Manufacturing Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Manufacturing Strategy - Case Study Example The second strategy this company used in its manufacturing is a balanced approach in investment. Most of manufacturing companies in Far East did close their factories and shifted their product production in other countries. The companies that shifted their manufacturing production from one-way flow utilized a balanced approach of investing and reinvestment in other nations. Hammond and Ramman (2006) posit that the company allocated more new production territories in Hong Kong. It also allowed subcontractors to start new plants in Guangdong in China. That was based on the fact that the cost of labor in China was extremely low as compared to the cost in the Far East plant. The third strategy used by Sport Obermeyer was maintaining a careful financial discipline. This company embraced a shareholder value added system in order to determine the difference between the operating profit of the organization and the associated cost of production. The company approximates cost of production before going through a critical analysis to establish whether it could effectively compete. The company got more information on production by allowing more groups to generate forecast demand of retailers on its products. The company then used that group efforts to produce the New Year’s production line. Besides, the company used several home markets and export strategies. While some manufacturing companies typically locate manufacturing plants in a given place to satisfy customers’ demand, Sport Obermeyer Ltd embraced a double approach where it considered the demand in many markets even those found overseas. The management of the company implemented various product strategies. The first one was delivery of matching product collections to its esteemed retailers. That enabled the customers to concurrently view and buy those items simultaneously. Secondly, the management allowed

Technological Innovation in Indian Banking Sector Essay Example for Free

Technological Innovation in Indian Banking Sector Essay TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN INDIAN BANKING SECTOR – USE OF IT PRODUCTS Dr. Kanhaiya Singh, Professor, Fore School of Management, New Delhi,India Dr. U. S. Pandey, Associate Professor University of Delhi, New Delhi, India Priya Gupta, Asst. Professor, SSCBS, University of Delhi, Research Scholar, BIT(Mesra) Ranchi ABSTRACT Transformation is taking in Indian banks from all verticals, and subtle and not – so – subtle makeovers in banking products are dynamically altering the face of banking. The research paper focuses on the way transformation is affecting the banking sector and the way use of IT products have changed the face of banking in India. It reveals current environment of the banking industry; the factors that have brought changes in the industry; and the way these changes have contributed to the development of banking. This paper concludes that financial market has turned into a buyer’s market. Banks are have now bloomed into one-stop Supermarkets. Their focus is shifting from mass Banking to Class banking with introduction of value added and customized products. Technology now allows banks to create what looks like a branch in a business building’s lobby without having to hire manpower for manual operations. These branches are working on the concept of 24 X 7 working made possible due to Tele banking, ATMs, Internet Banking, Mobile Banking and E banking. This technology driven delivery channels are used to reach maximum customers at lower cost and in most efficient manner. The beauty of these banking innovations is that it puts both banker and customer in a winwin situation. The need of an hour is to design a system to promote marginal efficiency of investment in technology and widen the gap between marginal benefits and marginal cost involved in Banking transformation with special reference to technological up gradation. Keywords: CRM, ECS, Skimming, Spoofing, ATMs INTRODUCTION The study presents a broad overview of the current state of the  banking industry in India. It then goes on to identify some important forces for change and some important forces resisting change. Attention is paid finally to growth path of banking sector with technological advancement. It is depicted that banking is going to be intensely competitive and complex. The best idea would be for the domestic banks to enhance mutual co-operation in order to create a healthier market order and raise the overall competitiveness of the industry as a whole. Incorporation of advanced technology and International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703  utilization of modern management techniques are other crucial aspects at which domestic banks should pay keen interest. Indian Banking Transformation – The Starting Point Since independence Indian banks have undergone through four major shifts which can categorized as pre reform (before 1991) and post reform period (after 1991): Pre-Reform period: A period of consolidation of banks up to 1966 A period of historic expansion in both geographical and functional terms from1966 to mid- 1980s A period of consolidation of branches from mid 1980s to 1991 These changes were policy induced but not driven by market forces. Post- Reform period Entry of technology in the Indian banking sector can be traced back to the Rangarajan Committee report, way back in the 1980s but during nineties, the banking sector witnessed various liberalization measures. New private sector and foreign banks emerged equipped with the latest technology. These banks opted for a different model of having a single centralized database through a network infrastructure, instead of having multiple databases for all their branches. These changes were market driven, having the influence especially of globalization. The crux is Indian banks have no control over developments  abroad but are subjected to their effects. Hence these changes were not the outcome of internal changes but of external changes. Deregulation has opened up new opportunities for banks to increase revenues by diversifying into investment banking, insurance, credit cards, mortgage financing, depository services, securitization, etc. Now all the banks have started with the concept of multi- channels, like ATMs, credit cards, debit cards, telephone/mobile banking, internet banking, call centers, etc. The role of banking is redefined from a mere financial intermediary to service provider of various financial services under one roof acting like a financial supermarket. International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 Forces for change in Indian Banking: Underlying forces for change Developments in communication systems, coupled with blurring of differences between banks and non banks and globalization have aggravated the competitive environment. Technology became a key differentiator for the new private sector banks. The technological superiority helped these private sector banks to have upper edge over public sector banks. The traditional source of income (Net Interest margin = Interest Earned – Interest Expended) was compressed due to the pressure of competition. As a result commercial banks had to face the challenge of finding out new sources of income and curtailing overhead expenses. The operating conditions are different for private sector and public sector banks in India (wage bill, legacy of non-performing assets and extensive network of Public sector banks) which results in imperfect competition in the market. With increasing competition among banks, customers are also becoming more discerning and demanding. To meet customer expectations, banks will have to offer a broad range of  deposit, investment and credit products through diverse distribution channels including upgraded branches, ATMs, telephone and Internet. The mantra to attract and retain customers lies in efficient customer service including customized and value added products to meet various needs of individual customers as also to meet the need of diverse types of customers. Manifestation of underlying forces: Concern Issues: Use of technology to be increased substantially in banks to cope with rising volumes and reduce transaction costs and processing time. In Public Sector Banks, legacy systems and interoperability is a major hurdle in the integration of all delivery channels. A major problem of banks in India is the availability of excessive data, the relevance and quality of which are both suspect. The inculcation of a proper attitude towards technology adaptation and proper security systems is an urgent need of the hour. International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 Very low level of computer literacy and the existing mind set of some senior bankers are road blocks in the IT implementation in banks to 100% level. It related security issues in Indian banks are also a matter of concern. Suggestions Recommendations: Better and cheaper access to basic infrastructure requirements such as power and telecommunications. Creation of customer awareness and education for technology adoption are imperative. The IT Act 2000 needs to implement in totality to handle legal issues. Set up an Electronic Banking Group to provide guiding principles for prudent risk management of e- banking activities E-security to be tackled efficiently so as to mitigate all the attendant risks. Convert branches into boutiques catering to the requirements of clients and re-engineer the  functions of branch banking using technology and delivery channels. BANKING INNOVATIONS Today we have electronic payment system along with currency notes. India‟s financial sector is moving towards a scenario, where it can have new instruments along with liquidity and safety. Important events in the evolution of new age payment systems in India Arrival of card- based payments- debit card, credit card- late 1980‟s and early 1990‟s. Introduction of Electronic Clearing Service (ECS) in late 1990‟s Introduction of Electronic Funds Transfer/ Special EFT (EFT/SEFT) in the early 2000‟s Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) was introduced in March 2004 International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 Introduction of NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer)as a replacement for EFT/SEFT in 2005/06 Plan for implementation of cheque truncation system as a pilot program in New Delhi in 2007. Migration from cash and cheque based payment system, it has become a necessity to electronic fund transfer system on account of the following reasons: 1. Large volumes of transaction, 2. High cost of physical handling and storage of paper instruments. 3. Delay in realization is a common feature. 