Essay about Aristotle’s Three Categories of Friendships

Friendships are special relationships that begin the development of social skills in each human person. Every time we open the door to form new friendships it begins with an experimental and holistic practice of philosophy and science. Whether we recognize the use of philosophy and science or not it’s being applied to shape friendships. The formation and bond of friendships has been studied for many years through science, philosophy, and theology. The point of this paper is to give the point of view and purpose of friendship according to science, philosophy, and theology and how it is applied to our everyday life. For years the formation of friendship has been evaluated through the eyes of psychology on how friendships actual form. There†¦show more content†¦In order for the bond to last for a lifetime, self-disclosure and supportiveness also needs to continue. In life there are many changes that can cause a true friendship to go wary such as marriage, divorce, birth of children, new careers, and sickness. However, through each of those events the two must remember to keep the intimacy, the letting down of emotional barriers and the expression of innermost thoughts and feelings, â€Å"that which makes friendships thrive must be an enjoyable one† and to â€Å"always interact† (Karbo 3). Although psychologists continue to research the formation of friendships the great philosopher Aristotle knew exactly how friendships formed and how the lasted. In the book Aristotle and the Philosophy of Friendship, (based off the Nicomachean Ethics) the author, Pangle, informed the audience that Aristotle believe in three different types of friendships based off three different types of motives: Friendships of Utility, Friendships of Pleasure, and Perfect Friendship. He identifies these types of friendships as different types of sources of affection that are lovable as the good, the pleasant, and the useful. Before analyzing Aristotle three types o f friendships we must first understand what he meant by friendship. During Aristotle’s rein friendship was commonly known as the love one person had for another. Philia, brotherly love, was essentialShow MoreRelatedEssay Aristotle On Friendship1333 Words   |  6 Pagesof the virtues that he examines more extensively is friendship. Aristotle believes that there are three different kinds of friendship: utility, pleasure, and virtuous friendships. He also argues that a real friendship should be highly valued because it is a complete virtue and he believes it to be greater than honor and justice. Aristotle suggests that human’s love of utility and pleasure is the only reason why the first two types of friendships exist. Aristotle also argues that humans only setRead MoreAristotle s Theory Of Friendship1415 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstood this, he even had his own analysis of friendship. In the Nicomachean Ethics written by Aristotle, books VIII and IX are based off o f friendship. Today, the definition of a friend is, â€Å"A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations (Oxford Dictionary).† To Aristotle, friendship is much more than this. In this research paper, I will evaluate whether or not Aristotle’s analysis of friendship is applicable to the modern world. AristotleRead MoreAristotle on Friendship Essay1134 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle on Friendship We are social creatures. We surround ourselves with other human beings, our friends. It is in our nature. We are constantly trying to broaden the circumference of our circle of friends. Aristotle understood the importance of friendship, books VIII and IX of the Nicomachean Ethics deal solely with this topic. A modern day definition of a friend can be defined as â€Å"one joined to another in intimacy and mutual benevolence independently of sexual or family love†. (OxfordRead MoreEssay Aristotelian’s Normative Concept of Friendship1475 Words   |  6 PagesIn Books VIII and IX of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, the normative concept of friendship is precisely defined and separated into various categories of which Socrates’ and Alcibiades’ relationship can be ascribed to. To achieve this endeavor, one will need to understand Aristotle’s notion of perfect friendship based on reciprocal goodwill and virtue, and imperfect friendship based o n utility and pleasure. By applying these evaluative aspects according to Socrates’ and Alcibiades’ characteristicsRead MoreAristotle s Book Viii By Setting Some Ground Work On Friendship1198 Words   |  5 Pagesbegins book VIII by setting some ground work on friendship. Aristotle explains that friendship is something that is â€Å" indispensable for life.† Not one person chooses to not have friends, therefore, it something that involves everyone. He later goes in depth on the fact that there are three categories of friendship: useful, pleasure, and goodness. Useful friendship is when each individual has a benefit from the other. In the case of pleasure friendship, each person in the relationship are drawn to theRead MoreAristotle Living a Human Life/Human Nature1638 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle Ââ€" Living a human life/human nature Aristotle was a man of philosophy, science, and mathematics. He used these three tools to explain what he thought the purpose of being a human being was, and just what being a human being entailed. To describe what a human being was, he came up with many theories, which involved friendship, happiness, and human nature. He also believed that not everyone was a perfect human, meaning, there were things an individual must do throughout his or her lifeRead MoreAristotle Was An Ancient Greek Philosopher Who Was Gifted1588 Words   |  7 Pageswho was gifted in many areas of education but among his educational resume perhaps his biggest impact was his writing in philosophy. His writings today have been embedded in the way we think today and make us think of our telos as human beings. Aristotle’s views on how to obtain true happiness is through virtue, he claims every living thing aims at good. The problem with this is that we as human beings accept the good life of another but not of a human being. The practice of philosophy that setsRead MorePositve Psychology and Aristotles Virtue Ethics Converge Essay1569 Words   |  7 Pagespsychology borrows principles and tenets of philosophies, which preceded its formal conception. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast virtue, character strengths, relationships, and happiness as presented by positive psychology with Aristotle’s virtue ethics theory. Positive psychology utilizes five pillars in order to flourish, achieve fulfillment, and satisfaction in life: Positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (PERMA). The five mainstays of positiveRead MoreAristotle Theory Of The Good Life1424 Words   |  6 Pages Aristotles Theory of Happiness and the Good Life Aristotle is one of the greatest thinkers in the history of western philosophy, and is most notably known for expressing his view of happiness in Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotle develops a theory of how to live the good life and reach eudaimonia (happiness). Eudaimonia has been translated into, living a happy and virtuous life. Aristotle’s definition of the good life as the happy life, consist of balancing virtues (arà ªte), the mean, external goodsRead MoreAristotle s Theory Of Virtue Ethics2060 Words   |  9 PagesWhy does Aristotle think friendship is a good? Is he right? Aristotle outlined a guide to ethics that sought, first and foremost, a degree of applicability that does not falter in its representations of humankind. Perhaps this is the reason that Aristotle plays close attention to one of humankinds most treasured and hard-wearing concepts - friendship. It would be fair to say that friendship has cemented a position as one of the most fundamental constituents that contribute to the phenomenon of daily

Health and Poverty in FIlipinos - 1235 Words

â€Å"Lack of money means lack of food and lack of food can lead to malnutrition.† (World Health Organization) According to the World Health Organization (WHO), â€Å"Poverty is the main cause of malnutrition because people are not able to eat the right kind of food they need.† Poverty and malnutrition have always had a link especially in the Philippines. A recent report from the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed that 52% of Filipinos consider themselves to be poor and 41% of Filipino families consider themselves food poor. It was also reported that the Food Poverty Threshold (FTP) the survey correspondents set is at an average of Php 4,750. According to the SWS, the FTP is the â€Å"monthly food budget that food-poor households need in home expenses in order not to consider themselves food-poor†. The FTP somehow serves as a â€Å"poverty line† in terms of food and a higher value means a higher standard of living as well. To some Filipinos Php 4,750 is a seemingly insignificant amount. But how about those Filipinos whose money is below the FTP, those people who are b arely able to meet the international poverty line of $1.25, roughly Php 56, a day (World Bank)? Are they still able to meet the basic food requirements? In a different report, the SWS stated that approximately 4.31 million Filipino families are experiencing moderate to severe hunger. Malnutrition, generally, can cause several nutritional disorders to arise, depending on the under- or over-abundance of nutrients in one’sShow MoreRelatedStudy About Ofw1697 Words   |  7 PagesHe stated that some 18.05 per cent of all Filipino households received cash from abroad in the year 2000, and this rose to 20.72 per cent in 2003 and then to 23.3 per cent in 2006. From the data, the author observed that more families of OFWs were spending less on food and more on health, with the percentage share of expenditures of migrant households on food down slightly from 44.9 per cent in 2000 to 43.3 per cent in 2006, while expenditures on health increased from 2.3 per cent in 2000 to 3 perRead MoreMalnutrition in the Philippines Essay1099 Words   |  5 Pagesresult of the country’s overwhelming poverty rates (about 27.9 percent of the pop ulace) depriving its people of food, and raging typhoons (such as Super Storm Haiyan) have only exasperated the problem (Calderon). In addition, when the country’s people do have access to food, they rarely have the necessary fruits or vegetables for a balanced diet. Through poverty, a lack of produce, and regular typhoons, malnutrition in the Philippines unleashes widespread health endangerments that range from blindnessRead MorePoverty Affects Quality Of Life, Well Being, And Health1255 Words   |  6 PagesPoverty negatively impacts quality of life, well-being, and health. In 2015, it was estimated that 21.6% of the Philippine population was in poverty (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2016). 8.1% were facing extreme poverty and were below the minimum income required to meet basic food needs (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2016). Most of the poor in the Philippines live in rural areas and work in the agriculture sector, mainly farming and fishing (Dy-Liacco, 2014). The poorest families often haveRead MoreThe Development Of The Philippines1419 Words   |  6 Pagesof China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam both economically and in public education for the past four decades. With its economy being characterized by boom-bust cycles and episodes of moderate economic growth little has helped to alleviate the poverty. Poverty among households has increased from 24.4% to 26.9% between the years of 2003 and 2006. With the increase in poor families being from 4 million for 4.7 million the same years; poor people increasing from 23.8 million to 27.6 million as well. AccordingRead MoreA Reaction: Mga Munting Tinig645 Words   |  3 Pagesnever be plucked from his roses -Ellen Key, Swedish reformer and educationalist The realities that besiege Philippine society nowadays greatly affect Filipinos, men, women, young and old. Children are at high risk of suffering the enormous effects of poverty, illiteracy, poor health and insurgency to name a few, effects which could corrupt their hearts and minds, and rob them of their childhood and future. At a young age, children do not have the grasp of understandingRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility in the Philippines1221 Words   |  5 PagesGlobal Financial crisis pushed more Filipino families into poverty. Thus in year 2000 onwards, pushed by new challenges such as increasingly critical consumers of products and services who demand more from the companies that produce them. Companies are now being scrutinized as never before and they are made to measure up to standards of environmental sustainability, ethical behavior and governance structures. Questions arise on what else they can do to make poverty history given their access to talentRead MoreEssay on Unemployment and Migration in the Philippines1634 Words   |  7 PagesLabor migration has created jobs for millions of Filipinos; however its success shadows its real cause. Unemployment in itself alone has many diminishing factors for growth and development. The cycle of problems of the country continues to grow which include migration, unemployment, poverty, and underemployment. This paper will aim to illustrate the effects of international migration due to unemployment status. The issue of high unemployment is a great factor in the development of the country andRead MoreEconomic Problem in the Philippines1582 Words   |  7 Pagesit was markedly slower in comparison to other South-East Asian neighbors. Economic performance figures indicated a contraction in exports and a drop in FDI. Though the remittances from overseas Filipinos to the country grew in the first ten months of 2011, however the compensation that overseas Filipinos received actually fell, in peso terms, due to an appreciating peso. In 2011 the Aquino administration sought a FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with the EU and join the Trans-Pacific PartnershipRead MoreImpact of John Stuart Mill’s Philosophies on Philippines’ Society, Politics and Economy1093 Words   |  5 Pagesculture that Mill believes to be the best for achieving intellectual and social development. Every Filipino citizen is sovereign and free to do what he wants as long as he does not harm others. Mill’s proposed ways to obtain ‘social liberty’, which are having the political liberties (rights) and having the constitutional system are being exercised on the country. Freedom of speech is one Filipino right stated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Mill advocates freedom of speech in his work On Liberty  andRead MoreThe Issue Of Abortion On The Philippines Essay1620 Words   |  7 Pagesprostitution, sexual assault and ignorance of how pregnancy works are a few ways. This lack of knowledge is caused by the poor excuse of sexual education in the Philippines. According to a study by the National Demographic and Health in the Philippines, one in ten young Filipino women between the ages of 15 and 19 were either mothers or pregnant (Recide, 2014) Due to the religious influence on the people of the Philippines, their opinions on abortion lean toward pro-life despite the advantages that

