Celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in the Philippines Essay

Living in the Philippines where the religion of majority is Catholic, I am used to seeing people participate in almost every occasion relating to religion. Though I am not a Catholic, I admire them when it comes to their dedication and willingness to sacrifice. Among all their religious practices, the Celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene puzzled me most. Millions of barefoot men try to make their way as near to the Black Nazarene as possible in order to glance, touch, and wipe towels on it. These people push, fight, squeeze, and do almost anything just to fulfill their panata. As a result, a number of devotees are injured and killed, but they do not really care much because the devotees believe that the more sacrifice one performs, the higher the reward. This can be attributed to the Filipinos’ inclination to self-punishment and devotion to the images of Suffering Christ. According to the article written by Dr. Chua, the procession should actually inform and attract public to become converts of the faith. But based on what is commonly seen in news during the feast, I don’t think that the said procession is an effective way of encouraging new believers. Actually, there is a better and more peaceful way of celebrating the feast such as by praying the rosary or making a personal prayer. Joining the procession seems to be absurd for some people, even for the Catholics, but we must never judge or despise them. Instead, let us try to understand their motives by â€Å"putting ourselves in their shoes†. In my opinion, this is indeed a very helpful tool in comprehending the actions of other people in any given circumstance, not only in understanding the devotees of Nazarene. I have realized that in any ritual or vow performed, what is important is the heart. Without the right one, all sacrifices and effort will just be put to waste. Showing devotion and love for the Divine being should be manifested not only during the Lenten season or Feast of Nazarene; rather, it must be within oneself daily and naturally.

The Cvs Web Strategy: an Evaluation of the Challenges and Advantages

THE CVS WEB STRATEGY: INTEGRATION OF AN ONLINE PHARMACY THE CVS WEB STRATEGY: AN EVALUATION OF THE CHALLENGES AND ADVANTAGES OF INTEGRATING AN ONLINE PHARMACY By Leah Bouk Wingate University 1 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY ABSTRACT This paper discusses the considerations surrounding CVS Pharmacy’s initiative to become a part of the virtual drugstore industry. Specifically, the organizational structure, fundamental design of the autonomous innovation, and strategic positioning of CVS. com were considered in evaluating the drug store’s ability to react to the disruptive technology.This paper serves to evaluate the effective initiatives, problems, and possible solutions to the considerations outlined above. As a result of this analysis, one can deduce that acquiring the web company Soma. com, instead of creating its own online component, was a successful strategy for the autonomous innovation. Shortfalls include not executing a strategy to circumvent the MerckMedco mail order dilem ma. Ultimately, a recommendation is that CVS. com differentiate itself by personalizing customer home pages and by fostering relationships with prescribing healthcare providers. THE CVS WEB STRATEGY TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 Landscape†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Organizational Structure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Autonomous Innovation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Strategic Positioning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 3 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY THE CVS WEB STRATEGY: AN EVALUATION OF THE INTEGRATION OF AN ONLINE PHARMACY INTRODUCTIONStrict regulation throughout the healthcare and pharmaceu tical industries arguably slows the advancement in technological innovation, especially when compared to the computer and automobile industries. Therefore, innovation in a multiproduct, integrated and hierarchical organization, like CVS Pharmacy, can be slow moving or non-existent. Nevertheless, the healthcare industry is a money-making giant and companies like CVS, which was rated number 47 on CNN’s Most Profitable Companies in 2011, help justify this point (cnn. oney. com). This paper discusses the considerations surrounding CVS Pharmacy’s initiative to cope with the disruptive technology created by the virtual drugstore industry. Specifically, I will discuss the organizational structure by virtue of the autonomous innovation and the strategic positioning of CVS. com. This paper serves to evaluate the effective initiatives, problems and possible solutions to the issues surrounding the onboarding of CVS. com. 4 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY LANDSCAPEIt is important to understa nd the complexity of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry at the time the CVS drugstore chain was exploring the idea of acquiring an online option for its customers in 1999. The process of diagnosing, prescribing, dispensing and delivery was, and still is, extremely regulated. As an example, only licensed physicians have the capability to prescribe medications and only licensed retailers are able to dispense them. In addition, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have already monopolized the management of drug prescribing and dispensing by1999.PBMs put together formularies, through negotiations with the pharmaceutical companies, the retail pharmacies and the employers’ Managed Care Organization (MCO), that mandated which drug could be prescribed for a certain disease. Furthermore, many PBMs require that all 30 day supply prescriptions for chronic diseases be dispensed through mail order and many of the PBMs acquire their own distribution centers to provide this service. Thu s, the Managed Care Organizations, physicians, retail pharmacies and the patient all rely on PBMs to ensure the lowest cost and best care for all involved (Reinke, 2009).Like PBMs, retail pharmacies also enjoy the market power they generate. The paper CVS: The Web Strategy describes the impact of the retail pharmacy by relating that two thirds of all prescriptions filled at retail were filled by drugstores in 1999, which made up a 100 billion dollar market In 1998, CVS was second to Walgreen bringing in 15. 2 billion dollars (CVS: The Web Strategy, 2001, p. 11). 5 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY â€Å"Pure-play† online drugstores and non-prescription health care sites made their debut in the first quarter of 1999 and CVS followed suit by purchasing Soma. om to leverage a â€Å"clicks and mortar† operation that would combine a physical presence with a web presence. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Although it may seem atypical of a multi-product, integrated, hierarchical firm to look exte rnally for innovation, the relationship was a win-win for both CVS pharmacy and the virtual firm Soma. com. This idea is revealed in the essay CVS: The Web Strategy, which states, â€Å"CVS hoped to offer CVS. com the benefits of its buying power, advertising strength, brand name and access to 280 million prescriptions, while retaining the entrepreneurial spirit of the organization† (CVS: The Web Strategy, 2001, p. ). After thorough examination of both options, CVS decided to acquire the start-up company, since it would be quick to implement (only 3 to 4 months), it would bring intangible assets, and it shared the culture and views of CVS. The intangible tacit knowledge that Soma. com would bring to CVS included experienced employees with mail order prescription backgrounds and an understanding of the west coast market, since CVS stores were concentrated in the northeast and Soma. com’s headquarters were on the west coast.This national coverage provided for a larger sc ope that the online store would be able to take advantage of. Moreover, CVS was able to acquire 100% ownership of soma. com, which would allow for vertical integration within CVS. Merging with CVS made sense to soma. com as well. The virtual company was able to benefit from the economies of scale, as the cost of the web division could be spread across increasing units of production or in serving CVS’s growing customer base. Teece describes the benefit of an alliance between virtual and competent manufactures by saying that â€Å"if [virtual 6 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY irms] do indeed establish a strong alliance with a competent manufacturer, they may also have the capacity to be first to market, despite the absence of the requisite internal capabilities† (Teece, 2009, p. 59). Both soma. com and the PBMs, with which CVS works to get reimbursed for medications, would benefit from becoming a part, or affiliated with, CVS due to the company’s strong branding. John M. Gal laugher iterates this point in saying that â€Å"a firm’s brand is the symbolic embodiment of all the information connected with a product or service, and a strong brand can also be an exceptionally powerful resource for competitive advantage. Adding a website component will also enhance an already prominent brand. â€Å"Tech can play a critical role in rapidly and cost-effectively strengthening a brand† (Gallaugher, 2008, p. 6). While there were many advantages for CVS in acquiring Soma. com, CVS experienced the disadvantages of not owning the complementary asset, Merck-Medco, who refused to reimburse CVS. com for 30 day supply prescriptions. The issue surrounded the fact that MerckMedco already provided a mail order delivery for 30 day supply prescriptions and was not going to relinquish this opportunity to CVS. com.As previously outlined, PBMs were an integral complementary asset to the prescription drug industry in 1999 and served a large majority of CVS’s customers. Teece reveals that â€Å"when the services of complementary assets are required for new technology to yield value to the consumer, they can play an important role in the competitive advantage equation† (Teece, 2009, p25). Furthermore, Teece relates that â€Å"competitive advantage can be gained or lost on how expertly the strategy for gaining access is executed† (Teece, 2009, p25). Further research reveals that in shortly after CVS. om was launched, Merck-Medco and CVS formed an alliance so that CVS customers could purchase their prescriptions on the Merck-Medco site (Conlin, 1999). 7 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY AUTONOMOUS INNOVATION Since CVS was a highly integrated company, incorporating the online pharmacy throughout the rest of the company, or systemic innovation, would be extremely costly and might discourage further innovation. This is what happened to General Motors when the automobile industry switched from drum brakes to disc brakes. Because GM had investe d a great deal of time and money to produce drum brakes, it was slow to move towards producing disc brakes.GM’s competitors, however, who outsourced and relied on outside relationships were forced to make the switch and gained a better position in the industry (Teece, 2003, p. 192). Thus, CVS was smart to opt for an autonomous organizational approach by creating a separate website team managed by Soma. com. This team could react to the changing environment quickly and make recommendations against initiatives that would be time consuming and costly, as they did when the Vice President of Marketing for CVS, Helena Foulkes, argued that all products sold in stores should be available for purchase on the website.Foulkes was focused on learning about the customer through their online activities. Large, integrated companies also tend to focus on customers for innovation, which is not always the best angle. The paper, CVS: The Web Strategy, reveals that the CVS merchandising departme nt spent a lot of time and energy on the internal and external benchmarks, relying on customer activities when making decisions about marketing, promotion, pricing and merchandising. They would then send this codified information to the CVS. com online team (CVS: The Web Strategy, 2011, p. ). Clayton Christenson, an expert in the field of technological innovation, discusses the problem that arises when too much emphasis is placed on the customer. Christenson relates that â€Å"the highest-performing companies†¦have well developed systems for killing ideas that their customers don’t want. As a result, these companies find it very 8 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY difficult to invest adequate resources in disruptive technologies—lower-margin opportunities that their customers don’t want—until their customers want them† (Christensen, 1997). STRATEGIC POSITIONINGAs previously outlined, the initiative to integrate an online pharmacy was not a new concept to t he industry. Therefore, it was important that CVS. com respond to the disruptive technology by differentiating itself from the other online drugstores. CVS. com would offer online patient counseling through a virtual pharmacist, which was available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Tom Pigott, founder of Soma. com relates about the significance of providing this service, â€Å"we had pharmacists, which created an inherent barrier to entry. Anyone can start a vitamin shop, all you need are a ebsite and a supplier† (CVS: The Web Strategy, 2011, p. 6). Another feature of CVS. com that set it apart was the â€Å"clicks and mortar† delivery options. This term refers to an operation that combines a physical presence with a web presence. Helena Foulkes describes a personal testimony of the convenience of the â€Å"clicks and mortar† operation. â€Å"For someone like me who works and has children and doesn’t think about getting to a store till 11’o clock at n ight, it would be extremely convenient to hop online and place an order and pick up that much-needed prescription on the way home† (CVS: The Web Strategy, 2011, p. ). Despite the attempts of CVS. com to differentiate from other online pharmacies, the company’s myopic views were a source of several missed opportunities to leverage competitive advantage. First, CVS. com should have better integrated the Xtra! Frequent Shopper Program, in which customers gained points that turned in rewards, so that consumers could benefit from prescriptions ordered online. Second, CVS. com could have created a more personalized home 9 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY age that, not only stored a customer’s order history, but provided information about side effects and related diseases when a customer entered a prescription. The secure personal homepage could potentially even keep track of doctor’s appointments for the customer, creating a reminder that would be emailed to the customer a day before the visit. The more data CVS. com could capture about their customers, the stronger the switching cost would be. Switching costs exist when consumers incur an expense, money or time, to move from one product or service to another (Gallaugher, 2008, p. ). Thomas Reinke reveals this concept in a peer reviewed journal explaining the reason why companies do not want to switch to other PBMs, â€Å"employers are reluctant to switch vendors because of the work and cost involved and-more importantly-because of the hassle it creates for employees in learning the rules and procedures of a new company† (Reinke, 2009, p. 5). Thus, the more capabilities the customer has on one website, the more data they will enter and the least likely they will be willing to switch to another pharmacy.Finally, competitive advantage could be gained by marketing to physicians who use electronic prescription relay. CVS. com could create an interface just for physicians, easier to use than other s ystems and with added capabilities, such as pop-up restrictions from a patient’s insurance company or current promotions at the point a prescription was entered. Again, if physicians found this service useful, they would not want to learn a new system, sustaining the competitive advantage of CVS. com. SUMMARYThe issues surrounding the quest of CVS to successfully respond to the disruptive technology in a way that would create a sustainable competitive advantage in the drug store industry are examined. By evaluating the organizational structure of CVS. com, one can deduce 10 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY that fully acquiring the web company Soma. com, instead of creating its own online component, was a successful strategy in autonomous innovation that would benefit the company in the long run. In contrast, not executing a strategy to circumvent the Merck-Medco mail order dilemma may have contributed to CVS. com’s slow start in September of 1999.Because the PBM will likely not ag ree to be acquired by CVS, the best solution to this problem is to form an alliance with Merck-Medco, especially considering the market power of both CVS and Merck-Medco. Ultimately, in order to sustain a competitive advantage against companies who offer similar services, CVS. com must differentiate itself by capitalizing on the ability to personalize customer home pages and by fostering relationships with prescribing healthcare providers. 11 THE CVS WEB STRATEGY REFERENCES Christensen, C. M. (1997). The innovator's dilemma: when new technologies cause great firms to fail.Boston, Mass. : Harvard Business School Press. Conlin, R. (1999, October 6). CVS To Fill Online Orders For Merck-Medco. E-Commerce Times: E-Business Means Business. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http://www. ecommercetimes. com/story/1380. html Fortune 500 2011: Top Performers – Most Profitable Companies: Profits. (n. d. ). CNNMoney Business, financial and personal finance news. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2011/performers/companies/profits/ Reinke, T. (2009, October). Large PBMs Transform Old Business Models. Managed Care, 1-4.Shah, A. (1999). CVS: The Web Strategy. Harvard Business School Publishing, 1(1), 1-17. Retrieved June 5, 2012, from the Harvard Business School Publishing database. Teece, D. J. , & Chesbrough, H. W. (2003). When is Virtual Virtuous? Organizing for Innovation. Essays in technology management and policy (pp. 189-197). River Edge: World Scientific Publishing Co. Teece, D. J. (2009). Governance Modes and Technological Innovation. Managing intellectual capital: organizational, strategic, and policy dimensions (p. 64). Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Original work published 2000) 12

