Moral choices Essay

Miller shows several characters who are faced with difficult moral choices. They are changed by the experience and the audience go through catharsis watching them. How does millers treatment of moral issues add to the drama? In this essay I will write about how Arthur Miller, director of â€Å"The Crucible† uses moral issues in the play to add to the drama and the thrilling scenes throughout the play. Every character in the play is faced with at least one or more moral issues, I will look at the main characters issues and explain how it adds to the drama. In the play we see the events of the Salem trials in Massachusetts and we see exactly what the characters get up to and what issues face them throughout. The play was written in thought of the more recent events of the time in which it was made. Arthur Miller wanted to show the people what came of passing blame onto other people to try and get them to think right and treat people correctly. In 1938 the House un-American Activities Committee Organization was made; it had the power to investigate any movement or person who threatened the safety of the state. They looked for people who agreed with communism in the 1940’s. America and the USSR were fighting, America was helping Korea to keep the freedom. America was worried that communism would spread to there land and that capitalism would be destroyed. People were asked if they were communist sympathizers and sometimes charged. They were also asked if they knew anyone else who went to meeting, and then forced to give there name. Actors, writers and film directors appeared in the committee and lost there job and industry. This made Miller write the play so the view of what happened then would relate with what was happening at this time. The play was set in the 17th century, everything that we see today was much different then, although the society was a theocratic one just like today everything was different. The society had a massive male dominance and women were seen as much less than today. In the 17th century God was perceived as male and men were seen as the natural enforcers of his will. Women were seen as unstable because of there biological function. This was a time when peoples roles were clearly defined by gender. Women were made to walk with their head down and arms by their side. People weren’t aloud to indulge in anything that seemed to much fun, because they saw it as being related to the devil.

Diels-Alder reaction Essay

Purpose: In this experiment a Diels-Alder reaction was used to form the products. Cyclopentadiene and maleic anhydride were reacted together to form cis-Norbornene-5,6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride. 7-oxabicyclo{2.2.1}hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride was also produced through a Diels-Alder reaction with the combination of furan and maleic anhydride. Equation: Procedure: Part 1 In a flask equipped with a septum side arm and topped with distillation heat and a thermometer add 2.5ml of mineral oil. Heat the oil. At the end of the distillation heat place an ice filled beaker. When the oil reaches 250 °C inject 0.6ml of dicyclpentadiene drop wise through septum. Make sure the temperature does not go above 45 °C. The product is then weighed. Part 2 In a reaction tube place 0.20g maleic anhydride and 1.0ml of ethyl acetate then add 1.0ml of hexane. Then add 0.20ml of cyclopentadiene. Cool the tube in an ice bath. Remove solvent from crystals using pipette. Wash crystals with hexanes then remove solvent again. Allow crystals to dry. Part 3 In a flask place 2.4g maleic anhydride and add 20ml of diethyl ether. Dissolve mixture using hot plate then let cool to room temperature. Add 1.8ml of furane to the flask. Wrap the flask with Parafilm after placing a stopper on top of flask. Place the flask under the hood for the next lab period. Upon the return of the next class period the formed crystals were scrapped from the flask. The crystals were then weighed and melting points were observed. Discussion and Conclusion: A Diels-Alder reaction was used to produce the products of this experiment. The first reaction was cyclopentadiene with maleic anhydride to from the product of cis-Norbornene-5,6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride. Before that could be produced, dicyclopentadiene had to be cracked to get cyclopentadiene for the starting material. Cyclopentadiene and maleic anhydride were mixed together and cooled to room temperature, which produced crystals. The solvent was pipette out of the tube to separate the crystals. The crystals were then scraped on the filter paper to get weight and melting points. The end product yielded 82.6%. The melting point was observed at 162-163 °C. This indicated a close to pure substance with the actual melting point being 165 °C. The second part of the experiment was the reaction of furan with maleic anhydride. This reaction produced 7-oxabicyclo{2.2.1}hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride. Maleic anhydride was combined with diethyl either to dissolve the solid. Then furan was added and place under the hood for the next class period. During this time crystals were formed in the stopped flask. The melting point for the end product was observed at 113-114 °C. This indicated that the product was exo. The percent yield was calculated at 5.98%. There were many sources of error that could have contributed to the results of these experiments. The end product could have cooled a little longer to form more crystals. Also the crystals could have been dried more to produce better melting points. Separating the solvent from the test tube was not completely precise and may  have lost some of the product in the extraction. Scraping the crystals out of the flask or test tube was not easy and some of the product was lost during this step. Overall the experiment was a success. Reference: Williamson, K.; Minard, R.; Masters, K. Macroscale and Microscale Organic Experiments, 2011. Pg 617-629.

Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Information Systems - Essay Example y apply to businesses in the manufacturing setting but also to those in the service industry such as banks, hospitals, the military, as well as the environment management(Gupta, 1998). Companies that are service oriented may be seen to distribute non-physical products, they are also involved in the distribution of decisions and activities that accompany those decisions(Edelstein, 1991). For instance, in this case R/Way Trucking Company could be involved in the distribution of freight bills to its suppliers or clients. The company may need to maintain all the inventories held by the manufacturers of its trucks which may also include transporting the shipping documents. The idea of selecting internet based architecture would be a brilliant one for R/Way Truck Company because it will help the company keep up with the growing competitive forces in the market as well as respond to the pressures of the global marketplace. Incorporating internet based architecture will also help the company to deliver their services faster, with high quality and greater performance. This architecture will contain software applications that range from document management systems, word processing programs to payroll management software. R/Way Truck Company should adopt the client-server architecture because it is accessible in a much easier way from various platforms in the networks. It is also an improvement of the functions of the user as well as presentation from the server to the client. Moreover, it leads to an improved system scalability and responsiveness to the user whereby changes can be made easily by upgrading the server. Also, the company can be able to define and access its security rights when the server is being set. The client server architecture will not only bring about the efficient when it comes to sharing of information but also in the integration of services. The client server is also easily control and ensures that there is proper management of the files and easier

My Functionality as a Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Functionality as a Leader - Essay Example It also involves me working and moving back and forth between aspects of transactional leadership and transformational leadership. Specifically, I work with the finances at a veterinarian hospital, so most of the time I rely on the use of transactional leadership. As a leader in my workplace, the context and conflict caused by diversity is a constant occurrence. Diversity can be defined in my workplace not only by race, but also by occupation, age, upbringing, etc. In order to be an effective leader, I had to learn how to integrate all of these different aspects into one cohesive unit to achieve our collective goals. Sometimes this was difficult and other times it was hard. Differences in occupation are one of the hardest ones to address because of the conflicting nature of each occupation. Some work under me with finance and we have to cooperate with nurses, physician assistants, doctors, maintenance work, etc. Under the terms of the prime minister, he calls for corporate responsibi lity of health care as well as measuring progress and outcome. In my particular area of administration this is what I focus on because it is necessary as a leader to take responsibility for ones actions as well as being aware of the progress being made by not only my department, but also by the university (Department of Health and Social Security, 1972). Because each group focuses on a different aspect of the work we do at the veterinarian university, sometimes when we are forced to work together on a multidisciplinary problem, each person focuses on solving it from his/her perspective rather than trying to find a unified solution. Also, other problems with diversity range from the decreasing of females in the workforce and the increase in males. This sexual inequality sometimes creates tension not only among individual apartments, but also among our workplace as a whole. As a leader, I have to be able to deal with these problems in diversity quickly and efficiently while using soun d judgment and making sure that we stay functional. The first important component in the scheme of diversity is understanding the protocol and policies in which the nature of my work focuses on. The healthcare world is constantly updating and changing. As a leader, it is my responsibility to be adaptable and get these changes out to my subordinates so they are completely informed when they are dealing with their work. This also includes being aware of policies that are not only made by national standards, but also by our work center. By being proactively involved in the creation of better and more incorporating policies, differences in diversity as well as making work more efficient and effective can result (Hughes, 2005). In addition to being adaptable, the nature of my work requires me to be proactive in change. This occurs by me using my political and social influences and knowledge in order to shape policy (Thomas et al., 2004). This requires me to have knowledge of how to know what policies I want to effect as well as the tactics to go about doing it as well as who it will effect (Antrobus et al., 2009). This requires knowing what my vision of my department is and trying to influence it in such a way that I will see the desired changes. While diversity can promote development within the workplace, sometimes it can hinder it was well. In particular, my role as a manager at a clinical hospital often relies on the interaction with not only my staff, but that of others as well. For example, once I had a problem dealing with the payment of insurance for a patient’s pet that was checked in for surgery. This required communication and understanding not only within the hospital as far as clinical staff, but also with the

