Is There a Valid Test of Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory? Essay

Department of Behaviour in Organisations, University of Lancaster; on study ieavefrom the Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne There are several ways of stating Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation and each version can be tested in various ways. Those who defend the theory argue that researchers who fail to find support for the theory have usually departed from the procedures used by Herzberg. There have been variations in methods of gathering data, categorizing the responses, and analysing the results. These variations may be justified on the grounds that the strength of any theory lies in its logic and in its ability to withstand deviations from a set method. Some tests of Herzberg’s theory are more likely to produce support than others. This was confirmed in a study of London bus crews. However it can be argued that there is more than one valid test of Herzberg’s two-factor theory, though some of these are likely to produce contradictory res ults. The Herzberg theory, or two-factor theory of motivation or Motivator-Hygiene (M-H) theory, has given rise to a mass of investigations and experiments in industry and in many different types of organizations. Results do not always support Herzberg; in fact, only about one in three do so. Donald Hebb once said that when it is a question of survival, theories are like women—fecundity is more important than purity. M-H theory has certainly been very fertile—more so perhaps than any other theory in applied social psychology. Many industrial psychologists have not only survived but indeed thrived on the theory. The fecundity of the theory is not in doubt but its purity certainly is highly suspect. WHAT IS THE THEORY? The theory is in two parts, each of which can be stated in several ways. Part 1 says that job factors can be separated into two quite distinct sets: the first set consists of factors which contribute to job satisfaction and rarely if at all to job dissatisfaction; these factors are called ‘Motivators’. The second set consists of job factors which contribute to job  dissatisfaction and rarely if at all to job satisfaction; these are the ‘Hygienes’. Consequently job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are separate dimensions and not the two ends of a single dimension. This is a flat contradiction of the traditional view in psychology that satisfaction and dissatisfaction constitute a single dimension. The first difficulty with the theory in practice is that the data usually include a proportion of responses which do not fit this pattern. Some Motivators contribute to dissatisfaction while some Hygienes contribute to satisfaction. Within-factors reversals are far from rare and sometimes outnumber responses in the expected direction. These incongruent responses are attributed to sampling error, which of course is begging the question—rejecting inconvenient data in order to save the theory. The analysis then takes the form of a relative comparison—for Motivators we   predict more satisfaction than dissatisfaction, and for Hygienes we predict more dissatisfaction than satisfaction and test for significance accordingly. What investigators fail to point out is that in doing this they are really reformulating the theory to fit their facts. The revised theory now says, in effect, that Motivators contribute more to satisfaction than to dissatisfaction while Hygienes contribute more to dissatisfaction than satisfaction. This is reasonable but it makes nonsense of the claim that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are separate dimensions. In fact it supports the traditional view of the single continuum; different job factors produce ranges of satisfaction-dissatisfaction which are to be found at different positions on the same continuum. Part 2 of the theory is also in two parts. First: paying more attention to Motivators (intrinsic job satisfaction or higher order needs) will increase satisfaction but will not affect any dissatisfaction with the job; or, alternatively, improving Motivators will improve organizational efficiency as shown by higher productivity, better quality, better attendance and punctuality, lower labour turnover†¦ in short, by improved performance. Second: paying more  attention to Hygiene factors (extrinsic job satisfaction or lower order needs) will decrease dissatisfaction but will not increase overall satisfaction; or alternatively, there will be no improvement in performance—on the contrary, taking costs into account there will be a lowered organizational efficiency because improving Hygienes will cost the organization more money. Notice that for each part of Part 2, i.e. as regards both Motivators and Hygienes, there are alternative predictions. Increase of satisfaction or decrease of dissatisfaction are both theoretically trivial extensions of Part 1 of the theory; trivial in that they say no more than is already contained in that model. To be fair to the M-H practitioners they do not rest their case on this alternative; they are concerned only with the effects on performance and organizational efficiency. Job satisfaction is either a by-product or a step towards better efficiency. This may tell us something about the value system in which they operate but it in no way detracts from the validity of this method of testing their theory. One problem must now be faced. Does Part 2 of the theory depend on Part 1? According to House & Wigdor (1967, p.385) if the satisfaction-dissatisfaction dichotomy is false then Part 2 is ‘highly suspect’. I would argue that if Part 1 is false then Part 2 is irrelevant or must be argued on other grounds. If and only if Part 1 is true, then Part 2 can be tested using the concepts established by Part 1. Another serious difficulty for testing the validity of the theory is the fact that both parts stand on two legs. In Part 1, one leg identifies Motivators while the other identifies Hygienes; in Part 2 one leg predicts the effects of increasing the potency of Motivators while the other leg deals with changes in Hygienes. Does the theory claim that each part can stand on one leg at a time? If one investigator confirms the Motivator leg but not the Hygiene leg, does Part 1 of the theory stand or fall? And if another investigator follows with the opposite result, confirming Hygienes but not Motivators, does this increase or diminish our confidence in the theory? Similarly for Part 2 of the theory. In any case, testing the effect of putting more weight on the Motivators is a dubious procedure if this is the only change. The effects are not really surprising. The relative ineffectiveness of spending resources on Hygienes, which is what the theory also predicts, may surprise industrial welfare advocates but not cynical managers. In general terms, statements describing the theory are superficially similar and do not differ greatly from the way set out above. For instance: Whitsett & Winslow (1967, p.393) in explaining M-H theory say ‘dissatisfaction and those factors that contribute to dissatisfaction are separate and distinct from those factors that contribute to satisfaction. Satisfaction is not opposite from dissatisfaction for they operate on separate continua†¦ This is different from traditional thinking†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ As regards Part 2, House & Wigdor (1967, p.371) say ‘The second major hypothesis of the dual-factor theory of motivation is that the satisfiers are effective in motivating the individual to superior performance and effort, but the dissatisfiers are not’. Later they add (p.373) ‘If the dual-factor theory were correct, we should expect highly satisfied people to be highly motivated and to produce more’ which as they point out does not square with the evid ence. But though general statements are similar, precise statements, if made at all, are usually inconsistent or at variance with each other. Sometimes there is no argument—an author assumes that his understanding of the theory is the same as that of others. Or the research design indicates an underlying interpretation of the theory which may be similar to or quite different from that of another study which the author is supporting or refuting; but authors seem to be unaware of this. Arguments about what the theory says may be unspoken and have to be inferred. However, sometimes interpretations of the theory are set out in a way that makes possible comparisons with other interpretations. For example. House & Wigdor (1967) include a rank order of importance for the Motivators and for the Hygienes as part of the theory. This reflects the infiuence of Maslow upon Herzberg and may be a reasonable interpretation of Herzberg’s intention. On the whole it seems an unnecessary refinement that makes for extra complications when testing validity. Whitsett & Winslow (1967) accuse Burke (1966) of ‘A unique misinterpretation of the M-H theory . . . since M-H theory makes no claim that there should be  any fixed order of importance among either motivator or hygiene factors’ (p.41O). As it happens Burke makes no such claim either. Is overall job satisfaction part of the theory? Not according to Whitsett & Winslow (1967) who say: ‘One of the most common and persistent misinterpretations of the Motivation-Hygiene (M-H) theory is the attempt to use measures of overall job satisfaction to make statements purporting to be derived from the theory. The theory does not, and purposely does not, make statements about overall job satisfaction’ (p.395). In stating that job attitudes must be looked at twice (p.396) they are emphasizing Herzberg’s procedure of conducting separate sets of interviews for good critical incidents at work (revealing satisfaction and hence Motivators) and for bad critical incidents (revealing dissatisfaction and hence Hygienes). Perhaps the most systematic attempt to sort out what the theory really says was made by King (1970) who identified five distinct versions of Part 1 of the theory. Some versions are stronger than others because they entail them. King is not always sure that Herzberg was aware of these versions or which of them Herzberg was claiming to support. King classifies the evidence according to whether it is irrelevant or relevant to these theories, and then subdivides the relevant studies into those which support and those which refute any of thesefivetheories. Table 1 sets out King’s five distinct versions of Herzberg’s two-factor theory.

