Discussion Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion Questions - Assignment Example Methods used to achieve this are development and research theory. Disciplinary power is extremely influential and power full; it is used in influencing groups and individuals to produce an effect of their habits, conduct and attitude. Large percentage of nurse’s focus on holistic models of nursing which are centered on health experience and challenges, professional and cultural life comprises of cluster of symbolic practices (Rogers, 67). In order to promote evidence based practices, they have to attempt to change nursing culture. This is necessary for revitalization. It needs to take account of factors such as; locus of power and decision making. Nursing culture is expected to exhibit outcomes and behaviors of reflection within their day-to-day practices. Through critical reflection, they are able to examine the historical and developmental circumstances which help in shaping the nursing culture. Knowledge and understanding the community is vital in improvement of educational and quality health care. Having complete knowledge about a community will also help in eradicating of diseases that may attack residents in a community. Over the past years, community health workers have been offering door to door medical services; this is to prevent the spread of diseases and also addressing issues concerning a healthy living (Mat lack, 89). Community health practices are the activities that help in improvement of health status, prevention of epidemic diseases such as chorea, tuberculosis is and many other chronic ailments. Influencing public health policy can be done by community campaigns’; this is to educate different communities on who to live a healthy life and more on how to deal with diseases which cause epidemics. Illiteracy in some communities affects the public health policy; it is the main cause of spread of some chronic diseases. In some communities may be having

Teaching Techniques Essay Essay Example for Free

Teaching Techniques Essay Essay Software Development is one of the main courses that I often teach. In order to teach this course to my students at undergraduate level, I use an eclectic approach by combining various teacher-centered and student-centered teaching techniques. In fact, due to the nature of this course, both theoretical education and practical work are required (Damian, Hadwin, Al-Ani, 2006; Dubinsky Hazzan, 2005; Gnatz, Kof, Prilmeier, Seifert, 2003). Therefore, teacher-centered techniques are not sufficient, and some student-centered techniques should be employed to fulfill the requirements of this course that is a key subject for software engineering students (Catalano Catalano, 1997). In general, my teaching strategy for this course consists of four different elements, including: a briefing session, teaching and explanation sessions, laboratory sessions, and a final project. While the first two elements are mostly based on teacher-centered techniques, the other elements absolutely focus on students’ activity and participation (Felder Silverman, 1988). Each of these components will be discussed in the following paragraphs. With this regard, the related teaching techniques used in each stage of my teaching are justified. The first stage of my teaching is based on lecturing, in which students are introduced to the subject and its significance. I start with a brief introduction about software development methods and their usage. This stage gives students a big picture of the whole course and they get the idea of the subject. I usually try to keep this stage short so that students do not get bored with my lecture. Then, I continue the course with the next stage that includes teaching and explanation sessions. For this stage, I use exposition and demonstration together with case study and Socratic (QA) techniques. I teach software development methods one-by-one in different sessions. For each method, I use Guided Discovery (talk and chalk) approach to provide students with the basic knowledge they need to understand that specific method. Then, I will try to elaborate more using real-life application examples. To engage students in my teaching sessions, I give them some case studies followed by QA, so that they get better insights and learn where and when to use that method for software development. After this, students are prepared for practical work in the upcoming stages of the course. The next two stages of the course are based on some useful student-centered techniques, namely: guided discovery, group work, and a sort of role-playing. Laboratory sessions are aimed at providing some hands on experiences and supervised activities. Hands-on experiences are essential for students to learn and practice some procedures that they need for their development projects (Gnatz et al., 2003). During these sessions, I explain a simple system to them, and ask them to think about the most suitable method for developing the required application. I try to involve each and every one of them in finding the best solution. Then, they will be asked to draw the related diagrams using the popular UML software (Larman, 2002). These supervised activities are also helpful for me to effectively identify their strengths and weaknesses so that I can plan accordingly to address their needs. The final stage of the course is a group work mixed with some role-playing. Students are divided into groups to do a software development project using what they have learned during the course. Although, they choose their group members themselves, I use my assessments from the previous stage to make sure that there is a fair balance in all groups (Damian et al., 2006). Then, I assign a project to each group, and they choose a project manager among them. Groups are given a dead-line to plan for their projects. Project managers are responsible to present the project plan of their groups and justify the method they used for development as well as their time-line and work-load distribution. This activity will simulate tasks performed by software development teams in industry. Moreover, students will learn and practice team-building and team-work skills, which are very important for their future career. Usually, after a successful delivery of their projects, students are motivated to become part-time developers to extend their skills while making revenue for themselves. Overall, the eclectic approach that I use for teaching Software Development course, help my undergraduate students to gain both knowledge and experience they require to carry out for developing different kinds of software such as web applications or mobile apps, which are highly demanded these days. References Catalano, G. D., Catalano, K. C. (1997). Transformation: from teacher-centered to student-centered engineering education. Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education Conference, 1997. 27th Annual Conference, Teaching and Learning in an Era of Change. Damian, D., Hadwin, A., Al-Ani, B. (2006). Instructional design and assessment strategies for teaching global software development: a framework. Proceedings of the 28th international conference on Software engineering. Dubinsky, Y., Hazzan, O. (2005). A framework for teaching software development methods. Computer Science Education, 15(4), 275-296. Felder, R. M., Silverman, L. K. (1988). Learning and teaching styles in engineering education. Engineering education, 78(7), 674-681. Gnatz, M., Kof, L., Prilmeier, F., Seifert, T. (2003). A practical approach of teaching software engineering. Proceedings of the 16th Conference on Software Engineering Education and Training, (CSEET 2003). Larman, C. (2002). Applying UML and Patters: An intr oduction to Object-oriented analysis and design and the Unified Process, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 130925691.

Self-Awareness of The Sandboxs Characters :: The Sandbox Edward Albee

Symbolic Self-Awareness of The Sandbox's Characters Through his one-act play The Sandbox, Edward Albee has extended the allegory; his characters not only exist as symbols, but are more than vaguely aware of themselves as such. As caricatures rather than characters, they maintain a consciousness of their presence on stage as well as the stereotypical rules and emotions they are meant to display. Specifically through Mommy and Daddy's vacuous and immediate shifts to "appropriate" attitudes, Edward Albee issues his value statement. In effect, Shakespeare's assessment that "All the world's a stage,/And all men and women merely players" has been reanalyzed and extended by Albee, culminating in a work which declares the conventional conception of death as affected and contrived. Almost deceiving in its straightforwardness is the opening note on Mommy and Daddy and the "pre-senility and vacuity of their characters." Daddy's ensuing questions as to what is to be done, and Mommy's resulting composed answers set in motion the implication of an end-of-life ritual whose spiritual meaning has long since passed away. At one point, Daddy asks Mommy if they should conduct a conversation. Mommy responds, "Well, you can talk, if you want to...if you can think of anything to say...if you can think of anything new." Daddy's rejoinder in the negative establishes early on that his and Mommy's existences, and therefore actions, are hackneyed, artificial, mundane, and devoid of any true, personal meaning. By the air of preparation which pervades the play, and by Grandma's death in the end, a connection is made, and The Sand Box is duly noted as Albee's address on custom surrounding the coming of life's passing. The creation of an W W W W W W in which the actors are aware of their presence of stage breaks ground for Albee's take on society's engagement in role-playing. Requesting appropriate background music, and making remarks on lighting, Albee's characters cannot escape discredit regarding the genuine. Similarly, Albee greets the close advance of death with the suitable stereotypes of sudden darkness, violin playing, "a violent off-stage rumble," and Mommy's brief tears. Inevitably, the sincerity of Mommy and Daddy has been cast in doubt and all subsequent words and actions bear resemblance to conventions. Self-Awareness of The Sandbox's Characters :: The Sandbox Edward Albee Symbolic Self-Awareness of The Sandbox's Characters Through his one-act play The Sandbox, Edward Albee has extended the allegory; his characters not only exist as symbols, but are more than vaguely aware of themselves as such. As caricatures rather than characters, they maintain a consciousness of their presence on stage as well as the stereotypical rules and emotions they are meant to display. Specifically through Mommy and Daddy's vacuous and immediate shifts to "appropriate" attitudes, Edward Albee issues his value statement. In effect, Shakespeare's assessment that "All the world's a stage,/And all men and women merely players" has been reanalyzed and extended by Albee, culminating in a work which declares the conventional conception of death as affected and contrived. Almost deceiving in its straightforwardness is the opening note on Mommy and Daddy and the "pre-senility and vacuity of their characters." Daddy's ensuing questions as to what is to be done, and Mommy's resulting composed answers set in motion the implication of an end-of-life ritual whose spiritual meaning has long since passed away. At one point, Daddy asks Mommy if they should conduct a conversation. Mommy responds, "Well, you can talk, if you want to...if you can think of anything to say...if you can think of anything new." Daddy's rejoinder in the negative establishes early on that his and Mommy's existences, and therefore actions, are hackneyed, artificial, mundane, and devoid of any true, personal meaning. By the air of preparation which pervades the play, and by Grandma's death in the end, a connection is made, and The Sand Box is duly noted as Albee's address on custom surrounding the coming of life's passing. The creation of an W W W W W W in which the actors are aware of their presence of stage breaks ground for Albee's take on society's engagement in role-playing. Requesting appropriate background music, and making remarks on lighting, Albee's characters cannot escape discredit regarding the genuine. Similarly, Albee greets the close advance of death with the suitable stereotypes of sudden darkness, violin playing, "a violent off-stage rumble," and Mommy's brief tears. Inevitably, the sincerity of Mommy and Daddy has been cast in doubt and all subsequent words and actions bear resemblance to conventions.

Compare the poems for childhood and parenting

Wordsworth present his views on childhood and parenting, in many ways such as language, structure and form. He portrays children as the epitome of innocence while he depicts adults as the essence of experience. His poems had set the foundations of childhood and parenting. The three main poems that show this are: The Idiot Boy, We are Seven and Anecdote for Fathers. Wordsworth uses The Idiot Boy to ask the reader two questions. The first regards the happenings of his imagination especially what happened at night and the second regards of his imaginative adventures. Wordsworth does this intentionally, to show that children use their imagination to keep themselves occupied, also he might have wanted to show that their imagination was one of the keys to a hopeful future or their personality. Wordsworth explores different states of mind of both the mother and the son. The mother is shown through the language used. She experiences a range of emotions: overconfidence, doubt, fear and anxiety. However, when we compare her to her son, who is mentally disabled he remains joyful, innocent, imaginative and closer to nature than even his mother he remains unperturbed. The rhyming scheme is first established after the 1st verse, abccb, it adds pace and suspense and it underpins a sense of comedy. Wordsworth doesn't only use this rhyming scheme to add a sense of comedy, but it is like a nursery rhyme, so it can be enjoyable and understandable to everyone. Wordsworth portrays the mother as someone who is caring, also someone Wordsworth would trust as she would protect her loved one. The language of the poem is very positive as Wordsworth uses words such as â€Å"glee† and â€Å"merry†. These adjectives give a sense of hope and respect towards Johnny. Therefore Wordsworth wants to portray children as a pure being, someone you must not tarnish with logic or even education, as they will learn their knowledge from the best teacher; imagination or nature. Another poem, where the readers see Wordsworth conveying his views on childhood and parenting is in We are Seven, this poem is slightly different compared to the other Wordsworth poems, as we see two perspectives on death, one by the little girl and another by the ignorant narrator who could be a father, at first until he is taught by the little girl. It is structured in four sections, Verses 1-3- are about the girl and her landscape, verses 4-9- are outlining her family background and her response to the narrator's enquiry. Verses 10-15 are a filling out of her enigmatic reply about her life and the death of her siblings. The stand-off between these two is polarised and entrenched positions. Wordsworth uses his language, to make the girl and the narrator take a different viewpoint on death, the girl's language is obviously taken from the mother and it is euphemistic: â€Å"released from her pain† and â€Å"[John] was forced to let go†. This conveys the pain the little girl had to suffer; she is trying to ease her pain and trying to make the reader suffer less. Wordsworth is showing that children are knowledgeable. However, she does not like the fact of death at all, as it saddens her. She still keeps the memory of her loved ones, which is only seen in children rather than adults. Wordsworth deceptively uses simple approach in language and form, the poet has suggested that we can share and accept the mystery of this young's girl view. Wordsworth makes this poem more like a nursery one with the use of internal rhyming such as â€Å"green† and â€Å"seen†. It is written in quatrains consisting of 3 lines of iambic tetrameter and a final line which is an iambic trimester, the mood is a sing-song. This makes the poem more towards the child and Wordsworth is trying to present her as a strong character. He portrays the narrator as a preacher, something Romantics hated. As he tries to force his religious teachings upon everyone, however the roles are swapped, the little girl is teaching him, that he must care about everyone but especially children, as they are all individuals, who should not be ruined by logic and rationality. Like We are Seven, Anecdote for Fathers explores the nature of wisdom in children and adults. Similarly it is written in quatrains with 3 iambic tetrameters and a final iambic trimester, rhyming abab. It also, like We are Seven, encourages us to view the father ironically and to see his interrogation of his son, something initiated â€Å"in very idleness†, as an adult indulgence, either to fill a moment or to selfishly focus on his own sentiments and emotions. Even though the boy responds illogically, it portrays to us the feelings that Wordsworth might have had during his childhood, as the child doesn't know how to respond to the father it's quite difficult for him. The boy is suffering due to his father's alteration of mood or his complex emotions that are unknown to the child. The poem contrasts the cynicism and selfishness of the father with the physical and mental purity of the child. Time is meaningless anyway to a child's short existence and the poem illustrates how children are corrupted by society and adults. Wordsworth is implying that we should not force logic and rationality on our children, as we must respect their feelings: we are not all the same and that is the key to the mystery and beauty of life. In the last verse it can be seen that the father is the ‘child of the man'. The child can be seen as a symbol of nature, which is common in the three poems of Wordsworth. Overall it can be said, that Wordsworth sees a cynical point of view towards parents, but not towards the mother. It can be also said that the narrator and the father are both male, he could be seen as quite anti-male. He sees children as someone we must delicately take care, as they are our future's generation and happiness.

