Discrimination And Judgement Based On Their Gender, Class,...

women still have to face discrimination and judgement based on their gender, class, and race. This population clearly reflects the gaps and limitations of primary health care services today. Adelson (2005) reflects on this circumstance as a absence of control of a comprehensive health care program where there is acceptable conduct of resources that can diminish the bureaucratic unbalance. Maternal care, is defined as the care provided to women at different stages of maternity: prenatal, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum (Di Lallo, 2014; Tjepkema and Wilkins, 2011). According to an article published in Nursing for Women’s Health by Di Lallo (2014), 19.5% of Aboriginal women on-reserves of Wetasiwin (city) received no prenatal care. The average fertility rate of Aboriginal women in Alberta’s off-reserve locations is approximately 53.1% which is lower than Wetasiwin locations of approximately 74.8%. The health of the infants born on the on-reserve locations are more of concern however, with an infant mortality rate of 6.6% and number of mothers that smoke during pregnancy is about 50.5%. Health care providers specified that the cultural differences are huge barriers for Aboriginal women during their maternal stages. For example, there is a cultural belief that noting is bought for the newborn until they are born however, this can cause problems in off-r eserve locations in city hospitals where there would be no support for supplies for the mother in labour. (Di Lallo, 2014)Show MoreRelated Affirmative Action Essay561 Words   |  3 Pagesforced upon American businesses and working class by the federal government. A law which forces people to look at race before looking at the individual cannot promote equal opportunity. Affirmative action continues the judgement of minorities by race; it causes reverse discrimination, and contradicts its purpose. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Affirmative action is not creating a colorblind society. In fact it continues the judgement of minorities according to race. Affirmative action forces employers andRead MorePrejudice : Ignorance Of Man1434 Words   |  6 PagesFound guilty, because of his race not being what is socially acceptable as capable of being innocent. Prejudice, and the act of negative judgement, leads to discrimination of those judged and the unrightful treatment of them. This prejudice is shown throughout the story, and characters judged by things such as race, social class, and the gender of individuals. Black and white, two colors of man that throughout history has been divided through ignorance and judgement. The United States in historyRead MoreFrank V Xerox Case Study719 Words   |  3 Pagessuing range from discrimination because of race or gender, and hostile work environments. It is important that when employees start to feel mistreated or notice something has changed, they take the correct actions to resolve their dispute. The plaintiffs would make a case of discrimination by stating how they have felt discriminated against. There are different classifications of discrimination. Some discrimination may not be intentional and unfortunately, some discrimination is intentional.Read MorePersuasive Essay About Prejudice814 Words   |  4 Pagesand it leads to violence and division. Our society believes that we can live life being prejudice, discriminating and antagonizing others based on their race. The sun had just gone down. I heard a dreadful gun shot. The screams from down the street. The screeching high pitch voice of a mother crying because she had just lost one of her two sons. Now comes judgement day and there are protestors outside the courthouse, meanwhile inside the court room, you can feel the tension build. The media is ecstaticRead MoreDiscrimination In The Kite Runner1698 Words   |  7 Pageshas been plagued with the sickness that is discrimination. People have taken it upon themselves to have the right to discriminate against others, basing their prejudice on parts of others that they themselves cannot control such as age, race or gender. From past to present, many have faced segregation and the damaging ripple effect it has on their lives. This is especially true for minorities in the world who are singled out and treated as inferiors based on physical traits. The Kite Runner, by KhaledRead More Race vs. Social Class Essay847 Words   |  4 PagesRace vs. Soc ial Class THESIS: Race differences in identity and social position were, and are, more important than class differences in American society. Events in the nineteenth century made it abundantly and irrefutably clear that race as a concept sui generis superseded social class as the dominant mechanism of social division and stratification in North America. (Smedley 219) For many decades people have been using race as a way to classify humans into different social categories. LowerRead MoreGender Roles And Gender Responsibilities1116 Words   |  5 PagesGender roles and gender division in biological perspectives were an issue in global societies. Even in today’s societies depending on the geographical areas around the world, gender roles are socially divided. However other geographic countries completely equal, such as Iceland. Laws such as a third gender option at birth, then decision followed by the child. The third gender option would be judged negatively in some other geographic parts of our globally social societies. What kind of impact doRead MoreCase Study : Case Study Analysis848 Words   |  4 PagesLaw Aga inst Discrimination (LAD). Personal observation Based on my observation of this case study, Enriquez was not only discriminated against but also bullied because of an identify disorder. Enriquez was hired to be a director of a hospital based on qualifications, and prior job history. It is unfortunate she was criticized for a disorder she suffered from as a male. Her co-workers should have taken the time to understand what she was going through instead of passing judgement. Legal aspectsRead MoreAs Times Change So Do The Practices In Each Industry. Our1399 Words   |  6 Pagesemployers may not ask questions regarding race, religion, sexual preferences, or marital status† (p. 568). Age, disability, and other protected characteristics such as pregnancy or illness may also be available on social media (Radogna, 2011). All of the aforementioned information is easily accessible thanks to social media, but what should be used and what is off limits and how valuable is the information? Employers are not prohibited from learning protected class information, but they are prohibitedRead MorePersonal Reflection : The Way A Person Is Treated985 Words   |  4 PagesReflection Essay The way a person is treated is based upon what they look like, what gender they are, what their social class is, and what they act as, these certain truths are what makes a person and in turn what a person makes of themselves. Following this I can say my certain truths that were placed on me are the fact that I am a white, female, and straight as well as saying the truths I made myself are the fact that I am cisgendered, (I’m also middle class as of now but that is somewhat a mix of the

The Myth of Mental Illness - 2711 Words

The Myth of Mental Illness Mental illness has existed since the dawn of humanity, but has since been perceived and understood in various ways. This essay will examine the contemporaryç  ¾Ã¤ » £Ã¤ º ºdefinition of mental illness and how the definition is shaped more by the contemporary society that creates it rather than by real experience and understanding of the state itself. Unavoidably, this examination of a largely misunderstood subject leads to an investigation of the societal and philosophical influences causing the misunderstanding. Indeed, since the subject of mental health and illness is inextricably and directly related to the nature of reality, the nature of mental illness must be considered not in isolation but in conjunction with the†¦show more content†¦is. Essential to the proper understanding of mental illness, the question is therefore what society?s definition of normal living and normal mental health is. More to the point, what is the nature of society, what is the context within which sanity is defined? Society, after all, is not something natural but something arbitrary and human-made, whereas the workings of one?s mind are fundamentally natural as the end result of natural evolution. In other words, it appears at first glance that a natural function is being defined through contrast with and under a framework of human sociological convention. What is meant by ?society? is society and its metaphysical context?its stereotypical conceptions and beliefs of reality that have such a great influence over the daily actions of most people. These stereotypes result from human civilization, because as environment changes from natural to artificial, one?s mode of thinking and living must obviously also shift from something natural to something conventional that fits with the environment civilization sets. Therefore, society?s mainstream understanding is conventional in nature, as is the aspect of the human psyche that society acknowledges and reinforces, namely the ego. The ego reinforced by society and one?s normal natural mode of thinking may therefore constitute ?theShow MoreRelatedThe Myth Of Mental Illness957 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1961 Thomas Szasz penned a book by the title The Myth of Mental Illness that would go on to cause quite the stir in the world of psychiatry. In the book, Szasz stated his belief that what most psychiatrists would label as mental illnesses are in fact not illnesses at all, but instead what he would go on to call â€Å"problems in living.† This article will take a critical approach at Szasz reasons for his belief in these â€Å"problems in living† including an objective outline of his argument, a discussionRead MoreThe Myth Of Mental Illness750 Words   |  3 Pages During this semester in Psychology 201 one very interesting thing we covered was The Myth of Mental Illness by Thomas Szasz. In this book Szasz states that mental illness has no physiological change. He is not judgmental at all, and discusses the advantages to the patient and the doctor. I totally agree with Szasz on his belief that autism is not a mental illness although autism is treated as a mental illness. Thomas Szasz stated this about autism, â€Å"With the passing of the years, my earlier convictionRead MoreThe Myth Of Mental Illness By Thomas Szasz Summary1472 Words   |  6 PagesReview of Thomas Szasz. M.D.,The Myth Of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct. Thomas Szasz was one of the first psychiatrist to criticise psychiatry and argue about the concept of mental illness. His book â€Å"The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct† highlights the fundamental flaws in the administration of psychiatry, with the aim of challenging the medical characteristics of the concept of mental illness and the wrongful treatment of patientsRead MoreMental Illness781 Words   |  4 Pageshead: MENTAL ILLNESS Mental Illness Natalie Maxwell March 8, 2010 Each year, almost 44 million Americans experience a mental disorder. In fact, mental illnesses are among the most common conditions affecting health today. The good news is that most people who have mental illnesses, even serious ones, can lead productive lives with proper treatment (www.yahoo.com). Mental illnesses are some of the most misunderstand afflictions in today’s society. Too many people think of mental illnessRead MoreThe Portrayal Of Mental Illness962 Words   |  4 PagesPortrayal of mental illness in media, films and television programmes is extensive and predominantly preserves myths and stereotypes about mental illness. People with mental illness are most commonly shown as being violent and aggressive, but they are also frequently depicted as tragic, tortured, genius, dangerous, eccentric, flamboyant, hysterical, sexual, jokers and rebels. Mental health professionals are variously portrayed as incompetent, sinister, unrealistically seductive or rationalist foilsRead MoreMental Health And The Media982 Words   |  4 PagesMental Health and the Media Mental illness in general carries an enormous stigma. People have respect for and take seriously physical ailments but when it comes to mental illness there is still immense discrimination. The stigma that comes from having a mental disorder such as, bi-polar depression, schizophrenia, or panic disorder comes with an enormous societal cost and can cause people not to talk about it. They may feel ashamed, embarrassed or fear stigma. Not seeking treatment causes people livingRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa: Nursing Interventions1326 Words   |  5 PagesAnorexia nervosa: Nursing interventions Anorexia nervosa has a higher mortality rate than any other psychological illness. Its primary clinical feature is extreme emaciation as a result of the patients refusal to maintain a healthy body weight. Weight loss may be achieved through caloric restriction or a combination of caloric restriction and purging behaviors (vomiting, laxatives, and exercise) (Understanding eating disorders, 2013, Australia Psychological Society). Besides self-starvation, otherRead MoreThe Portrayal Of An Issue Like Mental Illness1328 Words   |  6 PagesIt is easy for an audience to be manipulated by the media. The portrayal of an issue like mental illness is totally vulnerable to misrepresentation. Depending on who is writing and their viewpoint, it does not take much to make this issue sympathetic or demonized. If the author of a given piece wants his or her audience to demonize something, the author might use the word isolation†. If that same author wants a sympathetic response he might use the word loneliness†. As far as the New York TimesRead MoreThe Stigma Associated With Bipolar Disorder1448 Words   |  6 Pageseffects remain: often multiplied by individuals that have a limited understanding of the disorder. There are numerous myths related to individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Hopefully a few of these myths will be put to rest after learning more about the disorder. What is bipolar disorder? As defined by the (NIMH 1), â€Å"Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-dayRead MoreClinical Diagnoses Of Bipolar Disorder1616 Words   |  7 Pagessymptoms that are related to mental illness have increased dramatically within the last several years, and treatment is becoming more specialized. But, unless you study these disorders, or have some degree in psychology, the basis of your knowledge of these disorders comes from media, movies and newspapers. Mass media is the public’s primary source for information so when they decide to present breaking news about some criminal felon who reportedly suffers from mental disorders such as bi-polar or

