In the name of the father Essay

Often a film conveys a message about a character through various film techniques. This is true in the film â€Å"In The Name of the Father†. This story is mainly about a young man who is arrested for a crime he did not commit and how a relationship between father and son deepens throughout the tragedy. The main character, Gerry Conlon, is first portrayed to the viewer as an unruly rebel but is later developed into a more docile and compliant character. The director, Jim Sheridon, uses film techniques such as costume design, dialogue and extended metaphors to convey the development of Gerry as a character. 1st paragraph: -1st time we see gerry, scruffy, uncut -costume design – baggy jeans, long hair, dirty appearance -gives idea that gerry doesn’t care about his appearance or what people think of him -as film progresses he sharpens up appearance -combed pulled back hair 2nd: -change also shown through dialogue -lawyer asks him if he is scared of the court: -he replies â€Å"i just don’t want to be humiliated again† -this brief piece of dialogue shows that he has now changed and does care what others think of him -helps viewer understand how desperate an innocent man can be in the fight for justice 3rd: -use of extended metaphor -viewer sees lawyer gareth pierce driving through a long tunnel while listening to gerrys story -this could be viewed as an extended metaphor for the long dark road gerry has gone down while fighting the legal system -as the story draws to a conclusion she reaches the end of the tunnel, or the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ -could refer to the point in the story where gerry and the others are finally set free. Read more:  My Father Goes to Court by Carlos Bulosan

The Meaning of Holy Grail

The Tradition: The Holy Grail was a vessel used by Christ at the Last Supper. Given to his grand-uncle, St. Joseph of Arimathea, it was used by him to collect Christ's blood and sweat while Joseph tended him on the Cross. After Christ's death, Joseph was apparently imprisoned in a rock tomb similar to the one he had given for the body of his grand-nephew. Left to starve, he was sustained for several years by the power of the Grail which provided him with fresh food and drink every morning. Later, St. Joseph travelled to Britain with his family and several followers. He settled at Ynys Witrin (Glastonbury), but the Grail was taken to Corbenic where it was housed in a spectacular castle, guarded always by the Grail Kings, descendants of Joseph's daughter, Anna (Enygeus) and her husband, Brons. Centuries later, the location of the Great Castle of Corbenic became forgotten. At the Court of King Arthur, however, it was prophesied that the Grail would one day be rediscovered by a descendant of St. Joseph: the best knight in the land, the only man capable of sitting in the mysterious Siege Perilous. When such a man arrived in the form of Galahad, the son of Lancelot, along with a miraculous, though brief, vision of the Grail itself, a quest to find this holiest of relics began. Through many adventures and many years, the Knights of the Round Table crossed Britain from one end to another in their search. Perceval (Peredyr) discovered the castle in a land that was sickly like its spear-wounded King. When entertained by this â€Å"Fisher† or â€Å"Grail King†, however, he failed to ask of the grail and left empty-hand. Lancelot next reached Corbenic, but was prevented from entering because of he was an adulterer. Finally Galahad arrived. He was permitted entry to the Grail Chapel and allowed to gaze upon the great cup. His life became complete and together grail and man were lifted up to heaven. The Names: The Holy Grail first appears as simply â€Å"a grail† in the works of Chretien de Troyes. The word is probably derived from the Old French word graal meaning a â€Å"broad and capacious dish or salver†. Though usually thought of as being a cup or chalice, the Grail has indeed been variously described as a platter, dish, a cornucopia, horn of plenty or even a book or a stone. The name of the Castle of Corbenic has competing explanations. Old Welsh Cors, meaning â€Å"Horn,† the Horn of Plenty as the Grail is sometimes described may have become confused with the Old French Corps, producing Corps-Benoit meaning â€Å"Holy Body,† ie. the Body of Christ. More likely, however, is the suggestion that Corbenic stems from Corbin-Vicus. The ending is almost certainly derived from the Latin for â€Å"Settlement,† while Corben is a French translation of the word Crow or Raven: Bran in Welsh. This was also a man's name and, as Brons, he appears as St. Joseph's son-in-law, one of the first Grail Kings. Hence Corbenic was â€Å"Bran's Settlement†. It may be identical to the home of Lancelot's father, Caer-Benwick. Ancient Origins: The quest for a divine vessel was a popular theme in Arthurian legend long before medieval writers introduced the Holy Grail to British mythology. It appears in the Mabinogion tale of Culhwch and Olwen, but particularly well-known is the story of the Preiddeu Annwfn or â€Å"Spoils of the Otherworld† as recounted by Taliesin. Arthur and his warriors sail off to the Celtic Otherworld to capture the pearl-rimmed Cauldron of Annwfn: like the grail it was a giver of plenty, but also of prophecy. It was at last discovered at Caer-Siddi (or Wydyr), an island bound castle of glass, where it was guarded by nine divine maidens; but the ensuing perils were too much for even Arthur's men. The mission was abandoned and only seven of their number returned home. Celtic Cauldrons were used in ceremonial feasting as early as the Late Bronze Age. Ritual deposits in Llyn Fawr (Glamorgan) included such vessels, though the best known example is the Gundestrup Cauldron found in the peat bogs of Jutland (Denmark). Highly decorated with portraits of many Celtic deities, this vessel would once have held up to twenty-eight and a half gallons of liquid. These finds clearly point to the religious importance of cauldrons, as found in the Arthurian stories and even older Celtic mythological parallels. The magic Otherworld vessel was the Cauldron of Ceridwen, the Celtic Goddess of Inspiration. She is remembered today in the archetypal hideous cauldron-stirring witch. She once set about brewing a drink of knowledge and wisdom for her hideous son, but her kitchen-boy, Gwion, accidentally tasted the concoction, preventing anyone else from benefitting from its affects. A great battle of wills ensued, for Gwion now held all the knowledge to escape the Goddess' wrath. The two changed themselves into various animals in an attempt to outwit each other before Gwion was swallowed whole as a grain of wheat. He was eventually reborn as the great bard, Taliesin! The cauldron then reappears in the story of Bran Fendigaid (the Blessed), not only as a vessel of knowledge and plenty, but also of rebirth. The great Celtic warrior God, Bran, obtained his life-giving vessel from a giantess (or thinly veiled Ceridwen) who had been expelled from a Lake in Ireland. The Emerald Isle here personifies the Celtic Otherworld. The magic vessel would restore to life the body of any dead warrior placed within it: a scene apparently depicted on the Gundestrup Cauldron. Bran's sister marries the King of Ireland and they are given the cauldron as a wedding gift. However, when hostilities between the two countries break out, Bran travels across the ocean to regain this dangerous prize. He is eventually successful, but is wounded by a poisoned spear and, like Arthur, only seven of his men return home. The name, the castle (already discussed), the wound, the mystic vessel, the journey: Bran Fendigaid is clearly Brons, the Grail King, son-in-law of Joseph of Arimathea.

Of mice and men by John Steinbeck Essay

â€Å"Studying stage Drama enables us to see into a world that is very different from our own and to feel compassion for those who are unable to take control of their own lives† â€Å"Of mice and men† By John Steinbeck is a very interesting and compelling text, and positions us as the reader to accept Lennie as the victim even though he killed someone, we as the reader are given many insights that some of the other characters do not get to experience, and therefore can get this message as the dominant reading. The earliest accounts of the life of Lennie and George tells us a tale about Lennie and his accidents involving mice, Lennie who gets presents of mice from his aunt, crushes there heads, because he doesn’t know his own strength, he loves the mice, and cared for them, but because of his love for the mice they bite him and he crushes the mouse’s heads, Lennie is definitely mentally retarded, and as such he does things that regular people would not do it would seem that Lennie’s mentality was not designed for his body, if he was a thin weedy man then he would have no problems, he could pet animals AND make them stay alive, but things aren’t always as we like them Because the playwright is trying to establish Lennie as â€Å"the good guy† we are also positioned at the scene of their last job, Lennie feels a ladies dress, the woman screams, he holds on, she starts yelling to the police, he holds, and as a result, poor George has to spend a night in a ditch and what was the reason? â€Å"I only did it to feel how soft it was† says Lennie, even though this is still fairly strange, you as the reader can relate to him and say well, it really isn’t his fault. Now I know you are wondering, â€Å"Why did Lennie hold on even through the screams and the yelling police, why didn’t he just let go?† consider this story, a young child between the ages of 1 and 3 is found near his dead mother, holding on for dear life, and mentally Lennie was much the same way whenever he gets scared or frightened, he will hold on to it, you cannot blame the woman for her reaction, a big tall man grabbing onto her dress, she has every right to feel threatened, and as a result, Lennie gets George into trouble, and they have to spend the night in the ditch. On the farm, curly is picking fights; not only is he picking fights but he is picking fights that he can’t win, apart from his height, what exactly did Lennie do? He laughed, oh no, dear God, how will he survive? George was going to teach him a lesson, but he wanted Lennie, this time he went too far, Lennie didn’t want to fight curly, but he gave him no choice, he was scared and frightened, and once again, the mentality issue shines brightly, he grabs Curly’s hand and he doesn’t let go, he crushes every single bone in his hand, and again Lennie is portrayed as the â€Å"good guy†, what else could he do? The final matter is the matter of Curly’s wife’s death, this even if he is retarded, still classifies as murder, no matter how much they try to sugar coat it, it is still murder, and he pays for it with his own death, he gave George, his best friend, no other choice other than to kill him for his own good, his strength, has been the cause of all these problems right from the beginning, and although you can feel sorry for him, he should have had more common sense, he was retarded, and there is nothing you can do about that, but he should have learnt what was right and appropriate, and killing innocent people, even if it was manslaughter, is still bad. And so we are given an insight into the life of Lennie, we feel compassion for him and George, we have been positioned to draw this conclusion, well, you’d be hard pressed to try and prove he wasn’t wouldn’t you? It seams there is two cases of murder (not counting the various animal deaths) George isn’t the bad guy because he did what was best for Lennie, and Lennie wasn’t the bad guy because he is retarded.

