Michael Jackson Biography

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson was born on 29 August 1958 in Gary, Indiana, USA. His father was Joe Jackson. His mother was Katherine Jackson. His siblings are Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael, Rebbie, La Toya, Randy, and Janet Jackson. American superstar Michael Jackson has entertained audiences his entire life. In the early 1960s, the older boys Jackie, Tito and Jermaine had begun performing around the city; by 1964, Michael and Marlon had joined in. Michael's singing and dancing talents were amazingly mature, and he soon became the dominant voice and focus of The Jackson 5.In 1969, the boys were producing back-to-back chart-busting hits as Motown artists (â€Å"I Want You Back,† â€Å"ABC,† â€Å"Never Can Say Goodbye,† â€Å"Got to Be There,† etc. ). Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also reportedly known to become violent with them. Michael and his brothers spent endless hours rehearsing and polish ing up their act. At first, the Jackson 5 played local gigs and built a strong following. They recorded one single on their own, â€Å"Big Boy† with the B-side â€Å"You've Changed,† but it failed to generate much interest.The Jackson 5 moved on to working an opening act for such R artists as Gladys Knight and the Pips, James Brown, and Sam and Dave. Many of these performers were signed to the legendary Motown record label, and it has been reported that Gladys Knight may have been the one to tell Motown founder Berry Gordy about the Jackson 5. Impressed by the group, Gordy signed them to his label in 1968. At the age of 13, Jackson launched a solo career in addition to his work with the Jackson 5. He made the charts in 1971 with â€Å"Got to Be There† from the album of the same name.His 1972 album, Ben, featured the eponymous ballad about a rat. The song became Jackson's first solo No. 1 single. In August 1994, Jackson announced that he had married Lisa Marie Pr esley, daughter of rock icon Elvis Presley. The couple gave a joint television interview with Diane Sawyer, but the union proved to be short-lived. They divorced in 1996. Some thought that the marriage was a publicity ploy to restore Jackson's image after the molestation allegations. Later that same year, Jackson wed Nurse Debbie Rowe. The couple had two children through artificial insemination.Son Prince Michael Jackson was born in 1997 and daughter Paris Michael Jackson was born in 1998. Rowe and Jackson divorced in 1999 with Jackson receiving full custody of their two children. He would go on to have a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, with an unknown surrogate. In 2002, Jackson made headlines when he seemed confused and disoriented on stage at an MTV awards show. Soon after, he received enormous criticism for dangling his son, Prince Michael II, over a balcony while greeting fans in Berlin, Germany.In a later interview, Jackson explained that â€Å"We were waiting for tho usands of fans down below, and they were chanting they wanted to see my child, so I was kind enough to let them see. I was doing something out of innocence. † But many were unforgiving of the star's behaviour, with former fans and media outlets clamouring to have Child Protective Services take Jackson's children from him. That is some information of the big list of accomplishments of Michael Jackson. By Doron Cassell

Islam and Europe Essay

In modern day Europe, people fail to see the many impacts Islam has had on one of the most powerful continents in the western world. To see these impacts, we have to go back in history, from about 1000 C.E. to 1750 C.E. The impacts made by the Islamic world during this time have shaped Europe to the power house it is now. Most of the political impact Islam made on Europe happened during the Crusades. The Crusades began in 1095 when Pope Urban II called for the nations in Europe in unite for one cause. Before Pope Urban’s calling, Europe was divided into civil wars, but he had called for a union. The Crusades were directed towards Muslims, concentrating on the city of Jerusalem. The Crusades brought power and recognition to the pope but as the Crusades became less successful, the pope lost this power and popularity. The Crusades also brought more power to the kings. Prior to the Crusades, the kings had little power because most of the land was owned by rich aristocrats who owned small armies. During battle, these aristocrats were killed without picking an heir. Because of the lack of an heir these aristocrats had, the land was given to the king, thus giving the kings more power. Trade brought to the Christian world by the Islamic world boosted Europe’s economy greatly. Before the Crusades, trade in Europe was almost nonexistent, causing a negative impact on its economy. The Crusades, however, created a large influx of Muslim goods and luxuries. Want for these goods became very apparent with the rich giving the merchants the idea to create trade with the Islamic world. Preceding the 12th century, much of the Islamic and European trade was one sided, Islam exporting to Europe. However, during the 12th century, the major Islamic trading hub, Andalusia, helped Europe expand its exportation. Also, Muslims introduced and banking and credit system into Europe. The cultural effect Islam had on Europe was very substantial considering the technological advancements made by the Islamic world at the time. Before 1400, the only schooling facilities in Europe were monasteries. The development of universities came to Europe when European scholars discovered  Muslim translation of long-lost Greek and Roman scholarship. Not only did Islam help establish schooling in Europe but it also gave new technology to the Europeans. For example in mathematics. Prior to the Islamic influence, Europeans used cumbersome roman numerals. After 1150, the Hindu-Arabic numeral system was introduced to Europe. Arabic nummerals, with an additional character for zero, gradually became standard, aiding in the development of math. They also made advancements in medicine. The European way to treat infectious disease was based on superstition. After the 1300’s, medicinal knowledge developed on medical schools based on the Arabic medical encyclopedia. These advances paved the way for modern practices. These impacts made in Europe by Islam also had an effect globally. Without the development of kings gaining more power, our government today would be completely different, as well as our social classes. This medieval trade to Europe from the Islamic world comes to today with the oil trade. The mathematical advancements made by Arabic Empires gave us our modern understanding of all types of math; same with medicine. These effects did not only impact Europe but the entire world, modern and historical.

Advertising media industry Essay Example for Free

Advertising media industry Essay ? I am student in a work placement agency called STG Media Corporation, a company which dedicates their mission and vision in providing accountable advertising solutions. In my 7 week placement here in the corporation, I learned a lot and discovered that nothing beats on-hand experience in working. Week One (provide date) It was a week of anticipation, stress and learning. How does one person deal with work placement? The first day was dedicated with meeting the executive staff, the working staff, and introduction to what the company is. STG Media Corp. is an interesting work placement agency. I learned about the company through one of my friends and I thought that working for a media company will be so great; little did I know that it is a lot difficult. The first thing that came up in my mind when STG Media Corp. was mentioned is that it is just an advertising company. But it is different. The company details their service in the concept of accountable advertising, in which they refine print advertising media in context of the 21st century need. As a communication student, this was beginning to worry me. After the primary day of introduction, I get to know more about the company and the thought that it is not the conventional type of advertising agency made me overwhelmed with the job and the condition in the work place. This week, I was designated to the Print Media Research, print Media Planning and Market Analysis of one of the company’s client. The company of a branded sports drink is asking STG Media Corp. to help them with the advertising promotion in one of the new products they will launch in about 5 months time. The first thing I did was to interview the sports drink company representative about the nature of their company. I went to their office was so anxious to do the interview that I forgot to bring my recorder, which is considered as one of the great mistakes before doing an interview, coming unprepared. But the good thing is, I did the interview well. I was given the set questions of STG Media Corp., questions that are required to be asked to the client, and throughout the interview, I inserted some of the questions I thought myself to be able to get a good amount of fact for the company. As inexperienced as I am in working for the company, one of the greatest skill I learned is to communicate effectively and luckily I am able to do that with this interview. During the week, one of the great challenges I faced was inputting the vital information of the company’s client to their database called the Print Media Buying System. The PMBS which is the company’s own database generates detailed market research, analysis reports accounting for all aspects such as demographic information, buying trends and other print media recommendations. I really asked for help this time as since I was not acquainted with the kind of technology they used in the particular system. But later I got the hang of it and was commended for a job well done in collecting information from the client. Week 2 (provide date) Before the work placement began, I was told that I will be working full time in one of the company’s venture with a famous sports drink brand. I thought that would be easy since I don’t have to do all the other work, but the challenged I soon found out during the second week is that the process of STG Media Corp. as an advertising consultant is a process to which many steps are taken. This week I am part of the Creative Team designated by the company to help the sports drink brand. Although I must be clear that I was just a part of the team, doing menial job that the professionals are tasked to do. I learned one great thing about the print media industry, 75% of advertisement fail because of weak creative and non-compelling ad copy. It’s true that one of the strengths of a great brand is not just with its quality, but through rigorous and effective advertising that they create. Before working here, I thought that companies only advertise for the sake of advertising, but companies do take this strategy very seriously. On the third day of this week, I was asked to look at one print ad for five seconds during one of the meetings of the Creative Team. They asked me questions rigorously, whether it be based on the appearance or the content. I answered them frankly and mention the things that I would personally think about the ad if I was just a normal consumer looking at the advertisement. Several times, the Team will press and argue their points with me, but all was attributed to presenting a better advertisement for the client. During this week, as unprofessional to assume the role of being a advertiser consultant, I was placed in the position of the consumer, the Team’s viewpoint on the things they realize about the brand and how they can effectively approach working for the client. I really felt like my ideas were respected and included to the Creative Team’s analysis of the product. This week, I also was comfortable with the workplace. I am familiar with the different employees and get to have small talks with them through several breaks. Its interesting how some of them had assumed I am part of the Creative Team when in fact; I am just a student on work placement. Advertising media industry. (2017, May 26).

Case study Barclays and the LIBOR Scandal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Barclays and the LIBOR Scandal - Case Study Example m 2007 to 2009, Barclays was seen to submit rates which were below the presumed cost of borrowing, so as to be able to manage the market’s sensitivity relating to financial feasibility. The company’s goal was to keep submission lower than other competing firms. It was seen that Barclays could make huge sums of profits, even by the slightest manipulation of the LIBOR rates (Rose and Sesia 1). It was quite clear that the bank’s employees had undertaken such activities to earn higher profits and to limit the losses which arise from the derivatives trading. Barclay’s traders were trying to consider their own profit motives and earn dishonest profits. The dishonest LIBOR submissions had led towards dampening market speculations. Although the bank was able to make adequate profits, it could not sustain the manipulation process for long. It can be stated that the benefits of such manipulation was very limited and short-lived. However, the negative impacts of the Barclays LIBOR manipulation were quite extensive. The submitted rates had a wide felt negative impact in the derivatives market. The firm had lost the trust of customers and traders during the crisis period, and had also created negative waves in the media regarding its viability in the market. Post the Barclays scandal, 20 more banks were questioned and vividly examined by regulators. In the whole process of LIBOR manipulation, since interbank rates were manipulated, derivative transactions and banks lending to investors had also been impacted in a negative manner (Monticini and Thornton 345). Bob Diamond, the former CEO of Barclays had blamed a small group of employees for the violation of the LIBOR rates. Bob had denied any personal wrongdoing against the allegations made in respect of rigging the LIBOR and limiting the market and media speculations. Bob also went to the extent of stating that Barclays was more honest in submitting its LIBOR rates as compared to other banks (Surowiecki 25). He also

System architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

System architecture - Essay Example Dependant upon particular needs that the client inquired. Just like the colonel’s point of view on leadership features, Mr. Siegel requires the organization to promote real customer interactions, motivating staff to be able to each turn into a chief and be able to function separate, though right at the end to be able to integrate and act as a team. Mr. Siegel’s model helps bring about carrying out items correct initially (Evans, 2014). The particular colonel deals with the likelihood regarding chance concerning his / her company while using the expression â€Å"If that isn’t shattered, don’t repair it. † Given that they monitor the matter and maintain that wouldn’t certainly be an issue. Also the colonel emphasis on having excellent listening skills when involved with resolving conflicts among employees or dealing with customers needs. He supports the notion of leaders who also trust their employees. Also, good leaders should have the capability to delegate and empower others in the organization while still maintaining control of everything in the system. Also, the Colonel has his head continually â€Å"looking below the surface† in order to pinpoint situations that do not meet the leader’s standards. Mr. Siegel furthermore says the significance associated with splendid, crystal clear connect skills as well as the ability to focus on fine detail; often through jamming or watching. Moreover, Mr. Siegel’s builder emphasizes that will software has its disorders and this right supervision by itself will not always resolve the look issues (Evans, 2014). Evans, R. K., Hill, G. M., NASA Glenn Research Center,, & United States. (2014). Data acquisition system architecture and capabilities at NASA GRC Plum Brook Stations space environment test

Mordern database Managment assignment Four Essay

Mordern database Managment assignment Four - Essay Example Presently there have been extensive growth in the use and development in the database technology. Additionally, this new and advanced technology of the database is used to manage large volumes of organizational and business data. In addition, the utilization of database technology and systems in supporting applications that used to handle the business and query based report production is the basic traditional utilization of this technology. Though, the size as well as volume of data being handled increases new and interesting concerns. Presently this technology is used to facilitate businesses in attaining effective competitive advantage and underlying business processes. This new database technology also helps improve business processes and decision making. Moreover, at the present businesses are using the database based business intelligence systems such as data warehouse, data mining tools, and OLAP technology (Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2005; Laudon & Laudon, 1999). I have selected the topic which is related to use of data warehousing technology structure implementation at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a world’s largest retail store chain. This paper is written by Patrick  ¨ Ohlinger with title of â€Å"Wal-Mart’s Data Warehouse† This paper can be accessed using following link: http://www.derbaum.com/tu/WalMarts%20DWH.pdf. In this paper Ohlinger (2006) stated that the use of data warehousing technology at Wal-Mart is offering a lot of advantages to its business. The new technology based working structure has offered a lot of business advantages to overall operational management and the business. In this scenario the use of the data warehousing technology offers better support for the analysis of customer buying behavior, which leads to effective formulation of the policies by the Wal-Mart management to present more attractive deals to its customer

Critical Response of Herzl and Pinsker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Response of Herzl and Pinsker - Essay Example He wanted a Jewish state for the Jews, as if it fell into the very same category. Indeed, the secular approach he championed cleared his ideals of any religious fervor, and left the idea of the Jewish people as something that could only be equated with race and ethnicity. Race also played an important role for Herzl because it defined who the Jews were not. A prime example of this is in the Dreyfus affair, which Herzl does not specifically mention but depends upon because of its historical importance to his audience. Dreyfus was an example of anti-semitism, which Herzl explained was a result of a variety of situations—these being assimilation, success of Jews, and other interactions with Western society. Herzl believed that there was no hope for Jewish assimilation, and this may have contributed to the importance of race in his thinking. Because assimilation was such a problem, race was not just an important factor for Jews, but also was important for non-Jews. The fact that J ews had trouble assimilating into French society, for example, showed that the French race was distinguished from the Jews and thus the religious group was not part of the French racial group. This led to the conclusion that the Jewish people were like a race, separate from European races. Without this establishment of the Jewish people as being racially excluded in Europe, it would be difficult to link the group with Jewish nationalist ideology. After establishing this difference, Herzl could then go on to develop Zionism as a specific nationalistic ideology that exclusively applies to Jews, yet has the same framework as other nationalistic movements that are based off of race and blood. Thus, with no use of religion or language to classify the Jews as a people and a minority, Herzl was left with the concept of race in order to define Jews and bring them together toward a nationalist agenda. In Herzl's writings, the idea of awakening from a sleep as pointed by Anderson in European nationalism is also present in Jewish nationalism. Herzl refers to the history of the Jewish people, and especially stresses that they have a history of weakness which is used a survival strategy. Herzl and Pinsker both discuss the history of the Jewish people, from ancient times to modern times, as one of expulsion and mistreatment. However, these recounts of Jewish history are seen as a point of contrast with what is happening in the modern era, beginning with the hope of Jewish emancipation in Western Europe. The French Revolution, while a great awakening for the Enlightenment movement and for the French people, also showed an example of the Jewish people awakening from not so much a great sleep but a great captivity where they were denied equal status under any governments. Later recognition of their equal status under other states seemed to point to the dawn of a new age. The development of the Jewish state as a solution to the problem of Jewish assimilation and discrimination ushered in a new atmosphere, where Jewish thought suddenly experienced the same sentiment that Anderson mentions. The Jews of Europe underwent an awakening from a deep sleep in their own sense as they began to understand the reason for all their woes and as they began to envision a solution that would bring them out of Europe and into a new land. As Herzl believed that the Jews must be a majority in their own land to finally be emancipated,

Politics of Travel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Politics of Travel - Essay Example The purpose of the article is to spread awareness about the ways, tourism can harm the traditions and resources of a country. Every tourism agency focuses on attracting tourists to their country, while they should also be educating tourists on how they can be respectful towards the resources of the country they are visiting and not waste water or electricity, while they are on the tour. The audience for this article are tourists, who move from country to country in order to explore different places. However, if we go deeper into the article, the audience is also the tourism authorities of the country, who should make sure that whenever people come from other countries, they don’t waste country’s resources, tourism doesn’t become the reason for reservoirs being damaged or crops being destroyed. It is for the tourists to understand that they need to make better choices when they are traveling to someplace. The thesis statement of the article is in its introductory paragraph, which states that â€Å"Tourism has seriously damaged, fragile ecosystems like the Alps-the winter skiing playground of Europe-and the trekking areas of the Himalayas. The writer begins by directly stating the problem which would be discussed in the article, tourism. The writer then defines and generalizes the different areas of the world which are threatened by tourism like the areas of Himalayas, dunes, mangroves, and forests. The writer then changes his point from areas to how tourists are wasting water of the countries they visit and how this water is not available to the locals of the village. Moreover, the writer links water with electricity, as there are luxury hotels built for tourists, in which they stay; for hot water, electricity is consumed too.

To what extent does the European Union policy of free movement of Essay - 1

To what extent does the European Union policy of free movement of persons discriminates against the non European 'others' - Essay Example ts with open arms2. Economical The second paragraph discuss the economic aspect of the Xenophobic approach of the EU whereby it will talk about the exceptions in the form of the UK and France that threw their doors open to immigrants as a means of enhancing productivity and access to cheap labour for low skilled jobs and as a means to attract the best talent possible for high skilled jobs3. The third paragraph will be a continuation of the ideas in the second paragraph that the approach did pay off for these countries though a certain point was reached in recent years where these countries feel that they can no longer sustain the pace of immigration at the earlier levels4. Social The fourth paragraph will discuss the high levels of immigration into these countries that has resulted in creation of ethnic communities and the rise of ghettos in the UK and France which has added impetus to the anti-immigrant lobby’s drive to restrict immigration as they point to the lack of assimi lation by these communities and the resultant loss of social cohesion5. In the fifth paragraph, we will analyze how the ideas in the fourth paragraph have led to a strong feeling that immigrants are unwelcome because they do not fit in to the culture of the countries to which they immigrate6. The six paragraph will state how further the instances of riots in France in 2005 and more recently in London and other parts of UK have been blamed on the immigrants and their lack of respect for the culture of these countries7. The seventh paragraph will examine how all these trends have resulted in the EU adopting a tough stance on immigration. What adds to the situation is that many countries in the EU do not need low skilled immigrants any longer since they have gone up the economic and technological curve and so there are no low skilled low wage jobs anymore8. This eighth paragraph will examine how further, the proportion of immigrants who apply for these positions is disproportionate to the size of their population which makes these countries look askance at these immigrants9. The ninth paragraph will talk about how, even in the high skilled and high wage category, the growing trend is to hire locals and only when the locals are not available can the employers look for immigrants to fill the positions. This has resulted in laws being mandated that require the employers to justify the need for immigrants to be hired and hence there is a legal aspect to the hiring of immigrants as well10. Political In the tenth paragraph, we will examine the political aspect of the issue whereby, talking of the legal angle, the EU has put in place strict anti immigration policies in place that restrict the number of people who would be accepted into its member countries. This has resulted in the EU closing its doors to asylum seekers and immigrants because of the reasons outlined above11. This eleventh paragraph w

Budget Management Anylasis Essay Example for Free

Budget Management Anylasis Essay The first step in cost-variance analysis is developing a budget; this is an assumption of all cost in the hospital (Miller Ryan, 1995). The second step is to collect information on accurate cost accounting (Miller Ryan, 1995). It can be challenging for healthcare organizations to develop a budget or cost-variance analysis because of the complexity of the healthcare economy. Using the hospital of phoenix budgeted costs were compared to actual utilization. Several variances exist in all categories. Developing an accurate budget is one strategy to manage a budget within the forecast. Collected data and accounting resources can help management to formulate an accurate budget. Other strategies can come from surveying all parts of the hospital to get the opinions of staff in all areas on how to keep costs in budget or simply minimize cost. The involvement of all staff will create an urgency for budget compliance and involvement will make employees feel as though the task is more personal. Benchmarking progress through out the year is important. Changes and evaluations can be made to areas that are not with in the targeted budget. This will help by making changes before the variance becomes any higher and may decrease the overall variance. The budget report showed variance overage among; inpatient revenue, outpatient revenue, office supplies, purchased services, equipment maintenance repair, depreciation expense, and operating margin before contractuals. The inpatient and out patient revenue had variances that were over the projected budget. However, as a result of the decrease in patient  services the operational expenses of salaries, benefits, medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals were reported under the projected budget amount. The decrease in patient services could have been for a number of reasons. Repairs and maintenance on equipment was under budgeted for. Lack of functioning equipment may have been one reason for the decrease in patient services. If needed equipment is not available a patient must be sent to a facility with the proper equipment and services. This takes away from the hospitals revenue as well as its statistics. To determine other reason why there was a decline in patient revenue would require more information. The overage of money spent on office supplies cannot be accounted for. There was a lower than expected patient load therefore the cost for office supplies should have been lower than expect as the medical supplies proved to be. There needs to be a unit based investigation to see where the additional expenses on office supplies are coming from. To improve the variance with in the predicted budget and the actual spending benchmarking should be used. There are three approaches to benchmarking; competitive, cooperative, and collaborative (Finkler, 2007). Competitive benchmarking would find specific information about individual areas. This would be a good way to track supply usage and also staffing on individual units or areas of the hospital. Cooperative benchmarking is a process in which information from other organizations is used to improve this hospitals budget (Finkler, 2007). This could help the hospital improve the overall budget analysis and plan ways to save within the facility. The third benchmarking approach is collaborative benchmarking which refers to finding information in particular areas of the hospital and using it to benefit all areas of the organization (Finkler, 2007). Information from the pharmaceuticals area could be used to improve other areas such as the variance with office supplies. Reference: Finkler, S. (2007). Financial Management for Nurse Managers and Executives (3rd ed.). Saunders Elsevier Inc. St. Louis, MO. Retrieved on February 29, 2013 from: University of Phoenix Materials. Miller, T. R., Ryan, J. B. (1995). Analyzing cost variance in capitated contracts. Healthcare Financail Management, 49(2), 22-3. Retrived from http://search.proquest.com/docview/196372371?accountid=35812 Nelson, B. (1994). Improving cash flow through benchmarking. Healthcare Financial Management, 48(9), 74-8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/196364264?accountid=35812

