Monday, September 30, 2019

Motivation to Help Essay

This paper discusses the social psychological perspective on helping. It tackles the factors that lead people to help other people and the theoretical basis on such actions. It also includes a reflection on the altruistic property in helping. Motivation to Help The murder of Kitty Genovese in 1964 as one of the most disturbing cases where almost 40 people were witnesses but none of them called the police in time to rescue her. This baffled social psychologists as to how this was possible. The result of their investigation was the formation of the concept of the Genovese Syndrome. This condition is theorized to exist on certain emergency situations where people encounter a diffusion of responsibility. This was because of the notion that there will be someone who will carry out the responsibility (Alex, 2008). On a personal account, an example of this behavior was observed in the sidewalk near a well-known shopping center. A lady, approximately aged 50 years was walking on the nearly crowded pavement when two men riding a motorcycle snatched her bag. It was not easily taken from her since she tried to defend herself and her belongings. The struggle made the two men shoot the lady until she was down on the sidewalk. The initial reaction of the people there was to run away from the scene. When the two men quickly left, the people slowly went towards the lady. Nobody helped until the lady screamed in pain. There are a number of factors that have resulted to the lack of responsiveness of the people on the victim. One of which is the bystander effect. Since there are more people in the area, the responsibility of helping the victim is divided among them. Each of these people had two choices of whether they should act or wait for someone to do it. Thus, the more people there are in the area means that people feel less obligated (â€Å"The Bystander Effect†, n. d. ). Also, the scream of the lady may have somehow alarmed the people around her, which may have motivated the some people to finally help her. Basically, there are five steps to helping or prosocial behavior. First of all, in order to help, there must be a realization that something is happening. It must also be interpreted as an emergency. The person who is to help must also feel the responsibility towards the situation. He must also know how he is going to help. Finally, the costs of helping are also assessed (Stocker, n. d. ). In this particular scenario, the five steps were evident. Although the initial reaction was to run because of the gun shot, people did realize that it was an emergency situation. However, because there were a lot of people, they did not have much responsibility for the situation because of the assumption that someone will act. When the lady screamed and the two men left, it was the time when someone helped, knowing that the costs are already low and it was no longer dangerous. There are many theories which explain why people are motivated to help. However, the most widely accepted theory on the subject is the theory of Victor Vroom, known as the expectancy theory. This simply states that people are motivated to help because they are expecting something in return such as a reward, or a good performance appraisal (Shah, n. d. ). Based on this theory, the act of helping may not be truly altruistic because of the tendency to expect for something in return. If the one helping does not want anything as a reward, it may be because of other outside factors such as his social image, religion, or the dictate of the society. Nevertheless, additional helped could have been offered in the situation, knowing the there were a lot of people in the situation. If all of them felt responsible for the incident, it is most likely that the crime would have been prevented. References Alex. (2008, February 13). The Genovese Syndrome: When Nobody Helps. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Neatorama: http://www. neatorama. com/2008/02/13/the-genovese-syndrome-when-nobody-helps/ Shah, K. , & Shah, P. (n. d. ). Theories of Motivation. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Laynetworks: http://www. laynetworks. com/Theories-of-Motivation. html# Stocker, S. (n. d. ). Social Psychology. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from http://webcache. googleusercontent. com/search? q=cache:P4aNe4_DzhsJ:www. spsp. org/student/intro/ppt/myers15. ppt+five+steps+to+prosocial+behavior&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ph The Bystander Effect. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Changing Minds: http://changingminds. org/explanations/theories/bystander_effect. htm

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Environment Coursework Essay

CO2 (Carbon dioxide) is a compound composed of two carbons and one oxygen, It is a colorless and odorless gas produced both naturally and through human activities like the burning of gasoline, coal, oil, and wood. People exhale or breathe out Carbon dioxide which releases it into the air. Carbon dioxide are higher in areas with heavier industrial activities due to many factors. Factors such as the number of people present the amount of outdoor fresh air entering the area and whether combustion by-products are contaminating the indoor. are just a few of the many carbon dioxide releasers. Carbon Dioxide is a gas used by plants during photosynthesis for the production of sugars which may either be re-consumed in respiration or used as raw materials to produce polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose, proteins and other organic compounds needed for plant growth and development. Plants role is photosynthesis is extremely important because it remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and uses it to produce oxygen. Deforestation cuts down many plants, trees and forest and reduces the trees available to absorb the carbon dioxide from our planet. CO (Carbon Monoxide) is a molecule that contains one carbon atom covalently bonded to one oxygen atom and is produced from partial oxidation of carbon compounds such as in internal combustion engines. Carbon monoxide burning in air with a characteristic blue flame will produce carbon dioxide. It is extremely toxic but plays a useful role in modern technology. Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO, is a colorless, odorless and tasteless, yet highly toxic gas. Its molecules consist of one carbon atom covalently bonded to one oxygen atom. It is the simplest oxocarbon, and can be viewed as the anhydride of formic acid. There are two covalent bonds and a coordinate covalent bond between the oxygen and carbon atoms. In urban areas, carbon monoxide reacts photochemically with aldehydes to produce a peroxy radical which reacts with nitrogen oxide to increase ratio of NO2 to NO, thus reducing the quality of NO to available to react with ozone. It is a constituent of tobacco smoking. Through natural processes in the atmosphere, it is eventually oxidized to carbon dioxide. Carbon monoxide concentrations are both short-lived in the atmosphere and spatially variable. CH4 is known as methane, a chemical compound that is also the simplest alkane and the principal component of natural gas. Methane is known to be a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 72 averaged over a period of 20 years. Methane is oxidized in the atmosphere thus, producing carbon dioxide and water. The Earth’s crust contains huge amounts of methane. Large amounts of methane are produced anaerobically by methanogenesis. Other sources include mud volcanoes, which are connected with deep geological faults, and livestock, primarily cows. Methane is used for electrical generations by being burned as a fuel in a gas turbine or steam boiler. Methane is also used as a vehicle fuel in the form of compressed natural gas and is claimed to be more environmentally friendly that fossil fuels such as gasoline and petroleum. Answer 2: Area =1000 1000 x 0. 625 gallon/inch x 0. 3 inch = 187. 5 gallons/ Rain = 0. 3 inches 0. 625 gallon/inch Answer 3: Ecosystem services are fundamental to human life. They not only help promote economic benefits but offer the protection of human health and safety. One ecosystem service essential for human life is fresh water. Fresh water is a source of supply that does not have technological substitute for at this time. There may be some water purification processes but it does not replace the need for replenishment of fresh water. The key to maintaining water purification services is to protect and restore the ecosystems that provide these services. The economic cost of this service is priceless in terms of money. Answer 4: Biogeochemical cycles are often disrupted by human activities such as cultivation of land to grow annual crops disrupts the nutrient balance in the soil. This results in the nutrients being removed from the area as the plants are being shipped off for food and the straw is removed for other purposes. Plant material then breaks down and farmers replenish the removed nutrients by adding fertilizer to the soil – further disrupting the biogeochemical cycle. Logging is another way that disrupts biological chemical by reducing the amount of oxygen in the air and allow gave room for the buildup of carbon monoxide. When logging occurs, what happen is that millions of trees and plants are removed from the earth’s atmosphere making them unable to convert the carbon monoxide in the air into oxygen, thus, allowing carbon monoxide build up as well as reducing the overall amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. In order to help stop this disruption, we must find a way to protect the few natural land that we have left from the destruction of farming and logging by not being wasteful of the resources that are available to us and to make it a responsibility to recycling paper product as a part of our lifestyle. References: Raven, Peter H. , & Johnson, George B. (2002). Biology. Boston. McGraw Hill.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

CA eng 1st Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CA eng 1st - Essay Example I believed that my father, being an illiterate man, was able to achieve enough respect in his life and I would be able to achieve the same by joining him eventually. I did not believe that education had anything to do with being successful and reputed. One day, when I was 16 years old, my father surprised me and told me that it was about time I came along and participated in a meeting with a supplier. He explained to me that this meeting was extremely important and it would be like a dream come true if the contract was signed. The contract was to export lights to another country and expand the business globally. I was extremely excited! I could see the enthusiasm in y father’s eye and he was hopeful that the deal would fall through. The meeting was with a man who had come from a foreign nation. He was unable to speak the national language and the issue started when he realized that my father was illiterate and he could not converse in English appropriately. The man seemed disappointed and he judged my father instantly as soon as he realized he wasn’t educated. Throughout the meeting I felt my father was constantly struggling to convince him to make the deal but he failed. The man had made up his mind. He did not want to do business with an illiterate businessman. I saw the grief and disappointment in my father’s eyes. His dreams had been shattered. He looked at me feeling helpless and asked us to leave. Seeing the helpless, disappointed look in his eyes made me decide instantly that I would not let my father down and I would fulfill his dream by being literate and moving his business forward. He would not be disappointed anymore and I would achieve in my life what this contemporary world requires out of business men. This was the moment of truth where I understood that in order to fulfill your dreams education plays a vital role. I stand here in front of you a proud man as

Friday, September 27, 2019

Visual Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visual Perception - Essay Example In the myopic eye, the point forms before the fovea centralis of the retina, and therefore, distant objects seem blurry. From a pathophysiological viewpoint, myopia is usually caused because of an elongated eyeball, but it can result from a too much refractive power in the lens system of the eye. There are two types of myopia, benign and malignant. Benign myopia usually occurs around puberty and it is usually stabilized by the end of 25 years of age, but malignant myopia occurs in early childhood, during which slow but steady elongation of the sclera occurs. This elongation occurs in the back of the eye, while the frontal part does not change, and this can lead to a serious elongation of the internal membrane of the eye, causing atrophy of the pigmented epithelium and the chorioidea, or the layer of blood vessels in the eye, and the appearance of a myopic cone. Visual acuity is measured using the Snellen chart, where the letters (optotypes) decrease in size in each row, from top to bottom. The smallest row that can be read accurately indicates that person's visual acuity in that eye. The patient is placed at 6 meters distance from the chart and asked to read the letters. Near each row there is a number, indicating the length at which a person with normal visual acuity would be able to read it, or the distance at which a person can discern 2 separate points on the chart. A patient with 6/6 visual acuity means that he has normal vision, while the results show us that the person we measured has slight myopia. It is easily treatable by placing concave spherical lenses in front of the eyes, reducing the excessive refractive power and diverging the rays to fall on the retina. In modern times, refractive surgery is also available, which uses laser to reshape the curvature of the cornea and reduce the refractive power. 2. The person obviously is healthy, as it is able to observe motion, even though he was unable to observe shape during the motion. This is normal eye physiology, as there are more rod cells that detect motion, than cone cells that detect color in the periphery of the fovea centralis. While not in motion, more cones are stimulated and therefore, can detect color and shape. 3. Miosis is the process of decreasing the size of the pupillary aperture. It is caused by the stimulation of the parasympathetic nerves, which excite the pupillary sphincter muscle, and it represents an integral part of the pupillary light reflex. When light hits the retina, some of the impulses pass through the optic nerves to the pretectal nuclei. Secondary impulses then arrive at the Edinger-Westphal nucleus, which send signals through parasympathetic nerves to the papillary sphincter muscle. The reason why the pupil of the other eye remains the same when light is shined in one eye is because the two separate signals coming from the two eyes are relayed through separate nerves and neuronal layers, even after they arrive at the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, which then sends the signals to the visual cortex. This separation of signals throughout the entire visual neural pathway allows for an independent miosis in each eye. 4. When a sudden pulse of light strikes the retina, the receptor potential that occurs in the rods reaches a peak in 0.3 seconds and lasts for more than a second. It is also

