Relationship between Father and Son Essay

Father and son relationships in The Iliad are not like you would see in America or in our culture today, but there is still a developed love for one another. Priam and Hector had a very strong and admirable relationship, yet it didn’t come from seeing each other every day. Fatherly affection is not touchy-feely, nor is it necessarily given unconditionally or freely. Rather, a son must earn his father’s respect and admiration, and it is by leaving home and fighting his own battles that the son is able to get this. They spent more time apart then they did together. The distance they spent from each other only made their admiration grow stronger. This relationship is unique, and plays a big role in this epic poem. I know for me, it didn’t take being a great warrior or even earning my father’s respect for him to love me. It was automatic; my father loved me instantly and will always love me no matter what. That isn’t the case in that day and age. Priam was a magnificent warrior during a majority of the Trojan War and earned his retirement for this. It’s only by following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a great warrior of Troy will he fully gain Priam’s love. Hector was seen as the greatest warrior of Troy and could not have been more of a hero in his father’s eyes. Hector never shied down from anything or anyone. He was willing to do whatever it took to make his father and even more importantly in his eyes, his country proud. From a mental perspective, one might interpret this self-motivation as the son’s quest to know the father through the crazy act of moving away from him in a literal sense, yet living his life in an effort to shadow the father’s actions and achievements. Priam saw this in his son and thought very highly of him. Prima didn’t love Hector because of the fact he was his son, he loved him because of the man he became. Hector earned every bit of love and respect from his father. The death of Hector played a big role in the end of The Iliad. It was before the fight of him and Achilles, and after he was killed where we truly see the love that Priam has for his most prized son. Priam pleaded to Hector to not fight Achilles alone, for he knew he would be taken down (Homer 206). He told Hector that he could not bear the death of another son slain by Achilles. Nothing he said could persuade Hector to not fight, but I think deep down he knew it wouldn’t. Priam knew then how big of a heart Hector had, and he would do anything to see him survive this battle. For the father’s part, the absence is not a cause for thoughtful feeling. In Priam’s case, it is only when Hector dies that he feels deeply emotional and recognizes his son’s achievement, that Hector has followed in Priam’s own heroic footsteps, a fact which confirms Priam’s greatness. We learn more about the love Priam has for Hector when we see what he goes through to retrieve his body from Achilles after he had killed him and dragged him away from his chariot (Homer Book 24). Keeping in mind that Priam is the king of Troy, he sets out at night and goes to where Achilles is staying. He then persuades Achilles with multiple pleas to let him have a proper burial of his brave and courageous son. Priam risked his own life of being on enemy ground, just to get back the corpse of his son. When he returned back with the body of Hector, his family and the people of Troy were very remorseful and you could tell how much Hector truly meant to his father. It was a love that Priam will never let go. In conclusion, even if father-son relationships aren’t traditional in our sense, you have to respect the relationship that Priam and Hector had. They became close because of the man Priam was, and the strive Hector had to be like his father. Hector had to prove his manhood and gain his father’s respect through blood and hardship. They both loved Troy more than they loved their selves. In the end, Priam and Hector had an incredible relationship and love for one another.

Ancient Egyptian Medicene

Ancient Egyptian Medicine Ancient Egyptians were an advanced culture especially in medical technology which includes; the books of medicine, treatments of disease and illness and the study of the body and its functions. Archeologists and Historians have learned about these people through papyri found mostly in tombs of great pharaohs and viziers. Unfortunately, there are not many completed texts so we lack information on many things including how they diagnosed illnesses. Our understanding on many of the aspects of Ancient Egyptian medicine comes from these incomplete but thorough papyri. The most famous book of medicine discovered is the Ebers Papyrus. The â€Å"medical papyri† as it is also known as is the oldest book ever discovered. It is 110 pages long and contains about 900 prescriptions recipes all dating back to 1500 B. C. E. Archeologists can only suspect that the Ebers Papyrus came from the tomb of a swnw (physician) at Thebes because tomb robbers never recorded where they took them from. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, named after their owner, contained information on healing bruises, cuts, and bones. Hearst Papyrus was found containing much of the same information as the Ebers but in Upper Egypt with a later date. This shows that the information was widespread and that teachings of one physician would travel. There was even more specific books like the Kahun papyrus from 1850 B. C. E. that seems to be a textbook of gynecology. Physicians used the books to find a remedy, dosage and quantity or medicine, disease which it should be used for and appropriate spell. Treatments for disease begun in the earlier times as exorcism like rituals. The disease was thought of as a demon that needed to be cleaned from the soul. The sick would wear amulets with gods on them to protect them and make them better and also say prayers. But there was some herbal treatment. Hartshorn was said to be a â€Å"demon expeller† but also a pain reliever. Common foods we would never think of as medicine hard great effect on healing. With advancements in tools and metals came more successful surgeries. Sharp stone was used at first but as copper came around it became a lot easier. Physicians would remove tumors and cysts near the skin easily. After surgery the wound would be wrapped in linen with honey holding it together. Honey prevented infection by killing bacteria, and this made many surgeries turn out successful! If there is illness there will be speculation on where it came from. The Egyptians had an idea that blocked channels caused illness. They got this idea because when the Nile did not flood, there was starvation which caused mass death. Treatments were developed to unblocked channels like castor oil to cause vomiting. Blood was also commonly drained out of veins. It was very common for some to not eat or force themselves to throw up for about three days a month to ensure clean channels. They believed another cause of illness to be evil spirits. To protect themselves they would wear jewelry with prayers and gods on it to watch and protect them. The most vulnerable times to spirits were thought to be while sleeping and during childbirth. At the times there would be many statues to protect and keep the person well. Egyptians had many ideas on how the body worked. One was that the respiratory system was the breath of life going into the right ear and death leaving the left ear. This was obviously very wrong but it’s interesting to see their interests in the mechanics of the human body. Pulse was detected and was linked to the heart, which was considered the most vital organ. The brain was really not thought of, and during embalming it would be broken and thrown away. The papyrus tells us that physicians had names for some of the major organs but not all. They did not dissect bodies to learn from them because that was against their religion. The only people to ever see inside the body were embalmers, but because they were considered unclean they were cut off from the community. It is a possibility that embalming is how they learned of the hearts importance but there is a bigger chance they learned this through warriors that had been injured. With so much care into health and wellness many people lived long lives. In ancient times 10% of Egyptian people lived past 50 which was very old for the time. Most fatalities happened before the age of five. Other dangerous times were teen years for women. Many girls were having children by the age of 14 or earlier and died in childbirth. This is the reason why many Egyptian men had a longer life span on average. When Romans and Greeks came into power, Egyptians still led in medicine. When Alexandria with built in northern Egypt it became the learning center for Greek medicine. The Romans visited Memphis in 200 B. C. E to copy down books from 1000 years after Ebers Papyrus was written! And the English used Egyptian treatments up until the 1900s when discoveries on disease and bacteria started being made. These practices that seem crazy to modern technology lasted for 3000 years and helped the world thrive to wear it is today! Without Egyptian medicine history and the world would be a very different place.

