Cell phones while driving

A cell phone isn't Just a device used for communication, but it can become a distraction while driving. Using a cellular device whilst driving can be dangerous because of the distractions they can cause. Any time a person looks down at their phone, anything can happen whether it's nothing or really bad. The main concern is car accidents. Car accidents happen all the time because of distractions that people don't think about because it doesn't seem to matter at the time. According to statistics, 11% of all fatal crashes under the GE of 20 in the US are because of drivers being distracted.Many teens in the US use their cellular device while driving. This is a much bigger problem because they're putting themselves in danger at a younger age. As a teen driver, they are mostly not as experienced and if certain incidents happen they can possibly cost their life. But overall, I personally believe that cell phones should not be used no matter what age you are. Cell phones, not only puts your self In danger, but others In the car as well as the other cars around you. A person can lose focus and risk themselves into danger with there vehicles and cause Injuries to the others.Drivers should always be aware of their surroundings because If there are other drivers who go out of control, they can always be prepared and make it out safe. If distractions, mainly cell phones, are being used, the driver Is putting themselves at risks for disaster for not paying attention. Putting yourself In danger Is bad, but putting others In danger for your actions Is much worse. All In all, cell phones being used In a car Is very dangerous. It may not seem Like It at the time, put It can be too late when an accident or an Injury occurs.

Mothers Against Driving

This essay is about a nationally known lobbying group known as MADD or Mothers Against Driving. This is an organization that was first created by a woman named Candy Lightner whom in 1980 tragically lost her daughter to a repeat offense drunk driver. This organization or lobbying group works very hard and whose goal is to keep drivers off the road who have had too much to drink and to also make sure that drunk driving laws are enforced.The thesis statement is â€Å"Mothers Against Drunk Driving has arguably been one of the most successful public-health grassroots citizen dvocacy organizations in the United States in the past century. â€Å"(Fell and Voas). This whole idea of MADD started years ago when Candy Lightner's daughter Carl, was walking with her friend and was struck and killed by a man who left the scene of the accident, and was drunk driving. After she was told that he actually was only out of Jail for two days after being arrested for another hit- and- run drunk- drivin g crash.His record had reflected three other arrests-two resulted in convictions and one was reduced to a reckless driving offense. It was soon after this that Candy Lightner and a few friends started MADD to fight against drunk drivers. The first chapter that was started in Maryland was by another woman named Cindi Lamb who was trying to fight the fact that her five month old daughter became paralyzed by a repeat drunk driver offender as well. The two women were brought together by a press secretary to congress and had a news conference that brought a lot of attention to this impaired-driving problem that is everywhere.Soon all over the nation Candy Lightner was contacted to comment on high profile cases. This lobbying roup was incorporated in 1980 as a California corporation. † By June of 1981 it had achieved IRS tax-free status: later in the year, it received$100,OOO in private funds. † Articles on the organization appeared in many magazines and newspapers out there s uch as Los Angeles Times, Family Circle. Candy was the guest on many talk shows such as The Today Show, Phil Donahue and others. With the great increase in media attention to the impaired-driving problem and the surge in alcohol legislation in the 1980's, there was a heartening reduction in alcohol- related fatal crashes between 980 an 1995. â€Å"(NHTSA, 1995). MADD had developed a strong capability to respond to the growing press and interest in this ever growing problem. This part of the essay contains the claim and some of the background. There is a lot of evidence both qualitative and quantitative in MADD's effect on the impaired-driving problem we have in our America. There is general acceptance of the relationship between laws, their enforcement, and public education on driver perceptions of the risk of being caught for DUI (driving under the influence) which affect public attitudes toward impaired driving. (Gladwell, 2001). MADD founder Candy has been invited to speak at th e formal signing of each of the legislative bills. Six of the most important pieces of alcohol safety legislation are MLDA 21 laws, zero tolerance for youth laws,. 08BAC limit laws,ALS laws, illegal per se laws and increased adoption of the legislative laws.This is part of the three tiered approach to the ending of drinking and driving. At the community level, MADD has chapters that help support police enforcement activities when it comes to strong DUI enforcement and rewarding police officers who make the most DUI arrests. Before MADD offenders were given light sentences but now there is a lot of court monitoring by MADD to assure offenders gets there Just do. This part of the essay contains some of the background and body, along with supporting evidence and data and scholarly research.An opposing view to MADD comes from the American Beverage Licenses or (ABL). This organization represents beer, wine and spirits retailers in the U. S. They have made many anti-MADD statements as wel l as criticizing General Motors. One of the claims that the ABL has made is that MADD targets social drinkers†ABL claims hat MADD would have you arrested if you had a glass of wine with dinner and then driven safely home or if you had a cocktail with your friends after work before heading home.They also claim that MADD wants to criminalize the 40 million adults that responsibly enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a beer at a ball game and drive safely home. â€Å"(Hingson and Winter, 2003) This is simply not a true statement. MADD is just in support to the lowering of blood alcohol levels to 0. 08 and that is not reached by a glass of wine or from one beer. This level is reached by an average male size ho consumes 4 drinks in 1 hour or by an average sized female consuming 3 drinks. Social drinking does not attain to a blood alcohol level of 0. 8. General Motors is viewed as being a support for MADD but ABL claims that General Motors should be held accountable for supporting MADD. This could be viewed as a rebuttal to the opposing view of ABL. In Conclusion there is a lot of evidence that MADD has helped so many victims of drunk driving and they give so much of their time providing not only emotional support but also victim assistance programs and court accompaniments and that is hy this lobbying group is so very important to a lot of people and in helping so many.

