The Theories Of Pleasure And Ethics - 1544 Words

Where does Pleasure come from? What is your viewpoint on the basis of morality? Pleasure as we all know is some time of feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction. Human beings can be pleasured in many different ways such as mentally or sexually. Everyone has different but shared values of ethics and how happiness is needed to fuel morality itself. Some interesting gentlemen such, Friedrich Nietzsche and John Stuart Mills were important influential philosophers from the early 19th century. I’ll be comparing both philosophers’ theories of pleasure and ethics. Also, I’m going to focusing on the major similarities and differences they individually perceive on both topics. Now let us walk through both of their individual backgrounds to get familiar with their ideas and beliefs on society. German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was recognized from his writings on religion and how it should be reevaluated in our modern society. He is said to be an immoralist by many and he a lso focused mainly on the theory of the individual. Friedrich analyzed the disintegration of traditional religion practices. His most noticed topic was â€Å"the death of God†. His belief was that human beings should find their true selves, meaning stripping away one’s own identity through self-realization. Nietzsche disagreed having transcending life, such as God, being included. Our British philosopher, John Stuart Mill, was very influential on political discourse in the United Kingdom. Mill was a naturalist,Show MoreRelatedThe Ethics Of Virtue Ethics925 Words   |  4 PagesVirtue ethics is a normative theory whose foundations were laid by Aristotle. This theory approaches normative ethics in substantially different ways than consequentialist and deontological theories. In this essay, I will contrast and compare virtue ethics to utilitarianism, ethical egoism, and Kantianism to demonstrate these differences. There is one fundamental aspect of virtue ethics that set s it apart from the other theories I will discuss. For the sake of brevity and to avoid redundancy, I willRead MoreEssay on The Golden Rule in Kant and Mills Ethical Theories1320 Words   |  6 Pages Ethics refers to what people consider good or bad and right or wrong. It is a theory dealing with values that relate to human behaviour; with respect to their actions and purpose. The two most important philosophers that deal with ethics are Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill. Kant’s ethical theory is Kantianism or deontological ethics. Mill’s ethical theory is utilitarianism. Both philosophers’ theories have many differences; Kant’s theory deals with conduct, seeking reason for good action inRead MoreDeontological Theories And Duties Have Existed For Centuries Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesPHIL 242 Section 1010 A.R 8/12/2016 1.) Deontological Ethics Deontological theories and duties have existed for centuries, primarily because of religion. Before philosophers like Immanuel Kant religious beliefs are what kept people from stealing from their neighbor or cheating on their partners. Kant is responsible for developing a deontological theory completely independent of these religious beliefs and moral responsibilities. His moral theory became extremely influential beginning in 1788, focusingRead MoreComparing Political Philosophy Theories1095 Words   |  5 PagesAssociate Level Material Ethical Theory Comparison Chart Respond to the prompt for each of the five ethical theories listed. One section on each chart has been filled in as an example. What is good? (1–2 sentences) Aristotle – Virtue EthicsMill – UtilitarianismKant – DeontologyConsequentialismNodding – Care Ethicswhat would you say is our principal or highest objective by nature? According to Aristotle, it is the attainment of happiness, for it is that alone that we seekRead MoreThe Theory And Ethics Of Care873 Words   |  4 Pagesby the moral virtues and intellectual virtues. Virtue ethics is known as virtue theory; which is an approach to ethics that emphasizes an individual’s character element through ethical thinking rather than rules about deontological or consequentialism. It is also said that virtue does not primarily identify universal principles that can be applied to moral situations, but uses deontological and consequentialist to identify principles. This theory shows that it is based on an individual rather thanRead MoreDeontological and Teleological Ethical Theory1660 Words   |  7 PagesTeleological Ethics = Consequentialist Ethics Morality of an act is based on the outcome or consequence of the act Deontological Ethics = Non - Consequentialist Ethics Morality of an act is based in the act itself. Types of Teleological Ethics 1. Utilitarianism – Utilitarian moral theory is classical utilitarianism, 2. Varieties of ancient Greek virtue ethics – Aristotle Ethics is an Example a. The goal of ethics is to explain how one achieves the good life for human beings. There areRead MoreUtilitarianism : A Theological Theory1317 Words   |  6 PagesUtilitarianism is a theological theory that seeks to maximize utility. It claims that pleasure and happiness are good and we should seek it out to bring more to the world. Utilitarianism fails to deliver an acceptable account for differentiating between different means towards ends, regarding only ends as having moral worth. The major problems with it being that it is provisional, and it’s nearly impossible to apply to a situation. Utilitarianism provides no clear way to distinguish dissimilar activitiesRead MoreKey Features of Utilitarianism868 Words   |  4 Pagesutilitarianism and its weaknesses. The Theory of Utilitarianism comes from its name from the Latin word ‘Utilis’, meaning ‘useful’. It was first developed by Jeremy Bentham, Philosopher and legal theorist of the 18th century. Bentham produced a modern approach of morality which would suit the changing world of the industrial age. This was also the era of enlightenment. Utilitarianism can be regarded as a consequentialist and teleological system of ethics, providing no strict moral rules but judgingRead MoreThe Ethics Of Nicomachean Ethics1367 Words   |  6 Pages Olivia Schoen Dan Brown Ethics 101 8 April 2015 Nicomachean Ethics As one of the greatest philosophers of all time, Aristotle was one of the greats. He altered history and the way our world views philosophy and ethics. One of his theories of ethics that he written in the form of 10 books was Nicomachean Ethics, this theory consisted of Aristotle’s perspective on the life of man and what makes a good life for man. Personally, I think his theory of ethics is a good outline of how to be an ethicalRead MoreEssay on Utilitarian vs Nihilist1497 Words   |  6 Pagesmorals, which prove to be the subject of discussion for philosophers when they’re going over ethics. This differentiation is also what can be given credit for why good versus evil is so compelling, in media the line between good and evil is often blurred in some places, requiring the viewer to make their own judgement on the ethics of characters, their actions, and their motivations. Depending on the ethics of the viewer characters can be judged on different criteria, for some i t is only the intention

