were widows. It is also important to note that young girls were also accused of the same crime (Sutter, Para 5).
The critical analysis of the whole issue indicates that there was a big difference between the accusers and the accused. Studies of Campbell (Para. 4) illustrate that most of the people who were accused were living in the south and they were wealthier than the accusers since they had much property. In addition, most of the accused families were aimed at gaining properties from the accused once they were convicted.
Religious factors also came into play since studies indicate that while most of the accused witches were in support of George Burroughs, the accusers and their families were against him and actually contributed greatly in forcing the ex minister to leave their territory (Murphy, Par. 3).
Conclusions
As much as men were accused and convicted of witchcraft, women were the main victims. Majority of the women who were accused and convicted were aged forty years and above. In most cases, men who were accused happened to be the relatives of the women witches. Most of the people who were accused were rich, relatively rich or powerful. A critical analysis of the issues in Salem indicates that there were underlying causes to the problem which may be inclusive of economic factors as well as sexual and doctrinal threat (Linder, Par. 8).
This is the main reason why most of the people who were accused were wealthy widows. They were viewed as a threat to some traditions involving the transfer of property from the fathers to the sons. In addition, women who never had male children were also at a greater risk of being accused due to the same issue.
Women who inherited property from their husbands were also at a greater risk of being accused especially when there were male children in the same family (Campbell Para 8.). However, there were some who never had property but were still accused like Martha Carrier. Therefore, it cannot be an understatement to conclude that Salem witch trials were spurred by economic, social and religious issues.
Works Cited
Boyer, Paul S. and Stephen Nissenbaum. Salem possessed: the social origins of witchcraft. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1974. Print.
Campbell, Donna M. Salem Witch Trials as Fact and Symbol. Web.
Linder, Douglas. The Witchcraft Trials in Salem: A Commentary . Web .
Murphy , Kate . Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft . Web.
Sutter, Tim. Salem Witchcraft: The Events and Causes of the Salem Witch Trials . 2000. Web.
The Salem Witch Trials . 2010. Web.
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Analyzing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Analytical Essay
Introduction
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was enacted into law in 2002 to respond to the various financial scandals that were taking place in the for-profit corporate sector of the United States. The act was meant to address the abuse of finances and accounting standards by companies such as Adelphia, Enron and WorldCom where the executives of these companies defrauded their shareholders, their employees and the US economy of billions of dollars. Once it was enacted, SOX was meant to introduce major changes to the corporate governance and financial management of capital in many corporations within America.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act or the SOX act of 2002 was developed by Senator Paul Sarbanes and House Representative Michael Oxley and it contains eleven sections which outline the responsibilities of chief executive officers as well as financial controllers in managing the finances of a company (Morgan et al, 2008).
Examination of the SOX Act of 2002
Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, companies that are publicly traded in the US are required to increase their internal financial and accounting controls after personal clarification with the chief executive and chief financial officers of the company. This is meant to strengthen the auditing, accounting and financial practices of the company.
The act also requires for-profit corporations in the country to increase their external controls through enhancing the duties and responsibilities of the audit committee. The act also states that chief financial controllers and auditors need to provide supporting evidence that will be used to whistleblow on the abuse of company funds (Morgan et al, 2008).
The SOX bill does not apply to privately held companies as many of the laws deal with the management of shareholder, corporate and public funds which are usually common in publicly traded companies. The new and enhanced standards within the SOX Act deal with additional responsibilities for the corporate board and chief executive officers of most organizations as well as the introduction of criminal penalties for managers caught defrauding corporations of public funds.
Other enhanced standards within the act include auditor independence, enhanced financial disclosures, conflicts of interest and corporate fraud accountability. All these aspects are included within the eleven sections of the act where they analyse the specific mandates and requirements that managers need to have when conducting financial reporting (Kuschnik, 2008).
Each of these sub sections are important and necessary in the financial management of publicly traded corporation as they ensure that there is accountability during the management of financial funds.
For example auditor independence which falls under the second title deals with limiting the conflicts of interest that arise during audit reporting while corporate fraud accountability which falls under the eleventh title of the act deals with the identification of corporate fraud and the various penalties that are served to deal with fraud.
This section also revises the sentencing guidelines that were in existence before to deal with people who defrauded companies of billions of dollars. This review was seen to be important as it would enable the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to temporarily freeze any transactions or payments that were deemed to be unusual for the company (Kuschnik, 2008).
In general, the act deals with ensuring the financial reports generated by auditors and finance managers within organization to develop internal control reports that can be used to determine the accuracy of the company’s financial data. The adoption of the SOX act is meant to establish a best-practice standard when it comes to the management of corporate funds.
The act also changes how corporate management boards and executives interact with each other as well as with their corporate auditors and financial controllers. It also ensures that the top managers of a corporate organization are held accountable for the accuracy of financial statements released at the end of every company financial year (Litvak, 2007).
Benefits and Costs of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
According to Bednanrz (2006), the costs of implementing the SOX act will exceed the benefits of the act when it is fully implemented. A survey conducted on the compliance costs of the act in various publicly traded corporations within the US revealed that the first year compliance costs would exceed $4.6 million dollars.
This figure applied to all the large multinational and domestic companies in the US. Medium sized companies and smaller companies operating within the US were likely to incur significant additional costs that were projected to amount to $2 million during the first-year compliance with the SOX guidelines.
These huge costs incurred during the first year would make it difficult to determine whether the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was actually working in managing corporate finances and auditing issues (Bernanrz, 2006).
With regards to the benefits of the act, various financial analysts and experts noted that the borrowing costs were lower for companies that had improved their internal control measures while corporate transparency had improved within many publicly traded organizations during the first year of compliance.
Section 404 of the act ensured that companies had conservative reported earnings where financial reports and statements underwent verification to determine their accuracy before being presented to the various stakeholders of the company. Companies that had strong internal controls were able to experience an increase in their share prices and their financial statements were more reliable (Morgan et al, 2008).
Reactions of Company Executives and Changes to Accounting Practices
While many legislators have praised the Sarbanes-Oxley act to be effective in dealing with financial fraud within corporations, many business managers have expressed frustration with the act. The Federal Regulation Board has been faced with a lot of complaints about the high costs that are needed to implement the act in major public corporations within the country.
Executives from General Electric, Lockheed Martin and Emerson Electric were among those who spoke about the various challenges of complying with the SOX act two years after it was implemented (Bednanrz, 2006).
The executives agreed that while it was too soon to determine the benefits of complying with the act, there were considerable costs such as audit fees which were expected to increase by approximately 40% during the first year of compliance.
Business managers working for BP saw the duplicate testing of internal controls to dilute the business practices of the organization as they saw it to be a frustrating exercise. They instead preferred to perform a single internal control testing exercise which would enable them to identify and document any financial issues or problems (Bednanrz, 2006).
References
Bednanrz, A., (2006, May 11). Executives tell regulators Sarbanes-Oxley costs exceed benefits . Retrieved from: https://www.networkworld.com/article/2311689/execs-tell-regulators-sarbanes-oxley-costs-exceed-benefits.html
Kuschnik, B., (2008). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: big brother is watching you or adequate measures of corporate governance regulation. Rutgers Business Law Journal , 64-95
Litvak, K., (2007). The effect of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on non-US companies cross-listed in the US. Journal of Corporate Finance , 13(55), 195-228
Morgan, D.F., Green, R., Shinn, C.W., & Robinson, K.S., (2008). Foundations of public service . New York: M.E. Sharpe Incorporated
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SARS: It’s as Bad as we Feared but Dared not Say Essay (Critical Writing)
Table of Contents
1. Purpose
2. Methodology
3. Findings and Evaluation
4. Practical Implications
5. Conclusion
6. References
In 2003 a crisis hit Hong Kong. It was no ordinary problem because at this time Hong Kong was no longer under the authority of the British government but now under the authority of the Chinese.
There is therefore pressure for both the national government and the local government in Hong Kong to prove to the world that they can effectively deal with this crisis. Now, they have their hands full because the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS is a disease that has no effective cure and at the same time it is a medical problem that very little is known about.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to take a closer look at how an organisation handled a crisis of a global proportion while at the same time hampered by the problem of a hostile press and the perils associated with a transition government. This is because Hong Kong was known all over the world as a product of British rule. At the same time many are aware of the history of the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party. The mindset that prevails in this discussion is the mindset of a Westerner eager to know how the Chine government is able to maintain or even upgrade the reputation of Hong Kong as a world-class business hub.
Methodology
The cornerstone of the study is the article written by Jennifer Eagleton wherein she described not only the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong in 2003 but also the way the media dealt with the crisis and how it behaved antagonistically against the government. She built her argument using information taken primarily from the South China Morning Post. The proponent of this study will take a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of her argument using textual evidence as how she came about with her assertions.
Eagleton’s claims will be analysed using information taken from outside sources to see if there is indeed factual basis to what she said. In this regard the proponent of this study analyse data taken from three scientific journals. The first one is from an article written by Ron Fouchier et al., revealing pertinent information concerning SARS.
The second is from Ignatius Yu et al., who said that there is proof of airborne transmission of the SARS virus and this is a crucial piece of information regarding this medical problem. Finally, the third source of information comes from Steven Gordon and David Longworth who explained how difficult it is to control the spread of the said virus.
Findings and Evaluation
The strength of the argument is seen in the simple fact that SARS did not become a killer virus as the SCMP tried to hype it. It can be considered as an epidemic because of the number of people that were killed. It can be described as a deadly virus because of the way it can infect and then render a person weak and then eventually will die from the effect of the disease; however, it did not spread like the epidemic of ancient times that killed millions of people.
This was supported by researchers who said that there were 299 deaths in a population of 6.7 million people (Yu et al., 2004). This is of course an alarming figure. But this is only acceptable if it is viewed with the idea of compartmentalizing Hong Kong and China.
In reality Hong Kong and China are one and therefore there are a billion people but only a relatively small number of deaths. In addition as of May 2003 there were only 435 deaths linked to the SARS virus (Fouchier, 2003). In other words the author was correct when he pointed out the way it was deliberately blown out of proportion.
The author was also able to explain why the media find it easy to blow it out of proportion. On the other hand it must also be clarified that there is a possibility that the overall impact was inadvertent. Granted that the SCMP was prone to sensationalism but it did not intend to hurt Hong Kong. It was just the chain-reaction of events that forced people to see Hong Kong during that three-month long crisis in a negative light. Once the fuse was lit there was no turning back and when it exploded no one was able to repair the damage.
The strength of the argument can also be seen in how the author was able to pinpoint the relevant circumstances that fired up the intense backlash against Hong Kong. First of all the SARS outbreak occurred during the time when Hong Kong was yet to prove that it can function in the same level of efficiency and brilliance when it was yet under the British government. Now that Hong Kong was back under the umbrella of the Chinese government there was intense pressure with the local leadership in Hong Kong to prove that they were up to the task.
This is the reason why they have to downplay the effect of the SARS and the reports that says the government was unable to effectively deal with the situation. There was so much at stake not to mention that their reputation and the success of the famous port city hung in the balance. This is why local officials wanted to resolve the problem as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
They tried everything that they could but it is almost impossible to give ones best under a pressure-packed situation. This is not only related to the deaths and potential for the virus to spread to large portions of the population but also by embarrassment of the connotation that the term SARS came to mean to Hong Kong residents, the Chinese government, the Chinese people and all those who are knowledgeable about what was going on in the region.
This has something to do with how the World Health Organization came to label the virus. It was not meant to embarrass the Hong Kong administrators or even the Chinese government but interestingly the WHO chose to name the virus as SARS. It is a name that is hard to miss because Hong Kong, after it was turned over to China was labelled as a special administrative region or SAR.
As a result the government tried to erect the facade of calm and effective management and administration of their jurisdiction but this strategy backfired when hundreds of people became sick. There were many who bitterly complained that if they were not led to believe that everything was under control then they would not have gone to the hospital.
This is because SARS was thought to be an airborne contagion. The decision to contain the damage was viewed as a means to cover up their incompetence and so many were livid when they felt that they were kept in the dark regarding the SARS outbreak.
The pressure is not only borne of the fact that the Hong Kong government tried its best to show the world that it is capable of steering Hong Kong into the New Millennium under new management but also by the fact that no one knew exactly what they were dealing with. In other words Hong Kong officials cannot talk about something that they are ignorant about. But this ignorance was equated to incompetence when it was supposed to be understood from a different angle.
All concerned should have understood SARS as mutated virus and therefore it could not be understood and could not be defeated using conventional means. If it is true that SARS is a deadlier version of the common colds then that is another level of problem that has to be dealt with because there is no cure for common colds. Nevertheless, the government should have handled it with the transparency demanded by the people.
The weakness of the argument is that the author was unable to establish if things can be done differently. It does not matter if what the author was saying is true or not, the most important thing is to demonstrate that the Hong Kong media could have done a better job but refused to do so.
A through reading of the article will give the impression that the Hong Kong media reacted in the only way they know how and that is to report newsworthy topics and let it go through the process to solicit the greatest impact. This means that they were not doing merely to appear sensational but they were forced to do it in order for the government and concerned individuals to listen to what they have to say.
Their paranoia is justified if one will consider what scientists were claiming regarding SARS. One report says that SARS is a health worker’s worst nightmare (Gordon and Longworth, 2003).
This is because SARS has “non-specific signs and symptoms, no early diagnostic test, no specific treatment, and no vaccine forthcoming in the foreseeable future because the rate of mutation makes the SARS coronavirus a moving target” (Gordon & Longworth, 2003, p.889). If this is the case then the press, especially SCMP has a valid reason why they acted that way.
Practical Implications
This study is important because it shows how a government handled pressure coming from its own citizens and the media. The study revealed that the Hong Kong government tried to downplay the impact of SARS because it tried to demonstrate to the world that everything is under control.
This is a good case study when it comes to understanding the extent of how an organisation or in this case a government will do to improve its image especially if a particular issue has the potential to negatively affect its reputation in the long run.
At the same time this study is helpful in understanding how new media and the press are sometimes constrained to use hyperbolae and hype not for the sake of creating controversies but to force an immovable object to move. In this case there is ample evidence to show that the Chinese government in conjunction with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region tried to downplay the effect of a deadly virus.
Conclusion
The SCMP may have erred in trying to create hype when it comes to the reporting of the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong. It was not entirely its fault because the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese government tried to downplay the impact of the SARS virus.
In the end Hong Kong officials were justified with their decision to do everything not to cause panic and not to affect businesses operating within Hong Kong but at the same time the press had no recourse but to use everything that they have to force the government into action.
This study shows that the government must try to be transparent especially when it comes to cases dealing with a deadly virus as difficult to control as SARS.
References
Eagleton, Jennifer. (2004). SARS: It’s as Bad as we Feared but Dared not Say: Naming,
Managing and Dramatizing the SARS crisis in Hong Kong. English Today 77 Cambridge University Press 20(1): 34-45.
Fouchier, R. (2003). Aetiology: Koch’s Postulates Fulfilled for SARS virus. Nature 240: 423-440.
Gordon, S. & D. Longworth. (2003). SARS: Here to Stay? Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine . 70(10): 889-895.
Yu, I. (2004) Evidence of Airborne Transmission of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus. The New England Journal of Medicine . 350: 1731-1739.
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Scientific and Pseudoscientific Claims Compare & Contrast Essay
Every scientist that makes some kind of a research knows that his/her investigation should be based on facts and results that can be proved with a number of experiments. “We are familiar with a large number of scientific claims, for example, that water freezes at 32°F and hydrogen is composed of one proton and one electron” (Grim 371).
However, there are also claims called unscientific or pseudoscientific. There is a number of features that help us distinguish scientific and unscientific claims. In this work, I am going to explain the differences between two types of claims and explain the key features of genuine science.
Before providing a scientific claim, the scientists should observe a phenomenon, explain in using a theoretical and practical basis, predict possible results and test them. Scientific claim should be based on the hypothesis. Another important feature of a scientific claim is empirical falsifiability.
It does not mean that the claim should be wrong, but if the claim is false, then it should be proved and demonstrated. According to Arthur L. Caplan, a scientific claim has the following features: “it should be either true or false; scientific claims to knowledge are justified by scientific procedures; the reliability with which scientific claims are made can often itself be reliable determined.” (129).
In addition, there are different types of scientific claims, such as methodological claim, theoretical hypothesis and factual claim. A factual claim is based on facts, a theoretical hypothesis is also based on factual facts, but it includes possible facts as well. Thus, a scientific claim should be scientifically proved.
Summarizing all mentioned above, we can conclude what the features of a genuine science are. One of the most important features of a scientific claim, thus, a genuine science as well, is empirical falsifiability which provides that scientific claim can be either false or true.
The next feature is testability based on the empirical research. The research should be tested in order to discover possible evidence (possible falsifying) that the research hypothesis faces. Every genuine scientific claim should be peer reviewed by the specialists in the given field of science.
After reviewing, the research can be published in a scientific journal. A very important feature of a genuine science is reliability, thus a research can be duplicated. Finally, there should be cultivated alternative scientific explanation of a scientific research and alternative hypothesis can be provided.
As opposed to a scientific claim, there is an unscientific or pseudoscientific claim which results from the differences between genuine science and non-science. A pseudoscientific claim “exhibit the superficial trappings of science but precious little of its substance” (Lilienfeld 2). As an example of the unscientific claim, the astrological cusp can be taken.
Astrological researches refer to “fortune-telling” qualities of the movement of the sun, earth and other planets. However, it is not proved that the movement of planets can influence somehow one one’s life. Thus, there are no clear evidences for such claims. In addition, such claims cannot be tested and an alternative hypothesis cannot be provided.
Thus, the unscientific claims is different from the scientific one according to its features that follow: it cannot be proved with scientific methods, it does not follow a logical order, it cannot be tested as it has no scientific background and they are not peer reviewed.
Thus, scientific and unscientific claims differ according to several features. Among these features is falsifiability, testability, peer reviewing, absence or presence of the alternative hypothesis.
Works Cited
Caplan, Arthur L. Scientific Controversies: Case Studies in the Resolution and Closure of Disputes in Science and Technology . New York: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Grim, Patrick. Philosophy of Science and the Occult . New York: SUNY Press, 1990
Lilienfeld, Scott O. “Teaching Psychology Students to Distinguish Science from Pseudoscience: Pitfalls and Rewards”. PsychTeacher Electronic Discussion List. Jun 2004. Web.
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Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance Research Paper
Abstract
The historical perception of the distinction between Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance and others is traceable back to the great historical artists like Donatello and Michelangelo.
They are arguably big sculptors of the Italian Renaissance, who were both original and catalysts for revolution. Their works have realism through implementation of versatility, emotional and psychological effects. These aspects are evident among current sculptors.
Thesis/Problem Statement
“Significance of Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance” This is a research investigating and analyzing the different arguments on philosophical nature of Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance, from various art histories to the current state of affairs, with the aim of providing a personal point of view regarding the subject matter.
Purpose/Significance of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the consequences and key concepts involved in the development of Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance and offer personal suggestions or opinions over the issue of relationship between various historical stages.
Objectives of the Study
This research paper lays down the need for finding the background of the understanding of various Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance over the relationship as presented by diverse great artists. The study is equally an assessment of differences of sculpture work at different times.
Significance of the Study
The key topics to be covered entail the focus over Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance. This is in the aim of finding the reasonable conclusion on this type of work.
The Procedure of the Study/Research Methodology
The paper highly utilizes the literature reviews to enable better understanding of the topic. Preparation of the research over the chosen topic will enhance and quantify the research as a study topic and prepare for respondents.
Information collected will equally tabulate and assist in ranking the findings from various eras, and help to narrow the scope to the objectives of the research. The analysis of findings will then draw conclusions from generally analyzed data in the literature review.
Literature Review
Historical Overview
The Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance is arguably one of the most reflective and productive period regarding the history of art. Some of the outstanding fields of Italian art include architecture, sculpture and painting. The early nineteenth century marked the revolution of art history. Good example of the sculptural work was by Donatello (Meyer& Konody, 2010). The Italian renaissance saw a great combination between science and art.
Today we celebrate heroic artists like Michelangelo and Titian who had genius personality that currently emphasize the need for enhanced creativity in artwork. According to Woods (2007), “Some men were both artists and scientists, notably Leonardo da Vinci and Piero Della Francesca. It is doubtful whether they would have understood our distinction between art and science. ”
Sculpture
Sculptors of the Italian Renaissance have a close connection to architects. Like the cases of paintings, there is a great rebirth or revival of other forms such as sculptures and architectural designs.
According to Detroit Institute of Arts (1995), traditionally, painting was a revival and the need for revert to appreciation of nature, reinforcement of architecture was in the course of the pressure for ancient histories or classical influences and renaissance of the sculptures was because of both the paintings and architecture.
The revival of sculptures is traceable to the sixteenth century when art historians like Giorgio Vasari promulgated art. In line with Detroit Institute of Arts (1995), sculptors lack distinctive accuracy due to historical classical influences.
Arguably, Nicola Pisano and the son, Giovanni Pisano were Italian architects and sculptors who form the basis of renaissance sculptural work. The art presents great ancient monuments such as the Roman Sarcophagus that gives the historical tale concerning Phaedra and Hippolytus in Pisa (Detroit Institute of Arts, 1995).
Nicola work gave a combination of classic with Gothic elements, while the son, Giovanni had some reactions against classical tendencies and the reaction is evident in current international Gothic styles (Detroit Institute of Arts, 1995). Although the themes in Giovanni’s work are highly medieval, he has good advancement toward faithfulness to nature (Detroit Institute of Arts, 1995).
The successors included paint artists such as Giotto, thus the Italian Renaissance present him as a fighter from the classical approaches through his own renditions and personality. According to Cox (2009), “The inscriptions he left on his work, especially the pulpit in the cathedral of Pisa, show an extraordinary sense of his own worth.”
Artists have the tendency to leave behind self-praising unique signature on their works but Giovanni had a unique style of exalting his personal style compared to other artists of his style and time.
Italian Renaissance has outstanding designs of simplicity and clarity. The artists carry on the aspects of individuality and self-consciousness. They present individual concepts or traits as a signature and expression of showing importance. The sculptural work is a huge revolution from the simple and direct work to enhance the illusions of space, charm and elegance for instance the grouping of objects to achieve architectural effects.
Italian Renaissance is a conceited in Today’s advancement of sculptural work such as Dale Chihuly’s glassware. His contribution to artwork extends to greater heights today. The sculptor is reputable for enhancing change of glass art gallery from their original premise of solemn studio environment to better establishments where the lifestyles of art world involve the collaborative endeavours and a dissection of work forces within creative environments.
He embraces the strategy of pulling a team of artists together with exceptional practice of glass blowing skills that is the foundation for complex multipart sculptures. His artwork places him to the leadership position concerning advancement of the blown glass from the confines of small, precious objects to highly structured sculptures and environmental arts.
According to Taragin (1995), Dale Chihuly was an art student at Florence who turned to be a prolific artist whose work balances content to properties of the glass material such as transparency or translucency.
Today, sculptors of Italian Renaissance also use different material and style as a paramount strategy of enhancing creativity. Style emerges and gets it influences through the captivating processes that get over the boundaries, which separate all forms of arts.
A good example of uniqueness is Dale’s room-sized installations of organic/plant like, freestanding sculptures that stylistically explore colour, contours and, assemblage fitting both indoor and outdoor. The artwork ranges from single and general structures to site specified or customized installations.
Some of his unique but best and famous artworks include small designs or large sculptures placed on various surfaces to bring out the natural effects. The current styles incorporate the plastic polymers for the outdoor environments.
Future trends
Today, the sculptural Italian Renaissance has a wide vocabulary of exiting new elements depicting creativity. The blown forms have styles in terms of type of material, colour, texture and shapes.
The artwork on paper reflects new interests due to incorporated prominent line element in majority of his styles. Some of the sculptural works such as blown glass depict optical moulds, thus producing surfaces with repeated ribbed designs. Another significant part of the style is the elongated sculptures with linear forms.
We are able to enjoy a wide range of Italian Renaissance today especially in our lifestyles such as chandeliers, towers in our streets, and through art paperwork demonstrating similar linear qualities. Whether a sculptor communicates through pencil, painting or blown glass, the same style of attenuated lines still dominate the composition.
Conclusion
A person mesmerized by Italian Renaissance sculptural artwork cannot miss distinctive by unique styles as well as signatures. The artwork is formal, elegant, and extravagant.
It also has a variety of dramatic emotional and visual effects due to incorporated colour themes, baroque, dazzling, and enormous appeals that traditionally lacked in majority of the art forms. Evidently, the imagery style of an artist is strongly evident even when there is some historical decorative aspiring in an art form. Initially, the aspect of harmonizing distinctive element to form decorative artwork was not evident in majority of the artworks.
For a glass blower such as Dale Chihuly, the diversity of form in terms of colour, design complexity and interplay with glass transparency the outcome is a very different world of design. Italian renaissance has always had a strong engagement to nature and thus has brought out the engagement with nature in such a perfect and impressive way.
References
Cox, K. (2009). Old Masters and New. South Carolina, SC: BiblioBazaar LLC
Publishers. Print
Detroit Institute of Arts. (1995). Italian renaissance sculpture in the time of Donatello: An exhibition to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Donatello’s birth and the 100th anniversary of the Detroit Institute of Arts . Michigan, MI: Founders Society, Detroit Institute of Arts.
Meyer, A. & Konody, P. (2010). Donatello. South Carolina, SC: BiblioBazaar LLC Publishers. Print
Sayre, H. (2007). A World of Art . Fifth Ed. New Jersey, NJ: Pearson,
Taragin, D. (August 1995). Racine Art Museum: Curator . The Detroit Institute of Arts, Toledo Museum of Art. Vol. 56, No. 8, p. 10-14. 4 Nov 2010.
Woods, K. (2007). Making Renaissance art . London, UK: Yale University Press. Print
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Secure Border Initiative: Components and Technologies Utilized Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Secure Border Initiative (SBI) program
3. What the SBI Program Entails
4. Technologies Used
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
7. References
Introduction
As the world’s biggest economy and a land full of opportunities, the United States of America has been the dream destination for many people who seek economic empowerment.
As a result of this, the US is home to millions of illegal immigrants with thousands more continuing to seek ways to enter the country. The US-Mexico border has been the biggest conduit for illegal immigrants with an estimated 6million of the 13 million illegal aliens in the US, being Mexican (Suarez-Orozco & Paez, 2008).
While the US border policies were fairly lenient in pre 9-11 America, the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US induced fundamental changes in U.S. border enforcement policy and from then, the Southern border is scrutinized as a potential point of entry for terrorists.
Concerns about illegal immigration have resulted in the budget and manpower allocated to the United States Border Patrol (USBP) more than tripling in the last decade (Nunez-Neto & Vina, 2005). The main focus has been the detection, deterrence and apprehension of aliens as they attempt to cross the border into the US.
The need to invest in more “military proven” technology to protect the US border became necessary and hence the inception of the Secure Border Initiative. The Secure Border Initiative is based on the premise that the key to controlling the immigration problem that currently plagues the US is to close off all non-ports of entry points.
This paper will set out to discuss the Secure Border Initiative (SBI) program, the technologies that this program utilizes and what the SBI program entails. The paper will also discuss the significance of SBI and the future of this program which promises to provide the ultimate solution to the US border problem.
Secure Border Initiative (SBI) program
The primary challenge in securing the US borders is the sheer magnitude of the international borders. Between ports of entry, there is about 500miles of border that has to be managed and controlled. While this in itself is a daunting task, the fact that the border stretches over a wide range of terrain, climate and remoteness further complicates the issue for Border Patrol agents who seek to detect illegal incursions (Andreas, 2009).
Technology that purports to give Border Patrol agents an advantage in the face of these challenges has traditionally been sought and utilized. Surveillance asserts have been utilized with changes being made to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The first major program implemented with the goal of securing a section of the US border was the Integrated Surveillance Information System.
This program was later renamed America’s Shield Initiative (ASI). ASI integrated RVS camera systems, sensors, and a multi-faceted network which was capable of detecting illegal entries. While ASI was a major advancement from ISIS, it still lacked the capacity to facilitate effective border protection and hence the need for a more capable program, the SBI.
In November 2005, the Department of Homeland Security announced the launch of the Secure Border Initiative. This was to be a multibillion dollar program spanning for multiple years that was aimed at securing the US borders against illegal immigrants.
The SBInet is the name given to the physical and virtual border fence which is meant to boast an integrated system of personnel, infrastructure, technology and rapid response units to secure the entire US land borders.
The rationale behind the implementation of SBInet is that while increasing the number of agents at the border is a good step in the curbing of illegal immigration, these agents must be armed with the technology required to make their efforts effective.
The prime contract for SBInet development was awarded in 2006 to Boeing Company. As the prime contractor, Boeing has an extensive involvement with the program and is responsible for acquiring and deploying the necessary technology for the SBInet program. Stana (2009) reveals that the CBP contract with Boeing is performance based and the primary contractor has to fulfill a set of requirements for the project.
SBInet capabilities are deployed in “blocks” which are defined as phases of an effort to “design, develop and integrate, test, and deploy a technology system of hardware, software and communication” (Stana, 2009, p.7). Each block may span a number of states and subsequent blocks build on the successes of the previously implemented blocks.
What the SBI Program Entails
As a result of its broad mission, SBI assumes control over a huge part of the immigration control apparatus. The SBI program has a three-pillar approach to tackling the boarder security problem. These three components of the SBI as articulated by the DHS are “controlling the border, building a robust interior enforcement program, and establishing a Temporary Worker Program” (Haddal, 2010, p.9).
To achieve the goal of effective control of the borders, SBInet was created. SBInet provides U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with the resources and capabilities that are needed to achieve a comprehensive operational awareness of the border (Kirk & Teufel, 2007).
SBInet has resulted in the comprehensive and systemic upgrading of legacy technologies that were used to control the border. Next generation detection systems and Commercial off-the-shelf technology are used to enhance border security. Haddal (2010, p.8) hails the Secure Border Initiative as the “most important technology used by the Border Patrol”.
The second goal of SBI program which is to build a robust interior enforcement program comes from the acknowledgment that border security entails the enforcement of immigration laws within the country’s borders. This ensures the integrity of the legal immigration system and provides the means through which to detect and intercept threats that may exist to the US.
As part of this effort, the SBI has implemented self-compliance programs that provide a partnership between the government and businesses. This is from the realization that Illegal immigrants in the country end up working for employers in the US.
To strengthen interior enforcement Employers are required to comply with legal hiring requirements so as to detect unauthorized workers who may turn out to be illegal immigrants (Andreas, 2009). Through the Criminal Alien Program, the DHS is removing incarcerated criminal aliens from US soil and returning them to their country of origin.
The third goal which is to establish a Temporary Worker Program is yet to be realized. The temporary-worker program was envisioned as a program that would allow non-US citizens to access jobs for a limited period of time under the sponsorship of U.S. employers.
This program would serve the dual purpose of giving U.S. workers priority over guest workers while at the same time managing the illegal immigrant issue in the US by enabling undocumented immigrants to obtain work legally.
The goal of the SBInet is to have operational control in both the Northern and Southern borders within a defined timeline. The SBI was initially proposed to focus on the Southwest land border between the official channels of entry so as to cover the paths that illegal immigrants might use.
This bias given to the Southwest Border region is based on the fact that in the past decade, 97% of all apprehensions on illegal immigrants have been made along the Southwest Border (Haddal, 2010).
A strategy employed by Border Patrol under the SBI is to increase the number of agents deployed in traditional urban routes. This in effect forces the illegal border traffic to reroute to less populated and geographically harsher regions which gives the Boarder Patrol agents tactical advantages as they have more time to move in and arrest the illegal aliens before they cross over (Haddal, 2010).
While this strategy has been effective in pushing unauthorized migration from population centers to more remote regions, the policy has resulted in an increase in the number of fatalities along the border. As illegal immigrants attempt to cross over the Arizona Desert with limited water supplies, fatalities occur due to the inhospitable conditions of the desert.
SBI also aims to prevent illegal entries through deterrence measures. In the past, arresting illegal immigrants was used as the main method to curb illegal entry. The need for more effective methods to secure the Southwest Border was identified following a 1993 study commissioned by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
This study indicated that the particular border was being overrun with up to 6,000 illegal immigrants making attempts to enter the US every night (Nunez-Neto, 2005). From this study, it was recommended that focus be changed from arresting illegal immigrants to preventing their entry. SBI provides Border Patrol with the resources to deter immigrants from making it to the US side of the border.
Technologies Used
SBInet acts as the platform through which an array of surveillance technologies are acquired, developed, integrated, and deployed appropriately. SBInet program makes use of C3I technologies which are; command, control, communications and intelligence (Stana, 2009).
The C3I technologies include software and hardware capabilities that provided a Common Operational Picture (COP) which is “a uniform presentation of activities within specific areas along the borders (Stana, 2009, p.6). As such, the sensors, radars and cameras gather information along the border and this information is transmitted to the COP terminals which are contained within command centers.
This provides the CBP agents with situational awareness since they can view data from the available radars and sensors that detect and track movement along the border lines. Efficiency is improved since operators can control cameras to zoom in on areas of interest and identify and classify the illegal entries.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are another technology utilized by SBInet. UAVs have revolutionized airborne sensor by providing a means of carrying out long surveillance flights in a reliable manner. Worch (2007) reveals that UAVs have been valuable in border patrol missions by tracking and enhancing the eventual capture of border crossing intruders.
The SBI program also includes the deploying of reinforced fencing along the southwest border. This project was commissioned under the Secure Fence Act of 2006 which required the DHS to engage in construction of at least 700 miles of reinforced fencing.
These fences would be erected in regions where they are most practical and effective and provide for the installation of additional physical barriers. These physical barriers include; roads, lighting, and cameras that give Border Patrol agents operational control on the US-Mexican borders.
A novel technology utilized by SBInet is the Mobile Surveillance System (MSS) which is a Patrol truck equipped with radar, sensors and cameras. The MSS has a range of 10miles radius giving Border Patrol agents an edge over illegal immigrants. MSSs increase the operational capabilities of the Border Patrol therefore making them more efficient.
Using their superior technological capabilities, MSS radar helps agents detect movement and the cameras lock in on the area of interest (Paul, 2010). The Border Patrol agents are able to tell how many people are involved in the border breach attempt and what they are carrying.
Deployment of Border Patrol agents to contain the situation then follows. Stana (2009) reveals that MSSs enhance tactical decision making by agents regarding the appropriate response to apprehend an entry.
New SBInet technology also includes high resolution video cameras that provide continuous monitoring of the border. Kirk and Teufel (2007) reveal that when an agent receives an alert from a triggered sensor, the video surveillance allows a Common Operational Picture (COP) operator to zoom in and identify the cause of the disturbance.
This is significant since it enables the Border Patrol agents to isolate significant events from accidental triggers such as those caused by animals.
Discussion
While the protection of a border between nations is ideally the role of nations on both sides of the border, immigration control has been largely restricted to the U.S. side of the border (Andreas, 2009). The SBI program has been effective in reducing the number of illegal immigrants by closing off traditional transit rotes as well as increasing the number of apprehensions.
Through the increased surveillance capabilities that SBInet projects brings in, Border patrol agents are better equipped to apprehend and remove aliens from US soil.
Despite its successes, the SBInet Technology program has failed to meet the initial expectations. While the program was initially envisioned to be a comprehensive solution that would be deployed to the entire Southwest Border by the end of this year, the program has failed to deliver on its promise (Koulish, 2009).
The comprehensive “virtual fence” across the entire Southwest border that was to be delivered by SBInet has been downgraded to limited pilot capabilities on several Southwest border sections. Until SBInet is fully implemented, Border patrol agents will be forced to rely on legacy equipment such as cameras mounted on towers (Stana, 2009).
Nevertheless, implementation of SBI is still ongoing and setbacks are seen as temporal in nature as implementation of SBInet capabilities across the entire southwest borders continues.
Conclusion
This paper will set out to discuss the Secure Border Initiative program, its components of the program and the technologies utilized. It has been noted that SBI was necessitated by the escalation of the immigration problem on the US-Mexico borderline as well as the risk of terrorists entering into the US through the routes used by illegal immigrants.
The SBI has equipped Border Patrol agents with the technology necessary to better monitor the border and hence increasing their efficiency. This paper has demonstrate that the Secure Border Initiative is successful in that it is making it harder for illegal immigrants to move into the US by closing off the easier routes.
However, it has been noted that the implementation of the SBInet has not been flawless and there have been delays as well as failures to meet expectations by the program.
Nevertheless, the potential of the SBI has made policy makes continue to support the program implementation albeit in a phased manner. From this paper, it is evident that while the Virtual Fence which the SBI envisioned has not been fully realized, the completed blocks demonstrated the effectiveness of SBI in border protection.
References
Andreas, P. (2009). Border Games; Policing the U.S.-Mexico Divide, Second Edition . Cornell University Press.
Haddal, C.C. (2010). Border Security: The Role of the U.S. Border Patrol. Congressional Research Service.
Kirk, E. & Teufel, H. (2007). Privacy impact assessment for the SBInet Program . Congressional Research Service.
Koulish, R. (2009). Immigration and American democracy: subverting the rule of law. Taylor & Francis.
Nunez-Neto, B. (2005). Border Security: The Role of the U.S. Border Patrol. Congressional Research Service.
Nunez-Neto, B. & Vina, R. S. (2005). Border Security: Fences along the U.S. International Border. Congressional Research Service.
Paul, M. (2010). “Sensors and robots aim to bolster border security”. New Scientist, 02624079, Vol. 205, Issue 2742
Stana, R.M. (2009). Secure Border Initiative fence construction costs. USA: GAO.
Suarez-Orozco, M. & Paez, M. (2008 ). Latinos: Remaking America . University of California Press.
Worch, P.R. (2007). Technologies for Border Security. Military Technology –Miltech 2.
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Security System: Information and Property within Business Research Paper
Abstract
Security is a critical issue that tends to be overlooked by so many businesses yet it is of much significance to the operation of any given business. This includes security of both information system and also business property. Poor information security may lead to poor performance since competitors are most likely to have access to the business documents, data and workflows.
It is therefore the obligation of any particular business to ascertain appropriate security of information from the intruders and promote accountability as far as business property is concerned. This bid is a simple proposal of a workable security system within an organization to ensure business information is properly guarded against any intruding persons and guarantee maximum protection of business property.
Introduction
Information is a very vital issue to a business and hence should be given first priority at any given time. To come up with an effective security system for both information and property within a business; assets, threats and available resources must be put into consideration. This security system has been designed for a small business and it safeguards information and property from intruders.
Methodology
Information security system
Business information may include but not limited to information on employees, consumers, commodities offered, financial status of the business, business policies and also future plans of the business hence such information should be inaccessible to everyone ranging from the business employees to the outsiders including competitors.
To protect business gadgets from damage by viruses, spyware and other malevolent codes, a regularly updated anti-virus and anti-spyware should be set up in all the computers belonging to the business and also personal computers for employees since some use their computers while at home. The application can be bought from software vendors.
After installing, the software should be set to automatically check for updates and scan the entire system at certain specified times to ensure better protection from any threat.
Internet connection exposes the system to threat throughout hence to counter this, the business has to subscribe to the wireless firewall access from hardware vendors. After installation, the administrative password and name have to be changed immediately followed by frequent changing to ensure hackers are kept at bay at all times.
All computers including those for employees must be installed with active firewall software to ensure all sources of risks are sealed. The organization should patch and update its executive program, applications, business automation products and other products to ensure efficiency in data security. Automatic updates must be turned on for all the windows in all the computers.
Support copies of relevant organization data need to be made on a separate disk regularly for easy retrieval of data in case of computer breakdown, hard disk fail, floods, fire and even theft. These files may include word documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, accounting files and any other relevant information.
This has to be made automatic and the separate disks kept elsewhere from the business premises followed by regular checks to ascertain that the stored files can be read.
The computer room needs to have automated door system that is sensitive to fingerprints. This implies that only business employees will have access to the room. A database must therefore be created to carry all the fingerprints of employees. The computer room has to be fitted with a CCTV inside to monitor the activities of the users.
This will help in accountability among employees for all their actions. It should be made a secret and no one should be able to locate it. The door system needs to be set such that only allow access during business operating hours and days.
A separate database has to be made to store very critical information to the business that can only be accessed after common accord among the managerial staff. It has to be set in such a way that in case of any access to it with or without permission, a security message is sent to all the executive staff and the IT personnel.
The business needs to contract an IT firm to install all the above software, create databases and set up the files back up system. An IT personnel has then to be employed to maintain the system and update it whenever necessary.
Policies
Physical access to computers must be highly limited and computers have to be positioned in such a way that displays are not easily visible to passers by. There should be an effective system incorporated as far as staffing is concerned. New staff should be properly vetted.
Employees should also receive proper training on information security. The business should create separate accounts for all the employees with passwords that cannot be easily guessed.
No staff at any given time should be allowed to browse using administrative accounts. This will help limit set up of unwanted software. After any online transactions, all the history, caches and cookies should be deleted to avoid anyone tracing the links. The organization should ensure staff has limited access to important business information.
The authority to give out information concerning the business has to be limited to a few especially the management. This will help curb the issue of social engineering used by many hackers and spies. Employees should sign a commitment promising to safeguard business information under all circumstances.
Property security
The business should contract a security firm to be in charge of general security of the business property and personnel. There has to be limited entry and exit points into and out of the business premises respectively.
Business property needs to be labeled to minimize theft cases among employees. The contracted firm has to sign an accord to guarantee protection of the enterprise from interlopers and business property from damage or theft.
Conclusion
Information is an important tool to any business hence it is the business obligation to ensure information security. Any leakage of this information might lead to unhealthy competition and bring adverse effects onto the business.
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Selection Process Definition Essay
Employee selection procedure is a process through which the employer reviews a pool of applications for a given position and decides to hire one or more candidates and not to hire others.
In other words, the selection process is the procedure through which the employer decides which candidate in the applicant pool possesses the best qualification to be successful in the job (Gitman and McDaniel 209). The traditional selection process involved a detailed job analysis of a given position and that leads to understanding the psychological attributes that are necessary in a candidate deemed fit for the position.
Further, the selection process should also undergo a validation process that would allow for understanding the performative outcome of the candidate in terms of absenteeism and turnover. However, the contemporary procedure that is followed by recruiters today is described below:
1. Screening. The first process entailed in the section process is the initial screening process. This is done right after the candidate submits her application for the job. This initial screening process entails a brief interview, often over the phone to gauge the initial suitability of the candidate for the position. In this step, information regarding the candidate’s educational background, past experiences, and background are gathered.
2. Tests. Following the initial screening, the candidate may be asked to undertake a test to gauge her aptitude for the job. The tests usually entail understanding the candidate’s special job skills for example proficiency in English for a copywriting or technical writers’ job.
3. Interview. Interview is the process wherein the recruiter has an in-depth discussion with the candidate to understand the candidate’s psychological and experiential fit for the job. It is considered the most important selection step and is widely used in all forms of selection process. Interviews are generally conducted to understand the skills and abilities of the candidate, previous work experience, education, and career goals. This is a popular process of selection, and often at managerial or above levels a personal is interviewed by many people at the same or different times. During the interview, the candidate may be asked to analyze and interpret job related situations or problems or to demonstrate their specific skills directly related to the job. For example, in case of teacher’s recruitment at a management institute, candidates may be asked to demonstrate their class delivery skills. The interviews aim to understand the candidate’s communication skills and motivation.
4. Reference Checking. Background or reference checking is the process through which candidates’ credentials are checked. This is a process wherein the references of the candidates are checked. The recruiter speaks to the referrals, who are the candidate’s immediate supervisor and/or colleagues. The reference is done to understand the perception of superior and peer regarding the candidate’s performance, credits, and issues. Further, this also allows the company to understand the reason for leaving previous job.
5. Medical exam. This step entails understanding the medical situation of the candidate. This is usually done in jobs that require high physical labor as in case of military recruitment. This is done to understand if the candidate can take the physical pressure required for the completion of the job. Further, these medical tests may also entail drug testing.
6. Hiring decision. The decision to hire the candidate is done if the candidate satisfactorily passes through all the selection procedures. On making the decision, a job offer is made to the candidate.
Preliminary interview is an important step in understanding the basic fit of the candidate in the required job role. The main aim of a preliminary interview is to make sure the physical and psychological fit of the candidate for the job.
In this interview process, candidates are asked questions related to their background, taste, interests, reason for applying for the job, experience, education, etc. this interview process is important to the selection procedure because this interview process provides a valid glimpse of the behavioral fit of the candidate and the interviewer can evaluate from the candidate’s answers why she likes certain jobs and dislike others.
The reason for conducting the preliminary interview is to deselect those candidates who do not fit the job role. Preliminary interviews are conducted over the telephone or through videotaping or conferencing.
Another importance of preliminary interview is that if a candidate is found not fit for a certain position, a skilled interviewer having knowledge of other vacant positions in the organization will know if the candidate is fit for other positions and can divert her resume to the concerned department. This initial interview process is also believed to increase the goodwill of the firm and optimizes the effectiveness of the selection process (Mondy 124).
Applicant pool is defined as the number of applicants who are found qualified for the job that are recruited (Mondy 122). The advantages of calculating the applicant pool is to understand the expansion or contraction in the labor market and in availability of qualified candidates fit for the job. The ratio of applicant pool to the number of people hired for the job, called the selection ratio is an important indicator.
When the selection ratio is 1, it implies that there was only 1 qualified candidate for the given vacant position. Moreover, if the ratio was 0.1 this indicates that there were 10 candidates for 1 vacant position. Clearly, the lower the selection ratio, the higher are the number of choices available to the recruiter.
Another advantage is that this provides the attractiveness of the vacant job. The disadvantage of understanding the applicant pool is that this may provide a deceptive number of analyses of the attractiveness of the job.
Assume there is a position for an Architect for a retail company. The job description for the position is as follows:
1. The candidate is required to design and render architectural layouts in Autocad 3.
2. The candidate has to visit onsite projects for looking at the completion and rendition of the designed projects.
3. The candidate has to lead a team of 3 to 4 draftsmen and see.
4. The candidate will be responsible for competition of the designing of a project and applying them to the project site.
5. The candidate is responsible to handling offshore clients and convincing them of the architectural design made by the company.
Desired candidate profile derived from the above job description:
1. Applicant must hold a qualified B.Arch degree
2. Must have 2 to 3 years of experience in architectural firm
3. Must have exposure to commercial architectural work.
4. Should have excellent knowledge of Autocad
5. Good presentation and communication skills
6. Willing to travel to onsite projects
Based on this job analysis the preliminary interview will have the following questions:
1. What is your educational background?
2. What is your experience in commercial architectural designing field?
3. What is your current role?
4. How long have you been working in the current company?
5. Why are you looking for a change in job?
6. What software do you use or have used for designing?
7. Do you have on-site supervision experience?
8. How many people are working under you presently?
The above preliminary interview question will help understand the basic fit of the candidate for the position of an architect.
Works Cited
Gitman, Lawrence J. and Carl McDaniel. The Future of Business: The Essentials. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.
Mondy, Wayne. Human Resource Management . London: Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.
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Increasing of Sex Education in Schools to Curb Teenage Pregnancy Argumentative Essay
Change of times has been matched with changes in social, economic and cultural systems. Ancient civilizations have been replaced with technological and educational empowerment.
Socially, irresponsible behavior has been the cause of teenage pregnancy, spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and dropping out of school (Allerston 25). The long term effects have been increased dependency ratio because the affected are usually unemployed.
It is true that the education systems have failed to incorporate adequate sex education in their programs. Whether to increase sex education or not has been the debate recently. This paper discusses why sex education should be increased in a bid to cub teenage pregnancy.
The rate at which teenagers are becoming curious to explore their sexual life is alarming. The adolescent stage is associated with increased hormonal activity, desire to respond to such imbalances and eventually engage in sexual activities (Measor 71). It is, however, unfortunate in cases where teenagers lack wisdom in regards to the ‘sexual arena’.
The results are usually undesirable; increased number of school drop outs, increased HIV/AIDs infection rates and teenage pregnancies. The need to have sex education increased is therefore important.
Increased sex education is important in schools because teenagers receive guidance and counseling from their teachers. It has been revealed that teenagers are easily affected by their environment. A supportive environment helps in averting situations of unwarranted sexual behavior (Measor 74). The teenagers are able to share their problems comfortably and are advised accordingly. In view of this, sex education is necessary.
Increased sex education is important because it emphasizes on the need to abstain and use of contraceptives. Teenagers become aware of the reality and how best they can live to avert cases of teenage pregnancies. Teenagers who find it difficult to abstain are aware of contraceptive methods such as condom use. In addition, teenagers appreciate the negative health effects of teenage pregnancy. Pre-delivery care is also taught (Allerston 27).
Increased sex education psychologically prepares teenagers for what is to come in future. Teenagers who abstain find it rather easier to handle major issues before getting into marriage. On the other hand, victims of teenage pregnancy are usually faced with mental unpreparedness. Sex education helps in addressing this effect (Measor 75). The teenagers become aware of what might befall them if responsible sexual behavior is not adopted. They also become aware of pregnancy handling, childbirth processes and parenthood.
Increased sex education in schools is important. Statistically, parents have failed to guide their children in sexual matters (Measor 77). Parents ignore this crucial responsibility assuming that teenagers would learn by themselves. The result has been peer-influenced education (Allerston 28).
Teenagers copy some irresponsible behavior from their peers. The ultimate results are drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and/or spread of STIs. It is practical enough to assert that though parents should inculcate responsible sexual behavior, teachers should do it more. The fact that teachers spend most time with the students strategically gives them an edge over the parents (Measor 79). In this view, sex education should be increased in schools.
Sex education is not only important in curbing teenage pregnancy but also helps in preventing and controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS and other STIs such as syphilis and gonorrhea (Allerston 30). It is therefore important to increase sex education in schools to avert cases of teenage pregnancies.
The spread of STIs in pregnancy cases makes the situation worse. The teenagers become aware of the situation that may arise if responsible sexual behavior is not adopted. In this view, increased sexual behavior is necessary.
In conclusion, it is important to note that change of generations is associated with increased levels of curiosity. It is rather unfortunate that most teenagers explore the ‘sexual arena’ with a lot of ignorance. The result has been teenage pregnancy, spread of STIs and increased drop out from school. Increasing sex education in schools is necessary to avert all these effects.
Works Cited
Allerston, Sue. Sex education . Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes, 2001, Pp 24-30.
Measor, Lynda. Young people’s Views on sex education: education, attitudes, and behavior . Routledge, 2000, Pp 70-80.
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Sex/Gender Differences in Aggression Term Paper
Distinctive Physiological traits and behaviors coupled with the distinctive and unique biological formation basically associated and partaken in males and females of a certain autonomous species is what sex can be said to be (Helgeson 36).
Aggression on the hand is the behavior which is in most cases conceived so as to cause pain, harm, and damage between subjects who are of the same species. Males are generally regarded to be aggressive than females. The most supportive case is that most murders recorded in the world are known to have been committed by males.
Males also tend to express their aggression more physically than females. Males are more confronters than females as females are said to be more tolerable. Though they are relatively less aggressive, their aggression is most indirectly relieved through such psychological aggressions like rejection.
The gender differentiae theory, point out the major differences in aggression when gender is the determinant factor. The theory point out that in human beings men are more likely to partake in physical confrontations as opposed to women. When it comes to verbal aggression, men and women in most cases engage equally. Men and women have a tendency to express aggression differently from one another (Worell 453).
Women are said to perceive their aggression as brought in most cases by loss of self control and too much stress while men view aggressive events as necessitated positive events in taming and regulating those who question, undermine, and challenge their integrity or their valued self-esteem. Women feel remorseful and guilt conscience when involved in acts of aggression than their male counterparts.
The alternative aggression theory, points out that woman engage in indirect aggression more than men. These are gossiping, spreading of malicious character damaging rumors, backbiting and revelation of other people’s secrets without their consent or knowledge. A research was conducted in a college environment to find out: between adolescent boys and girls who engage in indirect aggression more, and the effects of age on aggression?
It was noted that when a certain girl’s request for a date was turned down by her male college mate she would result in gossiping and spreading of false rumors about the male college mate. However, males who were turned down on a date request would immediately get angry and some even became abusive then kept quiet and did not even want their peers to know and that was the end of the matter.
The case was also studied in a group situation. When two teenage girls were interested in the same man there was considerable animosity, although not like the kind of animosity that existed between two teen young boys who were interested in the same girl, the latter being high.
No teen boy wanted to concede defeat and sometimes there were exchange of blows and verbal abuse. When the study above was repeated for middle aged adults between age 25 and 40 years, it was observed that the hostility was less but competitiveness in men was still fierce.
When the case involved much older adults the level of aggressiveness had dropped in both male and female although the male were quite competitive with one another as similarly observed in the other studies.
When the two interested parties met, men were observed to get physical but the issue ended there after and later the same men would be seen laughing together sharing a drink or two. Women hostility toward fellow women was seen to increase compared to woman hostility toward men. However, the women involved would not settle the matter there and then. Backbiting and gossips were rampant. The woman who lost would go around gossiping about the man more than the woman because of jealous but hating the woman the more.
Four reasons were found to be the major cause for women to engage in indirect aggression. The first reason was found to be the acceptance of aggression by many societies’ cultures. The other reason is that, during their growth and development years, girls tend to receive negative and rebuking feedbacks concerning direct, physical aggression. For girls, indirect non physical aggression is therefore socially and conventionally accepted.
Social structure of play groups during childhood differ, compact, small and close relation ties are for girls while boys tend to form larger, less binding, and non committal groups. Therefore, the greater close ties in female social trends tend to favor passing and sharing of personal and confidential information in the process of the interaction.
Relativity in physical strengths differences also play a major role in the aggression behavioral, boys expect more success than girls in physical confrontations. Girls also naturally in most cases mature faster than boys thus it is speculated this leads to confidence and greater reliance early in life on the indirect aggression (Morgan 78).
The research concluded that hostility in male and female decrease with age. Female hostility toward fellow female was more compared to that directed toward male. Where physical aggression was involved 80 percent of the involved were male as compared to female 20 percent. Where indirect aggression like false rumors was observed 70percent of the involved were women as compared to 30 percent male. Where verbal abuse was involved it was observed that both men and women were almost at par.
After duration of time majority of males used to remember the physical aggression and likewise where rejection and emotional manipulation was involved the women never forgot. Aggression toward both sexes increase from childhood up to teenage level then decrease in the subsequent years.
However, male aggression toward male counterparts remained the very high no matter the age bracket especially where a woman was involved. More than a thousand people from different areas, were involved in the research, thus the result portrayed universalism.
The human emotionality theory propagates that women and men tend to be very different especially in terms of emotions, they think differently hence tend to react to various issues differently, thus different aggression reactions. Men are described and portrayed to be very linear- they take the shortest way or route to solving their problems what is called hitting the nail on the head.
On the other hand, women are said to think more conventionally, globally and take time first to consider and contemplate the bigger picture. This makes men to be more temperament and aggressive while women tend to be more reserved and less physically aggressive (Turner 45).
Biologically, gender difference in the use of aggression especially that which is direct start appearing in human beings at the tender age of two years and increase all through a child’s life and adolescence. The society also determines the way aggression is precipitated and handled. Psychologically in instances of war boys tend to be recruited in large numbers to fight in the war.
Those that are exposed to war situations tend to lose their human feelings of compassion and mercy and in turn tend to be more aggressive and unbearable. Women in war situations are raped and sexually abused. This creates deep animosity and contempt for men. The raped woman is psychologically disoriented and tends to think of all men as evil.
This creates fierce aggression towards other male and due to the emotional trauma, the woman in context tend to be cautious of men even a simple touch by a man startles her. Men on the other hand tend to develop deep and greater hate to all that catch the eye, in a way situation.
Men tend to forget and get past emotional aggression more easily than physical aggression. This is the opposite of a woman as women tend to get past and forget physical transgressions than emotional transgressions.
In case of sexual infidelity men get more violent when they catch their partners in the act of physical sexual intercourse as opposed to when they find their partner has been emotionally involved with another person.
However, women act totally the opposite. She gets more hurt and result to aggressive acts when she realizes her partner has been emotionally connected to another person besides her rather than when she finds her partner in bed with another person. These differences are accounted by the gender differences where men are more physically aggressive while women are more emotionally aggressive.
Same gender aggression has been said to be higher than involving opposite sex aggression. The stronger and mightier males tend to physically dominate their weaker counterparts. Female tend to isolate one another and engage in indirect aggression like gossips.
The unusual finding is that nowadays women tend to have more male friends than female friends; they view fellow women as jealous, nagging, and not straight forward. Unlike females men tend to keep long friendships, childhood friends are maintained up to adulthood in men than in women.
This is so as men tend to be more physically aggressive than indirectly while women are the opposite. This trait helps men to solve personal differences more often than women who keep personal differences to themselves only to release them through indirect methods like mockery, which in turn lead to the breaking of friendships.
Due to the higher rate of maturity in women, a woman of the same age with a man is able to handle more stress and confronting issues than the man. This enables women to cope well with men older than them unlike men who when with women older than them look a bit inexperienced and immature. Females are also more accommodative than males.
This is seen where many men especially in Africa and Arab world marry more than one wife and exist in harmony. It is very hard to find a woman with more than one husband living and co-existing under the same roof.
This is also clearly demonstrated in animals where you find in a pack of lions, there is only one male and numerous lionesses. Males tend to aggressively chase and sometimes kill their other male counterparts. Aggression based on gender can thus be seen to be dependant on many issues; some innate and others are societal instigated (Nichols, Graber., Brooks., & Botvin, 107).
Both sexes are different in a number of ways which in turn shape their aggressive nature. Although not expressed in the same manner, both males and females are very aggressive; aggressive towards members of the opposite sex and aggressive to the same sex members. Aggression can however be expressed in many ways as discussed above.
Works Cited
Helgeson, Vicki. The Psychology of Gender . New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2005.
Morgan, James. Focus on Aggression Research . Hauppauge: Nova Publishers, 2004.
Nichols, Tracy., Graber, Julia., Brooks, Jeanne., & Botvin, Gilbert. Sex Differences in Overt Aggression and Delinquency among Urban Minority Middle School Students . New York: Comell University Press, 2006.
Turner, Patricia. Sex Gender and Identity . Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 1995.
Worell, Judith. Encyclopedia of Women and Gender: Sex Similarities and Differences and the Impact of Society on Gender, Volume 1 . New York: Elsevier, 2001.
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Sex Roles: Dating vs. Hooking Up Analytical Essay
Gender roles are among the most controversial subjects of empirical research. The Sex Roles journal sheds light on the complexity of gender and sex roles and their implications for the quality of human interactions.
That sex roles affect all individuals cannot be denied. Dating is no exception, but the benefits and costs associated with dating and hooking up for women and men are poorly understood. In their article, Bradshaw, Kahn and Saville explore the issue of hooking up versus dating in the context of gender roles (661).
The researchers argue that hooking up has become a popular alternative to dating on college campuses, and its benefits for women and men have to be better understood (661). This is a psychological issue relevant to behavioral and social aspects of gender. Dating and hooking up are interesting objects of behavioral analysis within the gender roles discourse.
Bradshaw, Kahn and Saville relied on earlier evidence that women experienced more benefits from traditional dating than hooking up, compared with men (664). The researchers hypothesized that “a woman’s preference dating over hooking up should be greater in situations that imply a possibility of a long-term relationship” (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 664).
Simply stated, men would be more likely than women to prefer hooking up to traditional dating (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 664). Bradshaw, Kahn and Saville also explored gender differences in the benefits and costs of hooking up and dating but did not propose any related hypotheses (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 664).
To test their hypotheses, the researchers created a sample of 221 undergraduate students (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 664). 81.4% respondents were first-year students, and 96.4% of them were heterosexual (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 664). Of all respondents, 115 reported to be single, 29 were in a relationship for less than 6 months, and 76 were in a relationship of more than 7 months (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 664).
The respondents were provided with the basic definitions of traditional dating and hooking up and had to identify their preferences for one particular type of sexual relations in different situations (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 664-5). They had to indicate three benefits and risks of dating and hooking up (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 665).
Finally, all respondents had to answer a few general questions, e.g. how many times over the last 2 years they had been on or initiated a first date, etc (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 665). The researchers used surveys to gather information from the participants. They applied to complex statistical analyses to process the data.
Bradshaw, Kahn and Saville found that women were more likely than men to benefit from traditional dating (667). By contrast, men more than women preferred to hook up (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 667). However, contrary to expectations, women and men were equally committed to choosing dating in situations, when they were interested in establishing and retaining long-term relationships (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 667).
Nevertheless, men continue to view sexual intimacy as an important benefit of hooking up and perceive dating as a serious risk to personal freedom (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 668).
This is why men choose hooking up over dating. Men use hooking up and sexual encounters as an instrument for gaining a status (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 668). Evidently, this goal is much easier to achieve through hooking up rather than dating (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 668).
The knowledge of dating/ hooking up preferences in women and men has far-reaching implications for the practical study of female and male psychology. According to Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville, hooking up increases the feelings of guilt and risks of depression in women (668).
Women feel uncomfortable with men’s hooking up behaviors (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 668). Unlike men, women experience coercion and pressure to engage in sexual behaviors, when hooked up (Bradshaw, Kahn & Saville 668). The results of this study could help to create education programs for women, to teach them assertiveness and self-confidence in controversial dating/ hooking up situations and help men to establish relationships in ways that are comfortable for women.
Works Cited
Bradshaw, Carolyn, Arnold S. Kahn and Bryan K. Saville. “To Hook Up or Date:
Which Gender Benefits?” Sex Roles, 62 (May 2010): 661-669. Print.
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Sexual Development and Orientation Paper Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Sexual Development
3. Hormones and Sexuality
4. Environmental and Sexual Orientation
5. Conclusion
6. References
Introduction
The study of sexual development and orientation has attracted much attention in the field of psychology due to the emergence of aberrant sexual orientations like gay, lesbian, asexual, and bisexual predilections. Psychological study on the forces underlying sexual development and orientations has led to the formulation of diverse theories ranging from biological to the environmental.
According to Hammack (2005), “…sexual orientation continues to be intellectually fragmented along disciplinary lines, primarily due to the divergent epistemological, methodological, and meta-theoretical perspectives” (p.267).
The divergent perspectives together with the transformation of society significantly change the sexual orientations of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals because the current society recognizes their rights more than in the past.
Many psychological theories regarding sexual development hold that human nature and nurture are the two main factors that determine sexuality in an individual. Therefore, what are the biological and environmental factors that determine sexual development and orientation in human?
Sexual Development
Sexual development involves organizational and activational stages of differentiation that occur during pregnancy and adolescence respectively. At birth, primary sexual characteristics differentiate gender due to difference in external and internal sex organs. “All these structural differences result from a system of ducts, which release hormones, which in turn affect internal structures, which are stimulated to differentiate into characteristically male or female organs” (Hall, 1998, p. 1).
When a baby is born, the gonads are undifferentiated but after about four months, sexual differentiation begins to occur in the gonads. In males, gonads differentiate into testes while in females gonads differentiate into ovaries. This differentiation completes the development of primary sexual characteristics.
The testes and ovaries are the sex organs that are responsible for the productions of hormones that determine the secondary sexual characteristics in adolescence. The differentiation of gonads during early childhood forms the basis of development of the secondary sexual characteristics during adolescence.
During early childhood, the sexual process of sexual development is latent due to lack of hormonal expressions essential for the development of secondary sexual characteristics. The sexual development characteristics become evident at the ages between 11-13 for girls and 12-14 for boys.
This is an activational stage in sexual development since activation of hormones occurs. Hall argues that, “…at adolescence, a series of events takes place referred to as the activational effects of hormones, which result in secondary sex characteristics and process begins in the hypothalamus, which affects the pituitary gland, testes and ovaries” (1998, p.3).
Activation of hormones occurs in a cascading manner where stimulation of the hypothalamus leads to the secretion of gonadtropic releasing hormone, which in turn stimulates pituitary gland to release gonadtropic hormone.
Gonadotropic hormone then acts on the ovaries and testes simulating them to release estrogen and testosterone respectively. The two hormones, estrogen, and testosterone are responsible for the maturation of the secondary sexual characteristics during adolescence.
Hormones and Sexuality
Hormonal effects during adolescence are responsible for development of sexual orientations such as homosexuals, heterosexuals, asexual and bisexuals. Normal secondary sexual characteristics in male are deepening of voice, broadening of shoulders and experiences of wet dreams.
On the other hand, female secondary sexual characteristics involve widening of hips, experiences of menstruation and enlargement of breasts. The different orientations of the secondary sexual characteristics are due differing hormonal levels.
The two primary hormones that determine the orientation of secondary sexual characteristics are estrogens and testosterones, which are female and male hormones respectively. “Sex hormones have direct influence on the physiology and morphology that is why male and female bodies are differently shaped and work somewhat differently at a biological level” (Rogers, 2000, p.25).
This explains the secondary sexual characteristics that occur differentially at puberty. In addition to estrogen, females have extra hormones like progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone that are involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle until menopause.
The physiology of the brain seems to have sexual orientation due to the differing hormonal effects. Even though there are other morphological and biological differences between the male brain and the female brain, the hormonal interaction with the brain gives a physiological difference.
The ability of the testosterone, which is a male sexual hormone, to enter into the brain and the inability of the estrogen not to enter into the brain provides physiological difference of the brains.
Rogers (2000) explains that, “although estrogen is produced by the females’ ovaries in the development, it never gets into the brain, because it binds with the alpha-fetoprotein and as a result cannot pass into the brain” (p.26).
Unlike estrogen in females, testosterone in males cannot bind to the alpha-fetoprotein and it readily enters into the brain and undergoes aromatization process, which converts it into estrogen thus activating the medial preoptic area in the brain. The activation of the medial preoptic area of the brain in males and inactivation in females makes difference in physiological and morphological aspects of the brain.