Analysis of News Reports

Analysis of News Reports INTISAR SAIF SALIM AL HASHMI Hard News – Court Drops Murder Charges against Mubarak STAGE ONE Introduction Hard news is a term often used by media practitioner or journalists to refer to the fast-paced information that is worth appearing on the newspaper front, usually a headline. This does not mean it is a controversial one, with topics of interest like business, political uprising, new transport system introduction that will reduce traffic congestion and other international news. It is argued that what defines hard news is not about the controversy in the subject matter but rather what some will call fast paced or heavy reports on it that makes it hard news. The term hard news is not of scientific and can be traced back to have been first used by the US journalists to classify various types of news. Since then, the two terms have found their way into the academic circles being used in journalism. Schramm (1949) was one of the first people to document the types of news as hard news or soft news. In this work, the hard news chosen is the acquittal of former president, Hosni Mubarak of murder charges which hit the headlines this week. It was reported in almost all mainstream media in the world and for the purpose of this study, we have picked only the three Omani newspapers; The times of Oman, the Oman Tribune and the Muscat Daily. This news is going to be analyzed in terms of the already set principles that make it newsworthy to be printed in the headlines. These set principles include; timeliness, proximity, impact or consequences, prominence, conflict, human interest. Timeliness This is the immediacy of the news item. Because news, become outdated quickly, it is better if a hard news hits the newsstands immediately and it happened in the case in which an Egyptian court acquitted the former president on 29th November 2014 and the following day, the newspapers reported it. This was a timely reporting and on the part of print media. Proximity This refers the closeness of an event to home. The concern of what was going to happen to the former leader, Hosni Mubarak was something of interest to the whole Arab world. Since the beginning of the famous Arab spring, people in the entire region have always focused to the events shaping the politics in the region. This kind of news is closer to Oman and therefore qualifies under the proximity principle. Impact or Consequences The impact of his acquittal is seen by many as a miscarriage of justice to the families of those who died in the demonstration that saw the former leader ousted. Others also see it as a relief to his supporters since someone who has led a country peacefully should not be humiliated when he leaves power and they argue he should retire honourably. The consequence of the news serves as a warning to those who think they should shame a president who has devoted his time to lead his people. Prominence This story carried on the three newspapers is about a prominent personality, Hosni Mubarak and Egypt, which is known place with rich historical background ranging from history of ancient education to the Pharaos and the Pyramids. The country is well known for the continuous and persistent demonstrations that hit its cities forcing their president to resign. This news is definitely of interest to many readers. Conflict The newspaper article also shows some kind of conflict between the supporters of the former president and the relatives of those who died. The supporters see the ouster and subsequent humiliation of Mubarak as not worth since there has been no change to the problems facing them and in any case, it has just gotten worse. The bereaved relative on the other hand view this as justice denied by dropping the case of murder against him. Human Interest The news is of human interest in the sense that people would like to know how the Egyptian democracy progresses after the ouster of Mubarak and Morsi. In fact, democracy has not been granted to the Egyptians since their democratic leader was dethroned by the military and since then, there have been demonstrations after demonstrations. Grading of News In Terms of Accuracy, Clarity and Style Accuracy The reporters have done this work accurately bearing the power such reports have on the people. This is because what they write can easily influence people’s decisions. They have done it so accurately that what appears in the three papers have no spelling errors. The news also doesn’t mislead the public or distort what the court announced. Clarity Since newspaper reporting is different from an academic writing, it should be brief and to the point. This is because no one has the time to devote to the news except to obtain information. Looking at these news reports, they have been written with the clarity that the journalism approves. The writers seem to have the readers in mind by using simple language, short paragraphs as well as short stories while avoiding no bombastic words. Style The designs on the newspapers are done in styles that beckon the reader to buy. They are arranged in layouts that are attractive to the eyes and this has the aesthetic value and ability to kill boredom. It also assures the reader of the value for money when the paper is still on the newsstand. Even though the primary objective is to report the news to the people, the three newspapers have been done artistically that is different from the old type of writing. The different fonts have also been used to appeal to the buyer. STAGE TWO HAND WRITTEN NOTES AND FLOW CHARTS ON MAJOR INFORMATION ON THE THREE NEWSPAPERS. STAGE THREE My own hard news Hosni Mubarak murder charges dropped by Court HIS TWO SONS AND 7 COMMANDERS ALSO ACQUITED AS JOY AND JUBILATIONS RETURN TO EGYPT. MAJAN TIMES REPORTER CAIRO An Egyptian court dealt a terrible blow to the relatives of those who were killed during the uprising by declaring that the former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak has no case to answer. Mubarak was accused of killing the protesters in 2011 during the uprising which saw the former president tender his resignation to allow the military takeover to manage a transition. His supporters went into jubilation when the announcement, which also cleared his former interior minister, was made. The judge also noted that charges should not have been preferred against the former leader. The relatives of those killed were not happy and one by one they started to assemble in the famous Tahrir square to oppose the move. They said this is a blow to the rule of law and miscarriage of justice. The sons of the former dictator, Alaa and Gamal, were also cleared of corruption charges. When a private radio station contacted him on phone in his hospital room, he remarked, â€Å"I did nothing wrong at all. And when the first verdict was read, I laughed.† Former president Mubarak The former leader also praised his three decades of rule which was what looked like a police state. There was heavy handedness in his last decade which saw many people with divergent views arrested and imprisoned. In his ruling, the judge said it was not fair to try him for the charges according to the penal code and insisted that there should have been no charges in the first place. Mubarak’s lawyer supported the ruling and added, â€Å"it is approved the Mubarak’s regime’s integrity†. This looks like the Arab spring and the efforts to bring democracy has been dealt a terrible blow according to some analysts. STAGE FOUR COMPARISONS BETWEEN MY HARD NEWS AND THE NEWSPAPER’S. One idea per sentence In the ‘Times of Oman’, the rule of one idea per sentence is adhered to since in the first paragraph, when the reporter writes about the court acquitting the former leader of murder charges on the 800 people killed during the uprising. Also in the second paragraph, he brings two issues but separates the sentences using a comma. This trend continues until the end of the story. In the Muscat daily, the same trend of one idea per sentence is maintained, separating the Mubarak acquittal, his ongoing imprisonment and the acquittal of his generals and sons. In the Oman tribune, the reporter maintained the one idea per sentence as we observe him writing about the dropping of corruption charges against the sons and separating it from the acquittal of the military generals so that these two or three ideas do not go into one sentence. In my own constructed hard news. I have maintained this journalistic requirement by preserving the one idea per sentence rule. Manageable sentence length (20 – 25) words per sentence In these three newspapers together with my own story, the sentence length is about 20 – 25 words at most. Though there are some sentences that are shorter than this but all the same, they are still comprehensible. I have also made sure that my sentences are within the same range of manageable length to avoid giving the readers hard time in comprehending the news. Subject verb order The subject verb order is observed in the following instances: in the Oman Tribune, â€Å" I did nothing wrong at all†, (The Oman Tribune 30 November 2014, p. 16) his lawyer Farid Al deeb said that the verdict was a good ruling in that it proved the integrity of Mubarak’s era. In the Muscat Daily, the sentences are of subject verb order for example, â€Å" the court also acquitted the ex-strongman of corruption charge†, (Muscat Daily 30 November 2014, p. 1) and the same trend can be identified in the whole story including my own version and even in the times of Oman. Use of strong verbs and active voice The tribune of Oman uses strong words such as ex-strongman, the Muscat daily also uses the same term but in my story, I avoided this because it may not depict what I really felt about Mubarak. There is a contrast between my view and that of the other reporters as it appears that he was just doing his own job. Without him, Egypt is not any better, it is worse than before. Use of simple and precise words There are very simple sentences which can be comprehended by any person who has learnt some English be it as a first or second language. The simple words like. â€Å"When I heard the first verdict, I laughed†, Rashidi also acquitted Mubarak of corruption charges for exporting gas to Israel†. (The Oman Tribune 30 November 2014, p. 16). Similarly, in my own hard news, I have written some short sentences like, â€Å" judge said it was not fair to charge him according to the penal code† Not more than three prepositional phrases per sentence. In these writings, like the Oman tribune script, we see sentence such as; â€Å" the court also acquitted the ex-strongman of corruption charge but he will remain in detention because he is serving a three-year sentence in related graft case†. (The Oman Tribune 30 November 2014, p. 16) They are only three in this case. In same news by the Muscat Daily, I met a sentence like; â€Å"seven of his security commanders, including the feared former interior minister Habil al Addy, were acquitted in connection with the deaths of some 800 people killed during the revolt† (Muscat Daily 30 November 2014, p. 1). The same prepositional phases are less than three. References Wilbur S., (1963), â€Å"Communication Development and the Development Process,† in Lucian Pye (Ed.) Communications and Political Development, NJ: Princeton University Press. Mass Media and National Development: The Role of Information in the Developing Countries. Stanford University Press. 1964. ISBN9780804702270. Roberts, D. F. (Eds.). (1971). The process and effects of mass communication (Rev. ed.). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. Appendix 1

Comparing Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing Essay -- Compare

Comparing Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing As illustrated by the two plays Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare was a true romantic. In each play, his characters suffer great hardship, but in the end, he delivers them to a life of eternal love. Characters plot against each other in each play. The relationships of the people in his plays are not always what they seem. Whether it be a tragedy or a comedy, Shakespeare encompasses three elements into his plays: love, intrigue, and identity. Love is the biggest theme in both Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing. In both plays, hate acts as a force that attempts to tear both lovers apart, but their love holds them together. In Romeo and Juliet, the two lovers’ families hate one another. As a result, Romeo and Juliet are not allowed to see each other so they have to meet in secret. Despite their families’ attempting to interfere, Romeo and Juliet end up with one another for eternity in the after-life. In Much Ado About Nothing, Claudio and Hero plan to be married. Don John deceives Claudio into believing Hero is having an affair with one of his men. Claudio then calls off the wedding. When he discovers the truth, they marry immediately. In both plays love is the bond that holds the lovers together, in spite of many obstacles the two face. Intrigue is shown in both plays by the characters that act as liaisons between the lovers. For example, Romeo and Juliet cannot simply go out ...

Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers fc

Scarlet Letter In Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, life evolves around a rigid and harsh Puritan view. In this society people are not free to express themselves as well as they are today. This is very sad because it is a necessity for humans to be able to express their deepest thoughts and desires. Unfortunately the Puritan society did not permit this so people had to find other ways to satisfy their needs. For two of these characters the satisfying of their urges condemn their fate in life. Hester and Dimmesdale, a reverend, have an affair, which costs Hester life, as she knew it. The only place where these two people were free was in the confinements of the forest. As much as freedom and confinement is a paradox it makes perfect sense. You will gain the freedom of expression in the confinement of that expression. The forest was the only place this could be accomplished. The forest was Hester and Dimmesdale’s sanctuary throughout the novel because they could freely com municate their love, their sin, and their future plans. Being able to confess to someone a sin you have committed is one of the finest feelings. The forest provided that ability to Hester and Dimmesdale. At one point Hester comes right out and brings up the committed sin. â€Å"What we did had a consecration of its own. We felt it so!† (pg. 179) When Dimmesdale first hears this bold statement he is somewhat distraught and tells Hester to â€Å"Hush!† and then he realizes the freedom they have. â€Å" May God forgive us both! We are not†¦the worst sinners in the world.† (pg. 179) There is no way that Dimmesdale would have become this bold if he were in spectacle of the Puritan society. Once again a warm blanket that the forest lay upon Hester and Dimmesdale. It is apparent that there is a mutual love between Hester and Dimmesdale. Although there are very few quotes which will directly state this fact there are many that will allude to this obvious fact. At o ne point Hester begs for Dimmesdale’s forgiveness and he grants it to her. I don’t think he grants it to her because of his religious beliefs but because he loves Hester. I also don’t believe that Hester would be so worried about Dimmesdale’s forgiveness if she did not love him. â€Å" ‘Though shalt forgive me! Though shalt forgive†¦ Will though yet forgive me?