My Story – It all started when I was driving down Bullet Avenue

It all started when I was driving down Bullet Avenue. I was on the night shift, I work for the L.A.P.D, and I'd been working for L.A.P.D for longer than I care to remember. I've seen a lot, a lot of nasty things that most people wouldn't want to know happen or see happen for that matter; some call it the stuff of dreams, I call it the stuff of nightmares. Anyway, a familiar voice mumbled out of the radio. It was my mentor Jimmy, he had shown me the ropes when I was just a kid, we went through the good the bad and the very ugly, he was my friend if there was at least one person I could trust in this world it would be Jimmy. I remember what he said like it was yesterday ‘Hey Max, we had a report of a disturbance in some apartment block on 6th Avenue. Could you go check it out?† I naturally said yes. I took a left at 4th because of the road works ahead. When I arrived I got out of the car and there was this certain coldness in the air, a sick smell that normally told me something wasn't right. To my right there were some tramps, or rough sleepers as they are formally called, huddling up in the ally trying to keep warm in the cold night. I looked a little closer and noticed that that wasn't the only thing they were doing. A needle appeared in one of their hands I thought I wouldn't intrude on their good time just in case a needle was not the only thing they were carrying. I strolled past them, without even a blink they carried on. I got to the entrance of the apartment block and opened the old double pine doors and was not surprised to see it was just like every other apartment on the block. A dirty mess of old newspapers and furniture scrolled out on the floor like a typhoon had just hit. There was stairs straight ahead of me and a couple more rough sleepers who seemed to be oblivious to the fact that I had just walked in. Both were next to each other, they were so absorbed by the drugs they didn't even seem to look alive just a cold long dead stare out of the far window, the drug they had just injected was strange, not any drug I new of, and I knew every single one that anyone was using . I got a glimpse of the formula, a clear slime green liquid in the syringe. I decided to come back later and take a sample. But for now I would pursue the disturbance. I followed the wooden stairs up into a long corridor and then I stopped dead in my tracks as the faint sound of voices came from the door with the big dent in it. I moved closer so I could hear what the conversation was about, I couldn't quite make out the words but the voices were clearly of a man and a woman. I had now reached the door. I moved to the side and then an ear piercing scream sunk through the walls, it lasted for a couple of seconds then everything went silent. I had already reached for my gun, but at this, with one kick, the door was down. I appeared to be in the living room. The place was a mess: books on the floor, tables knocked over, and cupboards open. I looked down and a trail of burning red blood grabbed my attention. It lead into the room opposite. The disturbance I was called to checkout had now turned into a possible murder enquiry. I was starting to think that this could get very dangerous. As I moved towards the opposite room the trail of blood got thicker and more apparent a murder had been committed. I leaned to the side and with a forward role into the room I swung my gun out and was ready to face the culprit but I was faced with something almost completely different and more horrifying. A dead women her cold dead eyes and the pail expression told me that she had been the victim of a vicious stab wound this was confirmed by the incredibly horrific gash in her side, throat and left leg. By the way she was dressed I'd say she was a prostitute but the question was who killed her and who her client was. Instead of the average everyday cops who just ask questions and sit in there cosy little office eating donuts, I think actions speak louder then words so I get out in the field, probably because I don't have a home life, that had been taken away from me along time ago but back to the situation in hand I started to look through her possessions. I new it was her apartment because I recognized her face in the photos sprawled out on the bed-side table. I found various documents that suggested that she hung out with the wrong type of people in simple terms people who had various powers around town â€Å"gangsters†. But I was still yet to find the murder weapon. I'm not like the cops in the movies always calling for back up I could do it on my own. I eventually heard the familiar sound of sirens that usually made me uneasy but this time just made my movement quicker and more fluent. I was now determined to find the vital clues that I needed to possibly solve this mystery and make me feel like I've earned my pay. suddenly it hit me a white little card with the writing papa Vitto's pizza restaurant laying in the cool, burgundy red blood I picked it up Vitto was associated with some of those people I was talking about earlier he was not a the type of man you would mess with, for example, his wife was found out to be having an affair, the guy she had the affair with was later found floating down the river in three separate suitcases and Vittos wife wasn't found at all but the thing was if Vitto liked you it was quite an advantage he could do things for you, give you what you wanted but if you were one of the unlucky ones Vitto did not like, kind of like me then you might as well leave town. I thought I would I'd pay him a visit since he or one of his thugs was the prime suspect. Since it had been so long since I had my encounter with vitto, I decided to arrange a meeting with him first and not drop in uninvited. I new where one of his many associates hung out so I went to arrange it with a little persuading he did what I said. When I got to the pizza place if you could call it that, It was just like I remembered it a dump, it was a small building backed on to a dock with warn out and stained walls and almost shattered windows, at night it was like a haunted hell house I opened the huge double doors and approached the counter I had that strange feeling where something didn't quite feel right I got to the counter and rang the bell it was just as bad inside than outside, tables and chairs scattered everywhere. After a while of waiting I smelt the unnatural smell of gas which numbed the reality that I had been set up I dashed for the front double doors which by this time had been somehow locked I don't think it was a coincidence I had been lured in like a mouse to cheese. I made a dash for the back door through the kitchen it was blocked with a huge wooden cabinet there was no point moving it. it looked at least 500 pounds just when I was reflecting on my life and thinking of the shattered dreams and lost loved ones. I then caught a glimpse of a shiny object in the corner of my eye. I had been given a second chance it was an axe I grabbed it with a tough grip and saw my target I ran towards the cabinet swinging the axe about like a man possessed the axe hit with such a force that the cabinet doors shattered like glass on a concrete floor. It gave me new hope so I kept hacking and hacking the cabinet disappeared within a flash one swipe with the axe and the door was gone too. I jumped out on to the peer and made a leap for the water the cold icy feeling numbed me to my brain while I was submerged all I could hear was the almost fatal sound of the pizza place becoming a crater in the ground. After this experience the option of lying low looked good to me so I spent a bit of time sweating it out in my friend Jimmy's apartment. Then I would be back on that case like a kid eating cake.

Human geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human geography - Essay Example Geography has a rich tradition as a study Human being from earlier times had to interpret and interact with different spatial element. Knox and Marston studied human geography form a contemporary aspect. They have simplified the human geography in to three tiers; the core, the periphery and semi - periphery. The core are those countries which are the super powers of the world. They have immense wealth and power. The peripheral countries are those who are under developed and achieve no benefits from rich countries .Finally the semi – periphery countries are those which are industrializing and capitalizing countries. They resemble the characteristics of both core and peripheral regions. They play major role in enhancing the economic, social and political growth of core and peripheral regions. Even their geographical positioning comes between core and peripheral areas. Semi peripheral nations have dominance over peripheral ones and further technological developments can lead to their chances of being turned into core nation. development. These nations are on their way to position themselves as wealthy nations. They have well advanced economies but are yet to show their signs of development. Where as poor nations is far behind from rich nation and super powers, they require lot of time to even cross the poverty line. Traditional method only give importance to rich and poor, they are completely ignoring the rapidly boosting economies like India, china etc. Middle class nations with little more development in different areas like technological and politics can emerge as a well developed nation. Knox and mars ton gives complete importance to the semi peripheral category. They constitute as a different sector of the global economy. They help both developed and developing countries in the growth. These regions paves way to technological innovation and industrial development and this stimulates the growth of the economy of the

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Research Proposal - Essay Example According to Leau et al. (2012), agile practices include Crystal methodology, dynamic software development method, feature-driven development, lean software development, scrum, and extreme programming. These practices could be integrated into the traditional software development life cycle to change how project are run instead of completely changing to the new methods. This would enable software developers take advantage of both methodologies. The purpose of this study is to identify how the agile practice could be integrated into traditional software development cycle instead of completely changing the cycle. The integration can be done in various ways whose difference depends on the type of practice. In the study, we will identify several agile practices as well as analyze how each one of them could be integrated to the cycle to achieve the purpose of the study. The study will have some limitations and delimitations based on the limited resources available for the research and the dynamic changes in the technology of software development. We will therefore use qualitative approach due to the limitation in the resources available for the research. This approach is economical and does not require many resources. Moreover, because of the dynamic nature of the agile practices, we will not be able to study all of them. In this study, we have planned to discuss only the above-mentioned six agile practices although there are some that have lately introduced. Another limitation of this study is the many ways in which agile practices could be integrated into the traditional software development life cycle. Because of these, we will not be able to cover all of them in this study. What will be covered in this study will be the main ways in which these integration could be done. Traditional as well as modern software development life cycle have

Equality, diversity and rights at workplace in Westminster City Essay

Equality, diversity and rights at workplace in Westminster City Council - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that equality and right to equal opportunities are still evident and persistent in most of the places, be it at school, workplace, or society in whole. The exploitation of equal rights is more prevalent in places with diversified culture. Gender equality and women’s rights have gained growing attention over the past decades as a result of which international labor standards and national legislation have been adopted on a wide range of related issues. According to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development global inequality continued to grow over the 20th century and is still increasing in countries and between countries. OECD estimates that the quantum of inequality will be even larger by the year 2020 between OECD countries and poor countries. The gap inequality on global front is large, but the same gap persists within the nation on the basis of gender, class, ethnicity, age, disability, health, income, employment, etc. Witcher states that mainstreaming equality is done through incorporating equal opportunities issues into all actions, programmes, and policies from the outset. Various legislations have been enacted in the United Kingdom to eradicate the unequal treatment in the society. The first and foremost legislation, Equal Pay Act 1970, was passed to dismantle the roots of inequality in pay rates which were biased towards men as women were paid less comparatively while working in the same capacity as of their male counterpart. Later on various legislations like Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999, Gender Recognition Act 2004, Gender Equality Duty of 2007, Disability Discrimination Acts, Race regulations, employment equality (religion or belief) regulations 2003, employment equality (age) regulations 2006, were enacted and passed so as to provide equal opportunities and protect their rights to equality of vulnerable groups. The recent legislati on, Equality Act 2010 lays the cross-cutting legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and promote equal opportunities to all and to eradicate discriminatory practices in the society. The act strengthens the previous equal rights acts of disability and employment by preventing the employers from screening the disabled applicant from the recruitment process. The Equality Act 2010 addresses all the problems regarding equal rights and equal opportunities in the society including the workplace. Westminster borough is situated towards the west of London City and home of the UK government at the Palace of Westminster also known as ‘Theatreland’ which is home to numerous landmarks. It is the official residence of Queen with Buckingham place in the boundaries. The borough is an employer of choice, promotes culture, and provides a working environment free from all forms of discrimination and inequality like bullying, harassment, and victimization. Consultation d raft on Single Equality Scheme 2010-13 prepared by Westminster City Council mentioned that it is extremely diverse city attracting new migrants and most of the residents in the council are born outside the United Kingdom. The draft further mentions that more than half of its residents are non-white British, the high proportion of residents are of working age, different religious beliefs, and nearly 15% of them have the disability.