Environmental and Sexual Orientation
Evolutionary psychologists supports that environmental factors play a role in sexual development and sexual orientations. Hammack argues that, “sexual lifestyles are the culturally specific erotic ideas and emotions that constitute the life-course development within a particular sexual culture, which control sexual behavior and conduct” (2005, p. 275).
Therefore, cultural environments have the potential to influence sexual development and orientations, depending on cultural sexual lifestyles embraced by the society.
For example, recognition of homosexuals’ rights in the United States of America has tremendously increased the number of homosexuals, proving that sexual lifestyles in the cultural environment have significant effect on the sexual orientation of the individual members in the society.
In the family level, research studies has shown that children who experience tough parenting times such as divorced parents, separated parents or missed parental love are more likely to become homosexuals in future. Numerous research studies have found out that, “there is substantive evidence to supporting that the nature of parenting, early childhood experiences, sexual abuse, or other adverse life play significant role in the formation of a person’s fundamental heterosexual or homosexual orientation” (Hammack, 2005, p. 277).
There is a strong correlation between intact or stable families with the heterosexual marriages of the kids. Hence, family is a microenvironment that imposes primary influence on the sexual orientation of the kids.
Conclusion
Sexual development and orientation has puzzled many psychologists and biologists in the light of emerging aberrant sexual orientations such as lesbianism, gay, bisexual, or asexual. Despite the fact that biological studies clearly stipulate sexual orientations, the understanding of the deviant sexual orientations demands psychological studies in order to shed more light concerning psychological aspect of these ‘abnormalities.’
Many research studies have attributed anomalies of sexual orientations to genetic, hormonal, cultural, and social factors, which act together in determination of sexual orientations.
References
Hall, R. (1998). Sexual Development. Developmental Psychology Journal , 1-10.
Hammack, P. (2005). The Life Course Development of Human Sexual Orientation: An Integrated Paradigm. The Human Development , 48. 267-290
Rogers, W. (2000). The Psychology of Gender and Sexuality . Buckingham: Open University Press.
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Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Opinion Essay
Skaine (1996) defines sexual harassment as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature…when submission or rejection of this conduct explicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment ” (p. 11). The two types of sexual harassment identified by the law are quid pro quo and hostile environment.
Quid pro quo refers to a condition where an employee is forced to provide sexual favors to an individual at a higher job rank in exchange of benefits at the workplace. On the other hand, hostile environment refers to a state where employees are harassed by offensive sexual behavior or any other act or state that intimidates a person sexually at the workplace (Geffner & Braverman, 2005).
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects employees against discrimination of any nature at the workplace. The Act protects employees from discrimination by their employees either in terms of gender, ethnicity, racial background, religion or any other form (Repa, 2010).
The scenario being experienced at the workplace provides that members of staff are offended by the personal photos and calendars hung in the back of the kitchen that are sexual in nature. Some of these items have been given to the staff from suppliers. The objects hung do not belong to just one individual and are making the other staff members uncomfortable. The other staff members asked for the items to be taken down and have even taken them down themselves, but that has caused more items to be hung up in their place.
From this scenario it is evident that the employees are offended by the pictures and this is a case of a hostile work environment. The rights of the employees have been violated yet they have the right to be protected from sexual harassment. In this scenario, sexual harassment is experienced by the employees and the kitchen manager should take action to protect the rights of the employees.
As the kitchen manager I would ensure that all the complaints are dealt with immediately and appropriately. All pictures identified to cause sexual harassment should be removed and no more pictures of a similar kind should be displayed in future. It is good to discuss the issue with the employees and assure them that it is regrettable that such an offensive act has been happening and that a similar occurrence would not be experienced in future.
A comfortable work environment is a right to all employees and it would be my duty to ensure that all employees are comfortable at the workplace. Moreover, injunction should be placed against suppliers providing materials which are offensive. To add on that, personal photos bearing offensive photos should be banned at the workplace.
It is therefore conclusive that employees have a right to be protected against sexual harassment. Sexual harassment consists of all environmental conditions at the workplace which are sexual in nature and are offensive.
It is the responsibility of the management of the organization to ensure that all the employees are comfortable at the workplace. To avoid a similar occurrence in future, employees of the organization should have the freedom to express their grievances and to discuss matters that may affect them at the workplace.
References
Geffner, R. and Braverman, M. (2005). Aggression in organizations: violence, abuse, and harassment at work and in schools. Routledge. ISBN 0789028425, 9780789028426
Repa, B. K. (2010). Your Rights in the Workpla ce. Nolo. ISBN 1413312101, 9781413312102.
Skaine, R. (1996). Power and gender: issues in sexual dominance and harassment. McFarland. ISBN 0786402083, 9780786402083.
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The Issue of Sexuality Essay
Sexuality can be seen as behavior and experience that is based on male-female sex differentiation. It encompasses the consciousness of one’s own sex and that of the opposite sex, sexual instincts, sexual desires, libido, and sexual behavior (Janell, 2009, p 5). Recently, sexuality has increasingly become a topic of focus among the various media sources.
At the same time, there have been troublesome issues regarding the contents of the media sources in as far as the issue of sexuality is concerned.
Some of the problems associated with these issues can have dire consequences to certain members of the society, especially the teenagers. Therefore to enhance greater understanding of the issue of sexuality, it is vital to take comprehensive and critical view of the subject matter as argued from different sources.
As Janell (2009, p 3) notes, sexuality has been the subject matter in the news, in recent days. Particularly, all media sources including magazines, New Papers, CD and DVD packaging, television, movies, internet and other visual images such as billboards and advertisements in buses are full of images that are subtly or explicitly sexual.
Most of these media aim at attracting customers to purchase their products or services. However, with little understanding of the effects, they do not put a limit on their advertisements and end up polluting their coverage.
Most of them do not give regard to the moral aspect of sexuality (Castañeda & Campbell, 2006, p. 1). Of course, this does not go without bringing about negative effects to the vulnerable sections of the society, especially the young people, who end up imitating these sources.
According to Janell (2009, p. 5), the development of new technology in the modern world has led to increased access to information regarding sexuality without limit. For example, teenagers in today’s world have rated the media and internet sources as the leading sources of sex information. Pornographic pictures and videos, sexual toys and access to other related sites with such information are readily available to the young people through the internet.
Due to their influence, the number of young people exposing themselves to illicit sexual acts without thinking of the dire consequences has increased. Worse still, many of these young people do not use contraceptives while engaging in sex, thereby exposing themselves to the infection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and also risking with pregnancy.
Greenberg, Bruess and Conklin (2010, p. 650) explains that the overall proportion of illicit sexual content in the media continues to increase. However, the negative consequences of sexuality are hardly displayed.
Remarkably, very few of media programs emphasize on sexual risks and responsibilities. As such, many young who engage in sexual activities out of influence from the media are exposed to the associated risks. Eventually, there is the possibility of a rise in the number of young people contracting STIs in the society.
Also, the number of young women giving birth at tender ages may rise. But as Greenberg et al (2010, p. 650) explains, the problem of sexuality is subject to judgment by family, school, religion and government among others. Therefore, it is their duty to alert young people on implications of sexual behavior that is, risks and responsibilities involved.
Clearly, the problem of sexuality is real in the contemporary society. Evidently, much of the information about sexuality provided in the media is not educational but it is largely misleading, unrealistic and inaccurate.
Imitation of such information by young people may lead to serious consequences to them and the whole society at large. It is thus important for all segments of the society to cooperate to mitigate the impact of the problems associated with sexuality.
Reference List
Castañeda, L., & Campbell, S. B. (2006). News and sexuality: media portraits of diversity, California: Sage.
Greenberg, J. S., Bruess, C. E., & Conklin, S, C. (2010). Television and programming, Exploring the, Dimensions of Human Sexuality. London, UK: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Janell, L. (2009). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity, exploring human sexuality, past and present. Mass Wadsworth, Canada: Cengage Learning.
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The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David Shipler Book Report
The working poor: Invisible in America By David Shipler
Introduction
America is a developed country but there still exists a group of people called the working poor. Although these people are working, they still languish in poverty. They live between a state of “poverty” and “well being” . Their efforts to move from “poverty bracket” to “well being bracket” are diminished due to negligence by the government. This book focuses on American working poor and what the government is doing to help the situation.
Summary
The author writes about the group of individuals struggling to survive in the US. His focus is on the people who are working but struggling to live and meet their daily needs. He terms them as people who have been left behind. Existence of such groups of people at a time when the US is celebrating its prosperity is considered a disgrace. The author carries out several interviews with people who are struggling to meet their basic needs like medical care.
He finds out that most of these people are working and some are even engaged in full time jobs. He is not pleased with the kind of life these people are leading despite their hard work. He believes that the government is not doing much to address the issue of the working poor. He adds that the government is not implementing laws that can help the working poor improve their living standards.
Although there are laws set up to protect the working poor, the process of implementing them is very poor and this leads to their failure. The kind of leadership in place can not come up with strategies to ensure that the laws are enforced. Therefore, it is very difficult to change the situation.
This book also reveals many other facts about the life of the working poor. All these facts give an indication of failure of leadership at state as well as national level. This means that the economic prosperity can not be sustained. The author suggests various ways by which the working poor can be helped. He insists that the government and the private sector should work hand in hand with other agents to come up with collective strategies that will improve the living standards of the working poor.
In order to help the working poor, the author proposes wage reform strategy that will regulate employers on how they pay their workers. He also says that the wage reform should apply at the bottom as well as the top. It should be able to set the minimum as well as the maximum pay standards for the workers for equality purposes. The issue of excess wealth to some Americans should be considered. Some Americans are paid very high salaries leading to various imbalances and creating a huge gap between the poor and the rich.
The book ends by the author appealing for ideological debate. He says that unless the ideological debate is encouraged and incorporated in public policies, the situation of the working poor is likely to remain the same. He says that it is time to table the facts about the working poor so that proper steps can be taken to correct the situation. Silence means prolonging the problem but not solving the problem. [1]
The central theme
The main theme featured in this book is poverty. The author examines a group of Americans who are completely left behind despite their hard work. He refers to them as the working poor. Although these groups of people are working, their living standards are still low. Despite their effort and willingness to work hard, it is almost impossible for them to attain their American dream.
In case of a financial obstacle, the working poor may not be able survive and this may lead to an irreversible financial downfall. They live up to their means with no funds left for emergency cases. In this book, the author holds various conversations with the working poor. He finds out that the working poor are held in dead end jobs where chances for advancement and improvement are very slim. There are no benefits and opportunities for further development.
These are the factors that make the working poor languish in poverty. The author also blames the government systems that are set up to help the working poor. He says that most of these systems are only provided but not implemented. Their effects are not visible at all. Some of the working poor are also resistant to help from the systems. Others are completely unaware that there are such systems in place to help them. [2]
The quantitative role played by the US
The United States as a cultural entity is not very aware of the factors that contribute to poverty. This means that the US is not so sure of the solutions that might fully correct this situation. However, there are many ways in which US play a role concerning the invisible working poor. Politically, the government has come up with laws that enforce minimum wage.
The only problem is that these laws are not implemented according to the government specifications leading to their failure. In fact the working poor are being charged high bills when it comes to health care and other public services. This raises their expenditures with no increase in income leading to poverty.
Although there are many upcoming ways to help the working poor, the author insists that no single way can succeed in correcting this situation. He proposes that the government should work hand in hand with the private sector to ensure that the laws are well implemented. Among the strategies proposed include changing of the present wage structure, fair distribution of public resources and coming up with programs that are more vocational.
The perception of the US in the book
I think the perception of the US in this book is negative. Although US is considered as a land of opportunities, there still exists a group of people who are working but still live in poverty. These people have been neglected and their welfare is not a priority anymore to America.
This is because the laws that have been put in place to help these people are not enforced into actions. The government is not committed to evaluate its law system to make sure that the laws are being obeyed. This shows how the US is less concerned with the working poor. We are told that the working poor are handled like slaves despite the existence of laws that enforce humane working conditions and minimum wage.
As much as we expect the working poor people to be treated at low medical costs in hospitals, they are being charged much more money than they can afford. Any emergency treatments, transport and other medical costs are even worsening the situation of the working poor. [3]
Lessons that the book holds for US citizens
There are very many lessons that this book holds for the US citizens. First, the US citizens need to be very careful when choosing leaders in future. They need to elect leaders who will implement the set laws and make sure that the laws are obeyed. This will reduce poverty among the working poor.
The US citizens need to learn that despite being a developed country, there are still groups of people who are languishing in poverty. With this in mind, they can be able to strategize on the factors contributing to this situation and come up with viable solutions that can help correct the situation. [4]
How to change the problems addressed in the book
From a personal perspective, I would encourage formation of movements and unions that will protect and fight for the rights of the working poor. These unions and movements will be able to push for reforms and law implementations that will see the working poor improve.
From a perspective of US policy, the government needs to make sure that those laws concerning minimum wage and humane working conditions are enforced and implemented. This is through setting up of law structures and arms that will monitor the implementation process and ensure that everybody is obeying the laws. [5]
Conclusion
Poverty is an urgent issue in the American society especially among the working poor. These issue need to be addressed by the government in collaboration with other agents for improvement of the living standards of the working poor.
Reference List
Both, Deborah and Barbara. Zang. 2009. The working poor in America . Washington, DC: National academy press.
Shipler, David. 2004. The working poor: Invisible in America . New York: Knopf publishers.
Footnotes
1. David Shipler, The working poor: Invisible in America (New York: Knopf publishers 2004), 21.
2. Ibid, 23.
3. Ibid, 23.
4. Ibid, 23.
5. Deborah Both and Barbara Zang,The working poor in America (Washington, DC: National academy press 2009), 54.
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Short Detective Story Essay (Critical Writing)
The detective did not look like the gumshoes from old dime-store novels.
He was a lot thinner and he wore a close-fitting bodysuit rather than a raincoat. He was, however, just as focused on getting his man and finding the facts as Sherlock Holmes ever was. However, he was always plagued by a sense of not quite knowing why he needed to find this or that man, or this or that fact. He was not, in fact, sure he was working for.
He was drawn to following perfectly ordinary men and women who appeared to have little background, and no history. Whatever their crime, it was subtle. They seemed to crop up in large cities, slightly off-kilter in dress and speech, youngish, handsome or pretty beyond the norm, and a bit credulous and naïve in their behavior at times. He had watched in horror more than once when one of these targets of investigation had turned over his or her suitcase or watch to an obvious street criminal and thereby were neatly robbed.
Clearly, these folks were not themselves pickpockets; they were just too innocent. They were also too often seized by waves of racking, hacking coughs after taking huge, enthusiastic lungs full of the city air. They seemed to have no fixed addresses, but found themselves bunking with one person after another, sometimes for a day, other times for longer, and then moving on.
He followed them assiduously, and noted their movements in his pocket computer. From time to time, he sent a report to an address through the computer with no identifying information and always felt better afterwards. Then the compulsion would return. Find the folks who look like they don’t belong, and follow them. There was nothing else in his life, and, as a matter of fact, he could not remember a life or a time before this job, this pursuit. No childhood, adolescence, no family, no loves lost or gained; just find the folks and follow them.
One late summer day, he located a small group of them in a hollow of ground in the main city park, surrounded by trees and quite out of view of passersby. If he had not been tracking one of them, he would never have found them. They shared that look of not being comfortable in their clothes, and the habit of gazing at perfectly ordinary objects such as pigeons, squirrels, trees, bushes, grass, and especially the occasional hawk or falcon with rapt appreciation. They also were all wearing sunglasses and long sleeves, in spite of the heat.
They were now directing their attention to, of all things, a pile of sticks, which they were adding to diligently. On the ground nearby were several bags of what looked like groceries, perhaps from the delicatessen that was close to the park entrance. To his astonishment, when one of the peculiar folk opened the bag, he could see that, indeed, the bag contained, of all things, some sort of sausages, nested together like pink snakes.
His surprise was so great that he made an unplanned move, and the branches around him rustled loudly. The group around the pile of sticks looked up, and he felt he needed to withdraw immediately to avoid detection. Imagine a detective being spotted – imagine the irony. He made no report, being too bemused even to conjecture at what was happening.
The next time he encountered any sizable number of them was when the autumn winds were blowing and the darkness was descending earlier and earlier. Again, it was outdoors, in a largely empty lot just on the river bank. This area had never been developed into condominiums or casinos or yacht clubs.
Only a few car carcasses blocked the wind, and he hid behind one of them. In the blowing, cloud-tossing dusk, a circle of people was gathering. In the center of the circle was a pile; again, a pile. And the circle was growing as more and more folk arrived, as if from thin air. Each one carried a handful of something, something that did not weigh them down, but something clearly treasured.
At a certain point: he could not have differentiated it from any other, there was a spark, and suddenly, a fire! The scent of burning leaves filled the air with a sharp and biting tang. He took out his hand-held computer and started describing the crowd, and the now-dancing fire in rapid, concise text.
Almost immediately, he found himself in a blindingly white room, along with the entire crowd that had last been surrounding the fire with grave and loving attention. He was standing before an authoritative looking fellow, who was inexplicable beaming at him.
“Well done! You nabbed them!”
“Who?” asked the detective.
“The time fugitives” said the other man, with a note of deep distaste. “They weren’t content with the domes, the recycled air, the recycled food, the unvarying light and temperature, and the behavioral constraints here in this century, and so they have to take their nasty perversions back in time and pollute in the past.”
“How? Why?” babbled the detective, thoroughly lost in this discussion.
“Oh, of course, you’re still in your 22 nd century persona. Here, let me switch you over to present time.” He tapped out a command on the detective’s mobile computer, which was still clutched in his sweaty hand, and suddenly, the detective’s head whirled. As though a foggy window had cleared, he recognized the other as his supervisor, Sterling, in the Temporal Special Crimes Unit. When he turned to look at the crowd of people from the empty lot, the fire-starters, he realized that many were the same as he had seen in August, preparing, he now realized, to start a fire in the park glen, and, yes, they were going to roast wieners. That was it. They were holding a – what was that term – a “barbecue”, and in a location where it was not, strictly speaking, allowed, for forest fire prevention reasons. But where else could they have staged a “barbecue”? In his 25 th century mind, the mere word gave him shudders of revulsion and terror. Polluting the domes, polluting the air, eating animal flesh; horrible ideas!
And, just a few moments ago, what had they been preparing for in that deserted, chilly lot? A – again the memory of the term came to him from an official glossary, probably in his training manual – a “bonfire”.
And again, with returning understanding, welled up the sense of horror.
He looked around him. These individuals had not been willing to accommodate themselves to the constrained life of their own century. They could not accept the limitations of their post-holocaust world. They never got used to the precious and many-times re-used air, water, and essential proteins, all sequestered in the dome and protected from the toxic human-generated nightmare outside.
No, they wanted to breathe unfiltered air, and eat animal flesh seared over a flame, and, burn things for no reason but to smell the perfume and incense of autumn.
Thinking back to the scurrying clouds and the smell of cold and the sweet smoke rising from the tiny fire, he thought maybe, just maybe, he could understand why they went to the effort of time travel and secretive burnings of meat, wood, and leaves. But he was not going to share that opinion any time soon. He grasped the returning memories that were even now washing away the artificial life history that had served him adequately back in the past as a detective in 22 nd century North America,
He straightened up, and summoning his most official voice, said, “You have the right to remain silent…” Just then, the door opened. An even more imposing fellow walked through, this one surrounded by bodyguards.
“Well done! You’ve finally returned.”
“Who?” asked the detective.
“You spotted their aberrant behavior and triggered the temporal return mechanism. It was strictly against the law to build bonfires back in the 25 th century due to the ongoing atmospheric deterioration. Luckily, that problem has been solved with today’s technology.” said one of the man’s bodyguards.
“How? Why?” asked the detective, once again thoroughly lost.
“Oh, of course, you’re still in your 25 th century mind. Allow me to brief you on what has changed in the last century.”
The detective shook his head. He was just now getting used to the idea that time travel was possible, and he was not sure how much more he could accept in the way of revelations. He had just seen his 22 nd (or was it 21 st ?) century self disappear like a bathtub ring down the drain.
The imposing fellow jabbed a finger at the screen of his mobile computer, and the image of a folder opened up in front of them and rested on his lap.
“An aircraft of unknown origin crashed into the Brooks mountain range of Alaska in 1944. Military forces rushed in to lock down the whole area and the survivors were determined to be of non-terrestrial origin. We’ve kept those we rescued in a special facility ever since.”
Several holograms of the crash site and the survivors popped up out of the virtual folder and hung between them, glimmering slightly at the edges. The apparently human figures were, to all appearances, about 24 years of age, and very attractive by the standards of 1944. And, the detective observed to himself, the standards of the 25 th century, as well.
“Over time, as we observed them in their containment facility, we started to realize they age at a much slower rate than we do. Scientists at the time of the crash had no knowledge of DNA, but as soon as the implications of Watson and Crick’s work with chromosomes dawned on them, the ETs were tested genetically.
Even by the late 1960s, we could tell that there were slight variations in their DNA composition. They look just like us and it is nearly impossible to distinguish visually between a regular human and those biological entities. Unless”, he added, “you can stare at them for 20 years or so, as their initial observers did, growing gray and wrinkled while the ETs stayed vibrantly youthful.
The ETs also seemed to be able to time travel, even without their damaged ship. We have not ever figured out the knack, but the genetic differences probably explain a great deal.”
“This is spectacular news, but what does any of this have to do with me?”
One of the imposing fellow’s assistants leaned over and poked at the computer screen, extracting an image of the detective and his immediate boss to pop up in front of them.
“In 2472, you’re part of a special operations team run by your boss, Sterling, here. You’re last seen…”
“What year am I in now?” the detective interrupted.
“The year 2572. The individuals you were asked to follow all the way back into the 22nd century weren’t just ordinary criminals or terrorists. Instead, they were extraterrestrials who managed to make their way out of the crash site before our forces could arrive. We called them the Sleepers.
They had melted into the crowded cities of that globalized era, managing to survive on the margins of society. In fact, they actually thrived, since they had the appearance of youth and beauty on their side.
They sometimes traded on their physical appeal to obtain housing, food, or travel. They made out like bandits in the 21 st century, and did decently in the 22 nd , as you witnessed, but in the subsequent centuries, the changes around them made life in this marginal niche more difficult.”
The computer responded to another fingertip prodding by issuing forth more pop-up images – this time from space. “Here is the earth in the 21 st century.” The blue marble planet hung in the blackness of space, gorgeously jeweled. “Here is the 23 rd century – note the changes at the equator”.
In this picture, the band of brown desert was massively larger, and was engulfing Europe. The next image was terrifyingly dun colored. “The ETs ran into trouble once really strict government controls were imposed. Things got really difficult for them once the domes were built to shelter the remnant of humanity in the late 2300s.
Most of them had serious problems adapting to the constraints that became necessary in the 25 th century. They clung to a lot of the customs and privileges of the 21 st century such as building bonfires and eating meat, and daily bathing. We conjecture that in their home world, they were either able to do these things freely, or had had to give them up, and were delighted to find them available here.
For the most part, they don’t want to talk to us very much, even after all this time, for perhaps understandable reasons. Additionally, few of them ever wanted to work. In a word, many were mooches, and never paid their way in life. Naturally, such behavior got them evicted from everywhere they wanted to live, whether indoors under domes, or outdoors. They were eventually branded as criminals, as resources all over the globe became tighter and tighter.
They became truly outcasts and fugitives for having broken environmental laws and laws of trespass over and over again. They had an immense advantage over any other lawbreakers, because they could flee in time, as well as space. They tended to gravitate towards the 21 st century because that was the last time that the world was both beautiful and fertile and it was relatively safe to breathe the air and drink the water and eat ‘real’ food from animal sources.
Efforts were set in motion to have local constabulary round them all up in our century. Soon after this initiative, another group from the higher-ups captured you along with most of the rest of the Sleepers. Your blood was tested along with others and as it turns out, you’re one of them.
This was a bit of a surprise, since you had always been a very dedicated worker and a credit to the Temporal Crimes Unit. You must have been an anomaly amongst your kind. We are still not quite sure what you were doing with them when that group was detained.”
In the detective’s mind there blossomed a memory – this one seemed real, and his own – of a week spent by a small, relatively unpolluted river, with days full of skinny dipping and nights full of campfires and glimpses of stars beyond the persistent scum of polluted air. Was he a time fugitive then, as well? Did he have a secret life spent with his fellow…what did they even call themselves?
“I don’t see how this can be possible… and why are they, no, we, called Sleepers? And all these centuries of life: how is this feasible…?” anxiously, the detective interrupted once again.
“Please allow me to finish. Your appearance is just as fresh as the day you were hired by Sterling, your boss for the last decades. When you showed up in the round-up, we decided to inject you with a denatured toxin known as Atroxium. It was originally designed for individuals who had troubles sleeping at night. We took the liberty of enhancing the effects of the toxin to a point where one could sleep for literally hundreds of years without ill effects. Needless to say, it was put into use on you, and some of your people.
Atroxium has the sometimes unfortunate side effect of wiping memory rather efficiently. In your case, it was exceedingly helpful. We were able to teach you a new set of only the most basic memories by hypnopaedic methods. You were awakened to help us find the whole group, since you could time-jump just as easily as your fellow sleepers. You have done so very efficiently. Now, you’re free to go. All of you.”
The man stood up and put started closing down the holographic images that still hung in air.
“After all these years, you people have decided to acknowledge and give free access to your world, and your past, to me and my people. There must be a reason for that?” asked the one who still thought of himself as a detective.
“It wasn’t my decision. The newly elected president decided that you’ve suffered enough. To be honest, I am strongly against this but I have no choice but to act accordingly. It seems extremely dangerous to me to release a race with largely unknown characteristics into our gene pool.”
The detective and his fellow aliens walked out and were never seen again.
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Should Psychologists Abstain From Involvement in Coercive Interrogations? Essay (Critical Writing)
The issues of whether psychologist should participate in coercive interrogations draw sharply divided opinions among investigators and even the public. Some believe that psychologists are an integral part of the interrogations since they can ensure that the prisoners or detainees are not handled with cruelty.
However, other people believe that the psychologist participation has the potential of violating the international human rights and the code of conduct of the profession. In this regard, Mark Costanzo, Ellen Gerrity and Brinton Lyke reason that participation of psychologists in interrogations should be banned (Slife, 2010, p. 312).
In opposition an intelligence consultant and a psychologist Kirk Hubbard give an argument that banning psychologist from participating in interrogations is a restriction of the ways that psychologists can ethically protect the public by providing their support to government intelligences.
It is Unethical for Psychologists to Be Involved in Interrogations
The major profession organization for psychologist in the US, The American Psychological Association (APA) enforces a number of ethical requirements to the practicing psychologists (Slife, 2010, p. 313).
These standards include; The Beneficence and Non-malfeasance Principle that requires the psychologists to try as much as possible “to do no harm” to the people they deal with and also strive to protect the welfare and human rights of the people they interact with.
Besides they are also required to observe and respect tight and dignity of other people. Psychologists are required to respect the worth of every individual.
Participation of psychologist in the coerced interrogations is an infringement of the rights of those they are dealing with, and a violation of the code of conduct provide by APA (Slife, 2010, p. 313). Coercion causes metal and physical harm and when excessive torture is used, I can leave long lasting consequences to the victims and the perpetrators of the torture.
This means the psychologist are involved they fail to observe dignity and rights of people, caring for the welfare of others, professional and social responsibility and lack of integrity or competence (Harris & Botticelli, 2010, p. 116).
A Ban on Such Interrogations Unnecessary
Psychologists are arguably doing a great job benefiting many people in the community and questioning their tactics is uncalled for. Over the decades, the profession of psychology has struggled to distinguish itself as a unique scientific field that is of great importance in the current society playing crucial roles in governance, security and military activities (Harris & Botticelli, 2010, p. 117).
In a world where people cannot easily agree on what is right and what is wrong, the actions that benefit many other people seem to be the better ways of looking at what is good or bad (Harris & Botticelli, 2010, p. 116).
In the case of threats from terror, Hubbard suggests that the security intelligences are only left with an option of watching what the terrorist do, listen to what they say and how they act, to know their intentions (Slife, 2010, p. 322).
Regardless of what the US groups of psychologists think, terrorist mean to harm innocent people and disrupt their way of life.
Banning the involvement of the psychologists means that this would restrict their contribution to the protection of the whole society. Besides the psychologists will not be accountable to the society considering they may have failed to prevent an incidence that was preventable (Bersoff, 2008, p. 326).
It’s irresponsible to withhold information that can influence potential terrorists to disclose important information just because the code of conduct wants to protect people who do not care about consequences of their actions (Bersoff, 2008, p. 326).
Should Psychological Measure Be Utilized During Imminent Danger Of Potential Terror Attacks?
Hubbard says yes (Slife, 2010, p. 322). His reason is that it is a positive way that psychologists can contribute to the safety of the society. Besides, this is a question of an individual right and the benefits of safety to a whole society.
The ticking bomb situation are real and this is the reason why psychologist need to be allowed to step up to the table and offer alternative ways that are effective in obtaining crucial information when there is imminent danger of terror attack (Slife, 2010, p. 323). There are a number of real life examples where terror attacks have been intercepted after obtaining crucial information this way.
Reference List
Bersoff, D. (2008). Ethical Conflicts in Psychology . (4 th Ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
Harris, A., & Botticelli, S. (2010). First Do No Harm: The Paradoxical Encounters of Psychoanalysis, Warmaking And Resistance . , London: Taylor & Francis
Slife, B. (2010). Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Psychological Issues . New York: McGraw-Hill
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Prescribing of Medication by Psychologists: For and Against Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Facts
2. Opinions
3. Resnick’s Strengths and Weaknesses
4. Robiner’s Strengths and Weaknesses
5. Credibility of the Authors
6. Personal View
7. Contemporary Research
8. References
Psychologists and psychiatrists are important professionals that the society depends on for several concerns. Whereas psychologists are concerned with offering psychological therapy to mentally disturbed persons, physicians offer both curative and social treatment for various diseases (Harding, 2002). The training underwent also differs considerably.
Psychologists undergo a more theory-based training as opposed to a practical medicine-based training. The fact that both professionals are important in the mental healthcare is true. However, endless debates that aim at empowering psychologists to prescribe medication are common (Harding, 2002). The journal ‘Should Psychologists Prescribe Medication’ gives supporting views by Robert Resnick. On the contrary, William Robiner opposes the idea. This paper critically examines the position held by the two authors.
Facts
Robert Resnick asserts that the available psychopharmacological aid is limited. On the contrary, the mental health cases have drastically increased. It is reported that over 450 counties in America lack psychiatrists in residence. How then will mental problems be addressed in such counties?
It is true that granting prescription privileges to psychologists will reduce this patient-psychiatrist deficit. In addition, psychological medical prescription will ensure that quality mental healthcare is offered in time (Resnick & Robiner, 2003). Cost reduction is also assured because only one profession is involved.
Robiner is correct when he asserts that the mode of training between a psychologist and a psychiatrist differs. Psychiatrists undergo intense medical training in a medical school. Subjects such as biology, chemistry and pharmacology are taught at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels of training.
Psychologists on the other hand do not undergo this kind of training at all levels of training (Resnick & Robiner, 2003). The lack of medical training provides a platform for increased collaboration between the psychologists and the psychiatrists. This is the best tool for increased efficiency in service delivery.
Opinions
Resnick is of the view that psychologists should be given prescription privileges too. He argues that psychologists are more informed on mental health issues than other non-psychiatry professionals.
The realization that 85% of mental prescriptions are written by the non-psychiatry professionals is criticized. He is of the opinion that granting psychologists the power to prescribe would offer better choices and informed referrals. The need to have psychologists prescribe will be solved by training more professionals (Resnick & Robiner, 2003).
The success of the Psychopharmacology Demonstration Project (PDP) is a good example of early training programs. Robiner on the other hand is of the view that most patients find more comfort in sharing their mental problems with physicians than with psychologists. It is for this reason that prescription privileges are enjoyed by the psychiatrists.
The duplication of the PDP success is uncertain (Resnick & Robiner, 2003). Robiner is of the opinion that the military psychologists were exposed to a specific group of patients and conditions. He therefore doubts the practicality of the same in more diverse conditions.
Resnick’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Resnick argument is cemented by the fact that he uses a previous case to support his position. The success of the PDP is an important development. In fact the same approach can be used to address the prescription debate. The fact that he advocates for the bridging of the patient-professional gap is clear.
He emphasizes on the need for psychologists to undergo medical training, just as the ten military psychologists did. He also insists that revoking previous prescriptions is also a means of giving medical prescription. Resnick’s argument is however limited in scope. It is true that New Mexico was the first state to grant prescription privileges to psychologists (Resnick & Robiner, 2003).
He affirms that 32 more states are on the way to adopting laws that grant prescription rights. He fails to give the time frame required to achieve this. In addition he fails to specify the medical concerns within the jurisdiction of the psychologists and psychiatrists as far prescription rights are concerned.
Robiner’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Robiner asserts that training 10 psychologists under specific and customized conditions should not be viewed as an obvious case under general conditions.
It is true that diverse mental problems are encountered. Assuming the PDP success would be duplicated in other training programs is wrong according to Robiner. In addition he presents a report by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology that revealed that PDP graduates were indeed weak both medically and psychiatrically.
They were indeed supervised by physicians. Most psychologists have admitted receiving improper pharmacological training (Resnick & Robiner, 2003). How can proponents of psychologists prescription purport that the latter can medically prescribe yet the psychologists admit incompetency? Robiner provides enough literature that proves that the quality of mental health care will be compromised.
It is clear that there exists a great discrepancy of training between the psychologist and the psychiatrist. Medicine-based training model is adapted by the latter while the former adopts a theory-based model. Subjects such as biology, chemistry and pharmacology are taught in medical schools (Resnick & Robiner, 2003).
This discrepancy widens from the under graduate to the graduate training levels. Regulatory and legal issues are well captured. The granting of prescription privileges would mean restructuring of the regulatory systems. The claim that psychologists may reject offers to work with undeserved groups is unfounded.
Credibility of the Authors
Both Resnick and Robiner are appreciating the fact that psychologists are equally important in mental healthcare sector. Resnick however is limited in scope. He assumes that psychologists can also give prescriptions as physicians do. He fails to consider the negative health risks, legal effects and ineffective care associated with the move.
He applies economic reasoning to assert that if psychologists offer medical prescription, the patient can save more. He fails to understand that indeed, he/she may end up paying more due to incorrect prescriptions. He also fails to conduct intensive review of existing research to support his position. Robiner’s argument is well supported. He is clear of the fact that medicine is a growing field that requires regular knowledge updates.
He insists that the training methods adopted by the psychologists may have far reaching consequences to patients if prescriptions are given by psychologists. His argument covers a wide scope to include the legal, quality management and efficiency of mental health care. The fact that he calls for collaboration between the psychologists and psychiatrists is a clear attestation that he values the roles played by each.
Personal View
The information provided by Robiner indicates that proper literature review was conducted. Robiner is categorical of the fact that psychologists and psychiatrists should work together for the good of the mental patients. He is well aware of the risks posed by psychoactive drugs.
The prescription privileges enjoyed by psychologists would be cause of serious mental and other health complications. The PDP success cannot be solely relied upon for the effective medical prescription in diverse mental problems (Resnick & Robiner, 2003).
The medical profession is sensitive field that requires mastery of the human anatomy. The understanding of how different types of medicine react in the humans is vitally important. The knowledge and training discrepancy that exists between psychologists and psychiatrists is a matter of concern.
It is difficult for a psychologist to understand which medicine is obsolete and which should be used under certain conditions. Rendering them incompetent to prescribe medicine is important. In this regard the state governments should not give psychologists prescription rights.
Contemporary Research
The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Society for Geriatric Psychiatry have opposed efforts to empowering psychologists offer medical prescription (Harding, 2002).
These associations have asserted that psychologists are not medically trained to offer prescription. Patients’ safety is the prime consideration in medical prescription. Psychologists are at a higher risk of administering the wrong prescription because they lack the medical knowledge (Harding, 2002). The theory-based model training by psychologists is useless in medical prescription.
Medically trained professionals are superior to psychologists as far as medical prescription is concerned. The fact that psychiatrists undergo fulltime four-year training in biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology and diagnosis is worthwhile to note (Harding, 2002).
In addition, they undergo a full-time tree year postgraduate psychiatric training. Practical prescription of drugs is performed during this time. The part-time one year psychopharmacological course undergone by the psychologists is insufficient and incomparable to that of a psychiatrist. Psychologists should therefore not prescribe medication.
References
Harding, R. K. (2002). New Mexico Psychologists Prescribing Law: Bad Medicine for Patients . American Psychiatric Association Media Advisory.
Resnick, R. & Robiner, W. (2003). Should Psychologist Prescribe Medication? British
Psychologist Society. The Psychologist, 16 (4), 251-264.
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Should Smoking Tobacco Be Classified As an Illegal Drug? Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Views and Values Held By Antagonist of Tobacco Smoking
3. Views and Values Held By Supports of Tobacco Smoking
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Introduction
As per the World Health Organization approximations, there exist more than one billion smokers globally. As a result of these, and the financial and political supremacy enjoyed by most tobacco manufacturing companies, in almost all global societies, tobacco is one of the legal substances that are widely used.
In America alone, as research studies show, one in five Americans is a smoker, a figure which adds up to more than 40 million smokers (Hendrick 1-2). As a result of these, smoking-related illnesses account for more than four hundred and forty six thousand deaths annually.
Further, annually the government spends millions of dollars to cater for the health needs of individuals suffering from tobacco related diseases. Although this is the case, the tobacco industry is one of the most profitable industries, a fact that has made it very hard for the government to illegalize the use of tobacco products (Maugh 1).
Therefore, although tobacco smoking is a practice that is legal and supported by a section of the community, there have been numerous calls to illegalize the practice, because of the different views and values that are held by most antagonists of the practice.
Views and Values Held By Antagonist of Tobacco Smoking
Although tobacco smoking is a legalized practice, there have been numerous calls by antagonist of this practice for the need to illegalize the practice. One of the factors cited by most antagonist of the practice is that, tobacco is one of the most harmful substances that have remained legal for a very long time. Annually, numerous deaths caused by tobacco smoking related illnesses occur in America, a fact that the government seems to ignore.
As research studies show, tobacco smoking is one of the deadliest practices, which accounts for more than forty percent of the total number of hospital illnesses. This has made the government to spend billions of dollars to cater for the needs of these patients; something which supporters of the illegalization campaign believe can be avoided if the government illegalizes smoking.
Another reason which supporters of the illegalization campaign put forward is that, as compared to illegalized substances such are marijuana, cigarettes contain nicotine one of the most addictive substances, which most individuals take without knowing its dangerous effects.
According to these groups, it is very unethical for cigarette manufacturing industries to advertise their products to the public while ignoring to tell them, the dangers associated with tobacco.
As per most health research findings, most individuals more so children and smokers live in environments, which are not protected from the effects of tobacco smoking, because of the inadequacies of the regulations managing tobacco smoking.
Therefore, as per them, there is need for communities to speak in one voice and protect future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco smoking by forcing the government to illegalize the practice (O’Dowd 1).
Views and Values Held By Supports of Tobacco Smoking
Contrary to the views held by most antagonist of the legality of cigarette smoking practice, most supporters of this practice believe that, every individual has the right of deciding what is best for their bodies. In addition, majority of the supporters of this practice strongly believe that, illegalizing the practice may worsen the situation, because it will lead to opening of black markets and springing up of criminal organizations.
In addition, supporters of this practice hold a notion that, illegalizing tobacco will be one of the taxing ventures that a government can indulge itself in, this will mean that the government has to be ready to spend more money on its criminal justice system and police departments.
In addition, these individual believe that, by illegalizing tobacco smoking the government has to ready to lose the millions of dollars, which it earns annually from the tobacco industry. Further, this will mean that it has to be ready to provide the enormous numbers of individuals who are likely to lose their jobs.
This is not practical considering the current unemployment status of the country; hence, illegalizing tobacco smoking, will be show of the not caring for its citizenry, a value that is cherished by those who oppose the illegalization campaigns (Nadelmann 1).
Conclusion
Considering the numerous value and views held by individuals who support tobacco smoking and those who strongly oppose the practice, it is important for the government to leave the discretion of whether to smoke or not to individuals. However, to ensure that individuals are making right decisions, it is import for tobacco industries in collaboration with the government to provide the public with enough information on the positive and negative effects of tobacco smoking.
Works Cited
Hendrick, Bill. Smoking rate is declining inn U.S . Web Med News. 2008. Web.
Maugh, Thomas. U.S. smoking rate hasn’t changed, CDC says . Los Angels Times. 2010. Web.
Nadelmann, Ethan. Keep cigarettes legal . Huffington Post. 2006. Web.
O’Dowd, Adrian. Tobacco and alcohol should be classed as dangerous drugs. BMJ Online Journal. 2011. Web.
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Should We Have Mandatory Drug Testing For Professional Athletes? Research Paper
Introduction
Drug abuse among professional athletes has become a very hotly contested issue since the 1980s. There are a number of celebrated cases that have helped to shift the attention on this topic.
This has been a coincidence with the attitude change in the society concerning drugs as the country shifted from the lax 1970s attitude to the more rigid and conservative attitude of 1980s. The US and the pro-sports agencies across the world reacted by developing drug control program. This succeeded in moving the subject from the headlines to the back pages.
Hypothesis
Requiring that professional athletes undergo mandatory drugs test is an unfounded requirement that has not major benefit. This article looks at the drug testing of professionals beginning from the contentious issues raised since the 1980s until the current times. The concern for the enhancement of performance by use of drugs has shifted the efforts from the traditional illicit use of substances.
The advantaged of sports leagues are given the power to test athletes for drugs from a number of bargain accords and the by-laws of certain leagues. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) demands that employers should bargain collectively with the employee over important subjects like the salary and working hours and other terms of employment. Drug testing is one of the terms of employment and athlete unions have in most cases consented to drug testing (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 78).
Literature Review
In the modern society, the economic and intrinsic rewards for extraordinary performance by the athletes have been very great. As a result, there has been considerable. The athletes have seen this as a very big incentive for to increase their performance even more by enhancing it with the use of drugs (Lapchick, 2006, p. 174).
Success on the field or any other performance by athletes is the main objective of being an athlete. It’s purported that virtually all athletes use some form of artificial enhancements to increase their performance (Lapchick, 2006, p. 174).
There are a number of substance and training facilities that are not considered as unfair competition even when they are not available universally to all athletes due to different economic resources (Masteralexis, 2006, p. 776).
Creatine as a muscle building agent is currently not regarded as illegal in sporting therefore it is considered not doping to use it to enhance performance (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 78). However, the use of federally controlled substances like androgenic steroids like the Tetrahydrogestrinone (THC) and other steroid precursors is identified as doping (Showalter, 2007, p. 661).
If it is detected, the culprits are culpable of violation of sporting rules and this is punishable by imposing sanctions. Steroids are in most cases legitimate drugs used to treat muscle wasting problems but in the sporting world, the sports organizations prohibit athletes from using these drugs to boost their performance on the fields (Showalter, 2007, p. 661).
Risk for Serious Sanctions
Many athlete sometimes can risk the use of banned substances to enhance their performance even when they clearly understands that the sports agencies or organizations could seriously affect them as it is a violation of the rules of engagement (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 78).
The consequences are often sanctions that serious affect them by being sanctions and being exposed to health problems (Lapchick, 2006, p. 174). There are a number of athletes who confess that drugs affected then in one way or another and the consequences were tough. Among them include baseball player Jose Canseco, sprinter Marion Jones and Jerome young among others.
One major concern has been that is there a proper way or the limit that can differentiate between athletic performance enhancement through consumption of certain substance considered illegal or banned drugs in unethical doping to better their competitiveness (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 79). For instance, athlete can use artificial low oxygen environments and altitude training to improve their field performance while the use of erythropoietin to attain the same goal is prohibited.
Perhaps the simple way of finding answers to such concerns is looking at the second issue first. The organizations that govern sports activities have a legitimate reason in ensuring that the rules apply uniformly to all the competitors so that the integrity of competition is maintained and that there is competitive balance (Lapchick, 2006, p. 175).
Even though achieving the most excellent performance is the goal of every individual athlete in a competitor, the essence of the spots is that the competing person should be equal in terms of application of rule.
The anti-doping regulations need to be addressed keenly as they are integral in the rules of engagement just like the rules that deal with scoring, penalties, use of equipment among others (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 79). Although the sports industry may be characterized by arbitrary rules, nonetheless, the concerned organizations are duty-bound to ensure that all the laid-out rules are followed (Showalter, 2007, p. 661).
Drugs are often banned because they have adverse effect on the users in the long run and also affect the integrity of competitions. For instance, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WAPA) has banned the use of substances that meets at least two of the following criteria
1. Substances that enhance or have the potential to enhance athletes performance
2. Substances that are potentially risky to health
3. Substances that are seem to be in violation of the spirit of sporting activities.
Essentially there is no one single reason that is strong enough to prohibit drug usage. For instance, the first criteria involved assessing the use of creatine and the areas that have low-oxygen levels to train and this are allowed because they do not pose health risks to the body therefore are satisfactory (Masteralexis, 2006, p. 776). On the contrary, using anabolic steroids is banned due to the fact that they meet all the above three criteria.
A very interesting issue has been that whether mandatory drug testing for athletes with no targeted suspicions of usage of illegal drugs was a reasonable thing to do or is it violating the fourth amendment (Masteralexis, 2006, p. 776).
Over the past few years, the Supreme Court has been supporting the mandatory random drug testing of athletes especially in high schools to test use of recreational drugs (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 79). This is usually in order to protect these student form the harmful damages of the drugs to their health. Some courts have on the other hand challenged the mandatory testing for drugs in athletes.
The congress has a valid regulatory power but the law could affect the internal governance of the professional sports as this has been subject to government regulation (Masteralexis, 2006, p. 779). The athlete organization could be the only agencies that can set the rules as to whether or not to test athlete for drugs.
The sports governing agencies should have the exclusive power to set rules, impose sanctions that are efficient in reducing the incentive to dope (Showalter, 2007, p. 661). The MLB has already adopted a testing program so that it can be able to test the players often on the enhancement substances (Ray, 2005, p. 275). The program has aimed at reducing the use of steroids by the players.
Many people can on the government to concentrate on preventing access to the enhancement drugs that are risky to human health and prosecution of the dealers of these substances (Masteralexis, 2006, p. 782). The government should not focus of the external testing programs.
Pros and Cons of Mandatory Drug Testing
Health
Pro: If every individual should be free to assume the risk that people can take, the athletes should have the same freedom, especially when the athletes prefer to use the performance enhancing drugs.
Together with the possible harm and less risk, Or any other factor, individual rights still stand (Lapchick, 2006, p. 175). After all smokers are not prohibited from risking their health when they smoke, it is unfair therefore to prohibit athlete seeking to boost performance.
Con: steroids and other substances that enhance performance cause a negative impact on the health of people in long-term use. The users of these drugs are therefore causing harm to their bodies as they seek to meet the short terms benefits and goals. As long as the competitors consume harmful enhanced, they are at risk (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 78). The main reason for attempting to ban steroids is basically health concern.
Unfair advantage
Pro: the unfairness or lack of surrounding the issue of the use of performance enhancing drugs is quite ambiguous. Otherwise, one might as well argue that the activities of coaching and training of athletes is unfair as well and as such, these activities should also be banned. Competition can be unfair if there is not equal access to certain enhancements but the enhancements can be made equally accessible (Ray, 2005, p. 275).
Con: basically athletes often take these drugs to gain and advantage over competitors and not to up or level their skill. Considering that everyone else can do that, then rather than using 10 grams or 10 cc or any other measure, the circle will keep on increasing from 10 to 20, to 30 and so on. Using the enhancement drugs was not a coincidence it is a deliberate concern and meticulously planned to attain unfair advantage (Ray, 2005, p. 275).
Drugs vs. technology
Pro: Sports are made to make people enjoy and eventually leads to improved performance. However, there is not much difference from the enhancement brought about by coaching and training. If it is not used of outside help them why would athlete use rope, crampons and oxygen. Team specialists are often hired to do the same join and be trained on attitude etc (Manski, et al., 2001, p. 78).
Con: when the trained athletes use these drugs, performance is improved greatly. The cost is cheaper and when applied efficiently by trained athletes, then the outcomes of drug enhancement and other physiological substance, diet and other regimens cannot match the impact of drugs (Showalter, 2007, p. 661).
Conclusion
There are a number of reasons that are for and some that are against the idea of mandatory testing of drug enhance. However, the government is not in a better position to decide on this case. The only way would be to allow the bodies that have legitimate reasons like the sports union, athlete organizations among others.
Reference List
Lapchick, R.E. (2006). New Game Plan for College Sport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishers
Man ski, C.F., & Pepper, J. && Petrie, C. (2001).Informing America’s Policy on Illegal Drugs: What We Don’t Know Keeps Hurting Us, Washington DC: National Academies
Masteralexis, L.P., (2006).Drug Testing Provisions: An Examination of Disparities in Rules and Collective Bargaining Agreement Provisions, New Eng. L. Rev . 40(3)775-788
Ray, R. (2005). Management Strategies in Athletic Training, Champaign: Human Kinetics
Showalter, B.D., (2007). Steroid Testing Policies in Professional Sports: Regulated By Congress or the Responsibility of the Leagues, Marq. Sports L. Rev . 17: 651, 660-664
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Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. My Interest in the Subject
2. Conducting of the Research
3. Lessons Learnt
4. Inclusion of Personal Interaction
5. Conclusion
6. Works Cited
My Interest in the Subject
As far as theology is concerned, it is of paramount importance to learn and be informed about the past, knowing how the then people believed in the traditional activities. Therefore, since my early childhood, I have yeaned to pursue a course in theology and religious studies to build a strong foundation of understanding how the things people believe in came to be.
I was particularly interested in studying Siddhartha Gautama to find out why he is recognized and respected in the Buddhist religion. Furthermore, I became interested in this study because I really wanted to acquaint myself with his historical background and where he gained his respect and powers and how he came to be an important icon in the Buddhism faith. Therefore, there are many reasons that pushed me to have interest in this study.
Apart form the above, I wanted to gain information to act as a teacher by informing other people about the person airing out their doubts so that they are able to get the real facts about who Siddhartha Gautama was and why he was a prominent person in the Buddhism religion.
Conducting of the Research
There exist various researches, which one can use to gather information about various issues, which seem difficult to understand about this subject. In this case, I used various kinds of methods in gathering my information.
To get accurate information concerning Gautama Siddhartha as well as his origin, I used secondary data as my first source. In this method, I gathered information from the previous work done by early researchers about Gautama Siddhartha. For instance, I visited libraries specifically the section of religious studies and theology. I searched various books of theology that talk about the Buddhism.
From them, I was able to get some information about him: how he came about, his life history, how he grew and became a holy respected person in the Buddhism faith. Furthermore, I also went to the archives and studied on the historical information about the religion and theology.
I was in a position to gather vital information about him. Furthermore, I also went through periodicals and encyclopedias, which provided me with more information. The internet too provided me with a lot of information about Gautama.
There were various sites on the web, which had information about Siddhartha Gautama. For instance, I was able to get more information about his history. This title referred to as Buddha in the Buddhism context awakened or rather enlightened me on the origin of Buddhism as among the various religions. This information appeared in various sites on the internet and from reading a variety of books and archives about religion and theology.
Apart from secondary data, more information was also obtained from primary sources for instance, through interviews with some of the old people of the Buddhism society, who had information about who the person was and what the meaning of the title was and how he was seen in the Buddhism religion.
After receiving information from the varied sources, I combined and synthesized it. This information from the researches was able to provide me with a broad insight about how Gautama Siddhartha came into being: his birth, his vicissitudes in life for instance, how he was able to deal with the depression kind of life and how he used to live up to the level he accomplished, as prophesized by Ben.
The information therefore provided me with a clear insight of the whole issues surrounding him.
For instance, Buddha is known as Siddhartha Gautama and was born in the year 565 BC at the place called Lumbini, which is now called Nepal. Furthermore, other information about Gautama was a descendant of Gautama who had specific aims and objectives he wanted to achieve. Some of the achievements or aims were to achieving the aims.
The Buddhism believes Gautama Siddhartha, commonly known as Shakyamuni that he was to be born in the current era to bring salvation and save the world from the evils. Therefore, in the Buddhist traditions, Gautama Siddhartha lived hundreds of years before coming to the world and therefore he had fulfilled the Ten Paramitas. However, I learnt several things from the subject.
Lessons Learnt
The meaning of Gautama Siddhartha became clear to me. It refers to an awakened one or an enlightened person, who takes the place of god in the Buddhism religion. This title acknowledges the fact that Gautama was a different kind of person who was to provide limelight to the people and save them from their wrongs and evils (Bechert 23).
However, he was not there in the beginning as O’Brien points out. He was born in the year 565 B C in the place known as Lumbini (O’Brien Para. 3). His life was full of depressions. He studied two major disciples’ enlightenment, which consisted of austerities and mediation.
For instance, in his study of mediation he was under the teachers by the name Uddaka-Ramaputta and Alara Akaalama. The teachers attained various states with Alara as he attained a much higher formless world in which there was no existence of physical matter. On the other side Uddaka, he managed to reach higher state where there was no existence of thought.
Siddhartha easily attained all these states without encountering any problem or difficulty. However, these achievements were only insignificant to his life since they could not help him overcome his psychological worries, explaining the reason as to why he resumed his depression. Surprising enough, he was aware that for him to live as per his wishes, he needed to free himself from the prevailing mental problems. Therefore, he could not go on with the teaching and left his teachers to proceed into finding the truths (O’Brien Para. 5).
Therefore, he practiced asceticism, a observance which was known to be practiced by the Samanas who believed that any human suffering was merely attached to the physical body of person and his mental spirit and that the only way the suffering could be freed was by detaching or separating the spirit which was imposed by the body.
Therefore relying on these beliefs, tormenting weakens the body in order to overpower it against the mental spirit (Armstrong 45). Therefore, Siddhartha went to the Ureva town and camped at the grove trees in order to find enlightenment. While in the place, he went thorough austerities for a period of 6 years, which saw him become weak and skinny because of difficult life situations.
After undergoing these difficulties he was brought a bowl of rice and milk by Sugata which he ate and recovered his strength and began a new life. This suffering “…made him to realize the secrets to true happiness and peace and the four noble’s truths” (O’Brien Para. 7). His four noble truths included the noble truth of suffering, arising of suffering, cessation of suffering and lastly, the path leading to the cessation of suffering (Hennaed Para.7).
In the noble truth of suffering, suffering consists of people’s old age, sorrow lamentation, disease, pain, death, grieves which is associated with those objects that human being do not like, therefore being unable to obtain those things that one desires results to suffering. Although there exists various moments of happiness, these moments do not last for a long time but instead last for a short time as opposed to the suffering.
The noble truth of the arising of suffering holds that suffering has some origin, for instance, from the time people are born, they begin craving for those things that makes them feel comfortable and happy. For instance, they have lust, sensual cravings, cravings to become wealthy and to command power, cravings for illusions and dreams among other cravings. All these cravings mark the beginning of suffering that people normally encounter in their life (George Para. 6).
The noble truth of cessation of suffering holds that one can control the suffering that people face and therefore reaching a time that the suffering ceases. This is the time when the cravings fade away, whereby they are detached to it, whereby these cravings are emptied from their minds and thinking.
That is the point whereby one experiences liberation from the sufferings. It therefore stands out that this suffering made him beware of the reality of the world hence making him find the right direction or way to liberation of the humanity from these sufferings hence attaining an eternal happiness.
Therefore, he went back and taught his teachers these nobles, which made him to gain many followers, which went further to witness the gathering of more than 1250 monks with an intention of hearing the teaching of Gautama Siddhartha. A day that has since been designated as the holiday of the Buddhist nations as a day of commemorations.
Inclusion of Personal Interaction
This learning has also equipped me with insights on how certain beliefs extend to the next generations. For instance, that of the ancient people, claiming enlightening through subjection of physical pain to reduce someone’s strength, could be practiced and through this, Gautama was able to come up with various truths, which he explained to the people. Therefore, he was able to liberate the people from their depression enabling them to know the reality rather than illusions.
Conclusion
The history of Gautama, as revealed in this subject, is interesting and therefore it opens one’s way of thinking and finding insights to the current happenings and problems faced by humankind. Furthermore, this topic has also enhanced my research skills as it has enabled me to put into practice various research methods I used in collection and interpretation of the information collected. Therefore, by deciding to pursue this field, I have gained gratification: the basis of my appreciation of the fact that I chose this study.
Works Cited
Armstrong, Kigen. Buddha. New York: Penguin Books, 2001.
Bechert, Heinz. When Did the Buddha Live? The Controversy on the Dating of the Historical Buddha . Delhi: Sri Satguru, 1996.
George, Bill. The Life of Siddhartha Gautama, 2010. Web.
Hennaed, Richard. Siddhartha Gautama: The Historical Siddhartha , 2001. Web.
O’Brien, Barbara. The life of the Buddha, 2009. Web. https://www.learnreligions.com/the-life-of-the-buddha-449997
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Freud’s View of Human Nature: Psychoanalytic Theory Research
Want to learn more about the view of human nature in psychoanalytic theory? This essay focuses on Sigmund Freud’s view of human nature and explains the key concepts of his theory.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Concepts
3. Psychoanalytic Theory
4. Freud’s View of Human Nature
5. The Moral Aspects
6. Conclusion
7. References
Introduction
According to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic investigation, human nature comprises some deep characteristics which yearn to satisfy particular needs and impulses such as aggression, the ego that drives him towards pleasurable experiences, the need for love and avoidance of pain in all areas of life. The impulses are considered to lead either towards good or evil, according to the nature of satisfaction they bring to an individual and the community at large. This research paper shall analyze Freud’s view of human nature that became a considerable contribution to psychology.
Freud’s View of Human Nature: the Concepts
The nature of the society, either civilized or barbaric, is a result of the personality type of people inhabiting the environment. It is also a function of the degree of moral standards set by society, which forms continuous suppression of human instinct, leading to the need for either reaction or compensation (Ziegler, 2002).
Freud, on his psychoanalytic perspective, argued that personality development is one of the significant characteristics of human nature that leads to a deeper understanding of the uniqueness of each person’s life. Movement of individuals from one stage of life to another results in conflict between social and biological drive found within human nature. Freud’s drive theory assumes that the ability of any individual to cope with his/her environment is determined by the individual’s ability to deal with the forces within the society and learn from them.
His argument on psychosexuality was that the management of a child’s sexual and aggression drives by the parents within the early stages of life contributes more significant percentage on a healthy personality development which comprises of three parts; id which forms the source for primary and biological needs and forms substantial rate of the mind.
Then there is the ego that forms the conscious part of human nature and is driven by survival and contributes towards the directing of id’s impulses as appropriate. Then there is the superego that forms part of social conscience and develops as a result of relationships and interactions with parents who teach the children to accept and conform to the society’s values and norms (Ziegler, 2002).
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
Freud in his books continues to argue that human nature finds it difficult to accept anything less than excellence. According to Sigmund Freud’s theory, the instinct that drives them towards this contributes towards intellectualism and more of ethical sublimation, which makes a human crave for a superiority complex. Freud argued that there is a significant relationship existing between man and society, which makes him/her naturally antisocial based on the level of evil nature within each individual.
He believed that the function of the society was to check on the human antisocial instincts. According to his psychodynamic view of human nature, the level to which a human being becomes civilized is purely dependent on the process of sublimation. This brings about the inverse relationship between human nature’s urge to satisfy his drives and societal cultural practices. The degree to which an individual is subjected to suppression determines the level of his civilized lifestyle (Ziegler, 2002).
Sigmund Freud’s human nature view is seen as being more pessimistic since he placed so much emphasis on the traditional belief that there is a significant relationship between human behaviors and the society from which an individual grows. This makes the roots from which individual originates to be eviler and at times, leads to destruction. Freud believed that the superiority of the majority determines the way society is led and driven.
He argued that the main essence of human nature comprises a more significant percentage of id, which yearns to satisfy only the antisocial instincts that bring about an imbalanced society. Human nature theory by Sigmund Freud led to the question of whether it would be possible for human nature to contain the principles that drive towards pleasure (Ziegler, 2002).
In the study of human personality, Freud believed that the central part of human nature is as a result of id and the control of human decisions by the superego. He argued that childhood behaviors and experiences influenced a significant percentage of adult characteristics.
According to his discovery, neuroses were a result of powerful emotional forces brought about by traumatic and harsh experiences at the childhood stage. According to Freud, childhood experiences shape up the adult life stage to the extent where infantile character shapes the formation of characters into adulthood.
Freud’s View of Human Nature in Psychoanalytic Theory
Freud discovered that the general behavior of an individual was much driven by motivations arising from the emotional forces built on the unconscious part of the mind, and free will is only an illusion. According to Freud’s theory of personality, human actions are as a result of mental and neurotic conflicts. It is in human nature, according to Freud, to be more inclined towards aggression, which demands the satisfaction of more antisocial instincts that drive towards the attainment of an individual’s pleasure.
This leads to more conflict between individuals and society and, ultimately, the destruction of humanity. Freud argues that humanity cannot be inclined towards granting mercy since there was no much emphasis on the constructive human nature forces. There was no clear indication of human creativity and productivity in Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of human development (Freud, 1930).
The urge to the immediate satisfaction of human instincts results in conflict. According to Freud, the aggression is produced by the id, which is considered as the little devil from within that urges individuals to indulge in pleasurable activities irrespective of the consequent results provided that some satisfaction is guaranteed.
The superego, on the other hand, operates on ideal principles that tend to push individuals away from trouble. Human aggression can well be seen in the behaviors of a growing child who cares less about the inconveniences his/her demands cause to other people, including the parents (Freud, 1930).
How Do We Progress in a Moral Sense?
There was a belief in Sigmund Freud’s theory that love, as a virtue, was a result of sexual sublimation. Human behaviors are regarded differently depending on the culture of the society from which it emanates. The culture, within which an individual functions, determines to a greater extent the abnormality or normality of specific actions and behaviors. Morality brings clear differentiation on what is considered good or bad within the societies. Moral behaviors are believed to be a result of shared values within the community.
According to Freud, morals are developed to provide means by which humanity can live together in peace and unity. These codes of morals are formed as a result of social and societal dictates. The general society contributes to a significant percentage of an individual’s morality since individuals know no moral boundaries (Freud, 1930, 49).
This is because people are so much concerned about their own persona good as opposed to others within the same environment, there is no reliance on others as long as an individual is at peace with himself. Based on individual drives and egos, moral restrictions are not of importance so long as there is security within.
The creation of communities led to the introduction of morality since individuals saw the need for healthy interactions and the realization of strength in unity of purpose. Greater strength calls for sole restrictions on individual behaviors and actions. This, according to Freud, sets up the power of the community as being superior to an individual’s power, which at times turns brutal. The power of the community is only eminent after dealing with the egocentric nature of human beings.
Individual actions require regulations by the moral codes for stability to be maintained within the societies. Freud argued that all negative behaviors must be dealt with in order to guarantee safety to other members of society. This is only possible when the concept of empathy is enforced upon individuals dwelling within the same community.
This is summed up in the golden rule principle, which states that we should do unto others what we expect them to do unto us. The moral code based on this principle ensures that individuals treat one another in a more cautious and less violent manner (Freud, 1930).
Conclusion
Freudian perception of morality is based upon the concept of empathy, such that any behavior associated with social evil is condemned by every society. According to Freud’s view on human nature, most individuals within the society accept the adoption of the principles and rules that guards against inflicting harm on others since no one desires evil behaviors against him or his family. The morality of an individual is majorly based on the behavioral actions which guarantee continuity within societies.
Morality is less associated with one’s thoughts since it is more revealed in an individual’s actions. Freud argued that what prevents an individual from inflicting harm on others is the fear of consequent results of community actions against him rather than empathy (Carpendale and Krebs, 1995).
References
Carpendale, J., & Krebs, D. L. (1995).Variations in the level of moral judgment as a function of type of dilemma and moral choice. Journal of Personality , (63), 289-313
Freud, S. (1930).Civilization and its discontents. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Ziegler, D. J. (2002). Freud, Rogers and Ellis: A comparative theoretical analysis. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive- Behavior Therapy, 20 (2), 75-91
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Similarity/Complementarity Essay
Similarity in a relationship refers to the perceived likeness between partners in a relationship that elicits an attraction response. In similarity relationships, individuals enter into a relationship with partners whom they share similar perceptions.
Complementarity on the other hand refers to the attraction relationship that involves partners with different behaviors and perceptions. The partners in complementary relationships have joint yet different interests that help to sustain the relationship.
In interpersonal relationship based on complementarity, an individual’s behavior leads to a restricted behavior response from the other partner thus helping to sustain the relationship. In similarity relationships, individuals enter into a relationship based on the perception that the partner supports the individual’s views.
In similarity relationships, the interpersonal attraction depends on the perceptions of both partners. According to Bailey and Kelly, two important factors help to establish similarity relationships; first, the perception of both partners concerning themselves causes the attraction response that leads to a relationship (40). Furthermore, one partner’s perception on the other and how the partners perceive each other helps to sustain the relationship.
Another factor that contributes to similarity relationships involves the attitudes of both partners. Bailey and Kelly research established that similarity couples normally choose partners or friends with similar attitudes as their own (41). Additionally, the initial attraction between partners in a similarity relationship depends on the similarity of their attitudes.
People enter into complementarity relationships because in complementary relationships are more satisfying and stable as the partners differ in personality traits such as dominance and this phenomenon tends to reduce interpersonal conflicts leading to a stable relationship.
Similarity relationships are often the basis of sexual partnerships. According to Laumann, Gregon, Michael, and Michaels, individuals enter into opposite sex relationships with partners who possess similar social attributes such as in race, age, education and religion (255). Majority of people enter into similarity relationships based on similarity of race.
