Explain connection between the issue(A suggested ban on audit firms Essay

Explain connection between the issue(A suggested ban on audit firms providing non-audit services)and confidence in the role of a - Essay Example Al., 1999). It can be recognised from the above description that the roles and responsibilities of an auditor are concentrated on the execution of the auditing process including the ethical aspect of independence. However, certain real life evidences have revealed the fact that numerous auditing firms are engaged in serving their clients with non-auditing services which consequently have an affect on the quality and the effectiveness of the process. The paper shall, thereby, be focussed on the study of the roles and responsibilities of the auditor in the present scenario. Additionally, the paper shall also tend to identify the impact of the non-auditing services rendered by auditors on the quality and effectiveness of the auditing services in the UK business environment. Roles and Responsibilities of Auditors From the legal point of view, any company with limited liability should compel the auditing process before the presentation of their annual accounts in order to confirm the erad ication of any misstatement in the financial statement of the company(s). Therefore, the roles and responsibilities of the auditor(s) are to examine the financial statements of the client’s company and ensure that the audited statements are mostly free from the mispresentation if not entirely. In other words, it is the responsibility of the auditor(s) to provide â€Å"reasonable assurance† to the conclusion that the financial statements presented by the company are at large free from any kind of material mispresentation occurring due to fraudulence or error. Apart from these responsibilities the auditors are also liable to communicate their viewpoints to the stakeholders which again call for an ethical behaviour from the end of the auditor (Green Paper, 2010). However, as revealed from various researches and studies, the focus of auditors, today, are inclined more towards the minimisation of risks occurring during the preparation of the financial statements. As quoted by the European Commission, the implication of auditing has been shifting from a verification based approach to a risk based approach raising certain major limitations on the part of the auditing process. For instance, the recent banking crisis was an example which apparently depicted the affect of this changing concept of auditing on the quality aspect and on the aspect of effectiveness as well (Green Paper, 2010). It is worth mentioning that the role practised by the auditors at present are inclined to be focussed majorly on the non-auditing services, (i.e. the eradication of risk of misstatement arising during the completion of the financial statements) rather than the auditing services which are centred on the evaluation of the financial statements presented by the company. The Impact of Non-Auditing Services Practised by Auditing Firms in the UK In the present day phenomenon, the practise of Non-Auditing Services by the auditors have gained a considerable amount of reaction fro m the global business environment, especially after the fall down of Enron. The reason of the dismissal according to a group of researchers is the impact of Non-Auditing Services on the aspect of auditor independence. On the contrary, a separate group of researchers state that the Non-Auditing Services in real life practises are beneficial for the auditors. According to the

Othello Essay Example for Free

Othello Essay There is no doubt that whatever Shakespeare wrote found its way to the top as a literary piece of genius. His command over language and ability to portray emotions and thoughts through mere words has made him immortal in English literature. Shakespeare uses a variety of aides to make his play the flawless specimen it is. The most striking symbol in Othello is Desdemonas handkerchief that circulates throughout the play. Because Othello gave it to Desdemona as a first gift, the handkerchief functions as a token of his love, which Desdemona cherishes (3. 3. 1). Iago convinces his wife to steal it from Desdemona because he knows that it has a lot of sentimental value and that Othello will be angry when he finds out his wife no longer has it. Iago also knows that, for Othello, the handkerchief symbolizes Desdemonas fidelity. When it shows up in Cassios possession, Othello is convinced of Desdemonas infidelity. The white napkin, as we know, is spotted with red strawberries and Othello tells Desdemona that the strawberries were hand stitched with thread that has been dyed with blood from maidens hearts or, virgins blood (3. . 10). [1] In this way, the handkerchief resembles a white wedding sheet thats also been stained with a virgins blood. So, in Othellos mind, Desdemonas handkerchief represents her chastity and the moment she loses it, she looses her chastity. The handkerchief also seems to function as a symbol of Othellos mysterious past and his exoticness. He tells Desdemona that an Egyptian charmer gave it to his mother and that it would keep his father faithful and under her spell (3. . 9). That such a small object has such enormous weight in the play testifies to the sensitivity of jealous minds, and the way that small incidents can be magnified psychologically into proofs of love or betrayal. Animalistic imagery also presents the impression of animal behaviour coming out of the seemingly civilized humans. Animalistic references are made often by Iago reflecting his beastly thirst for vengeance and blood. He uses animalistic references while referring to desdemona and Cassios supposed affair,burning the image in Othellos head so much so that by the end of the play Othello himself drops the beautiful speech which was adorned by references to gardens and exotic creatures and instead begins using these crude references without appearing to notice the change within himself. A literary device called Peripeteia is found in Othello. Peripeteia is a reversal of circumstances, or turning point. The term is primarily used with reference to works of literature. The English form of peripeteia is peripety. Peripety is a sudden reversal dependent on intellect and logic. In modern Greek means adventure. In William Shakespeares tragedy Othello, the peripety occurs in the mere middle of the play, act III, scene 3. Othello is slowly deceived by Iagos rhetoric, persuasiveness and imagery, yet in this scene the transition occurs. Iago says Indeed with emphasis, whereafter Othello replies: Indeed? Ay, indeed. Discernst thou aught in that? Is he not honest? . Iago keeps using rhetorical emphasis to corrupt Othello: Honest, my lord? ] Think, my lord? . Othello who is of weak character and easily persuaded replies: Think, my lord! By heaven, he echoes me, / As if there was some monster in his thought / Too hideous to be shown. The corruption continues until the peripety. There are two stanzas indicating this change. Othello has just got married to the beautiful Desdemona, whom he seemed unlikely to marry because he is a Moor (of North African descent), nevertheless he has been very lucky. Yet the peripety arrives and Othello exclaims: Why did I marry?  This honest creature [Iago] doubtless / Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds. [III, 3, 243-4]. Othello concludes that: This fellows of exceeding honesty / And knows all qualities with a learned spirit / Of human dealings [III, 3, 260]. The peripety has happened and Othello degrades mentally and the transition can be observed in his usage of language. Othello is very eloquent and uses subtle imagery (Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them [I, 2, 59]. After the peripety his language degrades to the usage of diabolical and physical imagery. Following the confirmation of his absolute belief in what Iago has told him he remarks: I had rather be a toad / And live upon the vapour of a dungeon [III, 3, 272]. Paul Yachnin (1996) and Andrew Sofer (1997) concentrate on the symbolic and thematic resonance of another device used Shakespeare to further his play,specifically Desdemonas handkerchief in Othello. Stolen by Iago and later produced as proof of her infidelity, the handkerchief is a fetishized commodity in Yachnins reading, capable of eliciting wonder and ultimately violence. For Sofer, the handkerchief embodies a broad spectrum of thematic functions in the play, designating an interlocking chain of signification that includes witchcraft, sexuality, jealousy, revenge, murder, inconstancy, and falsified evidence. A prop as metaphor, the handkerchief ties together the dramas leading motifs as well as drawing attention to its own theatricality, Sofer concludes[2]. Linguistic signification is the subject of Lucille P. Fultzs (1997) essay, which considers Iagos skillful manipulation of language to orchestrate the deaths of Othello and Desdemona. For Fultz, verbal seduction—a desire for power achieved through language—is a basic thematic component of the drama, one embodied by Iago in each of his relationships with fellow characters. Othello is considered to be a prime example of Aristotelian drama; it focuses upon a very small cast of characters, one of the smallest used in Shakespeare, has few distractions from the main plot arc, and concentrates on just a few themes, like jealousy. As such, it is one of the most intense and focused plays Shakespeare wrote, and has also enjoyed a great amount of popularity from the Jacobean period to the present day. Othello takes place in Venice (in northern Italy) and Cyprus (an island in the eastern Mediterranean about forty miles south of present-day Turkey). The time is between 1489 and 1571. It is interesting to note that Venice is the setting for both major Shakespeare plays dealing in part with racial prejudice, Othello and The Merchant of Venice. As one of the world’s leading sea powers, Venice was the center of commercialism and materialism and, therefore, corruption and conflict arising from avarice, social status, and fierce competition. Cyprus–as a strategically located island which yielded substantial harvests of olives, grapes and various grains–was much prized throughout its history. Assyrians, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, and Byzantines all fought over and occupied it. England’s King Richard I, the Lion-Hearted, conquered Cyprus in 1191 but later ceded it to the French. Venice seized the island in 1489 and in 1571 the Ottoman Turks brought Cyprus under its control. From the eleventh to the fifteenth century, Catholics battled to re-conquer Spain from the Islamic Arabs and Berbers, or Moors, who had successfully occupied it since the 900s. The struggle inspired intense prejudice and suspicion that lasted well after the Moors were overthrown. Philip III of Spain expelled 300,000 â€Å"Moriscos† from the Iberian (Spanish) peninsula not long after Shakespeare finished Othello, in 1609. In England during Shakespeare’s time, views regarding â€Å"Moors† were slightly more comple x because of strong anti-Catholic sentiment in England and English fears of invasion by the Spanish. In fact, England maintained independent trade relationships with â€Å"Moorish† Northern Africa, despite Spanish and Portuguese protest. The English slave trade also brought blacks to Europe, from mid-sixteenth century onward. Queen Elizabeth herself founded The Barbary Company, formally institutionalizing this trade; in addition, she received a delegation of Moroccan diplomats in 1600. However, the English still felt a strong suspicion of Islam: Elizabeth issued a degree expelling Moors from Africa and Spanish â€Å"Moriscos† from the boundary of England in 1599 and 1601.

