Capital Investment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Capital Investment - Assignment Example Even though after the democratic elections conducted in the year 2005, the country has been advised to be a safer destination for capital investments, there have been apprehensions about the stability of the country and the chances of the conflicts arising again which may hinder the sustained growth of the company's operations in the country. Apart from the political risk, there is the issue of Company's Social Responsibility and the related costs and ethical values that need consideration before taking any decision on investing in Medco Republic. In addition the report focuses on the foreign exchange risk in dealing with the currency of Medco Republic. The objective of this report therefore is to consider the soundness of the proposed capital investment from the angles of financial feasibility, country risk of Medco Republic and the foreign exchange risk in undertaking transactions in the currency of Medco Republic as against the British Pounds as the investments the commitment of substantially larger sums by the Company to be recouped over a longer period. The analysis is based on a review of the net cash flows from the project using the recognized capital budgeting evaluation methods of Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR), taking the weighted average cost of capital of the Company of 15% as the hurdle rate and the rate for discounting the present value of future cash flows from the project. Financial Feasibility The financial feasibility of any capital investment proposal can be judged based on the ability of the project to enhance the shareholders' wealth by contributing positive net cash inflows from the proposed investments. Just any other domestic capital project is being evaluated, for the international investments can also be evaluated by calculating the 'Net Present Value' (NPV) future cash flows expected out of the project. The NPV of the project depends on the initial investment or initial cash flow, expected future cash flows and the cost of capital. Based on the comparison of the NPV of the future cash flows with the proposed capital investment the feasibility of the project can be established. While working out the NPV the effect of the factors like Sales creation (additional sales), cannibalization (loss of sales), opportunity cost, transfer pricing and fees and royalties on the future cash flows should be taken into account. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is the other criter ion that needs to be carefully looked into while deciding on the capital investment. In the case of the proposed capital investment proposals the NPV and IRR from the projects have been worked out and exhibited in the Appendix. From the NPV calculations it is observed that the project has a negative net present value which implies that the project is not acceptable. The internal rate of return (IRR) is also much lower than that of the weighted cost of capital of the company. As against the cost of capital of 15% the IRR from the project works out to 5%. This also indicates that the proposed investment is unviable. Even though the Company can set off the tax payments in the country of Medco Republic against its income tax

On the Road by Jack Kerouac Essay Example for Free

On the Road by Jack Kerouac Essay Now considered not only a legendary work within the history of American literature, Jack Kerouac’s â€Å"On the Road† is also regarded as the pivotal work of an entire generation of young Americans looking for purpose and direction in a nation not far removed from world war, and becoming increasingly complicated and fast paced. In the midst of the sweeping societal changes depicted through Kerouac’s characters in â€Å"On the Road†, the protagonist of the story, Dean Moriarty, stands as an iconic, enigmatic figure. In this essay, the dynamics and complexities of Moriarty’s personality, as well as the changes that this personality undergoes as â€Å"On the Road† unfolds will be discussed in order to better understand not only Moriarty as a character, but also what he represents. Dean Moriarty’s Changes Within the Plot of â€Å"On the Road† The changes that Moriarty goes through in Kerouac’s book are symbolic not only of the general direction of his life itself, but also the society in which he lives, the people with whom he interacts, and what the future holds for everyone, including this character himself. Gaining even a fundamental understanding of the character of Moriarty in necessary to make this possible. Dean Moriarty makes a notable entrance into the plot of â€Å"On the Road†; from the very beginning, he captures the interest of the other characters in the book because of his very nature, which is highly animated, yet appealing because of his obvious passion for life and his interest in living every moment to its fullest (Whissen, 1992). At the same time, showing that he is a constantly changing individual, Moriarty is alienated from some of the more conventional people who are friends with other main characters in the story, a divide which none of the main characters make an effort to remedy, setting the stage for Moriarty to blaze his own path in subsequent sections of the book. Perhaps on of the most significant characteristics of Moriarty, which serves as a catalyst for many of the changes through which he goes, is the fact that he is very appealing to the opposite sex; this sort of romantic tension creates a bit of mystery about Moriarty (Swartz, 1999). This charisma also opens up a world of possibilities for Moriarty to explore, and presents him with many temptations and challenges that other people may never experience. Whether this charisma with women was something that came about just by the way that Moriarty presented himself, or it was something toward which he aspired and took specific steps to ensure that women would find him desirable, this aspect of his personality was the first step in the changes that he undergoes throughout the story. First, in regard to Moriarty’s changes, the fact that he carries on multiple relationships with women, many at the same time, makes it necessary for Moriarty to constantly travel throughout the nation, truly embodying the â€Å"on the road† lifestyle which forms the backbone of Kerouac’s book. The consequences of these many relationships, and the ensuing complications and commitments that come out of them, create problems for Moriarty that he is forced to confront, and conform to as well. The complexity of these relationships is made even more dramatic by the fact that eventually, Moriarty fathers multiple children with multiple women, making it all but impossible for him to carry on any kind of a conventional life or to remain stationery in one place for any amount of time; the ability that most people have to lead an ordinary, day to day existence, is denied Moriarty because of the choices he makes in his personal life until almost the end of the book. A second area of change for Dean Moriarty is seen in his social interactions with friends beyond the level of romantic interludes. Socially, Moriarty also undergoes a great deal of change as the plot of the book unfolds. Because of Moriarty’s alienation from people beyond his immediate circle of close friends, he becomes more withdrawn from the regular social aspects of everyday society and has a sort of sadness and emptiness about him. This emptiness is filled with sordid affairs with women as was discussed earlier, travel, and excesses such as drinking and outlandish behavior, which will be discussed in more detail in a subsequent section of this essay. Moriarty’s charismatic nature in some instances is also important to realize from the viewpoint of the change that he affects in others, perhaps most significantly in the case of his best friend, Sal Paradise. Because Sal looks up to Dean in basically every area of life as a role model of sorts (Whissen, 1992), he imitates even Dean’s worst behavioral traits, including the constant traveling. The foolishness of this imitation is made more dramatic by the fact that Sal is older than Dean, making the implication that Dean could in fact learn a lot from Sal if the situation were somehow reversed. Finally, a change that Moriarty attempts is as significant as any of the others which he ahs undergone throughout â€Å"On the Road†. Ultimately, Moriarty attempts to take on the persona of a civilized and responsible individual when he acknowledges his responsibilities to his marriage vows and the children that were created as a result of his marital union. Getting a job and attempting to settle into a normal, structured home life, Moriarty does give this endeavor and life change a sincere effort, but he soon finds that this is more difficult for him than he may have expected. Due to this realization, which some might say is a recognition of his own nature as a traveling, somewhat chaotic individual with a high level of appeal to women in general, he quickly loses interest in being a good father and husband; for example, ignoring the cries of his child, obsessing about the other women with whom he was involved in the past, and more than likely planning the next step of his symbolic and literally road journey in a search for what is missing in his life, and what the life of an average husband/father, in his view, fails to deliver. An Insight into Moriarty’s Mindset By studying the pattern of Moriarty’s behavior, and the different personalities and attitudes he embraces, it is much easier to profile the mindset of this enigmatic and complicated character. Moriarty’s inner emptiness is apparent when his actions and value systems, flawed as they are, are separated from the action of â€Å"On the Road†, and the story itself is looked at in a more philosophical way. The argument can be made that Moriarty’s mindset is symbolic of the state of affairs in America at the time that Kerouac wrote his book; because the nation was in the process of gaining a new identity following World War II and before the Korean War reached its climax, the nation collectively, and Dean Moriarty individually, began to question what the nature of life is all about and whether the regular, day to day life of the average person is the best state of living that one can reach (Begnal, 1998). A restless nation, reflected in the restless persona of Moriarty, comes shining through, towering over the plot and other characters of the book itself. Also, the question of the nature of Moriarty’s charisma is important when gaining a fuller understanding of his mindset and value system. If one takes the position that Moriarty was embedded with charisma and it was beyond his control to do anything but to submit to its power, then Moriarty can be sympathetically viewed as a victim. However, if the position is taken that Moriarty was a calculating individual whose romantic flings were deliberately worked toward and pursued as a goal, then Moriarty can be seen as less than a charming Casanova, and more accurately, a dangerous predator that poisons every relationship with which he comes into contact. The many changes of Dean Moriarty, as well as the changes he influences in others and the effects that he has on those with whom he interacts, all conspire to create within him a great deal of conflict and anxiety, which displays itself in a sort of madness. This madness is also important to understand when studying the dynamic nature of Moriarty himself. Moriarty’s Descent into Madness By creating human conflict, chaos and turmoil for virtually everyone he meets, Moriarty has built for himself a complicated lifestyle that can be said to be rooted in madness. This madness, like so many of the other facets of Moriarty’s being, eventually spill out into the open for everyone to see, much like the classic example of someone wearing their heart on their sleeve. Generally speaking, it can be fairly said that one of the most characteristic displays of some level of madness in the mind of Dean Moriarty can be seen in his wanderlust-based lifestyle and personality. Just as Moriarty traveled from one romantic liaison to another, and fathered one child after another, he journeyed from one physical location to another. This journey can be viewed as a quest to fill the emptiness within his soul in some instances, or a desire to escape from any form of commitment in others. The comparison of this journey to the journey of realization that America was taking at the time is also accurate and appropriate. Whichever comparison one chooses, no one can deny that the rapid pace at which Moriarty went back and forth from one destination to another is indicative of at least some level of madness. As Moriarty traveled about, his madness was further shown to be strong and prominent by his disregard for the wellbeing of others. Specifically depicted in the book is Moriarty’s journey to Chicago, during which his outlandish behavior puts others at risk, but he seems not to be concerned about it in the slightest. Yet another piece of evidence that speaks to the level of madness that Moriarty reaches in the book is punctuated by the behavior that he not only sees as nothing out of the ordinary, but also that he recommends to others, and tries to convince them to participate in as something that is acceptable. Specifically, Moriarty at one point makes the suggestion that his protege of sorts, Sal, and his wife join Moriarty in stripping off their clothes and running about in public. What this shows is not only Moriarty’s deteriorated sense of right and wrong, but also his general contempt for the trappings of conventional society, rebellion against that society, and his desire to express his total freedom and ability to do whatever he wishes, whenever he wishes, without any notable consequences for himself or others. Sadly, of course, his actions are creating chaos wherever he goes, even if he is blind to it. Lastly, something needs to be said about Moriarty’s drunken lifestyle, as well as its influence on his behaviors and choices. When he indulges in alcohol binges, his erratic behavior increases, more bad choices are made, and more people are affected for the worse. The women and children that he leaves in his alcoholic wake are forced to pick up the pieces and clean up the messes that Moriarty creates. All the while, he carries on- seemingly oblivious to what he is causing to happen, and dulled by his own vices. Conclusion Just as â€Å"On the Road† profiled an entire generation and reflected the spirit of a nation in transition, so too did Dean Moriarty. Based in part on actual people whom Kerouac knew, this character represented a composite of the quest for happiness and meaning in a chaotic world as well as the paradox of someone who wants to pursue their own enjoyments but too late realizes that total indulgence carries with it a steep price. In conclusion, what is seen in both Moriarty and the story in which he exists is the brilliance, and frailty of the human mind, the search for enlightenment, and the journey along the way- basically, the road that is chosen and what that means for the traveler.