Unmasking Monsters of Meaning in the ‘Narrative Complexity’ of Supernat

The subjects of this study, The X-Files (Carter, 1993-2002) and Supernatural (Kripke, 2005-), can be seen as innovative pioneers of ‘Narrative Complexity’ and of the ‘monster-of-the-week’ concept. The X-Files stars FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, as they take charge in investigating the X files (cases that occur through unknown phenomena). Mulder, the believer, and Scully, the sceptic, face corrupt government officials, monstrous mutants and phenomena that cannot be explained. The episodic and formulaic series allow Mulder and Scully to face phenomena after phenomena while being spliced with a greater ‘mytharc’ concerning government corruption and of the alien colonisation of earth. Supernatural stars Dean and Sam Winchester, brothers in arms, who also, within formulaic and self-contained episodes, hunt monsters and creatures of folklore, urban legend and myth. Supernatural features arcs every season that take Dean and Sam searching for their los t father, preventing a demon apocalypse and do battle with Satan and God’s Angels. American television has, since its very first broadcast, twisted and changed to cater towards its ever-growing and ever-changing audience (Mittel, 2007, p.162-163). Narratives, structure styles, special effects, characters and themes have developed and changed, been tested and tried. Mittel identifies the three notable structures of the television: the anthology, the serial and the series (2007, p. 163). For this study, we are more interested in the serial and the series for its crossover in narrative complexity. Mittel states that ‘narrative television offers ongoing storyworlds, presenting specific opportunities and limitations for creating compelling narratives’ (2007, p.163). The ‘episodic series’ is bro... ...d Everyday Life in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In: M. Hammond and L, Mazdon, eds. 2005. The Contemporary Television Series. Edinburgh: Edinburg University Press, pp.159-182. Hodges, L., 2008. Mainstreaming Marginality: Genre, Hybridity, and Postmodernism in The X-Files. In: J. P. Tellote, ed. 2008. The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader. Kentucky: Kentucky University Press, pp.231-246. Mittel, J., 2007. Film and Television Narrative. In: D. Herman, ed. 2007. The Cambridge Companion to Narrative. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.156-171. Mittell, J., 2006. Narrative Complexity in Contemporary American Television. The Velvet Light Trap, 58(32), pp.29-40 Nixon, N., 1998. Making Monsters, or Serializing Killers. In: R. Martin and E, Savoy, eds. 1998. American Gothic: New Interventions in a National Narrative. Iowa: Iowa University Press, pp.217-236.

Broadcast commission

Children in Jamaica and the world at large are surrounded by opportunities to develop and use emergent literacy skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Based on a research conducted by the Sesame Street Media, â€Å"Once children get to 7 and 8 years, they are able to focus on activities for longer stretches of time. Their memory, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills sharpen. Children at this age are also starting to form stronger, more complex relationships outside the family, especially with same-sex peers. The power of media on the society is taken as a axis that media representations are not simply a mirror of society but rather, they are highly selective and merely an example. Therefore, active decisions should be taken at every stage of the process of producing and transmitting media material, regarding what should be included and what should be omitted and how and when a content should be presented. Possible effects such as such as violent or aggres sive behavior, substance use, sexual activity and decreased school performance are major issues.In an aid to prevent this, necessary measures need to be taken in order to mitigate these potential problems. In Jamaica there are directives that electronic media, broadcast radio and television, as well as subscriber television has to follow from the Broadcasting Commission. The Broadcasting Commission role is to monitor and regulate these industries, balancing the interests of consumers, the industries and the creative community in implementing public policy and law. Ender the Broadcasting Law and Regulation Code, there is the Children's Code for Programming. This code sets out standards for the media to rate and schedule or filter programming and provide advisories. This will assist parents and guardians to determine the types of material to which their children are exposed. The procedures in the code arise from the general principles for dealing with child audiences are detailed in t he Children's Charter for programming.According to the code, rating is an assessment of the nature of problematic material in all programming. For the broadcast, media rating will be done of all programming including newscasts, broadcasts of sporting events, music videos, programmer trailers, songs and advertisements where as for the subscriber television services rating will be carried out on each channel. Scheduling or filtering Is ensuring that programming Is only transmitted to the appropriate audience for the type of problematic material it contains.Therefore, the broadcast media programmer are scheduled so that potentially harmful material is not transmitted at times when children can reasonably be expected to be a significant part of the radio or television audiences. Subscriber television services material is filtered so that programming channels rated A or X are only available to subscribers who specifically choose to have that material in their homes. In an effort to do so they provide what is called a Watershed,' established at pm daily.This is a time each day, after which a programming might become increasingly adult oriented. Advisories are information about the nature and make informed choices about what type of programming children in their care are exposed to. For example: According to the Broadcasting Commission, on radio aired between 7:mama and 8:1 Sam, material reviewed song, â€Å"All my ladies if you got it let me know, she thick in her hips, colder than a month licking her lips; a bad ‘matchlocks'. Apple looking so right. She makes me want a piece. I give it to her all night, she doesn't want to leave†.They found this as being offensive sounding words, as it presents a distasteful language, sexual content and it is in Breach of Watershed, (February 6&20 2009 Directives and Children Code). Therefore, it is in the best interest of the Broadcasting Commission that obscene and indecent programming is constitutional, because of t he compelling societal interests in protecting children from potentially harmful programming and supporting parent's ability to determine the programming to which their children will be exposed to at home.In a speech presented by Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, Hope S. Dunn on July 14, 2010 at the Pegasus Hotel, he stated that, â€Å"Regarding the enforcement of the Children's Code for Programming, there has been significant progress in the quality of the output on electronic media nationally. This is evident from the Commission's Complaints record for the period April 2009 to March 2010, the Commission received sixty-nine (69) complaints. This was a decrease of forty-seven percent (47%) when compared to the previous period.On the other hand the Media Association of Jamaica in partnership with the Press Association of Jamaica has reduced a Code of Ethics for Journalists to create a higher basic standard of journalism across the industry and to improve transparen cy and redress by media houses in the public interest. There is always that time in a media practitioner's career, when he or she would end up at a crossroads where an ethical decision has to be made between right and wrong.Often times, ethical choices are hard to make, but at the end of the day a decision has to be made. Professionals in various fields make choices not Just in a systematic way but most importantly in an ethical manner. With that being said, the press association of Jamaica code of practice, provides requirements for media practitioners to abide by, it also deals with matters of common concern among citizen as it relates to morality and the protection of fairness.Under the provision of the code media practitioners should not identify children under the age of 18 who are involved in cases concerning sexual offences, whether as victims or as witnesses or defendants in a trial. In any news report of a case involving a sexual offence by an adult against a child, the chi ld should not be identified. The adult may be identified if such identification would not cause the identity of the child to be revealed. In cases of incest, for the purposes of the protection of the identification the child, the term ‘incest', where applicable, should never be used.

The European Energy Market

European Energy Market Q1) 1. Economic benefits would be that the consumers would have freedom to choose their energy providers and probably could lower the costs. The variety of producers will improve the quality of their service. Energy providers can improve efficiency through competition which will also reduce prices. Larger utilities should be another result, which will allow them to compete more effectively. 2.I believe both the consumers and businesses would gain from liberalization: Customers should have more choices of energy providers which would increase the likelihood they would have to pay less for their energy and the energy companies could also buy energy from the cheapest source. Q2 Implications: Will replace the markets of its 27 member states with a single market for electricity and gas for the entire continent. It permits the biggest energy groups to acquire other smaller energy firms in the continent. Hill 2012) Changes in environment after liberalization: There ar e a lot of acquisitions and mergers in the energy markets. Fights between governments protecting their firms and the biggest groups which want to acquire them are a probability. Bigger firms will try to acquire firms in local country. Actions: Government would have to impose conditions to stop foreign companies from acquiring local companies, with the local authorities trying to protect the advantages of the local companies. Q3)Why is the de-integration of large energy companies seen as such an important part of any attempt to liberalize the EU energy market? The biggest energy groups are national and they have monopoly. The de-integration of the biggest companies will encourage the smallest companies to be more active and promotes fairness in the market and makes energy firms more equal. It would also permit the introduction of new providers on the energy market. So, competition between them would increase the†¦

Ophelia Shakespeare Wife Essay

Ophelia has been known as â€Å"the good daughter.† She does whatever is asked of her by any male figure in her life. In the list of characters found in the lay she is simply listed the â€Å"daughter of Polonius.† This implies that she is a minor character who still â€Å"belongs† to her father. Amanda Mabillard believes that it is out of love that Ophelia obeys her father’s and brother’s every desire (Mabillard, â€Å"Ophelia†). However, many believe that it is not out of â€Å"love† that prompts her obedience, but fear. When Laertes tells Ophelia to distrust Hamlet, she willingly obeys him and gives him the authority over her heart. In many of the exchanges between herself and her father, she simply responds with, â€Å"I will obey.† For instance, in act 2 scene 1, Polonius asks Ophelia if he had denied contact with Hamlet and Ophelia tells him, â€Å"†¦but as you command , I did repel his letters.† In Act 3 scene 1 Ophelia is spying on Hamlet at her father’s insistence. We are lead to believe that she truly does love Hamlet but cannot refuse her father, so she betrays her love to spy on him. When Hamlet discovers that Ophelia’s father is listening he calls Polonius a â€Å"fishmonger,† which means a pimp. With the same token, Hamlet is calling Ophelia a prostitute that is being used by her father. Hamlet is not very far off on this assertion. However, you must also remember that because of the actions of his mother, he believes all women to be harlots and has lost faith in the female. Again, in act 3 scene 1 Hamlet states: If thou dost marry, I’ll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go, farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too. Farewell.