Just-in-Time Production and Total Quality Management

JUST-IN-TIME Production and TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT Introduction In today’s competitive world shorter product life cycles, customers rapid demands and quickly changing business environment is putting lot of pressures on manufacturers for quicker response and shorter cycle times. Now the manufacturers put pressures on their suppliers. One way to ensure quick turnaround is by holding inventory, but inventory costs can easily become prohibitive. A wiser approach is to make your production agile, able to adapt to changing customer demands. This can only be done by JUST IN TIME (JIT) philosophy. JIT is both a philosophy and collection of management methods and techniques used to eliminate waste (particularly inventory). Waste results from any activity that adds cost without adding value, such as moving and storing. Just-in-time (JIT) is a management philosophy that strives to eliminate sources of such manufacturing waste by producing the right part in the right place at the right time. Features JIT (also known as lean production or stockless production) should improve profits and return on investment by reducing inventory levels (increasing the inventory turnover rate), reducing variability, improving product quality, reducing production and delivery lead times, and reducing other costs (such as those associated with machine setup and equipment breakdown). The basic elements of JIT manufacturing are people involvement, plants, and system. People involvement deal with maintaining a good support and agreement with the people involved in the production. This is not only to reduce the time and effort of implementation of JIT, but also to minimize the chance of creating implementation problems. The plant itself also has certain requirements that are needed to implement the JIT, and those are plant layout, demand pull production, Kanban, self-inspection, and continuous improvement. The plant layout mainly focuses on maximizing working flexibility. It requires the use of multi-function workers†. Demand pull production is where you produce when the order is received. This allows for better management of quantity and time more appropriately. Kanban is a Japanese term for card or tag. This is where special inventory and process information are written on the card. This helps in tying and linking the process more efficiently. Self-inspection is where the workers on the line inspect products as they move along, this helps in catching mistakes immediately. Lastly continuous improvement which is the most important concept of the JIT system. This simply asks the organization to improve its productivity, service, operation, and customer service in an on-going basis. In a JIT system, underutilized (excess) capacity is used instead of buffer inventories to hedge against problems that may arise. The target of JIT is to speed up customer response while minimizing inventories at the same time. Inventories help to response quickly to changing customer demands, but inevitably cost money and increase the needed working capital. JIT requires precision, as the right parts must arrive â€Å"just-in-time† at the right position (work station at the assembly line). It is used primarily for high-vPolume repetitive flow manufacturing processes. History The technique was first used by the Ford Motor Company as described explicitly by Henry Ford’s My Life and Work (1922): â€Å"We have found in buying materials that it is not worth while to buy for other than immediate needs. † They bought only enough to fit into the plan of production, taking into consideration the state of transportation at the time. If transportation were perfect and an even flow of materials could be assured, it would not be necessary to carry any stock whatsoever. The carloads of raw materials would arrive on schedule and in the planned order and amounts, and go from the railway cars into production. That would save a great deal of money, for it would give a very rapid turnover and thus decrease the amount of money tied up in materials. With bad transportation one has to carry larger stocks. They followed the concept of â€Å"dock to factory floor† in which incoming materials are not even stored or warehoused before going into production. This paragraph also shows the need for an effective freight management system (FMS) and Ford’s Today and Tomorrow (1926) describes one. The technique was subsequently adopted and publicised by Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan as part of its Toyota Production System (TPS). Japanese corporations could afford large amounts of land to warehouse finished products and parts. Before the 1950s, this was thought to be a disadvantage because it reduced the economic lot size. (An economic lot size is the number of identical products that should be produced, given the cost of changing the production process over to another product. ) The undesirable result was poor return on investment for a factory. Also at that time, Japanese companies had a bad reputation as far as quality of manufacturing and car manufacturing in particular was concerned. One motivated reason for developing JIT and some other better production techniques was that after World War II, Japanese people had a very strong incentive to develop a good manufacturing technique which would help them rebuild their economy. They also had a strong working ethic which was concentrated on work rather than on leisure, and this kind of motivation was what drove Japanese economy to succeed. Therefore Japan’s wish to improve the quality of its production led to the worldwide launch of JIT method of inventory Toyota Motors The basic elements of JIT were developed by Toyota in the 1950’s, and became known as the Toyota Production System (TPS). The chief engineer Taiichi Ohno, a former shop manager and eventually vice president of Toyota Motor Company at Toyota in the 1950s examined accounting assumptions and realized that another method was possible. The factory could be made more flexible, reducing the overhead costs of retooling and reducing the economic lot size to the available warehouse space. Over a period of several years, Toyota engineers redesigned car models for commonality of tooling for such production processes as paint-spraying and welding. Toyota was one of the first to apply flexible robotic systems for these tasks. Some of the changes were as simple as standardizing the hole sizes used to hang parts on hooks. The number and types of fasteners were reduced in order to standardize assembly steps and tools. In some cases, identical subassemblies could be used in several models. Toyota engineers then determined that the remaining critical bottleneck in the retooling process was the time required to change the stamping dies used for body parts. These were adjusted by hand, using crowbars and wrenches. It sometimes took as long as several days to install a large (multiton) die set and adjust it for acceptable quality. Further, these were usually installed one at a time by a team of experts, so that the line was down for several weeks. Toyota implemented a program called Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED). With very simple fixtures, measurements were substituted for adjustments. Almost immediately, die change times fell to about half an hour. At the same time, quality of the stampings became controlled by a written recipe, reducing the skill required for the change. Analysis showed that the remaining time was used to search for hand tools and move dies. Procedural changes (such as moving the new die in place with the line in operation) and dedicated tool-racks reduced the die-change times to as little as 40 seconds. Dies were changed in a ripple through the factory as a new product began flowing. After SMED, economic lot sizes fell to as little as one vehicle in some Toyota plants. Carrying the process into parts-storage made it possible to store as little as one part in each assembly station. When a part disappeared, that was used as a signal to produce or order a replacement. JIT was firmly in place in numerous Japanese plants by the early 1970’s. JIT began to be adopted in the U. S. in the 1980’s. Requirements JIT applies primarily to repetitive manufacturing processes in which the same products and components are produced over and over again For Example Cars, Fast Food Chains The requirements for a proper just-in-time management are: STANDARDIZATION: Where the supplies are standardized and the suppliers are trustable and close to the plant. As there is little buffer inventory between the workstations, so the quality must be high and efforts are made to prevent machine breakdowns. Those organizations that need to respond to customer demands regularly this system is also being able to respond to changes in customer demands. SOFTWARE: For JIT to work efficiently Supply Chain Planning software, companies have in the mean time extended Just-in-time manufacturing externally, by demanding from their suppliers to deliver inventory to the factory only when it’s needed for assembly, making JIT manufacturing, ordering and delivery processes even speedier, more flexible and more efficient. MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY In JIT workers are multifunctional and are required to perform different tasks. Machines are also multifunction and are arranged in small U-shaped work cells that enable parts to processed in a continuous flow through the cell. Workers produce pars one at a time within cells and transport those parts between cells in small lots. CLEANLINESS Environment is kept clean and free of waste so that any unusual occurrence are visible. SCHEDULES: Schedules are prepared only for the final assembly line, in which several different models are assembled at the same line. Requirements for the component parts and subassemblies are then pulled through the system. The â€Å"PULL† element of JIT will not work unless production is uniform and lot sizes are low. Pull system is also used to order material from suppliers (fewer in numbers usually). They make be requested to make multiple deliveries of the same item in the same day, so the manufacturing system must be flexible. QUALITY: Quality within JIT manufacturing is necessary, because without a quality program in JIT, the JIT will fail. Here we think about quality at the source and the Plan, Do, Check, Action with its statistical process control. Furthermore, techniques are also very important. The JIT technique is a pull system rather than a pull system, based on not producing things until they are needed. The well known Kanban card is used as a signal to produce. Moreover, integration also plays a key role in JIT systems. JIT integration can be found in four points of the manufacturing firm. The Accounting side, Engineering side, Customer side and Supplier side. At the accounting side, JIT has concern for WIP, utilization and overhead allocation and at the engineering side of JIT focuses on simultaneously and participative design of products and processes. Just-In-Time Total Quality Management Just-In-Time Total Quality Management is the mean of market and factory management within a humanistic environment of continuing improvement. Moreover, it means continuing improvement in social life, and working life. When applied to the factory, Kaizen means continual improvement involving managers and workers alike. When it comes to Total Quality Management, Japans strong industrial reputation is well-known around the world. Total quality control is the system, which Japan has developed to implement Kaizen or continuous improvement. The traditional description of Just-In-Time is a system for manufacturing and supplying goods that are needed. There are several important tools that are important for total quality management control, but there are seven that are even more important. These are relations diagram, affinity diagram, systematic diagram or tree diagram, matrix diagram, matrix data analysis, process decision program chart, and arrow diagram. When used properly, these seven tools will help the total quality management system by eliminating defective products. Moreover, they will help in assisting to improve productivity, complete tasks on time, eliminate waste, and reduce lead time and inventory cost. Pros and Cons of Just-in-Time Pros of Just-In-Time: Goals of JIT can vary, but there are a few that should be constant in any JIT system:   1. Increasing the organization’s ability to compete with others and remain competitive over the long run is very important. 2. The competitiveness of the firms is increased by the use of JIT manufacturing process as they can develop a more optimal process for their firms. . The key is to identify and respond to consumers needs. Customers’ needs and wants should be the most important focus for business today. This objective will help the firm on what is demanded from customers, and what is required of production. 4. Moreover, the optimal quality and cost relationship is also important. The organization should focus on zero-defect production process. Although it seems to be unrealistic in t he long run, it will eliminate a huge amount of resources and effort in inspecting, and reworking defected goods. 5. Another important goal should be to develop a reliable relationship between the suppliers. A good and long-term relationship between an organization and its suppliers helps to manage a more efficient process in inventory management, material management, and delivery system. It will also assure that the supply is stable and available when needed. 6. Moreover, adopt the idea of continuous improvement. If committed to a long-term continuous improvement idea, it will help the organization to remain competitive in the future. Cons of Just-In-Time: Regardless of the great benefits of JIT, it has its limitations: 1. For example cultural differences. The organizations cultures vary from firm to firm. There are some cultures that tie to JIT’s success, but it is difficult for an organization to change its cultures within a short time. 2. Also manufacturers that use the traditional approach which relies on storing up large amounts of inventory for backing up during bad times may have problems with getting use to the JIT system. 3. Also JIT is quite different for workers, in the sense that due to the shorter cycle time, lots of pressure and stress is added on the workers. 4. Also the JIT system throws workers off in the sense that if a problem occurs, they cannot use their own method of fixing the problem, but use methods that have been previously defined. 5. Moreover, the JIT system only works best for medium to high range of production volume manufacturers, thus leaving a question to whether it might work for low volume companies. Case in which JIT has failed Just in Time production allows companies to reduce both inventory and the entire production chain. It encourages the removal of all surplus, including surplus factories. Under normal business conditions this is not a problem. However, if there is any disruption at any given point in the supply chain, then all production grinds to a halt. Evidence of the problem with Just in Time production became clear in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, both of which hit the US Gulf coast in 2005. At that time, no new oil refineries had been built in the US since 1976. During that time period, companies actually shut down several refineries to reduce capacity. The old refineries still operating ran at full capacity, so no new refineries were needed according to Just in Time theory since they would only produce surplus gasoline. However, most of these refineries were clustered around the Gulf coast. When the Katrina hit, 15 oil refineries in Mississippi and Louisiana representing 20% of US refining capacity was shut down. Rita damaged another 16 refineries in Texas, accounting for 2. 3 million barrels per day of capacity shut down. The lack of surplus in oil refining caused a shock to the United States. Gasoline prices surged. Had companies not shut down refineries in order to reduce capacity according to Just in Time theory, particularly refineries on the west coast, then it is likely that gasoline prices would have remained stable. US regular grade gasoline prices were $2. 154 per gallon on November 28, 2005, down from a spike of $3. 09 on September 19, 2005 in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane Katrina disaster Case-Study The work described  in this case study was undertaken in a young, rapidly expanding company in the financial services sector with no previous experience with Total Quality Management (TQM). The quality project began with a two-day introductory awareness program covering concepts, cases, implementation strategies and imperatives of TQM. The program was conducted for the senior management team of the company. This program used interactive exercises and real life case studies to explain the concepts of TQM and to interest them in committing resources for a demonstration project. Step 1. Define the Problem 1. 1 Selecting the theme: A meeting of the senior management of the company was held. Brainstorming produced a list of around 10 problems. The list was prioritized using the weighted average table, followed by a structured discussion to arrive at a consensus on the two most important themes — customer service and sales productivity. Under the customer service theme, â€Å"Reducing the Turnaround Time from an Insurance Proposal to Policy† was selected as the most obvious and urgent problem. The company was young, and therefore had few claims to process so far. The proposal-to-policy process therefore impacted the greatest number of customers. An appropriate cross functional group was set up to tackle this problem. . 2 Problem = customer desire – current status. Current status: What did the individual group members think the turnaround is currently? As each member began thinking questions came up. â€Å"What type of policies do we address? † Medical policies or non-medical? The latter are take longer because of the medical examination of the client required. â€Å"Between what stages do we con sider turnaround? † Perceptions varied, with each person thinking about the turnaround within their department. The key process stages were mapped: [pic] Several sales branches in different parts of the country sent proposals into the Central Processing Center. After considerable debate it was agreed at first to consider turnaround between entry into the computer system at the Company Sales Branch and dispatch to the customer from the Central Processing Center (CPC). Later the entire cycle could be included. The perception of the length of turnaround by different members of the team was recorded. It was found that on an average Non-Medical Policies took 17 days and Medical Policies  took 35 days. Customer desire: What was the turnaround desired by the customer? Since a customer survey was not available, individual group members were asked to think as customers — imagine they had just given a completed proposal form to a sales agent. When would they expect the policy in hand? From the customer’s point of view they realized that they did not differentiate between medical and non-medical policies. Their perception averaged out six days for the required turnaround. â€Å"Is this the average time or maximum time that you expect? † they were asked. â€Å"Maximum,† they responded. It was clear therefore that the average must be less than six days. The importance of â€Å"variability† had struck home. For 99. 7 percent delivery within the customer limit the metric was defined. Therefore the average customer desire was less than 6 days and the current status was that of 64 days for non-medical policies and for medical policies it was 118 days. Therefore the problem was to reduce the non-medical policies from 64 to 6 days and medical policies from 118 to 6 days. The performance requirement appeared daunting. Therefore the initial target taken in the Mission Sheet (project charter) was to reduce the turnaround by 50 percent — to 32 and 59 days respectively. Step 2. Analysis of the Problem In a session the factors causing large turnaround times from the principles of JIT were explained. These were Input arrival patterns †¢ Waiting times in process. o Batching of work. o Imbalanced processing line. o Too many handovers. o Non-value added activities, etc. †¢ Processing times †¢ Scheduling †¢ Transport times †¢ Deployment of manpower Typically it was found that waiting times constitute the bulk of processing turnaround times. Process Mapping (Value Stream Mapping in Lean) was undertaken. The aggregate results are summarized below: Number of operations 84 Number of handovers 13 In-house processing time (estimated) 126 man-mins. Range of individual stage time 2 to 13 mins. To check this estimate it was decided to collect data — run two policies without waiting and record the time at each stage. The trial results amazed everyone: Policy No. 1 took 100 minutes and Policy No. 2 took 97 minutes. Almost instantly the mindset changed from doubt to desire: â€Å"Why can’t we process every proposal in this way? † Step 3. Generating Ideas In the introductory program of TQM during the JIT session the advantages of flow versus batch processing had been dramatically demonstrated using a simple exercise. Using that background a balanced flow line was designed as follows: 1. Determine the station with the maximum time cycle which cannot be split up by reallocation 8 minutes. 2. Balance the line to make the time taken at each stage equal 8 minutes as far as possible. 3. Reduce the stages and handovers — 13 to 8. 4. Eliminate non-value added activities — transport — make personnel sit next to each other. 5. Agree processing to be done in batch of one proposal. Changing the mindset of the employees so they will accept and welcome change is critical to building a self-sustaining culture of improvement. In this case, the line personnel were involved in a Quality Mindset Program so that they understood the reasons for change and the concepts behind them and are keen to experiment with new methods of working. The line was ready for a test run. Step 4. Testing the Idea Testing in stages is a critical stage. It allows modification of ideas based upon practical experience and equally importantly ensures acceptance of the new methods gradually by the operating personnel. Stage 1: Run five proposals flowing through the system and confirm results. The test produced the following results: Average turnaround time: < 1 day In-house processing time: 76 mins. There was jubilation in the team. The productivity had increased by 24 percent. Stage 2:  It was agreed to run the new system for five days — and compute the average turnaround to measure the improvement. It was agreed that only in-house processing was covered at this stage and that the test would involve all policies at the CPC but only one branch as a model. This model, once proved, could be replicated at other branches. The test results showed a significant reduction in turnaround: 1. For all non-medical policies from 64 to 42 days or 34% 2. For policies of the model branch from 64 to 27 days of 60% The Mission Sheet goal of 50 percent reduction had been bettered for the combined model branch and CPC. Further analysis of the data revealed other measures which could reduce the turnaround further. Overall reduction reached an amazing 75 percent. Turnaround, which had been pegged at 64 days, was now happening at 99. 7 percent on-time delivery in 15 days. Step 5. Implementing the Ideas Regular operations with the new system was planned to commence. However, two weeks later it was still not implemented. One of the personnel on the line n CPC had been released by his department for the five-day trial to sit on the line but was not released on a regular basis. The departmental head had not attended the TQM awareness program and therefore did not understand why this change was required. There were two options — mandate the change or change the mindset to accept the change. Since the latter option produces a robust impleme ntation that will not break down under pressures it was agreed that the group would summarize TQM, the journey and the results obtained in the project so far and also simulate the process with a simple exercise in front of the department head. This session was highly successful and led to the release of the person concerned on a regular basis. Step 6. Follow-up †¢ The process was run for one month with regular checks. The results obtained were marginally better and average time reduced to 11 days. †¢ Customer reaction: Sales management and sales agents (internal customers) clearly noticed the difference. For instance one sales manager reported that a customer had received a policy within a week of giving a proposal and was so amazed that he said, â€Å"If you give such service I will give you the next policy also! †¢ Adoption of a similar process at the CPC and the model branch for medical policies has already reduced the average turnaround time by 70 percent — from 118 days to 37 days. The corresponding all-India reduction was from 118 days to 71 days — a 60 percent reduction. †¢ The project objective of 50 percent in the first stage has been achieved. A quality improvement story was com piled by the project Leader for training and motivating all employees.

US politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

US politics - Essay Example The United States still pollutes more than any other nation, and still represents the epitome of a consumerist society: producing little more than nothing, and consuming a large quantity of the world’s goods. The Environmentalist movement, even though it has achieved mainstream status, remains unable to show progress in curbing these trends. In fact, the mainstream status of the movement puts the movement itself in some jeopardy. That is, the Environmentalist movement in the United States has been quite â€Å"successful†, but not successful in the way many of the original environmentalists and conservationists had hoped: commercially successful, which many believe has corrupted the movement beyond repair. American Environmentalism took root in the open frontiers of the untamed West in the 19th century when principles of conservation ran contrary to abusive practices in mining and railroad construction. The role of the environment in American politics changed in 1901 when President Roosevelt instituted practices, like the Reclamation Act, to conserve land and resources across the country (Silveira, 2003). The split between conservation (using resources efficiently) and preservation (not using resources at all) fragmented the environmentalist movement in the 20th century, which provided a source of diversity among these groups. Early environmentalism was an upper-class movement to preserve resources for recreation (Silveira, 2003). Modern Environmentalism primarily began in 1962 with the publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, which detailed the devastation of industry on nature. Taken with other social movements in the 1960s, the Environmentalist movement became one more means to infuse particular values into society as a whole. However, rather than attempting social change during this time, Environmentalists sought government intervention to protect the