symbolism in bless the beast and children Essay -- essays research pap

Throughout the novel Bless the Beasts and Children, by Glendon Swarthout, symbolism is used frequently to show a weakness in a character or to fulfill a purpose in the novel. The most apparent weaknesses in the bedwetters was their need for radios to help them sleep. The hats portrayed each characters personality and background in some cases. Also, The Box Canyon Boys Camp is in itself a symbol representing American society in general. The radios are the first case of symbolism shown in the novel. They are used by each and every one of the bedwetters at night to help them go to sleep. To them it helps to imagine someone is right there with them when the radios are going. On some nights, like the one at the start of the novel each of them have their radios going full blast, this shows the fear each of them have at the beginning of the novel. The children aren’t afraid of being so far from home or from their parents because each of them are plenty used to that. All of their parents go on trips away from home for long periods of time or when they are home just simply neglect them. The radios help represent something being there for them when they are afraid because their parents never are. Towards the end of the novel when the boys are herding the buffalo out of the cages it is very easy for them to throw the radios at the buffalo without missing them. This was put into the novel to show to the readers that the boys no longer need the radios in order to sleep at night and that ...

Ulysses S. Grant Essay -- essays research papers

Ulysses S. Grant lived an interesting life. He gave so much to this country. His life was exciting and he lived in many different places, from small houses to a house given by people to the white house. From saving the blacks from more slavery to giving the U.S. bad years from presidency.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ulysses S. Grant was an American general and the 18th president of the U.S. (Williams 53).Grant was born in point pleasant, Ohio, on April 27 ,1822, the son os Hannah Simpson and Jesse Grant, the owner of a tannery (Williams 52). In 1839, under the name of Ulysses Simpson, instead of his original Hiram Ulysses, he was appointed to West Point (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). Graduating 21st in a class of 39,loosing to Robert E. Lee, who came 1st (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). There he met Julia Dent, whom he married after the Mexican war (â€Å"Grant†314). During the Mexican war, Grant served under both General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott and distinguished himself (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). In 1854, while stationed at Fort Humboldt, California, Grant resigned his commission because of loneliness and drinking problems, and in the following years he engaged in generally unsuccessful farming and business ventures in Missouri(Williams 19- 59). He moved to Galena, Illinois, in 1860, where he became a clerk in his father's leather store (Williams 21).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Civil War, after an indecisive battle raid on Belmont, Missouri, he gained fame when in February 1862, in conjunction with the navy; he succeeded in reducing Forts Henry and Donelson, Tennessee, forcing General Simon B. Buckner to accept unconditional surrender and earned him the nickname Unconditional Surrender Grant (Williams 52). In 1863 he established his reputation as a strategist in the brilliant campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, which took place on July 4 (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). After being appointed commander in the west, he defeated Braxton Bragg at Chattanooga (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). Grant's victories made him so prominent that he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and in February 1864 was given command of all Union armies(â€Å"Ulysses†Online). Grant accompanied the army of the Potomac in its overland assault on Richmond, Virginia.Grant continues to press the drive against General Robert E. Lee's army (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). After... ...p;After retiring from the presidency, Grant took a long trip around the world. Returning in 1879, he became an unsuccessful candidate for the presidential nomination, which went to James A. Garfield (Williams 58). In 1881 Grant moved to New York City, Where he became a partner in the Wall Street firm of Grant and Ward; he was so close to ruin when the company collapsed in 1884 (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). To provide for his family, he wrote his memoirs while fighting cancer of the throat; he died at Mount Gregor, New York, on July 23,1885 (Williams 52-59).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He gave so much to this country and we never had a chance to thank him, not by giving stuff to him like the memorial but to say it up close and shaking hands with him. He was a great   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 General by giving the slaves freedom and fighting for them, if he hadn’t fought for us think about where we would be right know. From the best General of the U.S. Army to 1 of the worst Presidents he still did good for this country. Ulysses S. Grant Essay -- essays research papers Ulysses S. Grant lived an interesting life. He gave so much to this country. His life was exciting and he lived in many different places, from small houses to a house given by people to the white house. From saving the blacks from more slavery to giving the U.S. bad years from presidency.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ulysses S. Grant was an American general and the 18th president of the U.S. (Williams 53).Grant was born in point pleasant, Ohio, on April 27 ,1822, the son os Hannah Simpson and Jesse Grant, the owner of a tannery (Williams 52). In 1839, under the name of Ulysses Simpson, instead of his original Hiram Ulysses, he was appointed to West Point (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). Graduating 21st in a class of 39,loosing to Robert E. Lee, who came 1st (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). There he met Julia Dent, whom he married after the Mexican war (â€Å"Grant†314). During the Mexican war, Grant served under both General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott and distinguished himself (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). In 1854, while stationed at Fort Humboldt, California, Grant resigned his commission because of loneliness and drinking problems, and in the following years he engaged in generally unsuccessful farming and business ventures in Missouri(Williams 19- 59). He moved to Galena, Illinois, in 1860, where he became a clerk in his father's leather store (Williams 21).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Civil War, after an indecisive battle raid on Belmont, Missouri, he gained fame when in February 1862, in conjunction with the navy; he succeeded in reducing Forts Henry and Donelson, Tennessee, forcing General Simon B. Buckner to accept unconditional surrender and earned him the nickname Unconditional Surrender Grant (Williams 52). In 1863 he established his reputation as a strategist in the brilliant campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi, which took place on July 4 (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). After being appointed commander in the west, he defeated Braxton Bragg at Chattanooga (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). Grant's victories made him so prominent that he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and in February 1864 was given command of all Union armies(â€Å"Ulysses†Online). Grant accompanied the army of the Potomac in its overland assault on Richmond, Virginia.Grant continues to press the drive against General Robert E. Lee's army (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). After... ...p;After retiring from the presidency, Grant took a long trip around the world. Returning in 1879, he became an unsuccessful candidate for the presidential nomination, which went to James A. Garfield (Williams 58). In 1881 Grant moved to New York City, Where he became a partner in the Wall Street firm of Grant and Ward; he was so close to ruin when the company collapsed in 1884 (â€Å"Ulysses†Online). To provide for his family, he wrote his memoirs while fighting cancer of the throat; he died at Mount Gregor, New York, on July 23,1885 (Williams 52-59).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He gave so much to this country and we never had a chance to thank him, not by giving stuff to him like the memorial but to say it up close and shaking hands with him. He was a great   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 General by giving the slaves freedom and fighting for them, if he hadn’t fought for us think about where we would be right know. From the best General of the U.S. Army to 1 of the worst Presidents he still did good for this country.