The Climate And Geography Of The Gulf Of Mexico - 1623 Words

Welcome to Grecho, a city found in Norway just by the Oslofjord, and where technology and nature coexist. The Gulf of Mexico brings in warm water making Grecho much milder than where its latitude will demand. The summer temperatures can range from 51 - 69.8 ° F, but during spring, maximum temperatures don’t go past 60.8 ° F. Winter is somewhat drier than summer, lasting from November to March, and temperatures can even go below 19.8 ° F. Although it stays at a pretty warm temperature throughout summer and spring, people like to come during winter the most. Skiing, ice skating, and snowboarding is what we’re all about during the winter time. Grecho is geographically situated at the top of Oslofjord. Our city is inclosed by protected forests and mountains. The highest mountain situated within our city limits is the Kirkeberg (629 meters). Two thirds of our city is covered in protected forests, hills, and lakes, making it a great place to tour and travel through. The climate and geography in Grecho is quite favorable, but you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen our unique features and innovations. Agriculture, flourishing nature, and eco-friendly energy solutions, are only a few things we are making into innovative features in Grecho. One thing Grecho is known for is it’s major composting and agricultural buildings. Composting is a big thing in our city, and we want to focus on it because it saves money, saves resources, improves the soil we use for our agriculture, andShow MoreRelatedThe Water Systems And Landforms1012 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction While studying water systems and landforms in our lab, we begin to wonder about certain climates and regions. In this paper, I will discuss the water systems and landforms found in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as well as two other cities in the United States. I will explore the amount of water that comes and leaves their systems, as well as the natural landforms that occupy their regions. Background Throughout this paper, there are terms you will need to know. While discussing the waterRead MoreHistory And Background Of Mexican Food History Essay1423 Words   |  6 PagesREGIONAL CUISINE OF MEXICO UNIT STANDARD-22034 PIC-1 (afifaskana, n/d) NAME-B SAI ABHIGNAN REDDY (ABHI) STUDENT-ID 12757 CLASS ID-DDCPCKYJUL15F2 TUTOR-JONATHAN O’SHEA CONTENTS INTRODUCTION HISTORY AND BACKGROUND MEXICAN FOOD HISTORY GEOGRAPHY WORLD MAP GEOGRAPHICAL MAP TRADE TOPOGRAPHY CLIMATE CLIMATE GRAPH RESOURCES LIST OF FOOD GROWS CLUTURE AND USE INTRODUCTION ABH HISTORYRead MoreA Brief Note On Climate And Mixed And Coniferous Forests856 Words   |  4 PagesCompetency 13 - C: Climate and Mixed and Coniferous Forests Climate and latitude play an important part in how vegetation develops in a given area. Plants, especially trees and shrubs which make up the majority of many forests, adapt over time to a given environment and location. In the more southern latitudes you will often find that tropical vegetation such as palm trees and succulent shrubs will dominate the local ecosystem. Within the more northern latitudes, vegetation will often vary betweenRead MoreEssay on Mexican Cuisine1024 Words   |  5 PagesMexican Cuisine Mexican cuisine is a style of food that originates in Mexico. It is known for its varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices and ingredients, many of which are native to the country. What makes a meal distinctly Mexican, of course, are the lively seasonings. Not all Mexican recipes are fiery, though; while renowned for their heat, many subtle and intriguing spice combinations are also found in Mexican fare. The staples of Mexican cuisine are typically corn and beansRead MoreHistory And Geography Of Mexico851 Words   |  4 Pageshistory and geography play an important role in determining why we do, feel, and believe the things we do, and because of this, it impacts the culture that is developed overtime. And when we look at Mexico and the culture it holds, we see this to be true. Mexico is located in North America bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the United States, (â€Å"Mexico†). It also borders the North Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and the United States, as well, (â€Å"Mexico†). Which makesRead MoreGeography The Caribbean was a name given to this region after becoming popular following World War700 Words   |  3 Pages Geography The Caribbean was a name given to this region after becoming popular following World War II, being previously referred to as the Indies because Columbus thought he finally reached South Asia and the East Indies (Caribbean). This area â€Å"includes more than 7,000 islands; of those, 13 are independent island countries and some are dependencies or overseas territories of other nations. In addition, that large number includes islets (very small rocky islands); cays (small, low islands composedRead MoreMexico : Physical Geography : Mexico1556 Words   |  7 PagesMexico Physical Geography: Mexico is a famous country which is located in the southern part of North America. I went to Cancun in spring 2012. It was an amazing trip. I really enjoyed the nature there. Most of Mexico s land is covered by mountains, with only about a third of the land being flat. Moreover, there are five main areas in Mexico. The first one is The Central Plateau which is located just south of The United States. It increases in altitude from the north to south from more thanRead MoreMexico : A Beautiful Beaches Essay1377 Words   |  6 PagesMexico is known for its beautiful beaches. Many tourist travel to Cabo San Lucas where many of the most famous beaches are located. However there is a lot more interesting features about this country that is unknown to many, such as Mexico’s geography, the many cultures that reside within the country, the political aspect of Mexico and what the future for Mexico will look like. Mexico is the northern region on the American continent between Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Mexico is borderedRead MoreAn X-Ray of Mexico Essay1828 Words   |  8 PagesMexico is one of the most interesting countries in our world today; from the land features such as the high plateau and the mountain chains, to the culture that the people of Mexico practice in their every day lives. The connection between both physical and human geography in Mexico, run hand in hand together. Therefore, in this paper, I will be identifying the different aspects of both physical and human geographical ideas and practices, that Mexico possesses. The physical geography of MexicoRead MoreEssay on Geography of Dallas1554 Words   |  7 Pagesbe the largest city as well as the center of it all; and it also could be used as a good representation of the state’s overall average climate. The Dallas â€Å"metroplex is located in North Central Texas, approximately 250 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico† (Dallas/Fort Worth Climatology). To appreciate the large and intricate city, it is valuable to know the climate, vegetation, soils, landforms, and the environmental issues that are present in Dallas, and see how they affect one another. The temperature

Battle of Marathon Free Essays

The battle of Marathon is one of history’s most famous military engagements. It is also one of the earliest recorded battles. Their victory over the Persian invaders gave the fledgling Greek city states confidence in their ability to defend themselves and belief in their continued existence. We will write a custom essay sample on Battle of Marathon or any similar topic only for you Order Now The battle is therefore considered a defining moment in the development of European culture. In September of 490 BC a Persian armada of 600 ships disgorged an invasion force of approximately 20,000 infantry and cavalry on Greek soil just north of Athens. Their mission was to crush the Greek states in retaliation for their support of their Ionian cousins who had revolted against Persian rule. Undaunted by the numerical superiority of the invaders, Athens mobilized 10,000 hoplite warriors to defend their territory. The two armies met on the Plain of Marathon twenty-six miles north of Athens. The flat battlefield surrounded by hills and sea was ideal for the Persian cavalry. Surveying the advantage that the terrain and size of their force gave to the Persians, the Greek generals hesitated. One of the Greek generals – Miltiades – made a passionate plea for boldness and convinced his fellow generals to attack the Persians. Miltiades ordered the Greek hoplites to form a line equal in length to that of the Persians. Then – in an act that his enemy believed to be complete madness – he ordered his Greek warriors to attack the Persian line at a dead run. In the ensuing melee, the middle of the Greek line weakened and gave way, but the flanks were able to engulf and slaughter the trapped Persians. An estimated 6,400 Persians were slaughtered while only 192 Greeks were killed. The remaining Persians escaped on their ships and made an attempt to attack what they thought was an undefended Athens. However, the Greek warriors made a forced march back to Athens and arrived in time to thwart the Persians. â€Å"With you it rests, Callimachus† – Indecision before battle Known as the â€Å"Father of History†, Herodotus wrote his description of the battle a few years after it occurred. We join his account as the Athenians arrive at the battleground and are joined by a force of approximately 1000 of their Plataean allies. The Greek military leaders split on whether they should immediately attack the invaders or wait for reinforcements: ADVERTISMENT â€Å"The Athenians were drawn up in order of battle in a sacred close belonging to Heracles, when they were joined by the Plataeans, who came in full force to their aid. The Athenian generals were divided in their opinions. Some advised not to risk a battle, because they were too few to engage such a host as that of the Persians. Others were for fighting at once. Among these last was Miltiades. He therefore, seeing that opinions were thus divided, and that the less worthy counsel appeared likely to prevail, resolved to go to the polemarch [an honored dignitary of Athens], and have a conference with him. For the man on whom the lot fell to be polemarch at Athens was entitled to give his vote with the ten generals, since anciently the Athenians allowed him an equal right of voting with them. The polemarch at this juncture was Callimachus of Aphidnre; to him therefore Miltiades went, and said: ‘With you it rests, Callimachus, either to bring Athens to slavery, or, by securing her freedom, to be remembered by all future generations. For never since the time that the Athenians became a people were they in so great a danger as now. If they bow their necks beneath the yoke of the Persians, the woes which they will have to suffer†¦ are already determined. If, on the other hand, they fight and overcome, Athens may rise to be the very first city in Greece. ‘ ‘We generals are ten in number, and our votes are divided: half of us wish to engage, half to avoid a combat. Now, if we do not fight, I look to see a great disturbance at Athens which will shake men’s resolutions, and then I fear they will submit themselves. But, if we fight the battle before any unsoundness shows itself among our citizens,†¦ we are well able to overcome the enemy. ‘ ‘On you therefore we depend in this matter, which lies wholly in your own power. You have only to add your vote to my side and your country will be free – and not free only, but the first state in Greece. Or, if you prefer to give your vote to them who would decline the combat, then the reverse will follow. ‘ Miltiades by these words gained Callimachus; and the addition of the polemarch’s vote caused the decision to be in favor of fighting. ‘† The Battle Begins Miltiades arranges the Greek line of battle so that it stretches the length of the opposing, and far superior, Persian army. Then, much to the surprise of the Persians, he orders the Greek warriors to charge headlong into the enemy line. â€Å"The Athenians†¦ charged the barbarians at a run. Now the distance between the two armies was little short of eight furlongs [approximately a mile] The Persians, therefore, when they saw the Greeks coming on at speed, made ready to receive them, although it seemed to them that the Athenians were bereft of their senses, and bent upon their own destruction; for they saw a mere handful of men coming on at a run without either horsemen or archers. Such was the opinion of the barbarians; but the Athenians in close array fell upon them, and fought in a manner worthy of being recorded. They were the first of the Greeks, so far as I know, who introduced the custom of charging the enemy at a run, and they were likewise the first who dared to look upon the Persian garb, and to face men clad in that fashion. Until this time the very name of the Persians had been a terror to the Greeks to hear. The two armies fought together on the plain of Marathon for a length of time; and in the mid-battle the barbarians were victorious, and broke and pursued the Greeks into the inner country; but on the two wings the Athenians and the Plataeans defeated the enemy . Having so done, they suffered the routed barbarians to fly at their ease, and joining the two wings in one, fell upon those who had broken their own center, and fought and conquered them. These likewise fled, and now the Athenians hung upon the runaways and cut them down, chasing them all the way to the shore, on reaching which they laid hold of the ships and called aloud for fire. † The Persians Attack Athens Miltiades arranges the Greek line of battle so that it stretches the length of the opposing, and far superior, Persian army. Then, much to the surprise of the Persians, he orders the Greek warriors to charge headlong into the enemy line. â€Å"†¦ the Athenians secured in this way seven of the vessels; while with the remainder the barbarians pushed off, and taking aboard their Eretrian prisoners from the island where they had left them, doubled Cape Sunium, hoping to reach Athens before the return of the Athenians. The Persians accordingly sailed round Sunium. But the Athenians with all possible speed marched away to the defense of their city, and succeeded in reaching Athens before the appearance of the barbarians†¦ The barbarian fleet arrived, and lay to off Phalerum, which was at that time the haven of Athens; but after resting awhile upon their oars, they departed and sailed away to Asia. † References: Herodotus’s account appears in: Davis, William Sterns, Readings in Ancient History (1912); Creasy, Edward, The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World (1969). How to cite Battle of Marathon, Papers

