Communities of practice, their benefits and management challenges Essay

Communities of practice, their benefits and management challenges - Essay Example This paper will look into Communities of Practice, their benefits and a number of management challenges that they pose in a knowledge-based organisation. A community of practice has numerous benefits to an organisation. Organisations the world over have been utilising Communities of Practice for the last 2 decades in order to have sound knowledge-management systems. It is however important to note that CoPs have existed for centuries within management circles but their full formal attention in a modern organisational setup only emerged in the early 1990s. A CoP is comprised of a group of people willing to share their knowledge and expertise for a considerable amount of time. Organisations have used them to develop their human resources and encourage innovation and new approaches to problem solving. The intensifying of globalisation trends in the 1990s triggered heightened global competition. In order to survive firms are supposed to be creative and innovating which has driven them to appreciate the role that knowledge plays in organisational development. CoPs assist in diffusing knowledge and leverage a firm’s intellectual advantages. Knowledge-based organisations therefore require CoPs in developing their knowledge strategies. As such CoPs also have their limitations in respect to management of a firm. This paper will look into Communities of Practice, their benefits and a number of management challenges that they pose in a knowledge-based organisation. A community of practice has numerous benefits to an organisation. Formerly, many firms used information systems in knowledge management but the results were disappointing. CoP offers relatively new approaches where people interact and learn together. Due to the benefits that this approaches have most firms have adopted CoPs (Wenger and Snyder 2000). Some of the key benefits are as follows; Help with challenges It is clear that all firms experience challenges in their day-to-day running. However, these ch allenges need to be dealt with and a community of practice should be established to do just that. CoP solves problems by pooling of expertise, knowledge and skills from a number of employees. It is important to note that their winding down and eventual shutting down happens when problems they were dealing with are solved and consequently their purpose is fulfilled. Access expertise Organisations that treasure CoP are predominantly knowledge-based meaning that they require a great deal of expertise to carry out their tasks. In order to have a successful CoP its membership should be comprised of knowledgeable and experienced people. In case a firm is short of such workforce it is forced to source for them. In doing this a firm attains a pool of experts within its workforce which works to improve on its performance and profitability. Enhancement of team spirit Members in a community of practice need to work together to achieve set goals. They are not necessarily people who share the sa me ideals or beliefs but they are required to have similar interests in order to ensure a solid group (Llewellyn and Hindmarsh 2010). This facilitates teamwork in decision making and strategy formulation. Saving on cost an time of searching for information A CoP is established in order to deal with problems or to develop solutions. A small team is assembled which analyses the way forward. The smaller the team, the less the time they take in coming up with a solution. A small team is also easily managed and it is relatively cheap to maintain. This saves a great deal of time that inter-departmental meetings would have taken for consultations. It also offers time for the rest of the employee to continue with their normal duties while just a handful of them are picked to deal with pending issues (Wenger and Snyder 2000). The opportunity cost would be too high in taking many workers’ time in decision making. Improvement in quality of decisions A CoP is comprised of carefully selec ted people who bring to the table high-level skills and expertise. This assures the firm that the discussions made are meaningful and that decisions arrived at have high likeliness of being the best for the particular situation. Firms that have many CoPs tend to have better operational strategies which

The ministry of education Essay Example for Free

The ministry of education Essay The popular image of Japan as a homogeneous and harmonious is not nearly as valid as it seems. The aspects of Japan which could be argued are of this nature are enforced by both Western media and the impressions that Japanese society and media gives out. Japanese society has always strived and aspired toward this ideal, to such an extent, that an impressive illusion of homogeneity and harmony has been created. This is probably not something which many native Japanese consciously consider; it is more likely that many of them believe the illusion as much as Westerners do. There is a great deal of cultural diversity in Japan, which, although greatly increased in the post-war period, was previously more heterogeneous than one might initially imagine. Likewise, the impression of harmony which Japan emits is quite far from the truth in more than a few aspects of society. One of the more recent examples of this conflict within Japanese society is the intermittent uproar over the politicized nature of the school system. Some see Japan as a land of opposites and contrast. From the ancient temples in the middle of nowhere to the gargantuan glass skyscrapers which tower over the metropolis that is Tokyo. The farmer and the city businessman. The fantastic technological advancements which come from a culture which still adheres closely to ancient traditions and rituals (some of which have been assimilated from other cultures, especially the Chinese). However, the Japanese illusion of homogeneity still holds relatively fast over this school of thought. This is because society itself endeavours to impresses a sense of group effort over the entire nation. This means that an employee in Japan has a greater understanding of the role he or she fills within at least their immediate sphere of work environment. The idea of this is to encourage employees to work for the benefit of the group (essentially, the nation) and not for their own personal gain. The society of today views Japan as a country of strong culture and a disciplined and uniform nature. The Japanese workforce is thought of as hardworking, loyal and verging on selfless when it comes to personal (or family related) sacrifice if required. This applies primarily to the Japanese white collar office workers (sarariman), but a similar work ethic is preferred in almost all occupations. Japanese women are generally portrayed as motherly housewives; they appear to play a relatively small part in the business world and are equally not directly very active in political matters. Those few Japanese women who have been recognised as beneficial to their society and culture have been affiliated with the arts. Japanese family life is viewed as at worst amicable. The offspring are obedient and seem happy to learn about and follow the culture and traditions of the previous generations. Japanese schooling has proven to be one of the most successful educational styles to date. The Japanese have always put a great emphasis on formal learning, students most often simply memorising information parrot-fashion. Although very different to Western schooling where far more free thought is promoted, Japanese schooling seems very effective for them. With ninety-four percent of students attending senior high school and around a third of these going on to higher education, Japanese Universities turn out a sizeable number of graduates on an annual basis. If you were to ask a random inhabitant of a Western nation what comes to mind when they think of Japan, youll probably get answers along the lines of: Samurai, sushi, sumo and sake. Geishas and gadgets, chopsticks and haikus. Bonsai trees and the expertly crafted gardens which come hand in hand with them Certainly, these are elements of Japanese culture, but they are by no means as prominent within society as we are led to believe (chopsticks excluded). For example, there are incredibly few genuine Geisha girls. They have become a piece of heritage which has faded in both functionality and popularity since the technological boom hit Japan. The aforementioned sarariman model is one of the prime images the Japanese choose to utilise to promote their nation in the eyes of the world. Seen as something of the epitome of homogeneity and harmony, the life of the sarariman is very much orientated around his career. Putting his work before his family, the office worker is looked after very well by his employers if he performs well. Businesses help their employees by finding them accommodation, lending money and even going as far as to set some of them up with wives. As a result of this, the sarariman do not get much chance to spend time with their families, overtime will often if not always be worked where needed and should you be required to transfer department, quite often the families would be left behind. The companies do this in an attempt to increase the employees dependence on the company so they are less likely to seek employment elsewhere which is practically impossible to do. Many firms are reluctant to employ anyone who has left another firm, especially straight onto the same wage. This seems to be something of an unwritten law amongst businesses designed to keep ones employees faithful to the company. most Japanese tend to work in one job or for one firm for their entire lives. Again, this reinforces the group ethic which the Japanese government seems to be so eager to impress. History textbooks (particularly concerning the 20th Century war periods) are something of tomes of propaganda which, instead of presenting facts and deriving opinions from such facts, the opposite is done. That is, to present a take on a historical event and then to attempt to support this usually biased view with carefully chosen statistics. The Japanese seem very reluctant to admit to mistakes from their past, and have gone as far as to pass a law which states that all educational textbooks must be approved by the Ministry of Education.

Doctor Faustus - Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

I. The play Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlow was first published in Manchester by Manchester Publishing in 1588, no information about the play’s first production date was found. II. Doctor Faustus is contrived of the following: Faustus, a man well learned in medicine and other knowledge’s known to man is dissatisfied with where his life is heading so he calls upon the Lucifer and His accomplice, Mephistophilis, to teach him the ways of magic. They agree to be his tutors only if Faustus will sell his soul to Lucifer and be His after 20 years. Faustus agrees and goes through trying times where he is unsure of his decision and considers repenting but then is persuaded again and again that the magic powers of the Devil are far more satisfying than the powers of Heaven. III. Faustus is portrayed as a very individual character. He changes and is shaped by the events that happen all around him. Everything he does affects his future outcome. For example his decision to give up his studies of medicine were very un-stereotypical of a character that is studying to be a doctor to do. Even more so is his decision to take upon the necromantics of the devil. He says, â€Å"Then read no more; thou hast attain'd that end: A greater subject fitteth Faustus' wit.† (1.11) He believes that he has learned enough information about all the great things of the world and there is nothing left to study that will intrigue him as much as magic will. His curious personality affects the play because his decisions determine the plot. For example the Seven Deadly Sins entice him so he becomes convinced not to repent his sin. This characterizes him as gullible, curious and adventurous. He becomes obsessed with his magic and he absolutely loves having the powers to do any thing he pleases. An example of this is when he conjures up Helen. He knows he can do whatever he wants without reservation so he chooses to conjure the woman who launched a thousand ships. This shows that not only is he gullible, curious and obsessed but also Faustus only wishes for the best in whatever he does; the best that will please him. Mephistophilis is the opposite of Faustus. Mephistophilis is the stereotype of the typical conniving Devil’s assistant. He is always pressuring Faustus to listen to his â€Å"bad angel† and act upon his desires instead of his intellect. Mephistophilis’ personality influences the entire pl... ...ing. If it were to be produced in a modern setting it should not stray to far from the playwright’s original intentions. I went to see this play produced at UMASS last semester; it was what prompted me to read the play for this analysis. I walked out of the theatre totally confused about what had just saw and so did the person that I went to see it with. The director changed so much of the script and altered the playwright’s intentions so much that the entire production was a fast whirlwind of confusion with random things thrown in. It was not until I read the play did I understand what some of those things were. I believe if this play is to be produced modernly the language can be changed to modern English but the plot should stay the same without many alterations. We need to see the entire story in order to understand exactly what is going on. We can do this by changing some of the characters to more modern people of today’s society that the audience can re late to; such as instead of Faustus conjuring Helen he could conjure a popular supermodel instead. Modernizing in this way would give a better understanding to the audience of what the play is about and what the story line is.

