Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Shape of Practical Theology - 638 Words

Book Report: The Shape of Practical Theology In The Shape of Practical Theology: Empowering Ministry with Theological Praxis, Ray Anderson attempts what he considers a new approach to modern Christianity. Anderson believes that the modern church is plagued by a significant divide between theology and practical Christianity. Many churches approach these two aspects of religion as if they are separate, rather the practical sides of Christianity lacking. Therefore, Andersons goal in the book is to relate modern practical Christianity directly to theology. He uses theology to tackle some of the major social issues that impact on modern practicing Christians including: preaching, worship, family, therapy, burnout, relationships, social justice, ethics, and homosexuality. Instead of treating these issues as if they are separate from theology, Anderson demonstrates how theology directly interacts with each of these issues. Anderson uses a three-prong approach to explain his theological approach to modern Christianity. The first prong is the shape of practical theology. The goal of this section is not to merely describe the skills and methods that people use to engage in theology, but to look at practical theology as a meaningful way to grow ones relationship with God and ones understanding of Scripture. In this section, Anderson introduces the concept of practical theology, talks about the discipline of practical theology, a Trinitarian model of practical theology, lookingShow MoreRelatedTheology Is The Science Of God And The Universe961 Words   |  4 Pagesto God, theology is about God and His plan for man. Theology is the science of God and the relations between God and the universe.† In order to first understand if theology is important or not in our lives, it is vital to understand what theology is. In the simplest definition of theology according to Merriam Webster dictionary is â€Å"the study of religious faith, practice, and experience or the study of God and God’s relation to the world. † The more in depth definition of Christian theology on the otherRead MoreMoral Discernment By Father Richard Gula1458 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinguishing between what God is calling us to do from what someone else in authority says what we should do† (Gula 14). I never really tied in our conscience to theology and morality. It made me think about how all of our studies can be tied into each other with one idea. For example, our conscience can be tied with studies like, theology, psychology, and philosophy. It makes me understand why Alvernia University wants us to take all different areas to studies to help us tie in each field of studyRead MoreCase Study1076 Words   |  5 Pagesbecause he had schizophrenia and was homeless, some people treated his death as unimportant because he wasn’t â€Å"doing anything for society anyway† (as one member of my church told me). Similarly, in The Disabled God Nancy Eiesland demonstrates the ways theology and church tradition and practice exclude and harm persons with disabilities; how we speak about God influences who we believe God to be, and how we should treat others. For Eiesland, â€Å"full inclusion within the community of God calls for new symbolsRead MoreUnderstanding Of Religion And Its Association Of Christianity Essay1518 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"father of modern liberal theology,† Friedrich Schleiermacher was a German theologian, philosopher and biblical scholar who directed his attention on the nature of religious experience from the viewpoint of the individual and human nature itself (Marià ±a 3). Influenced by German Romanticism, Schleiermacher attempted to settle the criticisms of the Enlightenment with conventional Protestant Christianity (Crouter 261). By doing so, he abandoned the pietistic Moravian theology that had neglected to gratifyRead MoreCritique Of Stephen Seamands M inistry1540 Words   |  7 Pagesadequately observed or applied the doctrine of the Trinity significantly in the vocation of ministry. It is with this perception that he postulates a Trinitarian approach of ministry that emphasizes communion with God shaping our language about God to shape our heart so we might share in the life of God. In arriving at his conclusions, Seamands uses well-grounded Scriptural foundations, along with a descriptive of the Icon of the Holy Trinity painted in 1425 by a Russian Monk, Andrei Rublev, includingRead MorePersonal Theology of Discipleship Essay1790 Words   |  8 PagesPersonal Theology of Discipleship Just what is theology? This question can have a wide variety of answers, from irrelevant facts about God thought up by men centuries ago, to complicated theories discussed by scholars. Typically, the average 21st century man does not consider theology as relevant. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Theology by definition has the characteristics of both expounding the truth, and impacting the believer with that truth (Himes, 2011). ThereforeRead MoreThe Revelation Of Jesus Christ1238 Words   |  5 Pagespowerful connections of the father . The church encyclopedia also argues that in the eyes of the man, Jesus was a man because he came in the natures of a man who had a body and functioning soul. The contradiction only comes in where the clerics and theologies in the whole domain started arguing on the exact nature of Jesus Christ. Some posed questions as to whether he was a natural man. The conclusions made after continuous deliberations were that Jesus was a unique person. The explanation came in sinceRead MoreFriedrich Schleiermacher s Views On Religion And Religion Essay1517 Words   |  7 PagesKnown as the â€Å"Father of Modern Liberal Theology,† Friedrich Schleiermacher was a German philosopher and theologian who directed his attention on the nature of religious experience from the viewpoint of the individual and human nature itself (Marià ±a 3). Highly influenced by German Romanticism, Schleiermacher attempted to settle the criticisms of the Enlightenment with conventional Protestant Christianity (Crout er 261). By doing so, he abandoned the Moravian theology that had neglected to gratify his growingRead MoreTheology and Development2829 Words   |  12 PagesBRENT FRIESLAAR April 8, 2012 FACILITATOR: REV. DR. ISAIAS CHACHINE | Theology and Development | | Theological Reflection - Amartya Sen and Elaine Graham, Heather Walton and Frances Ward | This paper will deal with the importance of Theological reflection and it will argue that theological reflection is the responsibility of all individuals in the human race. In response to Amartya Sen’s work in Development as Freedom as well the treatment of theological reflection and the analysis of methodsRead MoreJohn Locke s Views On Education879 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical theorists of the 17th century. He was one of the founders of the school of thought known as British Empiricism. Mr. Locke made foundational contributions to modern theories of limited, liberal government. He was also influential in the areas of theology, religious toleration, and educational theory. During his services at Shaftesbury, John Locke had been writing. He published all of his most significant works within six years of following his return to England. Locke’s â€Å"Essay Concerning Human Understanding†

Monday, December 16, 2019

Emily Dickinsons Fascicle 17 Essay - 2580 Words

Emily Dickinsons Fascicle 17 Approaching Emily Dickinson’s poetry as one large body of work can be an intimidating and overwhelming task. There are obvious themes and images that recur throughout, but with such variation that seeking out any sense of intention or order can feel impossible. When the poems are viewed in the groupings Dickinson gave many of them, however, possible structures are easier to find. In Fascicle 17, for instance, Dickinson embarks upon a journey toward confidence in her own little world. She begins the fascicle writing about her fear of the natural universe, but invokes the unknowable and religious as a means of overcoming that fear throughout her life and ends with a contextualization of herself within†¦show more content†¦The last two lines of the poem are a timid reflection on what might happen â€Å"Had I the Art to stun myself/ With Bolts—of Melody!† (23-24). The idea that creation is a power that can get loose and injure even the creator illuminat es why in this poem the artist positions herself firmly as a mere spectator. In these first two poems, we meet a Dickinson who is not entirely familiar to us—even though we are accustomed to her strong desire for privacy, these poems can be startling in the way they reveal the intensity of Dickinson’s fears. She is, after all, shrinking from what is dearest to her—nature, one of her favorite subjects, becomes a harsh judge, and poetry, her favored medium of communication, can suddenly render the reader â€Å"impotent† and the writer â€Å"stun[ned]† (19, 23). The extremity of her positions in shrinking from the small and beautiful things she loves creates the sense that this is just the beginning of a journey by leaving so much room for change. The change begins in the next poem, â€Å"He touched me, so I live to know†. This â€Å"He†, presumably God, has the effect of calming Dickinson’s myriad small fears. She tells us, â€Å"I groped opon his breast--/It was a boundless place to me/And silenced, as the awful Sea/Puts minor streams to rest,† (2-5). At first it may seem that the â€Å"silenced† applies to Dickinson here—that this masculine God has taken away even more of her confidence in her own voice (4). When considered with the rest of theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Emily Dickinson and Her Poetry3197 Words   |  13 PagesEmily Dickinson and Her Poetry Emily Dickinson is one of the great visionary poets of nineteenth century America. In her lifetime, she composed more poems than most modern Americans will even read in their lifetimes. Dickinson is still praised today, and she continues to be taught in schools, read for pleasure, and studied for research and criticism. Since she stayed inside her house for most of her life, and many of her poems were not discovered until after her death, Dickinson was uninvolved

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Vibration of Biceps Muscle Affect Volunteers Ability to Sense Joint P

