Spoon ringartist statement Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Spoon ringartist - Personal Statement Example The inspiration for this format was the idea of a child tying a balloon to her finger, and watching it bobbing along as she walks. The round head of the spoon represents the balloon, and the twisting silver parts below are designed to wrap around the finger like string. It can be worn as a ring with the spoon part as decoration, or it can be actually used just like an ordinary spoon. There is a small gap between the twists of the silver which allows the spoon ring to be attached to the rim of a teacup or coffee mug. This particular use of the spoon ring turns it into an unusual piece of tableware which creates a striking sculptural outline, rising up from the level of other pieces of china on the table just as a balloon naturally rises in the air. A third functional feature of the spoon ring is that it can be set down on the table with the spoon part up in the air. The twists form a secure cylindrical base, and this ensures that the spoon, with any sticky or wet substances attached to it, will not touch the table cloth. This is practical and hygienic, solving the problem of stains and contamination passing to and from the spoon and the environment. Overall, the piece is intended to be fun. It is a talking point and a demonstration of thinking in unconventional ways about everyday objects. The owner of the spoon ring can slide from one application of the object to another, starting with the conventional appearance of the ring, and moving to a practical use in tea or coffee drinking, and then finally showing two different ways of storing the object after use – on the table or on the cup. This reveals that things are not always what they seem, and that there are multiple ways of enjoying everyday

Henderson The Rain King Essay Example for Free

Henderson The Rain King Essay The great book ‘Henderson the Rain King’ is a masterpiece creation of an imperative American writer who in addition became the source of inspiration for many other writers in the era of 1950s. The author, Saul Bellow’s triumph has been striking enough for he stirred other writers a new-fangled kind of idol and a new type of expressive fashion (High, 12). Bellow’s lead character lives dynamically within his own intellect. In scripting his hero, Saul Bellow has a few characteristic qualities assembled in his works. In this book he crafts a character who at all times seeks various exposures. In this paper I will discuss how Henderson has some pre-arranged stereotypes about Africa and the people there, what he learns from them in the end, how does Henderson `find` him self in Africa and will support all this with examples from the book. This book begins with a radiant portrayal, the thought of a determined victim, the personality of Henderson, and his declaration of having resolved a trouble. Henderson is actually an American hero probing toward maturity, hesitant between a desire to be loved and abandonment from a world which does not care for him as he needs; he is unripe and a victim of his own thoughts and desires. Bellow has sketched a hero who seems to be disgruntled with the truth of his existence. He is suffocating beneath the accumulative specifics of his life even though he appears to contain what people valor wish for; that is assets and position, wealth and love, as he is described by the people of his times. Many feel that the author has actually carved out a character that is none else but the author himself. Many believe that Saul had a mindset or more specifically stereotypes about Africa and its natives that he inks out through this book. In the book through satire and spoof, Bellow provides ridiculous loads of its banalities. Henderson is a mockery of the bizarre, aggressive, artist-hero of the Stephan Daedalus range. Fiddler and pig grower, he is described as a menopausal social outcast and that is what Bellow had the stereotype about the Africans (High, 33). A straight caricature of the Hemingway narcissist, he is solemn, thoughtful, solipsistic, clumsy, and self-centered. He supposes with his Eliotic fisher king forbears that the land is cursed. As Bellow had stereotyped the Africans, the hero in his book, is in reality Bellows reply to an age group of recent writers who retorted with overstated discontent to the botched assurances of Rousseauistic idealism (Ophdal, 62). It is in addition a notable investigation into the incompatible codes of maleness that bothers the contemporary American gentleman. Henderson merges the idealistic maverick, rich capitalist, rough warrior, schlemiel, unattractive American, and spiritual quester in his character of Henderson which speaks volumes about Bellow’s stereotype of the native Africans. Considerably, we find that once when he has been embraced by African classic mother-goddesses, and has taken training from a lioness, he is competent to suppress his previous aggressiveness to his housekeeper whom he has screamed to demise, his daughter whom he has overlooked, and Lily whom he has disgraced and mistreated for years (Bellow, 59). He is after everything else seen taking pride in his lately attained spiritual balance, taking on an orphan kid on the glacial ice cap of Newfoundland. As a final point, the I desire influence in his heart is at rest. Nevertheless, we are left to ponder whether he can uphold this stability found in the simple loneliness of a glacial ice cap inside the collective circumstances of his family unit. It illustrates the distinct survival wit of the Eastern European shtetl and its stereotypes. Bellow in this book claims that literary innovation has formed novels bursting of the communal disorders of our daytime and urbanized a common sense of catastrophe. Bellow, particularly in ‘Henderson The Rain King’ cultivated for American literature a few of the humorist postures, stereotypes, and mythology of Yiddish literature. His principal work of domestication of Yiddish fable is the utilization of comedy to mutually steal from self-pity and augment the actual existential problem of the hero through the wit shambling pursuit depicted in Henderson’s role (Ophdal, 77). Bowel embarks on a journey to defy racially prejudiced legends and uphold racial synchronization. Henderson commences his pursuit sharing in white prejudices against Africans. Though Bellow believed that they were just prejudices, they were deep-rooted in his opinion and tend to propose lucid ineptitude on the part of Africans (Bellow, 87). They contributed in the primitivist national troops of Africa that was suggested by Conrads Heart of Darkness. Ultimately, nevertheless, Henderson is exposed to his love of Western Civilization and takes a massive fabled jump in time. It is a three-part hunt relating sin, penance, and escape. If we analyze how Henderson evolved throughout the narration, we find that there were till the end some traces of the deep- rooted stereotypes present in his personality but as in the novel when it finally started to rain, it actually depicts that Henderson had freed himself from his thoughts and burdens of the images that he always had. It may well be that he in reality resembles other wastrels who have attempted to flee from themselves on voyages to remote places, but, for all his bristle and self-worth, all his sympathy and humbleness, all his obscure references to fine art, writing and times gone by, Henderson remains only a weary cursed with for the most part uneasy stream of fancy chatter in a store of current fiction. He is finally seen to have found peace within himself. The continuous â€Å"want† â€Å"want† screams within him that lead him to the painful journey, were in the end crushed as he contends with the surroundings and learns to accept things that he cannot change. Many readers though still question, whether a character like Henderson can stay content with the peace he found for long. The conclusion of the movements is the track in the stillness of love and decision, the agitated man, the battered animal, and the stray children who have all accomplished shared comfort and salvation.Prayers for rainfall are responded to, the impatient traveler turns in the direction of abode, and the long nights voyage finally reaches day. Works Cited Bellow, Saul (1976) Henderson the Rain King. New York: Viking Press Publishers. High, Peter (1986) An Outline of American Literature. New York: Longman Inc. Ophdal, Keith Michael (1978) The Novel of Saul Bellow: An Introduction. Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania University Press. Majdiak, Daniel. (1991). â€Å"The Romantic Self and Henderson the Rain King† in Bucknell Review: A Scholarly Journal of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Ethical And Effective Practice With Service Users Social Work Essay