How far is it acceptable for technology to be used only for financial benefits Essay

?The inexorable development of technology has indeed become an integral part of our lives. Evidently, we often involve technology almost in every aspect of our lives. As a result, business in technology area seems very enticing for most people as they can potentially generate a lot of profit from this field. Hence, more and more people start to invest in it. However, as people are getting indulged in profit maximisation, problems concerning ethics and societal welfare start to arise from technology. Some argue that the usage of technology only for financial benefit is acceptable because such benefit can be redistributed to the less privileged ones to improve their welfare. However, others claim that it is unacceptable to do so because people, more often than not, may pursue such benefit at the expense of others. I, personally, am more inclined to the latter stand as the sole usage of technology for financial benefit will deal a fatal blow to the global society. It is acceptable to use technology for financial benefit only because it can indirectly contribute to the societal welfare. This is because some of the profit gained from the selling of such technology is used to help those in need. Hence, money earned is, in a way, redistributed to the poor to boost their welfare. A case in a point is the Gates Foundation in which Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, channels some of his profit from his business in the computer field to build this foundation to empower the needy to lead a better life. his is obviously unacceptable because every person has the right to have fair wages and enjoy conducive working environment. Thus, the use of technology only for financial benefit is still unacceptable, regardless of such benefit that may be used to help the last and the least, if some groups are being made worse off in the process. Furthermore, focusing only on financial benefit when we harness technology will make technological development shifts towards the favour of rich people only. Rich and poor people certainly have different kind of needs; while the rich aims, mostly, for self-enhancement, the poor are still struggling to survive. Hence, since the rich’s demand seems to be more lucrative for many investors because self-enhancement, like plastic surgery, is indubitably extornionate and, hence, generates a lot of profit, they will just invest their money for technological development in this area. As a result, more rudimentary aspects of technology, such as the mass production of food using food technology, are neglected. The poor will then suffer even to a greater extent than before. Another concern from this shift is that the widening of chasm between the rich and the poor will be more pervasive. Such result entails even worse implications in our society as social unrest may occur. Hence, given the dire consequences of the ill-use of technology, utilisation of it for financial benefit solely is unacceptable. Finally, the sole use of technology for financial benefit may corrupt our intrinsic values and virtues as human beings. Paradigm shift on our attitudes towards technology -more accepting and dependent – has made commodification of technology more successful. Thus, more and more people are focusing in this area and if their only goal for the use of technology is on monetary reward, they will do anything to its commercialisation to be even more successful. This includes the addition of elements in the technology itself to allure more people to use it. Unfortunately, those elements sometimes blemish our values as responsible humans. A case in a point would be the advent of violent video games (gaming technology) that distort the values of people, especially the teenagers and children. If they are exposed by the wrong principles throughout their stages of life, they will, most likely, not grow to people whom the society wants them to be. Hence, since the use of technology only for financial benefit results in such a case, I believe that it is unacceptable. In conclusion, it is unacceptable if technology is only used for financial benefit because others aspects concerning global welfare are most likely to be neglected. Therefore, a holistic approach should be adopted in harnessing the technology, so that multifarious fields in human lives are benefited. Hence, â€Å"technology is a social product† encapsulates the essence in the usage of technology as it should act as a representation of the fundamental needs of our society.

Comparative Perspectives in Social Work Practice and Law Essay

Comparative Perspectives in Social Work Practice and Law - Essay Example According to Morgan (2011), globalization forces social workers to think globally as the service users become more diverse and as social work continue to be guided by international laws. Individualization of problems is also a global trend impacting on social work as communities shift the burden on individuals. Social care and social work is also influenced by political and structural forces that range freely across national borders as well as international social trends. UK and Germany are two different countries with different welfare provision regimes but as time passesby and due to globalization effect, there seems to be a convergence in social work practice between the two countries with Germany emulating most of the features of the UK welfare state (Clasen, 2011). The two states have different political economies and have different historical experiences which shape the welfare state. The UK welfare system is based on beveridgean ideologies while that of Germany was influenced by Bismarckian ideologies. The paper will critically discuss the impact of globalization on social work practice bases on comparative perspectives between UK and Germany which are two European countries. The UK has an institutional model of welfare characterised by social protection, service provision on basis of rights as well as guaranteed minimum standards and minimum income (Alcock, 2008). The welfare state began with provision of services to the poor in the society based on the Elizabethan poor law of 1601. This law set a compulsory poor rate, created overseers of relief and was aimed at punishing beggars. Those provided with relief resided in workhouses and individuals could only get relief from their parish of birth. This led to stigmatization of those who relied on relief for as Spicker (2012) puts it, they were marked with town’s mark. The poor law was criticized for encouraging laziness and undermining wages of independent workers. Elementary education was

An Introduction to the Globalization Debate Essay

An Introduction to the Globalization Debate - Essay Example There are four different types and levels of economic integration. One of the most popular in the post-globalization era and generally perceived of as the first step towards eventual regionalization or the formation of a regional economic bloc is free trade agreements (Held and McGrew, 2003). As Hill (2007) clarifies, within the context of free trade agreements, all types of internal barriers to trade, or the movement of goods and services between member countries, is removed. While in FTAs member country set their own trade and economic policies with non-members, policies towards members are determined by the agreement in question. As far as the impact upon business and market relations is concerned, it is important to clarify that the said level of integration has tremendous benefits for member states and businesses within as it effectively expands the market. At the same time, competition over markets is intensified and, needless to say, if the member states in question are unequa l, this can be a disadvantage. In simpler terms, within the context of NAFTA, Mexican businesses have to compete with U.S. ones over both the regional and the domestic markets without the protection they were once afforded (within the home market) by tariffs, quotas, and subsidies. Custom Unions are a second type and level of integration. Custom union agreements replicate all of the characteristics of FTA’s but take integration one step further through the adoption of common policies towards non-member states. The European Union has its genesis in this type of integration. Taking the concept of economic integration characteristic of customs unions one step further, Common Markets allow the free movement of both labor and capital across national borders. Post-1992 EU is an example of this type of economic integration. Economic Unions, as in post-2002 European Union, constitutes a deep form of economic integration and benefits for member states are quite substantial. Economic Unions possess all the features of Common Markets but are further characterized by economic policy harmonization.

Civil Committment of Sexual Offenders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civil Committment of Sexual Offenders - Essay Example Minnesota allows for civil commitment of sex offenders who have completed their jail terms, a provision that has been made in the Minnesota Commitment Act. The act reasons that civil commitment of sex offenders is a necessary measure to prevent dangerous sexual offences from occurring in the future (Barnickol, 2001). In California, civil commitment fro sex offenders is allowed under the Sexually Violent Predator Law. The provisions of the commitment law for sex offenders in California are the same as in Kansas and Minnesota. Other States that have adopted civil commitment laws for sex offenders who are deemed dangerous include: Washington, Missouri, Florida, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Iowa (McCaffrey, 1994). One of the similarities that stand out in many of the sex offenders’ civil commitment laws in different states is the requirement that a criminal is likely to pose sexual offense danger to other people after he is released at the end of his jail term. The laws seek to ha ve violent sex predators who have some form of mental abnormality to be committed to involuntarily and indefinitely to appropriate facilities for treatment. The laws also require that such offenders must have completed their jail sentences. Although all the civil commitment laws in states that have adopted are largely similar, there are a few differences that exist. For instance, in the Texas legislation of civil commitment, a criminal is liable to commitment if he is found to have behavioral abnormality. This is different from the mental abnormality mentioned in other similar legislations (Prentky, Janus, and Barbaree, 2006). Different states have also taken different approaches in the management of civilly committed sexual offender populations. Florida for example, requires the offenders to be committed to be assessed by a qualified team so as to determine if they are sexually violent predators. The evaluation process is a civil proceeding after which those offenders found to meet the criteria are kept under watch at the Florida Civil Commitment Center together with other detainees who are still awaiting similar civil trials (McCaffrey, 1994). In Washington, evaluation of an offender’s state of mind is done by a Joint Forensic Unit whose members are forensic experts who deal specifically with risk evaluations related to sex offence. If the offender is fond to meet all the legal requirements for civil commitment, the King County Prosecutor’s Office or the Attorney General’s office then files a petition and a hearing is scheduled within 72 hours. If the superior court finds the offender to be a suitable candidate for a civil commitment trial, he is taken to the DSHS Special Commitment Center located on McNeil Island. During the trial, the jury or judge must determine without doubt that the offender is a sexually violent predator before he is transferred to a Secure Community Transition Facility (LaFond and Winick, 2003). Similar civil or c ourt hearings are scheduled for each offender who is regarded to have mental abnormality which makes him a danger to others in all the states where civil commitment for sexual predators has been legalized. After they are committed in specialized facilities, the sexual predators receive special treatment for a specified period to make them better members of society after which they are released to carry on with normal life. Costs vs. Benefits of Civil Commitment One of the benefits of civil

Family Court of Western Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Family Court of Western Australia - Essay Example Court Officials and Counselling Service Staff of the Court gained new insights and skills in these very complex scenarios of family break-ups and litigation. The need to liase more closely with internal as well as outside service providers, such as counsellors, social workers, psychologists, and other experts, brought a greater feeling of common purpose and it was soon clear that a potential model of an integrated family court system was beginning to emerge. The Family Court of Australia was intended to be seen as a â€Å"helping court† with an informal and user-friendly approach, but this soon changed as formalising occurred naturally in response to intense emotional circumstances which would inevitably arise in cases of family especially where prevailing legal activities tended to result in adversarial stances on the part of litigants. It was felt that the system was still limited and the Family Court on its own could not achieve outcomes that would benefit all parties, but particularly the children. In view of the growing number of applications for divorce and threat of disintegration of society, it was felt that greater use should be made of professionals from the social sciences, including psychologists, social workers, and child specialists.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 190

Summary - Essay Example Moreover, another problem is that women often can’t find financially reliable men, as the majority of available men are lack of jobs. One more reason for one-parent families is that women are capable of managing themselves along with their children without men because of getting a great support from government. However, this pattern indeed works for Sweden but is less applicable to Iceland. There are certain programs of financial support that help single mothers in raising their children. Furthermore, the main argument why women have become more capable of living without men is the raise of women’s employment that has developed so far. Women can afford raise their expenses and omit financial support from men because more and more women are getting high-paid positions. Even though marriage has multiple advantages, including financial factors, still many people (especially it concerns women) worldwide keep choosing raising their children all by themselves, because it may be easier for them and they don’t want to get involved into relationships or marriage bond. As far as the structure of family has changed a lot so far, the problem of elderly people and the generation they form has risen rapidly and became an issue for many countries. The point is that generations have stopped living together and the elderly people often can’t take care of themselves; moreover, they can’t move in their children’s places and stay with them in order to get care from their relatives. The article â€Å"The Changing Family and â€Å"Social Security†: A Look at Japan† describes how Japan deals with this problem nowadays. The way that Japanese typical family used to be constructed was that young people lived together with their parents and it was a kind of moral debt to take care of their parents when they become old. However, the tradition has been changed so far and now only 9 percent of families live according to this filial piety model of family. Hence,

Eco Bus 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Eco Bus 2 - Essay Example Income elasticity is a measurement of the rate over time of a change in quantity demanded because of a positive or negative change consumer income. As consumer income rises, if a good decreases in demand, it is an â€Å"inferior good†; if demand for a good rises proportionally to increases in consumer income, it is a â€Å"normal good.† 1. The elasticity of demand coefficient expresses how sensitive consumers are to changes in price. To avoid ambiguity, the coefficient of the elasticity of demand is expressed in an absolute value. While a zero quantity expresses perfect inelasticity (that is, quantity demanded is unaffected by changes in price), any value in between zero and one will represent relative inelasticity. A value that is greater than one will represent a relatively elastic demand, up until a value of infinity, which represents a perfectly elastic demand (that is, quantity demanded is infinitely changed by changes in price. An elasticity coefficient equal to negative one indicates unit-elastic demand, which is a situation that occurs when the percentage change in quantity demanded is equal to the percentage change in price. 2. The cross-price elasticity coefficient expresses how sensitive demand is to a price change of other related goods. Elasticity coefficients above zero indicate that there is a high inverse correlation between the prices of Good A and Good B, which means that the goods are substitutes. In contrast, coefficients below zero indicate direct correlations between the prices, which means those goods are complements. Small absolute values of the cross-price elasticity coefficient indicate that there is little or no relation between the prices. 3. The income elasticity coefficient expresses how sensitive demand for a good is to income change. Income elasticity coefficients below zero indicate that there is a strong direct correlation between income increasing (or decreasing) and demand for a good