Canadian Globalization Essay

Canadian scholar Marshall McLuhan once said that the world is becoming more and more like a â€Å"global village,† each nation part of an increasingly interconnected society that stretches across national boundaries (6). Although he was talking about the role of new media in this change, he also was probably talking about the growing economic links that come with globalization. Globalization is a process that offers both the opportunity for a better world and the risk of destroying local communities, regional cultures, and entire natural environments. Over the last century, globalization has become a major issue in politics, environmental studies, and economics, touching every corner of earth as corporations spread. But Globalization is a broad term that does not necessarily mean one single thing. It usually describes the increasing interconnectedness of economies, political institutions, and individuals as the result of communication, transportation, and goods provided by multinational corporations. As Justin Ervin and Zachary Smith define it, â€Å"Globalization can now be seen as a process that ‘shrinks’ the world as human interaction ‘thickens’† (4). The effects of globalization are neither good nor bad; there are costs and benefits as with most things in life. What is certain is that no nation on earth has not yet felt the effects of globalization. One nation that has been particularly involved in and affected by globalization is Canada. Canada is a nation often overshadowed by its economically dominant southern neighbor, the United States. As the world continues to globalize, Canada’s role in this expansion is becoming increasingly important, and whether it will accept globalization entirely or continue to resist is a major point of debate. Canada has both embraced and rejected globalization: many of its corporations embrace it as a means of expanding, but many of Canada’s people fear the effects of globalization on local culture, the economy, and the environment. For Canada, globalization has brought both economic prosperity and a series of cultural and environmental problems. In an address to the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, Wayne G. Wouters, Clerk of the Privy council and Secretary to the Cabinet, there are five dimensions to globalization. First, â€Å"global capital markets now ruly operate 24/7† and â€Å"perturbations in one country or sector may now be felt both near and far. † Globalization has made business both quick in time and geographically broad. Second, there are now â€Å"global supply chains† where products are made and shipped all across the globe. What started out as â€Å"outsourcing† in the 1980s became â€Å"off-shoringâ €  in the 1990s, and now is called the â€Å"global supply chain. † Third, there is the â€Å"globalization of information,† an interconnected network of media and communication. Fourth, globalization raises environmental concerns. Last, there is what Wouters calls the â€Å"globalization of insecurity,† the idea that the future is even more uncertain in a world where everything is connected and nothing is stable for long. These dimensions highlight that globalization is seen in Canada as both a force for good and a problem. Throughout its history Canada has had strong ties to Europe and later to the United States. As part of the British Empire it was an important source of natural resources such as timber and ores. In recent decades, the Canadian oil industry has become increasingly important as well. Canada has the third largest oil reserves in the world after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela (Lewis and Moor). Other industries such as technology, chemicals, and manufacturing continue to make Canada a major player in the world economy. But what does the continued growth of Canadian industry and its own involvement with globalization do to its regional cultures? How is Canadian identity affected by the spread of products and ideas from multinational corporations? How can Canada embrace globalization without sacrificing its natural and national resources? All of these questions are important when we look at the role of Canada on the global stage. Most importantly, it must be rightly remembered that the effects of globalization on Canada are not entirely beneficial or entirely damaging, demonstrating that globalization is both an agent of positive change and potential dangers. As a European colony founded mainly for trade, you might say that Canada has always been global. It has attracted people from all over the world . It was only in the 1920s that the US finally replaced Britain as the â€Å"leading provider of foreign investment in Canada† (Azzi). As David Lewis and Karl Moor note, tariffs and high taxes kept Canada relatively isolated as far as international trade goes until after World War II. In 1947 the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) opened up the Canadian economy by reducing tariffs and taxes on imports and exports. According to Azzi and also to Ervin and Smith (19), this led directly to the growth of Canada’s international presence as a major worldwide economy. Later actions such as the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in 1989 led to more economic success (Azzi). This contributed to the fact that in 2012 Canada had $481. 7 billion in exports, the eleventh most of any country, although most of these exports are bought by the United States. More recently, Canada prospered through the 1990s and early 2000s. Then, after a 12 year surplus, Canada struggled in 2008 when the world economy started to decline. But Canadian banks came out of the crisis pretty well. In fact, according to the CIA Factbook, Canadian banks â€Å"emerged from the financial crises of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world. Canada also has one of the world’s largest economies, valued at $1. 5 trillion dollars annually. A recent report by Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of Canada, notes that globalization has been a generally positive force for Canada. He says that â€Å"hundreds of millions of people have already been lifted out of poverty, with the real potential for hundreds of millions more to share their destiny. † Carney points to Canada’s current participation in globalization as part of the nation’s second longest expansion, which he compares to the Roman Empire and the Industrial Revolution. Carney sees the trends toward better growth, such as the doubling of the Canadian labor force by 2050, as signs that Canada will prosper at home and abroad. Canada remains a powerhouse on the international stage. Stephen Azzi calls Canada â€Å"one of the most globally integrated countries in the world. † It belongs to 14 international organizations, â€Å"second only to the US, which is a member of 15† (Azzi). This has led to prosperity and increased influence on the world stage. Globalization provides many benefits for Canada as a whole. For example, Canada enjoys the second highest standard of living in the G-8, and the eighth highest standard of living overall (CIA Factbook). Canadians enjoy access to products from around the world, travel frequently, and foreign trade has increased the overall prosperity of Canada. This is especially true for its businesses. Canadian corporations are becoming more and more international over the last three decades, as recent studies have shown. In one The Russell Reynolds Associates conducted a survey to see how Canadian companies were adapting to the new global economy. The results showed in the report, â€Å"A World of Experience: The Globalization of Canadian Corporate Leadership,† suggests that Canadian companies are getting significantly more global at both the top and bottom of their levels. The Reynolds study took CEOs from Canada’s 100 largest corporations. It then measured how much international experience each of these executives had. According to the results the percentage of Canadian CEOs with international work experience rapidly increased between 1987 and 2007. What is even more interesting is that more and more Canadian CEOs are getting their international experience in countries other than the United States and Europe. This is a sure sign that Canadian companies are moving forward with a global perspective in mind. They are led by executives who understand that the world is interconnected now by â€Å"webs of global supply† (Reynolds). From Russell Reynolds and Associates Study 1987-2007 The Reynolds Report suggested that the benefits of participating in global markets are many. Their study also shows the importance of being able to trade internationally, since Canada is actively trying to become more global economically. It is especially important for Canada to look to the United States, one of the world’s most globalized economies. There has been a good deal of government action on both sides that have further globalized Canada. For example, the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was ratified in 1988, causing Canada’s business scene to change. New markets opened up and more trade connections were expanded than ever before. Afterwards the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the establishment of the World Trade Organization in 1995 (WTO) built Canada’s role even further. According to Stephen Azzi, Canada’s role in the WTO has made it an important part of other large international financial organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. One of the main questions about globalization in Canada is how it strengthens the country’s connection with the United States. As the United States became one of the forefronters of globalization, Canada was also close behind. The expansion of the Canadian and global economies and the growth of emerging markets in developing nations improved trade and lowered investment barriers so that Canadian money could flow across the globe. Business was booming. Canadian firms began selling their products to other countries and creating â€Å"global supply chains and contracts. † Canadian companies also got access to lower-cost raw materials and cheaper labor. Even when foreign firms entered Canada’s markets which increased the competition faced by domestic firms: â€Å"By 2007, Canada’s foreign imports and exports equaled 62 percent of its GDP, compared with only 43 percent in 1987. When Canadian firms started selling their companies and products to globally recongnized and international countries, the competetion increased making others more dependent on Canada. The entire Canadian economy grew as a result. A recent CBS News report at the Summit of the Americas, â€Å"What is Globalization? † (March 30, 2006) discussed the debate over what globalization means in different places. Canada was an early supporter of trade and investment liberalization and remains so today. More than 40 per cent of the country’s economy depends directly on trade. The Canadian government thinks expanding trade and international investment is vital to the economy, but not everyone agrees. The definition of globalization from an anti-globalization group known as Anti-Marketing says globalization is â€Å"the process of exploiting economically weak countries by connecting the economies of the world, forcing dependence on (and ultimately subservience to) the western capitalist machine. † However, the report did not say that globalization did not have its fair share of problems. It pointed to problems of higher unemployment, lowered health care and decreased safety standards. It also pointed to the lower environmental protection standards, less effective government as corporations have more power, and less protection for developing industries and countries. Globalization can also provide easier communications due to improved technologies. This allows Canadian corporations to set up manufacturing plants in newly industrializing economies like China, India or Latin America where costs of production are lower. Although this often lowers the prices of goods, this also causes local Canadians to lose their jobs, resulting in discontentment, resentment, and loss in confidence in the Canadian government. Labor groups also dislike this effect of globalization. Often strikes and riots will be organized as the economy further suffers as companies continue to export jobs overseas. This problem is one that is both social and economic as local workers blame their economic problems on the outsourcing of labor. Worldwide communication also affects daily life in Canada. Canada is extremely well-connected to the rest of the world. According to Azzi, â€Å"the average Canadian spends more than 500 minutes per year on international telephone calls. † This communication goes beyond technology such as phones and internet. Canadians are also avid travelers. Canada has the forth most airports in the world (CIA Factbook). This increases the exchange of goods and ideas, making Canada a real hub. Of course, globalization has not met with universal acceptance. In his article â€Å"Globalization is Killing Canada: Fight for Your Freedom,† Paul Hellyer, Canada’s former Deputy Prime Minister, makes an argument against globalization. Hellyer sees globalization as part of the reason why Canadian values are disappearing and Canadian independence is being threatened. Hellyer even sees globalization as a threat to Canada’s sovereignty, saying that â€Å"Canadian values are disappearing rapidly as we lose our independence and our sovereignty. † He believes Canada is losing control of its most important industries and losing its most exciting and challenging jobs as companies move their headquarters to other parts of the world. Hellyer claims Canada has become a victim of globalization, a process that is good for two to five percent of the world’s richest and most powerful people. It is bad for the vast majority. Global cooperation is essential for protecting oceans, ozone global warming but the relentless drive on the part of multinational corporations and international banks to take over governance of the world for their own benefit has to stop before it’s too late. Mr. Hellyer details the history of Canadian globalization and sees that foreign companies are increasingly more powerful within Canada. He specifically points to Nafta as a treaty that â€Å"granted US and Mexican investors greater rights in Canada than Canadian citizens enjoy. Hellyer sees this as very problematic, and his title gives out his position on the matter. Even if he does think that it is â€Å"killing Canada,† Hellyer does not write off globalization entirely. In fact, he sees many positive things can come out of international cooperation. For example, he sees a need for countries to cooperate in order to restore the environment to its former glory. But Hellyer sees international corporations as more of a threat. He certainly fears the environmental effects of globalization, but he also seems to see that corporations might be the most appropriate way to repair the environment. Stephen Azzi sees similar problems, noting that the two major problems with globalization for Canada are an increased reliance on foreign economies and a greater dependence on the US. Azzi states that early attempts to broaden global trade ended up strengthening American commerical interests but not other nations. It is seen as a problem by many Canadians, and many â€Å"viewed multilateral trade agreements as a way of offsetting the influence of the US. † This problem is hard to ignore. Three quarters of all Canadian exports go to the United States (CIA Factbook). The resistance to globalization became most vocal in the 1960s and 70s. Nationalist movements in Canada saw globalization as a threat to national identity. There were protests by Canadians who were afraid that globalization might erase their local cultures and destroy the environment. The government took some actions to promote Canadian identity. One was the Canadian government establishing â€Å"content quotas for radio and television† and benefits for Canadian publications (Azzi). This was to promote Canadian media instead of being overwhelmed by American and British television, film, and publications. But this had little overall effect. Even when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau tried to promote the Foreign Investment Review Agency in 1974 and the â€Å"Third Option† program to reduce economic and social dependence on the United States, there was little change. Canada stayed watching American programs and buying American products. More recently, Canadians have been involved in widespread opposition to globalization. At the 1999 World Trade Organization Summit in Seattle, many Canadians were involved in the protests. These protests turned violent, but led to international recognition that globalization had opponents even in a globalized country like Canada. At the 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City there were similar protests. Canadian protesters felt that the country was falling into the hands of international corporations, particularly American ones. Instead of promoting regional cultures, these protesters felt that there was a â€Å"global monoculture . . . increasingly destroying local traditions† (Hellyer). That is the main threat to Canadian locals. Globalization in the past century has led to the increased exposure of Canada to the world. This has sometimes brought globalization into the news as a cause of social problems, especially immigration. Chain migration takes place in Canada, bringing large numbers of foreign migrants into the country. Although migrants can make a positive contribution to Canada’s economy, they can, on the other hand, work against the Canadian society by increasing the social tension between Canadian locals and foreigner migrants. For example, in the city of Richmond in the Vancouver metropolitan area, there are large numbers of Asian migrants and social tension between groups. Migrants also complete with Canadians for the same jobs. But population movement is made even more intense by improved transportation. It is significantly easier in recent years for families to relocate and for goods to be shipped from various countries around the world. The major effect of this increased interconnectedness is that populations have become highly mobile. People are not constrained to remain in a single place for their entire life but rather are now able to move about, often following multinational corporations for whom they work.

Dualizm in V for Vendeta Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dualizm in V for Vendeta - Research Paper Example Further, the conflicting reaction about the movie seeks to expose the aspect of dualism in the movie v for vendetta. This paper seeks to evaluate the existence of dualism and the supporting dispositional reactions from the various standpoints the people exhibit after watching the movie v for vendetta. Moreover, the paper will employ the various elements of dualism to expose the underlying myths and archetypes prevailing in the movie v for vendetta. The movie v for vendetta is viewed by many of the audience as exhibiting dystopia. In literal sense, the movie v for vendetta, falling democracy focused fictional reality, is staged in a future (the year 2048) that presents the world as we know it but with significant and terrible changes (Nash 1). The movie exposes powerful and evil men who use their authority to oppress the civilians as we see when V rescues Evey from the wrath of this forced totalitarian leadership. In the movie, we see secret government officials who subject the citize ns to a complicated style of life thereby depriving them of their basic human rights as is the object of democracy. The secret government officials keenly watch every action of people like Evey and this is what V seeks to avert. The impression of an all ruling government which the people of England seem to have allowed is to blame, according to V, for the political and economic conditions prevailing as in the movie. We see this practiced in the move where the totalitarian government watches the action of specified citizens, monitor and store such information, which they later utilize to incriminate innocent people as in the case of Evey (Ebert 1). While watching the movie v for vendetta, one would easily single out the prominent use of the myths to expose the extremity of the focused themes and lead thoughts in the director’s mind to expose the declining democracy and the power of a changed will to rally the people behind ensuring the change from totalitarian leadership prosp ects to democracy focused management leadership (Jolin 2). Myth is a fundamental tool that science-oriented fiction writers utilize to emphasize certain components of their futuristic analogies (Nash, 3). In V for Vendetta for instance, we see significant myths when V seeks to rescue Evey from the hands of the totalitarian leaders, thereby referred to as finger men. The fact that V punched and eventually killed a member of the finger men leadership from a single hit using the butt of his knife is a myth aimed at underlying the power that democracy has in influencing and disengaging totalitarian leadership. Further, the indication that V’s punch sent the finger man flying over five feet is evidently a myth. In the same scene we see the finger man punching V and the mask failing to show any damage. This indicates that V is primarily stronger than every ordinary man, which seeks to expose the theme of democracy-focused leadership in overpowering the unruly totalitarian leadershi p. Additionally, the overruling association of the stage timing and the specific movie dates to both the political instability between specific countries and the terrorist attacks of the September 11 is a significant myth that cannot fail the attention of any analysis of the movie v for vendetta. The role that V plays in the movie is clearly an archetype of the terror events of the well remembered 9/11 attacks that shook the world over. In this regard, there has been a predominant linkage by many of the audience of v for vendetta between the movie and the expected