Deception Point Page 111 Free Essays

Rachel blushed, her skin tingling. â€Å"Thanks.† The agent led Rachel down the impeccably appointed hallway to a plain-looking doorway nearby. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 111 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"The Lincoln Bedroom,† the agent said. â€Å"And as I am always supposed to say outside this door, ‘Sleep well, and beware of ghosts.'† Rachel nodded. The legends of ghosts in the Lincoln Bedroom were as old as the White House itself. It was said that Winston Churchill had seen Lincoln’s ghost here, as had countless others, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Amy Carter, actor Richard Dreyfuss, and decades of maids and butlers. President Reagan’s dog was said to bark outside this door for hours at a time. The thoughts of historical spirits suddenly made Rachel realize what a sacred place this room was. She felt suddenly embarrassed, standing there in her long football jersey, bare-legged, like some college coed sneaking into a boy’s room. â€Å"Is this kosher?† she whispered to the agent. â€Å"I mean this is the Lincoln Bedroom.† The agent winked. â€Å"Our policy on this floor is ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.'† Rachel smiled. â€Å"Thanks.† She reached for the door-knob, already feeling the anticipation of what lay beyond. â€Å"Rachel!† The nasal voice carried down the hallway like a buzz saw. Rachel and the agent turned. Corky Marlinson was hobbling toward them on crutches, his leg now professionally bandaged. â€Å"I couldn’t sleep either!† Rachel slumped, sensing her romantic tryst about to disintegrate. Corky’s eyes inspected the cute Secret Service agent. He flashed her a broad smile. â€Å"I love women in uniform.† The agent pulled aside her blazer to reveal a lethal-looking sidearm. Corky backed off. â€Å"Point taken.† He turned to Rachel. â€Å"Is Mike awake, too? You going in?† Corky looked eager to join the party. Rachel groaned. â€Å"Actually, Corky†¦ â€Å" â€Å"Dr. Marlinson,† the Secret Service agent intervened, pulling a note from her blazer. â€Å"According to this note, which was given to me by Mr. Tolland, I have explicit orders to escort you down to the kitchen, have our chef make you anything you want, and ask you to explain to me in vivid detail how you saved yourself from certain death by†¦ † the agent hesitated, grimacing as she read the note again. â€Å"†¦ by urinating on yourself?† Apparently, the agent had said the magic words. Corky dropped his crutches on the spot and put an arm around the woman’s shoulders for support, and said, â€Å"To the kitchen, love!† As the indisposed agent helped Corky hobble off down the hall, Rachel had no doubt Corky Marlinson was in heaven. â€Å"The urine is the key,† she heard him saying, â€Å"because those damned telencephalon olfactory lobes can smell everything!† The Lincoln Bedroom was dark when Rachel entered. She was surprised to see the bed empty and untouched. Michael Tolland was nowhere to be seen. An antique oil lamp burned near the bed, and in the soft radiance, she could barely make out the Brussels carpet†¦ the famous carved rosewood bed†¦ the portrait of Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd†¦ even the desk where Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. As Rachel closed the door behind her, she felt a clammy draft on her bare legs. Where is he? Across the room, a window was open, the white organza curtains billowing. She walked over to close the window, and an eerie whisper murmured from the closet. â€Å"Maaaarrrrrrrry†¦ â€Å" Rachel wheeled. â€Å"Maaaaaarrrrrrrry?† the voice whispered again. â€Å"Is that you?†¦ Mary Todd Liiiiiincoln?† Rachel quickly closed the window and turned back toward the closet. Her heart was racing, although she knew it was foolish. â€Å"Mike, I know that’s you.† â€Å"Noooooo†¦ † the voice continued. â€Å"I am not Mike†¦ I am†¦ Aaaaabe.† Rachel put her hands on her hips. â€Å"Oh, really? Honest Abe?† A muffled laugh. â€Å"Moderately honest Abe†¦ yes.† Rachel was laughing now too. â€Å"Be afraaaaaaid,† the voice from the closet moaned. â€Å"Be veeeeeery afraid.† â€Å"I’m not afraid.† â€Å"Please be afraid†¦ † the voice moaned. â€Å"In the human species, the emotions of fear and sexual arousal are closely linked.† Rachel burst out laughing. â€Å"Is this your idea of a turn-on?† â€Å"Forgiiiive me†¦ † the voice moaned. â€Å"It’s been yeeeeeeears since I’ve been with a woman.† â€Å"Evidently,† Rachel said, yanking the door open. Michael Tolland stood before her with his roguish, lopsided grin. He looked irresistible wearing a pair of navy blue satin pajamas. Rachel did a double take when she saw the presidential seal emblazoned on his chest. â€Å"Presidential pajamas?† He shrugged. â€Å"They were in the drawer.† â€Å"And all I had was this football jersey?† â€Å"You should have chosen the Lincoln Bedroom.† â€Å"You should have offered!† â€Å"I heard the mattress was bad. Antique horsehair.† Tolland winked, motioning to a gift-wrapped package on a marble-topped table. â€Å"This’ll make it up to you.† Rachel was touched. â€Å"For me?† â€Å"I had one of the presidential aides go out and find this for you. Just arrived. Don’t shake it.† She carefully opened the package, extracting the heavy contents. Inside was a large crystal bowl in which were swimming two ugly orange goldfish. Rachel stared in confused disappointment. â€Å"You’re joking, right?† â€Å"Helostoma temmincki,† Tolland said proudly. â€Å"You bought me fish?† â€Å"Rare Chinese kissing fish. Very romantic.† â€Å"Fish are not romantic, Mike.† â€Å"Tell that to these guys. They’ll kiss for hours.† â€Å"Is this supposed to be another turn-on?† â€Å"I’m rusty on the romance. Can you grade me on effort?† â€Å"For future reference, Mike, fish are definitely not a turn-on. Try flowers.† Tolland pulled a bouquet of white lilies from behind his back. â€Å"I tried for red roses,† he said, â€Å"but I almost got shot sneaking into the Rose Garden.† As Tolland pulled Rachel’s body against his and inhaled the soft fragrance of her hair, he felt years of quiet isolation dissolving inside him. He kissed her deeply, feeling her body rise against him. The white lilies fell to their feet, and barriers Tolland had never known he’d built were suddenly melting away. The ghosts are gone. He felt Rachel inching him toward the bed now, her whisper soft in his ear. â€Å"You don’t really think fish are romantic, do you?† â€Å"I do,† he said, kissing her again. â€Å"You should see the jellyfish mating ritual. Incredibly erotic.† Rachel maneuvered him onto his back on the horsehair mattress, easing her slender body down on top of his. â€Å"And seahorses†¦,† Tolland said, breathless as he savored her touch through the thin satin of his pajamas. â€Å"Seahorses perform†¦ an unbelievably sensual dance of love.† â€Å"Enough fish talk,† she whispered, unbuttoning his pajamas. â€Å"What can you tell me about the mating rituals of advanced primates?† Tolland sighed. â€Å"I’m afraid I don’t really do primates.† Rachel shed her football jersey. â€Å"Well, nature boy, I suggest you learn fast.† Epilogue The NASA transport jet banked high over the Atlantic. Onboard, Administrator Lawrence Ekstrom took a last look at the huge charred rock in the cargo hold. Back to the sea, he thought. Where they found you. On Ekstrom’s command, the pilot opened the cargo doors and released the rock. They watched as the mammoth stone plummeted downward behind the plane, arcing across the sunlit ocean sky and disappearing beneath the waves in a pillar of silver spray. How to cite Deception Point Page 111, Essay examples

