Listening and Speaking Actively

Running Head: DEVELOPING SELF- AWARENESS 1 DEVELOPING SELF- AWARENESS 2 What is SELF? The definition of self has intrigued many people throughout the ages. Ancient conceptions defined self in terms of a soul; a â€Å"vital, immaterial, life-principle, or ‘essence’ of humans† (Baldwin, 2000, p. 41). Today self is defined as the total essential or particular being of a person; the individual. But what really is self? Gerry Fewster, (2001) argues that self exists at the core of our experiencing.Some might say that self is not only the core of our experience, but of our existence, the centrality of that which we are. Self has become â€Å"central to the effective helping process in all aspects of the system from service design to delivery† (Garfat and Charles, 2006, p. 7). Self can mean being self-aware, and that knowledge, awareness, and understanding all about self are key (Ranahan, 2000; Ricks, 2006). Garfat and Charles (2006) state that â€Å"knowing self is not a tool, a technique or a strategy. It is a way of being; being in awareness, being present† (p. 6).Garfat and Charles emphasize on ‘knowing self’, because our interpretations are influenced by our particular way of perceiving and experiencing. Traditional ideas of knowing self generally apply to the field of work, Seaton, (2003) declares that effectiveness on knowing self as an active listener and speaker relies upon a workers ability to â€Å"regulate, adjust, and fine tune themselves to the specific needs and situation of the client, to be conscious†(p. 54). Frances Ricks (2001) had agreed that without these abilities, and â€Å"without self, there is no such thing as other†.Garfat and Charles (2006) and Mishna and Bogo (2007) expand on the relational use of self. The focus is on self reflection and authenticity. Developing the skill of active awareness DEVELOPING SELF-AWARENESS 3 helps identify and investigate the exchanges between a Child and Youth Care practitioner and his/her client. Therefore, having knowledge behind their actions, they are aware and able to prevent the therapist’s own experiences or wants/needs from taking over his/her perceptions and interfering with actions.By practicing self awareness it allows the practitioner to be connected, which leads to being authentic and genuine as well as using the attitudes learned from Active Communication with others (Arnd-Caddigan and Pozzuto, 2008; Garfat and Charles, 2006; Westra, 1996). â€Å"Becoming aware of how our beliefs, values, and ethics impact on us personally; we can also become aware of how they impact on our presentation to our clients† (Eldson, 1998). Understanding self-awareness means to understand self and others when â€Å"self is very clearly, obviously, present† (Ricks, 2006; Baldwin, 2000, p. 9-30). Greene, Jensen, and Jones (1996) say skillful â€Å"use of self† is an integral part of developing an effective relat ionship, which in turn, can be put towards the understanding of becoming an effective Active Listener and Speaker. By having this ability to understand the roles of effective listening and speaking through active communication, self becomes more and more important as one progresses through various stages of development as a Child and Youth Care professional (Phelan, 1990; Westra, 1996).The professional use of self: the use of one’s own personal resources (including one’s own emotions, as well as certain skills and techniques) achieve real communication. (Ward, 1998) Developing Self- Awareness as a Integral Part of Becoming an Effective Active Listener and Speaker allows familiarity to occur between knowledge of self, awareness of self, and understanding the role of self in relationships with others. Fewster, (2001) shares that in fullest DEVELOPING SELF- AWARENESS 4 form the word ‘self’ is more than physical, more than emotional, and more than cognitive.It is the sum total of all our aspects, and even more. Self is active, constant, always present, and workers bring self to the moment, to the now. (Kruger, 2007) References Arnd-Caddigan, M. & Pozzuto, R. (2008). Use of self in relational clinical social work. Clinical Social Work Journal, 36, 235-243. Baldwin, D. C. (2000). Some philosophical and psychological contributions to the use of self in therapy. In M. Baldwin (Ed. ), The Use of self in therapy,(pp. 39-60). New York: The Haworth press. Elsdon, I. (1998).Educating toward awareness: self-awareness in ethical decision making for child and youth care workers. Journal of Child and Youth Care, 12(3), 55-67. Fewster, G. (2001). Turning myself inside out: my personal theory of me. Journal of Child and Youth Care, 15(4), 89-108. Garfat, T. and Charles, G. (2006). How am I who I am? Self in Child and Youth Care practice. Relational Child and Youth Care Practice, 20(3), 6-16. Greene, G. J. , Jensen, C. , & Jones, D. H. (1996). A constructivist perspective on clinical social work practice with ethnically diverse clients.Social Work, 41(2), 172-180. Kruger, M. (2007). Sketching Youth, Self and Youth Work. Rotterdam: Sense Publishing. Phelan, J. (1990). Child care supervision: the neglected skill of evaluation. In J. P. Anglin, C. J. Denholm, R. V. Ferguson and A. R. Pence (Eds. ). Perspectives in Professional Child and Youth Care. New York : Haworth. Ranahan, P. (2000) Reaching beyond caring to loving in Child and Youth Care practice. Journal of Child and Youth Care, 13(4), 55-65. Ricks, F. (2006).Thus conscience does make cowards of us all: The need for moral courage in these times. Child and Youth Care Online, Available here: http://www. cyc-net. org/cyc-online/cycol-0507-ricks. html. Rogerson, J. (2012) In Class Notes. Seaton, C. (2003) Empowered use of self in social work: Understanding personal narrative through guided biography. Social Work, 31(1), 53-77. Ward, A. (1998). Intuition is Not Enough: Match ing Learning with Practice in Therapeutic Child Care. New York: Routledge. Westra, M. (1996). Active Communication, Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Boy in the Striped Pjs

â€Å"The boy in the striped pyjamas† by John Boyne is a book about a nine year old boy called Bruno who is growing up in Berlin during World War II. He lives a very comfortable life in a large house with his parents and his sister, not forgetting the maid and the cook. But this all changes very soon when his father who is a very high-ranking soldier is promoted to â€Å"Commandant† and to Bruno’s sadness the family have to move to a place which Bruno refers to as out-with. Bruno immediately becomes very homesick for many reasons.He misses his grandparents, his house, his three best friends for life and of course his adventures. Bruno is a very curious boy and while looking out of his window one day he noticed that there were other people, lots of people. It isn’t long before Bruno decides to ask his father about these people but his father tells him that they are not people at all. It turns out that it is the extermination camp Auschwitz and due to Brunoà ¢â‚¬â„¢s curiosity and boredom he decides to explore and it is here at the fence that he meets and befriends a young boy called Shmuel.Almost every day he meets Shmuel and they talk by the fence both on separate sides but they are both desperate to play with each other and conveniently Shmuel’s father goes missing and he needs Bruno’s help to find him. They make a gap in the fence just big enough for a small boy to fit through and Bruno goes into the camp with a pair of striped pyjamas and it is then that something unimaginable happens. In this essay my task is to describe how well John Boyne has involved the reader throughout his challenging novel to ensure our sympathies for Bruno.

PARAPHRASE chapter 14 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PARAPHRASE chapter 14 - Essay Example As a result, these technological changes influence the phasing out of some highly regarded popular models. Conversely, global beverages manufacturers such as Coke and Pepsi operate in an industry that is not influenced by technological changes to necessitate the need for a formula change. For this reason, the two continually divest while the recurrent expenditure for the auto manufacturers continually rises to ensure production. Brand equity has been crucial to Pepsi and Coke since consumers valued the brands and identify with them consequently purchasing products from the two firms continually. For this reason, the two companies have created unique brands unlike companies such as Detroit. Indeed, what the two companies rely on is the brand equity since consumer studies indicate that Coke and RC have no different taste. Conversely, creating brand equity has evaded Ford and GM for long. Furthermore, the choice of selecting a particular brand of beverage arises from personal considerations that make consumers stick to the particular brand. On the other hand, facts related to features and prices of a model guide consumers to choose the brand of choice. Factors such as imitations and employee turnover, affect General Motors and Ford’s sustainability since they are a threat to the firms’ advantages in technology and economies of scale. In this case, the copyrights held by the firms at times expire while other firms imitate them and come up with similar products. On the other hand, the formula used to manufacture products by Coke and Pepsi is unique and thus inimitable. To end with, automobile manufacturers have an unlimited access to a wide market enabled by the internet and the option to engage in dealership with other countries for their products. On the other hand, beverage manufacturers and producers of perishable goods entering the market face a challenge to identify shelf

Reading Assignment #2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading #2 - Assignment Example Brian limited practiced that employees are allowed to choose their own working style with out any specific system to follow. Employees were allowed to eat and drink wherever they want in the working area and there is no formal dress code for them. The pay was in direct proportion with the hours of work they performed. However Brian Limited was facing code of conduct problems from some time and the proprietor resolved to hire a new Ethics Officer for the company named Jeanne Wood. Jeanne understood the need of a community approach for the company and devised some policies: Jeanne’s policies were very effective and proved to be useful in increasing the behavior related issues. It also helped in decreasing the employee turnover rate as compared to previous years. However Jeanne thinks that the female employees are still not getting proper privileges and there should be a system that recognizes their needs and give them appropriate salary packages and opportunity of

