Environmental Issue Essay

Poor waste management is one of the major problems that have vast social-ecological and economic negative effects on a global scale. This has resulted from the fast growth of the urban centers which form the main source of wastes and its poor management by the respective authorities. Indeed, over 90% of the total major cities globally have problems related to waste management (Bureau of National Affairs, 2007). However, cities in the third world economies are affected more by the problem than those in developed countries. Urgent measures are therefore required to address the problems and therefore guarantee ecological sanctity and social integrity of the affected systems. Use of qualitative and quantitative data Addressing the problem of the wastes in the urban regions demands the collection of factual information to establish the correct methods and ways that can be used to address the problem. Taking into consideration that the problem has escalated over a long period of time, use of qualitative data would provide the relevant descriptive information for the waste and therefore aid in determining the best modes of addressing the problem (Toma, 2008). Wastes from the cities can be qualitatively categorized as solid and liquid wastes. The data can further be descriptive of the biodegradable wastes, plastic wastes, pharmaceutical wastes, and sharps. Quantitatively data on the other hand would be very essential in understanding various quantities of the qualitatively categorized wastes. Understanding the statistics provides the respective authorities with the relevant information that can assist them in determining the mode they would use in countering the same problem. Chemical treatment of liquid wastes is sustainable and more effective for smaller quantities of liquid wastes while use of aerobic lagoons is better for larger quantities. Besides, understanding the quantity of recyclable materials in solid wastes makes it easier to calculate the economic returns of the recycled products (Toma, 2008). Hypothesis: Scientific process forms the best system for providing the solution of waste management in the cities. With the problem of the waste being a major source of ecological and social problems globally, it demands a holistic approach that appreciates the complexity of the issue and therefore provide the best possible solution. It is worth noting that scientific method of addressing the problem is based on factual information that is qualitatively and quantitatively derived. Therefore, will be able to assess and address actual problem affecting the people and the ecological systems. All aspects of urban wastes are scientifically derived and science only would interpret them on the same tone to establish means of reducing their effects (Worldwatch Institute, 2009). Socially, addressing the problem using scientific methods aid in ensuring that As a result, it has the ability to link the cause and consequences of the negative effects of the wastes and provide a long term solution to them. Conclusion With the pollution problem threatening to get out of hand in the major cities, it has become important to address it in a sustainable mode. Scientific process will therefore be the best mode due to its thoroughness and intrinsic capacity to alleviate the problem. The demand for cleaner and healthier environment over the years has increased greatly globally. Therefore, taking into consideration that the urban centers are growing faster than any other period in history, scientific process seeks to address the waste problem holistically at all levels. Most of the international considerations like Basel convention of 1989 and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development of 1992 have called for scientific approaches to address the problem. The scientific process calls for effective consideration of the wastes from the point of production to disposal. Besides, it emphasizes on reduction of wastes at the source and application of the best systems that reduces its effects to the people and the natural systems (Worldwatch Institute, 2009). It demands for recycling of all the recyclable waste materials in the wastes a notion that goes a long way in improving the resources utility. Through use of the life cycle analysis/ end of pipe system, wastes are slowly turning into precious resources to be used in other areas like conditioning farms, irrigation, and making building bricks. Notably, the scientific process demands that cooperation be instituted at all levels of the waste management to harmonize the process and ensure long term sustainability. Finally, the scientific process sets effective standards that should be observed by waste producers and managements, and monitoring systems to ensure compliance. Reference list Bureau of National Affairs, (2007). International environment reporter: current report. Washington, D. C. : Bureau of National Affairs. Toma, V. (2008). Waste Management Research Trends. Basel: Nova Publishers. Worldwatch Institute, (2009). State of the World 2009: Into a Warming World. London: W W Norton & Co Inc.

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management

Running head: EFFECTIVE APPROACHES IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Marissa Krick Grand Canyon University: NRS-415V November 18, 2012 Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Many healthcare organizations worldwide are striving to achieve magnet designation. Having the magnet title is essential because it recognizes healthcare organizations that act as a â€Å"magnet† for excellence by establishing a work environment that identifies, rewards, and promotes professional nursing (ANCC Magnet Designation, 2012).A magnet hospital is considered to be one where nursing provides excellent patient care, where nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, and where there is a low staff nurse turnover rate. This paper will discuss how nursing leaders and managers obtain magnet designation. Nursing leaders and managers play an important role in attaining magnet designation and take different approaches in order to achieve such status. Obtaining magnet status is essential and highly recognized in the nursing practice today.Nurses play a vital role in patients’ and families’ overall experience and are the primary source of care and support during the most vulnerable times in an individuals’ life. At magnet hospitals, nurses are attentive and knowledgeable, spending more time at patients' bedsides providing compassionate and upmost quality of care. Managers are constantly striving to maintain quality service and patient care through the use of patient surveys in order to plan short and long term objectives in order to take appropriate actions.With the use of patient surveys, managers are able to inform their staff on areas for improvement or where to keep up the good work. Managers provide direction and motivation to their nursing unit in order to carry out desired actions and are focused on making sure that their staff are following the correct policies and procedures in order to maintain a sa fe workplace. Leadership in nursing maintains proper policies and procedures, but the main focus is on influencing staff to accomplish goals. Feature article about  Production ManagementNurse leaders inspire others to work together in quest of a shared goal, for instance, improved patient care. The nurse leader is a critical thinker, sets goals, uses effective communication, and recognizes the emotional needs of others (Roskoski, 2012). Nurse leaders carry out any changes that are to be made that have been implemented by management. Scottsdale Healthcare is an organization of magnet status and is continuously striving to find ways in which to improve patient satisfaction and quality of care.As of October 2011, Scottsdale Healthcare implemented bedside report in order increase patient satisfaction providing the patient and family knowledge in regards to their condition and plan of care in order to set goals for the patients recovery and gives them the ability to ask questions. Prior to bedside report taking effect, management gathered all employees from the unit going over what is to be expected and how bedside report was not only taking effect on our unit alone, but hospital wide.Nursing leaders knew that they had a situation at hand due to the fact that nursing staff was so comfortable in giving report at the nurses station and did not want to wake the patient or deal with a family member, but they remained positive and encouraged staff that this would dramatically change our satisfaction scores. In maintaining patient satisfaction scores, the hospital would qualify for reimbursement from Medicare. The nurse leaders were the one’s who made the transition a smooth process, as the managers just informed staff how things were going to be.The nurse leaders give others the ability to understand the vision, informing those of why they are being asked to do things, and how it relates to the bigger picture (The difference between leadership and management, 2012). In order to maintain magnet status, managers and nurse leaders must work together in order to meet the necessary requirements. With imple menting bedside report, not only have patient satisfaction scores increased, the rapport between patient and nurse and quality of care has increased as well.Organizations such as Scottsdale Healthcare are recognized for treating their employees with respect and encourage educational growth in offering tuition reimbursement. With upholding magnet status, organizations are able to keep their employees when given the ability to offer such programs. This writer has been an employee at Scottsdale Healthcare for five years now and has seen many changes take effect on the unit implemented by the nurse manager striving to increase patient satisfaction. Changes that have occurred on the unit consist of edside reporting, hourly rounding, and updated white boards for patient information, just to name a few. Within the past couple of months, patient satisfaction scores have decreased and management is not happy. The nurse managers have informed staff that if hourly rounding, bedside reporting, and updating white boards are not being completed employees will be reprimanded. The nurse managers have been going into patient rooms asking the patients if their nurse has been performing the tasks as listed above, and take it upon themselves to tell the patient that if these tasks are not being performed, then the nurse could possibly be terminated.With all the negative feedback from the managers, nurses are becoming burned out. The nurse managers want to see an increase in outcomes, but drive to do so is lacking from constant negative feedback. At the last staff meeting, we were informed that if patient outcomes did not increase, then we need to start looking for employment because there are other individuals out there that would love to have our position. On the other hand, the nurse leaders acknowledge the irritation of decreased satisfaction scores, but go above and beyond to build up morale for a positive change.Those who take the time to listen to others and incorporate way s to improve issues on the unit are considered as participatory leaders. This leadership style includes the leader and one or more employees in the decision making process (Leadership Styles, 2010). As a team, the nurse leader and employees will be able to come up with a plan on ways to improve patient satisfaction, with the nurse leader having the final say. All in all, managers and nurse leaders ultimately have the same goal; it is just the difference in approaches and how one handles stress.A nurse leader wants to provide assistance in any way possible, they are creative and remain positive, whereas, nurse managers will stay completely focused on improving situations and are more controlling not providing any assistance. This writer believes that she is a better leader than manager. Participatory leadership is this writers way of dealing with situations at hand. Effective communication and taking into consideration the feelings of others along with providing a helping hand whenev er in need is of upmost importance to this writer.A way that patient satisfaction scores could increase on the unit that this writer works on is if the managers took a different approach in how they speak to their staff creating a different vibe on the floor rather than biting your tongue every time you see their face. However, it is very possible that due to the clientele we provide care to, a lot of them suffer addiction problems and often times request more medications than what we are able to give. These unhappy patients are more than likely the ones who return the patient satisfaction surveys, therefore, resulting in poor satisfaction scores.Leadership and management play an important role in the nursing process, but their focus is different depending on the situation. Nurse managers and leaders strive for doing the right thing and doing things right. With the dramatic and rapid changes in healthcare today, possessing critical thinking, active listening, and coping skills are e ssential in the nursing workforce. Together, leaders and managers need to imagine the future and lead the way to a productive and well-organized unit with satisfied employees in order to maintain magnet status. References ANCC Magnet Designation. (2012). Meridian Health.Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. meridianhealth. com/MH/ForHealthProfessionals/NursingAtMeridian/ANCCMagnetDesignation. cfm Leadership Styles. (2010). Big Dog and Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadstl. html Roskoski, J. (2012). What Is Nursing Leadership?. eHow. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. ehow. com/about_6579387_nursing-leadership_. html The difference between leadership and management. (2012). Strategies for Nurse Managers. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from http://www. strategiesfornursemanagers. com/ce_detail/208037. cfm