Experimental Research free essay sample

This paper explores the experimental research method and specifically the experiment conducted by Professor Smith, a Psychology professor who has a hypothesis that Vitamin E improves memory, to determine the flaws in her experiment. In the process, the paper also clearly explains the various key factors which determine the outcome and accuracy of the method of experimental research, such as dependent variables, independent variables, experimental groups, and control groups. This paper examines the factors that render Professor Smith’s experiment as flawed, and finally attempts to redesign an experiment to successfully test the effects of Vitamin E on memory. Experimental Research and The Key Components of A Successful Experiment Experimental research is the scientific method used by psychologists to answer some important cause and effect questions about behaviour and other phenomena of interest. Experimental research investigates the relationship between variables by intentionally causing a change in one variable in a situation, and then studying the effects of that change on other aspects of the situation ( Feldman amp; Dinardo, 2012 ). We will write a custom essay sample on Experimental Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The independent variable in experimental research is manipulated by the researcher and is the variable whose effects the researcher attempts to investigate. The dependent variable in experimental research is the response or effect acquired as a result of the independent variable. Participants in experimental research are always divided into two groups, an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group is the group participating in an experiment which receives a treatment in order to assess the effects of the independent variable on that group, while the control group receives no treatment. The experimental group’s behaviours or actions in a situation are manipulated by the independent variable, while the control group is not influenced in any way by the independent variable being investigated. The control group has to be equal in all aspects to the experimental group except for the presence of the independent variable, which would differentiate the behaviours, events, or other characteristics of the two groups. This is done in order to accurately investigate the true effects of an independent variable. Professor Smith’s Experiment Professor Smith conducts an experiment to test her hypothesis that Vitamin E improves memory. Before a quiz in her class, she provides half the class with lemonade juice-boxes and Vitamin E, which is the independent variable in this experiment. The remaining half of the class aren’t given anything. Professor Smith divides the class into two groups of twenty students. The first twenty students to arrive are made to sit in the front of the class, this is the experimental group who receive the independent variable, Vitamin E. The other twenty students are made to sit in the back, this is the control group who receive nothing. She then gives them a quiz. Once it is completed, she discovers that the experimental group who received Vitamin E scored an average of 3 points higher than the control group who received nothing. The score on the quiz is the dependent variable of this experiment, and the factor being measured in order to determine the effects of Vitamin E. Flaws of Professor Smith’s Experimental Design and Conclusion A set of meticulous guidelines need to be followed in order to conduct an experimental research and achieve an accurate result or conclusion. According to Abdi ( 2009 ), a researcher must impose controls to ensure that changes in the independent variable are the only things that affect the dependent variable in an experiment in order to ensure it’s validity. The first flaw with Professor Smith’s experimental design is that the controlled group received nothing while the experimental group received the Vitamin E and lemonade juice-boxes, which creates a psychological inequity. This could easily have had a demoralizing effect on the mental state of the control group and an encouraging effect on the experimental group, which would decrease the accuracy and validity of her findings as other factors beside the independent variable could have affected the dependent variable. Another flaw with her experimental design is the division of the experimental group and the control group into two seperate sections, creating a social inequity, specially as the first half of the students were allowed to sit in the front and the latter half were made to sit in the ramaining half of the class in the back. This could have created a sense of expectancy in the experimental group and compelled them to try harder, while the control group might have assumed they weren’t expected to do well and as a result not strive enough to succeed. According to Feldman and Dinardo ( 2012 ), one of the factors that distort how the independent variable affects the dependent variable in an experiment is participant expectations. The participants in Professor Smith’s experiment were aware of their assigned groups, which could have raised or lowered their expectations, depending on the group to which they were assigned. Finally, the flaw with Professor Smith’s conclusion is that the experiment was conducted to test her hypothesis that Vitamin E improves memory, but her conclusion was that Vitamin E makes one smarter. Aside from that, Professor Smith was also aware of the group to which a particular participant was assigned and this could have had an effect on her preference and partiality towards the participants. The conclusion, aside from being inaccurate, was irrelevant to the hypothesis. Redesigned Experiment In order to test the effects of Vitamin E on memory the experiment can be conducted with some necessary amendments to acquire an accurate dependent variable and a valid conclusion. First, in order to control the bias, there would need to be a placebo control group, which entails administering a fake independent variable to the control group. By doing this and maintaining equality between the experimental and control group in terms of resources provided, whether it’s a lemonade juice-box, controls would be imposed to ensure that changes in the independent variable are the only things that affect the dependent variable, and thus increase the validity of the experiment ( Abdi, 2009 ). Another important amendment needed would be randomly seating the two groups by using a method called the double-blind procedure, in which neither the researcher nor the participants would be aware of the particular group to which a participant elongs. Randomly seating the participants all around the classroom and not being aware of the group to which a participant is assigned would create equality, thus eliminate the possiblility of expectations distorting the dependent variable. Conclusion Experimental research depends on a few key components in order for it to be successful. A researcher must always impose stern controls to ensure tha t the only change affecting the dependent variable is the independent variable whose effects are being investigated.