Reflection on the History & Systems of Psychology Essay

Pre-modern, modern and postmodern frames of reference have all helped shape important, contemporary psychological theories and issues. In this paper I will attempt, in a reflective manner, to walk through and revisit the areas we covered in course, the end aim being to gain a measure of insight into where the field of psychology stands today, particularly with regard to oppressive forms of ethnocentric monoculturalism. In terms of pre-modern perspectives, in the course we first discussed historical issues concerning the mind-body problem. I stated the nature of the relationship between body and mind and whether they are one and the same or two distinct substances, which is the center of the debate between monists and dualist. Descartes, the most well known dualist, argued for a separation of mind from soul and body. Also an interactionist, Descartes held the mind influenced the body as much as the body impacted the mind (Goodwin, 2009). Plato, his predecessor from antiquity, was also a dualist and an interactionist arguably, and believed the body and soul/mind were temporarily at one during life; each came from a completely different place, the body from the material world and the soul from the world of ideas. At the moment of death, the body withered away in time and space, the soul or mind returning to the world of forms and there realizing universal truths (Wozniak, 1992). Delving deeper into pre-modern views of the mind-body problem I touched upon Spinoza. Spinoza, a contemporary of Descartes, dismissed Descartes’ two-substance view in favor of what is called double-aspect theory (Wozniak, 1992). Double-aspect theories hold the view that the mental and the physical realms are varying aspects of the same substance. For Spinoza, that single substance is God, perceived as the universal essence or nature of everything in existence. In Spinoza’s view, there is no partition of mind and body, therefore. Instead they are of a single substance, in a pre-established coordination, reflecting the divine essence. In reflection, I continue to side with Spinoza and double-aspect theory in terms of pre-modern perspectives. I do believe that there is a pre-established coordination between mind and body that is reflective of the divine creation. â€Å"I am therefore I think† is my continued response to Descartes. In terms of modern perspectives in the course we examined the origins of psychology as a subject discipline. During the course I stated that psychology first appeared as a subject discipline in 1879 when Wilhelm Wundt started a psychology lab in Germany at the University of Leipzig. The laboratory devoted itself to the analysis of conscious thought in its basic elements and structures, which was uncovered through a process of introspection (Gross, 1996). What differentiated this ‘new psychology’ at the time from philosophy was its use of measurement and control as well as its emphasis on the scientific method to study mental processes relevant to human consciousness. Due to his influence on Edward B. Titchener, Wundt’s frame of reference arguably helped give birth to structuralism. Indeed Wundt’s disciple, Titchener, is credited with developing and labeling structuralism in an 1898 paper called â€Å"The Postulates of a Structural Psychology (Goodwin, 2009). In the paper he compared and contrasted structuralism with functionalism, which he claimed infested most US universities, save Cornell where he was cultivating what would come to be  called the â€Å"the Cornell school of psychology.† Notwithstanding, Goodwin (2009) has stated that Titchener and the Cornell view of psychology was extremely narrow largely because of its insistence on introspection and due to Titchener’s attitude that his way was the only way, a position that often does not bode well in academia. In this vein and perhaps arrogantly so, Titchener, likened structuralism to anatomy, its purpose being analysis he surmised — whereas functionalism he likened to physiology, stating that functionalists examine how the mind is able to adapt one to his or her said environ ment, which to Titchener was a waste of time without a deep understanding of structure. As one needs to know the ins and outs of human anatomy before being able to fully delve into physiology, so thus was the  functionalist at a loss, in his view, without the ability to outline the structures of human consciousness via a highly difficult process of systematic, experimental introspection as stipulated by him in almost cult like exclusivity, which spawned criticism. Accordingly, his movement never gained the momentum it needed to win American hearts and minds, falling into the dustbin of history in favor of functionalism. Nevertheless, in spite of Titchener’s unpopularity in the US, his enduring contribution is that he helped create a place for the lab and experimental psychology in all colleges and universities with programs in psychology. While functionalists were also interested in looking at mental processes such as consciousness in so far as assessing human behavior in terms of how it aided people in adapting to ever-changing environments, they did not, unlike followers of Titchener, emphasize introspection (Goodwin, 2009). Psychologist James R. Angell, a follower of John Dewey, the founder of functionalism in America, became its most outspoken spokesperson, criticizing Titchener and drawing a sharp contrast to him in a 1907 popular paper called â€Å"The Province of Functional Psychology.† It was a damning response to Titchener’s 1898 paper. For Angell, the structuralist was  interested in the â€Å"what?† of conscious thought, whereas the functionalist psychologist wished to know the â€Å"how?† and â€Å"why?† of it, asking what is consciousness for? (Goodwin, 2009). This way of viewing psychology in terms of its practical applications, became an important influence in modern times, because it led to the study of topics such as developmental and abnormal psychology, in addition to examining the individual differences of mind, (which Titchener and the Cornell school remarkably had no interest in). When asking how psychology can be used to solve everyday problems in a practical way, we are taking from the functionalists and their movement. Perhaps the most prominent movement in the field of modern 20th century psychology was behaviorism. Behaviorism began essentially due to the work of Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov who did not consider himself a psychologist, but, rather a physiologist interested in the process of digestion in dogs, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1904 (the year B. F. Skinner was born) in Physiology and Medicine. In the course of his research, Pavlov observed that the dogs would often start salivating before any food being given to them, when they would see the food or the food’s container, or when they heard the footsteps of the lab assistant who was on his way to feed them. His observations led to the study to what we now call classical conditioning (Gross, 1996). The first attempt to apply Pavlov’s findings on conditioning to humans was made by John B. Watson in a dubious and arguably unethical experiment on a small boy named Albert, showing that the fear of rats can be deliberately induced (Watson and Rayer, 1920). The experiment served to popularize a new behavioral approach to psychology that would within a decade become the dominant force in America, Watson its founder, propagator and publicist (Goodwin, 2008). To the modernist Watson (1913), psychology is an objective natural science,  its theoretical goal the prediction and control of behavior. Wundt and Titchener’s view on introspection has no place in its methods, nor is consciousness addressed or studied. There is no marked borderline between people and animals. Due to Watson’s input and influence cats, dogs, rats, and pigeons became the major source of psychological data. As ‘psychological’ now meant ‘behavior’ rather than ‘consciousness,’ animals that were easier to study and whose environments could be more readily controlled could replace people as experimental subjects (Gross, 1966). B. F. Skinner, also a behaviorist and modernist, went steps further than Pavlov and Watson, casting behavior in a more interactive light. He made a distinction between respondent and operant behavior and argued that most animal and human behavior is not brought about in the way Pavlov and Watson indicated and surmised. Skinner, like Edward Thorndike before him, was interested in how animals operate on their environment and how this operant behavior brings about particular consequences that can determine the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. In experiments he used a variation of Thordike’s puzzle-box, a Skinner box, which was made for a rat or a pigeon to do things in, rather than escape from. Fundamentally, Skinner saw the learner as much more actively involved than did Pavlov or Watson, for whom behavior was due to stimuli, unconditioned stimuli before learning and conditioned stimuli after learning. In addition to behaviorism, modern views of psychology took twists and turns. As a reaction to both Titchener’s structuralism and Watson’s behaviorism, the Gestalt psychologists of the 1920s and 1930s in Germany and Austria were primarily concerned with perception and held that perceptions could not be deconstructed in the way that Wundt and Titchener wanted to do with thought, and that behaviorists had sought for with behavior. Their belief could be  succinctly stated as follows: ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ (Gross, 1996, p.3). The whole is essentially destroyed when you break down perception and behavior into parts, the Gestalt psychologists held. There are organizing principles of perceptual organization which were voiced by Gestalt’s founder Max Wertheimer. These principles are frequently highlighted in units on perception in general psychology textbooks and are as follows: the principle of proximity, the principle of similarity, the principle of continuation. All of the organizing principles have in common what is called the law of simplicity or what Gestaltists term Prà ¤gnanz. This refers to the tendency for perceptions to mirror reality as closely as possible (Goodwin, 2009). In the course I gave an example of gestalt thinking, which in reflection I would like to return to as it clearly remains in mind. I used the example of a bus stopping at a bus stop in one’s neighborhood. On a given day the bus stops at the same corner the person is accustomed to, and is recognized to be that bus. The person gets on, but has made a mistake. She did not realize that there was a route change that morning and the bus she took was numbered differently. What gives? Is it only a matter of not paying attention? In Gestalt inspired, top-down conceptually driven processing, we begin with one’s prior knowledge, motivations, expectations and beliefs. In the bus example, the inability to see and decipher or register a different number on the bus and get on it, means it was recognized it to be the customary bus due to top-down processing (Danner, 2009). If one were to notice the different bus number, however, that would entail bottom-up processing, because such processing is data driven. The different number is perceived in terms of information in the sensory input, in conjunction with top-down processing, revealing to the person that it is not the customary bus. Perhaps after realizing her mistake, the person in  the example will be more careful next time, thereby exercising more bottom-up processing. If Austria was home to some of Gestalt’s most prominent members and adherents, it was also home to Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. Freudian psychoanalytic theory was the first to state the significance of innate drives and define abnormal and normal behavior in relationship to the role of the unconscious mind. Its importance is that the theory of personality popularized contextualizing