China Returns to Africa Essay

The book â€Å"China Returns to Africa: A Superpower and a Continent Embrace† provides in-depth account of Chinese-African relations. The central claim of the book is that geopolitical relations between Africa and China has provoked international interests as China remains one of the most promising and powerful states in the world. The editors have assembled 24 essays by academics that possess exceptional knowledge with the purpose to shed light on the unexpected Chinese-African operations. The chapters address diverse subjects as, for example, social influence of Chinese Diaspora in Africa, the history of Tanzanian railway, the history of Chinese medicine, the progress of Beijing in buying oil and natural resources, the breadth of African continent, etc. The book presents a balanced impressive study of the most important developments in the modern worlds, as Chinese-African relations will affect economics and politics of all countries. In 2006 China celebrated a new strategic partnership. The interest of China in African continent has raised a number of debates as researches found it interesting to reveal what China expects from Africa. However, academic and development policy circles neglect country’s re-engagement with the African continent. In contrast to Europe and America, China treats Africa equally, not as inferior country. With the help of China Africa is viewed to be able to establish business deal with Western countries. In the late 1960s China made a decisive ideological thrust into the African continent and was humiliated for that by the rest of the world’s powerful countries and Africa itself. The painful experience of Mao’s men prevented further relations with Africa for about 40 years. The economic wreck was contributed to China’s disastrous experiments with socialism. A new invasion of Africa began in the past 15 years. New effort appeared to be more pragmatic and was driven mainly by a quest for new energy sources and new raw materials. Economic invasion was backed up by country’s huge wealth and, therefore, its implication was more likely to be far-reaching than the last Maoist adventure. Western powers were prompted to corresponding alarm as they were unaware what to expect from Chinese-African relations. The book notes that more than 800 Chinese companies have invested more than ? 5 billion in economic development of African countries and there is more to come. The editors admit in introduction that â€Å"China’s expanding relations with Africa are the most important dynamic in the foreign relations and politics of the continent since the end of the cold war†. (Alden et al. , 2008, ii) In particular, China offers African continent three things – money, long-term commitment and assurance of non-inference. Money offered accounted for larger sums that offered by western competitors and assurance of non-inference means that human rights won’t be troubled by Chinese lifestyle in contrast to European and American countries to impose their beliefs and policies within the continent. Thus, local dignitaries of African continent will remain original. Further, one of the chapters addresses the important of media in Chinese-African relations as media is the fourth power in the world. It is noted that Chinese media presents future of Chinese-African relations in different way from that of western reports and prophesies. Chinese partnership has expanded in Senegal, Mauritius and Cape Verde. Chinese traders are restoring the infrastructure in Angola. China buys cobalt from Congo and South Africa; feed from Ethiopia, Tanzania and Sudan; copper from South Africa and Zambia; chemicals from Nigeria; ferrous metals from Zimbabwe; and oil from everywhere. Angola has become China’s biggest supplier. The authors assess the costs and benefits of China’s re-engagement into African continent. On the one side, the prices are boosted by the increased competition for commodities. The West seems to be troubled about the Chinese imperialism because many of the trade practices have been commonplace among the European and American companies. Many countries simply tended to get out of Africa without investing in it. In contrast, China offers new scope of economic relations through equal treatment. Nevertheless, the poorest people in Africa would hardly benefit from Chinese-African relations as reliance on capital-intensive commodity industries is not effective way to fight poverty. The problem is that Chinese money goes into the pockets of Africa’s elites and into Swiss banks. The editors cite a spokesman of the Kenyan government who argues: â€Å"You never hear the Chinese saying that they will not finish a project because the government has not done enough to tackle corruption. If they are going to build a road, it will be built†. (Alden et al. , 2008, 23) Some authors are more skeptic about the future of the Chinese-African relations. They argue that with years the issue of ‘governance’ can’t be escaped as governance is the pre-condition of stable economic relationships and economic development. China is argued to suffer from lack of spiritual dimension in the countries practicing Christianity, Islam and other indigenous systems of beliefs. Overall, the book is very informative presenting multiple perspectives on development of Chinese-African relations. The authors offer far-reaching surveys of China’s return to the African continent. The new relations are assumed to hold for diplomacy, trade and further development. The authors are surely correct in their efforts to refuse taking high morale line about what China is willing to get from Africa. The positive is that China tends to treat Africa as equal partner, whereas Europe treated Africa as inferior state. Africa should be provided with more respect, the country should be provided with opportunity to decide what it wants and what it doesn’t want. With China, Africa may be able to strengthen its economic and political position in the world. Nevertheless, the negative is that China may tend to impose its own beliefs and governance similar to European countries. Development of Chinese-African relations depends fully on country’s abilities to cooperate. BIBLIOGRAPHY Alden, Chr. , Large, D. , & de Oliviera, R. , ed. China Returns to Africa: A Superpower and a Continent Embrace. USA: Hurst & Co Publishers LTD, 2008.

Multiple Sclerosis and Living Life

|Multiple Sclerosis and Living Life. | |[Type the document subtitle] | | | |Multiple sclerosis can be debilitating, however there are things that can be done to | |limit the amount of attacks a person may have. | | |Le’Sha Hairston | |10/10/2012 | | | Multiple Sclerosis and Living Life Le’Sha Hairston University Composition and Communication ll COM/156 Trista McCombs Multiple sclerosis and Living Life As a person with the disease! Knowing the effects first hand, Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease.With MS, the body's white blood cells attack tissues called myelin. Changes to your diet and life style can help slow down the effects of multiple sclerosis. Some days will be better than others, but a normal life can be lived with the disease. June 24, 2004 eight years ago I was diagnosed with â€Å"Multiple Sclerosis†. A quote from talk show host, author, actor, and philanthropist â€Å"Montel Williams†, when the neurologist said those words- †Å"you have (MS)† it hit me like a ton of bricks. â€Å"I thought I was diagnosed with a death sentence†. As a person with the disease! Knowing the effects first hand, Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease.With MS, the body's white blood cells attack tissues called myelin. Changes to your diet and life style can help slow down the effects of multiple sclerosis. Some days will be better than others, but a normal life can be lived with the disease Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that can be potentially debilitating to a person. Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which one’s immune system begins to attack the body. The white blood cells will attack a tissue in the body called the ‘Myelin’, which is the protective sheath covering of all nerve’s in the human body.By the Myelin being eating away this can and most likely will result in permanent damage to the nerve’s even deterioration, being that there is no reversible p rocess for (MS). There are many different symptoms for a person with Multiple sclerosis; it all depends on the damage and what particular nerves are affected. There is no cure for (MS), and the only way to determine is one has Multiple Sclerosis, is to rule out other diseases. Meaning using the process of elimination to determines one’s status. A person with a severe case of the disease will encounter many problems.Some of these problems are not having the ability to walk, talk, or any mobility at all. Even though there is no cure for the disease, there are strategies to treat an attack such as â€Å"anti-inflammatory medications†. Some of these medications are â€Å"Corticosteroids and Beta interferons†. Corticosteroids consist of different medications that decrease inflammation and help to reduce the symptoms and signs of inflammation. They also â€Å"suppress your immune system, which helps control the conditions in which your body’s immune system mis takenly attacks its own tissues† (http://www. mayoclinic. om/health/steroids/HQ01431), in thus case Multiple Sclerosis. Corticosteroids can be taken in many different ways such as: One can take corticosteroids by: †¢ By mouth. Tablets, capsules or syrups help treat the inflammation and pain associated with certain chronic conditions, such as arthritis and lupus. †¢ By inhaler and intranasal spray. These forms help control inflammation associated with asthma and nasal allergies. †¢ Topically. Creams, ointments and roll-ons can help heal many skin conditions. †¢ By injection. This form is used to treat such signs and symptoms as the pain and inflammation of tendinitis.While the six FDA-approved disease-modifying medications that treat multiple sclerosis are often successful in slowing the progression of (MS), like all drugs, they can also produce some side effects. The side effects of (MS) medications can range from mild (flulike symptoms or irritation at an injection site) to more serious (chest pain, an increased risk of heart toxicity, or even acute myelogenous leukemia, a kind of bone marrow cancer. So when taken any medication it should be consulted with your doctor on the best medication for any person to take while dealing with multiple sclerosis.Discussing all side effects will help the doctor know how tolerable you are to the medication. Any bruising, redness, swelling, itching, etc should be reported immediately. All the interferon’s such as Rebif, Avonex, and Betaferon can cause flulike response after an injection. This is managed by gradually starting with smaller does, then working up to full dose. Physical therapy is also another way to treat (MS) attacks, and modify the course of the disease as well as using muscle relaxants. Physical therapies that can be conducted are too help deal with the issues brought on by Multiple Sclerosis such as: Fatigue †¢ Pain †¢ Balance problems †¢ Coordination problems †¢ Weakness †¢ Immobility Physical therapy will help teach new movement techniques also. A healthy diet is something that should also be maintained when someone has Multiple Sclerosis. A person with a chronic illness should consume adequate calories including protein. This will help the body provide energy, heal any wounds and fight off any infections. A person with Multiple Sclerosis should maintain their weight, eat foods low in fat and cholesterol, and limit their sugar intake.Salt is something that should be moderate in a (MS) patient’s diet, along with drinking 8-8ounce glasses of water per day to maintain a good urinary track. Anyone with an illness should get plenty of rest, thus keeping the energy up. Anyone with Multiple Sclerosis can have a very fulfilling life. (MS) doesn’t have to determine the amount of fun you have. Yes it can become hard with all the medications and daily stipulations but it’s worth it to maintain life. I know someone w ho has had the disease since the age 19 years old. They woke up and couldn’t see anything, just flashing lights and a splitting headache.Rushed to the hospital and they couldn’t begin to explain the amount of testing that was done on them to gain a diagnosis. They had to make numerous changes in their life if they wanted t continue to be normal. These changes included not smoking (cigarettes), no alcohol, fatty foods, getting more rest, working less, being on many medications etc: an the list goes on. However, for the sake of their children and their family they were able to pull through. As they explained to me there are days that are great from them than there are days that is extremely hard. But it’s better than not being around at all as they said.There are days when their depression will set in and giving up is the only thing they want to do, doing so would be the easy way out. Fighting it to the end is the decision they made; having a wonderful support sys tem that keeping them motivated to live. Great children and a wonderful husband couldn’t ask for anything more. There’s nothing they can’t do everything is regular with some limitations. Multiple sclerosis is a potentially debilitating disease. However as long as you take your medications, exercise, and maintain a well balanced diet you can live a happy and normal life. It will also limit the amount of attacks a person will have.It doesn’t have to over take your life. Staying positive and having a great support system are strategies to help a person keep the faith and make it through. As a person with the disease! Knowing the effects first hand, Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease. With MS, the body's white blood cells attack tissues called myelin. Changes to your diet and life style can help slow down the effects of multiple sclerosis. Some days will be better than others, but a normal life can be lived with the disease. References: www. cnn. com www. mslifelines. com www. montelwilliams. com www. apolllolibrary. com www. everydayhealth. com