Ethical And Effective Practice With Service Users Social Work Essay Selecting an appropriate method of intervention is central to ethical and effective practice with service users. The aim of this essay is to define what is meant my method of intervention, explore the main factors which influence the worker when selecting a method and critically consider the role of partnership working and empowerment. Intervention is rarely defined. It originates from the Latin inter (between) and venire (to come) and means coming between (Trevithick, 2005: 66). Interventions are at the heart of everyday social interactions and make inevitably make up a substantial majority of human behaviour and are made by those who desire and intend to influence some part of the world and the beings within it (Kennard et al. 1993:3). Social work interventions are purposeful actions we undertake as workers which are based on knowledge and understanding acquired, skills learnt and values adopted. Therefore, interventions are knowledge, skills, understanding and values in action. Intervention may focus on individuals, families, communities, or groups and be in different forms depending on their purpose and whether directive or non-directive. Generally, interventions that are directive aim to purposefully change the course of events and can be highly influenced by agency policy and practice or by the practitioners perspective on how to move events forward. This may involve offering advice, providing information and suggestions about what to do, or how to behave and can be important and a professional requirement where immediate danger or risk is involved. In non-directive interventions the worker does not attempt to decide for people, or to lead, guide or persuade them to accept his/her specific conclusions (Coulshed and Orme, 1998: 216). Work is done in a way to enable individuals to decide for themselves and involves helping people to problem solve or talk about their thoughts, feelings and the different courses of action they may take (Lishman, 1994). Counselling skills can be beneficial or important in this regard (Thompson 2000b). Work with service users can therefore involve both directive and non-directive elements and both types have advantages and disadvantages (Mayo, 1994). Behaviourist, cognitive and psychosocial approaches tend to be directive but this depends on perspective adopted and the practitioners character. In contrast, community work is generally non-directive and person-centred. Interventions have different time periods and levels of intensity which are dependent on several factors such as setting where the work is located, problem presented, individuals involved and agency policy and practice. Several practice approaches have a time limited factor such as task-centred work, crisis intervention and some behavioural approaches and are often preferred by agencies for this reason. In addition, practice approaches that are designed to be used for a considerable time such as psychosocial are often geared towards more planned short-term, time limited and focused work (Fanger 1995). Although negotiation should take place with service users to ensure their needs and expectations are taken into account, it is not common practice for practitioners to offer choice on whether they would prefer a directive or non-directive approach or the practice approach adopted (Lishman, 1994). However, this lack of choice is now being recognised and addressed with the involvement of service users and others in the decision-making process in relation to agency policy, practice and service delivery (Barton, 2002; Croft and Beresford, 2000). The purpose and use of different interventions is contentious. Payne (1996: 43) argues that the term intervention is oppressive as it indicates the moral and political authority of the social worker. This concern is also shared by others with Langan and Lee (1989:83) describing the potentially invasive nature of interventions and how they can be used to control others. Jones suggests that in relation to power differences and the attitude of social workers especially with regards to people living in poverty: the working class poor have been generally antagonistic toward social work intervention and have rejected social works downward gaze and highly interventionist and moralistic approach to their poverty and associated difficulties (Jones, 2002a: 12). It is recognised that intervention can be oppressive, delivered with no clear purpose or in-depth experience however, some seek and find interventions that are empathic, caring and non-judgemental due to practitioners demonstrating rele vant experience and show appropriate knowledge (Lishman, 1994:14). For many practitioners, these attributes are essential in any intervention and are demonstrated through commitment, concern and respect for others which are qualities that are valued by service users (Cheetham et al. 1992; Wilson, 2000). Dependent on the nature of help sought there are different opinions on whether interventions should be targeted on personal change or wider societal, environmental or political change. Some may want assistance in accessing a particular service or other forms of help and not embrace interventions that may take them in a particular direction i.e. social action (Payne et al. 2002). In contrast, problems may recur or become worse if no collective action is taken. Importance has reduced in relation to methods of intervention over recent years as social work agencies have given more focus to assessment and immediate or short-term solutions (Howe, 1996; Lymbery 2001). This is strengthened by the reactive nature of service provision which is more concerned with practical results than with theories and principles. This has a reduced effect on workers knowledge of a range of methods resulting in workers using a preferred method which is not evidenced in their practice (Thompson, 2000). Methods of intervention should be the basis of ongoing intervention with service users, but often lacks structured planning and is reactive to crisis. This reactive response with emphasis on assessment frameworks is concerning, as workers are still managing high caseloads and if not supervised and supported appropriately, workers are at risk of stress and eventual burn-out (Jones, 2001; Charles and Butler, 2004). Effective use of methods of intervention allows work to be planned, structured and prioritised depending on service users needs. Methods can be complicated as they are underpinned by a wide range of skills and influenced by the approach of the worker. Most methods tend to follow similar processes of application: assessment, planning of goals, implementation, termination, evaluation and review. Although the process of some methods is completed in three/four interactions others take longer. This difference shows how some methods place more or less importance on factors such as personality or society, which then informs the type of intervention required to resolve issues in the service users situation (Watson and West, 2006). More than one method can be used in conjunction with another, depending on how comprehensive work with service users needs to be (Milner and OByrne, 1998). However, each method has different assessment and an implementation process which looks for different types of information about the service users situation for example, task centred looks for causes and solutions in the present situation and psychosocial explores past experiences. Additionally, the method of assessment may require that at least two assessments be undertaken: the first to explore the necessity of involvement and secondly, to negotiate the method of intervention with the service user. An effective assessment framework that is flexible and has various options is beneficial but should not awkward or time consuming to either the worker or the service user. As Dalrymple and Burke (1995) suggest, a biography framework is an ideal way as it enables service users to locate present issues in the context of their life both past and present. Workers should aim to practice in a way which is empowering and the process of information gathering should attempt to fit into the exchange model of assessment, irrespective of the method of intervention and should be the basis of a working relationship which moves towards partnership (Watson and West, 2006). As part of the engagement and assessment process, the worker needs to negotiate with the service user to understand the issue(s) that need to be addressed and method(s) employed and take into account not only the nature of the problem but also the urgency and potential consequences of not intervening (Doel and Marsh, 1992). Importance should be placed on presenting and underlying issues early in the assessment process as it enables the worker to look at an assessment framework and approach that assists short or long-term methods of intervention. An inclusive and holistic assessment enables the service user to have a direct influence on the method of intervention selected and be at the heart of the process. The process of assessment must be shared with and understood by the service user for any method of intervention to be successful (Watson and West, 2006). The workers approach also has an influence on method selection as this will affect how they perceive and adapt to specific situations. The implementation of methods is affected by both the values of the method and value base of the individual worker. The worker will also influence how the method is applied in practice through implementation, evaluation, perceived expertise and attitude to empowerment and partnership. Methods such as task centred are seen to be empowering with ethnic minority and other oppressed groups as service users are seen to be able to define their own problems (Ahmad, 1990). However, when an approach is used which is worker or agency focused the service user may not be fully enabled to define the problem and results in informing but not engaging them in determining priorities. Empowerment and partnership involves sharing and involving service users in method selection, application of the method, allocation of tasks, responsibilities, evaluation and review and is crucial in enabling facing challenges in their situations and lives. However, service users can have difficulty with this level of information-sharing and may prefer that the worker take the lead role rather than negotiating something different and not wish to acquire new skills to have full advantage of the partnership offered. Selecting a method of intervention should not be a technical process of information gathering and a tick box process to achieve a desired outcome. Milner and OByrne (2002) suggest it requires combining various components such as analysis and understanding of the service user, worker and the mandate of the agency providing the service otherwise intervention could be is restrictive and limit available options. However, negotiation and the competing demands of all involved parties must be considered and the basis of anti-oppresive practice established. Methods of intervention can be a complex and demanding activity especially in terms of time and energy and therefore, short-term term methods are seen as less intensive and demanding of the worker as well as more successful in practice. However, Watson and West (2006: 62) see this as a misconception, as the popular more short-term methods often make extensive demands on the workers time and energy. Workers are often dealing with uncertainty as each service user have different capabilities, levels of confidence and support networks. Therefore, there is no one ideal method for any given situation but a range of methods that have both advantages and disadvantages and as Trethivick (2005: 1) suggests workers need to have a toolkit to begin to understand people and need to widen the range of options available in order for them to respond flexibly and appropriately to each new situation (Parker and Bradley, 2003). When using methods of intervention, workers have to be organised to ensure that the task is proactively carried out and often attempt to prioritise involvement with service users against both local and national contexts and provide an appropriate level of service within managerial constraints. This prioritisation means in practice that, given the extensive demands, work using methods can only be with four or five service users at any one time and with the additional pressure of monitoring and supervising service users and reports, risk response is often responsive and crisis driven (Watson and West, 2006). To work in an empowering and anti-oppressive perspective is to ensure that intervention focuses clearly on the needs of the service user, is appropriate to the situation than the needs of the service. An understanding of these competing demands and the workers ability to influence decision-making processes does impact on method selection however, this should not mean that the service is diluted and methods be partially implemented as this is not conducive to managerial or professional agendas on good practice. Thompson (2000:43) sees this as the set of common patterns, assumptions, values and norms that become established within an organisation over time and a concern of workers is competitive workplace cultures where ability is based on the number of cases managed rather than the quality that is provided to service users which may result in use of less time-consuming methods. For work to be effective, an ethical and a professional not just a bureaucratic response to pressures faced is required and is not about the service user fitting into the worker or agencys preferred way of working but looking at what is best for the service user and finding creative ways to make this happen. Workers need to be careful not to seen as the expert who will resolve the situation as even the most established and experienced practitioners have skills gaps and often develop skills when working with the service users. This process of learning in practice requires good support and supervision, enabling the worker to reflect on assumptions about service users and their capabilities especially in relation to gender, race, age or disability to prevent internalised bias to impact on what the service user requires to work on to change the situation (Watson and West, 2006). It is crucial to appreciate the situation from the service users perspective and see them as unique individuals as Taylor and Devine (1993: 4) state the clients perception of the situation has to be the basis of effective social work. This concern is also shared by Howe (1987:3) describing the clients perception is an integral part of the practice of social work. Service users often have their own assumptions about what social work is and what workers are able to provide which is generally based on past relationships and experiences for example, black service users experience may reflect a service which in the past was not appropriate to their needs (Milner and Byrne, 1998: 23) but to alleviate this practitioners need to work in an open, honest and empowering manner and recognise that although service users may be in negative situations they also have strengths and skills that need to be utilised in the social work relationship. Workers should ensure that written agreements are developed that acknowledge all participants roles and responsibilities and avoid assumptions or issues (Lishman, 1994), this avoids breakdown in trust and encourages honesty and open shared responsibility between service user and worker. This involves negotiation on what should be achieved, by whom, including agency input. Agreements can provide the potential for empowering practice that involves partnership. However, cognisance has to be taken to ensure that the agreement does not become a set of non-negotiated tasks that service users have no possibility of achieving, combined with no reciprocal commitment or obligations by the worker as this does not address the issue of empowerment or oppression and can reinforce the power difference (Rojek and Collins, 1988). The final stage of the process is termination which should be planned and allow both parties time and opportunity to prepare for the future however, it has to be carefully and sensitively constructed and is much easier to achieve if the work has been methodical with clear goals as it demonstrates what has been achieved. Evaluation is beneficial as it enables the service user and worker to be reminded of timescales and can acknowledge the service users increasing skills, empowerment, confidence and self-esteem which can be utilised after the intervention has ended. Endings can however, be difficult for both the worker and service user resulting from various factors such as complexity of service users situation, issues of dependency and lack of clarity about purpose and intervention. This lack of clarity can result in a situation of uncertainty for both worker and service user (Watson and West, 2006). Finally, termination as part of the change process creates opportunities but also fea r, anxiety and loss (Coulshed and Orme, 1998). It is important for workers to take a step back and reflect on their practice and review their experiences to ensure that they are providing the best possible service in the most ethical and effective manner. Reflective practice provides support and enables workers to not just meet the needs of the organisation but also develop their own knowledge and skills and increased understanding of their own approach and the situation experienced by service users. A good tool to facilitate this is the use of reflective diaries. Reflecting in action and on action both influences and enhances current and future practice. The use of effective supervision is another process where workload management, forum for learning and problem-solving should take place which should be supportive and enabling to the worker (Kadushin and Harkness, 2002). However, the workers role in supervision is often viewed as passive as the supervisor sets the agenda. This can lead to disempowerment of the worker in relation to the agency and is potentially oppressive and discriminatory and provides a poor role model for work with service users and therefore consideration must be given on how they can create a positive and empowering relationship (Thompson, 2002). In conclusion, good practice requires workers to have knowledge to understand the person in situation, (Hollis, 1972) understanding both sociological (society and community) and psychological (personality and life span) and the interrelation and impact on the service user (Howe, 1987). A critical skill for effective and ethical practice is empowerment which is based on knowledge and values and is the difference between informing and genuine partnership and the importance of active participation of service users throughout the process. Social work is a value based activity and workers through reflection and supervision can all learn from experiences, adapt and enhance these to develop practice and gain self-awareness to understand how they themselves and their approach impacts on service users.

