Friday, December 27, 2019

Rose for Emily Reader Response - 746 Words

A Rose for Emily Reader Response Essay All men and women are created equal and deserve fair treatment from the opposite sex. However, since the beginning of history, sexual equality has not been a virtue that was closely followed. Men tend to falsely assume that since they are physically more capable than women, they are inherently also more important. Obviously that is not the case and this sexism tends to create a powerful barrier between males and females. Thankfully, modern day culture has vastly diminished the discrimination of women while resorting to more politically correct viewpoints. Though in the early 1900s when â€Å"A Rose for Emily† was set, the Deep South still considered women as major inferiorities to men, which is made†¦show more content†¦When discussing Colonel Sartoris’ invention of an involved and skeptical tale about why Emily had her taxes remitted, it is stated, â€Å"Only a man of Colonel Sartoris’ generation and thought could have invented it, and only a woman could have believed it† (Faulkner, 217). Once again, instead of possibly just hinting at the idea that women have a weak and feeble mind, the narrator just comes straight out and makes his opinion seem like truth. The narrator was so ignorant and naà ¯ve that he presented his idea that the invented story was ridiculous, to the extent that only a woman could believe it. I have never heard something so absurd and wonder how a woman could be conceived as such an incompetent fool. In retrospect, I did not live in this time period and it is a fact that women in the early twentieth century attained less schooling than their male counterparts. However, does that give men the right to go about and treat women like incompetent fools? I realize that authors have the freedom to write a story from whatever perspective they wish, no matter how biased or misleading it may be, but I also think people should take away valuable knowledge from the text they are reading. In the case of â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† I did learn some good morals such as the power of death, but I mostly came away with the idea that I am superior to the women in my life. I am not sure if that is what Faulkner intended, but it is certainly not aShow MoreRelatedA Stream of Consciousness in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner745 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a short story written by American author William Faulkner and centres around an old lady named Emily. The story is written in the classic Faulkner method of a streaming consciousness. By constructing the story through use of the stream of consciousness, Faulkner is able to manipulate the predetermined short story structure and create an outstanding, critically acclaimed story. In using the thematic concept of creating contrasts between two opposing entities, Faulkner is ableRead MoreEssay on Connecting Symbols in A Rose for Emily1248 Words   |  5 Pagesstory to provide the r eader with a deeper understanding and sometimes hidden meaning. In the short story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† William Faulkner utilizes a vast collection of symbols, as a means to enhance the reader’s visual perceptions but also prompts consideration into theories of motive surrounding the murder of Homer Barron. Modeled after the post-civil war era of the American south, Falkner transports the reader to the fictitious town of Jefferson and into the home of Miss Emily Grierson, a mysteriousRead MoreThe Creepy Old Lady By William Faulkner995 Words   |  4 PagesOld lady The old woman across the street is sleeping with her dead boyfriend. In the story â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† the author, William Faulkner, enlightens his readers about an old, burden of a woman named Emily. He goes back into time and list events in her life that led up to the shocking conclusion when the reader finds out she has been sleeping with her dead sweetheart. This main ending leaves all readers in shock and their stomachs a little weak. In my instance the story built up my curiosity withRead MoreUses of the Conventions of the Gothic Story in The Yellow Wallpaper and A Rose for Emily1467 Words   |  6 Pages In the eighteenth century, Gothic story was an extremely popular form of literature, and it has been a major genre since then. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner are both Gothic horror stories consisting madness and suspense. The Gothic horror story carries particular conventions in its setting, theme, point of view, and characterisation. Both Gilman and Faulkner follow the conventions of the Gothic horror story to create feelings of gloomRead MoreWilliam Faulkner s A Rose For Emily1316 Words   |  6 Pages There are many ways to read a piece of writing. A reader could take the work at face value, investigate and ponder ideas introduced, or closely examine each minuscule detail in the writing. In order to fully enjoy William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† readers must do the latter. Faulkner is a witty writer; some symbols are less obvious than others in his writing. To fully appreciate and obtain full meaning of the text readers must pay attention to his symbols and how they contribute to the greaterRead MoreMurder Has Always Been A Fascinating Element In Fiction1102 Words   |  5 Pagesunbalanced main characters in the two murder stories, The Cask of Amontillado and A Rose for Emily drive the plots of the stories. Montresor and Miss Emily, the murderers in each sto ry, engage the readers, allowing them to have a different perspective on their actions and similar motives of murder. A close examination of the way Montresor, the narrator of The Cask of Amontillado, and Miss Emily, the protagonist of A Rose for Emily, commit the action of murder towards their victims demonstrates how authorsRead More Importance of Human Interaction in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily1372 Words   |  6 PagesInteraction in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily Are human beings responsible for the well being of others that they come into contact with? William Faulkners story A Rose for Emily considers the significance that human interaction has or does not have on peoples lives. Faulkner creatively uses a shocking ending to cause readers to reevaluate their own interactions with others in their lives. Throughout the story, Faulkner uses characters that may relate to the readers more than they want to admitRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1552 Words   |  7 Pagesthe short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, the reader is given a glimpse of the internal conflict of the main character, living in the past, and the involvement of an over involved society causing the reader to look into the consciousness of an individual haunted by a past and lack of a future. The story is set in a post-Civil War town in the South. He is able to give the reader a glimpse of the practices and attitudes that had united the peopl e of the South. Emily is a vibrant and hopefulRead More Horror The Supernatural Genre Essay975 Words   |  4 Pagessupernatural evokes a more effective response from the reader. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a good example of horror which contains no supernatural elements. While pieces of the story contain the unusual or violate societal taboos the story conforms very much to the way in which we think the world operates. The reader could easily imagine that this story might really have occurred at some time. While the realism of the story makes it more plausible to the reader, it also lessens its effectiveness. TheRead MoreEssay about A Rose for Emily1634 Words   |  7 PagesFurthermore â€Å"A Rose For Emily† by William Faulkner and â€Å"Metamorphosis† by Franz Kafka were not on the top of my list. In my opinion, the stories were eye catching because of how the author made its characters react and respond toward the suspense and eeriness in certain parts of the climax of the stories. For example, in â€Å"A Rose For Emily† the ladies of the community said â€Å"We did not say she was crazy then. We believed that she had to do that† (Faulkner 81) These two lines were said about Emily after the

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Effect Of Music On Depression - 1007 Words

RESEARCH EVALUATION FORM NAME: Leah Ledtje DATE: October 27, 2015 1. Full citation in APA style: Chan, M. F., Chan, E. A., Mok, E., Tse, F. Y. K. (2009). Effect of music on depression levels and physiological responses in community-based older adults. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 18(1), 285-294. 2. Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of music on depression in elderly patients. 3. Research question(s) posed: 1) Does music intervention reduce depression levels for the elderly in the intervention group versus those in the control group? 2) Is there a considerable change in depression levels among the four time points for the elderly in each group? 3) Does music intervention make a difference in the reduction of physiological measures between the elderly in a music intervention group and those in a control group? 4) Are there considerable changes in physiological measures along four time points for the elderly in each group? 4. Setting of the study (geographic location, institutional surroundings and details): This study took place at a community daycare center in Hong Kong over a four week time period. 5. Participants: The study included 47 (23 music intervention, 24 control) male and female participants, who were aged 60 or over, from a community daycare center in Hong Kong. 6. What data were collected? (If historical, list the primary and secondary sources. If philosophical, list the premises) The participantsShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Music Therapy On The Rate Of Depression Essay855 Words   |  4 PagesObjective: In patients with recurrent episodes of depression, does music therapy reduce the recurrence rate? P = patients with recurrent episodes of depression I = music therapy C = no music therapy O = decrease in recurrence rate of depression Search Strategy: In order to answer this question, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MedLine, PsycInfo, PubMed, and ACU library databases were searched.   In addition, past reviews, articles and studies from government agencies in United States, UnitedRead MoreEffectiveness of Music Therapy Essay1564 Words   |  7 PagesMusic is composed of sounds intertwined with melody and rhythm that can have powerful effects on a person. It can help people focus on tasks or calm the mind. Research has shown that music has beneficial effects on the mind, body, and health of a person. A journal article by Rastogi, Solanki, and Zafar (2013) refers, on the contrary, to: ‘Controlled use of music and its influence on the human being in physiological, psychological, and emotional integration of the individual during treatment of anRead MoreThe Effects Of Music And Music Therapy On Mental Health1540 Words   |  7 PagesThe Effects of Music and Music Therapy on Mental Health A Review of Studies Done â€Å"The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) defines music therapy as ‘an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals’† (Barnett Shale, 2013, p.48). Music Therapy (MT) is shown to be able to help people with many different kinds of mental health problems such as anxiety, stress, and minorRead MoreThe American Music Therapy Association1529 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) defines music therapy as ‘an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals’† (Barnett Shale, 2013, p.48). Music Therapy (MT) is shown to be able to help people with many different kinds of mental health problems such as anxiety, stress, and minor cases of depression. There have been many studies done showing that MT is an effectiveRead MorePerioperative Case Study1302 Words   |  6 PagesSummary of Study Two: Perioperative Music and Its Effects on Anxiety, Hemodynamics, and Pain in Women Undergoing Mastectomy This second study delves into finding a cost-effective intervention with potentially minimal adverse reactions on perioperative patients, specifically of those diagnosed with breast cancer suffering with anxiety and pain. The diagnosis of breast cancer, especially in women brings on a slew of negative feelings due to the threat they feel on their life, change in body imageRead MoreMusic Therapy And Depression922 Words   |  4 Pagesthe findings to other populations. Anxiety and depression can also be relieved through music therapy and muscle relaxation training exercise; nurses can supervise patients several times through deep muscle relaxation (McGregor Antoni, 2009) and through tension relaxation exercise which can cultivate their abilities to perform the exercise by themselves (Stuart and Laraia, 2008). Music therapy refers to the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish mental relaxation (DeRead MoreJake Fuller. 05-16-2017. Hec 357. Music Therapy How It1621 Words   |  7 Pages05-16-2017 HEC 357 Music Therapy; How it effects emotional and physical health. Purpose of Study The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects that music therapy has individual and family health. The purpose of study relates directly to benefitting the community. Research Questions How can music therapy effect an individual with a disability? How does music therapy effect an individual’s emotions? How can music therapy help with health issues? Definitions and Terms Music Therapy- Music therapy is aRead MoreMusic Therapy On Depression Compared With Psychotherapy1000 Words   |  4 PagesOrganization, depression affects over 300 million people worldwide. Many treatments have been created to combat this disease, which at its worst results in suicide and death. Treatments often include psychotherapy and antidepressants. Researchers have been seeking other ways that depression can be treated. One such alternate treatment is music therapy. The application of music to treat depression in various patients has been proven to be equally or more successful than psychotherapy, therefore music therapyRead MoreMusic : Music And Mindfulness951 Words   |  4 PagesMusic and Mindfulness Music is vitally important to humans, and has played a role in society since the beginning of time. From the way that the wind whistles, or birds chirp, to the many new different types of music that exist in modern society. Music has a great impact on people’s minds and can impact the way they interact with one another. Mindfulness can be characterized as the state or quality of being aware of your surroundings. Music can help bring about vast mood changes and help people expressRead MoreThe Effects Of Music Therapy On Patients With Cancer910 Words   |  4 Pagesknown complete music compositions dating from about 2nd century B.C., an Epitaph believed to have been written by Seikilos himself while still alive. The (Seikilos) Epitaph has been translated from the original Greek of that period as: â€Å"As long as you live, shine feel no grief at all Life is short Life demands its toll† (Pilich). The interesting fact about this composition is that the tempo is expressive of â€Å"religious solemnity† (Pilich). Obviously one can comprehend the fact that music contains not