Lord of the Flies :: essays research papers

Simon is perhaps the most important character in the novel for he is the first and only character to come to the realization that the Beast is inside them all, and is not represented by a physical manifestation. Simon is a follower, not a leader. He believes and trusts what Ralph, his leader, says. That’s why he mentions that the beast could be inside all of them once, and immediately discards that because Ralph doesn’t think so. His confrontation with the Lord of the Flies is the only way he can liberate that information to himself. The encounter begins with â€Å"Even if he shut his eyes the sow’s head still remained like an after-image.† This represents the beginning of the fixation Simon is having on the head, thinking of it even after he shuts his eyes. Golding then points out that the pig had half shut eyes and were dim with infinite cynicism of adult life. Those details come back a little later. It’s at this point where Simon asks himself a question and answers it aloud. â€Å" ‘I know that.’ Simon discovered that he had spoken aloud†. â€Å"He opened his eyes quickly and there was the head grinning amusedly in the strange daylight, ignoring the flies, the spilled guts, even ignoring the indignity of being spiked on a stick.† That sentence shows the continuing evolution of the fixation Simon has in this encounter. The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is the head, and he ignores every detail around it. This is when Simon comes to the realization that his original conclusion is credible, the one he let be because of Ralph. He looks away, trying to forget the head even exists, but cannot accomplish that task.. He pulls himself back to the head â€Å"Might not the beast come for it?†, simply because he believes the Beast is not a physical manifestation, therefore being impossible for it to come. According to Simon, the head seems to agree with him. At this point, he knows the Bea st doesn’t exist physically, but he is hesitant none-the-less. The head says â€Å"Run away [†¦] go back to the others. It was a joke really—why should you bother? You were wrong, that’s all. A little headache, something you ate, perhaps. Go back, child.† Simon is making excuses for himself through the pig. Here, the fixation on the head is nearly complete.

Eating: Personal or Public? Essay

I am writing this essay as a rhetorical analysis of Radley Balko’s article â€Å"What You Eat is Your Business† and making a recommendation for or against publication in The Shorthorn based on the request from my editor. I believe the rhetorical appeals that Mr. Balko makes in his article will be somewhat persuasive to the readers of The Shorthorn as he makes some valid points. However, most members of the UTA community have a previous understanding about the obesity epidemic that is plaguing this country and may not completely agree with his arguments. Obesity is a major concern in the United States because of the prevalence of heart disease, liver and kidney failure, and sleep abnormalities that plague a large portion of the population. It is a hot topic and debated regularly. The main argument is whether obesity should be a personal issue or whether the government should take action to modify individual’s health choices, essentially forcing a healthier lifestyle on the population. Balko’s central claim is that the government should make the cost of obesity a private matter with incentives for individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle as opposed to making the public pay for the poor life decisions of some of the population. He believes that â€Å"Instead of manipulating or intervening in the array of food options available to American consumers, our government ought to be working to foster a sense of responsibility in and ownership of our own health and well-being.† Balko insists that we are becoming less re sponsible for our own health and more responsible for everyone else’s. It is a trend that he believes will not foster positive changes since there is no incentive â€Å"to put down the cheeseburger† if the government is paying for the individual’s anti-cholesterol medication. Balko maintains that a society where everyone is responsible for everyone else’s well-being is a society more apt to accept government restrictions such as what McDonalds can put on its menu, what Safeway or Kroger can put on grocery shelves or holding food companies responsible for the bad habits of unhealthy consumers. He believes that a growing army of nutritionist activists and food industry foes are egging the process on and that the best way to alleviate the obesity â€Å"public health† crisis is to remove obesity from the realm of public health. He asserts that if policymakers want to fight obesity, they should halt the creeping socialization of medicine, and move to return individual Americans’ ownership of their own health and well-being back to individual Americans. His plan includes freeing insurance companies to reward healthy lifestyles, and penalize poor ones. Another idea he expresses is that Congress should increase access to medical and health sa vings accounts, which give consumers the option of rolling money reserved for health care into a retirement account. Balko believes that these accounts introduce accountability into the health care system, and encourage caution with one’s health care dollar. His assumption is that â€Å"when money we spend on health care doesn’t belong to our employer or the government, but is money we could devote to our own retirement, we’re less likely to run to the doctor at the first sign of a cold.† While readers of The Shorthorn may accept Balko’s rationale, they may not agree with his principle argument that obesity should not be part of the public sector. The readers may believe that some people need to be restricted in order for change to occur. If McDonald’s has to be regulated in order for an individual to make a healthier lifestyle choice then that is what needs to happen. If it takes government intervention to enforce changes in obesity levels of the population then so be it. I think readers of The Shorthorn would tend to agree with Balko’s suggestion t hat Congress could make available medical and health savings accounts but they would see that the realistic chance of that happening is pretty slim. The pharmaceutical and medical markets would be highly against losing revenue because of the incentive to go to the doctor less. Since there is a lot of money and influence (political support) from the pharmaceutical companies, there is less likely to be a change in the handling of obesity from the public sector to the private sector. Balko does not make any attempts to address any counterarguments. He expresses his displeasure with the current state of affairs and gives his opinion on what should be done to fix it. He does not give any mention to the positive aspects of the government’s proposed anti-obesity measures. To the readers of The Shorthorn, it would have been nice to see him address these points as it would make his argument more valid and believable. Balko attempts to establish credibility by referencing different aspects of the government’s plan to battle obesity and how he believes it is not the correct technique. He gives his own opinion but fails to demonstrate how he has come to those decisions. Throughout the article, Balko’s rationale is based on his personal biases and feelings. He does reference some minor facts in his article such as â€Å"President Bush earmarked $200 million in his budget for anti-obesity measures. State legislatures and school boards across the country have begun banning snacks and soda from school campuses and vending machines. Sen. Joe Lieberman and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, among others, have called for a â€Å"fat tax† on high-calorie foods. Congress is now considering menu-labeling legislation, which would force restaurants to send every menu item to the laboratory for nutritional testing† however for the majority of his article there is no empirical evidence demonstrated. While his ideas do make a lot of sense, some of the options he has put forward are improbable and the readers of The Shorthorn are most likely going to want to see that he can demonstrate a more mature argument (accepting and understanding of governmental involvement in obesity) before he can establish his credibility with them. Balko appeals to the emotions of his Shorthorn readers by using visual stories and explanations that help his cause. Early in the article, Balko uses imagery and strong stories to get the reader’s attention. He talks about the television show â€Å"How to Get Fat Without Really Trying† by ABC News and the outrage that show generated in him. He states the rationale for the show is to â€Å"relieve viewers of responsibility for their own condition† and he displays his displeasure with that ideal. Balko believes we should all be accountable for our own health decisions. By personally expressing his discontent with that television show, Balko is appealing to the emotions of his reader by picking a side of the argument and demonstrating strong emotions himself so that he does not appear to be lifeless. After reading this article, Balko’s argument does have some valid points that I think his readers in The Shorthorn will agree with. However they will want to see some evidence before they can truly accept his point of view. Since obesity is such a hot topic in today’s society and truly affects each and every one of us going forward, I conclude that most of The Shorthorn readers will enjoy this piece because it gives a different opinion from the mainstream view of how obesity should be handled and I suggest we should publish this article in the upcoming issue.

Identification of Country Specific Social Infrastructure Problems Essay

Having a sound understanding on the economic procedures of different nations can greatly help each one of them to combat internal social problems. With the establishment of international organizations to assist poor countries in structuring their societies, it is of utmost importance to provide them with the basic facts of the dilemmas experienced by low-performing economies. A great deal to support the functional institutions is to assist them in coming up with a credible and non-biased sets of facts about the countries which they intend to assist.   Apparently, there are some cases in which monetary assistances do not actually reach the full potential of social projects due to inevitable factors such as inefficient fund allocation, corruption and unidentified resolution effects. In this aspect, it is very important to have a reliable source of information about the priority problems of each country in terms of social infrastructure building. Objectives The main objective of the research proposal is to come up with a reliable database which will tabulate the economic problems of each underdeveloped economy. These information will be used to support the programs of international funding organizations such as IMF and the World Bank. These databases will incorporate the designation of a single standard outline which will then effectively identify the problems of the states, the key priority acts in resolving them and the estimated enough allocation of funds. Methodology In order to have a database of country profiles, it is necessary to collect data at the lowest parameter of the study-the countries themselves. Primarily, each country has its own varying degrees of social law implementation which addresses the supposedly obvious problems of each economy. 1. Global Identification of Developing/Underdeveloped countries. The list of countries belonging in these segments is available from the United Nations’ country data profile. This may save the research procedure some time and financial resources since countries will be narrowed down into a specific list. 2. After the gathering of country profiles, the next approach is to retrieve data values from respective government agencies of each country through personal office visits, e-mail transmission or telephone and telefax reception of data. The main facts which will be needed are yearly budget allocation for social welfare programs, population of each country, GDP rates, specific population of women and children, government yearly spending on health care and general infrastructure budget allocation which are all basically used as country performance indicators (Cool Fire Technology, 2004). These values will be tabulated on a computer program for easy filtering and ranking of data values in prioritizing specific country concerns. 3. Upon the retrieval of the designated data, they will then be compared to the instructional references of the World Bank or IMF to identify which of the countries will most likely need to get assistances from the two international organizations. Afterwards, a full recommendation for assistance may be requested from them to highlight the importance of helping the countries based on the specific country profile report gathering. Timeline The procedures involving the retrieval of country specific data may be regarded as the most extensive and most demanding factor in terms of time frame allocation. This procedure is projected to cover at least three to four months. If the latest country data is available from reliable resources, then those data will be used instead of conducting country specific data retrieval and interviews. On the procedures which involve the submission of reports to the funding agencies, the time expected for completion is at least two weeks after the end of country specific database construction.