Essay --

Ajibade Olorunfemi Professor Damion Quaye EN102 December 1, 2013 Sex Discrimination in Workplace Gender discrimination in a workplace refers to beliefs and attitudes in relation to the gender of a person at work. It is well-defined as adverse action again another person that would not have occurred had the person been another sex. Sexual discrimination should not be scrambled with sexual aggravation, although it is a form of sexual discrimination. Unfortunately, men and women face sex discernment. Women are one of the groups being discriminated against today. They try very hard to fit in and be successful in their careers. In Audre Lorde article on human differences, Age, class, sex and race, she also saw human difference could result as difference in sex. In this research, I was able to determine discernment against women is found in many workplaces. Some managers try to fix this problem, but others just ignore it. Companies that pretend that gender discrimination doesn’t exist are usually the ones that get sued for it most. Other companies try to avoid law suits by dea ling with sex discrimination and resolving fights before it gets to the law suits. Promotion and pay gap are the main concerns in gender discrimination. Many studies in the past and present have shown that women do not get promoted as fast as men and do not get the equal pay for the same kind of jobs as men. Many females feel as if they have been cheated, robbed of what they deserve. Glass ceiling prevents women from moving up in their careers, and in some cases makes it almost unbearable to get a promotion. In my opinion, female workers in the U.S. should be treated equally at work as their male coworkers. Females should be paid the same wages for the same skil... ...g Female† by Pozener, Jennifer L. Article from Montgomery College library database. 21 June 2013. â€Å"Gender discrimination in the corporate world,† by Pratik Gandhi and Sagal Agrawal. Human discrimination definition on .web 21 June 2013 â€Å"Women and Workplace Discrimination.† By Raymond F. Gregory. Book from Montgomery college library. 18 June 2013. â€Å"Sexually Explicit Images in Advertising.† By Tim Boyle. Article from Montgomery college library database. 21 June 2013 â€Å"Gender Work place problem†, by United State Supreme court. Article context from .web July 3 2013. Type 1 and Type 2. Context from by U.S supreme court. Article context from .web 26 June 2013. Women Career Planning, 1996. By women affair 1996. Article context from .web 26 June 2013. â€Å"Raise of Marginal Voice† by Statham Anne. Presents discrimination solutions, from Montgomery College library. 21 June 2013.

How successfully does tourist industry in the Canaries add value? Essay

How successfully does tourist industry in the Canaries add value? To what extent is Maslow’s hierarchy is applied to motivate staff in Souvenir Palace? Souvenir Palace, a retail outlet company started in the year 1991 by Jose Ignacio. They are specialist sellers in Souvenirs. Apart from that, they have also started to sell cigarettes, tobacco and electronics. This decision was taken a couple of years back when the company was making success in the market by opening their shop no. 5 in the last 12 months. Now, they have more than 200 employees working in the company over different 40 department stores throughout the island of Gran Canaria which is located in Spain. Now in the future they are thinking of selling perfumes as well. One of the retail outlets of the Souvenir Palace company. The key factor behind the company’s success has been the huge amount of tourism industry that is located on the island. This been a huge fact on the success of the record sale of the year that the company made (1.6 million à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ – 250 million pesetas)1 in the year 2000. Not only, tourism has helped the company grow, the motivation strategies applied by Mr. Jose Ignacio has also helped them to gain a major market share than of their competitors. This competitive advantage of years has given them a good brand image because of their excellent service and relationship with customers. A major fact that approves that tourism has helped the company to grow is that before the September 11 attacks, many people used to travel and come to this beautiful island. That was the time when the record sales were made. After the September 11 attacks, sales have fallen dramatically.2 They have had a 40% decrease since then.3 This has really affected them, which has destroyed their future plan of selling perfumes. Now they are thinking of applying other strategies of improving their sales and improving their performance like they had before the September 11 attacks. Tourism was growing from the year 1995 till 2001, suddenly when those attacks occurred and there was a major decline in the tourism industry. This has affected the whole world. However, the company is still doing well, as Mr. Jose Ignacio tries to motivate their employees. Mr. Jose Ignacio believes in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. He thinks that by referring to Maslow’s theory, you can motivate the employees better. First of all, he tries to provide them with the basic needs such as food and shelter. Then, he thinks of the further stages on the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. These are Security needs. He does this by providing them with permanent contracts, giving a good, friendly and healthy working condition. Then he would think of Esteem needs. This is done by team working, as this would help all of the employees become good colleagues having good relationship which could result to both, formal and informal communication within the company. Finally, he would decide to go for the self-actualisation, this means that he gives his employees higher responsibility than they normally have and to praise them for their job well done as they could feel good and also that the company needs them and they are a part of their organisation. However, there are limitations for promoting employees. These limitations are that not many people can be promoted, because the company doesn’t need so many higher levels of staff, so not many people can be promoted. Also, not much responsibility could be given to any employee, because each employee has only a particular task. We can also tell that the company is doing very well by making some simple comparisons between the different companies on the island. Reports show that souvenir Palace has done far better and kept ahead of the game.4 One way to show this is that they have kept expanding their business while others have been the same. Moreover, comparisons of balance sheets have been made by many business analysts on the island who have prepared their reports for the public interest. The other main factor that has been the key for the company has been the motivation strategies that have been applied by the CEO, Mr. Jose Ignacio. In the interview, he told me that, â€Å"It has been five years now that I have been using the democratic leadership style, which has helped me to come close to my employees and to know them better†5 Surely, this would help the employee to enjoy their stay at this company better. Another type of motivation strategy they he applies are giving the employees fringe benefits. These fringe benefits could be discounts on the company’s products, other non-monetary rewards such as small free products that are promoted by other companies for their sales, etc. â€Å"Pay is not the only way to motivate the employees. One of the main ways in order to motivate the employees is just by praising them or by recognizing them for a job well done.†6 This can make any employee feel better. Moreover, he has given his employees a job security by giving them permanent contracts. This means that employees know that they have a secured job. This is very important because short term contracts dominate the employment market on the Canary Isles as the local newspaper says â€Å"Contratos a corto plazo es la causa de desempleo en nuestras islas.†7 Mr. Jose Ignacio believes in the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This hierarchy tells us that employees don’t get satisfied neither by the basic needs of food and shelter nor by the security needs. They need to reach to their full potential, which is the self-actualisation. To do this one should delegate more responsibilities to their managers. This makes the managers feel that they are a part of the company and the company needs them. They will also feel that Mr. Jose Ignacio believes in them. This good belief in each other could help to build a strong relationship between the staff at the company. In conclusion, I think that the key factors behind the company’s success have been the tourism in the island of Gran Canaria as well as the motivation strategies applied by Mr. Jose Ignacio. However, I think that the motivation factor dominates more than the tourism factor. This has been very noticeable after Mr. Jose Ignacio applied the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.    1 Taken from the company’s balance sheets. 2 Taken from articles of the magazine – â€Å"Newsweek†. 3 Made from the comparisons of the company’s annual balance sheets. 4 Reports from the business analysts on the island. 5 Taken from the interview with Mr. Jose Ignacio. 6 Taken from the interview with Mr. Jose Ignacio. 7 From an article in the local newspaper, â€Å"La Provincia†.