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Management Of Chronic Arthritis Pain In The Elderly †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Management Of Chronic Arthritis Pain In The Elderly. Answer: Introduction The assignment is the annotated bibliography pertaining to the chronic health condition. The aim of the annotated bibliography is to develop the critical analysis and the solution focused skills. The annotated bibliography is based on the critical evaluation of the evidence-based literature. For the purpose of the assignment, a chronic health condition is selected and a clinical practice issue related to chronic care nursing. The assignment deals with the arthritis in the aged-care setting. The issue with the chronic care nursing selected is the pain management. In order to guide the literature review a research question is developed. For annotated bibliography the completed search strategy is detailed. The annotated bibliography consists of summary and critical discussion. The bibliography consists of atleast 5 scholarly sources. It is followed by the synthesis of all the articles reviewed. Chronic health condition A chronic illness is the long term condition that has no complete cure and is associated with several comorbidities. One of the chronic health conditions that will be discussed in the paper is arthritis in the aged care setting. Rheumatoid arthritis, gout and osteoarthritis are the common problem faced by the elderly patients. Arthritis is the chronic disease that attacks women, men and children at any age. It damages the body joints causing intense pain and discomfort. The most commonly affected joints are the Knees, ankles, neck, back, hips, hands, wrists, fingers, ankles and toes (Walker, 2012). This chronic deforming disease and associated pain can render anyone disabled without proper treatment. Patients with this disease live in uncertainty about the unknown consequences in future. Some types of arthritis are difficult to diagnose. The treatment for arthritis usually consists of pain killers, anti-inflammatory disease and anti-rheumatic drugs. Apart from the pharmacological treatment, non-pharmacological treatment includes modification of lifestyle and pain management techniques. Some of the symptoms of the arthritis is so debilitating that the patients lose mobility and joints strength. The patients are thus forced to change the lifestyle to be able to manage the activities of daily living (Jia Jackson, 2016). Issue related to chronic care nursing The common challenge for the nurses caring for arthritis patients is the symptoms management such as pain and flares. On a daily basis in the emergency room it is heartbreaking to see the patents with arthritis. The patients arrive in ER with intense pain or flares. Middle aged men and women are most frequently encountered in the emergency room. Arthritis and ageing are associated with several comorbidities. It includes osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and malignancies. With the increasing aging population the prevalence of arthritis especially rheumatoid arthritis is estimated to increase (van Onna Boonen, 2016). These factors significantly hamper the management of arthritis. Over the years there is an increasing concern among the nurses failing to handle pain management concerns of the patients with arthritis. On the other hand, the elderly patients too lack the knowledge required to manage the symptoms, which is a challenge for nurses. As per the literature, there is inadequa te treatment of the pain as it tends to be underestimated. In the management of the patient care, the nurses act as mediator between the patients and the physicians. Nurses play a vital role in outpatient pain management. Pain management is centre in health care today given the opioid crisis (Fitzcharles, Lussier Shir, 2010). There is a lack of knowledge on factors acting as barriers for nurses to implement effective pain management strategies. The rationale for the chosen nursing issue is the experience observed from one of the relative suffering from the arthritis and dissatisfied with the pain management strategies. Patients satisfaction with pain control is known to be associated with the key contributions of the nurses. Thus, it is necessary to identify and understand the barriers of the nurses to manage pain symptoms of the arthritis patients. Search strategy: Research question The research question to guide the literature review as a part of the evidence based medicine, which involves developing a question based on the issues identified with the disease or the patient. Using the research question, evidence will be identified. The research question for the annotated bibliography is- What are the educational needs and barriers of the nurses caring for the patients with arthritis (gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis)? 2. The key topics expressed in the research question are the nursing education needs in caring for arthritis patients. The topic also expressed is the challenges faced/perceived by the nurses in caring for the arthritis patients. 3. Search terms The search terms used for extracting the research papers for annotated bibliography and narrowing the research are- Arthritis care, rheumatoid arthritis care, gout management, osteoarthritis, nursing care, arthritis nursing care, pain management arthritis, nursing educational needs for arthritis, nursing barriers for arthritis treatment, provider barriers in gout management, and patient and provider educational needs in osteoarthritis. For effective research the Boolean operators AND, OR and both were used. Databases used To find the best available literature the electronic databases searched were MEDLINE, Cochrane library, and Google scholar. The Cochrane and MEDLINE database are chosen as it is regularly updated. The hierarchy used for searching is the prospective cohort studies and then moving down to the case reports (Rollyson, 2016). The search was restricted to articles published in English language and between 2015-2018. 5. Database searched with keywords and phrases. A total of 110 articles obtained The articles were scanned for titles, and abstracts to determine the relevancy. It will help eliminate the irrelevant articles. For further elimination the full text articles are scanned to determine the relevancy. 6. The first 20-30 articles were related to dementia, knee arthoplasty, aged care setting and the challenges faced by the nurses in these areas. In addition there were some more papers on the recommendations for the arthritis management and patients barriers in arthritis management. There were a total of 67 articles and not many were relevant. Therefore, the search was refined by modifying the search terms. 7. For researching the databases the search terms used were: rheumatoid arthritis AND provider barriers, osteoarthritis AND nursing barriers, gout AND provider barriers, nurses training needs AND arthritis management, nurses educational needs AND caring arthritis, nurses educational needs AND rheumatoid arthritis OR osteoarthritis. These key terms further helped to narrow down the research. The search generated 33 relevant articles 8. The same databases were again used for extracting the research papers using the modified search terms. The inclusion criteria were research paper published between 2012-2018. The patients must be suffering from arthritis and includes nurses and the patients as the research participants. The study conducted in Australia as well as in other country is considered for broad perspective. The exclusion criteria were review papers, reflection reports and case reports. This further narrowed the search. Using these criterion 12 articles were excluded. The search then generated 21 articles and after scanning through titles, abstracts, and full text 16 articles were excluded. Finally five articles were selected for annotated bibliography considering it to be most appropriate. Annotated The study explored the patient and providers perception of the illness, which is gout. The study used qualitative research paradigm. Upon conducting the semi structured face-to-face interview with the patients and the nurses, it was found that the nurses had lack of knowledge about the nature of gout and its recommended management. The nurses failed to utilise the clinical guidelines for gout. The nurses were found to give only suboptimal information. It was due to lack of training and education of gout related best practice. Another barrier for nurses was lack of incentives to improve treatment and symptoms management. Based on the interview the patients too had misconceptions concerning the nature of gout. However, the findings of the study limit generalisability due to caveats and there is small sample size (Green et al., 2015). The strength of the paper is its implications with improving the standards of care and education needs in this condition. The overall text is well organis ed and the research objective is fulfilled. The cross-sectional survey intended to identify the educational needs of nurses caring for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The nurses respondents were found with less confidence in their skills and knowledge when caring for osteoarthritis patients. The method of investigation was appropriate considering the research objective. The nurses were incompetent in pain medication for the patients, advising patients on exercises and unsure about the symptoms management when caring for the rheumatoid arthritis patient. The study implies for future training that must contain key components like medication and joint protection. The study is based on adequate background research and the arguments are well supported with the relevant sources. The results are well explained with graphical illustrations and text is well organised. The survey however, had limitations like small sample size and the recruitment resembles that the professionals were already acquainted with the nurses. The char acteristics of the non respondents were not known thus, there must be bias in the interpretations of the results (Little Rubin, 2014). The nurses perceiving that they do not have the adequate knowledge and skills may not be related to the actual skills and knowledge. There is a need of objective assessment. The study described the kind of education needed by the nurses caring for patients of rheumatoid arthritis. The author conducted survey and analysed using the thematic and summative content analysis. It was found from the survey that the nurses demanded to strengthen their knowledge in medically reacted care. There was lack of knowledge among nurses about the medicine-based information about rheumatoid arthritis. Lack of continual and update education was perceived as a barrier by the nurses. Rheumatoid arthritis has considerable impact on the patients life and nurses need ever widening areas of knowledge (Walker, 2012). Only then nurses can provide the patients with suboptimal information. The overall study is well organised with supporting literature. The research objective was clearly defined; the methodology and the results were presented in easily understandable format. Owing to the difficulty in performing the summative content, the reliability of the paper may be doubted (Gree n et al., 2015). There are different natures of the expressions provided by the nurses and there may be difference in the exact amount of simplifications. The strength of the paper is the consistency in results with other sources. The study explored the nurses involvement in educating patient with rheumatoid arthritis. According to author, the important part of the nurses role is to provide the patient education in rheumatoid arthritis. Based on the qualitative study the nurses perceived educating the non-adherent patients as challenge. It was easy to educate the patients who were committed to their health. The non-adherent patients have different perception of the disease and acceptance, motivation and autonomy. As per the semi structured interview the nurses would be benefitted with more training on dealing with the non-adherent patients. The interview was not enough to understand the experiences faced by the nurses. As the interview is conducted only in one hospital the transferability is doubted. However, the study is helpful in addressing the research question. The results have an important implication which is strong involvement of nurses in patient education in rheumatoid arthritis. The results are valu able as it implies about nurses training to deal with non-adherent patients. Unlike other studies this study has opened a new ways of seeing a problem from the eye of non-adherent patients. The conclusion thus satisfies my own investigation. The method of investigation was appropriate considering it an exploratory study and it very well addresses the research objective. The study conducted cross-sectional descriptive correlational study to examine factors in gout patient affecting the adherence to urate-lowering therapy. The study results imply for nurses to learn skills to educate patients on mechanism of urate-lowering therapy and help them adhere to medication. It implies for the nurses to take lead in educating the gout suffering patients to help them adhere to the management. The results implies for nurses to learn skills to modify patients beliefs about medication. The study did well contribute to the limited research on gout patients issue with medication errors. The methodology of investigation is well justified as per research objectives. It implies for nurses the need to develop skills to explore the patients opinions and concerns about gout and ULT. Only with the help of proper training of nurses will be able to develop appropriate interventions. The limitations of the study include potential response bias, due to participants misinterpre tations of the questionnaire. Overall the study contributes well to the personal research question. Synthesis Based on the literature review the nurse barriers to care for arthritis patients are lack of knowledge, inability to provide optimal information to the patient on managing gout, rheumatoid or osteoarthritis, lack of skills among nurses in educating the non-adherent patients, insufficient medical information about the arthritis pain management, lack of incentives for nurses to manage the arthritis symptoms and patients confusion about the nature of the arthritis. These barriers also imply the training and educational needs of the nurses. Upon synthesising the relevant data, the educational needs of the nurses caring for the arthritis patients is a matter of serious concern. The training and educational programmes can address the knowledge gaps of the nurses, enhance the communication with clinicians and improve relationship with patients. The results aligns with the study of Edgerton et al. (2017), according to which adequate training and education will bring behaviour change among nu rses that in turn will increase patients adherence to arthritis management. It will also help nurses to engage in effective communication with patients. Having adequate education among nurses on arthritis management will allow nurses to manage the dissonant patient expectations and provide care that is consistent with the clinical practice guidelines. The results are appropriate and are also confirmed by study of Larsson et al. (2010). According to this study the when the nurses educate the patient about drugs; it gave the patients power, autonomy and security. Thus, it can be concluded that nurses must be well trained about the arthritis symptoms management and educated about skills to address the patients concerns. References Chua, X. H. J., Lim, S., Lim, F. P., Lim, Y. N. A., He, H. G., Teng, G. G. (2017). Factors influencing medication adherence in patients with gout: A descriptive correlational study.Journal of clinical nursing. DOI:10.1111/jocn.13918 Egerton, T., Diamond, L. E., Buchbinder, R., Bennell, K. L., Slade, S. C. (2017). A systematic review and evidence synthesis of qualitative studies to identify primary care clinicians' barriers and enablers to the management of osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis and cartilage,25(5), 625-638. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2016.12.002 Fall, E., Chakroun, N., Dalle, N., Izaute, M. (2013). Is patient education helpful in providing care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis? A qualitative study involving French nurses.Nursing health sciences,15(3), 346-352. DOI:10.1111/nhs.12042 Fitzcharles, M. A., Lussier, D., Shir, Y. (2010). Management of chronic arthritis pain in the elderly.Drugs aging,27(6), 471-490. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/11536530-000000000-00000 Green, C. A., Duan, N., Gibbons, R. D., Hoagwood, K. E., Palinkas, L. A., Wisdom, J. P. (2015). Approaches to mixed methods dissemination and implementation research: methods, strengths, caveats, and opportunities.Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research,42(5), 508-523. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0552-6 Jia, X., Jackson, T. (2016). Pain beliefs and problems in functioning among people with arthritis: a meta-analytic review.Journal of behavioral medicine,39(5), 735-756. DOI: 10.1007/s10865-016-9777-z Larsson, I., Arvidsson, S., Bergman, S., Arvidsson, B. (2010). Patients' perceptions of drug information given by a rheumatology nurse: a phenomenographic study.Musculoskeletal care,8(1), 36-45. DOI:10.1002/msc.16 Lillie, K., Ryan, S., Adams, J. (2013). The Educational Needs of Nurses and Allied Healthcare Professionals Caring for People with Arthritis: Results from a Cross?Sectional Survey.Musculoskeletal care,11(2), 93-98. DOI:10.1002/msc.1035 Little, R. J., Rubin, D. B. (2014).Statistical analysis with missing data(Vol. 333). John Wiley Sons. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=AyVeBAAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PT8dq=characteristics+of+the+non+respondents+were+not+known+thus,+there+must+be+bias+in+the+interpretations+of+the+results+ots=uyRU7GqVfzsig=z37i7gGdThpwe_P5cmtx4Pyz9Cs#v=onepageqf=false Rollyson, C. (2016).Biography: an annotated bibliography. Open Road Media. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=HbFgDAAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PT4dq=annotated+bibliography+of+the+literatureots=7NRgrZErtssig=Peo-fwl8akEHVAUinBqUhB72UB8#v=onepageq=annotated%20bibliography%20of%20the%20literaturef=false Romppanen, T., Rantanen, A., Kuokkanen, L., Roine-Mentula, K., Vuorinen, R., Suominen, T. (2015). The educational needs of nursing staff taking care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Journal of Nursing Education and Practice,5(8), 44. DOI:https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v5n8p44 Spencer, K., Carr, A., Doherty, M. (2012). Patient and provider barriers to effective management of gout in general practice: a qualitative study.Annals of the rheumatic diseases,71(9), 1490-1495. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2011-200801 Van Onna, M., Boonen, A. (2016). The challenging interplay between rheumatoid arthritis, ageing and comorbidities.BMC musculoskeletal disorders,17(1), 184.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-016-1038-3 Walker, J. (2012). Rheumatoid arthritis: role of the nurse and multidisciplinary team.British journal of nursing,21(6), 334-339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2012.21.6.334