Process Analysis and Problem Solving

Introduction The level of competition in different industries in which organizations operate today is high and calls for increased competitiveness. In order to improve the competitiveness, firms could engage in different firm activities that may include process improvement.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Process Analysis and Problem Solving specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This may call for analysis of the problem and seeking different ways of solving the issues. In order to improve business processes, an organization needs to have the necessary knowledge and expertise. The business process could be attained through establishment of change such as business process reengineering. In spite of the good intentions of the changes, there is always resistance to change that could lead to project failure as examined in this paper. In addition, this paper examines reengineering as an example of process improveme nt in organizations. History of Process Improvement Change is a constant element in organizations given the dynamic business environment that firms operate in. Organizations operate in many business environments that are characterised by free entry and exit, increasing competition and technological advancement. In order for organizations to maintain their competitiveness, they need to embrace change and improve their manufacturing processes, service delivery and operations. Process improvement has occurred in firms over many years. Over many years, quality improvement in firms was done using regular inspection and changed over time to total quality management and the modern six sigma approach. Process improvement concept was first used by Harrington James in 1991 when he published in his book on process improvement. The method involves redesigning and reengineering business process in order to improve quality of an organization’s output while gaining a competitive edge at the same time.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since its introduction, process improvement has been able to be applied in many firms. The application of information technology in the process is a vital ingredient that will revolutionalize the future of process improvement in firms. Process Improvement in Firms The improvement of business processes in an organization has not been smooth for most firms. As the management of an organization introduces change in the company, there is always resistance to change with most employees opting to remain with the current processes of the firm. Reengineering According to Hammer Champy (2000, p. 2), process improvement in organization requires reengineering, which is defined as the ability of an organization to disregards all its assumptions and traditional way of doing business and instead developing and adopting a new process ce ntred business organization. The adopted new process should help an organization improve its performance. In order to achieve the required process reengineering for an organization, an organization needs to adopt a fresh perspective and approach. In order to acquire change through process reengineering, it is necessary that an organization rethink and establish radical redesigning of its processes in order to generate the required dramatic improvements. The process could be well illustrated in the figure below. As indicated in the above diagram, Hammer Champy (2000, p. 3) notes that reengineering requires starting over for an organization. In order for an organization to succeed in the modern environment, there is need for its processes to be fast, of high quality, flexible and of low cost.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Process Analysis and Problem Solving specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The initia l phases of organizational change began long time ago with Adam Smith who proposed labour specialization, followed by establishment of infrastructure, the assembly line and hierarchical structure of the firm. In spite of the importance of these principles, their application in the modern business environment could result in delays, rigidity and high overhead costs in the production process. The first step of reengineering begins with the focus on the fundamentals of the company. The fundamentals of an organization relate to the main activities of the firm, why they are done the way they are and the tacit rules and assumptions of present activities. According to Hammer Champy (2000, p. 4), reengineering concentrates on what ought to be or should be done and ignores what is done. The radical redesign phase is concerned with the reinvention of the organization. This does not involve making of superficial changes or marginal enhancements to the firm but changes and designs that enhance new features of the organization. The potential dramatic result is the phase that the firm realizes the outcome of reengineering. According to Piderit (2000), reengineering leads to quantum leaps in the performance of an organization rather than incremental improvements. Business process orientation involves evolving of the firm around its business processes. The processes undertake inputs in order to generate valuable outputs to the customer. In order for a business process to work, it must produce added value rather than internal activity.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Various organizations could undertake the reengineering process. According to Revilak et al. (2007, p. 56), companies that operate in a competitive industry could undertake reengineering to increase their competitive advantage. Other sets of companies are those whose management could realize approaching issues along their paths of operation. The third sets of organizations are those that have ambitious management teams that perceive reengineering as a means of achieving market dominance and leadership. Process improvement of an organization through reengineering is characterised by various features. To begin with, the processes that an organization uses to perform its operations are simplified with the description of jobs being expanded to become multidimensional. Introduction of change in an organization increases employee autonomy and empowerment with power distance in the organization being reduced. Employees work as teams with group work and cooperation being enhanced. As the ma nagement of the organization adopts a flatter arrangement from a hierarchical structure, professionals within the firm become the key personnel to steer change. Employees are motivated to work for the firm and the measurement for performance of employees moves from activities to outcome of each employee. The managers no longer act as supervisors but coaches that help employees attain their maximum potential. Lastly, the organization and employees do not focus on pleasing the management but the end user of products and services, the customer (Hammer Champy 2000, p. 8). Change in organizations can be in different forms. Incremental or first order changes are minor changes that alter small aspects of the firm while leaving the general business environment the same. Transformational or strategic changes in organizations aim at changing the entire business framework of a firm. Change Management Process In order to apply the required change, an organization needs to identify the problem it is facing in order to find and develop the best solution to the problems. According to Brown Kusiak (2007), lack of proper diagnosis of the problem could lead to implementation of the wrong process in the organization. The outcome could worsen performance rather than improve the performance of the organization. The problem identification process involves various steps as outlined below. Problem Identification Organizations face many issues some of which are complex while others are simple. The identification of problems of the firm needs to be followed by prioritizing the issues so that the company can make decision on which issues to be solved first. Symptoms: the establishing of the issues affecting the organization needs to be followed by diagnosing the features or symptoms of the problem. The symptoms of the problems of the firm should be distinguished from the causes of the problem. According to Brown Kusiak (2007), business analysts usually hear many issues affecting the firm and they give many solutions. It is important that the firm does not ignore any solution given. However, the solution provided should be argued out with the management of an organization in order to establish its effectiveness (Boeker 1997, p. 155). Alternatives: after serious analysis of a given situation in an organization and hearing possible solutions from a business analyst, it is important that the organization develops alternatives for its problems. The approaches that could solve the problem of an organization could come with different consequences and costs that make it necessary for the management to discuss each alternative exclusively. After discussion of each alternative, it is important that the management makes a decision regarding the best solution to fix its issues. The decision should be based on the best approach that solves the problem affecting the firm while leaving it with the least negative effects. The decision made should be followed by implementation and follow up of the effectiveness of the approach. According to Brown Kusiak (2007), follow up is important for organization to ensure that the approach follows the set guidelines and that it has no side effects. In the process of solving an issue affecting an organization and effecting change in the firm, firms do use various methods. Some approaches include cause effect approach and business process reengineering. Unsuccessful Process Improvement Not all initiatives of change in firms end up being successful. Some processes end up failing. According to Pardo del Val Martà ­nez (n.d. p, 3), the failure of change management process for firms is due to the resistance to change within the organization. He further notes that resistance to change in the firm introduces unanticipated delays and many costs in the process of change that the management must now consider in the entire process. In spite of the resistance to change as a cause of failure to change, it has been hailed as a source of important information that could help an organization transform its business framework. The sources of resistance to change are many and while some show up during early stages of planning, others show up in the later stages of implementing the planned changes. As noted by Boeker (1997, p. 153), early sources of resistance could be due to distorted perception of change and misinterpretation of the change to be introduced. The organization could also fail to look ahead in future. Other causes could be denial to introduced changes, perpetuation of ideas and making of implicit assumptions. Ford, Ford D’amelo (2008, p. 5) note that communication barriers in addition to organizational silence could also casus misunderstanding within an organization thereby leading to resistance to change. There is another source of resistance to change. This is noted by some researchers as lack of motivation for change within the firm especially for employees of the organization. The low motivation could be due to low costs, cannibalization costs, cross subsidy comforts and past failures that hinder progress. Lorenzo (2000) argues that resistance to change could also be caused by different interests between employees and the management of an organization. For instance, employees could be for proposed changes while the management could be against change. Pardo del Val Martà ­nez (n.d. p, 367) posits that the third set of resistance to change causes inadequate creative responses. Lack of creativity in an organization could be caused by complexity of the business environment and fast changes that do not allow for environmental scan, reactive mindset that could result to resignation and inadequate strategic vision for the firm. The implementation phase of change is a vital stage that requires total concentration in an organization. However, there is resistance to change during implementation. The resistance could also be caused by various sources such as a poor imple mentation climate in the organization that is brought about by different organizational values and culture. Others are departmental politics and incommensurable beliefs or disagreements. The last set of causes to resistance to change includes inaction of leadership in firm, routines that are embedded in the firm and collective action problems in the organization. Successful Reengineering Process: Ford Motor Corporation Ford Motor Corporation applied the process analysis and problem solving in the 1980s by examining its employee accounts of about 500 employees. After a careful examination of the accounts payables, it was revealed that the company took much of the time in the department to track down discrepancies between orders that were purchased, shipping receipts and invoices. The realization of the problem led to a rethink of possible solutions and reengineering was the only viable solution. The company took various steps as explained below. The management began by establishing an online database mainly for the purchase orders whereby all orders issued by buyers were recorded in the database. Goods were received at the dock while there was an individual to check in the database. The match of the shipment and what is in the database led to the reception of the goods and vice versa. This eliminated possibilities of any discrepancies between orders that were made and what is received. Once the shipment is received, the database is updated immediately to reflect the change. In addition, a check was generated automatically and issued to the vendor in time. The process improvement applied by Ford Motor Corporation was a success. This is because the head count people in the purchasing department reduced drastically from 500 to 125 employees with efficiency in time management being improved dramatically. According to Piderit (2000, p. 785), the reengineering process as applied at Ford Motor Corporation is a lesson to be emulated by many firms wishing to reenginee r their processes. The changes that the company implemented could not have been achieved without the aid of the modern information technology. The process reengineering reflects old processes that have undergone new wrinkles. Another lesson learnt is that reengineering depends on a large scale on information technology. Planning the reengineering process in advance cannot work since what is experienced in the course of the process changes the reengineering plan. Innovation for Organizational Growth Knowledge is an important aspect in every organization. An organization is made of human resources that end up being of great importance since they are involved in the productivity of the products of the organization. The human resources could either be skilled, semi skilled or non-skilled. Skilled employees comprise of employees that and endowed with specific knowledge in a given field or sector in the firm such as management, information technology and manufacturing among many others. S emi skilled employees do posses little knowledge in specific fields. However, they extent of know how is limited. Lastly, non skilled employees do not posses any form of knowledge or expertise in any field in the organization. Most of non skilled employees are usually employed by firms as casuals or non-permanent staff of the firm. Skilled employees are important in an organization. It is important that an organization derives the best ways to manage its knowledgeable employees in order to motivate them and improve their performance and the performance of the organization. Knowledge is important for an organization because it helps an organization undertake research and development that is highly needed for innovation to take place. According to Hansen Birkinshaw (2007, p. 122), knowledge management should be customized for a given set of tasks within an organization. Innovation and value added in the output of a firm is as a result of application of knowledge in order to improve, change or develop a specific task and activities (McDermott, 1999). Therefore, innovation could be termed as the primary purpose of knowledge in an organization. In spite of its importance, innovation could be a complex idea that involves uncertainty and political activities. It might involve people with different experiences and teamwork or group work that is extended over long periods of time. In addition, it requires combination of different knowledge endowments within an organization in order to produce expected results in the form of new products or services produced by a firm. As noted by Hansen Birkinshaw (2007, p. 125), innovation does not only occur through research and development, but also through mainstream work activities within an organization. Innovation is characterised by invention, diffusion and implementation. Therefore, it more than just coming up with a good idea, but is more of putting the ideas into practical use within the organization. The creation of new k nowledge and ideas is an important aspect of innovation. However, they must be accompanied by bringing the ideas and knowledge into widespread use and applying them to solve issues affecting the organization. There is also product and process innovation that is vital for the success of an organization. Product innovation involves the application of new knowledge to the development of tangible products of an organization. On the contrary, process innovation involves the application of new knowledge and ideas to the establishment of new processes within the firm. All these are innovations that utilize knowledge at different levels (Nemeth 1997, p. 63). Based on the above description of innovation, knowledge and knowledge management should be linked to innovation. The innovation process involves different steps that range from formation of an agenda through establishment of a routine to the manufacture of a new product or process. In every step of innovation, there is an emphasis of di fferent aspects of knowledge and management of knowledge. Therefore, it can be concluded that knowledge cannot be separated from innovation as it necessitates the innovative ability of the firm. The firm should always struggle to motivate and maintain its knowledgeable employees in order to maintain its innovative ability and competitiveness in the market. Conclusion Problems analysis and problems solving in an organization is an important aspect of every organization. The modern business environment is dynamic and full of many challenges that organizations needs to develop different mechanisms of solving their issues. The process of solving a problem involves first identifying the issue affecting the corporation and determining possible ways of solving the issues. Out of the many alternatives, the management could choose one. Process improvement and reengineering is one of the many methods of solving issues affecting the firm. The reengineering process is vital since it helps an or ganization develop new processes and frameworks of the firm. One of the successful reengineering was conducted by Ford Motors in the 1980s in which it introduced new process of recording purchases thereby ending up cutting down its costs dramatically. Reengineering process could be accompanied by knowledge and innovation. List of References Boeker, W 1997, ‘Strategic change: The influence of managerial characteristics and organizational growth’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 152-170. Brown D Kusiak, J 2007, ‘Problem Analysis Techniques’, IRM Training white paper, IRM Training Pty Ltd. Ford, J, Ford, L D’amelo, A 2008, ‘Resistance to Change: The rest of the Story’, Academy of Management, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 362-377. Hammer, M Champy J 2000, ‘Reengineering the Corporation: A manifesto for business revolution’, https://summaries.com/. Hansen, A Birkinshaw, J 2007, ‘The innovation value chainâ€⠄¢, Harvard Business Review, June 2007, pp. 121-130. Lorenzo, J 2000, ‘Barreras en los procesos de cambio en las organizaciones: studio de un caso’, Paper presented at the X Congreso Nacional de ACEDE, Oviedo (Spain). McDermott, R 1999, ‘Why information technology inspired but cannot deliver knowledge management’, California Management Review, vol. 41, pp. 103-117. Nemeth, C 1997, ‘Managing innovation: When less is more’, California Management Review, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 59-74. Pardo del Val, M Martà ­nez, C n.d., ‘Resistance to change: a literature review and empirical Study’, Universitat de Valà ¨ncia, Spain. Piderit, S 2000, ‘Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: a multidimensional view of attitudes toward an organizational change’, Academy of Management Review, vol. 25 no. 4, pp. 783-794. Revilak, A et al. 2007, Knowledge management and innovation: an analysis of knowledge factors controlled by gove rnments and their impact on patent creation, George Washington University, Washington. This research paper on Process Analysis and Problem Solving was written and submitted by user Nora Ewing to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Treaty Of Versailles - Source Based Questions Essays