Organizational paradigms Essay

Every organization is different and there is no perfect organizational paradigm that fits an organization in all situations. Even though the most common organizational paradigms are hierarchies, holarchies, coalitions, teams, congregations, societies, federations, and matrix organizations there are many more kinds that exist which are a combination of these with a few extra attributes. â€Å"What is clear is that all approaches have different characteristics which may be more suitable for some problems and less suitable for others† ( Horling & Lesser, 2005) I feel that among these organizational paradigms a combination of hierarchical and team based designs offer the best of the attributes. Because, hierarchical structured organizational is one of the oldest and time tested paradigms with very clear advantages over the other paradigms. A hierarchical organizational design helps decomposition and that is its major advantages. In addition, hierarchical organizations are formed with number of departments each with a hierarchy of its own and that helps the organization tackle large scale projects and scaling is comparatively easy depending on the need of the situation. They are also the simplest to understand and induction of new employees and their reporting system are comparatively more systematic and well organized. The trouble with hierarchical systems, however is that they tend to develop bottlenecks and decision making processes tend to take longer. That is the reason, for my belief that if the hierarchical organization create teams within itself, it would improve the overall flexibility of the organization and avoid the creation of bottle necks. Because teams are set of employees who work towards a common goal supporting and coordinating with each other. Whenever a larger problem crops up that cannot be handled by individuals the team can take care of them and take the organization forward. References Horling & Lesser, 2005, A Survey of Multi-Agent Organizational Paradigms, retrieved May 14, 2009 from http://polaris. ing. unimo. it/didattica/cas/L6/Lesser_OrgParadigms. pdf

International Business - Cultural Differences Essay

International Business - Cultural Differences - Essay Example With specific reference to HRM and marketing, this essay will examine the potential problems which a UK owned hotel, operating in China and Russia, among numerous other countries, may confront. In order to understand the challenges which the UK-owned hotel may confront in the management of its operations in China and Russia, it is important to begin with a clarification of the implications of the culture construct. The reason is that since culture has been identified as the source of challenges, it is necessary to know why and how it can function as a challenge to cross-cultural management for the purposes of constructively confronting and resolving these challenges. As an ever-present force of concern to all social sciences, culture represents an abstract and extremely complex construct. Attempts by scholars to define culture have resulted in countless definitions. For example, in their seminal study on culture, Kroeber and Kluckhohn (1952) identified more than 160 definitions of culture. Although there is probably no single best definition of culture, the main thread running through the numerous definitions of culture, as noted by Hall (2004) is that the construct of culture appears to have the following characteristics: Culture is multidimensional and interrelated. ... Culture is multidimensional and interrelated. It consists of a number of common and interdependent elements such as beliefs and attitudes, values and norms. All aspects of culture are deeply connected with one another; to change one part is to change the whole. It is the interaction of various elements of culture that results in cultural distinctiveness. Culture is shared by the members of a social group and defines the boundaries between different groups. Culture is adaptive. Culture and its values, though enduring in the short term, do change over time. Cultural meanings are not static, but constantly in motion. Culture continues to evolve through constant embellishment and adaptation to both physical and social environments. Culture includes both conscious and unconscious values, and other meaningful symbols that shape human behaviour. Cultural differences are not necessarily visible, especially to people who remain embedded in one cultural environment. It takes a prolonged stay abroad and mingling with the locals to recognize the numerous and often subtle and hidden differences in various cultures. In sum, culture provides people with a sense of identity and an understanding of appropriate behaviour within a soda1 group. It has pervasive and profound impacts on virtually all aspects of human life. For instance, Harris and Moran (2005, pp. 206-211) have identified ten important areas pertaining to human values, attitudes. and behaviours that are directly influenced by culture: Sense of self and space; Communication and language; Dress and appearance; Food and feeding habits; Time and time consciousness; Relationships; Values and norms; Beliefs and attitudes; Mental process and learning; Work

Assignment 4 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assignment 4 - Term Paper Example As per (Sanburn, 2011 ) â€Å"Microsoft, The information technology and software behemoth topped the institute’s list as the multinational corporation that keeps its employees the happiest†. As a human resource co – coordinator, I would look forward to a comprehensive compensation package which can attract skilled employees in the market. ( Thesis). Working in Microsoft as a human resource co – coordinator would come with a large responsibility and obligation. I would be in charge of formulating policies and plans in a partial way and this needs much knowledge about human resource managerial principles. A human resource department has the entire responsibility of managing and rewarding the employees. Some of the core responsibilities of human resource department are to recruit, train, compensate and evaluate the employees on a long term basis. Any company needs a good compensation plan as employees need to be motivated to get the best out of them. A compensation package has a key role to play in attracting the right worker to an organisation. Microsoft being a top most company in the world needs the best people in the job market. For this, the company needs to have a comprehensive and well planned compensation package. Creating a good compensation package means finding a balance. Employees in a new job look forward to the compensation package as they wanted to be rewarded well for their skill, knowledge and experience. Formulating a compensation package is not a simple as it needs to be competitive to attract best employees around. A compensation package should have adequate incentive to motive employees to perform at their best. The compensation package includes basic salary, commission, incentives, bonus , medical insurance and other facilities. As per (Enterpreneur,2014 ) â€Å"Employers of choice provide a comprehensive employee benefits package to attract and retain employees. In addition to a competitive

Analysis Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Analysis Paper - Assignment Example The defendant moved for a summary judgment on the counts. The defendant also argues that Dr. Jones was their only physician who agreed to working in Chicago Heights where the plaintiff resided even though he had to balance the time with his own private practice hence explaining the overworking and the need for appointment (Teitelbaum and Wilensky, 2008). The trial court granted summary judgment on count 1 of negligence indicating that there was no evidence of the doctor having overpopulated patients. The same summary judgment was granted as well as on the contract liability where the court indicated that there was no contract breach as the doctor was not a specialized pediatrician. There was an appeal that was decided in 1998. The appellate judges after a review of the case agreed with the trial court’s decision on granting summary judgment to Chicago HMO on the counts mentioned above. The plaintiff did not agree with the decision and the case was taken to the Supreme Court. The opinion on the case after being heard and reviewed by the Supreme Court was granted on May, 2000. On the first count of negligence, the Supreme Court denied the summary judgment with the explanation that the Chicago HMO must have the full list of all the patients visiting the clinic each day because it had to calculate the monthly capitation payments to the doctor which was based on the number of patients. On appointment procedures, the summary judgment was granted as the procedures required booking an appointment first which the plaintiff did not. On the count of breaching the contract, the summary judgment was granted as the plaintiff was not party to the particular contract breach being referred to and the parties were only Chicago HMO and the Department of Public Aid. The law is good because the facts of the case are not exploited and explanation about what the terms of the contract were

Bussiness law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bussiness law - Assignment Example Most of the firms have their clearly defined S.O.Ps, legal sanctions and legal domains looking into the often occurring disputes. This paper looks into the broad lined disputes that often occur and the example of how two companies in U.A.E undertook the dispute and conflicts at hand. The paper also looks into the generic code of conduct that is implied towards the business sectors with regard to the legal disputes. The DIFC courts are in place and actively working towards the resolution of the problems in the business sector for quite a while now. They are one of the most authentic and established entity designed for the purpose of looking into the matters and resolving them according to the need and professional requirements (Gaeta, 2012, p 45). The DIFC courts incorporate English for the purpose of interaction and conversation exchange with one another. The multi nationals and the Western companies engaged in the business activities undertake such processes and take assistance of the DIFC courts in preference over the local courts whenever some dispute takes place. DIFC comes in combination and consonance with the Al-Tamimi group that specializes in the working of the finding the legal grounds towards the resolution of problems that may occur at different phases on the project and activities so undertaken (out-law, 2012). This was of the generic and broad line declaration of the methods by which the disputes can be resolved. Owing to the overall success and influence of the recognition and reconciliation entity, United Arab Emirates has engaged itself in the same mechanism and has taken the ownership and membership which allows it practicing the same principles in the spirit of the professional work. U.A.E government, realizing the importance of it signed it and became an official signatory of it towards 2005 and 2006 and later on made it a general practicing model towards the business activities and disputes resolution. In such scenarios the

FINAL PROJECT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FINAL PROJECT - Assignment Example It is no surprise that the running theme of 21st century literature is escapism. Escape from our stresses and limitations; freedom from the normalcy and structure of our day to day lives. Popular novels, short stories, and tales of all ages, which has been directly reflected in films and television as well, center on the lives of wizards with a destiny greater than themselves, romantic vampire tales that promise things like immortality and â€Å"plenty of time† to do as we please, fairy tales, science fictions, and superheroes. Anything that separates people from their own existence as it is, even if only for a time. Paige Bradley’s sculpture, â€Å"Expansion,† is a stunning and thought-provoking piece that captures the modern human need to free itself from all the restrictions of life, even those of the body. The sculpture captures that moment when ones inner light, soul, spirit, or inner essence, however you preference to perceive it, breaking through the flesh. At the same time the peaceful expression and meditative pose of the figure shares with us that this experience is enlightening, not painful or unpleasant. It is a desired occurrence, perhaps a needed one. As stated before we all have a need to be acknowledged, respected, and appreciated for our inner selves not just our external existence. The artist herself explained that she fears that, â€Å"†¦ we are more defined by the container we are in, rather than what we are inside.†("Paige bradley," 2012) That said, this piece captures the human need to escape from the restrictions, be they physical, economical, or social that bind us. These are the same restrictions that encourage us to seek the same escapism in our modern

Plitical scienceNormative ideas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Plitical scienceNormative ideas - Essay Example Normative ideas can hence be defined as coming into existence when predicted development are connected with ideas about desired or undesired development, and when the insight of this connection consequently establish a concern about developments that will take place in the future and probably a need to make a choice (Scheuer & John 214). For instance, when one associates predictions about further technological innovation of the agricultural sector to ideals that hold that policies should be aimed at protecting against environmental exhaustion, concerns may be established about the escalation of agricultural production. It is suggested that normative ideas are either found among the public or directed to the public. Therefore, normative ideas may be seen as public sentiments on one hand that are basic and often implicit that sets boundary for an array of acceptable solution while, on the other hand, they may be used by decision makers strategically to frame policies that will be accep table among the public (Scheuer & John 214). ... Several scholars have tried to define more clearly how we can characterize ideas that have both normative and empirical character. Some classify ideas from the high normative level down to the empirical by distinguishing between principled beliefs, world views and causal beliefs. Ideas play a role both in the contested forefront of politics and in a more established background which is usually taken for granted (Scheuer & John 215). In a detailed empirical reality and analysis, there is detailed causal effect relationship with a more embedded background, wider world views and policy paradigms which are more taken for-granted ontological assumptions about reality and systems of theory used to interpret this empirical reality. Empirical analyses proximate reality and construct ideas as detailed empirics, causal beliefs and explicit empirical theories which are based on paradigms, deeper assumption and systems of thought about empirical reality and policy. On the other hand, normative l evels involve frames and ideas that are based on cultural sentiments, deeply held public sentiments norms and ideologies. An idea as a cultural value denotes normative setting, postulation about good and bad and about an ideal world (Scheuer & John 217). Frames, on the other hand, are foreground ideas symbols and spin images that package reality and, which help structure the terms of popular policy thinking and discussion (Jayapalan 254). Empirical analyses of political issues sometime may not serve the intended purpose fully well. It may lead to certain expectations about the future, but these expectations become falsified by occurrences. For instance, in 1980, there were parliamentary elections in Tamilnadu which were followed by assembly elections. From the observation of the