Hazardous Waste Management - the Latex and Solvent Based Cans Essay

Hazardous Waste Management - the Latex and Solvent Based Cans - Essay Example Three, the container may be perceived to be empty if not more than three percent of the weight of the entire size of the container remains if the container is equivalent to or less than 110 gallons in volume. Four, a container is seen as empty if less than 0.3 percent of the weight of the entire size of the container is constant if the container’s size is larger than 110 gallons (Orloff, & Falk, 2003).   Containers with sizeable drumming should be handled with extreme caution because they are more probable to have fairly tremendous inner pressures. Before any handling, the bulging 55-gallon container must be physically assessed to attain significant information on the content. The flex test should be conducted on the bulging 55-gallon container by carrying out downward force to the container utilizing the palm heel. Nonetheless, additional methods may be employed together with the flex tests to establish if the container is pressurized. If it is probable, the container should not be moved due to the internal pressure. If it has to be removed from the location, the container should be handled with a grappler unit designed for containing an explosion. The container may be cautiously overpacked or transported far away to permit lying on a firm surface. Despite being approximately half full, the mirror back paint drum should be moved to a location away from the workers or the general pub lic. The container should be placed in a household hazardous waste collection site. Also, the paint may be solidified through a cautious process (Orloff, & Falk, 2003). The dried solvent-based paint cans should be sealed. Then, the cans should be put in several plastic waste bags and then the bags should be tightly shut. Afterwards, the sealed plastic waste bags may be placed with other facility wastes. The wet latex paint cans should be placed in an upside-down manner for the paint to develop a seal all-around the cover. In addition, the wet latex paint containers can be dried by adding absorbent substances, for example, sand or shredded newspaper to quicken the drying process.  Ã‚  

Alternative Health Paradigms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alternative Health Paradigms - Essay Example gathering scientific knowledge but also with establishing institutions for the production of scientific knowledge free inherently from ideological biases. The technological dimension of science has been apparent in how science has bred and has interlinked with technology for economic uses and benefits. These dimensions were also temporally successive in that Western science was borne out of philosophical study which emphasized the requirement of empirical investigation and rationalization. Science in its nascent stages was more on shaping its characteristically Western attitude of objectification and reductionism; that is, scientific truths were either derived from viewing Nature as an object for man’s benefit or from the deconstructive analysis of knowledge. Subsequent philosophies of Western science shifted its focus from experimental results to experimental processes. Although Jamison did not point it out explicitly, one can infer that the institutionalization of science was borne out of the early scientific community’s shift from its study of the results of experimentation to the study of the process of experimentation. This segued into the production of knowledge by means of formulating hypothesis and carrying out the experimentation to verify and produce new kn owledge. With science out in the open, its progress escalated and the production of knowledge led to new knowledge that can be of economic advantage; Western science has thus come to where it is now – a commodity. Criticism has dogged Western science from the time of its inception and up to the present. Jamison (1994) narrowed down his analysis of the various criticisms to relevant issues pertaining to how the relativism between Western science and traditional knowledge apply to contemporary concerns. Jamison (1994) grouped the criticisms into three thematic categories: romantic critique, environmental critique, and feminist critique. The romantic critics claimed that Western science

Sources of finance For Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sources of finance For Expansion - Essay Example The most intriguing phenomena associated with IPOs are the poor performance in the long run. Generally the period of evaluation is from one to three years. Take any of the threshold IPOs that are sure to under perform. Researches have shown that this underperformance will last up to three to five years. Ritter and welsh (1992) clearly shown that there is 23.4 % for a three year buy and hold strategy. There are many explanations presented why IPO under perform when compared to any threshold. After beginning of the company its shares are sold to the public to accumulate the initial capital for the company. To purchase the necessary equipment and raw material the company needs this amount. Without the initial capital no company can begin their basic operations. The reason behind selling shares to the general public is, as the public constitute a large population who can generate huge amount of capital and they also constitute a large context of population who are also the consumers for the products being manufactured and sold by this company. The reason behind general public buying the shares of the companies are that the returns gives by the company on the shares purchased is proportional to the profit of the company. If the company is making huge profits then a part of the profit is divided and equally distributed to the shareholders with respect to there purchased quantity. Limited equi Rajinder Deane October 13, 2006 Page 3 Limited equity financing is used by most of the small or growth stage businesses. Whereas in debt financing, funds pour in from different quarters like from friends, relatives, etc. Venture capitalists are the most common source of equity funding. Venture capitalists may be institutional risk takers, financial institutions, wealthy persons, etc. and most of them specialize in industries. Commercial finance companies, financial institutions, banks, savings and loans, Lloyds Bank small business, etc. are some of the sources for debt financing. Because of their positive impact on the whole economy local and state government encourage the growth of the small companies. In debt financing additional funds comes from friends, family, relatives, and industry colleagues, etc when capital investment is smaller. When the equity to debt ratio of the firm is high then debt financing should be taken. If the proportion of the debt to equity ratio of the firm is high then it is advised that the owners should increase their equity investment, that way they cannot jeopardize firm's survival. Sincerely, Jack Stroth References 4hb.com. What is the Business Letter Format Retrieved October 12 2006, .

Marketing Research Buyers and Their Budgets Article

Marketing Research Buyers and Their Budgets - Article Example Sullivan identified the following factors that research buyers take into account, to wit: (1) meeting buyers’ needs more; (2) commitment for partnership; and (3) incorporating the effects of the changes in the environment, like a recession, at present. The author’s views are most relevant for organization’s perusal specifically those taking into account the recent consumers’ preferences, attitudes, and values in response to environmental concerns. The recent financial turmoil that beset the global markets necessitated a review of various organizations’ strategies: marketing, operations, financial, human resources, among others. The relevance of scanning the environment is critical to adjust and adapt corporate strategies which would ensure the accomplishment of organizational goals. Organizations that invest in marketing research must recognize the benefits that they would derive from the suppliers of information as against any costs that would be incurred for employing their services. Thereby, the author’s inputs are relevant to review contemporary marketing strategies in the light of the financial crisis that affected global markets. Sullivan’s contentions are compatible with traditional marketing theories which stipulate the need to factor in recession and its potential aftermath. A period of deep shortages calls for strategic remarketing. Many consumer changes call for new marketing rethinking which would be made available through an effective marketing research effort. According to Kotler (1980, 708), â€Å"marketing is an evolving discipline that must develop new answers as new problems arise†. The recession and the preceding developments lead to changing consumer lifestyle, characterized by more sensible or austere consumption. Firms could re-assess their strategies to recognize a marketing opportunity to serve the needs of the growing segment of sensible consumers.

Discussion Questions Week 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion Questions Week 1 - Essay Example For instance, it might be determined that a 4-year degree at a technical school will provide a $100,000 income while a 2-year degree at a specialty school will only provide a $60,000 income after graduation. A person must determine the steps involved in getting an education and determine which option will be the most valuable long-term. A person making $60,000 will have less financial capabilities than another who earns $100,000, making it harder to contribute to charitable or community organizations. However, the time investment should be considered as part of economics because family members will be affected, as well as the whole of a person’s lifestyle, depending on which decision is made. The biggest question which should be asked is how decision-making will impact the self, the household, the local community and even the broader society as part of economics in daily life. From an organizational viewpoint, economics determines how specific activities impact other activities in a society. A manufacturing business will determine the cost of raw materials, the labor and investment necessary to produce them, and consider whether customers will want to buy these products. As a single organization, micro-level business activities and various departments work together in the pursuit of generating a final product. Each division or business unit maintains a unique function, however each contributes to the whole of the organization, creating an entire unit of economic activities. In the business environment, it is a common theme to recognize aspects of sales and marketing, such as knowing your consumer and their basic demographics such as income, social lifestyle and cultural values. From a macro-level perspective, social systems work together with their own unique functions, creating a solid society where each action by each group impacts the other group. This is no different in business as the

Promote In-Patient Safety Awareness between Staff and Inpatient in Dissertation

Promote In-Patient Safety Awareness between Staff and Inpatient in Regards of Incidence Misidentification at SMC - Dissertation Example Lack of managerial support, inability to develop a dynamic work environment, and failure to establish positive attitudes towards colleagues and the work itself were all found to lead to adverse outcomes in change implementation. Thus, improvement of managers’ performance along with the increase of staff members’ awareness and knowledge of wristband application practises and guidelines was emphasized in the project. Recommendations and implications for practise have been presented as well. Because the management was found out to be incapable of establishing a helpful environment for the members, it is important that training and support are provided for both the staff members as well as the management. In this manner, both parties can undertake the necessary transformations for improving a culture of safety through effective patient identification. Acknowledgments I would like to extend my thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Hala Bader Sulaibckh, for her support, encouragement, positive criticisms, confidence, and patience. Thanks also go to my thesis committee members, Dr. Jonathan Drennan and Ms. Kathrin Abu Zaid, for their time, guidance, and support. Extreme appreciation is extended to Asma Ahmed Al Arwalle for her support and willingness to help. Additional thanks goes to the Dr. Hala Sweed for her explanation and guidance during thesis journey. Also thanks goes to all the staff how welcoming me into their department. I was continually impressed by the level of care and compassion shown to the patients in the challenging Salmanyia Medical Complex (SMC) environment. A special thanks to those who participated in the project, for their spirited discussions and enthusiasm to make their hospital as safe as possible. I am also very grateful to Dr. Wafa Guirguis from the Ministry of Health as external advisor and evaluator for hospital clinical indicator for her help, keenness, and support in finding meaning in the measures. Last but definitely not least, t hanks to my family and friends, who’s determined, hopefulness was furtively appreciated. Table of Contents Page Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 4 Chapter 1 Introduction 8 1.1 Introduction 8 1.2 Rationale for carrying out the change 10 1.3 Summary 10 Chapter 2 the Literature Review 12 2.1Introduction 12 2.2 Inpatient Journey 12 2.3 Patient Safety 13 2.4 Flow of Inpatient Identification Information 18 2.5 Wristband Implementation: An Overview 20 2.6 Summary 23 Chapter 3 Methods 25 3.1 Introduction 25 3.2 Change process 26 3.3 Change model 28 3.3.1 Establishment of Urgency 30 3.3.2 A Guiding Coalition 30 3.3.3 Vision and Strategy 31 3.3.4 Communication 31 3.3.5 Empowerment of Members 32 3.3.6 Creation of Short-Term Wins 33 3.3.7 Consolidation of Improvements 33 3.3.8 Institutionalization of New Approaches 34 3.4 Summary 34 Chapter 4 Evaluation 35 4.1 Introduction 35 4.2 Current Situation before Change 35 Figure 1. Frequency and percentage breakdown: Use of IDs 37 Figure 2. Frequency and percentage breakdown: Reasons why IDs were not worn 37 Figure 3.Frequency and percentage breakdown: Name 38 Figure 4. Frequency and percentage breakdown: CPR 38 Figure 5. Frequency and pe