Christianity vs. Greek Mythology

Throughout many ages religion has been a very important part of history. It shaped many cultures and allowed us to better understand many civilizations. Two of these cultures are those of the Christians and Greeks. Both have similarities and differences in their religious beliefs that have been compared often and I have chosen to discuss the similarities and differences of Christianity and ancient Greek mythology. Christianity is a monotheistic religion, or belief in only one God, and spiritual practices are based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as written in the New Testament of the Bible, with the role of Jesus as savior and the Son of God. Greek mythology is a polytheistic religion, which is the belief in and worship of multiple deities, called gods and goddesses, belonging to the culture of ancient Greece. Even though their definitions are different, the faith of Christianity and one God and the culture of the Greeks in mythology of many gods are alike in a number of ways. To begin, in both religions humans believe that there are speakers for their God/gods. These people include pastors, priests and nuns in Christianity, and storytellers or prophets in Greek times. Furthermore, the people believe that their God or gods are above humans. Both cultures believe a god is above all mortal and of this earth, and he or she listens to people when they need help, and have supernatural power to help. This is why both the Christians and the Greeks pray to their God and gods for forgiveness. Another similarity between the religious beliefs of these two cultures is that they have explanations for many of ancient mysteries of life and major events on earth. The ancient Greeks and early Christians tried to find an explanation for the evil in the world, and both blame a woman for man’s downfall. Greeks believe a woman named Pandora opened a forbidden box and released all evil into the world. Christians believe a woman named Eve released evil after eating from a forbidden tree. Also, in both the ancient Greek and Christian beliefs of the early world, there exist stories of great floods that destroyed most of humankind. In Greek mythology, Zeus orders a man named Deucalion to make a chest in which he and his family can survive the flood Zeus was going to bring upon the earth. In the Bible, the account of Christian beliefs, God orders a man named Noah to build an ark in which he and his family, and two of each animal, can survive the destruction from a flood God was going to send. War was also a common characteristic of both the ancient Greek world and of the Biblical world. For example, the Trojan War is a major event in Greek history, and is written about most famously in Homer's Iliad. The gods always seemed to play important roles in this war, especially Zeus, Ares the god of war, and the other and goddesses living on Mount Olympus. Wars between Greek city-states were also common, with gods and goddesses almost always involved in them in some way. In similar comparison, the Bible accounts many stories of wars between different countries and religious groups, with God being involved in some way in the outcome or fate of the peoples. One of the most famous examples is the war between the Philistines and the Israelites. In this war, God interfered and sent a small shepherd boy David to save the Israelites. David does so by killing the giant Goliath, a super-human thing he would not have been able to accomplish without God's help. These examples show the cross-cultural belief that war was an important event in the ancient world, and the gods, and God, played significant roles. While Christianity and ancient Greek mythology have many similarities, there are key differences. The main and most obvious difference is that Christian belief is about only one God, and its beliefs and commandments are written about in the Bible. Christians regard the stories told in Bible as actual historical accounts of important people, events and concepts of faith. Greek mythology had 13 major gods and goddesses, and many lesser gods. Different Greek cities also worshipped different deities. There is no book like the â€Å"Bible†, rather many collections of stories that shaped early Greek culture. In short, Greek mythology was created to be the Greek's science for why things happened. Once they thought they figured out how things really happened, the belief in gods and goddesses faded away from Greek culture. The final difference I want to discuss to compare the ancient Greek creation story and that of Christian belief. In the ancient Greek story, at first there was only Chaos, a shapeless mass of darkness and meaninglessness. Out of Chaos came Nyx (night) and Erebus (the unfathomable deep). The first god to come into existence was Gaea, Mother Earth, though no one knows where she came from or how she came into being. Uranus, Father Sky, was born of Gaea as she slept. He became her husband, and together they had many children. One of these first gods’ descendants was Zeus. After much war between the gods and goddesses, Zeus became most powerful and assigned two lower gods the task of populating the earth with mortal creatures. With that task, one of the two gods granted so many gifts on the lower animals that when the time came to create man, there was nothing left. The beasts already had the sharp teeth and claws, the warm fur and feathers, the tough, protective hides, the wings and shells, speed, size, and strength. The wiser of these two lower gods was given task to figure out what gifts to bestow on man. The gods gave man a more noble, upright stance, so man would be above the beasts, with his face turned toward the heavens rather then down toward the ground. He also gave man an intelligence that reached much higher than the beasts’ mere cunning. In the Christian creation story, God was present in the beginning and He created the universe. At first the earth was shapeless and covered in darkness, and God's spirit hovered over the waters. God said, â€Å"Let there be light†. And there was light. God divided the day from the night, naming them ‘ day' and ‘night'. On the second through fifth day God made the heavens, commanded the waters to fill with living creatures and the air to fill with birds. On the sixth day God commanded the earth to bring forth all kinds of living creatures and He saw that it was good. God then said † Let us make man in our own image†. So God created man and woman in his own likeness and gave them authority over all living things. Adam, the first man, was created by God out of soil and given life by God's breath. Adam named all the animals and birds that God had made, But Adam had no companion of his own so God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and created woman – Eve- from one of Adam's ribs. In addition, unlike the beginning void of Chaos in Greek mythology, God is not a void of nothingness, but the beginning of all things. God also remains the ruler of the entire world in Biblical stories, while the Greek Chaos is forced out by several actual divine beings, the most important and permanent of those being Zeus. In conclusion I found there to be many interesting similarities between Christian faith and ancient Greek religious culture, but one final difference is that Christianity is practiced today and the Bible widely read in many countries and published in many languages, while ancient Greek belief system has faded away and become the stories of fantastical books, myths and legends.

Conflicting Perspectives in Literature and Film Essays

Conflicting Perspectives in Literature and Film Essays Conflicting Perspectives in Literature and Film Essay Conflicting Perspectives in Literature and Film Essay Essay Topic: The Sound and the Fury Perspectives are subjective judgements on events, situations, and personalities that are informed by an amalgamation of an individual’s personal biases, motivations, and understandings. Conflict is therefore inevitable, following the relative nature of perspectives. As texts are inexorably linked to the perspectives of composers, they can be explored as representations of such idiosyncratic judgements. However, the composer’s ability to manipulate textual elements, respective of their medium, allows them to represent certain events, situations, or personalities selectively and thereby exploit the assumed veracity of any perspective. The malleable nature of perspectives and representations in texts can be explored through Ted Hughes’s 1984 poetic anthology Birthday Letters, Michael Moore’s 2004 documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, and Bernhard Schlink’s 1995 parable The Reader. Conflict arises from the inevitably biased representations within texts which composers can use to advocate a particular perspective. In ‘The Minotaur’, the lexical chain surrounding â€Å"smashed†, â€Å"hammer†, and â€Å"demented† create an atmosphere of violence which characterises Plath’s volatility, continuing the allusion of her â€Å"fury† as a â€Å"high velocity bullet† in ‘The Shot.’ Hughes evokes pathos through the sentimentality attached to his mother’s symbolic â€Å"heirloom sideboard†, effectively presenting himself as a victim of Plath’s volatility to oppose opinions of his detrimental effect on what he describes as the â€Å"goblin† that is Plath’s mentality; â€Å"So what had I given him?† His iniquitous portrayal of Plath is emphasised by the bathos as she was â€Å"demented by my being/twenty minutes late for baby-minding.† The subtle omission of her voice denies conflicting perspectives to oppose his despicable representation of her and allows him to continue it through the assonance of the ‘e’ sound in â€Å"left your mother a de

The Social Contract and Its Impact on American Politics

The Social Contract and Its Impact on American Politics The term social contract refers to the idea that the state exists only to serve the will of the people, who are the source of all political power enjoyed by the state. The people can choose to give or withhold this power.  The idea of the social contract is one of the foundations of the American political system. Origin of the Term The term social contract can be found as far back as the writings of the 4th-5th century BCE Greek philosopher Plato. However, it was English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) who expanded on the idea when he wrote Leviathan,  his philosophical response to the English Civil War. In the book, he wrote that in early human history there was no government. Instead, those who were the strongest could take control and use their power over others at any time. His famous summation of life in nature (before government) is that it was nasty, brutish, and short. Hobbes theory was that in the past, the people mutually agreed to create a state, giving it only enough power to provide protection of their well-being. However, in Hobbes theory, once the power was given to the state, the people then relinquished any right to that power. In effect, the loss of rights was the price of the protection they sought. Rousseau and Locke The Swiss philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) and English philosopher John Locke (1632–1704) each took the social contract theory one step further. In 1762, Rousseau wrote The Social Contract, Or Principles of Political Right, in which he explained that government is based on the idea of popular sovereignty. The essence of this idea is that the will of the people as a whole gives power and direction to the state. John Locke based many of his political writings on the idea of the social contract. He stressed the role of the individual and the idea that in a state of nature, people are essentially free. When Locke referred to the state of nature, he meant that people have a natural state of independence, and they should be free to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature. Locke argued that people are thus not royal subjects, but in order to secure their property rights, people willingly give over their right to a central authority to judge whether a person is going against the laws of nature and needed to be punished. The type of government is less important to Locke (except for absolute despotism): Monarchy, aristocracy, and republic are all acceptable forms of government as long as that government provides and protects the basic rights of life, liberty, and property to the people. Locke further argued that if a government no longer protects each individuals right, then revolution is not just a right but an obligation. Impact on the Founding Fathers The idea of the social contract had a huge impact on the American Founding Fathers, especially Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) and James Madison (1751–1836). The U.S. Constitution starts with the three words, We the people..., embodying this idea of popular sovereignty in the very beginning of this key document. Following from this principle, a government established by the free choice of its people is required to serve the people, who in the end have  sovereignty, or supreme power, to keep or overthrow that government. Jefferson and John Adams (1735–1826), often political rivals, agreed in principle but disagreed about whether a strong central government (Adams and the federalists) or a weak one (Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans) sufficed best for supporting the social contract. Social Contract for Everyone As with many philosophical ideas behind the political theory, the social contract has inspired various forms and interpretations and has been evoked by many different groups throughout American history. Revolutionary-era Americans favored social contract theory over the British Tory concepts of patriarchal government and looked to the social contract as support for the rebellion. During the antebellum and Civil War periods, social contract theory was used by all sides. Slaveholders used it to support states rights and succession, Whig party moderates upheld the social contract as a symbol of continuity in government, and abolitionists found support in Lockes theories of natural rights. More recently, historians also have linked social contract theories to pivotal social movements such as those for Native American rights, civil rights, immigration reform, and womens rights.  Ã‚   Sources and Further Reading Dienstag, Joshua Foa. Between History and Nature: Social Contract Theory in Locke and the Founders. The Journal of Politics 58.4 (1996): 985–1009.Hulliung, Mark. The Social Contract in America: From the Revolution to the Present Age. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2007.  Lewis, H.D. Plato and the Social Contract. Mind 48.189 (1939): 78–81.  Riley, Patrick. Social Contract Theory and its Critics. Goldie, Mark and Robert Worker (eds.), The Cambridge History of Eighteenth-Century Political Thought, Volume 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 347–375.White, Stuart. Review Article: Social Rights and Social Contract- Political Theory and the New Welfare Politics. British Journal of Political Science 30.3 (2000): 507–32.

