Engineering - Sustainability and Innovation Assignment

Engineering - Sustainability and Innovation - Assignment Example The place should exude warmth and confidence. Sustainable construction is therefore very critical to the economic, social and environmental fabric of society. Estimates suggest that in developing countries about 40% of the human population would be living in cities compared to 20% that was present in 1950. (Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) Around 40,000 sq.km of cultivable land is being urbanized every year. The worst areas that are going to be hit are the developing countries where infrastructure boom is coming up in the next few years. It is understood that the building designs are capable of lasting 80-100 years on an average. It is therefore very important that a construction having such large scale life should be built in a sustainable manner so that fits into the surrounding environment. It can be argued that while lands that are used for irrigation being converted to concrete jungles would inevitably lead to loss of farming and have an adverse effect on the food chai n around the world, rise in construction activity would lead to increase in jobs in the construction sector. Estimates indicate that around 3 trillion US dollars are being pumped into the construction sector annually and this accounts for 10% of the world GDP. (Moavenzadeh F, 1994) An estimated 111million worker of which 74% belong to the developing countries and of this 28% engaged in industrial development is what has been found out per the last census. (Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) While it cannot be argued that construction is a sector that generates large scale employment, its drawback is lack of job security and personal health issues of working personnel. This sector is also predominantly male and since most of the jobs are in the unorganised sector their issues are not aptly addressed. A survey conducted in UK indicated that around 600 workers die annually due to asbestos intoxication, 30% suffer skin disorders and around 40% have bone and ligament fractures. ( Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) About 55000 workers die annually due to construction related accidents. Environment related incidents are the next major cause of concern which has strengthened the call more strongly for sustainable construction. Deforestation and illegal mining with scant respect to the nature is harmful to the environment. Apart from this energy a large amount of energy is also consumed in transporting these raw materials from its area of origin to other developing countries. (Bossink & H.J Brouwers, 1996) A concept introduced in 1970 called the embodied energy tries to calculate the sum total energy that would be required right from its inception stage, transportation and finally till the construction stage. The effort always is to limit the amount of embodied energy so that one can move towards sustainable construction. The major source of greenhouse emissions is usually for the production of cement which entails a significant amount of fossil fuel bur ning. Estimates suggest that by 1950 the CO2 emissions would be around four times the present amount. (Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) It has also been suggested that in the interests of the environment it is best that a greater building density is better compared to a low building density. This would entail

Literature of War and Peace Essay Example for Free

Literature of War and Peace Essay Sir Winston Churchill British statesman, orator, and author who was elected prime minister twice in 1940s and 1950s. He is regarded as one of the finest military leaders in history and is credited to rallying the moral of the British people during world war two and leading them from the brink of defeat to victory against the axis powers. How he did this was not only though his leadership but arguably through his speeches as well, one of Churchill’s greatest assets was his words and how he used them to inspire and motivate his people. Despite having a lisp throughout his career He was known for his excellent speaking, the speeches he made throughout his life in particularly dark times for the British were always inspiring, while presented in a way that made them understandable to any person no matter whom they were. Now this was seen particularly in Churchill’s speech â€Å"the defence of freedom and peace† which he presented in October 16th 1938 near the start of world war two in an appeal to British and Americna public to prepare for the strong possibility of war against Nazi Germany. In the speech the defence of freedom and peace Churchill uses a variety of persuasive yet simple literary devices such as allusion, rhetorical questions, imagery and Tricolon and wording to arouse, influence and encourage American and British listeners to ready themselves for a possible war against Germany. Now prior to this speech Britain’s foreign policy regarding Nazi expansion was one of appeasement. British Prime minister Neville Chamberlain believed that Germany had been unfairly treated by the allies after its defeat in the 1st world war. His view was that Germany had sincere grievances that needed to be resolved; he also thought that by agreeing to some of the propositions being made by fascist powers Germany and Italy such as the Munich agreement than Europe could potentially avoid the outbreak of another world war. Meanwhile in the United States a combination of events such as the great depression and the losses suffered in world war one had pushed the American opinion and policy towards isolationism. Many Americans argued that the United States shouldn’t intervene in European conflicts or politics that did not concern them. Churchill however believed that not only did Nazi Germany and Facist Italy pose a threat but that the rights, traditions and fundamental beliefs of western civilization were in jeopardy and so he made it his mission to ready the British people for war and appeal to the US for aide against this threat. Now in his speech the defence of freedom and peace Churchill utilizes a number of literary devices the first of which is Allusion. Allusion is a figure of speech that makes reference to a place, person or event real or imaginary and can refer to anything which includes artist paintings, opera, mythical figures and bible passages. Churchill uses this to grab his audience’s attention and engage them into the subject while also getting his message across to them without having to go through tedious details. The first example of allusion is when he states â€Å"he (meaning Hitler) must blood his hounds and show them sport or else like Actaeon of old, be devoured by them†. Here he is referring to an ancient tale in Greek mythology Actaeon was a man who was punished by the goddess Artemis for boasting that he was a better hunter than she as a consequence she turned him into a stag, and his hounds turned on him and killed him. What Churchill is trying to get across to his audience is that if Hitler does not constantly lead his allies and soldiers to victory, they will eventually turn against him, taking his power for themselves. Allusion was further demonstrated when Churchill states to his audience that the American people wash their hands of the whole buissness.

Religion Essay -- Catechism, Catholic Church

In 1999, police officers killed a man who they were chasing for three-consecutive hours. While he was being chased, five California TV helicopters broadcasted the event live, and the entire public, including his family, saw his death. The Church’s teaching reveals whether the live broadcasting of violent acts is ethical or unethical. Throughout the years the media has increased the reporting of real violent acts, but they are not beneficial to the common good due to the negative effects it has on human dignity. Firstly, the Catechism Of The Catholic Church teaches that all media is limited to what the common good requires. To illustrate, Pope Paul VI says that, â€Å"The information provided by the media is at the service of the common good† (CCC 2494). This shows that all information disclosed by the media must be beneficial to the common good. Secondly, the Catechism states that all media that is broadcasted to the public must never oppose the common good. For example Pope Paul VI says the, â€Å"[the media] must adjust their economic, political or artistic and technical aspects so as never to oppose the common good† (Inter Mirifica 11). Revealing that the media must not disclose any information that may â€Å"oppose the common good†. Thirdly, the media releases wanton violent acts, which u ndermine the value of human dignity. For instance, the Catechism Of The Catholic Church teaches that, â€Å"Social justice can be obtained only in respecting the transcendent dignity of man† (CCC 1929). This means that â€Å"real† news reports can only be beneficial to the common good if they respect the dignity of man. Lastly, The Catechism Of The Catholic Church teaches that no matter what physical or mental state the person(s) are in the media must still respect ... ...s and dignity of† the person(s) must be always respected. Thus, the media must take into consideration the harm they may cause to the public and the loss of respect for human dignity. To conclude, the media's coverage of real violent acts in the news does not benefit the common good. The media uses the human right to information as a tool to broadcast as much news as possible for profit. They do not censor any of the gratuitous violence. The journalists are left to blame due to the responsibility they hold when disclosing the information they have learned to the public. Also, the uncensored violence can harm the public and it disrespects the dignity of the person(s). Over the years the media’s perspective of what â€Å"news† is has changed drastically, from information to entertainment. No matter where you go or what you watch, for some reason there is always violence.

Demographics Of Madagascar :: essays research papers fc

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. Madagascar's forests are a shimmering, seething mass of a trillion stems and dripping leaves and slithering, jumping, quirky beasts out of nature's bag of tricks. Cut off from the African mainland for millions of years, Madagascar's teeming forests are a naturalist's wet dream; they've preserved oddities and developed specializations found nowhere else on earth, and you can get among them in a spectacular collection of accessible national parks. But any nation that turns to North Korea for aid has got to be a basket case. Madagascar's Marxist generals as well as its chameleons are fresh out of the Age of Dinosaurs. The generals haven't got it right - part of the population regularly suffers malnutrition owing to bad seasons and archaic economic orthodoxies at home and abroad. Since human settlement, the forests have been whittled down to a mere 15% of their former extent, scores of species are on the brink of extinction and the topsoil is barreling down into the Indian Ocean like. The countryside alternates between astounding untouched forests and breathtaking human-induced destruction on a scale almost unmatched anywhere. Madagascar’s physical geography is not conducive of the current global trends and needs for economic production. They are severely behind the World as a whole in economic growth and restructuring to fit new world markets. Most of Madagascar lies in tropical or subtropical environment; the soil structure in these sorts of regions is not able to sustain long-term cultivation. The topsoil is good for agriculture for a few years, but after much longer it becomes burnt out, or depleted, and then it needs to rest for a period of time until it can yield a decent crop again. This is because of the way this soil obtai ns nutrients and the type of nutrients generally located there. Considering the island’s physical composition, it will be hard for the poor African nation to catch-up to the new world averages. Physical Geography Madagascar is located 250 miles off the eastern coast of Africa, just south of the equator. This island nation contains no ‘Principal’ lakes, oceans, seas, rivers or islands; however it does have one ‘Principal’ mountain- Maromokotro- that is located on the island’s central plateau. The island is over 1000 miles (1580 km) long and 350 miles (570 km) wide.