Current events about a clinic in China infected kids with Hepatitis Essay

Current events about a clinic in China infected kids with Hepatitis - Essay Example The province of Henan is known for such outbreaks and in the year 1990 it was hit by blood transfusions ,which were tainted and schemes of unsanitary blood plasma-buying that accelerated the HIV infection in that province. The practitioners in that province were reported to use dirty needles most often and the individuals who sold plasma received replenishment from blood pool supply. According to the global times paper, the Anhui province health officials gave disturbing reports concerning the outbreak in Henan which indicated that more than 56 patients had been infected with the outbreak disease(hepatitis C) from the private clinic. An investigation by the CDC(Centre For Disease Control) indicate that the infection acquired by patients at the Miaoqian private Clinic was caused by the doctors reusing needles to give shots to different patients. The astonishing beat of the story is that all the victims of the outbreak are from Anhui because the province borders Henan and the clinic is strategically situated for the service of both the two provinces. Another report showed that investigators from the health sectors were surveying 16 other local villages to ascertain whether a larger number of people more than the reported had been infected. The Patients of the outbreak were undergoing treatment at the hospital called Guoyang Peoples. However, the information that was not reported was if the Miaoqian private Clinic was still operational or had already been shut down. No number of arrests had been reported to be made either. (Associated Press, 2011) The Chinese government is promoting the small-scale private clinics and hospitals as part or contributor of a health care overhaul, which is aimed at making the healthcare services available, and accessible to more population and reduce the pressure on the badly overcrowded government or public hospitals. The fact that the china population has

Child abuse Essay Example for Free

Child abuse Essay Child abuse is one of the biggest injustices of all time because it is a never ending cycle. Child abuse is the physical, sexual, or emotional mistreatment or neglect of a child. Children are young, innocent, and fragile. Their minds are like sponges, absorbing everything they see and feel. Thus, leading the children to being the advocate of child abuse when their older. Abused and neglected children are 11 times more likely to engage in criminal behavior as an adult. Therefore, child abuse leads the victims to not have the opportunity to a bright future. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse. Over 75% of children who experience maltreatment or abuse suffer from neglect. For every incident of neglect thats reported, an estimated two incidents go unreported. Approximately one in ten young adults (9%) was cruelly neglected by parents or guardians during their childhood. Based on the interviews with 1,761 young adults between the ages of 18 to 24, one in 6 (16%) young adults were neglected at some point during their childhood, with one in 10 young adults (9%) severely neglected during their childhood. Based on the interviews with 2,275 children between the ages of 11 to 17, one in 7 (13.3%) secondary school children have been neglected at some point, with one in 10 children (9.8%) severely neglected. Based on the interviews with 2,160 parents or guardians of children under 11 years old, one in 20 (5%) of children under 11 have been neglected at least once before, with one in 30 (3.7%) severely neglected. On March 31, 2012 (or in Scotland on July 2012), there were 21,666 children in the United Kingdom on the subject of child protection plans under the category of neglect. On March 31, 2012 (or in Scotland on July 31, 2012), 43% of all children on the subject of child protection plans in the United Kingdom were under the category of neglect. There were 18, 220 children were the subject of a child protection plan under the category of neglect in England on March 31, 2012. In England, 43% of all children subject of a child protection plan were under the category of neglect on March 31, 2012. There were 1,006 children on the child protection register under the category of neglect in Scotland on July 31, 2012. In Scotland, 37% of all children on the child protection register under the category of neglect on July 31, 2012. There were 1,040 children on the child protection register under the category of neglect in Northern Ireland on March 31,  2012. In Northern Ireland, 49% of all children on the child protection register were under the category of neglect on March 31, 2012. There were 1,400 children on the child protection register under the category of neglect in Wales on March 31, 2012. In Wales, 48% of all children on the child protection register were under the category of neglect in March 31, 2012. In England, about one in seven children who became the subject of a plan for neglect in 2011-2012 had been subject to a plan at least once before. There were 6.2 million children referred to Child Protective Services in 2011. About 3.7 million children were investigated for maltreatment by CPS in 2011. There were 676,569 children decided to be victims of abuse or neglect in 2011. The most common victims of abuse and neglect are children age 2 and under. More than 11% of victims had a reported disability. In the U.S., there are about 1,570 child victims per year caused by maltreatment and an average of 30 child fatality victims per week. Most child fatalities were under 4 years old (81.6%) with 42.4% less than one year old. In the U.S., 37% of states limit information on child deaths and accidents. In the U.S., the yearly estimated direct cost of medical care of child abuse and neglect is $33,333,619,510. In the U.S., the yearly estimated direct and indirect cost of child abuse and ne glect is $80,260,411,087. The percentage of states that do not obligate legal representation for victims in abuse and neglect is 39%. There are about 408,425 children in the foster care system. About 27,854 of those children aged out of foster care. The percentage of the general population that has a bachelors degree is 30%. The percentage of former foster children that have a bachelors degree is 3%. The percentage of the general population in jail or prison is greater than 1%. The percentage of former foster children incarcerated since age 17 that are males is 64%. The percentage of former foster children incarcerated that are females is 32.5%. The percentage of the general population who experience homelessness during a year is greater than 1%. The percentage of former foster children who experience homelessness after aging out of the system is 24%. The percentage of former foster children who are unemployed for 1 year after aging out is 61%. The percentage of former foster children who are unemployed for 5 years after aging out is 53.5%. Ronald T. is a victim of physical abuse, emotional maltreatment, and neglect.

The Creation Story of Ancient Babylon Essay Example for Free

The Creation Story of Ancient Babylon Essay The Enuma Elish is one of the most famous stories in the Babylonian corpus of mythology. It is a creation story that is erroneously through to have led to the creation story in Genesis. Some, such as Bracher (2006) hold that this story is no more than the recitation of much older stories personifying the agricultural movement between birth (Spring) and death (later fall, after the harvest). The two major figures are Tiamat and Apsu, both gods of water, but two distinct properties of water: the one, the water used to fertilize fields, water that is fresh and good, but the other, salty and chaotic, the goddess of the Ocean, that is Tiamat. Timat, the female, with her husband Apsu gives birth to two gods of intermediate rank: that of the sky, and their names are Anshar and Kishar. These gods begin, like so many gods do, by behaving badly, and they ultimately need to be destroyed. Eah, the grandson of Tiamat, once this plan to have them destroyed is realized, he seeks to murder his grandfather Apsu. Once this is done, Eah and Damkina, his wife, give birth to the chief of the Babylonian pantheon, Marduk, the patron of the city and of Babylonian civilization. So far, it is quite a stretch to see how this has anything to do with the story of creation found in Genesis. Marduk is similar to the Greek god Apollo, for he the god of the sun, of geometry and order, all things necessary to build a city. He is the god of â€Å"re-creation† or re-creating an allegedly bad earth through the ingenuity of man, urban, civilized man. Once the murder of Apsu is discovered, Tiamat marries again and seeks to wreak havoc on the children and grandchildren. In the first tablet (section 90), Marduk is described in this way: He rendered him perfect and endowed him with a double godhead. Greatly exalted was he above them, exceeding throughout. Perfect were his members beyond comprehension, Unsuited for understanding, difficult to perceive. Four were his eyes, four were his ears; When he moved his lips, fire blazed forth. Tiamat, as said before, is chaos. She is the sea, not only dangerous, but useless in that one cannot drink it and one cannot grow crops by watering them with it. She, however, is a perennial element in the universe, the chaos of which all urban, civilized societies fear. The second tablet says: â€Å"Her decrees are firm, they are beyond resisting. † In other words, all civilizations fail. Man and technics can only go so far in taming her. He is the primal nature seeking revenge against the forces of man who have slashed into her with civilization: with technology (that Babylon had in abundance,) building of stone and cutting down trees of fuel and building materials. It seems here that Marduk is this god of civilization, that needs to â€Å"cut into† Tiamat in order to build their civilization. That the Babylonians had learned to harness water might have something to do with this fear of chaos. At the end of section 20 of Tablet II, this description of Tiamat’s army is given: She has set up the Viper, the Dragon, and the Sphinx, The Great-Lion, the Mad-Dog, and the Scorpion-Man, Mighty lion-demons, the Dragon-Fly, the Centaur Bearing weapons that spare not, fearless in battle Many of these objects and creatures became part of later mythological constructions. The Sphinx is the most fascinating, but its adoption by Egypt makes little sense, not only in that the two civilizations were bitter enemies, but that if the Sphinx is part of the arsenal of disorder, in that it works for Tiamat, how was it adopted as a major figure by Egypt? The Great Lion was used in Israel and Ethiopia, the Dragon is well known throughout ancient mythology of both eastern and western background (a dragon is just an old name for the dinosaur). It seems that this anti-pantheon is very important to mythology and might speak of either the land based forces of chaos and their affect on man (i. e. the scorpion man). In the meantime, Eah has learned of Tiamat’s plan, but it is clear that resisting her is futile. As both Eah and Anu both fail to stop this vengeful symbol of chaos and the passions, there is great fear from the progeny of the first couple, through it must be said that this second tablet is damaged, and only so much can be taken from it. The only one that has the ability to stand up to the forces of chaos now is Marduk himself, and ths is the purpose of tablet III. Significantly, section 130 of Tablet III has Marduk confronting chaos with rhetoric of civilization: Unalterable shall be what I may bring into being; Neither recalled nor changed shall be the command of my lips! Now hasten here and promptly fix for him your decrees, That he may go forth to face your mighty foe! When Lahmu and Lahamu heard this, they cried out aloud, All the Igigi wailed in distress: How strange that they should have made this decision! We cannot fathom the doings of Tiamat! They made ready to leave on their journey, All the great gods who decree the fates Several issues bear discussion at this point. First, Marduk, the god of order and civilization, says that his life will be forever. â€Å"Unalterable shall be what I bring into being. † But what he brings into being is identical to Apollo. Civilization and order, man’s fight against an alleged â€Å"mal-formed† universe, the very heart of Gnosticism and the secret societies who claim ( to this day) to have preserved the wisdom of Apollo, Marduk and Osiris. A council of the gods is called in the beginning of Tablet IV. This council suggests a sort of divine oligarchy of power that will be imitated in Babylon, an oligarchy of wealth, as all civilizations are. The wisdom of Marduk, it seems, is only for the powerful. The gods need to test his abilities, and a test is the destruction and re-creation of matter, things that science, with some reservations, says is impossible. The creation and re-creation of prime matter (really any matter) is the real holy grail for science, since it would permit the scientific elite to create (or re-create) the world nearly from zero, it is the grail of true revolution (cf Hoffman, 2001, for a detailed discussion of this). He passes this particular test and makes a cloak disappear and re-appear, a trick that has substantial ritual overtones. What is interesting here is that Marduk is no dictator, he is commissioned, as some say, to fight Tiamat by the council or pantheon of gods, all springing from the original union of Tiamat and Apsu. His weapons are the four winds of destruction, which seems to suggest that the forces of order can use, but not necessarily control, the forces of disorder for their own purposes (e. g. the water wheel, or the use of wind to harness power). It is this wind, and the chariot of destruction that Marduk rides, that eventually with destroy Tiamat: she is â€Å"inflated† by the use of the winds of destruction, and she is then killed by an arrow. With the carcass of Tiamat, Marduk will fashion the earth, with its laws, joining form with matter, as well as â€Å"setting the bounds† of the waters in an ordered universe. I’m still waiting to see exactly how this has anything to do with the Genesis story that many authors claim show â€Å"unmistakable† connections (see Heidel, 1966). At the very end of Tablet IV, at section 150 (which is apparently cut off) it is written: He crossed the heavens and surveyed the regions. He squared Apsus quarter, the abode of Nudimmud, As the lord measured the dimensions of Apsu. The Great Abode, its likeness, he fixed as Esharra, The Great Abode, Esharra, which he made as the firmament. Anu, Enlil, and Ea he made occupy their places. This is of immense importance, since out of chaos, civilization is born, everything, both man and matter, â€Å"has its place† and function with the rationally organized whole. But in order to do this, Marduk and his allies needed the â€Å"tablets† of knowledge that the goddess of Chaos had. But Tablet IV says that â€Å"these are not rightly his† (first line, section 130). Hence, the manipulation and destruction of the pristine nature (rather than chaos) is not the right of civilization. Marduk has created civilization and ordered the universe with form and number, law and regularity that civilization will take as its hallmark. But Marduk has no right to do this. His is the right of conquest. Tablet V is the most interesting of all the sections of this story. It is really the description of the infusion of order and number into chaos. It is the creation of the universe by the infusing of wisdom, that is, form, into chaos, that is, matter. The seasons of the agricultural year are ordered in the cycle of birth and death that already plants the seeds (so to speak) of all civilization’s eventual destruction. He creates the planets and their movements, and lastly, given the law giving of the natural world, he creates the human city, the lowest of the orders of nature, law of the city is the law of form in matter. It is the later natural law theory of human relations. This section of the tablet sums it up: Below I have hardened the ground for a building site, I will build a house, it will be my luxurious abode. I will found therein its temple, I will appoint its inner rooms, I will establish my sovereignty. When you come up from the Apsu for assembly, You will spend the night in it, it is there to receive all of you. When you descend from heaven for assembly, You will spend the night in it, it is there to receive all of you. I will call its name Babylon which means the houses of the great gods, I shall build it with the skill of craftsmen (section 130) This is likely the most important section of the story, in that it describes, not an Adam and Eve in a non-civilized paradise ordered by God, but civilization, the domination of men over nature under the decrees of Marduk. Nothing more different could be imagined. It is worth noting that only after Cain had killed his brother is the first city formed. The city is the place of sin, the place where the elite oppress the poor in the name of law and order. In the Babylonian story, it is the opposite, the very structure of Marduk’s wisdom is manifest in the city, that is a city only in that it is established by the sovereignty of Marduk. Tablet VI is the story of human creation, again without the slightest relation to the Hebrew story. Man, in short, is created by the blood of the second husband of Tiamat, the leader and instigator of the revenge on Tiamat’s progeny, and that is Kingu. Man is created with the blood of the first rebel, the consort of the goddess of chaos. Man is created, basically, to work as slaves for the gods, to manifest their wisdom and order at the lowest, material level. Several issues should be taken from the above: first, that man is a creation of two forces, light and darkness, chaos and order, wisdom and passion. These are opposite in the sense of bearing dialectical movement to higher and higher levels of synthesis. Second, that this is the pagan wisdom so beloved of the Masons and other societies, it is the beginnings of magic. Magic, given the above, is the ability to balance the order of the universe with its underlying drive to destruction and atomization. Force is at the root of this synthesis: force brought order and chaos together, form and matter. Force destroyed Tiamat, force created the world. Hence, all is force, all is manipulation. Magic takes its start from here. Man will not rest content begin the plaything of the Gods. He is made from the blood of rebellion, yet the order of the universe is to be found in him. This IS the very foundation of magic: making of one’s own order, not the god’s order. The creation and re-creation of matter in the council where Marduk proves his mettle is a symbolic and ritual form that shows the coming rebellion of men: to seek the power of the gods for themselves, for them to become gods themselves. This later myth is brought to fruition in Prometheus and Lucifer. Marduk and his creation of man is the fulness of man’s development, through it is far from clear that this development is a good thing. Civilization partakes of both forms of existence, chaos and order: it uses order in its general affairs, seeks the domination of Tiamat through technology, but also uses chaos, things such as subterfuge, massacre in war and other devices to maintain this order. Order is self defeating in that it must, like Marduk himself, use disorder in the maintenance of order. These two principles of the universe are at the root of all paganism: the moral equivalence of light and dark, order and disorder. There is no sin, only inappropriateness, something that any good magician would know. The nature of pagan religion here is manifest in the last Tablet: Who produces riches and treasures, establishes abundance; Who has turned all our wants to plenty; Whose favoring breeze we felt in sore distress. Let them speak, let them exalt, let them sing his praises! (Section 30) Marduk is not a god of mercy or of goodness, but he is the later Baal, the god who one approaches to ask for things. Through civilization, Marduk gives prosperity and treasure, but at a price. Civilization demands sacrifice, sacrifice through war, accident, disease and overcrowding. It seems that only the elite will share in Marduk’s wisdom. It is the continued multiplication of want and desire. It is the never ending cycle of spring and winter, want and satisfaction, good and bad, life and death, war and peace. References: Enuma Elish. (2006) Translated and Introduced by Dennis Bratcher. CRI Institute Press. Hoffman, Michael. (2001) Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare. Independent Press. (Excellent resource for explaining how the ancient pagan creation myths are used by modern civilization as a form of control). Heidel, Alexander. (1963). The Babylonian Genesis. University of Chicago Press.