Health Administration and Service Development for Federal Governments

Question: Discuss about theHealth Administration and Service Development for Federal Governments. Answer: The essay discusses the comparison of the United States system of Healthcare with that of the Australian health care system. Through the contrast, we find that the Australian uses mixed market of operating health which is superior because of its development in both access and equity as opposed to US use which has significant benefits found within the efficiency of the system. The health care system used in the US focused on self-provision. It is created in a way that the Citizens are responsible for the entire cost of health care of their choice. This is initiated by the great push by the private health sectors. The US personal funding for health is derived from employment. That is, the employer is making an individual purchase of health insurance. This indicates that individuals without the job do not have the similar luxury of opportunity. The establishment of the government-funded scheme that assists people who are unemployed was implemented in 1965. The scheme enables the elderly to get health care, and the poor are being financed by the State and Federal governments. The healthcare system in Australia is designed to combine two essential contributors to funding, the private sector, and the public sector. The Australian system offers significant public funds to areas that require adequate need at both State and Federal level. These satisfactory need services require the use of overall hospital visits and practitioners. The healthcare system of Australian has s similar structure of mixed market of health care as that of the American. This similarity can be seen due to the existence of both private and public sectors offering funds for the delivery of the healthcare. Even though there is similarity the market design related to health care, there are differences surrounding the orientation of the health care system. As opposed to the US, the ideology that surrounds the system of Australian is that all individuals should possess equal right with regards to health care treatment. This defines the presence of equity within the systems. The model of American creates the lack of need and or want by many individuals to create equity. The American model neglects the use of equity. The reason for this nonexistent of equity is because of the ideology of the people of US. The ideology exists about independence, related to the success of the monetary. As the relationship between employment and health insurance can be seen throughout the system of the American, the feelings of the Americans is that is their responsibility to look after themselves regarding the health care. By getting lucrative jobs and thereby enabling access to quality insurance, the system of US promotes and achieves the self-resilience treasured by the entire society. The problem of this ideology is that many people in the US do not have insurance, this lead to the reduction in the access of healthcare services. While in the context of Australians health care, equity is of better ideological value. The adequate care policy enables the Australians regardless of their ethnicity, social status and level of income to get a basic level of fund allocation to their health. The equity concept seen in the society of Australian is of higher value than that of the US society. Many developed countries, for example, the United Kingdom, prefer the use of equity with the same approach as that of the Australia which supports the use of the public health sector instead of the private. The efficiency of the US systems regarding the resources and service delivery are of higher quality; the service waiting list is low. This indicates the major benefits of a strong privatized system that should be in place. This type of aspects is mostly recognized by the US. The problem regarding the efficiency of the US model is finances allocation. The US is spending more money on services associated with health. The excessive spending indicates inefficiency through the analysis of money. Within the system of Australian, resources, finance and service delivery are not very efficient. Waiting list within the system takes a long time making the ability of the resources provided to be difficult. Comparing both the United States and Australia healthcare systems indicates some interesting outcomes. Australia spends almost half of their GDP percentage as compared United States and covers the entire population completely. The government of US spends a large amount of money on healthcare, but still, 16 percent of the people are uninsured. The two countries experience similar problems, for example, the increase healthcare spending. The two countries take into consideration the importance of aging population as it plays the crucial role in the increase in expenditure, and each contributes to the increase in average cost per person. The two countries provide private insurance and coverage from the government; the only difference is on the plans which vary greatly. It is difficult to apply the US health care system because of the differences in the cultural disparity between the two nations. Australia healthcare system can be used more appropriate in New Zealand because the two countries somehow share similar cultural/the elements of national identity. Case study: Treatment and Assessment of a young lady with respiratory symptom and fever. Rights or Act that seem to have been breached In the case study, the rights of a young girl with respiratory system and fever were breached in the public hospital in the following way: DHM staff did not follow the right procedure in discharging the girl on the second visit of the hospital, Staff failed on several occasions to offer enough discharge information to the family of the girl, and DHM failed to offer the required services to the client (girl) with reasonable skill and care. The telehealth nurses failed to offer the clients family relevant information of the clinical symptoms of the disease affecting the young girl. These entire processes prevent both the young girl and her family the right of accessing accurate information. Social issues Geographical- there exist substantial geographical difference in New Zealand health care services, and this affects the delivery and access to the health services. A district with lesser than average income experiences higher rates of hospitalizations and premature mortality. At a small area, there is high population. This is because, at birth, the life expectancy gradient is steep (Munson Jaccard, 2018). Socioeconomic The socioeconomic affect the New Zealand health care services in that it allows the existence of major inequalities and these inequalities influence the operation of the health services. All ethnic groups that are in New Zealand show the gradients of socio-economic. However, the gradient is quite shallow for the people that are found in Pacific and Asian and steep for European and Maori ethnic categories. The effect of socioeconomic on the New Zealand health is mostly underestimated (Mossialos, Wenzl, Osborn Sarnak, 2016). This is because the available measures put in place do not capture socioeconomic issues, and studies also fail to capture the cumulative effect that the socioeconomic create to health care. People who reside in a more deprived environment experiences higher hospitalization rate and higher death rate as compared to individuals that reside in affluent areas. The mortality rates of low socioeconomic groups are higher as compare to those with high socioeconomic groups , from diseases. Political issues Government goals- the goal put in place by the New Zealand government affect the health care services. One of the major goal of the government that control public sectors performance and policy is to lower inequalities in employment, education, health and housing for all the groups that are disadvantaged such as between women and men and Pacific and Maori peoples (Ginter, Duncan Swayne, 2018). The government should ensure that the set goals are achieved by the ministry of health. When the government fulfills the goals set in time, then the health care services will function well in terms of delivery and satisfaction of the patients need. The government goal enables it to set up enough finance to enables the publicly funded health care improve the service delivery to the people. Government policies- the policies of the government affect the New Zealand health care services delivery in that it has different policies that can affect the performance of the health care. These policies require long-term investment and planning, but they also enable many people to live a healthy life. The established policies ensure that the health services are well equipped with enough resources in order to help them operate their daily activities. They also help individuals to age well, as well as having timely access to health care services. Economic issues Public financial barriers The health system of New Zealand is mainly public. All the Citizens who are permanent residents have different access to services, and the finance comes from the general taxes. Nonresidents, for example, illegal immigrant and tourists, are paying the full amount of service to the providers of the public health care (Manners, 2017). When there is a barrier to the provision of the public finance the activities of the health care may take place with a lot of difficulties. Therefore, financial barriers influence the performance of the healthcare service in New Zealand as it limits the allocation set aside for the development of the healthcare. Private cost This is the actual cost associated with the accessing of the health care services. The private cost of each of the healthcare services affects the delivery of the services. People sometimes opt to attend to private health care in a situation where they cannot access the public health care. They have to pay for the treatment or through private insurance; they can use it to access the health services. According to Munson Jaccard (2018) research work, state that poor treatment comes with the higher cost in the long run and it is more expensive to the economy. The tendency of people paying for the healthcare services mostly causes higher burden to the people. This is because some of the services are quite expensive. Conclusion The healthcare model should be efficient enough to cater for the need of the patients. The government should also come up with suitable strategies to help solve the problems that the health cares are facing. The provision of healthcare services requires a large number of resources to help improve the services delivery to the patients. The political, social and economic factors can affect the delivery and quality of the healthcare services of a particular nation. Government and different organization should work together to improve the healthcare service in New Zealand. Through the comparison of the two countries, it is true that staying in society like Australia is more relevant because of the values and ethics used within the system of the health care. References Cherry, B., Jacob, S. R. (2016).Contemporary nursing: Issues, trends, management. Elsevier Health Sciences. Ginter, P. M., Duncan, J., Swayne, L. E. (2018).The Strategic Management of Healthcare Organizations. John Wiley Sons. Manners, R. A. (2017).Professional dominance: The social structure of medical care. Routledge. Mossialos, E., Wenzl, M., Osborn, R., Sarnak, D. (2016).2015 international profiles of health care systems. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Munson, M. R., Jaccard, J. (2018). Mental health service use among young adults: a communication framework for program development.Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research,45(1), 62-80.

