Three Cups of Tea: Story of Courage, Empathy, and the Will to Make a Change

Three Cups of Tea presents a remarkable story of courage, empathy and most importantly the will to help out and make a change. It takes us through the journey of a lifetime that Greg Mortenson experienced while embarking through Pakistan and Afghanistan. His incredible character and motivation helped change the lives of thousands of Pakistani citizens, but mostly those women and children. He accomplished this through building 141 schools across Pakistan, as in his mind an education is the most important thing a person can receive. Mortenson put all his own needs and wants behind himself in order to fulfill those of others. The road to all his success was not an easy one though. He had to overcome many barriers in his final goal of educating a developing world like that of Pakistan. The author believes that the barriers to educating the poor are social issues, financial issues and cultural differences, this paper will prove that to be correct as I will highlight some of the major events and problems he had to work though on his pathway to success. The Will to Make a Change In our world of today many people want to help out those in need and really make a difference before they leave this world. It’s really nice to say that, and many people do but only a select few actually take action and do it. In my opinion a lot of people just don’t know how to get started. How can they, just one person, start something big enough to impact the lives of so many people? So to get some insight lets go back to the very start of Greg Mortenson’s journey to improving the world in his own way. Mortenson came from a family that loved to travel and also had a great passion for helping others. His upbringing was what really helped shape his character and personality. He was born in America, but when he was very young his family moved to Tanzania, Africa. His father, along with others helped to build a teaching medical centre in Kilimanjaro, and his mother helped to build a school in Moshi. His parent’s great acts to help out others really influenced the way he looked at the world. Mortenson was a very active and adventurous person and had a passion for mountaineering. In 1993 he planned out a trek to climb the world’s second high peak, K2 in Kenya, along with 4 others. He planned this trip as a memorial to his sister who he had lost a few years earlier. After spending 70 days on the mountain they had to make a dramatic 72 hour life saving rescue for one of the other climbers. This took a lot out of Mortenson, physically and mentally which prevented him from making it to the top. So he began his descent, but took a wrong turn along the way, getting lost from the group. He ended up in a small and very poor village called Korphe. He was suffering from fatigue, dehydration, altitude sickness and vertigo. The village people took him in and did everything they could to care for him and ensure his well being. As he recovered he was blown away at their amazing hospitality and loving nature towards him. The village had no school and the kids tried to learn by writing in the dirt with sticks. Mortenson was shocked that these people had no resources to learn and improve their quality of life, a thing that so many people take for granted back in America. While he regained strength he wanted to help out those who had so greatly helped him recover. Mortenson had lots of medical training and so he used what little supplies he had to treat as many people as he could. He left the village leaving anything that could be helpful to these people such as pens, flashlights, small containers and even any clothes he wasn’t wearing. Before he departed to return home he made a promise, one that would forever change his life. He promised the Balti people of Korphe that he would build them a school. In his eyes education is the biggest factor in being able to be successful. Education is the stepping stone to improving your quality of life and being able to prosper. While doing research for the country comparison assignment I noticed that the developed countries such as Canada, who had very high education rates for both genders, had less high percentages in categories such as infant mortality, population, poverty level and literacy rate. I think that a big link between these things is educating women. Women are just as capable in any position as men, they just need the same resources. So he to give these people the same opportunities that everyone was getting back in America. So off he set home, with inspiration in his mind and hope in his heart. His main goal was to educate and empower women. I think that this is so important because throughout this course we have learned many reasons why educating women is so crucial for solving many of the world’s big issues. For example we learned that educating women can be a big factor in reducing the problem of overpopulation. There have been studies shown that if women in third world countries are educated they are less likely to have as many children and they will be more successful in the long run. Mortenson wanted to give them a chance to learn and prosper in such a male dominated part of the world. Upon arriving home to California, Mortenson was brought to reality where he really realised what he had done. While on the plane home he felt empowered and ready for such a challenge but back in America he felt stuck. This is usually the part that most people get to. They have some inspiration and great ideas to help but they don’t know how to take action. Or they realise how much work and money will be involved in the process of making a change. All that he owned to his name was a small storage locker with some possessions in it. He looked around at fancy business people walking down the streets, only concerned with when their next Starbucks break would be. He was going through culture shock, jet lag and just plain confusion. How can these people think their problems are so important when people halfway across the world are struggling just to get a basic education? Mortenson suddenly felt lost in his previous home. He didn’t fit in with these people. He wanted to be back in Afghanistan with, what was in his eyes, his real family. So to get there he had to tackle one of his biggest obstacles, money. He knew that he could get a job at the local hospital, as he had healthcare degrees from university, but he knew that this would not be enough. Before he had left he roughly estimated how much it the whole thing would cost. His estimate came to about $12,000. How on earth was he supposed to come up with this money? So Mortenson came up with an idea, he would get sponsors. So first he needed to get his message out and get eople aware and interested. Being not very technologically advanced, even in the year 1993, he rented a typewriter to write out letters to several famous people explaining his situation and asking for any donations. The only problem with typewriters is that if you make any mistakes you have to start over. After 5 hours of work he had only completed 4 successful letters. Since the letters would take him a lot longer tha t he had predicted he was saving in every aspect that he could. He lived out of his car and worked as many shifts as he could as a registered nurse at the local hospital ER. Whenever he wasn’t working he painstakingly typed out more letters and mailed them off to every important person he could think of. One day one of his problems was dramatically solved though, as he was introduced to a computer for the first time. He got a tutorial from a friend and was now was able to print out as many letters as he could think of people to send them to. Slowly things were looking up for him. His first donation came from students from his mom’s class who had organised a penny fundraiser, bringing in $623. 45. Out of all 580 letters he had sent out he only got one reply, along with a cheque for $100 and a wish good luck. Although he had received a couple donations, Mortenson felt like he was making little to no progress. Other famous climbers had foundations that had people knocking on their doors to give them thousands of dollars. Things also got rocky as his current girlfriend was getting annoyed at all the nights spent in the car and the tightness of cash. His situation dramatically changed one day as a friend of his suggested he visit a man named Dr. Jean Hoerni, a successful physicist who had made quite the fortune in his work. Hoerni was a no nonsense man, who greatly intimidated Mortenson. After a short phone call with Hoerni, Mortenson walked away $12,000 richer towards his school. So he sold the rest of his possessions to get extra cash for any miscalculations or emergencies. Finally he painfully drove his car to the dealership and sold his home for the past year to buy a plane ticket. So far he had completed phase one of his plan, raising enough funds. So as he boarded the plane he embarked on a journey that would forever change the course of his life. Never an Easy Route Greg arrived back in Afghanistan, fully determined and ready to start building his school. He had exactly $12,800 dollars, $12,000 for the school and $800 to get him through while building the school. He was on a strict budget, every rupee counted and anything wasted, in his mind, was just taking away books or pencils that he could buy for the students. Greg had some friends to help him was ready to jump right into it, but the way people operate there is much more relaxed than the fast paced American society. So after a couple days he was finally able to get started and gather materials. Mortenson wanted only the best materials for his school; he didn’t want it to crumble to the ground after a long hard winter. Although this became the first of many problems for him, this one being more of a social issue more than anything. People who be bought from didn’t know him or what he was doing. They just looked at him by his appearance, an American. To them he came from far away and did not know their culture and ways of life. So they could rip him off. Charge him high prices for cheaply made materials. Another problem with this part of the world is that everyone wants their share. If you’re paying me to transport the wood for you I get to keep some. This frustrated Mortenson as he had worked so hard and was on a very tight budget. He needed to remind himself though that this way just the way their world worked. Mortenson really wanted to connect with these people and was eager to learn about their culture and religious beliefs. Religion plays a huge role in the everyday lives of Muslims. They have several prayer times throughout the day where the whole city stops, no matter where they are, to pray. Mortenson knew this could be a touchy subject, but he finally asked one of his friends to show him how to pray. He struggled through it, not fully understanding the process but hoped to improve and really immerse into their culture. He wanted to be respected and wanted to be able to understand these people. Finally about a week after arriving, Mortenson was finally ready with all his materials to make the 3 day trek to the small, isolated village of Korphe to build his school. After purchasing all his materials his financial situation was even lower than he had expected, which posed as a possible big problem, leaving small room for error. The journey to Korphe was in itself a whole story. Upon arriving in Korphe he was very kindly greeted by hundreds of village people. They were surprised yet happy to see him. Many climbers come through their villages and make promises to them that rarely get fulfilled. Here before them was Greg, who was ready to build them a school, to give them the gift of education. As he discussed plans with the village leaders, he was presented with what would be the biggest problem to date. They wanted the school to be built inside the village of Korphe. Mortenson had planned for it to be built just outside the village as the only way into the village was across a small rickety pulley system that went over a large ravine with the Braldu River running through it at the bottom. The village leaders thought it would be most beneficial for them to be able to be connected with the outside world if they were to build a bridge, and that way they would also be able to transport all the materials across the bridge into the village. This would cause Mortenson a lot more work and a lot more funding. He also agreed that it would be a good idea to connect them with the outside world a bit more though, as they were very isolated. Almost a full year later Mortenson had finally succeeded in building a school, and a bridge for the village of Korphe. He felt amazing. He really knew how much this would help their people and how much it would impact their lives. Mortenson didn’t want to stop here though. So with the financial help of his close friend Jean Hoerni he was able to start a foundation called Central Asia Institute or CAI. Hoerni gave him a large donation to start off, but that wouldn’t last forever. So whenever Mortenson was back in America he would travel around to give presentations in hopes of getting some donations. This was another barrier for him, as it was difficult to get people interested and he has quite the fear of public speaking. Sometimes he would be in a venue with 500 chairs set up and he would be presenting to only 3 people. It became even more difficult to get people interested after 9/11 happened. No one wanted to help him. Everyone questioned why he wanted to help these people. Mortenson received hate letters and even death threats constantly. This greatly frustrated him as they didn’t know the individual hardworking and kind people that he knew. They were judging a whole population off one extremist group. It was unfair to these people who did nothing wrong. He lost a lot of the support that he previously had from his own country. This was a huge social issue for him as now his own people didn’t understand what he was doing. Even today in 2013, 12 years after the 9/11 attacks people still judge Islamic people and look down upon them. I think when most people hear the term terrorist the associate it with an Islamic person, which is extremely racist and unfair towards these people. What Mortenson was able to realize was that at the end of the day, they are just the same as us. They want the best for their kids. They want to enjoy life, family and friends. Yes, there are cultural differences but when it comes down to it we are all humans on the same Earth. There are extremist groups in any culture, and it is unjust to blame a whole society of people for a small groups actions. Regardless of this Mortenson was still able to keep going with his projects in Pakistan and was building schools at a very fast rate. People were contacting him from all over wanting him to build schools in their villages. Along with building schools he also built community centers for people to go, with resources like sports and libraries. He gave special donations to certain people who contacted him personally who wanted money for further studies. In one particular case he funded a young woman who went on to do a 4 month medical course. With this she was able to return to her village and help out so many people. People there no longer had to worry of death from something as small as a cold. The women even said that there is not a single person in the area that believes that women should not be educated. People were starting to realize the importance and great benefits of educating women. She couldn’t believe the progress and improvement it had made for her own life and the lives of so many people she was able to save because of it. She wants to pass on her training and education to other women in hope that it can benefit them as well. There were a couple personal stories like this throughout the story which gave a great perspective on the actual effect of Mortenson’s work and how it really helped. His project to educate the poor was really working, and had successful examples of people that it helped out significantly. In the long run I think that what Mortenson is doing can greatly help out their economy. He has set them on a pathway for a more bright and prosperous future by giving them so many resources to succeed. Impact for the Future Greg Mortenson had so far successfully built 141 schools across Pakistan. He started as a small organization of one person typing out letters in hopes to get donations and build one school. That has turned into so much more. The impact that he has made is just incredible. Without him so many kids would grow up with no bright future and living in extreme levels of poverty. He gave them purpose and reason to keep going. His motivation and great attitude can serve as an inspiration everyone. He encountered so many barriers, whether it be social, financial, political or religious. Mortenson did so much more than just build schools. He really changed the opinions of so many Pakistani people. Before he came, they had a preconceived idea of Americans. In a country so corrupt like Pakistan the people have little opportunities to learn. Most people, especially in rural areas don`t have access to the internet or incoming media. All their beliefs come from word of mouth, and higher powers within their government. The Taliban gave a horrible impression of Americans. They painted a picture of evil people who were someone that they should hate. The people believed them, having no other sources for information. When Mortenson first came in, there were many social and political barriers he had to overcome. He was even captured at one point and held hostage for several days before being released. People saw him and immediately didn`t like him. They judged him on the sole fact of what he looked like, an American. After a while, when word got around of what he was doing, this slowly started to change. People got wind of the fact than an American was here, in their own country to help them out. This confused them. Weren`t Americans bad? Slowly their opinions were changed. The Taliban wasn’t building schools for them and educating their people. All they were doing was causing more conflict and stress to their lives. The American was here helping them and improving their lives. People gained more respect for Americans and less for the corrupt power that was doing nothing for them. He changed the lives of many, changed their impressions and gave people hope. He managed his whole foundation with very little help. He didn’t have a secretary for the longest time, and he made all arrangements himself. He has almost single handily created a movement for educating and inspiring people in such a corrupt, developing nation. He is a true hero of our century. Conclusion Reading the novel Three Cups of Tea has really given me a better perspective on different types of culture and ways of life. I feel more educated and enlightened on many topics now. I feel as though I have a much better understand on many of the conflicts occurring in the Middle East. It really gave an unbiased view rather than what we hear from the media daily. I feel as though I really know both sides of the story now when I hear different stories published in the news. Greg Mortenson was brave to publish his story, but I’m glad that he did as it is an incredible one that should be praised. I would even go so far as to say that I think he would be a deserving candidate of a Nobel Peace Prize. Throughout reading the novel and writing the report I was able to connect it to many stories we read about in class and different discussions that we had. I could compare it to many different social, political, economic and environmental issues that occurred throughout the novel. It was interesting to get an insider view on their ways of life and how they live their daily lives.