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Possible Approaches in Counseling People Dealing With Bereavement Article

Possible Approaches in Counseling People Dealing With Bereavement - Article Example Death is not a mystery to those who have died. The people living are the ones who struggle to find meaning in it. As far back as 60,000 years ago, prehistoric people observed special ceremonies when burying their dead. Many early cultures believed that people continued to exist after death and had the same needs that they did in life; hence they buried their loved ones with food, dishes, weapons, and jewels. Some religions, such as Christianity, believe that the dead will rise again; to them, the burial of the body is symbolic, like the planting of a seed in the earth to await rebirth. Many Eastern religions share the belief that death marks the end only of physical existence and of the limited view of reality that human beings can grasp. Death itself is a remote experience in most lives today, something that takes place off-stage in a hospital or nursing-home. In earlier times, dying was a much more visible part of daily living. Families, friends, and other loved ones in a community would share in caring for those at the end of life (Schulz et al., 27 June 2001) Most deaths occurred at home, often following a brief illness and unaffected by the limited medical care available. Today, the process of dying almost has become invisible, but it still summons pain among the loved ones left (Bern-Krug et al., February 2001). Coping with loss is a process with an individual course, tem... There are others who benefit from, and still others who continue to require the assistance of, qualified psychotherapists in confronting the void left by death. There is no single ideal time point for therapeutic intervention. As practiced today, bereavement counselling is a valuable and non-stigmatizing method of assisting the bereaved who have difficulty entering, traversing or exiting the grief and mourning process. Review of Literature Throughout history, numerous writers and researchers have articulated their views of what constitutes the bereaved state and its associated actions, particularly since 1970. The earliest conceptualizations was done by Freud (1957), where he related it to loss situation-specific depressive syndromes, and he spoke of restitution of cathected or invested energies, particularly those of id origin. Later formulations bore the hallmark of attachment theory grounding, wherein the broken bond with the lost object/person is the subject and object of a universal psychosocial process leading to eventual reconciliation of painful feelings and reattachment to life, living and, for some, even new relationships. Colin Murray Parkes (1972) also cited stigma and deprivation as key features of the bereavement experience. These authors based their findings largely on studies of widows in Britain, Australia, and North America. Many of these seminal works on bereavement brought about a linear stage model of progression to some better state post-loss. Examples include the popularized views of Elisabeth Kbler-Ross (1969), who wrote of movement from denial, through anger, to bargaining, then to depression, and finally to acceptance. This often misrepresented and misused description none the less has

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The impact of advertising on male consumer Essay

The impact of advertising on male consumer - Essay Example This "The impact of advertising on male consumer" essay outlines how advertising shapes consumer patterns of male consumer and tools that it uses. A man's identity used to be dependent upon his role as a provider and his place of employment – this has been the traditional way that has defined the essence of the male identity in the modern society. This is known as the â€Å"hegemonic gender identity.† This morphed into contemporary society, in which, it is argued, Henry Ford is responsible for the increase in consumption, for he pioneered the idea that workers should be paid well, which led to more disposable income and, thus, more consumption. In advanced capitalist societies, Ford made consumption more egalitarian, and less the province of the rich. Modern consumption is driven by the choices that were being offered in modern society, choices that were not offered in earlier societies, before mass production of goods became the norm. According to Naomi Klein (2000), t his led to competitive branding and, ultimately, to the rise of designer labels, such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. During this period, men were traditionally thought of as producers – too busy working to bother with consuming – marketers traditionally have catered to females, as they were considered to be the consumers to the male producers. Advertising and marketing in the modern era catered to women, with particular emphasis upon women in their traditional gender-defined roles – looking beautiful and doing domestic chores, while men were in the background.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Cover Letter Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Cover Letter - Personal Statement Example In these two organizations, I used to give professional advises to the clients regarding insurance and financial; services. I have learned a lot during the working in these three organizations. In terms of leadership experience, I have founded maple Leaf Funds in which I worked as a President of the organization. I have recruited more than 400 volunteers to organize non-profit charity during my entrepreneurship. I have expertly managed allocated and deposited funds. I am very eager to work in your organization as a supply chain summer trainee. I have invited in global young leaders conference organized by UN. My entrepreneurship and leadership skills took the attraction of industrial leaders. In terms of personal skills, I am extravert and I have expertise in open minded communication process. In addition to these, I have proficiency in several analytical software applications. These experiences and my individual skills will help me to justify my request and your selection

Monday, September 23, 2019

Role of Elders in the Asian Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Role of Elders in the Asian Culture - Essay Example Families, communities, societies, and nations have been promoted by the elderly people during their lives. More importantly, children are educated, cared, and nurtured by the parents and elders in the Asian culture. Therefore, parents deserve comfort, love, and respect throughout their lives from their youngsters and children. In other words, caring and respecting elders and parents is the moral and ethical obligation of children in the Asian region. In this regard, it is the responsibility of elders to take care of their youngsters, love them, and keep guiding them throughout their lives. On the other hand, American or British culture allows the individuals to start making their own decisions in their adolescent age, which is very contrary with the norms and values of the Asian culture. For instance, teachers are often allowed to be strict with the young students in Asian schools, or elders often treat youngsters in a harsh way, which is very different, as compared with the American culture. (Blackkaby, 1998) In brief, role that is played by old people is affected significantly by the cultural differences, as role and respect changes to a higher extent in different cultures. (Huntington, 2000) In East-Asian culture, a notable tradition is specifically practiced in this region, which is referred as filial piety. China, Japan, and Korea are some of the cultures that have the dominated practice of such practice. Care for the elderly is the most imperative and foremost obligation of this tradition. (Lee, 2004) Moreover, elderly people in these cultures play a guiding role to nurture their youngsters in an emotional, as well as, spiritual manner. In the Asian context, parents and elders must provide shelter, care, and assistance to the youngsters in emotional, as well as, financial manner, which is once again, contrary to the Western culture, which obligates

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Java Spring MVC Programming Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Java Spring MVC Programming Introduction - Essay Example This module of the spring framework supports all popular data access frameworks in Java: oracle, JDBC, oracle toplink, Apache OJB, JPA, JDO, Hibernate, Apache Cayenne etc. For all the supported frameworks, spring provides Resource management, Exception handling, Transaction participation, Resource unwrapping, Abstraction The transaction management module brings a mechanism of abstraction to the Java platform with the following capabilities: ability to work with nested transactions, ability to work with savepoints, ability to work on local and global transactions, ability to work on almost all Java platform environments. It provides a first class support which is used for the purpose of testing spring MVC apps without a servlet container and with a fluent API. Tests on the server side use the DispatcherServlet while tests on the client side make use of the RestTemplate. This class has a @ExceptionHandler method which is used to handle standard spring MVC exceptions and return a ResponseEntity that allows customization and writing of responses with HTTP message converters. The structural elements of a spring application contains various elements which include introduction page, A page controller, A unit test class for the page controller (Risberg, et al., 2009), A view page and the DispatcherServlet (this is known as the Front Controller and is used by the web server based on the configuration on in

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Why pantomime appeals to the whole family Essay Example for Free

Why pantomime appeals to the whole family Essay Modern pantomimes are predominately aimed at children and are usually based on well known childrens fairy tails such as Aladdin, Puss in boots, Little red riding hood, Cinderella and Snow white and the seven dwarfs. Although many adults do admit they enjoy accompanying their children to the pantomime and therefore pantomime can appeal to all the family for different reasons. Characters usually seen in Pantomime would include a hero, a wicked queen, the dame of which would be played by a male member of the cast dressed in drag the dames entrances would also be more extravagant and exaggerated than any other character, the audiences friend for example Buttons in Cinderella who always expects a response from the audience on appearance and finally the fool which is a character who is stupid and cant do anything right. As you can tell from the set up of characters Pantomime is most definitely a night of comedy. Pantomime is also made up of plenty of audience participation. The audience participation is required in several parts of pantomime such as pointing out mischievous or bad characters behind the principal characters by shouting out lines such as Its behind you! of course the baddy will always be gone by the time the character looks around meaning the process be repeated over and over again. The characters will always speak out to the audience several times during the performance expecting a response. In the middle of the Pantomime the characters may stop and announce birthdays within the audience making the audience sing happy birthday and also bringing members of the audience on to the stage, they may also show song lyrics making the audience sing in two halves to form a competition. Also included will be jokes or comedy of which are aimed at the adults in the audience which the children may not understand but adults will find funny. All of the above may be considered as family entertainment because of the whole of the audience having to participate, children and adults are included in the song competitions adults may be required to sing separately to the children. Songs included in the performance are usually from different eras meaning different aged people from the audience can relate to them. The nature of the set is very colourful and exaggerated to represent the fairy tail and catch the audiences attention. Most Pantomimes shown at places such as the Marlowe in Canterbury and the Hazlitt theatre in Maidstone will include famous actors in their Pantomime to attract an audience; this is also more likely to attract older viewers. Pantomime is made for all the family because although it is specifically aimed at children, parents, brothers and sisters and nans and grandads are always going to get dragged along too the secret is they actually enjoy it , I mean everyone enjoys a fairytale dont they? Weve all seen and heard of fairytales when we were younger Pantomime just adds a bit of comedy and enjoyment to them. Overall I think Pantomime is something for the whole family to look forward to every year at Christmas its entertaining and a fun performance to participate in, if youre a parent its great to see your children having fun and enjoying the performance as well as entertainment and comedy for yourself. Every Pantomime is different even if it is the same fairytale you can guarantee it wont be exactly the same as the one you saw the year before. Children can buy flashing lights etc to wave in the audience, I think Pantomime offers something for everyone of the family and is a great success within the UK for this.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea Leadership Analysis

Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea Leadership Analysis This paper analyses the impact of poor leadership in Sierra Leone, and Equatorial Guinea. Africa is the world’s richest continent in terms of natural resource endowment. Africa contains 50% of the world deposit in Gold, 90% of cobalt, 65% of Manganese, 40% hydroelectric power, millions of acres of land, chromium, and diamonds (Rotberg, 34). However, despite the availability of these natural resources, the African continent is still lagging behind in terms of development. People are poor, and most governments depend on aid for purposes of meeting their budget deficits (Rotberg, 51). It is important to understand that Africa has millions of talented and skilled innovators, but due to poor leadership, states are unable to hold unto these talents and retain them for purposes of utilizing them. Some people blame the problems of Africa to imperialism, and colonialism. According to scholars, colonialism played a significant role in advancing the problems of Africa. For instance, Rotb erg (27) gives an example of Congo, whereby the Belgium’s left the country without preparing its leaders for independence. As a result of this, Congo is a country that is characterized by infighting, corruption, and struggle for leadership. However, these allegations are not true, as denoted by Rotberg (27). Shaw (274) denotes that countries such as India, the United States, and even South Africa were under colonialism. However, these countries have developed economies, and some such as United States is the most powerful and richest country in the world. On this basis, the problems of Africa are associated with its poor leadership style. This is witnessed in all of Africa, including Kenya, under President Moi, Uganda, under president Idi Amin, Sudan, under president Omar el Bashir, Nigeria, under successive military leaderships.. Equatorial Guinea is led by President Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo. This leader is the longest serving President in Africa, having taken power in August 1979, in a bloody coup, against his uncle Francisco Nguema. Equatorial Guinea is found in West Africa, and it is one of Africa’s largest producers of oil (Lewis, 28). In as much as Equatorial Guinea has one of the highest per capita income in the world, most citizens of this country are living poverty, they die of preventable diseases such as malaria, are unable to access basic services such as education, health care, clean drinking water. Equatorial Guinea has the highest child mortality rates who are under 5 years, in the world. This is because 20% of their children die before reaching the ages of five years. The remaining 80% of these children do not have an access of quality health care, and educational facilities. The problems of Equatorial Guinea are blamed on the leadership style of the President Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo (Lewis , 18). For example, President Teodorin Mbasogo is accused of practicing nepotism while employing senior members of his cabinet and state officials. For example, in the years 2013, President Obiang appointed his eldest son, Teodorin Obiang to a cabinet position, and as the second vice president of the state. This is for purposes of preparing his son as his successor, once the president leaves power. Teodorin Obiang is always accused of embezzling millions of dollars of state money, in order to fund his own lavish lifestyle (Solo-Trillo, 139). Teodorin Obiang has been a controversial figure in Equatorial Guinea, and attracting international criticism for spending more than ten million South African rands, on a South African trip that included champagne parties, property renovations, and buying of cars. Scholars believe that the personal fortune of Teodorin Nguema emanates from his corrupt activities connected with gas and oil exploration in Equatorial Guinea (Solo-Trillo, 140). Lewis (37) denotes that the foreign interests of Teodorin Nguema includes two luxurious houses in South Africa, which have a combined value of 50,000,000 South African rands, and house in California estimated to be worth 31,000,000 United States dollars, a home in Paris, and a music recording label. Mr. Teodorin Nguema also has a series of luxurios cars, and in 2008, he bought a sports car estimated at 1,100,000 million euros (Solo-Trillo, 138). Others include a Maserati model estimated at 700,000 euros, and a Bugatti Veyron model (Lewis, 33). However, in the year 2009, the government of France seized these cars, together with his other collections because of corruption claims, and in 2013, these cars were sold on an auction. The US government also seized properties belonging to the President and that of its sons, estimated to be valued at 70 million US dollars. In 2012, the United States issued a warrant of arrest against Teodorin Nguema on charges of corruption, and money laundering. The luxurious lifestyle of Teodorin Nguema did not reflect the salary that he was earning as a state minister (Solo-Trillo, 139). The cabinet of President Teodorin also receives billions of undisclosed oil revenues, which normally goes to finance their luxurious lifestyle. In a bid to prevent such kind of information from reaching the public, the government of President Teodorin Mbasogo constantly harasses the media, and foreign nationals seeking to report on the conditions of Equatorial Guinea (Solo-Trillo, 133). Despite these allegations and accusations against Teodirin Nguema, president Nguema government defended him against them, and even appointed him as the second vice president of Equatorial Guinea, and a possible successor of his father. Other family members holding positions in Guinea include, Gabriel Mbaga, who is another son of the president, and he is the minister in charge of energy and oil, and Candido Okomo who heads GEPetrol, the official oil company in Equatorial Guinea (Solo-Trillo, 131). It is important to understand that corruption plays a great role in undermining development within a given state. This is because the funds that could be channeled to development projects, are misused and stolen, as a result, there won’t be any money to fund the development projects in the country. It is important to denote that because of nepotism in government appointments, senior officials in the government of President Teodorin are not accountable for their activities (Solo-Trillo, 132). This is because they know that in case they do not deliver, or are engaged in corrupt activities, their patrons, who are high in the government circles, will protect them. Nepotism and corruption are not the only problem affecting Equatorial Guinea. Another major problem affecting this country is lack of a free press. Local journalists in Equatorial Guinea are unable to speak against major scandals and corrupt activities in the country (Solo-Trillo, 125). This is because the press and the media are heavily censored, and there is always a risk of reprisal in case the media highlights an issue that does not augur well with the government. It is further important to understand that the local media in Equatorial Guinea are always owned by people closer to the President, and on this basis, it is always difficult for them to criticize the policies that the President enacts. Scholar denotes that without free flow of information, it is very difficult for a state to achieve economic, political as well as social development. This is because with availability of information, public officials within a given state will be held accountable for their actions, as well as a free and an independent media will promote democracy (Solo-Trillo, 127). It is important to denote that democratic countries are characterized by economic growth and development. Furthermore, the judicial system of the country is not independent, as the President is considered as the Chief Magistrate. He oversees a body that is responsible for appointing and dismissing judges, and on this basis, the President cannot be held accountable for his actions (Solo-Trillo, 129). This promotes corruption and lack of accountability amongst senior government officials, and on this basis, Equatorial Guinea lacks behind in terms of development. Another country that has been faced with poor leadership system is Sierra Leone. After approximately 10 years of the civil war in Sierra Leone, the government and the people of Sierra Leone still face a wide variety of challenges, and this includes widespread poverty, weak governance, and systematic corruption (Shaw, 272). The anti-corruption institutions established in Sierra Leone do not have enough resources such as skilled workers to tackle the problems associated with corruption in Sierra Leone. With the peaceful elections of 2007, there are some positive developments in Sierra Leone in regard to fighting corruption and weak governance in the country. The new government established in 2007 has been able to strengthen the capabilities of the country’s anti-corruption commission, and its ability to prosecute high level corruption cases (Shaw, 279). The country also boosts of an independent media that is free from government regulation and censorship. The country also benefi ts from a good international image, with an increase in international investors within the country. However, it is important to denote that the road to political stability and economic development in Sierra Leone has not been easy. This is because since independence the political leadership in Sierra Leone was characterized by corruption, nepotism, a weak social society, electoral violence, and a collapse of the country’s education system (Shaw, 281). It is important to understand that Sierra Leone gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. It is important to understand that during the first four years after independence, Sierra Leone under the leadership of Milton Margai was prosperous (Shaw, 276). This is because Milton Margai, the first prime minister saw leadership as a chance to serve the people, as opposed to following selfish interests. However, after his death in 1964, the new leadership of Sierra Leone, led by Albert Margai was undemocratic, corrupt, and they practiced nepotism. For example, in the 1967 elections of Sierra Leone, Albert Margai could not tolerate any person opposing his party. He used violence and threats to intimidate the opposition parties into submission (Bangura and Marda, 22). It is important to understand that due to corrupt related activities, there were riots in Sierra Leone, leading to the fall of Albert Margai. After the fall of Albert Margai, the army under Steven Sisaka carried out a coup, and installed Steven Sisaka as the new leader of Siera Leone. This was in April 1968. Sierra Leone was characterized by military coups that replaced one military leader, with another (Bangura and Marda, 41). It is important to denote that with the entry of Sisaka Steven, a military leader, Sierra Leone turned into a one party state, as opposed to the constitutional democracy it was, during the leadership of the Margais. The leadership of Sisaka Stevens saw the destruction of the parliament, and any other forms of accountability such as the judic iary and other governance institutions. The leadership style of Stevens was characterized by executions, torture, control of information, and corruption. In 1985, Major General Joseph Momoh took power from Sisaka Stevens, who opted to step down. Momoh led Sierra Leone for seven years, leading to widespread corruption, and a total collapse of the Sierra Leonean economy (Bangura and Marda, 49). Due to lack of accountability and poor leadership, the government was unable to pay the salaries of its civil workers, and important commodities like energy were very scarce in Sierra Leone. The education system also collapsed, with many youths roaming the streets of Free town idle. This also led to a brain drain, where professional of Sierra Leone fled to country, and went overseas in search of a good life. By 1991, this country was ranked as one of the poorest nations in the world, and an all out civil war broke out in Sierra Leone (Bangura and Marda, 36). On this basis, it is important to understand that due to poor leadership, Sie rra Leone the government of Sierra Leone was unable to provide services to its citizens, leading to the fall of the government under consideration. In conclusion, poor leadership is one of the main reasons as to why Sierra Leone experienced a bitter civil war, and Equatorial Guinea is lagging behind in economic, social and political development. It is important to understand that due to poor leadership, people in Sierra Leone became very poor, and they were unable to afford education and other basic needs such as food and clean water, as a result, they were lured by rebel movements to fight within its ranks. Sierra Leone learnt from this bitter civil war that took place between 1991, to the early years of 2000s. As a result, Sierra Leone is a practicing democratic country, having established good institutions of governance, for purposes of checking the executive government. On the other hand Equatorial Guinea still continues with this practice of poor governance, and this is mainly because its hasn’t experienced a change in hands in terms of governance. As a result, Equatorial Guinea is considered as one of the poor count ries of the world, with its people lacking the very basic needs. Works Cited: Bangura, Joseph J., and Marda Mustapha. Sierra Leone beyond the LomeÃÅ'  Peace Accord. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Print. Lewis, Marvin A.. An introduction to the literature of Equatorial Guinea between colonialism and dictatorship. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2007. Print. Rotberg, Robert I.. Governance and leadership in Africa. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2007. Print. Shaw, Ibrahim Seaga. The politics of humanitarian intervention: a critical analogy of the British response to end the slave trade and the civil war in Sierra Leone. Journal of Global Ethics 6.3 (2010): 273-285. Print. Solo-Trillo, Eduardo. Equatorial Guinea: an Eternal Present. Journal of Conflictology 4.2 (2013): 124-159. Print.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

