Over-dependence on technology Essay

Over-dependence on technology The reliance on technology is expected and necessary because the technology is designed to be a flexible tool supporting work activities. This reliance is expected and necessary if the technology is to realize the potential for which it is designed. This fundamentally differs from over dependence on technology, in which those using technological innovations no longer treat them as flexible tools to support work activities, but instead make incorrect assumptions about how these systems work, and begin to rely on them, without question or skepticism, to manage critical work activities. he theory of technological determinism holds that technology is the prime force in initiating social change, and that the introduction of new technology fundamentally shifts work activities, resulting in transformations of individuals and their social interactions as well as the organizations in which they work. 3 In contrast to this deterministic approach, the theory of social construction of technology posits that technology does not directly shape society; instead, the social context in which the technology is used determines how it is created, diffuses, and becomes part of the organization. 4 Both theories imply that the introduction of technology is associated with significant change; they differ in whether the change is initiated by the technology or the social context in which it is used. Regardless of the theoretical basis for understanding the change, it is reasonable to assume that some degree of dependence on any technological innovation will inevitably occur if the technology provides users with some perceived, relative advantage over whatever system it supersedes. 5 This reliance is expected and necessary if the technology is to realize the potential for which it is designed. This fundamentally differs from overdependence on technology, in which those using technological innovations no longer treat them as flexible tools to support work activities, but instead make incorrect assumptions about how these systems work, and begin to rely on them, without question or skepticism, to manage critical work activities. To answer the question â€Å"How does the introduction of CPOE create the potential for overdependence on technology in healthcare organizations?† we conducted a detailed analysis of  all references to overdependence on technology in our data. The results are presented here. However, some people are concerned by these developments. They point out all the failures made by computers that have done a lot of harm to people. Scientists fear that the vital skills can be lost by next generations as computer technology replaces traditional ways of working. Moreover, they predict the chaos that can occur when suddenly the systems fail to work or, what is worse, refuse to listen to people’s orders. That is why in my opinion, computers and other developments of technology are useful and there is no possibility to live without them nowadays, as we got to much used to them. However, we should also work to find the ways of making our dependence on technology less dangerous for us. New developments should appear only when really important and helpful for people.

Erik Peterson Case Analysis Essay

Inefficient employees (Hardy), or line manager with inadequate knowledge Technical issues at lower level employees Handling his employees’ lack of work, inventory control etc. No. of cells to be operational (16) by the turn on date was too many to handle, yet it was vital to have them all operational Construction of towers were already behind the schedule; HQ reluctant to terminate the contract since the former company did a great deal of work on the construction Peterson’s management and leadership on the start-up? Raised the issues & problems with top management; replacing employees Appointing trusted people to other departments; Construction coordination Prepared to solve the zoning problems (failed to get the approval of the top management) Helped improve Curt in his job, but wasn’t quite successful since Curt was a technical person and didn’t have much knowledge on management. He provided technical support to him and others, but went too much into details. Kind of micro-managing He at least had identified the problems and causes Weekly construction Meetings to involve everyone, yet some people weren’t active enough Established an inventory control system Actions to be taken by Peterson to improve the situation and to prepare for his upcoming meeting? He should build a detailed organogram of the company and define the roles and responsibilities of each employee He shouldn’t get involved in each and every issues for which his staff needs to deal with. He should be more a result oriented leader. Staff mobility; the overall idea is good, but shouldn’t move in a way to change the reporting line He should prepare a list of his recommendations and the support required from HQ with concrete results on success or failure of his recommendations and do a follow up to those recommendations The first support he needs to ask from HQ, should be more authority to get control over his employees Since the project is in a critical phase to meet deadlines, the reporting line may change temporarily until everything gets on track

Britain is a sexist society Essay

Sexism is prejudice or animosity towards gender, institutionally or personally. The term is most often used for women, but it is generally aimed for all genders. In the United Kingdom, in the past few years 72% of women claimed they got abused due to their workplaces. Compared to 67% in 2002, 72% of women said yes, when asked; if they had ever felt intimidated at work by a fellow employee. Even with these results, 81% of the women said that they would not report these cases to their managers because they would be shy or worried. In addition, they believe that being female harmed their chances of career progression (82%) in 2006, compared to 78% in 2002 because males are the dominant office culture. The main reasons that sexism takes place is because one gender will feel another gender is weaker and not as successful as another. They will feel as if they have not got the ability e. g: workplaces without giving them any chance to prove themselves. This is clearly a stubborn and an ignorant way to treat people. Sexism is certainly taking place in the UK and there are numerous ways, which denotes that sexism does manifest in this country, such as: making prejudice statements and using offensive terms. In addition there was someone paying you less because of gender, this would be sexism. If you make friends and talk to more people based on their personality, this will help fight sexism and also joining anti-sexist campaigns will help the community.

The effects of raising the minimum wage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

The effects of raising the minimum wage - Essay Example The minimum wage increases compress the wages distribution. Firms respond to these higher labor costs by reducing employment, reducing profits, or raising prices. [1] European Employment and Industrial Relations Glossaries. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions [2] History of the National Minimum Wage. Employment Matters. United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry Raising the minimum wages increases the cost of government social programs due to assistance programs aiding the laid-off workers. Some also argue that higher minimum wages reduce teenage education levels and decrease workers' long-term earnings. They contradict the benefits of raising the minimum wages and argue that the minimum wage does not reduce poverty and also slows economic growth of the country. Minimum wage increases lead to widespread unemployment, and such an intuitive argument, that society would have to be a pretty bizarre place not to abandon the wrongheaded policy altogether. For those low-wage earners who are members of poor families, will experience severe effects that an increase in the minimum wage will have. Increase in minimum wages will reduces demand for workers through a reduction in the number of jobs. Also it will affect the profit margins of business owners employing minimum wage workers. By raising unemployment and eliminating entry-level jobs, minimum wage hikes also eliminate opportunities for workers to gain valuable experience and skills that prepare them for... The minimum wage has become a hot topic. The arguments for and against a higher minimum wage boil down to whether the Country’s economy should follow a low-road/low-wage or high- road/high-wage growth path. A low-road strategy involves developing an economy based on mass production, with large numbers of workers hired for low-skill jobs at low wages. A high-road strategy involves developing an information-based economy, which would require a flexible workforce with a high level of skills; such workers would, of course, command higher wages. Legislating an increase in the minimum wage would contribute to accomplishing this task. From the social conscious movement, which has been sweeping the newer generations, it is viewed that a higher minimum wage is needed to keep the lower classes living at a comfortable level. Raising the minimum wage is not simply a magic tool to increasing the condition of living for the lower classes in a country; it actually works against that as it br ings down the condition of living even further for those who become unemployed. The free market is a beautiful thing, which balances itself out and rewards each participant with that which they input.

H.W Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

H.W - Essay Example In addition, the Chief Elected Official shall chair and over-see the planning committee in charge of making plans associated with emergency hazard management. The director shall be responsible for making arrangements to coordinate the Municipal’s Emergency Response Plan for Hazardous materials as well as necessary hazardous emergency services with the Hazardous management Committee, the Local Hazardous Management Team i.e. Fire Department, Local Police et cetera. He/she shall hold annual meetings with the Emergency Hazardous Response Team in an annual basis in order to facilitate determination of challenges faced by the team, thus formulating effective solutions for the identified challenges. In addition the Emergency Management Director shall facilitate the establishment of a mass notification channel in the case that an unexpected Hazardous incident occurs. On the other hand, he/she shall coordinate emergency preparedness sessions for refresher training for the Emergency Response Team as well as the Municipal Employees as required by the department. The Management Director shall also oversee or coordinate frequent exercises geared towards testing the efficacy of emergency management plans, equipment and making necessary improvements. Moreover, the Management Director shall be responsible for conducting an annual hazard threat as well as vulnerability assessments in order to facilitate emergency funding procurement and other aspects of budgeting. In collaboration with other Emergency Response Team members, the Emergency Director shall conduct public awareness programs and educations in order to prepare the locals for emergency cases. In the case that there is state, local or even federal meetings organized by the government to discuss issues ascribed to response towards emergency hazards and public safety, the Emergency Management Director shall attend to facilitate