Managing risk in construction project in developing countriess Ghana Essay

Managing risk in construction project in developing countriess Ghana - Essay Example t the major risks associated with the construction sector include risks logistical delays , political influences , extensive procedures for approval , improper construction designs , financial constraints , etc . To study the impact of these risks on the construction projects in Ghana , a quantitative survey has been conducted . The data collected by the quantitative questionnaire , has been statistically analysed . The statistical measure used for the analyses include mean , tally , histogram and pearson’s correlation . The software tools used in the research include Excel spread sheet for data representation and MINITAB for statistical analyses . Based on the results of the statistical analyses , the research has suggested a set of strategies for risk management in the construction projects in Ghana . I --------------------------------------- , wish to acknowledge the following personnel who gave their valuable assistance and guidance for me to complete this research work successfully . Without their cooperation , the development of this research and publication would have been difficult I -------- wish to dedicate this research work Based on the Risk Management in Construction projects in developing countries like Ghana , to my --------------- who had always been my ----------------- and I also dedicate this research work for the benefit of the people involved in the construction sector . The history of the construction industry dates back to many centuries , when human beings left the caves and started living in houses . The architectural and engineering aspects of the construction industry started emerging since the construction of the pyramids . Construction could be described as a process of building the infrastructure and involves a fleet of multi tasked activities . Any construction project includes the involvement of design engineers , architects , civil engineers , project mangers , etc . The successful completion of any

Apple and the iPod Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Apple and the iPod - Case Study Example Competitiveness in terms of the creation of an advantage for a company emanates from having in place and or developing competitive strategies to achieve that end. In the fast paced world of corporate operations companies cannot afford to stand pat on their developments, and or market positioning as its competitors are always seeking to gain market share through acquiring customers as well as retaining their own brand franchise. The pace of technological change, along with fast changing consumer wants, needs, and desires represents a serious challenge that must be planned for as well as implemented. To fully appreciate the context of this examination, one needs to understand that innovation is defined as "the introduction of something new a new idea, method or device (Merriam Webster Online, 2008). Within a corporate mode, this is not a process that can or does happen overnight, it is a corporate culture that emanates from the top of the leadership structure, and is fostered by an atm osphere that prides new ideas and directions (Tidd et al, 201, p. 228). In helping us to understand the context of innovation in a corporate setting Degraff and Lawrence (2002, p. 2) tell us that creativity is a fundamental part of innovation, and in that sense, today's corporations need to be more creative than in the past as a result of the competitiveness of globalisation, and the increased sophistication of consumers who can access the Internet to compare and analyse products. The information age has heightened the stakes in the consumer arena, thus companies must respond in the product segment of their business. In providing us with a further illustration of this new business climate Degraff and Lawrence (2002, p. 2) advise "Creativity, in short, is the core of all the competencies of an organization because creativity is what makes something better or new". The preceding is a core facet of innovation, which also includes new approaches to the creation of products, maintaining active communication with customers to understand the dynamics of their w ants, needs and desires, and then translating this into innovative products (Degraff and Lawrence, 2002, p. 2). The preceding areas have been covered as they represent important considerations in the study of innovation on

Leadership issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership issues - Essay Example Today, the business world has become more competitive because of which basic leadership skills are important (Storey, 2013). A leader links the business stakeholders to one another as they play the major role in communication. This is why ineffective leadership can create many issues and problems for the organization; internally and externally. It is important to understand that leadership and management can be two entirely different concepts. Managers are the ones that authorize tasks to the employees who are in a lower position. Managers are usually at a higher position than leaders. Leaders are people among the employees who are appointed to lead a certain activity or event. In this competitive world, the skill required for a manager has to be inborn, while skills for leadership can be learnt with experience and practice. Leadership comes to play where management is not sufficient enough. Leadership without any issues can build, encourage and promote efficient organizational cultu re and success. Managers may not be leaders, but leaders are always managers as well (Hackman & Johnson, 2009). At many occasions, leadership can be problematic for the business. Leaders have responsibilities that have to be fulfilled if the business has to grow and prosper. Leadership issues may affect the employees, the stakeholders, the business activities and the customers directly or indirectly. Leadership is given to those people who are experienced and who can carry out the responsibilities efficiently without risking the business name and growth. Leadership issues can be many which will be assessed in this paper but it is important to know why leadership needs to be flawless. Efficient leadership leads to many consequences for the business. Effective leadership builds confident in the employees and subordinates. It is the leader’s job to motivate the employees and encourage them to work in teams and achieve their objectives. When the leaders support the employees, the y tend to be more productive and efficient. Leaders contribute in creating willingness among the employees to work hard and be productive. Efficient leaders also provide job satisfaction to the employees and team members. Leaders work in teams and their behavior and style effects the job satisfaction of the workers. A friendly and understanding leader would b able to manage the problems and employees efficiently. Activities can be organized if the leader understands his responsibilities and duties, employee morale will be increased at work, and coordination will bind the employees together towards one objective (Hackman & Johnson, 2009). Communication is seen as the most common problem among leaders and their subordinates in businesses. Efficient leaders ensure that they are carrying out effective communication to avoid issues. Ineffective communication can create many issues for the business internally and externally. Communication allows the employees to know and understand their jobs, the business strategies, goals and policies. Regular communication must take place through various modern methods of communication (Storey, 2013). Some businesses still use the traditional communication methods which can create issues and misunderstandings. Modern communication techniques include meetings, video calls, social networks, pagers, etc. Through communication, leaders can give prompt instructions and feedbacks to the employees. When leaders fail to communicate and respond to employee performances, issues tend to rise. Another issue is when

Internet slang, and the effect it has had on traditional language Essay

Internet slang, and the effect it has had on traditional language - Essay Example ranca (Vosloo, 2009), not only replacing English and other languages during electronic interactions, but also invading the everyday speech among them. Netspeak or internet slang has been defined by McFedries as â€Å"the words, idioms and peculiarities of spelling and grammar that are characteristic of online documents and communications.† It began as Instant Messaging Services like AOL, MSN and Yahoo magnetized millions of users that constantly sought to find efficient, shorter and faster ways of interaction, with limited characters on the keyboard determining the linguistic capacity (Shaw, c.2004). The outcome was sentences and phrases abbreviated into words and replacement of characters with others that resemble them for convenience of typing. This led to coining of a synonymous term, ‘leet’, which is a shortened term used for elite and is also written as 1337, similar characters as implied by the definition. Some of the most common ‘words’ are LOL, an acronym for ‘laughing out loud’, and ‘BARB’, which is a shortened version of ‘be right back.’ The knowledg e of Netspeak is now crucial to understanding any conversation that takes place over internet messaging. Another distinguishing aspect of Netspeak is the coinage and use of emoticons or graphical smileys, used to convey emotions and intentions like happiness and anger. As obvious, the reason for hostility against it by intellectuals is random and erroneous use of spellings- often called creative spellings, - grammar and punctuations by users, since it is informal and free of such constraints. This could be explicitly explained by the example, ‘practice b4 u go, k?’ The effects of internet slang on writings have been well-noticed and criticized by teachers and parents alike, with students also admitting its drawbacks. Lee describes them as constant attacks of technology on formal written English (cited in Vosloo, 2009), while Humphry compares its brunt on grammar, punctuations and

What is surrogacy and why might it be used Essay Example for Free

What is surrogacy and why might it be used Essay They also argue against Human Genetic Engineering because they believe that it leads of man usurping God as the almighty creator and designer of life. They believe that no longer will a child be considered a blessing from God, but rather, a product manufactured by a scientist. The Roman Catholics argue that nothing is more important than the preservation of human life, and are therefore completely against genetic engineering. Conversely, followers from the Raelian Faith have a vastly different perspective on genetic engineering. The origins of the faith reveal where they get their unique perspectives from. They believe that life on Earth was created scientifically, through DNA and genetic engineering, by a human extraterrestrial race. This ties in with their belief that all forms of genetic engineering, such as cloning and embryology, is not only accepted but readily encouraged. They believe that by performing all the experiments that the founding aliens performed, they will bring themselves closer to them, as well as advancing the human race exponentially. The raelians believe that Cloning will enable mankind to reach eternal life. From this we can see that, in the perspective of the Raelians, genetic engineering is a necessity if we humans are ever to progress scientifically, as well as if we are to fulfil our destiny and follow the footsteps of the Elohim. 3. It is not for us to play God. Humans have no right to interfere with the natural development of an embryo. How far do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about more than one point of view. Refer to religious teachings in your answer. I thoroughly disagree with this statement. This is because I do not consider embryonic manipulation to be playing God, but rather an act with the best interests of human kind as a general. Human history is riddled with examples of religion standing in the way of progress, such as Galileo Galilee being silenced by the Church for stating that the universe was heliocentric. But the outcomes have always been beneficial. The major concern for religions when regarding this topic is whether the termination of embryos is considered to be murder or not. Although there are many different views, I believe that an embryo only becomes a human once it has been born. This is supported by the biblical quote which states and then in Adam God breathed the breath of life, and Adam became man, a living soul. If scientists were allowed to interfere with the embryo, they would screen illnesses and abnormalities, thus giving the prospective parents much more choices. The very definition of genetic engineering is the modification, manipulation and recombination of the natural world in a way that is perceived to be beneficial to human kind. If scientists improve the way of life for humans, then this is surely no bad thing. Even though lives may be lost, it is in aid of preserving other lives. The ends will justify the means. However, the arguments that support this statement are also very convincing. Whether the embryo is truly human or not is truly debateable. If the embryo is human, then the termination of the embryo is no less than murder, and murder is seen in Roman Catholicism to be gravely contrary to the natural law. Many argue that by altering the very essence of nature, man will soon no longer have no need for God. Many fear that forgetting of the existence of God is the worst possible thing that humanity can do. A defining characteristic of Roman Catholicism, as well as Islam, is that God/Allah has intents and purposes for everything. If they intended for cancer to exist, and for a child to be born disabled, then that is their plan. For Muslims, to go against Allahs will is to defy Allah. To conclude, I would have to say that the fundamental issue is whether the embryo is considered to be a human or not. And if it is a human, is it worth sacrificing the embryo for the sake of helping others. I believe that it is worth the sacrifice, as the number of human lives lost will pale in comparison to the number of human lives saved due to research into genetic engineering.