The Treaty Of Versailles - Source Based Questions Essays The Treaty of Versailles - Source Based Questions a) Many historians have viewed the Treaty of Versailles in varied contexts. Some historians support the German claim that the treaty was extremely harsh towards them while others seem to acknowledge the fact that the Treaty was anything but damaging to the Germans, as the Second World War seems to prove. But the most important aspect to focus on in the answering of this question is the concept of nationalism. Source C is a quotation found in a secondary source in the form of an extract from a speech made by a German MP in 1919. The claim of "inflicting the deepest wounds on us Germans" seems to be supported by Source B. Sources D and E, however, do not share the same viewpoint as the German MP in Source C. The peace treaty that marks the end of any Great War is almost always dictated by the victors; the Treaty of Versailles was no different. Georges Clemenceau of France, Llyod George of Britain and Woodrow Wilson of the USA were the three major players. Clemenceau wanted a harsh Treaty that would cripple Germany both economically and militarily so that she would never be a threat to France again, this aim of his is clearly represented in Clause 160 of Source B. But 100,000 men and 6 battle ships was a mere trifle compared to the extensive armies and rapidly developing technology that the super powers of those days possessed. Germany was left with nothing to defend herself with in case of invasion. Furthermore, the blame for starting the war and all the consequences thereof were fixed on Germany (Article 231). This in many senses was extremely unfair, as all the powers had played a role in the start of the First World War. Woodrow Wilson's 14 points were totally overshadowed by Clemenceau who succeeded in imposing his aims on the Treaty. Therefore I believe that Source B does adequately support the claim made in Source C. However, Sources D and E take a completely opposite viewpoint in comparison to Source B. The writers, imminent historians, argue that the Treaty in actual fact did nothing to diminish German power in any way. As the author of Source E notes: "The Treaty of Versailles was not excessively harsh on Germany, either territorially or economically." Humiliation is always a major part of defeat and defeat was not something that the Germans hoped to conceive in World War 1. They believed that they had to win and dictate terms. The Treaty of Versailles that resulted from their defeat also brought immense humiliation and that strong sense of nationalistic pride. After all, the Treaty was being signed in the very hall that had witnessed the defeat of France in 1871 at the hands of Prussia. This actual defeat that the Treaty of Versailles imposed upon them angered the Germans more than the actual terms of the Treaty. The historian in Source C aptly concludes: "However, the German people were expe cting victory and not defeat. It was the acknowledgement of defeat as much as the treaty terms themselves, which they found so hard to accept." b) The views expressed in Sources C, D and E are very much different. One must take into account several different factors that combine to produce this discrepancy. Firstly, the authors of Sources D and E are historians and possess something that the German MP in Source C doesn't and that is hindsight. They have had the opportunity to study the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles in retrospect and have examined the effects on Germany. They have studied the revival of the German economy and the Second World War. Therefore they are in a better position to judge whether or not the Treaty of Versailles was a crippling blow to Germany. The politician in Source C on the other hand is talking on the spur of the moment. The Treaty of Versailles might have been close to completion and the Treaty terms might have seemed a devastating conclusion. The very vision of impending collapse brought on by the treaty might have caused him to lash out in the way that he does. One

Empirical Action Research on Behavior Management Systems Article

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Advice topic - Essay Example The Chinese culture focuses on molding children into morally upright individuals of the society. Many life teachings as championed by early prominent persons such as Confucius are at the center of upbringing in the Chinese culture (Colson, 45). I have learnt many lessons from the teachings, which guide me in my daily dealings. For instance, Confucius’ teaching on unlocking personal excellence has propelled me to success and within reach of my full potential. Confucius says that â€Å"choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.† The Chinese culture has shaped me into a morally upright member of the society. Confucius lessons are instrumental in personal empowerment and decision-making on issues such as choosing a career path (Hall, Mod. 1). The sensitivity of an individual to other cultures is paramount in establishing good relations. The important aspects of the Chinese culture have made me sensitive to other cultures. Initially as I grew up, I ignored other cultures simply because they were not part of my life. However, after moving to America, I have been able to learn new things and life became more interesting as I integrated other cultures into my way of life. There should be no fear of other cultures and instead for individuals to reach their full potentials, they should explore the diversity of cultures (Hall, Mod. 1).The diverse nature of Chinese culture has helped me make formidable relationships with my peers from other cultures. The anxiety to learn from each other and empower ourselves has been the key driving force to this course. Due to different cultures, individuals have different personalities. This has made it easier to form all-round academic and social groups with friends and classmates (Hall, Mod. 1). Belief System and Discipline are important values of any culture. My parents use guan as the primary practice of valued discipline. Confucianism is a feature of

Strategy and organizational learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategy and organizational learning - Essay Example Flow of information, knowledge, technology and capital has transcended geographic and national boundaries due to globalization. With such fast, easy and fluid flow of information, knowledge and technology the major asset of an organization has become knowledge and not production. Rate of an organizations ability to learn and adapt is considered to be the only real source of competitive advantage. How organizations can become a learning organization? Does individual learning and social learning has any relationship with organizational learning? What is the difference between an organization that learns and a learning organization? Is it just mastery of words or there is some substance in it? This paper aims at answering all these questions with the help of theory and its critical analysis along with the examples from the business world. Emergence of Knowledge/ Learning Organizations Charles Darwin said â€Å"It is not the strongest of the species who survive, nor the most intelligent ; as a matter of fact, it is the ones who are the most agile to change†. The same point stands valid for organizations too. The organization who wishes to remain relevant and thrive in the long run, learning better and faster is the solution or the technology. Learning is not only the key to success but perhaps vital for survival for today’s organizations. For this purpose organizations must strive to enrich knowledge through continuous internal and external learning. A learning organization is one that encourages and values learning and realizes the role learning can play in enhancing organizational effectiveness. This attitude and importance of learning is reflected in the vision of the organization and a learning strategy that supports the inspiring vision for learning. Building a Learning Organization A learning organization depends on a lot of internal and external factors. External environment includes economy, society, polity and technology. The subsystem of lear ning organization includes organization, people, knowledge and technology. Each subsystem not only interacts with each but also support for learning to permeate all across the organization. The importance of learning is communicated by leaders. An effective communication system is developed to avoid the development of silos and ensure smooth lateral flow of knowledge across structural boundaries. Both planned and emergent learning needs are emphasized. For building effective learning organization following steps must be taken, strategy development, collaboration mechanism, knowledge sharing and learning, management techniques and knowledge capture and storage (Serrat, 2009). Social Complexity and Organizational Learning Organizational learning is a very complex social phenomenon. Emergent and fluid nature of organizational learning makes it more complex. The two most important determinants of complexity science are schemas of diversity and interaction interdependence. Presence of bo th in learning organizations makes it a complex. Tensions within and between internal and exte