4. Finality of payment takes time because the physical movement of instruments in large volumes from branches to and from clearing house, and sorting them according to each bank branch at the center creates problems. RBI has taken two major steps to tackle this problem: Use Of Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) technology was resorted to facilitate and expedite physical sorting of instruments using high-speed MICR sorters. There are about 40 MICR centers in India today. Introduction of Electronic Clearing Service. The ECS was the first version of „Electronic Payments‟ in India. It is a mode of electronic funds transfer from one bank account to another bank account using the mechanism of clearing house. It is very useful in case of bulk transfers from one account to many accounts or vice- versa. There are two types of ECS (Electronic Clearing Service) 1. ECS – credit 2. ECS- debit. International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 ECS facility is available at more than 60 centers in India. The beneficiary has to maintain an account with one of the banks at ECS center in order to avail benefits of ECS. ECS- CREDIT Advantages of ECS to ultimate beneficiary are: No need to make frequent visits to bank for depositing physical paper instruments. No possibility of loss of instrument and fraudulent encashment No chance of delay or return in realization of proceeds as in the case of paper instruments. Benefits to Corporate bodies of ECS Save on administrative machinery for printing, dispatch and reconciliation Avoid the chance of loss of instruments in postal transit Avoid the chance of frauds due to fraudulent access to the paper instruments and encashment It can be ensured that the beneficiary‟s accounts get credited on a designated date. ECS DEBIT It is a scheme under which an account holder with a bank can authorize an ECS user to recover an amount at a prescribed frequency by raising a debit in his account. Utility service providers such as telephone companies, electricity boards, credit card collections, collection of loan installments by bank and financial institutions, and investment schemes such as mutual funds are eligible to participate in the ECS debit scheme.  Advantages of ECS debit scheme A. To the ultimate beneficiary is: Eliminates the need of physical visit and the trouble of standing in long queues for making payment There is no need to track down payments by last dates. International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 B. To the corporate bodies and Institutions are: Saves on administrative machinery for collecting the cheques, monitoring their realization and reconciliation Better cash management Avoids chances of fraud Receives payments on a single date These schemes were introduced when Indian banking was in infant stage of its computerization hence cost benefits could not be maximized. EFT Electronic Fund transfer EFT scheme targeted one to one payments as an alternative to the use of cheques and drafts for remitting funds between bank accounts located at different centers. EFT encountered the problem of low level of computerization and connectivity in the Indian banking industry. Core Banking Solution CBS is a centralized platform, which creates environment where the entire bank‟s operations can be controlled, and run from a centralized hub. This creates a centralized customer database, which makes anytime, anywhere, anyway banking possible. Immediate advantages of CBS are: Faster and efficient customer service. Offering multiple delivery channels, like ATMs, Cards, mobile/Telephone Banking, internet Banking, Call centers, etc. Reducing the operational costs, through manpower saving and space saving. Centralizing the back end processes and reporting. International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 Creating a customer profile database, it is a powerful tool for gaining competitive advantage through cross selling opportunities. Adoption of Risk management, by taking care of risk-monitoring and risk-reporting requirements. ATMs ATMs are an issue of survival for the banks and are becoming just another part of everyday life. Falling costs of machines and connectivity is a key factor contributing to the growth of ATM network. Banks have also been cutting costs and gaining synergies through ATM sharing agreements amongst themselves, for example: Cash Tree (Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, Dena Bank and Syndicate Bank) SBI, HDFC Bank, UTI Bank, Indian Bank and Andhra Bank ICICI Bank, Andhra Bank and Federal Bank Banks are now using ATMs for product promotion as banks market broader financial services to their captive audience of ATM users. But these facilities come with added problems when huge amount of money is withdrawn by large number of consumers in a market period (very short period of time). CRM Customer Relationship Management Solution is the set of methodologies and tools that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way finding, getting, and retaining customers. It helps to provide better customer service, increase customer revenues, discover new customers and sell products more effectively. CORPORATE INTERNET BANKING The Internet has initiated an electronic revolution in the global banking  sector. Its dynamic and flexible nature as well as its ubiquitous reach has helped in leveraging a variety of banking activities. The Internet has emerged as one of the major distribution channels of banking products and services for banks in the U.S and in European countries. Consumers International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703  are embracing the many benefits of Internet banking like improved customer access which facilitates the offering of more services, attract new customers and reduce customer attrition. Advantages of Internet Banking: A) Advantages to customers Banking from your desk: with e-banking services, one can actually carry out a number of transactions sitting on one‟s seat with just a few click. Net banking customers view their account balance and also open fixed deposits, transfer funds, pay electricity, telephone or mobile phones bills and much more. Instant information: The accounts of the customers are updated as soon as the transaction takes place i.e., the accounts show the information updated to the last second. This means if a cheque issued by you has been debited from your account in the morning, your account status will reflect this when you log in to your accounts in the afternoon as against the earlier updating at the end of the day. (B) Advantages to the banks Lesser personnel required: online banking has encouraged a chunk of people, though a smaller one to carry out most of their transactions from a distance. This has resulted in lesser pressure on the employees in terms of entertaining customers. Easy publicity: banks can easily pass on the information about their new avenues/schemes without any wastage of time. Customers interested in the schemes would revert back and can be attended to later. PAYMENT SYSTEMS BY RBI: Inter-bank Clearing System High Value Clearing System MICR Clearing System Government Securities Clearing System and Real Time Gross Settlement System International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 Banks not only deal with corporate and individual but also they need to make payments to each other to settle the accounts arising of the transactions carried out for their customers, and also for borrowing or repayment, investments, sale and purchase of various assets. These payments have to be effected through their accounts maintained with the Reserve Bank of India. Real Time Gross Settlement System The inter Bank Payments handle large amounts of money. The RTGS system is one in which payment instructions between banks are processed and settled individually and continuously throughout the day. In India currently it covers more than 28,000 branches of banks. The attraction of RTGS is that the payee banks and their customers receive funds with certainty and finality during the same day enabling them to use the funds immediately without exposing themselves to risk. RTGS system, do not create credit risk for the receiving participant because they settle the each payment individually , as soon as it is accepted , liquidity risks remains, as well as the possibility of the risks being shifted outside the system .The security has to ensure that hacking is not possible at the site. RISK FACTORS The latest fraud which is considered as the safest method of crime without making physical injury is the Computer Frauds in Banks. Computerization of banks had started since 1994 in India. Reserve Bank of India has evolved working pattern for Local area Network and wide area Network by instituting different microwave stations so that money transactions could be carried out quickly and safely. The main banking tasks which computers perform are maintaining debit-credit records of accounts,  operating automated teller machines, and carry out electronic fund transfer, print out statements of accounts create periodic balance sheets etc. Internet facilities of computer have revolutionized international banking for fund transfer and for exchanging data of interest relating to banking and to carry out other banking functions and provides certain security to the customers by assigning different pin numbers and passwords. Computer depredations have by some been classified as: International Journal of Management and Strategy ISSN: 2231-0703 International Journal of Management and Strategy (IJMS) 2011, Vol. No.II, Issue II, January-June 2011 http://www.myresearchpie.com/ ISSN: 2231-0703 1. Computer frauds; and 2. Computer crimes Computer frauds are those involve embezzlement or defalcations achieved by tampering with computer data record or programme, etc. whereas computer crimes are those committed with a computer that is where a computer acts as a medium. The difference is however academic only. The three most common are: 1. Cheque Frauds The resolute growth of paper cheques coupled with the ready availability of latest printing technology has resulted in an alarming rise in cheque frauds in Indian banks. Cheques are widely used instruments across the globe. It is interesting to note that cheques as a payment mechanism are still having a dominant position, both in developed and developing countries. Banks have been working very hard to wean customers from paper cheques. Cheques are expensive to print, mail and process. Other problems associated with cheques are inherent manual – handling process, high costs for banks, and high transportation costs between parties. Concept and Magnitude of Cheque Frauds There are a variety of ways to categorize cheque frauds. One broad distinction is â€Å"internal† and â€Å"external†. Internal cheque fraud refers to schemes devised by insiders – employees responsible for creating, authorizing, or processing cheques. External cheque fraud refers to schemes  created by independent operators or by organized gangs. The most common forms of external fraud involves: a. Alteration of cheque details b. Creation of counterfeit cheques c. Forgery of cheques Physical Security Controls used are watermarks, high resolution micro printing, reflective holograms, and security inks etc.