William Goldings Lord of the Flies :: English Literature

Golding 's Lord of the Flies Golding implements his use of language and choice of words to make this a disturbing part of the novel. We can see this on many occasions throughout the passage. And what makes this passage so important is the boys attitudes changing and developing on a number of issues and taboos. In the beginning part of this passage the reader can see that the hunters have just tried to kill their first pig and at the same time overcoming the taboo in question, which is, whether it's right to kill an animal for food. The reader can see that Ralph is full "Of fright and apprehension" and most importantly "Pride" when he hit the boar with his spear and we notice that "He sunned himself in their new respect and felt that hunting was good after all". Later on we see another example of disturbing language as "The circle moved in and around. Robert squealed in mock terror, then real pain." And as Ralph had a "Sudden thick excitement", he grabbed Eric's spear and "Jabbed at Robert with it". As Jack has Robert pinned down in the circle the reader is told that Jack is "Brandishing a knife," with this added to the background cheering of "Kill him! Kill him!" the boys have overcome another Taboo; not one of is it right to kill animals but one of is it right to injure other people for the sake of the game. Another disturbing part of the passage is the language and imagery involved in "Make a ring!" Here we can imagine a giant set of claws engulfing Robert ready to kill leaving him no escape. And as Robert "Squealed in mock terror, then in real pain" we see that the boys playing the game can easily get carried away without them knowing just how much damage their causing. As "The butt end of the spear fell on his back", and the rest of the boys started to "Hold him!" Ralph grew a "Sudden thick excitement", and jabbed Robert with "Eric's spear". With the ritual chant of "Kill him! Kill him!" Jack soon finds himself holding Robert "By the hair" whilst "Brandishing a knife" this part of the passage is also very important because we can even see that Ralph, who was "Fighting to get near" and finding "The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering". Was normally one of the boys who would be least likely to participate in one of these savage "games". It is in these games were the boys get carried away and Ralph feels a

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Greek Art :: essays research papers fc

Greek Art The portals to immortality-Greek Grave Steles To us who live in modern times the ‘melancholic look’ that we find in the sculpture of cemeteries throughout the world is something we take for granted. Although its authenticity has been lost to us, this so-called look can be traced back to 5th century Greek funerary sculpture. For us it is only natural to associate such a look with death. However, as the above verse elaborates, the Greeks viewed death somewhat differently from the way we do. To them death freed their souls and brought true happiness: then why does their grave sculpture look so pensive and thoughtful? It is because unlike today where the dead are only represented figuratively in a sobbing angel or mournful cherub, the Greeks depicted their dead as they were in life - life which was full of uncertainties and burdens but also with simple pleasures that made it all worth while. The Greeks successfully combined these two juxtaposed experiences, and harmonized it s contradictions to portray in steles the individual, whose simplicities and complications was a reflection of the bitter-sweetness of life. No where is this combination more successful than in the Greek grave stele of the 5th century before Christ. The 5th B.C. encompassed two distinct periods: the early classical and the high classical. However both these periods shared the uniquely contradicting, constantly explorative, and modestly idealistic vision of life, which made the subjects of the stele, at their moment of death, all the more human to the observer. Neither the previous Archaic period, nor the following 4th century, or the preceding civilizations quite so convincingly capture for the observer the poignancy of death the way a fifth century BC stele could. The period of the 5th century B.C. is sometimes referrd to as the golden age, which is the height for Greek art and civilizations; and ironically has its beginning and ending in war! â€Å"The 480 B.C. marked the defeat of the Persians and 404 B.C. the beginning of the pelopannasian war and the collapse of Athenian democracy. † Perhaps the culturally significant buildings and sculptures that were destroyed and the many lives that were lost during the long war with Persia might made grave monuments and stele all the more personal to the Greeks during this time. For whatever reason Greek stele of this particular period, between two historically significant moments (480-404), stand-alone in more ways than one.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism is a movement of the revival of a classical style of ancient Greece and/ or ancient Rome in decorative arts, literature, architecture, and music. One such movement was dominant in Europe from the mid-18th to the 19th centuries. Neoclassicism focuses on symmetry, primarily with the use of circles and squares. The use of triangular pediments and domed roofs is also prevalent among Neoclassical architecture. These characteristics were affected by the Age of Reason’s ideas that architecture should be logical and balanced instead of over decorative. Neoclassicism was influential in the decorative arts too.Furniture was designed by designers and produced by furniture makers. One famous architect who designed furniture is Robert Adam. In contrast to the cabriole style leg, he used straight legs and he designed his own patterns on the backs of his chair. Robert Adam’s decorative arts can be seen in the interiors, such as in the Etruscan Room (figure 1) at Osterley Park House. Here, Robert Adam uses classical Roman decorative motifs inspired by Herculaneum and Pompeii. Adam also designed flat grotesque panels, which were inspired from Roman mural painting. figure 1Although neoclassical architecture was primarily influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, it become a movement of its own, with its own standards and leading figures. The Rotunda (figure 2) by Andrea Palladio was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. It in turn, was inspired by Brunelleschi’s double walled pointed arch dome. The large windows used became know as Palladian windows, which is a prominent feature in neoclassical architecture. The Rotunda then influenced the Chiswick House (figure 3) designed by Lord Burlington. The Chiswick House has a simple symmetrical plan and consist of many Palldian style architectural elements.The Chiswick House then influenced Thomas Jeffreson’s Monticello in the United States. figure 2figure 3 By the late 18th century, Thomas Jeffer son had embraced the neoclassical style in his designs for Monticello (figure 4) and the Virginia State Capitol (figure 5). Monticello was based on the neoclassical principles of Andrea Palladio. Monticello is similar in appearance to the Chiswick House. The Virginia State Capitol is the first Neoclassical building in the United States, inspired by the Mason Carae, with Etruscan stairs, portico, and triangular pediment. Jefferson advocated Neoclassicism as the official rchitectural style of the United States, also known as the Federal style after the American Revolution. For Jefferson, it implied new democracy by tracing its roots back to Greece, the origin of democracy. (figure 4)(figure 5) Neoclassicism was more than just an antique revival; it was a reaction against the over decorative Baroque Art and the Rococo Art of the times. Striving for equality after the revolution of United States and France, Neoclassicism quickly expanded and influenced Europe and North America in decora tive arts, literature, architecture, and music.In the end, it also lead people to a new way of thinking. Bibliography Buie Harwood, Bridgate May, and Curt Sherman, Architecture and Interior Design through the 18th Century. Encyclopedia Britannica, NEOCLASSICISM, http://lilt. ilstu. edu/jhreid/neoclassicism. htm Architecture 411, Neo-Classical Architecture, http://www. architecture411. com/notes/note. php? id_note=6 GreatBuildings, Neo-Classical Architecture, http://www. greatbuildings. com/types/styles/neo-classical. html