Piano and Drums Poem Analysis Essay

In Gabriel Okara’s poem, â€Å"Piano and Drums†, Okara expresses his feelings and thoughts of a primitive society in contrast to a western society. Being an African himself, and having studied in a western society, the poem reflects the confusion in his emotions as well as the loss of self-identity. The title of the poem itself, â€Å"Piano and Drums† displays a sense of dissimilarity and contrast as the instruments are so unalike in terms of sophistication. Throughout the entire poem, Okara incorporates the instruments to further express, through music, how the speaker is feeling. By using well-structured stanzas and poetic devices such as imagery, symbolism, sensory detail, personification, and diction, Okara is able to immerse the readers into the difficulties of cultural conflict and the confusion of a person in the midst of the two contrasting societies. Some of the most important poetic devices utilized in this poem by Okara are imagery and symbolism. Throughout the progression of the poem, there is a constant use of images to assist in displaying Okara’s conflicting emotions about the two separate worlds. The title of the poem, â€Å"Piano and Drums† clearly displays the symbols that are used in the poem. In expressing views of his native culture compared to Western culture, Okara uses the â€Å"jungle drums† (2) to represent the African culture and does the same with the â€Å"wailing piano† (17) to represent Western culture. These symbols are used particularly because of the complexity of the instruments. Being such a simply crafted instrument, with just a resonance chamber and animal skin, the jungle drums are a good symbol to signify the African life. On the contrary, with the piano being such a complex instrument with many components assembling it together to create more variety of sound, it is distinct that it embodies the Western lifestyle. In consideration of these symbols, the speaker implements more imagery to further display the contrast between the two symbols and emphasize the disorientation the speaker is enduring. Therefore, in order to execute his use of imagery successfully, he proceeds further by making a clear contrast between the images of a sophisticated society in contrast to a primitive society. For example, beginning the poem with, â€Å"when at break of day at a riverside† (1) the speaker is able to communicate to the readers that there is a sense of a beginning of a natural life. It also shows that the speaker is trying to convey that there is new civilization, as in the past, rivers have been the starting point of a developing civilization. In the same stanza, the speaker displays raw images of the jungle drums being like â€Å"bleeding flesh† (4). By implementing such primeval pictures, the poet is aiding the readers to make a connection between the drums and the rawness of the instrument and where it originates. Additionally, in the first stanza, there is reference to predator-like animals; for example, the â€Å"panther ready to pounce† (6), the â€Å"leopard snarling about to leap† (7), and the â€Å"hunters crouch[ed] with spears poised† (8). All these predatory images of wild animals are symbols to portray instinctive, primal behaviour which show the aspects of African culture that focus on survival and a natural lifestyle. Furthermore, the poet continues the idea of the drums symbolizing African culture in the second stanza through implementing more imagery. An example in this stanza is of the â€Å"blood rippl[ing], turn[ing] torrent† (9). This image of blood flowing and turning into streams refers back to the raw, primitive tone of the poem as the image of blood makes readers infer hunting and survival. In the next lines of the stanza, Okara includes an image of the speaker â€Å"in [his] mother’s lap a suckling† (11). This image of a mother feeding her young is extremely naturalistic and shows the ingenuousness of African life as well as the simplistic way of life. However, readers are particularly able to use this image to surmise that the speakers comfort lies in his mother’s lap and his motherland. Despite the primitiveness and rawness, the speaker reminisces on his childhood and the security of being with his mother. This idea of missing his homeland is further sustained in the image of â€Å"simple/paths with no innovations† (12/13). The choice of the word â€Å"simple† describes the ease the speaker feels in his homeland as there are no complex advancements or difficulties to deal with. Also, the simple paths are concomitant with the Africans’ primary focus on basic survival as staying alive is their only concern in life. The speaker feels â€Å"fashioned with the naked/warmth† (14/15) which is another example of the unsophisticated, primordial style of African culture as the image shows a bare person. Yet, even though they are unclothed, they still feel the warmth of their body suggesting their healthiness and livingness which is the most important to them. In complete contrast, the third stanza portrays the piano as a symbol to exemplify Western culture as being sophisticated, complex, and intricate which is also portrayed through additional images. However, despite the usual thinking of sophistication being praised, the speaker, in this case, puts Western culture in a negative light which is presented through the music of the piano. When first introducing the piano, it is described as a â€Å"wailing piano† (17) which gives the readers an image of a disturbing, crying baby that is an annoyance to the ears. This is in contrast to the speaker’s views of the â€Å"mystic† sound of the drums which the speaker views as a simple, but magical instrument. Also, the fact that the piano is playing a â€Å"solo† (18) displays the independence, individuality, and the selfishness of the people in the Western world. In addition, the â€Å"far-away lands/and new horizons† (20/21) illustrate the distance at which the speaker feels he is with the Western society. As the speaker feels so close to his roots and his native land, the Western society is foreign to him and, therefore, feels far away and distant. The new horizons just further emphasize the alienation he feels to be in that sort of culture where there are constant innovations and discoveries being made. This isolation is also expressed through the image of the speaker being â€Å"lost in the labyrinth† (23). Once again, the complexity of the labyrinth reflects onto the speaker’s view of the complexity of the Western world. However, as he feels lost in the labyrinth, it shows that he is not fitting into the society and feels uncomfortable. This especially contrasts with the comfort he feels in his mother’s lap in the second stanza. To add, in the last line, the word â€Å"daggerpoint† (25) strikes out to readers as the image of the dagger is strong. Even though the speaker displays the violence of the African natives, readers get the sense of the speaker viewing the Western society to be more violent in the sense that African’s kill animals to stay alive, but Western people use violence against other human beings which is unacceptable. Although, because of the primitive lifestyle, it seems to be that the African’s are more violent, in actuality, the speaker believes that Western people are more predatorial. To conclude, Okara uses imagery and symbolism to express the speaker’s feelings towards African culture in comparison to Western culture. Another important poetic device that Okara integrates into his poem, â€Å"Piano and Drums† is sensory detail, and in particular, sound. The use of sound helps to develop the images, but to also express musically, the emotions he feels in regard to then two contrasting cultures. For instance, in the first stanza, the speaker hears the sound of â€Å"jungle drums telegraphing/the mystic rhythm, urgent† (2/3). The use of the sound coincides with the use of imagery yet the sound of the drums and the â€Å"mystic rhythm† lures the readers into the poem and assists them in hearing the rawness of the drums and also sets a jungle-like atmosphere to the poem. To show the contrast, this â€Å"mystic† sound that lures the readers in, contrasts with the speaker’s interpretation of the sound of the â€Å"wailing piano solo†. â€Å"Wailing† already gives a negative image of the sound, and throughout the whole stanza, all the readers can think about is the annoying sound of the piano. The sounds that the piano makes are elaborated with â€Å"coaxing diminuendo, counterpoint,/crescendo. † (22/23). When the diminuendo occurs, the word â€Å"coaxing† allows for the readers hear the piano at a distance yet when the counterpoint enters, the other melody interferes and becomes more confusing to the ears. Just when the confusion intensifies, the crescendo makes the piano get louder and harsher to bear. All of the sounds combined and the melodies playing at different times is bewildering to the speaker and essentially causes him to feel â€Å"lost†. This relates to the idea that the Western society is too complex for the speaker to handle and, thus, with everything that is happening at once, the speaker cannot handle it. As a result, the Western culture is not viewed in high regards to the speaker which is translated to the reader through the sounds. Lastly, in the final stanza, the clash of the piano and the drums is revealed through the line â€Å"the mystic rhythm of jungle drums and concerto† (28/29). When the two sounds are placed next to each other, it sounds like a cluster of noise which explains why the speaker feels â€Å"lost in the morning mist† (26). The percussion of the drums and the melody of the piano concerto are such contrasting sounds that it is evident that the speaker wants to distinguish the difference between the two cultures. Therefore, through the usage of sounds in the poem, Okara helps to establish the speaker’s feelings towards the two different cultures. Not only is sensory detail an important literary device, but personification in â€Å"Piano and Drums† helps to express the speaker’s attitude and feelings towards the African culture and the Western culture. The first example of personification is â€Å"groping hearts/in green leaves† (15/16) which is soon followed by â€Å"wild flowers pulsing† (16). The idea of the groping hearts show how united the African natives are with nature and life around them. By personifying the heart, it makes it come alive and truly connects to life and shows the primary concern for the Africans – survival. Just after the reference to the heart with the green leaves, the roles switch and this time the flowers are pulsing. This further accentuates the extent to which nature and life collaborate in the lives of the Africans which demonstrates the great significance and preciousness of their lives. On the other hand, the personification of the â€Å"tear-furrowed concerto† (19) exhibits a different effect on the readers. The concerto, or the sound produced by the piano, is given the characteristic of being crumpled in tears. It is compared to a human face that is crying and leaving wrinkles. This negative image expresses to the readers that the piano is miserable and suppressed. Once again, the reference to the piano is put in a negative light and made to look despondent. Another personification of the piano is the â€Å"wailing piano† (17). It is compared to a hysterical, loud cry which again shows the suppressed and unhappy state that it is feeling. Perhaps the speaker feels as though the Western culture is unable to â€Å"bleed† out and be close to nature, so they are deprived from the rawness of life and, consequently, feels sad. Evidently, the use of personification in this poem, stresses the difference between the two cultures as well as the way in which the speaker feels about it. In final analysis, through the use of the poetic devices: imagery, symbolism, sensory detail, personification, and diction, the concept of the piano and drums being two separate cultures was emphasized and contrasted throughout the poem to show the conflict between cultures as well as the feelings of disorientation a person dealing with both would feel. In the end, it was clear that the speaker is still baffled and confused as to how he would accept both cultures and make it so that there is no conflict between the two. Yet, the sense of isolation and separation is distinct in the speaker as he endures a journey through two cultures that are on opposite poles of each other. Despite the sadness and confusion in the poem, the readers feel that they can empathize well with the speaker because of the well-detailed portrayal of the speaker’s emotions, particularly the piano and the drums. Word count: 2,094