Spain Essays (902 words) - Ethnic Groups In Europe,

Spain Physical Geography Land forms The entire area of Spain is 504,750 sq. km. Spain is about the size of Arizona and Utah combined. Spain has high plateaus surrounded by low coastal plains. The most famous mountain range in Spain is located in the north. It is called the Pyrenees. Other mountain ranges are the Cantabrian, Sierra Moreno and the Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges. Climate In the north, the climate is moderate with year-round rainfall. The south and the east have a mediterranean climate. The southern and eastern part of spain has long dry summers and mild winters. Water systems There are nine major rivers in Spain. These rivers drain into the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean. The Mino, the Duero, the Tajo, the Guadiana, and the Guadalquivir, each flow into the Atlantic. The Segura, the Jucar, the Turia, and the Ebro all empty into the Mediterranean. The longest is the Tajo and the Ebro. Economic Geography Spain was one of the poorest countries in Western Europe. It improved after it joined the European Union in 1986. Spain's gross national product per capita has more than tripled in the last generation. It is now $15,890. Economic opportunities are now available for the majority of the population. Unemployment is still a major problem for the economy. Agriculture Agriculture is still important, even though it is no longer the basis of Spain's economy. Farmers produce a lot wheat and barley. Spain leads the world in production of olives and olive oil. Many Spaniards raise livestock such as sheep,goats,and cattle. The production of wine is also important. In the north the major products are beef cattle, vegetables, and fruit. In the Mediterranean it is olives, almonds, citrus fruits, grapes, and vegetables. In the Meseta the major products are grains, olives, and grapes. Resources Spain has many natural resources. Some of the leading resources are coal, iron ore, mercury, gypsum, zinc, lead, copper, and hydroelectric power. Other resources in Spain are lignite, uranium, pyrites, fluorspar, tungsten, kaolin, cork, and potash. Industry The industries of Spain are of a wide variety. These resources include textiles and clothing, footwear, metal manufacturing, chemicals, shipbuilding, auto manufacturing, and tourism. Urban Geography Ethnic make-up The ethnic groups in Spain are Basques, Catalan, and Galicians. The Spanish have Mediterranean and Nordic ancestry. Population Spain's population in July 2000 was 39,996,671. The population growth rate is .11%. The birth rate is 9.22 births/1000 population . The death rate is slightly lower, it is 9.03 deaths/1000 population. The men 's life expectancy is 75.32 years. The women's life expectancy is 84.49 years. (www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sp.html).Madrid has 3.6 million people. They have the largest population. Barcelona has 1.8 million people. About 79% of the country lives in urban areas. The remaining percentage (21%) live in rural areas.(Chicoine, pg 60) Culture People The people of Spain are called Spaniards. There are four official languages. Castilian Spanish is used for business and government. Catalan is spoken by 17% of the country, Galician, 7%, and Basque, 2%.Catalan is spoken in the northeast corner, Galician in northwest, and basque in the north. (Culturgram, pg 2) 97% of the people are literate. (Background notes, pg 1). The people in Spain over 15 can read and write. (www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sp.html). Belief Systems Spain is predominately Roman Catholic. 99% of the people are baptized members (Culturgram, pg. 2). Spanish life is influenced by Catholic traditions. Freedom of religion was granted in the 1970s. There are also muslims and Jews in Spain. Lifestyle The family is important with Spain. Divorce rates are very low. The father is head of the home. The wife is responsible for caring for the house and children. Men are considered strong and masculine. The women are expected to be understanding and feminine. Men have more social freedom than women. The kids in Spain begin dating in groups at 14. In some areas, couples can only date if they plan to marry. A boy has to meet a girl at a prearranged site, rather than call her at home. The average marriage age for men is 27, for women it is between 20 and 24. Spain's main sport is soccer. Bullfighting is also a popular attraction. Bullfighting is considered an art more than a sport. Team sports are not part of school programs. Most Spaniards like to go to the movies, watch TV or go for walks. Communication In 1993, there were 379 telephone lines

Inequality

20 Argumentative Essay Topics on Gender Equality/Inequality Although most developed countries put considerable efforts into battling gender inequality, and humanity managed to achieve remarkable progress in this area over the last century or so, it still remains one of the most problematic issues modern society has to deal with. Unfortunately, most of the aforementioned progress has been only conspicuous in western societies, while in many developing countries there were no noticeable advances for a long time, sometimes, for centuries. Even today, in the 21st century, barbarous practices like forced marriages and female genital mutilation are still rampant in Africa and the Middle East. So it is safe to assume that we have a very long way to go towards worldwide gender equality. Therefore, it is no wonder that students are so often assigned to write argumentative essays that deal with the topic Gender Equality and Inequality. So what are they, these gender equality and inequality essay topics, and what ideas can be taken into consideration? Look at the detailed information below and start writing your own research paper on any topic from the list. 20 Gender Equality and Inequality Essay Topics Gender equality and inequality is an incredibly broadly defined area of research. If you put a little bit of thought into it you can come up with any number of fascinating, creative and original topics for your opinion essay. Here you can see a few examples: Does Gender Inequality Still Exist in the American Workplace? Gender Equality in Western Society: Achievements and Prospects Does Gender Help or Hinder Women in the Workplace? Main Obstacles for Achieving Workplace Gender Equality in Modern Society Roots of Gender Inequality and Their Expression in Today’s Society The United States and Gender Equality: Where Do We Stand? Gender Equality in Science State Enforcement of Gender Equality Laws: Is It Really Effective? Gender Equality and Gender-Blindness: Differences and Common Features Gender Equality: Are Women Still Being Held Back by Stereotypes? Gender Disparity in Education and Workplace: Results and Future Goals The Role of Gender Equality in the Upbringing of Children Is True Gender Equality Achievable? Gender Equality and Peace: Are They Connected? Gender Equality and its Role in Economic Development Gender Equality and Family Division of Labor Gender Equality in Politics: What Does It Mean? What Does Gender Inequality Cost Us Economically? Gender Disparity in the World of Science: Why It Exists Gender Inequality in the Modern Family Nice topics, aren’t they? And the best part of it is that you don’t have to do any prolonged and tiresome research to come up with a similar idea on your own. Gender equality or inequality is a kind of topic that, to some extent, encompasses the entirety of the human experience. You may take a look at virtually any part of your life and be sure to find some food for thought. After proper consideration, it can be turned into a top-notch topic pertaining to this broad issue. So look into the following areas where gender inequality is possible. Top 5 Areas Where Gender Inequality Is Possible Every year, the rights of women in education, equal pay and fair treatment at work are well regarded worldwide protests, movements, official declarations and so on. However, there are still some areas in which women are treated in a different way: 1. Workplace and Employment Figuratively speaking, women run the world they give birth and raise children, cook meals, give treatment, teach, take part in ensuring stability, but still, they go on feeling less equal in the workforce. It starts with offering employment them. As a rule, finding a well-paid job is much tougher for women than for men. Just look at the statistics! For more details about the labor force participation rates for women and men in each separate country, click this source and include this information in your research paper. According to the International Labor Organization, 70% of women prefer to work in paid jobs regardless of their employment status. Among persistent challenges, there are gender roles, work-family balance, the lack of safe and accessible transportation and the lack of affordable care. Despite the unequal pay, women face other obstacles in the path of successful working sexual harassment, for example. According to an online survey, 81% of women experience some form of sexual harassment during their lifetime. Race and ethnicity can also be an embarrassment for women to get equal earnings. For example, while Native American women have the lowest earnings at $31,000, Hispanic women get $28,000. There is a difference. So, investigate all the causes of gender inequality in the workplace and provide the best solutions to the problems. 2. Religion One of the factors for gender discrimination is religion many religious norms and traditions contribute to gender inequalities in modern society. Most religions maintain male social dominance. Also, religious norms and prejudices may reflect patriarchal values regarding every aspect of life. The voice of women is rarely heard and taken into consideration. Sometimes, it makes a woman carry the burden of victimization besides the burden of motherhood. Most world religions agree on the respect for women and their crucial role in family life, but they do not, however, support the total equality with men. So this is a problem needed to be explored in details like it is done in the research paper â€Å"Religion and gender inequality: The status of women in the societies of world religions†. 3. Education Today, more and more girls go to school freely, but was the situation the same several centuries ago? Despite all the progress, women and girls continue to face barriers based on gender to quality education. Let’s examine the statistics of Sub-Saharan Africa 21% of children are out of school. Among this percentage, 23% of girls don’t go to school compared to 19% of boys. Certainly, this factor of gender inequality in education is underpinned with many other factors high costs of education, living in rural areas, physical or mental impairment, etc. 4. Government Women constitute 50% of the global population. Nevertheless, they continue to be underrepresented in decision-making processes at all governance levels. Some of the examples of gender inequality in the world include low-level or non-participation of women in the government of a country, state or region. Even if they get high positions, they do it with effort due to gender stereotypes â€Å"You are a woman. A woman’s place is in the home†. Today, the situation changes due to spreading democratic values. At the beginning of the 21st century, women were granted two most fundamental democratic rights: the right to vote and the right to stand for election. More and more women appear in the political arena from the last century Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, Theresa May. All these names are familiar to everybody. What does a woman need to achieve most in government? It is a great essay question to research and answer. 5. Family There are some gender differences in families. Signs of discrimination in a family are a lack of respect for a mother, unfair distribution of family budget, etc. In some families, a son inherits all the family fortune because it is he who carries forth the family name and is the sole provider. In some families, women can be victims of violence. And it is also a problem existing today in society. Yes, gender inequality in the workplace, home, and family is slowly being eliminated, but there are still some issues needed to be highlighted and solved. It is important because these discriminatory practices place women at a distinct disadvantage their ability to acquire wealth, enhance social standing, leave an oppressive work environment, or separate from an abusive relationship are reduced or limited by gender stereotypes. Watch the video where Frances McDormand is delivering a triumphant Oscars acceptance speech. In this speech, you’ll find some ideas on gender equality that plays a great role in creating this fair world. And while the battle against gender inequality in the workplace is not a one-day event, this day is still a good opportunity to assess where we stand right now, what has changed from this time last year and previous years, and what we can improve. Your essay may take an economic, sociological, psychological, ethnographical, historical or, in fact, any other turn – you just have to use a little bit of imagination and creativity in defining your approach. After all, with this area of study being that popular, you are sure to find data for your research no matter what you choose.