Comparing Narrative in Fiction and Nonfiction (Literature) Essay

Comparing Narrative in Fiction and Nonfiction (Literature) - Essay Example In contrast, the nonfiction account is typically focused on conveying information and establishing itself as a serious or truthful account. This can be seen when one compares three short pieces such as the fictional stories â€Å"A Delicate Balance† (Armas) and â€Å"In Service† (Alcott) and the nonfiction â€Å"Pablo Picasso: Living in His Own Shadow† (Goodman), all of which deal with the theme of finding transcendent value in the process of work. In â€Å"A Delicate Balance† (Armas), the narrative voice establishes a means of showing the reader Romero’s example of transcendent value in work because it observes at the same time that it tells. Romero Estrada is introduced as a somewhat strange man who spends his mornings in a perfect and inexplicable routine of sweeping the sidewalks up and cleaning up the trash for the various businesses up and down his street and then spending the afternoons hanging out at the various businesses as appropriate. He obviously enjoys this life because â€Å"he took great care to sweep cleanly, between the cracks and even between the sides of the buildings †¦ The work took him the whole morning if he did it the way he wanted† (Armas 17). However, the narrative voice that tells the reader these things is not identified in any way and is therefore allowed to transfer from one mind to another with impunity. It is a disembodied voice that seems capable of hovering over the scene below and observing intimate details without having any effect on the events occurring. While it is capable of telling the reader how Romero works when he does it ‘like he wanted,’ the narrator is also aware of private conversations between Barelas and his son Seferino and the thoughts of these men as they talk. It tells us â€Å"Barelas knew his son was putting something over on him, but he didn’t know how to answer† while â€Å"Seferino watched with pride as Romero went about his job† (Armas 19). This ability to show the story through

Summer Landscape by William Panchner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summer Landscape by William Panchner - Essay Example The essay "Summer Landscape by William Panchner" examines "Summer Landscape", made by William Panchner. Depth and distance were effectively depicted through the elongated lines at the bottom of the painting which could be interpreted as winding roads interspersed with green shrubs. The depth was evident from painting forms and objects in smaller scales to depict furthering distance from the viewer. As the viewers’ eyes search through the landscape, the concept of space was effectively depicted through exhibiting a continued journey upwards to the house, as its apex. Beyond which, shades of blues represent the skies with shimmering glitters of sunlight depicted through waves of gold. The lines that were used are predominantly elongated, wavy, and rigged. The objects were not realistically expressed and only the house a top of the hill was visibly recognizable through clear lines and effective use of differentiating color that made the house stand out from the scenery. The place ment of colors complements each other and by including white intermittently, Pachner effectively created a sense of tranquility within the scenery. He leaves interpreting other visual forms in flat rendition to the imagination of the viewers. Greens could obviously represent flora. Shades of dark blues and greys depict depth in terms of inner spaces and farther locations. Like his landscape, those who view it could be lost in the barrage of colors and lines with no clear patterns. One is led to appreciate a sense of balance in his painting.

Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Essay

Urban Planning and Sustainable Development - Essay Example Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Venice is also known as queen of Adriatic and is the capital of Veneto. Later many people like Huns, Lombards had their fair share of occupancy of the region. This led to new development of ports and shift of political administration to these places. During this time seat of governor was located in Malamocco. Later seat of Olivolo was created. Some time later the high seat of Malamocco was shifted to Rialto Island., This marked a historic change in the political administration of the Venice as the Rialto Island paved its way to form what we call the modern day location of Venice. This was subsequently bolstered by the fact that construction of monastery of St Zachary and basilica of St Mark. This formed the major defining moment of the futuristic idea of sustainable development of the city. In the year 828 the patriarchal seat was also moved to rialto and at the same time city of Venice started to grow in autonomous mode due to decline of Byzantine power. These events formed the development of city of Venice and from here started the great revolution of medieval world. After the decline of Byzantine power till 12th century Venice transformed from its dependency region into a city state. It shared its status along with Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi. No sooner than its transformation took place .everyone soon realized the importance of the location of place where Venice stood. Venice being at the mouth of Adriatic Sea made it a strategically important place .It soon became a naval and commercial power and became one of the most prominent chain links between the European or the western world to the other parts of the world. Soon the power of Venice was confirmed with the construction of Venetian arsenal. Venetian Arsenal was one of the most important areas of the city of Venice .Lying in the castello sestiere; it was a shipyard and naval depot. It was started around 1104 and was believed to play active role in the control affairs of the city by 12th century. The Arsenal became an important centre for rope manufacture.The people and the staff present in the shipyard also developed new firearms, during the later part of fourteenth century and numerous small arms against the Genoese a few years later.Later administaration extended its location scope till Adda river and lake garda. Similarly to develop its already advantegous location into a potential martime super power of the medieval world it started to aquire neighboring areas like aegean areas of crete. The city later was governed by Great Council .It appoints public offcials and elects a senate. The senate in turn chose a ten member team who looked after the administration of the city . and head of this team group was called as duke.. Now if we look at this whole picture of the government structure ,we can sense some similarity between the structure of the government present in venice and that present in rome in its ancient era.. The reason we have explained about its history and the government present in the city region is that we have to understand these events which were laid out in the timelines of history and the people who have governed this great city have also changed the way the city looks through its administrative planning and practices and thus the concept of urban planning and

Dog Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dog - Research Paper Example Why the dog’s exhibit friendships with human when all the other members of its species or family like the foxes or Jackals stay away from human beings?. Do dogs possess more intelligence than all the other animals? These are interesting questions one might ask. It is difficult answer the above questions without having a dog as a pet animal. Dog owners have many stories to talk about the honesty, loyalty and intelligence of their pet dog. But others may not have such experiences. This paper is written based on my personal experiences with my pet dog. I don’t know how my audience (those who are not interested in having pet animals or dogs) will respond to my experiences because of their less knowledge about animal behaviors. I think they might not agree with my arguments. Anyway this paper is written for convincing my audience about the intelligence and honesty of my pet dog (A Doberman). According to S. Coren, author of "The Intelligence of Dogs", there are three types of dog intelligence: Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability), Instinctive Intelligence and Working/Obedience Intelligence (The Intelligence of Dogs). I am living in a rural area and my house is surrounded by some big trees and herbs. Snakes are plenty in number around my house. We usually release our Doberman from its kennel during the night time because of the threats from thieves. One midnight, when all of us were sleeping, I woke up because of the continuous barking of our Doberman. I have opened the door and watched my dog trying to call my attention towards him. I have examined all the surrounding and found nothing extra ordinary. When I tried to return to my home, my dog started to block my way and keeping a close look at a particular area around my home. I have realized that something was wrong and decided to make closer look at that area. To my utter surprise I have seen a poisonous cobra resting near the doors of my house dog. My dog was making a conscious effort

Synoptic Gospels Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Synoptic Gospels - Essay Example 1:1): "1. Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us" (Borg, 1999, p.65-8) Tatum (1999, p. 36) argues: "...Gospel origins highlight the theological focus peculiar to each Gospel. There appears to be an appropriate correspondence between the portrayal of Jesus in each Gospel and the social setting of that Gospel. Each writer, therefore, has edited information about Jesus so that the story of Jesus addresses the concerns of the intended readers. The Story of Jesus as the Universal Christ in the Gospel of Luke, for example, was appropriate in a way that the story of Jesus as the Teaching Christ in the Gospel of Matthew would not have been. Like us, the Gospel writers tended to make Jesus over in their own likenesses." The Synoptics vary considerably in length from Mark (the shortest) to Luke (the longest). There are 661 verses, 95 scenes and 80 sayings in Mark; 1068 verses, 117 scenes and 225 sayings in Matthew; as for Luke, it contains 1098 verses, 120 scenes and 182 sayings (Funk et al, 1993, p.45). There are places where the Synoptic Gospels are closely parallel in their recounting of incidents from the life of Jesus. For example, in the "Parable of the Sower" some words and constructions repeat in two or three Gospels: (Matthew 13) 3. " A sower went out to sow. 4. And as he sowed, some [seeds] fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5. Other [seeds] fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6. but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. 7. Other [seeds] fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8. Other [seeds] fell on fine soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9. He who has ears [to hear] let him hear." (Mark 4) 3."Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4. And as he sowed, some [seed] fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5. Other [seed] fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; 6. and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. 7. Other [seed] fell into thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other [seeds] fell into fine soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." 9. And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Luke 8) 5. "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." As he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." At the same time there could be differences in historical details. For example, the story of the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus contains several such differences: in Matthew and Mark, the incident happens as Jesus

Advanced Managerial Accounting - Creat Scorecard Essay

Advanced Managerial Accounting - Creat Scorecard - Essay Example The co-operation leads into an increase in the overall performance of the university. The university must indulge in innovative and inventive processes in order to utilize the available opportunities for improvement. For instance the application of technology in the student management and the learning process is a noble move. The technological application in learning is laudable and it boosts the innovation within the institution. The learning and growth entails the process through which change is adopted in the institution. The change takes the form of new policies, strategies and regulations in the institution. It takes time for the change to be understood and adopted by the institution stakeholders. The balance scorecard tailors all the business activities to organizational vision and mission through a management system. The system enhances the improvement of the internal system of an organization. Additionally, the framework monitors the organizational performance regarding the goals and objectives of the firm. The non-financial variables are also part of the performance framework to create a balanced view of the affairs of an organization (Makhijani and  Creelman, 2011). The inclusion of the financial and the non-financial aspects of an organization create a balance on the general view of an entity. Teaching technology should be applied in the process of learning. The university has mane plans on the purchase of sufficient iPods for learning. The university also utilizes student information system, which helps in the management of the student services ensures that the customization of the services and products offered to the students. He provision attracts many students, which leads to a high number of enrollments per year. Different students in the University of UAE need different levels of comfort. For that reason, application of technology in learning promotes diversity and accommodativeness. Teaching helps in the