This I Believe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

This I Believe - Essay Example According to nationsonline.org (2010), the number of people whose first language is Chinese, when investigated in all countries of the world was discovered to be 874000000 while the inclusion of Chinese language speakers, for whom Chinese is the second language makes it 1052000000. This is in contrast with the statistics for the number of English speakers since English is largely considered as the first language all over the world. nationsonline.org (2010) records that population of first-language-English speakers is currently 341000000, which becomes 508000000 when people for whom English is not the mother language are included in it. What further exaggerates the matter is the fact that the statistics mentioned in this paper have been recorded for one particular dialect of Chinese language where there are many more in reality. The large number of Chinese speakers is fundamentally because of the ever growing and expanding Chinese population. China has grown in literacy rate over the past few decades, though Chinese nation had always been ahead in various fields of art, intelligence and technical knowledge. Today, Chinese students make a significant portion of the total number of international students enrolled in foreign reputable universities particularly in the most scientifically and technologically advanced countries. This is in addition to the fact that the innumerable Chinese universities within China are already equipped with Chinese students. The large international Chinese students make others feel a need to learn Chinese in order to be able to interact with them. Chinese prefer to communicate with the foreigners in Chinese language unlike many other nations. Although English is taught as a second language in a lot of Chinese schools in the present age, yet Chinese prefer to stick to their first language as all legal, political and cultural

Mexican society Essay Example for Free

Mexican society Essay Mariano Azuela’s, The Underdogs, is full of characters that represent different sections of the Mexican society at the time of the Mexican Revolution around 1910 and each responds to the war according to their own circumstances and needs. The first such character is Demetrio Macias, a peace loving Indian, representing the poor peasants. His only interest is to protect what little he has. He is drawn into the revolution when he is being hunted by the soldiers of a political leader and he has to abandon his wife and child and watch the soldiers destroy his house. Demetrio responds by putting together a band of sharpshooting bandits who are wanted for various crimes they have committed At the start, Demetrio is full of noble ideas and wants to fight for the poor while taking from the rich, something like Robin Hood. The group is focused and meets with success. However as his group grows larger it becomes more difficult to control, because with each victory comes power and with that the demands. For instance, after each successful battle they feel justified in taking all girls above twelve years of age to â€Å"service† them. As time goes on, the rebels themselves forget what they are fighting for and start taking from the rich and poor alike Luis Cervantes, is a student portraying the educated middle class. He is captured by Demetrio’s men and manages to convince them that is a deserter of Huertas army and was actually trying to join them. He is unhappy with the treachery, and corruption in the Huertas’ army. The unnecessary meanness of the soldiers, rape, burning of homes, looting, torture, murdering of children. 1 Luis is a young man with ideals and a vision for the future. He believes that doing away with the crooked politicians will make Mexico a better place for everyone. While he imparts his wisdom on the bandits, some of them speculate if that is indeed what they are really all about, while majority just dreams about the booty the next town will bring. Luis’ unsuccessful attempts at conveying his insight to the bandits eventually cause him to change his direction and go in search of a business venture instead. The next characters we meet in the story are two women, who symbolize the role of the fairer sex in the Mexican war. First there is Camilla, who provides services such as cooking, or caring for the wounded. Although initially she comes across as a meek person, we see eventually that she is really a strong woman who has a major role to play in Demetrio’s life. Finally, there is â€Å"War Paint. † A very jealous and bold woman, who is always ready to rob anyone in her path. She uses sex to manipulate men and get what she wants. For example, at one point in the story Demetrio is ready to take her to a hotel after drinking heavily. She challenges his manhood by saying that a real man of his standing would find the best house in town, take it over by force if necessary and spend the night there. Thus, they spend the night in one of the best houses in town, and War Paint proceeds to rob it after entertaining Demetrio. It seems to me that the only person somewhat sincere with the revolution is Demetrio. After all he is the only one not willing to run away. He stands his ground and fights for what he believes in, despite the fact that the importance and force of revolution had lost its steam, and knowing in the end that he is outnumbered and will not survive. 1Cogan, Allan . The Underdogs (Los de Abajo): A Novel of the Mexican Revolution by Mariano Azuela. Retrieved from www. mexconnect. com

Structuralist theories of crime and deviance Essay Example for Free

Structuralist theories of crime and deviance Essay All Structuralist theories of crime and deviance seem to suggest that crime is socially constructed rather than focused on the individual. Albert Cohen, combining Structuralist and sub cultural theories drew on Mertons idea of strain but criticized Mertons ideas of crime being an individual response and believed that he ignored non-utilitarian crimes such as vandalism and joy-riding. Cohen was particularly interested in deviance which was not economically motivated but done simply for the thrill of the act. Cohen believed that many lower-class boys aspired to the values of middle-class society but lacked the means to obtain anysuch success, thus leading to status frustration. Therefore many reject the rules of acceptable norms and behaviour as they cannot be successful within those rules. They turn to a delinquent subculture, where there are alternative norms and values and through committing crime status can be gained. Box, however, argues that Cohens theory only applies to the minority. Most he believes accept mainstream values although feeling resentful of being seen as failures. Cloward and Ohlin were also greatly influenced by Merton and accepted his explanation of deviance in terms of the legitimate oppurtunity structure. However they also explored a parallel, the illegitimate oppurtunity structure. They realised that within certain subcultures it was possible to make a career out of crime, which allowed criminals to obtain mainstream societies goals. According to Cloward and Ohlin there were three possible categories. Firstly a criminal subculture, where there is oppurtunity to become involved in a thriving world of crime, where there are successful role models who have used crime as a means to succeed, and youngsters who can work their way up the ladder in the criminal hierarchy. Where there is no local criminal subculture, conflict subculture can emerge. This is when there is no access to the legitimate or illegitemate means of success and anger and frustration is vented through violence, usually to other groups of similar status. Finally Cloward and Ohlin thought there was the retreatist subculture which was centered mainly on illegal drug use and alcohol. This occured as members often failed to fit into the other two subcultures. Cloward and Ohlins theory has faced some criticism. Similarly to Cohen they failed to mention female delinquancy. It is also difficult to believe that all criminals and deviants fit into three neat categories. Taylor, Walton and Young criticize both Cohens and Cloward and Ohlins assumption that everyone is asspiring to achieve wealth. They point out that there are certain groups in society such as Hippies that make conscious decisions to reject such conventions. In the 1950s Miller developed a rather different approach. He suggested that deviancywas linked to the lowerclass males who had their own distinctive values whic had been passed on from generation to generation. These values, he believed, actually encouraged criminal behaviour. He identified various focal concerns of the lower class male, such as, toughness- a respect for courage, smartness- the ability to outsmart others and excitment- the search for thrills. Miller believed that delinquencywasd a result of conformity to these focal concerns. Gills study supports Miller in that he discovered some residants of a working class area did not believe it was wrong to commit some crimes, suchaas stealing from an unoccupied house. Other sociologists however such as Braithwaite, argue against Millers theory, believing that crimes that involved causing direct harm to somebody are seen as wrong by all classes in our society.