Online shopping vs. Traditional Shopping Essay

Shopping is an exciting part of American culture, whether you participate or not. With a boost from cyberspace, a person can buy just about anything without leaving the couch. Both types of transactions coexist with one another, yet window-shopping is a distinctly different experience from Internet shopping. Shopping is no longer as simple as it used to be, especially if you’re picky. Whether it’s web-based or face-to-face browsing, there are some benefits and downfalls to both methods that differentiate the two, even though they each accomplish a common goal. When shopping traditionally there is a limitation to some extent, whether it’s a variety of size, color, brand, or availability. Shopping at the store can be convenient, yet frustrating. Finding what you need takes patience and sometimes a little help. Also, depending on the demand, a store may not always have a product in stock. Even more irritating is finding what you need, just not the right size. Each of these situations makes online shopping the more appealing option. When shopping on the Internet, there are endless options and variety to choose from. Online customers can search for any product; browse by category, color, size, brand, etc.; or just take a peek at everything in a matter of minutes. Another appealing factor to Internet shopping is the availability to choose from additional colors, styles, or sizes because of the mass compiling of inventory. Additionally, a benefit from buying from huge online retailers is that pricing may be more competitive because it is coming from the direct or discount supplier, which minimizes the middlemen. Lastly, and most obviously, customers shopping over the web have no geographic limits. A person can enjoy any good around the world without having to go the distance to retrieve it, which makes Internet shopping so unique. Despite the fascination with online shopping, there is only so much an Internet connection and domain can do for you. Browsing a website’s product listing is in no way comparable to being able to physically touch, see, smell, or feel a product when making a purchase. Looks can be deceiving, as well as luring descriptions. No matter what angle its viewed from, pictures only provide a two-dimensional detail of a product in the most attractive lighting, with the happiest people enjoying it, or the best looking person  modeling it. Making a decision based on these intentionally placed marketing methods can alter a consumer’s perception of the true quality of a product, more than likely resulting in dissatisfaction. What makes traditional shopping more appealing in this aspect is that a consumer is more than likely aware of what their buying into, rather than blindly buying into a false belief. A person is capable of fully experiencing the true quality of a product without a bias on it’s presentation. By witnessing a product in material form, consumers are given the opportunity to make a judgment without having to dodge marketing obstacles. A person’s five senses assist in getting to the bottom of the misunderstanding created by deceptive showcasing techniques and assure the best decision. Likewise, when deals in cyberspace seem too good to be true, they usually are. A person’s susceptibility to scam is increased when shopping on the Internet. The occurrence of personal information theft, such as credit cards, is alarmingly high. When shopping traditionally, a person is not faced with as high of chances of this happening. Due to the existence of many untrusted or sketchy websites, a person may not want to be so quick to hand over method of payment. Also, even if a website is trusted, there is always room for error, especially when a computer is the main coordinator of the order processing. The possibility of receiving the incorrect item from the supplier is a risk that is taken each time a person resorts to Internet shopping. Making Internet order returns are an even trickier task, whereas returning an item to a traditional store is just as simple as the way you bought it. Internet merchandise returns can take several weeks to process and refunds can come in exchanges, full refunds, or store credit, adding to the inconvenient complications. Nevertheless, nobody usually enjoys spending long hours at the store, making a trip to a mall out of town, or doing anything generally shopping related. Traditional shopping can take a lot of energy and effort, inflict stress, and lead to impulse purchases. All of these results are undesirable and easily avoided through Internet shopping. With a computer or smartphone, a person has access to millions of online stores as well as websites to favorite traditional stores. All of these options are available from the  comfort of any home (with internet of course.) You can shop on your own time rather than the hours of operation of a traditional store. Heck, you can even shop naked if you desire. Not only can using this alternative make shopping convenient and easy, shipping of products is extremely affordable and sometimes free. Money and time usually spent on transportation and food when shopping formally can be saved, on top of the savings one can find online. Finding deals on the web is just as easy, if not easier, than traditional shopping. Also, buying gifts and other personal items can be done in privacy/secrecy when necessary. In conclusion, both methods of shopping are full of differences and similarities that make them unique in some approach. Traditional shopping allows for inclusion of the five senses, quick and safe transactions, and a more formal experience that includes the customer; whereas Internet shopping is convenient and easy, provides increased option, and helps to save money. Due to the variation in execution, both methods have an appropriate time and place to occur, yet in the end, internet shopping and formal shopping are interchangeable, despite the discrepancies.

Alkali Metal Definition (Chemistry)

Alkali Metal Definition (Chemistry) An alkali metal is any of the elements found in Group IA of the periodic table  (the first column). Alkali metals are very reactive chemical species which readily lose their one valence electron to form ionic compounds with nonmetals. All elements in the alkali metal group occur in nature. List of Alkali Metals The alkali metals are: Lithium  (Li)Sodium (Na)Potassium  (K)Rubidium (Rb)Cesium  (Cs)Francium (Fr) The IUPAC excludes hydrogen (H) as an alkali metal because it occurs as a gas under ordinary temperatures and pressures. However, hydrogen displays many of the properties associated with elements in the group and does become an alkali metal under extremely high pressure. Alkali Metal Properties The alkali metals are all soft, shiny, reactive metals. Although they are soft enough to cut with a knife, exposing a bright surface, the metals react with water and air to quickly tarnish. The pure metals are stored in an inert atmosphere or under oil to prevent oxidation. All of the metals react vigorously with water, with the energy of the reaction increasing as you move down the periodic table. None of the alkali metals exists free in nature. They are found as salts. All of the metals form crystals with the body-centered cubic structure. Sources Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.Lide, D. R., ed. (2005). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (86th ed.). Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-0486-5.

Statistics 2 Coursework Essay Example

Statistics 2 Coursework Essay Example Statistics 2 Coursework Essay Statistics 2 Coursework Essay Essay Topic: Orlando In my coursework, I am going to investigate the correlation between the field goals attempted (FGA) and field goals made (FGM) of 50 different basketball players in NBA. It is worth to do because it will prove if the players attempt more field goals, whether he will get more points or not. Furthermore, the accuracy of shooting is dependent on many factors, such as the performance of players, home and away match, the shooting distance, the players position. To consider these factors, the percentage of field goals should be different from each NBA players. Also, it is useful to discuss whether a player will get more points if he makes more shootings in the games. Because it is necessary for the coach to know whether a reliable player will keep his accuracy on shooting even if his field goals attempted is large, and to find out whether it is easier to get points inside rather than outside in the basketball court. This is the important factor to win the match. Data Collecting The data is collected from NBA 2003 league. There are totally 476 players in NBA, and 29 teams, 65 international players from 34 countries. As I only need 50 sampling, so I choose my 50 sampling randomly from different teams. In my sampling, it contains Centre, Power Forward, Small Forward, Shooting Guard, and Point Guard. Field goals attempted (FGA) and field goals made (FGM) is recorded from the previous 60 matches including home and away in NBA 2003 season. And FGA includes 3-points FGA, and 2-points FGA, even when the players dunks or throws the basketball in the basket luckily in the last few second, it is also counted. All the data are collected by NBA staffs. Their special job is to record the data in each game. So I believe that the data are very reliable and of good quality. So, the following data are presented neatly and concisely. NBA PLAYER FGA FGM Shaquille ONeal ( Los Angeles Lakers) 848 477 Carlos Boozer ( Cleveland Cavaliers) 448 237 P.J. Brown ( New Orleans Hornets) 488 256 Radoslav Nesterovic ( Minnesota Timberwolves) 684 358 Pau Gasol ( Memphis Grizzlies) 842 440 Yao Ming ( Houston Rockets) 611 315 Brad Miller ( Indiana Pacers) 583 300 Nene Hilario ( Denver Nuggets) 491 249 Brian Grant ( Miami Heat) 535 270 Elton Brand ( Los Angeles Clippers) 754 379 Matt Harpring ( Utah Jazz) 796 397 Tim Duncan ( San Antonio Spurs) 1,098 547 Kevin Garnett ( Minnesota Timberwolves) 1,205 599 Keith Van Horn ( Philadelphia 76ers) 804 396 Calbert Cheaney ( Utah Jazz) 514 253 Richard Jefferson ( New Jersey Nets) 685 336 Bobby Jackson ( Sacramento Kings) 588 286 John Stockton ( Utah Jazz) 525 253 Kurt Thomas ( New York Knicks) 811 389 Shareef Abdur-Rahim ( Atlanta Hawks) 944 450 Rasheed Wallace ( Portland Trail Blazers) 839 395 Sam Cassell ( Milwaukee Bucks) 926 435 Jermaine ONeal ( Indiana Pacers) 992 464 Dirk Nowitzki ( Dallas Mavericks) 1,133 528 Larry Hughes ( Washington Wizards) 640 298 Michael Redd ( Milwaukee Bucks) 763 355 Chris Webber ( Sacramento Kings) 1,069 496 Antawn Jamison ( Golden State Warriors) 1,110 515 Donyell Marshall ( Chicago Bulls) 788 365 Amare Stoudemire ( Phoenix Suns) 650 301 Karl Malone ( Utah Jazz) 1,026 475 Kenyon Martin ( New Jersey Nets) 859 397 Mike Bibby ( Sacramento Kings) 520 240 Predrag Stojakovic ( Sacramento Kings) 804 371 Steve Nash ( Dallas Mavericks) 859 396 Vlade Divac ( Sacramento Kings) 554 255 Lorenzen Wright ( Memphis Grizzlies) 571 262 Kerry Kittles ( New Jersey Nets) 534 245 Tony Parker ( San Antonio Spurs) 802 367 Tracy McGrady ( Orlando Magic) 1,454 665 Drew Gooden ( Orlando Magic) 712 324 Richard Hamilton ( Detroit Pistons) 990 450 Eric Snow ( Philadelphia 76ers) 634 288 Kobe Bryant ( Los Angeles Lakers) 1,520 689 Corliss Williamson ( Detroit Pistons) 638 289 Scottie Pippen ( Portland Trail Blazers) 582 262 Juwan Howard ( Denver Nuggets) 992 446 Gary Payton ( Milwaukee Bucks) 1,197 537 Desmond Mason ( Milwaukee Bucks) 794 355 Gilbert Arenas ( Golden State Warriors) 895 398 Modelling procedures In the case of the data in my sample, there are two variables, FGA and FGM. This is an example of bivariate data, where each item in the population requires the values of two variables. The best way I can do to present these data is to plot a scatter diagram. However, I have to decide which variable is independent and which is dependent. The independent one is going to be x-axis, and the dependent one is going to be y-axis. Anyway, it is very obvious in my sample that FGA must be independent, because the player has to attempt the field goal for the field goal made in the game. So FGA is my x-axis, and FGM is my y-axis. In the examples both the variables have unpredictable values and so are random. The same is true for my sample about FGM and FGA in NBA. Both variables are random variables, free to assume any of a particular set of discrete values in a given range. The variables are uncontrolled, we cannot assume a set of predetermined values. A scatter diagram is drawn with the axis clearly and correctly labelled. It is shown as below: According to the scatter diagram, we notice that almost all the observation points can be contained within an ellipse. As the elliptical profile is narrow, so the correlation is large. Analysis In the case of the data in my sample, what we will be looking at is the correlation between two variables. This is because in using correlation we are looking at the level of association between the two variables. From the scatter diagram, it can be seen that the sample data when plotted graphically is roughly a line with positive direction. What this shows us is that there is a correlation, and there is linear correlation. As a result, Pearsons product moment correlation coefficient is the appropriate measure of correlation to use, as it is a measure of linear correlation, this technique works out the correlation between the variables. I use the Product Moment Correlation which the formula is showed below: Value Number of team(n) 50 The sum of x: 40101 The mean of x: 40101/50=802 The square of mean of x: 643236 The sum of y: 19050 The mean of y: 19050/50=381 The square of mean of y: 145161 The sum of xà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½: 35138525 The sum of yà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½: 7871876 The sum of xy: 16609313 The mean of x times the mean of y 305570 =0.98 As 0.98 is very close to +1, so we can say that this is a very strong positive correlation. The further of the analysis is to see whether or not this strong positive correlation is likely to exist for its parent population. This is because the value r, we have calculated above is merely a measure of correlation of a sample from the parent population. To see whether the sample is similar to its parent population, we work out through a hypothesis test. Hypothesis Test: I will start a 1- tail hypothesis test with 5% significant level. When the value is in 5%significant level, it means that it is the critical value, it is not acceptable, it cannot represent that there is the same situation in its parent population. Null hypothesis There is no correlation between the variables Alternative hypothesis There is positive correlation between the variables The critical values for pmcc: ( from the table) For: n=50, at 5% significant level =0.2353 The pmcc of the FGA and FGM is: r = 0.98 0.2353 As 0.98 0.2353, the critical value, alternative hypothesis is accepted. The evidence from this 50 sample is sufficient to justify the claim that there is positive correlation between FGA and FGM. Interpretation According to the modelling procedures and analysis, there are a few things that has been discovered. From the scatter diagram, we can see that there is a linear correlation between FGA and FGM. As I process the Product Moment Correlation, r is equal to 0.98, which is very close the +1, so it shows that there is a very strong positive correlation between FGA and FGM. As I have carried out the hypothesis test with 5 % significant level, it indicates that my sample is not critical, there is also a positive correlation between FGA and FGM in its parent population. The conclusion that I can draw now is FGA(field goals attempted) is a key factor of FGM(field goals made). This is also true in its parent population. The parent population is like the other basketball matches in the other countries, for example the National Cup, or Brimingham League in Britain. A player attempts more field goals, he will make more field goals, this is my conclusion from analysis. However, the data were worth collecting because now we know that there is a strong positive correlation between FGA and FGM, it indicates that a player can get more points when he keeps on shooting. It doesnt matter if he misses more shot in each game, because he can make more field goals as well. Also, it is useful for the coach to consider whether a player is still accurate on shooting when he attempts more field goals, this is the key factor to bring the winning in each game. Accuracy and refinements In my investigation I have made effort to make sure that my data is accurate as possible. I have collected my data in the number of ways: 1. collect the data which is up-to-date from a reliable source, nba.com 2. taking the sample in a random order to stop the effects of human error 3. using a large sample size(50 samples) to make sure that the sample is large enough to represent its parent population As a result, my data are in good quality. However, there ae some possible sources of error, which may have affected my data. From the scatter diagram, it shows that there are outliers in my sample, we regard these as outlier because these two sample are far awasy from the group of data. These outlier may make the correlation becomes more positive. The correlation may get closer to +1. And from my data source, they are collected from NBA league. However, I think that I can improve the data, by collecting the sample which is not only from NBA league, but also in the other countries, like Britain or China. Because NBA, the league in Britain or China are at different level, it is clear that NBA players are much better than the players in China. So ensure that FGM(field goals made) is based on FGA(field goals attempted), without considering the ability of players, the best way to do is to collect the data from more different leagues. Also, to take even more sample to ensure that the sample is really large enough to represent its parent population. Finally, the data should be collected from the professional players only, this is also the restriction. Because only the professional players can keep his accuracy from time to time. We should not collect the data from the junior basketball match, like inter-house basketball in the school, but the large league like NBA or uni versities league.