human behavior in terms of the id, ego, and superego, notating development in five psychosexual stages. Each stage was marked by shifts in what Freud believed were the underlying modes of gratification: oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital (Glassman, 2000). In reflection, I continue to find merit in Freud’s concept of stages for sure. I would still prefer to call them development stages, however, and not necessarily put a sexual meaning on them, as Freud and his supporters have done and continue to do. There is no need to detail the well-known limitations and criticisms of Freudian theory, which according to Glassman (2000) are its falsifiability, the great deal of emphasis put on case studies, and its cultural bias towards women. Regardless of such naysaying, his supporters would passionately argue for and be adamant about such a sexual narrative of the human person, which if not fodder, certainly has entertainment value. In fact, Freudian theory is fascinating to me largely due to the dramatic (almost cinematic) conflicts and challenges that mark each psychosexual stage. Perhaps the most well-known of these is the Oedipal conflict (which occurs in the so-called phallic stage). It was interesting to read that some analysts calle d the female variant, the Electra conflict, but Freud himself did not use the term (see Freud 1924). Perhaps the most attractive modern theory of personality, in my view, would belong to Carl Rogers. In Carl Roger’s theory, a person is the source of his  or her basic needs such as food and water. He or she is also the source of a growth motive which he called an actualizing tendency, which is an innate drive that is reflective of the desire to grow, to develop and to develop one’s capabilities (Glassman, 2000). It is the actualizing tendency that stimulates creativity, causing a person to seek out new challenges and skills that motivate healthy growth in one’s lifetime (Gross, 1996). According to Rogers (1961, but originally proposed in 1947): Whether one calls it a growth tendency, a drive towards self-actualization, or a forward moving direction tendency, it is the mainspring in life†¦ It is the urge which is evident in all organic and human life – to expand, extend, become autonomous, mature and develop. In reflection, I continue to feel that Roger’s influence and continuing popularity in the psychotherapeutic community give his theories merit. APA members have been asked which psychotherapist they believe to me the most influential figure in the field (Smith, 1982). In 2006, this survey repeated in the Psychotherapy Networker. In both surveys, Carl Rogers was the â€Å"landslide† choice. While this does not prove Rogers to be correct, certainly it gives his theory of motivation more credence than not, increasing its believability. Certainly, I feel influenced by Rogers as I move forward in my career. While Roger’s theory of an actualizing tendency and the overall nature of the client-centered approach may be controversial due to its allowance to let the client call the shots and as stated by Goodwin (2009) for its overemphasis on the the self at the expense of the importance of the community, in addition to being clearer what it was against than what it was for, it is nevertheless, a credible postulation in terms of its application in therapy and remains my preference over Freud. Accordingly, I continue to feel that all clients  innately wish to be successful in life and to be praised as contributors to their own selfactualization. They wish to expand their knowledge and achieve  higher levels of success beneath all the guises that seem otherwise. When clients are not performing to their fullest potential, praise and support can help ignite the actualizing tendency in a manner that would otherwise have remained dormant. When exploring postmodern views of psychology we have to inherently speak about cultural narratives and meta-narratives. What is psychology today and who defines it? What is psychology’s story, who told that story historically, and who gets to tell it today? When we look at psychology as a practice, historically and today, is important to bring to the fore the ethnocentric monocultural aspects that were oppressive to women and continue to be to minority groups in reinforcing white male Euro-American culture as the normative and desirable culture. Indeed, therapists and helping professionals should try to help deconstruct and unveil monoculturalism whenever it rears its despicable head. When oppressive forms such as heterosexism, ageism, gender and sexism come to the fore in therapy, for example, therapists should not reinforce them but try to encourage reflection on such prejudices with the aim being for the client to indentify for what it is – and to grow accordingly. The field of psychology itself is not immune but remains at risk to the debacle of monoculturalism. According to Yutrzenka, Todd-Bazemore and Caraway (1999) even though the data forecast that by 2050, ethnic minorities will make up over 50% of the US population, this quickly changing demographic has minimal effect on the number of ethnic minority psychologists. This is particularly true for Native Americans, who are far more underrepresented than any other ethnic body. Though the APA as stated by Goodwin (2009), is vigorously addressing this entire issue at present, with such efforts to be praised, still the legacy of ethnocentric monoculturalism is a stain on the profession, and will remain so until  significant numbers of minority psychologists abound. In spite of the barriers confronting them, women and minorities have made many notable, valuable and vital contributions to the field of psychology. During the course I discussed Eleanor Gibson who received the National Medal of Science in 1992 for a lifetime of research on topics dealing with the development of depth perception to the fundamentals involved in reading, faced discrimination while at Yale from psychologist Robert Yerkes who wanted no females in his lab (Goodwin, 2009). While she was able to get her PhD there under the guidance of the neobehaviorist Clark Hull, she unfortunately went on to experience difficulties at Cornell (where her husband had gained a position) forced into an unpaid research associate position in spite of winning competitive and prestigious research grants. As a result of these grants, however, she was able to carry out pioneering studies on depth perception with Richard Walk. When Cornell, home to Titchener’s legacy, removed its nepotism rules in 1966, only then did she become a full professor. Furthermore, as discussed in the course, African-Americans have also made outstanding contributions to psychology. Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark again come to mind in terms of their best known research titled Racial identification and preference in Negro children (Goodwin, 2009). In this research it was shown that black children showed a preference for white dolls over black ones when asked which they would like to play with and looked more like. The Clarks concluded, according to Goodwin (2009) that one insidious effect of racial segregation was its negative influence on African-American self-esteem. As a result of this research, in part, the Supreme Court was compelled to do the right thing and reverse the racist separate but equal doctrine in Brown v. Board of Education. The Clarks’ contribution to psychology and the contributions of other AfricanAmericans preceding them were not without struggle. Their mentor at Howard University, Francis Sumner faced huge obstacles when attempting to get a graduate degree and gain employment in academia. African-Americans have often had their basic intellectual abilities questioned (Goodwin, 2009). The legacy of white racism and of the field of psychology’s complicity by not taking a firmer stand until only recently is without question a significant reason why African-Americans remain heavily underrepresented in the profession, in spite of the gains made for women. 60 percent of doctorates in psychology are awarded to women today, while Native Americans as we discussed and African-Americans continue to be awarded a paltry percentage in turn. Such dismal figures have nothing to do with intelligence. We know that early intelligence tests were normed on just Caucasian, middle-class populations and only recently has such bias been addressed and perhaps abated. This also was the case for the MMPI personality tests as well. In the case of the MMPI, many of the original items became dated and according to Kassin (2008), to bring the test up to the 21st century and more postmodern views, new items were written in, and a more diverse cross-section of the US was sampled. The result of that updating is the newer 567-item version called the MMPI-2. In reflection, my guess is that similar advances have been made or are being considered in IQ testing as well; otherwise we would have to call into question whether biased IQ tests are valid for minority groups. Accordingly, great care should be taken when formulating test questions as well as interpreting the results of test-takers from different cultural groups and urban tribes. Fundamentally, it is crucial that test makers be made aware of cultural differences when putting together IQ test questions, as recommended for the MMPI (Church 2001). Exercising caution does not mean  minority groups are treated with kid gloves, but rather that a lens of understanding is in place — and that can come about as a result of the test makers and assessors informing themselves. Otherwise an IQ test’s validity for minority groups is at issue. Pre-modern, modern and postmodern frames of reference have all helped shape important, contemporary psychological theories and issues. Accordingly, I have attempted in a reflective manner to revisit the areas of psychology’s history we covered in course. If psychology as a profession is to continue to grow and develop, it will occur through a similar process of reflection, followed by action. It is important for psychology to know its origins, its history and respective story. However, in realization of the depth of ethnocentric monoculturalism, its leadership, particularly in the APA, must act on the call to bring about the inclusion of more minorities. Otherwise, the oppressive stain of monoculturalism shall abound and continue to blemish the profession we hold dear. References Angell, J.R. (1904). Psychology. New York: Holt. Church, A.T. (2001). Personality measurement in cross-cultural perspective. Journal of Personality, 69, 979-1006. Danner, N. (2011). Psychology: ORG5001 survey of psychology I. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions. Freud, S. (1924) A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis. New York: Washington Square Press (reprinted 1952). Glassman, W (Ed.). (2000) Approaches to psychology. Philadelphia: Open University Press. Goodwin, C.J. (2009) A history of modern psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Gross, R. (Ed.). (1996) Psychology, the study of mind and behavior. London: Hodder & Stoughton. Kassin, S., (2008). Psychology in Modules: ORG 5002 Survey of psychology II. New York: Pearson Custom Publishing. Rogers, C.R. (1961) On becoming a person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Smith, D. (1982) Trends in counseling and psychology. American Psychologist, 37, 802–809. Watson, J.B. (1913) Psychology as the behaviorist views it. Psychological Review, 20, 15877. Watson, J.B. & Rayneer, R. (1920) Conditioned emotional reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 3, 1-14. Wozniak,R. (1992) Mind and body: Renà © Descartes to William James. Retrieved from http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/INTRO_TEXT/Chapter%206%20MindBody/DUALISM.htm. Yutrzenka, B.A., Todd-Bazemore, E., & Caraway, S.J. (1999). Four winds: The evolution of culturally inclusive clinical psychology training for Native Americans. International Review of Psychiatry, 11, 129- 135. ProQuest: 43479524.