The researchers further noted that people get into similarity relationships because in similarity relationships, the level of interaction is high which makes the partners sexually compatible. Social factors such as friendship and social institutions also encourage people to engage in similarity relationships as majority of similarity relationships are formed in social settings.
Complementary relationships on the other hand form because partners believe these for of relationships are more satisfying and more stable.
The partners in complementary relationships have contrasting personal attributes which help to sustain the relationship. In a complementary relationship, one partner normally assumes a dominant role over the other partner who subsequently communicates submission.
The assumption of different behaviors by both of the partners reduces interpersonal conflicts and contributes to a stable relationship. In addition, complementing differences between partners increase attraction between the opposite sexes. People enter into a complementary relationship because of the sexual appeal provided by both partners.
Similarity in attitude between the partners in a relationship helps to strengthen the relationship leading to a more stable and sustainable relationship. The perception that a partner supports one’s self concept also helps to promote similarity relationships. In addition, the sexual compatibility in similarity relationships between partners contributes to a sustainable relationship.
Complementing differences between partners reduce the level of interpersonal conflict between partners as each assumes a separate role from the other, thus sustaining relationships. The individuals share joint interests and perceptions of each other which help to sustain complementary relationships.
Works Cited
Bailey, Richard, and Kelly, Martin. “Perceived physical attractiveness in early, steady, And engaged daters.” The Journal of Psychology 116.23 (1984): 39-41.
Laumann, Eric, et al. The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States . Chicago: University Press, 1994.
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Singing River Education Association Essay (Critical Writing)
Introduction
Developing an effective childhood education program and addressing children educational needs is not an easy thing. However, the effectiveness of a good childhood education program is dependent on a number of factors such as staffing, appropriateness of the environment for learning and growth, norms observed by the groups involved, activity scheduling, and the involvement of the parents and the community at large (Decker, Decker, Freeman, and Knopf, 2009, p. 2).
Decisions about these factors ought to be made early in advance (before the childhood education program is in motion). In addition, these factors have broad ramifications and they affect all parties and aspects of the childhood education program, including the children, families, school and even the entire community at large.
The importance of an effective childhood education program has often been researched and its benefits highly publicized to all concerned individuals (Knopf, et al., 2009, p. 5). However, in as much as childhood education programs play an important role in the development of children, not all children enjoy these benefits.
Schweinhart (1988) (cited in North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999). affirms that: “Long-term benefits result only from high-quality early childhood development programs–ones characterized by a child development curriculum, trained teaching staff, administrative leadership and curriculum support, small classes with a teacher and a teaching assistant, and systematic efforts to involve parents as partners” (p. 7).
To ensure that all pertinent issues are addressed in a childhood educational program, it is important to first establish a taskforce that looks into all these matters. This taskforce needs to consider relevant stakeholders without excluding the input of the parents, educators and responsible community members.
Some of the primary functions of the taskforce should be the establishment of the best practices in childhood education, the confirmation of the details to be considered in the overall curriculum plus the consideration of the learning environment and all other factors that are of importance in program formulation (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999).
In this phase, the involvement of the community should not be undermined because it will assist in the development of said targets and it will also help to streamline the operations of the entire program (cited in North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999).
When developing a new childhood educational program or when improving one, a series of factors need to be considered: for starters, it should be determined early in advance the staffing requirements for the program and the nature or design of the classrooms. Later, issues such as children grouping, parent involvement, and formulation of daily children programs will then be established.
When the answers to these type of questions are sufficiently provided, chances of coming up with an effective childhood education program are high. Also, the decisions arrived at when brainstorming over such important issues should also be made with the growth and development of the children in mind.
These factors withstanding, this study seeks to propose a childhood education program by the name Singing River Education Association which will be a head start program centre, located at 1170 Pleasant Hill Church Road / P.O. Box 594 Lucedale, MS.
The centre will be operating from 8:00am -4:30pm and will be serving children between the ages of 3 – 4 years. This centre will majorly employ community resources like human resources and also marshal capital from community based organizations for the betterment of its children educational programs.
Among the primary goals the program will provide include supporting existing educational training programs and supplementing existing educational needs. Also, the program will set personal goals for all relevant individuals, in terms of personal development, while other auxiliary services to the children, like home visits will also be provided. More importantly, this program will be tailor-made towards the accomplishment of community goals and its operations will entirely rely on community requirements.
Mission and Vision
The program’s vision will be “to be a model community childhood education provider”. This vision is motivated by the program’s aim of being the ideal childhood education program, for implementation in other regions of the country as well. Also, the program will be designed to be the standard childhood educational program for the community and its environs. The education program will have a mission statement stating “To provide a holistic early childhood education environment for children to learn according to their own development”. This mission statement is primarily motivated by the acknowledgement that children need a support mechanism to achieve high levels of growth and performance in education. It also considers the varying potential among children and therefore, their growth will be supplemented according to their academic potential.
Philosophy
This program will majorly be entrenched in the philosophy of behavioral child development theories. Basically, its principles are borrowed from theorists such as John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov and others advancing the same type of ideology (Cherry, 2010, p. 5).
This program will therefore be designed on the principle that the environmental orientation of children will primarily dictate the behavior of children. Child development is therefore assumed to be dictated by the kind of rewards, punishments, stimuli and other parameters that exist in the child’s primary and secondary environments.
A major assumption in this theory is that the environment affects the behavior of children at various levels of childhood development and other factors in childhood development such as thoughts and feelings don’t have a significant weight on child development (Cherry, 2010, p. 5). In attestation, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (1990) (cited in North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999) notes that:
“Children in the three-to-eight range acquire knowledge in ways that are significantly different from the way older children learn. Younger children learn best through direct sensory encounters with the world and not through formal academic processes” (p. 2) “Young children acquire knowledge by manipulating, exploring, and experimenting with real objects. They learn almost exclusively by doing and through movement” (p. 8).
With these premises as a foundation for future childhood development, emphasis will be based on staff choice criterion, facilitation of an appropriate learning environment, appropriate grouping, effective program schedules, and parent participations to create a comprehensive environment for childhood development.
Program Curriculum
A good program curriculum will go a long way in ensuring this program is effective in accomplishing its overall goals. More importantly, this program emphasizes on the importance of consistency in daily schedules because it is important in instilling a sense of stability in the entire program organization. Indeed, Dodge and Colker (1992) (cited in North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999) note the importance of consistency in the daily routine is that:
“Young children feel more secure when they can predict the sequence of events and have some control over their environment. They delight in reminding the teacher that ‘snack time comes next’ or telling a visitor that ‘now we go outside.’ In addition, predictability provides children with a rudimentary sense of time, as they begin to learn what comes first in the day, second, next, and last. A consistent schedule also helps build trust in the environment.” (p. 37).
The program’s curriculum will have the primary objective of instilling literacy among the children. This will be the primary goal of the entire curriculum. It will be achieved through early writing and understanding of the alphabet. The core experiences children will be taken through will include learning how to use tools for writing and drawing such as pencils and crayons.
The children will also be taught how to make and interpret representations such as objects and figures; how to discriminate the different sounds of languages; understand print concepts; understand the alphabet; use reading skills to make meaning of print materials; understand the purpose of writing and make sense of letters and words.
The staff will assist in adding materials such as alphabet letters, magnetically designed letter symbols, print letter symbols and writing tools to specific areas of learning. The staff will also be required to draw children’s attention to the letters in their primary and secondary environments so that they may develop an understanding of how the letters are used in day to day life.
Teachers will be required to display written materials to the children’s eye level and label the learning materials so that the children can constantly remind themselves of what they have learnt.
Additionally, the staff needs to set up a writing centre where important writing materials such as pencils, markers, papers and such like materials will be used in the writing centre. Lastly, the staff will be required to encourage the children to write or draw their writing experiences on paper.
The program curriculum will involve a number of functional areas in childhood education development and will revolve around language and arts, listening and communication, mathematics, and the development of auxiliary life skills. In mastering life skills, children will be oriented on basic concepts in arts and music, health and physical education, social studies and science.
This curriculum will run throughout the year and contrary to conventional childhood educational programs; this program will have periodic breaks as opposed to long summer holidays because of its emphasis on smooth continuity (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999). Parents will be required to participate in before and after school programs, in addition to attending periodic activities which will entail their input, together with their children at the end of the sessions.
This comprehensive participation will help foster partnerships with all relevant stakeholders as well. These recommendations are in line with Schweinhart (1988) (cited in North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1999) assertions that “early childhood staff should form a partnership with parents through home visits, frequent communication, and a welcoming attitude toward volunteering and classroom observation” (p. 8).
This curriculum is majorly focused on academic development; according to the mission statement of the program. Its emphasis on literacy and inclusion of nonacademic activities is also another element showing the holistic nature of the program; according to the program’s vision.
The inclusion of parent and teacher participation also shows the comprehensive nature of the program in providing a holistic environment for childhood growth and development. This holistic growth environment is also part of the program’s philosophy of providing an appropriate environment for growth. This is also in line with the program’s vision.
Classroom and Play Environment
The classroom and play environment will be the primary environments where child, parent and teacher participation will be fostered. Core in the provision of a good play and classroom environment will be the emphasis on safety. This will be manifested in the classroom furniture and learning materials. Such equipments will be plastic in nature for easy cleaning and maintenance. Ten percent of the total area of the class will also be reserved for storage of these equipments and it will be out of bounds for the children.
This specification will guarantee that each activity has its own different space and will be shared approximately 50sq ft and 75 sq ft per child. Also, to incorporate the diversity of children, the classroom will be arranged in a way that facilitates exploration with learning materials. This environment will also include the arrangement of furniture; such that, parents, teachers and student participation will be encouraged.
Considering this program is aimed at incorporating all relevant stakeholders and providing a good environment for child growth, the classroom environment will be filled with drawings, photos and pictures representing the community and family. In addition, a given section of the classroom will be reserved for parent accommodation whenever they will be required to come to the centre for participation in certain activities.
Providing a good classroom and play environment will be one strategy for facilitating an inclusive environment for participation of parents, teachers and children but giving the children homework will also be another strategy to ensure parents are involved in the growth and development of their children. Also, every important national holiday will have to be graced by the parents, teachers and children.
Teacher Qualifications and Position Responsibilities
The teacher’s position will be to facilitate a learning environment for the children and supervise the program’s activities at all times. This role will require diligent and professional teachers. The specification for the teachers will therefore have to incorporate the selection of teachers who have studied child growth and development programs.
Each teacher will also be required to have dealt with children at one point in their careers; at least for two years. In addition, the teachers will be required to be understanding, have no criminal record, charismatic and be passionate about their job.
After selection, the teachers will be subject to a growth plan whereby after every two years, a teacher will rise in rank and join the management team or be included in policy making. On a personal level, teachers will be required to undertake more childhood development academic programs to further their careers.
Part of this initiative will be sponsored by the centre. Incase teachers contravene the centre’s policies, disciplinary action will be taken on them and this will include suspension and termination of work. In extreme disciplinary cases, beyond the scope of the centre, such as child abuse, relevant authorities like child protection services will have to be brought on board to enforce disciplinary measures.
With regards to staff and family involvement, the participation of parents in periodic community development will not be enough. Parents will have to feel accommodated by the school staff and therefore cultural diversity will be accommodated through posting different pictures of family involvement representing a number of cultural backgrounds.
Also, translation services may be sought for parents who are not versant with the English language. Incase of any parental concerns, they will be referred to a resource centre which will be established solely for that purpose. The management will also have to go the extra mile in making the parents feel accommodated by observing personage and avoiding instances of mistaken assumptions about various families to accommodate different parental interests.
Child progress will be documented in periodic report cards issued at the end of every three months. However interim periodic assessments will also be done; say, on weekly basis to track the progress of a child, according to set parameters, so that children who don’t show good progress can be further assisted so that they catch up with rest of the children. This activity will also be done with the involvement of the parents.
Service to Children Policy
It is important that the centre establish a workable staff to children ratio to increase the effectiveness of academic programs. In this regard, the teacher to children ratio will be 1: 15. Fifteen in this case will be the maximum class size. With regards to the safety of the children, according to health and nutrition parameters, the centre will conform to the state and federal guidelines outlining the same.
In addition, the school will also ensure it employs competent personnel to oversee children’s nutritional needs. A standby ambulance and centre nurse will also be in place, in case of any health emergency. In this manner, health concerns of varied degrees may be easily tackled.
Program Evaluation
The Head start program evaluation will be done after every 3 years. The criteria for evaluation will be the comparison of the centre’s program with the conventional classroom setting to establish the effectiveness of the centre’s programs. Evaluation will also be done to determine if the centre’s program has made a significant progress in covering the mission and vision goals of the centre.
Consequently, the head start evaluation program will be evaluated to establish whether it conforms to implementation characteristics necessary to meet the centre’s outlined standards. Overall, the evaluation program will be aimed at evaluating the quality of centre’s programs with the conventional classroom setting and ultimately compare the parent, child and teacher involvement outcomes with that of the conventional classroom setting as well.
Conclusion
This childhood education program will be of benefit to all relevant stakeholders. Parents will have the opportunity to work outside home and children will be subjected to one of the most professional childhood development programs which will ensure they learn in a holistic environment for future prosperity.
Teachers will also be given the opportunity to help the children achieve high levels of growth and development but most importantly, the centre will give them an opportunity to practice and grow in their careers.
Comprehensively, the effectiveness and success of this early childhood educational program is guaranteed in the holistic nature of the program and its coverage on the core areas of childhood development. The success of the program therefore depends on the implementation of the program but its structural framework addresses the needs of all relevant stakeholders comprehensively.
References
Cherry, K. (2010). Child Development Theories . Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/child-development-theories-2795068
Decker, C., Decker, J., Freeman, N., and Knopf, H. (2009). Planning and Administering Early Childhood Programs (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. (1999). Critical Issue: Organizing for Effective Early Childhood Programs and Practices. Web.
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Skimming and Cramming: Does It Work? Expository Essay
There are many study methods that are used by students while revising for examinations. Some methods are effective while others are ineffective. Effective methods are helpful since they help students to understand and retain a lot of information. Ineffective methods are not only tiresome but also lead to burn out.
Therefore, it becomes increasingly hard for students using such methods to retain reliable and important information. With that background in mind, this paper shall describe cramming and skimming which are ineffective study methods.
Cramming can be described as a study technique which involves trying to absorb a lot of information within a short time. It is mostly used by students who prefer to study when the examination is almost or during the last few days. Due to the pressure involved, it results in poor retention of information for a long duration of time.
It then serves the purpose of the examination after which the student forgets a lot of information. In many cases, a teacher gives a long deadline before the date of the test. Due to procrastination, the deadline almost comes to end without the notice of the student.
A student may remember about the test may be a day or two before the due date. As a matter of fact, one day cannot be enough to go through all the work the student may have covered. At that particular time, the student tries to go through all the work and to retain a lot of information as much as possible (Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo pp. 216).
The brain can be likened to a sponge such that there is need for it to absorb the information slowly. It can also be likened to a water way where water passes through while getting into a dam.
A steady flow of water usually has no problem but when a lot of water tries to get through the same entry, damages usually occur due to over flooding and some water also gets lost. The same case happens to brain during cramming. Some information is usually lost and the habit can also be detrimental to one’s health.
Skimming is yet another ineffective study method especially while preparing for an exam. It is a method which involves reading a whole passage, a paragraph or any form of writing with an aim of knowing just the main idea.
Therefore, the reader using the method does not read carefully but only searches for the main idea. The reader only focuses on the topic sentence and does not read other sentences that explain or support the main idea.
In most cases, skimming is used by a person who is already familiar with the information being read because if material happens to be unfamiliar, the person can miss on important details. For instance, a person skimming through this essay will probably read the first paragraph which is supposed to contain the thesis or the main idea.
By so doing, the person will be able to establish that the essay focuses on ineffective methods of study which include cramming and skimming. The next step would involve searching for paragraphs which explain the meaning of each method.
In such a case, the reader won’t waste time on reading the explanation part. For that reason, the method is ineffective because there is a lot that is left out. In addition, it is done fast such that there is no time to synthesize a lot of information (Reading Styles – Skimming).
The essay does not only focus on the description of skimming and cramming but also on why the two are ineffective study methods. Cramming involves trying to read and retain a lot of information within a short duration of time. On the other hand, skimming involves reading quickly through the reading material in order to search for the main idea. In that case, it is clear that skimming and cramming cannot be recommended to students reading for examination purposes.
Works Cited
Pastorino, Ellen E. and Susann M. Doyle-Portillo . What Is Psychology? Essentials. Stamford: Cengage Learning, 2008. Reading Styles – Skimming. 2011. Web.
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Sleep Improves Memory Term Paper
Human memory is one of the most interesting functions of the human brain. It has been a subject of scientific study for a long time and the resulting findings shed new light on how human memory works. The new finding makes an interesting topic especially to students studying the current trends in psychology.
One of the major developments in psychology is the relationship between memory and learning. Saey (2011), explains how sleeping can aid memory. Sleep may helps learners in formation of accurate memories of what they learn as human brain works well when asleep than when awake. Other than memory formation, sleep can help people overcome trauma.
It is possible to replace a traumatic memory with a pleasant one then take a brief moment of sleep to reinforce the pleasant memory. The purpose of this paper is to explain how sleep aids memory and how people can make use of sleep to induce memory recall, or even replace unpleasant memories with pleasant ones.
Saey (2011) explains the human brain does not work the same way in formation of long-term memories when people are asleep than when they are awake.
This is because of the fact that when asleep, hippocampus takes up all memory formation activity in the brain. The hippocampus is a very powerful brain part and is involved in transfer of information from short term to long term. This make makes it possible to learn something and then strengthen that memory with a brief moment of sleep.
These findings are as a result of a research done on the effect of sleep and memory formation. A group of research volunteers was engaged in a game that needed them to recall where some pairs of cards had been placed.
Initially their memory was enhanced by associating powerful odors to particular cards followed by a brief moment of sleep. Recall of the location of cards was recorded at 60%, for the whole group and 41% for the volunteers who stayed wake.
The recall rate improved tremendously to 84% upon reinforcing the volunteers’ memories with only a nap following the game. The biggest question under investigation by psychologist now is whether memory can be consolidated during rapid eye movement sleep.
These new findings are beneficial in day-to-day life. Gais, Brian and Jan (2006) explain that sleep, after learning, can be beneficial to students who are preparing for exams as it aids long term recall. Sleep should occur not long after learning because long periods between learning and sleep can interfere with memory formation during sleep (Articlebase, 2008).
However , sleep enhanced memory, when done for a long period of time consistently eliminates the effects of any activity done between learning and sleeping and is also equally effective regardless the time of the day a person sleeps (Gais, Brian, and Jan, 2006).
This finding aims to encourage students to take a nap after reading regardless of the time of the day to improve knowledge recall and hence improved performance in exams.
Gais, Brian, & Jan (2006) also add that not having enough sleep has negative effects on memory formation. This means that students who spend sleepless night reading have a higher probability of poor performance than students who sleep well after studies.
Sleep enhanced memory is also applicable in emotional learning, especially with people dealing with stressful and traumatic memories and are struggling to cope with them.
Saey (2011) explains that psychotherapist’s can help people dealing with trauma overcome it by taking them through a pleasant experience, which is soon followed by a nap. The positive experience is enhanced into the long-term memory and thus replacing the traumatic memory.
This will help the victim to forget the unpleasant memories because during sleep, memories are formed in the hippocampus, which transfers information to long term memory faster during sleep than when awake (Saey, 2011). Sleep will therefore help the speed of replacing these unpleasant memories.
Learning of motor skills is not only limited to practice alone but also sleep. Research has found out that sleep enhances learning of motor skills. Schlaug, Stick gold, Alsop and Gaab (2005) in their studies explains that sleep helps to improve the performance of motor activity.
The cerebellum, the motor skill control centre, is more active immediately after sleep, therefore improving performance when learning difficult motor tasks such as playing the piano, active sports, music and other highly motorized skills.
This proves why babies learning to walk and invalids re-learning motor skills more need time to sleep, as it will aim in recalling the procedure of performing, and consolidation of motor skills (Schlaug, Stickgold, Alsop. and Gaab, 2005)
In conclusion, sleep is more than rest activity. It has been found out to be a very powerful memory enhancer. Other than helping in recall of factual knowledge by student and relearning of motor skills, it is also an effective tool for helping victims of trauma. In this case, it helps to emphasize the memory of one emotional feeling over another. People must therefore engage in very healthy sleeping habits to improve their memories and the overall health of their brains.
List of References
Articlebase (Nov 02, 2008). Improve Memory and Recall With Sleep. Web.
Gais, S., Brian, L. & Born, J, (2011). Sleeping after learning aids memory recall. D.O.I: 10.1101/lm.132106
Saey, T., (2011). Sleep Makes the Memory: Napping while reliving memories stabilizes people’s ability to recall them later. Science News. Web.
Schlaug, G., Stickgold, R., Alsop, D. & Gaab N. (2005). Study Shows How Sleep Improves Memory . ScienceDaily . Web.
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Small Businesses Attractivity Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Why small businesses are popular
3. Challenges faced by small businesses
4. Managing the challenges
5. Marketing function
6. Franchise
7. Conclusion
8. Works Cited
Introduction
According to Rickman and Roddick, small business is a business that “is privately owned and operated; it’s normally characterized by small number of employees and low volume of sales” (4). A small business could take the form of a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation.
Small businesses are common and have heavy presence all over the world. Examples include grocery, hairdressers, law firm, accountants, restaurants, guesthouses, small-scale manufacturers, online shops etc.
Why small businesses are popular
Small businesses are becoming increasingly attractive to many for several reasons. First, small businesses require low starting capital investments and can be conveniently run from the neighborhood or from home.
Their ease of start is perfect to the unemployed and those who wish to stay close to their families. Second, it’s easy to market to products especially with the recent increase of internet users. Third, it is easy to keep proper records and prepare financial statements.
Even persons with no accounting knowledge can master quickly the basics of accounting for preparation of basic financial statements like the P&L accounts, by the help of an accounting consultant. Fourth, small businesses are highly flexible and can easily adjust to market forces.
Their ease of adaptation to market changes is as a result of little restrictions and regulations. Fifth, small business owners enjoy strong ties with their clients helping the proprietor to tailor customer services thus satisfying the customers. By serving satisfied customers the proprietor maintains a chain of loyal clients hence a steady flow of income.
Sixth, perhaps the major drive to start small business is the desire to be independent. Many employed persons ditch their jobs for small business because they want to be their “own bosses.” Lastly, it is easy to manage assets and liabilities in a small business.
Assets are few items owned plus the checking and savings accounts. Liabilities are the monies owed by the business. Usually the debtors and creditors are few in number hence easy to manage. Also the numbers of transactions are few thus records can be up dated regularly.
Challenges faced by small businesses
Taxation setbacks; value-added-tax (VAT) contributes greatly to malfunctioning of the small businesses. Changes in VAT, particularly an increase, directly affects the consumers through increased prices and would lead to decrease in sales. In addition to VAT, local authorities impose other taxes such as trading license, security fee, ground rates etc. High taxes greatly affect small businesses as they not only increase business costs but also increased illegal trading.
When the prices are high, good smugglers find a thriving business as they offer low prices making it hard for people running genuine business. The obvious result here would be genuine traders running into losses and probably closing down their business entities due to unfair competition.
Difficulties in accessing bank loans: poor compiling of business records, lack of security, lack of managerial skills, lack of professionalism, few market outlets are but a few of the factors that discourage banks from extending loans to small business proprietors. Any business establishment depends on capital pumped therein and lack of this limits the establishment and competitive running of many small businesses. This is a major setback since big losses would be disastrous and even lead to business closure.
Pressure from established big businesses: at the time of inception, small businesses lack the capacity to challenge the already established businesses. Equally small businesses are vulnerable to big businesses as they seem to hold their fate in their hands.
Actions such as giving abnormal discounts on selected goods for a long period of time will have great impacts on the small businesses whereas little effects on the big businesses. Big businesses enjoy great public trust compared to small businesses consequently low publicity, which is the key to successful marketing.
Therefore, the big businesses mostly have the competitive edge and the playing ground becomes uneven which is disastrous for small businesses for they do not measure up to the prevailing market competition presented by uneven playing grounds.
Family obligations: in most cases, family members run most of small businesses and there exists no boundary between the business entity and the family. Therefore, family expenses are borne by the business making it hard to determine actual profits or losses.
Lack of market research: client satisfaction requires that proper field studies be done to determine the needs of clients to provide services they require. The costs for carrying out a market survey can be prohibitive to small business owners.
Failure to deliver on customer expectations has far-reaching effects, which would dwindle down its survival chances. In addition, since no studies have been carried out, cases of dead stock are common in small businesses hence large capital ends being tied up in stocks for along time.
Political setbacks: in developing countries, political inefficiencies pose great challenges to survival of small businesses. Usually a corrupt system would favor certain businesses which would not pay taxes, providing no level play ground.
Managing the challenges
In addressing capital setbacks, proprietors should be realistic, draw accurate budgets, and then seek cheap fund sources. It is rule of thumb that in addition to start up capital there should be money at least equal to the projected income for a year plus the operating expenses. To raise cheap funds entrepreneurs who have collateral can seek cheap loans from financial institutions.
Friends and family can be a good and more lenient source for business funds. In addition, arrangements with suppliers for credit purchases can provide more working capital. Lastly, once a business has established steady customer base, advance payments from customers can be negotiated for.
Tax setbacks; business proprietors should employ the tax agency to carryout tax assessments. In addition, understand the investment code and the taxation laws and pay taxes promptly to avoid penalties.
Low sales; one should establish a rapport with customers to enhance customer service delivery, employ professionals and motivate them; for good results, and carry out market research to understand the customer’s needs. Every business has peak seasons; proper planning will help in optimization.
Managerial setbacks: efficient management should be prioritized to ensure effectiveness. Keep proper employee records for objective monitoring and evaluation. Facilitate refresher management courses to enhance management skills. In addition, establishing proper networks with similar businesses or professional level would be beneficial.
Family setbacks: Family obligations should be handled separately with business activities. Also finding alternative sources to cater for the family’s basic needs is paramount. Lastly, business owners should set aside time to be with family or attend family and social events. This would create a business-family balance, which is healthy for the thriving of the business for it reduces conflict of interest between arising between family and business affairs.
In addition, one should prepare a business plan and set clear targets. Also preparing the revenue forecasts and clear budgets comes in handy in managing challenges in these establishments. Losses due to power black outs can be reduced through purchase of standby generators or UPS.
Marketing function
Marketing in small business is done through several way; these include word of mouth, customer referrals, social networks, television, radio, billboards, print media, email and internet among others. Given that the advertisement budget for small businesses is relatively low, marketing activities must operate within the set limits.
As such there are numerous marketing options available at any level of a small business. Word of mouth for instance would require very little expenses. Customers can be converted to marketing agents if they are encouraged to talk about the business services and do referrals. This can very effective since word of customer is easily trusted.
Another cheap marketing alternative would be use of internet. Placing product/service adverts online is relatively cheap and can reach many customers in a relatively short time. Moreover, establishing own website can greatly reduce advertisement costs. Established websites for products can be easily marketed through blogs where customers can find links to the business’ website. In addition, social networks such as facebook and twitter can be good in marketing products and services for small businesses.
Competitive pricing and persuasion: competitive pricing would be done by pricing the product or service slightly below the market price to increase sale volume. In addition, customers can be persuaded to buy products through by allowing negotiations as well as printing more information about a product making it more attractive customers.
Free media publicity: media is hunting for stories to feed their clients; therefore, as an entrepreneur one can court the media for interviews and cover one’s business, which provides free publicity. The local social events too can provide relatively cheaper publicity stands; therefore, one can volunteer to print the entrance tickets with information about your business.
Franchise
Franchise is a good form of small business. It is good for those entrepreneurs who do not want to go through the hurdles of developing a new business; franchise is already well established. Franchise requires little or no experience to begin. Operating a franchise gives a head start to the business and the franchise provides support all the way.
Support benefits of franchise would include personnel training, site selection and advertising. Upon establishment, a franchise, the businessperson starts realizing profits much early because it has wide customer recognition.
On the other hand, operating a franchise means playing by the rules. The strict restrictions deprive the franchisee the freedom characterized with other forms of small businesses.
The rules include, product specifications, reporting procedures, dress code and general management guidelines. Also, the franchisee is required to repatriate a certain percentage of the gross sales. Lastly, in most cases the products come from the franchisor leaving no room for the proprietor to get best prices.
Conclusion
Small businesses remain very attractive to most people because of their low initial investment requirements ease of entry, convenience of operation and freedom for the owners. However, the challenges faced by small businesses have not been appropriately addressed thereby leading to massive business failures.
Reasons for business failure include lack of business plan, heavy taxation, lack of capital, saturated product markets, developing poor strategies etc. Lastly, the need for small businesses in any country cannot be overemphasized by their role of employment creation and contribution to the GDP.
Works Cited
Rickman, Cheryl, and Roddick, Dame. The Small Business Start-up Workbook: A Step-by-step Guide to Starting the Business You’ve Dreamed of . Begbroke: How to Books, 2005.
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Problem of Smoke-free Campus Argumentative Essay
Over the past, smoking has posed a big danger to the community. Many people have become victims of smoking both directly and indirectly. The people who are affected directly are the smokers themselves while those who are affected indirectly are the people who stay near the people who smoke. Smoking therefore poses a very big problem especially to people who live as a group or as a community.
In campus, the issue of smoking has been a major problem. This is due to the risks associated with smoking to the students as well as the workers. However, the issue of whether smoking should be outside or inside the campus has been controversial.
Discussion
From my point of view, smoking should completely be barred from all public places where people are mixed up. This is because smoking has been found to affect both the smokers as well as those staying around them. Therefore, when smoking is carried out inside the campus, those people who are non-smokers will also be affected.
Some will even be forced to move away from the places like entertainment halls in case someone smokes around them. This denies them their right as individuals. In other words, people should smoke outside the campus to avoid interfering with other people’s lives.
Another reason why people must smoke outside the campus is to avoid peer influence into smoking activities. Peer influence is one of the main ways through which people are ‘recruited’ into smoking. Therefore, by allowing smokers to interact with non-smokers while smoking in campus, this may cause non smokers to adopt the vice.
Thus, people should smoke outside the campus to avoid such temptations. Also, smoking is closely associated with abuse of other drugs like cocaine. Most of the people who smoke are also victims of other drugs. Therefore, banning smoking within the campus will still be preventing the spread of other drugs’ abuse among the campus students.
In the same way, banning smoking within the campus will make smoking a burden to the smokers. This is because they will be forced to move outside the campus every time they want to smoke. In the long run, this may encourage the smokers to quit smoking.
Smoking in the campus will expose every person residing in the compound to secondary smoke. That is, both students and workers who work around the campus.
Smoking has been associated with very many diseases. For instance, smoking has been a major cause of lung cancer. Smoking is also associated with other breathing and the general respiration system complications. Therefore, smoking within the campus increases the cases of illnesses.
Consequently, this increases health care service costs incurred by institutions in treating students and other workers within the campus. Most of the people suffering from the lung cancer are smokers. Therefore, smoking outside the campus protects non smokers from acquiring such illnesses.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this discussion has clearly shown that smoking in campus is very dangerous. Many problems can be avoided by banning smoking within the campus. For instance, it will be possible to protect non smokers from illnesses associated with smoking. It will also be possible to protect non smokers from the temptation of engaging themselves in the vice. Therefore, smoking should be abolished from within the campus by designating smoking zones outside the campus.
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Smoking Cigarette Should Be Banned Essay
Introduction
Smoking cigarette has proved to be a fatal practice not only for active smokers but most importantly, for the passive ones. Passive smokers inhale the smoke that is exhaled by others as they smoke or through tobacco ignition.
Smoking bans are guidelines and regulations which limit smoking in public areas. May public places are therefore marked as ‘Smoke-free Zone’ which emphasize on environmental and health hazards that smoking poses even with limited exposure.
However, individuals have a right to either choose whether or not to smoke cigarette but it is not fair if they do it at the expense of others, who become passive smokers and are at a similar risk as a direct smoker. It is the role of governments and health institutions to safeguard public’s health by regulating drug use and abuse cases such as tobacco smoking. Safety measures are considered to enhance public heath of passive and active smokers.
For instance, some nations have taken to consideration the aspect of personal freedom and have chosen to segregate specific ventilated areas designated for smokers while others have gone to the extreme of being abolitionists by imposing a total ban on cigarette smoking.
Cigarette smoking is not only implicated with public health due to their carcinogenic nature and chemical additives but also, has proven to be costly and degrading to societal values hence, should be banned.
Smoking cigarette proves to cause many deaths in the world as a result of health related issues such as e.g. coronary impairment, obesity, emphysema infant defects, lung cancer and respiratory illnesses. In the United States alone, the Environmental Protection Agency assert that secondhand smoking leads to over three thousand fatalities from lung cancer and thirty seven thousand deaths as a result of heart ailments (Koop, 2004).
Cigarettes smoking as a cause of illnesses and premature deaths become the first preventable cause to be controlled through imposing bans (Congress, 2005). Cigarettes have nicotine which is responsible for addiction and is attributed to coronary illnesses and nerve impairment hence, declining people’s life expectancy. Cigarettes contain various chemical substances that are toxic and carcinogenic.
Regular smoking predisposes an individual to twenty times chances of acquiring lung cancer. In addition, it triggers production of stomach acid which causes and individual to acquire ulcers and other stomach illnesses such as cancer. It is notable that smoking destroys blood vessels and vital organs such as the hearth which predisposes smokers to stroke and cardiac illnesses (Booth et al, 1999).
Besides, the World Health Organization points out that use of tobacco cause health problems, addiction ,deaths and most importantly, accelerates impoverishment particularly in African countries where great expenses are incurred in the management and treatment of these health issues. W.H.O therefore, ensures that the availability of tobacco is restricted through reducing its demand and supply.
In addition cigarette smoking has proven to be to be expensive to individuals who have to pay high taxes to acquire them. This affects their income as they strain to get more to cater for cigarettes as pointed out that “in Kenya it an average of two hours and 40 minutes to earn enough to buy a packet for imported cigarettes, while in the United Kingdom it takes just 40 minutes” (BBC, 2004).
Various western nations have banned tobacco smoking and advertising and now many manufacturers have drifted attention to African nations. However African nations have also become aware of these issues and therefore, the previous year saw Tanzania banning tobacco smoking in its public settings (BBC, 2004).
In other instances, smoking may cause accidental fires which results to great losses that need to be catered for hence; a lot of money is spent on cigarettes related claims. Cigarettes hurt the economy through financial costs, declined life expectancy and therefore, reduction of the pool of available labor force.
The tobacco industry use eleven billion dollars per annum to market cigarettes through advertisement strategies. The FDA aims to curb deceptive advertisements and requires explicit labeling on packages alerting on hazards arising from smoking cigarettes such as addiction of nicotine which is even reinforced with additives to enhance its addiction (Congress, 2005).
The social use of cigarettes can be implicated to marketing strategies employed by various tobacco firms. The American Tobacco Company for instance, previously engaged in aggressive advertising that saw increasing number of smokers.
These stylish displays in shops and the media adverts, which associate smoking with sophistication, the elite and with loyalty, cause the rise in use of cigarettes. Cigarette smoking therefore, has become socially acceptable due to misleading advertisements targeted especially to the youths (Cunningham, 1996).
As a result, a ban is essential in drifting social norms of being tolerant to smoking in day to day lifestyle. Ban is imposed through tax measures, establishing awareness programs, creation of policies and termination initiatives geared at guiding human behaviour through controlled smoking hence, facilitate public health.
Lawyers in the United States are aware of the health implications achieved from cigarettes smoking although they emphasize that the smoker should bear the burden and not the tobacco industry. It has therefore required that the manufacturer label a warning on risks of smoking, avoid deceptive advertisement and create public awareness of statistical facts emanating from smoking.
However, lawyers insist that the tobacco companies bear no liabilities for the risks of smoking since it is a personal choice. Some point out that there should be a ban while others assert that imposing a ban is unconstitutional and alternative measures should be considered (ABA, 1986).
However, when deaths arise from smoking cigarettes, families are left to suffer and become overburdened and poverty strikes them. Tobacco related fatalities and medical realities are however instigating fears in a society that has embraced the consumption of tobacco as a social norm. Smoking is done for social a motive of trying to fit with the peers or other social groups
Conclusion
The rationale for imposing tobacco bans are based on the concept that smoking is elective while breathing is a must for all humans. Bans imposed by governmental bodies are meant to safeguard passive smokers from health risks although they might not be legitimate since they infringe people’s privacy.
Legislations have been set by many nations based on scientist medical facts, which asserts that tobacco smoking is dangerous to users and second-hand smokers. Ban on tobacco smoking has resulted to a decline in the number of smokers as the world is sensitized on the consequences incurred on 31 st May (BBC, 2004).
The World Health Organization has facilitated on creating public awareness on risks of cigarette smoking including its contribution to poverty as nations pursue healthcare. Other suggestions to smoking cigarettes includes use of Smoke-free Tobacco (SFT) which involves snuffing or chewing and use of low tar products, which are they are equally harmful as smoking (Koop, 2004 ).
Self-interest is the main determinant in dictating the approach towards smoking bans and often the main cause of controversies. Although it has been noted that many people depends on tobacco industries for exports and employment opportunities to earn then a living while governments use taxes levied on cigarettes for infrastructural development, the risks that arise from cigarettes smoking outweighs the advantages and therefore should be banned.
References
ABA. (1986). The ABA Journal: The Lawyer’s Magazine . Washington DC. American Bar Association.
BBC. (2004). Should Smoking be Banned ?. United Kingdom. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3757225.stm
Booth, G., McDuell, G. R. and Sears J. (1999). World of Science, Volume 2 . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Congress. (2005). USA Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 109 th Congress First Session, 151, Pt. 4. Washington: Government Printing Office.
Cunningham, R. (1996). Smoke & Mirrors: the Canadian Tobacco War . Ottawa: International Development Research Centre.
Koop, C. E. (2004). Reducing The Health Consequences Of Smoking: 25 Years Of Progress: Report Of The Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: DIANE Publishing.
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Social and Ethnic Diversity in the Movies Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Nature of multicultural societies
3. The application of sociological concepts to the movie Crash
4. The representation of multicultural issues in media and society
5. Conclusion
6. Reference List
Introduction
Disregarding the proclaimed principles of constitutional multiculturalism, racial discrimination still exists on various levels in modern American society. Winning Oscars, the 2004 film Crash directed by Paul Haggis sheds light upon the problems of racial profiling in media and society of present day Los Angeles, pursuing the goal of showing the inappropriateness of racial prejudices.
Nature of multicultural societies
The strains of multiculturalism presuppose certain challenges to legal and social dimensions of life in any community. The instances of racial discrimination in multicultural Los Angeles are revealed in the movie Crash which demonstrates the controversy between the legislative proclamations of democratic societies and their practical implications in everyday situations.
Regardless of the constitutional multiculturalism of modern democratic societies proclaiming equal rights for all citizens, the discriminating of the minorities still occurs at various levels. In fact, discrimination is built so deep into the institutional system, that the discriminating not always are aware of the wrongness of their actions (Henslin 2010). The differences in racial origin and religious beliefs frequently predetermine the superior attitude towards the representatives of the minor ethnic groups.
The belief in biological inferiority of certain racial groups is frequently used for justifying their exploitation and discrimination which can have various forms. For example, there are a wide range of racism forms in present day societies, including institutional, systemic, societal, interpersonal and everyday forms of racism.
The first three forms are rooted deep into the community paradigm and predetermine the accustomed patterns of the racialized order established on a state level, while the last two forms, namely the interpersonal and everyday forms reflect the human factor as the underlying cause and the consequence of institutionalized racism in modern multicultural societies. The plot of the movie Crash is based upon explicit examples of everyday and interpersonal racism.
The application of sociological concepts to the movie Crash
Narrating the interconnected lives of 15 American within the frames of 36 hours, the film sheds light upon the politics and dominating mood of racial representations in present day America.
The title of the movie cannot be perceived literally, and implies not only the car accident in one of the opening episodes of the film, but also the confrontation of interests and life views among the representatives of various racial groups.
Thus, at the very beginning of the movie, the Los Angeles detectives Graham Waters and Ria discuss the philosophical issues of the decay of community feeling in the urbanized society but this lyrical mood disappears after they arrive at the site of the car accident and hear two women screaming racial offenses to each other.
The ethnocentric views of the participants of the accident broaden the context of the situation, shifting the emphasis towards their racial stereotypes, while the situation itself reveals the racial inequality in the community.
The racial profiling, the corresponding racial stereotypes in the representatives of both majority and minority ethnic groups had a significant impact upon the formation of life views and social perspectives of the characters of the movie.
The situations depicted in the movie demonstrate the inappropriateness of the widely spread racial prejudices based on beliefs in inferiority of biological race.
It is significant that for the purpose of unveiling the existing stereotypes, Haggis as the director of the movie decides not to depict all blacks as positive characters but proves that they as well as whites can have various personal qualities as opposed to generally accepted racial profiling.
Depicting the events in a realistic key, the author does not deprive them of certain human weaknesses. Thus, in one situation a Los Angeles detective Tom Hansen acts as a racist, sexually molests Christine who is a woman of color. However, at the end of the film, he saves life of this woman.
Showing Cameron who is unjustly suspected of carjacking and then a black guy who is really trying to hijack Thayer’s car, the author tries to communicate his main moral message to the audience which implies that disregarding all the racial profiling used as justification for discrimination, there is no link between the biological race and the characters’ behavior.
Taking into account the fact that the film Crash was awarded an Oscar in the age of visible racism, it can be stated that the examples from it are valuable for discussing the issues of racial clashes in modern America. Sutherland and Feltey (2010) noted that “Crash misrecognizes the politics of racism and refashions it as a new age bromide, a matter of inner angst and prejudices that simply need to be recognized and transcended” (p. 97).
The representation of multicultural issues in media and society
The issue of representing racial profiling and stereotypes in media as an instrument of affecting the public consciousness and deepening the racial gap in a multicultural society is one of the plot lines of the movie Crash . Cameron as a black producer is induced to represent black characters according to existing racial profiling.
On the other hand, the main idea of the film itself and its central message is overcoming racial prejudices in media. Littleton (1996) noted that “There remains a gap between the way our laws treat minorities – as full-fledged, equal citizens – and how our media treat them” (p. 118).
Raising the problem of racial stereotyping in the movie Crash and selecting a realistic key for showing the impact of racial profiling upon the lives and views of the main characters, Haggis contributed to establishing the multicultural values and serving democracy in modern America.
Conclusion
The recognition and popularity of the film Crash which is focused on the problems of racial stereotyping proves that the actuality of this problem and the relative readiness of the community to reconsider their values.
Reference List
Cheadle, D., Yari, D., and Schulman, C. (Producers) & Haggis, P. (Director). (2004). Crash [Motion picture]. United States: Lions Gate Films
Henslin, J. (2010). Social problems: A down-to-earth approach . Pearson Education Canada.
Littleton, J. (1996). Clash of identities: Media, manipulation, and politics of the self . Prentice-Hall Canada.
Sutherland, J. and Feltey, K. (2010). Cinematic sociology: Social life in film . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
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Social Care in Ireland Essay
Table of Contents
1. Social Policy and Health Care System in Ireland
2. Funding Models in Ireland
3. Old People Care: Importance of Medical Cards
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Health and social care in Ireland including such issues like nursing, counseling, and social work are influenced by several factors, and one of the most important is unbelievable increase of older population that is in need of various types of care (O’Connor 35).
In fact, this factor creates a number of challenges for the Irish government as certain financial pressure takes place as well as difficulties with check the quality of care provided for people.
To overcome the problems which appear in the country, three funding models which are private, public, and mixed are offered to society in order to choose the most appropriate methods of care improvement and provide older population of different categories with the required portion of professional help.
Improving quality of life of Irish citizens requires the government to evaluate the already existing public policies, analyse social welfare, and consider the integrated structures by means of which people are free to get the necessary help; Ireland is the country where older population is increased considerably on a daily basis, this is why it is crucially important to investigate the sphere of social and health care and improve the conditions under which people have to live.
Social Policy and Health Care System in Ireland
Social care is the sphere of life where people work in order to provide citizens with the necessary living conditions and help those who suffer from marginalisation or inabilities to meet their social needs.
Quality care is an important issue in human life, this is why it is crucial to develop new ideas, methods, and standards under which people may feel safe and sound for a long period of time. Under current conditions, not all Irish people may allow themselves receiving the best services and improve their well-being accordance with their demands.
The health care system undergoes numerous changes due to the fact that older population rates increase considerably within a short period of time (Murphy 478). Facing this fact, the government of Ireland has to re-evaluate its incomes and improve the rates of health care spending of GDP on health care.
In the chart offered below, it is clear that the achievements of Ireland in 2008 are rather impressive in comparison to the achievements demonstrated by such countries like the United Kingdom or Hungary. These rates prove that Ireland is the country that is ready to work at improvement of its social and health care and define the needs of citizens.
Older people rates have been increased for 10% during the last years (Mcilfatrick et al. 351). In spite of the fact that social care prospects at the beginning of the 21 st century are directed to quality of life but not to longer life, the citizens of Ireland show that it is also necessary to take care of quality life among people who live long.
New investigations and discoveries, the impact of globalisation, and the desire to create good perspectives for better future make people neglect the idea of quality services.
For some period of time, health policy for older people was not that successful and effective, however, now the results of care offered to people turn out to be rather impressive: “for men, life expectancy at age 65 has risen from 13,8 years in 1995-1997 to 15,4 years in 2001-2003, with a corresponding increase for women from 17,4 years to 18,7 years” (Hodgins and McKenna 22).
Funding Models in Ireland
According to Brennan, each citizen should have the right for equal health and social care, unfortunately, it is not always possible to control the system under which social workers have to complete their tasks.
In other words, the author admits that structural challenges are usually the most difficult for the Irish people to be overcome (Brennan 24). Financial management and improvement of the cost system should help the country to change the situation.
For example, government-funded health care services may be used to elaborate properly public funding. This is why health and social care in Ireland has to be based on properly organized systems or funding models which will help older population get the necessary help. There are three types of funding models in health and social care system:
System Public System Private System Mixed System
Financial aspect of services All services are offered for free Citizens have to pay for services they get In addition to free medical services, citizens may pay to get another type of help or improve the conditions
Availability 24/7 According to the working schedule of the organization 24/7
Quality Not the highest quality is usually offered, still, not the lowest High quality services are usually offered Quality varies
Services People are limited with the skills and knowledge to be used while offering services Social and medical workers are free to enlarge their knowledge and improve skills accordingly Variety of possibilities for medical and social workers is available
All citizens of Ireland are free to use the benefits of the public health care system that is usually funded by general taxation.
However, Ireland continues facing certain challenges providing quality services because of considerably increasing aging population. This is why it is very important to focus on the basic ideas of the Irish health care services which, in comparison to the services of other counties, include social care services as well (O’Connor 35).
Still, Irish citizens may also face a challenge to pay some subsidised fee in order to receive appropriate service. In spite of the fact that people may use free health care services, they still need to pay for emergency calls and buy medicines. This is the example of mixed model of social provision under which the vast majority of citizens have to live in Ireland.
Health and social care system is based on the hospitals which are available to the citizens. Nowadays, there are many private hospitals and other organizations where people are not able to get free treatment any time they need.
In Ireland, old people are divided into two main categories: one category of people who have medical cards is able to get any kind of treatment free, and another category of people without medical cards cannot receive services for free in private hospitals, still, they may expect to get help in public hospitals.
Public hospitals and other organizations where appropriate health and social services are offered remain to be free for all citizens of Ireland. Though much attention is paid to young citizens and the promotion of such organizations like Positive Care Ireland for children whose behaviour introduces a kind of challenge in the world, the government finds it obligatory to concentrate on older population of the country and think about quality services which may help to save and prolong human lives.
Public systems consider a number of factors, and poverty rate is one of them. Poor older people, who have to live on low incomes, are not able to get medical services in time, and this group of people usually has some chronic diseases which limit considerably human activities.
It has been already stated that poverty is the problem to be fight against in Ireland (Hodgins and McKenna 23), this is the future prospects seem to be rather impressive and effective for older population.
Old People Care: Importance of Medical Cards
The vast majority of older people in Ireland get an access to medical cards which make it possible to use different medical and social services to improve living conditions. In the graphic that follows below, it is possible to observe which services become available for people who receive medical cards.
People, who do not have medical cards, are not always able to get free quality medical care but have to address some private organizations.
Conclusion
Health and social care in Ireland is a complicated issue for evaluation. The conditions under which people have to live and work do not usually promote quality services, this is why the Irish government has to take care of proper funding and analysis of the achievements by means of medical reports and identification of citizens’ needs.
The investigations of different writers show that the improvements made during the last decade are rather impressive; this is why there is always a chance to find another way to improve the health care system and provide older population with quality services.
Works Cited
Brennan, Niamh. Commission on financial management and control systems in the health service. Dublin: Stationary Office, 2003.
Hodgins, Margaret and McKenna, Verna. “Social welfare, housing and health policy and the determinants of quality of life for older people in the Republic of Ireland.” Quality in Ageing and Older Adults 11.2. (Jun. 2010): 19-28.
Mcilfatrick, Sonia, McKenna, Hugh, Gray, Ann-Marie, and Hids, Mary. “Health and social care futures in Ireland: The need for cross-boundary work.” Journal of Clinical Nursing 11.3 (May 2002): 349-356.
Murphy, Kathy. “A qualitative study explaining nurses’ perceptions of quality care for older people in long-term care settings in Ireland.” Journal of Clinical Nursing 16.3 (Mar. 2007): 477-485.
O’Connor, Irene. “Ensuring high quality health and social care for our older population: Residential care in Ireland as a case example.” Quality of Ageing 10.3 (Sep. 2009): 34-43.
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Social Cultural Causes Of Crime Analytical Essay
Crime is one of the most commonly occurring phenomena in any given society in the world. Crime has been termed as any behavior that violates established law and norms and is contrary to societal expectations (Lectric Law Library Para 2). Criminologists have done research studies to try and establish the causes of crime and the reasons why people commit crimes.
Some of the proposed factors for the occurrence of crime and why people violate the law include economic factors such as economic inequalities that lead to poverty. Social and cultural factors (social and family laws) have also been proposed as possible causes of crime.
Other than the level of education, criminologists argue that crime can be learned and that the environment may expose one to crime. Psychologists have also argued that there are some psychological deficiencies that may lead people to engage in deviant behavior (Melkonyan 2011). Although there are commonly occurring factors for the causation of crime, debate is still ranging on the real reasons for the trends and rates of crime in different parts of the world.
There has also been efforts to describe measure required to eradicate crime through managing its causes and crime (deviant behavior) itself, to punishing lawbreakers. Some of these methods have been successful while others have not. There is need to highlight the social cultural factors of crime and describe the necessary positive measures to prevent the occurrences of crime.
The leading causes of crime in the society are a combination of social cultural factors in the society. Society can thus be blamed for leading people to commit crime as it exposes individuals to environments that make it necessary to commit crime.
Certain norms in the society have to be adhered to and as such this makes people to remain depended on them for pleasure. Such dependency can therefore lead to an addiction on these behaviors and as such, the behaviors become part of everyday life. Such routinely harmless activities as taking a cold shower for temporary relief and relaxation may soon turn to dependency on the action.
When the activity is skipped the body craves for it or any of its alternatives (Shannonhouse 1). Extended exposure to these cultural practices however leads to stimulus satiation and as such, the body demands for a stronger alternative for reprieve. Should the body be denied this reprieve then a severe medical condition could ensue.
At this point, an individual may turn to drugs or alcohol as a means of reprieve and thus become dependent on them (Shannonhouse 1). Dependency on such drug ands alcohol leads to addition. Such drugs lead to acute pleasure and may also cause intoxication to a person. Such intoxication is dangerous as it can impair judgment and make the person’s overrate their abilities.
This false self-concept may lead one to commit crime (Shannonhouse 2).Therefore some harmless societal behaviors are the unseen factors that lead to a person to addiction and dependency on abused substances for temporary pleasure. What may appear as the search of pleasure could in fact end up as the cause for suffering.
Criminals can also be victims of the social environments in which they live in and as such, remain exposed or even forced to become criminals to survive in those environments. Personal relationships and the people around a person may lead one to commit crime.
This is true according to the convictions of Lord Longford, a Christian reformer and a prisoners’ rights activist who fought for the reformation of the British prison laws. Lord Longford in his defense of Myra Hindley, argues that she was a victim of her lovers criminal nature and manipulative tendencies as such was not as guilty as her lover and serial killer Mr. Brady (Stanley 1).
The argument in this and many other quarters are that Miss Hindley criminal nature was influenced by her association with Mr. Brady. According to Longford, this is how many criminals are made and thus they deserve a second chance (Stanley 2).
From the above arguments, it can be deduced that these factors exist by the mere occurrence of the vulnerability of the human beings. Human beings are vulnerable to their social and physical environments as well as their biological make up. Myra Hindley was vulnerable towards the influence of her lover and partner in crime.
These factors that lead to crime can be altered positively thereby helping to reduce crime rates in the society. According to Longford the separation of the victim of crime from the agent of crime is enough to delineate learned crime. This is because the factors that lead to a person committing crime have been severed and a person naturally reforms back to their usual selves. As such, criminals should be released upon sufficient proof that the relationships that lead to their committing crime have been severed completely.
Accompanying this is the spiritual principle of forgiveness, a conviction the staunch Catholic Lord Longford held. As s such Myra Hindley ought to have been forgiven and released on parole: her lover did not qualify for parole, meaning that there was no chance of reunion. This is a way of reforming a convicted criminal who deserve a second chance (Stanley 1).
Dependency and addiction to drugs is not always a bad thing as it can be used for other purposes other than the search for short-lived pleasure. Addiction to such substances as tea or steak soup may be use for medical reasons and as such not an entirely occurrences.
As such a person may only crave for such things only when in medical condition that demands their intake Shannonhouse 4). Shannonhouse (3) further contends that not all of intoxicating substances lead to a negative addiction. Dependency on alcohol may lead one to alter behavior negatively ad engage in criminal activities as alcohol “robs a man his self possession” (4).
However, there are other substances such as opium that invigorates in a man the essence of order civility and harmony. As such intake of certain substances such as opium, when done in the right manner thus is a sense of reducing the chances of occurrence of crime.
Crime is a product of the society and the environment created by the society. Some of the daily societal beliefs and practices are done so repetitively that the individual becomes dependent on them and it may lead to addiction. Addiction may in effect be nudging a person towards deviant behavior.
However not all addiction is negative; it all depends on the motive and the type of substance in use. While addiction is a cause of criminal behavior, some criminal may be victims of crime as they were vulnerable to the environment or forced to commit the crime. In such case, they can be redeemed by alienating them form the influencer and thus crime is combated.
Works Cited
Lect Law Review. Crime. Lect Law Library. Web.
Melkonyan, Amalia. Causes of Crime . Scribd , 2011. Web.
Shannonhouse, Rebecca. Under the Influence: The Literature of Addiction. Web.
Stanley, Alessandra . The Faithful Aristocrat, Seduced by a Killer . New York Times 2007. Web.
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Social Theories of Crime in Explaining Gang Violence Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Disorganization theory
3. Strain theory
4. Cultural Deviance
5. Differential Association
6. Techniques of Neutralization
7. Social Bond Theory
8. Social Reaction Theory (Labeling Theory)
9. References
Introduction
A social theory is a correlation of principles in helping to understand social life. These theories are meant to be used as models to explain human behavior in relation to other forces. The frameworks in which the social theories are applied are founded on quantifiable social facts which can be tested scientifically.
It is the role of criminological theorists to collect data, build a hypothesis and eventually put them to test empirically. For a social theory to be valid, the hypothesis stipulated should be in line with research data. Innovative methods are sometimes used by criminal theorists to evaluate the validity of a social theory.
For instance criminologists could compare the effect of adding enforcement party in a particular field such as the National Hockey League . As the referees are increased in the field the number of penalties decreases. This could be compared to the crime sector where increasing the number of police decreases the crime rate in a given area (Siegel, 2009).
Disorganization theory
The theory deals with the surroundings in urban life in relation to rates of crime. The urban environment may be somewhat disorganized since the social entities such as schools, businesses and family setups are not discrete hence fail to function as required. Lack of jobs, inadequate schooling, poor housing, low earnings, and high number of illegitimate children characterize the state of social disorganization.
Those living under such conditions go through conflicts and desperation which leads to engagement in antisocial activities (Siegel, 2009). Gang violence results from such a set up where the rising cost of urban life dictates engagement in such activities as commercial prostitution.
Strain theory
According to Siegel, “strain theory holds that crime is a function of the conflict between the goals which people have and the means they can use to obtain them legally” (2009). For instance, many people aspire to acquire wealth, fame and power although their capabilities depends on class and those of lower class struggle to acquire their desires conventionally. As a result, they are filled with frustration, desperations and prejudice or what is described as strain.
They either become socially responsible by learning to live under their state or else could opt to engage in other socially unacceptable ways to acquire their desires e.g. through burglary, drug cartels or other violent activities just like in the disorganization theory (2009).
Cultural Deviance
This theory incorporates the strain theory as well as the social disorganization it points out that as a result of strain and societal segregation there is a particular culture that establishes for the low income earners in the disorganized setups. Therefore, specific aspects of this culture contradict with the ordinary social norms.
Criminal behavior accelerates in this neighborhood which is a way to conform to their practices and not a way to rebel from the societal norms. These practices are reflected into the upcoming generations through cultural transmissions (Siegel, 2009). In disorganized social setups, juveniles acquire criminal practices when they associate with gang members or even their older family members.
As a result, criminal traditions are retained in these social setups and even continue reinforcing them by mastering the art. The criminal traditions compete with the accepted social norms and outdo them thus the morally degraded practice is handed over from one generation to the next.
There is coherence in the practices in the disorganized neighborhoods and young children readily learn them as they interact socially thus high rates of gang violence. On the other hand, organized areas are characterized by convectional practices and are somehow insulated from external influence (Lillly et al, 2011).
Differential Association
The theory was proposed by Edwin Sutherland to point out the diffusion of delinquency. He stated that criminal activities are learnt in a social context. Individuals learn moral or immoral acts as they intimately interact with other individuals who belong to a particular group.
As learning occurs, there is transmission of immoral behaviors from the immoral persons and given the opportunity, an individual has a choice to act as such ( Winfree & Abadinsky, 2010). The theory emphasizes that those people conversant with the law are more likely to engage in criminal acts.
According to the theory, illegal behaviors are learnt in a similar way as learning of any other social behavior. Therefore criminal behavior expresses general requirements and principles hence, is wrong to conclude that criminal behavior such as gang violence results from general requirements and principles (Payne, 2005).
Techniques of Neutralization
According to Hagan, techniques of neutralization “refer to rationalizations or excuses that juveniles use to neutralize responsibility for deviant actions. In drift situations offenders can lessen their responsibility by exaggerating normal legal defenses (for example, shelf-defense or insanity) or by pointing to the subterranean values prevalent in the society” (2010).
They include; rejection of accountability e.g. where an offender appeals on family issues, economic constrains among others. The offender may also reject having done harm to someone for instance, by stating that taking drugs only harms him and others should not be concerned.
Another way of expressing techniques of neutralization is refusing to accept an offence since the assault was subjected to another criminal and thus was justified. It could also take the form where an offender condemns the legal system for instance by ascertaining that the judicial system is highly corrupt and is not worth to execute any judgment.
Finally, an offender may as well appeal to the judicial system claiming that he committed the crime to defend a gang or other people nearby (Hagan, 2010).
Social Bond Theory
The theory was put forward by Travis Hirschi and points out that delinquency occur if an individual’s bonds to a social entity deteriorate which declines the stake of the individual to conform. People conform to social norms because they fear that failure to do so may break the relationships with the society.
They thus are forced to conform not due to the legal inflictions that may arise but because they want to retain their image as required by the friends, peers, and family. The societal bonds comprise “attachment, commitment, involvement and belief” (Hagan, 2010).
Attachment is the bond towards significant institutions and other people. For instance, if an individual poorly relates to the family members, the character growth may be impaired and if there is poor relationship with a social institution such as a school, delinquency develops.
Commitment means the level of maintaining attention to the social-economic entity. If a person highly regards his position in the society or his career, there is a less likelihood for him being involved in crime.
Involvement encompasses being a contributor in rightful leisure and communal activities that consumes most of personal time thus, less chances to be involved in crime and therefore an individual preserves the personal image. Lastly, belief is the society’s ordinary practices stipulated by the law. These factors are dependent upon an individual’s exercise of freewill (Hagan, 2010).
Social Reaction Theory (Labeling Theory)
The theory explains the origin of continued delinquent actions as the societal communications and encounters similar to social bond theory. Therefore, illegal engagements are stipulated by social spectators’ reaction as opposed to the ethical substance of the unlawful operation.
The society may label an individual negatively and thus the judicial system as well. The person labeled is stigmatized and the society responds negatively which accelerates the immoral behavior of the person. Publicly revealing an act and labeling it delinquent causes the person to proceed with the deeds since he internalizes the traits that others anticipate of him (Laura & Zilney, 2009).
For instance, a young boy is termed as delinquent because he is defined by others as such and not because he acted unlawfully. This means that an act becomes delinquent due to the fact that others view it as ethically incorrect (Siegel & Welsh, 2009).
References
Hagan, F.E. (2010). Introduction to Criminology: Theories, Methods, and Criminal Behavior .7 Ed. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Laura J. Z and Zilney L. A. (2009). Perverts and predators: the making of sexual offending laws . United Kingdom: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Lilly, R. J., Cullen F. T, and Ball R.A. (2011). Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences . 5 Ed. California: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Payne, K.B. (2005). Crime and elder abuse: an integrated perspective . 2 Ed. Illinois: Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Siegel, L. J. (2009). Criminology: Theories, Patterns and, Typologies .10 Ed. Belmont: Thomson Learning, Inc.
Siegel, L. J. and Welsh B. C. (2009). Juvenile Delinquency: Theory, Practice, and Law . Belmont: Cengage Learning.
Winfree, L. T. Abadinsky, H. (2010). Understanding Crime: Essentials of Criminological Theory. 3 Ed. Belmont: Cengage Learning
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Solid Waste Management: Hazardous Waste Management Essay
Solid waste has become a major upshot of development and modernization in many countries across the world, and its management continues to present many challenges to the developed nations as well as the developing countries.
However, the greatest challenge of solid waste management is felt in third world countries (Thomas-Hope, 1998), where the existing frameworks of solid waste management coupled with weak or inadequate policies regarding the same and population pressures have aggravated the issue to a point of attracting international attention.
This does not imply that developed countries have won the battle of solid waste management; on the contrary, countries such as China and India often stand accused of implementing improper solid waste disposal practices, thus endangering the health of the community and contributing to environmental degradation. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss the issue of improper trash disposal practices and the human health problems that such practices may cause in the community.
A multiplicity of actions that we engage in on daily basis may in actual sense constitute improper trash disposal practices by the fact that we do not follow the proper procedures to discard the trash, mostly generated from our interactions with the environment (Thomas-Hope, 1998).
At the most basic level, we often drop banana peels in places not designated for garbage disposal, in the process endangering the lives of passersby, who may step on the peel and slip, causing injury. This in itself constitutes an improper trash disposal practice.
At a more specific level, some companies are known to drain chemical byproducts from their manufacturing processes into the nearby rivers, in the process generating a situation which can have far-reaching ramifications for the environment, the aquatic life, and for the public who may end up using such water for domestic purposes (Leach, 2010).
Other waste management practices end up mixing trash that can decompose with others that cannot decompose, resulting in an escalation of the waste disposal problem as seen in most Asian countries that are struggling to clear man-made ‘mountains’ of garbage generated by employing improper trash disposal practices (Thomas-Hope, 1998).
As such, it can be argued that methods and techniques of waste disposal that end up occasioning negative consequences for the environment, natural vegetation, inhabitants (people and animals), and the public health constitutes improper trash disposal practices.
Improper trash disposal practices may lead to a number of human health problems. Indeed, a meta-analysis of several environmental studies done by Thomas-Hope (1998) demonstrates that the consequences of improper disposal of waste causes governments to spend huge sums of money to mitigate against disease outbreaks or in treating individuals whose conditions are largely derived from the poor waste disposal practices.
In the decomposing phase, various types of garbage may combine to form gases and chemicals that are potentially dangerous to the health of individuals. As unpleasant as it may seem, dead animals and raw sewage are among the types of organic waste that may find their way into the ‘mountains’ of garbage in the absence of an effective solid waste management system (Leach, 2010).
Assuming that such an area is hit by a devastating earthquake or rains heavily, the waste and its poisonous emissions and chemicals will be soaked and then carried through the landmass and into the underground water table, which is a fundamental source of the water that we drink and use on daily basis.
These chemicals and compounds can cause irreversible health conditions in people who take such water, and studies have demonstrated that various forms of cancers, tooth decay, stomach problems, and birth defects are often caused by such contamination (Leach, 2010). These medical conditions end up consuming vast financial resources in treatment, but the solution can be readily found in developing and implementing effective trash disposal practices.
As demonstrated in Haiti after the devastating earthquake, disease outbreaks are likely to occur in areas with inadequate mechanisms or frameworks of disposing waste. The open pits and uncollected garbage has caused Haitians untold suffering in cholera outbreaks and diarrhea.
Away from Haiti, it has been observed that Malaria increases in areas where water collects in uncollected plastic bags because mosquitoes find ready bleeding grounds (Leach, 2010). As such, it is imperative to encourage people not to dispose their plastic wrappings and bags in the open fields within the community as this is likely to lead to more health challenges for the people residing in the area.