In relating to the surrounding culture in a post-Christendom world, Essay

In relating to the surrounding culture in a post-Christendom world, what lessons should the Church learn from the pre-Constanti - Essay Example In the twenty-first century the broadly Christian basis of society has given way to something much more diffuse. In particular the absence of a Christian values to underpin governmental regimes is resulting in an increasing number of potential conflicts between Church and State, and suggests that the Church needs to find ways of adapting to a new role outside the main value system of the majority of people. This paper examines the situation of the pre-Constantinian early Church and the way it related to the cultures surrounding it. The Church’s early relationship with Jewish, Roman and Greek culture is examined, and experiences gathered in this pre-Constantinian period are applied to the contemporary situation of the Church, showing that in terms of identity, ethnic relations, attitudes to war, social customs and political engagement, the modern Church has much to learn from its own earlier history. In modern times, as in pre-Constantinian times, Christianity is not the accept ed â€Å"norm†, and its doctrines are not perceived as the core values of society at large. Instead of sustaining and promoting a stable Church/State symbiosis, which we see in the post-Constantinian conceptof â€Å"Christendom†, the Church finds itself on all fronts in danger of entering into conflict through contamination from and resistance to the surrounding cultures. The implications of isolation from the dominant norms are perhaps most significant in the area of evangelism. In pre-Constantinian times, as in present time, any Christian outreach work must start from an assumption that people will require intensive mentoring, apprenticeship and instruction in even the most basic doctrines.1 Nothing can be taken for granted, in terms of factual knowledge or moral training in the family, and the position of outsider that the modern Church occupies means that it must find ways of operating that help to clarify, define and maintain its position in relation to a somewhat hostile environment . The first lesson that the modern Church must learn from this earlier stage in its history is therefore to revisit and re-emphasize its core message through teaching of basic Christian facts and principles. One aspect of early Church history which has perhaps been underplayed by later commentators is the extent to which it harmonized with the cultures around it in the very beginning. An important factor in its first spurt of growth was its focus in cosmopolitan centres, where a multitude of different cultures co-existed with each other without any problem: â€Å"Absorption and adaptation were to mark the progress of the church both in east and west so long as it remained predominantly urban.†2 The trading cities of the Mediterranean were a melting pot for different races but also for different ideas, and the fledgling church took advantage of this relative freedom to develop its structures and systems, often taking selected elements from different cultur al groups around them. Celebration of the Jewish Sabbath, for example, was a custom that was adapted for Christian use but was clearly borrowed from the Jewish tradition. Much of the rhetoric and some philosophical texts for exposition and teaching were borrowed freely

Philadelphia Art Museum Experience Research Paper

Philadelphia Art Museum Experience - Research Paper Example Once you have battled the line in, the first thing that strikes you immediately upon entering the main foyer is the beautiful statue of Diana reflecting majestically off of the highly polished sweeping marble staircases that lead to the many wings of the museum. Classical influence is clearly obvious in the aesthetic feel, but Diana’s long, lean physique and athletic build mark her as a creation of a more modern age. Augustus Saint-Gauden fashioned â€Å"Diana† out of copper sheets in 1894. Originally, the goddess was gilded, and wore draperies that floated on the wind. She was the highest point in New York City, when she served her original purpose as the weathervane of the second Madison Square Garden building in New York City. The first NYC statue to be lit by electricity at night, â€Å"Diana† was a city landmark until 1925, when the structure was demolished, and the sculpture acquired by the Philadelphia Art Museum. (Saint-Gaudens, 1894) When which artworks I would like to focus on, at first it seemed rather difficult. Art, by its very nature, is subject in evaluation to individual preference. The core of individual preference is that which you think is good. Since what you think is good is automatically going to be whatever it is you like, and conversely, whatever you like will automatically be deemed by you to be â€Å"Good Art†. Since â€Å"Good Art† is inherently subject to the lens of individual preference, and what a person prefers will automatically be that which they enjoy, then consequently â€Å"Good Art† will always lean inherently toward things that will be in line with your personal preferences. Since the definition of â€Å"Good Art† is to be accepted as something that you like, and would likely enjoy owning as a result, if the Philadelphia Art Museum were my personal IKEA, these are the items that I would like to take home.

Business Management and Personal Skills Assignment

Business Management and Personal Skills - Assignment Example Academic writing involves putting together information from literature, including journals, books, websites, periodicals, reports and other, in a synchronized and organized manner and offer originality of thought to support the thesis. Referencing these sources in the correct manner as per the required citation style (APA, Harvard, MLA, and Chicago etc.) is quintessential to support the argument being made. Counterarguments also need to be offered to ensure that the author is well aware of both sides of the argument which enhances the validity of these arguments.   However, mere paraphrasing of authors’ ideas and putting them together without synchronizing them will result in a ‘patchwork’ and not an essay or a report. It is, therefore, critical to link the ideas with each other to ensure a coherent meaning is conveyed. Although I had strong skills as far as finance and accounting were concerned, my creative writing skills needed refinement as was indicated by m y instructors in their feedback. I found it increasingly difficult to organize my free-flowing thoughts into a structure and develop a flow throughout my piece of writing. According to Barrass, after scanning through the index to check whether the book is relevant or not it is useful to skim through the text to gather the main ideas. Following this pattern, I took notes after my ‘second’ reading of the text and tried reconstructing outline for the topic. This allowed me to organize my thoughts in a better way.... cluding journals, books, websites, periodicals, reports and other, in a synchronized and organized manner and offer originality of thought to support the thesis. Referencing these sources in the correct manner as per the required citation style (APA, Harvard, MLA, and Chicago etc.) is quintessential to support the argument being made (Tissington et al., 2009). Counterarguments also need to be offered to ensure that the author is well aware of both sides of the argument which enhances the validity of these arguments (Neville, 2010) (Anderson, 2010). However, mere paraphrasing of authors’ ideas and putting them together without synchronizing them will result in a ‘patchwork’ and not an essay or a report (Bovee et al., 2008). It is, therefore, critical to link the ideas with each other to ensure a coherent meaning is conveyed. Although I had strong skills as far as finance and accounting were concerned, my creative writing skills needed refinement as was indicated by my instructors in their feedback. I found it increasingly difficult to organize my free flowing thoughts into a structure and develop a flow throughout my piece of writing. According to Barrass, after scanning through the index to check whether the book is relevant or not it is useful to skim through the text to gather the main ideas (Barrass, 1996). Following this pattern, I took notes after my ‘second’ reading of the text and tried reconstructing outline for the topic. This allowed me to organize my thoughts in a better way. During my study, however, I was exposed to the concept of group studies which is something that has been reinforced by my learning on team dynamics and team working in organisations. Theory suggests the significance of learning through teams (Hills, 2001). However, my

Removal of junk foods from vending machines Research Paper

Removal of junk foods from vending machines - Research Paper Example This paper aims to discuss concerns related to the junk food being delivered with the aid of vending machines. Many people find these junk food stuff like pizza, burger and french-fries tastier and easier to eat than the regular meal. They are getting more fame, especially with kids from school ages as they easily get fantasized by the appearance and taste of these junk food items and start avoiding the healthy food to get some of the junk food. Most of the schools and colleges have junk food items in their cafeteria and vending machines that allow students to choose between the home-cooked food and junk food. The vending machines are not just restricted to schools and colleges, but now they can be found at shopping malls and cinemas, where people cannot bring any eatables or water along with them and therefore, they are not left with any option but to consume junk food only (JimB, 2011). To me, this is another one of the unhealthy habits that people have adopted, without realizing w hat price they might have to pay for it. Therefore, my opinion is that this new trend of increased consumption of junk foods rather than nutritional food items, and soft drinks instead of water should be discouraged, as it certainly has an adverse impact on one’s life, both physically and socially. ... evealed that not only heart diseases but also lack of energy, depression, and lowering of one’s I.Q are some of the adverse effects caused by consuming high amount of junk foods in the daily lives (JimB, 2011). Also, soft drinks that are now mostly part of every day’s meal can effect one’s health badly due to the high proportion of carbonated soda in them that softens the tooth enamel gradually and could result in inner tooth damage over the period of regular consumption (Keefer, 2011). Not only this, but the fast food trend has also eliminated the element of eating together to a great extent. A family having more home-cooked food typically sits together and shares their day’s experience and other things on the dinner table, but as these junk foods have eliminated the need of sitting and eating, the tradition of a combined meal has also started to fade. The government should see this issue as a matter of concern, and should come up with measures to reduce consumption of junk foods. One thing that can be done in this regard is to remove these junk food items from the vending machines. This could result in a profound decrement in the schools and cinemas revenue however, for the sake of people’s health it is not something which is too much to ask for. A practice carried out by the California High Schools to remove junk food items from schools’ canteens, resulted in lowering of the calorie intake of their schools students in comparison to other state students (O'Connor, 2012). This makes it clear that other than just the potato chips, there are several other junk foods too that people consume daily from the vending machines, thus adding a significant amount to their fat and calories levels. Another disadvantage of this is that serving junk foods to school kids

Journal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Journal - Research Paper Example 114). An exclusive characteristic of the multilingual creation was carrying out a sequence of expertise workgroups with practitioners and scholars across the United States of America. The main objective of the sessions was to attain a sense of what practitioners and scholars viewed as promising and effective activities. According to Rhian, Pauline, Paramjit and Sheila, they made use of these groups to assist them in explaining what the field is viewed; recurring issues in given directions. The contribution reinforced the validity of the understanding that surfaced and gave a significant connecting amid practice and study. A number of varying sources of data is made use of so as to advance and also substantiate study interpretations (Loudon, Anderson, Gill, & Greenfield, 1999, p. 99). Conscious comparison of disparate researches with divergent results is contrasted in order to assist in enhancing and refine scholar explanations. Critical entertaining of adversary theories are not simply supposed to be disclose to adversary theories (Slavin, 2005, p. 247). Scholars are also supposed to look for adversary explanations and try to comprehend the foundation for these explanations. In a multilingual production, scholars assess the techniques and findings of an offered combination of records and make use of demanding qualitative processes to review the diverse literatures. The steady-relative technique of negotiating information sources to advance and refine clarifications. Ganschow, L. and Sparks, R. Effects of Direct Instruction in Spanish Phonology on the Native- Language Skills and Foreign-Language Aptitude of At-Risk Foreign-Language Learners. J Learn Disabil February 1995 vol. 28 no. 2 107-120 Loudon, R. F., Anderson, P. M., Gill, P. S. and Greenfield, S. M. (1999). Educating Medical Students for Work in Culturally Diverse Societies. The journal of the American medical association. September 1, 1999, Vol 282, No.