B.F. Skinners theory of punishment Essay Example for Free

B.F. Skinners theory of punishment Essay When you think of punishment and reward you think of a reaction; but man has come up with theories of why we do the things that we can do. Conditioning and learning is defined as change in behavior, which is resulted by different types of practices and experiences. In this report the main topics will be classical conditioning, operant conditioning, cognitive-social learning, and neuroscience and evolution. Every time we do something good or bad the outcome determines our reactions in future situations. This learning process that is associated between environment stimuli and behavioral responses. Breaking down the rewards system you come along reinforces and reinforcement. Both are good ways to get a conditioned response. First we primary rein forcers, this increases the chance because it satisfies a need for sex, food, and water. Secondary rein forcers increase the probability of a reaction because of value, money, and possessions through learning. Positive reinforcement is a reward that adds stimulus to increase chances of responses. Positive reinforcement would be a paycheck for a job well done. Negative reinforcement is the exact opposite removing or taking away stimulus of the action not occurring again. The two types of conditioning we are covering is classical and operant. Conditioning is learning through repetition of exercises of rewards or punishment to get a response. The pioneer scientist in classical conditioning is Ivan Pavlov. Classical conditioning is also known as a Respondent or Pavlovian conditioning. Classical is also involuntary which is one of the major differences from operant conditioning. Classical conditioning happens when an unrelated response through association with a stimulus that already makes a similar or related response. An example of classical conditioning is for some people when you hear the sound of running water you need to use the bathroom. The other types of conditioning are Operant, also called Instrumental and Skinnerian conditioning. In operant conditioning the punishment, reward, or in other words outcome is important. That adds to the probability that the act will be repeated or not. Operant conditioning is where consequences of a  particular behavior are described on the repetition of that same behavior. B.F. Skinners experiment of operant conditioning was a cat in a puzzle box. The only way the cat could get out was to pull on a rope; at first the cat did it by mistake. As the experiment went on the cats behavior became more and more purposeful. Soon the cat learned that the door opened immediately for his food. Skinners theory of reward was called positive reinforcement, and his theory of punishment was known as negative reinforcement. Reinforcement always increases the strength of the preceding behavior. Skinner was credited with the law of affect meaning an action will be repeated if it is rewarded. Another type of operant conditioning is called, Extinction. Extinction is a particular behavior that is weakened by the consequence of not experiencing a positive condition or stopping a negative condition. So far this report has broken down stimulus and observable reward and punishment behavior. Overall, some scientists believe the behavior cannot be explained by these theories alone. So next we come to cognitive social theory. Unlike Skinners black box theory, German psychologist Wolfgang Kohler wanted to look deeper inside the box. Kohler believed that solving a complex problem was responding to the stimuli in a trial and error statement. One of his experiments was with using a chimpanzee to try and find his way out of a cage and luring to reach a banana from the ceiling by using its insight to grasp the banana. Kohler tried the experiment again with another chimp placing him in the cage with two sticks this time and placing the banana farther then its grasp. The chimp lost interest in the banana when it was farther but then realized he could use the two sticks to extend his reach, allowing it (the chimp) to obtain the banana. Kohler called this a, learning insight. To wrap up this report we learned that the different types of conditioning are based on reward and punishment and they all have their own different theories and they are still being tested and experimented today.

Financial Business Startup Essay Example for Free

Financial Business Startup Essay A major responsibility for new Financial Advisors is to formulate and conduct marketing strategies to develop and enhance client relationships. These activities are normally documented through a marketing plan. Using this document, you are asked to answer hypothetical question – if you were to be hired as a financial advisor, what would your business plan look like? How would you get the word out that you are a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor? Who would you contact? How would you contact them? How would you tell them your story and the Merrill Lynch story? This document will help you build a preliminary business plan. Keep an open mind as you are asked to think about all the people you touch in a typical day, as well as those people you have touched in the past. These individuals can be potential clients or be a great source of introduction to others who may need your services. Good luck! Feel free to write your responses on a separate piece of paper. Section 1: Your Vision 1. What is your 3-year vision for your business? 2. What are your 3-year personal financial goals? . Please rank order the following in terms of your greatest interest/passion to least. Please describe the personal attributes you have that you believe will contribute to your success as a Financial Advisor. 5. What do you believe ML and your local Management Team can provide to you in your first 90 days in order to help you be successful? 6. Why have you chosen the Financial Services Industry? More specifically, why have you chosen ML? Section 2: Centers of Influence â€Å"Centers of Influence† are individuals in our lives who tend to be well known, well liked and very well networked. â€Å"Centers of Influence† are valuable in making introductions to people that we may be able to help as Merrill Lynch Financial Advisors. Below please record the name of ten people who are â€Å"Centers of Influence† in your life and state what groups they can connect you with.

