How does Steinbeck explore the theme of loneliness in ‘Of Mice and Men’? Essay

In ‘Of Mice and Men’ Steinbeck deals with the theme of loneliness. I will be analysing the way in which Steinbeck explores loneliness at every angle. Analysis will include the futility of the American dream, the loneliness of the American man, a fully detailed character analysis showing loneliness and why Steinbeck chose to concentrate on the theme of loneliness. ‘Of mice and Men’ was written in 1937 and was amongst the three most powerful novels of the late 30’s, focusing on the Californian labouring class. ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ and ‘In Dubious Battle’ were the others. John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, in 1902, he grew up in an area where agriculture had been the main source of income. From here, he was bale to gather inspiration and produce amazing settings for some of the best fiction such as ‘Of Mice and Men’. The Great Depression, an era in which America had faced its longest trade recession in her history, bringing the country toward a stand still. People were fleeing like bees, running after jobs and money. Jobless men started to tour the country moving from state to state. Oklahoma and Arkansas faced the worst when farmers land was taken away. Historical records showed that a number of 30,000 people migrated to the state of California. ‘Where the grass was green, the soil was good and hopes were made’. Due to the Great depression, Steinbeck felt pushed out of his own state. From here he was able to draw on a situation and portray the ambitious dream resulting form the Great depression. George Milton and Lennie Small, both drifters, have nobody but each other. A dream absorbed in their minds, a dream in which someday they will have their own place, a place in which they could call home. Working in Salinas Valley, California, they hope to fulfil their dream. Lennie shows a downfall and their lives are horrified and their dream is no longer achievable. Of Mice and Men shows an excellent aspect toward real life situation especially at that time in California. Steinbeck shows and gives a great example of how the American dream was futile. The American dream is a vision in which all Americans are wanting to achieve. The success of owning their land and to once become bosses. Everybody is equal and all have a role to play in life. Everybody has enough to build a good home, make money and build a better life for themselves. Except black people. Despite the fact slavery had been over for a long period of time, thoughts and attitudes towards blacks were critical. Black people were not seen as important, but were only useful for menial jobs. ‘The best laid schemes Gang Aft Agley’ (often goes wrong). The best laid schemes often go wrong, due to the effect of loneliness and depression. Everybody has to work and help one another, without a helping hand, their hopes will not turn into reality. The American dream represents a way in which people may escape from a lonely place. They set themselves a goal and they are determined to achieve it. George and Lennie place hopes in their minds and say to each other what they are going to achieve. Here they become motivated and set their mind away from the lonely situation. They believe that they will make enough to live ‘off the fat of the land’. They hope to become their own bosses. All this is a result from the American dream and the loneliness of the American man.

Euthensia

Literature REVIEW ON Euthanasia Subbmitted by : Mayank Grover 19/053 Sec B PGDM-1 Euthanasia Euthanasia (from the Greek meaning â€Å"good death†:( well or good) + (death)) refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. There are different euthanasia laws in each country. The House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics of England defines euthanasia as â€Å"a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering†. In the Netherlands, euthanasia is understood as â€Å"termination of life by a doctor at the request of a patient†. Wreen, offered a six part definition: â€Å"Person A committed an act of euthanasia if and only if (1) A killed B or let her die; (2) A intended to kill B; (3) the intention specified in (2) was at least partial cause of the action specified in (1); (4) the causal journey from the intention specified in (2) to the action specified in (1) is more or less in accordance with A's plan of action; (5) A's killing of B is a voluntary action; (6) the motive for the action specified in (1), the motive standing behind the intention specified in (2), is the good of the person killed. The definition offered by the Oxford English Dictionary incorporates suffering as a necessary condition, with â€Å"the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma†. History According to the historian N. D. A. Kemp, the origin of the contemporary debate on euthanasia started in 1870. Nevertheless, euthanasia was debated and practiced long before that date. Euthanasia was practised in Ancient Greece and Rome: for example, hemlock was employed as a means of hastening death on the island of Kea, a technique also employed in Marseilles and by Socrates in Athens. Euthanasia, in the sense of the deliberate hastening of a person's death, was supported by Socrates, Plato and Seneca the Elder in the ancient world, although Hippocrates appears to have spoken against the practice, writing â€Å"I will not prescribe a deadly drug to please someone, nor give advice that may cause his death† (noting there is some debate in the literature about whether or not this was intended to encompass euthanasia). Euthanasia was strongly opposed in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Thomas Aquinas opposed both and argued that the practice of euthanasia contradicted our natural human instincts of survival. As did Francois Ranchin (1565–1641), a French physician and professor of medicine, and Michael Boudewijns (1601–1681), a physician and teacher. Nevertheless, there were voices arguing for euthanasia, such as John Donne in 1624, and euthanasia continued to be practiced. Suicide and euthanasia were more acceptable under Protestantism and during the Age of Enlightenment, and Thomas More wrote of euthanasia in Utopia, although it is not clear if More was intending to endorse the practice. Other cultures have taken different approaches: for example, in Japan suicide has not traditionally been viewed as a sin, and accordingly the perceptions of euthanasia are different from those in other parts of the world. Classification of euthanasia Euthanasia may be classified according to whether a person gives informed consent into three types: voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary. There is a debate within the medical and bioethics literature about whether or not the non-voluntary (and by extension, involuntary) killing of patients can be regarded as euthanasia, irrespective of intent or the patient's circumstances. In the definitions offered by Beauchamp & Davidson and, later, by Wreen, consent on the part of the patient was not considered to be one of their criteria, although it may have been required to justify euthanasia. However, others see consent as essential. Voluntary euthanasia Euthanasia conducted with the consent of the patient is termed voluntary euthanasia. Active voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Passive voluntary euthanasia is legal throughout the U. S. per Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health. When the patient brings about his or her own death with the assistance of a physician, the term assisted suicide is often used instead. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland and the U. S. states of Oregon, Washington and Montana. Non-voluntary euthanasia Euthanasia conducted where the consent of the patient is unavailable is termed non-voluntary euthanasia. Examples include child euthanasia, which is illegal worldwide but decriminalized under certain specific circumstances in the Netherlands under the Groningen Protocol. Involuntary euthanasia Euthanasia conducted against the will of the patient is termed involuntary euthanasia. Passive euthanasia Passive euthanasia entails the withholding of common treatments, such as antibiotics, necessary for the continuance of life. Active euthanasia Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal substances or forces, such as administering a lethal injection, to kill and is the most controversial means. Legal status West's Encyclopedia of American Law states that â€Å"a ‘mercy killing' or euthanasia is generally considered to be a criminal homicide† and is normally used as a synonym of homicide committed at a request made by the patient. The judicial sense of the term â€Å"homicide† includes any intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, even to relieve intractable suffering. Not all homicide is unlawful. Two designations of homicide that carry no criminal punishment are justifiable and excusable homicide. In most countries this is not the status of euthanasia. The term â€Å"euthanasia† is usually confined to the active variety; the University of Washington website states that â€Å"euthanasia generally means that the physician would act directly, for instance by giving a lethal injection, to end the patient's life†. Physician-assisted suicide is thus not classified as euthanasia by the US State of Oregon, where it is legal under the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, and despite its name, it is not legally classified as suicide either. Unlike physician-assisted suicide, withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments with patient consent (voluntary) is almost unanimously considered, at least in the United States, to be legal. The use of pain medication in order to relieve suffering, even if it hastens death, has been held as legal in several court decisions. Some governments around the world have legalized voluntary euthanasia but generally it remains as a criminal homicide. In the Netherlands and Belgium, where euthanasia has been legalized, it still remains homicide although it is not prosecuted and not punishable if the perpetrator (the doctor) meets certain legal exceptions. Legal Status in INDIA Passive euthanasia is legal in India. On 7 March 2011 the Supreme Court of India legalised passive euthanasia by means of the withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanent vegetative state. The decision was made as part of the verdict in a case involving Aruna Shanbaug, who has been in a vegetative state for 37 years at King Edward Memorial Hospital. The high court rejected active euthanasia by means of lethal injection. In the absence of a law regulating euthanasia in India, the court stated that its decision becomes the law of the land until the Indian parliament enacts a suitable law. Active euthanasia, including the administration of lethal compounds for the purpose of ending life, is still illegal in India, and in most countries. Aruna Shanbaug case Aruna Shanbaug was a nurse working at the KEM Hospital in Mumbai on 27 November 1973 when she was strangled and sodomized by Sohanlal Walmiki, a sweeper. During the attack she was strangled with a chain, and the deprivation of oxygen has left her in a vegetative state ever since. She has been treated at KEM since the incident and is kept alive by feeding tube. On behalf of Aruna, her friend Pinki Virani, a social activist, filed a petition in the Supreme Court arguing that the â€Å"continued existence of Aruna is in violation of her right to live in dignity†. The Supreme Court made its decision on 7 March 2011. The court rejected the plea to discontinue Aruna's life support but issued a set of broad guidelines legalizing passive euthanasia in India. The Supreme Court's decision to reject the discontinuation of Aruna's life support was based on the fact the hospital staff who treat and take care of her did not support euthanizing her. Supreme Court decision While rejecting Pinki Virani's plea for Aruna Shanbaug's euthanasia, the court laid out guidelines for passive euthanasia. According to these guidelines, passive euthanasia involves the withdrawing of treatment or food that would allow the patient to live. Forms of active euthanasia, including the administration of lethal compounds, are legal in a number of nations and jurisdictions, including Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as the US states of Washington and Oregon, but they are still illegal in India. The Euthanasia: Global Issue. Recently, the phrase â€Å"doctor-assisted-suicide† has been added to the euthanasia vocabulary. Acting in accord with the patient's wishes, a physician provides the terminally ill individual with lethal medication. The patient decides when to take the medication, so that the physician does not participate directly in the death. Of course, rational, but severely handicapped patients, such as those in the final stages of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), are automatically eliminated from this mode of dying because they are not able to take medication without assistance. In countries where suicide and assisted suicide are against the law, doctor-assisted-suicide would not be tolerated. Recently, plastic-bag-death has received some publicity. Plastic-bag-death permits a terminally ill patient to commit suicide without incriminating others. The patient is supplied with sleeping pills, perhaps a glass of alcohol, such as vodka, to enhance the effectiveness of the sleeping potions, an airtight plastic bag large enough to fit comfortably over the head, a dust mask, and an elastic band. The provider leaves the premises. The patient, now alone, swallows the sleeping tablets, drinks the alcohol, dons the dust mask (to keep the plastic from adhering to the mouth and nose), pulls the plastic bag over the head and secures it with the elastic band around the neck. Any temporary breathing discomfort can be alleviated by extending the rubber band to permit air to enter. Ultimately, the patient falls asleep and dies quietly by asphyxiation. Ethical Issues Moral, ethical and religious issues pertaining to euthanasia embrace subjects as diverse as â€Å"patient autonomy,† â€Å"quality of life,† â€Å"sanctity of life,† â€Å"death with dignity,† â€Å"patient's rights,† and â€Å"playing God. † Medical personnel and their patients, both old and young, wrestle with problems associated with treatment futility, informed choice, right-to-die, autonomy versus paternalism, beneficence versus maleficence, and so on, each of which impacts, either directly or indirectly, on the issue of euthanasia. What is most important in any discussion of global euthanasia is the recognition of the varied ethnic, national and religious differences to be found and respected in communities throughout the world. At the same time, the ethical issues that are raised by the subject of euthanasia are all embracing and include the following: 1. Patient Autonomy In democratic countries, where individual freedom to choose is accepted as a civil right, end-of-life decisions should be made, primarily, by the patient. Self-determinism pays respect to an individual's personal values and enables the individual to be responsible for his or her own life. To deny competent individuals, and in particular elderly persons, the right to choose not only denies respect for their lifetimes of decision making but smacks of medical paternalism. Obviously, attitudes towards the process of dying will vary. Religious and cultural traditions including local customs will tend to dictate patterns to be followed. However, the empowerment of the elder and recognition of the elder's personal values must not be denied. In most countries, however, elderly patients who wish to exercise their autonomy and choose immediate death over lingering death, are denied their right to choose. 2. Informed Choice, Informed Consent Patient autonomy automatically includes the right to full information concerning the nature and development of the terminal illness, the choices for treatment that remain, the anticipated consequences of each form of treatment, and what will occur if the patient refuses treatment. Such information is often withheld from the elderly person. Paternalistic physicians may seek to shield the elderly patient from the truth or from a full evaluation of a terminal disease in the belief that the elderly are less able than younger persons to handle troublesome information. When medical personnel conclude that further treatment is futile and that nothing can be done to stop the progress of the disease, all competent patients, including elderly patients, need to be fully informed. Only then can the informed patient make an informed choice between alternate treatments and comprehend the consequences of choosing no treatment. Informed choice also provides the terminally ill patient with time and opportunity to make closure with those who matter most. 3. Playing God: Sanctity of Life, Quality of Life For some, the sanctity-of-life thesis rests upon the theological argument that life is a gift or a loan from God and that only God should determine when that gift or loan should be returned. Those who seek to end their life are, therefore, â€Å"playing God. † The thesis has been challenged for not every person will accept a theological interpretation of life. Sanctity of life may argue biologically. Each human life marks the end product of millions of years of evolution. Each person is absolutely unique, with a personal DNA and a lived life that can never be duplicated. As a one-of-a-kind individual life, the preciousness and sanctity of that existence is to be honored and revered. However, as we shall see below, some are born with defective genes. An encephalic infant will have a life span of a few hours or a few days. Nothing can be done to replace the missing brain. The infant will automatically die. In most instances, the newborn is place in an isolation unit, receiving a minimal amount of care. Sustaining nourishment and health care is reserved for infants who will survive. Neither God nor nature provides for us equally. Conclusion Euthanasia is morally permissible under certain circumstances. It is also believe that people should be given the choice to voluntarily ask for some assistance in ending their own lives. We know that if we were dying with a terminal illness or even if we had some sort crippling disease we would at least like to have the right to choose my own fate. People do not see any arguments that prove to me that it should be wrong in a moral and legal standpoint to actively and voluntarily ask for euthanasia.