Analysing counterfeit production in Malaysia

Analysing counterfeit production in Malaysia Malaysia has a counterfeit market value of $378 million, with software dominating $289 million of that market value. (Havocscope Global Market Indexes, 2008). Most often the news broadcast on counterfeiting in Malaysia are usually associated with branded goods, and now, these items are circulating in the form of essential products and used on a daily basis. The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministrys enforcement division, through their ruthless raids in pursuit of these types of goods, have identified imitation products such as garments, electrical items, pharmaceuticals, shoes, bags, leather goods, watches, cigarettes, batteries, sauces, engine oils, toothpastes, detergents and canned food, to name a few. It is clear that anything that has a demand and potential to be copied would consistently attract infringers to resort to reaping profits through producing similar counterfeit items which would then be sold to blind and ignorant consumers. WHAT IS COUNTERFEITING? I) Counterfeiting can be defined as any manufacturing of a product which so closely imitates the appearance of the product of another to mislead a consumer that it is the product of another. II) Counterfeiting is ultimately an infringement of the legal rights of an owner of intellectual property. ARTICLE SUMMARY REGARDING CURRENT ISSUE Malaysia is not excluded in becoming the region of dumping ground for a wide range of sub-standard and counterfeit products such as cosmetic products, medical goods, clothing and electrical items. Government have structured framework and protection mechanism for Asean consumers. More than million inspections were done and nearly 13000 with products valued RM 137.5million were sealed. ARTICLE REVIEW FOR COUNTERFEITING Counterfeit goods flooding Asean region New Straits Times, Jan 19, 2007 PUTRAJAYA: The new television set in your living room might not be what you think it is. And that bottle of perfume could have come from a back lane. This region has become a dumping ground for a wide range of sub- standard and counterfeit cosmetic products, medical goods, clothing and electrical items, and Malaysia has not been spared either. The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry launched a discussion on consumer protection initiatives at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations level to stop this illegal practice. Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal said yesterday a central body, based in Kuala Lumpur, would be set up this year to co-ordinate regional action against the dumping of sub-standard goods and protect consumers. We have structured the framework and protection mechanism for Asean consumers. It is just a matter of implementing it, he said. He said the feedback he received during visits to Myanmar and the Philippines had been good, and the Asean Secretariat was also receptive to the idea. He plans to visit Vietnam, Laos and Singapore soon to discuss the idea with his counterparts. And it will be highlighted during the Asean senior economic officials meeting to be held soon. At the ministrys monthly gathering, Shafie said that more than 7,500 complaints were filed with the Malaysian Consumers Claims Tribunal last year. The tribunal had set up a database on the standard operating procedure for tribunal kiosks to be set up soon. Shafie said that more than a million inspections were done on business premises last year and nearly 13,000, with products valued at RM137.5 million, were sealed. PRODUCTS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE COUNTERFEIT 1. SOFTWARE The counterfeit software trade in Malaysia, and especially Kuala Lumpur, is thriving so much that it is practically considered the norm and to such an extent that it is harder to get hold of genuine software than counterfeit. Crackdowns and raids have mainly proved ineffective and counterfeit software is brazenly sold in shopping malls and plaza. 2. LUXURY AND FASHION GOODS The counterfeits range from poor imitations to quite good copies retailing at higher prices. When it comes to, for example, sunglasses the quality can be poor, the logo can be smudged and the workmanship can be shoddy but, from a distance it look like you are sporting a Chanel or Prada sunglasses. The fake sunglasses can damage our eyes as they almost just made of coloured plastics which are not ideal for a country bathed in tropical sunshine. 3. CDs AND DVDs In 2007 sniffer dogs, Lucky and Flo uncovered more than one million counterfeit discs or more known as pirate`s discs worth more than 3 million USD, hidden in boxes at a shopping centre. 4. PHARMACEUTICALS Counterfeiting of drugs is being taken seriously by Ministry of Health. Things to look out for are : over-the-counter drugs such as Panadol pills and Eye-Mo drops. Mainly affected are the developing countries with weak drug regulatory control and enforcement. The problem is further exacerbated by a number of other factors: scarcity and/or erratic supply of basic medicines, uncontrolled distribution chains, large price differentials between genuine and counterfeit medicines, lack of effective intellectual property right protection, lack of regard for quality assurance and corruption in the health-care system. 5. PERFUMES Counterfeiting is a well-advertised problem in this industry. The distribution of perfumes is normally restricted to exclusive retailers and cause price stability. Channels of distribution on the grey market include street traders and small shops. Most consumers buying these fakes are aware that it is not the genuine item and that the product is of a lower quality. It is very common, however, for the trader to pretend that the goods are stolen in order to deceive the consumer about the quality. THE IMPACT OF COUNTERFEITING ACTIVITIES 1. IMPACT TO OUR COUNTRY ECONOMIC ( WHERE COUNTERFEITS ARE SOLD) Job Losses Counterfeiting affect employment because job shift from the manufacturers to counterfeiters. It is because of the goods produces by manufacturers are unsaleable because consumer switch their preference in choosing goods to counterfeit foods due to lower price than the genuine goods without knowing they are purchasing counterfeit goods. As a result, manufacturers has to shut down their business causing many employees loss their job and become unemployed. Reduce Potential Foreign Investment For some industries, the level of countereiting may be relatively important, whereas in others it may be minor consideration. Countries with lower rates of counterfeiting and relatively higher in economies has higher foreign investment. Counterfeiting also can affect the commercial trade sector and as a result can affect potential foreign investment. Tarnish Malaysia`s reputation in the eyes of tourists Malaysia`s goal to increase the tourism sector cannot be accomplish if counterfeiting is still exist. Tourist from every corner of the world who come to Malaysia can relatively easy to avoid buying fake handbags and sunglasses but another matter when it comes to consumables and pharmaceuticals. Fake pharmaceutical products can endanger tourists and affect Malaysia`s reputation as a chosen destination to visit. Discourage investment in product development High levels of counterfeiting could reduce the incentive of some firms to invest in the development of new products and processes. It is happen because company know that they cannot get return as high as they expect from the investment. Government has to spend large amount of money in disposing counterfeit products Malaysia`s government have to spend large amount of money in funding police and other investigation and enforcement operations as a way to dispose and reduce the counterfeit activities in Malaysia. 2. IMPACT TO COUNTRIES WHERE COUNTERFEITING TAKES PLACE Foreign producer of reputable products refuse to manufacture their products to the countries. For example, China, India, Hong Kong Such countries will suffer both tangible and intangible losses. First, foreign producers of reputable products become reluctant to manufacture their product s in countries where counterfeiting is widespread as fast as infection disease because it seems like they cannot rely on the enforcement of their intellectual property rights. Hence, such countries not only lose direct foreign investment but also miss-out on foreign know-how. Cause export losses If many products from such countries, including genuine ones, gain a reputation of being poor quality, this will cause export losses which in turn implies both losses and loss of foreign exchange. It could be argued that the counterfeiting industry creates jobs but these jobs are often poorly paid, often involve substandard working conditions and sometimes use child labour. Discourages new invention from manufacturers The widespread of counterfeiters in a market discourages inventiveness in that country since it prevent honest producers from investing resources in new products and market development because they know the risk that counterfeiters will counterfeit their products. Tax losses A further direct loss for the government of countries that become the main centre for counterfeiters, are tax losses, since the counterfeits are normally sold through secret channels and counterfeiters are not generally eager to pay tax on their ill-gotten gains. Financial losses are increasingly shown to justify action by enforcement officials. 3. IMPACT TO RIGHT HOLDER (PRODUCER) Suffer direct loss in number of sales First of all, industries which find themselves in direct competition with counterfeiters suffer a direct loss in sales. Indeed, some markets are even dominated by counterfeiters, creating barriers of entry for the producers of the genuine product. Some would argue that the buyers of the fakes would not have bought the genuine item but that is a very narrow argument and can only apply to a small segment of luxury goods. Many counterfeit products today are of higher quality and compete directly with the genuine items. Damage brand value and firm reputation Counterfeit or pirated products may damage the brand image and reputation of firms over time. For instance, those consumers who believed they were buying a genuine item when in fact it was a fake, will be likely to blame the manufacturer of the genuine product if the fake does not fulfil expectations, thus resulting in a loss of goodwill. If consumers never discover that they were deceived, they may be reluctant to buy another product from that manufacturer and may communicate dissatisfaction to other potential buyers. Spend large amount of money in protecting and enforcing property right Beside direct losses of sales and goodwill, one should not forget the expenditure involved in protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights. The right owner becomes involved in costly investigations and legal action when dealing with counterfeiters and may also have to spend further sums on product protection. 4. IMPACT TO CONSUMER Paying an excessive price for inferior products Ultimately, it is the consumer who pays the cost of unfair competition between counterfeiters and producers. Although many consumers believe they are getting a bargain when they buy counterfeits, the actual value of the product is normally much lower. Hence, they end up paying an excessive price for an inferior product. Exposed to many disastrous effects The inferior qualities of many counterfeits, particularly those relating to health and safety, have had disastrous effects. It is no longer rare to find counterfeit parts in aircraft and other vehicles causing death and injuries, or counterfeit pharmaceuticals in hospitals. For example, pharmaceuticals, electrical appliances, parts in aircraft, foods and beverages. CASES REGARDING THE COUNTERFEIT GOODS IN THE MARKET Dozens of people died in Cambodia through taking ineffective, fake malaria medicines. Law enforcement in Zambia seized fake shampoo containing acid. Body-builders and others buying steroids on the black market in Australia were sold repackaged livestock steroids as human steroids. Diseased pig meat was used in counterfeit cans of pork luncheon meat in China. In India, counterfeits of drugs were used to fight antibodies in Rh-D negative mothers. Fake crocs is being accused on insulting Muslim belief as the word Allah is print on the fake Crocs` logo. FACTORS INFLUENCING COUNTERFEITING i. Advances in technology New technology has not only benefited manufacturers of genuine products, but also counterfeiters. The photocopying machine is, for example, considered to be one of the main tools in a counterfeiters tool box. New techniques have furthermore enabled counterfeiting of what were normally considered as high-tech products, too complicated to fake. Pharmaceuticals, electronic components and rescue equipment are some examples. The counterfeiter can demand a higher price for his low-cost products since these products have a high value-added element. ii. Increased international trade International trade, including trade in counterfeit products, has increased dramatically over the last few decades. Almost all regions are both production and consumption areas for counterfeit products. Although an expansion of boundary measures would enhance the means of conflicting international trade in counterfeit goods, it is not likely to produce most important results unless matched by a related increase in the resources available to customs authorities to devote to anti-counterfeiting work. iii. Emerging markets A number of economies that were previously controlled are now being transformed into free market economies. Unfortunately, the speed of transformation has been somewhat too fast for the enforcement agencies. Markets are now emerging as both large producers and consumers of fakes. Although counterfeiting occurs more or less throughout the world, East Asia, including China, is still pinpointed as the main source of fakes. This region has increased its relative share in world trade, implying increased exports of counterfeits along with genuine products. iv. Emerging products Manufacturing now accounts for 75 per cent of total world exports. Processed, high value-added goods are naturally also more likely to be counterfeited. Electronic products, such as software and music recordings, are not included in world trade figures. These are rapidly becoming the products most affected by counterfeiting. It is difficult to predict whether counterfeiting will decrease or increase in the expected future. On the one hand, technological development is enabling counterfeiters to produce fakes relatively cheaply and easily. Top suppliers of counterfeit goods in the world include: China $ 221.7 million (81 %) India 2 million (6 %) Hong Kong $ 13.4 million (5 %) Taiwan $ 2.6 million (1 %) South Korea $1 million (

Ca Twiste a Popenguine :: essays research papers

Ca Twiste a Popenguine It was hard to find symbolism in this film since their culture was very colonialized. It seemed as though the culture was so European/American that the culture was gone. Even though it was hard, I was still able to find some cultural symbolisms. The different groups of friends were completely different from each other. There was the group that wanted to be popular and get all the girls with a party, and there was a group that had all the music records that the other needed. That was the group that was trying to make money as well. Both parties also wanted girls. The fact that these two groups had seemingly presented themselves as gangs shows how much they wanted to be apart from each other. The gangs symbolized the separatism of the youth. The catch to their separateness is that they really needed one another to get what they wanted. The one group needed music and the other group needed money. They ended up making a deal with each other, which was conspired by Bacc. The fact that they were able to come together like that symbolized that they really should be together. Both of the groups had one very main thing in common. They both wanted girls. It seemed as though the girls in this film symbolized power. Girls made them feel better about themselves. Girls made them powerful. Another sign of symbolism in this film was the pictures. It seemed as though the pictures inspired these people. They wanted to be just like the people in the pictures. The pictures symbolized the colonizer. The only colonizer in this film was the

