Four Functions of Management Paper Essay

The four functions of management are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The term management has been used since the early twentieth century, and people such as Frederick W. Taylor, Henri Fayol, Max Weber, and A.H. Maslow all contributed to the evolution of management. The four functions of management are as relevant now as they were then. This paper will define and explain each function in today’s organizations. Batman and Snell (2007) define management as â€Å"the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals.† Managers operate in a dynamic environment where things can change very quickly. A good manager must not only know how to do things right (efficiency), but also how to do the right things (effectiveness). Even when overwhelmed with a task, a manager must continue to focus on effectiveness and efficiency. PlanningThe first function of management is planning. â€Å"Planning is specifying the goals to be achieved and deciding in advance the appropriate actions needed to achieve those goals† (Batman and Snell, 2007). Planning should engage all levels of management and improve decision-making. A successful manager should be able to plan effectively. Planning is about looking ahead, identifying a desired end point, and making decisions to reach that end point. Batman and Snell (2007) stated, â€Å"Planning activities include analyzing current situations, anticipating the future, determining objectives, deciding in what type of activities the company will engage, choosing corporate and business strategies, and determining the resources needed to achieve the organization’s goals. â€Å"Part of Company X’s vision is to play a leading role in the nuclear energy renaissance in the United Kingdom while simultaneously improving the long-term reliability of its current power plants. Company X currently owns and operates nine power stations in the United Kingdom and employs 6,000 personnel. Planning plays a significant part in directing such a large organization. The company has developed a mission, vision, company business plan, and annual financial plan. Each department or business unit also has a business plan that is aligned with the company’s business plan. Creating a plan is one step towards success, but it also must be effectively implemented. Organizing†Organizing is assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals† (Batman and Snell, 2007). To accomplish an organization’s objectives, individuals are assigned to positions, and they are granted levels of authority and responsibility. People are an organization’s greatest asset, and organizing them to effectively and efficiently complete work positions the organization for success. â€Å"Organizing requires staffing the work division, setting up the training for the employees, acquiring resources, and organizing the work group into a productive team† (Allen, 1998). The organizing function in Company X is strong. During the last five years, significant change has occurred at Company X, as the company has recovered from a position of near bankruptcy and adapted to a rapidly changing electricity market. Already Company X is anticipating the need for additional skilled people to staff new power plants and fill the vacancies at existing power plants caused by the increasing retirements of the aging workforce. Successfully training and organizing these new personnel will be a significant challenge for the company. A recent organizational change occurred which grouped power plants with similar technology together in one business unit to maximize the opportunities to learn and work together. Leading†Leading is stimulating people to be high performers. It includes motivating and communicating with employees, individually and in groups† (Batman and Snell, 2007). Leading is providing direction and influencing people to follow. Individuals can be influenced by directing, delegating, coaching, mentoring, and selling. Leading requires close contact with people and requires that the leader has the right skills to influence people. Company X continuously strives to improve its leadership. In such a complex technical environment, leaders rely heavily on individuals to solve very complex problems. When faced with a significant technical challenge, Company X temporarily assigns an inspirational and technically competent director to lead a recovery team to resolve the issue. In 2006, Company X shut down two nuclear reactors due to emergent technical faults that had never been encountered or anticipated. A director from the engineering function led a  recovery team to analyze the technical issue, develop alternative solutions, and manage the chosen solution. The recovery team was motivated to think in creative ways to develop alternative solutions, and resolution required a company-wide effort to complete. After being shut down for a year, the power plants were re-started, and their performance has helped the company regain a position in the FTSE 100. ControllingThe final function is controlling. â€Å"Controlling monitors performance and implements necessary changes† (Batman and Snell, 2007). This function determines whether plans are being effectively implemented. â€Å"Controlling is the final link in the functional chain of management activities and brings the functions of management cycle full circle† (Allen, 1998). The first step in controlling is establishing a performance standard. Without a performance standard, one has no benchmark from which to compare. After performance is measured, one determines whether that performance meets or exceeds the performance standard. If the performance fails to meet the performance standard, corrective action must be initiated. To conduct work in the plants, Company X requires the use of operating procedures that include technical acceptance criteria. Through review of the operating procedure results versus the technical acceptance criteria, one can determine whether corrective action is necessary. Company X also has company documents that detail the expected behaviors and actions of workers. Leaders periodically observe work in the plant to determine whether worker behaviors meet those expected standards. If not, the leaders help the workers to demonstrate the correct behaviors, usually through coaching. To capture and resolve conditions that do not meet performance standards, Company X uses a corrective action process. This computer based process tracks the conditions from initial identification to resolution. ConclusionThe four functions of management are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Each of these functions were described individually, but  they all work together to ensure the success of an organization. Company X uses all four of these functions to effectively and efficiently supply the United Kingdom with 17% of its electricity. References Allen, G. (1998). In Supervision. Retrieved February 7, 2008, from http://ollie.dcccd.edu/mgmt1374/contents.htmlBateman, T.S.and Snell, S.A. (2007). Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World (7th ed.). [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Retrieved February 5, 2008, from University of Phoenix, rEsource, MGT330

The History of Islamic Education in Turkish Society

With the end of World War II the strains that had been created by the transformation of Turkey under Ataturk erupted into the open.The political elite splintered into various factions and new elements that had risen to the fore in the twenties and thirties; businessmen, traders, and entrepreneurs.Began to articulate insistent demands for a greater voice in decision-making. In their drive for more power the new groups quickly gained the support of many elements within the society who, dissatisfied with the rigidity of the CHP and the bureaucracy in general, and with the wartime economic problems in particular, wished to see a greater degree of freedom within the country.In this atmosphere ideological attitudes ranging from racialism to communism were openly expressed and fundamental political issues became topics of popular debate. This debate culminated in a dramatic change in the political system that could now be characterized as competitive, a change that in turn engendered marked repercussions in every aspect of Turkish life.For many reasons; including Inà ¶nà ¼'s dedication to Ataturk's ideal of establishing a multiparty system, internal opposition within the CHP, and demands to end one-party rule; opposition politics were legalized in 1946. In 1950 the DP (Democrat Party), formed by four former CHP leaders, was swept into power by an overwhelming majority. This election marked a turning point in the country's history.Not only had a remarkable transition from dictatorship to democracy taken place, but the new government promptly embarked upon an ambitious program of economic development that would have significant consequences for Turkish society in general and the educational system in particular (Szyliowicz, 1966).What had happened was that the first free elections in Turkish history allowed all segments of society to voice their dissatisfaction with the CHP which had been in power for twenty-seven long years; intellectuals wanted democracy, businessme n resented the etatist economic policy, landowners were disturbed by the attempts; however unsuccessful; to induce change in rural areas, and the peasantry, whose way of life (as we have noted) had changed but little, felt neglected and abused by a tyrannical administration.Secure in its mandate, the DP attempted to carry out its campaign promises, launching an ambitious program of economic development financed in large part with American aid, and liberalizing various restrictive laws.Furthermore, the DP was aware of the importance of rural support and did its utmost to maintain the favor of the villagers by a partial relaxation of religious restrictions; the call to prayer could once again be chanted in Arabic and religious instruction became a regular school subject unless the parents requested that their children be excused.

The Effect TV Has on Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Effect TV Has on Children - Essay Example According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), kids in the United States watch about 4 hours of TV a day. According to the AAP guidelines, children under age 2 should have no "screen time" (TV, DVDs or videotapes, computers, or video games) at all. During the first 2 years, a critical time for brain development, TV can get in the way of exploring, learning, and spending time interacting and playing with parents and others, which help young children, develop the skills they need to grow cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. There is no doubt that TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer. But despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental. Several types of research around the world have shown that children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. In earlier days before the television, children played outdoors more and used their minds to be more creative. Excessive television viewing promotes inactivity. Health experts have long linked excessive TV-watching to obesity - a significant health problem today. While watching TV, children are inactive and tend to snack which contributes to poor nutrition. They're also bombarded with advertising messages that encourage them to eat unhealthy foods such as potato chips and empty-calorie soft drinks that often become preferred snack foods. According to the AAP, children in the United States see 40,000 commercials each year. From junk food and soft drink advertisements, children persuade t heir parents to buy them. This leads to major health problems and is a serious concern around the world (Dowshen and Gavin, 2005).     