Oedipus and the Sphinx Essay

â€Å"Know Thyself† is sage advice. â€Å"All Things in Moderation† is also a wise saying. King Oedipus, subject of the most tragic story ever written, brought about his own downfall because of his excessive obsession to know himself. And, try as he might, the more he tried to escape his tragic Fate, the closer it got†¦ Thus, some say that the moral of the story is, Even if you try to thwart your destiny, you won’t succeed. The concept of predestination plays a large role here. For example, if the gods know what will happen, and events are pre-ordained, how can people make free choices or have any semblance of free will? If the gods put challenges in our way that we fail to rise to, are we responsible for the consequences? Would knowing the future, as Oedipus does, cause us to act or behave any differently? The ancient scribe Sophocles wrote â€Å"Oedipus the King† (between 441-427 B.C.E.) for the annual festival where playwrights competed for prizes. These festivals were major civic occasions, with attendance expected of all noted writers. In his play Sophocles goes out of his way to present Oedipus as an extremely capable, beloved ruler. It should be noted that Sophocles never suggests that Oedipus has brought his destiny on himself by any â€Å"ungodly pride† (hubris) or â€Å"tragic flaw† (hamartia), common themes in Greek tragedies. Sophocles also makes a special effort to explain that Oedipus killed King Laius in self-defense, and a major theme in the tragic play is whether one can believe in oracles and seers. The title of the play, from which is derived the story, is often given in its Latin translation (â€Å"Oedipus Rex†), rather than in its original Greek (â€Å"Oedipus Tyranneus†), since the Greek term for king is the English â€Å"tyrant†, which means a monarch who rules without the consent of the people. THE TRAGEDY BEGINS Laius and his wife Jocasta (or Iocasta) were King and Queen of Thebes, a prosperous and famous city state in ancient Greece. King Laius, as many people did those days, consulted Apollo’s revered oracle of Delphi for advice and to find out what the future held for him. What the oracle announced shocked the royal couple — The Delphic oracle said that the King’s son would grow up and kill him! To make matters worse, it was prophesized that the son would marry his mother and produce offspring by her. King Laius and Queen Jocasta were understandably aghast! A short time later Queen Jocasta became pregnant and gave birth to a darling little baby boy. Remembering with fear the oracle of Delphi’s words, the royal couple of Thebes had the infant’s feet pierced and tied together — that’s the meaning of the name Oedipus, â€Å"swollen feet†. (Myth Man’s note: this mythical detail makes no sense. It must have been introduced to expla in the hero’s name. (Hold everything, I stand corrected. Here is an informative note sent by reader Adam Johnston on July 1, 2011.) Hey there, Just thought I’d let you know that the ‘pointless mythical detail’ about Oedipus’ feet being pierced and tied together actually has dual function. It was to ensure that the baby would not survive when exposed to the wilderness. But, more importantly, it is a detail that helps him decipher the answer to the sphinx’s riddle later in life. He is a crippled man who walks with a cane, and scholars see this as the assistance he needed to understand the part of the riddle regarding the 3 legs. Just thought you should know! ~Adam (Many thanks to Adam for taking time to bring this to my attention.) Laius and Jocasta knew that their baby son had to be destroyed, but they didn’t have the heart to do so themselves. They instructed their most trusted slave to expose the hapless baby on Mount Cithaeron, a wild and beast-filled place where the infant surely would perish. In those days, it was usual to leave an unwanted or defective baby in the wilderness. However, the slave glanced down at the innocent child and took pity on it. Knowing that the royal couple of the nearby city state of Corinth was childless, and desperately desired a son, the slave left the crying infant, its feet still pierced and bound by a pin, in a place sure to be found. Sure enough, a kindly shepherd discovered the baby and brought the foundling for adoption to King Polibus and Queen Merope of Corinth. Oedipus was raised as a son by Polibus and Merope and grew to be a handsome, clever and brave young man, even though he walked with a slight limp from the wounds he suffered when his real parents pierced his feet. One day, while playing with his adolescent friends, he got into an argument with them. They insisted, as mean children sometimes do, that he was a fake son, and not the real child of Polibus and Merope. When Oedipus confronted his â€Å"parents† about this, they denied that he was adopted and swore that he was their legitimate child. They told Oed ipus to forget what the mean kids had said, but now he was intrigued. To discover the truth for himself, Oedipus journeyed to Delphi and asked of the oracle, â€Å"Who am I?† The oracle, cryptic as always, replied: â€Å"You are the man who will kill his father and breed children by his mother.† Confused and devastated, the young man started to head back home. Nearing the crossroad, Oedipus decided never to return to Corinth and go to Thebes instead. He dearly loved his parents and thought that by never returning home he would keep them safe and thus overcome his Fate according to Apollo’s oracle. As he was approaching the crossroad between Delphi, Thebes and Corinth, distraught and deep in thought, Oedipus came upon an old man in a chariot, escorted by a few attendants. It was a narrow passage between two rocks and hard to navigate safely. The crabby old man in the chariot shouted: â€Å"Get lost! Go away! Get off this road!†, striking Oedipus with his long scepter. Adding further injury, the rude, regal old man ran over the young man’s sore foot with his chariot wheel. Oedipus angrily grabbed the staff from his tormentor’s hands and hit him on the head, killing the old man. The same fate befell the attendants, who tried to attack and arrest Oedipus – he valiantly fought and killed them too, save for one servant, who ran away in panic when the battle broke out. Hey, he just wanted to cross the narrow passage, that’s all! Besides, Oedipus was simply defending himself, and he got there first! Little did Oedipus suspect that the old man he had just slain was his own father, and that the first part of the oracle’s prophecy had come true†¦

Ebola disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ebola disease - Essay Example The medical laboratory diagnosis illustrates a decrease in platelets and low white blood cells count together with an enzyme elevation (Hewlett & Hewlett, 2008). In clinical check up, it is difficult to differentiate Ebola Viral Disease from other common infectious diseases like typhoid, meningitis, malaria and fever. There are several ways to reaffirm whether the symptoms are Ebola viral infections. Antigen capture detection tests, electron microscopy and antibody capture immonusorbent assay of enzyme linkage are some of the prime investigations for Ebola virus (Stimola, 2011). Other methods include cell culture viral isolation, reverse polymerase chain reaction assay and serum neutralization test. Maximum biological containment option is needed to conduct biological non-inactivated laboratory testing to avoid further infection. In treatment, Ebola requires oral and intravenous fluids alongside care rehydration. Specific signs and symptoms treatment increase the chances for survival since there is no specific treatment for this killer disease now. A range of treatments like immune therapies, blood products treatments and drug therapies are in the current evaluation to reduce Ebola risks. There is also an absence of licensed vaccines for Ebola prevention, but the discovered vaccines are still under the safety for human testing (Stimola,