Euthanasia Programs of Nazi Germany Essay -- ethics, t4 program, experi

On the first of September, 1939 World War II began. Hitler is in power of Nazi Germany and is wanting to cleanse the German people of racially unsound elements. He enacts a program that will aim to eliminate the so called â€Å"lives unworthy of life† called the T4 program (History Place). Over the next six years throughout Germany, many people are experimenting with and euthanized to help Nazi Germany reach a â€Å"pure† state. Was this program that was enacted ethical and what has happened since then to stop something like this from happening again? What kind of medical advances and data did we achieve from it and is it ethical today to use what they learned in today’s medical trials? The T4 program was not the beginning of Germany’s effort to reach a super race. Leading up to the war Hitler enacted the â€Å"Law for the Prevention of Progeny with Hereditary Diseases† in the year of 1933. The law called for the sterilization of anyone that had any hereditary illnesses. The list of hereditary illnesses included: â€Å"schizophrenia, epilepsy, senile disorders, therapy resistant paralysis and syphilitic diseases, retardation, encephalitis, Huntington’s chorea and other neurological conditions.† (History Place) This law was enforced by opening 200 genetic health courts that would analyze the medical records of individuals and decide if they were to be sterilized or not. The sterilization of people usually involved the use of drugs, x-rays, or uterine irritants. Dr. Horst Schumann did a lot of these experiments with sterilization at Auschwitz, where he would take a group of men/women and would expose them to x-rays. Most of his exper iments with x-rays were disappointing but he kept using this method. After he subjected his subjects to x... ...at the expense of the brutally murdered test subjects. I have only highlighted a couple of experiments that they conducted that the data collected from these could be extremely helpful to the humankind. Instead of calling it all bad we can find some good that can be salvaged from the victim’s ashes. Works Cited Georgetown University "Chapter 5 the Nazi Eugenics Programs." Chapter 5 the Nazi Eugenics Programs. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. "Nazi Medical Experimentation: The Ethics Of Using Medical Data From Nazi Experiments." The Ethics Of Using Medical Data From Nazi Experiments. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. "T4 Program (Nazi Policy)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. "The History Place - Holocaust Timeline: Nazi Euthanasia." The History Place - Holocaust Timeline: Nazi Euthanasia. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

Women Overcoming Domestic Violence in Zora Neale Hurstons Sweat Essay

Zora Neale Hurston's 'Sweat' is a short story about the struggles and hardships in the life of an African American woman living in the south. The short story talked about the treatment of women in these times. Many women of present times can identify with the hardships that Delia encountered in her marriage. The story also deals with adultery in relationships and the dishonesty and heartache it brings to a relationship. The story gives many women of domestic violence the strength and the courage to stand up for themselves and against their husbands. In these times it was hard for African American women to stand up to their abusive husbands. Getting a divorce was not a very common thing to do. Most women endured the pain and troubles of being physically and mentally abused everyday. A number of women were too poor to get a divorce or even runaway from their husbands. Husbands of these times supported the family and were the only ones who had a job in the family. In 'Sweat' Delia was the supporter of the family she worked every day supporting herself and Sykes. This was not very common in these times. Most women stayed home and watched the children while the men supported the family. With women not working this made it hard for them to get enough money to leave their husbands and support themselves and their children without their husbands. The story gives women of domestic violence courage and strength to get out of an abusive relationship. In one part of the story Delia...

Aggression in the 1930s

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are two of the most prominent figures in world history.   Both are intimidating personalities recognized as dictators in their own countries.   Hitler and Stalin are also similar for having significant roles in the aggression in the 1930s that was World War II.   However, it must be noted that Hitler had a more distinct role in the World War II than Stalin.   Though both men were active dictators during the Second World War.Adolf Hitler had a bigger responsibility in the conflict than Joseph Stalin.Hitler and Stalin were both dictators.   It is appropriate to give them such title as they had absolute power over their respective countries.   They had similar strategies and motives in terms of their aggression that resulted in the war.For instance, both men were motivated by a superiority complex.   Hitler was a firm believer in the superiority of the German race (Weinberg, 2008).   He asserted that Germany needed vast areas of land for ex pansion, so he attacked other countries to create an expansive territory for Germans.   It was this attack which brought Hitler and Germany at the helm of the global conflict.Likewise, Stalin also had a superiority complex.   Immediately after succeeding Lenin as the head of the Soviet Union, Stalin inspired a culture of self-glorification (Perry, 1989).   It was therefore no surprise that Stalin entered into an agreement with Hitler.The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact stated that the Soviet Union would not intervene with the German aggression against Poland on the grounds that it would receive half of the acquired Polish territory (Knight, 2008; Perry, 1989).However, despite the distinct similarity, there was a significant difference between the political roles they played in the Second World War.   Hitler proved to be the more aggressive dictator, as he initiated the war itself.   On the other hand, Stalin merely tolerated Hitler’s aggression.   Though the Sovi et Union had made an alliance with Germany, this did not guarantee immunity from the said aggression (Weinberg, 2008).Stalin and the rest of the Soviet Union were alarmed when Germans attacked them (Knight, 2008).   It became evident that Germany was in the center of the war, since it began to bypass the authority of the nations it had alliances with.Eventually, it was proven that Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war than Stalin.   Stalin was a mere participant in the German aggression; in time, he and his country became the victims.   It was Hitler who was in control of the war situation.Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were dictators who took part in the aggression during the 1930s, resulting in the historical event known as World War II.Their aggression was both motivated by a sense of superiority, and their strategy included the participation in the war.   Nonetheless, there was a difference between the leaders.   Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war, since he started the international conflict.   He was powerful enough to undermine an alliance with the Soviet Union to further his ends.Meanwhile, Stalin’s aggression was only evident in the agreement with Germany.   Hence, Adolf Hitler had a bigger political role in the Second World War.ReferencesPerry, M. (1989). A History of the World.   Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin.Knight, A. (2008). Joseph Stalin. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin.htmlWeinberg, G. (2008). Adolf Hitler. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556540/Hitler.html

Outline of a Wedding Reception

Special Occasion Wedding Role: Prayer OUTLINE Hook: Let us bow our heads and feel the presence of the Lord. Thesis: Prayer for the newlyweds. Preview: Lord for the joy of this occasion, we thank You. For Your presence here and now and at all times, we thank You. Protect the newlyweds from evil and temptation, guide them for their every challenges they encountered, and bless Owen and Sheryl and everyone present here. Surround us with Your love now and always. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.I. Opening A. Introduction of the Prayer 1. Giving respect to the Lord 2. Sign of the cross II. Body A. Praising the Lord B. Asking for forgiveness C. Thanks giving D. Supplication III. Closing In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Full Speech I. Opening Lets all stand and feel the presence of the Lord. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. II. Body Heavenly Father, Love has been your richest and great est gift to this world.Love between a man and a woman which matures into marriage. Today, we celebrate that love. Lord for the joy of this occasion, we thank You. For Your presence here and now and at all times, we thank You. Protect the newlyweds from evil and temptation, guide them for their every challenges they encountered, and bless Owen and Sheryl and everyone present here. Surround us with Your love now and always. III. Closing In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Sign of the cross)

Discoverability of Electronic Evidence

Lisa Buehrer Intro to Paralegal Teamwork (Team A) Discoverability of electronic evidence Identify the various types of electronic evidence, including potential sources of electronic evidence? Computer-generated or electronically recorded information such as emails, voicemails, spreadsheets, word processing documents and other data. What are the advantages of electronic evidence? Once something is entered into the computer, it is saved whether the save button is pushed or not. This is called Metadata.This consists of data that is hidden and kept on the computer like the path, creator, date created, date last accessed, etc. What are the disadvantages of electronic evidence? The biggest disadvantage to electronic evidence is that it can be tampered with or altered by an individual. Is electronic evidence discoverable in Federal Court? In State Courts? Yes What are the special requirements to be followed when dealing with electronic evidence that a part wants to use as evidence during li tigation?You need to make sure that you have obtained an exact image copy of the electronic evidence and make sure you can prove that it hasn’t been tampered with or changed from the time you obtained it. What is the final team consensus as to whether electronic evidence should be freely discoverable and admissible in litigation? I believe that electronic evidence is a must in the times that we live in as long as the chain of custody has been done. As long as the chain of custody is followed there is never going to be a question as to the validity of the evidence.