Lastly, the deterioration of air quality and climate change occasioned by improper trash disposal practices can cause human health problems, some of which may be very difficult to treat (Leach, 2010).
It is well known that the process of waste decomposition generates methane, a greenhouse gas that is considerably responsible for some of the changes in the global temperatures that is being experienced, and which have made many countries to come together to fight global warming. Indirectly, many of the diseases and parasites which threaten the health and wellbeing of individuals are known to thrive well in conditions brought about by global warming.
As such, it can be argued that the production of the methane gas upon decomposition of waste which has been improperly disposed off occasions the right conditions for disease prevalence through global warming. Burning of waste in the open is also an improper waste disposal method since it releases dangerous and toxic chemicals such as dioxin in to the environment (Leach, 2010). Such gases have the capacity to cause serious public health risks.
As such, the focus should be on all the interested stakeholders to develop mechanisms, frameworks, and practices that will necessitate proper trash disposal for the sake of the environment and its inhabitants, and for the sake of our own prosperity and well-being.
Reference List
Leach, M. (2010). Effects of improper solid waste disposal . Retrieved from https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/effects-of-improper-solid-waste-disposal-12184010.html
Thomas-Hope, E. (1998). Solid waste management: Critical issues for developing countries . Kingston: Canoe Press.
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Solitary Confinement Argumentative Essay
Solitary confinement is a form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is put in total isolation. The prisoner is not allowed to interact with other people, and a person’s social life is cut completely. It seems to be the most aggressive form of imprisonment under the conditions of which the prisoner is tortured physically and mentally.
In solitary imprisonment, the prisoner losses his mind and may suffer from some mental complications. The scholars find it obligatory to conduct researchers and evaluate the effects of solitary confinement. It is hard for the prisoner to comprehend the essence of the instructions given, and this inability causes more tortures. The main purpose of researches is to define whether solitary confinement is constitutional or not.
Based on Hellhole by Atul Gawande and the current US Constitution, I believe solitary confinement cannot be called constitutional because it is a violation of the prisoners’ rights of protection by the judicial system, and because it may negatively influence human mental functions instead of making the prisoner better or, at least, less dangerous for society.
Solitary confinement is not constitutional because this type of punishment is one of the rude forms of tortures and violations of human rights. In his article, Atul Gawande admits that human beings are social in every aspect, this is why it is necessary to rely on the conditions set by the Constitution.
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted” (About America, 35). In other words, solitary isolation may be defined unconstitutional due to the process model that does not support aggressive law enforcement by the police but advocates for fair judgment and reasonable punishment towards the accused.
The point is that isolation is considered to be bad and unfair in case it lasts more than 90 days, and it is wrong to make use of some cruel steps or unfair judgments just in order to punish a person; this is why it is wrong to believe that US Constitution may support some cruel steps towards humans.
Another reason of why solitary confinement should be regarded as unconstitutional form of punishment is based on the negative effects which prisoners may suffer from. The experiment with monkeys proves that isolation is of bad nature: when one human being lives in isolation for too long he/she loses sense of belonging and is unable to interact with others.
“The test monkeys, upon being released into a group of ordinary monkeys, usually go into a state of emotional shock, characterized by . autistic self-clutching and rocking” (Gawande).
The same results were observed among the prisoners Terry Anderson, John McCain, and Bobby Dellelo, who undergo the process of solitary confinement and suffer from loss of mind, inabilities to control behavior, and hallucinations.
The conditions of solitary confinement go against the constitutional ideas which are all about justice and equality that has to be offered to any social being, this is why the type of punishment under consideration could hardly be defined as constitutional.
In general, solitary confinement does not solve the problem it is intended for. Instead, it destroys the physical and mental health of the prisoner.
It can even destroy families and careers because some of the prisoners may fail to adjust to the society even after being released. The Constitution has to protect human rights and promote appropriate treatment between humans, and solitary confinement is characterized by negative outcomes only, so that it is unconstitutional and has to be treated accordingly.
Works Cited
About America: The Constitution of the United States of America with Explanatory Notes. The World Book Encyclopedia . 2004. Web.
Gawande, Atul. Hellhole: The United States holds tens of thousands of inmates in long-term solitary confinement. Is this torture? 2009. Web. < https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/03/30/hellhole >
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Sophie’s Choice: Analysis of a Movie and Definitions Critical Essay
Directed by Alan J. Pakula, Sophie’s Choice is a romantic masterpiece set in 1947 but released in 1982. Sophie’s Choice would easily pass for another Holocaust film; actually, looking at it superficially, one gets this impression. However, this film is more than just another Holocaust movie as it goes beyond that to cover life before, during and after the Holocaust.
Flashes of what happened before; during, and after Sophie’s stay in the Auschwitz concentration camp expose how this atrocious experience affects her life until she finally dies after taking cyanide.
As the film opens in 1947, Stingo arrives in Brooklyn and looks forward to embark on his writing career. One would expect the plot to delve into Stingo’s writing career. Unfortunately, the story line takes a major turn after Stingo hears a quarrel upstairs where Sophie and his boyfriend; Nathan, are living. Stingo goes upstairs to investigate only to meet Nathan who has just knocked down Sophie. What a ludicrous way to meet one’s neighbors for the first time.
The following morning Sophie invites Stingo to a walk and she apologizes for the disruption they caused him the previous night. Nevertheless, this walk draws Stingo to Sophie who opens up and pours her past to him. It emerges that Sophie survived the Holocaust and this experience haunts her every time. Before this misfortune, Sophie had Josef as a lover with whom they had two children. Her family died in the hands of Gestapo while she does not know the fate of her son taken away by the Nazis.
On the other side, Nathan is not haunted by any ghosts but is entangled in alcoholism coupled with mental imbalances. Though he works as an aid for a research group, he claims to own the research project that would actually earn him the Nobel Prize. He assaults Sophie but somehow she chooses to stick with him. After Stingo learns of Nathan’s mental imbalance, he (Nathan) threatens to kill both Sophie and Stingo forcing them to flee to a hotel.
They become sexually intimate that night but Sophie sneaks out and goes back to Nathan. Stingo wakes up to find Sophie gone prompting him to pursue her. Unfortunately, by the time he reaches Nathan’s house, Nathan and Sophia have already taken cyanide and they are dead. One would wonder why this film has to title Sophie’s Choice. What choices did Sophie make?
Well, the night that Sophie spends in a hotel with Stingo, she divulges the choices she had to make. During her stay in the concentration camps, she was forced to choose whom to die between the two of her children. By making no choice, she would risk losing both of them; therefore, she chose her son to live and her daughter to die.
This was a debilitating choice but she had no better option. Sophie also made the choice to stick with Nathan even though he was abusive and irresponsible. Surely, this film is all about choices and the title given befits it perfectly.
In life people have to make choices whether voluntarily or involuntary; nevertheless, regardless of the force behind choosing, repercussions of any choice made is inevitable. Looking at the movie superficially, I thought it was just another Holocaust film detailing the atrocious nature of this infamous historical occurrence. However, it goes beyond that as it exposits the repercussions that follow any choice made whether involuntarily or voluntarily.
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History of Spanish-American War in the 19th Century Expository Essay
The 19 th century witnessed several conflicts among European powers. A lot of territorial expansion programs were conducted during this period by various European powers.
One of the conflicts that U.S engaged in was called the Spanish-American war. “The Spanish-American war was a conflict between the kingdom of Spain and the United States of America that took place from April to August 1898” (Nofi 23). America emerged the winner of this war and it marked the end of Spanish rule in the Pacific and Caribbean territories.
The Paris Treaty was used to ratify the conflict and after that, the Spanish colonies were taken over by the government of U.S.A. “These territories included Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and the Guam, and it also controlled the process of independence of Cuba, which was completed in 1902” (Nofi 67). The Spanish-American War has been debated about in various political and academic circles and many people have tried to come up with a comprehensive conclusion on what really caused it.
The western hemisphere was under colonial rule for a period of four decades. In the last quarter of the century, most colonies of Spain had been emancipated and it now had very few territories. The Spanish occupation of Cuba and Philippines had been highly resented. Therefore, the people of Cuba resisted through military attacks.
Dealing with rebels was a challenging task for the Spanish. They tried to separate the rebels by establishing concentration camps. This caused a lot of suffering among the people of Cuba. “Hence, the U.S.A government found it necessary to avert the crisis by intervening through military attacks” (Nofi 98).
In 1898 during the month of February an American battle ship capsized due to an explosion, whose cause could not be established. It could probably have happened accidently. Back in U.S the media reports about the issue was not good and it led to tensions.
The issue of humanitarian crisis in Cuba dominated political debates in many parts of U.S. In Cuba the general opinion was in favor of war. Spain also felt that going to war was the only viable way out of the crisis, but they new that they could succeed in the war.
Both America and Spain were keen to test the naval capacity of each other. Spain had much experience in naval wars, but U.S had newly built its navy and it was therefore ready to face Spain in war. The issue of going to war was not welcomed by investors in U.S who felt that they could lose business opportunities.
The Spanish-American war was not directly linked to the explosion of the Maine as some people would think was the case, but there were other serious underlying issues that spiraled out of control. America found it necessary to attack Spain mainly because it had refused to restore stability in Cuba.
Before the war, the situation in Cuba was seriously in a bad shape and many people found it difficult to cope with the situation. “The explosion of the Maine did not therefore cause the war, but it focused American attention on Cuba; the call was for an immediate resolution to the Cuban situation” (Nofi 89).
Having examined the situation keenly in March, Senator Redfield Proctor felt that the only way out of this situation was through fighting. After his comments, the people who earlier criticized the war now supported the move.
Cuba was declared free from colonialism by U.S congress in April, and they ordered Spain out of Cuba. They even advised the people of Cuba to rebel strongly against Spain. This move led to the end of the diplomatic ties between them.
The war was fought in different parts of Cuba and Philippines. The war had far reaching outcomes and many people lost their lives and a lot of property and infrastructure was damaged. The war was a turning point for U.S which now emerged as a world power.
After the war, America became more active in international politics. U.S also advanced economically, and it had a tremendous growth in population and infrastructure. The aftermath of this war also saw the collapse of the Spanish empire. “The defeat paradoxically postponed the civil war that had seemed imminent in 1898 and created a renaissance known as the generation of 1898” (Nofi 102).
The colonies that had formerly been owned by Spain were brought under the control of America. Last but more importantly, the war brought together both the Northern and Southern States. It was for the first time since the civil war in America that they came together to fight against their enemies.
We can therefore conclude that the Spanish-American war generally had positive effects on the American side, but for Spain it was a great challenge that led to its decline. From the above discussion we cannot therefore simply attribute the cause of the war to the explosion of the Maine. I therefore conclude that the explosion of the Maine simply triggered the war but it was not the main cause of the war.
Works Cited
Nofi, Albert. Spanish American war, 1898 (great campaigns). New York: Wiley, 1997.
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Spare the Rod or Spoil the Child: Outline Argumentative Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. History of Corporal Punishment
3. Benefits of Corporal Punishment
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Introduction
The purpose of this argument is to determine whether corporal punishment is beneficial to children and their development. We have all experienced some form of corporal punishment whether from our parents or from our teachers in school. To majority of societies around the world, corporal punishment is the norm rather than the exception.
For example communities in Spain do not see corporal punishment as something strange while most African societies view corporal punishment as a way of rectifying a child’s behavior. However most westernized countries view this form of punishment as barbaric and detrimental to the child’s overall development.
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN par. 1) defines corporal punishment as the infliction of physical pain which is intentional with the aim of changing behavior. Corporal punishment is also defined as the use of physical force to cause pain to the recipient as a way of punishing their misbehavior.
The main component of corporal punishment is the use of physical violence to correct the child’s behavior. Corporal punishment might take the form of spanking, slapping, hitting, pinching or shaking. To differentiate between corporal punishment and physical abuse, two factors have to be taken into consideration which is the intensity of the punishment and the intention of meting out corporal punishment.
The intensity of the punishment refers to whether the recipient has incurred any extensive injuries as a result of the physical punishment. The intention of the punishment refers to whether it has been directed to teach or discipline the recipient (Vieccelli and Ricas 2).
History of Corporal Punishment
The history of corporal punishment is viewed to be as old as human civilization. It can be traced back to the Middle Ages when children or adults caught in misconduct were disciplined by physical violence. In Middle Age England, the most common form of punishment was flogging which involved whopping or whipping the offender with a rod or whip.
This type of punishment was however abolished and banished in 1874 (Baxamusa par.2). In the U.S. parents were seen to be the most common users of corporal punishment with spanking being their most common tool of punishment.
Teachers were also seen to use corporal punishment in the early 80s when dealing with misbehavior in students by caning, pinching or slapping (Child discipline par.1). It was also acceptable for teachers and school authorities to whip or spank children as a form of disciplinary action (Baxamusa par.3).
Some states in America have banned corporal punishment by enacting laws that prohibit teachers from physically disciplining children. According to 2006-2007 U.S. statistics, 223,190 school going children were subjected to form of corporal punishment in the course of their studies.
This is an indication that the use of corporal punishment in schools has decreased by 18 percent when compared to the 1980s. While many states have created laws to prohibit corporal punishment, other states have legalized it as a form of disciplinary action (Baxamusa par. 10).
Benefits of Corporal Punishment
Many scholars and academics have viewed corporal punishment to be a negative form of discipline as it affects the child’s or student’s behavior. According to Save the Children’s awareness campaign on corporal punishment, children who have been subjected to corporal punishment experience a low self esteem, feelings of sadness and anger as well as feelings of loneliness and abandonment.
Their social skills within and outside the school are also affected as they are afraid to communicate what they want (Richardson et al 126). Corporal punishment has also been viewed to increase fear of reprisals creating educational barriers that lead to poor performance in school.
Children who have undergone punishment also have a negative view of their school and also of the society making it difficult for them to integrate into their community. Physical punishment also discourages reasoning by affecting the child’s reasoning capabilities (Save the Children 2).
Gershoff (539) in her studies on corporal punishment has noted that this form of punishment has played an integral role in how parents discipline their children. This form of punishment has been the main focus of psychological research in the United States with various researchers and academics providing contributions on whether corporal punishment is beneficial or detrimental to the child’s development.
Despite various countries adopting measures to prohibit the use of corporal punishment as a form of discipline, support for using corporal punishment in the U.S. has remained strong with 94 percent of parents and school teachers supporting the use of physical violence to discipline errant children (Gershoff 539).
While there have been many negative effects of corporal punishment, there are scholars who have advocated for the use of corporal punishment in dealing with discipline cases.
Child psychologists who advocate for the use of corporal punishment have noted that it is advantageous in that it is the only form of language that children will understand and react to. This is especially so with children who have been identified to be problematic and reckless.
Rather than pamper and spoil these types of children, psychologists have seen corporal discipline as a means of preventing children with poor conduct or behavior from degenerating even further to reckless behavior. To further explain the term “spare the rod or spoil the child” various advantages of using corporal punishment have been advocated for when compared to using non physical forms of punishment (Victor par.2).
For example corporal punishment deters repeat cases of misconduct and misbehavior. Children who are physically punished for doing something wrong are most likely to not repeat the offence in future. This can also be attributed to the instantaneous effect physical punishment has on children caught in reckless behavior.
The use of corporal punishment has also been seen to restrain children from engaging in reckless behavior with respect to historical statistics which have shown that children behave well after they have been subjected to corporal disciplinary action (Turner 217).
Benatar (par.46) came up with positive arguments for carrying out corporal punishment on children one of which was that it was used to discipline children who were found to be guilty of misconduct. Only the guilty offenders identified to have committed misconduct faced disciplinary action regardless of whether there were other participants in the misconduct case or not.
He also noted corporal punishment played a significant role in the scale of punishments used in school contexts (Benatar Par. 50).
Corporal punishment filled the gap that was created when other forms of punishment were used such as detention, suspension or expulsion. Another benefit of corporal punishment is that when used in the proper context, it initiates a change in behavior as the recipient will be deterred from misbehaving in future (Benatar par. 52).
Victor (par.2) argues that the use of corporal punishment is particularly beneficial for children who are irrational, impulsive and need some firmness. He noted that children’s impulsive nature needed to be controlled through tougher methods of punishment such as corporal discipline. He advocates for the sustained use of physical force on children with regards to the level of misconduct they have engaged in.
Benatar (Par. 53) advocates for the use of corporal punishment as long as the enforcers of the punishment exercise just corporal punishment. This can be achieved by inflicting pain to the children in an infrequent manner and also ensure that the punishment is meted out in a non discriminative way so as to ensure there is no racial or gender bias.
Corporal punishment should also observe due process and timing so that it can be justified. Due process will entail punishing the guilty parties while timing refers to whether the punishment will take place before or after the wrongdoing (Benatar par. 55, 56)
Conclusion
Corporal punishment does not necessarily have to be viewed as a negative form of punishment. Through the use of appropriate restrictions, it can be used to discipline children who have been found to misbehave or have engaged in misconduct.
Despite the many protagonists who have argued about the disadvantages of corporal punishment, this form of discipline can prove to be beneficial when dealing with cases of misbehavior, truancy or misconduct amongst school going children.
Corporal punishment is an effective method of deterring detrimental behaviors in children who are still developing. It eliminates cases of repeat misconduct or misbehavior in children who have not responded to the other forms of punishment such as detention, suspension, reprimanding or expulsion.
Works Cited
Baxamusa, B. History of corporal punishment. Web.
Benatar, D. Corporal punishment , 2001. Web.
Child D. Pro corporal punishment . Web.
Gershoff, E. Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviours and experiences: a meta-analysis and theoretical review, Psychological Bulletin , 128(4), pp.539-579, 2002.
National Association of School Nurses (NASN), Corporal punishment in schools , 2002. Web.
Richardson, T., Marsha, W., Bruce, A., and Daniel A. Child abuse and violence , New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2008.
Save the Children, Awareness campaign against corporal punishment of children in families . Web.
Turner, Susan M., Something to cry about: an argument against corporal punishment of children , Ontario, Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2002. Print.
Victor, D. Corporal punishment-child abuse or discipline? 2007. Web.
Vieccelli, M., and Janete, R., Parent’s perspective on child rearing and corporal punishment , 2008. Web.
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Preschool Teachers’ Actions for Integrating Children With Disabilities Report
This paper, written by Hsin-Hui Huang and Karen E. Diamond, investigates the effect of information about a child’s disability on preschool teachers’ actions in integrating children with disabilities in their classroom.
Of special interest was whether the gravity of a child’s educational requirements and the teacher’s knowledge about the disability condition were linked to teacher’s responses towards incorporating such children in their classrooms.
To determine whether there was a link, Huang and Diamond collected information from 155 preschool teachers in two US states to asses how they responded in terms of degree of comfort, classroom adaptation, and need for assistance. The researchers’ findings showed that pre-school teachers’ responses to their pupils’ disability were dissimilar irrespective of the diagnostic labels.
The teachers treated children with mild disabilities with more care than those who were physically disabled. Besides, contrasted with children with diagnostic labels, the teachers treated children without any diagnostic labels with more care.
Teachers’ training and practice in handling disabled children were linked to their degrees of comfort. The results corroborated earlier studies that had showed that teachers, from preschool through secondary school, are liable to include a child with minor disability in their classroom than those with severe conditions (Huang and Diamond, 2011).
Importance of the Study
For along time, children with disabilities, both major and minor, have been discriminated against in educational institutions, the trend has continued despite the fact that some children have previously excelled and even outshone their counterparts who are deemed as ‘normal’.
Besides, children with disabilities have exceptional abilities that can be nurtured and bred so that the children can achieve their full potential. The study is important towards understanding teacher’s responses towards accepting disabled children in their classes, and their differing responses based on disability labels.
Findings from the study can be used by stakeholders in the academic sector to promote the intake of disabled children in mainstream classrooms. The findings can also assist in the development of a curriculum for training teachers that gives them an understanding of various disability conditions and how to treat children with such conditions.
The training curriculum can also quell any misconceptions based on the teachers’ incorrect knowledge towards integrating children with disabilities. The training can be extended to primary and high school teachers.
Finally, the findings from the study can be useful in addressing teachers’ stereotypes regarding children’s disability conditions by focusing on the children’s individual abilities, skills and education needs rather than branding them on their disability.
Application
The findings from this study are vital towards my future career as a preschool teacher. First, it lays bare the fact that ‘disability is not inability’. Every child should be judged based on his/her skills and abilities rather than on the disability. Having learnt this, I intend to incorporate all children in my future classroom and determine each child’s aptitude.
To accomplish this, I will strive to understand each child’s disability condition in depth and how the child can be assisted to realize his/her full potential. The author’s conclusion that teachers should focus on individual children’s aptitudes and learning needs rather than the label attached to their disability’ (Huang and Diamond, 2011) is the highlight of the article.
In my future career, I will treat each child equally, rather than on their disability labels or learning needs. An understanding of each child’s disability will be essential in achieving this mission.
Reference
Huang, H., and Diamond, K. E. (2011). Early Childhood Teachers’ Ideas about Including
Children with Disabilities in Programmes Designed for Typically Developing Children. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, Vol. 56, No. 2, June 2009, 169–182.
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Sponsorship Scandal in Canada Timeline Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Sponsorship Scandal
3. High Profile Officials Involved
4. Chronology of Events
5. Consequences of Poor Public Administration
6. Crown Corporations versus New Public Management
7. Conclusion
8. Reference List
Introduction
The government of any given country forms the integral part in the growth and development of the country. Public and security services provision is the work of the government. Licensing and control of businesses as well as ensuring a suitable business environment is provided is also the mandate of the government in many nations (Roy, 2007).
The government is thus faced with an enormous task of ensuring that its departments are not overwhelmed by the very diverse tasks. Efficient and reliable public administration is thus very important in the running of a successful government.
Public supervision becomes the epitome of easing and implementing the various government guidelines; it has also the studious discipline that studies the execution process and the preparation of civil servants in carrying out the assigned duties.
For government to function, public administration must advance the management skills and formulated policies. If the policies are poorly formulated, various scandals and malpractices are witnessed like the Sponsorship Scandal.
The Sponsorship Scandal
The sponsorship scandal arose as a result of the sponsorship program by the Federal Government of Canada headed by the Liberal Party of Canada, which ruled the country from 1993 up to 2006. The program was implemented in the Quebec province, which was calling for its independence from the main government.
The main aim was to create awareness of the federal government’s massive efforts in developing the Quebec province especially through industrialization. The Government of Canada in this awareness program had the motive of countering the rising endeavors of the province’s government in promoting independence of the region.
This sponsorship program was run from 1996 to 2004. Although the federal government had motives toward unification and deterrence of secession, the program’s administration was poorly executed leading to massive corruption cases, illegal and illicit activities within the administration of this government program.
It was eventually discontinued in 2004 after the malpractices were unearthed. This program involved the misappropriation, misuse and misdirection of public funds which the government had mainly set aside for advertisement and mass sensitization in the province of Quebec.
In the misdirection of the funds, the large sums intended for sponsorship was awarded to advertisement firms that did little or no work. Instead, the money was used in the maintenance of Liberal organizers and at other times the fundraisers who were weirdly maintained on payroll. At other times part of this advertisement money was returned or donated to the ruling party.
When thorough investigation was conducted, the entire ruling party was negatively affected and many government officials were also affected including Paul Martin the then prime minister. The scandal had thrived for years without being detected and was only detected after close analysis, scrutiny, and examination by the Federal Auditor General, Sheila Fraser.
Her shocking investigations and revelations led to the Gomery Commission which was set up by the government to organize a public inquiry to shed more light into the issue so as to compile a comprehensive report showing and explaining how public funds was used and how much was lost due to the lackluster and irresponsible administration.
High Profile Officials Involved
The compiled report found out that indeed money was lost in the program. The investigation affected the Liberal party and largely influenced the 2006 elections. After more than a decade in power, the liberals were ousted by the conservatives who consequently owing to their victory, formed the government (although a minority one). Some of the high profile individuals implicated in the scandal include Jean Chretien.
At the time of the establishment of the program, Chretien was the then incumbent prime minister. The inquiry leveled much on the blame on the misused and misspent public funds and fraud on him and his staff especially those directly in his office, that is, the Prime Minister’s Office. However, Chretien was cleared of any direct wrongdoing as he himself did not participate in the embezzling of funds.
The Prime Minister’s chief of staff at the time was also accused of getting involved in affairs not under his docket and also for mishandling the sponsorship deals. Some of Chretien’s cabinet members and close allies were also accused in the scandal. Some admitted to crimes such as fraud and consequently sentenced to jail terms. Paul Martin, who was also a former prime minister, was at the time of the initiation of the program, the Minister of Finance and also held the seat of the Senior Minister from Quebec.
Although he was the one who set up the Gomery Commission, he was accused of setting up the fiscal framework; however both the commission and the Auditor General’s reports cleared him of direct involvement since he never had the oversight of the money once it entered Chretien’s office. Experts argue that the commission of inquiry was biased as its hands were tied as Gomery had been appointed by Martin, so there was no way he could have found Martin guilty.
Chronology of Events
As early as 1995 Allan Cutler had without much success raised the alarm and concerns about the political interference in the program’s financial unit. He was also hard pressed by what he termed as bid-rigging interfering with the process of competitive bidding. In 1996 due to the rising concerns, an audit was conducted in the departments where contracting and tendering was exercised. However, the report forwarded was doctored and references removed something the auditor said she did not do.
In 2000 an audit by another firm showed that, the recommendation made in 1996 had not been effected, this later, in the same year, resulted in the suspension of the Sponsorship Program prompting investigations to be launched by the office of the Auditor General (Surhone, Timpledon, & Marseken, 2010).
In 2004 a comprehensive report compiled by the Auditor General showed and proved that almost half of the tenders for the program had been awarded to the ruling party’s friendly firms and Crown Corporations yet the work done was little or none at all. This consequently led to the setting up of the Gomery commission to probe the matter and compile a report.
Martin then suspended high ranked officials ordering them to file their defense or face disciplinary measures; the president of Business Development Bank of Canada was one such person to be suspended. It also emerges that those who had questioned the billing process had either been fired or transferred such persons included Berdard, a past Olympic gold medalist; this was however vehemently opposed by the top executives.
A leaked dossier revealed that members from the Prime Minister’s office had secretly met with the members from the branch of Public Works, which the Sponsorship program was under. An official in charge of awarding contracts admitted he bent the rules in the contract awarding, but defended himself by saying they were at war trying to save the country from splitting up and thus national interest took first priority (Milke, 2006).
In 2005, the conservative party organized a vote of no confidence in parliament to call for early election a move that was suspended. He said he was committed to cleaning up the mess brought by the poor administration, he further stated that elections would be held a month after the commission of inquiry finished its findings.
In the House of Commons the opposition won a voting battle terming it as an equivalent of a vote of no confidence hence pressurizing the government to respect the decision of the majority and resign to pave way for fresh election. However, a conservative MP crossed over to the Liberals government and immediately appointed a cabinet minister; in addition she was mandated to implement the Gomery Commission’s report once ready.
This cast a doubt on the opposition side on whether the prime minister was really committed to achieving reforms and accountability and whether he would honor his earlier promise of an election after thirty days, on the completion of the Gomery Inquiry (Kozalanka, 2006).
When the preliminary Gomery report was released in 2005, much criticism was levied on the former regime of Chretien mainly for setting up the Sponsorship program without elaborate administration plan hence were responsible for inviting abuse.
Martin, the Prime Minister was cleared of any responsibility or wrongdoing. Some of the opposition parties tried to strike a deal with the government but was turned down by the liberals consequently the government was dissolved after a no confidence vote in November, resulting in a January elections.
In 2006 Due to this scandal, which had been brought about by poor administration, the Liberal party lost the election to the Conservative party. Martin stepped down as party leader in the same year and some of the top Liberal party leaders and friendly managers were imprisoned, these included Brault and Guite who were found guilty of deception and fraud.
Consequences of Poor Public Administration
After the Sponsorship scandal was revealed in 2004 there emerged more hostility between the Chretien and Martin camp creating a rift in the then ruling party (Marvey54, 2010). Such wrangles are not preferred for any country’s development, especially when it is witnessed from the party in power.
This scandal gave Martin the reason to remove from power, those officials who were strong supporters of Chretien, irrespective of their positive production towards development. Political wrangles divert attention from the most important issues to political issues. Poor administration results in a blame game as no camp wants to take responsibility of wrongdoings.
This scandal was used by those advocating for the separatism of Quebec to highlight the failures of the federal government and claim there is organized corruption in the federal government. However, it is worth noting that before the election, brought about by the scandal, polls showed that those in support of separatism of Quebec were above fifty percent but dropped significantly after the 2006 elections (Healey & Prus, 2009).
Poor public administration led to a no confidence vote. This consequently resulted in early elections which were unprecedented and called for further allocation of money for the election process. A countrywide election in Canada uses millions of dollars which could have otherwise been used for development projects.
Political instability is not healthy for any country as investors are scared or loses trust with the government. Awarding of contracts on merit was also overlooked deterring the delivery of quality services and products. This discourages innovation and healthy competition in turn hampering development.
The Sponsorship scandal also resulted in loss of millions of dollars of public money further delivering a draw back on the economy. Corruption is one of the major drawbacks to ensuring world class delivery of public services. The careers of decorated public figures who had greatly contributed to the country’s development were also greatly damaged.
Such scandals results in lack of faith in the government by the people, a case that leads to less cooperation between the two blocs, of which cooperation between the people and the government of the day is very important in all sectors as the prime mandate of the government, is to serve the people.
The scandal also illustrated oppression and going against freedom of expression. Bedard a national heroine was disgracefully pushed from her job for raising issues about the billing practices. More critics have lost faith in public administration and advocate for privatization and creation of more bureaus.
Crown Corporations versus New Public Management
Crown corporations, which are owned by the federal government, have been delegated to perform most of the duties in the country. They have a long history and closely connected with the running of the state and are technically owned by the monarch.
During the Sponsorship scandal, heads of various crown corporations like, Via Rail and Business Development Bank of Canada were involved of which some were suspended. Crown Corporations have been at the centre of running the government institutions; however globalization has adversely affected them.
Since the 1980s various world governments adopted the philosophy of new public management aiming at modernizing the public sector. This has led to the advocacy of privatization of the Crown Corporations as the new public management in the world is intended for the market orientation in public sector and more cost efficiency governments. This has led to the decline of Crown Corporations.
Conclusion
Public administration has evolved over time, the 21 st Century governments are now moving towards the digital era governance due to the high improvement in the IT sector. Efficient public administration is the key to a successful government and consequently key to the development of a country’s economy. Poor public management leads to abuse of office and creates loopholes for malpractices like nepotism and corruption to thrive.
This in turn leads to poor service delivery, poor amenities consequently leading to economic and political crisis. Scandals like the Sponsorship scandal are as a result of poor public management. Scandals have been witnessed all over the world and many lead to loss of public funds in dubious contracts and schemes.
Privatization as a tool of development is important in the efficient learning of public institutions, as advocated for by the new public management. This ensures managers are recruited and hired on merit rather than on political appointment.
The new public management also ensures that public service delivery is not affected by political turmoil or change of regimes as the organizations are free from political interference. Technological advancement has also digitalized public management globally making delivery of services faster, orderly, and efficient enhancing accountability in the process (Roy, 2006).
Reference List
Healey, J,. & Prus, S. (2009). Statistics: A tool for Social Research . Toronto: A Tool for Social Research.
Kozolanka, K. (2006). The Sponsorship Scandal As Communication: The Rise Of Politicized And Strategic Communications In The Federal Government . Ottawa: Canadian Journal of Communication.
Marvey54, (2010). Sponsorship Scandal: Who’s To Blame . Montreal: Allvoices.
Milke, M. (2006). A Nation of Serfs? How Canada’s Political Culture Corrupts Canadian Values . Vancouver: John Wiley& Sons.
Roy J. (2007). Business and Government in Canada . Ottawa: University of Ottawa.
Roy, J. (2006). E-Government in Canada: Transformation for the Digital Age . Ottawa: University of Ottawa.
Surhone, L,. Timpledon, T,. & Marseken, S. (2010). Sponsorship Scandal . Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en
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St. Augustine. Solution to the Problem of Evil Expository Essay
St. Augustine was a firm believer in God, and he, therefore, wanted always to do what is right. He argued that God is good and thus he did not create evil.
According to him, evil results from man’s deviation to Gods teachings. It is, therefore, a problem as it is a man who chooses to bring evil upon himself. St. Augustine claims that the solution of evil is to do the right thing and to abstain from wrongdoing. He claims that evil results from a man trying to equal himself to God.
For instance, when a person chooses to steal, he knows that stealing is wrong. Despite this knowledge, he steals because, at that particular moment, the person feels in control of everything. St Augustine argued that God is the most powerful being. Sometimes man tries to rival this power. It is this defiance that St. Augustine warned men against (M. Arthur 120).
The Manichean interpretation of the problem is that evil results when two powerful deities work in opposition hence negative consequences. According to this interpretation, the deities are equally compelling. St Augustine has a problem with this belief because it contradicts the omnipotence of God.
It does this by suggesting that God and the devil have equal powers. According to him, God is the only deity and the most powerful being in existence.
The powers of the devil are inferior to those of God. The belief also suggests that evil is as a result of conflict between God and the devil. According to St. Augustine, this is not so. Evil is as a result of man’s deviation from God’s ways. He also suggests that other evils like natural disasters are as a result of angels deviating from God’s ways (M. Arthur 125).
Christianity says that for man to live an upright life and have full knowledge of God, evil is necessary. The pain and suffering resulting from evil cause man to realize that he needs God in his life. When a man experiences pain, he will strive to help other people in a similar situation so that they do not suffer as much as he did.
To appreciate the power of good, man needs to undergo the suffering caused by evil. It builds his character and makes him strong such that he can face the hardships of life courageously (M. Arthur 128).
The Christian solution to evil has been very successful. It generally encourages man to live a life that is pleasant to God and humankind as well. Christianity helps man to appreciate both the positive and negative things in life. This way, he can learn from negative things and become a better, stronger person.
As opposed to other beliefs, man can understand that it is not necessarily his fault that negative things happen. For instance, natural misfortunes like earthquakes caused by forces of nature that conflict with each other. Man is not to blame for these occurrences in any way.
Christianity also teaches a man to acknowledge the presence of God in life when things are going well and to seek Him when faced with hardships. It also teaches a man to live and relate well with the whole society. Most importantly, it teaches a man to have respect for life and to value it. This way, society remains peaceful (M. Arthur 132).
Work Cited
Miller, Arthur. The Social Psychology of Good and Evil. New York: Guilford, 2004
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Staffing Plan for Mc. FRIES Problem Solution Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Overall staffing strategy
3. Legal compliance of the hiring strategy
4. References
Introduction
In recent organizational recruitment efforts it has become a challenge deciding the quality of recruits. Some new employees are very good but, are hired for the wrong job, reducing their output and depicting them as poor workers. In hiring it is important to determine the number of people that each sector actually requires to avoid inappropriate resource distribution. The number will depend on the technicality and intensiveness of the field.
Success of many companies is greatly dependant on the allocation of resources. Many highly ranked positions require specialized and skilled personnel. To attain this it is appropriate to continually review approaches to recruitment, retaining and succession of staff.
In developing a staff for “Mc. FRIES”; a fast food business, proper planning is important. Mc. FRIES will require a general manager to manage its main branch and oversee the management of any other subsidiary branches that may come with expansion of the business. The manager will be assisted by one assistant manager and four associates, who are to be directly answerable to the manager.
The recruitment of such qualified personnel will require the assistance of search companies which deal directly with the prospective employee, reducing the paper work for the human resource department. It will also refer only qualified applicants instead of having to search through the applications. A prerequisite of the applicants will be five years of experience in a similar position as the position is the most crucial for the organization.
The marketing department will be responsible for sales of the products. It will be headed by a marketing manager and five associates for assistance. The associates will only be required to be instrumental in the labor and not decision making. The department will therefore be managed by a master’s degree holder in a business related field, preferably in sales and marketing.
The associates will have bachelors’ degree with one year experience. Remuneration for the associates will be on commission basis to encourage sales through hard work.
The accounting department will require highly proficient employees to provide financial leadership for the organization. One finance manager with extensive knowledge in financial management or accounting field, preferably to masters’ level is needed.
The distribution department will require 20 delivery personnel for home delivery. They will be required to have valid driving licenses and no behavioral complexities such as habitual stealing. They should be very well-spoken and know their way around town to hasten delivery of orders.
Overall staffing strategy
An excellent staffing is especially well planned. The consideration of organization structure, culture, mission and vision has to be made. Familiarity with talent sources and trends in the sector is paramount. Furthermore the organization’s needs and available resources have to be considered. In recruitment, the quality of employees you get is only as good as the applications received.
This proves challenging to most companies prompting the change of system and hiring strategy. In developing or deciding on a recruitment strategy, the organization has to brainstorm on the most appropriate strategy, investigate on the strategies, or get leadership buy-in (Bowley, 2005). The level of position that you need to fill also determines the strategy adopted.
The advertisement for the position must be made in a variety of places and with various strategies. Advertisement in trade journals are advantageous as many good employees keep tabs on what is going on in the sector.
It is, therefore, most probable that they always keep updating on new and better opportunities and may contact for additional information. This is a link to employees who are already familiar to the industry. To fill upper management, the organization will seek the help of search firms, entry-level are filled by newspaper advertisement, while middle management is often in-trained.
Referrals may replace advertisements in a much better way; the referrals may have experience with the current employees and proved their proficiency. Referrals eliminate the learning curve as the new employees are already acquainted to the current employees (Bowley, 2005).
In creating an image for the organization, Brochures may be used to achieve positive image. Brochures augment the perception of your company to prospective employees.
They will be enlightened on the benefits and any special events as well as the employment opportunities in your organization. These brochures once distributed, creates visibility for your company and even those not looking for jobs may consider a change to your organization (Bartlein, 2005).
With the recruitment, other benefits like compensation for child care, settling relocation expenses for new employees should be offered. Additional benefits will sweeten the deal and lead to transfers of quality employees into your company. In line with this is career advancement which will be advantageous at recruitment efforts. It is simple to train employees and suite them to the particular need of your organization (Bowley, 2005). This is mostly helpful for sectors with very fast advancements such as IT.
Legal compliance of the hiring strategy
No law restricts advertisements to be made in a specific way, however, the hiring process should exhibit commitment to provision of equal opportunity. The hiring process therefore has to be free of discriminatory strategies. It should give all applicants a fair chance of getting the job despite the various backgrounds and ethnicity.
This is in compliance with the Civil Rights Act Of 1866, which protects against discrimination of race or ethnicity (Tommy, 2005). To achieve this, the advertisements have to be strategically distributed such that they don’t leave out a specific group of applicants. This includes distributing the advertisements in newspapers or online sites.
The advertisements should also not request the applicants to be of a specific ethnicity and ought to be made in all possible languages if the community is cosmopolitan.
To minimize the legal issues that may arise, all duties will be described in the advertisement and a distinction between marginal and essential functions made. The applicant will therefore apply in full awareness of the duties that the job involves. The requirements during hiring should also be flexible and accommodating.
Requirements such as medical tests should be done only on passing all interviews. All other information that an applicant presents should be verified. To legally do this, the applicant will be made aware through the job advertisement that the employer reserves verification rights.
In conclusion, all the benefits to be accorded to the applicants will be clearly stated and the interval or the frequency of payment agreed on. Any unusual pay method has to be described in writing and consented to by both the employer and prospective employee. All legal tussles must be avoided and efforts made to get the best employees. Once employed retention should be very high by provision of competitive packages that come with the job.
References
Bartlein, B. (2008). Strategies to recruit quality Staff, Organized for a Living, 16(2) 1 . Web.
Bowley, J. (2005). Staffing Strategies: Can You Find, Recruit, and Retain the Talent You Need? New Zealand: Authoria Inc.
Tommy, W. (2005). Hiring – basic legal issues for employers, Employment Law Advisory Network, 57(04) 7. Web.
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Stereotypes of American Citizens Essay
The American citizens have diverse stereotypes that emanate from their inherent attributes such as gender, race, ethnicity, culture, occupation, and/or ancestral origin. McAndrew and Akande lament that in the United States, African Americans are the most stereotyped due to racial discrimination and the dark history of slavery (650).
The whites see African Americans as poor, lazy, superstitious, primitive, and criminal race. Western stereotypes depict Native Americans as fierce warriors, violent, criminals, drunkards, primitive and hunters, while European Americans stereotypes are intellectual, rich, racists, powerful, hardworking and innovative in their occupations.
Primitivism, criminals, illegal immigrants, smugglers, terrorists and actors are the major stereotypes associated with the Latino Americans. The westerners also portray Asian Americas as culture oriented, intruders, intelligent, innovative, sexually active, and hardworking.
The westerners also view Middle East Americans as Muslims, moneyed, terrorists, bombers, thieves, and murders. Gender stereotypes in the United States reflect men as tall, huge, quiet and powerful while women are tall, slim, talkative and less powerful. Given the diversity of stereotypes that the Americans hold about each racial group, how do they affect effective communication?
Stereotypes of various racial groups in the United States occur in the literature, media and comedies. The media constantly portray certain attributes and characters associated with given racial groups, thus changing the perceptions of Americans resulting into stereotypes.
In schools, literature and socialization generate more stereotypes of various races. From the stereotyped attributes, I realized that the most prominent stereotypes about certain race are the negative ones implying that stereotyping is degradation of real attributes concerning specific groups.
I discovered that stereotypes do not reflect the true and accurate attributes of a particular race or ethnic group because they are forms of criticism, which always tend to portray real attributes of the people in the most negative way possible.
In the society, people form stereotypes to criticize, abuse, or even defame others in social and political arenas. Stereotypes are common during times of social unrest, political campaigns, games and another social gathering. Since stereotypes involve defamation, abuse and criticism, they are unfair because they negatively portray true attributes of the people.
Stereotypes such as primitiveness and naivety interfere with successful communication because the person communicating sees the other as someone who does not understand the topic or the context of discussion and this degrading perspective contravenes existence of any meaningful engagement. Eventually, the communicating partners would not communicate effectively due to the stereotypes.
Moreover, since stereotypes due to racial differences tend to classify people into stereotyped groups, the most negatively stereotyped group would feel degraded and develop fears, which would significantly interfere with effective intergroup communication.
Stereotypes such as criminality, violence, and terrorism associated with particular races scare other racial group and prevent friendly interaction, which interferes with effective interracial communication.
Understanding one’s stereotypes and those associated with other racial or ethnic groups would enhance effective communication. For effective communication to occur, one should be able to indentify offending stereotyped language and character in order to avoid annoying others who perceive such stereotypes as offensive. Nurturing of positive stereotypes about certain racial or ethnic group enhances socialization and thus effective communication.
For example, identifying with cultural lifestyles of particular racial or ethnic groups promotes intercultural interaction, which ultimately improves effective communication. Stereotyping affects relationship among friends; for instance, one day, my friends teased me that I looked like a Negro and went further to discusses how Negroes are presumably primitive, naïve and poor.
This experience heralded the death of our relationship, even though the perpetrators of the same were my very close friends. We almost fought and for the first time, I hated my friends for upholding misconstrued opinions.
Works Cited
McAndrew, Frank, and Akande, Antoun. “African of Americans of African and European Descent.” Journal of Social Psychology 135.5 (1995): 649–655.
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Trading on the Stock Markets Essay
Table of Contents
1. Background
2. Trading on the stock market
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited
Background
A stock market can be defined as a “public entity for trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on stock exchange as well as those traded privately” (Anonymous: “Capital and derivatives Market” Para 2). At the beginning of the month of October, the year 2008, the global stock market size was determined to be approximately 37 trillion US dollars.
More so, estimation that has been carried out of the “total world derivatives market” has shown that the value of the derivatives market is about 790 trillion US dollars; a value which is more than ten times the whole global economy size. On the stock market, there is listing of the stocks and trading them. Both the buyers and sellers are brought together on this market (Anonymous: “Capital and derivatives Market” Para 3).
In the United States, the biggest stock market, basing on the market capitalization, is the NYSE – “New York Stock Exchange”. In addition to this, in the United States, we also have other stock exchange markets such as the Dow Jones Stock Market and NASDAQ. In Britain, we have the “London Stock Exchange’.
In Japan, there is the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). TSE is number three in size by “aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies…it had 2,414 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of $3.1 trillion as of May 2010” (“China becomes the world’s third largest stock market” Para 7). In the United Kingdom, we have the London Stock exchange market.
It is located in the city of London, According to “Market Highlights for the first half –year 2010” (Para 3), by the month of August last year (2010), “the exchange had a market capitalization of US$ 2.63 trillion, making it to be the forth largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement and it is the largest in Europe” (“Market Highlights for the first half –year 2010” 1).
In Saudi Arabia, we have the Saudi Stock Exchange, also referred to as “Tadawul”. It is under the control of the “Saudi Arabian Monetary agency””. This is the largest stock exchange market in the region.
As it is pointed out by the “Saudi Stock Exchange”, it has “a market capitalization amounting to much more than US55 billion” (Para 1). This market has been increasing over the years beginning from the time it was set up in the year 1954. This stock exchange, being the only major stock exchange in the country, used to operate informally up to the middle of the 1980s.
Trading on the stock market
Those traders who take part in the stock exchange market may be either just small individuals who wish to invest in stocks or they can be very big “hedge fund traders”. Among the exchanges that are carried out, there are those in which transactions are entered in to on a “trading floor” (physically).
This is done by a method referred to as “open outcry”. Such form of sale is employed in both “stock exchanges” as well as “commodity exchanges” in which those engaging in trade make bids and offers by word of mouth.
However, with advancing technology, there has emerged another form exchange in which trading is carried out in a virtual manner. In this, there is use of computers and transactions are carried out electronically without necessarily having the traders interacting physically.
Basically, the trades carried out are on the basis of an “auction market model”. Under this, the buyer engages in bidding for a definite price he is ready to pay and then the prospective seller asks for his or her desirable price from the buyer.
This may go on for sometime until the buyer and the seller meet at a common price that is deemed to be desirable for both parties; the buyer and the seller. At this point, a sale occurs. In a situation where we have two or more bidders (buyers) or askers (seller), one who comes first is the one who is sold to.
A stock exchange is meant to make it possible for the buyers and sellers to interact in order to exchange securities and by doing this, a marketplace is provided. Considering the New York Stock Exchange, this market is a “physical exchange” where the traders interact with one another physically, face to face and it is also a “listed exchange”. Unlike the NYSE, NASDAQ is a “virtual listed exchange” (Anonymous: “NASDAQ” Para 2).
In this particular market, all the trading activities are carried out electronically, over a “computer network. The trading process is the same as that followed by the New York Stock exchange market. The only difference between the two is that, in this market, the buyers and sellers interact electronically rather than physically.
Time and again, there has been deviation of active trading from “active exchange” (Ortega and Yalman Para 1). Ortega and Yalman point out that, “Securities firms, led by UBS AG, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Credit Suisse Group, already steer 12 percent of U.S security trades away from the exchanges to their internal systems” (Para 2).
They further projected that, there was even a probability of the level of that share going up (to eighteen percent) by the year 2010 “as more investment banks bypass the NYSE and NASDAQ and pair buyers and sellers of securities themselves, according to the data compiled by Boston-based Aite Group LLC, a brokerage consultant” (Ortega and Yalman Para 3).
Other than NASDAQ and the NYSE, in the United States’ stock market, there is the Dow Jones stock market. This was set up in the year 1896 and its founder was Charles Dow. This exchange is “an icon in the trading industry” (“Dow Jones Stock Market” Para 1). It is further pointed out that, basically “the Dow commercial average is a market index that provides a fast method to get to an understanding of how the exchange is fairing on any given day” (“Dow Jones Stock Market” Para 2).
This stock market does not provide “specifics” but instead allows the public to have the knowledge about the overall trends that are being followed by it. Several criticisms have been directed towards the “Dow Jones Stock Market” and these criticisms have been coming form the researchers.
They have criticized this stock market’s move not to include a large number of firms to carry out the representation of the general “market performance”. More criticisms have also arisen in which there has been disagreeing that “trading on all thirty stocks included in the Dow Jones stock market doesn’t always open at the same time each morning, thus skewing the day’s average” ((“Dow Jones Stock Market” Para 2).
However, despite these criticisms, the “Dow Jones Stock market Business average”, in the course of time, has determinedly performed similarly to the broader United States market and this is the reason why this stock market remains to be preferred by many people to the present day.
Considering the case in Saudi Arabia, in March 2010, it was reported in the “All Headline News” that the stock exchange of this country “had opened its doors to foreign investors as a leading investment firm announced that foreign investment in the country was expected to grow by 20 percent in the coming year” (“Saudi Stock Market” Para 1).
This move was taken to enable the foreigners to “invest in ‘Exchange Traded Funds’, an index fund traded on an exchange like a stock so as to offer foreign investors the opportunity to obtain broad-based exposure to the Saudi equity market” (” (“Saudi Stock Market” Para 2).
In the year 2008, FDI to Saudi Arabia was twenty four million US dollars. This country has also realized “stable improvement in its ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business index” (“Saudi Stock Market” Para 11).
It moved to position 13 in the year 2010 from position 15 in the previous year and this makes this country to be “the highest ranked country in the Middle East ….the index measures ten different variables ranging from the ease of sharing a business and enforcing contracts to paying taxes and cross border trading”(“Saudi Stock Market” Para 11).
There are some occasions on which trading of particular shares is stopped; sometimes for a few hours or days or even longer. On an individual level, stopping to trade on a stock can take place during a drop.
This step assists in enabling people trading in stock to avoid losing their money. The simplest way to do this is to set “a stop-loss order on one’s brokerage on each of one’s holding to protect oneself against massive drops in the value of holdings” (Hewitt Para).
However, on other occasions, the capital market authority can stop trading a particular stock. It does this for several reasons and among these reasons is that, it may intent to punish inside trading and to regulate the market.
This is clearly evident on the Saudi stock exchange market where it is reported that the stock market has “cleaned up” following the actions taken by the Capital market Authority (“Saudi Stock Market” Para 5).
Lacoma (Para) points out that the most well-known stock market is the NYSE. However, all the stock markets work in the same way, the NYSE works. In these markets, the Capital Market Authorities can stop trading of a particular stock but this occurs in just some specific cases for certain organizations.
This can be carried out in the form of a suspension of a stock market. This implies that those who want to invest shall not have any influence in line with the “suspended stock”. Those people who are owners of this security have no power to sell it and those ready to buy it can not be able to do so.
In addition, the company is prevented from carrying out any adjustments on this stock. Suspensions take place at once and may remain effective, going on for a number of days but not beyond ten days in total (Lacoma Para 2). It is also important to note that suspension is applicable to a single company’s securities and stock and not on the securities and stock of the whole stock market.
Closing down the whole stock market can not be easy. The suspension is not aimed at paralyzing the economy in its entirety in whatever way. Those who wish to invest can go on trading on the stock market; buying and selling stocks from other companies on the market.
Suspensions are meant to make the companies to engage in reviewing their financial records. This in most cases follows suspicion of existence of fraud in a company or in the cases where big flaws have been committed in regard to making records. In some cases, suspension may occur following the need to make clarification of certain legislation. The suspension of stock is carried out in order to safeguard the investors against any uncertainties while all-inclusive investigation on the company’s activities is carried out.
A suspension may have a negative effect on the company’s stock on the stock market. After being suspended, in most cases the stock starts trading at a greatly decreased price. This comes about as a result of the investors being filled with uneasiness in regard to the suspension and look at the company in a suspicious manner even if findings after the suspension were not negative.
It is important to draw a distinction between a suspension and “halts and delays”. A halt takes place when the suspension of the stock is carried out by the company itself and it does this with an intention of sharing some important information with investors. This is always brief and may not go on for even more than an hour. A delay is just like a halt.
However, the difference is that it occurs at beginning of the trading day. In whichever the case; whether it is a suspension, a halt or a delay, all of them involve stopping of trading on the stock market.
Most of the people who invest have come to learn that the stock market is a quite volatile market for one to put his or her money in it. However, it is this market characteristic (volatility) that brings in returns which the investors obtain. Wagner defines volatility as “a measure of dispersion around the mean or average return of a security…….and Standard deviation can be used to measure volatility” (Para 2). This method of measuring volatility gives out information on “how tightly the price of a stock is grouped around the mean or moving average” (Wagner Para 2).
Wagner further points out that, in considering securities, “the higher the standard deviation, the greater the dispersion of returns and the higher the risk associated with the investment” (Para 3). Apart from this using this method in measuring volatility, it can also be measured by taking the mean range to every period, “from the low price value to the high price value” Wagner Para 3).
Basing on this, there is expressing of “the value obtained as a percentage of the starting point of the period….larger movements in the price creating a higher price range result in higher volatility and the lower price ranges result in lower volatility’ (Wagner Para 5).
It is important to note that, there exists a very powerful correlation between “volatility and market performance”. There is a tendency for the level of volatility to come down while there is an increase in the stock market and the level of volatility goes up while the stock market declines. The risk level moves up with the level of volatility and at the same time the level of returns goes down.
To illustrate this clearly, Wagner cites a research that was conducted in 2007 by “Crestmont Research” which was aimed at evaluating the past records of the relationship that exists between the “stock market performance” and the “market volatility”. This research utilized the “average range for each day to measure the volatility of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index” (Wagner Para 6).
The results that were presented from the research report gave out an indication that higher volatility matches up with higher likelihood of a decreasing market and lower volatility matches up with a higher likelihood of an increasing market (Wagner Para 6).
Considering, the volatility ratio, according to “Investopedia”, volatility ratio is defined as “a technical indicator used to identify price ranges and breakouts” (Para). It utilizes a “true price range” to carry out the determination of a “true trading range” of a stock and is capable of identifying “situations where price has moved out of this true range” (Investopedia Para 1).
By being familiar with stock volatility as well as the volatility ratio, the investors are in a better position to trade wisely on any stock exchange market.
Conclusion
The stock exchange market brings together buyers and sellers in order for them to engage in stock trading. The traders on this market may be small individual investors or large business corporations. Most of these traders who have been in this business long enough, have come to learn that the stock market is a quite volatile market for one to put money in.
However, in whichever the stock exchange market, it is this market characteristic (volatility) that brings in returns which the investors obtain.
Among the major stock exchange markets in the world that have been looked at include; the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, Dow Jones Stock exchange (all the three found in the U.S), the Tokyo Stock Exchange, The London Stock Exchange and the Saudi Stock Exchange.
There comes a time when the capital market authority may stop trading a particular stock. This may lead to the suspension of the stock. This occurs for several reasons and among these reasons is that, the company involved may not be having right records or there is likelihood of having fraud in the company.
More so, there might be some legal obligations that are supposed to be met by the company involved. However, not all the trading is stopped on the market but it is only one company’s stock and trading will always go on as usual with stocks of other companies that are not affected with the suspension.
Works Cited
Anonymous. “ Capital and derivatives Market ”. 2010. Web.
“ China becomes the world’s third largest stock market ”. Economic Times. 2010. Web.
“Dow Jones Stock market”. Cheap Stock Trading. 2009. Web.
Investopedia, “ Volatility Ratio ”. 2011. Web.
Lacoma, Tyler. “When does the stock market suspend trading? ” 2010. Web.
“Market Highlights for the first half –year 2010”. World Federation of Exchanges. 2010. Web.
“ NASDAQ – What is NASDAQ? All about NASDAQ stock market ”. Hubpages Incl. 2011. Web.
Ortega, Edgar, and Yalman Onaran. “UBS, Goldman threaten NYSE, Nasdaq with rival stock markets”. Bloomberg, 2006. Web.
“ Saudi Stock Exchange ”. Economy Watch. Web.
“ Saudi Stock Market Opens to foreigners ”. All headline News. Web.
Wagner, Hans. “ Volatility’s impact on market returns ”. 2010. Web.
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Strategic Planning: Achieving Away-From-Home Experience Essay
Table of Contents
1. Vision
2. Mission
3. Value statement
4. References
Vision
To create a dependable and superior bed and breakfast location that visitors can always count on.
Mission
To create a relaxing, home away from home experience where visitors will feel valued and cared for through continual added value and superior service provision.
Value statement
* To carry out business in a principled manner by working with ethical suppliers
* To encourage great services by offering our staff the best workplace environment
* To deal with consumer concerns/ complains in a caring and fair manner
* To foster an environment of accountability amongst all staff by making ethical decisions
The vision statement is invaluable to the success of this bed and breakfast business because it explains the big picture. In other words, it answers the ‘who’ and ‘what’ of the organization. This hotel was set up in order to provide leisure services to visitors at the selected location.
Therefore, the vision statement has responded to the “for what?” aspect of this business (Kono, 1994). However, it cannot just be a service that will last for a while; it is something sustainable that will ensure the continued profitability of the business. By adding the term ‘dependable’ in the vision statement, visitors will be certain of having a place that they can go to when traveling and this dependability will ensure consumer loyalty hence sustainable profits.
Also, the vision has responded to the “for whom?” query as well because it has specified that the business will be for visitors. The vision statement generally has shown where the company intends to be in the leisure industry and how this will affect the people targeted by Grover and Janelle (Kaye & Allison, 2005).
The mission statement is very crucial to the success of this business because it is the one that delves into the practical aspects of the vision. In other words, it explains how Grover and Janelle intend on achieving it. The vision will be achieved in the short term by making consumers feel valued and cared for. In the long term, this will be done by adding value continually to the location or the business.
In other words, the organizational vision is never quite complete unless there is an explicit mission statement that explains how the big picture will be formed (Brian, 2000). These are the nifty gritties of the organization.
The value statement offers the tools that will be necessary in ascertaining that both the vision and the mission are accomplished. It will be crucial to the success of this business because it will first of all reflect the values of the business. Furthermore, it will provide a mechanism that ensures that those values themselves are adhered to.
In other words, failure to use it will be detected within the system through one way or another. Furthermore, the value statement is going to guide the decision makers so that they can carry on doing what they do in an ethical manner.
They should not make decisions that will oppose those values. In this regard, the organization will have built for itself a very solid reputation (Ruess & Burkhart, 1993). It is likely that consumers will come to the bed and breakfast because their experiences demonstrate how value based this business is.
Furthermore, the value statement contributes to the sustainability of the company because it sets the foundation for long lasting relationships with consumers. It causes stakeholders to realize that this company actually will walk the talk and they can therefore be depended on for continuous service. This will not only assist the consumers but it will also contribute towards a stable relationship with other stakeholders in the business such as the suppliers.
References
Ruess, S. & Burkhart, P. (1993).Successful strategic planning. Newbury Park: Sage publications
Kaye, J. & Allison, M. (2005). Strategic planning for non profits. NY: Wiley publications
Kono, T. (1994). Changing a company’s strategy and culture. Long range planning, 27(5), 85-97
Brian, T. (2000). The 100 absolutely unbreakable laws of business success. Beret: Koehler publishers
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New Energy Drink Marketing Strategy Research Paper
Executive Summary
Carpe Diem Beverage Co. is a small limited liability company that has been established to manufacture and distribute healthy energy drinks in the US market.
The Mission of the company is to be a leader in the manufacturing and marketing of healthy, nutritious beverages in the USA and to satisfy consumers’ needs while at the same time enhancing the individual and society well being. The marketing objective of the company is to capture 0.015% of the US energy drink market in the first year of its operation and to create significant brand awareness in the market especially among the Generation Y population.
The Strengths of the company include a new unique product that is healthy and taste better than its competitors products. The company’s image is favorable due to its social and environmental friendly techniques. The weaknesses of the company include limited financial resources, limited knowledge and experience and lack of a distributor network.
Opportunities of the company include strong growth opportunities in the segment, global marketing opportunities, increasing demand for healthy soft drinks and low barriers of entry. Threats include a strong reaction from established and resourced competitors and possibility of imitations and launch of similar products by competitors
After considering the SWOT of the new company, there are considerable opportunities for the new product in the market and the level of threats is low and manageable. I therefore recommend the marketing plan to be implemented.
Outline
1. Abstract
2. Strategic Marketing Planning: Mission, Vision, Objectives and Values
3. Situational Analysis
4. Industry Overview
5. Company position in the Industry, Positioning and Targeting
6. Macro Environmental Factors
7. SWOT Analysis for Carpe Diem Beverages Co. Ltd
8. Marketing Mix Strategies
9. Implementation, Evaluation and Control
10. Time Plan and Budget.
11. Work Cited
Introduction
The soft drink market in the USA has been declining gradually in the recent past which has been attributed to health concerns about carbonated sugary drinks (Rosman) and the effects of the global financial recession which has caused consumers to abandon non essential purchases (cnbc.com).
At the same time, healthy beverages such as ready to drink teas, bottled water, fruit juices and other non carbonated drinks have experienced steady growth (cnbc.com). This trend indicates that consumers are shifting away from fizzy sugary drink and prefer healthier and economical alternatives.
The energy drink segment specifically has experienced the fastest growth in the industry; since its introduction in the US market in 1997, the segment has grown at an average rate of 20% compounded annually (Heckman, Sherry, and De Mejia). The market was estimated to be worth $4.9 billion in 2008 and was expected to reach $12.8 billion by year 2013 (Heckman, Sherry, and De Mejia). This offers a very lucrative opportunity that is attractive to new entrants in the beverage industry.
Carpe Diem Beverage Company is a new company based in Ogden City, Utah which has developed a new energy drink product named Carpe Diem that intends to exploit the marketing opportunity that currently exists while at the same time delivering a superior healthy product to consumers. This paper outlines a strategic marketing plan for the introduction and marketing of Carpe Diem energy drink in the US market.
Strategic Marketing Plan for Carpe Diem Energy Drink
Mission Statement:
Carpe Diem Beverages Company mission statement is to be a leader in the manufacturing and marketing of healthy, nutritious beverages in the USA.
To satisfy consumers needs while at the same time enhancing the individual and society well being through the use of socially and environmentally friendly production and marketing techniques. To create and sustain mutually beneficial relationship between the company and its partners who include employees, distributors, suppliers, customers, shareowners and the community in which the company operates.
Vision:
Its vision is to achieve its mission; Carpe Diem Co. has developed a healthy, low caffeine, and low sugar, fruit based energy drink which it intends to manufacture and distribute using highly advanced, socially and environmentally friendly techniques. The company will invest in continuous innovation to improve both the product and processes.
Values:
The company values are similar to the values of the brand values; they include uniqueness, honesty, integrity, leadership, partnership, respect, productivity, sustainability and growth. These values are synonymous to the values of the people of Utah.
Situation Analysis
Energy drinks are beverages that directly boost people’s energy; they increase energy due to the high content of sugar, caffeine, taurine, herbal extracts and vitamins. Energy drinks are classified as functional beverages because they are consumed by convalescents, athletes and the youth to replenish energy, rehydrate the body, enhance physical endurance, reduce mental fatigue, increase reaction time and improve moods (Heckman et al).
Despite the increasing popularity of energy drinks, health concerns have been raised that concerns them. Due to the high level of sugar, caffeine and taurine contained in energy drinks, they are suspected of causing negative health effects if consumed in excess (Heckman et al).
Carpe Diem energy drink is a superior, healthy product because it uses real fruit as its base products rather than carbonated sugars. It also uses artificial sweeteners which have low calorific contents. The brand also utilizes natural energizers such as green tea extract, ginseng and guarana which in addition to being healthy are also antioxidants (Heckman et al). Thus, Carpe Diem delivers similar levels of stimulation while it contains less unhealthy content.
Industry Overview
Energy drinks first appeared in Asia in the 1960’s (Heckman et al). At the time their ingredients contained vitamins, taurine and ginseng and were used for many years to provide sustained energy, reduce mental and physical (Heckman et al).
From there they were introduced to Europe and later in 1997, brought into the US market; since their introduction into the US market, the segment has grown rapidly and is now a multibillion industry. Between 2004 and 2009 for instance, the industry grew by a staggering 240% in the US alone (Mintel).
In 2008, revenues from the sales of energy drinks in the US reached $4.8 billion and were projected to reach $10 billion and $12.8 billion in 2010 and 2013 respectively (Heckman et al). According to industry analysts Mintel, new energy drinks product launches, in this segment grew by 110% in 2008 (Mintel).
There are over 200 brands of energy drinks in the USA, which include brands from all the major companies such as Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper and Pepsi. Most of the market share is held by a few brands led by Red Bull which holds about 42% of the whole market (Bevnet.com). Despite investing heavily in product development and marketing, major companies such as Coca cola and Pepsi have only achieved marginal success in this segment. The table below provides a breakdown of market share of various energy brands that are currently at the market.
Table 1: US Energy Drink Market Share (Source: Heckman et al).
Brand Company Market share (%)
Red Bull Red Bull Inc. 42.0%
Rockstar Rockstar Inc. 11.0%
Monster Monster Beverage Co. 14.0%
Full Throttle Coca-Cola Co. 6.9%
Amp PepsiCo 3.6%
Others Others 22.5%
Total 100.0%
Position of the company within the industry
Carpe Diem is a small limited liability company owned by its two founder members. The company will operate from a small warehouse outside Ogden city and will employ 10 employees. The two founders will lead the organization in areas where they possess both academic training and professional experience.
One of the founders will be the president of production and operation while the other will be president of finance, marketing and administration. Due to the limited resources available, the company seeks to minimize cost and to maximize on every dollar spent.
The company will therefore pursue a niche marketing strategy and will position itself as a specialized producer of high quality and healthy energy drink which is suitable for medical, sporting and special dietary uses. Due to limited financial resources, the company seeks to exploit market opportunities that are in close proximity. Thus the company will initially concentrate on the market opportunities in Ogden city and Utah before extending to the whole of the US.
Positioning
Carpe Diem will be positioned as a healthy energy drink which contains real fruit concentrate and no sugar and caffeine. Due to its low sugar and caffeine content, the product will appeal to convalescents, diabetics, vegetarians and health conscious members that constitute mainstream market.