Corporate Law The Corporations Act 2001

Question: Advise what are the various legal issues and causes of action that are available to the shareholders arising from the directors conduct in the above circumstances. Students should answer this question with reference to the relevant provisions of the Corporations Act 2001 and the relevant case law. Answer: Introduction The business environment comprises of the different individuals, entities and concerns and as such different rules are enacted by the legal authorities so as to augment trade and commerce. The Corporations Act 2001 is one such law enacted for dealing with companies and entities operating within Australia at federal and interstate levels. The Corporation Act is one of the prime laws governing the formation of the companies and their subsequent operation. This law also depicts the duties of the directors, officers, takeover of the companies as well as method of raising finance.[1] The paper will discuss the provisions of this Act and its applicability with the stated case study. The legal recourses available to the shareholders in respect to the directors conduct will also be discussed in the paper. Discussion Australian corporate law has its roots from the company law of UK. The source of corporation law is from the Corporations Act, 2001 that acts as a single national statute implemented by Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The company rules as found in Australia are quite strong and can be found in other Commonwealth countries. The directors have no personal liability as a general rule since the company and the Directors are separate entities. In spite of this, the Corporations Act has stated certain conditions under which the Directors can be held liable.[2] From the case study it can be understood that there is no clear chain of command and the majority shareholders and the directors are all acting in a manner that serves their purpose without showing concern to the other shareholders. The shareholders are the actual owners of the company and the Corporations Act spells out remedies for the distressed parties in case there is a breach of interest for the alleged parties. The Corporation Act contains scope where claim can be brought against the directors and they can be relieved of their duty if the company has suffered losses as a consequence of the directors actions or the directors have amassed personal profit or certain other conditions where the shareholders believe that there have been breaches or unlawful practices.[3] This provision has been listed under the clause of derivative action contained in Pt 2F.1A within the Corporations Act. Derivative action is described as an action brought on behalf of the company and in name of the company by a person other than the company itself. This usually means the shareholder. Derivative Claim gives more power to the shareholders and empowers them with the right to protect their rights. These rights are crucial and form a layer of protection for shareholders against poor management. Being owner of the shares provides certain rights for the shareholders and the Corporation Act contains certain m echanism for redressing the grievances.[4] A derivative action is often described as a twofold action that is brought on by a shareholder so as to redress any harm. Derivative action is also described as an action used for compelling the corporation to sue it. Crux of derivative action can be described to serve two purposes: First is against the directors and the second is established upon the right of belonging to an entity. Moreover the scope of derivative action is on allowing the shareholders to evaluate and rectify the blight on the corporation as a result of wrong management. In cases of wilful misconduct by the management it is unlikely that the management will rectify the mistake by itself and thus the derivative act seeks to address the anomalies.[5] From the case study given, it may be understood that the parties related to the dispute are James Lee and Jenny Lee (holding 60% of the shares) and the directors of MTL. It may be observed that the husband and the wife along with the directors are acting on their own wit hout taking into account the interests of the other parties. There is hardly any cohesion among the different stakeholders and the directors are inclined to act on their own without consulting the other shareholders. The aim of the Corporations Act is on making sure that the various parties within a company are fairly represented and their interests are honoured thorough sound implementation of fair policies. Volume 1 under Chapter 2F deals with the rights of the members and remedies in case of a breach.[6] The derivative action is listed under this Chapter that seeks to address any conflict in interest among the members and the directors with specific remedies in the form of derivative action. Sections 236 to 242 of the Corporations Act 2001 spell out the procedures for invoking derivative action. As such the members of the MTL Ltd including Martin Lu can bring a statutory derivative action. It has been observed that most of the derivative actions have been brought on by existing s hareholders. The Corporations Act comprises of 5 volumes that have chapters from 1 to 10. These chapters deal with different intricacies that are involved in the function of a company along with the rights and responsibilities of the different members, formation and functioning of companies, merger, acquisitions and fund raising.[7] Directors regulate organisations on behalf of the shareholders. The directors have a prime role in the smooth functioning of a company and it may be opined that they have a greater onus since directors are elected by the shareholders. Some of the most important responsibilities of the directors include promoting the long-term success of the company, to take steps in conjunction with the constitution and power of the company, to exercise independent decision making and to exercise reasonable care and skill. Thus it may be observed that the prime role of the directors of a company is on undertaking decisions that promotes the best interests of the company rather than th e interests of the majority of the shareholders.[8] From the case study it may be opined that the directors of MTL have acted in a manner that benefits their own interests and ignores the responsibility of the majority of the shareholders. Among other rights bestowed upon the shareholders of a company oversight is one of the prime responsibilities and rights of a shareholder. This means that the shareholders have a right to oversee correct management of a company. Moreover they have a duty to direct the organisational management and to account for the performance of the directors. It is also the responsibility of the shareholders to ask for clarifications and to raise questions and objections to the decisions of the management in case they feel such an act is not in the best interest of the company.[9] The four instances as has been mentioned in the case study can be evaluated so as to understand the highhandedness with which the majority shareholders and the directors are conductin g the affairs of the company. From decree of the courts in the cases involving derivative action it may be seen that the focus is on ascertaining whether a derivative action is in the best interests of the company. Moreover certain other enquiries are contemplated by the courts in matter relating to the breach of rights and responsibilities within the functioning of companies.[10] These considerations include understanding whether the claim of the applicants are speculative or not, what may be the possible ramification of such litigation on the business and performance of the company, what is the relationship that exists between the applicant and other members and directors of the company and so on. One of the prime considerations in cases involving derivative action is seeking alternative way of resolving the dispute. Overall aim of the judiciary is on making sure that the various stakeholders associated with a company receive fair treatment and the ruling benefits all and sundry associate with a company. Theref ore any action arising as a result of bringing granting leave is minutely considered. Section 237 (2) (c), as such, states that the applicant needs to be given leave in the best interests of the company.[11] In Australia the best interests of a company is linked with the best interest of the group of shareholders. At times it has been also observed that the courts appoint an independent person for investigating the matters relating to inner dispute of a company and report independently to the court. Business laws have been devised keeping in mind the growth of trade and commerce and therefore they seek to instil rules that are free from personal bias and prejudice. Moreover it is also ensured that no party is following a personal agenda that harms the best interests of all the shareholders.[12] Thus it may be stated that the case of MTL Ltd needs intervention from the court for ensuring that the different parties involved in the functioning of the company get their share of the due. The company laws strictly maintain that the directors need to avoid conflict of interest stringently. Under the Corporations Act 2001, ss 191-193 the directors need to provide full disclosure in case they have an interest in a transaction. Under schedule 3 of this act criminal penalty are enlisted in case there is any non-adherence. The act of the directors to sell off the television business of MTL is in stark contrast to this principle of duties of the directors. Conclusion The paper has shed light on one of the important legislations those dfine operations of the company in Australia- the Corporation Act, 2001. This act has been evaluated with special reference to MTL Ltd. Moreover the rights and responsibilities of the directors have been analysed and it was found that the directors in MTL are acting in a manner that serve their own interest without taking into account the interests if the shareholders. Corrective provisions have also been discussed i.e. the derivative action and its applicability to MTL Ld have been analysed. From the discussion it has been concluded that the directors have a prime duty of putting the interest of the company ahead of their own interest.[14] In context to MTL Ltd this prime duty is said to be missing. The paper ends with recourses that are available to the shareholders with particular emphasis on shareholder rights and duties of the directors. Bibliography Austin R.P. Ramsay, I., Ford's Principles of Corporations Law, Butterworths, Australia, 15th edition, 2012. Baxt, R., and Fletcher, K.L., Fridman, S., Corporations and Associations Cases and Materials on, Butterworths, Australia, 10th edition, 2008. Cassidy, J. Corporations Law Text and Essential Cases. Federation Press, 4th edition Sydney 2013 Ciro T, Symes C, Corporations Law in Principle LBC Thomson Reuters, Sydney, 9th edition 2013 Fisher S, Anderson C, Dickfos, Corporations Law - Butterworths Tutorial Series, 3rd Edition Butterworths, Sydney 2009 Hanrahan, P., Ramsay I., Stapledon G., Commercial Applications of Company Law. CCH 14th edition 2013 Harris, J. Butterworths Questions and Answers Corporations Law:, LexisNexis, 4th Edition Sydney 2013. Harris, J. Corporations Law, LexisNexis Study Guide 2014 Harris, J. Hargovan, A. Adams, M. Australian Corporate Law LexisNexis Butterworths 5th edition, 2015. Latimer, P, Australian Business Law CC, 2016 Edition. Li, G, Riley, S. Applied Corporate Law: A Bilingual Approach LexisNexis 1st Edition 2009. Parker, Clarke, Veljanovski, Posthouwer, Corporate Law, Palgrave 1st edition 2012 Redmond, P., Companies and Securities Law - Commentary and Materials, Law Book Co., Sydney, 5th, 2009. Vermeesch,R B, Lindgren, K E, Business Law of Australia Butterworths, 12th Edition, 2011. [1] Harris, J. Hargovan, A. Adams, M. Australian Corporate Law LexisNexis Butterworths 5th edition, 2015. [2] Austin R.P. Ramsay, I., Ford's Principles of Corporations Law, Butterworths, Australia, 15th edition, 2012. [3] Baxt, R., and Fletcher, K.L., Fridman, S., Corporations and Associations Cases and Materials on, Butterworths, Australia, 10th edition, 2008 [4] Parker, Clarke, Veljanovski, Posthouwer, Corporate Law, Palgrave 1st edition 2012 [5] Hanrahan, P., Ramsay I., Stapledon G., Commercial Applications of Company Law. CCH 14th edition 2013 [6] Redmond, P., Companies and Securities Law - Commentary and Materials, Law Book Co., Sydney, 5th, 2009 [7] Ciro T, Symes C, Corporations Law in Principle LBC Thomson Reuters, Sydney, 9th edition 2013 [8] Li, G, Riley, S. Applied Corporate Law: A Bilingual Approach LexisNexis 1st Edition 2009. [9] Cassidy, J. Corporations Law Text and Essential Cases. Federation Press, 4th edition Sydney 2013 [10] Harris, J. Corporations Law, LexisNexis Study Guide 2014 [11] Harris, J. Butterworths Questions and Answers Corporations Law:, LexisNexis, 4th Edition Sydney 2013 [12] Fisher S, Anderson C, Dickfos, Corporations Law - Butterworths Tutorial Series, 3rd Edition Butterworths, Sydney 2009 [13] Latimer, P, Australian Business Law CC, 2016 Edition. [14] Vermeesch,R B, Lindgren, K E, Business Law of Australia Butterworths, 12th Edition, 2011.