Religious Service Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religious Service - Term Paper Example A case of observation is the name. For Christians, the place of worship is called a church, for Islam a mosque, while for the Buddhist, a temple. It is also evident that the religions have unique symbolic cultures that differentiate them from one another as I observed with Islam when I once attended a religious service. This paper will describe the material and non- material culture of the mosque, a place of a warship by Muslims. Mosque A mosque is a place of worship for the Muslim faithful. It is evident from my observation of Muslim congregation and the mosque building that the design and building materials used in the construction of the place of worship mostly depends on heritage, culture and the resources in the community that hosts the mosque. However, it is noticeable that there are certain architectural features common to all mosques. For instance, the mosque’s parts are practical and show a sense of tradition and continuity among all the Muslims across the globe (Penn ey 10). Common architectural features include a minaret which is a slender tower rising at the top of a mosque (Penney 12). The minaret usually varies in height, number, and style. It may be square, octagonal, or round in shape and are in most cases covered with a pointed roof as noted by Penney (12). In the case of the mosque I attended, I was able to observe that it had a tall, slender and round-shaped minaret (Penney 14). On the minaret, there is a loudspeaker used to sermon people to prayers commonly called adhan (Hephaestus Books 14). The mosque is divided into two sections in which, men and women attend the service in different rooms. However, the services are conducted with the leadership of an Imam who is stationed on men’s side. The dress code is usually a veil gown mostly white in color for men and black for women. Every member of the congregation is required to remove the shoes before entering the mosque and put on the shoe shelf. This is mainly to preserve the cle anliness of the mosque and a sign of humility to God. The shelf is placed near the door to prevent pilling of shoes at the door.

An effective planning process is essential to optimizing the Essay

An effective planning process is essential to optimizing the organizations HR - Essay Example et al. 1999). Therefore, management's first and most fundamental problem is selecting the right individuals with the prospective for development. evenly important is the placement of those individuals in positions in the organizational structure where their talents are most desired. Manpower development instigates with human resources planning also known as manpower planning, which establishes a firm's specific personnel rations. These are attained by a qualitative fortitude of the individual job specifications and of the specific characteristics requisite of a person for the successful performance of each job. Once these job requirements are recognized, it is essential to forecast the number of persons desired for each job. This stage of employment is quantitative, as it entails estimates that are relatively easy to calculate from sales forecasts, labor turnover records, and other sources of data. Human resource planning involves: manpower planning and forecasting; studying the labor market; manpower recruiting; determining supply sources; selecting personnel with appropriate skills and qualifications; placing them on the job; and developing them into more productive employees (McDuff, N. 1995). Human resources planning imply a broad spectrum of activities touching many parts of an organisation. The focus of human resources planning is on decision support and policy making. It is concerned with aggregate flows of people into, within, and out of the organisation and with co-ordination of persons and jobs on an individual level. (Niehaus, 1979). Human resource planning is of great importance as it determines manpower requirements and the means for meeting those requirements in order to carry out the integrated plans of the organization (Fombrun, C.J, Tichy, N M, Devanna, M.A, 1984). It includes determining the required types of skills and capabilities and the needed numbers of people, as well as the location and timing of the manpower needs. Optimization in manpower planning is emergent where human resources are treated as capital assets in much the same way that plant and equipment are currently treated. In essence, this system attempts through an accounting model to measure the cost of the resources, what it would cost to reinstate the resources, and what their value would be based upon their potential earning ability. This system emphasizes that man is a unique entity needing individualized consideration. Thus, managers are becoming more concerned with accounting for the human resources, both in terms

Legal and ethical issues in Siemens Global Case Study

Legal and ethical issues in Siemens Global - Case Study Example The company should have faced stringent operating procedures and forced to pay heavy penalties that would have discouraged prospective perpetrators. A small amount of slightly over $ 2 billion was a slap in the face of economic crime regulators since the company’s annual sale at the time was at a figure of over 70 billion Euros. This only encouraged the company to bribe more parties. Any company that fundamentally violates the acceptable code of business conduct ought to face stiffer penalties than just mere monetary fines that the company could have deemed as ‘budget fines’ (Twomey et al., 2011).   If you were the new Chief Ethics Officer, how would you have handled the situation? Although I would have handled the situation in a more or less similar manner to the then Chief Ethics Officer, I would however, taken a slightly different approach as far as the management of rogue employees is concerned. My first approach would have been to arrange for seminars where different personalities would train and encourage the employees on the benefits of upholding acceptable ethical standards. Instead of just dismissing incompetent employees, I would have engaged them in educational seminars before demoting them to lower positions so that they could rework their way up the corporate ladder through ethical and just means. This approach would have instilled confidence in them and all other employees to work as a team towards the attainment of Siemens short-term and long-term goals (Fernando, 2010). Was the corruption justified since bribery was legal in Germany until 1999? Despite the fact that bribery was legal in Germany, there was no justification for the corruption witnessed in Siemens whatsoever. The fact that Siemens is a German company did not negate the need to operate in accordance to the internationally accepted business ethics since Siemens is an international company with subsidiaries spread across the globe. Although, the senior executives in Siemens’ case tried to justify their acts as a strategy to gain competitive advantage in the market, this still violated the internationally accepted business conducts. This is because most of Siemens’ corrupt deals were international and any company that operates on a global platform ought not to use local policies but internationally recognized ones in business operations. With all these evidences of breach of international law, it is wise to conclude that Siemens was not justified to embrace bribery and corruption as ‘company policy.’ (Twomey et al., 2011).   How does an organization make the shift to refine their ethical practices when there is such a radical change in policy? More often than not, organizations that take the bold step to ethical recovery undergo agonizing experiences though the results obtained are much pleasant. Various ways by which organizations can make the shift to refine their ethical practices exist and there is no single most approach to this course. Some organizations opt for the restructuring of the management system in an attempt to reverse the undesirable trends witnessed over a period. While this can be an appropriate approach for a dynamic and self-motivated team, the organization can seek to transform the culture of employees directly by either imposing new company policies or engaging the employees in dialogue. Ordinarily, most organizations choose the latter as it has the effect of improving employees’ trust and confidence in the company. Overall, whichever approach an organization decides to take should incorporate participation by all stakeholders (Fernando, 2010). By researching online, what have been more recent developments with Siemens Global

Nursing assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing - Assignment Example Meanwhile, public-private interventions include the 5-a-day Consortium. Methods used to analyze the intersectoral/interagency collaboration and public–private partnerships include the social determinants of health which analyze the units of interventions, intersectoral/interagency and inter-program relationships, public–private partnerships, and capacity to influence policy. Findings of the study found out that interviewees assumed that the price of fruits and vegetables is too high, particularly for the poorest among the population. Access to fruit and vegetable content of school meals are slow and availability of fresh fruit is scant. The 5-a-day Consortium has addressed acceptability and improvement of quality and access to fruits and vegetables. Despite proposed solutions to increase intake of fruits and vegetables among Chilean population and to enhanced partnerships between interlocal agencies and public and private sectors, conflicts between commercial and social interests still occur and created a significant effect on public policies. As documented by the WHO, increasing individual fruit and vegetable consumption to up to 600 g daily would reduce the worldwide burden of ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, esophageal, lung and colorectal cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic pulmonary obstructive diseases, and other chronic noncommunicable diseases. In addition, the study also affect the collaboration between interlocal agencies and different sectors as political actions are also important determinants of health in resolving issues related to oppression of underserved Chilean in terms of fruit and vegetable consumption. Based upon the social determinants/pathway of Chilean population, deep inequities are observed between income levels, ethnic groups, regions affecting mainly women, children and underemployed workers; food intake are affected by global trends in

Basic Flight Physiology (By Richard O. Reinhart) Essay - 1

Basic Flight Physiology (By Richard O. Reinhart) - Essay Example My mother is afraid of planes and says that in the plane she has claustrophobia. Like the person described by Richard Reinhart, she drinks coffee and smokes cigarettes in order to improve her state. But this is a mistake. Coffee increases mental stress, therefore in order to prevent the stress before the flight it is necessary to have a nice sleep, rest and nice diet (Reinhart, 1996). 2. The decision making process is very essential because it is closely connected with proper flight risk evaluation. Here I would like to analyze the situation that in which the pilot is to decide, if to make a very important flight in not corresponding weather. In order to avoid poor decision made in the state of stress or any other state, it is necessary to use risk-assessment model. The four elements of the suggested model will help to assess the situation and make right decision: All four elements should be accessed and combined to build the whole situation and make the proper decision. The application of an appropriate decision making model can help make a right decision in difficult situation. Poor decisions are the result of wrong situation assessment ((Reinhart, 1996). 3. Payne Stewart flight resulted in a mishap first of all because of poor aircraft maintenance that is the second element of the suggested model. Cabin pressure problems were not solved properly and the maintenance was postponed. This was done illegally and the pilots were not ready for the situation and did not wear oxygen masks on time (Reinhart, 1996). 4. The accident with JFK Jr. flight happened because of two reasons. First, Kennedy was the only pilot in the aircraft and did not access his own skills properly before risky flight. This is a first element of our model. Secondly, the weather was not appropriate for a night flight. The weather was foggy and Kennedy listened to the report, but still decided to make a night flight. It was a wrong decision made

Compare Othello and Batman Dark Knight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare Othello and Batman Dark Knight - Essay Example As Shakespeare put it in his novel â€Å"†¦. â€Å"...my ancient; a man he is of honesty and trust. To this conveyance I assign my wife†. (Shakespeare) However, Othello is no God. He is composed of his imperfections and his vulnerabilities. He becomes a victim of these vulnerabilities eventually. Batman on the other hand is someone who is strongly righteous. He cannot be out-smarted and he will stand up for justice no matter what. He doesn’t care if people around him like it or not. He follows his heart even when he is condemned. Othello begins showing how easily he can be manipulated and maneuvered when the character of Iago comes to the fore in the play. This is when the reader is enlightened with Othello’s ability to over-trust and his naivetà © as he places complete faith in Iago. Othello is blinded by his faith in Iago. This shows how a tragic hero’s flaw is not a defect in his character but it is the over-presence of virtue in his nature. Othello’s perilous virtue takes shape of his immense trust in Iago-the same trust that brought his tragic fall. Batman on the other hand on other hand has aims and aspirations of the future. He wants to return Gotham, the glory and power it once commanded. This is the essence of his character. He turns into batman to help the city which was be-it all for him. Batman does not have any confides in the movie except for Alfred and Gordon. He is reserved and he does not believe in over-trusting people. It is just that these two characters are the only back-up support that Batman has. However, he is head strong and does not give in to the vulnerabilities of a situation. Alfred is trust worthy and he is always there to help him. This is also Batman knows who he can trust and who he cannot afford to trust. Othello was so blinded by his faith in Iago, he lost his rationale to think and see logically- a price he had to pay in the end when he realizes how badly he has wronged Desdemona. In one of his last