Geography of Ancient Greece

Geography of Ancient Greece Greece, a country in southeastern Europe whose peninsula extends from the Balkans into the Mediterranean Sea, is mountainous, with many gulfs and bays. Forests fill some areas of Greece. Much of Greece is stony and suitable only for pasturage, but other areas are suitable for growing wheat, barley, citrus, dates, and olives. It is convenient to divide ancient Greece into 3 geographical regions (plus islands and colonies): (1) Northern Greece,(2) Central Greece(3) The Peloponnese.​ I. Northern Greece Northern Greece consists of Epirus and Thessaly, separated by the Pindus mountain range. The chief town in Epirus is Dodona where the Greeks thought Zeus provided oracles. Thessaly is the largest plains area in Greece. It is almost surrounded by mountains. On the north, the Cambunian range has as its highest mountain the home of the gods, Mt. Olympus, and nearby, Mt Ossa. Between these two mountains is a valley called the Vale of Tempe through which runs the Peneius River. II. Central Greece Central Greece has more mountains than northern Greece. It contains the countries of Aetolia (famed for the Calydonian boar hunt), Locris (divided into 2 sections by Doris and Phocis), Acarnania (west of Aetolia, bordered by the Achelous River, and north of the Gulf of Calydon), Doris, Phocis, Boeotia, Attica, and Megaris. Boeotia and Attica are separated by Mt. Cithaeron. In northeast Attica is Mt. Pentelicus home of the famous marble. South of Pentelicus is the Hymettus mountain range, which is famous for its honey. Attica had poor soil, but a long coastline favoring trade. Megaris lies in the Isthmus of Corinth, which separates central Greece from the Peloponnese. The Megarans raised sheep and made woolen products and pottery. III. Peloponnesus South of the Isthmus of Corinth is the Peloponnese (21,549 sq. km), whose central region is Arcadia, which is a plateau over mountain ranges. On the northern slope is Achaea, with Elis and Corinth on either side. On the east of the Peloponnese is the mountainous Argolis area. Laconia was the country in the basin of the Eurotas River, which ran between the Taygetus and Parnon mountain regions. Messenia lies to the west of Mt. Taygetus, the highest point in the Peloponnese. Source: An Ancient History for Beginners, by George Willis Botsford, New York: Macmillan Company. 1917.

United states Today Economic Situation and its Credibility around the Essay

United states Today Economic Situation and its Credibility around the world - Essay Example However, while reading the comments section of every online news report, I realized that it was not just Americans who were keeping themselves informed of the latest developments on the matter but also foreigners as well. Aside from this, I also read several news reports in which officials from other countries also expressed views on the subject. As I encountered more of such articles, I began to realize that the highs and lows of the American economy do have profound impacts on other countries. Because of this, it is only expected that they have their own views of current economic conditions of the US. It is also apparent that while the US boasts of still being the most powerful nation on Earth, the cracks on its walls have shown and grown worse through the years as its economy continues to remain in deep crisis. This can be observed by the international community who could only express negative opinions on the matter. For more than a century, the US has long held the title as a dominant global superpower. The two most compelling factors regarding this matter are its economic superiority and military strength. In the 1900s, US dominance was ostensibly challenged by the Soviet Union. It was after World War II that the contest between the two superpowers became more intense. However, the Soviet economy was not match to that of the US. Apparently, while the Soviets continued to espouse a closed-door socialist economy, America was extending it market on a global scale. I find this action not as a reflection of the benevolence or generosity of the country’s big business but simply a result of the drive to accumulate more profits from less saturated markets abroad. To some extent, the economic superiority of the US then had managed to scale down the impression that it too was trying to domin ate the world with its military strength just as the Soviets did. From my point of view, this prompted the development of the concept that economic relations with America make other nations richer too even as it is also making infractions on the sovereignty of other countries through military intervention. When a superpower lavishes a poor country with imported products, it could hardly be considered as a bully by the people. This was definitely not the case with the Soviet Union, which only focused on asserting military superiority. The current economic crisis that the US is facing has proven to be disastrous not just to the average American citizens but also to many other countries in the world. This is naturally the result of several decades of dominance also of the country in the sphere of international trade and global economy, in general. Through all those years, especially after the World War II until recently, the US is a major trading partner of a good number of economicall y more backward countries. These had established relations with the US as their largest market of raw materials and, at the same time, supplier of capital goods and other high-value added finished products. With the crisis besetting the US economy though, it has become a less attractive market from the perspective of those countries that export their raw materials to it. Apparently, the crisis has also led to slower production of capital goods and finished products in the US, while countries like China and India are showing successes in coming up with commodities that are competing with those it had been manufacturing. If I were to be the an

Itlalian Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Itlalian Literature - Essay Example ThÐ µ LÐ µopÐ °rd wÐ °s pÐ °rt of Ð ° post-wÐ °r trÐ µnd Ð °mong ItÐ °liÐ °n intÐ µllÐ µctuÐ °ls to scrutinizÐ µ, if not chÐ °llÐ µngÐ µ, thÐ µ vÐ µry principlÐ µ of ItÐ °liÐ °n politicÐ °l unificÐ °tion, sÐ µtting thÐ µ stÐ °gÐ µ for ItÐ °lys nÐ µw fÐ µdÐ µrÐ °lism, Ð ° vÐ µry concrÐ µtÐ µ rÐ µÃ °lity todÐ °y. It wÐ °s this pÐ µrspÐ µctivÐ µ, morÐ µ thÐ °n thÐ µ story itsÐ µlf, which dÐ µfinÐ µd ThÐ µ LÐ µopÐ °rd Ð °s Ð ° clÐ °ssic work of ItÐ °liÐ °n (Ð °nd intÐ µrnÐ °tionÐ °l) litÐ µrÐ °turÐ µ, for othÐ µr books hÐ °d bÐ µÃ µn writtÐ µn Ð °bout thÐ µ SiciliÐ °n grÐ °ciousnÐ µss. Still, to portrÐ °y thÐ µ story of thÐ µ dÐ µclining SÐ °linÐ °s in thÐ µ 1860s Ð °s Ð ° mÐ µrÐ µ fÐ °blÐ µ for thÐ µ dÐ µclinÐ µ of thÐ µ ItÐ °liÐ °n monÐ °rchy Ð °nd socio-politicÐ °l Ð µstÐ °blishmÐ µnt in thÐ µ 1940s is to ovÐ µrlook thÐ µ novÐ µllÐ °s prÐ µvÐ °lÐ µnt Ð °ppÐ µÃ °l. It dÐ µÃ °ls with thÐ µ Church, swÐ µÃ µping sociÐ °l chÐ °ngÐ µ Ð °nd, of coursÐ µ, lovÐ µ. ThÐ µ LÐ µopÐ °rd is thÐ µ story Ð °bout Don FÐ °brizio, PrincÐ µ of SÐ °linÐ °, Ð ° guy who turnÐ µd forty Ð °nd hÐ °vÐ µ sÐ µvÐ µrÐ °l childrÐ µn. HÐ µ is Ð ° sort of compÐ °ssionÐ °tÐ µ tyrÐ °nt in his housÐ µhold, Ð ° mÐ °n of Ð ° vÐ µry old fÐ °mily, Ð °ccustomÐ µd to knowing his plÐ °cÐ µ Ð °nd to hÐ °ving people over that he actually knows. ThÐ µ PrincÐ µ is Ð °lso Ð ° mÐ °n of grÐ µÃ °t corporÐ µÃ °l Ð °ppÐ µtitÐ µs, lÐ °ckÐ °dÐ °isicÐ °l with his monÐ µy (though not wÐ °stÐ µful or lÐ °vish), politicÐ °lly wÐ µll-informÐ µd but complÐ µtÐ µly Ð °politicÐ °l in Ð °ction, Ð °nd Ð °lso Ð °n Ð °mÐ °tÐ µur Ð °stronomÐ µr of somÐ µ notÐ µ. WhÐ µn thÐ µ story opÐ µns, thÐ µ RisorgimÐ µnto is ongoing, but it is clÐ µÃ °r thÐ °t it will bÐ µ ultimÐ °tÐ µly succÐ µssful, Ð °nd thÐ °t thÐ µ Kingdom of thà  µ Two SiciliÐ µs will bÐ µ Ð °bsorbÐ µd into thÐ µ nÐ µwly unitÐ µd, somÐ µwhÐ °t morÐ µ dÐ µmocrÐ °tic, ItÐ °ly. Don FÐ °brizio nominÐ °lly supports thÐ µ old rÐ µgimÐ µ, but hÐ µ rÐ µÃ °listicÐ °lly stÐ °ys out of thÐ µ conflict. His fÐ °voritÐ µ nÐ µphÐ µw, TÐ °ncrÐ µdi, thÐ µ impovÐ µrishÐ µd but chÐ °rismÐ °tic son of his sistÐ µr, is Ð °n fÐ µrvÐ µnt supportÐ µr of GÐ °ribÐ °ldi, who Ð °t thÐ °t timÐ µ wÐ °s Ð ° lÐ µÃ °dÐ µr of thÐ µ rÐ µvolution. SÐ µvÐ µrÐ °l long

English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

English - Research Paper Example on that was made during the research was that all the included companies were already optimizing their profits, and that was the reason Google Company collected data from these companies. The entire report covered practices that could lead the company to realize its optimal profits as well as the practices deemed to deny the company its optimal results. The study did not cover the rival companies’ aftermaths of realizing their optimal results since the research was only focused on the Google Company. The limitations encountered were mobility from one company to another. Also, some companies were not willing to share some of the information that we needed and, therefore, much time was used while trying to convince the managers the need for the study. To guide us in the study, we researched on some similar studies that have been done in the past. According to Schoeffler et al, (2014), companies’ management teams have to ensure that they offer the best environment to their employees for optimal profits. Another study conducted by Watson (2013) stated that it is the role of both the senior and junior employees to ensure that the company reaches its optimal production levels. Also, Reichheld and Sasser (2010) wrote that both internal and external factors affect the productivity of any given company. As such, we realized that a company’s productivity is affected by many forces that the company has to be aware of. Yield optimization- this method was found only to work well for the advertising department. Compared to other companies, Google Company has relaxed on using this method and, therefore, this is one of the causes of the company’s low profits. Revenue optimization- in this section, Google Company has managed to improve its relationships with its customers basing on its segmentations. Thus, the company management has dealt with the varying segmentations as required. Also, in the offensive manner, the company has increased its sales by creating new

Vietnamese History in the 20th Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vietnamese History in the 20th Century - Essay Example Vietnam, however, suffered more internal repression as it was internally isolated because of continued cold war. With the helm of President Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy, Vietnam was able to make economic policy reforms, that have made it enjoy marked economic growth and reduced political repression, but corruption was still evident. The leadership styles of these leaders have had both effective and ineffective qualities. Vietnam was under the rule of France, for the better part of the 20th century. Geneva conference of 1954 left Vietnam divided, with the North being ruled by Ho Chi Minh of the communist government and the South being ruled by Ngo Dinh Diem, who was supported by the US. Between 1954 and 1975, the 2nd Indochina War between Vietnam’s Peoples Army and Vietnam Congress from the North brought Vietnam unification but under communist rule, with the south being supported by the US. With US military support, the southerners were able to maintain their independence. Two years later, US forces withdrew and South Vietnam fell again to the communists. During the times that the US were involved in the war, it is estimated that 3 million people lost their lives while 4 million were seriously injured. In 1978 to 1989, the international isolation of Vietnam extended its relations with the United States. The US barred normal ties with Vietnam for as long their forces remained in Cambodia, besides citing its minimal cooperation so as to account for Americans missing in action, as an obstacle to their relations.  