Fate and Destiny Essay

The Epic of Sundiata is meaningless without the concepts of fate and destiny. When the Mandinka king receives the divine hunter at the royal court, and the hunter predicts that the king’s marriage to an ugly woman would grant him a mighty king for a son; the Mandinka king must honor the prophecy. It is for this reason that the king, before his death, gives to Sundiata – his son born of an ugly woman – a griot. When Sundiata is older, he too believes in the importance of harnessing powers of a supernatural nature (Niane). Prophecies are, of course, made through supernatural powers. Seeing that the kings of the Mandinka people believe in supernatural powers, their subjects must also be believers in the same. Moreover, fate and destiny appear real to the Mandinka people, which is the reason why the prophecy is honored by the king. But, even if most of the Mandinka people do not believe in supernatural powers, the belief system of the king is expected to be superior to that of his people. Belief in prophecy entails that one’s fate is determined, and there is nothing that one can do to change his or her destiny. Prophets are believed because they know the fate and destiny of others. By informing people about their respective fates and destinies, they save their people from being misled. At the same time, however, the concepts of fate and destiny entail that the Mandinka king would have married an ugly woman, with or without the prophecy of the hunter. The king would have had Sundiata, too, regardless of the prophecy. The only useful part about the prophecy was that the king gifted Sundiata with a griot because he knew that Sundiata would be a mighty king in the future. Just as the Epic of Sundiata cannot be understood without reference to fate or destiny, Things Fall Apart focuses on a hero and his community, unable to change circumstances in the face of destiny. Things Fall Apart makes repeated references to chi, a concept that refers to a personal deity that is available to all people to guide them to fulfill their individual destinies. It is impossible for a human being to struggle against the chi, or his or her spirit force. This is the reason why Okonkwo, a courageous and intelligent individual, cannot change his circumstances or that of his community even as things fall apart for everybody except the colonialists (Achebe). In other words, the human being is powerless against the decisions of the chi or his or her personal deity who establishes the fate and destiny of every soul. The personal deity of all people has determined that Okonkwo and his people would suffer, and there is nothing they can do about it (Achebe). Okonkwo is a distinguished leader of a village in Nigeria. He is rich, powerful, brave as well as wise. He has worked hard to achieve his high status in his village. Thus, the village elders choose him to be the guardian of a boy named Ikemefuna, who has been made prisoner by Achebe’s tribe. Okonkwo must keep the boy with him until the Oracle decides otherwise (Achebe). This shows that man has no free will, and that, in fact, fate and destiny are determined by another. Human beings are not even allowed to make decisions by themselves. If they attempt to make decisions by themselves, they must be severely punished, as Okonkwo was. When the village elders decided that Ikemefuna must be killed, Okonkwo went against the advice of the oldest man of the village by killing the boy himself. Subsequently, things started to fall apart for Okonkwo. He accidentally killed another individual at a funeral ceremony. For this act he had to be sent into exile with his family for a period of seven years. After all, he had offended the deities by committing the murder (Achebe). When Okonkwo returned to his village, he struggled for his people against the colonialists. In the end, however, he had to kill himself (Achebe). The forces of change were too strong for him to resist. This reveals that man’s determination, intelligence, and courage have no power over destiny and fate. Even though I believe in fate and destiny, I do not agree with this grim vision of the same. Neither do I trust the fact that man has been rendered powerless by fate and destiny. In my understanding of these concepts, God, who is all-knowing, has written the fate and destiny of all people. His knowledge of all people’s past, present and future is their fate and destiny, in fact. At the same time, He has given unto human beings the power to make decisions for themselves. The Bible confirms this view. Although there is nothing that a human being can do to fight destiny and fate, individuals are free to use their intelligence in the best possible ways. Our use of intelligence – in my belief – is also determined by God. He allows some people to prosper at the expense of others. All the same, in the Biblical sense, such circumstances are a trial from God. He cannot be blamed for giving one man a life of riches, happiness and peace while his brother is poor and living in a violent neighborhood. In the Biblical view, both men are loved by God. However, by severely testing the homeless man, He would like the man to turn to Him in prayer. The rich man, on the other hand, is required to be of help to the poor man. If he does not help his brother, however, God would continue giving him opportunities to do so in future. In this view of fate and destiny, God also knows the people who would go to Heaven as opposed to those who would enter Hellfire for eternity. Even so, I know that people have free will to choose what they would like to do with themselves and where they would like to go. God does not stop us from using our minds to do as we please. But, as I have already mentioned, it is He who ultimately decides what we would think. So, while one man concentrates on spirituality, another spends his entire lifetime thinking about the theory of relativity. It is our personal destiny to think, do, and wish as God pleases. Of course, my understanding of fate and destiny is not the same as that of the Mandinka king or the people of Okonkwo. I do not visit soothsayers, and neither would I believe in all of them. Furthermore, even if it is unfashionable in our times to believe in God and supernatural powers, I continue to believe in fate and destiny. Works Cited Achebe, C. Things Fall Apart. New York: Doubleday & Co. , Inc. , 1994. Niane, D. T. (trans. ). Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. Harlow: Longman, 2006.

Reading #1 Analaysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading #1 Analaysis - Assignment Example In the article, materiality was perceived to be effects power possesses along with its productive purpose. Therefore, under these assumptions, gender is impossible to understand neither as a body nor a particular sex. The article also indicated the â€Å"abject designates here precisely those ‘unbelievable qualities and ‘uninhabitable’ zones of social life which are nevertheless densely populated by those who do not enjoy the status of the subject but whose living under the sign of ‘unlivable† which is necessary and required to circumscribe a political leaders†. The final part of the paper ends with a series of questions which include â€Å"How an individual can separate him or herself from social blindness and perceive the body as a variation of materialization which is controlled by a series of regulating norms? After this separation, there is a need to assess the functioning of heterosexual hegemony during the formation of what the article perceives tp be a viable body†. The article also raised questions on the subject, such as how bodily formations are capable of attaining such a paradigm of abjected bodies and fields of deformation which are at ti mes not quantifiable as human. This article is an aim to try and compare the paradox that involve gender, the body and the parameters associated with the interrelation and combination of these two aspects. It can be established that the authors of the article are of the material aspect of the body and how is far much relevant than its regulating factors monitoring the materialization of bodies. One aspect that is also mentioned to some detail in the paper is permativity which is done to evaluate the processes such as a power of discourse that is reiterative in nature and creates phenomena which it is responsible for constraining and regulation. I agree with the views of the author in the sense that â€Å"sex† is not the constraint upon which gender is artificially

Rights for Autonomy and Protection from Violence Essay

Rights for Autonomy and Protection from Violence - Essay Example Local officials and leaders who are against it see no value for FGM, particularly when human rights are considered. First, FGM violates autonomy. Girls, as young as one year old, are being forced to undergo FGM. It does not even matter if it is a simple â€Å"circumcision,† as Omoigui wrote in her article, â€Å"HB 22 Bill and Genital Mutilation,† where she defended the merits of female genital cutting.   The main point is that these very young children are forced to do something they do not understand and believe in. Second, an increasing number of local officials believe that FGM is a form of violence against women. Diallo remembers how some women pinned her down, as one performed an excruciating circumcision (Poggioli). Her community violated her physically and psychologically. Based on these human rights alone, local officials and leaders can be further compelled to support FGM’s eradication. Numerous leaders from different religious denominations believe t hat FGM is not based on the Holy Scripture. While some Muslims and Christians believe that FGM is written in the Bible, other religious leaders counter these claims (Poggioli). These religious leaders are certain that the Word of God does not espouse the mutilation of young children for the sake of hygiene, culture, or religion. These leaders will be useful in influencing communities and families in changing their mindset toward FGM. For parents of daughters, the arguments that will rally their support further are human rights and love for their children.

The Main Capabilities That Motivate LinkedIn Case Study

The Main Capabilities That Motivate LinkedIn - Case Study Example In 2011, the company’s revenues stood at $522.2 million making it the world’s largest professional network by 2012 (Yoffie and Kind 2012, p. 1). The company’s revenues and profits come from marketing solutions, premium subscriptions, and hiring solutions. LinkedIn became the first U.S social networking firm to participate in an IPO where it raised $270.2 million (Yoffie and Kind 2012, p. 1). LinkedIn has a mission to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful (Yoffie and Kind 2012, p. 3). Indeed, the company helps the members to access people, jobs, news, updates, and insights that help them to become good entrepreneurs (LinkedIn 2014). The company seeks to link about 640 million knowledge workers across the globe (Yoffie and Kind 2012, p. 4). LinkedIn has a vision to connect 640 million knowledge workers across the world (Yoffie and Kind 2012, p. 4). With such a promising mission and vision, the company attracts more than 5,400 full-time employees, 5.7 billion professionally oriented searches in 2012, and 186 million unique visitors in the first quarter of 2014 (LinkedIn Corporation 2014). The company enjoys about 36% of the online advertising market (Fawley 2013, p. 31-32). The company generated revenues from premium subscriptions (20%), marketing solutions (30%), and hiring solutions (50%) in 2011 (Yoffie and Kind 2012, p. 7-8). Most of its competitors could not match these revenues. LinkedIn adopts (R&D) Innovative product development to produce new products that will address market changes and customer needs. This defines a competitive advantage since other firms like Google + and Facebook are only applicable in specific occasions (Yoffie and Kind 2012, p. 1). This detailed strategic management analysis of LinkedIn Corporation addressed the internal and external environment of the company and identified the strategic challenges for the firm. Consequently, it proposed a set of rational options and derived the best applicable option that the company must adapt to survive in the competitive market.