Questions 1. How did vibration of the biceps muscle affect the volunteer's ability to sense joint position? Was this expected?2. Vibration changes our perception of joint position sense. Explain the mechanism behind this?3. What happened to the volunteer's ability to correctly weight-match when holding a constant load? 4. Can you think of any implications the above finding may have?5. How did vibration of the biceps brachii tendon affect the volunteer's ability to weight-match? Was this expected? Why or why not?6. Grasp Your Nose. Describe the sensation?7. Palm of Hand on the Head. Describe the sensation?8. Chin in Hand. Describe the sensation?9. Describe the mechanism behind the tonic vibration reflex (TVR). How does this explain the illusions? Answers: 1. The vibration of the biceps muscle affect the volunteers ability to sense joint position almost consistent and quickly for the non-dominating arm where as less consistent and quick for the dominating arm according to the data shown by control results. The sense ability of the dominating arm is high as compared to the non-dominating arm. The discrepancy in the measurement is less in case of non-dominating arm where as high for dominating arm. The overall discrepancy according to the controls results is less than zero. Whereas according to the vibration results sense ability is not consistent for both non-dominating and dominating arm. The discrepancy in the measurement is positive and high. The mean discrepancy is high for vibration results and less for controls results.No, it is not expected as the dominating arm has more sense ability for control and less for vibration.2. There are mainly two types of joints one is abnormal joint and the other is normal joint so first we have to check the type of joint as the most of the disturbances are on abnormal joints and if the joint is normal than there will be no disturbances. Sometimes the abnormal joint appears like normal joint then there is less need to test more proximal joints. So we have to test more and more joints until we did not find a successful normal joint. If we do not understand the type of joint then the perception made by us will prove wrong as we tested different joint.3. The volunteers ability to correctly weight-match when holding a constant load is good and correct in most of the cases but in some cases volunteers sense ability is wrong. The volunteers sense ability is not good in comparing same weights. The volunteer senses correctly in most cases when holding a weight equals to the reference weight but fails to sense when the weight is equal to the reference weight. 4. The number of errors in weight-match task of control result is less as compare to the weight-match task of vibration result. It is because the volunteer tells the test weight equals to the reference weight but it is little more than the reference weight. So I think that the volunteer may have implications in measuring a constant weight.5. The vibration of the biceps brachii tendon affect the volunteers ability to weight-match as the biceps of the dominating arm is more sensible so it gives a approximate correct answer where as the biceps of non-dominating arm is less sensible so it gives a less appropriate result.Yes, it is expected because the controlling and measuring ability of dominating arm is always greater than the non-dominating arm.6. The main operation of nose is to sense the smell that it is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. The other operation is that it is useful in taking breath so when we grasp our nose it feels like having problem in taking breath also we will be un able to sense the smell of goods or environment. Also concentrates the eyes on the hand. When we grasp our nose with a hand the smell sense organs unable to operate and cannot work properly until and unless they did not get the input from nose. It will feel like having little pain in top edge of nose between the two eyes. 7. The sensation or feelings when we put the palm of hand on the head are like we have covered the whole head with a heavy thing and feels like the palm is heavy. This activity also makes the concentration of our mind and eyes under the palm. If we keep the palm on head for a longer period then it will also result in slow blood circulation rate in hand and will causes some pain in hand after a long period of time. If we continue keep the palm on head the head will start paining. 8. Body schema is defined as a posture of human body, whose main function is to understand the impressions coming from the sensory impulses and then express them in such a way that the fina l sensation of human body of different positions of body parts, location arises into awareness exciting with a next to kin to somewhat that already has been occurred. When the chin is in hand the senses are like a little pain in head right in the middle of for-head. If we move the hand slowly it feels amazing. It involves the aspects the central brain. If we hold the chin in hand with some pressure it will affect the mouth organs and it will start paining.9. It has to record that in every sequence of vibrating motivation stretch the muscle, exhilarating the main sensory ending of the influence spindle, causes them to fire. Intervening time, the minor endings and Golgi tendon organs come into sight to be fewer responsive to the vibrations. Furthermore, the main sensory endings give the impression to be proficient to pardon in regularity with pulsation at a rate of recurrence of 90 to 390 Hz. Electro my graphic study show that there would be a quantity of nervousness which appear stra ight away later than the submission of pulsation. This nervousness will get higher gradually and increasingly over the next fifteen to twenty two seconds prior to accomplishment a area of little variation in isotonic tonic vibration reflex. Motivation of the main sensory ending of the sway spindle cause sacking of the main motor neuron puddle afferent fibres which in turn stimulate the motor neuron puddle of the spinal string, most important to sluggish shot in the arm slimming down of the tremble muscle. So, this sluggish shot in the arm slimming down occur from beginning to end composite spinal and innermost spontaneous effect bow mechanisms. So, It has to be hassled that tonic vibrating reflex is not a simple spinal reflex, but a grouping of in cooperation spinal and supra-spinal mechanism. Refrences :- 1. Wiley Online Library: Login Options. 2015. Wiley Online Library: Login Options. [ONLINE] Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/login-options. [Accessed 10 March 2015].2. Blasdell, Karen Sue. Transcendental Meditation And The Tonic Vibration Reflex. 1974. Print.3. Zaidell LN, Mileva KN, Sumners DP, Bowtell JL (2013) Experimental Evidence of the Tonic Vibration Reflex during Whole-Body Vibration of the Loaded and Unloaded Leg. PLoS ONE 8(12): e85247. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.00852474. Smith RL, Brunolli J. Shoulder kinesthesia after anterior glenohumeral joint dislocation.Phys Ther1989;69:10612.5. Voight ML, Hardin JA, Blackburn TA, et al. The effect of muscle fatigue on and the relationship of arm dominance to shoulder proprioception. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther1996;23:34852.6. Lnn J , Crenshaw AG, Djupsjbacka M, et al. Position sense testing: influence of starting position and type of displacement. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2000;81:5927.7. Grigg P . Peripheral neural mechanisms in proprioception. Journal of Sports Rehabilitation1994;3:217.8. Annals of Neurology Volume 38, Issue 2, pages 155162, August 199, DOI: 10.1002/ana.410380206

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Write My Paper Essays - Trees, Arborist, Land Management

Most arboricultural work in this period was done on large estates, with one or more crews on a single property for one or more weeks. The cost of such jobs commonly ran into thousands of dollars, which was substantial at the time. Although the arborists of the early 1900s were preoccupied with such tree surgery as cavity filling, they were also engaged in pruning. [url="write my paper"]http://essaywritingservices.org/prices.php[/url] It soon became apparent that pruning was far more important than cavity work for general tree maintenance, especially when it became apparent that most cavities develop from improper pruning, or no pruning at all. It also became clear that pruning was essential throughout the life of the tree, and that the importance of early and constant pruning was often overlooked. In their preoccupation with [url="http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Research.html"]Research Paper[/url] cavity treatment, the early arborists failed to give pruning the priority that need and practicality would demand.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The Foundation for Great Essay Writing

The Foundation for Great Essay Writing On this episode, we look at the foundation of a great essay and some tips for writing one. The topics we cover are:First, how to organize your thoughts in a coherent way. Without this skill, it is difficult for any student to earn higher degrees and succeed in their career, regardless of the field they are in. If your essay is illogical in its organization, your readers will be far less likely to follow what youve written to determine your knowledge of the topic. Basically, your essay will demonstrate very clearly whether you are a credible source or not.Second, we look at how to show your knowledge of what you are writing about, and how to conduct the needed research. Essentially, this reflects the amount of work you put into your studies. Professors and admissions committees want to know that you are willing to put in the effort to learn and achieve success in your academic pursuits, and this is impossible without carefully and critically researching various topics.Third, we discus s the ability to conduct intelligent debate. The foundation of intelligent debate is based on knowing all sides of the issue and knowing how to express your opinion without alienating audiences who might disagree. A student might know his or her topic well, but without the ability to present their knowledge of the topic respectfully, their credibility and expertise are questioned.Fourth, we look at the need for excellent grammar and writing skills, since these skills are necessary for the effective communication of ideas.And finally, we discuss the importance of being mindful when meeting a deadline. Sometimes, the most well-written essays get rejected or receive a low score, simply because a deadline was not met.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Horrifying Hammerhead Worm Facts

Horrifying Hammerhead Worm Facts The hammerhead worm (Bipalium sp.) is a terrifying and toxic terrestrial flatworm. Its both a predator and a cannibal, and is basically a large planarian that lives on land. While the distinctive-looking worms dont pose a direct threat to human beings, they are an invasive species that eradicates earthworms. Fast Facts: Hammerhead Worm Scientific Name: Bipalium sp.Other Names: Broadhead planarian, landchovyDistinguishing Features: Large terrestrial planarian with a spade-shaped head and ventral foot or creeping soleAverage Size: Over 20 cm in length (B. kewense)Diet: Carnivorous, known to eat earthworms and each otherLifespan: Potentially immortalHabitat: Distributed worldwide, preferring humid, warm habitatsConservation Status: Not evaluatedKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: PlatyhelminthesClass: RhabditophoraOrder: TricladidaFamily: GeoplanidaeFun Fact: The hammerhead worm is one of very few terrestrial invertebrates known to produce tetrodotoxin. Description The most distinctive features of the hammerhead worm are its fan-shaped or spade-like head and long, flattened body. The underside of the planarian has a large creeping sole used for locomotion. Species are differentiated by the shape of the head, size, coloration, and stripe pattern. The terrestrial planarians are earth-colored, found in shades of gray, brown, gold, and green. Small hammerhead worms include B. adventitium, which ranges from 5 to 8  cm (2.0 to 3.1  in) in length. In contrast, adult B. kewense worms can exceed 20 cm in length. The hammerhead worm has a long, flattened body and a broad head. up close with nature / Getty Images Distribution and Habitat Hammerhead worms are native to tropical and subtropical regions, but have become invasive worldwide. It is believed the planarians were accidentally distributed on rooted horticultural plants. Because hammerhead worms require humidity, they are uncommon in desert and mountain biomes. Diet Bipalium worms are carnivores, known to prey on earthworms, slugs, insect larvae, and each other. The worms detect prey using chemoreceptors located under the head or ventral groove. A hammerhead worm tracks its prey, pushes it against a surface, and entangles it in slimy secretions. Once the prey is mostly immobilized, the worm extends is pharynx out from its body and secretes digestive enzymes. It sucks liquefied tissue into its branched gut using cilia. When digestion is complete, the worms mouth also serves as its anus. Hammerhead worms store food in vacuoles in their digestive epithelium. A worm can survive several weeks on its reserves and will cannibalize its own tissues for food. Bipalium kewense capturing an earthworm. Researchers believe the planarian secretes a toxin to immobilize its prey.   Jean-Lou Justine​, Leigh Winsor, Delphine Gey, Pierre Gros, and Jessica Thà ©venot Toxicity While some types of worms are edible, the hammerhead worm is not among them. The planarian contains the potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin. The toxin is found in pufferfish, the blue-ringed octopus, and rough-skinned newts, but not in a terrestrial invertebrate prior to its discovery in the hammerhead worm. The worm can use the toxin to immobilize prey and deter predators. Behavior Hammerhead worms have been mistakenly called hammerhead slugs because they move in a slug-like fashion. They use cilia on their creeping sole to glide over a strip of mucus. The worms have also been observed lowering themselves down a string of mucus. Land planarians are photo-negative and need high humidity. So, the animals usually move and feed at night. They prefer cool, damp places, typically residing under rocks, logs, or shrubs. Reproduction The worms are hermaphrodites, with each individual possessing both testes and ovaries. A hammerhead worm can exchange gametes with another worm via its secretions. Fertilized eggs develop inside the body and are shed as egg capsules. After about three weeks, the eggs hatch and the worms mature. In some species, juveniles have different coloration from adults. However, asexual reproduction is much more common than sexual reproduction. Hammerhead worms, like other planaria, are essentially immortal. Usually, a worm reproduces via fragmentation, leaving behind a tail tip stuck to a leaf or other substrate, which then develops into an adult. If the worm is cut into pieces, each section can regenerate into a fully-developed organism within a few weeks. Injured worms rapidly regenerate damaged tissue. Conservation Status None of the species of hammerhead worm have been evaluated for the IUCN Red List, but there is no evidence their numbers are threatened. Land planarians are widely distributed in their natural tropical and subtropical habitats and have extended worldwide. Once established in a greenhouse, the animals disperse into the surrounding region. In cold areas, the worms are able to survive freezing by seeking protected locations. Economic Importance At one time, researchers were concerned terrestrial planarians might damage plants. Over time, they were deemed harmless to greenery, but then a more insidious threat appeared. Hammerhead worms can exterminate earthworm populations. Earthworms are important because they aerate and fertilize soil. While some methods used to control slugs also work on the flatworms, hammerhead worms are considered a threatening invasive species. Their effect on ecosystems has yet to be fully understood. Sources Ducey, P. K.; Cerqua, J.; West, L. J.; Warner, M. (2006). Eberle, Mark E, ed. Rare Egg Capsule Production in the Invasive Terrestrial Planarian Bipalium Kewense. The Southwestern Naturalist. 51 (2): 252. doi:10.1894/0038-4909(2006)51[252:RECPIT]2.0.CO;2Ducey, P. K.; West, L. J.; Shaw, G.; De Lisle, J. (2005). Reproductive ecology and evolution in the invasive terrestrial planarian Bipalium adventitium across North America. Pedobiologia. 49 (4): 367. doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2005.04.002Ducey, P. K.; Messere, M.; Lapoint, K.; Noce, S. (1999). Lumbricid Prey and Potential Herpetofaunal Predators of the Invading Terrestrial Flatworm Bipalium adventitium (Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola). The American Midland Naturalist. 141 (2): 305. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(1999)141[0305:LPAPHP]2.0.CO;2Ogren, R. E. (1995). Predation behaviour of land planarians. Hydrobiologia. 305: 105–111. doi:10.1007/BF00036370Stokes, A. N.; Ducey, P. K.; Neuman-Lee, L.; Hanifin, C. T.; French, S. S.; Pfrender, M. E.; Brodie, E. D.; Brodie Jr., E. D. (2014). Confirmation and Distribution of Tetrodotoxin for the First Time in Terrestrial Invertebrates: Two Terrestrial Flatworm Species (Bipalium adventitium and Bipalium kewense). PLoS ONE. 9 (6): e100718. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100718