How to Be Successful in College

How to Be Successful in College Nearly every college student detests cram sessions. Intense, high-stress study sessions can have detrimental effects on both your GPA and your health. And while theres no guaranteed roadmap to success in college, changing your study habits and adjusting your approach to your classes can make a big difference. The following tips are a great place to start. Use Two Notebooks Bring one notebook with you to class, and use it to scratch and scribble down everything you can. It doesn’t need to look neat- it doesn’t even need to be legible. After class (within an hour or so), transfer your notes to your second notebook. Take your time with these notes: highlight key points, mark subject areas your professor emphasized, look up definitions, and record questions for the next lecture. The two-notebook method will help you retain information you might otherwise forget within days. Reviewing all the new material immediately after the lecture will keep it fresh in your mind. Plus, writing things down instead of typing them leads to better retention, according to the Scientific American. Find a Study Buddy   Make friends with someone in your class during the first week of the semester and schedule a regular study session. During your study sessions, review complicated chunks of information and explain them to each other. Think of the process like storytelling- turn your homework into stories, and tell those stories to each other. In addition to making a new friend, you and your study buddy will keep each other accountable all semester long.   Get Enough Sleep The importance of hydration, nutrition, and especially sleep cannot be overstated. Your ability to remember can drop by as much as 40 percent if you haven’t had adequate sleep. Aim to get adequate sleep as many nights as possible, and try to keep the same sleep schedule every night, even on weekends. Know When You Work Best Speaking of a sleep schedule, it’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all study schedule. There is plenty of research indicating benefits for both nighttime studying and early morning studying, so you shouldnt feel pressured to maintain an uncomfortable schedule. As long as you are getting enough sleep and keeping up with your commitments, your schedule is up to you. If you work late at night, make sure to give yourself space and time to sleep in every morning (dont sign up for 8 AM classes if you can help it). Not everyone is a morning person, and that is perfectly okay. Try The Pomodoro Method   The Pomodoro Technique is a focusing method that relies on short bursts of intense work and plenty of breaks. To try the technique, set a timer for 25 minutes and work on a single task. When the timer rings, take a five-minute break, then set another 25 minute timer and get back to work. After four 25-minute intervals, take a longer break. You may find that the Pomodoro Method helps you get more done in a shorter period of time without feeling burnt out. Plus, short study breaks are known to improve concentration. Optimize Your Learning Style Figure out your learning style, then adapt your study techniques to suit that style. Remember to experiment with a few strategies to find what works best for you. If none of the three primary learning styles feel like a great fit, you might benefit from a study strategy that combines two different styles. Go to Office Hours And not just when you’re struggling. Open lines of communication with your professors early in the semester so that, when questions arise, your professor will know you have a vested interest in the class and the material. Developing strong relationships with faculty will also help you if you are considering applying for scholarships or you need letters of recommendation for graduate school. Bring Back Mario Kart Or, more specifically, integrate the music into your study sessions. Music enhances brain activity, and the video game music is specifically design to stimulate brain activity and keep you focused. The wordless, upbeat songs will keep you motivated without distracting you. Space Out Your Studying Spacing out your studying is beneficial for long term retention of the material. If you review your notes each day for 15 minutes, youll be able to retain what you learn in your classes for the long term. Try not to skip review days, or you risk losing what you have retained (especially if it’s new material). Sweat and Study There is a massive body of research that links exercise with good grades and improved learning and cognitive skills- especially if you exercise first and study second. If you are stuck in a study rut and your don’t have time to hit the gym, go for a quick walk. Fresh air and a change in environment will help you create connections and solve problems. Change Locations If youre struggling to focus in your study space, try studying in different locations. For some learners, a change in location builds stronger connections to the material that aren’t dependent on the location where they were originally learned; as a result, the information is more easily recalled later. Consider a Part-Time Job If you’re having trouble managing your study time, you might think getting a job will only compound the problem. However, research suggests that students who work part-time jobs while in school tend to get better grades because the experience improves time management skills.

The effectiveness of dowel bars in concrete pavements Literature review

The effectiveness of dowel bars in concrete pavements - Literature review Example Dowel bars are popularly used in load transfer system over joints. This research paper critical examines various aspects of dowel bars from the theory behind these bars to how they ought to their proper placement in the joints. Stresses in Concrete Pavement A concrete pavement is generally referred to as a rigid pavement. It is multilayered with layers being placed on top of each. The strength of the layers decreases downwards. Figure 1 (Pavement Analysis and Design n.d) The major factors that subject concrete pavements to stresses are â€Å"the action of traffic wheel loads, the expansion and contraction of the concrete due to temperature changes, yielding of the subbase or subgrade supporting the concrete pavement, and volumetric changes† (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). In studying how concrete pavements are subjected to stresses, some basic assumptions have to be made. 1. Concrete pavement slabs are viewed as unreinforced concrete beams. This therefore means that even if the re is some reinforcement made, for instance by including steel, it is ignored (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). 2. Flexural and direct tensile stresses significantly contribute to creation of transverse and longitudinal cracks (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). 3. The subbase or subgrade layer below the concrete pavement is an elastic material. ... Temperature changes lead to expansion and contraction of concrete pavement and this may in turn subject concrete pavement to tensile and compressive stresses. Tensile and compressive stresses will depend on how wide the range of change in temperature is (Garber & Hoel 2009, p. 1085). If the range of the temperature between the top and the bottom of a concrete pavement is big enough then curling is likely to take place. If the upper surface has a higher temperature than the lower surface then the then a compressive stress at the upper surface will be experienced while the lower surface experiences tensile stress. The reverse occurs when there is change in temperature such that the top is cooler than the bottom of the concrete pavement. Freeze-thaw damage can also result to stressing concrete pavements. This often occurs when sedimentary aggregate is used and is often exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. These cycles often lead to durability cracking (Pierce 2009 p. 20). Wheel load stresses It has been noted that traffic wheel loads induce flexural stresses. Flexural stresses induced in this manner are dependent on the position of the line of action of the load, simply the location of the wheels, with respect to the pavement edge. Joint seal damage stresses Damages which may occur at the joints often exposes concrete pavement to a lot of stresses. The five damages which are likely to occur at the joints are: Adhesive failure when joint seal material debonds from the concrete surface; cohesive failure which may occur when the joint sealant material splits within the sealant; extrusion occurs when the joint sealant is pushed or pulled out of the joint due to slab movement and/or traffic; oxidation occurs due to exposure to the elements; and infiltration occurs when

HRD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HRD - Essay Example One aspect that has to be considered is the utilization focused evaluation (UFE) approach that seeks to maximize ownership, understanding, and use of findings by the intended user (Stetson, 2). All stakeholders have to be involved in all stages of an evaluation, raging from sensitizing an outsider evaluator about the program context, improving accuracy of reported findings, and finally identifying any feasible recommendation that has to be implemented (Stetson, 3). Below is a case study of an evaluation process in Global Net Inc., a giant IT Organization. After visiting the human resources department for the intended interview, a representative from the department was obligated to answer to our questions and take us through the detailed intervention program. According to the representative, a program that had been reviewed in the last one year was the graduate recruitment program. The graduate recruitment program according to the representative was critical to the company; it is a strategic program through which the company outsourced quality graduates from leading universities to join the organization family. The graduate recruitment program according to the representative was strategically designed such that it included representatives from all departments who responsible for taking the graduates through a detailed and vigorous orientation program in two weeks; the program involves close observation of each graduate’s abilities, knowledge, ease to learn, and assimilate content, effective communication, and attitude, and a re port prepared on each graduate. The graduates who score the highest on both genders are thus selected to join the organization from the training school coordinated by the human resources department. According to the representative, the primary purpose of carrying out the evaluation was a demand by the organization departmental heads to evaluate the recruitment program and determine if it corresponded to the