Compare and Contrast two poems: Welsh Landscape and East Moors Essay

â€Å"Welsh Landscape† is written by R.S Thomas. He was a Welsh traditionalist born in 1913 and he died in 2000. He has strong views and lives in the past thinking of Wales of having no present or future. The poem consists of just one stanza. The main theme of this poem is war imagery, the words that suggest this are â€Å"ambush†, â€Å"spilled blood†, â€Å"wild†, â€Å"strife†, â€Å"strung†, â€Å"sped arrows†, â€Å"cries†, â€Å"fields†, â€Å"corners† and â€Å"carcass†. He describes Wales to have â€Å"spilled blood† which describes past battles. He goes on to describe how the â€Å"immaculate rivers† are dyed – they can’t be perfect. Even water is effected by past occurrences, blood is becoming part of nature. Nature has been corrupted by battles. There’s no control over the sky, Thomas uses the word â€Å"wild† to describe it. Next he uses alliteration, sibilance â€Å"strife†, â€Å"strung†, â€Å"sped† its related with the past, as its in past tense. â€Å"Strife† describes the struggles they’ve had, â€Å"strung† indicates there was trouble. â€Å"Vibrant† makes you think of a bright, alive and almost artistic place, but then he brings in the strong opinion of â€Å"you cannot live in the present†. Gillian Clarke, a feminist born in Cardiff in 1937, writes â€Å"East Moors†. She believes boredom is a major problem in Wales once the community’s biggest employer closes down. It consists of 6 stanzas. Demolition is the main theme. This poem looks at change in the community, the sort of change some might regard as a progress, but which the poem suggests can undermine communities, individual identity and purpose. Steelworks meant more to men than anything in their life as it was their life, they were there all the time, it was the main topic of conversation and it was the income to support their families, without it they had nothing. The first line in this poem make you think a seasonal change will follow these events, the arrival of spring is to come with the arrival of May. It’s a device used to suggest a possible end to bitter times but this is undermined in the final stanza when the phrases â€Å"icy† and â€Å"rain is blowing† is used to describe the first day in May. The â€Å"flash of sea† is a metaphor, to tell us there isn’t much sea. There are  some metaphors in â€Å"Welsh Landscape† too: â€Å"thick ambush of shadows† is a metaphor for past memories haunting you. The fourth line in â€Å"East Moors† describes â€Å"blue islands† the word â€Å"blue† has a double meaning – the colour and also the emotion of sadness. In both poems there are examples of sibilance, in â€Å"Welsh Landscape† it is â€Å"sped, strung, strife† and in â€Å"East moors† it is â€Å"steelworks used to smoke†. This also tells us that the place used to be filled with industry. The first line of the second stanza shows typical lives of people living in the valleys in the 1930s, people were born in houses instead of hospitals, then they lived in them throughout their lives. The second and third lines describe how the how the steelworks often gave off flashes of light â€Å"sudden glow† in the middle of the night, so the neighbours were â€Å"accustomed† to it. Then it says a â€Å"dark† sound, it’s a contrast to the earlier mention of â€Å"glow†, and it could mean, low or spooky. Throughout the second stanza, there’s a lot of cases of sibilance -â€Å"sudden†, â€Å"sky†, â€Å"sound†, â€Å"smell† and â€Å"sulphur†. There’s also more sibilance in â€Å"Welsh Landscape†, Thomas talks about â€Å"soft† consonants being â€Å"strange† to the ear. â€Å"Soft† is a positive word. The words have a strong connection to the welsh language as he chose to learn it in adulthood – he finds it important to his heritage. In â€Å"East Moors†, the third stanza begins with alliteration â€Å"Roath†, â€Å"Rumney† they are two areas of Cardiff, its showing typical sense of valley life. Now, clothes are hung in yards and there’s no pollution to dirty these garments. Then comes more stereotypical life of men and women – men being â€Å"lethargic† and women lining up jobs for their lazy, redundant husbands. We know they’re jobless, as the steelworks have been closed down, the explanation comes in the last line of the third stanza. The fourth stanza states how bitter these jobless men are, their misery matches the atmosphere as the â€Å"skyline† is being destroyed as the building is torn down. The steelworks made a pattern like â€Å"hieroglyphics†. The day its torn down families gather round like it’s a day out, it reminds  us of tragedies like September 11th. The simile at the end of the fourth stanza shows how important it is to them, like losing someone close to them â€Å"a death†, there will now be an â€Å"appalling void† where the steelworks used to be. These are such negative words it emphasises the meaning of the loss of the steelworks. So in the final stanza, it describes a new beginning, the start of a month, it should be positive as summer is nearing, but as the steelworks are gone, May is a miserable month. There are, however, some positive words â€Å"quieter† â€Å"cleaner† but it goes on to say â€Å"poorer from today† which means the workers have lost their jobs. The fourth line is a repetition from the first stanza. It indicates that although the town might be poor the cherries are still growing. The last line shows it doesn’t take long to forget about the steelworks and life goes on. The sky is blind though and there’s no future for the village. Back to â€Å"Welsh Landscape† the next line in question, â€Å"hushed at the fields corners†, this means, they’re being forced to be quiet, as if by barriers. Then again, Thomas brings up his pessimistic views of Wales, he’s determined to create an atmosphere so people think of past times. He even goes as far as to say things are â€Å"brittle† and would break apart. Its so bad it can’t even have a real ghost, it has pretending â€Å"sham ghosts†. All Wales has are mines so if they are going what else is here? Powerless people unable to perform sexually? Or people â€Å"sick with inbreeding†? That is a harsh opinion, which shows Thomas thinks people never come out of Wales. The last line of the poem is a loose personification, meaning the song can worry and die. The song probably being the Welsh National Anthem. â€Å"Welsh Landscape† has no rhythmic syllable pattern, which implies Wales isn’t structured. There isn’t a rhyme pattern either. In â€Å"East Moors† however, there isn’t a strong syllable pattern, there is however a rhythm and structure to the poem, it relates to the routine of the day. In both poems there are many cases of enjambment, this is mainly caused by the non-structured there’s a lot of punctuation in both poems, I don’t however, believe that it helps with the meaning of the poem. The mood at the start of  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Welsh Landscape† is the same as the end, dull, violent and derogatory towards Wales. In â€Å"East Moors† the mood at the start makes you think there’ll be a seasonal changer, that the bitter times have ended, but in fact the times continue to be just as terrible as before.

buy custom Impact of Cultural Factors on E-governance in Saudi Arabia essay

buy custom Impact of Cultural Factors on E-governance in Saudi Arabia essay In the advent of information technology, E-governance has emerged as means in which Governments inform the citizens on national matters as well as issue directives. This is well documented in various government websites belonging to different government agencies. However progress on E-governance is subject to strong influence by cultural factors. This study is going to elucidate the cultural influence on E-governance based on Hofstedes framework whose parameters include power distance, masculinity, individualism, long-term orientation and uncertainty avoidance. Justification for the Study Economic factors such as infrastructure, human capital, propensity to trade, income level and economic growth strongly influence the infiltration and rate of IT application by the masses. However the rate of IT application is also influenced by cultural factors as provided for in Hofstedes framework. Ample evidence has shown discrepancies in the rate of IT application for developed countries with advanced, successful economies. This proves that aside economic factors, cultural factors are also at play in influencing the rate of embracing IT and this has far reaching effects on e-governance. Saudi Arabia is a model country where strong Islamic values define the national culture. There is need to assess the impact of the Saudi national culture on E-governance. Research Model and Hypotheses In accordance to Hofstedes framework, five hypotheses have been formulated to infer the correlation of e-governance readiness and national cultural values in Saudi Arabia. 1.Power Distance This power distance parmeter is defined as the inequality of power distribution in a nation. In Saudi Arabia, power is centralized in the monarchy type of government. The King doubles up as the Prime Minister and all judicial, legislative and executive roles rest with the monarch. Common state law is largely as a result of presidential decree. In such a society that is characterized by a high power distance, citizens are less innovative and the society is less amenable to embracing change and making progress. Citizens lack the free will to undertake new applications outside the dictated norms . This is well exhibited by a government directive to ban the usage of iphones in Saudi institutions and security centers as they were deemed a threat to security. Citizens are less likely to take up e-government initiatives willingly. Hypothesis E-government readiness is low in Saudi Arabia as a result of the countrys high power distance 2.Masculinity The Saudi society and the rest of the Arab world is a masculine culture and it features values such competition, lays emphasis on material wealth and is largely oriented towards performance. This is at the expense of feminine cultural values such as equality and consensus seeking. Masculine cultures are more likely to embrace technology as a means of fostering economic growth as compared to feminine cultures. Consequently Saudi Arabia is an IT hub which serves as an important trade centre of various IT gadgets. The masses are more IT savvy and can utile various IT applications including E-governance. Hypothesis E-government readiness is high in Saudi Arabia as a result of the nations masculine cultuure. 3.Individualism Strong Islam values contribute to the closely knit Saudi nation where individuals conform to the community values. Conversely an individualistic nation is characterized by autonomous individuals who independently carry on with their lives outside the confines of societal norms. E-government readiness is high in individualistic societies as people apply IT to suit their individual needs and are less reliant on community biases as pertains to IT. Hence an individualistic nation is more receptive of government e-services. Hypothesis E-government readiness in Saudi Arabia is low due to its low individualism factor. 4.Long Term Orientation (LTO) This parameter concerns the value a culture lays on its traditions. The Saudi culture has a high LTO value as its deeply rooted to Islamic traditions. Such a culture holds onto its traditional values and is less likely to embrace changes such as IT and government e-services. Hypothesis E-government readiness in Saudi Arabia is low due to its high LTO value. 5.Uncertainty Avoidance Uncertainty avoidance is the propensity of discomfort towards ambiguity and uncertainty by persons in a society. High uncertainty avoidance is characterized in societies which are closely united and strongly adherent to common cultural values. The Saudi society is a model example of such a country as its cultural values are rooted to deep Islam ideals. This type of society is less likely to embrace changes such as IT and government e-services. Hypothesis E-government readiness in Saudi Arabia is low due to the high level of uncertainty avoidance. Buy custom Impact of Cultural Factors on E-governance in Saudi Arabia essay

Characterization of The Grandmother and the Misfit in A Good Man is Hard to Find essays

Characterization of The Grandmother and the Misfit in A Good Man is Hard to Find essays The Characterization of the Grandmother and the Misfit In the first paragraph of Flannery OConnors short story, A Good Man Is Hard to Find, the grandmother is introduced trying to change a planned family trip to Florida with her son, Bailey and his family. It is the night before the trip, and grandmother is seizing at every chance to change Baileys mind. (p.465). The grandmother is the central character of the story, and the family is rather a bland, generic family. The children are portrayed as disrespectful brats, but are a humorous aspect to the story. The family is a typical nuclear family of the fifties, who appear to be disconnected not only to each other, but also to any form of family values. In the first paragraph, grandmother introduces us to the character, the Misfit, as she reads from the newspaper, Here is this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the Federal pen and headed toward Florida. She is trying to manipulate the plans of the trip by pointing this out to her son, Bailey. Bailey didnt look up from his reading so she wheeled around then and faced the childrens mother,. This is the first introduction to the mother in the story, who appears throughout the story to be indifferent to everything going on around her. She does however get a reaction from the children, June Star and John Wesley, as they challenge her to stay home if she wants to. The childrens disregard to their grandmothers feelings is ignored by both of the parents, and allows a glimpse of the grandmothers point of view. The first hint of unsettling just below the surface of this story, is when grandmother is the first one in the car the next morning, wearing what seems to be her best clothing. the grandmother had on a navy blue straw sailor hat with a bunch of white viole...