Arrangment in Black and White Essay -- essays research papers

Dorothy Parker’s â€Å"Arrangement in Black and White† is set during a dinner party for the host’s friend, Walter Williams, an African American musician. Though the party is celebrated in his name, most of the conversation takes place between the host and the main character, the woman with pink velvet poppies. From the conversation, the audience can deduce that though this woman admires Walter Williams’s musical talent, she is unable to let go of the racist sentiment against his African American heritage. The author adds a flavor of sophisticated cynicism as she makes this point clear by having the main characters ironically make frequent references concerning how â€Å"untroubled† she is about the color of his skin. This argument is further emphasized when she greets Walter Williams; her body language and topic choice gives her predicament away. Through this story Parker implies that with the end of slavery did not entail the changing of the heart ’s and mind’s of its supporters, no matter how much one can deny it to oneself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dorothy Parker sets up her main character be in conflict with all her possessed qualities. For example, although her age is never stated, she seems young judging by her energetic and outspoken qualities, but old enough to be married and have set opinions toward other races. Also, though she comes across as a woman with a forward nature—shown as she grabs the host’s arm to get her attention—she also is seen as a nervous character, bec...

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Gaining Integrity through Failure Essay

Integrity is achieved through the gaining of wisdom; the gaining of wisdom is a direct result of failure. Arthur Miller wrote the moralizing drama, The Crucible, in this play the main character John Proctor was wrongly accused of witchcraft and served the death penalty along with two others. The story of John Proctor was indirectly summarized by the American author William Saroyan when he said, â€Å"Good people†¦are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure,† meaning that a person willing to sacrifice for his beliefs is good because although he has failed, by not according to his moral codes he has gained integrity and the ability to refuse to live a life of hypocrisy; further, John Proctor is good because he died refusing to lie in order to live. Proctor failed because his commitments wavered depending upon his own personal needs. Miller demonstrated Proctor’s failure, and later redemption and goodness throughout the text by means of characteriza tion, conflict, and theme. Miller uses the literary element of characterization to show John Proctor’s transformation from failure to goodness. There is a definite contradiction in Proctor; additionally, he says that he loves his wife; but, he adulters her as soon as she becomes ill. Also he does not attend church because he dislikes the way in which Reverend Samuel Parris governs the church, as well as the way he preaches. Proctor abhors how Parris uses donations for the church to buy superfluous things, † †¦When I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbows- it hurt my prayer, sir, it hurt my prayer† (69). Proctor’s commitment wavers depending upon his own personal needs. Arthur Miller characterized him as one with weak theology and one who struggled with personal commitment, in Puritan society religion is valued highly and those who don’t follow Puritan rules are not accepted and alienated by society. Salem citizens considered Proctor a religious failure. He was not able to recite the Ten Commandments when asked by Reverend Nathaniel Hale; further, as Proctor was failing to find the tenth commandment, his wife  Elizabeth utters delicately, â€Å"Adultery, John† (71). Ironically, Proctor was able to identify all the commandments except the one that he was betraying. Reverend Hale pointed out Proctor’s other religious shortcomings, he discerned that Proctor rarely attended church, â€Å"In the book of record that Mr. Parris keeps, I note that you are rarely on church on Sabbath day† (68). Proctor first argues that Hale must be wrong, then he replies that his wife was sick; so, finally after all of his excuses failed, he resorted to saying that he did not attend church because he did not like Reverend Samuel Parris, Reverend Hale continued to point out Proctor’s fallacies, Hale noted that only two of Proctor’s three sons had been baptized, â€Å"How comes it that only two are baptized† (69). Proctor claims that this is because he dislikes Reverend Parris, â€Å"I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand on my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it† (69). Proctor proves himself to be religiously disloyal; additionally, since Samuel Parris was a preacher he must have the light of God is in him according to Puritan beliefs. Proctor challenges Hale’s accusations, â€Å"I nailed the roof upon the church, I hung the door-† (69). Proctor is willing to work for the church, but is not willing to atten d it like society expects him to; he unquestionably contradicts himself at  this point. Because of these religious weaknesses and inauthentic choices Proctor’s faith in God is weakened. Proctor reaches wisdom through failure, he overcame his shortcomings and was eventually able to redeem himself in the eyes of society as well as in the eyes of God. When he being frustrated by the false accusations of the court he proclaimed, â€Å"I say- I say- God is dead!† (125). Proctor believes that God is dead and that everyone will burn in Hell together. Later he gains goodness as he realizes that God knows that he is a sinner and that that is all that matters, â€Å"God does not need my name nailed upon the church! He sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough!† (149). Also, Proctor was tortured for three months, the Salem judges attempted to get him to purge a confession, but to no avail. Proctor knew that if he gave a false confession it would blacken his soul more than anything else would. Elizabeth questioned him prior to his hanging, â⠂¬Å"You-  have been tortured? Proctor responded, â€Å"Aye. They come for my life now.† (141). Proctor was tortured for three months and was determined bolster his ideals by showing a cold heart to the judges, here he exemplifies firmness and perseverance. Proctor began as one whose commitment was based on his personal needs, but was transformed to one willing to die for something he believes in, he was changed from a failed person to a moral man. Proctor knows that what the Salem judges were doing was wrong and he refused to be victimized by them. The dynamic characterization of John Proctor throughout The Crucible shows that he is a good person because he is willing to die defending his beliefs; although, he agrees to confess and abandon his previous ideals, he has a change of heart and hangs. Proctor was wrestling with his conscience over whether to confess to witchcraft an action that would save  himself from the gallows. The judges and Hale almost convinced him to do so, but the last stumbling block is his signature on the confession, which he could not bring himself to give. In part, this unwillingness reflects his desire to honor his fellow prisoners; he would not be able to live with himself knowing that other innocent, pious people died while he faltered at death’s door and fled. Also he would not sign the false confession because of his children; he did not want them to live knowing that their father was a too timid to stand up for his principles, â€Å"I have three children- how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?† (150). Proctor also hesitated to sign his false confession for fear of losing his tarnished, but all important name, â€Å"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies†¦How may I live without my name? (150). He knew that he could only have one name, and if he sign the false confession people would always look down on him as someone who was too cowardly to bolster his beliefs, Still another literary element used by Miller is that of theme. The idea that reputation can greatly effect a character’s thought process is a very important theme throughout the play. Reputation is tremendously important in  theocratic Salem, where public and private moralities are one and the same. In an environment where reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by association becomes particularly harmful. Focused on maintaining public reputation, the townsfolk of Salem must fear that the sins of their friends and family may tarnish their own names. John Proctor based his actions on the desire to protect his reputation. Proctor seeks to keep his good name from being damaged; moreover, he attempts to quiet Abigail on the subject of their  previous relationship in order to protect his good name. He tells Abigail to forget about their relationship because he has reformed and wants nothing to do with her, â€Å"Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abbyâ €  (24). Personal responsibility is another major theme throughout The Crucible; Miller exemplifies Proctor’s transformation from failure to morality through his failed personal responsibilities. As a citizen of Salem, Proctor has the responsibility of attending church weekly; also, he has the responsibility of having his family follow Puritan religious rules. His youngest son is not baptized, Proctor argues that he does not think that Reverend Parris is the right man to baptize his son. Proctor’s largest failed responsibility is that of his loyalty to his wife, Elizabeth. He had with Abigail during his wife’s sickness. Proctor failed because his commitments wavered depending upon his own personal needs, he was in need of companionship and his wife was sick and therefore unable to fulfill his needs, so he abandon his previous ideals. Proctor’s inauthentic choice to lecher his wife contributed to his failings. Elizabeth expressed grief regarding Proctor’s lechery, she was dismayed when she learned of John’s sin, â€Å"You’ll tear it free-when you come to know that I will be your only wife, or no wife at all! (66). Another theme that plays a large role in transforming Proctor from a person of failure to a man with morals is that of intolerance of opposition. The Crucible is set in a theocratic society, in which the church and the state are one, and the Puritan religion is very austere. Because of the theocratic nature of the society, moral laws and state laws are one and the same: sin and the status of an individual’s soul are matters of public concern. There is no room for variation from social standards, since any individual whose private life does not conform to the established moral laws represents a  threat not only to the public good; but, they pose a threat to the rule of God and true religion as well. In Salem, everything and everyone belongs to either God or the Devil; opposition is not merely unlawful, it is associated with satanic activity. This division between good and evil, God or the Devil, functions as the underlying logic behind the witch trials. The witch trials are the ultimate expression of intolerance; and, hanging witches is the ultimate means of restoring the community’s purity. The trials categorize all social deviants with the disgrace of devil-worshiping and thus require their elimination from the community. Proctor conformed to society’s ways and hid his sins. Proctor’s failings were represented by the themes of reputation, intolerance, and personal responsibilities, he was unable to fulfill his societal duties; but, he hid his weaknesses in order to keep his social status white. He covered up his affair with Abigail and his religious inadequacies. Proctor adultered Elizabeth and he was unable to live a normal life because of his sins. Proctor also had a chance to put a stop to the girls’ accusations; but, his desire to preserve his reputation keeps him from testifying against Abigail, Proctor tells Elizabeth that he wants to think on the idea of testifying against Abigail because he fears that he may falsely accuse Abigail of fraud, but in actuality he is thinking on it because he does not want to bring adultery charges on himself by testifying against Abigail, he does not want to raise lechery suspicions from Elizabeth, â€Å"†¦I have good reason to think before I charge fraud on Abigail, and I will think on it† (57). However, Proctor’s desire to keep his good name leads him to make the heroic choice not to make a false confession and to go to his death without signing his name to an untrue statement, he proclaims to the court, â€Å"I have given you my soul; leave me my name!† (150). By refusing to surrender his name, he redeems himself for his failure  and therefore dies with integrity. Elizabeth expresses true feelings toward John because she knew that they might never speak to each other again. She explained to John that she was one who was wrong, she said that she should not have been suspicious of John, â€Å"Suspicion kissed you when I did; I never knew how I should say my love. It were a cold house I kept!† (144). Proctor surely has his integrity when Elizabeth exclaims to Judge Hathorne that John is a moral man, â€Å"Do what you will. But let none be your judge. There be no higher judge under Heaven than Proctor is! Forgive me, forgive me, John- I never knew such goodness in the world!† (144). Through the trials Proctor realized the conformists of society, and how people surrender to altering their own beliefs. When John is facing death he is redeemed and gains integrity. Elizabeth looks past John’s adultery and recognizes t hat has transformed into a respectable man. The literary element of conflict is frequently used throughout The Crucible to show John Proctor’s transition from ethical failure to moral success. The external conflict between John and Elizabeth shows John in as a failure, their conflict was caused by John’s affair with Abigail. Elizabeth expressed her grief upon learning of John’s lechery, â€Å"†¦I will be your only wife, or no wife at all! She [Abigail] has an arrow in you yet, John Proctor, and you know it well!† (66). Another external conflict exists between John and society, particularly, the judges and governors. The Salem governors convince Proctor that the right way to go is to give a false confession; further, he would spare his life, and religiously rid himself of sin by confessing. Here, Proctor failed. He chose to give a false confession, he chose to wrongly admit to witchcraft instead of  standing by his morals like Martha Corey and Sarah Good did before him. Along those same lines, John failed himself. Internally he was struggling with the same the decision of giving a false confession. Proctor failed through both internal and external conflicts. He was convinced to falsely confess, and he also adultered his wife. Proctor was redeemed internally; he found wisdom from within and reformed. Proctor realized that adultery greatly troubled  his relationship Elizabeth and also his public reputation, and redeemed himself by means of admitting his sins to Elizabeth and saying that he takes his own sins upon himself, no one else’s, â€Å"No, I take my own [sins], my own!† (144). Proctor also became conscious of the fact that integrity is much more important than reputation. He shows this recognition through deciding not to give a false confession. By not giving a false confession he redeemed himself and reached virtue. In the end, he was hanged and showed his goodness through his willingness to sacrifice his own life defending something that he believes in. Instead of being used by the court to damn witchcraft, he went against the court, and did the opposite of what they wanted him to do. By not conforming to the courts requests of a false confession he showed once more his integrity and morality. Furthermore, Arthur Miller depicts John Proctor’s goodness by showing that he has integrity, morals, and ideals. The American author William Saroyan said, â€Å"Good people†¦are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.† Someone who is willing to sacrifice for his beliefs is a good person because although he has failed, by not according to his moral codes he has gained the integrity and the ability to refuse to live a life of hypocrisy. The Crucible is directly related to the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s  and 1960s. Senator Joseph McCarthy fought the growing Communist party during the â€Å"Red Scare,† when America was vulnerable to the growing threat of Communist invasion. McCarthy’s hearing is directly related to The Crucible because like the McCarthy hearings The Crucible sends a timeless message. Joseph McCarthy stood up to American society to publicly defend his reputation, as well as the reputations of others; additionally John Proctor did the same in The Crucible as he refused to shame himself by lying and taking the easy way out when others died for their morals. Works Cited: Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Books, 1953.

