Is Marx Or Weber More Useful - 1524 Words

Essay Question: Is Marx or Weber more useful to analysing capitalism today? Capitalism is â€Å"a system of economic enterprise based on market exchange† (Giddens, 2009). Almost all industrial societies today are capitalistic in nature since their economic structures are based on free enterprise and market competition. However, capitalism first became the dominant mode of production over two centuries ago in Western society. Over this period, there have been some major theorists who have attempted to analyse capitalism and among these theorists are Karl Marx and Max Weber. Notwithstanding the obvious differences between Marx and Weber’s approach to capitalism, particularly with regards to the content of their analyses, their appraisal of capitalism is attached to a critical position (Craib, 1997). Both Marx and Weber agreed on the uniqueness of capitalism as an economic system. A system where: relations of production were concentrated in the hands of a rather small sector of the population; labour was performed by the masses of workers selling their services on a market; efficiency became a priority through which rationality and technological advancement were applied over religious and traditional values; and the critical goal at the end of economic behaviour was unrestricted wealth acquisition i.e. maximum profit (Birnbaum, 1953). It could not simply be simply treated as just a new economic system but a revolutionary mode of production which involved a new type of society.Show MoreRelatedMax Weber And Karl Marx On Modern Capitalism1510 Words   |  7 Pages Max Weber and Karl Marx on Modern Capitalism Anna Thor Sociology 475: Classical Sociological Theory Capitalism has continued to affect the way our society works as it is vital to our society. Two sociologists named Karl Marx and Max Weber have explained what they saw the historical emergence of modern capitalism. Both Karl Marx and Max Weber saw the significance of evolution of modern capitalism in the United States. Although both of the sociologists have differing views on how theyRead MoreMarx, Weber And Durkheim1714 Words   |  7 PagesMarx, Weber and Durkheim are the most important figures in sociology. You hear their names in all branches of sociology. These historical sociologists shaped the social structure in the modern world and are well known and still talked about today. Let’s take a glimpse at each of them. Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist; he is the founding figure in the sociology world and is also known as the father of sociology. He made sociology a science. He was interested in what held societies togetherRead MoreMarx Weber and Durkheim on Religion Essays1378 Words   |  6 PagesAll three main sociologist writers Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim offer different perspectives on religion and how important it is to society. Some of the theorists chose to have a positive view whilst others argue the unimportance of religion. This essay attempts to discover which theorist has the most accurate perspective of religion in modern times. This is done by firstly explaining the basic ideas regarding to religion put forward by Marx, Weber and Durkheim. Then both Marxs and DurkheimsRead MoreDurkheims Theories to Gender and Work1072 Words   |  4 Pagesas a group of people, not an individual. Marx Evaluation When applying Marx’s theories to gender and work, there were a few strengths and weaknesses. Alienation was a theory that just clicked for me when I was thinking of theories that apply to my topic. When I read the over view of gender and work, my first thoughts in the beginning were â€Å"the women’s work life had no meaning other than doing what society encouraged them to do†. In the view of Marx, all the fields of human activities might beRead MoreSocial Class And The Self1502 Words   |  7 Pagesconcept of Habitus put out by Bourdieu which is one of his most praised and referenced studies and whether is it still a useful tool in understanding the relationship between the social class and the self. I will do this by examining the theories of social class and examining them against Bourdieu’s work. The two main theorists on the idea of social class are Karl Marx and Max Weber. Marx based his theory on the idea that there are only two social classes, the bourgeoisie and proletariat. The bourgeoisieRead MoreKarl Marx And Alienation ( 2000 )1034 Words   |  5 PagesKarl Marx and Alienation (1,800 – 2,000 words) Introduction about Marx (1818 – 1883): mention the materials that are going to be used to back up your points (minimum of 5 scholarly materials) Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) was a German theorist who had taken the theory of alienation into consideration. He was also involved in communist party in Germany, trying to overthrow the class system. Marx had been banished from Germany for his critical thinking, and moved to England where he had become a communistRead MoreThe Theory Of The Functionalist Paradigm869 Words   |  4 Pagesrepresentations. It is because this paradigm is selective and more about the individual as opposed to a giant societal whole, this theory is of the micro level of analysis. One major proprietor of this theory is Max Weber, who was a sort of sociological jack of all trades. He believed that politics and sociology should be kept completely separate, and it is due to the ill relationship and the death of his politically driven father that Weber was eventually driven insane. In spite of this he is stillRead MoreDurkheim s Influence On Sociology1240 Words   |  5 PagesPlease describe the impact Marx, Durkheim, Weber had on sociology as prominent contributors of the discipline. Durkheim and Max Weber, Marx is seen as one of the three founders of the social sciences. Emile Durkheim, was a French sociologist. His theories and writings helped establish the foundations of modern sociology. Durkheim disagreed with most social theorists of the late 1800 s because they thought that individual psychology was the basis of sociology. Durkheim regarded sociology asRead MoreSocial class2037 Words   |  9 Pagesways social class is viewed and how society notices this effect. I will give comparison of Marx and Weber s perspectives on social class and inequality will be made, as we know it is quiet debatable on who s view is correct but I will compare and contrast the similarities and differences finally weighing up a discussion to see both sides of the views. The main difference between Marx Weber is that Marx concentrates on the hardship of class and he sees the economical status and ownership sideRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination Is Using Imaginative Thoughts And Processes Essay1302 Words   |  6 Pagesreason could be because I intend to work with people and while I am learning about the individual, I feel a need to learn about how society affects the individual as well. 3. The theory that has been influenced by Comte, Spencer, and Durkheim is 4. To Marx, capitalism is an economic system where the upper class exploits the lower, working class and conflict is inevitable. The alienation of the working class was caused by their labor. All they were to the upper class were just people who wanted to be

Cinderella Compare and Contrast Essay - 809 Words

â€Å"What goes around comes around, that’s what people say. So all the pain you caused me will come back to you someday† (Unknown.) The theme of â€Å"what goes around comes around† is exemplified in both the Grimm version and the Disney version of Cinderella, however the Grimm version definitely exemplifies the theme more effectively than the Disney version does. The Grimm version and the Disney version of Cinderella both include punishment to the stepsisters for how they treated Cinderella and they both exemplify the theme. For example, in both versions, the stepsisters do not get to what they want,which is to marry the prince and for Cinderella not to be happy. The Disney version kept it this way because that is basically the story. If the†¦show more content†¦In contrast with the Grimm version, the punishment in the Disney version is more of an emotional punishment. Whereas the Grimm version had a physical punishment. The only punishment for the stepmother and stepsisters is that they just have to see Cinderella get what they wanted, which was to marry the prince. This is extremely hard for them because that was what they wanted the most and now they have to see their step sister and maid who was â€Å" much too dirty to be seen† (Grimm) get what they wanted. They are probably also pretty angry and upset about what happen ed. It is noticeable in the film that they are all furious that Cinderella got to become the princess. The Disney version made this the only punishment in the story because the punishment in the Grimm version was too gory. The Disney movie is directed towards children so they could not make it too gory, but they also had to teach the lesson. This version did a good job exemplifying the theme, however the punishment in the Grimm version is just more effective, as noted before. In the Grimm version, there is also extra punishment for the stepmother as well. The stepmother now has to tend to her daughters and provide special care for them now because they cannot walk. She talked her daughters into cutting parts of their feet off because â€Å" When you are queen you will no longer have to go on foot† (Grimm.) Therefore, they cannot walk anymore andShow MoreRelatedCompare/Contrast Cinderella Essay1261 Words   |  6 PagesCompare/Contrast Cinderella Essay â€Å"The Walt Disney Company is a powerful economic and cultural phenomenon known throughout the United States and the world as a provider of family entertainment (Maltin, 1, 308). Its media and entertainment holdings establish it as a central communicator in contemporary life. As such, it provides many of the first narratives children use to learn about the world† (Ward, 1). Disney has always been family oriented making it one of the main attractions of reading somethingRead MoreCinderella Stories1524 Words   |  7 PagesCinderella Stories Lesson Plan Sherryl Green Grand Canyon University: RDG:585 October 8, 2012 Lesson Plan Cinderella Stories ABSTRACT In this study of Cinderella Stories, second grade students will use charts and diagrams to discover the similarities and differences among stories. Students will develop writing skills using descriptive language and details. They will strengthen their comprehension skills through the use of magical Cinderella tales from different lands and apply map skillsRead MoreThe Song If I Die Young 976 Words   |  4 Pages The song â€Å"If I Die Young† written by Kimberly Perry, can be compared and contrasted with the story of Cinderella and Snow White in many ways. The Band Perry didn’t purposely make the song fit a popular fairy tale. Simply a few of the lyrics that were used can be compared to the famous fairy tale as well and differ from it. In the song, the writers didn’t use lyrics that were straight to the point. A large amount of the lyrics had allusions, symbolism, and a extremely deep meaning behind the textRead MoreFairy Tales By The Brother s Grimm, Rapunzel And Cinderella1729 Words   |  7 Pageshave been altered numerous times, varying with a changing society. Classic fairy tales by the Brother’s Grimm, Rapunzel and Cinderella, were published in the mid 1800s. Many years later Disney released its own versions of these Grimm fairy tales called Tangled, a modern take on Rapunzel, and Cinderella published in 2010 and 1950 respectfully. Both fairy tales compare and contrast with the more modern versions. The most potent similarities and differences are seen through the characters, plot, and lessonRead MoreGender Roles : The Little Mermaid ( 1989 ) And Beauty And The Beast897 Words   |  4 Pagesconversation about Disney films is the topic of gender roles and how they can impact society. In this paper I will be focusing on the gender roles illustrated in Disney films with specific attention on Cinderella (1950), The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991). I hope to demonstrate and compare the gender roles of men and women within these films and discuss the relation between Disney films and society based on a feminist perspective. DEFINING MASCULINITY AND FEMININTY: It is apparentRead MoreBeauty And Beauty In Cinderella By Lin Lan1018 Words   |  5 Pagesin classic fairy tales. â€Å"Cinderella† by Lin Lan is one of the best examples of how a piece of literature, as well as a society, sees the relationship between virtue and physical attractiveness. Lin Lan’s Cinderella, as with many fairy tales, believes that beauty and goodness are strongly correlated, shows this through the characters and how other characters value beauty, and represents the opposite as well: to be evil is to be ugly. This point of view shown in â€Å"Cinderella† is prevalent not only inRead MoreTelemetry 1011124 Words   |  5 Pages |Date: | | Overview Choose a movie from the provided list. Watch the movie, focusing specifically on the family unit featured in the film. Compare and contrast the movie family’s characteristics and behaviors to the assessment criteria introduced in the class notes and readings from the textbook. Address each characteristic including specific examples from the movie to validate your analysis. YouRead MoreInfluence Of The Grimm Brothers Fairy Tales Essay1734 Words   |  7 Pagesher favorite fairy tales such as Cinderella, who marries the prince who rediscovers her by her small shoe size because of this plot they lived â€Å"Happily Ever After†. However, not all fairy tales are innocent like Walt Disney created them to be for modern society. In fact, most original fairy tales have gruesome and tragic plots such as the Gimms Brothers version of Cinderella. Where her two step sisters cut a part their feet to fit the small glass slipper of Cinderella. The scene is gruesome for thereRead Mo reWalt Disney s Influence On1942 Words   |  8 Pageshow protagonists are displayed in Brad Bird s films and compares them to previously established masculine and feminine qualities that have resulted from these previous studies. 3) Conclusion- Summarizes the influence of Disney on Brad Bird s life and films. Abstract This paper explores the influence and impact of classic Walt Disney productions on Brad Bird and his films, and how these aforementioned productions compare and contrast to Bird s films. Disney protagonists are examined throughRead MoreEssay about Analyzing Cinderella by Anne Sexton1787 Words   |  8 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cinderella Cinderella is a childhood fairytale that we all love and remember. It is a tragedy that turns into love and happily ever after in the end. In contrast to this popular story, Anne Sextons version of Cinderella is a dark and twisted version of the classic fairy tale. It takes on a whole new perspective and is fairly different from the childhood fairytale that most of society knows. The poem takes less of a focus on the happy ever after in Cinderella and makes it into