Psych100 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Psych100 - Essay Example The graver side effects of the drugs include lowered life expectancy, fidgeting or pacing, weight gain, trouble with muscle control, shuffling and tremors of the feet, muscle cramps or spasms in the neck and head, and a myriad of â€Å"negative† symptoms (Grohola para 8). Other side effects that occur due to prolonged use of the drugs include grimacing, facial ticks, lip licking, thrusting and rolling of the tongue, and panting (Grohola para 9). Newer antipsychotic medications include Zyprexa, Seroquel, Clozaril and Risperdal. Some of these drugs work on both the negative and positive symptoms of the disease as they work on the both the dopamine and serotonin receptors. By acting on the serotonin receptors, the drugs deal with the negative symptoms of the disease. Atypical antipsychotics treat a wider range of symptoms medications in this category including Abilify, Risperdal, Geodon and Zyprexa among others (Groholb para 4). Atypical antipsychotics work more like the conventi onal drugs but are less likely to cause in patients extrapyramidal motor control disabilities. Paranoid personality disorder – People who have this disorder are normally irrationally suspicious and distrustful of other people, always believing that they are always in danger (Mentalhealth para 1). Those with the condition are also hypersensitive, habitually scanning their environment for suggestions or clues to make valid their biases or prejudicial notions. People who have Schizoid personality disorder generally have no interest in social relationships (Schizoid 237). They see no value in sharing time with others. The disorder is also characterized by emotional coldness, solitary life and secretiveness. People with antisocial personality disorder persistently disregard the law and therefore like to infringe on the rights of other people (Moeller and Dougherty 35). Other characteristics of this order include persistent stealing or lying,

Guy Body Image Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Guy Body Image - Research Paper Example As a result, the society is forced to try to attain the physical unattainable perfection as featured prominently in the mass media (Government of Western Australia 1). The influence has been significant in as indicated in various researches. For example, a study carried out showed that looking at fashion magazines for a moment lowered the self-esteem of over 80 percent of women (Government of Western Australia 1). The media have failed to acknowledge that both males and females come in all different shapes and sizes. Therefore, the representation of one body type as being ideal is unrealistic (Government of Western Australia 1). This leads to adoption of harmful behavior to both males and females as they try to attain the images depicted on the media. Moreover, the worry about body image has also manifested in males. There have been an increasing number of males under pressure to maintain a high level of fitness and physical perfection. As a result, most males have been spending most of their money and times in gyms, beach, and sporting clubrooms. Moreover, they have adopted some strange feeding habits, and use of drugs to enhance body image (Government of Western Australia 1). Media have a profound impact on the female body. The influence is usually rampant to the teenagers. The media have led to the notion that the value of women is based on the outward appearance (Serdar 1). The images depict an impractical standard of feminine beauty (Serdar 1). This in the end has a powerful influence on the way women view themselves. According to the view of the mass media, thinness is considered perfect, and a key thing for women to be attractive (Serdar 1). The figure has been commonly highlighted through various ads. Such images in the ads, television, and music portray the perfect woman (Serdar 1). Moreover, the media have been full of images of females that possess these unique attributes. As a result, this makes it usual

The Cost Allocation Process of Information Technology Essay

The Cost Allocation Process of Information Technology - Essay Example As more firms have adopted computer software over manual functioning. Similarly, computer networks also help the departments within a firm to coordinate and communicate among themselves. With all of these advancements come costs of setting up computer networks and other related costs. Allocation of I.T costs(charging the cost to each department according to its usage of a resource) is among current hot-topic in the corporate world. According to a study done by Forrester, Computer Hardware and Network costs make up to one-third of the I.T department budget. However, the main problem is of allocating costs among various departments within a firm. The most widely used method by accountants is to allocate these costs is by dividing these costs according to the consumption by the respective department. By relative consumption, we mean that each department will be charged a share of cost according to their use. For example, if there are two departments who both use I.T network, now when at the end of fiscal year, the time for cost allocation comes, the department with more usage will be charged more and with less usage will be charged less. The fundamental reason for charging this method is to avoid multiple free-riders problems. Free-riding occurs when those who do not pay for a resource could also use the resource, so no-one is foolish enough to put up his hand and say I will pay for the resource because he knows that even if he doesn't pay for the resource he would be able to use it. For example, let's take an example from out of context here. Suppose that there is a community of fishermen is living near the sea.

The difficulties of complaining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The difficulties of complaining - Essay Example It makes people feel special. Excellent patient care is the most important piece to keep hospital rooms full. As an example, â€Å"Mr Tadeus Kowalski was admitted to the ward a year ago for rehabilitation following hip replacement in an elective orthopedic centre. He has had a second hip replacement and there are plans to transfer him to the ward again for rehabilitation, Mr Kowalski and his family said they did not want him to return to the ward. Mr Kowalski has Parkinsons disease and said that, although his medication should have been given three hourly, it was often late. This caused him greater distress and impeded his recovery. In his notes, there are several entries indicating that he, his wife and family have been asked to keep his own medication as his medication has not been given on time. As cure costs more than prevention, to alleviate Mr Kowalski concerns and enable him to accept the rehabilitation, hospital needs to provide special ward and appoint a dedicated nurse for him. There is a requirement for the doctor to visit the patient more informally other than the scheduled official rounds.. He should be provided with labeled medicines and with chart indicating its dosage and time to take it, which will be helpful in absence of attendant. There are several such cases which affect hospital reputation. Many such problems creep up due to communication gap between working staff and patients, unawareness of staff regarding importance of timely medication or their neglecting behavior. Generally older people need more care as well as attention; thus, they should be allotted separate wards with a dedicated attendant to take care of their needs. Official visits by responsible persons should be increased to gather customer feedbacks. Emergency services should be more prompt. All patients, including old people, should be educated for self medication.

Global Exploration and Global Empires 1500-1700 Essay

Global Exploration and Global Empires 1500-1700 - Essay Example During this time, the Portuguese and the Spanish begun to explore the European oversees (Annenberg Media, 2007). This exploration aimed at the Atlantic Ocean and Western Mediterranean instead of the East as it was common in the past exploration. The reasons presented in this essay motivated the exploration by the Portuguese and the Spanish during this time (Abernethy, 2007). Economic factors The first motive was that the financial system in Europe- towards the end of the 15th century- was growing and carrying out well. It is recorded that in case the financial system of a nation is flourishing, it aims at importing and exporting its goods. They needed new markets to market their commodities. Italian traders had dominated the market with the East, therefore Europeans, particularly the Portuguese started to abandon the Mediterranean and attempted to enter the Atlantic (McDowell, 1992). There was a shortage of silver in Europe and they had no possibility for a new supply. They discovere d that large quantities of gold were in Africa, though they were not amused with the current system whereby they purchased gold from Northern Africa (Abernethy, 2007). The gold went through numerous distributors before getting to the Arabs (Abernethy, 2007). ... trading positions in Africa and finally sailed from place to place in Africa and started trading positions in Southern Arabia and India (Abernethy, 2007). Geographical factors The first moved during the exploration involved their tactical geographic setting, which offered an effortless entrance to the south towards Africa or the west towards the Americans. Another, possibly important, influence for these explorers leading opinion in their exploration was the eras purchase and use of old Arabic information and knowledge in math’s, geography and astronomy (Abernethy, 2007). This period of exploration introduced the communities of Europe to the presence of new philosophies across the globe (Abernethy, 2007). Before this era, the Europeans had enough details of the individuals and locations beyond the limitations of Europe, mainly Asia and Africa. Before the innovation and invention of the Americas, the Europeans were not aware of other existence. Europeans assumed that the world was small than it was in reality (Abernethy, 2007). This motivated the initial pioneers like Magellan and Columbus to believe that discovering new paths to the East was going to be easier than the way they discovered it (Overy, 2004). Philosophical misconceptions around natural features and the beliefs of local populaces would transform gradually through the initial centuries of these exploration (Abernethy, 2007). By the 16th century, European plans started to increase their representations and accounts to incorporate new physical discoveries (Abernethy, 2007). However, because of the powerful political conflicts taking place during the time, European nations protected their geographic findings and data from one another (Abernethy, 2007). Therefore, we can say that, though the need to

Post Merger Period of Fiat and Chrysler Essay Example for Free

Post Merger Period of Fiat and Chrysler Essay First of all, they wanted to further solidify their brand presence. Fiat has been successful in the European market but lacks visibility in North America; while Chrysler does not carry a strong dealer network in the European markets. What’s worse, historically, Chrysler was referred to the â€Å"Number Three† auto manufacturer and even today, it still remains as the â€Å"Number Three† after GM and Ford. This impression links to poor brand visibility and low customer royalty. In order to change the status quo, Chrysler focused more on brands differentiation. It planned to reposition itself as an upper scale brand. In 2011, Chrysler unveiled their new Imported From Detroit campaign. It defined itself as the â€Å"import-fighter† and focused on quality, technology, fuel saving and sustainability. As for fiat, they invited celebrities to advertise for them. For example, they invited American singer Jennifer Lopez. This offered them the opportunity of a 360-degree partnership, which triggered the greatest awareness growth ever. Without being shown on television or through the networks, it gained global attention. The second problem they have is labor issues. The relationship between Fiat and labor union has never been satisfying. It suffered from the large layoffs and rigid Italian labor laws. Also, FIOM (labor union in Italy) instigated strikes in the fear that Fiat might pull out from Italys employer’s association and Italian auto market. The disputes between Fiat and Italian labor union are still in heat even today. On the other hand, the UAW (United Automobile Workers), who is the part owner of Chrysler, used to provide cheap labor for Chrysler in order to profit from low production cost. However, this happened no more because their friendly relationship broke off as Fiat and UAW were sharply disputing over the value of Chrysler’s equity. During this argument, the US workers were also fighting for better treatment that further intensified the conflict. Additionally, one of the biggest problems they encountered after the merger was how to form a new and effective management structure. In Nov 2009, two companies announced their new plan for management structure. In detail, Chrysler is ready to break even operationally in 2010; net in 2011, nd repay TARP (Trouble Asset Relief Program) by 2014. (Chrysler had operational profits in the first and second quarters of 2010 and repaid TARP in 2011). Chrysler handles large displacement and hybrid engines, as well as â€Å"all cars above C size,† for Fiat worldwide. That implies Chrysler will engineer and possibly build mid-sized cars for exports (In progress). Quality improvements will continue and extend to dealer service (Quality confirmed; dealer service, likely to take many years). In these four years, Chrysler and Fiat achieved their alliance objectives in the areas of cost cutting, technology sharing, global integration, product rationalization, and RD savings. Furthermore, since this is a trans-Atlantic alliance, two companies would encounter problems caused by cultural differences along their way of integration. For instance, Italians are used to the typically relationship-oriented culture, meaning that â€Å"relationships† come before tasks and relationships are often pre-requisites for the concluding transactions. However, Americans tend to follow the rule of law and regard legal documents as binding. As another case in point, two cultures differ in their attitude towards time. Americans usually attempt to control time, view it as a limited resource, and value it for defining what and when things need to be done while Italians, see â€Å"time† as the context in which everything take place so that we never run out of it. In conclusion, two companies would have a hard time communicating and reaching an agreement when it comes to make strategic decisions.