MCDONALDS Corp Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

MCDONALDS Corp - Research Paper Example McDonalds was established in the year 1955 by Ray Croc in USA as a retailer of snack foods like burgers. The company since then has grown by leaps and bounds with the company presently having its dedicated presence in about 118 diverse nations across the globe and an attractive product offering that includes famous products like Big Mac, Mc Nuggets, Quarter Pounders etc. McDonalds has about 33000 restaurants across the globe that provides the best experience at largely affordable price to the customers. McDonalds serves its customers through a dedicated employee base of over 1.7 million active employees who are determined to provide the best experience to the customers with a touch of excellence to satisfy the needs of the customers (McDonalds, 2011). The mission statement of the company is â€Å"be our customers favourite place and way to eat†. The company believes in creating a marketing mix that is essentially in line with the mission statement of the organization. McDonald s prepares a menu that is in tune with the market demands in an innovative manner that tends to satisfy the demands of the target market audience (McDonalds-b, 2011). The history of McDonalds began in the year 190 when the founder of the organization opened up a Bar-B-Que restaurant in California. This was essentially a drive in restaurants that provided snack items for individuals on the drive. However after a few years this restaurant was closed off an official McDonald’s restaurant brand was launched in 1955. The restaurant met with good success and eventually sold 100 million burgers by the end of the third year into the business. By the year 1963 there were about 500 restaurants operating under the McDonalds brand name. Subsequently the company went public in the year 1965 with IPO of 22.5 US dollars as the price of a share. After three years the company went about to launch the product Big Mac that is one

Eating Jesus' Flesh and drinking His Blood Research Paper

Eating Jesus' Flesh and drinking His Blood - Research Paper Example The Hebrew writer tells us that His blood was shed for the transgressions of those who lived under the first testament, as well as those who live under the second (Heb. 9:15).   So, all humanity, who desire salvation, are dependent upon the blood of Christ  Ã‚   In this lesson, we shall  Ã‚   list some of the things that are said to be accomplished by the blood of Christ. VERSES 51-52:  Ã‚   I AM THE LIVING BREAD 51I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats (Greek: phage) of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (Greek: sarx)." 52The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"   "I am the living bread which came down out of heaven" (v. 51a).   This "living bread" parallels the "living water" that Jesus offered the Samaritan woman (4:10).   "If anyone eats (phage) of this bread, he will live forever" (v. 51b).   Phage is the ao rist of esthio (to eat), and thus represents a one-time action.   To eat of this bread, in this context, means the once-and-for-all action of accepting or believing in Christ.   "Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (Greek: sarx)"(v. 51c). Jesus does not retreat from the offense of his words, but instead adds to it with his mention of flesh (sarx). This is sacrificial language. The Torah requires ritual sacrifice of animals, and specifies how they are to be prepared and how their flesh is to be used. Some flesh is to be burned on the altar and other flesh is to be eaten.   Jesus makes his sacrifice in behalf of the world –– not just Israel (see also 3:16-17).   "The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?† (v. 52).   "Flesh" is a provocative word, raising the specter of cannibalism.   No observant Jew would consider eating human flesh. VERSE 53:   UNLESS YOU EAT AND DRINK 53Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat (Greek: phagete) the flesh (Greek:   sarka –– from sarx)of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves. "Most certainly I tell you" (v. 53a).   These words make emphatic that which follows.   "unless you eat (phagete)the flesh(sarka –– from sarx) of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves" (v. 53b).   The title that Jesus uses for himself here is Son of Man, which is a less provocative title than Messiah. The first significant issue here is whether Jesus' words are Eucharistic in nature (referring to the Lord's Supper) or simply incarnational/sacrificial (referring to the incarnation and the cross).   The question is significant.   Is Jesus emphasizing participation in the Eucharist here?   Should a sermon based on this text emphasize participation in the Lord's Supper?   Scholars are divided on this question.   My conclusion is that incarnational, sacrificial, and Eucharistic emphases are intertwined in 6:51-58, and that the emphasis shifts to favor the Eucharistic at verse 51c.   If this is correct, it is appropriate, perhaps even important, to emphasize participation in the Lord's Supper when preaching from this text. We should also note two things that were happening at the time of the writing of this Gospel that might have influenced the author to emphasize the eating of Jesus flesh and the drinking of his blood:

CYBER RIGHTS AND PRIVACY IN SOUTH AFRICA Thesis

CYBER RIGHTS AND PRIVACY IN SOUTH AFRICA - Thesis Example This is a privacy violation. Another privacy issue is that of electronic surveillance. Because of 9/11, this has become a hot-button issue. How wiretapping occurs, and what procedures are in place to ensure the privacy rights of all involved, are important concerns all over the world. Within the issue of surveillance is that of employer-employee surveillance, and why this is necessary for employers. This paper seeks to understand the privacy issues in South Africa and the United States, and how the laws and statutes in these countries deal with the issue of cyber privacy and electronic surveillance. Another issue that is a concern of this paper are the possible solutions to the data collection problem, concentrating on the United States as it, unlike South Africa, has refused to take substantial proactive steps in curbing the problem. Cyber privacy and electronic surveillance as paramount issues around the world, as the Internet is responsible for great criminal mischief and breaches of privacy. South Africa has an Act that will go a long way towards curbing these abuses. If this Act is successful, other countries might want to emulate it, including the United States. At any rate, nations must be proactive to address these concerns, and this paper will present a multitude of ways that this can happen. The advent of the Internet has brought lots of promise and convenience. It is difficult to imagine living without it. However, it has also brought lots of headaches and problems. The main problems deal with private information, and the fact that companies obtain this information and share it with other companies. (Bergelson, 2003, p. 387) This is a thorny problem, in that the individuals do not even know that this data is being collected, let alone with whom the data is shared. (Schwartz, 2004, p. 2078). This problem also leads to cyber breaches, in which personal information falls into the hands of criminals. (Sprague & Ciocchetti, 2009, p.

The Interaction between My Birth Order and My Personality Essay

The Interaction between My Birth Order and My Personality - Essay Example According to Sulloway, the birth order of an individual ‘‘is a good predictor about one’s revolutionary creativity where firstborns are conservatives while the lastborns are more likely to become freethinkers’’ (Boynton 72). An individual’s personality is a replica of the strategies used by siblings in competing with each other, in securing a place in the family and surviving the tribulations of childhood. The Darwin’s theory is replicated in the family dynamics where ‘‘children use adaptive tactics to differentiate themselves’’. Based on the differences of ‘‘birth order, physical traits, gender and temperament; children define their different roles in the family. From Sulloway’s perspectives, some persons are born to rebel based on their birth order’’ (Boynton 72). This paper seeks to assess the impacts of my birth order as a firstborn in the family to my personality and is base d on the belief that I am the way I am due to interactions with my siblings and parents and my birth order. Generally, I am assertive, responsible, dependable and kind-hearted. Relationship between My Personality and Birth Order and Interactions with the Family I am an introverted sensing feeling judging (ISFJ) person judging from my results of a Human Metrics test I carried out. As an ISFJ person, I am a nurturer of others and this can be traced back to my childhood when I had to take care of my younger siblings whenever my parents were away (Human Metrics 1). I am kind-hearted and warm which I feel I learnt during my childhood as I always had to let my younger siblings have a share of presents brought by our parents before I could have my share. Moreover, I am and have always been willing to share what I have with my siblings. As I grew up, my parents shaped my personality given that they always required that I take care of my sibling in school and at home especially when playing. This made me come to value the good of all. According to Human Metrics, an ISFJ person lives in a world that is kind and concrete (Human Metrics 1). Moreover, they value cooperation and harmony and are likely to become sensitive to the feelings of others. This fits into my personality given that I feel that sometimes I get too protective of others which can be traced to my birth order and interaction in the family. This is supported by what Sulloway found where he argued that firstborns are defensive than children later in the family (Boynton 73). I am also assertive where I belief that my ideas are always varied and I always defend them to the end. This was also identified to be a character of firstborns by Sulloway and this may be attributed to the fact that firstborns have their ideas given much consideration and sometimes have to make decisions for the younger siblings. My sense of self confidence is usually high and get no problems whenever putting across my ideas. I belief th is can be attributed to the fact that from an early age, my younger siblings had much trust on everything that I tell them boosting my confidence. Moreover, my parents would tell the younger siblings to get guidance from me in case they set out to carry out a particular task. Consequently, from an early age I knew I had the desired skills and knowledge to influence and guide others. I learn a new idea best through practical

Ethics and Corporate governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ethics and Corporate governance - Essay Example   Ã‚   Matthew Lee, the Lehman’s Holding Incorporated Senior Vice President, was discontent with the accounting practices of the company, and wrote a letter (later made public) to the company; expressing concerns about the senior managers were violating the internal code of ethics, by misleading investors and regulators about the true value of the company assets, according to Corkery (2008).   Ã‚   In another incident, David Einkorn of the hedge fund Green light Capital Inc., reported that Lehman Brothers’ action of writing up the value of KSK Energy Ventura (a power plant in India) from $400m to $600m during the 1st Quarter of 2008, was an unethical accounting practice, according to Corkery (2008). Lehman reacted by saying it was in anticipation of profits to be made.   Ã‚   The Sarbanes –Oxley Act, with all its preventative provisions were introduced from 2001, according to the Economist (2010), but despite this, Lehman was removing assets from its balance sheets, convincing accounting firms (including Ernest &Young) to approve unethical maneuvers, and holding assts like KSK Energy Ventures at inflated values against market prices according to the Economist (2010).   Ã‚   Lehman   leaders showed blatant disregard for interest of the public, dishonesty ,as well as   very high levels of egoism on September 10, 2008, when Ian Lowitz, the bank’s Chief Financial Officer, told investors that the liquidity of the company remained strong at $42b. However, according to the Economist (2010), a day earlier an internal document had revealed that Lehman had low ability to monetize almost 46% of its assets.   Ã‚   The level of abuse of their fiduciary responsibility was extremely high, as according to Valukas, its liquidity pool was designed to allow it to survive at least 12 months of stressed financial situations, but it only had cash and

