World History: Ancient Civilizations

Joseph Reyes 2-B World History Ancient Civilizations People have been on the earth for hundreds of years. They have come together to become the best of the best. Civilizations were ways to put humans in to an organized group and to survive the ways of nature. Two civilizations were successful and survived for a long time. Ancient Mesopotamia was a much different civilization then Egypt, but both were organized in a similar way. They both developed by setting up their government, controlling their environment, and their values. In Mesopotamia the priest was in charge of dividing the farmers into groups to farm and take care of the land.In Egypt the priests were in charge of making a record of their pharaohs and marking the most important happenings of their reigns. Mesopotamia used the Code of Hammurabi which was laws that concerned daily life, business, medicine, property, and family. It was based on an eye for an eye (revenge) and was to give justice for all. In Egypt the pharaoh wa s considered a god that ruled the Egyptians and had absolute power that made all the laws of the land and decisions. This is both civilizations form of government and was successful for years; some of those laws are still in modern day government.Egyptians used the Nile River which provided food and water, farming, and transportation of goods. This helps them in their survival for the fact that they were living in the middle of a desert. In Mesopotamia, they developed city-states which were around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These rivers were a key in their survival; they used these rivers for food, transportation, as well as plants. The rivers created a Fertile Crescent which allowed farming in Mesopotamia, the Fertile Crescent were important it was surrounded by desert and anything outside of it can’t be farmed. Using heir environment was an important key factor for the survival of these two great civilizations. As I said earlier Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was a god and was one with the divine. The Egyptians (supposedly) built the pyramids for the pharaohs to be buried in after they died and along with all of his possessions. The Sumerians and Akkadians practiced polytheism which was the worship of many gods. They believed that keeping the gods happy was the key to happiness and prosperity. They built big temples called ziggurats which were supposed to link Earth with the heavens and link people with the gods.These were the beliefs of the civilizations and have shape humans in to believing in religion and God. All of this contributed to the success of the two civilizations. With their government controlling their actions and giving justice where needed. They also controlled their environment to use for their own advantage which allowed them to eat and use for transportation. Building great monuments for their beliefs and believing to obey all the rules of God as well. I believe all this contributed to the success of two giant civilizatio ns.

Economic Nationalism in China Essay

The political economy of a nation is the interplay between its politics and its economy. Economic nationalism, a part of the political economy, wherever it applies, refers to the use of policies that are guided by the idea of protecting domestic consumption, labor, and capital formation, even when these policies require the imposition of tariffs in addition to other restrictions on the movement of labor, goods, and capital. In many cases, economic nationalism is opposed to globalization or unrestricted free trade. Economic nationalism could include doctrines such as protectionism and import substitution (Economic Nationalism 2007). What is more, Japan is a master in the use of policies that define economic nationalism (Hall). China follows Japan’s footsteps closely when it delivers its political economy into the hands of economic nationalism (Gamble 2006). Although the economies of Japan and China differ considerably – that is, the Japanese economy is certainly more developed than the emerging economy of China – there are lessons for China in the Japanese experience of economic nationalism. Lessons from Japan To other nations around the world, Japanese economic nationalism appears as self-seeking behavior. Besides, the self-serving attitude of Japan could drive other nations to also feel particularly touchy about their own national interests with respect to Japan. Thus, Buchanan (1995) writes on behalf of the American people: With the collapse of U. S. – Japan trade talks, the hour of the economic nationalist may be at hand. In British Columbia, U. S. demands that Japan open her markets to more American autos nd parts were rudely rebuffed. Japan’s top negotiator virtually dared us to impose sanctions. We will haul you up before the World Trade Organization. Tokyo warns; and there we will have you branded a violator of the free trade principles you so noisily preach – before an international tribunal you yourselves set up. Angry Clintonites intend to impose 100 percent tariffs on $6 billion of Japan’s exports. This doesn’t even qualify as a spanking. Americans are in a mood for action; and the GOP should demand more serious sanctions. Enough is enough. In 1953, we had 60 percent of Japan’s auto market; by 1960, our share had been slashed to 1 percent. That is all we have now. Since 1970, Japan has purchased 400,000 U. S. cars, while selling us 40 million. Seeing that international trade is a matter of exchanging value for value, the trading partners of nations that indulge in economic nationalism are expected to reduce their trade interests in such nations over time. Nevertheless, nationalism is emotion arousing for the nations that believe in it. Roberts (1998) writes about the subconscious roots of economic nationalism in the Japanese mind. According to the author, these roots lie in an eighteenth century concept of political economy referred to as â€Å"kokueki† or â€Å"national prosperity (Roberts). † The concept of kokueki was articulated in Tosa, only one of more than 230 Japanese domains that made up Japan during the Tokugawa period. The domains were autonomous with regards to internal administration. Even so, they were often expected to sacrifice their own economic interests to meet their obligations to the shogun and his government. During a period of economic crises in the first half of the eighteenth century, Tosa was compelled to adopt mercantilist policies in order to protect its own wellbeing. The concept of kokueki was at the heart of these policies. In this way, Tosa looked upon itself as a nation instead of holding itself responsible for the economic wellbeing of all Japanese domains under the shogun (Roberts). By pursuing the interests of the domain instead of those of the entire government and the shogun, Tosa acted as a model for the rest of the Japanese domains who too began to look upon self-interest as a lucrative attitude. Tosa had thus prepared the ground for the overthrow of the shogun’s government. Eventually, the domain along with few others like itself engineered the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in the year 1868. Furthermore, Tosa and partners extended the concept of kokueki from their domains to the entire country. This provided the new Meiji government with a model for the establishment of a nationally organized political economy (Roberts). Economic nationalism has worked for Japan for many years, and there is no law on earth against it (Hall). Even so, Buchanan (2006) complains about it once again: â€Å"China and Japan manipulate their currencies and tax polices to promote exports, cut imports and run trade surpluses at America’s expense. † In other words, these countries would like to make profits only for themselves, even if it means that these profits are made at the expense of other nations that have trade interests with them. Besides putting financial pressure on Japan, in the name of tariffs, America seems to have a less burdensome and more reasonable way to convince Japan to move toward liberalization. Tariffs are, of course, burdensome also for American consumers who love Japanese cars. The United States can convince Japan to move toward liberalization more easily by the use of reason, that is, by expressing the fact that economic nationalism failed the nation during the Asian crisis of the 1990s. Prior to Japan’s prolonged doldrums at the time, its economic nationalism was looked upon as its formula for success. But this changed when Japan saw that all of the nations that followed its formula were in crises during the 1990s (Hall). International support was the need of the hour. And so, Japan should have realized that nationalist economic policies have no place in an age of economic globalization (Hall). The fact that Japan did not see economical nationalism as the real problem, however, is the cause of Buchanan’s complaint. All the same, the author may discover that in order to see the changes that he wants to see through in the Japanese economic policies – it is best to appeal to Japanese reason before another crisis occurs. The Case of China Gamble, writing for the International Assessment and Strategy Center, reports that China’s trading partners are â€Å"cautiously expressing dissatisfaction at the country’s growing economic nationalism and failure in fact to liberalize. † Although China had been aggressively courting foreign investment since the mid-1990s and growing its economy dramatically thereby, since the latter part of 2006 the Chinese government has been heard saying that it needs to protect homegrown organizations from unfair international competition. What is more, the Chinese government has put on a multitude of new regulations for foreign firms wanting to do business in the country (Parker 2007). According to Parker, it is evident that China’s political economy is today moving in the direction of economic nationalism or protectionism. As a matter of fact, Americans believe that they may now sell little to China as compared to what the Chinese would sell to them. Furthermore, China has manipulated currency exchange rates to assure this. Hence, Parker writes: â€Å"Now they aren’t even going to let US companies benefit from Chinese economic growth. † American companies are, in fact, pulling back on their China plans now because legal changes are blocking their entry and/or growth in the Chinese market. eBay, for example, has already declared that it would close its website in China because it is difficult to do business in the face of new Chinese regulations that limit the types of financial transactions that foreign companies may conduct. Warner Bros. International Cinemas had also been planning a massive expansion in the Chinese market. However, the company abruptly announced that it would close its operations in China, citing a recent policy change that no longer permits foreign companies to control domestic theatres in the few large cities there are (Parker). Unlike Japan, China had suspended its attitudes of economic nationalism since the 1970s, in order to attract foreign investment and promote export-led economic growth. All the same, the Chinese attitude toward economic nationalism has not changed (Gamble). According to Gamble, the only interesting point concerning Chinese economic nationalism is that the Chinese leaders were able to keep economic nationalism at bay for a long time. The Chinese attitude toward economic nationalism is also deep-rooted like the Japanese attitude toward this aspect of the political economy. In the case of China, an anecdote recalls that in the year 1793, the Qing Emperor, Qianlong, informed his Britannic Majesty’s first Ambassador, Lord George Macartney: â€Å"As your Ambassador can see for himself, we possess all things. I set no value on objects strange or ingenious, and have no use for your country’s manufactures (Gamble). † To put it another way, China has believed in the self-sufficiency of its economic system for a pretty long time (Gamble). At the time that China had suspended its attitudes of economic nationalism, the country was moving toward liberalization only because of its economic desperation after thirty years of Mao style communism. China needed foreign money, management, markets and technology at the time in order to modernize its economy and buy time before reasserting its deep-rooted faith in economic nationalism. Once its economy had been revived through the suspension of economic nationalism, however, the country was to renew its self-seeking policy of economic nationalism through direct obstruction of foreign direct investment. And so, the country introduced a variety of trade barriers to stymie direct investment. As an example, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , despite its vocal opposition to unions, was forced to accept a union in the country. This union was none other than the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, an arm of the Chinese government (Gamble). Now that its chief interest has been served, that is, the Chinese economy has become a hit in the world economy, the country is also indirectly attacking foreign goods through Chinese regulation. Proctor & Gamble was recently a victim of such an attack when the Shanghai General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine declared that it had found traces of chromium and neodymium in three of the products in one of P&G’s lines of cosmetic products. P&G denied the allegation. Moreover, no contamination was ever proved. Still, P&G’s brand was damaged due to negative publicity and the company was forced to provide refunds. Other international companies that have faced similar attacks include Dell, General Mills, Heinz, KFC, Lipton teas, Colgate-Palmolive, and Sony (Gamble). The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is the top economic planning agency of China, which has stated that it would now like China to shift to a â€Å"quality, not quantity† policy in terms of FDI (Gamble). Seeing that the Chinese government is now making life very difficult for international companies, even those foreign companies with an emphasis on quality will be thinking twice about investing in China (Gamble). Gamble writes that the Chinese government is now expected to do all that it possibly can to squeeze the highest premium from foreign investors, especially when a foreign company is competing with a local state owned company. Conclusion Like many countries of the European Union that are presently concerned about globalization’s impact on their respective cultures, China would like to protect its age-old customs from foreign infiltration by means of economic nationalism. As a matter of fact, Chinese leadership is returning to the economic policy of the Qing dynasty, disappointing plenty of international corporations that continue to consider China as a fertile ground for investment. The Japanese, on the other hand, had been following the policy of economic nationalism or kokueki even when China had given up on economic nationalism. Both of these nations had, moreover, developed their subconscious roots of economic nationalism around the same time. The economy of Japan is better developed than the economy of China. Hence, Gamble has written that it will not be easy for China to move from its current dependence on exports and foreign investment to internally generated growth. After all, moving from liberalization to economic nationalism is a transition very much like the move that the country had made earlier on from liberalization to economic nationalism. China has been through rather difficult changes in the recent past. Needless to say, the new move is expected to require tremendous effort to boot. It may be that China would consider part liberalization and part economic nationalism for its new economic policies, for it is certain that the country is interested in globalization in addition to economic nationalism at the same time. Japan – the master of economic nationalism – continues to serve as a model for China, prodding it on toward greater economic growth with economic nationalism. The fact that Japan suffered because of economic nationalism during the Asian financial crisis of the 1990s should serve as a lesson for China. However, the fact that the Japanese economy began to recover soon after the crisis is expected to boost China’s confidence in economic nationalism. What is more, the two nations do not seem to be concerned about America’s or the rest of the world’s reaction to their policies of economic nationalism as yet. Only political and economic history in the making would tell how far both countries will go by adhering to their deep-rooted belief in economic nationalism.