Thinking in the workplace Essay Example for Free

Thinking in the workplace Essay Preparation for a career or vocation does not just begin during a school’s admissions examinations. It starts right when a child embarks on the road to learning in general. The whole of one’s life is going to be poured into various experiences a person may encounter. Such is a typical academic life, a life that Chris faces daily. ~ Identify five of Chris’ greatest challenges as his classes begin. Pursuing an education is an investment for the individual and his family. It is primarily financial, but more than that it includes the entire life of the person. He is preparing for life hence, all of his resources, be they emotional or mental, spiritual and moral, are involved in the whole process. The challenges a person like Chris will encounter as he enters the higher academic life includes financial capability especially with increasing tuition costs, balancing academics and social life as well as other extracurricular activities, and maintaining good health while experiencing various stressors typically met by students right through their academics. ~ Devise a five step plan for Chris to better manage his time. It entails the following procedure: a.) a statement of goals and objectives; b.) know and record your priorities; c.) use a calendar and a guide from which you monitor your schedules, commitments and responsibilities; d.) do evaluation regularly to know where you are deficient and make up for lost time; e.) be accountable to someone who will help you achieve your goals by managing your time (â€Å"Time management,† 2007). ~ Research different learning styles, and based on what you know about Chris, make a recommendation to Chris on what may work best from these options: three senses (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic), two reasoning types (deductive and inductive), and two environments (intrapersonal and interpersonal).   Chris is probably the type who is very kinesthetic; hence he must discover his strengths and weaknesses which may affect his approach and attitude towards learning. He usually derives comprehension when he starts from the general to specific (deductive). He is apt to bloom in an interpersonal kind of environment. Thus, Chris ought to tailor his needs to the kind of profession he will be preparing himself to get into. This is the kind of work where his liking for people to people interactions is expected to happen, where he can convey his global reasoning powers (â€Å"What type of learner are you?† 2002). ~ Identify three ways that Chris’ thinking can be improved. He must know how to analyze claims, the falsity or fallacies that other people argue against other people’s knowledge also. He has to learn skills like how to take notes, use dictionaries and other tools, develop quality study habits, get rest as often as he can, especially when schedules are inevitably confusing (Harris, 1998). ~ Recommend top five priorities for this weekend’s activities that Chris can find opportunity to do all that has to be done while still having some fun as well. Chris can do that even though he could be one of the busiest people around. Study or skim through all notes that he has taken, schedule a game of badminton with friends, or go swimming, review schedule regularly, forget the coming busy days and instead, to relax and put all worries aside (â€Å"How to have fun while studying†). Reference: 1. â€Å"Time management.† Study guides and strategies. Accessed July 20, 2007 http://www.studygs.net/index.htm 2. Harris, Robert. 1998. Introduction to creative thinking. Virtual Salt. Accessed July 20, 2007. http://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook1.htm 3. â€Å"How to have fun while studying.† Wikihow. Accessed July 20, 2007. http://www.wikihow.com/Have-Fun-While-Studying 4. â€Å"What type of learner are you?† Thinking and learning styles.† 2002. Accessed July 21, 2007. http://www.new-oceans.co.uk/new/education/learnstyles.htm