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

International Marketing - Essay Example 2.0 The features indicating achievement of global brand status Quelch (1999) provides a benchmark for the seven characteristics of a brand that are prevalent when a business has achieved global brand status. This is inclusive of strength in the home market, having a geographical balance in sales, the ability to address homogenous consumer needs worldwide, maintaining consistent brand positioning, reducing the country-of-origin effect, the specific product category focus of the firm and corporate name. This section of the report examines the extent to which Lenovo maintains appropriate emphasis on the aforesaid benchmark criteria for advancement to a legitimate global brand. Lenovo must maintain all identified characteristics in order to be considered a victor in becoming a genuine global brand. 2.1 Strength in the home market In 2011, China contributed 46 percent of total business revenues with all supplemental sales stemming from combined international markets and emerging markets ( Lenovo 2012). China is considered the largest personal computer market in the world and Lenovo has managed to increase its market share in this highly competitive technology market. Much of this success is due to a contracted 2011 strategic alliance with Compal Electronics that significantly increased Lenovo’s production capabilities. Through dual investments by Lenovo and Compal, totalling $300 million each, a new production facility was built from the ground up in Hefei, China that exploits the talents and resources of both partners to deliver faster output and more frequency of innovative products (Lenovo 2011). The Chinese personal computer market is projected to achieve a growth rate of three to four percent in 2013, which is largely driven by rural consumer demand for desktop computers (China.org.cn 2013). Whilst the rest of the developed world, such as the United States, has seen declines in demand on personal computers as consumers defect to more agile mobile computin g opportunities, Lenovo operates in a market where rural consumers are witnessing more government investment into infrastructure improvements in rural regions that are increasing personal incomes of rural consumers (China.org.cn 2013). The rural consumer sector is a major market segment within a national population volume of over 1.34 billion consumers (News Limited 2013). Lenovo was very adept in establishing a joint venture with Compal in order to expand the ability to deliver faster production output to the rural regions within China whilst demand for desktop and laptop computers are experiencing growth with a variety of target segments. Lenovo also participated in a government subsidy program designed to give rural consumers less-expensive personal computers which assisted Lenovo in achieving a $1.7 billion USD sales increase in the country (Hille 2009). Lenovo recognises appropriate opportunities to expand its brand presence and hence improve its brand recognition in China. The Chinese government is imposing a variety of new programs to facilitate more economic growth and improve the labour environment within the nation. By engaging appropriate political forces to allow the Lenovo brand to be associated with a nationwide initiative to modernise rural China,

Reflection of chapter themes in the book Why Evolution is True by Term Paper

Reflection of chapter themes in the book Why Evolution is True by Jerry A Coyne - Term Paper Example Lastly, the scientific concept of evolution shall be criticized based on a personal opinion. Evolution has been defined as the gradual genetic change that the species usually undergo due to the environmental pressures. The DNA, a vital element of the animal cell, has taken all the living creatures to a single common ancestor. Most animals share the patterns of their DNA. This was before the evolution took place. The evolution eventually took place and the organisms have been biologically and geographically separated from each other. Evolution took place in three different forms. These are: Gradualism, Speciation and the Natural selection. In gradualism, the species take several generations to attain the desired change that will enhance their survival. Thus, evolution takes many years to be fully achieved. Speciation is the process whereby organisms split into different species. It is the evolution of different species that cannot easily interbreed. Natural selection, according to Coyne, is just but a ‘tinkerer’. This means that natural selection does not yield any original perfection in a species but, only improves on what ha s already been established. In this chapter, a number of theories have been brought forward. They included the evolution theory, cell theory, plate tectonic theory and atomic theory. However, the book specifically concentrates on the evolution, which, argues that all living organisms originated from a common ancestor. Chapter Two concentrates on the Fossils as evidence of evolution. Fossils are the remnants of the ancient species that resemble the living animals of today. The fossils have always been there since the beginning of time; even Darwin and Aristotle discussed fossils in their books. Fossil formation takes a few but very lengthy steps. First, there must be remains of either animals or plants. These remains must sink in deep waters for quite a long time. However, the sunken remains must be

Business Negotiations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Negotiations - Coursework Example However, the employees do not want to lose their jobs or have their salaries’ deducted because of the responsibilities they have. Negotiation is a good way to handle the conflict. It provides both parties with a forum to bring forward their grievances and the affected parties will work something out that could solve their differences. I have two options: to urge the union leaders act ethically and agree to have a mature and productive negotiation process where both parties can benefit or to claim bankruptcy which will justify my firing some employees and reducing their wages. If the union leaders agree to have an ethical negotiation process, I will suggest the laying off some of the employees during this bad economic period, then rehire them once the condition is good; or convert some of the permanent employees to contracts such that they can be recalled during high peak seasons. Consequently, all employees can agree to stay in the company but have their wages reduced. The employees will have to understand that these decisions are not selfish but are circumstantial. If the negotiation process results in laying off some employees, they will be given a three months’ notice during which they can look for other jobs or sources of income. The employees will be laid off, according to their productivity levels. T hose with poor performance and poor productivity levels will be the first ones to get a compulsory leave (Reitz, Wall, & Love,

Business Ethics Essay Example for Free

Business Ethics Essay In 1956, the Mondragon Cooperative Corporation, or MCC, made a small start in Basque region of Spain, at the initiative of five young engineers, inspired by a Catholic priest by the name of Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta. Today it has emerged as a truly multi-billion dollar international enterprise with a highly integrated network of 100 MCC cooperative enterprises and competes quite successfully with conventional capitalist corporations both locally and worldwide. The success of this alternative business model in predominantly capitalist system can be judged from the fact that today there are 750,000 co-operatives worldwide with about 760 million members. There is abundance of information and literature documenting the success of the Mondragon experiment and its comparative analysis with conventional capitalist corporations on various organisation aspects. This essay aims to put a special focus on position and treatment of two key stakeholders, shareholders and employees, while comparing MCC with General Motors (GM), a well renowned US corporation. This essay is structured into four sections: the first outlines the historical development and ethical foundation of the MCC in much abbreviated terms. The second section provides a generic and ideological comparison the two corporations. The third section adds granularity in similarities and contrasts with specific examples from MCC and GM. The fourth section aims to touch upon the ethical perspectives within the two corporations and critiques the approaches. Finally, Section five, concludes the essay by presenting key insights from the MCC experiment for corporations in 21st century.

What Is Carbon Monoxide And Its Effects Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is Carbon Monoxide And Its Effects Environmental Sciences Essay Carbon monoxide (CO), also known as carbonous oxide, is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas produced by incomplete combustion of the fossil and carbon-based fuels, when there is not enough oxygen to produce Carbon Dioxide. Normally, carbon (C) and oxygen (O2) combine to produce carbon dioxide (CO2), when combustion of carbon is complete, in the presence of plenty of air. When combustion of carbon is incomplete, there is a limited supply of air, and only half as much oxygen adds to the carbon, forming carbon monoxide (CO). Many sources of carbon monoxide include: Unvented kerosene and gas space heaters; leaking chimneys and furnaces; back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves; generators and other gasoline powered equipment; automobile exhaust from attached garages; and tobacco smoke. Carbon monoxide is not only formed from incomplete combustion, it is also formed as a pollutant when hydrocarbon fuels (natural gas, petrol, and diesel) ar e burned. Carbon Monoxide gas is produced from the partial oxidation of  carbon-containing compounds and it consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom. Carbon Monoxide is also the simplest oxocarbon, and is an anhydride of formic acid. The symbol equation for the formation of carbon dioxide is: (hydrocarbon) + O2 CO + H2O Effects on humans Despite Carbon Monoxide being perfectly harmless to humans at low exposure, it is extremely poisonous, often fatal, to humans at higher levels. When Carbon Monoxide enters the body through the respiratory system, it binds very strongly to the  iron  atoms  in haemoglobin, the principal  oxygen-carrying compound in blood. Haemoglobin, a protein present in the red blood cells, normally binds oxygen to form oxyhemoglobin and transports it to all parts of the body. When Carbon Monoxide enters the bloodstream, it competes with oxygen and binds to haemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin.  Carbon monoxide is attracted to haemoglobin over 200 times more strongly than oxygen. Therefore, in the blood, the presence of carbon monoxide prevents some of the  haemoglobin  found in red blood cells from carrying sufficient oxygen around the body, sometimes resulting in death. Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning The symptoms of mild carbon monoxide poisoning may be non-specific and similar to those of viral cold and flu infections, food poisoning or just simple fatigue. But, unlike flu and many viral infections, carbon monoxide poisoning doesnt result in a high temperature. At low concentrations, the poisoning produces symptoms such as abdominal pain; dizziness; sore throat; dry cough; fatigue in healthy people and chest pain in people with heart disease. At higher concentrations, the effects many include: impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; and nausea. At extreme levels of exposure, fast and irregular heart rate; hyperventilation; difficulty breathing; Seizures and loss of consciousness may occur. Some symptoms can occur a few days or even months after exposure to carbon monoxide, and may include confusion, loss of memory, problems with coordination; and unusually pinkish skin and cheeks, or bright red lips. Most of the symptoms and effects produced by exposure to carbon monoxide are generally reversible, as the effects disappear following removal from exposure. Despite this, if extremely high exposure does not result in death; permanent damage to the body is likely to occur, mostly to the nervous system. Many of the serious effects include:  · loss of memory  · increased irritability  · impulsiveness  · mood changes  · violent behaviour  · verbal aggression  · personality changes  · learning disabilities  · mental deterioration  · instability when walking Many people are more at risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning; due is to their greater need for oxygen or an impaired ability of their bodies to provide an adequate supply. Those at most risk include:  · pregnant women  · the physically active  · older workers  · heavy smokers  · sufferers from respiratory diseases  · sufferers from heart disease Prevention Even though carbon monoxide poses a big threat to human health, the effects of exposure to it, both short-term and long-term, can be prevented if all the necessary precautions are carried out. The most important measure to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning, is to have a Carbon Monoxide detector fitted in your home. The detectors can come in an alarm form, similar to fire detectors, or a passive form, which are adhesive detectors with a circle on the indicator that will turn grey or black, depending on the concentration of CO in the room. According to the National Fire Protection Association 93% of homes have smoke alarms, yet the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that only 15% have carbon monoxide alarms, which greatly contributes to the high numbers of poisonings. The second precaution that you should take to protect yourself is to have your heating system; water heater; chimney and flue; and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances to be serviced by a qualified technician every year. You should also make sure that all your cooking appliances and furnaces are inspected for adequate safety and ventilation. Another precaution to take is to make sure not  use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, garage or near a window, as charcoal is very susceptible to producing carbon monoxide when burned. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, you should not run a car or any other automobile inside a garage attached to your home, or any enclosed space, even if you leave the door open, as Carbon Monoxide could become trapped. Making sure not to burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isnt vented, is also another life saving precaution to take. With a combination of all of the advice and techniques to prevent carbon Mmnoxide exposure within your home, you can protect yourself and others from the deadly and life threatening problem of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