The Analysis of the Recent Microsoft's Acquisition of Skype Research Paper

The Analysis of the Recent Microsoft's Acquisition of Skype - Research Paper Example Acquisition is also used as a strategic tool for entering a foreign market, when other methods for achieving the specific target are not available (Coffey et al. 2001, p.52). In the above context, acquisition can highly enhance the organizational performance, under the terms that all its phases are carefully monitored; the readiness of the buyer to acquire an organization, with all the consequences of such initiative, needs to be evaluated in advance. The level of success of acquisition, as described above, is high and it is for this reason that managers of organizations worldwide prefer the specific strategy. In any case, the use of acquisition for covering various organizational needs to meet specific requirements: if the cost of the process is estimated to be significantly higher from the expected benefits, then another strategy of this type would be preferred (Frankel 2005). Moreover, if the acquired firm is of different culture/ industry, then time would be required for aligning the aims of the two organizations. Under certain terms, the acquired company cannot support the activities of the new owner – probably because the cultural or operational differences between the two firms are so high that acquisition would not benefit the company that initiated the above process. In accordance with Darby (2006) the successful completion of an acquisition process requires that accurate information are exchanged between the buyer and the seller in order for the assets of the acquired company to be effectively managed. Moreover, Coffey et al. (2001) note that every acquisition plan need to be carefully in advance regarding its costs; it is explained that if not all costs are estimated with accuracy - reference is made to the ‘purchase costs, administrative costs and integration costs’ (Coffey et al. 2001, p.52) – then the process is likely to fail, in the short or the long term. From a similar point of view, Rock et al. (1994) noted that the key target of an acquisition should be ‘the creation of a strategic advantage’ (Rock et al. 1994, p.5), meaning that the specific process would help the firm to improve its position towards its competitors. Particular emphasis is also given on the successful integration of the acquired company within the business entity of the buyer (Rock et al. 1994, p.5). The decision of Microsoft to acquire Skype would be evaluated by referring to the issues discussed above. Microsoft is a firm well established in the global market; in fact the organization is considered as one of the key competitors in the software industry – along with Apple (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The tools that Microsoft had already developed in regard to the direct – online communication, such as the Live Messenger and Xbox & Kinect, have performed quite well in the global market. However, still the firm did not have the control of the market, regarding products of such characteristics. Apple with a series of products/ software of advanced technology, such as iPhone and iMessage, had managed to get an important share of the market (Yahoo Finance 2011, Huo 2011). In the above context, the acquisition of Skype would offer to Microsoft a key strategic advantage towards its competitors – especially Apple; such perspective is among the main causes of acquisition as a business strategy, as explained above (Microsoft News Center 2011). At the next level, Microsoft is a firm quite powerful, in terms of funds available for the

To Cut or Not to Cut Routine Infant Circumcision Essay

To Cut or Not to Cut Routine Infant Circumcision - Essay Example His birth itself makes him a Jewish or a Muslim; depending on the family he has taken birth into (Gollaher 24). However, in recent years, the ethics of an unnecessary surgical procedure which essentially disfigures normal male anatomy and may, in fact, create sexual problems down the road for an otherwise healthy male, has groups across the country lobbying to get the procedure outlawed (Fleiss et al 364). Even though a prominent group of pediatricians believes that the advantages of circumcision are more numbered than the risks involved, the American Academy of Pediatrics believes that the medical gains of circumcision are not up to that extent that the risks involved may be overlooked and it (circumcision) may be recommended (Somerville 20). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, â€Å"the topic cuts across many paradigms in your life – cultural, religious, ethnic, family tradition, aesthetic. We are not in a position to make recommendations on those paradigmsâ₠¬  (Freedman). Moreover, in countries like Canada a physician might land himself in legal problems if he/she undertakes the circumcision of a child even though it is with the consent of the child’s parents (Somerville 34). Some scholars believe that the reasons behind the circumcision practice are different than being religious. Like for example David Gollaher claims that male circumcision has its origins from the practice of castration done on male attendants of the ‘harems’ in order to keep them inoffensive and harmless. The main aim was to preserve the chastity of the female inmates of the ‘harem’. Gradually, the castration was transformed to circumcision and it became a practice which some people wrapped in a religious cover. Gollaher further claims that girls were circumcised in order to diminish their sexual urge on puberty. This again was done in order to keep their chastity intact. Due to this very reason, there still are areas where girl ci rcumcision is practiced as a custom (Gollaher 194). But Abusharaf does not agree with this view. According to him, such actions cannot guarantee chastity. It is the upbringing and the will power of the girl that will reflect in her actions (her chastity). Moreover, it is against the teachings of Christianity to harm or tyrannize one’s body in order to achieve certain virtues (Abusharaf 184). The parents’ decision regarding circumcision of their children should be regarded as final. Parents may consult their doctors for proper advice. They should properly understand the pros and cons of circumcision and only then should they decide about circumcision. As compared to the 1970s and 1980s, when the rate of circumcision was about 80 percent, by the year 2010, the rate had drastically fallen down to 55 percent. It is worth mentioning here that some studies have warned that such lower rates of circumcision might lead to elevated rates of sexually transmitted diseases. It is a stonishing to note the findings of the study that within the next 10 years or so, such infections might cost the exchequer of the United States health department billions of dollars (Freedman). Some people have opposed the practice of circumcision simply due to the reason that it mutilates an important male organ and decreases sexual sensation. Freedman strongly refutes such claims as being baseless and inadequately studied.There are certain common problems, even though of lesser importance, that may arise due

In what ways did the Puritans influence America in economics ,politics Essay

In what ways did the Puritans influence America in economics ,politics ,and religion - Essay Example Their principle tended to be Presbyterian and Calvinistic. The puritan’s finest writings were both devotional and polemic treatments of theology. Their big mission was to have the freedom of worship just like as one chooses (Digital History 1 and New Advent 1). The New England puritans played a more crucial role in shaping America more than other group. They contributed a lot to the country’s (America) moral sensibility, sense of mission and its (America’s) work ethic. Some Americans (estimated to be eight million Americans) today can trace their ancestry roots back to the 15,000 to 20,000 puritans who drifted from the New England between the years 1629 and 1640. The puritans gave way to the birth of the next wave in Christian denominations. They brought major reforms to the America colonies and purified the Anglican Church (in the America) which led to the birth of the Baptists and Congregationalist in America (Digital History 1). The puritans immigrated to America in search of religious freedom as they were escaping the religious torment they were facing in their former countries and their idea was not to establish a church that was more like the church of England (they did not like the mode of religion in the England hence, the religion did not satisfy them nor did it favor them). The puritan’s mission was to set up a religion that will make the America a role model for other states to follow (Brewer, Jaques, Jones and King 1). American basic principle remains that of church separation form the state, this principle was largely influenced by the puritans hence the root of the practice (church separation from the state) was developed from the puritan’s idea of having a religious freedom (this made the religion to have a deep influence in the American life). This separation had a large impact as it protected the Americans from supporting a religion that was established and governed by the government (TCI 1). When they

Pipeline Systems Essay Example for Free

Pipeline Systems Essay Drawbacks of the Pipeline for Alberta Oil mining is the pillar industry in Alberta and building pipeline system is the most efficient way to transport oil into other areas. However, whether pipeline systems are appropriate technology has been debated for many years. Appropriate technology means the ‘technology that is designed with consideration to the environmental, ethical, cultural, social,political, and economical aspects of the community it is intended for. ’ [1] Many people believe that the Conduit System pipeline is not appropriate technology. The reason is that though it is profitable , it decreases the motivation of developing new environmental-friendly power systems. Also some of the First Nations think it is so ridiculous to sell the precious resources which is given by our ancestors and nature. Moreover it is not a environmentally beneficial system. This paper will support the point of view that the conduit system is actually an inappropriate technology by illustrating examples in such three perspectives. In the first place,the project is certainly â€Å"a tremendous display of the short sighted thinking†[2] because it only thinks about the short-time economic gain without considering the environmental problems. Also the construction of Pipeline system decreases the motivation of developing new environmental-friendly power systems. Once the conduit system pipeline is built up,more and more companies would follow and build more of the pipelines, since it is a profitable and a most easy way to transporting oil. However, once the pipelines are set up, the companies has to run it rapidly, otherwise the construction cost would never be recovered. Under this situation, it limits the sustainable economy development . Thus the construction of pipeline system are strongly discommended. Furthermore, the conduit system pipeline leads to disagreements and conflicts with the Canadian society, especially between the First Nation and the government. Every individual and social group has their own belief and way of life. We do not support this pipeline project. We believed that the project has the potential to harm our environment ,as well as our way of life. We hope that our voice is heard and taken into consideration. †[3] said by the First Nations leaders. It contradicts the economy growth valued by the Conduit company, as well as the government, therefore confits appears. Therefore, it is obvious that the Conduit company pipeline would trigger dispute between First Nations and other social grou ps. Lastly, it is not environmentally beneficial for the human race to build the pipeline system in the long term. Oil spilling is a serious challenge for oil transporting industry, especially for long distance pipeline system. The Enbridge oil spill [4] is a strong example, over 190000 liters oil seeped out. The impact of oil spill is catastrophic. Carbon dioxide will be released to atmosphere increasingly, the green-house-effect will be more serious. At the same time the eco-system will be ruined, the fields can not be grown in 10 years or more. It is a disaster for both human and nature. â€Å"An oil spill from this pipeline will have major media coverage, which would effectively destroy Canada’s reputation. †[5] said the politician. Furthermore the oil of Alberta is non-renewable energy resource, it can not be produced in thousands years. Though the pipeline system is the most efficient way to transport the resources, what we can leave to our next generations if the oil is exhausted. Overall, it is obvious that the conduit system is actually not an appropriate technology for Alberta. According to the examples and analyses above, the pipeline system is a immature technology which creates social conflict,damages the planet and leaves even more environmental issues to the younger generations. [6] Consequently, the applying of the conduit system still needs more consideration. (1)Engineers Without Borders -Case Study Conduit Systems https://eclass. srv. ualberta. ca/mod/resource/view. php? id=551299 (2)http://www. cbc. ca/news/canada/story/2012/07/28/enbridge-wisconsin-spill-pipeline-closed. html (3)Engineers Without Borders -Case Study Conduit Systems https://eclass. srv. ualberta. ca/mod/resource/view. php? id=551299