Leadership And Management Are Complex Nursing Essay

Leadership And Management Are Complex Nursing Essay Introduction Leadership and management are complex, inter-related concepts, and are essential for health services delivery, reform and administration. Both can be viewed as activities within organisation rather than as functions of specific job roles (Story, 2004; Mullins, 2007). A manager is a member of a specific professional group who manages resources and activities, establishing rules and procedures; and usually has clearly defined subordinates (Northhouse, 2010). A leader is someone, irrespective of professional background and level within an organisation, who build teams and coalitions, and has influence over other people (Rocchiccoli and Tilbury, 1998; Northhouse, 2010). Within the National Health Service (NHS) management require influence rather than giving orders, hence there is a need for effective leaders (Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry,1991; IIes and Sutherland, 2001; Jones, 2007) ). Effective leaders are those who possess the ability to influence motivate and enable others to contr ibute toward the effectiveness and success of the organisation of which they are members (Mullins, 2007; Chism, 2010; Northhouse, 2010). The role of leaders in the NHS is to improve patients care, treatment and experience; promote a healthier population; and enhance the NHSs reputation as a well-managed and accountable organisation as well as motivate and develop staff (Hartley and Benington, 2010). Poor leadership styles, with an increased pressure at work, and enforced change, creates dissatisfaction and low morale among staff, which may lead to crisis (Reed, 1995; Oliver, 2007; Mullins, 2007). It is the intention of this essay to highlight the importance of leadership and change management theories to understand and solve contemporary management issues. It will present and critically analysing in the light of theory the management crisis that stroke Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust between 2005 and 2008, as reported by Alberti (2009) and Thomà © (2009). The Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust Case The Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust (MSFT) is a small to medium-sized trust that serves a semi-rural population (Alberti, 2009). During the summer and autumn of 2007, while analysing mortality in England, the Healthcare Commission became aware of consistently higher rates of mortality for specific conditions at the Trust (Healthcare Commission, 2009). When carrying out detailed examination, the Commission found that, mortality appeared to be concentrated on those admitted as emergencies. The reasons for the failing at the Trust, as explained by the Commission are the existences of deficiencies at virtually every stage of the pathway of emergency care (Healthcare Commission, 2009). The overall mortality rate had indeed been comparatively high for several years as shown by Dr Fosters Hospital Guide (Alberti, 2009). As a result, the government appointed Professor Sir George Albert and Doctor David Colin Thomà ©, to investigate the problem and suggest solutions. It can be said that, the MSFT has suffered from many leadership and management issues, which eventually affect the quality of care provided to patients. The reports by Alberti (2009) and Thomà © (2009) identified many issues that escalate the situation at MSFT and offer recommendations on how to manage them. These include the lack of effective clinical leadership; poor use of data and information evident in the lack of action from the concerned Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and Primary Care Trust (PCT) in relation to the increased mortality rate at the hospital, as reported during 2007 by the Hospital Standardized Mortality Rate (HSMR) data; and poor governance and clarity of accountability of all the different organisation in the system. The MSFT crisis is used here as a case study, because I have no work based experience; and for the purpose of this analysis, the above mentioned issues will be examined in relation to leadership and change management theories, with brief highlight of inter-organisa tion collaboration approach.. Leadership and change management theories Hellriegel et al. (1998) suggest that behaviour within an organization may be explained by viewing the organization as an iceberg. Their assumption is What sinks ships isnt always what sailors can see but what they cant see. Similarly, what cause problem for organizations is not what managers can see, but what they cannot see. The organisation Iceberg is based on the assumption that most of the internal factors affecting an organization are invisible, refer to as (covert) but affect the behavioural of individuals involved, such as attitudes, communication patterns, informal team processes, personality, conflict and political behaviour. While formal aspects refers to as (Overt) can be observed from all level, that include physical facilities, rules and regulations, customers and organisation designs The iceberg model relates directly to Paton (2000) who describe organisations are made of complex components that all influence the overall system. In relation to MSFT this model describe the relationship between the PCTs, SHAs and MSFT and how they work together. The Organisation Iceberg highlights that there are many factors within an organisation service that cannot always be seen and cause many problems in reality, which in the case of MSFT could be the shortage of staff, which affects the communication between employees; and lack of time to complete routine duties effectively. Change is inevitable in both organisational and social life, it is a pervasive influence and everyone is subject to continual change in one form or another (Mullins, 2007). Within organisations change is seen as a constant feature, and the ability to manage it, is seen as a core competence of successful organisations (Burnes, 2004). Paton and McCalman (2000) describes an organisation as a system of organised assembly of components, which are related in a way that the behaviour of any individual component will influence the overall status of the system. Organisational change can be initiated deliberately by managers or it can be evolve slowly (Mullins, 2007). In both situation, change can occur because of many reasons, sometimes refers to as triggers, which can be internal or external. Triggers can be due to an increased patient and public expectations, changing technologies, government legislation, competitor, supply change activities, an acquisition or merger (Paton and McCalman, 20 00). In the case of the MSFT, the triggers have been external, and involve the need to response to government legislation, social pressure and the inquiry. Nevertheless, change can be planned, implemented and seen; approaches to change management include: Lewins Force Field Model, Group Dynamic, Action Research and Three-Step model The Force Field Model (Lewin, 1951 cited by Iles and Sutherland, 2001), describe factors that can encourage change and the forces that can create resistance, during the transition state. Lewins theory can be related the MSFT as there were driven forces such as economic reasons and the need to increase customer care that lead to the establishment of the PCT and SHA. Yet there are resisting forces such as poor communication during the transition periods of PCT and SHA, and the lack of professional responsibility from the clinicians and other members of the hospitals staff. Alberti (2009) illustrated in his report that, the trust application for Foundation Trust status led to major saving being required. This financial savings was one of the driving forces that encouraged change. This in turn led to a major fall in clinical staffing, which suggested to be a resisting forces that lead to the deterioration of patient care. As suggested by Lucas and Lloyd (2005) change may bring the about resistance, even though the change can be positive. Change is not a straight forward process, whenever an organisation imposes new things on people, there will be difficulties. Thus, participation involvement and open, early, full communication are essential factors (www.bussinessballs.com). Lewin described an organisation as systems that are held in a steady state or equilibrium by equal forces (King and Anderson, 2002). These forces are the driving forces and the resisting force. When change is proposed it is important to minimise those resisting force first; any premature increase in driving forces for a change will be met with an equal opposite increase in resisting forces (King and Anderson, 2002). It is therefore necessary to reduce the resisting forces through consultation and participation in the change process. Once the resisting forces have been minimised the driving forces can be increased, shifting the equilibrium to the desire state .Within the MSFT, tackling resistanc e to change should have been a priority, given the circumstances and events that occurred. Resistance to change can be in many forms, these can be at an individual level or organisational level, and often difficult to pinpoint the causes. Mullins (2007) suggested that individual resistance may be due to habit, inconvenient or loss of freedom, security in the past and economic implication. Similarly, King and Anderson (2002) argued that individuals may resist simply because change represents a more move into the unknown. Examples of security in the past causing resistance can be seen at MSFT and the surgical words, in the past surgical patients were admitted to the emergency accident unit (EAU), this was found to be of unsatisfactory level leading to opening of a temporary small surgical assessment unit. This unit was found to be successful; however has no been closed, despite its success. Resistance to change and the feeling of security in the past admission procedures allowed a suc cessful change to be closed. Group Dynamic is another a approach to change, Lewin was the first psychologist to write about group Group Dynamic and the importance of the group in shaping the behaviour of its all members (Burnes, 2009). Lewin developed of this concept by addressing two questions. First, what is about the nature and characteristics of particular group that cause it to respond, as it does to the forces which trench on it? Second, how these forces be changed in order to elicit a more desirable form of behaviour? Group Dynamic stresses that, group behaviour, rather than that of individuals, should be the main focus of change (Hayes, 2007; Burnes, 2009). Lewin maintain that it is fruitless to concentrate on changing the behaviour of individuals because the individual in isolation is constrained by group pressure to conform. Consequently the focus of change, must be at the group level and should concentrate on factors such as group norms, roles, interactions and socialization processes to create diseq uilibrium and change (Hayes, 2007) Lewin recognized that, there is need to study and understanding the internal dynamics of groups, such as the different roles people play and how groups need to change over time. However, for him this understanding was not sufficient by itself to bring about change (Burnes, 2009). Lewin also recognized the need to provide a process whereby group members could be engaged in and committed to changing their behaviour. This led Lewin to develop Action Research and the Three-Step model. Action Research Lewin conceived of Action Research as a two-pronged process which would allow groups to address these three questions. Firstly, it emphasizes that change require actions, and is directed at achieving this. Secondly, it recognizes that successful action is based on analyzing the situation correctly, identifying all the possible alternative solutions and choosing the one most appropriate to the situation at hand ( Hayes, 2007). To be successful, though, there has also to be a felt-need. Felt need is an individuals inner realization that change is necessary. If felt-need is low in the group or organisation, introducing change becomes a problematic (Burnes, 2009) Three-Step model is programme of planned change and improved performance, this model is developed by Lewin, to assist with change. It involves the management of a three-stage process of behavior modification: unfreezing, movement and refreezing (Mullins, 2007). Unfreezing by reduce those forces which keep behavior in its current form, recognition of the need for change and improvement to take place. Lewin believed that the stability of human behaviour was based on a quasi-stationary equilibrium supported by a complex field of driving and resisting forces, thus the equilibrium needs to be destabilized before old behaviour can be discarded and new behaviour successfully adopted (Burnes, 2009). Movement, this step shifts the behavior of organisation to a new level; it involves the development of new attitudes or behavior and the implementation of change, Lewin recognized that, without reinforcement, change could be short-lift (Hayes, 2007; Burnes, 2009). Refreezing, this step stabilizi ng the organisation at new state of equilibrium, it is frequently accomplish through the use of supporting mechanism, for examples polices, structure or norms (Mullins, 2007). The main point about refreezing is that new behaviour must be, to some degree, congruent with the rest of the behaviour, personality and environment of the learner or it will simply lead to a new round of disconfirmation (Burnes, 2009). Clinical Leadership Effective, accountable clinical leadership at all levels of the NHS from where patients are treated and cared for right up to the board of an organisation, is another essential pre-requisite of a safe, high quality and effective service (IIes and Sutherland, 2001). In Mid Staffordshire hospital trust, this was lacking. It could also have been more effective in the PCTs and SHAs. Thomà © (2009) suggested that clinical leadership had a major role in the deterioration of patient care at MSFT. He described the visible clinical leadership as lacking in MSFT as well as in SHA and PCT. The poor leadership was observed at all levels, with clinicians failing to raise concerns about patients quality of care, and management failing to improve staff level that would have a big impact on patient quality of care. Clinical leadership may be defined as an expert clinician involved in providing direct clinical care, which influences others to improve the care they provide continuously (Cook, 1999, p. 306). Cook and Leatherhard (2004) describe five characteristics of an effective leader that can be adopted into the clinical environment to produce the best care for the patients. These include creativity by understand the situation and seeking new possibilities; highlighting through identifying new ways of care delivery; influencing by help others see and understand situations from different perspectives; respecting through well develop perceptual ability of others; and finally supporting by supporting others through change. The effective leader characteristics are link to the Trait Theory (Lord et al, 1986) which suggests that leaders have physical traits and abilities that are individual and distinguish them from others. The Trait Theory based on early studies which claim that leaders are born not made, and key characteristics and skills are inherited (Mullins, 2007). The benefit of trait approach is the ability to focus on the individual who is the leader, rather than the task of leading. This allows for analysis of the leader and their individual leadership traits, in term of effectiveness and efficiency and highlights their strength and weakness, which in turn can lead to the improvement of leadership capabilities. Being an ineffective leader in NHS can have severe consequences on the staff in the workplace, as well as patient by having psychologica l impacts that cause deterioration in patient acre and result in stressed staff. Alberti (2009) and Thomà © (2009) . It is clear that there was a distinct lack of Cook and Leathards (2004) five characteristics, that need to influence staff, implement change and be creative. According to Alberti (2009) and Thomà © (2009) reports, leaders of MSFT were very focused on a financial change and lacked creativity in many other aspects of the organisation, such as implementing change management at an individual care staff level. They show disrespect for their staff, by failing to support them and provide adequate training. Alberti (2009) and Thomà © (2009) suggest that they could provided training that would enable staff to adapt to changes in the organisation. Also, there could have been changes to the staff levels, to provide departments with the sufficient staffing, to maintain appropriate care levels. This in turn inhibit the introduction of any new care plans that could potentially i mproved the care. There was also a lack of influential staff; Thomà © (2009) commented on the lack of responsibility shown by general parishioners in the hospital, who fail to report poor quality of care , that they often observed in the clinical settings. According to Palfrey (2000) within the NHS management decisions often relate to resources or the allocation of resources, and that managing budgets and managing people require two very different functions. It is clear that the financial component of MSFT system was a priority, and the leaders in charge missed the opportunity to manage their staff and individuals well, by focusing too much on the budgets and resources (Alberti, 2009; and Thomà ©,2009). Inter -organisational collaboration Alberti (2009) review of MSFT, found that there are highly committed, acute surgeons working at the Trust but too few in each of the surgical specialties. He therefore recommended that a system of networking with neighbouring trusts to be created. Similarly, a network or board should be established for urgent and emergency care including all partners, such as the PCT, the ambulance trust, social services, the voluntary sector, pharmacies, patients and the public as well as the MSFT. In his view this could and should greatly facilitate delivery of care by the most appropriate person in the most appropriate setting in timely fashion. Partnership means learning together and works together; it is a good way of making things happen (Davies and Foley, 2007).The need to bring together, different inter-linked professionals skills has increasingly arisen in response to the complexity of health and welfare services; the expansion of knowledge and the subsequent increase in specialisation resou rces; for lessening duplication and provide a more effective, integrated and supportive services for both users and professionals (Naidoo and Wills, 2001). According to Leathard (1994) one striking feature about inter-professional work in Britain is that there has been a generally held belief that collaboration is good thing and inter-professionals teams have increasingly gained favour in recent years. However, threes has been little evidence to substantiate the view that collaboration leads to an increase in the quality of care. Similarly, Hudson et al (1999) have argued that interagency collaboration in the public sector remains very difficult, yet governments committed to it. Adams (2007) mentioned that partnership have number of strengths. First, they reassure people that cooperation and collaboration between diverse groups and organisations are possible. Second, they enable people as individuals and in groups to join forces to achieve shared goals. Finally, they are means by which agencies can work together to solve problems they cold not tackle alone. McGrath (1991) noted three advantages of inter-professionals teams working in th e field of community mental handicap. Firstly, more efficient use of staff, for example enabling specialist staff to concentrate on specialist skills and maximising the potential of a qualified staff. Secondly, effective service provision, for instance, encouraging overall service planning and goal orientation. Thirdly, creating a more satisfying, work environment, again by promoting a more relevant and supportive services. Inter-agency and inter-professionals coordination and collaboration, are not however, readily in practice (Sands et al, 1990). Inter-professionals pitfalls included conflicting professional and organisational boundaries, inequality in status and pay, and time consuming consultation (McGrath, 1991). Sweeney et al (2000) concluded that, the three reasons for failures in collaboration drawn from research are cited as being differing professional perspectives on problems; different occupational cultures and confusions over professional roles. Confidentiality and sharing information within and between agencies are other issues. It is clear that PCT, SHA and Monitor at MSFT were unsure about their involvement and responsibilities once the hospital has been awarded the Foundation Trust status, which result in neglecting patient care (Alberti, 2009; Thomà ©, 2009). Adams (2007) pointed out that it is difficult for organisation with diverse cultures and ways of working to work together. Succ essful partnerships and effective joint work between different agencies and professionals, depend on a number of conditions being fulfilled These include a willingness to share tasks, high trust between different professionals and openness and good communication. Likewise Hudson et al (1999) have developed a conceptual framework setting out some main issues that need to be considered when planning collaborative services. These include assessment of collaborative capacity, identification of a legitimate basis for collaboration, ensuring wide organisational ownership and nurturing fragile relationship. Close culture and lack of data sharing, were among the issues that caused the situation to deteriorate at MSFT; a Good understanding of multi-organisational networking, alliance and partnership principles, would have improve the communication at the trust. This in turn can improve patient flow through the hospital and ensure greater networking with neighbouring trusts. Conclusion Within the NHS management systems, a manager requires need to influence other rather than giving orders, thus they need to be an effective leaders. The Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust (MSFT) crisis was a result of poor leadership and management of staff and services (Alberti, 2009; Thomà ©, 2009). The lack of smooth organisational change management, as described by the Organisational Iceberg, affected many components of the trust. The reconfiguration of PCT and SHA was to improve the quality of care at the trust. However unstable transition and transformation of change that was caused mainly by inadequate leadership capabilities prevent a successful case of change management in this organisation. As a result the poor standard of care continued to be performed in the hospital, without any attention or plan to change. Change is a common feature s in both organisation and social life, and can be planned, implemented and seen. Lewins Force Field Model, Group Dynamic, Action Research and Three-Step models of change forming un integrated approach to analyzing, understanding and brining about change at group, organisational and societal level (Burnes, 2009). Clinical leadership in particular played important in the deterioration of patient care at the MSFT. Effective clinical leadership required creativity, highlighting, influencing, respecting and supporting (Cook and Leatherhard, 2004). Inter-professionals and partnership approach in public sectors aims to enable people to work together to achieve shared gaols. However, these approach, hindered by problems such as the conflicting professional and organisational boundaries and loyalties. Successful partnerships depend on a number of conditions being fulfilled these include a willingness to share tasks, high trust between different professionals and openness and good communication (Adams, 2007).