Understanding the nature of motivation

Understanding the nature of motivation Abstract The paper dwells on motivation for addiction. A literature review reveals that most people will be inclined towards drug taking because of environmental factors like availability, genetic predispositions, developmental factors such as adolescence, personality components such as prevalence of psychotic traits like impulsivity, adaptations of the neurobiological system and its mechanisms as well.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Understanding the nature of motivation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Adaptations occur when conditioning of the external stimuli arises. The gap in literature review found that most papers did not link motivation for drug use with preventive outcomes. A multimodal approach to drug treatment and prevention has been proposed so as to offer more successful and accurate drug programs. Introduction Addiction is defined as the propensity to indulge in strange and even destructive beha vior; addicts will often lack the ability to control their habit and may continue to indulge in it even with external intervention. Several studies have been carried out in the field of drug addiction to find out what motivates users to continue taking drugs. A literature review in this area reveals that almost all motivation falls in these six categories: genetic, environmental, neurobiological mechanisms, neurobiological adaptation, personality and developmental factors. Most studies tend to focus on assessment of one or more of these factors but very few have found a way of relating these motivations to prevention and treatment programs thus minimizing the usefulness of their researches. The present study will look at current findings in the field of addiction motivation and will eventually provide recommendations on how these findings can be translated into tangible prevention outcomes. In other words, the main purpose of this research is to suggest a multi – modal approa ch that will link motivation for drug taking to tangible prevention outcomes. Experimental evidence Most analyses focus on collection of literature, analysis of drug addicts or experimentation with lab animals in order to unravel the nature of addiction. Crowley (1972) carried out a comprehensive study of addiction through the use of secondary literature and theoretical frameworks.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He found that drug reinforcers can either be primary or secondary in that they either cause the effect of the drug directly or they lead to an effect that comes to be associated with the drug. Secondary reinforcers may either be positive or negative. He suggested that a negative secondary reinforcement was one that was learned or conditioned. In other words, if an addict experienced his or her first withdrawal effects in his parent’s house then chances are that the person would get the same feelings in his parent’s house even if he was not going through a withdrawal and this is called negative secondary reinforcement. Alternatively, conditioning or secondary reinforcement may also be positive in that it can be associated with particular peers. Although Crowley (1972) called these conditional motivators secondary reinforcement, other researchers have given them a more scientific name known as neurobiological adaptation. Examples here include Volkow Wise (2005) Robbins and Everitt (1999). These authors explained that decisions to take drugs were associated with the concept of reward and motivation. In other words, the neurobilogical system through a neurotransmitter known as dopamine has the capacity to create a positive reinforcement in the drug addict. Evidence of this assertion was confirmed by Robbins and Everitt (1999) who studied behavior in rats and found that they would self administer drugs using a level system if dopamine was active and when the neurotransmitter was inactivated, no self administration of cocaine would take place. Usually, that part of the brain is responsible for learned responses such as memory. Consequently, it can be said that the drug seeker is looking for the same reward that the drug accords him or her and this leads him to continual use. Conditioned stimuli (situations that are associated with drug taking that produce desirable outcomes but are not from the drug itself) have the capacity to cause relapses because they activate the dopamine neurological system. These researches have therefore illustrated that neurobiological adaptation is another important motivation for drug use It should be noted that neural biological adaptations are different from neurobiological mechanisms as another motivation for drug use. Neurobiological mechanisms basically refer to alterations in the biology of the drug user upon consumption. When drugs get into the system, they trigger a cer tain section of the brain which is responsible for stimulation and this leads to the development of a pleasurable feeling. In other words, this is the reward that many drug seekers tend to look for.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Understanding the nature of motivation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Robbins and Everitt (1999) explain that drugs often create neural side effects that lead the addict to action every time they require it. This was the primary positive reinforcement that Crowley (1972) was talking about. A certain sensation causes most of these drug takers to move from one component to the other. Environmental factors are also an important motivation for drug use and relapse for those who are abstaining from the habit. Siege et. al. (2000) explain that increase in drug taking is associated with the continual availability of drugs. This explains why use of certain hard drugs is common in the ghetto s. This was affirmed through self administration of drugs by rats. Stress also makes drug users susceptible to drug use. Baker et. al (2004) explain that most drug addicts tend to avoid stressful states and this implies that environmental factors are a case of negative reinforcement. Goeders (2004) adds that stress causes addiction because it reminds a section of the brain called the HPT that the drugs can avert the negative feelings. Consequently, a drug user who had gone through prolonged periods of abstinence may relapse when too much stress occurs. Developmental factors also make drug users predisposed to the use of drugs. It has been shown that drug use often begins at the adolescent age. Volkow and Wise (2005) affirm that changes in delayed developments of a certain section of the brain known as the prefrontal context leads to greater risk taking behavior. Adolescents have not yet developed this part of the brain so most may be impulsive or maybe likely to get involved in drug s without really thinking about the long term consequences of it. Lastly, Eysenk (1999) illustrated that there is a relationship between the personality of an individual and that person’s propensity for drugs. It has been illustrated that drugs do play a resource function. In other words, if an individual has a certain personality deficiency such as too much introversion, then that person is likely to seek out drugs which will cause him to be more talkative and uninhibited. Personality also acts as a motivator owing to the prevalence of psychotic functions of the addict. Eysenk (1999) carried out an analysis of various individuals and found that most users tended to be impulsive, impersonal, aggressive, cold and egocentric. These were all behavior traits synonymous to the psychotic personality so this is an important motivator. Genetic predispositions also lead to drug use as asserted by Nestler (2000) who found that particular variations in rats tend to affect susceptibility to drugs thus showing that genes had a mediating effect. Nonetheless, the particular genes were not found as a complex combination of them could lead to vulnerability to addiction.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Implications of the experimental evidence The revelation that drug use is associated with developmental factors illustrates that adolescents can be specifically targeted during preventive measures since they are likely to begin drug taking without thinking about the consequences. The findings that neurobiological mechanisms lead to the start and continual use of drugs imply that a substitute for similar responses maybe used in earlier phases of drug treatment. Also, findings that link drug use to environmental factors like stress imply that dealing with stress can be an effective way of curbing this. Personality factors imply that certain individuals just tend to be more impulsive. This component can be used in treatment programs by providing immediate rewards as it would resonate with the drug user. Conditioned behavior therefore illustrates that there are indeed certain triggers which can be eradicated during treatment. Limitations of the findings Most of the researches did not li nk their findings to practical implications. In other words, few tangible solutions were given to the use of these motivators as preventative or treatment techniques. Essentially, most of the studies were inquiring about drug motivation but they did not offer answers to this pressing problem. Future directions In the future, it will be appropriate to link these motivational factors to treatment or preventive outcomes. A multimodal approach would be the best bet because not only would it ensure that drug treatments are patient centered but it would also increase the accuracy of interventions because specific motivators or reinforcers will be neutralized. For instance, if it has been found that personality was one of the motivators of drug use through impulsivity then short term rewards can be introduced into the program. Also, if availability of drugs is found to be the problem then patients may either be removed from their environments or closely monitored through peer groups. Concl usion It has been found that motivation for drug use can be subdivided into six sections which include genetic predisposition, developmental factors, neurobiological mechanisms, neurobiological adaptations, personality and environmental factors. Most of the literature has not linked these findings to treatment programs to be used by drug users yet problems tend to be solved only after relating them to their initial causes. All or any of these factors may have led a person to addiction so treatment methods need to relate to those motivations (no matter how many they are). This piece therefore suggests future research in the development of multimodal approaches to drug treatment and prevention depending on the risk factors and the motivations for drug use. References Baker, T., Piper, M., McCarthy, D., Fire, M. Majeskie, M. (2004). Addiction motivation reformulated: an affective processing model of negative reinforcement. Psychological review, 111(1), 33-51 Chambers, A., Taylor, J., Potenza, M. (2003). Developmental neurocircuitry of motivation in adolescence: a critical period of addiction vulnerability. American Journal of psychiatry, 160, 1041-152 Crowley, T. (1972). The reinforcers for drug abuse: why people take drugs. Comprehensive psychiatry, 13(1), 51-63 Eysenck, H. (1997). Addiction, personality and motivation. Human psychopharmacology, 12,S79-87 Goeders, N. (2004). Stress, motivation and drug addiction. Current directions in psychological science, 13(1), 33-36 Nestler, E. (2000). Genes and addiction. Nature, 26, 277-282 Robbins, T. Everitt, B. (1999). Drug addiction: bad habits add up. Nature, 398(15), 567-601 Serge, A., Walker, J., Koob., G. (2000). Heroin in rats with a history of drug escalation. Neuropychopharmacology, 22(10), 413-421 Volkow, N. Wise, R. (2005). How can drug addiction help us understand obesity? Nature Neuroscience, 8(5), 555-561