Effects of Late Procurement for Specialist Subcontractors

Effects of Late Procurement for Specialist Subcontractors 1.1. Overview This dissertation sets out to explore the various reasons why there are delays in the subcontractor procurement process in UK Construction Industry. The dissertation will be focusing on purely the private sector of the industry and determining what effects the late procurement can have on the project, both in terms of the commercial and programme implications. The procurement process in construction begins with the client tendering the project to the main contractors. This dissertation will not focus on this element of the procurement process and will in turn focus purely on the procurement of the specialist subcontractor trades. A specialist subcontractor is defined as a contractor appointed to carry out activities in the development of a built asset that involve specialist construction knowledge and skills, (Specialist Sub-contractor, 2016) The reason for this topic is due to the working environment in which the author current works, the author is a project manager in the glazing facade industry working on major projects in the UK construction industry. The issues surrounding late procurement has been disused both on sites and in the academic environment for many years and links have been made between the number of claims for delay and variations, and the pre-construction process (Mosey, 2009). Benefits of early procurement can include the ability to value engineer solutions, correct design co-ordination, review more sustainable solutions and many more. 1.2. Hypothesis The research will demonstrate that late procurement can harm more than the programme on a project, it will show that late procurement can affect the design and quality of the project. The evidence will also show the negative effects that late procurement can have on the BREAM status of a building/ project and sustainability. 1.3. Null Hypothesis Late procurement has no effect on the project in any way. 1.4. Aims To explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry To determine what classes as late procurement and understand the main and most common reasons for late procurements To evaluate what are the benefits to late and early procurement in terms of the key project requirements; Time Quality Cost. BREAM/Sustainability An additional aim to the dissertation, if sufficient time and resources are available. What can be done to improve the procurement processes 1.5. Objectives Read up on the various different procurement methods and strategies and understand which are relevant to the UK construction industry. Interview 4 to 5 individuals from different sectors of the UK construction industry. Speak to various levels of the construction industry project delivery team to understand the effects they believe early and late procurement can have on the industry. Questionnaires will be sent out to the following parties. Main Contractor Project Directors * Main Contractor Senior Procurement managers Main Contractor Senior Quantity Surveyors Main Contractor Project Managers / Package Managers * Main Contractor Site Managers Main Contractor Design Managers Architects * Specialist Sub-Contract Directors* Specialist Sub-Contract Project Managers* * Indicates the various project members which interviews will be completed with. 2.1. Introduction The initial literature review will explore the various documents which have been reviewed against each aim. This will highlight where there is a vast amount of literature available and where alternative options have had to be used, as set out in the objectives previously. A literature review (also called literature research study or literature survey) groups relevant ideas and evidence from secondary sources into a logical flow, addressing significance and understanding. (Laycock, Howarth, Watson, 2016) 2.2. The various stages of the procurement process Before the procurement process can be understood the term procurement needs to be understood. Dr Denise Bower stated that procurement is the term used to describe the overarching process of the identification, selection and acquisition of civil engineering services and materials, their transport, the execution or implementation; and subsequent project performance. (Bower, 2003). As in any project, there are various elements which need to be procured, in construction these different elements tend to be larger and require sub-contractors to be procured on various different contracts to manage the design, supply and installation of the various elements. The acquisition of the various trade will be linked to the programme, the type of procurement and contract which is being used. One of the first thing which must be created is the Project Execution Plan (PEP), the PEP sets out how the project which has been defined in the strategic brief will be procured (Morledge Smith, 2013). The PEP is directly linked to the procurement approach which can be dictated by the constraints of the project or by the client. As mentioned, the procurement process is directly linked to the programme, for both on and off site. The programme as a whole is linked to the construction process which is stipulated by British Standards BS 6079-1:2010, which is titled, Project management. Principles and guidelines for the management of projects. There are various different stages to the construction process and this is clearly depicted in Figure 1. Figure 1typical stages of a Construction Project (Harris McCaffer, 2013) The British Standard for procurement policies, strategies and procedures are under BS 8532:2011. This document provides the backbone for the procurement division in the UK construction industry. The document states that it gives recommendations and guidance on the development within a public or private sector organization of policies, strategies and procedures for the procurement of construction in the built environment. (British Standards Institution, 2011). Figure 2 portrays a decision structure for which forms of procurement should be used, the structure highlights the main frequently used forms of procurement in the construction sector. Figure 2 Identifying the Procurement process (British Standards Institution, 2011) 2.3. What classes as late procurement Late procurement in its simplest terms can be explained as when the procurement process chosen does not leave enough time to complete the programme to meet all three demands of the performance triangle as shown in Figure 3. Majority of specialist subcontractors packages are design and build. This means that if there is a delay in the procurement process it is the offsite period which is effected as the end date on a construction project rarely moves, unless the delay is due to the client. Figure 3 The Performance triangle Cost, Performance/Quality, time A Design and Build contract is a single source approach in the sense that, generally, the eventual contractor takes on single-point responsibility to develop the entire design and deliver the works according to the clients requirement (Bower, 2003). A reduced design period makes design coordination between the different trades, especially in the specialist works, where the original intent by the clients architect may not adhere to CDM and building regulation. Late procurement in complex projects could be classed as a lot earlier than in the more standard buildings. A complex project can be classed as a project where it is not a standard structure or a repeated building such a chain hotel etc. Banwells report from 1964 stated that specialist consultants, some of whom may infact also be specialist contractor, should be brought in at the earliest stage as full members of a design team (Banwell, 1964). Obviously the precise period when procurement can be classed as early and when it can be classed as late is debateable and will come down to a commercial decision from the main contractor. 2.4. The positive effects early procurement can have on a project The discussion over the benefits of early procurement / contractor involvement has been discussed for over 50 years, Banwell report 1964. In 1998 the Egan report was publish and this was the turning point for the construction industry as he recommended a radical rethink, it was this report which lead to the creation of the Construction Industry Council (CIC). The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is the representative forum for the professional bodies, research organisations and specialist business associations in the construction industry. (Construction Industry Council 2017, 2017) David Mosey looked into this subject in a great deal, he stated that, a procurement model which omits contactor and specialist design contributions can increase risk and can result in poor communications between team members, unnecessary delays to progress of the project and the creation of incorrect information that leads to claims and disputes. (Mosey, 2009). This outlook is in line with many other academics, the JCT CE guide also states that, It is important that contractors and any key specialists are engaged early, ideally at a stage when the proposed design is not complete so that it is possible for the contractor and key specialists to consider ways in which the design can be made easier to build and maintain (JCT CE Guide, 2006). Design consultants are also in favour of this approach, the CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association) interviewed John Hayward, director of Mott MacDonald in 1998. He was quoted as stating Our preferred approach, particularly on more complex projects, is to select the contractor who will construct the project at concept stage. The primary objective is optimise buildability and thus improve delivery against time and cost criteria, (CIRIA, 1998). By engaging contractors and specialist contractors at an early stage allows the creation of improved details which follow the build sequence as well as reduce build costs on site for re visits etc. The early involvement approach reduces the focus on the client. The design and built contract relies on the client expressing a clear performance brief at the outset and leaving the main contactor to determine its own means to complete the project in line with the required cost, time an quality parameters. (Mosey, 2009). The client would normally employ their own design team, architects etc, to generate this clear brief, by engaging a core team of specialist contractors this brief can be specifics and accurtate regarding specifications and details. This will reduce and remove some of the off-site time once a contractor is appointed as the brief should be transparent to both to contractor and the subcontractors tendering for the various packages. 3.1. Introduction This chapter will discuss and evaluate the proposed methods which will be undertaken in the research of the dissertation. The different research methods have been carefully chosen by the author based on the title and topic environment. 