The Return Nightfall Chapter 4 Free Essays

With the signed contract safely tucked in Bonnie’s purse, they pulled up to the boardinghouse in which Stefan had taken up residence again. They looked for Mrs. Flowers but couldn’t find her, as usual. We will write a custom essay sample on The Return: Nightfall Chapter 4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now So they walked up the narrowing steps with the worn carpet and splintering balustrade, hallooing as they came. â€Å"Stefan! Elena! It’s us!† The door at the very top opened and Stefan’s head came out. He looked – different somehow. â€Å"Happier,† Bonnie whispered wisely to Meredith. â€Å"Is he?† â€Å"Of course.†Bonnie was shocked. â€Å"He’s got Elena back.† â€Å"Yes, he does. Just the way she was when they met, I bet. You saw her in the woods.† Meredith’s voice was heavy with significance. â€Å"But†¦that’s†¦oh, no! She’shuman again!† Matt looked down the stairs and hissed, â€Å"Will you two quit it? They’re gonna hear us.† Bonnie was confused. Of course Stefan could hear them, but if you were going to worry about what Stefan heard you’d have to worry about what youthought , too – Stefan could always catch the shape of what you were thinking, if not the actual words. â€Å"Boys!† hissed Bonnie. â€Å"I mean I know they’re totally necessary and all, but sometimes they Just Don’t Get It.† â€Å"Just wait till you try men,† whispered Meredith, and Bonnie thought of Alaric Saltzman, the college student that Meredith was more or less engaged to. â€Å"I could tell you a thing or two,† Caroline added, examining her long, manicured nails with a world-weary look. â€Å"But Bonnie doesn’t need to know even one yet. She has plenty of time to learn,† Meredith said, firmly in mothering mode. â€Å"Let’s go inside.† â€Å"Sit down, sit down,† Stefan was encouraging them as they entered, the perfect host. But nobody could sit down. All eyes were fixed on Elena. She was sitting in lotus position in front of the room’s only open window, with the fresh wind making her white nightgown billow. Her hair was true gold again, not the perilous white-gold it had become when Stefan had unintentionally turned into a vampire. She looked exactly the way Bonnie remembered her. Except that she was floating three feet off the floor. Stefan saw them all gawking. â€Å"It’s just something she does,† he said almost apologetically. â€Å"She woke up the day after our fight with Klaus and started floating. I think gravity hasn’t quite got a hold on her yet.† He turned back to Elena. â€Å"Look who’s come to see you,† he said enticingly. Elena was looking. Her gold-flecked blue eyes were curious, and she was smiling, but there was no recognition as she looked from one visitor to another. Bonnie had been holding her arms out. â€Å"Elena?† she said. â€Å"It’sme , Bonnie, remember? I was there when you came back.I’m sure glad to see you .† Stefan tried again. â€Å"Elena, remember? These are your friends, your good friends. This tall, dark-haired beauty is Meredith, and this fiery little pixie is Bonnie, and this guy with the all-American looks is Matt.† Something flickered in Elena’s face, and Stefan repeated, â€Å"Matt.† â€Å"And what about me? Or am I invisible?† Caroline said from the doorway. She sounded good-humored enough, but Bonnie knew that it made Caroline grind her teeth just to see Stefan and Elena together and out of danger. â€Å"You’re right. I’m sorry,† Stefan said, and he did something that no ordinary eighteen-year-old could have pulled off without looking like an idiot. He took Caroline’s hand and kissed it as gracefully and unthinkingly as if he were some count from nearly half a millennium ago. Which, of course, was pretty much what he was, Bonnie thought. Caroline looked slightly smug – Stefan had taken his time with the hand kiss. Now he said, â€Å"And last but not least, this tanned beauty here is Caroline.† Then, very gently, in a voice that Bonnie had heard him use only a few times since she’d known him, he said, â€Å"Don’t you remember them, love? They nearly died for you – and for me.† Elena was floating easily, in a standing position now, bobbing like a swimmer trying to keep still. â€Å"We did it because we care,† Bonnie said, and she put her arms out again for a hug. â€Å"But we never expected to get you back, Elena.† Her eyes filled. â€Å"You came back to us. Don’t youknow us?† Elena floated down until she was directly in front of Bonnie. There was still no sign of recognition on her face, but there was something else. There was a kind of limitless benediction and tranquility. Elena radiated a calming peace and an unconditional love that made Bonnie breathe in deeply and shut her eyes. She could feel it like sunshine on her face, like the ocean in her ears. After a moment Bonnie realized she was in danger of crying at the sheer feeling ofgoodness – a word that was almost never used these days. Some things still could be simply, untouchablygood . Elenawas good. And then, with a gentle touch on Bonnie’s shoulder, Elena floated toward Caroline. She held out her arms. Caroline looked flustered. A wave of scarlet swept up her neck. Bonnie saw it, but didn’t understand it. They’d all had a chance to pick up on Elena’s vibes. And Caroline and Elenahad been close friends – until Stefan, their rivalry had been friendly. It wasgood of Elena to pick Caroline to hug first. And then Elena went into the circle of Caroline’s hastily raised arms and just as Caroline began to say â€Å"I’ve – † she kissed her full on the mouth. It wasn’t just a peck, either. Elena wrapped her arms around Caroline’s neck and hung on. For long moments Caroline stood deathly still as if in shock. Then she reared back and struggled, at first feebly, and then so violently that Elena was catapulted backward in the air, her eyes wide. Stefan caught her like an infielder going for a pop fly. â€Å"What thehell – ?† Caroline was scrubbing at her mouth. â€Å"Caroline!† Stefan’s voice was filled with fierce protectiveness. â€Å"It doesn’t mean anything like what you’re thinking. It’s got nothing to do with sex at all. She’s just identifying you, learning who you are. She can do that now that she’s come back to us.† â€Å"Prairie dogs,† Meredith said in the cool, slightly distant voice she often used to bring down the temperature of a room. â€Å"Prairie dogs kiss when they meet. It does exactly what you said, Stefan, helps them identify specific individuals†¦.† Caroline was far beyond Meredith’s abilities to cool down, however. Scrubbing her mouth had been a bad idea; she had smeared scarlet lipstick all around it, so that she looked like something out of aBride of Dracula movie. â€Å"Are you crazy? What do you think I am? Because some hamsters do it, that makes it okay?† She had flushed a mottled red, from her throat to the roots of her hair. â€Å"Prairie dogs. Not hamsters.† â€Å"Oh, who gives a – † Caroline broke off, frantically fumbling in her purse until Stefan offered her a box of tissues. He had already dabbed the scarlet smears off Elena’s mouth. Caroline rushed into the small bathroom attached to Stefan’s attic bedroom and slammed the door hard. Bonnie and Meredith caught each other’s eye and let out their breaths simultaneously, convulsing with laughter. Bonnie did a lightning-quick imitation of Caroline’s expression and frantic scrubbing, miming someone using handful after handful of tissues. Meredith gave a reproving shake of her head, but she and Stefan and Matt all had a case of themustn’t-laugh snickers. A lot of it was simply the release of tension – they had seen Elena alive again, after six long months without her – but they couldn’t stop laughing. Or at least they couldn’t until a tissue box sailed out of the bathroom, nearly hitting Bonnie in the head – and they all realized that the slammed door had rebounded – and that there was a mirror in the bathroom. Bonnie caught Caroline’s expression in the mirror and then met her full-on glare. Yep, she’d seen them laughing at her. The door closed again – this time, as if it had been kicked. Bonnie ducked her head and clutched at her short strawberry curls, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her. â€Å"I’ll apologize,† she said after a gulp, trying to be adult about the situation. Then she looked up and realized that everyone else was more concerned about Elena, who was clearly upset by this rejection. It’s a good thing we made Caroline sign that oath in blood, Bonnie thought. And it’s a good thing that you-know-who signed it, too. If there was one thing Damon would know about, it was consequences. Even as she was thinking this, she joined the huddle around Elena. Stefan was trying to hold Elena; Elena was trying to go after Caroline; and Matt and Meredith were helping Stefan and telling Elena that it was okay. When Bonnie joined them, Elena gave up trying to get to the bathroom. Her face was distressed, her blue eyes swimming with tears. Elena’s serenity had been broken by hurt and regret – and underneath that, a surprisingly deep apprehension. Bonnie’s intuition gave a twinge. But she patted Elena’s elbow, the only part of her that she could reach, and added her voice to the chorus: â€Å"You didn’t know she’d get so upset. You didn’t hurt her.† Crystal tears spilled down Elena’s cheeks, and Stefan caught them with a tissue as if each one was priceless. â€Å"She thinks that Carolineis hurt,† Stefan said, â€Å"and she’s worried about her – for some reason I don’t get.† Bonnie realized that Elena could communicate after all – by mind-link. â€Å"I felt that, too,† she said. â€Å"The hurt. But tell her – I mean – Elena, Ipromise I’ll apologize. I’ll grovel.† â€Å"It may take some groveling from all of us,† Meredith said. â€Å"But meanwhile I want to make sure that this  ¡Ã‚ ®angel unaware’ recognizesme .† With an expression of tranquil sophistication, she took Elena out of Stefan’s arms and into her own, and then she kissed her. Unfortunately, this coincided with Caroline stalking out of the bathroom. The bottom of her face was paler than the top, having been denuded of all makeup: lipstick, bronzer, blush, the works. She stopped dead and stared. â€Å"I don’t believe it,† she said in scathing tones. â€Å"You’restill doing it! It’s dis – â€Å" â€Å"Caroline.† Stefan’s voice was a warning. â€Å"I came here to see Elena.† Caroline – beautiful, lithe, bronze-limbed Caroline – was twisting her hands together as if in terrible conflict. â€Å"Theold Elena. And what do I see? She’s like a baby – she can’t talk. She’s like some smirking guru floating in the air. And now she’s like some kind of perverted – â€Å" â€Å"Don’t finish that,† Stefan said quietly but firmly. â€Å"I told you, she ought to be over the first symptoms in just a few days, to judge by her progress so far,† he added. And hewas different, somehow, Bonnie thought. Not just happier to have gotten Elena back. He was†¦stronger somehow at the core of himself. Stefan had always been quiet inside; her powers sensed him as a pool of clear water. Now she saw that same clear water built up like a tsunami. What could have changed Stefan so much? The answer came to her immediately, although in the form of a wondering question. Elena was still part spirit – Bonnie’s intuition told her that. What did it do if you drank the blood of someone who was in that state? â€Å"Caroline, let’s just drop it,† she said. â€Å"I’m sorry, I’m really, really sorry for – you know. I was wrong, and I’m sorry.† â€Å"Oh, you’resorry . Oh, that makes everything all right then, doesn’t it?† Caroline’s voice was pure acid, and she turned her back on Bonnie with finality. Bonnie was surprised to feel the sting of tears behind her eyes. Elena and Meredith still had their arms around each other, their cheeks wet with the other’s tears. They were looking at each other and Elena was beaming. â€Å"Now she’ll know you anywhere,† Stefan told Meredith. â€Å"Not just your face, but – well, the inside of you, too, or the shape of it, at least. I should have mentioned that before this started, but I’m the only one she’s ;;met,’ and I didn’t realize – â€Å" â€Å"You should have realized!† Caroline was pacing like a tiger. â€Å"So you kissed a girl, sowhat ?† Bonnie exploded. â€Å"What do you think, you’re going to grow a beard now?† As if powered by the conflict around her, Elena suddenly took off. All at once she was zipping around the room as if she’d been shot from a cannon; her hair crackled with electricity when she made sudden stops or turns. She soared around the room twice, and as she was silhouetted against the dusty old window, Bonnie thought,Oh, my God! We’ve got to get her some clothes! She looked at Meredith and saw that Meredith had shared her realization. Yes, they had to get Elena clothes – and most especially underclothes. As Bonnie moved toward Elena, as shyly as if she’d never been kissed before, Caroline exploded. â€Å"You just keep doing it and doing it and doing it!† She was practically screeching by now, Bonnie thought. â€Å"What’swrong with you? Don’t you have any morals at all?† This, unfortunately, caused another case of thedon’t-laugh-don’t-laugh choked giggles in Bonnie and Meredith. Even Stefan turned away sharply, his gallantry toward a guest clearly fighting a losing battle. Not just a guest, Bonnie thought, but a girl he’d gonepret-ty darn far with, as Caroline hadn’t been shy about letting people know when she’d gotten her hands on him. About as far as vampirescould go, Bonnie remembered, which was not the whole way. Something about the blood-sharing substituting for – well, for Doing It. But he wasn’t the only one Caroline had bragged about. Caroline was infamous. Bonnie glanced at Elena, saw that Elena was watching Caroline with a strange expression. Not as if Elena were afraid of her, but rather as if Elena were deeply worriedabout her. â€Å"Are you all right?† Bonnie whispered. To her surprise, Elena nodded, then looked at Caroline and shook her head. She carefully looked Caroline up and down and her expression was that of a puzzled doctor examining a very sick patient. Then she floated toward Caroline, one hand extended. Caroline shied away, as if she were disgusted to have Elena touch her. No, not disgusted, Bonnie thought, butfrightened. â€Å"How do I know what she’ll do next?† Caroline snapped, but Bonnie knew that wasn’t the real reason for her fear. What do we have going on here? she wondered. Elena afraidfor Caroline, and Caroline afraidof Elena. What does that equal? Bonnie’s psychic senses were giving her gooseflesh. There was somethingwrong with Caroline, she felt, something she’d never encountered before. And the air†¦it was thickening somehow, as if it were building up to a thunderstorm. Caroline made a sharp turn to keep her face averted from Elena’s. She moved behind a chair. â€Å"Just keep her freakin’away from me, all right? I won’t let her touch me again – † she began, when Meredith changed the whole situation with two quiet words. â€Å"Whatdid you say to me?† Caroline said, staring. How to cite The Return: Nightfall Chapter 4, Essay examples