14 Things You Need to Know as a New Nurse

14 Things You Need to Know as a New Nurse So you’ve made it. You want to be a nurse and now you’re ready to begin your nursing career. Here are 14 tips from actual nurses, things they wish they’d known back when they first were starting out, that can help set you on a steeper learning curve as a new nurse. 1. Your schedule is different on paper vs. in real lifeYour schedule might look totally doable- a manageable series of shifts (most hospitals would say 3 shifts of 12 hours each). But when you factor in changeover duties, exchanging important patient information before and after each work day, and your commute? Those days are easily 15 hours. And those four days off per week? Forget it. Be ready for the 5 a.m. phone calls begging you to pinch hit when you’re understaffed. Best be prepared for more hours than your schedule would suggest on paper.2. Your duties expand far and wideThe definition of â€Å"nursing,† as it turns out, has a lot more to it than just the medical care you were trai ned to give. Expect also to have to perform the tasks of waitress, housekeeper, advocate, crusader, IT person, mediator, electrician, errand runner, and counselor. The more your realize how much outside stuff will factor into your ability to get your actual job done, the better a nurse you’ll be.3. Your memory game must be on pointIf you don’t have an outstanding memory, you’d better come up with a mnemonic system to keep things better in your head, or at least be extremely organized and know where you’ve recorded the details you really can’t forget. You’ll be expected to know without hesitation details about your patient, their disease profile, the technology you’ll need to wield, medication interactions, etc. Often as a matter of life and death.4. Your mistakes will be plentifulIt would be naà ¯ve to think that you won’t make them. You will. Everyone does. The first one will feel awful, and you’ll probably cry, but yo u’ll be very unlikely ever to make it again. Do your best to learn from your mistakes. They’ll make you a much better nurse. And take extra care with medications- they’re the easiest thing to mess up!5. You will learn how to handle the most difficult thingNursing school, no matter how much you think it has, cannot prepare you to witness your first, second, or two hundredth death. You will see hundreds and they will not get easier. Each will be different and tragic in their own way.6. You will develop a sick sense of humorIf you don’t have one already, you will soon. You and your coworkers will find yourselves making jokes you’d never even realize were joke-worthy before you became a nurse. Just go with it. This is how we keep each other sane.7. You will be attached to the phoneYou’ll be dealing with patients a great deal. You’ll be expected to be graceful under fire. But you’ll also spend an ungodly amount of time, tedious time , on the telephone. Other departments, doctors, pharmacies, insurance companies, supply companies, etc. Train yourself to have excellent phone demeanor and you’ll go far.8. Your body will take a beatingIt will hurt you. After almost every shift. And as you grow older and more seasoned in your career, it will only hurt more. You’re standing, walking, lifting patients and equipment. It takes a toll. Take good care of yourself. Stretch. Learn to optimize your body mechanics- standing, sitting, bending, lifting. Wear compression stockings and good, supportive shoes.9. Your friends and family become bonus patientsYou’re never going to be off the clock. Not as long as your friends and family have cell phones and cameras and can send you their complaints and health questions. Just get used to it. You’ll have a hard time turning loved ones away when you or your colleagues might be of help.10. Your pay is not as high as it should beIt will never be enough for the amount of work you’re expected to do just to perform your base duties. But there are always opportunities for you to pick up extra shifts and overtime. If you can do the extra work, you can make the extra cash.11. Your schedule will be all over the placeKiss your weekends and holidays goodbye. And be prepared to explain to your friends and family why you can’t always be counted on to come to dinners and birthday parties and weekends away. Eventually you’ll all get used to the way things have to be.12. Your second family will be at workYour coworkers will become your family. You’ll be battle tested. And you’ll see everything, process everything, mourn and celebrate everything as a little unit. You’ll love and hate them, and celebrate most holidays by their side.13. You will come to depend upon breakfastIs more important for you than for almost any one else in any other career. Make sure you eat it, even if you do it during your commute. It mi ght be the only chance you get to eat. And try to load up on protein bars or drinks to keep you going when you only have two minutes to eat and no time to chew!14. You will learn the meaning of commitmentProbably the most important thing to ask yourself is how much you actually want this. Nursing isn’t for everyone. It’s a thankless, underappreciated, underpaid profession, but if it’s what you love, you’ll be able to hang in there no matter what. Do a bit of soul searching to find the kind of dedication you’ll need to keep you going during the course of your long career.

The role genetics plays determining someone essays

The role genetics plays determining someone essays What role does genetics play in the determination of someone's height? This can be answered with one simple answer. A person's height is factored mainly by genetics, but also that individual's environment. For instance, when my mother wanted to have a baby she stopped smoking, drinking soda and coffee, and everything else that mothers give up; however, she had a miscarriage. After that devastating time, her doctor told her not to change her every day life, and nine months later she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. My reason for telling this story is simple. I wanted to research this to find out if that possibly helped my genetic information in the determination of my height. Everyone thinks that just because his or her mother or father is tall they too will be tall. Saying a trait has a high chance of being inherited has never implied that its fated to be. Scientists from Oregon State University said that height is multi-factoral, meaning that not just many genes work together in determining final height, but the environment interacts with it as well. They also stated that the interactions with a persons environment might include gestation; the time while a mother is pregnant, during growing years, and also if he or she is exposed to cigarette smoke and/or alcohol before birth. A persons health and even birth order (in most cases, second children are taller than first born) are factors in his or her height. Dr. Trudy Wassenaar said that since there are so many different things that determine this genetic-based trait, it makes it very complex. But since height is controlled by more than one gene, if one gene doesnt work then you might not tall or short like you were programmed to be. Scientist from Oregon State University said that generally speaking, children inherit most of their physical features from their parents. Also, this means that the most likely reason for a person to be tall or short would ...

Visual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visual Analysis - Essay Example The picture comprises of four groups of human elements. These are: Batman, Batkid, a policeman and people on the street. Non-human elements in the photo include trees, buildings, batman’s motor vehicle, a bicycle and another motor vehicle. In the picture’s foreground we see Batman, Batkid and an automobile. Batman is seen to be standing and encouraging Batkid in the picture. In the picture, Batman is portrayed as wearing his â€Å"Batman’s† costume as is usually the case in sci-fi movies when he is fighting villains. On Batman’s side we see Batkid who seems anxious and somehow agitated. Batkid has worn a costume that is similar to the costume that Batman is wearing. However, Batkid has put on black shoes with orange laces unlike Batman who is wearing black boots with black laces. From Bat kid’s left side there is a motor vehicle, the vehicle has Batman’s emblem engraved on its hood. The vehicle in the picture seems to be a sports car, most probably a Lamborghini. It is assumed that this is Batman’s automobile. In the picture, it seems as though Batman and Batkid have just alighted from Batman’s automobile. In the background of the picture various objects are visible. The background of a picture can indicate the location of a picture (Lester, 2006). The picture shows Batman’s vehicle as having stopped at a passenger crossing on a street. Behind the vehicle there are trees which have green leaves. This shows that the picture could either have been taken during summer time or the start of the autumn. From the picture, we are also able to view a block of buildings. The buildings are behind the trees and are made of concrete. The buildings seem to be modern and thus we can conclude that the picture was shot on a city street. In the background of the picture we are also able to view an audience that seems very elated to see Batman and Batkid. Many of the audience in the picture are wearing coats. T his could be because of cold weather and thus we can conclude that the picture was taken during autumn. From the picture we can also observe a policeman behind Batman and Batkid. The policeman is in a vehicle that is opposite Batman’s vehicle and is seen to be peeking outside the vehicle’s window. Focal Point Batkid is the focal point of The Batkid picture. The main point of focus in an image is its focal point (Lester, 2006). From the picture it is evident that the main point of focus was on Batman and Batkid with a lot of emphasis laid on Batkid. While taking the picture, the photographer seemed to have focused more on Batman and Batkid as compared to events happening in their background. The photographer seems to have especially paid greater attention to Batkid, trying to bring out the finer details of Batkid. The photographer is able to capture Batkid’s belt which has Batman’s emblem. The photo also lays some emphasis on Batkid’s gait. Colors T he most abundant color in the picture is the black color. Various elements in the photo are colored black or have black adornment. Batkid has a black costume which is also the case for Batman’s costume. The vehicle that Batman and Batkid seem to have alighted from is a black vehicle. From the background of the photo we are able to see a fan of Batman, behind the vehicle, who is wearing a black coat. Many of the audience in the photo are also dressed in black coats. The tarmac on which Batman’

How can we describe this art peace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How can we describe this art peace - Essay Example Notwithstanding challenges to be able to put it in art form for instance this powerful representation. This piece clearly shows the expertise of an artist and the way that it is painted. During industrial revolution, between 18th century and 19th century, growth in art had gone a notch higher by 19th century. Technology has made it easier to the creativity part of Modern art. Various artists, sculptors, writers and various performers as a group and others that have also pursued it individually through ideas have used different approach to come up with the latest in the field of art making. In as much as art began back in 1850 when art styles had been defined and redefined, artists who through audacity tirelessly worked to realize each new style through tried to come up with a visual language which was original and did represent the time. This piece of art portrays the stylistic diversity of art that has been embraced by this particular artist. The picture clearly shows a female human head which partly gives a view of the interior that’s under the skin, with an arts mind in play. This piece is creative on the size of the eye vividly portrays the wider view by which individual can portray their imagination into a reality. The size of the eye reflects the scope through which a good aim is maintained. This also stresses the feeling the artist had in mind well portrayed in art piece. The tilt of the head, gestures a thinking look by the piece. Various artists have carried abstraction to greater heights through radical and cheap ways of composition with addition of the color, this clearly exposes fundamental principles that are that gauge the appearances. Such were portrayed by painters such as Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) Abstract ideas and visual representation of an art has proved beyond doubt that art has revolved over time. The imagination put in art piece clearly shows the intention of the artist for best results to be realized.