Research methods (Evangelistical literature) Essay

Research methods (Evangelistical literature) - Essay Example Epistemological assumptions begin with an inherent suspicion of the knowledge basis of the concept or product. They want to understand and interpret everything in a framework of methodology Conventional science is based on 'rational positivist' thought. This includes the presumptions that there is a 'real world'. Data can be gathered by observing it This data is factual. It is truthful and unambiguous. The 'post-positivist', 'interpretivist' philosophy, on the other hand, asserts that these assumptions are unwarranted, According to this philosophy 'facts' and 'truth' are a wild supposition and 'objective' observation is impossible, and that the act of observation-and- interpretation is dependent on the perspective adopted by the observer. Interpretivists criticise even the physical scientists for the narrowness of their assumptions. Their criticisms hold some truth particularly strongly in the social sciences, where the objects of study are influenced by so many factors. These factors are extremely difficult to isolate and control in experimental laboratory. This builds up to a requirement that multiple interpretations of the same phenomena must be allowed for, and that no truth is attainable. An organization which depends solely on ontological beliefs has to at some point embrace epistemological assumptions to survive. So it sells faith' - the very basis of the philosophy of being. Evangelistical literature or material is published and marketed to influence people of ontological belief into their way of life. Since ontological assumption is based on positivism, the belief that everything being is good, the positivist approach quite easily gets affected by such marketing ventures. To them pictures of God or human beings in reverence, Biblical stories...To them pictures of God or human beings in reverence, Biblical stories and incidents hold an incredible position of awe. be made attributable to the purpose of collection. Similarly, the data collated in terms of cases individuals or groups runs the risk of the age factor being misrepresented which amounts to a great deal of confusion. In such a scenario greater credence is given to the written word.

Computer Based Training vs.Instructor Lead Training Term Paper

Computer Based Training vs.Instructor Lead Training - Term Paper Example The information provided will base on facts and previous researches. A conclusion will be based on information the essay provides. The aim of the essay is to determine the effectiveness of various modes of training and recommend on which mode is to be applied while undertaking training both as a student and as a faculty in general. Every school wants to have a competitive advantage and the result is the introduction of various training modes. The two modules contain various similarities in that the outcome will always depend on the set of guideline that is designed in the curriculum. The similarities include the learning objective, which in any cases is aimed at passing information to students, and develop graduates that are competitive in the market (Moyer, 2003). The institutional goals and mission guide this principle. The other similarity is the structure and layout, what is taught is similar this includes the three principles of learning which include acquiring, demonstration and assessment. Acquiring entails the passing of knowledge to the students and the mode of training is what creates demonstration. The two combine to create a learning environment that is conducive. The assessment is always in two forms, the continuous assessments, which majorly includes the course work and the final assessment that combines every element of the course. The three are similar in both computer-based training and instructor led tr aining. There exists the issue of accessibility in which the mode provides for readily available information. When enrolling one can do so at any given time of the learning calendar contrary to the other mode in which enrollment is done on a specified date. The issue of distance and travelling challenges are dealt with by this mode of training, in that one can acquire knowledge and be assessed online without visiting the training facility. The accessibility issue can also be applied to the working students where they

Trend report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Trend report - Essay Example This narrowed the gap from the peak by 14 percent (Kenneth, 2012). Table 1 below summarized the trend. Based on Thomas’ report, 39 years had elapsed and yet the real wage was still below the reported peak wage of 1972. In the real sense, by 2011, it was still 14 percent below the peak wage (Thomas, 2012). Despite the dwindling wage levels for workers in the country, the Federal Reserve Bank claimed that the country’s productivity was at a steady increase during this period. The study by Lawrence, Jared and Heidi (2009) showed that wage trends fueled the inequalities in income growth in the United States. In the real sense, wage comprise of three quarter of the family’s total income. However, for the broad middle class group, salaries and wages consist of more than three quarters of the families’ income. It was estimated that between 1973 and the year 2011, real hourly wage attributed to a median worker only reported a 10.7 percent increase. This was mostly witnessed in the late1990s. On the contrary, real wage again registered a stagnated growth between 2002 and 2003. This is why the last decade is referred to as lost decades in terms of wage growth. Another prediction based on the study is that in cases unemployment problem persists, there is high likelihood that the country will have another lost decade in the near future. This section will provide the trends in the employees wage for the last two and half decades. Wage trend is known to have played a critical role in the families and households income trends, particularly, with the growing wage inequality being reported in the United States (Lawrence, Jared and Heidi, 2012). Basically, wage stagnation led affected income growth in the year 2000. It also contributed to high unemployment rates and recession of 2007 and 2011. The reason for the stagnation includes weak recovery phases between 2002 and 2007 and loss of income during the

Primate Behavior and Conservation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Primate Behavior and Conservation - Essay Example Primates tend to live in groups. The one factor that is the most important is ecological factors and female-female associations as a result of this (Wrangham, 1980, van Schaik, 1983 from Weingrill, 2000). This can be explained as predation pressure which determines the lower limit to the size of the group whilst the upper limit is determined by the presence of food with regards to time and space. The combination of these factors is responsible for the social dynamics between females of a group (van Schail, 1983; Dunbar, 1988 from Weingrill, 2000). The distribution of males, on the other hand, is dependent on the number of mating opportunities (Emlen and Oring, 1977 from Weingrill, 2000). In addition to female-female relations and male-male relationships, an important relationship to be considered is the male-female interaction. In the majority of mammals, intersexual relationships happen only fleetingly during the year. In contrast, over two thirds of primates have male-female associ ations (van Schaik and Kappeler, 1997). In most primates like the savannah baboons, the associations between males and females last for reasonably long periods of time. There appears to be benefits to both sexes from this association. For males the main benefit is an improved chance of mating with the female (pre-mating effort hypothesis (Seyfarth, 1978; Smuts, 1985 from Weingrill, 2000)) . Secondly, the fitness of the offspring after birth may be improved through association with a particular female as the male will be more able to defend the infants and provide them with access to certain resources (post mating effort hypothesis ((Packer, 1980; Busse and Hamilton, 1981; Noe and Sluijter, 1990 from Weingrill, 2000). Females, on the other hand, benefit as males are more powerful physically than them in conflict situations and can act as protectors both for the female and her offspring. This can lead to a reduction in infanticide. (Weingrill,2000). Three different hypotheses have bee n proposed to explain infanticide. The first is the social-pathology hypothesis whereby infanticide by primates is believed to be as a result of uncomfortable living conditions such as overpopulation having to fight for resources. The second hypothesis is the side-effect hypothesis whereby infanticide results from aggression between males (Sussman et al., 1995 from Weingrill, 2000). The third hypothesis is the sexual-selection hypothesis. This is the most commonly used explanation and this is when male primates kill unrelated offspring so as to quicken the female’s next ovulation and increase their chances of mating with that female (Soltis et al, 2000).