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

John Stubbs Love And Role Playing In A Farewell To Arms John Stubbs Es

John Stubbs' "Love and Role Playing in A Farewell to Arms" John Stubbs' essay is an examination of the defense which he believes Henry and Catherine use to protect themselves from the discovery of their insignificance and "powerlessness...in a world indifferent to their well being..." He asserts that "role-playing" by the two main characters, and several others in the book, is a way to escape the realization of human mortality which is unveiled by war. Stubbs thinks that Hemingway utilized role-playing as a way to "explore the strengths and weaknesses of his two characters." Stubbs says that by placing Henry's ordered life in opposition to Catherine's topsy-turvy one, and then letting each one assume a role which will bring them closer together, Hemingway shows the pair's inability to accept "the hard, gratuitous quality of life." Stubbs begins by showing other examples, notably in In Our Time and The Sun Also Rises, in which Hemingway's characters revert to role-playing in order to escape or retreat from their lives. The ability to create characters who play roles, he says, either to "maintain self-esteem" or to escape, is one Hemingway exploits extraordinarily well in A Farewell to Arms and therefore it "is his richest and most successful handling of human beings trying to come to terms with their vulnerability." As far as Stubbs is concerned, Hemingway is quite blatant in letting us know that role-playing is what is occurring. He tells that the role-playing begins during Henry and Catherine's third encounter, when Catherine directly dictates what is spoken by Henry. After this meeting the two become increasingly comfortable with their roles and easily adopt them whenever the other is nearby. This is apparent also in that they can only successfully play their roles when they are in private and any disturbance causes the "game" to be disrupted. The intrusion of the outside world in any form makes their role-playing impossible, as evidenced at the race track i n Milan, where they must be alone. The people surrounding them make Catherine feel uncomfortable and Henry has to take her away from the crowd. He goes on to describe how it is impossible for them to play the roles when they are apart and how they therefore become more dependent upon each other's company. Stubbs goes on to explain how, "neither mistakes role-playing for a truly intimate relationship, but both recognize that it can be a useful device for satisfying certain emotional needs." He says that originally Henry and Catherine are playing the "game" for different reasons but eventually move to play it as a team. Henry is role-playing to regain the sense of order he has lost when he realizes the futility of the war and his lack of place in it. Catherine is role-playing to deal with the loss of her fiance and to try to find order in the arena of the war. When they are able to role-play together, "the promise of mutual support" is what becomes so important to them as they try to cope with their individual human vulnerability. He also analyzes the idyllic world introduced early in the story by the priest at the mess and later realized by Henry and Catherine in Switzerland. They fall fully into their roles when they row across the lake on their way to their idealized world. The fact that they actually are able to enter this make-believe world strengthens their "game" and allows it to continue longer than it would have otherwise. And once they are in this new world they adopt new roles which allow them to continue their ruse. They also need to work harder to maintain the "game" because far from the front they are both still aware the war is proceeding and they are no longer a part of it. The world in which they exist in reality (!) is not conducive to role-playing because it tries repeatedly to end their "game". Stubbs manages to uncover numerous instances in which the two are role-playing and he makes a very interesting case that this is exactly what they are doing and not just his imagination reading into the story. He does make certain assumptions, that their love is not "real",