Identity-Feminist Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Identity-Feminist - Term Paper Example Usually, the fear of unknown if women replaced men in the works they did, somehow brings about a difference between genders. Women empowerment is a great weapon from women to become independent from the oppression they have been from men (Kimmel, Amy & Kaler 2). With the mushrooming up of many gender activists and governments support, women became to get empowered and achieved their dreams. In a society that is gender based, fighting for the rights of women to be equal to that of men is really a hard task, but something still has be done. Therefore, any person who supports the rights of women in the society is usually a feminist. In this present generation, with much confusion originating from the aspect gender, still there is need for the minority and the oppressed gender to be given their rightful place in the society. It is high time women came up and proved themselves, but in order to reach there, much fighting for their rights have to be done. Recent researches have shown that t here exist little difference between man and woman and hence there is no need for gender inequality to exist. Today, gender being a very sensitive issue due to occurrence of gender based violence in most countries; careful attention has to be accorded to the empowerment of women (Kimmel, Amy & Kaler, 2). Gender on the other hand is defined as the relations between women and men, and can be both material and perpetual. In the past, people used to confuse gender as a tern that used to refer to women and men based on their sexual characteristics, but Holler and Miller try to give it another perspective from which to view gender. Emphasis is usually made on gender not to be determined biologically due to sexual characteristics of women and men like in the old times, but nowadays constructed from the social perspective. Society being the place where gender lays means it plays a key role in influencing gender. These two authors tried very much to show the relationship between gender and t he society and how the two are linked too. Gender is regarded as a vital organizing principle of societies and sometimes governs the process of reproduction and production, distribution and also consumption. Despite this definition, most people associate gender with women. This is not the case since gender addresses issues dealing with women, relationships between women and men, their roles, control and access of resources, labour division, needs and interests. Living in such times where the true meaning is not understood by many, much efforts will be needed in case of fighting for women rights. In a country constantly being struck by news concerning gender based violence, denotes the need to be more careful and sensitive while dealing with issues regarding women empowerment (Holler & Kimmel 24). From an analytical angle, Holler and Kimmel tried to not to be biased while speaking about gender like many people do. By introducing the feminist theory in their writing, proved to be femi nists. These authors are more concerned about changing the past notion in which gender was viewed and try to replace it with their current concept. It seems that these two authors were after changing people’s minds on how they handle the aspect of gender in the society plus add more concerning gender inequality (Kimmel, Amy & Kaler 20). There has always been an issue of gender inequality in many societies over the past decades. Gender inequality denotes the disparity between people because of gender. Gender systems are

The Role of Itil Essay Example for Free

The Role of Itil Essay 1. Within an IT support help desk environment, describe the role of ITIL standards in the provision of quality IT service management. An ITIL Service Desk uses a standard set of best practices for lowering costs and improving the quality of IT service delivery. The aim of a Service Desk is to act as the operational interface between the IT organization and its customers, for achieving an organization’s goals. An ITIL Service Desk isn’t only concerned with taking and responding to calls, but also managing the entire lifecycle of the request as it evolves through other relevant processes. For example, a call may start as a simple incident which may then turn into a problem which is also related to several other incidents. 2. The areas in which professional institutions operate extend beyond simply representing their members. Discuss briefly two examples of this. Professional institutions operate in more than representing their members. Other areas in which professional institutions operate are setting standards; one way they do this is by setting and enforcing standards of behaviour for its members. Normally this is done through some formal code of conduct or ethics. They also advise government. 3. Depending upon your job role within an organisation, certain professional institutions may be more suitable to support you. Identify two roles and discuss which Professional Institution would be most appropriate. The roles I have chosen are computer programmers and software analysts. A computer programmer writes computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. A software analyst is the person who studies the software application domain and prepares the software requirements and specification document. Software analyst is the connection between the software users and the software developers. It conveys the demands of the software users to the developers. The most suitable Professional Institution would be the IAP (The Institution of Analysts and Programmers) based in London. This would be the most  appropriate institution because the deal mainly in analysts and programmers. 4. Explain the range of ITIL standards available to practitioners. Release and Control, Support and Restore, and Agree and Define are three standards available. The Release and Control path to certification focuses on change management, release management, and configuration management. The Support and Restore path focuses on incident management, service desk processes, and problem management. The Agree and Define path focuses on service level management, and financial management. 5. Describe a typical hierarchy within a computing/IT department of an organisation and the types of professional development offered by professional institutions to support progression of the individual. There are many different types of hierarchy used in it/computing departments, one example is a human resources department. Director In the HR department hierarchy, the director oversees all functions. His duties include creating personnel policies and developing an employee manual. The director position also handles all personnel issues that may harm to the companys reputation. Directors ensure all necessary training programs are in place for new employees and existing staff members. This position answers to the company owner or vice president of the division, depending on the size of your company. Human resource division heads or managers report to the director. Management Division heads, managers and fist-line supervisors manage the day-to-day duties of human resource employees. Managers supervise analysts who may specialize in sections, such as compensation, benefits, recruiting, hiring, diversity and training. In smaller HR offices, some sections can be combined. Managers ensure that programs developed by the director are properly implemented and employee handbooks are regularly updated. Managers also directly handle sensitive HR (Human Resources) issues, such as discrimination complaints, so that lower-level employees are not included in the process. Specializing Analysts Each section in the Human Resources hierarchy contains analysts who are trained in specialized areas and report to management. Some positions conduct compensation studies to ensure that the jobs in a company offer competitive salary and benefits. Recruiting analysts look for the best places to market openings to gain the most qualified and diverse candidates. Benefit employees administer health insurance and retirement plans and workers compensation among other programs offered to employees. The diversity section ensures that the workplace is free from illegal discrimination policies and behaviours, while trainers educate staff on employee laws and other important company information. General Analysts If the business is small the human resources department may consist of a director and one or more analysts who are skilled in all areas. These generalists report to the director and perform the full scope of duties in the department. In a larger company, the generalist position can serve as the entry level before specialization is determined. The generalists spend time in each section while developing knowledge through training and experience. They eventually may be placed in areas where they can grow.