Examining Motivational Strategies in Multinational Organisations

Examining Motivational Strategies in Multinational Organisations Motivation is next to directing/leading. Managers can motivate their subordinates while guiding them. Motivating means encouraging people to take more initiative and interest in the work assigned. It is an art of getting things done willingly from others. Motivation avoids clashes and non-cooperation and brings harmony, unity and co-operative outlook among employees. Managers have to work as motivators of their subordinates. For this, effective communication, proper appreciation of work done and positive encouragement are necessary and useful. Motivation is inspiring and encouraging people to work more and contribute for achieving the objectives of the company The creation of the desire and willingness to perform the job efficiently is known as motivation Motivation is a psychological and sociological concept as it relates to human behavior and human relations. It is the most fundamental and all pervasive concept of psychology. For motivation, sweet words are useful but are certainly not adequate. Motivation basically relates to human needs, desires and expectations. In other words, these factors suggest the measures which can be used for the motivation of employees. In motivation, efforts should be made to satisfy the different needs of employees so that they will be satisfied, happy and away from tensions. This creates favorable environment because of which employees take more interest and initiative in the work and perform their jobs efficiently. Motivation is a technique of creating attraction for the job. It is encouraging employees for better performance in order to achieve the goals of an Organization. The process of motivation is a continuous one (circular one) and is beneficial to both employer and employees. It is a key to improve work performance of employees. The term motive is derived from the Latin word emovere which means to move or to activate. Motivation is the act of making someone to act in the desired manner through positive encouragement. It is through motivation that employees can be induced to work more, to earn more and to give better results to the Organization. 2. Definitions of Motivation. According to W. G. Scot, Motivation means a process of stimulating people to action to accomplish the desired goals. According to Michael J. jucius, Motivation is the act of stimulating someone or oneself to get a desired course of action, to push the right button to get a desired results. 3. Features or Characteristics of Motivation. Psychological Process: Motivation is a psychological process useful for encouraging employees to take more interest in the work assigned. It relates to human relations. Initiative by Manager: The initiative for motivation is by the manager by offering guidance and also by other methods like appreciation of good work or offering incentives. Management has to adopt special measures for motivating employees. They include monetary as well as non-monetary. Continuous activity: It is a continuous and circular process. Subordinates need motivation in a continuous manner as their needs and expectations change from time to time. A manager has to study the needs of workers and use the technique of motivation accordingly. The process of motivation must be made a regular and continuous one. Goal-oriented and action-oriented: Motivation diverts human behavior towards certain goals. Attainment of organizational and individual goals depends on the motivational plans. Broad concept: Motivation covers needs, human relations and satisfaction of employees. For employee motivation, monetary and other incentives need to be offered. Job satisfaction is one such need and is useful for their motivation. Essence of management process: Motivation is an essential function of a manager. He has to motivate his subordinates for achieving organizational objectives. Motivated labour force is an asset of a business unit. Motivated employees bring prosperity to a business unit. Beneficial to employees and management: Motivation offers benefits to employees and Organisation. It avoids crashes and encourages cooperative outlook among employees. Motivation leads to cordial labour-management relations. It provides more profit to management and better welfare to employees. Varied measures available for motivation: For motivation, various monetary and non monetary incentives can be offered to employees by the management. Attractive wages, welfare facilities, job satisfaction, appreciation of good work, encouragement to self-development, job security and fair treatment are some measures of motivating employees. Motivation is different from satisfaction: Motivation implies a drive towards a result while satisfaction involves result already experienced and achieved. When desire is satisfied, employee is motivated. Related to a person in totality: An employee is motivated in totality and not in part. Employees basic needs are interrelated. Management must fulfill all the needs through monetary and non-monetary incentives. 4. Importance of Motivation. Motivation occupies an important place and position in the whole management process. This technique can be used fruitfully for encouraging workers to make positive contribution for achieving organizational objectives. Motivation is necessary as human nature needs some sort of inducement, encouragement or incentive in order to get better performance. Motivation of employees offers may benefits to the Organisation and also to the employees. This suggests the importance of motivating employees. Motivation acts as a technique for improving the performance of employees working at different levels. Motivation of employees is one function which every manager has to perform along with other managerial functions. A manager has to function as a friend and motivator of his subordinates. Motivation is useful in all aspects of life and even our family life. The same is the case with business. This dearly suggests that motivation is extremely important. It is an integral part of management process itself. 5. Advantages of Motivation. (A) Advantages to Management or Organization: Increase in the efficiency and productivity of employees. Motivation ensures a high level performance of employees. Better co-operation from employees and cordial labour-management relations. Reduction in the rate of labour absenteeism and turnover. Reduction in the wastages and industrial accidents. Improvement in the morale of employees. Quick achievement of business/corporate objectives and favorable corporate image. (B) Advantages to Employees or Workers: Employees get various monetary and non-monetary facilities/benefits which provide better life and welfare to them. Security of employment and other benefits due to cordial relations with the management. Job attraction and job satisfaction. Higher status and opportunities of participation in management. Positive approach and outlook of employees towards company, management and superiors. Reduction in the rate of labour turnover which is harmful to employees and management. Better scope for improvement in knowledge and skills of employees. 6. Motivational Factors or Motivational Incentives. (A) Monetary or Financial Incentives: Monetary incentives are offered in terms of money. Such incentives provide more cash or purchasing power to employees. Monetary incentives are extremely attractive to employees (particularly those working at lower levels) as they get the benefit quickly and in concrete terms. At the higher levels of management, non-monetary incentives are more important than monetary incentives. Workers prefer monetary incentives as compared to non-monetary incentives. Managements also offer liberal monetary incentives to all categories of workers. Monetary incentives may be further classified as following:- Individual Monetary Incentives: The benefit of individual monetary incentive is available to concerned worker only. For example, F. W. Taylor suggested differential piece rate system which offers different wage rates to different workers as per their production efficiency. Different incentive wage plans are the examples of individual monetary incentives as the benefit is offered individually to every worker. Here, a worker is paid as per his efficiency, productivity or as per the production given by him. Efficient/sincere workers give more production and get higher reward in terms of wage payment. Group Monetary Incentives: In the group monetary incentives, the monetary benefit is not given individually but to a group of workers or to all workers in the Organisation. Workers have to work jointly/collectively as a team in order to secure the benefits of group monetary incentives. Bonus payment, pension, P.F, production/productivity bonus, profit sharing, etc. are the examples of group monetary incentives. For the employer/management, group incentives are more important as they offer many benefits to the management. (B) Non-monetary Incentives for Employee Motivation: Job security and job enrichment: Job security is useful for the motivation of employees. Such security keeps the employee away from the tension of becoming unemployed. Job enrichment provides an opportunity for greater recognition and advancement. Job enrichment refers to redesign of jobs. Fair treatment to employees: Employer should give attention to the needs, difficulties and grievances of employees. Small work groups and effective communication are useful for solving the problems of workers. Employees must be given decent treatment. They will be co-operative only when they are treated with sympathy and love, affection and dignity. Employees should also be given help in personal matters. Recognition of good work: Recognition of good work at an appropriate time gives encouragement to employees to show better performance in future. As an appreciation of good work, prizes, rewards, promotions, etc. should be given. Encouragement to self-development and career development: Employees should be given varied training facilities. Training facilitates self-development and also provides opportunities for career development. Every employee has a desire to grow, develop and rise higher. This desire should be exploited fully for motivating employees. For this, training as well as management development programmes should be introduced. Delegation of authority: Due to delegation of authority, a subordinate employee feels that superior has faith in him and also in his ability to use authority in a proper manner. Employees get mental satisfaction when authority is given to them. They take interest and initiative in the work and try to prove that they are competent to work at the higher levels. Thus, delegation of authority becomes a motivating factor. Congenial working conditions: It is a non financial incentive for motivation. Employees should be given various facilities and conveniences at the work place. The work environment should be pleasant and safe. This creates desire to work efficiently. Helpful attitude of management: The helpful attitude of management towards its employees creates a sense of affinity for the Organisation. Fair treatment to workers creates better understanding among workers. Cordial industrial relations also motivate employees. Thus, enlightened and pro-employee attitude of management acts as a motivating factor. Fair opportunity of promotion: Fair opportunity of promotion to all eligible workers is one more method useful for motivating employees. They take interest in the work as they feet that they will be rewarded in the form of promotions. Training facility should be provided to employees in order to make them eligible for promotion. Labour participation in management: Labour participation in management is useful for the motivation of employees. Workers get higher status and better scope for expressing their views through such participation. Even the formation of quality circles or joint management councils is useful for motivating employees. Designation and status: When an employee is provided with a better designation, it adds to his status. Employees are proud to reveal their attractive and high-sounding designations. 7. Theories of Motivation. A. H. Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory. Hertzbergs Motivation Hygiene Theory (Two Factor Theory). Douglas McGregors Theory X and Theory Y. McClellands Achievement Motivation Theory. 8. Elton Mayos Hawthorne Experiments 1927-1936. The most famous of all human relations movement and research were Hawthorne Experiments. So named because they were carried on in Hawthorne plant of western Electric Company of Chicago in USA. Dr. Elton Mayo led a team from Harward University which cooperated with western electric co. in the period 1927-1936 to carry out Hawthorne Experiments. They identified following details. Recognized the importance of employee attitudes such as understanding voluntary co-operations and willing dedication in accomplishment of organizational goals. Found that employee performance is very much influenced by his attitude towards his job, associates and management. Proved that organizational firm can gain only when its employees are satisfied contented in their jobs. Pointed out that any change to be should be made should be explained and its meaning should be clear to employees. The fact that change is logical is not enough because employees may not appreciate the logic. Explored much of information on group behavior. Thus have provided the basis for much of what we know about getting along with all, problem employees in particular. Employee Motivation: Theory and practice The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But thats easier said than done! Motivation practice and theory are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines. In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem! Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is a prerequisite to effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership. These articles on motivation theory and practice concentrate on various theories regarding human nature in general and motivation in particular. Included are articles on the practical aspects of motivation in the workplace and the research that has been undertaken in this field, notably by Douglas McGregor (theory y), Frederick Herzberg (two factor motivation hygiene theory,) Abraham Maslow (theory z, hierarchy of needs), Elton Mayo (Hawthorne Experiments) Chris Argyris Rensis Likert and David McClelland (achievement motivation.) Why study and apply employee motivation principles? Quite apart from the benefit and moral value of an altruistic approach to treating colleagues as human beings and respecting human dignity in all its forms, research and observations show that well motivated employees are more productive and creative. The inverse also holds true. The schematic below indicates the potential contribution the practical application of the principles this paper has on reducing work content in the organization. Motivation is the key to performance improvement There is an old saying you can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink; it will drink only if its thirsty so with people. They will do what they want to do or otherwise motivated to do. Whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the ivory tower they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus. Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. If no, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill which can and must be learnt. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed. Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus: Job performance =f(ability)(motivation) Ability in turn depends on education, experience and training and its improvement is a slow and long process. On the other hand motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options and an uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation. Positive reinforcement / high expectations Effective discipline and punishment Treating people fairly Satisfying employees needs Setting work related goals Restructuring jobs Base rewards on job performance These are the basic strategies, though the mix in the final recipe will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially, there is a gap between an individuals actual state and some desired state and the manager tries to reduce this gap. Motivation is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. Naturally, these goals as also the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organization. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organization. In one of the most elaborate studies on employee motivation, involving 31,000 men and 13,000 women, the Minneapolis Gas Company sought to determine what their potential employees desire most from a job. This study was carried out during a 20 year period from 1945 to 1965 and was quite revealing. The ratings for the various factors differed only slightly between men and women, but both groups considered security as the highest rated factor. The next three factors were; advancement type of work company proud to work for Surprisingly, factors such as pay, benefits and working conditions were given a low rating by both groups. So after all, and contrary to common belief, money is not the prime motivator. (Though this should not be regarded as a signal to reward employees poorly or unfairly.) Motivation theorists and their theories (1 of 2) Although the process of management is as old as history, scientific management as we know it today is basically a twentieth century phenomenon. Also, as in some other fields, practice has been far ahead of theory. This is still true in the field of management, contrary to the situation in some of the pure sciences. For instance, Albert Einstein, formulates a theory, which is later proved by decades of intensive research and experimentation. Not so in the field of management. In fact this field has been so devoid of real fundamental work so far, that Herbert A. Simon is the first management theoretician to win the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1978. His contribution itself gives a clue to the difficulty, bordering on impossibility, of real fundamental work in this field concerned with people. In order to arrive at a correct decision, the manager must have all the information necessary relevant to the various factors and all the time in the world to analyze the same. This is seldom, if ever, the case. Both the information available and the time at the managers disposal are limited, but he or she must make a decision. And the decision is, therefore, not the optimum one but a satisficing one in effect, a satisfactory compromise under the real conditions prevailing in the management arena. Traditional theory X This can best be ascribed to Sigmund Freud who was no lover of people, and was far from being optimistic. Theory X assumes that people are lazy; they hate work to the extent that they avoid it; they have no ambition, take no initiative and avoid taking any responsibility; all they want is security, and to get them to do any work, they must be rewarded, coerced, intimidated and punished. This is the so-called stick and carrot philosophy of management. If this theory were valid, managers will have to constantly police their staff, whom they cannot trust and who will refuse to cooperate. In such an oppressive and frustrating atmosphere, both for the manager and the managed, there is no possibility of any achievement or any creative work. But fortunately, as we know, this is not the case. Theory Y Douglas McGregor This is in sharp contrast to theory X. McGregor believed that people want to learn and that work is their natural activity to the extent that they develop self-discipline and self-development. They see their reward not so much in cash payments as in the freedom to do difficult and challenging work by themselves. The managers job is to dovetail the human wish for self-development into the organizations need for maximum productive efficiency. The basic objectives of both are therefore met and with imagination and sincerity, the enormous potential can be tapped. Does it sound too good to be true? It could be construed, by some, that Theory Y management is soft and slack. This is not true and the proof is in the pudding, for it has already proved its worth in the USA and elsewhere. For best results, the persons must be carefully selected to form a homogeneous group. A good leader of such a group may conveniently absent from group meetings so they can discuss the matters freely and help select and groom a new leader. The leader does no longer hanker after power, lets people develop freely, and may even (it is hoped) enjoy watching the development and actualization of people, as if, by themselves. Everyone, and most of all the organization, gains as a result. Theory Z Abraham Maslow This is a refreshing change from the theory X of Freud, by a fellow psychologist, Abraham Maslow. Maslow totally rejects the dark and dingy Freudian basement and takes us out into the fresh, open, sunny and cheerful atmosphere. He is the main founder of the humanistic school or the third force which holds that all the good qualities are inherent in people, at least, at birth, although later they are gradually lost. Maslows central theme revolves around the meaning and significance of human work and seems to epitomize Voltaires observation in Candide, work banishes the three great evils -boredom, vice and poverty. The great sage Yajnavalkya explains in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad that by good works a man becomes holy, by evil works evil. A mans personality is the sum total of his works and that only his works survive a man at death. This is perhaps the essence of Maslows hierarchy of needs theory, as it is more commonly know. Maslows major works include the standard textbook (in collaboration with Mittlemann), Principles of Abnormal Psychology (1941), a seminal paper, A Theory of Human Motivation (1943) and the book, Eupsychian Management (pronounced yew-sigh-keyan) published in 1965. Maslows theory of human motivation is, in fact, the basis of McGregors theory Y briefly described above. The basic human needs, according to Maslow, are: physiological needs (Lowest) safety needs; love needs; esteem needs; and self-actualization needs (Highest) Mans behavior is seen as dominated by his unsatisfied needs and he is a perpetually wanting animal, for when one need is satisfied he aspires for the next higher one. This is, therefore, seen as an ongoing activity, in which the man is totally absorbed in order to attain perfection through self-development. The highest state of self-actualization is characterized by integrity, responsibility, magnanimity, simplicity and naturalness. Self-actualizers focus on problems external to themselves. His prescription for human salvation is simple, but not easy: Hard work and total commitment to doing well the job that fate or personal destiny calls you to do, or any important job that calls for doing. Maslow has had his share of critics, but he has been able to achieve a refreshing synthesis of divergent and influential philosophies of: Marx economic and physical needs; Freud physical and love needs; Adler esteem needs; Goldstein self-actualization. Frederick Herzberg Hygiene / Motivation Theory This is based on analysis of the interviews of 200 engineers and accountants in the Pittsburgh area in the USA. According to this theory, people work first and foremost in their own self-enlightened interest, for they are truly happy and mentally healthy through work accomplishment. Peoples needs are of two types: Animal Needs (hygiene factors) Supervision Interpersonal relations Working conditions Salary Human Needs (motivators) Recognition Work Responsibility Advancement Unsatisfactory hygiene factors can act as de-motivators, but if satisfactory, their motivational effect is limited. The psychology of motivation is quite complex and Herzberg has exploded several myths about motivators such as: shorter working week; increasing wages; fringe benefits; sensitivity / human relations training; communication. As typical examples, saying please to shop-floor workers does not motivate them to work hard, and telling them about the performance of the company may even antagonize them more. Herzberg regards these also as hygiene factors, which, if satisfactory, satisfy animal needs but not human needs. Chris Argyris According to Argyris, organization needs to be redesigned for a fuller utilization of the most precious resource, the workers, in particular their psychological energy. The pyramidal structure will be relegated to the background, and decisions will be taken by small groups rather than by a single boss. Satisfaction in work will be more valued than material rewards. Work should be restructured in order to enable individuals to develop to the fullest extent. At the same time work will become more meaningful and challenging through self-motivation. Rensis Likert Likert identified four different styles of management: exploitative-authoritative; benevolent-authoritative; consultative; participative. The participative system was found to be the most effective in that it satisfies the whole range of human needs. Major decisions are taken by groups themselves and this results in achieving high targets and excellent productivity. There is complete trust within the group and the sense of participation leads to a high degree of motivation. Fred Luthans Luthans advocates the so-called contingency approach on the basis that certain practices work better than others for certain people and certain jobs. As an example, rigid, clearly defined jobs, authoritative leadership and tight controls lead in some cases to high productivity and satisfaction among workers. In some other cases just the opposite seems to work. It is necessary, therefore, to adapt the leadership style to the particular group of workers and the specific job in hand. Victor Vroom Vrooms expectancy theory is an extension of the contingency approach. The leadership style should be tailored to the particular situation and to the particular group. In some cases it appears best for the boss to decide and in others the group arrives at a consensus. An individual should also be rewarded with what he or she perceives as important rather than what the manager perceives. For example, one individual may value a salary increase, whereas another may, instead, value promotion. This theory contributes an insight into the study of employee motivation by explaining how individual goals influence individual performance. We have discussed above only a selection of the motivation theories and thoughts of the various proponents of the human behavior school of management. Not included here are, among others, the thoughts of: Seebohm Rowntree labor participation in management; Elton Mayo the Hawthorne Experiments; Kurt Lewin group dynamics; force field theory; David McClelland achievement motivation; George Humans the human group; William Whyte the organization man. What does it all add up to? Back to square one? Yes, indeed, the overall picture is certainly confusing. This is not surprising, for the human nature and human mind defy a clear-cut model, mathematical or otherwise. In some of the theories and thoughts presented, however, one can see some glimpses of the person and how, perhaps, he or she could be motivated. This is rewarding in itself. But, as noted earlier, practice has been ahead of theory in this field, so let us now move to the practical side of management of human behavior and motivation in the workplace. Application of employee motivation theory to the workplace Management literature is replete with actual case histories of what does and what does not motivate people. Presented here is a tentative initial broad selection of the various practices that have been tried in order to draw lessons for the future. Stick or carrot approach? The traditional Victorian style of strict discipline and punishment has not only failed to deliver the goods, but it has also left a mood of discontent amongst the working class. Punishment appears to have produced negative rather than positive results and has increased the hostility between them (the management) and us (the workers). In contrast to this, the carrot approach, involving approval, praise and recognition of effort has markedly improved the work atmosphere, leading to more productive work places and giving workers greater job satisfaction. Managers motivation toolkit The managers main task is to develop a productive work place, with and through those he or she is in charge of. The manager should motivate his or her team, both individually and collectively so that a productive work place is maintained and developed and at the same time employees derive satisfaction from their jobs. This may appear somewhat contradictory, but it seems to work. The main tools in the managers kitbag for motivating the team are: approval, praise and recognition trust, respect and high expectations loyalty, given that it may be received removing organizational barriers that stand in the way of individual and group performance (smooth business processes, systems, methods and resources see outline team building program) job enrichment good communications financial incentives These are arranged in order of importance and it is interesting to note that cash is way down the ladder of motivators. Lets look at a couple of examples taken from real life situations. The Swedish shipbuilding company, Kockums, turned a 15 million dollar loss into a 100 million dollar profit in the course of ten years due entirely to a changed perception of the workforce brought about by better motivation. At Western Electric there was a dr