HRM(see below my topic) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HRM(see below my topic) - Essay Example The size of the labor market, the image of a company, the place of posting, the nature of job, the compensation package and a host of other factors influence the manner in which job aspirants are likely to respond to the recruiting efforts of a company. Through the process of recruitment, a company tries to locate prospective employees and encourages them to apply for vacancies at various levels. Recruiting thus, provides a pool of applicants for selection. (i) Transfer. It involves the shifting of an employee from one job to a one department to another or from one shift to another. Transfer is a good source of filling vacancies with employees from overstaffed departments or shifts. at the time of transfer, it should be ensured that the employee to be transferred to another .job is capable of performing it. In fact, transfer does not involve any drastic change in the responsibilities, pay and status of the employee. Transfers or job rotations are also used for training of employees in learning different jobs. (ii) Promotion. It leads to shifting an employee to a higher position, carrying higher responsibilities, facilities, status and pay. Many companies follow the practice of filling higher jobs by promoting employees who are considered fit for such positions. Filling vacancies in higher jobs from within the organization has the benefit of motivating the existing employees. It has a great psychological impact over the employees because a promotion at the higher level may lead to a chain of promotions at lower levels in the organization(Rao, 2005, p-148) Why should Internal Sources be used Filling vacancies in higher jobs from within the organization or through internal transfers has the following merits (Braver, 1998, p15-16): Employees are motivated to improve their performance. Morale of the employees is increased. Industrial peace prevails in the enterprise because of promotional avenues. Filling of jobs internally is cheaper as compared to getting candidates from external sources. A promotion at a higher level may lead to a chain of promotions at lower levels in the organization. This motivates the employees to improve their performance through learning and practice. Transfer or job rotation is a tool of training the employees to

English class journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English class journal - Assignment Example Logos as a means of persuasion refers to using reasoning to convince the audience or the reader. This method of persuasion requires the author to back up the arguments with logical reasoning that can convince the reader. Bono’s Georgetown speech on social activism was a powerful speech that inspired students and many others who attended the function. The speech incorporated the three methods of persuasion discussed above. Logos means of persuasion is quite evident when bono spent over one hour explaining his point â€Å"why it is wrong to give rock stars microphones at higher learning institutions.† Bono’s opening remarks when he jokes about assuming the role of a professor can be cited as ethos. The sense of humor at the beginning made the audience interested on what he had to say in other words likes the character. The manner in which Bono discussed poverty issues was quite moving which captured the audience emotions and this being a good example of pathos as a persuasion means. This made the audience sympathize with the poor in the

International Marketing -Situational analysis, Marks and Spencer Essay

International Marketing -Situational analysis, Marks and Spencer FRANCE - Essay Example In France, the cultural influence as it affects consumer behavior is a function of the coverage in competition is within the primary shopping districts. Indeed, the level of rents and exposure to the high class, innovator consumers within the elite shopping districts is where retailers such as the Gap provide the largest and most targeted competition to M&S. In cities such as Lyon and Paris, the concentration of competition within the shopping districts has provided M&S with exposure to the consumer at the expense of a high degree of market competition. The particular taste of the French market is determined by benchmark research against competitor lines of clothing regarding differences between style and texture from market to market as well as market research including focus groups to better obtain an understanding of the changes in consumer choice. â€Å"M&S needs to carry out intense market research to identify the customers’ needs for styles and products. M&S must develop an effective customer opinion and feedback system, preferably through the internet, being more convenient.† (Docshare.com, 2009) Best, D.B. (2010), On the money: M&S "ahead of competition" in food, says Rose. Available from: http://www.just-food.com/analysis/ms-ahead-of-competition-in-food-says-rose_id111147.aspx [Accessed: October 22, 2011]. (2009),  Exploring Corporate Strategy in Marks & Spencer. Available from: http://www.google.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=M%26S+France%2C+competitors&btnK=Google+Search#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=M%26S+France%2C+france%2C+market+segmentation&pbx=1&oq=M%26S+France%2C+france%2C+market+segmentation&aq=f&aqi=q-w1&aql=1&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=3807l9417l0l9580l33l23l1l0l0l2l1395l12673l4-3.14.1.2l21l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&fp=b571422ac7922aeb&biw=1600&bih=799 [Accessed: October 22, 2011]. Moore, C. M., Doherty, A. M., & Doyle, S. A. (2010). Flagship stores as a market entry method: The

English class journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English class journal - Assignment Example Logos as a means of persuasion refers to using reasoning to convince the audience or the reader. This method of persuasion requires the author to back up the arguments with logical reasoning that can convince the reader. Bono’s Georgetown speech on social activism was a powerful speech that inspired students and many others who attended the function. The speech incorporated the three methods of persuasion discussed above. Logos means of persuasion is quite evident when bono spent over one hour explaining his point â€Å"why it is wrong to give rock stars microphones at higher learning institutions.† Bono’s opening remarks when he jokes about assuming the role of a professor can be cited as ethos. The sense of humor at the beginning made the audience interested on what he had to say in other words likes the character. The manner in which Bono discussed poverty issues was quite moving which captured the audience emotions and this being a good example of pathos as a persuasion means. This made the audience sympathize with the poor in the

Discussion Paper Sample Size Statistical Analysis Essay

Discussion Paper Sample Size Statistical Analysis - Essay Example Certain sampling methods require each member of the population under consideration to be known and identifiable. The structure which supports this identification is called a sampling frame. Some sampling methods require a sampling frame only as a listing of the population; other methods need certain characteristics of each member also to be known. The author underlines that: "Better success is achieved by asking concrete questions and testing out concrete examples" (Lenth, 2001). Also, Lenth underlines that sample size is not important in all studies. "It may be beneficial to ask about relative differences instead of absolute ones" (Lenth, 2001). It is important to avoid "canned" effect to obtain reliable results. The article gives critical overview of the sample size techniques proposed by Cohen (1998) and Hoenig and Heise (2001). Taking into account job satisfaction surveys and present day problems faced by multinational corporations, it is possible to say that tailoring a training program and family support can increases the job satisfaction and enthusiasm of foreign employees and encourages open communication. These problems were discussed by Bruning and Mccaughey (2005) in their article "Enhancing Opportunities for Expatriate Job Satisfaction".