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Freedom Fighters free essay sample

The British colonial authorities derogatorily called the great leader as Father of the Indian unrest. He was also conferred with the honorary title of Lokmanya, which literally means Accepted by the people (as their leader). Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of Swaraj (self-rule) in Indian consciousness.  As one of the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement, he was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the 1930s and ’40s. Nehru established parliamentary government and became noted for his â€Å"neutralist† policies in foreign affairs. The son of the wealthy barrister and politician Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru became a leader of the left wing of the Congress when fairly young. Rising to become Congress President under the mentorship of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Nehru was a charismatic and radical leader, advocating complete independence for India from the British Empire. He is often referred to as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Born to a Jat Sikh family which had earlier been involved in revolutionary activities against the British Raj, Singh, as a teenager, became an atheist and had studied European revolutionary movements. We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom Fighters or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He also became attracted to anarchism and marxist ideologies. He became involved in numerous revolutionary organizations. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and became one of its leaders, converting it to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). She was not allowed to adopt a successor after his death by the British, and Jhansi was annexed. With the outbreak of the Revolt she became determined to fight back. She used to go into the battlefield dressed as a man. Holding the reins of there horse in her mouth she used the sword with both hands. Under her leadership the Ranis troops showed undaunted courage and returned shot for shot. Considered by the British as the best and bravest military leader of rebels this sparkling epitome of courage died a heros death in the battlefield. The first name that comes to mind is that of the famous Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. His response to her fiery speech brought into her life the impact of a visionary who saw in her oratory and brilliance a leader of the future. The period from 1917 to 1919 was the most dynamic phase of Sarojinis career. During this time, she campaigned for the Montagu Chelmsford Reforms, the Khilafat issue, the draconian Rowlett Act and the Satyagraha. When Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement ,she proved a faithful lieutenant. With great courage she quelled the rioters, sold proscribed literature, addressed frenzied meetings on the carnage at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. In 1930 when Mahatma Gandhi chose her to lead the Salt Satyagraha the stories of her courage became legion. After Gandhis arrest she had prepared 2,000 volunteers under the scorching sun to raid the Dahrsana Salt Works, while the police faced them half a mile up the road with rifle, lathis (canes) are steel tipped clubs. The volunteers wildly cheered when she shook off the arm of the British police officer who came to arrest her and marched proudly to the barbed wire stockade where she was interned before being imprisoned. Freedom struggle was in full force and she came under the influence of Gopalakrishna Gokhale and Gandhi. She was a leader of Womens Satyagraha for which she was imprisoned. She helped her husband in the cause of Indigo workers in Champaran, Bihar and the No Tax Campaign in Kaira, Gujarat. She was arrested twice for picketing liquor and foreign cloth shops, and in 1939 for participating in the Rajkot Satyagraha. Born to Gokuladas Makharji of Porbandar. Kasturba married Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) through arrangement. They were both 13 years old. At that time, she was illiterate, and so Gandhi taught her to read and write — a potentially radical move, given the position of women in India at that time. When Gandhi left to study in London in 1888, she remained in India to raise their newborn son Harilal. She had three more sons Manilal (1892), Ramdas (1897), and Devdas (1900). In 1906, Mohandas Gandhi decided to practice brahmacharya, and the couple became celibate. Although she stood by her husband, she did not always easily accept his ideas. Gandhi had to work hard to persuade her to see (and agree to) his points of view. Kasturba was deeply religious. Like her husband, she renounced all caste distinctions and lived in ashrams. Kasturba often joined her husband in political protests. She traveled to South Africa in 1897 to be with her husband. From 1904 to 1914, she was active in the Phoenix Settlement near Durban. During the 1913 protest against working conditions for Indians in South Africa, Kasturba was arrested and sentenced to three months in a hard labor prison. Later, in India, she sometimes took her husbands place when he was under arrest. In 1915, when Gandhi returned to India to support indigo planters, Kasturba accompanied him. She taught hygiene, discipline, reading and writing to women and children. Kasturba suffered from chronic bronchitis. She became an active member of Congress Party after marriage and participated in public processions during the Salt Satyagraha. She was arrested on the charge that she was a vagrant and hence not released in 1931 under the Gandhi-Irwin Pact which stipulated release of all political prisoners. Other women co-prisoners refused to leave the premises unless she was also released and gave in only after Mahatma Gandhi intervened. A public agitation secured her release. In 1932, she was held prisoner at the Tihar Jail where she protested the indifferent treatment of political prisoners by launching a hunger strike. Her efforts resulted in an improvement of conditions in the Tihar Jail but she was moved to Ambala and was subjected to solitary confinement. She was politically not very active after her release. Her father Upendranath Ganguly hailed from Barisal district of Eastern Bengal but settled in the United Province. He was a restaurant owner and a very adventurous man. Mother Ambalika Devi was the daughter of Trailokyanath Sanyal,a renowned Brahmo leader who wrote many beautiful brahmo hyms. Upendranath Gangulys younger brother Dhirendranath Ganguly (D G) was one of the earliest film directors. Another brother Nagendranath, a soil biologist was married to Rabindranath Tagores only surviving daughter Mira Devi though they got separated after sometime. Her sister, Purnima Banerjee was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India. On August 8, 1942, the AICC passed the Quit India resolution at the Bombay session. The government responded by arresting the major leaders and all members of the Congress Working Committee and thus tried to pre-empt the movement from success. A young Aruna Asaf Ali presided over the remainder of the session on 9 August and hoisted the Congress flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan. This marked the commencement of the movement. The police fired upon the assembly at the session. Aruna was dubbed the Heroine of the 1942 movement for her bravery in the face of danger and was called Grand Old Lady of the Independence movement in her later years. Despite absence of direct leadership, spontaneous protests and demonstrations were held all over the country, as an expression of desire of India’s youth to achieve independence. Aruna Asaf Ali was awarded International Lenin Peace Prize for the year 1964. She was awarded India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, posthumously in 1997.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Italian Preterite Perfect Tense - Trapassato Remoto

Italian Preterite Perfect Tense - Trapassato Remoto You’ve learned about the passato remoto tense, which is the one you use in literature or to talk about events that happened in history. But you have also learned the trapassato remoto tense? As you’ll see below, it’s a tense for students who are more advanced in their studies. It’s used primarily in literary contexts and is known in English as the preterite perfect. It’s a compound tense formed with the passato remoto of the auxiliary verb avere or essere and the past participle of the acting verb. For example, a sentence like the one below, in a literary context, would require the trapassato remoto. As soon as Julia had gone down the stairs, she left the building. - Dopo che Giulia ebbe sceso le scale, uscà ¬ dal palazzo. â€Å"Ebbe sceso† comes from the conjugated verb â€Å"essere - to be† and â€Å"sceso† is the past participle of the verb â€Å"scendere - to go down.† The action indicated by the verb scendere (to descend- conjugated in the past perfect) occurs prior to the action indicated by the verb uscire (to exit, to leave- conjugated in the passato remoto). The past perfect is a verb form that is used to refer to events, experiences, or facts that happened or were already completed before a point of reference in the past. In each sentence set in the trapassato remoto, you will encounter an expression of time, such as the following: appena (barely), dopo che (as soon as), or finchà © non (up until). For example: Partirono, quando ebbero ricevuto la notizia. - They were leaving when they received the notice.Renata entrà ², appena Giorgio fu uscito. - Renata entered just after Giorgio had left.Andà ² a casa, quando ebbe finito di lavorare. - He went home when he had finished working.Dopo che ebbe letto quel libro, lei ne comprà ² uno nuovo. - After she had read that book, she bought a new one.Non appena ebbi iniziato a guidare, ebbi bisogno di usare il bagno. - As soon as I started driving, I had to use the bathroom. Most verbs of the second conjugation are irregular in the passato remoto tense. To see how avere and essere are conjugated in the remote past tense, see the table below. TRAPASSATO REMOTO OF THE VERB AVERE Person Singular Plural I (io) ebbi (noi) avemmo II (tu) avesti (voi) aveste III (lui, lei, Lei) ebbe (loro, Loro) ebbero TRAPASSATO REMOTO OF THE VERB ESSERE Person Singular Plural I (io) fui (noi) fummo II (tu) fosti (voi) foste III (lui, lei, Lei) fu (loro, Loro) furono Note that if the verb requires â€Å"essere,† then you must change the ending of the past participle to agree with the subject in gender and number. For example: Dopo che le ragazze furono salite sull’autobus, si sedettero. - After the girls got on the bus, they sat down. The past participle â€Å"salire† ends in an -e because the subject is a group of girls. Click here to read more about gender and number agreement.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Fences by August Wilson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fences by August Wilson - Essay Example Upon the analysis and criticism of Wilson’s play, the arguments of Birdwell are evident. Therefore, the assertions of Birdwell are valid according to the nature of events in the Wilson’s play. Some of the fences outlined in the paly are realistic. There are events that manifest real life fences in the play. The realistic fences in this story dominantly manifest defensive features. For instance, Rose requires a fence that engulfs her homestead (Janet, 20). This was a realistic fence that was constructed by Bono and Troy upon a request from Rose. The major purpose of this fence was to defend Rose’s family. Evidently, this fence had a key objective of defense. There is a fence that defines the perimeter of the baseball field. Troy and other playmates maintain the game within the defined confinements (Janet, 35). In this context, the fence plays a defensive role as they prevent interruptions of the game. The real fences are as well evident in mental hospitals. In this case, they play a defensive role as they protect occupants within the hospital. Real fences in the story do not require a deep analysis and evaluation. They are obvious observations in the events of the p lay. They are clearly evidenced in the play. Apart from the real fences, there are metaphorical fences as well. These fences exist in the play to convey certain implications. Therefore, they are not obvious revelations in the story. The identification of these fences requires an analysis and critical response towards the play. In this case, there are diverse events and features of the play that portray existence of fences. Metaphorical fences in this play are dynamic. They manifest both defensive and obstructive roles according to the context they are placed. In this case, the metaphorical fences have a major role of communicating the themes of the play. Upon criticism, the metaphorical fences convey essential themes of the play. Diversity in generations is a manifestation of metaphorical