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Ids Information Technology Essay

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Ids Information Technology Essay Although IDS is a useful addition to ensure security, it does well on some points, but there are still some limitations with it. Table 5.1 summaries some the strengths and weaknesses of IDS. Strengths Weaknesses Monitoring user behaviors and system event logs. Detection but not prevention. Testing the system configrutions of hosts. False positive detections. Setting up baseline for the security state of a system, and tracking any changes to that baseline. False negative detections. Protecting against known threats. Spoofing attacks. Recognizing patterns of activity that are abnormal. Cannot automatically investigating attacks without human intervention. Centralized management. Delays of signature update. Alerting to appropriate administrators with appropriate means. Easier to perform security monitoring functions for non-security experts. Table 5.1: Strengths and Weaknesses of IDS. Monitoring user behaviors and system event logs One of the strengths of IDS is that it provides ability to monitor the system event logs of every host, which make administrators to be aware when any changes on the hosts. They can also utilize this information collected by IDS to analyze user behaviors, thereby planning the security strategy and policies for their organizations accordingly. Testing the system configrutions of hosts IDS are also able to test the security states for every host, when the system is configured below par or a baseline, it alerts to administrators which host is set below a security level. Thus, administrators can make further configurations for that host. Setting up baseline for the security state of a system, and tracking any changes to that baseline With IDS, administrators can set up their own expectation as a security baseline. Based on that baseline, IDS keeps tracking the differences and changes on the hosts, allowing administrators to have all hosts in the same security level they expect. Protecting against known threats The Signature detection techniques make IDS to protect systems and networks well against known threats. It ensures recognizing patterns of system events that compare to the known threats. Recognizing patterns of activity that are abnormal When a new attack does not exist in known threat signatures, IDS has Anomaly detection techniques for it. This technique is good at comparing system activities or network traffic against a baseline to indentify abnormal behaviors, recognizing new attacks that Signature detection techniques miss. Centralized management IDS provides a centralized management for administrators easier to change logging mechanisms, perform software upgrade, collecting alarm information and updating security setting etc. Many IDS products even have a very simple menu to have the configuration of IDS set up, which helps administrators a lot to monitors a numerous of networks and hosts. Alerting to appropriate administrators with appropriate means Based on scan and match principle, IDS always send alerts to appropriate people by appropriate means. Administrators can decide who should receive the alerts and define different activates they want to be alerted. These appropriate meaning of messages to appropriate people can be more effective and efficient to an organization. Easier to perform security monitoring functions for non-security experts Many IDS products now already provide basic information security policies, plus easy configuration, allowing non-security expert to perform security monitoring functions for their organizations as well. This is also a strength that makes IDS to a success. On the contrary, there are some weaknesses have been suggested as shown in Table 5.1. Detection but not prevention IDS concentrate on detection method but not prevention, it is a passive activity. It is sometimes too late to detect an intrusion, especially now some attacks are transporting very fast on the current high speed networks, when IDS sends a alert to administrators, the actual situation may be worse. False positive detections The detection capabilities of IDS can be defined in four measures: True positive, False positive, True negative and False negative. Figure 5.3 illustrates the differences of them. True positive indicates that the real attacks are identified by IDS correctly; True negative indicates that IDS is identified correctly that are not attacks; False positive indicates that IDS is identified incorrectly as true attacks but actually that are not real attacks; False negative indicates that IDS is identified incorrectly as not attacks but actually that are attacks. Figure 5.3: Measures of IDS IDS often generate too many false positives, due to the inaccurate assumptions. One example is looking for the length of URLs. Typically, a URL is only around 500 bytes length, assuming that an IDS is configured to trigger an alert for denial of service attack when the length of a URL is exceed 1000 bytes. False positive could be occurred from some complex web pages that are common to store a large content now. The IDS is not making mistake, the algorithm is just not perfect. In order to reduce False positives, administrators need to tune the assumptions of how to detect attacks in an IDS, but which is time consuming. False negative detections False negatives are also a weakness of IDS, hackers now can encode an attack file to be unsearchable by IDS. For example, cgi-bin/attack.cgi is defined as a signature in an IDS, but the file is encoded to be cg%39-b%39n/a%39tt%39 by the hackers. While cg%39-b%39n/a%39tt%39 is not defined in the signature files, the attack will pass without any notice, then a False negative occurs. Spoofing attacks Hackers can utilize spoofing attacks to blind the administrators. For example, hackers can use one of the IP in a network to make many False positive detections, administrators may then set the IDS to ignore local traffic for this IP, after then hackers start the real attacks. Cannot automatically investigating attacks without human intervention Even IDS can detect most of the attacks in the hosts and networks, but it still need administrators to investigate and perform reaction. Hackers can utilize this weakness of IDS to perform an attack, for instance, a hacker can make a large of attacks to host A, since IDS is not able to analyze all the attacks automatically by itself, administrators needs to spend time to investigate each alarm from host A. Thus, the hacker may have more time to make a real attack to host B. Delays of signature update IDS rely on its signature database to detect a known intrusion, IDS products typically updating the signature database by the IDS vendors. The potential problem is the delay of signature update patch, IDS vendors often take a long time to identify a new attack and finish an update patch. However, even IDS vendors provide the most update signature as soon as they can. It is still a time period that the IDS are not able to identify a new attack before updating the signature database.

The Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki History Essay

The Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki History Essay Introduction Americas decision to use two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II has been a topic of intense debate for years following the incident. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are one of best documented historical events in history, while provoking lasting, fervently heated reactions. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, examine the causes, interpretations and consequences of the bombings. History of Hiroshima The early history of Hiroshima dates back to the 6th century, when some of the first Shinto Shrines were erected on Hiroshima bay (Cameron, 2005). Modern Hiroshima, meaning wide island, was founded in 1589 (Cameron, 2005). The citys many canals and wharves made importing goods from the countryside easy, while its bridges connected all parts of the growing metropolis. Hiroshima had become such an important base for the Japanese military that the Imperial Headquarters were temporarily relocated there. Summer 1945 The time period is summer of 1945, the United States and its allies have been at war with Germany and just concluded peace (Mishler, 2008). The United States has also been at war with Imperial Japan since the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941(Mishler, 2008). During the course of the war in Japan, America had a very important decision to make. One of the options was to drop a newly tested bomb on the Japanese hoping to get them to swiftly surrender.   The latter option was to have a mass land invasion on Japan and hope to defeat with total force. No matter what option was selected, it was known that a substantial amount of casualties would ensue. When President Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, Vice President Harry S. Truman became president (Constitutional Rights Foundation). At this time, President Truman attempted to fill the spot that President Roosevelt occupied for twelve years. Truman was thrust into a role that he was not necessarily prepared for and into an administration that had been operating essentially without his input (Kort, 2007). Unfortunately, Roosevelt had never included his vice president in discussions about the atomic bomb. Two weeks after becoming president, he was finally fully briefed about the gadget, as General Groves called the bomb (Constitutional Rights Foundation). Secretary of War Stimson took the primary role of filling in President Truman on the details of the Manhattan Project, which Truman had known nothing about (Kort, 2007). According to Kort (2007), the Manhattan Project was led by a variety of scientific discoveries in the 1920s and 1930s. During this time of scientific innovation, Hitler had been steadily rising to power in Germany, and before long, physicist Leo Szilard and fellow Hungarians Eugene Wigner and Edward Teller became worried (Kort, 2007).   They decided that the President of the United States must be informed about the new fission technology that had been discovered, which they believed was capable of making bombs.   The three physicists enlisted the help of Albert Einstein, the foremost scientist in that period, and together they drafted a letter addressed to President Roosevelt (Kort, 2007). Albert Einsteins famous 1939 letter, drafted by physicist Leo Szilard (who was named Humanist of the Year some twenty years later), convinced President Roosevelt to start the Manhattan Project, describing their beliefs that nuclear fission Would lead to the construction of bombs, and it is conc eivable that extremely powerful bombs of a new type may thus be constructed (Milam, 2010). The mixture of Frances fall to Germany in 1940, the belief that Germany was ahead in the race for the atomic bomb, and the bombing of Pearl Harbor soon influenced Roosevelt that something more had to be done on this atomic research (Kort, 2007).   Roosevelt quickly assigned his top security advisors to form committees on this project, and to determine what should be done and how. By the end of 1942, bomb research had become bomb assembly, and the Manhattan Project was now run by the military (Milam, 2010). The Bombing Henry L. Stimson, the secretary of war from 1940 to 1945, would influence President Trumans crucial decision on whether to invade or bomb Japan (Sherwin, 1995). On the morning of August 6, 1945, the United States U.S. Army Air Forces B-29 Enola Gay dropped a uranium gun type device code named Little Boy on the city of Hiroshima (Military History, 2009). There were some 350,000 people living in Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. Approximately 140,000 died that day and in the five months that followed (Military History, 2009). Blackened, bloodied, skinless masses of corpses were floating in macabre positions in the Kyuohotagawa and the Motoyasugawa rivers. Long lines of shuffling figuresclothes burned right off the body; hair standing on end or singed off the scalp; skin peeling and dripping off arms, legs, backs; hands outstretched, zombie-likewere all wandering blindly after the bombing (Military History, 2009). This hellish scene was played out in utter darkness, for the mushroom cloud, that carrier of black rain and persistent death, had turned day into night and modern technology into humanitys greatest nemesis (Military History, 2009). According to Cameron (2005), after the Bombing of Hiroshima, President Truman issued this statement in reference to the use of a new weapon and promising the following: If they do not now accept our terms, they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth. Behind this air attack will follow sea and land forces in such numbers and power as they have not yet seen and with the fighting skill of which they are already well aware and power as they have not yet seen and with the fighting skill of which they are already well aware. The Emperor did not respond and three days later, the B-29 Bockscar levels much of Nagasaki with a plutonium implosion type device code named Fat Man (Military History, 2009). Its estimated that the second bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9 claimed another 80,000 lives (Military History, 2009). The same day, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. Hirohito said that continuing the war can only mean destruction for the nation. He then declared that Japan must accept surrender (Constitutional Rights Foundation). Interpretations There are various views related to the use of the atomic bombs and their rationalization. The nuclear attacks on Japan were justified in an effort to win the war with the fewest casualties possible. Some believe that because Japanese soldiers were known for their vicious fighting styles, the invasion of Japan would have led to American casualties in the hundreds of thousands or maybe even millions (OConnor, 2010). Additional explanations include that the US spent almost 2 billion dollars developing the bombs and those costs needed to be justified (OConnor, 2010). Even for their swift demolition, the Hiroshima and the Nagasaki bombs were extremely inefficient. Only one of the fifty kilograms of uranium present detonated in Little Boy the affectionate nickname given to that weapon of mass destruction by those responsible (Milam, 2010). Hiroshima could have been even more horrifying than it was if one dares imagine. After all, the best minds in the world were feverishly working on these projects (Milam, 2010). Ironically, Einstein later became a peace activist and days before his death signed Bertrand Russells 1955 Russell-Einstein Manifesto along with ten other esteemed scientists and intellectuals (Milam, 2010). It begins with the words: In the tragic situation which confronts humanity, we feel that scientists should assemble in conference to appraise the perils that have arisen as a result of the development of weapons of mass destruction. It ends with the oft-repeated phrase: We appeal as human beings to human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest (Milam, 2010). Secretary of war, Stimson, later revealed that the decision to use the atomic bomb was in part intended to satisfy the doubts of that rather difficult class of community which will have charge of the education of the next generation, namely educators and historians (Sherwin, 1995). He also wrote that the sole motivation was to save American lives by ending the war as quickly as possible (Sherwin, 1995). What he failed to discuss were the Japanese messages intercepted by United States military intelligence indicating that the Japanese had been trying to surrender conditionally since June of 1945 (Sherwin, 1945). Consequences The effects of the bombings were massive on all levels. The lives of the Japanese were forever affected. Tsutomu Yamaguchi, then a 29-year-old ship engineer with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was walking to the company shipyard in Hiroshima when Little Boy, the worlds first strategic atomic bomb, detonated in midair less than 2 miles away (Military History, 2009). The blast knocked him unconscious, burst his left eardrum and burned his upper torso. Three days later, back home in Nagasaki, Yamaguchi was recounting his story to a skeptical boss when Fat Man, the second strategic atomic bomb, exploded over that city, also less than 2 miles away (Military History, 2009). The shock wave knocked both men to the floor and tore off Yamaguchis bandages (Military History, 2009). The engineer spent more than a decade recovering from his physical injuries. His wife and infant son escaped the Nagasaki explosion with minor wounds, but the family was plagued by poor health. His son died of cancer in 2005 at age 59 (Military History, 2009). Yamaguchi is now formally recognized as a double-hibakusha (explosion-affected person) and has become a vocal proponent of nuclear disarmament (Military History, 2009). The reason that I hate the atomic bomb is because of what it does to the dignity of human beings, Yamaguchi explained to The Times. Having been granted this miracle, it is my responsibility to pass on the truth, (Military History, 2009). According to Cameron (2005), 226,598 officially certified survivors of the atomic bombings are still alive in Japan today. The actual number of hibakusha is likely much larger, as many could not meet the strict and sometimes subjective qualifications for certification, while others have left Japan. The average age of these witnesses, however, is now seventy-three. Most have been struggling with radiation-related illness for much of their lives, and death will surely have silenced the majority of them by the seventieth anniversary of the bombing in 2015 (Cameron, 2005). Then fourteen year-old Akihiro Takahashi remembers waiting to go into his classroom then waking up with burns all over his body. He made his way to the river to try to extinguish his burning flesh (Cameron, 2005). His physical suffering had only begun; he now must visit a hospital daily for hour-long treatments for liver cancer and the admission that he worries every day about his health (Cameron, 2005). In addition to health related effects endured, there were also international effects of the atomic bombings. World War II came to an end and a peace treaty was formed between the United States, Japan and forty eight nations (OConnor, 2010). Creators of the bomb had not received the feelings towards the bomb that they predicted and the scientists soon came to the conclusion that this bomb should not be used (Cameron, 2005).    Conclusion The decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan was one of the most controversial issues of the twentieth century. The bombings will continue to remain a heated debate for many years to come. The exact strength of mind for the use of the atomic bombs will never be fully understood and the same question will be asked time and time again, Did it have to happen?

Effect of Stress on Decision Making Essay -- miscellaneous

Effect of Stress on Decision Making Stress must be present to ensure our very being. One may wonder about the validity of this statement, but it is quite true. Stress plays a vital role in the way we make decisions (Massa et al, 2002, pg 1). â€Å"Problem solving and decision making in demanding real-world situations can be susceptible to acute stress effects which manifest in a variety of ways depending on the type of decision. The negative effects of an overload of acute stress include attentional tunneling, working memory loss, and restrictions in long term memory retrieval, with simple strategies being favoured over more complicated ones. The underlying assumption is that stress can lead to errors, poor performance and bad decisions. However, acute stress does not necessarily always have a detrimental effect on decision making, rather stress may affect the way information is processed. Some of those changes in strategy in response to stress are in fact adaptive. They reduce and select the information being attended to and processed, in response to high time pressure and reduced cognitive capacity† (Flin, 2004, pg 42). Flin has said so much about stress and decision making in this little space. To have a better understanding, we are going to elaborate in this essay and analyze the evidence that there is an effect of stress upon thinking and decision making ability. Stress can be defined in many different ways, but in relation to decision making, stress may be best defined from a scientific view describing the thought process of the brain. When the sensory organs perceive information, they send it to the thalamus of the brain, which deals with sensory perceptions. The information is then transmitted to the cerebral cortex where the process of conscious thinking and decision making takes place. In starting the process of conscious thinking, the cerebral cortex processes large amounts of information and judges what information can be dealt with automatically without our conscious awareness and what information must be consciously assessed. At this point emotions, feelings, character traits, and behavior are not part of the decision making process. Thus, the limbic system, which is directly responsible for these emotions and feelings, is activated by the cerebral cortex. Following the technicality of the stimulus, the stress response begins. The stres... ...uth. Flin, R. (1997). Sitting in the Hot Seat. Leaders and teams for Critical Incident Management. Klein, G. (1998).Sources of Power How People Make Decisions. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Massa, P., Watkins, C., Partridge, B (2002). Decision Making Under Stress. Available from: http://web.umr.edu/~bpart/eman313/DMUS.htm [accessed 16/05/05] Walker, K., Nayda, I.T., Turner, J. (2003b) Make-Up Your Mind -- Improving Your Decision-Making Skills. Available from: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ [accessed 16/05/04] â€Å"Thinking and Decision Making Under Stress†. Avalaible from: http://library.thinkquest.org/C0123421/thinking.htm [accessed 18/05/04] Shambach, A. (1996) Strategic Leadership Workshop: "Strategic Decision-making in the Information Age," U.S Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania Thompson, Leigh, L. (2001). The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator, Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Walker, K., Torres, N.I and Turner, J. (2003a): Make-Up Your Mind: Improving Your Decision-Making Skills: Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville. Available from: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HE691 [accessed 18/05/04]

Education without Truth in Postmodern Perspectivism :: Argumentative Linguistic Papers

Education without Truth in Postmodern Perspectivism Poststructuralist relativism, following the Nietzschean critique of Western rationalism, denounces the quest for truth as a quest to legitimize various claims on the level of universal human value, by covering up the indirect coercion of their discourse or imagery. Using perspectivism as an argument against philosophical grounding of various patterns and schemes, post-modern thinkers, under the influence of Poststructuralist relativism, try to depart from the cognitivist tradition by transforming philosophical thought to an edifying discipline (Rorty) or learning (Lyotard) liberated from a theory of knowledge, and giving into a discourse of literary or prosy character. I argue that post-modern perspectivism and the individualistic or collectivistic logic which nurtures its scope can be transcended through construction of hyperperspectivistic prisms based on alogic of interrelation animated by the interdisciplinarian spirit prevailing in the field of modern science. This latter serves as the leading thread for the foundation of a new canonicity which, without losing its historical and cultural character, can make claims to truth and validity of general acceptance. The hyperspectivistic canonicity deriving from such an interrelational logic is in a position to animate a new educational model capable of overcoming both idealistic and romantic versions of Bildung. During the last third of 20th century, the so-called postmodern world has been technically modernized in an unprecedented way. An unconstrained capitalist economy imposing constantly changing technologies determine, among other systems of social control, various forms of the educational system, each one of them promoting knowledge as a commodity. The ferment that swept, some years ago, not only the Third World but also the industrial societies for revolutionnary change of social and political institutions has given its place to a forceful modernization of established authority, political power and modes of accummulation. The belief that we live in a rapidly changing world is well spread. In fact, we live in a frenetically modernized but not changing world, given that the deification of the modern against the traditional forms of education, organization and communication levels the need to create a vision of a future society. The creation of such a vision presupposes the critical approach of the legitimacy of the established authority, of political power or wealth; issues which are no longer broadly discussed. The early and forceful advocates of libertarian or socialist values seem to be forgotten or definitely marginalised. (1) The philosophical tradition developed by philosophers like

