Saturday, August 31, 2019

Health Promotion and Preventions

Health promotion and disease prevention are processes that enable individuals to improve their health. Health promotion seeks to increase an individual’s control over their health by addressing behavior under the control of the individual. Disease prevention is associated with medical and public health activities to prevent diseases. Health promotion and disease prevention have been utilized in the U. S. health care system for many of years and extensive research has been done on which preventive measures are most likely to protect individual health.Studies have also been done on what degree can preventions contribute to controlling costs of health care. Research supports the effectiveness of the preventative measures such as immunization, some forms of screening, avoidance of a high-fat diet, regular moderate exercise, as well the avoidance or cessation of exposure to tobacco. But research has also shown that preventative measures increase, rather than reduce, health care cos ts. Research has shown that preventative interventions preserve function and extend lives.Studies have shown immunization to be a good example of a prevention that promotes individual health and longevity. The benefits of immunization can been seen in young people and in the elderly. For decades the elderly have been receiving vaccination against influenza and it is also commonplace for young children to receive inoculations for diptheria, tentanus, pertussis, polio, meningitis-causing Haemophilus influenzae, measles, mups, rubells, and hepatitis B. 1 A study from the Netherlands demonstrates the health benefits of the elderly receiving annual influenza vaccination.The findings from the study were that the those who received annual vaccination experienced a reduced mortality risk of 24 percent and it was estimated that the vaccination prevented one death for every 302 people vaccinated. 1 Immunization has also eradicated diseases that once threaten the lives of children in the U. S. , as illustrated by the history of the disease pertussis. Between 1934 and 1943 there were on average 200,000 annual incidence of the disease, including over 4,000 deaths. After the introduction of childhood vaccination for pertussis in the 1940’s, reported cases drastically declined and reached a low of 1,000 in 1976. Research has also shown that some types of screening are good examples of preventative measures that effectively protect individuals. Screening is a strategy used to detect a disease in individuals who are without signs or symptoms of that disease. Between the early 1970s and 2000, use of the Pap test decreased incidence and mortality from invasive cervical cancer by 40 percent in the U. S. 1 The screening is almost an ideal because it is inexpensive, convenient, effective in detection, and cervical cancer is highly curable when detected early.The U. S. Preventive Services Task Force also strongly recommends screenings for colorectal cancer, high blood pressur e, and Chlamydia infection. 1 As significant as disease prevention, health promotions in lifestyle and risk reduction in the areas of tobacco, body weight, diet and exercise have been shown in studies to protect individual health. The most important of these studies that show the benefit of lifestyle preventative practices are the Framingham Heart Study and the Nurses’ Health Study.The Framingham Heart Study has been a main source of information regarding an individual’s attributes that lead to cardiovascular disease. The early findings of the study identified smoking, high blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose intolerance as risk factors for heart disease. 1 Before the study it was thought that heart disease may be unpredictable. Recently findings show that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is a characteristic predictive of heart disease. The Framingham study had major implications on lifestyle in regards to physical activity and diet as preventative practices.It showed the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was less common in physically active individuals. The study also showed that being overweight is associated with risk factors such as lower levels of high-density lipoprotein, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The Nurses’ Health Study found similar results regarding the effects of diet and lifestyle on heart disease. The study concluded that among women, adherence to preventative practices involving diet, exercise, and abstinence from smoking is associated with a very low risk of coronary heart disease. The health risks of certain diets have also been the subject of many studies. Trials have shown that consumption of trans fatty acids produces factors that are predictive of heart disease. 1 Alternatively, studies have concluded that a preventative practice of a diet rich in non-trans fats, whole-grains, abundant fruits and vegetable, and adequate in omega-3 fatty acids offered significant reduction in heart diease. 1 Health prom otion and disease prevention has also been thought as a means to control health care costs in the US.It is seems logical to assume that health care cost would be reduced by individuals avoiding illness and that illness detected early are less expensive to treat. Research has shown that some preventative measures may reduce health cost, but many actually increase health care cost. The work of the economist Louise B. Russell offers very informative cost effectiveness analysis of the preventative practices of vaccination. 1 Russell studied a campaign during the 1960s to inoculate children against the measles shortly following the introduction of an anti-measles vaccine.She calculated the cost of the immunization intervention to be the sum of the cost of administering the vaccines and the cost of treating people who contracted measles, which included children that may have missed the vaccine or for who the vaccine was ineffective. Russell’s findings were that the intervention sav ed 973 lives and prevented 3,000 children from being mentally retarded. She also found that campaign reduced absenteeism from school and work due to measles by 34 million days.She concluded that the intervention cost $31 million, but saved $200 million in institutional care for children who would have become retarded had they not been vaccinated. This type of preventative measure can be seen as very cost effective. Russell also concluded that other vaccination programs weren’t cost effective. She found that a small pox vaccination administered to 37,901 people because of a threat of bioterrorism attack resulted in 85 hospitalizations, 10 life-threatening diseases, 2 permanently disabilities, and 3 deaths. This intervention proved very costly since there wasn’t a bioterrorism attack.The preventative measure of screening also proves to increase cost of health care in the US. The costs of screening include the diagnosis, medication, doctor visits, and treatment of side ef fects. Additional cost also result from the increased life expectancy of the individuals who are successfully treated. Conversely, if an individual isn’t screened the individual’s death result in the end of incurring health care costs. Screening for colorectal cancer, the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the U. S. , also revel an increase in the cost of health care.The American Cancer Society recommends that colonoscopies be the preferred method of screening. In 2005 colonoscopies amounted to 60% of all colorectal cancer tests. 3 But colonoscopy is expensive and carries a higher risk of serious complications that other screening choices. Cost benefit analysis of cervical cancer screening also illustrate the increase in health care costs. Studies by a research team in Georgetown University indicated that Pap tests reduced deaths by 75% when done every three years and the cost per quality-adjusted life year gained would have been $11,839.The study also found that a more aggressive treatment resulted in deaths reduced by 95%, but the of a cost per quality-adjusted life year gained would increase to $76,183. 1 Health promotion interventions in lifestyle offer uncertain cost-effectiveness and cost impact. A case can also be made that tobacco control increases the costs of health care and that smoking itself is an effective cost control. Smokers due require more medical care when they are alive, but upon the death of smokers, saving can be realized in nursing homes expenses, and the unutilized pension and Social Security benefits.Cost effectiveness analysis is not a complete approach to view health promotion and disease prevention. Though costly, preventative interventions in immunization, screening and lifestyle have been found by research to protect individual health. Cost effectiveness analysis should then rather be concerned with comparing alternative interventions. A good example of this type analysis is of colorectal screening, in which recommendation was for the intervention that would save the most lives at a given expenditure level. Russell said it best that â€Å"even when prevention does not save money, it can be a worthwhile investment in better health, and this- not cost savings- is the criterion on which it should be judged. †1 1. Greenwald HP. 2010. Health Care in the United States: Organization, Management, and Policy 2. Stampfer MJ, Hu FB, Manson et al. 2000. Primary prevention of coronary heart disease in women through diet and lifestyle. N Engl J Med 3. Subramanian S, Bobashev G, Morris RJ. 2010. When budgets are tight, there are better options than colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. Health Affairs