Biotechnology Final Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biotechnology Final Assignment - Case Study Example It has offered people a better way to benefit from other organisms while being environmentally friendly. The modification of genes has enabled there to be different breeds of certain animals. This has led to the creation of a different breed altogether with certain characteristics (Sutton 29). This paper will review the way biotechnology has been crucial in the evolution of the environment through time. How the topic relates to the class Biotechnology has led to the improvement of the preservation of the environment. Throughout history, it was vital that people protect and preserve the environment. The problem with this came with the little knowledge they had to dispose of certain waste products (Sutton 35). These waste products may have come from anywhere take for instance the animals, and people. The waste would often be left unattended, and this led to the degradation of the environment. However, people found out alternative methods of ridding the environment of this waste by conv erting it into something useful. Animal waste found use in farms as a way of offering fertility to the soil. This is since the decomposition that occurred provided the necessary elements for the growth of healthy plants, and crops. Biotechnology has improved the manner in which people relate to the environment. In prehistoric times, it was easy to see how biotechnology was used to carry out day to day activities (Sutton 39). An example would be the fermentation of fruit drinks to make wine. Personal thoughts on the topic It is vital to note the significance biotechnology has brought forth. Many fields in the world are coming up as a result of biotechnology. There have been many things that have become possible due to biotechnology. This is with improvement in technology over time. However, it is clear that biotechnology is not something that is accepted globally. Some believe that it has led to the creation of things that go against God’s design. The manipulation of DNA in di fferent animals has been condemned by many (Sutton 45). The use of herbicides over long periods has received criticism from different quarters. This criticism is becoming more of a hindrance to the use of biotechnology to clean up contaminated environments (Sutton 48). Marine life depends on biotechnology to take care of the growing number of accidents in the sea. Oil spills require techniques that are incorporated by biotechnology to clean up. The ceasing of such techniques would mean that these fields would be rendered useless over a certain period. Biotechnology has found ways to get rid of waste from the environment while having little negative impact on the said environment. The biological processes that biotechnology offers are seen to play a key role in the promotion of a sustainable environment (Sutton 59). Some of the things that it does to benefit the environment are immense. They seem to outweigh the things that it has done that seem to impact the environment negatively. Reason for choosing the topic One of the reasons for choosing this topic is to bring to the attention of many people the benefits brought on by biotechnology. Biotechnology should be embraced for the betterment of the whole global village. This is since the benefits can be seen and felt around the world (Sutton 69). The advancement has contributed to the production of medicine that has eradicated many diseases that would, otherwise, still exist. Not only has biotechnology improved the lives of many, it has prevented the

Paramedic assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Paramedic assessment - Essay Example This results to the sound made by the blood as it forces its way through the vessel (Campbell, 2005, pp. 595). Narrowing of the blood vessels resulting in bruits could be a manifestation of high cholesterol deposits in the vessels thus inhibiting the proper flow of blood. Bruit could equally result from a generalized narrowing of all arteries in the body or because of narrowing of a specific blood vessel. Thinning of individual vessel is prominent especially when it involves a major vessel (Hui, 2011, pp. 60). In the event of a bruit, there is a resultant inhibition of flow of blood to some of the vital organs of the body. Blockage of blood supply to organs like the brain, the kidneys, heart and the liver could result in a permanent damage to the system or even death (Aboyans & Lacroix 2008, pp. 1554). According to Evans et al. (2013, pp. 594), Paramedics have a crucial role to play in the event of a bruit, as the condition is very significant to the profession. Due to the potentiality of the conditions resulting to a bruit causing a sudden death, paramedics must be vigilant in providing interventions like delivery of oxygen to patients experiencing bruits with the aim of providing maximum supply of oxygen to tissues and organs. Bruit demonstrates the significance of collaboration with other health care providers in giving a timely transfer of the patients to specialized care centers providing treatment for a condition resulting to a bruit (Mohler, 2006, pp. 224). Evans, R. et al., 2013. Which extended paramedic skills are making an impact in emergency care and can be related to the UK paramedic system? A systematic review of the literature. Emergency medicine journal†¯: EMJ,

School Administrator Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

School Administrator Interview - Essay Example Money is more important in determining how well students are likely to do. Various studies and analyses are persuasive in showing that, with the possible exception of facilities, there is evidence of statistically reliable relations between educational resource inputs and school outcomes, and that there is much more evidence of positive relations than of negative relations between resource inputs and outcomes. hiring teachers with stronger literacy skills, hiring more teachers (when students-per-teacher exceed 18), retaining experienced teachers, and attracting more teachers with advanced training are all measures that produce higher test scores in exchange for more money. And in order to achieve this they have to offer substantially higher salaries to teachers to attract and retain high quality instructors. This would help confirm a link between expenditures and student achievement. This concludes that school can increase its funding buy showing student outcomes and that in turn can be done by using existing resources skillfully.

The Great British Pub Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Great British Pub - Essay Example veral pubs to its brand and offers a wonderful mix of traditional food and exotic drinks most wines are hand selected and carefully brewed to meet the varying tastes of customers across the country and visiting tourists. To meet the next challenges that lie ahead in the pub retail industry, the operations department has to come up with up-to-date innovations ascribed to the products and services offered. There are several modus operandi for innovating services in the pub market arena. The great British pub can and should redefine its strategy to fit the current market trends and deliver maximum profits. As opposed to the current strategy of only offering mostly food and drinks, it must develop a new strategy that targets even those who seek accommodation. The firm’s mission and vision statements must reflect and include its stakeholders. These measures should be driven using the bottom up approach in order for the employees to own the new strategy. Openness in setting targets should involve everyone that directly or indirectly attached or associated with the great old British pub. The strategy must take into consideration the suppliers, the government restrictions, outsourced service partners, the highly esteemed workforce and most importantly, it should revere its customers. The products offered by the pub are mainly drinks and food. These products must be offered in a manner that treats customers with respect. The beers and whiskeys must concentrate on the particular tastes preferred by the customers according to recent market researches. Quality can be made a side-by-side buzz word for the pub and as such the business can establish itself as completely unique pub in the world. When quality becomes a part of an organization, customers are attached to the enterprise since they are assured of getting value for their money. This can be done by sampling tastes all over the world so that not even tourists are left unattended. Once the traditional foods and drinks

How cell phones changed todays society Essay Example for Free

How cell phones changed todays society Essay How cellphones effect people everyday lives today? Cellphones play a bid role in today’s society as many would concur. From when someone wakes up in the morning they instantly checks their profile, messages, or missed calls. Cellphones make it easier to communicate with each other even if there’s a lot of distance between them. They made it to where if someone in Georgia want to talk to someone in New York anytime, then they could without haven to drive or fly to the other destination to. In order to keep the cellphones in business and effective they made different companies, that advertise, sale, keep in order, and produce the product. So to keep the business around each company tries to make the best deals for single and family purposes. They also build more signal towers all around the world to produce more signal than another company, to promise better service. They advertise the company on TV by commercials, on the internet with web site, on the streets with flyer or poster. They also advertise by saying they got the best by comparing there produce or services to others. Other ways like most of today’s phone are high quality with best games, internet, music, and communication. So when someone gets bored the first thing they do is pick up a phone. Most of some people’s day is spent on a cellphone. People now a days are on their phones extremely too much, missing the beauty of life. Not going out doing things hands on, they rather be sucked into cyber life or social media. Researchers found the radiofrequency field generated by your cell phone causes brain tissue to heat up. This proves your brain is absorbing radiation from your cell, study author David Gultekin, Ph.D., a researcher at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, tells MensHealth.com. Ten studies connect cell phone radiation  to diminished sperm count and sperm damage. Others raise health concerns such as altered brain metabolism, sleep disturbance and behavioral changes in children. Thats why I did research and found a case that can reduce radiation exposure. One of the greatest disadvantages of the cellular phone is the fact that we do not talk to strangers when traveling anymore. In the past, several people waiting for a bus would engage in a conversation while they were waiting. People who traveled the same routes every day might develop friendships along the way. This situation does not happen anymore. Today when people are waiting for a bus, they just pull out their cell phones and speak with old friends, missing out on the opportunity to make new ones. In large cities, many people do not know their neighbors, even though they may have lived in the same neighborhood for years. As a society, we are beginning to lose the face-to-face contact that was such an important part of our lives in the past. Cell phones are a great asset in aiding in our everyday lives. You should remember, however, to hang up every once in a while and pay attention to the world around you.

Is fake news journalism?

Is fake news journalism? Before we can answer the question, is fake news journalism, we must define journalism. Based on the Merriam Webster dictionary it is the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media: writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest (2010). Based on this definition the answer is yes. Fake news is a certain type of journalism since it uses collects and edits news and presents it in way that appeals to the public. Fake news is journalism, but there are those who think it devalues true journalism. The reason people think this way is because the fake news influences their audience by presenting news facts in a comedic way. Also, the real news feels threaten because it is them that are fake by not divulging the entire truth on issues. An example of this was when Jon Stewart went on CNBC show. Stewart said. He then went on to show CNBC had repeatedly made mistakes in its reporting of the financial crisis, including when CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer said that investment bank Bear Stearns was fine only six days before it was saved from total collapse by a fire sale to JP Morgan Chase (OrganGrinder Blog. 2010). True news journalists do not like it when their facts are confronted or questioned to show the whole truth. So the real question should be is the fake news truly fake. Fake news commentators influence viewers by placing a comedic twist on it and fill a void of the real news. Take for instance CNN who is considered conservative who tends to lean towards the Democratic side. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is through critical analysis and biting jokes at the expense of politicians and their media lapdogs (especially cable news) filling a critical void that has been completely ignored within the mainstream media (The Free Liberal. 2005). Fake news commentators have been around for a long time. Back in the eighties and nineties there was Bill Maher hosting Politically Incorrect and Dennis Miller for the Dennis Miller show. Both comedic journalists attracted a huge following by demonstrating liberal views. Both people took liberal views of politics, religion, and other issues with applying a comedic twist to them. They turned the tables politically by revealing hidden or unmentioned facts that the politicians and news did not mainstream. Due to the mainstream of controversy Bill Maher was canceled for specific remarks he made after 911 and the military took offense to them. Fake news may be more real after all. The only reason there is so much hype about it is because the comedic hosts attract and influence huge audiences. Real news broadcasters feel threatened from this type of news due to liberal agenda being presented and the facts that are revealed which has some truth to them. The fake news mainstreams influential information through the media to reach the public and provide them with controversial issues being presented from a totally liberal view. References Merriam Webster, (2010). Journalism definition. Retrieved on February 7, 2010 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/netdict/journalism OrganGrinder Blog. (2010). When the daily shows fake news becomes real journalism. Retrieved on February 7, 2010 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2009/mar/13/jon-stewart-cnbc-daily-show The Free Liberal. (2005). Is fake news better than real news. Retrieved on February 7, 2010 from http://www.freeliberal.com/archives/001056.html