Peculiar Institution Essay

On September 23, 1861 Mrs. E. A. Spaulding of Central Village Windham County wrote Abraham Lincoln about the Peculiar Institution or Slavery. She believed that until it â€Å"is abolished, civilization is impeded, humanity languishes and our boasted land of freedom is a practical lie. † Two prominent persons of the era, John C. Calhoun and James Henry Hammond, thought the contrary. Calhoun and Hammond were strong defenders of Slavery. In his Mudsill Speech of 1858, Hammond justified the use of slaves through the Mudsill theory. He said that in order for the upper class to be able to push the country forward, there had to be a lower class to support it. The lower class was needed to do the dirty job and the easy tasks. They were the ones with less intelligence and talent but had the energy, subservience and loyalty demanded by the job, referring to the Africans. In the North, the laborers were not paid enough. They had to work long hours and some ended up as beggars. There were many beggars in the North, but there were none in the South. The slaves in the South enjoyed lifetime employment and because they were well paid, they did not have to beg, did not go hungry, were never out of jobs and neither did they have to work more than what they can do in a day. The slaves in the South were Blacks. They were from a different and inferior race. In working for slave owners in the South, their life had greatly improved. They had simple desires, little ambitions and they wanted no more than those. Both owners and slaves had no conflicts to disturb the peace of their days. In the case of the North, their slaves were their own race. Hammond believed that such a situation can be humiliating for the slaves, though they are the majority. As this majority had voting rights, they were actually more powerful. With such power they can create the most trouble for their employers. In his Disquisition on Government, Calhoun disagreed with the Founding Father’s idea of the rights of individuals. He believed that it was not true that people were born free and equal. The condition of life of the Blacks, being the inferior, had been improved by Slavery. They had become civilized, and their moral, physical and intellectual circumstances had changed for the better. Historically, there was never a society where part of it did not depend on the efforts of the other. The living and working conditions of the South were much better than those in the North. The Southern slave owners took care of his slaves and their families and were not subjected to the constant and unsettling labor problems in the North. Calhoun’s strongest argument against the Abolitionists was that protection of domestic institutions was granted exclusively to the states. Since Slavery was a peculiar institution to the South, attempts by other states to abolish it was defiance of the Constitution. Pro Slavery advocates cited Biblical references to argue that slavery was allowed by the Lord and intended for it to continue. Exodus 21:5-6, the slave says â€Å"I love my wife, my master and my children, I will not go free. † †¦. nd that â€Å"he (slave) shall serve him (master) for life. In Ephesians 6:5, God instructs â€Å"Servants, obey your masters of this world with fear and respect, with simplicity of heart, as if obeying Christ. † In Genesis 9:26, Noah prayed to the Lord, â€Å"Blessed be Yahweh, God of Shem, let Canaan be his slave. † Titus 2:9 says â€Å"Teach slaves to be subject to their masters †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Colossians 3:22 instructs â€Å"Servants obey your masters in everything not only while they are present, to gain favor with them, but because you fear the Lord. In all these, the advocates believe that slavery did not go against the spiritual teachings. There were also economic considerations in the use of slaves to work in Southern plantations. They were the most cost-efficient, available laborers. Their owners realized big returns of investments that they were able to give their slaves decent and comfortable lives, by way of homes, clothing, medical care and assurance of a stable future. The slave and their owners had a paternalistic relationship where the latter took care of the slaves like family.

Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Essays

Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Essays Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Paper Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Paper Essay Topic: Call of the Wild Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Into the Wild Literature The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of corruption and how it can easily spread. It focuses strongly on art and decadence and it definitely alludes to degeneration and decay throughout. Characters, especially Dorian Gray, often focus on beauty as the leading quality in the world. He also forms a double life, much like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in the sense that has a more civilized public life with a malicious, corrupt secret life full of sin. One of the major gothic topics displayed in this text portrays civilizations lapse into corruption and barbarism while seeming still civilized on the surface. The story begins with Basil Hallward, a somewhat successful artist, painting a portrait of Dorian Gray. Basil completely worships the beautiful, pure, young Dorian Gray, and in fact even admits it to his close friend, Lord Henry. Basil paints such a vivid picture of Dorian that he convinces himself that he has put some of his own soul into the piece. This alludes to the somewhat supernatural qualities of the painting. Basil explicitly explains that he doesnt want Henry spoiling Dorian Gray, but nonetheless fails to prevent the two from meeting. Lord Henry immediately starts exerting his infectious influence on Dorian Gray. Dorian is astonished at how beautiful he looks in the portrait, but instantly starts to panic with his newfound Lord Henry outlook: Lord Henry Wotton is perfectly right. Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself' (26). After meeting Henry, Dorian sees the portrait as a mockery and immediately wishes for it to age and decay in his stead. This incident marks the beginning of Dorian Grays downward spiral into corruption and malice. Another intriguing detail to note about this quote relates to its foreshadowing content. Dorian mentions killing himself, which he ultimately does at the conclusion of the plot. He attains everlasting youth and beauty and still ends up slaying himself, only to return to a decayed hideous form. Dorian Grays first major act of tyranny pertains to his first love, Sibyl Vane. Sibyl Vane dazzles her audience and captivates Dorian Gray with her marvelously whimsical performances on the stage. Dorian becomes infatuated with her acting as an art, rather than her as an actual person. Sibyl, much like Dorian prior to corruption, is innocent and naive towards real life and real emotions. She lives her life through the stage and feels more alive as her characters than she does in the real world. Dorian, Dorian, she cried, before I knew you, acting was the one reality of my life. It was only in the theatre that I lived. (74). After coming into contact with Dorian, she realizes true love and begins to see her true world on the theatre as nothing more than a farce. Her realization of authentic emotions corrupts her art and she no longer possesses her beautiful eminence. The corrupting taint that eventually encompasses the life of Dorian Gray begins to manifest itself with the ruining of Sibyl Vane. Sibyls inability to continue her marvelous performances on stage infuriates Dorian Gray and he breaks her heart by basically calling her worthless. He leaves the girl with nothing but his harsh words. This devastating incident causes Sibyl Vane to commit suicide, and the first stain of degeneration that should have marked Dorian Gray, shows up on his portrait instead. The Picture of Dorian Gray contains several interesting incidents of foreshadowing. Basil remarks to Lord Henry quite early on in the story that Dorians good looks will most likely cause severe tragedy in the future. Indeed, I should be sorry to look like him. You shrug your shoulders? I am telling you the truth. There is a fatality about all physical and intellectual distinction, the sort of fatality that seems to dog through history the faltering steps of kings (7). Obviously this premonition by Basil comes true as Dorians looks eventually become the sole driving motivation for his vindictive actions, and eventually drive him to self-destruction. The other intriguing note is that Basil claims to have put himself in the portrait of Dorian Gray. Thus one could derive that this indicates a similarity to Dorian and could explain his demise as well. Another part of the novel that seemed so dreadfully obvious that I almost pinpointed its exact occurrence, pertains to Basils untimely murder by Dorian Gray. The story reveals on page one that Basil would most likely be murdered, and since Dorian Gray is the protagonist, I assumed that he would be the executioner. Basil Hallward, whose sudden disappearance some years ago, caused at the time, such public excitement, and gave rise to so many strange conjectures (1). Oscar Wilde would not have put this line into the text if we were meant to presume that Basil would eventually pass away peacefully due to old age. A sudden disappearance in a gothic story typically alludes to a murder or death. As for the actual assassination scene in the novel, Wilde spent time describing the particular night just prior to the incident, as a cold, foggy night and mentions that Dorian tries to avoid interacting with Basil in several ways. This attempt at avoidance already brings about a sense of tension. Once inside the mansion Basil repeatedly irritates Dorian with preaching which helps to increase the anxiety. Basil reveals that he was meant to catch a train to Paris later that night and points out that he has missed it. This provides Dorian Gray with an alibi as well as a period of time before Basils disappearance will be noticed. Dorian becomes increasingly agitated until he eventually sets the series of events into motion with a crazed sensation: A bitter laugh of mockery broke from the lips of the younger man. You shall see it yourself, to-night! he cried, seizing a lamp from the table. Come: it is your handiwork. Why shouldnt you look at it? (129). This quote shows that Dorian blames Basil for the corruption as well as Dorians malicious determination to suddenly show it to him. Dorian had always been dreadfully frightened at the notion of someone seeing the corruption of his dual life, and yet with the increased confrontation almost instantaneously determines to show Basil. Once Basil naively agrees to follow Dorian, I knew that he would soon meet his demise. No living soul has ever seen the corrupted version of Dorians portrait aside from Dorian, and it seemed highly likely that it was going to remain that way. Dorian Gray continually attempts to maintain a civilized front in his public life despite his increasingly tarnished dual life of sin. The magical properties of the portrait allowed his true self to be hidden on the canvas while he paraded around in a beautiful serene guise known to the public. He continually endeavors to maintain his fraudulent civilized appearance by dressing luxuriously as an aristocrat and attending fancy dinner parties with other civilized people. And yet his true contaminated self persistently acted out in barbarous ways. He murders Basil Hawthorne in a barbaric rampage, and then attempts to cover up the entire incident by blackmailing a former colleague, Alan Campbell, whose life has been ruined by Dorians corrupting influence. This wicked deed for self preservation forced upon Alan eventually places so much pressure on Alan that he eventually commits suicide, thus bringing the known Gray murder rate to a total of three. Dorian enjoys the malevolent sensation in private and feels the pleasure of his barbaric double life. Eventually Dorian Gray requires frequent trips to the opium dens of London to erase the barbaric incidents from the mind of his untainted body. Although the corrupted incidents remain as physical memoirs on the portrait that reflects Dorians secret barbaric dual life, the opium attempts to wipe clean the mind of the pure, civilized life represented by the physical body that he shows to the public. When Dorian finally confronts his savage life and attempts to dispose of the portrait by barbaric means, the two lives merge and Dorian ends up killing himself via the same means as he murdered Basil. The civilized life is ended while attempting to end the barbarous life, showing which one truly prevailed.