Global Business and Corporate Accountability Standard Issues Globally

Question: Discuss about the Global Business and Corporate Accountability Standard Issues Globally. Answer: If we talk about what is Triple bottom line(or TBL or 3BL) - it is an accounting framework which has the following components: - Social - Environmental (or Ecological) - Financial This TBL framework is used to evaluate performance in a greater business value. It connects to profits, planets and people. Profit: The profit which is very important for the parent company and shareholders. APP is very much accountable in terms of this to all their shareholders and stakeholders. And due to the illegal activities they are very much affecting the kind of profits they are generating. And thus there TBL should be considered while doing such activities. People: The people have been affected by the APP because of the forests fires and other environmental issues they are creating. They are accountable to the Government of countries like Singapore and Indonesia because of the activities they are doing under jurisdiction. And thus they need to maintain the position in the market. Also they are so very accountable to the citizens of the countries they are operating in. Thus the kind of pollution they are creating and spreading in the places is harming the citizens and thus they should see to it that another component of their evaluating technique of TBL is very much getting affected by the practices. Also instead of looking and measuring the greater business value through this framework, they are affecting the natural environment a lot. This brings us to another dimension of environment and our planet Earth. They are even creating a bad image in front of the employees of their company only. Planet: They are damaging the eco- system in excess. With the environment of the planet which is now full of air pollution, this has created a bad natural environment. The haze environment is creating bad surroundings for people and thus its damaging every possible thing and making it weaker. The stakeholders here our own planet and thus this is an issue to be worried about. The effect has been so bad that the victims are not in condition to file a lawsuit against the company. APP should be aware of the way they are working under the heads of profit, people and planet as the company is under a societal framework which is on this planet earth and this TBL Technique covers all the possible stakeholders which get affected through your activities. And as far as their own business is concerned, they are having a lot of issues which is affecting their parent and subsidiary companies, affecting their hard earned goodwill even. 2. a. Relationship for all companies Answer: The search with Acra had revealed that three directors connection with three directors. Even the APPs secretary was part of the limited liability company Audit Alliance which was appointed as the auditors. The toy making company Mattel has also been attached as they were cutting APP- made packaging out of their supply chain. The company groups like Sinar Mars have been the biggest groups which are linked to APP. And through this only other big companies are getting top investments. Investors have funded the other five Singapore-listed firms controlled by Sinar Mas with $4.3 billion of loans and bonds. This has been such a great loss as they have been funded and they are related to APP creating new avenues for various issues. This has even helped the Widjaja empire to reach a market value of US$7.5 billion (S$10.7 billion) on the stock market indexes which was compiled by Bloomberg in the month of May. Under the Singapore Company Sinar Mas, it includes the following: Second-largest palm oil producer which is Golden Agri The coal miner Golden Energy and Resources Investment holding company Bund Center Investment Lifestyle developer Top Global. b. Do you think Singapore has right to prosecute the foreign company? Singapore has power to prosecute the co.? Answer: Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) is one such act which can actually make APP land into a problem. This act has been released to deal with Transboundary Haze. If we talk about the foreign companies, this act of THPA even goes beyond the Singapore limits and this will help the country to deal with the problem of pollution a lot more. This is for the very first time that Singapore has begun legal action. This will be a litmus test for the companies to actually respond to it. Also this will be an effective measure for actually punishing the companies which are doing illegal fires in forests. If there is no coordination by Indonesian government then it will not do any good. If this act doesnt work, there will no work for the country. Sinar Mars needs to be taken in account for the kind of work their subsidiary is doing. The Government is very much responsible and should act because privatization is something when a company operates in country boundaries they might be allowed under privatization but still the effect is coming on the public where the government comes in picture. And its their responsibility to save the citizens when a private company might be making Monet but is affecting the society and doing no good of greater value. But in the end the Indonesian Governments non participative nature, this law is not being practiced properly. Even the law can take in account many companies outside the Singapore boundaries but the political nature of this issue is very intense. Thus cutting long and shot- Singapore has the right to prosecute the company because of the act discussed above and moreover it goes beyond the boundary. They even have the right to prosecute the company. In legal terms, they can actually prosecute but is useless without the cooperation of Indonesia. We have this act but we are not able to do the same because there is less of cooperation. Thus we have hampered by all this processes but to answer the question they can prosecute the company under THPA. This act is very important because it covers all the wrong doings of the company which do bad to environment. 3. Agency Theory for this company The Agency theory for this company is as follows: Theagency problemis a kind of conflict of interest which may be due to any relationship where we have one party is anticipated to act in others best interests. The agency problem when talked about in corporate finance and in this case is usually refers to a kind of conflict of interest between a company's top level management and the stockholders. Here the principal will be the shareholders and the agents are the management. Here the agent is doing something which is not acceptable by the principal. The case of APP has a lot of problems related to Agency problem. The agents here are creating a lot of issues for the principals- pollution, firing forests etc. In the short run they are making profits and they might even provide them the profits but in the long run they are hurting the principals by creating a bad natural environment around them which is full of pollution. APP was boycotted by the Singapore companies because of the kind of work they were doing and this is certainly in interest of their principal- shareholders. The other companies were doing their level best to make sure that in long run they make profits instead of making profits in just short run. The agency problem here is to make sure that the Principals who will always be our shareholders should not get affected on the long run or short run because they are the ones who have helped the company to come this far. Also the company should be working in order help the shareholders. APP is very much accountable in terms of this to all their shareholders and stakeholders. And due to the illegal activities they are very much affecting the kind of profits they are generating. The company has gone to such a level that the victims of the haze pollution are not even complaining about them as they know this will dig their pockets deeper and will cause a lot of trouble to them. Also the kind of relation the company has in politics and their top position. The shareholders are very much aware of the difference between the haves and the have-nots in the litigation. Thus here we have the direct problem of the issue of agency problem because the principals here have some other requirements and the agents are working in self-interest and profit making only. Thus APP should make sure that they are in align with their principal and working like agents who give them a proper return.

Asia is Orientalized essays

Asia is Orientalized essays Images of different kinds of Asian Culture are all around us in the United States. They can be found in restaurants, in newspapers, in magazines, on the internet, and on television. All of these images reflect a typical Americans view of all people that live in Asia. The most common images that we see in the media are not an accurate reflection of what modern-day Asia really is. Many of the images make us perceive Asia as backward, traditional, and inferior to us. This is how Asia is orietalized. These images circulated by Americans serve the purpose of making us feel that we are superior to Asian culture and lifestyle. The first example of orientalism that I found is a picture of a small, male child. He is dressed in a long gown that is decorated in a traditional Chinese design and wearing a hat. Refer to Appendix A. I found this picture on the internet on a web page designed for children to inform them of the Chinese New Year. This picture gives the perception that all Children in China dress this way. The boy in this picture looks very simple and plain. In no way does this icon make China look like a very industrialized and technologically advanced country. In this example an American selected this image to portray Asia as an uncivilized nation that is not as advanced as America is. This image is very misleading. Since this web site is a child based web site, this is a prime example of how orientalism is started early in our country. Little children in America see these images and assume this is how people in China dress on a daily basis. They see these images and that imply that Asia is not a country as good as ours or that it is some exotic place, and they believe it. The second illustration that I came across is a photograph taken of two young female girls. They are Japanese. Both are dressed in very traditional Japanese clothing (robes, sandals, head pieces). They have their hair done up o...