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Connectivity in Health Care Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Connectivity in Health Care - Research Paper Example Ans. 2 Generally, intense and big activities are tried to be automated in healthcare like administration and finance. Nursing activities are one such kind which is still devoid of a place in electronic record keeping. From bedside handovers to recording patient recovery status, it is considered too trivial to be automated when there are so many other activities to turn electronic. As such, it is likely that this specific activity area will still remain on paper records for some time (Brown 2011). In order to automate it through the use of IT, initial check-up details should be stored by nurses on systems and distributed to all the nurses who are taking care of patients. Further, whenever patient recovery status is recorded or any test is conducted, complete and proper information should be feed into the system with the use of handheld gadgets. This way, paper costs and costs incurred in delayed claims can be avoided and quality of care can be enhanced dramatically. Ans. 3 The integra ted healthcare system at Kaiser Permanente demonstrates high level of technical integration and subsequent expertise of employees, nurses and physicians in handling electronic operations. With a US community hospital having less than 300 beds, it would be difficult to derive the same benefits as with Kaiser.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Bardens Bakery System Investigation Research Paper

Bardens Bakery System Investigation - Research Paper Example Question: Following on from any possible incorrect orders: If an order is received in the afternoon say, then the order would be raised manually, i.e. input by hand. Answer: There is a lot of paperwork associated with this process. Lots of problems with this current system, therefore there it is hoped that new information system can solve [there could be human errors in the 'manual order' process]. Question: How does the delivery process work Answer: Each delivery is dispatched the following day. Answer to Part 2 - SYNOPSIS AND EVALUATION Answer to section 1: The purpose of functional decomposition is to iteratively break down the description of the system into finer detail which creates a set of charts in which one process on a given chart is explained in greater detail on another chart. Each process may consist of several sub processes. Each sub processes may also be broken down into smaller units. Decomposition continues until you have reached the point where no sub process can logically be broken down any further. A good Functional Decomposition helps the analysis in several ways: The simplicity of the structure and representation aids in understanding the breakdown of functions and processes. Specifying the precise requirements and features for each function becomes easier because the functions and processes are broken down into smaller units. The partitioning and independence of the functions localizes errors and minimizes system faults. It allows the customer to view and discuss the organization in a form that can be dealt with, i.e., as a collection of functions, rather than as a continuous process. The process of decomposing the functional requirements is as follows: Decomposition Diagrams: A decomposition diagram or... Each process may consist of several sub processes. Each sub processes may also be broken down into smaller units. Decomposition continues until you have reached the point where no sub process can logically be broken down any further. A data flow diagram (DFD) of the scope of an organizational system that shows the system boundaries, external entities that interact with the system and the major information flows between the entities and the system The above process starts with the primary function of the company and breaks down to the services it provides and the granular level of decomposition is shown to give a picture of all the processes involved and sub processes that are carried on. The preparation for the interview demanded a lot of knowledge of the back ground of the company processes and it required a detailed study of the various processes which are carried on. The inflows, outflows and the various data structures, for example the databases involved. The overall conduct was good. Working within a team led to the identification of facts and better understanding the penetrations of the system and the decision as to how many data flows are involved.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Brave New World and Ethics Essay Example for Free

Brave New World and Ethics Essay Barely peeking over the horizon the barren landscape sparkled as rays of light pierced the darkness driving away the aches and pain from their tired bodies. Straining his eyes he saw the river glowing far in the distance looking so harmless in daylight. Shuddering softly the dark churning waters of the previous night haunted him as he look at the serene form of his wife as she lay in fitful slumber. Turning around he allowed himself one last chance to partake in sweet memories of friends, family, his country, all left behind. As his wife stirred he turned around. He never looked back. Forward they walked towards opportunities untold. Forward they walk towards a new beginning. Forward they walked in America, home of the free. For centuries humans have forsaken the comforts of their current situations in search of a better existence for themselves and their families. From migrating thousands of miles to overthrowing governments humans have a knack for defying the odds successfully in pursuit of their morals and values. Descendant from a primitive apelike people, humans developed over thousands of years morphing into a super species where science is exalted in the quest to dominate nature. In the modern era, scientific and technological advancement are idolized as successes in these fields test the limits of our imaginations. With recent discoveries in genetics and the decoding of the human genome, scientists and politicians today work tirelessly towards complete control of the human body, plants, animals with dazzling results and further successes projected even up to the creation of synthetic life. However, many lines of research have sparked considerable controversy as society moves into an age of untold possibilities. The book Brave New World by Aldous Huxely portrays a futuristic society where humans have been molded into a cast system through chemical mutations, mind altering drugs, and psychological conditioning. With all classic philosophy, literature, and history destroyed as relics of the past, society stands static without any knowledge of a societal reality more primitive or advanced than the status quo. Despite current societal movement towards genetic modification and enhancement, the censorship and elimination of creative perspective present in Huxely’s utopia contradict the individualism and sense of self gave driving society forward. Modern society will never mirror Huxely’s utopia do to the innate spirituality and drive for growth that characterizes human nature. Brave New World depicts a society where humans control their bodies and environment through chemical treatments. Although scientifically impossible, this basic premise of environmental control becomes a reality when utilizing the principles of modern genomics. Over the last two decades scientists have gradually decoded every gene and strand of DNA that allows the human body to function. The gravity of this feat is insurmountable opening the door to limitless possibilities. But despite identifying several the causes of several common polygenic disorders (disorders in which several gene are implicated) and identifying the genes responsible for several Mendelian disorders, the promise of Gene therapy has â€Å"proved nothing but a pipe dream†(Kass). Beyond the elimination of disease, genetically enhanced and altered crops have increased in popularity. Several strains of crops such as cotton, corn, and soybeans have been enhanced with artificial genes that produce insecticides or resistance to herbicides. Furthermore, scientists are attempting to genetically modify plants, insects, and bacteria. Geneticists hope that in the near future genetically engineered plants will have the ability to feed on toxic pollutants. And certain bacteria have already been altered to produce chemicals valuable in manufacturing such as adipic acid, one of the ingredients in nylon, and teraphthalic acid, a component of a specialist polyester (Kass). With the possibilities of producing indestructible crops, plants that eliminate pollutants, and genetically modified fauna to produce chemicals, the economic stability and general prosperity depicted in Brave New World may become a reality in years to come. Furthermore, Huxley’s utopia presented a society where being a mother or father was considered vile and disgusting. Children were manufactured in â€Å"Hatchery And Conditioning Centers† where embryos were designed and enhanced with a complex cocktail of chemical additives in a manufacturing process. Currently modern technology has not developed a method of substituting natural birth conditions and genetically altering an embryo is close to impossible (Kass). But the prospect of genetically modified embryos dubbed â€Å"Designer Babies† lurks in the future. When these techniques develop society will possess the capabilities of genetically determining the capabilities of newborns despite whether artificial birth exists. From an ideological view, the extreme dehumanization in Brave New World may seem difficult to comprehend, but as generation builds on generation, the evolution of cultural practices and values inches society closer a similar state. As science allows society to conquer infertility or improve the genetic makeup of a child, birth moves one step closer to a manufacturing process (Carr). Even when moving beyond the technological transformations, the dominant explanation of organic life is the theory of evolution which directly undermines the value of human life (Carr). Rather than beings with spirits and a divine purpose, society diminishes mankind to nothing more than a meaningless collection of cells whose purpose is reproduction. Regardless of the technological and ideological influences that create a level of symmetry with Huxely’s utopia, our society can never reach the extremes presented in Brave New World because the core cultural values depicted directly contradict those our society ascribe to. Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning†. Brave New World depicted such a society where those not in a drug induced coma or suffering from purposeful cognitive damage were confined to a bland meaningless existence. Our society today is designed to award the innovative and talented as all struggle to achieve individual success. Emphasizing individual growth and achievement, our society will never sit static and unchanged as the world depicted in Huxely’s work.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Importance of History and Culture in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club Es