One of the most conspicuous trends in the 21st cen Essays - Leisure

One of the most conspicuous trends in the 21st cen Essays - Leisure One of the most conspicuous trends in the 21st century is a closer connection between countries, in both economic and cultural aspects. There is a widespread worry that this will lead to the gradual demise of countries' identities. This issue should be viewed and analyzed from multiple perspectives.When a country tends to develop a closer relationship with the rest of the world, it does not necessarily give up its culture. Culture is not a disgrace to but an asset of a country. An indigenous culture can distinguish one country from others, attracting foreign visitors and yielding high income. As most tourists travel abroad for learning different cultures and sampling different ways of life, such as Beijing opera in China, Japanese tea culture and Thai temples, many countries have responded with protecting and preserving their cultural identities, in an effort to keep themselves in the list of the most popular destinations. Increased tourism instills fresh life force into these countr ies, aiding the conservation of their features.While tourism provides a driving force for cultural conversation, some components of a culture, such as traditions^ customs or taboos might die out over time. It seems that in some countries, the locals have become more accustomed to exotic cultures. It reflects the combined effects of the invasion of foreign cultures, either through media or through direct business interaction. For example, two decades ago, sex was a taboo subject in China and most Chinese people felt embarrassed to talk openly about it. Over time the Western culture has permeated into the Chinese lifestyle, and the Chinese people have broken many of their time-honoured traditions. It occurs in the rest of the world as well.As outlined above, increased interaction between countries in the domains of business and culture can either strengthen or undermine the identities of countries involved, To date there is no definite answer to this question.

The Psychological Being Essays

The Psychological Being Essays The Psychological Being Essay The Psychological Being Essay The colloquial language and the simplicity of thematic expression have captivated my attention to choose this poem. Volume can be written about intricacies of relationship, its psychological dimensions and the duality in human nature, but the poet has beautifully summed up the both themes in 26 lines. He does not ponder over the philosophical dimensions of the topic but beautifully explains the action and psychological realism. The poem encircles the Wordsworthian definition of poetry as â€Å"spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings†.The complexity and intricacy of a relationship is represented in a beautiful way. Relationship develops in a way that one can not escape its sentimentalities if one desires so. It depicts a paradoxical behaviour on the part of the narrator that she wants to leave but she herself questions her own irresoluteness in the very starting line of the poem. She did all the preparations to leave but she is unable to do that. There is something tangible i n the relation. Her partner does not utter a single word yet his looks have a mesmerizing effect that shake the very foundation of narrator’s resoluteness.This is not narrator’s first attempt to leave her partner as she says that â€Å"I pick up my suitcase and set it down, /As I try to leave you again.† (Lines 7-8) Although she has decided to leave but she still thinks of his pathos and miseries after her. Here poet uses one personal characteristic of the partner and one external factor that the narrator takes into account while deciding not to leave i.e. his (partner’s laziness) and drought. Although she has already contemplating not to leave but the final decision comes as a result of something highly passionate i.e. â€Å"You take my hands, I nod/and go to the house to unpack†. (Lines12-13) Here he marvellously explained the whole process of ‘not going’. Although there are other factors but the physical intimacy remains the chief m otivator.I think that the poet considers poetry as a deliberate process that involves too much contemplation but his stress is on the powerful feelings. Unlike conventional poets who used to show their mastery on every topic given to them or chosen by them, this particular poet only considers a manifestation of powerful internal feeling and meditation. He thus defines a new poetic standard by discarding the neoclassical theory of poetry. He strongly snubs the elevated poetic diction. One can easily infer from this poem that there is an understood and implicit correlation between truth and the language and it is the duty of a poet to make this truth explicit in simplistic language.If we apply Freudian approach of psycho-analysis on the poem, it is manifested that narrator’s attempt to leave his partner is in fact a reflection of something psychological that is deeply embedded in her being i.e. longing for sexual cohabitation. It can be presumed that there is something wrong in their sexual relationship and she (narrator) finds another way to direct his partner toward sexual intimacy. She threatens him with parting of ways but she does that half-heartedly as her sole motive is to get the attentions she needs and to gratify her sexual being.   This is her â€Å"other reason to stay† but one can easily judge that true reason to stay.One can employ other deeper meaning i.e. yearning for closeness in one’s relationship. Indulgence in sexual activity is a mean to an end i.e. physical, emotional and psychological closeness and not an end in itself i.e. the gratification of sexual lust. The adorning exercise with â€Å"white lace slip† can be captivating tool whereas the desire â€Å"for you to take off† metaphorically explains the craving on the part of narrator to get acquainted in a better way by removing the outer layer’s of one’s personality and to be known at a psychological level.â€Å"Take off† here sign ifies dual symbolism. On one level it refers to peel off the upper layers of personality to get a better mutual understanding whereas on the other level taking off the white lace slip is necessary to trigger the sexual desire of the partner and arouse his feelings. A sexual gratification is the only mean that they have to forget the pathos and miseries of life momentarily. Both seems to be a part of the down-trodden class and narrators know that they â€Å"can’t give ach other any more† whether is pleasures or socio-economic solace.My purpose was to apply the psycho-analytical theory of criticism of literary pieces on this poem to derive at certain psychological assumption about the characters and put forward a psychological theme. I this way,   I discovered the psychological realism i.e. one can not and should not draw conclusion about characters, their nature and dispositions by merely analyzing their actions but one must hanker after the motives behind the actions and the thought processes behinds the characters. It is said that Grand poetry and poetic theme do not take into consideration the subjective views of poet and individual emotions butthis poem capacitated me to undersand that poetry is a medium through which personal experiences can be expressed lucudly and persnal experiences can also be universalized.