The Effects of Technology on Decision Making Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Technology on Decision Making Essay Computer systems are one way that health care providers have integrated technology into the medical field. Each computer system is unique, yet all have a purpose, function and structure. Deciding what computer system to choose, what software programs to incorporate and what the computer is needed to do are just a few burdens that have to be weighed when deciding which is best suited for the health care organization. Many health care organizations elect to incorporate decision support systems. Decision support systems have been in increasing patient quality of care, increasing positive patient outcomes and decreasing the potential of medical errors. Bar coding, robotics, interactive websites, electronic medical records, and e-scribing are just a few advances in technology. â€Å"Advances in software, hardware, and networking all share common impact attributes in their ability to improve cost-effectiveness of care, quality of care, and access to care† (Nobel Norman, 2003). With these attributes, the benefits are numerous in assisting with decision making in all aspects of health care. A discussion on the DIK Mode The key to the complex relationship between data, information, and knowledge lies at the source of data and information. The source of data and information is dual: activities, and situations. Both activities and situations produce information (e. g. , ‘relevant meaning’ to someone) that is captured, thus becoming data, or becomes unaware. The key to understanding the relationship between information and knowledge is to know where the information resides. Recollect that information is at its soul message that is generated from activities and situations. However, information resides in storage media (e. g. , database, print, video tapes, etc. ) in the form of data, or in the human mind as knowledge (in its simplest form of know-what or the higher forms of know-how and know-why). If this is the case, then extend between data and information in association with information and knowledge becomes evident, e. g. , they occupy different space at the same time. This also explains why many distinguish data and information, as well as information and knowledge as well suited. †¦one man’s data can be another man’s knowledge, and vice versa, depending on context† (Stewart, 2002, p. 6). However, they are not exchangeable in terms of their accepted distinct definitions. So, what is a book; knowledge, information or data? It is all the above in various context. A book is knowledge from the author’s perspective, information for the impending reader, and data as well which is contained in a storage media (called ‘book’). A discussion of systems and informatics theories Direct communication represents an information processing world of systems. Systems have been designed to provide access to data, information, and knowledge for use by nurses in a multifaceted and culturally diverse world. â€Å"A system is defined as a series of well designed mechanism connected by communication links exhibiting resolute, goal directed behavior† (King, 1996 p. 61). A common language among nurses worldwide would describe the categories of various systems wherever they occur. Nurses are becoming more knowledgeable of the technologies offered as health care organizations across the world incorporate technology into their practices. Considering the nurse has the responsibility of the majority of the documentation, it is important to incorporate aspects of nursing classification systems to help with decision making. The transaction Process in King’s theory when used in interdisciplinary teams facilitates mutual goal-setting with patients based on each member of the team’s specific knowledge and functions. This often facilitates role similarity and respect for the knowledge, skills, and values each member brings to the situation. An example of the usefulness of the nursing process, as process in technology use is the documentation of the nursing process in the computerized healthcare record. Information technology has enabled healthcare organizations to function as incorporated healthcare delivery networks, improve quality, and become socially and environmentally responsive (Davenport, Jarvenpaa, Beers, 1996; Tapscott Caston, 1993). Nursing data must be included in computerized information systems in organizations or the nurse’s documentation becomes invisible. The nursing process is much broader than â€Å"steps,† the nursing process is an international method to use the discipline’s body of knowledge organized in the structure of theory and nursing and nursing classifications. With emerging technology, and the integration of software applications, the ability to incorporate the nursing process and other health care information into a digital system has become a reality. As technology advances, incorporation of decision support systems also advances. The use of expert systems and decision support systems further the ability for technology to engage in decision making. The role of expert system in nursing care and medicine Expert systems in medicine are computer programs that make human based decisions by copying the judgments and behavior of humans, based on knowledge and experience from previous diagnosis and investigation derived from treatment and long-term care of patients with similar conditions as the present. That is why expert system is referred to as knowledge- base information system. The expert system is an artificial intelligent branch of computer generated thought with a very narrow focus. It is used in health care because the system functions very well with specific activities or problems and a discrete database of digitalized facts, rules, cases and models. Using patient data, its incorporated knowledge base, its inference engine, and the expert system can derive specific advice related to the case being treated. Expert systems basically act as if a Doctor or Nurse would, when they make a decision on courses of treatment. Diagnosing, predicting, interpreting and instructing are four interactive roles that form the activities of the expert system. The use of decision aids and decision support systems Decision support systems usually have numerous functions when used in hospital or healthcare settings. They are mostly used in specific decision-making activities. Decision support system relies on computer hardware, software and information for effective function. They can be used as knowledge-based and also as non- knowledge -base. One of its functions is administrative, in which they help in documentation of clinical information, decide whether a procedure is appropriate for treating a certain condition, and decide if a referral is necessary, to whom or where, and make follow-ups on the referrals. They help in keeping patients on protocol in situations like chemotherapy treatment or just research. Decision support systems also help in tracking orders whether medical or external shipments. They are very efficient in avoiding mistakes such as scheduling unnecessary tests. Most importantly, Decision support systems help in making the right diagnosis, providing different treatment options and suggesting the better option, and help look after the patients and hospital population as a whole. Decision aids are mostly used in helping the patient or care-giver decide which treatment is best for the condition being considered. Decision aids can also be used in referrals of patient to nurse call-centers or patient education services available. In the future decision support system will incorporate four criteria; robustness, ease of control, simplicity, and completeness of relevant detail. Reusability will be proficient through some type of software or hardware framework in compliance to Alter’s model, enabling companies to take benefit of basic, generalized models common to a range of scenarios. The history of Decision Support Systems is a short one, making it easy to map out the steps and growth of this relatively new concept. Even small improvements to current systems will enable all companies to make improved decisions about the marketing of products, which will in the long run aid the economy as a whole by placing in it only the most desirable and successful products. A framework that represents the backbone of decision support system will enable companies that would not normally work together on marketing concepts to bring together their efforts. The core system will progress to one that will in real meaning constantly learn from past practice. The uses of technology for patient and client management Technology for patient and client management is changing the health care system daily. Informatics is a specialized computer science used to manage information technology. Most healthcare settings have IT departments, yet nurses need to be able to use and retrieve valuable patient information to give patient care. Electronic medical records, also known as EMR, are the most recent and largest application of technology in the health care field. The use of EMR allows for documentation and a more cohesive interdisciplinary care plan for the patient. Another popular trend in healthcare is to have an integrated EMR with other aspects of patient care including patient appointments, assessments, billing and personal information, and other outpatient tests. Within this integrated patient record, a computer can keep documentation of many areas of a patients care; can provide easy access to the records from any place to any medical personnel. Technology such as this decreases the gaps in medical care; the time spent on documentation, and reduces medical errors. This in turn saves money for health care providers. Another form of technology that is used in patient care is the internet. It can be used for retrieval of data for patient education. The internet can be used to search multiple sources of information with efficiency. The biggest concern with the use of the internet is that the electronic source must be evaluated for credibility and reliability. The internet is allows for quick communication amount healthcare professionals to enhance collaboration and coordination of care (Englebardt Nelson, 2002). An analysis of the effect of technology on health care and health status The medical care field is allowing expanding technology of the twenty-first century to be integrated into patient care. Technology has allowed surgical procedures to be simplified, patients recover quicker, and fewer complications occur. This also decreases the length of stay for a patient and therefore decreases medical costs. Technology has also made it possible for a patient’s medical history to be all in one spot, accessible for all members of the health care team, and from any area of the world. The use of technology advances have resulted in better health care delivery and patient outcomes. As health care organizations integrate ethnology into their daily practices, they are faced with many complexities. DIK models, health informatics systems, and decision support systems must be created to improve patient care, increase efficiency among health care staff, decrease costs or be cost-effective, and increase positive patient outcomes. Decision making technology, such as decision support systems, must meet timelines, objectivity, have the ability to integrate with other software applications, have boundaries, and be able to prioritize information and gathered data. â€Å"The quantity and complexity of decisions faced by the health care executive demand standardized decision processes† (Englebardt Nelson, 2002). Efforts to improve the quality and value of health care are increasingly emphasizing a critical role for the meaningful use of clinical decision support systems. The use of health information technology (HIT), health information systems (HIS), electronic medical records (EMR), electronic health records (EHR), and Pyxsis systems are just a few computer software programs that integrate DSS to provide supportive tools to assist health care providers in clinical decisions. Conclusion Technology will continue to change. It is important for health care organizations to embrace these changes to better the delivery of medical care. As technology advances, the ability for health care consumers to gain a better understanding of their diagnosis and treatment options, such as the internet, also advances. Patients are expecting faster service, use of the best technology, and are choosing health care facilities based on how advanced technologically the facility is. The decision support technologies will assist the physician’s and other medical staff to be able to provide faster responses and increase patient satisfaction.

Organisational Structure and Different Types of Structures

Organisational Structure and Different Types of Structures Organisational structure and different types of structures Organsational structure is the internal, formal framework of a business that shows the way in which management is linked together and how the authority is transmitted. (Stimpson P. 2011) It is basically a framework used to describe the hierarchy inan organisation. Every business needs to have their own organizational structure as it helps in identifying the job at each level of an individual followed by its functions and it also assists in obtaining their own goals for development. There is a need for every type of organisation to have their own structure specially when it comes to large enterprises as it becomes difficult activities of the various departments and functions. Following are the various type of organisation structure a business can have: Functional Structure: Figure 1: Functional Source: businessmates.org,2014 This type of structure mainly focuses on the functions set up for each department of the organisation. It works well for small enterprises as each department is mostly dependent on the knowledge, skill and talent of the other employees to support themselves. It leads to specialization and efficiency in the performance, however on the other hand it can also lead to conflicts as it restricts the employee of different departments to communicate and coordinate with each other because of the boundaries of working in their own department separately. Product Structure: Figure 2: Product Source: tutorialspoint.com,2014 It’s focus is on the organisations product lines and this type of structure can mostly be found in retail stores which exist in a number of cities. Mostly large enterprises who have different type of products with their own departments and functions have this structure. Despite this structure being faster when it comes to making decisions, it can also lead to extra cost due to repeated functions for each product. Regional Structure: Figure 3: Regional Source: cnx.org,2014 Organisations who develop and duplicate department in various functional areas across the region use this structure as they want to focus on the local strategies of the area to keep up with the competition by studying their preferences and demands. Multi-divisional Structure: Figure 4: Multi-division Source: creately.com,2014 This structure is used for large companies which operate in wide geographical areas as the number of functions, employees and activities are very large. The benefit of this structure is that it is more specific and rapid but on the other hand due to the employees being in different divisions the communication is uneasy. Multi-function Structure: It mostly focuses on achieving the business goals as it diverse functional expertise to work together on it. Matrix Structure: Figure 5: Matrix Source: unc.edu,2014 This happens to be a combination of divisional and functional structure as it handles product line and functions together. Though it provides benefit of both structures to be in one enterprise it can create a conflict when it comes to increased costs and internal complexity. Organisational culture and different types of cultures Culture is compromised of the assumptions, values, norms and tangible signs of organisation members and their behaviour. Members of the organisation soon come to sense the particular culture of an organization. (Katrin O. ,2010) Organisational culture refers to the values, expectations and behaviour which hold the organisation together. It basically based on customs, beliefs and rules which develop over time. It also refers to an arrangement of the objectives and ideas made by the people in the organisation and is not only referred to the people employed in the company but also their products, services and the various process involved. There are four main types of cultures: Power Culture: This is used by most organisations where the power lies at the top level of management as they make the decisions. It is mostly suitable for organisations which have small number of employees. The relationship is adaptive and informal which leads to good personal relations. Role Culture: This is mostly found in large hierarchical enterprise where each employee has their own role to perform specifically. Here the employees work more close to their job description and are creative in their own way. The relationship is formal in nature. Task Culture: Here teams are made to complete tasks appointed. Every team ends up making their own cultures as they have their own authority to make decisions. In this type of culture teams are creative but on the other hand it can also be costly due to the market price being demanded for their service by the experts. Person Culture: This is more of an individualistic culture where everyone are allowed to express themselves and make decisions of their own. Compare and contrast two organizational chart of real companies The two organisations taken for this report are Nestle and McDonalds. I. Nestle Figure 6: Nestle Logo Source: consumerbrands.com, 2014 Nestle is a multinational company headquartered in Switzerland. It’s main focus is to provide health oriented food for its customers for a healthier lifestyle following with different varieties of products including beverages. They have products which are specially for people who are very conscious about weight gain, cornflakes that contain iron and proteins for the development of young children. It believes in satisfying its customers at any point of the day and all around the world as their products can be found worldwide. They want to provide reliable quality food products which will contribute towards the nutritional factor of consumers till the brand’s existence. (nestle.co.za, 2014) Organisational Chart of Nestle Figure 7: Nestle Organisational Chart Source: nestle.com,2014 It can clearly be seen from their organizational structure that Peter Brabeck-Letmathe is the main chairman of this multinational organizational. According to their website there are 14 members of the Board of Directors. Here the shareholder are the owners of the company followed by them having their own separately legal identity from the main owner. II. McDonalds Figure 7: McDonalds Source: logos.wikia.com,2014 Mcdonalds has been operating since the year 1948 which is more than 100 years ago, they have a well- established market through out the different countries in the world. McDonalds is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 34,000 local restaurants serving nearly 69 million people in 119 countries each day. Organisational Chart of McDonalds Figure 8: Organisation Chart McDonalds Source: (Webcache.googleusercontent.com, 2014) Over 70% of McDonalds are run through franchise. It is form of organisation where a business who doesn’t want to sell directly come in contact with a franchisee to sell their product to consumers based on certain rules and regulations. McDonalds has a functional structure design. Big companies normally have this structure where the departments carry out most of the work. According to the chart above you can see how everything is structured along the lines. Their hierarchy starts from their Chief Executive Officer who is at the top followed by operating officer and so on. When it comes to comparing these two organisations they are both multinational companies with a reputed image among their customers. Both of their purpose of existence is to engage into getting maximum customers satisfaction as their Research and Development department is very efficient. On the contrary, Nestle happens to have a decentralized form of structure where the authority makes the decision through all levels of the organisation which means that their strategies and rules are flexible. Whereas McDonalds has a centralized structure where the top management makes the strategies and decisions that make the procedures and rules become rigid. Nestle has a structure in their hierarchy chart which is tall with a long chain of command. On the other hand, McDonalds has a flat structure with a controlling group at each level of their hierarchy. Followed by Nestle having a decentralized structure, it makes their rules and regulation flexible where the management have the opportunity to make changes in decision according to the situation. But in McDonalds due to lack of flexibility in their organisation structure their effectiveness and efficiency lack behind in decision making. The major difference between these two companies is that Nestle has a regional structure which is based on the different geographical areas. Whereas McDonalds has a functional structure in which different functions are performed by different departments. Bibliography List Books Stimpson P.(2008). Business Studies. Cambridge University Press: UK Katrin O.(2010). Organisation Culture An Insight in Organisation. Grin Verlag: Germany[Online] Available at: http://books.google.ae/books?id=FzUllf8R7ekCpg=PA5dq=organisation+culturehl=ensa=Xei=bwIkVMLgLM_laI_lgfAHved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepageq=organisation culturef=false [Accessed on 25th Sep 2014] Websites http://smallbusiness.chron.com/different-types-organizational-structure-723.html http://smallbusiness.chron.com/models-organizational-structure-3821.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/strategy/corporate-and-organisational-culture.html#axzz3EKTLQhK5 http://www.nestle.co.za/aboutus/missionvision http://www.nestle.com/aboutus/management nestle organizational chart http://www.nestle.com/asset-library/documents/library/documents/corporate_governance/corp_governance_report_2013_en.pdf http://www.ukessays.com/essays/business/mcdonalds-corporate-organizational-structure-business-essay.php http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/home.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/mcdonalds-restaurants/the-route-to-fast-food-franchising/introduction.html#axzz2Cvd9clpf http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:04Rm2jifw7wJ:sfs.scnu.edu.cn/tblogs/chenxy/attachments/month_1112/p2011121145421.ppt+cd=10hl=enct=clnkgl=ae organizational chart of mcdonalds