Hum 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hum 1 - Essay Example Consequently, the outstanding performance made Achilles, Hector and Odysseus make them heroes of all ages and all regions of the globe at large. One of the most distinguished characteristics of the Homeric heroic code includes that the heroes contain exceptional physical strength and mental capabilities. Hence, even humans, they enjoy some traits attributed to Greek gods. Thus, Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Patroclus, Ithaca and others perform such marvelous deeds that arouse astounding wonder and invite shocking surprise of the readers and spectators alike. Hence, Iliad serves as â€Å"an expansive poem of enormous scope, composed in an archaic and superbly elevated style of language, concerning the wondrous deeds of heroes; these deeds were meant to arouse a sense of wonder or marvel is difficult for the modern mind to comprehend, especially in a time when even such words as wonderful or marvelous have lost much of their evocative power.† (Nagy, 1991) Furthermore, another uniq ue trait of them is that they never surrender on the way to gravest challenges, either they are being challenged by the enormous monsters, or fighting against the floods, famine and any other natural calamity. For instance, Hector did not the prophecy of his being killed in the battlefield, and left his beautiful wife Andromache and innocent son Astyanax in order to display gallant deeds against the foes of his Trojan nation fighting under the commandership of Greek Achilles. Hence, he strictly observes pride, prestige and honor in his behavior, and his feet never waver or tremble even when he was at the verge of his inevitable death at Achilles’ hands in the war. The same was the case with Achilles himself, who forgot his resentment he had maintained for Agamemnon because of his injustice towards him in the case of Chryseis, the Trojan lady, who became captive during the war and was taken by Achilles but was snatched by Agamemnon. Thus he displayed unconditional and unflinch ing dedication and valor during the Trojan War and killed Hector in the battlefield. "Oh Father Zeus, people say for wisdom you exceed all others, men and gods alike. Yet all this comes from you. . . ." (13.744) [13.631] Similarly, Odyssey concentrates upon the long and challenging journey of Odysseus, which was meant to return home in order to reunite with his wife, son and father. During the journey, he has to undergo severe trials and hurdles on his way, and every time he manages to crush these hurdles under the chariot wheels of his astounding determination, extraordinary commandership and exemplary intellect. He loses his companions in the Island of Cicones and is captured in a cave in the Island of Cyclopes. The race of cannibals stops him from proceeding on the one hand, and bad winds prove unfavorable towards Odysseus on the other. In addition, he has to spend many years as captive of the goddess Calypso. But he remains as firm as rock in the face of hardships and obstacles and subsequently comes out successful and triumphant in all ordeals and trials. Hence, he is

Countries Cooperation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Countries Cooperation - Essay Example This is the subject matter of this study where we examine the possibility of the world uniting to ensure global warming is slowed down. The ancient individuals realized this need to protect their resources as they new that overuse would lead to extinction which would obviously lead to the suffering of the entire society. A study of the ancient African nations shows that the societies would circle their fields and ensure that these areas were only used by the members of that particular area. This was one way of ensuring that their resources were safeguarded against misuse by the other societies. Having ensured that the societies safeguarded their resources which at the time included grazing land and water resources, there was need to ensure that the members of society properly utilized their resources with every member being mindful of the other. This again led to the societal definition of the use of property to ensure that the resources lasted long enough to meet the individual requirement. The need necessitated control of possessions by controlling the number of cattle that an individual owned. The need for an individual to own additional cattle was subject to discussion by the rest of the community. The individual it should be noted was only allowed to own additional cattle if the environment could cater for the additional cattle. Thus, the rule of supply and demand was long applied where the demand was necessitated by the cattle number and the supply was the natural endowments. This shows the need for cooperation in ensuring that the society benefited in a time when civilization was not anywhere in the vicinity and when individuals never interacted beyond the societal level. Besides, these societies in Africa had no idea of such earlier scholars such as Karl Marx who had first pointed out the need to cooperate in the use of collective property. The rules were passed because the human character has all along known to be self-centered in the sense that others needs are secondary to their own need. The other thing is that humans are generally competitive and what they compete for is scarce thus the need to control the scarce resources. As no such thing would be achieved through participation of isolated individuals, then the need to have individuals cooperate has always been key in ensuring that these resources are preserved and sparingly used for all of us and those to come. In the view of James Madison an 18th century economist, the scarcity of resources has necessitated the need to have a federalist government which stands for the need of the entire society and which ensures the unity and association of all individuals for their own good. He further observes that were all men angels, there would be no need to have a government as we would all be considerate of each other. However, the existence of even a single non angel would obviously necessitate the existence of a government. The actions of the non angels have this effect that they will always try to get the entire property to build a competitive advantage and on realization of the intention by the rest, they will obviously join in the competition for the resources. Thus, the need for the government to create a workable distribution system that balances the needs and interests of the individuals. From this illustration, there are two apparent things; for

Game Theory Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Game Theory - Article Example Computers soon became a rage in the 1970s and began finding their way into homes. With it arose the need for games and soon people began designing their own games for home computer use. Online games were fast gaining popularity with role-playing games such Dungeons & Dragons becoming a hit. This was a game where players got the chance to assume the role of a character and carry out missions. However, online games still were an expensive option since the use of Internet was charged by the minute. During this period, games were usually played by typing commands on the keyboard. But in the 1980s, graphics began taking precedence and games with basic textual commands and graphics, such as â€Å"Pool of Radiance† and â€Å"Bard’s Tale† were designed. In 1983, the video game industry came crashing down due to poor quality games and popular games like E.T and Pacman failing miserably. This boosted the popularity of computers and soon enough low-cost computers began replacing video games. There were also many high-quality graphical interfaces, which could be utilised with the help of the computer mouse. With the popularity of Commodore Amiga computers in 1985, sales saw an upward trend and attempts were made to work on improving its features. Other technological innovations that came about were sound cards, which added to the audio-visual experience of a computer game. In the 90s, came trend-setting games like â€Å"Wolfenstein 3D† which popularised the first person shooter game genre as so did â€Å"Doom† which set the trend for 3D graphics in games.... During this period, games were usually played by typing commands on the keyboard. But in the 1980s, graphics began taking precedence and games with basic textual commands and graphics, such as "Pool of radiance" and "Bard's Tale" were designed. In 1983, the video game industry came crashing down due to poor quality games and popular games like E.T and Pacman failing miserably. This boosted the popularity of computers and soon enough low cost computers began replacing video games. There were also many high quality graphical interfaces, which could be utilised with the help of the computer mouse. With popularity of Commodore Amiga computers in 1985, sales saw an upward trend and attempts were made to work on improving its features. Other technological innovations that came about were sound cards, which added to the audio-visual experience of a computer game. In the 90s, came trend setting games like "Wolfenstein 3D" which popularised the first person shooter game genre as so did "Doom" which set the trend for 3D graphics in games. The 90s can be termed as the boom time for computer games since the Real Time Strategy (RTS) genre games made an entry with Dune II. The genre was further popularised by Warcraft: Orc and Humans in 1994 and games like Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness in 1995 gave rise to multiplayer capabilities in the RTS genre. With broadband connections becoming cheaper in the 1990s, online gaming became very popular. A player usually used a modem or LAN to play RTS games, where the player gets a top down perspective of the battle zone complete with 3 D animation. The player can manipulate the game through clicking and dragging the mouse without waiting for his chance unlike a turn-based game. With Internet becoming more accessible than