Utilizing Pumpkins as a “Reverse” Trap Crop Essay Example

Utilizing Pumpkins as a â€Å"Reverse† Trap Crop Essay Example Utilizing Pumpkins as a â€Å"Reverse† Trap Crop Essay Utilizing Pumpkins as a â€Å"Reverse† Trap Crop Essay In the world of agriculture, trap crops are normally used to lure pests away from a commercial crop by presenting the pest with a more attractive alternative. But when conducting research to develop new seed traits that provide better yield, drought resistance, or even insect resistance, trap crops can be used to test the performance of a new trait.The western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) causes billions of dollars in damage to corn crops throughout the United States each year. Recent seed research has helped develop new corn varieties to combat this problem. These new varieties of corn have a protein (Bt protein) that causes stomach distress in adult western corn rootworm beetles that result in death. Thus, the pest resistance is literally bred into the seed, eliminating the need for harmful pesticides. This type of corn is considered to be rootworm resistant.Normally, in order to be able to â€Å"test† the performance of a specific rootworm resistant corn variety, a test plot has to be infested with western corn rootworm eggs manually. This tends to be costly and very labor intensive. The infested eggs then develop into larva, which feed on underground roots. Adult rootworms feed on the above ground tissue of the corn plant. Both the roots and the above ground tissue contain the Bt protein. The corn plant is then â€Å"harvested† prior to the pollination period in a process called a â€Å"root dig†.During a ‘root dig† the corn plant is cut off at approximately two feet above the ground, the roots are dug up and rinsed with a high power stream of water to expose the roots which are then rated for damage by the corn rootworm larva. Based on the data collected during the â€Å"root dig†, researchers are able to evaluate the effectiveness of the resistance that is bred into that variety of corn. Root dig washing process is shown in picture on the left. Diagram of corn root damage by corn rootworm be etles is shown in picture on the right.HYPOTHESIS: What if one could utilize a â€Å"trap crop† to entice the adult western corn rootworm beetle to a test plot, allowing the adults to feed and eventually lay their eggs? I predict that by adding pumpkins (independent variable) as a trap crop in rootworm resistant corn will allow for a greater number of eggs (dependent variable) to be deposited in the test plot naturally versus the rootworm resistant corn without the trap crop, therefore eliminating the need for manual infestation.To test this hypothesis, we selected pumpkins to plant as a trap crop in a one acre square plot containing rootworm resistant corn. This would be the independent variable in this experiment. It is known that the adult western corn rootworm beetle is highly attracted to pumpkin vines and flowers. A second test plot of the same size (same farm) would be planted with the same variety of rootworm resistant corn without the pumpkin crop. The dependent vari able would be the egg counts in both test plots. The control in this experiment would be utilizing acreage on the same farm.Special steps were taken to replicate the exact soil conditions by a pre-planting soil analysis; utilizing the same â€Å"batch† of chemical in herbicide spray applications, and the close proximity to each other to control factors such as precipitation, number of days with full sunshine, humidity, etc. This will aid in controlling the experiment’s internal validity and act as a guide in any subsequent replications of this experiment. Adult western corn rootworm beetles are shown on a pumpkin flower in the picture on the left.Damage by rootworm beetles on a mature pumpkin shown in picture on the right. Pumpkins were planted in the test plot # 2 in the spring of 2012 and were allowed to mature naturally. During flowering, a sizable increase in the adult rootworm beetle was observed in test plot #2. Based on the observable increase in adults, we pred icted that there will also be an increase in the number of eggs in said test plot when compared to the number of eggs in the test plot without trap crop (pumpkins). Soil samples will then be collected and analyzed for egg counts.If it is proven that planting a trap crop increases egg counts naturally, there could be a considerable cost savings in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of desirable traits in corn. This experiment was conducted at an agricultural Ramp;D site in northwestern Indiana during the summer of 2012 in preparation for this task. Egg count data has been received and is currently being evaluated in preparation for the 2013 planting season. In preparation for this experiment, several independent scientific papers were reviewed. Sorghum as a Trap Crop for Nezara viridula L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Cotton in the Southern United States†, P. G. Tillman (1); â€Å"Case Study: Trap Crop with Pheromone Traps for Suppressing Euschistus servus (Heteropt era: Pentatomidae) in Cotton†, P. G. Tillman and T. E. Cottrell (2) and â€Å"Trap Cropping to Manage Green Vegetable Bug Zezara viridula (L. ) (Hereroptera: Pentatomidae) in Sweet Corn in New Zealand†, James H. Rea, Stephen D. Warren, Richard Sedcole, Peter J. Cameron, Stuart I. Davis, R. Bruce Chapman (3) were considered for background information.These studies were helpful in explaining the commercial use of trap crops as an effective method of removing pests from cash crops and served as a basis for our unique application of a â€Å"reverse† trap crop in testing the effectiveness of ongoing corn research. Testing methods were similar but our research did not include any type of Pheromone study. Our experiment was based on the premise that by planting pumpkins in the test plot (known to attract western corn rootworm beetle), we could naturally increase the numbers of western corn rootworm beetle eggs in that plot.An increase in the number of naturally occurrin g eggs could result in a significant reduction in our annual research expenses. - KEY WORDS:western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), trap crop, rootworm resistant corn. - METHODS and MATERIALS: This experiment was conducted at a seed research and development facility in northwestern Indiana during the 2012 growing season in preparation for RINT Task 3.This method of scientific design was chosen because it is a replication of a similar experiment conducted at a research and development facility in Iowa and has shown viable results. It was designed to compare the viability of planting a trap crop to attract the western corn rootworm beetle to evaluate the performance of corn containing rootworm resistant traits from different areas of the Midwest. The acreage, chemicals, sampling tools and laboratory facilities were readily available. In addition, if the hypothesis can be proven to be true, there is a potential for cost savings in other areas of our research.Inse ct Species: Western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera). Corn rootworm larvae can destroy significant percentages of corn if left untreated. In the United States, current estimates show that 30 million acres (120,000  km? ) of corn (out of 80 million grown) are infested with corn rootworms and that area is expected to grow over the next 20 years. The USDA estimates that corn rootworms cause $1 billion in lost revenue each year, which includes $800 million in yield loss and $200 million in cost of treatment for corn growers (The Dow Chemical Company). (4)Shown above from left to right, corn plant damage in the field and examples of actual root damage done by western corn rootworm beetles in the center and right picture. Healthy roots are shown as a full root system; damaged roots are short to nonexistent. Sampling Technique: Using a golf course cup cutter, take 4† diameter x 4† deep soil core samples. Collect ten (10) core samples per acre (trial area) . Core samples should be taken at various locations within the test plot. Include samples taken from within the corn rows and between rows. Place core samples in individual gallon bags.Be sure to break up any large clumps and remove stalks and other residue. Making the soil as fine as possible will aid in the washing process. Send individual samples to a laboratory with capabilities to wash eggs and provide egg counts. Taking multiple core samples at various locations throughout the test plot and then analyzing all ten (10) samples separately allows for a broader analysis of the entire test plot. The measuring unit of one (1) pint that was chosen for the final sample allows the lab sufficient soil to run the required tests.Once the samples arrive at the laboratory, each individual sample is mixed with a saturated salt solution. A sample of this mixture is then placed on a special microscope slide (Whitlock Universal or Whitlock McMaster). The saturated salt solution makes the rootwo rm eggs float to the top of the mixture in the slide where they are then counted. Data was collected from each individual sample to obtain egg counts for each test plot. EXPERIMENT: Two, one (1) acre test plots were selected at opposite ends of a ten (10) acre field. Soil type, topography, and precipitation were identical.Each plot was measured at 200 ft. wide by 220’ deep and marked off with flags. This is approximately one (1) square acre. Both fallow (empty ground) test plots were plowed utilzing a chisel plow set at a depth of six (6) inches to turn the soil over and prepare the soil for planting. Both test plots were then planted using a four (4) row custom bulk planter and a rootworm resistant variety of corn. The corn rows were spaced 30† apart. The corn seed within the rows was spaced 6† inches apart. Each test plot had a total of 80 rows of corn. Both test plots were also treated with Glyphosate in a concentration of 1. quarts to 15 gallons of water to ki ll any existing weeds. This amount of Glyphosate solution was enough to cover one (1) test plot. It was replicated twice to cover both test plots in the experiment. Once the rootworm resistant corn had been planted in both test plots, a trap crop of pumpkins was also planted throughout the test plot #2 (independent variable), utilizing a custom two (2) row planter. Pumpkin seeds were planted in between the rows of corn, spaced five (5’) feet apart. A cable winder was used to mark off the five (5’) foot increments needed to plant the pumpkins.A cable winder is used with a custom planter and calibrated to â€Å"click† when it is time to manually drop the seed. Both plots were allowed to grow throughout the summer. Visual observations were made in each plot, on the first Monday of each week between July 1st and September 1st to obtain adult rootworm beetle population counts. Ten observations in multiple locations across the test plots were taken each time. Random p umpkin plants were selected to count the total number of adult rootworm beetles in each observation. After harvest, prior to the first hard frost, soil core samples were taken, following the above mentioned sampling procedure.Core samples were then sent to an outside laboratory for analysis. - RESULTS: An increase in adult rootworm beetles was observed in test plot #2 (with pumpkins) when compared to test plot #1 (without pumpkins) but without soil egg count analysis, this data in inconclusive. Solid data is available once soil samples are analyzed for egg counts (dependent variable). Historically more than ten (10) eggs in a pint sample of soil are considered to be a high amount. In 2012, test plot #1 and #2 both showed an average of approximately two (2) eggs per pint sample.Samples taken at four different test sites in Iowa yielded six (6), zero (0), one (1) and four (4) eggs respectively or an average of 2. 75 eggs per pint sample. All data collected is reflecting little to no m easurable increase in the total number of western corn rootworm eggs that are occurring naturally when using a trap crop. Egg Count Core Sample Data for Test Plot #1 and Test Plot #2 Test Plot #1|   |   | Test Plot #2|   | |   |   |   |   | Core Sample #| Egg Count #|   | Core Sample #| Egg Count #| 1| 0|   | 1| 0| 2| 1|   | 2| 3| 3| 0|   | 3| 2| 4| 1|   | 4| 2| 5| 4|   | 5| 3| 6| 3|   | 6| 2| | 2|   | 7| 1| 8| 2|   | 8| 0| 9| 1|   | 9| 2| 10| 0|   | 10| 2| Ave # of Eggs| 1. 4|   | Ave # of Eggs| 1. 7| Egg Counts in Test Plot #1 Compared to Test Plot #2 Number of Eggs/Pint Sample Number of Samples/ One (1) Acre Test Plot - CONCLUSION: Based on the data that was collected, there did not seem to be a significant increase in the number of western corn rootworm eggs occurring naturally in test plot #2 when compared to test plot #1, even though there was an observable increase in adult western corn rootworm beetles in test plot #2.Where test plot #2 contained the trap crop (independent variable) and test plot #1 that did not contain a trap crop (dependant variable) in a single ten (10) acre test strip (constant variable). After carefully analyzing the data that was collected during this experiment, I have concluded that the introduction of a trap crop (pumpkins) to attract adult western rootworm beetles in rootworm resistant corn does not significantly increase naturally occurring corn rootworm beetle eggs. This data disproves my hypothesis that it would significantly increase the number of naturally occurring eggs.No cost savings can be associated with this experiment and conventional infestation methods are just as effective as this experimental method. DESIGN AND REPLICATION: The experimental design to test this hypothesis was constructed with ease of replication in mind. It utilizes simple techniques and materials that are readily available at most seed research and development sites. If the design is poor or if proper samp ling procedures are not followed then data in the experiment can be skewed, resulting in unreliable data.Based on potential cost savings in research, unreliable data can be an expensive mistake. In addition, if the design is well done, an increase of reliable data is shown time and time again with the same results. Replication is so important because it gives validity to the experiment’s results. As the same data shows the same results and the same conclusions over multiple replications, that data can become accepted as scientific fact. REFERENCES: (1) ars. usda. gov/sp2UserFiles/person/5648/PDF/ARIS 8-Sorghum as a Trap Crop for SGSB. d Tillman, P. G. 2006. Sorghum as a trap crop for Nezara viridula L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in cotton in the southern United States. Environmental Entomology. 35(3):771-783. (2) hindawi. com/journals/psyche/aip/401703 Tillman, P. G. , Cottrell, T. E. 2012. Case Study: Trap crop with pheromone traps for suppressing euschistus servus (Heter optera: Pentatomidae) in cotton. Psyche. DOI: 10. 1155/2012/401703. (3) http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1046/j. 1461-9563. 2002. 00130. x/full Rea, J.H. , Wratten, S. D. , Sedcole, R. , Cameron, P. J. , Davis, S. I. and Chapman, R. B. (2002), Trap cropping to manage green vegetable bug Nezara virdula (L. ) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in sweet corn in New Zealand. Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 4: 101-107. doi: 10. 1046/j. 1461 (4) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Diabrotica_virgifera; The Dow Chemical Company. Product Safety Assessment (PSA): Herculex RW Rootworm Protection. September 26, 2006. URL: dow. com/productsafety/finder/herculex. htm.