Monday, September 16, 2019

Alfred Binet

Among the most prominent persons in mental testing is Alfred Binet, who was born July 11, 1857, at Nice, France, and died in Paris on October 18, 1911. Binet completed a licence in law in 1878 and then pursued, but did not complete, a medical degree. Binet’s early interest in psychology was influenced by Charcot’s work in hypnosis. Binet then pursued other experimental topics, eventually arriving at his interest in mental testing. For much of his career, Binet served as director of the Laboratory of Physiological Psychology at the Sorbonne.Following a period of experimental research with Victor Henri, he accepted a collaborative research arrangement with Theodore Simon. Simon’s proximity to mentally retarded subjects and Binet’s membership with the Society for the Psychological Study of the Child formed the basis for significant research. Binet’s active involvement with the society led to his appointment to a study commission of the Ministry of Publ ic Instruction â€Å"from the vantage point of which he saw the compelling need to find a way to differentiate those children who could learn normally from those who could not† (Wolf, 1973, pp.21–22). After failing to obtain academic positions at three French universities, Binet produced with Theodore Simon, in 1905, the first intelligence scale â€Å"oriented to ‘tasks or behavior’ rather than to so-called faculties† (Wolf, 1973, p. 29). The scale was part of a more comprehensive process for differentiating normal and retarded children, and it was revised in 1908 and 1911. His test was introduced in America by Henry Goddard, who developed his own revision. The most popular American revision was that of Louis Terman in 1916. Binet’s scales ingrained the concept of mental age in testing for decades.The first experiments to catch his fancy involved the two-point threshold: the simultaneous stimulation of the skin by two compass points, and the determination of the conditions under which they were perceived as one or recognized as two. This procedure had already been the subject of much experimental investigation, and early psychologists had learned that the separation of points required to produce a sensation of â€Å"twoness† varies greatly with the part of the body stimulated—for example, it is some thirty times greater for the small of the back than for the tip of the index finger.Several theories had been proposed to account for these variations, focusing on the presumably varying distribution of nerves in different parts of the body. (Thorndike, R. M. , and D. F. Lohman, 1990). Binet conducted a few simple two-point threshold experiments on himself and some friends, and concluded that the theories he had read about were wrong in some of their details. He quickly wrote an article describing his experiments and offering a â€Å"corrected† theory. Always a graceful and persuasive writer, he succeede d in getting this published.Any pleasure at seeing his words in print was soon curtailed, however, because his article caught the critical attention of one Joseph Delboeuf (1831-1896), a Belgian physiologist who had done some important work on the two-point threshold which had been overlooked by Binet. Delboeuf published a critique stating that his own much moresystematic experiments did not agree with several of Binet's findings, and showing that he had already published a much more sophisticated version of Binet's theory long before.Binet had obviously rushed prematurely into print, and Delboeuf publicly humiliated him for it. (Thorndike, R. M. , and D. F. Lohman, 1990). Even Delboeuf's attack could not diminish Binet's ardor for psychology, however, and his next passion became the associationist psychology of John Stuart Mill, whom he would later call â€Å"my only master in psychology. † Binet was persuaded by Mill's arguments about the potentially unlimited explanatory p ower of associationism, and said as much in his second venture into psychological publication. (Joy A.Palmer, Liora Bresler, David E. Cooper, 2003) Yet Binet was once again treading upon dangerous ground. Associationism as a psychological doctrine clearly had its merits, but by 1883 much evidence had already accumulated to show that it could not stand as a complete explanation of mental phenomena, even after any possible innate factors were placed aside. In particular, associationism was ill equipped to account for varying motivational influences on thought, or for many of the unconscious phenomena that were coming to increasing attention at that time.Thus the laws of association were hard pressed to explain, by themselves, why a particular starting thought can lead to totally different trains of associations, depending on the motivational state of the individual. Phenomena such as post-hypnotic amnesia posed another difficulty for exclusively associationistic theory. When a recentl y hypnotized subject was asked what happened while he was hypnotized and failed to remember, he provided an example of disassociation of ideas.The stimulus of the question failed to bring in its train the associated ideas and memories, including the answer, which one would normally expect. Mill's laws of association had nothing to say about how ideas could become disconnected, or â€Å"dissociated,† from each other. (Joy A. Palmer, Liora Bresler, David E. Cooper, 2003) This time Binet recognized the deficiencies in his psychology without help from a Delboeuf, and took steps to remedy them. But even though he was soon to augment his associationism, he never lost respect for its great though incomplete explanatory power.Years later, when he attacked the problem of assessing intelligence, he would not be restricted, as Galton and Cattell had been, to the consideration of presumably innate factors such as sensory acuity or neurological efficiency. Instead, Binet would argue that â€Å"intelligence† whatever else it was could never be isolated from the actual experiences, circumstances, and personal associations of the individual in question. (Joy A. Palmer, Liora Bresler, David E. Cooper, 2003) Among Binet’s achievements was the founding (with Dr. Henri Beaunis) of the first French psychology journal, L’Annee psychologique, in 1895.He was a significant figure in early French psychology, and the studies of his two daughters likely influenced the subsequent research of Jean Piaget. Though Binet was neither trained nor served as a school psychologist, he has had an enormous impact on the practice of school psychology. References: Joy A. Palmer, Liora Bresler, David E. Cooper. Fifty Major Thinkers on Education: From Confucius to Dewey; Routledge, 2003 Thorndike, R. M. , and D. F. Lohman. A century of ability testing. Chicago: Riverside, 1990 Wolf, T. H. Alfred Binet. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1973

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Effective Communication Skills

Effective communication skills in nursing Within this assignment I will be looking at the importance of effective communication skills in the nursing profession. I will briefly explore the meaning of communication and then look at different styles of effective communication. I will include a wide range of references to support my findings and then offer a conclusion regarding the importance of communication with the patient and other agencies. There are a large number of communication models and meaning’s, which in itself indicates that communication is a huge subject and difficult to pin to a simple explanation (Webb 2011).Donnelly (2008) agrees with this by writing that a concise definition is difficult to achieve due to the term â€Å"communication† having a long list of meanings. Good communication between patients and nurses is at the core of good nursing care, which will ensure the development of a therapeutic relationship (Stein- Parbury 2009). Donnelly (2008) su pports this by stating that at the very heart of effective nursing, communication is the key to delivering high-quality care. Donnelly (2008) states that effective communication is recognised as a core condition for all people who work in public service. Also read: Communication Cycle ArgyleIn Health and Social care services effective communication promotes the best possible nursing care (Donelly 2008). Donelly (2008) writes that the way we communicate with people who use nursing service’s or facilities has a direct impact on how care is perceived and experienced by the user. Collins (2009) agrees by stating that communication is therapeutic, that building relationships is the foundation of nursing work, and communication is a requirement to that process.If we can recognise how communication takes place and comprehend its process we can develop strategies to ensure that communication is effective and meets the needs of all patients’. Within Nursing there are many ways of communicating with patients. The NMC standards for pre-registration nursing education (NMC, 2010) stipulate that â€Å"Within the domain for communication and interpersonal skills, all nurses must do the following, communicate safely and effectively, u sing a range of communication skills and technologies† (NMC 2010).Hamilton (2007) agrees with this by stating that nurses should try to relate with patients using the full range of communication skills at their disposal, to help patients understand that nurses are there to assist as much as they possibly can. These communication skills range from verbal, non-verbal, and written communication. Burnard (2005) explains that we communicate to some degree with words. But also we communicate to a large degree with our bodies. This can be classed as non-verbal. Some aspects of non-verbal communication we use would be eye contact, facial expressions and hand gestures.Burnard (2005) also writes about the importance of listening. Burnard states that the listening skill is an important form of non-verbal communication and being listened to is vital as everybody needs to be listened to. Stein-Parbury (2009) states that, listening encourages further interaction between patient and nurses; it is a catalyst in promoting a trusting therapeutic relationship. Collin (2009) agrees with this by writing when patients feel listened to it gives a sense of connection enabling the relationship to progress. Wright (2007) writes about another non-verbal behaviour which is described as â€Å"body talk†.This would include hand gestures. Some body talking can suggest a certain state of mind, for example a patient pacing, unable to sit for any time or wringing of the hands may suggest that this patient is in distress. Webb states that folding of the arms can display defensive non-verbal communication; it can show that a patient is feeling anxious or threatened in some way. If this is displayed by the nurse it may suggest to the patient that the nurse is dis-interested which will form a barrier between the patient and nurse. To avoid such barriers Egan (1998) suggests that the use of the SOLER theory.The theory  Soler  was created by Egan (1998) to help the communication bet ween the nurse and the patient. His theory shows that basic non-verbal communication can help make a patient feel involved and cared for when working with the nurse. Soler stands for- S: facing the client or family  squarely, both metaphorically and literally O: adopt an  Open,  non-defensive posture L:  Lean forward toward the family to show interest E: make good  Eye Contact R: stay  Relaxed. But there are other forms of communication that need to be effective when delivering nursing care.The nurse needs to ensure that they are able to communicate well within the organisation and with others. Donnelly (2008) points out that when identifying the needs of those we care for we must also distinguish the role of others in providing for people’s needs. There is a risk within service provision to see only that which we can offer and ignore what others agencies and professionals can provide. Effective care depends on us being able to work in partnership, ensuring those we care for receive the best possible care. There are many others modes of communication; the written word is required when working with people (Donelly 2008).The NMC (2008) states that you must keep clear and accurate records of the discussions you have, the assessments you make, the treatment and medicines you give and how effective these have been. You must complete records as soon as possible after an event has occurred, the nurse must not tamper with original records in any way, the nurse must ensure any entries you make in someone's paper records are clearly and legibly signed, dated and timed, the nurse must ensure any entries you make in someone's electronic records are clearly attributable to you, and also ensure all records are kept securely (NMC 2008).Conclusion Whilst preparing for this essay, I did not fully understand the importance of communication and how we are understood by patients. After researching and evaluating, I now understand the importance of effective ver bal communication with appropriate body language, also the importance of non-verbal communication using good eye contact and hand gestures. I have now learnt that to become a good nurse you need to be able to use a wide range of communication to be able to fully care for the patient. These skills are equally important when dealing with agencies.Burnard, P. (2005) Counselling Skills for Health Professionals. Nelson Thornes: Cheltenham: Collins. S, (2009) Good communication helps to build a therapeutic relationship: http://www. nursingtimes. net (accessed 24 April 2012) Donnelly, E. Neville, L. (2008) Communication and Interpersonal Skills, 1st Ed. Reflect Press Ltd: Devon. Egan, G. (1998). The Skilled Helper. Wiley: Chichester Hamilton. S, J (2007) Clinical Development: A framework for effective communication skills : http://www. nursingtimes. et (accessed 24 April 2012) Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) The code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwive s. NMC:  London Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Education: Draft for Consultation. NMC:  London Stein-Parbury, J. (2009) Patient and Person: Interpersonal Skills in nursing, 4th Ed. Elsevier: Australia Webb, L. (2011). Nursing: Communication Skills in Practice. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Wright, B, (2007) Interpersonal Skills: Skills for Caring. M&K Publishing: Cumbria . Effective Communication Skills Effective communication skills in nursing Within this assignment I will be looking at the importance of effective communication skills in the nursing profession. I will briefly explore the meaning of communication and then look at different styles of effective communication. I will include a wide range of references to support my findings and then offer a conclusion regarding the importance of communication with the patient and other agencies. There are a large number of communication models and meaning’s, which in itself indicates that communication is a huge subject and difficult to pin to a simple explanation (Webb 2011).Donnelly (2008) agrees with this by writing that a concise definition is difficult to achieve due to the term â€Å"communication† having a long list of meanings. Good communication between patients and nurses is at the core of good nursing care, which will ensure the development of a therapeutic relationship (Stein- Parbury 2009). Donnelly (2008) su pports this by stating that at the very heart of effective nursing, communication is the key to delivering high-quality care. Donnelly (2008) states that effective communication is recognised as a core condition for all people who work in public service. Also read: Communication Cycle ArgyleIn Health and Social care services effective communication promotes the best possible nursing care (Donelly 2008). Donelly (2008) writes that the way we communicate with people who use nursing service’s or facilities has a direct impact on how care is perceived and experienced by the user. Collins (2009) agrees by stating that communication is therapeutic, that building relationships is the foundation of nursing work, and communication is a requirement to that process.If we can recognise how communication takes place and comprehend its process we can develop strategies to ensure that communication is effective and meets the needs of all patients’. Within Nursing there are many ways of communicating with patients. The NMC standards for pre-registration nursing education (NMC, 2010) stipulate that â€Å"Within the domain for communication and interpersonal skills, all nurses must do the following, communicate safely and effectively, u sing a range of communication skills and technologies† (NMC 2010).Hamilton (2007) agrees with this by stating that nurses should try to relate with patients using the full range of communication skills at their disposal, to help patients understand that nurses are there to assist as much as they possibly can. These communication skills range from verbal, non-verbal, and written communication. Burnard (2005) explains that we communicate to some degree with words. But also we communicate to a large degree with our bodies. This can be classed as non-verbal. Some aspects of non-verbal communication we use would be eye contact, facial expressions and hand gestures.Burnard (2005) also writes about the importance of listening. Burnard states that the listening skill is an important form of non-verbal communication and being listened to is vital as everybody needs to be listened to. Stein-Parbury (2009) states that, listening encourages further interaction between patient and nurses; it is a catalyst in promoting a trusting therapeutic relationship. Collin (2009) agrees with this by writing when patients feel listened to it gives a sense of connection enabling the relationship to progress. Wright (2007) writes about another non-verbal behaviour which is described as â€Å"body talk†.This would include hand gestures. Some body talking can suggest a certain state of mind, for example a patient pacing, unable to sit for any time or wringing of the hands may suggest that this patient is in distress. Webb states that folding of the arms can display defensive non-verbal communication; it can show that a patient is feeling anxious or threatened in some way. If this is displayed by the nurse it may suggest to the patient that the nurse is dis-interested which will form a barrier between the patient and nurse. To avoid such barriers Egan (1998) suggests that the use of the SOLER theory.The theory  Soler  was created by Egan (1998) to help the communication bet ween the nurse and the patient. His theory shows that basic non-verbal communication can help make a patient feel involved and cared for when working with the nurse. Soler stands for- S: facing the client or family  squarely, both metaphorically and literally O: adopt an  Open,  non-defensive posture L:  Lean forward toward the family to show interest E: make good  Eye Contact R: stay  Relaxed. But there are other forms of communication that need to be effective when delivering nursing care.The nurse needs to ensure that they are able to communicate well within the organisation and with others. Donnelly (2008) points out that when identifying the needs of those we care for we must also distinguish the role of others in providing for people’s needs. There is a risk within service provision to see only that which we can offer and ignore what others agencies and professionals can provide. Effective care depends on us being able to work in partnership, ensuring those we care for receive the best possible care. There are many others modes of communication; the written word is required when working with people (Donelly 2008).The NMC (2008) states that you must keep clear and accurate records of the discussions you have, the assessments you make, the treatment and medicines you give and how effective these have been. You must complete records as soon as possible after an event has occurred, the nurse must not tamper with original records in any way, the nurse must ensure any entries you make in someone's paper records are clearly and legibly signed, dated and timed, the nurse must ensure any entries you make in someone's electronic records are clearly attributable to you, and also ensure all records are kept securely (NMC 2008).Conclusion Whilst preparing for this essay, I did not fully understand the importance of communication and how we are understood by patients. After researching and evaluating, I now understand the importance of effective ver bal communication with appropriate body language, also the importance of non-verbal communication using good eye contact and hand gestures. I have now learnt that to become a good nurse you need to be able to use a wide range of communication to be able to fully care for the patient. These skills are equally important when dealing with agencies.Burnard, P. (2005) Counselling Skills for Health Professionals. Nelson Thornes: Cheltenham: Collins. S, (2009) Good communication helps to build a therapeutic relationship: http://www. nursingtimes. net (accessed 24 April 2012) Donnelly, E. Neville, L. (2008) Communication and Interpersonal Skills, 1st Ed. Reflect Press Ltd: Devon. Egan, G. (1998). The Skilled Helper. Wiley: Chichester Hamilton. S, J (2007) Clinical Development: A framework for effective communication skills : http://www. nursingtimes. et (accessed 24 April 2012) Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) The code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwive s. NMC:  London Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Education: Draft for Consultation. NMC:  London Stein-Parbury, J. (2009) Patient and Person: Interpersonal Skills in nursing, 4th Ed. Elsevier: Australia Webb, L. (2011). Nursing: Communication Skills in Practice. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Wright, B, (2007) Interpersonal Skills: Skills for Caring. M&K Publishing: Cumbria .