War CANNOT Be Justified by any Party or any Reason Essay -- Critical Th

Have you heard about Korean War, which occurred in June, 25, 1950? The conflict between ideologies caused this war with tens of millions killed, millions of families separated, the country reduced to rubble, and a huge permanent scar on Korea’s culture. Then, Vietnam War, Gulf War, or Iraq war can sound familiar to you. Let’s change point to the number of dead bodies from wars themselves. Can you guess how many people got killed during all of those war periods? Only for Vietnam War, the true civilians of Vietnam War were two millions in the north, and another two millions in the south, and military causalities were 1.1 million killed and six hundreds thousand wounded during war. To finish a war, how many innocent people and soldiers have to get killed? Even if a war ended, who had the responsibilities about those deaths? Most of the modern wars were resulted from conflict of ideologies such as communism and capitalism. Since international relationships were settled down among countries, a war is not any more about one or two countries. For example, supporting troops were sent to South Korea during the Korean War by 16 different countries under U.N order. No matter which part achieved a victory, damages after war remained and hurt all of them. Can war be justified for any party or any reason? The answer is â€Å"No.† St. Augustine enunciated that a war can be justified only â€Å"when it is fought for a just cause† (qtd. in â€Å"Peace and War†). But what is a â€Å"just cause†? Everybody has a different definition and it can be totally subjective. In most modern cultures or most countries, war is accepted as an effective and justifiable way of protecting national interests and achieving diplomatic goals. It can be the just cause as St. Augu... ...ar veterans suffered brain damage after chemical exposure, study says† – November.30.1999 â€Å"Veterans with Gulf War syndrome have damage in specific, primitive portion of nervous system† – September.24.2004 â€Å"Guilty of war crimes - or victim of a feud with US soldiers?† – May.22.2003 â€Å"The desert ecology: another war victim† – March.27.2003 â€Å"Clinton announces new money for Gulf War syndrome research† – November.8.1997 â€Å"Gulf Link : Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses†

Impact of Technology on Society Essay -- american society, technologica

Technology is continuously developing and has begun creating shortcuts for the American society. As a society we need to find a balance between our technological use and our everyday life. In my opinion, society has become too dependent on technology. The more advanced technology becomes, the more it seems to be gaining control over our lives. Even though technology is offering society many beneficial qualities; it also is causing many negative effects to occur. Technology is affecting society socially, mentally, and physically. One point addressed throughout each article was how technology has affected society socially. Technology has contributed to society’s lack of social skills, social interaction, and has allowed many of us to become antisocial individuals. According to Sherry Turkle, psychologist and director of the MIT Initiative on Technology, the lack of these social abilities has contributed to the absence of emotional maturation in individuals of today’s society. Turkle stated, â€Å"Very quickly for teenagers [it became] [that] they prefer to text than talk because talking for them involves too much information, too much tension, too much awkwardness. They like the idea of a communication medium in which there does not need to be awkwardness.† (Turkle). I know this is true among teenagers in our society. I, like many of my other peers would prefer to send a text message before calling someone any day. I believe this is because we have become so reliant on text messaging that we no longer know how to have a decent intellectual conversation. Turkle says this occurs because â€Å"talking involves too much information, texting is a lot quicker, and it is very easy to stop before you are rejected.† In addition to affecting society... ...e physically active. As technology continues to advance it seems society's aptitudes have begun to decline socially, mentally, and physically. According to Butte, famous theoretical physicist Albert Einstein once stated, â€Å"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity† (Butte). I believe this quote truly summarizes how technology has affected our society. Works Cited Butte Patil, Pratik R. Technological Advancements and Its Impact on Humanity. Academia.edu. Academia.edu, 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. Crowther, Hal. "One Hundred Fears of Solitude. â€Å"The Telegraph." Telegraph, 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 October 2013. Sterling, Bruce. â€Å"Self-Reliance 2008.† The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, 1 November 2008. Web. 16 October 2013. Turkle, Sherry. Interview: Digital Nation. Frontline. PBS. WGBH, Boston, 2 Feb. 2010. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

15 Minutes :: essays research papers

Like many ambitious, provocative films, "15 Minutes" is a bit of a mess. Both audacious and unwieldy, exciting and excessive, this dark thriller is too long, too violent and not always convincing. But at the same time, there's no denying that it's onto something, that its savage indictment of the nexus involving media, crime and a voracious public is a cinematic statement difficult to ignore. For despite its traditional cops-and-killers format, "15 Minutes" (its title taken from Andy Warhol's prediction of how long everyone in the future can expect to be famous) is a polemical, apocalyptic film. Writer-director John Herzfeld is furious at the "if it bleeds, it leads" nature of our TV news culture, at the intertwined lusts for fame and gore that rule a society where publicity is more important than reality, everyone plays the victim, and everything is for sale. Though its anger is a force to be reckoned with, "15 Minutes" finds some space to be funny, albeit in a bleak way, and even provides unexpected moments of romance. Herzfeld, whose debut film was the equally impudent if less impressive "2 Days in the Valley," has utilized an appropriately off-center sensibility for his story, taking the strands of crime melodrama and twisting them to fit his particular purposes. A key factor in keeping "15 Minutes" involving is its look. Working with inventive French cinematographer Jean Yves Escoffier ("Les Amants du Pont-Neuf," "The Cradle Will Rock," "Nurse Betty") and editor Steven Cohen, Herzfeld is determined to keep things kinetic and visually interesting. He even makes vivid use of footage shot on a video camera by one of the actors while in character. In general outline a policier about two of the good guys chasing a pair of villains, "15 Minutes" utilizes marquee names Robert De Niro and Edward Burns for its investigators, but generates more interest with the two lesser-known actors who get to create all the havoc. Emil Slovak (Karel Roden) and Oleg Razgul (Oleg Taktarov) are exceptionally good as the Eastern European version of those criminal odd couples movies delight in spawning. While Emil is shrewd and ruthless, Oleg is childlike, dreamy and obsessed with being a filmmaker. "I am here for movies," he tells a baffled New York immigration official, adding by way of explanation, "I saw 'It's a Wonderful Life.' " Actually, Emil and Oleg are here to get the money owed them from an earlier criminal action.