The Golden Gate Bridge Essay -- Construction Bridges Engineering Essay

The Golden Gate Bridge Since the dawn of time, man has had an inherent need to get to the other side. Rivers, canyons, and impassable trails have always hindered the migration of man, leaving him the choice to continue no further, or to â€Å"build a bridge and get over it.† The earliest bridges were made of simple materials such as stone, or even a fallen log. Regardless of the material, natural bridges allowed man to explore the â€Å"other side.† However, man has never been satisfied with what nature gives him. Over time, man developed the ability to construct his own bridges in order to create a shortcut across an otherwise impassable obstacle. The first man-made bridges consisted of wooden beams or stone arches. With each bridge, he added improvements such as cables for stability or larger abutments to support a larger load. Eventually, man entered the age of steel. Steel truss beams coupled with steel cables increased bridge spans considerably and allowed for a larger weight ca pacity. Now man was crossing distances only boats had taken people before. Various bridge styles also developed. Suspension, cable-stayed, steel arch, steel truss, and reinforced concrete arch bridges are all modern types of bridges, each with its own usefulness and design. The longest and most recognizable bridge type is the suspension bridge. These structures can span distances from 2000 to 7000 feet. As its name dictates, a suspension bridge suspends the roadway from heavy steel cables that run from one length of the bridge to the other. The cables are then fastened at large concrete anchorages at each end. Arguably the most well known suspension bridge is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. While actual constructi... ...pring96/lui.html (November 9, 2004). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1] http://www.americahurrah.com/SanFrancisco/GoldenGateBridge/4-SanFranciscoTower.htm [2] http://www.americahurrah.com/SanFrancisco/GoldenGateBridge/6-CableSpinning.htm [3] http://www.americahurrah.com/SanFrancisco/GoldenGateBridge/7-Roadway.htm [4] http://www.goldengatebridge.org/research/factsGGBDesign.html#ConcreteQuantities [5] http://www.sightseeingworld.com/SanFrancisco/goldengatebridge.htm [6] http://www.goldengatebridge.org/research/factsGGBLighting.html [7] http://www.sdsc.edu/GatherScatter/GSspring96/lui.html#list [8] http://www.goldengatebridge.org/research/factsGGBIntOrngPaint.html [9] http://www.goldengatebridge.org/research/majggbimprove.html [10] http://www.goldengatebridge.org/research/GGBTraffToll.html

Physics of Music Essay example -- physics music sound

"He who understands nothing but chemistry does not truly understand chemistry either" Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1799) Music is not purely a form of art. There is a great deal of science that goes behind the production of beautiful musical sounds. In order to understand how music is possible, one must have an understanding of physics. Physics allows us to create musical instruments with different tone qualities and the ability to be played in a certain way to produce a specific pitch or note. Music is sound, and sound is vibrations or waves that are at the right frequency to be perceived by the human ear. Audible vibrations are waves with a frequency between 16 and 20,000 vibrations per second. So what causes sound waves? Sound waves are caused by a disturbance in an elastic medium. These can include the strings on a violin, the reed on a clarinet, and even the human vocal cords. Click on the links below to discover how science makes it possible to create a variety of musical sounds. Stringed instruments produce sound when an action such as plucking or bowing causes them to vibrate. When a string is fixed at both ends, two transverse waves will move from the left and right side of the disturbance. When the waves hit the fixed ends of the string, they bounce back and continue to vibrate until they are eventually stopped by friction and "leaks" through the fixed points. It can be proved with mathematics that standing waves are the only stable vibrations that are possible for a string with two fixed ends. Because these waves are standing waves, the only possible wavelengths are found by 2L/n, where L is the length of the string and n is the harmonic number, which is can be any integer describing the mode of the stret... ...of valves that attach to additional tubing. When the valves are pressed additional lengths of tubing are inserted into the airway of the horn to lower the pitch. Bibliography Askill, John. Physics of Musical Sounds. Litton Educational Publishing, Inc. 1979. Fletcher, Neville H. and Rossing, Thomas D. The Physics of Musical Instruments. Springer-Verlag New York Inc. 1991. Harder, Paul O. and Steinke, Greg A. Basic Materials in Music Theory. Prentice Hall. 2000. Levarie, Siegmund and Levy, Ernst. Tone: A Study in Musical Acoustics. Kent State University Press. 1968. Roederer, Juan G. The Physics and Psychophysics of Music: An Introduction. Springer-Verlag New York, Inc. 1995. Serway, Raymond A. and Beichner, Robert J. Physics for Scientists and Engineers. Thomson Learning, Inc. 2000.

Massachusetts Law

If guests harm themselves or others, after consuming alcoholic drinks at the host’s dwelling, then under certain circumstances, the host can be made responsible for such harm. The liability that arises can be either civil or criminal and the penalties imposed could range from imprisonment or community service to fines. In most of the States of the Union it has been deemed to be a crime to violate social host laws (Harvard College. Social Host Liability Law). The McGuiggan v. New England Tel case of Massachusetts discussed the question of social host liability. This case was based on incidents that transpired in the year 1978. Daniel the son of the McGuiggans had completed his high school studies successfully. In order to commemorate this occasion the McGuiggans held a party in which alcohol was served to the guests. Most of the guests were the classmates of Daniel and one of them, by the name of James Magee, who had   consumed alcoholic drinks before attending the party was offered some more drinks by the McGuiggans (McGuiggan v. New England Telephone and Telegraph, Co). After some time had elapsed, Daniel, Magee and two other guests went for a drive in a car. While travelling in this fashion, Daniel leaned out of the car window in order to vomit, whereupon his head collided with a cement post belonging to the New England Telephone company. The result injury proved to be fatal. Subsequently, the McGuiggans filed a case against the New England Telephone company. This company contended that the plaintiffs were liable for prosecution due to their being the social hosts of the drunken Magee. This was not accepted by the court, which decided in favor of the McGuiggans, because it could not be established that the McGuiggans were aware that Magee was drunk (McGuiggan v. New England Telephone and Telegraph, Co). The statute in this context was amended in the year 2000, consequent to the death of a drunken minor who had been involved in a fatal driving accident. The current legal position obtaining in this regard is that a parent who permits or condones the consumption of alcoholic drinks to minors is criminally liable. Hitherto fore, criminal liability was attendant only upon the actual offer of alcoholic drinks to a minor (Mass.Gen.Laws.ch.138). Since there has been no reduction in the number of cases involving drunken driving by minors, it would be extremely dangerous to make the law in respect of social host liability less stringent. The need of the hour is to make the punishment much more stringent and in addition, the offenders should also be made liable according to   the negligent per se standard, as is extant in some of the other States of the Union. Works Cited Harvard College. Social Host Liability Law. 30 September 2004. 28 September 2007 . â€Å"Mass.Gen.Laws.ch.138.† 2004. McGuiggan v. New England Telephone and Telegraph, Co. No. 398 Mass. 152 496 N.E.2d 141 . 1986.   