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Grace Nichols comes from Guyana and Hugh Boatswain from the Caribbean Essay

Writers who came from over seas write the two poems that I have been asked to analyse. Grace Nichols comes from Guyana and Hugh Boatswain from the Caribbean. The poems deal with identical themes, a man who has immigrated to Britain from the Caribbean, and must learn to adapt to a new life and culture. Both men suffer a sense of loss for their past, but in Hugh Boatswains poem ‘Old Father’, the central character tries to forget about his earlier life. Hugh Boatswain writes the poem ‘Old Father’ in a Caribbean dialect. It is a narrative poem, which tells the story of old father’s arrival in Britain. At first old father is very unhappy, we can see this in the quote. â€Å"Man, a takkin’ ‘de nex’ boat back home.† The writer is trying to show the reader that old father is thinking of taking the next boat back home. At this point in the poem old father still uses Caribbean dialect. I think that the use of the word â€Å"home† tells the reader the old father wants to go home. Later as he forgets about his past and rejects his earlier culture. Old father is trying to ignore his heritage and trying to become English. We can see that old father rejects his earlier culture when he makes jokes about his people to the white people, we can see this in the quote. â€Å"tut tut†, he would say, â€Å"isn’t it disgusting how they make a spectacle of themselves.† The poem is divided into four stanzas. The writer uses alliteration and assonance, to give the poem a rhythmical sound. Assonance is where the vowels sound the same in a line, for example in this quote. â€Å"make him bawl in his small basement room.† Boatswain also uses alliteration when he repeats ‘b’ consonants. We can see alliteration in this quote. â€Å"Bouncing down the road with a blond.† We can also see the writer using personification in the quote. â€Å"Cold bite him hard.† The poem gives a lot of detail about old father’s life and now he changes to adapt to his new life. He changes his appearance by straightening his hair and ignoring his old friends. The writer is quite critical about old father, he sees him as betraying his identity. ‘Island Man’ written by Grace Nichols is an imagist poem. The writer gives images or ‘pictures’ of the man’s dreams rather then telling his story directly to the reader. The poem is written in free verse, without rhythm. However, the writer uses alliteration in the phrases. â€Å"Sun Surfacing† â€Å"heaves himself† Nichols also repeats word, we can see this in the quote. â€Å"groggily groggily† â€Å"muffling muffling† Which describes the man waking up. The repetition helps to emphasise the emotions of the man. The poem is divided into the man’s dreams of the Island and his waking life in London. The writer uses enjambment, which means that each line flows into the next. We can see an example of enjambment in the quote. â€Å"Morning and Island man wakes up† This gives the language in this poem a rhythmical pattern like wave on a beach. The use of colours is very important in this poem. The dream Island is â€Å"blue surf† and â€Å"small emerald Island†. In contrast London is â€Å"grey metallic soar†. By reading and analysing the two poems â€Å"Old Father† and â€Å"Island Man† I have come to a conclusion that I think that the poem â€Å"Old Father† is better in the sense of language and themes. I enjoyed reading the poem â€Å"Old Father† more because the writer has used a large range of language skills. It also shows the use of Caribbean dialect, and the way the writer has structured out the poem.

History of Guidiance and Counselling in Nigeria

What's the historical development of guidance and counselling in Nigeria? African nations are in a hurry to educate citizens in order to modernize and enhance their social, economic and political development. The concept of guidance and counseling, although relatively new in Africa has been embraced by most developing nations with enormous enthusiasm. This is because counseling is being regarded by most nations as an educational service through which efficient manpower for development can be attained.Counseling practice, however, does run into frequent clashes with African traditions and development goals typical of developing countries. In order to become fully acceptable at this initial stage, the guidance and counseling profession in Africa must tolerate some compromises and modifications from its original philosophy in the Western sense. Several events led to the institutionalization of guidance and counselling in Nigerian school system.Most prominent was the efforts of a group o f Catholic nuns at the St. Theresa's College, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. The Catholic nuns developed a career workshop for all the school's graduating students during the 1959 academic session, especially in the area of subject selection and job search. A major outcome of the workshop was the distribution of the much needed career information that enabled 54 out of the 60 graduating students to gain full employment upon their graduation.The workshop on guidance and counselling held at the comprehensive high school, Aiyetoro in 1963 where Mr. R. O. Rees delivered a paper titled â€Å"The role of the guidance counsellor in a comprehensive high school† was also instrumental to the emergence of guidance and counselling in Nigeria. So, was the book written by Mr. C. I. Berepiki entitled, An approach to guidance in schools. This book inspired the Federal Government of Nigeria to develop a workshop on guidance and counselling in schools.Through these efforts, the Federal government was able t o appreciate the role guidance and counselling needed to play in the nation's overall development that later motivated the Federal Ministry of Education to appoint Mr. C. I. Berepiki to take full charge of the coordination of school guidance and counselling services in Nigeria's school system. Another force that led to the emergence of professional counselling in Nigeria has to do with the events that cropped up after the Nigerian civil war. At the end of the civil war, there arose the dire need to rehabilitate the war victims.The post-war social, political, economic, religious and educational problems, which students, workers and the general public had to face, became enormous such that the less trained career masters/mistresses could not cope. This necessitated a very high demand for guidance counsellors who were expected to provide veritable counselling interventions in the rehabilitation of the war victims. One approach then was for the Federal Government of Nigeria to grant sch olarship to most candidates who desired to pursue masters' degree in guidance and counselling in any Nigerian universities.The introduction of the new National Policy of Education in Nigeria (commonly referred to as the 6-3-3-4 system of Education) for the whole country in 1977, with major revision in 1981, which had among its features, the introduction of a new educational focus for the primary and secondary levels of education also influenced the emergence of guidance and counselling in Nigeria. This policy was a major break away from the existing educational policy that was bequeathed to the nation by the British colonial masters at independence.Under the previous arrangement, secondary school students were expected to spend five years in the secondary school. In addition, the curriculum tended to emphasize much of liberal type of education. But the new policy extended the number of years in secondary school from five years to six years. It further divided secondary education int o two levels: junior secondary school (where the student was expected to spend three years) and the senior secondary school level (where the student was expected to spend the remaining three years).