Between Wishes and Beliefs in Wild Grapes Essay -- Wild Grapes Essays

Between Wishes and Beliefs in Wild Grapes      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In "Wild Grapes," Robert Frost demonstrates the complex thoughts and struggles of a woman who lives her life, wishing that she had gained a knowledge that would have made her life different. At the same time, she hopes to preserve the exhilarating way she lives her life. Through the use of character portrayal, metaphor, symbolism, and diction, Robert Frost suggests to the reader that although people know that they should prepare themselves to walk through life, they still listen to their hearts, which causes them to be unprepared for what lies ahead of them. The poem starts with the woman telling a story from her youth, which is engraved traumatically in her mind.    The story that the woman describes is about an incident that happens when her brother takes her to a glade where there is a grape tree standing alone. Her brother starts to climb the tree while she admires the tree filled with the grapes. Climbing even higher and picking some grapes to eat, he bends the tree to try to let her have some. As she picks her own grapes, he tells her to hold the top of the tree. So she holds the tree as she was told. The tree, however, catches and suspends her, and it keeps her there for a minute with its grapes. She starts to cry like a baby and does not know what to do. But she clings to the tree, even though her brother is telling her to let go. Trying to bend the tree down, her brother tells her to wait until he leads her down. Finally, against his advice she falls off the tree and feels the ground with her feet. Since the incident happened, the life that she has been living is something different than what she expects or what people expect . She knows sh... ...o her struggles that are engraved traumatically in her mind.    Robert Frost amazingly demonstrates the woman's complex thoughts through the use of character portrayal, metaphor, symbolism, and diction. He illustrates his clear idea about how she lives her life, having struggles in her mind. Reflecting her life in the story that she tells, the poem presents a journey to find out how and why she lives the way she lives between her wishes and beliefs. Using those devices effectively, Frost presents his ideas clearly and makes a strong impression on the reader. Through his demonstration of her journey of life, he shows the significance of life and its complexity.    Works Cited    Frost, Robert. (1920, December). "Wild Grape." Harper's Magazine [Online], 3 paragraphs. Available: http:// www.bartleby.com/155/15.html [1999, October 6].   

Childhood Memories Essay

Childhood is the most innocent phase of man’s life. With the passage of time, it fades into adolescence and adulthood. Yet the sweet memories of childhood linger on. My childhood recollections are those of a sheltered and carefree life, nurtured with love and concern. As I was the first child in the family, everybody doted on me. My funny lisping, my innocent mischief and my inane talk-everything was a source of immense pleasure to them. There was never a word of reproach or censure against me. Once a distant uncle picked me up from my school and, without informing my parents, took me to a fair. When I returned home, it was quite late. I found everybody worried, anxious and apprehensive about my safety. A frantic search for me had already been made. My uncle was taken to task, but nobody reprimanded me. Later, it was explained to me that going out with others without the knowledge of the parents was fraught with risks. I was warned, but the warning was so affectionate, tactful and persuasive that it left a healthy impression on my mind. I was quite inquisitive by nature and pestered my parents with constant queries. They, nevertheless, listened to me patiently and tried to satisfy my curiosity. I also fondly remember my grandmother with her wrinkled face which creased into a loving smile at the very sight of me. Her amusing anecdotes always transported me into a mysterious wonderland. My thoughts abound with such sweet memories. Each recollection has nostalgic air about it. I will treasure these precious childhood memories for ever. Memories of childhood Sweet are the recollections of the childhood of a man. These fill one’s mind with joy when one looks back to the days of childhood. Every child passes its days in the midst of the affection and cares of the parents, grandfather and grand-mother and other dear relations. Cares and anxieties do not trouble the innocent mind of the child. My childhood days When I look back to the days of my early childhood, I do not remember much. Only I remember how my old grand-mother fondled me. I used to sit in the evening by her side. She would tell me fairy tales—tales of the princes and princesses and rakshasas, and stories of ghosts. I listened to them with rapt attention. These seemed to be true to me. I remember the day clearly when I first went to school. It was a new life to me, but I liked it very much. I made friends with many boys there. I went to school with them and I enjoyed these very much. My teachers loved me very much. I was never afraid of them and they never beat me. I did my lessons well every day. I was fond of story-books. I read the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. They left a deep impression on me. Sometimes tears stood in my eyes when I read about the sufferings of Seeta. My grand-mother grew very old. She died when I was nine years old. I loved her very much. Sometimes mother scolded me for doing some mischief. But my grand-mother shielded me. I was quite save there. So I felt great sorrow at her death. This is a sad recollection of my childhood. My sister is older than I by eight years. Her marriage ceremony took place when I was ten years old. It was a vary happy occasion. I absented myself from school for several days. My heart was filled with joy. On the day of the marriage our house was crowded with friends and relatives. In the evening the bridegroom and his party came. Conch shells were blowing to welcome the bridegroom. Musicians were playing on their bands. A grand feast was given to the guests. I supplied water to the guests. Of course, I ate my fill that night. Thus I spent the day in the midst of feast and merriment. Conclusion My days of childhood were really spent in happiness. There was only the sad incident of my grandmother’s death. I had no cares and anxieties. I thought of eating, reading, playing and wearing gay clothes and beautiful shoes and nothing else. Now I am a grown-up lad. I cannot now pass days so care-free as I did in the past.

Absolutist Governments essays

Absolutist Governments essays The rise of absolute monarchs in the seventeenth century was a result of numerous unrelated things and events. The development of the idea of the Divine Right of Kings, and the publishing of Thomas Hobbes work, Leviathan, provided the justification the Monarchs needed to further their pursuit of wealth, land, and trade opportunities. It also provided the way to appease their conscience, as they overtook and abused indigenous peoples. The breakdown of the feudal system was throwing country after country into unrest. This also helped to make this idea of absolutism popular, even within the general population. In France around the middle of the seventeenth century, a revolution against the current monarch, Cardinal Mazarin, threw France into disarray. When the Cardinal died in 1661, Louis XVI (whom the Cardinal had been governing for), took power and became the strong absolute ruler that France had been looking for. He took hold of the country and put himself at the head of the government, and as a result order was restored. In this way, Louis XVI instigated an absolutism that was popular with the citizens of France (p. 432-433, Textbook). There were many absolutist monarchs throughout Europe during this time period, including Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. Although England had not tended towards an absolute monarchy, eventually when James I came to power, this idea prevailed there as well (p.420, Textbook). This absolutist government was justified by Jacques-Benigne Bossuet, who believed in a theory called the Divine Right of Kings. He argued that kings ruled because they were chosen by God to do so, and that these kings were accountable to no person except God. The king ruled by virtue of Gods authority, so he should be obeyed in all things. No group, whether the nobles, the people on the street, or even Parliament, had the right to question this rule, for to do so was to rebel against God (p.43...

Write a Term Paper

Write a Term Paper Write a Term Paper Write a Term Paper If you have to write a term paper, it is useful to have an excellent sample of a term paper in front of you. Below is a short sample of a term paper on religious aspects of abortion. is a professional team of writers who are able to help you with writing a term paper on any topic! Custom term paper is fully referenced and has no copy/paste material! Our paper writing blog has many tips on writing and absolutely free samples and examples of term papers Term Paper Sample (Excerpt) Within recent years various Protestant denominations have issued policy statements in support of the reform of abortion statutes. Neither Jews nor Protestants try to set an exact moment when the fetus has a soul. In Jewish theological writing the fetus is thought to be part of its mother and not a person until it is born. For example, in the religious conversion of a pregnant woman, her unborn child is automatically included in the conversion and requires no further ceremony. The embryo is not believed to be a living thing until the full nine-month gestation period is complete. Thus, because it is not a living thing until it is born, abortion is not considered a crime. Though there is some disagreement about when the soul enters the fetus, for most Jewish theologians this has no bearing on the practical, earthly issue of abortion. They consider the moment of ensoulment as belonging to those secrets of God. The soul's immortality and the moment it enters the fetus is not, for them, relevant to the problem since, they say, abortion does not affect the soul. As David M. Feldman describes it in his book Birth Control in Jewish Law: Before birth the embryo is not a person; from the moment of birth and on, it is; the disposition of the soul, being pure to begin with, is unaffected. The Jewish and Catholic doctrines have once again parted company. The Japanese Shinto religion also holds that the fetus is human only when it is born. Since theological dialogue influences the Church's position at any given time, and since this position can be changed, the moral argument about abortion rages today with greater intensity than ever between those who would change the Church's attitude toward abortion, and those who believe the current attitude is the right one. The crux of the debate is still the question of when the fetus becomes a human being with a legal, moral, ethical and medical right to life which cannot be taken away by anyone including his mother. The viewpoint expressed by Catholic theologians is that since no one can say at what moment the fetus has received a soul, killing it at any point before birth, no matter how soon after conception, is nothing short of murder. Others, including some Catholics, say that abortion should be legal until the baby is able to support itself outside the womb. Write a Term Paper: Custom Service Online If you need help with writing your term paper from scratch, you have an excellent opportunity to try our writing services with a discount. Just write us a note with a discount in a subject line and we will definitely give you at least 10% discount on our term paper writing services! Our term paper help is legal and tailored to your personal needs and expectations!