Astronomy 101 - Early History of Astronomy

Astronomy 101 - Early History of Astronomy Astronomy is humanitys oldest science. People have been looking up, trying to explain what they see in the sky probably since the first human-like cave dwellers existed. Theres a famous scene in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, where a hominid named Moonwatcher surveys the sky, taking in the sights and pondering what he sees. Its likely that such beings really did exist, trying to make some sense of the cosmos as they saw it. Prehistoric Astronomy Fast forward about 10,000 years to the time of the first civilizations, and the earliest astronomers who already figured out how to use the sky. In some cultures, they were priests, priestesses, and other elites who studied the movement of celestial bodies to determine rituals, celebrations, and planting cycles. With their ability to observe and even forecast celestial events, these people held great power among their societies. This is because the sky remained a mystery to most people, and in many cases, cultures put their deities in the sky. Anyone who could figure out the mysteries of the sky (and the sacred) had to be pretty important.   However, their observations were not exactly scientific. They were more practical, although somewhat used for ritual purposes. In some civilizations, people assumed that that celestial objects and their motions could foretell their own futures. That belief led to the now-discounted practice of astrology, which is more of an entertainment than anything scientific.   The Greeks Lead the Way The ancient Greeks were among the first to start developing theories about what they saw in the sky. Theres much evidence that early Asian societies also relied on the heavens as a sort of calendar. Certainly, navigators and travelers used the positions of the Sun, Moon, and stars to find their way around the planet.   Observations of the Moon suggested that Earth, too, was round. People also believed that Earth was the center of all creation. When coupled with the philosopher Plato’s assertion that the sphere was the perfect geometrical shape, the Earth-centered view of the universe seemed like a natural fit.   Many other early observers believed the heavens were really a giant crystalline bowl arching over Earth. That view gave way to another idea, expounded by astronomer Eudoxus and philosopher Aristotle in the 4th century BCE. They said the Sun, Moon, and planets hung on a set of nesting, concentric spheres surrounding Earth. Nobody could see them, but something was holding up the celestial objects, and invisible nesting balls were as good an explanation as anything else. Although helpful to ancient people trying to make sense of an unknown universe, this model did not help in properly tracking the motions planets, the Moon, or stars as seen from Earths surface. Still, with few refinements, it remained the predominant scientific view of the universe for another six hundred years. The Ptolemaic Revolution in Astronomy In the Second Century BCE, Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy), a Roman astronomer working in Egypt, added a curious invention of his own to the geocentric model of nesting crystalline balls.   He said that the planets moved in perfect circles made of something, attached to those perfect spheres. All that stuff   rotated around Earth. He called these little circles epicycles and they were an important (if erroneous) assumption. While it was wrong, his theory could, at least, predict the paths of the planets fairly well. Ptolemys view remained the preferred explanation for another fourteen centuries! The Copernican Revolution That all changed in the 16th century, when  Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer tiring of the cumbersome and imprecise nature of the Ptolemaic model, began working on a theory of his own. He thought there had to be a better way to explain the perceived motions of planets and the Moon in the sky. He theorized that the Sun was at the center of the universe and Earth and other planets revolved around it. Seems simple enough, and very logical. However, this idea conflicted with the Holy Roman churchs idea (which was largely based on the perfection of Ptolemys theory). In fact, his idea caused him some trouble. Thats because, in the Churchs view, humanity and its planet were always and only to be considered the center of all things. The Copernican idea demoted Earth to something the Church didnt want to think about. Since it was the Church and had assumed power over all knowledge, it threw its weight around to get his idea discredited.   But, Copernicus persisted. His model of the universe, while still incorrect, did three main things. It explained the prograde and retrograde motions of the planets. It took Earth out of its spot as the center of the universe. And, it expanded the size of the universe. In a geocentric model, the size of the universe is limited so that it can revolve once every 24 hours, or else the stars would get slung off due to centrifugal force. So, maybe the Church did fear more than a demotion of our place in the universe since a deeper understanding of the universe was changing with Copernicuss ideas.   While it was a major step in the right direction, Copernicus’ theories were still quite cumbersome and imprecise. Yet, he paved the way for further scientific understanding. His book, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies, which was published as he lay on his deathbed, was a key element in the beginning of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment. In those centuries, the scientific nature of astronomy became incredibly important, along with the construction of telescopes to observe the heavens. Those scientists contributed to the rise of astronomy as a specialized science that we know and rely upon today.  Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Ritz Carlton's Gold Standarts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Ritz Carlton's Gold Standarts - Essay Example The experience of the Ritz-Carton livens up the quests’ the, instills their well being as well as fulfilling their pent-up wishes and needs (Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2015). The motto of the Ritz Carlton states that â€Å"we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen† this summarizes the Ritz Carlton motivation. It demonstrates the preventative service that the staff offers. Steps of service- the hotel staff use three service steps which ensure smooth interaction with quests making them feel happy and cared for and important. These include a warm as well a sincere greeting using the name of the quest, anticipation and fulfilling of the needs of the quests, and a tender farewell. The service values of Ritz Carlton Hotel Company describe the behaviors of everyone in the Hotel Company. They comprise of the following: building a strong relations as well as creating the company guests for life, responding to guests requirements anticipated as well as expressed, empowered to come up with unique, memorable as well as personal knowledge for quests, understanding of one’s’ role in the achievement of the main factors embracing footprints of the community as well as creating the hotel company Mystique, among other values (Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2015). The 6th diamond includes the mystique, emotional engagement as well as functional. The employees promise which is the last component states that ladies and gentlemen of the hotel company are the most essential resource in the hotel’s commitment to its guests. Through the application of respect, honesty, commitment, and trust principles, the hotel company nature as talent for the company’s and all individuals’ benefit (Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2015).

Ernest Rutherford and Nuclear Physics contributions Research Paper

Ernest Rutherford and Nuclear Physics contributions - Research Paper Example His father was a wheelwright, his mother a schoolteacher (Campbell). He moved once or twice, though staying in New Zealand the entire time, and attending different schools when he moved (Campbell). Though Ernest as a boy liked tinkering with clocks, and loved to make models of the wheels that were used in the mills, he did not show any real passion for science during childhood (Mahanti, 2011). Most of his education came through the winning of scholarships, first to Nelson College in 1889, then on to Canterbury College at the University of New Zealand, where he first developed an interest in electrical science, running experiments that would determine whether or not iron was magnetic at a high magnetizing frequency (Campbell). After failing in three attempts to secure a teaching position after university, and briefly considering medicine, he took odd jobs tutoring students to help make ends meet while continuing to experiment in electrical science. In 1895 he won a scholarship to Camb ridge University to work with instructor J.J. Thomson (Campbell). Thomson, who was quick to realize Rutherford’s exceptional ability as a researcher as he had already designed several original experiments involving high-frequency, alternating currents, invited him to become a member of the team to study of the electrical conduction of gases. The pair soon became not only researcher and student but also good friends, and Rutherford was able to take Thomson’s theories and improve on them, breaking the ground to make a lasting impression on nuclear physics today. Rutherford developed several ingenious techniques to study the mechanism Thomson was using, whereby normally insulating gases became electrical conductors. In studying this matter, Rutherford commented that when a high voltage is applied across them, a clear view was given of the mechanism of the transport of electricity through the gases by the means of charged ions (Rutherford 1904). He also worked jointly with Thomson on the behavior of the ions observed in gases that had been treated with X-rays (a recent discovery), as well as the mobility of ions in relation to the strength of the electric field. It did not hurt in any way that Thomson was the one to discover that the â€Å"atom†, then known as the smallest unit of matter, was not in fact the smallest, but made up of even smaller particles, giving yet another area of interest for Rutherford to experiment with (Mahanti, 2011). When the Macdonald Chair of Physics at McGill University in Montreal became vacant in 1898, Rutherford left for Canada to take up the post. He promptly made a name for himself by discovering the element of radon, a chemically inactive but extremely radioactive gas (Campbell). While at McGill, he also did the work that gained him the 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry by demonstrating that radioactivity was the spontaneous disintegration of atoms. With the help of a young chemist, Frederick Soddy, he began to un ravel the mysteries of radioactivity and contributed directly to nuclear physics as we know it today by proving that some heavier radioactive elements spontaneously decay into slightly lighter atoms (Mahanti, 2011). In this, Rutherford noticed that in a sample of radioactive material, it invariably took the same amount of time for half the sample to decay - its â€Å"

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Religion - Essay Example Confucius believes that the basis of a unified, stable, and enduring social order is not based on nature spirits, like God, but on the rituals that lie in Zhou religion. He further asserts that these rituals do not entail making sacrifices to ask for god’s blessings, but are ceremonies performed by humankind, who entails cultured and civilized patterns of behavior created through the generation of man’s wisdom Adogame & Shankar 146). This notion contradicts the beliefs of other religion such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which believes in making sacrifices to please their God, who is a supreme natural being. It is possible to syncretize these religions with Confucianism since they also provide moral guidelines on how believers should conduct themselves, in the society. However, the Jewish beliefs (Judaism) are more difficult to syncretize with Confucianism teachings than religions. This is because Judaism brings God down to humankind while Confucianism brings the ideas of Chinese philosophy down to the people (Adogame & Shankar 146). While Confucianism teachers that people should respect their ancestors, the Jewish believe that there is no considerable relationship between people and ancestors and that there is a single God, who created them and the universe. They also believe that every Jew has a personal relationship with God, but not the ancestors. Another contradiction is that Confucianism teaches tha t good moral behaviors are self-inculcated while Jews believe that good morals are God given virtues, which depends on an individual’s belief and trust on Him (Adogame & Shankar

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 34

Case Study Example The GP refers Daphne to a geriatrician for a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Before the assessment is undertaken, Daphne falls heavily in the shower and fractures her hip. Timothy contacts Jonathon, who calls an ambulance and after assessing Daphne the paramedics transfer her to hospital. Following surgery Daphne spends a month mobilising in the rehabilitation ward before being transferred to the sub-acute Transitional Care Unit. Here she is assessed for continuing transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) and for further signs of cognitive impairment and memory loss. At the multidisciplinary team case conference it is decided that, due to Daphne’s increasing frailty and cognitive decline, her discharge planning will include an ACAT Assessment for high level care in a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF). As Daphne’s Enduring Guardian and Power of Attorney, Timothy is contacted to participate in a family case conference with the multidisciplinary team, consisting of a geriatrician, resident medical officer (RMO), physiotherapist, occupational therapi st, dietician, social worker, and a transitional unit registered nurse responsible for discharge planning. Q1: In your allocated role as part of the HOSPITAL multidisciplinary team in the case conference, what are the issues you need to consider in order for Daphne to be admitted to residential care? - 150 words As an occupational therapist, my role is to assess the home environment to make recommendations for residential care. The ability that Daphne has to look after herself needs to be taken into account, as someone who is unable to carry out daily life without significant help may require admission into residential care. As part of the hospital-based team, I would also consider what type of residential care that Daphne might need – some residential care homes offer

Creating a plan for a proposed change to resolve issue in information Research Proposal