Chinese Face Reading Essay Example for Free

Chinese Face Reading Essay Picking up personality can be a very fun and adventurous process. Many cultural societies have many ways to do it and so many people to test; you’re never going to get the same results. One very interesting way of determining someone’s personality is Face Reading. This is a type of physiognomy that can show you your hidden personality, history, current situation, your future, even how well your health is. Face reading was developed from Ancient China by a man known as Mr. Guiguzi (481-221 B. C. ). Although it is one of many ways of measuring personalities, face reading has twelve ways of being used. The first method is called Fortune House, or also known as â€Å"Fude Gong†. This method shows whether your life is going smoothly or not. When reading someone’s face with Fortune House, the face should be round and smooth with no markings or scars that are out of the ordinary. If there happens to be any marks or scars, they will show any issues you have, such as illness, bad relationships, financial troubles, etc. The second method of face reading is Parents House, or â€Å"Fumu Gong†. It tells you whether you had a good or not so good childhood with your parents. This procedure reads the face by its forehead. If it is big, round and/or shinning, means the individual had an excellent relationship with his parents and had an enjoyable life as a child. However, if the forehead was ugly and/or damaged, then the person had a painful and difficult life when he/she was young. The next way is called Career House, or also known as â€Å"Guanlu Gong†. This method is somewhat similar to the Fortune House because it is searching for round and smooth features on a face as well. If your cheek bones stick out and have eyebrows that project, you will most likely have a better chance of having a successful career. House of Travel, or â€Å"Qianyi Gong†, would be another style of face reading someone. It is designed to examine how your travels from one place to another would be positive or negative. When you have a feature of scars or lines on your face, means you shouldn’t go anywhere at all. So whenever you would like to go out to eat at a restaurant and need to drive or take a bus, it might be safer to have a pizza delivered to where ever you are staying. Another method is Assets House (Tianzai Gong), which emphasizes the eyes as an indicator of your intelligence, temperament, and financial assets. If your eyes are set deep into your head, or if you are constantly looking high, you are considered an idiot. Narrow eye lids would represent impatience in an individual. Large pupils, clean and clear whites, and large eyes are favorable characteristics of a person’s Assets House. Health House (Jie Going) governs whether your body has excellent health or is ill. Wrinkles, stains, or other marks anywhere that is found shows that you need to go to the clinic for a checkup. However, having none of the disliked features on the face means you have nothing to worry about when it comes to your health. Any characteristic from the eyebrows and above will symbolize House of Siblings (Xiongdi Gong). This particular type of face reading decides your friendship with other people in your life. It also shows how well your genetic make-up is when the person was conceived. Thick, dark, long, and smooth eyebrows that are high above eyes tell the face reader that the subject is a brave, affectionate, and relaxed person. However, if your face shows the opposite of these facial features including scars and lines, you basically have completely different qualities. Life House (Ming Gong) will tell the person how easy or challenging your life would be. The level of difficulty in your life is determined by how close the eyebrows are to each other, and any dimples and/or marks. If smooth and shinny like the other face reading styles, shows a comfortable an easy journey in his/her life. Like the other face reading methods, House of Children (Ernu Gong) looks for smooth and round features for positive outlook in the individual. If the face seems to be gentle and round, shows that you have a successful love and sex life. Although, if you show moles or other disfeatures, you may have issues when it comes to sex and you may have a difficult time parenting your children in regards to their development and well-being. House of Marriage (Qigie Gong) shows the reader whether or not the man/woman’s marriage is going well. So fundamentally, when somebody has a gentle, smooth, and clean face, it indicates a happy marriage. A receding and/or scarred face with moles means you have a wife that you might wish to divorce. Wealth house (Caibo Gong), is quite different from most of the other Houses. This style of face reading is determined by the nose. If a nose that is large and round with nostrils that does not show and a straight bridge, then the person has excellent health, a positive attitude, and has a sufficient and satisfying amount of wealth. When the nose has certain deficiencies, the person will meet these three possible situations. If the subject is to have a crooked nose with unhidden nostrils, shows that they have a problem with their money, career, and personality. If it shows any blood vassals, indicates that he/she is on the verge of becoming bankrupt. And if the nose turns into a bloody red, it signals that tragedy and an unpleasant life will be stepping up to his/her door soon. Finally, the Popularity House (Nupu Going) is the house that governs your relationship with your friends and acquaintances, and what will come to be when you grow much older. When the face is round and smooth, then the individual is graced with popularity, and when the old age comes, you will have much support from others. But, if it is not round or smooth, you need to prepare yourself for supporting yourself instead of others helping. An excellent example of some of these face reading methods is a well known person, Quasimodo, also named as â€Å"The Hunchback of Notre-Dame†. He is a man with a face that most people would not be attracted, and is definitely unable to straighten his back. His facial features show how much his life is painful. They also show how he has had a rough and emotional time growing up when he was an infant. A disfigured face brings you nothing but negativity and misery in that person’s life. But having attractive facial features will always give you the upper-hand when reading an individual’s face. All the styles of face reading are determined by how smooth the face is, the amount of scars, lines, moles, shape of the nose, and wrinkles the face has. Each feature of the face tells about your past, what is happening now, and what is yet to come.

Essay --

As children, we all have extravagant aspirations of what we want to do in our lives. I too pondered the million dollar question, â€Å"what will I be when I grow up?† Of course, like most young boys, I wanted to be a professional athlete, Hollywood actor, or astronaut. However, after a semester in this psychology class, my eyes have been opened to another possible future career. I have begun to consider a possible career in psychology, particularly counseling. The field of psychology really has peaked my interest and I enjoy it very much. Also, I am a very social creature, a people person, so a field that enables me to help people using the interesting field of psychology, is a prime job for me. Not everyone is cut out for a career in counseling. It is a very rewarding field, but with its fair share of drawbacks. You have to be extremely patient and dedicated to the person seeking your help. As a counselor, you must also be very warm and kind. It demands you to be tremendously gentle and considerate of your client’s feelings. Without making your client feel secure and safe trusting you,...

Orsat Gas Analysis

Orsat Gas Analysis Experiment I. Objectives To analyze the dry exhaust gas (DEG) from a combustion system using the Orsat apparatus. II. Apparatus As shown in figure, the Orsat apparatus consists of a water-jacketed 100-m1 burette B connected at its top to a glass manifold M and at its bottom to a leveling bottle L. The glass manifold M is connected to three reagent bulbs called pipettes P1, P2 and P3 via three cocks C1, C2 and C3. Each tube is filed with its own absorbing chemical solution: P1: potassium hydroxide (30 % w/v) to absorb CO2 P2: alkaline pyrogallol to absorb 02 P3: cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid to absorb CO.Pipettes P1 and P2 are partly filled with glass tubes to increase the contact surface area between liquid and glass. P3 contains copper wire to protect acid against possible oxidation. The 3-way cock C4 is used to connect manifold M to the atmosphere (via suction pump SP), to connect it to the sampler tube or to isolate the trapped gas. III. Procedure a) Pre paratory Steps -Fill the system with water & chemicals as applicable. -By opening one of the cocks C1, C2, C3 at a time and keeping all other cocks close, and manipulating bottle L bring the solution in each pipette to the top mark on the stem of the pipette.Then close the isolating cock. -Now connect the sampler line to suction pump SP by turning the 3-way valve C4. Operate the pump to purge all air from the sampler line. b) Trapping the Gas Sample -By turning the cock C4 connect the glass manifold M to the sampler line. -Lower bottle L slowly until the water level in burette B is slightly below the zero mark on the scale. Then close C4 and disconnect the sampler line. -Slightly lift cock C4 off its seat to equalize the pressure inside burette B with the ambient pressure. Then raise bottle L gently until water level in the burette coincides with the zero mark.This ensures that the burette now contains 100 ml of exhaust gas at atmospheric pressure. c) Absorption of Gas Constituents The following steps should be done for each pipette, one at a time, in the order P1 then P2 then P3. -Open cock C1, and slowly raise bottle L to allow the gas to flow into pipette P1 until water in the pipette reaches the (100)-mark. -Slowly lower bottle L to let gas leave pipette P1 and re-enter burette B until the chemical solution in pipette P1 reaches the top mark on its stem. Close C1. -Bring the levels of water in burette B and bottle L to coincide.Read the scale on burette B to get the volume of CO2 absorbed, measured at atmospheric pressure. -Repeat this procedure a few times until the reading becomes constant which means that all CO2 has been absorbed. Then close cock C1. -For the next pipettes, the volume absorbed is obtained as the difference between the current scale reading and the one just preceding it. IV-a Experiment No. 1: Get acquainted with the apparatus and the procedure by measuring the volume fraction of 02 in atmospheric air. A value of 79% should be obtained. IV-b Experiment No. : Measure the volume fractions of CO2 and 02 in a sample of dry combustion products from the continuous combustion unit in the heat engines laboratory (fired with LPG). V. Requirements 1. Your report about the experiment should be detailed. In particular you should write the combustion equation assuming the fuel composition to be unknown, and representing it by an equivalent hydrocarbon CxHy. Show details of your calculations. 2. Based on the results of the dry exhaust gas analysis, calculate: (a) The atom ratio (y/x) in the fuel formula b) The air/fuel ratio [A/F] (c) The relative air/fuel ratio ? 3. Compare your results under item (2-a) with the volumetric composition of LPG as consisting of 30% propane C3H8 and 70% butane C4H10. v. Observations Ambient Conditions: PA= KPa, TA= OC Zero Reading Ro= ml –> Vsample= 100-Ro= CO2 Reading RCO2= ml –> VCO2= RCO2-Ro= O2 Reading RO2= ml –> VO2= RO2-RCO2= CO Reading RCO= ml –> VCO= RCO-RO2= Vo lume of Nitrogen –> VN2= 100-RN2=