Marks And Spencer Employee Relations

Marks And Spencer Employee Relations Marks and Spencers has been one of the largest retail markets in the UK and the employee relations that exist within the company have both positive and negative aspects. Marks and Spencers employee relations have always been influenced by the conventional system of industrial relations. The company now has 65000 employees all around the world out of which 80% of the staff works directly on the sales floor. MS is amongst the top 6 retail suppliers in the UK and have extended their operations in 29 different countries. Most of the stores are mainly franchises but it also owns a huge number of stores in Hong Kong. The profit turnover of MS is close to 7.3 billion. MS not only caters to clothing but has also widened the market by offering other products that range from furniture to food and financial services. (Marks and Spencer, 2000) Initially there were problems and issues with the employee employer relationship and hence the company had to adopt a different employee relation approach. The company adopted some changes and principles within the management such as: Change in working hours Competitive rate package Employee discounts Pension schemes Bonus and extras (Yvonne, 2010) Change in work timings: With the introduction of Sunday trading in the UK, Marks and Spencer had to create flexible shift timings in order to work on Sundays. Most of the staff work 36-38 hours per week and currently some of the staff work more than normal work schedules. (Yvonne, 2010) Competitive performance related rate packages: The salaries are frequently matched with the market to keep up with the changes in the market. Employee discounts: The staffs and employees of Marks and Spencers receive a discount of 20% on all the purchase made. Pension: Marks and Spencers provide secure retirement benefits for its employees if they have worked in the company for more than a year. The company also provides additional health and dental care for its employees. They also provide SAYE for all the employees across the world. (MS, 2007) The company is not represented by any trade union. The employee relation of MS is taken care by the Human Resource Management (HRM) and it is closely aligned to the business objectives and strategies. The trade union in the UK is the most influential association for protecting employees rights. In 2001, Marks and Spencers had announced closing down stores in Europe especially Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain. The company had planned to close down some of the stores in Europe as a part of cost cutting measure which would help in saving 250 million GBP in 2006-07. The UNI commerce and the national trade Union had raised concerns and had tried to reverse the company decision as it had breached the laws. The Marks and Spencer staff members and the trade union had demanded to reverse the decision to close the stores in Europe and also to initiate and establish talks with the trade union. The trade union actions (TUC) had advocated Marks and Spencer to revisit and change some of the employment policies and practices. Currently Marks and Spencers are not under any governed trade unions. In 2005, trade union ` which mainly focuses on employee relations mainly in the retail sector had started campaigning and informing the employees and staffs of MS about the advantages that trade union can add and also serve the employees with vast knowledge. (Georgina,2006).To deal with these employee related issues, Marks and Spencer had hired a consultation company Business Involvement Group (BIG) (HRM in Marks and Spencer, nd) The stakeholders involved in the employee relations processes of the Organization: MS has always been known for having strong human resource strategies with the help of Human Resource Management (HRM).The HRM helps in laying down strong internal policies and procedures which helps in achieving business objectives of the company. The managers in MS are allowed to adopt appropriate strategies that will help in improving the companys productivity. MS HRM policies also help in contributing to commitment and loyalty of the employees. The HRM also initiated a new change in the company to help the employees and staffs change their attitude towards how they work and perform. Therefore, MS had commenced feedback sessions with its employees on the performance and the areas of improvement and these constant interactions with the staffs had helped the company in changing and developing new skills, increase competence and improve productivity. What is the orientation of the organization to industrial relations? If its not unionized, how does MS maintain communication with the employees? MS follows a sophisticated paternalistic approach which refuses to recognize any trade unions but they have strong internal HRM policies which will help in ensuring that all the employees goals and grievances are taken care of without the involvement of the trade union organization. MS also have a network of elected employee representatives known as BIG (Business Involvement Group) which aims at resolving issues that affect the employees. BIG provides an opportunity to voice their individual opinion, concerns and grievances. The employees also have a great opportunity to positively affect the organization by providing ideas which will help in improving the working conditions and the productivity of the employees. Every store across the globe has BIG representatives who are usually elected by their staff members to help the other employees resolve the issues. The national BIG aims at- Better communication between management and staff Continuous development of the employees BIG also aims at engaging the employees in discussing and debating the various changes that are required which can change the employees working condition and improve efficiency. MS also have a wide range of learning and development which helps the employees to grow with the company and also achieve their goals. (MS, Employee Handbook, 2009) How does MS handle collective grievances? MS procedure is available for all the employees to address any issues, grievances and complaints. Work well programme was also introduced in MS which help in creating and maintaining a productive and healthy environment. The grievance can be in any form such as workload pressure, employee employer relationship, roles and responsibilities, work stress, organizational environment or even personal relationship. In case, the complaint is with respect to a generic company policy, then the internal BIG will handle such issues. The employees line manager provides all the necessary information to the local BIG and the local BIG flags the issue in the common forum with the national BIG. If the issue is collective and if the complaint is common among other employees, the national BIG contacts the policy owner or the HR to revise the policy and a written response will be sent to the employees who had raised the grievance. MS believes in treating its employees with dignity and any form of discri mination or harassment will be dealt very seriously. The company has now 3500 BIG representatives covering all its stores. The company also provides workshops to the employees to help in performing the role better. (The Marks and Spencer WorkWell Programme, 2002) How does MS establish fair pay and conditions? The company is periodically audited which is part of the ethical trading initiative which helps the company, government, trade unions and human rights department. The company believes in providing good working conditions and fair rates of pay. Development of standards between the company and the employees suppliers help in achieving continual improvement for the business. The employees and staff working in MS are treated with respect and without violating the human right law. The company complies to the local governments regulations in the below areas- Working hours and working conditions Minimum age of employment provided Terms of employment Health and safety of the employees Free from discrimination Right to collective bargaining Rate of pay with par with the local labor law Regular checks in all production and sales sites are made periodically to ensure the working conditions of the employee are as per the rule (Ethical Trading ,2002) If MS is not unionized, how does it regard its relationship with the trade unions? The company has 80% of its employee workforce as women and the company now is 98% unionized in Ireland and there are 2 collective agreements with 2 different unions- MANDATE and SIPTU. The governing reasons for MS to have the company unionized are- Some of the management policies and procedures do not suit the local government as the culture of UK is not always compatible with the other countries. The conventional system did not help in the change strategy established by the business. Marks and Spencer are not affiliated with any trade union currently in the UK but many trade unions have been convincing the company to permit trade unions within its operations. The government has also been involved very closely with the operations of Marks and Spencer as it is one of the largest employers in the UK. M S has to comply with all the rules and regulations laid by the government. The company was also asked to submit a report on internal controls and risk management by the government and this had helped the company to detect some issues and obtain control. The company has also faced allegations from trade union called UNITE criticizing the employee relations implemented by the company. There have been a number of advantages for the employees owing to the partnership with the 2 trade unions in Ireland- Flexible working hours introduced for its employees to have a better work life balance. Profit sharing pension scheme has been introduced Better medical facilities available for its employees for free checkup Training and development in technical aspects, job analysis and problem solving areas which has helped employees improve their productivity and efficiency These changes have helped MS ensure a positive feedback in Ireland and as a result have also attracted number of candidates for employment. (Marks and Spencer, 2000) The problems in the companys industrial relations culture and practice? The company should allow its employees to join trade unions because the company can discharge a separate internal team BIG working on employee relations which is not very effective. MS also needs to realize that any decisions taken impact many of its own employees which can cause more fiction. The employee problems need to be addressed by a neutral governing body who are not affiliated to the company so that the employees problems are addressed and necessary actions are taken. The pension scheme established by the company has also raised concerns among employees. The company has not matched up the profits directly to the employees and the pension scheme introduced by MS was not taken well by the employees. The employee turnover is also high in Marks and Spencer as the employees are not satisfied with the working conditions, changes that take place within the organization and other factors. (MS, 2007) Recommendations: The company needs to introduce a knowledge management process which can be an advantage for the employees and the company. This helps the company to handle the jobs effectively and efficiently. The company should also allow the employees to join trade unions as the internal consultation system BIG is not effective on employee relations. BIG representatives do have the technical competence to handle issues put forward by the employees. (Brunes, 2004) MS definitely need to work on the employee relations area as the competition within the retail sector is high and the employees play a very important vital role towards contribution of a profitable company. Although the company provides a good remuneration package, refined human resource management strategies and good training development for its employees, the external factors such as constant unconstructive media reports and from the trade unions make it difficult for MS to provide good employee relations. (HRM in Marks and Spencer, n.d) To obtain a good employee relationship, it is very essential for the MS management to be involved. MS need to have the below HRM approach- Good management leadership to take necessary decisions Clear understanding of policies and procedures by the management to prevent any conflicts arising. Management should also consider the employee involvement in case of any change in process MS management should also build a good rapport with its employees by encouraging and motivating with rewards and recognition. MS should also focus on improving the interpersonal communication skills of all its organizational members. Well defined strategy and contingency plans in place to handle any unforeseen event. More employee participation in various events so that it helps in improving the responsibility and commitment. MS management to be more transparent with the policies and decisions made which will help in growth and development of the company (HRM in Marks and Spencer, n.d) CONCLUSION: MS have been very successful in implementing changes in a very effective technique. MS needs to build on its own strength and try to overcome the threats. MS needs to understand the work related issues and try to work on them. Work Well Programme has cited that one of the biggest issues in MS was the presence of good management. Literary References Brunes, B. (2004) managing Change: A Strategic Approach to Organizational Dynamics, London , Prentice Hall Ethical Trading (2002), [online], available from http://www.examstutor.com/business/resources/companyprofiles/marksandspencer/ethicaltrading.php [8th May 2010] Georgina Fuller (2006), Union Udsaw Seeks recognition at Marks and Spencer, personneltoday, 20th Oct 2006 HRM in Marks and Spencer,[online] Available from http://www.ivoryresearch.com/sample13.php [8th May 2010] MS (2007) Marks and Spencer to revamp final pension Scheme, accessed, available from http://www2.marksandspencer.com/thecompany/mediacentre/pressreleases/2007/fin2007-01-23-00.shtml [8th May 2010] MS, Employee Handbook (2009),[Online] available from http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/specific/howwedobusiness/our_people/employeehandbook [8th May 2010] Marks and Spencer (2000) [online], available from http://www.ncpp.ie/dynamic/docs/markspencer_cs.pdf [8th May 2010] Stanley Chapman (2004), Socially Responsible Supply Chains: Marks and Spencer in Historic Perspective, Research paper Series: International Center for Corporate Social Responsibility, The University of Nottingham Staff Writer (2007) Marks and Spencer: Neat Pension fund arrangement , Insurance Business Review The Marks and Spencer WorkWell Programme (2002), [online] , available from http://www.resourcesystems.co.uk/Conferences/WorkWell%20Handouts.pdf [8th May 2010] UK Government (2007), Turnbull Report, available from http://www.frc.org.uk/corporate/internalcontrol.cfm [8th May 2010] Yvonne Miller (2010) An Analysis of Employee relations at Marks and Spencer, available from http://www.articleblast.com/Advertising_and_Marketing/General/An_analysis_of_employee_relations_at_Marks_and_Spencer__________________/ [8th May 2010]