Creating a plan for a proposed change to resolve issue in information technology in health care - Research Proposal Example Proposed Change in Home Care Agency My recommendation is to introduce Electronic health information systems (EHIS) or Electronic Health Record (EHR) also called computerized patient record with standardized assessment data (like Outcome and Assessment Information Set [OASIS] and RAI-Home Care) to the Home Care Agency. It keeps an organized set of electronic health information of individuals in Home Care Agency. It keeps individuals’ medical history in digital format and this information can be shared within several health care settings. This record includes information about Demographics therapeutic history prescriptions allergies immunization condition Results of laboratory tests X- Rays Signs or sysmptoms of diseases Personal information like age or height Information about billing etc This will provide an electronic evidence of an individual’s general health record or medical history which is produced after one or more visits to Home Care Agency. The EHR will automat ically update the patient’s record. ... ontainer that holds all necessary details about a person in home care, also as an instrument that collects medical history for secondary use (like repeat prescription or payment etc). (Greenhalgh T, Potts HWW, Wong G, Bark P, Swinglehurst, 2009) Some other researchers see EHIS as a a socio-technical structure. Like, actor-network theory defines EHIS as an instrument in a set of connections Whereas, according to computer supported cooperative work or CSCW, EHIS is an instrument that assist in performing a specific task. Moreover, some researchers after reviewing its advantages defined EHIS as an essential tool for human history. (Baek and Robson, 2009). Up till now, the utilization of EHR in home care agencies has attained limited investigation and policy consideration. Moreover, despite the enormous development of the medical technologies, diffusion of EHR usage within home care agencies is not yet common Organizational and individual barriers to the proposed change The personal care nature of the industry, high costs of technology, limited health-care specific software, and low-budget operations have all been cited as factors in the limited usage of IT within Home Care Agency (Blau, 340). Another issue is Time factor, as majority of medical staffs and doctors do not show enthusiasm in learning a new system. Some of them have a perception that application of EHIS decreases medical productivity. Cost of EHIS is a major factor; other factors also include unresponsiveness towards its teaching, and insufficient acceptance of its users and staff resistance. Organizational Readiness for the proposed Changes There is need for a movement towards more effective IT adoptation within the health care industry that will address work flow issues, accessibility of information,

Compare and contrast the impact of late-19th and early-20th century Essay

Compare and contrast the impact of late-19th and early-20th century industrialization with that of late-20th and early-21st cent - Essay Example Division of labour is a key element in industrialization as it is essential to economic growth. On the other hand, globalization refers to the international integration resulting from interchange of world opinions, ideas, products, and general aspects of culture and religion1. Specifically, developments in telecommunication and infrastructure, use of the internet are the core drivers of globalization. This paper will focus on both positive and negative effects of industrialization as well as globalization. It will seek to establish the level of similar effects at the two different phases. By 1750 industrialization introduced mass production as several products could be manufactured as a go. This is because machinery replaced human labour and machinery could not get tired as human nature2. Therefore, machines could work longer hours as well as executing work that were initially done by several workers. Within 20th century, the emergency of globalization, production was made mare effec tive and faster processes as high advanced machines could be automated and function without human interference. Globalization enables production of as particular product in a different location with same qualities. This is because processes are duplicable and franchises are common. Both industrialization and globalization provided education and civilization to people. Before 1750, people were illiterate and primitive as they did not know the importance of education, schools were a rear commodity, and there were no resource centers to educate people on the importance of knowledge. With the rise of industrialization, people were getting aware of education, schools were set up, and children sent to school. Though learning institutions were available, children preferred going to work at the farms than going to school. During 20th and 21 centuruy, schools were available to every individual willing to advance knowledge; schools introduced exchange programs as international students would go on exchange academic programs within different country or even continent3. In addition, people are willing to learn as it is general knowledge that only the well-educated people scoop top jobs. Concisely, people associate education with a successful career contrary to industrialization. Both industrialization and globalization have a negative impact on the environment. They emit pollutants to water, air, soil, and atmosphere in general. Industrialization exposed people to a lot of noise from machineries, as most of the machines were crude and produced a lot of noise. This resulted to either permanent or partial hearing impairment to workers. By 1800, Mining was a substantial business whereby miners left open trenches after the mining process. This was dangerous to children and even adults as could cause accidents and deaths. Chemicals used in farms polluted soil and were mainly disposed to rivers. This act endangered the life of fish and other aquatic animals as well as human bei ng because water treatment was rare and rivers were the only source of water. The machinery used during industrialization was crude and could produce a lot of smoke hence polluting the air as coal was the main source of energy. On the other hand, globalization had same pollution challenges although less damaging than during industrialization because machineries were more developed hence could emit small smoke, water treatment

Creating a plan for a proposed change to resolve issue in information Research Proposal

Creating a plan for a proposed change to resolve issue in information technology in health care - Research Proposal Example Proposed Change in Home Care Agency My recommendation is to introduce Electronic health information systems (EHIS) or Electronic Health Record (EHR) also called computerized patient record with standardized assessment data (like Outcome and Assessment Information Set [OASIS] and RAI-Home Care) to the Home Care Agency. It keeps an organized set of electronic health information of individuals in Home Care Agency. It keeps individuals’ medical history in digital format and this information can be shared within several health care settings. This record includes information about Demographics therapeutic history prescriptions allergies immunization condition Results of laboratory tests X- Rays Signs or sysmptoms of diseases Personal information like age or height Information about billing etc This will provide an electronic evidence of an individual’s general health record or medical history which is produced after one or more visits to Home Care Agency. The EHR will automat ically update the patient’s record. ... ontainer that holds all necessary details about a person in home care, also as an instrument that collects medical history for secondary use (like repeat prescription or payment etc). (Greenhalgh T, Potts HWW, Wong G, Bark P, Swinglehurst, 2009) Some other researchers see EHIS as a a socio-technical structure. Like, actor-network theory defines EHIS as an instrument in a set of connections Whereas, according to computer supported cooperative work or CSCW, EHIS is an instrument that assist in performing a specific task. Moreover, some researchers after reviewing its advantages defined EHIS as an essential tool for human history. (Baek and Robson, 2009). Up till now, the utilization of EHR in home care agencies has attained limited investigation and policy consideration. Moreover, despite the enormous development of the medical technologies, diffusion of EHR usage within home care agencies is not yet common Organizational and individual barriers to the proposed change The personal care nature of the industry, high costs of technology, limited health-care specific software, and low-budget operations have all been cited as factors in the limited usage of IT within Home Care Agency (Blau, 340). Another issue is Time factor, as majority of medical staffs and doctors do not show enthusiasm in learning a new system. Some of them have a perception that application of EHIS decreases medical productivity. Cost of EHIS is a major factor; other factors also include unresponsiveness towards its teaching, and insufficient acceptance of its users and staff resistance. Organizational Readiness for the proposed Changes There is need for a movement towards more effective IT adoptation within the health care industry that will address work flow issues, accessibility of information,

Are laws that protect us from our own dangerous behaviors (such seat Essay

Are laws that protect us from our own dangerous behaviors (such seat belt or helmet) morally acceptable - Essay Example Controversies over the laws which are basically designed for protecting people from dangerous behavior are problems of paternalism. Paternalism is interference in people’s freedom though it is for their own good. It is like a father making decisions for his kids instead of letting the kids make decisions for them, considering one important thing that father knows best. Wide range and variety of laws, practices and actions are taken into account which is under the principles of paternalism. More like a doctor or physician deciding what is best for his patients and the laws which are designed to restrict the use of cocaine, marijuana, heroin and other drugs. Such plans also include compulsory retirement plans, mandatory seatbelt laws which are designed to protect one’s interest whether they are liked by the people or people detest them. All these paternalistic practices are common, but the question is whether these practices are morally accepted or not. There is conflict of two important values attached with paternalism which include the value is taken into account for protecting and also promoting well being of others, along with the value which is associated with the freedom of persons which make their lead their life according to their wish and choice. When the people are ready to act in certain ways oppose to their own well being and security , an important question arises that are the laws justified which interfere in people’s private choices and matters. This is what leads to the problem of paternalism. There is a majority who would agree that paternalism becomes a justified thing when it is about a person who has limited and also impaired freedom of choices whether the cause of this is limited cognitive capacities or even the ignorance of facts, effects of a disease, influence of drugs and another reason can be due to coercion. Paternalism varies depending on the person, their emotional stability and behavior along with the capacity to understand and know what is best for them. According to many moral philosophers, a competent and a knowledgeable person should be allowed to make decisions freely and they should not be over ridden, though they are for their own person’s good. There was a case voiced by John Stuart Mill who was a British philosopher during the nineteenth century, according to him the only reason due to implement and make laws for the citizens and people of civilized community is to prevent problems and harm to others. Will of one’s own being is not enough physically and even morally. The laws are made for a collective society and laws which are beneficial and important for protecting the society over all. According to Mill, it was important to provide freedom as it is important and crucial for people’s individual personality development. Along with that people should be given a free hand for making choices they wish and like even if the choices are not the best ones. All these individual choices creates ability for people to make decisions and their decision making power will only improve their practices and experiences. Another important view which he holds was that individuals are the best judge for