Friday, August 30, 2019

Smuckers Case Study

Scope of competitive rivalry- Competition among the industry is dominated by larger more diverse companies offering many efferent products in the processed foods industry. Number of Buyers – The number of users has been steadily increasing over the past few decades. With consumers looking for ways to simplify creating meals and snacks they are more apt to purchase processed foods in order to quickly prepare and serve foods when eating at home or eating meals on the go. Degree of product differentiation- Rivals in the processed foods market are fighting for more of the market.Without either expanding or acquiring new lines some of these businesses are having a hard time keeping their share of the market. Product innovation; The industry is always looking to innovate. This is pretty easy to see from just browsing the grocery store aisles. There are always new and improved products or existing products that are just packaged better for easy on the go eating. Demand-Supply Conditi ons- Processed foods are, plus or minus, 70 percent of what most of us eat. 2) The demand for processed foods does not look like it is going to subside any time soon. There are many suppliers out there but they are also dealing with negotiations to get their products into the top five grocers in America who have the power of choosing hat products they can negotiate for the lowest price, this can be detrimental to smaller manufacturers. Pace of Technological Change- Technological advances in producing these products can help cut costs over time, therefore making more profit on the foods that they are making.Vertical Integration- With acquisitions becoming a necessity of staying in the processed foods playing field these companies need to integrate any way that they can in order to stay competitive in the growing market. Economies of Scale- The processed foods industry is dominated by the top five brands. These brands are making it harder for the smaller companies to gain more of a ma rket share without acquiring more businesses or increasing their product line to gain a share of the market.Learning/Experience Curve Effect- Processed foods make up about 70% of an average Americans diet. It is imperative for their survival that they try to gain a cost advantage over their competitors in order to maintain or increase their share of the processed foods market. Competitive Analysis S. W. O. T. Analysis Strengths Started back in 1897 by Jerome Monroe Smacker, this has been a well-known ND recognized brand for over 115 years. (4) With the acquisitions they have made they are climbing up the processed foods top 100 list.Strong Financial Standings – from 2009 to 201 3 Income before expenses went from $ 396. 1 Million to $ 817. 3 Million. Innovation- they are always looking for new ways of presenting their product in order to make the consumers life easier. Company was listed in the top quartile of Fortune's â€Å"1 00 Best Companies to work for† every year since the magazine created the ranking in 1997. (1) Weaknesses Smaller size in the processed foods market may limit their bargaining power tit grocery retailers.Peanut Butter and Jelly – with most schools now banning any peanut products because of allergies the days of bringing a BP to school for lunch are almost extinct. Volume declined 6% and 1 1 % for Jiff and Smacker's fruit spread respectively. (6) Opportunities Innovating their products to appeal to more consumers such as their creation of the Jiff To Go Lunchbox snacks. More acquisitions of smaller processed food companies when their finances allow. Expanding more internationally pushing the products that have a successful presence in other countries. The retreatsCompetition from larger processed foods manufactures. Lesser bargaining power with the top five grocery retailers who make up about 40% of the grocery sales in the United States. Fear of a decreased market share could lead them to make bad financial decisions in regards to pricing, acquisitions and other expenses that they can control. Healthier Eating habit by people in the U. S. May lessen the already smaller share of their stake in the processed foods market. Financial Analysis Gross Profit Margin- The profit Margin was increasing from 2009 to 2010.Since 201 0 it has gone down a little bit to now being . 457 in 2013. This should be a concern for Smacker's even though over the past two years it has stayed stealing and also slightly increased in 201 3 so far, this is something that they should be putting great attention into. Current Ratio- With a Current Ratio oaf mere 1. 3181 in 2009 transforming into a current ratio in 2013 being 2. 6729 it is showing that Smacker's is financially sound and the fluctuations have not been too severe over the past five years again reiterating their stability in the processed foods market.They are sufficiently able to pay current liabilities without concern. Long Term debt-to-equity Ratio- Smacker's Lon g Term Debt to Equity ratio has fluctuated some over the past five years. In 201 1 the ratio was at its lowest indicating that during that time they were at a better standing to borrow funds if needed. In January 2012, the company closed its purchase of a foddering coffee and hot beverage business from Sara Lee. (7) Without this acquisition to show the jump in ratio from 201 1 to 2012 the company would seem to be in financial distress.Working Capital- The working capital was rapidly increasing from 2009 to 2011. In 201 2 the company saw a decrease in working capital. With the gain of the Sara Lee acquisition there was more funds being used for day to day operations, while this went down it does not mean that the Company is failing – it just means that they have more operating costs than previous and need to work more on the cost of manufacturing these goods to increase revenues more in the future.Strategic Recommendation Smaller Market Share – With the bigger processed foods companies such as Kraft and Nestle gaining a large portion of this market I would recommend that Smackers continue to acquire smaller companies or subsidies of already established companies to continue the growth and success that they have over the more than a century that they have been in business. Peanut Butter and Jelly- With the Healthy and Natural Foods movement going on and also the increase in schools banning peanut butter Smacker's two most well- known products are now fighting for 2nd and 3rd place for the company's sales contributions by product line.They are remaining steady over the past 3 years. In 201 3 Peanut Butter was at 13% (a 1% gain over 201 2) and Fruit Spreads went from 8% in 201 1 to 6% in 2013. One of their newer acquisitions f coffee is booming with a 4% gain over the past 3 years going from 44% in 2011 to a whopping 48% in 2013. I would recommend focusing more advertising and marketing dollars on the products with a decrease in product line sales in order to save what they had originally started their company with.Increasing International Expansion – With the well-known brand name and similarity Of products that people use in other countries I believe that by exporting more of their products Smackers can grow in to a larger and better recognized brand globally. If they started out just shipping and not creating acclivities overseas they could save money in the beginning by not having the overhead of a brand new facility and all of the expenses that come along with it. Also they could easily pull out of the markets that they are not able to penetrate successfully.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

IKEA Global Sourcing Challenge Essay

Summary In this case, it is known that IKEA’s procurement model is the mode of global sourcing. IKEA products are shipped to the 26 distribution centres from the trade area after procurement, and then delivered to the shopping malls in the world. IKEA’s procurement philosophy and assessment of suppliers mainly include four aspects: continuous price improvement; strict supplier performance and service levels; good quality and healthy products; and environmental and social responsibility (IKEA Sustainability Report 2011). In the aspect of social responsibility, IKEA does not accept child labour, but also actively prevents the use of child labour when its supplier Indian Rugs is revealed to use child labour (Bartlett et al., 2006). All IKEA suppliers and subcontractors must comply with the special code of conduct on child labour â€Å"The IKEA Way on Preventing Child Labor†. The standard requires that all acts must be done to maximize the protection of the rights and interests of children (Motamed et al., 2010). The code of conduct and monitoring measures must be supplemented by the corresponding program to eliminate the root causes behind child labour. It is for these reasons, the IKEA Foundation actively supports UNICEF and Save the Children Relief Projects designed to protect the rights of children. Key issues resulted in problems and analysis In this case, the key cultural management issue is the corporate social responsibility. IKEA, the world’s largest furniture company has a fairly commendable corporate culture, and an important element of its containing: IWAY. In terms of IWAY, there are strict rules on the procurement of products, materials and services, particularly intolerance of IKEA’s suppliers using child labour or forced labour (Maon et al., 2007). Another prominent feature of it is committed to preventing corruption, fraud and illegal activities, and developing the â€Å"anti-corruption rules†. The business  management researchers can analyse the business grow and even decline and fall from all angles. IKEA fortune in essence is supported by its corporate values. Otherwise, it cannot carry over in numerous fluctuations of economic cycles. A sustainable development of enterprise is largely determined by the corporate culture. The quality of enterprise could also affect competitiveness. This is not an ideal question for entrepreneur, more than a philosophical question, but a question of competition in the market. In fact, almost all first-class entrepreneurs in the business process carry out first-class corporate culture operations. They use the values, philosophy to show a unique quality in business. And this kind of internal but critical competitiveness is the riche class and managers lack of. In the production process, the trade office staffs will keep in contact with the IKEA suppliers, they can take an advantage by this opportunity to observe social and working conditions of suppliers and make efforts to prevent the use of child labour (IKEA Group, 2003). IKEA in the supplier organization encourages workers and subcontractors to discuss the problems they encounter every day. This approach strengthens IKEA’s understanding of the causes of child labour. If IKEA finds child labour, it will require suppliers to take action based on the child’s best interests. The supplier must implement corrective and preventive action plans, including education and training aspects. IKEA will visit the children’s school, and carry out a surprised visit to suppliers. If the supplier does not take action on the scheduled date, or later there’s occurrence of the violations, IKEA will terminate all business relationships with the suppliers. It can be seen that IKEA’s motivation emphasis on corporate social responsibility is closely related to commercial activities. Its primary motivation includes the legitimacy of the business, brand reputation, reduction in business risks, total quality management and marketing environmental analysis, especially the legitimacy of the business and reduction in business risks are becoming increasingly important. In addition, the communication of corporate social responsibility is crucial. It can maintain the attractiveness of IKEA for a new generation of partners. IKEA hopes that the partners in dealing with corporate social responsibility can show independence, but the ability to realize this issue will have to depend on the employees’ management level (Maon and Swaen, 2006). Through this initiative, colleagues at all levels can increase the awareness of corporate social responsibility, so as to achieve the purpose of incentives. Key learning Corporate social responsibility is developed since the 1990s, which is a turning point of corporate social responsibility. IKEA is also in accordance with some of the pressure in this community to adjust its operating way on the requirements of the enterprise. IKEA’s business is constructed in the price and quality environment and work environment (Maon et al., 2007). With regard to a supply and demand model of corporate social responsibility (CSR), it’s assumed that a firm’s size, level of diversification, research and development (R&D), advertising, government sales, consumer income, labour market conditions, and stage in the industry life cycle could estimate the firm’s standard of CSR (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001). IKEA as a large multinational Corporation with 26 distribution centres and emphasis on R&D and advertising hopes to establish long-term cooperative relationship with suppliers; looks for more partners who recognize the IKEA culture as the co mmon value; and aim at its development (Maon and Swaen, 2006). Respect for fundamental human rights and fair treatment of labour are the basic requirements for its suppliers. Therefore, child labour is absolutely not allowed. And the cooperation should be based on frankness and respect and it should be put into a gradual and long-term procedure. Under continuous pressure on price and sub-contractors from developing countries, IKEA is positive to face with the accusation of using child labour. It’s shown that how stakeholders can affect the improvement of CSR policies by showing their societal expectations, by publicly criticizing corporate behaviours considered as irresponsible or by building in a collaborative and constructive relationship with the company. This case study focuses on the CSR practices and communication by a complexity of the corporate decisions  and it also reflects the public attitudes have played a key role in enhancing a company’s CSR construction (Maon and Swaen, 2006). References Bartlett, C. A., Dessain, V. & Sjoman, A., 2006, ‘IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge Indian Rugs and Child Labor’, Harvard Business School, 9-906-414. IKEA Group, 2003, ‘IKEA: Social and environmental responsibility report’, viewed 1 May2012, . IKEA Group, September 1, 2010 – August 31, 2011, ‘IKEA Sustainability Report 2011’, IKEA, viewed 1 May2012, . Maon, F., Swaen, V. and Lindgreen, A. 2007, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility at IKEA: commitment and communication’, Research Memorandum, F Maon, V Swaen, A Lindgreen. Maon, F. & Swaen, V. 2006, ‘Integration and communication of CSR principles by IKEA: an analysis of the influence of and on external stakeholders’, LGA Working Paper, Louvain School of Management. McWilliams, A. & Siegel, D. 2001, ‘Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective’, Academy of Management Review, 26(1), p.117-127, viewed 1 May2012, . Motamed, M., Ozhusrev, N. & Pena, G. 2010, ‘IKEA and the Child Labor Challenge’, BAHR 509 – Group Project Paper.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia - Term Paper Example An absolutely preplanned and controlled attempt at systematically destroying a politically or ethnically defined group is known as genocide. Political leaders do signal out their intention at carrying out genocide against a certain group, and this is clear through the kinds of speeches they give or the actions they perform; they do reveal their want of nationalism. Mass murder, destruction, and forced expulsion; all these reveal the intention of the leader to carry out genocide against the targeted people. The legacy of genocide is very much visible in the stories that the survivors relate of their experiences and besides that the destroyed lands along with the incomplete response from the international community together account for it. Following the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) made prosecution of war criminals legally permissible. Besides there being lawful arguments regarding the issue of genocide which are concerned basically with jurisdiction, precedent and punishment for war crimes, the UN members have recognized that their basic goal of preserving international peace and stability is harmed by such mass atrocities as genocides. A resolution was passed in the February of 1993 which called for the formation of a global tribunal that would punish the ones who hold the responsibility of â€Å"serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991† (Resolution 808, paragraph 1). ... The Role of UN Following the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) made prosecution of war criminals legally permissible. Besides there being lawful arguments regarding the issue of genocide which are concerned basically with jurisdiction, precedent and punishment for war crimes, the UN members have recognized that their basic goal of preserving international peace and stability is harmed by such mass atrocities as genocides. A resolution was passed in the February of 1993 which called for the formation of a global tribunal that would punish the ones who hold the responsibility of â€Å"serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991† (Resolution 808, paragraph 1). Following this resolution were passed certain other acts that determined the injustice being done. In 1992 there were certain acts passed for the condemnation of such extensive violations of basic human rights whi ch include, but are not limited to, mass murders, rapes, forced expulsions, property destruction, arbitrary arrests, and ethnic cleansing – basically, the organized terrorism that provokes certain groups to forcibly leave their area and migrate somewhere else that may be safer for them. A Chapter VII decision helped in the formation of the International Criminal Tribunal by the UNSC. This was formed for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Through this the UN was allowed to intrude over the sovereignty rights that were present for the protection of regional safety. Resolution 955 was passed by the UNSC in November 1994 which led to the establishment of the international Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Operating position and financial situation of Travis Pekins Plc Essay