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics †F-16 Modular Mission Computer Application Software

About the Company: Although they are a global security and information technology company, the majority of Lockheed Martin’s business comes from U. S Department of Defense and Federal Agencies. In fact, they are the largest provider of IT services, systems integration, and training to the U. S Government. The remaining portion of Lockheed Martin’s business is comprised of international government and some commercial sales of products, services and platforms. Lockheed Martin’s operating units are organized into broad business areas – Aeronautics: $11. billion in 2008 sales includes tactical aircraft, airlift, and aeronautical research and development lines of business. Electronic Systems: $11. 6 billion in 2008 sales includes missiles and fire control, naval systems, platform integration, simulation and training and energy programs lines of business. Information Systems & Global Services: $11. 6 billion in 2008 sales includes C4I (stands for â€Å"Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence†), federal services, government and commercial IT solutions. Space Systems: $8 billion in 2008 sales includes space launch, commercial satellites, government satellites, and strategic missiles lines of business. Something about the F-16 – The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force. Designed as a lightweight, daytime fighter, it evolved into a successful multirole aircraft. Over 4400 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976 and it currently serves in the air forces of 25 nations. About the Software: The Aeronautics division of LM’s, based in Fort Worth, Texas has used the OMG’s MDA to develop Application Software for the F-16 Modular Mission Computer. This software is cross-platform compatible and has highly increased productivity and quality. Just as the highly demanding environment of avionics software development and the MMC (Modular Mission Computer) itself. What is the MMC? The Modular Mission Computer is a cost-effective MLU (Mid – Life Update) for the F-16, which combines advanced computing capabilities for both weapons and avionics in a single high performance system. Developed by Raytheon (Lockheed Martin’s F-16 team), it replaces three computers with one superior system, reducing weight by 55%, volume by 42% and power by 32%. What is OMG’s MDA? OMG (Object Management Group) – since 1989 – is a non – profit computer industry consortium. Their board of directors represents most of the organizations that shape, enterprise and internet computing today. Their membership includes hundreds of organizations, most of them representing virtually every large organization in the computer industry and many smaller ones. MDA (Model Driven Architecture) is a modeling standard, which along with UML (Unified Modeling Language), enable powerful visual design, execution and maintenance of software and other processes, including IT Systems Modeling and Business Process Management. When and why was this software developed? The MMC upgrade was a part of the MLU process of the F-16. When plans of replacing the F-16 (in operation since 1979) with its successor in 1999 stalled, they decided to modernize the aircraft, which became the MLU (Mid –Life Update). Part of this modernization process was developing software with cross – platform compatibility. The goal should be to provide cross-platform compatibility of Application Software despite any Implementation, or platform specific, changes: that is, changes to the Hardware Platform, the Software Execution Platform, or the Application Software Interface {draw:frame} The development Process – The F-16 MMC team originally used traditional CASE tools with an OO modeling notation to specify the software before manually coding it in Ada (Language extended from Pascal). When they migrated their development to Kennedy Carter’s iUML tool, they gained the ability to use a UML action language which made their UML models executable. They could then test their UML models to verify their intended behavior before hand-coding the implementation. More recently they have used Kennedy Carter’s iCCG product to specify, in eXecutable UML, an Ada code generator which can automatically generate 100% of the Ada implementation. By this means they guarantee that their UML models are entirely platform independent and portable across any future platform. {draw:frame} eXecutable UML Modeling: Overview xUML models are a complete representation of the problem space (not a top-level or preliminary design) Modeling is performed using a Unified Modeling Language (UML) representation Modeling makes use of a precise Action Specification Language (ASL) and is therefore executable (providing early validation of the models) Each xUML model is a Platform Independent Model (PIM), that is, completely implementation-independent (i. e. independent of the hardware platform, the software execution platform, and the application software interface) _Design Tagging: _Overview Whereas xUML modeling is platform- independent, Design Tagging is platform-specific (i. e. pecific to a particular Application Software Interface) Platform-specific design decisions (only those needed to support code generation) are made during Design Tagging, and are represented with design tag values that are applied to the xUML models The most standard implementation is always assumed by the code generator, such that only exceptions must be tagged Design Tagging is overlaid on (not embedded in) the xUML models, such that it may be included or excluded Desi gn Tagging: Specifying the PIM to PSM Mapping {draw:frame} Automatic Code Generation: Overview Automatic code generation is simply an extension of the code generation technique used for simulation of the eXecutable UML models on the development platform, this extension being for the target (embedded) platform The code generator is developed within the same environment as the application software using the same eXecutable MDA strategy {text:list-item} Nearly all implementation-specific design tasks (all but the design decisions represented by design tag values) are performed by the code generator, not the software developers Advantages of the eXecutable MDA Approach Increased Quality The majority of software developers are isolated from implementation details, allowing them to focus on a thorough analysis of the application space Maintenance of the application source code is eliminated, while maintenance of the xUML models is ensured Defect injection (and the resulting rework) is reduced by automating the software phase in which most defects are injected {text:list-item} Increased Productivity Rework is reduced Early validation through simulation reduces rework {text:list-item} Higher quality implementation (due to automation) reduces rework Software development span time is reduced by automating the implementation phase Application Software development schedule is reduced by at least 20% The code generator, not each software developer, performs the majority of implementation-specific design tasks 40-60% of physical source code Cross-Platform Compatibility One Application Software xUML Model database may be reused (as is) on any platform for which a mapping is defined (i. e. a code generator is developed) xUML models are compatible with any hardware platform, any Software Execution Platform, and any Application Software Interface xUML models are compatible with any implementation language References: Dr P. J. Wright, Lockheed Martin Success Story: 2002, http://www. omg. org/mda Lauren E. Clark, Power point presentation, F-16 Modular Mission Computer Application Software: 2001, Lockheed Martin Corporation. Lisa Hsu, Paper – F-16 Modular Mission Comput er (MMC), 2006, Raytheon Company