The Hidden Curriculum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Hidden Curriculum - Essay Example The Hidden curriculum will overlap with other types of curriculum, however, that will be the primary focus of this paper. (Hidden Curriculum of Online Learning 2000) quotes Foshay and describes this as the transcendent aspect of learning: "the experience of transcendence, or the sense of one's self as part of a vastly larger whole." The subjects listed in a stated curriculum are not necessarily what students learn in the classroom. What is meant to be taught and what is actually learned are many times two different things. This is called "the hidden curriculum". school with the stated curriculum or the subjects they studied. This curriculum is public and the often the subject of heated debate. Although it is not publicly stated and rarely debated, schools also have a hidden curriculum. This hidden curriculum is composed of the basic attitudes and abilities valued by society. When society changes, both the curriculum and the hidden curriculum of schools also change. Because of changes wrought by information technology, society is currently in the middle of a paradigm shift from the Industrial Age to the Information Age. This paradigm shift has direct consequences for both the curriculum and the hidden curriculum of schools. ... In the Industrial Age, the curriculum was composed of the three Rs (i.e., reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic) and the various core subjects (English, science, math, social studies, fine arts, physical education, and so on). Schools in the 20th century also had a hidden curriculum which taught the values that 20th century industry desired the workforce to possess -- attitudes and abilities like trainability, obedience, The Hidden Curriculum 4 punctuality, dependability, and loyalty. These are the characteristics that industrial factories were looking for in graduates of 20th century schools and these characteristics often determined an individual's success in both the school and the workplace. Back in days of old the basic curriculum consisted of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Now in the year 2006 you can add computer literacy, Internet savvy, and knowledge of multiple communications devices. The unhidden curriculum is the subjects and classes that are listed in the school syllabus, or schedule. It is the education that teachers desire or transfer of knowledge to their students. It is usually the subjects that parents and students intend or believe will be their primary focus. In this century most of what is considered to be the hidden curriculum revolves around student behavioral patterns, daily routines, and the various teaching methods or expectations of the individual teacher. With or without intentions, a teacher can become more like a dictator and controlling instead of a good role model who teaches. Today the process of learning is not usually one where the The Hidden Curriculum 5 teacher rules or oversees but the students and instructor work collaboratively in the education

Vietnamese History in the 20th Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vietnamese History in the 20th Century - Essay Example Vietnam, however, suffered more internal repression as it was internally isolated because of continued cold war. With the helm of President Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy, Vietnam was able to make economic policy reforms, that have made it enjoy marked economic growth and reduced political repression, but corruption was still evident. The leadership styles of these leaders have had both effective and ineffective qualities. Vietnam was under the rule of France, for the better part of the 20th century. Geneva conference of 1954 left Vietnam divided, with the North being ruled by Ho Chi Minh of the communist government and the South being ruled by Ngo Dinh Diem, who was supported by the US. Between 1954 and 1975, the 2nd Indochina War between Vietnam’s Peoples Army and Vietnam Congress from the North brought Vietnam unification but under communist rule, with the south being supported by the US. With US military support, the southerners were able to maintain their independence. Two years later, US forces withdrew and South Vietnam fell again to the communists. During the times that the US were involved in the war, it is estimated that 3 million people lost their lives while 4 million were seriously injured. In 1978 to 1989, the international isolation of Vietnam extended its relations with the United States. The US barred normal ties with Vietnam for as long their forces remained in Cambodia, besides citing its minimal cooperation so as to account for Americans missing in action, as an obstacle to their relations.  

Interim assessment For PhD research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Interim assessment For PhD - Research Paper Example However, the cultures which are being followed in construction industry is associated with the ineffective communication and coordination among members of project team, sexual harassment, poor mentality and lack of trust among project team members. These features results in negatively affecting the overall performance of the industry (Ankrah, 2007). This research study is being conducted in order to investigate the impact of organisational culture on safety of the project with reference to the construction industry. The study also seeks to explore the impact of culture and safety on project performance. The study is based on the construction industry located in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The researcher in this study also interested in finding the current health and safety policies being adopted by construction industry in Saudi Arabia, the accidental rates in construction sites, and the factors influence in implementing safety culture in construction companies. The research would be he lpful in determining the degree to which culture influence safety and performance of the project. 1.2. Justification: Choudhry, R., Fang, D., and Lingard, H. (2009) conducted research study regarding the safety climate of the construction industry and concluded that the safety is highly important for improving the overall performance of the construction organizations and thus provided a framework for measuring the safety climate of a construction company. Fang, Chen, and Wong (2006) conducted research study on the safety climate of the construction industry in Hong Kong and presented important insights for the organisations operating in the construction industry of Hong Kong. Larsson, Pousette, and Torner (2008) and O’Toole (2002), worked on the relationship of the safety climate with the employees’ behaviour and performance. There have been few or no research studies conducted in order to explore the impact of the different cultural practices in the construction indus try on the safety and eventually the impact of the organisational culture and safety on the project performance with reference to the Saudi Arabia. Therefore this research study would be significant for researchers who would conduct research related to the topic in future. Furthermore, there are some studies conducted in this topic but they did not focus on significance of culture related to safety and performance. This study would be helpful for owners and contactors of the construction company. The study will highlight the factors influencing project performance of the construction companies. The research study will also suggest the safety techniques which should be adopted by construction companies in order to create safety environment during different projects. It will also highlight the weaknesses of the policies being adopted by construction companies in accomplishing a project. The study would also be beneficial for government of KSA in making the safety policies for construc tion industry. 2. Background 2.1. Construction Industry in Saudi Arabia: The progress of construction industry in a country shows the future progress of the country. The construction industry of Saudi Arabia is one of the largest and fast growing markets which encountered the business of $36.5 billion in 2011 and is expected to reach $43.8

Violence against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender Essay Example for Free

Violence against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender Essay In the past, society has been responsible in inculcating, indoctrinating and impressing on the minds of people that there are only two kinds of gender, either male or female. But in our modern setting, society has learned to adapt to the non-conformists in their midst in regards to this classification. But there are those who by virtue of their fear or upbringing, has raised the specter of violence against these individuals for no other reason than satiating their fear and hatred of gays and lesbians in this society. Can the incidence of violence against gays and lesbians be stopped? Should heterosexual society have justifications in their fear, or hate, of the â€Å"queer† people? In the article of Valerie Jennes and Kimberly Richman, Anti-Gay Violence and its Discontents (2002), there are recent crimes that seem to suggest just that. In a most heinous display of homophobia in the United States, one homosexual man from Wyoming, Matthew Shepard, was brutally killed by two assailants, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson (Diane Richardson and Steven Seidman p. 403). In the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the victim allegedly made advances on the suspect which provoked the suspect to go into a murderous fit. Counsel for the defendants argued that the incident was triggered by the homophobic tendencies of the suspect (Richardson and Seidman 403). After the Shepard case, Billy Jack Gaither was murdered by friends of McKinney and Russell. Again, the reason cited in the investigations was homophobia. Gaither was hit repeatedly with an axe handle, and then set on fire using a pile of tires as kindling. All of the cases were done by reason of the fear of homosexuals and the alleged sexual advances made by the victims on the suspects (Richardson and Seidman 403). Cases like these only display one fact. It must be understood that this incidents present a throwback to the old ideas that there are only male and female roles to be filled in the society, and anything else is deviant. But in this day and age, many of those roles are adequately fulfilled in by the non-conformists in the society, those who aver that it is their choice or give weight to the biological factors that make them as such. Most of the LGBT sector is afraid of revealing themselves and being true to their identity because of the ridicule and the shame that they would be made to endure (Riki Wilchins 265). In any society, there is always the event that what that society fears the most, it learns to hate it, not because of anything that the object of that fear has, but in the mere fact that the object gives them the thought that this object found its way into that society. This seems to be the main driver of the hate against gays and lesbians. It is thios hate that drives them to commit crimes against homossexuals. In her article Coming Out, Professor Paula Rodriguez Rust explains the term as recognizing that an individual has feelings of attraction towards a member of their own sex, embrace a bisexual outlook, and be able to share that identity with others (Paula Rust 227). This must be done to be recognized as such since the society has been inculcated with the notion that all are heterosexual. Since this is the operative assumption, then all parents would expect that their children are heterosexual and conduct themselves in a heterosexual manner. If one were to replace this resident societal identity with another so-called â€Å"deviant† one, these individuals run the risk of being ostracized rather than accepted (Rust 227). A revealed homosexual, once he does so, will find that their relationships in the heterosexual society will be vastly different than the one held in that society. It means a change in the attitudes and disposition members of that society will accord that person, gay or lesbian. Relationships with the members of that society, especially close ones such as friends or family, will dramatically alter for the worse. One will experience the impoverishment of closeness of these relationships, since their behavior or identity runs against the grain of that society (Rust 227). One of the subjects Wilchins interviewed intimated about the shame that he felt every time that his mother would ask him to hold her bag in the shop (Wilchins 265). His partner said that he used to skip classes every time they would play baseball in the gym because of the comments about the feminine way that he threw the ball (Wilchins 265). It is evident from the reaction of these two individuals that the society they are in now still has to allow integration of their sector into the mainstream of the modern-day society. The modern society that the United States boasts of is still quite archaic in their beliefs, at least in this context. Through history has been replete with incidents of violent acts that focus on the gay and lesbian sector, it was only recently that the government have begun to accumulate the data on the different aspects of the crime of â€Å"gay bashing† (Richardson and Seidman 405). Before this time, verifiable information on the statistics of gay and lesbian violence was very hard to come by. It was not until the later 80s that scientific research work on the compilation of data regarding the causes and manifestations of the crimes against homosexuals that is vital in the work to address this issue has recently been accumulated. In the United States, there have been incessant calls for the authorities to look into and monitor incidents of crimes of bias, especially those affecting the gay and lesbian part of society (Richardson and Seidman 405). Heterosexism: Racism in a new light As the African Americans in the early history of the United States were subjected to racist initiatives, gays and lesbians were not spared from the ostracization of the society (Gregory Herek, PhD). Since the advent of the gay movement in the middle of the 1900s, many people have reprehended these individuals as sick, profligate and outright felonious. This line of thinking was given form by psychologist George Weinberg, coining the term homophobia (Herek). Weinberg (1969) used this term to quantify the fear of heterosexuals coming into close contact with homosexuals. His term was first printed in 1969, coming out in Weinbergs Society and the Healthy Homosexual in 1972 (Herek). So what is a homophobe (University of Florida)? In brief, a homophobe can be defined as a person with an intense hatred or dread of homosexuals. Heterosexism is the idea that a heterosexual is superior to a homosexual, and that homosexual relationships are not as legal or accepted as heterosexual ones. Heterosexism as a concept came about the same time as racism and sexism (Herek). As an ideology, the term came to define the actions of individuals to asperse, besmirch, and isolate any form of homosexual conduct or actions (Herek). In Wichins article, it was said that the gender issue is like some form of â€Å"closet† that gay and lesbians must be willing to come out of (Wilchins 266). This, according to Wilchin, is the area that is targeted by heterosexuals. As stated earlier, society has been impressed by a constant deluge of the need to conform to the genders and sexual types in the modern society. Male children are taught to talk, walk, and act like some Hollywood action star. If the actions of the children are in the least way feminine, they will be subjected to violence and debasement (Wilchins 266). They learn to abhor anything remotely connected to their feminine side, so that when they finally come up to one, they are more than willing to terminate that threat (Wilchins 266). This indifference and marginalized treatment of the gay and lesbian sector may be attributed to the invasive nature heterosexism has been influencing the dominant society. This can clarify the hidden nature that the gay and lesbian sector has been â€Å"operating† in the society. Again the dictates society declares that the practice of heterosexual activities and conduct is widely accepted and tolerated, and the practice of homosexual conduct is severely chastised and discouraged (Florida). If people who are known or are open in their practice of their identities are discovered, they are open to violent acts that seem to be perpetrated by the dictates of the society (Herek). In a 1987 report released by the United States Department of Justice on the statistics of bias crimes, it was found out that a majority of the targets of these crimes were minority group members, such as African Americans, Hispanics, Jews, Asians and gays and lesbians. It also noted that gays and lesbians were the most frequent victims of bias crimes. In other private-sponsored studies, crimes against homosexuals that were provoked or bought upon by homophobia and heterosexism topped the reasons for the commission of the crime (Richardson and Seidman 403). It seems that the main issue, however, in the issue of gays and lesbians in society is not that they operate, so to speak, in a different norm and manner. Rather, the issue is trying to create a niche in a heterosexual dominated society (Wilchins 267). Wilchins argues that the movement for the recognition for the rights of women ultimately bore enactment in laws for the benefit, in the same way that gay rights efforts ultimately gave rise to recognition of that sectors rights. If the gender issue is to discussed intelligently and objectively, then the gender rights movement must be bought out rather than hidden from the public agenda (Wilchins 267). For something to be discussed, what is needed is educated discussion, rather than making attempts at terminating the percieved threat. Can the violence against LGBTs be stopped? Again, we must go back to the freedom we speak of. It is recognized that many in the LGBT sector have risen up through the obstacles that this â€Å"modern† society has set up along their way and emerged triumphant, yet are still looked down upon, and in many instances, with hate permeating through the opposition. It is this hate that laws and statutes, however good they may be, cannot control, the choice of people to hate, to think ill of the gays and lesbians, and to concoct and perform violence against gays and lesbians. All that can be done is to make laws that are far more retributive against people who perform these acts. Federal and local governments should take the initiative in making laws or amending current statutes to give more protection for the gays and lesbians in the society. Unless modern society provides that niche by which the gays and lesbians can integrate themselves into the mainstream of society, it can be said that violence against gays and lesbians and others like them are likely to be a major problem. It is in the act of â€Å"modern† society to accept its diversity, not only in identity, but also in gender and preferences that it can be called a truly modern society. Works Cited Equality Maryland. â€Å"Hate Crimes Bill Heads to Governors Desk†. http://www. equalitymaryland. org/pr_2005/pr2005. 04. 09. htm Garnets, Linda and Kimmel, Douglas C. â€Å"Psychological Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experiences: Chapter 9: Finding a Sexual Identity and Community, by Paula Rust†. New York City: Columbia University Press (2003). Works Cited Herek, Gregory M. â€Å" Definitions: Sexual prejudice, homophobia, and heterosexism†. http://psychology. ucdavis. edu/rainbow/HTML/prej_defn. html Richardson, Diane and Seidman, Steven . â€Å"Handbook of Gay and Lesbian Studies: Valerie Jennes and Kimberly D. Richman†. California: Sage Publications (2002). Wilchins, Riki Anne. â€Å"Time for Gender Rights†. GLQ: A Journal of Gay and Lesbian Studies Volume 10, Number 2 (2004). pp. 265-267. University of Florida. â€Å"What is heterosexism†? http://grove. ufl. edu/~ggsa/files/bboard/heterosexism. pdf.