Operating position and financial situation of Travis Pekins Plc - Essay Example It has also acquired ToolStation on 3rd January 2012. The merger of Travis Perkins and the BSS Group creates a new British plc. The company will now operate 19 separate businesses from over 1,700 branch location across the UK (Kilby, 2011, p.1). The mission describes the basic function of the company in the society, in terms of the product and services it produces for its customers. It includes purpose, strategies and scope, values and standards and behaviour of the organisation. The purpose for the existence of Travis Perkins is to create wealth for the shareholders and to satisfy the needs of its employees, creditors and the society. They seek mutual benefits with all stakeholders, think about the impact of their actions and they search for similarities between their decisions and customers expectations. The strategies and the scope of the company include the competences through which it tries to succeed and its method of competing. It provides complete building material solutions to everyone creating, repairing, maintaining and improving the built environment, thus helping to build Britain. They guarantee that anyone in Britain who wants to contact for any kind of building material through any form of supply channel will have Travis Perkins operation as their first choice. It defines the nature of their business. The standards and behaviour of Travis Perkins includes delivering deliver better returns by growing the best businesses with operations and outstanding people. They actively work with each other; when something goes wrong, they fix the problem in spite of blaming others. They challenge themselves how they work and they look for fresh ideas that are different from others. They apply rules where it is necessary. The values which they offer are: they understand their customer needs, treat them with respect, beat their expectations and know their major customers personally. They say what they actually

Monday, August 26, 2019

Borjomi Mineral Water Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Borjomi Mineral Water - Research Paper Example Borjomi mineral water is a famous brand of naturally found mineral water in Central Georgia. Borjomi water is manufactured by IDS Borjomi Georgia, which is a part of the IDS Borjomi International. The carbonated mineral water is extracted from the springs of Borjomi Gorge, a resort town. Mineral water is the largest export industry of Georgia and Borjomi is the leading brand in this industry. IDS Borjomi is internationally recognized for their high-quality water products such as â€Å"Likani†, Bakuriani†, â€Å"Borjomi Springs† and â€Å"Borjomi†. The brand exports their products to more than thirty nations worldwide. IDS Borjomi is the largest mineral water manufacturing company amongst the Baltic and the CIS states. IDS Borjomi operated on the basis of four main principles. These are essential; indulging in continuous expansion, diversifying market and introduction of new products and conducting aggressive market campaigns. IDS Borjomi Georgia  is seen to conduct business on contractual as well as the corporate basis with Bottling Plant N1 and Bottling Plant N2. The company holds the license for extraction of water from the naturally existing springs of Borjomi Gorge. For doing so the company has its own extraction machines and infrastructural facilities. Broadly the company exports their products to various nations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The Switzerland supply chain of Borjomi is managed by the IDS Group itself. The representing firm of the company in Switzerland is Mounted Martigny. The current business plan analyses the prospects of exporting Borjomi to Switzerland. The objective of the paper is to analyze the mineral water industry and target market condition existing in Switzerland so that an efficient export and distribution channel can be set up in the nation for Borjomi.

Sustaining tourism within developing countries like the Dominican Essay - 1

Sustaining tourism within developing countries like the Dominican Republic - Essay Example ecreased long-haul travel costs, increased holiday opportunities, changed demographics and strong consumer demand for foreign travel have given rise to large tourism growth to developing countries with global visits to the developing world comprising 25% of the universal total. Tourism brings rather influential customers to Southern countries, potentially a significant market for local business and an engine for home sustainable economic growth. Between 1985 and 1995 typical gross receipts for each tourist arrival raised by 75%. Thus tourism has become a vital sector for developing countries aiming to take advantage of foreign exchange earnings, increasing employment and securing economic wealth and to protect natural and national traditions. World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimation show that travel, tourism and associated activities will add 11% to the world’s GDP, rising to 12% by 2010. The tourism industry is at present estimated to create 7.8% of the total labor force. This percentage is projected to rise to 8.6% by 2012. The tourism industry is also the world’s largest employer and make up over 255 million jobs, or 10.7% of the global workforce (WTTC, 2002). Tourism has facilitated to produce millions of jobs in developing countries. For instance official estimation for suggest China has 51.1 million jobs related to tourism and India 23.7 million jobs. In terms of the comparative significance of various sectors for job creation, the largest suppliers of jobs in travel and tourism services are found in island states and destinations - ranging from 76.3% of the total number of people engaged in Curacao, to 34.6% employed in Antigua and Barbuda. The top ten countries with greatest projected comparative increase in employment over the next couple of decades are all developing countries. Vanuatu is expected a yearly growth rate of 8.8% in employment and leads the list. The balance of benefits begins to lean toward the developed countries in terms

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Effective support for information users Coursework

Effective support for information users - Coursework Example Over the years, effective strategies have been devised by researchers to provide the end-users with efficient resolutions to their problems. Some of the strategies have been discussed below: Physical Aspects Technology Used for Help Desk The foremost consideration that needs to be made to improve the help desk service is to analyze the type of technology that has been adopted in the respective department. Hoffman (1996) stated that the technology should not be too advanced or complicated for the personnel; the technology should facilitate their operations to become efficient, rather than complex. Complicated operations might prove to increase the service time for every customer. Ergonomics The ergonomics, i.e. layout of a help desk center also plays an important role in its effectiveness and management. Bayan (2003) explained that the layout and design should be able to facilitate team work; the employees should be able to communicate with each other in case of any query since every employee possesses his own areas of expertise. An employee might need help in resolving an issue in an unfamiliar area of expertise. Although, the distance between the help desk representatives’ workstations should not be so less that they are not able to hear their clients clearly. Working Environment The representatives need to be provided with a comfortable and healthy environment. If the help desk resources are not satisfied with their working conditions then they will not be able to communicate with the clients in a positive manner. Appropriate chairs and headsets should be provided to the representatives to help them offer a commendable service to the clients. Management Aspects Defined Goals The management should identify their goals and then communicate them at all levels of the help desk employees. Bayan (2004) pointed out that the presence of defined goals enables the management to direct the employees towards certain goals and conduct employee trainings in an accor ding manner. Performance management can also be performed with respect to the defined goals and expectations. Understand the Customer with a Positive Attitude Bayan (2004) quoted statements of a CEO of a company, who stated that the help desk representatives should be able to understand their clients and their respective environments. The issue might be very trivial or very complex; in both cases, the representative should listen to the customer carefully and understand that he is experiencing distress due to the matter. The attitude of the representative should be comforting and helpful so that the customer also cooperates in answering the questions. The representatives should be trained to convince the clients that they are on the clients’ side and everything shall be done in their power to resolve the matter. Suitable Performance Measures Bayan (2004) provided an interesting categorization of different types of help desk representatives; the comprehension of the categoriza tion is relevant so that appropriate attributes can be chosen to analyze the performance of each type of employee. Knowledge workers are representatives who have extensive knowledge about the products and prove to be very effective at resolving complex problems. Process workers are repre

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Email and Internet use and Privacy Policies Essay