The Importance of History and Culture in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club   Ã‚  Ã‚   The impact of history and culture on an individual's life is tremendous. History plays a large role in forming an individual because it helps them develop morals, ideals, and goals in life. It begins the process of finding an identity. The past is never forgotten because it leaves marks on ones life as a scar does to ones body. It may go unseen physically, but the emotional effects it produces last a lifetime, and can continue on for generations to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The women in the novel, The Joy Luck Club, deal with all of the good and the bad that their history and culture have to offer. At times they experience difficulties because the mothers and daughters, although they are as one, share different cultures, while their history is the same. Ying-Ying St.Claire is the mother of Lena, who is a Chinese-American women. Lena and her mother don’t see eye to eye at all times because of the fact that they were raised in different cultures.   Ying-Ying grew up in China in a very well-to-do family. At first she had very few worries, other than being obedient. Her Amah once told her, â€Å"You don’t need to understand. Just behave, follow your mothers example (Tan,66)†. As she grew older, she had to prepare for her future; a life of following future husbands orders and taking care of her husbands family. Chinese women would do this because it was expected of them. They would care for their husbands parents so th at when they were old they would be taken care of as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Ying-Ying learned everything, all of the lessons and life’s meanings, from her mother. Her mother learned everything that she knew from her own mother, as well as through experiences from her own... ...all Chinese, and the daughters are Chinese-American. The mothers grew up in a more strict environment and followed the rules by the book. They were taught by their mothers, how to act, who they were, and what being Chinese meant. The daughters in this story grew up in a more relaxed world, where being an individual was accepted and appreciated. No one was punished for being themselves in America. For the women in this novel, finding their true identity was one of the most important things. By using their cultural background and discovering who their mothers were, they were able to find their true selves in the end as well giving them a complete sense of identity.    Work Cited Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club, Ballantine Books, 1989    Thi Do, Thuan. â€Å"Chinese-American Women in American Culture†, available at http://www.ics.uci.edu/~tdo/ea/chinese.html, 1992.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Bluesky Shopping Mall

Analytical Report on Blue Sky Shopping Mall Executive Summary Blue Sky Shopping Mall is a large shopping mall in a thriving business center in Myaynigone. However, it is in a bad shape and its growth is declining. Several factors, such as the lack of vision and mission and long-term plan, unsuitable organizational structure, lack of target market and market strategies and the high turnover rate affect the growth of the Shopping Mall. This report sets out a plan and recommendations to reinvent a new invigorating image of the Shopping Mall. Based on a situational analysis, it draws up an organizational structure best suited for the Mall.The organization structure explains the type of management needed, the importance of strong and visionary leadership, some marketing strategies and marketing mixes. Moreover, this report gives recommendation for some aspects of human resource management. It seeks to revitalize the Shopping Mall and make it a profitable business, serving the needs of the customers best. Introduction In the beginning of the year 2013, our Chairman Dr. Patrick Hong made an acquisition of Blue Sky Shopping Mall. The Shopping mall is located in No. 7, Bargaya Road, Myaynigone, Sanchaung, Yangon.The location of the Shopping Mall is very strategic in many aspects. The area has a thriving business environment with Dagon Center I and II, Gamonepwint, City Mart, and some other fashion shops, restaurants, Car Accessories Shop and Car Show Room. The Shopping Mall is a nine-storey building with a car park next to it. The Shopping Mall has eight sectors, starting with store-room at the basement, Food Court, Department Store, Clothing, Sports, Cosmetics, Appliances, Housing Accessories, and Recreation (play stations, playground for children and cinemas) on the ninth floor. I. Business Administration 1. 1.Long-term Business Plan Situational Analysis Blue Sky Shopping Mall was established in January 2010. The newly founded Shopping Mall initially enjoyed considera ble reputation and generated much profit. However, now it is not doing very well. The situational analysis below looks into some positive facts as well as some of the main causes of decline. A. Internal Factors: Strength and Weakness a. Strengths i. There are some experienced and skilled employees with potentials for becoming leaders. ii. The majorities of employees are young, hardworking and eager to learn to become more competent in their jobs. ii. As each sector (e. g food/clothing) occupies a floor, the interior organization of the Shopping Mall is simple and easy for shoppers to search for items they need and easy to manage. iv. The quality of the retailed products is as good as those from Dagon Center I and II and Gamonepwint. b. Weakness Organizational structure i. The organizational structure takes a centralization approach with all the decisions made by CEO. This has a heavy negative impact on the whole operation of the Mall. With too many matters at the hand of the CEO alo ne and decisions could not be made in time and problems pile up. i. There is no delegation of power given to supervisors of each sector. They have to wait for the decisions of CEO. The problems in each department became graver and solutions and directions became long overdue. This greatly hampers the efficient running of the Shopping Mall. iii. Having too many matters in hand, the CEO could not establish good relationship with the staff. He could only inspect each sector in rare occasions. Some employees take advantage of his absence and shun their responsibilities. This causes much quarrelling among staff.And as the number of problems increase the CEO becomes stressful and authoritative and could not trust his subordinates. iv. The few numbers of security personnel at the entrance of the Mall cannot cope with the long line of people pouring into the Mall. As a result, people become frustrated with queuing up and gradually turn away from the Mall. v. There is no clear job descriptio n given to supervisors, the staff in each department become confused. The direct effect of this disorientation is apparent in maintenance such as cleaning, replacing expired products, mistaken price label and shortage of stocks. vi. The cashiers are not well-trained.They take a long time to serve the customers. This causes unnecessary long queue at the payment counter making the customers feel stressed and sometimes quarrel among themselves. vii. The lack of clear break time schedule among the cashiers adds another problem to the long queue at the payment counter. viii. The staffs at the customer information are not well trained. The consequence is they cannot give necessary and satisfactory answers or directions effectively to the customers. Their discourteous manner causes great unease and unpleasantness to the customers. ix. The staffing of â€Å"general inspectors† is absent.These are people who go around to make sure that everything in a sector is running well. When ther e is a need in a sector there is no one to remind or report to the supervisors. Consequently, things do not get replaced or repaired soon enough. x. The food court has few drinks and items on the menu and the waiters and waitresses are not trained. Marketing i. One of the greatest weaknesses of the Shopping Mall is that it has no clearly defined target market. ii. In effect, there is no proper marketing plan. iii. No promotion such as new product launch, seasonal sale events, and special items sales and so on are carried out. v. Due to the centralization approach to management with nearly all the responsibilities resting on CEO, he could not give time to do market Survey. Human resource management i. The recognition and rewarding of certain workers in terms of their achievement is not carried out consistently. It is done casually and arbitrarily and thus leadership failed to encourage hard work and celebrate achievements. ii. The lack of continual capacity building of the staff, as was seen with the cashiers and the staff in customer information sector, has severe negative effects on the growing numbers and demand of customers. ii. The pay and benefits of the workers are not clearly designed, thus lack incentive for workers. iv. The morale of the staff begins to decline. This affects the spirit of service given to customers. All the mentioned weaknesses create a high turnover rate. B. External Factors: Opportunities and Threats Opportunities v. â€Å"Let’s go shopping. † is a popular phrase among people these days. When they say that they usually mean going to a shopping mall. Even when not buying, people like to just stroll in the Shopping Mall to get air-condition, or a meet their friends in it.It is a good rendezvous because it is clean; it is easy to reach by public transport; it offers affordable prices and thus makes it very convenient. In other words, it is a very good place to attract people, especially the young, to spend money. vi. As m ore and more young people meet their friends or watch movies at shopping malls, the social attitude is somehow synonymous with having money to spend. The young could be very reliable and profitable target customers. If the Mall is designed to cater to them in terms of ambience, products, prices and services they would flock to the Shopping Mall. ii. Given a good pay and good work environment, many young people can be recruited to contribute to the rapid attainment of the objectives of the Shopping Mall. Young people are energetic and creative. If only their potentials were channeled into the right direction, they could make up a very strong and efficient workforce. viii. The location of the Mall is very strategic. It is located in a thriving business area. The population around the area is quite dense. There are many schools, training and language centers in the areas. Young people make up the bulk of the population.Many forms of public transportation reach the area. The car park is a major asset to the Mall. All these conditions offer a tremendous opportunity for the Mall to be very successful. Threats i. The main rivals near Blue Sky Shopping, Dagon Center and Gamonepwint and City Mart are doing very well. They could take all customers and gain their loyalty. ii. Recently there has been heavy traffic congestion near Myaynigone area. This could turn away potential customers to other less congested shopping malls. Long-term Business Plan Vision To be a leading Shopping Mall creating space and value for the young.Mission Through young, energetic, and creative workforce, we know the needs of customers and fulfill them with delivering the latest quality products at workable price, at convenient location and provide a perfect rendezvous and best customer services. Objectives 1. Strategic objectives i. To reinvent a new image of the Shopping Mall with a new name and a new organizational structure in 6 months ii. To attain 10% market share within a year and increase it yearly 2. Tactical objectives i. To put in place the new management system ii. To build workers capacity for skills and services ii. To give space for young leaders with their creative ideas and promotion to win loyalty of young people 3. Operational objectives i. Run the new management system effectively in three month. ii. Conduct human capacity building for supervisors, managers in 3 months. iii. Expend capacity building to the rest of the stuff in a year. iv. Elect at least 30 new potential leaders in a year 1. 