EXAM QUESTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EXAM QUESTION - Essay Example The Hagia Sofia construction dates to the Byzantine period while the empire was under Justinian’s rule. Historically, the Hagia Sofia’s construction was targeted to honor the Byzantine art practitioners (Saoud, 2003). The building betroths the Byzantine artistic practices during the civilization period as the aspects present that period were incorporated in the construction of the ruins. The building’s height was unchallenged by many of the period’s architectural designs with many other artistic revelations from the Byzantine and Roman empires of the period including the use of circular domes on square buildings. Historically, the findings denote that the infamous empires embraced monumental artistic buildings through the established researches (Ashkan & Ahmad, 2012). The intensified research about the Hagia Sofia and the Pantheon indicate that the two buildings shared similar architectural designs, and the meanings. Therefore, the use of circular domes was a sign of power in the buildings’ constituent empires. The study’s findings imply that the use of unreinforced domes in the Pantheon building make it the tallest ancient structure at over 2,000 years (Ashkan & Ahmad, 2010). The opening of the Pantheon dome named â€Å"Oculus† appears at the height of 143ft above the square building (Ashkan & Ahmad, 2012). The several imperial palaces in the Roman and Byzantine empires and commemorative Roman columns along the ancient buildings are a significance of the artistic correlation between the Pantheon and Hagia Sofia architectures (Saoud, 2003). The evidence of water reservoirs and cisterns built in the two buildings comprise of expensive red and rare square tiles. The reportedly exotic materials depict the devotion that the two different empires adapted in order to construct the two monumental structures. Therefore, the two buildings’ architectures concentrated on the

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

International business - Essay Example This report aims at discussing why certain overseas businesses have a decentralized operations systems while the other follows a more centralized form. There have been several debates and discussions on this topic and the reasons why companies choose different forms of organisational structures in different places. To understand this better it is essential to firstly understand the meaning of decentralised and centralised forms of organisational operations. This will lead various factors that allow companies to choose the different style and also how the two differ in the case of different companies. There have been numerous debates and discussions in regards to the definition of ‘Decentralization’, and in a number of events this term has been mixed with ‘devolution’ or ‘delegation’. In the case of multi national companies and their operations, decentralization can be taken to mean the decision making rights or responsibilities, i.e. away from the centre and spread out across the various locations. Decentralization of a business operation simply means that the operation of every location is separate and based on the needs of the particular location. Here the main managers and heads of the company for each location are held responsible for the strategies, plans and operations of the particular location. In simpler terms the process of decentralization involves the decision making process and authority of the firm to a larger number of actors rather than a limited few in the central office. Operations in these kinds of companies are decentralized and the management for each area is different. Hence a decentralized management allows the company to perform better in the various regions and ensure that the company works in accordance with the region, culture, values and ethics. Also if the operations are tailor made for the

Developmental stage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Developmental stage - Research Paper Example This viewpoint is clearly illustrated by one infancy development author: The human baby is the most socially influenced creature on earth, open to learning what his own emotions are and how to manage them. This means that our earliest experiences as babies have much more relevance to our adult selves than many of us realise. It is as babies that we first feel and learn what to do with our feelings, when we start to organise our experience in a way that will affect our later behaviour and thinking The first aspect that must be developed in a young offspring is cognition. This is the initial period of alertness where a young offspring learns about his environment and finds ways to appropriately interact with it. Although their memory is not yet refined, they are able to familiarize themselves with the faces, voices, touch or smell of the persons surrounding them. Their range of vision is also limited but they can easily spot bright and moving objects. According to Jean Piaget, there are two significant events that happen during cognitive development. First is what he calls the â€Å"goal-directed behavior† wherein infants start to learn about the cause and effect of their actions. Moreover, they repeat particular actions for they already have the idea that those actions will bring out their desired results. The second significant event in cognition is their notion for â€Å"object permanence†. Before, infants think that if something that they have seen is taken away or hidden, it is completely gone. After their third month, babies will start to develop their thinking that a thing still exists even if it cannot be seen. During this stage, it is normal that infants exhibit budding and intense curiosity with their immediate surrounding. This is the primary reason why babies use their hands and mouth to inspect things. They find joy in exploring things by touching and

Statistical computation of maximum likelihood estimates using R Math Problem

Statistical computation of maximum likelihood estimates using R - Math Problem Example SMA do not account for seasonal changes. The duration of the moving average can best be determined according to the type of application data to forecast. Long time periods gives smoother response by removing random variations but react slower to changes in the data as it lags the trend. Short time periods produce more oscillation but closely follow the trend. SMA is calculated by averaging the most recent number of actual values. SMA is calculated by using the following equation (Chase & Jacobs 2006): Where Ft Forecast for coming period At-1 Actual value in the past At-2, At-3, Actual values two, three, periods ago. N Number of periods to be averaged In the attached excel document, SMA is calculated for three periods: three, four, and five. Different n time periods will produce different results of data values. The values of MAD corresponding to each period are shown in the following table: Table 1: MAD values for different periods of SMA Time Period (n) MAD 3 4.36 4 3.10 5 3.95 Table one demonstrates that the smallest value of MAD exists for the period of n=4. This indicates that the type of data being analyzed is best estimated using a period of four. Figure 1: SMA for periods of 3,4, and 5. Figure one confirms the results of MAD analysis from table one. The best fit trend line is the SMA for n=4. This line follows the actual data curve specially on the 15th, 22, and 25 where major change occurred in wind speed. The period that best fits the actual data is dependent on the type of data analyzed which is the wind speed. Weighted Simple Moving Average (WSMA): A weighted moving average puts different weights to each element, providing that the sum of all weights equals 1. Weights are...Short time periods produce more oscillation but closely follow the trend. In the attached excel document, SMA is calculated for three periods: three, four, and five. Different n time periods will produce different results of data values. The values of MAD corresponding to each period are shown in the following table: Figure one confirms the results of MAD analysis from table one. The best fit trend line is the SMA for n=4. This line follows the actual data curve specially on the 15th, 22, and 25 where major change occurred in wind speed. The period that best fits the actual data is dependent on the type of data analyzed which is the wind speed. A weighted moving average puts different weights to each element, providing that the sum of all weights equals 1. Weights are chosen by experience and trial and error. A general rule applies that recent past is more indicative of the future and should get higher weighting. However, if the data are seasonal weights should be established accordingly. The weighted moving average advantage over the simple moving average is the ability to vary the effects of past data. In the excel document, in the Weighted SMA sheet, the weights of the moving average are determined by trial and error to produce the least value of MAD since there is no expert opinion as to guide the setup of