Caring For The Elderly Essay

Caring For The Elderly Essay In general, society considers the elderly as persons above the ages of sixty or sixty-five. This is usually the beginning of old age as a person becomes less active in political, social and economic affairs. Though there are elderly persons who are in good health and active members of their communities, majority are the ones whose physical and mental functions are on the decline. Since they are not able to get along on their own, majority of the elderly persons require attention and care from their loved ones as well as friends. Consequently, psychologists use the term elderly care to refer to the personal as well as medical attention that this group of the population receives. It is evident that elderly care takes a variety of forms, ranging from personal care such as feeding and dressing, to medical attention. In addition, the care that a family chooses for its elderly persons will depend on their needs. This is because some of the elderly persons may still be in good health while others may be frail. Consequently, some of them may require home-based care while others may need specialized attention in a nursing home or in a hospital. Whatever the case, the elderly do need some form of care. In this study, I shall focus on the American culture and the Asian culture, and make comparisons between the two, in relation to the aspect of caring for the elderly. For the Asian culture, I shall examine the Japanese. In both United States of America and Japan, the number of elderly persons is on the increase. This means that both governments have to consider and put in place the best mechanisms to cater for this group of the population. Different communities accord the elderly different forms of care, depending on how their cultures dictate. The way a community perceives old age will therefore affect the manner in which it treats the elderly. The responsibility of caring for the elderly in Caucasian and Japanese cultures lies mainly with the woman, because these societies consider her as an innate caregiver due to her maternal abilities and instincts. However, this is also due to the fact that, over the years, the woman has fewer opportunities in the economic scene, and as a result, she remains at home most of the time to take care of her children and the elderly. On the other hand, when the woman is able to access the labor market, she finds herself in positions where she has to provide care for others. Most nurses, school and hospital matrons are women. However, in the above cultures, children also participate in elderly care, as a form of compensation for the nurture their parents gave them when they were young. The American society places a lot of emphasis on staying young. Consequently, as Samovar et. al. (2009) notes we find a culture that prefers youth to old age. (p.71). This negative perception of old age makes the young people avoid staying together with the elderly and caring for them. The older adult population rather than the young adults are the ones taking care of the elderly. This explains why some families in the United States give over their old relatives to nursing homes. This does not however mean that the young cut all their links with their elderly relatives. They do provide support and maintain contact with them. The nursing homes are an option for the elderly people who have no family or relatives to look after them at home. This is especially the case for those who are physically handicapped and require the help of another person to take care of them. Though the nursing homes have become the choice for most families with elderly relatives, they do have their limitations. Some of these institutions for the elderly have become money-making ventures, therefore reducing their emphasis on the needs of the elderly. Poor hygiene and lack of trained medical personnel and quality treatment as well as poor feeding programs are some of the problems the elderly face in these nursing homes. Moreover, placing the elderly in nursing homes limits their freedoms as they have to follow the stipulated program. They cannot choose when to feed, sleep, interact with their fellow housemates and cannot keep their belongings. However, nursing homes for the elderly still remain the option for most American families, as there has not been much success with home-based care. On a positive note, the elderly persons in American society have more groups of friends and neighbors whom they can go to for support, than the aged people in Japanese society. This means that the American elderly are likely to receive care from their friends and neighbors, apart from their immediate family members. However, the Americans usually tend to give special care to their elderly only after they learn that the latter are facing a medical problem. However, since the family is still the main caregiver for the elderly, some of the American families employ professional nurses to take care of their old at home, instead of sending them away to nursing homes. Another reason for this is that, institutions for taking care of the elderly are expensive, and some of these families are not able to afford them. Moreover, some families opt to take their elderly to day nursing institutions, where they receive care throughout the day and then return home in the evening. This is suitable for those people who are working and cannot stay with the elderly relatives during the day as they have to report to work. It is also convenient for working adults who cannot afford specialized care for their elderly ones, either at home or in a nursing institution. In some instances, the elderly person may be able to live in his or her own house, and may be strong enough not to require specialized attention and care. In such cases, the family members of such an elderly person find a house near other aged people, in areas where the amenities they need on a day-to-day basis are readily available. This form of elderly care appeals to the community and involves them in taking responsibility for this group of the population. On the economic front, some of the big corporate organizations have introduced benefit schemes for their employees, in order to help them in caring for their elderly relatives. This is because most companies want to avoid losses in production, due to having employees who have to work while at the same time take care of their elderly relatives. Some companies also provide home-based care services for the elderly, but as a profit-making venture. This however, has a negative side to it as these privatized services are costly and not many families are able to afford them. On the other hand, Asian culture of the Japanese has a positive perception of the elderly. It teaches the children to respect and care for the elderly. The Japanese consider the family as the prime caregiver for their elderly, and in this case, it is usually a female member of the family who carries out this duty. This is because the Japanese believe that it is not in order to take the elderly to a nursing home as this is equivalent to neglecting ones responsibility of taking care of ones parents. This also makes the Japanese families give the required care to their elderly relatives throughout their old age, rather than only when they are facing a health problem. In the case of aged people who are not related to the family, Japanese wives or their daughters are the ones who tend to give their elderly friends the care they need. Sometimes, the daughters-in-law also give care to the elderly, especially if the patient is female. However, if other friends and non relatives are living under the same roof with the elderly persons, they may provide the necessary care to the latter. This is in contrast to the case of the American elderly who receive care from their family as well as friends and neighbors. In Japan, the activity of giving care to the elderly is mainly as an act of duty, rather than voluntary will. The caregiver considers this act as one that he or she has to give, and in most cases, the Japanese wife will provide the elderly attention at her husbands request. The dependence of the Japanese elderly on their immediate family is also evident in the fact that most of them rely on their spouses and their children for financial support. Since the Japanese believe that giving the elderly care is a womans job, the men usually leave this task to their wives. However, though the Japanese men are away from home most of the time, they also contribute to elderly care by giving their spouses financial as well as emotional assistance. Again, by participating in looking after their children, they allow their wives to find time to take care of the elderly members of the family. Elderly care in Japan still remains largely in the hands of the family, especially for those who are not sickly and in need of specialized medical attention. However, caring for the elderly at home is no longer the only option, and families have begun taking the old to nursing homes. This is due to a number of reasons such as the aging of the family members providing the care as well as the increasing involvement of the Japanese women in formal training and employment. Moreover, Japanese families are not living in large numbers as they did in the past. However, the number of nursing homes for the elderly and professional caregivers is on the decrease because of the Japanese belief that it is the immediate family which bears the responsibility of taking care of their elderly relatives. The elderly who are in need of very little personal and health care remain at home, but get visits from personnel who attend to them. This happens either a few times a week or every day depending on the needs of the elderly person. Due to the rising demand for health caregivers for the elderly, Japan has sought the help of care personnel from the Philippines. These caregivers are more experienced and are willing to work at a low pay. Due to the increase in the elderly population, financial resources have not been enough to allow families to put their relatives under specialized care at home and in nursing institutions. It is due to this situation that hospitals in Japan have offered to accommodate the elderly who are in need of both personal as well as medical attention. This way, the elderly in Japan can access long-term care. Though on a small-scale, the Japanese elderly engage in volunteering programs where they offer services to the community and in turn, they receive personal as well as medical care. There are however some similarities in the aspects of elderly care in American and Japanese cultures. Care for the elderly is still one of the concerns of both the United States and Japanese governments, though they differ in their policies. America gives priority to provision of medical attention, pension for retirees and shelter, while the Japanese government came up with policies to put in place insurance for every citizen including the elderly, for a long-term period. In both countries, the increase in aging members of the population has put a lot of pressure on the medical as well as retirement schemes. However, technological advances in medicine have increased and they are being used to improve the life-expectancy levels of the American and Japanese aging populations. Again, since women are increasingly going into formal employment, the men in both countries are also becoming more and more involved in elderly care. In conclusion, due to lifestyle changes, many people have started living in smaller groups and families, and are also located far from each other. Consequently, caring for the elderly can no longer be the responsibility of the immediate family alone, but has to be a prerogative of governments, non governmental organizations as well as private institutions.

Financial Regulation in the UK and Ireland Essay -- Finance Business E

Financial Regulation in the UK and Ireland There has been considerable changes in the regulation of financial markets in the UK and other countries. Why is this? Financial markets tend to be more highly regulated than other markets. Explain why. In May 1997, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer made the decision to move the responsibility of supervision of financial institutions into the hands of a new regulatory authority, the Financial Services Authority (FSA). This new authority replaced the Securities and Investments Board and took over responsibility for the supervision of banks, listed money market institutions and clearing houses from the Bank of England. (Blake, 1999). Overall responsibility for regulation of financial markets lies with HM Treasury and is then divided up between the Bank of England and the FSA. Now, the Bank of England’s remit is the operation of monetary policy and ensuring the stability of the financial system. The FSA has five primary functions: Authorisation of market participants; Prudential supervision of banks, insurance companies, securities firms and fund managers, and regulation of their conduct of business; Investigation, enforcement and discipline; Regulation of investment exchanges and clearing houses; Regulation of collective investment schemes. The change has been a move away from largely self-regulation to a combination of self-regulation and government interventionist regulation. Before 1997 the UK relied ‘primarily on private regulation (by the stock exchange and, to an increasing extent, by the institutes of chartered accountants).’ (Benston, 1985). The regulation of the financial system in the UK however is not as explicit as the system in the US where the Securities and Exchange Commission holds some of the most extensive regulations, which are viewed by some as being excessive. "The more complex and formal US rules and procedures do not permit as much flexibility and speed" (Benston, 1995). So the UK’s new system is a compromise between the best of self regulation and statutory regulation to ensure the financial markets work in an efficient and orderly manner. The FSA reinforces the orderly operation of the UK markets. For example, when a firm wishes to list on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), they must satisfy requirements of the previously self-regulatory LSE as well as ... ...es it has come in the form of strict regulation, for others in relatively flexible regulation. The challenges now come from the increasing need for harmonisation of regulations in the EU and also the need to react to the effect that technology can have on financial markets, something that many current financial regulatory systems have yet to tackle. Works Cited: Benston, G.J. ‘Towards a Cost/Benefit analysis of the SEC: Have the British a Better Way?, Midland Corporate Finance Journal, 1985. Blake, D. ‘Financial Market Analysis.’ Wiley, 1999 Goodhart et al. ‘Financial Regulation Why, How and Where Now?’, Routledge, 1998. Labate, J. ‘Senate Banking chief Phil Gramm orders overhaul of legislation’ Financial Times, Dec 27 2000. Leader, ‘Neuer Markt’ Financial Times, Jan 3 2001 London Stock Exchange, ‘Admission and Disclosure Standards’ May 2000. Quinn, T.P. ‘The Economics of Financial Regulation: A Survey.’, Central Bank of Ireland. 1992 Stewart, J. ‘The Changing Nature of Financial Regulation in Ireland’ , Journal of Financial Services Research , 1996. Stewart, J. ‘The Effects of BIS Capital Adequacy Ratios on Bank financing, Irish Accounting Review,

Miracles: When Faith Contradicts Reason :: Essays Papers

Miracles: When Faith Contradicts Reason When the term "miracle" comes to mind, the average person doesn’t quite know what to say. After all, a miracle is something unexplained that is looked upon in awe. Webster’s Universal Dictionary defines a miracle as: . "an extraordinary event attributed to the supernatural; an unusual or astounding event." 1 In today’s society, though, everyone has their own definition of astounding. Perhaps some people contribute certain events to the supernatural while others do not. So in today’s times, Webster’s New World Dictionary provides a clearer meaning of a miracle: . "an event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws." 2 In other words, it is a gap between faith and scientific reasoning. In modern medicine, a miracle is described as any occurrence where a higher power, God, for example, takes over and intervenes benevolently in the fate of the patient.3 The doctor, along with everyone else, can only marvel. As a generality, it can be said that miracles are modern examples of the continuing contradiction between faith and reason. When People Lose Hope in Modern Medicine At a certain point during a person’s illness, a doctor will say that there is just no more that can be done. Modern medicine, scientific technology, and healing techniques have done all they can, but tragically, the fate of the person looks grim, and death is rapidly approaching. It is then that people will hope for a miracle. Terri McFaddin, a minister, expresses the feelings of those seriously ill when saying that "We are living in desperate times where people are going to believe in things they can’t see because they can’t trust the things they can see. Miracles happen where natural resources end. One will walk into the realm of miracles when all natural resources have been exhausted." 4 When scientific reasoning and human knowledge have failed people and no cure can be found, that is when people will turn to their faith and hope for a miracle. They grip hope that is beyond reason and logic.5 Praise and worship leader Ron Kenoly says that more people are reali zing that to be helped with the great problems they face, they need to go beyond the limits of reason and the abilities of man.6 Today the largest percentages of Americans in a decade profess the existence of God and miracles, according to a poll commissioned by the Pew Research Center. Miracles: When Faith Contradicts Reason :: Essays Papers Miracles: When Faith Contradicts Reason When the term "miracle" comes to mind, the average person doesn’t quite know what to say. After all, a miracle is something unexplained that is looked upon in awe. Webster’s Universal Dictionary defines a miracle as: . "an extraordinary event attributed to the supernatural; an unusual or astounding event." 1 In today’s society, though, everyone has their own definition of astounding. Perhaps some people contribute certain events to the supernatural while others do not. So in today’s times, Webster’s New World Dictionary provides a clearer meaning of a miracle: . "an event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws." 2 In other words, it is a gap between faith and scientific reasoning. In modern medicine, a miracle is described as any occurrence where a higher power, God, for example, takes over and intervenes benevolently in the fate of the patient.3 The doctor, along with everyone else, can only marvel. As a generality, it can be said that miracles are modern examples of the continuing contradiction between faith and reason. When People Lose Hope in Modern Medicine At a certain point during a person’s illness, a doctor will say that there is just no more that can be done. Modern medicine, scientific technology, and healing techniques have done all they can, but tragically, the fate of the person looks grim, and death is rapidly approaching. It is then that people will hope for a miracle. Terri McFaddin, a minister, expresses the feelings of those seriously ill when saying that "We are living in desperate times where people are going to believe in things they can’t see because they can’t trust the things they can see. Miracles happen where natural resources end. One will walk into the realm of miracles when all natural resources have been exhausted." 4 When scientific reasoning and human knowledge have failed people and no cure can be found, that is when people will turn to their faith and hope for a miracle. They grip hope that is beyond reason and logic.5 Praise and worship leader Ron Kenoly says that more people are reali zing that to be helped with the great problems they face, they need to go beyond the limits of reason and the abilities of man.6 Today the largest percentages of Americans in a decade profess the existence of God and miracles, according to a poll commissioned by the Pew Research Center.