Classical management theory and scientific management

Classical management theory and scientific management The Classical Management Theory is thought to have originated around the year 1900 and dominated management thinking into the 1920s, focusing on the efficiency of the work process. It has three schools of thinking: Scientific management, which looks at the best way to do a job; Bureaucratic management, which focuses on rules and procedures, hierarchy and clear division of labour; and Administrative management, which emphasises the flow of information within the organisation. Scientific Management Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) is known as the father of scientific management. His approach emphasised empirical research to increase organisational productivity by increasing the efficiency of the production process. In the United States especially, skilled labour was in short supply at the beginning of the twentieth century. The only way to expand productivity was to raise the efficiency of workers. Scientific management theory states that jobs should be designed so that each worker has a well-specified, well-controlled task and specific procedures and methods for each job must be strictly followed. Taylors management theory rests on a fundamental belief that managers are not only superior intellectually to the average employee, but that they have a positive duty to supervise staff and organise their work activities. Thus, it was only applied to low-level routine and repetitive tasks that could be managed at supervisory level. Taylor developed four principles of scientific management: 1. A best methodology should be developed scientifically for each task. 2. Managers should select the best person to perform the task and ensure that the best training is given. 3. Managers are responsible for ensuring that the best person for the job does the job using the best methodology. 4. Remove all responsibility for the work method from the worker and give it to management. The worker is responsible only for the actual job performance. Taylor based his management system on production-line time studies. Using time study as his base, he broke down each job into its components and designed the quickest and best methods of performing each component. He also encouraged employers to pay more productive workers at a higher rate. Scientific management became very popular in the early part of this century as its application was shown to lead to improvements in efficiency and productivity. Advantages of Scientific Management à ¢Ã‚ - Introduced a scientific approach to management. à ¢Ã‚ - Improved factory efficiency and productivity. à ¢Ã‚ - Used as a model upon which the creation of modern assembly lines was based on. à ¢Ã‚ - Allowed managers to reward workers for higher performance and productivity through the differential rate system. à ¢Ã‚ - Built a sense of co-operation between management and workers. Disadvantages of Scientific Management à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Limited by its underlying assumption that workers were primarily motivated by economic and physical needs. It therefore overlooked the desire of workers for job satisfaction. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Led, in some cases, to the exploitation of workers and it has been often suggested that scientific management was at the centre of many strikes prevalent in those days. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Excluded the tasks of management in its application. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Instilled an authoritarian leadership approach. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Focused only on the internal operations of the organisation. Bureaucratic management Max Weber (1864-1920), known as the father of Modern Sociology, was the first person to use the term bureaucracy to describe a particular, and in his view superior, organisational form. He considered the ideal organisation to be a bureaucracy whose activities and objectives were rationally thought, whose divisions of labour were explicitly spelled out. He believed that technical competence should be emphasized and that performance evaluations should be made entirely on the basis of merit. Weber defined the key elements of a bureaucracy as: I. 1. A well defined hierarchy with a clear chain of command where higher positions have the authority to control the lower positions. II. 2. Division of labour and specialisation of skills, where each employee will have the necessary expertise and authority to complete a particular task. III. 3. Complete and accurate rules and regulations, in writing, to govern all activities, decisions and situations. IV. 4. Impersonal relationships between managers and employees, with clear statements of the rights and duties of personnel. V. 5. Technical competence is the basis for all decisions regarding recruitment, selection and promotion. Webers model of bureaucratic management advanced the formation of huge corporations such as ford. Bureaucratic Management Contributions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensured that the organisation would be operated and managed by qualified/high calibre personnel only. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Allowed many organisations to efficiently perform routine organisational tasks through job specialisation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Allowed management and employees to be more objective in their judgement and approach due to rules and procedures for doing specific tasks being clearly set. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Placed emphasis on job position, specialised employees and job continuity thus providing the organisation with long-term perspectives and quality employees. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Surpassed the loss of any employee or even of any manager due to the nature of job specialisation. Hence in such a bureaucracy, anyone can be replaced. Bureaucratic Management Limitations o Overwhelming concentration on authority discourages innovation and creativity; o Imposed a formal and structured chain of command which is not compatible with organisations that require flexibility and rapid decision-making. This is truer today where organisations are constantly faced with a turbulent external environment of increased competition. o the emphasis on impersonality and division of labour leads to boredom, dissatisfaction and discontent within the workforce o rules and procedures may become so important in their own right that there is a tendency to forget the underlying processes that they are meant to make more efficient. Administrative Management Henri Fayol (1841-1925) was a French industrialist and one of the most influential early management thinkers. Scientific Management was concerned with increasing the productivity of the shop floor. Classical Organisation Theory grew out of the need to find guidelines for managing such complex organisations as factories. An early attempt was pioneered by Fayol to identify the principles and skills that underlie effective management. He believed that sound management practice falls into certain patterns that can be identified and analysed. He focused on management, which he felt had been the most neglected of business operations. Based on his experience in management, he developed fourteen general principles of management: 1. Division of Work and specialisation to produce more work for less effort. 2. Authority to give orders and the power to exact obedience. 3. Discipline and respect between a firm and its employees. 4. Unity of command where an employee receives orders from only one superior. 5. Unity of direction where there is only one central authority and one plan of action. 6. The general interest is superior to individual interests. 7. Remuneration is fair and provides satisfaction both to the employee and employer. 8. There is centralisation, where there is always one central authority. 9. There is a scalar chain, where a chain of authority exists from the highest level to the lowest ranks. 10. Order, where the right materials and people are in the right place for each activity. 11. Equity, kindliness and justice are seen throughout the organisation. 12. Stability and tenure of personnel to maintain a stable work force. 13. Initiative is encouraged to motivate employees. 14. Esprit de Corps is recognised as important, and teamwork is encouraged. Before Fayol, it was generally believed that managers are born, not made. Fayol insisted, however, that management was a skill like any other one that could be taught once its underlying principles were understood. Chester Barnard (1886-1961) developed the concepts of strategic planning and the Acceptance theory of Authority, which states that managers only have as much authority as their employees allow them to have. It suggests that authority flows downward, but depends upon acceptance by the subordinate. Barnard considered that the acceptance of authority depends on four conditions: 1) That the employee understands what the manager wants them to do. 2) That the employee is able to comply with the directive. 3) That the employee thinks that the directive is in line with organisational objectives. 4) That the employee does not think that the directive is contrary to their personal goals. Barnard believed that each person has a zone of indifference within which the individual will willingly accept orders without consciously questioning authority and that it is up to the organisation to broaden each employees zone of indifference. Advantages of Administrative Management o Viewed management as a profession which can be trained and developed. o Offered universal managerial guidelines. o Promoted communication between managers and employees. o Highlighted the needs of employees through the unity of command, unity of direction, equity, etc. o Encouraged employees to act on their own initiatives. Disadvantages of Administrative Management à ¢- ª Lacked consideration for organisations environmental, technological and personnel factors, due to the blind application of Fayols concepts. à ¢- ª Fayols recommendations are too experience-based and therefore not driven by formal research. Hence its concepts have not been tested. Although these schools, or theories, developed historical sequence, later ideas have not replaced earlier ones. Instead, each new school has tended to complement or coexist with previous ones. The ideas of classical theorists have many applications in the management of todays organizations although with some modifications. Many of the internal challenges faced by managers during earlier periods were similar to those faced by managers today. For example, Taylors concern for the productivity of employees is still shared by managers. Even today, the Scientific Management Theory is still relevant. While not as popular as in the past, this method of job design is still used. This sort of task-oriented optimization of work tasks is nearly ubiquitous today in industry, and has made most industrial work menial, repetitive, tedious and depressing; this can be noted, for instance, in assembly lines of car manufacturers and fast-food restaurants like McDonalds and KFC. McDonalds divides its com plete operation into a number of tasks such as supervising, cooking operations or operating a deep fryer and assigns people to carry out these tasks. The modern mass car assembly lines pour out finished products faster that Taylor could have ever imagined. In addition, its efficiency techniques have also been applied in the training of surgeons. Todays armies employ Scientific Management. Of the key points listed a standard method for performing each job, select workers with appropriate abilities for each job, training for standard task, planning work and eliminating interruptions and wage incentive for increase output all but wage incentives for increased output are used by modern military organizations. Wage incentives rather appear in the form of skill bonuses for enlistments. Furthermore, industrial engineers today are still taught the methods of Scientific Management including time and motion studies, job-tasks analysis, wage-incentive determination and detailed production planning with respect to the field of operation research and management. The Bureaucratic Management is still used in the USA by service-based organizations such as libraries. One concrete example where Fayols Bureaucratic Management ideas are still in use is at the Wichita State University Libraries. Bureaucracy is also still being used in the US Postal Service. In Mauritius, mass production lines and piece rate systems are used in the garment and manufacturing industries. Another industry where the Classical Management Theories are still in use is in the sea-food hub, more specifically at the Mauritius Tuna Processing Plant. Mauritius and its economy are at a pivotal point. The pace of change is exhilarating. That is why in his budget speech 2008-2009, Hon. Rama Sithanen, Minister of Finance pointed out the urgency for our economy to shift from the traditional pillars to a service-oriented economy and to a knowledge-based society. For instance, he advocated that the ICT sector must add to the pillars of the Mauritian economy. Business leaders expect ICT to have a greater impact on their business. The industries experiencing the greatest change are the technology, telecommunications and financial services. The Minister also stressed on the development of the SMEs as he formulated that in terms of job creation, new jobs will come mostly from small businesses and medium-sized companies. But since the formulation of the Classical Management Theories in the 18th century, the economic landscape has changed. Businesses do not exist in a vacuum. They are in fact open systems with constant and dynamic interaction with the environment. Todays business environment is global and highly competitive. Managers are becoming increasingly aware of the effects of the business environment There are two aspects of the business environment, namely the internal and the external environment. The internal environment relates to those factors that the organisation can relatively control. These are the owners, employees, customers, suppliers, authorities and pressure groups. But the external environment that constitutes the PEST (Political, Economical, Social and Technological) factors is relatively remote from what the organisation can control. Without the ability to analyse the strength and weaknesses of the internal and the opportunities and threats of the external environments, managers risk making decisions that are not in the best interest of the organisation. At the same time, worldwide concern about the natural environment has emerged. Current natural environmental concerns are pollution, climate changes, ozone depletion and other global issues like biodiversity, adequate water supplies, population and food security. As McDonalds concluded, todays managers have to be concerned not only with the scientific facts but with public perception. Todays business environment is characterized with changes, innovations and uncertainty. It is becoming more challenging amid global economic slowdown and turmoil in the financial sector. Businesses must at all cost adapt or die. Out of five businesses experiencing a disaster or extended outage, a) Two never re-open their doors. b) One of the remaining three will close within two years. The business environment is exceedingly tough and competitive. Competition is intensifying in many sectors. Technology is constantly creating new opportunities and threats. There are changes to the regulatory environment: the advent of the Equal Opportunities Act being a clear example. Customer tastes are also changing providing a moving target. Smart companies operating in highly competitive business environments are working very hard to improve efficiency and productivity, test high-yielding new initiatives, and differentiate themselves from competitors. Command and Control Management style (as stated in the Classical Management Theories) is effective in an environment where both change and competition are limited and there is plenty room for error (high profit margins). Such is not the case in the age of computing and communications. In todays business environment, things change very quickly and profit margins are reducing. In addition, more things are happening on a continuing basis. Because of the speed at which things are changing, it is important to push decision-making down in the organization to the level that has all of the information at the time when a decision must be made. This calls for very different management attitudes, it demands a democratic and flexible point of view and of course accountability must be delegated. All these are not present in the Classical Management Theories. Rapid change that is sweeping through every aspect of the business environment today prompts managers to rethink the ways they do things. Although the Classical Management model has evolved quite a bit, it is still geared to a rigid structure and command-and-control mentality. This model was well tailored to an environment where change was slow and evolutionary rather than rapid and revolutionary. It helped organise processes and foster a sense of accountability, order and discipline. What it lacks is flexibility, making the organisation irresponsive to continuous internal and external environment changes. We have reached a limit to what can be accomplished using the Classical Management approaches. But by changing the way managers do things, that constraint can be removed. This is not to say that the basics of Classical Management should be ignored, but they are just not enough to get the job done in todays business environment. Although Classical Management Theories are quite useful in the early stages of economic development, they are not an adequate explanation of how to administer organisations in a complex, developed society. When it comes to seeking cost, efficiency, productivity and profitability improvements, the Classical Management Theories have a limited field of action. Managers need to get used to the idea that what worked yesterday wont tomorrow. They need to work on tomorrow today. When the business environment becomes more challenging, it is actually an opportune time for managers to think about ways to reinvent their business. We find that new managers are willing to investigate innovative solutions to business problems because they are unhampered by the limitations of tools and methods of the past. It is not so much that established managers are not willing to change; it has more to do with that fact that they are using methods that were designed for different circumstances. And they worked . So, established managers have to be prepared to discard something that has been effective for them. Managers need to use todays tools to solve todays problems. They must be willing to learn about new ways of doing things. To compete successfully in the global arena, managers must now act as entrepreneurs and create new business models rethink, re-plan, strategize, innovate and learn continuously. Innovation is the most important source for organisations to gain competitive advantage, and advanced innovation management is critical to a businesss sustainable development. Classical Management theories cant catch up with the dramatic changes of the business environment. Once-reliable guides for managerial actions no longer exist. In an environment virtually bereft of the old rules of conducting business, there is no safety net. Every process, procedure, rule of thumb and standard ratio is being challenged, re-engineered and morphed into a new form. This fundamental change has brought a daunting new reality to the challenge of growing and managing business. Conclusion Today, organizations are mostly influenced by the external environment (fierce market share competition, continuous technology change, globalisation, hiring and retaining qualified executives and front line workers) that often fluctuate over time. Yet Classical Management Theories present an image of an organisation that is not shaped by external influences. Classical Management Theories are now gradually fading for the principal reason that people and their needs are considered by Classical theorists as secondary to the needs of the organisation. Nowadays, The Scientific approach is very seriously challenged by Human Resource Management. Furthermore, The Bureaucratic Management is fast giving way to the Matrix Structure in organisations. However, Classical Management theories are important because they introduced the concept of management as a subject for intellectual analysis and provided a basis of ideas that have been developed by subsequent schools of management thought.