Ethical Issues in Human Relations counseling Essay

Ethical actions at all levels of human operations [personal or corporate] form the main basement of higher productivity and progress in the society. Kidder points out that the demand for ethical actions has intensified with time as more people become aware of their rights thereby increasing the overall pressure especially to respective authorities in demand for justice (2003, 58-60). Researchers indicate that though cases of unethical professional acts have been increasing with time, over 98%of perpetrators have full knowledge on the same ideologies and principles considerations. According to Cohen, professionals have one of the most important roles of adhering to the demands and requirements of ethics in their duties at all times (1998, 150-155). Understanding of this theory therefore forms the basis of making the correct decisions in resolving different cases and dilemmas that face them in their daily chores. Cohen explains that the theory requires the professionals to assume actions that only result to the greatest good and to the largest number of people at any instance (1998, 175-178). To add to that, it anchors the ability to effectively analyze prevailing situations and prediction of the expected consequences to infer the best decisions. To add to that, the professionals are able to compare their situations with others related cases that took place previously to make up the best decisions in their areas of work. Such comparisons act as major facets upon which the professionals base their calls for change to infer improvements in their areas of work. Taking into consideration that professionals are relied on by other junior staff and the public for guidance, it becomes possible to uphold the rights of all the respective parties without inferring any sense of sabotage. Under the modern system of globalism and fast dynamism in consumerism, the theory would bring out the need for new inclusive decision making systems that incorporates all the people at different levels for acceptance of the decisions made to enhance their further applicability. Professional ethics is a term used to denote the moral issues and obligations that arise from professional specialization and higher levels of knowledge as compared to the rest of the public and/ or the junior staff. As a result many of the scholars tend to define and specify professional ethics on the basis of what they are required to do as opposed to what the concept is really about. Firstly, they are expected to hold professional respect to their clients and their duties at all times through the principle of responsibility. This is generally emphasized because professionals are capable of exploiting their authority and status at the expense of their clients. This notion has often led to the question of the extent to which the professionals should be held accountable for their actions, a notion that has led to major quagmires in the market place. Professional ethics therefore demands operations that are based on true conscience that is not undermined by any commercial underpinning to sabotage the respect and integrity of the clients (American Psychological Association, 2001, 35-37). Kidder (2003, 78-79) explains that professional ethics demand operations within the professional guidelines, seeking the highest possible returns and advice and honesty to the clients. As indicated earlier, professionals hold the helm of national and global development in that they guide their clients on how to progress with different projects. It is therefore considered that failure to effectively give the correct guidance is a direct injustice to the client and the nation in general. To ensure that the professional ethics are adhered to by different professionals, regulatory bodies like engineering society, medical societies and auditors fraternity among others that draw codes of ethics expected for their specialists and address their clients complaints are formed. As indicated earlier, professionals are entrusted with variant responsibilities that demands them to act responsibly even without supervision. In criminal justice, judges have the moral and ethical obligation to ensure that the complainant get the necessary justice while convicted victim get a fair judgment depending with the offenses made. In such cases, the judges should understand that their judgments have further ethical implications to the whole community. To add to that, human resources managers have the ethical responsibilities of ensuring that staff and workers have the correct working environment. Besides, they also have the moral obligations of ensuring that their staff is remunerated appropriately not just as per the law demands, but on their work, motivation considerations and the overall returns of the company. In addition, accountants have the direct moral obligations to give the correct status of a company even if it is making losses as opposed to the general temptations to cover up the problems. This usually leads to to reluctance in addressing the main problem and therefore precipitates to later collapse of the company as it happened with Enron Company (Marianne, 2006, 54-59). Counselors have at times fallen into major temptations to operate against their professional ethics in the course of their duties. Most of them indicate that the main cause for their temptations has been corruption especially by the wealthy individuals who lure them to compromising their decisions (Peterson, 1992, 65-67). Being advanced in form of bribery, unprincipled counselors easily overlook different cases and aspects that could have warranted greater considerations. Besides, they may also be tempted to act less ethically when the end appears highly uncertain and perhaps threatening to them. Cases of life threats that are either directed to counselors and/ or their families may make them to withdraw from such cases or act directly different from what they are expected to. Finally, where there is no goodwill from the clients, the counselors may equally loose the drive to effectively operate ethically in dispose their duties. Though some researchers have indicated their support for to such responses, the notion is indeed very wrong in that counselors should lead in analysis of such situations under the ethical theories and take the best possible courses of actions that lead top the highest good. Presently, there are major cases and issues that face professionals in their different areas of operations that demand careful addressing for ethical progression. If I am faced with such a situation where responsibilities are not immediately clear, I would exploit the following avenues. To begin with, I would seek advice of a friend who has been in the field for a longer time than I and therefore most probably have had such cases and solved them in the past. It is clear that no man is an island and therefore, this relation would be promoted for further later consultations on similar matters. To add to that, I could also seek to get into greater and in depth analysis of the situation by evaluating similar or related cases to make the best decision that will be highly acceptable but within the ethical realms as demanded by the ethical theory. Job market has been dogged with a myriad of unethical issues especially relating to management of workers operations. Many of the ethical issues generally result as the different companies try to reduce the overall costs, evade responsibilities, or stick to different stereotypic notions in their management. Before deciding to form my own company, I was discriminated on the basis of my color immediately after finishing college where I could not secure a job as my white colleagues easily got employed. To add to that, even after getting my first job in the industry, I was soon shifted to work with workers who were far much inferior to me academically until I quit the job. In the later job, similar ethics disregard were encountered as payment was very poor and many of the workers filed their cases in courts against the company. As if that was not enough, the working conditions for the low level workers was very low and we filed more cases in court before the company was closed to upgrade its systems for better working conditions. Conclusion It is from the above consideration that this paper concludes by supporting the thesis statement that ethical actions at all levels of human operations [personal or corporate] form the main basement of higher productivity and progress in the society. Professionals and counselors should uphold the demands of the theory of ethics due to the positions they hold and their main impacts to the society. Indeed, taking ethical responsibilities at all times would stimulate similar actions at the lower levels of the society, a consideration that would reduce the shenanigans of the low ethics at all levels. However, there is need for stronger institutions that guard against exploitation of the same ethics exploitation by the professionals. Finally, it is important to establish a strong relationship between the professionals, counselors, and the public to educate the later on their rights and channels to guard their integrity and dignity. Reference list American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed. ). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 9781557987914. Cohen, G. ed (1998). The Vituous Therapist: Ethical practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Belmont, CA: Thonpsom Wadsworth. ISBN 9780534344085. Kidder, R. (2003). How good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemma of ethical living. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780688175900 Marianne, J. (2006). The seven signs of ethical collapse: How to spot moral meltdowns in companies before it’s too late. New York: St. Martin’s Press, ISBN0312354304 Peterson, M. (1992). At personal risk: Boundary violations in professional-client relationship. New York: Norton. ISBN 9780393701388.

Business overview of Southwest Airlines Company

Business overview of Southwest Airlines Company Southwest Airlines Company is an American low cost airline. Although the airline industry is no longer experiencing the rapid growth it exhibited during the 1990’s; commercial air travel in the U.S. remains the preferred method of transportation for a majority of Americans due to cost-effectiveness and timesaving characteristics. Southwest is the largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried per year (as of 2009). Southwest maintains the third largest passenger fleet among all of the world’s commercial airlines. As of May 3, 2009, Southwest operates approximately 3,510 flights daily. Southwest has its headquarters on the grounds of Love Field in Dallas, Texas. Southwest Airlines has carried more customers than any other U.S. airline since August 2006 for combined domestic and international passengers according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Southwest Airlines is one of the world’s most profit able airlines, posting a profit for the 37th consecutive year in January 2010. Southwest’s successful business model involves flying multiple short, quick trips into the secondary (more efficient and less costly) airports of major markets, and using only one aircraft type, the Boeing 737. Key Issues Southwest’s most visible problem, as with all airlines, is the drop in demand for air travel the past 18 months. While fallout from the terror attacks gets part of the blame, Kelly (Southwest CEO) says more of it goes to general economic weakness and specifically the collapse of the late ’90s technology and telecom bubble. Environmental changes are also having effects on the Industry. Budget conscious business travelers used to love Southwest, not only for its prices, but because it was so easy to buy a ticket at the last moment, move from curb to gate in minutes and be on their way. New security procedures have taken away this added convenience and have even lengthe ned the lines. Southwest operates on a first come, first serve basis and the random gate screenings, which tends to target last-minute, one-way flight passengers (a description of most of Southwest’s passengers) places fliers in the position to have to fly in the much dreaded middle seat. Analysis Models The analysis of Southwest will cover an external analysis, an internal analysis, and a SWOT analysis. External models utilized will be The Five Forces Model of Competition, Driving Forces, and Industry Key Success Factors. Internal models utilized will be a Financial Analysis, and a Competitive Strength Assessment or SWOT Analysis. The Five-Forces Model of Competition Rivalry among firms (High) The extent to which rivalry exists will influence the overall profitability of the industry. Market concentration remains a significant factor affecting rivalry. In 1989, no single airline solely dominated the industry, but the eight largest carriers retained a total market share of 92 high traffic cities with high demand. In order to gain profits, airlines must beat out the competition by offering as much or more flights with time flexibility to a variety of destinations. Other factors contributing to rivalry include high fixed costs, excess capacity, low differentiation, price wars, and readily available prices via the Internet. Due to the nature of the industry, high fixed costs are expected. Contributions to fixed costs in the airline industry include the costs of planes, fuel, pilots, flight attendants, and additional staff for baggage and customer service. The need to meet government regulations and hire experienced employees can cost an airline company millions of dollars. Currently there has been excess capacity on many routes; as a result, airlines have been participating in price wars in order to attract customers at all costs. Minimal differentiation among airlines and switching costs for passengers also magnifies rivalry.

Actions for country, briefing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Actions for country, briefing - Essay Example First thing in analysis of the countries cultural practices is understands the countries history, understanding the present and finally trying to predict the future. This understanding will help in predicting the performance of the industry and also its future existence in the chosen country. Historical understanding of the country provides a clear perception of its tradition and background. It provides us with the reason why certain things are done by the country or the community. In Indian custom and tradition, it is a common practice for every Indian to wash his or her legs before getting inside the house at night. Studying history of the Indians you find that in the past when people used to walk with there bare foot, their feet became dirty and they needed to be washed before entering the house as an hygienic practice and a way to wash the evil ( Willford, 2007 ). This is because they believed that evil always attaches itself to the feet. This shows that the present reaction of p eople to certain things is an indication of the past reaction to the similar thing. Hence understanding of the Countries history is the basic of cultural analysis. The preferred country of choice is Australia. It is one of the Australian Countries found near longstanding trade, cultural links and investment with Asia region. It is almost completely surrounded by Indian and pacific oceans. Australia shares maritime territories with its neighboring countries. The countries that are neighboring Australia include Vanuatu, Solomon Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, new Guinea, East Timor and Indonesia, that are all island countries in Asia-pacific and S.E Asian regions. It also shares an overland border in Antarctic territory that joins territories claimed to belong to many nations. The largest country that neighbors Australia is Indonesia. Indonesia belongs to S.E Asian as well as Asia-Pacific regions. The second

Strategy Development for Crossan et al Research Paper

Strategy Development for Crossan et al - Research Paper Example Two approaches to strategy have been discussed to elucidate the process of strategy development. As the purpose of the strategy in business is important and cannot be overemphasized, so much more is the process by which strategy is developed and identified. A manager must always deal with the four components of a strategy as identified by Crossan et al. (2002), and these are the goals, product market focus, value propositions, and core activities. How the manager tackles these four components in order to craft a strategy that aims to deliver the company bottom line represents how he approaches strategy development. Accordingly, there are many arguments about how strategy should be developed. Crossan et al (2002) observed two contentious issues surrounding strategy formulation, and these are whether strategy should be approached clinically, as in â€Å"a well defined, analytical process†, or experientially, as in â€Å"trial and error process† guided by a set of patterns from past experiences. Crossan et al (2002) referred to these approaches as â€Å"intended strategy† referring to the former, and â€Å"emergent strategy† referring to the latter.   It operates with some sort of precision to everything that it does, guided by rules and policies, and where decisions are centrally made by a select few. One can naturally expect that in organizations engaging in a planned approach to strategy, there is no room for spontaneous action and innovation, guided by creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. As has been discussed, Mintzberg (1998, cited by Crossan et al., 2002) has been mentioned to have seen problems in the operationalization of planned strategies.  