Overview of Different Theories of Motivation Essay -- Motivational The

Cherry, Kendra. (2013). Theories of Motivation: A closer look at some important theories of motivation. http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologytopics/tp/theories-of-motivation.htm The Incentive Theory of Motivation states that people do things, such as work because of the rewards that come with. For example, a child might help his grandmother clean in order to receive cookies. His motivation is the reward of the cookies. In the working world, people get rewarded by other rewards. Some of these rewards are salary, security, and health benefits. Taylor, F. W. (1964). Shop Management. In Scientific Management (Vol. 1, pp. 17-20). New York and London: Happy and Brothers Publishers. Retrieved April 17, 2014 This article provides excellent information about Frederick Winslow Taylor’s research on motivation and the science of management. It provides an interesting perspective on motivation through looking at management as a science. Frederick Winslow Taylor believed that naturally, people do not like to perform tasks and work and they need to be pushed. Workers also need to be controlled. Miner, B. John. (2005). Library of Congress Catalog-In-Publication Data. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=kUO5NWwaySYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA61&dq=Frederick+Herzberg+motivation+hygiene&ots=UE9CujJmGJ&sig=F1v7olQGCGpeMVdG5AbYF6z6xEM#v=onepage&q&f=false One very important motivational theorist is Frederick Herzberg. Herzberg developed a motivational approach known as the Motivation Hygiene approach. This approach contains to hypothesis on how people are motivated to work. The Achievement Motivation Theory explains three motives that drive people to work harder. They are achievement, power, and affiliation. The only way an individual... ....(2011). Principles of Business Management: A real World Approach. P. 275-293 Taylor, F. W. (1964). Shop Management. In Scientific Management (Vol. 1, pp. 17-20). New York and London: Happy and Brothers Publishers. Retrieved April 17, 2014 McGraw-Hills, . (2012). Business Management Boundless, . (n.d.). Expectancy Theory. In Boundless. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from https://www.boundless.com/management/organizational-behavior/process-and-motivation/expectancy-theory/ Adams, S. J., & Freedman, S. (1976). Equity Theory: Toward a General Theory of Social Interaction. In Experienced Social Psychology (Vol. 9, pp. 44-46). New York, NY: Academic Press Inc. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=vxXx0d9euv8C&oi=fnd&pg=PA43&dq=equity+theory&ots=XFgWiiuQsJ&sig=f7dxRwEJW5i5cPN9Fh4H9YCx2_o#v=onepage&q=equity%20theory&f=false

Test Corrections

2. John Wesley is associated with the founding of what religious sect? I chose to omit this question because I couldn’t remember with which â€Å"ism† John Wesley was associated. The correct answer is c. Methodism because in the â€Å"Impact of the Enlightenment† PowerPoint, a parenthetical mentions John Wesley in the description of Methodism. 6. Romanticism changed the direction of the Enlightenment by emphasizing†¦ I answered a. skepticism which is incorrect because skepticism was more of a defining characteristic for movements like the Scientific Revolution. The correct answer is c. emotion because Romanticism was a focus on the individual and nature which were ofter very emotional ordeals. 8. The Encyclopedia contributed to Enlightenment goals of social reform by†¦ I answered c. providing systematic plans for social reform that could be used by anyone who was able to read which is incorrect because the Encyclopedia itself was not about social reform, and even if someone could read, he or she wouldn’t necessarily be able to understand the Encyclopedia. The correct answer is a. romoting the spread of knowledge that would be used to make informed decisions about social problems because the Encyclopedia’s direct influence was its spread of knowledge, which, in turn, was used to make informed decisions. 13. â€Å"In every government, there are three sorts of power†¦when the legislative and executive are united in the same person or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty because†¦the same monarc h or senate†¦(may) enact tyrannical laws. † The author of this passage was: I answered e. Rousseau which is incorrect because although Rousseau favored epublicanism as stated in his The Social Contract, he never really made the distinction between the three branches of government. The correct answer is a. Montesquieu because he made the distinction of dividing the â€Å"administrative† powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. 14. Voltaire’s statement â€Å"Ecrasez l’infame† (crush the infamous thing) refers to†¦ I answered a. the government of Louis XIV which is incorrect because Louis XIV died in 1715 when Voltaire was only 18 years old and hadn’t begun his writing career. The correct answer is b. igotry and intolerance because he thought that the royalty and the clergy bred â€Å"superstition and intolerance† within the people. 18. In his campaign for greater toleration, French Huguenot refugee Pierre Bayl e (1647-1706) published his Historical and Critical Dictionary, which†¦ I answered d. was an attempt to offer clear definitions of commonly used religious terminology that Bayle felt was too often misunderstood, a contributing factor to religious intolerance which is incorrect because Bayle’s Historical and Critical Dictionary wasn’t a literal dictionary in which terms were defined. The correct answer is c. listed the errors and delusions of an entire host of writers on religion in an effort to show that religions must be held accountable to reason because the word â€Å"dictionary† simply refers to the writers on religion, and rather that blaming religious terminology for religious intolerance, he wanted to express that religions should be held accountable to reason. 19. What is a major way that the Enlightenment in France differed from that in Germany? I answered a. The German government wholeheartedly supported its intellectuals, including Lessing and Kant, while France’s philosophes faced censorship or arrest which is incorrect because this answer has the trigger word â€Å"wholeheartedly,† and philosophes faced censorship throughout Europe. The correct answer is c. French philosophes were far more aggressive in their condemnation of church and state than were German scholars because France has a history of breaking from the church freely such as with the Papal Schism, while Germany, being consumed by the Holy Roman Empire was tied closer with the church. 1. The only enlightened ruler who ended the personal aspects of serfdom was†¦ I answered a. Catherine the Great of Russia which is incorrect because although the serfs under Catherine had limited rights, they were still bound to their nobles’ land, and were still owned by these nobles. The correct answer is b. Joseph II of Austria because his Imperial Patent of 1785 abolished serfdom. 25. The spread of Enlightenment ideals and the emergence of a more prosperous middle class in Europe were also reflected in music with†¦ I answered d. rejection of baroque and all older styles of musical composition in favor of continuous innovation and experimentation which is incorrect because this answer has the trigger word â€Å"all,† and music at this time didn’t completely reject baroque styles because old styles will always be the basis for new styles. The correct answer is b. the transition from complex polyphony to an emphasis on more popularly accessible melody because this reflects a prosperous middle class which was both popular and accessible. 26. The Gordon riots, which devastated much of London in 1780, served as an xample of the fact that†¦ I answered b. eighteenth-century governments, though aspiring to modern state management, were still far from their espoused goals which is incorrect because the Gordon riots rooted in p olitical grievances as much as they were in religious agitation brought about by the Protestants. The correct answer is d. popular demonstrations did not always support reforms because the riots’ most prevalent effect was that Britain’s reputation was damaged right when they needed allies the most in the American War of Independence. 30. Which of the following is INCORRECTLY matched? I answered c. Catherine the Great—Instruction which is incorrect because Catherine did in fact write this work whose full title was â€Å"Instructions for the Guidance of the Assembly. † The correct answer is e. Moses Mendelssohn—Confessions because Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote this, while Moses Mendelssohn wrote works such as his Philosophical Conversations. 32. The most important contribution Catherine the Great made early in her reign was the†¦ I chose to omit this question because although I knew Catherine’s overall importance as an enlightened despot, I wasn’t sure on the specific contributions she made early on. The correct answer is a. stablishment of a legislative commission to review the laws of Russia because this was a real effort to share the power over Russia with a republican council in which the people could theoretically be represented. 49. Charlotte Corday assassinated Jean-Paul Marat in July 1793, in the belief that†¦ I answered d. Mara t had engineered the arrest and execution of Danton and his followers. which is incorrect because she wasn’t specifically concerned with avenging Danton’s death, but rather felt that she was avenging all of France. The correct answer is c. she was avenging innocent people executed because Marat had called for their heads. ecause even in her trial she claimed, â€Å"I killed one man to save 100,000,† showing her concern with the shear massiveness and unjustness of Marat’s Reign of Terror. 52. The fall from grace of Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety came about when Robespierre†¦ I answered d. inaugurated a Cult of the Supreme Being, which many Catholics viewed as a brazen and blasphemous attempt to replace Christianity. which is incorrect because although anti-religious member of the Committee of Public Safety opposed this decree, they didn’t really do anything concrete about it. The correct answer is a. began to order the execution of members of the Convention itself. because the planned strike against Jean-Lambert Tallien and Marc-Guillaume Alexis Vadier who were members of the Committee of General Security really was what tore the Committee of Public Safety apart and led to the arrest of Robespierre. 54. During the era of the French Revolution, the Thermidorian Reaction†¦ I chose to omit this question because I couldn’t remember whether the Thermidorian Reaction led to the dissolution of the National Assembly or the Reign of Terror. The correct answer is a. terminated the Reign of Terror and led to the execution of Robespierre. because it was the month of Thermidor when Robespierre’s planned strike against members of the Committee of General Security led to his execution. 55. The Committee of Public Safety was established to†¦ I answered e. train a new generation of intendants who were more loyal to the bourgeoisie government in power in 1794. which is incorrect because the Committee of Public Safety was more of military establishment whose purpose was to protect the new republic rather than to ensure loyalty. Loyalty was mainly ensured by the threat of the guillotine to anyone who resisted the republic. The correct answer is b. combat the dual threat of internal rebellion/counter-revolutionaries and foreign invasion. because it was a wartime measure put into place to protect the new and fragile republic. 59. According to the video and the text, what role did Jacques-Louis David play in the French Revolution? I answered d. He edited a newspaper that called for the execution of the king. which is incorrect because he was a painter, not a newspaper editor. The correct answer is c. He was an artist who painted images of the Revolution and planned revolutionary festivals. because he organized various festivals beginning with a parade through the streets of Paris to bury Voltaire at the Pantheon, and he was a Neoclassical painter who strayed away from classical Rococo grandeur. 60. When French armies occupied an area, they†¦ I answered a. brutally repressed the people living there according to the dictates of the Terror. which is incorrect because the Reign of Terror described the death of many by the guillotine, not by military brutality. The correct answer is b. introduced the laws of the French Republic, such as the abolition of seigneurial dues. because the abolition of seigneurial dues, one of many Enlightenment ideals being implemented at this time, was enacted by the National Constituent Assembly in the â€Å"August Decrees. † 62. Which of the following did NOT lead to the attack on the Bastille? I answered c. The marching of thousands of troops toward Paris by order of the king which is incorrect because the French Army was in fact encamped on the nearby Champs de Mars. The correct answer is b. The massacre by Louis XVI’s troops of members of the National Assembly because although Louis had planned to march into the Salle des Etats where the National Assembly met, but he never did, and therefore, his troops never massacred members of the National Assembly. 63. The achievements of the Jacobins included ALL of the following EXCEPT†¦ I answered a. abolition of slavery. which is incorrect because the Jacobins did in fact abolish slavery when they abolished feudalism. The correct answer is e. edistribution of all land among the peasants. because under the Jacobins, peasants only received limited rights and did not actually receive redistributed land. 65. Women†¦ I answered b. took few leadership roles in revolutionary activities. which is incorrect because women did in fact hold important roles in the French Revolution like with the Women’s March on Versailles and with influential female writers like Mary Wollstonecraft and Olympe de Gouges. The correct answer is d. joined demonstrations, wrote petitions and tracts, and organized political clubs. ecause women were in fact important to the Revolution and did all of these named revolutionary acts. 68. The term September Massacres refers to†¦ I answered b. The bloodiest days of the Reign of Terror; also known as the Great Terror which is incorrect because the September Massacres occurred over a year prior to the Reign of Terror. The correct answer is a. mobs that slaughtered over 1100 prisoners they believed were traitors because after Louis XVI fled the Tuileries Palace, a scared group made up mostly by sans-culottes massacred over 1100 Parisian prisoners.