Two Party System Essay Example for Free

Two Party System Essay It is commonly argued that political parties are becoming weaker and interest groups are becoming more powerful in America.   Keeping these changes in mind, is it possible that the United States will ever move away from the two-party system and have three or more strong parties? In 1992, Texan billionaire Ross Perot won more votes than any `third party` candidate for President ever had before. Coincidence, or will a smaller party ever become a strong enough force to rule the United States, or indeed have an influential presence in Parliament?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Statistics suggest that Americans are in favor of a third major force in their political scenario.    According to a poll conducted by Angus Reid Global Monitor: â€Å"Many adults in the United States believe there should be a viable alternative to Republicans and Democrats, according to a poll by Princeton Survey Research Associates for the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 53 per cent of respondents believe there should be a third major political party in the country, up three points since June 2004.† (Angus Reid Global Monitor, 2003). And according to VoteBuddy.com, 2006, more than two thirds of Americans want a third party because of the following reasons:   Most people are simply aware that government of, by, and for the Democrats and Republicans has not been working; they have little idea why. Part of the reason is that neither party really stands for what it used to. Instead, both of them have moved to the center in hopes of capturing the many moderate voters out there. A lot of people really miss having a party that represents the principles they believe in. Others have specific concerns that they believe have been abandoned by the one major party that ever showed any interest in them. (VoteBuddy.com, 2006). Indeed the voting trends of the past decade or two have perhaps been indicative of this new trend towards a third, independent party.   In recent years, Ross Perot and Ralph Nader, both representatives of independent parties, have gained a fairly large part of the vote over their Democratic and Republican competitors, not enough to cause worry to leaders of the two major parties yet, but certainly more than in previous years. Also worth noting is the low percentage of voter turnout at American polls.   Are those who don’t turn out to vote independent supporters who are just thinking that their vote will be wasted?   Or are they so happy with the system as it is that they don’t feel they need to vote?   Today, American voters give all kinds of reasons for not voting. The cost of being involved in the voting process is among them. On the one hand, many find it difficult to register and stay registered (moving means having to reregister), despite efforts like the federal motor-voter bill, which allows Americans to register while renewing drivers licenses, and popular pushes like MTVs Rock the Vote campaign.   (Hough, 2006) Others get turned off by the enormous time commitment needed to follow the race. This years presidential election, for example, saw candidates jockeying for position nearly two years before the actual election. Unfortunately, instead of giving Americans more time to absorb the issues, according to results from the Vanishing Voter Project, the long campaign has them tuning out.   (Hough, 2006) You can make an argument for a long campaign, acknowledged Patterson, but our data show its a disincentive. During the second week of the projects polling — a full year before the election — only 5 percent of Americans said they were paying a great deal of attention to the campaign. Roughly 60 percent said they were paying little or no attention. By week three, despite heavy news coverage, Americans interest in the campaign actually declined.   (Hough, 2006) Whatever the case is, a true representation of political feeling in America will only be obtained once voter turnout is higher. Another aspect which would make it hard for a third party to gain strength is congressional opposition to third parties.   Traditionally, according to Wikipedia, a two party system works as follows: A two-party system is a form of party system where two major political parties dominate the voting in nearly all elections. As a result, all, or nearly all, elected offices end up being held by candidates endorsed by the two major parties. Coalition governments occur only rarely in two-party systems, though each party may internally look like a coalition. Under a two-party system, one of two major parties typically holds a majority in the legislature (or a legislative house in a bicameral system), and is referred to as the Majority Party. The other major party is referred to as the Minority Party. The leader of the majority party may be referred to as the Majority Leader, assisted by the Majority Whip, and the leader of the major opposition party may be referred to as the Minority Leader, assisted by the Minority Whip. Two-party systems often develop spontaneously when the voting system used for elections discriminates against third or smaller parties, because the number of votes received for a party in a whole country is not directly related to the proportion of seats it receives in the countrys assembly/assemblies. (Wikipedia, 2006). We can see how a system structured in a way like this would make it very difficult for a third party to prosper. In addition, some reports state that Congress itself shows opposition to third parties, which, at least for the current time, would make it very hard for a third party to achieve any sort of effectiveness in Congress. In BC Politics, Kevin Surbaugh (2006), reports that he has read in a Green Party document. He states: â€Å"This article is about the Democrats trying to pass a bill (HR 4694) that effectively seeks to ban any and all third parties, basically making it so only the Republicans and Democrats will have access to power. Its already difficult for an independent or third party candidate to gain ballot access, but this new bill would make it almost impossible. HR 4694 (Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act) would mean that the official nominees of parties (i.e., Democrats and Republicans) that had averaged 25% of the vote for House races in a given district in the last two elections would get full public funding. All others (i.e., third party and independent candidates) would be required to submit petitions signed by 10% of the number of people who voted in the last election to get partial funding, and 20% petitions to get full funding. The press release gives an example of the 2nd district in Missouri, where 10% of that district would be some 35,000 signatures, just to spend anything at all, including your/his/her own money. This is a bill that people of all parties should be concerned about.: (Surbaugh, 2006). Surbaugh calls for actions from Americans to prevent this bill from occurring. Perhaps the best form of action they can take would be to present themselves at the polls and vote for the people that they want to vote for. Again, statistics show that Americans don’t vote for independents because they are afraid that they will be â€Å"wasting† their vote.   Terry Mitchell commented on this in July 2006 in an article called â€Å"Voters are to Blame for Bad Politics†, as follows: â€Å"One of our biggest problems is our unwillingness to vote for independent or third party candidates. These candidates generally do not have obligations to party bosses or quid pro quo relationships with lobbyists like the major party candidates do. Very often, we will vote for the lesser of two evils, rather than an independent or third party candidate who might be much better. Of course, when you vote for the lesser of two evils, youre still voting for an evil. Many people feel like they would be wasting their vote by voting for any of those other candidates. This is simply not true. A voter only wastes his/her vote when he/she votes for someone he/she does not really like. Instead, we create a voting catch-22 for ourselves, i.e., no one will vote for Mr. Independent because he has no chance; Mr. Independent has no chance because no one will vote for him. If enough people decided to start voting their conscience, we could break that vicious cycle.† (Mitchell, 2006) When Americans go to the poll on 7 November 2006, there will not only be two parties on the ballot paper. Democrats and Republicans will be joined by the likes of the Constitution Party, the Liberation Party, interest groups such as the Green Party, and even the Peace and Freedom Party.   How will the 45% of Americans who want a third party in Government vote?   Indeed, will they vote at all?   Once before we have seen how powerful an effective third party vote can be.   Some have said that Perot cost George Bush the 1992 election. During the spring primaries in the big industrial states like New York and Pennsylvania, when attention might have been paid to Clinton and former California Governor Jerry Brown as they fought each other and debated a domestic agenda for the new administration, all the media covered was the undeclared candidacy of Ross Perot (Ieinsdorf.com, 2006). And did Nader cost Gore the election in 2000? A closer look shows if Nader wasnt a choice, the 2.7% who supported Nader would have split so Gore would have picked up about 2% more support and Bush would have picked up an additional 1%. In a non-Nader race, Gore would have prevailed over Bush 50% to 49%. (Mike Hersh, 2003). This is indicative of exactly how much impact the third party vote can have, and the fact that these two events occurred in close succession are indicative that the public is slowly beginning to vote for who they actually want to.   This suggests that while there is still huge opposition, in the end a third party will prevail. In conclusion, we can see that while it may be that Americans are in favor of a third major political party in their country (the votes for Ralph Nader and Ross Perot in recent years are indicative of this, and not purely mirage), some reform is needed before this can happen. Is this trend to continue?   The results of the upcoming election will be interesting. Americans themselves must actually go to the polls, and once there, they must vote for the candidates they actually believe the most in.   Congressional opposition to new parties also needs to be overcome and traditional two party system beliefs changed. While I believe that a third party will be prevalent in American politics in the future, I do not believe that it will occur very soon.   The three determining factors – Congressional opposition, low voter turnout, and voters not voting for who they really want, need to be overcome first. Works Cited Angus Reid Global Monitor, â€Å"Americans Want Third Major Political Party† (2003), retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewItemitemID=11673 Hersh, Mike, (2003) â€Å"Did Nader Help Al Gore in 2000†, retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.mikehersh.com/Did_Nader_Help_or_Hurt_Al_Gore.shtml Hough, Lory, (2006) â€Å"The American Voter† retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/ksgpress/bulletin/spring2000/american_vote.html Iensdorf, (2006) â€Å"Perot Did not Cost George Bush the 1992 Election† retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.leinsdorf.com/perot.htm Mitchell, Terry, (2006), â€Å"Voters are To Blame for Bad Politics† retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=11264 Surbaugh, Kevin, (2006) â€Å"Congress Planning to Shut down Third Parties†, retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/11/034246.php VoteBuddy.com, â€Å"Our Vote is Held Hostage†,   2006 retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://votebuddy.com/ Wikipedia, (2006), â€Å"Two Party System†, retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-party_system

Life Of Pi Evaluation Literature Essay

Life Of Pi Evaluation Literature Essay This whole book, Life of Pi does not follow any modern structures set by society that we know of today, especially the structure set by society regarding religion. Although the main character of the novel, Piscine Molitor Patel, is a native Hindu, he supports not only Hinduism but Christianity and Islam as well on the pretext that he loves God and that all these three religions are no different than the other. Unlike ordinary people who supports either one religion or not at all, Pi supports three religions; Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Pi was first introduced to Christianity in Chapter 17 where he entered a church for the first time and was introduced to the role of Christianity. I was fourteen years old and a well-content Hindu on a holiday when I met Jesus Christ (Martel 67). Pi was introduced to Christianity at the age of fourteen and was a Hindu at the time. This represents post-structuralism due to the fact that people only support one religion and do not believe in associating themselves with those of different religions, let alone entering other religious buildings. At the time, Pi was on holiday visiting a place called Munnar. Pi felt that Despite attending a nominally Christian school, I had not yet been inside a church and I wasnt about to dare the deed now (Martel 68). This connotes the structured view of only believing in one religion. However, when Pi entered the church and met Father Martin he became interested in the story of Christ and at the aspect of Christianity. Why would God wish that upon Himself? Why not leave death to the mortals? Why make dirty what is beautiful, spoil what is perfect? (Martel 72). A sense of post-structuralism is present since it is believed that God is immortal and cannot die. However, in the story of Christ, Jesus had died at the cross to save us. However, in the story of Christ, Pis interest was piqued. Pi conveys a sense of post-structuralism since he supports not only Hinduism but Christianity as well. I entered the church, without fear this time, for it was now my house too. I offered prayers to Christ, who is alive. Then I raced down the hill on the left and raced up the hill on the right to offer thanks to Lord Krishna for having put Jesus of Nazareth, whose humanity I found so compelling, in my way, (Martel 76). This emphasises post-structuralism through the fact that Pi prays to both Jesus and Lord Krishna of Christianity and Hinduism. After successfully becoming a Christian and a Hindu, Pi sets off, a year later, to join Islam. Islam followed right behind, hardly a year later. (Martel 77). Post-structuralism can be seen here as even though he already supports two religions, Christianity and Hinduism, which is not the example of a typical fifteen year old boy let alone any person, he gets interested in Islam. As of now, Pi currently supports three religions, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam for the only reason that he loves God. During this timeframe, it is when Pi is introduced to a Muslim baker. Pi makes conversation and during that conversation, the baker is called to prayers through the different sound of a muezzin, which is significantly different to Christianity which uses bells. And right there before me, in the midst of his work place, he prayed (Martel 80). Post-structuralism is present here in the form of the prayer. It is unusual for Muslims to perform prayer in front of other religions without some hostility. Martel does this to introduce Pi to each religion comfortably. It also reveals Martels true post-structured views on religion. While witnessing the baker performing prayer, Pi was thinking that Islam is nothing but an easy sort of exercise. Hot-weather yoga for the Bedouins. Asanas without sweat, heaven without strain (Martel 80). Usually, most would assume that the baker is in prayer. However, Pi believes that Islam is just a form of exercise and not able to be considered a religion. However, when he returns to see the baker, he is told that his religion is about the Beloved. Martel informs us that Islam is a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion (81). Later on in the novel, in Chapter 23, Pi is confronted by the three religious men, the priest, the pandit and the imam, on a Sunday walk with his family. Since everyone in Pis family, save for Pi, is not religious, this chapter presents many post-structuralism views. These three religious men bring out the truth from Pi stating that he cannot be a Christian, a Muslim and a Hindu and that he must choose. The very fact that this chapter exists is to display the structure of only being able to support one religion and the post-structure towards the supporting of three different religions. They further emphasize the structured religion by stating that there is only freedom of practice singular! and that he cant be a Hindu, a Christian and a Muslim (Martel 92). On the other hand, Pi demonstrates post-structuralism by stating that All religions are true. I just want to love God (Martel 92). Pis views on religion are not structured since structurally you can only believe in one religion; this connotes Pis actions as post-structuralism. As Pis reason for supporting three religions is only to love God, the three wise men could do nothing as you cant reprimand a boy for wanting to love God (Martel 93). This line is both structured and post-structured. Although it is set by society that religion is just a way to love God and there is only one way to do it, Pi clearly does more than support one religion which represents post-structuralism. Not long later, Pis support of three religions once again comes into play in chapter 26. This chapter, once again, demonstrates Pis post-structured views and his parents structured views. When Pi approaches his father to talk to him about being baptised and about having a prayer rug, Martel demonstrates a structured view through Pis father about religion; with him stating that You cant be both. You must be either one or the other (96). In a way, Martel is demonstrating the structure in which society has set with Pis father representing the whole of society. Pi, on the other hand, demonstrates a post-structured view on religion. In response to his fathers views, and to societys, he states that Thats not what they say! They both claim Abraham as theirs. Muslims say the God of the Hebrews and Christians is the same as the God of the Muslims. They recognize David, Moses and Jesus as prophets (Martel 96-97). Martel uses Pi to convey his post-structured view across to the audience by stating the similarities between the three religions. Due to the fact that society has stated that Christianity, Hinduism and Islam are completely separate religions! They have nothing in common, Pi is used to connote Martels post-structuralism views. Post-structuralism is once again displayed through Pis argument with his mother, with her taking the role of society. Martel demonstrates structuralism through Pis mother stating that if youre going to be religious, you must be either a Hindu, a Christian or a Muslim. You heard what they said on the esplanade (98). This establishment of structure is necessary to effectively communicate Martels post-structured view of religion across towards the audience. Pi then retaliates by stating that I dont see why I cant be all three. Mamaji has two passports. Hes Indian and French. Why cant I be a Hindu, a Christian and a Muslim? (Martel 98). Martel uses Pi to show that there is nothing wrong with having three religions and that having structures set by society is not always necessary to be followed. Martel uses Pi and breaks down those religious, structured views set by society and replaces them with his views regarding religion structure. These structures set by society come into play shortly after as Martel switches our focus towards the important discussion of whether to allow Pi to be baptised and have a prayer rug. Were a modern Indian family; we live in a modern way; India is on the cusp of becoming a truly modern and advanced nation and here weve produced a son who thinks hes the reincarnation of Sri Ramakrishna (Martel 99). Martel conveys structure through Pis parents with them believing that support of more than one religion is not possible. Pi ignores this and resumes his quest to love God. Sometimes, upon finishing my prayers, I would turn and catch sight of Father or Mother or Ravi observing me, until they got used to the sight (Martel 103). Martel shows Pis quest to love God through his praying. Life of Pi contains not only structured views set by society but also shows the post-structured views of Martel. Martels views on structure are concentrated mostly on religion, more accurately on Pis attitude towards religion. Since Pi supports more than one religion solely for the purpose of loving God, Martel demonstrates his post-structured views on religion.