6 Practical Steps to Building a Professional Handshake

6 Practical Steps to Building a Professional Handshake Never underestimate the importance of a good handshake. Fortune 500 CEOs have even admitted that, given two identically qualified candidates, they’re more likely to give the job to the one with the better handshake. How do you make yours work for you?1.  Get your hands ready.Make sure your right hand is free in situations where you’re likely to need to shake hands. This is a weird detail, but important- especially if you’ve been holding a cold drink in your hand, which might make your handshake cold and clammy! And yes, you should use your right hand. That’s the tradition, and it avoids lots of awkward fumbling. Also, it should go without saying, make sure your hands are clean.2. Aim for the web.You don’t want to only grab the person’s fingers, but you also don’t want to try and swallow their wrist with your hand either. Aim to touch the web between your thumb and forefinger to the web between their thumb and forefinger. Don’t go too hard, but you should practice enough on yourself to get a sense of how it feels when you hit the right spot.3. Minimize the pressure.Yes, you do need  pressure. Firm pressure. But not too firm. And don’t pinch. Don’t crush any bones. But  definitely don’t err on the side of not squeezing enough- there’s nothing worse than a limp handshake.4. Make eye contact.Look your handshake partner straight in the eye, which inspires trust. It’s a nice touch to repeat the name of the person you’re being introduced to while you’re shaking- â€Å"Nice to meet you, Bob!†5.  Project confidence.Whatever you do, don’t panic. You want to be the cool and collected party here. Act confident and no one will know you’re secretly aiming for their web. A good trick to show your poise is to offer your hand first.6. Know when to let go.People who linger too long in a handshake can be considered creepy or clingy. Get in there, g rip with the ideal amount of firmness, shake once, then let go and get on with the exchange. Once you get the balance right, you’ll be forever grateful that you did.

Critical analysis of book The Catcher in the Rye Essay

Critical analysis of book The Catcher in the Rye - Essay Example He is resoundingly negative in his view of the world, and his search for an identity is constantly filtered through his dark condemnation of virtually everything and everyone around him. The facts of his life show that he is unable to stick at anything for very wrong: he drops out of several schools, is hospitalized in a mental hospital, and seems unable to connect with anyone in a meaningful manner. This anomie is associated with two traumatic experiences: the death of his brother and the suicide of boy in one of classes. Holden searches for an identity through criticizing everyone around him. His word for them, one that has entered the language as a pejorative instantly associated with the character, is that they are all "phony". Virtually everybody that Holden sees around him is phony, and it is a judgment that eventually makes him turn towards himself. He judges people in a superficial way, and uses humor to cover the fact that he realizes how utterly alone he is in the world. The passage in which he imagines that someone will probably write "fuck you"2 on his grave his hilarious and yet deeply revealing. The fact that he would think about his own grave as a teenager, let alone the abuse that someone would write on his headstone, shows that Holden has a more imaginative and deeper view of the world than his resolute condemnations of everyone suggest. His cursing and his cynicism are perhaps a protection as, like many teenagers, he has no idea of what his real identity is or should be. This tendenc y is seen in the first lines of the book: If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me . . . 3 He adopts the pose of millions of teenagers who came after him: not caring about the world and all its conventionalities of biography, but accidentally reveals that he is surprisingly well-read. He has just been expelled from prep-school, and reveals that he has not only read Charles Dickens, but has understood it well enough to make fun of its conventions. Holden's search for identity throughout the novel is full of such accidental revelations of a deeper self. As with many teenage boys, Holden is obsessed with sex; but unlike many of them he is peculiarly puritanical about the subject. He admits that he is a virgin, and spends most of the novel trying to lose that virginity but also thinks that sex should only occur between people who care deeply about one another. Casual sex is an abomination to him, as when Jane has a date with a boy she hardly knows. At the same time, Holden reveals that he is interested in a much darker side of sexuality, such as the idea of spitting at a lover during the sexual act. Once again this reveals the depth of his imagination: he is a virgin but can imagine a particularly savage form of sexuality that involves humiliating and essentially hating the partner. He regards this behavior as "crumby", but want to indulge anyway. Holden's search for an identity is constantly hindered by his reluctance to move from his supposedly innocent childhood world of genuineness and openness into the hypocritical adult world of phonies. Here his name has important symbolic meaning. Caulfield

Workplace issues or disaster management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Workplace issues or disaster management - Essay Example d a theoretical framework discussion issues that related retention and bullying, as well as the reported organizational culture that was deemed contributory to exacerbation of the issue by being indifferent or not addressing these concerns. Steven (2002) confirmed that the workplace issue of intimidation or bullying has pervaded the nursing profession for a considerable length of time: â€Å"bullying behavior has occurred within the nursing profession across a variety of institutional settings, including nursing faculties and professional bodies, for at least seventy-five years† (Stevens, 2002, p. 190). The author was reported to be part of the investigation team. The nurses who were victims of intimidated reported cases of supervisors who â€Å"regularly yelled at the nurse in front of other staff and patients, withheld information she needed to perform her duties, and excluded her from meetings and social functions. Others were given the â€Å"silent treatment† (talk ing to them through third parties, talking about them as if they were not present). Continual criticism of a person’s work, personal appearance, and voice was another type of behavior reported by nurses in the survey† (Stevens, 2002, p. 190). Through the initiation of management, the intimidation and bullying were appropriately addressed, which eventually resulted in lower turnover. Financial Impact on the Organization: The workplace issues on intimidation or bullying have financial impact on the organization in terms of the high turnover rates where were evident. Due to the need to frequently recruit new nurses to replace those who resigned due to intimidation or bullying, the hospital spends more in terms of high acquisition and training costs. These costs take a toll in terms of minimizing the organization’s profits. Personnel Impact: There are significant impacts in terms of personnel through exhibiting lower morale, low job satisfaction, and low productivity as a result of intimidation or

Opium in afghanistan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Opium in afghanistan - Essay Example It is because of this use that countries like America have been struggling to control the planting and trade of the plant in general with particular aim of stopping circulation of heroin across the world. Apart from its use as drug, opium also has some medicinal values that will be discussed later in this paper. Opium has rich history linking it to Britain where cultivation was supported by the various regimes of the countries until the time its effects were detected leading to eventual ban to its cultivation. Though opium is internationally recognized as a product of Afghanistan, the plant was introduced into the country by Alexander the Great (Nawa 3). Upon its introduction, opium was used as medicine and for enjoyment purposes and intercropped with other plants. Further cultivation of opium in Afghanistan escalated in 1979 during invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet Union. With its economic viability, many locals indulged into the growing of opium that would later provide funds used to purchase weapons to help in defense against the Soviet. Further escalation of opium trade in Afghanistan links to the poor governance that existed in the country that would not monitor and develop the economy to more sustainable activities. In addition, the opium trade in Afghanistan escalated due to the degradation of the agricultural lands as well as the country’s infrastructure by the long lasted war. This situation left opium as an alternative and affordable source of income that required minimum human handling and storage. The long period of civil wars in the country led to lawless society that saw the development and flourishing of the illegal cultivation of opium. According to the reports of Nawa, growing of opium has seen integration of otherwise poor and vulnerable families into middle class earners (6). Through growing of opium, many families engaging in the cultivation of the crop

A study of why Norway did so much better than UK and Greece in the Dissertation

A study of why Norway did so much better than UK and Greece in the financial crisis - Dissertation Example It is obvious though that government economic policy does shape the quantitative results as can be determined from the GNP and GDP. Because of this, the global financial crisis also highlighted the different approaches that governments employ in managing the economies of their respective countries. The experiences of Norway and Greece expose the fundamental differences in government’s type of leadership in the economic sphere, particularly in finance. While many countries, including the economic powers reeled in the midst of recession, Norway’s economy grew stronger by almost 3 percent while its government enjoyed an 11 percent surplus budget (Thomas 2009). Greece’s economy, on the other hand, started to plummet at the onset of global financial crisis. While Norway, despite its relatively robust economic policies, managed to institute reforms to cushion the impact of the recession, Greece continues to experience worsening social turmoil brought about by the crisi s. The Greek government gets a huge part of the blame as it failed in the area of financial management. According to the Global Financial Integrity analyst Dev Kar, â€Å"over the past decade ending 2009, Greece lost an estimated US$160 billion in unrecorded transfers through its balance of payments† (2010). This extremely blatant example of economic mismanagement is just one of the major factors that have caused the current financial crisis in the Mediterranean country. Further explications of the reasons why Norway fared much better than Greece during the global financial crisis would be presented in this literature review. The development of Norway’s economy took a long and tedious process before it achieved its current healthy conditions. While the uncertainties plagued the country in the decades and centuries before, it has been able to sustain its growth since the 1970s. There were times since the mid-1970s when the growth rate slowed but, compared to the respect ive economies of its European neighbours, Norway’s steady development has been considered as unprecedented. Ola Honningdal Grytten of the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration points out that there are three major factors that contributed to the economic growth of the country, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries. Grytten identifies these as the country’s richness when it comes to natural resources, its skilled labour force, and its willingness to make use of the latest technology for productive endeavours (2010). In his article, Grytten acknowledges that government policies play a very important role in the maximisation of the said assets. For a long time, since the years of the economy’s rapid development, Norway was led by the Labour party. The Labour-dominated government initiated countercyclical policies which resulted in deindustrialization in the 1970s, a process which many economists, was regressive in essence. Countercyclical policies include the imposition of heavy taxes on business to generate funds for the government, particularly for its welfare programmes. During those times, the country was on the path of becoming one of the most advanced welfare states in Europe. Grytten’

F. R. Leaviss Description of Hard Times as a Moral Fable Essay

F. R. Leaviss Description of Hard Times as a Moral Fable - Essay Example To delve deep into the contention of this great man regarding one of the all time masterpieces in English literature, â€Å"Hard Times† by Charles Dickens and to examine the contention of Leavis regarding â€Å"Hard Times† as a moral fable, it become mandatory at the outset, to analyse and explore the subtle aspects operating through the novel’s scheme of things and the background and social conditions in which it was produced. Since the publication of the novel, it has been widely received and criticised by different critics across the globe and from different age. Apart from Leavis, George Bernard Shaw and Thomas Macaulay had criticised the novel on the aspect of Dickens’ delineation of the Utilitarian, trade unions and post-Industrial Revolution which neatly divided the capitalist mill owners and worker class in the British society during Victorian Era. Hard Times as A Moral Fable: Through the Eyes of Leavis ‘Hard Times - For These Times’ o r popularly known by the name of only Hard Times is the tenth novel authored by Charles Dickens and was published in the year 1854. To understand the contention of F.R. Leavis in coining the novel as a moral fable, it becomes essentially important to understand the literary term ‘moral fable’ in the first place. Moral fable is a kind of a story that involves the imagination and logic and combines them at the same platform.