A Brief Analysis Of A Streetcar Named Desire

A Brief Analysis Of A Streetcar Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, is an American drama play written in 1947. The play is widely considered an American classic and revolves around a cultural clash between the main characters. One of the more tragic figures is Blanche DuBois, as she is a character who feels confused, lost, conflicted, and lashes out sexually. Blanche represents the â€Å"old† South because of her way of thinking, values, and lifestyle. Contrary to Blanche, Stanley Kowalski is a main character that is portrayed as being dominant, aggressive, and sexual. Stanley represents the â€Å"new† South because of his dominance and control over Stella. Both these characters embody values which portray William’s message of the â€Å"old† versus â€Å"new† South. Tennessee Williams attempts to show through Stanley’s character that American is changing into a more aggressive, direct, and raw society. Stanley is a very dominant and somewhat arrogant character , who usually gets what he desires, such as when he rapes Blanche. Another clear example of Stanley’s dominance is the Napoleonic code, â€Å"we have the Napoleonic code according to which what belongs to the wife belongs to the husband† (35). His controlling and sexual character is evident throughout the play, including in the end in which he makes love with Stella after Blanche is taken to the hospital. Sexuality is also a theme throughout the play, as Williams is a homosexual and attempts to demonstrate homosexuality in a positive light through Stanley’s superficial and egoistical actions. An evident example is when Blanche wanted Stella to come with her and says that Stella is almost everything that she has in this world. However, Stanley sees Blanche taking Stella away and refuses to let Stella go, acting as if an animal that is protecting his territory. An example is when Stanley establishes power over Blanche through his marriage, as they are both fightin g for Stella, â€Å"Stella has embraced him with both arms, fiercely, and full in the view of Blanche. He laughs and clasps her head to him. Over her head he grins through the curtains at Blanche† (73). Stanley remains hostile towards Blanche throughout the play because of this incident, and meanwhile Blanche is having a difficult time adapting to the â€Å"new† South. Stella is unlike Blanche in the sense that she has learned to accept and adapt to the â€Å"new† South, however Blanche is still trying to cope with the loss of her husband. She could not overcome losing her husband, as he was a large part of her life and she was becoming mentally ill and delusional from the loss, â€Å"you know what I shall die of? I shall die of eating an unwashed grape one day out on the ocean† (136). An example is how she is consistently bathing to feel like a â€Å"new person†. She attempts to wash off the dirt which resonates from the past and tries to clear he r mind with frequent showers. Blanche also resorts to alcohol to alleviate her problems; however she has to hide it, as she realizes that it will hurt her reputation, â€Å"She rushes about frantically, hiding the bottle in a closet† (113). All this begins with the death of her husband.

Debate Pro-life and Pro-choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Debate Pro-life and Pro-choice - Essay Example This is in relation to the fact that it s the men who mainly create the policies barring women from participating in abortions. This is considering that it is the woman’s choice on whether to bring the child into the world as it involves her health and wellbeing on multiple aspects. In this case, pro-choice activists view it as a violation of human rights towards a given individual, or even on a gender basis. This is following the issue of women being forced to bring to life children they cannot handle on their own, or even do not want to bring into the world (â€Å"Crisis Pregnancy Centers† 3). Pro-choice activists also argue that forcing a woman to bring such a child into this world is an immoral act, as unwanted children are the largest cause of violence (Riley 1). In this regard, children have a moral right to responsible and willing parents, which make conscious conception a necessity in today’s world with all its social tragedies. The pro-choice argument at tempts to cover the wellbeing of both the child and the mother by bringing into perspective the social and economic wellbeing of the child and the health of the mother. In this light, the pro-choice argument supports legal abortion as it is of the view that whether abortion is legal or illegal, abortions are bound to happen, and it would rather they were legal in order to be safe than unsafe due to their illegality. On the other hand, the pro-life argument concerns itself with pushing for the rights of the fetus based on the belief that it remains an unborn human being. As a result, the fetus has equal rights as any other normal human being. Furthermore, it concerns itself with the innocence of the fetus, where its innocence is similar to that a child with no offence and no knowledge of the world. Pro-life activists argue that it is immoral to end the life of an unborn fetus, as

Trial of Galileo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Trial of Galileo - Essay Example He started studying for priesthood, but the scientific inkling in him did not allow him to become a priest. He left the course and instead joined a medical degree course at the University of Pisa. But he could never complete the degree and instead started studying mathematics with Ostilio Ricci, the mathematician of the Tuscan court. The genius in him kept bubbling with enthusiasm and at the age of nineteen Galileo had discovered isochronism principle of the pendulum. He got the inspiration while watching the oscillations of a lamp in the cathedral of Pisa. He propounded that pendulums of equal length had constant oscillation periods, i.e. the oscillations are isochronous regardless of the amplitude of the oscillation. He also visited the mathematician Christopher Clavius in Rome and started a correspondence with Guildobaldo del Monte. At the age of he invented the hydrostatic balance, which he described as an accurate balance for weighing things in air and water, which was a common method for weighing precious metals like gold during those days. He was offered a lectureship, at the University of Pisa when he was barely 25 yrs and subsequently Galileo successfully earned a name for himself as a renowned scientist and an excellent lecturer. He also obtained the chair of mathematics at the University of Padua in 1592. ... the heliocentric, or Sun-centered, system theory stating that the 'Sun is at the center of the universe, and that the Earth, spinning on its axis once daily, revolves yearly around the Sun'. Before this, astronomers believed in Ptolemy's geocentric universe theory, in which the Earth was told to be motionless at the center of several rotating spheres. Therefore there was widespread condemnation of Copernicus theory. But Galileo was the most vociferous supporter of Copernicus. Galileo became an ardent supporter of Copernicus theory when he discovered the Telescope and himself observed the sky. In 1609, Galileo set the telescope in his garden to see the Milky Way, the sky, the mountains and the valleys on the moon. In fact he was the first one to observe the moons of Jupiter and discuss the mountains on the moon. Galileo is also credited with determining the parabolic path of projectiles and calculated the law of free fall on the basis of experiments. And he started believing firmly in the theory put forward by Copernicus. He called upon people to come forward and see it themselves the composition of the celestial system around earth, but he was quite disappointed by the way people reacted to the theory of Copernicus. He expressed his anguish in a letter sent to Kepler in 1610. He wrote1, "My dear Kepler, what would you say of the learned here, who, replete with the pertinacity of the asp, have steadfastly refused to cast a glance through the telescope What shall we make of this Shall we laugh, or shall we cry" It became clear that the Copernican theory had its enemies." Based on his encounters with stars through telescope, in 1610 he published 'The Starry Messenger; and thereafter accepted a position as Mathematician and Philosopher to the Grand Duke of Tuscany