Brazil Government Essay

Brazil entered the new millennium mired in economic difficulties. Macroeconomic conditions will have a great influence on political stability, what kinds of laws are passed, the ability of businesses to succeed, the pace at which new technology is used, the availability of jobs, and on incomes, poverty and crime. Brazil is a constitutional republic of federated states, the federal districts, and territories. This present constitution was proclaimed in October 1988, replacing a 1969 document. The states of Brazil have their own government with the powers in all matters not specifically reserved for the Brazilian government. The 1988 constitution abolished the national Security Law, which had been used to stifle political disagreement; outlaws torture. The National Security Law provided for various forms of popular voting, initiatives, and referendums; forbids virtually all forms of censorship; guarantees privacy rights and extends the right to strike to all workers. The military retains its power to intervene in the political system to preserve law and order. Brazil has long been recognized for its large population, great natural resources, bold ideas and potential for growth. It has made progress in economic adjustment over the last several years, opening trade, reducing inflation, succeeding with privatization and garnering investor confidence. However, there have been concerns inside and outside of the country about government finances and especially public pensions, political stability and political will, vulnerability to international economic and financial developments and to the return of high inflation, relatively low investment in export industries, and the social and political consequences of income inequality. Several studies on Brazilian public opinion towards this country’s vulnerability and its domestic stability prove there is consensus that vulnerability is an impeding factor to the country’s aspiration to a more strategic place among the world powers. The Brazilian elite views the interests of their country and those of the U. S. as essentially incompatible. During the Expansion of 1600’s, Gold was discovered. Brazil’s other natural resources are bauxite, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, and timber. General Electric is among the many powerful transnational corporations and UE employers with factories in Brazil. Economy overview is possessing large nd well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors, Brazil’s economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging market exposure as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41. billion IMF led international support program in November 1998. In January 1999, Brazilian Central Bank announces that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar. This devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999 that investors had expressed concerns about over the summer of 1998, and the country posted moderate GDP growth. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-2002 to less than 2% because of a slowdown in major markets and the hiking of interest rates by Central Bank to combat inflationary pressures. Poor economic conditions may lead to resistance to external cultural influences, while improvement may mean greater acceptance of practices associated with success in other nations and more interaction with cultures that differ in behavior or values. Economic recovery and growth may ease the difficulties of restructuring business and public affairs and opening markets to competition. It may lead to more trade and foreign investment, and a greater role for Brazil in the region and the world. Alternatively, crises may be the catalysts for change and adaptation to a changing world. The international debt crisis of the early l980s led multinational agencies, the governments of wealthy nations, and a growing number of poorer nations to adopt a reform agenda intended to restore economic stability, restart growth, reduce debt to manageable proportions, and restructure economies to reduce their vulnerability and improve prospects for sustained growth. This international reform agenda expanded dramatically in the course of the l980s and l990s. At the beginning of the debt crisis, attention focused on macro-economic stabilization measures. That initial task was quickly expanded to include structural changes regarded as essential to restore growth and reduce debt. John Williamson’s 1989 summary of the Washington Consensus listed, in addition to fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate measures, reforms to reduce government intervention and permit markets to function more effectively, including trade and financial liberalization, increased receptivity to foreign direct investment, deregulation, and privatization. These structural changes mostly entailed dismantling government regulations and restrictions on private economic transactions. The closest the Consensus came to more complex institutional reforms was the rather tentative inclusion, as the very last item, of property rights protection. Williamson noted that this was intended to signal recognition that institutional features were also important determinants of growth. By l989 the World Bank was beginning to use a broader concept, â€Å"creation of an enabling environment [for effective markets]. Williamson remarked that concept might be preferable, but it remained largely undefined. More than a decade later, at the beginning of the new century, the reform agenda has ballooned to include a broad array of institutional reforms, and to emphasize poverty reduction as well as growth and stability. Responsible macro-economic management and reduced state intervention in the economy remain crucial, but they are now viewed as far from sufficient for growth and poverty reduction. Reform of the state itself, including the civil service, the police, the system of justice, and reduced corruption are part of the essential â€Å"enabling environment. † Social sector reforms in pensions, health and education, as well as far-reaching changes in labor markets and industrial relations are also squarely on the expanded international agenda. These further reforms are much more demanding than the initial agenda: they require not merely the dismantling of regulations, tariffs, and subsidies but fundamental changes in the design and operations of core public functions and institutions. The Brazilian society is divided in those who approve Cardoso’s programs of stabilization and reforms, and those who favor a rather ‘desarrollista’ (developmental) kind of policy. Those who blame the government and those who blame the opposition for the failure in adopting the reforms needed to avoid the financial crisis regionally, neighboring countries agreed upon Brazil’s high performance in industry, trade, new investments and competitiveness, but their evaluation of Brazil’s ability to guarantee economic and political stability were rather low. In contrast, the Brazilian public opinion proved much more confident concerning this matter. When the analysis of the public opinion takes into account structural factors, long-term policy results and a rather contemporary perception of competitiveness, it excludes short-term populist expectations, paternalistic and contradictory demand and any resentful mood concerning the international context and the globalized economy. The politics of economic reforms have been much analyzed over the past two decades. The question of what political capacities and institutional arrangements are key to effective reforms has been one major focus of attention. During the l970s and l980s there was an on-going debate between those who asserted that only authoritarian governments could sustain sufficient macro-economic discipline to manage economies effectively, and those who challenged that view. By the late l980s, it was quite clear that broad generalizations about types of regimes — democracies versus authoritarian systems — were far too crude to offer useful generalizations and explanations. A much narrower version of the old debate persisted, however, in the effort to determine whether effective economic reforms required considerable concentration of executive authority and power (within the framework of more or less democratic as well as authoritarian systems). Party leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (known universally as Lula), will stick to his recent promises of honoring outstanding contacts. Lula inherited an economy in shambles. Working people suffered as the former government carried out neoliberal policies, including privatization and cutbacks in social programs. Two million people are unemployed in Sao Paolo alone, the most industrialized region in Brazil, with 1. 5 million young people entering the labor force each year. Lula’s government decided to continue neoliberal monetary policies to reassure business and encourage investment. The results have helped regain economic stability: the value of bonds has increased from 38 to 90 percent of their face value, meaning that far less is spent on public debt. Banks lowered Brazil’s risk assessment. Credit lines are back and new lines of credit are open. But these results reflect decisions by the government to maintain high interest rates and prioritize growth over income distribution at least in the short run. At the time of the CUT congress, the new government’s most controversial proposal aimed at cutting retirement payments to higher-paid public employees, averting bankruptcy of the system and moving towards an equalization of public and private benefits. This is essentially a proposal from the old government. Default is inevitable, and should be undertaken by Lula as soon as possible, because delaying default simply increases Brazil’s liabilities. Brazil’s ratio of debt to gross domestic product, even after more than $100 billion of privatization proceeds, has doubled since Fernando Henrique Cardoso became president in 1994, from about 30 percent to 58 percent today – a figure that is climbing as the Brazilian real declines. Of this debt, approximately 20 percent is international (after the country’s foreign exchange reserves have been netted out), of which half is owed to the international financial institutions. In addition, a very large portion of Brazil’s debt is greatly increased in cost by economic turmoil. Forty percent of total debt is denominated in dollars, so increases as a percentage of GDP when the Brazilian real drops in value against the dollar. An additional 37 percent of debt is linked to the Selic overnight money market rate, so becomes very expensive when, as for most of the last 8 years, uncertainty raises domestic interest rates. A further 8 percent of Brazil’s total debt is inflation-linked, so has been a â€Å"good deal† for the country in the last eight years but could become very expensive if the country returns to hyperinflation. Brazil’s public debt over the 1994-2001 period was 16. 1 percent a year, and the projected real interest rate on Brazil’s public debt for 2002 is 21 percent. If interest rates remain at these levels, the debt will become unmanageable, rising above 100 percent of GDP in 2006-2009, and spiraling thereafter, if policy remains as at present. Brazil’s balance of payments would also be a problem, because public debt is 4 times the level of the country’s export earnings. The government’s economic policy in 1994-2002 has followed IMF recommendations closely, and been fairly restrictive, with the primary budget surplus (before interest payments) in the range of 3 percent to 4 percent of GDP, although in Cardoso’s first term, 1994-98, budgetary policy was less tight, with only a small primary surplus. The first popularly elected president in Brazil in 30 years, Fernando Collor de Mello took office on March 15, 1990. In September 1992, Collor was impeached by the lower house of the Brazilian legislature on charges of corruption. In December 1992, Collor resigned as president of Brazil, and the Brazilian Senate convicted him of the corruption charges. There needs to be a change in Brazilians’ elite mentality of entitlement and privilege – in detriment of the nation’s general good. This mentality was inherited from colonial times. Brazilian society is very corrupt and stratified. Each class defends very specific and sometimes conflicting interests, dismissing what is best for the country as a whole. This will take time to change and until it does, the country won’t live up to its potential. Brazil will only have a bright future when its basic needs such as health and education and issues such as social inequality and wealth concentration are dealt with in a continuous and serious manner. In Brazil, the role of government is much more intrusive than in the United States. This is not only a matter of taxation, but also in legal organization and in the regulatory role. In small and medium businesses, this aspect is less evident. In large-scale foreign investment situations, a close personal official relationship is fundamental. Lobbying by large corporations and trade groups is even more aggressive than in U. S. Government contracts are often awarded according to relationships and connections rather than pure technical or financial merit. This is a result of the paternalistic, nepotistic culture that has existed for hundreds of years. Brazil has one of the most complex systems of tax law in the world, which consequently makes Brazilian goods more expensive because companies pay more taxes than in other countries. Brazil’s overall tax burden is equivalent to 30% of the country’s gross domestic product, while neighboring countries such as Chile and Argentine have a tax burden equivalent to 15% and 20% of gross domestic product respectively. Experts say that due to the high tax rates, tax evasion is estimated to be 30% of the total revenue. The Brazilian government is seeking a constitutional change that would simplify the country’s tax system and so make Brazilian goods more competitive internationally. Pedro Parente, executive secretary at the Finance Ministry said the government plans to propose a constitutional amendment to eliminate taxes on industrialized products, a state value-added tax, a city tax on services and two types of social contributions. It place of all that, the government would like to impose a nationwide value-added tax, state and city consumer taxes and an excise tax on a select list of products as well as remove value-added taxes on goods for export. To change the tax system, the government must amend the constitution, which requires approval by two- fifths of both lower and upper houses of Congress in two voting rounds. New president DA SILVA, who took office January 1, 2003, has given priority to reforming the complex tax code, trimming the overblown civil service pension system, and continuing the fight against inflation. Tax revenues were indexed to inflation but many government expenditures were not. Salaries were frozen; basic goods were only chilled down a bit. Government spending far exceeded income, so inflation worked as a mechanism to hide the sins of the federal government. For most of the latter half of the 20th century, inflation has been a way of life for the Brazilians. Basically this was a tax imposed on the poor, allowing government to spend freely. It has been for more than four decades a primary source of public sector financing. In short, different kinds of reforms pose quite different political challenges, for reasons intrinsic to the character of the reforms themselves. The fact that late-stage reform agendas concentrate on complex institutional reforms helps to explain why the pace of reform in most countries almost always slows substantially after initial stages. To move beyond the broadest generalizations regarding the politics of economic reform and the capacities required to promote them, the concept of reform itself must be taken apart. Different kinds of reforms pose quite different political challenges. Even the different phases of any specific reform entail different political tasks and demand different tactics and capacities. Discussions of the politics of reform often fail to recognize these variations. Many economists used to B and some still do B talk about â€Å"political will† on the part of top-level leaders as the necessary and sufficient requirement for effective reform. Some of the metaphorical language used in discussions of reform convey a similar message: â€Å"bite the bullet†, â€Å"just do it. That implicit image of the reform process may roughly describe a single-shot devaluation decision. But it is clearly very misleading for more complex measures. Recognizing the varied character and political challenges of different reforms, and the tendency for complex institutional changes to be late and slow are first steps toward understanding why some kinds of reforms move faster than others, and why the pace of reforms tend to slow down almost everywhere. At the far end of the spectrum are systemic reforms in the major social services, primarily education and health care finance and delivery. Multiple models are available, influenced by very different national and regional traditions and histories. More important, there is only limited consensus among technical specialists regarding basic principles of reform. Experts argue bitterly over the merits of, say, single-payer health care systems or charter schools. They agree only very partially on the principles that should guide the degree and design of privatization or decentralization. Therefore, public debate regarding the design and priorities of reform tends to be diffuse and inconclusive. Even after initial agreement is reached regarding social service reforms, implementing them is extremely complex. Executive agencies and legislatures at national, state, and local levels are usually involved. Reforms intended to increase efficiency and save money in the long-run may nonetheless have high up-front costs. Not only the Ministry of Finance but often sub-national financial authorities must concur. Many social sector reforms require years to implement. A great deal of detailed information is required to fine-tune design of successive steps. Much of that information is not available without new arrangements to gather it. All of these complications are reinforced by the fact that, even where there is widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo, postponing action does not carry obvious and prompt risks. The varied character of different reforms — availability or absence of a consensus model or clear parameters for debate, timetable, number and variety of actors, information requirements, apparent costs of delay — shape the political challenges. If many actors must co-operate to put a reform into effect, any one of them can weaken or stop the reform. In other words, there are many potential veto actors. Decisions taken by the executive run high risks of being blocked in the legislature or sabotaged in the course of implementation. Moreover, the large number of actors increases transaction and enforcement costs. If implementation takes many years, there are many potential veto opportunities. The length of time required to get most complex institutional reforms up and running also means that the benefits of the reforms may not become apparent for some time. Therefore it may be hard to mobilize pro-reform coalitions to counter opposition from vested interests, which are likely to resist from the outset. Information requirements also affect the course of reform. Lack of information may stall action; new information may alter perceptions and reopen debates. Complex institutional reforms are the result of an extended process, not an event. The process is subject to stops and starts; issues regarded as closed may be re-opened and steps already taken may need to be repeated. The process is not linear, but iterative. The varied characteristics of different kinds of reforms also suggests why reforms in some sectors have made much more progress than others, in cross-national perspective. For example, far-reaching pension reforms have been adopted in many more countries, in and beyond Latin America, than have introduced similarly basic changes in education or health care systems. In conclusion, I believe that International Widgets will find that Brazil would be a great place to open shop (do new business). Brazil’s future is largely in it’s own hands. With there constitutional tax reform there are many changes which in turn will enhance social rights such a job stability, foreign and national capital enterprise, and several other areas pertaining to basic human rights. Brazil risks serious setbacks and instability if it fails to proceed with reform. Inflation, government spending and foreign investment has remained stable. There was general agreement on the need for policy changes. International pressures will help Brazil to make difficult but necessary choices. There was strong agreement that Brazil would benefit from becoming more international in its business relationships. Nearly all believed Brazil needed to expand its export industries. However, three out of four felt that Brazil was highly vulnerable to international economic and financial disruptions. Doing more to deal with social issues now is important to maintain stability so growth can proceed. Brazil’s economy will soon recover from its recession. -Brazilians believed that Brazil’s economy will be more stable in the future and so do I. Brazil will continue to have to strike a difficult balance between budget cutting and other policies to promote economic growth and addressing social issues. Domestic stability, in a context of vulnerability to external shocks resulting from globalized factors, is distinctively credited to political, economic and demographic processes whose outcomes can only be expected to occur in the long run. A transition towards a more pragmatic, pedestrian view of politics and politicians is emerging and a highly demanding electorate should be expected to voice new interests and needs.