Homeland Security Department

Introduction Homeland Security Department (DHS) continues to face security threats even after the egregious attacks of September 11. Following these attacks, the traditional security measures changed dramatically, security enforcement systems and roles changed significantly in a bid to close all identified loopholes (Clark 2007, 33).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Homeland Security Department specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, this research develops the hypothesis that the security challenges will remain imminent given that security implementation personnel are yet to comprehend their new roles and responsibilities. Research Design This study employs the Lockwood Analytical Method for Prediction (LAMP) to offer a predictive analysis by use of qualitative empirical data. The Lamp provides a unique model for data analysis, targeting to establish the potential solutions to the foreseeable and unfo reseeable problems (Sparks, and Sulmasy 2006, 69). This article will try to respond to the question that, will the DHS combat the security threats it is facing. The research purpose is to identify the underlying challenges that the DHS will continue to face in the future. In this study, the causes of insecurity are the independent variables while the effects are the dependent variables. Data Collection LAMP utilizes qualitative empirical data collected through interviews and observation to demonstrate how this approach is useful when dealing with real world problems. For example, LAMP enables the researcher to foresee the most likely results for various certain research problems such as the likelihood of terrorist attack(Puyvelde 2013, 144). The selection of research method by the Intelligence community matters a lot since an in-depth analysis helps to come up with the appropriate method for the current research problem. Thus, the LAMP approach is necessary to advance the collection of essential data concerning values, beliefs and the convictions propelling heinous acts (Puyvelde 2013, 142). Involving the intelligence circle in focus group discussions would improve coordination, preparedness and response in anticipation of attacks.Advertising Looking for critical writing on homeland security? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Data Analysis This research uses measurement scales that include nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio scales to assess variables such as values, policies, and behavior. The historical data collection approach is employed to collect views on the topic and show that the National Intelligence community started evolving since the World War I when the military engaged in protecting the home front from its enemies. However, following the September 11 event, Homeland Security magnified to a prominent policy (Robinson et al. 2013, 717). Prior to the attacks, the system was less bureaucratic, and sharing of intelligence information was a bit faster, even though there was the reluctance to act. After the attacks, the President George Bush’s administration and the Congress enforced strict bureaucratic measures within the Intelligence Community.  Qualitative analysis by military researchers and Intelligence analysts indicate that U.S remains vulnerable to both traditional and non-traditional security problems (Schmid 2011, 103). Such threats include transnational crime like human and drug trafficking, the existence of nuclear weapons, cyber sabotage, and biological weapons. These threats will persist due to the lack of sufficient funds to boost the pace of research, training and recruitment. Besides, the terrorist network is widespread, well orchestrated, less bureaucratic, and unpredictable. Thus, it is difficult for the DHS to track down terrorist activities (Clark 2007, 47). Conclusion Since national and global security is a multifaceted agenda, the U.S Intellig ence community should advance intercultural literacy. Both governmental and non-governmental agencies have shown efforts to fight global insecurity, human and drug trafficking. However, these efforts will bear fruit if communication begins from a central position whereby the leaders can easily link to large groups without wasting time and resources. Therefore, adoption of such conclusions is dependent on consistent patterns that reflect the effectiveness of the LAMP predictions. References Clark, Robert M. 2007. Intelligence Analysis: A Target-Centric Approach. Washington, D.C: CQ Press.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Homeland Security Department specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Puyvelde, Damien. 2013. â€Å"Intelligence Accountability and the Role of Public Interest Groups in the United States.† Intelligence and National Security 28, no. 2 (May): 139-158.  https://www.researchgate.net/publi cation/263693937_Intelligence_Accountability_and_the_Role_of_Public_Interest_Groups_in_the_United_States . Robinson, Scott, Liu Xinsheng, James Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2013. â€Å"Explaining Popular Trust in the Department of Homeland Security.† Journal of Public Administration Research Theory 23, no. 3 (June): 713-733. Schmid, Alex P. 2011. The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism Research. New York: Routledge. Sparks, Thomas McK., and Glenn M. Sulmasy. 2006. International Law Challenges: Homeland Security and Combating Terrorism. Newport, R.I: Naval War College. This critical writing on Homeland Security Department was written and submitted by user Yuliana O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Genotype vs Phenotype

Genotype vs Phenotype Ever since Austrian monk Gregor Mendel did artificial selection breeding experiments with his pea plants, understanding how traits are passed down from one generation to the next has been an important field of biology. Genetics is often used as a way to explain evolution, even if Charles Darwin did not know how it worked when he first came up with the original Theory of Evolution. Over time, as society developed more technology, the marriage of evolution and genetics became apparent. Now, the field of Genetics is a very important part of the Modern Synthesis of the Theory of Evolution. The Terms Genotype and Phenotype In order to understand how genetics plays a role in evolution, it is important to know the correct definitions of basic genetics terminology. Two such terms that will be used repeatedly are genotype and phenotype. While both terms have to do with traits shown by individuals, there are differences in their meanings. What Is a Genotype? The word genotype comes from the greek words â€Å"genos† which means â€Å"birth† and â€Å"typos† which means â€Å"mark†. While the entire word â€Å"genotype† does not exactly mean â€Å"birth mark† as we think of the phrase, it does have to do with the genetics an individual is born with. A genotype is the actual genetic composition or makeup of an organism. Most genes are made up of two or more different alleles, or forms of a trait. Two of those alleles come together to make the gene. That gene then expresses whatever trait is dominant in the pair. It could also show a blending of those traits or show both traits equally, depending on which characteristic it is coding for. The combination of the two alleles is an organism’s genotype. Genotype is often symbolized using two letters. A dominant allele would be symbolized by a capital letter, while the recessive allele is represented with the same letter, but only in the lower case form. For example, when Gregor Mendel did his experiments with pea plants, he saw the flowers would either be purple (the dominant trait) or white (the recessive trait). A purple flowered pea plant may have the genotype PP or Pp. A white flowered pea plant would have the genotype pp. What Is a Phenotype? The trait that is shown due to the coding in the genotype is called the phenotype. The phenotype is the actual physical features shown by the organism. In pea plants, like in the example above, if the dominant allele for purple flowers is present in the genotype, then the phenotype would be purple. Even if the genotype had one purple color allele and one recessive white color allele, the phenotype would still be a purple flower. The dominant purple allele would mask the recessive white allele in this case. The Relationship Between the Two The genotype of the individual determines the phenotype. However, it is not always possible to know the genotype by looking only at the phenotype. Using the purple flowered pea plant example above, there is no way to know by looking at a single plant whether the genotype is made up of two dominant purple alleles or one dominant purple allele and one recessive white allele. In those cases, both phenotypes would show a purple flower. To figure out the true genotype, the family history can be examined or it can be bred in a test cross with a white flowered plant, and the offspring can show whether or not it had a hidden recessive allele. If the test cross produces any recessive offspring, the genotype of the parental flower would have to be heterozygous, or have one dominant and one recessive allele.

Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Anthropology - Essay Example In this essay, we will discuss the culture of Mormons, who share beliefs, values, and practices that are different from those of the United States. Most believers adopt particular political and cultural beliefs because of their religious doctrines. According to Givens (2007, p25), Mormonism is not only a culture but also a religion. Most people are serious with their religious beliefs and faith, which influence the way they live and relate with others. Most believers adopt political and cultural beliefs based on their religious views. For instance, an evangelic who believes that abortion is unethical based his/her beliefs on cultural and political views that flow in the religious convictions. Although not all evangelicals who oppose abortion, those who do base their arguments on religion point of view. As many analyze the culture and religion of Marmon, it is evident that there is war that exists in this cultural group and other groups in the United States. According to Davies (2000, p33), the biggest problem is the different interpretations of life that exists in this cultural group. Often, the culture have backed some local decisions and ignored some discussions discussed in the nation. For instance, while the majority support abortion in cases when the mother’s health is in danger, this culture believes that abortion is illegal at all given chances. The history and culture of the Mormon cannot be understood without an understanding of the Mormon religion. The great migration that occurred in 1846-1847 was one-step in the quest of the religious growth and freedom (Givens 2007, p66). The Mormon religion also known as the Church of Latter Day Saints; was established in 1830 by Joseph Smith. The founder had a strong vision in, which he claimed that he saw an angel who buried gold plates. From the vision, the founder believed that angels are spiritual beings who work hard to protect us from the harm in the society. In this case, the gold plate symbolized a ny material wealth that hinders and individual to live a fulfilling life. Mormon practices and beliefs such as polygamy contributed to an increasing intolerance for some Illinois citizens. The reason many criticize this subculture is that at some point, Joseph Smith announced that he received a revelation from God on allowing polygamy. It took great courage to expose this subject to the public bearing in mind most religions criticize this concept. Most believers were willing to enter into the agreement set by the founder and many did this after much praying and anguish. Unlike other subcultures in the United States, the outside world was hostile to the plural marriage. Regardless of the challenges faced, the church gave its way to preserve the existence of the faith. There have been contentious issues regarding this subject in the 20th century. According to Yorgason (2003, p22), there are over 30, 000 people practicing polygamy in Arizona, Montana, Idaho, and Uta who believe that th ey are preserving Mormon customs and beliefs. In essence, many have adopted that this is the best way of life based on the teachings of the church. For the past years, the Utah government has criticized polygamy and in turn, this has affected Mormon culture. The government believes that polygamy should not be allowed at any given cost as it promotes immorality and adultery. The American government has also taken

The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) Research Paper

The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) - Research Paper Example The Mexican-American war was declared by America on May 13, 1846. The war was generated by the United States’ annexation of Texas whose border was a matter of dispute between the two nations. By the time the war ended on February 2, 1848, the United states owned 500,000 square miles of Mexican territory . From the start, the subject of acquiring land being the main motive behind the war was a cause of dispute among many political parties of the United States and this caused political divisions in the nation. The Democratic Party members strongly supported the war as they were in favour of rapid territorial expansion beyond the borders of America. The northern parties did not favour such rapid expansion and they strongly opposed the war. These parties were concerned over how much Texan land to acquire because slavery was in practice in southern Mexico and this portion of the land was inhabited by a large number of Mexican population. The Whigs political party opposed the war be cause they were against such agenda of acquisition of more land; they favored slow territorial expansion and wanted to limit the encouragement of the practice of slavery. They also did not favor Mexicans as part of the United States population. Berhardt in his article focused on the press coverage of such difference of opinions among the political parties and how they shaped the war. J.G. Bennett’s New York Herald supported the views of the Southern Democrats of capturing the entire land of Mexico as it would raise the practice of slavery

Difference and Similarities of Chinese and European Expansion in the Essay

Difference and Similarities of Chinese and European Expansion in the 15th Century - Essay Example They have reached India, Arabia and Africa, fifty years before the Europeans decided it was time to learn about the world. The conquest of the Europeans are well known – in their explorations they have created contacts all over the world, from Africa, to the Americas, and finally in Asia. In an effort to create more profit for his country, Henry the Navigator sent out ships to explore new routes for the slave and gold trade. He sponsored numerous expeditions to discover the expanse of Muslim territories and he sought to find Christian allies in the distant lands. Other expeditions by European countries have discovered new territories which served as a new market for their own products as well as a source of cheap resource for various industries. Meanwhile in 1403, Ming emperor Zhu Di ordered the construction of an imperial fleet in order to find Jianwen’s escaped emperor. The fleet of warships was large enough to reopen trade with the western and southern regions which was first initiated during the Yuan Dynasty. Discovery of relics from the period showed that the Chinese ships were much bigger than their European counterparts which were typically 100 feet in length. Moreover, the Chinese ships were multi-masted for centuries while the Portuguese develop the technology only in the 15th century with their secret caravel design. The Chinese were also using watertight compartments years before the first European ship has set sail across the ocean. With regards to sail, Europeans used square rigs which ran good, until the upwind starts. Meanwhile, the Chinese have used fore-and-aft lugsails which allowed the ships to run efficiently even in an upwind. The Chinese have also developed the first magnetic compass, and later on, the true mariner’s compass which was used in their expeditions. In summary, when it comes to oceangoing ship technology, the Chinese were far ahead from the Europeans because they have been traversing ocean routes longer. Wh en it comes to navigation, however, the Europeans were far ahead, allowing them to discover new territories, open new trade partnership and colonize new lands. Another difference between the Chinese and European expeditions is the unified Chinese efforts. In European scenario, several countries were vying for territories and there was no single ruler directing the efforts of discovery. There were hundreds of principalities seeking for support. Meanwhile China was more centralized because it was the Ming emperor who directed and funded the expeditions. It is important to note, however, that Asia as a continent was not unified – there were no single rulers and tribes warred against each other. In both Ming China and 15th century Europe, external threats were abundant. Continental and maritime threat in China came from the Mongols in the north, the Annams in the south, Korea and Japan in the northeast. Meanwhile in Europe, Spain was relatively secure because of the land borders so its defense strategies focused in maritime. Britain, and Holland also focused in maritime. Only France and Germany were continental powers, hence, they did not develop maritime defense immediately. In both China and Europe maritime technology developed because of their need to defend the seas and to start