Project E Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project E - Essay Example perceive sound that comes from sound or a speaker while listening is the ability to comprehend or decode the meaning of the information from the speaker or sound. Students can be tested for their audio literacy skills by giving them tests to see if they both heard and listened to the lessons that were taught in class. Another method is to give the students audio books of tutorials that teach how to operate certain software and ask them to demonstrate their understanding of the software. There are a number of ways that can help you improve your listening skills. Hearing is one thing and listening to the information is another. It always advisable to be attentive when listening so that the information being conveyed is understood. I will explain four ways to help you improve your listening skills. I would like to conclude by saying that hearing and listening go together. Meaning that one must hear first before listening. If you fail to hear you will not listen. There are four ways of improving your listening skills and they include: maintenance of eye contact, avoiding obstruction, concentration on the message’s content and reading the body

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

FORD - Essay Example But according to me they should have given their customers the actual information. It would give the public a sense of trust in Ford. The real ethics lies in having the faith of the customers by thinking about their well being. As per a Ford inside notice, the optimal approach to defeat the security issue was by bringing down the core of gravity, enlarging the Explorers wheel base, and utilizing a more diminutive P215 tire. Then again, when further dissection was carried out, Ford understood that stretching the wheel base and bringing down the core of gravity might have deferred the processing, and consequently it chose to act "unethically" Rowell (2008). This shows that Ford was aware of the problem and they also knew the reason for it. It was a fault on their end. They had the thought process of saving their reputation. We can use the Utilitarian approach in this situation. Consistent with the Utilitarian Approach, the maker of the item ought to be considered answerable for the imperfections as opposed to the retailer, and it is the obligation of each maker to guarantee that it processes the most secure items conceivable. Accordingly dependent upon the Utilitarian Approach, it could be reasoned that Ford was "unethical" since it was regulating the methodology through which Explorer was transformed, and in this manner it is to be considered ethically and also lawfully answerable for the imperfections which were available in the vehicle. Based on this theory it can be said that the responsibility should have been taken by Ford. Yes Ford should have taken the responsibility instead of blaming the whole issue on Firestone. It was unethical on their part to protect themselves and blaming a tire manufacture. Ford should have recalled all the faulty cars that had been manufactured by them and should be replaced with the non faulty one or should have repaired the cars on their own expense. According to me it was

Role of technology and Cultural Competence Essay

Role of technology and Cultural Competence - Essay Example Teaching practices have become more efficient and effective, alongside enhancing creativity and innovativeness in the application of these technologies by students. Moreover, shifts in teaching paradigms have been realized (Bates & Poole, 2003), allowing both teachers and students to counter emerging negativities related to technology in the teaching and learning context. Cultural, social, economic, and political factors influence education in variant ways. In this respect, the assertion that public education responds primarily to political, not economic forces generates a critically arguable statement. Personally, public education addresses more than just the political factor. There are many and different stakeholders involved in the operationalization of the education sector (Prensky, 2008). On the same note, the teaching and learning environment is characterized by diverse players that exhibit differentiated interests in an education context. It is hardly arguable that all these stakeholders are politically motivated. Therefore, public education encompasses many forces, both political and economic included. The contemporary classroom environment within and across countries is characterized by cultural diversity. Multiculturalism in the global context has become essential as the internet breaks local, regional, national, and international boundaries (Montgomery, 2001). Teaching and learning practices are increasingly becoming influenced by multiculturalism, following the opening up of education to the international community. In American context, the classroom environment is made up of domestic and international students (Irvine & York, 2001). Their coexistence is coherent when multiculturalism in play. Multiculturalism informs the manner in which global diversity is being dealt with. (Paley, 1992; Gurian & Kathy, 2004) contends that the internet has enhanced global interconnectedness, thereby raising the significance of

Project E Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project E - Essay Example perceive sound that comes from sound or a speaker while listening is the ability to comprehend or decode the meaning of the information from the speaker or sound. Students can be tested for their audio literacy skills by giving them tests to see if they both heard and listened to the lessons that were taught in class. Another method is to give the students audio books of tutorials that teach how to operate certain software and ask them to demonstrate their understanding of the software. There are a number of ways that can help you improve your listening skills. Hearing is one thing and listening to the information is another. It always advisable to be attentive when listening so that the information being conveyed is understood. I will explain four ways to help you improve your listening skills. I would like to conclude by saying that hearing and listening go together. Meaning that one must hear first before listening. If you fail to hear you will not listen. There are four ways of improving your listening skills and they include: maintenance of eye contact, avoiding obstruction, concentration on the message’s content and reading the body

Role of technology and Cultural Competence Essay

Role of technology and Cultural Competence - Essay Example Teaching practices have become more efficient and effective, alongside enhancing creativity and innovativeness in the application of these technologies by students. Moreover, shifts in teaching paradigms have been realized (Bates & Poole, 2003), allowing both teachers and students to counter emerging negativities related to technology in the teaching and learning context. Cultural, social, economic, and political factors influence education in variant ways. In this respect, the assertion that public education responds primarily to political, not economic forces generates a critically arguable statement. Personally, public education addresses more than just the political factor. There are many and different stakeholders involved in the operationalization of the education sector (Prensky, 2008). On the same note, the teaching and learning environment is characterized by diverse players that exhibit differentiated interests in an education context. It is hardly arguable that all these stakeholders are politically motivated. Therefore, public education encompasses many forces, both political and economic included. The contemporary classroom environment within and across countries is characterized by cultural diversity. Multiculturalism in the global context has become essential as the internet breaks local, regional, national, and international boundaries (Montgomery, 2001). Teaching and learning practices are increasingly becoming influenced by multiculturalism, following the opening up of education to the international community. In American context, the classroom environment is made up of domestic and international students (Irvine & York, 2001). Their coexistence is coherent when multiculturalism in play. Multiculturalism informs the manner in which global diversity is being dealt with. (Paley, 1992; Gurian & Kathy, 2004) contends that the internet has enhanced global interconnectedness, thereby raising the significance of

Charles Dickens engender sympathy Essay Example for Free

Charles Dickens engender sympathy Essay How does Charles Dickens engender sympathy for his protagonist Pip in this extract from Great Expectations? In this essay on Great Expectations, I am going to explore how the experiences of the main character Pip, create sympathy from the reader for him and how Dickens has put this across. Charles Dickens has written a gripping novel, set in his time and he has created sympathy for Pip in many different ways throughout the text. A first example of this is when Pip visits Miss Havishams house and meets Estella. She called me boy so often and with a carelessness that was far from complimentary7, this shows that the way Estella spoke to Pip and that, instead of addressing him by his name, she just called him boy as if he was not worthy of his name, and he could sense that she did not really like him because of the way she said this, as indicated in the quote. This makes the reader feel sorry for Pip as Estella was very rude to him and unwelcoming, and nobody would really like to be in his position. So as well as being uncomfortable at the way Estella treats him, Pip also feels uncomfortable with his new surroundings as he has grown up with Joe and his Sister in poor, working class conditions at a Blacksmiths forge, whereas Satis House is very different. It is rich and grand but also scary for Pip. The first thing I noticed was that the passages were all dark, this shows that Pip must have been quite frightened because of the darkness, and he was in a strange place but it is even worse that it is the first thing he noticed about the house. Pip was frightened of his surroundings as they were gothic and dark and very different, but the fact that he did know anyone at all must have also been a challenging experience. At last we came to the door of a room and she said, Go in/ I answered more in shyness than politeness, After you miss. To this she returned: Dont be ridiculous boy; I am not going in. And scornfully walked away, and what was worse took the candle with her. This was very uncomfortable and I was half afraid/ This long quote, from the extract shows a lot, first of all that he was very shy and uncomfortable in everyway at where he was and that he didnt know anyone and he was also afraid. When he entered Miss Havishams room he was afraid again because of the very strange surroundings he entered into. No glimpse of daylight was to be seen in it! this shows that it was very unusual and he was quite frightened and also when he saw Miss Havisham, the strangest lady I have ever seen or shall ever see/ As well as being very strange, Pip also noticed that she was extremely rich, some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table/ Pip was not used to seeing such finery or such unusual surroundings so all of this makes the reader feel very sympathetic towards him. Miss Havishams mental state could also be a coarse for concern as, since her fianci left her on their wedding day and broke her heart she went a bit mad and stopped all of the clocks in the house and, by never touching anything in her room she tried literally to stop time at the prosiest second her heart was broken. Her watch had stopped at twenty minutes to nine and she says to Pip What do I touch? Your heart. Broken! This experience must have been very frightening and unsettling for a young naive boy who was not used to being in the presence of such an eccentric and slightly mad old lady. Not just the fact that Miss Havisham was strange and so were her surroundings she also spoke to Pip and ordered him in a very strange and suspicious/manner. I sometimes have sick fancies and I have a sick fancy that I want to see some play. There, there! Play, play, play! This order seems rather strange for an old woman to have a fancy to see a young boy play but also the repetitive way in which she commands him to Play, play, play! She says this three times and Pip does not really know what to do so he therefore feels very awkward. After the harsh words from Estella and meeting Miss Havisham, Pip starts to feel the realisation of his low social status. This boy, why he is a common labouring boy, these words from Estella hurt Pip deeply but he did not show his true emotions until he was alone. As I cried, I kicked the wall and took a hard twist at my hair; so bitter where my feelings! Dickens has displayed this very well as you can also feel a connection with him, because it is written in first person narration I, so you feel like Pip is actually talking to you, and you could imagine if you were in Pips position you, yourself would feel very frightened and uncomfortable so you end up feeling sorry and sympathetic for him.