Government Spying Essay Example for Free

Government Spying Essay Austin Bryan Period-1 http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/news/2006/intell-060101-voa01.htm In some instances, governments believe that it is okay to spy on their citizens in order to preserve their freedom. I personally find this concept to be absurd. Living in a country that’s history is founded upon freedom of its citizens, and escaping oppression of tyrant governments, leaves me very skeptical on this concept. I believe that if the government is spying on its citizens it is actually taking away their freedom rather than preserving it. Living in an era of increasing technology has made it much easier for a government to spy on its citizens. Because of this, it has become a problem in many places around the world. Think about back in elementary school when you had pen pals from other countries. How would you feel if the government was able to intrude on your personal life just because you made contact abroad? For us in America, a government spying on its citizens sounds pretty crazy right? In 2006 president Bush did just that by enabling a â€Å"Government Phone Tap†. President Bush thought in order to preserve citizen’s freedoms that is was justified to tap into people’s phones and emails. The only people that were supposed to be the recipients of phone tapings where those who were making calls abroad, particularly to suspected al-Qaida connections. Not only is this a complete violation of peoples constitutional rights and privacy, but Bush also neglected the need for a warrant in this instance. To this day many immigrants from other countries come to America seeking asylum from oppressive governments. America is supposed to be a safe haven where people’s rights and privacy are protected under the constitution. Acts of government espionage upon its own citizens like this are completely unacceptable. I believe that the only way from a government to protect its citizen’s freedom is to respect everyone’s freedom regardless of circumstances.

A view from the bridge Essay Example for Free

A view from the bridge Essay Upon hearing the story of Vinny Bolzano in the first scene of the play, we are immediately introduced to the aggression of Sicilian justice, and are given a glimpse of events that are to unfold. After Beatrice has told Catherine the story of Vinny Bolzano, Eddie exclaims On his own Uncle! , expressing disgust that anyone could possibly do such a thing to a relative under any circumstances. At this point in time it is totally out of Eddies character to go to the immigration authorities, at this time in the play he would not even think about it, but he is later driven to it by what he feels to be a personal tragedy on an epic scale. This tells us that when Eddie informs the authorities he knows exactly what effect this will have on him; he knows of his inevitable fate after word gets out. The Sicilian values of justice are totally separate and exempt from American law. In some ways it is more lenient; it does not condemn Marco for killing Eddie because of two things; firstly, Eddie reported him to the authorities, and secondly, he won in a fair duel. Nevertheless, as we see, its sentences are far harsher. Sicilian justice is not even a harsher version of American law. As we hear from Alfieri at the beginning of the play, in Sicily, from where there fathers came, the law hasnt been a friendly idea since the Greeks were beaten. It is totally separate and in direct opposition. Sicilian justice demands that Italian-Americans help immigrants and pay money for them. American law is exactly the opposite. Alfieri sums up the idea of justice in his opening lines, Oh, there were many here who were justly shot by unjust men. This shows the idea that these gangsters, despite being criminals, shot men justly as far as Sicilian justice goes. Alfieri is the bridge between the Sicilian justice (in so far as he is an Americanised Sicilian, experienced enough to see Eddies fate), and American law (in that he is a lawyer). Moreover, he is a bridge between the two cultures. He acts within the bounds of American law, generally on behalf of the immigrants, who distrust him because he has made the step up into an American job, and therefore American money and lifestyle. Due to the range of Alfieris experience, he is also the bridge between the characters and the audience. Alfieris role as a bridge in the play, and the very essence of the play as a clash of cultures is perfectly shown in Alfieris first narration at the very beginning of the script. Firstly, Alfieri introduces the idea of the Sicilian way of life in America, and addresses the issue of Sicilian justice, referring to the 1920s and 30s gangsterism in a tone suggesting the glory days. Still, Alfieri claims that now they are quite civilised, quite American, and that his practice is entirely unromantic and then of course he moves into the story of Eddie Carbone, an illustration of how Sicilian ways are still dominant to this civilised and American culture. The play A View from the Bridge is about a clash of cultures, or perhaps more about the effects of mixing two cultures into the American cultural melting pot, and the clashes this causes between the cultures. The plot of the play itself is more about the personal tragedy between a parents incestuous love for his daughter, and a girl who is growing up to become a young woman and wants to behave in accordance with her womanhood. This is the subject of the play, rather than the clash of the cultures, this is not to say that the culture difference is not relevant, on the contrary, it is a main theme of the play, but it only aggravates the personal problem. It confuses Eddies situation, as he is obviously more in favour of Sicilian values, but finds his personal situation with regard to Catherine threatened by Sicilians, and therefore has to resort to using American culture to neutralise the situation. It makes the divide that Catherine has to cross into womanhood much greater, making it necessary not only to become a woman from her childhood under Sicilian ideas, but also to become a fully, modernised, Americanised, independent woman. In addition, it supplies Eddie with a method of solving his personal problem, if in a rather extreme manner. It makes the consequences of doing so much more dramatic. The personal tragedy suffered is fuelled by great love, which leads to insanity, giving the play the qualities of a Greek tragedy, if not a somewhat contemporary Greek tragedy. Matt King Page 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

Promoting Mental Health And Well Being Families Social Work Essay

Promoting Mental Health And Well Being Families Social Work Essay According to the World Health Organisation mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. According to the North Western Health Board (NWHB) mental health affects our feelings towards others and it also effects how at ease we are with ourselves. Mental health also affects some of our everyday skills, such as interacting with others around us; maintain relationships with people, whether it is intimate relationships or family relationships. Mental health can also affect the way we deal with certain events in our lives. Changes such as bereavement in a persons life or losing or starting a job can have different have a different effect on different people at different points in time. According to Barry Jenkins there are three levels at which the protective and risk factors work. These three levels are known as Individual, social and structural. According to the NWHB each level is supported and reinforcing each level, thus strengthening them. By strengthening human beings we are trying to increase self-confidence and develop their abilities and skills, such as interaction with other people and developing skills to help sustain relationships. Protective factors The following protective factors are based on an individual level. Some of the protective factors are having good coping skills, having good social skills Good Coping Skills If a person is good at dealing and handling certain situations in life, this can be a huge help in relation to combatting mental illnesses. If a person can manage to deal with a certain situation which they may be experiencing without getting too worked up or letting it get them down, this can have a positive effect on their life. If a person can be optimistic about a situation and try to look on the bright side of things and realise that they will come out the other end and that things will get more positive and that they may have a brighter future in front of them, this can only have a positive effect on somebodys life. Social Skills A person that has the ability to fit into society and get to know people no matter where they go will hopefully never really experience isolation. Take for example a person moving to a new area that doesnt know anybody that lives in the area. If they have the skills to integrate themselves into that society and get to know the community they will more than likely be welcomed by members of that society. If a person makes themselves known within the community and gets involved in things going on within the community, isolation will not be a problem for them. For somebody that may be experiencing isolation this can have huge knock on effects on their mental health. If a person feels that they are alone and have nobody to turn to, this can lead to mental illnesses such as depression. I will now discuss some of the protective factors which are based on social level. Some of these are positive experiences of early attachment and positive attachment to family. Positive Experiences of Early Attachment If an individual whilst growing up and while they were children had positive experiences throughout their childhood, in relation to how close they were to their parents and if they had a good relationship can have huge effects on a person later in life. If a person has had a bad relationship with their parents this can have a huge knock on effect later in life. If a person feels that they were not accepted by their parents as a child this may lead to somebody suffering from depression as they may not feel wanted or accepted into society. They may feel that nobody is there for them. If they have had a bad relationship with their parents, they may also find it quite hard to develop an intimate relationship with somebody, as they may be afraid of having such a close relationship with somebody, as they have never experienced a relationship like this before throughout their lifetime. Attachment to family How close an individual is to their family is based on a social level according to Barry Jenkins. How close one may be to their family can have effects on one life. If a person knows that they have their family around them no matter what and that they will be there for them through the good times and the bad then the person knows that they are not on their own on life. They know that their family will stand by them no matter what. People experience so many problems in life, so it is good for an individual to know that no matter what they have a group of people around them that love and care for them, and will support them through lifes challenges. Supportive Social relationships Supportive relationships, whether it be family relationships or intimate relationships is another strengthening factor which can protect mental health. If a person knows that somebody is always there for them, through the good times and the bad and to help them carry heavy burdens which they will come across throughout life, is a huge help to them. I think right now throughout society, a large number of people are carrying heavy burdens in relation to unemployment and bills to be paid. If a person knows that they have someone to lean on and to help them along the way in life this can be a huge weight lifted off their shoulders. If a person has somebody that is supporting them, this means that they have somebody to talk to and discuss any problems that they may be experiencing. Something as simple as just sitting down and talking to someone about the problems you are experiencing in life can help protect a persons mental health. A problem may not seem as bad after discussing it with s omeone. As the saying goes a problem shared is a problem halved. I will now discuss some of the protective factors at a structural level. Some of these protective factors are economic security and employment. Employment Economic Security As we all know we are currently experiencing a severe fiscal crisis in this country. A lot of people are currently unemployed. According to the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) statistics in October of this year 420172 people were unemployed. This is a huge proportion of people in our society that are unemployed. Unemployment is a serious issue and is more than likely one of the leading causes of mental health problems in todays society. For those that are currently unemployed they are struggling to pay bills and meet repayments on mortgages. This can be a very worrying time for people and can lead to mental health problems. It can sometimes lead to people taking their own lives as they are unable to deal with the everyday realities of life and can see no other way out. In a recent article published by the Irish Examiner in June of this year stated that the economy and the current state that it is in is interconnected to the rise in young men taking their own live s. The newspaper article took figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) from 2009. The report stated that 443 males took their own life in 2009. This figure had increased by 15% from 2008. Approximately 40% of these men were out of work and 32% of them had previously worked in the building industry, according to Ella Arensman from the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF). It is clear to see there is a strong connection with men taking their own life and unemployment. I will now discuss some of the risk factors in relation to mental health. Some of these risk factors are school failure, social isolation and abuse and violence. School failure According to Barry Jenkins School failure is one of the risk factors in relation to mental health. School failure is based on a structural level. School failure can have negative impacts on people lives when it comes to looking for employment later in life. School achievement may not seem important but as people get older they realise how important it is. If a person fails again and again when it comes to trying to get a job this may have huge effects on their mental health. Social Isolation If a person is experiencing social isolation it can have huge effects on their mental health. Take example an elderly person that may have lead a very independent life ends up in long term care. This may lead to loneliness. If a person is in long term care they may be very dependent on someone to look after them and help them with their everyday lives. This can be a big change in a persons life and could possibly lead to depression in the long run. Abuse and Violence Abuse and violence can have a huge effect on a persons mental health. Emotional abuse such as bullying as we have seen over the last few weeks can have severe effects on a persons life. Over the last few weeks numerous young people under the age of eighteen have taken their own lives because of bullying. Obviously the bullying had a huge effect on their mental health and they could see no other way out. Conclusion From my essay it is clear to see that there are numerous strengthening and risk factors in relation to mental health. We as a nation and as individuals should be concentrating on the protective factors. In a report published by the Health Service Executive (HSE) it mentions that the World Health Organisation stated in a report that General Practitioners spend 30% of their time with patients that are dealing with a mental illness. This makes it clear to us that there are a huge number of people are dealing with a mental illness. According to the HSE Ireland has tried to increase peoples awareness of mental health and change their attitudes towards it. They have done this by developing documents such as A Vision for Change 2006 which is based on mental illnesses and mental health. A document titled Reach Out 2005 has being developed in relation to preventing suicide. These documents may change peoples perception of mental illness and they may not look at it in such a negative light. Th ere is a huge stigma attached to mental illness, so hopefully in time this stigma will no longer exist. Mental health can have serious effects on peoples lives. People should not feel ashamed if they have a mental illness. They should not have a stigma attached to them because of this mental illness. People need to be more open minded and not look down on people who are experiencing an illness in relation to their mental health. Hopefully in time the supports that people need will be readily available to them when they need it. A mental illness can be life changing, so for people to know that they have supports available to them on their doorstops can make a huge difference and can help them overcome their mental illness. Reference List Health Service Executive (2007) Mental Health in Ireland: Awareness and Attitudes, Dublin: Health Service Executive Margaret M. Barry and Rachel Jenkins (2007) Implementing Mental Health Promotion, Philadelphia: Elesevier The Irish Examiner (2012) Suicide rise is linked to economy, says study, [Online], Available: http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/0602/ireland/suicide-rise-is-linked-to-economy-says-study-195996.html [Accessed 21st November 2012] The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (2012) Live Register, Figures for the Year 2012 to date by gender, [Online], available: http://www.inou.ie/policy/statistics/liveregister/_figures=national_year=2012 [Accessed 21st November 2012] The North Western Health Board (2005) The North western Health Board Strategy Action Plan for the promotion of Mental Health, Dublin: The North Western Health Board The World Health Organisation (2005) Promoting Mental Health, Concepts, Emerging Evidence and Practice. Switzerland: World Health Organisation Tom, OG. (2012) Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing, SPL308: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Families, National University of Ireland Galway, Unpublished