Skills Shortage and HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Skills Shortage and HRM - Essay Example Hence, people are discouraged from education and the economy of that country suffers immensely 9 Beresford, pg 190, 2004). However, a somewhat opposite situation from the one described above, is the situation of plenty of jobs being available and very few workers available with suitable skills and qualifications for the job. In the former scenario described, a number of job-seekers are running after one job, whilst in the latter scenario, many companies are running after one potential employee. This is because the economy holds few skilled workers in the required profession and many companies require those skills, hence, companies are competing to recruit the same employees (Capelli, pg 145, 2005). Issue of Scarcity Such shortages usually occur in highly skilled and technological fields, which are constantly evolving with the rapid change in technology. Employees must be trained regularly to meet the changing technological environment and enhance their expertise. One of the most worr isome situations for companies is the situation of having vacancies in a required field, but experiencing recruitment problems. Many companies rely on these employees for progress and success in their business, yet because of recruitment problems, many resources are diverged from actual operations to employee recruitment. This causes a loss for the company and deepening problems in business operations. Hence, companies must put up an effective fight to win the war for talent (Goss, pg 232, 1994). Recruitment Strategies There are several factors which may motivate employees to work for a certain company and may assist the company in recruiting employees. Such factors include the size and reputation of the company, working conditions, fringe benefits, pay rate, opportunities for promotion, management style, and training opportunities. Employees have differing opinions on their preferences and which factor influences them most when seeking jobs from a company. Pay may be very important for one employee, while the other employee will feel exhilarated by working for a reputable company offering exciting promotional possibilities. Hence, companies may negotiate with various employees in order to enhance their interest in the job and their motivational levels (Capelli, pg 146, 2005). However, some companies may be facing continuous recruitment problems and may be losing out while competing with other firms for talent. These companies probably lack one of the above mentioned factors and are not able to meet the needs of the required employees. Such problems are enhanced because of a lack of skilled labor to fit the job description and the potential employees who do fit the required criteria, may prefer other companies. Hence, the struggle becomes quite challenging for some smaller firms who cannot compete with the larger firms in offering employee benefits. There are a number of factors that the firm may focus on to increase employee recruitment levels and enhance emp loyee motivation. These factors combined may prove to result in a favorable situation in which employees may prefer to work for the smaller firm rather than go to the larger competitors (Debrah & Reid, pg 933, 1998). These factors include higher pays, better facilities, more benefits, training programs, or even a compromise on the part of the firm itself. The firm must analyze its personal situation in order to

Ls week 6 ask Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ls week 6 ask - Essay Example Accommodating style asserts that one party agrees to forgo his or her own concern so that the other party ideas hold. In this regard, what would have been the case if you as the project manager decided to forgo your concern in favor of those of the architect? It is argued that in case of a stolen idea, one can decide to abandon the collaboration style and resort to un-collaborated style. In this regard, competing becomes the other option. As a project manager, how would Competing style help solve the problem of stolen idea? Competing asserts that one strive against another to attain a goal. However, collaboration is highly encouraged in any organization’s operations. With this in mind, how would competing style ensure there is collaboration among the colleagues? In the effort to prove that a colleague’s idea is your stolen idea, you may decide to use your junior in presenting the idea in order to show that the idea is a ‘shared idea’. Don’t you think that this would be a hypocritical concern given that the truth is that the idea was actually yours? In the effort to claim back your stolen idea, confrontation with your colleague is apparent. Applying leadership style, how would you ensure that your differences with the ‘thief’ colleague do not interfere with the operations of your organization? You consider using collaboration and compromising styles only when three parties are involved two of which represent major parties required to accomplish a certain objective. Therefore, this means that the idea of the third party is forgone. In this regard, how do you ensure that the third party is collaborated in the two parties’ interest without jeopardizing his collaboration with the idea? You may also decide to use collaboration and compromising styles where the corporate governance, management and the employees are involved. Using your leadership styles, how would you deal with other issues that concern the consumer

ISLAMIC JIHAD UNION (IJU)---Terrorist Group Research Paper

ISLAMIC JIHAD UNION (IJU)---Terrorist Group - Research Paper Example This Uzbeki based organization is thus now acclaimed as a banned organization by the UK, US and some other nations, also actively condemned on the UN forum. Introduction Islamic Jihadi Union (IJU), which was previously known as the Islamic Jihad Group, is an organized terrorist group which has often seen conducting attacks on Uzbekistan and even Germany. Being one of the most widely studied terrorist organizations; it is also referred to as Jamiyat, Jamaay Mojahidin, Islomi Jihad and the Kazakh Jammat. The organization was founded in 2002, and the origin of Islamic Jihadi Union stems from Pakistan. Analyzing the ethnic origins of the organization, most of the members have Uzbek ethnicity, while Tajik, Kyrgyz and Turks are also found amongst the ethnic group members. Since the basis of the organization is religious in nature, it is also significant to identify the religious roots of IJU, and thus, IJU has a Sunni Muslim inclination (Asal 2007). The organization includes about 100-150 people as active participants who incorporate the main body of the organization. Though Uzbekistan is the sole focus of IJU, it is also found executing activities in other states like Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Also, the organization doesn’t entirely base its operations in isolation, rather it has also found to have associations with IMU, Al-Qaeda, the Haqqani Network and the Uighur and the Chechen Groups. Ideology of IJU Mainly implementing the true Islamic Ideology and executing the fundamental Islamic principles as interpreted by the founding fathers of IJU comprises the philosophical basis of the organization. However, strategically speaking, the main goal of the organization was the overthrow the Uzbek government in favor of IJU governing body. However, as the organization gained momentum, and also, the organizational setup matured in 2007, IJU`s mission became global in nature. The transnational agenda of IJU is similar to that of Al-Qaeda, w hich includes the advocacy for a free Palestine and supporting the coalition forces in Afghanistan. In 2009, IJU was focused upon the goal of overthrowing Karimov from power in Uzbekistan. (Inbar and Frisch 2008) Background IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan) is the parent organization of IJU; however a group of militants split apart from the organization in 2002, and this group of organization is what now comprises Islamic Jihadi Union. Amongst the most massive attacks accredited to IJI was the bombing executed in Tashkent in April 2004. This was a suicide attack executed in a crowded market, and though the intelligence agencies were initially putting the blame on other terrorist organizations, IJU claimed responsibility for the attacks. Another attack which was executed targeted Uzbeki Prosecutor General`s Office alongside the Israeli Embassy and the US Embassy. This attack, held in June 2004, was quite a sophisticated one, which indicated the maturity of the organization over ti me. Another attack held in October 2004, which is also accredited to the IJU is the attack in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Also, further attacks were executed in 2007 to support the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban factions of Afghanistan. Major Tactics Like other terrorist organizations of similar nature, IJU uses a variety of tactics to execute its mission plans and leave an impact on the intended actors. Small arms

Plato and the Platonic dialogues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plato and the Platonic dialogues - Essay Example In this effort Socrates bravely presents arguments relating to the need to life the examined life, as without living a life of purpose and meaning he believes there is no purpose in existence. Conversely, philosopher Robert Nozick in his book the Examined Life revisits this question of living a life of examination, yet considers it from a slightly different perspective than the one Plato advances through Socrates. This essay considers Plato’s characterization of the examined life through his dialogues Euthyphro and the Apology, examines Nozick’s conceptualization in the Examined Life, and contrasts the two philosophers views on the subject. One of the most seminal of Plato’s dialogues, the Apology constitutes Socrates’ argument to the Athenian court for his innocence. In considering this line of reasoning it’s important to consider the broader implications of Socrates argument. It seems that Socrates is indicating that in Meletus and the Athenian co unsel harming Socrates they are doing so in a sort of bad faith. Socrates believes that in being a better person than Meletus he has chosen to live his life virtuously. In living his life virtuously Socrates has contributed to society and lived his life in productive ways. He has also worked towards achieving his own sense of purpose and meaning; in Socrates’ instance, it seems that he believes this to be living honestly and spreading his wisdom and intellect to the Athenian youth. If Meletus were to have Socrates killed, which he is attempting.