Product Feasibility Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Product Feasibility Analysis - Essay Example The new Professor of Plumbing application is aimed to achieve these functions through the use of Android market, Smartphone and the iPhone to achieve these objectives. The application integrates books, tables, calculators that are necessary in plumbing work and piping design to present an enhanced user interactive application that presents faster and more accurate calculations on right angles, offset pipe lengths, plumbing fixture spacing, water pipe size, DWV pipe size, flow rates and volumes among other calculations. These are used daily by plumbing professionals and other professionals where piping system design is required. The application aims at making their experiences to be of a higher level, when using this application. There is a rich market that the application targets as described above. This will ensure the application captures the market, and meets the objectives in both revenues and offering interactive value to customers far and above the price paid for the applicatio n. The design and offering the application for sale have a high profit potential in that, as the application will be downloaded directly from application stores or bough from other professional databases, it will reduce the cost of buying other handsets, as is currently in the market. This will make most plumbers and those involved in design of pipes systems to prefer this application to buying of more specialized calculators. This will increase sales; the monthly and annually subscriptions are intended to increase the revenue base from the sales of this application greatly. The improved features that will be enhanced during development and advancement of this application will ensure that the application delivers maximum value to customers, and this will increase the revenue greatly as more customers download the application to experience these benefits. 2.0 Product Feasibility 2.1Problem identification The current advancing technologies require that operations by all professions an d technicians be made fast reliable, efficient and effective. This means that a plumber has to have all the details they require during the daily operations at their hands. There is too much time wasted where the plumber is required to carry different equipment in a tool box, and this considerably reduces their effectiveness. A plumber will require calculators, manuals for checking angles and pipe diameters and how they correspond during fitting operations, the flow rates calculations and materials that contain many standards that have to be used during calculations in plumbing work. The time required to go though the above materials is too much and is wastage of productive time that reduces hourly productivity of such a plumber. It is necessary to equip the plumber with a new approach that they have to use when plumbing and solving all the above problems effectively. This is the reason behind the new Professor of Plumbing application a versatile application that will ensure speed, reliability, accuracy, precision that make the overall plumbing work much easier as compared to the current situation. 2.2. Product description The Professor of Plumbing Software comes along with the following features that will ensure a sustainable and wide market coverage and usage. Can perform right angles, offset pipe lengths Feet-inch

Role Of Safeguards In Strengthening Independence Essay

Role Of Safeguards In Strengthening Independence - Essay Example The importance of autonomy of auditors and the inherent risk of not being totally self-determining raises many of the issues where safeguards were suggested in order to minimize the threat to the sovereignty of the auditors. Although auditors cannot be completely liberated from the client, however, there are certain measures, which brings the dependency of the auditors to an acceptable level. Independence of the auditors is compulsory in order to assure that the opinion that the auditor provide is free from biases. Auditors provide reasonable assurance upon the financial statements of the company where the auditor expresses the opinion whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement and all applicable standards were followed (Cai, 1997). The assurance regarding the independence of auditors must be affirmed, though not completely but to an acceptable level (Silvia, 2010), by providing safeguards upon the issues that threaten the auditors’ independence. ... The safeguards provided in order to minimize the threat to the independence of the auditors are categorized differently. The safeguards provided ensure that the threats to the independence of auditors are minimized to the acceptable level. Absolute Prohibition The independence of the auditors is strengthened when there is complete prohibition is provided regarding the financial and non-financial interest of the auditor to the client. When the auditor is completely prohibited from possessing any type of interest in the client the independence increases (Peter, 2004). The framework completely restricts the client and auditor to possess any type of relationship whether business or personal. The restriction is imposed upon activities that are to be carried out between the client and the auditor. Permitting But Restricting the Extent In several cases the framework permits the auditor to continue with the activity with the client but the extent of the activity and relationship with the cli ent is limited.

Budgets Forecast for Energy Drink Company Essay

Budgets Forecast for Energy Drink Company - Essay Example Marginal costing takes into account variable costs during production while Fixed manufacturing overhead is treated as period costs. It is believed that only the variable costs are relevant to decision-making and that the reason why they are considered in production. Fixed manufacturing overheads will be incurred regardless there is production or not. Appendix 1 illustrates a cost statement using marginal costing. The contribution margin is positive; therefore the plan of manufacturing an energy drink is a viable one. The fixed costs are not useful in the decision-making process that is why contribution margin is used as it excluded fixed costs. Break-even analysis is used in showing the relationship between selling prices, sales volume, variable costs, fixed costs and profits at various levels of activity. It is also referred to as cost-volume-profit analysis. It used in determining the break-even point. BEP is the level of activity where the total revenue equals the total costs. Therefore, no profits are realized at the BEP. However, break-even analysis has its limitations. To begin with, breakeven analysis assumes that fixed cost, variable costs and sales revenue behaves are linear. However, this is not the case since some overhead costs may be stepped in nature. As a result, the straight sales revenue line and total cost line tend to curve beyond a certain level of production Another limitation of break-even analysis is that it assumes that all the stock produced is sold. Therefore, changes in stock levels are not taken into account in the breakeven chart. Finally, breakeven analysis is only suitable for providing information to relatively small companies that produce one type of products. Thus it’s not suitable for companies producing a different product. Forecasting is used in estimating future performance of the business. It is useful in the financial planning process which entails assessing future financial needs.

Good human development indicators and globalization in Kerala Essay Example for Free