Constitutional reform has gone too far, or not far enough

Constitutional reform is a process whereby the fundamental nature of the system government (as well as the relationships between governing institutions) is changed, or where change is proposed. In the case of the UK this may also involve the process of codification. Such reforms have arguably been frequently present over recent years, with the introduction of numerous constitutional reforms since 1997-the Golden Date, some might argue. The UK currently has a Two-and-a-Half Party System, with the Liberal Democrats being the half. As such, there are of course many competing points of view, some of which differentiating due to a party’s position on the political spectrum. This essay will identify and explain the differences in opinion concerning whether or not constitutional reform has gone far enough. The Conservative party, made up of many traditionalists of Great Britain, very much believe that constitutional reform has gone too far. They believe that numerous sudden changes have occurred since 1997 under Labour, but there has not been a pause. Britain therefore needs to stop and see if the system is working, before any further/additional-and perhaps unnecessary-changes are made. One of several major constitutional reforms that the Conservative party are opposed to/believes that it is a step too far, is having a codified (written) constitution. This codified constitution would to some extent limit government power, which the Conservatives are very much against; preferring strong government. The party also believe that an uncodified constitution allows it to evolve gradually and naturally over time, ensuring that it suits that particular time period. For example, if the constitution would have been codified one hundred years ago, then the women of today would not be able to vote. The Conservatives therefore argue that the constitution should remain uncodified as many aspects would soon be outdated. The Conservatives also believe that the constitution should only change when there is an obvious problem; and where a clear solution that will improve things exists. The Conservatives also believe that devolution (a process of constitutional reform, whereby power, but not legal sovereignty, is distributed to national or regional institutions) was a step too far, but have reluctantly accepted it. However, they did warn that devolution-especially at the speed that it has occurred at in recent years-may lead to the eventual break up of Great Britain. This is a possible reason for Prime Minister, David Cameron, attempting to dictate the referendum concerning Scottish Independence. The formation of the Scottish Parliament-a result of devolution-has limited the power of the British government over subjects such as education and health in devolved areas. Moreover, although the Conservatives have reluctantly ‘accepted’ devolution, they have given a definite no to Scottish Independence, much to the annoyance of Alex Salmon. The Conservative party, the traditionalists of Great Britain are very much against ‘reform for reforms sake. ’ They were therefore rather reluctant to reform the House of Lords. However, as they are currently in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, who wish to dramatically reform the House of Lords, they had to come up with a compromise. This compromise came in the form of proposing for 80% of the members to be elected, with the remaining 20% being appointed by Appointment Committees. The Conservatives have argued against a fully elected House of Lords because they believe that it is sensible to have experts present in the legislative process. Although such constitutional reform has been proposed, the Conservatives would much rather have not reformed the Lords at all, keeping true to traditional views, which have aided Britain so well in the past. On the other hand, the Conservatives have agreed to reduce the number of MPs in the House of Commons from 650 to 600. As a result, there will be less representation of the people and also less scrutiny; which is the main negative repercussion. Less scrutiny could allow an ajar backdoor for further corruption and manipulation in politics to be present. This particular constitutional reform is one of the few that the Conservatives believe has not gone too far, insisting that it has the potential to aid Great Britain. A further constitutional reform that links to the previous point is the attempt at making boundary sizes more equal. This is to be done in order to achieve political equality, for votes. A prime example of this is the Isle of Wight which has one representative for the entire area. With the implementation of equal boundary sizes, there will be several representatives for the area, which would go some way to ensuring that votes are equal. Nevertheless, this particular constitutional reform is favourable to the Conservatives, as the Isle of Wight is a predominantly Conservative area. The Liberal Democrats, made up of many eager reformists, strongly believe that constitutional reform has not gone far enough. With this view in mind, they wish to reform many aspects of Britain, in the hope of promoting democracy. The Liberal Democrats also believe that prior reforms have laid some of the basic foundations for democracy to be developed, such as the proposed reforms to the House of Lords, but believe they should continue. One of several constitutional reforms that the Liberal Democrats believe have not gone far enough is the constitution remaining uncodified. The Liberal Democrats favour a codified (written) constitution as it outlines the rights of the people, and in a sense, limits government power. A codified constitution could also allow human rights to become entrenched (the device which protects a constitution from short-term amendment). As human rights and liberties are at the heart of many Liberal Democrats, it is obvious why they wish to have a codified constitution, and are not at all content with the current uncodified constitution. This may be because the government has found ways to go around issues in the past, due to the uncodified constitution not distinctly outlining their power, roles and limitations. The Liberal Democrats also believe that a codified constitution could be more democratic, in the sense that popular sovereignty (sovereignty lies with the people, as is the case in America) could be integrated. The Liberal Democrats are also in favour of devolution, which fits in with the idea of federalism (the process by which two or more governments share powers over the same geographic area). During the 1990s and in the run up to the 1997 general election, the Liberal Democrats developed a joint policy with Labour, showing their commitment to devolution. After the invitation onto a cabinet sub-committee, the Liberal Democrat leader and a number of senior figures found itself working with the machinery of government. The policies that they worked on were some of those closest to the hearts of many Liberal Democrats. Although the Liberal Democrats agree with devolution, many would like to take it a step further and go federal. This is why the Liberal Democrats believe that constitutional reform has not gone far enough when it comes to devolution, as a crossover between devolution and federalism is not yet present. Furthermore, the beloved idea of federalism links to both devolution and a codified constitution, which is present in both America and Germany. Nevertheless, the Liberal Democrats disagree with Scottish independence; even though it fits in with the beloved idea of federalism. It therefore seems that the Liberal Democrats are only in favour of constitutional reform that suits them/increases their power and number of seats. The Liberal Democrats believe that constitutional reform has not yet completely reached the House of Lords. The Liberal Democrats are eager for 100% of members of the House of Lords to be elected, similar to a senate present in America and Australia. The members would be elected by proportional representation instead of FPTP, as this has been strongly argued by the Liberal Democrats to be undemocratic. However, due to the coalition, a compromise had to be made which allowed the proposal of a House of Lords with 80% of its members elected to be put forward. This is a clear compromise between the coalition members as the Liberal Democrats are eager to reform many aspects of Britain, including the House of Lords, whereas the Conservatives, the dominant member of the coalition, would prefer not to reform the Lords at all as it has never caused any violent uprisings or revolutions in the past. The Labour party, ‘a party of the working class,’ was the party that first introduced ‘radical’ reforms, stemming from 1997 under Tony Blair. The current Labour party, under Ed Miliband, are reviewing all of their policies and are yet to publish a manifesto. However, the policies that are yet to be published may go back to the roots of Old Labour, have influence from Tony Blair’s Third Way or may set out on a completely different path. The Labour party are said to be somewhere in the middle, agreeing that constitutional reform has gone too far in some aspects, but not far enough in others. For example, when it comes to the constitution, the Labour party are very much in agreement with the Conservatives. This is true in the sense that they also believe that the constitution should be allowed to evolve naturally, instead of being dictated by predecessors. The Labour party also argue that introducing a codified constitution would be very time consuming and very costly. At this point in time, considering that a deficit of over ?1tn exists, introducing a codified constitution would not necessarily be the best thing to spend a large sum of money on. Labour argues that a codified constitution would be fixed/static and could not be easily changed, which would not be ideal in a crisis. The Labour party are in favour of reducing the number of MPs in the House of Commons from 650 to 600, as long as it is done in the old manner, which would be more beneficial to them. However, the party give a firm ‘no’ to equal boundary sizes. This is predominantly because they would lose out significantly, making it very difficult for Labour to form a significant majority. On this particular issue, Labour believes that equalling boundary sizes is a constitutional reform that is just a step too far. As previously stated, this is most likely because they would lose out dramatically. Similar to the Liberal Democrats, the Labour party are strongly in favour of devolution, but are against Scottish Independence. This is because Labour has a strong grasp on Scotland, and if Scotland was to go independent, they would lose many seats. This loss would make it very difficult for Labour to form a majority, meaning that their chances of being elected as the next government would be extremely slim. This would of course be very beneficial to the Conservatives, but would be very damaging to Labour. Hence why Labour believe that Scottish Independence is a step too far. In conclusion, each of the three main parties have different opinions concerning the true extent of constitutional reform: with the Conservatives predominantly believing that it has gone too far, the Liberal Democrats believing that it has not gone far enough and Labour lying somewhere in between. However, under the coalition, the two members have compromised and have strayed slightly from their original views. The Conservatives, for example, have proposed to reform the House of Lords, which is arguably quite ‘untraditional’ of them. The Liberal Democrats have agreed to reduce the number of MPs in the Commons, even though there will be less scrutiny and they will lose out. The numerous differences in opinions and views over constitutional reform has sometimes allowed for some parties to spring up: the bid for Scottish Independence created the Scottish Nationalist Party and issues concerning the EU have created UKIP. It can be strongly argued that constitutional reform has not gone far enough, in the sense of improving democracy, as several aspects of the UK remain undemocratic, such as reducing the number of MPs in the Commons and not completely reforming the House of Lords.

Obsession with Celebrities

From Charlie Sheen to the Queen; we follow them, we love them. But has our obsession with celebrities gone too far? So ask yourself: why are we â€Å"infected† with this viral disease? Does celebrity worship syndrome affect us? What type of celebrity do we classify as a one we would follow? Why has the Twitter revolution changed our views of celebrities? And most importantly, who do we blame for our addictive behaviour? We must turn away from our celebrity driven life and be our own mind controllers. So why are we â€Å"infected† with this viral disease? Let us be honest with ourselves, we have all imagined what it would be like to be a celebrity; living someone else’s life. We were built and programmed to like what we think is â€Å"cool† or â€Å"attractive† which are also words we use to describe celebrities. We see them all the time in films, on television and in advertisements all around the world. We acknowledge them as if they were â€Å"perfect†. But this is not true, yes of course they look and act differently when they are in the public eye but they are not like that in private. We see this when the world’s best golfer; Tiger Woods cheats on his wife with 12 different women. This shows that they are not perfect as we imagined, but flawed like us. Celebrity worship syndrome or CWS is a scientifically proven obsessive-addictive disorder. It can affect anyone who is over-exposed to the media surrounding the lives of celebrities. Psychologists have indicated that there are three types of CWS. The first is â€Å"Entertainment-social†. This occurs when a group of people watch or speak about celebrities. The second CWS disorder is â€Å"Intense-personal†. This is shown when people share compulsive feelings about celebrities. The last CWS disorder is â€Å"Borderline-pathology†. How does all of this happen? It is more common for women to â€Å"copy† the image of celebrities. For example, regular women can see what the stars are wearing and often find tips on how to buy cheap knockoffs of their outfits. This concerns people who have little control of their behaviours and fantasies they have on the topic of celebrities. According to research conducted in the United Kingdom, there is a relation between celebrity worship syndrome and other mental disorder. This is a mildly-serious condition that can be reversed if professional help and advice is taken. Who do we find attractive and consider worth following? It's not surprising that gorgeous people wind up famous. What's less obvious is that famous people often wind up gorgeous: The more we see a certain face, the more our brain likes it, whether or not it's actually beautiful. Thanks to what is known as â€Å"the exposure effect,† says James Bailey, a psychologist at George Washington University, the pleasurable sensation that is set off when we see a certain celebrity â€Å"begins to create a neurochemical groove,† making her image easier for our brains to process. This begins to explain why Jennifer Aniston, not exactly a classic cover girl was again named one of People magazine's 50 â€Å"most beautiful† in the world this year. Twitter, a world wide phenomenon. But why and how has the revolution of Twitter changed our views of celebrities? Before Twitter existed, all we had to connect with celebrities were magazines and television. But now celebrities have found a new way to communicate with us. Through Twitter, they can tell us what it is that they are currently doing and share their personal thoughts on anything. For example, Justin Bieber tweeted ‘Come home to me is such a great song. I thought I would do a little something with it. ’ But there have been studies which suggest that celebrities who do not use Twitter have a higher chance of prolonging their careers. In my opinion, this would be a fair statement because celebrities who do not use Twitter will live a more private life under less stress and so find it easier to keep their career going for as long as possible. Celebrities like Katy Perry who does not use Twitter has more privacy and less stress unlike those who constantly use Twitter like Justin Bieber are likely to experience an invasion of privacy. If we all were asked: who do we blame for being so attached to celebrities? We would all blame the media for publicizing the lives of the famous. But what we are not realizing is that we only have ourselves to blame for this behaviour. We push the media for more information which we then indulge ourselves in. We see this all the time when people contact news agencies and press aggressively for as much information as they could possible get. It has also been suggested by many that celebrities that are getting rich and famous forfeit their right to privacy. This could potentially be a disastrous decision that the celebrities make as they most certainly will lose their privacy and spend the rest of their lives under constant pressure from the media and the general public. Can we change our lives and turn away from the distractions of celebrities? A short answer would be yes. It is definitely unnecessary to follow the lives of the rich and famous so closely. If we get too addicted to celebrities, we need to seek help and refrain from this. Celebrity worship syndrome is a serious mental condition that we can treat as long as we are ready to reduce the amount of information about the celebrities we get. What we do not realize is that there is no one else more attractive than us on the inside. We need to realize that using Twitter will only aggravate us to ask for more about celebrities. Most importantly, we must stop blaming the media and blame ourselves instead for our addiction to celebrities. We will find that living without the influence of celebrities hard at first whenever we choose to stop following them but the end result will be rewarding.