Burning Out in Tom Stoppards Arcadia :: Stoppard Arcadia Essays

Burning Out in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia Humanity has no intention of fading away, but rather has designed, by its nature, a flash before death, a burning out, if you will. Inherent in the human character is a desire to fight until the end, whether it be physically, or intellectually. In Arcadia, Septimus describes life as a processional march, telling Thomasina, "The procession is very long and life is very short. We die on the march" (Stoppard 38). But as we die, we don't simply allow ourselves to pass into the distance. We push our muscles to the limit, breathing harder and harder until we fall. The people of this earth do not follow the uncomplicated universal pattern of slowly giving up hot for cold. Despite human understanding of this pattern, and the ultimate fate of ending up cold even after the flash, our "noise," as Valentine calls it, love and sex and other various distractions, affects our life equation, and makes Thomasina's death in a fire all too appropriate. As Hannah and Valentine discuss the mysteries of Sidely Park, Valentine argues that everything in the universe progresses from heat to cold. He illustrates, "It's a one way street. Your tea will end up at room temperature...[it] is happening to everything everywhere. The sun and the stars...we're all going to end up at room temperature" (Stoppard 78). Hannah, appearing to support Valentine's statement, recites a section of Lord Byron's "Darkness": I had a dream that was not all a dream The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars Did wander darkling in the eternal space, Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air... (Stoppard 79) Hannah, however, is refuting Valentine's statement, not supporting it, as is evidenced by the rest of Byron's poem, which goes on to say: ...all hearts Were chill'd into a selfish prayer for light And they did live by watch fires... The habitations of all things which dwell Were burnt for beacons; cities were consumed, And men were gather'd round their blazing homes To look once more into each other's face... Forests were set on fire - but hour by hour They fell and faded - and the crackling trunks Extinguished with a crash - and all was black... (Byron 31) Â   "Darkness" implies that as the universe gets colder, humanity, in an effort to stay alive, burns the earth for warmth.

L.A.?s Traffic Causes Trouble Essay -- essays research papers

Whether you’re stuck on the 405 freeway during rush hour, on the 15 freeway heading back from a long-weekend vacation, or driving through the busy streets of Hollywood, traffic on the highways and streets of Los Angeles can often be a hassle. In Dagoberto Gilb’s short story Love in L.A., first published in 1986, the troubles of traffic are experienced first hand by our main character Jake. Jake is a common fellow with a steady occupation who is merely trying to make his way to work through the busy streets of Hollywood. As he is working his way through the piled traffic, not paying complete attention to the road in front of him, Jake crashes into the back of a Toyota. In the midst of exchanging information with the driver of the Toyota, Jake finds himself attracted to the female driver, whose name is Mariana. Jake attempts several times to ask her out for some coffee or breakfast; however his persistent attempts were not successful. The two drivers continue to exchange insurance information, however Jake not having any valid insurance gives false information to Mariana, and the two of them go their separate ways. In this short story, the author demonstrates the effect of gender roles, Marxist criticism, and new criticism in his writing. Written in third person limited, this short story is a vivid portrayal of gender roles. Looking in the perspective of a gender critic, one might say that the character of Jake is very persistent. At first, Jake asks Mariana if she would like...

New Religious Movements

When studied, compared, and scrutinized, every religion – though said to be basically similar in that all believe and worship a god/gods – is actually different from each other in many respects. Before tackling diversities however, it is better to start with similarities. Many people view all adherents of any religions share at the very least certain commonalities such as historical roots, practices/rituals, and doctrines. In other words, to be considered religious, one must be a follower of a certain form of ritual/practice prescribed by a founder or guru, a worshiper or believer of a god – whatever or whoever that god might be. When looked at the surface, this might be true. However, looking closely and seeking out the nuances, one can find real diversities.For example, for a Jew and a Muslim, Christianity is a religion represented by Vatican and the pope as its representative. To the eyes of these two, no differences whatsoever are detected between a devout Ro man Catholic and a Protestant and a Mormon. Of course when investigated, marked differences come to the surface and the initial seemingly unified similarities are gone. Actually, differences are underscored every time there occurs along the way a deviation from the fundamentals of any religion. In the history of Christianity alone, schisms are either a deviation or a return to its roots (Adherents.com, 2007).Effects of Religious PluralismPost your response to this question: What effect do you think religious pluralism and the interfaith movement will have on the future of organized religion? Explain your answer.Religious pluralism and interfaith movement are recently advocated by proponents from different religions with certain political aims. For instance, during Holy Week in 1971, there were many demonstrations conducted by different religious groups to voice their antiwar protests. Professor Robert McAfee Brown of Stanford University was among those arrested for blocking the way to a draft board office in Berkeley, California. He said he chose to preach his sermon â€Å"not in a church but on a pavement, not with words but with a deed† (Microsoft Encarta, 2007). Though there are certain benefits to it in terms of rights, there are also disadvantages and innumerable damages that may have paved the way for further confusion in the future.In what ways has learning about world religions influenced the way you think about religion? Why is it important to learn about other peoples' beliefs and attitudes? How will you utilize this information in the future?Knowledge of World religionsKnowledge of the different religions of the world and their adherents’ beliefs and practices is necessary for a better understanding of different peoples and cultures. Religious tolerance means differently when taken in the light of this endeavor. The ability to understand world religions and appreciate people because of their different persuasions and beliefs mean a mor e empathic and compassionate stance towards any group, ethnic or religious assemblage. Those who differ from us will not be seen as enemies, which oftentimes have become a common experience (Adherents.com, 2007).Reference:Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2008 ; http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html;  Microsoft Encarta. 2007.

Interpreting the First Amendment of the Constitution Essay

The notion of being free to choose whatever religion a citizen wants to posses is notoriously known to be a liberty dictated by the first amendment. â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,† (A-18 Brinkley) are the famous words of the constitution. Yet, this same law also states that the legislative branch of the U. S. government does not have the authority to favor one religion over the other. In fact, it dictates that the government must remain secular when it comes to the affairs of religion as it cannot respect any one particular religion over another. Thus, there can never be a national religion, an American version of the Anglican Church, as it would hinder the government from preserving the freedom to choose between religions. The other liberties guaranteed by this amendment were the rights of speech, the press, â€Å"or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and petition the Government for a redress of grievances† (A-18 Brinkley). These are all liberties that allow for the citizens of the nation to protest the government. Civilians can protest through their speech, which may hold accusatory claims against the government, in public areas. Americans are allowed the right to publish grievances in the press, free of censorship from a legislative body, as well. These are liberties that allow for organizations to spread information and knowledge over any form of tyranny they may feel the government bestows onto the population. These are also lubricating actions that more easily allow for assemblies to form and confront the government over such issues. Really, the amendment is a formula for allowing the civilian populous to restrain the authority of the government.