A Rose for Emily By William Faulkner :: essays research papers

The story’s opening lines announce the funeral of Miss Emily, to be held in her home—not in a church—and the reasons for the entire town’s attending-the men out of respect for a Southern lady, the women to snoop inside her house. Her death symbolizes the passing of a genteel way of life, which is replaced by a new generation’s crass way of doing things. The narrator’s description of the Grierson house reinforces the disparity between the past and the present: Once a place of splendor, now modern encroachments—gas pumps and cotton wagons—obliterate most of the neighborhood and leave untouched only Miss Emily’s house, with its â€Å"stubborn and coquettish decay.† This clash between the past and the present is evidenced by the different approaches that each generation takes concerning Miss Emily’s taxes. In the past, Colonel Sartoris had remitted them for her, believing it uncivilized to remind a Southern woman to pay taxes, which Miss Emily does not do after her father dies. But the next generation, with its more modern ideas, holds her responsible for them. Miss Emily, however, returns the tax notice that the new aldermen send to her; when the young men call upon her, she vanquishes them, saying, â€Å"I have no taxes in Jefferson† and â€Å"See Colonel Sartoris,† who has been dead for at least ten years. One of the most striking contrasts presented in this first section entails the narrator’s portrayal of Miss Emily’s physical appearance and her house. Descriptive phrases include terms that add to the gothic quality of the story: She is dressed in black and leans on a cane; her â€Å"skeleton† is small; and she looks â€Å"bloated,† with a â€Å"pallid hue.† But Faulkner doesn’t say outright that she looks much like a dead person, for it is only in retrospect that we realize that the dead-looking Miss Emily has been sleeping with the very dead Homer Barron. Miss Emily’s decaying appearance matches not only the rotting exterior of the house, but the interior as well. For example, the crayon, pastel, picture mentioned prior to the narrator’s description of Miss Emily is supported by a â€Å"tarnished† stand, and Miss Emily supports herself by leaning on the â€Å"tarnished† handle of her cane.

Discovery of the Structure of DNA Essay -- History Historical Science

Discovery of the Structure of DNA On the last day of February in 1953, according to James Watson, Francis Crick announced to the patrons of the Eagle Pub in Cambridge, â€Å"We have discovered the secret of life† (Watson 115, 1980). As Brian Hayes, the author of â€Å"The Invention of the Genetic Code† states, â€Å"If life ever had a secret, the double helix of DNA was surely it† (1). However, it was not the work of these two men alone that led to the discovery of the power the lies within the double helix, but rather the work of many scientists that was carefully picked apart and pieced together by the two who received the most fame for the work. Scientists’ knowledge of DNA was reported as early as 1868, when the Swiss physician Fritz Miescher discovered its presence in the nuclei of cells (Frank-Kamenetskii 10, 1997). Until the study of the structure of DNA led to the discovery of its function, proteins were primarily thought to be the carriers of genetic material. Although the chemical composition of DNA was Francis Crick known and understood, scientists were unable to make conclusions about its function (Patterson 17, 1999). In 1958, Crick presented his scientific paper, â€Å"On Protein Synthesis† at the Society for Experimental Biology. Within his text he states, â€Å"It is an essential feature of my argument that in biology proteins are uniquely important . . . their nearest rivals are the nucleic acids. Watson said to me, a few years ago, ‘The most significant thing about nucleic acids is that we don’t know what they do.’ By contrast, the most significant thing about proteins i s that they can do almost anything† (Carlson 236, 1989). Watson’s statement led the pair to further investigate the mystery of life by delving through ot... ...801.html, 25 March 2001 - â€Å"James Watson.† [Online] Available http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/information/biography/uvwxyz/watson_james.html - â€Å"Lecture 2 – What is Science and How Do Scientists do it?† [Online] Available http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Tom/bil101/lec2.html, 25 March 2001. - Leone, Francis. Genetics: The Mystery and The Promise. Blue Ridge Summit: TAB Books, 1992. - Patterson, Colin. Evolution. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1999. - â€Å"Rosalind Franklin.† [Online] Available http://www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/information/biography/fghjj/franklin_roaslind.html 25 March 2001 - Watson, James and Francis Crick. â€Å"A structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid.† Nature. 2 April 1953: 737. - Watson, James D. The Double Helix. New York: Norton Critical Editions in the History of Ideas, 1980.

Racism Essay -- essays research papers

As societies become more complex a complex change came about. The social system elevated entire categories of people above others, providing one segment of the population with a disproportionate share of money, power and schooling. To a considerable degree, the class system in the United States rewards individual talent and effort. But, our class system also retains elements of a caste system; Ascribed status greatly influences what we become later in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nothing affects social standings in the United States as much as our birth into a particular family, something, which we have no control over. Being born to privilege or poverty sets the stage for our future schooling, occupation and income. Research suggests that at least half of the richest individuals, those with hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth, received their fortunes primarily from inheritance. By the same token, the â€Å"inheritance† of poverty and the lack of opportunity that goes with it just as surely shape the future for those in need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People of both sexes are born into families at every social level. Yet, on average, women earn lower income, accumulate less wealth, enjoy lower occupational prestige, and place lower in some areas of educational achievement than men do. Households headed by women are ten times more likely to be poor than those headed by men. Women make $0.75 for every $1.00 that men make.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Race is strongly connected to social position in the United States. Overall, white people have higher occupational standing than African Americans, and they receive more schooling, especially at the college level and beyond. These differences are evident in median income: African American families earned $26,522 in 1998, which is just 59 percent of the $44,756 earned by white families. Higher income is a key reason that 77 percent of white families are more likely to own their own home, than black families, 49 percent. Another reason for the racial disparity involves family patterns. African American families with children are three times more likely than their white counterparts to have only one parent in the home. Single-parenthood is a strong predictor of low family income. Ethnicity, as well as race, shapes social stratification in the United States. Throughout our nation’s history, people... ...n with no husband present, while just seven percent of poor families are headed by single men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  White people usually in a more privileged position to begin with, have been more upwardly mobile than Africans or Hispanics in recent decades. Women also tend to have less opportunity for upward mobility as well, since the majority of women tended toward clerical or service positions. These positions tend towards little advancements. When a marriage ends in divorce (as roughly as 50% do) women commonly experience a downward movement, with the loss of income and a host of benefits, including health care coverage and insurance benefits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Social mobility is common in the United States. However there are only small changes from on generation to the next. Without an aristocracy, many people feel that they have a chance at the â€Å"American Dream† since Americans believe in the idea of â€Å"All men are created equal† statistics show, however, that not all men are created equal, but created â€Å"unequal†, especially minorities and women. Despite theses difficulties, there is home to climb the â€Å"social ladder† and be a part of the â€Å"American Dream†