Free Essays on MY Epiphany

â€Å"My Epiphany† In my sixteen years, I’ve heard the saying â€Å"the truth hurts† more times than I can count. I agree with this statement, for I believe my greatest moment of truth caused me the greatest pain. This is when I realized that my first love was my worst love. Unfortunately, it took a year and a half to become conscious of this. Almost two years of good times and bad times, then finally, the event that led to my realization. I must confess the good times were worth remembering. I met him through friends of friends, while hanging out. Soon, we were a couple and no one ever saw us apart. He was really great; he got along with my entire family and spent almost every single moment of his free time with me. We went out for a year and a half and then broke up for such a ridiculous reason that I can’t even evoke what it was now. Sadly, it seems so much easier to remember the bad times. The only bad thing, I can call to mind that he did while we were going out, was occasionally tell me that I needed to lose weight or try to change me physically. However, it was after we broke up that he really hurt me. He would say he wanted to work things out and that he would come over, and then would never show up. He started dating other girls consequently I started having weekly dates with alcohol. It got worse when I found out he slept with my best friend. I couldn’t stop drinking but I hid it so well not my friends or family knew how serious my problem was. I continued this for about a year but permanently stopped after I drank way too much, followed by a plethora of pills. Three days later, I woke up in the Bradley Center, and noticing how my family was distressed, hit me enough to recognize the type of person my ex proving that he didn’t care. One night, he called and said he was at a party and that he made a big mistake in letting me go and he still loved me and wanted to see me right away. I agreed to m... Free Essays on MY Epiphany Free Essays on MY Epiphany â€Å"My Epiphany† In my sixteen years, I’ve heard the saying â€Å"the truth hurts† more times than I can count. I agree with this statement, for I believe my greatest moment of truth caused me the greatest pain. This is when I realized that my first love was my worst love. Unfortunately, it took a year and a half to become conscious of this. Almost two years of good times and bad times, then finally, the event that led to my realization. I must confess the good times were worth remembering. I met him through friends of friends, while hanging out. Soon, we were a couple and no one ever saw us apart. He was really great; he got along with my entire family and spent almost every single moment of his free time with me. We went out for a year and a half and then broke up for such a ridiculous reason that I can’t even evoke what it was now. Sadly, it seems so much easier to remember the bad times. The only bad thing, I can call to mind that he did while we were going out, was occasionally tell me that I needed to lose weight or try to change me physically. However, it was after we broke up that he really hurt me. He would say he wanted to work things out and that he would come over, and then would never show up. He started dating other girls consequently I started having weekly dates with alcohol. It got worse when I found out he slept with my best friend. I couldn’t stop drinking but I hid it so well not my friends or family knew how serious my problem was. I continued this for about a year but permanently stopped after I drank way too much, followed by a plethora of pills. Three days later, I woke up in the Bradley Center, and noticing how my family was distressed, hit me enough to recognize the type of person my ex proving that he didn’t care. One night, he called and said he was at a party and that he made a big mistake in letting me go and he still loved me and wanted to see me right away. I agreed to m...

Indefinite Article With Initialisms

Indefinite Article With Initialisms Indefinite Article With Initialisms Indefinite Article With Initialisms By Maeve Maddox Note: An initialism is a group of initial letters, each pronounced separately, used as an abbreviation of a name. Many English speakers who probably use the indefinite article an in front of a vowel when speaking seem to encounter a mental disconnect when it comes to writing. The following examples were found on major news sites or on sites offering professional services or advice: Pieces of the bag recovered have been sent to  a FBI  lab for forensic testing.   The 404 or Not Found error message is  a HTTP  standard response code. Step-by-step tutorial on how to add  a LED  to a USB thumb drive. Applying to a MBA program can help you advance in your career or switch careers entirely. A NBC executive indicated that the independent formatted Nonstop channels were doing well but needed separate 24/7 programming.   There are several benefits to being  a RSVP  Volunteer. Did you setup and assign  a STMP server  for this account? The problem lies in an incomplete understanding of the rule for the use of a and an. Many speakers retain the rule as â€Å"Use an before words that begin with a vowel and a before words that begin with a consonant.† The complete rule is â€Å"Use an before words that begin with a vowel sound and a before words that begin with a consonant sound.† The 26 letters of the alphabet are sound symbols, but the symbols have names. And several of the consonant letters have names that begin with vowel sounds: F [ef] H [aitch] L [el] M [em] N [en] S [es] R [ar] Here’s the correct way to write the words and initialisms given in boldface above: Pieces of the bag recovered have been sent to  an FBI  lab for forensic testing.   The 404 or Not Found error message is  an HTTP  standard response code. Step-by-step tutorial on how to add  an LED  to a USB thumb drive. Applying to an MBA program can help you advance in your career or switch careers entirely. An NBC executive indicated that the independent formatted Nonstop channels were doing well but needed separate 24/7 programming.   There are several benefits to being  an RSVP  Volunteer. Did you setup and assign  an STMP server  for this account? In deciding whether to write a or an in front of an initialism, say the name of the first letter. If the letter name begins with a vowel sound, use an. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Precedent vs. PrecedenceA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"

Buddhism in Tang Dynasty Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Buddhism in Tang Dynasty - Term Paper Example Buddhism appealed to all classes of the Chinese nation. This includes both the nation’s peasantry, as well as the aristocrats. This is primarily because Buddhism offered hope for salvation, which the people of China required, but was not offered by the previous religious settings under Taoism and Confucianism (Orzech, p. 219). This paper will examine the effects of Buddhism on Tang Dynasty’s political standing, describing reasons why emperor Taizong favored Buddhism to Confucian religion. Buddhism has had major impacts on the Asian continent, with Japan and China being the most affected cultures by the religion. The effects of Buddhism are apparent in different areas of different cultures and countries, which entail political, social, as well as cultural influences. The Tang Dynasty of China is perhaps the most interesting history phase of China’s history. The Tang Dynasty, which was under the leadership of the Tang Dynasty, was founded in 618 and culminated in 9 07. The Tang Dynasty was quite flourishing with regard to power and wealth and became the most powerful country in the entire world. During the Tang Dynasty, the region achieved significant might with regard to the economy, culture, military and politics levels. Buddhism had substantial effects on China’s, especially the Tang Dynasty (Mikael, p. 36). However, it is paramount to note that Buddhism’s incorporation into the Chinese society took a relatively long time owing to the people’s difficulty to translate Buddhist text into the Chinese language. This paper will answer the question of how Buddhism was able to stabilize imperial power in political ways during the life of Tang Dynasty. It is undisputed that Buddhism had a huge impact in developing the social, economic, cultural and political environments of China’s Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism brought about major changes in the Chinese political front, especially with regard to stabili zing imperial power of the political aspects of the nation. During the rule of the Tang Dynasty, Buddhist clergy gained massive favor in the royal court of the ruling elite. They even played a role in the control of bureaucratic power. The aristocrats of the Tang Dynasty were charmed by Buddhism doctrines. This is because the model character exemplified by Buddhist doctrines appealed to the political class of the Tang Dynasty, pushing them to adopt the characteristics of the so called model character as defined by Buddhist beliefs. The Buddhist doctrines appealed to the aristocrats of the Tang Dynasty because unlike the Taoist sage, Buddhism allowed for wealth acquisition by the ruling class. An example of such doctrine includes Buddhist beliefs that while a leader should be self disciplined, respectable and critical in his thinking, the leader should not limit his acquisition of wealth or enjoyment of luxuries. This means that Buddhism presented a new model for world-bound life for the aristocrats. However, this gave leeway for aristocrats to acquire massive amounts of wealth, sometimes at the expense of the populace, which remained poor for the most part. The government of Emperor Taizong preferred Buddhism to Confucian because the latter did not approve some of the actions of the aristocrats. For instance, Confucian disallowed the acquisition of luxurious property as it termed it as improper use of power,

Terminologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Terminologies - Essay Example Better communication is mostly the reason as to why there is improved patient outcome, it enhances continued care of the patients which is better understood and communicated with ease among nurses. Further, it is essential in the development of nursing as a body of knowledge which build up to the establishment of nursing as profession with autonomy. However, using standardized nursing terminologies has a great impact on the relationship between nurses and other professional while taking care of the patients. There is a disconnection in communication more so when other professionals go through nurses documentation on a particular patient. Thus, this to some extent is likely to affect patient outcome negatively. It necessitates the institution to utilize more resources to educate other professional on the nurse terminologies used while taking care of patients. For instance, the hospital has to print posters and put on strategic positions to enhance the other professional’s knowledge on the terminologies used by nurses (Wong, 2009). Moreover, it leads to much time wasted as one struggles to comprehend what the nurses are communicating thus compromising the patient care. Hardiker, N. R. (2011). Developing Standardized Terminologies to Support Nursing Practice. In Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (pp. 111–120). Retrieved from http://usir.salford.ac.uk/17895/1/Mastrian_chapter_7_Hardiker_-_pre-print.pdf Wong, E. (2009). Novel nursing terminologies for the rapid response system. International Journal of Nursing Terminologies and Classifications†¯: The Official Journal of NANDA International, 20,