Email and Internet use and Privacy Policies - Essay Example Moreover, the use of internet in working hours is allowed to complete business tasks. However, the use of internet brings the likelihood of contravenes to the safety of secret Company details. Moreover, internet use also causes contagion to our business structure with several spyware, malwares, Trojan horses and viruses. At my job, Email is utilized for performing business activities. However, the private information of the company should not be given away from the Company, without the approval from the company management. Additionally, it is not ethical to perform private dealings using Company PC or electronic mail (Boze & Stevens, 2010; Heathfield, 2011). Employees should keep in mind that the company keeps the record of several communications done using electronic mail or else whatever is shared on company PC. In this scenario, network administration and authorized employees have the full right to view any content in employee’s electronic mail or on employee’s PC wh enever they want. Thus, people should not think that their electronic link, storage or access to be confidential if it is managed or stored at work. Furthermore, in the place of work current developments have altered the ways workers make use of the internet and electronic mail. Thus, the businesses are confining their workers’ use of Internet and email with privacy policies (Boze & Stevens, 2010; Heathfield, 2011). What are the current laws regulating employee e-mail and Internet privacy? A lot of businesses are using the pre-established rules those confine internet and electronic mail usage for workers. In this scenario, these businesses apply privacy rules that bound the extent of privacy workers are allowed to even as in the office. Additionally, the managers are answerable for the acts of their workers or staff. Thus, most of the businesses believe that privacy of the company should have priority over worker’s privacy at the place of work. In this scenario, busine sses apply rules and laws on the internet and e-mail usage in order to defend the company beside robbery, permissible concerns, and maintain the reliability and reputation of the business (OPPapers, 2010; eNotes.com, Inc., 2011; FindLaw, 2011). In this scenario, existing laws those are regulating workers’ internet and e-mail privacy vary from country to country. However, the prime initiative of these laws describe that boss or manager who holds the e-mail framework, internet setup or networks is perfect inside their privileges to check the access to internet or e-mail in addition to practice by the staff. In this scenario, the electronic mails are managed through the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Patriot Act.  So over internet the ECPA secures together digital communications as well as electronic mail. Furthermore, the law prohibits their stoppage and detection by 3rd party. In this regard, ECPA outlined a number of distinct crimes: (OPPapers, 2010; e Notes.com, Inc., 2011; FindLaw, 2011) Accessing and trying to interrupt transmission Open connection to the transmission without approval Stopping the transmission for the reason of hindering illegal analysis Capturing communication for business operations Making use of electronic, automatic, or else extra equipment to cut off transmission What assumptions might employees make about their privacy at work? How do these policies affect employee privacy at work? The biggest concern for the majority owners or managers is legal responsibility.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Daoism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Daoism - Essay Example e parts of the Yin-Yang symbol manifest diametrically opposite principles, which have permeated into every phenomena in people’s existence, that is, life and death, male and female, hot and cold, reflections and absence of thought, action and inaction. According to the principle of Yin and Yang all things are characterized by the presence of both male and female parts, being a manifestation of dark and light. Consequently, the basic concept of Daoism is a balanced approach to all phenomena of nature and their adjustment in the context of an inequilibrium. Another important composite part of Daoism philosophy can be found in the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching), which is attributed to Laozi, the founder of Daoism. As a matter of fact, it appears that the author is unknown, as Laozi is not his truly name and only a nickname in the meaning of a wise elder. The title of the scripture in its turn may be translated as the book of the path and virtue. According to the legend, in the decline of years Laozi has decided to leave China and went to the West. Passing through a frontier post, Laozi has been asked by its chief to leave a book in memory of him, which would reflect the wise old man’s thoughts about the path of peace and human’s way in it (Orbinski-Vonk, 2012). This is the very way of the Daodejing appearance. Its importance is great for Chinese history and culture, since it is a document of Ancient China’s thought. Moreover, it is considered to be one of the classical works of Daoism. The views set forth in it have made a massive impact on subsequent development of China’s philosophy. Daoism being a part of traditional cultural heritage serves as a complex component of spiritual culture of modern China. Reflecting the ethnic and cultural peculiarities, it becomes a powerful direct and indirect impact factor. Specifically, Daoist ideals find their expression through art acting as means of expression of thoughts and feelings of people seeking penetration into

Thursday, August 22, 2019

To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example for Free

To Kill a Mockingbird Essay â€Å"It takes one step at a time. Small changes eventually add up to huge results.† Life lessons are important in the way life is understood. Without life lessons to teach the importance of life there would be much suffering and unhappiness. To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel written by Harper Lee. It was written in the early 1960’s about a young girl named Scout and her family about the racism that was provoked in the town. Harper Lee, in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, illustrates three main lessons with the Tom Robinson trial: Stand up for what you believe in, racism is painful and avoid mob mentalities. One of the most important lessons in To Kill a Mockingbird is to stand up for your beliefs. The character Atticus is a promonate example Harper Lee used to express the importance of standing up for your beliefs. â€Å"Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her moth and screamed.† (Lee 323). Atticus throughout the novel displays the courageous and daring act of standing up for his beliefs. Atticus presented a strong defence for the coloured man, even though he knew that there was nothing he could really do. Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson in his case. Atticus took the case seriously and took it upon himself to take all evidence into close examination. â€Å"This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience-Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship god if I didn’t try to help that man.† ( ). Atticus strongly defends Tom Robinson for his own personal beliefs and took this case ‘white vs. Black’ seriously and he has taken all odds against society to justify this man. Standing up for what you believe in is a strong way to under mind authorities and prove a strongly arguable point. Atticus did not end up winning the case, but he still stood up for what he believed was right and held on to those beliefs until the end. Roberts 2 Racism causes pain to so many coloured people in the 1930’s, still to this day racism affects the lives of many. The Tom Robinson case is a prime example of how racism can negatively affect the lives of many. Maycomb the town in To Kill a Mockingbird is very racial. The town folk locked Tom Robinson up for a crime he simply did not do. The men in Maycomb did not care if this man did it or not, they just wanted him to be imprisoned because of the colour of his skin. â€Å"To Maycomb, Tom’s death was typical. Typical of a niger to cut and run. Typical if a niggers mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw. Atticus Finch might’ve got him off scot free, but wait-Hell no. You know how they are. Easy come, easy go. Just shows you, that Robinson boy was legally married, they say he kept himself clean, went to church and all that, but when it comes down to the line the veneers mighty thin. Nigger always comes out in ‘em.’’ ( ). Tom died because he was convicted of a crime committed by a white man. Tom was sent to jail, and first chance at free dome so he ran, ending himself with 17 bullet shots in him. Anger when associated with racism can drive a man insane. Bob Ewell let both of them get to him. â€Å"Mr. Finch-wasn’t crazy, mean as hell. Low-down skunk with enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill children. He’d never have met you face to face.† ( ). All just because Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson in his case, Bob Ewell got angry. Bob Ewell was furious with modem to kill because in the trail, Atticus’ defence for Tom Robison was rather embarrassing for Bob Ewell. Atticus made an embarrassment of Bob Ewell by presenting the jury and the courtroom to the evidence that clearly indicates that Bob Ewell was the one who abused Mayella. Bob Ewell being mad he had enough modem to go after Atticus’ children just because he did his job and defended a black man. Racism is still painful to many today. Harper Lee expresses the real pain behind racism in To Kill a Mockingbird. The white men of Maycomb posses mob mentalities which Harper Lee presents as despicable. All of Maycomb County think that black people are so different, but in reality no one is here to tell everyone who can be better or not. â€Å"A quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to ‘feel sorry’ for a white woman has to put his word against two white people’s. Need not remind you of their appearance and conduct on the stand-you saw them for yourselves. The witnesses for the state, with the exception of the Sheriff of Maycomb County, have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption-the evil assumption-that all Negros lie, that all Negros are basically immortal beings, that all negro man are not to be trusted around women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.† (273). Maycomb judges coloured people on the colour of their skin and not what really matters. Tom Robinson was brutally exposed to racism and never got the chance to live it down. Atticus is very well to avoid mob mentalities. Atticus makes a point of making what he wants to be heard, heard. Atticus is very courageous in Roberts 4 the way that he will stand up for and defend his beliefs and not follow in the same corrupt path that others are on. â€Å"I shall be brief, but I would like to use my remaining time with you to remind you that this case is not a difficult one, it requires no minute sifting of complicated facts, but it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant, To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white.† (271) Atticus actually took the time to consider all the evidence in the Tom Robinson case. Atticus presented his evidence before the jury and he strongly believed that it was not Tom Robinson. Atticus did not follow in the ways of others with no just assuming that because he is black he did it. Atticus took into all the consideration the evidence he had pulled together to treat Tom as an equal and give him a fair defence against a white man. Mob mentalities are everywhere. People believe in anything they hear and go along with it, but it takes one person to stand up and represent those who cannot. Standing up for what you believe in, racism is painful and avoiding mob mentalities are really important life lessons that Harper Lee expresses throughout the novel, epically in the Tom Robinson trial. Harper Lee incorporated life lessons into her novel to teach the reader the importance in knowing right from wrong and to teach you things you may not learn in schooling. History is full of examples of people that kept making the same mistakes because they fail to learn the first time. Life lessons are everywhere, you learn something new every day that builds your character and defines who you are as a person.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Speech Of Life Reason Essay Example for Free

Speech Of Life Reason Essay â€Å"Life is a gift from God and it’s too short, no one can tell when life of an individual will end but God† so me, I enjoy my life every day, every minute, every second or even every millisecond cause that’s the way how I show my appreciation of what God has given to me. Aside from our Lord, I also value the Love that my parents, relatives and fellas give me continuously. That is a massive thing to me because that Love is my strength, power and my bravery to endure life every day. Myself? Do I really know myself? A question that is so easy to answer, but if the answer of your mind is YES well then your mind’s answer is incorrect. For me, the one who knew you most are your pals. How can I say? Simply because there are lot of things that your friends notice in you and you can’t say anything but, â€Å"Oh my God, I’m like that. I’m so sorry† Anyways, this is Ma. Emelyn C. Malabanan speaking in front of you all. I have a simple life and I grew up in a not so rich family but my parents Rafael and Emelita Malabanan did their very best to raise us. They are the two most important people in my life, the reason why I’m striving hard to finish High school up to College so that I can give them back all the goodness that they have given to me. Someday I wish to have a profitable life because I want it to share with them and give them the best life that they didn’t imagined even in their wildest dream. For me, they are the rival teachers and even if they don’t give grades I know that they made me pass because I’m their daughter and that’s how much they love me. I graduated elementary at Saint Raphael Archangel Parochial School but my auntie was the one who paid all the payments there because my parents can’t afford that school. Now, I’m relishing my teenage life because of the people who taught me how to enjoy it.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