Introduction To Disaster Management

Introduction To Disaster Management Disasters are seen as the effect of hazards on vulnerable areas. Hazards that occur in areas with low vulnerability do not result in a disaster. Great damage, loss, destruction and devastation to life and property are the results of Disasters. The immeasurable damage caused by disaster varies with the geographical location. In the concerned areas disasters have the following effects: It completely upsets the normal day to day life. Harmfully persuade the emergency systems Depending on the intensity and severity of the disaster the normal needs and processes are badly affected and deteriorated. Disasters are the effect of hazard on vulnerable or defenseless areas. Hazards that occur in areas with low vulnerability do not result in a disaster. 1.1.2 Types of Disasters: Disasters can be classified as: Natural disaster Human-Made disaster 1) Natural Disasters: Natural disasters are the result of biological, geological, seismic, hydrologic or meteorological conditions. They are a threat to, people, structures and economic assets Few examples are: Earthquake Cyclones Hurricanes Floods Landslides 2) Human-Made Disasters: Human-made disasters are Emergency situations which are the results of deliberate human actions. They involves situations in which people suffers casualties, losses of basic services and means of livelihood. Few examples are: Oil Spill An airplane crash War Civil strife Major fire 1.1.3 Difference between EMERGENCY and DISASTER situations: A situation in which community is CAPABLE of coping is EMERGENCY. Emergency situations are generated by a real occurrence of events that require immediate attention of emergency resources. A situation in which community is INCAPABLE of coping is DISASATER. Disaster situations are natural or human-caused events which causes severe negative impact on community. 1.2 WHAT IS A HAZARD? 1.2.1 Definition: Hazard is a chance or possibility of being injured or harmed. OR Hazard is the possibility of laying yourself open to loss or misfortune. Hazards can be classified into two Modes: Dormant Mode Active Mode 1) Dormant Mode: The situation that has the potential to be hazardous, but no people, or environment is currently affected by this. For example: An unstable hillside, has a potential for a landslide but there is nothing below or on the hillside that could be affected. 2) Active Mode: An incident in which hazard has actually occurred, creating an Emergency situations or Disasters. Classification of Hazards: Hazard can also be classified as: Natural Hazard Man-Made Hazard Natural Hazard: Definition: These hazards are caused by a natural process. Examples of some Natural hazards are: 1) Volcanic Eruptions: Ashes and different toxic gases are expelled through volcanoes from deep inside the earth 2) Droughts: A part of a land suffers from lack of rain during specific period of time which causes severe damage to the crops, soil, animals and people also. 3) Tsunamis: Very large waves which caused by an Earthquake, Volcanic eruptions smashes into a shore. 1.2.4 Man-made Hazard: Definition: These hazards are created by humans. Examples of some Man-Made hazards are: Global Warming: Projected increases in the Earths atmospheres average temperature. In the 20th century the Earths average temperature rose about 0.6 degree Celsius. Crime: It is a kind of Sociological hazard. Crime is a breach of laws and rules. For example Breach of contract. Industrial Hazard: It is a kind of Technological hazard. Industrial hazards often have an environmental impact. For example Bhopal Disaster ( worst industrial disaster to date). 1.3 VULNERABILITY, CAPACITY AND RISK: 1.3.1 Vulnerability: Definition: Susceptibility of a person, group or society to physical or emotional injury. OR Person or group liable to injury. As far as Hazards and Disasters are concern, the concept of Vulnerability is to link the relationship that people have with their environment to social forces and institutions and the cultural values that sustain them. 1.3.2 Capacity: Definition: Within a community all the available resources, that can reduce risk level and disaster effects. Frequent term used in Disaster is Capacity building. Capacity building is the efforts to develop human skills within a community to reduce risk levels. 1.3.3 Risk: Definition: Occurrence probability of a hazard that trigger a disaster with an undesirable outcome. Risk involves an exposure to a chance injury or loss. Risk generally described in terms of probability. Risk can also be defined as the probability of a loss, risk depends on three elements: Hazard Vulnerability Exposure 1.4 DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE: 1.4.1 What is Disaster Management? Main idea: To prevent disasters wherever possible or to mitigate or lessen those disasters which are inevitable. Through Public awareness and Hazard management disasters could be prevented or mitigated. 1.4.2 What is Disaster Management cycle? Definition: Disaster Management Cycle is a cycle which has phases to reduce or prevent disasters. It is a cyclic process it means the end of one phase is the beginning of another phase, although next phase can be started before the completion of previous phase. Some times several phases are taking place concurrently. During each phase, timely decision making can results in greater preparedness, better warnings, and prevent further disasters. The complete Disaster Management cycle includes the shaping of public policies and plans that addresses the causes of disasters and lessening their effects on people, property and infrastructure. 1.5 PHASES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE: Disaster Management Cycle has four phases: Phase 1- Mitigation Phase 2 Preparedness Phase 3 Response Phase 4 Recovery 1.5.1 Phase 1 Mitigation: 1.5.1.1 Goal: The Goal of Mitigation activities is to get rid of or reduce the disaster occurrence probability, or to mitigate the effects of unavoidable disasters. Definition: Mitigation refers to all actions taken before a disaster to minimize its impacts. Example: Public education Building codes and zoning Mitigation includes: Reviewing building codes Zoning and land-use management Implementing preventative health measures There are two types of Mitigation activities: Structural Mitigation: It refers to constructing projects to reduce economic and social impacts. Non-structural mitigation: They are the policies which raise awareness of hazards. Non-structural mitigation activities also encourage developments to lessen disaster impact. Through Mitigation we can educate businesses and public in order to reduce loss or injury. At home Mitigation activities: In your home Strengthening vulnerable areas such as roof tops, exterior doors and windows. In your home build a safe room. 1.5.2 Phase 2 Preparedness: 1.5.2.1 Goal: The goal of Preparedness activities is: for any emergency situation, achieve a satisfactory level of readiness through programs that support the technical capacity of government. 1.5.2.2 Definition: Preparedness activities are the Plans/preparations made to save lives or property. 1.5.2.3 Preparedness includes: Implementation/operation Systems of early warning. Preparedness plans Emergency exercises Emergency communication systems Public education Through early warning systems people will react appropriately when any early warning is issued. Preparedness actions depend upon the incorporation of suitable measures for development plans at national and regional level. To save lives and minimize disaster damage, individuals, government and organization develop plans and this all is done in Preparedness phase. 1.5.2.4 Disaster Preparedness and Disaster Mitigation: Disaster mitigation and Disaster Preparedness go hand in hand. To ensure that existing infrastructure can withstand the forces of disaster, disaster preparedness includes implementation of mitigation measures. 1.5.3 Phase 3 Response: 1.5.3.1 Goal: The goal of Response is to give instant assistance to maintain life, improve health and hold up the morale of affected population. 1.5.3.2 Disaster Response includes: Assisting refugees with transport. Give temporary shelter and food. Establish semi permanent settlement in camps. Repairing damage infrastructure. The basic needs of people are more focused in Response phase until permanent solutions can be found. 1.5.4 Phase 4 Recovery: 1.5.4.1 Goal: To help people restoring their lives and infrastructure as soon as possible. 1.5.4.2 Types of Recovery Activities: Recovery activities can be: Short term recovery activities Long term recovery activities Until all system return to normal or better, recovery activities continues. 1.5.4.3 Recovery activities in disasters include: Building Temporary housing. Public information. Educating public about Health and safety education. Concealing programs for people. Reconstruction Economic impact studies From recovery to long-term sustainable development there should be smooth transition. DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: 1.6.1 EMS: EMS is the acronym for Emergency Management System. EMS can facilitate the effective management of Disasters. Information Technology can improve the system of Disaster Management and support all the phases of the DMC (Disaster Management Cycle) 1.6.2 PHASE I: Mitigation and Prevention: To reduce the impact of disasters, effective Disaster Management plays a key role. Disaster Management uses different effective technological tools to help the process of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. For example: Tracking system: the cargo of Hazard Management (HAZMAT) can be track by advance Vehicle-mounted hardware and when shipment carrying Hazardous materials deviates from its route centers of Disaster Management issues notification to management centers. Inventory systems: For any emergency situations Inventory Systems ensures that the suffient supplies are available. It monitors the inventory levels of important equipment and supplies and maintain the record of important supplies on regular basis in form of Databases. Detection: For detecting and monitoring the hazardous cargo, Roadside Detectors are used. These Roadside detectors also confirm that cargo is not deviating for its route. 1.6.3 PHASE II: Preparedness: Preparedness deals with the development of plans before any emergency or disastrous situations. Emergency management system helps Phase II of DMC via technological services like: Telemedicine: It is a connection between ambulances which are responding and emergency medical facilities available very near. By using telemedicine doctors can give advices to medical personnel for the treatment of those patients who are on the way to hospital. Advanced ACN: Advanced ACN is the acronym for Advanced automated collision notification. They inform emergency personnel through vehicle mounted sensors and wireless communication about incidents like collisions or crashes. They also tell the incidents exact location and characteristics. 1.6.4 PHASE III and IV: Response and Recovery: To provide immediate help or assistance to the population affected by disasters is the Goal of Response Phase. While the Goal of Recovery Phase is the restoration of peoples live as soon as possible after the disaster or any emergency situation. Emergency management System with the help of Technology can help the Response and Recovery phases through different systems and software like: Scheduling and Coordination software: In order to make the response process organized, structured and efficient complicated scheduling system can monitor and coordinate many response activities. Early Warning System: In transportation infrastructure a vast variety of sensors are used which provide an early warning systems. This early warning system used to detect large-scale disasters and emergencies and also man-made disaster or technological disaster. Large-scale disasters include earthquakes, tsunamis etc and man-made or t echnological disasters include HAZMAT incidents, act of terrorism, nuclear power plant accidents. Response management: Emergency vehicle fleets can be track by Response management by using the technology of Automated vehicle location (AVL) and two-way communication between dispatchers and emergency vehicles. Chapter No:2 TYPES OF DISASTERS: 2.1 INTRODUCTION: According to [11] CRED (Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disaster), Belgium, defines Disaster as: A disaster is a situation or event which overwhelms local capacity, necessitating a request to a national or international level for external assistance OR Disaster is also defined as Great damage, loss or destruction results from a sudden catastrophic event. Many [11] different types of events like weather or earths geology are represented by Disasters. There exist a close association between a disaster and extreme weather events like cyclones, floods, tornadoes etc. The database of disaster events are maintained by CRED. It maintained the disaster events from 1900 to present. Possible causes of increment in disasters: There [11] are many causes for increase in disasters but some common causes are as under: Environmental changes related to economic development may affect the potential for disasters. Change of Global climate from the build-up of greenhouse gases may lead to a greater frequency of extreme weather events (heat waves) in the future, as well as sea level rise. Several existing coastlines may be threatened in this event. Industrialization without controls may increase the risk for technological disasters. Consumption of fossil fuels with industrialization. 