The war of the worlds Essay Example for Free

The war of the worlds Essay This essay has been written to compare similarities and differences in two fictional stories; The Red Room by H. G. Wells and extracts from 1984 by George Orwell and Winstons experiences in the Room 101. Both of these stories have both distinct similarities and differences in writing style. The main similarities between the two are easily identifiable. For example, they are both set in a room, as the title implies- The Red Room. The Room in the short story is similar in a unique way to Room 101, as they are both associated and fixated on pain or suffering of some kind. In the Red Room the story is based on an unfortunate woman, who met a tragic end due to her husbands attempt to frighten her. Also, anyone who enters the room usually ends up dead, or injured as happens in the story. In Room 101, the room is meant to be so petrifying, no one dare enter. It is strongly associated with fear and, as the text implies with this quote This place was many metres underground, as deep down as it was possible to go. the room ties in with hell. Room 101s mention has an enormous morale dropping effect on anyone who is told to go there. Peoples reactions are astonishing; one man was so persistent in not going he asked the guards to kill his family in front of him, rather then him face Room 101. He was willing to do anything in order not to go, accusing others, holding on to a steel bench for dear life, but it was no use, he could not deny his fate as the guards were so cold, OBrien imparticularly. OBrien was very cold and intent on making Winston as scared as possible, he commented in a schoolmasterish manner, which added to the tension. OBrien has no self-remorse as to what will happen to Winston and it would seem he might even enjoy his evil proposal. The reason for these two stories great success, is the authors ability to build up incredible amounts of tension and fear, both the authors accomplish this very well. Both the stories lead up to a high terror climax, they keep the reader on the edge of their seat until the tension reaches this climax. The Red Room does a particularly good job of this. For example, as the narrator is walking down the corridors the author begins to implement the strangeness and atmosphere of this old creepy house; Its shadow fell with marvellous distinctness upon the white panelling and gave me the impression of someone trying to waylay me. This is just the type of action the reader would expect to happen in a story such as this, this is why the reader is on the edge of their seat, guessing. Although they are two completely different authors, born at different decades, they still share a diverse, descriptive writing style. As George Orwell shows in the 1984 extract, the fear is instilled into the reader as the intensity is prolonged until Winstons fear is about to be realised; The worst thing in the world, said OBrien, varies from individual to individual. It may be burial alive or death by fire, or by drowning, or impalement, or fifty other deaths. This sentence structure alone prolongs the fear and stresses it, using descriptive lists. The purpose to this tension is to keep the reader alert. Small pauses during the texts of the story The Red Room also have the same effect, like if a shadow is spotted or a door creaking. This all builds up to that climaxing point of when the Red Room is entered, and Winstons fear is going to be realised. The characters are used in a very well organised way, they all add to the tension/eerie effect. In The Red Room, the old characters are referred to as their descriptive appearance, not by their names. The author has done this to keep a mysterious tension in the air. One example is The man with the withered arm. Defections such as this make for a much more spooky atmosphere, as it is set in a large mansion, and that character is a stereotypical image of who might live in that type of sinister house. In 1984, the guards are not referred to with their names by the author. They are simply called guards or officers. The reason for this is to show even more that they have no feelings, and have no remorse for others.