Good human development indicators and globalization in Kerala Essay Introduction Thesis: Globalization has caused more problems than advantages to the state of Kerala Much has been written about globalization and its effects on our world. In fact, no corner of the modern world, except in some extreme cases, has escaped the good and bad effects of globalization. On the brighter side globalization involves an increased openness in the international business relations, an integration of markets on a worldwide basis, and a movement toward a borderless world. The sources of globalization are varied and include the technological advances and liberalization of trade policies brought into force over the past decades. Of all the effects of globalization, the chief source effect is the technological advances that have significantly lowered the costs of transportation and communication and dramatically lowered the costs of data processing and information storage and retrieval. Electronic mail, the Internet, and the World Wide Web are some of the manifestations of this new technology. While these are the more evident aspect of globalization, the meeting of minds across the constraints of culture and language has also become a reality The impact of globalization and internationalism on society is also huge. Today everybody talks about the ‘global village’ and nations on either side of the globe are just hours away from each other. Cities are expanding by the hour and the new technologies that are impacting us are creating a unified world culture; what many would like to call as the brave new world. In retrospect, is this new culture based on bravery or untamed consumerism? World cultures are being annihilated by the wave of crass consumerism and scant regard for values. The populations of today have lesser family values and more internal strife, which threatens to tear apart social order. Violence due to the lack of family and supportive values are reducing a whole generation to waste. People are being tempted to think beyond their means, and the end result is that the family has become the casualty. Today we have individualistic aspirations and the feeling of I is strongest in people. The stress on We is almost non-existent. Economically also, there is a terrible imbalance in the world. We see a few nations that are well off economically and the majority does not have enough even to feed their people. We see increased migrations from poor populations to rich economies. Lack of economic power compels these migrants to be dominated by the rich and the influential. One of the many advantages of globalization is the fact that cultures across the world could interact with each other and help each other in integrating with each other. It is only natural that such interactions and the inculcation of modern ideas and interaction will bring about so many changes that come into conflict with the existing norms and belief systems of a society. In fact, the ability to assimilate productive changes and the capacity to discard beliefs that are detrimental to the interest of the society are the essential qualities of a good social order. If a society allows itself to be dominated by beliefs that are not in tune with the needs and aspirations of the changing times, one cannot say that it is a progressive society. On the other hand, it must also be said that a society that is open to change without considering the detrimental effects that such a change can make in the long run will not add quality to that society. Hence, ideally there needs to be a balance between age old ideas that form the foundation of the society on which modern progressive ideas needs to be implemented The position of Kerala in the world scenario The tiny state of Kerala, which is located in the southern most end of India, has a place of its own in the global map of developed regions. In many respects, this tiny spec of land and its population has been able to assimilate the good values of globalization while mostly rejecting its evils even though the undesirable effects of globalization are for everyone to see in the state. The so-called ‘Kerala Model of Development’ was a few years before a role model in developing and shaping a society. (Devi, Lakshmy K R, (2002). Education, Health and Women’s Empowerment – Kerala’s Experience in Linking the Triad). Kerala has demonstrated that social development is not always linked to economic superiority. Many human development indicators in Kerala are in par or above international standards and all of them cannot be attributed to globalization, which is a relatively new happening in India. For example, Kerala’s infant mortality rate comes close to Ireland, which leads the world in this respect (Richard, Douthwaite. (2002). Kerala and Quality of Life – Interesting Richard Douthwaite Article). Similarly, life expectancy is much higher than some of the advanced nations of the world. There are many other factors, both social and political that has helped the state achieve a level of human development indicators that matches the best nations in the world. Progressive redistribution measures like land reforms, and a wide network of the public distribution system has helped the state lay a strong foundation of social upliftment (Franke, Richard W and Chasin, Barbara H. (1995). Kerala State: A Social Justice Model). Similarly, welfare oriented policies of the state government, especially with regard to education and minimum wage, and the role of a socially engaged population has also helped the state to achieve a place of its own in the global scenario. (Akash, K apur. (1998). Poor but Prosperous. Jean, Dreze and Amartya, Sen. (2002). India: Development and Participation). It should also be noted that Kerala, which has only a fraction of the buying power of most advanced nations, has been able to devise a culture that utilizes its resources in an efficient manner. The one single factor that has made Kerala such a success story is perhaps the level of education that Keralites enjoy. With a 100 percent literacy rate and a high level of women literacy, it is not a surprise that Kerala has been able to assimilate the good effects of social and individual development. (Antrobus, P. and Christiansen-Ruffman, L. (1999). Women Organizing Locally and Globally: Development Strategies, Feminist Perspectives. Lourdes, Beneria and Gita, Sen. (1997). Accumulation, Reproduction and Women’s Role in Economic Development: Boserup Revisited). Effects of globalization in Kerala It must be said that globalization has affected Kerala in both good and bad ways. Even though Kerala has been able to resist some of the destructive effects of globalization, it is not immune to the thrust that globalization has been having on the state. The most important aspect of globalization is that the state has become a hotspot for consumerist tendencies. Evidences indicate that the state is more a consumer than a producer. Agriculture is almost dead in the once thriving green belt of India and over exploitation of resource is the norm of the society. With a high percentage of Non Resident Indians who are responsible for one of the largest foreign remittances in the world, it is not surprising that the economy of the state is more and more dependent on its citizens working abroad than within it . In the job sector, the state has not been able to provide the required levels of employment to its youth and this has in turn affected the social milieu of the state. The increasing social unrest is often attributed to dissatisfied informed youngsters who wants to match their facilities in par with the modern world, but do not have the means to do so. Â  Criticism has also been raised on intellectual property rights and other similar issues, which are also a fallout of globalization. The western world is in a hurry to patent many processes and medicines, especially the indigenous system of medicine in Kerala called Ayurveda, in spite of the fact that these systems have been transferred across many generations in the state. Recently, farmers in Kerala protested against WTO practices that prevented them from conducting their traditional farming practices. All this indicates that the process of globalization in not smooth in the country and that there is much resistance to change from within the state. The potential of Kerala in the new world Experts opine that Kerala, with its unique resources, both natural and human, have certain potentialities to match the increasing effects of globalization. (Nair, A. Balakrishan. (1994). The Government and Politics of Kerala. Structure, Dynamics and Development). The core difference between a manufacturing industry and a service-oriented industry is not only restricted to the way in which business is carried out, but also extends to various dimensions such as its organizational culture. Companies that have made a transition from a predominantly manufacturing-industry attitude to a service-industry attitude have had to adjust to the phenomenal changes in attitude and culture that goes along with the change. Perhaps, the most important factor that comes into play is how human resources are attuned to respond to the challenges posed by such transitions. Companies that have undergone the transition can provide knowledge on the change to companies that are planning for such a change. A service oriented organization has to create, manage and advance its cultural values in order to cope up with the specific challenges that are posed to it by factor such as location and local culture. It is in this context that cultural values in Kerala attain significance with regard to service-oriented institutions. Within the past two decade, Kerala has increasingly cemented its position as one of the ‘must-see’ tourist locations in India. Kerala, which was rather obscure to the foreign tourist and even to the Indian traveler, shot into fame only about 10-20 years ago because of a concerted effort by the state government and private operators. The state, which had, and still has, a lot of unexploited tourism potential is one of the most popular destinations in the world and each year an ever increasing number of people are flocking into this state to relish its beauty and rich varied culture. Tourism, which has developed into an industry status in the state has attained the status because of globalization. It is believed that tourism is one of the most prominent symbols of globalization in the state. In terms of other factors that encourage business, a survey by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) (Kerala government policy. (2006)), which covered 18 states in India, indicates that Kerala stands 13th as far as its investment climate is concerned. However, Kerala ranks first in law and order and education, and ranks high as far as affluence and social sector are concerned. All this indicates without doubt that Kerala has all the potential to attract foreign investment. However, recent event shows that that consumer debt is increasing since the past decade or so. More advertisements that speak about debt consolidation and take-over of existing debts are a definite indicator of the amount of debts that the average consumer owes to different credit companies in the country. Debts in the farm sector, which has been the worst hit industry because of globalization, is increasing and recently Kerala reported many deaths due to poverty and debts. Many experts believe that bad credit management happens because people are carried away by the features that are offered by modern financial institutions. (Pillai, P. Gopinadan. (1999). Left Movement and Agrarian Relations in Kerala). Kerala’s stature with regard to globalization Detractors of globalization argue that much has changed in the state that had been a model of development to the world. Today, reports show that the economy of the state is in tatters and that the advantages that the state had in terms of social equality and distribution has been whiled away. Advantages that the natives had gained as an agrarian and self-reliant economy had been wasted in favor of consumerist attitudes. Social and political indicators point to the fact that the state has undergone a sea change in terms of development and expansion. Today, Kerala is a tourist hub and is developing in a manner that is similar to other third world tourist destinations such as Thailand and Singapore. The social system has broken down and people are no more connected to each other as a few decades before. Kerala is unique politically because it had instilled one of the first democratically elected communist regimes in India. It must be said that the spirit of the communist ideology is fairly deep rooted in the state. The ideologies of the pioneers of the communism in the state are also largely responsible for the social improvements that the state has so far witnessed. The communists in Kerala, as in other parts of the world are strictly against globalization and capitalist motives in the state. They argue that globalization takes away a lion’s share of autonomy and that the effects of globalization will further deepen the divide between the deprived and the affluent classes. The loss of autonomy, especially in the farm sector, as evidenced by the recent global against the WTO regimes lends credence to the argument of the communists in Kerala. The communist ideology that globalization, which they infer as hegemony of capitalist nations over poor countries, will deepen the divided between the poor and the affluent is also true to some extent considering the fact that open market policies and regulations, which are by products of globalization will remove a lot of protection that investors used to enjoy previously. Other challenges in maintaining social welfare in Kerala Ironically, economic factors are one of the major facts that could affect social welfare in the state of Kerala. Without the flow of money that critics attribute as the ill effects of globalization, social order in Kerala will be very much affected and governments will find it difficult to maintain social order in the state. For example, many experts have mentioned that Kerala in its zeal to maintain its position with regard to health and education has incurred huge deficits that cannot be easily solved without the advantages of globalization. Similarly, the ageing population of Kerala will cause productivity to drop in the near future and it will become mandatory to attract and retain young blood in the state to take care of its own resources and guide development in the state. Globalization has also helped to rectify some of the past mistakes of the leftist governments who were also responsible for driving the winds of change in the society. Conclusion The state of Kerala has been able to so far select the advantages derived from globalization and reject most of the bad effects it might bring to a country’s overall economy. However, it will not be long before the state will start succumbing to pure market-oriented practices that can destroy the carefully created social advantages the state enjoys today. The advantages that the state enjoys today as a model state is not a fallout of globalization, but were achieved even much before foreign investors invested in independent India. The general degradation of quality in many aspects of social life and the huge cultural changes that the state is going through can be directly attributed to globalization. Hence, it is imperative that globalization is accepted in it right perspective and applied in order to ensure that the state maintains its inherent advantages while becoming a global role model in many more spheres. The state has much to offer in terms of both its rich cultural heritage and highly proficient workforce but if it doesn’t stride in the right path, the negative effects of globalization might hamper its economical and social progress. Work Cited Devi, Lakshmy K R, (2002). Education, Health and Women’s Empowerment – Kerala’s Experience in Linking the Triad. Department of Economics: University of Calicut. Franke, Richard W and Chasin, Barbara H. (1995). Kerala State: A Social Justice Model. Multinational Monitor. India: Open for Business. 2 Mar. 2007 http://multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/mm0795.08.html. Akash, Kapur. (1998). Poor but Prosperous. The Atlantic Online. 2 Mar. 2007 http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/98sep/Kerala.htm. Antrobus, P. and Christiansen-Ruffman, L. (1999). Women Organizing Locally and Globally: Development Strategies, Feminist Perspectives . London New York: Zed Books. Lourdes, Beneria and Gita, Sen. (1997). Accumulation, Reproduction and Women’s Role in Economic Development: Boserup Revisited. Nova Scotia: Fernwood Publishing Company Ltd. Jean, Dreze and Amartya, Sen. (2002). India: Development and Participation. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ester, Boserup. (1970). Women’s Role in Economic Development. London: Unwin Ltd. Richard, Douthwaite. (2002). Kerala and Quality of Life – Interesting Richard Douthwaite Article. 2 Mar. 2007 http://legalminds.lp.findlaw.com/list/ecol-econ/msg03825.html. Gemma, Cairo. (2001). State and Society Relationships in Kerala: Explaining the Kerala Experience. Asia Survey. 41 (4): 669-692. Nair, A. Balakrishan. (1994). The Government and Politics of Kerala. Structure, Dynamics and Development. Thiruvanthapuram: Indira Publications. Kerala government policy. 2 Mar. 2007 http://www.kerala.gov.in/annualprofile/ind.htm. Pillai, P. Gopinadan. (1999). Left Movement and Agrarian Relations in Kerala. The Eastern Anthropologist. 15 (3): 237-246.