The Meaning Of Trust | Philosophy

The Meaning Of Trust | Philosophy When trusting someone or something, and you are able to build confidence in that object, allowing yourself to be less guarded around it, and allow it to influence us. A dictionary definition of this would be enabling other people to take advantage of your vulnerabilities-but expecting that they will not do this. So how does this compare with how we objectify our emotions? Is it something that can be characterized that something that is able to be trusted? Of course, because our emotions are closely linked with our characters, they feed off of who we are as people. It is seen as immature or undeveloped to allow emotions to influence you in any immense way, and this is why someone would even question arise this question. What is meant by the pursuit of knowledge? Emotion as a way of knowing Because of its ambiguous nature, it can be very hard to define emotions. Even more challenging would be to distinguish it from other sensations such as a temporary mood, or permanent sentimental trait. So with all these other terms in mind, emotion can be defined as the manifestation of the sensations we feel in reaction to our environments and situations around us, that linger for a long period of time. An easy example such as being told unfortunate news or discover something joyful can make us feel different sensations of sadness or happiness. So if these sensations we call emotions are so accurate with the occurrences we face daily, why even question its reliability? Because we, as human beings have also been taught something that would not be considered as natural as the feeling of emotions; we have also been taught morality. The ability to distinguish what we believe is ethically right or wrong, regardless or our instinctive urges, is what makes us different than other forms of life, and the reason we are even able to ask this question. We combat with ourselves in order to achieve goals, defeat lifes trials, and to pursue knowledge. So, maybe the reality of the question is, is it even possible to know when to trust emotions? Or else it may be trying to explain that emotions have limited value for knowledge acquisition if any at all. Emotion as a value judgment Thesis Statement I believe there has to be some instances when we are able to trust our emotions when we are trying to acquire knowledge. Emotions are just a display of the biological responses we has humans experience. Emotion is also as one of the ways of knowing in the IB theory of knowledge. History Define History *Use TOK Definition Genocide Historical event which arises the universal consciousness Rwanda WWII Germany Cambodia UN The World An emotional attachment with the consciousness The knowledge of the laws created due to and for genocide was created due to an emotional response. Also link the genocide information with pain for H.S. Human Sciences Definition human science *use TOK Definition The bodys natural Awareness to diseases and pain The emotions that are felt due to them The Arts When we think of The Art as an area on knowledge, we seem to think of it as one of the areas that is linked closest with emotion. When trying to gain knowledge in the Arts, the use of emotion is fundamental to understanding the pieces and the intentions of the artist. However with knowledge of human emotion, it is easy to understand how the intentions of the artist can be lost in the response of the spectators that view them. Our emotions during viewing different forms of the arts, such as music, literature or drama change with each person, because each person interprets the art differently. This can be seen with an example through music. Recently there has been a revolution of a new age brand of music called dub step, which can be described as a form of electronic music characterized by heavy baselines. Many people find this type of music annoying and irritating, and characterize with dark, negative emotions. Others enjoy it because they experience the music as a stress reliever, because they perceive the beats as melodious and peaceful a way to and an almost cathartic experience happening. Associating these emotions with the people that enjoy this form of music, people make judgments about the dub step audience, our emotional judgment of people; you would say that it had given aid in the process of gathering knowledge. But the stereotype that these persons are placed into, gives a hasty generalization, therefore misleading knowledge. Summary When we, as the knowers question our ability to trust our emotions in the pursuit of knowledge, what we are really trying to discover is, as humans, do we believe that our personalities and human faults allow us to not only discover new aspects in the world around us, but A higher awareness about ourselves or our they just obstacles that we have to overcome. A way to know when our emotions can benefit our pursuit of knowledge is when we are consciously aware that our emotions influence that search. To know if an emotion will lead us down a negative or positive path in our quest for information, can be judged on a persons level of emotional intelligence. Emotion intelligence can be understood by describing it as, a persons ability to monitor and control instinctive and natural urges brought out of us by our emotional state. An easy example to demonstrate emotional intelligence would ask a person to distinguish which emotions were being portrayed on anothers face. But even with such te sts, it is difficult to give an empirical value to something as inexpressible as emotional intelligence. Closing Argument Counter Argument Emotions less valuable than reason as a way of knowing? ^Prove Counter Wrong^ the same level of value as a way of knowing Conclusion In Conclusion, by saying that we should not allow our emotions to influence the pursuit of knowledge is to ask the impossible. As human beings our emotions contribute to the overall motivation in, not only our pursuit of knowledge, but in every endeavor we pursue. I believe it is possible to trust our emotions in every occurrence where knowledge can be gained, but the key is, to not allow your emotions to tamper with the intelligent voice of reason we all have developed due to our moral upbringings. Instead, the emotions will guide in us embracing the more natural inclinations and curiosities that we have instinctively. That is what they are there for. The value of emotion as a way of knowing depends on the kind of knowledge being pursued. If we classify knowledge by sections on the TOK wheel, the value of emotions are very high when concerning issues such as Ethics, The Arts, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. , but other areas that are based mainly off of factual data such as Natural Sciences and Mathematics Aristotle quote Anyone can be angry that is easy. But to be angry with the right person to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way that is not easy. Aristotle (384-322BCE)

Peer Pressure and Academic Performance :: Peer Pressure Essays

Quantitative Research Question 1. What effect does peer support have on academic performance? 2. Does peer pressure affect the academic performances of adolescents in School? Hypothesis 1. â€Å"Peer pressure significantly influences academic performance†. 2. â€Å"Students who experience peer support have better academic performances, than those who do not have peer support†. 3. â€Å"Peer support influences academic performances†. 4. â€Å"Academic performance is associated to peer pressure and peer support†. Qualitative Research Question 1. How does peer pressure and peer support associate to academic performances? 2. How does peer support affect academic performances? Cho, Y., & Chung, O. (2012). The researchers investigated the relationship between conformative peer bullying and discovered that peer pressure and its resistance is linked to antisocial conformity. Conformative peer bullying is defined as â€Å"behaviours that supports and reinforces bullying and does not include initiating proactive actions†, (Cho, 2012. p. 521). Peer Pressure â€Å"influences a person to change his/her attitudes, values, behaviours, and relationship in order to conform to the norms of the peer group†, (Cho, 2012. p.521). Peer Conformity is â€Å"the inclination to adopt behavioral patterns that are considered as acceptable to the peer group†, (Cho, 2012. p.521). The researchers used the â€Å"four-point Likert scale† which rated from â€Å"1 = never; 4 = a lot† and the Participant Role Scale (PRS) to measure the variable â€Å"conformity’ and â€Å"peer pressure†, (Cho, 2012. p. 523 - 524 ). The participants consisted of 391 second year students from 21 different classrooms in Seoul, South Korea, out of which 285 were boys and 106 were girls, aged between 13-14yrs old. Between 14 to 18th July, 2008, the researchers obtained informed consent from the teachers and students. After peer assessment was acquired, the researchers distributed the â€Å"four-point Likert scale† survey questionnaires to 673 students in 21 classrooms of three middle schools. Students were given about 20 to 25 minutes to respond to the questionnaires. At the end of the analysis it was discovered that there was a positive correlation between peer pressure, peer conformity and confirmative peer bullying. The effect of bullying is greatly influenced by the bully’s personal characteristics. It also indicated that without a groups influence an individual might not resort to bullying or simply peer pressure drives people to act differently to please others to show their support or capabilities to be in the group. In conclusion, antisocial peer conformity is one of the causes that influences peer conformity bullying. It also showed that those who cannot resist are influenced more than those who can resist bullying.

Free Argumentative Essays: Euthanasia is Inhuman :: Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia is Inhuman A subject that has been disputed more ever since medical technology has dramatically improved is Euthanasia. Euthanasia is assisted suicide, or it could be ending a patience's suffering by letting him die. Medical technology is advancing so fast euthanasia is not needed to be a practice in today's society. Moreover, it is inhuman and against the law. Many people with incurable diseases have thought about euthanasia. Their families do not want them to go through the pain any longer. One reason why these families should not consider euthanasia is because medical technology is advancing at an alarming rate. Diseases can be cured now that could not have been cured just a few years ago. The way things are going technology would probably find a cure for the patience's illness in the near future. Families or individuals thinking about euthanasia should get all the facts first about the research being done on the particular illness that has invaded a member of their family. Think twice before making any serious decisions. Euthanasia is an inhuman way of taking care of a difficult problem. Some people might say that it is inhuman to have someone suffer through the pain of his or her illness. Many of the families have a harder time dealing with the pain than the actual victim does. The families would like to ease their own pain along with the victim's pain. It is not inhuman to keep someone alive as long as humanly possible. If a cure is found, then the victim could possibly go on to live a long life. It would be inhuman to not let the victim have the chance to live the rest of his life. A human life is the most beautiful thing on the face of the earth or anywhere, and people should be given a chance to experience the beauty as long as possible. Some people want to die for one reason or another. These people go to someone and ask him or her to help them die. Most of the victims of diseases that would result in them wanting to die are in an unstable condition and are not fit to make these major decisions. A paper I read off the internet said "Contrary to the assumptions of many in the public, a

Compare the Function of Formats and Locations in Retailing Essay

We printed two different job application forms, job descriptions and person specification for Nando’s and Topman we then compared the forms and found some similarities and some differences to them. Topman and Nandos application form Differences: They were set up very differently Topman had a variety of rhetorical questions which underneath it, they were answered for you whereas Nandos did not use any rhetorical questions just information about the restaurant. Nandos have added a bit of colour to their form whereas Topman have not. Topman’s application form was much more detailed as it tells you how to apply, there top level supervisors, visual merchandising assistants etc†¦ In contrast to Nandos which does not include all these points and facts about their business. Comparisons: both application forms give information about the business such as what will be expected from you when you start working there and what you will learn from the job. Person specification Differences: Again on the Person specification form a lot more colour and images have been used in Nandos form whereas Topman have not added any images or colour. On Topmans form the information is given out in bullet points in contrast to Nandos were no bullet points are used. Topman have gave all there information a heading which is more clear to people, Nandos have just gave out different types of information without no heading. Nandos have stated the age they expect the employee to be in contrast to Topman. Comparisons: Both forms have said what they expect from the employee.