Targeting
Carpe Diem targets the youth’s segments who are the main consumers of energy drinks and the product is designed to appeal to young people whose age is between 15 and 35 years. It is estimated that this age group comprises about 25% of the US market (Kravewski).
The lifestyle of the members of this group makes them to consume products that give them energy boosts, which also keeps them awake for long periods of time. This segment is easily accessible and can be effectively targeted because they are mainly found in high schools, colleges and campuses and in metropolitan centers across the countries.
The segment is also accessible through most of the marketing communication channels that are currently available. These include TV, radio, newspapers and magazines as well as new media such as the internet, social media, and mobile phones amongst others. The members of this segment are able to afford the product since most of them are employed and have minimal financial responsibilities compared to other age groups.
Product Philosophy
As the name aptly suggests, Carpe Diem is a call to consumers who are mainly the youth to make the best and the most of the moment. It encourages the users to enjoy the present time, to maximize on the available opportunities and to be careful how they use the present time because it will determine their future.
This resonates with the product personality, which aim to energize users to stay longer so as to be able to make maximum use of the present moment. Its health conscious characteristics guarantee that there are no future negative consequences arising from current consumption.
Total Market Opportunity
According to industry analysts total market value of the energy drink market in the USA was estimated to be about $10 billion just recently in 2010. Furthermore the market is expected to have surpassed the $12.8 billion mark by year 2013. Carpe Diem Co seeks to capture 0.01% of the market in the first year of its operation between 2011 and 2012. This will mean that the total value of its market share is estimated to be about 1million dollars.
Macro Environmental Factors
Political Environment
The political environment in Utah and the US is conducive for Carpe Diem Beverage Company. Both federal and state governments have put in place measures to encourage investments with a hope of creating employment; as such the company should take advantage of tax benefits and better regulatory environment when establishing its operations.
Economic Environment
The effects of the economic recession are still being felt in many parts of this country. Consumers have less disposable incomes thus are limiting the purchase of non-essential products such as soft drinks and energy drinks. Others are unable to purchase products because they are out of work. However the economy is showing signs of recovery and long term prospects look favourable.
Social-Demographic Environment
The primary target market for Carpe Diem energy drink is the youth of ages 15 to 35 years. This market is substantial as it consists of about 25% of the US population (Kravewski) and keeps growing. The secondary market includes athletes, convalescents and the main soft drink market amongst others.
Technological
The technology and science in the manufacture and distribution of energy drink is well developed in the US market and a host of specialized engineering and food specialists exist which the company intends to use as its consultants.
The company should outsource these specialized services. The company has developed a unique formulation that contains no sugar and less caffeine in its products which is expected to draw the market to the company’s brand.
Ecological
Soft drink manufacture uses a lot of fresh water and is energy intensive. The packaging material used such as aluminum and plastic ends up in landfill yet its non-biodegradable. The company intends to use 100% recyclable packaging materials and has developed a system that uses 8% less water and energy.
Fig 2: Carpe Diem’s SWOT analysis
Strengths
The main strength of Carpe Diem energy drink is its healthy contents. It’s a revolutionary product in the functional drinks market segment which unlike other products in this category contains no sugar and low caffeine contents. The drink is also sweeter than other brands; the main brand in this segment RedBull has been described as ‘bitter’ by many consumers. The company has established a new production technique that is environmental friendly and this is expected to enhance its image in the market.
As a company founded and based in Ogden City, Carpe Diem Beverage Ltd has strong values such as respect, hard work, Integrity, loyalty, friendliness and partnership which are similar to the values of the people of the state of Utah; all these are its strengths. It is expected that these values will form a strong connection and bond between the brand and the market.
Weaknesses
The weaknesses of the new company are obvious even to its competitors who might use them to their advantage. Despite having a unique and revolutionary product, the company lacks both adequate financial and skilled human resources to enable it to fully implement its marketing plans.
The company also has limited experience and knowledge in beverage marketing as well as manufacture given that it is a new Company. Additionally, the company does not have an established distributor network which takes time and resources to establish and put in place.
Opportunities
The demand by consumers for healthier products is the greatest opportunity that Carpe Diem has. The market is expected to receive the new product well and the rate of growth in demand is expected to be fast and steady over the coming years based on market data. Generally, the energy drink market has recorded increased revenues since their introduction in the US market in 1997.
This indicates that the segment that Carpe Diem Beverage Co is entering is an attractive market. According to research, there are low barriers of entry into the energy drink market which could be attributed to the fact that majority of the market share is controlled by little known foreign owned RedBull Inc.
There are also numerous other small companies that operate profitably in this industry. Besides this, there are opportunities to expand into the international market which is the reason that the company is considering expanding into the North American market first, and thereafter to Europe, Asia and Middle East.
Threats
The main threat that the company faces is the possibility of a strong backlash from established competitors who besides having strong market share also have both financial and skilled human resources to effectively frustrate its entrance to the industry.
The concern amongst customers and government agencies about excessive consumption of energy drinks might affect the industry in the long term and reduce its attractiveness. There is fear that input prices may increase and this may affect the company plans especially since it is operating on a lean budget thus sudden changes in input prices will affect its plans significantly.
The following table provides a summary of additional SWOT elements of the Company
Figure 3: SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Unique brand image
Strong values attract it to the people of Utah Limited financial resources
Associated with youthfulness, fun, sports and entertainment Limited experience
More healthier products than rivals Lack of a strong distribution network
Fundamentally, business is lucrative Limited geographical presence
Eco-friendly techniques enhances company image Limited product lines
Tastes better than competitors’ brands
Opportunity Threats
Regular and steady demand for energy drinks Concerns over health impact of energy drinks
Low barriers of entry Government regulation
Strong growth in the segment Strong reaction from established competitors
Opportunities to expand globally- Canada and Mexico Input prices may increase suddenly
Diversification to bottled waters, fresh juices, Teas etc. Other new entrants into the market offering similar healthy energy drinks
Foreign governments regulations and controls
The major marketing objectives of the Company include the following; to capture 0.015% of the US energy drink market in the first years of operation. Secondly, to create significant brand awareness in the market especially among the Generation Y; that is youths of between 13-30 years whom constitute the main energy drinks’ market share.
Thirdly to establish the company’s presence in the energy drink market first in Ogden city and surrounding metropolises in Utah, then in neighboring states and later in the whole of the US. Marketing Objectives:
Marketing Mix Strategies
Brand Name: The brand name selected is Carpe Diem which suggests seizing opportunities and making the best of the moment. The energy drink will be packaged in 200ml aluminum cans and in 350ml and 500ml plastic bottles. The plastic bottles are of stylish and unique design such that consumers can use them as water bottles that are popular with athletes.
It is expected that the re-usability of Carpe Diem energy drink bottles as water bottles will increase brand visibility especially among the youth and stimulate first and repeat purchases. The selected brand logo for Carpe Diem suggests boundless energy, frenzied action, fun and entertainment.
The main benefit of Carpe Diem over its competitors is its low sugar and caffeine content and will be positioned as a healthy beverage that has limited or no long term negative effects. The benefits of using the brand includes ability to provide sustained energy, reduces mental fatigue, improve moods and physical endurance as it contains antioxidants such as green tea extracts and ginseng which are healthy to the body.
Carpe Diem is unique because of its healthy contents; thus it will appeal to special segments of the market such as the convalescents, diabetics, athletes, and health and fitness conscious consumers who wish to replenish their energy without risking their health.
Carpe Diem’s brand image of an energy drink that is packed with lots of energy yet healthy and enjoyable to drink is expected to attract consumers whose values and image are similar to the brand. It will especially appeal users who view themselves as strong, full of activity and life but are careful about their health and lifestyle.
Pricing Strategy
As a new product in the market, market skimming strategy will be used. The company intends to recover much of its investment early before imitations and similar health related energy drinks flood the market leading to price competition.
In order to reinforce the brand position as a unique healthy product, it is suggested that its price be slightly higher than its competitors. However, the price should be realistic to ensure that the brand delivers value to customers.
Fundamental energy drink business is lucrative, the cost of input and production is very low and most of the expenses are incurred in marketing and distribution. The company therefore expects a profit margin of between 30-40%.
The company will use special pricing tactics to stimulate purchase; these strategies should include discounts for bulk purchases. The company will use discrimination tactics whereby prices of the brand at school and colleges will be lower compared to prices of the brand in hospitals, sports centers, bars and restaurants.
Distribution Strategies
The company should pursue an exclusive distribution strategy whereby only selected retailers will be allowed to distribute the brand. This is expected to solidify the image of exclusivity and solidify the position of the brand as a premium product.
The main distribution channel to be used is supermarkets; this is because most of consumer shopping today takes place in supermarkets. The product will also be distributed through pharmacies, drugstores, selected bars and restaurants and in sports venues.
The company intends to intensively cover the geographic area around Ogden city first and ensure it is adequately supplied. Because of close proximity to this area, limited resources will be used in distribution. The company will also take advantage of the intimate knowledge of the geography and demographics of the Ogden city and its surrounding areas.
Finally, the company intends to establish strategic distribution centers in different location so as to ensure all areas are adequately supplied at any given time. These distribution centers will stock adequate quantities of the brand to ensure retailers’ orders are quickly filled. The company will contract national distribution firms to help distribute the brand in other States, regions and other parts of the country.
Integrated Marketing Communications
The overall objectives of the company’s marketing communication strategy are to create brand awareness, establish brand position, stimulate purchase and encourage repeat usage.
The communication strategy for the new product will comprise a massive product launch media campaign in Ogden city and in State of Utah, and thereafter a targeted media campaign directed toward selected market segments. The budget allocated for market communication in the first 6 months is $300,000.
Advertising Strategy
Advertising is the most important tool in the integrated marketing communication strategy. The company will develop creative ads which will be placed on radio, TV, magazines and in mainstream newspapers in Ogden and Utah.
The company will also use outdoor advertising tools such as billboards, posters and branded vehicles. The company will invest in point of sale displays and in-store advertising to attract consumers’ attention in shopping malls.
Viral marketing strategies and social media tools will also be used. This strategy is expected to be very effective especially with the youth who are tech savvy and enjoy creative fun advertising messages. Social media marketing will also engage the youth in the brand’s activities and create a strong fan base for the brand.
The company will use celebrity endorsement strategy whereby it will recruit one of the leading sportsmen of the Utah Basketball team to endorse the product. This is expected to create a positive and direct connection of youthful consumers and the product as a result of the celebrity endorsement.
The company will use sport sponsorship as one of its main promotion strategy it should sponsor annual sporting events such as college basketball, football, hockey, skate-boarding, and extreme sports that are popular with the youth and that require extra energy to perform.
In addition to advertising and sponsorship, the company will undertake a vigorous promotion campaign that will involve personal selling. Specialists such as nutritionists and medical doctors will be recruited to give health related talks and to endorse the health benefits of Carpe Diem.
Qualified sales persons will be recruited for a short period to make direct presentations to doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, drug stores, schools and athletic teams, to explain to them the health aspects of the new product. The company will also distribute pamphlets and brochures in commercial centers that contain information about the new product.
Implementation
The implementation of the marketing plan will require the company to acquire extra talent; this will require Carpe Diem Beverage Co to create a new organization structure. The company will initially employ 10 new employees to work in production, procurement and in marketing. The new employees need to be inducted into the organization, and to be provided with training so that they can understand and appreciate the organization products, processes and values.
The Company will recruit specialist agencies to assist in its marketing strategies. These agencies include management consultants, advertising agencies, marketing research companies, media planning and buying agencies, PR agencies, physical distribution firms, financial advisory firms, and resellers among others. The directors have to carefully select among several companies and should consider the company’s limited financial ability and the enormous challenge of entering a market with established competitors.
The main activities of the marketing program are 1) product launch which will be mainly a media event where the product will be introduced to the media and the public. 2) The product goes on sale on a particular date preferably 12 -24hrs after the launch. 3) Company ensures distribution of the product in selected stores in Ogden City, metropolises in the state of Utah and thereafter in neighboring states.
Control
The company will establish control standards that will be used to guide and evaluate performance. These includes: input controls, process controls, output controls. Additional measures include, cost controls, product performance measures, price controls, distribution and integrated marketing communication controls.
Overall measures of the organization’s performance include, cost, revenues, profitability, market share and company image. Other control required are informal controls that will guide individual employees’ behavior, organization culture, and departmental expectations.
Evaluation
The Company’s actual performance will be evaluated against marketing planning objectives and specific performance standards. After evaluation, the management will use the information acquired to redesign marketing planning activities. See Implementation Schedule attached.
Works Cited
Cnbc.com. “Soft Drink Sales Fall, but Dr Pepper Gains Share, 2010.” Web.
Bevnet.com . “Channel Check; Beverage Spectrum, 2008.” Web.
Dolan, K. “The Soda with Buzz: Clever marketing helped Dietrich Mateschitz turn a so-so beverage into a billion-dollar.” Forbes M agazine . 2005. Web.
Euromonitor.com. “ Soft Drinks in the US. ” Euromonitor . 2011. Web.
Ferrell, O. & Hartline, D. M. “ Marketing Strategy.” Ohio: South-Western. 2011. Print.
Heckman, M., Sherry, K. and De Mejia, E. G. “ Energy Drinks: An Assessment of Their Market Size, Consumer Demographics, Ingredient Profile, Functionality, and Regulations in the United States. ” Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 9.3 (2010): 303–317. Web.
Kravewski, K. “Generation Y and Why They Matter Suite101. 2009 .” Web.
McDaniel, C. Lamb, C. & Hair, J. “ MKTG4.” Ohio: South-Western. 2011. Print.
Mintel.com. “Energy drink ingredients continue down unhealthy path” Mintel Press Release. 2009. Web.
Rosman, K. “ Why Diet Coke Beat Out Pepsi. ” The Wall Street Journal. 2011. Web.
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Striving for the Ultimate Knowledge: Eli’s Mission. Video Game Essay
Due to the fact that the movie industry has shown great potential for the last several years, the plots of numerous films became the basis for a number of games which the fans of the movies accepted with flying colors.
Thus, the video game industry is prospering now, taking into account the abundance of cinematographic masterpieces worthy interpreting in a video game. Game creation might seem quite close to movie-making, yet it possesses certain unique features which become obvious only at the stage of game-making.
However, even the most complicated movie plots can be transformed into an enticing game with help of a bit of fantasy and the most general knowledge of video game making. Linking it to a certain movie will make it ever more popular and even become a major hit in the game industry; as King explains, this can be explained rather easily:
At the level of industry more generally, the linking of the cinema and games is far from being arbitrary in an environment in which some of the key producers and distributors of both forms of entertainment are located within the same media corporations and in which game spin-offs offer substantial additional revenues to the Hollywood studios. (7)
One of the films of 2010 worthy taken as a plot for a video game is the one called A Book of Eli. Owing to the peculiarities of the movie plot, the game can be shaped in a most intriguing way, with a lot of turns of the plot which lead to the most effective denouement. Thus, the game which is going to be created comprises the elements of a quest, an action game and a puzzle game – with such an intricate structure it is bound to be a success.
Speaking of the opening scene of the game, I would suggest that there should be a short intro which initiates the gamer into who the lead character is and what brought him to the place where he is at the moment. Taking some ten to fifteen seconds, this piece will be most helpful for the people who have never seen the movie and yet are willing to play the game. As Newman marked wisely,
Another major fact to consider when using the game theory is the idea that players begin all games ignorant of the rules of that game. A game’s concept must include the information regarding how a gamer is to learn these rules and guidelines, and how strategy, difficulty and opposition will be used. (14)
Thus, the wisest decision in this case would be to drop all the scenes narrating the story of the world which survived the nuclear war. Squeezing the information to fit the introductory lines, it would be possible both to help the “newbies” get acquainted with the plot and not to irritate more experienced people.
Therefore, beginning the game at the bar, the player starts his world rescue mission as Eli, the only man who possesses the Bible. The first piece of the game is supposed to possess the elements of quest – Eli has to charge his IPod, then he must find another bar to find the water to sustain his life. Realistic to the hilt, the game must look in the most convincing way, so that the gamer could feel that Eli is his/her reincarnation. Thus, the game graphics must be taken into account when creating the game.
To complicate the matter a bit and make the game both more enticing and closer to the movie plot, it would be a good idea to include changing water for the clothes. This piece would illustrate the poverty and despair which the lost world was trapped in after the devastating war and at the same time make the game more interesting to the players.
Constructing the close-up for this part of the game, it would be a nice decision to arrange Eli’s encounter with Solara. Making this the necessary piece of Eli’s journey without which it will be impossible to continue the game, one can insert an element of puzzle into Eli’s quest and make it ever closer to a refined brain-twister.
Another two-minute episode which the game would feature certain elements of action. To add more of dramatic elements to the game, it would be a good idea to bring some action into it.
Thus, the target group of the game players can be expanded from the quest-lovers to those addicted to action pieces and enjoying scenes of fighting in video games. Thus, Eli will spend the next two minutes in the house of the old couple known as the local cannibals.
On the one hand, it could be a good idea to make the situation as tense as possible and draw various sound and visual effects to enhance the blood0thirsty impression of the scene. Yet on the other hand it seems quite unreasonable since the age group would be restricted then to an older group.
In addition, it is doubtful that the person loving quests will eagerly take part in rough action games. Thus, it will be most reasonable to make the scene of the house fight less violent than the plot of the movie demands.
Although logically, it would be most reasonable to make the lead character of the game invisible for the game player so that the latter could associate Eli with him/herself, it seems that the scene featuring the fight in the house should be made in such a way so that the game player could see Eli and control all his moves. Considering Pedersen’s idea of action games, it becomes obvious that the player must see the character in the scene of fight:
Action games are those in which you move, attack, move, react, and move again. They revolve around the gamer who is always central to the play and in control. During an action game, action is the emphasis, not storytelling (Pedersen 34)
Thus, making the emphasis on the central character, not on the fight itself, it would be possible to balance between the tough action and the absence of excessive violence in the picture.
Since the age group which the game is designed for is supposed to be diverse and include all possible elements, there must be a line toed between the “fight for justice” which is a necessary element of all action stories and blockbusters, and violence.
In spite of the fact that action games do not presuppose a lot of dialogues between the characters, there must be the ones in this scene. Bearing crucial importance for the entire storyline of the movie and the game, the conversations between Eli and Carnegie must be inserted into the body of the action.
Making the situation in the game as tense as possible, these short pieces of conversation fill the game with the philosophy which lies in the basis of the movie. Thus, most of the key phrases of Carnegie and Eli must be inserted into the action.
Quite a risky trick, it will prove the most efficient way to enhance the intrigue of the game. Such approach will contrast with the typical “helmet-mounted display”, though this will deprive the game of certain reality elements; as Jones emphasizes, it is the very effect of the information being “at once outside and inside of the visor of your character” (Jones 75).
Since Eli is the lead character of the game which the player associates him/herself with, it would not be a good idea to follow the plot of the movie blindly and make Carnegie shoot Eli. Though this will add reality to the game, such turn of the plot might upset even those who know the movie well, not to mention the people unaware of the film.
Thus, instead of being shot, Eli encounters an obstacle which makes him lose the Bible – say, the book is stolen by a member of Carnegie’s gang. At this point, it would be the wisest decision to apply the scheme of “multiple exit roots” (235), as Young puts it.
Allowing the game player to choose the ending which fits him/her best, one can help the player contribute to the game as well and feel the pulse of the game action.
The third and the final act of the game should be converted into a puzzle. In accordance with the movie plot, Eli is supposed to read the Bible, yet the game player is yet to discover that the book is written in Braille code.
To unlock the mystery of the text, the player has to decipher the mysterious scriptures, which means that (s)he is supposed to solve a game puzzle. To find the key to the weird signs, Eli must use some brainwork.
As Eli opens the book, a table with certain letters deciphered appears, yet there are not enough letters to unlock the secret writings.
Designing the riddle, it is reasonable to use the most widespread letters of the English alphabet, such as e, t, h, and a, along with a number of the most specific letter combinations, like “ph” or “cs”. Designing the puzzle, one must keep in mind that the game player must not get bored by a riddle which is too complicated to solve in less than ten minutes.
However, as Eli continues solving the puzzle, it appears that he is under a considerable time pressure – such turn of the plot will add acuteness to the situation and evoke another adrenalin surge – isn’t this what an avid game player is waiting for? However, not to make people too overwhelmed with emotions and give them the opportunity to win the game, Eli gets time bonuses with each letter guessed correctly.
While Eli deciphers the scriptures, he realizes that what has been deciphered so far is not enough – most of the text is missing. It turns out that he is supposed to recollect the rest of the Bible text. At this turn of the plot, the game player will have to solve another puzzle and read the text concealed in Eli’s memory.
Thus, the game turns from harsh and rather tough action to quite complicated yet intriguing puzzle. It is clear that those who are keen on playing various games will love the way the game parts switch and interact with each other, and the turns of the plot will add to the overall excitement.
Trapped in his own memory, Eli becomes an integral part of the game player – it is the matter of life and death for the player now as well to make Eli recollect the forgotten Bible.
However, this puzzle turns out to be much easier than the previous one. Making Eli pick the Bible and look at the poster on the wall will lead to the solution – Eli will see the snatch of a phrase reading “lies ahead”, which triggers the recollection process: “No matter what lies ahead. Hold onto your faith”. At this point the book which Eli holds turns into the Bible written in English, and the game ends with the triumph of the mankind.
Lines up with the licensed music from the motion picture, this scene would look in the most impressive way; as Rogers emphasizes, music is of paramount importance for the game: “Emphasis shifted from the programmatic issues with music and sound to what to do with it creatively” (394).
Although this game might seem another attempt to advertise a movie brand, there is more than meets the eye in it. Suggesting a picture of the distant future of the mankind, it persuades people to hold fats to their knowledge and beliefs, and not to give up even when the world is collapsing down. Once playing this game, one will feel that there is always a way out, no matter how hard the journey might seem.
Works Cited
Jones, Steven Edward. The Meaning of Video Games: Gaming and Textual Studies. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis, 2008. Print.
King, Geoff, and Tanya Krzywinska. Scr eenplay: Cinema/Videogames/Interfaces. Brighton, UK: Wallflower Press, 2002. Print.
Newman, Rick. Cinematic Game Secrets for Creative Directors and Producers: Inspired Techniques from Industry Legends. Burlington, MA: Focal Press, 2008. Print.
Pedersen, Roger E. Game Design Foundations. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009. Print.
Rogers, Scott. Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, 2010. Print.
Young, Paul. The Cinema Dreams in Its Rivals: Media Fantasy Films from Radio to the Internet. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2006. Print.
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Simulation and Optimization Tools in Project Design Reflective Essay
Introduction
The structural systems are extremely important for building, structural engineering, and construction. Theoretical knowledge applied to certain projects in practice can help in the process of solving complicated tasks. A complex approach used while analyzing and assessing the scale of work to be done can facilitate construction due to phased algorithm. In this respect, rebuilding a tower or analyzing resolve forces are parts of the complex project known as structural systems.
If I had to rebuild a tower to support a water tank, I would apply knowledge acquired during the procedure underwent in class. The knowledge concerns the scheme of designing the truss bridge which consists of separate sections that are built in accordance with the mechanism of dynamic load of compression or the one of resistance designed to join those elements.
In other words, separate components can be joined with the help of resistance forces regarding the nature of water towers. I can rebuild a tower to support water tank in accordance with the principles that work in truss bridges such as a set of load-resisting separate components.
As every science has some allied fields, construction and building should be learnt in accordance with other rules and methods used in physics and mathematics. Thus, resolving forces into components is really important, especially when designing truss bridges and other constructions that are aimed at supporting heavy loads.
Moreover, a failure may occur if a constructor does not take into account resistance and compression that are sure to ruin the structure of the project. In this respect, resolving forces into components can facilitate the process of choosing the most appropriate method to implement in a definite project.
Resolving forces into components presupposes many different options when one force can dominate over another. However, there is a concept of static equilibrium when all forces that work on a body are in balance or the total force on every part of the body equals zero. This concept helps to feel more confident while solving problems related to static equilibrium and resolving forces into components. This experience shows that all forces should be taken into account while assessing the project.
Every concept and every method used in engineering, building, and construction should be learned in order to be able to implement knowledge while dealing with practical assignment. Professional career and professional development depend greatly on the ability to apply theory to practice in an appropriate manner.
Skills and engineering concept acquired and understood from this project can be used in professional career because every professional has to know all stages of the project and act in accordance with the algorithm. Resolving forces into components, solving equilibrium static problems, and designing appropriate constructions for different types of building projects will be used in professional career.
Simulation and optimization in design are used to create a similar situation and see how all forces interact in different cases when certain changes are introduced into the construction. These processes facilitate the work of engineers and designers as it enables professionals to predict certain complications that may occur in the process of building or exploitation and make necessary alterations.
To conclude, every project should be assessed and designed with the help of simulation and optimization tools. All components of the construction have some peculiar features that can fail to interact with other parts of it. In this respect, engineering concepts and professional skills are aimed at solving problems related to various types of projects and their corresponding implementation into practical constructions.
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Students and their Behaviors Expository Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Types of Students
3. Understanding and Dealing with Different Behaviors
4. Conclusion
5. Reference List
Introduction
Education is very vital and everybody should be given an opportunity to have access to it; it enables individuals to be critical thinkers and be in a better position to make enlightened decisions regarding various aspect of the world. The classroom setting is however faced with various challenges brought about by the diversity of the students involved. Different students exhibit different capabilities and behaviors posing a challenge to the teachers and other staffs involved in the provision of education.
A teacher should however try his or her best to ensure that all the students acquire quality education through the application of different teaching techniques aimed at facilitating the learning process. This paper will look into some of the behaviors in students, reasons for the behaviors, the appropriate education programs, and interventions that can be applied to deal with the behaviors.
Types of Students
There are different types of students depending on their behaviors or characteristics, for example, drop outs or hang outs are the students who start by being inconsistent in their school attendances and may only come for examinations then finally drop out of school if necessary measures are not taken.
They are more concerned with social issues than they are on academic matters and usually do not perform well in class. Another type is where the students are serious in academic work and at the same time balances with the social world and hence attain good grades. There are other students who dwell on the last minute and waste most of their school life only to have a lot of pressure sometimes before the examination.
There are also the nerd students who are usually very nice, perform well but are usually not social. Students can also be generally classified as hyperactive, passive-aggressive, and hostile aggressive among other categorizations. In this paper, Sara is a nerd student though with some emotional problems while Lupe falls under the drop out or hang out group (The Red and Black Archives, 2008).
Understanding and Dealing with Different Behaviors
Since there are different behaviors in students, it is important for teachers to understand and deal with them accordingly. Sara may be a bright student but her performance may be negatively affected by the withdrawal and lack of socialization behavior. Socialization is very essential as it lifts up a student’s self esteem and helps him or her deal with various situations.
A good way of dealing with this behavior is through appreciation and motivation by the teachers which works by raising the self esteem of the student and encouraging them to do better. Direct teaching of social problem solving, counseling, encouragement of group discussion and providing group formation opportunities among the students will also enhance socialization.
Lupe’s problem is more of a discipline-related than emotional problem. One way of dealing with her problem is peer oriented intervention where peers can be used to bring about positive improvement, for instance, association with those who do not miss class but take academic work seriously.
Another way is the involvement of parents where the parents are used to encourage the student to attend school regularly by showing them the importance of education and how performance is affected by attendance. Equipping Lupe with social problem solving skills is also essential as they help one resist bad peer influence, solve conflicts and most importantly cope with emotions and stress (Mishra, 2007).
Conclusion
Self esteem and emotional well being are essential in any student’s life as they help establish a sense of belonging, confidence, and self motivation that are necessary in the learning process especially in promoting good behavior and discipline.
Reference List
Mishra, R.C. (2007). Classroom Behavior . New Delhi: APH Publishing.
The Red and Black Archives (2008). Three Types Of Students Roam Campus . Web.
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Subculture Theories: Response to the Dominant Culture Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Hebdige’s Subculture Theory
3. McKracken’s Subculture Theory
4. Tittley’s Subculture Theory Analysis
5. Conclusion
6. Reference List
Introduction
Subcultures usually emerge when persons in similar situations begin to feel that have been neglected by their mainstream societies (McShane, & Williams, 2010). It normally exists in the larger society and its members are not very similar to the dominant culture.
Hebdige’s Subculture Theory
According to Hebdige, subcultures develop as a response to the dominant culture and exist in situations where there is recognized and organized collection of actions, values, as well as behavior that differ from the customary set of the society’s norms. He notes that subcultures occur as a result of subordination and lower class division that exists in the society (Hebdige, 1979).
They develop to communicate refuse, protest as well as resist the prevailing mainstream culture. Hebdige asserts that subcultures develop within the mainstream cultures.
They are inevitable and originate from the cultural systems that are in place within our societies. Hebdige feels that some subcultures will occur in our societies as there are some people who would always want to experiment something in the society. This normally develops out of curiosity to see what would result from their sets of values and beliefs (McKracken, 2001).
An example of sub-cultural group that has developed to defy the existing norms, are the skaters. The members of this sub cultural group come together due to their similar leisure choices. The group derives some pleasure from the noise and the commotion that they create on an office towers. They intentionally break the rules of social interaction to achieve their pleasure. This group also cares about their style as well as aesthetics (Tilley, 1999).
McKracken’s Subculture Theory
McKracken states that there is no longer one mainstream culture. The various subcultures that exist in the society makes it impossible to have one mainstream culture since cultures and subcultures are not static, but continue to be transformed. He identifies three characteristics of culture that exist in the world today.
He acknowledges that there exists difference everywhere as the world is more receptive to change and permits more room for diversity and difference. He also recognizes that the world is dynamic and therefore everything within our society is ever changing including the cultures within societies.
Finally, McKracken acknowledges that human being exists in a creative world and that its cultures comprise of a persistent generative impulse (Tilley, 1999). He notes that some many years back, it was possible to categories people in terms of their class, lifestyle, and generations among others. However, nowadays the world has changed and such classifications are not possible any more.
Today there exist great diversity, heterogeneity as well as variety. The varieties that exist also differ significantly in depth. He acknowledges that there exist great differences among various sub cultural groups regarding their values, perceptions as well as their outlooks. Fashion has also changed and there exists marked differences in fashion among various subcultures.
Adherence to fashion demands among the youth is seen to arise from the peer group acceptance. Youths undergo an insecurity life-stage during their teens and would therefore not want to be left out by the fashion trends. They derive the feeling of belonging from the fashions and the fads in hairstyles, music preferences, clothing choices, leisure patterns as well as speech patterns (Tilley, 1999).
Punks are one very creative subculture. They have established views explaining the deceptions of our desires as well as the deceptive nature of the worldly pleasures. This group intentionally breaks rules so as to reveal the hidden agendas behind the rules (Tilley, 1999). Thus this group enhances the transformations which occur within subcultures as well as the changes that occur within the cultures.
Tittley’s Subculture Theory Analysis
According to Mark Tittley, vigorous teen diversity in the world is bound to come down to a similar thing. The outlook, self-presentation and the activity that is exhibited by every subculture is normally an expression of class hostilities as well as age. Tittley notes that the teens surface commotion results from the greater levels of innovations among the teens which create different types of youths who each have unique ideas and values.
Tittley does not agree with the ideas of some theorists that subcultures may originate from peer pressure since the various types of teen groups are well defined and also have very steady set of values (Tilley, 1999).
Goths are one such subculture which has well defined and coherent set of values. They are preoccupied with melancholia. They embrace a similar language and their communication is characterized by poetry and theatrics. Their way of communication and the messages that they speak present a worldly view. They dye their hair, put on dark cloaks and also have heavy eyeliner to communicate their distinct cultural universe (Tilley, 1999).
Conclusion
Subcultures are inevitable and would always exist as long as factors that create differences among groups of people are not eliminated. Subcultures mostly result from subordination and the divisions of class that exists in the society. Subcultures therefore develop among individuals who feel that they have been isolated from the customary norms of the societies that they come from. These subcultures are also not static, but instead keep on changing with the generational changes.
Reference List
Hebdige, D. (1979). Subculture: Meaning of style . Florence, KY: Routledge. Web.
McKracken, G. (2001). Subculture theory: Plenitude . Web.
McShane, M. D. & Williams, F. P. (2010). Criminological theory . Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Tittley, M. (1999). A new approach to youth subculture . Birmingham: Center for Cultural Studies.
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Subliminal perception and persuasion Analytical Essay
Subliminal perception and persuasion are associated with the notion of mind control. Mind control entails controlling individuals without their knowledge. They involve making a person or a group of people do stuff that they would not have done.
If a stimulus presents itself below the level that can make an individual aware of it, but is able to influence his judgment and action, then subliminal perception has taken place. ‘Subliminal perception’ was initially used to depict circumstances that weak stimuli were experienced without knowledge.
In the recent past, the term subliminal perception has been used to signify circumstances involving the perception of unnoticed stimuli. Subliminal persuasion on the other hand involves making people change their thoughts and principles with an aim of spreading it to others. It entails making people accept and acknowledge fresh information as the correct one.
Lakhani (2008) noted that, “In the 1950s, James Vicary, an advertising expert, had secretly flashed. at a third of a millisecond, the words “Eat Popcorn” and “Drink Coke” onto the movie screen. His studies, lasting six weeks, involved thousands of movie-going subjects who received a subliminal message every five seconds during the film. Vicary claimed an increase in Coke sales of l8 percent and a rise in popcorn sales of almost 58 percent.” (p. 56).
This is subliminal persuasion. Even though his conclusions were not documented as true, this gave rise to a lot of speculation on how the mind can be controlled by media. People became scared by the thought that politicians may use this new discovery for their own political reasons. The Federal communications commission at that time investigated the same and issued a warning to broadcasting stations not to use this method of advertising.
Subliminal persuasion is more psychological and is focused on reasons why the use of subliminal messages work, unlike subliminal perception that is physical. Subliminal perception focus on how, in a physical sense, subliminal messages work. It entails how the body physically senses sound, smell, touch, vision and taste.
It is real and evidence can be collected for or against it. Subliminal persuasion is about the mind. It is about things that are difficult to prove physically, but can be speculated on psychologically (Long, 2000).
Subliminal persuasion is an important study in the world today. People who have mastered the art of persuasion can use it in a number of ways. Persuading people to a acquire thoughts that they initially did not have is being used in the world today. Advertising agencies and the media use this skill to convince the mass about using their products.
Before these people (advertising agencies and media) embark on the task at hand, they do a lot of ground work on the target audience. They consider the target audience’s beliefs, financial status, age etc to create a public profile. These findings are then used to determine the kind of advertising that will be employed and the content itself (Lakhani, 2008).
Subliminal perception is used in sports (especially in athletics) by trainers. Other than their physical training, athletes are often taken through psychological sessions in which their attitude towards winning is influenced. In these sessions, each athlete is convinced that he is the best that there is. They therefore go to the field with a positive attitude. An individual who believes that he is the best at something will always give his best at it.
References
Lakhani, D. (2008). Subliminal Persuasion: Influence and Marketing Secrets They Don’t Want You to Know. New Jersey: Wiley Publishers.
Long, M. (2000). Psychology of Education. London: Routledge.
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Persuading People: Subliminal Persuasion Definition Essay
Introduction
The process of persuading people is a complicated one because people will tend to oppose anybody who tends to divert their thoughts. Determining the mode of thinking of people is challenging because it is only after realizing how people think that a person can influence them to behave in a particular manner.
Thus, to get the attention of other people it is good to apply mechanisms which are not noticeable. This process is important to leaders and other people who would like to divert the attention of their audiences without alerting them (Doyle-Portillo, & Pastorino, p. 77).
Definition of subliminal persuasion
Subliminal persuasion refers to the process of influencing other people without their conscience. As such a person can cause people to behave in a particular manner without their knowledge.
It is hard for people to resist being persuaded when subliminal persuasion is applied because there is no complete awareness about the efforts to persuade. A person realizes that they have been persuaded after the process has already taken place (Doyle-Portillo, & Pastorino, p. 77).
Difference between subliminal persuasion and other kinds of persuasion
Subliminal persuasion does not apply the knowledge of the other person to capture the awareness about persuasion for a particular aspect. It is out of the conscience of the influenced person that they get involved in a particular activity.
Other kinds of persuasion make use of the knowledge of the other person to influence their behavior. As such the influenced person has complete awareness of the entire process (Smith & Mackie, 283).
The person persuading others does not show outwardly that he/she intends to influence the behavior of others. The entire process is hidden and there is minimal knowledge about the influence.
This makes subliminal persuasion a silent but influential process. Other processes of persuading people are realizable when the approach starts and the people being influenced are able to detect that their attention is required (Smith & Mackie, 283).
Subliminal persuasion should be of concern to critical thinkers
Critical thinkers make great use of subliminal persuasion to influence their audience. The audiences do not recognize they are being influenced and by the end of the process they end up accepting the ideas of critical thinkers.
Designing subliminal persuasion ideas is a great challenge to critical thinkers because in most cases the audiences have the knowledge about the intentions of the people persuading them (Doyle-Portillo, & Pastorino, p. 77).
Leaders require subliminal persuasion because their work is to influence their leaders to contribute towards the success of certain goals. It is important for leaders to be silent in their approach because the subordinates require not noticing any intentions of motivating them to improve their performance.
Therefore, leaders must be critical thinkers so that they can develop strategies which will influence the subordinates to work towards achieving the goals which have been established (Doyle-Portillo, & Pastorino, p. 78).
Examples of subliminal persuasion
Mob activities are done out of the conscience of the participants. In most cases people find themselves doing mob activities without their knowledge. Another example of subliminal persuasion is observed in the consumer behavior towards certain products.
Consumers develop good or bad attitudes about products in the market depending on the location, mode of presentation or other aspects which they identify with the products.
Marketers have come up with strategies of capturing the attention of consumers by using bright colors, applying appealing images to associate with their brands among other strategies. These strategies are silent and consumers find themselves accepting products out of their conscience (Larson, p. 407).
Conclusion
Subliminal persuasion is applicable in many situations and people use this process to get the attention of other people without their conscience. Leaders have a great advantage of using subliminal persuasion because they are able to motivate their subordinates to work towards the achievement of the goals which have been set.
Works Cited
Doyle-Portillo, Susann M. and Pastorino, Ellen E. What Is Psychology? Essentials. New York;:NY. Cengage Learning. 2008.
Larson, Charles U. Persuasion: Reception and Responsibility. New York: NY. Cengage Learning. 2009.
Smith, Eliot R. and Mackie, Diane M. Social psychology. UK. Psychology Press, 2000
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Strategic Brand Management at the Sugar Plum Bakery Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Allergy
3. Competition
4. Macro Environment
5. Conclusion
6. Reference List
Introduction
Sugar Plum Bakery (SPB) is a bakery retail business established in Camarillo, California and targets regular and loyal customer with a passion for baked products. The company’s commitments are to provide delicious nut-free baked goods using high-quality ingredients at a reasonable cost to the consumer.
The company’s management has also evaluated and taken into consideration consumers allergic to nuts. To deal with this situation, Sugar Plum Bakery plans to provide delectable homemade treats in a safe environment for consumers allergic to nuts. The company’s goals and objectives are to build a strong and counterproductive market position in Camarillo. This can be achieved by positively benefiting its people in business partnership and improved competitive climate in the area.
Allergy
Allergy is an abnormal reaction of one’s body after contamination with allergens by inhalation, ingestion, injection or skin contact. There has been much research on food allergy in general but not much on peanut allergy alone.
Sugar plum bakery has evolutionary grown with the increased in demand of peanut by consumers globally. Scientist and health professions have defined a substance called allergen to be the primary course of allergy which contains proteins in the food we eat. Peanut allergy is common in children that vary from person to person according to ones immune system.
Allergy health professionals have established clinic all over the world to help diagnose allergic patients. In some countries like the US, the Federal Food Allergen and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) require that all packaged food must be labeled specifying ingredients contained in the package (Masi, 1995, 78).
A research has shown that food allergies are mostly coursed by the sensitivity of the peanut. Sugar Plum Bakery is determined to eliminate allergy problems to consumers at all cost. The cost of our company’s product will be affordable to all consumers with an equalized profit for the company’s management and development. Environmental management in Camarillo is in the interest of Sugar Plum Bakery.
Furthermore, the health of Camarillo residents is our main concern in partnership with the local business men. Our products will be freely distributed to local businesses at a minimum cost. Our business is strategically located and readily accessible from all corners of Camarillo with enough space for expansion (Joshi, 2005, 39).
Competition
Competitors are business rivals or one who is competing against the other. Sugar Plum Bakery business has been on the increase due to demand in its products i.e. peanut. This has lead to competition between businesses entrepreneurs involved in Sugar Plum Bakery.
However, the company has survived the competition and has been able to keep cat bay rigorous competitors. Sugar Plum Bakery is a competitive business in today’s market especially due to high consumption and demand of its product globally. The quality of a company’s product improves its demand by the consumers (Joshi, 2005, 34).
A companies’ share do not necessary mean how a company is performing relative to its competitors. Any change in business field like in sales affects market and economic situation. Market share can be defined by the hike in demands and high sale of products leading to competitive profits in comparison with other competitors.
Established customer distribution increases share distribution. Product matchup is the comparison of product from other companies for competition. Our company’s product will be of high quality to favor all consumers.
Macro Environment
A condition that exists in an economy that affects the company planning and performance, and is beyond its control. Business is sources of income that improves economic growth of any given country, city or society. Market is a place where buyers and seller make transaction directly or indirectly.
Marketing has evolved over the year where transaction of good to good in old age to today’s computer technology. History has defined exchange of good and product since the creation of the world which intern due to human intelligence has been made easer whereby you can buy product from wherever you maybe just by a click of the button (Lenskold, 2003, 78).
Companies all around the world have joined hands to improving the living standard of people. Sugar Plum Bakery products demand has extensively increased due to consumers. Products demand and retail supply, increase in import and marketing efforts. Supermarket retailer continues to strive for lower labor and capital cost.
Sugar Plum Bakery has large players who have continuously dominated the market but still small retail firms remain active. Small retail exists in the business trying their level best to compete with large volume firms (Keller, 2002, 67).
Conclusion
Sugar Plum Bakery (SPB) main target is the local people of Camarillo, the establishment of the company will create employment and improve the infrastructure, therefore leading to an improved economy in the area as noted by Clancy (2000,23).The company, further, has great potential for growth considering it is exploring many other avenues and coping with competition favorably.
Reference List
Clancy, Kevin. 2000. Counter Intuitive Marketing . London: Free Press.
Joshi, Rakesh Mohan. 2005. International Marketing . New Delhi and New York: Oxford University Press.
Keller, Kevin Lane. 2002. Strategic Brand Management . London: Prentice Hall.
Lenskold, James. 2003. The Path to Campaign, Customer and Corporate Profitability. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.
Masi, Rachel. 1995. Organizational Culture, Distribution And Amount of Control, And Perceptions of Quality. New York: Prentice Hall.
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Summary of Chapters on Music Essay
1. Roberts . The importance of music in the life of a parish is hard to overestimate. The outcome of integrating a good music program into religious ceremony is obvious to those who have taken part in such ceremony or at least observed a congregation involved in music practice.
Even for those who do not have immediate first-hand experience of participating in a music-involving service, it is instructive and inspiring to observe one. For this purpose, contacts could be established with the clergy and church musicians who work nearby.
The experience of observing the work of other church musicians is useful not only to novices but also to experienced professionals. Exchanging ideas, working out new solutions, learning new methods, and exploring the process of church music making is important at any stage of professional development (Roberts: 2009, 119). One should only find place and time for engaging into new experience, and this may substantively change one’s own attitude to and involvement in ministry.
Great music ministry in church does not appear at once: rather, it is gradually built up by efforts of many. One of the examples illustrating the process of gradual development and expansion of a music church society can be seen in a parish which at present can boast many choirs and ensembles.
But at the very beginning the situation was very different. An enthusiastic clergyperson was appointed part-time musical director of the parish which had a professional choir of only eight people. His suggestion to hire more singers was refused, and he was dismissed. A new person was hired for the positions of organist and choirmaster, and he also worked as a part-time music teacher at a local school.
Gradually, the church music repertoire expanded, and the position of music director became full-time. The eight professional singers performed together with sixty-five people of amateur choir, and child choirs appeared as well. The performance of those choirs had such a powerful impact on the whole parish that eventually more than two hundred people, young and old alike, participated in various musical activities (Roberts: 2009, 220).
In contrast to the large parish discussed, stories of musical success are also found in small parishes. An example of how music became a vital part in the parish life can be seen in a humble parish that once hired a part-time graduate student as organist and choirmaster. Working much more enthusiastically than it had been initially required, the young musician attracted more and more parishioners to involve in music activities. The congregation enjoyed their new music program so much that as the moment of the student’s graduation drew closer, they were desperate to leave him at their parish at any cost.
It was unbearable to put up with the sense of approaching loss, and the church priest and parishioners united to convince the student accept a full-time job offer at their church. The situation was complicated not only by overall lack of money in the parish but also by absence of a good organ for professional music making. However, once the young man agreed to take the job — although with his talents he could have opted for much more attractive offers — the parish members raised money enough to afford a new organ.
Their spiritual rewards were numerous, since music ministry is the central part of this congregation’s activities (Roberts: 2009, 221). In this story of struggle for having music in their parish, the role of the church leader cannot be overestimated. The clergyperson’s wise approach to choosing priorities and her strong vision helped the parish preserve the unique blessing of music they had in their beautiful and powerful worship of God (Roberts: 2009, 222).
2. Wilson-Dickson . In the era of Romanticism, the attention to historical past of church music was by large a merit of scholars. Dedicated to exploration of Lutheran music heritage, the works of the nineteenth-century musical theorist J.A. Philipp Spitta inspired such German composers as Johannes Brahms and Max Reger to turn to the 16 th -17 th century genre of unaccompanied motet (Wilson-Dickson: 1992, 228). In addition to motets, Brahms also created Requiem based on self-chosen Biblical texts and meant for a wide religious application beyond the Catholic liturgy only.
Reger’s works are characterized by a peculiar combination of old structures and unprecedented emotionality, which makes this music quite inapplicable for liturgical services. The beginning of 20 th century witnessed a growing interest to restoring traditions of Lutheran music. Schools were established for training professional church musicians, and first-class organs were provided for their needs.
In such favorable circumstances many composers engaged in writing for the church: Ernst Pepping, Hugo Distler, Siegfried Reda are only some of them (Wilson-Dickson: 1992, 231). Working in traditional genres of 17 th and 18 th centuries, they employed the technique of setting words to music so that it would emphasize their significance.
In Britain, 20 th century started with setting new standards in congregational hymnody by creating English Hymnal that included music of the highest standards (Wilson-Dickson: 1992, 234). At the same time, Charles Villiers Stanford wrote communion services and anthems of unprecedented beauty.
The peculiarity of the situation was that Stanford did not belong to the religious community and neither did his pupils, Vaughan Williams, John Ireland, and Herbert Howells. But this did not prevent them from composing liturgical music that found response among the congregations.
In general, the musical practice of Anglican liturgy included a vast variety of genres, and with the increasing amount of compositions the pieces for liturgy were selected according to their compliance with the norms accepted within a certain community. One of the centers promoting Anglican music since 1927 is the Royal School of Church Music that not only publishes music but also conducts specialized courses and festivals (Wilson-Dickson: 1992, 236).
Experimental music for worship is presented in the festival of Contemporary Church Music and by Winchester Cathedral. Exploring a wide specter of Christianity and of performing arts requires certain open-mindedness from the performers of experimental music.
Modern Christianity as “defense against the unknown” favors music that is predictable and represents familiar grounds (Wilson-Dickson: 1992, 240). In 1950s, the Twentieth Century Light Music Group emphasized the significance of the transient popular contemporary music for church liturgy. Two decades later, music of the charismatic movement demonstrated a tendency to reflect the popular art rather than to copy it blindly.
In 1980s, instrumental bands and orchestras made their way back to worship, and hymns of Graham Kendrick adapted a light rock and ballad style. With the introduction of musicals into Christian music, the presentation of faith is carried out in a rather exciting way that engages vast fellowships.
The diversity of 20 th century Christian music raises the issue of musical standards, and it becomes vital to define which music is suitable or unsuitable for worship. On the one hand, professional music may be too complicated for average parishioners and turn the service into a concert.
On the other hand, standards of church music should not be lowered to null. In such heterogeneity, the main criteria for defining the quality of music becomes the role of music in worship and the intention behind musical performance. The enthusiasm of the congregation involved in music performance and the positive spiritual commitment characterizing this performance are the key indicators of church music successfulness.
Works Cited
Roberts, William B. (2009). Music and Vital Congregations: A Practical Guide for Clergy . New York: Church Publishing.
Wilson-Dickson, Andrew. (1992). The Story of Christian Music . Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
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Documentary “Super Size Me” Essay
1. “Super Size Me” is a 2004 documentary film which tackles the problem of obesity as related to the consumption of fast food products from McDonald’s. Morgan Spurlock is the writer, director and main actor in this movie which documents his 30-day experiment of consuming nothing but products from McDonald’s for his meals. This study aims to prove the contention that fast food products can be harmful to a person’s health, and that the lawsuits filed against McDonald’s (pointing to obesity) are not unfounded.
2. Morgan Spurlock asks for the assistance of 3 doctors to establish the status of his health before embarking on this experiment — a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, and a general practitioner. He makes consultations with the doctors, is interviewed for possible genetic illnesses, any recent hospitalization, medications taken, vices and drug use. Spurlock also goes through actual tests like ECG, BP monitoring, checking of reflexes, blood tests, iron levels, FBS, triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose levels, organ functions etc, and everything that had to be examined was checked upon.
Everything is found normal, and the overall verdict is that Spurlock is in perfect health. Spurlock also goes to consult with a dietician and an exercise physiologist to have additional information on this study, and he iss again found to be in great shape. Some examples of good levels in Spurlock’s health are: a) his triglycerides level = 43 which is low and which was favorable; b) cholesterol level = 168, is good because it is less than 200 which is the average; and c) kidney and liver functions are all good.
3. Some of the lifestyle choices which contribute to obesity are: a) eating unhealthy food; b) leading a sedentary or inactive lifestyle; c) overeating; d) psychological factors e) slow metabolism and f) environmental factors.
Examples of these are those who: i) prefer fast food over fresh food or freshly cooked food which has lesser fats and more fiber; ii) spend more time on the computer or television rather than doing outdoor activities; and iii) eat more than what one is supposed to take in one meal or do not put a limit to one’s consumption of food and carbonated drinks.
4. The high carbohydrates in the buns, biscuits, fries and hash browns; the protein in the sausages, burgers, eggs and chicken nuggets which are all fried with all their saturated fats; as well as the carbonated drinks and milkshakes which are filled with sugar and caffeine are the worst part of the McDonald’s meals consumed by Spurlock.
The saturated fats have affected his liver, which have caused his predominant feelings of fatigue and low moods. On the other hand, the sugars which are said to be in almost all McDonald’s products, made Spurlock addicted to the food that he ate and made him always coming back for more.
5. Spurlock’s weight definitely increased, although at the 3 rd weigh in he lost a pound, which the health center said was probably due to his body’s adjustment to the new diet he had, and that his body lost some muscle mass and made him gain fat mass which was a little bit lighter. His moods became bad and you can see from his face that he was always tired. This was unlike his countenance at the initial part of the experiment when he was always cheerful and good-natured.
6. This film and the information that I have learned from this course have made me gain a better perspective on my life and the choices that I can make. I have learned that there are a lot of possible choices in life and relating it to this film, I think that I have become more intelligent in my lifestyle choices by preferring to take more fresh food than fast food, avoiding carbonated or high-calorie drinks, staying away from vices like smoking and drinking, trying to make myself more active and squeezing in exercise or physical activity as often as I can.
7. In addressing the obesity epidemic, the responsibility should be placed on both the consumer and the business enterprise. The consumer has the free will to choose, so if he/she chooses to take the unhealthy option, then he/she should be held responsible for that.
In like manner, the business enterprise also has the choice to present healthy or unhealthy food products to the consumer. However, the government should try to monitor the actual nutritional content of these products to lessen the unhealthy food choices and make more room for the better options. In this manner, the final line up of products presented to the consumer will have lesser of the ill effects of obesity.
References
Spurlock, M., Spurlock, M. 2004. Super Size Me . United States: Samuel Goldwyn Films, Roadside Attractions.
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Supply and demand; Market for Milk Essay
Introduction
Demand can be defined as the amount of goods or services that the buyers are willing and able to buy in a specific duration of time (Rittenberg, 2008, p. 58). The quantity demanded can be determined by various factors. In most cases, consumer’s choice to consume a particular product is determined by their preferences and tastes for particular products as well as the prices. On the other hand, the quantity supplied is the amount of goods or services that buyers are willing and able to supply in the market in a specific time. In this study, we are considering the market for milk.
Impact on price and quantity of milk of an advertising campaign which highlights scientific studies that finds that drinking milk can help reduce weight gain
The main aim for an organization to conduct an advertisement is to increase the level of sales. An advert plays a role of enticing consumers to buy a certain good or service. Advertisement also has a purpose of creating top of mind awareness. This offers a form of branding which attracts customers.
An advert informing potential buyers on its significance in weight loss will entice new customers who may not have been consuming milk to switch into milk consumption. This will lead to an increase in the quantity of milk demanded.
An advert informing customers on scientific discovery indicating the importance of milk in weight loss may also encourage the existing buyers to increase their levels of consumption. This will also lead to an increase in the level of milk sales.
As already seen, an advertisement increases the level of the quantity demanded. With time, the level of demand may exceed the quantity supplied. This will lead to an increase in prices. This is based on the assumption that all other factors are held constant. There are other factors which affects the quantity demanded for milk. For instance, an increase in the level of households’ income increases the quantity of milk demanded. For instance, an increase in the level of the household’s income in China and the surrounding regions has significantly led to an increase in milk prices (Arnold, not dated, par 4). Prices increases as a result of high demand for milk which is as a result of high household incomes.
Impact on price and quantity of milk of a mad cow disease epidemic
A mad cow disease has various effects on the milk market. It can lead to a decrease in the level of quantity supplied in the market. The affected animals reduce the level of production. If the disease persists, the level of quantity demanded will exceed the level of quantity supplied. This will lead to rising in milk prices. This is under the assumption that other factors are held constant.
Impacts of milk price decrease
According to the law of demand, the prices and the quantity of product demanded are moves in opposite direction. That is, when the prices increase, the quantity demanded decreases. This conclusion is based on the assumption that other factors which affect milk market are held constant. Therefore, a decrease in the prices of milk leads to an increase in the quantity of milk demanded.
Impact on price and quantity of milk by the government decides to implement a price ceiling.
A price ceiling is a form of government intervention to protect consumers. Through a price ceiling, a government sets price limits over which the prices of a particular commodity should not exceed. In order for a price ceiling to have any effect to the consumers, it must be set below the market equilibrium. Otherwise it will be ineffective.
A price ceiling on the prices of milk will lead to a lower milk price below the market equilibrium price. This will lead to an increase in the quantity of milk demanded.
Impact of an increase in the prices of a compliment good; cookies
Compliment goods are goods which are used in conjunction with each other. Therefore, we expect an increase in level of demand in one of these to induce an increase in the level of demand for the other good.
For instance, it is assumed that cookies are used in conjunction with milk. Therefore, a change in demand in one of these will lead to changes in the quantity of milk demanded. Therefore, an increase in prices of cookies leads to an increase in the quantity of milk demanded.
Price controls
Price control is the attempt by the government to control the prices of goods and services in the market. This is usually aimed at maintaining availability of basic needs to the customers.
Advantage Of To Price Controls
One of the main advantages is that it maintains the affordability of basic goods and services. For instance, a price ceiling lowers the prices of milk below the market levels. At lower prices, more people can afford milk and this will maintain a healthy nation.
Disadvantage of price controls
There are several drawbacks associated with price controls. Price control leads to shortages. When the government puts demands the producer to provide prices below the market prices, the amount of the product demanded will exceed the quantity supplied in the market. The level of demand increases to the point where supply cannot be kept up. These shortages can lead to black markets as people try to find a solution for shortages (Anonymous, 2008, par 2).
Price Elasticity of Demand
Elasticity of demand can be defined as the percentage change in the level of quantity demanded of a particular good or service divided by the percentage change in the prices of that particular good or services all other things held constant (Rittenberg, 2008, p. 115).
In the case of inelastic goods, consumers are less responsive to changes in prices. In this case, the elasticity of demand is less than one. That is, e<1.
In the milk market, consumers are less responsive to changes in prices. This is because milk is a basic good. Also, there are no close substitutes for milk. Therefore, the demand for milk is inelastic. Consequently, people may continue to consume milk despite of increase in prices. However, there may be slight changes in quantity demanded.
There are several determinants of elasticity of demand. These include the availability of substitutes, time or availability of households’ budget. In the case of milk, there are no close substitutes; therefore the demand is likely to be inelastic.
Impact of Milk Prices Increase on the Total Revenue
Total revenue is the amount of money received from the sale of goods and services. That is, TR=QP. In the case of elastic demand, any change in price has a significant impact on the quantity demanded. Since the demand for milk is inelastic, changes in price will lead to a small change in the level of revenue. Therefore, the total revenue will change with a small percentage.
Reference List
Anonymous (2008). Price Controls – Advantages and Disadvantages . Web.
Arnold, A. (n.d.). Thirst for Milk Bred by New Wealth Sends Prices Soaring . Web.
Rittenberg, L. (2008). Principles of Microeconomics. New York: Flat World Knowledge.
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What Affects the Changes in Supply and Demand Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. What are some things that would affect changes in supply?
3. How to change the quantity demand
4. Effects of raised minimum wage
5. Reference List
Introduction
For people to succeed in their businesses, careers or professional lives, action is an imperative ingredient. However, it matters where people base their action. For instance, if individuals base their action on self-interest, they will automatically act in response to inducements.
In other words, they will start monitoring costs and benefits closely. The two, costs and benefits, can affect the activities that people do. Take for example when the costs of doing something increases or better still, when the benefits decline. Automatically, people will perform much less of that activity.
Economists have come up with a model – the model of supply and demand – that explains how action on costs and benefits can affect our markets (Schenk, 2008, p.1).
My firm specializes in the business of milk production and dairy farming. Of lately, dairy farmers in United States, Australia and New Zealand have received high prices from the sale of milk, thanks to the ever-changing climate and trade policies.
Additionally, the stiff competition for animal feeds has caused the doubling of the prices as farmers also incur additional expenses. Thus, the increase of income, limited supply of milk, external economic changes and social economic changes are some of the factors that change the demand of milk (Birkinshaw, 2007, p.1).
What are some things that would affect changes in supply?
A number of factors affect the changes in supply of products or services. For example, the rate of production is paramount to the supply of products such as milk. Less production of commodities strains the supply chain, while abundant production means, goods will be available in the market in plenty.
Demand is also another factor that affects the supply of commodities. In case of high demands, manufacturers have to produce more. On the same note, cost is also another factor that affects changes in supply is cost. Whenever the cost of commodities reduces, the demand becomes high thus, calling for more supply.
A good transport network can enhance the supply of commodities, as goods will reach the market in time. Additionally, government regulations and trade policies can also affect the supply of commodities. For instance, government can enact legislation aimed at restricting certain commodities from reaching the market.
Finally yet importantly, unscrupulous business practices can affect changes in supply, where a few dishonest individuals plot bureaucratic means of controlling the supply chain of any product or service (Buchot, 2011, p.1).
How to change the quantity demand
One factor that can change the quantity demanded is price. In fact, it is the demand price that is enables the movement of commodities along the demand curve. The phrase “a change in quantity demanded” simply implies the amount of commodities that the consumers are keen and able to buy.
Once the demanded price changes, it will definitely affect the amount of commodities that people will buy. For instance, if the demanded price increases, people will buy less goods and vice versa.
Undoubtedly, the change in demand price will also affect the movement along the demand curve although the five determinants stay unaffected. Mathematically, the quantity demanded of a particular commodity is a strapping function of the demanded price (Regan, 2007, p.1).
Effects of raised minimum wage
Whenever the government increases the minimum wage by even a slight percentage, it affects businesses negatively. For example, in my dairy farm, I will definitely cut jobs in order to sustain my business.
Additionally, there will be no more hiring of people to work in my firm, as I do not wish to incur more expenses than revenue. Additionally, the price of milk per is likely to increase due to increased expenses. This means that consumers will have to buy milk at an increased price – something that will affect the quantity demanded (Bernstein, 2004, p.1).
Reference List
Bernstein, J. (2004). Minimum Wage and Its Effects on Small Business. Web.
Birkinshaw, V. (2007). A Thirst for Milk Bred by New Wealth Sends Prices Soaring. New York Times. Web.
Buchot, E. (2011). USA market: Changes in supply. Web.
Regan, E. (2007). Milk demand stays strong despite high prices. Web.
Schenk, R. (2008). The Model of Supply and Demand. Web.
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Supply Cost Production and Profit Essay
Virtually, all enterprise firms appear similar when it comes to the primary objective: to increase the output in order to maximize proceeds.
However, in order to increase production of output, the firm must incur additional expenses, which might trim down the profits realized. Thus, in any firm, the liaison between costs and profits is so much imperative, as it will determine the quantity of the output.
There are different types of costs namely: implicit costs, opportunity costs, fixed costs, variable costs, marginal costs and total costs. Nevertheless, in economics, we refer to all these types of costs as opportunity costs. There is a reason why this is so.
Take for example a company that manufactures steel metals. We do not expect the firm to produce steel of the same quantity as the resources. Some resources will remain unused and evidently, the returns from auxiliary production always appear predetermined. In overall, opportunity costs are either explicit or implicit (Petroff, 1989, p.1).
How do franchise firms benefit from economies of scale?
Undeniably, many firms benefit from the economies of scale. To start with, economy of scale is a concept that mainly applies to the production of goods or services, or any other activities that a firm engages.
In other words, “economies of scale” is a phrase that refers to the fiscal competence resulting from production or sales in either small quantities or vast quantities. Normally, costs are the scales of reference. Thus, in order to determine the economies of scale of a firm, economic efficiencies in form of costs always apply.
For instance, Sony is a company that manufacturers PlayStations, color printers, free scanners, computer keyboards and mouse, and CD and DVD players. These commodities have one ordinary similarity, economies of scale. In order for Sony to maximize profits, it produces each of these commodities in vast quantities.
For example, by 2005, Sony had managed to vend off over 100 million PlayStations realizing a turnover of US$67 billion. The other commodities produced by Sony will also generate certain amount of turnover. This means that firms benefit a lot from the economies of scale (Wiley Publishing Incorporation, 2011, p.1).
What might be some potential disadvantages of being a part of a large corporation?
At times, being part of a large organization can pose some challenges to stakeholders. For instance, large organizations always pay higher taxes from their own income. This is a hike to production costs. It is quite evident that at one point, especially at the start-up phase, a business will make losses.
Now, consider an example of a person business through a corporation, that is, the person is part of a large organization. Unless the corporation realizes profits, it is hard for an individual to figure out their enterprise profits notwithstanding individual income from alternative sources.
However, this does not stop here. Immediately the organization realizes huge profits, another predicament jets in. The organization will have to pay “double tax” meaning every penny realized as profit, meets a double tax and hence reducing the profit margin further. Indeed, this situation can be a frustrating experience to those who are part of a large corporation.
Effect of very competitive market on long-run profits
The increase or decrease of demand affect the firm’s production and hence, long-run profits. If the number of firms producing a certain commodity increases, it means that the supply will be more than the demand. This will force companies to produce less hence, a reduction in the profits realized.
In a competitive market, firms will earn a specific profit and if the status remains so, everything from marginal cost to average total cost to marginal revenue will reverse to equilibrium. At equilibrium, the greatest beneficiaries will be consumers who will buy commodities at lower price making companies to make normal profits (When the business is beautiful, 2003, p.1).
Reference List
Petroff, J. (1989). Chapter 3: Production Costs. Web.
When small is beautiful . (2003). The Economist. Web.
Wiley Publishing Incorporation. (2011). Production Costs and Firm Profits. Web.
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Supply production costs and profits Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Brief summary of economic costs
2. Diminishing returns
3. Maquiladoras
4. Advantages and disadvantages of large countries
5. References
Brief summary of economic costs
Economic costs may be fixed or variable. Fixed costs refer to those costs that a firm cannot control and are usually not linked to the quantity of goods produced. In other words, they are not proportional to quantity; a graphical representation of total fixed costs versus quantity is a horizontal straight line since the costs do not increase with time.
Examples here include machinery, cost of purchasing a location or fixtures. When the total fixed costs in a firm are divided by quantity produced then this becomes Average Fixed Cost (AFC) which is what is used for calculations.
Variable costs on the other hand refer to those kinds of costs that can be changed with time and they are usually proportional to volume of production. Examples include rent, electricity bills, telephone bills and many others. When a graph of total variable costs is plotted against quantity of production, this usually results in an upward sloping curve.
Average variable cost (AVC) refers to the ratio of total cost divided by the quantity of goods produced. The total cost of a firm is a sum of total fixed costs and total variable costs. The same applies to average total costs which is a sum total AFC and AVC. Marginal cost on the other hand refers to the difference in total costs when quantity of goods produced is altered by one unit (Rittenberg and Tregarthen, 2009).
In the short run, a firm may choose to operate even when there is still a loss if it has been established that the price of the goods being sold is less than average total costs but greater than average variable costs. The seller will go through an economic loss because his marginal revenue (the difference in revenue when quantity of goods is increased by one unit) will be equal to his marginal cost.
However, this state should not cause him to close down because he is still in a position to pay all the variable expenses and some of his fixed expenses. If he were to close in the short run, he would be left with the fixed expenses which he would still have to pay when he decides to resume. The fixed costs always exist whether or not he is producing goods.