Mechanism Of Action Of Warfarin Biology Essay

Mechanism Of Action Of Warfarin Biology Essay Warfarin is an anticoagulant medication that is used to prevent thrombosis (clots) and embolism in many disorders. Warfarin activity has to be monitored by frequent blood testing for the International Normalized Ratio (INR). Warfarin is a synthetic derivative of coumarin, a chemical found naturally in many plants it decreases blood coagulation by interfering with vitamin K metabolism. Mechanism of Action of Warfarin Warfarin is vitamin K antagonist that produce its anticoagulant effect by interfering with the cyclic interconversion of vitamin K and its 2,3 epoxide (vitamin K epoxide). Vitamin K is a cofactor for the posttranslational carboxylation of glutamate residues to ÃŽÂ ³-carboxyglutamates on the N-terminal regions of vitamin K-dependent proteins (Whitlon, et al., 1978; Fasco, et al., 1982) .123456 These coagulation factors (factors II, VII, IX, and X) require ÃŽÂ ³-carboxylation for their biological activity. Coumarins produce their anticoagulant effect by inhibiting the vitamin K conversion cycle, thereby causing hepatic production of partially carboxylated and decarboxylated proteins with reduced procoagulant activity.78 In addition to their anticoagulant effect, the vitamin K antagonists inhibit carboxylation of the regulatory anticoagulant proteins C and S and therefore have the potential to exert a procoagulant effect. In the presence of calcium ions, carboxylation causes a conformational change in coagulation proteins91011 that promotes binding to cofactors on phospholipid surfaces. The carboxylation reaction requires the reduced form of vitamin K (vitamin KH2), molecular oxygen, and carbon dioxide, and is linked to the oxidation of vitamin KH2 to vitamin K epoxide. Vitamin K epoxide is then recycled to vitamin KH2 through two reductase steps. The first, which is sensitive to vitamin K antagonists,123 reduces vitamin K epoxide to vitamin K1 (the natural food form of vitamin K1), while the second, which is relatively insensitive to vitamin K antagonists, reduces vitamin K1 to vitamin KH2. Treatment with vitamin K antagonists leads to the depletion of vitamin KH2, thereby limiting the ÃŽÂ ³-carboxylation of the vitamin K-dependent coagulant proteins. The effect of coumarins can be counteracted by vitamin K1 (either ingested in food or administered therapeutically) because the second reductase ste p is relatively insensitive to vitamin K antagonists (Fig 1). Patients treated with a large dose of vitamin K1 can also become warfarin resistant for up to a week because vitamin K1 accumulates in the liver and is available to the coumarin-insensitive reductase. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Warfarin Warfarin is a racemic mixture of two optically active isomers, the R and S forms in roughly equal proportion. It has high bioavailability,1920 is rapidly absorbed from the GI tract, and reaches maximal blood concentrations in healthy volunteers in 90 min after oral administration.1921 Racemic warfarin has a half-life of 36 to 42 h, circulates bound to plasma proteins (mainly albumin), and accumulates in the liver where the two isomers are metabolically transformed by different pathways.22 The dose-response relationship of warfarin is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, including a recently identified common mutation in the gene coding for one of the common cytochrome P450 enzymes (2C9), the hepatic enzyme responsible for oxidative metabolism of the warfarin S-isomer.2324 This mutation likely contributes to the variability in dose response to warfarin among healthy subjects.25 In addition to known and unknown genetic factors, various disease states, drugs, and dietary fac tors can interfere with the response to warfarin. The anticoagulant response to warfarin is influenced by pharmacokinetic factors, including drug interactions that affect the absorption or metabolic clearance of warfarin, and pharmacodynamic factors that alter the hemostatic response to given concentrations of the drug. Variability in anticoagulant response also occurs as a result of inaccuracies in laboratory testing, patient noncompliance, and miscommunication between patient and physician. Other drugs may influence the pharmacokinetics of warfarin by reducing GI absorption or by disrupting its metabolic clearance. For example, the anticoagulant effect of warfarin is reduced by cholestyramine, which impairs its absorption, and is potentiated by drugs that inhibit warfarin clearance through stereoselective or nonselective pathways.252627 Stereoselective interactions affect oxidative metabolism of either the S-isoner or R-isomer of warfarin.2627 Inhibition of S-warfarin metabolism is more important clinically because this isomer is five times more potent as a vitamin K antagonist than the R-isomer.2627 Clearance of S-isomer warfarin is inhibited by phenylbutazone,2829 sulfinpyrazone,30 metronidazole,31 and trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole,32 each of which potentiates the effect of warfarin on the prothrombin time (PT). In contrast, drugs such as cimetidine and omeprazole that inhibit clearance of the R-isomer have only moderate potentiating effects on the PT in patients treated with warfarin.272833 Amiodarone inhibits the metabolic clearance of both the S-isomer and R-isomer and potentiates the anticoagulant effect of warfarin.34 The anticoagulant effect is inhibited by barbiturates,32 rifampicin,34 and carbamazepine,32 which increase its metabolic clearance by inducing hepatic mixed oxidase activity. Although long-term alcohol use has a potential to increase the clearance of warfarin through a similar mechanism, consumption of even relatively large amounts of wine was shown in one study29 to have little influen ce on PT in subjects treated with warfarin. For a more thorough discussion of the effect of enzyme induction on warfarin therapy, the reader is referred to a critical review (Table 2 ).35 The pharmacodynamics of warfarin are subject to genetic and environmental variability. Hereditary resistance to warfarin occurs in rats36 as well as in human beings.3738 Patients with genetic warfarin resistance require doses fivefold to 20-fold higher than average to achieve an anticoagulant effect. This disorder is attributed to altered affinity of the receptor for warfarin since the plasma warfarin levels required to achieve an anticoagulant effect are increased. Two mis-sense mutations in the factor IX propeptide have been described394041 that cause bleeding without excessive prolongation of PT. When affected individuals are treated with coumarin drugs, factor IX activity decreases to about 1 to 3%, while levels of other vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors decrease to 30 to 40% of normal. These mutations are uncommon and have been estimated to occur in Subjects receiving long-term warfarin therapy are sensitive to fluctuating levels of dietary vitamin K,4243 which is provided predominantly by phylloquinone in plant material.43 The phylloquinone content of a wide range of foodstuffs has been listed by Sadowski and associates.44 Phylloquinone acts through the warfarin-insensitive reductase reaction.45 Important fluctuations in vitamin K intake occur in both apparently healthy and sick subjects.46 Increased intake of dietary vitamin K sufficient to reduce the anticoagulant response to warfarin42 occurs in patients on weight-reduction diets consuming green vegetables or receiving vitamin K-containing supplements, and in patients treated with IV supplements containing vitamin K. Reduced dietary vitamin K1 intake potentiates the effect of warfarin in sick patients treated with antibiotics and IV fluids without vitamin K supplementation and in states of fat malabsorption. Hepatic dysfunction potentiates the response to warfarin through im paired synthesis of coagulation factors. Hypermetabolic states produced by fever or hyperthyroidism increase warfarin responsiveness, probably by increasing the catabolism of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors.4748 Drugs may influence the pharmacodynamics of warfarin by inhibiting synthesis or increasing clearance of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors or by interfering with other pathways of hemostasis (Table 3 ). The anticoagulant effect of warfarin is augmented by the second-generation and third-generation cephalosporins, which inhibit the cyclic interconversion of vitamin K,4950 by thyroxine, which increases the metabolism of coagulation factors,48 and by clofibrate, through an unknown mechanism.51 Doses5253 of salicylates > 1.5 g/d also augment the anticoagulant effect of warfarin,54 possibly because these drugs have warfarin-like activity. Acetaminophen has also been reported to augment the anticoagulant effect of warfarin,52 although this contention has been challeng ed (see below). Although heparin potentiates the anticoagulant effect of warfarin, in therapeutic doses, it produces only slight prolongation of the PT. Drugs such as aspirin,55 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,56 high doses of penicillins,5758 and moxolactam50 increase the risk of warfarin-associated bleeding by inhibiting platelet function. Of these, aspirin is the most important because of its widespread use and prolonged effect.59 Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also produce gastric erosions that increase the risk of upper-GI bleeding.58 The risk of clinically important bleeding is heightened when high doses of aspirin are taken in combination with high-intensity warfarin therapy (INR, 3.0 to 4.5).5560 In two studies, one study61 in patients with prosthetic heart valves and the other study62 in asymptomatic individuals at high risk of coronary artery disease, low doses of aspirin (100 mg/d and 75 mg/d, respectively) were also associated with increased rates of minor bleeding when combined with moderate-intensity and low-intensity warfarin anticoagulation. The mechanisms by which erythromycin63 and some anabolic steroids64 potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin are unknown. Sulfonamides and several broad-spectrum antibiotic compounds may augment the anticoagulant effect of warfarin by eliminating bacterial flora and aggravating vitamin K deficiency in patients whose diet is deficient of vitamin K.65 Wells and associates66 performed a critical analysis of articles reporting possible interaction between drugs or foods and warfarin. Studies were assigned to one category if the interaction was considered highly probable, to a second category if interaction was probable, to a third level if judged possible, and to a fourth level if doubtful. Of 751 citations retrieved, pertinent results from 172 original articles are summarized in Table 3. Strong evidence of interaction was found for 39 of the 81 different drugs and foods appraised; 17 potentiate warfarin effect, 10 inhibit, and 12 produce no effect. Many other drugs have been reported to either interact with oral anticoagulants or alter the PT response to warfarin,6768 but convincing evidence of a causal association is lacking. In a case-control study,52 low to moderate doses of acetaminophen (nine or more tablets per week) were reported to be associated with excessively prolonged INR values. The presence of a causal association bet ween acetaminophen use and potentiation of a warfarin effect is uncertain. The article52 was supported by an editorial,53 but has been challenged by personal experiences (case series) cited in two letters6970 and by the results of a prospective study71 in normal volunteers. However, until more information is presented, it would be prudent to monitor the INR more frequently when acetaminophen is used in this quantity by patients during warfarin therapy. Indeed, it would be reasonable to monitor the PT more frequently when any drug therapy is added or withdrawn from the regimen of a patient treated with an oral anticoagulant. DRUG INTERACTIONS: Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any drug, vitamin, or herbal product without checking with your doctor or pharmacist first.Warfarin interacts with many prescription, nonprescription, vitamin, and herbal products. This includes medications that are applied to the skin or inside the vagina or rectum. The following interactions listed do not contain all possible drug interactions. The interactions with warfarin usually result in an increase or decrease in the blood-thinning (anticoagulant) effect. Your doctor or other health care professional should closely monitor you to prevent serious bleeding or clotting problems. While taking warfarin, it is very important to tell your doctor or pharmacist of any changes in medications, vitamins, or herbal products that you are taking.This drug should not be used with the following medications because v ery serious interactions may occur: imatinib, mifepristone.If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting warfarin.Aspirin and aspirin-like drugs (salicylates) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib) may have effects similar to warfarin. These drugs may increase the risk of bleeding problems if taken during treatment with warfarin. Carefully check all prescription/nonprescription product labels (including drugs applied to the skin such as pain-relieving creams) since the products may contain NSAIDs or salicylates. Talk to your doctor about using a different medication (such as acetaminophen) to treat pain/fever. Low-dose aspirin and related drugs (such as clopidogrel, ticlopidine) should be continued if prescribed by your doctor for specific medical reasons such as heart attack or stroke prevention. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.Many herbal medicati ons have blood-thinning or blood-clotting effects, and some may directly affect warfarin. Tell your doctor before taking any herbal products, especially bromelains, coenzyme Q10, cranberry, danshen, dong quai, fenugreek, garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, goldenseal, and St. Johns wort, among others.This medication may interfere with a certain laboratory test to measure theophylline levels, possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist

Macbeth :: essays research papers

MACBETH The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare contains many interesting themes; Shakespeare has taken a time of great change in Scottish history and used it to suit his of purposes. He uses the rise to power of a man to examine issues and ideology of Elizabethan times. The people of the Elizabethan timer believed in the divine right of kings, to put simply the king is gods chosen representative on earth, he speaks to god, to kill a king would bring about horrendous repercussions an turn a peaceful world into chaos. A good example of this chaos is when Macbeth kills Duncan; the day after Ross tells us That the day became as dark as night, a falcon was killed by an owl and that Duncan's horses turned wild and ate each other. Another theme from Macbeth, which is linked to the idea of divine right of kings, is Individuals disrupting the natural order of events. Unnatural acts such as murder and witchcraft are linked to unnatural events in nature. Using the example of duncan's horses, we see, after Macbeth committed an unnatural act (killing Duncan) we learn that his horses ate each other an act that is not natural to horses. Considering both of these, Macbeth had to decide whether it was right for him to change events, but also if he kills Duncan will it mean he, himself may fall victim to someone's vaulting ambition. "Bloody instructions which, being taught, return to plague the inventor" Macbeth Act 1 scene 4 Macbeth is also plagued with the idea of kingship. A bad leader will always equal unhappy times. When Maclom lists the qualities in a king ( Act 4 scene 3)he lists Justice, Verity, Temperance, Stableness, bounty, Perseverance, Mercy, lowliness, Devotion, Patience, Courage, Fortitude. How many of these qualities do we see in Macbeth? The role of good and evil, another major theme in Macbeth is important, because although Macbeth and lady macbeth are comsidered evil, they show weaknessess. It is clear they have got in to deep. I consider the witches to be evil as they corrupted a good man leading him from the values he was brought up to respecthowerve, I do not see Banquo as good. For the reason he did not voice his beliefs that macbeth was the killer, nor Macduff, although he appears as a good man he did abandon his family, leaving them to the wrath and injustice of Macbeth Macbeth :: essays research papers MACBETH The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare contains many interesting themes; Shakespeare has taken a time of great change in Scottish history and used it to suit his of purposes. He uses the rise to power of a man to examine issues and ideology of Elizabethan times. The people of the Elizabethan timer believed in the divine right of kings, to put simply the king is gods chosen representative on earth, he speaks to god, to kill a king would bring about horrendous repercussions an turn a peaceful world into chaos. A good example of this chaos is when Macbeth kills Duncan; the day after Ross tells us That the day became as dark as night, a falcon was killed by an owl and that Duncan's horses turned wild and ate each other. Another theme from Macbeth, which is linked to the idea of divine right of kings, is Individuals disrupting the natural order of events. Unnatural acts such as murder and witchcraft are linked to unnatural events in nature. Using the example of duncan's horses, we see, after Macbeth committed an unnatural act (killing Duncan) we learn that his horses ate each other an act that is not natural to horses. Considering both of these, Macbeth had to decide whether it was right for him to change events, but also if he kills Duncan will it mean he, himself may fall victim to someone's vaulting ambition. "Bloody instructions which, being taught, return to plague the inventor" Macbeth Act 1 scene 4 Macbeth is also plagued with the idea of kingship. A bad leader will always equal unhappy times. When Maclom lists the qualities in a king ( Act 4 scene 3)he lists Justice, Verity, Temperance, Stableness, bounty, Perseverance, Mercy, lowliness, Devotion, Patience, Courage, Fortitude. How many of these qualities do we see in Macbeth? The role of good and evil, another major theme in Macbeth is important, because although Macbeth and lady macbeth are comsidered evil, they show weaknessess. It is clear they have got in to deep. I consider the witches to be evil as they corrupted a good man leading him from the values he was brought up to respecthowerve, I do not see Banquo as good. For the reason he did not voice his beliefs that macbeth was the killer, nor Macduff, although he appears as a good man he did abandon his family, leaving them to the wrath and injustice of Macbeth