Post Colonial India English Drama

English Literature Eng 102 Term Paper II Topic: Post-Colonial Indian English Drama India has the longest and the richest tradition in drama. During the age of the Vedic Aryans, drama was performed in a simple way. Different episodes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad-Gita were enacted out in front of people. When Britishers came in India, the crippled Indian drama regained its strength. In 1920, a new drama in almost all the Indian languages came to the fore, it was a drama largely influenced by prevailing movements like Marxism, Psychoanalysis, and surrealism.Indian drama got a new footing when kendriya Natak Sangeet Akadmi was started in January 1953. National school of drama set up Sangeet Natak Akadami in 1959 was another development. The year 1972 was a landmark year for Indian theatre. Badal Sircar, vijay tendulkar and girish karnad have contributed to the modernization of the face of the Indian theatre, these play wrights have made bold innovations and fruitf ul experiments. Postcolonial Writings as we have observed, emphasize the process of strong resistance in the societies and also put emphasis on the reality of life.It deals with the literature written by the people of colonized countries that take the suffering and survival and resistance of their people as their subject matter. Postcolonial Writings can be considered as the historical marker of the period because it deals the literature which comes after decolonization as well as it is considered as an embodiment of intellectual approaches. At the intellectual level Postcolonial writers engaged themselves in opening up the possibilities of a new language and a new way of looking towards the world.Their writings can be taken as a medium of resistance to the former colonizer. Their themes are focused on the subject matters like identity, national and cultural heritage, border crossing, contemporary reality and situation, human relationship and emotions etc. In the Indian context, Pos tcolonial writing makes its presence felt in the English-speaking world by giving new themes and techniques. The rise of Postcolonial Indian English writing was a significant aspect of Indian English literature.If we talk about the different genre of Postcolonial Indian English literature, drama became one of the best mediums for expression. Postcolonial Indian English poets make use of current situation in the society to give their poetry a Indian flavor. The new phase of Indian theatrical development happily coincides with the personal development of Girish Karnad as a dramatist. His contribution goes beyond theatre: he has directed feature films, documentaries, and television serials. He represented India in foreign lands as an emissary of art & culture.He has experimented with the fusion of the traditional and modern dramatic forms and content. Pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial experiences in literature cannot be compartmentalized in true sense. They are not divorced from each other. His play ‘Tughlaq’ was a reflection of the changing times- the narrowing of the great divide between the rulers and ruled. Karnad reminds us of T. P. Kailasam and Rangacharya who go back to myths and legends to show the modern life with all its elemental passions and man’s struggle to achieve perfection.If creating new themes and techniques is a part of Postcolonial writing, Shiv K. Kumar can be truly called a Postcolonial poet. Winner of Sahitya Academi Award with various books of poetry, drama, short story and translation, Shiv K. Kumar gave an identity and a sense of direction to Indian English poetry in the Postcolonial period. His knowledge of Indian myths and Indian history is amazing and he uses them as themes in his poetry. But the most appealing aspect of his poetry is that it gives a distinct touch to Indian sensibility.Other than this, themes like East-West encounter, Indian landscape, national identity, contemporary reality he takes all t hese as his themes in his poetry which give the whole essence of Postcoloniality. In his Award winning book of verse, Trapfalls in the Sky (1987), we can see Kumar’s seeking for the national and cultural identity. As a Postcolonial poet, Kumar makes an attempt to come to terms with contemporary reality which is integrated with Indian landscape.Kumar’s dealing with national and transnational themes indicates his open mind and his approach towards life. Like many of the poets of Postcolonial era, Kumar tries to write authentically about the performances of rituals, superstitions prevailing in Indian society. Kumar is considered one the most outstanding poets of Modern Indian English Literature, who has the credit to give the recognition, Modern Indian poets got in the world of English Literature. Kumar is a poet who is known for his portrayal of India and its different aspects in very a beautiful way.But another picture of India is seen in a very different way in his poe try when we see the hidden reality of religion prevailing in India As the most important element of Postcolonial literature is the sense of national identity, consciousness of the richness of the cultural heritage of motherland and its wealth of natural resources. Twenty years after Independence, R. K. Narayan was still tackling issues of colonialism. The Vendor of Sweets  (1967) takes us through the tensions integral to a family in which two generations belong to two different cultures.Ascetic Jagan belongs to an old India of family and history his son to an India increasingly subject to the foregrounding of the commodity and a dramatic industrialization. Narayan explores the inevitable clash of what is, in many ways, both a colonial and a post-colonial encounter: Jagan, a follower of Gandhi and a veteran of the wars against British Imperialism, must attempt a negotiation of an ethos invasive to his own definitions of nationality; Mali, without this structure, must reconcile an A merican capitalism with India's own sense of what constitutes a modern nation.This theme is continued in Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's  Heat and Dust  (1975). Again two generations, this time British, must come to terms with an alien culture. Whilst Olivia's adventures are romanticized, Jhabvala attempts to explore in a more sophisticated manner the social outlay of Anglo-Indian relations with the higher Muslim classes and Olivia's step-grand-daughter is confronted with an India that remains hidden in the works of Kipling, Forster or Narayan. Leelavati the beggar-woman's life, if not her behavior, demonstrates an unusual social awareness of the lowest castes.It is to be noted that the East-West dichotomy within the later generation has become less strained: modern Britain is expected now to accept India on its own terms. Salman Rushdie, whose work has been produced in the eighties and nineties, has removed himself from the sites of both nationality and naturalism but remains in an enga gement with economic colonialism and its consequences. Midnight's Children  (1982) critiques the post-Independence political strategies of Nehru and Indira Gandhi.Critique and critiqued demonstrate an India which has not yet fully resolved the dramatic industrialization necessary to the creation of a modern nation: Rushdie's response is necessarily part of the same Western political agenda as Nehru's or Mrs. Gandhi. Modern Indian English drama has set a significant tradition for new literature in postcolonial period. Writers skate over their experiences those are either socially rooted or floating. They perceive the incongruous situation of life and experience. Hence they ventilate a kind of ironical expression in their verbal expressions.Indian English Drama after Independence has no relationship with drama written earlier. He categorized the pre-Independence Indian English Drama as â€Å"greasy, weak spinned and purple adjectived†. They express themselves in an alien lang uage (global code), which in spite of all sociolinguistic forces for broad-based Indianization fails to transmute or authenticate a local space as effectively as any Indian language. It creates room for a certain cultural, historical and linguistic distancing from the colonizer’s code. In the sociolinguistic domain, in the hands of Indian English Writers, the Queen (the global code) is wearing a  bindi. local colour). Indian English Writers are after all the members of the communities comprising the Indian population spread over a continuum. It’s a tough ask for the writers to restrict their individual regional impulses suffering to their own community to become intelligible by the other communities written the geo-national space of India. Indian English dramatist did not use Indian Dramatic traditions and myths creatively. Another major reason was that English as a second language was not suitable medium of expression for two Indians doing conversations.So Indian pl aywrights could not make their Indian characters speak in English. The language barrier prevents the lower classes from coming to the Indian English Theatre. Actually to form our culture identity we need tradition, continuity and change. It is only when we accept these three things that we can really have a theatre movement which is completely linked to the development of cultural social and individual identity. Only then we can achieve harmony through the language of theatre which must necessarily be filled with a sense of rootedness revealing a true Indian sensibility.