Comparing the executive branches of Russia and Japan Essay

Comparing the executive branches of Russia and Japan - Essay Example He is appointed by the emperor. He can be a civilian. He leads civilian cabinet. The executive is under the Diet. It is evident that the executive arms of Russian and Japanese government are different. The differences are many, starting with the composition and the heads of these arms. This paper is going to look at these differences. It will also look at the similarities where they occur, for similarities are to be found. This country got its independence in 1919. This is following the tumbling of the Soviet Union. It was formally called Russian Federation under the Soviet Union. In December of 1993, the presidency was included in constitution. This was during the president of the time, Boris Yelstin. The presidency was handed more powers1 . This constitution directed that the president be the head of the state. The formulation of the policies touching on the position of the government in and out of Russia is under his docket. The president is above the three components of the government2 . He is the one who directs the executive and the other two branches. The other is judiciary and the legislative. He is the chief of state. The powers of the president are so much such that his directives can not be tampered with by the parliament. He recommends on the operations of the government. He has the last word in the nomination of the ministers to the cabinet and the structure of the government. ... The resolutions and decrees of the government are at the mercy of the president1. He has the power to nullify these directives. As such, the president heads the executive. The office of the prime minister is simply that of a public officer under the powers of the president. A president is voted for by the citizens2. He goes for a term of four years in the office. He is allowed to be at the same position for two terms. In the constitution, there is no provision for the position of the vice president. In case the presidency falls vacant for any reason (demise, poor health, impeachment or resignation of the incumbent), the prime minister heads the same in an acting capacity. A new election should be conducted in ninety days. There is a board that is formulated to advice the president. It is called the State Council of the State of Russia. Then the president has his support staff. This is the Presidential Administration of Russia.3. It also gives policy support. This body has an additional function of drafting the decrees of the head of state. It coordinates the policy of the government in the agencies. The prime minister is picked by the president4. He is then vetoed by Duma. The latter is the lower house of the parliament. The members are called deputies. He is the leader of government. The president then appoints two first deputies to the prime minister. He does not need consult the prime minister on these appointments. He then appoints several deputy prime ministers. Currently, this country has at least six deputy prime ministers. Under his docket, there are several offices. The first is the cabinet. He is the head of this unit. But the members of the cabinet are picked by the leader of state. The

Brief Memo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Brief Memo - Case Study Example As the adviser firm, Harris Associates LP was sued by Jones amongst other investors, citing – section 36(b) of the Act. From receiving an adverse finding as passed by the Illinois District Court, Jones appealed, gaining a hearing in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (Jones v. Harris Associates L.P., 08-586 1). However, in the end, the majority of the Court of Appeals (Maryland) did rule against the claim, citing the lack of judicial authority; regarding the legal regulation of investment company fees. In explanation, the court was of the view that the best regulator of ‘fees’ was the free market-arena itself. Further rejecting the provided line of argumentation, the court also viewed government as not being ‘in-place’; in regard to making such an assessment. Ultimately, the ideal portrayed was that of a strong free-market approach, as opposed to legislative interpretation of prevailing aspects of the existing economy (Jones v. Harris Associates L.P). In effect, the court ruled that when the settling entity/ person charged with a given trust’s (firm) administration made a given decision, it was in essence conclusive. This is in reference to – The Contractarian Basis of the Law of Trusts, 105 Yale L.J. 625 (1995) (Jones v. Harris Associates L.P., 08-5 86 1). In the case of the – Serita J. Weathersby v. Kentucky Fried Chicken National Management Co., No. 92-2360 (1993/4) Case [326 Md. 663, 670, 607, A.2d 8 (1992)] – essentially concerns discrimination within the employment sector, public accommodation and housing. Under focus is the aspect of employment litigation whereby the Maryland Court of Appeals did, and continues to emphasize, on the need of tort law; in regard to intentional infliction of emotional distress, to be utilized sparingly. This should be only in cases of opprobrious behavior that is inclusive of truly outrageous/ extreme conduct; extreme to the nature of going beyond bounds of decency, and hence

Is European foreign policy workable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Is European foreign policy workable - Essay Example Other civilizations were characterized as having achieved the phase of development which Europe itself had already passed - for instance, hunting-gathering; farming; early civilization; feudalism; contemporary liberal-capitalism. Europe was the only part of the world which had reached the last phase. Hence, Europe was always believed to be responsible for technological, cultural and scientific progress which are the parts of the contemporary world. Moreover, scientific principles developed for better understanding the world were thought to have replaced certain religious doctrines with respect to the pure logic of European science. The degree to which the world science 'belongs' to Europe is still debated. Furthermore, it would be important to refer to Marx (Smith, Sandholtz, 1995), who studied the issue carefully. In his opinion, European hadn't had any innate superiority, but he nonetheless claimed that European model of the world is followed in many other countries and is characterized as a pattern of scientific attitude towards the world in whole. Europe was the place, where the world 'policy' emerged - in particular, the Ancient Greece, where policy was a main model of governing. Other writers explored certain issues and aspects of European hegemony, for instance, the development of trade and the issue of imperialism. "By the late 19th Century the theory that European achievements arose from innate racial superiority became widespread: justifying slavery and other forms of political and economic exploitation, even being used to validate genocide" (Ginsberg and Smith, 2005, p.41). Europe, where the phenomenon of policy emerged, is probably the conceptual political center of the world - this fact can be exemplified by a number of international organizations, which determine European foreign policy and influence each European country in pacrticular. Nowadays, European foreign policy is a subject of numerous discussions, since it seems controversial due to the number of organizations created in Europe over the last few decades. The greatest and most influential international political organization is European Union. The main values of European Union were clarified by Michael Emerson, who influenced the upgrade of European Constitutional Treaty. The treaty is directed to achieving a stronger position in the European Union with respect to the 'high' world politics. European Constitutional Treaty has already been ratified by twenty-five member states of the union.According to the Constitutional Treaty, Emerson draws out the ten standards of European Union. The great est values include the domination of democracy, rule of law and human rights; the 'four freedoms' (basic human freedoms) (Smith, Crowe, 2006). Furthermore, Emerson highlights the importance of social cohesion, the abhorrence of nationalism, multi-tier governance, stable economic growth, multiculturalism, multilateralism and secularity of governance (IGCC Policy Paper No. 52, 2000). Among the

South Florida from Michigan Essay Example for Free

South Florida from Michigan Essay John and Jenny Grogan, a newlywed couple who move to South Florida from Michigan, work in the newspaper business, John is a reporter and Jenny is a freelance feature writer. At the advice of Johns friend Sebastian, who claims that adopting a dog will pause Jennys biological clock, John and Jenny adopt an adorable yellow Labrador puppy that is touted by the breeder as being on sale. Jenny affectionately calls the puppy Clearance Puppy, but is ultimately named Marley. A rambunctious dog, the Grogans take Marley to a trainer, only to discover that even the trainer cannot control Marley. When the couple tries to start a family, Marley gets older, and is still chewing on furniture, stealing food, and will not obey commands. John, who is the breadwinner in the family, is struggling with being a popular columnist for the newspaper he works at, continuously telling his boss that he had always wanted to be a reporter. Jenny is often left alone to suffer the frustrations of early motherhood, eventually getting so fed up with Marleys antics that she demand that John take Marley to a new home. Of course, Jenny changes her mind after she had time to herself to sort things out. From there, John gets a job in Pennsylvania, and with the move, the family becomes a picture of the American Dream; a nice home in the country, three children, and a dog. By this time, Marley is considered a senior, and his aging hits the family hard. In the end, Marley dies of a twisted stomach, a common ailment in larger dogs. After a small, and heartbreaking, funeral, the family who loved that dog so much moves on, better off for having known Marley. McCarthy, Todd. (December 21, 2008). Marley Me. Variety. April 7, 2009. http://www. variety. com/review/VE1117939263. html? categoryid=31cs=1