What Drives Chinese Into Buying Luxury Goods in the 21st Century Essay

What Drives Chinese Into Buying Luxury Goods in the 21st Century - Essay Example Chinese consumers buy the products within China and also from other countries as tourists. A rapidly growing upper and middle class are seen as bent on enhancing their individuality by buying luxury goods, according to a report from McKinsey&Co (2011). China has been reported to have already overtaken the United States and Japan in terms of luxury items purchases (Vickers & Renand, 2003). China has worked hard to achieve economic prosperity, producing current generations of millionaires. Accordingly, this generation has been spending a large amount in the luxury market day by day and Chinese are becoming more dynamic and active buyers in the market (Lu, 2012). China has emerged as the biggest purchaser of luxury goods in the world market. Chinese consumers are showing considerable interest in buying luxury goods these days, and this has not been left unnoticed by the global luxury market (Frank, 2013). The United States, Japan, and Europe, who have been the top consumers of luxury goods, are indeed quite surprised with the growing appetite of Chinese for luxury items. Nearly all Chinese visiting Paris have bought expensive bags without looking at its price tags. They are also buying other luxury items like goggles, cars, shoes, and many others. Luxury goods refer to all those branded products unreachable by ordinary people. The rich and senior citizens comprise the bulk of overseas luxury buyers and item collectors. To them, luxury items are products of cultural essence, and obtaining them means owning a piece of culture. There are three groups in China buying luxury goods: those who are considered as spectacularly rich, the young urban professionals and people who want to gain some sense of satisfaction, and some shady characters composed of blackmailers or illegal groups who have smuggled luxurious goods into the country. China’s growing

Discussion Communications in emergency management Coursework

Discussion Communications in emergency management - Coursework Example Thirdly, the chances of miscommunication due to absence of written communication are also high. For example, inaccuracy and misreporting characterized the Chi-chi earthquake and hurricane Katrina in the US. The two instances showed the current telephone, radio and television are not reliable for communication when managing disasters (Cheng-Ming, Chan and Adnan, 2009). The use of Internet Social Networking (ISN) platforms should also be implemented. â€Å"Internet social networking (ISN) or online social networking is the use of web based technologies to provide a virtual forum for internet users however diverse and afar to communicate and share ideas and information† (Cheng-Ming, Chan and Adnan, 2009 p. 2). ISN methods such as microblogging, search engines and social networking websites are instrumental during such emergencies. For example, a new platform is being designed to make it easier for communication during times when cell phones cease to work in emergencies (Tendo, 2014).The idea known as First responder Network (First Net) is to use a seamless network to allow the accessibility of first responders in emergencies (Tendo, 2014). The use of wireless network and applications in disaster management is highly encouraged in the modern age due to the proven failure of current disaster management emergency communication (Tendo, 2014). The failure in these network failures could be brought about by demolition of electrical and network infrastructures by walls, debris or even water. In case all technological means of communication fail, it will be necessary to use alternate means to convey messages long distances, for example, by use of responders or messengers. Information will be delivered first-hand by responders to such sites. The disaster team will take action during and after the occurrence. It is also crucial to create an

Wikileaks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wikileaks - Essay Example The documents that were leaked by Wikileaks regarding the operations in Afghanistan has not only risked future operations against terrorism, but also served to expose the military still serving in different countries such Iraq and Afghanistan where terrorist threat emanates, at a greater risk (Galrahn, 2010). Thus, what Wikileaks has been doing in relation to matters security and military operations is akin to aiding international terrorism, as well as the enemies of the USA. International terrorism has defined as the activities that endanger human life, while also influencing the policies of the government through either coercion or intimidation (Marcel & Gregor, 2010 p2). In respect to what Wikileaks has been doing, there is no doubt that its activities amount to some form of aiding terrorism, since it is endangering both human lives, as well as intimidating the government, through portraying its military operations as either dehumanizing or bungled. Therefore, there could be no missing of words, when saying that Wikileaks completely endangers the success of international war on terrorism. Wikileaks is essentially threatening the genuine national security interest, which in turn is a way of assisting the wider terrorism community. While the actions of Wikileaks might seem to be within the law, and thus protected by the privileges of the First Amendment of the USA constitution, there seem to lack some sense of security responsibility in their actions (Abrams & Benkler, 2013 n.p.). While terrorism has evolved and become more salient in the modern day, there is nothing as helpful to the terrorists, as the information that Wikileaks has been releasing, oblivious of the damage it might do to the nation. Therefore, the most disturbing thing about the Wikileaks’ activities is the mission it has. While doing all this, one still wonders whether Wikileaks is aware of its ability to influence and aid international terrorism (Philipp, 2012 n.p.).

Free

Free Will vs. Determinism Essay PHI/105 August 2010 Week 1 – Checkpoint 1 Arguments and Logic Free Will VS Determinism Free Will and Determinism are two separate beliefs, contradicting one another. Determinism is the idea that all matter in this known universe is created for a specific purpose; a specific action. Therefore, the behavior of all atoms are governed by their physical law; their purpose. Free Will is simply defined as humans having free will. Humans have the ability to choose their next action, thereby choosing their path to their future. In the excerpt given these two beliefs are in contradiction with one another and therefore cannot exist. One must believe in a single belief, not both. The arguments given for Determinism is that whatever an atom does, it must do in a given circumstance. By laws of nature and physics, it must behave in a specific manner. Following this argument, an atom must behave in manner â€Å"A† when in circumstance â€Å"Z†; therefore, if present in circumstance â€Å"Z,† the atom must behave in manner â€Å"A† in accordance with its physical laws. A behavior as a result of free will; however, is an event that did not have to happen, thereby contradicting the argument for Determinism. Free Will is an event that is the direct result of my actions because of my choices. Therefore, if an event were to occur as a result of Free Will, this event did not have to happen. For example, let us imagine that I am walking along a path and I choose, of my own free will, to pick up a rock and throw it. I could easily have chosen not to throw the rock; therefore, when I threw the rock, the atoms in my arm did not have to move even if this situation. Given this example, we will assume that Free Will is the correct belief, thus illustrating that it is not true that an atom must have done what it did, given the situation. If Determinism is true, then my arm would have moved and the rock been thrown, regardless of my choices and actions. The arguments for these beliefs seem logical in the fact that Determinism is relating to science and physics to illustrate the structure and behavior of atoms; the core component to all known matter. This argument provides a solid base for the Determinism belief, explaining that everything is preordained by its physical properties, and the Free Will is an illusion. Free Will, on the other hand, is given no scientific argument and is more common sense based in its belief. Free Wills argument is not to illustrate that it is true, but to show that Determinism is not true. While the arguments for both beliefs seem valid, I found there to be more weaknesss is the Determinisms logic. To say that all matter has a given physical law is correct and that is must behave in its intended manner. Atoms that compose the chemical makeup of fire will in fact burn you if too close; this is what fire does. The weakness in the Determinisms argument is saying that because you were burned, the atoms in that fire were designed to burn you. Nature has a set of principles in place. Gravity causes object to fall towards its pull, and the movement of two objects against one another creates heat the form of friction. These events are localized in their behavior, but not preordained. A rock that is thrown will glide through the air and descend towards earth again. My arm can throw a rock, or remain at my side. The atoms of the rock, make it a rock, but do not make it fly. The atoms in my arm are what bind muscles, bone, and skin, and make it my arm, but they do not make my arm throw the rock. Determinism is true to an extent, as is Free Will. Each of them play a part in our world. If I wish to throw a rock at a window, and not break the glass, my will alone is not enough to make it so. Determinism will then take over and act accordingly to the density of the glass, and the velocity of the rock. Both beliefs exist together, working together.

Cpk Case Essay Example for Free

Cpk Case Essay California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK) is a United States based dining restaurants chain. The company primarily offers a mixture of assortments of hearth-baked pizzas, a wide variety of unique appetizers, desserts, pastas, salads, soups and sandwiches. CPK operates across more than 253 locations in 32 states, the District of Columbia and 10 foreign countries. It owns 205 and 48 franchised restaurants across the world and is headquartered at Dover, Delaware. An external analysis of the California Pizza Kitchen reveals several challenges facing the business: Political, economical, social and technological changes to be specific. CPK’s communication strategy focuses on marketing the California Pizza Kitchen brand through many creative and non-traditional avenues. As one of the pioneers of premium pizza, they continue to benefit from national media attention featuring their co-founders and co-CEOs, Richard Rosenfield and Larry Flax, this is believed to provide CPK with a noteworthy competitive advantage. New restaurant openings, high-profile fundraisers and media events currently serve as the focal point of their public relations and media outreach efforts. As early as 2009 CPK landed a sponsorship agreement with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Los Angeles Kings to promote California Pizza Kitchen at Angel Stadium and STAPLES Center, respectively. In the same year their public relations efforts led to coverage on a national level in various outlets including the Business Week Magazine, ESPN the Magazine, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, The View, FOX National News and CNBC Power Lunch. CPK’s objective is to expand its leadership position in the restaurant and premium pizza market by selling original, high quality pizzas in addition to creative salads, distinctive pastas and related products and by providing extraordinary customer service, thus building a high degree of customer loyalty, brand awareness and superior returns for stockholders. To reach these objectives, CPK plan to increase the market share by expanding their restaurant base in new and existing markets, leveraging their partnerships in non-traditional and retail channels and offering inventive menu items. CPK is pursuing a disciplined growth strategy that, to be successful, depends on the ability and the ability of franchisees and licensees to open new restaurants and to operate these new restaurants on a profitable basis. Successful growth depends on numerous factors including: the hiring, training and retention of qualified working ersonnel, especially managers; competition for restaurant sites; negotiation of favorable lease terms; timely development of new restaurants, including the availability of construction materials and labor; management of construction and development costs of new restaurants; securing required governmental approvals and permits; competition in our markets; and general economic conditions