In the Time of the Butterflies By Julia Alvaraz Essay

Organizational Patterns: In the Time of the Butterflies is organized into three parts—Part I, Part II, and Part III. These parts are followed by an Epilogue critical to the story. Each part of the book consists of four chapters, each chapter is told by a different narrator. The narrators are the four Mirabal sisters (aka the butterflies), Dede, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Patria. As each chapter changes narrators, bits and pieces of the story are revealed as each different personality finds different facts important. Dede, Minerva, and Patria all use a standard narration, but Maria’s narration is related through her journal: she includes drawings, dates, pictures, and more trivial and personal experiences of her days. Maria’s chapters add something a little unique and therefore contribute to the creativity and interest of the story. Narrator: Dede is the leading character as she is the only sister who is not claimed by the martyrdom. The narration begins in second person with Dede in her current time (1994), relating the story of the butterflies by going back in time. Each sister then begins taking her turn, rotating chapters, narrating in first person. With Dede, Minerva, Patria, and Maria all taking a turn by chapter, each girl’s distinct personality and voice adds variety and excitement to the book. The story then does well to validate a large audience who will most likely find some of themselves in a particular sister, or in the sisters combined. Themes: Sacrifice – The central theme of this book is sacrifice; sacrificing oneself for the greater good, for others, and for one’s country. Throughout the entire novel the Mirabal sisters are exemplars of this as they sacrifice of their time, energy, and hearts to help not only the ones they love, but the many strangers about them who are suffering political injustice and violence. Minerva, who becomes a political icon and some sort of a hero because of her fighting spirit and call to action, consistently sacrifices herself in her combat of injustice, and expects the same of those around her. Her sisters follow her lead in sacrificing themselves through her persuasion and passion for what is right. Political Control – The book resonates with political chains and injustice. All people in the Dominican Republic in this time period, the early and middle 1900’s, lived in constant fear of the way they spoke and the way they lived. The dictator of the time—Trujillo—had planted spies and technology within hearing range of most public homes. If for any reason Trujillo was to suspect a person or family of political disloyalty the suspects would disappear, being sent to either prison or their death. Throughout the book superficiality and fear are continually exhibited through the public who are forced to worship and praise a bloodthirsty dictator or fear for their lives. Loyalty – Many different forms of loyalty are addressed in the book through those fighting for freedom and those fighting for power. The Mirabal family displays strong loyalty and love as they do not allow a political system to tear them apart. At all costs they fight for one another and prove the importance of family, devotion, and forgiveness. The opposing side also displays a different kind of loyalty as loyalty is forced through fear. The superficial loyalty of the government stands in stark contrast to the chosen loyalty of friends and family members. Identity – There is a strong sense of identity throughout the book as each Mirabal sisters’ personality and value system is related in the different chapters. There is an obvious struggle in each sister as she must determine who she is, which side she is on, and what she will stand for. Detailed and intimate conflicts are related as each girl interacts with the people around her, and decides the kind of life she will lead. Choosing the course that is best for all and contributes to the greater good, rather than focusing on just the individual, is stressed. Each sister succeeds in finding a strong and accomplishing individuality through the help and encouragement of each other. Regret and inner battles are something each girl deals with immensely as she struggles to choose the right course for herself, and her conscience. High contribution and expectation are placed upon each sister as they succeed in living up to a strong sense of purpose and identity. Setting: The setting of the book takes place in the Dominican Republic. Because the book relates two different time periods as Dede gives the present view and the relation of the story by going back in time, the time periods and situations do change. When Dede goes back in time the years are 1938-1960 where dictator Trujillo has control of the country. In this setting the political unrest and fear of the people are very high. The Mirabals begin as a regular family who then gradually become famous in this time period through their noncompliance with the government and â€Å"radical† political views. Dede also relates her present circumstances in the year 1994 throughout the book. In this this time period the effect and fame of the Mirabals are related as current political icons and martyrs in a now free Dominican Republic. The two different settings accomplish cause and effect. The cause of the Mirabals is related in the first setting and time period of the book, and the effect of their action is displayed in the second and current time period for Dede. Tone: The tone of the book is one of action and enjoyment. As the Mirabal sisters choose a dangerous and outspoken course the book becomes very high spirited. Through many adventures, love stories, relationships, and sorrows, reader is called to a more active lifestyle with high expectation. While the book deals with very dangerous situations ultimately resulting in death, somehow it is also able to keep a tone of love, loyalty, and pleasure through the optimism and energy of the sisters. A tone of willpower definitely comes forth, most highly exemplified through the character of Minerva. Foreshadowing: As the main narrator Dede relates the story of the butterflies through a second person narration as a moment in history, and because she is relating history she knows where the story will go and how it ends. This being the case, there are many moments of foreshadowing through flashbacks as Dede remembers certain parts of the story. Following are a few examples of Dede’s foreshadowing: Chapter 1 -Dede’s garden (year 1994) foreshadows the ending of her sisters, or â€Å"the butterflies†, when she realizes she has accidentally, â€Å"snipped her prize butterfly orchid† (5). -A foreshadowing of the history Dede experienced when she hears a car door slam and jumps, â€Å"Any Dominican of a certain generation would have jumped at that gunshot sound† (5). -Foreshadowed is the inability to freely express oneself in the historical time period to be told, â€Å"Words repeated, distorted, words recreated by those who might bear them a grudge, words stitched to words until they are the winding sheet the family will be buried in when their bodies are found dumped in a ditch, their tongues cut off for speaking too much† (10). The sisters all take part in foreshadowing their future martyrdom as political unrest and their involvement proceed: -Maria comments in her journal early on of her most radical sister Minerva, â€Å"I swear my older sister will be the death of me!† (39) Minerva does end up swaying Maria into the underground fight that ultimately does result in her death. -After the first couple encounters with the dangerous Trujillo, Minerva writes of her family, â€Å"We sit silently, listening to the rain on the thatched roof, a numb, damp, fatalistic feeling among us. Something has started none of us can stop† (116). -As Dede scolds her niece (Minerva’s daughter) at the present time about being on the road at night, she thinks, â€Å"If their mothers had only waited until the next morning to drive back over that deserted mountain road, they might still be alive to scold their own daughters about the dangers of driving at night† (173). -And Minerva as she is feeling the end near, â€Å"Certainly there was something suspicious in his granting us these privileges. But all I felt was numb, resigned, sitting in that stuffy office. Not only was there nothing in the world we could do to save the men, there was nothing in the world we could do to save ourselves either† (283). The sisters are murdered the next month. Affective Issues Related to the Work: Peer Pressure – There are ample amounts of peer pressure as these sisters face a highly energized time where every person must choose a side. Minerva is the sister that gives the most pressure to her other sisters as she works at persuading them to be strong and join her cause. The most inner conflict is seen in the character of Dede as she is torn by what her husband believes and what Minerva believes. Both are fighting for her loyalty. Dede wants to please everyone but finds that it is an impossible task. She is continually swayed back and forth as she battles her conscience about what side she should join. She feels she must be loyal to her husband and his opinion to stay out of the political issues, but then she feels a call morally to join her sister Minerva who is fighting against evil. She never quite finds the solution or a single path to follow, but ends up finding a good in between for herself. This is the more realistic case in most people’s world, and theref ore brings a strong sense of humanness as Dede experiences the power of influence, and the power of inner conscience. Most secondary students are dealing with the same issues and can relate to the pressures of pleasing both ourselves and others. Right and Wrong – There are many examples of people having to choose in quick moments between what is right and wrong. Minerva has an extremely strong sense of what is right and wrong and is continually fighting for fairness and truth. Patria is extremely religious and is guided always by her inner devotion to God. Maria is timid but consistently chooses a good path, and notices in others when they make bad or wrong choices. Dede also fights the same battle within to make choices that are right. All four girls are extremely guided by religion and doing what is right. Their complications and inner struggles are very real and relatable as each person ultimately chooses at some point the path they will choose. There are many good examples in the book of when one needs to stand up for what is right. All secondary students are battling with this same thing in their lives as they make decisions that will affect their character for the rest of their lives, and as they decide whether they will stand for what is right, or for what is wrong. Self Discovery – Because each sister is able to have her turn at narrating, there is a strong sense of self discovery as very personal details of their lives are included. Each girl explains her childhood and the many paths that were before them, and the reasons why they chose the paths they did. The strongest example of self discovery would lie in the character of Patria as she feels an extreme devotion to God as a young child. Because of her extremely large heart and faith she is sent to a religious school where she can be guided in becoming a nun if that is the path she would choose. She is extremely devoted to God and continues to be devoted as she experiences puberty and all things that come with it. Very personally, but not graphically, she relates her desire to be touched as stronger than her desire to become a nun. She chooses to love a man instead of becoming a nun, gets married to her love, and begins having children. She remains extremely faithful religiously and never regrets the path she chooses as she discovers the things she really wants from life. Vocabulary Issues: The book is fairly easy to read on terms of vocabulary; however Spanish is consistently mixed in throughout the book. The story does take place in the Dominican Republic, where the standard language is Spanish, so often Spanish expressions and words are used by the characters. Reader does not need to understand these words to understand the novel by any means, however understanding the few Spanish words would be helpful. It might be nice as a class to either go over the Spanish words together after each reading, or simply have a list typed of all the Spanish used in the book, with English translations for students to refer to as they read. There are a few words that are used repetitively and so should be addressed in the beginning. Males are often referred to as macho—the Spanish word for male. Also the butterflies are referred to as las mariposas—the Spanish word for butterflies. Background Knowledge: Author Julia Alvarez does a fantastic job at explaining the state of political unrest and depicting the power of a government run by a dictator in this historical novel. While background knowledge is not necessary because the book contains good recounting of the history in question with much explanation, background information could still be helpful. One’s interest may be peaked upon learning of the butterflies, the underground political system, Trujillo and his government etc†¦ and their actual role in history. Because the historical facts are so interesting it could be very fun to give a build up lesson or two teaching about dictators and government in general and the power they have successfully gained in the past. Followed by this general outline of government, the specific time period of the book could then be searched and taught about. The characters themselves would be very interesting to study and to learn of in a more historical and brief way before the book is read. This book offers many outside lessons as it deals with actual history, social problems, and real people. Many doors are opened for outside lessons to understand the novel more clearly. Implications for Students of Diversity: This is a great book for students of diversity as it takes place in a different country, with darker colored people, who speak a different language. The book is an experience that the majority of students in the class will be unfamiliar with. Because the majority of minorities in the United States right now are Spanish speakers, this book will be of more interest to them as the characters use Spanish throughout the book and are living in a Spanish culture. It is fun to read this book as a minority because these girls are heroines of a different ethnicity. It would also be helpful to have some of the Spanish speaking students in the class contribute in translating some of the words or explaining the culture for the class if they are acquainted with some of the traditions. This will be a good opportunity for these students of diversity to better acquaint themselves and their background with their classmates. It will also be a good opportunity for the majority of the class to experience and learn about a history and lifestyle other than their own. Gender Issues: Gender issues are addressed strongly throughout the book mainly because the main characters in the story are women. Not only are they women, they are women experiencing the mid 1900’s, they are outspoken, and they are extremely active in areas that women were not usually active in. Minerva time and time again undermines the authority of Trujillo, not just a male but also the leading dictator. The father of the Mirabal girls passionately loves his daughters, but often references to wishing he had sons as they are the preferred gender. Men are shown at their worst often in the story sometimes exuding a feministic tone. Maria continually includes in her journal how she hates men, as she has reason, having seen adultery committed by the men closest to her. Each sister is extremely independent often undermining any kind of authority their husbands â€Å"should† have. The sisters are extremely ahead of their time when it comes to the woman question, and it is referenced again and again throughout the novel. While there are hints of feminism throughout the novel, there is also an extreme devotion of the Mirabal sisters to their father and husbands. Forgiveness plays a key role in the relationships as it should in most relationships, and therefore does not truly exhibit negativity towards men or these relationships. The girls are strong, but still extremely loyal and loving of their male counterparts. The Central Question or Enduring Issue: The central question or enduring issue of this novel would have to do with choice. Each person chooses his or her path. Each person decides their own fate according to what is inside of them, and what the outside circumstances would require. In more of a question form perhaps, when does one act? When does one stand up and manifest who they are? Every person has agency and practices it each day. The Mirabal sisters chose a higher route. They used their agency to battle the fight against evil. They chose to make something of themselves bit by bit in every little decision they made that led to the big decisions in the end. Humans everywhere settle for mediocrity, but a better question might be, when is mediocrity not enough? When does one use his or her agency to accomplish something greater? The battle of right and wrong is everywhere, and the Mirabal sisters chose the path for right. Research Issues/Project Ideas: Because of the historical richness of the novel there are many opportunities for research papers. Students could research the dictator Trujillo, the history of government in the Dominican Republic, the time period, specific characters, the accuracy of the novel in comparison to the facts, the effect of the Mirabal sisters, whether the legend lives on etc†¦ Projects might include expressions of art using the theme of butterflies, or using the different personalities of each sister, characterization in the form of art or a paper on a favorite sister. Other options for papers are available in the form of a compare and contrast essay between the student and a chosen character, or two characters form the novel, a creative writing paper including a new character or an expansion of the chapters on one of the sisters, a paper on a chosen theme or issue, social problems could be studied, feminism could be written about, the relationships between the men and women could be written about etc†¦ The topics go on and on in this novel. Because of its perfect blend of characterization, plot, history, and social issues the opportunities seem endless! Informational/Functional Texts: Wikipedia gives a good intro and brief historical explanation of the book that might be a nice intro: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Time_of_the_Butterflies This site gives a brief introduction to the government, history, and culture of the Dominican Republic to familiarize with the students: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107475.html This is a good picture of a map to help students see where the Dominican Republic is located and how close it is to the United States: http://www.islandbrides.com/maps/loc_dominican_republic.gif This site gives a wonderful introduction to In the Time of the Butterflies historically, followed by facts about Trujillo’s bloody reign. The facts are both graphic and eye opening as the destruction one man caused is related. This makes the Mirabal sisters even more admirable as the ruthlessness of Trujillo is accessed here: http://gbs.glenbrook.k12.il.us/Academics/gbseng2/ButterfliesAlvarez/trujillobutterflies.htm This is a wonderful site that con tains pictures of the Mirabal sisters, explains their lives, and their martyrdoms. There is also a picture of their murderer available—Trujillo. There is an English and Spanish option to read and learn more about the lives of the heroines: http://www.learntoquestion.com/seevak/groups/2000/sites/mirabal/mainpage.html