Method of Doubt by Descartes

Method of Doubt by Descartes Renà © Descartes, the father of modern philosophy, adopted the method of doubt to reach the truth. Descartes philosophical attitude started in his youth when he realized that he had been accepting many false opinions for true. He wanted to get rid of all the opinions that he had accumulated over the years. Descartes wanted to build a foundation on which all further intellectual enquiries could be built. He felt reason should follow and arrive at certain philosophical truths. There should be no further doubts left after this, which meant that the foundation had to be sound. This approach was known as the Method of Doubt but his rationale and approach has been a subject of controversy for years. He believed never to accept anything as the truth, which he could not accept as obviously true. Everything should be so clearly presented to the mind that there are no doubts left at all. Anything that can be doubted has to be rejected. Reasons to believe something should be ample. The second step is to divide the subject into as many divisions as possible or whatever would help him to understand it better. The third step involved directing his thoughts, taking one step at a time, to reach the underlying complex knowledge. At the end of this, his reviews were so comprehensive, his enumerations so complete, that nothing was left to doubt. The three steps adopted by Descartes is what is adopted in mathematics. He wanted to use this method to reach the truth in philosophy. S V Keeling argues that his method as above rests on three mental operations intuition, deduction, and enumeration (cited by Burnham, 2006). These operations are based on human reason, on the ability to disseminate information, analyze, and review. Since it is based on the capability of human mind, there is a risk of error due to faulty memory. In the Meditations on First Philosophy Descartes proves the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. He also brings out the real distinction between the mind and the body. He starts this by asserting the need â€Å"to demolish everything completely and start again right from the foundations† (AT 7:17). Although the first step was termed as skeptical his skepticism was not for the sake of doubting. He wanted to arrive at the truth through systematic analysis and discarding the untruth. Descartes defines knowledge in terms of doubt: I distinguish the two as follows: there is conviction when there remains some reason, which might lead us to doubt, but knowledge is conviction based on a reason so strong that it can never be shaken by any stronger reason (cited by Norman, 2005). Descartes skeptical approach is based on the principle that there is a distinction between belief and truth (Bellotti, n.d.). It was this conviction that gave rise to the Method of Doubt. After making a cup of tea one may leave it to brew on the kitchen table under the belief that it is ready to be poured and consumed. The truth may be different from the belief, in the sense, someone could have poured the tea and taken it in the meantime. The pot may be empty by this time. The Method of Doubt removes all uncertain beliefs and only beliefs that are true beliefs remain. Descartes applied this theory to a group of beliefs so that beliefs need not be dealt individually. A common characteristic could be determined but this concept again leads one to believe that doubts would be on the entire group or class of beliefs. Here Descartes uses the malicious demon thought experiment. Gassendi criticized this theory saying that Descartes could just have regarded the previous knowledge as uncertain (cited by Norman) instead of demolishing everything. It is not necessary to consider everything as false. He felt that such an approach convinces the human mind that there is a devil who tricks us. It is simpler to admit the weakness of human nature. Gassendi pointed out the universal and hyperbolic nature of the Method of Doubt. Descartes argues that it is not possible to free ourselves of all the errors that the human mind has been soaked in. He firmly believes that universal and hyperbolic nature is necessary for the Method of Doubt to succeed. Descartes in his argument to demolish everything and start afresh applies the universal character and gives the analogy of a basket full of apples. To select and retain the good ones and discard the bad ones, it is wiser to empty the basket, then select the good ones and keep them in the basket. He feels this is a better and simpler way than picking out the rotten ones from the basket full of apples. He believes in first rejecting all beliefs as if they were false and then after careful analysis, adopt only the ones, which are true. One bad apple can rot the whole basket so if we were to pick out the bad ones, there is every possibility of overlooking one bad apple. On the other hand, if the whole basket is first emptied and then the good ones placed back, we can be sure of only adopting the truth. Descartes method of doubt, as foundation of knowledge does seem more effective than what has been suggested by Gassendi. When the basket is totally empty, it can be cleaned and then fresh, good apples picked and placed in the basket. It is a much faster process than negating the bad. Secondly, when the basket is empty, the stains left behind by the rotten apples can be seen and cleaned, which is not possible when the bad apples are picked out from the lot. His argument to discard everything as false relies on his argument that the mind believes on whatever it perceives through the physical eye. He did not believe that anything should be left to imagination. This has a sound basis, as the mind cannot imagine what it has not seen. In order to support that all prior beliefs are wrong, he discussed three stages the sense, dreams and the evil demon hypothesis. Descartes asserts that these do not have the power to falsify what we ‘seem to perceive. What we see through the sense mislead us. We cannot begin with doubt. Descartes even goes to the extent of affirming that even the external world that we perceive is an illusion, a dream and hence false. The enquiry has to start after eliminating all such perceptions. The next argument that arises is whether the escape from hyperbolic provides a satisfactory foundation for knowledge? This can be explained by an analogy of a building, which requires the use of a bulldozer to demolish it. A light bulldozer would make the ground appear immovable. Hence, a bigger bulldozer is more effective, which means the more hyperbolic the doubt, the better it is. According to Descartes, the Evil Genius Doubt is the most powerful doubt. This evil genius makes us believe the false as true. For instance, the transparent truths like 2+3=5 or that a square has only four sides, are knowable. For people to know, understand, and accept these truths, they have to be firmly grounded in the face of the most powerful doubts. The evil genius tries to shake even such hyperbolic doubts. People also firmly deny the existence of God. Descartes believes that the Evil Genius Doubt is just one of the factors that can motivate the hyperbolic doubt. The basic doubt is that the human m ind is flawed, and the mind is aware that it has been distorted despite God having given a nature to turn to him. The human mind keeps remembering all the past incidents and visions, and gives them the right to occupy the mind. It is not easy to accept that the world we see everyday is an illusion. It is only through deep introspection and a strong will that a person can accept the truth that God exists and all else is false. He has to be fixed in this belief and arrive at the knowledge of truth. He has to arouse himself from the deep slumber of falsehood. The more hyperbolic the doubt, the mind is activated better. Hence, the best approach is to discard everything as false and start afresh. Descartes philosophical approach through the Method of Doubt is a sound method. It is in fact the best approach to investigation. It is an investigation of the self by the self to reach the self or the truth. To reach the truth, through the Method of Doubt, an individual has to negate the external world around him. If he feels this world to be true or feels a part of this illusionary world, he can understand or realize the existence of God. The program of demolition is not only hyperbolic but also universal in nature. To face the Evil Genius there has to be an equally powerful doubt. Escape from hyperbolic cannot provide a satisfactory foundation for knowledge. References: Bellotti T (n.d.), Descartes Mehod of Doubt, 01 April 2006 Burnham D (2006), The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 01 April 2006 Newman, Lex, Descartes Epistemology, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2005 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL 01 April 2006

Equity vs Debt Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Equity vs Debt Financial Statement Information - Debt and Equity Holders Debtholders and equityholders as claimants to a firm’s future cashflows are interested in assessing risk. Debtholders Debtholders are primarily interested in assessing whether the firm’s cashflow will be sufficient to make interest and principal payments on a timely basis The lower the probability of a cash shortfall, the lower the risk to the debtholder Debtholders therefore gather information about the firm’s liquidity, debt capacity and liquidation value of assets Equityholders Equityholders are residual claimants of the firm’s cashflows. Shareholders in effect, hold an option on the value of the firm’s assets, with the exercise price equal to the face value of the debt. It is well known that the option component of equity value increases with the variance of expected future cashflows – Black and Scholes (1973) and with the firm’s debt to equity ratio. Therefore, when equity has a large component of option-like characteristics, financial statement analysis focuses on assessing both the expected level and the variance of future cashflows when valuing equity. At extreme debt levels, the equity is a ‘deep in the money’ option and its valuation does not require the use of the option pricing model. More traditional valuation models suffice. Financial analysts are interested in assessing a firm’s Beta risk so that they can perform valuation of traded stocks, seasoned e... Equity vs Debt Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Equity vs Debt Financial Statement Information - Debt and Equity Holders Debtholders and equityholders as claimants to a firm’s future cashflows are interested in assessing risk. Debtholders Debtholders are primarily interested in assessing whether the firm’s cashflow will be sufficient to make interest and principal payments on a timely basis The lower the probability of a cash shortfall, the lower the risk to the debtholder Debtholders therefore gather information about the firm’s liquidity, debt capacity and liquidation value of assets Equityholders Equityholders are residual claimants of the firm’s cashflows. Shareholders in effect, hold an option on the value of the firm’s assets, with the exercise price equal to the face value of the debt. It is well known that the option component of equity value increases with the variance of expected future cashflows – Black and Scholes (1973) and with the firm’s debt to equity ratio. Therefore, when equity has a large component of option-like characteristics, financial statement analysis focuses on assessing both the expected level and the variance of future cashflows when valuing equity. At extreme debt levels, the equity is a ‘deep in the money’ option and its valuation does not require the use of the option pricing model. More traditional valuation models suffice. Financial analysts are interested in assessing a firm’s Beta risk so that they can perform valuation of traded stocks, seasoned e...

An Examination of NATO - USA Relations Essay -- Politics World Histor

An Examination of NATO - USA Relations NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and is a military group started by the United States of America that consists of fifteen other countries including Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. â€Å"By the time Truman was inaugurated as President in January of 1949, the Cold War was intensifying. Using this tension to his advantage, Truman had campaigned on a platform that gave his future foreign policy a key role. Indeed, he focused on the differences between Communism and democracy, presenting the Communist Bloc as a credible but unpredictable military threat. Americans thus feared the Soviet Union and were ready to take protective measures. Within three months of Truman’s inauguration, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreement was signed in Washington DC†¦ AS NATO’s strength and mandate grew, it became increasingly threatening to the USSR. Stalin referred to NATO as an ‘aggressive nucleus of power,’† (Schaff 1,2). So as you can see NATO was a very important part of our country and still is today. All countries affiliated with NATO are treated the same. They all basically see themselves as equals and treat every country with great respect. â€Å"It was a mutual military assistance treaty, stipulating that if one of these above listed countries were attacked, the others would come to its aid† (Schaff 2). And being the most powerful member of NATO, the United States has included new branches of the organization including the North Atlantic Council which holds the highest authority, Allied Command Atlantic, Allied Command Channel, and Allied Command Europ... ...won’t know for a while whether or not their will be another expansion of NATO. Even though this would be a great thing for the organization, Russia won’t be backing down anytime soon. In conclusion, NATO has been a great source of power for our world. Without the United States there is no way that NATO would be what it is today and many are thankful to us for that. NATO has done so much for the world and will continue to do so. Even though some think that NATO has worn out its welcome, we can assure you that NATO is here to stay. Sources: Friedman, Thomas L. â€Å"Putin Pushes Back.† New York Times 14 Feb.2007, late ed. Michta, Andrew A. â€Å"What Next for NATO?† Orbis 2007 Schaff, Marta. â€Å"North Atlantic Treaty Organization.† 2005, p1 Shanker, Thom. â€Å"Leaving NATO, U.S General Still Seeks Troops for Afghanistan.† New York Times 21 Dec. 2006, late ed.