King Henry VIII and the Reformation Essay

For many years leading up to the reign of King Henry VIII, zealous souls were searching more than ever for a meaningful faith-based life for themselves and all of society. The people of England were becoming more and more confused about what the Church actually taught and were developing skeptical feelings towards the spiritual and physical power used and displayed by the clergy. [1] These feelings of the English people were reaching an all time high around the time that Henry VIII had succeeded his father’s throne in 1509. King Henry VIII had mostly selfish and prideful incentives to separate from the Roman Catholic Church. He had no religious intent in mind, but little did he know that he would contribute to the rise of the Protestant Reformation and a long-term religious change in England that would eventually spread to the rest of the world. [3] The dissatisfaction with the corruption of the Church and hunger for change led to the ideas of Christian humanism and the influence of Greek learning. This idea portrayed an order of peace, justice, and humanity that could be taught and advanced through education. ] The humanist with the greatest influence of the time was Erasmus of Rotterdam who favored simple biblical piety founded on textual scholarship and study of the Greek New Testament over scholasticism and elaborate ritualism. [5] Erasmus believed in studying and understanding the scriptures for oneself and wanted to reveal the extreme hypocrisies of the Church. Erasmus’ radical writings and teachings began to spread, and soon after the writings and teachings of Thomas More and Martin Luther arose. More wrote the book Utopia which described an idealized society that lived in an uncorrupted world in perfect accordance with the principles of natural virtue. [6] This was a completely unrealistic idea, but it still gave hope to the people for a reform and a better society. Around 1517, Martin Luther created a real reaction and uproar from the people as his ideas rapidly spread against the practices and underlying rationale of the Church. [7] This created an uprising and following of Luther’s teachings as his ideas and books quickly spread throughout England. Luther’s ground breaking concepts encouraged â€Å"new learning† and it soon took hold on the University of Cambridge. [8] When word of the vastness of Luther’s teachings and all of the new ideas of change and reform against the church reached King Henry the VIII, he was livid. In 1521, he excommunicated Luther and ordered all Christian princes to â€Å"suppress his errors† that Luther and others had spread. [9] Sermons were preached all across Europe denouncing Luther and many of his books were burned. King Henry went as far as to write an essay opposing Luther and his views on the Eucharist and the pope awarded him with the great title â€Å"Defender of the Faith. †[10] Even though King Henry tried his best to stop Luther and his ideas, Luther soon earned his voice in Germany and hundreds of his books and pamphlets poured back into England with even more criticisms of the Church’s practices and leaders. [11] Soon many revolts broke out between 1524 and 1526 dubbed the Peasants’ War, and the Protestant Reformation was flooding in. This was the start to a violent political, spiritual, and social struggle between the advocates and the enemies of change in England that lasted for many years. English men and women began to think of themselves as â€Å"Catholic† or â€Å"Protestant† and separated themselves accordingly. [13] Catholics and evangelicals protested and condemned each other from the pulpit and through printed writings. [14] Change was definitely in the air. In the midst of all of the uprisings against the Church and songs of reformation, King Henry VIII developed his own personal problems and turmoil. King Henry had been happily married to  Catherine of Aragon until he realized that she was not producing him a male heir that he longed for. The King had met and fallen in love with a woman named Ann Boleyn who was a strong, intelligent, and determined woman. Henry was determined to marry her and try to produce a son for a male heir to the throne. [15] In order to divorce Catherine, Henry needed a special papal dispensation. The pope refused to grant it, and Henry suspected that because the pope was related to the King of Spain that they were undermining England in the favor of Spain and therefore denying him the right to an heir. After many attempts to get the popes permission for the divorce and approval to marry Ann with no success, King Henry VIII made a decision that would change history forever. Henry fired his closest advisor Cardinal Wolsey who was Lord Chancellor of England and replaced him with Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Cromwell. [17] These two men advised the King to split the English church off from the Roman church in order to become head of the church and gain the marriage that he desired. This idea began the years of the Reformation Parliament in which the English parliament granted powers over the church clergy to the King in stages. The Act of Appeals in 1533 made Henry VIII the source for all English jurisdictions both secular and religious, and then the Act of Supremacy in 1534 declared the King of England as supreme head of the Church of England, not the pope. [18] Another act was passed in 1534 called the Act of Succession, which declared the children of Ann Boleyn as rightful heirs to the throne. [19] It was now official; England was completely isolated and broken away from the Roman church and began their independent journey of the Church of England. Even though England had split off from the Roman church and was on the brink of reformation, King Henry VIII made virtually no changes in the Church of England. [20] The only major difference from the Catholic Church was that now the king was the head instead of the pope and English Bibles were being used. [21] King Henry VIII reaffirmed his commitment to Catholic practices by passing the Six Articles. The Six Articles validated the transformation of the Eucharist, confession, private masses, celibate vows, and the sanctity of the Eucharist cup. Despite the fact that King Henry had made no real changes to the church, his break from the Roman Church stirred up a revolution in the making. Ann did not produce a son for King Henry, but she provided him with another daughter named Elizabeth. [23] Ann was sympathetic with Protestant ideas and her daughter would eventually play a key role in Protestant England. [24] King Henry became displeased with Ann, accused her of adultery, and had her beheaded in 1536. [25] Still in search of a son, King Henry VIII married Jane Seymour. She finally gave him the son and heir to the throne that he had been hoping for, Edward IV. When Henry VIII died in 1547, Edward IV succeeded the throne and the Protestant movement grew stronger than ever. Edward was highly intelligent and a devout Protestant, and he wanted to make numerous changes to the Church of England. [27] He repealed the Six Articles, allowed clergy to marry, and imposed Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer on all church services. [28] England was on its way to becoming a Protestant country, but King Edward died tragically of tuberculosis at age sixteen. Catherine of Aragon’s daughter Mary I then came to the throne in 1553. She was an extreme Catholic with no tolerance for Protestant beliefs. She declared England to be a Catholic country and converted all churches back to traditional Catholic practices. [30] The people of England were becoming thoroughly confused in their beliefs because they were getting tossed back and forth between two opposite ideals. Mary I soon earned the nickname â€Å"Bloody Mary† because she was single-handedly responsible for the executions of many Protestant leaders. [31] She burned more than three hundred men and women at the stake for their unwillingness to give up the ways of the Church of England and turn to the Catholic Church. These executions did nothing but intensify an anti-Catholic feeling in England, and it would soon become a permanent concept. After Mary I’s death in 1558, England’s future was in the hands of Henry VIII’s last surviving child, Elizabeth I. She was exactly was England needed at the time and was extremely intelligent and cautious. [33] She is considered to be one of the greatest monarchs in the history of England. Elizabeth repealed Mary I’s Catholic legislation for she understood that her country was being torn apart by the wavering doctrines, and she wanted to bring an end to the disunity. She worked out a compromise known today as the â€Å"Elizabethan Settlement† which resulted in a church that retained some Catholic ideas while inserting most of the foundational ideas of Protestantism as well. [34] This settlement would not have been possible if it were not for Henry VIII’s original split from the Catholic Church. The people were ready for the religious strife to end and peaceful worship to be possible. Even though Elizabeth had sought a peaceful compromise, the Catholics rose up in rebellion against her. [35] As they threatened her throne and plotted against her, she intelligently dodged their plan to destroy her. From this point on, her religious tolerance came to an end, and Catholics were arrested, imprisoned, and heavily fined. [36] Elizabeth ruled on to lead England in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. [37] This was a great turning point in history that not only made England a respected military power, but also solidified the movement of the Protestant Reformation. If Spain had not been defeated, there is a good chance that the Protestant religion would have been crushed altogether. [38] The Protestant breakthrough was a result of feelings of disdain and discontent with the Church that had been building over time. The Englishmen were feeling resentment against the corruption, and a confidence that a change was possible grew. The vulnerability of the many people who desired this change was key in the wide spread of many revolutionary ideas such as Erasmus, More, and Luther. All of these factors intertwined with the times and rule of King Henry VIII; and as you can see, his decision to break away from the Roman Catholic Church created a spiral of events that became the very segue the reformers needed to have a spiritual breakthrough. His pride, stubborn attitude, and desire for an heir to his throne led him into a decision that resulted in an extraordinary spiritual affect. Even though King Henry was a devout Catholic who in no way supported Protestant ideas, his very decision helped to bring about the Protestant Reformation. King Henry VIII in all of his selfish, prideful, and stubborn ways was exactly what England needed to push it over the edge and into a flood of a reformation. When King Henry VIII made the official split from the Roman Catholic Church, he made a decision that would affect the rest of history. Bibliography http://www.kencollins.com/poll-02.htm

Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” Essay

When Marlow talks of London being a dark place, the theme of civilization versus savagery comes into play. Marlow’s aunt believes he is an emissary of light, being sent into the darkness. Marlow sees this darkness through the placing of heads on poles, for a man named Kurtz. All of this makes Marlow change his inner feelings of himself, which relates to the theme of the journey of the inner self. Marlow talks of when the Romans first came to Britain, and how they had actually brought some light into the somberness of London, and how one day that light may disappear. This relates to the theme of dark and light. As Marlow tells of his voyage deeper into the unknown, his capacity for self-control is tested. Kurtz seems to inhabit his every thought. While this is happening, the theme of a journey into the inner self is seen again. There are certain patterns in â€Å"Heart of Darkness†; one of these is the theme of â€Å"threes†. There are three chapters, three women, three times Marlow breaks the story, three stations, three central characters and three views of Africa. Marlow indirectly suggests by referring to the Roman conquest, that the theme of colonialism has existed since the earliest times of human history. Colonialism is seen as one of the major themes in the book. When Marlow talks of London once being a dark place, the theme of civilization versus savagery comes into play. The book implies that civilizations are created by the setting of laws and codes that encourage men to achieve higher standards. London itself is seen as a symbol of enlightenment. We see this through Marlow and how he tells his crew that the Romans had brought a light into the darkness of Britain. Marlow and Kurtz are two antithetical examples of humanity. Kurtz represents what every man will become if left to his own desires, without a  protective, civilized society. Marlow represents the civilized soul that has not been drawn back into savagery by his â€Å"heart of darkness†. The book implies that every man has a â€Å"heart of darkness† that is usually drowned out by the light of civilization. However, when a man is removed from a civilized environment, the basic instinct of savagery must be unleashed. Savagery is linked to darkness, and in most parts of the book, we see Marlow  as the light in this darkness. Marlow’s aunt believes he is an emissary of light, being sent into the darkness. Marlow sees the darkness through the placing of heads on poles, for a man named Kurtz. All of this makes Marlow change his inner feelings about himself, which relates to the theme of the journey of the inner self. Through Marlow, the book creates a voyage of self-discovery. All of Marlow’s experiences point to a change him. The thoughts about the people he meets, and their behavior, slowly begins to change. Marlow’s trip from Europe to the outer, then central station tests his capacity to discriminate between good and evil, since he witnesses actions which directly ask him for a moral judgment, such as brutal beating of the native worker. Marlow’s detailed account of what he sees, shows his compassion. Conrad suggests that those who are unable of controlling their unconscious side, run the risk of losing control the their heart of darkness. Marlow talks of when the Romans first came to Britain, and how they brought light into the somberness of London. He also tells them that one day that light may disappear. This relates to the theme of dark and light. In â€Å"Heart of Darkness†, there is an obvious contrast between what is light and what is dark. Light seems to represent civilization, or the civilized side of humanity whilst dark represents the uncivilized or savage side of humanity. In this book, dark and light or black and white, have the same usual connotations of good and evil. According to Christianity, in  the beginning, everything was dark. The same thing applies to London before the Romans came. At the same time, Africa was considered â€Å"dark†, as most of it had not yet been discovered. However, as Marlow’s journey progresses, it appears that dark and light are used counter intuitively. Darkness refers to truth and light refers to falsehood. In Marlow’s interview with the Intended, the windows of the room, which are normally a source of light, are covered and let in little to no light at all, as in a mortuary. The â€Å"cold and monumental whiteness† of the fireplace adds to the deathlike atmosphere. This shows that Conrad had used dark and light inversely. We could assume that the dark could represent the unknown. As Marlow talks of his voyage deeper into this unknown, his capacity for self-control is tested. Kurtz seems to inhabit his every thought. While this is happening, the theme of a journey into the self and the unconsciousness is seen again. Marlow’s story clearly implies that the kind of world men make for themselves, and for others, results from the character of individual behavior. Kurtz appears to be stuck inside Marlow’s head. Every thought is focused in this man he has never met. Kurtz wins control of men through fear. His power over the natives almost destroys Marlow. Kurtz is actually a victim of the manager’s murderous cruelty. It is possible that Kurtz might never have revealed his evil nature, had he not been tortured by the manager. Marlow struggles with himself, the person he thought he was turns out to be a nobody. Marlow sees the â€Å"real† person he is, and fears himself. After seeing the Kurtz, Marlow realizes how much like Kurtz he has become and regains control from his heart of darkness. There are patterns noticeable in this book. One of these is the theme of â€Å"threes†. There are three chapters, three times Marlow breaks the story, three stations, three women, three central characters and three views of Africa. The three stations are the inner station, the central station  and the outer station. These are symbolic of the stages in Marlow’s journey of self-discovery. The inner station is the first station he goes to. Here, he sees how the natives are treated, and gets a glimpse of the things he may have to face in his future travels. He reaches the central station, and discovers that Kurtz may not be the man he first heard of. He was told that Kurtz was this wonderful man, who had plenty of power. Now, Marlow is beginning to see in his mind, someone that has followed his own ideas, and doesn’t care about anyone else. He struggles within himself to see if he is like this man. At first, he dismisses the idea that he could ever be that  kind of person, but soon after, he changes his opinion. The outer station is where Kurtz is finally reached. Conrad also uses imperialism as a major theme in the book. Marlow indirectly suggests by referring to the Roman conquest over Britain, that the theme of imperialism has existed since early human history. As Marlow tells his story, a different narrator, who is also a member on the ship they are traveling on, sees the Roman invaders to be like the English conquerors. He expresses that they were both â€Å"hunters for gold and pursuers of fame†. He does not understand that without the Roman invasion, Britain may have remained a dark country. Through Marlow’s tale of truth, pain, anxiety and the quest for complete knowledge, the major themes are revealed. Colonialism, the journey of the inner-self, the theme of â€Å"threes†, dark and light and civilization versus savagery. All of these themes lead to the understanding that Marlow’s voyage into the deepness of the Congo, is symbolic of the journey he had to take into the deepest side of himself. He successfully battled with his savage side, and came out a changed man. It just shows that no matter hoe perfect something seems to be, there is always a heart of darkness deep within somewhere.