Hardware and software report Essay Example for Free

Hardware and software report Essay In this report, I will be discussing what hardware, software, operating system, and how this would be benefiting the company. I will also state how I used the hardware and software, which helped the company. Once that I done, I will describe the advantages and disadvantages of the hardware and software that I used, and compare them to the hardware and software that I could have used. Definitions of hardware, software and operating system: Computer hardware typically consists chiefly of electronic devices (CPU, memory, display) with some electromechanical parts (keyboard, printer, disk drives, tape drives, loudspeakers, floppy discs) for input, output, and storage, though completely non-electronic. A package/application is a complete, self-contained program that performs a specific function directly for the user. This is in contrast to system software such as the operating system kernel, server processes and libraries, which exists to support application programs. The operating system is Software designed to control the hardware of a specific data-processing system in order to allow users and application programs to make use of it. The hardware that I used was:   Tulip monitor: low emission   Tulip CPU: E85-00970   Tulip mouse: M-S48a   HP LaserJet 2200d   HP LaserJet 4200n   Floppy disc   Internet modem The software that I used was:   Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word   Microsoft Paint   Windows Xp Microsoft Word Pad   Internet explorer   Windows Me The advantages of the hardware that I used were:   My work was saved on a CPU, and so my work wouldnt get lost. My work was save on a floppy disc as backup.   The laser HP LaserJet 2200d and HP LaserJet 4200n was very fast in printing my work. The advantages of the software that I used were: Microsoft excel is the easiest package to use a spreadsheet.   Microsoft word is easier to use, then any other writing package. Microsoft paint is the easiest image package to use. The disadvantages of the hardware that I used were:   The computer monitor might freeze, causing me to not do my work.   The printer might not work, so I will not be able to print my work.   The printer might only have black ink, not coloured ink. The floppy disc might be full so that I cannot store any more work on the disc. The disadvantages of the software that I used were:   The Microsoft package might be out of use due to a failure in the computer.   Windows might not have the new updates on the computer, as there might be an old package on the computer, rather then the new one, I. e. Windows 95 instead of Windows Xp. There might not be Internet explorer on the computer to help you with you research. The other hardware that I could have used was: Scanner Zip disc   Different Internet modem, I. e. Blue yonder one-megabit modem. The other software that I could have used was: Microsoft spreadsheet.   Microsoft word processor Microsoft publisher   Microsoft PowerPoint (if I was doing a presentation) When you compare ICT with non-ICT you can see that ICT is so much easier than hand writing something. One reason is that your handwriting might be very bad and as a result, people will not be able read your handwriting. Secondly, when you write pages and pages of information concerning the company, then your hand tends to become tired. With the use of ICT, you wont get tired as you will just be typing, and will eventually feel tired, but not as quickly as you would have done. Another point, which makes ICT much better than any Non ICT, is that if you make a mistake while you are working with non-ICT, you will not be able to make a change very easily, but with ICT you com press the delete or key to get rid of the mistake. Other uses of ICT within Future Fashions are that you can use a mainframe or a midrange, which are unique operating systems. What this would allow you to do is to do better work, as there is better equipment and better facilities to use in a mainframe and in a midrange. Future fashions were not that efficient as they had a lot of problems in the company. One of which was that they didnt even have a logo or a slogan. That just showed how efficient they were, as they didnt even have a log and slogan, and they are meant to be a clothes company. Other problems that they had were; they had no spreadsheet to show how all the employees records were like, no graph to see how much they ware getting paid and no wage slip to show how much the employees would get paid. So in the end, what I did to solve these problems were to actually make the logo, slogan, spreadsheet, graph and wage slip. I think that all the solutions that I can up with very well in the end. The logo was colourful and eye catching, and the slogan was very catchy. The spreadsheet was very easy for the owners of Future Fashions to read from and the graph was also easy for the owners of Future Fashions to see how much each employee gets paid, and could compare the money that the employees get by the other employees. Lastly, the wage slip was successful as the owners of Future Fashions could see how much the employee was getting paid, how much tax there was, how much National Insurance there was, etc. Eventfully, as a result of my work, the problems of future fashions disappeared. The company will now become very successful, in my opinion, as most of the problems have been solved, and Future Fashions can now really take off. A summery of what I have said in the 3-4 pages is just that the hardware and software that I used was very successful for the owners of Future Fashions as it helped the owners of Future Fashions when they needed it most, and as a result, this will benefit the owners on Future Fashions in the long run. The problems that I came across whilst doing this project to help Future Fashions were:   Sometimes the printer wouldnt print in colour because it was a black ink printer. The computer froze a few times, so I had to do it again.   When the computers were getting rebooted after the power cut, all of my work got deleted. Overall, I have found out that the solutions that I came up with really helped the company named Future Fashions. I also found out that all the solutions that I came up with improved the image of Future Fashions, making it a very successful company.

Beloved :: essays research papers

Beloved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In regards to the novel Beloved Toni Morrison says, “[The novel] can’t be driven by slavery. It has to be the interior life of some people, a small group of people, and everything that they do is impacted on by the horror of slavery, but they are also people.'; Critics argue that the novel is driven by slavery and that the interior life of the protagonists is secondary. This is true because most of the major events in the story relate to some type of slavery. The slavery that drives the novel does not have to be strictly physical slavery. Morrison’s characters are slaves physically and mentally. Although they are former slaves, they are forever trapped by horrible memories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The type of slavery the novel initially depicts does not correspond to what really happened to slaves in the 1800s. At Sweet Home, Mr. and Mrs. Garner treated their slaves like real people. Mr. Garner is proud of his slaves and treats them like men, not animals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . . . they were Sweet Home men -- the ones Mr. Garner bragged about while other farmers shook their heads in warning at the phrase. [He said,] “. . . my niggers is men every one of em. Bought em thataway, raised em thataway. Men every one.';1 The things that occurred at Sweet Home while Mr. Garner is alive are rather conservative compared to what slaves actually suffered during this time period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Under the management of schoolteacher, things change dramatically. He turns Sweet Home into a real slave plantation. He treats and refers to the slaves as animals. He is responsible for the horrible memories embedded in Sethe and Paul D.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sethe feels the impact of slavery to its fullest extent. Slavery pushes her to kill her baby daughter. She feels that is the only way to protect her beloved daughter from the pain and suffering she would endure if she became a slave. The minute she sees schoolteachers hat, Sethe’s first instinct is to protect her children. Knowing that slave catchers will do anything to bring back fugitive slaves and that dead slaves are not worth anything, Sethe took matters into her own hands.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On page 164 Sethe says, “I stopped him. I took and put my babies where they’d be safe.'; Paul D asks, “How? Your boys gone you don’t know where. One girl dead, the other won’t leave the yard.

Describing Death

Giovanni Martinelli’s early career as a Florentine painter is relatively unknown. It is documented that he moved to Florence in 1634. Prior to relocating, Martinelli produced Memento Mori (Death Comes to the Dinner Table). This piece has a comparable style to the Florentine painters Filippo Tarchiani and Anastagio Fontebuoni. Memento Mori is displayed in a clear narrative style. Martinelli created a colorful and dramatic scene that was underscored by the hasty arrival of death. Some translations state that Memento Mori means â€Å"Remember, you shall die. Here, Martinelli portrays a group of five individuals of varying ages. They appear to be from a wealthy stock. They wear expensive clothing and are seen at a dinner table partaking in a party of sorts. They are gallivanting around a table that is filled with an abundant collection of exotic fruits, pies, and pastries. Along with the food, Martinelli painted various wine glasses that appear to be hand-crafted and of the highe st fashion. Giovanni used bright, shiny silken wear with colors ranging from yellow, to peach, to blue. The colors complement each figure, adding to their personality and desire for greed. These wealthy-looking people appear—almost instantaneously—to be in a rigid state of duress. On the far right side of the painting, we see, in dark shades, the resemblance of a skeleton holding up an hourglass, as if to say, â€Å"cheers. † This one-time jovial band of feasters is seen reacting to the new character intruding on their high-standing party. The faces offer gestures of utter shock and dismay. All the focus shifts from their colorful mealtime festivities to this arch nemesis, and back again. The skeletal metaphor of death leans into one man’s shoulder. This man closest to death is in the act of clutching his heart. His eyes dilate toward the figure of death and his mouth, just slightly ajar, appears to be ready to cave open in utter horror. He, however, is too dumbfounded by this apparent figure of death’s close proximity to do anything but freeze in horror. ANALYSIS OF MEMENTO MORI There are two men at the rear end of the table, furthest from death. They are also horrified. One man is seen posturing with arms wide-open, even though his is furthest from death. He is attempting to back away; yet, at the same time, he is powerless and unable to leave the empty gaze of death’s vision; for running will do no good to the mortal man, regardless if he led a life of sin-hood or martyrdom. Morals were almost epidemic in Martinelli’s fresco works. Memento Mori is another classic story-telling scene with moralistic intent. The era of this 17th century creation occurred at a time when plague was a hearty, healthy killer. The deathful onslaught of plague, in all its pestilence, came to towns without warning. It attacked the poor and wealthy alike, caring little for a person’s status in regards to wealth, politics, or religion. To create the moral fabric surrounding the powers of death through plague, Martinelli displayed deep imagery between the youthful party-goers who were enjoying their food and intoxicating drinks. He contrasts these free-willing, wealthy individuals with the ghastly—even chilling—reality of death. He does so by casting death’s chin over one man’s shoulder. This imagery adds power and personality to the fresco. Martinelli displays the image of death coming to this gathering alone and without emotion or guile. The lone figure of death is shown to uproot the lives of this group of healthy, stress-free people—startling the living daylights out of everyone, young and old. MODERN-DAY IRONY Today, some four-hundred years after Giovanni Martinelli finished his last brush stroke to canvas, we remain as close to the fear of death’s randomness as the 17th century plague-ridden societies were. For 300 years plague hung over the lives of Europeans like an omnipresent cloud,† said Mormando, who is an Italian studies professor at Boston College. This statement, today, holds tremendous weight to our real-world current lifestyle. Today, terrorism, war, suicide bombing, and the like are the molds that cast this same skeletal image at our kitchen table. Terrorism is a specter that comes at us in many forms: anthrax, subway bombs, and suicide hijacker leading to the massive death of September 11, 2001. Just as smallpox left past centuries in a state of despair and real fear, we, today, see how fear forces us to change our reality. This changing reality holds an ominous likeness to the changes that the banqueters in Momento Mori faced. Martinelli’s plague painting is characteristic 17th century Italian. The horrific tendency of the subject matter never destroyed the utter beauty—even charismatic charm—of the oils that he chose to mix in his representation of terror and deathly destruction. For in his era of epidemics and massive death, hardly a decade passed without plague haunting a town and bringing it to its knees. When this painting was created, there wasn’t anything small about death. It came in massive, near apocalyptic proportions, decimating generations in the blink of an eye. So, the timing of Martinelli’s piece was right in line with the mood of the generation. This connection further enlivened his work back then. Since we, in the dawn of the 21st century, can relate to massive death and fear through terrorism, war, and civil upheaval around the globe, it also adds empowering imagery to his age-old mastery. The imagery of Memento Mori is further encapsulated by the grave images on these wealthy party-goers’ faces. The hand-crafted beautiful likeness on the faces of those facing death offers deep-rooted thinking that says: As some of the Italians survived a plague-ridden epidemic, they continued to look-over-their-shoulders awaiting the next surprise visit by the specter of death. It’s rather haunting how this parallels with what terrorism instills upon societies around the planet today. Plague paintings like Martinelli’s, many times, depicted a person pinching their nose to refrain from smelling the horror of death in the air. Martinelli, however, appeared to glaze over his moral of death and the fear of death by not rendering any people in his paintings to be abhorred by the scent of death. This may further enhance the true lifestyle of the wealthy in the 17th century: they had more than they could fathom. So, was Martinelli a closet optimist? Or was his subliminal imagery set up to leave us with this question: How can the rich continue to ignore the fate of death, and why don’t they seem concerned with finding ways to better humanity instead of bettering their personal property and lavishness? In closing, we must also consider the element of hope and healing, and why it is not apparent in Memento Mori. We must consider the ‘miasma theory’ and its transmission by way of corrupt air. It’s the complete randomness of plague that Martinelli depicts so well that adds such force to this painting. As we continue to live in corrupt societies, it seems that the fear of death will continue to hang over our shoulders. Terrorism is likened to the countless plagues that washed over communities those many centuries ago. As death and terror come and go, the art of the masters remain untouched.