Health Insurance Example

Health Insurance Example Health Insurance – Coursework Example Your full January 12, The development of MCOs has improved health care in the United sManaged Care Organizations or MCOs use a variety of techniques to reduce the cost of health care services and at the same time improve the quality of health care before providing these services to the members or other organizations. MCOs provide health insurance plans by making agreements with health care providers and medical associations with the aim that the members are provided health care services at low cost. The development of MCOs, which has increased in the past 10 years, has definitely improved the status of health care in the United States (Scutchfield et al.). In the United States, there are many types of MCOs, the major ones of which are preferred provider organizations (PPO), exclusive provider organization (EPO), and health maintenance organizations (HMO). All of these MCOs are working to improve the overall quality of health care and, in turn, they are also benefitting from the manag ed care in that they can attract and retain employees who are offered medical services at reduced costs. So, it is a win-win situation for both the MCOs and employees. MCOs gain employees to stay competitive in the market, and employees in turn enjoy improved and affordable health care services. MCOs also tend to provide focused care to the patient since the current problem is focused on and treated, and the patient also does not have to waste time in a private physician’s waiting room. Although there are some pitfalls too, but still I believe that MCOs are playing their part in improving health care in the country. Scutchfield, F. Douglas, Bosomworth, Peter M., Lee, Joel, and Dana Patton. â€Å"Managed Care in the United States.† Journal of Public Health, 19.3(1997): 251-254.