London Congestion Charge: Cost-Benefit Analysis

London Congestion Charge: Cost-Benefit Analysis Road pricing is the application of various charges to the usage of roads. These charges include fuel taxes, tolls, parking taxes, licence fees, and congestion charges. Pricing may vary by time of day, or by the specific road or vehicle type using the road. The two main aims of road pricing are generating revenue and managing demand. The latter can be achieved through congestion pricing, which is a system of surcharging users of a transport network in periods of peak demand to reduce traffic volumes to optimal levels. This variable pricing strategy aims to regulate demand, thus enabling congestion management without increasing supply. Market economics theory, which includes the congestion pricing concept, proposes that road users will be forced to pay for the negative externalities they create, making them conscious of the costs they impose upon each other when consuming during the peak demand, and more aware of their environmental impact. The very notion of urban congestion pricing w as proposed in London as a response to the challenges faced by the Ministry of Transport around 1960. These challenges consisted of a significant increase in the number of new car registrations, the considerable cost of congestion for the road users due to the reduced average travel speed and corresponding delay, and other negative impacts on the environment. In this regard, the positive and negative aspects of the London congestion charge can be considered as follows: Positive Aspects Of The London Congestion Charge: Analysing the results of the TfL study(2003) indicates that the most important positive aspect of the London congestion charge is the time-saving to drivers and passengers of vehicles that continue to use the road system after charging is introduced including cars, taxis, buses, and commercial vehicles within and outside the charging zone. This is a common point highlighted by Leape(2006), Mackie(2005), Raux(2005) and Prudhomme and Bocajeros(2005). In addition to time-saving, a reduced travel time and an improved journey time reliability (of an average of 30%) are two other key positive aspects of the congestion charge(Leape,2006, Mackie,2005, Raux,2005 and PB,2005). Factors that contribute to these two positives include an almost 30% reduction in congestion, a 30% decrease in traffic delays inside the zone, an 18% decrease in traffic entering the zone during charging hours, and a 15% reduction in traffic circulating (vehicle Km) within the zone. Evidence on average travel speeds on roads inside the charging zone indicates that the all-day average network travel speeds increased from a pre-charging average almost 17% (Leape,2006). Other benefits include a considerable decrease in queuing time at junctions (Leape,2006), the environmental benefit of reducing the pollution emissions by 34% (PB,2005), and an improvement in safety, by 2-5% or 30-70 fewer accidents per year for Central London(Mackie, 2005). Through reallocating road space from private cars to public transportation (Leape,2006), the congestion charge has increased public transport patronage. For example, bus passengers entering the charging zone in the morning peak period rose by 38%, while number of private cars decreased by 16%, which in addition to direct time savings, reduced accidents and lowered carbon dioxide emissions (Leape,2006). Increased number of bus passengers and reduced average operating costs (increased speed, travel time reliability) have enabled providers to offer some combination of improved service levels (more routes, higher frequencies) and lower fares (Leape,2006). These effects can encourage an even greater use of public transport whilst also reducing average costs per passenger to transport providers, leading to further shifts from car travel to public transport, and an additional reduction in congestion. Negative Aspects Of The London Congestion Charge: The higher-than-expected set-up and operational costs for the congestion charge must be considered as the most prominent negative aspect. In London, the operational costs were more than twice the level initially estimated (implementation costs averaged  £95 million in the first two years). This resulted in the net annual revenue falling far short of expected levels (Leape,2006, Mackie,2005, Raux,2005 and PB,2005). A congestion charge is likely to have different effects across businesses and land value in the long term. Negative effects are the changing land-use patterns and reduced land value caused by a restriction on car mobility within the congestion charge area (Tehran Congestion Charge Study, 2005). This decrease in car trips could have an adverse impact on retail businesses located within the congestion area, whereas it could benefit those outside the zone (Leape,2006). Summary: Although the cost-benefit estimates for the London congestion charge, produced by Transport for London (2003a), is subject to some controversy by PB(2005), Mackie (2005) and Charles (2005), generally the London congestion charge has been both a political and practical success in reducing congestion and related negative externalities. It has also been met with a high level of satisfaction from most Londoners. As mentioned above, the time-savings to drivers and passengers of vehicles resulting from increased average speed and decreased delay is the most important positive aspect of congestion charging. Increasing reliability of travel time for car and bus, decreasing queuing time at junctions, decreasing the level of pollution emission and improving safety, as well as improving public transport patronage and improving its level of service all must be considered as positive aspects of congestion charges. In contrast, the high operational costs of running the scheme is the dominant negat ive aspect of congestion charging. This can significantly influence the net annual revenue for the congestion charging scheme. Moreover, other factors such as decreasing the flow of mobility in the congestion charging zone in the long term can lead to changing the land-use patterns and probably decreasing the land value. As mentioned by PB(2005) there were concerns that the diverting impact of the congestion charge could lead to higher levels of congestion on the inner ring road that borders the zone and the area surrounding congestion zone, which needs to be considered in more detail. Therefore, a degree of caution is appropriate before generalizing from the London experience.

food :: essays research papers

Food Food is the connector to everything that surrounds our culture. Each celebration includes a huge feast. We believe food tastes better when it is shared with family, relatives, and many other people. In my grandfather Makivik's time, all types of food were cached on the land, ready for a celebration. Back then there were many ways to prepare the foods, including different types of sauces and dips. I know of three sauces that are very good: aalu, misiraq, and nirukkaq. Aalu is made from choice parts of caribou or seal. Here is the recipe. Make sure the meat is very lean and clean. Cut it up in tiny pieces and put it in a bowl. Add a few drops of melted fat. Then add a few drops of blood. Add uruniq (ptarmigan intestine) to taste. Stir everything very friskily with your fingers until the volume doubles and the mixture turns fluffy. This is one of the most popular dips for all kinds of meat. Misiraq is another dip that is made all over the North today. It is made from blubber. Cut up pieces of seal blubber, whale, or ujjuk (square flipper seal), making sure not to include any meat. Put the blubber in a safe container with a perforated top — for example, an old coffee tin container. Don't use plastic bags or containers with airtight lids. Store it in a cool place where it can be slowly aged away from heat. When it ages properly the liquid ends up clear, like a fine white wine. The aroma is delicious and never bitter. (If it smells bad, throw it out! The offensive smell means it hasn't aged properly.) All kinds of meats can be dipped in misiraq. The third dip is called nirukkaq. It requires special care. Nirukkaq is the contents of caribou stomach. Here is my Uncle Annowalk's recipe. The hunter, when butchering the caribou, carefully removes the stomach contents and puts them into a container. The contents are frozen until ready to be used. When the time comes, the contents are thawed and a process called siingijaijuq is begun. This involves cleaning the contents very carefully with kneading motions. Undesirables like pieces of grass, leaves, lichen or lumps are removed. When smooth, it is ready. Caribou meat is used for dipping. Our food is much more than just frozen or raw meats and sauces. We also enjoy different types of dried fish and meats, such as caribou.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Chaucers Views Exposed in The Canterbury Tales Essay -- Canterbury Ta

Chaucer's Views Exposed in The Canterbury Tales    The Canterbury Tales were written and pieced together in the late 1380's, early 1390's.   The author of the book is Geoffrey Chaucer.   When considering the structure of the tales, one can deduce that they were put together using Framework Narrative, a very unique style of writing.   The opening prologue speaks of 29 pilgrims, including Chaucer, who are all on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. All of them are seeking a certain shrine for spiritual cleansing, and relief.   The journey was to be long, but in the end it would all be worth it.   Chaucer's social views and prejudices are revealed through his description of the pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Chaucer presents a very positive picture of the pilgrims in the ruling class.   For example, when describing the personality of the Knight, he refers to him as being honorable, truthful, chivalrous, courteous, brave, and gentle.   Two quotes that stood out when searching for the positive qualities of the Knight were:     ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "He was a true and perfect gentle Knight."(Chaucer Pg. 2-Line 15)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "He had never yet in all his life spoken discourteously to anybody." (Chaucer Pg. 2-Line 14)    Chaucer also builds up the Squire, the Knights son in a similar way.   He says that the squire is remarkably agile, strong, joyful, courteous, helpful, and humble.   Two quotes that were quite noticeable when searching for the positive qualities of the Squire were:     ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "His cloak was short, with long, wide sleeves, and he sat his horse well and rode excellently."(Chaucer Pg. 2-Line 30)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "He could compose the words and music for songs, joust and also dance, and draw and write very well."(Ch... ...orm them.         Works Cited and Consulted: Brewer, Derek. Tradition and Innovation in Chaucer. London: Macmillan, 1982. Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Pp. 3-328. In the Riverside Chaucer. Larry D. Benson, ed. Boston: Houghton, 1987. Cooper, Helen. "The Shape-shiftings of the Wife of Bath, 1395-1670." Pp. 168-184. In Chaucer Traditions: Studies in Honour of Derek Brewer. Ruth Morse and Barry Windeatt, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1990. Delasanta, Rodney. "Nominalism and the 'Clerk's Tale' Revisited." Chaucer Review 31.3 (1997), 209-231. Hallissy, Margaret. Clean Maids, True Wives, Steadfast Widows: Chaucer's Women and Medieval Codes of Conduct. Connecticut: Greenwood, 1993. Saul, Nigel. "Chaucer and Gentility." Pp. 41-58. In Chaucer's England. Barbara A. Hanawalt, ed. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 1992.    Chaucer's Views Exposed in The Canterbury Tales Essay -- Canterbury Ta Chaucer's Views Exposed in The Canterbury Tales    The Canterbury Tales were written and pieced together in the late 1380's, early 1390's.   The author of the book is Geoffrey Chaucer.   When considering the structure of the tales, one can deduce that they were put together using Framework Narrative, a very unique style of writing.   The opening prologue speaks of 29 pilgrims, including Chaucer, who are all on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. All of them are seeking a certain shrine for spiritual cleansing, and relief.   The journey was to be long, but in the end it would all be worth it.   Chaucer's social views and prejudices are revealed through his description of the pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Chaucer presents a very positive picture of the pilgrims in the ruling class.   For example, when describing the personality of the Knight, he refers to him as being honorable, truthful, chivalrous, courteous, brave, and gentle.   Two quotes that stood out when searching for the positive qualities of the Knight were:     ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "He was a true and perfect gentle Knight."(Chaucer Pg. 2-Line 15)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "He had never yet in all his life spoken discourteously to anybody." (Chaucer Pg. 2-Line 14)    Chaucer also builds up the Squire, the Knights son in a similar way.   He says that the squire is remarkably agile, strong, joyful, courteous, helpful, and humble.   Two quotes that were quite noticeable when searching for the positive qualities of the Squire were:     ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "His cloak was short, with long, wide sleeves, and he sat his horse well and rode excellently."(Chaucer Pg. 2-Line 30)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚   "He could compose the words and music for songs, joust and also dance, and draw and write very well."(Ch... ...orm them.         Works Cited and Consulted: Brewer, Derek. Tradition and Innovation in Chaucer. London: Macmillan, 1982. Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Pp. 3-328. In the Riverside Chaucer. Larry D. Benson, ed. Boston: Houghton, 1987. Cooper, Helen. "The Shape-shiftings of the Wife of Bath, 1395-1670." Pp. 168-184. In Chaucer Traditions: Studies in Honour of Derek Brewer. Ruth Morse and Barry Windeatt, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1990. Delasanta, Rodney. "Nominalism and the 'Clerk's Tale' Revisited." Chaucer Review 31.3 (1997), 209-231. Hallissy, Margaret. Clean Maids, True Wives, Steadfast Widows: Chaucer's Women and Medieval Codes of Conduct. Connecticut: Greenwood, 1993. Saul, Nigel. "Chaucer and Gentility." Pp. 41-58. In Chaucer's England. Barbara A. Hanawalt, ed. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 1992.   