The Pearle :: Free Essay Writer

The Pearle In The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, evil transforms certain humble citizens into envious savages. Evil was exhibited by the doctor who refused to treat Coyotito because his parents had no money. When the doctor heard of Kino and Juana's fortune in finding "the pearl of the world" (722), he boasted that they were patients of his while thinking of a better life for himself in Paris. Coyotito was healed when the doctor finally came to their straw hut. He deceived Kino by giving the baby a white powder that made him go into convulsions. An hour later he came and gave Coyotito the remedy and immediately wanted to know when he was getting paid. The evil in the pearl had reached the heart of the doctor. The pearl's evil did not restrict itself to infecting Kino's peers; it also affected Kino himself. He wanted to sell the pearl and use the money to better his family's standard of living. He had dreams and goals that all depended on the pearl. When Juana wanted to destroy the pearl, Kino beat her unmercifully: He struck her in the face and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side...He hissed at her like a snake and she stared at him with wide unfrightened eyes, like a sheep before a butcher. (742) Juana saw through the outer beauty of the pearl and knew it would destroy them, but Kino's vision was blurred by the possible prosperity the pearl brought. The malignant evil then spread to a secret cult known only as the trackers. This corrupt band of ruffians attacked and destroyed Kino's life. The very night that the trackers learned of Kino's pearl, they tried to steal it. The next night, Kino was attacked twice, which resulted in Kino committing murder. After the final struggle of the night, Juana went back to their home to find more baneful members of the heartless cult rampaging through their belongings to find the pearl. The end result was Kino and Juana's house going up in flames. The trackers then comm itted the cardinal sin, they destroyed Kino's canoe: This was an evil beyond thinking.

Euthanasia Devalues Human Life Essay -- Arguments Against Euthanasia

â€Å"Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a patient to limit the patient’s suffering. The patient in question would typically be terminally ill or experiencing great pain and suffering. The word â€Å"euthanasia† itself comes from the Greek words â€Å"eu† (good) and â€Å"thanatos† (death). The idea is that instead of condemning someone to a slow, painful, and undignified death, euthanasia would allow the patient to experience a relatively good death.† The technical definition of euthanasia is the act of ending life painlessly, often someone suffering from an incurable illness. However it is impossible for any life to end free from pain. The actual killing may be peaceful, but the suffering endured throughout the disease will never be forgotten and the heartbreak felt by the family due to the untimely death of a loved one will live on forever. Euthanasia is an extremely controversial issue dividing professionals in both the medical and legal fields. Some argue that individuals have a right to die and death is a choice. Those against euthanasia argue that, â€Å"Death occurs because a fatal pathological condition is allowed to take its natural course, not because those who have removed life support intended to kill the patient. Rather, their intention is to stop doing something useless or to stop imposing a burden on the patient.† (Yount 23) The Netherlands, Belgium, and the Northern Territories in Australia are among some of the countries that recognize Euthanasia as legal. In the Netherlands, euthanasia accounts for over five percent of the nations deaths (â€Å"Facts and Statistics on Eutanasia†1). In 1997, the United States Supreme Court passed the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon, which stated that physician assisted suicide is ... ... more efficient and safe ways to prevent more intense suffering. The minds of those committing suicide are often insane, therefore those making the decision to euthanize are not in the proper mental state. Euthanasia is also not completely safe and effective. In many cases complications occur such as vomiting and intense muscle spasms. Also in a significant number of cases the drugs provided did not result in the desired outcome, meaning then the physician has to inject other fatal concoctions by hand, breaking their Hippocratic Oath. If euthanasia becomes completely legal it will allow a price to be placed on human life, and provide the mentally ill with a legal outlet to give into their disease. Even though a life stolen by euthanasia is supposedly painless, the pain endured by a premature death will live on in the hearts of their loved ones forever.

Brazil Economy Essay

1. What are some of the advantages that a strong Brazilian currency does for its population, and what are some of the challenges of having a strong currency relative to another currency? Global economic forces have served Brazil well in recent years. As a leading exporter of raw materials such as Soya and iron ore, the South American nation has benefited from the Chinese-fueled commodities boom. The instability in exchange rates between currencies creates difficulties for international trade and investment, for business planning, and for national economies, with impacts on prices and inflation. 2. Explain why the Brazilian government is concerned about its balance of trade with China? They are concerned because more Brazilians are buying in China now which could damage businesses in Brazil. Brazil remains a complicated place to do business for foreign-based companies. Challenges include a highly complex and expensive tax and labor environment, burdensome bureaucracy, costly credit, lingering corruption and deep social imbalances. 3. What does a higher external demand for goods and services in a country do for the standard of living of its citizens? This would help them have a better standard of living so that they are able to buy their own homes. 1. Explain the role of capitalism in the 100-year growth of Nederlander concerts. Individual industry growth differ from each other in many ways. Indeed, no two are exactly alike. Some industries are dominated by booms. After a short recession, there is a rapid recovery that leads to a prolonged boom. Over a 100-year life of such a cycle, there might be twenty years of recession and depression followed by eighty years of prosperity accompanied by lesser fluctuations. The Nederlander’s have managed to stay in business for over 100 years which shows that being a small business with a well grounded foundation could be the key to success. 2. Why is Nederlander able to charge higher prices for small theater performances when audiences could pay less at stadium concerts? Because the space has limited seating but big name entertainment they are able to monopolize off of the consumer by charging higher prices to see a big name  entertainer. As a consumer I would pay the higher prices so that I am able to be in a smaller concert environment in my opinion less people mean less problems. 3. Would you expect the current slump in the U.S economy to affect Nedelander’s ticket sales? Why or Why Not? I don’t think it would have any affect on ticket sales, because even though the economy is in a slump we still crave entertainment, and socialization therefore people would find the money to do something that they would enjoy.