British Petroleum Analysis Essay

Introduction William Knox D’Arcy founded BP plc, formerly known as British Petroleum, in 1909, they are a global company specializing in oil and gas, headquartered in London, England. BP has continued to grow since its inception, and now employs over 80 thousand people in 70 countries worldwide (Company History,N.D.para1). According to CNN money BP is ranked number six among other global 500 companies (Fortune Global 500.BP.n.d.). Its key strengths are in oil and gas exploration and production; the refining, marketing and supply of petroleum products; and the manufacturing and marketing of chemicals. It supports all its businesses with high quality research and technology (Company History, N.D.para3). External Environment Economic Trends Knowledge is power and the more aware you are of trends within the economy, the more successful you will ultimately be. BP is just one of many companies in the oil and gas industry making an impact on environmental trends. A common goal amongst competitors within this industry is to locate oil and bring it to consumers, due to some of the economical trends this goal is also shifting. The economy is more favorable to lower gas prices, lower carbon emissions, and fuel efficiency. Companies within this industry have to balance the needs of development and the needs of the economy while trying to protect the environment. BP has two main areas of operation, one being the exploration and production of oil and the other being refining and marketing (BP,PLC(BP), N.D.para1) Currently BP like many others in the industry are focusing on ways to lower carbon emissions, and finding new resources of low-carbon energy. One of the ways BP is helping bring these goals and trends into fruition is the utilization of shale oil. Shale oil resources are being discovered all throughout the United States. Shale oil has helped lower gas prices (Oil and Gas,2013.,para3). BP recently purchased Chesapeake Energy Corp’s position in the Woodford Shale-gas play in Oklahoma for 1.75 billion; with this purchase they can expand into shale gas and are hoping to add 200 million cubic feet into production (Major Oil, Meet Shale. 2008,para2) According to BP they are taking various steps in finding ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. One of the ways BP is reducing carbon dioxide emissions is through solar energy, since solar power is carbon free. BP is one of the worlds leading companies within the solar industry, offering various products for consumer’s homes and businesses. BP recently started working with Home Depot to offer solar lighting. BP is also focusing on natural gas, which is making up about 40% of BP’s Portfolio and they are continuing to expand to areas that have a high dependency on carbon, such as the United States, Mexico, and parts of Korea. Wind farms are also sparking debate as BP is looking to expand into this area as well to offer carbon free electricity (What Is BP Doing. N.D.para 23-27). Another economic trend that affects BP as well as the gas and oil industry as a whole is interests rates, exchange rates, and the rate of inflation. There are many factors to consider when looking at the relationship between these rates and gas prices. For example, if these rates were to be raised it would affect the consumers and the manufacturing costs, which would lower the amount of time and money people spend driving, creating less demand for oil, causing the prices to drop. The same would work if the rates lowered, establishing an influx for consumers, which would result in more traveling and higher demand for gas, causing the price to rise (Parry,P.,2013.Para4). Political/ Legal There are several factors in the oil and gas markets that are affected by politics and legalities. One of the main factors is political unrest in the Middle East. The ongoing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan have driven the gasoline prices to all-time highs. More recently the civil war attacks in Syria are causing problems with development of Iraq’s gas and oil supplies. The Syrian forces have focused these attacks on the energy sector in an  attempt to take away their wealth since oil is main revenue. Due to this focus the attacks have been primarily on oil export pipelines, power generation and transmissions. Luckily, most of the attacks are not occurring in the southern parts of Iraq where the largest supplies of oils are found (Iraq: Syria War Spillover Hinders Oilfields, Pipelines.2014.para3-4). Oil spills into the oceans are a major factor on the politics side of the oil and gas industries. One of the major spills by BP’s Deepwater Horizon drill in 2010, not only took its toll on the company and the industry, but tourism, wildlife, and beaches were all heavily affected in the Gulf areas. Due to the Deepwater Horizon disaster BP is on a five-year probationary period, and there are new safety measures being implemented across the industry, there are new training procedure, risk management processes and equipment (BP gets record fine for Deepwater Horion, 2012.para2). Demographics Demographics refer to a company’s consumers as well as employees. The oil and gas industry consumer base can be related to just about everyone, with the retail aspect of the gas station including gum, drinks, snacks, etc. Gasoline in general is targeted to people that are of age to purchase gasoline generally public over the age of 16, which is the legal driving age. According to the BP website they offer careers in various fields such as business infrastructure, commercial, engineering, operations, sales and support, and technology just to name a few. BP has employees in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America (Career Areas.N.D). Employee talent within the oil and gas industry can impose a problem industry wide. Since training employees in these fields can be very costly, it is expensive to train new employees, and industry leaders generally offer top level pay and incentive packages to retain their employees. (Vogt,C. ND.Talent Retention in the Oil & Gas Industry.para1) Technological Trends Technology is the center focus of all companies within the gas and oil industries. Technology affects everything from safety operations, locating resources, and converting products to lower-carbon products. The main focus of technology within BP is safety, and has been since the Deepwater Horizon drill spilled 4.9million barrels of oil into the water of the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 men (BP gets record fine for Deepwater Horizon,2012. Para2). Due to Global warming BP along with their competitors are searching for ways to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon Capture is a popular method amongst the companies in this industry. Carbon Capture focuses on capturing waste carbon dioxide from sources such as fossil fuel power plants that have an excess of waste. Once the carbon waste has been captured it is transported to storage sites to be released where it cannot re-enter and damage the atmosphere (Sadler, T., 2013.para7). The Keystone Pipeline is another way technology can help the United States achieve energy and independence. The Keystone Pipeline will run from Alberta, Canada down through the Midwest United States ending in Texas. The Keystone Pipeline project has the goal to prove all oil produces in the US access to oil refineries, which in the long run would cut out the Middle East as our biggest supplier (Kalen, S.2012.para2.). Socio/Cultural There are several social and cultural impacts on the oil and gas industry. The main factor is the rising domestic energy prices. Gasoline prices are high resulting in the consumer paying more for gas, in turn reducing the amount of money available for other consumption, meaning people are driving less (McKillop,A.2012.para1). Another factor is government assistance with fuel bills. There are numerous resources to provide help with electric and heating bills, these programs are provided on the federal and state levels for most of the United States. These programs help suppliers such as BP to receive payment for the services, instead of uncollected bills. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) receives funding from the Federal Department of  Health and Human Services (DHHS). There are several sources available such as weatherization assistance program and the home energy assistance program (HEAP). Although most of these programs receive funding from the state and federal government, there are not enough sources for everyone who needs them. Global BP is an international company specializing in the oil and gas industry. BP no longer just deals with oil and gas as shown by their main business activities which include the exploration and production, refining and marketing and the distribution of energy as well as BP alternative energy. BP is ranked in the top tier of the their competitors such as Exxon, Anadarko, Chevron, Conoco Philips and Shell. Within this industry BP owns several labels as well including, Castrol, Arco, Aral, AM/PM and Wild Bean Cafà © (Our Brands.N.D.para1). BP is the third largest publically traded oil company ranking behind two of its major competitors: Exxon and Shell. BP is the largest gas producer in the United States with fifteen processing plants; they are also considered a top refiner (BP at a glance.2013.para1). Porters Five Forces Barriers to Entry The Barrier to Entry level for the oil and gas industry is high. The oil and gas industry is very difficult to enter just because of the start up costs alone. Some of these start up cost would be the drills, trucks, gas station locations, employees and the technology used to locate the resources in the ground or the oceans. Entering into the industry as a specialist such as offering drilling services to the major companies is more common and feasible. The major barrier to entry into this industry is funding, the majority of companies within this industry have been around for a very long time, such as BP, which was established in 1909. Brand loyalty is a huge factor in high barrier entry, since most of these large companies have a loyal customer base. BP is a very well established company and has been building their large customer base for decades. As defined by Hill and Jones brand loyalty is a consumer preference for products by a certain company (Hill, C., Jones, G. 2012pg58.para2) Suppliers Bargaining Power The bargaining power of suppliers is the ability suppliers have to raise input prices or to raise the cost of the industry. In BP and the oil and gas industry the suppliers bargaining power is high, because there are realistically no substitutes of the product (Hill, C., 2012pg65.para2). There are a variety of oil and gas companies globally, however a few companies dominate the industry: BP, Shell, Exxon, etc. Buyers Bargaining Power According to Hill and Jones the bargaining power of byers is their ability to negotiate lower prices charged by companies within an industry. They also can raise costs by demanding better services and higher quality products (Hill. C. Jones., G. 2012.page63-64). Right now in the oil and gas industry the balance of power is resting in the hands of the buyer because of economic crisis and oversupply of product. Since oil is considered a commodity and generally all companies within the industry use the same methods for drilling, the buyer is able to seek the lower prices and more rewarding contracts. Substitute Product Threats Substitute product threats include the products provided by companies or industries as a whole that can meet the needs of customers. The oil and gas industry does not just mean fuel to run our vehicles, which would mean substitutes would include fuels such as gas, coal solar and wind power, nuclear energy and hydroelectricity. Although there are many areas concerning oil and gas, the threat of substitute products are low, there really are no other sources to compare. Competition The companies in the oil and gas industry operate in a consolidated industry, where the industry is dominated by a small number of companies. BP’s biggest competitors are Exxon, Anadarko, Chevron, and Phillips anytime any of these companies make a move within the industry it warrants a response movement from its competitors. The competitions of the oil and gas industry have high exit barriers, because the demand for the product is static due to the face that all refineries can do the same thing†¦. produce and refine products. Firms Strategies Business Strategy According to Hill and Jones the business level strategy â€Å"encompasses the businesses overall competitive theme, the way it positions itself in the marketplace to gain a competitive advantage and the different positions strategies that can be used in different industry settings, for example; cost leadership, differentiation, focusing on a particular niche or segment of the industry or some combination of these† (Hill, C., Jones, G., 2012 pg.10). According to BP they compete in both business to business and business to consumer markets with a customer base in over 70 countries. BP uses differentiation in several ways but the major use of this method was the use of technology to transform oil rigs to digital platforms. BP strives to ensure the best quality and safety standards, and also modified their safety standards after the Deepwater Horizon drill disaster in 2010. BP is considered a leader in the marketplace. They are ranked as the 6th largest company by market capitalization. (Facts and Figures.n.d.) has competitive prices with other companies in the industry, the prices as a whole usually are pretty even across the board and usually only fluctuate by a few cents. Corporate Level Strategy Corporate level strategy deals with what areas companies should be dealing with in order to maximize profitability (Hill,C 2012. Page10 para3). According to BP they try to create a platform for growth and increased value over long periods of time while continuing to grow and explore new venues. They will continue their research to develop top-level safety and risk management standards, and continue to develop technology to locate and access hydrocarbons and ways to properly extract them. BP will continue to make its presence in the industry known by exploring alternative energy, spending about one billion per year for this research. The current CEO of BP, Tony Hayward, stated at BP’s annual strategy presentation that he â€Å"would be surprised if we saw opportunities at the corporate level†¦it is not something I am terribly focused on† (Crooks, E.2010 para#12) Technology Strategy Technology is at the center of everything BP does, it is used in safety precautions discovery, recovery, efficiency and low carbon future development. According to BP they employ over 500-safety and risk specialist working with managers in the field to help improve decision-making regarding standards (BP and Technology.N.D.para1). BP uses a technology called seismic imaging, which is at the forefront of technology in the industry. Through the use of seismic imaging, sound waves are used to determine where oil reserves are in the ground. This procedure gives BP a major head start in discovering oil and gas and pinpointing where to drill. With a focus on a lower carbon future BP’s main area of growth focusing on wind and biofuels because they have the most potential. Firms Competences Tangible Resources BP’s human resource management gives its employees opportunities to see many ways to excel within the company. Throughout their career human resource management personnel will benefit from a broad base of support and training. Personal support is also available through team leaders, mentors, and fellow employees. Among these employees BP also has teams of engineers developing new and safer means of creating energy. BP has employees that deal with safety measures within the company along with the environment. BP’s employees will also act as an essential partner to the business. The employees will also work on real world projects helping the company reach goals in improving organization and human capital resources. BP’s physical resources were used during the massive oil spill in 2010. The physical resources that were used during this time were mainly manpower. The man-power used were numerous employees, volunteers, and other organizations. Since the oil spill happened in the middle of the ocean, the toxins within the oil spread throughout the Gulf, along with making its way to the US. Over 30,000 people responded to this major oil spill working to collect oil, clean up beaches, take care of animals and plant life effected, and performed other various duties. Another physical resource that BP uses is the natural resource of oil and gases. BP is currently in the production The  Chirag Oil Project. This project has started operations, increasing production from a giant oil field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. Its major physical resource would have to be its massive oilrigs and pipelines. These rigs and pipelines help extract and transport the oil and gases that have been found and gathered. According to the NASDAQ Annual Income Statement, BP has gone up 29% since 2009 to 2012 in its Current Liquidity Ratio, and the Cash Liquidity Ratio has gone up about 12% from 2009 to 2012. The reason BP’s liquidi ty ratio has risen the past years is due to the current liabilities. The company’s income has lowered after the massive oil spill. The company has lost large amounts of income due to the spill by having to provide cleaning crews, settlements to the people affected by the spill, and the loss of business from consumers. The loss of consumers came due to the negative view of the company after the oil spill in the Gulf. Since, the Gulf oil spill, the company now stresses the importance of development without polluting the environment. Finding alternative forms of energy like solar and hydrogen is part of that vision. This development also brings in more funds to the research and development. The liability caps and the role they may have played in encouraging moral hazard. Just as bank deposits are guaranteed by government deposit insurance, and large banks themselves are probably to big to fail, liability for property damage from oil spills off US waters is limited to $75 million (plus cleanup costs), based on a 1990 law passed after the Exxon Valdiz spill. This presumably mitigates drillers’ incentives to manage environmental risk. Indeed, oil companies enjoy a very cozy relationship with their ostensible guardians; as the NY Times noted, â€Å" decades of law and custom have joined governmen t and the oil industry in the pursuit of petroleum and profit.