2. Organizational Structure CEO Finance manager| | Marketing manager| | Human Resource manager| | General Manager| | Purchase manager| | Security manager| | | | | | | | | | | |Senior accountants| | Sale promotion manager| | HR executives| | Engineers| | Supervisors| | Supervisors| | | | | | | | | | | | Junior accounts| | event manager| | supervisors| | Supervisors| | Sector heads| | Staff| | | | | | | | | | | | Auditors| | Advertisement team| | Trainers| | sector head s| | staff| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cashiers| | Public relation team| | staff| | staff| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sector head| | sector head| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | staff| | staff| | | | | | | | | Since all the sectors operate almost daily routine retailing, the organization is re-structured as seen in the chart above.Clear job description and special authority are given to sector heads to make key decision as they are more familiar with every day market and situation. They will work closely with the CEO in attaining the Shopping Mall goals and sales targets. In this sense, decentralization is more conducive to the Mall success and fit more into the management system. The chain of command, which means, â€Å"an unbroken line of authority that links all individuals in the organization and specifies who reports to whom†, can be seen from the organizational structure.In a Shopping Mall setting, daily retailing of a wide range of products need to have a very strong and clear scalar principle, which clearly defines authority and responsibilities. Span of Management Chief Cashier Staff 1 Staff 2 Staff 3 Staff 4 Chief Standby Staff 1 Staff 2 Staff 3 Staff 4 Replace inspector Staff 1 Staff 2 Staff 3 Staff 4 Customer service Staff 1 Staff 2 Staff 3 Staff 4 Sector Head Since the business is retail and each floor containing one sector, it is easier to organize the span of change.Each sector has a sector head with standby inspectors, cashiers head, replacing head immediately under him/her who would supervise about ten staff. In diagram one sector would look like this. 1. 3. Leadership 1. 3 The Importance of leadership in a rapidly changing world The importance of a leader in an organization can be compared to the captain of a ship. The captain not only directs the ship where to go, he/she encourages the crew member, supervise the crew to serve the people on board, and look forward to the danger, take the route that would give maximum satisfacti on during their ride on the ship.Without a leader with excellent management and interpersonal skill as well as with a clear vision toward the future, the crew will be disoriented, the ship would not get to its destination, the journey would be unpleasant, and the ship might even sink amidst the prevalent dangers in the sea. Due to the weakness of leadership in many areas as mentioned in situation analysis, the Blue Sky Shopping Mall got into a bad shape and is not reaping profit. In this age of rapid change in technological advances in telecommunication, social transformation, mass media culture and globalization, leadership must constantly adapt to these changes.If leadership in an organization could not keep abreast with the paces of these changes, that organization will certainly fall behind. The case of Blue Sky Shopping Mall is an example of the failure of leadership to respond to changes. The number of customers increased in the first years; however few security personnel coul d not cope with increasing numbers. As the number increased it demanded better and efficient services. In this respect also the CEO failed to respond. Moreover, CEO could not respond rapidly to a number of problems, which were actually, opportunities; especially he failed to look into the market demand of the young.As more and more people are becoming more aware health and environment issues the retailed products should co-respond to these shifts of expectation. In terms of ethical issues, the low wages of the staff in proportion to the hours of work, the Blue Sky earn a bad image in the public’s eye. When the CEO became too distant from the staff, and failed to share the values and views of the customers and the employee, the dynamic of the organization was very much weakened. All these shortcomings pointed out that leaders should constantly cooperate in the organization they lead. In other words, leadership is the lifeblood of an organization. . 4 Organizational Control As seen in the organizational structure chart, individuals at the top management will work closely with all the employees. Since the organization will continue to use existing employees only serving more or less the same products, the organization control focus will be on concurrent control and feedback control only. II. Marketing Marketing Strategies A. Segmentation Considering the opportunities in situational analysis, the strategic location of Blue Sky in an area which is populated by young people and people of white color jobs, we segment our market in the following categories. . Location 2. Age group 3. Income B. Targeting Since Shopping Mall gives retailing services, the most profitable portion of customers would be young adult, especially women, given the fact that the working population of young adults in Yangon is female aged between 16-35. Another target is families. Not only newly-wed but also families with children can be assumed to have a certain regular income. They make up a significant portion of population compared to people age-group below 18 and above 60. Still another target within the income group is people with middle income. They have considerable income to spend.Therefore, the Shopping mall should create value for this class of people. C. Positioning Shopping Mall can meet the needs of the market tremendously since it retails a wide range of products. Therefore, the positioning becomes very important. According to the text book, positioning means a product should have a clear, distinctive, and desirable place in the market (Pre-MBA marketing Principle, p 24). Since Shopping Mall retails many kinds of products to different target of customers, it is very crucial to consider and plan positioning with great care and in great detail.To have a clear positioning, the Mall should stock all the relevant products to meet, at the maximum satisfaction, the needs of the targeted groups. Shortage of stocks or lack of varieties of certain products could affect customers’ expectation and could lose their loyalty. Thus, the supervisor of each sector should immerse themselves into the market and constantly try to fulfill the market needs. It could use the slogan â€Å"We have what you need†. Another element of positioning is the product must be distinctive. In this sense, the Shopping Mall should cater to the targeted customers.The Shopping Mall should earn a reputation that fulfils the specific needs of the young adults, the middle-incomer, and the families. For instance, for the female young adults, to get the latest fashion and cosmetics, they should associate the Shopping Mall with their needs. Or when they want to meet their friends, they should automatically choose â€Å"Blue Sky Shopping Mall†, ‘because that’s the best place young people hang out. ’ Excellent service should be another distinctive feature of Blue Sky Shopping Mall. The last element of positioning is desirable. What could be more desirable for customers’ value than low price?Since the target group is the middle income group, the low price positioning would appeal and meet group’s need. In summary the marketing strategies can be shown in table as follows. Segmentation| Targeting| Positioning| location| Yangon, especially Myaynigone and Hledan| Clear place – â€Å"We have what you need. †| Age-group| Young adults and adults| Distinctive place – young and lively ambience| Income| Middle income group| Desirable – affordable to low price| Marketing Mix a. Product/customer solution Retailing service is considered as a product. In fact, it creates the best value or solution for customers’ needs and problems. b.Price/customer cost As mentioned in marketing positioning, we consider affordable to low price to be attractive to our targeted customers. c. Place/convenience Blue Sky Shopping Mall. A convenient place where all the public transport can reach, an ambi ence especially designed for and cater to the young, a place of great value to customers where their needs are fulfilled with the best service. d. Promotion/two-way communication In line with our objectives and target customer needs, promotions in the form of fashion shows, movies festivals, today special food, and some other creatively appealing to the young populace should be carried out.Frequent sales could promote the interest of the customers. III. Human Resource Management To respond to the high turnover rate, besides installing a new organizational structure, the following issues should be addressed adequately. The Human Resource Team should tackle the following areas: 1. Job, role, competency and skills analysis The first step in planning a workforce to fit into a new organizational structure, a comprehensive job, role, competency and skills analysis of the existing resources should be carried out in order to allot them in the areas they are best at.That way the organization will move smoother and faster to achieve its goal. 2. Training and Development After the analysis of job, role, competency and skills, a careful plan should be drawn up to train and develop the employers beginning with the most critical teams such as section heads, security personnel, cashiers and customer information services. 3. Creating a clear work schedule Part of the problem we saw in situation analysis was the lack of clear schedule, which causes much confusion and even quarrels among the workers. A schedule with reasonable amount of rest and clear timetable for lunch shift should remedy the chaos. . Pay, benefit and reward system As an incentive to promote high performance, reasonable pay according to competency and skill should be clearly made known to employees. Besides, benefits such as holidays, medical insurance, bonuses plan should be put in place and implement them consistently and transparently. Rewards for extraordinary performance as in sales or customer relations hip or taking up responsibility with good attitude should be promoted. This will not only encourage them to realize their potentials but also motivate the workforce to strive toward better performance. 5.Opportunity for personal development Since the majority of the employees are young people, the management could pick from the large pool of talents to drive forward the organization with momentum and efficiency. In this regard, potential workers should be handpicked and trained for specific task, within a framework. This is beneficial not only to the employees but also for the organization. 6. Warm and creative work environment enlivened by shared vision Most importantly, the employees are not just paid workers. They are human beings with feelings and emotions. And work has value for their lives.Thus work should give them meaning for their lives. To that end, the work environment should be warm and there should be space for their creativity as the worker population is young. If a vi sion of the Shopping Mall could be shared, it would facilitate the process. One important point is that unlike the top-down management, the people in higher position should show care, concern, and intimacy with all the employers. Only then, work environment could be warm and creative. Conclusion The business plan for Blue Sky Shopping Mall shows the overall plan of how to revitalize the Shopping Mall.The report points out areas of weakness where the Shopping Mall needs to tackle to improve its growth. The report believes that the recommendation gives a picture of what the Blue Sky Shopping Mall would look like after re-structuring the organization and imputing vision, mission, marketing plans and plans to reshape the workforce. There is a great chance that Blue Sky Shopping Mall can regain its former glory. Reference list: * MBA premaster course of business administration * http://www. capitaland. com/about-capitaland/our-mission * http://www. capitamallsasia. com/corporate/our_visi on_mission. aspx