A study of why Norway did so much better than UK and Greece in the Dissertation

A study of why Norway did so much better than UK and Greece in the financial crisis - Dissertation Example It is obvious though that government economic policy does shape the quantitative results as can be determined from the GNP and GDP. Because of this, the global financial crisis also highlighted the different approaches that governments employ in managing the economies of their respective countries. The experiences of Norway and Greece expose the fundamental differences in government’s type of leadership in the economic sphere, particularly in finance. While many countries, including the economic powers reeled in the midst of recession, Norway’s economy grew stronger by almost 3 percent while its government enjoyed an 11 percent surplus budget (Thomas 2009). Greece’s economy, on the other hand, started to plummet at the onset of global financial crisis. While Norway, despite its relatively robust economic policies, managed to institute reforms to cushion the impact of the recession, Greece continues to experience worsening social turmoil brought about by the crisi s. The Greek government gets a huge part of the blame as it failed in the area of financial management. According to the Global Financial Integrity analyst Dev Kar, â€Å"over the past decade ending 2009, Greece lost an estimated US$160 billion in unrecorded transfers through its balance of payments† (2010). This extremely blatant example of economic mismanagement is just one of the major factors that have caused the current financial crisis in the Mediterranean country. Further explications of the reasons why Norway fared much better than Greece during the global financial crisis would be presented in this literature review. The development of Norway’s economy took a long and tedious process before it achieved its current healthy conditions. While the uncertainties plagued the country in the decades and centuries before, it has been able to sustain its growth since the 1970s. There were times since the mid-1970s when the growth rate slowed but, compared to the respect ive economies of its European neighbours, Norway’s steady development has been considered as unprecedented. Ola Honningdal Grytten of the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration points out that there are three major factors that contributed to the economic growth of the country, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries. Grytten identifies these as the country’s richness when it comes to natural resources, its skilled labour force, and its willingness to make use of the latest technology for productive endeavours (2010). In his article, Grytten acknowledges that government policies play a very important role in the maximisation of the said assets. For a long time, since the years of the economy’s rapid development, Norway was led by the Labour party. The Labour-dominated government initiated countercyclical policies which resulted in deindustrialization in the 1970s, a process which many economists, was regressive in essence. Countercyclical policies include the imposition of heavy taxes on business to generate funds for the government, particularly for its welfare programmes. During those times, the country was on the path of becoming one of the most advanced welfare states in Europe. Grytten’

Liturgy and the Microphone Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Liturgy and the Microphone - Coursework Example Experience would tell me that an effective sermon touches certain domains of the mind and the heart and provokes past as well as present personal issues. These issues may refer to encounters of pain, happiness, or grief. Most of all, they refer to matters pertaining to spirituality and how it can be strengthened. Eliot describes such a phenomenon as the workings of the â€Å"auditory imagination† in which the mind seems to travel back in time and results in a merging of earlier and current times (qtd. in Mcluhan 107). As the words lull in the distance, a kind of progression takes place especially when the message is relevant to what has happened or what is presently happening in the person’s life. The microphone then is like an instrument in neuro-linguistic programming that is often used as a therapeutic intervention to deal with various psychological problems. By listening to a psychotherapist, the person is being guided to a particular place in his consciousness that will give him access to personal issues and gradually attempt to resolve them in the same plane. However, the depth of mental and emotional processing that will take place is still dependent on the listener’s willingness to focus on what is being said. If the person is not really interested in the message or is too distracted by other thoughts to allow anything else to sink in, the volume and quality of the sound produced through the microphone will not matter to any extent. As such, the microphone may involve a public address system during the mass, but the overall experience in consciousness is still private and individual. Similarly, I disagree with Mcluhan’s contention that the use of the vernacular pace through the microphone discourages meditation unlike what is happening during a relaxed Latin Mass (Mcluhan 110). Among all the church goers, only a few could comprehend Latin and cannot start then to

Road Safety Rules Essay Example for Free

Road Safety Rules Essay Road traffic safety refers to methods and measures for reducing the risk of a person using the road network being killed or seriously injured. The users of a road include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, their passengers, and passengers of on-road public transport, mainly buses and trams. Best-practice road safety strategies focus upon the prevention of serious injury and death crashes in spite of human fallibility[1] (which is contrasted with the old road safety paradigm of simply reducing crashes assuming road user compliance with traffic regulations). Safe road design is now about providing a road environment which ensures vehicle speeds will be within the human tolerances for serious injury and death wherever conflict points exist. The basic strategy of a Safe System approach is to ensure that in the event of a crash, the impact energies remain below the threshold likely to produce either death or serious injury. This threshold will vary from crash scenario to crash scenario, depending upon the level of protection offered to the road users involved. For example, the chances of survival for an unprotected pedestrian hit by a vehicle diminish rapidly at speeds greater than 30 km/h, whereas for a properly restrained motor vehicle occupant the critical impact speed is 50 km/h (for side impact crashes) and 70 km/h (for head-on crashes). —International Transport Forum, Towards Zero, Ambitious Road Safety Targets and the Safe System Approach, Executive Summary page 19[1] As sustainable solutions for all classes of road have not been identified, particularly lowly trafficked rural and remote roads, a hierarchy of control should be applied, similar to best practice Occupational Safety and Health. At the highest level is sustainable prevention of serious injury and death crashes, with sustainable requiring all key result areas to be considered. At the second level is real time risk reduction, which involves providing users at severe risk with a specific warning to enable them to take mitigating action. The third level is about reducing the crash risk which involves applying the road design standards and guidelines (such as from AASHTO), improving driver behaviour and enforcement. Road traffic crashes are one of the world’s largest public health and injury prevention problems. The problem is all the more acute because the victims are overwhelmingly healthy prior to their crashes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than a million people are killed on the world’s roads each year.[3] A report published by the WHO  in 2004 estimated that some 1.2m people were killed and 50m injured in traffic collisions on the roads around the world each year[4] and was the leading cause of death among children 10 – 19 years of age. The report also noted that the problem was most severe in developing co untries and that simple prevention measures could halve the number of deaths.[5] The standard measures used in assessing road safety interventions are fatalities and Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI) rates, usually per billion (109) passenger kilometres. Countries caught in the old road safety paradigm,[6] replace KSI rates with crash rates for example, crashes per million vehicle miles. Vehicle speed within the human tolerances for serious injury and death is a key goal of modern road design because impact speed affects the severity of injury to both occupants and pedestrians. For occupants, Joksch (1993) found the probability of death for drivers in multi-vehicle accidents increased as the fourth power of impact speed (often referred to by the mathematical term ÃŽ ´v (delta V), meaning change in velocity). Injuries are caused by sudden, severe acceleration (or deceleration), this is difficult to measure. However, crash reconstruction techniques can be used to estimate vehicle speeds before a crash. Therefore, the change in speed is used as a surrogate for acceleration. This enabled the Swedish Road Administration to identify the KSI risk curves using actual crash reconstruction data which lead to the human tolerances for serious injury and death referenced above. Interventions are generally much easier to identify in the modern road safety paradigm, whose focus is on the human tolerances for serious injury and death. For example, the elimination of head on KSI crashes simply required the installation of an appropriate median crash barrier. For example, roundabouts, with speed reducing approaches, encounter very few KSI crashes. The old road safety paradigm of purely crash risk is a far more complex matter. Contributing factors to highway crashes may be related to the driver (such as driver error, illness or fatigue), the vehicle (brake, steering, or throttle failures) or the road itself (lack of sight distance, poor roadside clear zones, etc.). Interventions may seek to reduce or compensate for these factors, or reduce the severity of crashes that do occur. A comprehensive outline of interventions areas can be seen in Management systems for road safety. In addition to management systems, which apply predominantly to existing networks in built-up areas, another class of  interventions relates to the design of roadway networks for new districts. Such interventions explore the configurations of a network that will inherently reduce the probability of collisions.[7] Interventions for the prevention of road traffic injuries are often evaluated; the Cochrane Library has published a wide variety of reviews of interventions for the prevention of road traffic injuries.[8][9] For road traffic safety purposes it can be helpful to classify roads into ones in built-up area, non built-up areas and then major highways (Motorways/Freeways etc.) Most casualties occur on roads in built-up areas and major highways are the safest in relation to vehicle mileage. Reported Road Casualties Great Britain for 2008 show that the vast majority of injuries occur in built-up areas but that most fatalities occur on non built-up roads.[10]

The infallibility of the Bible The Contradictions

The infallibility of the Bible The Contradictions Student: Joan Williams Introduction: For many centuries, the infallibility of the Bible has been a topic on the agenda of both Christian and Atheist alike. Christians, as a basis of their claim, continue to quote 2 Timothy 3:16 which reads, All scriptures is god-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.[1] The fundamental argument for the Atheist is that there is no God, no evidence or proof of God. They claim that God cannot be proven by science which is the main way we study and understand the universe or natural world. In an article written by Jeffery M Jones outlining results of a Gallup poll done in Princeton New Jersey in the year 2011, part of their findings was outlined as followed,: Three in 10 Americans interpret the Bible literally, saying it is the actual words of God. That is similar to what Gallup has measured over the last two decades, but down from the 1970s and 1980s. A 49% plurality of Americans say the Bible is the inspired word of God but that it should not be taken literally, consistently the most common view in Gallups nearly 40- year history of this question. Another 17% consider the Bible an ancient book of stories recorded by man.[2] The Meridian Webster Dictionary gives the following definitions of Infallible: 1: Incapable of error: unerring