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Competition and Competition Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Competition and Competition Policy - Essay Example As the essay discusses Blue Beer plc is an important producer of beer in Newcastle. Statistics shown that Blue Beer plc accounts for some 12% of all beer sold in the United Kingdom but that its Bluelite plc is especially successful and accounts for 40% of all non-alcoholic beer consumed in the UK. Blue Beer has been negotiating with County Beers Ltd with a view to merger. County Beers is the principal other producer of non-alcoholic beers and after merger the new company, British County Blue, will control 65% of the market in non-alcoholic bee. According to the paper findings the overall policy of the European Union of competitive practices is as follows – â€Å"In a free market, business is a competitive game. Sometimes, companies may be tempted to avoid competing with each other and try to set their own rules for the game. At times, a major player in the game may try to squeeze its competitors out of the market. The European Commission acts as the referee to ensure that all companies play by the same rules. This discussion stresses that markets started being highly competitive and this forced businesses to pursue ways and means to survive and grow. Price cutting, mergers and acquisitions, and formation of cartels began to be accepted as a way to keep away competition. Monopolies or monopolistic tendencies began to be seen in the market creating unfair competition for smaller players.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Art History and Appreciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art History and Appreciation - Essay Example The whims and fancies of the mysterious race of women fighters have been well depicted through the painting "The Battle of Amazons". Excellent use of color combination and images can capture the mind of an onlooker. The submissiveness and resistance of the women folk reveal more clearly and artistically in the given painting. The journal article entitled: "Comparison of The Heart of the Andes, The Volga Boatmen and the Battle of the Amazons Paintings" by Steven Nickerson shares his view about the painting. The author remarks; "Amazons were a mysterious race of women - warriors who hated men and kept them as slaves for hard works." Content HomeArts & Entertainment (Nickerson, Steven, 2008). Fredrick Edwin Church's "The Heart of the Andes" depicts an excellent combination of dark colors which express a dark and sorrowful mood. The beautiful picture of the landscape constitutes effective examples of symbolism. The flowing river, falling trees, and the mourning people are symbolizing the inevitable struggle between life and death. The online article entitled: "The Heart of the Andes" states: "The picture caused such a sensation that people waited for hours in line to approach it on the last day of the exhibit" (Church, E. Frederic., n. d.). Like, "The Battle of Amazons" it also explores several inner meanings.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Kretchmars Five Types Of Dualism

Kretchmars Five Types Of Dualism The classical emphasis emerged from one of the most famous Greek philosophers dialogue, Platos Phaedo. Plato believed that the most important things are not the material or physical entities but the eternal Forms. He also stated that the bodies and physical matters are just imperfect replicas of such Forms. Aristotle, one of Platos students did not believe in the Platonic Forms. Aristotle argued that the body is far more important than the mind and the soul (the mind) do not exist. His forms are the property of things and the things existing in those things. This made it easier for Aristotle to explain the body and soul union by saying that the soul is nothing more than form of the body. Due to this reasoning, by Aristotle arguments the soul is something material because it is a property of the body. Aristotle argument and theory led to many interpreters, ancient and modern, to interpret Aristotle theory as materialistic. The more modern version of dualism has their origin and is associated Rene Descartes Meditations. Descartes was known to be a substance dualist. He states that there are two types of substance, the matter which the essential property is spatially extended and the mind which is the essential property that do the thinking. In very recent history, Scott Kretchmar divided Descartes dualism into five kinds. These five kinds are: Substance Value Knowledge Language Behaviour Substance Dualism: Substance is at the heart of the dualistic thinking and practise. Dualists argue that the mind (soul) and the body are two radically different things. The body is seen just like another object, it is like on the same level of a football, water and rocks. When we see the body from this perspective, the body can be used, manipulated, dissected and treated like any other object. Since the body is seen as an object, then the body is just a machine made of joints which move using the levers and force. Like any other physical object the body obey and use the laws of physics. The substance dualists also acknowledge thinking. Thought is not like the matter. Matter has shape, colour and obey laws. Thinking or the mind or the soul does not have colour, size, form or shape and do not observe physics laws. The mind obeys the logic rules and coherence. Substance dualism does acknowledge that the body and mind interact. These dualists also acknowledge that the body affect the mind and vice versa. While the connection between the mind and the body is very difficult to explain, but through scientific experiments and personal experience the body and the mind do affect each other. Value Dualism: Value dualism grounded deep in substance dualism. Value dualists see the human as being the mind and the body. Plato placed the thoughts, perfection and ideas over the body, above the mediocrity and emotions. Plato continued his theoretical argument that the body at its best serve as a compliment to the mind and helping the mind to acquire more intellect and knowledge. At the same time, he stated that at worst the body will hinder the mind from gather more knowledge due to our carnal nature and desire. If this happens, it will be the source of our animal instinct, emotion disturbance and perceptual errors and then peak result will be pain and death. Plato stated that our physical senses may perceive things in a wrong way and therefore our senses will transmit to the mind wrong messages and the knowledge transmitted can be negatively influencing the mind. Value dualists; value the mind over the body, with the body being the source of all evil. But this raise some questions, such as, does all the evil come from the body? Impure thoughts, such as, excessive anger and greed does not disturb the acquisition of knowledge? Is this evil which originated and circulated in the mind without any help from the body? Knowledge Dualism: Knowledge dualism is divided into two categories, the knowing and the knowing how. The knowing is pure knowledge, pure understanding of things. The knowledge of why some things work better than others, why things occur in such a way and order. Knowledge of why we feel better after a good session of training, why our cardiovascular system improves in functionality with regular training. The knowledge of knowing how is purely procedural. This kind of knowledge help people and athletes perform better skills. A great football player can kick the ball with so meticulousness that if he is ask how he did it he wont be able to explain what he did. The player will be at a level of knowledge of kicking the ball that for him it will be hard to explain the complexity of the angle of the foot, the power in the kick and the position of the supporting leg. This happens because it so natural for him to do that and cannot explain why and how. People with this kind of dualism do not really understand what they are doing and this will compromise the value of accomplishments. Behaviour Dualism: Gilbert Ryle in his book The Concept of Mind describes behaviour dualism is a type of value dualism because it climaxes the requirement of the body as a machine and the mind as an operator. This kind of dualism suggests that all actions has a dual process. The process of thinking followed by the process of doing. These dualists beliefs are similar to the valuelists because they believe that since the body is only a machine it cant function on its own. Therefore; since the body is only a machine, it must awaits for commands from the mind. The behavioural dualism point of view is that the mind and the body are in an unbalanced relationship where the body depends totally on the mind. Language Dualism: Language dualism is similar to the behaviour dualism and is considered as a value type dualism. This kind of dualism focuses on symbolism focuses on an image or an action and such action or images stand for something else. According to Ernst Cassirer in his book Philosophy of Symbolic Form (1944), the achievement of using symbols is what makes us human beings. This is also considered as a trademark for human beings and this hallmark distinguishes us from all the other lower life forms. This kind of dualism is divided into two major groups, intellectual and non-intellectual. The intellectual group consists of poems, prose and other writing and spoken form. This group also include any mathematical symbols used in physics and other sciences. Since these are considered intellectual, these factors are at the heart of most of IQ tests, SRT and other intelligence and academic testing. These are used because they are considered as they are thought to show the mind workings at its best. The other group is the non-intellectual. Paintings, music and sports are found under this category. Because these form part of the non-intellectual group, these are given a lesser academic rating and importance.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Avicenna (Ibn Sina) Essay

Abu ‘Ali al-Husayn ibn Sina is better known in Europe by the Latinized name â€Å"Avicenna. † He is probably the most significant philosopher in the Islamic tradition and arguably the most influential philosopher of the pre-modern era. Born in Afshana near Bukhara in Central Asia in about 980, he is best known as a polymath, as a physician whose major work the Canon (al-Qanun fi’l-Tibb) continued to be taught as a medical textbook in Europe and in the Islamic world until the early modern period, and as a philosopher whose major summa the Cure (al-Shifa’) had a decisive impact upon European scholasticism and especially upon Thomas Aquinas (d. 274). Primarily a metaphysical philosopher of being who was concerned with understanding the self’s existence in this world in relation to its contingency, Ibn Sina’s philosophy is an attempt to construct a coherent and comprehensive system that accords with the religious exigencies of Muslim culture. As such, he may be considered to be the first major Islamic philosopher. The philosophical space that he articulates for God as the Necessary Existence lays the foundation for his theories of the soul, intellect and cosmos. Furthermore, he articulated a development in the philosophical enterprise in classical Islam away from the apologetic concerns for establishing the relationship between religion and philosophy towards an attempt to make philosophical sense of key religious doctrines and even analyse and interpret the Qur’an. Recent studies have attempted to locate him within the Aristotelian and Neoplatonic traditions. His relationship with the latter is ambivalent: although accepting some keys aspects such as an emanationist cosmology, he rejected Neoplatonic epistemology and the theory of the pre-existent soul. However, his metaphysics owes much to the â€Å"Amonnian† synthesis of the later commentators on Aristotle and discussions in legal theory and kalamon meaning, signification and being. Apart from philosophy, Avicenna’s other contributions lie in the fields of medicine, the natural sciences, musical theory, and mathematics. In the Islamic sciences (‘ulum), he wrote a series of short commentaries on selected Qur’anic verses and chapters that reveal a trained philosopher’s hermeneutical method and attempt to come to terms with revelation. He also wrote some literary allegories about whose philosophical value recent cholarship is vehemently at odds. His influence in medieval Europe spread through the translations of his works first undertaken in Spain. In the Islamic world, his impact was immediate and led to what Michot has called â€Å"la pandemie avicennienne. † When al-Ghazali led the theological attack upon the heresies of the philosophers, he singled out Avicenna, and a generation later when the Shahrastani gave an account of the doctrines of the philosophers of Islam, he relied upon the work of Avicenna, whose metaphysics he later attempted to refute in his Struggling against the Philosophers (Musari‘at al-falasifa). Avicennan metaphysics became the foundation for discussions of Islamic philosophy and philosophical theology. In the early modern period in Iran, his metaphysical positions began to be displayed by a creative modification that they underwent due to the thinkers of the school of Isfahan, in particular Mulla Sadra (d. 1641).