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Capitalism and Religion in the Works and Lives of Franklin and Equiano Essay

Capitalism and religion are two subjects which appear frequently in both â€Å"The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin† and â€Å"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano,† because these were important parts of the lives of these two men. Both men were able to be players in the capitalist market while still following a spiritual doctrine because each man chose which was more important to him-capitalist goals or Christian morals. For each man, the one which was less important submitted to the one which was more valuable to him. Both men take part in capitalism and religion, but Franklin places capitalism first and Equiano places religion first. Each man made life choices according to this hierarchy of importance, sacrificing parts of the less important in order to pursue and excel in the one they held dearer. Franklin, a hard-working and frugal businessman who many have said embodies the capitalist spirit, made his religious choices around his identity as a capitalist, while the extent of Equiano’s participation and success in the capitalist market was determined by his faith. Both spiritual, both capitalist businessmen, Franklin and Equiano brought together these two seemingly opposed components of their lives by blending the two and taking aspects from each to use in their participation in the other, but always letting the one they considered more important to trump the other in situations where a choice between capitalism and religion had to be made. As Benjamin Franklin explained in his autobiography, he â€Å"never doubted†¦the existence of the Deity† (62), and he described several occasions when he asked God for assistance in times of need, so it is clear he was spiritual. Franklin wished to be morally upright, but he disliked organized religion and found that in each religious sect, the religious beliefs he held were â€Å"mix’d with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire, promote, or conform morality, serv’d principally to divide us† (62). For this reason, Franklin did not attend church regularly or abide by any one religion, although he agreed with bits and pieces of many different faiths. But he considered himself a moral man, and wished to achieve the same thing encouraged in Christian teachings: â€Å"moral perfection† (63). For this reason, Franklin decided to create his own list of virtues to abide by. Rather than abandoning faith altogether because he could not find a church which was in line with his way of thinking, Franklin created his own personal religion-â€Å"The Art of Virtue.† Present in Franklin’s list of 13 virtues are several which are in accordance with Christianity-temperance, sincerity, justice, chastity, humility-but some key elements of the Christian religion have been removed from the doctrine by which he lives his life. Unlike Christianity, Franklin’s commandments make no mention of monetary accumulation. In many religions, it is stipulated that one who is wealthy cannot reach heaven. In the Bible, Jesus tells his disciples that â€Å"it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God† (Matthew 10:24). Because this does not serve Franklin’s interest in capitalist success, Franklin omitted from his virtues any mention of greed or accruement of wealth, instead including virtues which he thought were more important, and which served his capitalist aspirations more suitably. Several of his virtues are also non-Christian but clearly in the spirit of capitalism-resolution, frugality, and industry are not tenets of the Christian religion, but were essential in Franklin’s mind for success in the free market and therefore essential in the dogma he followed. By creating and following his own list of virtues, Franklin was able to pick and choose the best from both Christianity and capitalism. However, Franklin’s religious inclinations were formed by, and altered to fit, his capitalist aspirations, and his virtues were created in order to best serve his goals in the capitalist market. Franklin reconciled capitalism and religion by extracting from Christianity the beliefs which were most conducive towards capitalism, then adding morals of his own which were driven directly towards capitalist success. Therefore, he was able to participate in both, following a self-made religion that served the goals of capitalism. Olaudah Equiano, on the other hand, considered himself a Christian above all other labels. To him, religion was the most important aspect of his life, and he was willing to sacrifice everything else before he would compromise his religious beliefs. Equiano’s first introduction to the capitalist system came when he arrived at the port in Bridge Town, Barbados, and was placed in a yard with other slaves to be sold as a commodity. But Equiano did not participate actively in the capitalist system as a person (rather than an article of trade) until much later, when he bought and sold tumblers and other small objects during his trips at sea to earn enough money to purchase his freedom from his master. If it had not been necessary for Equiano to acquire his freedom, it is possible Equiano would never have entered the business arena. Equiano was not interested in having more money than what was required to survive because being greedy was contrary to his religious beliefs, and from the moment of his conversion to Christianity, Equiano’s faith guided his every decision. Unlike Franklin, Equiano did not cherish the spirit of capitalism. To him, money meant freedom, and later, the choice to go where he wanted and not be tethered to one ship or master, but Equiano did not equate money with happiness and instead looked to religion for solace in an unfamiliar world. Capitalism and Christianity were not at odds for Equiano because he never did anything non-Christian in order to achieve success in the capitalist world. When people owed Equiano money for goods delivered but not paid for, Equiano did not act out in revenge towards his debtors. He did what he could within the bounds of the law, and when that did not amount to anything, Equiano forgave the debts and simply continued on, because of his moral outlook on life. Equiano recounted countless times the cruelties black men, both slaves and free men, endured at the hands of white men, such as â€Å"giving [Equiano] however but very indifferent payment† (95) after taking goods from him. He can do nothing about these injustices, and instead trusts that God will give them their punishment in the afterlife. Too often also, to my knowledge, our clerks, and many others, at the same time have committed acts of violence on the poor, wretched, and helpless females†¦ Is not this one common and crying sin enough to bring down God’s judgment on the islands? He tells us the oppressor and the oppressed are both in his hands; and if these are not the poor, the broken-hearted, the blind, the captive, the bruised, which our Saviour speaks of, who are they? (80) Equiano relies on faith to dole out appropriate rewards and consequences after death and so is able to endure and observe many injustices without acting in anger or violence towards his oppressors. Rather than being a cutthroat businessman, Equiano worked honestly, earning money to live but never valuing material possessions over his religious morality. Equiano was a Christian who happened to be living within a capitalist world, but the most important part of his life, his faith, was never on the line because of capitalism-Christianity always came first. There are only two examples in Equiano’s autobiography of him doing something that goes against his religious beliefs. The first comes in Chapter 5, when Equiano swore that he would spend a day in London â€Å"in rambling and sport† (70). Shortly afterwards, Equiano felt terrible about saying something rashly and without thinking, and he asked God for forgiveness: he â€Å"acknowledged [his] transgression to God, and poured out [his] soul before Him with unfeigned repentance, and with earnest supplications [Equiano] besaught him not to abandon [him] in [his] distress† (70). Equiano immediately attempted to apologize to God for his wrong actions, and felt extremely guilty for having committed what appeared to be a small sin. The second occasion, in chapter 8, is very similar. Equiano cursed, â€Å"Damn the vessel’s bottom out,† (112) but immediately afterwards his conscience â€Å"smote† him for swearing, and he experienced guilt for his seemingly petty misdeed. These two examples show how strictly Equiano followed his religious teachings-he considered the act of swearing to be a large affront to God, and feared for his salvation because of his small sins. To him, straying from Christian morals at any time in any part of his life was unacceptable, and this governed his actions as a player in the capitalist market as well as in every other arena of his life. Equiano’s success as a businessman was not as great as it could have been if Equiano had been a more competitive salesperson and truly valued success in the capitalist market, but he chose to sacrifice this monetary success in order to follow his religious morals more strictly. His priorities determined his actions-as a capitalist Christian, rather than a Christian capitalist, Equiano made choices that put his faith first, and instead of striving for wealth and success, endeavored towards the redemption of his soul and eternal happiness. The actions Equiano took during his life were trivial to him as a devout Christian, because he believed that he would spend the rest of eternity in Heaven as reward for his morality while on earth. For Equiano, capitalism was just a system in the world of man, and money was not worth risking his eternal well-being over. Both Benjamin Franklin and Olaudah Equiano were successful businessmen who lived their lives according to religious principles-Franklin by his made-to-fit capitalist-influenced list of virtues, and Equiano by the teachings of Christianity and the Bible. But Franklin was a bigger financial and public success, because his achievement as a capitalist was most important to him. Franklin laid out a list of virtues for himself in order to pave the way for the most possible financial success and public acclaim-his â€Å"religion† served the spirit of capitalism. Equiano was only a mediocre financial success because he was not oriented towards the accumulation of wealth. Instead, he chose to achieve on the religious front. Equiano’s actions within the capitalist framework were mere details in the larger picture of his life as a good Christian. Both men were passionate-Franklin about capitalism and Equiano about his Christian faith-and both sacrificed other parts of their lives in order to keep intact their number one priority. Franklin was religious in the way that most promoted capitalist success, and Equiano was a capitalist businessperson only in the ways that were aligned with his religious beliefs. They reconciled capitalism and religion by choosing one over the other and allowing the lesser to function on a smaller scale and only within the framework of the more important.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Ballet Russe essays

The Ballet Russe essays Dance, as we know it today, has evolved into a tremendously popular aesthetically pleasing form of entertainment. It merges with other forms of art to create one master piece, a sort of melting pot of art. Before the time of Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe, dancing was not nearly as exciting and stimulating to watch, much less as popular. In the mere twenty years of its existence, the Ballet Russe accomplished more in the development of the art form than any single institution in history. Established in 1909, the Ballet Russe was successful from the very beginning. Not only did the ballets have beautiful choreography by brilliant choreographers such as Fokine, but also had willing and talented artists and musicians completing the package. This influenced society immensely, from fashion to the way art was appreciated. For example, the colorful settings in Sheherazade made by Leon Bakst, inspired the new Oriental look in home decorating and in clothes. Now famous painters such as Picasso, Braque, Rouault, and Matisse got clear exposure to the public eye in their set designs and paintings, peaking interest in new forms of visual art. All of this of course, would have never happened if it wasnt for Diaghilev. Frustrated with his failing law career, he dove into the world of painting and poetry by editing a journal which discussed the latest works. After supervising some productions with the Russian Imperial Theater, which he was dismissed from, Diaghilev finally foun d his niche, an impresario-producer of ballets. Of course, not coming from ballet training, he approached this job from the musical and artistic perspective, how to make the show better. His main vision was that classical ballet should represent a more timely, natural, and unified style of movement, plot, music, and painting reflective of the twentieth century. With this in mind, Diaghilev went on to make dozens of productions; Le...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Golden Lion Tamarin Facts