3.2. Research Paradigms A paradigm, in business, is a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something (Cambridge Dictionary, 2017). Even though paradigms have increased through the raise in social media, there are still mainly two, Positivism and Anti-positivism. The third paradigm which will be considered in this research is critical theory. (Dr. Nirod K. Dash, June 2005) Positivism, in philosophy, adheres to the view that only factual knowledge gained through observation, including measurement, is trustworthy. (Dudovskiy, Positivism Research Philosophy, 2017) This is a very scientific approach and relies on fact and data rather than thoughts and opinions. Anti-Positivism can also be referred to as interpretive sociology or interpretivist. This is when the researcher interprets the elements of the study and uses their own thoughts, opinions and believes in order to arrive at a conclusion. This method of study usually focus on meaning and may employ multiple methods in order to reflect different aspects of the issue. (Dudovskiy, Interpretivism (interpretivist) Research Philosophy, 2017) Critical theory suggests action research methods to explore the current field knowledge. This is generally used to solve problems immediately. This form of research will form from the back of the interviews when interviewing site level members of the project team. Table 4 The three research paradigms and the various methods (Dr. Nirod K. Dash, June 2005) Research paradigms Research approach Research methods Examples Positivism Quantitative Surveys: Questionnaires longitudinal, cross-sectional, correlational; experimental, Survey of procurement managers into the percentage of late procured packages per major project. Anti-positivism Qualitative Biographical; Phenomenological; Ethnographical; case study Reviewing the literature which is already been written. Completing interviews with different sectors an interpreting their responses. Critical theory Critical and action-oriented Ideology critique; action research In field questionnaires and interviews 3.3. Data Collection Various different types of data will be collected from the different research methods that have been proposed above. These different methods where chosen in order to gain an increased understanding of the industry as a whole, not just from an academic or site level. The different methods will also allow a large amount of different data to be collected, analysed and reviewed. Positivism research will lead to primary data through the surveys and questionnaires. 3.4. Methods 3.4.1. Objective 1 In order to explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry the author will complete an extensive literature review. This review will examine the data from research which has been complete by other academics, this will secondary data. Secondary data will be reviewed as this will provide an alternative opinion on the current and past industry. A wide range of opinions will be critical when reviewing the primary data which will be collected from interviews and questionnaires The emphasis of this objective is also to evaluate how much change has happened in the procurement practise to see if the role of a specialist subcontract has been considered when developing the process. In order to understand this the interview with the Main Contractor Procurement leaders will help explain from a practical level whether the theory mentioned in the literature review is completed in the field. The only issue with this method of research is that the academic literature may be one sided or based on past practice and not reflective of the current UK construction industry. 3.4.2. Objective 2 Determining what classes as late procurement and understanding the main and most common reasons for late procurements will be achieved through primary data, the data will be collected by different members of the UK construction industry completing interviews. In order to achieve a rounded and diverse set of responses the author will also aim to interview difference companies in the same sector. The interview questions will be created following an extensive literature review and a review of the questionnaires. The interview questions will contain the same core questions for each sector in order to achieve a broad understanding of the different opinions of late procurement. There will be different role specific questions which will be directed towards the environment that each interviewee works in. 3.4.3. Objective 3 Exploring the perception of late/early procurement and what effects it has on the construction industry will be the hardest objective to complete. The author will create various surveys aimed at different disciplines to understand the different effects and issues caused by the delay in procurement. The questionnaires for the procurement team will try to gain an understanding into the procurement procedure they follow and whether it is by personal choice, company procedure or effected by time critical requirements. The questionnaires will be sent to colleagues in the authors working environment which will then be passed on to their colleagues, this is referred to as snowball sampling. This method has many benefits including; Reaching members of the construction industry in high positions which would have been previously unachievable. Saving time, as other people are sending the questionnaire around the various other individuals No large scale pre planning required, the author will just have to speak to the various key members about the request. However, there are also some disadvantages to this technique; Lack of control over who takes part in the survey Sampling bias as the initial subjects will pass the questionnaire onto their close colleague who may be in similar positions or have the similar options. (Explorable, 2017) 3.5. Research model The model displayed below highlights the various stages which will be completed during the research stage of the project. The first 3 stages have already been completed, along with the definition of the aims. The next stage is to complete the objectives and then review and analyse the data collected. Figure 4 A flow chart depicting the dissertation process 3.6. Gantt chart displaying target project dates Table 6, Gantt chart displaying the target dissertation timeline In summary the author has shown that there has been previous research into the proposed topic, however this research has been into the various procurement strategies and the benefits of early contractor involvement. There has not been much research into the effects of late procurement or the reasons for late procurement. This is where data from the interviews and questionnaires will be harnessed. The methodology clearly portrays that the results from the questionnaire and literature review will be used to create the interview questions. This method will allow any gaps in information to be capture in the interviews, it will also allow some of the more challenging questions to be clearly answered by the interviewee. The main challenge that the author will face is participation with members of the industry for the questionnaires and interviews. The benefit of working in the industry and on major construction site is that the author will have personal links to various members on the industry, this should aid in the response rate. References Banwell. (1964). Banwell Report The Placing and Management of Contacts for building and Civil Engineering Work. London: HMSO. Bower, D. D. (2003). Management of Procurement. London: Thomas Yelford Publishing. British Standards Institution. (2011). BS 8534:2011 Construction procurement policies, strategies and procedures. BSI Standards Publications. Cambridge Dictionary. (2017, March 01). Paradigm. Retrieved from Cambridge Dictionary: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/paradigm CIRIA. (1998). Selecting Contractors by Value. London: Construction Industry Research and Information Association. Construction Industry Council 2017. (2017, March 7). Retrieved from Construction Industry Council: http://cic.org.uk/ Dr. Nirod K. Dash, I. (June 2005). Module: Selection of the Research Paradigm and Methodology. Manchester Meropolitan University. Dudovskiy, J. (2017, Feb 28). Interpretivism (interpretivist) Research Philosophy. Retrieved from Research Methodology: http://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/interpretivism/ Dudovskiy, J. (2017, March 01). Positivism Research Philosophy. Retrieved from Research Methodology: http://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/positivism/ Explorable. (2017, March 05). Snowball Sampling. Retrieved from Explorable: https://explorable.com/snowball-sampling Harris, F., McCaffer, R. (2013). Modern Construction Management. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. JCT CE Guide. (2006). JCT Constructing Excellence Contract Guide. London: Sweet Maxwell. Laycock, E., Howarth, T., Watson, P. (2016). The Journey to Dissertation Success. Oxon: Routledge. Morledge, R., Smith, A. (2013). Building Procurment. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Mosey, D. (2009). Early Contractor Involvement in Building Procurement- Contracts, Partnering and Project Managment. Wiley Blackwell. Specialist Sub-contractor. (2016, Jan 21). Retrieved from Designing Building Wiki: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Specialist_contractor Please find attached at the end of the report the following documents 6.1 Research Ethics Checklist for Students (Page 19 to 25) 6.2 Participant Information Document (Page 26 to 27) 6.3 Participant Consent Form (Page 28 to 29) RESEARCH ETHICS  CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS (SHUREC7) This form is designed to help students and their supervisors to complete an ethical scrutiny of proposed research. The SHU ResearchEthicsPolicy should be consulted before completing the form. Answering the questions below will help you decide whether your proposed research requires ethical review by a Designated Research Ethics Working Group. The final responsibility for ensuring that ethical research practices are followed rests with the supervisor for student research. Note that students and staff are responsible for making suitable arrangements for keeping data secure and, if relevant, for keeping the identity of participants anonymous. They are also responsible for following SHU guidelines about data encryption and research data management. The form also enables the University and Faculty to keep a record confirming that research conducted has been subjected to ethical scrutiny. For student projects, the form may be completed by the student and the supervisor and/or module leader (as applicable). In all cases, it should be counter-signed by the supervisor and/or module leader, and kept as a record showing that ethical scrutiny has occurred. Students should retain a copy for inclusion in their research projects, and staff should keep a copy in the student file. Please note if it may be necessary to conduct a health and safety risk assessment for the proposed research. Further information can be obtained from the Faculty Safety Co-ordinator. General  Details Name of student Katherine Louise Walter Course or qualification (student) MSc Construction Project Managements Title of proposed research The effects of late procurement for specialist subcontractors in the Uk Construction Industry Proposed start date January 2017 Proposed end date October 2017 Brief outline of research to include, rationale aims (250-500 words). This dissertation sets out to explore the various reasons why there are delays in the subcontractor procurement process in UK Construction industry. The dissertation will be focusing on purely the private sector of the industry and determining what effects the late procurement can have on the project, both in terms of the commercial and program implications. The main aims of the dissertation are; 1.To explore the various types of procurement in the private UK Construction Industry 2.To determine what classes as late procurement and understand the main and most common reasons for late procurements 3.To evaluate what are the major effects on late procurement and do they aid or hamper the three key feature of a successful project a) Time b) Quality c) Cost. d) BREAM/Sustainability 4.What can be done to improve the procurement processes Where data is collected from individuals, outline the nature of data, details of anonymisation, storage and disposal procedures if required (250-500 words). Data will be collected from individuals in the construction sector via interviews and questionnaires. The nature of the data will be both opinions and facts. The opinions will be taken from various sectors of the construction industry in order to gain a wide range of data. The questionnaires will also be sent to various different employees for different companies. This approach will try to avoid results being effected by one companies practice. The data received from the questionnaires will then be used to generate questions for interviews. These interviews will try to focus down into some of the trends displayed in the questionnaires. The interview will also ask questions about the company procedures as well as the individuals thoughts and opinions on how the system could be improved. 1.  Health  Related Research Involving  the  NHS  or  Social Care/Community  Care  or  the  Criminal Justice  Service  or  with research  participants  unable  to  provide  informed  consent Questi