Management Training and Resulting Conflict Management Effectiveness in Dissertation

Management Training and Resulting Conflict Management Effectiveness in Hospitals - Dissertation Example One of such environment is hospital therefore conflict management in healthcare settings is a must. This study explores the effectiveness of conflict management in healthcare settings and presents conflict resolution maps for healthcare practitioners to ensure conflict management practices matches healthcare organisations standards. The study specifically discusses conflict resolution in the light of conflict situations unique to healthcare settings and uses secondary data on conflict resolution training programs suggested and carried out at NHS to make recommendations for healthcare management. Table of Contents ABSTRACT 2 1. INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 Background and Context 6 1.2 Research Question and Objectives 7 1.3 Rationale of the Study 8 1.4 Structure of the Study 9 2.LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 What is Conflict and Conflict Management? 10 2.2 Different Views on Conflict 11 2.3 Types of Conflict 13 2.3.1 Interpersonal Conflict 14 2.4 Conflict Management Process 15 2.5 Conflict Handling S trategies 16 2.6 Conflict Situations in Healthcare Settings 18 2.7 Research Studies on Conflict Management in Healthcare Settings 19 2.8 Research Gap and Conceptual Framework 21 3.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 23 3.1 Role of the Researcher 23 3.2 Research Design 23 3.3 Data Collection and Analysis 24 3.4 Research Validity and Triangulation 25 3.5 Summary 26 4.FINDINGS 27 4.1 The Patient-Staff Conflict 28 4.2 The Doctor-Doctor Conflict 30 4.3 Conflict among Nurses 30 4.4 The Doctor-Nurse Conflict 31 4.5 Summary 32 5.DISCUSSION 34 6.CONCLUSION 37 6.1 Recommendations 38 References 40 1. INTRODUCTION Conflict is an inevitable part of social life and communication, flexibility and willingness to change are a few ways to handle conflict effectively (Guffey & Almonte, 2009). However, not everyone is good at conflict management and hence without one knowing these strategies it becomes difficult to handle conflict effectively. In organisational context, chances of conflict increases where pressure is high and duties are complex. One of such environment is hospital. Healthcare personnel work under immense pressure and they are performing several responsibilities simultaneously; in addition to this, their duties are linked to a person’s life which even complicates the situation and increases the pressure. Besides tough working conditions there are many other reasons of conflict within organisations. These reasons include differences in goals and values of employee and employer, power differentials, lack of understanding of organisational structure and functions, scarcity of resources, or refutation of one’s self-image. To ensure an organisation remains stable and consistent, conflicts should be handled effectively whenever they arise. Nonetheless, everyone is not good at conflict management and this fact makes it necessary to ensure personnel in organisations know well how to handle conflict and maintain harmony in the workplace. Conflict management has become a maj or subfield of management and organisational behaviour. Conflict among groups in organisations is now an important area for researchers. Though the research shows that there are positive effects of conflict on group identity and development (Jones, 1993; De Dreu, 1997) however negative and destructive conflict can lead to disaster. Due to the negative consequences conflicts can bring to an organisation, it is important to ensure that employees understand conflict management strategies. Including hospitals, the ability to manage internal conflict

Disciplinary Procedures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Disciplinary Procedures - Essay Example To begin with, the procedures offer a framework for conducting investigations to establish the key facts regarding the case or grievances forwarded. The employer, therefore, collects the available evidence through series of hearings and disciplinary meetings. Nevertheless, the procedures dictate that facts ought to be established within a reasonable time after a complaint is forwarded. Secondly, the disciplinary procedures allow the employer to inform formally the employee under investigation about the problem. More so, this should be done in writing with attached pieces of evidence for the purpose of record keeping an avoiding inconsistency (Antcliff & Saundry 2009). Thirdly, the procedures aim at incorporating the views of the employee in the entire process of finding a solution. This is enhanced through hearings in which the employee responds to allegations and asks questions to seek clarification by presented evidence. Furthermore, the discipline procedures give employers the bas ic structure of arriving at decisions. Three major decisions can be made founded on the strength of the evidence presented in the employment tribunal. The employer may decide to write warning letters in case of gross misconduct whose extent may have threatened the operations of the organization. The letter should comprise of the mistakes done and recommended improvements. If the tribunal finds it fit to dismiss the employee, the responsible manager should do so within the legal system of termination of employment.

Feeding People versus Saving Nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Feeding People versus Saving Nature - Essay Example For instance, humans are always looking forward to comfort which is the case why many inventions were invented from the past and at present time. On the other hand, he may be trying to emphasize that nature should not be sacrificed for the sake of achieving substantial human development because when nature falls; it would be for all humans because it is their life support system (Rolston 249). However, by simply understanding the statement of Rolston, it is clear that he admits there are times when human needs should be the first priority or sometimes the nature as top concern. After all, humans and nature coexist in which their ultimate goal is to move forward to the preservation of life. That is why Rolston acknowledges the importance of sustainable development and environmental protection. Based on the point of view of Rolston, it is clear that humans are just integral components of nature. The fact that we are sourcing all our needs from nature cannot deny the truth that we can d o nothing apart from it. In other words, we rely on nature all our needs. Now, on the issue whether we should not feed people first but save the nature instead, the argument may be based on identifying commendable values in human life. Finding which is more valuable between nature and the human life is, in fact, a very interesting topic to discuss. Â  Nature cannot be more valuable than the human life and vice versa, but it is clear that human life is an integral component of nature because it sources its needs from it. Â  