Macbeth Essay Essay

This puts Macbeth at a loss for words , they then look at banquo and tell him his sons will be king someday aswell but not him. â€Å"All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis/ All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor/ All hail, Macbeth, Thou shalt be king hereafter! † (1. 3. 50-53). This is the first set of prophecies the witches made and the start to Macbeth’s downfall. What the witches done to Macbeth with these prophecies to make him commence his downfall was they filled his head with these positive flattering things that made him want to go to extreme measures just to become what the witches proclaimed would happen. Proof that this first set of prophecies commenced his downfall is once king Duncan had named malcom to be king apposed to Macbeth, Macbeth then considered the idea that he should murder Duncan to become king. The second set of prophecies given to Macbeth appeared as apparitions by the three witches and each apparition gave Macbeth a different prophecy. The first prophecy is an armed head which tells Macbeth to beware of Macduff â€Å" Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough. † (4. 1. 74-75). The second apparition appeared as a bloody child who tells Macbeth the only person who can harm him is a man not born of a woman. â€Å" Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn/The power of man, for none of woman born/Shall harm Macbeth. † (4. 1. 81-83). The final apparition summoned by the witches was a crowned child holding a tree that states Macbeth will not be killed until the woods of birnam are at Dunsinane Hill. Be lion-me ttled, proud, and take no care/Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. /Macbeth shall never vanquished be until/Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/Shall come against him. † (4. 1. 94-98). These summons created by the witches are a big part in Macbeth’s downfall because they gave him more confidence that he would not be killed. Macbeth believed that these prophecies were ridiculous and that it was impossible for him to happen although he did not think them through because all of these prophecies came true in the end. Although the witches gave Macbeth these prophecies making him over confident and giving him the idea to kill Duncan they are not the only ones to blame, Macbeth’s wife Lady Macbeth also played a big role in the downfall of Macbeth by persuading Macbeth to kill King Duncan. She did this by telling him that if the witches prophecies were to come true and he were to become king he must kill those who stood in the way. She then proceeds to question his manhood and makes him feel guilty for her when she says she would kill her own child if she had promised it to her beloved to do it. What beast was ’t, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both. They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me . I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this. † (1. 7. 47-59). Lady Macbeth was fully capable of killing the king herself, she had made a good plot to kill him but she never killed him herself because she claimed King Duncan reminded her of her father. â€Å"Had he not resembled/My father as he slept, I had done ’t. † (2. 2. 12-13). If Lady Macbeth would have performed the murder herself Macbeth would not have been driven mad. After Macbeth killed King Duncan the guilt he felt was taking over his mind, saying that there was blood on his hands that would not come off. Lady Macbeth could maybe have comforted him in this time of need but instead she called him mad nd put him down. Although both the witches and Lady Macbeth were contributors to Macbeth’s death they cannot take all the blame for Macbeths death, Macbeth himself plays a big role in the his tragic death. Macbeth knew killing King Duncan was wrong he was always loyal to the king and Duncan trusted Macbeth greatly but he let the witches get into his head and let their prophecies corrupt his mind without no proof saying he had to kill Duncan to become king. Although Lady Macbeth gave him guilt and questioned his manliness he could have told her no he could have told her no and went with what he knew was best. Macbeth’s ambition to hold his spot on the throne was another good reason as to why he died, after killing Duncan Macbeth decided that he should also kill Banquo because Macbeth thought Banquo would suspect him after the prophecies the witches made. This was a mistake by Macbeth because this only made Macbeth more aggressive and his desire to kill stronger. The main mistake Macbeth made was the faith he had towards the prophecies made by the witches, he felt he was invincible. Even once the prophecy about the Birnam Woods reached the castle he belived he could not be killed by anyone because he thought all men were born of a woman. â€Å"Fear not, till Birnam wood/Do come to/Dunsinane†; and now a wood/Comes toward Dunsinane. ’(5. 5. 43-45) â€Å"Thou wast born of woman. /But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn,/Brandished by man that’s of a woman born. (5. 7. 13-15). This confidence followed Macbeth right to his fight against Macduff, once he began to fight with macduff we learn that macduff was actually ripped out of his mothers stomach and not born from the womb making him not born bt a woman. â€Å"Despair thy charm,/And let the angel whom thou still hast served/Tell thee,/Macduff was from his mother’s womb/Untimely ripped. (5. 8. 13-17). Macbeth then accepted his fate and fought Macduff and lost his life. Although there was multiple factors that led to Macbeths demise such as evil witches and a power hungry wife the one who played the biggest role in his death was Macbeth himself. Even though all of the witches prophecies came true there no proof saying they were destined to come true but only that Macbeth caused these prophecies to be true. If Macbeth would have did what he knew was right he would have saved the lives of a lot of people including the wife he loved so dearly.

Fast Food Industry Research Proposal Essay

To study the attitude towards consumption of healthy food within the fast food industry Background We are a marketing research team of a fast food chain store. With increasing awareness about healthy food among the masses and with consumer preferences changing towards healthy food, we intend to launch a health food segment to cater to this need of the customers. We are also concerned about the pricing of the product that whether it should be priced same as that of normal fast food or the customers would be willing to pay a premium for healthy food. But before launching that product we want to know that â€Å"Is it worth it to our fast food restaurant to market healthy food†. To answer this management decision problem, we intend to conduct a marketing research within the region of West Delhi. Introduction * What is fast food? Definition1. Fast food have been defined by Bender and Bender (1995) as a â€Å"general term used for a limited menu of foods that lend themselves to production-line techniques; suppliers tend to specialize in products such as hamburgers, pizzas, chicken, or sandwiches†. Definition2. In Data Monitor’s (2005) survey the fast food market is defined as the sale of food and drinks for immediate consumption either on the premises or in designated eating areas shared with other foodservice operators, or for consumption elsewhere. Definition3. As per â€Å"the free dictionary† fast food is â€Å"inexpensive food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken, prepared and served quickly†. Definition4.According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary fast food is â€Å"designed for ready availability, use, or consumption and with little consideration given to quality or significance * Why fast food? * Brief history of fast food industry in India * Fast food industry trend, facts and figures, key players in India * According to a study by the Tata Strategic Management Group, the size of the Indian health-and-wellness food market will rise from an estimated Rs101.5bn in 2010 to Rs550bn by 2015, implying annual growth of 35-37%. * Why healthy food? Health food is preferred by people mostly because of the various health issues associated with eating fast food: * Trans Fats which is commonly found in fast food have a negative effect on health * The fast food consumption increase calorie intake, promote weight gain, and elevates risk for diabetes. * Obesity is also linked to various other diseases * What is Healthy food? Definition1: As per â€Å"the free dictionary† healthy food is â€Å"Any natural or prepared food popularly believed to promote good health† Definition2: * Food with low content of edible oil used. * Lower fat, lower cholesterol and lower sodium. Major segments H&W products in India could be classified into three dominant categories, i.e. Better-for-You(BFY), Functional / Fortified, and Natural categories. Research Objective The main aim of our research is to derive indications that may contribute to better strategic and tactical marketing decisions. The overall objective of the study is â€Å"To study the attitude towards consumption of healthy food within the fast food industry† this has been divided into following sub-objectives: 1) To study the consumption pattern towards fast food and health/wellness food. * What all sort of fast food people prefer, at what time, at what places they go, * What is the driving force behind it, e.g. taste, spiciness, ease , price, time factor etc. * Most popular fast food 2) To study the factors that influence the consumers to go for healthy food * Sickness * Obesity * Awareness * Who 3) To study the consumer perception about healthy food vis a vis normal fast food w.r.t. two factors i.e. taste and price * What does consumer think about healthy food e.g. taste , price 4) To identify the possibility/impact of nutritional value of fast foods on consumer purchase decision. Research Questions and Hypothesis Question: Do customer think healthy food is as tasty as fast food? H1: customers perceive healthy food to be of same taste as normal fast food. Question: Do customer think healthy food is costs same as normal fast food? H2: Customers perceive healthy food costs same as normal fast food. Question: Is there any impact of nutritional value of fast foods on consumer purchase decision? H3: Nutritional value of fast foods has no impact on consumer purchase decision. Research Design Qualitative Research Purpose Because of the exploratory nature of some of the aspects of the objectives, we need to have detailed qualitative information. The qualitative research will probe the following: * the consumption frequencies, the categories of product consumed and the main reasons to use these products * At what time and at what places do they prefer to go, * What is the driving force behind their preference, e.g. taste, spiciness, ease, price, time factor etc. * Most popular fast food * Whether they would prefer to pay more for healthy food * What factors influence the customers to eat healthy food Population and sampling Samples for the study will consist of youth segment (indicated as consumer in this study) in the age group of 20 to 27 years. Convenience samples are drawn from West Delhi region among the college students. We propose to conduct 4 focus groups with the following profiles: Group 1&2: Dwarka Region Group 3&4: Janak Puri Quantitative Research We propose to conduct a study using questionnaire within the markets of Dwarka and Janakpuri region and also an online survey of the relevant respondents. Purpose This stage intends to quantify the factors that influence the respondents to eat healthy food. It will also give the percentage of each category of fast food which customers generally prefer to eat out and at what place &at what time. It will also help us to quantify that how many customers perceive healthy food as of same taste as normal fast food and of the same price. By establishing classified data we will know what type of people prefer healthy food and what price they are willing to pay. Also we will know that how many customers look at the nutritional value of the product before taking a purchase decision. Population and sampling Samples for the study will consist of youth segment (indicated as consumer in this study) in the age group of 20 to 27 years. Convenience samples are drawn from West Delhi region among the college students. Our definition of convenience samples includes only one dimension that is easy access to the sample units otherwise it was random selection of individuals from a large number of customers at the fast food outlets. We will be carrying out a survey of 200 Indian Customers The face to face interviews will be carried out in different days and in different outlets such as, open markets, traditional shops and supermarkets. A pilot test on 15 consumers will be conducted in order to ensure that the statements are clear and to identify redundant variables and questions that were difficult to understand. Procedure We will develop a questionnaire for this purpose. The questionnaire will probe the following: * the consumption frequencies, the categories of product consumed and the main reasons to use these products * The factors which influence the customers to eat healthy food * Which category of fast food people generally prefer and the main reason to use that product * Do customers perceive healthy food to be as tasty as normal fast food * Whether customers are willing to pay more for healthy food * Is there any impact of nutritional value on their purchase decision Analysis: Statistical analysis such as descriptive statistical analysis and frequency distribution. t-test factor analysis cluster analysis Timing Week | Activity| 1-3 weeks | Desk research| 4-6 weeks| Qualitative field work| 7 week| Questionnaire development| 8-9 week| Quantitative stage(n=200)| 10 week| Coding and data preparation| 11 week| Analysis | 12 week| Presentation and Report available | Costs Phase | Description | Costs | Qualitative research | four focus groups-travel cost | 1200| Quantitative research | 200 interviews-Stationary-travel cost| 5001200| Total | | 2900| Limitations This study has some limitations that however do not liquidate the purpose of the study. Data for the study will be collected from West Delhi region mainly Dwarka and Janakpuri. Sampling units are primarily of young unmarried consumers. Annexure 1: Definitions of Health & Wellness Categories †¢ Better-For-You: Food products with lower levels of ‘bad’ ingredients /nutrients for the consumers like sugar or fat are called BFY products. Various low-fat, low-sugar or diet products would fall under the BFY category. †¢ Fortified / Functional: Food products fortified with additional ingredients or produced / suitably modified to provide a distinct health benefit are termed as functional or fortified foods. Functional drinks, vitamin / mineral fortified milk or fruit juices and bakery products with added fiber would be classified as functional foods. †¢ Natural: Products sold under the Natural platform are specifically manufactured with no chemicals, additives or artificial substances / chemicals. 100% natural juices, ready meals without preservatives, etc. are few examples of such products. †¢ Organic: These are made from foods that are grown without use of chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides) during their cultivation. †¢ Naturally healthy: These foods are considered healthy in their natural form itself like milk, olive oil, fruit juices etc. References: 1) Naresh K. Malhotra, Marketing Research- An Applied Orientation, 3rd Edition 2) Anita Goyal and N.P. Singh, â€Å"Consumer perception about fast food in India: an exploratory study† 3) Andrea Freeman, â€Å"fast Food oppression through poor nutrition†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ California Law Review, Vol. 95,issue 6 4) â€Å"Healthy Ambition†, Economic Intelligence Unit, April 6th 2011,Vol XVIII No. 7 5) â€Å"The Health & Wellness Foods Industry in India: An Overview†, Tata Strategic Management Group(2009)