San Juan City Fast Facts Essay Example for Free

San Juan City Fast Facts Essay * On February 17, 1590, during the Spanish era, San Juan was established as an encomienda for Franciscan missionaries. * It was formerly known as San Juan del Monte, its name was derived from its patron saint, San Juan de Bautista, and del Monte after its hilly landscape. * San Juan was formerly part of Manilas Sta. Ana de Sapa. * The town was burned by rebels during the Chinese uprising of 1639. * In 1793, it was separated from Sta. Ana de Sapa and made into a separate municipality. * From 1847 to 1894, the town was governed by gobernadorcillos * From 1895 to 1897, the Capitan Municipal headed the government. * On August 30, 1896, during the revolution, 800 Katipuneros attacked the 100-man garrison at the Spanish polvorin (known then as Almacen de Polvora). The Spanish commander was killed and the rest of the garrison withdrew to El Deposito (the old Manila water reservoir). The arrival of Gen. Bernardo Echaluces Regiment 73 turned the tide against the rebels. 153 patriots were killed and 200 others, including Sancho Valenzuela, were captured. * The town joined General Emilio Aguinaldos revolutionary government on August 6, 1898. * The Philippine-American War began on February 4, 1899 when a Filipino soldier was killed by an American private at San Juan Bridge. In retaliation, Filipino troops opened fire on the American line. On daybreak of the next day, the American fleet bombarded Filipino trenches north of the town, causing much havoc on the Filipino troops. The Nebraska Volunteers charged up heights of the heights of the town and captured El Deposito. * On June 11, 1901, San Juan was made part of the newly created province of Rizal through Act No. 94. * In 1903 it became part of San Felipe de Neri (now Mandaluyong) * San Juan became an independent municipality on March 27, 1907 through Act No. 1625. * On January 2, 1942, during World War II, it was occupied by the Japanese * On August 6, 1942, San Juan was incorporated into the Japanese-sponsored Greater Manila Area by virtue of Exec. Order No. 76. District Chiefs were appointed to handle municipal affairs. * On November 8, 1975, San Juan was incorporated into the newly formed Metro Manila which was created by Presidential Decree No. 824. * It was converted into a highly-urbanized city on by virtue of Republic Act No. 9388 and ratified by a plebiscite held on June 16, 2007.

Man is a Social Animal Essay

Man is a Social Animal Essay Man is a social animal, said Aristotle years ago, human races proved and realized the importance of his statement by the passage of time. Individuals live in groups and can not separate themselves from being part of a group. Individuals have their own importance, their behaviours and performance can not be ignored as these influence the behaviours and production of groups they belong to. Groups exist every where, and we are a part of it whether we realize this or not. This does not mean that individuals do not give better results when performing alone, they do, but man is dependent on others to fulfil different kinds of need. Working in groups is beneficial for an individual as he gets more exposure and leaning takes place in many ways, and he also learns to survive in group which is the basic necessity for an individual. In order explain individuals behaviour in a group it is important to understand different types of groups, their norms and values and possible causes of the conflicts. There have been researches and experiments conducted by several scientists in order to explain unique behavioural pattern of each individual in working environment. Individual and Group: Groups are of vital importance in all fields of life whether its work situation, personal or social life, these are either formal or informal. Some people may prefer to work alone as they perform better and some might want to be a part of a group in various situations. I want to put myself as an example here, when this assignment was given I was worried to work individually on it and the reason behind this was that firstly I feel more comfortable to discuss ideas with people and second, as I write simple and straight I feel better working as a group where I can use other persons words to flourish and talk about my ideas more clearly. Critical Analysis with Examples: Formal groups are formed by organisations to achieve certain goals or tasks (Bowditch and Buono, 1994). In these groups goals, tasks, roles and norms are defined by the management (Brooks, 2009). Working in a formal group is of great benefit for an individual as this develops different skills and abilities in a person. One gets a chance to see how others behave and respond to different situations and learn to work in a group effectively. I worked as a teacher for 2 years in Pakistan and learnt many things working in a group of teachers. I feel working in a group influenced my attitude and behaviour as individual, I gained more confidence of doing tasks or projects I have never done before. It also helped in developing decision power and managing multi tasks in given array of time. Working in a competitive environment changed my attitude when I started getting positive feedback from management and parents. Children respond me very well as I worked hard on each child, tried to develop skills and work on their weaknesses. There I got chance to study behaviours of children and parents as well. I tried to bring positive changes in children showing them my own example, as I was a role model for them, so in this way got a chance to study and observe own behaviours and attitudes in detail.. People join informal groups to satisfy their social, psychological and personal needs. These groups fulfil the individuals needs of social interaction that lack working in formal groups. These groups not only exist out side work place but also at work places and people of same thinking and values become a part or make themselves a part of a particular group. When I joined University of Salford in January as an international postgraduate student, I was a part of a formal group that was defined by university comprising almost thirty five students. Later students split into informal groups in order to satisfy their social needs depending on culture, language, race, age and gender. According to Maslows Hierarchy of need theory, individual try to satisfy his basic needs which differ in importance. He identifies eight innate needs ranging from physiological and safety needs to self-actualization needs (Mullins, 2005). This theory answers one of the questions why informal groups are formed also why individuals are attracted towards each other to become part informal groups. According to Hunsaker and Cook (1986) informal groups have strong influence on an individual than formal. Individuals are open to join a group of homogeneous thoughts; this gives psychological satisfaction and helps them to perform better in formal groups. All groups have some norms as a proof of their existence or value. Norms are guidelines set by organisations or groups and are considered as code of conduct for its members. According to Kreitner, Kinicki Buelens (1999) norms are unwritten and are seldom discussed. It is an attitude, mind-set and feeling shared by people, which bounds them to follow these as to continue with their membership with the group. I would like to state an example here from the school where I was teaching, it was a norm for children to come to school in proper uniform and those who deviate from this norm were considered to be violating the rule. There were some discipline rules as well which all children had to follow as part of their training and personality development, like they were not allowed to talk loud or shout in the class, had to leave the room in queue if going some where together, ask for permission before they enter in class, raise hand before they speak in class. Such norms are advantageous for students in order to discipline and organise them. According to a research group norms have strong influences on new members and they adopt the same behaviour as a result of group pressure. It gives example of a boy who indulges in violent activities after joining a gang involved in such brutal activities (Yablonsky, cited in McKenna, 2000). Roles are behavioural aspects which are expected from a person or group in a particular position. According to a research, attitude change is driven by roles (Bowditch and Buono, 1994), and the performance of an individual is enhanced if the role he is into suits his personality (Belbin, cited in Davies and Kanaki, 2006). An individual performs many roles in a group, like a teacher plays many roles in order to satisfy management and own personal need or others social needs. For children she is a teacher and a mother, who cares for them gives them sense of protection and security, trims them to face realities of life; also achieves set targets utilizing her own potentials to satisfy management; fulfils colleagues social, psychological needs. She plays more roles in her personal life like, of a daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend with various expectations from her which are not communicated formally but understood. Boulden (1983) says this tradition of very high level of expectations in work situation was set in sixties, which has brought decline to the businesses as it is very difficult for a person to match that level of expectation. When individuals share same targets, thinking and work closely together with commitment to achieve certain tasks, shows a good level of cohesiveness in a group. Cohesiveness of small groups increases when they are less diverse and more interactive, where as larger groups are less cohesive when they are more diverse and have competition (Capon, 2004).Cohesive groups share same attitudes, likings, performance and better in dealing with deviants than less cohesive groups (Bowditch and Buono, 1994). Mullins (2005) states a cohesiveness in groups is beneficial for organisations, it also leaves the members with rewarding experiences. The best example of cohesiveness can be of military, where changes in level of coordination can change the situation in battle field. It is therefore necessary for them to co-ordinate well for achieving better results. I remember the time in school when we were preparing for annual function and a few programmes were included in schedule. Teachers had to prepare children for stage performances and there was an art exhibition on the same day. Annual sports day was following this event, due to which schedule was too tight for teachers as well as for children, who had to manage themselves for so many activities though at lower level and under teachers supervision. Such situations require high level of cohesiveness to achieve targets, which is not easy as outsiders are involved in observations who also critically evaluate the organisations performance. Such situations in work experience give its members to learn from observations like other individuals or groups behaviours, and dealing techniques with groups and individuals. Good cohesiveness in a group influences an individuals behaviour, also gives high level of job satisfaction. The member follows the norms of the group which have either positive or negative impact on his attitude and behaviour both. If the group norms are good and polish his creativities and skills, that helps developing his personality, but if the norms are negative like, to produce less than ability lefts negative impact on his behaviour. According to Hawthornes experiment of fourteen men working in a wiring room formed their own informal group and the norm which everyone strongly followed was to produce less then their ability. That is how norms can be disadvantageous, if they are negative in nature (Mullins, 2005). High level of cohesiveness is not necessarily always favourable as it stops creativity, thinking, decision power and problem solving skills in a group which results in Groupthink. According to a research previously it was thought that high cohesiveness is necessary for high performance, but it was Janis, who gave a concept that high group cohesiveness leads to group think an ultimate disaster fiasco for groups decision making ability (Eaton, 2001). I want to quote Vietnam War here which was a consequence of high cohesiveness that lead to group think and America attacked Vietnam without considering the after effects they had face. Bowditch and Buono (1994) quote Janiss work saying groupthink leads to overoptimism and high risk taking by group members; there is rationalisation of groups decisions so other members are not allowed to question the decisions made. Leadership is a necessity which cannot be avoided in order to manage activities, conflicts and decision making. According to Mullins (2005 p.282) Leadership is a relationship through which one person influences the behaviour or actions of other people. It is the leadership which moulds the behaviour of ordinary group members to competitive group, which enhances the competency level of members of that group. Great man theory explains well the qualities of good leaders, according to which the leaders influence the behaviour of people by force of their personality (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2004). The best example of leadership I think is Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of my country, Pakistan. It was because of his strong leadership qualities that he united the Muslims of sub-continent on one plate form, as a nation. Different style of leadership have different affects on individuals personality, like, Autocratic leadership style suppresses the abilities of the group members. On the other hand if the leader tries to involve the member in making decisions, he wins their confidence, able to take better decisions, this also have very positive effects on the attitudes of members. I want to share my own experience of working with SLM Connexions, a call centre located in Manchester, UK. The company started business with a good deal of investment, and recruitment of talented staff. The autocratic style of leadership was adopted by the directors who use to tell the staff what they want them to do or sell. Sometimes suggestions were welcomed but no one was allowed to question their decisions, and as a result the company bear much loss in last few months for making many wrong decisions. Whenever individuals interact with each other, there is always a possibility of conflict between them depending on multidimensional thinking, perception and behaviour. Conflict my arise due to several reasons ranging from improperly defined roles to ambiguity in norms. Whatever reason of conflict is, it affects its member both positively and negatively. Role conflict mainly arises due to unethical behaviour of a member (Johns and Saks, 2005). Conflicts may also arise from cultural, demographic and value differences (Vodosek, 2007). I want to quote an example from my own experience in school where teachers were provided with pick and drop facility. These group of teachers were from different level, like some were from pre-school and some from primary and their finishing time was different from each other. Pre-school teachers finished an hour before the primary level teacher and had enough time to wind-up before going home, but primary teachers use to finish at 2oclock. Conflict arouse when pre-school teachers demanded van to leave school as they get free early without considering the teachers who finish at 2oclock. This conflict leads to many other conflicts in school regarding duty timings and some others. Then our academic co-ordinator decided to have consensus and time was fixed for the school van to leave after school. Conflict brings success to an organisation and groups in many ways. Conflicts are a sign of healthy mental approach; bring new ideas, innovations which individuals should learn to take positively as it is beneficial for them as well. On other hand conflict has adverse affects on personality behaviour of an individual that can result in stress and frustration. Conclusion: The subject discussed above reflects the positive and negative aspects of group behaviours on individual. Individuals and groups work parallel to each other in every sphere of life and study of an individuals behaviour in a group is as important as organizations. An individual interacts with other people in perspectives of behaviours and attitudes throughout life and learn to polish, enhance and develops his personality, through learning from different experiences. Management should take the responsibility to resolve the conflicts related to roles, status leadership, norms, and develops good cohesiveness so that individuals can get maximum benefit from it. Generally problems are taken as hurdles but these are there to teach us. We should take them as opportunity which gives a new horizon to perception of an individual.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy For Bulimia Nervosa Essay -- Eating Disor