Wine Making Essay Example for Free

Wine Making Essay Winemaking is the production of wine, starting with the selection of grapes and other produce, and ending with putting the delicious wine into bottles! Although wine is usually made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruits! Winemaking can actually be divided into 18 different categories†¦.. Harvesting, destemming, crushing, primary (alcoholic) fermentation, pressing, pigeage, cold stabilization, heat stabilization, second fermentation, bulk aging, Malolactic fermentation, laboratory tests, blending, fining, preservatives, filtration, and last but not least, bottling! Lets now find out how to make wine! Harvesting Harvesting is the picking of the grapes and the first step in wine production. The grapes are either harvested by hand or mechanically, the decision lies on the winemaker. Before harvesting, the winemaker checks the grapes for ripeness, flavor, seed color and taste, and lastly, the sugar level! Mechanical harvesters are large tractors that straddle grapevines, and with a rubber rod, strike the vine to get the grapes. Mechanical harvesters have the advantage of picking grapes in a short amount of time. The disadvantage is all the leaves and stems come with the grapes. Some smart winemakers take off the leaves with another machine before harvesting. Destemming Destemming is the process of removing the stems from the grapes. This process may take place before, or after crushing, depending on the winemaker. If you harvest by hand, you can just skip this step altogether! Crushing Crushing is when gently crushing the grapes and breaking the skin to start getting flavor. In traditional and small wineries the grapes are sometimes crushed by stomping on them. However, in large, more upscale wineries, the grapes are crushed by a large, mechanical, wine crusher. Primary (alcoholic) fermentation Have you ever wondered what the powdery coating around grapes is? So have I! Yeast is what the powder is, which is useful for alcoholic fermentation. Since this can give unpredictable results, cultural yeast is added to the mix. During fermentation, the yeast cells feed on the sugars and multiply, creating carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. The tempeture affects both the taste of the product and the speed that fermentation is over. For red wines, the temperate is typically 72-77 F, and for white wine, the normal tempeture is 59-64 F. For every gram of sugar that is converted, about half a gram of alcohol is produce, so to get a 12% alcohol concentration, the product has to contain 24% of sugar. Pressing Pressing is the act of applying pressure to grapes in order to separate wine from grapes and grape skins. Presses act by positioning the grapes or grape skins between a rigged surface and a movable surface and slowly decreasing the volume between the two surfaces. As the pressure increases, the amount of tannin extracted from the skins into the juice also increases. Pieaege Pieaege is a French winemaking term for the traditional stomping of the grapes in open fermentation tanks. To make different type of wine, grapes are put through a crusher and then poured into open fermentation tanks. Once fermentation begins, the grape skins are pushed to the surface by carbon dioxide gases, released in the fermentation process. The layer of skins at the top is called the cap. The cap needs to mix with the liquid each day for flavor Cold and Heat Stabilization Cold stabilization is a process used in winemaking to reduce tartrate crystals that’s in wine. These crystals look like grains of clear sand, and are formed by acid and potassium. The temeture of the wine is dropped close to freeing for 1-2 weeks. This will cause the crystals to separate from the wine. During heat stabilization, unstable proteins are removed by absorption, preventing them from being in the finished bottle of wine. Second Fermentation. This process takes three to six months, and is very valuable! The wine is kept under airlock, and proteins from the grapes are broken down, and the yeast cells that are still remaining and other particles are able to settle. In this process, the wine goes from being cloudy, to clear! Secondary fermentation usually takes place in large stainless steel vessels or large oak barrels. The oak gives wine a very good finished taste, but if the winemakers decide to put the wine in stainless steel, oak chips are added! Malolatic Fermentation. This process occurs when lactic acid bacteria mixes with malic acids and produces lactic acids and carbon dioxide. Malolatic fermentation can improve the taste of wine that has large amounts of malic acids. Malic acids creates an unpleasant, harsh, and bitter taste sensation. All red wines go through malolatic fermentation to lessen the amount of acid in the wine, and to remove the possibility that malic acids may be in the bottle. On the other hand, many white wines do not go through fermentation, because they don’t have a lot of acid. Laboratory Tests. Whether wine is stored in vessels or barrels, tests are done regularly. These tests are done to test sugar level, alcohol level, pH level, and many other factors. Theses tests are performed throughout the making of the wine, from the first step through the last! Blending and Fining Different wines can sometimes be mixed together to achieve the desired taste. This process is as simple as the tests the wine have, every now and then. Fining is removing the chemicals and particles that make the wine cloudy. Gelatin has actually been used in many wines for centuries, as a traditional method for wine fining! Usually, no gelatin actually remains in the wine, as it mixes with other chemicals. Also many fining agents will use milk, eggs, bone char, bulls blood, an animals bladder, honey, and a skim milk powder. Preservatives The most common preservative in winemaking is sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide has one main reason, and that is that its an anti oxidant. If sulfur dioxide is added before alcoholic fermentation, it may damage the effects of oxygen, and the wine will go bad! Without the use of sulfur dioxide, wines will suffer bacterial spoilage. Some winemakers practice natural winemaking where no preservatives are added. The wine is then put in a freezer with the temperature being 5 C. Filtration Filtration in winemaking is used to accomplish two objectives: clarification and stabilization. In clarification, large particles that effect the visual appearance of the wine are removed. In stabilization, organisms that effect the stability are removed, therefore killing all possibilities of the wine going bad. The wine is then put in the refrigerator at a low temperature. Bottling. Finally, the last step in winemaking! A final does of sulfite is added to help preserve the wine and to prevent unwanted fermentation going on in the bottle. Once the wine bottles are filled,, they are traditionally sealed with a cork. The final step is adding a capsule! The wine is now ready to be shipped off, and then sold to buyers that will greatly enjoy the taste! Many people actually don’t know how much work is put into making the wine! That’s why its so expensive, nowadays! I hoped I helped you to understand the process of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. WINEMAKING!!!!!

Post Structuralism Phenomenology Concepts in Architecture

Post Structuralism Phenomenology Concepts in Architecture 1. Post-structuralism Post-structuralism is a progression of earlier movement resulted by the work of a Swiss linguist, Ferdinand De Saussure in the 1910s and 1920s called Structuralism. The latter was influenced by semiotics (a study of signs). According to Saussure, a language is a system of signs made up of a signifier (an acoustic-image) and a signified (a concept).[1] Structuralism is understood as how the system works to structure their individual elements to imply a meaning. Post-structuralism is often interchangeably linked with postmodernism and deconstruction in general, as all these movements respond to structuralisms philosophy of language but they apply those insights to a wider range of topics and radicalize some of the structuralisms premises. [2] The consideration of architecture as communication while recognizing its functionality came during the Modernism era, which revolves around the universal form and the principle of form follows function phrased by American architect, Louis Sullivan. Modern architects believed the functions of diagrammatic objects would be transparent, or obvious to everyone.[3] However, the text, The Lesson of the Toilet Bowl, has taught us that it is through learning that human knows how to use a form. Charles Jencks and Peter Eisenman both opposed the former movement in post-modernism and deconstruction respectively. Jencks sees communication as the main problem of modernism as modern architects abandoned the traditional language of architecture and tried to design functional buildings. Post-modernism is characterized as double-coding[4], highlighting multivalent, unlike modern architecture which was criticized as univalent in terms of form. While modern architecture strives to create new, independent works of art, postmodern architecture embraced diversity with the merge of ideas, styles, and characters to promote parody, humor and irony. Deconstruction, on the other hand, challenges the values of harmony, unity, and stability, and proposing instead a different view of a structure that the flaws are intrinsic to the structure.[5]   Deconstructivist rejects the presence of metaphysics, as well as the function, scale, and context. [6] In terms of design process within the discipline of architecture, structuralism revolves around the idea of binary, hierarchical, and structural thinking for example, black cannot be white and vice versa. Whereas in poststructuralism, French philosopher, Gilles Deleuze (1925-95) collaborated with the psychoanalyst, Fà ©lix Guattari (1930-92) introduced the concept of rhizome in  A Thousand Plateaus (1980). A rhizome has no beginning or end; it is always in the middle, between things, interbeing, intermezzo.[7] The term rhizome promotes connective thinking in which post-structuralists criticized the reductive and that phenomena actually occurs in a more multifarious manner. There are in betweens and tangents and ambiguous non-binary associations. Post-structuralists approach argues that to understand an object, it is necessary to study both the object itself and the systems of knowledge that produced the object. 2. Phenomenology Phenomenology is a philosophical movement or approach which was inaugurated by a German philosopher, Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) during the 1800s.   In architecture, the term phenomenology is the study of the essence of human consciousness through the subjective experience of phenomena. Architectural phenomenology acknowledged the importance of human experience as part of architecture; also referred as a return of lived experience.[8] This theory promotes the integration of human sensory and perception as part of built form to create an architectural and experiential space that is beyond tangible, but rather abstract, observed and perceived. One of the key approaches in phenomenology discourse was shaped by the thought of Martin Heidegger where he defines the meaning of Bauen (building) as to dwell, the latter simply means creating a sense of quality space within the building, providing the sense of feeling being at home to build is in itself already to dwell. However, dwelling does not necessarily occur in every building or typologies.[9] It was later then, the Heideggers philosophy becomes influential among a number of architectural theorists, namely, Christian Norberg-Schulz, a Norwegian architectural theorist, who was among the first to attempt to translate phenomenological approach into architecture. Schulz argues that the perception is inseparable from our preexisting knowledge about the things we perceive. Our perception is actually a result of our previous experiences.   This infers that every individuals perception is very subjective to their experiences and thus, asserted as a limiting factor to the phenomenological approach. In the architecture of today, people give too much of attention on the visual image (appearance) that the reality of how a building an experience has been neglected as mentioned by Finnish architect, Juhani Pallasmaa, who explored this notion in his work titled, The Geometry of Feeling (1985). Pallasmaa phrases that, the artistic dimension of a work of art does not lie in the actual physical thing; it exists only in the consciousness of the person experiencing it.[10] This statement enables us to think thoroughly that we do not only design a building as its physical form, and it is the images and feelings in other words, the design aims to achieve emotions/ experiences. A phenomenological concept in architectural design strategies to develop a unique experience by taking account of phenomena factors like space, light, and form. Architecture aims to provide to human needs and therefore, it is essential that a great design considers the relation of human senses with built form in order to create a rich experience that unfolds over time and gives a memorable impact for users.[11] 3. Theory and Practice Every now and then, we see theories overlap and developed from criticism, judgment, descriptive or interpretation on specific existing works. Consequently, this provides alternative solutions based on observations of the current state of the discipline, or offers new thought paradigms for approaching the issues.[12] The discourse of architectural theory and practice began after the Renaissance period when the Art of Building in Ten Books, which closely modeled Vitruviuswork was published by Alberti.[13] According to Korydon Smith in Introducing Architectural Theory, he defined architectural theory as: the evolution of the objective principles and subjective values that guide individual and collective decisions about, and assessments of ones own and othersarchitectural works.[14] Based on the definition, we can infer theories in architecture appear to be subjective and rather more individualistic and collective paradigms as everyone relatively do not share the same opinions or visual languages. His work also introduced the concept of the dialectic in particular, a dialogue. It arises as a dichotomy, a debate between two opposing positions, ideas, or theories (thesis and antithesis) but, through the desire to reconcile (synthesis) the debate, results in proposition. The dialectic, as such, is popularly known as Fichtean dialectics by Kants philosophies. The idea of dialectic is to be said a process using reasoning to ascertain what the truth could be. The discourse of theoretical within the discipline of architecture focuses on the relationship between theory and practice with two very distinct views revolving on the necessity of theory to practice effectively. For Bernard Tschumi, he argues that Architecture is not an illustrative art; it does not illustrate theories whereas, Vittorio Gregotti insists on theoretical research as a direct foundation of action in architectural design.[15] Theory within the practice is resolved to be inevitable as quoted by Iain Borden, Theory is indispensable. It is how we make sense of the world.[16] The Oxford philosophy professor John Alexander Smith phrased: The real gain from studying philosophy is not in learning about the views of great philosophers but in understanding their arguments and in acquiring confidence in ones ability to think critically, by thinking through these arguments.[17] From this statement inferences the relation of theory and practice where two have to evolve simultaneously. Dialectics are often present within the discipline of architecture design and practice, as a process of making incremental, though interrelated, decisions.[18] The theoretical dissertation has hugely contributed a number of architectural works today which helps to stimulate people to apply critical thinking in theory and practice and thus, the cycle repeats. Bibliography 1) Book Bibliography.  Macey, David. The Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory London: Penguin Group, 2000. 2) Book Chapter Bibliography.  L. Fastiggi, Robert. Post-Structuralism. In New Catholic Encyclopedia Supplement 2012-13: Ethic and Philosophy, Volume 3. Detroit: Gale Cengage Learning in association with the Catholic University of America, 2013. 3) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Jencks, Charles. The Architectural Sign. In Signs, Symbols, and Architecture. New York: Wiley, 1980. 4) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Jencks, Charles. The Paradoxical World of Post-Modernism. In Movements in Twentieth Century Architecture, Ed. Michael J. Ostwald. Sydney; Arcadia Press / University of Newcastle, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Design, 2000. 5) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Wigley, Mark. Deconstructivist Architecture. In Movements in Twentieth Century Architecture, Ed. Michael J. Ostwald. Sydney; Arcadia Press / University of Newcastle, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Design, 2000. 5) Book Bibliography.  MitroviĆ¡, Branko. Philosophy for Architects. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2011. 6) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Deleuze, Gilles, and Guattari, Felix.Introduction: Rhizome. In A Thousand Plateaus. London: Continuum, 2010. 7) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Heidegger, Martin. Building Dwelling, Thinking: Part One. In Rethinking Architecture; A Reader in Cultural Theory, Ed. Neil Leach. London: Routledge, 1997. 8) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Geometry of Feeling: A Look at the Phenomenology of Architecture. In Theorizing A New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995, Ed. Kate Nesbitt: New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996. 9)  Peter Zumthor. The Hard Core of Beauty. In Thinking Architecture, Second, expanded edition. Basel à ¢-  Boston à ¢-  Berlin: Birkhà ¤user Publishers for Architecture. 10) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Nesbitt, Kate. Introduction. In Theorizing A New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995, Ed. Kate Nesbitt. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996. 11) Book Bibliography.  Smith, Korydon. Introducing Architectural Theory, Ed. Korydon Smith. New York: Routledge, 2012. 12) Book Chapter Bibliography.  Borden, Iain and Rendall, Jane. Introduction. In Intersections: Architectural Histories and Critical Theories. London: Routledge, 2000. [1] David Macey, structuralism, in The Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory (London: Penguin Group, 2000): 364. [2] Robert L. Fastiggi, Post-Structuralism., in New Catholic Encyclopedia Supplement 2012-13: Ethic and Philosophy, Volume 3 (Detroit: Gale Cengage Learning in association with the Catholic University of America, 2013): 1245. [3] Charles Jencks, The Architectural Sign, in Broadbent, Bunt, and Jencks (eds.) Signs, Symbols, and Architecture (New York: Wiley, 1980): 83-85. [4] Charles Jencks, The Paradoxical World of Post-Modernism, in Movements in Twentieth Century Architecture, ed. Michael J. Ostwald (Sydney: Arcadia Press / University of Newcastle, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Design, 2000): 116-118. [5] Mark Wigley, Deconstructivist Architecture, in Movements in Twentieth Century Architecture, ed. Michael J. Ostwald (Sydney; Arcadia Press / University of Newcastle, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Design, 2000): 182-187 [6] Branko MitroviĆ¡, Architecture and Deconstruction, in Philosophy for Architects (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2011): 162-163 [7] Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, Introduction: Rhizome, in A Thousand Plateaus (London: Continuum, 2010): 23-24; 27-28. [8] David Macey, phenomenology, in The Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory (London: Penguin Group, 2000): 297-299. [9] Martin Heidegger, Building Dwelling, Thinking: Part One, in Rethinking Architecture; A Reader in Cultural Theory, ed. Neil Leach (London: Routledge, 1997): 100-103. [10] Juhani Pallasmaa. The Geometry of Feeling: A Look at the Phenomenology of Architecture, in Theorizing A New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995, ed. Kate Nesbitt (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996): 448-453 [11] Peter Zumthor, The Hard Core of Beauty, in Thinking Architecture, Second, expanded edition (Basel à ¢-  Boston à ¢-  Berlin: Birkhà ¤user Publishers for Architecture): 7-8 [12] Kate Nesbitt, Introduction, in Theorizing A New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory 1965-1995, ed. Kate Nesbitt (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996): 16 [13] Korydon Smith, Introduction: To Students: Why Architectural Theory is Vital, in Introducing Architectural Theory, ed. Korydon Smith (New York: Routledge, 2012): 5. [14] Korydon Smith, Introduction: To Students: Why Architectural Theory is Vital, in Introducing Architectural Theory, ed. Korydon Smith (New York: Routledge, 2012): 6. [15] Nesbitt, Introduction, in Theorizing A New Agenda for Architecture (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996): 19 [16] Iain Borden and Jane Rendall, Introduction in Intersections: Architectural Histories and Critical Theories (London: Routledge, 2000): 6. [17] Branko Mitrovic, Preface, in Philosophy for Architects. (New York: Princeton Architectural Press,  2011): 12. [18] Smith, Debating a Discipline: Architecture, Argument, and the Concept of the Dialectic, in Introducing Architectural Theory (New York: Routledge, 2012): 10.