The Hippie Legacy

The Hippie Legacy. – Counterculture movement; began in US, spread to UK; big from 1965, declined in 1970s; white, 15-25 of age, mostly students; seen as wasters, druggies, idiots, green-freaks; heavily influenced by music (Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles); easily identified by their style – tried to distance themselves from conventional, structured styles. Britain: in Britain, there had always been an artsy, bohemian underground; widely known as ‘the underground’, even though media tried to dub them Flower Children in London; What did they do? eld sit-ins in universities, protested for rights; promoted ‘free love’ and ‘love and peace’; went to festivals such as the Knebworth Festival; experimented with drugs – cannabis, hallucinogens (LSD); often denounced alcohol; -> overall, dejected anything mainstream and conventional, thus many were seen as wasters, bums and as being useless. Legacy: movement declined in 1970s, after the infa mous ‘summer of love’, 1967. Social legacy: a couple can live together out of marriage and not be judged. wider rights for gay, lesbian, transsexual people. sexual topics are less of a taboo. eminist movement – women played a large role in hippie movement; many, both men and women, chose to go naked, creating an equality and freedom throughout. some argue that hippie movement led to wider integration of black people – many see this as being untrue as very view black people were involved in this movement; the black rights movement happened at the same time, so the results of the two could be blurred. Style legacy: long hair and facial hair were unacceptable before the 1960s; long, flowy dresses and skirts; colourful flower patterns, light materials, dip-dye; flowers worn in hair, peace sign accessories.Cultural legacy: The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix Experience; folk, psychedelic rock -> many current bands would use these as their musical influences. the Glastonb ury Festival in England is to this day considered to be the largest gathering of hippies throughout the world. in Britain, the summer of 1988 became known as ‘The Second Summer of Love’ as a hippie revival descended; it held much of the same ideologies as the original movement and was heavily driven by electronic and ‘acid’ music. eligion: religious and cultural diversity became more widely acceptable – in 2005, Oliver Benjamin, a former hippie, founded The Church of Latter-Day Dude, based on a character called The Dude in a 1998 movie ‘The Big Lebowski’. This became known as ‘Dudeism’. The epigraph on their website states: ‘Come join the slowest-growing religion in the world – Dudeism. An ancient philosophy that preaches non-preachiness, practices as little as possible, and above all, uh†¦lost my train of thought there. Anyway, if you’d like to find peace on earth and goodwill, man, we’ll hel p you get started.Right after a little nap’. environmental: started the concept of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’. Greenpeace, founded in 1971 by a dozen men – half environmentalists, half hippies. promoted organic living, which is currently very popular, especially amongst celebrities. Article in The Telegraph, 2007: ‘The hippy ideals that outlasted the 1960s’ â€Å"The 1960s were not, it appears, just a passing phase. A survey to mark the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love shows the hippy ethos has moulded our views on everything from war, government, sex, fashion, food and the environment.Almost half of Britons (46 per cent) agree with the slogan Make Love Not War and 49 per cent are opposed to nuclear weapons, a YouGov poll for Reader's Digest found. One in 10 have taken part in an anti-war protest while just over a third think there is never any excuse for war. Just under a third disagree with party politics – much like hippies, who were largely against the party system and preferred to focus on single issues like the environment.The idea of â€Å"free love† has also become mainstream, with 75 per cent agreeing with sex before marriage and one in 10 saying they would have multiple sexual partners. More than a third said they had taken marijuana, while 43 per cent said they were open to meditation and 25 per cent believe in astrology. The sounds of the 60s have also endured, according to the poll. Some 84 per cent of Britons are able to hum or recite at least part of Yellow Submarine and 79 per cent know Puff the Magic Dragon’.

Business Research Method – Banking Questionaire

RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE AN ANALYSIS OF HOW BUSINESS CAN USE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) TO GAIN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: THE CASE OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN ZIMBABWE. SECTION A: RESPONDENT AND BANK PROFILES a) Respondent’s Profile Position in the organisation Please tick where applicable |Clerical | | |Supervisory | | |Managerial | | |Executive | | Length of Service with the Institution Please tick where applicable |1 – 5 years | | |6 – 10 years | | |11 – 16 years | | |16 – 20 years | | |More than 20 years | | |Highest Qualification | |Please tick where applicable | |Certificate | | |Diploma | | Degree | | |Postgraduate | | |PhD | | How long have you been exposed to use of computers? Please tick where applicable |1 – 5 Years | | |6 – 10 Years | | |11 – 15 Years | | |16 – 20 Years | | |More than 20 Years | | ) Bank Profile Bank Name________________________________________ Number of Branches_____________________________________ |Number of Employees | | |Please tick where applicable | | |1 – 100 | | |101 – 200 | | |201 – 300 | | |301 – 400 | | |More than 400 | | Clientele Base (i) Corporate Clients Please tick where applicable |1 – 500 | | |501 – 1 000 | | |1 001 – 1 500 | | |1 501 – 2 000 | | |More than 2 000 | | (ii)Individual Clients Please tick where applicable 1 – 10 000 | | |10 001 – 20 000 | | |20 001 – 30 000 | | |30 001 – 40 000 | | |More than 40 000 | | SECTION B: LEVEL OF AUTOMATION IN THE BANK (a)IT Systems i) Core Banking System |Type of Core Banking System | |Please tick where applicable | | |Globus | | |Equation | | |Bank Master | | |Equinox | | |Flexicube | | |Other (Specify) | | |__________________________________________ | | Year Core Banking System was Introduced †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (ii) Enterprise Resource Planning System Please tick modules used | | |Finance | | |Human resources | | |Inventory management | | |Customer relationship management | | |Business intelligence | | |Other (specify) | | |______________________________________ ____ | | (b)Delivery Channels i) Teller Transactions |Transactions per month | | |Please tick where applicable | | |0 – 50 000 | | |50 001 – 100 000 | | |100 001 – 150 000 | | |150 001 – 200 000 | | |More than 200 000 | | ii) Electronic Transactions a) Use of Credit or Debit Cards |YES |NO | |ATMs (Please tick where applicable) | | | |Transactions per month | | |Please tick where applicable | | |0 – 5 000 | | |5 001 – 10 000 | | |10 001 – 15 000 | | |15 001 – 20 000 | | |More than 20 000 | | |YES |NO | |Internet banking (Please tick where applicable) | | | |Transactions per month | | |Please tick where applicable | | |0 – 5 000 | | |5 001 – 10 000 | | |10 001 – 15 000 | | |15 001 – 20 000 | | |More than 20 000 | | |YES |NO | |Point of Sale (Please tick where applicable) | | | |Transactions per month | | |Please tick where applicable | | |0 – 5 000 | | |5 001 – 10 000 | | |10 001 à ¢â‚¬â€œ 15 000 | | |15 001 – 20 000 | | |More than 20 000 | | b) Electronic Funds Transfer |YES |NO | |Internal Transfers | | | |Please tick where applicable | | | |Transactions per month | | |Please tick where applicable | | |0 – 10 000 | | |10 001 – 20 000 | | |20 001 – 30 000 | | |30 001 – 40 000 | | |More than 40 000 | | |YES |NO | |Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) (Please tick| | | |where applicable) | | | |Transactions per month | | |Please tick where applicable | | |0 – 5 000 | | |5 001 – 10 000 | | |10 001 – 15 000 | | |15 001 – 20 000 | | |More than 20 000 | | |YES |NO | |Society for Worldwide Interbank | | | |Funds Transfer (SWIFT) | | | |(Please tick where applicable) | | | |Transactions per month | | |Please tick where applicable | | |0 – 5 000 | | |5 001 – 10 000 | | |10 001 – 15 000 | | |15 001 – 20 000 | | |More than 20 000 | | SECTION C : BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES a) BENEFITS Please tick where applicable. | |5 |4 |3 |2 |1 | | | |Strongly Agree |Agree |Indifferent |Disagree |Strongly | | | | | | | |Disagree | |1 |Profitability | | | | | | |2 |Increase in market share | | | | | | |3 |Increase in revenue | | | | | | |4 |Reduction in labour costs | | | | | | |5 |Reduction in transaction costs | | | | | | |6 |Improved risk management | | | | | | |7 |Speed in service delivery | | | | | | |8 | Increase in Customer satisfaction | | | | | | b) CHALLENGES Please tick where applicable. | |5 |4 |3 |2 |1 | | | |Very High |High |Moderate |Low |Very Low | |1 |Operating costs | | | | | | |2 |Transaction turnaround time | | | | | | |3 |Risks | | | | | | SECTION D: COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE BROUGHT ABOUT BY I. T. IN BANKING Please tick where applicable. | |5 |4 |3 |2 |1 | | |IT helps in: |Strongly Agree |Agree |Indifferent |Disagree |Strongly | | | | | | | |Disagree | |1 |Lowering costs | | | | | | |2 |Product differentiation | | | | | | |3 |Innovation | | | | | | | 4 |Promoting growth (e. g. evenue) | | | | | | |5 |Developing business partners | | | | | | |6 |Locking in customers and suppliers | | | | | | |7 |Creating switching costs | | | | | | |8 |Raising barriers to entry | | | | | | 9 |Customer Relationship Management | | | | | | |10 |Re-engineering business processes | | | | | | |11 |Quality control | | | | | | Thank you very much for taking your time to complete this questionnaire. The information you have provided will be treated in strict confidentiality. NB: Company details will not be included in the report. Fictitious names will be used.