Appropriate Justification for Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Appropriate Justification for Punishment - Essay Example Therefore, punishment is a response to unusual behavior or crimes in societies and usually takes the form of either formal or informal ways of administration. Formally, the authority figures utilize systematized laws such as civil law suits while informally, the society uses social groups such as peer groups to correct an individual (Bonta & Andrews, 2010, p.58). Conversely, at the informal level, social systems are employed and this touches on families, friends or peers. Punishments vary in the severity, depending on the extent of their consequences in the society, and may include reprimands, ostracism, sanctions, incarcerations, fines, death penalties, or deprivation of privileges (Michael, 2001, p.99). Incapacitation, deterrence, education, rehabilitation, and retribution are the principal punishment justifications (Lippman, 2009, p.82). Deterrence, also referred to as prevention is a disciplinary procedure used to avoid offenses. Through deterrence, those who commit offenses are deterred from reoffending while those contemplating the offense are deterred from trying to commit these offenses (David, 2002, p. 11). The goal of this punishment is to scare people from committing crimes or they face the punishment. Authority figures on the other hand, use rehabilitation for reform purposes. This form of punishment rehabilitates the wrong doer and prevents them from committing the crimes again. In this case, the punishment changes the wrong doer’s attitude and makes them realize that what they do is wrong, and helps them stop it. For the sake of protecting the society, law makers use incapacitation as a form of punishment. In this case, the society engages in several methods to remove the ability of the offender to engage in future offenses (David, 2002, p.13), which includes imprisonments, amputations or death penalties. In most criminal activities, the offender usually gains while the victim of the offense looses. For the sake of retributive justice, retr ibution is necessary; to create a balance between the offender and the victim and ensure the offender suffers (David, 2002, p.15). Another reason for punishment is restoration, where the offender makes right whatever they have committed. Penalties for restoration are minor, and may include compensation or community services. In addition to these, there are other reasons for punishments such as education, which instills discipline to the society’s norms and values. Punishment has received much attention from scholars of various fields, specifically, philosophy and psychology. In Psychology, operant conditioning is most associated with punishment. Operant conditioning introduces the aspect of response-stimuli conditioning and learning through reinforcement (Nevid, 2011, p.183). In this context, punishment refers to the act of reducing behavior by applying an adverse stimulus or removing a pleasant stimulus. This concept is useful in understanding the justifications for punishme nts because they basic goal is to reduce or remove unpleasant behavior from the organism (Blackman, 1974, p.77). Over the years, civilization has changed the methods and perception of punishment. The rationale behind every punishment method is that its degree should fit the crime. The consequence of a crime to the society is used to assess and formulate the most suitable punishment (Hugo, 2010, p. 87). Every type of punishment has its purpose and this mainly includes: rehabilitating

Critical evaluation of a published paper Assignment

Critical evaluation of a published paper - Assignment Example Generally the primary aim of the research was to compare the potential impact of bundles of both collaborative and calculative human resource management. The analysis of the impact of the intermediary practices was more of a secondary interest (Gooderham, Parry and Ringdal, 2008, p. 2042). This paper critically evaluates the research design, strategies and methods used in the research article as well as their potential drawbacks to the research. Research design and approach Generally the authors have used a quantitative research method for their empirical study regarding the relationship between human resource management practices and firm performance. The research design used is primarily based on cross sectional data derived from a recent Cranet survey of human resource management in 16 European countries. The authors collected their data through survey questionnaire which were appropriately translated and mailed to the respective human resource managers of the selected sample nati onal firms in all the countries The resulted suggested that 5/6 of the calculative practices as well as two thirds of the intermediary practices had a significant impact on the performance. On the other hand, the analysis of the data further revealed that none of the collaborative practices had any impact on human resource management performance. ... On the hand, the independent variables used in the research were the various HRM practices that were obtained from a comprehensive literature review by the researchers. These variables were analyzed using SPSS and the results obtained were then used to support the hypothesis of the researchers. Benefits of the research design and approach There are a number of benefits of the research design that the authors used. For example, while the method use in data collection was too simple it provided the needed information to the researchers. One of the strengths of the research design used is that the literature review has offered a proper basis for the research as it clearly brings out principles and schools of thought that concern the research. For instance the review addresses some of the issues attributed to management system that aims to give the human resource new knowledge, information, motivation that results to a better workforce and commitment (Wright and Snell, 1998, p.764). To v alidate their findings, the authors have also used a comprehensive literature review in their study. A well outlined and detailed literature review with a detailed introduction to the research was a very good approach towards undertake of this research. The difference between calculative and intermediary HRM bundles and also collaborative HRM bundles has been well outlined. On the other hand, the method of analysis employed by the researchers included the use control variables that effectively provided a broad macrocontext of operation for the sample firms. Consequently this enabled the researchers to control the differences such as institutional settings and the variation in the economic conditions

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley Essay

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley - Essay Example However, ultimately they manage to resist and continue feuding. It eventually comes out that Tommy has been sleeping with Donna's sister, Mona, who is still only a teenager. Donna takes the affair very personally, as if she has been betrayed by both her sister and her exboyfriend. She demands an explanation from Tommy who hedges and fails to offer a complete explanation. He waffles between admitting that he is still in love with Donna and acting like none of it bothers him. Donna demands that Tommy promise never to sleep with Mona again, but Tommy counters by insisting that Donna wouldn't care so much if she weren't still in love with him. Donna implies that Tommy is in danger because he has admittedly used both herself and her sister. They obviously share a father and fathers are protective of their daughters. To have offended two of them in one fell swoop is surely cause for Donna's father to assault Tommy. This does not compel Tommy to reverse his stance in their ongoing argument in the scene, however. Tommy claims that he loves her but he has to do what is best for himself, and Donna claims she has to get away from him to save herself. In the second scene, Donna goes to visit her father, announcing her arrival in the same angry fashion as she did in scene one.

Routine shaving Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Routine shaving - Research Paper Example This model of hair removal should be changed or replaced, as it presents the potential risks of susceptibility to skin damage like razor burns, scrapes, cuts or nicks. This model also, involves the cutting of body hair below or at the plane of the skin, often leaving pointed follicles, which cause irritation during the time of re-growing. Due to the effect of bruising the skin, where there is the development of cuts, scrapes, or nicks – increase the incidences of surgical site infections (SSIs), which may lead to further, post-surgical effects, like delayed wound healing, extended hospital stays, unnecessary pain, and in extreme cases, the patient’s death – which may be expensive or difficult to treat (Miller et al., 2001). 2. a) The core of surgical shaving can be traced to the traditional medical observances. The roots of the practice are difficult to trace, due to the lack of proper documentation, but from all leads – it drew from the antiseptic practic es introduced into medical practice by Ignaz Semmelweis and Joseph Lister in the 19th century. A case here is the observation of Dr. Stephen Smith, in the 1850s, that surgeons at the Bellevue hospital in New York administered the practice (Altman, 1983). The basis for the practice was presented by the Norwegian Centre for Health Technology Assessment, which carried out a methodical review on preoperative hair removal and published its report in 2002. The search for the review took place between 1999 and 2002, featuring both observational and randomized studies. At the facility, like the case is, with other facilities, the determination of the practice of preoperative shaving was reached by the hospital infection center, which is outlined through its working party guidelines. This authority is also responsible for proposing the change of the practice as deemed fit. The evidence in support of – not removing body hairs before operation was based on the information from observati onal inquiries only. According to their findings, preference was offered to clipping, as it presents less risk of surgical wound infection. The study, further, offered preference to depilation – as opposed to shaving, where moderate evidence from randomized studies and observational inquiries – which indicated that the timing for the removal of body hair should be administered, only a few minutes or a short duration before the surgery (Kjonniksen, 2002; Fogg, 1999). b). The rationale for routine shaving of the surgical site before surgery was implemented, as it is viewed as a mode of reducing the level of exposure, of the surgery area, both at the time of incision and in accessing the wound area after the surgery. For instance, the presence of hairs at the operation area may interfere with the suturing of the opening. It may also interfere with the dressing of the surgical wound and the administration of adhesive drapes. The presence of hair at the surgical site is als o associated to a lack of cleanliness, and may also interference with the process of administering cleaning, before the surgery or after the practice. As a result, the removal of such hairs is perceived as capable of reducing the instances of reducing the incidences of site surgical infection, due to the dirt and the infecting agents that may hide at the haired area (Hallstrom & Beck, 1993). c). The reason as to why the hair removal practice is administered in this way is that it offers an effective mode of hair removal, as the hairs are cut either at the surface or below

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley Essay

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow by John Patrick Shanley - Essay Example However, ultimately they manage to resist and continue feuding. It eventually comes out that Tommy has been sleeping with Donna's sister, Mona, who is still only a teenager. Donna takes the affair very personally, as if she has been betrayed by both her sister and her exboyfriend. She demands an explanation from Tommy who hedges and fails to offer a complete explanation. He waffles between admitting that he is still in love with Donna and acting like none of it bothers him. Donna demands that Tommy promise never to sleep with Mona again, but Tommy counters by insisting that Donna wouldn't care so much if she weren't still in love with him. Donna implies that Tommy is in danger because he has admittedly used both herself and her sister. They obviously share a father and fathers are protective of their daughters. To have offended two of them in one fell swoop is surely cause for Donna's father to assault Tommy. This does not compel Tommy to reverse his stance in their ongoing argument in the scene, however. Tommy claims that he loves her but he has to do what is best for himself, and Donna claims she has to get away from him to save herself. In the second scene, Donna goes to visit her father, announcing her arrival in the same angry fashion as she did in scene one.