Golden Lion Tamarin Facts The golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) is a small New World monkey. The tamarin is easily identified by the reddish gold hair that frames its hairless face like a lions mane. Also known as a golden marmoset, the golden lion tamarin is an endangered species. So far, the tamarins have been saved from extinction by captive breeding in zoos and reintroduction into their native habitat. However, the outlook for this species in the wild is grim. Fast Facts: Golden Lion Tamarin Scientific Name: Leontopithecus rosaliaCommon Names: Golden lion tamarin, golden marmosetBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 10 inchesWeight: 1.4 poundsLife Span: 15 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Southeastern BrazilPopulation: 3200Conservation Status: Endangered Description The most obvious characteristic of the golden lion tamarin is its colorful hair. The monkeys coat ranges from golden yellow to red-orange. The color comes from carotenoids- pigments in the animals food- and the reaction between sunlight and hair. The hair is longer around the monkeys hairless face, resembling a lions mane. The golden lion tamarin is the largest of callitrichine family, but its still a small monkey. An average adult is about 26 centimeters (10 inches) long and weighs about 620 grams (1.4 pounds). Males and females are the same size. Tamarins have long tails and fingers, and like other New World monkeys, the golden lion tamarin has claws rather than flat nails. New World monkeys, like the tamarin, use elongated fingers with claws to catch and eat prey. Steve Clancy Photography / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution The golden lion tamarin has a tiny distribution range, restricted to 2 to 5 percent of its original habitat. It lives in three small areas of coastal rainforest in southeastern Brazil: Poà §o das Antas Biological Reserve, Fazenda Unio Biological Reserve, and tracts of land set aside for the Reintroduction Program. Golden lion tamarin range. Oona Risnen IUCN   Diet Tamarins are omnivores that eat fruit, flowers, eggs, insects, and other small animals. The golden lion tamarin uses its elongated fingers and toes to catch and extract its prey. Early in the day, the monkey feeds on fruit. In the afternoon, it hunts for insects and vertebrates. The golden lion tamarin has a mutualistic relationship with nearly a hundred plants in the forest. The plants offer the tamarins food, and in return, the tamarins disperse seeds, helping regenerate the forest and maintaining genetic variability in the plants. Nocturnal predators hunt the tamarins when they are sleeping. Significant predators include snakes, owls, rats, and wild cats. Behavior Golden lion tamarins live in trees. During the day, they use their fingers, toes, and tails to travel from branch to branch in order to forage. At night, they sleep in tree hollows or dense vines. Each night, the monkeys use a different sleeping nest. Tamarins communicate using a variety of vocalizations. Reproductive males and females communicate using scent to mark territory and suppress reproduction of other troop members. When the dominant female dies, her mate leaves the group, and her daughter becomes the breeding female. Displaced males can enter a new group when another male leaves or by aggressively displacing one. Tamarin groups are highly territorial, defending themselves against other golden lion tamarins in their range. However, the practice of changing sleeping sites tends to prevent overlapping groups from interacting. Reproduction and Offspring Golden lion tamarins live together in groups of 2 to 8 members. A tamarin group is called a troop. Each troop has one breeding pair that mates during the rainy season- usually between September and March. Gestation lasts four and a half months. The female usually gives birth to twins, but can have anywhere from 1 to 4 infants. Golden lion tamarins are born with fur and with their eyes open. All members of the troop carry and care for the infants, while the mother only takes them for nursing. The babies are weaned at three months of age. Females become sexually mature at 18 months, while males mature at 2 years of age. In the wild, most golden lion tamarins live about 8 years, but the monkeys live 15 years in captivity. Conservation Status In 1969, there were only about 150 golden lion tamarins worldwide. In 1984, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. started a reintroduction program that involved 140 zoos around the world. However, threats to the species were so severe that the tamarin was listed as critically endangered in 1996, with a total of 400 individuals in the wild. Today, the golden lion tamarin is categorized as endangered on the IUCN Red List, but its population is stable. An assessment in 2008 estimated there were 1,000 mature adults and 3,200 individuals of all ages in the wild. Despite the success of the captive breeding and release program, the golden lion tamarins continue to face threats. The most significant is habitat loss and degradation from residential and commercial development, logging, farming, and ranching. Predators and poachers have learned to identify monkey sleeping sites, affecting the wild population. Golden lion tamarins also suffer from new diseases when they are translocated and from inbreeding depression. Sources Dietz, J.M.; Peres, C.A.; Pinder L. Foraging ecology and use of space in wild golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia). Am J Primatol 41(4): 289-305, 1997.Groves, C.P., Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 133, 2005. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.Kierulff, M.C.M.; Rylands, A.B. de Oliveira, M.M. Leontopithecus rosalia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2008: e.T11506A3287321. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T11506A3287321.enKleiman, D.G.; Hoage, R.J.; Green, K.M. The lion tamarins, Genus Leontopithecus. In: Mittermeier, R.A.; Coimbra-Filho, A.F.; da Fonseca, G.A.B., editors. Ecology and Behavior of Neotropical Primates, Volume 2. Washington DC: World Wildlife Fund. pp. 299-347, 1988.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Unit2 -- IT3318 Systems Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Unit2 -- IT3318 Systems Administration - Essay Example Deciding which particular process must be continued and choosing to delete a particular program against the other chosen ones also makes up for the tasks completed during the process management. These include the input and output enabling commands and components. The sole purpose of the I/Os is the enabling function of converting a machine interfaced language to the user understandable language. There are other important functions that are assigned to the I/O components. These include providing the computer programmers with the relevant information about the source code only and protecting any other information that may not support the programmers purpose of tackling the operating system. Resource allocation process consists of the function of allocating the work load and the programs load according to the capacity of the operating system and the kernel. It is associated with the function of stacking up the information and ensuring that the operating system does not suffer from delay and wait. Allocating resources along the cache and preventing any deadlocks in the operating system activities make up for the allocation process. The purpose is to get a smooth flow of the operating system and overall performance altogether. RAM is used for this purpose which ensures providing the secondary data and storage for processes execution. Allocating the memory to the right kind of registers and addresses is the function fulfilled in this part of the program. Ensuring that the data so used is in use by the authentic users is also the main memory management function. Memory spaces adjustment on the hard disk and the Ram is another function performed during the main memory management process. Operating systems tools provide various functionary support and assistance in the case of patches and new versions of the operating systems introduced. The following are few of the commonly used and commonly

Thursday, October 31, 2019

British North America Secedes from the Empire Essay

British North America Secedes from the Empire - Essay Example Although such a question is necessarily broad and would require a thesis length response to capture the full depth and complexity exhibited therein, this brief essay will seek to establish the points as succinctly and efficiently as possible so as to provide the reader with a broad overview and analysis of key issues without becoming distracted by the sheer complexity that such an issue necessarily presents. In order to begin the discussion into the right of the people to secede and ultimately engage in violent struggle against their former government, the reader/researcher must first consider the situation throughout the rest of the British Empire prior to the outbreak of discontent and violence within the American colonies. Due to e very expensive Seven Years War, also known in the colonies as the French-Indian War, the British Empire found itself in a high level of debt. As with most governmental structures at that time, it was necessary for the British government to work to pay o ff this debt as soon as possible so as to give the Empire and the Crown a level of overall sovereignty and wealth (Cook 74). A little known fat with reference to the tax ratio in the colonies was the fact that it was in all actuality much lower than the tax rates of any other British possessions around the world. As a function of this, the royal review of parliament judged that it only made logical sense to add to the overall level of taxation within the colonies as a means of paying off this debt. As can be seen from history, this acted as a flashpoint of hardly subtle frustration that the colonists already harbored with relation to British rule. In this way, the political aspect of this taxation served to reignite the frustrations faced by the colonists at being what they termed as second class citizens. Whereas many historical interpretations have distorted the role that the taxes ultimately played in spurring the revolution onwards, the fact of the matter is that the taxes only served to provide the flashpoint upon which the other malcontents were able to focus their negative energies with regards to seeking to resist the British Empire and her influence over the colonies. Secondary and tertiary reasons for why the colonists decided to make the issue of higher taxation the proverbial line in the sand are concentric around the fact that the United States was a mercantile economy at the time and was highly dependent upon the British to continue to ignite the fire that kept the colony’s economies burning brightly. However, the situation appeared, at least to the colonists, to be one sided as they were forced to sell many raw materials and finished and unfinished goods back to the British without accruing any type of â€Å"clawback† tax; whereas, at the same time, the British were able to sell finished products within the American economy, as well as constrict the sale and transfer of â€Å"inter-American trade† by emplacing special taxes upon such goods (Porter 27). This of course led to a groundswell of anger that could only be channeled by the common derision and hatred for the increased cost of living that was passed along to all; both rich and poor. Adding insult to injury with

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Power Imbalances Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Power Imbalances - Coursework Example 1. Introduction: Most of the great achievements of contemporary organizations have been accomplished by adopting various new strategies in almost every sphere including organizational culture, systems, technology, human resources, operations etc. These achievements have not only increased competition but also necessitated, or even given rise to, various changes in management. One such change is the organizational structure that has changed to being a flat structure from a hierarchical one in most of the organizations. On the one hand, the flat organizational structure has helped in reducing the number of managerial levels in order to improve accessibility and increase accountability besides improving efficiency, reducing costs and better empowerment; on the other hand, this structure has bred power imbalances with greater intensity than the hierarchical structure, thus giving rise to potential conflicts. Paradoxically, these power imbalances also hinder attempts to manage conflicts. Present discourse will focus on understanding this aspect of power imbalance at workplaces and its impact on conflict management based on certain situations. Recommendations will be made based on the issues identified and conclusions will be finally drawn. 2. An understanding of power and conflict: Power refers to the elusive force experienced by people, usually based on their position. According to Daft (2009), power may be defined as â€Å"the potential ability of one person (or department) to influence other people (or department) to carry orders or to do something they would not otherwise have done† (p. 497). Power is a very important strength that managers/leaders should use in the most appropriate manner to achieve desired outcomes. Power is used to set goals, define targets, rules and policies, and to manage performance; power is also used to manage conflicts among individuals and groups. Daft (2009) explains that conflict is usually the outcome of interaction among pe ople or groups with differing opinions. Conflicts can either be helpful or harmful for the organizations and its employees. Conflicts that can instigate differential thinking and innovative options are usually helpful, whereas conflicts in terms of goals, understanding, opinions, interpretation, perception etc are usually harmful and can lead to severe consequences. 3. Relationship between power and conflict: To deal with all kinds of conflicts, managers leverage their position and power. According to the conflict theory, power is an essential element in managing conflict or in influencing others to produce desired outcome (Andersen & Taylor, 2007). Power by virtue of position provides the authority for individuals to exercise their aspirations, which can also be a cause for conflict sometimes. Moreover, usage of power, by virtue of position, to manage conflicts can be a hindrance. All these instances could be a result of the phenomenon associated with power and its usage that is us ually, and also, the reason for power imbalance. 4. Power imbalance and conflict management: Weinstein (2001) has extensively elaborated on the impact of power imbalance in mediation process. In this elaboration, she has constantly emphasized on the fact that the organization’s success and instances impacted by power imbalances cannot be separated. Very often, the hierarchical positions that decide the intensity or scope of power itself act as the causes for conflicts.  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Existing Safety Measures At Construction Sites Construction Essay