The Bay of Pigs Invasion essays

The Bay of Pigs Invasion essays In April of 1961, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) supported and trained a group of Cuban refugees to invade Cuba, unfortunately the foray failed. Inside seventy-two hours of the initial assault, isolated from re-supply, the nearly two thousand American troops ran out of ammunition and were beleaguered by Cuban militia and army units. While President John Fitzgerald Kennedy publicly took responsibility for the events, investigations verified that the blame should have been placed exclusively in the hands of the CIA for not fully informing him of the crisis at hand. Regrettably, the extents of the consequences as a result of the failed invasion were yet to be fully recognized. Although the original confrontation was between the U.S. and Cuba, the threat of Russian action became a substantial factor. Overall, the Bay of Pigs invasion was helpless, useless and was disastrous for many reasons. The failed attempt wasted millions of U.S. dollars, time and resources, as it endangered and costed the lives of more than eleven hundred soldiers. Questioning John Fitzgerald Kennedy's ability as President, was the failure of the Bay Of Pigs Invasion. Due to the collapse of contact between the CIA and President John F. Kennedy in the invasion of the Bay of Pigs, an alliance between Cuba and the Soviet Union was allowed to arise and it powerfully tightened the tension between the United States and Soviet Union, because we attempted to invade one of their alliances. Hence, undermining the Soviets authority. The invasion force was unequal to the strength of Castro's troops, and by April 19 its last stronghold had been captured, along with more than 1,100 men. The captured members of the invasion force were imprisoned. From May 1961 the Kennedy administration unofficially backed attempts to ransom the prisoners, but the efforts of the Tractors for Freedom Committee, headed by Eleanor Roosevelt failed to raise the $28,000,000 needed for heavy-co...

Persuasive Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Persuasive Speech - Essay Example the food that is served to us in the school cafeteria, they may actually be serving us Frankenstein foods or genetically modified foods which are not healthy. This is not to blame the canteen administrators because many of the foods sold at our groceries are in fact genetically modified and it is very difficult to figure out whether they are organic or not (Kenner). Genetically modified foods are already prevalent. They are a product of the factorization of our food industry that seeks to produce food in scale, albeit of lower quality than those that are naturally grown by our farmers. They are also peppered with chemicals so do not be surprised if you still do not feel nourished after a plentiful meal because most of the food you ate was not really food but were mostly composed of chemicals. This is not to say that natural foods are already gone and totally replaced by genetically modified foods. They are still present and are still grown by our farmers. Only that their products are seldomly picked by our grocery stores because they favor the GMO’s more than the healthier organic foods. Being such, GMO is ever present in the current servings of our cafeteria through its fast food servings. I understand that my fellow students love fast foods because of its taste and convenience. I do not like to contradict only that fast foods are not healthy both to our body and environment. This is supported by experts who concluded that â€Å"consumption of fast food, which have high energy densities and glycemic loads, and expose customers to excessive portion sizes, may be greatly contributing to the escalating the rates of overweight and obesity in the USA†. This was supported further by the study of Currie who suggested that the increase in the supply of fast food restaurants have a significant effect on obesity. It is evident that consuming non-organic food is unhealthy both to the body and environment. GMO’s food which is present in fast foods and most

Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Political science - Essay Example Chief of staff identifies the leader of an intricate institution or body of individuals who is the coordinator of the endorsing or supporting staff. Chief of staff offers a buffer between the executive’s direct reporting team and the chief executive. The chief of staff has the duty to advice and confidante the chief executive. The roles of the chief of staff depend on the people involved and the actual position. Filibuster or talking out a bill can be defined as any obstructive techniques utilized to prevent a measure from being brought on the floor of the house for vote. The most familiar form of filibuster takes place when a senator tries to delay a vote on a crucial bill by extending the debate or discussion on the measure. The main intention of a filibuster is delaying or killing legislation from approval. Due to the fact, the senate carries out its activities based on unanimous consent; one person can establish a delay by opposing to the request. In some scenarios, such as considering resolution on the day the legislation is brought from the House, the delay could last the whole day. Since the delay is a legislative day, the majority of members can address it by adjourning the session. A bill refers to a proposed law under deliberation by lawmakers or legislatures. In order for a bill to become a policy or law, it must be passed by the lawmakers and consented by the executive. A bill is introduced in the House by the executive where the legislatures meet and discusses the requirement of the executive. They debate the authenticity of the bill and reach a consensus. In case, the legislatures disapprove it, it does not qualify to be a law but once they approve it, the executive signs it into law. Veto power is the power given to nations such as France, Russia, United States of America, Britain and China by the United Nation to unilaterally stop or endorse an official

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade - Research Paper Example The trans-Atlantic slave trade has normally been considered only regarding the adults. However, now children’s experiences are also being counted. According to an estimate, children made up one-quarter of the African slaves made to migrate to America. In spite of this big number there is indeed a lack of sources and apparently, no importance is given to what the children experienced, leaving their voices unheard. Enslavement Children were very unwilling to participate in the slave trade and in spite of their age they saw themselves captured and in imprisonment after the war. The women, children and the older people became particularly vulnerable after their men were killed during the war; the ones who were spared death were then ransomed or even sold as slaves. After military expeditions, there were commercial caravans that actually brought textiles and imported goods and traded the slaves with those. Another way of acquiring slaves, particularly children, was through kidnappi ng and this method was more common in certain regions in West Africa. The kidnapping was done when the kids were away from their parents or guardians, maybe simply playing outside, working in fields or taking a calm walk. This was not the only way, however, and the traders even bought children from their families who were more than willing to â€Å"sell† them for money since they were desperate for money and food. Still, others were pawned or bargained for by their parents or used to repay debts or given to be acquitted of any crime they or their family members might have committed. Weak children were also sometimes sold and so were the ones whom their parents thought brought them ill luck. The upcoming events after the capture were a nightmare for the slaves. The traders sold off some children to be sent for the coast while others were sold many times. Several of these kids remained within Africa only and became slaves to whoever bought them. Many others could not survive th e sea route. The ones who were able to reach the coast alive were taken to a factory or post where merchants bought them and kept them inside prisons with the other slaves. These children were then completely stripped and their bodies were rubbed with palm oil. Many times their heads were also shaven. After the merchants had bought their slaves they â€Å"branded† them in order to make sure that their â€Å"property† does not get mixed up with someone else’s and they are able to distinctly make out which their cargo is. The brand was normally a symbol on their chest or back. The Middle Passage According to the slave traders the individuals less than 4’4’’ in height were considered to be children and these children were permitted to stay on the deck with the women. These deck people were, on rare occasions, given certain favors such as giving them old clothes, teaching them how to play certain games or even how to sail. Some children, however , did not play or eat while others preferred to stay with the women and cry all night. If a child was taller than the specified height he was automatically kept with the adults and there they were treated like an adult too. The conditions there were worse and there was no concept of hygiene. If they cried or did not eat or sleep they were punished harshly.  

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Interview - Essay Example Therefore, he is a dear friend to me. He has a 73 years old wife and three children, and six grand children and one great grandchild. I invited Mike over and we walked to a community park fifteen minutes away from our neighborhood. As I conducted the interview and asked him personal questions and other information necessary for this interview, we watched as children played all over the park. Families frequent this park to relax especially during the weekends for its cool nature brought about by the many trees around the park. This interview was not distracted by anything; Mike seemed calm regardless of the activities within the park. Interview Questions 1. What do you like best about being your age? Being 81 years old is not an easy thing as it seems. There are some good things in life for being my age though. The fact that I am active at this age makes me happy. Many individuals my age are incapable of doing the things and work I do each and every day. For instance, I have to tend f or my garden so I can have an unending supply of fresh vegetables. I like being active. Furthermore, I was employed for very many years in my life. I was able to save a substantial amount of money. This makes me happy as I am able to support myself and my wife without having to depend on our children. All these, coupled with the fact that I have a loving wife, children, and grandchildren, and a great grandchild are what makes me happy for being age. There is nothing a good as having a loving and caring family. 2. What do you like least about being your age? I miss those days I would go to the office every morning as I had a chance to socialize with a lot of people. Many of my age mates have already left this world. People at my age experience a lot of loneliness regardless of whether you wife is still around or not. Though I can socialize with people younger than me, I find it difficult relating with them. To elaborate this, you are aware of the fact that a teenager like you can onl y relate well with another teenager as you are going through the same stages in your life. You are able to relate well based on your similar needs and challenges in life. Likewise, being 81 years old means that I am at the final stages of my life. Therefore, I would like it if I could have more friends my age. 3. What changes do you foresee in your life in the next few years? At 81, I cannot predict what will happen tomorrow. Tomorrow I might be gone! However, given a chance I will still be alive couple of years from now, there is a possibility I will not be able to be active as I would want. Age comes with a lot of physical and mental difficulties. 4. What do you think are the three most important things in your life at this time? The three most important things in my life at this time are my family, my walking stick, and my vegetable garden. My family gives me a reason to live and they will always be there for me for better or for worse. Walking would be next to impossible without my walking stick. I credit it for the things I accomplish each and every day as it enables me to move around. My vegetable garden makes it certain that I have a balanced meal every day. My wife ensures that she includes fresh vegetables in every meal she prepares. Analysis Theory 1 To analyze issues associated with late adulthood, it is important to relate it to disengagement and activity theories. Old age has been explained through a number