Ib Chemistry – Energetics (Hl)

6. 1. 1 If the reaction produces heat (increases the temperature of the surroundings) then it’s exothermic. If it decreases the temp (i. e. absorbs heat) then it’s endothermic. Also, the yield of an equilibrium reaction which is exothermic will be increased if it occurs at low temps, and so for endothermic reactions at high temperatures. 6. 1. 2 Exothermic : A reaction which produces heat. Endothermic : A reaction which absorbs heat. Enthalpy of reaction : The change in internal energy (H) through a reaction is ? H. 6. 1. 3 H will be negative for exothermic reactions (because internal heat is being lost) and positive for endothermic reactions (because internal energy is being gained). 6. 1. 4 The most stable state is where all energy has been released. Therefore when going to a more stable state, energy will be released, and when going to a less stable state, energy will be gained. On an enthalpy level diagram, higher positions will be less stable (with more internal en ergy) therefore, if the product is lower, heat is released (more stable, ? H is negative) but if it is higher, heat is gained (less stable, ?H is positive). 6. 1. 5 Formation of bonds : Release of energy. Breaking of bonds : Gain / absorption of energy. 6. 2 Calculation of enthalpy changes 6. 2. 1 Change in energy = mass x specific heat capacity x change in temperature ? (E = m x C x ? T) 6. 2. 2 Enthalpy changes (? H) are related to the number of mols in the reaction. If all the coefficients are doubled, then the value of ? H will be doubled. Attention must be paid to limiting reagents though, because enthalpy changes depend on the amount of reactants reacted (extensive property of enthalpy). . 2. 3 When a reaction is carried out in water, the water will gain or lose heat from (or to) the reaction, usually with little escaping the water. Therefore, the change in energy, and so the ? H value, can be calculated with E = m x c x ? T where E is equal to ? H, m is the mass of water pres ent, and c = 4. 18 kJ Kg-1 K-1. This ? H value can then be calculated back to find the enthalpy change for each mol of reactants. 6. 2. 4 The solution should be placed in a container as insulated as possible, to keep as much heat as possible from escaping.The temperature should be measured continuously , and the value used in the equation is the maximum change in temp from the initial position. 6. 2. 5 The results will be a change in temperature. This can be converted into a change in heat (or energy) by using the above equation and a known mass of water. This can be used to calculate the ? H for the amount of reactants present, which can then be used to calculate for a given number of mols. 6. 3 Hess’ Law 6. 3. 1 Hess’ Law states that the total enthalpy change between given reactants and products is the same regardless of any intermediate steps (or the reaction pathway).To calculate: ?Reverse any reactions which are going the wrong way and invert the sign of their ? H values. ?Divide or multiply the reactions until the intermediate products will cancel out when the reactions are vertically added (always multiply/divide the ? H value by the same number). ?Vertically add them. ?Divide or multiply the resulting reaction to the correct coefficients. 6. 4 Bond enthalpies 6. 4. 1 Bond enthalpy (aka dissociation enthalpy) : The enthalpy change when one mol of bonds are broken homolitically in the gas phase. i. e. X-Y(g) -> X(g) + Y(g) : ? H(dissociation).Molecules such as CH4 have multiple C-H bonds to be broken, and so the bond enthalpy for C-H is actually an average value. These values can be used to calculate unknown enthalpy changes in reactions where only a few bonds are being formed/broken. 6. 4. 2 If the reaction can be expressed in terms of the breaking and formation of bonds in a gaseous state, then by adding (or subtracting when bonds are formed) the ? H values the total enthalpy of reaction can be found. 16. 1 Standard enthalpy changes of re action 16. 1. 1 Standard state : 101 kPa, 298 K (or 1 atm, 25 degrees celcuis).Standard enthalpy change of formation : The enthalpy change when 1 mol of a substance is made from its elements in their standard states. For example C(graphite) + 2H2(g) -> CH4(g). Molecules, like H2 are considered to be ‘standard state'. Fractions of mols (i. e. fractions in coefficients), may also be used if necessary as 1 mol must be produced). 16. 1. 2 If a reaction can be expressed in terms of changes of formation (and bond enthalpies as in SL) then add up all the ? H values to get the ? H for the reaction. 16. 2 Lattice enthalpy 16. 2. 1Lattice enthalpy : The enthalpy change when 1 mol of crystals (i. e. an ionic lattice) is formed from its component particles at an infinite distance apart. M+(g) + X-(g) -> MX(s) The value of lattice enthalpy is assumed to be positive for the separation of the lattice, and negative for the formation of the lattice. 16. 2. 2 As above, lattice enthalpies just a dd another type of reaction to those which can be shown on the Born-Haber cycle. 16. 2. 3 Lattice enthalpy increases with higher ionic charge and with smaller ionic radius (due to increased attraction). 6. 3 Entropy 16. 3. 1 Factors which increase disorder in a system: ?Mixing of particles. ?Change of state to greater distance between particles (solid -> liquid or liquid -> gas). ?Increased particle movement (temperature). ?Increased number of particles (when more gas particles are produced, this generally outweighs all other factors). 16. 3. 2 Predict the sign of ? S (the change in entropy) for a reaction based on the above factors. ?S is positive when entropy increases (more disorder) and negative when entropy decreases (less disorder). 16. 3. 3The standard entropy change can be calculated by subtracting the absolute entropy of the reactants from that of the products. 16. 4 Spontaneity of a reaction 16. 4. 1 Reactions which release heat (and so increase stability) tend to occur as do reactions which increase entropy (? S is positive). Neither of these can be used to accurately predict spontaneity alone however. 16. 4. 2 When ? G is negative, the reaction is spontaneous, when it's positive, the reaction is not. 16. 4. 3 ?G = ? H – Temperature(in kelvin) x ? S Spontaneity depends on ? H, ? S and the temperature at which the reaction takes place (or doesn't as the case may be). 6. 4. 4 Substitute values into the equation above. Hopefully that's not too tricky. 16. 4. 5 There are four possibilities: 1.? G is always negative when ? H is negative and ? S is positive. 2.? G is negative at high temperatures if ? H is positive and ? S is positive (i. e. an endothermic reaction is spontaneous when T x ? S is greater than ? H). 3.? G is negative at lower temperatures if ? H is negative and ? S is negative (exothermic reactions are spontaneous if ? H is bigger than T x ? S). ?G is never negative if ? H is positive and ? S negative.

Are historians probably the least recognized movers and shakers of the society?

Historians are probably the least recognized movers and shakers of the society. As historians, it is always about their works and not about them. Well, there may be quiet a few historians who are popular, but again, they became famous because other historians chose to study and write about them. Behind every historical figure, behind every icon, is a historian. So for me, this is a chance to shine the light on these people, a good way to return the favor. Going back to the discussion question, my affinity is more towards psychohistory.For me, this is probably the most challenging one, since it goes beyond the available information for a certain topic or person (385, Breisach). It involves reading between the lines, of how an event in a person’s life, say in his childhood, may influence his service as the president of a nation. It goes beyond gathering data and piecing them together in something that could be easily understood by others. It is not limited to a single person or event, as it could also be applied to a group of people at a certain time.Psychohistory deals with much more interesting works aside from the endless researches and investigations usually conducted by historians. Response 1: From your response, I can see that your deep interest with literature and art somehow influenced your affinity to Romantic historiography. I agree with what you said about how Romantic historians wanted to hold the reader’s attention, and it is because the topics included in this aspect are anything but the ordinary, thus keeping the focus and the attention of those studying Romantic history. This is very broad, and I doubt that you’ll run out of anything interesting.Response 2: I admire the set of criteria for a historian that you have laid down, but I think it’s rather hard to follow. First and foremost, just choosing on a subject would still be subject to bias. Why would do a historian choose to write about the Greeks and not about the Ro mans? There is a big difference between a historian and a news reporter. The biases that a historian possess is what makes history interesting. Despite all the facts about a topic, there is still a hint of uncertainty in it. For me, the need to clarify and verify facts about our history is what defines historians. Response 3:I agree with you that psychohistory is indeed very interesting. In fact, it is also my choice in this discussion. From your response, you focused on collective psyche, which for me is a defining aspect of psychohistory. It is usually the leaders who are subjected to this, since they are prominent and their actions affect a larger scale. However, I think that this could also be done to anyone else worth studying, since it involves informed interpretation. All you need to have is a basis for that interpretation, and that entails gathering data about the subject, something which is common to all historians.