Woodlot Eco-Boxes Essay :: essays research papers

I observed many different organisms in the woodlot, including both heterotrophs and autotrophs. The producers I found include birch trees, sugar maples, white pines, grasses, and berries, as well as various weeds and small plants. The consumers that I observed were all first-order consumers and included ants, grasshoppers, a salamander, spiders, and other species of bugs. Decomposers visible in the woodlot included fungi, mold, and mosses. There were some traces of indirect animal evidence left in the woodlot. For example, I noticed unbroken paintballs, which is a sign of humans trespassing in the woodlot. I also observed plants with holes, which showed decay and diseases and could have been accomplished by other organisms eating the producers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many steps that show the flow of energy in the woodlot community. The sun gives off light and heat energy to the heterotrophs. Producers use the light from the sun, nutrients in the soil, and chemical energy in the process of photosynthesis. The producers are then either consumed by first-order consumers, or are broken down by decomposers such as fungi, which uses mycelium to absorb nutrients from the plants. I did not notice any second or third order consumers present in the woodlot to consume the first order consumers, however I did notice traces of them in forms such as burrows under rocks, and holes in the ground. There is a constant flow of mechanical energy in the woodlot, as animals use it when they eat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yes, the woodlot does support the â€Å"ecological pyramid† concept. First, there is interaction among organisms, and there is a good balance of heterotrophs and autotrophs, which create a thriving environment of both types of organisms.

Education and Best Teacher

First out of town I was 7 years old when my family had a vacation in my mothers province, Zebu. It was in the middle of December when we go there. We celebrate Christmas together with my family and relatives. It was very fun, because it's my first time to meet my relatives there. Also there we celebrate my birthday at the same time New year. I experienced a lot in Zebu, I ride a horse, cow and other animals in my Loll's farm which is one of the memorable moments in my entire life. I describe Zebu as awesome, not Just the place but also the people out there. B. Stories that you can't forget (3) .The story of sleeping beauty. It's the story of a princess who was asleep and the thing that would makes the princess awake is a man who would kiss her. 2. The story of Juan Tama. It's the story of a man who was very lazy. Instead of picking a fruit he Just wait until it fall. 3. The story of turtle and rabbit. It's the story of a rabbit who was very confident that he was going to win in the r ace against the turtle and he Just sleep until he notice that the turtle is in the finish line and won. C. First teacher and first lesson My first teacher was my mother, she teach me different lessons when I was young.She taught me how to write, how to color, how to dance, how to sing, how to make a things with the use of clay and many more. But the important lesson that she taught to me is to how to deal well to others. She says that it is important that you have a respect to your fellow people so that they can respect you in return. D. First day of school Its been a 12 years when I started to go to school, that's why I don't even remember what happen to me that time. And I asked my mother who was there for me in my first day of school. I was studying in pre-school in Mahogany Day Care Center.My other says that I don't cry in my first day of school because of two reasons. First, my mother don't leave me until the class end and Second, my bestrides who named Karen is my classmates t hat's why she says that I was enjoying my days in schools. E. First Award Positive As far as I remember, I got my first award when I was studying in pre-school. There I got a honor which is top and the honor of best in Math. I'm so happy when I got that award that's why my mother prepared some foods to celebrate my award. Negative My first award that I can say that it's a negative is when I was in second year high school.Although I receive a top my friend who supposed to be my bestrides is going to transfer in other school. Ill. The most unforgettable events in your life A. Positive/Good 1. One of the unforgettable events in my life was when I was in elementary. I receive an honor when I was in grade one, I got a best in math. It was memorable because I was in front of my fellow students holding the medal and the ribbon. 2. One of the unforgettable events in my life was when we celebrate Christmas and New year in Cavity with my Toto and TIA. I was very happy because it was my first time to celebrate Christmas and New year in other place.It become memorable because we did a lot to had fun. 3. When I was in high school I receive a lot of awards like, best in math, best in chemistry, top, top and top. Im so happy because I did it with my own hardwood. It became memorable because I was in stage in front of all the students when I receive the awards. B. Negative/Bad 1. When I was in third year high school, I was a honor student I receive a top at the end of the year, that's why I went to top section when I was in 4th year. Although in the others it is a good for me it was bad because my classmates in 3rd year is not the name classmates I have in 4th year. . When I was in 1st year college. Our PEE is dancing, and dancing is not my passion, that's why in every time we dance IM so very frustrated and at the same time shy. 3. When I was in grade school, I walking in the middle of the hallway and suddenly I was fall. IV. Best Teacher for me Every person have their own d efinitions of a best teacher. For me, a best teacher can set high expectations for all students. Also a best teacher are well prepared and organized, they are in their respective classrooms early and ready to teach.But the cost important is they can form strong relationships with their students and show that they care about them as a person. 1. Mr.. Michael Tortes Bonito He was my most favorite teacher in my whole college life. Its because his characteristics as a professor suits to my own definitions of a best teacher. He was very open to all of his students, he is very approachable and also he is handsome 2. Mr.. Edward Albert Celeste One of the characteristic of him as a professor that I like was his intellectual ability. He is very familiar and ready overtime we have a discussion and at the same time e can explain it very ell. . Ms. Grace Jazzing She my teacher in speech and world literature this semester also in Modern communications back then when I was in 1st year. I like her as a professor because she's good not only in teaching but also I like it the way she taught us. 4. Ms. Et Rareness I include him to my best teacher because his way of teaching grab my attention. He is very strict and he wants us to learn until the class end. 5. Mrs.. Susann Gene This teacher is very good in teaching, overtime we have a class she always makes us laugh that's why our attention focus on her more. V.Worst/Unwanted Teacher For me, the qualities of a bad/worst teacher are he/she is lack of organizational skills. Every teacher has to keep up with so many things on a daily basis that they must be organized to do their Jobs effectively. A teacher can't be a best teacher if he/she is lack of classroom management. Lastly, he/she must act as a professional in a sense that he/she is not always absent nor late. 1. Mr.. Lovers Haploid To be honest, I don't like the way he manage the class, its because every time that one of my classmates makes mistake he is always implicating th e whole class. 2. Mr.. Ian VerbOne of his characteristic that I don't like is he is not approachable. 3. Mr.. Panic He is my NSP professor, I don't like him because he don't discuss any matter that covers the lesson. He is Just checking the the attendance and that's it. 4. Mr.. Ryan Macaulay He's approachable but, the way he deal with his class is very unprofessional. 5. Estella Merman She is definitely good at explaining the lesson. But I don't like the way she discuss, she is Just explaining and she don't make a recitation for us. VI. Places I have visited Last March 8, 2014, me and my classmates in first year went to Enchanted garden inAngst Vulcan for an educational tour. There's a lot of people who was saying that I was a beautiful places that's why IM so excited which makes me prepared my stuffs a night before the tour. We are so happy in the middle of our ride. And when we got to Enchanted Garden, I'm so amaze with the beautiful views of it. I describe it as awesome, not only the places but also the people out there. They are all hospitable to the visitors. The wind is very fresh looks like you are in the province. I promise that its not only the last time that I going to visit it.

Case Study Write Up

Alin NIRAMORN Case Study Methods Lori Ostlund 09/019/2012 Case Write-Up Summary of Case Situation In the case, Raleigh & Rosse, Simons and Mahoney (2011) report that in the beginning of year 2010, R&R is being sued by its sales associates. The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) states that R&R has continued breaking the state law by encouraging employee to work â€Å"off the clock†. R&R is a U. S. luxury good retailer run by family member.The company mission is to serve their costumers with outstanding service. R&R Sale associates are expected to serve their costumer †off the floor† as a part of â€Å"Ownership Culture†. Linda Watkins, a CEO of R&R who was recruited by Brian Rosse, has admitted that at first Bill Schwartz, a Senior Vice President for Human Resource had been questioning in some aspects of the Ownership Culture and particularly Sales Per Hours (SPH) program. He also suggests Linda to apply different approach instance.However, Rosse believ es that Ownership Culture and SPH is the core of the company to success. Moreover, the economic downturn in years 2008 and 2009 has affected to luxury goods industry. R&R were also impacted by the economic crisis; the revenue continue dropped down rapidly. Central Issue How Raleigh & Rosse need to handle with sales associates who sued the company. Recommended Course of Action Linda should make a decision how to respond to the lawsuit by paying back damages to all employees. Basis for RecommendationR&R should set up an amount for one-time payment system because it can help the company safe money and it is fair for every employee. The case R&R (Simons and Mahoney, 2011) states that the employee who is the plaintiff in the lawsuit is asking the company to pay back twin amount of â€Å"non selling† hourly wages. The count judgment the company to pay in total of $200 million; consequently, this amount will affect the company financial. Therefore, R&R should offer an amount for pay back the claims, and make an agreement with all employees.For example, in the case of Nightmare at Nordstrom (Solmon, 1990), Nordstrom had set up ranged of amount for each claims; and sent out the claim sheet to all employees. The employee has to fill-in the detailed to verify the amount of â€Å"non-selling† hours they worked. As a result, Nordstrom paid less than $3 millions for the claims. In other word, there is high possibility for R&R to lose $200 million for the judgments, thus settlement for payment would be cheaper for the company.Moreover, an Ownership Culture program was introduced in 1992, which means there were a current employee and the old employee. Thus, retroactive compensation is considered as a big factor for the company. Indeed, the amount for pay back claims should be different between the old and new employee. For example, according to Solmon (1990) states that Nordstrom has sent out a letter to sales associates by offering to pay back the damage from $ 250 up to $1,000, depending on how long their worked for the company.To put that differently, it is fair for all employees, which is the current sales associates who is seeking for damage, and the old employee who should be paid for their royalties. In conclusion, the huge amount that R&R need to pay for the court it might affect the company financial statues. Thus, by offering the amount for pay back the claims would help the company safe the money. In additional, the ranged of amount that arranged for pay back the current and claims is reasonable for all employees.