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Experience Of The War In Korea Essay examples -- Personal Narrativ

The Experience Of The War In Korea The Korean War was a trying time for America. The nation was getting involved in a war that had little or no possibility of a fortunate outcome. The Korean people were divided among how the country should be run. A uniform system of government looked like it may never come to be. In order to protect one of its vital interests as well as to prove to the rest of the world that America didn’t stand for communism, the United States began taking up arms. The war would prove a most difficult task to achieve successfully. In fact, it was almost impossible to continue fighting what seemed to be far from a worthy sacrifice of American lives. It was January 10, 1950 when Robert Marrara of Arthurdale, WV, among thousands of other men, were drafted and sent to California for basic training. Robert is 5’9" tall with wavy, silver hair and a structure that shows just how strong of a man he is for being 72 years old. Of Italian descent his parents immigrated here and he was one of several children. They lived in poverty, as most of America did, through the thick of the Great Depression. He attended electrical school after college didn’t seem right for him. He is a genius by all standards but is far too modest to admit it. His experiences are enough to fill days full of stories and the personal interview he gave was a treat. Robert recalls how difficult coping with the situation in Korea was, but also how he welcomed the challenge: "It was tough and, you know, but I really, I have to say that I did enjoy being, because my knowledge was – my previous training before I got in the army – was the very thing I needed to do the job I was assigned to do. And because I could do it in such a good way – and you ... ... a  ¾ inch electric drill and I took a crank with me and I made a shaft for that drill so that it could drive that engine and start those engines with that electric drill and that 20 minutes or 25 minutes after I got back over to the quartermaster, I had all them engines running with that electric drill. From that time on, during the whole summer and fall when they had ice and ice cream I got it delivered to my tent. They delivered me ice two times a week and they’d deliver ice cream one time a week. A three-gallon can for my carburetor-ignition repair section." Throughout the interview Robert emphasized the value of his work during the war just as he values the war effort itself. Overall, those who died did so for a worthy cause (Marrara, Personal Interview). America backed its promises to defend South Korea, even though the effort could be viewed as ill decided.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Competitive Strategies That Accenture Use Essay

Based on the sources gained, Accenture is practicing a competitive strategy which is differentiation strategy. Differentiation strategy is to offer products or services that are unique and superior value compared to the competitors but to target wide market. Accenture is a company that provides global consulting management services, technology services and outsourcing services to 257000 clients in more than 120 countries. Accenture is expertise in consulting management strategies to all types of Business Company. They always try to improve their performance to advance their clients. They operating and formulate new strategies to meet client’s business goals. Accenture helps their clients around the world enter new markets, increasing revenue in existing markets, improve their operational performance and deliver their products and services more effectively and efficiently by providing their services. Besides that, Accenture tries to enhance in outsourcing business recently because Accenture says that it is a wider market for the business going forward. This will make Accenture not only focus on one part of business, but going to service wider market of clients. Because of Accenture provides many types of services, we can indicate that Accenture aims to provide services to a wide market. Why we say that Accenture is providing unique and superior services to their clients? It is because Accenture works with their clients to understand the inside working procedure of the company, analyse their company, assess the business operating performance, define the business case, design the operating model strategy and explain to the clients to help them to achieve the goals. It has shown that Accenture designs the management strategies to the company based on different companies and finds the best way to help them improve their performance. For example, Accenture introduce an approach, called Value-Driven Business Process Management (BPM). It is a process that helps companies to realise their mistake immediately, correct the process of work and measure the result easily. It is an Accenture’s unique combination of skills, approaches, assets and tools to result the value quickly, gives a measurable result and tries to bring out a longer life BPM solution than other companies’ while they only provide assistance with specific elements of BPM. That is why Accenture can easily differentiate with other competitors, trusted by clients all around the world and have a good public praise.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Gambling Research Essay