Help Stop Bullying Essay

An 11 year old Massachusetts boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, hung himself April 6, 2009 because he was being taunted daily for being gay. The mother begged the school to address the problem, but nothing was ever done about it and now a woman is left son less. That was at least the fourth suicide of a middle-school aged child linked to bullying that year. Most harassment and bullying go unreported. Children are being bullied each and every day, but the question is what should be done to stop it? Each and every day a child is being teased or picked on because of the way they look, act, dress, or because of what they believe in. Children should not have to be tortured just because they are not like everyone else. Children should be able to come to school and enjoy themselves and not worry about being picked on. A child that is being bullied can have many problems such as low self esteem and low self confidence which could lead them to suicide. Also, children that are bullied may start doing poorly in school or maybe even drop out because they do not feel safe at school. Bullying really needs to be stooped because it can leave a child physically, emotionally, and mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. Some schools say that there is very little that they can do about bullying because a lot of bullying starts off of school property. â€Å"Much of today’s bullying originates online, school officials said, with the growing use of social networking websites and cell phones has led to new ways to intimidate and tease. But because cyber bullying usually happens off-campus school administrators have little recourse† (Nissley 2010). I do not agree with the school district when they say that there is little they can do. Even though, it may start online, it continues or become worse at the school. With that being said, they need to try and do more so it can stop all together no matter where it starts. The solution that they think will help stop bullying is if the educate student about it more. Like Nissley (2010) stated, â€Å"In a model that has been mirrored by other school districts across the state, Abington Heights has been working on educating students as early as kindergarten about bullying and their responsibility to report it when they see it (p. 1). I think that it is good to educate the students about bullying and reporting it, but what is that really going to do? As we all know a lot of students will not tell because they will be too afraid. Or if they do tell they will be little done about it and they will continue to get bullied. So, their solution would not be effective at all. â€Å"Safe to learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools is the overarching anti-bullying guidance for schools and was launched in 2007† (teacherNet, 2009, p. 2). It seems that everyone thinks that the solution to stop bullying is just to educate students about it. I think that it is good that they are trying to educate students about the issue, but we all know that it is going to take more than that to stop bullying. It does not matter how much information you provide the students with about bullying, it still is not going to do anything. People have been trying to stop bullying by just telling students it is not the right thing to do for years and nothing has changed. As you see, they tried this solution in 2007 and now in 2010 the same problem is still going on. You can make students take classes every day about bullying and there will still be children getting bullied. Principals and administrators need to punish students by making use of more suspensions and require mandatory parent meetings for those who are bullying others. If the bullying continues, it must be dealt with strongly. And, both the child and parent should be held responsible for it. Until people start taking actions of this nature, bullying will forever be a problem. I think that the only way to stop bullying is to actually make a law against it. In Massachusetts, they have passed a bill for anti-bullying. I think that is wonderful because now that the law is involved I am sure bullying will be cut down because the kids would not to have to deal with the harsh consequences. â€Å"The bill would prohibit bullying at schools and clamp down on so-called cyber bullying by prohibiting the use of e-mails, text messages, internet postings, and other electronic means to create hostile school environment† (Gay & Lesbians, 2010, p. 16). I also believe that it is good that they are requiring the school principals to report to the bullying to the police, if they believe criminal charges should be pursued. Maybe now if the students know that they could possibly go to jail they would stop bullying. It is great that somebody has passed a bill and takes this issue seriously because this has been going on for too long and it is time for it to stop. Lately there have been many other cities discussing and making laws about bullying. In New Jersey, they have also passed a bill regarding bullying. â€Å"A law against bullying in schools which advocates call the nation’s toughest because it requires schools to develop anti-harassment programs, was approved Monday in New Jersey† (Mulvihill, 2010, pg. ). I believe that this is what the schools need in order for bullying to stop. It may take a while for the schools to get all the policies and programs in the public schools, but it will be worth it. This law will hopefully prevent any more suicides from happening due to children being bullied. Maybe it should have been stricter laws a long time ago and a lot of bullying could have bee n stopped. The state of New Jersey has already passed the law for anti-bullying shows how it will cut down on a lot of bullying. There was already an anti-bullying law in 2002, but it was not required that schools set up anti-bullying programs. The new bill is claimed to be one of the toughest anti-bullying bill that there is. They are going all out the way to make sure students will not get bullied. They are even making teachers get training to help to bulling. Like Julie Bolcer (2010) stated, ‘’ The measure would required training for most public school employees on how to spot bulling and mandate that all districts from ‘school safety teams’ review complaints, reported The Star – Ledger . Superintendent would have to report incidents of buying to the state board of education, which would grade schools and districts on their efforts to combat it ‘’ (pg. 1). I think that it is to stop bulling because this is a very serious problem. But now that there are such harsh laws against it, I know the rates will go down a lot. Bullying is something that has been around for ages, but no one has ever seemed to find the right solution for it. Many say there is not a lot that can be done to stop bulling because it starts off school property; I totally isagree with that. While you have others that think that just by telling students about will stop it, which we all know will not. I feel that the only way bulling will ever stop is if they give harsh punishments and let the bullies know that is not a joke. Even though, there have been many attempts to stop bulling, I think that they have finally found a solution which is by making a tough anti-bulling law. If a child wants to bully someone then they should deal with the law and suffer the consequences.