Drama In The National Curriculum Education Essay

The purpose of this study is to understand where Drama stands in instruction within England at present. It searches for its ‘ reference within the National Curriculum and interprets what this means for the instruction of the topic. It looks at primary and secondary schools ‘ current tendencies towards Drama as a discrete topic, and argues the benefits and disadvantages of it holding its ‘ ain topic heading within the National Curriculum. The grounds will be evaluated and a decision formulated.1. Play in the National Curriculum.The National Curriculum website provides the most up to day of the month information on how Drama is placed within the course of study. At first glimpse Drama is absent but reference of it can be located, chiefly within the topic of English. [ See Appendix One for a description of the demands and activities for Key Stages ( KS ) 1 & A ; 2. ( National Curriculum, 2011a ) ] . Whilst there are purposes and aims published for KS1 & A ; 2, at KS3 & A ; 4 there is reference of selected dramatists as topics to be studied and the outlook that at least one Shakespearian drama will be explored in deepness at each phase ( National Curriculum, 2011b & A ; degree Celsius ) . References to the usage of Drama appear under Literature [ See Appendix Two ] ( National Curriculum, 2011d ) . For England the Teachernet ( Teachernet, 2011 ) , DFES Drama Objectives ( DFES, 2011 ) and QCDA ( QCDA, 2011 ) resources have been/are being decommissioned with emended high spots looking in the National Archive. In fact most of the Government resources advocated by the Initial Teacher Education web site for English are no more ( ITE, 2011a ) . The Department of Education web site is replacing it, but the lone suited stuff found for Drama is an point for the Speaking and Listening component at KS1 & A ; 2 dated 2004 ( Department of Education, 2011 ) . In Ireland play is within the ‘arts ‘ sector, alongside ocular humanistic disciplines and music. The strand is â€Å" Drama to research feelings, cognition and thoughts, taking to understanding. † They expect that when this topic is taught right it can assist kids at a immature age to understand/relate and cover with life state of affairss that can happen ( Irish Curriculum, 2011 ) . Whilst Drama is placed steadfastly in Arts Education as a three with the ocular and aural mediums, there is small support to be found in their Curriculum Planner as good ( NCCA, 2011 ) . Compare this to 52 resources for Drama in the Scots Curriculum ( Scottish Curriculum Resources for Drama, 2011 ) . In Northern Ireland Drama is mentioned in Language & A ; Literacy and has its ain topic within The Humanistic disciplines and resources are good provided ( N. Ireland Resources, 2011 ) . At KS1 & A ; 2 the statutory topics that all students must analyze are art and design, design and engineering, English, geographics, history, information and communicating engineering ( ICT ) , mathematics, music, physical instruction and scientific discipline. Religious instruction must besides be provided at KS 1 and 2 ( National Curriculum, 2011e ) , although there is a non-statutory plan of survey. From the National Curriculum ( 2011e ) for Religious Education there are the following two points: 1 ) . Research how spiritual beliefs and thoughts can be expressed through the humanistic disciplines and pass on their responses. 2 ) . Using art and design, music, dance and play to develop their originative endowments and imaginativeness. Art and design does non advert play until KS 2 as follows from the National Curriculum ( 2011f ) : Researching a scope of get downing points for practical work [ for illustration, themselves, their experiences, images, narratives, play, music, natural and made objects and environments ] . Yet doing marionette theaters, and besides making atmosphere in sounds, illuming, backgrounds and costumes for full size dramas would do the topic more merriment whilst specifying a practical intent for the work. Drama in a similar manner should be a fertile land for scenery and particular effects within Design and Technology yet it is non mentioned at all ( National Curriculum, 2011g & A ; 2011h ) . Music and Physical Education in a similar vena have a relationship to Drama through Dance but there is no recognition for it. History could conceivably utilize period play to exemplify points and the grasp of truth in the texts and authors ‘ prejudice would so be covered in Drama. Stenhouse ( 1981, p.29 ) is against the thought that Drama is for learning other topics in the course of study and rejects the imagined worlds of Drama for the attested worlds of pure history. ICT could supply a multi-media back bead similar to that of exhibition trade bases and modern public presentations that use computerised effects and elephantine screens. When the National Curriculum was being formulated instructors were vocal in their disapproval of the many course of study topics being loaded into the National Curriculum, such that topics were curtailed following Music and Art ( Baldwin, 2011 ) . As the ( NCCCE, 1999, p.75 ) study provinces ‘ †¦ there are more than 10 topics in the universe. † It besides notes that Dance is non found with athletics, games and sports after instruction and that Drama is non merely verbal. ( NACCCE, 1999, p.76 ) points out that of all the states in the QCA/NFER INCA archive, England was alone in holding 10 distinct topics from KS 1-4. â€Å" When the National Curriculum was introduced, specialist play practicians thirstily awaited the National Curriculum for Drama. They are still waiting. â€Å" A ( Baldwin, 2011 ) .Drama as portion of English in the National Curriculum.One of the on-going arguments about the nature of English Centres around its relationship [ sic ] the originative humanistic disciplines. â€Å" Is English an Humanistic disciplines based, originative subject, or a much more functional, competence led capable? â€Å" , and â€Å" Is Drama itself an Humanistic disciplines based subject or a method of instruction, a signifier of larning? † ( ITE, 2011b ) The function of play in the course of study remains in pattern really much in uncertainty. It is believed that future employers have been unhappy with general educational criterions of school departers. A contributionary factor to this low appraisal ( for the topic ) has been the political displacement from a broad position ( of the centrality of aesthetic and artistic experience in instruction ) towards a more vocationally – orientated position in which the secondary course of study is seen instead as a feeder of commercial, industrial and post-industrial demands as they have been immerging in recent old ages. ( Morton, 1984, p.56 ) . The Arts Council England ( 2003, p.6 ) explains that all students ‘ minimal statutory entitlements for the survey of Drama are acknowledged within the National Curriculum for English. Harmonizing to Ashcroft & A ; Palacio ( 1995, p. 196 ) , â€Å" The national course of study steadfastly places play within the English sphere. † Neelands ( 2008, p.1 ) refers to the National Curriculum as the English Model where, â€Å" Drama was foremost introduced into the secondary course of study through the English course of study and timetable † . He divertingly cites the fact that Shakespeare was English to explicate how we arrived at this alone place, which has non been followed elsewhere in the universe except possibly Wales ( Welsh Curriculum KS 1 ( 2008 ) & A ; Welsh Curriculum KS 2-4 ( 2008 ) where Drama is mentioned within English and to a lesser extent Welsh. Drama as a topic in its ‘ ain right is non present in the primary course of study, but as a portion of English or R.E, or supplying other countries and cross curricular subjects. Even though Drama is absent from the course of study for primary schools, it is still present through the activities and lessons which are taught utilizing play, â€Å" †¦ many primary schools already include plaies in their course of study, without recognizing that the activities the kids are involved in are really drama. † ( Humanistic disciplines on the move, 2010 ) . For High School instructors, it can be a job for them to cognize what to anticipate of students come ining KS 3, this is because of the deficiency of continuity in Drama across all the Primary Schools, hence merely an educated conjecture can be made on the students ‘ anterior play experiences. Neelands ( 2004, p.9 ) offers 6 points of common mention which can be found in Appendix Three. Harmonizing to Neelands ( 2008, p.2 ) statistics show that, aˆÂ ¦many schools in England do offer play as a separate timetabled topic in Key Stage 3 and this makes play the lone ‘subject ‘ in the English system which is ‘unregulated ‘ in footings of a nationally agreed course of study beyond the mentions to talking and listening in the Orders for English † . So merely at KS 3 do some students get the chance to take Drama as a separate topic but it is still an unofficial 1. Whilst this offers a complete freedom in how the topic is taught and presented [ see Neelands ( 2004, p.5 ) for three different attacks at secondary degree ] , it besides means there is small in the manner of a safety cyberspace for its practicians that criterions, appraisals, guidelines and official support can supply. So it would look that Drama has become a Cinderella topic that is busy working in the shadows whilst the Ugly Sisters of English and Religious Education take all the recognition.1.2 How we got to where we are now.â€Å" Most of what immature people know of the universe, they know through representations of it. † ( Neelands, 2008, p.9 ) , proposing that schools have a moral duty to assist determine the citizenship of their stundents. â€Å" There is small clip allotted in the day-to-day modus operandi for play in early childhood instruction scenes, due to the force per unit area that many instructors feel to cover excessively many stuffs in excessively small clip. † ( Jones and Reynolds, 1992, p.7 ) . This suggests that caput instructors and instructors are forced to concentrate their concentration and resources on the topics the ‘really affair ‘ For illustration, those topics that are recorded as National statistics, demoing how many A* – Degree centigrade pupils have obtained ; in peculiar on Maths, English and Science. Drama being mentioned in the course of study saw a assorted reaction. Some celebrated the â€Å" fact † that Drama would now hold to be taught. Others were speedy to indicate out that there was a cardinal defect here. There were few trained Drama instructors left. The world has been, that barely any Drama is go oning ( in Primary ) A despite the fact that it is deemed statutory. ( Baldwin, 2011 ) . Yet Neelands ( 2008, p.1 ) states that, â€Å" In the English instruction system, all pupils in the 5-16 age scope have an entitlement to drama within the National Curriculum Orders for English. † Baldwin ( 2011 ) the president of the International Drama/Theatre & A ; Education Association provides a background to how Drama fell from grace, how a timely reaction to the stiff course of study being built capable by topic stopped it being included at the 11th hr and so, as it was no longer a topic, support for it fell off. Practitioners were left high and dry, as Drama was no longer portion of Ofsted unless a fee was paid to measure it, which in one instance ended up being marked as a ‘Satisfactory ‘ P.E. lesson. Dearing tried to soften the course of study but so came the restraints of the National Literacy Strategy which concentrated on reading and composing for the ‘Literacy Hour ‘ at the disbursal of speech production and hearing. However Winston & A ; Tandy ( 2001, p.75-86 ) in their chapter entitled ‘Drama and literacy ‘ supply some thoughts for including Drama within the hr. Then at Secondary degree we find a menu blanche where anything goes with Drama either as a separate topic taught by a Drama specializer or as a go oning add-on within English or as another entity, which possibly suits the more marked different watercourses of ability. Neelands ( 2004, p.5-6 ) noticed that the assorted beginnings of national counsel for Drama, for illustration the specific mentions to Drama in the Programs of Study for English showed a general understanding for the purposes and aims for Drama, such as: Play as personal, societal and moral instruction Drama as English Drama as a topic in its ain right. As stated earlier he cites three really different secondary schools each exemplifying one of these points as their single attack to Drama. The demands of a nationally prescribed course of study put considerable force per unit area on instructors to â€Å" suit everything in † ; each topic has it ain outlooks and makes its ain peculiar demands. Finding the clip for Drama, nevertheless extremely you and your category may value it in its ain right, can be difficult- the more so if we are traveling to give the Drama clip to develop, intensify the kids ‘s engagement and apprehension, and make a satisfactory decision. ( Winston & A ; Tandy, 2001, p.54 ) Ashcroft & A ; Palacio ( 1997, p.6 ) infer that longer functioning instructors will happen the prescribed nature of the National Curriculum and all its alterations to be a bone of contention. On the other manus – The deficiency of nucleus counsel for Drama, the parallel development of Drama within English with its development as a distinct Arts topic, together with the diverseness of theoretical accounts of course of study and appraisal to be found in schools make it a peculiarly debatable country of English learning for trainees. ( ITE, 2011c ) Particularly as: School Drama Co-ordinators disappeared about nightlong, as did LEA Drama Advisers and consultative teachers.A Drama courses became few and far between, trusting more and more on professional administrations, which were and are run voluntarily, by progressively stretched full clip instructors and lectors. ( Baldwin, 2011 ) .Chapter TWO – Arguments FOR DRAMA BEING ADESCRETE SUBJECTâ€Å" As portion of a wide and balanced course of study, play has a important part to do † ( Winston & A ; Tandy, 2001, p.73 ) . â€Å" Drama, more than any other topic in the course of study, mirrors life as it is lived and experienced † ( Winston, 2004, p.18 ) . Please see Appendix Five for some positive consequences Winston ( 2004 ) notes as being seen in kids ‘s composing due to their engagement with Drama. â€Å" At least a