Pro's and Con's of Telework from the Employers Perspective Research Paper

Pro's and Con's of Telework from the Employers Perspective - Research Paper Example Teleworking is an instrument that can alter the organization’s competencies (Illegems & Verbeke, 2004). Teleworking has multifaceted implications for the individual, for the organization as well as for the society. This paper evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of teleworking from an employer’s perspective. Lim and Teo (2000) define teleworking as a work arrangement where employees can work out of home during or outside office hours. Teleworking has also been defined as â€Å"Periodic work out of the principal office, one or more days per week either at home, a client’s site, or in a telework center (Nilles, 1998 cited in Hill, Ferris & Martinson, 2003). It involves working through different satellite offices or other remote locations away from the company office (Golden, 2006). Contact is maintained through different office equipments powered by communication and information technologies such as through computer modems, facsimiles and electronic and voic e mail systems. This is the reason that teleworking is more prevalent in countries that have more use of electronic communication. Teleworking is done part-time from home or other remote locations and this results in best output as it can prevent social isolation of the workers (Perez, Sanchez, & Carnicer, 2003). ... The IT industry has a high employee turnover rate globally. Frequent displacement of employees affects the morale of those who remain in the organization. Teleworking can be beneficial to the organization if the employees have a positive attitude towards it. The potential advantages include reduction in office space requirement, capital savings for the organization, and possibility of retention of scarce skills and talents in the organization (Lim & Teo, 2000). All of these in turn could boost the morale of the remaining employees. However, it is important that the employees have a favorable attitude towards teleworking. This has also been found in the case of Spanish firms where the organization can benefit only if the employees are involved in design and programming their own tasks (Perez, Sanchez, & Carnicer, 2003). If employees focus on self-management skills and are able to organize their schedules, set priorities, meet deadlines and asses their own performance, teleworking can be beneficial in Spain. This is because the HR managers are not familiar with technology and its implications. However, the same may not work in the UK as it requires shift in management culture (Perez, Sanchez, & Carnicer, 2003). To encourage teleworking initiative and adoption, an innovative culture is essential to foster and stimulate change as this makes adoption easier. Teleworking provides the organization to improve the way they manage their working activities in all areas of the value steam. To beat the talent war and scarcity of skills, offering such flexible working system enables the organization to offer something beyond the remuneration â€Å"deals† (Morgan, 2004). Telework helps to attract, motivate and retain

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Interview - Essay Example Therefore, he is a dear friend to me. He has a 73 years old wife and three children, and six grand children and one great grandchild. I invited Mike over and we walked to a community park fifteen minutes away from our neighborhood. As I conducted the interview and asked him personal questions and other information necessary for this interview, we watched as children played all over the park. Families frequent this park to relax especially during the weekends for its cool nature brought about by the many trees around the park. This interview was not distracted by anything; Mike seemed calm regardless of the activities within the park. Interview Questions 1. What do you like best about being your age? Being 81 years old is not an easy thing as it seems. There are some good things in life for being my age though. The fact that I am active at this age makes me happy. Many individuals my age are incapable of doing the things and work I do each and every day. For instance, I have to tend f or my garden so I can have an unending supply of fresh vegetables. I like being active. Furthermore, I was employed for very many years in my life. I was able to save a substantial amount of money. This makes me happy as I am able to support myself and my wife without having to depend on our children. All these, coupled with the fact that I have a loving wife, children, and grandchildren, and a great grandchild are what makes me happy for being age. There is nothing a good as having a loving and caring family. 2. What do you like least about being your age? I miss those days I would go to the office every morning as I had a chance to socialize with a lot of people. Many of my age mates have already left this world. People at my age experience a lot of loneliness regardless of whether you wife is still around or not. Though I can socialize with people younger than me, I find it difficult relating with them. To elaborate this, you are aware of the fact that a teenager like you can onl y relate well with another teenager as you are going through the same stages in your life. You are able to relate well based on your similar needs and challenges in life. Likewise, being 81 years old means that I am at the final stages of my life. Therefore, I would like it if I could have more friends my age. 3. What changes do you foresee in your life in the next few years? At 81, I cannot predict what will happen tomorrow. Tomorrow I might be gone! However, given a chance I will still be alive couple of years from now, there is a possibility I will not be able to be active as I would want. Age comes with a lot of physical and mental difficulties. 4. What do you think are the three most important things in your life at this time? The three most important things in my life at this time are my family, my walking stick, and my vegetable garden. My family gives me a reason to live and they will always be there for me for better or for worse. Walking would be next to impossible without my walking stick. I credit it for the things I accomplish each and every day as it enables me to move around. My vegetable garden makes it certain that I have a balanced meal every day. My wife ensures that she includes fresh vegetables in every meal she prepares. Analysis Theory 1 To analyze issues associated with late adulthood, it is important to relate it to disengagement and activity theories. Old age has been explained through a number

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example This essay will judge Obama's speech according to the principles of rhetoric – ethos, pathos, logos and mythos – to show that a speech with no apparent political motive (motive as distinct from purpose) can still be worthy of rhetorical study. Ethos, the (usually introductory) part of speech which convinces the audience of the speaker's moral authority on the subject to be addressed, has been under debate for at least hundreds of years: the question is whether ethos can be established before the speech, if a speaker's moral character, if known to the audience, has some effect on the audience's reception to what they say (Hyde, ix). The debate is purely academic, however, because Obama's position as President of the United States means that he will generally be accepted as an authority wherever he chooses to speak. At the time, his great interest in the reformation of healthcare and health insurance made his appearance in front of the ANA even more relevant. Obama's etho s is, as always, evident in three parts. Firstly, his casual announcement of somewhat specious facts – â€Å"it is an honor to speak to the ANA, representing more than three million registered nurses across the country† – present phronesis, as do his declaration of personal experience with nurses (which I will discuss under pathos). However, this is jeopardized slightly by his obvious lack of specialized knowledge on nursing. Moral excellence, or arete, is mostly to be discerned from the President's work previous to this speech, but is also reinforced in the large middle section which discusses his recent achievements in the field of health insurance, in which the Democratic party and progressive Americans are portrayed as a force of good against the â€Å"abusive† insurance industry. Eunoia is a powerful force in this speech, as Obama begins with personally thanking a member of the audience and congratulating her mother on her daughter's achievements; he continues with a joke (â€Å"I don't break promises to nurses because you never know when I'm going to need a shot†), which was received with laughter by the audience. He humanizes himself by talking about himself as fallible during the birth of one daughter and the serious childhood illness of another. The speech is peppered with individuals, and Obama's thanks for these people; the ending note is one of praise for the strong women and men who endure â€Å"tough †¦ stressful †¦ exhausting and †¦ thankless† jobs to help sick people. The audience is very much brought over to Obama's side by his goodwill and even flattery. This brings me to the second aspect of rhetoric: pathos. I see great evidence of pathos in Obama's speech – his appeals to emotion are frequent and often personal, as evident in many of his public appearances (Coop, 41). The video clip of the speech shows his great passion for less discrimination in healthcare, and his words cont ribute to this emotion. The stories of Obama's family – one daughter's birth and another's bout of meningitis as a three-month-old – are calculated to flatter every member of the union for being a nurse, not to thank the small number of nurses who attended to his family in times of need. Obama refers to the nurses who