† The federal agency that oversees drilling, the Minerals Management Service, rakes $13 billion a year in fees in what amounts to a public-private partnership. The business benefits of applying a consistent approach to knowledge management have been significant. BP business managers attributed hundreds of millions of dollars of added value as a direct result of using this approach. A practical example of this has been in the cost reduction in the construction of European retail sites. At the beginning of 1998 a challenge is set of reducing the build costs of retail sites in Europe by 10%. The Alliance (a joint venture between BP and  Bovis) is responsible for the management of these activities in Europe. The Alliance was engaged in the benefits of knowledge management and invited the BP KM Team to help them achieve this outcome. Step change in costs was delivered in 1998 (savings of $74 million) due to the harvesting and sharing of knowledge between the project engineers in Europe. This gave BP Downstream Retail competitive advantage in the Mature European Marketplace. Project engineers in Venezuela, China, Poland, and Japan are now also leveraging this knowledge on a global scale. Similar examples of increased performance have come from BP’s KM application in speeding up business restructuring, developing new oil & gas fields, improving plant productivity and accelerating new retail market entry. Intangible Resources BP has a negative reputation among consumers and other people throughout the world. Due to the massive oil spill and the company almost going bankrupt, its CEO and board of directors have tried to bring a more positive look to the company, by searching for new forms of clean energy. The company has always been known for its big production of oil for numerous countries worldwide. Since the oil spill the company has been implementing a higher and more intense safety standard. Although, BP has a negative reputation, it has a well-known name in the oil and energy business. Some may think that BP is too large to fail due its name and some government backing and funding. BP has been in the oil industry since 1909, starting out drilling in Persia. Along with BP having the largest pipeline in the world has brought solar power to remote villages in the Philippines due the hard work of its employees. BP has used technology throughout its business to keep up with the changing times and the demand for fuel and energy. It has scientist finding new forms of low-carbon energy while reducing BP’s own contributions to carbon in the atmosphere. Under this new banner BP took bigger and bigger steps towards addressing climate change. It installed solar panels at its service stations, brought solar power to remote villages in the Philippines, helped bring hydrogen-fuelled buses to London and introduced new, cleaner types of motor fuel. It created a unit, BP Alternative Energy, devoted to making from all the various types of low-carbon energy viable, large-scale and profitable business. These low-carbon energy sources are solar, wind, natural gas, and biofuels. Along with these new low-carbon  energy sources being made, BP has also unveiled a new way of extracting oil, producing more oil and extending the life span of its oilrigs. The new technology would be beneficial for oilfields worldwide. The company is using new technology everyday as they find new and safer ways to create energy extract, and store oil. The company has used innovations to help with its image in the public eye. They have begun turning used oil and gathered oil from the massive spill to asphalt to be used on roads. Proof-of-concept testing confirmed that the product could meet technical requirements. BP worked with transportation and environmental officials from several states to conduct tests on using the material for highway paving projects. Along with the reuse of oil to asphalt, there has been a movement in the restoration of the Gulf Coast with hard and soft containment booms as well as segregated plastics also were gathered in staging areas along affected area and then sent to waste-to-energy facilities or recycled into new plastic products. One program developed during the Deepwater Horizon incident resulted in routing skimmed fluid s to oil reclamation facilities. The fluids were then sent through a recovery process, which was able to reclaim and convert some of them into marketable petroleum products. Value-Added Chain BP’s inbound logistics activities are comprised of a series of many pipelines, oil tankers, and other forms of transportation that move the extracted crude oil to refining plants worldwide. The company’s massive global operations make efficient and effective logistics that help keep the costs of transporting crude oil low. This efficient global network of transporting crude supply makes more cost advantage for BP in the long run. Light transport is BP’s way of outbound logistics as it utilizes its global networking to perform this logistic. The large supply and distribution logistics network allows BP to perform its light transport and distribution of refined oil with great efficiencies, which help in lowering costs for BP. By lowering the costs of transport of refined oil BP would be able to conduct more research and upgrading the low-carbon energy research. Also this would give the company bigger budget to expand its new technology for creating a safer drilling process. BP’s main operation is refining crude oil brought in from throughout the world. The refining activities of this  company are distributed strategically around the world, with close proximity to its demand markets. With its refineries strategically placed BP has the ability to reach maximum efficient balances between its inbound and its outbound logistics. BP positions its refineries to have proximity to their oil and gas fields while also being to those energy markets. The company markets its oil and gas through its vast global retail network, which is made up of mainly its BP Service Stations. BP has excelled in sales due to its advertising campaign by using the latest social media and television commercials. Another form of advertising many people have seen from BP is though the news stations, by doing positive actions BP is making a better name for itself, which markets BP’s commitment to sustainability and cleanliness in the biotic area in spite of its past failures. The company has rebranded itself as to appear more-green friendly in today’s energy market. It has went as far changing its name from British Petroleum to BP, by which inferring but not stating it stands for â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†. This campaign includes a new look that asserts the company’ commitment to sustainability. The advertised commitment to sustainability and green energy has created a competitive advantage for BP. Competitive Advantage Factors If it is these resources and capabilities, in all their various forms, that create the potential for competitive advantage, the question about how they can actually create it remains. The initial answer is that they must be developed, coordinated and then deployed in such a way that the company can provide goods or services more economically than others or be able to satisfy customers’ needs and wants better than rivals, the ideal being a combination of the two. Whether such competitive advantage yields good profit streams, however depends on a second set of judgments and decisions. The actual products/services to be provided are: the nature and size of the customer market chosen, and the competitive nature of that marketplace. The ability to repeatedly get this right is another set of capabilities. If this is done correctly, the ensuing competitive advantage and its profit stream may not be sustainable. Competitors, anxious to share in the profitable opportunity, the company has uncovered will seek to follow suit. BP has two basic ways of doing this, either directly imitating the product/service or by providing a good/better alternative. In the product/market arena there  are myriad ways of achieving this. Products may be reverse-engineered to discover their component parts and how they were made. Service delivery can be sampled repeatedly until the key elements are identified, and then replicated. Marketing expenditure can be matched, alternative distribution channels found. Even in-company resources and capabilities can be readily emulated or copied. Good competitor analysis can rapidly identify anything from newly installed IT systems to specialist machine tools that have provided a competitive edge. It can uncover new sales or marketing techniques, component sourcing arrangements, specialized service training, supplier partnerships, outsourcing deals and even which alliances or joint ventures are providing new knowledge. All provide keys to imitation or substitution. Widespread recognition of this has led many companies to despair of achieving sustainable competitive advantage. For example, during the 1980s, many financial institutions spent billions on IT systems that would give them a market edge, only to watch rivals buy better, newer, faster equipment that negated any brief advantage they had. In the 1990s, retailers launched credit and loyalty cards to build marketing databases, only to watch rivals do the same. Each apparent advantage quickly turns into just another entry ticket to play in the game. SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis of BP will show their strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. BP is one of the largest vertically integrated oil and gas companies in the world (Research and Markets, 2010A). They are investing millions in research and development. Times and demand are changing, more and more consumers are going green, and to stay in competition with other companies they need to come up with something different. In 2010, BP is the company behind the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Because of this crisis the company needed to do something to gain the peoples trust. In the past BP has made serious communication mistakes with its stakeholders. BP’s crisis communication was a weak link in its crisis management strategy (Valvi & Fragkos, 2013). Strengths The strength of the company comes from demand, marketing, brand, and research and development. The company’s operations primarily include the exploration and production of gas and crude oil, as well as the marketing  and trading of natural gas, power, and natural gas liquids (Research and Markets, 2010B). BP is ranked at the world’s 3rd largest energy company and is positioned as a multinational oil company headquartered in London (Essay UK, 2013A): Since 2012 BP will have invested $500 million into marketing in the US in an attempt to revamp its brand (Bhasin, 1012, para 1) As I sit here watching the 2014 winter Olympics, I have seen several commercials about BP partnering with the United States, part of its marketing campaign. BP is the number one leading vertically integrated company, involved in upstream, midstream and downstream oil businesses (Bp, plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.5). BP upstream technology programs, involves investing in incremental improvements and new technology that can transform the industry. The new technology will strengthen in exploration, deepwater, giant fields, and gas value chains (â€Å"Our major technology,† N.D, para1). Many people today are concerning themselves with the environment. BP is developing alternative energy, including solar. BP has invested in solar, wind, and biofuel power, trying to provide power without harming the environment (Hitchcock, 2012). Because of upstream technology flagships, BP has been able to maximize resources, increase recovery rates; real-time data technologies are enabling safety, reliability and efficiency across operations (â€Å"Our major technology, N.D., para2). The company began construction of a new high-performance computing (H PC) center in Houston (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.4). BP was awarded a contract to unlock high pressure oil and gas resources in deep water, and planned on investing $100 million over 10 years to set up the International Center for Advanced Materials (ICAM) to fund research into fundamental understanding and use of advanced materials, from self-healing coatings to membranes, across the energy industry The advantages that BP has with being a vertically integrated businesses allows them completive advantage from other companies in the global oil market, It provides control over the entire value chain, enabling the company to produce products which are used at different stages in the value chain (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013,  pg.5). Weakness Between the years 1965 and 2010 BP has spent millions from the many problems endured: ranging from oil rigs capsizing, hazardous substance dumping, refinery explosion, corrosion in pipelines resulting in insulating agent leakage propane price manipulation, North sea helicopter accident, and finally Deepwater Horizon well explosion (Andrews, 2010). From these problems many died, while others were injured. The Deepwater Horizon well explosion was the worst. Congress accused the company â€Å"of withholding data from the ocean floor and blocking efforts by independent scientists to com up with estimates of crude flowing into the Gulf each day†. The US government has named BP as the â€Å"responsible party† for this incident (Andrews, 2010, pg. 20). In November 2012, BP reached an agreement with the US government to pay $4 billion to resolve all federal criminal claims arising out of the Gulf of Mexico incident, leaving BP with a bad reputation, burdened cash flow, which could impede its ability to invest in new opportunities, and deliver long-term growth (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.6). The company has experienced a decline in profits. FY2012 recorded operating profit was $19,733 million, a decrease of 50.4% compared to FY2011. The net profit was $11,582 million, a decrease of 54% compared to FY2011. The decrease in the operating and net profits of the company affected the overall profitability of the company (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.7). You would think this was the straw that broke the camels back. Not only did it affect the company but it also compacted several states. How would BP ever recover? They will be paying for many years to come. Opportunities BP has been disposing many of its assets to concentrate more on its strengths. So far they have sold $38bn worth of assets since the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, and plan to sell of approximately $10bn more of assets by the end of next year (BBC News, 2014 para 17 & 19). BP has several external opportunities, including by acquisition in the North Sea area, BP’s  future profit by acting in the suitable boundaries area in the Russia region, implement plan to achieve alternative energy methods insist of Hydrogen, natural gas, wind and solar investment (Nhid, 2011, pg. 9A). Not to mention numerous investments. Threats Many of BP’s threats are external, mainly from the Deepwater Horizon reputation, other threats are: environmental activist, legal and political issues, which will increase the cost of operations for the company investment (Nhid, 2011, pg. 9B), and ethics. The oil, gas, and petrochemicals industry is highly competitive. High competition puts pressure on accessing new opportunities, license costs, and product prices, affects oil products marketing, and requires continuous management focus on reducing unit costs and improving efficiency, while ensuring safety and operational risk is not compromised. The implementation of group strategy requires continued technological advances and innovation including advances in exploration, production, refining, and petrochemicals manufacturing technology (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.9). Conclusion In conclusion, BP start up company was British Petroleum, providing gas and oil. The company is evolving with research and development in other avenues. BP has had its ups and downs in the company, the latest being Deepwater Horizon oil spill. From this catastrophe they needed to take a step back and look at things in a new light Through all of this they are ranked number six among other global companies specializing in oil and gas, the third largest publically traded oil company, the world’s third largest energy company, and the number one leading vertically integrated company, who employs over 80 thousand people. Since the cost of training top-level employees is expensive, BP offers an attractive incentive package to keep them with the company. As gas prices soar, and transportation changing the company needs to also change with the demand. BP is in the process of finding new resources of low- carbon energy to lower carbon emission. BP is one of the worlds leading companies within the solar industry, working with Home Depot offering solar lighting. Within the industry BP owns several labels. BP doesn’t have an official mission statement, but provides several different statements called: â€Å"what we do†, â€Å"What we stand for† & â€Å"What we value† (â€Å"Mission statement of,† 2013 para 1) â€Å"What we do: †¨We find, develop and produce essential sources of energy. We turn these sources into products that people need everywhere. The world needs energy and this need is growing. This energy will be in many forms. It is, and will always be, vital for people and progress everywhere. We expect to be held to high standards in what we do. We strive to be a safety leader in our industry, a world-class operator, a good corporate citizen and a great employer. We are BP. What we stand for: †¨Above everything, that starts with safety and excellence in our operations. This is fundamental to our success. Our approach is built on respect, being consistent and having the courage to do the right thing. We believe success comes from the energy of our people. We have a determination to learn and to do things better. We depend upon developing and deploying the best technology, and building long-lasting relationships. We are committed to making a real difference in providing the energy the world needs today, and in the changing world of tomorrow. We work as one team. We are BP. What we value: Safety Respect Excellence Courage One Team† (â€Å"Mission statement of,† 2013 para 2-4) With the amount of money the Deepwater Horizon disaster costs the company, BP had to figure out how they were going to survive. Through SWOT analysis, and research and development they are coming up with ways to help the future grow the company. Recommended Strategic Action People in the U.S. who weren’t aware of BP, before 2010, their brand became well known after the Deepwater oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It left BP with a bad reputation. BP needs to continue to re-build their image. Although there are many environmental challenges, BP is adapting to the  needs of a more sustainable society, wanting to be an energy company, rather than an oil company, they need to continue to keep the consumer in mind. BP R & D team continues to come up with new ideas and ways to improve the environment by providing solar, and wind energy, hydrogen, and natural gas. They have sold many assets, continue to sell more, and invest in various projects, they may want to look donating to private organizations to help communities. In their mission, BP claims they value safety; they need to use scenarios before starting a project with safety top priority. Reference: Andrews, P. (2010). Bp where did it all go wrong?. Andrews UK: AUK New Authors. BBC News. (2014, February 4). Bp boss warns of uncertainties due to scottish vote . Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business Bhasin, K. (1012, February 3). Silverpop official site. 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