Friday, September 13, 2019

Introductory economics and finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introductory economics and finance - Essay Example In USA, almost two thirds of the total production is consumed by the individuals for personal use whereas only one third is consumed by the governments. The free enterprise believes that the private ownership is the best form of the economy because it is able to operate more competently than its counterpart. They believe that when the economic forces are free to act, the supply and the demand of the product intersect to arrive at a competent price. At the same time, this intersection of demand and supply predicts the quantity of production. When the consumers demand more of a product then the economy is producing, the price of the respective good increases. This chance for profitability calls in for more organizations to produce the similar good. At the same time, when the supply of the good in the economy is more than the demand, the price falls as a result. Most of the organizations exit due to the decreasing profitability. Therefore, the market economy operates efficiently followi ng the market forces and reflecting on the wishes of the people (Samuelson, 1998). But there is too much freedom with no regulations that causes the problems and does not make it s viable form of economy for the allocation of resources. On the other hand, the socialist economy is more portrayed by the high state ownership and central planning. The economists believe that this form of the economy is less efficient because it does not reflect on the market forces or the price changes. In this form of economy, the means of the production are owned by the state and the workers. It focuses on ones capacity to produce and wants. Basically, it aspires to provide for more equitability in the economy (Samuelson, 1998). With no economic benefit to the individuals, the people are less efficient and unstable. It also breeds incompetence in the economy that will cause it lose in the long. At the same time, the state benefits call for unannounced immigrants and cause stagnation in the economy.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Application Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Application Resume - Essay Example I applied to the Master Degree in order to advance my academic knowledge and career competitiveness. I am a very passionate person when it comes to learning new things. This follows the notion that new things come with challenges, and challenges result in opportunities. Personally, education is an endless process. In other words, completing my degree and achieving professional certifications is just but the beginning of my quest of knowledge. Learning is an on-going process that is neither limited to the formal institutions nor printed certifications and awards.The drive to start a business is the desire to be my own boss. I believe I am passionate and talented enough to practically exercise my knowledge and skills in a personal business. My core concern is to meet community needs and demands that fall within my business line. My motivation is the desire to serve the broader society through my creativity and innovativeness. Financial success also counts in as a motivational factor, a longside gaining respect and being appreciated for who I am and what I do. I am a well-rounded individual in terms of honesty, quality, humility and compassion. I want to stand out as a role model for my family and community. Just like the broader society, my family is important to me. I want to provide a nice home and a loving atmosphere for my family. I emphasize on the importance of education to my family since my personal success is highly attributed to education.I have gained values that I would like to see my children possess.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Compare and Contrast Popular Culture LIterature Term Paper

Compare and Contrast Popular Culture LIterature - Term Paper Example Does one transcend the mind in that fraction of a second when the decision is made? Perhaps yes! In that eventuality, the decision is bound to be faultless. The source of that decision is made in the brilliant flash of inner light. Gladwell writes, â€Å"The first task of Blink is to convince you of a simple fact: decisions made very quickly can be every bit as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately† (p.14). The word ‘very quickly’ has the element of divine aura about it, and does not contain the element of haste. The level of spiritual progression of those who are brilliant decision makers is far more than those who are consistently inept. The process of the best decisions is to be experienced by the decision maker and it cannot be explained in words. As with his writing technique, Gladwell supports his each contention with allegories and real-life case studies. He gives the example of a psychologist, a tennis coach and the art wizards who recognize t he fake at a glance. He also admits about the failures of â€Å"blink†. Like an ardent supporter of Popular Culture the author argues â€Å"We live in a world that assumes that the quality of a decision is directly related to the time and effort that went into making it† (p.13). ... 2. Outliers: The Story of Success Though the ardent worshippers of Popular Culture are aware of the importance of chance and circumstances in the life of an individual, they finally vote for an individual who succeeds in life in terms of monetary accomplishments. The society salutes the achiever. Big ideas are hidden in the ordinary life of an individual and what is required is to locate and present them before the public well in time. An individual has to notice the talent within him first, before it is being noticed by others. With the spread of Popular Culture, the importance of behavioral science has increased and Malcolm Gladwell is on the right spot to cash this opportunity. 1990s has been the ideal period for experimentation with his new style in literature. About the book â€Å"Outliers: The Story of Success† Malcolm Gladwell (2011) writes â€Å"This is a book about outliers, about men and women who do things that are out of the ordinary. Over the course of the chapte rs ahead, I’m going to introduce to you to one kind of outlier after another: to geniuses, business tycoons, rock stars, and software programmers† (p.17). He sums up his argument thus: â€Å"Nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift. Outliers are those who have been given opportunities-- and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them† (p.267). If one understands this principle in its correct spirit, many of the problems in life will be no more problems, they will be the milestones in the path of success. Success stories are like the champagne to the combustible younger generation who are the admirers of the Popular Culture. Gladwell provides a new perspective about the

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

The First Movement of Beethovens Symphony No. 5 Essay

The First Movement of Beethovens Symphony No. 5 - Essay Example The composition of this particular piece of classical music ensured that Beethoven’s name was ingrained into the foundations of genius artistry and established what can be termed as an everlasting presence on the influence of future classical positions. The Symphony No. 5 in C minor was written by Ludwig van Beethoven was composed over time and actually took a number of years (four) to be completed(Fandel, 2007). This goes to demonstrate the amount of work and effort that was put into this creation and establish the fact that this particular composition was not just another musician playing around with his instruments but the product of an utmost professional who put 100% into his work. This masterpiece was written between the years of 1804-1808 and after its completion, it became one of the most if not undoubtedly the most popular classical pieces of music in the world. The symphony was played in a wide and vast collection of musical performances where classical enthusiast would gather together in appreciation of this beautiful work of art. It was first performed in 1808 just after its completion in a theatre in Vienna known as Theatre an der wien and soon after that the piece of music received critical acclaim around the world. Over a century has gone by since then and this piece of classical music is still being played in theatres around the world by different bands specializing in classical music and by amateurs as well(Fandel, 2007). Lovers of the classical music genre have joined together to ensure that what can be considered to be one of Beethoven’s best pieces would not fade into obscurity regardless of the time elapsed since its creation.

Monday, September 9, 2019

International Relations Theory Human Rights Formal Term Paper

International Relations Theory Human Rights Formal - Term Paper Example These instruments set universal standards against which national governments and individuals alike can measure their own compliance and compare it to that of others. Even when there is disagreement over the precise meaning, nature or scope of a particular human right, the fact that such dialogue exists at all demonstrates the widespread recognition of, and concern for, fundamental universal human rights. According to Conlon in 2004, human rights were among the more powerful ideas to emerge from the U.N. Charter along with peace, national self-determination, and development. After the drafting and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, to which all the countries of the world subscribe, at least rhetorically, the modern international human rights system developed slowly within the constraints of the Cold War. While there remains much to celebrate about the Universal Declaration and collateral human rights treaties, there have also been substantial complications in managing the political organization of such international obligations. Within the U.N., until the 1980s, the issue of human rights was essentially an ideological football, kicked back and forth in a match between West and East (Schwarz, 2004). Western players prioritized political and civil rights and their Eastern counterparts (usually backed up by southern reserves) economic and social rights. The divide was part of Cold War competition, which left little room for the possibility of joint promotion.Nevertheless, a wide range of international norms has been enshrined in legally binding international human rights instruments, and in a growing web of customary international law. Protections were established by treaty for those subjected to torture, for victims of racial discrimination, for children, and for women (Conlon, 2004). As neither the United States nor the Soviet Union deferred fully to this system during the Cold War, the protection of human rights remained more nominal than actual. The sovereign prerogatives of the superpowers trumped rights enforcement, with the U.N. system accepting non-compliance on many occasions. At present, the most promising avenues for the immediate actualization of global justice involve sensitive adjustments to variations of state and society makeup, as in the numerous peace, reconciliation, and accountability procedures established in a number of countries (Gandhi, 2000). Also encouraging are various collaborations between transnational social forces and those governments that are more value-oriented and sensitive to the claims of global justice, as opposed to those that define their role according to the maximization of power, wealth, and influence.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 17

Reflection paper - Essay Example Different people may have different approaches to certain subjects because they The study on the methamphetamine and its effect on memory were explored in a way that linked it to the various aspects mental challenges (The Nervous System 2). In essence, the chapter was important in the manner in which it explored the variations in patterns of thought in different people and the capacity to comprehend situations or respond to certain stimuli from the environment. It might be necessary to consider the fact that some of the challenges that affect the efficacy of thinking processes have to be aligned with the differences in the brain capacities of individuals. Furthermore, the chapter opened my understanding of the enormous potential of the human brain and its capacity to coordinate activities within the understanding of human behavior. The brain as a biological organ is subject to a range of processes that determine human behavior. The communication between neurons is explored in a way that sheds light on the complexity and speed through which biological processes operate and communicate. On this matter, it becomes important to consider the fact the speed of communication is a key factor to communication. The challenge that arises within the element of communication should be considered as a product of the different levels of potentials between individuals with regard to the unique characteristics of the brain and variations in environmental factors. One of the important lessons obtained from the chapter revolves around the effect of substances on the functioning of the brain. Substances have the capacity to alter or ruin the processes of the brain in ways that may not be easy to comprehend in a normal way. In this regard, it becomes necessary to consider the fact that most of the issues that afflict matters of judgment are related to the capacity of the brain to process information with the right kind of

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Business law - Essay Example Dan I his case did not do so, hence creating an unsafe environment around the truck. Flo must prove the truck driver breached his duty. Drivers are supposed to park their vehicles safely irrespective of the location; Dan on this case did not apply his emergency brake leading to the fateful events that led to Flo getting injured (Croft 34). Flo has to prove that the driver’s mistake is what caused damage. Here, she would be looking for causation. Flo would prove that Dan’s breach of his duty to apply emergency breaks is what directly led to his vehicle rolling down to cause the gas pump explosion and further damage. Therefore, in the event which Dan could have applied breaks, the event could not have happened. In this case, she would be looking for â€Å"proximate cause† (Croft 35). In this case, the damage cause can it be attributable as the driver to have had a foresight of what could have happened when he left the truck not in emergency gear or not. Finally, Flo would look for damages caused by Dan’s negligence and prove it. She would prove that due to Dan’s negligence, it is what caused the truck to roll down and result to the gas pump explosion and other damages. In the case of Flo, the damage was foreseeable since leaving once truck with parking brakes always provides the car to move towards the pull of gravity, in that case, down the hill to cause the given injury (Croft 36). Q. 2 Jean owns five acres of land in an area of single-family homes on mostly one-acre plots. Jean’s property contains her house and three outbuildings. Among the animal housed in outbuildings are Kennel, a dog and Louis, a tiger. Mare, a neighbor, is jogging past Jean’s property. Under what circumstance is Jean strictly liable if Kennel bites Mary? Under what circumstance is Jean strictly liable if Louis bites Mary? This case will mostly depend on the dog bite case existent in the given state. In this case, when Mary did not trespass