Legal Framework for Securing the Repayment of Secured Loans Essay

Legal Framework for Securing the Repayment of Secured Loans - Essay Example Thus the two different varieties of debt were different not because they were founded on different kinds of relationships, but rather only because in one the plaintiff could present specialty to evidence the debt (=debt on an obligation) [obligation meaning specialty], whereas in the other the plaintiff only has suit, that is, two people (either actually there in the thirteenth century, or there only by obligation by early in the fourteenth century [contract meaning a transaction (not an agreement), such as buying, selling, lending, borrowing). Do not be fooled by this usage of the word â€Å"contract†: that word is now used for agreements whereas then, the word meant a transaction.1 The difference between the debt on an obligation and debt on a contract, the difference that it made whether one had a specialty or only suit, was in the form of proof that followed. If the plaintiff had a specialty, the defendant had two possible replies: (1) the specialty is a forgery (= not my deed) or (2) I have repaid as proven by your written acquittance under your seal. The debtor could not allege repayment unless he had the written acquittance. The only issue that could go to the jury was whether the specialty was forged (or, after circa 1380, whether the debtor was illiterate so that he did not know what the specialty said so it was, similarly, not his deed). Thus there was no possible discussion about the nature of the debt and a thus little chance for the development of a 1UK Legal Framework, Debt body of substitutive law. ... were founded on different kinds of relationships, but rather only because in one the plaintiff could present specialty to evidence the debt (=debt on an obligation) [obligation meaning specialty], whereas in the other the plaintiff only has suit, that is, two people (either actually there in the thirteenth century, or there only by obligation by early in the fourteenth century (=debt on a contract) [contract meaning a transaction (not an agreement), such as buying, selling, lending, borrowing). Do not be fooled by this usage of the word "contract": that word is now used for agreements whereas then, the word meant a transaction.1 The difference between the debt on an obligation and debt on a contract, the difference that it made whether one had specialty or only suit, was in the form of proof that followed. If the plaintiff had specialty, the defendant had two possible replies: (1) the specialty is a forgery (= not my deed) or (2) I have repaid as proven by your written acquittance under your seal. The debtor could not allege repayment unless he had the written acquittance. The only issue that could go to the jury was whether the specialty was forged (or, after circa 1380, whether the debtor was illiterate so that he did not know what the specialty said so it was, similarly, not his deed). Thus there was no possible discussion about the nature of the debt and thus little chance for the development of a 1UK Legal Framework, Debt 3 body of substitutive law. In debt on a contract substitutive discussion was usually avoided by the defendants plea: I owe nothing.2We

Company's Changes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Company's Changes - Essay Example Organizational change can be defined as a conscious effort on the part of the management of change agents of an organization to keep a constant watch on the environmental forces of an organization to audit their impact and influence on the business concerned and to find out actions programs through strategies to maintain the balance between the two different forces. The present study has been conducted in lieu to analyze the various forces influencing the change within an organization; the various factors causing hindrances in the process of change and looks to propose an action plan through which the organization can identify and overcome the forces against change and implement the process of change to achieve the desired organizational objective (McMillan, 2008, p.108). System theory is a particular concept that was initiated from economics, biology and engineering. These aspects used to explore several significant laws and principles, which can be comprehensively, implemented acro ss several organization systems (Burke, 2010, p.61). .On the other hand, complexity theory can be defined as the assessment of diversity or the heterogeneity and several external and internal environment factors, such as customers, departments, socio-politics, suppliers and technology. Most importantly, the complexity organization change theory used to focus on the micro-level parts in a complex organizational system. This theory can be applied after the overall outcome and engagement behaviour. In terms of the specific multinational organization basis on the case study, it is feasible that several operational, marketing and human resource problems are affecting the business performance of the organization. It is feasible from the case study that, the organization is tending to expand their business in retails. Moreover, the organization is focusing on the customer development aspect as they are tending to enter in the global retailing sector (Bell, 2008, p.22). Therefore, it is nec essary for an organization to develop an effective marketing strategy. Moreover, the organization needs to implement effective HR policy n order to provide effective business output. It is feasible from the case study that, the organization is suffering from several problems, such as in adequate establishment of marketing and support activities, lack of flatter and virtual organizational hierarchy and poor HR policy. In order to overcome these issues, the multinational organization needs to implement organizational change in order to achieve the business objective. The major objective of the study is to propose an organizational change process strategy and idea for the specific multinational organization in order to overcome those problematic issues. Moreover, as the organization is tending to enter in the retailing business and trying to establish customer development process in their global business process, therefore, an effective organizational change process is importantly requ ired. Challenges Experienced By Company’s Management and Critical analysis Organizational change is critical to the success of an organization. However there is very little doubt over the fact organizational change is usually inflected by various external and internal challenges. The organization discussed in the present context of the study is also not an exception when it comes to dealing with challenges (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010, p. 221). One of the major problems faced by the organization is of over capacity. Over capacity is a phenomenon in which

Analyze two poems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analyze two poems - Essay Example Poems have particular structures and require the appropriate utilization of language in order to depict the feelings of the poet but still maintain the basic poetic nature. Such features do not change and has not changed through time since the earliest poets such John Donne employed them in their poems and so are the modern day poets as discussed in the essay below. Poems tell stories by addressing specific features of the society. They do these by analyzing the social occurrences in the form of thematic issues, which the poets analyze poetically and represent in their works while maintaining the relativity of thought and feelings enjoyed by artists. John Donne did this in his two works in which he portrays several thematic issues. In The Legacy, the poet discussed the gravity of separation, relationships break, and families separate for different reasons. Such separations are always sad and emotion. The pot discusses this using several social factors which he feels best describe the feelings people have whoever separated by their loved ones (Donne 31). Among the social factors, he sues in discussing the importance and gravity of separation is death. Death is a social phenomenon that has been in the society since time immemorial. Humans feel pain whenever they lose their loved ones to death. John Donne thus compares the pain his separation creates to that of his death (Carey 54). He does the same with The Flea in which he discusses sexual sin. Sex just as death in the Legacy has been a part of humanity since time immemorial. People attach immense importance to sexual relations and so does John Donne in the poem. The persona in the poem tries to convince a woman to sleep with him and in doing so; the persona explains his belief in relation to sexual intercourse. He for example explains that during the intercourse their blood would mingle thus making them one. In composing the poem, the author discusses several social and physical phenomena that help describe the nature of his society. One of such is Christianity, religion. By personifying the flea, the poet represents the trinity a basis of the Christianity. He uses the flea and its blood sucking nature to portray the mingling of human blood during sexual intercourse. Poems have natural features that help them qualify as such. As a renowned poet, John Donne portrays immense understanding of the structure and features of poetry thus employ them effectively. Among the important features of poetry and poems is the need for rhythm. Rhythm refers to the specific sound patterns that poems have thus making their recital easier. The poet employs different poetic elements in establishing rhythm in his poems. Among the most evident elements, he uses are rhymes and the use of chorus among many others. Rhymes are an essential aspect of poems that help develop the rhythm thus making recital of poems easier. The poetic element refers to the use of words with similar sound patterns in the lines of a stan za. The words placed at the end of the lines should have similar sound patterns during pronunciation thus helping recite the poems as they lead the audience from a line to the next. Rhymes thus have patterns and The Flea has one definite rhyme patterns throughout the entire poem. The first two lines end in a similarly sounding word as so are the second two lines as the poem progresses. Such a pattern is known as the aa, bb, cc, dd, ee. The poet creates the

You can choose a topic yourself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

You can choose a topic yourself - Essay Example Our brain is responsible for both emotional and rational thinking and though both parts of the brain that are associated with this they are separate. Emotions were meant to be used in our thinking, together with rationale, because they come before we think and act, they are the fire that ignites our creativity and energy. This is not only useful in our personal relationships but also in our work place because when we understand what others and ourselves are feeling, it makes it easier to keep our feelings in check and relate better with others especially in a team work setting. Charles Darwin recognized the usefulness of emotions and how they are essential in our everyday life, they cannot be stopped as they are produced by the brain without our control but how we react to them and how we let them influence our lives is all up to us. Reuben Bar-On coined the word Emotional Intelligence in 1988 and in 1995; Daniel Goleman noted that Emotional Quotient (EQ) was more useful when looking for a leader than Intellectual quotient (IQ) and he introduced its importance to the workplace. It is said that, our thoughts make us or break us, these thoughts are fueled by our emotions and it is therefore very important to be constantly aware of what is running through our mind. At home and in schools, we are taught on how to improve our IQ but not the EQ, which can also be improved through tuning into what we feel, and being able to clearly name and explain what emotion we are going through, this process is called self-awareness. One is encouraged to let the emotions flow through instead of blocking them or trying to ignore them, so that through this discomfort one can change. I realized that once I am aware of which emotions am going through, how they affect me, what I do and say, then I am able to know my strengths, weaknesse s and limitations and learn myself better; therefore, opening me to accept feedback and positive criticism and show a bit of humor about

Investigative Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Investigative Plan - Essay Example First there is a need for data collection.  The importance of this is to  acquire  accurate information to  give  valid information. Understanding the data collected will  keep  investigation  focused. Data may be corrected using  several  methods including  interview  and surveys then drawing of charts, tables and graphs to name but few. The data must be  put  in context thus making information  abundantly  clear  (Bachman  and  Schutt, 2007). All information regarding the  case  needs to be identified. This can be  case  number, investigator, and entry  date  amongst other information. The sources of allegation need to be put in place. These include the complainant’s information may it  be  contact details, location and any other  relevant  information. Case identification is paramount, alleged victims, how the crime was reported  and all useful allegation information. All information given relating to the accused should be gathered. Any information given relating to the  robbery is put  down in a chronological order to assist in tracing the perpetrators. An investigator must be able to  know  the  purpose  of the investigation. In this case, we need to  arrest  daytime robbers. Purpose of the investigation must be put down in writing. A summary of the interview done should be presented. This entails the  interviewer  names, witnesses, location, the  date  conducted and others. An investigator must be able to  assess  and  know  if the information collected is  credible  or not. Each  interview  done must be summarized and conclusions drawn. All evidence gathered should be listed down including all details such as dates, location, and  evidence  type  and also  information  of the person giving the evidence. After all these investigative steps are done, recommendations should always be given. Actions to be taken must be put down and possible methods to be applied to  curb  the vice. Surveillance