The importance of the work of Kipling

The importance of the work of Kipling   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I am honoured to have come here today as a keynote speaker to present to you the new poetry anthology, titled ?The Spirit of the Ages?. As many of you ask, what is this anthology about, and what does it have to do with the spirit of the ages? To address that question, I have picked a poet, Rudyard Kipling, and his poem ?The White Man?s Burden? as an example to discuss the significance of their inclusion of this anthology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To understand the importance of the work of Kipling, we must first understand the world that he lived in, that he captured the very essence of his age in. He was born in India in 1865 during the British Empire. Although he was educated in England, he considered himself an ?Anglo-Indian?, a term for those born in India under British rule. This type of imperialism, confusion of identity and national allegiance would become prominent motifs in his poetry. During his life, Britain was unchallenged in massing countries under the British Empire, and evident in Kipling?s poems, his belief was that it was the empires? duty to act as a global law force. Kipling?s only son died during 1915, during the early stages of World War One. This tragedy in his life led him to write revolutionary poetry based on his ideologies, not based on the glory and honour of war, which was trend, but about the common soldiers in trenches fighting for survival, depicting the reality of war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The chosen poem, ?The White Man?s Burden? is an excellent example of how Kipling takes a snapshot of his time and instills it into future generations. Although many will find the racial prejudice repugnant, be aware that during the late 19th century this was considered the social norm. This poem in itself can be considered an artifact for which we can relate to the social, emotional and personal reflections of Kipling, by gaining an insight into his world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem was the original poem Kipling planned to write for Queen Victoria?s Diamond Jubilee, however was substituted with another poem, ?Recessional?. Instead, with the subtitle ?The United States and the Philipine Islands?, it was published in 1899 in American magazine McClure?s as a response to the American controlled Philipines which were taken after the Spanish-American War. The poem was Kipling?s warning that likened imperialism to an unsupported goldmine, able to gain many riches, but at the same instant could collapse and destroy many. This controversial poem lit the fuse of the debate of whether the Empire was beneficial or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem?s title was embraced by the colonists in America, and ?The White Man?s Burden? almost became a slogan. They decided to ignore the warnings of Kipling blatantly transcribed in the poem, and instead it became a near anthem for those who wished to justify imperialism. The title was also a common phrase in everyday use, for example, an advert titled ?The White Man?s Poem?, no doubt inspired from the poem itself, was published to be aimed at white people ?burdening? themselves to teach those of other races the importance of hygiene.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For what reasons did Kipling write the poem? Some conclude that Kipling had a very Eurocentric view of the world. This meant the style he wrote in mirrored society?s outlook on the rest of the world. Lines such as ?Your new-caught, sullen peoples/Half-devil and half-child?, showed that those of a non-European education and beliefs are thought of as insignificant savages. Along with the title, it proposes that white people have the ?burden?, a word with negative connotations, to control the lives of these ?simpletons? and teach them the ?proper? ethnic and cultural Western ways. Since the debut of the poem, the term ?the white man?s burden? has been interpreted as a racist phrase. It shows the prevailing ?philanthropic view? common in society in which that period the wealthy were morally obliged to assist the less fortunate in improving life to their predefined standards, regardless of if those helped needed or wanted it in the first place. This view of Kipling?s p oem certainly explained the dominant mindset which allowed colonialism at that time to flourish.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An opposing view of this is the argument that Kipling?s writing was satirical. Kipling did have a history of writing satire. The book A companion to Victorian Poetry states: ?imperial sensibilities with wry irony and skepticism, viewing all human endeavors as ultimately transitory?. There is much evidence present in the poem to suggest so. Seemingly, conditions to make our race content have not changed from the 19th century to the 21st. ?Take up the White Mans burden/And reap his old reward/The blame of those ye better/The hate of those ye guard/The cry of hosts ye humour?, showing that by capturing and enslaving them, the colonists are forcing the natives to face the hate, cruelty and loneliness that comes with Western society. The white man?s burden is this time used as a reflection on the burden of being a white man, rather than the white man?s obligation to teach those who are not white. This interpretation is of Kipling sighing about the complexity of being white and would rather prefer to be a part of a simpler society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perhaps both interpretations are right. For one, the horrors and pains that intruded into those within the colony?s lives are written down for all to see. Nevertheless, Kipling was regarded as a very pro-imperialist believer, but amazingly was not ignorant of the ugly side of imperialism?s twin headed face. Writer John Derbyshire described Kipling as ?an imperialist utterly without illusions about what being an imperialist actually means. This, in some ways, means that he was not really an imperialist at all.? Only with this reverent belief of imperialism, yet a clear understanding of the shortcomings of such a concept put into reality is what makes Kipling the optimal candidate of this anthology, as he is able to simulate in our minds two century later the social, moral, and historical happenings of his time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The spirit of ages is defined by what one?s interpretation of the spirit of the ages. To be able to reflect those feelings, thoughts, and beliefs experienced in his life in a poem is no easy feat, but Kipling has successfully done so and showed us a word painting of what it felt like to be alive at that time.

Why do Companies Continue with Mergers and Acquisitions when so many Fa

Why do Companies Continue with Mergers and Acquisitions when so many Fail? The phenomenon of mergers and acquisitions (M&A’s) triggers an array of opinions and viewpoints. Often it is a strategy that is seen as a perfect way of achieving growth. It is by no means an organic or natural route to success, but has tended to be a quick and easy way of increasing an organisations size and power. However although there have been ‘waves’ of popularity and success since its introduction in the 1960’s it has also suffered criticism due to the number of failures it has accounted for. Despite the strong suggestion that this strategy has been the architect for many an organisation's downfall there still remains a propensity in the current business environment for managers to adopt it. Throughout this essay I am going to examine some of the areas that explain M&A’s volatility and attempt to discover why managers are persevering with the strategy when it is seemingly flawed. Over the last few decades it has become increasing apparent that the effect of mergers and acquisitions is not as beneficial as once thought. When the growth strategy was pioneered in the middle part of the nineteen hundreds it was looked upon as a way of creating an empire across different sectors and countries. Many experienced managers were sucked into the strategy, only having eyes for the apparent synergistical and positive affects of M&A’s. Although over the following years there has been many success stories concerning M&A’s, when the big picture is examined it displays a more ugly side of the phenomenon. Hodge (1998) discovered that ‘in the go-go ‘80s, 37% of mergers outperformed the average shareholder return in that period; in the fi... ...nal, Autumn; Customer text-section 2, topic 11. - Kieran et al (1994) ‘Planning the deals that generate value and gain advantage’, Mergers and Acquisitions, March-April; Custom text, topic 12. Journals - Doitte S & Smith G (1998). ‘The morning after (avoiding mistakes in acquisitions and mergers)’. Winter v63 i2 p32(8). - Davenport, T (1998). ‘The Integration Challenge (managing corporate mergers’ Management Review. - Heitner M (1998). ‘The thorny business of merging rival firms’, Mergers and Acquisitions. - Hodge, K (1998), ‘The art of the post deal (outcomes of mergers)’. Management Review. - Price, A & Sloane, J (1998). ‘Global Designs: Tough Challenges for - Acquirers’. Mergers and Acquisitions.. - Whipple J & Frankel R (2000), ‘Strategic Alliance Success Factors’. The Journal of Supply Chain Management.

Sure Thing by David Ives :: Sure Thing David Ives

The Play "Sure Thing" from David Ives examines the endless variations of boy meets girl and the ensuing pick up lines. The central theme throughout the play displays a few varieties of a possible conversation that end with a ringing bell that symbolizes a fresh start and a second chance to make a good impression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The swift conversations begin in a coffee house with the two main and only characters are Bill and Betty. From the beginning till the end of the play one can see a series of pick up lines, from a man to a woman sitting in a coffee shop reading. The lines start out short and rapid with an equivalent short response from the woman. Each line is separated by a ringing bell. All humans are critical of their fellow human?s beings. They are critical about their looks, cars and etc. Generally there is an old saying ?you never have a second chance to make a first impression.? In this play the author uses a bell as a mechanism of separating the dialogue of subsequent pick up lines, which gives the characters another chance to make a good impression. The ringing bell represents a fresh start. It is the device which allows these two characters to commence again, it is almost like the bell that is used for boxing matches which divides the rounds and lets the boxer rest before the next round begins. The play begins when Betty is setting down quietly reading her book when Bill walks in. The dialogue starts out very short, Bill glances at Betty?s book which is The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. In Bill?s pick up line he misidentifies the author. Generally women like to meet men who are intelligent, interesting and have a funny sense of humor. On pages 845 and 846 Beatty asks where Bill went to college and he said, ?I went to Oral Roberts University. ? (Bell.) In the next round Beatty repeats the question again but Bill said he is lying about ever going to college.