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy For Bulimia Nervosa INTRODUCTION Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating as well as by self-induced vomiting and/or laxative abuse (Mitchell, 1986). Episodes of overeating typically alternate with attempts to diet, although the eating habits of bulimics and their methods of weight control vary (Fairburn et al., 1986). The majority of bulimics have a body weight within the normal range for their height, build, and age, and yet possess intense and prominent concerns about their shape and weight (Fairburn et al., 1986). Individuals with bulimia nervosa are aware that they have an eating problem, and therefore are often eager to receive help. The most common approach to treating bulimia nervosa has been with cognitive-behavioral therapy. What is cognitive-behavioral Therapy? Cognitive-behavioral treatment of bulimia regards individuals' attitudes toward their shape and weight as central to maintaining the disorder. This approach seeks to change individuals' dysfunctional attitudes in order to facilitate recovery. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for bulimia is a combination of behavioral techniques and aspects of cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy (CT) is founded upon the underlying rationale that an individual's affect and behavior are largely determined by the way he/she structures the world (Beck, 1979). The individual's cognitions are based upon attitudes or assumptions that have been developed from previous experiences. Therapeutic techniques of CT treatment are designed to identify, reality-test, and correct distorted conceptualizations and dysfunctional beliefs which underlie the individual's cognitions (Beck, 1979). Therefore CT views an individual'... ...er characteristics predict outcome in the treatment of bulimia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 13(4):349-357. Thackwray, D., Smith, M., Bodfish, J. & Meyers, A. (1993). A comparison of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions for bulimia nervosa. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 61(4):639-645. Treasure, J., Schmidt, U., Troop, N., Tiller, J., Todd, G., Keilen, M., & Dodge, E. (1994). First step in managing bulimia nervosa: controlled trial of therapeutic manual. BMJ. 308:686-689. Waller, D., Fairburn, C., McPherson, A., Kay, R., Lee, A., & Nowell, T. (1996). Treating bulimia in primary care: a pilot study. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 19(1):99-103. Wilson, G., & Fairburn, C. (1993). Cognitive treatments for eating disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 61(2):261-269.

Cause and Effect Essay

Internet technology has created a hindrance in people’s lives. First the use of technology creates nothing but a distraction. In the article â€Å"Is Technology Making Us intimate Strangers? †, Jonathan Coleman says , â€Å" If someone hasn’t left us a phone message or fax, there is always the chance that an e-mail awaits. I can’t even finish this essay without checking- three times already- to see if another one came through. † This is completely true, in the tome it took me to quote that, I stopped and checked my phone twice. Another example of technology being a distraction is by talking on the phone or checking a text message which can be a distraction as well as deadly. Secondly how the use of technology enables people to have privacy. It’s crazy how jobs, schools or anyone that wants to know anything about a person can easily find out through the use of internet technology. Example of that is through a social network. If someone wants to know where a person lives, where they go to school, or what they are doing, they could find out with the touch of a finger, stripping people from any sort of privacy. Finally social interaction, Jonathan Coleman states â€Å"Technology, for the most part, creates the illusion of intimacy. As marvelous as it can be, it also foils us. It keeps us from the best of ourselves and enables us to avoid others. It makes us into intimate strangers. † A prime example of that is the use of internet dating, technology takes away the term dating, getting out knowing somebody, to have a face to face conversation. Instead we stay indoors with our computers or any sort of technology talking to our computer loves.

Masters program application essay

My first foray into the cutthroat world of office work was at the office of Verizon Wireless. Here I served as an account manager and was assigned various tasks relating to accounts management. The work involved required me to seek out and win over new clients for the business as well as maintaining the company relationship with the already existing client base. It was at Verizon Wireless where I learned the various ways of dealing with clients. I learned how to satisfy the clients needs even if it seemed to be an almost impossible task. The experience I gained at Verizon Wireless can be considered to be highly valuable people skills that led me to believe that it would be possible for me to venture out on my own. The work path I was traversing at the time led me to take a chance on starting up a company based on sole proprietorship. Out of the many business ideas I had in mind, I settled on starting a small business that I could hopefully develop into a moneymaking machine. Thus, Setra Logistics was born. At Setra, I became involved in developing a management company that centered within the importation, exportation, and transportation business. The company's first business venture was doing local transport for auto auctions as well as shipping small cargo overseas. I ended up taking a loss at that time but I was not bothered because I felt that I was growing as a person and enhancing my management skills. Over time, I began employing more people and I learned to manage their individual work ethics and beliefs in life in order to bring out their full potential for the benefit of the company.   Through sheer hard work, patience, and perseverance, I managed to guide the company into a time of growth and at present the company is now a full fledged transport company boasting of an international clientele based throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. All these companies use our services for importing goods from the USA. Within the USA, we also have our own transport fleet that deals in transporting goods within the US. My biggest accomplishment to date though is that I managed to find partner companies overseas who can help hasten our logistics process in the aforementioned regions. At Setra Logistics, I manage a group of 7 employees of various genders, race, and nationality. It is because of the confidence I developed over the years here that I found the inner strength to try and establish another business venture. It is true that running a business alone is time consuming and 100% stressful but I have found that in the particular line of business Setra is in, it is best managed alone. Later one, I realized that I was starting to outgrow Setra Logistics and needed something new to tweak my interest. After a get together with some other business minded people, we agreed to pool our resources together and established ACS ATm, Incorporated.   Along with my partner, I am now heavily involved in the ATM machine and ISO clearinghouse business. ACS ATm is a company that specializes in ATM machine installation as well as credit card services. My company is quite active in the New York Metro area. My partners and I share the same vision of the future for ACS. We all look forward to managing the business so well, that, in the near future, it will become a leading processor for automated Teller machine software and hardware worldwide. Along with 3 other managers, our goal is to learn the ins and outs of the ATM transaction processing business and then, develop out own innovative ideas and products that will change the ATM transaction processing procedures worldwide. Our plans for the future are not limited to simply operating ATM machines and merchant services. Eventually, my managerial partners and I would like to become the brains behind tapping the remaining 70% of untapped electronic cash markets using cutting-edge and highly innovative ideas and products worthy of being tagged as 21st century banking and e-commerce trendsetters In the retrospect, I have to say that I am well versed in the languages of team and individual management. I am a skilled manager who can either run my own company, or develop a totally new company along with others who share my business visions. At Setra, I run a well oiled machine all by myself while at ACS, I learn to meet other managers halfway in order to achieve a greater success in the business venture.      