The impetus that has kept me on the art track Essay Example for Free

The impetus that has kept me on the art track Essay Some people think that art taught in schools (middle and high school) is sufficient to keep one in this creative world. While one cannot deny the overall importance of learning art in school, there is a bigger aspect to all this that can never be passed from the class teacher to the art student; this aspect comes from the artist himself/ herself. My impetus I have an artistic personality as art is my way of expressing myself; this is why I spent almost all my time drawing. When someone annoys me, then I will vent out this anger through art, when someone makes me happy, art is my only way of showing that feeling, when am sad, art is my only solace. The beauty about art is that it is platform for expressing myself. It allows me to be blatantly honest with myself as am not struggling with pretentiousness; this is who I truly am. Because my art work creates positive responses in others, then I have built a sense of confidence about my work. It makes me feel secure because I know that there is something I am good at. Given the above sentiments, then my definition of art would have to deviate from the norm. I do not consider art as just another major, neither do I think that art is something that was merely handed down to us from history; I believe that art is jut part of who I am. It took a long time for me to admit this; but I finally got the revelation while staying at my country. I realized that everything I did revolved around art and I learned to enjoy what I was good at. My passion for art began when I was fifteen. At that time, I attended an exhibition known as the 2003 Women’s International exhibit Jeddah. My role during that exhibition was not a passive one as I was part of the company’s marketing department. For a period of on month, I created the company’s website. I was also able to design commercials for them. This was the point in my life where I realized what I could become through art. I was lucky to work with a supportive team from the company; they encouraged me and taught me how to improve my work. Additionally, my mother and my cousins saw what I had done for the company and they were astounded by it. They couldn’t believe that I was responsible for what they saw. Nothing can compare to the look on their faces; they were so proud of me. Right there and then, I knew that this was what I was meant to do. Thereafter, I began exploring the wonderful world of art. To me, art is a universal language that can be understood by people all over the world. This is a concept that I understood in high school. At that time, I was part of a club that specialized in art forms from different cultures. Not only were we looking at the conventional aspects of art, but we also learnt about the Japanese language, their food and other cultural aspects. Through this club, I got an insight into the Japanese way of life consequently, learning their language. The epitome of this inter-cultural experience occurred during a school bazaar held at the end of the year. We were expected to inform the public about our club through a small stand. My task was to create flyers and commercials. I was also supposed to establish a mission for the team and the overall color theme for the event. These activities shaped my leadership skills and led to a self discovery on what I was truly capable of doing. The most touching and important thing about this particular occasion was that I learnt about other people’s cultures. The Japanese way of life was completely unfamiliar to me, but through art, I understood them. Art was my window into the life and times of the Japanese. From that moment on, I began appreciating other people’s uniqueness. Art is a unifying force; I can speak to others and they can speak to me even without saying a word. To me, no other forte can achieve such an effect. If the world would embrace art a little more, then we would all live together in harmony. My stay in the United States has been equally enriching. This year, I attended a training competition know as Boston Phoenix. The major theme of the event was Japanese animation. Through this event, I met art enthusiasts like myself. We were able to exchange ideas in at equal levels and I was amazed at their work. These young people used simple tools around them to create brilliant art pieces. I also began collecting and designing my own supplies. It was so fantastic to know that there are youth out there who are as inspired by art as I am. Conclusion  The latter experiences have helped to shape who I have become toady. Being artistic is just part of my personality. Through art, I can be a leader, I can be creative and I can express my innermost sentiments. Art has given me an insight into other cultures thus making me respect and comprehend other their way of life. I have therefore become a versatile and multi-cultured individual. Because of these reasons, I felt that I should make art part of my professional life. This was why I joined the university and I believe that through my college education, I can become a better artist than before.

Palliative care: Clinical experience

Palliative care: Clinical experience The purpose of this assignment is to reflect on a clinical experience in palliative care and demonstrate the knowledge and skills associated with this. The symptoms, symptom management and government guidelines and standards will also be discussed in relation to how this will impact the care of the patients who are experiencing life threatening illnesses. This will be achieved through using Gibbs (1988) model of reflection. I chose this model of reflection because it is clear and cyclical model which allows the reflector to revisit the same problem and also to examine my practice which will help me to develop and improve in the future. Description As an adult nursing student, I will be reflecting on an experience with a patient who was receiving palliative care that I encountered during my community placement. The patient received palliative care and required management of symptoms to help maintain their quality of life for the patient and their family. This involved a patient, who will be named Mr. Jones for confidentiality reasons. Mr. Jones was an elderly patient who had been diagnosed with bowel cancer along with liver metastases, the cancer was in the advanced stages. Mr. Jones was being cared for at home by his wife and carers who visited him at home twice a day to help with getting him up, washing and dressing and helping him back to bed. The district nursing team also visited him on a regular basis. When meeting with the patient his main concern was his pain control and available options which he would be able to receive to manage this. Feelings Initially when I heard about the diagnosis I was intrigued and wanted to find out more about the patient and their condition. When I met the patient I felt sympathetic towards him and the family and upon discussion he revealed that he felt like ‘giving up and ‘ending it all. A mixture of thoughts entered my mind, although I could understand why he would want to give up, the only reason was because he was worried about the pain he was starting to experience. When the nurse and I discussed the pain control options he appeared to be more positive about the situation and apologized for what he had said. On reflection it was a positive experience as it allowed me to see how people cope differently with terminal conditions, and the impact it has on the family and carers. Evaluation During this experience I thought that the nursing team had built a good professional relationship with the patient and their family. The patient had plenty of time to discuss any concerns or issues that he had .The issues discussed such as symptom management were all assessed and prioritized well; how the patient is feeling is important and needs to be taken into consideration. This would also need to be discussed with his wife alone, to find out how she is feeling and to offer her support. When discussed further, the feelings of ‘giving up related to his pain management. This is why the Visual Analogue Scale was used for a couple of weeks to monitor the progression of his pain (Crichton 2001). I found the tool to be beneficial for effective management of pain because it was a good indicator as to when we would need to adjust his analgesia using the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder (WHO, 2005). This aims to give the correct drug, correct dose, given at the corre ct time and proves to be inexpensive and 80-90% effective (WHO, 2005). This ensured the patient was in the least amount of pain which enabled them to carry on with activities of daily living. Analysis The World Health Organization (1990) has defined palliative care as: â€Å"The active total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. Control of pain, of other symptoms, and of psychological, social and spiritual problems is paramount. The goal of palliative care is the achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families.† Caring for those receiving palliative care in the community during the end stages of life requires an extraordinary commitment from the nursing team, not only human resource but also competence, compassion and focus in anticipating the needs of the patient and family. It is a complex activity involving a holistic approach, building relationships together with expert professional skills and decision making processes (Melvin 2003). As well as pain, other common symptoms during advanced cancer are nausea and vomiting, with rates ranging from 50-60% (Kearney and Richardson, 2006). It is important to treat the reversible causes of nausea and vomiting before resorting to antiemetics. This can be achieved by appropriate assessment and documentation of symptoms which evaluate the effect of treatment given and can be completed and reviewed quickly to utilize less patient energy and nursing time (Kearney and Richardson, 2006). Cancer patients also experience psychological or affective symptoms of fatigue which include lack of energy and motivation, depression, sadness and anxiety, the sense of willpower and ‘fighting spirit is often lacking and personal resources that have usually kept a person going in the past are ineffective (Juenger, 2002). Fatigue can take away the ability to do things that the patient and family want to do or need to do. The control over life events reduces, further affecting the persons qu ality of life. An essential part of nursing care for fatigue includes returning some of that control. Giving information can be a positive way to do this. Nurses can explain that the person is not alone in the experience as fatigue is an expected occurrence in advanced cancer and discuss the causes of fatigue, effects and side effects of treatment and the impact of stress and depression, this will help the patient to manage the fatigue more effectively (Porock, 2003). Mr. Jones was prescribed oral slow-release Morphine Sulphate for his pain, however he was beginning to experience break through pain, nausea and vomiting which was making it difficult for him to take his morphine. We suggested he kept a record of his pain over a couple of weeks using a visual analogue scale (VAS). When we visited him again we were able to use the VAS to assess his pain and make changes to analgesia as appropriate using the analgesic ladder. From the assessment it was appropriate to increase his analgesia to step 3 of the analgesic ladder (WHO, 2005). A syringe driver was prescribed to administer morphine and an antiemetic over a 24 hour period which could be increased or decreased as required. Providing drug compatibilities have been checked, a combination of three drugs can usually be administered safely with the advantage that vomiting will not affect absorption, as it is given subcutaneously and the gut is not involved (Thompson, 2004). Although using a syringe dr iver improves symptom management with minimal inconvenience, complications can arise and nurses should be able to recognize these quickly and solve the problems efficiently (Lugton, 2002). The disadvantages of using this equipment is the painful injection site, infection risks and infusion rate problems (Thompson, 2004). Mr. Jones commented on ‘giving up and after further discussion, we found this related to his pain. Evidence shows that there is a link between chronic pain and depression as they share similar physiological pathways, whilst social and psychological factors appear to affect the severity of it and when they co-exist the severity of both conditions appears to worsen (Gray, 2001). Ineffective management of psychiatric disorders can be caused by failure to recognize, diagnose and treat appropriately in palliative care settings with 50% of psychiatric disorders being undetected (Payne et al, 2007). Patients with cancer should have access to appropriate psychological support and should be assessed regularly by trained professionals as recommended by National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2004). Many people may wish to try complementary and alternative medicines to improve symptoms of their cancer, the reason being many feel dissatisfied with conventional medicine and feel the desire to experience holistic health care for symptomatic relief with a sense of well being (Nayak et al 2003). Auricular acupuncture (acupuncture to the ear), therapeutic touch, and hypnosis may help to manage cancer pain, whilst music therapy, massage, and hypnosis may have an effect on anxiety, and both acupuncture and massage may have a therapeutic role in cancer fatigue (Mansky and Wallerstedt 2006). However there is a lack of evidence to support that complementary and alternative medicine treatments are effective, the risks associated with them are unknown and can potentially be harmful. There has been increasing concern with the use of botanicals and dietary supplements by cancer patients because of the potential interaction between them and prescription drugs (Mansky and Wallerstedt 2006). During this experience, I realised just how important communication is, not only in this situation, but any situation that includes the patient, relatives, carers and multi-disciplinary team. Communication is an essential part of good nursing practice and forms the basis for building a trusting relationship that will greatly improve care and help to reduce anxiety and stress for patients, their relatives and carers (NMC 2008). Groogan (1999) acknowledges that communication is not something that people to do one another, but it is a process in which they can create a relationship by interacting with each other. From Mr. Jones perspective, patient-focused communication can be the most important aspect of treatment, due to its capacity to exacerbate or relieve the fear that often accompanies cancer, with evidence of effective communication resulting in decreased anxiety, greater coping ability and adherence to treatment (Dickson 1999). Communication can be divided into three types; cogn itive, emotional and spiritual. Cognitive communication involves the giving and receiving of information, emotional communication involves the feeling and expression of psychological responses and spiritual communication involves the expression and feeling of thoughts relating to existing issues beyond the person (Fallowfield Jenkins 1999). When speaking with Mr. Jones and his family the language used was clear and easy to understand. Stress, emotions and fatigue that accompany a terminal illness make it necessary for the information to be repeated to ensure the patient and family have absorbed it and feel reassured (Latimer 2000). Mr. Jones was given enough time to discuss his concerns and issues without feeling like he had a limited period or that the nurses had many other patients to see, however, what often matters is the quality of interaction rather than the length of time. Giving a few moments of time which are totally focused on the patients communication needs can often limit the amount of time spent communicating later when further explanation or clarification is needed (Faull et al, 2005). Mallet and Dougherty (2000) suggested that patients tend to be more dissatisfied with poor communication than with any other aspect of their care and concluded ineffective communication continues to be a major issue in health care. The Department of Health has produced the End of Life Care Strategy (DoH 2008) which promotes high quality care for all adults at the end of life which is the first for the United Kingdom and covers adults in England. Its aim is to provide people approaching the end of life with more choice about where they would like to live and die. In addition, the Macmillan Gold Standards Framework (2003) is another way of combining many different practices. The framework includes 7 Gold Standards which relate to key aspects of care, and guidelines for best practice on teamwork and continuity of care, advanced planning, symptom control and support for patients and their carers. Primary Health Care Teams who join the programme are guided and supported through a combination of workshops, resource materials and networking (Macmillan Cancer Relief 2003). In place is also the NICE clinical guidance on supportive and palliative care (NICE 2004) which advises those who develop and deliver cancer service s for adults with cancer about what is needed to make sure that patients, their families and carers, are well informed, cared for and supported. These initiatives had a positive impact on Mr. Jones as the nurses were able to use these guidelines to offer Mr. Jones the best care suited for him and he was then able to make informed decisions regarding the care he would like to receive. These initiatives also have a positive impact on health care professionals as they are supported and encouraged to improve their knowledge through workshops and resource materials. Action Plan/Conclusion My reflection of this experience has taught me how complex it is caring for someone receiving palliative care. It requires a holistic approach to ensure the patient and the family receive the best possible care in accordance with the guidelines and standards, in which they must remain empowered and make informed choices regarding their care and treatment with the help of health care professionals. I now understand how complicated symptom management can be; cancer patients experience many symptoms from their condition and also side effects from their medication. Assessments are vital to ensure the appropriate treatment and management of symptoms. The importance of communication has been brought to my attention once again, in my future nursing practice I will focus on my communication skills as this is an essential part of good nursing practice and plays a vital role in palliative care. Although this was an upsetting experience it has also been a positive one as this will affect my fut ure nursing practice a great deal as I have gained vital skills to look after those receiving palliative care and I am now aware of the various strategies and frameworks in place to ensure patients and families receive a high standard of care.