Communication: Meaning of Life and Words Essay

The words we use and the order in we use them give particular meaning to our communication. There are certain occasions when the meaning is clear even though the words used are technically wrong. But you cannot be certain that everyone with whom you communicate with will understand what you are saying or the person who is sending you a message. Prejudice is an unreasonable dislike or preference for a person or group based on their religion, race sex etc. While perception is how you notice things especially with your senses. Since we use most of our senses to communicate, most people will use the most dominant senses they have to pass a message and the outlook will determine how we judge them, for example a person may be a visually dominant person and you may maybe a touch oriented person so the way he may pass on a message to you will not come out clearly or it may bring out a different meaning as to what it was originally intended to. Incorrect expression will mean that the ideas that are to be conveyed will not be clear and you may lose interest in the message or communication and thus you will come out with a different perspective of the person conveying this message or the message itself. As humans we tend to have this weakness of stereotyping people once we look at them. We tend to judge people from their outside appearance rather than from what they say or do but once a person has written or spoken something we come out with a different view of them according to Pearson, nelson, titsworth and harter (2003) our expectations and our expressions of the behavior of others are guided by how we perceive them and its through their communications is how we will look at it. How words dictate pride and prejudice Here is where we will discuss how use of words will affect how we perceive people and how prejudice will come in. Adopting the proper use of words are both crucial to both personal and business life. Unless friends and acquaintances know what they mean, relationships will become strained. Unless employees interpret what is communicated to them well, work production will go down. so the proper use of words will dictate how we interpret things and use them in our day to day activities. Words can be seen as formal and distance lacking the personal touch which is so often positive, a feature in other forms of communications. It takes a highly skilled communicator to interpret the message to its intended form. People tend to use complicated words which they may try to impress the person receiving the message †¦. â€Å"Never use complicated words or phrases for simple things† (sillars 1988) as it will bring a huge meaning from what it was originally meant to and it will make the message receiver look at it from a different perspective. Using inaccurate words and in a misplaced order will affect how a message is supposed to be passed along. Words tend to lose their effects through constant use, its far better to be specific and clear than to risk irritating and confusing to the receiver of the message†¦ â€Å"communicators who fail to realize that persons from different cultures may not look think or act as themselves do run the risks of having those whom they interact with judge them to be insensitive ignorant or culturally confused† (gamble 2002) like a word which may mean happiness to you may mean totally different in another different community or country. Since perception is through our senses and our senses vary, we interpret words and messages differently. Not everyone perceives things the way we do, we form stereotypes of people, things and situations so the way a message is passed along and the words used in the message dictates how we will perceive the message and interpret it. Each individual perception of a message is influenced by his or her attitude thus out of the massive information available to us we will pick out the messages that has words that conform to our own beliefs, expectations or convictions and we tend to reject the information that has words which contradicts them. Our selective processes allow us to add delete or change stimuli so that we can avoid dealing with certain information. Wrong use of words can also lead to a process called selective perception which is the tendency to see hear and believe only what u want. Words can help us form first impression about people thus first impressions can dramatically affect perception about people†¦Ã¢â‚¬ you will find that people usually attribute positive qualities to persons A, selecting a descriptive word with very positive connotations in contrast, persons B is often perceived as possessing negative qualities and for this reason the word chosen to describe B has also negative connotations† (gamble 2002) Perhaps the most difficult thing with words is that they can mean two different things to two different people, and they do not have the opportunity to query it immediately. Benjamin Disraeli, the first English prime minister of Jewish descend and a brilliant novelist used to reply in this words to admires who send him large manuscripts of their own in the hopes of gaining his advice†¦. †many thanks, I shall loose no time in reading it†. The gulf between what he meant and what they thought he meant was, we can guess, considerable. Everyone who works with words should be aware of how they can take on a new, different and disturbing meaning in the minds of others, and should guard against this by checking even the most apparent straightforward expressions before using them. Many new words add vigor and strength to a language and can be very effective when used in the right context. Words need to be used with caution if you do not want to be ambiguous, inaccurate or totally incomprehensible in what you say, even if a new word or a new saying becomes common and is heard in every television or radio broadcast, try not to adopt it immediately and uncritically, pause for a moment and consider whether it helps to clarify the ideas it puts forward, or whether it obscures it otherwise it will bring forward a different perception of the message it intended to pass forward†¦Ã¢â‚¬ it is also important to realize that a word that does not function for you may function differently for another person even if you did not intend it to be given a certain interpretation†(gamble 2002) Since we assign meaning on the basis of our experience, and since no two people have the same set of experiences, it follows that no two people will have the same meaning for the same word. This aspect should neither be lauded nor cursed; it should simply be remembered. Too frequently we let our words lead us away from where we want to go, we unwittingly antagonize our family, friends and co-workers. We are i nfuriated, For example, when an important deal collapses because our position has not been understood; or we are terrified when the leaders of government miscommunicate and put their counties on a collision cause. In order to avoid or alleviate such problems, we must remember that meaning can change as people who use their words change. You might wear a sports jacket or a sweater or a Pair of jeans to a casual party, but this does not mean that everyone else who is invited to that party would interpret casual in the same way. The meaning people attribute to symbols and words are affected by their background, age, educational level and work. Forgetting this can cause misunderstandings and lead to communication difficulties. â€Å"Words in themselves have no meaning, the meaning resides in the mind of the communicators†(sillars 1988). try to identify how the lives of people with whom you communicate with can cause them to respond to words in ways you would not respond. Different responses are neither right nor wrong they are simply different. Conclusion While points argued attempt to reflect accurate use of words, they should be used with certain limitation and care. Remember that human beings are the same physically but they may differ in mind and reasoning, even the meaning of words may change or alter with time. For example, scholars who edit Shakespeare have to update the punctuation of earlier editions so that the contemporary reader can gain a proper grasp of the meaning and movements of the speeches and the significance to the actions. Be clear, be accurate, and be concise, always choosing the words which make you point in the most direct way, and you will be able to communicate effectively. References Baran, (2004) introduction to mass communication, McGraw hill companies New York Harter, nelson, Pearson, titsworth (2003) human communication, McGraw hill companies New York Michael gamble, Teri gamble, (2002) how communication works, McGraw hill companies New York Sillars (1988), success in communication, john Murray (publishers) ltd, London Sillars (1981) communication rules ok! John Murray (publishers) ltd, London.

Friend and Protected Friend in VB.NET

Friend and Protected Friend in VB.NET Access modifiers (also called scoping rules) determine what code can access an element- that is, what code has permission to read it or write to it. In previous versions of Visual Basic, there were three types of classes. These have been carried forward to .NET. In each of these, .NET allows access only to code: Private - within the same module, class, or structure.Friend - within the same assembly.Public - anywhere in the same project, from other projects that reference the project, and from any assembly built from the project. In other words, any code that can find it. VB.NET has also added one and a half new ones. ProtectedProtected Friend The half is because Protected Friend is a combination of the new Protected class and the old Friend class. The Protected and Protected Friend modifiers are necessary because VB.NET implements the last OOP requirement that VB was missing: Inheritance. Previous to VB.NET, supercilious and disdainful C and Java programmers would belittle VB because it was, according to them, not fully object oriented. Why? Previous versions lacked inheritance. Inheritance allows objects to share their interfaces and/or implementation in a hierarchy. In other words, inheritance makes it possible for one software object that takes on all of the methods and properties of another one. This is often called the is-a relationship. A truck is-a vehicle.A square is-a shape.A dog is-a mammal. The idea is that more general and widely used methods and properties are defined parent classes and these are made more specific in child classes (often called subclasses). Mammal is a more general description than dog. Whales are mammals. The big benefit is that you can organize your code so you only have to write code that does something that lots of objects have to do once in the parent. All employees have to have an employee number assigned to them. More specific code can be part of the child classes. Only employees that work in the general office need to have an employee door card key assigned to them. This new capability of inheritance requires new rules, however. If a new class is based on an old one, Protected is an access modifier that reflects that relationship. Protected code can be accessed only from within the same class, or from a class derived from this class. You dont want employee door card keys being assigned to anyone except employees. As noted, Protected Friend is a combination of the access of both Friend and Protected. Code elements can be accessed either from derived classes or from within the same assembly, or both. Protected Friend can be used to create libraries of classes since code that accesses your code only has to be in the same assembly. But Friend also has that access, so why would you use Protected Friend? The reason is that Friend can be used in a Source file, Namespace, Interface, Module, Class, or Structure. But Protected Friend can only be used in a Class. Protected Friend is what you need for building your own object libraries. Friend is just for difficult code situations where assembly wide access is really required.