Chinese Somatic Science Essay Example for Free

Chinese Somatic Science Essay In 1984 when the Japan-France symposium was held, scholars of religion, medicine and psychology were gathered from both sides, and they engaged in discussion in order to promote the movement of New Age Science. I included a suggestion, made from the Japanese side, presentations on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Parapsychology, Eastern martial arts and their demonstrations. In the martial arts demonstration there was included the performance of a technique in which a master martial artist, by emitting ki-energy (chi-energy), makes opponents, who are spatially distanced from him, fall down. This technique is called â€Å"distant hitting† [to-ate: é   Ã¥ ½â€œÃ£  ¦], and it became a conversation piece, attracting people’s attention. As a result, many q(g(ng (Chi-gong) masters came to visit me. I studied their techniques, and experienced ki-energy as a subject of their q(g(ng techniques. Afterwards, I went to China to learn about its actual situation. While I was staying in Beijing in 1997, the Chinese Society for Somatic Science (CSSS) was established. The leaders of this society came to see me with a request to make efforts to propagate q(g(ng in Japan. In the following year, I invited scholars and q(g(ng masters from China and held a symposium â€Å"Ki (Chi) and Human Science† in Tokyo.[i] At about this time, a q(g(ng boom was being generated. After this conference, I went to China many times to investigate and study q(g(ng. I will introduce its fundamental ideas, while incorporating my own opinion. Chinese Somatic Science focuses on the three fields of traditional Chinese medicine, q(g(ng and special abilities as its main objects of research. â€Å"Special abilities† refer to what parapsychology calls psi-ability (paranormal ability). A central focus in each of these fields is ki-energy as the object of research. Traditional Chinese Medicine understands the fundamentals of the human body’s organization by means of the network of meridians. Meridians are channels of energy which circulates in the interior of the human body. However, they are an invisible system which cannot be discovered by dissecting a corpse. In other words, they are a system unique to the body that is active while it is alive. I am taking this to mean, for now, like a system that organizes the subject-body (i.e. the lived body) of which Merleau-Ponty speaks. An important point, when it is seen from a theoretical point-of-view, is that the meridians are a system which does not agree with the mind-body dichotomization established since Descartes. That is to say, ki-energy is conceived to be a life-energy which has both physical and psychological characteristics. The fundamental principle of needle therapy used in traditional Chinese medicine lies in activating the circulation of ki-energy within the human body by infusing fresh ki-energy into the human body, while eliminating the stagnant and inferior flow of ki-energy. Next is q(g(ng. Q(g(ng teaches us that the activity of ki-energy can be heightened through a repeated training. Consequently, we can understand that q(g(ng, theoretically speaking, has a characteristic commensurate with the training in martial arts. It is a bodily technique with a tradition stretching from ancient times. In the case of medical therapy, a mature q(g(ng doctor guides patients to train themselves and practice q(g(ng on their own. Here we can discern a methodology different from the therapeutic method of modern medical science. While modern medical therapy leaves patients to assume a passive standpoint of simply receiving doctor’s treatment, q(g(ng lets them assume an active standpoint of training themselves. The point of this training lies in activating the natural healing power latent in the interior of one’s own body. Ki-energy is thought to be the energy that controls the foundations of life-activity. The training means to promote and purify the activity of ki-energy inside of one’s own body, and to transform it to the ki-energy of a better and higher quality. Therefore, it is a therapeutic method as well as a method of maintaining and promoting health. That is, it can become a method of maintaining health by continually training oneself daily, while it is not limited to a time of sickness. Q(g(ng is divided into internal and external q(g(ng for the purpose of convenience. The training which a patient performs after receiving guidance belongs to the inner q(g(ng, while the outer q(g(ng refers to cases in which a mature q(g(ng master performs therapy on a patient or subject. In these cases, the q(g(ng master usually touches the patient’s body with his hand, but there are cases in which a q(g(ng master, distancing himself from the patient, performs a therapeutic technique without making contact. It is probably safe to think that it is based on the same principle as the technique of therapeutic touch, which in recent years is beginning to spread in American. The third field that is called â€Å"special† ability in China, overlaps with the research of what is referred to in the West and Japan as parapsychology. On numerous occasions, I met with q(g(ng masters in China who have paranormal ability, and observed their technique, while engaging them in dialogue. I encountered people who can demonstrate a wonderful technique, not to mention clairvoyance and psycho-kinesis, which Rhine’s research problematized. Insofar as my research can confirm, there are cases of people who innately possess these abilities, and cases of people who have acquired them through training. If these abilities are used in the field of medicine, they can fulfill the same role as the external q(g(ng. Moreover, there are cases among master martial artists who can demonstrate this kind of ability, though its number is limited. One impression I have received when encountering these people is that there is a great difference between the East and the West in the foundational idea, when dealing with this kind of issue. While in the East this kind of issue has been dealt with as part of the issue related to self-cultivation, which traditionally has a cultural and religious background, there was no such historical and cultural background in the West. Consequently, parapsychological research in the West is preceded by an interest and concern from a theoretical point-of-view. This brings in the background of contemporary scholarly research where there is no concern for its relationship to daily activity. By contrast, in China’s case the practical purpose, as in the case of q(g(ng, looms in the purview of research. This kind of stance is based on the traditional ethos found in the history of science and technology in China. (Modern technology of the West emerged as an application of theory, where theoretical research does not take into account the relationship it has with the practical, daily activity of human beings.) When we examine it from a broader perspective, this kind of tendency is rooted in the philosophical tradition of the East which highly values the practical standpoint. However, there is a tradition in the East which admonishes people, as they are prone to fall into an ethically wrong tendency regarding paranormal phenomena. The tradition of East Asia such as that of China and Japan maintains that the bodily technique must conform to an ethical standpoint. Although I could hardly see such a spiritualistic stance in the contemporary situation in China and Japan, there were occasions where I met persons with such a stance, especially among the masters of martial arts, who are living among people, but not related to universities or academic institutions. In the tradition of Buddhism, this kind of â€Å"special† ability has been called â€Å"siddhi† [jints(riki; ç ¥Å¾Ã©â‚¬Å¡Ã¥Å â€º] and is considered a kind of a by-product that naturally emerges in the course of self-cultivation. Buddhism has persistently maintained that self-cultivation should not aim at acquiring this as its goal. For example, D(gen, a famous Japanese medieval Zen monk, teaches in the chapter of â€Å"Jints(† [Divine Power, i.e. paranormal power] in Sh(b(genz( that although Buddhism recognizes this kind of siddhi, it is a â€Å"small† siddhi, and the true â€Å"great† siddhi exists in the midst of such everyday activities as drinking tea and eating a meal. This reminds me of Yang Xin, a q(g(ng master, who is now actively promoting q(g(ng in America. When I saw him in Beijing some time ago, he told me that he was now studying â€Å"distant q(g(ng† [Chin. yu(g(q(g(ng; Jap., enkaku kik(, é   Ã©Å¡â€Ã¦ °â€"功]. He was accompanied by a twelve-year girl, who was his experimental subject. I asked him why he was conducting such an experiment. He replied: â€Å"I am not trying to become famous by showing off this kind of technique. As I read a description in a classic on the method of self-cultivation that one can perform this kind of technique, I just wanted to know if it is true or not.† Then he wrote on a piece of paper â€Å"Ã¥ ¤ §Ã© â€œÃ§â€ž ¡Ã¨ ¨â‚¬Ã¢â‚¬  [Chin., d(d(ow(y(n; Jap., daid(mugon] This phrase means that â€Å"The Great Dao remains silent and does not speak.† Herein lies, it would seem, a difference in the traditional ethos between the Eastern martial arts and Western sports. The historical origin of Western sports goes back to the Olympian events in ancient Greece. They emerged, based on the demands of a battlefield such as physical strength, stamina, running, throwing, and the handling technique of a house-drawn cart. We might say that the custom of the modern Olympics in which a record is valued more than anything else inherits this traditional idea. By contrast, in the tradition of the martial arts in the East runs an idea which emphasizes spirituality, even though the martial arts developed, like those of ancient Greece, through techniques used on the battlefield. The history of the Chinese and Japanese martial arts was nurtured through the influence of Buddhism and Shintoism. It came to develop the idea that training in martial arts has the meaning of enhancing one’s ethical personality. Consequently, the stance of respecting the opponent’s personality and capacity was sought in performing techniques. For example, Mr. Ueshiba Morihei, founder of Aikid(, states that â€Å"Martial art is love.† The ultimate goal of martial arts is not to win by defeating an opponent, but to harmonize with an opponent such that people can love each other under â€Å"that which is great† transcending humans. It would seem that â€Å"research on the prayer,† which has been recently initiated in America, incorporates this kind of spiritual idea. Incidentally, I came to realize in the course of investigating the Chinese Somatic Sciences that the standpoint of psychology was lacking. In modern China, which used Marxist materialism as its guiding principle for establishing the nation, psychology was not studied until the time of the Cultural Revolution, as anti-thetical to materialism. Even q(g(ng was an object of suppression. Today, however, the study of psychology is recognized to be legitimate, and the exchange with Japan is making an advance. I have practiced meditation since my youth, and have continued to research and study it. Meditation methods in the Chinese tradition were called â€Å"quiet q(g(ng† and stands a pairing relationship with the usual â€Å"moving q(g(ng† which mobilizes the body. However, almost no meditation methods are practiced in contemporary China. This is probably due to the fact that meditation methods such as those of Buddhism and Daoism were developed within the tradition of religious culture, and declined as a consequence of persecution after the modern period. When somatic science was established in Japan in 1991, we used for its English designation the Society for Mind-Body Science (SMBS), as I felt the importance of psychology. The fundamentals of meditation lie, after all, in promoting the circulation of ki-energy. When it is seen from the point-of-view of psychology, ki-energy designates libido. It is life-energy equipped in the unconscious and the body. The foundational idea that is placed in The Secret of the Golden Flower, a meditation text of Daoism, is to transform and sublimate ki-energy from the state of libido (Chin., j(ng; Jap., sei, ç ² ¾) to the state of â€Å"divine subtle energy† (Chin., sh(n; Jap., shin, ç ¥Å¾). Ki-energy changes into a spiritual energy, when the instinct and desire in one’s unconscious region are purified. Freud insisted that neurosis develops when conscience suppresses the activity of libido, while Jung claimed that libido is an energy related to religiosity. When one touches the activity from the dimension of primal origin, the love of others is transformed from the eros of flesh to spiritual love. To summarize the foregoing, ki-energy is an energy that controls the whole of psychology, medicine, and bodily technique, including the relationship between the environment and the human body. The philosophical guideline that comprehensively includes all of these fields is sought in the idea of the y(n-y(ng exchange of ki-energy which has its origin in the Yà ¬j(ng. According to its conceptual paradigm, nature as an environment is endowed with life, and is fostered to grow, by means of the activity of ki-energy issuing from the Dao that exists in the ultimate dimension. Human beings, along with other life activities, are receptive of this energy and are made to live. Purifying it to a sublime level brings about an enhancement of ethical personality.