Renaissance Theatre

The Renaissance Theatre By Macey Colburn, Brendan Simpson, Dayana Romero and Bryan D During the late fourteenth through the early seventeenth century an awaking of the arts and learning boomed in the western world. This awaking or rebirth is known as the Renaissance. The Renaissance era was a glorious time. European politics changed dramatically there was a rise of kings and princes and merchants became key economic figures. As people started to accumulate more money they had leisure time to fill and would become eager to show off their fortune by hiring artists to create extravagant works for them.During the Renaissance there was an apparent change in the art from medieval art. Medieval artists focused on religious subjects in their paintings and sculptures where Renaissance artists focused on human beings and creating realistic paintings and sculptures. In 1450 the printing press was invented and this made literature available to great numbers of people. The Renaissance also saw an impressive development in theatre, especially in Italy, England, Spain, and France. The English Renaissance was a time when language and literature flourished.This period is often called the Elizabethan period because Queen Elizabeth was the major political figure. She reigned for forty-five years from 1558 to 1603. During this time the English were intrigued by language and Queen Elizabeth was an amateur linguist. Not only did the English love language they also had a love for the theatre. Two great playwrights of the Elizabethan era were Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. Christopher Marlowe, one of the most important playwrights of the Elizabethan era, was known for perfecting a key element to theatre; dramatic poetry.Marlowe’s â€Å"mighty line† also known as his dramatic verse in iambic pentameter developed strength, subtlety, and suppleness as well as great lyric beauty. Marlowe wrote several plays including Doctor Faustus (c. 1588) Tamburlaine (Parts 1 and 2; c. 1587) and Edward II (c. 1592). Unfortunately this lyric genius’ life was cut short when he was stabbed to death in a tavern brawl in 1593. He died at the age of twenty- nine. The other great playwright of this era was William Shakespeare. Shakespeare appeared on the theatre scene around 1590 just about the time Marlowe made his debut. He was a native of Stratford-on-Avon and his father was a glove aker and his mother was the daughter of a prominent landowner and farmer. Shakespeare was educated in Stratford and he married Ann Hathaway. She bore him three children and was several years older than Shakespeare. By the time Shakespeare’s third child was born he left his family and went to London where he first worked as an actor and soon after became a playwright. He combined Senecan dramatic devices, the platform stage, powerful dramatic verse, source material form English history, Roman history and drama, and episodic plot structure and made all these element s into the most remarkable plays ever created.The theatres that were big during the Elizabethan era were public or outdoor theatres. The plays of Shakespeare and Marlowe were mainly performed in public theatres. These theatres where located outside the city limits of London to avoid government restrictions. All levels of society attended public theatres and the most famous public theatre was the Globe theatre because it was the home of Shakespeare’s plays. The theatres were built to hold a lot of people and the exact shape of the theatres varied.Depending on the shape of the theatres the public theatres could hold between 1,500 to 3,000 people. The stage of the public theaters was a raised platform that was closer to a contemporary thrust than to a proscenium stage. This kind of stage was great for quickly changing locations from a bedroom to a battlefield. In the stage floor were trapdoors. Behind the raised platform was the stage house. The stage house also known as the tir ing house was a three story building where changing costumes took place and for storing properties and set pieces.Other than the public theatre there were also private theatres. The Elizabethan private theatres were indoor spaces lit by candles and had high windows. Private theatres were open to the general public and because they were smaller seating was limited so the private theatres were a bit pricier than the public theatres. Costumes of the Elizabethan Era followed the conventions and traditions of medieval English theatre. During the English Renaissance the monarchy had strict laws and regulations for the acting companies.Elizabethan acting companies could only have twenty five members and these members were organized on a sharing plan. There were three categories of personal in a company: shareholders, hirelings, and apprentices. Shareholders were the elite members of the company and received a percentage of the troupes profits. Hirelings were actors that were hired for a ce rtain amount of time and were paid a specific salary and played the minor roles. Apprentices were the young performers. They trained for a profession and were assigned to shareholders. Players were a royal pleasure, and to please royalty was a major aim of the companies. The story of the companies between 1572 and 1642 is one of increasing royal favor and protection, from first 1572 statute which gave warrant to their quality, through the accolade of direct royal patronage after 1603, to final period when the royal protection ceased to be meaningful. There is, none the less, despite the royal favours and the origins of the companies in employment as entertainers – Adult mummers or boy choristers – no question but that the profit motive was totally predominant† (Gur 19).During this time there were no female performers. Women’s roles were often played by boys or men. â€Å"The exact date of the actress’s debut is not known, but is usually assumed to be 8 December 1660, when it is known that a woman played Desdemona in a production of Othello by Thomas Killigrew’s King’s Company. A special prologue was written by the poet Thomas Jordon ‘to introduce the first Woman that came to act on the stage in the tragedy called the Moor of Venice’: â€Å"The Woman playes today, mistake me not, / No Man in Gown, or Page in PettyCoat.A week later one Andrew Newport wrote to Sir Richard Leveson that ‘upon our stages we have women actors, as beyond seas’ †(Howe 19). Companies would rarely perform the same play on two consecutive days and each company had to be able to revive plays in its repertory on very short notice. Because of this the actors were kept on their toes and improvisation was used frequently. Also to keep the actor’s memories refreshed plots or outlines of the dramatic action of the various plays were posted backstage.Rehearsals were run by playwrights or leading actors and be cause rehearsal time was minimal the prompter became an asset to the production. Not only in England flourish in great age of renaissance theatre but so did Spain. In the 1550 to 1650 was the Golden Spain Age. Spain became the leading of the New World because of its exploration and conquest of the new world. They controlled all of the Netherlands. But in 1558 it lost it power because of the defeat of Spanish Armada. The Spanish Armada was when Spain was going for the protestant of Queen Elizabeth in England.One of their difference between the Spanish and the English, was the religion drama. Spanish were the ones that practice more about non religion drama. The full-length secular, as to being three acts, which were comedias. Most of the comedias were about love and honor. One of the play writes of the Golden Age was Lope de Vega who was born on November 25, 1562 after Shakespeare. He wrote about 1,500 plays but said about 470 still today. One of his well known Punishment without Rev enge that was written in 1631. Just a few years before he died on August 27, 1635.Another known play wright was Calderon de la Barca who was born in Madrid, Spain on January 17, 1600. He was known to be one of the greatest dramatists during the Golden Age. One of his well known plays was Life is a Dream that he wrote in 1636. In 1651 Calderon became a priest and still continue to write plays. May 25, 1681. During the Golden Age there were females that were playwrights, but their production was never presented. These playwrights were presented on a stage called Corrales. The Corrales were located in the courtyard by close together building.The Corrales had a similarity to the English public theater. They had an open- air space. One of the most known Corrales was located in Madrid, the Corral de la Cruz and the Corral del Principe. In the corral it held about 2,000 specters, 1,000 were for men and 350 for women, and the rest was for the government and the clergy. In the Golden Age onl y about sixteen to twenty performers. The Spanish did include the women also unlike the English. Although the church did not agree with women being performers, so the Spanish government had to eliminate women from acting.Only women who were married to one of the actors they could be part of the performance. The Renaissance era of theater in France started later than it did on other countries such as England or Spain. In France, Renaissance theater did not start until the late seventeenth century, partially due to a civil war going on at the time between Catholic and Protestant parties, which was brought to an end in fifteen ninety four when King Henry the IV created the Edict of Nantes, which gave tolerance to both the Catholic and protestant religions.Now that there was religious stability and the political system was settled down, French society was able to grow and flourish under King Louis XIV. During this time France sent expeditions to Canada and the Louisiana Territory in Ame rica. During this period of peace in france, the society was influenced greatly by the innovations and ideas of the Italian Renaissance. Many aspects of French theater were taken from themes of the Italian Renaissance. Even though there were many playwrights during this period, a few of the most important were Moliere, Pierre Corneille, and Jean Racine.Moliere was most widely known for his comedies while Corneille and Racine were known for their tragedies. Out of these three writers, Moliere was probably the most influential to the french Renaissance. He was not only a dramatist, but he actually acted as well and headed up a theatrical troupe. His first couple ventures into theater were failures, but he soon learned from his mistakes and came back as one of the most influential playwrights in the history of French Renaissance.His work was strongly influenced by Italian commedia dell’arte and uses this style in his plays such as â€Å"Tartuffe†, â€Å"The Misanthropeâ € , and â€Å"The Miser†. This style uses exaggerated characters and makes fun of the exaggerations that the characters portray. Corneille and Racine also wrote some notable plays such as Corneille’s play â€Å"The Cid† and Racine’s play â€Å"Phaedra† but some of their plays were looked at in a negative manner for their writing style or lack of following the rules of playwriting at the time.The style of theaters and performance stages used in France during the Renaissance period were also unique. One notable theater was in the Hotel de Bourgogne. It was a long narrow platform stage which was the only indoor theater in Paris for almost a century until sixteen thirty four. There was also a strong Italian influence in the theaters in France as well. The amphitheaters were a good example of this. Even though the architecture differed slightly, they still consisted of a stage that backed up to a wall with rows of bleacher like seating in front of th e stage.In the sixteen fifties, Louis XIV built a theater called the Hall Of Machines. This was the largest playhouse in Europe and enabled sets to be lowered onstage from above the stage. Even though the French Renaissance did not start as early as other countries, and some of their ideas were borrowed from other countries such as Italy, it still had an influence on theater and produced some great writers and actors such as Moliere’s work became prominent at the time. Corneille and Racine’s tragedies were also notable at the time.But despite the fact that France had some innovations in theater and some great plays, most of their theatrical traditions were heavily patterned after the already established ways of Italian theater and designs. MLA Citations Sources: http://www. cwu. edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Theatre_History/Theahis_8. html VIII. The Theatre in France–1500-1700, Scott R. Robinson Howe, Elizabeth. â€Å"Chapter 1. † The First English Actre sses. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1992. Viii+. Print. Gurr, Andrew. â€Å"2. The Companies. † The Shakespearean Stage 1574-1642. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1970. 1-183. Print.