Teaching Civic Education in the Post-Trump Era

Teaching Civic Education in the Post-Trump Era Educators teaching civics during the presidency of Donald Trump can turn to social media to provide teachable  moments and have conversations  with students  about Americas democratic process. Beginning in the election campaign and continuing through the presidency, there have been many teachable moments in the form of 140 characters that come from the personal Twitter account of President Donald Trump. These messages are clear examples  of social medias growing influence on American foreign and domestic policy. Within a few days, President Trump may tweet about a range of topics including immigration issues, natural disasters,  nuclear threats, as well as the pregame behavior of NFL players.    President Trump’s tweets are not bound to the Twitter software platform. His tweets are then read aloud and analyzed on news media outlets. His tweets are re-published by both paper and digital newspaper outlets. In general, the more incendiary the tweet from Trump’s personal Twitter account, the more likely the tweet will become a major talking point in the 24-hour news cycle. Another example of a teachable moment from social media comes from the admission by Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg that campaign ads could have been purchased by foreign agencies during the 2016 presidential election in order to shape public opinion. In coming to this conclusion, Zuckerberg stated on his own Facebook page  (9/21/2017): â€Å"I care deeply about the democratic process and protecting its integrity. Facebooks mission is all about giving people a voice and bringing people closer together. Those are deeply democratic values and were proud of them. I dont want anyone to use our tools to undermine democracy. Zuckerburg’s statement indicates a growing awareness that the influence of social media may need more oversight. His message echoes a caution offered by the designers of the C3 (College, Career, and Civic) Frameworks for Social Studies. In describing the important role of civic education for all students, the designers also offered the cautionary note, â€Å"Not all [civic] participation is beneficial.† This statement alerts educators to anticipate the growing and sometimes controversial role of social media and other technologies in the future lives of students.    Beneficial Civic Education Using Social Media Many educators themselves use social media as a part of their own civic life experiences. According to the Pew Research Center (8/2017) two-thirds (67%) of Americans report getting their news from social media platforms. These educators may be included in the 59% of people who state that their interactions on social media with people of opposing political views are stressful and frustrating or they may be part of the 35% who find such interactions interesting and informative. Educator experiences can help inform the civic lessons that they design for their students. Incorporating social media is an established way to engage students. Students already spend much of their time online, and social media is accessible and familiar.   Social Media as Resource and Tool Today, educators can readily access primary source  documents  from politicians, business leaders, or institutions. A  primary source  is an original object,  such as audio or video recordings and social media is rich with these resources. For example, the  White House  YouTube  account hosts the video recording of the  Inauguration  of the 45th president. Primary sources can also be digital documents (firsthand information) that were written or created during the historical time under study. One example of a digital document would be from the Twitter account of  Vice-President Pence  in reference to Venezuela in which he states,No free people has ever chosen to walk the path from prosperity to poverty (8/23/2017). Another example comes from  the Instagram account of President Donald Trump: If America comes together – if the people speak with one voice – we will bring back our jobs, we will bring back our wealth, and for every citizen across our great land... (9/6/17) These digital documents are resources that educators in civic education to call attention to specific content or to the role that social media has played as a tool for promotion, organization, and management in recent election cycles.   Educators who recognize this high level of engagement understand the great potential for social media as an instructional tool. There are a number of  interactive websites  that are aimed at promoting civic engagement, activism, or community involvement in intermediate or middle schools. Such online civic engagement tools can be the initial preparation for engaging young people in their communities to get involved in civic activities. In addition, educators can use examples of social media to demonstrate its unifying power to bring people together and also to demonstrate its divisive power to separate people into groups.   Six practices for incorporating social media Social studies teachers may be familiar with the Six Proven Practices for Civic Education hosted on the National Council of Social Studies website. The same six practices can be modified by using social media as a resource of primary sources and also as a tool for supporting civic engagement.   Classroom Instruction: Social media offers many primary document resources that can be used to spark debate, support research, or take informed action. Educators must be ready to provide instruction on how to evaluate the source(s) of texts that come from social media platforms.Discussion of Current Events and Controversial Issues: Schools can access current events on social media for classroom discussion and debate. Students can use social media  texts as the basis for polls and surveys to predict or to determine public response to controversial issues.Service-Learning: Educators can design and implement programs that provide students with hands-on opportunities. These opportunities can use social media as communication or management tool for more formal curriculum and classroom instruction. Educators themselves can use social media platforms to connect with other educators as a form of professional development. Links posted on social media can be used for inquiry and research.Ext racurricular Activities: Educators can use social media as a means to recruit and continue to engage young people to get involved in their schools or communities outside of the classroom. Students can create portfolios on social media of their extra-curricular activities as evidence for college and career. School Governance: Educators can use social media to encourage student participation in school government (ex: student councils, class councils) and their input in school governance (ex: school policy, student handbooks).  Simulations of Democratic Processes: Educators can encourage students to participate in simulations (mock trials, elections, legislative sessions) of democratic processes and procedures. These simulations would use social media for ads for candidates or policies. Influencers in Civic Life Civic education at every grade level has always been designed to prepare students to be responsible participants in our constitutional democracy. The evidence suggests that what be added to the design is how educators explore the role of social media in civic education. The Pew Research Center lists recent high school graduates (ages 18-29) as choosing Facebook (88%) as their preferred social media platform compared to students in high school who rank Instagram (32%) as their favored platform. This information indicates educators must become familiar with multiple social media platforms to meet student preferences. They must be ready to address the sometimes outsized role social media plays in Americas constitutional democracy. They must bring perspective to the different points of view expressed on social media and teach students how to evaluate the sources of information. Most importantly, educators must provide students practice with social media through discussion and debate in the classroom, especially when the Trump Presidency offers the kinds of teachable moments that make civic education authentic and engaging. Social media is not limited to our nations digital borders. Roughly one-quarter of the worlds population (2.1 billion users) is on Facebook; one billion users are active on  WhatsApp  daily. Multiple social media platforms connect our students to networked global communities. In order to provide students with critical skills important for 21st century citizenship, educators should prepare students to understand the influence of social media and to be able to communicate using social media on issues both national and global.

Ecnmic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ecnmic - Essay Example Again the prices fell during 2008, which reported a massive drop since the start of the year. These changes are due to the factors of recession that emerged during the last few years. The reasons for such change can be attributed to the demand and supply theory which states the relationship between demand and change in prices. The lower prices during 2008 are due to credit crunch that resulted in scarcity in availabilities of mortgages. The buyers could not purchase because they could not borrow money, thus, a fall in demand was seen in the housing sector. In order to boost the market, prices were lowered down to increase demand. According to certain forecasters, they will continue to remain slow because of rising inflation, unemployment and slow pace of growth. The interest rates during 2007 affected consumer spending. As in the theories of demand and supply, interest rates play a major part. Thus, the impact of interest rates on the house price will have to be established. As the interest rates rose, the number of mortgage approval also fell due to its effect on the consumer’s capacity to spend. When this ability decreases, the demand also decreases accordingly. It was also seen that with an increase in interest rates during 2007, a rise in sales of houses was recorded. Due to the rise in inflation, first time buyers of house felt the necessity of fund as they found themselves incapable to afford prices. Thus, with a thrust in the rate hike, the prices of house were also increased to maintain break-even as people were forced to take loan, despite the fact that interest rates were still high. Growth of real incomes: As there is a rise in an average standard of living, the demand for housing as well as for luxurious properties increased. As people in UK showed a trend to move to exclusive houses, the demand for housing increases with high prices which increased the growth of incomes

Indicate the implication of the article for Saudi Managers Essay

Indicate the implication of the article for Saudi Managers - Essay Example e objectives: â€Å"to replace foreign workers with competent Saudis, create more jobs for Saudis in the private sector, regulate the management of both local and foreign workers, and improve the welfare of Saudi and expatriates working in the private sector.† These are the emerging legal implications for Saudi managers. Specifically, the new legal requirements are as follows: Thus, Saudi managers will have to ensure that their HRM practices comply with these laws. In particular, vulnerable and endow workers have been granted basic legal rights concerning annual leave, health and safety precautions, maximum working hours, safe working environment, and for females, maternity leave. It will be the onus of the managers to guarantee that these basic legal rights are provided in the workplace. It is suggested that in Saudi Arabia â€Å"laws are often partially enforced and inequitably applied.† But, the government has laid out these laws to promote welfare so they should be implemented by all organizations to which they concern. Keeping this in mind, the government lays stress on trying â€Å"to shape the cognitive norms that guide manager’s HRM policies and practices†¦ by influencing managers’ beliefs about what is good HRM practice and what is not.† This shows that the government has not only established the legal framework to improve working conditions, but is also attempting to influence thinking by providing justifications, guidelines and offering incentives in order to make the policies accepted more widely. In doing so, they are also keen to point out that these new laws do not contravene the shariah due to the pervasive influence of the latter. The government wants â€Å"to create sustainable employment for the increasing number of young Saudis joining the labour market,† hence the targeting of the private sector. The ground reality is that these laws are a concern for some Saudi managers. For example, it is not only convenient but also cheaper to hire

DISCUSSION QUESTION RESPONSE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 45

DISCUSSION QUESTION RESPONSE - Essay Example Certain managerial structures are not fit for a particular organization. Thus these organizations need to make adjustments to custom fit managerial tactics which would be effective not just for the administrative part but also for the workforce. An effective management does not only look after the betterment of its administration. It should also be taking care of its workforce as this is the sector responsible for the output that which gives income to the company. For a management to be effective, it should be able to communicate with the workers who would be carrying out the majority of the work in the organization. As stated earlier, with the companies exploring the international market, traditional management is not applicable anymore because there would be workers who would be coming from locations where managers are not able to visit on a daily or weekly basis. Therefore, management should be flexible to answer the needs of its workforce without sacrificing the other aspects of the company. Flexibility is the key towards effective management to cope up with the changes in the market and within the organization