Problems Faced By The Vodafone Sales Team Business Essay

Problems Faced By The Vodafone Sales Team Business Essay Through this research been carried out successfully then only I will be able to classify the core reasons for the problem. From the reasons identified I will be able to solve the problems. After solving these issues faced by Vodafone, Vodafone will be more successful in running the floor and will be able to be helping Vodafone sales team to advance their day to day operations through a given timeframe. It is also help them to implement and evaluate the solutions specified. The management concept used in order to solve the issues identified is Fayols Management theory concept: By means of this concept it has helped me to get the possible solutions for the business problems identified by the Vodafone sales team managers and also to find the reasons behind the core problems. 2.4AIMS AND PURPOSE OF STUDY AIMS To identify some general business problem that exists within the Vodafone organisation. To know the reasons behind the problems taking place. How to resolve these business problems. To discover how solving these problems would be feasible for Vodafone. To ensure that all information about Vodafone given by myself in this business proposal is fair and accurate to my best extent. The problems identified are relevant and suitable to work on duration of this course because the problem identified is ongoing in many organisations in New Zealand. The problems Im elaborating on are significantly important to be solved and thus the learning outcome will be of assistance to me when I join the workforce. PURPOSE To get more practical knowledge on how to find reasons and solutions behind problems. 3.1RESEARCH PROCESS TO GATHER PRIMARY DATA EXPLAINED AND JUSTIFIED The research procedure was carried out by a mixture of research methods (Quantitative and Qualitative). Methods outlined: Research Questionnaires Face-to-face interview Exploring attitudes and behaviour of the staffs of Vodafone In using these research methods I was going to: Find facts primary data The process also includes interviews of the staffs and managers to find out the reasons of the problems and then work out the solutions for the problems identified. A content analysis was also used to find out the facts of the analysis and get solutions. 3.2PRIMARY PROCESS/SIZE OF SAMPLE POPULATION The initiation of this project started with the formulations of ideas as to what needs to be looked into to reach the aim of this survey. Once that was done, a questionnaire was made with regards to getting a specific ins and outs of what goes on the a Vodafone contact centre and how its inefficiency can leading to failed productivity. The sample size was quite small as this related to just one area within the greater Vodafone Business. On the 10th of April about 10 staffs were given questionnaires to fill and the choice was given to them either to put their name or leave them anonymous. I also did face to face interview of the 2IC of the Sales Team. From the responses provided in the questionnaire I was able to do an analysis of the problems. 3.3STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES USED FOR THE TASK The statistical tools used in this project included the employment of Fishbone diagram Gannt chart Henri Fayol management theory. 3.4INTERVIEW CONDUCTED AFTER SURVEY (DATES AND TIMES IN APPENDIX) An interview was carried out on the 2nd of April of some of the staffs and managers of the Vodafone Sales teams at the Vodafone Sales office in Penrose, Auckland City, New Zealand. 3.5LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORY OF MANAGEMENT IN RELATION TO TOPIC I have reviewed some: Vodafone Catalogues Articles in newspapers Internet Research The research comes under the process of controlling. The managers of Vodafone necessitate using Fayols 5 functions of Management in order to get to the bottom of the issues they are facing at the moment. 3.6RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS USED The research methodology was carried out by a mixture of research methods (Quantitative and Qualitative). Face to face interview Questionnaire Interview Participant observation Fishbone diagram 3.7STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF STUDY STRENGTHS: The staffs were very helpful. They were quite open to answering the questions. LIMITATIONS: Inaccuracy of results. Sample size is not good enough as I couldnt get the responses of all people. Hard to summarize the data. 3.8MANAGEMENT THEORIES USED TO HELP EXPLAIN METHODOLOGY In order to recognize the problems and to find the reasons for the problems I have used the SWOT analysis and the â€Å"Cause Effect† Fishbone diagram. The swot analysis has helped me to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats of Vodafone. This method has helped me to identify the business problems, draw conclusions and to translate these solutions into a Strategic action plan. This method has also been able to provide me with assistance in consolidating the strengths, reducing the weaknesses, grab the opportunities, minimize the treats, facilitate the plan and alternative choices, help to innovate and ensure the well being and prosper ship of Vodafone in achieving the goals and missions. The fishbone diagrams has helped in to jot out the possible solutions to the problems Vodafone is facing and also the steps and resources needed to achieve these solutions. It shows the problems, the solutions and the 6 categories. Process Management Equipment People Material Technology The fishbone diagram is in the appendix as Figure 2. 4.1SUMMARY OF PRIMARY RESEARCH RESULTS After a complete search and interviews I got some invaluable information and some primary data. For Vodafone the business problems identified were under the OTHERS category. Upon identifying the problems I have also identified possible solutions to the acknowledged problems. The research results after the interview also showed: THE PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED AND THE RESONS BEHIND THEM: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES: -mind set of managers -priority given to some culture only -preference of the leader ILLEGITIMATE SICK CALLS: -strict management -Lack of Motivation AGENTS NOT SHOWING UP TO WORK WITHOUT NOTIFICATION -poor management -lack of rules in the department LACK OF MOTIVATION -from the Managers from upper level STAFFS ARE COMMITTING FRAUD. -weak management -lack of motivation -mind set of employees that they can get away with any fraud LACK OF POWER TO STAFF MEMBERS -poor management INEFFICIENT MANAGEMENT -lack of motivation 4.2ANALYSIS OF DATA WITH RESULTS OF PRIMARY RESEARCH ANALYSEDAND DISCUSSED RELATING TO AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION I myself believe that these problems are common for gigantic companies such as Vodafone. As the researcher I have identified the business problems and the possible solutions which will also help Vodafone sales team to improve their day to day operations through a given timeframe. It is also help them to implement and evaluate the solutions specified. Its important to resolve these problems as soon as possible reason being failure to get a resolution on Vodafones part will result in inefficiency and diminished customer faith in the company. 4.3RESEACH DATA ANALYSED AND INTERPRETED Face to face interview was carried out and first hand information was obtained from personnel whose working with the organisation of study. It is not taken from any old Vodafone reports which may be outdated and obsolete because reports are done periodically and. An interview with a Vodafone employee gave me 1st hand information. 4.4LIST OF POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES 1. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES Possible solutions: Managers need to develop their leadership skills and treat everyone equally putting aside the culture difference of the staffs. They require more training. 2. ILLEGITIMATE SICK CALLS. Possible Solutions: Get rid of the free to call sick line number and get sick calls to come to managers directly. Make a requirement for the actual employee to call in rather than having their family members call on their behalf. 3. AGENTS NOT SHOWING UP TO WORK WITHOUT NOTIFICATION. The procedure in place take care of such scenarios includes the following steps: Making contact with the agent who is not showing up. Sending an email request to make contact with Vodafone. Once a month has passed, a final call is made to the person absent to make contact with the company to discuss their future with the company. If contact is made, then there are further procedures such as a probation period for the agent. If contact is not made, then the agents contract is terminated. 4. LACK OF MOTIVATION. Possible Solutions: As providing motivational promotions can be costly, during the in between time, promotions should be invented which is not too expensive but enough good enough to boost team morale. Managers should make sure theyre setting a good example of efficiency and enthusiasm. Set goals and reward the staff when the goals are achieved. The reward can be as simple as a star on the calendar and a bigger reward at the end of the month if there are enough stars for each day. 4. STAFF IS COMMITTING FRAUD. Possible Solutions: Monitor calls and see if there is a pattern of a particular number calling multiple times to identify fraud. 5. LACK OF POWER TO STAFF MEMBERS. Possible Solutions: Vodafone identified that the number of these escalations were growing exponentially so just recently a new tool called VODAFONE HERO was launched to give agents over the phone additional powers to assist customer further and increase customer faith in the business. 6. INEFFICIENT MANAGEMENT Potential solutions Ensure that reminders are saved for one on one meeting and these are scheduled in advance. Ensure that all updates are done through direct communications. 4.5MANAGEMENT THEORY USED TO EXPLAIN MEANING OF FINDINGS OF RESULTS AND RELEVANCE To discover the possible solution for the problems identified and to find out the core reasons behind these problems I have used Henri Fayols creative problem solving techniques: i.e. 1. PLANNING 2. ORGANISING 3. COMMANING 4. COORDINATING 5. CONTROLLING 4.6EVIDENCE OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH The evidence of the original research is in the appendices section including: Interview Questionnaire Fishbone diagram as problem solving tool. I have also researched: Internal- Vodafone Sales 2IC questionnaire. External-references, online assistance. 5.1STATEMENT OF CONCLUSION Upon completion of this research it has helped me in identifying the problems, the reasons behind the problem and the possible solutions to the problems. It has also provided me with the awareness of problem solving skills and if Im in the workplace I will be able to distinguish and solve problems efficiently. 5.2CONCLUSIONS MUST BE LOGICAL FROM THE RESULT AND DISCUSSION 5.3CONCLUSIONS MUST LINK BACK TO AIMS AND PURPOSES OF RESEARCH. 5.4CONCLUSIONS BASED ON EVIDENCE 5.5CONCLUSIONS PRIORITISED 5.6RATIONALE FOR FINAL RECOMMENDATION 5.7RECOMMENDATION MUST BE RELEVANT ADDRESSING PROBLEM AND ISSUES 5.8RECOMMENDATION TIMELY AND FEASIBLE 5.9RECOMMENDATION PRIORITISED 6.0MANAGEMENT THEORY USED TO EXPLAIN CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The New Republic and the Issues It Faces :: Writing Politics Governmnet Essays

The New Republic and the Issues It Faces The New Republic is a weekly British political journal that focuses quite a bit on the internal workings of the US government and issues dealing with foreign policy and issues outside of this country. The New Republic is very broad with its political orientation, but tends to be more liberal with some conservative tendencies. The United States edition is published from Washington DC. The major pieces of information I gathered about the New Republic (TNR) were information about some recent issues the publication itself is facing. The magazine’s major emphasis has been dealing with international issues in the context of the US government and how the US is handling certain aspects of these issues. The New Republic has been seen as a traditionally liberal magazine, but some sources have recently said that the magazine has developed a neo-liberal view. The website http://www.ctheory.net/text_file.asp?pick=111 defined Neo-liberalism as â€Å"a political philosophy which originated in the advanced countries in the 1980s. It is associated with the idea of "liberal fascism": free enterprise, economic globalization and national corporatism as the institutional and ideological grounds for the civil disciplining of subaltern individuals, "aliens" and groups.† The New Republic has also been seen as a very intellectual New York style of magazine. This means that TNR has more of a center on the New York culture and tries to amplify that in the text and articles. Much of the content is put forth toward these intellectuals who have a real sense of politics. The editor in chief is Martin Peretz. His biography on the New Republic web site says that Martin Peretz â€Å"has been editor and chief and chairman of the New Republic since 1974. Simultaneously he has kept up his teaching at Harvard University where he has been a part-time lecturer in Social Studies since joining the New Republic.† The website also goes on to say that he holds many awards and distinctions such as the Jerusalem Medal and the Medal of Distinction of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. Mr. Peretz’s biography also states that he â€Å"is co-founder and co-chairman of The street.com, a publicly traded company of the NASDAQ†, and â€Å"was a co-founder of Leukosite, a biotechnology and pharmaceutical company.

Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare

‘Critics often judge Gertrude as a weak, selfish and innocent woman, caught up in conflicts she does not fully understand.’ To what extent do you agree with this? The two female characters in Shakespeare’s tragedy seem to be drowned in the mist of the deceitful power-game played by the male characters, which contribute to the on-going tragic conventions of murder, revenge and betrayal so prevalent in this form of drama. The title of Hamlet’s metatheatrical play-within-a-play, 'the mouse-trap' is as applicable to the plot of Shakespeare’s 'Hamlet'; set in the especially patriarchal society of Elsinore, which is dominated by the authoritative actions of the male characters, Hamlet may be seen as a tragedy where the female characters have small and seemingly unimportant roles in the tragic plot compared to the climactic ‘masculine’ moments – the visitations of the Ghost, the dramatic agon between Hamlet and Claudius and the final conquest between Hamlet and his counterpart Laertes. Gertrude is a character whose fate is tragically overshadowed by the power of these men, indicative of the submissive role o f women in the Jacobean period. Despite the fact that directors often present Gertrude as a sensual and deceitful woman who is vain and self-satisfied with strong sexual appetites, if one looks to Shakespeare’s text, this character has a very small and arguably innocent voice in the play; indeed Rebecca Smith argues that ‘Gertrude’s words and action create not the lusty, lustful, lascivious Gertrude that one generally sees in stage and film productions but a compliant, loving, unimaginative woman whose only concern is pleasing others’. In order to assess Shakespeare’s characterisation of the Queen, it is necessary to exami... ...arded as selfish, weak and innocent, caught up in a conflict that she more than understands. Works Cited Bamber, L.(1990) â€Å"Class Struggle: Shakespeare and Sexism.† The Women’s Review of Books 7:5. Bradley, A.C. (1966) Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: St. Martin's Press. Burnett, Mark, ed. (1994) New Essays on Hamlet. New York: AMS Press. Granville-Barker, Henry. (1970) Prefaces to Shakespeare. New York: Hill and Wang. Heilbrun, Carolyn. (1957) Hamlet’s Mother. California: University of California Press. Kolin, Philip C. (1991). Shakespeare and Feminist Criticism an Annotated Bibliography and Commentary. New York: Garland. Loske, Olaf. (1960) Outrageous Fortune. Oslo: Oslo University Press. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Smith, Rebecca. ‘A Heart Cleft in Twain: the Dilemma of Shakespeare’s Gertrude’.

Market Research and Marketing Research Essay

Research is the process of gathering, processing and analyzing information on markets. The scope of such research is limited to the study of markets and does not include studies on the brand or product to be marketed. Market research is a subset of marketing research. Marketing Research is the process of gathering, processing and analyzing information for the purpose of marketing a product. It includes, but is not limited to market research. Marketing research extends to other areas of marketing activity like: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Studies on consumer behavior Brand and positioning research Research on product and packaging Research on communication strategies and advertising channels and their effectiveness Studies on sales promotion strategies and effects of discounts and sales promotion strategies on customer buying and consumption habits 6. Brand perception studies 1 Difference between Qualitative vs. Quantitative 2 Importance of Marketing Research The importance of marketing research in management extends to intelligent decision making, maximizing profits, increasing the sales, minimizing the risks and ascertaining whether a new product will be profitable in a given market at a given time. What is Marketing Research? This research can be defined as the process of gathering recording and analyzing the data related to certain products and services. This need for market research is derived from the concept that only by understanding the needs and wants of the target audience and by effectively meeting them, you will be able to achieve the organizational goals and surpass the competition n the specific market. Thus, arises the need to collect data about the customers, competitors, and other forces in the marketplace. This data in turn is collected and analyzed to make relevant marketing decisions, be it in relation to setting up a business, developing a product, creating a brand or coming up with an advertising campaign. What is t he Importance of Marketing Research? To Make Marketing Decisions: This research helps the marketers to make a decision about the product or service. Sometimes a marketer might believe that the new product or service is useful for the customers. However, research may show that customers do not need a product or are meeting their needs with a certain competitor product and so on. Similarly good research strives to provide options for the successful introduction of new products and services. This makes the market entry of a new product or service less risky. Survive the Competition: Marketing research helps in ascertaining and understanding competitor information such as their identity, marketing network, customer focus and scale of operations. This helps in surviving and in certain cases, even leaving behind the competition. Moreover, with market research you can also help understand the under-served consumer segments and consumer needs that have not 3 been met. Helps to Decide Target Markets: Research helps provide customer information in terms of their location, age, buying behavior and gender. This helps the marketers zero in on the target markets and customers for their products and services. Maximize Profits: Apart from profit maximizing steps such as item optimization, customer profitability analysis, and price elasticity, marketing research allows you to find out methods that can help you maximize profits. For example, a product’s price elasticity research can help you ascertain the impact of an increased price on the sales and the profits of a product. This emphasis on profitability also helps the company’s focus to shift from maximizing sales to increasing the profits of a company. This helps the company survive in the long run and maximize its profits. Increasing the Sales: Increasing the sales of your products or services helps a company in maximizing its profits. By understanding the customer’s needs, wants and attitude towards the products and determining whether your products fit the bill, marketers can increase their sales. This helps in not only increasing the sales to the target customers and people already using the product but also converting the non users into customers for the product. With an understanding of the customer, competitors, products and the overall industry needs, this research can equip the management with the power to make better decisions. However, the importance of marketing research is limited to just being a marketing tool that helps you make an informed decision. So rather than basing all your management decisions on a customer survey, use this tool as a guide and supplement it with intelligent decision making.

What is the narrators and others attitude to `jazz?` How is that attitude modified in the course of the study?

The narrator's attitude toward jazz is one of ambivalence, but the attentive reader will understand that it is a form of wilful ambivalence in that the narrator has seemingly made a quiet but definite break with anything that might be considered â€Å"pop† culture and more specifically, black culture or African American culture. The theme of music is a very important theme in the story because it, loosely, represents the human soul.Sonny, the musician and drug-addict, eventually expresses a deep and personal odyssey through the idiom of jazz and the narrator, during the story's climax is able to embrace this â€Å"new† form of expression, and in doing so, embraces not only the aspects of suffering which his brother painfully reminded him of and from which he tried to hide, but to these same aspects of wounding and â€Å"blues† which exist in the narrator himself.The parallel between the story's theme and the central symbol of music that shapes the story is that t he narrator's awareness that the same racial and cultural aspects of American society that have contributed to Sonny's blues have also inspired, within himself, a blues. This realization becomes clear subtly over the course of the story the same way that a musical theme develops over the course of a song, especially an improvised (or partially improvised) song. The closing lines of the story state the story's theme in nearly explicit terms: Sonny's fingers filled the air with life, his life.But that life contained so many others[†¦ ] beautiful because it wasn't hurried and it was no longer a lament† (Sonny's Blues). By embracing jazz, the narrator embraces his brother's soul and his own heritage and finds not only a blues but a repressed joy as well. 2. What role do social mobility and class play in the struggle between the narrator and Sonny? A key role due primarily to the narrator, who teaches math, viewing himself as â€Å"normal† as well-adjusted while all the while experiencing and inner-turmoil of how to relate to his troublesome brother. Social mobility plays the central role of irony in the story.it is a relatively simple premise: that the character who has embraced â€Å"normal† society views the character who has not as â€Å"fringe† as â€Å"affected† and as a troublemaker, but in actuality, it is the â€Å"normal† character who has become troubled and affected. The entire ironic premise of the story is predicated on the idea that the narrator may be an â€Å"Uncle Tom† whereas his brother, Sonny, is an outsider, but it is actually the case that the narrator is not an Uncle Tom, but is simply pursuing his soul just as his brother is not an outsider, by design, but an outsider because he is a true artist.3. What in the family's history act as an ominous prophesy in the futures of the characters? The narrator's father failed to protect his own brother from dying. Because of this, the narrator's mot her instills within the narrator a deep sense of obligation to his younger brother. The idea is that the narrator, even at his most estranged from Sonny, still feels an obligation to him, and to his mother due to the events of his father's past.In this way, the story shows how family history adn oral history can play as large a role in the culturization of African Americans as the so-called establishment. In the long run, the narrator's ties to the establishment give out long before his sense of obligation to his family. 4. How does Harlem-its streets, its people-act as background for this story? Harlem is a microcosm of African American culture and it is portrayed positively in the story although this positivism may not be obvious to some readers on their first reading of the story.The use of the Harlem setting as a counterpoint â€Å"white† society is way of showing the reader that the same divisions between one type of culture and the other exist within the narrator himsel f; that is his crisis. By setting the story in Harlem, it is tantamount to setting the narrator in a direct confrontation with his own culture, a culture which he seemingly does not value or truly understand and one which is in many ways set against the culture he tries to be a part of on a daily basis. 5. The climax of this story involves music and listening to music.How well does Baldwin convey in words what is essentially an aural and non-intellectual experience? Baldwin succeeds with great ability because of his method of venturing into an internal monologue during the climax. By using this technique, he allows the reader to follow thought by thought with the narrator's developing understanding of his brother's â€Å"soul† as it speaks to him through the music. Consequently, the reader reaches the fruition of that understanding and that moment of connection at the same time as the narrator, so the harmony of realization is, in itself, like music.6. In the Bible, Cain asks the Lord, `Am I my brothers keeper? ` How does this story imply an answer? â€Å"Sonny's Blues† makes an ironic turn on this Biblical phrase. In other words, though the narrator believes that he must function as Sonny's â€Å"keeper† because Sonny is troubled and also because of his mother's geas, in actuality, the narrator is no less troubled than Sonny and, in fact, may be less gifted and therefore more prone to losing his own self-identity.Both Sonny's drug and legal problems and the narrator's identity crises present real-world and profound obstacles which have arisen at least partially due to cultural factors of race and social standing. In the final analysis, the story demonstrates that each person is each person's â€Å"keeper† on an equal footing although sometimes immediate circumstances and prejudices allow one person to put himself â€Å"above† another in relation to altruism or helping out one's â€Å"brother. â€Å"