Managing Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing Diversity - Essay Example personality and even income and marital status all differ from person to person (Ironson, et al., 1989) This paper would like to focus on managing diversity in these organizations, and how the members belonging to such organizations manage to deal with their differences, along with the differences of others. Through this paper, the writer would like to investigate how organizations are structured in such a way that its members are all respected and valued. Furthermore, the writer would also like to study the positive and negative effects of diversity issues, and the controversies that surround it. Â   The concept of managing diversity in an organization basically focuses on strategies that can be taken in order to create a positive work environment for a diverse group of people. Differences between individuals tend to create problems in an organization because it is a given fact that two people cannot possibly be alike in all aspects (Child, 1973) Therefore, this could result in poor production of work and could possibly hinder or slow down progress within an organization. In the workplace, diversity could mean issues regarding discrimination against individuals, which naturally, could lead to problems within the organization, as a result of conflicts that could occur. In the United States, the 1970’s saw a need for a federal enforcement of equal employment opportunity, or EEO and affirmative action, or AA law that was intended to abolish discrimination in the workplace. Affirmative action would refer to policies that provide equal opportunities to individuals regardless of their race, gender and ethnicity. These policies are not limited to the workplace but also extend towards educational institutions and as well as health care programs and facilities. The aim of such programs were to show the Americans the importance of social equality among its people and the others who have chosen to consider America as their home. Furthermore, the programs were aimed to

Popularity of Collegiate Women in Rugby in America Research Paper

Popularity of Collegiate Women in Rugby in America - Research Paper Example Stereotypically, women are expected to cheer lead or at the most play individual sport such as swimming or running track. Most people feel that women-designated sports are figure skating, tennis, and gymnastics. In the early years, sports for women were considered to be recreational rather that competitive considering that hey were informal and without any rules. A research done Griffin has showed the existence of sex role stereotypes. According to the research conducted on four children (two boys and two girls of different ages), there were variation in physical, sociological and psychological characteristics between the sexes. The research showed that the traits that are usually associated with male behavior are desired by both males and females. Griffins insisted in his research that just as there are behavioral traits associated with males and females, there are also activities classified as meant for females or male. One activity that is commonly associated with men is sports. Although females participate in athletics, their efforts are often rewarded with only a few positive results (Griffins, 513). In the article Sex in Education, A Fair Chance for Girls, Dr. Clark stated that women should reduce muscular and brain labor when they are on menstruation (Clarke, 100). Many women became interested in sports to remain physically fit and healthy.   Other females play sports to define their value and satisfy their ego.   There are also those who use sports as a means of liberation.   Women receive psychological satisfaction from staying physically fit, being a part of a team, and competing. It is not surprising that the intense the sport, the more satisfaction women receive. These women began to resist the notion of the weakness of the female body (Field). Women in sports are often misrepresented as being masculine, and may struggle with gender identities in acting out both feminine and masculine roles. Scholars have determined

Property Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Property Economics - Essay Example The homeowners who planned to sell the properties were unable to sell due to a massive fall in prices that led to â€Å"upside down" mortgage. Notably, the mortgages were greater than the property resulting in reduced incentive for homeowners. The graph below indicates the trends in housing sector prices (Sanders, 2008). The housing sector experienced the bubble leading to the eventual collapse of the subprime mortgage market. The subprime mortgages are provided to homeowners with below-average income (Christopher et al., 2008). With the trend in the housing sector, there was a need to engage in more subprime mortgages. Consequently, this led to mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures that caused the devaluation of the housing-related securities (Sanders, 2008). Therefore, there was the reduction in business investment and household spending. Notably, these experiences were dominant in regions with high household debt and highest housing price decline (Immergluck, 2011). The increase in interest rates resulted in global investors reducing their purchases of the mortgage-backed debt while the securities found it risky to continue with the lending (Sanders, 2008). Subsequently, the mortgage crisis was a major factor that worsened the effects of the Great Recession in America (Christopher et al., 2008) . Immergluck, D. (2011). The Local Wreckage of Global Capital: The Subprime Crisis, Federal Policy and High-Foreclosure Neighborhoods in the US. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research,

Text Analysis 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Text Analysis 2 - Essay Example Theodore of Sykeon, 1.2). The Lord Christ accepted the plea put forward by the icons and granted St. Theodore an extension of fifteen years in life. After the icons’ imploration was accepted St. Theodore soon regained his health and was able to live the life which he nearly lost. The icons played the role of an intermediary on behalf of St. Theodore pleading to God to grant him more years of life, which was accepted. This is why the Byzantines attached great importance to icons as religious figures, as evident in their art, because of their piety and role as mediators between God and humans. This story shows how the icons’ pleading convinced God of granting more life to St. Theodore and hence, this explains the importance of icons in Byzantine. Icons were held in great respect in Byzantium due to its religious symbolism. Icons represented sacred images or symbols of saints, Christ or Virgin Mary and were constructed out of a variety of media. The icons were so pervasive in Byzantium that they were found in different sizes and forms. Icons represented religious figures and were given much admiration. It can be observed that icons occupy a central place in Byzantine Art due to their connection with religion. Icons had great religious importance because of their association with holiness and divinity. From the story of St. Theodore, it is evident that icons played a central role in bringing back the saint from the edge of death by pleading to God. So, icons portrayed religious figures who were essentially holy and sacred. By the life granted to him by God, St, Theodore continued to do many miracles. He gained the support and admiration of various people who left their homes and journeyed their way to his monastery to serve him. All those who were healed refused to go home and stayed with St. Theodore. After the workmen let the demons free from the hill, the village fell into

Food Ads That Are Like Wolves in Sheeps Clothing Essay

Food Ads That Are Like Wolves in Sheeps Clothing - Essay Example Once they watch a commercial about a food product with their favourite cartoon character, that is the image that will stick to them and then they will ask their parents to buy it for them and argue that the commercial says it’s good for them. They become enamoured with the products that are like adorable sheep not knowing that it is only the disguise of the wolves inside just waiting to prey on these naà ¯ve consumers. The video entitled â€Å"We’re Not Buying It: Stop Junk Food Marketing To Kids† (Prevention Institute, 2011) exposes how vulnerable children are to the power of food advertising especially if it caters to their interests. The video asks how the food industry can even penetrate schools with the guise of supporting charity projects but are actually marketing strategies promoting their unhealthy food and beverage products. The video also revealed that most advertised food and beverage products have too much sugar, salt and fat in them but are packaged as healthy food in order to be sold. Since children are bombarded with thousands of such food ads every year, and even incorporated in movies and their favourite video games, then they consume much of this food and drinks in their unhealthy diets. Hence, 1 in 3 children is expected to be prone to Diabetes when they grow up like 40% of their diets come from added sugars and unhealthy fats (Prevention Institute, 2011). I can relate the message in the video with some theories from Sharma & Romas (2012) taken up in class. Health Belief Model discussed in class proposes that one’s health is determined by his personal beliefs or perceptions, and if children believe the message that advertisements convey, then they get sucked into unhealthy diets and lifestyles.

A thoughtful comment about a video Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A thoughtful comment about a video - Essay Example He first places the fork over one edge of the plate then sprinkles sugar carefully over the fork. This leaves space on plate to serve food (Cronin, 2012). The use of a sieve in sprinkling sugar is important in achieving uniform distribution over a third area of the plate for placing the fork. After sprinkling only amount require to covers the, he stops and lift the fork carefully. Leaving behind is a decoration that is fork-shaped. In the procedure, he makes sure to use right quantity of sugar so as not to affect food taste. In the second part of decoration, he uses a white square plate. This time he places a fork on plate followed by a spoon across over the fork. The spoon and fork combination make sure of decoration in a quarter of the square-shaped plate. He then sprinkles cocoa powder using sieve over the spoon and fork. The cocoa powder is dark in color and gives a nice contrast to the white plate for decoration to be visible. He finally lifts the spoon then fork carefully to leave decoration of their shapes on the plate (Cronin, 2012). The cocoa power is bitter hence avoid using large amounts due to its flavor in

Managing People and Change Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Managing People and Change - Case Study Example These reforms included having a financial budgeting that was strict. The job specifications were revised. Fund holding was also reintroduced by the Blair government. The Blair government emphasized outsourcing of medical services. (Rudolf, 2006) Research shows that the medical staff are demoralised since the Blair government came to power. This is because of the NHS redundancies and staff cuts. The NHS has encountered problems since the initiation of the Blair reforms. This is in relation to IT innovations and incorporation into the organization. The National Programme for IT was though to be the worlds largest. This project had conflicts with programme contractors and the Blair government. The estimated budgets for this program kept on rising from 2.3 billion to 30 billion. (David, 1989) The National Health Service Act was passed in the year 1946. It was implemented in the year 1948. Nigel Lawson described it as a national religion. The services in the NHS are free of charge. After the World War II there were great reforms which were initiated by William Beveridge. Large sums of money were used by the NHS in funding. During the 1980s there was the reformation of the management processes in NHS. This organization had tough strains in financing until the year 1987. During this year the government provided 101 million for use in NHS. There are various NHS agencies such as NICE and SIGN. (Allyson, 2004) Improvement agencies role in health sector used to implement changes in NHS The role of the modernization agencies is to give assistance to the local clinicians. They help in the redesigning of the local services in the health sector. They ensure that the health sector provides services that are patient oriented. They also provide clinical governance services to the health sector. Modernization agencies help in leadership development in the health sector. They ensure that there is the improvement of the services that are given to patients and other customers in the health. There is provision of a regulatory oversight that is independent. (DoH, 1997) Improvement agencies have helped in implementing various changes in the NHS. These include ensuring that the length of waiting time for the patients is greatly reduced through variations in the discharging of the patients. The admission process of the patients is also changed. The patients follow up has been changed such that it is only done when necessary. There is the reduction of the queue numbers such that patient access to the services is greatly improved. (DoH, 1999) Care & Repair England This health improvement agency established with an objective of meeting the health needs of older and disabled citizens. Its roles are; to act as agents of service users in the health sector. It also provides the necessary policy framework for the other agencies within the mandate offered by the department of health. (Rampton, 2003) Organisational change models used by improvement organizations NIATx process improvement model This process model is based on some key principles which entail; involving and understanding the customer, fixing key challenges for the chief executives, picking powerful change leaders, adopting rapid-cycle testing procedures and obtaining ideas from partners outside the organizational field. (Burnes, 2004) Penn State improvement model