Existing Safety Measures At Construction Sites Construction Essay In simple terms, health and safety is about identifying risks and eliminating or controlling them to stop accidents and occupational ill-health. Today there is a high focus on safety in the industry. Many companies have documented that the safety and well being of their workers and fellow human beings deserve the highest priority. In history, this is a major leap. If one looks at the approach and many deaths during projects such as the great Chinese wall, which is still measured to be the largest construction project to date, the dive is visible. One ancient Chinese myth states that each stone in the great Chinese wall stands for a life gone during the walls construction. Although no files are obtainable this myth may be nearer to fact than we would like to think. Archaeologists have revealed thousands of bodies covert in the foundation of the wall. Bodies were also used to make up the walls thickness. It has been estimated that millions of workers lost their lives due to accidents, strong physical labour, hunger, and disease. This is in the order of size of a life per metre of wall length! Statistics from the UK Health and Safety Executive show that normally one or two people are killed every week as a effect of construction work. Occupational ill-health, which can build up over time, accounts for further loss of life. This fact sheet provides an foreword to health and safety best practice for construction companies and construction industry professionals, clients and their advisors. 2.2 million people work in Britains construction industry, making it the countrys biggest industry. It is also one of the most risky. In the last 25 years, over 2,800 people have died from injuries they received as a result of construction work. Many more have been injured or made ill. One in five construction sites failed health and safety checks during the latest national inspection proposal carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Inspectors from Britains workplace regulator visited 1759 refurbishment sites during March and checked on how 2145 contractors were complying with health and safety regulations.  On 348 sites sufficiently grave risks were discovered to warrant enforcement action being taken either stopping work straight away or ordering improvements to be made (Phil Hughes, 2005).   PROVISIONAL TITLE HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE SAFETY  PERFORMANCES AT CONSTRUCTION SITES. STUDY THE  DIFFERENT SAFETY  MEASURES FOLLOWED IN GREAT BRITAIN.  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper investigates the existing safety measures at construction sites   in Britain. The review of literature touches on the importance of safety in the construction industry, the types of construction hazards, British Labour Law on the protection against occupational risks and industrial accidents, construction site security, etc. The background of Britain is described; a study of safety levels at construction sites is conducted through questionnaires. Conclusions are made about the legal approaches to the regulation of occupational safety and health. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Aim: To investigates the existing safety measures at construction sites. Study the importance of safety in the construction industry, the types of construction hazards, industrial accidents, construction site security, etc. Analysis the health and safety in British constructions. Objectives or Purpose of the study: To achieve the goal of this study, it is needed to: 1. Make a brief overview of all health and safety in the present construction industries. 2. Analyse the ways in which these safety measures are using in various construction industries. 3. Study on British construction industries and their way of using safety measures. 4. Identify recent accidents occur at construction industries in Britain. 5. Attempt a brief comparison between the difference in safety measures using in Britain and other developing countries. 6. Suggest various ways to reduce accidents at construction sites by using safety measures effectively. LITERATURE REVIEW Due to the current condition of the U.S. economy, the construction industry is throbbing. The amount of financial support from both government and independent contracts has been adequately decreased; contractors are going to have a hard time funding and implementing their projects. Construction deals are being broken down and shut down due to a lack of capital while others are rolling without the correct needs, safety standards, and training programs. When the latter occurs there is a far greater risk for a construction accident to happen. Structures used to facilitate construction, such as framework and scaffolding, are often not given the importance they deserve, because of their momentary nature and because their cost is not recoverable from a single construction as a line item. Consequently, in many countries, the accident and failure rate for temporary structures are higher than those in eternal structures. Every industrial accident leads to tragedies such as injury or death to persons, and damage to property and the environment, with all the linked direct and indirect costs and effort. Economically and professionally more important is the fact that accidents also lead to delays in the construction process. All these add up to unwanted repercussions, not only on the workers and the organizations concerned, but also on the entire construction industry, the community, and, if the accidents and failures are sufficiently great or frequent, on the government itself. Most of the accidents and failures in momentary structures may be traced mainly to minor mistakes in fabrication, to moderately inexpensive items of materials or equipment, and to oversight or negligence in the functioning of applicable codes and regulations (Alan Griffith, 2001). Statistic has shown that the number of casualty and permanent disablement cases due to accident at the Malaysia construction sites is one of the uppermost as compared to the other sector. Even though the number of engineering accidents decreasing but the benefits paid to the accidents victims are ever increasing. Hence, there is an burning need to mitigate this problem. There are three basic steps that should be taken namely identifying the hazard, assessing the risk and domineering the risk to ensure a safe and conducive working condition. Implementation of effective hazards control methods may require different approaches due to changing of working environment at the construction sites. Latest technology employed at site had wiped out traditional method of construction and consequently bring in new types of hazard to the industry. There is an state compulsion for workers to ensure their own safety and health and, in agreement with specific instructions and the preparation they have received, to make correct use of safety devices and observe all safety rules, both collective and individual, and any other means of protection, warning or control. This obligation also extends to the use of machinery, equipment, tools, substances and risky products to ensure that inappropriate use does not jeopardise the health and safety of other employees and persons who may be there in the place of work. The basis of British health and safety law is the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.The Act sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees and members of the public, and employees have to themselves and to each other. These duties are capable in the Act by the code of so far as is reasonably practicable. In other words, an employer does not have to take method to avoid or reduce the risk if they are technically impossible or if the time, trouble or cost of the measures would be grossly disproportionate to the risk. What the law requires here is what superior management and general sense would lead employers to do anyway: that is, to look at what the risks are and take reasonable measures to tackle them. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (the Management Regulations) generally make more clear what employers are required to do to manage health and safety under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Like the Act, they apply to every work ac tivity (Vivian Ramsey, 2007). The injure and death rate on buildings sites in London makes construction work the most risky job in the capital. People are injured every day and on average someone dies every month. What makes this even more appalling is that these are the least accident rates yet recorded. Our report is concerned with improving the health and well-being of Londons construction workers at a time when construction work is booming. Nearly  £5 billion is being spent each year, just on new building projects. It is clear that we are not yet doing all we can to stop accidents. The industry has set itself targets to reduce accidents, but is not yet on track to reduce these targets. Everyone involved in commissioning, delivering and working in construction still must do more to make this industry as safe as any other. We should not accept as a fact of life that construction work is dangerous and nothing can be done. The 2012 Olympics is the perfect cabinet for how construction projects can be Commissione d and delivered to the highest standard. We do not want a repeat of the Situation in Athens where 14 workers died on the projects unswervingly associated with the Olympics and as many as 26 in the building of following transport infrastructure (Richard Fellows, 2001). Complete safety does not exist. Safety is often defined as taking acceptable risks. This recognises that in fact every activity, whether it is driving a car, cooking in the kitchen or working on a drilling rig has linked risks. By accepting that there will always be a certain risk concerned it is possible to reduce risks, by dropping the chance of an unsafe event and mitigating its result. Lack of training has been recognized as one of the major contributory factors in accidents and ill health in construction. Many activities are made safe simply by ensuring that those doing the work have knowledge of and understand the importance of safe practices. The incidence of inspections depends on the nature and place of work. For example, following the first inspection, work at places over two metres in height require weekly inspections. In contrast, for work in excavations (including shafts and tunnels), inspections are necessary at the start of every shift. Inspections help to ensure that safety is monitored during changing site circumstances. Reports detailing inspections are generally required every time an inspection is carried out, but there are exceptions.   Executive Research Methodology In order to understand the various health and safety measures in the present construction industries in Britain different methodologies have to be adopted. Primary Sources Interview Direct Interview is one of the main sources of primary data today. This method would be used for the internal research. The internal research will focus on a few semi-structured interviews with a few senior and top managers. The intention is to formulate a true picture of the health and safety measures used in Great Britain These interviews will help to find out the reasons for the accidents occurring in construction industries. Questionnaires Another methodology that I hope to adopt for my research is the questionnaires. Questionnaires are more economical, and easier to arrange; the answers too will be in a standardized format. In situations of difficulty to get appointments with the top-level managers this method would be used. Postal questionnaires will be sent to top managers of the Companies and the responses can be analyzed. Secondary Sources Book Reviews The external research will be carried out through the reading and understanding of published material. This includes books and articles written on the importance of safety in the construction industry, the types of construction hazards, British Labour Law on the protection against occupational risks and industrial accidents, construction site security. Etc. Internet Research Internet research is another source of secondary data. This will be used to gather historical and current information on health and safety in the world especially in Britain. This will also help us to get information on Company infrastucture as a whole. Documents Documents can be treated as a source of data in their own right. In effect it can be an alternative to questionnaires, interviews or observation. This includes published materials of company details Data analysis In order to analyze the data both quantitative and qualitative research has to be performed. Qualitative research In qualitative research words are the units of analysis. Qualitative research tends to be associated with description. The data needed for qualitative analysis has to be gathered from interviews and questionnaires. Methods like ethnography will be used for the process of qualitative analysis and ethnographic data storage software will be used to store information. There are many advantages of using such software which will help store the data safely, the data can be coded easily, and retrieval of data will be more reliable. Computerization removes barriers and scales to the scale and complexity of analysis. There are virtually no clerical limits to how much stuff you get now, and few to how complex it is. (Richards and Richards 1993:40) Quantitative research Quantitative research tends to be associated with numbers, as the unit of analysis and it tends to be associated with statistical data. Charts and graphs have to be constructed from the figures and information gathered from the questionnaires and researches. Word processing and spreadsheet packages can be used for this purpose. Information in the form of numbers will be gathered from Company Mangers by using different data collection tools like questionnaires, review of previous documents etc. and the data will be used to construct meaningful figures and charts using software. Form of Presentation The dissertation will be presented in a written form supplemented with charts showing current and historical data. Projected Findings The importance of health and safety measures in the construction industries and the methods used in Britain. Research Time table Months (FEB-MAY) MONTHS FEB MAR APR MAY WEEKS 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Problem Identification Literature Review Research Design Choice of Methodology Data Sources Data Collection Data Analysis Writing up Draft Editing Final Document Binding of Document REFERENCES: Phil Hughes (MSc, FIOSH, RSP.), Ed Ferrett , Introduction to health and safety in construction, Butterworth-Heinemann; 2 edition (2005) Alan Griffith, Tim Howarth, Construction health and safety management, Longman (2001) Vivian Ramsey, Construction law handbook, Thomas Telford Ltd (2007)   Richard Fellows, David Langford, Robert Newcombe, Sydney Urry, Construction Management in Practice, WileyBlackwell; 2nd Edition edition (2001) http://www.forthconstruction.co.uk/downloads/an-introduction-to-health-safety.pdf accessed on 14/12/09 at 5.30 pm http://www.engineeringpage.com/technology/safety/safety_induction.html accessed on 14/12/09 at 6.00 pm http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm accessed on 14/12/09 at 6.00 pm http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149934.php accessed on 14/12/09 at 10.30 pm http://www.profkrishna.com/ProfK-Assets/CAFEOPaper.pdf accessed on 15/12/09 at 8.30 pm http://eprints.utm.my/445/1/1A_5._Abdul_Rahim_Hazard_at_construction_site_PAGE_(95-104).pdf accessed on 15/12/09 at 11.30 pm http://rome.angloinfo.com/countries/italy/work13.asp accessed on 15/12/09 at 12.30 am http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc13.pdf accessed on 16/12/09 at 1.30 pm http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/health/construction.pdf accessed on 16/12/09 at 5.30 pm http://www.healthandsafety.co.uk/conregs.htm accessed on 16/12/09 at 10.00 pm