Friday, September 6, 2019

Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free

Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Abstract For the purposes of this assignment we will analyze the Mattel case and discuss the actions of the company regarding the behavior and actions in conjunction with the Global Manufacturing Process that was implemented. Breaches of the two business ethics elements of integrity and egoism will be assessed. Within the discussion I have identified the virtues prudence, justice, fidelity, and courage that were largely violated by the Mattel organization and how it affected the employees of Mattel. We will discuss the implications of virtue, deontological, and utilitarian ethics regarding their potential usefulness in evaluation of the Mattel case. Introduction Mattel’s concept of Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) was not a novel concept. The many forms of GMP including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) have been around for decades and have worked to insure that specific industries are held to a standard that is industry wide. ISO’s model is â€Å"Say what you do, and do what you say†. When a company endeavors to become ISO qualified, it is required to document every activity (as a standard operating procedure, SOP) that occurs within the company and adhere to that process without deviation. ISO qualified companies are always subject to audit by other ISO registered companies and is initially audited by four such companies in order to acquire certification. Having been directly involved with ISO implementation at a former employer that supplied fasteners for manufacturing, I am fully aware of how involved the certification is. The company SOP was over 1000 pages. Additionally, another ISO company can and will come in and audit your company prior to electing to conduct business with your company. In some instances, ISO qualification is not enough to be awarded the business. The nutrition industry also adheres to the Good Manufacturing Practices, of which I was required to be certified in every year. Each department of the nutritional company I worked for had its own GMP standards that we were to adhere implicitly. The nutrition industry, while not regulated by the FDA, is controlled indirectly by the FDA. GMP is an FDA requirement. Having worked in two industries where the concept is not only expected, but required in some instances; I was not impressed by the fact that Mattel implemented GMP of their own volition for the sole purpose to improve public perception after misconduct was exposed by the media. Business Ethics Issue The one word that I found that resonates throughout the article, whether spoken or implied, is â€Å"integrity†. The incoming CEO stated that Mattel would behave in all actions with â€Å"unwavering integrity† and that the company’s commitment to the GMP remained unequivocal and undiminished. (Sethi, Shapiro, Emelianova, pg.490) Ironically, I identify the most noticeable and important business ethics issue as just that; a lack of integrity. Merriam Webster defines integrity as â€Å"the firm adherence to a code of especially moral value, the quality or sate of being complete or undivided, and the quality of being honest or fair. Mattel exhibited none of these traits insofar as where their GMP’s were concerned. In fact, there were numerous infractions regarding the non-enforcement of their GMP’s across the board in the Asia and Mexico based manufacturing facilities. The second ethics issue I identified was narcissism. Mattel implemented this GMP program with the attitude of ‘look at what we’re doing’ but with minimal effort to ensure the success of the program. According to Duchon and Drake (2009) extreme narcissistic organizations will establish these formal ethics programs but will not have much effect on hindering unethical behaviors. This was evident in that the supervisors at the factories knew what they were supposed to be doing; but found ways to circumvent the system and there were no reprisals as a result of their nonconformance. Ultimately, it was a program of words and not deeds. Three Virtues Prudence â€Å"Careful good judgment that allows someone to avoid danger or risks. † (M-W, 2013) In my opinion, a great deal of misfortune and hardship could have been avoided if Mattel would have practiced a modicum of prudence before ever moving their manufacturing to Asia. In a perfect world, and especially in a modern world we do not expect children to work. However, when dealing with underdeveloped countries; it is normal for children to work in conditions that would be an affront to any American’s moral nature having abandoned child labor decades ago. If Mattel had done due diligence, they would have known that the facility in Indonesia was operating in an unacceptable manner (Sethi, et al. pg. 486) and could have implemented working conditions and requirements from the get-go. Then the exposure by the media would have never been an issue. I have no doubt that the draw of paying lower wages and increased productivity was the catalyst to overlook the conditions in those overseas factories. Justice â€Å"The quality of being just, impartial, or fair. Conformity to truth, fact, or reason. † (M-W, 2013) The concept of justice was completely lost on Mattel. While the implementation of the GMP program was comprehensive; the execution and enforcement was unconscionable. The last paragraph of the GMP, exhibit 1 says that if â€Å"Mattel determines that any of its manufacturing facilities or vendors violate these principles, we may either terminate our business relationship or require that facility to take corrective action. If corrective action is advised and not taken, Mattel will immediately terminate current production and suspend placement of future orders. †(Sethi, et al.pg. 487). However, when audits were performed; the facilities were rife with infractions but there was no follow through when corrective actions were required. The facilities were allowed to continue to operate unhindered. Astonishingly, the 20 plus companies that were not owned by Mattel were allowed to operate without any disciplinary actions imposed by Mattel for infractions if any auditing was conducted at all. Considering the fact that both Mattel owned and vendor factories employ some hundred thousand plus employees; Mattel’s actions were nowhere near impartial, fair, or conforming to fact or reason. Fidelity â€Å"Quality or state of being faithful, accuracy in details. †(M-W, 2013) For this virtue, I am concentrating on the act of being faithful to the employees. Whether or not the GMPs were self-imposed or not, Mattel had an obligation to the people it employs. Throughout the article, it was found during audits that the employee’s time cards would systematically be incomplete where they were not being allowed to clock-out. This resonates that these people were being required to work overtime ‘off the books’. Employees were not being given the appropriate days off or vacation time. Some living conditions and canteen conditions were substandard. Fines were being imposed. (Sethi, et al. 2011) The list goes on and on. In my opinion, Mattel should have had impartial representatives on the ground in these factories to ensure that the rules for payment, working overtime, and work conditions were being upheld. There should have been constant supervision and vigilance on a corporate level. To think that audits that were being conducted every three years was comprehensive enough to get the job done was blind and narrow minded. Courage To go one step further. A virtue is an attitude. Courage is measured when there is risk involved; but also rationality. To be truly courageous there needs to be a clear picture of what a person’s values are. Courage does not need to be proven beyond a doubt. (Hartman, 2008) In the case of Mattel, I feel it was courageous to implement such a comprehensive GMP program although it was misguided and ultimately failed. An even more courageous act would have been to rehab the program and bring it to its full potential and fruition. The article does not mention whether Mattel experienced any loss of revenue as a result, but public perception is a fickle entity and once all of the attention over sweat shops and child labor overseas died down, Mattel was no longer under the microscope. Financially, Mattel was spending money it perceivably no longer needed to spend. Since their program was self-imposed; it is no surprise that Mattel just unceremoniously abandoned the GMP program after nine years. When some organizations implement and enforce codes as part of a self-regulation process and others do not, those who self-regulate invariably incur greater costs. These costs are usually passed onto the consumer who subsequently (and sensibly) choses the organization which offers the cheaper product. (Blackburn McGee, 2004) Virtue Ethics Virtues are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. (Andre, Meyer, Shanks, and Velazquez. 1988) Virtue ethics indicates that business decisions should be made in a manner that attributes to the overall goals of the professional. It stresses activities and motives, what we do and why. Virtue ethics proffer that action and motive are connected to character and disposition. Actions are taken and decisions made because they are linked to a certain character. (Blackburn and McGee. 2004) â€Å"That â€Å"ought† does not imply â€Å"right† can be seen in another sort of case as well, namely, when what one ought to do in one’s circumstances results from one’s own prior wrongdoing. In such a case, doing what one ought to do may not be the same as doing a right act or a â€Å"good deed†. In fact, the same prior failure may both increase one’s level of obligation to do a given act now and decrease one’s level of praiseworthiness. † (Russell, 2008) The above quote is especially poignant in the Mattel case. Because Mattel implemented the GMP program on the heels of a media expose, the intentions were not solely based on the ‘right’ thing to do, but on what they ‘ought’ to do. Mattel probably did not get the recognition or good press they were looking for and therefore had no proclivity to ensure that the plan was a success. Utilitarian Ethics â€Å"Actions are approved when they are as such to promote happiness and disapproved when they have a tendency to cause unhappiness. † (Driver, 2009) We also know that utilitarian ethics work for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Mattel directly employs over twenty thousand people throughout Asia and Mexico. If the happiness of those employees would have been considered; the pay, working conditions, time off, and canteen programs would have never been an issue. If the executives of the company would have experienced any of those adverse conditions, they would have cried â€Å"foul† all the way to an attorney. The employees are ultimately left without a voice and no recourse. Deontology â€Å"To act according to the maxim that you would wish all other rational people to follow as though it were universal law. † â€Å"Never treat a person as a means to an end. † (Pecorino, 2000) Kant contends that where morality is concerned, it is guided by law and therefore judgment is not necessary to fill in the blanks, because there are no blanks. He believed that people can conform to duty and not be morally limited. He believed that we could use indeterminate action-guidance for imperfect duties, and I’m paraphrasing; to weigh the moral options for decisions regarding duty towards others. Because that decision requires the minimum of our morality. Kant rejected virtue ethics. (McAleer, 2001) My opinion is that deontology would not work in the Mattel case. There are too many variables to consider in order to narrow down the maxim that will be comprehensive enough to include thousands of people over a number of cultural variances. Conclusion While the design of Mattel’s Global Manufacturing Principles may have been well intended and meant to improve the working conditions of the employees, the implementation was short-sighted and poorly executed. All too often when the few aspire to set standards for the many, the end result is a miscalculation. GMP’s are not a one size fits all type of endeavor. Each facility should have had a program that was custom to their country and working conditions. The ethical treatment of employees was the intention; but the ultimate governance was not enforced. The aftermath was the abandonment of the program due to the lack of interest and participation on the public and other companies in the industry. References Andre, Claire, Meyer, Michael and S. J. , Shanks, Thomas, Velasquez, Manuel. (1988) Ethics and Virtue. Issues in Ethics, V1 N3. Retrieved from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/ethicsandvirtue. html on November 4, 2013 Blackburn, M. , McGhee, P. (2004). TALKING VIRTUE: PROFESSIONALISM IN BUSINESS AND VIRTUE ETHICS. Global Virtue Ethics Review, 5(4), 90-122. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/235113539? accountid=28844 Driver, Julia. The History of Utilitarianism. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = . Duchon, D. , Drake, B. (2009). Organizational Narcissism and Virtuous Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 85(3), 301-308. Retrieved from ProQuest on June 1, 2012. Hartman, E. (2008). 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