Essay --

The Crucible will forever be a classic due to its intriguing story line that is based on a true event. The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 are represented as an adulterous romance turned into a vicious plot for vengeance. The Crucible touches on the horrible fates that led to death of so many innocent people, but Arthur Miller does not portray the entireness of the blood bath that was the Salem witch trials. The once Broadway play, that captured the hearts of millions doesn’t hold justice to the anguish the people of Salem endured. However if his goal was to entertain us, he most definitely succeeded. In Salem, nineteen accused witches were hanged in Gallows Hill, four more died in prison and a lone man was pressed to death when he failed to plead guilty. The Salem Witch trials were an absolute travesty. At one point in February a young girl fell seriously ill, her symptoms cause scientist now to believe that she had a disease called "convulsive ergotism" brought on by â€Å"ingesting rye--eaten as a cereal and as a common ingredient of bread--infected with ergot.† This scientific conclusion explains the child’s chaotic behavior. However in the 1600’s science wasn’t nearly as sophisticated as it is now, and thus when her symptoms were similar to an Irish women in Boston who was suspected of witchcraft, people began to believe the worst. When other playmates began showing the same symptoms, a doctor was brought in to examine the girls. His conclusion was that the problems was of a â€Å"Supernatural Origin†, or in simpler words, witches were targe ting the children. The number of girls showing symptoms continued to grow until it reached seven. Similar to the play â€Å"The girls contorted into grotesque poses, fell down into frozen postures, and comp... ...he entire story of John Proctor the young farmer and Abigail having an affair was only a way for Miller to creatively explain why there was enough hatred for these hangings and torture to occur. When in reality, Abigale never worked for John and they lived quite far apart. John was actually a 60 year old tavern keeper, all making the affair quite unlikely. While the story flowed and managed to capture us with sentiment. It’s impossible to disregard the ability he had to use the language of the time period, making the story come to life in such an authentic manor. His purpose was to entertain and he succeeded, however with a lack of some truths it lost some validity with the more critical readers. On the other hand no one can blame him for doing so, some of the best books, films, plays, or even television shows are grounded on real events and turned into nonfiction.

Individual Organizational Issues Essay

The ethical issues presented in the Week Three Ethics Game Simulations were from the Mysterious Blogger and The Veiled Id, the ethical issues address in game simulation of â€Å"The Mysterious Blogger† was whether or not the information obtained by IT Tech, Jamal Moore was enough to discipline blogging employee Aaron Webb for violating the NDA policy. The ethical issues for the game simulations for â€Å"The Veiled ID†, was to address how to develop a security policy that would accommodate the special needs and the physical safety of the employees’. The decision-making steps one took to address these issues were based on the position one held in the simulation game one was able to determine the best avenue ethically to approach in order to take action on both issues address in the game. First, this authors decision-making abilities were based on protecting the interest of the shareholders and how these decisions could affect the shareholders in both short and long-term. Ethical issues that arise within an organization or company will not only effect an individual employee, it will affect the company and anyone who has made an investment in the company. Apart from protecting the interest of shareholders and the company, it also comes down to always following company policies and doing the right thing. If a organizations policies are broken in any way, shape or form, this author would be placed in a situation to make the best decision to receive the best outcome in order to maintain discipline and good order within the company or organazation. The ethical perspectives this author utilized to make the decisions for the simulation game were based on the options given in each scenario within the gaming process. Although the simulation did not have any right or wrong answers it did take time for this author to address each scenario with an open mind and take the time to look at different view points before making a decision(s) to see whether or not the answer selected was the best fit for that scenario. The way these ethical perspectives influenced this authors decisions were by determining the values and effects of the stakeholders for both simulation games played The Mysterious Blogger and The Veiled ID. Showing the importance of applying ethical practices and ensuring all employees are held accountable for their actions can be done by one taking the time to figure out a way to minimize dilemmas or issues caused by employees within an organization and handling those dilemmas at the lowest level. The concepts used in the simulation game can relate to this authors workplace, being part of a family construction company many distance family members or friends of friends of the family will take full advantage of the company. A good example of younger family members taking advantage would be leaving the workplace early, using company property outside of the work zone, using the name of the company in supply house to benefit one’s personal needs. One example of this would be a distance cousin of one of the owners was a wonderful working, however after years of working for the company the owner started to receive phone calls from homeowners asking for repairs to be done to brand new systems installed by this distance cousin who were not in the database of the company, come to find out the cousin was doing these jobs on the side using the family business name, buying material using the company credit cards, company vehicle and gas card to get to these locations but none of these new job sites were jobs the owners of the company bid they were all jobs the distant cousin was doing on the side, this is one example of many. What this has done is moved the company away from only hiring family members to hiring outside of the family and only having a few members that work in the field, although everyone in the office is related the men in the field hold the owners on pedisals and this author has not met many employee who do not appreciate the family owned company. The owners continue to prove to each employee family or not that they are needed, the owners go over and bound giving employee advances to help with one’s personal lives, from getting married to buying a car, to smaller needs as in lunches, jackets every winter, making sure they have good work boots, gloves, hats and anything else they made need to safely complete the task at hand.