Marriage and Family Structure Essay

â€Å"Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner. † These were words of Army Bloom while commenting on the topic of marriage (Sardone 2010). Human race is a product of a family in one way or another. However, not all can be said to exist in the planet as result of marriage. They are those that were born out of wedlock and either live with one parent or have never known any of their parents. Nevertheless, marriages still take place and families continue to exist. With the development of society, both the marriage and family structure have undergone transformation and many have veered off from the traditional definitions of the same. This paper is aimed at showing that marriage and family are important parts of any culture despite there being different types of marriage and family structure. According to Goepfrich (2007, p 3) in his book â€Å"Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage, marriage can be defined as â€Å"the social institution under which man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments or religious ceremonies among others. † Goepfrich acknowledges that for people to be recognized as married, they must have witnesses and the ceremony conducted by either a civil servant or a religious minister. However such a statement by the author ignores the fact that there are so many people who claim to be happily married yet they have never been legally married. In some cultures especially in the places such as Africa, a marriage can be validated by traditional elders without the necessity of the couple being awarded a marriage certificate. However, one thing agreeable to all is that a marriage will lead into a family; since any couples get married to form a family. Types of Marriages Authors have classified marriage into different categories depending on the context. The Sociology Guide (2010) divides marriages in several types; polygyny (polygamy), polyandry, group marriage, monogamy; under monogamy there is serial monogamy and straight monogamy. Polygyny (Polygamy) In this type of marriage, a single man has more than one wife at a particular period (Sociology Guide 2010). There are different cultures that do not view this type of marriage as valid and therefore it is not encouraged. Civil laws in many countries do not recognize polygamous families and this leads the man to either live with the other wives secretly or without valid wedding certificate. Christianity as a religion teaches that a marriage should be â€Å"one-man one-wife† and thus one is required to declare that he has never married before and if he had done so, the wife had died. Some Christian denominations do not even join divorcees in the holy matrimony. However in Islamic cultures as well as in societies in South Africa, polygamous marriages are recognized. A good example is that of the incumbent president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma who has more than four wives. Sororal polygyny or sororate is a situation where one man has married blood sisters, while in non sororal polygyny, the wives are not blood sisters (Sociological Guide, 2010). Polyandry Though not as common as polygamous marriage, this type of marriage entails one woman having more than one husband. This is not recognized in many cultures and therefore those who involve themselves in such do not do it in open. However, some cultures allow blood brothers to share wives especially if the husband is impotent or he only sires children of one sex. This type of marriage is referred to as fraternal or alelphic polyandry and is very common among the Todas. In non fraternal polyandry, the husbands are not related in any way and the other men cannot claim the woman as their wife at that particular time when he is living with one of them (Sociological Guide, 2010). Monogamous Family This type is regarded as the ideal type of marriage in addition to being the most common and acceptable by nearly all cultures and religions, even those that accept the other types of marriage. It is a one-man one-husband marriage. Under this type of marriage, there is the serial marriage where a husband remarries after the demise of his wife. In such a situation, this is not regarded as polygamy. Of recent, it has become common for the spouse to get another wife/husband after divorce. However, some people chose to remain single after the departure of their spouses. In what is referred to as a straight marriage, the spouse may not be allowed to remarry under any circumstances (Sociology Guide, 2010). Forced Marriages In this type of marriage, the woman is abducted and the husband rapes her. In those cultures where forced marriages are practiced, there is a belief that once a man has intercourse with a woman, he automatically becomes her husband. This practice however is not very common in many societies of the world and is therefore detested in those cultures that do not practice it. In some African cultures, girls are married off to elderly men while they are still toddlers in exchange of livestock. The child continues to stay with her family until she reaches puberty and this is when she is taken to the husband by the parents, whether willingly or unwillingly (Sfetsu, 2009). Same sex Marriage The issue of same sex marriage has generated more heat than light in the contemporary society, with some supporting it while others demonizing it. However, same sex marriage has been legalized in different states of the world. Sexologists have used the term homosexuality to refer to people who have â€Å"a same sex gender sexual orientation† However, in the community, the term ‘gay’ has been used to refer to male homosexuals with the term ‘lesbian’ referring to female homosexuals; sometimes ‘gay’ refers to both women and men. There are some who are attracted to people of both genders and are referred to as heterosexuals (Cantor, 2006, p. xiii). Those who oppose the same sex marriage argue that they are unnatural and that they provide the nonconductive environment for the raising of children. They also argue that it threatens marriage as an institution in addition to going against religious principles among other reasons. However, proponents of homosexuality state that homosexuals are human beings and thus have their own rights (Bidstrup, 2000). Marriage in the Western Culture In this century, marriage in European and American culture is often legally defined as monogamous. This does not mean that there are no few societies that do still practice polygamy while others are in what is referred to as open marriages. In latter form of marriage, the spouse has the freedom to leave when he or she feels like. In the Western world, divorce has been made less complicated and thus has increased in rate. Marriage is seen as a legal covenant which recognizes the emotional union of the couples and can be terminated any time the partners feel like. In this world, it is the woman who is granted the custody of child and not the husband in case of a divorce or separation. In addition, all the partners have the duty of supporting their children (Sfetcu, 2009). When a child has been born out of wedlock, he or she is entitled to enjoy the same rights just like those that are legitimate. In the Western cultures, partners are protected by law from rape by their spouses and those who do so may find themselves in the court of law. Moreover, the law defends wives or even husbands from being physically abused or disciplined. In this culture, wealth that has been acquired since the couple married is often divided among the couple in case of divorce. What one gets however is determined by a court of law or community property law (Sfetcu, 2009). Marriage in the Eastern World In these cultures, marriage is regarded as being quite different from the way it is regarded in the Western world. For example in the former, polygamy is permitted; in fact men with many wives are generally considered as being wealthier than those with one wife. A large part of the population in the Eastern world is Islamic and though the religion advocates for the marriage of a man and woman, the Quran allows a man to have a maximum of four wives (Sfetcu, 2009). However in such societies, all the wives must be treated as being equal by the man. In states where the larger part of the population is Muslim, marriage is only permitted when both partners are Muslim; otherwise non Muslims must first denounce their religions and embrace Islam. In some societies in China, a man in the upper class would first be formally married and then later allowed to get concubines. However, the current communist regime does not permit polygamy but only monogamy (Sfetcu, 2009). Family Structure As years have come and gone, the society, including the family, has undergone great transformation. The term â€Å"family† has traditionally been used to describe the father mother and children as a unit. However, this structure has changed over time. The common types of family structure include childless, nuclear, extended as well single (Shelton, 2010). Nuclear Family Shelton (2010) defines a nuclear family as that family that â€Å"consists of a mother, father, and their biological or adoptive descendants, often called the traditional family† Many anthropologists usually regard this type of family structure highly than any other type of family and conducive one for the rearing of children. However, there must be emotional support, environment of love, economic support as well as enough time spent together. Single Parenthood Of the types of the family structures listed, this can be regarded as one the newest. This is because in the olden days, the society could not have imagined that a person could have lived without either a wife or a husband. In case of death or separation, remarriage would either take, place or the woman would be inherited by the brothers. However, with the economic independence of women, many usually decide to stay single after the separation, divorce or death. Some women are not interested in marriage and therefore choose to have children or one and raise them on their own. Research that has been done has shown that 25% of the children are born by women who are unmarried and mostly teenage mothers. Proponents of this type of family structure have stated that it has less pressure especially if it is formed after a divorce. However, some psychologists have claimed that this kind of marriage is disadvantageous especially to children as sometimes it is associated with juvenile delinquency (Shelton, 2010). Childless Family It is often the desire of many, if not all, couples to have a child or more after marriage; however, this is not always the case. A couple may also not be able to bear a child because of either social or biological problems. However, others may later get a child of their own in future or just decide to adopt one. Though many of such couples may opt to stick together, in some cultures however, lack of children after marriage is viewed negatively and the man if forced to remarry. The brothers of the husband may also be required to sire children for their brothers if it is realized that he is impotent. Others may however decide to rear a pet or two who acts as substitutes (Shelton, 2010). Extended Family An extended family can be described as a group of family members that is made up of adoptive or biological parents together with their children as well as other members of that family. In many global societies, an extended family has been described as â€Å"the basic family group. † In some cultures such as those with Asian origin, an entire extended family may live under the same roof. These may include; uncles, aunts, grandparents and even foster children. Sometimes children of parents who have died or separated may be raise by their grandparents (Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 2009). Conclusion Despite the many types of marriage and family structure, one thing that is clear is that, marriage and family are important part of the human race. This is why all cultures in the world have both. Marriage is often viewed as a gateway into a family, though there are those that form families without marrying formally. It is however important for people to formalize their marriages as it will be easier to deal with some setbacks in the families such as divorces or death. .