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA Essay - 4

Discuss the main causes and effects of gun crime in the USA - Essay Example Act that controls the amount of guns available in America has been quite ineffective and hence it has totally failed to reduce the number of guns in America. As such, the procedure for acquiring a gun has been reduced to that of the market forces of demand and supply, (Ulrich 2009, p.41). This basically means that so long as a person is able to buy the gun, then the supply is readily available. Another school of thought on the causes of gun violence and crimes in America blames the ownership of guns by very young people. Though the law only allows those above 21 years to obtain gun license, (Ulrich 2009, p.49) suggest that this has been reached through very poor and unlimited research. This is true because statistics indicate that more than half of the gun mass killing were perpetrated by individuals below 25 years. Similarly, very young people have been accused of perpetrating gun violence using their parents’ guns. This indicates that the law has various loopholes that allow such crimes to happen without reprimanding the source. Lastly, a large number of guns are illegally available to members of the public. In this case, people can freely and criminally hire guns for uses especially in robbery and assassinations. In America, more than 75% of robbery cases happen at gun point, (Ulrich 2009, p.52). These guns are in the hand of criminals through irregular licensing and gun theft. Accordingly, thugs can either hire guns from illegal dealers or even steal them from the police or other licensed gun holders. In this case, it is important for the Gun Law to be repealed so as to address some of the concerned raised above. The major effect of gun violence has been the increase of gun related deaths. According to Sarah (2013), the US has â€Å"the most guns per head in the world, and equally has the highest rate of deaths from firearms†. This basically, the article has established a close correlation between the number of guns in the private hands and the number of

Isaac Asimov Essay Example for Free

Isaac Asimov Essay Isaac Asimov, the pre-eminent popular-science writer of the day and for more than 40 years one of the best and best-known writers of science fiction, died yesterday at New York University Hospital. He was 72 years old and lived in Manhattan. He died of heart and kidney failure, said his brother, Stanley. Mr. Asimov was amazingly prolific, writing nearly 500 books on a wide range of subjects, from works for preschoolers to college textbooks. He was perhaps best known for his science fiction and was a pioneer in elevating the genre from pulp-magazine adventure to a more intellectual level that dealt with sociology, history, mathematics and science. But he also wrote mysteries, as well as critically acclaimed books about the Bible, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, limericks, humor, Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan, ancient and modern history, and many other subjects. Mr. Asimovs first book, Pebble in the Sky (Ballantine), a science-fiction novel, was published in 1950. His first 100 books took him 237 months, or almost 20 years, until October 1969, to write. His second 100, a milestone he reached in March 1979, took 113 months, or about 9 1/2 years a rate of more than 10 books a year. His third 100 took only 69 months, until December 1984, or less than 6 years. Writing is more fun than ever, he said in a 1984 interview. The longer I write, the easier it gets. He once explained how he came to write Asimovs Guide to Shakespeare (Crown). It began, he said, with a book called Words of Science. Science led to Words on the Map, he remarked, which took me to The Greeks, which led me to The Roman Republic, The Roman Empire, The Egyptians, The Near East, The Dark Ages, The Shaping of England and then Words From History. It was an easy jump to Words in Genesis, which brought on Words From the Exodus. That led me to Asimovs Guide to the Old Testament, and then The New Testament. So what was left except Shakespeare? His usual routine was to awake at 6 A.M., sit down at the typewriter by 7:30 and work until 10 P.M. In In Memory Yet Green, the first volume of his autobiography, published in 1979, he explained how he became a compulsive writer. His Russian-born father owned a succession of candy stores in Brooklyn that were open from 6 A.M. to 1 A.M. seven days a week. Young Isaac got up at 6 oclock every morning to deliver papers and rushed home from school to help out in the store every afternoon. If he was even a few minutes late, his father yelled at him for being a folyack, Yiddish for sluggard. Even more than 50 years later, he wrote: It is a point of pride with me that though I have an alarm clock, I never set it, but get up at 6 A.M. anyway. I am still showing my father Im not a folyack. He Learns to Read, Then Teaches Sister Isaac Asimov was born Jan. 2, 1920, in the Soviet Union, near Smolensk, the son of Judah and Anna Rachel Berman Asimov. He was brought to the United States in 1923 and was naturalized in 1928. He taught himself to read before he was 5 years old, using the signs on his Brooklyn street. A couple of years later, with a little help from his father, he taught himself to read Yiddish. When he was 7, he taught his younger sister to read. He skipped several grades and received a high-school diploma when he was 15. After discovering science fiction on the magazine rack in his fathers store and overcoming his fathers objections to fanciful subject matter he tried writing science fiction himself and sold his first story when he was 18. The story, Marooned Off Vesta, ran in the October 1938 issue of Amazing Stories. Three years later, in 1941, he sold a story called Nightfall to Astounding Science Fiction, then the top magazine in the field. It was edited by John W. Campbell Jr., whose ability to find talented writers was largely responsible for what is considered the Golden Age of science fiction in the 1930s and 40s. Almost 30 years after Nightfall was published, the Science Fiction Writers of America voted it the best science-fiction short story ever written. Astounding Science paid a cent a word, Mr. Asimov once recalled. So for a 12,000-word story I expected $120. I got a check for $150 and thought Mr. Campbell had made a mistake. But when Mr. Asimov called to tell him, he said the story had seemed so good to him he gave me a bonus of one-quarter cent a word. Mr. Asimov graduated from Columbia University in 1939 with a bachelor of science degree, and earned an M.A. in 1941 and a Ph.D. in chemistry there in 1948. The next year, he accepted an offer from Boston Universitys School of Medicine to teach biochemistry. I didnt feel impelled to tell them that Id never had any biochemistry, he recalled in a 1969 interview. By 1951 I was writing a textbook on biochemistry, and I finally realized the only thing I really wanted to be was a writer. He was made an associate professor of biochemistry in 1955 and a professor in 1979, although he stopped teaching in 1958 and only occasionally went back to the university to lecture. A Science Fiction Of Verve and Clarity Mr. Asimovs science-fiction novels and stories won many awards: five Hugos, given by the fans, and three Nebula Awards, given by his fellow writers. His Foundation Trilogy (all published by Doubleday) which takes place in a future galactic empire and consists of Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952) and Second Foundation (1953) was given a Hugo in 1966 as Best All-Time Science-Fiction Series. Among his nonfiction works, Asimovs New Guide to Science is considered one of the best books about science for the layman. Reviewing Foundations Edge (Doubleday), a sequel to the trilogy and the first of Mr. Asimovs books to make the New York Times best-seller list, the critic Gerald Jonas said in The New York Times Book Review in 1982: He writes much better than he did 33 years ago yet he has lost none of the verve he brought to this series when he and the galaxy were much younger. What more could one ask? Foundations Edge won a Hugo in 1983 as the best science-fiction novel of the year. In recent years, Mr. Asimov wrote Foundation and Earth (1986) and Prelude to Foundation (1988). A final novel, Forward the Foundation, is to be published by Bantam Books later this year. Mr. Asimov himself made no great claims for his work. I make no effort to write poetically or in a high literary style, he said in 1984. I try only to write clearly and I have the very good fortune to think clearly so that the writing comes out as I think, in satisfactory shape. I never read Hemingway or Fitzgerald or Joyce or Kafka, he once wrote. To this day I am a stranger to 20th-century fiction and poetry, and I have no doubt that it shows in my writing. No Typist or Agent, And No Airplanes He wrote his first drafts on his typewriter, and short articles and final drafts on a word processor, and he rewrote everything only once. Its not out of conceit, he said. But I have lots of stuff Im committed to write and if I linger lovingly I wont be able to write at all. Not everything, however, fell into place easily. He once did a childrens book in a day, but the Shakespeare book took two years. The book he considered his favorite, Murder at the A.B.A. (1976), a mystery novel in which he himself was a character, took seven weeks; The Gods Themselves (1972), a science-fiction novel that won both the Hugo and the Nebula awards, took seven months. I do all my own typing, my own research, answer my own mail, Mr. Asimov once said. I dont even have a literary agent. This way there are no arguments, no instructions, no misunderstandings. I work every day. Sunday is my best day: no mail, no telephones. Writing is my only interest. Even speaking is an interruption. Although he wrote about space travel through countless universes and light years, Mr. Asimov himself refused to fly. Isaac says that he loves to fly into space and span the galaxies, the editor Ben Bova once remarked. But only in his imagination. Among Mr. Asimovs other well-known science-fiction works were I, Robot (1950), in which he invented his famous Three Laws of Robotics, which govern the relation of robots to their human masters: robots may not injure a human or, by inaction, allow a human to be harmed; robots must obey humans orders unless doing so conflicts with the first law; robots must protect their own existence unless doing so conflicts with the first two l aws. Robot and galactic-empire themes eventually expanded and intertwined in 14 novels. Secret of Success: Its All in the Genes He also wrote many nonfiction works and magazine articles on a wide range of subjects and was the editorial director of a magazine named after him Isaac Asimovs Science Fiction Magazine for which he wrote the editorials in each issue. He received the James T. Grady Award of the American Chemical Society in 1965 and the American Association for the Advancement of Science-Westinghouse Science Writing Award in 1967. Recently Mr. Asimov said he had had a prostate operation and was cutting back on his writing. He suspended his monthly column in Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine, to which he had contributed some 400 columns and articles over 33 years. Writing 10 or more books a year was standard procedure for Mr. Asimov, and he continued his busy pace after a heart attack in 1977 and triple bypass surgery in 1983. I have been fortunate to be born with a restless and efficient brain, with a capacity for clear thought and an ability to put that thought into words, he once remarked. None of this is to my credit. I am the beneficiary of a lucky break in the genetic sweepstakes. Mr. Asimov once told an interviewer about sadly contemplating death and the end of conscious thought. But, he said, he cheered himself with the thought that I dont have to worry about that, because there isnt an idea Ive ever had that I havent put down on paper.