Word Narrative

Collaborative practice I've been in hospital a few days now. I've settled in. Well as much as you can be expected to when you're in a strange environment. The first day was awful for me though, I had no idea what was going on. I'd just started my 3 weeks annual leave (l work abroad so I was looking forward to spending time with my family etc. ) and I started having severe chest pains at home. They were crushing pains I can't explain the pain in any other way than it felt like a vice. My wife called 999 and the ambulance asked a lot of questions, before I knew t I was on my way to hospital.I remember everyone just running around, it felt like no one was actually talking to me. Like I was invisible! The doctors were saying something about a possible stroke, but not to me, they were talking amongst themselves. They attached a load of wires to me and the monitor they attached me to constantly beeping. Still drives me crazy that noise all around the ward. Some of the nurses are nice, not all of them seem to like me though. Maybe I'm an inconvenience? Hope they don't think that. I know they are all really busy, that's obvious.I finally found out that have suffered a stroke and I need to stay in the hospital until I'm well enough to go home. Although most of what they said to me was not in a language I could understand! I can remember asking where my wife was a lot and no one answering me, which was really frustrating as I knew she would be equally as worried. Didn't get told when would be able to see her for at least an hour after arriving at the hospital. The ward I'm on has really strict visiting hours so my wife can only visit me for two hours a day and she isn't allowed to bring he children which is a shame.But have been told I will probably only spend 5 days on this ward and that if I'm not ready to go home I will be moved on to a ward with more flexible visiting hours. I'm looking forward to that. The thing that hate the most about being on a ward is having to use a commode behind a curtain. I am a 41 year old man and to be honest I find it very embarrassing and undignified. I'm not saying my experience her has been completely unpleasant but the sooner I get out of here the better and I will be in no hurry to come back.

Comparison between First and Last Covenants of the Old Testament Term Paper

Comparison between First and Last Covenants of the Old Testament - Term Paper Example The Old Testament views God’s commands decreed upon Adam, the father of humanity, during his stay in the Garden of Eden, as the first covenant issued by the Lord to the humankind. The covenant assured bestowing of God’s countless bounties and blessings upon man, against which it imposed only one single restriction on him i.e. not to taste the fruit of the forbidden tree (of knowledge). (Genesis, 2: 16-17) Additionally, God blessed Adam with the mandate of remaining fruitful and multiply subsequently, as the Old Testament reveals that God said to Adam to â€Å"be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth† (Gen. 1:28). Similarly, the Lord made His covenant with King David, which is stated to be the last covenant described in the Old Testament; according to which God would not only send Messiah from the line of David, but also the rulers and kings would also belong to the same line. Additionally, messiah would also rule over the entire world, and all the races would be as his subjugated ones. Hence, God would bless Davidic seed with the spiritual and materialistic domination for the future generations to come. â€Å"The Davidic king would be the one to defeat all the Satanic enemies of God and establish the kingdom of blessing all over the world (Ps. 2, 89:21-29; 110). He would be the seed of the woman who would defeat the seed of the serpent and save the world. Not only a king, he is also a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110). It is even hinted that He would offer Himself as the sacrifice for sin (Isaiah. 52:13-53:12).† (Quoted in Smith, 2009: 8) This prophecy pointed to the futu re work of the Lord Jesus Christ. By closely examining both the covenants, it becomes crystal clear that Adam’s covenant maintains several similarities in with the Davidic one. God had blessed Adam and his children with the supremacy over every creature. On the other hand, King David was also favored with the same bounty, as he and his son king Solomon were not only granted the crown, wealth, power and prestige, but also they had domination over the djinns, ogres, humans and beast alike. King David intended to build a house for God, though the Lord refused the offer. Instead He blessed David with glorious house, power and throne, and a wise and powerful son in the person of King Solomon. â€Å"God promised to give him a son who would ultimately reign on the throne of David for ever and build a house of worship for all nations of the world.† (Quoted in the kingdom divided) Hence, God blessed a comfortable dwelling to David, according to the Covenant, as He had blessed A dam an outstanding abode in heavens. God had allowed Adam to reside in heavens and get involved into every type of activity of his own choice from dawn to dusk and dusk to dawn. Consequently, Adam and Eve led a very exuberant life in heaven. Somehow, since man has been created frail and weak, the first parents of humanity could not constrain themselves from the covenant they had made with their Creator, and thus broke their allegiance with the Lord by eating

Benefits of Environmental Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Benefits of Environmental Management - Essay Example Successful environmental management will evaluate all opportunities for cost savings, the most common benefits derive from a review of resource/ energy utilization and its efficiency, forcing full consideration of alternative energy sources and their cost-effectiveness. The other primary element will be the minimization of waste and result and cost of disposal. Many companies have addressed the management system for customer requirements related to quality and ISO9000. The range and diversity of customer needs and expectations are constantly growing with many customers increasing preference for use of suppliers and sub-contractors who can demonstrate that they are good environmental citizens. No customer would want to risk a tarnished reputation (or non-compliance to legislation) from the poor environmental performance of their suppliers and sub-contractors. The safest option for the customer is to use suppliers and sub-contractors who can demonstrate their positive environmental performance. The scope and severity of environmental legislation are ever increasing. A management system that ensures recognition of the requirements and compliance with them will ensure that fines are avoided and the staff is not imprisoned in addition to avoidance of the publicity that inevitably follows an environmental prosecution. The investors are increasingly moving to green portfolio's, and it is interesting that the financial performance of these portfolios has been good in comparison to more traditional investment. In seeking additional investment for the organization it is sensible to ensure the widest scope and this is only aided by a demonstrably sound environmental performance. Insurance companies are fully aware of the risk to their policies from the poor environmental performance of the insured. Companies with a sound and effective environmental management system are able to demonstrate that they pose less risk to the insurance company and create a negotiating tool for lower premiums. Some insurance companies now require an environmental audit of the company prior to agreeing on the cover.  Ã‚  

The Sex differances in learning in chimpanzees Essay

The Sex differances in learning in chimpanzees - Essay Example In specific, this paper has selected an article, ‘Sex Differences in Learning in Chimpanzees’ (Lonsdorf et al, 2004) that is a synopsis of a four-year longitudinal study carried out at Gombe National Park in Tanzania on wild chimpanzees. Primarily, the paper will attempt to provide a brief summation of the mentioned article that will enable the reader to understand basic and important findings, as well as limitations of this article. In this article, as earlier mentioned, wild chimpanzee of Gombe National Park in Tanzania were the participants of this four-year longitudinal study, and experts attempted to identify the sexual differences in the learning process and practice of these chimpanzees during the study. Findings of the study indicated that chimpanzees were skillful in the utilization of flexible tools for hunting termites from their mounds. Plantations were the only source of such tools that enabled chimpanzees to ‘fish for termites’ and eat them after extraction from the termite heaps. Experts (Lonsdorf et al, 2004) specified that chimpanzee culture of the local environment indicated that utilization of tools was a common practice for chimpanzees that used tools for various purposes. In addition, experts revealed that various studies have indicated that chimpanzees are the most intelligible non-human species to utilize tools for different purposes. Experts also disclosed that social learning and interaction capabilities of chimpanzees were some of the basic factors that cause such a varying range of utilization of tools in their communities. Article denoted that the experts focused on fourteen chimpanzees below eleven years of age during the period of four months, and paid attention to their interaction with their chimpanzee mothers during fishing sessions for the termites. Analysis of fishing practices and social interaction in the chimpanzee community indicated that chimpanzees of both genders interacted