Diminishing returns
When firms want to experience increase in revenue, they will often increase the variable expenses to be used in production. However, at some point, this continual increase in input will not result in an increased rate of output.
In other words, if a firm has reached diminishing returns then the extent to which the output will increase when variable costs or input increases is minimal or lower (Professional Education Organization International, 2002).
In my personal experience, I once saw an advertisement in my neighborhood about some t-shirts. The t-shirts looked great and I immediately went out and bought them. I even promised the saleslady that I would keep coming back for more. However, after some time, I saw two people with the same t-shirt and same design, then I saw six and before long, almost everyone in town owned one such t-shirt.
I wanted to know how everyone had heard about it and a few people told me that this was from an advertisement; a similar one to the one I had seen. This company kept on advertising even when the public was well aware of their products. Friends and family could see the t-shirt on someone they knew regardless of the advertisement.
This company was therefore wasting valuable resources in advertising yet the product had already become popular. In this regard, it had reached a point of diminishing returns because their investment in advertising did not in any way affect the revenues that they were collecting.
Maquiladoras
Maquiladoras had to apply the marginal decision rule when it comes to the decision between capital intensive or labor intensive factors. At first, when utilizing labor intensive strategies, the industry had a ready pool of unskilled labor supply. Therefore an increase in the number of laborers would result in heightened production.
However, after reaching the diminishing return point, they soon found that increased unskilled labor would not always result in greater capacity utilization and this was the reason why they opted for capital intensive technologies. When they went for this option and realized that they were out of technicians so they needed to train existing workers or potential students (Vargas, 2001).
Maquiladoras benefit the US economy by offering a ready market for some of the US’s industrial goods. It has been stated that almost all of the components needed in these industries are imported and over three quarters of those supplies come from the US. Essentially, this illustrates that the US is growing economically owing to contributions being made by these kinds of returns.
Studies have illustrated that in the nineteen nineties, the number of miscellaneous plastics and rubber supply industries have grown tremendously. Texas cities such as Mc Allen and Brownsville are known for these increases. The latter cities had thirteen and eleven injection molding companies.
Therefore, maquiladoras are growing industries in the US by offering them a source market for components. Also, these structures have boosted transportation services within the US since commodities to be exchanged between the two countries are very many owing to the maquiladoras.
This has also streamlined the immigration and custom services in the US. Real estate has also prospered in Texas owing to the distribution and administration offices set up by the Maquiladoras in the US. Hotels and restaurant chains in Texas have grown tremendously in the US.
Advantages and disadvantages of large countries
Large countries have a large consumer markets so self sufficiency in trade is quite plausible. Furthermore, its populations actually pay less in terms of taxes because those costs are spread over a large pool of people.
This implies that infrastructural requirements are quite easy to meet owing to ease with which they collect their taxes. It is also easy for such countries to cushion themselves against any major disasters since they have the prerogative of resource distribution.
They can improve their defense systems and can choose to have leaner governments. On the flipside though, large countries have the problem of heterogeneity. When populations are not homogenous then individuals will place excessive demands on their governments and most will not be met. Additionally, they are more prone to dictatorships than smaller countries (Economic Focus, 2003).
As countries get bigger, they are likely to benefit from all these advantages only until a certain point. When they reach the diminishing returns, they often become heterogeneous.
Diversity may increase to a point where the benefits of getting large will be offset by the varied demands of the governed. This diversity can be witnessed through variable incomes, different ethnicities and races. India has long grappled with the wide gap between its poorest people and it’s richest.
Consequently, the high population’s market benefits have been neutralized by the divergent opinions on what the government can do for its people. In this regard, an optimal size is necessary in order to take advantage of the pros and cons of both extremes. This has been witnessed in many countries around the world.
References
Rittenberg Libby and T. Tregarthen. (2009). Chapter 8: Production and Costs. Sections 1-4 Principles of Microeconomics. FlatworldKnowledge.com. Retrieved from https://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/
Professional Education Organization International. (2002). Chapter 3: Production Costs, Web.
Vargas, L. (2001). “Maquiladoras: Impact on Texas Border Cities,” in The Border Economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Retrieved from: https://www.dallasfed.org/
Economic Focus. (2003). “When Small is Beautiful” The Economist. Retrieved from: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2003/12/18/when-small-is-beautiful
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Survey in Research studies Definition Essay
Purpose of a survey
Different life situations give rise to circumstances that calls for more explanation to be well understood. In research studies, survey is used to collect data, so that detailed and quantified description of certain issues in the society can be availed.
It takes an approach where the researcher asks, in written, electronic or verbal form, questions to the respondents and the information gotten is analysed for making inferences that can be generalised.
Surveys can be used to collect first hand information regarding an issue, or can be used to test certain believes in a society. It does so through certain topic related questions to people who are known to have information (Allan & Skinner, 1991).
Examples of survey
There are different types of surveys; they are classified as written surveys, oral surveys, and electronic survey. Examples include consumer satisfaction survey; these are surveys aimed at collecting information on the level of satisfaction that customers are deriving from a company’s goods and probably take recommendations from consumers on how they can improve their services and products.
Pre-election surveys, they are common before elections were questions to determine the most favoured candidate in a forthcoming election are sort. They can also be used to gauge the prevailing political condition in a country.
Employees satisfaction surveys; this is mostly conducted by human resources department in a company with the aim of determining the effectiveness of their human resource management systems.
Guidelines to ensure that participants of a survey will have their responses kept private
When structuring the survey structure to use, the researcher should ensure that he/she does not call for any information that might lead to recognition of the respondent. The researcher should ensure that private information to relate to the survey is not collected for example name and identification of the respondent. The respondent should be informed of his rights; for example, the right to leave some questions unanswered or leave an interview/questionnaire process.
When analysing data, the data collected should be generalised and report made should have no information that may lead to the recognition of the respondent.
It is the role of the researcher to keep information collected confidential and private. He should guard the information from people who are not a party to the survey (Babbie,1995).
Guidelines to ensure that information gained from a survey is unbiased
Biasness results when participants give information that is not objective, they may favour one side for various reasons. To avoid biasness, a researcher should educate his participants on the need for the survey as well as the need to be unbiased. The structure of questionnaires should not be seen to take sides on a certain topic but should be open-ended.
At analysis level, data collected need to be sorted and that data to the extreme of a certain issue should be disregarded (Fowler , 2002).
The importance of planning in regards to privacy and buisness
After making a decision to conduct a survey on a certain issue, planning and preparation start. During planning sample population for data collection are established; this will ensure that only informative population are established. This will reduce biasness and ensure that data is collected from relevant sources.
At this stage, participants of the survey will be trained on the need to keep participants information confidential as well as the rights of participants. Survey questions are also reviewed to ensure they will not lead to biasness or violation of respondents’ privacy (Sapsford, 2007).
References
Allan, G., & Skinner, C. (1991). Handbook for Research Students in the Social Sciences. The Falmer Press: London.
Babbie, E.R. (1995). The practice of social research (7th). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Fowler, F. (2002). Survey research methods . London: Sage.
Sapsford, R. (2007). Survey research . London: Sage.
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Newcrest Mining Limited’s Sustainability Reporting Report
Executive Summary
Business stakeholders and consumers have been enlightened by technology and education systems in the world, they are more informed on their rights and how companies should treat them. The enlightenment has necessitated the need to adopt a change in financial reporting systems where companies are including sustainability report in the statements to be evaluated by stakeholders.
Sustainability reporting incorporates financial and non-financial reporting that covers three areas, economic, social and environmental performance of a business. The change is likely to offer a competitive advantage to businesses when appropriately adopted.
Introduction
In 2000, a group of international nongovernmental organizations, with the aim of compelling businesses to include sustainability reports in their financial accounts formed The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition; prior to the formation, sustainability reports were seen as marketing and public relations tools. Sustainability reporting incorporates financial and non-financial reporting that covers three areas, economic, social and environmental performance of a business.
The structure of the reporting is not rigid to form part of main financial statements, but can take other forms of additional accounts like sustainability report, triple bottom line reports or social impact report (Robert and Krzus, 2010). This paper discusses why there has been a sudden change to sustainability reporting; it will evaluate sustainability reports of Australia’s largest gold producer, Newcrest.
Definition of sustainability repotting
Sustainability reporting can be defined as current reporting standards, where a company in its accounts incorporates all stakeholders and how it has affected their lives; it looks into social dimensions, economic dimensions and environmental issues when reporting its operations.
Like in conventional financial reporting, the accounts must be measurable, comparable and contain valuable information for decision making; the approach to sustainable reporting has been supported by a number of international bodies as they strive to make guiding principles in that effect; such bodies include The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
They are meant to offer guidance and supervisory services to international accounting reporting standards that incorporates sustainable reporting.
Reasons why there have been a shift to sustainable reporting
Australian Certified Public Accountants body has supported the move to sustainable reporting; it is launch, the body gave some advantages that companies are bound to benefit form if they adopt the reporting strategy. They include:
The Value to Stakeholders
The reporting adopted communicates volumes to the world regarding the current operation and the respect that accompany accords to its stakeholders. When a company is seen as looking into all spheres of its shareholders, then when shareholders are making investing decisions with the company will have an all round evaluation approach.
T he reports should incorporate both positive and negative social effects; the spillover that a company have to the society should be of consideration. Stakeholders have increasingly been aware of their rights; they are demanding the rights in their organizations thus compelling companies to adopt a sustainability reporting system.
Value to the Company
Shareholders and employees of a company are increasingly interested with the future and sustainability of their companies; when using one report or an integrated approach, companies are compelled to report their accounts in all spheres to develop a framework of operation that offers quality information to its staff and stakeholders.
As motivational policies, employees and shareholders need to realize the value that their company is adding to the world; they will feel more valued when they realize they work/hold a company that respects the will of the people.
Going-on concept of business can be reflected by the relationship that a company maintains with its stakeholders, if there is health relationships, then customer will be willing to use the company’s products into the future. When all sphere of a business are reported, then stakeholders will be able to gauge future strength more effectively.
As a policy strategic management
Of late, there has been a change in management approaches; the diversion has been to mange a business that creates value to its customer as it seeks to develop strong brand name. Such strategic policies include, ethical business operations, move to creation of brand loyalty and brand extension and public relations.
To have an effective campaigns in the above management approaches, then companies have no option other than to use sustainable reporting approach. When customers are loyal to a certain business, then business risks in the future are reduced
National and international corporate movements and co-operations force
Of late, there have been a number of moves compelling companies to conduct their business in socially, economically and environmentally acceptable manner; the bodies have enlightened customers on their rights.
The bodies have come up with standards that they require businesses to comply with when reporting in their accounts, there are number of international protocols that have been signed among countries to push for ethical code of conducts in businesses, they include environmental reporting and corporate social responsibility reports (AUSPIC, 2011).
Discuss the key features of an effective sustainability report.
There are some features that can be attributed to an effective sustainable report such features include:
Transparency and materiality
Sustainable reports should offer the true and fair representation of what is happening on the ground; it should not offer information that skews to one side or one that is not genuine. The contents of the materials should not be general information about a company but should go into finer details of what the company does; with sustainable reporting, the data offered is crucial for decision making by all affected stakeholders.
Integration with financial accounts
Sustainability reports should not be within thin air reports but must be seen to have close connections with the financial accounts as reported in a business. The impact and their effects in a business should be well reflected within the frameworks of an organization.
User-friendly models
Sustainability reports should be user friendly and consumable by the target users; they should contain some jargon with the aim of confusing the users but they should be straight forward and to the point. The information contained should not be not a “data dump”; this means that the information should be testable and applicable as the organization claims (PARKER, 2010)
Evaluation of sustainability report of Newcrest
Newcrest is Australian largest mining company that adopts sustainable reporting strategy in its accounting; the reports are published alongside the company’s financial accounts. The management and directors of the company own up the reports form the company and have the report divided into four main sections:
Governance, Commitments and Engagement
This section gives a detailed analysis of the commitment that the company’s management has in conducting an ethical business, the report shows commitment of top management in pioneering a sustainable business. This goes well with the principle of integration with financial accounts as required by sustainability reporting. The management shows their concern on the effects that the company have on social, economic and environmental factors.
Economic Performance Indicators
The report offers some guiding expenditure reports that it has had in the past financial year; this meets the criteria of accountability and measurability. The company has embarked on improvement of some sectors of the economy within its environs; it has actively been involved in making transport networks leading to the mining’s sites and does not restrict community use of the systems.
Environmental Performance Indicators
The reports offer detailed reports on how it is doing and willing to do to conserve the environment. The report discusses some indicators that can be seen in the community. The company appreciates that as a mining company it uses large volumes of water, energy and other resources; it has thus embarked on conservation measures; one of the most common method used is recycling and lean management system of operation.
With collaboration of stakeholders and the public, the company has enacted environmental conservation methods like carbon emission reduction, tree planting and offering environmental training to stakeholder. All these efforts can be seen on the ground thus measurable and genuine.
Social Performance Indicator
The report offers a user-friendly report that can be tested and adds value to the knowledge that people held with the company. The company employees talent people from the locality and only gets to international labor market when the domestic market fails to provide the wanted talents, it aims at maintain healthy relationships with its neighbors, characterized by mutual respect, active partnership, and long term commitment (Newcrest Mining Limited, 2010)
Conclusion
Sustainable reporting is a new reporting approach where financial and non-financial information are disclosed in periodical financial statements.
The growth of the approach has been facilitated by enlighten of customers and stakeholders who compel organizations to make accounts that reflect their social, economical and environmental implications. Companies that have adopted the policy benefit from healthy public-company relations that leads to customer loyalty and reduced business risks.
References
AUSPIC., 2011. Sustainability reporting. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations In addition, Financial Services (PJCCFS), (1)1, pp. 1-7.
Newcrest Mining Limited., 2010. SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2009 Web. Web.
PARKER, L., 2010. Sustainability: The Whole Story. Intheblack , (80)11,pp. 34-37.
Robert, G. and Krzus, M.,2010. INTEGRATED REPORTING For ASUSTAINABLE STRATEGY. Financial Executive, (1)1, pp. 29-32.
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Symbolism and Imagery in O Captain! My Captain!
What does the ship represent in O Captain! My Captain!? What about the port? Find out the answers to these questions in the essay below.
Table of Contents
1. Symbolism in O Captain, My Captain
2. Imagery in O Captain, My Captain
3. Conclusion
4. Reference List
Symbolism and imagery are some of the significant elements of style in poetry. In this essay, symbolism and imagery in O Captain, My Captain shall be analyzed in detail. Symbolism element is used to emphasize internalized poetry aspects to describe the feeling and thoughts of a poet due to a lack of better words to describe them.
It uses an object, an idea, a person, or a place to bring out a more profound meaning rather than what it represents itself. Imagery element, on the other hand, uses figurative words to make the reader see things from the poet’s perspective. It emphasized creative speaking or writing, vivid images, suggestions, or descriptive presentation.
It not only needs to be visual but involves all the five senses; sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. The two poetry elements are also referred to as the metaphors in a single terminology. The poet employs the abundant use of imagery and symbolism in passing the message, ideas, and the subject of the poem.
O Captain! My Captain! Symbolism
The first stanza of the poem O Captain, My Captain has a lot of imagery and symbolism depicting the era of Abraham Lincoln. In the first line, the captain is used to symbolize Abraham Lincoln, who was the union leader in the civil war. What does the ship symbolize in O Captain, My Captain? The ship is used to represent America as a country, and the “fearful trip” (Whitman, 2006, p. 1) is a representation of the civil war during the Abraham Lincoln era.
The “prize we sought is won” (Trinh, 2002, p. 1) symbolizes the union victory in freeing the people from slavery during the civil war. “The port is near, the bells I hear, people exulting” ( Hennessey , 2001, p. 1) is used to symbolize the jubilation and happiness of the American people since they had overcome the war of slavery and won.
O Captain! My Captain! Imagery
The proceeding lines deliver the captain’s death after the victory of the civil war, which is the main theme of the poem. Repetition of “but O Heart! Heart! Heart! “(Trinh, 2002, p. 1) represents the speakers’ horror to the fact that the captain has died.
Repetition of the word heart with an exclamation mark is an imagery representation of the disbelief in the speakers’ towards his captain’s death. “Bleeding drops of red” ( Whitman , 2006, p. 1) is used to represents the captain’s wounded heart and the wounds in the captain’s body. The rhythm portrays the emotion of the speaker and in the country population at large.
The second stanza contrast the two groups emotions, this is made possible through the use of rich imagery to portray the different effect of the president assassination. One group of the crowd is gathering to celebrate the victory of the military that was lead by the dead Lincoln while the other crowd is mourning his death. “Rise up and hear the bells” (Whitman, 2006, p. 1). The bell symbolizes the jubilation by one group and wailing, anguish, and pain of loss in the other group of the population.
Also, the bugle can be taken to represent military calls for victory; they are played at soldiers’ funerals as a sign of honor, and a hero send-off. Wreaths and bouquets is an imagery of the two emotion state the population is going through after the assassination.
One crowd is rejoicing, while the other is mourning the death of the leader Abraham Lincoln. The summary depicts the different reactions by the population to his death. The captain is being referred to as the father by the speaker for the first time in the poem (Trinh, 2002, p. 2). This show Lincoln was not only recognized by the people as their president but also as a mentor of the generation. He symbolizes a new dawn or era in American history, where people are free from slavery.
In the last lines, the speaker is in self-denial concerning the death of Lincoln, he even says it is a dream. In the last line, “You have fallen cold and dead” (Hennessey, 2001, p. 1), it qualifies the speaker state of disbelief concerning the president’s death. He even assumes the president could hear him by talking to his corpse, later it sinks into his mind the president has crossed over to the other world.
His death is what the imagery emphasizes in the last stanza. The speaker describes him as still with pale lips, having no pulse, and he could not feel his arms. This creates a vivid description of a dead body, the narrator speaks from a third persona rather from a first persona as with stanza one and two.
He talks of the population enjoying the newfound freedom from slavery while he suffers the loss from the death of the president, which adds irony to the poem. As the poem finishes, he acknowledges the president is indeed dead, but he continues to mourn ( Whitman , 1997, p. 1). Despite the reality of the president being dead, it is clear many are still to come to terms with his death.
The pain and anguish the American population felt after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination were unbearable. It is clear from the poem that it is still hard for them to accept the loss of their hero. The beauty of the poem can be attributed to the vivid expression made possible by the use of symbolism and imagery in the poem.
Conclusion
The essay analyzes imagery and symbolism in the poems and answers significant questions such as “Who Does the Captain Symbolize in O Captain, My Captain ?” The poem is an elegy. It has been used to vividly describe the scenario in America slightly before and after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, who was the president at that time. From the poem, we get a vivid picture of the people’s perception towards their president and also his character.
It is clear from the poem the president was a man of the people, and he was wholly accepted and adored by the majority of the citizens. He represented the people and spoke the people’s language, expressing their views and ideas. Genuinely was the president in representing the people’s concerns who had elected him into office.
Reference List
Hennessey, M. (2001). O Captain! My Captain! By Walt Whitman. Web.
Trinh, H. (2002). Literary analysis: O Captain, My Captain, by Walt Whitman. Web.
Whitman, W. (1997). O Captain. My Captain. Academy of American Poets. Web.
Whitman, W. (2006). O Captain. My Captain. Analysis. Web.
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Symbolism in Death of a Salesman Essay
“Death of a Salesman” is a play written in 1949 by an American playwright, Arthur Miller. The play is based on both Miller’s personal experiences and the theatrical traditions in which he was instructed in. “Death of a salesman” revolves around the Loman family with Willy Loman, the father, who also works as a salesman as the main character.
Willy Loman has indulged himself in a myth of being well-liked and being attractive to succeed in the business world. He believes that personal talent is not as important and actually uses this myth against his neighbors and friends, Charley and Bernard, who he does not consider to be physically attractive.
Due to this belief implanted in them, the Lomans lead an unpleasant and unfulfilled life while their neighbors enjoyed success. Willy is also in a delusional mental state and is caught in between the past and the present in which he keeps having hallucinations and reveries.
He lives in a flimsy fantasy world which is full of excuses and daydreams as he desperately attempts to make sense of himself, his hopes and the world that once held so much promise.
In the play, Miller uses different styles and devices to bring out Willy’s situation, and what it is all about and symbolism is one of these styles. Here is an analysis of symbolism in the play: Willy Loman’s character, including his salesman career, symbolizes an ordinary man in American society.
He acts as a representation of the ordinary man leading a fruitless life in a flourishing nation. Somehow, Willy reflects the dilemma of the common man fighting for his survival and trying to pay his bills yet live like everyone else. This is mainly observed when he is caught in a dilemma on how to pay his last mortgage payment.
Besides, Charley, his neighbor constantly gives him money to take home to his wife as if it was his salary as his salesman job is fluttering around him and he does not earn enough from it.
In one of their conversations, he even tells Charley that a gentleman is valuable more when he is departed than when he is living. It’s ironical that in the end, he commits suicide so that his family can get his life insurance money to pay for the mortgage.
Contrary, Charley’s character symbolizes the voice of reason in Willy’s deluded world. Charley who is Willy’s neighbor and only friend is a successful man with his own sales business. He tries to offer Willy a job several times and even after Willy is fired, but Willy turns down the offers as he regards it as an insult to his image. However, Charley is only trying to help him out, but Willey couldn’t appreciate that.
In one of the scenes, Charley is present during one of Willy’s daydream and as he tries to talk to him convincingly, but instead Willy yells back at him. This confuses Charley, and he decides to leave him alone as he does not understand what is going on. Apart from his family, only Charley and Bernard, his son, attend Willy’s funeral.
In the play, leaves are often seen to appear around the present setting during Willy’s reveries. These leaves are a representation of the leaves from the two elm trees which were situated next to the house in the early days. This was before Willy cut them down to build a hammock for him to relax with his family.
The trees were also cut down to pave the way for the development of the apartment blocks around their neighborhood. When Willy first moved into the neighborhood, the air was clean and fresh and the atmosphere, serene and quiet. However, in the present day, development and construction of new apartments have taken over, and the atmosphere is no longer the same, it been over-exploited and polluted.
In parts of the flashbacks, Biff and Happy are dressed in high school football sweaters. This is a symbol of the hope they had and the success that seemed so close during that time. Biff was the star of his high school football team and was even invited to attend three universities during his senior year.
Bernard even begs Biff if he could carry his helmet as he goes for the Ebbets Field game in his senior year. (Miller 165) notes that “In the scene at Frank Chop’s house, Happy goes on to brag to the woman he’s flirting with that Biff is a quarterback with the New York Giants, which is a lie.”
The jungle, which is constantly mentioned in connection to Ben, is symbolic of life. Willy even says “The woods are burning! I can’t drive a car!” (as cited in Miller, 22) when he has a foreboding sense of his life crashing around him. Ben is Willy’s dead brother who had gone to Africa, discovered a diamond mine in the jungle and became very successful.
Ben says in the play “When I was seventeen, I walked into the jungle. And by twenty-one, I walked out. And by God, I was rich!” (as cited in Miller, 49). He asked Willy to go with him at the time but he refused, and that became the cause for deep regret for the rest of his life.
In the same context, there is an appearance of diamonds which symbolize success. Willy idolizes Ben as he seems to be living the American dream while he is stuck in a rut he can’t pull himself out of. As the play comes to an end, Uncle Ben refers to the jungle by saying that “You must go into the jungle and fetch a diamond out” (Miller 65). Willy keeps wishing that he had followed Ben to Alaska and then Africa, then he might have been just as rich.
Stockings are another form of symbolism depicted in the play. They symbolize Willy’s infidelity and his uncaring attitude towards his wife.
Willy gives the stockings that his wife mends, to his mistress as gifts. During one of his flashbacks, Willy hears “The Woman’s” laughter and becomes agitated. He immediately gets angry and starts shouting at his wife, Linda, and Bernard. He even orders Linda to throw out the stockings and reprimands her for mending them.
His infidelity also costs him his relationship with his son when Biff accidentally found Willy with his mistress. Biff is dejected, and he loses all respect for his father. Consequently, the guilt Willy feels is the cause of his tense relations with Biff and his disconcerted behavior around his wife.
The recorder is another form of symbolism that is used in the play. When Willy goes to his boss, Howard Wagner, to try and get him to relocate him to the New York office, Wagner does not give him time to talk. (Miller 45) Says that “Instead, he interrupts him and makes him listen to his wife and kids on the wire recorder. This recorder and the voices in it symbolize the success that Willy has always dreamed of and wished he had.” In all his endeavors, this success seems to elude him even though he never gives up hope.
Willy goes on and tells Wagner that he would get a recorder as well, which is a symbol of his pride since there is no way he could afford to buy one. Eventually, his boss does not listen to him, turns down his plea and ends up firing him.
In the play, tennis rackets have also been used as a form of symbolism. They are a figure of Ironic metaphor of Bernard’s success. Bernard is seen going to take part in tennis with an associate of his, who owns a tennis court. This symbolism is seen as ironic because a glimpse from the past projected that the Loman brothers would be the ones to be successful in the sports department.
From the first act, Bernard would continuously be seen trying to intervene in Biffs academic life, which he did not seem bothered with as he was busy concentrating on his football vocation. In the end, due to neglecting his grades, Biff ends up losing football as well, whereas Bernard, who focused more on his books, becomes successful even in sports.
The flutes and flute music have been used to symbolize the far gone and good times when Willy was a stable person. They bring nostalgia and memories of the old times when he was younger and with great hope for immense success in the business world, comes the future. For instance, in one of the scenes where Willy goes into a reverie, he is talking with his brother Ben about his father, who used to manufacture and sell flutes.
Ben brags about how their father was a great man and inventor, and it is obvious from this talk that Willy’s father was just as successful as his brother is. Willy is therefore left wondering why the same fate did not befall him as he believes that his family is of a thriving heritage.
In the last Act, as the play is about to come to an end, Willy is seen planting seedlings in the garden. (Miller 47) notes that “The seeds symbolize a natural process of growth that prevails in nature and the garden is symbolic of Willy wanting to leave something as a commemoration of him.” He hopes to leave something that people will look at and be reminded of him as a great man.
He plants the seeds in the hope that the garden will one day grow into something substantial enough in contrast to his life which he considers a failure.
As he plants the seeds, he has a conversation with Ben about a $20,000 deal that would give Biff a good startup boost in his life and his business. In the end, this deal he is talking about ends up being his life insurance.
In conclusion, Miller uses symbolism in the play to bring out the hopelessness in the Loman’s family. Through this, the audience can empathize with them and their situation. It becomes evident how the ‘American dream’ myth can adversely affect a person as they try to pursue it.
Work Cited
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman . Oxford, UK: Penguin Classic, 1998. Print.
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Symbolism in play The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne Explicatory Essay
Introduction
Nathaniel Hawthorne has primarily used symbolism in his work as a style of narrative maneuver. A symbol like the black color has been used to denote the veil itself. It is a symbol of evil and secret sin of humanity. The veil representation has been commonly used to illustrate fear of the unknown and the rigidity in the puritan society.
Besides, the typical nuance veil has rested in the somatic and conceptual disadvantage that it establishes, amid the minister and his brethren and the shame that it articulates.
Hawthorne (89) describes that the congregation trust that the exterior exhibits offers evidence in regard to a person’s essential features, thus his or her incredible comportment. Hence by embracing the veil, the minister diminishes the authority on which the faithful can accurately envisage his conduct.
This causes isolation of the minister with his congregation, although he is made reckless already by simple action of wearing the veil. Fragment of the terrifying effect of veil descends from consciousness (Meyer, 65).
The consciousness alludes that the other person is capable of seeing without being identified or seen himself. This is illustrated by members of the congregation when they say “the most blameless girl and the man of cynical breast sensed as if the minister had crept on them. Behind this dreadful veil, revealed their amassed unfairness of deed (Hawthorne, 113)
As the congregation cannot aptly predict where the minister is gazing, they trust and assume that they are being watched diligently than normal. This hypothesis is reinforced by the theme of the discourse, which “had typified furtive evil and the miserable secrecies which people skin from the rest of society”.
Hence, the ministers exemplify the responsibility of “God”, whose probing examination can decode secret mystery of an individual of the soul. Equally, the wearing of the veil is a signal of being guilty. As a classic illustration for the society, the minister accordingly infers that individuals have to accept the same.
The minister criticizes the people by being chauvinistic and fallen from the philosophy of ethics. They are extremely concerned, with the growing power drilled over them in embracing shared uniqueness of Puritan America. This is apparent in fundamental battle amid the people and society (Hawthorne, 79).
The Minister’s black veil symbol can also be illustrated clearly on the universal variance between puritanism and sensitivity, which is the attitude that hominid are dualistic; they have inherent, evil side and an internalized, moralistic side.
Rendering to this set of conjecture, the “Evil or darkness” as described by Hawthorne, we can infer that darkness is a natural part of an individual (Hawthorne, 97).
The Minister recognizes the evil in him and formulates alternatives to curb obstacles that can preserve his sentient character from intolerable and suppressed self. This obstacle is embodied in the veil (Meyer, 104).
It is subsequently transferred as a reflection of clandestine sin. The congregation epitomizes the cognizant of the persona, which entails the ethics and tenets verbalized by humanity. To evade frightening acuities from inflowing cognizance, they embrace multiple instruments. The multiplicity of these shield instruments is illustrated by the antiphons of minister’s homily (Hawthorne, 3).
Various people search for means of appraising the situation, as in case, the existence of others. Others find a way to befuddle themselves from their feelings, by talking and laughing loudly. Other people dismiss or refute their feeling of the situation.
Conclusion
Symbols in Hawthorne’s play, The Minister’s Black Veil illustrate the impenetrable obstacle existing in all human souls. The point illustrated by the symbols alludes that every individual should accept his or her “black veil” (Meyer, 123). However, if we humans are contented in accepting the evil in them, there is a concern to come when individuals will be compelled to put aside their veils.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Minister’s Black Veil , Iowa: Perfection Learning, 2007
Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing , London: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007
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Syncretism in the American Culture Essay
These days, there is hardly a nation that avoided the world tendency for globalization and preserved its “pure” culture. The process of globalization is closely related to the term “syncretism”. According to Dave Miller (2003), “syncretism is the fusion of differing systems of belief, as opposed to remaining individualistic”.
In other words, it is an attempt to unite several different cultures or studies. This term was generally related to religion, however, today, it is closely related to anthropology and different cultural studies. It is a characteristic feature of a country with a big inflow of immigrants from different countries of the world. One of such countries is the United States of America. It is the best example of how different cultures, religions and traditions create a single unity.
History and development of the country favored to a high level of syncretism in the country. However, if syncretism had not occurred in the Americas, modern culture could be different in several ways. First of all, it would interfere the development of the country and it could probably lead to the emergence of several independent states on the territory of the United States.
According to Charles Stuart (1999):
“Contemporary social theory has turned to focus on phenomena such as globalization, transnational nationalism, and the situation of Diaspora communities. The word syncretism has begun to appear alongside such related concepts as hybridization and creolization as a means of portraying the dynamics of global social development” (p. 40).
This tendency appeared in the Unites States from the very moment of its appearance, as it was a home for people from different countries and with different cultural backgrounds. Syncretism is a process that assists a successful development of the country and society. It is a positive process and suggests that all people with their moral, religion and spiritual believes are equal.
Inevitable, that syncretism may be regarded as a compromise among cultures. Moreover, it is a valuable symbiosis of these cultures that promote their mutually advantageous co-existence. So, “studies of New World syncretic phenomena by American anthropologists were colored by an optimism born in the heyday of America’s melting pot ideology” (Stewart and Shaw, 1994, p. 5).
What consequences there could be if cultural syncretism did not appear? And how might modern culture be different from what we have used to see nowadays? It is rather hard to imagine that there is no a “mutually advantageous co-existence of different cultures”. Moreover, taking into consideration the fact that syncretism deals with almost every aspect of modern life, it is quite impossible to avoid it.
At any rate, if it happens, there can be distressing results. First of all, it would be impossible for people from different countries to create families. Second, there could be constant regional conflict on the cultural basis. Third, the development of the country could cease or become much slower.
In addition, it would influence greatly on policy and law. Education would be much more difficult as there could appear misunderstanding and misconceptions. In general, it would bring much tension in the society and its structure. Finally, a cultural development of the society could be almost impossible.
Syncretism is a mixture of cultural and religious beliefs that promotes a successful development of the society. Failure to create it would influence greatly on the lives of people and their interaction. Lack of syncretism would bring much tension to society.
References List
Miller, D. (2003). Pluralism, Multiculturalism, Syncretism, and America. Apologetics Press: Scripturally Speaking . Retrieved from http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=7&article=1260
Stewart, C. (1999). Syncretism and Its Synonyms: Reflections on Cultural Mixture. Diacritics . 29 (3), 40-62.
Stewart, C, and Shaw, R. (1994). Syncretism/anti-syncretism: the politics of religious synthesis . New York: Routledge.
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Nature of Taboo Words Analytical Essay
There are billions of people living on Earth, who speak more than two hundred different languages. There are languages of different natures, such as analytic or synthetic; in any case, every language is beautiful in its way. It is always pleasant to listen to a native speaker, even if we do not understand what they are saying.
From a mouth of a good speaker, the words seem to flow out smoothly, like a flute melody. However, far not all the words have such melodic properties. Some of them people refuse not only to use, but also to hear. Addressing with these words can be treated as a sign of disrespect, while their use by a good-mannered person is unacceptable. These are taboo words.
It is a well-known fact that taboo words constitute a group of lexical units, which are undesirable to be used in speech (Jay, 1). However, despite the prohibition of such words, they still exist, function, and, what is most striking, developing in all the languages of the world.
This fact obviously points to the controversial nature of taboo words: they were invented by people, and now the same people are trying to vanish them from their languages, and visa versa, while some are trying to avoid taboo words, others are successfully using them. In any case, it should be remembered that society is the only judge, who is to decide, whether a certain word should be referred to as taboo or not.
Indeed, one of the main questions about taboo words is: what criterion should be used, while defining, which words are taboo? Obviously, the words are most likely to be considered as taboo, in case they are aimed at humiliation. Admittedly, as a rule, taboo words have a great destructive power; their pronunciation can offend the addressed person, make them feel disgraced or ashamed (McGregor, 27). Taboo words are definitely a tool of an ill-mannered person.
However, despite the rather negative nature of taboo words, they are still sometimes resorted to sometimes. Consequently, there have to be some situations, in which the use of taboo words should be justified, or at least explained. Judging from this point of view, we should note, that offence is not the only purpose of taboo words use. Such lexical units are often used in order to emphasize one’s speech, and make it more expressive.
In addition, the use of taboo words is proved to be more often observed in people, who are in a state of emotional excitement. Interestingly, not only negative, but also the most positive emotions are sometimes expressed with the help of taboo words (McGinnies, 245). This points to the fact, that taboo words have a very important function in the society, which is serving as a means of expressiveness.
Due to being useful at a certain level, taboo words still exist in many languages. What is more, they are not likely to disappear. If to think logically, it can be concluded, that taboo words serve as balancing units for the normal language. Indeed, language can only exist in oppositions, and if there are common words, there should be some taboo words. Thus, another function of these lexical units is constituting an opposition to the normed language.
In fact, in order to understand the essence of taboo words, it might be useful to analyze the sphere they cover. In case of English language, most of the taboo words are connected to the sphere of sexual intercourse. In other languages, for example Russian, such character of taboo lexicon is also present.
However, some of the Russian taboo words originated from Slavic languages, where taboo words were made synthetically, and were used as spells. Logically, those words were to be used very carefully, and they were usually addressed to the most evil enemies. Surprisingly, in French language taboo words are mostly those, which name church attributes (Struck, 1). As it can be seen from these examples, taboo words cover various spheres of life.
It may seem hard to establish connection between all the facts, mentioned above. However, there is one feature, which connects sexual intercourse, magic spells, and church attributes. This feature is their secrecy. Indeed, sexual intercourse is an ultimately personal issue, and in our subconsciousness we know that everything connected to it should not be revealed.
Similarly, religious rituals are very intimate, and sacral relationships between a human and God should be kept in secret. Therefore, the conclusion to be made is that taboo words usually refer to a sphere of life, which people prefer not to speak about; these spheres are very private, and this determines the nature of taboo words.
As a consequence, using taboo words means revealing something secret, showing the bold truth. Furthermore, in taboo words this truth is often used with some rude or negative connotation. All these factors suggest that the first natural reaction to such words is shame. This is the reason why taboo words are most often used by teenagers in communication with their peers, where the feeling of shame is considerably diminished (Stenström, 116).
However, despite the often negative meaning of taboo words, some of them are not totally taboo, so to say. Indeed, some taboo words in the linguistic environment can be used with other lexical units, and as a result, they lose their taboo character. One of the examples of such phenomenon is the word “pussycat”, from which, in case of its division into morphemes, one can derive a very rude taboo word.
In addition, taboo words, as any other words, can have multiple meanings, which suggests that their use in different situations is not only desired, but needed. As an example, the word “bitch” in English has a range of meanings, primary of which is a female animal. Thus, in zoology this word is normal, while in common conversation with people this word can be considered as taboo.
Having analyzed the meaning and nature of taboo words, we can now explain the existence of such words. It became obvious that secret thoughts, notions, and actions need to be named; even if people are forbidden to pronounce some things, there still exist names for them. Indeed, deeply believing people prefer not to pronounce the word “devil” aloud, but they still know this word, and what notion it describes. A similar attitude society has towards taboo words. Even in case these words are not often used, people still need them.
Moreover, taboo words reveal one significant feature about society. Their existence proves that the society has a sense of limits both in their culture and in their language. The sense of shame, which is a very important quality, is also indicated through the taboo words in language.
However, the modern world, in which the sense of shame is rejected, suggests that the use of taboo words is normal. Some words, which used to be taboo less than half a century ago (such as the word “sex”), now have moved into the category of normed lexicon. However, with the progress of life new taboo words appear, as far as it has been proved that society needs them.
All in all, it can be stated that the nature of taboo words is rather controversial. Their occurrence, use, together with prohibition are estimated by the society, which both needs and rejects them. Taboo words denote secret spheres of human life, which intensifies their unallowable character.
Works Cited
Jay, Timothy. “The Utility and Ubiquity of Taboo Words”. Perspectives on Psychological science . May 2009. 15 May 2010. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01115.x
McGinnies, Edward. “Emotionality in perceptual defense”. Psychological Reviews 56 (1989): 244-251.
McGregor, William. Linguistics: An Introduction . NY: Continuum, 2009.
Stenström, Anna-Brita. “Taboo words in teenage talk: London and Madrid girls’ conversations compared”. Spanish in context 3.1 (2006): 115-138.
Struck, Doug. “Holy cow! In French-speaking Canada, the sacred is also profane” Chicago Tribune . Dec. 2006. 15 May 2010. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-12-14-0612130414-story.html
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Team Building Activity Essay
The team building activity under discussion was tailored to integrate a synergetic model in enhancing communication between the patient and health care professional in the provision of healthcare services to the patient. The team building activity involved identifying the rationale to establish the team and the consequent benefits of effective teamwork.
The team building activity was completed by creating a compensation plan that integrated the aspect of teamwork as a critical component, a strategy supported in the arguments of (Grazier, 1998) and (Prebble & Frederick, 2007).
The main objective of the team building activity was to enhance and improve communication between healthcare service providers and the patients to better understand patient needs to improve service delivery as a team synergetic benefit.
The aim was to improve the effectiveness of team participants, strategically aiming at achieving the spelt down objective, ensuring that strengths of team members were effectively used to overcome members’ weaknesses, and ensure that all team members contributed to the laid down team building plan (Prebble & Frederick, 2007).
The participants, who were healthcare professionals, were formed into groups of four members in each of the three groups forming the team. The team members consisted of health care professional from different categories. These categories included physicians, nurses, administrators, and doctors, among other members in the profession.
The team building activity included identifying the purpose of the team, the needs of the team, composition of team members, the time the team was likely to last, and the benefits to the designate individuals to be affected by the team members, specifically the patient. In the hypothetical groups, each of the members was given a piece of paper to write a personal evaluation of self and the problems encountered in communicating with patients.
Then each of the papers describing self was mixed together from the number of groups that were formed. Each of the team members could then be rotated and other team members could evaluate the other group on their effectiveness in communicating with the patients. The process went on until all the groups were fully involved in evaluating the other group members.
At the completion stage, all team members could identify critical communicating element and each member’s weaknesses and suggest the possible solutions to the communication problem faced (Prebble & Frederick, 2007).
Why it would be Effective
The team was projected to be effective due to a number of components critically defining it. Each of the team members could address the technical healthcare needs of patients through an improved communication plan. To address the human needs of patients, improved interpersonal relationships between healthcare professional and the patients could also be achieved (Crother-Laurin, 2006).
Crother-Laurin (2006) argues that to ensure that the team is effective in the fulfillment of its objective, team members were required to balance their technical and human interaction skills, while inculcating the element of fellowship in each of the team members.
Each of the team members was required to be the team steward and be loyal, besides each member being responsible for personal decision making and motivate each of the members.
To sustain motivation, members could embrace a learning environment to cultivate newly acquired skills and other skills improvement opportunities. That could be catalyzed by good leadership approaches by employing good leadership skills (Crother-Laurin, 2006).
The leadership could provide stimulus for team members to be self actualized through a typical compensation plan. Therefore, a complete understanding of the team members could understand and endeavor to improve their productivity (Miller, 2008).
References
Crother-Laurin, C. (2006). Effective Teams: A Symptom of Healthy Leadership. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 29(3), 4. Web.
Grazier, P. (1998). Team Motivation . Web.
Miller, B. (2008). Quick activities to improve your team. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 31(2), 19-20. Web.
Prebble, D., & Frederick, H. (2007). 10 Ways to distinguish between a team and a group . Web.
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Team Building and Team Development Expository Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. First and Second Stage
3. Norm Stage
4. Justification of the Opinion
5. Expectations
6. Conclusions
Introduction
The stages of team development are formation state, storming, normalizing, performing and transforming stages. Each of these stages has a special challenge especially for a group of people who are struggling to function as a unit. Some unique or special features/actions particularly from the individual entities strengthen the cohesive forces that ought to guide team members towards a team mission.
First and Second Stage
According to Guttman (2008), the first stage of formation involves coming together to form a group that has a shared vision or mission. The group aims at mainly accomplishing a certain purpose.
The second stage of storming emerges because the team members get to know each other, but may have some conflicting views that can stain the relationship. For instance, they may fail to agree on the procedures to follow towards attaining the set goals or disagree against the set vision /mission of a firm. The case sample of members of a medical facility has passed these two stages.
Norm Stage
The norm stage is progressive since members are able to share ideas and form working relationships that cater for the team’s objectives and progress. The current team has harmonized its prior strained or competitive relationships. It is thus able to work harmoniously towards development goals. However, some cohesiveness of the team still lacks some collaboration, thus the reason it is still in the norm stage.
The team has to attain the next stage of the development life cycle, which is the performing stage. The team lacks strong collaboration and team unity thus affecting harmonization. Lack of synchronization in the team is thus the reason why members or team leaders fails to bring out a successful functioning team.
Justification of the Opinion
A new colleague joining the team at this stage must expect to meet members who can either cause team conflicts or enforce work harmony. The members may also feel secure and express their opinions freely due to existing spirit of responsiveness, kindness and affirmation.
Openness and members cooperation also promotes members’ listening skill. By listening to one another, they are able to understand the importance of maintaining an effective form of communication. They have various measures of enhancing communication as an effective tool of combating conflicts or disagreements.
The working techniques and strategies are well established. The reason for easy establishment is due to collaboration and as a result, members are in a position to choose a leader amongst them and establish the role of each affiliate. However, effective performance often fails to take place due to lack of enough trust or honesty among members. The team is thus not yet reasonable, since there are no evident justifiable procedures to quantify the team.
Expectations
In line with Boone and Kurtz (2010), a real team in the performing stage is very effective and productive. The members act honestly with each other, thus strengthening their interaction and ability to have synchronized objectives for success.
The members of this team at a medical facility also lack confidence and members may fail to believe that the group is strong enough for anticipated success.
Member’s collaboration still fails to trigger personal impressions that their team is the best and the most successful experience. At the initial stages of development, a team is expected to engage members to pursue goals or projects.
Conclusions
The new member should also understand that his/her presence might cause either progression to the next stage or regression to previous stage. The progress therefore depends on experience and skills of the team members. At this stage, the team cannot analyze their current performance level and have a basis for future projections.
The team always disbands after accomplishing goals, but it is a difficult process due to the already formed strong links between members. Perhaps one question that can assist in analysis of the stage would be how fast or easy the team can break up.
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The Importance of Team Management in Health Facilities Expository Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Teams
3. Characteristics of an orchestrate team
4. The importance of motivation in teams
5. Positive and negative aspects of working as a team
6. Conclusion
7. Reference
Introduction
To provide quality and timely medical services, medical facilities need to maintain an orchestrate team; the concerned facility management has the role of developing groups within an organization to form teams that will benefit patients and the company. Developing and maintaining teams is a strategic process that requires top management and employees support. This paper discusses team management in medical facilities.
Teams
In medical institutions, the entire facility can be regarded as a team since it has the noble goal of improving medical care in the region they operate. Within the larger institutions, there are small groups mandated to undertake certain tasks, they include the nursing team, human resources teams, administration and pool of doctors. They work “independently” to the benefit of the organization.
Characteristics of an orchestrate team
When people of different experiences, ages and professions come together to fulfill a certain goal, they cannot be called a team; a team has some unique characteristics they include:
Teams have an objective that they aim at fulfilling; all members in the team well understand the role they play in the fulfillment of the team’s goals and objectives. When working in a team, despite the differences in profession, experiences and differentiation of tasks, team members should be treating each other equally with an appropriate members respect.
In orchestrate teams, members have high respect of each other opinion and with the guidance of the team leader, they find their path and develop strategies together; there is consultation among them and each aims at improving the other member in one way or another.
Teams should have optimal combination of resources: resources are limited thus they need to be allocated in the most effective manner, in team resources include the intellectualism, profession and experience that team members have. A right combination leads to optimal utility of team potential as young players are developed to be team leaders and experts in the future.
The importance of motivation in teams
Motivation is the drive an individual has; it makes an employee persevere to attain set goals in an organization, since the employee anticipates a benefit in kind or non kind from his employer. Team members have different personalities thus they motivated by different things; when a team is not motivated, then it cannot fulfill it goals and objectives effectively.
Ability can be facilitated through learning and experience; motivation is attained after putting into consideration all factors that can make employees enthusiastic and vigil in their works.
Teams need to be motivated via policies set in an organization and also by strategies that team leaders use; when managing a team, the most effective tool of motivation in involvement of all team members in the fulfillment of the team’s goals and objectives.
Despite that team has members with different skills, experiences, age and professions, team leaders should ensure that every member contribution is welcomed and appreciated, they should be engaged in different tasks so as to integrate and develop their intellectualism.
Involvement at team level combined with company’s motivational policies leads to orchestrate team with the drive to fulfill team’s goals and mission (Crother-Laurin, 2006).
Positive and negative aspects of working as a team
Teams develop better ways of fulfilling a certain task since different people with the right experiences and professions are involved. They are bleeding areas for invention and innovation as members develop better ways of fulfilling their tasks when required. Well managed teams motivate their members through healthy involvement in different tasks and responsibilities.
The negative aspect of teams occurs when they are not effectively managed; they are likely to fail the entire organization since their interdependence and reliance with each other can hamper their entire performance. If a single member of a team records some inefficiency or deficiency in a certain area, then the effect will be felt in the entire team
Conclusion
In medical facilities, different tasks are fulfilled via teams developed, managed and motivated to undertake the task. A well developed team has a sense of belonging to the team and every member works to benefit the team. At team level, involvement is an effective motivation mechanism alongside other motivational strategies set by an organization.
Reference
Crother-Laurin, C. (2006). Effective Teams: A Symptom of Healthy Leadership . The Journal for Quality and Participation , 29(3), 4.
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Team Performance Evaluation in Health Organizations Analytical Essay
For a long time now, managers have measured employee performance by use of very general and vague descriptions like excellent, above average, good, fair, satisfactory, and many more. In the US at around 1964, rights activists movements started pushing for the adoption of more objective methods of employee performance evaluation (De Koning, 2004).
This then led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act 1966 and formation of the Equal Employment opportunity Commission (1970) which amounted demands that workers evaluations be based on objective, systematic and defensible measurements.
The afore-mentioned developments led to adoption of several performance evaluation methods some of which are still in use in modern organizations. Having been appointed a team leader in a health division and have been requested to carry out performance evaluations, I will choose the management by objectives (MBO) method, as the most suitable tool for this task.
Besides MBO method, several other methods can be used to evaluate data. First, you can evaluate performance through trait rating, which rates employees based on specific traits. To evaluate by trait rating you need to make a list of the desired abilities and qualities such as, ability to solve problems, mutual respect, level of participation in a team and many more.
These traits can then be rated on a 1-10 scale, which will give more standardized, and objective results. This method is advantageous because its results can easily be compared throughout the entire organization. However, its critics posit that it is too vague since it is based on personality rather than behavior.
Secondly, you can rate employees based on how well they perform compared to each other. This method is referred to as peer ranking. This method helps in the identification of good or poor performers. This on the other hand could a rouse jealousy and cause rivalry among team members greatly affecting teamwork.
Thirdly, evaluation can be carried out by use of multisource feedback criteria, which is also called 360 feedback criteria. This method relies on a group of workers to evaluate each other and the group as a whole. This method is advantageous as it includes attributes, which are fairy long and therefore can give a more detailed result. However, it is complex as it presents several parameters for analysis and evaluation.
Finally yet importantly, is management by objectives method which, I had indicated, would be the most appropriated approach for performance evaluation in a s the head of my local health organization division. I prefer this method because it is based on measurable goals and standards.
Since this is a health organization, the one of the major concern would to evaluate the skills and specializations of each of the team members. Then these skills would form a basis for reward and duty allocations. In an instance where some members do not posses the required skills then it will be set that, they endeavor to acquire them by undergoing training.
In addition, I will enlist the organization’s top goals and policies to set standards against which performance evaluations shall be based. The set and agreed objectives shall then be communicated to the group and shall be the bench for individual performance analysis. This method according to Erven (2006) can be very effective if the standards and goals set are accurate, realistic, and achievable.
References
De Koning, G. (2004). Evaluating Employee Performance: The limitations of subjective Manager evaluation and multisource feedback. Gallup Management Journal. Retrieved from: < https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/13891/evaluating-employee-performance-part.aspx >
Erven, B. (2006). Evaluating Performance and providing feedback to employees. Web.
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Team Performance Measurement in the Health Care Essay
A team performance measurement is the review of workers’ job performance. This is done to meet the company’s’ goals and objectives. There has to be employees’ assessment so as achieve these goals. Much of work done in companies or industries is as a result of teams. There are various team measurement methods which have been applied for the success of organizations.
Functional requirement of a group includes simultaneity or sequencing. Simultaneity is when team members do a task at the same time, whereas sequencing means that the output of one member is the input to another’s task.
According to William (2003), team performance is measured when different levels of analysis are put into consideration. This includes individual, team, and organizations.
Team functioning is categorized into input and output. In input, team processes are put into consideration. Output is the outcome of the task. A measure of team performance in training helps to diagnose problems and skill development.
Experts are able to point out areas that need to be in team function. Sample surveys help the experts to give details of team members’ function. Teams’ assessment is useful in selection of team members in a given task.
As a manager of a health care team, there are factors that would be considered when measuring team’s performance in a health care organization.
These include the reason for measurement, the method of assessment, the behaviors to be assessed, time expense and response qualification. The reason for problem identification is to get the attributes, which are behavioral skills such as assertiveness.
This can be measured by looking at members who highlight others’ mistakes. Stimulus is another reason for identification, which is to elicit behaviors of team members. Quantification is also measured in form of questionnaires where team members write down their thought and they can also use tapes.
The challenges faced in such scenario include resistance, errors in evaluation, and coming up with evaluation criteria. Employees may resist because of fear of low rating. For their performance to be effective it should be planned early, and telling the employees what is expected of them. Errors in evaluation are challenges because one characters’ rating may influence the evaluator’s rating for others.
Determining the evaluation criteria is the biggest challenge faced because if the data for evaluation is not carefully selected, it may have many errors. This may lower the esteem of team members, and thus lead to poor performance.
LePine (2003) argues that team evaluation is done in a sequence. The first step is determining the time schedule of the company to gather information and prepare for performance measurements.
Employees should be evaluated after they have stayed for 3- 6 months. This should be done after every 3 months a year. Second, is determining the company’s appraisal policy and outlining the procedures of the company to complete the employees form.
Attributes such as job responsibilities, tasks, likes, dislikes and comments from the supervisors must be reviewed. The forms should have the supervisors’ and employee’s sign and comments. Going through the employee’s job description and gathering information, for example strength and weaknesses, attributes and accomplishments is important in measuring performance.
Likewise, addressing the employees’ weakness and taking actions that may help and filling the evaluation form properly increases the chances of accurate measurements. The employee should be informed about the performance appraisal and then a meeting with the employees should be scheduled to read through the performance appraisal.
The employees should have a copy and discussions of the observations, where issues concerning the employee are highlighted. The report is then submitted to the managers. However, the whole process seems extensive in case of a big team within the health care organization.
In conclusion, the evaluation of team performance in the health care is meant to give feedback on employee’s performance, identify his/her training needs, improve performance through counseling, coaching and performance, and facilitate communication between employee and the administration.
The major challenges of measuring team performance include resistance, errors in evaluation, determining the evaluation criteria, and following the correct procedure of measurement.
In today’s competitive market, companies want more from their workers; they want workers who can develop teams to help them achieve greater success. Leaders know that when the team is evaluated, they offer many merits, which can provide richer, more diverse solutions to problems. Team evaluation leads to success in many organizations.
References
LePine, J.A. (2003). Team Adaptation and Post Change Performance: Effects of Team Composition in Terms of Members’ Cognitive Abilities. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88: 27-39.
William, S. D. (2003). Evaluating Experiential Training for Leadership and Team Building”. The Journal Management Development, 22 ( 1 ): 45-59.
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Teamwork Survey by Tuckman’s Model Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Stage of the Team
3. Summary
4. Reference
Introduction
The stage of development in teams usually defines their future. Any team that is able to identify its stage of development goes on to succeed since, they know where they are and what they need to move on to the next level.
Most of the times teams ignore activities such as evaluation of their progress and at times they do it as a routine without the intention to accept or act on the results. Nonetheless, it is quite important to note that the more a team’s or a group’s performance is evaluated, the higher their chances of improving.
Several methods and models have been brought forward to help in team evaluation and development, among these include Tuckman’s model, which has helped determine the stages of numerous teams and groups. This paper will endeavor to evaluate this group using Tuckman’s model (Clark, 2010, p. 1).
Stage of the Team
Tuckman formulated a teamwork surveying model, which has been used by several groups to determine their level of developmental stage. The model is designed to spot the current stage of a team or a group.
The model is designed in the form of a questionnaire, each question has at least a point, which range from 1 to 5. The scores awarded are based on behavior of the team. These points are then summed up to determine the stage of a team.
According to Tuckman’s model, there are four stages of a team, these are Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing stages. The lowest attainable score is 8 and the highest is 40. The rules governing determination of a stage states that the highest score of the four stages gives the most likely stage of a group, while the lowest gives the least possible stage.
In addition, a team is considered to undergo transition when two scores are very close, unless they are both high in forming and Storming stages or in Norming and Performing stages, in which case, they will be considered as Storming stage or Performing Stage respectively.
Lastly, in case all scores of the four or at least three stages are almost similar, then the team is considered volatile, or without clear perception, in most cases it would be the storming phase (Clark, 2010, p. 1).
According to the questionnaire filled in Tuckman’s model, this group attained the following results. Forming stage (22 points), Storming stage (23 points), Norming stage (30 points) and Performing stage (38 points).
These scores show that the team is in the Performing stage, since the highest score is 38 and the highest possible points are 40. At the same time, when both Norming and Performing scores are checked, they are all high.
The close scores between Forming and Storming are therefore less important since there are high Norming and Performing stages. Moreover, it is also important to note that according to Tuckman’s model, any score above 32 points indicates the highest probability of the stage of a team (Clark, 2010, p. 1).
Performing stage is the fourth level of group progress. At this stage, our focus is to offer the best teamwork ever. It is characterized by productivity, harmony and participative leadership among others. Creativity is the main driving tool at this level with all participants focused on how to further this development (Clark, 2010, p. 1).
Summary
Several methods and models have come up for use in determining the levels of development in teams. Among them is Tuckman’s model, which was used in identifying this group’s stage. The highest score was 38, consequently the stage of the group is the Performing stage, which is the best of them. The focus at this stage is to offer the best teamwork ever (Clark, 2010, p. 1).
Reference
Clark, D. R. (2010). Leadership Activities: Teamwork Survey . Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/teamsuv.html
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Technological Solutions to the Effects of Urban Sprawl Essay
The latest innovations have greatly enhanced people’s way of life. The enlargement of cities to rural areas, also known has urban sprawl, has enable people to improve their daily activities (Frumkin 3). This type of industrialization has resulted in many problems.
Urban sprawl relies on the improvement of technology and the design of automobiles. There are many technological developments that aim at reducing the social and ecological issues raised by urban sprawl, but such strategies only reduce the emissions of gases which affect the environment. This paper analyses the extent to which technological solutions can help resolve the effect of motorized urban sprawl.
The increase in automobile production enables people to extend their operations to rural areas. Most people are now using their personal cars to travel to work, and this in return speeds urban sprawl. As more people use cars, there is rise of congestion in urban places since going to work is more difficult when using bicycle or walking. This is considered to be ‘motorized urban sprawl’ which is the cause of social and ecological problems (Martin 68).
Motorized urban sprawl has many problems associated with it. These problems are mainly social and ecological. To begin with, environmental problems caused by this aspect include global warming and change in climate. This is because of the use of cars that emit dangerous gases to the environment.
In addition, ecological issues raised by emission of dangerous gases such as carbon dioxide include loss of cultivation land and forest, loss of recreational space, and increase in public (Frumkin 3). Lack of farms for cultivation may lead to reduced food supply thus resulting to increased food prices and social imbalance due to the fact that many people would consider migrating to urban areas.
Second, the differences between the rich and the poor are among the main requirements of society. Martin argues that the cost of buying a vehicle may be a barrier for the poor people, and it can differentiate the rich from the poor (69). This implies that poor people will be disadvantaged because of the motorized urban sprawl.
Poor families will need to live within the congested cities which are considered to be unhealthy. Besides, the reduced mass transportation or rather public means of transport can lead to unequal transportation. Furthermore, people with physical and mental disabilities may not be able to drive cars; hence they are discriminated from the urban sprawl.
Thirdly, using fuel to operate vehicles produce gases which pollute the environment, leading to unfavorable health problems. There is also the tendency of increased automotive accidents caused by careless driving and the increased need for quicker travel. Frumkin outlines that urban sprawl make people to use cars rather than walk or use bicycles (4).
This also implies that people cannot keep fit due to the dependency on cars thus raising the chances of acquiring obesity. Again, people are normally stressed up when in jammed roads.
To solve these problems, there is need to develop good transportation systems. Transportation systems exist to help people in their daily activities, be it social, economic, or personal development. The availability of affordable means of transport, such as mass transportation, has enabled individuals and governments to reduce transportation impacts on sustainability.
According to Gonzalez transportation systems have major sustainability impacts in social, economic, and environmental aspects (38). Business groups such as ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) have proposed environmental preservation through the help of technology. Such organizations advocates for the improvement of alternative source of energy through technologies that produce clean fuel which are free from carbon dioxide and the use of nuclear energy.
Although these solutions depend on technology, it is still difficult to solve the problems of urban sprawl. For instance, the proposed solutions such as nuclear energy have a very serious problem in regards to nuclear wastes. Gonzalez argues that there is need to reduce urbanization through reviewing the land management rules (46).
The mentioned impacts calls for formulation of strategies that can help realize many objectives, and avoid those that tend to solve one problem in the expense of others. For instance, a plan that reduces transportation costs but increases noise pollution or traffic congestion cannot be regarded as sustainable solution.
Dependable strategies are those that reduce the overall effect of transportation systems and encourage effective use of transport resources. The most appropriate approaches to solving transportation problems would include walking or cycling, mass transportation, and the use of hybrid or electric vehicles (Gonzalez).
Walking and bicycling provide both exercise and transportation, although people may choose a particular journey to serve both purposes. Mass transportation or public transportation is another option of transport that is considered to reduce the effects of urban sprawl. Another category of sustainable transportation is the hybrid vehicle.
This class of vehicles uses electricity and gas, providing more efficient means of transport. Hollis outlines that electric automobiles are comparatively economical, and cause no problem, if not less than a normal car. The shortage of fuel and environmental factors has been the major drivers of using electric cars in recent times (2).
In conclusion, the increased use of automobiles that result to urban sprawl raises many issues from health to social problems. Relying on technology alone cannot reduce the impacts of motorized urban sprawl. The technological solutions which advocates for use of clean fuels and electric cars cannot solve all the problems. Proper planning and management of transportation systems is seen as essential means of addressing social problems and to some extend deal with the ecological problems.
Works Cited
Frumkin, Howard. “Urban Sprawl and Public Health” Public Health Reports . 117(2001).
Gonzalez, G. A. “Urban Sprawl, Global Warming and The Limits of Ecological Modernization.” Environmental Politics , 14:3(2005): 34-362.
Hollis, Christopher. “Alternative Forms of Transportation. The Fuels and Technologies That Power Them” . Hollis Innovations, LLC . 2001. Web.
Martin, G. “Motorization, Social Ecology and China”, Area , 39:1(2007): 66-73.
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Solutions to Computer Viruses Analytical Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Solutions to computer viruses
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited
Introduction
As much as technology is useful to human beings, it comes with its challenges. One of such challenge that has troubled technology users for a long period of time is computer viruses. They refer to computer programs that are created by malicious software developers or computer programmers to harm other people’s computers.
Computer viruses are a great problem as they cause damage to data and they can potentially lead to system malfunction (Brain 1). Other viruses can be used by hackers to get information from other people’s computers without permission.
Solutions to computer viruses
The best solution for the problem of computer viruses is installation of antivirus software on computer systems. Once antivirus software is installed in a computer system, it protects the computer system from such malicious software and ensures that any program that runs in the computer system is authorized.
Examples of antivirus software include Kaspersky, McAfee, Norton, Avast etcetera. The only down side of antivirus software is that they are also programs and thus they are not intrinsically perfect.
The antivirus software is thus frequently updated in order for it to efficiently protect a computer system (Brain 1). This may prove to be expensive to the user although the cost of updating antivirus software is not as high as the initial cost of acquiring the antivirus software.
The computer system user should also be extra careful while using his/her computer. This is especially crucial when the user is working with online application since the World Wide Web has many viruses. Sometimes hackers and virus developers may even develop an application that will ask the user to click on a window to see what it contains.
On clicking the window, the virus is permitted to run in the users computer systems and, this way, it may lead to performance bottlenecks or cause serious loss of data. It is thus of essence for users to ensure that they do not run applications that they are not sure about.
Users should also avoid being gullible while viewing high risk sites like entertainment sites in which such applications are found. Other links and images that may be sent as spam messages by hackers and virus developers should also be avoided. This is because most computers get infected with viruses though the use of the internet.
Conclusion
With the continued use of, and advancement in, technology, a lot of technology-related problems have arisen. Viruses are more destructive than ever. Organizations are continually losing important and costly information.
This calls for keener and greater care of our computer systems against the effects of viruses. Other measures that people can take to mitigate the effects of viruses are ensuring that files are properly backed-up so that once information is lost the organization does not go back to the drawing board.
Efforts should also be made to ensure that once a computer system is infected with viruses, the information saved in it is salvaged.
For instance, files and information in a computer system operating a Windows Operating System can be salvaged by running a live CD of the Linux OS.
This is done by booting the computer system from the Linux OS CD and finding the files that are not part of the Windows System files, and are not created by the user. The only disadvantage of this kind of operation is that it requires a highly intelligent IT (Information Technology) professional.
Works Cited
Brain, Marshall. “How Computer Viruses Work”. 2010 – January 13, 2010, < https://computer.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm >.
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Where Does the Path to Smoking Addiction Start? Research Paper
Cigarette smoking is one of the areas that have been of concern to the society for a long time now. Efforts are always being made to curb cigarettes smoking with emphasis being laid on the health concerns of smoking.
The advice seems to be falling on deaf ears as evidence from statistics continue to show high prevalence of people who smoke and are unable to quit the habit. What is causing even further worries is that the addiction is reported in the teenagers too, contrary to the common assumption that smoking addiction is evident in the adults.
Teenagers are also faced with similar issues that come with addiction as adults. Statistics indicate that among the 20-50% teenagers who are addicted to smoking attempt to quit but the success rates still remain relatively low with only a third fully quitting smoking.
Smoking addiction in adults has been attributed to starting smoking at the teenage years. A large number of teens are reported to be experimenting with smoking everyday marking their start of smoking with the numbers of those who start smoking daily across the world going up to over 80,000.
Male teenagers register higher numbers of those who smoke than their female counterparts. Due to the constant reminders that come with campaigns on the dangers of smoking, teens have been said to register high numbers of those who make efforts to quit than the adult smokers.
Smoking amongst the teenagers start gradually before elevating to addiction levels. Several reasons have been pointed out as influencing the teen’s decision to smoke. One of them is which is a common phenomenon is picking the habit from a close friend or friends who smoke. The company that the young people associate with form major influences to their behavior.
This is because young people are not fully developed to exactly discern what is considered bad by relying on the information they are given by the adults but rather depend on their follow peers to decide their course of behavior. Another reason driving teenagers to smoking is the curiosity to just try it.