A Reflection On Modern Medicine Essay

The Hippocratic Oath is a promise in essence â€Å"to do no harm† made by a new doctor before becoming a practicing physician. The oath has been a standard of the medical community for several centuries. It remains just as meaningful and valid today as when Hippocrates wrote it in 400 BC. Medical ethics in today’s modern society has become very blurry and hard to understand (Price 1). It is not the oath that has acquired a more complicated meaning. It is the practice of medicine that has become more complex. Presently, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for doctors to discern good medicine from bad medicine. In our current society political correctness, policy, and politics have come to define good medicine as opposed to what is best for the patient. Over a century ago, H. G. Wells was criticized for his novel The Island of Doctor Moreau written in 1896. Literary critics and the general public were appalled by the atrocities depicted in the text. Contemporary authors, physicians, and scientists could not fathom the cruel behavior of Doctor Moreau. And it was easy to see that Dr. Moreau was practicing bad medicine and had broken his vow ‘to do now harm. ’ The Island of Doctor Moreau was a novel written late in 1896 by H. G. Wells. The plot seems relatively simple and typical of a science fiction novel. A young civil servant is the sole survivor of shipwreck. He is found floating along side the island of Doctor Moreau who rescues him. The young man has no knowledge that Doctor Moreau has fled from his home nation fearing charges of animal cruelty. Upon first impressions, the young man falls in love with the island. Slowly he remembers stories about Dr. Moreau and the horrors he created. The lush fauna and sandy beaches are exciting and new to him. To paraphrase John S. Partington, in The Death of the Static: H. G. Wells and the Kinetic Utopia, Dr. Moreau’s island was like Eden, Dr. Moreau was God, and Prendick was like Adam. When curiosity gets the best of him he wanders deep into the overgrowth and what he finds there is deeply shocking. Doctor Moreau is using a process called vivisection to create a hybrid of animal and human. His research goal is to make man be absent of evil. In the end Moreau is killed and the young man, Prendick, escapes and lives to tell the tale. To gain a better understanding of the novel and the beliefs of H. G. Wells it is important to look at the prevailing scientific knowledge of the time in which the novel was written. The late 19th century was when Darwin first made known his theories of evolution and survival of the fittest. Darwin believed that all species including humans, change with time. In time when God was the creator of all, the idea of evolution and our link to other species was very disturbing to the general public. H. G. Wells was a contemporary writer of this time. In two of his most famous novels, The Time Machine and The Island of Doctor Moreau, he investigates the conflict between nature and God. In summary, H. G. Wells was not just an author but also a trained biologist. What could be more frightening than an island of beasts butchered by a mad scientist. Dr. Moreau does not just alter the bodies but using plastic surgery to make them appear human but also their minds (Mclean). He has them recite the laws he created. The gather together and chant â€Å"Not to go on all-fours; that is the Law. Are we not Men? † But that is not the worst of it. After the chanting of the Law comes the hymn of praise to their Creator: His is the House of Pain. His is the Hand that makes. His is the Hand that wounds. His is the Hand that heals. His is the lightning-flash. His is the deep salt sea. His are the stars in the sky†¦. To summarize Freeman Dyson point in his book titled Disturbing the Universe, a biologist like Wells has had to confront the idea, can the scientific community play god and if so, can they stay sane (Dyson 111). Can the scientific community remain objected and no let the power of life, death, and creation which is left in their hands go to their heads. If the answer is no, than the lesson is learned, and Dr. Moreau is what will be produced. A man who knows no ethical boundaries, who believes he is more powerful than God. Much of H. G. Wells writing explores the idea of what are the implications of modern biology gone wrong. By allowing people and animals to be altered, even if it is treatment for their â€Å"own good† the human race will loose two important anchors- our sense of identity, and the brotherhood of mankind. These two things keep us sane and of course any visitor to The Island of Dr. Moreau looses these completely. Certainly, Prendick does, he must fight for his life and kill, an activity he would never do had he not wandered upon the Doctor’s Island. The scientific community has come a long way since 1896. The knowledge of DNA, we know in detail how life is produced and reproduced. Whoever can read the DNA language can also learn to write it. Whoever learns to write the language will in time learn to design living creatures according to his whim. Presently, the public should fear not the crude Dr. Moreau’s with knives but the young, bright zoologist sitting at his computer cloning an extinct animal, or splicing genes in and out the human genome to create a superior human. Though it was science-fiction in 1896, Wells’ novel is frighteningly close to science today. The issues he pressed in this novel are still current. Even more so because the lines of what constitutes harm are very blurry. What Doctor Moreau did was wrong but aren’t plastic surgeons modern versions of Doctor Moreau? Except clients actually pay them to slice them up and make them more perfect humans. In 2003 there were 8. 7 million cosmetic plastic surgeries. This number is up 32% from 2002 (Hill). What Doctor Moreau did was wrong but aren’t therapists taking advantage of a nation’s worth of people who are â€Å"emotionally underdeveloped, psychically frail, and requiring the ministrations of mental health professionals to cope with life’s vicissitudes. Being â€Å"in touch with one’s feelings† and freely expressing them have become paramount personal virtues. Today-with a book for every ailment, a counselor for every crisis, a lawsuit for every grievance, and a TV show for every conceivable problem-we are at risk of degrading our native ability to cope with life’s challenges. † (Sommers). Is that any worse then Doctor Moreau solution of having his pseudo humans chant the rules of being human? Sally Satel who wrote Victimizing the ‘Victims’, which is the commentary exploring how political correctness in the medical profession is hindering the quality of patient care people receive. In summary Satel says, the goals of the public health sector have changed from using science to improve people’s lives to a â€Å"global ideology to manipulate the way people think about disease and its remedies. † The change is not for the better. Today, she argues, victimology is one of the biggest trends in medicine. There is a trend in the medical world to look at connection as the cause and make diagnoses accordingly. For example, it’s true that wealthier people tend to be healthier. But can you assume that poverty is responsible for higher levels of disease among the poor? Are the poor incapable of helping themselves? Well, yes, argue leading â€Å"indoctrinologists,† as Satel calls the backers of poltically correct medicine. Which is why two health experts could write in the American Journal for Public Health, â€Å"we must address the social inequalities that so reliably produce† these inequalities in health (Satel). HMO’s offer a similar problem. To paraphrase Sarah Cay Bradley viewpoint with the increase of HMO’s there has been a drastic decrease in how much Americans spend on healthcare, also decreasing is the quality of healthcare people are receiving. Doctors are forced to follow the rules of their demanding HMO partners. Even if what is in the best interest of the patient does not follow those rules. There are several cost effective policies that physicians are required to follow today. One concept is time is money, the quicker a doctor gets a patient out the more money that is saved. Doctors always seem to be in a hurry spending very little time actually speaking to their patients. Which can lead to misdiagnosis or overlooked health problems. Political correctness, policy, and politics drive the current scientific and medical communities. Instead of producing healthcare professionals who are compassionate and reflective, they produce professionals can simply follow instructions. Just because doctors today are following the rules set forth for them by insurance companies, and the government does not mean they are practicing good medicine. Perhaps they too, like Doctor Moreau, have forgotten their oath ‘to do no harm’ and replaced it with the creed ‘make more money. ’ In 1896 H. G. Wells, pondered in text, the â€Å"what ifs† of what could go wrong with modern medicine and science. The public rebuked his rather blunt commentary as foolishness and vulgarity. A hundred years later, Dr. Moreau has become the norm. Works Cited Dyson, Freeman. Disturbing the Universe. New York: Basic Books, 1979. Questia. 10 Dec. 2005 . Hill, Theresa. â€Å"More Than 8. 7M Cosmetic Plastic Surgeries in 2003, Up 32 Pct. Over 2002; For 12th Year, American Society of Plastic Surgeons Reports Statistics. † US New Wire Service. 8 March 2004. 09 Dec. 2005 . Mclean, Steven. â€Å"W. Warren Mclean. H. G. Wells: Traversing Time. † Utopian Studies 16. 2 (2005): 320+. Questia. 10 Dec. 2005 .

Personal Challenge Essay

There's plenty Of things I'll have to do in order to get through high school and have the grades to get into college. Participating in class and asking questions will help me to bet term understand what we're learning. Also, studying for exams and quizzes will lead to better g reads, which will look good to colleges. Doing all work and getting it all turned in on time will h elf to improve my grades. A high school diploma is a must have for getting accepted into a good college. No college, no job in the future. Basically have to go to college in order to AC hive my Laos of being an athletic trainer.Finding the right college is going to take some e time and research. A college I would really like to go to is Duquesne University. Would I eke to go there because that's where my sister went. I would first want to see if this specific c allege would provide the education need to be an athletic trainer. I would also want to fin d out what the guidelines and requirements are for getting int o that school. I could research the school and see what I can find, or I could talk to the guidance counselor here at Keystone. I co old also talk to y sister about the layout of the school and where certain classes and places are.Playing basketball in college would also motivate me to stick with it. Playing basketball I could also get me a scholarship for college, so then my tuition wont be quite so much for m I've played basketball all my life and been around many athletes. I've seen ho w and why many injuries happen, and have had many injuries myself that required physic cal therapy with an athletic trainer. Being around this environment so much has really gotten me interested in being an athletic trainer. Eave always thought that it seemed like a fun career to ha eve.I'm going to have to work very hard to achieve this goal of mine. Its not goanna be easy beck cause there's a lot of things to learns, but I know I can do it. Everyone has something they would love to accomplish in their life. My goal I s to take up a career of being an athletic trainer. In order to achieve this I will have to work hard at everything do at school. I'll also have to get through both high school and cool leg with good grades. With that being said, achieving my goal of being an athletic trainer is g Anna be hard, but I can definitely do it.

Character Analysis of Creon

After all of the confusion and corruption occurred, there is a new king for Thebes and that is Creon. In the Greek play, Antigone written by Sophocles, shows that Creon was a man of great complexity. He values friendship but Creon feels that friendship would not keep his city standing therefore â€Å"no one values friendship more highly than [he]; but [they] must remember that friends made at the risk of wrecking [their] Ship are not real friends at all. † (Sc. 1 L. 32-35) Creon is a strong person and he believes in the reality of the society and how there needs to be laws and regulations in order to conduct correctly. For example, he set the laws and he has to abide by the law so he has to punish Antigone. Creon does not believe that love is a force strong enough to fix problems but it is one of the causes of the problems, â€Å"go join them, then; if you /must have your love,/ Find it in hell! † (Sc. 2 L. 119-120) He doesn't have passion for the law breakers because that only leads to corruption but Creon has respect for the true warriors, â€Å"But whoever shows by word and deed that he is on the side of the State– he shall have my respect while he is living, and my reverence when he is dead,† (Sc. L. 52-55) instead of those who rebel against their own city. One example would be Eteocles and Polyneices, according to Creon, only Eteocles dies as a true warrior because he sided with his own city while his own brother, Polyneices, chose to rebel. Creon does not want to acknowledge Polyneices and so Polyneices is left to die a shameful death. Finally, Creon seems to be the type of man who holds grudges or even stubborn. He does not allow people to make amends once the mistake has been made. Creon is persistent that he is doing the right thing and â€Å"an enemy is an enemy, even dead. † (Sc. 2 L. 117) Creon is a character with many traits, like his value of friendship, and his respect to the warriors defending his city. Other traits may not be the best but they make Creon who he is, he does not believe in using love as an excuse to rebel, and he is stubborn because he thinks that once an enemy, always an enemy. There are many different traits of Creon that make him easier to distinguish from others.