Shakespeares Othello - The Character of Iago :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Character of Iago in Othello  Ã‚      One of the most intriguing characters in the tragic play "Othello," by William Shakespeare, is Othello's "friend" Iago. At first glance, Iago seems to have no motive for the destruction he is causing. However, despite Iago's unquestionable malignancy, the motivation behind his actions lie more in Iago's quest for personal gain, as opposed to just being evil for evil's sake. In order to achieve his personal gain Iago manipulates Rodrigo, Cassio and, most importantly, Othello. Iago's main interest is the destruction of Othello. The reason being that Othello has chosen another man, Cassio, as his second-in-command, preferring him to Iago. This resentment, accompanied by Iago's fabricated accusations of adultery and his blatant racism, cause Iago to despise Othello, and shortly thereafter, begin to conspire against him. Instead of just killing Othello, Iago proceeds to attack him emotionally. Iago begins to manipulate the people around him in order to hurt Othello and make him think that his wife, Desdimona, and Cassio are having an affair. The first to fall victim to Iago's manipulation, is Rodrigo. Iago knows Rodrigo has feelings Desdemona, and would do anything to make her his own. Iago tells Rodrigo that the only way to win Desdemona's love, is to make money to procure gifts for her. "...put money in thy purse.." (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 339). However, Iago is just taking those gifts intended for Desdemona and keeping them for himself, and in doing so, making a substantial profit. "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse" (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 376). Rodrigo eventually starts to question Iago's honesty. When faced with this accusation, Iago simply offers that killing Cassio will aid his cause and the gullible Rodrigo falls for it. "I have no great devotion to the deed and yet he has given me satisfying reason," (Act 5, Scene 1, Line 8). In doing this, Iago keeps Rodrigo in the dark and continues to profit from him monetarily. Cassio, like Rodrigo, follows Iago blindly, thinking the whole time that Iago is trying to aid him , when in-fact, Iago, motivated by his lust for power, is attempting to depose Cassio of his position as lieutenant. Iago does this by getting Cassio drunk and causing him to get in a fight and disturb Othello, Othello then demotes Cassio of his rank as second-in-command thus securing the position for Iago.

Trust in Emersons Self-Reliance :: Self Reliance Essays

Trust yourself, your intuition, and your nature. According to Emerson's Self-Reliance, these qualities are essential to contentment and harmony with one's self. Self-reliance is an appeal to the individual to obey his instincts and to challenge tradition and conventional wisdom. According to Emerson, those who are truly self-reliant have the ability to mark their place in history as great and genuinely creative men. Emerson urges the reader to live by his instinct and listen to his intuition, "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." Don’t fear your original thoughts, trust them and live accordingly. Great men and artists appeal to us because of their creative nature, "In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts." If we don’t live according to our nature we are not men. Be bold and brave about your convictions, "And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the same transcendent destiny; and not pinched into a corner, not cowards fleeing before a revolution, but redeemers and benefactors, pious aspirants to be noble clay plastic under the Almighty effort, let us advance and advance on Chaos and the Dark." Recognize your nature whether it be good or bad, "No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature." Emerson instructs the reader to avoid the common pitfalls that tend to hinder man's virtue. Emerson identifies consistency as being an enemy of the creative thinker, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds", "With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do". Emerson isn’t implying that we live erratically but that we should be introspective about our positions and ideals. We should not hold the same position simply because it is the one we have always taken. We shouldn’t be preoccupied with the impression we leave on others, "What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think." According to Emerson, our inconsistency should be our testimony. Your inconsistent actions will explain to others what you are, "The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks." Emerson also points out man's fear of being misunderstood. We often fail to present or discuss our original thoughts and ideas in fear of being misunderstood. Emerson asks, so what? Weren't all great innovators misunderstood? Emerson says: "Misunderstood! It is a right fools word. Is it so bad then to be misunderstood?