Counseling Religious Clients

Different populations require different approaches in counseling. Counseling is a mean of attending to a person’s situation or condition using techniques, systems and approaches that differ among the groups of individuals. For instance, a raped teenager should be counsel in a different way as a homeless teenager. Conversely, African-American clients should be treated in a unique way as the Asian clients (cited in Miller, Leukefeld & Jefferson, 1994; Cook 1993). Nevertheless, just like the other populations, religious clients have unique characteristics and experiences that need a unique counseling approach.Likewise, religious clients have also unique needs for their mental health care. However, unlike the common people being counseled, religious people have sets of belief systems and values that, for a number of conditions, may interfere to the counseling program being implemented to them (Carpenter, 2003). In order to practice professionalism and ethics, counselors behave leg ally, morally and ethically. They are aware that they can only win the client’s trust and secure client’s protection by practicing high level of professional conduct (APA Ethics Code, 1992, 18).Principle D, Respect for People’s Right and Dignity, as stated in the Ethical principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct highlights: Psychologists are aware of cultural, individual, and role differences, including those due to age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status. Psychologists try to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on those factors, and they do not knowingly participate in or condone unfair discriminatory practices (1992).Counselors take into consideration the client’s personal and cultural background before deciding on the assessment instrument that he will be using in the counseling process (APA Ethics Code, 1992, 11). One of the characteristic-factors that should be checked is religion. There are no religion restrictions in the counseling activity. Nonetheless, from among the mentioned factors or clients’ considerable backgrounds, religion—the foundation of people’s moral and faith—is the most controversial.The Code of Ethics of 2005 by the Governing Council of the American Counseling Association gives light to the five overlapping ethical principles that guide the counseling practices with religious clients. The principles that can be applied focus on the counseling relationship, freedom of choice, confidentiality and privacy in counseling process, professional responsibility, and evaluation, assessment and interpretation. Counseling Relationship In counseling, clients may have diverse cultural backgrounds.In order for the counselor to practice good counseling, he must need first to understand the cultural identity that each of his clients possesses. Section A. 2. c of the Code of ethics states that à ¢â‚¬Å"counselors communicate information in ways that are both developmentally and culturally appropriate. † Counselors must deal with clients in the most culturally appropriate way. The counselor’s approach to a religious client depends highly on the knowledge he or she has about the culture and religion of the client.People restrict their thinking on the concepts of races and ethnic groups when dealing with culture—yet this broad concept also includes the religious groups. As cited by Gardner, in the 1992 edition of Counselor Education and Supervision authored by Pate and Bondi, â€Å"the term culture includes religious beliefs and practices and that religion is understood to be intimately tied to ethnic identity† (1996). From this, in understanding the values of the religious clients, the counselor takes into consideration an approach that is culturally motivated.Freedom of Choice In the macro-perspective of culture, one reason for the disagreement, dif ference or dissonance between the counselor and the religious client, is the values and belief systems of the client which for the counselor, are inappropriate. There are set of beliefs that the religious clients have, that may intervene in the counseling process. â€Å"Clients have the freedom to choose whether to enter into or remain in a counseling relationship and need adequate information about the counseling process and the counselor† (Section A.2. a, 2005). Part of this principle is the right of the client to know the counselor’s values and beliefs, especially if these values may result to the restriction of the counselor’s range and ability to conduct the counseling process due to the conflicting views and beliefs between the religious client and the counselor. If this is so, clients should be given freedom to look and choose another counselor that has similar or directly related values with that of his (client). Confidentiality and Privacy in Counseling ProcessGetting the clients’ trust is one of the goals of the counselors. To achieve this, establishing and upholding boundaries, and maintaining confidentiality are given high considerations. Section B. 1. a states that â€Å"counselors maintain awareness and sensitivity regarding cultural meanings of confidentiality and privacy; counselors respect differing views toward disclosure of information† (2005). It is very crucial for the counselors to give respect and show sensitivity to the culture of the religious persons they counsel.Inquiry is important before the counselor acts on whether or not to disclose the information derived from counseling the religious client. Professional Responsibility â€Å"Counselors practice only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, state and national professional credentials, and appropriate professional experience† (Section C. 2. a, 2005). Understanding religious cli ent means having an adequate learning and understanding of their cultural beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral patterns.If the counselor can achieve this, then, it will be easier for him to understand the condition of his client. Moreover, for the success of the counseling process, the counselors should gain appropriate knowledge, awareness, sense of sensitivity, and skills relevant to the activity of working with the population of diverse backgrounds. Without good milieu and specialized training, the counselors who treat religious clients may neglect their condition and situation.With better understanding of the set of beliefs of the client, the counselor will be sensitive and intelligent enough to know what approach is to give the religious client. Evaluation, Assessment and Interpretation As summarized in Section E. 3. a of the Code, for the achievement of the goals, the counselors consider the client’s background in terms of his personal and/or cultural identity, his abilit y to understand the results based on his beliefs, and his possible reaction or the impact of the results to him.Moreover, â€Å"counselors recognize the effects of age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, spirituality, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status on test administration and interpretation, and place test results in proper perspective with other relevant factors† (Section E. 8, 2005). This is a process—first; the counselor needs to consider what counseling program is applicable to the client given sets of standards. Second, the counselor weighs all contributing factors to the possible outcome before considering results.Third, the results will be interpreted depending on the accuracy of the outcomes. Furthermore, Section A. 5. a says that â€Å"counselors avoid actions that seek to meet their personal needs at the expense of clients. † This concept, when applied to religious clients, means that the counselor must be aware of hi s or her personal opinion about the religious issues that may lead to certain reactions and overreactions—causing emotional harm to the client. Working with Religious Clients On his article, Gardner enumerated some ethical guidelines on how to work with religious clients.First, therapy in the context of evangelistic activities that promotes particular political and spiritual ideology and worldview must be avoided. Second, in the attempt to change some of the beliefs of the client that have direct effect on his or her disorder, the counselor must try to narrow down the approach and inform the client on the program he wants to implement. Third, a help from other professionals is better if dealing with the religious issue of the client is quite difficult to comprehend and accept.Fourth, counselors must try to include and integrate the religious beliefs of the client with the treatment she or he is undertaking. References American Counseling Association. (2005). ACA Code of Ethic s. Retrieved June 19, 2008, from http://www. counseling. org Carpenter, D. (2002). Ethical Considerations in Working with Religious Clients. Retrieved June 19, 2008, from Gestatalt-Global Corporation website: http://www. g-gej. org/1-2/religious_clients. html Gardner, J. N. (1996). Ethical Issues in Counseling Religious Clients. Retrieved June 19, 2008, from http://www. g-gej. org/1-2/religious_clients. html

Westernization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Westernization - Essay Example The internet facilitates sharing resources and has brought about excellent technology that have brought about an immense change in the entire way that different societies live. All countries in the world are faced with an immense number of challenges, and with the advent of the internet they are all able to face their problems because all individuals strive for a better tomorrow which can be brought about with the help of the internet since it helps a great deal in helping people carry out most of their activities. Westernization is the process by which a person, group of individuals or a country is able to advance its thought process in various fields and matters, and try and bring about growth and progression within its economy. In the recent past, all this has been easier with the help of the internet. However, there still are a large number of underdeveloped and third world countries which do not fall under the category of westernized nations. The internet however has brought abo ut a vast number of changes in such areas too as is discussed within the scope of this paper. (Bruce, Richard) A number of western nations had first adopted the use of the internet into their daily framework, however, today, this has spread apart and become a global phenomenon and is helping more and more developing and third world countries to grow and nurture themselves into becoming ready for a powerful future. There are a number of different aspects that every country needs to look into the matters of; they range from culture and politics to business and science and technology. These form the main outlook of what every country needs in order to be at par with each other and the internet has helped in bringing these aspects closer and has made them stronger as well. Internet has been a huge revelation for non-westernised countries to promote their culture. Intermingling of these aspects has been tremendous. Internet has been influential on bringing non westernized countries toget her. It has been a great medium of communication and marketing. Let us take two non-westernized countries for reference. The countries chosen are India and China. Indian culture has been heavily influenced by the coming of the Internet in the country. More and more people are getting glued to the internet every day, and it’s a growing phenomenon in the country. The rock culture has come up leaps and bounds in the country after the evolution of the internet. This has culminated into a faster way of communication between the audience and the bands themselves, thus helping them serve their crowd in a better way. As far as the diversity in the country is concerned, it is pertinent to note that people from different parts of the country have intermingled with each other through the means of internet, which has thus promoted unity in the country on the aspect of cultural diversity. Islam and Hinduism are the two most important religions in the country. Internet has allowed people f rom different religions to learn something new about the other religion in a very effective manner. It is such a huge portal of information that knowledge is never limited. Even though in India politics is fought outside on the roads, it is of no surprise that Internet has made a foray into this stream as well. The number of educated people in India has increased, and this has amounted to more people having the understanding to use the technology. Not only this, but the per capita income in India also increased and which has thus allowed more and more people gaining access to internet, apart from the fact that the expense of obtaining and maintaining the connection has reduced. The Government is aware of such developments happening in the country and has therefore