Evaluation of leadership theories Research Proposal

Evaluation of leadership theories - Research Proposal Example From this research it is clear that for an effective leadership within an organization, the situational theory points out that the leader should be in a position of adjusting the situation and circumstances at the organization. Under the Hersey and Blanchard’s situational theory of leadership, a team develops from the immaturity stage to the maturity stage during which leadership style and management tend to develop progressively. Fiedler’s contingency model is another type of leadership style that is applicable to the CCS Group based in London. This particular theory indicates that there is no one leading style that can make leadership effective. This style of leadership tends to be effective in the CCS Group since it has helped in the improvement of the performance quality of the organization. The leadership of the CCS Group is normally linked to its performance. According to the theory, there is a concern to assess the traits of the leader if the organization needs t o be successful through effective leadership. Its effectiveness in the improvement of the quality of performance of the CCS Group because it uses the least preferred co-worker scale for assessing the attitude of the leader by asking the leader about the individual they would wish to unite in their work. The trait theories of leadership indicate that leaders who are regarded as effective tend to share common traits and personalities. This is effective in the CCS Group of organizations because the majority of leaders at the organization is self confidence, honest, intelligent, and are self driven.

In what circumstances have NGOs come to perform governmental functions Essay

In what circumstances have NGOs come to perform governmental functions - Essay Example NGO’s are the voice of the civil society and fuel social development. But why do we need NGO’s. Do they represent failure of government in bringing the social justice and providing necessary human and social development? Is the role and impact of NGO’s has changed in any way in the wake of globalization? This paper aims at studying the circumstances which makes the NGO’s perform nongovernmental functions. It will also discuss history and changes in the type of work done by NGO’s. The paper aims at investigating the reasons of the recent growth of NGO’s. An example of how the policy and working of NGO’s have changed in the wake of globalization and changed circumstances will also be discussed to develop a sound understanding of the situation. History and Growth of NGO’s The concept of NGO is not new and can be traced back to the late eighteenth century but the terminology of NGO is relatively recent. The first NGO in its raw form was formed by Thomas Clarkson along with some other men in 1787; when they formed a society to dissuade British companies and ship owners to involve in salve trade. The struggle continued in different forms against different form of oppression and eventually Red Cross was formed in 1855. The NGO activity has grown considerably from those early days of Clarkson. According to the statistics of the Union of International Associations, the no of active NGO’s in 2001 was around 25,000 that is 10,000 more than the figure of 1980. Besides these active NGO’s a huge number of inactive NGO’s also exist, which are capable of becoming active upon arrival of need. The number of inactive NGO’s in 2001 was astounding 18,000. The same is true for the national and local activist groups. Recently what has been observed is the mushroom growth of such organizations all over the world. Indonesia had only one organization for environment protection but now the number has cros sed over 2000. In the Philippines the number of NGO’s has increased from 18,000 to astounding 58,000 only between the period of 1989 and 1996. According to a study of Worldwatch institute the number of grass root or low level NGO’s in United States is approximately two million. The study also revealed that approximately two third of them were established in the last thirty years. NGO’s are not only growing in number but they are also improving in quality in terms of skills, specialization and sophistication. Most highly educated people holding masters and doctoral level degrees are associated with NGO’s. Typically NGO’s very successfully align their strategies with the political, economic, social and environmental trends. Their ability to communicate with media is considered the best in the private sector. NGO does also have this ability to move quickly and form global networks (Blackburn, 2007). Influence of NGO’s NGO’s are changing the way business is being done all over the globe. They are powerful, innovative and organized. They provide social and humanitarian services in cross national contexts that are somewhat politicized as well. NGO’s these days have a strong influence over business.

Response Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response Structure - Essay Example Road incidents cause congestion on highways and freeways. Because of the importance of traffic incidents, crisis management providers of service, and law enforcement agencies are working towards â€Å"incident management† in many cities of United State. It can be defined as a planned, organized, and methodical utilization of institutional, technical, scientific, industrial, perfunctory resources to lessen the time and shock of incidents, and enhance the safety of victims and motorists and car riders on the highways in case of road incidents. (Balke, K.N. Fenno, D.W., Ullman, B. (November 2002)). Intensity of incident management differs considerably from one state to another. In many areas, an intricate traffic control system that make use of video observation cameras and other automatic accident exposure systems to watch the freeways and also to counter possible incidents situations. Other areas like Texas use service patrols or motorist supportive patrols that go about the freeways and monitor incidents and give adequate help to vehicles or put immobilized vehicles off the roads. (Balke, K.N. Fenno, D.W., Ullman, B. (November 2002). Evaluation of the incident management system is the measurement of own incident management system to the set goals or objectives. By the use of performance evaluation, agencies can achieve the following: The Coordinator of Texas State Incident Management Team, Bob Koenig, believes that to increase the State’s potential for managing incidents in Texas should be guided by multiple periods of operations, by using various resources and also by following several authorities. He works for the missions for Hurricane response. (Koenig, B. (2010) In many areas all cross the United States of America, different societies work for different parts of the process of incident management. Their sole objective is protecting people and working for their betterment. (Balke, K.N. Fenno,

Non-Governmental Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Non-Governmental Organization - Essay Example In spite of that, an NGO is never constituted as a political party, a criminal group, a government body, or a violent guerilla agency. (Willetts, 2002); (Baehr; Gordenker, 1986) In 1910, around 132 international NGOs formed a coalition under the name, the Union of International Associations. At that time, the NGOs had a variety of names for themselves including international institutes, international unions, and international organizations. Although the initial scheme of the UN charter did not consider any plan to combine forces with private organizations, a grand meeting at the San Francisco conference changed this fact. Thence came into being the United Nations, in 1945. The participation of NGOs in UN greatly increased its role in the social and economic issues around the world, and it also raised the status of the Economic and Social Council to a principal organ. So, in order to differentiate the two types of organizations involved in the UN, specialized agencies was the term set for organizations formed by intergovernmental agreements, while non-governmental organizations was set for private agencies. Both these terms were entered into the official UN vocabulary, but NGO gained a much larger popularity, especially since the 1970's, and so entered into general use. (Willetts, 2002) Growth The number of NGOs increased exponentially after the Second World War, at the national and local level. On the international level, NGOs came into being supporting global issues like human rights, rights of women, and maintenance of the environment. Along with these issues, international NGOs also gained importance in the matter of global politics associated with the UN and its subsidiary organizations. (Karns, 2008); (Ahmed; Potter, 2006) Some of the factors that have contributed to the growth of NGOs worldwide are given below (Karns, 2008); (Baylis; Smith, 2001): Globalization. A rise in popularity of global issues like human rights, environmental protection, etc. An increase in international conferences held under the sponsorship of the United Nations. The boom in technology, which lead to smooth communications between individuals or organizations through facsimile (fax), Internet, and e-mail.An increase in the popularity of democracy, which gave rise to the civil society and provided the opportunity to every person to constitute and manage organizations more freely. General Role NGOs take part in a variety of activities. They provide significant information and consultancies to both governmental and international organizations, for instance agencies affiliated with the UN, regarding current global issues. The data supplied to these organizations is often not available to the local government. (Karns, 2008) NGOs may decide to have a particular policy to tread on, like banning of landmines, acted upon by the International Campaign to Ban

Marketing and Sales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing and Sales - Essay Example It is for this reason that marketers and salespeople alike, focus on integration and alignment of the two functions and a greater focus on the ultimate objective, rather than departmental goals. The American Marketing Association defines marketing as â€Å"Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.†(American Marketing Association 2008) Sales is largely a subset of marketing and focuses on the delivering and exchanging part of the paradigm. It also involves maintaining cordial working relationships with clients, partners and customers all across the society. Marketing is broad context that also encompasses sales and merchandizing. In context of a small business, there are stark differences between the two concepts. The core focus of the marketing process includes: Discovering the products, services or ideas to be implemente d. Producing products with the ideal features and quality that cater to the target market. Correctly pricing the product. Promoting the product through several techniques to allow the message to spread to maximum people. Selling and delivering the product to willing customers. It is clear that selling is just one of the activities of the entire marketing process. It essentially involves effort to implement the plan and make the actual sale. All marketing activities support the eventual objective of magnifying sales. It must be noted that it is extremely important that marketing and sales activities are aligned in ways that complement rather than ways that contradict (Atkins & MBA 2009). Some of the key differences in the way marketing and sales are done are: A marketer looks at the decision making aspect of the spectrum. He empathizes with the customer by identifying needs, wants, deciding on the target market, positioning the brand, promoting and taking other steps that communicate to the customer that the product is designed specifically for him and that he should consider its purchase. A seller, by contrast, focuses on the execution state after the work has been done by the marketer. His main focus is on reaching targets, achieving goals and focusing on numbers. He also needs to ensure the timely availability of products for customers. Importance of Aligning Marketing and Sales: In many companies and small business, the personnel and actions of sales and marketing contradict each other significantly. Sales people accuse marketers of being unaware of the actual needs of customers or overestimating the buying power of customers resulting in overpriced or unneeded products. They argue that marketers then expect them to generate sales revenue with such redundant and overpriced products. Such decision making leads to deviation from the ultimate objective of maximizing profits and hinders growth in sales numbers. Marketers, in contrast, suggest that salesmen have a very shortsighted focus on individuals and short term sells rather than looking at the bigger picture. This alienates the firms from prospective long run profitability and stable revenue. Furthermore, the limited knowledge they have about the strategic decision making involved in coming about the final product makes them vulnerable to misinterpreting the essence of the product and its