The Conflict Between Conformity and Individuality in Willa Cathers Pau

The Conflict Between Conformity and Individuality in Willa Cather's Paul's Case Willa Cather’s â€Å"Paul’s Case,† displays the conflict between conformity and individuality through the main character, Paul. On a number of occasions, Paul is forced to lie and steal to escape the conformists who wish to control him and stifle his unique imagination. However, his lying, stealing, and attempts to escape the conformists, only force Paul into isolation, depression, and feeling a sense of shame for his individuality. Throughout the story one might see Cather’s constant contrast of individuality versus conformity, as well as Paul’s lying and stealing. Cather seems to draw the conclusion that extreme individuals, much like Paul are simply misunderstood, and not offered the acceptance they desire from conformist society. One way Cather contrasts individuality and conformity is through detailed descriptions of Paul’s character: Paul’s appearance, Paul’s unusual mannerisms, and Paul’s open criticisms of conformity. Collectively, these three characteristics assert Paul’s individuality. Paul’s appearance is described in detail at the beginning of the story and provides the foundation of his individuality: â€Å"Paul was tall for his age and very thin, with high, cramped shoulders and a narrow chest†(Pg. 1). One only needs to reach the second paragraph of the story and realize Paul does not fit in, which can be accredited to Cather’s careful word choice â€Å"for his age.† Most young individuals, specifically in Paul’s teenage age bracket, will struggle for acceptance from their peers; however it appears that Paul makes little effort in this regard. Paul’s unusual mannerisms are also worthy of analysis, and aid in creating a mental picture of this unusual young man. Cather uses Paul’s meeting with the faculty of his educational facility to convey the irritating and intimidating qualities of his mannerisms. She writes, â€Å"His teachers felt this afternoon that his whole attitude was symbolized by his shrug and his flippantly red carnation flower, and they fell upon him without mercy†¦. He stood through it smiling, his pale lips parted over his white teeth. (His lips were continually twitching, and he had a habit of raising his eyebrows that was contemptuous and irritating to the last degree)†(Pg.2). Combined with the description of Paul’s physical appearance, his mannerisms now... ...nearly always wore the guise of ugliness, that a certain element of artificiality seemed to him necessary in beauty†(Pg. 7). With this in mind, Paul’s actions seem deliberate, as if he knew what he was doing all along, again supporting the theory that he was simply wallowing in misery, crying for help. In conclusion, Willa Carther’s â€Å"Paul’s Case† is an interesting glimpse into the world of a young boy, who’s individuality is constantly in conflict with the conformist society that surrounds him. In attempts to escape this reality, Paul loses himself in a fantasy world of art, lies, and thievery. In this attempt to escape, Paul slips into isolation and depression. Carther in this regard is very careful on how she portrays Paul, to brink about some sympathy from the reader as he is simply a troubled young man. In the end, Paul’s individuality and societies refusal of him leads to Paul’s demise. The sympathy Cather creates for Paul leaves one questioning if society simply should have supported Paul’s individuality, instead of letting him slip away. Paul’s death seems to support this theory, as not a single reader would have wished such a cruel ending to the life of a dreamer.

Barium :: essays research papers

Barium is a soft, heavy, silver-colored metal element. This element does not have very many uses outside of the laboratory, but it combines easily with other chemicals to form compounds used for important industrial uses. For example, Barium carbonate is used in the manufacture of ceramics and special glass, and also to purify certain chemical solutions. It is also an ingredient in clay slurries, also known as water muds, used in drilling oil wells. Barium titanate is used in sonar detectors and other electrical equipment. At low doses, barium acts as a muscle stimulant and at higher doses affects the nervous system eventually leading to paralysis. Acute and subchronic oral doses of barium cause vomiting and diarrhea, followed by decreased heart rate and elevated blood pressure. Higher doses result in cardiac irregularities, weakness, tremors, anxiety, and dyspnea. A drop in serum potassium may account for some of the symptoms. Death can occur from cardiac and respiratory failure. A cute doses around 0.8 grams can be fatal to humans. Barium nitrate makes signal flares burn with a green flame. Barium ferrite is used to make magnets. Barium sulfate is an extremely insoluble barium compound that is not poisonous. Doctors use it in X-ray examinations of a patient's digestive system. The barium sulfate absorbs X rays to show an outline of the intestines on the developed film. A barium enema is performed to examine the walls of the colon. During the procedure, a well lubricated enema tube is inserted gently into the rectum. The barium is then allowed to flow into the colon. The flow of the barium is monitored by the health care provider on an X-ray fluoroscope screen. The test is used to detect colon cancer. The barium enema may also be used to diagnose and evaluate the extent of inflammatory bowel diseases. Barium sulfate and zinc sulfide form lithopone, a white coloring matter for paint. Barium is never found in a pure state because it combines so easily with other elements. Pure barium is obtained by passing an electric current through a fused barium compound, such as barium chloride. A piece of barium metal quickly reacts with oxygen and water vapor in the air to form barium oxide. It must be stored under kerosene to keep it pure. Barium is found most often as barium sulfate in the mineral barite. The chemical symbol for barium is Ba.

Major League Baseball

1. Briefly, what are the major developments in the history of the labor-management relationship within Major League Baseball?According to Lewicki, Barry & Saunders (2010), the major developments of labor-management relationship within Major League Baseball (MLB) started in the late 1960s and were characterized by the ongoing disputes between the owners and the players that resulted in the following hard bargaining agreements, work stoppages and lockouts: a)1st and 2nd Basic Agreement – was a contract that 1) significantly increased the minimum salary of all the players and 2) established a protocol that players could follow to air their grievances.The agreements came as a response mechanism that was used by U. S. owners who wanted to avoid the competitive pressure that had been created by the Mexican League in terms of U. S player salaries. In 1946, the Mexican Baseball League had begun hiring U. S. players and the U. S owners wanted to avoid a bidding war with the Mexican Lea gue essay writer help. In 1953, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) was formed to serve as the player’s main bargaining body and in response, the owners formed the Major League Player Relations Committee (PRC) to serve as their main negotiating body. )3rd Basic Agreement – the MLBPA was demanding that the pension fund surplus of $1 million should be used to offset the increased cost of living but the PRC declined to budge. It was evident that both parties could not come to an agreement on how much money the owners should contribute to the player’s pension fund. The players went on strike in 1972 forcing the two sides to compromise on a contribution amount of $500,000. c)4th Basic Agreement – was a contract that 1) annihilated the reserve clause and 2) paved way for free agency.The owners implemented the reserve clause into the players’ contracts to ensure that the players could not offer their skills and services to the highest bi dder. This basically meant that the players could not switch teams and/or make more money elsewhere and dishonoring the clause would cause a player to be blacklisted from the MLB. However, the clause was challenged in 1976 after two players went to arbitration and won, by a 2 to 1 vote, the right to offer their services to the highest bidder thus killing the reserve clause. )5th Basic Agreement – the MLBPA and the PRC could not agree on how a team that was losing a free agent could be compensated thus making the players to go on strike prior to the start of the 1980 season. This forced both parties to agree on studying the free-agent compensation issue for a year after which they would regroup to revisit the issue. In 1981, the players went on strike again after the two parties failed to agree on the terms of free-agent compensation. This forced the parties to eventually reach an agreement stipulating that the team that had lost a player would in return receive a player from the signing team. )6th Basic Agreement – the MLBPA and the PRC would once again butt heads over pension contribution levels that had been agreed on in the 3rd Basic Agreement and the free-agent compensation that was agreed on in the 5th Basic Agreement. However, the two parties reached an agreement within a day to avoid a strike. f)7th Basic Agreement – in 1990, the owners tried to institute another lockout because the lack of a salary cap made it possible for large market teams to attract richer television contracts from local networks and offer players higher salaries.The owners were proposing a revenue sharing program that would mandate the larger market teams to share a portion of their revenue with the smaller market teams. The two parties reached an agreement 32 days later and the revenue sharing issue was put on hold temporarily. g)8th Basic Agreement – the owners realized that competition and financial disparity was hurting their profits while salary arb itration was driving up salary levels. They wanted salary arbitration eliminated, the salary cap introduced, free agency eligibility standards lowered and television revenue split equally with the players.However, the MLBPA rejected these proposals and the players went on strike for 232 days. The 8th Basic Agreement was agreed upon in late 1996 and it introduced the revenue sharing program that was put on hold in the 7th Basic Agreement but did not offer the owners the salary cap they had sought. h)9th Basic Agreement – the Curt Flood Act was passed in 1998 to reduce the chance of future strikes by making it possible for players to sue the owners if labor negotiations stalled. The issue of contraction was also put on hold after owners tried to eliminate competition and financial disparity by contracting/eliminating two teams from the MLB.The 9th Basic Agreement was reached by the two parties to avert another strike and it introduced the luxury tax as a way to slow down the ra te at which the players’ salaries was rising as well as save the upcoming post season. i)10th Basic Agreement – the upcoming negotiations were to take place to due to the 2002 contract that was set to expire at the end of 2006. However, a dark cloud loomed over the upcoming negotiations due to the past history of labor relations in MLB that was characterized by strikes, lockouts, lost revenue from the strikes and lockouts and unfavorable clauses that had been implemented into the players’ contracts.