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Chapter 9: Implementing Strategy Through Organizational Design

Organizational Design – The process through which managers select the combination of organizational structure and control systems that they believe will enable the company to create and sustain a competitive advantage. Coordinate and motivate employees To create valueand Obtain a competitive advantage Koontz and O’Donnell The Process School of Management Planning Organizing Staffing Directing Controlling Building blocks of organizational structure Differentiation Vertical – how much authority to delegate Horizontal – how to divide people Into functions and divisions Integration – coordinate people and functions To accomplish organizational goals and tasks Tall structure (7 – 10 levels) Flat structure (2 – 4 levels) Tall Structure Problems Coordination Information distortion Motivation Too many middle managers McKinsey Consulting Company Increased height of company organization structures Presidents Office President of each division Centralization or Decentralization (tending toward) Decentralization 1. Delegate decision making authority to middle and lower level managers 2. Adapt to local conditions. Promotes flexibility 3. Fewer managers needed Centralization 1. Facilitates coordination and planning 2. Decisions fit broad organizational objectives Management Policy – Guidelines for decision making are made at highest levels And passed down to lower levels Horizontal Differentiation – How to group tasks and activities to meet strategies Functional Structure – Grouping by expertise. Most U. S. firms have a functional structure Advantages Good place to learn Easy to control Effective and efficient Disadvantages Geographical diversion causes duplication of people and costs Communication problems Measurement problems Location problems Strategic problems Product Structure – Group by product line. Product Team structure Matrix Management Concurrent Design Methodology Cross-functional teams Geographic Structure Multidivisional Structure Self-contained product line or business unit (Operating responsibility) Corp headquarters staff. Financial Control. (Strategic Responsibility) Advantages of Multidivisional Structure Enhanced corporate financial control Strategic control Growth Internal efficiency Disadvantages of a Multidivisional Structure Establish Division-Corporate authority levels GM and Alfred Sloan Litton Industries Distortion of information Competition for resources Transfer pricing (GE example) Focus on short-term High operating costs All functions are in each division Integration and Organizational Control Forms in Integrating Mechanisms 1. Direct contact 2. Interdepartmental liaison roles 3. Temporary task forces – ad hoc committees 4. Permanent teams – standing committees 5. Integrating roles Differentiation and Integration The Nature of Organizational Control 1. Monitor 2. Evaluate 3. Compare actual to goals 4. Take corrective action Strategic Controls Financial controls Stock Sales Growth ROI Profit Output Controls Set Goals Measure output performance against goals Behavior Control – Rules and Procedures Common controls 1. Operating budgets 2. Standardization 3. Rules and procedures 4. Organizational Culture a. Values – beliefs and goals b. Norms – Expectations for behavior Culture and Strategic Leadership Walt Disney example

Friday, November 8, 2019

Hama Rules - Syrian Massacre of Muslim Brotherhood

Hama Rules - Syrian Massacre of Muslim Brotherhood Hama is Syrias fourth largest city after Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs. It is located in the northwestern part of the country. In the early 1980s, it was a stronghold of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, which was working to topple the minority, Alawite regime of then-Syrian President Hafez el Assad. In February 1982, Assad ordered his military to demolish the city. New York Times reporter Thomas Friedman called the tactic Hama Rules. Answer Syrian President Hafez el Assad took power in a military coup on November 16, 1970, when he was the minister of defense. Assad was an Alawite, a splinter Islamic sect that makes up about 6 percent of the Syrian population, which is predominantly Sunni Muslim, with Shiites, Kurds and Christians forming other minorities. Sunnis make up more than 70 percent of the population. As soon as Assad took over, the Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood began to plan for his overthrow. By the late 1970s, a slow-simmer, but persistently violent guerilla war was being waged against Assads regime as bombs went off outside Syrian government buildings or Soviet advisers or members of Assads ruling Baath Party were shot in frequent attacks or taken hostage. Assads regime responded with abductions and assassinations of its own. Assad himself was the target of an assassination attempt on June 26, 1980, when Muslim Brotherhood threw two hand grenades at him and opened fire when Assad was hosting the Mali head of state. Assad survived with a foot injury: hed kicked away one of the grenades.​ Within hours of the assassination attempt, Rifaat Assad, Hafezs brother, who controlled the states Defense Companies, sent 80 members of those forces to Palmyra Prison, where hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members were being held. According to Amnesty International, the soldiers were divided into groups of 10 and, once inside the prison, were ordered to kill the prisoners in their cells and dormitories. Some 600 to 1,000 prisoners are reported to have been killed. ... After the massacre, the bodies were removed and buried in a large common grave outside the prison. That was just a warm-up for what was to come later, as surprise searches of Muslim Brotherhood households became frequent, as did curbside executions in Hama, as well as torture. The Muslim Brotherhood stepped up its attacks, murdering dozens of innocent people. In February 1982, Friedman wrote in his book, From Beirut to Jerusalem, President Assad decided to end his Hama problem once and for all. With his sad eyes and ironic grin, Assad always looked to me like a man who had long ago been stripped of any illusions about human nature. Since fully taking power in 1970, he has managed to rule Syria longer than any man in the post-World War II era. He has done so by always playing by his own rules. His own rules, I discovered, were Hama Rules. On Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 1 a.m., the assault on Hama, a Muslim Brotherhood stronghold, began. It was a cold, drizzly night. The city turned into a scene of civil war as Muslim Brotherhood gunmen immediately responded to the attack. When close-quarter combat looked to disadvantage the Syrian forces of Rifaat Assad, he turned tanks loose on Hama, and over the next several weeks, large parts of the city were demolished and thousands executed or killed in the battles. When I drove into Hama at the end of May, Friedman wrote, I found three areas of the city that had been totally flattenedeach the size of four football fields and covered with the yellowish tint of crushed concrete. Some 20,000 people were killed at Assads orders. That is Hama Rules.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