The impact of Information Technology on a career or profession of your Term Paper - 1

The impact of Information Technology on a career or profession of your choice - Term Paper Example Businesses have become equipped with information management systems that manage the company’s intellectual assets and provide basis for predictive analysis of future sales and consumer behaviors. Medical treatments have become safer, more reliable and quicker due to the integration of technological equipments and procedures. Technology has intervened in the life of modern man to such a great extent that it is almost impossible to imagine life without its presence. Modern technology has also broken the geographical barriers by creating innovative modes of communication. 2. Field of Education The field of education has undergone numerous changes after the introduction of technology. The conventional modes of acquiring education in a classroom setting have transformed into much broader concepts. One of major pitfalls of the conventional concept was the assumption that all students are able to acquire education in the same manner and at the same pace. The instructor used to evalua te the level of comprehension of the students on the basis of feedback from a selected number of prominent students. The slow learners suffered in this process since they were compelled to follow the pace of the fast learners in the classroom sessions. Technological intervention has addressed this drawback and has provided innovative ways to acquire education. ... Multimedia is commonly adapted across schools, colleges and universities for a diverse range of purposes. Reeves defined multimedia as the accumulation of different types of mediums, like sound, text, animation etc, on a single platform that has a greater effect on the users than the platform with only one type of medium (22). Multimedia is used to present lectures in a classroom setting to make the sessions more interactive and interesting. Graphs and diagrams can be displayed on the screens and can be explained in a more detailed manner. Interactive whiteboard is another form of multimedia that is being adapted by educational institutes around the world. It comprises of a computer that is connected with a projector and a touch screen. Painter explained that the projector displays the desired content (from the computer) on the whiteboard that can be controlled with an electronic pen (3). Figure 1: Interactive Whiteboard being used in a primary school (Painter) Impact The use of mult imedia has benefitted the field of education to a great extent. The monotonous lectures have been converted into interactive and interesting sessions due to the integration of multimedia in the programs. Teachers are able to present different types of video clips, animations, graphs, architectures etc. This makes it easier for the students to comprehend different concepts since visual aid is coupled with the knowledge of the instructor. Reeves stated that multimedia tends to kindle more than one sense at one instance therefore it proves to be a better medium to attain attention of the audience (22). Teoh and Neo stated that interactivity of multimedia sessions promotes the interaction between the learner and the instructor (29); this provides an opportunity to the learner to address

Creating Your Dream Job Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Creating Your Dream Job - Essay Example According to Mike Myatt of N2Growith.com, â€Å"In order to meet increased consumer demand many businesses are attempting to expand their geographic footprint and extend their value chain to an international level.† (2013). Xcell is looking to expand into developing countries like India and China where workers endure harsh conditions and little personal safety. In the 21’st century, there is no room for cutting corners at the risk of human life. Just recently a collapsed building at a manufacturing plant in India claimed the lives of over 500 workers. Reports from Ethirajan, A of the BBC stated, â€Å"A total of eight people have been arrested, including factory owners and engineers, and they have been accused of negligence† and â€Å"Cracks had appeared in Rana Plaza, in the Savar district, the day before the collapse but the staff were reportedly told to continue work† (2013). This incident is sad reminder to many businesses regarding their workers and i s one of the main reasons Xcell LLC is working with host governments and business owners to avoid another similar event. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) â€Å"An estimated 160 million people suffer from work-related diseases, and there are an estimated 270 million fatal and non-fatal work-related accidents per year† (2013). Many of the goods made in factories around the world fill the shelves of department stores here in the USA and those workers who provide them deserve to work in a safe environment. The incumbent must be able to negotiate and have a passion for safety and be willing to fully articulate the cost vs. benefit ratio to prospective clients and be comfortable speaking in front of large crowds. He or she must identify areas of concern and how they can be met by Xcell LLC security measures. Xcell LLC currently has several established relationships with businesses and government agencies in foreign countries and the incumbent must foster and develop these

Company going through a change process (Crave Outsourcing) - Apply Literature review

Company going through a change process (Crave Outsourcing) - Apply change theory - Literature review Example The present study would try to analyse the change management process of Crave Outsourcing with regards to its change in service delivery from IT, recruitment and accountancy to project management. The study would largely include the objectives of the firm that would help in initiating the change process. Apart from this the study would also include an analysis of the existing literature towards analysis the theoretical framework of change management. In addition to the literature review the problem solving techniques would be focussed upon which would include the six thinking hats strategy. Finally a set of plausible recommendations would be framed that would enable Crave Outsourcing to generate sustainable competitive advantage in the business environment. Objectives The main objectives of the change management process of Crave Outsourcing would largely include the following aspects. ... ms to bring greater accountability and maintaining sustainability The objectives stated above would largely help in ensuring better sustainability and would also help the firm to diversify its service offering that would help the firm to venture into business segments that can generate greater profitability for the firm in the long run. The fulfilment of the objectives would also enable the firm to move into ventures that are more profitable which would help in ensuring better prospects for the organization in the future. Company Snapshot Crave Outsourcing operates from its head office based in London top generate a plethora of consulting services pertaining to the domain of technology, human resources functions like recruiting the right individual and other financial and accounting functions. The consulting and outsourcing firm operating from United Kingdom gains wide amount of recognition by opening up a number of branches in several regions around the world. In respect to client s ervicing the company aims to render services of better quality by making maximum optimisation of the existing resources. The company through its operation in various other regions strategizes to gain the view of local markets and customer base by recruiting local people. These local set of employees help the company management to gain a wider understanding of the local environments to be able to deliver enhanced services and thereby augmenting the goodwill. Then client base of the company is mainly constituted by small and medium sized enterprises located mainly in regions like United Kingdom, Nigeria and other global regions (Crave Outsourcing, 2009; Crave Outsourcing-c 2009). Literature Review Change management is something that tests every manager’s mettle. When an enterprise decides

CRM (Tesco) Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

CRM (Tesco) - Statistics Project Example This dissertation basically aimed to achieve an understanding of whether the concepts of customer relationship management which are so effective in industries like banking, airlines etc can also be as useful as they are for the said industries. This research therefore focused on the broad categorization of whether CRM has the power to create customer loyalty and if yes can the same concept be imitated for the retail industry. The Dissertation describes the customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives undertaken by Tesco, the number one retailing company in the United Kingdom (UK), since the mid-1990s. The company's growth and its numerous customer service efforts are discussed. The dissertation then studies the loyalty card scheme launched by the company in 1995. It examines how the data generated through this scheme was used to modify the company's marketing strategies and explores the role played by the scheme in making Tesco the market leader. This dissertation also takes a look at the various other ways in which Tesco tried to offer its customers the best possible service. Finally, the company's future prospects are commented on in light of changing market dynamics, the company's new strategic game plan. Customer relationship management is not a new concept as many organisations have successfully implemented it to achieve better results. The business model of the Dell suggests that how delivering directly to the customers can create strong customer loyalty and help develop the effective customer relationship management within the organisation. In its essence, Customer relationship management is considered as an activity through which organisations try to maintain customer retention and try to develop customer loyalty through that. However information technology has played an important role in the development of CRM not only as a concept but also as a practical reality. However traditionally CRM has remained the domain of some typical and particular industries such as banking, airlines, automobiles, hotels as well as electronic commerce. Retail Industry such as large super stores such as Tesco, ASDA etc has not been able to initiate the same level of CRM as it should have been. As a case study we have chosen Tesco as our reference point for discussing the CRM with specific reference to Tesco. This study will aim to analyze and understand the role of CRM into retail industry and whether CRM can prove useful in Retail Industry. Accordingly research objectives such as the ability of CRM to create customer loyalty, whether CRM has the ability to create the same for retail industry and to finally evaluate the extent of CRM into current industry. Company History History of Tesco can be traced back to the second decade of last century when Jack Cohen started to sell grocessories from a stall in London. The business survived and soon it emerged as the leading grocery providers in the country. Tesco is now the largest retail organisation in UK in

Chiquita Brands Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chiquita Brands Inc - Research Paper Example Corporate Ethics The strategy for business ethics in Chiquita Brands was begun in 1998 when the company engaged the professional services of SmithOBrien to craft and implement a CSR policy for the company. The first comprehensive CSR report was released in 2004. (SmithOBrien website). Chiquita Brands’ corporate commitment speaks of the corporate values of integrity, respect, opportunity and responsibility as the embodiment of what they are and what they do. The company defines integrity as ethical and lawful business communicated in an open and straightforward manner (Kotler and Lee, 2005). Respect is seen as fair and respectable treatment of people. They recognize that the growth and development of their employees is the key to the company’s success. They take pride in their services and make sure that these exceed customer expectations. As much as they uphold the primacy of their customers, they recognize that their accountability is to all stakeholders, including emp loyees, suppliers, shareholders, communities and the world. (Chiquita website). At Chiquita Brands, corporate social responsibility is an integral part of their global business strategy. They make it a point to live up to the requirements of SA 8000, one of the more credible and verifiable social accountability standards (developed by Social Accountability International), by regularly including the SAI assessment in their corporate responsibility reports. Their openness on issues about their social, environmental and financial performance is highlighted in these reports. (Chiquita website). As part of their pursuit of these corporate commitments, Chiquita Brands has implemented an anti-retaliation policy to encourage the reporting or raising of concerns about potential misconduct and other ethical issues. This policy is available in six key languages to make sure it is understood by employees, contractors and vendors in most Chiquita locations. (Chiquita website). CSR Issues Involvi ng Chiquita Brands Notwithstanding the implementation of a corporate responsibility policy sometime after 1998, a number of violations or infringements resembling CSR violations have been reported and documented involving Chiquita Brands. On of these was the conviction of Chiquita Brands in 2007 by a US court of illegal financial dealing with Colombian terrorists in the form of â€Å"protection money† during the period 2001-2004. $25 Million Fine The court slapped a fine of $25 Million and five-year probation, and was required to hire a permanent compliance officer. Under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the fine would have been almost $100 Million, but the court rendered a much lesser penalty in consideration of Chiquita’s self-disclosure and full cooperation (Annual Report 2010). The situation in Colombia is atypical of businesses engaged in landed estates for their production, as in banana production. Where the country is under-developed and the econ omy is struggling, this would have been an ideal location to operate a wide-area plantation because of the low cost of agricultural work (Vellema, 1999). Protection Money Most such areas, however, are characterized by the presence of insurgents who are also members of the local community and who feed on instigating for peasant rights, as in Panama and the Philippines (Vellema, 1999). There is no way an organization