How Should Teachers Respond to the Ebonics Debate? Essay

What are teachers to do when our students respond to a question saying â€Å"It don’t make no difference† or â€Å"It ain’t good. † What about students write: â€Å"All the mens and womens was forced to go† in a research paper? On one hand teachers want to respect and honor our students’ heritage and culture, but on the other hand, we want to prepare them for the best chance of success. Ebonics refers to a form of language that many African-American students speak. The issue came to public attention in 1997 when the Oakland school board proposed to teach African American students by incorporating Ebonics into the curriculum. This began a heated national debate. Lisa Delpit (2002) explains the issue in a very poignant and insightful way: I have been asked often enough recently: â€Å"What do you think about Ebonics? Are you for it or against it? † My answer must be neither. I can be neither for Ebonics or against Ebonics any more that I can be for or against air. It exists. It is the language that is spoken by many of our African-American children. It is the language many African-American children heard as their mothers nursed them and changed their diapers and played peek-a-boo with them. It is the language through which they first encountered love, nurturance, and joy (p 93). Lisa Delpit’s article entitled â€Å"What should teachers do? Ebonics and culturally responsive instruction† goes on to explain how Ebonics is a reality, and that teachers must develop sound methodology to help students learn to code switch between the two languages. While some critics such as Christopher Todd (1997) fervently believe that if teachers are to acknowledge Ebonics as an acceptable form of language, then they in turn will only further handicap African-American students. Todd argues that this pedagogy will not give non-standard English speakers sufficient skills in Standard English, and in doing so teachers will help to perpetuate cycles of poverty that these very teachers purport to end. Catherine Compton-Lilly’s (2005) â€Å"Nuances of Error: Considerations Relevant to African American Vernacular English and Learning to Read† addresses the issue of how teachers should respond to students who did not grow up in homes where Standard English is spoken. She goes on to establish that African American Vernacular is a well documented form of spoken English, complete with its own syntax and intonation, and that it has been deemed inferior to standard English. Compton-Lilly suggests that until recently there has been very little awareness among teachers that by correcting student’s language, they also undermine their cultures and families. Compton-Lilly then sites research documenting the specific linguistic differences between standard and African American Vernacular. The bulk of the article’s original research is a case study of Lashanda, a first-grader who had fallen behind her peers in reading and had grown up in a house where African American Vernacular was used. Catherine Compton-Lilly tutored Lashanda individually over the course of several weeks and meticulously documented when and how her home language emerged to cause a miscue in her reading. Lashanda made typical â€Å"errors† such as reading aloud â€Å"the roses was broken† instead of â€Å"were† broken.

How Will Earning a Degree Change My Life

College- Is it worth it? In society today a college education isn’t an option, but rather a necessity. When thinking about college people usually think more about what they have to do to get through it when they should be thinking about what they want out of it and what they will gain from it. People often say that college isn’t worth the time and money, but getting a degree and brining the skills you gained to the real world will be very beneficial to you.Some people go to college for the title for being a college student for others it’s a way to leave home and become independent without completely losing the financial help of their parents. Most go because they have to, not because they want to. High school students are constantly being pressured not only by family members but also by guidance counselors to go to college because it’s the â€Å"right thing to do. † We all have an idea of what we want in life, but we end up doing the opposite and do ing what our â€Å"mentors† think is best for us, resulting in being miserable. The investment of time, money and energy is it really worth it?For some fields, a college degree is absolutely necessary. That doesn’t mean you will get a job right after graduation. Even if you do get a job, it is not usually what you have your degree in. College is a gamble most students will be in debt after graduating working any job just to pay those off. Some college graduates even end up back at home living with their parents due to the debt they are in. The competition for decent jobs is increasing. You can’t get a high paying job without at least a bachelor’s degree. Before jobs hired workers with only High school Diplomas but, now they require some college education.Every day the decision is being made to either construct a career or dropout. There are people out there who have never set foot in a college and are doing better than people with master’s degrees. But, those are the exceptions which are one out of a million even millions. So before you make this decision ask yourself; where do I see myself 5 or 10 years from today? Do I need higher education to where I want to be? The skills you gain while in college are skills you will need in the â€Å"real world. † Bills have to be paid, deadlines have to be met and you have to learn to manage time efficiently.It’s completely different from High school because not only are you dealing with school you’re also juggling your personal life and your financial state as well. College has its pros and cons like everything else in life. Your experience will be what you make. If you aren’t willing to put in your all into it, college isn’t for you. You may not get lucky and start your career right after graduating but with persistence and hard work in the long run a degree will help you get to where you want to go in life. Don’t think of as a waste of time a nd money think of it as exciting challenge that will help set up your future.