Young people are at age where their form of learning is experiential and therefore easily tend to want to try something to get a feel of it, this way many teens have ended up being hooked on smoking. Teenagers are usually at the adolescent age where conformity and appeal to fellow peers is gauged on ones ability to be ‘cool’. Many teenagers have therefore resulted to smoking as they seek to derive the coolness from it only to end up with the habit.
The situation in the homes is not helping salvage the situation either. Many parents who smoke do so in front of their teenage kids prompting the children, who derive inspiration from the adult parents, to pick up the habit too. The fact that their parents do smoke gives them the impression that it is not a bad thing per say (Wang 10).
Another factor that has led to many teens picking up a habit of smoking is seen in the way the media has shifted its target to the youthful generation. Cigarette manufacturing companies have resulted to target teenagers when doing the marketing of the tobacco products.
Market research in the tobacco industries have led them to that all important discovery that most adults who are hooked on smoking started smoking when they were teenagers. This has driven them to engaging in rigorous marketing campaigns targeting the youths in their teens. Another discovery by the tobacco industry players that fueled their efforts is the realization that they were loosing a relatively big number of smokers by quitting and others to deaths related to smoking.
This has led them to stepping up their efforts in a bid to lure more people into using their product to compensate the numbers lost. Different brands are being manufactured with attention being placed on their youthful appeal since most people choose their loyal brand during their teenage years (Canadian Lung Association 6).
The tobacco companies have resulted to various tactics to lure the teens into smoking. The media has been the widely abused tool in their bid with movies stars being displayed when smoking hence appealing to the youths. Various tobacco companies have been known to go into the extent of paying huge amounts to have famous actors smoke their brand in the movie acts.
In TV advertisements, various companies have used cartoon figures that are well known to the teens hence relatively increasing their sales to the youth population.
Tobacco companies also introduce offers as promotional strategies with the samples being products that appeal to the teenagers and calling on them to smoke as many cigarette packets to qualify for the promotion offers. Companies have come up with ways to make the art of smoking appear to be cool. TV programs that are famous with teens, like The Simpsons, have shown most of the characters including the young smoking (Wang 10).
In the attempts to deal with the problem of smoking amongst teenagers, focus has been directed to fighting them from starting smoking. This has led to a major neglect on the issue of smoking addiction amongst the teenagers since addiction is mostly considered a problem associated with the adult population. The teenagers themselves do not consider addiction as a problem that can affect the youths, therefore when it becomes a reality it hits the by surprise.
This has also been attributed to the fact that most studies done have dealt with the addiction problem by explaining the chemical element which is nicotine, the psychoactive problem and the step by step process that one goes through to end up with an addiction problem. These elements have no inclination to concepts that can be understood by teens to deter them from smoking and eventually addiction.
Addiction problem is usually mentioned when we are considering the attempts to quit smoking. This is dominantly looked at as an adult issue thereby ignoring addiction amongst the teenagers. Some experts have offered advice that has hindered steeping up efforts to fight addiction amongst the teens arguing that making them aware that one can be permanently addicted to smoking might give them ideas to make lame excuses as to why they don’t want to quit smoking quoting that they are addicted.
Young people in addition still have unrealistic ideas concerning the problem of addiction despite being armed with the general information on the dangers of addiction. Teens sometimes like to refer to their condition as having reached addiction levels while the real pharmacological nicotine dependence has not taken place.
They therefore continue smoking and even increase the smoking frequency quoting the same reason following the knowledge that addiction is a possibility hence conditioning their minds to adjust accordingly. Teen smokers also pick up smoking and make it a habit while arguing that they will easily quit smoking with ease when they decide to. They downplay the seriousness of smoking addiction thinking it is just easy to drop smoking but eventually end up addicts.
Failure of the teenagers to believe in the concept of addiction amongst young people as a reality is highly attributed to the studies conducted and information available concerning addiction which fails to include the scope of teenage brackets making smoking addiction seem like an adult problem primarily.
The available statistics have shown reality on the ground as displaying the results that are totally different from the common misconceptions. Truth is that the issue of physical dependence on nicotine, otherwise known as smoking addiction, is a reality amongst the teenagers as it is in adults.
Despite the facts that adults addicts total up to twice those of teen addicts, the same dangers and problems associated with smoking, addiction and attempts to quit smoking are similar across both age brackets. Smoking is said to cause two dozens of illnesses with a majority of them leading to serious health problems. Smoking is the leading cause of cancer which among the top killer illnesses all over the world (Riordan 12).
As more and more teenagers start smoking, a substantial number of the smokers, totaling to three quarters, make attempts to quit smoking addiction but eventually fail.
This is a real morale killer for the young people since their hopes to stop the habit when they wish doesn’t occur leaving them with much regrets. In addition to having the sense of helplessness and regrets, the young people also experience the withdrawal effects that come with the attempts to quit smoking. Withdrawal symptoms include; irritability, loss of concentration, anxiousness, dizziness, hunger, insomnia among others.
The withdrawal symptoms persist for several weeks or even months. Most teens that make attempt experience these symptoms and have a hard time successfully going through that period during which they feel a strong urge to smoke. Most of them are unable to cope with the symptoms and end up falling back to smoking again.
The bid to come up with the right methods to fight addiction amongst the teens usually takes a keen understanding of the factors that lead to smoking first. These as noted earlier are mostly as a result of some sort of influence from an external source to fulfill some inner quest which may be caused by pressure to stay relevant. These causes basically can be classified broadly as resulting from the struggles that come with the teenagers going through the adolescent phase in life. During this time, the teens listen to their age mates more than they do to the adults.
This increases the probability to pick up smoking habit. Their physiological developmental phase also plays part in the habit elevating to addiction levels. At this stage in life they usually possess higher levels of emotional urges to take to something like smoking than they do possess the ability to resist and self control.
They therefore end up taking up to smoking and are unable to fight the habit and end up being addicted (Cyprus Mail International Daily 2).
Programs to fight addiction may therefore take the path of stopping the teens from taking up smoking habits in the first place. This includes designing programs that are conducted by experts, teachers or even parents. The contents are educating on the dangers of smoking while highlighting the diseases, the dependency, and death.
The statistics seeking to show recently collected facts can also be used to create a clear picture of how serious the issue is. Upon being armed with the knowledge, the teenagers will want to stay away from picking up the habit to escape the dangers. The education may also be coupled with a real interaction with cancer patents so as to create a real picture of the intensity and instill a sense of fear.
This is because young people easily comprehend by visual aspects as opposed to figuring the logic in theory aspects or the statistics. The fear effect may also be brought out in the sense of altering facts presented to the teens. Information offered to them maybe altered to read that addiction happens immediately one starts smoking. This way they will be deterred from starting (Hampton 3).
Apart from programs that seek to reverse picking up the smoking habit, it is important to appreciate the prevalence of addiction amongst the teenagers and therefore consider programs that specifically help those with addiction problem.
These include a step by step support program for guiding them through the quitting process and supporting them during the experiences with withdrawal symptoms. This way a problem that has been ignored for long will be solved by a great margin. Addiction may also be fought by tactics that seek to delay the time teens experiment with smoking.
This is based on known facts that most people who become addicts start smoking at early ages when the dangers of smoking are not easy to comprehend. Playing around with such programs that seek to prevent onset of smoking may prove helpful in teenagers not taking to smoking hence no addiction and in the long run saving lives that would have otherwise be lost from ailments related to smoking.
In conclusion, realizing that almost all cases of addiction are as a result of smoking from an early age may play a big role in preventing such cases. The onset of smoking habit has also been said to be an influencing factor to teens taking into abusing other drugs. This increases the chances of loosing a lot of lives and hence the need to delay the stage of experimenting with smoking.
Works Cited
Canadian Lung Association. Smoking & Tobacco, 28 Sept. 2006. Web.
Cyprus Mail International Daily. Dangers of Smoking Must be Highlighted. 9 July. 2002. Web.
Hampton Scott. Prevention of Teenage Smoking in Local Area Schools . Developmental Psychology, 12 Sept. 2006. Web.
Riordan Meg. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids . 14 Dec. 2009. Web.
Wang Chunhong, Henley Nathan and Donovan Robert. Exploring Children’s Conceptions of Smoking Addiction . Health Education Research. 1 March. 2004. Web.
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Concept of the Terrestrial Ecology Essay
Terrestrial ecology is an organization that deals with study and conservation of plants, animals and soil by ensuring sustainability of natural resources for the benefit of humanity.
The organization has observed that human activities and natural processes cannot conserve the environment if there are no viable objectives that ensure sustainability of natural resources. Human activities such as farming, construction, settlement, deforestation, poaching, hunting and gathering gradually leads to the depletion of natural resources if not checked.
Moreover, natural processes such as erosion, weathering, predation, competition, floods, volcanic, and earthquakes destroy the natural environment thus calling for the ecological conservation. Kjaer explains that, “The terrestrial organization focuses on how plants, animals and their habitats are affected by natural conditions, climate and soil, as well as human activities, air pollution, pesticides, genetically modified plants and various agricultural management systems” (1).
The organization conducts research on various aspects of terrestrial ecology and gives viable recommendations for the government to make real time policies and laws regarding conservation of environmental resources for sustainability. Due to rampant pollution and destructive natural processes all over the world, the organization has designed effective programs that ensure real time assessment and conservation of terrestrial environment.
The terrestrial ecology has several programs directed at and specialized in soil, plants and animals. The soil, plants and animals are three components of the terrestrial environment that need conservation in order to avoid depletion of natural resources or pollution of the environment.
Regarding conservation of the soil, the terrestrial organization has realized that soil is the dominant factor in the terrestrial environment, which determines existence of plants and animals. The organization has designed programs that assess and evaluate the extent of pollution in the soil with the view of mitigating the effects of pollution and even preventing their occurrence.
According to Wickland, “…programs such as field surveys and laboratory assessment of toxic substances in the soil provide an over view of the extent of soil pollution that will enhance formulation of essential measures of conservation” (25). Quality of soil in a given terrestrial environment is critical in determining survival of plants and animals in certain environment.
Other programs of the terrestrial organization focus on the study and conservation of the plants and animals. Human beings pollute the environment and the toxic chemicals find their way into plants and animals, thus threatening their existence, which may lead to extinction.
In the environment, animals can least survive because they accumulate more toxins in their system as compared to the plants due to biomagnifications of toxins up the food chain.
Lawson and Smith argue that, “…genetic modification of plants and animals coupled with the increased pollution are deliberate human activities in that if not controlled, they may lead to extinction of organisms or reduction of biodiversity in the universe” (51).
Therefore, the terrestrial organization assesses genetic aberrations and toxicity in the organism relative to the air, soil and water pollution in order to come up with appropriate measures of environmental conservation.
The terrestrial ecology organization is an international organization that aims at conservation of the world’s natural resources for sustainable benefit of humanity. According to Kjaer, “terrestrial ecology collaborates with a number of international partners and has the overall responsibility for several large international research and development programs in various parts of the world,” (5).
The research studies carried by the organization have both national and international significance and are imperative in addressing environment issues relating to pollution and human activities. The organization also encourages development of sustainable agricultural systems by designing good agricultural practices that enhance productive farming.
Works Cited
Kjaer, Christian. “Terrestrial Ecology.” National Environmental Research Institute, (2011): 1-12
Lawson, James & Smith, Richard. “Institute of Terrestrial Ecology.” Natural Environment Research Council, (2002): 1-36 Wickland, Diane. “Terrestrial Ecology.” Tennessee Valley Authority , (2007): 1-62
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The Concept of Terrorism Essay
Summary
The term terrorism is not a contemporary phenomenon. It can be traced back during the reign of Jacobin (1792-1794) and the early Roman and Greek republics. There are myriad of elements that arise from the concept of terrorism. For instance, assassination refers to the political murder of a renowned public figure such as the head of state.
A case in point was President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. On the same note, the term ‘assassin’ is derived from Arabic word which basically means someone who perpetrates the act of assassination. It was initially used to refer a faction of terror Muslims.
Although Islam has been associated with terrorism, none of the legitimate religious groups are violent. However, the infiltration of politics into religion has often resulted in violent retaliatory attacks in form of terrorism.
The major world religions are all centered in the Middle East.
Recent developments have witnessed the emergence of sectarian militant groups among Muslims fighting in a “holy war” to defend their religion. Both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda factions have caused havoc to innocent victims within and outside the Middle East borders. Hence, religion is the main impetus towards terror attacks.
Another closer term to terrorism is tyrannicide, which means the murder of a tyrant or totalitarian leader. This was first proposed as a solution to bad rule by Juan de Mariana, a Spanish scholar.
Political assassins often argue that their duty is divine. There are other states which have launched terror attacks against their own civilians and this has been counteracted by guerrilla warfare. The overall result is a cyclical act of terror with each side trying to revenge, retaliate or protect their interests. A case example is the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in United States.
Current terror event
The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, a Palestinian Militant group is reported to have launched a massive terror attack on Israel in the East of Gaza region on 8 th January 2011. They used mortar shells in the attack. This incidence was shortly confirmed by the Brigade and the terror group reiterated that the artillery units were targeted at an Israeli army post. This area is located between the Jewish state and the Gaza strip. It is roughly on the eastern side of Karny.
According to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) which reported the attack, the group has vowed to continue resisting Zionist movement which they claim is their dreaded enemy. Furthermore, the Brigade has emphasized that the terror attack was part of a retaliatory measure against continued domination of Palestinian people by Israeli authorities. Earlier during the day, the al-Quds Brigade launched yet another terror attack around the same region. This group is part of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
As a result, three workers of Thai origin were wounded by the mortar attack in the Israeli town situated in the south of the country.
Just as expected, the Major General commanding the southern region said that similar or even more devastating retaliatory attacks will follow soon and that the Palestinian militant groups will not get away scot free. There has been growing hostility between resistance movements in Palestine and the Defense Forces of Israel since the beginning of December 2010.
Other causalities in the latest attack included a 20 year old soldier from Israel while other four sustained serious injuries. There seems to be no hope of a ceasefire between the two warring parties at least in the foreseeable future.
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Tesco History Corporate Strategies, Corporate Social Responsibilities and Advertising Descriptive Essay
Tesco UPL started in London’s East End. It was founded by Jack Cohen as a one man business. He was a son of a tailor and when he started it, he specialized in selling groceries in the markets of London East End. The company started in 1919 and it adapted its brand name Tesco on 1924.
The brand name was delivered from a combination of the initials of its former supplier T.E. Stockwell (TES) with initials (CO) from his surname. Thus, the misconception that the brand name Tesco originated from a combination of his name Jack and his presumed wife Tessa is wrong, since he has never been married to such a woman.
Tesco started its first store at Burnt Oak, in 1929 and it started trading its shares in London Stock exchange in 1947. It was in 1956 that it started its first self-service store and first supermarket in St Albans and Maldon respectively (Tesco Corporate Profile (2004, para.5).
Tesco has expanded greatly to be the biggest chain of supermarket in United. Internationally, it is placed at position four after Wal-Mart of United States on America, Carrefour of France, and the Home Deport also from the United States of America. Tesco has been successful in opening stores in 14 countries in Europe, North America and Asia.
The company has expanded his line of production from specializing in selling groceries by also stocking consumer goods, financial services and Telecoms that has enabled it generate revenue of £3.41 billion annually(Tesco Corporate Profile (2004, para.7).
Tesco-Corporate Strategy
Tesco’s expansion over the last three decades comprises of a complete change of its strategy and image. In its early years it used a strategy that was known as ‘pile it high, sells it cheap’.
This strategy was initiated by Jack Cohen and was very effective by then, but latter it was not successful in selling the brand to the middle-class customers, since they had a poor image for the brand. In 1970s, many consultants recommended a change of the names of its store due to their poor, an issue that was never implemented.
They latter changed their strategy that enabled them establish a well consistent growth that facilitated it in 2005 to become the biggest retailer market in United Kingdom with a domestic grocery market share of 29% compared with 16.8% of Wal-Mart who were formerly dominating the market. The company established a strategy that that was aimed at broadening the scope of the business. This was meant to ensure that the company delivers a strong sustainable long-term growth.
This new strategy entailed expanding the domestic markets to offer diversified products such as non-food, telecoms and financial services. This strategy which was initiated in 1997 is the one that ensured the growth and success of the company. This strategy comprises of five elements;
Core UK: Tesco has the biggest domestic market in United Kingdom. Approximately 70% of their growth and profit occurs in UK. It has over 2,200 stores that have enabled to employ more than 285,000 people. Its expansion in UK happens as a result of extending its established store, opening new store and lastly by the strategy of multi-format approach.
Its sale of non-food has greatly boosted the expansion of the company. To sell its products, Tesco has adapted five diverse store formats which are costumed to meet the needs of their customers. They are categorized according to what they stock and size. They include;
Express (up to 3,000 sq ft)
Tesco has more than 960 such stores that sell a range of up 7,000 products to their customers. They are located close to where their customer live and work for convenience while buying. They stock high quality and fresh food stuff, wines and spirit.
Metro (approx. 7,000-15,000 sq ft)
The company has more than 170 metro. The first metro was established in 1992. Metro are aimed at enhancing the conveniences of shopping in towns and city centers. They stock variety of products including sandwiches and ready-meals,
Superstore (approx. 20,000-50,000 sq ft)
Tesco have more than 450 such stores that stock a wide range of products. Nowadays they have diverse products that include non-food products such as books and DVDs
Extra (approx. 60,000 sq ft and above)
In the United Kingdom, there are over 175 such stores. They stock a wide range of non-food and food products. These products include clothing, health and beauty, electrical equipments and others. The Homeplus is another store that is on trial .They are 10 in numbers and are aimed mostly at stocking on non-food products.
Apart from Tesco designing its stores in various formats to suit its customers, it offers its products in a broadened appeal. Tesco is continually investing to expand their line of production to offer their customers a wide variety of products to choose from. Tesco products enable various people to purchase their different products to supplement their lifestyle. For instance, their nutrition labeling educates their customers on the key information that enable them make an informed decision when buying from their stores.
The recent economic depression had challenged their business greatly and as a result invented 500 more products that will enable various categories of customers to buy various products at a cheaper price without compromising on quality. Tesco stores are designed to appeal all the classes of their customers in reference to their social economic status.
They ensure it by forming a slogan named ‘ I’m not aware of any other retailer achieving’ this slogan has enabled Tesco appeal to every segment of UK market.
Tesco Clubcard is a global leading loyalty card scheme that has information that enable Tesco understands its customer better and give them an opportunity to appreciate their customer for shopping with them. Tesco possess more than 8 million distinct coupons. Each clubcard mailing designed to reflect the type of bid suitable for any of their customer. The company has more than 15 million active cardholders.
Tesco is the biggest private employer in UK with a workforce of more than 285,000. The company offers its customers packages of pay and benefit like children care vouchers or Save As you Earn. This is a scheme for saving that enables their customer to purchase shares at a discounted rate (Tesco PLC, 2010 Para. 6).).
In summary, Tesco has used the strategy of diversification to become among the leading firms globally.
The ability of the firm to succeed in selling its own-brand to its customers has helped the company make sufficient profit as this strategy ensures that a company retains a higher percentage of the overall profit. Thus, the company has enough resources at its disposal to expand to other places locally and also globally.
Another strategy adapted by Tesco is core UK business. This involves stocking of grocery in its home market. This retailing is characterized by very strategic moves that entails opening large scale store in areas that other competing firms have shunned to explore. This strategy gives Tesco the advantage of being the first entrant thus; concentrating on establishing a strong brand in those areas such that other competing firms cannot be able to match its performance when they venture in these areas latter on.
Non-food businesses-Apart from being successful in its grocery business, Tesco has also diversified its operations to include non-food products such as cloths, electronics, health and beauty products among others. This new diversification has ensured high revenues and especially in Ireland where it records very high revenues due to the sale of CDs. Retailing services;-Tesco has also expanded its operations to offer services such as personal finance.
It has succeeded in the retailing services by entering in joints with other main players in the sector. This has strengthened its brand and expanded its customer base. Other competing firms in UK have also adapted this strategy, but Tesco have implemented it more strategically a move that has ensured this venture very profitable (Tesco PLC, 2010 Para. 8).
For example, Tesco clients enjoy banking services from Tesco Bank which was initially a joint venture between Tesco and the Royal Banking of Scotland. It gives its customers offers on various products such as loan, credit cards among others. This new service ventures helps the firm record very high profits that assist the firm to venture in new services or areas. Tesco is also engaged in the cell phone industry.
It cells various home phones, mobile phone and broadband business to various consumers across the globe. It has liaised with successful experts of existing telecom operators.International-Tesco started to expand outside UK in early 1994, and in 2005 it was successful to globalize approximately 20% of its operations mainly in central Europe and Far East (Tesco PLC, 2010 Para. 10).
Tesco Social Responsibilities
Buying and selling their products responsibly: Tesco have thousands of suppliers globally. They prefer their suppliers to be innovative and dynamic. To ensure it, they spend approximately £800m of their turn over in United Kingdom for local sourcing. Tesco verify where their products originate from and also ensure they are produced in accordance to their standards.
To achieve a very competent workforce that will be dynamic and very effective, Tesco has trained more than 400 suppliers in China, India, Bangladesh, Spain and United Kingdom on how to enhance labor Standards to realize a workforce that is self motivated and very competent (Tesco Corporate Social Responsibilities, 2010, Para.2).
Protecting the Environment: Tesco is committed in ensuring that its activities have very little negative impact on environmental. It achieves this by leasing with its supplies and encouraging them to ensure they use environmental friendly production methods to minimize pollution. Tesco has a vision to reduce its carbon emission to zero by 2050 by adapting the following strategies. Reducing carbon emission in all the new stores they will erect and the existing ones by 2020(Tesco Corporate Social Responsibilities, 2010, Para.3).
Creating good jobs and careers:-Tesco employees are more than 285,000. Thus, Tesco expansion is an assurance that it will continue to give people more employment opportunities that assure them of a daily source of income for themselves and their families (Tesco Corporate Social Responsibilities, 2010, Para.3).
Assisting customers make healthy choices:-Tesco products are labeled accordingly to assist various customers make informed decisions, while buying from their stores. They encourage their customers to purchase and eat more vegetables and fruits. It is done by offering discounts and promotions on such products.
They occasionally take direct roles to ensure that their customers get healthy. They encourage people to lead active lifestyles. Healthy lifestyle helps one to balance the energy they consume to the one they expend. Some of the strategies it has adapted to make sure people live healthy lifestyles is by supporting aerobics and soccer tournaments for its customers (Tesco Corporate Social Responsibilities, 2010, Para.4).
Advertisements
Tesco capitalizes on the power of strategic advertisement to sell its brand locally and globally. It is noted as one company that uses very many advertisements yearly. It’s advertisements emphasis about affordable prices for their products and on healthy living. Tesco’s marketing department is very dynamic and innovative on the most successive advert to employ.
The following are examples of adverts that have been used in the past; in 1982 it used its famous advert referred as “Checkout 82” .this advert involved a till with receipt coming from it with various prices. In 2003 Tesco advertised through adverts that comprised of items and shopping trolley that contained information about Tesco. Currently, Tesco is using adverts that comprises of celebrates such as the Spice Girls
In conclusion, Tesco can be considered as a very successful company that originated from scratch to become a global company through its strategic chose of its corporate strategy,
Social responsibility and Advertising. Thus, it can be a good role model for those upcoming companies that they can live beyond their odds to become among the leading organizations in the world.
Reference List
Tesco Corporate Profile (2004). Retrieved from https://corporatewatch.org/tesco-company-profile/
Tesco Corporate Social Responsibilities (2010). Retrieved from https://www.tesco-programmes.com/
Tesco PLC (2010) .Tesco Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.tescoplc.com/about-us/
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Thanksgiving vs. Christmas Compare & Contrast Essay
Every year Thanksgiving dinners are made, and a few weeks later, families gather to celebrate Christmas. In the first one the center is a symbol that says we were foreigners once and have found a home. In the second the center is a star on a tree that tells that once upon a time someone came to make it possible for us to say thanks.
In the first one there is a mad scrambling to prepare the food and then pause for a lengthy prayer, while in the second; more time is needed to prepare food, shop, exchange gifts, and then open them.
There are a variety of ways to understand the importance of these two but the best way perhaps is to see it from the eyes of a child. When a little one looks at Thanksgiving and Christmas he sees differences as well as similarities. But at the end of the day it does not really matter much because he received what he came for: a heart to be filled with love and a stomach full of goodies.
You cannot fool a child by saying that Thanksgiving and Christmas are the same. This is because he will surely tell you that the two are different. He knows that it has something to do with time and seasons.
Thanksgiving he will say is synonymous to falling leaves, dry crusty leaves in the backyard, in the front yard and even inside your shoe if you let them come in. Christmas on the other hand is pure white. There is snow falling gently on the bare trees as if to provide a blanket to protect them from the cold.
On Thanksgiving day Mom is focused on perfecting the turkey while on Christmas she is focused on perfecting the tree and all that goes with it, the decorations as well as the gifts under it. She has a mental list a mile long and she constantly reminds herself not to give Uncle John and Grandpa the same gift as last year.
Thanksgiving, a little child will say, is all about God and his blessings. And in the same breath he will tell you that Christmas is all about Santa Claus and his gifts. He will also tell you with a twinkle in his eyes that for Thanksgiving the most anticipated time of the day is the evening when family and friends are gathered for dinner.
But for Christmas the most anticipated time of the day is sunrise, for no one was able to sleep thinking about the heap of presents under the beautiful tree. On Christmas Day the color red comes from the gift wrappings, on Thanksgiving Day the color red comes from the cranberry sauce.
On Thanksgiving Day a turkey or two can escape the chef’s terrible cut. Sometimes a politician can be seen on TV forgiving one and letting that turkey go. But on Christmas time no one heard of a pig saved from the chef’s knife, perhaps all of them are needed for the Christmas ham. All of these a child will tell you to be the reason why Thanksgiving and Christmas cannot be the same.
However, the same child will tell you that although there are differences between these two, there are also similarities that cannot be ignored. The first one is the busybodies that dart back and forth transforming a home into something like a beehive because of the energy and the determination to finish a task before deadline. Then there is also the sweet smell of cooked food that comes from the kitchen.
Thus, it does not matter what the season is, whether it is fall or winter as long as Thanksgiving and Christmas is in the air Mommy brings out the cooking utensils and buy the ingredients required because it is cooking time. He will also tell you that on Thanksgiving dinner he keeps hearing two words – calories and weight. Everyone seems guilty that they are eating good food.
The same thing happens during Christmas dinner, Aunt May keeps on talking about weight and calories while Uncle Roger tries to adjust his belt buckle, perhaps he wants to eat more but he is full.
When dinner time is near you can hear Mom’s voice get a little louder and the pitch a lit bit more discomforting but the child will say that it is alright, he knows it is either Thanksgiving or Christmas because Mom wants to get things done while the little ones want to laugh more and not spend time on the chores.
A child is also remembers with fondness Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day because it is a day without classes – no exams, no quizzes, time to bring out the game consoles and play until past bedtime. And finally the child will end the interview by saying that there are similarities between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is the happiness it brings.
Conclusion
There are different ways to try to understand Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is even a variety of ways to understand their meaning and significance by comparing and contrasting the two. But a better way perhaps is two see them from the eyes of a child. Even with their limited grasp they can already articulate that there are indeed major differences between these two occasions.
It has something to do with the time and seasons. It is something to do with the purpose why people celebrate Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day a few weeks apart.
There is therefore a difference between the type of food served and the time of the day that is most important for a child. Dinner time and opening gifts are two important things but there is a major difference in the values attached to both. There is therefore a difference in the kinds of activities. But at the same time a child will also tell you that there are similarities. Good food and the smiles on the faces of the people.
There is buoyancy in the air that can easily lift ones spirit even if the rest of the year it has been dragged down by problems and challenges. And finally the child will say that at the end of the day, whether it is Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day, it does not really matter for him because he had received what he came for: a heart to be filled up with love by family and friends and a stomach full of goodies.
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The Advantages of Globalization far Outweighs its Disadvantages Essay
The term globalization has become recently popular in the modern world describing a wide range of economic, social and political trends. Globalization can be described as the integration of societies, economies and cultures through a worldwide network developed from communication, trade and transportation.
Although there are many description of the term, it has generally been accepted that globalization is a term that best describes the contemporary world that exists now. Globalization has extensive implications for almost every aspect of human life.
This has sparked numerous debates about the impacts of globalization and whether it has caused more harm than good. Considering the various developments in the recent world, it is evident that globalization offers more advantages than disadvantages economically or otherwise.
Globalization is mainly used to describe the integration of worldwide economies through foreign investments, trade and technological exchange. Globalization has led to the development of a global market whose foundation is the freedom of exchange.
Countries that were once cut off from the world can now access goods and services easily from foreign countries. Companies are also able to reduce their cost of production by locating their companies in countries with cheap labor cost. This has led to cheaper goods that can be accessed by different people from all over the world.
Globalization has also enabled the transfer of skills. Third world countries and developing countries can learn from multinational companies and in the process develop their own economies from the acquired knowledge. Critics of globalization argue that globalization has led to loss of jobs through outsourcing. Critics also argue that globalization has led to the spread of sweatshops and exploitation of workers from third world countries.
While these claims may be true, it should be noted that cases of unemployment are very high in third world countries and through globalization these workers may get a chance to get a livelihood. Companies mainly invest in these countries for cheap labor, and the moral dilemma that arises due to “unfair” wages is unfounded as without these foreign companies, the workers are stuck in poverty without a way out.
Globalization has also led to integration of military power and political alliances. This has led to the development of a common international legal framework that seeks to protect human rights and promote peace throughout the world. Through globalization, crime importation has become possible and cooperation of law agencies all over the world has enabled the improvement of international crime fighting efforts.
Globalization also led to the formation of the international criminal court that has enabled political and human rights criminals to be tried fairly and justly, which would otherwise be impossible in their home countries.
Globalization has also led to military cooperation aimed at fighting impunity, promoting democracy and elimination of terrorism threats. This is one of the major advantages of globalization as countries that were once oppressed and in turmoil can now receive help from the international community. However, critics of globalization argue that it has led to the erosion of national borders and infringement of national sovereignty.
They have argued that national politics and issues that are only of national concern have been infringed upon by the international community with some countries trying to control how another country is governed or how it carries out its activities, a situation that has been dubbed neocolonialism. However, the formation of global administrative laws and other international relations law has ensured that the individual sovereignty of a country is preserved regardless of the situation.
International cooperation has also enabled countries to receive help when in need such as the case of Haiti early this year. Cases of genocide, civil wars and oppression can now be avoided or mitigated mainly due to international cooperation brought about by globalization.
During the Rwanda genocide, the international community chose not to take action and the country was almost destroyed. It was only after the international community intervened that the situation was brought under control. It can thus be seen that politically, globalization has brought more good than harm.
Infusion of cultures has also been one of the major impacts of globalization. Multiculturalism has spread to virtually all corners of the world with people enjoying better access to foreign cultures, beliefs and traditions. Some critics argue that foreign cultures have led to the extinction of local cultures.
However, it can be argued that multiculturalism has enabled better understanding between people from different regions of the world thus promoting peace. Foreign cultures are also usually secondary to local culture and although dilution of cultures may result, people gain a better understanding of the world and are more tolerant towards each other.
Globalization has also resulted in the increase of tourism and international travel. Tourism not only improves the economy of the local population but it also helps the country to educate others about its people and its resources.
Through globalization, people now have better access to education from foreign countries. Although this may lead to brain drain, those who return to their home countries bring new ideas and skills that can be used to solve problems faced by the country and improve the overall economy of the country.
Globalization has also led to the development of the international society where people communicate and solve each other’s problems. Social sites such as FaceBook have enabled people from different regions of the world to befriend each other and communicate in real time.
Globalization is a term that is used to describe the modern world. Almost every aspect of human life is in one way or another affected by globalization. Various debates have been help about the actual and potential impacts of globalization. Although it has several disadvantages, globalization has brought many advantages.
Economically, the development of the free market has been by far the most important advantage brought about by globalization. The spread of multiculturalism and better international governance have also been brought about by globalization.
Kofi Annan once said that opposing globalization is like opposing the laws of science. One of the reasons why globalization has become so influential is that it offers infinite opportunities to all. In the past, the issue of globalization was shrouded in controversy mainly due to poor regulation measures and poor understanding of the concept. However, through education and better international globalization, it has become evident that globalization is a positive force in the world.
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Fitzgerald’s American Dream in The Great Gatsby & Winter Dreams Argumentative Essay
Introduction
All people dream as this ability is human. Each nation dreams, but only one nation made up the dream that contains the way how to reach it. Of course, this is the American Dream. American Dream is the belief that if you work hard, you are creative and persistent; you will succeed and achieve prosperity.
To my mind, the reason why the American Dream is not dead is that it works. And there are a lot of examples of the American Dream realization in real life. Of course, it is also reflected in American literature, for example, F. Scott Fitzgerald paid a lot of attention to this in his Winter Dream and The Great Gatsby.
The American Dream in Fitzgerald’s Novels
At the very beginning of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald (through the narrator) claims that American Dream invented by our great-grandfathers is still in our minds. The narrator, Nick, mentions his “great-uncle” who “started the wholesale hardware business,” which
Nick’s father proceeded to carry on (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 4).
Nick’s great-uncle worked very hard and, finally, made the American Dream come true. And even after his death, his descendants benefit from his deeds. The other story beginning also reveals the success story of the main hero, who followed the American Dream.
He started his business: he bought “a partnership in a laundry” and studied thoroughly every detail which improved services he provided. He worked hard; he even “made a specialty of learning how the English washed fine woolen golf-stockings without shrinking them” (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream 7). And in a few years he achieved prosperity, his persistent work led to the American Dream realization.
It is necessary to point out that there are different ways to achieve the American Dream realization. For example, Fitzgerald provides two separate stories: one story shows a transparent and quite exact way to succeed, and the other one shows an obscure way of gaining prosperity. However, the person made a lot of effort to have everything he (and many others) wanted.
To my mind, Winter Dream is a perfect example of the American Dream, since the main hero, Dexter, implemented each point of it, he was persistent and very hard-working, he was a very sensible and pleasant young man.
From his very childhood, everyone used to say that Dexter was “the best” in everything he did since he was “willing,” “intelligent,” “quiet,” “honest,” and “grateful” (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream2). Even being a caddy, he was very precise in his work; he didn’t skip from work and “never lost a ball” (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream 2).
The boy understood the importance of education and was a very assiduous student, and after graduation, he started his business at once. Dexter did everything thoroughly, and that is why in 4-5 years after buying a “partnership in a laundry,” he had a net of very profitable laundries.
All this makes Dexter an embodiment of the American Dream. Dexter was successful and respected. His clients insisted “that their Shetland hose and sweaters go to his laundry just as they had insisted on a caddy who could find golfballs” (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream 7).
Not only his clients respected him, everyone who knew his story recognized him for his persistent work. To my mind, this respect came from understanding that Dexter implemented the American Dream: he worked persistently, and he deserved to be prosperous. This example, people wanted and still want to follow because the American Dream is a perfect story of success, which can be real.
Gatsby can be suggested as another example of the American Dream, though in his case, his story is far from perfection. His way to prosperity is quite obscure. No one really knows the source of his income, no one knows what exactly he did to achieve such wealth, and no one knows whether he worked hard to win the prize.
I think that is the main reason why people thought Gatsby was connected with the criminal world. For example, one woman said that “he killed a man once” (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 29). Some other people thought he was “some big bootlegger” just like other “newly reach people” (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 69). And this is another side of the American Dream when some people also do their best to achieve success; they are very persistent, though they take some illegal actions.
This, of course, is not praised, this cannot be the genuine American Dream, that is why people don’t like Gatsby, don’t trust him; they only envy him. Such kind of deviated American Dream can do no good for anyone; that is the reason why, to my mind, Gatsby is murdered at the end of the book. Fitzgerald showed that such prosperity is a false one; only good deeds can bring good to one’s life. Though I would like to add that Gatsby was quite a good person, he was kind and sincere with Nick, and he was a good friend.
The only thing Gatsby wanted was that the woman he loved was with him. He earned all those money for her. That justifies Gatsby in a way, and Nick even understands that all those people who accused Gatsby of being a criminal but still visited his parties and enjoyed his generosity, were even worse than Gatsby, they were “a rotten crowd” (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 98).
Thus, such an obscure example of gaining prosperity is not often called the American Dream, since this example doesn’t reveal one of the constituents of it, which is hard work, and criminal efforts can’t substitute honest work. To my mind, The Great Gatsby is a sad story of how the American Dream, being inverted and misunderstood, led to the death of a person.
Conclusion
The two fiction writings by F. Scott Fitzgerald prove that the American dream is still in our minds, and it is inspiring. Reading these great stories makes the reader learn what the American Dream is to be, what one should do to achieve success, and what mistakes one should never stay safe.
More about The Great Gatsby
In Which Point of View is the Great Gatsby Written?
4.3
989
How Does Nick Describe Himself at the Beginning of The Great Gatsby?
5
1653
Why Does Nick Feel Responsible for Getting People to the Funeral of Gatsby?
5
634
What Role Does Dan Cody’s Yacht Play in Great Gatsby?
5
281
What Does Nick Mean by the Last Line of The Great Gatsby?
5
564
Who Killed Gatsby and How Did That Happen?
5
1544
Of course, Fitzgerald is not the only one who reveals this idea in his works; a lot of different writers, poets, musicians, politicians, and many others keep mentioning it. The American Dream is not dead since every day we witness new stories of hard work and success in every field of our life.
Moreover, my firm belief is that the American Dream can never fade away since it gives us hope in success and shows the way how to reach it. Young people see that it is possible to reach the top by persistence and hard work; thus, they go on trying and never quit their efforts in achieving success.
Works Cited
Fitzgerald, Francis Scott. The Great Gatsby. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.
Fitzgerald, Francis Scott. Winter Dreams. Whitefish, MY: Kessinger Publishing, 2004.
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The American War of Independence Report
The American Revolution denotes the social, political and intellectual developments in the American states, which were characterized by political upheaval and war. This happened during the last half of the eighteenth century (Burg, 1). The revolution began in 1763 and lasted up to 1383 when the American Revolutionary war or the American War of Independence ended.
During this time, the thirteenth states of North America, which were colonies of the British Empire, joined effort to fight for their freedom (McNeill, para.1). These states came together and formed the United States of America.
The American people started by rebelling against the government of Great Britain and denying the administration structure and composition. The people rejected the authority of Britain’s Parliament governing them from overseas without local representation.
The British government had imposed many laws on their colonists and imposition of many taxes in order to demonstrate their authority.
The move by the colonizers seemed unpopular to the colonists and a violation of their rights. The colonists made plans to come up with their own congress.
This led them to expel all the royal officials. The American people then made local governments, which they replaced with the British’s ruling apparatus by 1772.
This triggered the British government to send combat troops to dissolve the local governments and impose their direct rule (Lancaster and Plumb, 66). By 1775, the colonies had mobilized their troops and war broke out.
In search for independence, the thirteen British colonies in North America started a war between them and the British government; a war, which was known as the American war of Independence, or the American Revolutionary war.
This war, which started in 1775 and lasted through 1783 ended in a global war between the many great powers of Europe.
The war saw the end of the political revolution of America, where the parliament of Great Britain was rejected as a legitimate governor of the people of America.
By 1776, all the thirteen colonies in North America had succeeded in driving out the colonial governors and declared the colonies states.
They set out their own legislation and this new constitution was used in each state (Mcllwain, 21). Newhampshire ratified its constitution on January 5, 1776 as the first state constitution. Later, the other states like Virginia, South Carolina and New Jersey created their own constitutions to decide what kind of government they needed.
In July 4, 1776, the Continental congress adopted the declaration of independence statement, a day that is celebrated as their Independence Day. On November 15, 1777, a new constitution was passed by the congress for ratification. This document was then ratified on March 1, 1781, a move, which saw the dissolution of the Congress and the establishment of the government of the United, States the following day.
After the defeat in 1776, the British returned between 1776 and 1777 to defend the revolution. In July 1776, the British defeated the continental army of Washington, which was considered as one of the greatest engagement in war. Later, the Americans formed alliances with the other nations like Spain, French, and the Dutch thus defeated the British and forced them to move southward.
The American people did not like laws and taxes to be imposed on them, an issue they considered as infringing their rights and thus had to undergo social, political and intellectual revolution in order for them to regain their independence and rights.
Works Cited
Lancaster, Bruce, and Plumb, John H. The American Revolution. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2001. Print.
Burg, David F. The American Revolution. Clark, N.J.: InfoBase Publishing, 2007. Print.
McNeill, J. R. “ How mosquitoes helped swarm the redcoats at Yorktown .” Washington post . 2010. Web.
Mcllwain, Charles H. The American Revolution: A Constitutional Interpretation. The Lawbook Exchange Ltd, 2001. Print.
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The analysis of two literary works Essay
In this paper I would like to analyze the novel The House on Mango Street, written by Sandra Cisneros and the short story The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry . In particular, it is necessary to discuss the themes, explored by two authors.
It seems that these literary works show how love of one’s family can help a person overcome many of his/her difficulties, like poverty or inability to raise one’s social status. The importance of family is one of the main issues, present in each of these works.
The characters of O. Henry’s story live beyond poverty line: James and Della have “one dollar and eighty-seven cents” at their possession, and they have to save money on everything in effort to make ends meet (O. Henry, unpaged). The same thing can be said about Esperanza and her family, who have to sleep in a single room. However, one should not assume that such poor living conditions force them into despair or egoism.
In The Gift of the Magi both James and Della are ready to make sacrifices for one another. As a matter of fact, they lose something that is most precious to them: Della decides to cut her beautiful hair, while James decides to sell his watch.
One cannot say that Esperanza is similarly devoted to her family but she also feels that even if she becomes successful, she would return to the family that she left behind (Cisneros, 111).
When speaking about the family life of the characters, one should mention that both authors give a very detailed description of the places in which they live in. For instance, O. Henry accurately depicts the furnishing of the department, rented by Della and James. From this description, one could easily understand that this family is not very wealthy, to say the least. Nonetheless, Della never blames Jack for it.
On the contrary she does her best to make her husband happy even despite the fact that she has to humiliate herself by wrangle over ever purchase with grocer or butcher (O. Henry, unpaged). Similarly, in the The House on Mango Street women also do not criticize their husbands, even though their families have to huddle together in a single room (Cisneros, 3).
For example, Esperanza’s mother gave up virtually all her ambitions in order to raise children: she turned to a traditional housewife. The thing is that neither Della nor Esperanza’s see themselves as victims of their husbands.
Finally, we need to say that love of one’s family gives characters hope for a better future, maybe not for them, but at least for their children. Esperanza’s mother cherishes the belief that her daughter will grow into an educated and independent person.
In her turn, Della hopes that in the future they will be able to get out of poverty. This examples show that love of one’s family really helps a person find better qualities within oneself. Probably, this is the main idea which the authors tried to convey to the reader.
Despite their overt differences in style, narrative mode, and structure, The House on Mango Street and The Gift of the Magi has a certain common feature, namely, the idea that the family unity is one of those things that can always support people especially at the time of need.
Works Cited
Cisneros. Sandra. The house on Mango Street . New York: Vintage Books, 1984. Print.
O. Henry. The Gift of the Magi. Available at: http://webhome.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html
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The battle of Normandy Essay (Critical Writing)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Allied preparations
3. Order of battle
4. Atlantic Wall
5. After the landings
6. Utah Beach
7. Assessment of the battle
8. Reference List
Introduction
The Battle of Normandy, popularly referred to as Operation Overlord was the united attack of Normandy. It started on June 6 of 1944, nicknamed D-Day and its last part was June 30 of the same year. The end was known as Operation Cobra. The participants of the Normandy on D-Day came from the United Kingdom, The United States and Canada. Sizeable Free French and troops from Poland as well took part in the combat following the attack stage.
There were also other groups from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Norway and Netherland. Additional united countries took part in the seafaring and air troops.
As of today, Operation Overlord still is the leading seaborne assault in times gone by (D-Day, the Battle of Normandy). It entailed more than 156,000 forces crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy. The initial seafront attack Operation Overlord was nicknamed Operation Neptune, with its aim being to get a grip on the continent.
This battle was and still remains one of the most significant occurrences of contemporary history as the united forces shattered the core of the Nazi troops and as a result speeding up the devastation of Nazi Germany, attaining the triumph of democratic system(s) over absolutism.
The Normandy attack commenced with all night parachute and sailplane touchdowns, immense air assaults, nautical onslaughts and an early morning land and sea chapter commenced on June sixth. D-Day troops set out from establishments by the side of the south coastline of England with the most significant of these being Portsmouth.
Allied preparations
The intention of the act was to craft a lodgment that would be attached in the City of Caen and soon after that Cherbourg after its harbor would be secured. If Normandy could be held, the Western European movement and the collapse of Nazi Germany could set in motion.
Close to 6,900 watercrafts would be employed in the assault, under the leadership of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. There would be 4,100 landing vessels, with 12,000 airplanes in readiness to shore up the landings under the command of Air Marshal Sir Trafford Mallory (The main phases of the Battle of Normandy). 1,000 transfers were to be in place to fly in the parachute forces with 10,000 tons of bombs.
Among the more atypical united groundwork included toughened vehicles in particular adjusted for the attack. They were built up under the headship of Major General Percy Hobart.
The vehicles were nicknamed Hobart’s Funnies and consisted of Duplex Drive Sherman tanks able to ‘swim’, fire hurling tanks, mine-clearing tanks, bride construction tanks and road construction tanks equip endowed with mechanisms for tearing down solid placements.
Preceding trials had been carried out on these vehicles and found successful. The mass of them were to be operated by the British Armored Division attached to the assorted troops.
The troops went over their functions for D-Day months to the attack. On April 28, 1944, seven hundred and forty nine American armed forces and seafarers were murdered when German bomber liners surprised one of these rehearsal workouts.
A few months to the attack, the united forces carried out a trickery maneuver, it was called Operation Bodyguard and the trickery arrangement was referred to as Operation Fortitude. There occurred a number of seep outs just before or on D-Day. In the course of the Cicero event, Germans got hold of credentials bearing indications to Overlord.
However, these credentials did not contain all the aspects. Driving forces drawn from Double Cross like Juan Pujol played a vital function in talking into the German High Command that Normandy was at most excellence an indirect assault.
Another important seep out was General Charles de Gaulle’s radio communication following D-Day. Contrary to all the other persons in charge, he reiterated that this attack was the actual attack. This held the prospective to mess up the united trickeries Fortitude North and Fortitude South.
For instance, General Eisenhower made a reference to the touch downs as the opening attack. The Germans did not accept as true De Gaulle’s message and hang around for much time to budge in additional units in opposition to their attackers.
Order of battle
The advancement was from east to west and just about as follows. 6th Airborne Division was turned in using parachute and sailplanes to the east of River Orne and was meant to guard the left edge. The first Special Service Brigade then landed at Ouistreham. Number 41 Commando which was a section of 4th Special Service Brigade touched down on the outlying right of Sword Beach (Ford, 2002, p. 34). Other troops then came in covering the left beaches and river shores. All these were drawn from the British group and numbered over 80,000.
The US troops covered Omaha, Pointe du Hoc, Utah and Sainte-Mère-Église to guard the right edge. These troops numbered 73,000 with 15,500 of them above the ground.
Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall stood in the way of the attacking troops in addition to the English Channel. The wall had been ordered by Hitler in the anticipation that any approaching touchdowns would be timed for high tide. This led to the touch downs being timed for low tide.
After the landings
After the beachheads had been ascertained, artificial Mulberry harbors were drawn across the English Channel and made operational. British troops put up one at Arromanches while the Americans put the other at Omaha Beach. Ruthless rainstorms disrupted the landing of supplies for some time but by then a good amount of personnel and supplies had been brought in.
Plans had been to the effect that Carentan, Saint-Lô, Caen, and Bayeux be captured on the first day (Whitlock, 2004, p.59). However, none of this was attained as planned. The most encouraging thing was that wounded persons had not turned out as many as had been feared.
The German Panzer Division attacked the Canadians on 7th and 8th June and meted out profound losses but did not manage to break through. In the mean time, the beaches were being connected by the united forces. The Germans were being outdone in adding force to the front. A superior air presence and obliteration of the French rail ensured that every German force progress was sluggish and perilous.
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the codification for the right/west most of the united troops’ touch down all through D-Day. Utah got incorporated in the attack program just before plans were complete and the reason for this was because extra landing crafts were on hand. The US 4th Infantry Division touched down on the 3 miles long beach with quite small opposition. It was unlike Omaha Beach where warfare was severe.
The plan involved touching down in four bearings. Just two hours prior to the focal attack force, a marauding party came ashore from a German surveillance point. The first platoon got there on time and all 20 vessels were released as planned. The attack craft brought down their access ramps and 600 soldiers walked through waist-deep water onto the beach.
Arrival on the beach was thus late by a few minutes and there was relatively no opposition at this point (Whitlock, 2004, p. 46). The 1st Battalion was planned to touch down straight opposite les Dunes de Warrenville.
Touch downs, on the other hand, were made 1,800 meters south. This blunder was potentially grave as it could have ended up in a huge misunderstanding. Fortunately, that never happened. However, this meant that the original procedures could not be executed thoroughly.
On realizing the mistake that had been made, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. conducted a scouting of the area to find entry points which were to be used to get inland. He then got back to the touchdown point, got in touch with the commanding officers of the two contingents and directed the attack. These spur-of-the-moment plans worked out well and Roosevelt later got to be honored.
At the end of the day, over 23,000 forces had safely touched down with only around 200 injured persons reported. A number of issues facilitated success at Utah as compared to Omaha.
To begin with there were a small number of German defenses. There was effectual pre-attack salvo as several known bunkers were torn down from the air before D-Day. Landing as not planned turned out to be a blessing as the other areas were profoundly secured.
Estimated number German forces that got killed and injured were 200,000 while further soldiers totaling the same number got arrested as prisoners of war. They were held up at American prisoner-of-war camps where they underwent interrogation.
Assessment of the battle
The Normandy might have been pricey in terms of troops while the defeat meted out on Germans was one of the prevalent occurrences of the battle. Tactically, the operation led to the loss of the German occupancy in majority of France and the safe institution of a fresh key frontage.
The overall united idea of the battle was well-grounded, capitalizing on the powers of both Britain and the United States (Battle of Normandy). German inclinations and headship were for most of the part out of order. On a larger scale the Normandy landings were of much help to the Soviets who at the time were facing German troops. The landings abridged the clash.
Reference List
D-Day, the Battle of Normandy. Available from <www.u-shistory.com/pages/h1749.htm>
Ford, K. (2002). D-Day 1944 (3), Sword Beach & the British Airborne Landings. London: Osprey Publishing. P 34 – 56.
The main phases of the Battle of Normandy. Available from <www.normandiememoire.com/NM60Italien/2…/histo4_gb.htm>
Whitlock, F. (2004). The Fighting First: The Untold Story of the Big Red One on D-Day. Boulder, CO: West view.
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The Benefits of a Routine Physical Exercise Program Essay
In recent years, the proliferation of lifestyle diseases coupled with the underlying need to stay healthy has made many populations worldwide to become increasingly aware of the need for physical fitness.
Popular media and other advertising channels bombard us everyday with messages on how to guard and improve our health conditions. Although much of this information is commercially motivated by marketers keen to sell vitamin supplements and other ‘health’ products, some of it, in particular that campaigning for a routine exercise regimen, merits serious consideration.
Such a regimen, if done routinely and with passion, can provide numerous benefits to individuals. In essence, routine physical exercise is beneficial to individuals since it assists them discharge tension, improve physical appearance, and enhance stamina.
The first of these advantages, the discharge of tension, is in actual terms felt immediately after taking part in a workout. Current literature demonstrates that tension builds in our bodies’ overtime, in part, due to an over-accumulation of adrenaline mostly generated by stress, job strain, anxiety or fear.
Indeed, medical professionals are in agreement that participating in physical exercise or sporting events for at least thirty minutes or so actively vent off the tension accumulated in our bodies.
If an individual actively engage in playing volleyball or tennis for half an hour each day, he or she should be able to sleep comfortably at night and have a better disposition the next day primarily because sleep is vital for cell rejuvenation and growth. In addition, unwarranted irritations and frustrations with everyday tasks and responsibilities should be less upsetting if one engages in physical exercise.
For example, a manager affected by work-related distress may rush home, argue with his family and engage in other antisocial activities such as smoking and alcohol consumption to release stress. Taking about an hour or so to vent off the stress through physical exercise could inarguably assist the manager to avoid such antisocial behaviour. In this perspective, routine exercise can to a large extent control tension.
An improved physical form, which is the second benefit of routine exercise, takes some time to display, but it certainly comes if one is resilient enough to be able to strictly follow the exercise regimen. Physical exercise experts are of the opinion that individuals must at least train for a month or so before they can start reaping the benefits of improved appearance in the form of a trimmer and firmer shape.
An individual who is overweight by five pounds, for example, may enrol in an exercise program that will see him or her burn away the excess fat in a month or so and thereafter such an individual will not only acquire pride in tighter muscles and improved physique, but he or she will wear clothes more delightfully and contentedly. The individual may also benefit from an improved skin tone if he or she masters the art of combining the exercise regimen with a sensible diet.
In addition to the self-assurance occasioned by an enhanced physique, increased physical strength is known to stimulate stamina. Indeed, a stronger, healthier body is not only more capable of working harder in work-related environments, but it can withstand fatigue experienced as one goes about his or her daily tasks and responsibilities.
An employee who engages in physical exercise should be able to easily complete his or her weekly job assignments and still preserve sufficient energy for watering the garden and scrubbing the kitchen. Stamina is also known to play a significant role in warding off diseases that may slow down the individual and prevent him or her to accomplish set tasks.
Still, stamina opens the doors for employment in industries and sectors that primarily look at endurance as a basic requirement for employment suitability. The police force, the army, and the club bouncers are just a few examples of sectors that require fully invigorated personnel. In consequence, improved stamina is one of the most rewarding benefits of a routine exercise regimen.
While cheap solutions to the broader objectives of losing weight and attaining an eye-catching and full rejuvenated body continue to flood the popular media, acquiring these attributes is not an easy task for the feeble-hearted. The benefits, however, are totally worth the attempt of an established physical exercise regimen that enables an individual to not only feel relaxed and healthy, but also provides ample strength for successful completion of strenuous as well as normal activities.
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The Best Social Networking Tool for Me Research Paper
Introduction
Choosing the best social networking tool requires a decision process. The paper highlights the cognitive process that will assist one to select the best networking tool based on different alternatives. The steps followed incorporate output of the planning stage decision making that precedes the actual decision making exercise.
Issue Identification
Making a Decision
Social networking tools have different features, and thus, one ought to choose a tool that is easy to navigate and customize. In addition, the tool should offer maximum benefits and have minimal consequences (Boyd & Ellison, 2007, p.1).
Goals to be achieved
The tool should offer opportunities to add friends in an extensive physical social layer. Additionally, the tool should be an entity of reciprocal altruism and gift economy, and ensure privacy and protection of clandestine information.
Issue Analysis
Causes of decision paralysis
Decision paralysis occurs because many people do not understand how social tools operate. Another issue that causes decision paralysis is the several tools that have similar functionality—making it hard to choose.
Cognitive and personal biases
Depending on the physical appearance of the tool, many people tend to lean to the one that pleases their eyes without considering its functionality. Peer influence and the number of people within an age group can influence somebody to select a tool.
Develop Alternatives
Choosing one tool over another
Choosing one tool over another is not an easy task. Nevertheless, people choose tools that best suit their needs. Moreover, the tool should serve the intended purpose like data protection and privacy.
Not choosing any of the tools
Certain factors can cause a barren choice of a tool. This dilemma does not eliminate the existing problem. Consequently, a barren choice does not mean a cut of costs, but rather, an opportunity to revisit the decision.
Evaluate Alternatives
Rating of each alternative
It is better to explore each tool, analyze the benefits of each tool before making a decision. Even though people choose certain tools as the preferred ones, they still want to explore their decisions to establish opportunity cost.
Rating of the risk posed by each alternative
In the decision process, risks are rife. One might choose a tool only to find that it does not serve the intended purpose. Thus, it is better to rate every risk posed by each alternative and in order to establish how it might affect the outcome.
Decision
Using Optimizing Strategy
The optimizing strategy enables one to choose a tool that would give results and enable realization of objectives. Under this strategy, only allow a barren choice when the tool offers low utility threshold. Lastly, the tool chosen must meet all conditions of the criterion.
Using Max-min strategy
Sometimes, limited technology can hinder the decision process. However, it is important to note that a barren choice will suffice the decision process. When costs and implications outweigh the benefits of the tool, then, go for a barren choice.
Implementation Plan
Decision actions
Compare the pros and cons of the tool before taking any decision bearing in mind that the pros must outweigh the cons in order to eliminate chances of a dilemma occurring. In case one fails to choose a tool, then repeat the process again.
Additional actions to prevent adverse consequences
The best way to arrive at the best social networking tool is first, understanding how the tools work and then weighing the pros and cons with ease. It is also important to make a decision once for all in order to refute any future regrets. Otherwise, a flurry of decision strategies serves to bring confusion that will cause decision paralysis (Mackaay, 1990, pp. 867-910).
Review Plan
Risks and drawbacks involved
One must understand that the prevailing status quo may change. In addition, the chosen tool will definitely be missing some benefits owned by the other tools. Furthermore, although the tool chosen meets the objectives, it may not necessarily evade personal biases hence, rendering it unpleasant.
Why benefits outweigh risks
The choice, and not the status quo, is the paramount thing in selecting a tool. The pre-eminence of the tool in fulfilling the objectives at a manageable cost takes priority. Additionally, a person can sacrifice personal biases by conditioning sessions in order to choose the best tool.
Conclusion
The very many social networking tools make the decision process of choosing the best tool cumbersome. Nevertheless, a good decision process will always lead to the best social networking tool. From identifying the issue to reviewing of decisions, one finds how involving the task is. The scrutiny of various alternatives enables the decision maker to make an informed choice—on that meets the objectives of the entire process (Harris, 2009, p.1).
Reference List
Boyd, D. & Ellison, N. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 1.
Harris, R. (2009). Introduction to decision making. Virtual Salt. Retrieved from https://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook5.htm
Mackaay, E. (1990). Economic Incentives in Markets for Information and Innovation. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 13(909), 867–910.
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The Bill of Rights: Principles and Elements Report
Every country is governed by a constitution, a set of rules that specify the nature of the government. All constitutions are aimed at protecting, not only the rights of people, but also those of the country. It contains different elements like the bill of rights, the principles of constitution, federalism, as well as the judicial review. This paper provides a detailed analysis of these elements.
The bill of rights takes into account the crucial rights of the people of a certain country. It is aimed at protecting all classes of people living in the country. Some of the rights/freedoms considered include the freedom of religion which asserts that all people have the right to worship and none should be denied this, regardless of the belief or day.
The right to bear arms allows all countries to establish their own security systems. The right of quartering of soldiers asserts that soldiers must not be quartered during the peaceful times.
The right of search and seizure holds that if there is no investigation of a crime that has taken place, then the court will not carry out any related analysis. It also takes care of the prisoners by holding that they cannot be punished before trial which should be systematic rather than speedy allowing no confrontation of witnesses.
It gives the jury the mandate of dealing with civil cases which in turn should not by all means pronounce a cruel or unusual punishment to the offender. It also specifies the body responsible for making it, highlighting the levels of powers it ought to allocate to both the state and people.
There are four principles of any constitution. According to Balmer, the principle of separation of powers, checks and balances asserts that the executive, judicial, and the legislative systems should have their powers separated, though serving one government (Para. 3). Federalism principle divides the larger body into smaller self governing bodies. The principle of limited government holds that the government should only do what its people allow.
The principle of judicial review addresses courts duties. Another addressed issue is the length of time that different people ought to serve in their positions varying from 2 years for house representatives, 6 years for senators, 4 years for the heads of states as well as electoral commission servants. The constitution also allows room for amendments, though this can take time before being effected as illustrated below using the U.S constitution that was ratified in the 19 th century.
The constitution is less of words, efficient and difficult to change. It stands out as the most effective and oldest in the world. It existed during the 1861-1865 war. Since then up to date, it is only 27 successful changes that have been made in the section of the bill of rights.
This has been achieved by employing some laid down technical procedures like the formal amendment procedure which allows an amendment if two thirds of the house of congress and the legislature proposes the change. Another way of amending is through the review of the judicial and legislative systems. These two act if there is any crucial change as demanded by the people.
In conclusion, basing on the time of its ratification and its effectiveness, it is worthy noting that countries ought to adopt the principles as well as the elements that govern the U.S people.
Works Cited
Balmer, Vinil. “The Basic Principles of a constitution.” New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
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The Black Madonna of Breznichar Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. History of the icon
2. Characteristics of the icon
3. Importance of the icon to the people
4. Why the icon is relevant to the people who worship it.
5. Ways the icon has been appropriated by people and culture
6. Works Cited
History of the icon
The Black Madonna of Breznichar was fictitious and was a dark skin colored representation of Madonna by Mary. The Black Madonna of Breznichar is a Marian painting or statue of medieval origin. The first notable study of the origin of the Black Madonna was presented by Leonard Moss in a meeting held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This took place on Dec. 28, 1952. This was the supposed date of apparition for the black Madonna.
The Black Madonna of Breznichar is located in Bohemia. “It is an invented one though it existed in fiction” (Kidd Monk 54). Its symbolism to Mary is that it was a black version of her and was respected and considered holy by Catholics just like the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus.
Its representation of Mary highlights an important message whereby it poses trans-racial significance. In some recent time, it has been suggested that the Black Madonna should have a perception of the Virgin Mary which was not well clearly emphasized in the Christianity doctrine.
It has had history associated with it when we look at eccelesial lifestyle. The black Madonna has been a source and image of divine intervention for eccelesial life over the course of many years. The Black Madonna was approved by ecclesiastical authority a long time ago, and it was declared that it really performed miracles.
Characteristics of the icon
The above image is a color picture of the Black Madonna. It is characterized to be the black version of Mary, the Virgin. The term used frequently to designate these kinds of images is known as inculturated Madonnas.
There are people and certain cultures that approve dark features and perceive them to have a particular prominence. The prominence of the Black Madonna is majorly due to the miraculous character it poses to the pilgrims.
The statue of Madonna gets its color from the material used, ebony or any other dark wood. “This is mainly done to depict the medieval “black” images of Mary, but this application and method has been fought for by the people who believe that the color of the originally black Madonna has some great significance” (Preston 79).
Importance of the icon to the people
All the Black Madonnas are regarded as powerful images to people who believe in them including the Black Madonna of Breznichar and they are perceived to be miracle workers. It is praised for its intercessions in, problems of fertility.
It is mostly located in shrines and pilgrims go to these shrines covering hundreds of kilometers to seek divine help. It is usually seen by people as a representation of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus.
For example, “since the last decade when this practice was openly and strongly forbidden by church authorities, pilgrims used to journey to the shrine of Mount Vergine, and they would usually climb the steps of the shrine while on their knees and they would always lick each step with their tongues” (Alesha 218).
This was a weird practice, but this was believed to forgive sins and hence we equal the blackness of the Black Madonna of Breznichar with the magnitude of its power to those who believed in it. We see the attitude of the pilgrims approach to be about worship for the black Madonna. Therefore, the Black Madonna was a very important icon to people.
Why the icon is relevant to the people who worship it.
The Black Madonna is mostly found in Catholic areas. Catholics hold high regard to the Virgin Mary and most go to extremes of worshipping the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. Since the black Madonna is a representation of the Virgin Mary, there are people of Catholic denomination who worship it and others in the past who used to worship it.
The icon is relevant to the people who worship it because they believe it can perform miracles and this usually attracts great numbers of pilgrims from all over the world. It is also relevant in the sense that it offers people a chance to seek divine help by putting faith in it to solve their problems and give hope for the future.
This icon was very important to certain people since it was believed to be miraculous. “There were many miraculous Marian images, and the Black Madonna of Breznichar was one of them. It was very popular among the strong faithful.
However, some authors casually compared the Black Madonna which was known as the ‘Black Virgin’ worshiped by Catholics with the pagan goddess images, had similar appearances and this provided some with a polemic argument against the Catholic Church” (Duricy 15).
Ways the icon has been appropriated by people and culture
The Black Madonna has hugely been appropriated by people and various cultures. This is because many Christians, including the clergy simply do not deny that the ‘Black Virgin’ is a symbol of divine help. This has made it easily acceptable by many. It is also that some people and cultures believe that the Black Madonna represents a Christian form of being a mother with child.
It has also been appropriated by other cultures since it is believed to have special healing powers among other things. For example, “that it can give fertility blessings to newly married brides” (Begg 87).
Works Cited
Alesha, Matomah. The first book of The Black Goddess . Arizona. Matam press, 2004. Print.
Begg, Ean. The Cult of The Black Virgin. Penguin UK: Arkana, 1985. Print.
Duricy, Micheal. Black Madonnas . New York: Dell, 1983. Print.
Kidd, Monk. The secret life of bees . New York: Viking, 2004. Print.
Preston, James. Mother Worship: Themes and Variations. North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. 1982. Print.
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The Brady Training Program Essay
The problem in the article appears to be employee dissatisfaction, leading to the character Bill Flynn to engage in improper behavior in order to meet his work needs. Bill appears to be very ambitious, which causes him to quit a job that does not satisfy his desires. He left a sales position even before he had been accepted for the training position in the technical field of computers.
This is an indication that Bill is a person who knows what he wants and is not tied to job security, or afraid of not getting a job. He is rather confident for someone with less than one year work experience. The problem identified in the article involves the behavior of a person who is ambitious and willing to go to great heights to achieve his targets.
Bill is provided with the opportunity to train for a whole year in the technical field, after which he can obtain employment at the firm. The problem is that there are ten other people, who threaten his chances of success, whereby success is finishing the one year training program and being offered permanent employment. There are a maximum of four vacancies, which means that at least seven people will be eliminated.