Love For Life Essay -- essays research papers

Raised with strict family values, I cringe to phrases like, "I can’t wait to get my children out of the house," or "As soon as my children reach 18, they are on their own." I become shocked to discover that age defines the release date in which children are no longer supported by parents. Children are the offspring to which parents give birth to in life. Regardless of the age, an individual will always be a child to one’s mother or father and should receive support until, and beyond, the age of being released into the world. Support is the assistance provided on earth. In order to live happily in this world, one must be supported or support themselves with food, a house, finance, security, approval, acceptance, and love. These, all of which are determined by Abraham H. Maslow, a well- respected psychologist, are the "hierarchy of needs." These are needs that everyone should have the ability to acquire. Unfortunately, the much needed support from many parents are being cut off too early. As a college student entering adulthood, I witness many peers facing very stressful times of their lives. At this time of their lives, a number of peers have been "released" from parental support, hoped to have been given to them until individual security was found. Instead, many peers have found themselves desperately "on their own." This early release from parental support comes at a crucial time to many, because it disrupts the need to prepare themselves completely for society. To too many of my fellow students, education and support is replaced by financial and emotional burdens. The weight of the many hardships that arrive, restricts a clear thinking mind, necessary for education and personal development. A child must have full support from the parents to gain knowledge and security in the world. Immature detachment of parental support, will result in the disturbance to acquire personal potential. Parents should think about the needs of the children and continue to support them through the many lengths and levels throughout life. We live in a complex society where love, care, advice, and assistance are of priceless value. Because living is about learning, parents should be available to their children for under... ...l become useful in this world. An uneducated and unemotionally stable individual may experience much hardship and struggle. Timeless support from parents is all that one needs to find the development of our potentials and full understanding of the world. Through parents we learn to love, to care, to find acceptance, and to protect ourselves from the physical and social environment. We learn from what is right and wrong as a child, to understanding confusing situations to life as adults. While seeking love and support as infants, adolescents, and adults, we return to our love back to our parents as they reach old age and are of need to our care and acceptance. Through timeless love and support we are brought up as responsible, caring, and competent people to society because of our well developed and mature knowledge. Only when, as a young adult, I see well-established love and support from parents to my peers, do I really see the love and appreciation felt from my peers towards the mother and/or father. This unconditional, untimed love and support are all that is necessary to breed happiness in both parent and child. Put your paper here.

Knowledge Is Power & Words Are Strong :: Teaching Teachers Education Essays

Knowledge Is Power & Words Are Strong It was the end of my junior year of high school, when the excitement of summer vanished in two seconds. All my life I have always been placed in advanced classes, until my senior year. My junior year, my English teacher took me in the hall during one of our classes. Those few seconds in the hallway echo in my brain almost everyday. Without hesitation, she began saying, "Shafali, I think it would be best if you did not take A.P. English next year. I don’t think you will make it in the class." Feeling sick to my stomach, I returned to my seat. My self-confidence in myself was shot down. Words are strong; they can be used for good as well as bad. Teachers are more than "teachers." They have the power to encourage and fulfill dreams, however they also have the power to discourage and crush dreams. I have this wonderful dream to be able to see all the uniqueness and possibilities in all children. As a teacher if I am ever placed in a similar situation as above, I hope to encourage the student’s strengths and help improve on the student’s weaknesses. I will approach teaching as an adventure and not a chore. In my class, the students will not be the only one’s learning. I will be learning as much as the students. I have a BA in Communication Arts, seeking a BS in Education with a specialization in English 5-9 and Oral Communications 9-Adult. The combination of these two degrees will enable me to take a creative approach to motivate and teach my students. I believe each student is a great student; some students just do not know how to communicate their knowledge. People communicate 85% of the day to accomplish a task, yet the education system does not encourage communication classes. Oral communications will be an essential element in my classes, whether it is role playing or giving a speech. People’s number one fear is public speaking. If I can get students to overcome this fear, their self-confidence will enable them to accomplish anything. To accomplish my goal of having a motivating and creative class, I will encourage a lot of cooperative learning. In groups, students are able to motivate each other and collect a variety of ideas. I have always received positive feedback on group projects. My experience in school when studying for a test is ending up with an entire book highlighted from beginning to end.

Family Heritage In Everyday Use Essay -- Everyday Use Alice Walker Ess

Family Heritage In Everyday Use In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," the message about the preservation of heritage, specifically African-American heritage, is very clear. It is obvious that Walker believes that a person's heritage should be a living, dynamic part of the culture from which it arose and not a frozen timepiece only to be observed from a distance. There are two main approaches to heritage preservation depicted by the characters in this story. The narrator, a middle-aged African-American woman, and her youngest daughter Maggie, are in agreement with Walker. To them, their family heritage is everything around them that is involved in their everyday lives and everything that was involved in the lives of their ancestors. To Dee, the narrator's oldest daughter, heritage is the past - something to frame or hang on the wall, a mere artistic, aesthetic reminder of her family history. Walker depicts Dee's view of family heritage as being one of confusion and lack of understanding. The differences in attitude that Dee and Maggie portray about their heritage are seen early in the story. When the family's house burned down ten or twelve years ago, Maggie was deeply affected by the tragedy of losing her home where she grew up. As her mother describes, "She has been like this, chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle, ever since the fire that burned the other house to the ground" (409). Dee, on the other hand, had hated the house. Her mother had wanted to ask her, "Why don't you dance around the ashes?" (409). Dee did not hold any significance in the home where she had grown up. In her confusion about her heritage, it was just a house to her. Another example of Dee's confusion about her own African-American heritage is expressed when she announces to her mother and sister that she has changed her name to "Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo." When her mother questions her about the change, Dee says, "I couldn't bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me" (411). According to her mother, the name has been in the family since before the Civil War and most likely represents family unity to her. However, Dee does not realize that. Apparently, she believes that by changing her name she is expressing solidarity with her African ancestors and rejecting the oppression implied by the taking on of American names by black slaves. Commenting ... ...tage" (413). That comment is somewhat ironic since it appears to be Dee who does not understand what family heritage is all about. Walker's view is very clear at the end of the story. By Dee wanting to hang the family heirloom on the wall to look at from a distance, she is alienating herself from her family heritage. That is exactly what Walker thinks is the wrong thing to do. Walker would prefer the quilts to be used and integrated into daily life, like Maggie and her mother prefer. The same idea applies to all of the other household items that Dee has her eye on: the churn top, the dasher, and the benches for the table that her daddy made. They all are a part of life for Maggie and her mother. Walker believes that the only value that they hold for Dee is that they would be good trinkets to show off in her house. By using the quilts in this symbolic way, Walker is making the point that family heirlooms can only have meaning if they remain connected to the culture they sprang from - in essence, to be put to "Everyday Use." Works Cited: Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use.† Robert DiYanni, ed. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Defects of Agriculture

DEFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL MARKETING IN INDIA Preface The term agricultural marketing is composed of two words -agriculture and marketing. Agriculture, in the broadest sense means activities aimed at the use of natural resources for human welfare, and marketing connotes a series of activities involved in moving the goods from the point of production to the point of consumption. Specification, the subject of agricultural marketing includes marketing functions, agencies, channels, efficiency and cost, price spread and market integration, producers surplus etc.The agricultural marketing system is a link between the farm and the non-farm sectors. Introduction In India Agriculture was practiced formerly on a subsistence basis; the villages were self sufficient, people exchanged their goods, and services within the village on a barter basis. With the development of means of transport and storage facilities, agriculture has become commercial in character, the farmer grows those crops that fetc h a better price.Marketing of agricultural produce is considered as an integral part of agriculture, since an agriculturist is encouraged to make more investment and to increase production. Thus there is an increasing awareness that it is not enough to produce a crop or animal product; it must be marketed as well. The importance of marketing in agriculture is very well illustrated by saying, â€Å"that a good farmer has one eye on the plough and the other on the market†.This is true when agriculture is mainly for subsistence; and now, even Indian agriculture is becoming commercialized. In these days of commercial agriculture, it will be more fit to say, â€Å"a good farmer has only his hands on the plough but the eyes on the market’ Since agriculture constitutes a major part of the economy, marketing of agricultural products also assumes considerable importance in our context. Agricultural marketing involves in its simplest form the buying and selling of agricultural produce.This definition of agricultural marketing may be accepted in olden days, when the village economy was more or less self-sufficient, when the marketing of agricultural produce presented no difficulty, as the farmer sold his produce directly to the consumer on a cash or barter basis. However, in modem times, marketing of agricultural produce is different from that of olden days. In modem marketing, agricultural produce has to undergo a series of transfers or exchanges from one hand to another before it finally reaches the consumer.The National Commission on Agriculture, defined agricultural marketing as a process which starts with a decision to produce a saleable farm commodity and it involves all aspects of market structure of system, both functional and institutional, based on technical and economic considerations and includes pre and post- harvest operations, assembling, grading, storage, transportation and distribution. The Indian council of Agricultural Research defined i nvolvement of three important functions, namely (a) assembling (concentration) (b) preparation for consumption (processing) and (c) distribution.In short, all the activities like transportation processing, storage, grading are including in the agriculture marketing. These activities are inadequate in the economy of every country. Importance and Objectives of Agriculture Marketing The farmer has realized the importance of adopting new techniques of production and is making efforts for more income and higher standards of living. As a consequence, the cropping pattern is no longer dictated by what he needs for his own personal consumption but what is responsive to the market in terms of prices received by him.While the trade is very organised the farmers are not Farmer is not conversant with the complexities of the marketing system which is becoming more and more complicated. The cultivator is handicapped by several disabilities as a seller. He sells his produce at an unfavorable place , time and price. The objectives of an efficient marketing system are: 1. to enable the primary producers to get the best possible returns, 2. to provide facilities for lifting all produce, the farmers are willing, to sell at an incentive price, 3. to reduce the price difference between the primary producer and ultimate consumer, and . to make available all products of farm origin to consumers at reasonable price without impairing on the quality of the produce. Facilities Needed for Agricultural Marketing In order to have best advantage in marketing of his agricultural produce the farmer should enjoy certain basic facilities. 1. He should have proper facilities for storing his goods. 2. He should have holding capacity, in the sense, that he should be able to wait for times when he could get better prices for his produce and not dispose of his stocks immediately after the harvest when the prices are very low. . He should have adequate and cheap transport facilities which could enable him to take his surplus produce to the mandi rather than dispose it of in the village itself to the village money-lender-cum-merchant at low prices. 4. He should have clear information regarding the market conditions as well as about the ruling prices, otherwise may be cheated. There should be organized and regulated markets where the farmer will not be cheated by the â€Å"dalals† and â€Å"arhatiyas†. 5. The number of intermediaries should be as small as possible, so that the middleman's profits are reduced.This increases! the returns to the farmers. The existing systems of agricultural marketing in India are as briefly described here. 1. Sale to moneylenders and traders A considerable part of the total produce is sold by the farmers to the village traders and moneylenders. According to an estimate 85% of wheat, 75% of oil seeds in U. P. , 90% of jute in West Bengal and 60% of wheat, 70% of oil seeds and 35% of cotton in Punjab are sold by the farmers in the village s themselves. Often the money lenders act as a commission agent of the wholesale trader. 2. Hats and shantiesHats are village markets often held once or twice a week, while shanties are also village markets held at longer intervals or on special occasions. The agents of the wholesale merchants, operating in different mandies also visit these markets. The area covered by a â€Å"hat† usually varies from 5 to 10 miles. Most of â€Å"hats† are very poorly equipped, are uncovered and lack storage, drainage, and other facilities. It is important to observe that only small and marginal farmers sell their produce in such markets. The big farmers with large surplus go to the larger wholesale markets. . Mandies or wholesale markets One wholesale market often serves a number of villages and is generally located in a city. In such mandies, business is carried on by arhatiyas. The farmers sell their produce to these arhatiyas with the help of brokers, who are generally the agents of arhatiyas. Because of the malpractices of these middlemen, problems of transporting the produce from villages to mandies, the small and marginal farmers are hesitant of coming to these mandies. The arhatiyas of these mandies sell off the produce to the retail merchants.However, paddy, cotton and oilseeds are sold off to the mills for processing. The marketing system for sugarcane is different. The farmers sell their produce directly to the sugar mills. Defects of agricultural marketing in India Indian system of agricultural marketing suffers from a number of defects. As a consequence, the Indian farmer is deprived ‘of a fair price for his produce. The main defects of the agricultural marketing system are discussed here. 1. Improper warehouses There is an absence of proper ware housing facilities in the villages.Therefore, the farmer is compelled to store his products in pits, mud-vessels, â€Å"Kutcha† storehouses, etc. These unscientific methods of storing lead to c onsiderable wastage. Approximately 1. 5% of the produce gets rotten and becomes unfit for human consumption. Due to this reason supply in the village market increases substantially and the farmers are not able to get a fair price for their produce. The setting up of Central Warehousing Corporation and State Warehousing Corporation has improved the situation to some extent 2. Lack of grading and standardizationDifferent varieties of agricultural produce are not graded properly. The practice usually prevalent is the one known as â€Å"dara† sales wherein heap of all qualities of produce are sold in one common lot Thus the farmer producing better qualities is not assured of a better price. Hence there is no incentive to use better seeds and produce better varieties. 3. Inadequate transport facilities Transport facilities are highly inadequate in India. Only a small number of villages are joined by railways and pucca roads to mandies. Produce has to be carried on slow moving tran sport vehicles like bullock carts.Obviously such means of transport cannot be used to carry produce to far-off places and the farmer has to dump his produce in nearby markets even if the price obtained in these markets is considerably low. This is even more true with perishable commodities. 4. Presence of a large number of middlemen The chain of middlemen in the agricultural marketing is so large that the share of farmers is reduced substantially. For instance, a study of D. D. Sidhan revealed, that farmers obtain only about 53% of the price of rice, 31% being the share of middle men (the remaining 16% being the marketing cost).In the case of vegetables and fruits the share was even less, 39% in the former case and 34% in the latter. The share of middle- men in the case of vegetables was 29. 5% and in the case of fruits was 46. 5%. Some of the intermediaries in the agricultural marketing system are -village traders, Kutcha arhatiyas, pucca arhatiyas, brokers, wholesalers, retailers, money lenders, etc. 5. Malpractices in unregulated markets Even now the number of unregulated markets in the country is substantially large. Arhatiyas and brokers, taking advantage of the ignorance, and illiteracy of the farmers, use unfair means to cheat them.The farmers are required to pay arhat (pledging charge) to the arhatiyas, â€Å"tulaii† (weight charge) for weighing the produce, â€Å"palledari† to unload the bullock-carts and for doing other miscellaneous types of allied works, â€Å"garda† for impurities in the produce, and a number of other undefined and unspecified charges. Another malpractice in the mandies relates to the use of wrong weights and measures in the regulated markets. Wrong weights continue to be used in some unregulated markets with the object of cheating the farmers. 6. Inadequate market informationIt is often not possible for the farmers to obtain information on exact market prices in different markets. So, they accept, whatever pr ice the traders offer to them. With a view to tackle this problem the government is using the radio and television media to broadcast market prices regularly. The news papers also keep the farmers posted with the latest changes in prices. however the price quotations are sometimes not reliable and sometimes have a great time-lag. The trader generally offers less than the price quoted by the government news media. 7. Inadequate credit facilitiesIndian farmer, being poor, tries to sell off the produce immediately after the crop is harvested though prices at that time are very low. The safeguard of the farmer from such â€Å"forced sales† is to provide him credit so that he can wait for better times and better prices. Since such credit facilities are not available, the farmers are forced to take loans from money lenders, while agreeing to pledge their produce to them at less than market prices. The co-operative marketing societies have generally catered to the needs of the large farmers and the small farmers are left at the mercy of the money lenders.Thus it is not possible to view the present agricultural marketing system in India in isolation of (and separated from) the land relations. The regulation of markets broadcasting of prices by All India Radio, improvements in transport system, etc. , have undoubtedly benefited the capitalist farmers, and they are now in a better position to obtain favourable prices for their â€Å"market produce† but the above mentioned changes have not benefited the small and marginal farmers to any great extent. 8. Poor Quality of ProductFarmer is not using the improved seeds and fertilizers so quality of production is very poor and its prices are low in the market. 9. Problems of Produce Collection The collection of produce from small farmers is very expensive and a difficult process. It is a great problem for the efficient marketing. 10. Lack of standard weights and measures Sometimes weight and measures are not same . So a farmer suffers a loss at the time of buying selling of his product. MEASURE TO IMPROVE THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETINGGovernment of India has adopted a number of measures to improve agricultural marketing, the important ones being – establishment of regulated markets, construction of warehouses, provision for grading, and standarization of produce, standarisation of weight and measures, daily broadcasting of market prices of agricultural crops on All India Radio, improvement of transport facilities, etc. 1. Marketing surveys In the first place the government has undertaken marketing surveys of various goods and has published these surveys.These surveys have brought out the various problems connected with the marketing of goods and have made suggestions for their removal. 2. Improved Transport Facilities The government should increase the road facilities and rural areas should be linked with the markets. It will enable the farmer to sell his product in the market directly i n the hands of consumers. 3. Increase in the Credit Facilities The government should increase the credit facilities to the small farmers. No doubt all the commercial banks are providing this facility to the farmers but still it is not sufficient. . Increase in Storage Facility The government should provide loan to the framer for storage facilities. The government should also construct the stores to keep the stocks of various goods. 5. Market Reforms The government should improve the market system in the country. Market committee should be reorganized. Markets inspectors should check the prices of agricultural products. The strict laws should be introduced. 6. New Markets The government should build the new markets near the producing centers. It will enable the farmer to get proper reward. 7. Cold StorageThis i an important part of organized markets. These are very useful for the perishable goods like fruits and vegetable. The government should expand the scope of cold storage. 8. Ma rket Information Market demand and supply condition can be provided to the framers through radio, T. V and newspaper. The government should also pay special attention to this side. 9. Grading of Product There are various agencies which are busy in grading agricultural product. There is a need to expand these organizations for effective of marketing system, 10. Government purchases and fixation of support pricesIn addition to the measures mentioned above, the Government also announces minimum support price for various agricultural commodities from time to time in a bid to ensure fair returns to the farmers. These prices are fixed in accordance with the recommendations of the Agricultural ,Price Commission. If the prices start falling below the declared level (say, as a result of glut in the market), the Government agencies like the Food Corporation of India intervene in the market to make direct purchase from the farmers at the support prices. These purchases are sold off by the Gove rnment at reasonable price through the public distribution systemIdeal Marketing System The ideal marketing system is one that maximizes the long run welfare of society. To do this, it must be physically efficient, otherwise the same output could be produced with fewer resources, and it must be electively efficient, otherwise a change in allocation could increase the total welfare and where income distribution is not a consideration. For maximum physical efficiency, such basic physical functions as transportation, storage, and processing should be carried on in such a way so as to achieve the highest output per unit of cost incurred on them.Similarly an ideal marketing system must allocate agricultural products in time, space and form to intermediaries and consumers in such proportions and at such prices as to ensure that no other allocation would make consumers better off. To achieve this condition, prices throughout the marketing system must be efficient and must at the same time be equal to the marginal costs of production and marginal consumer utility. The following characteristics should exist in a good marketing system. 1. There should not be any government interference in free and market transactions.The method of intervention include, restrictions on food grain movements, restrictions on the quantity to be processed, or on the construction of processing plant, price supports, rationing, price ceiling, entry of persons in the trade, etc. When these conditions are violated, the inefficiency in the market system creeps in and commodities pass into the black market. They are not then easily available at the fair prices. 2. The marketing system should operate on the basis of the independent, but systematic and orderly, decisions of the millions of the individual consumer and producers whose lives are affected by it. . The marketing system should be capable of developing into an intricate and far-flung marketing systems in view of the rapid development of th e urban industrial economy. 4. The marketing system should bring demand and supply together and should establish an equilibrium between the two. Conclusion A good marketing system is one, where the farmer is assured of a fair price for his produce and this can happen only when the following conditions are obtained. 1. The number of intermediaries between the farmer and the consumer should be small; 2.The farmer has proper storing facilities so that he is not compelled to indulge in distress sales, 3. Efficient transport facilities are available, 4. The malpractices of middlemen are regulated, 5. Farmers are freed from the clutches of village moneylenders and 6. Regular market information is provided to the farmer. The two institutions: co-operative marketing societies and regulated markets, together can assure, the presence of all these conditions. Accordingly if cooperative marketing societies are developed on the lines indicated above (along with regulated markets), the Indian agr icultural marketing system can be considerably improved.

Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason from “Jane Eyre” Essay

I bent forward: first surprise, then bewilderment, came over methis was not Sophie, it was not Leah The shape standing before me had never crossed my eyes within the precincts of Thornfield Hall beforeIts seemed, sir, a woman, tall and largeIt was a discoloured face—it was a savage face. I wish I could forget the roll of the red eyesthe lips were swelled and darkShall I tell you of what it reminded me? †¦the vampire. If a person were to read this quote for the first time, his instinct would be of a stereotypical mystery or even horror book. But in fact, this comes from Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte, with a plot nothing like what one might think from this passage. This shows that no matter what the plot of story is; in this case two peoples journey to find love, there is some mystery that keeps the reader guessing. Jane experiences several of Berthas crazy escapes from the attic, but is completely unaware of who or what she is. This lack of knowledge of Janes brings in a sense of suspense and terror to the plot. Without this fear that Berthas character creates in Janes life, the story would just be another tale of love. Jane becomes more curious about the mystery hidden deep in Thornfield Hall and begins to think the person causing the mayhem is Grace Poole. The dread of Bertha produces a dark cloud over Thornfield, symbolizing the secrets kept by its residents, specifically Mr. Rochester. Bertha is a metaphor for Janes subconscious feeling of rage. Jane loves Rochester, but she still fears the binds that the marriage will bring. Jane never acts out on this anger or fear, but Bertha does. Bertha ripping Janes wedding veil symbolizes a secret feeling of Janes that the marriage should not go on. Jane leaves Thornfield, feeling it is now a place of imprisonment or inferiority. While she is away, Bertha burns down Thornfield, expressing what Jane could only feel and not carry out. Bertha is also an antithesis with Jane. They are compared to show the contrast of both. Before the reader even know who Bertha is, it is clear the she has savage-like qualities that bring out Janes righteousness and kindness. This gives the reader more understanding into Janes character. As the story continues and Rochesters past containing Bertha is identified,  similarities between Jane and Bertha are observed. They are both symbols of the socially imprisoned Victorian women. One example is their unattractiveness in the Victorian era. Bertha becomes ugly from her insanity, showing that women, including Jane, were somehow confined due to their lack of beauty. The presence of Bertha Mason in the plot strengthens the readers desire to keep reading and discover who the vampire is. Berthas mystery also strengthens Janes and Rochesters relationship and creates a perfect climax to one of the most read stories of the nineteenth century.

The Only Crime Is Pride

â€Å"The only crime is pride† is a true statement. Multitudes of people take much pride in numerous things some being: their job, family, political views, hometowns even in their favorite sports team. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, the protagonist, Antigone, wants to give her brother Polynecies the same honorable burial given to her other brother Eteocles. Creon, The ruler of Thebes, makes it very obvious to all the citizens that they are not to attempt to bury his nephew or they will be stoned to death.Antigone deliberately defies her uncle Creon to get her wish and receives punishment as she should for breaking the laws. Subsequent to the sentry bringing Antigone in for her illegal actions, Creon’s niece does not deny anything saying that she had to do it. The ruler of Thebes was appalled that she would ever commit such a crime. This discovery prompts the Choragos to say, â€Å"Like father, like daughter: both headstrong, deaf to reason! She has never learned to yield. † Showing that pride clouds her judgment and directly goes against her uncle and his laws to give Polynecies the honorable burial he deserved.Antigone knew that this crime was punishable by death but her pride would not let her oversee leaving her dead brother unburied like many of the other soldiers and open for the birds and dogs to eat. Oedipus’ daughter was so involved in doing the right thing that she to take her own life in the process. She says, â€Å"If I had left my brother lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. Now I do not. † This further exemplifies that she cares more about the pride of her family rather than her own life.Had Antigone obeyed the laws put in place by her uncle, she would not have been forced to die. Instead she could have gone on living a noble life in the city of Thebes. Creon’s pride effects many of the decisions that he makes as a ruler. His dignity makes all the decisions very biased, including in scene 3 when he is arguing with his son Haimon. His son tells him that, â€Å"In flood time you can see how some trees bend and because they bend, even their twigs are safe, while stubborn trees are town up roots, and all. He, is telling Creon if he insists with being so stubborn with sticking to what his pride tells him to do; he will corrupt himself and many other who are in his life. Although Creon’s son is much younger he is wiser than his father even if Creon would never admit it. The king of Thebes was told many times that since Antigone is his family that he should not punish his niece, another reason people tell him he should release her is that she is a female. Despite these reasons Creon says that he would look weak to the citizens of Thebes if a girl was able to get away with such a felony.His level of self-esteem would also diminish if he had let Antigone get away with this illegal act. Haimon is not the only one who tells Creon he needs to change his way. The blind prop het Teiresias tells Creon, â€Å"Think: all men make mistakes, But a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, And repairs the evil: The only Crime is pride. † Creon's pride made Antigone's punishment for doing what she believed was right much more severe than necessary. He had to follow through with his decree so he would not look weak in front of the people he governed.Tragically, because of his pride, both Antigone and his own son, Haimon, died needlessly. Is one's pride more important than human life? In society today pride corrupts people in every country and over every: gender, race, religion. Most crimes are committed because people take too much pride for things; and because of this take fierce actions. In Libya angered civilians took matters into their own hands after a movie was made mocking their god Mohammed. They were very proud of their religion and to see it mocked in a movie upset them.Aggressors attacked and killed 4 Libyan ambassadors for the United States. Another example is the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot. It was a public disturbance that broke out in downtown Vancouver, British Colombia Canada on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. The riots happened immediately after the conclusion of the Boston Bruins’ win over the Vancouver Canucks in game seven of the Stanley Cup. The Vancouver fans were outraged since they had a lot of pride in their team. They were so upset that they stormed the streets flipping over cars, setting stores on fire, and vandalizing property.The prideful fans minds were clouded and made rash decisions; not thinking about what they were doing and acting out of instinct. Harper Lee's book To Kill a Mockingbird also exemplifies people making decisions with clouded minds. Once word gets out that Atticus will be representing Tom Robinson in court people begin to bully Jem and Scout. Since Jem is older he understands that he must not let his pride get in the way and keeps composure until finally he snaps, terr orizing Mrs.Duboses’ garden ripping out all the flowers. Scout’s self-worth also clouds her mind, beating up many classmates that even thought to bring up that her dad was a bad man. â€Å"The only crime is pride. † Accurately displays that pride makes humans act with clouded judgment making them do things they would not normally do; the same way Antigone and Creon acted throughout Sophocles play, Antigone, and the same way it effects millions of people in today’s world.