Normative Economics

Republi stack and democratic candidates in the coming(prenominal) elections entertain tabled pr declargon oneselfs on how to right wellnessc atomic egress 18 in the country. They both agree on submit for mends solely differ on the proposed action. The cope has been sparked by reports indicating that m whatever Americans atomic payoff 18 uninsurable. harmonise to U.S census bureau, 47 jillion Americans were uninsured in 2006 up from 44.8 jillion in 2005. An increase of 22 matchless thousand million or 15.8%.The proportion of the insured by governing carcass schemes alike went down from 27.3% to 27.0% in that division ( vane.census.gov 2007). A report by families regular army puts the figures much high. It indicates that 89.6 million Americans beneath 65 years of age were uninsured at time in the inhabit dickens years. (www.familiesusa.org) These figures show that there authenti tendery is a wellness restitution crisis in the country. This is by far gravidgest subject of the wellness reform debate in the country.republicans propose that the organisation volunteer fillips for the poor to pass a elan mystic flavor amends. They oppose politics acting on active intention in provision of redress rear. The Democrats on their parcel advocate for a frequent wellness maintenance send off. Their proposals bump off on that all(prenominal)body essential notice go alonged.Thesis Democrats nurture a collapse wellness reform agendum than the republicans. The Democrats proposal to reconstruct wellness complaint inexpensive and contain atible to all Americans is better than the republican proposal, which offer, subsidizes low-in tell a calve families.Proponents Position.Democrats propose that to reform the wellness welkin the politics essentialiness come in to promote approachability by all Americans through public amends suppressage. (www.democrats.org, 2007)Opponents Positionrepublicans punctuate on reforms in wellness occurle found on publish commercialise principles they would offer incentives to the tidy sum to fetching private life indemnification policies. (www.gop.com, 2007)Proponents PositionDemocrats shake up come up with a designing that ensures that everybody is palm and remunerative a tri scarcee that is at heart their means. They support a everyday wellness wangle contrive. The wellness image tar redeems the uninsured and those non at ease with their online indemnification. Senator Hillarys American wellness Choices Plan affects that the governance and big employees lease contribution to the employees wellness innovation. pocket-size businesses on their crack forget be let off. They substance ab custom contribute but cease behind in fact produce impose assurances so that they are able to cover their employees.Under the AHCP, amends and medicate companies ordain drill be super regulated. Insurance companies forget non disclaim whateverbody cover over payable to a exist conformation for they forebode somebody move roam. The drug manufacturers leave behind be pushed to glower the damage of medication. She identifies the avaritia of these two industries as a major(ip) limiting factor in to inexpensive wellness solicitude for all.In the AHCP, individuals must get insured. It is called prime(a)s cast as it allows one to cull whether to retain current cover or get into the one put upd by government. Individuals exit even off a premium that is inwardly their means. To keep the premiums low, they entrust be crest to correspond to individuals income. This authority nil testament be required to pay much(prenominal) than they can afford. The externalise in addition avails measure credit to work families. That panache, they are able to rile fictional character insurance cover. The formulate excessively aims at expanding Medicaid and childrens wellness insurance course of study to reach to a greater extent muckle.John Edwards, some some other antiauthoritarian candidate unveiled about correspondent final ca hold to that of Senator Clinton. It overly agitates for normal insurance coverage with employers to government making contribution. The plan is in addition mandatory for all Americans. (johnedwards.com, 2007). To caudex these special K plans, the candidates fork out indicated that they go out pilfer tax breaks and subsidies to insurance providers. Senator Clinton to a fault requires that grown employers postulate contribution towards their employees wellness cover. Her plan likewise expresss on cost press clipping through increased skill and use of preventive medicationStrengths of The Democrats Proposal.The proposed familiar wellness direction plans ensures that everybody affords insurance cover Senator Clintons AHCP ensures that every body is covered and paying an affordable premium. It makes it mandatory for all peo ple to get health insurance coverage but allows them the choice of their policy. This way it does non get one in to procureing insurance cover they are non comfortable with.The proposed plan likewise ensures that nobody is denied insurance coverage. Insurance providers are obligate to provide cover for all without favoritism on the grounds of a preexisting chequer or in prospect of illness. This downs in a big number of people who were shunned by insurance companies due to condition such as schizophrenic disorder and human immunodeficiency virus/ AIDS. (www.democrats.org, 2007)The plan does non require subtile businesses to contribute to the universal health care plan earlier it grants them tax attribute. This way the employees of these small businesses stay afloat. This go forth be incentive for small businesses to expand.The AHCP also emphasizes on cost cutting in health care. It champions preventive measures that are cheaper than remedial medication. It also champ ions greater efficiency and modernization in health care bringing that would bring down costsWeaknessesThe universal health plan requires considerable funding and this whitethorn result to higher taxes for the American public. Senator Clinton puts the cost of her plan at $110 billion succession John Edward put his at $ cxx billion. The figure is tentative and superpower go higher than that. The planned parentage may also non hold open as much funds as project senator Clintons plan to generate savings by boosting efficiency may also not generate enough funds. This would deviate except the options of a tax test as John Edwards concedes. (www.onthe restitution.org) Higher taxes lead freight the public further and will not be welcome. political relation appointment will slip inefficiencies in value delivery. Government function will only decease to a huge bureaucracy with a softwood of red tape. This cogency insult the crisis. Without a profit motive, he plan mig ht offer sluggish and poor prime(a) servicesOpponents positionRepublican candidates propose that the government subsidize low-income families to swear out them access health care alternatively than providing a universal plan as a way to prove accessibility. The Republican are opposed to government involvement in provision of health insurance. (www.gop.com, 2007)Rudy Giuliani, a Republican candidate in his plan offers tax deductions of $15,000 to families and $7500 for individuals. These deductions will change families to access health care. He also proposes to feed in families and individuals vouchers to buy policies. He would boost individuals buy covers of their choice as a way to make savings. Individuals would have to pay for lowly check-ups as they would to their cars. He also accent the need for people to take care of their health and not leave it to the government. (Elliott, Philip, 2007)Mitt Romney is stimulate for individuals to purchase private insurance. He stre sses that government interference will exacerbate the situation. He proposed tax breaks but not universal coverage plan. That would push up taxes. (www.ontheissues.org, 2007)The Republican propose that health insurance should be left to individuals choices rather than employer and government schemes. They offer what they call an American solution to the problem. They stand for innocent(p) commercialise principles and are opposed to socialistic tendencies in health care. They do not require that everybody must have health insurance cover. They justify try to bring forth an incentive for individuals to join.Strengths of The Republicans proposals The Republican proposals ensure that the immunity of choice of consumers is safeguarded. Since they know their health better, individuals will settle down on which policy in the grocery suits them best. health saving plans as proposed by republicans will encourage individuals to save for hereafter health expenses. This will promote m ore than health lifestyle among the people. The insured accumulate more control over the finance of their health care.Tax deductions and vouchers would enable a big number of people to access smell health care. Neither would they disrupt health care delivery the way universal plan would. These fiscal measures are genuinely cosmos implemented and would not be experimental.The republican proposals are business sociable in that they do not require great employers to make huge contributions to their employees health coversThey also come up with a health care service that is stark of long bureaucratic procedures. contrary insurance providers will compete to provide the most(prenominal) efficient and customer friendly covers. (www.joinrudy2008.com)WeaknessesThe republicans bring out to address the issue wage increase medical checkup exam costs and rising insurance premiums. They pee the insurance companies a exhaust hand that results in only higher policies.The subsidies offered may not be adapted to manful health insurance cover affordable to all people. This will get hold of to part of the population remaining uncovered.Most of the proposals make are similar to those implemented chthonian the furnish administration. They are not religious offering any new solutions to the persisting problems of skyrocketing premiums and medical costs. They emphasize on free market principles that have put the countries in its current predicament.The republican proposals do not adopt the issue of discrimination by the insurance pains insurance providers are not induce to cover people with pre-existing conditions. Vouchers will not be of any use to such people as they will not get covers anywayConclusionThe democrats health agenda is definitely better than the republican agenda on health. It talks the failures of the healthcare corpse in place today. The democrats have tabled plans on how to make health care more affordable and handy that are more convin cing. They require that every body be covered while passing inhabit for choice on the policy. Their plan covers everybody and also ensures that the premiums are affordable.The net keen-witted in taxes will not be huge as the cost of not implementing the plan. When sick people cannot pay for their health cover the community will have to have got the burden.Universal coverage has been implemented in other advanced countries and would also make better health care in the US.ReferencesHighlights, 2007. Health insurance coverage 2006. Retrieved on 04/10/07A healthcare That Works for Everybody, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.democrats.org/a/national/affordable_health_care/Making healthcare Affordable to all Americans, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.gop.com/Issues/HealthCare/American Health Choices Plan, 2007. Hillary for president. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/summary.aspxHealthcare, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 f romhttp//johnedwards.com/issues/health-care/Mayor Rudy Giulianis health plan, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment.php?num=7Mitt Romney on Healthcare, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.ontheissues.org/2008/Mitt_Romney_Health_Care.htmElliott, Philip, 2007. Giuliani Dems Want Nanny Government. Retrieved on 04/10/07 from http//apnews.myway.com/article/20070730/D8QN4AHO0.htmlNormative EconomicsRepublican and democratic candidates in the upcoming elections have tabled proposals on how to reform healthcare in the country. They all agree on need for reforms but differ on the proposed action. The debate has been sparked by reports indicating that many Americans are uninsured. According to U.S census bureau, 47 million Americans were uninsured in 2006 up from 44.8 million in 2005. An increase of 22 million or 15.8%. The proportion of the insured by government schemes also went down from 27.3% to 27.0% in that year (www.census.gov 2007). A report by fa milies USA puts the figures much higher. It indicates that 89.6 million Americans below 65 years of age were uninsured at time in the last two years. (www.familiesusa.org) These figures show that there really is a health insurance crisis in the country. This is by far biggest subject of the health reform debate in the country.Republicans propose that the government provide incentives for the poor to get private life insurance. They oppose government playing on active role in provision of insurance cover. The Democrats on their part advocate for a universal health care plan. Their proposals require that everybody must get covered.ThesisDemocrats have a better health reform agenda than the Republicans. The Democrats proposal to make health care affordable and accessible to all Americans is better than the republican proposal, which offer, subsidizes low-income families.Proponents Position.Democrats propose that to reform the health sector the government must come in to promote accessi bility by all Americans through universal coverage. (www.democrats.org, 2007)Opponents PositionRepublicans emphasize on reforms in healthcare based on free market principles they would offer incentives to the people to taking private life insurance policies. (www.gop.com, 2007)Proponents PositionDemocrats have come up with a plan that ensures that everybody is covered and paying a premium that is within their means. They support a universal health care plan. The health plan targets the uninsured and those not satisfied with their current insurance. Senator Hillarys American Health Choices Plan requires that the government and big employees make contribution to the employees health plan. Small businesses on their part will be let off. They wont contribute but will in fact receive tax credits so that they are able to cover their employees.Under the AHCP, insurance and drug companies will use be highly regulated. Insurance companies will not deny anybody cover due to a pre-existing con dition for they foresee somebody falling sick. The drug manufacturers will be pushed to lower the cost of medication. She identifies the greed of these two industries as a major limiting factor to affordable health care for all.In the AHCP, individuals must get insured. It is called choices plan as it allows one to choose whether to retain current cover or get into the one provided by government. Individuals will pay a premium that is within their means. To keep the premiums low, they will be capped to correspond to individuals income. This way nobody will be required to pay more than they can afford. The plan also avails tax credit to working families. That way, they are able to access quality insurance cover. The plan also aims at expanding Medicaid and childrens health insurance program to reach more people.John Edwards, another Democratic candidate unveiled almost similar plan to that of Senator Clinton. It also agitates for universal coverage with employers to government making contribution. The plan is also mandatory for all Americans. (johnedwards.com, 2007). To fund these grand plans, the candidates have indicated that they will rescind tax breaks and subsidies to insurance providers. Senator Clinton also requires that large employers make contribution towards their employees health cover. Her plan also emphasizes on cost cutting through increased efficiency and use of preventive medicationStrengths of The Democrats Proposal.The proposed universal health care plans ensures that everybody affords insurance cover Senator Clintons AHCP ensures that every body is covered and paying an affordable premium. It makes it mandatory for all people to get health insurance coverage but allows them the choice of their policy. This way it does not force one in to buying insurance cover they are not comfortable with.The proposed plan also ensures that nobody is denied insurance coverage. Insurance providers are obliged to provide cover for all without discrimination o n the grounds of a pre-existing condition or in anticipation of illness. This brings in a big number of people who were shunned by insurance companies due to condition such as schizophrenia and HIV/ AIDS. (www.democrats.org, 2007)The plan does not require small businesses to contribute to the universal health care plan rather it grants them tax credits. This way the employees of these small businesses stay afloat. This will be incentive for small businesses to expand.The AHCP also emphasizes on cost cutting in health care. It champions preventive measures that are cheaper than curative medication. It also champions greater efficiency and modernization in health care delivery that would bring down costsWeaknessesThe universal health plan requires huge funding and this may result to higher taxes for the American public. Senator Clinton puts the cost of her plan at $110 billion while John Edward put his at $120 billion. The figure is tentative and might go higher than that. The planned source may also not deliver as much funds as projected senator Clintons plan to generate savings by boosting efficiency may also not generate enough funds. This would leave only the options of a tax rise as John Edwards concedes. (www.ontheissue.org) Higher taxes will burden the public further and will not be welcome.Government involvement will cause inefficiencies in service delivery. Government involvement will only lead to a huge bureaucracy with a lot of red tape. This might aggravate the crisis. Without a profit motive, he plan might offer sluggish and poor quality servicesOpponents positionRepublican candidates propose that the government subsidize low-income families to help them access health care rather than providing a universal plan as a way to enhance accessibility. The Republican are opposed to government involvement in provision of health insurance. (www.gop.com, 2007)Rudy Giuliani, a Republican candidate in his plan offers tax deductions of $15,000 to families and $7 500 for individuals. These deductions will enable families to access health care. He also proposes to give families and individuals vouchers to buy policies. He would encourage individuals buy covers of their choice as a way to make savings. Individuals would have to pay for minor check-ups as they would to their cars. He also stressed the need for people to take care of their health and not leave it to the government. (Elliott, Philip, 2007)Mitt Romney is agitating for individuals to purchase private insurance. He stresses that government interference will worsen the situation. He proposed tax breaks but not universal coverage plan. That would push up taxes. (www.ontheissues.org, 2007)The Republican propose that health insurance should be left to individuals choices rather than employer and government schemes. They offer what they call an American solution to the problem. They stand for free market principles and are opposed to socialist tendencies in health care. They do not requi re that everybody must have health insurance cover. They justify try to create an incentive for individuals to join.Strengths of The Republicans proposalsThe Republican proposals ensure that the freedom of choice of consumers is safeguarded. Since they know their health better, individuals will decide on which policy in the market suits them best.Health saving plans as proposed by republicans will encourage individuals to save for future health expenses. This will promote more health lifestyle among the people. The insured gain more control over the financing of their health care.Tax deductions and vouchers would enable a big number of people to access quality health care. Neither would they disrupt health care delivery the way universal plan would. These fiscal measures are actually being implemented and would not be experimental.The republican proposals are business friendly in that they do not require large employers to make huge contributions to their employees health coversThey also come up with a health care service that is free of long bureaucratic procedures. Different insurance providers will compete to provide the most efficient and customer friendly covers. (www.joinrudy2008.com)WeaknessesThe republicans fail to address the issue rising medical costs and rising insurance premiums. They give the insurance companies a free hand that results in only higher policies.The subsidies offered may not be adequate to male health insurance cover affordable to all people. This will lead to part of the population remaining uncovered.Most of the proposals made are similar to those implemented under the Bush administration. They are not offering any new solutions to the persisting problems of skyrocketing premiums and medical costs. They emphasize on free market principles that have put the countries in its current predicament.The republican proposals do not tackle the issue of discrimination by the insurance industry insurance providers are not obligated to cover people with pre-existing conditions. Vouchers will not be of any use to such people as they will not get covers anywayConclusionThe democrats health agenda is definitely better than the republican agenda on health. It talks the failures of the healthcare system in place today. The democrats have tabled plans on how to make health care more affordable and accessible that are more convincing. They require that every body be covered while leaving rooms for choice on the policy. Their plan covers everybody and also ensures that the premiums are affordable.The net wise in taxes will not be huge as the cost of not implementing the plan. When sick people cannot pay for their health cover the community will have to bear the burden.Universal coverage has been implemented in other advanced countries and would also improve health care in the US.ReferencesHighlights, 2007. Health insurance coverage 2006. Retrieved on 04/10/07 from http//www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/hlthin06/hlth06asc.htmlA H ealthcare That Works for Everybody, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.democrats.org/a/national/affordable_health_care/Making Healthcare Affordable to all Americans, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.gop.com/Issues/HealthCare/American Health Choices Plan, 2007. Hillary for president. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/summary.aspxHealthcare, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//johnedwards.com/issues/health-care/Mayor Rudy Giulianis health plan, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment.php?num=7Mitt Romney on Healthcare, 2007. Retrieved on 04/10/07 fromhttp//www.ontheissues.org/2008/Mitt_Romney_Health_Care.htmElliott, Philip, 2007. Giuliani Dems Want Nanny Government. Retrieved on 04/10/07 from http//apnews.myway.com/article/20070730/D8QN4AHO0.html