Louis XIVs foreign policy Essay Example for Free

Louis XIVs foreign policy Essay Assess to what extent was Louis XIVs foreign policy less successful after 1684. Up to 1684, Louis XIVs foreign policy had allowed him to acquire strategically important territory which made France more secure. In doing so, he also defended the reputation of the House of Bourbon on the battlefield and thus increased its gloire. However after 1684, his foreign policy enjoyed less success due to a combination of factors. The latter half of Louis reign was marked by two major wars: the Nine Years War and the War of Spanish Succession. Both of these wars emphasized a decline in France after its peak in 1684. For instance, the results of the Nine Years War suggest that France had clearly lost most of the territory gained at the Treaty of Nymegen in 1678. Meanwhile, the War of Spanish Succession did not result in as much success as Louis previous wars. This indicates a less successful foreign policy after 1684. In terms of territory, Louis only real gain was Spain from the War of Spanish Succession. On the other hand, Louis surrendered all possessions gained since Nymegen, with the exception of Strasbourg, such as Trier, Breisach, Philippsburg and most of Lorraine. Plus, the Spanish Empire had to been carved up, with parts of it going to other European powers. These losses imply that Louis no longer possessed a dominating influence over Europe; the North-Eastern border was yet again vulnerable to attacks from other nations. To add insult to injury, France and Spain could not unite to become one country. Prior to 1684, the French had been undefeated since Louis took his majority in 1661. However post-1684, there were several defeats for the French army, most notably at Blenheim in 1704 and Oudenarde in 1708 after which France was invaded. These defeats weakened the gloire of the French army, which had been feared prior to these defeats. Frances gloire was further diminished when the Allies invaded her during 1708 and 1709. These defeats suggest poor leadership and a deteriorating army which no longer held its former feared reputation. Other setbacks include destruction of the French navy at the Battle of Cap de la Hogue in 1692. This ended any chances of restoring James II as King of England. Restoring James would alter the balance of power in Europe in favour of Louis. The balance of power was extremely important because the balance of power had been in favour of France from 1661 1688. Despite these setbacks, both Louis and France were still able to gain some gloire. Firstly, gaining the Spanish Succession implied that the Bourbons had the upper hand in the dynastic struggle with the Hapsburgs. Secondly, although the French were defeated on several occasions, it did win some important battles, namely at Brihuega and Villa Victoba in 1710. Plus, the results of the Treaty of Utrecht suggest that France was still the dominating power in Europe. It would appear that the achievements of the latter half of Louis reign did not match the first half. This is reflected in the French gains in terms of territory and gloire. While the former half of the reign was characterised by territorial acquisitions such as Franche-Comtà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, Aire, Ypres, etc, the latter half was highlighted by losing land gained since the Treaty of Nymegen. These losses weakened Frances north-eastern and eastern border, which Louis had worked so hard to protect in the first half of his sovereignty. This loss also meant diminished gloire and reduced hegemony. Compared with the initial half of his reign, Louis appears to achieve less in the second half. This decline can be attributed to a combination of factors. Louis foreign policy before 1684 had created plenty of enemies in Europe, namely England, United Provinces, Spain, Holy Roman Empire and the German Princes. While before the Holy Roman Emperor had to deal with the Turks in the east, Leopold now had a free hand to intervene in the west. Louis foreign policy prior to 1684 had united Europe in hatred of him and France. The Dutch opposed him because he had fought them in the Dutch War, which resulted in sever disruption to Dutch trade. German Princes opposed him because Louis had taken land from them via the Policy of Reunion. Leopold also wanted revenge because Louis had illegally seized Strasbourg. Compared to the beginning of Louis reign, the European balance of power has shifted against France; whereas before there was disunity in Europe, now Europe was unified in hatred of France. This unity is very important because it shifts the balance of power against France. Whereas in previous wars France was able to isolate enemies, now she had to fight against the whole of Europe. Previous wars had used up Frances resources. Even by 1680 France was already in debt. On the other hand, her enemies enjoyed better provisions for finance, for example the William III was able to borrow money at low rates from of interest from the Bank of England. The minister and generals in the latter part of the reign did not have the same standard as at the beginning. This is particularly true of the army; Villeroi and Villars were mere shadows of their predecessors. The Allies, on the contrary, had excellent and able generals such as the Duke of Marlborough, Prince Eugene of Savoy and Heinsius. Whereas before France had the dream team of ministers and army generals, now the Allies have superior personnel. France was further weakened by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which forced plenty Huguenots to leave the country. This had a devastating effect on the French economy since many of the Huguenots were merchants, industrialists, engineers, etc. Frances loss was the Allies gain as many of these Huguenots moved to Allied countries. As a result, the Allied human resources grew at the expense of France. Although the change in the balance of power in Europe is importantly, ultimately the loss of resources was a more important factor in explaining why France was less successful after 1688. Hugue de Lionne was able to alienate opponents during the War of Devolution and Dutch War, whilst his successors were not able to do that in the Nine Years War or War of Spanish Succession. If French diplomats had been able to alienate opponents, then she wouldnt have had to fight the whole Europe. While Conde and Turenne remained undefeated, Villeroi and Villars suffered frequent defeats in the hands of the Allies. Had the French army stayed undefeated during the Nine Years War and War of Spanish Succession, then no doubt her gains would have been much more than what she actually received. Part of Louis success in the former half of his reign was due the fact that there was a power vacuum in Europe for France to explore. However, by the second half of the reign, that power vacuum had disappeared. Emperor Leopold had dealt with the Turks on his eastern frontier and could turn his full attention onto the west. While Charles II didnt want to be involved in expensive European warfare, there was no question of that after William III became King of England. This suggests that other European countries no longer had internal problems and were able to take part in European affairs. Another reason for the less successful latter half is the foreign policy of the former half of his reign had caused deep resentment and anger from other powers in Europe. Many countries had been offended by French actions; particularly regarding French aggression during the Policy of Reunions. This resulted in them wanting revenge against France. It would appear that Leopolds availability to intervene in the west was a more important factor than other countries wanting revenge against France. Leopold can be seen as Louis nearest contemporary. So, if any nation or coalition was going to match France, then Leopold had to be in it. This can be seen in the Grand Alliance of the Hague. Therefore, one of the main reasons for a less successful foreign policy post-1688 is because of Leopolds availability to intervene in the west. There is a combination of reasons as to why Louis was less successful after 1688. Some reasons are more than important than others; for example, the hatred of France from the Policy of Reunion drove other nations together against France and so the power vacuum, which was there at the beginning of the reign, disappeared. However, ultimately it was the combination of these reasons which caused French foreign policy to be less successful following 1688. Unity in Europe alone wouldnt have stopped French aggression. Similarly loss of French resources alone wouldnt have had as much effect had Europe been in disarray. In conclusion, the foreign policy in the latter half of Louis reign was clearly less successful than pre-1684. In terms of achievements she had secured her status in Europe by acquiring the Spanish Succession, which ensured that she was no longer surrounded by Hapsburgs; Louis had built a Bourbon base in Western Europe which would secure and strengthen both France and Spain. He also left behind a legacy of unprecedented French supremacy during which France was arguably the most powerful country in the world. However, there were failures from his foreign policy as well. The North-Eastern and Eastern frontiers was yet again weakened by the loss of lands which he had worked so hard to acquire before 1684. Furthermore, he left his successor with a Europe united in hatred of France who wanted to curb French power and hegemony.

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration Photosynthesis and aerobic respiration are both part of a cyclic process of biochemical reactions. Photosynthesis requires the products of aerobic respiration (carbon dioxide and water), while aerobic respiration requires the products of photosynthesis (glucose and oxygen). Together, these reactions are involved in how cells make and store energy. The energy transfers in both processes and in how the gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs and the end products that result from each process are somewhat opposite processes, thus aerobic respiration and photosynthesis are in some ways complete opposites of each other. Photosynthetic organisms such as plants use solar energy to reduce carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. During respiration glucose is oxidised back to carbon dioxide, in the process, releasing energy that is captured in the bonds of ATP. Although these two energy producing processes differ in their uses and also their goals, they do have several similarities. Photosynthesis is a chemical process that takes place in the presence of sunlight, wherein plants manufacture their food and build stores of energy. This phenomenon occurs in chlorophyll containing plant cells. Chlorophyll is a pigment found in plant leaves that gives the plant its green colour. Chlorophyll absorbs the light energy and utilises it to produce carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water. These carbohydrates produced are used by the plants as a source of immediate energy for growth, reproduction, and absorption of nutrients. The chemical reaction produces oxygen which is released into the atmosphere. Photosynthesis can be summed up by the following equation 6CO2 + 6H20 + Sunlight à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚  C6H1206 + 6O2, (fig1 below illustrates the process of photosynthesis) Occurring in the chloroplast light reaction converts solar energy to chemical energy of ATP and NADPH.The light reactions use the solar power of photons absorbed by Photosystem I and II. These are light gathering antennas containing the chlorophyll primarily responsible for absorbing the light. Electrons are also carried from Photosystem I and II via NADPH to the Calvin cycle. The Calvin cycle uses ATP NADPH to convert CO2 to sugar.CO2 enters the cycle leaves as sugar. The sugar product of the Calvin cycle is not glucose but a 3 carbon sugar called 3-Phosphoglycerate. This 3- Phosphoglycerate with the addition of another phosphate group from ATP forms glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate .In order for one of these G3P molecules to be synthesised the cycle must take place 3 times, fixing 3 molecules of CO2.There are 3 phases of the Calvin cycle, the carbon fixation phase, the carbon reduction phase and the regeneration phase. Cellular respiration is the process of oxidising food molecules or breaking down chemical bonds of glucose into carbon dioxide and water. The energy released in the process is trapped in the form of ATP and used by different energy consuming activities of the cell. It is a set of metabolic reactions that unlike photosynthesis which occurs in the chloroplast, cellular respiration occurs in the mitochondria. The complete breakdown of glucose into carbon dioxide and water involves two major steps: glycolysis and aerobic respiration. Glycolysis is the anaerobic catabolism of glucose that occurs in all the cells and produces two molecules of ATP. Aerobic respiration is the process in which the pyruvate molecules produced by glycolysis undergoes further breakdown in the presence of oxygen and generates thirty four molecules of ATP. This reaction can be described as follows: C6H1206 + 602 à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚  6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy (38 ATP)(fig2 below illustrates cellular respiration) Cellular respiration beginning here with glycolysis catabolises glucose into 2 molecules of pyruvate. The net yield from glycolysis is 2 ATP 2 NADH per glucose. Electrons are carried from here to the electron transport chain via NADH. Pyruvate enters the mitochondrion where it gets modified to Acetyl COA. This then enters the Krebs cycle. The Krebs cycle completes the oxidation of the organic fuel to CO2.Electrons produced here are carried via NADH FADH2 to the electron transport chain oxidative phosphorylation. In the Krebs cycle a further 2 ATP is produced. Once there has been a sufficient energy shuttle of NADH from glycolysis, a maximum yield of 34 ATP is produced by oxidative phosphorylation. This then gives a maximum of 38 ATP produced. Photosynthesis is a reduction-oxidation reaction, just like respiration. In respiration energy is released from sugars when electrons associated with hydrogen are transported to oxygen (the electron acceptor), and water is formed as a by-product.   The mitochondria use the energy released in this oxidation in order to synthesize ATP.  In photosynthesis, the electron flow is reversed, the water is split (not formed), and the electrons are transferred from the water to CO2 and in the process the energy is used to reduce the CO2 into sugar. In respiration the energy yield is 686 kcal per mole of glucose oxidized to CO2, while photosynthesis requires 686 kcal of energy to boost the electrons from the water to their high-energy perches in the reduced sugar light provides this energy. Outlined above are the main differences between the two processes. However, photosynthesis and cellular respiration are two processes that both involve electron transport chains and they both affect conc entrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere. Both photosynthesis and cellular respiration provide energy to the organisms cells. It is interesting to note the structural similarities between Chlorophyll, that plays an important role in photosynthesis and Haemoglobin that is involved in cellular respiration. Both structures are practically identical except for the fact that haemoglobin has a central Iron atom and chlorophyll possesses a central Magnesium atom. Haemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen in the blood. Where chlorophyll is known for its green pigment, haemoglobin is known for its deep red pigment. (Fig3 illustrates structural  Similarities). Both photosynthesis and respiration are also similar in that they both undergo chemiosmosis.Chloroplasts and mitochondria generate ATP by this same basic mechanism. In both kinds of organelles ,electron transport chains pump protons (H+)across a membrane from a region of low H+ concentration to an area of high H+ concentration. The protons then diffuse back across the membrane through ATP syntheses, driving the synthesis of ATP. To conclude from this, photosynthesis and cellular respiration are the most vital biochemical pathways to life. They both include cycles, stages and many enzymes to function. Although their similarities can be easily recognised, it is their differences that make them stand apart as opposite processes. Photosynthesis requiring light in order to produce its end product, carbohydrate, and cellular respiration requiring carbohydrate in order to produce its end product energy.