national understanding provides some external, comparatively nonsubjective and seeable stuffs to discourse † ( Neelands, 2004, p.6 ) . However, the absence of a nationally agreed model for Drama gives two points of concern ; The single Drama instructor has no external model to follow, therefore the success of the Drama category is wholly at the clemency of the ability or deficiency thereof of the instructor ; How Drama is perceived at the school may good be based on the caput instructors ‘ preferences and biass. To exemplify this point I found at X High School, where the writer has experienced Drama via a teaching preparation twenty-four hours arrangement, it was noticeable that Drama is thought of as a high precedence topic. This was thanks to the Head realising that in a catchment country of high poorness Drama provided involvement and look for kids that found reading and composing hard. The school used Drama besides as a selling tool to advance itself to the wider community and its governors. It held one-year Drama productions, school assemblies were punctuated with Drama in the signifier of amusing studies or more serious pieces designed to entertain and inform, it supported fund-raising activities etc. Drama here is a timetabled topic throughout all the twelvemonth groups, and is offered as an A-level topic. As Ashcroft & A ; Palacio ( 1995, p. 196 ) advocator, â€Å" Primary school students can develop through play an extended scope of linguistic communication utilizations, including the bulk of those referred to in the national course of study. † â€Å" aˆÂ ¦drama is a societal procedure of doing meaningaˆÂ ¦the model and method of play provides a alone context for developing a sense of individuality and productivity. † ( Morton, 1984, p.37 ) . â€Å" All Our Futures † had already clearly recognised the importance of Drama, both as a originative instruction and larning medium and as the most powerful pupil incentive: A † OFSTED informations on student response to larning indicates play to be at the really top in actuating acquisition † ( NACCCE, 1999, p.77 ) . Drama in instruction can assist pupils learn and understand whatever is required, in ways that are emotionally, aesthetically and cognitively connected and meaningful to kids who are natural dramatic participants. †Chapter THREE – ARGUMENTS AGAINST DRAMA BEING ADESCRETE SUBJECTâ€Å" aˆÂ ¦drama is a procedure that can non be divided into a series of distinct and accessible results in the sort of manner that course of study theoreticians have managed to make with many other topics in the course of study † ( Young, 1981, p.94 ) . Baldwin ( 2011 ) provinces: Trainees are likely to meet a diverse scope of agreements for play within schools. In the absence of national orders and a statutory capable model, schools are free to plan their ain local fluctuations of a play course of study based on the specific value given to drama in a peculiar school. Cynics were heard to mumble, that with an appraisal driven course of study emerging, procedure based play would be excessively debatable for SCAA ( as it was so ) to cover with.A Appraisal in Drama has ever been slippery as so much goes on cognitively and emotionally during the Drama procedure that is non easy or even possible to assess.A It is noted that this statement appears amongst many professionals, but no suggestions as to what standards could be used is suggested. Is this because they believe there is to be none. Baldwin, ( 2011 ) continues. â€Å" Assessment records were being revealed as lists of statements of attainment tick boxes and needed to be based on easy discernible, extrinsic results † proposing that Drama specializers were non certain they wanted such a meaningful and aesthetic art signifier measured and graded in this way.. Neelaands appears to belie his issues by saying The local course of study can be based on a extremely idiosyncratic and ideologically motivated choice. What is taught may be left to the caprice of an single instructor and may reflect personal biass and involvements instead that the comprehensiveness of deepness of survey which is a student ‘s entitlement ( Neelands, 2004, p.6 ) . Yet harmonizing to Neelands on the Initial Teacher Education web site ( ITE, 2011d ) , The non-statutory Framework play aims might usefully organize the footing of the programme of survey for play at KS3. However, these specific aims are improbable to be considered sufficient as nucleus aims for play as a discrete topic because they do non cover physical, ocular, design and proficient facets of play. This suggests that although the concerns of Patrice Baldwin are relevant, the concerns of the ITE is that without a defined construction and specific aims, the importance of Drama could be overlooked. This point of position is rejected by Way ( 1967, p.12 ) who points out, â€Å" If we make drama another topic, so we make another ‘progressive heterosexual line ‘ – in fact many consecutive lines, one for babies, one for juniors, and so on through the different age groups. † Again, because of its ‘uniqueness ‘ there is a concern over how Drama can be ‘measured ‘ i.e. marked. Way ( 1967, p.3 ) wrote, â€Å" Education is concerned with persons ; play is concerned within the individualism of persons, with the singularity of each human kernel. Indeed this is one of the grounds for its intangibleness and its immeasurability. † As Drama is non in the National Curriculum as its ain topic, it might be seen as unimportant. With the force per unit areas on schools to be ranked via conference tabular arraies on the nucleus topics of English, Maths and Science, it is possibly non surprising that schools focus on these topics to the hurt of all else. However, the topic still has its ain written scrutinies and an external tester is called in to tag public presentations. It is hence ill-defined as to the grounds behind why the topic is deemed by some to be hard to measure.Decisionâ€Å" Ultimately, play is a valuable tool, but foremost the tool itself must be fashioned. † ( Way, 1967, p.7 ) . There appears to be a divide in international pattern over whether Drama should be used across the course of study or as a topic within its ain right and/or as portion of the humanistic disciplines docket. There were those who thought that if appraisal was traveling to be the name of the game, so play could and should be made to suit, in order to guarantee its topographic point in the new curriculum.A And there were those who breathed a suspiration of alleviation that play did non suit and had been left outside the new course of study, where at least it would let a greater freedom of pattern and content, within the broader course of study ( Baldwin, 2011 ) . Therefore, unless the person schools value Drama, and promote Drama instructor preparation, the concern is that the degree of learning Drama will non be sufficient to add any value to learning within the school as a whole. Harmonizing to Ashcroft and Palacio ( 1995, p.203 ) there are two types of Drama within the National Curriculum spectrum, one being public presentation based activities, such as assemblies and school dramas, and the other being educational Drama, which involves kids in the active creative activity and geographic expedition of state of affairss based on fact or fiction. â€Å" †¦ it is regarded by many instructors as a larning method instead than a capable country because it can be employed to present many facets of the course of study really efficaciously. † ( Ashcroft and Palacio, 1995, p.204 ) . Art is utile, non because it is true but because it is genuinely enlightening. It is because play – as – art maps in this manner that a dramatic work can non be explained, paraphrased or deconstructed into essays. Like any other art signifier, play is alone and non – convertibleaˆÂ ¦ it resists crassly useful attempts to corral it into the service of geographics, history or direction preparation every bit much as it refuses to be the biddable retainer of personal, societal, or political instruction. In a secular age, the utility of play lies in its ability to joint significance in peculiar direct and accessible ways so that we, in bend, can do better sense of the universe in which we live. For these grounds, play is an indispensible portion of the humanistic disciplines course of study. ( Hornbrook, 1991, p.40-41 ) . Whilst we can non anticipate the committedness of the National Theatre at every Primary School ( Turner et al. , 2004 ) they offer a theoretical account of best pattern that can be used within the topic of Drama to truly convey out the assurance and mind of immature kids and this should be the ultimate end whether Drama is housed within English or is a topic in its ain right. Does this so mean that play is yet another topic that has to be fitted into an already overcrowded course of study? No. Drama is non another topic ; theater might be, with its land work in history and its survey of dramatists and their plants but non drama. Drama is every bit intangible as personality itself, and is concerned with developing people. Indeed, it is every bit necessary to fling educational conventions as to ignore theatre conventions ( Way, 1967, p.7 ) . The statements will ramp on but merely the will of the authorities can do a difference to the place Drama as a topic or non-subject is in. The decision drawn from all the grounds in this study is that Drama should be included as a topic in its ain right in the National Curriculum, but non as the course of study presently stands. There appears to be deficient construction and no unequivocal manner that the success of students taking Drama can be measured. To seek and ‘fit ‘ it into the current course of study could curtail its utility as a holistic well being tool for the personal growing of students. How could this be measured in academic footings? There could be students who come alive as histrions and give fantastic public presentations, but can non interpret this successfully into a written piece of work. How does one step personal growing? How can we tag a pupil who has grown in assurance, can show themselves better than before the debut of the Drama lesson, and inter acts good with other pupils in the category? Whereas before the usage of Drama they may hold been counter, covering with personal issues which had no voice except in eruptions of violent behavior. One can put trials to mensurate the cognition of the literacy greats, the hunt for significance in the plants of the dramatists but should this prevarication here or within the kingdom of English Literature, such that it can non be used as a grade of success or failure for Drama pupils. The decision gathered is that this testing should be left within the English topic, therefore leting pupils of Drama more freedom to show themselves through this fantastic medium. It has been shown that Drama is a utile tool in the apprehension of other topics, but it should foremost be enjoyed and understood in its ain right. The greatest job for Drama being included in its ain right in the National Curriculum appears to be the manner the success of topics are presently judged. There does non look to be current processs that can reasonably mensurate the true success and positive impact Drama can hold on a pupil ‘s life. For illustration with a Mathematics test there is a definite right reply with Markss available for demoing your workings out, but what is the ‘right ‘ reply in Drama? The division between the instruction professionals as to the inclusion or non of Drama in the National Curriculum can be understood after researching and look intoing this inquiry. The concerns are that the importance of Drama within the schools is presently dependant on the will of the caput instructor and the ability, passion and committedness of the Drama staff. Drama instructors ‘ sing schools who category Drama as a ‘fill-in ‘ topic and non that of import will hold experienced first manus the statement that Drama should be included. It could be really corrupting to the Drama instructor who feels that their work, nevertheless committed they are, possibly seen as unimportant. However those Drama instructors sing and basking a school that appreciates Drama and uses it throughout school life for illustration in assemblies, community assemblages and the one-year school public presentation may bask the freedom of the topic non being included in the National Curriculum, as they do non experience threatened about the cogency of their instruction accomplishments. There appears to be no straightforward decision over Drama ‘s inclusion in the National Curriculum, nevertheless it must be pointed out that other parts of the British Isles make Drama a topic in its ain right and supply first-class support for it. Possibly there are lessons to be learned from the manner they have gone about this by an exchange of thoughts on best pattern. For illustration what standards are they utilizing to mensurate Drama ‘s success as a topic ; are more or less pupils taking Drama as a topic at Secondary degree ; has its position had a positive or negative consequence on the instructors? Without cognizing the replies to these inquiries and many more besides we can non keep these states up as reflecting illustrations. There needs to be a manner of seeking to take the best from the statements for and against Drama ‘s inclusion in the National Curriculum. For illustration this research has shown that most of the Drama professionals feel that both the topic and they benefit from its inclusion to set them on a flat playing field with other topics. They believe that they may be taken more earnestly and have more support from developing being given. The concern of its inclusion appears to be that it could smother the really creativeness and freedom of look some professionals believe Drama should be. They all appear to hold that Drama can non be measured in academic footings as easy as other topics as no ‘marks ‘ are awarded for pupils personal development. Therefore after research and probe into this inquiry, the concluding decision is that Drama should be included in the National Curriculum as a distinct topic but merely after the creative activity of relevant success standards is added. Once there is an acceptable measuring expression in topographic point Drama would so profit from inclusion. As it stands at present at that place does non look to be sufficient stairss in topographic point to recognize Drama pupils ‘ success.