Victims And Crime Evaluation

There are many roles in the courtroom that each person plays and each role has its benefit for the criminal justice system as a whole. It is understandable that each role plays a part in the sentencing with the hope that justice is being served but with much intentions and seen all too well that everyone is not satisfied with the sentencing phase and may feel that justice has not been served and some may feel that it has. In the courtroom the roles of each person happens to be a part of case and the prosecutor, defense attorney, criminal, and victim all play a role.There are others that are a part of the role in the court room who also play a valuable role and it is the judge, courtroom recorder, jury, and witnesses. It is understood the focus of the sentencing and who it may affect the most is the prosecutor, defense attorney, criminal and the victim. The role of the prosecutor is to make sure that there is enough evidence for the criminal to be convicted and with evidence the prose cutor takes the approach to convict the criminal and to bring closure for the victim.It may seem as if this phase would be the easiest for the prosecutor but it’s not an easy task and to deliver a sentence that would be fair to the victim, society, and the community by asking for a sentence that would be for the crime that the criminal had committed, in all cases for the prosecutor it is not true that the criminal will get the amount time that they intend for them to get, in a case dealing with rape when there is a victim involved and the criminal has all evidence against them and the victim testifies as well and the prosecutor ask for a mandatory 30 years and when it’s all over the defense attorney ask for a minimum of 15 years and the defense attorney wins.And it leaves the victim as if no justice has been served and the prosecutor may feel as if he failed the victim but the role of the prosecutor is to convict the criminal but they have no guarantee that the sentenc e would be fair for the victim, the criminal, society and the community. The prosecutor always must keep in mind of the alternative sanctions in which the defense attorney will definitely try to get the best interest for the criminal.The defense attorney role is to try and make the criminal innocent and with much effort even when there is substantial evidence against the criminal the defense attorney is looking for the best well-being for the client and all alternative sanctions that may be in place for the criminal and if all else fails the defense attorney is looking for the less sentence as possible for the criminal and not to say that the defense attorney has no remorse for the victim but still feels that the criminal should have alternative sanctions when it comes to the sentence such as possible parole in five years if convicted, probation, or register as a sex offender and it all depends on the case that is being tried at the time and with most cases that involves victims.The defense attorney has the right to cross examine the victim and it makes them relive the torture or it may cause the case to go into another direction that may make the criminal look guilty. In all cases when it comes to sentencing the defense attorney looks for the best interest for the criminal and without failure if it means that the criminal agrees to a plea from the prosecutor and if it is the best interest for the criminal the defense attorney is more than willing to cooperate with the prosecutor. The criminal will go as far as they can go in the sentencing phase to either be found not guilty, guilty, or to even be offered an amount of time if found guilty and sometimes is willing to take the sentence that is given.Once the criminal is found guilty and sometimes will be asked to speak and they may ask forgiveness to the victim and family members of victims but they probably will not change the sentence for the criminal no matter how much compassion that they show. The criminal usually hope for alternative sanctions when they see that they be found guilty and will be willing to take a sentence of 20 years with possible parole than a sentence that gives them life without the possibility of parole. It all depends on the prosecutor, defense attorney, and the evidence that will determine the sentence for the criminal. The victim with any case just want justice to be served and may have to go through counseling in order to get their own life back together, they in turn want the max sentence for the criminal and see no alternative sanction for the criminal.They may believe that if the criminal is sentenced to the max then they will never be able to hurt or bring harm to anyone else and they are looking for the role of the prosecutor to make it be a known fact of their grief, pain, and there suffering after the criminal has done all that they could to destroy them, the victim is very emotional and whenever the sentence is not what they want for the victim they f eel as if justice has not been served. The goal of the sanctions for the criminal is see that they can be productive members of society and that they can be rehabilitated even if found guilty of all charges, they still see hope in alternative sanctions.The victim doesn’t see hope in alternative sanctions, the prosecutor may agree to alternative sanctions and the defense attorney is willing to fight for the alternative sanction for the criminal. The recommendations for victim’s right is that they continue to seek counselling and that the victim advocates continue to follow up on victims and that they have a 24 hour around the clock to be at the aid of victims in order for them to be able to go and live their normal lives without fear and pain of every day if they are the victim or if they are the victim of a loved one that they have lost by the hands of the criminal so that they choose not to seek revenge for themselves.

Organizational Systems and Quality Leadership Essay

Nursing-sensitive indicators are defined by the American Nurses Association as indicators that â€Å"reflect the structure, process and outcomes of nursing care. The structure of nursing care is indicated by the supply of nursing staff, the skill level of the nursing staff, and the education/certification of nursing staff† (ANA, 2015). These indicators are outcomes that increase the quality and safety in patient care. Some indicators are patient falls, surgical complications such as infection and pulmonary failure, restraint prevalence, patient satisfaction, nurse satisfaction and staffing, complications such as urinary tract infections and pressure ulcers. The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) provides a guideline for nurses and nurse managers for direction in patient care and how to use patient acuity, patient needs, and referral indicators to provide good, safe, quality patient care. Nursing-sensitive indicators that could be identified as possible int erference with patient care in Mr. J’s case are his being drowsy from pain medications, his mild dementia diagnosis, his being restrained, and his cultural and religious values preferences. Mr. J is said to answer simple questions but with the diagnosis of mild dementia and the pain medication given, any information given by Mr. J may not be accurate. The nurses and staff should have recognized this immediately and gotten with a caregiver or family who knows Mr. J to ask healthcare questions so staff could establish care appropriately from that information. The reason the patient is being restrained is never revealed but patients should never be restrained to the bed. There are more useful and humane ways to monitor a patient who may be at risk for falls with mild dementia such as bed alarm/chair alarm or a sitter. The patient, admitted with a fractured hip and restrained to a bed, is at high risk for pressure ulcers. The CNA should be well educated on the need to turn patients and make sure pressure points are well monitored to prevent skin breakdown. The lack of cultural respect and understanding regarding Mr. J dietary requests as a retired Jewish rabbi are a nursing -sensitive indicator which can lead to patient dissatisfaction, maybe not realized by the patient with mild dementia but certainly by his daughter. The hospital acquiring data on the above indicators of pressure ulcer incidence, prevalence of restraints, patient and family satisfaction could go a long way to advance the quality of patient care throughout the hospital. This hospital is a 65-bed rural hospital but it is the job of every hospital to give the best patient care possible. With a pressure ulcer developing while in the hospital and Medicare not reimbursing for the cost of the care of that ulcer, it is important to make sure for the patients and the financial aspect that these do not happen. The care of a pressure ulcer can take many weeks and be very costly. The development of this in the hospital is uncalled for and does not bring patient satisfaction. I think too often hospitals forget they are treating not just their patients but their families as well. Evidence-based practice could be used to see what could have been done to prevent pressure ulcers, education for the staff on what signs to look for concerning pressu re ulcers as well as education on the laws and when it is appropriate to use restraints on patients. Care of the patient should always be on the individual needs and cultural practice of the patients. As the nursing shift supervisor, I see several issues that need to be addressed. I would first ask who restrained this patient and why they felt this was needed. Evidence-based practice shows us that restraints are usually more dangerous to the patient than not being restrained. Restraints are to be used only in an emergency. In our book it states, â€Å"Restraint of any kind is a form of imprisonment, and the reasonable and prudent nurse will closely adhere to all laws, rules, and policies pertaining to the use of restraints† (Cherry, 2008). Furthermore, restraint† (Cherry, 2008). Policy and procedure needs to be addressed hospital wide with education and clear instructions given to prevent this in the future. The supervisor should not have ignored the dietary error nor told her staff to â€Å"keep it quiet.† â€Å"Each culture has a value system that dictates behavior directly or indirectly by setting norms and teaching that those norms are right. Health beliefs and practices tend to reflect a culture’s value system. Nurses must understand the patient’s value system to foster health promotion (Cherry, 2008).† As nurses, we must recognize and respect the cultures and beliefs of our patients. This hospital may have a small population of Jewish residents but what hospital can afford to lose patients to a hospital 20 miles away? There needs to be education from administration down on how to value each culture and how we as healthcare members must understand the different values to promote health. Education on the ability of practicing the health beliefs and practices of each patient can and will help the patient get better. I think we get into the mind-set that we are healthcare providers and people have to come to us, they need us, but what some don’t understand is we are a business as well. We need to respect our patients and put our patients first. They can go somewhere else. Someone else out there wants their business, wants to show them what kind of quality care they can receive, and will show them just that. REFERENCES Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. (2008). CHAPTER 8 Legal Issues in Nursing and Health Care. In Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends & Management (5th ed., p. 185, p. 222). St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby/Elsevier. Nursing-Sensitive Indicators. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 25, 2015, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/PatientSafetyQuality/Research-Measurement/The-National-Database/Nursing-Sensitive-Indicators_1.aspx

Business Strategies And Analysis Of Starbucks Marketing Essay

Business Strategies And Analysis Of Starbucks Marketing Essay In this following report provides analysis of company mission, business strategy with Porter’s Generic Strategies (Michael, 1980), using Michael Porter’s five forces (Michael, 1979) to analyze specialty coffee industry, situation analysis with SWOT, Starbucks core competencies (C.K. customers whom share the same valued, required premium-level coffee, have spending ability; young urban professionals, teenage and trendy (Wikinvest, 2010) but not the pricing competition. Source: Generic Strategies – Michael Porter (1980), http://www.marketingteacher.com Starbucks’ business strategy (differentiation focus) has been used in all processes and all stakeholders; starting from suppliers and farmers that Starbucks made the different in the way of finding the source of materials (e.g. coffee bean) at the origin places not from the secondary sources and the most significant is tried to improve farmers’ quality of life in the same time also got the good qualit y of coffee beans. Secondly, they treat the employees differently from the others whom they called partners that hope to make the different in the way of service-minded and relations. Another most important and differentiate point is the global/environment/community responsibilities as their shared value as mention by Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ CEO, said â€Å"You don’t do these things for recognition, you do these things because they are the right thing to do† (Nancy, Marya, Katherine, 2008). Industry Structure As a different industry has different nature of business, competition or level of profitability (productivity and efficiency). So for better understanding in this coffee specialty industry, it could use a framework of Michael Porter, which influenced by the five forces (Michael, 1979).