Fraud and Abuse in the Healthcare System Essay -- Healthcare, argumen

Healthcare services have been on the rise for over 10 years now. According to a 2012 consumer alert, the industry provided $2.26 trillion in payments for more than four billion health insurance benefit claims in the year 2011(Fraud in Health Care). The bulk of the claims and the mainstream of fraud and abuse stem from the Medicare system professionals, who are knowledgeable about the process and persuade new clients into handing over their pertinent information in hopes of deception and illegitimate claims. Multiple and double billing, fraudulent prescriptions, are some of the major flaws in this organization that has made the healthcare services industry curdle. (AGHAEGBUNA, 2011) This is a non-violet crime and is often committed by very educated people including business people, hospital, doctors, and administrators. Multiple billing There are numerous amounts of billing codes within the Medicare system. Many have the same codes to one medical piece of equipment. If a biller tries to make a claim for a device, such as a wheelchair and walker, and the claim was denied based on excessive usage of that particular code because of its geographic region, then the biller can easily resubmit the claim using an alternative code that will allow the claim to go through with minor alternations to the device (AGHAEGBNO, 2001). The biller can complete this task several times until the claim is satisfied. The biller can also bill for services that were not provided in order to receive higher payments from health care providers. These are forms of multiple, double and improper billing abuses that are defrauding the system tremendously. Health care claims are coming in quickly and some payments are even expedited and reused to medical provide... ...gram polices and laws that have been put in place by OIG are making an impact with tracking fraudulent providers and claims. Claims need to be reviewed to ensure each claims are before they are paid, to ensure money is not being wasted. Fraud and Abuse will remain a problem unless the government cracks down on providers. Works Cited Aghaegbuna,O (2011). Health care fraud and punishment. FDCH Congressional Testimony. Middle Search Plus â€Å"Fraud in Health Care: The scope of the problem.† (2012). Health Source-Consumer Edition Gatty.B (2010). Fighting Fraud US Government cracking down on those who commit healthcare scams â€Å"Dermatology Times,† 31 (11)12.Health Source-Consumer Edition Haddad,M (2010).Technology helps track healthcare providers. Health Management Technology, 31 (5), 24-25. Health Source-Consumer Edition

The Church On Homelessness :: essays research papers

The Church on Homelessness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The view of the church to the homeless is generous and envangelistic commitment. The church also shows a special love for the poor. The church just being there and its charitable help for the homeless shows what God would want the church to do for the homeless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The church is very conscious that the lack of decent housing threatens the poor. The church is grateful for the creation of organizations that help to make the right to housing possible for many homeless people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Examples of such organizations are shelters and witness of the local churches. Pope Paul VI himself personally promoted a program aimed at providing housing for some families who were living in a Roman slum.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concern of the church for housing for the homeless comes from three ideas:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1) Adequate housing is important if a person is to find fulfillment, both as an individual and as a member of a family and society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2) The witness that the church seeks to give in helping in the search for a solution to the problems of the poor is a sign of the presence of the kingdom of salvation and liberation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3) The mission of the church also consists in helping to make society more human.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Catholic Church agrees with these three ideas and also makes its own judgement on the suffering of these millions of people. From the time of the earliest Christian communities, the church has always shown a preference for the poor, the needy, and on the outcasts of society. The way that the church insists on reaching out to the poor through mission collections, food pantries, and shelters shows the preferential love that the church has for these people. The church has always appealed to government programs set up to help the poor and has always supported cities to set up housing programs in the poorest areas   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As long as there are people without housing, Christians who have

Brittle Diabetes Mellitus (BDM)

General Purpose: To inform the audience about the condition, Brittle Diabetes Mellitus Specific Purpose: To provide information on (1) the condition’s factual descriptions and (2) impact to a person’s life Central Idea: The presentation centers on the general description of Diabetes Mellitus, then proceeds in elaborating the actual condition of BDM. Factual description, signs and symptoms, related medical interventions, incidence and the impact of the disease to an individual are the focal points of this presentation.Introduction Attention Strategy: The presentation shall utilize persuasive and factual illustrations of the case to obtain the necessary attention from the audience. The study utilizes an evidenced-based analysis to further the discussion and obtain the attention of the general audience. In addition, it employs real life basis from the medical case of Cathy who died due to severe complications of BDM. Revelation of Topic: The study reveals the danger and co mplexities of the rare type of diabetes, which is BDM.During BDM presentation, the principal revelations include (1) the specific case of BDM and its difference from the typical DM Type 1/Type 2, (2) the increased chances of diabetic complications in BDM than the common DM cases, and (3) medical history of individual who have suffered the case of BDM. Credibility: The credibility of the presentation lies with countless hours of research, references from credible authors and scholarly literatures, academic background on EMT-B, CNA and being a paramedic student, and an experience from an Aunt who died from BDM complications. DiscussionDiabetes Mellitus (DM) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the deficiency or insensitivity of the body to insulin, and exposure of organs to chronic hyperglycemia is the most common medical complication of the disease (DeCherney and Nathan, 2002 p. 326). There are three known types of DM, namely (1) Type-1 or Insulin-Dependent DM (IDDM), (2) Type-2 o r Non-insulin-Dependent DM (NDDM), and (3) Gestational DM (GDM). According to Marso and Stern (2003), these three types of DM are all characterized by the increased sugar levels in the blood (hyperglycemia); however, these are differentiated by their nature of occurrence and etiology.Type-1 occurs due to the genetically impaired insulin receptor that prevents the insulin from binding to these receptors that provide the necessary signal for glucose cellular absorption. Type 2 occurs as a product of acquired metabolic impairment, particularly obesity, that also impairs the binding between insulin and cellular receptors due to extensive distribution of fats. Lastly, GDM occurs during pregnancy as a product of bodily modification, specifically carbohydrate intolerance, on the pregnant mother’s body (Montella, Keely and Lee, 2008 p. 216).These three types of DM are the most commonly known cases; however, a rare type of DM, known as GDM, also occurs to few people. According to Gill (2004), the case of GDM is similar to the manifestations of Type-1 DM although, with increased severity and frequency of occurrence (p. 11). Woodyatt in 1934 uses the term â€Å"brittle† to describe the main characteristic of the disease, which is the oscillation or instantaneous variations of glucose levels. According to mortality rates, the highest prone group is between 25 to 64 years (45%), followed by 65 to 74 age group (22%) and the youngest group of 16 to 44 (16.7%). Patient experiencing this rare DM condition can experience multiple types of severe symptoms, specifically (1) ketoacidosis, (2) hypoglycemia, and (3) hyperglycemia. In the case of BDM, the occurrence of hyperglycemia and/or hypoglycemia can be very sudden and extreme in levels, which consequently makes diagnosis almost impossible due to the unpredictability of its manifestations. Ketoacidosis occurs during an extreme drop of insulin levels in the body that consequently increases blood sugar contents in t he body making it thick in consistency (Backer, 2005 p. 201).In addition, ketoacidosis occurs in a very unstable levels and unpredictable frequency. BDM can be very hard to control due to the severe swings on blood sugar levels. Medical practitioners commonly advice exercise, careful monitoring of diet and blood glucose levels at least every 30 minutes for the first 5 hours of BDM manifestations (Ballanoff, Yu and Stjernholm, 2004 p. 132). Signs and symptoms that need to be carefully monitored are fruity breath, dehydration, increased thirst, severe and instantaneous weight loss due to muscle wasting and increased frequency of urination (polyuria).Meanwhile, severe complications that can result include (1) kidney damage due to nephropathy, (2) hypertension and heart damages (e. g. Cardiomegaly, Cardiac arrest, etc. ), (3) eye damage (e. g. glaucoma, cataracts, retinopathy, etc. ), (4) diabetic neuropathy affecting nerve functioning that eventually leads to leg and feet necrosis, GI peristaltic-related indigestion and impotence (erectile dysfunction), and (5) series of life-threatening conditions, such as hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis and diabetic coma (Ballanoff, Yu and Stjernholm, 2004 p.132-133). One of the historically recognized records of BDM case is Cathy who was born in September 21, 1961 and eventually diagnosed with type 2 DM at the age of 20. Despite of different medical opinions and treatments on controlling her sugar levels, her blood sugar had continued to oscillate. In 1999, she had her child named, Sam, but her body rejected the baby during pregnancy due to severe diabetic complications. Things started going bad in the year 2000 as she was diagnosed with stroke and developed severe neuropathy on her feet.As the years passed by, she had experienced BDM complications, such as heart attack in 2002, leg venous blockage in 2003 that eventually ended in surgery, and complete irreversible neck vein blockage in 2005. In 2007, Cathy had a stroke that d estroyed almost all parts of her brain except for the remaining quarter piece of her brainstem. She lived for three days after the incident, and on May 22, 2007, Cathy’s body finally gave from the complications of BDM. ConclusionIn conclusion, BDM is indeed a rare but tremendously life-threatening condition. Considering the standard DM treatments available, Diagnosis and treatment are both hard to administer due to the unpredictable and extreme drops or rise of blood sugar in the body. The most common manifestations of BDM include severe hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis. If these conditions pursue, minor complications, such as polyuria, dehydration, thirstiness, etc, can lead to more severe conditions, such as hypertension, heart problems, diabetic coma, etc.To avoid these complications, medical experts had to suggest frequent blood sugar monitoring, diet restrictions and exercise. One of the recorded cases of severe BDM is the progressive diabetic complications o f Cathy. She first developed Type 2 DM indications at the age of 20. The doctors diagnosed her condition as BDM due to unpredictable and extreme rise of blood glucose levels. She was able to live a life of a common DM patient until her failed pregnancy in 2000, which eventually developed in severe BDM complications.She died on May 22, 2007 due to the massive stroke that nearly damaged her entire brain. References Backer, H. D. (2005). Wilderness First Aid: Emergency Care for Remote Locations. New York, U. S. A: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Ballonoff, L. , Yu, W. , & Stjernholm, M. (2004). What to Do When the Doctor Says It's Diabetes: The Most Important Things You Need to Know about Blood Sugar, Diet, and Exercise for Type I and Type II Diabetes. Tennessee, New Jersey: Fair Winds Press. DeCherney, A. H., & Nathan, L. (2002). Current Obstetric and Gynecologic Diagnosis and Treatment. New York, U. S. A: McGraw-Hill Professional. Gill, G. (2004). Unstable and Brittle Diabetes. Chicago, U. S. A: Informa Health Care. Marso, S. P. , & Stern, D. M. (2003). Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: Integrating Science and Clinical Medicine. New York, U. S. A: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Montella, K. , Keely, E. , & Lee, R. V. (2008). Medical Care of the Pregnant Patient. London, New York: ACP Press.