Overpopulation: The Underlying Cause of Most Environmental Issues Katie Caputo Essay

There are so many environmental issues that are affecting the entire globe today. People often speak of environmental issues as if they have no control over making them better or worse, however, environmentalists feel that many if not all of the environmental problems that we are facing â€Å"are either caused or exacerbated by population growth† (West, 2009). That means that people themselves are the very ones causing harm to the environment. What we do or don’t do about the issue of overpopulation will determine the very fate of the environment in the future. This presents the need for ethical decision making. Global environmental problems are ethical problems† (Brown, 2009). Each and every person has a moral and ethical responsibility toward the environment, the problem is that people often ignore that responsibility, especially when it presents other ethical dilemmas. Defining Ethics To begin, I would like to define ethics. A definition taken from the National Academy of Engineering states â€Å"ethics is concerned with what is right or wrong, good or bad, fair or unfair, responsible or irresponsible, obligatory or permissible, praiseworthy or blameworthy† (2006). So what does ethics have to do with overpopulation and other environmental issues? If we know that overpopulation is the direct cause of many of the environmental issues that are affecting the entire globe, ethically, it is our responsibility as humans to come up with a solution to the problem. Population Growth â€Å"Over-population is the term that refers to a condition by which the population density enlarges to a limit that provokes the environmental deterioration, a remarkable decline in the quality of life or a population collapse† (Biology Cabinet Organization, 2003). In around 1963, the global rate of human population growth peaked, but the number of people living on Earth has grown by more than two-thirds since then, topping out at over 6. 6 billion today (West, 2009). Every year, more than 81 million people add to the world-wide population. Every 10 years almost one billion inhabitants are added to the world’s population (BCO, 2006). By the year 2050, the human population is expected to exceed nine billion (West, 2009). What affect does this have on the environment? Effects of Over-population Global Warming Global warming is considered to be one of the top environmental issues today. Scientists have determined that it is mostly human activities that are contributing to global warming by adding excessive amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, accumulate in the atmosphere and trap heat that would normally exit into outer space. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally and are needed to create the â€Å"greenhouse effect† that keeps the Earth warm enough to support life, but it is human use of fossil fuels that cause the excess greenhouse gases. By driving cars, using electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heating our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere (West, 2009). Deforestation Deforestation is another environmental issue and is a significant source of greenhouse gases because fewer trees mean less carbon dioxide conversion to oxygen. â€Å"The most important direct causes of deforestation include logging, the conversion of forested lands for agriculture and cattle-raising, urbanization, mining and oil exploitation, acid rain and fire† (World Rain Forest Movement, 1998). Deforestation and forest degradation occurs both in Northern and Southern countries and its underlying causes also originate in both, although with varying degrees of responsibility. Industrialized countries have not only cut down or degraded their own forests in the past; many are still doing so today. This occurs either through large-scale clear-cutting (as in many areas of Canada, the US or Australia) or through the thinning and therefore degradation of forests, reducing them to a few commercially valuable species at the expense of biodiversity (such as in Sweden, France or Finland) (World Rainforest Movement, 1998). The root of the problem is trying to keep up with the demand of the ever-growing population. Biodiversity Biodiversity is defined by the Washington Biodiversity Council as â€Å"the full range of life in all its forms† (2003). Biodiversity loss is largely a result of deforestation. The worldwide rate of extinction of plant and animal species is estimated to be 10,000 times as rapid as it was in prehistoric times, with more than 27,000 species becoming extinct every year. An example of the loss of biodiversity due to overpopulation is seen in the state of Washington. â€Å"Washington is one of the most biologically diverse states in the union. This is due to the state’s diverse topography, its exposure to Pacific Ocean currents and weather patterns, and its location on the migratory path of many wildlife species. † â€Å"Washington, in fact, contains most of the major ecosystem types found in the western United States, including two found nowhere else in the world: the Olympic rainforest and channeled scablands. However, â€Å"since statehood in 1889, Washington has lost an estimated 70 percent of its estuarine wetlands, 50 percent of its riparian habitat, 90 percent of its old-growth forest, and 70 percent of its native shrub-steppe and arid grasslands† (Washington Biodiversity Council, 2003). As the smallest and second most densely populated of the rapidly growing Western states, Washington’s population in 2008 was 6. 5 million according to the U. S. Census Bureau, and is expected to add over 21 percent by the year 2020 (2009). This puts Washington in great danger of losing much of its diversity of plant and animal life within the next few decades. Although scientists are not fully aware of all the consequences of the continual loss of biodiversity, they do know that a diversity of healthy, functioning ecosystems is essential to the environment. Water Shortages As we in water-rich countries take our daily showers, water the lawn or laze about in the pool, it’s easy to forget that fresh water is a life-or-death issue in many parts of the world. Of a population of roughly 6. 1 billion, more than 1 billion lack access to potable water. The World Health Organization says that at any time, up to half of humanity has one of the six main diseases such as: diarrhea, schistosomiasis, or trachoma, or infestation with ascaris, guinea worm, or hookworm which are associated with poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation. About 5 million people die each year from poor drinking water, poor sanitation, or a dirty home environment, often resulting from water shortage (University of Wisconsin, 2001). The water shortages are becoming more and more evident all over the world. For example: â€Å"Mexico City (home to 20 million people) is sinking because the city sucks out underground water faster than the aquifer can be refilled; Florida wants to refill it’s over pumped aquifer with untreated surface water, despite federal regulations to the contrary; Texas is moving toward private, for-profit water sales. The water will be ‘mined’ from aquifers that are disappearing fast. No word on what the private suppliers, including corporate raider T. Boone Pickens, will do once the aquifers run dry. Aquifers around the world are being over tapped for irrigated agriculture, which fills about 40 percent of the global larder; The Bush Administration has withdrawn a proposed tightening of the arsenic standard for drinking water. Critics say the old rule, dating to 1942, could allow thousands of cases of cancer and other diseases. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, what’s been called the ‘largest poisoning of a population in history’ has 35 to 77 million people drinking arsenic-laced water;† and last but not least, â€Å"a showdown is looming over the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which originate in Turkey, then water both Syria and Iraq. If Turkey goes ahead with a series of dams, the downriver nations could starve. There are projections that three billion people, half of today’s population, will be short of water in 2025† (University of Wisconsin, 2001). Some Recommended Solutions for Overpopulation Being that this issue is one of such great importance, we need to be proactive at finding some kind of solution. There have been many different ideas that have been presented to try to get the population under control; however, thus far, most of the ideas have been just that- ideas, with no definite plan of action. Some of the proposed solutions, to name a few, have been: â€Å"making sure people around the world have access to family planning services; empowering women in developing countries economically, socially, and legally in a manner that results in them having an equal say (with their husbands) in reproductive decisions; modifying school curricula to include information on population levels and implications for the future; reforming tax laws in a way that encourages couples to have no more than two children. They would still be able to have as many kids as they want, but the tax code would no longer subsidize more than two)† (Jeantheau, 2005). The Need for Ethical Decision-Making People tend to be very opposed to the thought of their freedom being imposed upon, especially when it deals with the amount of children that they can or cannot have. Many people will argue from a religious standpoint that God specifically says in the Bible to multiply and subdue the earth. Some feel that the use of birth control is unethical and against Bible principles. The problem is that people do not want to do anything else about the issues at hand either. For example: If we were still living the way our ancestors did the amount of people living on the earth would not be a problem. Unfortunately, we are polluting the earth with our technology and over consuming our resources. So the argument can also be presented to those against birth control for religious purposes, that the Bible also says that we should not be gluttonous. But again humans tend to want what they want when they want it. Most only keep the Bible principles that suit them. In any case, as in many ethical problems we are faced with a moral dilemma. A moral dilemma is best described as when two or more obligations are in conflict. â€Å"The crucial features of a moral dilemma are these: the agent is required to do each of two (or more) actions; the agent can do each of the actions; but the agent cannot do both (or all) of the actions. The agent thus seems condemned to moral failure; no matter what she does, she will do something wrong (or fail to do something that she ought to do)† (McConnell, 2006). When presented with a moral dilemma, we need to decide which obligation is most important and give preference to the more important one. Unfortunately, when contemplating any solution for an issue such as overpopulation, we are going to be faced with moral dilemmas. Now we have to choose the lesser of two evils. Should we practice birth control even though it violates our moral principles or continue to allow the population to grow to numbers that the earth cannot sustain? Should we object to abortion when a woman does not want to have a child? Abortion may violate our own personal beliefs; however, if it is what the woman wants for herself and it will surely decrease the number of people being added to our population, shouldn’t we support that decision? Utilitarians view the best moral decision to be the one that brings about the maximum amount of pleasures and the least amount of suffering. They do not make decisions based on their own self-centeredness, they â€Å"insist that the joys and sorrows of others must be part of the calculation (when making any ethical decision)† (Waller, 2008). So, from the utilitarian standpoint, trying to find an answer to slowing the population growth would not be an intrusion or a violation of one’s rights, it would be welcomed to lessen the amount of suffering that is caused by the issue of overpopulation. In the very near future, we will have no choice but to make some very important decisions as to what we will do about the issues that plague the environment. Again, environmental problems are indeed ethical problems. The only way that things will get better in our environment is if we get the rate of growth of the human population under control. We can no longer ignore the moral and ethical responsibility that we as humans have toward the environment, regardless of the ethical dilemmas that we are presented with.