The Sun Lord of All Ages :: Sun Culture Cultures Cultural Essays

The Sun Lord of All Ages "Sun, heavenly body whose light makes our day, member of the solar system round which the planets revolve "( definition according to the Webster's New Elementary Dictionary). In the literature of the mythology, the legends that relate to the creation of the shiny body occupy a very important role. It was natural for ancient cultures in remote times to speculate about the creation of the visible universe, and specially about the creation of the sun. The sun is presented in a lot of different myths as born from one of the eyes of The Creator God, or as springing into life as the sacrifice of the life of a god or hero, or sometimes as the Supreme Creator itself. While traveling through the different cultures existent in the ancient times, we can recognize common aspects in their different myths. In the case of the sun related myths, we can see common aspect concerning: his creation, and the sun-man relationship. Even though the sun plays an important role in almost all the creatio n myths, there are some cultures were his role it is more important than in others. For example, in the Egyptian myths he is presented as the supreme creator, in the case of the Toltec and Aztec myths he is mostly related to the creation and destruction of the five different worlds and the humans that lived in each of them. In order of importance of the role of the sun in the different cultures, the Egyptians are one of the first ones. For them the sun was the greatest god of all. According to their legends, at the beginning , the world was a waste of water called Nu, from were the sun god was born. "He first appeared as a shiny egg, which floated upon the water's breast and the spirits of the deep, who where the Mother and the Father, were with him there as he was with Nu, for they were the companions of Nu. Ra [Egyptian name for the sun] was greater than Nu from whom he arose. He was the divine father and strong ruler of gods" (Mackenzie, 1). This was the Egyptian explanation for the appearance of that shiny body in the sky, who kept them warm and gave them light during the day, and caused plants to grow which they needed as food to survive.

Communication and the internet Essay

Many people would say that the internet is the most important invention ever. The internet has changed the way many people live. Decades ago, no one would know that the internet even existed whereas nowadays every home has access to it. One of the main reasons internet was introduced was for communicating. There are many different forms of communication online today that people in the past wouldn’t have thought possible. Many people will say advancement in communications is a blessing because it allows for us to connect with families and friends from afar, enables us to express ourselves in many ways, provides a medium for meeting new people with similar interests, and increases our productivity. The internet has transformed all forms of communication since the beginning of its existence.. The internet was first used by the U.S military for communications purposes. The internet, from the communication point of view, has brought on new developments and techniques to keep in touch not only for individuals, but for businesses as well. An example of how the internet has impacted communication would be an example of doctors now communicating through live video feeds via the internet with patients or other doctors to diagnose patients or to even guide and advise surgeons through complicated procedures. Email (electronic mail) was one of the biggest breakthroughs in communication when the internet was introduced. With email, it became possible to send messages and letters across the world in a matter of seconds to the recipients address. As technology improved, it became possible to ‘attach documents, photographs and even sound clips or songs to emails which made mail by post redundant.

Report on the Case Study Tata Steel’s Ehtics Essay

Executive Summary The gender balance group was given a case study into Tata’s contribution to ethical business practices and sustainability to investigate into. The ten (10) member group shared the research questions amongst themselves for effective and efficient exercise. The group researched into the general view of ethical business practices as behavioral moral values and principles that determine our conducts in the business world. It went deeper to expanciate that, this ethics is applied in various aspect of the business’ â€Å"life†. These include: production process, employees, customers, shareholders, the government and business competitors. The enforcement of this practice goes beyond the provision of code of corporate ethics. Considering both the public and business perspective of sustainability which goes beyond corporate responsibility to the environmental impact of a business’ operations, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides an accurate tool for analyses than carbon footprint of the user phase. This actually takes the true environmental impact of the product from the ‘cradle to the grave’ into consideration. Though this process may be quiet cumbersome, both the business and the environment enjoy a great deal of benefits. Tata contribution towards ethical and sustainable practices is evident in all its activities. It has been able use LCA to produce light metals for the production of cars thereby reducing the amount of CO2 emission. Introduction Steel is a product that is widely used in almost every area of our modern life. It plays a key role in the world’s infrastructure. Tata Steel first established in India is the second largest steel manufacturing industry in the Europe. Its steel products are widely used in the construction industry, aerospace, rail, packaging etc. Tata Steel’s case study into its ethical and sustainability practice was to be addressed by our group – GROUP 27. The group began a series of meetings immediately after its formation. In other to ensure efficient and timely exercise, different tasks were assigned to members and the group leader was unanimously nominated. The questions involved were segmented and given to each member to research on. Data was then collated from various sources and sent the central pull for the preparation of slides and for subsequent presentation on the stipulated date. This report seeks to establish the sources of information for Tata’s ethical and sustainability practices. Key theoretical issues concerning ethical and how a business could use sustainability practice to compete was also given attention to. Since the research was conducted by a group, individuals’ contribution was assessed towards the works completion. Further, my personal observation in relation to the assignment and the knowledge gained were brought to bear. Conclusion from the study was then drawn to evaluate the success or otherwise of the whole exercise. Sources of Information The information gathered was from two main sources – books and the internet. Much information was gathered from Tata’s website which gave me much insight into the research. This actually provided me with Tata’s history, competitors, huge Corporate Social Responsibilities, business ethics and core values among others. Other websites gave me the information about a holistic view of business ethics and Life Cycle Assessment as well. In addition a couple of reading materials including books and journals augmented to the profound knowledge of the general view of ethical behavior and sustainability. Individual Contribution The research questions ware sub- divided into smaller fragments and each member was assigned a question to research on. Personally I contributed to answering the question of ethical business practices. George Chryssides and John Kaler gave their view as to why businesses should adopt ethical business practices. Materials obtained from the internet suggested that business ethics is applied in all areas of the business including production processes, human resource, shareholders, the community, the government and customers alike. I went further to elaborate on some unethical business practices and what organisations can to do for its enforcement. This gave us much insight to ethical business practices. The outcome was warmly received by members and they profoundly understood the concept and how it was even related to Tata Steel. I was nominated to lead the presentation and the design of the sequence of actions that was to be followed during the presentation was part of my responsibility. On my part, I was to explain what business ethics was, what unethical business practice was and how it could be enforced in an organisation. Theoretical Issues The main objective of the research was to understand business ethical practices, how sustainability could help a business to compete and how Tata Steel had contributed towards such acts. While the objective of any business is to make profits, it should contribute towards the interest of the society by ensuring fair practices. This in effect improve cooperate social responsibility, increase consumer confidence and protect brand values in other to gain competitive advantage. Theoretically, issues concerning ethical business practice and sustainability with particular attention to LCA were of great concern to the research. Ethical business practices are standard behavior of moral values and principles that determine business’ conduct in the business world. Ethical practice takes care of the investor. It is to ensure that the dividends payable to the investor is in safe hands and in good time. Production methods should be environmentally sustainable and everybody involved either directly or indirectly is unduly harmed. Also, it takes into account the health and safety as well as the value of the human capital. Sustainability practice of an organization focuses on the balance between the maximizing shareholders value, honouring the environmental and social responsibilities. For Tata Steel, its sustainability naturally follows its core value of ethics. In all this areas of the challenge, the environmental responsibility happens to be of great concern due to its relationship with the Carbon Footprint. However, findings revealed that LCA provides a more powerful tool to tackling CO2 emission including all phases from production to disposal of material. Even though a holistic LCA is data intensive and time consuming procedure, it enormous benefit ranges from a safer environmental impact, the financial benefit through the knowledge of the resale value at each stage of products life and helps business to gain completive advantage. Research Conclusion From Tata’s case study it was agreed that whereas some businesses do not take ethical issues seriously, Tata steel could be one of the best companies who efficiently and effectively practice business ethics and sustainability. A critical evaluation revealed that the company’s ethical business practice and sustainability is far big thing to write home about. This can be seen in the company’s integrity, understanding of its stakeholders, excellence in business operations, force of unity among employees and corporate responsibility delivered to the society. Personal Observation After researching into the ethical business practices and sustainability using the case study of Tata Steel, some observations were made in relation to the group assignment. Ethical business practices and sustainability has a wider view than I anticipated and has rather broad importance to the business and the society at large. Considering ethical business practices, it was observed that the business has a rather big responsibility to all its stakeholders. It was astonishing to notice that this responsibility is discharged to all those who are directly or indirectly affected by the business. It is somewhat a herculean task for businesses to take care of all its stake holders while maximising shareholders value. However the business enjoys enormous benefits in return of their good deeds. In the light of sustainability, the broader spectrum of LCA was noticed. Though LCA suffers some amount of criticism, a greater number of businesses find it very useful for itself and the environment as well. From Tata’s case study, it became evident that much importance is attached to the whole life cycle than just carbon footprint On a whole, ethical behavior and sustainability in Business operations promote trust and confidence to the consumers and the society in which it operates. These go to promote a good business environment for growth and development opportunities for the company. Knowledge Gained The assignments brought a number of issues to my knowledge. These came from practical activities we undertook and the academic research we embarked on. Practically the effectiveness of division of labour was the first practical knowledge I uncounted. When members were assigned specific task for the presentation, it was surprising to notice that each and every one did what is expected of them making it easier for our preparation. As a team leader, I realised it was always helpful to be a good listener to acknowledge the views of others before making necessary suggestions. This was very crucial since the group encompasses members from different nationals and cultural backgrounds. In the academic wise, the research made me realise that ethical business practice and sustainability go a long way to benefit all the stakeholders involved. In most businesses, the sustainability practice naturally follows its ethical practices. My attention has totally shifted from carbon footprint to the direction of Life Cycle Assessment due to its immense benefits. This powerful tool (where a products environmental impact is assessed considering all the stages of a products life from cradle- to- grave) when implemented by all businesses could contribute immensely to win the war against the climatic change. Impact of Individual Contribution Every member contributed positively to the success of the work. As a group leader, I managed to successfully chair all meetings and made sure specific tasks were timely met. I was to address the issue of ethical business practices. Since I played the leading role in the presentation, the team’s expectation for a good start was met and that encourage the rest of the presentation team to follow suite. The data collection manager successfully gathered all data for the slide preparation. During the presentation, the following action points emanated from my individual contribution: 1. Definition of ethical business practices 2. Areas of ethical business practices 3. Examples of unethical business practices 4. Enforcement of ethical practices Remarks Though the exercise could not be said to enjoy 100% success, one cannot say that it was a failure. The exercise was a bit challenging to the group. Deciding on the times and venue for the various meetings for instance was not easy to be agreed upon. For most instances meetings were held 45mins later than the agreed time. This however did not demoralised us from pursuing our course and we were able to complete the task on time. The effectiveness of our communication tool kept us on our toes and ‘data collection gateway’ was a good thing to wright home about. Text messages, emails and phone calls were put to effective use. Furthermore, every member of the group had an in-depth knowledge of ethical practice and sustainability from the various discussions held. We have learnt how to work together as a team and most importantly how to tolerate others. I personally have profound knowledge of Tata Steel Group’s, ethical practices, sustainability and it’s cooperate social responsibilities. References Chryssides, G.D and Kaler, J.H, Introduction to Business Ethics, Chapman and Hall, London, 1993. Fisher C., Lovel A. (2009). Business Ethics and Values. 3rd ed. England. Pearson Education Limited. 9-17, 338-359 Shaw W.H. Berry V. (2010). Moral Issues in Business11th ed. USA. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. 370-380 http://www.stonecourses.net/environment/benelca.html http://tatasteelindia.com/corporate/ethics/business-ethics.asp http://www.tata.com/article.aspx?artid=XL+n3uN42cQ= .