Managing Conflicts Within Groups

| Organisational Behavior Individual Course Paper | Lim Jin Sheng Jason| | Section: ES1| | Introduction In order to meet the requirements of the individual assignment, this paper uses a specific project management experience to highlight some of the main organisational behaviour (OB) concepts in a real-world professional setting. The two main OB concepts chosen are: a) Managing Conflicts within Groups b) Multi-Party, Multi-issue Decision Making Framework In doing so, it is hoped that this paper will highlight the importance of utilizing these OB concepts in other similar situations encountered in the future. Professional Work Experience My professional experience involves managing acquisition and R&D projects for the armed forces, under the Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). DSTA is the national authority for centralized defense procurement and related R&D under the Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) in Singapore. My specific roles include managing projects related to naval systems and scouring the local/overseas defence industry for emerging naval technologies. For example, if the plans department in the Singapore Navy requires a certain naval craft to meet their operational requirements in the near term, my department will spearhead this initiative by helping to source the market for such a product, purchase it and deliver it to the users. The whole process basically involves the following: ) Get approval for the operational requirements and budget to fund the acquisition project. b) Source the market for companies who are able to provide such products or services, evaluate their bids and negotiate for the eventual contract. c) Perform acceptance testing for the product/service before delivering the product/service to the end users. Managing Conflicts within Groups Before the initiation of a project, the envisioned operational requirements for the weapon system/service and budget required to fund it needs to be approved by the required level of authority. Usually, a panel of experts will convene in a forum to discuss and debate the issue and will send their recommendations to the final approval authority (which can be the Minister for Defence or service chiefs, depending on the importance and value of the acquisition). In one of my projects, the requirement was to acquire several unmanned crafts to replace a fleet of existing patrol vessels to save maintenance and personnel costs. Hence, the operational requirements was done up by the plans department in the Navy and the budget was done up by my team in DSTA. The justifications for both were well thought out and presented clearly in a paper which was submitted to the relevant forum for discussion and approval. The forum in this case was comprised of the unit commanders of all the relevant braches in the Navy (Operational, intelligence, logistics, security and training departments, etc). However, as a newly appointed project manager, I was unaware of the â€Å"under-currents† that was brewing prior to the forum presentation. Even though the justifications were sound on paper, there were several factions within the Navy community that were inherently against the idea. This opposition only surfaced during the day of the forum presentation and took my team by surprise. Subsequently, we had to re-work the whole approach in getting the approval from the forum. Basically, the issue was that the replacement of an entire fleet of patrol vessels by a newer technology will mean that an entire squadron will need to be down-sized and re-trained. Although the maintenance costs were lower in aggregate, this also meant the workload of certain logistics departments will more than double. Also, there was a history of bad blood between the commanding officer of the plans and squadron departments. So in reality, this means that certain members of the forum will not be happy with the proposal regardless of how sound it is and old grudges will likely flare up during the forum presentations. On hindsight, being aware of possible conflicts within a group will help to prevent this type of scenario from happening in the first place. By understanding the different types of group conflicts (task, relationship and process) and engaging all stakeholders before the forum approval will help in reducing the effort spent and maintain good relations with all stakeholders. Multi-Party, Multi-issue Decision Making Framework Once the approval for the operational requirements and budget for this project is obtained, my team selected a suitable overseas defense contractor to build and deliver the product according to our specifications. The arduous task of negotiating for the best possible terms for the least price for this contract begins. Due to the complexity of the equipment acquisition involved, the discussions will require many subject matter experts from their relevant domains to discuss the technical issues with their counterparts. I had an experienced procurement manager who advised the team to first agree on all the complex issues internally first before starting negotiations with the supplier. In practice, this meant that my team had to prioritise which issues are important and non-negotiable and which issues are good to have but not essential in the success of the project. Without this understanding, every single representative from my team will try to press for the best terms within their domains because everyone thinks their own issues are important. Furthermore, the supplier will never agree to every single issue as they will lose money on this contract. My team decided to group and consider all the issues simultaneously and agree on the relative importance of each issue before starting contract negotiations. My job as a project manager is to take a step back to keep track of the issues discussed and place focus on the â€Å"Tier-one† issues rather than haggling for every possible terms. This multi-issue, multi-party framework helped my team to cut down on a lot of unnecessary time and effort for future contract negotiations. Conclusion Organisational behaviour is an important and evolving topic which is important for success in managing inter-personal relationships in the workplace. As discussed using some of my personal work experiences, a good understanding and relevant application of OB concepts will help the professional to navigate through the complexities of managing stakeholders in an increasing dynamic environment.

Becoming influencial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Becoming influencial - Essay Example Honesty is a great virtue of a nurse and honest communication is essential for a nurse. I try to be honest without hurting other people's feelings because I am afraid if I am honest, then I will really hurt someone and then they won't like me. However, if I am going to be an RN, then I need to learn how take things personally. "I should pay attention to how I speak and how I act when I speak. Nonverbal signs & signals say more about us than words. I should make sure my words are reflected in my body language."(Sullivan & Decker, 2005) I need to focus on the problem, not the person. (Sullivan, 2005) I have to remember that my honesty is not personal, it's business. I should strive to improve my communication Skills (Sullivan, 2005) As a nurse, every night, I will assess / review what I have said to my peers and colleagues and note if I was honest or not. I will also ask my friends/ colleges from time to time how they view my honesty. I will start doing this now and will continue it in my nursing career. One more important virtue which I think is mandatory is Professional Positive Attitude. A positive attitude is everything. It is specially required for nursing and health care related jobs. Positive attitude "is a state of mind at which impossible is nothing. Our mind releases abundance of energy and strength in our body to achieve anything that we desire." (careercurry.com, 2007) Positive attitude increases the level of productivity for nurses and it will increase the chance of health for their patients by inspiration and positive energy. "Conveying a positive & energetic attitude sends the message of being "doer" and someone to be sought out for involvement in important issues. Being optimistic promote a can do attitude that suggests power & instills confidence in others."(Sullivan & Decker, 2005) I feel that when I am upset, then I have a hard time keeping a positive attitude. When taking care of patients a nurse needs to keep a positive attitude because patients can sense when you're upset. Thus, I will need to have some forms of exercise (such as jazzercise) which will enable me to have full control over my emotions. I will also need to see things from different perspectives so I am not easily angered. I will attend jazzercise sessions and every week I will evaluate/check what have I learned from such session and try to practice it to my day to day living. In September I joined jazzercise and have found that it decreases my stress, lower my blood pressure, and I have a more positive attitude now that I have been making myself do this every week. Now that I have started this I would like to continue this for the rest of my life. Becoming bold and/or daring also is also recommended for nurses. "Boldness is an opposite of being shy. A bold person may be willing to risk shame or rejection in social situations, and willing to bend rules of etiquette or politeness. An excessively bold person could aggressively ask for money, or persistently push a person to fulfill some request, and so on. Excessive boldness may thus be regarded as impertinence or arrogance. Outside a social context, "boldness" can also refer to a willingness to get things done, even despite risks, and is therefore broadly synonymous with bravery."(Wiki Encyclopedia, 2007) Boldness is being daring and essential for nurses. It is like the courage of taking risk in every circumstance that might not lead to a good result but still would want to pursue it. Becoming bold requires accepting risks for the