Effective support strategies for learners Essay -- essays research pap

Effective classrooms have a positive and purposeful atmosphere, where students and teachers feel valued, and work together in a supportive and safe environment. The effective classroom is one where students learn, and teachers help them to do so without spending much of their time managing 'problem' or 'difficult' behaviour. However, this is not an easy task, and at one time or another teachers may experience difficulty in maintaining a harmonious working environment. The main focus of this chapter is to explore ways of establishing and sustaining a purposeful, working atmosphere in the classroom. Behaviour management and maintaining discipline is clearly a concern for teachers when seeking to establish themselves in a new school context or with a new class, even for those who have plenty of successful experience. For short-term supply teachers, the challenge is increased by the number of different classes they may encounter on a daily or weekly basis. There is no shortage of advice in relation to behaviour management and there are marked differences of opinion across the teaching profession about behaviour and discipline in schools. What is certain is that there is no 'right' way to manage all situations. The learning climate you create is crucial. Students are affected not only by the physical environment which surrounds them, but also by your own expectations and attitudes. Remember that small things matter. ICT must become an integral and natural part of the learning pro...

Simulation-supported Wargaming in MNE 4 :: essays research papers

Simulation-supported Wargaming in MNE 4 1. Introduction The objective of this document is to emphasize the importance of simulation as a measure of complexity reduction and planner’s tool for decision support in MNE 4’s Effects-Based Planning (EBP) process. Starting with an overview of the underlying principles of Wargaming and Modeling and Simulation (M&S), the outcome of this abstract is a ‘Process for the application of simulation to support Wargaming in MNE 4’. This document may also serve as a basis for MNE 4 design and execution decision-makers in order to determine the value of simulation as a wargaming tool for MNE 4. 2. The Art of Wargaming Wargaming and Course-of-Action Analysis are approved instruments of military planning in order to determine the feasibility and validity of military options and plans. Traditionally wargaming was conducted by exposing Blue military options to the challenges of Red Team’s counter-actions just using people’s brain, pen and paper. Today, the complexity of the battlefield has experienced significant increases due to the challenges of asymmetric menaces after the end of the Cold War. The concept of Effects-Based Operations (EBO) tries to embrace these new conditions based on ambitious processes like Knowledge Base Development (KBD). Furthermore, military planning and operation execution have to cope not only with a highly complex and dynamic adversary’s system conducting asymmetric operations, but also with great challenges on the Blue side, such as the coordination and interaction of multiple coalition partners and different agencies and organizations in a non-linear battlespace. Experiences from recent months and years have undoubtedly proven that EBO cannot be successfully conducted without adequate support by IT tools. Especially the various wargaming activities within EBP cannot be properly accomplished by just using traditional measures. Military planners desperately need automated tools in order to handle data masses, multi-dimensional and dynamic interrelations within the adversary’s system and own (blue) forces and instruments. 3. Simulation as an Analysis Method Basically, there are two major approaches for answering optimization questions: the analytical approach and the numerical approach. As the analytic approach tries to exactly calculate results considering the objective function, limitation variables and all other relevant factors, the numerical approach allows only for approximate results often using iterative or even heuristic processes. Nevertheless, numerical methods have a far more practical weight (see Reference 3) since in opposition to the analytical methods they can handle complex systems with great varieties of variables. Simulation is one of a whole set of numerical methods and additionally, it comprises another major advantage especially useful for wargaming problems: it models dynamics.

Digital Democracy Essay -- Politics Media Internet Technology Essays

Digital Democracy Over the years the media has made citizens major role players in politics. Ross Perot opened eyes by putting the 1992 Election in the media and thereby allowing voters to become directly involved in politics. The Internet, the new form of mass media â€Å"has turned into a major political and media industry† (Grossman 16). Because of the rise the Internet has taken, the idea of direct democracy has risen. The foundation of direct democracy is in self-government. The claim is that the presence of the Internet will increase citizens’ involvement in political issues by allowing them access to more information. This is significant because it takes a look at the impact of technology on society and politics, as well by looking at politics from the average persons’ perspective. It is my position, however that although the Internet will make citizens more informed this would actually work to deter people from participating in politics. Through the greater establi shment of community and trust among citizens will we find the desire to participate in government and politics. Currently, our government is based on a representative form of democracy, where citizens choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf. This is a type of self-government because â€Å"by choosing those who would govern them, the people would also, in effect, be governing themselves† (Grossman 40). However, with the coming of the Internet age and a higher prospect of self-government, representative democracy could soon become obsolete, being replaced by direct democracy. Direct Democracy was first introduced by The Athenians as a form of government back in fifth century BC. Direct Democracy allowed the citizens to make the rules as w... ...e nationwide disaster. Our best hope at creating a better democracy is to focus on rebuilding the community. Before we can put things in place that are meant to reconstruct society, we must first fix the foundation upon which this nation was built, and that is community. Works Cited: Bimber, Bruce. â€Å"The Internet and Political Transformation: Populism, Community, and Accelerated Pluralism.† Polity 31(1): 133-160. Davis, Richard. The Web of Politics. New York: Oxford Press, 1999. Davison, Donald E. New Democracy: A New Democracy means a more Direct Democracy. 1 April 2001. 27 September 2001. . Grossman, Lawrence K. The Electronic Republic. New York: Penguin Group, 1995. Kamarck, Elaine, and Joseph S. Nye, Jr. democracy.com: Governance in a Networked World. Hollis, NH: Hollis Publishing, 1999.