This leads Bill to come up with strategies that will ensure that he makes it to the last day of the competition. Due to the intensity of the training, some trainees result to dysfunctional behavior, which is expected when the competition gets stiff. The trainees had been advice to work individually, but there are a few people who work in groups, assisting each other, and at times steal reference material from previous groups to get direction.
According to Charles Darwin, survival of human beings and other creatures has been based on natural selection, whereby only the strongest can survive. One channel of survival is adaptation. Similarly, the work environment is very competitive, and with increasing cases of unemployment, people tend to do whatever it takes, to make good use of available opportunities. Bill is aiming at increasing his computer knowledge base, and succeeding in the program would be very advantageous for him.
The other trainees have the same views, and since the organization will only hire the best, the trainees decide to go on an all out war. Group work was discouraged but the trainees know that individual efforts are futile and therefore form discussion groups to assist them through the courses. Some people result in stealing of reference material from previous groups.
The policies outlined, especially those involving individual work are likely to be overlooked in any organization. This is because people are social, and tend to create friendships, and companionship. Companionship leads to sharing problems, as was seen in the growth of Bill’s discussion group.
One way for organizations to pose such competitions would be based on creating group tasks, whereby people are forced to succeed in groups or face elimination. Duties in organizations require coordination with other people, and as much as individual talent and skill may be beneficial, the individual must be a team player.
The three bosses seemed to identify this trait in Bill, as he went the extra mile to create friendships with them in other fields beside the work place. His involvement in sports must have pleased them too, since it showed his ability to work with others, and probably led to the pay rise, in his last interview when he was offered the job, but informed them of better pay elsewhere.
Another solution to avoid cheating and stealing of material during challenges is to provide assessment teachers to assign the groups at least one experienced person to guide them in their course of the training.
Providing such a person would save them on time spent trying to figure out what is required of them, and convert it into meaningful time spent working on providing the most suitable solution or response. Behavior problems can best be controlled by providing mentors, who can guide and encourage positive behavior, since achieving something by yourself is bound to attract negative means of attaining success.
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The Catholic Church and the Black Death in the 14th Century Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Religious interpretation of the Black Death
3. Strategies used by the Catholic church to contain Black Death
4. Flagellants and religious movements
5. Effects of Black Death on the Catholic Church
6. Conclusion
7. Bibliography
8. Footnotes
Introduction
Termed as Europe’s greatest ecological disaster, Black Death plague swept the continent at an amazing magnitude. Evidence shows that Black Death plague became prevalent in the West during the middle years of the 14th century [1] . Generally, when the plague struck no one knew how to prevent or treat the disease but many people resorted to bloodletting, prayers, and concoctions, which proved to be unsuccessful [2] . Estimates show that almost 50 per cent of the Europe’s population was destroyed by the disease affecting government, trade, and commerce activities, which literally came to standstill.
The effects of the disease for a long time affected the European society where for about 200 years; this society lived under the scary effects and implications of the disease. Religion’s role in interpreting the causes and cures for the disease became evident during this period for instance religion became a focal point in providing assurance to the people while at the same time explaining to the people that the disease did not just happen in vacuum but had a genuine cause [3] .
For example, one of the earliest written tractate by James of Agramont who was a doctor in 1348 indicated that the disease had come as a result of sins people had committed against God, citing Deuteronomy 24, the doctor noted that, “God promised prosperity to those who keep his commandments, and plague to those who do not” [4] .
Therefore, the essence of this research paper is to investigate the role of Catholic Church during the Black Death, specifically paying attention to the steps the church used to prevent the disease, the Flagellants and religious movements involved and lastly the effects of the disease on the Catholic Church.
Religious interpretation of the Black Death
Religion interpretation of the plague was that it was a punishment that God was instituting and directing to humans as a result of pride [5] . According to Konrad von Megenburg who wrote the Regensburg, human in general had become sinful and that the plague was a culmination of God’s anger to the sinful behavior of humankind [6] .
The position adopted by of other writers almost indicate similarities to these earlier positions in that they view the plague to be as a result of gross wickedness of human kind and that this wickedness had increased to annihilate God’s universal principles that held the society together. At the same time, other religious sentiments have held the notion that Black Death was inevitable in order to cure the fragmentation of the society that was being witnessed together with sin that existed in large scale [7] .
Medieval Christians on their part associated Black Death with the book of Revelation and its aspects of the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse-pestilence, war, famine and death” [8] . The understanding of these Christians was that there was no much human effort could do to save or prevent the disease since it was a biblical prediction.
While other were contenting with this biblical fact, other groups of Christians were of the view that the plague largely signaled the coming of Jesus Christ to reign the earth and other groups blamed women expressing a lot of pride together with Jews who were fraudsters to be responsible for the plague in Europe [9] .
Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies note that European Christians viewed the Black Death to be God’s punishment for humankind due to immense sinful actions man was engaging in with his fellow Christians [10] . This view persisted for a long time although other opinions tried to postulate the role of other causative factors apart from religious ones.
The basis of this argument is that there were many plain communal sins that took place in most societies of Europe; hence, for God to restore His glory on earth, humankind had to undergo severe punishment for his actions [11] .
The greater role of religion in interpreting the causes of the plague remain evidenced in contemporary European art and literature, furthermore the chronicles of the 14th century have largely associated the occurrence of the plague to the afflictions to divine retribution for the wickedness of European society.
For instance, Langland puts everything in summary and observes that, “these pestilences were for pure sin” [12] .
Strategies used by the Catholic church to contain Black Death
Upon the plague becoming dangerous, the church especially Catholic, which was the main church during the period, put in place some measures that intended to prevent or contain the plague. First, the church limited and regulated movements of people from one city to the other.
This was done through laws that were established and required every citizen of the affected areas to abide and failure to do so attracted fine [13] . For instance, to avoid contracting contaminated substances anybody from the nearby cities and regions bordering Pistoia were not to be allowed into the region.
Violation of this law resulted into a penalty of fine amounting to 50 pounds. At the same time those given the responsibility to guard the gates were given further instruction to ensure that no one is permitted from going or coming out of Pistoia especially from severely affected cities of Pisa and Lucca [14] .
Anyone flouting this additional law was required to pay a fine of 10 pounds while at the same time citizens of Pistoia contemplating or planning to travel to the affected regions were required to obtain a license from the Council of the People, which was the highest organ responsible in making decisions.
The second measure instituted by the church manifested itself in a kind of order and obligatory obligation that anyone had to observe. For example, the law made it clear that no any citizen of the regions within the jurisdiction of Pistoia were to bring or participate in activities aimed at importing either linen or woolen materials that could be used as clothing by the two genders or that could be used for bedclothes. Flouting of this order or any attempt to disregard this law attracted a penalty of 200 pounds. [15]
In the same measure, citizens of Pistoia coming back to the country were provided with directives in that they were only allowed to carry with them linen or woolen cloths they had on their bodies and any extra clothing was to be carried in a bag or a small parcel weighing not more than 30 pounds. Those found to go against this order were required to remove or export the extra clothing within a maximum of three days [16] .
The third preventive measure postulated that all dead bodies were to remain in their spot untouched until when such bodies have been placed into wooden caskets and covered tightly by a closure that is secured by nails. Anybody family member or close kinsmen of the deceased found or discovered to have flouted the order were required to pay a fine of up to 50 pounds.
At the same time, the dead body was to remain in the casket until when it is buried, and before any burial could take place, officials from the city of Pistoia together with rectors of the parishes found in the city were to report immediately to the government officials of the city of death cases as they occurred. They were to identify the locations in which the dead person lived and did and if any contravention of the order was found to have taken place, these officials were liable for the fine on the dead person [17] .
Immediately the report reaches the government about the dead person, the podesta or captain, in whose capacity the reporting takes place, should immediately send an official to the said location where the dead person is and ensure that all contents and other law statutes are being observed in ensuring the funeral takes place within the statutes explained and any flouting of the statutes to be punished.
On a lighter note, the penalty prescribed in the law relaxed on those who were perceived to be poor and miserable in accordance to the declarations and statutes of the city concerning poor people [18] .
The fourth law was to be implemented within precepts of ensuring bad smell from the dead bodies was not affected the general surviving population. As a law, all dead bodies were required to be buried in a ditch that was dug to a depth of 2.5 braccia and it was to be within the stated measures prescribed by the city of Pistoia [19] . At the same time, carrying dead bodies to the city of Pistoia regardless of the status, age or role of the person in society was prohibited.
In addition, any person with less regards to his or her authority position was to ensure that no dead body is returned or carried back to the city of Pistoia without first being placed in a casket and upon flouting this requirement the affected individuals were required to pay a fine not less than 25 pounds.
At the same time, gatekeepers from the various cities were instructed to ensure there were no such incidences of returning bodies before first being put tightly in a casket, and when any gatekeeper was found to have allowed such dead body to pass without fulfilling the requirements the affected gatekeeper was also fined [20] .
The fifth law outlined and required those who had come for the burial of the deceased to avoid any conduct with the deceased body or close family members of the deceased person except and only in limited measure as to a time when procession to the church was taking place and to the burial location of the deceased. Furthermore, all people were instructed not to go back or come close to the house in which the deceased occupied before he or she died. Going against this order attracted a penalty of 10 pounds [21] .
Putting more weight on this law, another additional law was constituted which required that all no any form of gift before or after burial was to be taken the deceased person place and no meals were to be served to those attending the burial except to the family members of the deceased. An abrogation of this law attracted a penalty of 25 pounds [22] .
Other measures instituted by the church included a law that banned all gatherings or groupings with intentions of bringing the widow of the deceased person to outside the house unless such gathering was only taking place when returning from church or the cemetery location.
However, the law provided roofer the family members in company of four women to bring the widow out. All those operating butchers were required to exercise and maintain highest level of hygiene by operating in non-smelling environment and failure to observe this attracted a fine of 10 pounds [23] .
Flagellants and religious movements
Black Death plague resulted into the development, rise, and spread of flagellants’ religious movements. It is believed flagellants movements started in Northern Italy before spreading to other European nations [24] . This movements attracted and appealed most to the monks who from their tradition had embraced self-mortification which top them was a way of identifying with the sufferings of Jesus Christ [25] .
Many monks would whip themselves for thirty-three days, which resembled the years Jesus Christ lived and carried out his work and as atonement for the sins that had resulted into the Black Death. Early literatures on flagellant movements indicates that all classes participated and generally put on white robes and marched in barefoot in procession from one particular town to another while engaged in singing hymns and wielding iron-tipped scourges [26] .
After the Black Death, the Jews became victims to the movement anger where the movement would associate the Jews to poisoning of wells [27] . Many members of the movement in instituting the punishing seen and believed to be carried out in order to avert the world from experiencing another disastrous plague would meet in market places and participate in burning up the Jews [28] . Describing the movement after the Black Death, a religious historian, remarked that, “as the fervor mounted the messianic pretensions of the Flagellants became more pronounced.
They began to claim that the movement must last for thirty-three years and end only with the redemption of Christendom and the arrival of the Millennium. Possessed by such chiliastic convictions they saw themselves more and more not as mortals suffering to expiate their own sins and humanity’s but as a holy army of Saints” [29] .
The historian further note that the flagellant movement during this period graduated into a complex social phenomenon as its apocalyptic desires largely became manifested as motivation to personal mysticism, anticlericalism, and social revolutionary ideas that among its many issues pivoted on destruction of private wealth.
Further, the movement became the bear or the symbol of European view and reaction to pandemic where they believed it was due to sinful acts of the Jews hence the movement took a greater part in persecuting the Jews [30] .
Effects of Black Death on the Catholic Church
Prior to the Black Death plague many Christians were undergoing persecution but a story detailing the tribulation of Sebastian who was a Roman soldier indicate that, after the plague many people resorted to accepting Christianity and abandoning their paganism nature [31] .
When the Black Death plague struck, the Catholic Church accelerated efforts to raise money through the sell of masses for the dead and indulgences, which were believed, to pardon dead individual’s sins. Due to these activities, the church became a victim of heavy criticism where many religious leaders not in support of this move accused the church of hypocrisy [32] .
In addition, the plague had a long-lasting effect on the religious thought as it resulted into despair throughout the entire family of Christianity. Many people re-visited their relationship with God and looked up to the church to mitigate the effects of the disease but more shocking to the Christianity family was the fact that even clerics died in great number from this disease.
As a sign of lack of faith in church, the Catholic Church lost its earlier “prestige, breaking down blind allegiance to the church and setting the stage for the Protestant Reformation” [33] .
As a result of the Black Death plague, the number and the quality of clergy decreased in number as more clergies succumbed to the deaths of the disease leading to the church to scramble in trying to fill the positions [34] . Lastly, the Catholic Church became largely to be associated with scandals that made its followers to severe relationship with the church.
Many looked for new ways of how morality of societal values could be restored and in away to show their lack of faith and trust in the church they explored others avenues [35] .
Conclusion
Black Death plague has for a long time remained a significant period in the history of humankind. Its significance is traced to the devastating effects of the plague to the population of the humankind, the art world, and the literature materials. This is a period that Christianity foundations were shaken and severed, leading protestant reformation in later years.
At the same time, this was the period when the flagellant movements translated its values and it become more involved in social issues; while at the same time, promoting persecution of the Jews. What became important feature of this plague is that the role and position of the church in society underwent tremendous transformation. People doubted the powers of the church since prayers seemed not to work and miracles to save people became scarce.
Further, the responsibility of the church to take it upon itself the collection of tithes and sell of masses resulted in more discontent as more reports of corruption and misappropriation of funds became more pronounced among the followers. Attempts to rectify these anomalies failed as struggle for power and enrichment through corruption of alms and tithes heightened, the Catholic Church was unable to glue its fabrics that put it together, and reformations became inevitable which culminated in the split of the church.
Bibliography
Byrne, Joseph Patrick. The Black Death . CT, Greenwood Press, 2004. Web.
Capinera, John. Encyclopedia of entomology . NY: Springer, 2008. Web.
Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Viator . Volume 5 . CA: University of California Press, 1975. Web.
Clarke, Howard. The Gospel of Matthew and its readers : a historical introduction to the first Gospel . IN: Indiana University Press, 2003. Web.
Hatty, Suzanne and Hatty, James. The disordered body: epidemic disease and cultural transformation . NY: SUNY Press, 1999. Web.
Horrox, Rosemary. The Black Death . UK: Manchester University Press, 1994. Web.
Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe. Pistoia ‘Ordinances for Sanitation in a time of mortality’, 1994. Web.
Stewart, Cynthia. The Catholic Church: A Brief Popular History . Saint Mary’s Press. 2009. Web.
Religious Interpretations of the Causes of the Plague . Italian Studies Department, Brown University, 2010. Web.
Vidmar, John. The Catholic Church through ages: a history . NJ: Paulist Press, 2005. Web.
Footnotes
1. Joseph, P. Byrne, The black death , (CT, Greenwood Press, 2004), p.33
2. Joseph, P. Byrne, ibid, p.33
3. The Decameron Web, Religious Interpretations of the Causes of the Plague (Italian Studies Department, Brown University, 2010.
4. The Decameron Web, ibid
5. The Decameron Web, ibid
6. The Decameron Web, ibid
7. The Decameron Web, ibid
8. The Decameron Web, ibid
9. The Decameron Web, ibid,par.4
10. Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Viator, Volume 5 (CA, University of California Press, 1975) p.272
11. Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, ibid
12. Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, ibid, p.272
13. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, Pistoia ‘Ordinances for Sanitation in a time of mortality’ 1994.
14. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
15. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
16. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
17. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
18. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
19. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
20. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
21. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
22. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe, ibid
23. Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe,ibid,par.6
24. Suzanne Hatty and James Hatty, The disordered body: epidemic disease and cultural transformation (NY, SUNY Press, 1999) p.118
25. Howard W. Clarke, The Gospel of Matthew and its readers: a historical introduction to the first Gospel (IN, Indiana University Press, 2003) p.229
26. Howard W. Clarke, ibid, p.229
27. Rosemary Horrox, The Black Death (UK, Manchester University Press, 1994) p.157
28. Howard W. Clarke, ibid
29. Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, ibid, p.273
30. Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, ibid
31. Louise C. Slavicek, The Black Death (NY, Infobase Publishing, 2008) p.98
32. Louise C. Slavicek, ibid, p.98
33. John L. Capinera, Encyclopedia of entomology (NY, Springer, 2008) p.1814
34. John Vidmar, The Catholic Church through ages: a history (NJ, Paulist Press, 2005) p.157
35. Cynthia Stewart, The Catholic Church: A Brief Popular History (Saint Mary’s Press, 2009) p.221
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The City of Portland in Oregon State Essay
Portland is the most populous city in the state of Oregon in United States and it is located in North-western part of the country. The city has been subdivided in to five sections which are inclusive of Northeast, North and Northwest as well as Southeast and Southwest.
The north and the south part are divided by the Burnside Street while a river known as Willamette separates eastern region from the western region. The city of roses as it is usually known is a fascinating travel destination due to various features that not only keep visitors busy, but are also quite interesting.
The city comprises theatres, museums, parks, gardens, and galleries to name just a few that help to attract both domestic and international tourists. There is so much that someone sees in Portland city and therefore, this essay describes physical features present in the city of Portland.
Portland city is characterized by temperament climate. I visited the city during a summer season and the temperatures were quite warm such that it was possible to enjoy to the fullest without the hindrances of the extreme weather conditions. Once a person arrives at the city, the most interesting issue is the transport system which includes the trolleys, buses, as well as the street cars.
MAX which represents a light rail line interested me most as through it, it is possible to take a ride and have a chance to view major features present in the Portland city. Apart from riding and travelling using different means of transport, it is also quite interesting to walk or take strolls.
Walking is quite interesting because the city contains short blocks, parks as well as bridges. In addition, the city has got some other interesting features that someone enjoys while walking like the art, fountain as well as urban parks.
There are so many outstanding features concerning Portland, but parks and gardens greatly contribute to the aesthetic value of the city. It is among the three cities in United States that contain volcanoes and other historical as well as scientific sites.
Major parks and gardens in the Portland City are inclusive but not limited to Mills Ends Park, Forest Park, Washington Park which hosts International Rose Test Garden as well as Portland Japanese Garden. Visiting the garden makes a person to realise the importance of nature and to feel as part of the same.
Of all the above mentioned places, the most interesting place that I was able to visit was the Japanese Garden. It is a big garden since it covers an area of five and half acres and comprises five unique garden styles. The main theme of the Japanese garden is to illustrate the traditional culture of the Japanese community which is achieved by using stones water as well as different types of plants.
In total, the garden comprises five smaller gardens which are inclusive of strolling, sand and stone, flat, tea, as well as the natural garden.
It is important to mention that Portland also contains pubs, brew houses and other important club that make the night life interesting. Apart from tasting the local brew sold in the local bars, a visitor also gets a chance to enjoy music and dance. I was lucky to have visited the city during summers because I got a chance to enjoy the performance of Oregon Zoo concert.
Therefore, it is not an understatement to conclude that the city of Portland is not only a must visit but an unforgettable experience due to the urban lifestyle as well as features like parks and gardens that contribute to its liveability.
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The Cold War Between the Union Soviet Socialist Republic and the United States of America Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Defensive Mode
3. Proxy Wars
4. Ronald Reagan
5. Conclusion
6. Footnotes
7. Bibliograpy
The Cold War The Cold War is an interesting name given to a conflict between two superpowers. But there is no other way to describe the conflict between the Union Soviet Socialist Republic (“USSR”) and the United States of America because the armies from both countries did not clash in a battlefield.
The conflict was played out in the anticipation of World War III through the stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction as well as through proxy wars fought by their respective allies.
The United States played defense and at the same time became proactive by supporting other nations to strategically weaken the power of the USSR.
The conflict between the USSR and U.S. did not come from the desire to expand their territories. The Cold War is the byproduct of a conflict in ideology. The United States government is a government by the people and of the people while the USSR is a government ruled by the communist party.
The Americans believed in the principles of democracy and free enterprise while the Russians believed that the whole world must convert to a system of governance according to the teachings of Karl Marx and Lenin.
At the core of these teachings is the idea of social equality as the masses triumph over the elite and creating a utopian society in the process. It is a seemingly attractive proposition but Karl Marx and Lenin did not anticipate the impact of human nature such as greed, lust for power, the need to control people, and more importantly the corruption that comes from having a central government.
Nevertheless, the advocates of communism felt so strongly for their cause that they are willing to transform nations into a communist country and one by one they came into the fold starting from China then North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba and Eastern Europe and even half of present day Germany.
Introduction
It must be made clear that the dilemma brought by the Cold War did not happen overnight. It can be argued that without the implications of World War II then there would be no two superpowers trying to subdivide the world into what they label as the free world and the Communist bloc. The end of World War created shift in the political arena creating a vacuum that must be occupied by America or the USSR.
At the end of World War II the Germans were devastated as well as its allies Italy, Japan, and the Ottoman Empire. Great Britain emerged victorious, however, its people paid a tremendous price for glory and so after becoming the unofficial leader in two world wars, the British decided that they no longer have the energy and the resources to become the watchdog and enforcer of international laws in the international stage.
France, Belgium and other European powers were also in a state of decline. As a result there were only two superpowers left standing and these are the United States and the USSR.
Defensive Mode
American presidents in the post-World War II era could not help but be threatened by the rapid acceleration of the USSR in terms of political, economic and military might. It was an understandable reaction; the fear regarding the rise of Soviet power is expected when the memory of Nazi Germany was still fresh in the minds of American political leaders.
It was impossible to ignore the behavior of Stalin and later on Khrushchev and not consider their propensity for world domination. As Eastern Europe and most of Asia went under the influence of the Soviets there was cause for worry. When the Russians invaded Afghanistan their worst fears were confirmed.
The unfolding events from China’s decision to openly embrace Marxism-Leninism to the Korean War of the 1950s prompted the American government to strengthen its military capability. This was viewed as a threat by the USSR and so in response they enhanced their fighting capability.
It can be argued that most of the time the purpose of the massive military build-up was just a mere show for the purpose of telling the world who possess the best form of governance. This chest-thumping and ego boosting activities extended even to outer space as both countries tried to outdo each other when it comes to their space program.
However, the stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction as well as the funding of an oversized military force created a stalemate. The United States government and the Communist Party of the USSR both understood so well that if World War III becomes a reality then the combined arsenal of these countries can destroy Central Asia and North America in mutually destructive attack.
Proxy Wars
When the Soviets began to finance and support the takeover of weak monarchies and governments and transform nations almost overnight into communist countries the United States government found itself in a terrible dilemma. After World War II the Allied forces shared a common sentiment that nothing good can be had out of war.
The promulgation of democracy as well as the establishment of the United Nations headquarters in the U.S. mainland made it morally and politically impossible for the American government to attack the USSR. And more importantly the prospect of a nuclear holocaust forces them to be defensive minded. Nevertheless, the United States and the USSR found a way to battle each other out in numerous theaters of war.
It is now known as “proxy war” because American forces and Soviet forces did not actually meet in the battlefield but their proxies. The best example is the Korean War in the 1950s and the Afghanistan conflict where the United States government provided military aid to Afghan warriors in order for them to defeat the superior forces of the Soviets.
The first proxy war was held in the Korean peninsula that resulted in what is now known as North and South Korea. The allies of both the United States and the USSR did the dirty work for them while they stayed in the background. It was a proactive participation on both players because they supplied intelligence gathered through their spy networks, state-of-the art weapons, and provided help whenever it is needed such as logistical support.
The alliance that the United States made with Korea in World War II made this possible. On the other side of the fence the alliance of USSR with China gave them the ability to venture into the Far East.
But According to one historian it was the first time when a proxy war almost became a full-blown war and he wrote, “It was the only occasion in the Cold War when the military forces of the People’s Republic of China, the Soviet Union, and the United States us its Western allies) met in combat … the Korean War was not merely a war fought between proxies of the major powers, like the latter conflicts in Vietnam or Afghanistan, but a much more significant conflagration.” [1]
It was almost like seeing the beginnings of World War III but the United States and the USSR were clever enough to mask the truth by making it appear that it was a war fought by armies in the North and South of Korea in a fight for the Korean peninsula.
Aside from the war in Vietnam, it can be argued that the second major proxy war was held in Afghanistan. It has to be pointed out that the nation of Afghanistan was a creation of Great Britain as it tried to develop a buffer zone protecting its interests from other powerful nations in the region. But as mentioned earlier the end of the Second World War also revealed the depleted power of the British government. Moreover, there was no use to spend money in maintaining forces in a land lacking in desirable levels of natural resources.
In the words of one commentator, “The Afghan’s homeland is green and pleasant only in the memory of the exiles … summers are hot and dry and winters bitter, especially in the high country, and from November to mid-March snow makes travel difficult.” [2] The Soviets however saw a strategic location and they were more than willing to take over.
According to Alexander Haig, the former U.S. secretary of state, “The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to undermine the strengthening of the Islamic fundamentalist belt at its southern borders.” [3] But there is another major reason why the Soviets invaded Afghanistan.
In the words of one Russian historian, “by the mid-seventies our military had reached a state of parity with America … they (USSR) were anxious to try their strength somewhere” and Afghanistan seemed to be the best place to test newly acquired military advantage. [4] The stage was set and the war between two superpowers resulted in hundreds of casualties and yet it was not clear what the actual outcome of the war was. [5]
Ronald Reagan
Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Carter played important roles during the Cold War but the person who ended it was none other than Ronald Reagan. His reaction to the Soviet threat has been celebrated in books and movies.
It was truly an amazing feat but no one really knew the burden that he carried with him during those dark days when the whole nuclear program of the Soviets were focused on the destruction of the United States of America. The following is a mere overview of what the political arena looked like during the time of Reagan:
By New Year’s Day of 1980, the international wreckage caused by recent Soviet advances was visible virtually everywhere. In Southeast Asia, South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos had fallen into Soviet orbit; in southern Africa, Angola and Mozambique had fallen, with the aid of tens of thousands of Cuban troops; in the Horn of Africa, it was Ethiopia and South Yemen, again with the help of Cuba; in the Caribbean, Nicaragua and Grenada; and finally …. like a dagger at the heart of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan. [6]
There were many historians and political analyst who argued that the success of Reagan’s administration when it comes to the Soviet threat is attributed to his being a realist. [7]
Leaders like Truman and Carter, “tried to play it safe and they espoused the principles of détente and containment to be their main foreign policy regarding the Soviet Union.” [8] No U.S. president dared to imagine what the world will be like in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust and so the goal was to prevent war at all cost.
Reagan did not believe in the exchange of intercontinental ballistic missiles loaded with nuclear warheads. However, he understood the following principle: “Every single geopolitical nation, together with its current leadership, struggles for power and wants more of it; every single geopolitical nation, together with its current leadership, struggles for security and wants more of it. [9]
He knew that the Soviet Union will not stop until the perceived threat to the sustainability of their way of life has been eliminated and the thorn in their path is the United States. [10]
Reagan was ready to fight and he used his great power of communication to clarify to the American public what they are facing. He said that nothing good can come out from the Communist Party and he labeled the USSR as the evil empire of Communism. As a result he prepared the country in order to defend itself and if needed to counterattack. Reagan authorized multi-billion dollar expenditure in the creation of the greatest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction the American people had ever seen.
Reagan worked tirelessly to weaken the hegemony built by the Soviet Union and he did it through an arms race. [11] He was always doing something to create an advantage over the Soviets. But after eight years of massive military build-up he recognized that the Cold War had to end.
In an extraordinary feat of political maneuvering he met with his Russian counterpart, Gorbachev and using his skills and charm once again he made the Soviets agree to his terms and that is to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the arsenal of both countries. In a few years time Reagan succeeded and the Soviet Union was no more. [12] Regan ended the Cold War.
Conclusion
The Cold War began after the end of the Second World War. In the United States there were many presidents who tried to deal with the Soviet threat and their strategies range from appeasement to the participation in proxy wars.
Nobody wanted to start a Third World War. The United States had a defensive mindset and yet at the same time proactive in doing indirect actions in order to weaken the Soviet Union’s power.
However, it was Ronald Reagan who created deliberate steps to finally end the Cold War. He did by spending billions of dollars to create a deterrent and in the final stages he masterminded an arms reduction program that forced the Soviet Union to end its bid to conquer the world.
Footnotes
1. Carter, Malkasian. The Korean War (University Park, IL.: Osprey Publishing, 2001), p.7.
2. David, Isby, Russia’s War in Afghanistan (UK: Osprey Publishing), p.3.
3. Artyom, Borovik, The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist’s Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan , (New York: Grove Press, 1990), 9.
4. Ibid.
5. James Huston, Outposts and Allies: U.S. Army Logistics in the Cold War, (New Jersey:Associated University Press, 1988), 20.
6. Andrew Busch, A Ronald Reagan and the Politics of Freedom, (MD: Rowman & LittlefieldPublishers, 2001), 186.
7. Odd Westad, The Global Cold War: Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times .(New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007), 247.
8. Ibid.
9. Ashley Tellis, “Reconstructing Political Realism: The Long March to Scientific Theory,” in Roots of Realism, ed. Benjamin Frankel (Portland, Oregon: Frank Cass, Inc., 1996), 3.
10. Peggy Noonan, “Ronald Reagan: He Brought Big Government to its Knees and Stared Down the Soviet Union,” Time Magazine.
11. Alexei Filitov, Victory in the Postwar Era: Despite the Cold War or Because of it?” In The End of the Cold War , ed. Michael Hogan (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992), 78.
12. Lee Edwards, The Essential Ronald Reagan, (Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005), 77.
Bibliograpy
Borovik, Artyom. The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist’s Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan . New York: Grove Press, 1990.
Busch, Andrew. A Ronald Reagan and the Politics of Freedom. MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2001.
Edwards, Lee. The Essential Ronald Reagan, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005.
Filitov, Alexei. Victory in the Postwar Era: Despite the Cold War or Because of it?”
In The End of the Cold War , edited by Michael Hogan, 77-90. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Huston, James. Outposts and Allies: U.S. Army Logistics in the Cold War. New Jersey: Associated University Press, 1988.
Isby, David. Russia’s War in Afghanistan. UK: Osprey Publishing, 2002.
Malkasian, Carter. The Korean War. University Park, IL.: Osprey Publishing, 2001.
Noonan, Peggy. “Ronald Reagan: He Brought Big Government to its Knees and Stared Down the Soviet Union,” Time Magazine. http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988167,00.html
Tellis, Ashley. “Reconstructing Political Realism: The Long March to Scientific Theory,” In Roots of Realism, edited by Benjamin Frankel, 3-20. Portland, Oregon: Frank Cass, Inc., 1996.
Westad, Odd. The Global Cold War: Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times . New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
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“The Courageous Soul that Dares and Defies”: Naturalism in The Awakening Essay
Critic Donald Pizer understands literary naturalism as the artistic result of unremitting hardship, both personal and social. Taken one step further, literary naturalism laments humankind’s lot through its focus on characters that attempt to break free from their suffering, only to suffer more in the attempt.
A naturalist author, in Pizer’s mind, “grounds his fiction in the social realities of his historical moment and he therefore cannot help being especially responsive to social reality when that reality impinges cruelly on the fates of most men…[T]he naturalistic ethos, which views man as circumscribed by conditions of life over which he has no control, appears to be confirmed during periods of social malaise and individual hardship” (Pizer 153).
Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is one such work. Set in turn of the century New Orleans, The Awakening details the futile attempts of the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, to realize a modicum of personal freedom amid the socially constrictive Victorian era, wherein the roles allowed to females consisted exclusively of wifedom and motherhood.
Where the novel differs from other naturalist novels of its time, however, is in its treatment of the artist. This essay will show that The Awakening is best understood less so as an example of naturalist fiction and more so as a manifesto that highlights the intense social sacrifices that the pursuit of art demands.
Chopin’s nod to naturalism in The Awakening focuses wholly on the conundrum of freedom faced by women like Edna, who long for personal freedom, yet feel biologically bound to their children, and unable to leave them as a result.
In Pizer’s words, “though Edna may reject…the socially-constructed role of a mother’s total absorption in her children, she has not escaped the biologically essentialist act of giving birth to children and thus finding within herself the protective emotions of a mother” (Pizer 6). We see this especially toward the end of the novel, once Edna has struck out alone.
Though for all intents and purposes she has achieved her aim – she is free of her husband and painting regularly – she suffers agony at the loss of her children. “It was with a wrench and pang that Edna left her children. She carried away with her the sound of their voices and the touch of their cheeks. All along the journey homeward their presence lingered with her like the memory of a delicious song” (Chopin 248).
Critic Peter Ramos understands The Awakening as a “subtle but compelling critique of…naturalism” (Ramos 148).
Through Edna, says Ramos, Chopin “implies that in order for women like Edna to survive, the philosophical boundaries and consequences associated with these literary genres can and must be overcome. By…presenting women who seem to have a modicum of agency and autonomy, as well as a protagonist who mistakenly comes to believe that she has no say over her own fate, it undermines naturalism’s claims of determinism” (Ramos 148).
However, the more distinct means by which Chopin deviates from naturalism occurs through the character of Mademoiselle Reisz, a woman who has transcended biological determinism through the commitment to her art.
The independence and sacrifice that Reisz the artist embodies stands in stark relief to Edna, the mother posing as an artist. Chopin’s novel states in no uncertain terms that there are two reasons why Edna fails and ends her own life: she cannot be alone, and she cannot move beyond her identify as a mother, expect through death.
We see this most poignantly illustrated immediately before Edna’s suicide, when she imagines “the children appeared before her like antagonists who had overcome her; who had overpowered her and sought to drag her into the soul’s slavery for the rest of her days. But she knew a way to elude them” (Chopin 300).
Similarly, Edna’s inability to truly embrace her art and simultaneously, her aloneness, appears in the following passage: “Despondency had come upon her there in the wakeful night, and had never lifted. There was no one thing in the world she desired. There was no human being whom she wanted near her except Robert; and she even realized that the day would come when he, too, and the thought of him would melt out of existence, leaving her alone” (Chopin 300).
Edna’s final thoughts envision the derision that Mademoiselle Reisz would heap upon her suicide, were she a witness to it. “How Mademoiselle Reisz would have laughed, perhaps sneered, if she knew! “And you call yourself an artist! What pretensions, Madame! The artist must possess the courageous soul that dares and defies” (Chopin 302).
Chopin’s message appears to be that though women such as Edna may delude themselves into thinking it is the fault of biology that they cannot strike out on their own, the true fault lies in their inability to free themselves from their identity as “mother-woman” (Chopin 19). In Chopin’s mind, it is Edna’s inability to fully embrace her art that keeps her at the mercy of patriarchal social restraints.
In a similar vein as other turn of the century naturalist novels, Kate Chopin’s The Awakening “illuminates the socio-economic and cultural realities women like Edna faced, as well as the physical desires and social needs society denied them” (Ramos 148). However, the novel diverges from the form in the relationship that develops between Edna and Mademoiselle Reisz, and through Reisz, Chopin delivers her ultimate message: the artist must accept the social consequences of her calling.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: Herbert S. Stone & Company, 1899. Print.
Pizer, Donald. “American Naturalism in Its ‘Perfected’ State.” The Theory and Practice of American Literary Naturalism . Southern Illinois University Press, 1993. 153-166. Web.
Pizer, Donald. “A Note on Kate Chopin’s The Awakening as Naturalistic Fiction.” The Southern Literary Journal 33.2 (2001): 5-13. Web.
Ramos, Peter. “Unbearable Realism: Freedom, Ethics and Identity in The Awakening.” College Literature 37.4 (2010): 145-152. Web.
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The Culture Industry Essay
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The culture industry
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited
Introduction
There has been a great change in most of cultures since technology came into being. These changes have had both good and bad effects on people’s lifestyles. According to Adorno and Horkheimer, the changes have gradually led to the erosion of the traditional religions in the society bringing in new ways of approaching things in life.
Through embracing these technologies, usually associated with western culture, there has been substantial erosion of traditional religious aspects but still there has been improvement on the people’s living standards. To Adorno and Horkheimer, the culture industry is a problem.
The culture industry
According to Adorno and Horkheimer, the culture industry refers to the collection of all the aspects of technology in the modern society that brings change in the lifestyles of many. This majorly includes the systems that provide information to the society leading to a change of their perspectives about several issues in life.
As in the text, the culture industry of the modern society revolves around issues that are pleasurable to many like posh houses, source of entertainment and stylish ways of living.
The culture industry as brought out by Adorno and Horkheimer has led to lose of value of the traditional religious beliefs. The two compare the morals of the modern society and the religious one.
It is evident that the modern society has not incorporated most of the religious aspects that were highly regarded in the past. This is because the people that are involved in production of most materials in the culture industry are driven by the desire for money.
They do not care about the age differences of their consumers. Adorno and Horkheimer argue that, “consumers appear as statistics on research organization charts and are divided by income groups into red, green, and blue areas” (499). This propagates the lack of good morals to many young ones.
Another factor that makes Adorno and Horkheimer to see the culture industry as a problem is its inability to uphold the religious values of most societies. This is mostly in the words, art, and the music associated with westernization. For instance, the movies that are on most screens only tempt people to equate movies to real life.
This leads to the propagation of immoral behavior such as prostitution. “By repeatedly exposing the objects of desire, breasts in the clinging sweater or the naked torso of the athletic hero, it only stimulates…fore pleasure which habitual deprivation has long since reduced to a masochistic semblance” (Adorno and Horkheimer 504).
They also say that works of art are unashamed, as they have turned the culture industry to pornography and love to romance. It is thus evident that the two believe that the culture industry has some aspects that have eroded the morals of many in the society.
The social industry has not completely resorted to enhancing bad behaviors in the name of pleasure in the society. The technological advancements in the modern world have also helped in passing religious aspects and beliefs to the society.
For instance, the upcoming artists in the modern world usually emphasize on the embracing of good morals and there are media shows by religious practitioners that instill religious norms and values to many, giving them advice on how to deal with various life issues from a holistic view.
It is important to note that, the modern cultural industry has also helped in improving the lifestyles of many people. Therefore, all is not lost for there are some remnants in the media industry who propagate positive information
Conclusion
The culture industry has gone through many changes in order to cater for the lifestyle of people in a changing world. To Adorno and Horkheimer, the culture industry has led to total erosion of traditional religious beliefs. Well, this has happened to some extent but not in the entire industry.
As aforementioned, the modern cultural industry has in its own way helped to improve the lifestyles of the people since much information is available.
Works Cited
Adorno, Theodor, and Horkheimer, Max. The culture industry: enlightenment as mass Deception, 1944 . Web.
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Acceptance of Death Penalty in the United States Argumentative Essay
Death penalty is not new in the judicial system of the United States. The state of Virginia was the first to apply it to captain George Kendal who had committed the offence of being an emissary of Spain.
It surprises to realize that the penalty has been there since the year 1608. During this time, the penalty covered all the people who had committed any of the 25 criminal offences specified by the judicial system where the offenders met their death through drowning, piercing with a sharp stake, excruciation, and blazing or beating to death among others.
However, there stands many questions concerning the penalty and in particular the people whose crimes pass for the penalty. As the paper reveals, the penalty does not serve as a deterrent to crimes.
The death penalty does not at all serve as an impediment to criminal offences. As Caxton (2008) observes, the penalty is quite “ineffective as a deterrent to lower crime rates” (Para. 1). The efficiency of the penalty ought to depend much on the type of the felony committed as well as the psychological state of those who commit it.
Majority of those who commit slaughter crimes do it based on their psychological challenges. For instance, insane people might decide any time to kill innocent people. Therefore, even if the judicial body subjects this penalty to this group of people, it will not deter the criminal offences since the crime doers cannot think logically.
In countries like the United States, crime rates are comparatively high. The observation follows several reasons one being the fact that majority do it unaware of the corresponding repercussions. Therefore, as Schaefer (2009) points out, “…they will continue to commit the crimes as long as they do not face the necessary consequences of the action” (p. 176).
Another reason behind the high crime rates is the fact that the death penalty covers some, but not all the crimes. Therefore, even if the penalty is put under operation, it will leave a space for some other crimes, which usually outweigh the ones it covers.
Different countries have responded differently towards the penalty with some rejecting it and others welcoming it. For Instance, some like Germany and Switzerland have declared the penalty unworthy thereby abolishing it and coming up with some other penalties in place of the death punishment.
They have adopted the life sentence where the offenders stay under arrest for an unknown length of time thereby going through rehabilitation. However, others like Singapore have accepted the penalty claiming that it effectively hinders criminal offences. In fact, Jeralyn (2011) confirms this.
He says, “Singapore’s law provides the death penalty for anyone caught with more than 15 grams of heroin (Kong had 47) and provides no exceptions” (Para. 1).
However, based on my opinion concerning the penalty, I do not accept it. Instead, it ought to be abolished and declared illegal because it is against the eighth amendment act, which forbids such punishments like the death penalty since according to it, they are no more than bizarre sanctions.
In addition, based on the misconceptions behind the penalty, some people have faced it unfairly, not based on the nature of crime, but based on their inability to cater for the expenses of their lawyers who in turn abandon them leaving them to defend themselves. In such situations, the judges end up declaring the offenders guilty and worth the penalty.
Youths, who have committed violent crimes, ought not to face the death penalty based on their value, not only to their families, but also to the world at large. The society expects a lot from them since they are energetic and quick of understanding.
Therefore, as a way of punishing them, the judiciary needs to rehabilitate them by instilling in them skills, which they will apply to sustain themselves and their communities, a plan that will leave them with no time and reason to commit such crimes.
Reference List
Caxton, G. (2008). Death Penalty in the United States. Web.
Jeralyn, C. (2011). Singapore’s Mandatory Death Penalty: Yong Vui Kong. Retrieved . http://www.talkleft.com/story/2011/1/30/63652/1953/deathpenalty/Singapore-s-Mandatory-Death-Penalty-Yong-Vui-Kong
Schaefer, R. (2009). Sociology: A brief Introduction . New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
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The Effect of Divorce on a Person After Long Marriage Research Paper
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Emotional effects
3. Social effects
4. Financial Effects
5. Health effects
6. Societal effects
7. Conclusion
8. References
Introduction
Divorce is the act of terminating a marital union between parties and as a result, relieving them their legal duties and responsibilities. Divorce has many different implications that always depend on the type of marriage that bound the parties. For an initially monogamous family, the implication is that each former party is free and may marry another.
Where people practice polygamy, the divorced woman may have another husband, while in an originally polygynous family; the divorce gives the woman a leeway to marry another man. Only the laws of the land, which govern marriage, can determine the legality of divorce in any society. Imagine of a country like Malta or Philippines where authorities do not allow divorce; in such countries, divorce is illegal and thus punishable in the court of law.
In cases where divorce is legal, for example in most European countries, many laws exist to govern its execution. First, the party instigating the divorce needs to prove fault from his/her partner resulting in a break of their marriage ties. If the court accents to the proof put forward by the complainant, the jury, guided by the law, lays down a framework that governs sharing of property.
Regardless of the type of marriage, which bound the divorced parties, the victims experience diverse effects, which may be positive, negative, or a combination of these. This essay focuses on these effects as far as parents, children, and the society are concerned.
Emotional effects
The act of a man and a woman separating has varied effects on their psychological health. First, the abandoned party ponders about his/her next move. If the sharing of property accompanies the divorce, the most affected party suffers emotionally because of uncertainties about their future.
On their part, children of the divorced parties may find it difficult choosing on whether to follow their father or mother, while other parents may abandon both their partner and their children during the divorce (Brinig & Douglas, 2000, p.127). This may make the children become social misfits if their colleagues mock them about their family’s situation.
In a divorce case where the only breadwinner, usually the man, abandons the other party together with their children, the abandoned party may have difficulties providing for the family. The fear of the harsh realities, which accompany divorce, sets in and this makes them susceptible to stress, which may advance to depression. Depression has many long-term negative effects to the sufferer’s emotional as well as physical health. These may include delusions, anger flare-ups, and other mental disorders.
Divorce may also have a positive effect on the party advocating for it. This is very true but does not apply to all cases. Brinig and Douglas (2000) observe that, “if the cause of the divorce is unfaithfulness in marriage, the complainant, who may have been undergoing stress all along, may find divorce being a source of relieve” (p.127). This is because he/she no longer worries about the effects of sharing a partner.
Social effects
The social effects touch on relationship that the affected parties develop towards the larger community surrounding them as well as the reverse. In a case of a man who divorces his wife and the wider community knows about this, “he may have difficulties coping with others more so those who believe that the divorce is a wrongful act” (Rapoport, 2005, p.5).
Close friends may also avoid him on ethical grounds while some of his family members may change their attitudes towards him. Friends and relatives may distance themselves from him or avoid anything associated with him. As a result, he may withdraw from the wider society making his contribution to societal issues to become nil, an action that will cause degradation to the society.
A woman in the same condition also experiences more if not equal negative effect as her male counterpart since women are generally dependent on men. In communities where people consider a divorced woman as an outcast, her family may refuse admitting her back to the family, because doing so would tarnish the family name.
If by sheer luck, the family members admit her back, many people who may be her peers, equally avoid her for fear of the wider community associating them with her. The woman therefore, considered as a failure, feels alienated and as a result withdraws from the wider community. Her services to the community slowly fade and the society loses its key players without anyone noticing.
Children also experience social effects. The root causes and eventual effect of divorce may create an indelible impression in the minds of children. These children carry the memories to their adulthood resulting in violent behaviors. Phillips warns that the children may also grow up hating other men if their minds keep in memory the violent nature of their father that led to the divorce (1991, p.18).
The children may grow to become robbers, drug abusers, or even murderers. Imagine of a society full of individuals with this characters! The potential result is obvious. For school going children who hail from single parent families that result from divorce, social life at school may not be easy.
At times, during arguments with fellow students, oblivious of the negative social impact of divorce may make fun of their family situation. The affected child then finds it difficult coping with fellow students and this may badly affect his/her social life as well as academic performance.
Divorce may also affect parent to child relationship. The affected child may withdraw socially from his/her parents making them lose confidence in the parents. In a case where divorce marks the end of daily arguments or even fights between their parents, some children may find it to be a relief.
This is because the scary violent scenes they may have been seeing all along between their parents would have been a forgotten case; however, this rare situation is true only if the children are able to readjust easily and overcome other effects of the divorce.
Financial Effects
In any divorce case that leads to separation of husband and wife, there is need for the sharing of property owned by the family. The way the parties share the property has significant bearing on the financial status of both husband and wife. According to Luscombe, a man who was the breadwinner until the time of divorce may experience a positive change in his financial status after the divorce (2010, p.12A).
This is because all the funds he used to spend on his wife before separation is now wholly available for only his use. On the other hand, the woman who may have been a complete dependant of her partner has trouble as far as her financial status is concerned. This is because she can no longer live the life she used to live.
She has no access to free financial assistance her husband used to give her. However, in countries where strict laws that govern divorce exist for example in the United States, Rapoport observes, “the moment of divorce becomes an opportunity for the less affluent party to make easy wealth” (2005, p. 6).
The law requires that the two parties share their wealth equally regardless of the proportions each party contributed. The less affluent party makes more finances than she/he could have made on her/his own while the more affluent party shares his/her wealth against his/her wishes. This explains why in most divorces involving rich families, the less affluent party files the case.
Some couples under normal circumstances decide to pool their finances in order to get the benefits such as lower tax rates (if one partner greatly surpasses the other in earnings), higher common purchasing power, and assured financial stability. During divorce, this financial status changes since physical separation means that, each party controls his/her own earnings.
The changes in financial status of parents always affect the children. Children who have been learning in high profile schools may be withdrawn and taken to low profile ones. This may affect their academic performance and further low self-esteem if they do not understand the reason behind their withdrawal.
Health effects
Health matters are also a major issue of concern during divorce. The stress an individual undergoes during divorce greatly affects his/her health. Take for instance, a case where the male counterpart is the breadwinner; after divorce, it is obvious that he will not be supporting his wife. Consequently, the woman may be mentally disturbed as she devises means and ways of making ends meet.
If the efforts she makes prove futile, the stress levels advance. This may further result in negative behavioral effects like refusal to eat. Her health eventually deteriorates resulting in a weak body susceptible to illnesses. Children too, may be victims of negative health effects of divorce.
Amato (1993) argues that, it is common knowledge that children need a lot of energy since most of their time is playtime (p.59). When under stress because of the fears that will accompany their parents’ separation, they equally lose appetite even on their favorite foods. The result is that they will have energy-deficient bodies with high susceptibility to diseases.
Though not so significant, it is also worth to mention that stress causes deterioration of the condition of the mouth. The mouth of an individual affected by stress emits an odour that results from bacterial activity in the mouth. This comes about because of the long periods of stress during which the stressed individual keeps his/her mouth shut.
Stress can also have positive effects on an individual’s health. Take for example where a woman is depressed because her husband beats her up every day, quarrels her and denies her food.
It is obvious that such a woman is not happy under those circumstances and her health is in a bad state. A divorce would give her a better life, free from unjustified beatings, denial of food and frequent quarrels. As a result, her mental and physical health will undergo positive change that will make her a better person than she was before the divorce.
The same case applies to children who are able to overcome the negative effects of divorce by their parents and adjust to a stress free life that would assure them better mental and physical health. Although this may seem impossible, the presence of individuals to guide these children and give them psychological and moral support will make it an obvious possibility.
Societal effects
Unlike in the past where divorce was a taboo, modern society laws that govern it have made it a frequent occurrence. In the past, succeeding in getting a divorce would require that the complainant prove infidelity from his/her partner.
In the modern society however, this is not the case. The law allows an individual to ask for a divorce just at will, meaning that if someone woke up one morning with a plan to divorce his/her partner, they would be certain to succeed since it does not require any prove of infidelity (Phillips, 1991, p. 73).
This has made divorce so rampant that people, including small children, have considered it as part of their lives. Be it in the court, the media or different homesteads, the individuals do not consider it as a big deal but just an option when things between couples do not seem to be all right. This increased rate of divorce has resulted in widespread emotional instability, juvenile delinquency, and crime in society.
Divorce has resulted in poor child development and single parent families, which cause societal deterioration. Taking an example of the American society where divorce is so rampant, Spratling cautions that “young lovers do not take time to know each other but go ahead to marry, oblivious of the challenges ahead” (2009, p.19).
When a time comes that each other’s true character traits are emerging, the couple easily terminates the marriage through divorce.
This has caused widespread single parent families in which children develop flawed characters owing to the fact that only one parent molds their character and their childhood to their present age. This is especially so in single parent families involving only the mother. This in turn has caused widespread deterioration of the society in contemporary times.
Finally, withdrawal of stressed victims of divorce affects the overall economic state of the society. Consider an individual whom, through participation in matters that benefit the society contribute towards its growth. If this individual withdraws from societal affairs because of alienation, the society would miss his /her services, and this would result in gradual degradation of the society, however small his/her contribution is.
Conclusion
Divorce unlike in the past where one had to prove fidelity to get it, is a common occurrence in the modern society. The nature of the law in the modern society is such that it allows couples to divorce at any time of their wish without the need prove fidelity. This has led to many negative and few positive effects on the society; ever-increasing divorce rates and destructive activities associated with victims of divorce for example drug abuse; robbery and violence.
It is also vivid that the effects of divorce on the parents, children, and society from all dimensions of life are quite undesirable and unwelcome in a society with conscious minded people. Therefore, it is high time that individuals and concerned organizations made efforts aimed at preserving the sanctity of marriage because if they left the ever-increasing rates of divorce to chance, the society would undergo a major deterioration.
References
Amato, P. (1993). “Children’s adjustment to divorce: Theories, hypotheses, and
Empirical support.” Journal of Marriage and the Family , 55, 54-68.
Brinig, M., & Douglas, W. (2000). “These Boots Are Made for Walking: Why Most
Divorce Filers are Women.” American Law and Economics Review, 2(1): 126-129.
Luscombe, B. (2010). “Divorcing by the Numbers”. New York Times, pp. 12A.
Phillips, R. (1991). Untying the knot: a short history of divorce . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Print.
Rapoport, Y. (2005). Marriage, Money and Divorce in Medieval Islamic Society . USA Cambridge University Press.
Spratling, C. (2009). Blended families can overcome daunting odds . Burlington, Vermont: Burlington Free Press.
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The Effect of Polymers on Environment Vs Glass Descriptive Essay
Polymers are substances that consist of repeating units of carbon and hydrogen. Some polymers that occur naturally may include proteins, latex and even cellulose. These materials are commonly referred to as plastics. Some of the polymers are synthetic and are produced from industrial processes.
Polymerization refers to the degree in which repeating components form one outstanding unit. High strength polymers are those that have high level of polymerization, whereas those with one type of repeating units are homopolymers. Those with several and different repeating units are co-polymers.
The mode of classification that is in use for classifying polymers is the method used in their formation. There are two types of polymers which include additional polymers and condensation polymers.
Additional polymers are formed from the combination of many monomers while condensation polymers where the combination of monomers leads to the loss of a water molecule. The vital elements that form the polymers are carbon and hydrogen, although sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen may also be included.
Natural polymer is believed to have originated from South Africa from the trees called Heave and Castile. Its origin dates back from 1735 when natural rubber was first described by French geographic expedition to South Africa.
One of the first pioneers in the application of polymers was Joseph Priestley who in 1770 made a remarkable discovery that led to the use of natural rubber as an eraser. Then in 1909, this synthetic rubber was introduced publicly.
1922 German chemist Hermann Staudinger came up with his macromolecular hypothesis, giving a suggestion that the polymers are actually large molecules formed by the permanent joining of uncountable tiny molecules. Through his experiments, he proved this hypothesis to be true and earned himself a Nobel Prize in 1953.
There are a number of ways in which polymers are used. Such ways include:
In agriculture and agribusiness, polymers can be used to promote plant growth. They can also be used to improve aeration in soil. (Emsley,5).
In medicine, polymers are used to replace heart valves. These polymers include Teflon and Dacron.
Polymers can act as a substitute for natural cotton.
In industrial market, they can be used to make pipes, matrix for composites, insulation or even windshields in fighter planes.
They are also used to replace natural materials such as ivory and woods.
They can be used in cars and planes with reduced amount of fuel to be used due to their light weight.
In consumer science, polymers are used to replace traditional containers. This is because they are light in weight and are also economical.
In sports, they are used in making protective helmets, balls of different varieties and other playground equipment.
Biopolymers are biodegradable polymers. The raw materials for their production may be renewable or synthetic. These types of polymers are not produced widely due to their high cost. Such kinds of polymer include:
Polyhdroxyalkanoate: compostable in an industrial facility. These are produced from a range of bacterial action, which act carbon storage materials. They also act like energy storage materials. They form a stable latex suitable in paper surface finishes and coating and sizing.
Polylactic acid: 100% compostable at 60oc in an industrial facility.
Biodegradable plastics are those that will decompose in landfill (environment). Biodegradable plastics can be produced from organisms in the environment. Micro-organisms can produce renewable raw materials or petroleum based plastics. Since these plastics are made from materials that are natural, for example, cellulose and starch, they decompose easily when in contact with oxygen or even water and sunlight. Micro-organisms use enzymatic break down of the points of glycoside linkage to bring about decomposition of these biopolymers. (Scott,93).
Polymers have varying environmental impacts. Such impacts include:
* Some monomers are said to be toxic or even to some level said to be carcinogenic.
* Burning of plastics produces emission that lead to production of green house gases for example, carbon dioxide. This gas is also a major source for global warming.
* There is also production of methane gas, a product of anaerobic digestion, together with carbon dioxide emitted from decomposition of biodegradable polymer.
Non-biodegradable plastics are buried in landfills. These plastics occupy space that would otherwise have been occupied by other biodegradable plastics. This will result to the same lasting in landfills for a longer period of time, even up to hundreds of years.
Improper composition of plastics also has its impacts to the environment. In regions of the north pacific, there is a floating island of plastics that have been discarded hence bring about the danger to the aquatic life and the birdlife. Many coast areas, as well as the inland, may contain plastics.
Glass
Glass is a solid object with non-crystalline properties. It is amorphous in nature and occurs in various forms. It is principally made up of silica (SiO 2 ) which makes up a substantial percentage about 75% of its components; other components include lime (calcium oxide), magnesium oxide and aluminium oxide each of which add to its long lasting nature.
Sodium carbonate may be an additive, however it is not preferred as it makes its ability to be converted to the liquid state easily attainable. Huge debates have risen as to the physical state of glass i.e. whether it is a solid or a liquid but in essence glass is a liquid in a super cooled state.
This means that it has rigidity and is static however it does not lose its molecular state. Glass comes in a variety of forms and used in varied applications as it ranges from clear glass to tinted glass and lastly tempered glass.
It is believed that glass has been in existence since time immemorial with natural glass dating back to 5000 BC, in ancient Rome, as an accidental finding by Syrian merchants and the man-made glass tracing its roots in Mesopotamia in 3500BC as the outcome of a coincidental mixture of calcified sand and soda being mixed in a kiln.
Since its advent glass has improved man’s way of living significantly. Uses range from home-use to industrial use. Compared to polymers glass is the appropriate material for producing storage equipment due to its hygienic nature. It is essentially absent of toxic components and is quite inert thus its effect on the environment is minimal.
Resistance to wear and tear is an additional feature and the little quantities of glass like lime and silica are constituents of mineral water. The inert nature is evident in its slow conversion to silicates when released to the environment and this property can be utilized in making environmentally dangerous material inert.
Recycling, which is, the ideal waste management strategy can easily be implemented when using glass due to its non-biodegradable nature. A particular glass bottle can be used infinitely as it can be melted and re-melted without losing its properties. (Walker,22).
This is ecologically friendly as it: –
* Cuts down on disposal and transport expenses.
* Minimizes environmental damage.
* Minimizes production costs by reducing the amount of primary materials, especially calcium carbonates and silicates and by extension minimizing quarry exploitation of these resources.
* Reduces amount of energy that is consumed in production as a ton of glass re-melted spares a similar amount of the same raw materials and even more energy.
* Reduces the greenhouse effect that would arise from carbon dioxide production that would have arisen, as a result, carbonate decomposition in case of primary materials.
However, there are also negative attributes to glass being in the environment such as:-
* Glass dust has detrimental health risks to humans and other forms of human life.
* Physical trauma can be incurred from glass particles hanging in the environment.
It therefore goes without saying that the use of polymers in the production of storage equipment has much more negative attributes as compared to the use of glass especially in the detrimental effects that they have on the environment. Recycling is the most efficient ecologically friendly way of management of waste.
Work Cited
Emsley, Alan. Polymers: the environment and sustainable development. New York: John Wiley and Sons,2003.
Scott, Gerald. Polymers and the environment. England: Royal Society of Chemistry, 1999.
Walker, Kate. Recycle, reduce, reuse, rethink . New York: Black Rabbit Books, 2005.
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The Effect of Prohibition on Organized Crime Research Paper
During this prohibition of 1920 in United States, all activities contributing to the sales of alcohol were illegal. Such activities included import and export of raw materials and the final products, as well as the initial production and the transportation of alcohol.
This action of prohibition came because of realized rate of crimes and corruption among the top people, high levels of social conflicts, and increased taxes. The tax rate was too high although there was need for the government to collect money for supporting prisons, reconstructing poor houses, and to concentrate on the high risk areas where health and hygiene were at stake (Goldberg 214).
As much as the government was in effort of prohibition, the consumption of alcohol became relatively high resulting to organized crimes. The high level of organized crimes, made the court and the prisons working system overworked making the police and the public officials to practice corruption.
The effect of alcohol prohibition act gave the Mafia group an opportunity of exercising their criminal acts. This is a big group of organized criminals from various ethnic groups. They operate in various nations including the United States and Canada. They deal with all illegal acts like drug and weapon smuggling, murder, and frauds among other disgusting activities (Thornton 114).
During this period of alcohol prohibition there were widely involved in smuggling alcoholic drinks into the country to the capable and interested buyers. They discovered that the alcohol was scarce in United States and so decided to supply the citizens with alcohol illegally.
They made a lot of money out of the illegal smuggling of alcohol, which was an indication of an act to benefit the organized criminals. This group used to bribe the public officials for their entry into the United States with illegal alcohol. The money they received from this illegal business funded this group to continue with their other organized crimes like prostitution, trafficking drugs, and other immoral activities.
The United States prohibition act came into being through the eighteenth Amendment, where the police received the authority to enforce the law. The sale of alcohol was illegal in the United States, although in some places the alcohol beverage was still on sale especially the underground places where security would struggle to find them. Much of the alcohol that was on sale in the United States was from Canada, and the vendors used to sell it in private bars (Spiller 98).
Immediately after the National Prohibition Act came into practice, an illegal system of criminals began its actions, whereby some of them made millions and millions of us dollars by transporting alcohol illegally. During this period, the smuggled alcohol became too expensive such that some people would not afford it, and hence relied on the denatured alcohol.
This denatured alcohol had some serious impacts on the users’ bodies like causing paralysis to major parts like hands and legs. Things became worse when increased death rates were realized in the United States because of this alcohol without the prohibitionist taking any action (Albanese 316).
Some of the prohibitionists claim that the users of such kind of alcohol deserved that king of punishment and people continued loosing their lives. The level of corruption was very high during this period than any other. The public officials were facilitators as they asked for bribes from the illegal alcohol traders.
According to the public officers, they wanted the prohibition period to last forever, and continue taking the advantage of the situation as the level of crime went up. Instead of benefiting from the alcohol prohibition, the nation suffered greatly from loosing its people, experiencing high levels of crime and corruption and violation of authority among others.
During this period, some of the strong supporters of prohibition like Rockefeller confessed that instead of the society’s morals to improve from this act, the overall condition of the nation is getting worse. The negative effects of the act were far many than the positive ones.
Through the alcohol prohibition act, an important source of government revenue was removed, and on the other hand, government spending shoots up. Some people who were already addicted to alcohol and could not afford the smuggled alcohol turned to dangerous drugs like opium, cocaine, and bhang among others (Freel 58).
These are among the dangerous drugs that these people would never have used if alcohol were still legal. At he initial stages of the prohibition act the levels of alcohol consumption decreased but soon after increased a lot.
The government put several restrictions on alcohol consumption on land, although there was an exempt on the ships sailing at a distance of 3 miles and many people took advantage of this situation.
During prohibition, some people also practiced both legal and illegal brewing at their houses, and became somehow popular. This came because of the alcohol that was in use such as wine and hard cider, as people produced it at residential places (Maisto and Galizio 306).
In some areas still, the production of commercial wine was done in United States, and later stored in the government warehouses, only to be used in churches and other holy ceremonies. Some people decided to start selling malt extract for cooking and beverage uses, although some people used it for alcoholic purposes.
The main reason of the government to practice these restrictions on alcohol consumption was to reduce the crime rates that were very high in United States. So far, the crime rates were decreasing day by day as the prisons reduce the number of the inmates.
Some wines like Whiskey were available for medical purposes. The labels on the bottles indicated clearly that the purpose of taking whiskey would be strictly be recommended by a doctor.
The hospitals drug stores were full with whiskey bottles, because of increased patients who came with the same symptoms leading to whiskey as the right prescription (Dills and Miron 11). The government did not try to put some control on this, and hence the majority used this method to obtain whiskey from healthy facilities.
The 1920 prohibition only put some restrictions on the production, selling and transporting the alcohol, but not in consuming or possessing. It was also possible to see people taking alcohol after the amendments because those who had already manufactured or bought were allowed to use it throughout that period until they exhaust it.
During the prohibition period, the famous people in the country and the politicians were still taking alcohol. These politicians had widely voted for prohibition but thy later confessed that they were still making use of alcoholic drinks.
This difference between the law and the actual practice by the lawmakers and other citizens resulted to disrespect of the government authority (Mildred 78). Although the government was trying as much as possible during the prohibition period to curb the use of alcohol in the country, more people still drunk illegally and criminals still continued taking advantage of the situation.
The effects of prohibition ended up positively to some parts of the nation, but on the other hand increased the disrespect of the law and several cases of lawlessness. The 1920 prohibition also gave a good opportunity for the organized crime to take over the production, and transporting of the alcoholic drinks. Several bootleggers were able to prosper in their work of organized crimes through the much cash gotten from the illegal alcohol.
In conclusion, criminal acts increases whenever there is a product that people want in large quantity, and yet only few who can act as suppliers. In such circumstances, the mafia group of the organized criminals and other criminals takes the advantage of supplying the item on demand (Lowinson and Millman 930). That is how even the ordinary citizens who were alcohol addicts before turned to be outlaw.
The act of prohibition did not only increase the actions of the organized crimes, but also caused an increased government spending in efforts of trying to prosecute the criminals and to reduce the levels of the increased corruption. The government wasted much money, and on the other hand, the organized criminals gained a lot of money through the illegal transactions.
As a result, the organized criminals developed and grew so much assuring their continuity through a strong financial base. There were no remarkable impacts of alcohol prohibition, but only negative effects that were felt by one generation to the another for instance deaths and crimes.
Works Cited
Albanese, Jay. Organized Crime in our Times. New York: Elsevier, 2010.
Dills, Angela and Jeffrey Miron. Alcohol Prohibition and Cirrhosis. New York: Cengage Learning, 2003.
Freel, Brian. Passing the Mississippi Subject Area Testing Program in United States History. New York: American Book Company, 2002.
Goldberg, Raymond. Drugs Across the Spectrum . New York: Cengage Learning, 2009.
Lowinson, Joyce and Millman Robert. Substance use: a comprehensive textbook. New
York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.
Maisto, Stephen and Galizio Mark . Drug Abuse and Use . New York: Cengage Learning, 2010.
Mildred, Geoffrey. Drug Use in 1920 Prohibition. New York: Cengage Learning, 2006.
Spiller, John. The United States 1920. New York: Routledge, 2004.
Thornton, Mark. The economics of Prohibition. New York: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2004.
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