Mass Extinction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mass Extinction - Essay Example A life seen through the eyes of a forever-existing mountain, which has witnessed wonders and ruins forming the current space we are living in today. As a part of this holistic ecosystem, it is our responsibility to respond to the nature’s call. This paper sheds some light on this mass extinction by focusing on its causes to determine the effects brought about by this extinction to find out how man should respond to this phenomenon, and why it is important for man to act quickly. Sea turtles are inhabitants of all worlds’ oceans except for the arctic, and are referred to as marine reptiles. However, they have been listed as endangered, for their reproduction rate is so slow to cover up for its rapid decrease from the ecosystem due to man’s activities that threaten their survival. It is noteworthy that sea turtles play a significant responsibility to two ecosystems that are very important to the turtle’s themselves and to humans too. This is because in the s eas they eat the sea grass that grows on the sea floor. This is very important, for they function to keep them short enough to avail breeding and development locations for many fish species as well as other marine life (Elewa, 34). The sea turtle’s meat, shell and eggs ate so precious and forms one of the main reason as to why man continue hunting them at an alarming rate. This has greatly reduced its numbers as St Catherine’s Sea Turtle Conservation program reports that the nesting levels of sea turtles today are less than one percent of those in 1947 (Leakey and Lewin, 46). This is an immense decline that calls for mans attention to reclaim these turtles. Therefore, to prevent the loss of these creature, fishing nets should be designed a way to allow for escape of turtles because if trapped in the net they are bound to drown. This is because they naturally come to the surface of water to breath, and if trapped, they don’t get the opportunity to do this. Beach development should also be monitored so that they do not encroach more into the water bodies. This is because hatchlings are mostly affected b y light especially during the night. As talked about above, the mass extinction of sea turtles is majorly brought about by man and his activities. It is evident that these moral violations of man as well as their practices are set to drive the sea turtles into extinction. It is important for the public to be warned that this is an impending disaster if nothing is going to be done now. The debate as to whether man is capable of slowing the extinction seems to drag on as some opponents claim that it is too late for man to intervene. This happening as little by little man continues to take down the homes of millions of animal species for cultivation, settlement and other infrastructure, and this has doubled since 1960 (Goodale and Black, 22 ). Therefore, this indicates that more habitats will continue to be reclaimed by man as he continues to sa tisfy himself at the expense of other animals. The current extinction rate in the world over stands at ten thousand times faster than earlier recorded, and the highest for that matter (Garner, 23). Is this the sixth extinction? Scientists are of the opinion that these reductions in biodiversity have already stated having an impact on human life. With the belief that the world is in the middle of a mass extinction, it implies that the millions of people who are indeed contributing to this extinction of animals will face food

Review of Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Review of Literature - Essay Example Research elements were not used in this article. The article concludes that if done in the right way, physical activity, and physical fitness can assist in the reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and thus, improve the health of the United States. The information in the article is very important since it will assist nurses offer the best care possible such as the recommended time for doing exercise. Lauer, M. S. (2012). And what about exercise? Fitness and risk of death in â€Å"low risk† adults. Journal of the American Heart Association, 1, 1-3. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.112.003228 The article speaks of the controversy about the possible risks of being harmed by exercise. Many researchers have attempted to indicate that exercise can harm individuals. However, the author of the article is quick to note that these guidelines are founded on weak evidence. On the other hand, some researchers have shown that exercise below the recommended time had significant impact on the physic al fitness of an individual. Research elements were not used in this article. The article concludes that exercise is important in the reduction of cardiac-related events, and there is need to find better ways of improving public health. The information is important to the nurses in that it will assist them in making the right choice about the care to be given to a patient suffering from cardiac-related complications. The best decision will assist in rapid recovery of the patient. Galan, A. I., Palacios, E., Ruiz, F., Diez, A., Arji, M., Almar, M., Moreno, C., Calvo, J. I., Munoz, M. E., Delgado, M. A., & Jimenez, R. (2006). Exercise, oxidative stress and risk of cardiovascular disease in the elderly: Protective role of antioxidant functional foods. Bio Factors, 27, 167-183. The authors of the article state that exercise is a crucial component in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Exercise is an important element in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases; however, in elder ly people, it can enhance oxidative stress. Oxidative stress and vigorous exercise can cause oxidative injury and antioxidant depletion. It is important that balance between beneficial and harmful effects of physical activity to be achieved, particularly, in elderly people. The design of the study was a long-term intervention study, and was conducted as a controlled and randomized investigation based on the practice of nutritional antioxidant treatment and regular exercise. A group of 320 aged individuals was chosen (86 men and 234 women aged between 58 and 86 years old). The results of the research showed that moderate and regular exercise enhances cardiorespiratory function and decreases cardiovascular disease in elderly individuals. This information is important since it will help nurses in caring elderly individuals suffering from the condition and those not suffering from the condition. Li, J., & Siergrist, J. (2012). Physical activity and risk of cardiovascular disease  œ A meta-analysis of perspective cohort studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 9, 391-407. doi: 10.3390/ijerph9020391 The article did a comprehensive analysis of the association between physical activity and cardiovascular disease. From the analysis, it was evident that leisure time and occupational physical activity

Historical Educational Theorists Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Historical Educational Theorists Letter - Essay Example Indeed, this is a serious concern that can affect any school system, for this reason; there are certain steps that need to be taken into consideration by your administration to restore the system to its full functioning. It is important to understand that the process of real education only happens through the stimulation process of a child’s powers, these often comes about because of social demands that the individual child finds himself in. By interacting with these societal demands, a learner is inspired to act in a way that portrays him as a member of that community. In my perspective, â€Å"I believe that in the ideal school, we have the reconciliation of the individualistic and the institutional ideals† (Dewey, 2013), therefore, you need to outline clearly these separate ideals. In this way, the learner finally graduates to become a useful and reliable member of the school and community. In my view, â€Å"I believe that the child should be stimulated and controlled in his work through the life of the community† (Dewey, 2013), and not being forced to conform to the system that is set. Therefore, what exactly needs to be done? I would prefer that you play the leading role as a leader of the institution to create an environment in which learners can know how to interact with various systems in the school. In this case, create core values that the administration and school community can uphold, they should be values that facilitate proper communication, respect, love and excellence among others. Through these needs, learners will find themselves with the urge to behave in certain ways that are in line with the core values set. Keep in mind that the school is a social community where learners, teachers and other stakeholders play a crucial role in shaping the values of a child for life. The management problems and the poor relationship that exists in your institution can be due to lack of proper awareness about the

Evolution of Global Consumer Trends by Datamonitor Essay

Evolution of Global Consumer Trends by Datamonitor - Essay Example As a consequence of the remarkable expansion of luxury markets over the recent decade, the literature in marketing has currently witnessed considerable enthusiasm in the investigation of prestige brands, particularly in the fashion industry. However, scarce is known about the effective process of marketing and observing prestige brands. Research carried out in the UK by Applied Futures, a market research company predicted significant social changes at the advent of the 21st century. Their investigation determined that individual’s needs for appearances and materialism were escalating. Specifically, they identified an elevating demand for flamboyant and status fashion products (M2 Presswire, 2008). For instance, current market reports in Australia appear to provide evidence to this assertion. The Sunday Telegraph revealed an exceptional increase in Australia’s luxury products, such as amplified demand for mink furs, and very expensive jewelleries such as diamonds. This i s, which is important to note, occurred prior to the economic slowdown which started in 1997 (ibid). The perspective for Europe’s textile and fashion industry in 1996 is, primarily, not good. Recent reports on market conditions in Italy, Germany, France and the UK are revealed. Germany’s primary suppliers and retailers of clothes for women predict no or zero growth. Several analysts predict sales of apparel in Italy to remain slow-moving, yet others anticipate significant growth (Weisman et al., 1996). Regardless of a number of encouraging reports everywhere, the UK luxury fashion at the advent of the 21st century is far from pretty. Women in UK remain the primary users and buyers of products within the cosmetics and toiletries department, with roughly eight in ten women admitting that they purchase the bulk or cosmetic and toiletry products in their homes.

Letter of Proposals on Improving Employees Productivity Case Study

Letter of Proposals on Improving Employees Productivity - Case Study Example Employee morale is at an all-time low manifested by resignations, tardiness, low productivity and other employee behaviors that indicate disinterest in their work and company. This is dangerous for the company because it undermines its competitiveness and viability as a business organization. The Research Plan There is an obvious need for management problem to address and arrest this issue among the company’s human resource. For the management implement to be effective however, we need to know what is/are the root cause/s of the employees’ discontent or disinterest with the company and their job. There are two strategies that I intend to use to get feedback and information from the employees. First is the anonymous survey so that employees can honestly provide information about their disenchantment about the management and second, through focus groups that will be conducted by a third party consultants so that employees will not be encumbered by management presence that would prevent from disclosing what they really think and feel. These combined tools will allow the management to double check consistency of findings that will help in determining the real cause of employee’s disenchantment with the company. ... sult of survey Consultant begun their focus group discussions August 2-14 Interpretation of survey results Interpretation of focus group discussions August 16-22 Drafting of report of both the survey result and focus group discussion August 23 Submission of report of the cause of employee morale and recommendation of course of action to address this issue. Qualifications I have taken classes in human resource that focuses on employee motivation and how it relates to performance and productivity. I have also attended leadership workshops on how to make people tick and on how to bring the best of them. I have taken finance classes and I am well aware how low productivity can affect the company’s position in the market. I had some marketing class and know how a poor product can affect the company’s competitiveness. I also taken some summer jobs and is well aware on how employees respond to management implements that they tend to work better if they are motivated. Conclusio n Being in the management, I am certain that you are well aware of the employee’s poor performance and high attrition rate. This proposal does not only intend to determine the root cause of such problem but will also find solution on how the management can address this kind of a problem. The methods applied in determining the root cause of our employee’s problem can also be verified by comparing the consistency of results of the two methods that will be used – survey and third party consultant focus group. The proposal is also time efficient that could produce the necessary information about the issue and its recommendations in less than two months. In effect, the proposal will allow the management to formulate plan of action/s in less than two months. This will put the management in a better