Sachin – the God of Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar is perhaps the best thing to happen to not just INDIA and INDIAN Cricket, but the sport in general. He is easily the most worshipped Cricketer across the globe. More than 34,000 runs scored on all kinds of home and away turfs at an unbelievable 48. 74 is testimony enough of the astounding consistency he has shown during the breath-taking 23-year International Career. He is pretty obviously the most prolific run-getter of all times. Technically too, He is the most complete batsman of modern era. Be it hooks, pulls, cuts, punches, drives, sweeps, slogs or lofts, He can play it all. Be it spin, swing or pace, He can tackle it all with seamless audacity and grace. Sachin Tendulkar is probably the greatest exponent of the game. While scoring the astonishing number of runs He has, Tendulkar has invented millions of ways of piercing the field and coaxing the ball towards the patrolled rope; at times using the bat like a sword used to slash enemies; and at times carefully using it like a surgeon’s knife used to pierce the deepest of tissues. Adaptation, accumulation and consolidation have seemed synonymous with Sachin Tendulkar, evidence of which is the big-hundreds He scored against Australia, South Africa and New Zealand after 2009, when He was in His late-30s, in a format presumed to be a youngster’s paradise. Apart from the staggering achievements and brilliant technique, what puts Tendulkar in a league of His own is the kind of impact and influence He has had on modern-day Cricket. Time and again, He has demolished and pulverized top-notch bowling attacks into instant submissions; something no one else has managed to do so effortlessly and so consistently. What elevates Tendulkar’s greatness is the fact that He has achieved all these records and laurels while constantly being under tremendous pressure from a billion people and while being under constant scrutiny of the national media. The greatness lies in the fact that Tendulkar has still never crumbled under this constant pressure and has on most of the occasions stood up, lead the pack and delivered. The humility and modesty He has displayed during the enthralling journey has ensured that He is not just followed and loved, but worshipped by the Nation from the bottom of the heart. Fames, riches, mansions, fast-cars, limelight and anything else that comes His way as a perk for being the greatest Cricketer He is seem to have left Him absolutely unfazed. His moorings have always remained on firm ground and remain so till date. Sachin Tendulkar has spell-bound the nation like no one else. There might be a couple of personalities whose exploits in their respective professions have enthralled the nation, but even they have not been able to sustain it for as long as Tendulkar has. He is diminutive, yet the tallest INDIAN alive.

A Theory of Cross-Cultural Communication Essay

A Theory of Cross-Cultural Communication  © Anthony Pym 2003 Intercultural Studies Group Universitat Rovira i Virgili Tarragona, Spain* Pre-print version 3. 3 The following is a series of propositions designed to connect a few ideas about translation as a mode of cross-cultural communication. The ideas are drawn from a multiplicity of existing theories; the aim is not particularly to be original. The propositions are instead intended to link up three endeavors: an abstract conception of cross-cultural communication, a description of the specificities of translation, and an attempt to envisage the future of such communication in a globalizing age. The various points at which the propositions draw on or diverge from previous theories are indicated in a series of notes. 1. 1. 1. 1. 2. On cross-cultural communication in general Cross-cultural communication involves the perceived crossing of a point of contact between cultures. Cultures here are minimally seen as large-scale systems of assumed shared references, linguistic or otherwise1, used for the purposes of reducing complexity. 2 Cultures themselves may idealize one or several centers, where the shared references are felt to be so dense that communication would be without any need for reductions of complexities. Away from such ideals, cultures have peripheries, where references are sparse, or sparsely shared, or mixed with references shared by other cultures. The terms â€Å"center† and â€Å"periphery† are not to be understood geopolitically. (cf. Even-Zohar 1990, Toury 1995) The differences between centers and peripheries are operative fictions rather than primary empirical facts. The very belief that one is in a central position may be enough to curtail complexity, just as the false impression that one is lacking in context may increase complexity. (Pym 1998) The difference between center and periphery may also be characterized in terms of effort. When shared references are believed to be dense (all else being equal), the reduction of complexity requires less effort than when the references are believed to be sparse. Effort here is understood as being on both the sending and receiving sides of messages, as well as in any mediating position or investment in the channel. A text sent and received near a perceived center will thus require less investment of effort than the same text sent from a center to a periphery (assuming that the reduction of complexity is 1. 3. 1. 4. 1. 5. to be to a similar degree in both cases). And further supplementary effort will be needed if the text is to be received in another culture. (Pym 1995) 1. 6. The lines between cultures are marked as cross-over points where the communication act receives supplementary effort of a mediating and discontinuous nature. Such points are usually where translations are carried out. (Pym 2001a) Cross-cultural communication thus marks the points of contact between cultures, although it alone will not join up the points to form any kind of line. (Pym 1998, 2001a, cf. Chatwin 1987) On complexity and its reduction Texts are inscribed objects that can be interpreted in different ways and for different functions, quite independently of any original intentions. The plurality of possible interpretations is what we are calling complexity. The reduction of complexity does not imply any discerning of a true or primal meaning. For example, a reader at this point might interpret the term â€Å"reduction of complexity† as â€Å"understanding†, but such a reading will hopefully be deviated by the following paragraphs. In this sense, the reduction of complexity does not entail an act of understanding in any idealist sense. Nor must effort be expended only to reduce complexity. Effort can also be used to make texts more complex, preparing them for a greater plurality of interpretations. Such might be a certain conception of aesthetic pleasure, diplomatic ambiguity, or communicative mechancete. The degree of appropriate complexity is in each case dependent on the success conditions of the communicative act concerned. On success conditions Success conditions are criteria that make the communicative act beneficial for all or some of the participants concerned. 4 Such criteria may be simple, as in the case of a business negotiation to reach mutual agreement on a sales price: the success condition might be that a price is agreed to by all participants. A Theory of Cross-Cultural Communication Essay Cultures here are minimally seen as large-scale systems of assumed shared references, linguistic or otherwise1, used for the purposes of reducing complexity. 2 Cultures themselves may idealize one or several centers, where the shared references are felt to be so dense that communication would be without any need for reductions of complexities. Away from such ideals, cultures have peripheries, where references are sparse, or sparsely shared, or mixed with references shared by other cultures. The terms â€Å"center† and â€Å"periphery† are not to be understood geopolitically. (cf. Even-Zohar 1990, Toury 1995) The differences between centers and peripheries are operative fictions rather than primary empirical facts. The very belief that one is in a central position may be enough to curtail complexity, just as the false impression that one is lacking in context may increase complexity. (Pym 1998) The difference between center and periphery may also be characterized in terms of effort. When shared references are believed to be dense (all else being equal), the reduction of complexity requires less effort than when the references are believed to be sparse. Effort here is understood as being on both the sending and receiving sides of messages, as well as in any mediating position or investment in the channel. A text sent and received near a perceived center will thus require less investment of effort than the same text sent from a center to a periphery (assuming that the reduction of complexity is 1. 3. 1. 4. 1. 5. to be to a similar degree in both cases). And further supplementary effort will be needed if the text is to be received in another culture. (Pym 1995) 1. 6. The lines between cultures are marked as cross-over points where the communication act receives supplementary effort of a mediating and discontinuous nature. Such points are usually where translations are carried out. (Pym 2001a) Cross-cultural communication thus marks the points of contact between cultures, although it alone will not join up the points to form any kind of line. (Pym 1998, 2001a, cf. Chatwin 1987) On complexity and its reduction Texts are inscribed objects that can be interpreted in different ways and for different functions, quite independently of any original intentions. The plurality of possible interpretations is what we are calling complexity. The reduction of complexity does not imply any discerning of a true or primal meaning. For example, a reader at this point might interpret the term â€Å"reduction of complexity† as â€Å"understanding†, but such a reading will hopefully be deviated by the following paragraphs. In this sense, the reduction of complexity does not entail an act of understanding in any idealist sense. Nor must effort be expended only to reduce complexity. Effort can also be used to make texts more complex, preparing them for a greater plurality of interpretations. Such might be a certain conception of aesthetic pleasure, diplomatic ambiguity, or communicative mechancete. The degree of appropriate complexity is in each case dependent on the success conditions of the communicative act concerned. On success conditions Success conditions are criteria that make the communicative act beneficial for all or some of the participants concerned. 4 Such criteria may be simple, as in the case of a business negotiation to reach mutual agreement on a sales price: the success condition might be that a price is agreed to by all participants.