Associate and Joint Ventures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Associate and Joint Ventures - Essay Example oint venture is likely to be determined by a number of factors including size of enterprise, the expected length of the venture, the identity and location of the entities and the objectives of the participants. The reason behind this strategic alliance between the companies is not a single one in fact there are many. Companies engage in these activities to benefit more and reduce the risk involved with competition and failure. Here are a few advantages which the companies seek in order to maintain growth and expansion due to a Venture. By forming a joint venture a company can easily expand their business and could possibly cover more market share in the market. This is because the company has more resources, greater capacity, a better distribution channel A joint venture also makes a company more flexible because a joint venture are formed for a limited life span and also it only covers part of company’s processes, therefore joint ventures limits both the company’s commitment and the business exposure in the existing market. Since different businesses have different size of business, therefore by forming a joint venture with a small business with a larger business the smaller business is not able to invest or bring in more assets into the venture as compare to the larger business, this results in an imbalance in the joint venture. A simple and easy to form venture is a partnership. It is the relation which exists between persons carrying on a familiar business. There are also certain mixtures of mediums or arrangements, such as limited liability partnership. However tax and commercial factors may sometimes lead to the use of an unincorporated system, e.g. a partnership or limited partnership, the stream of ventures is mostly between companies or those entities which are recognized well. The simplest form of association for joint ventures is an agreement under which the participants consent to associate as autonomous contractors rather than shareholders

Profit Maximization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Profit Maximization - Essay Example Businesses have developed a heightened interest in promoting awareness on ethical responsibility. Issues concerning environmental damage, improper work regulations and inappropriate employee treatments and faulty production of products which either cause inconvenience to customers or danger public safety are resolved through the links on their objectives and actions. Value-based decision-making through integration of clearly-defined values into organizational structures of numerous organizations proactively address a broad range of community dilemmas. These organizations which attach functional aspects of operations to public welfare include various companies ranging from pharmaceuticals, automobiles, consumer goods to services. Corporate social responsibility, described as the alignment of a company's activity to public expectations, governs organizations which clearly show that public concerns and not profit maximisation is the common objective among organizations. British organizations alone would prove that improving the quality of human life is the primary objective of their operations. Consider GlaxoSmith Kline, a pharmaceutical company established in London whose aim is to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. The mission to contribute to the improvement of lives guides the company in developing innovative medicines and products that help millions of people around the world. It does research for medicines and vaccines for the World Health Organization's priority diseases that include HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The company shows its care to Third World countries where debilitating diseases affect millions of people by providing discounted medicines to let more patients acquire necessary cures. These cost reduction schemes applied by the company in its business operations entailed losses from probable profit collections. Actual earnings have been reduced as a result of the pro spects that considered lowering of prices through discounts. The corporate strategy is indeed a way of the company to provide value to consumers and society notwithstanding the objective of financial advantages and profit maximisation (GlaxoSmith Kline, 2001). In the early part of the 21st century, the company made efforts to lower its prices on HIV/AIDS drugs for the benefit of developing countries in relation to their commitment to deliver ways to reduce costs and pass the savings to patients. As a result of their action, patients suffering from the illness in various developing countries were able to take medications and these constitute live of millions of individuals. Due to its desires to continuously improve access for healthcare products, the company gained international recognitions for its decisions that reduced barriers in the consumption of health products (Baker, 2003). In the pharmaceutical industry, social responsibility is not a practice of a single organization. Aside from the GlaxoSmith Kline, another international company with British operations that promotes global corporate social responsibility is Astra Zeneca. Corporate social responsibility is an integral part on how operations are run by the company

Summary for an article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary for an article - Assignment Example Amateurism includes playing Hockey in a gentlemanly manner. Players were ejected for violating game rules. Amateurs did not play intensely for pay, but for peaceful fun. 3. The author states Hockey metamorphosed into a modern sport. Hockey, like modern sports, is bound by game rules. Hockey, like modern sports, is highly organized. Hockey, like modern sports, uses standard game equipments. 4. Further, Hockey’s modernization is grounded on the Canadian peacekeeper image. Game rules penalize violence. Rules reduce disorder in the game. Mass rowdiness is reduced to â€Å"peaceful† levels. 5. Further, Lacrosse, similar to Hockey, defies the British bourgeois sensibilities. Hockey defies British sensibilities of refinement. Hockey runs counter to British sensibilities of gentlemanliness. Hockey is a physical sport, not a refined sport. 6. Sports focused on resisting imported sports. Baggataway, a local sport is the national sport. The sport includes speed, skill, and violence. Baggatway was renamed Lacrosse. George Beers formulated the Lacrosse game rules ensure

Standardization of Accounting Regulations Essay

Standardization of Accounting Regulations - Essay Example As a result of this, the effect of standardization of accounting must be regarded beyond capital market settings; therefore, these effects should also be examined on other areas, including flows of information, policies and people. Although the way standardization of accounting affects accounting information more especially on the internet is rather vague, these transfers are relatively unstructured and unregulated in current accounting practices. "However, technologies in accounting are legitimizing certain sets of information, and give attention to certain voices in the quest for global attention." (Graham & Neu, 2003) Such a body is the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), it assist the international governments handle tackle the economic, social, and governance challenges of a global economy. They scrutinize government and help examine such performance indicators as laundering, transportation, and pension. Also, they help to review process performance measurements both to observe and to direct government performance. The funding of internet information is provided largely by the U.S Department of Defense in the 1970s and 1980s, for the purpose of developing advance communications networks linking the U.S. militaries and universities, this is shaped by standardized accounting in the development of informational technical infrastructure. "Some other agencies that have helped fund Internet communication, like (The National Science Foundation and the Advanced Research Projects Agency) have also relied on accounting technologies to balance technical and economic goals." (Graham & Neu, 2003) Flow of policy Standardization of accounting has also helped to regulate foreign policies; accounting practices are most times imposed on distant sites. By and through the terms of lending conditionality, the receiving counties are coerced, albeit co-operatively, to adopt and accept mainstream neo-liberal financial policies. This scenario is evident in most third world where they are made to abide by the conditions of the lending countries. And I such cases financial assistance is given by IMF. Accounting technologies make visible certain problems, offer certain solutions, and make these solutions operational. In most cases, practices from international sources are thus mixed with resident financial practices of the country in concern so that the problem could be solved. Ultimately, this flow of policies will produced economic survival. Flow of people The standardization of Accounting has helped to keep track of people as they move from area to area. Movement of people are monitored and analyzed as they cross borders, and accounting is deemed to be a major player in the immigration policies and practices of many countries. For instance, an accounting system which manages loans to immigrants is in operation Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) makes loans to immigrants in order to assist them in various ways, and such includes transportation, proving admissibility, and general assistance (Government of Canada, 2003, as cited in Graham & Neu, 2003). Thus, the movement of people into Canada are enabled and enhanced by accounting technologies. More also, these people are monito

The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose Essay

The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from. - Andrew S. Tannenbaum - Essay Example Computer users are required to use computers in a way or manner respecting the needs of the other computer users and the society in general. There are practises in computing that are regarded illegal, immoral, and unprofessional. Professional responsibility Experts in the field of computing have moral duties and responsibilities to their customers, their bosses, colleagues, as well as the society in general geared towards achieving or accomplishing their skilled and specialised obligations. In other words, all professionals in the field off computing have from time immemorial guided by a code of ethics that guides them to make their own resolutions when face with moral issues. It is important to consider the fact that professional responsibility in computing is directed by moral values and standards, trustworthiness, morality, impartiality, independence as well as magnanimity (Bott, 2005). In definition, professional responsibilities can be defined as the supplementary or extra oblig ations that ought to be assumed by computing professionals or computer users in respect to their exceptional and distinctive understanding, talents, and abilities (Baase, 2012). According to Bott (2005), these ought to be also assumed in respect to their relationship and connections between them and other individuals in computing practise, and the faith and hope of the public in general. Therefore, a computing professional is supposed to support, maintain, and defend the standards and principles within the society, diagnose, identify, and follow the set rules and guidelines of professional practise, and as well endorse and encourage individuals of the public in their endeavours. The role of code of ethics A code of ethics is defined as the standards or principles adopted by an institution aimed at helping employees and other stakeholders within that particular institution make a distinction between what is considered wrong and what is right. Codes of ethics in computing acts to help computer users to comprehend the decisions they make. It is of importance for professionals to ensure that computers are used correctly in order to maintain professionalism. The use of computers in many organisations or institutions is subject to a number of guidelines or procedures. These set guidelines and procedures of practise that ought to be followed discourage individuals using computers in their endeavours to avoid any issues that may invade or go against the certification agreements or accords. There are a lot of standards for computer users to choose from and sometimes it might be confusing. In learning institutions for instance, learners using computer technology have to comply with the set guidelines and standards. These are otherwise known as the code of ethics. Any member of the learning institution or any other person affiliated to the learning institution is bound by the code of ethics either legally or morally (Bynum and Rogerson, 2004). There have been cases in th e past whereby some people have used another person’s email account deceitfully. Institutions have put it down in their codes of ethics that such behaviours are illegal and anyone found guilty of employing fabricated and deceitful identity can be sentenced to serve time in jail or pay a fine. It is not enough to talk about the factors that helps maintain professional practise in computing today without mentioning the negative effects of computers on children. Computers within the reach of children should be