Ethosomal Formulation as a Carrier for Transdermal Delivery

Ethosomal Formulation as a Carrier for Transdermal Delivery ABSTRACT: The aim of present work was to develop, characterisation, of stable ethosomal formulation as a carrier for transdermal delivery of paroxetine hydrochloride. To prepare this ethosome different concentration of soya lecithin and ethanol was taken. Vesicular size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment effiency were determined by photon correlation spectroscopy and ultracentrifugation techniques. The intro permeation study across human cadaver skin was done. Stability study was done on optimised F2 formulation. Vesicle size decrease as increase in the concentration of ethanol. Entrapment efficiency increase with increase in concentration of soya lecithin. The ethosome exhibit entrapment effiency of 40-64%. Invitro permeation study across human skin ethosome F2formulation showed higher transdermal flux 26.39% µg/cm2/hr. Release mechanism of Invitro permeation shows zero order drug release from formulation. In vivo pharmacodyanamic study F2 formulation showed significant immob ility as compare to controlled group. Stability study result revealed no significant change found in size distribution was found for 90days. Our result indicates that the developed ethosomal system may be potential and safe to delivery paroxetine hydrochloride through transdermal deliverys. INTRODUCTION: In recent years the attraction of lipid vesicle use in delivery system for skin treatment is increasing (1, 2). Paroxetine hydrochloride (PXH) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Commonly available in tablets and capsule dosage form, but oral administration have numbers of side effects as well as it undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism. Variation in plasma concentration and long term therapy leads to severe side effects (3). To overcome these difficulties such as extensive hepatic first pass metabolism transdermal delivery is beneficial (4). The useful of transdermal delivery has been proved for some antidepressants (5,6). It is previously reported that significant increase delivery of drugs across the skin would be done by using an ethosomes as novel permeation enhancing carrier (7-10). Composition of ethosomes system mainly contains phospholipids, ethanol and water (12). Solubility and high encapsulation efficiency values for large range of lipophilic drugs can be obtain due to presence of ethanol. Ethanol may provide vesicles with soft flexible characteristics, which allow them to penetrate more simply into the deeper layers of the skin (13). The present aim focuses on the preparation and characterization of ethosomal formulation for PXH transdermal delivery. The aim of present study was to develop stable ethosomes carrier for transdermal delivery of PXH. The effect of ethanol and soya lecithin on the permeation of PXH through the human skin was evaluated. Material and method: Material: Soya lecithin was purchased from Research Lab Mumbai. Ethanol was purchased from Loba chemical Mumbai. Cholesterol was purchased from Research Lab Fine Chem Industries, Mumbai. PEG-400 was purchased from Dipa Laboratory Chemicals. All materials and solvents used in this study are of analytical grade. Preparation of ethosomes: Soya lecithin and PXH, were dissolved in ethanol. Double distilled water was added slowly with a fine stream in above ethanol dispersion with constant mixing at 700 rpm on magnetic stirrer, in a well-sealed glass container. Mixing was continued for an additional 5 min. The system was kept at 300C throughout the preparation and was then left to cool at room temperature. (7, 8) PHYSICAL CHARACTERISATION OF ETHOSOME: Vesicles size distribution, polydispersity index and zeta potential The vesicle size distribution, polydispersity index and zeta potential of vesicles was determined using photon correlation spectroscopy (Beckmann counter, Delsa Nano, USA). Formulation were diluted by 1/4th distilled water before measurement and measured three times at scattering angle of 900. The polydispersity index (PI) was used as a measurement of the width of the size distribution. PI less than 0.4 indicates a homogenous and monodisperse population. Zeta potential was measured as the particle electrophoretic mobility means of laser microelectrophoresis in a thermostated cell. Entrapment efficiency (EE) The entrapment capacity of PXH by ethosomal vesicles was determined by ultracentrifugation. Formulations were kept overnight at 4 micro-centrifuge (Tarsons) 12000 rpm for 30 min. The supernatant was removed and drug amount was determined in both the sediment and the supernatant. The entrapment capacity was calculated as follows, [(T2C) /T] 100, where T is the total amount of drug that is detected both in the supernatant and sediment, and C is the amount of drug detected only in the supernatant. In vitro permeation study Preparation of cadaver skin Skin samples provided from Government Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad. Obtain from breast reduction operation and subcutaneous fat was carefully trimmed and then rinse with normal saline, prepared skin was warped in aluminium foil and stored at -200c until use. (15) Procedure Invitro skin permeation studies were performed on a Franz diffusion cell with an effective diffusional area 0.785 cm2 and having receptor compartment volume of 15ml. The skin was brought to room temp and mounted with the donor compartment dry and open to the atmosphere. Initially, the donor compartment was empty and receiver compartment was filled with phosphate buffer ph 7.4. The receiver fluid was stirred with magnetic bead with the speed of 100rpm and the temperature was maintained at 371. The phosphate buffer pH 7.4 was replaced with the fresh one at every 30 min to stabilize the skin. It was found that the receiver solution should a negligible peak area after 3hr and beyond indicating complete stabilisation of skin. 5ml ethosomes formulation was placed into the donor compartment and sealed with paraffin film to provide occlusive condition. The sample where withdraw at regular interval for 10 hrs filtered through 0.45 . membrane filter and analysed for drug amount by UV-Visible s pectrophotometer at 294 nm. Permeation data analysis The cumulative amount of penetrant, Q (g/cm2), which permeated the skin per unit surface area was plotted against time. The linear portion of the plot was taken as being the steady-state flux, (Js). The permeability coefficient (Kp) was calculated as: Kp = Js/Cv Where Cv is the concentration of penetrant in the donor solution. Vesicle stability evaluation: Stability of optimised ethosomes formulation was kept at room temp for 4 weeks. The measurement where conducted on of ethosomes that. Vesicle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential was measured at 1, 2, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days mean value where used for the analysed of the data. 2.5. In vivo Pharmacodynamic study Approval to carry out pharmacodynamics studies was obtained (Institutional Animals Ethical Committee, approved the protocol). Forced Swim test (FST) and Locomotor Activity test (LAT) was used to evaluate antidepressant effect of the optimized F2 formulation. Rats of either sex weighing 250–300 g were kept under standard laboratory conditions (temperature 23-30oc).The rats were kept with free access to standard laboratory diet. Approximately 14 cm2 of abdominal side of rats skin was shaved on the in each group except group treated with marketed tablet formulation. Rats were divided randomly into three groups each containing six animals. Group -1 was considered as a control. Group-2 was treated with oral tablet of PXH containing 1.40 mg/day and administered without anaesthesia by using simple poly-ethylene tube. Group-3 was treated with optimized F2 formulation applied transdermally containing 2 mg/day (equivalent to 0.60 mg/day) drug. 2.5.1. Force swim test Rats were forced to swim in cylindrical glass tank (60 cm height X 30 cm in diameter) containing water after the administration of doses. Water was filled up to 40 cm height so they were swim without touching their hind limb or tail to bottom of the tank. On the 1st day of experiments, rats were forced to swim for 10 min. After 24 h, rats were re-exposed to forced swim for 5 min and animals were judged for immobility, climbing, and swimming. After a 5-min swim test, the rat was removed from the cylinder, dried and then returned to its home cage [29]. Porsolt, R.D., Bertin, A., Jalfre M. (1977). Behavioral despair in mice: a primary screening test for antidepressants. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 229, 327–336. 2.5.2. Locomotor activity Hyperactivity, functional roles of specific neurobiological and drugs potential psycho activity were discriminate by the locomotor activity study [30]. Locomotor activity was measured in the open-field test. The apparatus consisted of a square arena (200Ãâ€"200 cm), with a 50 cm height. The floor was divided into 30 equal squares. Animals were individually positioned in the centre of the arena and the activity was measured over 5 min. The open field was cleaned with isopropyl alcohol solution before behavioural testing to avoid possible bias due to odours and/or residues left by rats tested earlier. Also after each 3 animals apparatus was cleaned [31]. Result and discussion Vesicle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential: The vesicle mean diameters for all formulation are shown in Table 2. The result of photon correlation spectroscopy shows narrow peak for all formulation, which indicating that size of vesicle population is comparatively uniform in size. In accordance with other researcher, this decrease in the mean diameter of vesicle is due to the presence of ethanol (touitou et al., 2000). Higher concentration of ethanol produced lower vesicle size. Probably the ethanol causes the modification of the net charge of the system and confer it some degree of stearic stabilization that may finally lead to decrease in mean particle size (lasic et al., 1998). In the formulation the concentration of ethanol increases from 30-35% the significant decrease in vesicle size. On the other hand, it was observed that the increase in soya lecithin concentration resulted in increase in mean particle size. Small vesicle size is formed with the F2 formulation having a 1% of soya lecithin and 35% ethanol. Twice fold inc rease in soya lecithin concentration (1%-2%) resulted in two fold increase in ethosomes size (from 500nm- ). The charge of vesicles is important parameter that can influence both stability and skin vesicle interaction. Zeta potential value of all formulations shown in Table 2. The concentration of ethanol increase from 30-35% v/v resulting in increase in zeta potential values. Polydispersity index was determined as measure of homogeneity in formulation. Polydispersity index ≠¤ 0.3 indicate homogeneous population of ethosome vesicle in formulation. Polydispersity of all formulation shown in Table 2. Compare to all formulation F2 formulation showed less polydispersity index is 0.23 indicates homogeneous population of ethosome vesicles. Entrapment efficiency Entrapment efficiency of all formulation shown in Table 2. Entrapment efficiency of formulation containing of 1% soya lecithin and 30% (F1) ethanol was found to be 60%, which significantly increased to 64% when the amount of ethanol increases to 35% (F2) keeping the concentration of soya lecithin constant. Ethosomes formulation prepared with 1.5% soya lecithin and 30% ethanol (F3) exhibited 40% entrapment efficiency, which was increased to 45% (F4) respectively; keep the amount of soya lecithin constant. Formulation prepared with 2% soya lecithin and 30% ethanol (F5) showed 42% entrapment efficiency, which was increased to 61% when the concentration of ethanol increased to 35%(F6) respectively. These data supported by previous finding that solubility and high encapsulation efficiency values for large range of lipophilic drugs can be obtain due to presence of ethanol (13).From these results entrapment efficiency of formulation was observed due to increase in ethanol concentration. Invitro permeation study In vitro skin permeation experiment was performed using human cadaver skin showed that permeation was highest in F2 formulation as shown in Fig 1. Flux value of F2 formulation was significantly different when compared with other formulation (P≠¤0.05) as shown in Table 3. Highest flux value (-) of F2 as compared to other formulation. These may be due to small vesicle size and high entrapment efficiency alone with high concentration of ethanol. These data supported by previous finding that ethanol interact with a lipid molecules of stratum corneum, resulting in reduction in the Tm of stratum corneum, increase in there fluidity. The intercalation of ethanol due to polar head group environment can result in increase in membrane permeability (16). It can also suggest that mixing of phospholipids with the stratum corneum lipid of the intercellular layers enhances the permeability of the skin (17). F2 formulation was selected as a optimized formulation from the vesicle size distributio n, polydispersity index, zeta potential, drug entrapment efficiency, and in vitro permeation study results and considered for further study. In vivo Pharmacodynamic study Pharmacodynamic activity of ethosomes F2 formulation was compared with orally administered dose. Pharmacodynamic activity involved two tests. One was force swim test and other was locomotor activity. Force swim test is most widely used model for assessing the antidepressant activity. Total immobility period would decrease if high concentration of paroxetine hydrochloride reached target site. Force swim test Results of FST confirmed that there was significant reduction in total immobility period in seconds by treating the rats by transdermal ethosomal F2 formulation. There was significant (p Table 3. Results of forced swim test. Conclusion: Ethosomal vesicles with appropriate size and maximum drug entrapment efficiency can be prepared. F2 formulation showed highest transdermal flux across human skin was composed of 1% soya lecithin, 35% ethanol and 2% cholesterol. In vivo pharmacodyanamic study of optimised formulation showed significant values compared to controlled group. Therefore, it can be concluded from the result of the study that ethosome formulation is potentially useful carrier for transdermal delivery of paroxetine hydrochloride REFERANCES O. Braun-Falco, H.C. Kortung, H.I. Maibach (Eds.), Grieswith bach Conference: Liposome Dermatics, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, 1992. E. Touitou, H.E. Junginger, N.D. Weiner, M. Mezei, Lipo somes as carriers for topical and transdermal delivery, J.Pharm. Sci. 9 (1992) 1189–1203. Hollister L E. Norwalk, Connecticut: Appleton Lange; 1995. A Lange Medical Book: Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 448–59. Kilts CD. Potential New Drug Delivery Systems for Antidepressants: An overview. J Clin Psychiatry. 2003; 64:31–3. Frampton JE and Plosker GL. Selegiline transdermal system: in the treatment of major depressive disorder: Profile report. CNS Drugs. 2007; 21:521–24. Singh G, Ghosh B, Kaushalkumar D and Somsekhar V. Screening of venlafaxine hydrochloride for transdermal delivery: passive diffusion and iontophoresis. AAPS Pharm Sci Tech. 2008; 9:791–797. Touitou E. Compositions for applying active substances to or through the skin. US Patent 5 540 934, 1996. Touitou E, Composition for applying active substances to or through the skin. US Patent 5 716 638, 1998. Touitou E, Alkabes M, Dayan N, Eliaz M. Ethosomes: novel vesicular carriers for enhanced skin delivery. Pharm Res 1997; 14: S-305. Touitou E, Dayan N, Bergelson L, Godin B, EliazM.Ethosomes*novel vesicular carriers for enhanced delivery: characterizationand skin penetration properties. J Control Rel 2000; 65:403}18. Touitou E, Dayan N, Bergelson L, Godin B, Eliaz M. Ethosomes *novel vesicular carriers for enhanced delivery: characterization and skin penetration properties. J Control Rel 2000;65: 403}18. M.M.A. Elsayed, O.Y. Abdallah, V.F. Naggar, N.M. Khalafallah, Deformable liposomes and ethosomes as carriers for skin delivery of ketotifen, Pharmazie 62 (2007) 133–137. Heeremans JLM, Gerristen HR, Meusen SP, Mijuheer FW, Panday GRS, Prevost R, Kluft C, Crommelin DJA. The preparation of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) containing liposomes: entrapment effciency and ultracentrifugation damage. J Drug Target 1995; 3:301-310. Fang, J,V., Sung, K.C., Lin, H. H., Fang, C.L.(1999) transdermal iontophoretic Delivery of diclofenac sodium from various polymer formulation: Invitro and Invivo studies. Int. J. Pharm. 19 178; 83-92. Nava Dayan., Elka Touitou. (2000) Carrier for skin delivery of trihexphenidyl HCL:ethosomes vs. Liposomes: biomatererials 21( 2000) 1879-1885. A. Blume, M. Jansen, M. Ghyczy, J. Gareis, Interaction of phospholipid liposomes with lipid model mixtures forstratum corneum lipids, Int. J. Pharm. 99 (1993) 219–220. Formulation of ethosome: Table- 1 Evaluation of ethosome:

Essay on Flight in Song of Solomon -- Song Solomon essays

The Importance of Flight in Song of Solomon   Ã‚  Ã‚   Flight is a major theme in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. â€Å"Flight echoes throughout the story as a reward, as a hoped-for skill, as an escape, and as proof of intrinsic worth; however, by the end this is not so clear a proposition†(Lubiano 96). Song of Solomon ends with ‘flight’ but in such a way that the act allows for multiple interpretations: suicide; "real" flight and then a wheeling attack on his "brother"; or "real" flight and then some kind of encounter with the (possibly) killing arms of his brother.    That Guitar places his rifle on the ground does not make him any less deadly - his smile and the dropping of the gun both precede the language of "killing arms" - and his "my man - my main man" is an echo of the same irony that allowed Guitar to call Milkman his friend even after his prior attempt at killing him (Middleton 298). And Guitar's arms are killing, not just because they want to answer the challenge posed by Milkman's move toward him, but because they are the arms that have killed, that killed white people, that can kill anyone who isn't black, or anyone Guitar can convince himself isn't black: like Pilate. In other words, Guitar can make an "other" of anyone who crosses the boundaries of the definitions he constructs for the group that he purports to love: black people. What Guitar has constructed in his life is a category of political ciphers that does not allow for the existence of the idiosyncratic Pilate or for the existence of the individualistically apolitical Milkma n. Milkman's journey forward to flight is a journey into his past; his future is behind him. The text's refutation of the idea of a whole untroubled self is thus crystallized in the ... ... it is Pilate who represents not only embodied history but the praxis that comes with recognizing history's effects, the willingness to theorize about possibilities in the face of history, and the ability to make concrete alternatives to personal and public inequities. Remaining on the ground of history, then, is a labor of love.    Works Cited: Middleton, David. Toni Morrison's Fiction: Contemporary Criticism. New York: Garland, 1997. Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Penguin Books, 1987. Lubiano, Wahneema. "The Postmodernist Rag: Political Identity and the Vernacular in Song of Solomon," in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon," in New Essays on Song of Solomon, ed. Valerie Smith, Cambridge University Press 1995, 93-116, 111-113: Peterson, Nancy J. Toni Morrison: Critical and Theoretical Approaches. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1997.   

Three Women Writers: A Study in Virtue and Christianity of the 18th and

Three Women Writers: A Study in Virtue and Christianity of the 18th and 19th centuries The popularity of Toni Morrison's Beloved has recently awakened a mainstream interest in African-American literature. Writers, such as Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes, have also facilitated the infiltration of African American voices into popular culture. This website is devoted to three women who, like Morrison and Angelou, have aided in the formation and development of the African American literary tradition, but often remain unremembered in today's society. Phillis Wheatley, Harriet Jacobs, and Harriet Wilson have all made valuable contributions in the forms of poetry, narrative, and fiction to the early stages of a growing literary tradition. Although these women portrayed different viewpoints, utilized different writing styles, and wrote within different contexts many comparisons can be made amongst their work. Specifically this site focuses on the common themes of virtue and Christianity represented in the authors' work and in their lives. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Phillis Wheatley Wheatley was born in Africa in the early 1750's and was brought to Boston in 1761 as a slave. The Wheatley family, who was a prominent family in the Boston community, purchased her. The Wheatley's encouraged and taught her, and within sixteen months Phillis was reading and writing fluent English. At the age of fourteen she was writing poetry and hailed as a prodigy of her race. In 1773, Wheatley's first and only published volume, entitled Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was released. After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Wheatley, Phillis was left to support herself as a poet and sea... ...n she is free. But, in Our Nig, Frado is treated like a slave and feels confined by the Bellmonts, yet she is a free person. In this way, Wilson seems to complicate and combine these binaries. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bibliography Bennett, Jr. Lerone. Before the Mayflower: A history of Black America. New York: Penguin, 1988. Jacobs, Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. New York: Penguin, 1987. Shields, John, ed. The Collected works of Phillis Wheatley. New York: Oxford, 1988. Wilson, Harriet E. Our Nig; or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black. New York: Vintage, 1983. Voices from the Gaps: Harriet E. Adams Wilson http://www.~engl.cla.umn.edu/Lkd/vfg/Authors/HarrietE.AdamsWilson Voices from the Gaps: Phillis Wheatley http://www.~engl.cla.umn.edu/Lkd/vgf/Authors/PhillisWheatley

Kant’s Philosophy Essay

Introduction Kant’s moral philosophy is also known as Kantian ethics. It is a type of a deontological theory, which is based on ethics. Immanuel Kant founded this deontological theory. Kant’s theory developed as a culmination to the enlightenment rationalism. The basic central idea of this theory is that the good will is the intrinsic quality of nature. Hence, if the action is morally good, maxim, it acts as the theory behind the duty to the moral law. Kant’s moral law gave birth to the idea of categorical imperative. According to the theory of Kant, it is an idea, which acts as a  moral law applicable to all people, irrespective of what their wishes, and interests are. â€Å"Act only to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. † (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2008). Kant’s theory has the unique quality of Kant’s formulation of moral law in the categorical imperative. The basic universal idea of Kant’s ethics reveal that in order to have permission to any action, the action needs to be applicable to all mankind without any disagreement. Moreover, this ethical theory states that human beings are not defined as beings who talks of an end but  rather are an autonomous end in themselves. The theory formulation also deals with the autonomy which results in saying that rational agents are willfully restricted to the moral law. Kant says that the idea of the Kingdom of Ends is about the establishment of the idea based on hypothetical kingdom, which is assumed by the people to be created by their actions (Pomerleau, 2013). In addition, Kant’s theory also portrays the idea of imperfect and perfect duties. In light of this view, the idea that human beings should not lie, is the perfect duty and it hold the truth in its centre. While charity, is an imperfect duty, which is applicable in specific moments and times. PHILOSOPHY 3 Many philosophers, such as Louis Pojman and Jean-Jacques Rousseau cited the Kant’s ethical theory for their debate for rationalism and empiricism. These debates state about Kant’s ethical theoretical development lead to the development of the natural law. Philosopher also believes that Kant’s teacher Martin Knutzen gave him the inspiration for his ethical theory. Other philosophers like Jacques Lacan, John Rawls and Jurgen Schopenhauer were also influenced by the ethical theory of Kant. However, philosophers like G. W. F Hegel criticized  Kant’s ethical theory as being short of providing enough prove for the decision making and the denial of human nature. Another philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer also criticized Kant’s ethical theory as being perspective by saying that it does not only define the human behavior and characteristic but define a specific perspective. In addition, Michael Stocker argued that Kant’s moral theory says people committing the perfect and imperfect duties will eventually end up neglecting the other ethical motivations such as love and friendship. Discussion The basic concept of Kant’s moral philosophy is the ground work which is based on the  concept to seek out. Kant formulated these ideas by linking the common sense concept with the general morality ethics and duties of human beings. This Groundwork is based on the concept of seeking ou, from the basis of moral of metaphysics. His initial idea was to assign a statement to the principles of morality and judgment. These judgments would concern a normal/sane human being. The judgments should also be based on something which a human mind can possibly accept. In this sense, Kant did not give the judgment that would please the other philosophers for being directly linked with either the religion or science.

China especially Essay

â€Å"River Town: Two years on the Yangtze† is a book written by Peter Hessler describing how his life was in China. This is a book he wrote during his years in rural China when he was an English teacher. During this period, he was working for the Peace Corps in Fuling, a remote town located along Yangtze River. This was even before westerners became common in mainland China. In fact during this time, Hessler was one among the only four westerners in the whole rural town full of hundreds of thousands of people. He provides an account on his everyday struggles with the culture and language of the Chinese people. He tells how he teaches his English students on Shakespeare using the Chinese twist and the way communist party bureaucracy sometimes becomes a hurdle to some developments. Of much interest is the manner in which the education system in china is described as one of the most standardized. According to Hessler (34), students had the responsibility of cleaning the classroom. As explained, there are a lot of responsibilities for Chinese students in their system as they had to wash the blackboards between classes. Moreover, they had to clean the windows and the floor twice a week. Students are required to obey and accomplish their obligations and if for example the cleaning of the classroom was not adequate, they would be fined (Hessler 34). Here, students are fined if they miss morning exercises, if they skipped classes, returned late to the dormitories during the night and if they failed in the examinations. This is an education system that looks very different from that of America since students here have very little extra cash to spend and it was thus possible for the classrooms to be thoroughly and diligently cleaned. The education system has a place for exercises which is mandatory for all in the morning. Some of the exercises involved pressing two fingers on one’s eyes, cheeks or nose. Typically, children go to school as from 7:00am to 4:00pm. However, the elementary schools start as early as 7:30am. Common subjects here include propaganda, writing, reading and studying mathematics. It is during recess when children are expected to attend relaxation exercises and calisthenics. The schools seem to be overcrowded as there were around forty-five in every classroom pressed together seated on old wooden desks. Children here are accustomed to rote learning and this according to Hessler meant that they had to always follow models even to the point of plagiarism (Hessler 100). Students in this system are inveterate copiers and thus it is possible to get an exactly the same paper from a group of students. In this case, copying is not wrong in the Chinese education system as in their whole school life they are taught to imitate models, accept what they have been told by their teacher without questioning, copy things and this is what they often do (Hessler 100). In this education system, books used were mostly published in China and they had political intent overstated. For example, Hessler cites the example of â€Å"A Handbook of Writing† that he was using during his writing class that had model essay titled â€Å"The Three Gorges Project Is Beneficial† which was in the â€Å"Argumentation† chapter (Hessler 99). There is an explanation on the chapter on benefits and risks associated with the project that had made some to be against it. But in the end there was a transition that summed up everything that the worries of those against the project were justified â€Å"But we should not give up eating for fear of choking. † Thus the writer of the handbook had to focus more on the benefits of the project and thus gave examples of improved transport, more electricity and better control of flood. The conclusion was that the Three Gorges Project had more advantages than disadvantages. This is what the students are supposed to be taught and to write. When they are given a composition, they end up writing the same phrase â€Å"But we should not give up eating for fear of choking. † Thus, in short this means that the system stresses to give students literature that would make them to be more patriotic to the administration. Students are supposed to appreciate the ancient poetry as this is taken to be the strongest part in Chinese literary tradition. In comparison to American schools, the environment in Chinese schools is harsh for any writer due to culture. It is actually very difficult for any Chinese to write on what is happening at the present and especially if that writer wants to use fiction. Most of the outstanding fiction writers in China are exiles and since they had that status for a long time, it is quite difficult for them to write about what happened in the recent past in accuracy. It is actually difficult for writers in China especially due to censorship and political issues. Even the cultural elements make it really hard for them as those who are educated in this society usually look down on the working class and the farmers and they seem to have very little interest in that world. Educated Chinese are more preoccupied on ideas than on stories and individuals (Miller 1). In American schools, the structure involves set questions, worksheets and group activities. Children are required to perform most activities as a group and ample time is awarded for individual work. Moreover, more flexibility is seen in the American education system. The Chinese education system however is more relentless on group mentality. In most cases writers are individuals but unfortunately this is an instinct that is commonly broken in a Chinese classroom. Teaching writing in China has no emphasis on character, narrative voice or perspective. The focus is on getting the kids copy poetic phrases day in day out. Children are taught that they must spout off any set opinions instead of generating something unexpected. They also deal with so much handwriting. This is traditional Chinese education system that focuses purely on other values and skills. Communist system establishes funded film-schools which impart vital technical skills (Miller 1). American education system strives to teach the students on how they can think independently as opposed to the Chinese system that aims to teach the students on imitation. Educators in China teach their students to learn via rote. An American student is given room to ask questions. On the contrary, a Chinese student is not supposed to ask any question but should expect to be taught without his/her contribution. Traditionally, children are taught via rote learning, memorizing all material with no space for asking questions. In addition, there are so many topics that are banned and great amount of time spent to learn numerous Chinese characters that are supposed to be memorized. A classroom in China carries between 40 and 50 students and in some cases this may go up to 60. This number encourages rote learning instead of using discussions and other student-driven activities. American students however have more time to engage in self-driven activities and important discussions that encourage thinking (Hays 1). Works cited Hays, Jeffrey. School Life in China, 2008. Retrieved from http://factsanddetails. com/china. php? itemid=1094&catid=13&subcatid=82 Hessler, Peter. River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, London: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. Miller, JFK. Why I Write: Peter Hessler, 2010. Retrieved from http://www. urbanatomy. com/index. php/arts/why-i-write/2770-why-i-write-peter-hessler