Netflix Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Netflix - Case Study Example Before Netflix, Blockbuster had been a sole giant of the industry but its business was totally focusing the rental DVDs through retail outlet points. Those retail outlets carried few employees who can hardly recommend to the customers about the movies except the hit releases. Yet, the company was serving the whole United States as no other competitor had such resources to expand such bigger chain of DVD rental locations. What Blockbuster strived hard is to open so many DVD rental outlets such that the farthest retail outlet is around ten minutes drive in the urban areas of United States. The hit movies and recent releases were the ones that were the major occupiers of the shelves of the Blockbuster’s rental outlets as the demand for lesser-known movies had been very slow and uncertain. With the entry of Netflix in the rental DVD industry, Netflix adopted a first mover strategy such that rather opening rental DVD outlets, it started its operations by renting out the DVDs through internet based web portal. The company made an investment in its website such that the subscribers subscribed their accounts on Netflix’s website and then they can choose their preferred movies from a wide collection of movies held by Netflix. Those DVDs, which are selected by the subscribers, are sent to them via direct mail through US Postal Services. In around a day, those movies are shipped to their respective destinations at a cost of $4 per movie along with $2 cost of shipping and handling. The biggest advantage reaped by the customers was that now they can even have the access to the lesser-known movies, which ordinarily cannot be easily available at the rental DVD outlets. Another greater advantage that Netflix provided to its customers was the waiver of â€Å"late fees† which substantially boosted its business. Pricing was also an important aspect through which Netflix climbed quickly in terms of reaping the profits. Firstly, the

Essay Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Review - Essay Example According to Kenneth, China, in-spite of making advancements in science was unable to emerge as a strong economy. It was troubled due to its non-integrated political framework that prevented free trade and exchange of goods between different regions (Kenneth, 12-15) Weak political structure not allowed much of innovations to be carried forward to the next level of production. However, Europe attempted for excellence in its work, brought new styles of production that reduced time and energy and facilitated greater efficiency. Another factor that greatly influenced capitalism was the geographical set up. North Western Europe has vast coalmines. When North America became the largest importer of coal then Europe started specializing in the production of energy rather than agriculture. An influenced of trade and commerce came at hand, which in turn gave phenomenal increase to entrepreneurship in Europe. Individual enterprise, easy availability of credit and huge profits were the motivations for the people of Europe. The capitalists in Europe emerged from monasteries as these religious places amassed wealth. Materialistic tendencies gave rise to individualist approach towards trade practices. This need to increase wealth gave rise to capitalism that fueled one of the most important revolutions of the modern world i.e. The Industrial

Introduction to microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Introduction to microeconomics - Essay Example Buyers have to wait in queues and this situation also does not guarantee that whether they will get the product when their number comes. Sellers of a product can also provide the goods and services to their favorite clients which violates the procedure of efficient markets (Ceiling price regulation). Price Ceiling phenomenon reflects that government intervention does not necessarily means that market will operate efficiently and effectively. Price ceiling is a tool through which government intervenes however it has been observed that intervention is not beneficial in the long run. Economists are of the opinion that output generated through free market economy is the best possible outcome for the welfare of buyers and sellers in the market. Although general public might feel that they are getting goods and services at the lower prices therefore it is better for them but they should also recognize that they are not going to get the product every time they will go to buy it. Price Ceiling creates severe shortage in the economy therefore it should be noted that government intervention is not the solution to the rising prices or inflation in the long

Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Philosophy of Education - Essay Example Understanding students allow the teacher to know their capability and inability that will enable him address their needs effective. The definition that best fits education is Plato’s perspective. Plato views education as process of getting the prisoner out of the cave and empowering his with the skill that will enable him go for fellow prisoner left in the cave. This view illustrates the concept in all aspect prove what it should refill in an individual and the importance of the transformed individual to the society and the country at large. Eric’s comparison off education with value also draws my attention (John, 1693). According to him, education like value and irreproachable character cannot be realized by punishing or reward because when the reward will not be promised the student will not perform. This paper covers my theory of education, pedagogy, social and political component of education. After going through such elaborate and detailed experience in Plato’s parable and other issues, Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics and philosopher’s release, I now believe education is beyond the dictionary definition I knew. I view a student as volcano with the capability of erupt but lacking a trigger to induce the eruption. In my understanding, I consider education to as a trigger that can induce this objective. Every individual has the dream to attain; however, their potential may not be realized if the individual lacks the right information and if the imparting techniques employed in delivering this information right. I fully agree with Plato’s view of education. His description of education in his article Line and cave captures all the whole process of education in accurate and visual way than could be met by any definition. His view of education as getting a prisoner out of the cave prison, and empowering him with the right information, which will enable hi m go back and lift other prisoner effectively cover

General Patton leadership during war Research Paper

General Patton leadership during war - Research Paper Example Defeat in a war not only means political and also cultural loss of a nation but also massive loss of youth life with no purpose gained. A war commander’s purpose is to visualize enemy’s approach and accordingly formulate strategies to achieve victory on the battlefield. For this, he has to efficiently and effectively communicate his visions and missions to his subordinates. An able commander is largely responsible for a nation’s success or failure in a war (Sanderson, 1997, pp.1-2). This paper explores the leadership strategies and attitude of one of the most renowned American war commandant George S. Patton Jr. Considered as one of the most successful military men of all times, General George Smith Patton, Jr. was born on November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California. He is famous for his commanding power of any war and his strong leadership style. He used to carry pistols with ivory handles and was known for his temper. He showed immense persistence in driving his troops to acquire excellence in their wartime skills. Even during his childhood days, Patton nurtured the dream of becoming a military man, and he never indulged in any other career option. His passion for war and weapons was born from hearing stories of bravery and successful missions about his ancestors who were involved in various wars like the Revolutionary War, the Mexican War and the Civil War. After attending Virginia Military Institute for one year, he completed his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point on June 11, 1909. After that he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 15th cavalry Regi ment. In the year 1912, George Patton participated in the Olympics that was held in Stockholm. As a representative of the United States, he competed with other rivals in the first Modern Pentathlon. This event initially was open only for military officers, and it was a stringent test to

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human Immunodeficiency Virus - Essay Example Heterosexual infection remains the primary route of transmission for the virus in the country. HIV is rapidly transforming itself into a different disease which means that innovative and creative strategies need to be formulated for achieving optimum results. Information exchange and accessibility is another strategy that can lead to superior outcomes. A preventive strategy needs to be modified so that poor and marginalized communities have access to resources. The NHS should strive to develop a coordinated database that can be shared by private health organizations and voluntary organizations. This can be used to ensure that superior treatments are available for patients belonging to vulnerable and susceptible risk groups. The United Kingdom has an advanced and well-developed health system. Public health indicators have been improving due to the advent of technology and rapid interventions. However considerable problems continue to exert a strain on the health system. HIV is considered to be a major problem in the United Kingdom due to a number of reasons. It can inflict a heavy toll on individuals in terms of financial, emotional, and psychological problems (Hough, 2003: Pg 644). It can lead to high levels of anxiety, stress, depression, and frustration among individuals. Further many individuals hesitate to disclose HIV due to the social stigmas associated with it. Empirical studies have documented that heterosexuals and homosexuals comprise the leading risk group for HIV. Minorities are vulnerable to the disease due to the lack of effective and efficient procedures (Flowers & Duncan, 2003: Pg 179). The lack of information means that many individuals forego preventive treatment in order to reduce co sts. This can be deleterious for the NHS that seeks to maintain an integrated and coordinated program for HIV management and prevention. The NHS needs to formulate an efficient and effective system that can be used to attain excellence. A comprehensive strategy should focus on HIV prevention and patient empowerment. Further there is the need to deploy efficient and effective strategies that can be used to attain excellence in combating the disease. This research paper will seek to analyze the issue of HIV as a major public issue in the United Kingdom. It will formulate a smart strategy that can be used to enhance the process of HIV detection, prevention, and management. Background HIV is a condition that can be debilitating and incapacitating for many individuals. It leads the weakening of the immunological system. It can lead to fatal outcomes if not properly treated. HIV can be transmitted through various means. Sexual intercourse is the main cause of the transfer of the disease (Lee, 2003: Pg 2201). Contaminated blood and needles can also lead to infection of individuals with HIV. Finally children who are born from HIV infected mothers are likely to be diagnosed with the disease. HIV has become a major public issue in the United Kingdom. This is due to the fact that it can cause significant health problems in the population (UNAIDS, 2000: pg 23). It can lead to negative outcomes that must be tackled in a systematic and logical manner. The United Kingdom has a comprehensive system for tackling HIV. It has developed a robust program for surveillance and management of