100 Words Essay Examples Essay Example for Free

100 Words Essay Examples Essay Essay about Red Nose Day The purpose is to entertain and change lives in the UK and Africa. The money spent to aid young who live on the street and protect people living with domestic abuse. In Africa for vaccines etc. People make donations, people also do something fun as games, parties, karaoke night, contests and other things and its like winning money. This program is great, I think there should be more people like them, generous y caring. This type of action I love. It is best to help and if it is fun and with love is better. 99 words Her Majesty The Queen Buckingham Palace London SW1A 1AA Her Majesty the Queen, My name is Leslie Monserrat Martinez Hernandez, I have 16 years old, Im Mexican and I am student. Im from the state of Hidalgo Mexico but I live in Teotihuacan City of Gods Mexico, I live with my family, my dad, my mom and two younger brothers. Im going to talk about the beautiful place where I live. Teotihuacan is an archaeological site as are the beautiful Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the Teotihuacan was one of the most important and ancient cultures of Mexico. The food is very tasty, very friendly people and is a quiet, well this Animal Kingdom a great zoo where the animals are free. Teotihuacan is a charming town. I say goodbye without thanking your attention. Greetings and kisses from Mexico. Essay about The British Museum The museum is free, open daily 10.00-17.30 Friday until 20.30. In this museum one of the most important objects of the museum is the Cyrus Cylinder. This museum is very interesting and very important for the United Kingdom You can reach the museum by car, bicycle, subway and bus. The purpose of the museum is to share his collection with the world. People can donate items and museum receives them in order to make the collection bigger. I imagine this museum is very cute and very interesting because it has a variety of information and objects with great meaning. 99 words Essay about Poppy Day Remembrance Day also known as Poppy Day, because it is traditional to wear a poppy artificial. Sold by the Royal British Legion a group dedicated to helping veterans. It is a remembrance of those who died in the war so that people were free, some people prefer to wear a poppy on the left side above his heart. The first day of Poppy Day was in Britain on November 11th, 1921. This commemoration is very beautiful and interesting because it is a nice touch to remind the people who gave their lives in the war. It is an example of love, respect and solidarity. 100 words Essay about St. Patrick’s Day St. Patricks Day is celebrated annually on March 17 to commemorate the death of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. It is a national holiday in Ireland. Many people celebrate the festival by dressing green with Irish food, drink and parades. This festival demonstrates the creativity, professionalism and sophistication of Ireland. The origin of this holiday is in commemoration of the arrival of Christianity to Ireland, one of the traditions of St. Patricks shamrock. This custom is very funny because I think people are going green and all the country of going green and other things that represent this special day. 100 words Essay about Millennium Stadium Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, where rugby and soccer practice. It is located in the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, in the UK. There may be 74,500 people. The total construction cost of the stadium was  £ 121 million and was built by Laing in 1999. Opened in June 1999, also the second largest stadium in the world. Its a great stadium, cool and important because it is the largest stadium second the world but to me the history of this stadium did not like, I like football but it is important for me to know him. 100 words

What Is The Importance Of Food Security Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is The Importance Of Food Security Environmental Sciences Essay World Food Day, 16 October, highlights the need to ensure that all people have physical and economic access at all times to enough nutritious, safe food to lead healthy and active lives. More than half the worlds population lives in low-income, food-deficit countries that are unable to produce or import enough food to feed their people. More than one-third of all children are malnourished and 6 million children a year die of causes related to malnutrition. Most of the worlds hungry people are found in the developing world, but 34 million live in the developed world. Soil degradation, chronic water shortages, inappropriate agricultural policies and population growth threaten food production in many countries. While growing export crops such as coffee, cocoa and sugar produces export income, it can lead to a decrease in basic food production, causing hardship for people who are poor. Between 1960 and 1990 world cereal production more than doubled, food production increased by one-third per head, daily intake of calories increased by one-third, and real food prices fell by almost half. There is enough food in the world for everyone to have enough to eat, but it is unevenly distributed. Background What is food security? Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle. (World Food Summit 1996) To be food secure means that: Food is available The amount and quality of food available globally, nationally and locally can be affected temporarily or for long periods by many factors including climate, disasters, war, civil unrest, population size and growth, agricultural practices, environment, social status and trade. Food is affordable When there is a shortage of food prices increase and while richer people will likely still be able to feed themselves, poorer people may have difficulty obtaining sufficient safe and nutritious food without assistance. Food is utilised At the household level, sufficient and varied food needs to be prepared safely so that people can grow and develop normally, meet their energy needs and avoid disease. What happens when people do not have food security? For the more than 800 million people who do not get enough regular, healthy food, ill health and a shorter life expectancy are real risks. Children, and especially very young children, who suffer from food insecurity will be less developed than children of the same age who have had sufficient food. They will most likely be shorter and weigh less, and be less able physically and intellectually, because of poor nutrition. Why is there food insecurity? Poverty Poor people lack access to sufficient resources to produce or buy quality food. Poor farmers may have very small farms, use less effective farming techniques, and/or be unable to afford fertilisers and labour-saving equipment, all of which limit food production. Often they cannot grow enough food for themselves, let alone generate income by selling excess to others. Without economic resources and a political voice, poor farmers may be forced on to less productive land possibly causing further environmental deterioration. Addressing poverty is critical to ensuring that all people have sufficient food. Health Without sufficient calories and nutrients, the body slows down, making it difficult to undertake the work needed to produce food. Without good health, the body is also less able to make use of the food that is available. A hungry mother will give birth to an underweight baby, who then faces a future of stunted growth, frequent illness, learning disabilities and reduced resistance to disease. Contaminated food and water can cause illness, nutrient loss and often death in children. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has reduced food production in many affected countries as productive adults become ill or die. Lacking the labour, resources and know-how to grow staples and commercial crops, many households have shifted to cultivating survival foods or even leaving their fields, further reducing the food supply. Addressing health issues will improve utilisation and availability of food. Water and the environment Food production requires massive amounts of water. It takes one cubic metre (1000 litres) of water to produce one kilogram of wheat and 3,000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of rice. Producing sufficient food is directly related to having sufficient water. Irrigation can ensure an adequate and reliable supply of water which increases yields of most crops by 100% to 400%. Although only 17% of global cropland is irrigated, that 17% produces 40% of the worlds food. Increasing irrigation efficiency and limiting environment damage through salinisation or reduced soil fertility are important for ongoing food availability. Where water is scarce and the environment fragile, achieving food security may depend on what has been called virtual water, that is, importing food from countries with an abundance of water. This may be a more efficient use of a scarce resource. Gender equity Women play a vital role in providing food and nutrition for their families through their roles as food producers, processors, traders and income earners. Yet womens lower social and economic status limits their access to education, training, land ownership, decision making and credit and consequently their ability to improve their access to and use of food. Food utilisation can be enhanced by improving womens knowledge of nutrition and food safety and the prevention of illnesses. Increasing womens involvement in decision making and their access to land and credit will in turn improve food security as women invest in fertilisers and better seeds, labour-saving tools, irrigation and land care. Disasters and conflicts Droughts, floods, cyclones and pests can quickly wipe out large quantities of food as it grows or when it is in storage for later use. Likewise, seeds can be destroyed by such environmental dangers. Conflict can also reduce or destroy food in production or storage as farmers flee to safety or become involved in the fighting. Previously productive land may be contaminated with explosive debris and need to be cleared before it can again be used for food production. Stored food, seeds and breeding livestock may be eaten or destroyed by soldiers, leading to long-term food shortages. Government spending needs to prioritise food security in the aftermath of conflict. Population and urbanisation Population growth increases the demand for food. With most productive land already in use, there is pressure for this land to become more productive. Poor harvests and higher costs lead many poor farmers to migrate to cities to look for work. Expanding cities spread out across productive land, pushing food production further and further away from consumers. This increases the cost of all the activities associated with producing and transporting food, and decreases the food security of the poor in cities. Trade Many poor countries can produce staples more cheaply than rich nations but barriers to trade, such as distance from markets, quarantine regulations and tariffs make it difficult for them to compete in export markets against highly subsidised farmers in rich countries. This deprives poor farmers of income and entire countries of the agricultural base they need to develop other sectors of the economy. In addition, trade imbalances prevent poor countries from importing agricultural products that could enhance their food security. What is being done? Improving food production Increasing the amount of food available is necessary to feed the growing population. The Green Revolution of the 1970s and 1980s led to huge increases in output, largely due to the cultivation of high-yielding varieties of rice and wheat, the expansion of land under production and irrigation, greater use of fertilisers and pesticides and greater availability of credit. In many countries these gains have reached their limit, and social and environmental issues must now be addressed. Further increases in food production depend on better integration of traditional knowledge with research; improving farming practices through training and the use of technology to increase outputs from current land without further loss of productive land; land reform to provide secure access to land for more people; and the provision of low-cost finance to help farmers invest in higher quality seeds and fertilisers and small irrigation pumps. While genetically modified seeds are being hailed as a means of improving crop outputs, there are also concerns about the ownership of seeds, adequate compensation for traditional knowledge and possible side effects. Economic growth and trade liberalisation Increasing food production leads to greater availability of food and economic growth in the domestic and/or overseas markets. Generating income can provide access to more and varied foods and provide cash for use in other areas of the economy, such as small enterprise and manufacturing, which in turn helps reduce poverty. Trade liberalisation is opening up markets slowly, but there are costly barriers to overcome. Work is underway through the Doha Round of multilateral trading negotiations in the World Trade Organisation to make trade rules fair, encourage trade liberalisation and assist developing countries to participate in the global trade environment. Distribution While there are sufficient resources in the world to provide food security for all, policy and behavioural changes are necessary to guarantee a fair share for all people, especially the poor. Building on a series of global conferences, in particular the 1992 International Conference on Nutrition and the 1996 and 2002 World Food Summits, countries have developed national nutrition plans and policies in nine major strategic action areas that: include mainstream nutrition goals in development policies and programmes improve household food and nutrition security protect consumers through improved food quality and safety prevent and manage infectious diseases promote breastfeeding care for the socioeconomically deprived and nutritionally vulnerable prevent and control specific micronutrient deficiencies promote appropriate diets and healthy lifestyles assess, analyse and monitor nutrition situations. The progress towards achieving these goals, however, has been much slower than intended. Recognising the role of women Gender equality is a prerequisite for the eradication of poverty and hunger. Many programs recognise the need for changes in access to food, land, credit, education, health and nutrition training and decision making in order to make effective use of womens roles in agricultural production and food preparation. Food aid The need for food during emergencies such as drought, disaster, population displacement and conflict is addressed by the distribution of basic food supplies and fuel. Early warning systems can predict problem areas, allowing action to be taken to keep people in their homes and help them back to food self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. Food sourced locally rather than internationally minimises the costs and disruption to local markets. In severe situations feeding may be necessary but often food aid is linked with work, health or education to avoid dependency and address the long-term causes of food insecurity.