Midwife Views on Amniotomy to Speed Up Labour

Midwife Views on Amniotomy to Speed Up Labour Abstract This dissertation considers the views of midwives on the procedure of amniotomy with the specific relevance of its use in speeding up labour. The available literature is considered in detail to try to establish the current evidence base for the assumption that amniotomy does speed up labour and it finds that the evidence is poor, both in terms of number and quality of the papers available. One of the biggest problems appears to be that it is very difficult to carry out a study that isolates the specific and unique effects of amniotomy on the speed of labour from all of the other potential confounding factors that can influence the eventual outcome. There appears to be a gap in the literature in specific regard to the midwife’s views on the subject. A proposal is therefore made for a pilot project to evaluate the midwife’s views by the means of a qualitative survey using the semi-structured interview technique. The rationale for such a study structure is discussed in detail. Acknowledgements (Client to personalise) Contents page Abstract Acknowledgements Contents Purpose of the study Literature Review What is already known? Amniotomy and induction of labour Complications associated with amniotomy What are the perceived benefits of amniotomy? Does amniotomy speed up delivery? Midwife’s views on the subject Methodology Search history. Classification of evidence levels Research question or hypothesis Study design Sample Data Collection Rigour Ethical Issues Budget Timetable. Dissemination of findings Proposed semi-structured interview questions References Purpose of the study: The research question. The procedure of amniotomy was first described in the 18th century. Despite having therefore been in constant use for over 200 years, its effect on the induction and the course of labour still remains a matter of dispute and conflicting evidence. (Greenwood C et al. 2003) Amniotomy is generally held to be the artificial rupture of intact membranes with a view to facilitating, stimulating or inducing labour. (ODriscoll K et al. 1986). This dissertation has purposely started with a definition of amniotomy that is over 20 years old. During the course of the exploration of the evidence base surrounding the procedure of amniotomy we shall consider whether this definition is still held to be true in current practice. The procedure is typically done with gloved hands and the healthcare professional ruptures the amniotic sac with an amnihook (or similar instrument) between contractions, as this reduces the risk of cord prolapse because the amniotic fluid is under less pressure. (Kirby R S 2004). The hand is kept in the vagina allowing the fluid to drain in a controlled manner and the nature (colour consistency and amount) of the fluid is noted. It would be considered good practice to assess the foetal heart both immediately prior to the procedure and again immediately after it to check for foetal distress due to cord compression. Many authorities advocate performing the procedure in the semi-sitting position in order to minimise the effects of aortocaval compression and thereby optimise the blood supply to the uterus. (Burnett A F 2000) Indications for amniotomy still include the â€Å"promotion of labour†. This can be taken to mean both the induction of labour and the speeding up of labour (Cummingham F G et al. 2005) however, hard evidence for either is difficult to find for reasons that we shall discuss. Literature Review What is already known? For ease of presentation, this section will be divided up into various sub-headings considering the different aspects of amniotomy as a procedure Amniotomy and induction of labour Amniotomy is frequently cited as a means of inducing labour particularly if the cervix is considered to be â€Å"ripe†. Unfortunately amniotomy alone is an unpredictable inducer of labour with the possibility of long intervals between amniotomy and the onset of significant contractions. The Mouldin trial considered a direct prospective comparison of amniotomy alone and amniotomy with an associated oxytocin infusion. The results showed a statistically significant difference in the two groups with the latter group having a shorter induction to delivery interval. (Mouldin P G et al. 1996) There is a huge variation in the literature concerning the ability of amniotomy to hasten the onset of labour. Some early papers suggested that the effect was only minimal (Caldeyro-Barcia R 1975) whereas the majority of others suggest a much more obvious effect. As with other areas of investigation, difficulty arises in trying to separate out the effects of the amniotomy from the myriad of other variable factors that are present when a woman goes into labour. Friedman questions whether amniotomy hastens labour at all since many of the prospective trials have considered the case when amniotomy is done in early labour when the contractions would naturally begin to accelerate in any event (Friedman, E.A 1998) Complications associated with amniotomy This is a particularly contentious area with different authorities citing not only different associations of complications but significantly differing incidences as well. If we consider the Sheiner paper (Sheiner E et al. 2000) we can show a number of significant findings when early amniotomy was compared with both premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and oxytocin induction of labour. The significant differences found between the groups included a higher rate of caesarean section with 26.7% in the amniotomy group and 11.6% in the PROM and 16.9% in the oxytocin groups. It should be noted however, the authors performed a number of subsidiary analyses and showed that when the incidence of a previous caesarean section was controlled for then the amniotomy group had a similar incidence of caesarean section to the other groups. This would imply that amniotomy is more likely to be considered an option when a previous caesarean section has occurred. The authors make no comment as to why the y believe this might be. A much larger and more rigorous survey (Segal D et al. 2000) reviewed the outcomes of nearly 2000 cases of early amniotomy performed in association with a poor cervical score (Bishop scores of Amniotomy has been shown to increase the incidence of abnormalities in the patterns of foetal heart rate.( Goffinct F et al. 1997) Again this effect is hard to isolate convincingly as the risk may be consistently underestimated because women who do not have amniotomy are more likely to be given oxytocin which also increases the incidence of abnormal foetal heart rate patterns. (Rouse D J et al. 1999) Amniotomy may also be associated with an increase in infection rates. (Ventura S J et al. 1997) What are the perceived benefits of amniotomy? A number of authoritative texts state that routine early amniotomy can shorten labour by a variable amount, usually one or two hours (viz. Vincent M (2005) and Sheiner E, et al. (2000) and Albers L L et al. (1996)), Others suggest that it may reduce the use of oxytocics and the number of women who report the most intense degrees of pain during labour. (Klaus M H (1998) This picture is however, clouded by the fact that modern practice with its use of oxytocin (which makes labour more painful) and analgesia, including the epidural, which obviously reduces the overall pain experience, makes the statistical analysis of the relationship between amniotomy and pain very difficult Amniotomy has been cited as being indicated when there is a need for closer monitoring of the foetus allowing the direct attachment of scalp electrodes and incidentally evaluating whether the baby has passed meconium into the amniotic fluid. (Thornton J G et al. 1994). The presence of meconium is a significant clinical sign and is associated with an increased foetal morbidity and mortality (Ramin K D et al. 1996) Although its observation is enhanced by amniotomy, it is only of peripheral relevance to our considerations in this dissertation and therefore will not be considered further. Other authorities observe that this is not a good indication for amniotomy as the release of the amniotic fluid may expose the umbilical cord to increased compression during contractions. (Klaus M H 1998) Amniotomy also allows the positioning of an intrauterine pressure catheter in order to measure uterine contractions. Does amniotomy speed up delivery? This is an issue that has appeared in many older papers. A significant trial of 20 years ago (Seitchik J et al. 1985) concluded that the procedure of amniotomy appeared to enhance the cervical dilatation rate in patients with already well-dilated cervices and that are already dilating at a satisfactory rate and it conversely slows dilatation in some other patients, particularly those whose cervices are less dilated. This finding is cited in a number of contemporary text books. The difficulty is that the findings in this paper are only evidence base level 3. Many other papers refer to the trophic effects of amniotomy but none have had the discriminatory power to isolate the effects of amniotomy from the multitude of other variables which are inevitably present during the process of labour. The paper by Sherman (Sherman D J et al. 2002) primarily considers the patterns of foetal heart rate during the induction of labour and, in doing so, provides circumstantial evidence that amniotomy increases the speed of labour. Amniotomy was however, only performed in this trial if the cervix had dilated to more than 3 cms. without an associated spontaneous rupture of membranes. Oxytocin was also used in a significant number of cases thereby masking any effect which amniotomy alone might have. A different view is expressed by Pozaic who considered the case proven and puts forward the view that amniotomy should only be reserved for cases where there is abnormally slow progress of labour and then amniotomy should be performed to speed up the process. Again this is little more than level 4 evidence as the author does not cite what her evidence base is for making such an assumption. (Pozaic S 2004) To present a balanced argument one can cite the work of Steer (actually written when he was a house officer but then went on to become a professor of obstetrics), who published a controlled study of two matched groups of patients, all of whom had oxytocin induced labour. One group had their membranes ruptured and the others were allowed to rupture spontaneously. Steer found that the duration of labour was shorter in all patients who had ruptured membranes although, for reasons that were not explained, the uterine contractions were found to be at their greatest when the membranes were intact. In short, there was no evidence that amniotomy increased the speed of labour and there was evidence to suggest that the uterine activity was greatest in the group with membranes intact until well into labour. (Steer P J et al. 1975) Midwife’s views on the subject In terms of determining midwife’s views on the subject, there appears to be an almost complete gap in the literature on the subject. Extensive searching reveals no definitive authoritative texts on the subject and a very few that have sought the patient’s view on the issue. The Lavender paper (Lavender T et al. 1999) considered the issue only peripherally as part of a larger exploration of patient’s views and concluded that women who had long and protracted labours welcomed virtually any type of intervention that was perceived to reduce the time in labour and this included amniotomy. Clearly it is likely that this was perceived by the women as a â€Å"labour shortening procedure† and it is very unlikely that any discussion of informed evidence base would have taken place prior to its use. These issues are explored further in the more recent and larger qualitative investigation by Hodnett who considered the experiences and evaluations of childbirth in terms of overall pain experience. The paper is long and involved and, in the main, peripheral to our considerations here other then the fact that one of the main factors that the women cited as significant in terms of their positive appreciation of the process of labour was their perception of the attitude and behaviour of the midwives and this was rated as being more significant than the actual procedures that they employed. This finding appeared to override other factors including such variables as â€Å"age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, childbirth preparation, the physical birth environment, pain, immobility, medical interventions, and continuity of care†. (Hodnett, E D. 2002). One can only therefore speculate as to whether this finding vicariously influences the decisions made by the midwives in terms of tr ying to provide a complete service to their patients. Another paper which is peripherally relevant to this issue is the well written and thought-provoking essay and investigation by Sookhoo (Sookhoo M L et al. 2002) which considered the wider issues of how midwives learn their clinical skills and the mechanisms by which they acquire their practical knowledge. The authors devote a substantial proportion of their paper to how this knowledge actually influences their professional judgements in both the assessment and the progress of the course of labour. This particular paper is worthy of examination on several levels, not only for its actual content and results, but because it is structured on a grounded theory premise and conducts a number of semi-structured interviews and then attempts to construct theories from the results. It is very significant that a major finding in this paper was that the authors hypothesise that a major determinant of clinical activity for a midwife is the way in which she conceptualises uncertainty (which clearly is a major element in the management of labour). It is also significant that they found that one of the major techniques for avoiding uncertainty was to rely upon conventions and put trust in specific procedures â€Å"almost as a ritual†. The authors suggest that the experienced midwife tends to draw upon a much wider range of evidence and experience which has been accumulated through their clinical practice than the novice midwife who tends to rely on guidelines and strategies which they t end to see as predictive and protective. This has great relevance to the practice of amniotomy as Sookhoo et al. found that the experienced midwives tended to avoid inappropriate intrusion into the process of labour as a matter of routine. We should therefore be aware that amniotomy may be conceived as â€Å"inappropriate intrusion† by the experienced midwife and our study should perhaps be structured to evaluate this possibility. Perhaps the last word on this subject should go to the overview of the subject published by Katz Early amniotomy remained an independent risk factor for operative delivery on multiple logistic analysis controlling for confounding variables. These findings imply that caution is needed when deciding to perform early surgical induction unless it is a final option or other approaches are contraindicated. (Katz, Miriam 1999) Methodology Search history. The mechanism of the literature review was to conduct a number of literature searches through both electronic and hard copy data bases at the local University Library and the local Post Graduate Library (client to personalise). A number of search terms were used including: amniotomy; amniotomy knowledge; amniotomy indications; amniotomy benefits: amniotomy complications; amniotomy speed of labour; midwife views amniotomy; midwife procedures. The electronic databases included Bandolier and The Cochrane Library and Cinhal. These searches provided a great many texts which were accessed either electronically or in hard copy and then critically reviewed to ascertain the level of the evidence presented. The level of evidence was categorised into the following levels. Classification of evidence levels The highest level of evidence available was then used to support each point raised Research question or hypothesis It appears to be generally accepted that evidence based practice should be the â€Å"gold standard† of modern clinical practice (NMC 2004). However, many experienced healthcare professionals would attest to the fact that clinical decisions in their everyday practice is still influenced by individual experience and advice from colleagues. (Williams P R 2000). The rationale behind this study derives from the suspicion that many midwives use amniotomy to speed up labour and that there appears to be little in the way of a hard evidence base to support this view. It is the intention of this study to try to define the degree that individual midwife practice is determined (in this specific regard) by their own experience and professionally received advice and to what extent it is determined by reliance on their own independently derived evidence base. Study design This study will be qualitative in design. There are a number of different qualitative approaches that could be adopted (DeWalt, K. M et al. 1998) and brief consideration will be given to each. The phenomenological approach is primarily a philosophical mechanism which employs that technique of concentrating on the conscious and subjective experiences of the subjects. (Hammond et al, 1995). It is therefore written from the first person viewpoint. Such an approach is not without its critics however, as the classic approach is from the third person (impersonal) viewpoint (Ahmed, 2006). Hammond characterises the phenomenological genre as â€Å"unconstrained by scientific rigour† as it is simply a recording of the experience as the observer experiences and interprets it. It is therefore not purged of subjectivity and bias as many other scientific approaches are. The phenomenological approach was considered for this project and discounted as it is conceded that such an approach may give rise to a very idiosyncratic view of the subject and may not be representative of the majority view. Grounded theory may, at first sight, appear to be a suitable approach for this study. The prime element in a grounded theory study is the fact that the data is obtained and then the investigators then attempt to formulate or identify appropriate theories from the processed data. (Glaser, 1992). This approach may seem suitable by virtue of the fact that midwives could be approached and data obtained to see if there are any constant factors which motivate their particular pattern of behaviour when considering the procedure of amniotomy. A problem may arise however, because of the intrinsic need for theory formulation. Charmaz characterises the problem by stating â€Å"It compels the researcher to impose explanations were no explanations naturally exist, or indeed are necessary†. (Charmaz, K. 2006). In this study it is the intention to explore midwife’s views on whether amniotomy increases the speed of labour rather then to specifically generate theories to explain these views. For this reason grounded theory was discounted as a possible approach After much consideration it was decided to adopt an ethnographic approach to the study. This involves a hybrid approach with an analysis termed by Agar as being from the point of view of â€Å"The professional strangerâ€Å" (Agar, 1996). This approach has elements of both qualitative and quantitative analysis and is primarily carried out using the analysis of â€Å"in the field† interviews of midwives. Kottak describes the ethnographic approach (in the broadest terms) as collecting data â€Å"in the field by living among and blending in with a particular group, society or culture, observing and recording their particular habits and detailing their experiences and reactions† (Kottak, 2005). The researcher is expected to be a part of the community studied but to â€Å"retain a certain degree of detachment, impartiality and objectivityâ€Å" (Kottak, 2005). The object of this study requires the observer to record the number of times a midwife uses the procedure of amniotomy and then to obtain her views on the rationale for the procedure through the mechanism of the semi-structured interview. Sample Constraints on time and finances will largely dictate the overall size of the project (client I have no idea what potential funds you have available for this project so I have made a number of assumptions that you will have to modify if they are not correct). It is considered prudent to make a pilot study in order to test the validity of the interview questions and to also trial the analysis techniques. The initial pilot would be in the labour ward of the author’s hospital (client to personalise here) and would therefore potentially include 12 midwives. If the study were to yield potentially significant findings, then its scope could be widened to include staff from different sites and thereby include perhaps different protocols and possibly different work practices. This would have the benefit that it is possible that certain work practices may be determined by peer pressure in a specific geographical location and broadening the scope of the investigation would help to minimise the biasing effect of such practices. (Rosner B 2006). There is also considerable merit in trying to ensure that the cohort of midwives studied contains a wide spectrum of experience, ideally from the newly qualified midwife through to the most experienced, as it would be unlikely that the work practices would be the same in all groups. (Strauss, A et al. 1990). It is therefore clearly of benefit to try to structure the sample to include representatives from all of these groups in order to minimise the effects of such potential bias. (Carr L T 1994). It foll ows from this requirement that the study group will be asked to provide information relating to their years of experience in addition to other demographic markers. Analysis of the pilot study will help to determine whether purposeful sampling or general sampling will be appropriate in the final study. (Moher D et al. 1999). In the former method, subjects are specifically chosen because of the likelihood of their being able to give valuable information to the study. Patton describes this method of recruitment as â€Å"selecting only a limited number of information-rich cases for investigation, in order to obtain a particularly detailed insight into an issue. (Patton 1999). Although this may be, at first sight, useful in trying to maximise the information yield of the study, it has the obvious downside that it is a source of considerable potential bias giving rise to a small and potentially unrepresentative sample. (Patton 1999). A variation of this technique of recruitment is called snowballing whereby one key subject is asked to recommend others who may have either specialist knowledge or a specific interest in the subject in question. This te chnique is recommended by MacQueen as â€Å"being particularly suitable in qualitative studies, where detailed and in-depth understanding of a little-known subject is required† (MacQueen K M, et al. 2004). Although this clearly has the ability to optimise the collection of significant information, it does not eliminate the potential for bias apparent in the purposeful sampling technique. If we consider that amniotomy is a widely used practice amongst midwives, then neither method is sufficiently useful to outweigh the potential bias that they would engender. For these reasons it is considered appropriate to approach all of the midwives in the local unit to take part in the study. Data Collection In line with the principles of the ethnographic approach, this study will adopt the dual mechanisms of direct observation and the semi-structured interview. (Breakwell et al, 1999). The semi-structured interview technique is explored in depth by De Martino who contrasts the technique with unstructured and fully structured interviews. The former â€Å"essentially amounts to an informal conversation with no guiding principles, and structured interviews are characterised by the asking of a predetermined and fixed set of questions with strict guidelines. Semi-structured interviews however, entail asking a preset group of questions but with some flexibility, so that interesting leads can be explored further† (De Martino B et al. 2006). The semi-structured interview technique is considered to be the most useful for this type of study because of the lack of rigid constraints placed upon both interviewer and subject. The questions are designed to be â€Å"open† thereby allowing the subject to introduce appropriate topics which can then be followed up at the interviewer’s discretion. This flexibility is perhaps the most appropriate for this type of study as the interviewer does not know in advance just what factors influence the midwife’s opinions. Frey broadens the issue by suggesting that, in this context, attitudes of the subjects can be typically analysed in any of three â€Å"dimensions†, namely: emotion, cognition, and behaviour. (Frey et al. 2001). It might therefore be important to structure the semi-structured interview questions so that they cover all three of these dimensions. Typical examples in this regard might be (a)â€Å"How does performing as amniotomy on your patients make you feel emotionally?† (b)â€Å"What are your views about amniotomy and the speed of labour?† (c)â€Å"How do you actually choose to speed up your patient‘s labour?† This may not prove to be completely relevant, as one could suggest that emotional involvement is actually counterproductive in this particular circumstance. It is clear that a large element of discretion will have to be left with the interviewer as it is likely that the answers given may clearly be either carefully considered and evidence based on one extreme or superficial and unconsidered on the other. This flexibility will allow the subject to impart their own intention without being unduly hampered by rigid questioning and should allow the emergence of a detailed set of data which reflects each individual midwife‘s opinions and practices clearly. (Concato, et al. 2000) In addition to the semi-structured interviews there will also be an element of direct observation to ascertain the labours that are managed with amniotomy and to contrast them with the labours that are managed without the procedure. It may well be of considerable value to include an element of questioning in the semi-structured interview phase that asks about the rationale for performing the procedure Data Analysis Data analysis can be carried out using time-honoured methods originally developed in the social science setting with various qualitative analytical methods. (Vickers, A. J et al. 2001). The most commonly used is probably thematic analysis (Braun V et al. 2006) which involves coding the themes that are derived from the responses. The themes are initially identified during the semi-structured interview stage and are then assigned a code (or number) depending upon the frequency with which the various subjects refer to the particular theme. From reading Braun it is apparent that there is considerable flexibility in the coding and identification of the themes (which is in contrast to the mechanisms described for both grounded theory and other forms of qualitative analysis). Some authorities find that this flexibility and lack of proscription is a negative feature of the thematic approach but Braun argues that it enhances the quality of the analysis by allowing a â€Å"richness of analysi s not provided for by other methods†. (Braun V et al. 2006). This is clearly a complex exercise and it will be attempted in the pilot study by the author, but it is accepted that it may be more appropriate to enlist the help of an experienced researcher to assist in the analysis of the full project It is considered likely that the various themes will be obvious from the data obtained. Braun suggests a five stage mechanism for optimum data retrieval, namely: (1)Familiarising oneself with the data. (2)Developing a coding system and identifying bits of data consistent with specific codes. (3)Looking for and identifying themes in the data (4)Labelling or naming the themes identified, with appropriate justification (e.g. quotations from interview transcripts) (5)Writing up the report, including data extracts, in a compelling fashion. (Braun V et al. 2006). The interviews will be initially tape recorded and then transcribed in order to allow for identification of the various themes. It is clearly likely that the themes will be expressed in different terms by different subjects and therefore a degree of latitude will be needed by the interpreter to ensure that similar themes will be included and analysed together. (Berlin J A et al. 1989) Rigour The value of any study ultimately depends upon the rigor with which it is conducted. (Green J et al. 1998). It is in the very nature of a qualitative study that it does not intrinsically possess the precision of the classical quantitative study. It is therefore of great importance that attention is paid to reliability and repeatability during both the design and execution stages of the study. Triangulation is one mechanism that can help in this regard. (Piantadosi S. 1997). This requires comparison of the results obtained by one method with those obtained by another. The classic structure is to see whether the data obtained from the study matches with that obtained from subject feedback. (Leaverton PE. 1998). Berwick also suggests that any apparently aberrant or atypical cases should be examined as these will help to establish the overall validity of the study. (Berwick D. 1996) Ethical Issues It is central to the instigation of any study that the approval of a Local or National Ethics Committe