2.1.1 What are the Types of Disasters? Disasters can [1] be broadly classified according to their: Causes Natural or Man-made disaster Speed of onset Sudden or Slow Earthquakes, Cyclones, Tsunamis are the examples of Natural disasters. The two most common examples of Man-made disasters are The Bhopal gas release and the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Forest fires (initiated by man) may be another example. There can be a sudden onset or slow onset of disaster. Sudden or Quick onset of disaster means they can occur suddenly in time and slow onset of disaster means they may develop over a period of time or gradually. 2.2 NATURAL DISASTES: 2.2.1 Definition: Natural [1] disaster occurs naturally in proximity to, and pose a threat to people, structures or economic asserts. They are caused by biological, geological conditions or processes in the natural environment for example cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods etc. Few examples of Natural disasters are: Earthquake Tsunamis Flood Cyclone Now I will discuss above Natural disasters. 2.2.2 Earthquake: Earthquake is the vibration of earths surface due to underground movements. Earthquakes also called as tremor or temblor. Sudden release of energy in the earths crust leads to a natural disaster called Earthquake. This sudden release of energy waves are called as seismic waves. Epicenter of earthquake is called as the origin point of these seismic waves. Among the most unpredictable natural disasters people can experience, Earthquake is the one. During earthquakes tens of thousands of people are put in danger. Some International Statistics of Earthquake: More than half a million deaths worldwide caused by Earthquake between 1999 and 2009. Each year more than one million Earthquakes occur worldwide. Measurement of Earthquake: To measure the size of an Earthquake there are many ways. Some of these ways depend upon the damaged amount caused by the Earthquake and some depend upon seismic energy generated by the earthquake. To measure earthquake there are two scales which are very popular: Seismographs Richter scale Seismographs: Seismic waves are generated by Earthquakes these waves can be detected by a sensitive instrument called Seismograph. Nowadays Digital seismographs are high-technology seismographs which can record ground shaking over seismic amplitude and covers broad band of frequencies that is why they are also called as Broadband Seismograph.The study of Seismograph is called as Seismology. Richter scale: Earthquakes intensity and magnitude can be represented by Richter scale. If the intensity of earthquake is 3 on a Richter scale then that earthquake is not harmful. Extremely harmful earthquake has the reading of 7 or above on the Richter scale. Nowadays modified versions of Richter scales are used for earthquake measurement throughout the world. Richter scale is also called as Richter magnitude scale because it measures the magnitude of earthquake. 2.2.3 Tsunami: Ocean [1] wave generated by submarine earthquake, powerful volcanic eruption or underwater landslide is called Tsunami. Tsunami [12] often generated by earthquake in a subduction zone (an area where an oceanic plate is being forced down into the mantle by plate tectonic forces). Tsunami also called as seismic sea wave. Sudden Large displacement of water causes Tsunami. Tsunami travels at a great speed across the open ocean and builds into large deadly waves in a shallow water of a shoreline. Tsunamis consist of multiple waves with an extremely low period and wavelength. The [1] largest earthquake event recorded in Samoa was on 26 June 1917, measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale. The event originated in Tonga (approximately 200km south of Apia) and it triggered a tsunami of 4 to 8 metre run-ups in Satupaitea, Savaii. The tsunami arrived less than ten (10) minutes from its point of origin, meaning it travelled at a speed of more than 1,000km/hr. Hence, when an earthquake occurs, you must listen to the tsunami warning, for example, people living in low-lying coastal areas must relocate to higher and safer grounds immediately. Tsunami speed: Tsunami in a pacific ocean can travel at speeds up to 450mph (half of the speed of sound). The height of Tsunami waves are about 30 to 100 feets. Damage caused by Tsunami: Substantial [13] amount of damage can be caused by Tsunamis. Entire coastal villages can be destroyed by a single Tsunami. It can remove all the sand from the beach sand which took hundred of years to accumulate. Safety: The approach [13] of Tsunami can be determined by many technological methods but nature has its own methods of warning people. If in a certain area the coastal water is abnormally high or low, then this is the warning for Tsunami. 2.2.4 Floods: Flood occurs when [1] large amount of water flow from river or from broken pipe onto a previously dry area. The origin of flood can be very [11] quick or they may develop over a period of days or weeks following an extended period of rain or quick melting of snow. Flash flood have sudden onset. Drowning is the main hazard from flooding. This is most common in flash flood. The common risk factor for flash flood victims is driving in an automobile, many victims of flash flood drown within their vehicle. Health concern from flooding: A longer [11] term health concern from flooding is the development of disease from inundated sanitation stations. Large floods pose a hazard to existing sanitation and drinking water systems. Importance of Flooding: For [1] local ecosystem, flooding can be environmentally important. For example some river floods bring nutrients to soil such as in Egypt where the annual flooding of the Nile River carries nutrients to otherwise dry land. Flood also affect economy. How to mitigate impact of flood: pre-event [11] measures: early warning for flash flood events public education on flood hazards like automobile driving post-event measures: maintaining proper sanitation system proper control of population 2.2.5 Cyclones: Chapter no 3 THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT: INTRODUCTION: The Advanced Information Technology plays a great role in planning and implementation of different measures for the reduction of hazards. The advanced information technology includes: GIS Remote Sensing Satellite Communication Internet The quality and analysis power of natural hazards can be update by Geographic Information System (GIS). In the selection of mitigation measures GIS can direct development activities. The identification of hazardous areas and before time warning for many future disasters can be done by Remote Sensing Communication satellites contribute a lot to provide communication in emergency situations and timely relief measures. For hazard reduction the addition of space technology inputs into monitoring of natural disasters and mechanisms of mitigation is very important 3.2 WHAT IS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: The management of emergencies concerning all hazards, including all activities and risk management measures related to prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Emergency management can rebuild and restore society back to functional level in no time after a disaster. The basic purpose of emergency management is to: 1) Save as many lives as possible 2) To protect and preserve the environment 3) To protect the economy 3.2.1 Emergency Management System: Definition: It is a technological tool used to improve and enhance the Emergency Disaster Management. Emergency management system can help Disaster Management in several areas, such as: Materials: To ensure that the warehouse is stock with all the items needed for national survival in any disaster, before any overseas help arrival. Manpower: In first aid and shelter management train personnel. Evacuation Plans: Testing of General disaster and Evacuation plan. Communication: To establish reliable Communication system. Transportation: To establish effective Transportation plans for example transportation through air which facilitates the food delivery supplies process to the victims of affected areas which are cut-off from any vehicular traffic. Examples of Emergency Management System at work: Management of Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT): By means of Air, Sea and Land, EMS provides secure transportation of dangerous and hazardous materials. EMS uses special devices for tracking the shipment of HAZMAT. Emergency medical services: EMS notifies the emergency personnel with important and valuable information on emergency incidents. For example EMS is equipped with automated collision notification system to detect vehicle collision. Recovery and Response: EMS has efficient Sensors which can detect natural disasters and warn population before hand. IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT, APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Through Information Technology the suffering of the disaster victims can be minimized. There are several tools of Information Technology which are useful in the management of any disaster. In this Report I am focusing the following Information Technology tools used in Disaster Management: Geographic Information System (GIS) Remote Sensing Global Positioning System (GPS) 3.3.1 GIS in Disaster Management: 3.3.1.1 Introduction: GIS is the acronym for Geographic Information System. For Disaster Management GIS can work in many ways, such as: They are the kind of information system which are well capable of storing, integrating, analyzing, editing, sharing, and displaying the information which is geographically-referenced. GIS can create the interactive queries, edit data and different maps and can easily present the final results of all these operations. The quality and power of analysis of assessments of natural hazards can be improved by GIS. In the selection of mitigation measures, emergency preparedness and response action, GIS also guide and assist different development activities. Applications of GIS: For the following activities GIS applications are very useful. Creation of hazard inventory map: At all the district and inter-municipal levels, the developmental projects pre-feasibility study can be very efficiently done by GIS. To locate important facilities: Through GIS we can take information on physical locations of drains, shelters and other physical facilities. Management and Creation of associated Database: Planners can make projects at feasibility level. These projects can used to make risk maps for existing cities, disaster preparedness planning and relief activities after disaster. Vulnerability assessment: To expand Disaster Management organizations by creating awareness of disaster with government and public is done by innovative and interactive technology tool GIS. Emergency shelters and the use of GIS: Shelter [1] operators use GIS technology to take the personal details of persons being housed at the shelters. GIS technology would also give information to the shelter operators on the general makeup of the shelter like that how many children, adults, disable or any special occupant are in the shelter or need shelter. Relief Distribution and the use of GIS: GIS generate maps of the affected areas where bunch of victims are located then with the help of these maps food drops processes will take place. These maps will also identify the unique needs of persons within these bunches. Vulnerable areas: The areas which are prone to disasters are highlighted by GIS. This will help the disaster managers to do planning before the occurrence of disaster and it also facilitates the coordination of efforts during and after the event. GIS Advantages: There are more advantages of GIS than challenges. Some GIS advantages are as under: It can [1] represent spatial information over a wide geographic area. To take more detailed view of contents GIS uses 3D graphics. Integration of different information of geo-spatial can be facilitated by GIS. Information of geo-spatial includes maps, models and other forms of graphics. GIS distributes updated informaton. It also efficiently analyzes, collects and manage that information. For individuals who wants to use GIS only little tranning is required. This feature of GIS makes it versatile and easy to use. 3.3.1.4 Challenges of using GIS in Disaster Management: GIS [1] can sometimes reveal personal and people-specific information which can significantly affect peoples life. Form GIS information sometimes vital and hard decisions have to be taken in the best interest of affected people. To get the output which is meaningful and useful from the system, large amounts of inputs are required. GIS delayed the decision making process during emergency because it require huge amount of information and vast amount of time to analyze that information. Disaster Management Cycle and GIS: Planning: To [1] realize the need for planning which is based on the present risk is the most important stage of DM. For forward planning GIS plays a key role. GIS provides a structure for disaster managers to view spatial data by computer based maps. Mitigation: For structural and non-structural mitigation, GIS can play very important role. Areas which are at risk are spatially represented by GIS. GIS also identifies the risk level associated with particular hazard. Disaster managers use GIS to determine the level of mitigative structures that should be in place given the vulnerability of an area or population. Preparedness: GIS can play a vital role in the identification of resources and areas which are at risk. The link between partners and critical agencies is established by GIS and the use of GIS in the establishment of that link will help disaster managers to know the location of stations of relevant partner agencies. In the context of Disaster Management, maps of GIS can provide information on the human resources present in an Emergency Operation Centre as well as on the ground personnel such as security, health providers and other key responders. This is particularly useful since the technology can help with strategic placement of emergency personnel where it matters most. Through GIS we can make sure that communication networks and road infrastructure are capable of handling the effe