Leaders in Innovation Assessment Essay

As stated in the assessment instructions, in the field of organizational leadership, many models are used as a means of examining what qualities and skills make an effective leader. Although there is a variety of models I have decided to analyze the behavioural and the transformational theory models. Reviewing the resources recommended for discovery and delivery skills, I learned how those skills have a direct impact on an effective leader’s performance in innovation organization. The discovery skills are based on associating, questioning, observing, experimenting, and networking they are also referred as the DNA of innovation. Delivery skills also play in the innovation process with their four key skills which are analyzing, planning, detail-oriented implementing, and self-disciplined executing. In the body of this paper I will unfold my research on those skills and identify its correlation with innovation. I will also be assessing the strengths and weaknesses on my ability t o support innovation in an organization. Leadership Models Supporting Innovation Over the years, a number of leadership theories have been established including: trait, behavioural, contingency, and transformational theory. My analysis will be on behavioral and transformational. Behavioral Theories As described in Doyle and Smith (2001) early researchers ran out of steam in their search for traits, they turned to what leaders did and how they behaved, specially towards followers. They moved from leaders to leadership and this became the dominant way of approaching leadership within the organizations in the 1950s and early 1960s. Different patterns of behaviour  were grouped together and labeled as styles. This became a very popular activity within management training perhaps the best known being Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid (1964; 1978). Various schemes appeared, designed to diagnose and develop people’s style of working. Despite different names, the basic ideas were very similar. The four main styles that appear are: Concern for task. Here leaders emphasize the achievement of concrete objectives. Concern for people. In this style, leaders look upon their followers as people their needs, interests, problems, and development. Directive leadership. This styl e is characterized by leaders taking decisions for others and expecting followers or subordinates to follow instructions. Participative leadership. Here leaders try to share decision-making with others. The behavioral theory has many assumptions which conclude that leaders can be made rather than born. This theory has a direct approach with innovation in the organization. With the managements concern for their employees it gives everyone in the organization the motivation to innovate. Innovation is all about adaptability and with the behavioral theory leaders are made, which means that they can adapt to any situation that they are confronted with. The following grid model was developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in the early 1960s The grid clarifies the magnitude in which a leader focuses on these dimensions determining the leadership style that they relate to. Some leaders are more concerned with getting the tasks at hand completed successfully in a timely manner. Other leaders prefer creating solid interpersonal relationships with their employees, because by being an oriented leader the employee’s performance will be higher. For example, if you have a high concern for completing a task and achieving results with little concern for having a relationship with people, you would be an authority-obedience manager. Another example: if you have little concern to complete a task or interact with people, you would be an impoverished manager. Transformational Theory Transformational leaders are those leaders who transform followers personal  values and self-concepts, move them to higher levels of needs and aspirations (Jung, 2001), and raise the performance expectations of their followers (Bass, 1995). This leadership has four components; charismatic role modeling, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, and intellectual stimulation. Using charisma, the leader instills admiration, respect, and loyalty, and emphasizes the importance of having a collective sense of mission. By individualized consideration, the leader builds a one-to-one relationship with his or her followers, and understands and considers their differing needs, skills, and aspirations. Thus, transformational leaders articulates an exciting vision of the future, shows the followers the ways to achieve the goals, and expresses his or her belief that they can do. (Bass, 1990) Incorporated by (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990; Damanpour, 1991) has been suggested that transformational leadership is an important source of organizational innovation, empirical studies have not examined the moderating role of this contextual factor while investigating the relationship between transformational leadership and innovation. In addition to external support for innovation, support within the organization, in terms of an innovation supporting climate and adequate resources allocated to innovation might also be an important contextual factor that plays a role in this relationship. Transformational leaders have been suggested to have an impact on innovation. Transformational leaders enhance innovation within the organizational context; in other words the tendency of organizations to innovate. According to (Elkins and Keller, 2003) transformational leaders use inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation which are critical for organizational innovation. They also promote creative ideas within their organizations and their behaviors. Blake , and Jane (n.d.). Discovery and Delivery Skills In recent studies it has been identified that the ability of a person’s creative thinking comes one-third from their genetics; and the other two-thirds of innovation skill set comes through learning (Dyer, Gregersen,  & Christensen, 2009, p. 63). To begin with, a person is given a skill set that they will analyze till understand, then practicing, experimenting, and lastly gaining confidence in one’s capacity to create. The following details will demonstrate by skills how innovative entrepreneurs acquire their innovation skills. The following five skills set that constitute the â€Å"innovators DNA†: associating, questioning, observing, networking, and experimenting. Discovery skill 1: Associating is the ability to successfully connect seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas from different fields, is central to the innovator’s DNA. Discovery skill 2: Questioning the power of provocative questions. To question effectively, innovative entrepreneurs do the following: ask â€Å"why?† and â€Å"why not?† and â€Å"what if?† Discovery skill 3: Observing the behavior of potential customers. In observing others, they act like anthropologists and social scientists. Discovery skill 4: Experimenting, innovative entrepreneurs actively try out new ideas by creating prototypes and launching pilots. Discovery skill 5: Networking is devoting time and energy to finding and testing ideas through a network of diverse individuals gives innovators a radically different perspective. Delivery skills play in the innovation process, improving their discovery, and encouraging themselves and their organizations to take a long-term view. The delivery skills consist of four keys terms: analyzing, planning, detailed-oriented implementing, and self-disciplined executing. At times delivery skills are relatively more important during the maturity growth of a business. Analyzing: examine methodically and in detail the constitution or structure of something or information. Planning: the process of making plans for something. Detail-oriented implementing: capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task well done and executed. Disciplined-executing: acting in accordance, and performing an act successfully. The synthesis of, discovery and delivery skills are critical for delivering results and translating an innovative idea into reality for organizations. According to Dyer, Gregersen, and Christensen, (2011) it is vital to understand that the skills critical to an organization’s success  vary systematically throughout the business life cycle. For example, in the start-up phase of an innovative venture, the founders are obviously more discovery-driven and entrepreneurial. Discovery skills are crucial early in the business life cycle because the company’s key task is to generate new ideas worth pursuing. Thus, discovery skills are highly valued at this stage and delivery skills are secondary. However, once innovative entrepreneurs come up with a promising new business idea and then shape that idea into a bona fide business opportunity, the company begins to grow and then must pay attention to building the processes necessary to scale the idea. Strengths and Weaknesses in Discovery & Delivery Skills Strengths Discovery Skills Weaknesses Associating: I’m always coming up with new ideas to improve things. Experimenting: Like with observing I also like to experiment, but I quickly become frustrated after getting something wrong after a couple of tries. I would like to give myself the ability to keep trying with a positive mind that I will get to the right solution. Questioning: When it comes to questioning I don’t have a mute button. I like to ask enough questions because it helps me come up with the best solution. Networking: I have no networking skills. I’ve had the opportunity to do this in my place of work, but I never take the time to do it. Observing: This skill is definitely one of my strongest. I observe everything that goes around me always finding a better way to solve an issue. StrengthsDelivery SkillsWeaknesses Planning: I enjoy planning, especially when the plan in process will be a success to an issue. Analyzing: I lose interest very easily when I have to sit down for a long period of time to analyze something. Detail-Oriented: When I’m given and assignment I make sure I executed just as it was asked. Discipline-executing: I always make sure I perform to the best of my ability as asked of me following all regulations and procedures to be successful. Having good associating, questioning, observing, planning, detail-oriented, and discipline-executing skills will not only be beneficial for me, but also  for the organization that I work for. Due to the fact that innovation is a critical aspect for organizations, senior executives are always seeking for candidates with these types of skills because it will contribute to their ability to innovate and be successful in the business with strategically ideas since executives don’t feel responsible for innovating. Unfortunately due to that fact; that my weaknesses with experimenting, networking, and analyzing will hinder my ability to support innovation in an organization at 100%. Although I’m not as concerned even though my weaknesses will delay any project I might be working on, but with trial in error I can convert those weaknesses into strengths. As stated in the innovators DNA, practice, practice, practice. Though innovative thinking may be innate to some, it can also be developed and strengthened through practice. Conclusion Through the models and detailed explanations we have learned how the behavioral and transformational theories are a big part of innovation and organizations. The roles of discovery and delivery skills are crucial in an organization to innovate with ideas, research, and these skills are a company’s success to innovate and succeed. I feel comfortable with my discovery and delivery skills, my role now are to practice and work on my weaknesses. A candidate with all the skills in place; is better than one with just a few. References Barnard, C. (1938), new definition of leadership. Retrieved from http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/theories/leadership_theories.htm Bass, B. M. (1990). From Transactional to Transformational Leadership: Learning to Share the Vision. Organizational Dynamics, 18(3): 19-32. Bass, B. M. (1995). Transformational Leadership. Journal of Management Inquiry, 4(3): 293 298. Behavioral Grid Retrieved from http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/classical-leadership-theories-lesson-quiz.html#lesson Cohen, W. M. and Levinthal, D. A. (1990).Absorptive Capacity: A New Perspective on Learning and Innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35: 128-152. Damanpour, F. (1991). Organizational Innovation: A Meta-analysis of Effects of Determinants and Moderators. Academy of Management Journal, 34: 555-590. Doyle, M. E., & Smith, M. K. (2001). Classical models of managerial leadership: Trait, behavioral, contingency and transformational theory. Retrieved from Infed Web site: http://www.infed.org/leadership/tradional_leadership.htm. Dyer, J. H., Gregersen, H. B., & Christensen, C. M. (2009, December). The innovator’s DNA. Harvard Business Review, 87(12), 60–67. Dyer, J. H., Gregersen, H. B., & Christensen, C. M. (2011). The innovator’s DNA: Mastering the five skills of disruptive innovators. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press. Elkins, T. and Keller, R. T. (2003). Leadership in Research and Development Organizations: A Literature Review and Conceptual Framework. Leadership Quarterly, 14: 587-606. Jung, D. I. (2001). Transformational and Transactional Leadership and Their Effects on Creativity in Groups. Creativity Research Journal, 13 (2): 185-195 Transformational model Retrieved from http://strategyofnarayan.blogspot.com/2013/04/assignment-of-week-23.html