Prescription Drug Abuse: a Growing Epidemic in the United States

Prescription Drug Abuse: A Growing Epidemic in the United States Prescription drug abuse and related overdoses are a major public health issue that continues to grow each year. The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains prescription drug abuse as â€Å"the intentional use of a medication without a prescription. † (U. S. Health and Human Services, 2011) Since prescription drugs are legal and readily prescribed to alleviate pain and suffering, it poses a big challenge to control them. Many people, especially younger adults, feel that they are safer than illicit drugs because they can be found in their family medicine cabinet.Over the years, the number of people abusing these drugs has increased significantly. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), in 2007 there were â€Å"approximately 27,000 unintentional drug overdose deaths† in the United States. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012) The use of prescription drugs continues to be the number on e cause of these overdoses, more than heroin and cocaine combined. As part of the CDC’s study, they reported that over a ten-year period, between 1997 and 2007, the number of milligrams of prescription opioids prescribed per a person increased from 74 milligrams to 369 milligrams.In 2000, pharmacies dispensed 174-million opioid prescriptions and in 2009, it increased to 257 million prescriptions. These are both major contributors to prescription drug abuse and overdoses due to the fact that prescription drugs are so easily available. As a result of this study, the CDC has classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) Prescription drug abuse spans across a wide range of populations. The prevalence of prescription drug abuse is higher among men, individuals between the ages of 18-64, non-Hispanic whites, service members, and poor, rural populations.The highest rate of prescription drug abuse is by young adults between the ages of 18-25. (U. S. Health and Human Services, 2011)) Of the individuals who reported non-medical prescription drug abuse, 70 percent reported getting the prescription drugs from a friend or relative, 18 percent reported getting it from one doctor, and less than 5 percent reported buying it from a drug dealer or stranger. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) Younger adults are at higher risk for overdose because they have a higher tendency to mix prescription drugs with alcohol or other illicit drugs. Multiple studies have revealed associations between prescription drug abuse and higher rates of cigarette smoking, heavy episodic drinking, and marijuana, cocaine, and other illicit drug use among adolescents, young adults, and college students in the United States. † (U. S. Health and Human Services, 2011) This results in numerous emergency room visits for this particular population. Between 2004 and 2009, the number of emergency room visi ts related to non-medical use of prescription drugs nearly doubled. Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) Young adults are not the only population of prescription drug abusers that has continued to increase over the years. In 2008, the Department of Defense reported that one in nine active-duty service members reported prescription drug abuse. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) A study done by the Office of National Drug Control Policy found that â€Å"approximately two million adults age 50 and older used prescription-type drugs non-medically in the past year. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) As you can see, the prescription drug abuse problem is not limited to a specific population. It effects people throughout their lifetime. Newspaper Article A recent article in the Boston Globe called â€Å"Antidote offers addicts’ families sliver of comfort: Nasal spray credited with reversing more than 1,800 drug overdoses†, talked about the distribution of Naloxone in the community as a way to prevent an overdose. Naloxone is an opiate antidote that can be given to someone who you suspect has overdosed.It can be administered intranasally or by injection. Massachusetts is one of the few states that have implemented a Naloxone distribution program. Beginning in 2006, Massachusetts’s health officials have been distributing Naloxone to individuals who are most likely to witness an overdose such as outreach workers, homeless shelter employees, active drug users and family members. (Canaboy, 2013) The article goes on to talk about the effect the Naloxone programs have had in Massachusetts. In 2010, overdoses were responsible for 738 deaths in Massachusetts, which was twice the number of motor-vehicle deaths. Canaboy, 2013) Studies have showed that the Naloxone programs have had a positive effect in the communities where it is distributed. There were also positive results f ound in a study done in California by two agencies that implemented Overdose Prevention Programs using Naloxone. The rate of overdose deaths was reduced between 27 percent and 46 percent in the communities where Naloxone was distributed in 2009. (Canaboy, 2013) As shown by this article, drug overdoses continue to be a major public health issue in communities throughout Massachusetts.With the help of programs like the Naloxone discussed in this article, there is hope that health officials and communities can work together to fight against it using harm reduction programs in conjunction with other treatment programs. Healthy People 2020 One of the topics for Healthy People 2020 is substance abuse. The goal of this topic is to â€Å"reduce substance abuse to protect the health, safety, and quality of life for all, especially children. † (Healthy People 2020, 2012) Healthy People 2020 reported that 22 million Americans had drug or alcohol problems in 2005 and 95 percent of them w ere not even aware of their problem. Healthy People 2020, 2012) They also reported that 273,000 people who recognized they had a problem with drugs or alcohol were unsuccessful in obtaining treatment. It’s reasons like this that Healthy People 2020 felt that substance abuse was an important topic to focus on for the future. Under the substance abuse topic in Healthy People 2020 there are two specific objectives directly related to prescription drug use. They state the following: â€Å"objective SA-12 reduce drug-induced deaths† and â€Å"SA-19 reduce the past-year nonmedical use of prescription drugs. (Healthy People 2020, 2012) Both these objectives are directly related to the issues discussed in the Boston Globe article and other initiatives that the Federal Government has outlined as part of their plan. Nursing Diagnosis One of the NANDA diagnoses that relates to prescription drug abuse and overdoses is Ineffective Community Self-Health Management. Carpenito-Moyet describes this diagnosis as â€Å"a pattern in which the community experiences or is at high risk to experience difficulty integrating a program for prevention/treatment of illness and the sequelae of illness and reduction of risk situations. † (p. 28) This can be related to the Naloxone program discussed in the Boston Globe article and other treatment services in general. The article talks about how there are only a few states that have been willing to implement the Naloxone program. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a report on â€Å"Prescription Drug Overdoses – a U. S. Epidemic† which talked about the National agenda to combat prescription drug abuse. In the report, it talked about how the public health approach needs to include both secondary and tertiary prevention programs such as the Naloxone program discussed in the Boston Globe article. Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) There are current programs out there but in dividuals are not successful in accessing them for one reason or another. The CDC’s report discussed the need to remove barriers to make treatment programs more accessible in the communities. The report stated, â€Å"Office-based care can be less stigmatizing and more accessible to all patients, especially those residing in rural areas. † (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012) Another NANDA diagnosis that is related to prescription drug abuse and overdose is deficient knowledge.This is defined by Carpenito-Moyet as, â€Å"the state in which an individual or group experiences a deficiency in cognitive knowledge or psychomotor skills concerning the condition or treatment plan. † (p. 269) This is directly related to the prescription drug abuse and overdose problem in a number of ways. It applies to the individuals who are actively using drugs, the prescribers who are prescribing the drugs to individuals, and the community in general. The Office of Natio nal Drug Control Policy developed a plan to combat the prescription drug problem.In their report, Epidemic: Responding to America’s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis, they developed four major areas of focus, the first being education. The report stated that â€Å"A crucial first step in tackling the problem of prescription drug abuse is to education parents, youth, and patients about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs while requiring prescribers to receive training in the safe and appropriate use of these drugs. † (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011)Educating individuals about the dangers of prescription drugs is just as important or even more important than illicit drugs. People feel that prescription drugs aren’t as bad because a doctor prescribes them. Education is also required for family members and community members to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug abuse or an overdose. The Boston Globe article talks abo ut how part of the Naloxone program is to educate whomever it is getting the Naloxone how to recognize an overdose. It’s important for them to know what signs to look for. ConclusionAs evidence by the Boston Globe article and multiple reports put out by the federal government and different state agencies, prescription drug abuse is a major public health issue that needs to be addressed. It needs to be addressed at all levels, starting with the federal government’s drug policies and working down to the individuals who are abusing drugs. The population of individuals abusing prescription drugs varies for different reasons. There needs to be more treatment and prevention programs available to the different populations that address the specific needs of each.There are current programs established, like the Naloxone, that are shown to work. We need to keep moving in the right direction to implement and grow these types of programs in order to succeed in reducing the prescri ption drug abuse problem in the United States. Works Cited Canaboy, C. (2013, March 2). Antidote offers addicts' families sliver of comfort: Nasal spray credited with reversing more than 1,800 drug overdoses. Boston Globe , p. A. 1. Carpenito-Moyet, L. (2008). Handbook of Nursing Diagnosis (12th ed. ).Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, January 13). CDC Grand Rounds: Prescription Drug Overdoses — a U. S. Epidemic:. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www. cdc. gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6101a3. htm Executive Office of the President of the United States. (2011, April). Prescription Drug Abuse | The White House:. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from The White House: http://www. whitehouse. gov/ondcp/prescription-drug-abuse Healthy People 2020. 2012, September 6). Substance Abuse – Healthy People:. (U. S. Health and Human Services) Retrieved March 3, 2013, from Healthy P eople 2020: http://www. healthypeople. gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview. aspx? topicid=40 Lankenau, S. E. , Wagner, K. D. , Silva, K. , Kecojevic, A. , Iverson, E. , McNeely, M. , et al. (2012). Injection Drug Users Trained by Overdose Prevention Programs: Responses to Witnessed Overdoses. Journal of Community Health , 38, 133-141. Stanhope, RN, DSN, FAAN, M. , & Lancaster, RN, Ph. D, FAAN, J. (2012).Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community (8th ed. ). Maryland Heights, MS: Elsevier, Inc. U. S. Health and Human Services. (2011, December). Prescription Drug Abuse. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www. drugabuse. gov/publications/topics-in-brief/prescription-drug-abuse U. S. Health and Human Services. (2011, October). Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from National Institute of Health: http://www. drugabuse. gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs

Comparing the depiction of Men throughout Charles Dickens Essay

â€Å"Great Expectations† is a pre twentieth century book with â€Å"Cider with Rosie† is a twentieth century book. â€Å"Great Expectations† is about a boy â€Å"Pip† which the book revolves around his life from a young child in the marshy land of Kent to a grown man where he meets Estella the love of his life, which he has not seen for years. This book has a storyline which has leaves you in suspense at the end of chapters. An example of this is at the end of chapter 0ne on page 5, â€Å"I looked round for the horrible young man, and I could see no signs of him. But, now I was frightened again, and I ran home without stopping.† This leaves suspense and you want to read on. Where as â€Å"Cider with Rosie† follows all the happenings of a young boy, Laurie Lee. Really it is a autobiography of Laurie Lee till he is about 14, 15 years of age. Cider with Rosie is a very descriptive book, which will describe things in great detail and in big long lists of running commentary. An example of this great description is on page 11 chapter one â€Å"I crawled about among the ornaments on the unfamiliar floor-the glass fishes, china dogs, shepherdesses, bronze horsemen, stopped clocks, barometers, and photographs of bearded men.† In â€Å"Great Expectations† the main Men I am going to look at are Mr Joe, Mr Wemmick, Herbit Pocket and Magwitch the convict. Magwitch is an escaped convict from the local prison near where pip lives. The first man described in this book is on page 2 of chapter 1, it is Magwitch the convict. Pip meats him in the church yard looking at his mothers tomb stone this is the first encounter of Magwitch for Pip it would be terrifying for the young boy. Magwitch is described in this scene as â€Å"A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, broken shoes and with an old rag tied round his head†. This shows the first description of a male in â€Å"Great Expectations†. It gives the reader a very clear image of what this convict would have looked like and been like to meet in person. The next description is one of Joe Gargery on page 6 chapter 2 of â€Å"Great Expectations†. Joe is married to Pips sister so he is Pips Brother-in-law but Pips looks up to him as his father as he does not have one. They are very good friends and spend a lot of time together. This is the description of him, â€Å"Joe was a fair man, with curls of flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face, and with eyes of such a very undecided blue that they seemed to have some how got mixed with their whites.† This is from Pips point of view and shows you what Pip thought and sees of his brother-in-law. Joe is Pips father figure, a kind of replacement for Pips Dad, which Pip looks up too. The next male I am going to describe is Mr Wemmick. He is Mr Jaggers clerk and lives and works in the London area. He is a poor man but is happy as he have his small castle to get away from the world and his old Dad who is dependent of him. In â€Å"Great Expectations† Mr Wemmick is frequently is involved in helping Pip in London. A description of Mr Wemmick is on page 165 chapter 21. † Casting my eyes on Mr Wemmick as we went along, to see what he was like in the light of day, I found him to be a dry man, rather short in stature, with a square wooden face, whose expression seemed to have imperfectly chipped out with a dull-edged chisel. There were some marks in it that might have been dimples, if the material had been softer and instrument finer, but which, as it was, were only dints.† This shows what Pip thinks of Mr Wemmick when he first sees him in Mr Jaggers office in London. It is a very depictive description of Mr Wemmick and you can vividly imagine what Mr Wemmick would look like to meet in person. Mr Wemmick is closely involved in what Pip does in London and helps him financially and none-financially. The last male I am going to look at in â€Å"Great Expectations† is Herbert Pocket. Pip first encounter with Herbert Pocket in â€Å"Great Expectations is when they meet at Mrs Havishams after Pip has been round Mrs Havishams playing. When Pip leaves her house he runs into Herbert Pocket in which they have a play fight. This is in chapter 11 page 87, after playing at Mrs Havishams. When Pip see’s Herbert Pocket he is described as a â€Å"pale young gentleman†. Which is what he is described as for a while longer. After the fight Herbert is described as â€Å"not very healthy-having pimples on his face and breaking out of his mouth, these dreadful preparation appalled me†. The next time pip meats Herbert is in London when they a older and about to share a flat together in London. Herbert is now described as â€Å"still a pale young gentleman. He had not a handsome face, but it was better than handsome: but extremely amiable and cheerful. His figure was a little ungainly†. This description of Herbert is more descriptive and is described in a grown-up way instead of the way he was described earlier in the book. This is on page 172 chapter 22. In â€Å"Cider with Rosie† there are not many men in the book as it is a female dominated book and there are very few males in the book as his father deserted him and the rest of his family at an early age of so he dose not have many males in his life. The only males he really sees in his life at an early age is at school, his brothers and men around the village he lives in. described main men that I am going to look at that are involved someway with Laurie Lee’s life are mostly in the chapter â€Å"The Uncles†.

Charles Dickens Essay Example for Free (#3)

Charles Dickens Essay Essay Topic: Literature , Charles Dickens In the first chapter he uses many cold, harsh adjectives to reinforce his description of Scrooge, â€Å"wrenching, grasping, clutching†, and this helps to give the reader a very negative attitude towards him. This way of writing, using words which associate to the mood Dickens wants to put across, is very unusual and I think that people reading the book find this stimulating and exciting. We can vividly see the blissful festivities of Fezziwig’s party because Dickens uses the idea that lots of people can enjoy themselves dancing together, â€Å"all the young men and women†. Readers are able to apply this to their own memories of gatherings with family or friends, which makes it a piquant read. The happiness and togetherness of this party also allows us to compare jovial Fezziwig with unpleasant Scrooge because there is such a big difference in their characters. Dickens uses very inventive language to allow the reader to understand exactly the ideas he is trying to portray, â€Å"Choked up with too much burying† and this enables the reader to almost feel the atmosphere written in the book. He uses a simile to describe the way in which the Cratchit children react to Tiny Tim’s death, â€Å"as still as statues† and we can fully sense their shocking grief. We can see this is very different behaviour compared with their usual happiness, such as their excitement at Christmas, â€Å"God bless us†. The way he writes that the children were all â€Å"in one corner† gives the image of contraction and trying to find security by closing in together, which helps us to see these saddening representations. A Christmas Carol is very emotive. We have compassion for the Cratchit family and we are upset about Tiny Tim’s illness, but fear is also evoked from the reader because the spirits are so unnatural and powerful. We become very angry with Scrooge for being so parsimonious with his money, but we then gain sympathetic affections towards Scrooge as we see how he was badly treated in the earlier parts of his life. Using these contrasts, Dickens creates different moods throughout the book and the reader feels happiness and companionship as well as distaste and anger. As more emotions are aroused, the reader becomes more involved and begins to enjoy the book with more fascination. As well as these many advantages of the book, giving it the popularity it has acquired, there are also aspects which could reduce the popularity of the book. To modern people, the language may seem bizarre because it is a Victorian style of writing when people had more time to read the book and analyse it properly, because they were not watching television etc. People may find the descriptions and language Dickens uses in the book too complex, â€Å"courses will foreshadow certain end†, which makes it difficult to read and sometimes confusing. It seems almost impossible that the Cratchits can be so happy just because of the closeness between the family, even though they have so many problems with money. Again it is infeasible that Scrooge’s character and attitude to life could change completely overnight, but we accept this because we want him to change for the benefit of others. Charles Dickens shows that Scrooge was once a genuine and moral person, as a young man, when the first spirit recalls Scrooge’s earlier life, â€Å"passion†. We also see the reasons in Scrooge’s adolescence that could have made him such a bitter old man. This is because he is so deprived of love and we know this because Dickens gives evidence that the Father used to be cruel, â€Å"kinder than he used to be†. This gives us reasons to sympathise with him, and helps to believe he could have a good inner heart. He also has a very kind and loving nephew, â€Å"Dine with us†, which shows that there could be righteousness in Scrooge’s blood. These reasons all help us to believe that Scrooge can become a good man again, and support our acceptance of the joy and warmth at the end. A Christmas Carol is a book which contains many hidden meanings and the more it is read, the more interesting ideas we see in it. This is why people continue to create plays and films on the book, so people will understand the whole story fully and the main universal message, that we should be more charitable. There is also a lot of dramatic suspense in the book, because we ask ourselves so many questions. We want to know which aspects the spirits are going to show and how this will influence Scrooge. We hope that Tiny Tim will be able to gain strength to stay alive and we also want to know who the person in the graveyard is. All these confusing questions make the reader anticipate the ending of the book and this gives another reason for it’s continuing popularity. I like the way that there are many subtle details, which highlight the main idea and further encourage me to want to change my way of life, â€Å"altered life†. I enjoy the way he uses symbols and his own ideas to create an impact on the reader. For example the deprived children are a symbol showing the reader what will happen if Scrooge does not change his actions, â€Å"Where angels might have sat enthroned, devils lurked†. The â€Å"angel† and the â€Å"devil† are opposite symbols, which gives emphasis to the degraded children. I can also see that the book is very popular because Scrooge has now become a vernacular part of speech, when we say that someone may have a ‘Scrooge like character’. Charles Dickens. (2017, Sep 26). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