When a Man loves a woman essays

When a Man loves a woman essays In the movie When a Man Loves a Woman it is about a woman who has a problem with drinking and gets put into rehab and when she gets out of rehab her and her husband start to have problems and separate, then they realize their problems and decide to give it another try. In the beginning of the film Michael does not know that there are problems in their marriage because Alice is impersonal and is not communicating her feelings with him, she counts on alcohol to take her problems away. Some of her problems are that Michael has decision control over the children, he undermines her authority and belittles her in front of them, and that her mother criticizes her all the time. When she tries to talk to him about how she feels when he goes away on trips he doesnt talk about it, he just says that when he comes back that they will take a trip to get away. When they go on the trip they start to metacommunicate. When she goes into the hospital she becomes more interpersonal by telling him about hiding the alcohol and hitting her daughter. After Alice gets out of rehab she sits down and tells Michael to ask her anything. He asks how it all got started, she tells him that no one really knows, that it could be that her father was an alcoholic or that maybe it was the fact that her mom made her feel like she was a nobody. Her self-concept about herself is that she is guilty, sad, depressed, frustrated, confused and that she would like to feel happy for once. The reflected appraisal comes from her mothers comments, her mother would blame Alices lapses on her father. The motive of Alices drinking is her mothers comments and her husbands stereotyping by taking her on trips. Towards the end of the movie when he comes homes and sees Gary there. He goes upstairs and she goes up after Gary leaves. They start talking and the talking turns into punctuation when she blames him for Gary leaving. Af ...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Species Divergence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Species Divergence - Essay Example physiology, the mode of interaction with its environment, nutrition regime, etc. While evolutionist ideas may be discerned in several pre-modern scholars’ ruminations, it was only with the advent of the 18th century Enlightenment that modern evolutionary theories formed, with that of Charles Darwin soon taking the pre-eminent place among them. The formation of currently mainstream version of evolutionary biology was immensely helped by the respective advances in the fields of genetics and molecular biology, which helped define the organic basis for evolutionary processes. From a biological organization point of view, evolution proceeds on a species level, as individuals comprising a species do not themselves evolve over the course of their lifespan. However, the results of their interaction with the environment enable the accumulation of new heritable responses within their genotype structures, giving rise to a process of natural selection. The latter, in its turn, conditions the changes in the species’ phenotype (i.e. the complex of biological features). Natural selection may be properly defined as a gradual process of genetic variation whereby the individuals with most favorable gene combinations are more frequently able to transplant their genes to subsequent generations of a species, so that their descendants will define the face of their species. While natural selection process is individual, being transmitted across a species only indirectly, it is genotype of a species as a whole that it impacts on, so that heritable changes in those individuals’ genotypes that are favored by natural selection are spread to the subsequent generations of a species as a whole. The mechanisms of natural selection are varied; however, some of them may be assigned more prominent roles in its perpetration. Of those, ecological selection, with an emphasis on fitting with one’s biological environment, and sexual selection, with an individual’s fecundity and ability to find prospective sexual partners as a key factor, may be considered the primary ones. In turn, these mechanisms may be sub-divided into more specific methods of selection, with, e.g., ecological selection encompassing the mechanisms of intraspecies competition, kin selection, etc., and sexual selection including those of intrasexual selection, intersexual selection (sexual dimorphism), etc. b. Evidence for biological evolution is manifold and comprises the number of data from different scientific disciplines. Within the context of this essay, five types of this evidence will be examined. Plate tectonics. The discovery of the movements of plates in the 20th century laid to rest the notion of unchangeable nature of Earth’s tectonics, contributing to an idea of nature’s propensity for change. On a more specific level, Charles Lyell’s studies on the impact of climatological and geological changes on the distribution of species, with specific emphasis on extinct flora, led the researchers to conclude that movements of large land masses lead to conversion of climates, which meant that animal and plant species had to be dynamic entities, the spatial distribution whereof changes in accordance with the changes of topography brought about by geological agents. Consequently, the changes in floras and faunas were decisively connected with the corresponding shifts of land masses, contributing to the development of an idea of ecological selection. Biogeography. The research in the connection between plate tectonics and changes in life on Earth that was referred to above has been directly connected with the research in the field of biogeography. Such scientists as Edward Forbes, Wallace and Willer Matthew conducted an extensive research in the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Business Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business Project Management - Essay Example However, with increased competition, widespread use of project management theories and processes in day to day functioning of businesses and blurring departmental and functional boundaries, projects are now considered no less than strategic processes underpinning theories and concepts of leadership, strategy, culture, communication, integration and appropriate know-how of relevant systems. This report aims at delving deep into this transformed outlook towards project management approach and how these management functions are shaping the traditional structure of project management into an amalgamation of project, change and process management. With the inclusion of relationship management, risk management, people satisfaction and motivation, empowerment and creativity; project management in itself is turning into a specialised body of knowledge comprising of the vital elements of management, strategy, human resources and operations. To demonstrate this tectonic shift, examples of vari ous projects ranging from big construction to IT ones have been taken so that theories and concepts can be understood in real life terms. ... Projects are time-bound, focus on a single time process and are usually complex in nature because of mingling of several distinct and unrelated functions. Limitation of time, cost and resources add to the characteristics of projects. On the contrary, processes are repeatable and do not suffer from limitations which are present in project management. Homogeneity is also more dominant in process management than do in project management. Traditional approach to project management Traditionally, projects used to be differentiated from that of processes because of superficial differences identified between the two. Their scope, extent of penetration in organization’s philosophy and strategy, resource allocation, level of inter-dependence of different functions and activities within the management of two and results achieved thereof lead to the misconception that projects cannot assume the status of processes and vice-versa. Typical project management cycle includes stereotypic phas es defined as requirements analysis, resource management, project methodology, risk management and project closure. These phases are technical in nature with clear specifications of roles, duty, inputs and respective outputs. They do not recognize the evolving nature of business place and components of business management like planning, controlling, decision making and more contemporary functions of management namely leadership, strategy, cultural ramifications, knowledge of systems and overall congruence with the components of process management. This makes the traditional approach to project management short of fulfilling the current needs of business and unique propositions. Evolved components of project management Prosci (2011) specifically highlights the tripartite nature of project

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Outline in a 1,500 words the characteristics of Social Media and Coursework

Outline in a 1,500 words the characteristics of Social Media and Generation Y and the close relationship between the two with a case example - Coursework Example 89). The paper will reveal the characteristics of social media and the generation Y and will advance to show the close linkage between social media and this generation based on a case example on how social media has facilitated product e-marketing and will go a notch higher to reveal the pros and cons resulting from e-marketing such as increased sales and fraudulent and scamming acts through giving a platform for the scammers and the fraudsters which are mainly the generation Y’s component. Identity distortion is a major issue in social media as people misuse this platform and hide their identities as they try to investigate on other peoples’ ware bouts and will get every detail of the targeted people which is later used to advance their ill motives on such victims. The belief on the existence of the data shadows has made it possible for the monitoring previous transactions made by web user online which are the generated into data necessary for follow ups. An explanation to the definition of social media can be highlighted as situation recently taking over the web presenting a more expansive exposure in respect to degree of connectivity and social networking that facilitates the continuous conveyance of information through the feedback and contribution of web users belonging to any given virtual community. This is a generation that is also known as Millenniums or Echo Boomers which precedes generation X and preceded by generation Z. generation Y is estimated to entail the youths born between the years 1977 and 2000. It is not clear as some state that this generation should the people born between 1978 and 1989. Due to this dissenting explanation is extended to include the age bracket from 1977 to 2000 (Bondarouk & Olivas-Lujan 2013, p. 111). According to Strauss and Howe, the period between 1982 and 2004 formed the bracket of the generation Y in USA. Social media has increased intimacy among the people as people are daily connected via the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Factors to consider when designing a web site Essay Example for Free

Factors to consider when designing a web site Essay Due to the high rate of competition and technology advance, any website creating company aims at giving its costumers a product they will enjoy using. Lafleur trading company a website developing company is not left behind i doing so. In their quest to satisfy their customers they needed to upgrade their way of developing website. To enable them do this lafleur reflected on factors to consider when designing a website. To start with, the company realised they need to find out if they are designing a particular website who was their immediate users, what they would expect to find in that particular web site and the easiness of getting what they want. This will be determined by the interphase of the website that is what colours to use, how easy is it to navigate between lafleur website and any related website that might contain contact information about a product advertised in their website (Vu Proctor, 2011). Designing a unique product is an important point to consider. In order to get attention of many audience give them a different product than what they are used to but one that serves the purpose better than the previous one. This can be achieved by use of different colours but attractive ones ( a page should not contain more than three colours) use of graphics and relevant pictures of what you are advertising also will make the web site more user friendly The most important point to put inconsideration is to test your website for errors. Website should be consistent to use and error prone. Contact information pertaining the website should provided so that customers are able to access online information when they so require. Lastly feedback methods to get customers views should be put in place to get customers potion about websites designed by Lafleur Company. Reference Vu, K.-P. L., Proctor, R. W. (2011). Handbook of human factors in Web design. Boca Raton: CRC Press Source document

Saturday, October 26, 2019

What is the Function of a Social Contract? Essay -- essays research pa

What is the Function of a Social Contract? Philosophers have been concerned with the theories of a social contract for thousands of years. Plato mentions the concept in Crito and in Republic. These theories have stemmed from the concept of justice and for our society to be just. I will look at the works of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and finally with John Rawls after which a overall view into the function of a social contract can be derived as well as any problems with the theory(s). The basic concept of a social contract is for members of society to enter into a voluntary contract, which allows society to go from a state of nature to a state of civilisation. What is meant by a state of nature is quite similar to how the rest of the animal kingdom works. A person ¡Ã‚ ¦s security depends on his or her own personal power. The fittest survive and the weakest suffer. Every person is concerned with his or her own ends. Plato outlined two types of contract within society. These were the contract of citizenship and the contract of community. The contract of citizenship was tackled in Crito. He regarded it as a contract made by each individual citizen with the state or law. If a man is to remain in a political society he will have to accept its obligations for he has enjoyed it privileges and benefits. The contract of community was covered in Republic Book II. This theory is based on the assumption the man is an egoist. With this assumption of  ¡Ã‚ ¥every man for himself ¡Ã‚ ¦ it is likely that he would either cause harm to others or sustain harm from others and therefore there would be a need to combat this. Thomas Hobbes published his work, the leviathan, which included theories of a social contract. His view is very similar to Plato ¡Ã‚ ¦s in regards to contract of community. He felt that there was a need for members of a society to Curtail the war of all against all and without these theories this war would spiral out of control with everyone competing against scarce resources. He talks about how a person ¡Ã‚ ¦s strength is all that protects them from others. The only way he saw fit to counter this predicament would be for a person to voluntarily agree to a contract where their natural freedom is given up in return for personal security. This freedom would be give up to the supreme authority, the Leviathan, which would serve as a  ¡Ã‚ ¥common pow... ...ction to relatives and close associates. The theory of general will also has problems. What can protect society from unjust rulers who say they are working in the way of general will? General will does not allow for difference in taste. It also identifies moral obligation with general interest. This is a problem because people may have similar morals but have different interest. The rulers can also work with regards to the interest of the state but not with regards to morals. Bibliography Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leviathan; Thomas Hobbes edited by Richard Tuck; 1991; Cambridge University Press Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rousseau ¡Ã‚ ¦s Political Philosophy; Ramon M Lemos; 1977; University of Georgia Press Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Second Treatise of Government; John Locke edited by Thomas P Peardon; 1952; Bobbs and Merrill company inc. Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Problems of Political Philosophy revised edition; DD Raphael; 1976; Macmillan Press ltd. Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Social Contract and Discourses; Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by GDH Cole; 1973; JM Dent and Sons ltd. Æ’Ã ¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right second edition revised; Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by Henry J Tozer; 1898; Swan Sonnenschein and Co.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