Gambling refers to the play of any game where there is money, or something of value at stake. There are many different forms of gambling including horse races, lotteries, casinos, scratch cards, stock market betting, and even more recently internet gambling. Although these games are meant for recreational use, the thrill of gambling causes some people to become so involved in it that they become dependent on gambling. The effects of gambling can cause damage psychologically, be very harmful to one’s social life and can also cause many physical damages. Gambling addiction and pathological gambling is not always seen as dangerous as other addictions like substance abuse but it can in fact be a very damaging addiction to many aspects of life and should be considered a major health problem. Not everyone who gambles has a gambling addiction or even has the capability of being addicted to gambling. The majority of people who gamble do not have an addiction and simply do it for recreational purposes. But there is a small percentage of people who gamble who are considered problem gamblers or pathological gamblers. Pathological gamblers is described as, â€Å"Pathological gambling is characterized by chronic and irresistible impulses to gamble, with consequent gambling compromises and disruptions to family, personal and vocational pursuits.† (Coman, Burrows & Evans, 1997) This addiction causes the gambler to gamble very frequently, often times they will begin to make bigger and bigger bets and receiving feelings of anxiety or depression when they are not gambling. Pathological gambling can also include gambling to recover losses from previous gambling episodes, lying to family members to try and hide their habits, committing criminal acts to obtain money for gambling and relying on others to provide money to relieve them from their financial situation. This is a very serious addiction and should be considered a major health problem because it can negatively affect many serious aspects of an individual’s life. There are many different influences and gateways that can lead to gambling and even a gambling addiction. Although things like scratch cards may not seem like much of a threat to becoming an addiction, they can intrigue the thought of winning money purely by chance which is a dangerous mindset to have. Another factor that can lead to a gambling addiction is the link between the proximity from the casino and gambling participation. Living close to a casino causes much more accessibility and can add to the possibility of gaining an addiction, â€Å"additional gambling opportunities due to the presence of a casino increase the prevalence of gambling-related problems for people who live close to a casino, as compared with people who live far from one.†(Sevigny, Ladouceur, Jacques & Cantinotti, 2008)People who live closer to the casino are much more likely to just â€Å"drop by† and play a few hands rather than people who live farther and have to make an evening of it. Accessibility can have a large impact on gaining an addiction to gambling. Also, the recent popularity of poker has a huge impact on the view of gambling for younger people. Poker has become very popular in our society today and is televised quite frequently showing these players not only making a living from this game of chance, but becoming millionaires. Some of these players are seen as celebrities who can cause some younger audiences to look up to them and strive to be like them. These aspects do not directly lead to a gambling problem but they can definitely help lead to one. Technology has become a large contributory factor to problem gambling. As stated earlier, accessibility can have a large impact on gaining an addiction to gambling and the technology of internet has brought accessibility of gambling to a whole new level. Gambling over the internet should be a major concern because the increase in gambling opportunities gives the potential for an increase in problem gamblers . Research evidence in other countries has clearly shown that: â€Å"where accessibility of gambling is increased there is an increase not only in the number of regular gamblers but also an increase in the number of problem gamblers.† (Griffiths, 1999) Internet gambling websites has dramatically increased this accessibility which will in turn increase the number of people gambling. Not everyone is susceptible to becoming a problem gambler, but the more people gambling, the more people who have the chance of becoming addicted. The popularity of internet gambling is on the rise with its easy accessibility and quickness. This popularity itself cannot lead to a gambling addiction but a number of the more popular poker players on television often promote different gambling websites where anyone of any age can play poker online. The websites allow someone to play in tournaments, play with friends and play with fake money or even real money. They are very appealing to people of all ages and easily accessible all the time which makes them a threat to contributing to problem gamblers and youth gambling. When someone suffers from problem gambling, it is not only that individual that is affected but their family, friends and community as well . There can be some positive aspects of gambling in terms of the social effects of gambling. Gambling can be seen as a recreation, a break from their problems of everyday life and a nice night out. Yet these positive effects only exist if gambling is done in moderation. Once gambling becomes a habit and a necessity is where the negative impacts arrive. Often, it’s those close to the pathological gambler that suffer the most. Constant gambling takes time away from family, friends and other activities. If gambling becomes a problem, it can cause loss of trust between individuals and family members which can lead to family related problems and even divorce. Generally, the social problems begin with borrowing of money to support their addiction. At this point, many friends and family may lose touch with the gambler. Being distanced from those who are closest can cause desperation which may lead to criminal activity. Pathological gambling can become so severe that they can resort to criminal activity in a last effort to support their financial needs. People are more likely to commit crime without thinking of the consequences when they are in a desperation mindset which is what can happen after a big loss due to gambling. Supporters for the spread of legalized gambling make claims about economic growth and more jobs but opponents have a strong case saying, â€Å"†¦various forms of street crimes, such as robberies and automobile thefts, come with gambling, as well as problems with connections to organized crime†¦ The majority of Wisconsin problem gamblers in treatment that were interviewed in Thompson et al. (1999) admitted to crimes as a result of their gambling activity, primarily property crimes.† (Gazel, Rickman & Thompson, 2001) Pathological gamblers reach a point where there are no options left so they have to resort to illegal means to support themselves displaying the severity and control that a gambling addiction can have. Having a gambling addiction does not just affect someone economically or socially but it can deeply affect them psychologically. Once a pathological gambler is down money, they will make bets to try and regain that money that they have lost. Instead of cutting their losses, they get deeper into debt, preoccupying themselves with gambling, determined to win big to repay their loans and solve all their problems (Griffiths, 2001). A very dangerous way of thinking is the â€Å"what if I win† mentality. This way of thinking is especially dangerous because then they are more prone to make bigger bets with money they may not have to lose so they can receive bigger rewards. A large factor for whether someone develops this addiction has a lot to do with their personality. The type of personality someone has can have on whether or not someone develops a gambling addiction or not. Gambling is characterized by an â€Å"unrealistic optimism by the gambler† (Griffiths, 2001). For the most part people believe that optimism is a good way to live life by always seeing the positive things instead of dwelling on the negatives. Optimists are known to be less likely to suffer from depression symptoms following a stressful event and seem to have more psychological benefits when compared to pessimists. Although in terms of gambling, optimism can be counterproductive, â€Å"Optimists may be especially susceptible to maintaining illusory gambling expectations. Because of their generalized expectations for success, optimists may approach gambling with the belief that they can win.† (Gibson & Sanbonmatsu, 2004) Optimists may also have a tendency to look at the positive aspects in a situation which may prolong their gambling thinking that they will win it all back. Also, people who are risk takers are more prone to gambling addiction than someone who is more conservative. Not everyone is susceptible to becoming a pathological gambler and a great deal of the matter has to do with their personality type and how they look at different negative situations. Having a gambling addiction not only affects one’s social life but it can have a great impact on your mind and even cause physical difficulties. Pathological gamblers often suffer from stress-related disorders such as depression, insomnia, intestinal disorders and migraines. Health problems do not only occur from the gambling itself but a significant amount of people suffer problems from the withdrawal, â€Å"Rosenthal and Lesieur (1992) found that at least 65 percent of pathological gamblers reported at least one physical side-effect during withdrawal including insomnia, headaches, upset stomach, loss of appetite, physical weakness, heart racing, muscle aches, breathing difficulty and/or chills.† (Griffiths, 2001) It was also found that pathological gamblers experienced more physical withdrawal effects when attempting to stop than substance abusers who are attempting to quit. This is quite astonishing and again proves why gambling addiction is a very serious matter and should be considered just as much of a health problem as addiction to alcohol or other substances. Pathological gambling can cause great psychological damage and can cause people to do irrational things after a big loss which can sometimes even lead to suicide. Pathological gambling and suicide have been known to have a link to each other. Suicidal attempts among pathological gamblers are much more frequent than among the general public. The American Psychiatric Association did a study that with these results, â€Å"Of individuals in treatment for Pathological Gambling, 20% are reported to have attempted suicide, (American Psychiatric Association (APA))† (Penfold, Hatcher, Sullivan & Collins, 2006) For many gamblers, coping with the negative emotions relating to their issues in their life can be overwhelming. Feelings of shame, hopelessness and failure may be hard to bear which sometimes makes suicide seem like the best solution for their problems. The damage to the mental aspects is one of the reasons that make pathological gambling so dangerous. The act of gambling and casinos is a very controversial topic. There are some positive aspects to the casino and gambling that include a source of jobs and economic development. Gambling is meant to be for recreational use on occasion but it can also be very dangerous. Certain people with certain personality types and lifestyles may be prone to becoming a pathological gambler. The effects of pathological gambling can cause a lot of harm psychologically, destroy someone’s social and family life, cause physical damage to themselves which can even lead to their death. Gambling addiction may not be seen as dangerous or likely to happen as other addictions but the results from being a pathological gambler can be just as harmful as other addictions and should be considered just as much as a serious health issue as everything else. References: Griffiths, M. (1999). Gambling Technologies: Prospects for Problem Gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, vol.15, no.3, p.265-283. Griffiths, M. (2001). Gambling: An Emerging Area of Concern for Health Psychologists. Journal of Psychology, vol.6, no.5, p.477-479. Gibson, B., & Sanbonmatsu, D. (2004). Optimism, Pessimism, and Gambling: The Downside of Optimism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 149-160. Coman, J., Burrows, G., & Evans, B. (1997). Stress and Anxiety as Factors in the Onset of Problem Gambling: Implications for Treatment. Stress Medicine, Vol.13, no.4, p.235-244. Sevigny, S., Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., & Cantinotti, M. (2008). Links between Casino Proximity and Gambling Participation, Expenditure, and Pathology. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, vol. 22, no.2, p.295-301. Penfold, A., Hatcher, S., Sullivan, S., & Collins, N. (2006) Gambling Problems and Attempted Suicide. Part 1. High Prevalence amongst Hospital Admissions. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, vol.4, no.3, p.265-272. Gazel, R., Rickman, D., & Thompson, W. (2001) Casino Gambling and Crime: a Panel Study of Wisconsin Counties. Managerial and Decision Economics, vol.22, no.1-3, p.65-75.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Maslows Hierarchy of needs Essay