Cyber Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cyber Terrorism - Research Paper Example Even though the benefits from a common global cyber system are many, the vulnerability of such a system cannot be overlooked. Due to the inclusion of millions of people, proper vigilance on their activities becomes impossible. Thus, the high probabilities of occurrence of cyber crimes exist. This vast database of information comprising of profiles and strategies of companies, details of financial deals between banks or even highly confidential facts about government organizations may at any time be exploited to serve the malicious motives of â€Å"cyber criminals and espionage agencies† (â€Å"Cyber Attack†) â€Å"Cyberterrorism is the convergence of terrorism and cyberspace. It is generally understood to mean unlawful attacks and threats of attacks against computers, networks and the information stored therein, when done to intimidate or coerce a government or its people in furtherance of political or social objectives†. (Gordon and Ford, 4) An attack that causes harm to people or property and leads to mass fear can be considered as cyber terrorism. Examples of this may be attacks that result in water contamination, plane crash, physical injury or death, explosions or massive loss to property or infrastructure. However, attacks that lead to the disruption of trivial services or activities cannot be labeled as cyber terrorism. In the month of April of 2007, Estonia was paralyzed by a series of such attacks that completely rattled the economy. A host of important websites including the Banking sector, the Business sector and the Government sector were targeted by these cyber attack s. Ultimately, it resulted in the collapse of virtual linkages between most of the towns and cities of Estonia and the rest of the world. Immense monetary damages were incurred, the citizens had to face inconvenience and disturbances in conducting their day-to-day activities and some institutions had to be simply shut down. This incident represented the high level of vulnerability of the internet. (â€Å"Cyber Attack†) This is just one among the many incidences of cyber crimes that take place all around the world each day. The types of these crimes are as diverse as its causes and thus, produce a range of effects. Forms of Cyber Terrorism: In the 20th century, the internet has emerged as the favorite weapon of mass destruction as well as a convenient means of communication for terrorists. A research has found that the various terrorist groups and organizations make regular use of the internet and the information available on it to carry out attacks on the integrated software system and people, to communicate with the world and to plan and support the different acts of terrorism. The advantages that the global internet offers as a weapon of terrorism are manifold. Firstly, it can be accessed from any place, irrespective of the country, city or locality of a person. These days, the net can be accessed even through cellular phones. Secondly, the use of internet to carry out an attack produces quicker results, within the span of a few seconds. And, finally, the greatest advantage is that the attack cannot be traced back to the guilty as

Horizontal Bullying in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Horizontal Bullying in Nursing - Essay Example The essay "Horizontal Bullying in Nursing" represents various violent activities taking place in the nursing workplace, these include horizontal bullying, verbal and nonverbal attacks, violence that is horizontal and lateral in nature and anger. Such actions take place at different levels within the profession of nursing. These activities are experienced at the level of the nurse to nurse, physician, to nurse, nurse to physician and patient to nurse. Bullying can be verbal in nature; this takes place when the receiver of a message interprets the message to be harsh and aggressive in nature. Ample amount of research has been conducted in the field of nursing in the nation of Australia regarding the subject of violence and bullying, researchers in these nations denotes workplace aggression with the term bullying. The term bullying comprises of three elements, firstly an act is referred to as bullying in nature only when the person being treated feels that the act was bullying like and the act does not depend on the intention of the person who has conducted the act. Secondly, if an action needs to be referred to as bullying, it should negatively impact the victim. Lastly, an act is regarded as bullying when the same act is continuously carried out even knowing that the act is negatively affecting the victim. Bullying can arise at different levels such as the supervisor, the subordinates or coworkers can all indulge in the act of bullying. Therefore, horizontal bullying can be of both physical and vocal in nature.... Kind Horizontal bullying can be of both physical and vocal in nature and in the field of nursing, the prevalence of verbal bullying is more witnessed. Farrell states that verbal horizontal bullying consists of any kind of ill treatment that is verbal in nature and this kind of treatment makes the victim feels that he has been attacked either in personal or professional manner and the victim might experience humiliation (Vessey, 2010). This kind of treatment can take both overt and covert forms, researchers state that the highest percentage of communication that arises is nonverbal in nature and this causes ambiguity and may have much more impact on an individual than attacks that are overt in nature. Overt bullying and covert bullying can take several forms, over bullying may include criticizing, shouting and name calling for another individual and covert bullying may consist of ignorance, whining and sarcastic behavior against another subject (Hutchinson, 2010). Intention The intent ion that one nurse has for attacking another nurse by finding faults in them and their working and by complaining behind their back is to conduct an attack, ensure that a coworker is devalued and punished in the organization and to make him/her look bad in the eyes of others (Ferns, 2009). Several times the nurse who conducts the act of horizontal bullying is not conducting the act intentionally and the reason for conducting the act provided by them is because they feel that they are maintaining high standards of quality care by their actions. Nursing is a profession that is based upon the concept of caring and in such a profession, behaviors such

Online shopping players Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online shopping players - Case Study Example This is to ensure that the goods arrive when and where the customers need them. There are three online stores focusing on the above factors for marketing their merchandise; they are the focus of this paper. Lane Crawford deals with fashion items. The website is very easy to navigate through. The very first tabs are ‘Women’, ‘Men’, ‘Lifestyle & Gifts’, and ‘Discover’ in that order. Anyone looking for designer clothes and fashion accessories for women just needs to click the first tab and several options are shown. The individual can click on the various designer brands or select the shoes, clothing, bags, and other accessories they need. The business offers free international delivery. In Net A Porter, the second online marketplace for high-end fashion products, the statement â€Å"The world’s premier online luxury fashion destination† meets the customer. Like in Lane Crawford, navigating through this website is quite easy too. The main difference, however, is that the options are more in Net A Porter. The very first tabs contain the items ‘Sale’, ‘What’s New’, ‘Designers’, ‘Clothing’, ‘Bags’, ‘Shoes’, ‘Accessories’, ‘Lingerie’, ‘Sport’, ‘Beauty’, ‘Gifts’, ‘Magazines’ in that order. Such neat layout of items is what makes it easy for customers to reach for whatever they are looking for. After clicking on say bags, a few items will present the customer but they can also go ahead and select the type of the bags they need or even the designer of the bag from a list of options on the left hand side of the items. Luisaviaroma is another luxury shop. The layout is quite similar to those of the above shops only that there is a slideshow of photos showing individuals wearing custom made attires. Nonetheless, the very first tabs are ‘Men’, ‘Women’, ‘Kids’, ‘Home’, ‘Designers’, and ‘Sale’ in that order. While this presents an easy way to navigate

Managing quality and risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing quality and risk - Essay Example management of quality and risk in healthcare settings reveal that CNE’s leadership has the potential of benefiting patients, families and healthcare organizations (Cameron & Masterson, 2000). These findings imply that CNEs should step up and assume leadership roles in healthcare nursing. The rationale is that they will enhance the quality of healthcare services while minimizing risk. Chef nursing executives should lead the journey of managing quality and risk because nurses have been at the forefront of assuring quality and safety in the delivery of healthcare services. Since time immemorial, all healthcare organizations and hospitals have been hiring nurses at levels of service delivery. The role of nurses has been to promote quality while minimizing risk in the delivery of health care services. Some of the most famous nurse leaders include Norma Lang and Marie Zimmer. Lang and Zimmer have promoted quality and safety by developing and testing quality indicators. For very many years, nurses have been complying with their codes of ethics and their professional role. The American Nurses Association states that a nurse is an individual who â€Å"promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient† (Magill-Cuerden, 2007). Florence Nightingale is among the pioneers of the nursing profession, and she made a tremendous contribution to the profession through the development of systems and practices. She noted that the first requirement in a healthcare setting is to ensure that the sick are free from harm. Some of the systems and practices that she introduced in her early days as a nurse are still being used in the current era of nursing practice. Chief Nursing Executives should lead the journey towards achieving quality and safety because they understand the issues. Nurses have been raising concerns that health care is increasingly becoming unsafe for a very long time. On the other hand, administrators, physicians, and