Application Letter Essay

I am writing to apply for the job of camp monitor at your residential summer camp advertised on your website. As requested I am enclosing my C.V. and all the certifications and references. I am a language student at the Official Language School (EOI) of Gandia. I have a good level of English, both written and spoken, therefore I can speak English very fluently. I also speak Spanish as my first language and German at Basic level. As you will see from my CV I have some relevant experience working with children as I have worked as a manager in a youth football team for two years, I also have worked teaching children how to swim, so I am used to work with them and prepare physical activities or games specially for them. I believe I would be suitable for the job advertised as, apart from my experience, I am a cheerful person who gets on well with children and enjoys working with them, I am very good working in a team and not only I can teach them how to swim, play football, and other sports or games, I also know some useful survival skills I can teach in an entertaining way, so they can learn while having fun. I attach a full CV, and if you require any further information, I would be happy to provide it. I can be reached anytime via email at adrianbesos@gmail.com.

Status of women defined in the Arab culture Assignment

Status of women defined in the Arab culture - Assignment Example Many aspects in the Arabian cultures and including religion evidently show that Arabian men and women do not share equal privileges and rights in society. Women in Arabian countries hold lower status than that of their male counterparts. Most Arabs in Arabic countries, and those found in different parts of the world are known to follow the Arabic principles and customs. Although Islam is dominant in Arabic states, some Arabs belong to the Christian faith, while others are Jews. However, these still adhere to some of the Islamic principles. Therefore, the religion of Islam plays the major role in determining the different ways through which Arab men and women interact, including their status in society. Since Islam is a religion that has been present for many years, it is considered part of the culture in Arab countries, and this highly influences different social and cultural aspects of Arabs. The mainstream, secular discourse believes that Islam is oppressive to women. This is reflected in various practices in the Arabian cultures, which require women to act differently from men, in a rather discriminatory manner. For instance, women’s dressing is highly restricted. In most conservative Arab countries, women can only dress in clothes covering their whole bodies, and even veils for the head and face, as some allow women to only show their eyes, and not any other part of their bodies. This is in addition to many other practices, including those involving property ownership, which undermine women in Arab countries (Desiree Web). The status of women in Arab countries is directly related to the religion of Islam. In past times, women in Arab countries were secluded, and were not given the opportunity to take part in the public life. Women were rather confined to their private lives only. After independence however, Islam countries such as Tunisia have considerably changed the status of their women

Project Mgmt Discussion Topic - Week 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project Mgmt Discussion Topic - Week 3 - Essay Example When members of a group are united and committed to achieving and performing their roles and responsibilities on time, they normally achieve the best results by the end of the day. Secondly, group rewards also ensure that the best results are delivered on a specific project. This is because consist of members with expertise in different fields; therefore it takes a short time to deliver the expected results. Unlike individual rewards, group’s rewards ensure that employees in a team interact and develop long lasting professional relationships with other employees when working on a project. Further, group rewards act as a source of motivation for the employees working together on a project (Parker, McAdams & Zielinski, 2000). This ensures that employees are fully satisfied and that they have achieved their expected levels of career development within their set timelines. Therefore, I believe that project managers should emphasize on group reward in order to achieve the outlined above benefits by the end of each project and in the

Coping, Maintaining Health and Preventing Illness Assignment

Coping, Maintaining Health and Preventing Illness - Assignment Example People with Type A personalities have low self-esteem, low patience, and distrust towards fellow humans. These qualities result in irritation, anger, anxiety and lack of sympathy; these symptoms indicate anxiety disorders. Experiencing anxiety disorders indicates or are associated with some form of cardiac issues. Psychology of individuals has a significant impact on their health. Association of psychological distress and chronic heart failure was established by Lesman-Leegte et al.’s (2006) study that indicated most of the patients with chronic heart failure were suffering from psychological distress, either in the form of depression or anxiety disorder. Sogaard et al.’s (2008) research carried out with a purpose of investigating relationships between type A behavior pattern and psychological distress measured in middle aged men participating in two surveys 28 years apart clearly indicated that Type A individuals had high risk of developing psychological distress. Psychological distress needs to be managed through counselling and psychotherapy that can strengthen Type A individuals’ psychosocial characteristics towards more positive outcomes. Aquarius et al. (2006) proved that younger people require higher social support in order to recover from treatment of peripheral arterial disease (a type of heart disease). This social support is to enhance their psychosocial impressions of the self and

Letter with a salutation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter with a salutation - Essay Example This entails the amount of output per worker or output per an hour worked (Jorgenson 56). If labour fails to achieve its desired object, then it is considered as unproductive. Productivity can also be defined in terms of total factor productivity which measures output in terms of the contribution of all other factors of production except labour and capital. Productivity can be determined by the level of managerial skill, innovation and teamwork within an organisation. Productivity increases with the increase in the level of managerial skills, innovation, technology and teamwork. Labour and human capital utilizes other factors of production such as physical capital, technology and land to increase the productivity of an organisation. The productivity of an organisation can therefore be measured in terms of the overall performance of the organisation in utilising its resources. The concept of productivity has been used in economics for a long time. It came from the Medieval Latin word Productivus which means product. Therefore, the term has been common ever since the medieval era. However, it became measurable and applicable in organisations during industrial revolution. The concept is still used to determine the profitability of organisations and economic growth of countries. A productive company follows specific processes of production in order to transform an input of less value into an output of greater value. For instance, in the production of clothes raw cotton is transformed in textile industries into clothe through manufacturing process. Similarly, wheat grains are transformed in a bakery into bread. These are all production processes. Productivity in these cases refers to the amount of output which results from a single unit of input, e.g. the number of clothes produced by a single unit of cotton. When I start working for your organisation productivity will be an important aspect of my contribution as I think about

Preventing Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Children Essay

Preventing Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Children - Essay Example The loss is fairly gradual, so it may not be noticed immediately. The amount of hearing lost depends on the intensity of the sound, the duration of the sound, and how often the person experiences the sound. Hearing loss can be long term, or short term, depending on the above three instances. Once hearing loss has happened, however, there is no way to cure what has happened. In "Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Children: what Educators Need to Know", by Anne Kathryn Haller and Judy K. Montgomery, they describe the effect that noise induced hearing loss has had on American society. Nearly one third of Americans with hearing loss can link their decreased hearing ability to noise (Haller 29). Over time, it has moved to the number two cause of hearing loss, after age-related hearing loss. According to Haller, "nearly thirty million people are estimated to be exposed to injurious levels of noise each day" (30). What is worse is that many of these people are children. For children, loss of hearing carries a greater penalty then loss of hearing for adults has. Children are still learning how to use language, and a loss of hearing can negatively impact their ability to communicate, understand and learn language (Holler 2004). In the article, to prevent these problems in schools, Holler suggests having regular assessments of noise in schools, keeping noise in cafet erias and gymnasiums as low as possible, encouraging students to use personal hearing protectors, and regular screening of students for hearing loss, so that it can be caught and treated early (Holler 2004). In "The Effectiveness of an Interactive Hearing Conservation Program for Children," by Gail D. Chermak, Lori Curtis and J. Anthony Seikel, the researchers looked at recent increases in hearing loss in children and possible causes and solutions. They determined that of children with hearing loss, the majority of them are boys ages ten and older who have diminished their hearing in leisure activity (Chermok 1). Their study primarily looked at the effectiveness of hearing education for children in elementary school, and its long term effect on the children's responses to situations involving excessive noise. They presented to children two one hour sessions in which they were asked first what they knew about hearing and hearing loss in a questionnaire, and then were taught how to recognize situations of excessive noise, and how to protect their own hearing in those situations. Results suggested that this education significantly increased the children's knowledge of hearing and hearing l oss, and also increased the children's likelihood to use preventive and protective measures when around excessive noise. In the third article, "Hearing Conservation Education Programs for Children: A Review," by Robert L. Folmar, Susan E. Griest, and William Hal Martin, current efforts to protect children's hearing are reviewed, in order to provide a comprehensive source for educators. They found twelve programs whose primary goal was to educate about hearing loss, and an additional seventeen whose specifically looked at children and