I am basing my Theory and Application on both Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory and Locke’s Goal Setting Theory. Theory and Application Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was first published by psychologist Abraham Maslow in his 1943 article, â€Å"A Theory of Human Motivation â€Å". Abraham Maslow believed that that as humans strive to meet our most basic needs, we also seek to satisfy a higher set of needs. Maslow presented these needs in a hierarchy that consisted of the following: 1. Physiological/bodily needs. 2. Safety needs. 3. Love/belonging needs. 4. Self-esteem. 5. Self-actualization. I am going to describe each level in the hierarchy of needs and evaluate them in terms of evidence that shows that they work and that they are useful for managers in understanding how they might motivate their staff. The example I am using is Understanding and motivating health care employees: integrating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, training and technology by Suzanne G. Benson PhD and Stephen P. Dundis JD, PhD. With all the challenges facing the health sector, there was a need to understand how the managers could motivate the staff. This was becoming increasingly concerning and this is where Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs proved useful. Maslow created a pyramid split into 5 levels, each containing one of the 5 needs. Level 1 Physiological needs: Physiological needs are the basic survival needs such as oxygen, food, water, shelter etc. Unless these basic needs are fulfilled, the individual will be unable to move to the next level, as these are these needs are needed for survival. In work terms, these basic needs would be wages. If an employee is being paid fairly he/she will be happy to move to the next level of the hierarchy. If not, they will be thinking about why they aren’t being paid fairly and the next levels won’t be in their mind. Level 2 Safety Needs: When physiological needs are fulfilled, safety needs come into consideration. This involves not only a safe working environment but mental safety. In this case training has a big influence because workers see training as a way of being safe. Managers must make employees realise that with new technology brings change. Employees feel that they are under pressure with the new technology leading to advancements in computers. They feel they are inadequately trained and this is where managers must spend resources, time and money on training. Level 3 Love/ Belonging Needs: Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation and managers must understand this to ensure employee involvement, production and motivation, etc. With the new technology in healthcare, brings in the new ‘virtual teaming’. Some employees might feel a lack of social presence that face to face contact has. Managers must know this and that the opportunities to participate in new and different work groups can definitely expand an employee’s belongingness. Level 4 Self-Esteem: Self-esteem in a workplace is usually based on an employee’s successful performance appraisals, which helps employee’s feel valued and respected within an organisation. This boosts self-esteem. In the case of the healthcare problem, there was an issue with the technology because employees where not known by name anyone but by numbers. When employees are not being interacted with personally by managers and other group members they feel insulted and meaningless. Managers must take this into consideration. Level 5 Self-Actualisation: The need for self-actualisation is only relevant when all needs below Self-Actualisation are fulfilled. It is the need for an employee to do what he/she feels they are meant to do. In the healthcare training, an employee should be exposed to learning that affects every single part of his/her life. The new technology offers this training but a person must be shown the right path towards the correct training in order for it to become meaningful. Managers play a role in doing this. Locke’s Goal Setting Theory Dr Edwin Locke found from research that specific and difficult goals led to  better performance than easy goals. Easy goals are not a motivating force whereas if a goal is hard, you feel more accomplished after completing it. The harder the goal, the greater the effort. This helps motivate employees because they will grow in confidence once they complete a difficult task. Goals help push employees to goal-relevant actions rather than concentrating on irrelevant matters. I believe that this is true and to motivate goals must have: 1. Clarity. 2. Challenge. 3. Commitment. 4. Feedback. 5. Task complexity. Clarity When goals are clear and specific there is less chance that there will be a misunderstanding. Managers should make goals measurable with a definitive time set for completion, and this will in turn leave the task/goal a lot more precise. If an employee is set a clear objective he/she is then motivated towards one thing. If the goal is unclear employees will be less motivated. The goal should be Smart, Measureable and Time-bound (SMART acronym). Challenge Usually employees feel that if a goal is very challenging and they complete it, then the manager will be impressed. This motivates an employee because they will feel accomplished and important to the company. Rewards may also boost motivation because with greater challenges comes greater rewards, so therefore managers must give employees challenging but realistic goals in order to motivate their staff. Challenges must be realistic because employees will feel demotivated if they are unable to complete the challenge. The goal should be Achievable (SMART Acronym). Commitment Goals can be agreed upon between managers and employees. This gives the employee a sense of involvement and they are more likely to be committed to a goal if they have been involved in creating the goal and making decisions. Goals should be consistent and credible in order for the commitment to be there. If a goal is difficult it will require a lot more commitment compared  to and easy goal therefore employees will be motivated to get the goal completed. Agreed goals will lead to commitment (SMART Acronym). Feedback Employees must get feedback about their goals from their managers in order to clarify expectations and to gain recognition. Goals can be broken down into parts when it is going to take a particularly long time to reach a goal. Feedback can then be given after each part in order to get a task done efficiently. Regular encouragement will motivate employees to reaching a goal. Task Complexity When a goal is very difficult, employees should be given sufficient time to reach the goal. If the employee is stressed out then they will be demotivated. Employees should be given time to practice what is needed to reach the goal. Difficult tasks can frustrate employees and managers have to deal with this by giving them sufficient time and training needed to complete the task. Conclusion: I believe that both Maslow’s and Locke’s theories provide a useful knowledge into how to keep an employee motivated in the workplace. Goal setting is the best theory in my opinion because it is a simple step by step way on how to reach a goal without demotivating your employees. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shows a manager how to make the employee feel secure, needed and appreciated in the workplace whilst also keeping them motivated to strive towards self-actualisation. Reflection and Application The theory that best explains my motivation to perform in DCU is the Goal Setting Theory. I feel this best describes my motivation to perform because I always set out goals in life, whether they are small goals or big goals. For example one of my goals in DCU is to finish with a Masters in Engineering after 5 years. This is a big goal and it requires a lot of motivation and time. My main goal at the moment is to pass all of my modules in my course. To do this my goal must have the 5 following steps: 1. Clarity. 2. Challenge. 3. Commitment. 4. Feedback. 5. Task complexity. In order to reach my goal I must evaluate the goal using these 5 steps. Clarity My goal is clear and measurable and has a specific date for completion. Moodle plays a vital part in reaching the goal as it assists me in my studies and help me keep track of my time limits for each task. I am motivated towards my goal of passing all my modules because I know what each module consists of. Challenge I am motivated towards finishing the first year of my course and passing each module because my course is difficult. When I finish my course I will feel accomplished in what I have done. I also know that if I do well, it will be well received at home because they also know that it is a difficult course. I see this as a reward because if the course was easy I would not be as motivated to do well. Commitment Getting involved in setting out goals also gets me motivated. It makes me feel more committed because I know I have to reach the goal because I helped set it. Although this isn’t the case in most of my modules, it is in one, that is Technical Drawing. I have to set the time for our project to be finished and this adds added pressure which helps motivate me. Feedback Feedback plays a massive role in motivating me to reach my goals. When I am told I am doing something correctly and that my work of a high standard, it motivates me because I know I am slowly reaching my goal. Feedback gives me an insight into how to do things correctly if I am doing them wrong, which is very useful when you don’t know if you are doing something correctly. It can also help me gain recognition. Task Complexity If the work load is too much or difficult for me, I usually need more time at the task in order to reach a goal. If this is the case I usually give up my spare time in order to work on the more complex and difficult parts of my  course. If I am under too much pressure I will be demotivated so this is why I carry out the goal setting theory in order to keep motivated and to ensure that I reach my goals. References www.mindtools.com http://www.unc.edu/courses/2007fall/nurs/379/960/module%209%20delegation%20perf%20appr/Benson%20unders%20and%20motiv.pdf http://home.ubalt.edu/tmitch/642/Articles%20syllabus/Locke%20et%20al%20New%20dir%20goal%20setting%2006.pdf

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Destiny and Frankenstein Essay

â€Å"Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction.† Victor Frankenstein says this right before telling Walton his story.Destiny played an important role in the book Frankenstein. Victor sees it as the force that caused his downfall. He blames most of what has happened on destiny. At first it was his destiny to build the monster, afterwards he says it is his destiny to destroy it. Victor feltas if some force was making him experiment, that some force was making him make the monster and he had no control over it. This is why when he was building the monster he shut him self off from everything else and committed himself to his experiment. He didn’t have to do this but something was driving him to, and it might have been his curiosity and his wanting to cheat death, or play god, or do something no one else had ever done before, but also, he may have had those characteristics because he was destined to have them. Maybe this a ll happened so he and others can understand that you shouldn’t play god, but then after he built the monster it was his destiny to destroy it. As a result of Victor’s actions, many of his loved ones died, Elizabeth, William, Justine, and his father. After Victor made the monster his destiny became to be punished for it, but could Victor have prevented all this? Maybe, and maybe not. The answer to that question depends on whether you believe in destiny or not. Is destiny really so powerful that Victor had no control over it? Could Victor’s destiny have been different if he hadn’t built the monster? Could Victor have sustained from building the monster, or was destiny too powerful? How about the part when Victor destroys the female monster, what would have happened if Victor hadn’t destroyed it, or was it his destiny to destroy it? Later on in the book he follows the monster into the cold, what if he didn’t, would he have still died? In all of this Victor made decisions, he decided whether or not to go off to college, he decided whether or not to build the monster, he decided whether or not to build the female, he decided whether or not to chase after the monster, but where these really his decisions, or was it his destiny to end up on Walton’s ship? Victor told Walton his story and showed what wanting to explore into the unknown can lead to, in the end, Walton’s ship turns around and decides not to find the North Pole. I believe that it was Victor’s destiny for all this to happen because in the end all that he has done was told to teach Walton a lesson. Destiny is said to be a powerful force which determines your future. If you believe in destiny, you believe that everyone was put on this earth for a reason and everything you do is for a reason. Believing in destiny means that when you do something, even though you might think you are making a decision on your own, you are really carrying out your destiny. I do believe that destiny does have a big part on peoples lives. I believe that many of the decisions you make, you make them because it was your fate to make them. There are many examples in people’s lives that can make you think, what would have happened if I had done this differently? Or, was it my fate for this to happen, or just the results of my mistakes. A couple years ago my aunt died in a train accident, and everyone started thinking, if she had been on a different train, or if she was late and couldn’t get on the train, or if she hadn’t been on the trip, would she still have died? I believe that it was her destiny to go on that train because it was her time to die. Another example of this is about this girl that I know, when she was younger her parents, brother and sister died in a car accident. She always regrets that she stayed home sick on that day and didn’t die right along with them. But I think that she was spared for a reason, maybe she’ll make a difference in someone’s life. Destiny is a very powerful thing. Many people think factors can alter destiny, one being not taking responsibilities for your actions, which is what Victor did. He refused to blame what happened on himself. If you believe in destiny too much, you slack off and don’t try to change for the better, and you donâ₠¬â„¢t take care of yourself because you think, â€Å"whatever happens it is going to be the same no matter what I do because it is my destiny and its been already decided.† In the book Victor blamed most of the things that happened on destiny and didn’t take responsibility for most of them. He refused to blame what happened as his own doing. When he was building the monster, he didn’t try to stop himself, when the monster came to life he ran away, he left Elizabeth alone for a second on his wedding night thinking he was the one the monster was after, he then chased after the monster thinking it was his destiny to do so which caused his death. He believed everything that happened was his destiny and that he could not have altered it. When you believe in destiny you try to do what you think your destiny has planned out for you, and even if you don’t you still do what was planned, even if you’re wrong about your destiny it always catches up with you. Lets say some guy thinks its his destined is to become a doctor, he tries and he tries and he becomes one but later on he realizes being a lawyer is the job for him, because that wa s his destiny. Some people who believe in destiny slack of because they think that whatever happens, I couldn’t have prevented it, they might lets say start smoking and think if I die from this its because it was my destiny to do so. Then they die from it and some people think it may have been prevented, but I believe that even if he didn’t believe in destiny he would have taken up smoking because the way he would die had already been decided for him. Lets say someone commits suicide, people always think it could have been prevented, but I believe they died because it was their destiny, if it wasn’t their time to die yet, they may have tried to commit suicide but wouldn’t have succeeded. So in reality you cant even control when you die, like when Napoleon tried to kill himself with that powerful poison and failed, it wasn’t his time to die yet. So in conclusion I believe that everything that happened to Victor was the result of destiny. I don’t believe that it happened because he gave in too much to his curiosity. I believe it was his destiny to have this curiosity, to look into the unknown and to try to have the power to create life. What led him to this was the death of his mother this made him want to try to reanimate the dead, it was his mother’s destiny to die so that Victor’s destiny would be fulfilled. So it wasn’t Victor’s characteristics that led him to fall, he had those characteristics because he was destined to fall.