17th centry teater :: essays research papers

The 17th Century gave life to an array of cultural and educational advances. This was known as the renaissance. Renaissance, a word meaning rebirth of knowledge and culture, is the ideal word to explain the occurrences of the time period of 1400-1700. In this range of time, subjects such as science, math, and literature made an amazing and strong comeback. These topics became immensely important to society and the culture of this time. In the 1600’s, theater and drama became very popular in England, forcing the creation of new theater techniques ranging from the different play styles, to the very acting dramatics in which the actors employed in the plays.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This Renaissance in Europe began the relief that was needed by the people in the eastern world having experienced the Middle Ages (500-1500AD). The people of Europe needed to make changes to their culture because it was a dark and drab time to be alive. Things including the terrible Bubonic, or Black, Plague; which infected many people in Europe resulting in death; and a depressing atmosphere in England at the time necessitated a new type of culture. The last time that a society of people partook in social events such as a play was when the Greek and Roman Empires were still in existence. Many of the topics being studied by people during the Renaissance were studied through records that these no longer existent cultures had left behind. Now the people in Renaissance Europe could learn information from the knowledgeable people of many previous years. These mathematicians, artists, and scientists contributed much to the Europe of that time. The plays of that time ar e similar to that of the â€Å"Elizabethan Theater† because play writers in Europe adopted tactics used by their predecessors in the past empires of the world (Yancey 8). Also the basic design for the amphitheaters used to perform the plays was taken from the Romans. One of the better known amphitheaters was The Globe, which Shakespeare used personally (Yancey 28). Before the days of the Elizabethan Theater, guilds (companies that put plays on) generally preformed plays in Latin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elizabeth Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII had become queen on January 15, 1558. She herself was a Renaissance woman. Her presence as the Queen England had sparked the rise of English culture and even the society itself. In the time she was the queen, theater had also grown to a size that was never seen before.

Macbeth Essay

In Act 2 Scene 2, Lines 1 to 13 of Shakespeare’s â€Å"Macbeth†, Shakespeare questions the reader about who in truth is controlling Macbeth, Lady Macbeth or himself. Shakespeare also makes us ponder if Lady Macbeth has a healthy ambition, that she herself controls, or if her ambition is controlling her. The three main themes of Evil, Ambition, and Macbeth-The Victim of Manipulation are heightened through the use of Positive and Negative Sleep Motifs, expressed in a negative context. Also found in this selection are examples of Negative Diction, Religious Symbolism, and Animal Imagery which all develop the reader’s understanding of death, and develop the three key themes that circulate around the idea of death. Contrast is used to express the difference in power and confidence between Lady Macbeth and King Duncan’s attendants, and also to distinguish life and death, in the case of the attendants. Punctuation is used very effectively. Through the use of punctuation, one can visualize the emotions of Lady Macbeth. During the first few lines, each line is its own individual sentence, which ends in a period or colon. Simply by looking at the punctuation one can see that she is calm. Near the end of these lines, Lady Macbeth uses many commas, caesuras, and enjambments, she is out of order. Here one can sense just how nervous and frightened Lady Macbeth is. The final key device used in these lines is Foreshadowing. It gives the reader a glance at what will come out of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s decision to kill Duncan through the archetype of â€Å"fire†, which appears in line 2. Fire symbolizes light and warmth, yet at the same time symbolizes chaos and destruction. This can be related to their decision which will either make them or break them. Found throughout this passage are many literary devices, all of which are significant. However the most significant devices are Negative Diction, Religious Symbolism, and Sleep Motif. Religious Symbolism is immensely important in shaping Lady Macbeth’s character and sculpting the recurring themes, yet does not appear nearly as much as Negative Diction and Sleep Motif. One can find Lady Macbeth say â€Å"The doors are open†, Here she is literally talking about the doors to Duncan’s chamber, however one can interpret these doors as the doors of death. The doors are open for Duncan to walk through. This line can be related to Alexander Grahame Bell’s famous quote â€Å"As one door closes, another door opens. † Both Lady Macbeth’s and Mr. Bell’s quotes relate to death in a way; the door of life closes, and the door of death opens, waiting for us to walk through. Another example of Religious Symbolism is found in the lines â€Å"That death and nature do contend about them // Whether they live or die. This is symbolic of God and the Devil having a battle for the lives of the attendants, and later dueling for them to either be rewarded in Heaven or condemned to Hell. The image of God and the Devil gambling for the souls of the dead is expressed in the song â€Å"Spanish Train† by Chris De Burgh. This song has a similar religious meaning, as in both one can see a battle going on between God and the Devil for minor pawns or as one likes to say, humans. Another device, Sleep Motif, is used throughout these lines to portray the idea of sleep. In this piece one can find two main ideas: death and sleep. These two ideas are interconnected by a Religious meaning. One can see just how cleverly William Shakespeare uses the two devices of religious symbolism and sleep motif. Without one, the other, would not be as important. These two tools work hand in hand to develop the character of Lady Macbeth and the several themes throughout the play. Most of these sleep-orbiting words can be divided into three categories. The first category being what one usually consider sleep as, what we do each night in order to rest our body for the new day. This category can be referred to as the conscious form of sleep. Words that fall under this category are â€Å"good-night†, â€Å"snores†, â€Å"slept†, and â€Å"awaked†. These terms are the most positive sleep revolving words found in these lines. The next form of sleep is the sub-conscience form of sleep. This form of sleep is commonly known as â€Å"drunk† or â€Å"intoxicated†, and is usually found quite discouraging. â€Å"Drunk†, â€Å"Surfeited†, â€Å"Drugg’d†, and â€Å"Possets† fall under the sub-conscious form of sleep. The last category of sleep is the unconscious form. Words that fall under this category may seem depressing for non-believers of an afterlife or second life, but for believers they symbolize a new beginning. This form of sleep is tied in greatly with religious symbolism because it is rooted in the spiritual life. One does not quite know what happens after death, however there is a general belief that the spirit lives on, while the body lays under an eternal rest. The reader can see just how influential sleep is in this excerpt. One sees a sleeping Duncan, and later a deceased Duncan and also sees drunk attendants by Duncan’s side. In these few lines the reader envisions all three types of sleep. Although both Sleep Motifs and Religious Symbolisms play a huge role in shaping the themes of this scene, the most used device, and particularly important in these 13 lines is Negative Diction. Throughout, one sees words spoken wickedly by Lady Macbeth. She speaks wickedly about a wicked deed. Throughout the text one can see numerous examples of negative diction; â€Å"drunk†, â€Å"stern’st good-night†, â€Å"the owl that shriek’d the fatal bellman†, â€Å"surfeited†, â€Å"mock†, â€Å"drugg’d†, â€Å"death†, â€Å"die†, â€Å"confounds†, â€Å"afraid†, and â€Å"daggers†. Through Lady Macbeth’s vocabulary one can easily sense just how sinister Lady Macbeth is in both her words and actions. In this section of â€Å"Macbeth† one finds several literary tools that aid in conveying the character of Lady Macbeth and the three central themes. The most important devices used throughout this passage include Religious Symbolism, Sleep Motif, and Negative Diction. These three devices are interconnected as they revolve around the ideas of sleep and death. These three terms work together to shape the reader’s understanding of death and sleep which Shakespeare exemplifies to us through Lady Macbeth’s manipulation of Macbeth into the killing of the righteous King Duncan. The reader can relate what Shakespeare illustrates to the Human Condition. Everybody in life has ambitions, be it big or small, most people strive to help themselves, and through helping themselves, they help others around them. In few scenarios like in the case of Lady Macbeth, her foul ambitions overpower her and corrupt her to a point of sheer evil.

Social Constructionism essays

Social Constructionism essays This essay will illustrate the diversity and change within modern family structures over the past thirty years, whilst identifying ways in which these changes may have impacted upon young people and the subsequent implications for workers undertaking direct work with young people. It will demonstrate an understanding and offer examples of how social constructionism helps us interpret the meaning of the society we live in at any given time. Social constructionists argue that reality, the everyday meanings applied to our existence is constructed by social, cultural, economic, political and religious processes. These processes historically are changeable, giving different definition to society at different points in times. Therefore our attitudes, understanding and expectations of society and issues within it will be influenced by the meanings attached. Firstly there has been a marked increase in single parent families. In the UK in 1995 there were an estimated 1:4 families headed by a single parent, the majority (but by no means all) of whom are women in the 16:24 age group (Wilkinson and Mulgan 1995). Historically there have always been single parent families, but what has changed is societies attitudes, perceptions and beliefs attached to adults and children living within such units, whether through unforeseen circumstances, limited life opportunities or personal choice. In the 1950s and 60s young women who became pregnant outside of wedlock were considered loose and immoral with the child subsequently labelled a bastard. These linguistic terms are rarely used in the 90s with the younger generation being much more likely to view an upbringing in a single parent family as equally valid (ref course material). Although there has been a social shift in attitudes towards single mothers, politically the subject area continues to create much debate, Charles Murray ...