American Sign Language Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Sign Language - Assignment Example To denote the difference, different spellings are used. For instance, the term deaf (lower case) is used generally to the condition of not being able to recognize sound while Deaf (upper case) is used to identify a particular group of people who share a common language and culture. Like most communities, values, patterns of beliefs, social customs and knowledge that represent characteristics of a community define culture. In addition, there have been efforts to unite and to bring deaf people together. In 1834, the first formal meeting was held and was known as Parisian banquet. Moreover, the first international gathering was held in 1889 in Paris. These activities led to the formation of associations and clubs. Some of the clubs formed, include the National Association for the Deaf in the United States as well as the World Federal for the Deaf. However, research shows that the numbers have been declining, possibly due to class-related issues. Padden further says that families should be aware of the local culture of Deaf people and most importantly, help their children to participate in events for the deaf (Padden, & Humphries, 1999). The development of linguistic and cognitive of deaf children raises concerns of bilingual language acquisition. Padden discusses the bilingual paradigm where deaf children are considered part of a linguistic minority as they acquire language. In addition, for multilingualism children, they must learn how to use each language and how to switch between the languages effectively. Furthermore, for those who use sign language as a first language and who believe they belong to a linguistic minority, to them sign language signifies group membership. The use sign language is a form of expressing values and beliefs that are carried across generations. Therefore, sign language represents a heritage that is common and a

ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE 2004 TSUNAMI Research Paper

ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE 2004 TSUNAMI - Research Paper Example In that terrible event, it was realized that the corporate world is indeed made up of real citizens and that business is never emotionless. This arose out of the many supplies that actually came from the corporate world as small organizations and global multinationals were almost competing in their donations towards the affected people. In the analysis of the physical and economic impact of the tsunami, many issues begin to emerge. The effect of the tsunami was indeed much greater than initially presumed and some of those effects continue to be felt to this day. In the same vein, there are certainly many lessons to be learnt from the economic impact of the tsunami more than the mere short term effects on the affected countries. Physical facts The tsunami began with a seismic shift on the floor of the Indian Ocean on the 26th December 2004 off the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The whole shift set off a giant tidal wave that destroyed and swept houses and other structures on the beac hes wherever if reached. On the Richter scale, the oceanic earthquake measured 9.0 which was certainly a strong force. In less than three weeks later, the number of people who had been confirmed dead from the effects of the tsunami had reached 165,000. More deaths were later realized from water borne diseases, malnutrition and other effects that arose later. In the end, the estimated death toll was over 300,000 (Allen 45). The countries that were physically affected by the tsunami were Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Maldives, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Myanmar, Seychelles and Bangladesh. Economic impacts of the Tsunami In the face of the tsunami, the immediate direct economic impact was the radical reduction in the consumption and business activity in the affected areas. Many people were greatly affected and they totally had to rely on food donations that mainly came from the corporate bodies. The economic effect of this phenomenon was, therefore, the reduced purchasing power which certainly affected organizations which mainly relied on the Asian markets. The most affected country was Indonesia which experienced a lot of costs in the reconstruction process given that the tsunami had greatly destroyed the costal infrastructure of that country. It was estimated that in the most affected area of Aceh, the government would need over $4 billion in the next five years in order to assist in the reconstruction process given that the area was totally flattened by the great waves. Figures from the International Labor Organization (ILO) reveal that more than 1 million jobs were lost as consequence of the tsunami in Indonesia (Askew 56). In Sri Lanka, the economy was enjoying a relatively high economic growth rate and peaceful times following the end of the 2 year civil unrest in the country. Just like Indonesia, the country was faced with a hefty reconstruction bill considering that its destroyed infrastructure was certainly the most advanced in the whole affected area. The Asian Development Bank estimated the amount to be used in the reconstruction process to be over $1.5 billion (Karan 65). Most importantly, the greatest challenge in the Indonesian case was the long-term effect of the tsunami on the critical tourism industry which contributes greatly to the economy of the country. It was actually realized that tourism, which accounted up to 4.6% of the country’s GDP prior to the tsunami, was greatly affected given that most tourists had to avoid the area for several months that followed the event (Murty 65). Moreover, the tourism infrastructure was totally destroyed and this created the need for reconstruction before

Business Operation And System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business Operation And System - Essay Example Through technology power, the company has come up with new ideas and brand new experiences. The company is recognized due to its variety of products such as online businesses, game, music and picture. It is ranked among the leading company in the globe due to its customer brands. Sony-Ericson mobile phone segment serves a global communications market with original mobile phones, PC-cards and accessories (Worthington and Britton, 2006, p. 37). The company was established following a merger of Sony and Ericson in 2001. Its corporate functions are based in London although the company has a multinational workforce and has research and development centres in Japan, China, Europe and America (Lewis and Slack, 2011, p. 85). Mobile phone products produced by Sony-Ericson have to compete with other products from other major mobile phone manufacturers such as Nokia, Samsung and Alcatel among other manufacturers. Firms vary in many ways, but the common feature is that they are all involved in transformation of raw materials into output by combing various resources such as labour and technology (Worthington and Britton, 2006, p. 30). The transformation process occurs within a setting being influenced by external factors which affects the operation of a company. The exter nal environment is usually volatile, complex, and interactive which cannot be ignored in the analysis of business activity. In the external business environment, PESTLE analysis is critical for it indicates the various external influences the company is facing. PESTLE is an acronym of political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors in the firm’s macro-environment (Worthington and Britton, 2006, p. 38). Following a PESTLE analysis, Sony has been able to respond accordingly to technological advancement to come up with Sony Ericsson Smart Phone. This demonstrates the influence of technological advancement on the operations of a company. Previously, Nokia and Sony had the most superior phones in the market. However, iPhone and Android introduced the smart phones in the market. In addition, there is increased demand for phones in the market and the lifestyle and level of education of the mobile phone users is changing with more users demanding smart pho nes. This influenced Sony Ericsson to turn to manufacturing smart phones in order to meet the customer’s demands. Legislative and prevalence of stability within the market it operates in allows Sony Ericsson to market its products in different countries and to decentralize its research and development offices to Asia, America and Europe (Georgiou, 2006, p. 450). Sony Ericsson never led the way in the manufacture of smart phones but only responded in a similar way to the way its competitors were moving as based on the CATWOE model. CATWOE is based on a principle where a company involved in systems development waits to be given a transformation and information on others involved in the transformation and they way they are involved (Georgiou, 2006, p. 450). Moreover, CATWOE seeks to know why transformation is important and the restrictions when planning to implement change. Sony Ericsson should carry out a CATWOE analysis where using a knowledge database it can analyze the propo sal to transform its operations to manufacture smart phones. CATWOE analysis takes into consideration the external environment of the company and demonstrated that production of smart phone would benefit its customers whose demand for phones able to access the internet faster and run various applications could be met. In addition, Sony would be able to increase its sales. The company in developing its smart phone outsourced the

To What Extent Has the USA Been Successful In Creating a Durable Essay

To What Extent Has the USA Been Successful In Creating a Durable Liberal World Order - Essay Example This essay stresses that America had been a nation which the whole world idolized in earlier times. However, recently the country has accumulated large amount of hatred and despise due its overpowering nature. The political strategy of America had proved to be selfish and rebellious. America has earned an image of hegemony with interests those conflicts with its counterparts. America has had war all over Middle East and has changed their ruler and also intimidated people to fight for their lives. In the search of terrorist they have killed many innocents in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. They have had the enmity of Muslims all over the world and had been tagged as the most threatening nation. America even became the target of radicals due to their imperialistic nature This paper makes a conclusion that the imperialism of America lies in their act of monopolizing the world business market. They decide the trade of oil and have technological power over other nations. America had been involving in the political affairs of all nations and interferes in worldly matters to find their benefit. America has the interest of being the super power of the world and they had done many atrocities and tactics to remain on top. The country has had many enemies and will continue to increase their enemies due to their foreign policy and hidden political agendas. America have been advantageous to world in many ways, however their political strategy is seriously selfish and unacceptable. To remain in power, the country has used many principles which make them an immoral country on many accounts.