The Goal A Process of Ongoing Improvement Essay Example for Free

The Goal A Process of Ongoing Improvement Essay The two authors are finalising the first comprehensive bibliography on the Theory of Constraints (TOC)[23] which is to be published by North River Press, the publishers of several works on TOC, most notably Eli Goldratt’s seminal works [l l-171, such as The Goal, It’s Not Luck, and Critical Chain. Based on our extensive search of the literature, this talk will draw on examples of applications of TOC, and summae important findings on the theory and practice of TOC. Although initially a manufacturing method, TOC has now developed into a theory about management: a powerful systemic problem structuring and problem solving methodology which can be used to develop solutions with both intuitive power and analytical rigour. TOC is increasingly being applied to situations outside the manufacturing context, including distribution, marketing, project management, accounting in fact, any situation involving change to a system. 1 Introduction The main motivation for the research reported in this paper was the realisation that TOC is growing very rapidly, and we simply did not know what was â€Å"out there†; ie what had already been tackled. Hence our mission two years ago was to conduct a literature search to identify recent works (mostly post 1990). This search has culminated in an annotated bibliography, which is to be published shortly by North River Press [23]. Alongside this literature research grew a Masters thesis, pulling all this material together, both the theory and the practice. [2] This paper will first briefly outline the background to TOC, and then report on the practice-related material from the survey of published applications and the findings. Readers wishing to gain the benefit of a fuller treatment of this material for a review of the entire TOC field are referred to [2]; while those wishing to obtain a copy of the bibliography are referred to [23]. In its brief 20-year history, TOC has developed rapidly in terms of both methodology (see for example [6], [S]) and area of applications (see for example, [ 191, 271). In the late 1970’s, the founder of the Theory of Constraints (TOC), Eliyahu Goldratt, Israeli physicist turned business guru, developed a revolutionary method for production scheduling [lo] which was in  stark contrast to accepted methods available at the time, such as MRP. Central to the TOC philosophy was that any organisation (or system) has a constraint (or small number of constraints) which dominate the entire system. The secret to success lies with managing these constraints, and the system as it interacts with these constraints, to get the best out of the whole system. The Drum-Buffer-Rope schedulingsystem, together with the general principles espoused in The Goal, were elements of TOC that became part of successful manufacturing management. Even so, some companies failed in their attempts to adopt OPT, the software package based on Goldratt’s method [lo]. Such failure was usually diagnosed as an inability or unwillingness by the organisation to discard old traditions, and embrace the new philosophy and the new measures that were concomitant with successful adoption. The most common measures that need to be reviewed are accounting measures, as TOC promotes the use of global system-wide measures, rather than local measures. The motivation for this is that if a system as a whole is to achieve its goal, it is best for the system’s individual parts to work as a team in â€Å"sync† rather than at their own individual speeds. Given that the major constraint to improvement was the resistance to changing these measures, it is not surprising therefore that this is the direction that TOC followed, to tackle this biggest constraint to adoption behaviours. Thus the TOC Thinking Processes were born: a suite of tools that allows people to learn and use the thinking processes that enable them to develop their own solutions to complex problems. This suite of tools enables analysis of a situation, using the rigour of cause and effect thinking following strict logic rules, combined with the intuition and knowledge of the persons owning, or intimately involved with, the problem. The TP’s enable more complex problems (â€Å"messes†) to be tackled, and have much in common with other soft systems approaches such as SSM and SODA/cognitive mapping. In our opinion, these thinking processes now offer much to OIUMS practitioners (as well as the more traditional users from the Operations Management field). 2 The Survey The literature search has uncovered over 310 items on TOC, including 32 books. The majority of these were developing/discussing the methodology from a theoretical viewpoint. Many claims were made regarding the benefits of TOC. These included increased throughputs, reduced inventories and lead-times, which in turn would lead to higher sales, and improved profits, quality, and customer satisfaction. However we felt it would also be useful to collect together and analyse the actual reported data on the benefits of TOC, to verify or disprove these claims. The literature search identified over one hundred case studies or vignettes that contained information on the results of applications of TOC. Not all cases or vignettes provided quantitative data on the results of applying TOC. In total, we were able to collect quantitative data on the application of TOC to seventy-seven different companies. The types of organisations covered by these cases varied from giant multi-national corporations and industry leaders like Boeing and GM, to military organisations lie the US Aii Force, to small town bakeries. The vast majority of TOC applications were in the manufacturing sector. Within this sector, there are significant clusters of applications in the aerospace, apparel, automotive, electronics, furniture, semiconductor, steel and heavy engineering industries. Most of these focused on the manufacturing operations of each organisation. However, there were several instances of application to administrative functions. Analysis of the frequency of article and book publications per year shows a considerable growth of publications in recent years. This is partially due to the formation of the Constraints Management Special Interest Group within the influential APICS. This year, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of books published on TOC, withnine new books hitting the shelves, including [6], [21], [26]. This takes the total number of books on TOC to 32, since the release of The Goal [ 151 in 1984. TOC is a complex methodology requiring skill and cooperation to implement. This may be why there have been few â€Å"complete† applications of the methodology reported in the literature. Most applications involve components of the overall philosophy, predominantly the operations management technique, DBR, and the constraint oriented continuous  improvement technique, the Five Focusing Steps. This is significant as many of the results of applications, summarised below, are the result of only the partial power of TOC. The case survey methodology [20] used for data collection has limitations, the main one being the lack of consistency in the reporting conventions. Authors used a range of different frames and methods for reporting results. Thus, there were limitations to the types of data that were usable. However, sample size of 78 applications provided sufficient data for robust conclusions for most variables, the only exception being changes in profitability; the small sample size for this is thought to be due to commercial sensitivity. However, this deficiency is made up by a reasonable sample of organisations reporting changes in revenue resulting from the application. In total, a sample of twenty-five -data points were gathered for changes in financial performance. Inherent within the case survey methodology is the potential for bias on the part of the authors themselves, and academic journal editors. However the latter bias may be mitigated in part, as articles relating to TOC were published in some 83 different journals and magazines. The great majority of applications reported in the literature were conducted in North America. A number of European applications were reported, with only a few cases emerging from the UK and Australasia. 2.1 Data Analysis This research exercise is believed to be the first published examination of the actual performance of the Theory of Constraints’. The table in Appendix 1 gives a selection of the results2. We were initially concerned that there were so many apparent gaps in the data, as it could be argued that these omissions indicate that these factors were not improved, or that only a few factors in each case improved, perhaps even to the detriment of other factors. However, on reflection we recognised there are many valid reasons for such omissions. Firstly, several of the measures used are essentially measuring the same  effect: eg Lead-time, Cycle Time and Due Date performance all measure the company’s ability to respond speedily to customer orders. Thus one would not expect authors to report all measures. Secondly, many companies do not wish to report factors such as financial results, for competitive reasons. Thirdly, many companies adopt TOC with a particular focus, such as to improve due date performance and may fail to give much attention to effects outside this focus. Furthermore, it is often difficult to collect hard data: people do not always take measurements before they make changes: they may not envisage how effective this approach will be often they have tried other methods before, and the results have not been noteworthy, so why should this method be any different? Sometimes the results are simply too hard to calculate: eg to calculate the Inventory figures using Goldratt’s definition (see [6], [ 161 or [27]) is problematic if the company’s accounts are prepared using normal cost ’ To our knowledge, the only other published survey of applications to date is that by Noreen, Smith and Mackey [27], which reported in depth on 25 organisations that were using TOC. ’ The complete table runs to some 7 pages, so is not included here due to the page limit.accounting conventions (GAPP), as experience with Expozay showed [22]. Or they may have changed the way they measure Inventory as part of the change to TOC, and hence any reported figures would be misleading. Another reason might be that people would prefer not to know how bad things really are at the start. Finally, when taken in context of the articles themselves, it is apparent that the authors considered TOC to be a success. For all these reasons, the gaps in the data are not considered to be unreasonable. The data available was analysed using Exploratory Data Analysis methods. 2.2 Findings of the analysis The results of the analysis of reported changes in operational and financial performance, resulting from the application of TOC, are summarised below: Lead-Times: Mean Reduction 69 % A mean reduction in lead-time of 69% emerged from the sample of thirty-two  observations, all of which reported reductions. Over three quarters of the sample experienced reductions in lead-time greater than 50% Cycle-Times: Mean Reduction 66% In every case where changes in cycle-time were reported, the reports showed a decrease, or improvement in cycle-time. Fourteen observations made up the sample for change in cycle-times. Due-Date-Performance: Mean Improvement 60% Improving due-date-performance is synonymous with meeting delivery promises to customers. A mean improvement of 60% emerged from the sample. Twelve observations made up the sample for change in due-date-performance. Several organisations experienced improvements of over 100%. Inventory Levels: Mean Reduction 50% Reducing inventory is associated with reducing lead-times in a DBR system. A mean inventory reduction of 50% resulted from the sample of 28 observations. Lead-Time and Inventory Reduction: Correlation 0.77 Goldratt and Fox (1986) claim that when DBR is applied to a manufacturing system, the reduction in lead-time is strongly correlated with the reduction of inventory level. This research verifies the claims of Goldratt and Fox, as shown by a 0.77 Spearrnan’s Rank Correlation. This analysis was conducted on a sample of thirteen observations where organisations provided data on changes to both lead-times and inventory levels. Revenue / Throughput: Mean Increase 68% (outlier exclusive) This variable represents the amount of money coming into the organisation. All reports represented increases in revenue or throughput. The impressive mean increase of 68% excludes one outlier, a 600% increase at Lucent Technologies achieved within one year. Five organisations, from the sample of eighteen, reported increases in revenues in excess of lOO%, within one financial year.Combined Financial Variable: Mean Increase 82 % A sample of twenty-five observations for the combine revenue / throughput / profit variable revealed a mean increase of 82%, excluding the 600% increase at Lucent Technologies. 2.3 Conclusions from this analysis: l In the survey of over 100 cases, no failures or disappointing results were reported. l Some substantial improvements in operational variables as well as financial variables were reported. On average, inventories were reduced by 50%, production times (measured by lead-times, cycle times or due date performance) improved by over 60%, and financial measures improved by over 80%. In addition, inventory reductions were accompanied by lead-time reductions a feat not matched by JIF. l The vast majority of cases reported only partial applications of TOC. We are left to wonder whether improvements would have been even greater had more of the methodology been applied. l The entire survey revealed over 300 articles and books on TOC, of which only a handful contained negative comments, and none of these related to actual applications of the methodology.  While there were several papers reporting computer simulations comparing TOC with other scheduling methods, typically MRP and JIT, none showed TOC to be inferior to other methods; most showed a significant advantage on most measures. l TOC evokes some emotive responses, which is not surprising given that TOC challenges some fundamental notions. l The technical solution to dramatically improving financial and operational performance, is comparatively simple to identify (especially in hindsight4) l The major difficulty is overcoming the behavioural tendency of resistance to change. l TP applications commonly find that underlying core problems are erroneous or deficient measurements, policies and/or training’. Often these are found to be outdated, and no longer consistent with the company’s goal. l Not surprisingly, our enquiries and experience have identified a great number of other applications that have not been published: in many instances the results will never be published, because the focus is on internal change management for competitive advantage.