A comparative study of Omani employees’ perception toward managers’ leadership styles and management competences in public and private sectors. The WritePass Journal

A comparative study of Omani employees’ perception toward managers’ leadership styles and management competences in public and private sectors. Introduction A comparative study of Omani employees’ perception toward managers’ leadership styles and management competences in public and private sectors. IntroductionBackground of the StudyProblem StatementResearch Question and ObjectivesBackground Literature ReviewMethodologyLimitations / Ethical ConsiderationsReferencesRelated Introduction Leaders are fast becoming recognised as the key to success for organisations across the globe and as such studies on how leaders are created and how leaders interact with others are becoming much more prevalent (Chemmers, 1997). That said, the area of leadership in the Oman context has been largely overlooked when it comes to academic study and it is here that the research is going to focus. Leaders within business are increasingly being perceived as those who are responsible for either the success or the failure of the organisation in question and therefore their role within the organisation and the perception that others have of them are likely to be critical to their actions. Leadership has both an extrinsic and an intrinsic role. Firstly, it could be argued that leadership reflects the way in which the public view the company or the perceptions that those outside of the organisation have of how the company manages its operations; secondly, leadership looks at the way in which the employees and those who work directly with the managers are inspired and encouraged to perform in a suitable manner to meet with the organisation’s goals (Chemmers, 1997). Merely defining what is meant by â€Å"leadership† and the various styles that are seen to be available for such leaders is an academic study in itself, with one of the most accepted definitions being that of Chemers (1997, p.1) who stated that leadership is seen as â€Å"a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task†. This type of collaborative approach will form the basic underlying concept of leadership, regardless of the jurisdiction in which it is operating. Following on from this background understanding the research will then go on to look at how leadership in Oman can be developed to achieve greater commercial success with reference to the distinction between public and private sector organisations. Background of the Study Although there has been a large amount of general literature in the area of leadership and the emergent theories of leadership that have come about in recent years, there has been a small level of understanding regarding the role of leadership within the developing region of Oman. It has been suggested by Dorfman in 2004 that one of the main difficulties is that organisations in Oman are typically not very transparent with their operations and this can make it harder to identify any form of business strategy, let alone one that is rooted in the perceptions of individual employees. Taking an internal view of the way in which an organisation works is a crucial element of then looking at the role of the leader and how they can influence the performance of employees. It is argued here that one of the key issues is, in fact, that the political context of the region has a real and direct impact on the organisation and the types of leadership that are likely to be effective. Crucially, it i s also necessary to look at the cultural and political factors that are at play within Oman and not to simply assume that Arab culture will prevail. As a further point, by way of background, it is also noted by Dorfman that in Oman (as is the case in many developing regions) the public sector is often the driving force with internal practices, such as leadership development emanating from public sector agendas. Finally, it is worth noting that Oman itself is a relatively small country when looking at population, with a total of 3.5 million. On the face of it, the country has many similar characteristics with its Arab neighbours and is also subject to rapid economic growth; however, it is suggested in this paper that Oman has a unique geographical and political scope which encourages the organisations, both public and private, to outperform other countries in the same region (Haligan, 2007). There are arguably multiple factors that are likely to impact on how leadership is dealt with in Oman and these will be considered in greater detail in the thesis when comparing the approaches in the public and private sectors. These are briefly identified by Haligan in 2007 and include the political development in the region and the British influence, in particular. Issues of religion and culture are also thought to be important in the region and these are arguably factors that remain prevalent, even where there are economic changes or there are factors that may otherwise impact on the operation of the business. Problem Statement The problem statement for this research paper is to look primarily at the comparison between the public sector and private sector leadership skills, with reference to the employees’ perceptions of their leaders. Although this is a relatively specific area of study, there are potential issues that need to be looked at surrounding the study, in order to ascertain the impact that the various leadership styles have on the perceptions of employees and therefore on their ultimate behaviour. Employee behaviours are arguably linked to the leadership style, but it is also expected that other underlying factors, such as religion, culture and politics will have an impact. A comparison between public and private sectors may provide a greater understanding of these issues and the ways in which leaders can improve their own behaviours, in the future, to influence the performance of their employees. Research Question and Objectives The question here is to undertake a comparative study of the role of the managers and their leadership styles, from the point of view of employee perspectives, in both the public and private sectors in Oman with a view to presenting overall findings. In order to be able to provide a balanced response to this research question, there are several other objectives that need to be looked at, so that the answer to the research question can then provide future guidance, which can add value to those involved in corporate Oman. Firstly, there is a requirement to understand the various leadership styles that may be employed by leaders and the way in which these are likely to develop within the workplace. Factors that may impact on the choice of leadership approach will also be looked at, with reference to the corporate climate in Oman. For example, it may be thought that the political context is relevant to the leadership style and that this will then be different in the public and private sectors. Similarly, it may be argued that religion or culture plays a much greater role than whether or not the organisation is public or private sector orientated. Secondly, as well as the actual factors that influence leadership styles, the next part of the research is to look at the impact that leadership styles have on employee perceptions of the leaders themselves, or indeed the organisation. The ultimate aim of this research is for those involved in leadership to be able to understand how they can influence employee behaviours to the benefit of the organisation, in the future. With this in mind, the research question will need to be broken down, to understand the factors that are present but unchangeable and those which can be influenced, so as to create a more balanced view as to what leaders and managers can do to change the operation and the perceptions of their employees within the workplace. Background Literature Review Despite the fact that there is a large amount of literature available in terms of leadership styles, all of which will be looked at as part of the main research, the real essence of this research will be to look at leadership in the context of Oman and Omani culture. Over the years, it is argued that Omani culture and how it deals with politics, in particular, is that it has supported a participative leadership approach as being the dominant form of accepted leadership within the culture. This was the subject of the discussion in the paper of Eickleman, (1987) who found that the people of Oman, in general, operated by consultation, with leaders being largely selected based on merit, rather than on succession. This type of underlying culture is important as a means of understanding the prevailing culture and the likely employee perceptions of their leaders. Specific research in the area of Omani business has also taken place, identifying that the way in which leaders are selected by priests within the community by merit from a religions context which offers an opportunity for further analysis within the commercial context. Arguably, this type of social selection was also seen to be prevalent when Al-Ghailani researched the area, in 2005, considering how this then influences human resources practices. It was found in this research that the use of social criteria was often seen as important when it came to recruitment and promotional decisions. This was evidenced in the 2005 research by the fact that it was found that many religious leaders were petitioning the public sector to recruit family members into certain roles. He found that there were essentially two different leadership structures in operation, the first looking at merit and the notion of recruiting to fill a need and the second based on family and cultural issues. This two fol d approach suggests that leadership is unlikely to be a black and white scenario and perceptions are going to vary from person to person not just from organisation to organisation. By looking at other areas of research into leadership and therefore the employee perceptions that emerge as a result of the leadership, it can be seen that there are very distinct opinions, with those such as Farazmand, (2006) noting that this social element in fact complements leadership and improves perceptions, rather than being a detriment to the European and Western approach. A specific research paper that looked at the leadership values in Oman was undertaken by Neal et al (2005), which found that positive leaders were seen as those displaying attributes of strong charisma, being largely interactive and also having a degree of authority inherent in their attitude. This indicated that those successful leaders in Oman were not actually far remote from the Western ideals. In particular, Neal et al. found that an effective leader in Oman needed to be concerned with the personal welfare of all of the employees and that a further level of respect is given to the use of legal authority, which is seemingly logical given the high level of bureaucracy within the region. Methodology The methodology that is going to be used in the research here is inductive in nature, as it will look at the observations and actions of the various different managers, before then attempting to produce an overall theory that could ultimately apply across both private and public sector organisations. The first step of this research, therefore, is to undertake a full literature review and analysis of the leadership approaches and those factors that theoretically have a means of determining the different perceptions which are going to emerge from employees in relation to the leadership skills displayed. From this general theoretical understanding, primary research in the form of case study interviews will then be undertaken, with the author looking specifically at two organisations, one in the public sector and one in the private sector. Although it is recognised that ideally several different organisations should be looked at, it is noted that the reality is such that focusing on two organisations will allow for sufficient depth of comparison between the styles of leadership. This will then be used to produce a theory and a set of suggestions as to how the information can then be applied to establishing a set of recommendations for managers across Oman and indeed across other simi lar jurisdictions. Limitations / Ethical Considerations A key limitation which has been identified is that the case study element will only look at one organisation from the public sector and one from the private sector. It would be desirable to look at a broader range of organisations and even to undertake such research over a period of time, to ascertain how these issues change and the long term impact of culture and politics, at that point in time. There may also be concerns that the employees will not be as open as they could be, due to concerns about what their manager will think; therefore, anonymity is crucial and is something that needs to be taken to the forefront when collecting data. References Al-Ghailani, R. (2005). Equal opportunity in public office in principle and practice: An empirical study of the Omani Civil Service. Doctoral dissertation, University of Hull, Hull. Al-Hamadi, A., Budhwar, P., Shipton, H. (2007). Management of human resources in Oman. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(1), 100-113. London Chemers M. (1997). An integrative theory of leadership. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, CA, Publishers. Dorfman, P., House, R. (2004). Cultural influences on organizational leadership. In R. House, P. Hanges, M. Javidan, P. Dorfman, V. Gupta (Eds.), Culture, leadership and organizations, the GLOBE study of 62 societies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Farazmand, A. (2006). Public sector reforms and transformation: Implications for development administration. In A. Huque H. Zafarullah (Eds.), International development governance. Boca Raton, FL: CRC/Taylor and Francis. Halligan, J. (2007). Leadership and the senior service from a comparative perspective. In B. Peters J. Pierre (Eds.), Handbook of public administration (pp. 63-74). London: Sage. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Jabbra, J., Jabbra, N. (2005). Administrative culture in the Middle East. In J. Jabbra O. Dwivedi (Eds.), Administrative culture in a global context. Whitby, ON: de Sitter. Neal, M., Finlay, J., Tansey, R. (2005). â€Å"My father knows the minister†: A comparative study of Arab women‟s attitudes towards leadership authority. Women in Management Review, 20(7/8), 478-498. Riphenburg, C. (1998). Oman: Political development in a changing world. Westport, CT: Praeger. Winckler, O. (2000). Gulf monarchies as rentier states: The nationalization policies of the labor force. In J. Kostiner (Ed.), Middle East monarchies: The challenge of modernity (pp. 237-256). London: Lynne Rienner.