Finance and Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Finance and Accounting - Essay Example This paper will expansively present the accounting policies and the changes adapted by JP Morgan Chase in order to successfully face the modern day challenges. A complete analysis of the major changes incorporated by JP Morgan chase will be expansively presented in this paper. The oldest financial services in the world is without a doubt JP Morgan Chase, it has its presence in well over 60 countries. They are the leaders in investment banking, wealth management and a host of other services. The biggest change that ever took place in the history of the financial institutions was the merger with Bank One. This change primarily took place because the other banks like the Bank of America were almost ready to merge with other big banks like FleetBoston. This merger took place because the financial institutions came under increasing pressure during the time of recession. The announcement of this merger was made on 14 January 2004. The Wall Street reacted very positively because of this mer ger and the NASDAQ witnessed growth soon after the merger took place. This paper declares that this change took place because the two financial institutions wanted to downsize and cut the deadwood out. The aim was to save about $2.2 billion over three years and it was planned to eliminate as many as 10,000 people. This again goes to show how desperate even the biggest financial institutions were at the time of recession. Mergers and acquisitions were very common and these overtures were the initial signs which showed that almost all the big financial institutions were panicking. ... This again goes to show how desperate even the biggest financial institutions were at the time of recession. Mergers and acquisitions were very common and these overtures were the initial signs which showed that almost all the big financial institutions were panicking. Volatile corporate banking was the major factor on which JP Morgan primarily functioned. â€Å"Wall Street analysts generally praised the merger, and investors climbed on board. Typically, the shares of the acquirer fall, reflecting the cost of the acquisition. In this case, investors are signaling they believe the combined company will make up for that cost by holding the shares in the $39-$40 range, about where they were before the deal was announced. J.P. Morgan has been on a roll, with its shares up about 74% in the past 12 months. Bank One shares jumped about 15% when the deal was announced, matching the premium J.P. Morgan will pay. Such a move is typical in an acquisition.† (JP Morgan Chase) The investors looked less enthusiastic with the deal between Bank of America and Fleet-Boston. This deal was for a whopping $48 billion. The shares of Fleet-Boston were driven up as a result of this deal because Bank of America offered 40% premium in this deal. The shares of Bank of America however came down and the investors lost a lot of money consequently. Big mergers take place because both the companies involved in the merger want to grow at a tremendous pace but this merger was not very useful for both the financial institutions. The collapse of WORLDCOM in the year 2005 signaled trouble for JP Morgan chase, the institution had to pay a whopping sum of $2 billion. This sum was paid to the different shareholders who had lost a lot of money as a result

Red tails the movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Red tails the movie - Essay Example This war movie cleverly shows how the issue of racism still plagues the America of the 1944. African American recruits pass through an arduous journey on the ground; army procedures block them at many stages, before their training as fighter pilots. Tuskegee training program is plagued with racist approach. In the end, 332d Fighter Group is sent for action in Italy with an old model Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft. Even in designating actions, discrimination comes to the fore. They are assigned unimportant missions. But a fighter pilot takes pride in the main, one-to-one actions. The military bureaucracy is still not willing to accept the merit of the black pilots and concludes that they cannot be good for challenging war scenes as compared to their white-counterparts. Racism is an issue, but it takes the backseat, adventure and love come to the fore once the movie gets going. This aspect is shown through the arguments and conflicts between two roommates and intimate pals, Easy and Lig hting. They are trying to come to terms with evil in their hearts and demonic weaknesses. Lighting is a dashing pilot, often reckless; acts rash to take adventurous decisions, while Easy is given to drinks and less confident. On completion of an allotted mission, Lighting spies a charming Italian girl, Sofia (Daniela Ruah). Instant infatuation engulfs his heart and he begins a relationship. Next, Tuskegee Airmen are given the task to support the Allied landings and score their first victories and are instrumental in destroying an enemy airbase. The Airmen’s performances win appreciation and they are given important tasks. They are also given the new North American P-51 Mustang aircraft. They color the tails of their aircrafts red as a distinctive mark of identification. They achieve success in the assigned tasks. In one such mission, Ray Gun is shot down and he bails out and Deke crash-lands and faces a near-death situation. Ray Gun is presumed to have died by the

Crisis Prevention & intervention in healthcare (management of Essay

Crisis Prevention & intervention in healthcare (management of assualtive behavior) - Essay Example The meaning of crisis can be expanded by defining crisis, assaultive behavior and violence. According to Aguilera (1998, p. 12), crisis occur when a person is unable to deal with problems that do not have a way out. The unresolved problems give way to anger, emotional unrest, tension, anxiety and stagnation. Chou et al (2001, p. 139) notes that, assaultive behavior happens if the problem becomes persistent. The issues the person bears become intolerable because the coping methods and accessible resources are inadequate. Crisis is viewed as a psychological instability that result from extreme situation or condition where the resolution is not attainable by means of common remedies. Crisis is a word used to define to a situation where assaultive behavior or violence has occurred. Crisis is used to refer to assaultive behavior when it is extremely negative, unpredictable, uncontrollable and unacceptable in the society. Assaultive behavior requires an opportunity that the person in crisis can use to inflict injury or abuse another as Chou et al (2001, p. 139) mention. Violence is defined as the use of physical force with a motive to inflict injury. It is destructive, turbulent and forceful. Violence causes confusion and reveals accumulation of anger (Richter and Whittington 2006, p. 2). The word crisis, violence and assaultive behavior are used interchangeably. Assaultive behavior can occur anywhere including the hospital. Medical departments have incidents that tantamount to assaultive behavior. The incidents of assaultive behavior in medical departments are on the increase and need to be addressed. Crisis in the form of verbal abuse and physical abuse have occurred in different departments. The waiting area, mentally disturbed departments and emergency departments are common areas where abuse can occur as Salmon and Varela (2007, p. 3) note. People without any history of assaultive behavior or psychiatric condition can suddenly become

Ariel Dorfmans Death and the Maiden 40 lines analysis Essay Example for Free

Ariel Dorfmans Death and the Maiden 40 lines analysis Essay The following forty lines from Ariel Dorfmans Death and the Maiden (1990), take place in scene 1 of Act 3, after Roberto has been tied up by Paulina and threatened with being tortured the same way as she had been, and then shot. In response to Paulinaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s threats, Roberto begins confessing the brutality of his actions and his motives. This confession may be true; however, Gerardo has advised Roberto to indulge Paulina, to confess as this would save his life. Whatever the case, the extract is important because it portrays how a man can slide into brutality, without initially meaning to. Second, the extract is important because it helps expose the iniquities of dictatorial military governments. Finally, it is also important because it gives us an idea of Robertos character and personality. In this extract we clearly see the stages by which a respectable doctor became a brutal sadistic torturer. Though Robertos brother told him that helping the torturers could be a way to pay the communists back for what they did to [his] dad, Roberto stresses that he accepted the job for humanitarian reasons. Firstly, he wanted to help the prisoners who were dying from the tortures as someone to help care for them, someone they could trust. Later on, however, Roberto became involved in more delicate operations and was asked to sit in on sessions where [his] role was to determine if the prisoners could take that much torture. This indicates that he was there while the prisoners were tortured, watching these brutal scenes. Roberto thought this was a way of saving peoples lives, as he ordered them to stop or the prisoner would die; however, watching brutalized him, and slowly the virtue [he] was feeling turned into excitement. Soon, brutalization took over [his] life and he began to truly like what [he] was doing, so much so that, from an observer, he became a participant. Torture became a game for him, a game that was partly morbid, partly scientific, as he tortured women to find out things like How much can this woman take? More than the other one? Hows her sex? Does her sex dry up when you put the current through her? Can she have an orgasm under those circumstances? By the end, Roberto had become a sadist totally obsessed with carry[ing] out all [his] fantasies of sexually torturing women who were entirely in his power, women with whom he could do whatever [he] want[ed]. So, stage by stage, we see in the example of Roberto how men can slide from positions of respectability and motives of kindness and compassion to becoming human monsters, men who delight in the sufferings of others. The tragedy of Robertoà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s slide from being a humanitarian to being a torturer is emphasized by the style of his speech, which reveals that he is an intelligent, educated, insightful man. Firstly we see how Robertos diction indicates his intelligence and level of education. Words such as brutalization and morbid, and phrases such as he lost his capacity for speech, humanitarian reasons and install a totalitarian dictatorship clearly manifest his ability to speak articulately and in a high register. We also see how analytically capable Roberto is, as he does not just describe his own actions but explains why they occurred, carefully dissecting his his motives for working with the torturers, not to pay the communists back but for humanitarian reasons. He can organize his account in clear, logical stages, with phrases like It was slowly, almost without realizing how, At first, But afterwards, By the time, I began to, and It became. Additionally, even in the circumstances in which he is giving this confession, in fear of his life, Roberto uses figurative language, suggesting that he has good rhetorical abilities. He uses euphemism, for example, in calling torture sessions delicate operations, and he uses metaphors when he refers to his brutalization as the mask of virtue fell off, and to his descent into sadistic torture as the swamp. So, we see how Robertos use of language clearly reveals his high level of education and intelligence, and this makes us even more horrified at how such a sophisticated man could have become a brutal torturer of women. More than exposing the degeneration of individual men, exemplified in Roberto, however, this extract also exposes the iniquities of military dictatorships, like the Pinochet regime in Chile, which Dorfman himself had to flee from. We see how military governments divided families: though Roberto became a doctor devoted to saving lives, his brother, determined to pay the communists back for what they did to [their] father, took another path, joining the military dictatorship and becoming a member of the secret services.à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ We also are given the impression of how military dictatorships can convince people to support them by manipulating their sufferings under previous governments, promising some kind of compensation, as Robertoà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s brother joined the dictatorship to pay the communists back for what they didà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ to his father à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½the day the peasants took over his land at Las Toltecas. Such governments also persuade people to support them, as Roberto did, by deceit and lies, getting Roberto involved in torture by saying the prisoners needed someone they could help care for them, but actually slowing criminalizing Roberto as a torturer. The fact that they have had such an enormous influence on Robertoà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s personality shows just how psychologically manipulative such regimes can be. Finally, the fact that, throughout his speech, Roberto refers to the government only as they evokes the way in which such governments work in the shadows, secretly and anonymously, to torture and terrorize. Thus this extract does not only show how Roberto and men like him deteriorate when they become involved in torture; it also shows how dictatorial regimes can manipulate such men, facilitating and enabling this deterioration to occur. In conclusion, this extract is very important as, whether Robertoà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s confession is true or feigned, it reveals how even the best of men may slide into such brutality and how military governments can create vile monsters out of exemplary human beings. Through the details of Robertoà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s confession, Dorfman is inviting his audience to consider how a man becomes sub-human. If a respectable doctor, a benefactor to the community, could turn into such a monster because of the effects of such a regime, then what would happen to the rest of society? Dorfman tries to make the reader consider that this incident that has turned Robertos life into a monster might happen to anybody in our society; especially in a switch of regime.