Essay on Language, Imagery, and Symbolism in To Be of Use

Use of Language, Imagery, and Symbolism to Develop the Theme of   To Be of Use  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In the minds of most people, the words, "hard work" and "heavy labor" carry a negative connotation.   What these words imply is not something that is generally welcomed with enthusiasm but is often accepted either by force or obligation.   Marge Piercy's poem "To Be of Use" conveys an opposing connotation about the idea of work.   The central theme of the poem is that satisfaction, gratification, and self-fulfillment can be attained by using one's capabilities to serve a functional purpose in life, for it is the opinion of the speaker that an idle existence has no value or significance because it is worthless, vain, futile, and pointless.   Piercy uses figurative language, imagery, symbolism, description, and details to develop this theme throughout the poem.   Piercy begins developing the theme in the first stanza by describing "The [type of] people [she loves] the best" (1).   Piercy states that they "jump into work head first/without dallying in the shallows..." (2-3).    With this imagery Piercy reveals that she admires individuals who are not afraid of work; rather, they tackle their jobs "head first/without dallying" ( ); in other words, they are not lazy and do not delay or procrastinate the completion of their duties.   Piercy adds that the people she regards highly "... swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight" (4).   With this image Piercy indicates that these adored individuals work with so much confidence and diligence that often they become so busy that their work puts distance between them and those with whom they associate or live.   Further, Piercy declares that "They seem to become natives of that element, / ... ... the fruits of a person's hard labor will linger to give honor to their memory after their death.   However, Piercy adds that "they were made to be used" to indicate that this won't be the case if a person's labor is not the fruitful productive type.  Ã‚   Piercy concludes by stating that "The pitcher cries for water to carry and a person for work that is real" (25-26).   With this figurative language Piercy develops the theme by affirming that people need to be willing to work hard in order to reach the satisfaction of accomplishing something that is meaningful in their lives. In her poem, Piercy developed the theme of success through active participation in hard work through her use of language. Works Cited Piercy, Marge.   "To Be of Use." Responding to Literature.   2nd ed. Ed. Judith   A. Stanford. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1996. 596.

Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector

Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector Linda Howerton PHI 103 Informal Logic Instructor: Ms. Tanya Martin October 22, 2012 ? Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector Union membership is today at an all time low. It has been steadily declining since the 1980’s. Private sector union membership has been affected the most, while that of the public sector has remained relatively strong (Devinatz, 2011 Spring). Public worker unions, especially state and federal government unions, must be allowed to continue to bargain collectively to ensure the rights and job security of their members.Collective bargaining allows union members to have a voice regarding their wages, benefits, and working conditions. According to Raymond Hogler, in the â€Å"Labor Law Journal†, Fall 2012, â€Å"The erosion of institutions of collective bargaining will inevitably lead to a diminution of wages, benefits, and working conditions for workers† (Hogler, p. 163). Many public employees, esp ecially teachers who work for the state, receive much lower pay than other professionals. Collective bargaining allows public employees a much needed say about their jobs, wages, and benefits.Whereas teachers, for instance, have lower pay than many other professionals, collective bargaining has ensured that they have one of the best retirement systems. In addition, collective bargaining has protected teachers’ job tenure, thus preventing them from being fired without a due process hearing and other protections. The need for unions were a direct result of the unfair labor practices employed during the Industrial Revolution beginning in the late 18th century and continuing on into the early 20th century.Since there were no labor laws initially, especially regarding child labor, women and children were often employed for long hours at low wages. At one time, women and children made up 75% of the factory work force since they could be hired for lower wages. Children proved more m alleable and adapted more easily to the newer methods employed. Children as young as eight years old were sent to work in the factories or in the mines where their smaller bodies could fit into tight and often highly dangerous places (Bond, Gingerich, Archer-Antonson, Purcell, & Macklem, 2003).Children were also preferred at times to work in factories since their small hands could reach into tight places when moving parts became jammed. There were few safeguards in place to prevent the children’s hands and arms from becoming maimed if caught between moving parts on a machine. During the late 1700s in England, a man named Slater employed a Pauper system whereby he used children from poor families as workers in his mills. These children worked twelve to sixteen hours a day for six days a week.Instead of being paid wages, these children received room and board, thereby alleviating the burden of feeding them from their families. Families of the children were appalled at the tight discipline, lack of heat, and the working conditions in the mills. Many of the children chose to run away. When the employment of just children proved problematic, entire households were hired. The father negotiated the contract and stipulated the conditions for each family member (Tucker, 2005 May, p. 24). During the Industrial Revolution, government adopted a hands-off or laissez-faire attitude towards business.Therefore, business owners could treat their workers however they wished. Since children could be hired for less pay, they were hired in great numbers, working 12 to 14 hour days under horrible conditions. Many of these children became apprentices to the factory owners where they lived in miserable dormitories. They were frequently under-fed, ill-clothed, and beaten with fist and whip. There was a high death rate among child laborers (Hackett, 1992). Since all or most members of the family were working for upwards of eighteen hours daily, the family unit broke down.Childre n’s family contact usually amounted to the few hours spent at home sleeping. Since many families lived in shared housing with other families, family units withered even further. Children received little or no education, were malnourished and sickly, and experienced stunted growth. They grew up maladjusted since they had never been taught how to properly behave. The living conditions were appalling with little or no sanitation. As a result, infant mortality skyrocketed during the Industrial Revolution: over 50% of infants died before they eached two years of age (Bond, Gingerich, Archer-Antonson, Purcell, & Macklem, 2003). It is largely due to the unsafe conditions, abuse of laborers, especially women and children, and the workers’ lack of a voice over their employment that labor unions first came into existence. The earliest unions were established as â€Å"friendly societies† that charged dues to be used to assist workers during unemployment or sickness. It was n’t long before they grew into organizations seeking to win improvements for workers by the use of strikes and collective bargaining.Industrial workers increasingly became involved politically to encourage the passage of laws favorable to them. This drive by workers to increase their political power, as well as the right to vote, was largely responsible for the 19th century spread of democracy (Hackett, 1992). Today, labor unions seek to control the supply of labor. This control over the labor supply enables unions to secure collective bargaining agreements that have â€Å"brought millions of America’s workers into the middle class† (Gitlow, 2012 Summer, p. 124).The fear of being unionized exerts psychological pressure on employers which can often serve as a check on their otherwise abusive and exploitative inclinations (Gitlow, 2012 Summer). According to Givan and Hipp, in a 24 nations study of workers’ views about the efficacy of unions, entitled  "Public Perceptions of Union Efficacy: A Twenty-Four Country Study,† most laborers who belong to unions: feel most positive about the ability of unions to improve working conditions and job security. Women tend to hold a more positive view than men of the effects of unions on job security.Women are generally more susceptible to various forms of workplace discrimination, which creates a greater need for the kind of protection provided by unions (Givan and Hipp, 2012 March, p. 25). Thus we can easily see the importance of unions for the protections they offer workers regarding pay, working conditions, the right to strike if necessary, and most especially, the right to collectively bargain. Unions and the right to collectively bargain are increasingly endangered across the United States.At least 17 states have passed legislation or have bills pending that would severely curtail the right of employees to collectively bargain (Rigiero, 2011 April). According to Deb Rigiero, in â₠¬Å"You are now entering the United Corporations of America,† â€Å"We are rapidly becoming the workplace of the past†¦ the workplace without safety regulations; the workplace without workers’ rights; and the workplace without recognition of and appreciation for the worker† (Rigiero, 2011 April, p. 14). Right to work (RTW) laws have been steadily eroding workers’ rights for many years already.Over 22 states have passed RTW laws. The RTW laws aren’t there to guarantee workers the right to a job, but are instead aimed at the unions’ abilities to collect dues to aid in administering the unions. Under RTW laws, it is illegal to for unions to require workers to pay these dues. Without members’ dues to support them, unions’ power and strength of collective bargaining are severely undermined. Many unions may eventually find themselves endangered or extinct (Lafer, 2012 February 6).Then workers will find themselves without represent ation or even a voice regarding their rights. Those people against public employee unions and collective bargaining feel that public sector employees are receiving excessive pay and benefits at the expense of the American taxpayers (Schulz, 2012 January 10). Unions restrict the authority and management of company managers. In addition, unions may have a polarizing effect between management and the employees of a company. Unions also restrict the ability of managers to deal one-on-one with employees.When unions are involved, management is unable to make unilateral changes that may involve hours, wages, or other issues dealing with employment (University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2012). In â€Å"Why U. S. should cheer for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker,† Nick Schulz feels that â€Å"The collective bargaining privilege gives teacher unions political power that is used to block reform efforts and shield K-12 education from entrepreneurial disruptions that threaten established ways of doing things† (Schulz, 2012, Para. 11).Many Republicans espouse school vouchers as the answer to declining test scores across the United States. Vouchers are opposed by teacher unions and most educators who say that they would disrupt or damage our public education system in the U. S. If parents are allowed to use vouchers to choose which school their children attend, then those parents will be able to select the school that best fits their children’s needs and learning style. Whereas this might be great for the child involved, it could pose difficulties for already cash-strapped public schools that would lose some of their state funding.Public school employees who belong to teacher unions should be treated as professionals, yet they receive pay far below that of other professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and engineers. Collective bargaining has allowed public union members to speak on their own behalf regarding their working conditions and job benefits. Publ ic sector unions are currently â€Å"under attack† by right-wing politicians supported by large corporations (McAlevey, 2011 March 7). If public union members are not allowed to use collective bargaining, then they will no longer have a voice in their wages, benefits, or working conditions.Wages could be cut at the whim of management. To finish their jobs for the day, many public employees might find themselves working â€Å"off the clock† since management can require more from them without recompense. According to an article by Raymond Hogler and Christine Henle, entitled â€Å"The Attack on Public Sector Unions in the United States: How Regional Culture Influences Legal Policy,† â€Å"Coincident with union declines, American workers experienced stagnant wages, a diminution of benefits, and overall degradation of working conditions† (Hogler and Henle, 2011 Fall, p. 37). 22 states have now passed right to work laws which â€Å"interfere with unionsâ€⠄¢ ability to maintain solidarity and acquire resources† (Hogler and Henle, 2011 Fall, p. 138). Those states with right to work laws have less union density, as well as â€Å"less equality for their citizens in terms of health care, education, and income† (Hogler and Henle, 2011 Fall, p. 143). Public union employees must be allowed to continue bargaining collectively to protect their right to have a voice in their working conditions, wages, and benefits.Collective bargaining ensures that public union members make a livable wage to support their families now, as well as having a secure retirement pension waiting for them when they retire. Many politicians indicate that teachers earn too much money. A teacher I know now makes below the national poverty level, yet he holds a Master’s Degree plus 30 hours. He is not an isolated case. Many teachers who belong to a teachers’ union still make salaries below the national poverty level. If their pay erodes even fur ther, then many teachers will be unable to afford to continue teaching.Teachers’ and other public employee unions are there to support and protect great teachers, not cover for any â€Å"bad† ones. Don’t we want to hold on to the dedicated teachers who have given of themselves to ensure that all children receive a free quality public education? ? References Bond, E. , Gingerich, S. , Archer-Antonson, O. , Purcell, L. , & Macklem, E. (2003). Impact of the Industrial Revolution. Retrieved Sunday, October 21, 2012, from http://industrialrevolution. sea. ca Devinatz, V. (2011, Spring). U. S. Trade Unionism Under Globalization: The Death of Voluntarism and the Turn to Politics?Labor Law Journal. 62(1). 16-29. Retrieved Saturday, September 29, 2012, from EBSCOhost AN: 59982464 Gitlow, A. (2012, Summer). Ebb and Flow in America’s Trade Unions: The Present Prospect. Labor Law Journal. 63(2). 123-136. Retrieved Saturday, October 13, 2012 from EBSCOhost AN: 7802312 6 Givan, R. & Hipp, L. Public Perceptions of Union Efficacy: A Twenty-Four Country Study. Labor Studies Journal. 37(1). 7-32. Retrieved Saturday, October 13, 2012, from EBSCOhost DOI: 10. 1177/0160449X11429264 Hackett, L. (1992). Industrial Revolution. History World International.Retrieved Sunday, October 21, 2012, from http://history-world. org/Industrial Intro. htm Hogler, R. (2012, Fall). Constitutionalizing Paycheck Protection: What Knox v. Service Employees International Union Means for American Labor. Labor Law Journal. 63(3). 153-164. Retrieved Saturday, September 29, 2012, from EBSCOhost AN:80170928 Hogler, R. and Henle, C. (2011, Fall). The Attack on Public Sector Unions in the United States: How Regional Culture Influences Legal Policy. Labor Law Journal. 62(3). 136-144. Retrieved Saturday, September 29, 2012, from EBSCOhost AN:66687318References Lafer, G. (2012, June 2). Right to Work – for Less. Nation. 294(6). 24-26. Retrieved Saturday, October 13, 2012, from EBS COhost AN: 70466585 McAlevey, J. (2011, March 7). Labor’s Last Stand. Nation. 292(10/11). 22-26. Retrieved Saturday, September 29, 2012, from EBSCOhost AN: 58504081 Rigiero, D. (2011, April). â€Å"You are now entering the United Corporations of America. † Please leave your union card at the border. Massachusetts Nurse Advocate. 82(3). 14. Retrieved Saturday, October 13, 2012, from EBSCOhost AN: 2011071259 Schulz, N. 2012, January 10). Why U. S. should cheer for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. USA Today. Retrieved Saturday, September 29, 2012, from EBSCOhost AN: JOE207214460212 Tucker, B. (2005, May). Liberty is Exploitation: The Force of Tradition in Early Manufacturing. OAH Magazine of History. 19(3). 21-24. Retrieved Sunday, October 21, 2012, from JSTOR http://www. jstor. org/stable/25161943 University of Maryland, Baltimore County. (2001, January 24). Pros and Cons of Collective Bargaining. Retrieved Monday, October 22, 2012, from www. umbc. edu/uwaaup/ collective. ht m