Journeys: Meaning of Life and Inner Journey Essay

To go on a journey does not necessarily require one to physically move from one place to another. A journey can happen anywhere, and at any time, even if you are not moving. An inner journey is to transcend above the physical and temporal world into a spiritual realm. This enables one to look at life attentively and be alert to the lessons learnt from experience. ‘Of Eurydice’ by Ivan Lalic, ‘Fax X’ by Gwyneth Lewis, ‘Wind in the Willows’ by Kenneth Graham, ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost, ‘The Red Tree’ by Shaun Tan and ‘Baraka’ directed by Ron Fricke are five texts that explore this concept of inner journeys. Collectively they present inner journeys to be inevitable, that they require you to make choices and that they make you ask questions of an ontological nature. It can be argued that inner journeys are inevitable in that they are unavoidable. Whether we are open to it or resist it, essentially we grow from experience and consequently this growth contributes to one’s understanding of self. This idea is presented in ‘Of Eurydice’ through choice of words such as ‘dark’, ‘despair’ and ‘death’. These words all have connotations to the fact that death is inevitable, and the persona has come to realize this when his is unable to return from a journey with his goal. This supports the idea that journeys are indeed inevitable and cannot be avoided; furthermore his understanding is emphasized when the composer ends with ‘hideously enriched’. This use of oxymoron is effective in that it portrays that idea of growing and learning from the most painful experiences. Similarly, ‘Fax X’ also deals with the idea of journeys being inevitable; the metaphorical use of a cruising ship implies hopeful prospects for a better day. However the symbolic use of ‘Tomorrow ringing out like a buoy’ presents the depressing idea that essentially we are only looking ahead and mindlessly keeping ourselves occupied until death engulfs us. Hence it is arguable that Inner journeys are unavoidable, as we cannot escape the fact that one-day we will die. As humans we incomprehensibly attempt to outlive our allotted lifespan, in doing so we take ourselves on an inner journey of realization and consequently acceptance for death. In addition, inner journeys are essentially about the choices one has to make in life, as conflict and contradiction are at the heart of any journey. ‘Wind in the willows’ is an example of how conflicting attitudes in one’s self determines what ‘path’ we choose. ‘Wind in the willows’ presents three characters that represents the ego of one person: the optimist who is open to change, the pessimist who resists it, and the one little voice stranded in the middle trying to make a choice. The attitudes of these three different personalities are presented through language, which depicts the nature of the characters. The punctuation of the toad’s character constantly consists of commas. This creates an exhilarating effect that enables the audience to get caught up into the toad’s excitement and zest for life. The language of the toad is also that of an optimist. The use of ‘tomorrow’, ’beautiful’ and ‘we’ suggests that the toad is happy and willing to go on a journey and is open to change. The Rat’s attitude however is in complete contrast to the toads. The use of adjectives such as ‘slowly, and ‘trusting hands into his pockets’ suggests that the rat despises change. Hence the use of these two character, with the mole being indecisive in-between alludes to the choices one that to make constantly in life. Our insatiable thirst for more is hindered by our obligations to be responsible and sensible. Hence this conflict within one’s self depicts the inner journey of the responder trying to make choices by weighing pros and cons in their heads. Similarly, ‘The Road not taken’ presents elements of uncertainty as well as the burden of making choices. However this is communicated to the responder through symbolism, alliteration and accumulation of words. The ‘Road’ itself is symbolic of choice. The title indicates that the poem is about the road the composer did not take. In conjunction with the use of alliteration in ‘wanted wear’ it reflects the persona’s desires and personal aspiration. The choice of words such as ‘Diverged’, ‘yellow’ and ‘sorry’ are connation to choice, the uncertainty of making such choices and the regret of having to make choices. The accumulation of these words suggests that the persona is filled with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and regret. Regret stems from his inability to be everything he wants to be and hopelessness of being incapable of exploring all the possibilities and desires in his life, because ultimately life is too short. ‘The Road Not Taken’ laments on the reality of life, that one cannot be everything due to the constricting nature of making choices. However one cannot escape making choices in life, and every choice that you make will consciously or unconsciously take you onto an inner journey of realization, hope and desire. Furthermore, inner journeys essentially require you ask questions of an ontological nature. An inner journey is present in the human desire and insatiable thirst to seek answers concerning who are they, what they are worth and the purpose of their life. This concept is evident in ‘The Red Tree’ by Shaun Tan, which depicts the story of a child’s struggle to find her place in the world. The ambiguity of the ‘child’ allows the responder to reflect upon the child within themselves and their personal desire to find one’s sense of self in a confusing and incomprehensible world. This idea is presented in frame two of the Paleolithic Fish. The milky eyes of the Paleolithic fish have connotations to death; the open mouth of the fish suggests that the child is being engulfed by a world full of doom and despair. However in the same frame, a little red leaf still lingers. The use of the colour red implies the leaf is one of passion and hope of the individual. The conjunction of the fish and the leaf suggest that journeys are depressing, as they require you to look at the depth of your being and your insignificance. However, despite the profanity of our reflection of our inner journeys there is always of sense hope that exists and enables us to continue on with life. ‘Baraka’ directed by Ron Fricke extends on this struggle to find answers in life. Using production elements such as sound, lighting, transition rates and camera angles, Fricke show humanity’s attempts to find answers through human relationship with nature and religious exploration. The transition of lighting from dark and light in the opening sequence suggests the evils and beauty of the world. The camera angles of the mountains are such that the mountain seems empowering and it appears that it is leading up to the sky. This is followed by quick transition rates that occur through the shots of technology, which are a reflection of the busy, and conglomerated lives humans. The contrast between these images enable meaning to be made and allows the responder to transcend above the physical and temporal world and reflect upon the way humans live. In such a convoluted and technologically elite world, humanities underlying desire is to find the ultimate purpose in life.

Immanuel Kant †Metaphysics of Morals Essay

In his publication, Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant supplies his readers with a thesis that claims morality can be derived from the principle of the categorical imperative. The strongest argument to support his thesis is the difference between actions in accordance with duty and actions in accordance from duty. To setup his thesis, Kant first draws a distinction between empirical and â€Å"a priori† concepts. Empirical concepts are ideas we reach from our experiences in the world. On the other hand and in contrast, â€Å"a priori† concepts are ideas we reach as an end point of reasoning prior to or apart from any experience of how things occur in the world. Kant then claims that moral actions are supposed done for the reason of morality alone. This train of thought leads to the conclusion that an understanding of morality must be based on â€Å"a priori† concepts of reason. Truly moral ideas are then universally valid if and only if they are based on â€Å"a priori† concepts. From this idea of â€Å"a priori† concepts, Kant begins his thesis with the notion that the only thing in the world that is a qualified good is the â€Å"good will†, even if its efforts bring about a not necessarily good result. A â€Å"good will† is good because of the willing that is involved. Two main implications arise with this idea of the â€Å"good will†. The first implication is moral actions cannot have impure motivations. There are many impure motivations but Kant tends to focus mainly on the motives of the pursuit of happiness and self-preservation. Second, moral actions cannot be based on the speculations of the probable results. This action is not good in itself but good because it brought about a more desirable outcome. Thus, Kant arrives at the conclusion that for an action to be considered to have genuine moral worth its motive must be that of dutifulness to moral law. In Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant lays out three propositions about duty. The first is the will is a morally good action if it is done in accordance from duty, as opposed to an action done in accordance with duty. The second proposition is that actions are judged by the â€Å"maxim† or principle that was the motivation behind the action. If someone undertakes an action with the only motivation being that of a sense of duty, they are following a valid â€Å"a priori† action. On the other hand if they decide to undertake an action in order to bring about a desired result, then their motivation is one that is beyond mere duty. Kant’s third proposition then explains that is not the respect for the power of the law but rather it is the moral motivation of an individual who acknowledges that the law is an imperative of reason that trumps our other interests. The will, as Kant describes, is of practical reason. A rational being is an individual who has the capacity to execute their behavior by the conceptions of laws. This discipline of action is also known as the will. Our judgment that advises us on our action is known as an imperative or a command to act on a certain motive. An imperative can be either hypothetical or categorical. In the hypothetical imperative one acknowledges an action as right or necessary if it is a manner in which to obtain or achieve a certain goal. As such you would act on an action if a previous circumstance has taken place. These types of actions come from our previous experiences and counsel us to a way in which our desires can be achieved. Thus, an action cannot be held universally valid at all times if its goal is to acquire some objective of desire under a certain set of conditions. If the goal is ultimately happiness, we are unable to set any universally hypothetical imperatives for happiness. This is because the definition of happiness differs from person to person. One man’s happiness can very well be another man’s misery. As Kant explains, a binding moral law then cannot be equivalent or parallel to a hypothetical imperative. Pure reason comes from the ability to consider neither a motivating condition accompanying another nor its intended results. With that, we then need to find a principle with universal validity or a principle that is valid no matter what issue is being considered. â€Å"A priori† principles of reason are the only principles that fit this standard on which a judgment or decision may be based. Hence, Immanuel Kant formulates that a moral imperative is one that is an unconditional or categorical imperative. A categorical imperative is our moral consciousness to do our duty because we ought to do our duty instead of pursuing our own desires attached to the duty. Such an imperative is driven by pure reason. Because we exclude our desires or maxims, we need only to focus on the form of our imperative. The form needs to be universally applicable or valid for all rational beings to follow. Thus, Kant gives us only one categorical imperative and it is â€Å"Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law† (Kant pg. 38). This universal law of morality states that we should act in such a way that we could will the maxim of our action to become universally applicable. This should be used as the criterion to determine whether or not a maxim is morally valid. Before we are able to apply a maxim to this categorical imperative, it is required that the maxim first, be fit to be a law of nature and second, is based on a notion that all actions have ends. The second pertains to the idea that men and women are ends in themselves. No maxim that does not impose or imply respect as a necessary accompaniment for men and women can be a moral law valid for everyone. Third, we must see every rational being as able to make universal laws. Last, the maxim requires the moral agent to act as a lawgiving member of all persons. From these points, two important ideas arise. The ideas deal with the autonomy of the will and dignity of the individual. Each person is essentially their own lawmaker, obeying the laws that they give themselves as a rational being. A person is not bound to a law by fear or hope of some reward, but freely bound to it by their lawgiving ability. This moral will is autonomous. Autonomy, which means self-law, is the only way Kant believes an individual to achieve the ultimate freedom. If an individual obeys laws from some other lawgiver, such as God and government, because of fear of punishment or hope of reward, he or she is not truly free. I feel the strongest objection to this thesis is Kant does not take enough consideration to human beings natural emotions. I believe his thesis weighs to heavily on mere reason alone without any emphasis on the emotional component of our morality. Kant’s perception that morality is a chore neglects the fact that by performing actions from duty individuals can obtain a somewhat subtle level of personal gratification from partaking in such acts that are not generally enjoyable to execute. I am not thoroughly convinced that if you are able to gain some happiness and reward from an action that is not generally alluring. The strengths of my personal view rely on the possibility of achieving a feeling of reward by completing an obligation. I feel there is an importance of doing something with a smile on your face. If you are unhappy to perform a moral action it will to reveal outwardly or make apparent that your heart is elsewhere, thus, tainting the action. However, if you perform these tasks seeking a somewhat level of enjoyment others will notice that you truly care about what it is you are doing and perceive the action to be a notable one. The weakness is obviously that you will be more probable to engage and look to engage in more actions that will give you this appeal and instant gratification. This is not an ideal situation because placing a slight neglect to a duty or obligation that you might not find appeal in defeats the purpose of completing all of the obligations set for us to go through with. Kant’s thesis has strength in the fact that the universal law seems closely related to the golden rule, which is do on to others as you would have others do on to you. With a statement as such it is awfully arduous to not perform a moral action. The weakness still lies in the fact Kant takes little to no consideration to humans’ natural emotions and feelings. Leading a moral life does not have to be a melancholy life, one in which you are bound to an endless amount of duties that you can seek no joy in. Whether or not Kant intended to make morality seem like torture, it appears it comes off in this manner. Kant’s overall view of morality appears near flawless. If there was a manner in which he could have incorporated a leeway for some emotions, I feel his thesis is in actuality how each individual should lead his or her life. .