John Holt Essay

â€Å"By Friday you need to have the first 350 pages read in the novel and a written summary.† Do you remember being told that all the time in school? Teachers expecting us to read large amounts in a short period of time, they don’t think it is too much because they love reading. Well John Holt wrote a really good article about his thoughts called â€Å"Making Children Hate Reading.† Making Children Hate Reading is a good article because he uses real life situations and compares his thoughts to others but using several different examples, such as Mark Twain’s work. John Holt was a fifth grade English teacher. He once felt that he needed to push reading on his students so they would grow up into a world of great vocabulary and knowledge. Vocabulary tests and quizzes on the stories. He also encouraged them to look up every word in the dictionary that they were not sure of the meaning. Once confronted by his sister, who had a rough situation with her sons seventh grade teacher, he began to see what he was doing. John saw that he was pushing these kids further from the desire to read than he thought. People cannot be forced to do something they do not want to do over and over again because they will grow to hate it. They might still do it anyways but just not put any effort into it. â€Å"My sister answered that until this class her boy had always loved reading, and had read a lot on his own; now he had stopped. (He was not really to start again for many years.)† (Holt) Holt also describes how people become almost â€Å"scared† of reading. He talks as though someone who is humiliated about something or does something wrong and gets punished for it in some manner will most likely never do it again. That goes for reading as well. Being pushed over and over to read excessive amounts or write long essays they will either A) love it or B) hate it. Once a young child hates something they will fear it for a very long time. Holt uses info from one of Mark Twain’s quotes; â€Å"Mark Twain once said that a cat that sat on a hot stove lid would never sit on one again, but it would never sit on a cold one either. As true of children as of cats. If they, so to speak, sit on a hot book a few times, if books cause them humiliation and pain, they are likely to decide that the safest thing to do is to leave all books alone.† I believe each teacher needs to come up with their own ways to make their class run for every student. Not every student will enjoy everything they do but at some point they should all be able to say â€Å"I really had fun today.† Or â€Å"What I just learned was very interesting.† Not every teacher is going to understand each student’s level of intelligence, but it helps to try. Each individual student comes from a different home, some where parents were strict making them read in their free time or study flash cards and others probably just didn’t care. Now if each teacher had their own unique way of teaching a subject then the student would remain on their toes and ready to see what is next. Imagine being in a class room and every day the teacher just lectured; hearing the same message every day, in the same tone, about the same topic. Even that sentence was boring. Its gets old and people begin to tune out, it may seem they are paying attention but in their head they are really thinking about how the Bulls finally won last night, or what they wanted to eat when they got home.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Martin’s Textiles

Case #1- Martin’s Textiles The survival of Martin’s Textiles is very much in doubt with the enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which would not only eliminate tariffs but also allow an increase in the quota for Canada and Mexico to ship textiles to the United States. Compounding the issue, Martin’s Textiles has been registering small losses the past several years and is in danger of losing major customers. Therefore, John Martin, CEO of Martin’s Textiles, has to decide whether to move production of his company to Mexico in order to lower labor costs or keep production in the United States, where the company has good labor relations with its employees. In regards to the dilemma that Martin’s Textiles face, I would recommend that the company move its production base to Mexico in order to lower labor costs and stay competitive within the industry. Martin’s Textiles was founded in 1910 and has spanned four generations of the Martin family. However, with the implementation of NAFTA, all tariffs between the United States, Canada, and Mexico would be eliminated within the next 10 to 15 years with most tariffs cut in 5 years. Especially impactful for Martin’s Textiles was the plan’s provision that all tariffs on trade of textiles among the three countries would be removed within 10 years. Even more devastating for the textile industry was that the quota for Mexico and Canada to ship clothing and textiles to the United States each year would rise slightly over the first five years of the agreement. Thus, many textile competitors moved operations to Mexico in response to increased cost competition since the textile industry involved low-skilled and labor-intensive business. In order to cut costs, John Martin needed to lower his labor costs and the only surefire way to do so would be to move production south to Mexico. However, Martin’s textiles has always had great labor relations with its workers and John Martin prided himself on knowing most of the names of employees and even knowing family circumstances of the longtime employees. Therefore, John Martin needed to decide whether to move production down south to Mexico to save costs and keep up with the competition or keep production in the United States where the company has developed strong employee relations. In evaluating what decision John Martin should make, there are several factors that he must consider. The first issue is the economic costs of the business. In the manufacturing industry, work is defined as low-skilled but labor-intensive and thus costs are driven by wage rates and labor productivity. Therefore, it is not so difficult to find workers that are able to work in the textile industry but the challenge in recruiting workers is that the work is very labor intensive. In evaluating the cost of labor, it is important to find workers willing to work for low wages and also ones that are self-motivated and have high workmanship. In addition, another factor to consider is the social costs. As mentioned above, Martin’s Textiles has strong employee relations and thus workers are loyal and have high workmanship. Thus, would the company’s brand take a hit by moving production to Mexico and releasing 1,500 employees, many of whom have been with the company for many years. On the other side, how would Mexican workers respond to the working culture of Martin’s Textiles and would workers show the same loyalty and workmanship that the current employees show? Finally, one has to consider the competitors and rival products when evaluating this decision. What are your competitors doing and how are their products compared to yours in terms of pricing and quality. In evaluating whether Martin’s Textiles should shift production to Mexico or stay in the United States, I believe that the best choice would be to move production plants to Mexico instead of keeping production in the United States. In looking at both alternatives through a SWOT analysis (for a diagram view look at Appendix A and B), it is evident that moving production to Mexico is the more desirable option. First we will look at the option to keep production in the United States, where there are several strengths in this decision. Martin’s Textiles would be able to maintain its strong labor relationship with employees that is has built over the years and consequently not have to deal with labor disputes. Also, the company would not have to invest additional resources in building or purchasing a production plant in Mexico as well as having to move equipment down south. In the short run, they would be able to enjoy the benefits of tariffs in trade. But there are also weaknesses to this decision as well. For one, the company would have to deal with cheap imports coming from Asia and now Mexico since those countries have the advantage of cheaper labor. Also, the company would not have the benefits of a trade barrier with the enactment of NAFTA. Whereas before, the company could justify having higher prices since cheaper imports were subjected to quotas and tariffs; now the higher costs that Martin’s Textiles employed would no longer be protected. Thus, Martin’s Textiles could lose a lot of its clientele since many could opt for cheaper alternatives with the same quality. Additionally, the tariff barrier will be rescinded within 10 years creating further problems for Martin’s Textiles if it is still operating. An opportunity that could arise if Martin’s Textiles decided to remain in the United States would be to brand itself as an â€Å"All-American† company. Since the whole operation of the company is based in the United States, Martin’s Textiles can market itself as such and hope that the patriotism and nationalism card will resonate with its customers. Threats or risks that may come up if Martin’s Textiles decides to stay in the United States could be that the company will not be able to survive the higher labor costs and that its competitors could undercut prices so much that Martin’s Textiles would no longer be viable. Customers have already threatened to leave if costs are not reduced so the company has to figure out a way to cut costs. If it decides that it won’t cut labor costs, then there has to be cuts in other parts of the company. Whether it is the sales force, research and development, or the designers, another part of the company will have to suffer cuts. Next, we consider the alternative of moving production to Mexico and after evaluating this decision through a SWOT analysis, it is clear that moving production to Mexico is the favored decision. One of the strengths of this decision is that the economic costs are highly favorable. The labor cost for textile workers in Mexico are less than $2 per hour compared to the wage rate paid to workers in the unionized New York plant, $12. 50 per hour. In addition by moving production to Mexico, Martin’s Textiles will be able to avoid cost disadvantages that they would have faced by keeping their production base in the United States. In the United States, there are tougher and stricter labor laws, regulations and standards than in other countries. Therefore, Martin’s Textiles will be at a disadvantage to companies in foreign countries with lax labor laws like China. In addition, Martin’s Textiles will be able to enjoy the benefits of the NAFTA agreement now that they have moved their production base to Mexico. The trade agreement allows for an increase in the quota of Mexican and Canadian clothing and textiles to the shipped to the United States. Additionally, tariffs on trade of textiles would be removed within 10 years. Finally, moving production to Mexico would allow Martin’s Textiles to keep most of its major customers as they will be able to enjoy the benefits of lower prices in products since labor costs have been reduced dramatically. However, there are also weaknesses for Martin’s Textiles in moving production plants down to Mexico. For one, Martin’s Textiles reputation will take a hit as the company has had a long history of good labor relations with its workers. Also, there is a great unknown in the Mexican workforce, as John Martin has heard stories of low productivity, poor workmanship, high turnover, and high absenteeism. For John, this may be an unsettling situation as he has relied on strong employee relations over the years. In addition, it would be hard for Martin’s Textiles to forge the same work culture, as John Martin would have a difficult time establishing relations with foreign workers who speak a different language. An opportunity that could benefit Martin’s Textiles if moving to Mexico would be to expand its production to other garments and clothing if desired since it can now employ cheaper labor. If there is a new hot fad in the United States, Martin’s Textiles would have the opportunity to capitalize due to the immense savings from labor costs, which allow them to hire more workers and expand production. A threat or risk of moving production to Mexico could be that the Mexican government demands a bribe from the company for purchasing a textile plant or building a new one. As seen in Appendix C, Mexico is shaded darker than the United States, which makes it more corrupt. Therefore, Martin’s Textiles could be subjected to paying bribes or buying needless licenses. I believe that the best decision for John Martin to make is to move the company’s production to Mexico instead of keeping production in the United States. Although the company has developed an outstanding record of employee relations and there is great uncertainty with the workforce in Mexico, the economic benefits of moving to Mexico are too great. The company would be saving over $10 per hour on each worker and these savings would allow the company to keep customers. In addition, Martin’s Textiles would be able to keep up with its competitors in Asia and other textile companies that have moved their production to Mexico. Though the decision to move production to Mexico would not be a popular decision locally as many people would be losing their jobs, the vitality of the company is at stake. By not moving production to Mexico, Martin’s Textiles would be at risk of falling behind its competitors and ultimately going out of business.