Ballet and Modern Dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ballet and Modern Dance - Essay Example Several cultures around the world have also been introduced into the dance in an attempt to make it more understandable in their own context. The dance style was introduced in France by Catherine de Medici when she got married to the king of France and it was mainly performed in the royal courts. Some of the initial costumes for the dance included masks, pantaloons, various ornaments, headdresses as well as other designed outfits (Anderson, 2008). The dance steps were composed of slides, slight hops, curtsies, gentle moves and promenades. The shoes commonly used for the dance in the early times were made up of small heels to increase ease of movement. Currently, there exist three main styles of ballet namely contemporary ballet, classical ballet and neoclassical ballet. Classical ballet is a form that is deeply entrenched on the ancient ballet techniques and vocabularies. The neoclassical version deviates from the classical ballet in the sense that it has non-traditional feats as well as unusually fast moving tempos. The contemporary style is composed of the classical ballet techniques and the modern dance methods. The modern dance began in the 19th century and extended to the early 20th century in the U.S.A and Germany. This dance style was established as a means of responding directly to ballet performances through the refusal of its codified motions and the narrative forms. The modern dance consists of a wide range of styles which were defined by the various artists who took part in it. In ballet, the movements commonly known as line take various forms which include diagonal, horizontal and vertical. The vertical lines in which the dances make slight sequential jumps indicate elegance, grandeur as well as strength while the diagonal lines are signs of movements. In modern dance the lines normally adopted by the dances is horizontal line which indicates calm, placidity as well as repose. Repetition which is common phenomena in all

Mystic Monk Coffee Essay Example for Free

Mystic Monk Coffee Essay Introduction Mystic Monk coffee company is a cloistered monastic environment where monks from the Carmelite monastery of Clark, Wyoming spend their daily manual labour hours roasting coffee (Thompson, 2012, pg. 420). The monks are a religious sect of the Catholic church and are fully dedicated to their religious and spiritual side, which requires most of their daily hours, be spent praying or contemplating in silence; this leaves little time to spend on coffee roasting productions, especially due to the small population of monks that are able to live at the Carmelite monastery. There were many restrictions that the Carmelite monks faced with their coffee productions such as having restricted roasting capacity, inadequate land and partial workers. Father Daniel Mary, the prior of the Carmelite order, had a vision of expanding the small monastery of 13 monks, by creating a new Mount Carmel in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming. There is a nearby location called the Irma Lake Ranch that would include a large house, caretaker house, guesthouse, a gothic church, a convent for Carmelite nuns, a hunting cabin and a dairy and horse barn; this would allow the monks to expand their opportunities, as well as expand their Carmelite monk residents (Thompson, 2012, pg. 421). This vision is everything that Father Daniel Mary ever dreamed, the only thing prohibiting the change, is that the Irma Lake Ranch will cost the monks $8.9 Million. The Mystic Monk coffee company only earns money based on their coffee sales (11% of revenues) and donations from private donators; the Carmelite monastery received a $250,000 donation which they can use at their discretion (Thompson, 2012, pg. 420,423). The following report will take a look at the options that are available to the Carmelite monks and what would be the most strategic plan that should be enforced in order for the monastery to be successful. External and Internal Analysis S.W.O.T. Analysis Strengths * Fair trade/ Organic Arabica beans * Variety of coffee flavors * Accessories (t-shirts, cups, CD’s) * Online shopping is available * Tea has been added to selection * Free labour/ No wages paid * Affordable/ reasonable retail price * Membership â€Å"coffee club† * Favors catholic market (large)| Weaknesses * Limited roasting capability (540 lbs/day) * Limited production due to worship * Cant expand due to limited land * Coffee is not a necessity (trend?) * Caffeine is highly addictive (health) * Purchase beans instead of growing * No business expertise/ experience * No absolute competitive advantage * Poor earnings (11% of revenues)| Opportunities * Expand availability into grocery stores * Collaborations (Keureg, Tassimo) * Other purposes (weight loss, bio fuel) * Increase advertisements * Expand into international market * Start a franchise * Open coffee shops (Starbucks, Tim’s)| Threats * Poor coffee growing season * Natural disaster/ weather * Eco nomic Conditions (recession) * Established competition (Folgers, nabob) * Others’ personal religious beliefs * Dependant on donations/ revenues| (Mystic Monk, n.d., pg. 1) Alternatives The Mystic Monk coffee company has to look at their options before they are able to make a decision regarding the continuation of their business. The two options that are available to the Carmelite monks at this point in time are: 1) stay at the current location of Clark, Wyoming, and continue operations as they are and use some donation money to purchase another roaster to help increase production or 2) see if the owners of Irma Lake Ranch would â€Å"gift† them a portion of the ranch without monetary repayment, as a donation, and they would pay the owners as a lease to own the remaining balance of the land, until a breakeven point has been reached. Discussion of Alternatives The first option is to stay at their current location to continue operations as they are. The advantages of choosing this option are: 1) retaining their donations and revenues to improve their current monastery, 2) there is little to no risk involved. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: 1) there is little opportunity to expand the Mystic Monk Company, 2) they cannot easily increase their Carmelite population. The second option is to move to a nearby area, which would involve purchasing the Irma Lake Ranch. The advantages of choosing this option are: 1) the Mystic Monk Coffee can increase production easily, 2) there is a large opportunity to expand, 3) the new Carmelite monastery would allow its population to double. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: 1) there is a tremendously high level of risk involved, 2) the owners may not gift the monks any land. Recommendation After evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, a decision has been concluded that the most practical and strategic option would be to receive a portion of the Irma Lake Ranch, as a â€Å"gift† without monetary repayment, then pay the land owners on a lease to own schedule with the increased earnings projected from the new Mount Carmel location. This is the most logical selection if they want to expand and improve their Mystic monk coffee brand, as well as their community; the Carmelites will have no opportunity to grow or expand if they choose to stay where they are and continue on as they have been, as well as soon they will not be able to keep the supply at an adequate level to cover the demand for their products. The Carmelite monastery would have more financial opportunities available with this purchase, such as milk production from the dairy cows, horse rides on the trails through the forest, increased population to help roast and package the coffee. Also, the monks would have sufficient land to be capable of growing and producing their coffee beans without the need of suppliers, which in turn will decrease the cost of goods sold and drastically increase the Mystic Monk’s net profit margin from the current 11% of the sales revenue. The risk on this investment is exceptionally high, but if it is successful, the reward and pay off could be far greater than projected. Action Plan A realistic action plan must now be devised, to ensure that the previous decision is executed correctly, otherwise the Carmelite monks and the Mystic Monk coffee company will not be successful. The monastery is incapable of affording the Irma Lake Ranch with the funds that they currently have, including the $250,000 donation. The Mystic Monk coffee company should confront the current owners of the Irma Lake Ranch and see if they would be willing to â€Å"gift† them a portion of the property without monetary repayment, which could be considered a donation; the remaining balance owing on the land could be contracted as a lease or rent to own situation, where a breakeven point would be reached in a reasonable time frame. Also, because the property has been â€Å"gifted† to the Carmelite monks, they would be eligible to receive a tax break, which would significantly affect their financial status. The new property would be able to offer the monastery an opportunity to expand their brand by introducing tourism, sustainability and other financial opportunities. If the Mystic Monk coffee company decided that they would be capable or growing their own beans on the new land, they would be able to drastically cut costs on the cost of goods sold and eliminate suppliers, which in turn will increase their marginal earnings from the sales revenue. All of these new opportunities are realistic and show that the increased earnings would rapidly and effortlessly be able to pay off the remaining balance owing to the original Irma Lake Ranch owners. Conclusion In conclusion, the Mystic Monk coffee company has been successful with its entrance into the coffee market, however demands are increasing and new opportunities are being presented to the Carmelite monastery. If they wish to grow and expand their business and community, they are going to need to take the risk which is to relocate to a more practical location, ideally the Irma Lake Ranch. Irma Lake Ranch offers many new prospects to the Carmelite monks, which they would not be exposed to if they stay at their current location. This property can allow them to be independent from suppliers and venture into new venture projects such as introducing horse trail rides and milk from the dairy cows. Although the monks are a non-for-profit group, the sales revenue will mostly be paid to the original property owners until the principal amount is depleted, the rest of the money from earnings and donations will be put towards building, growing and maintaining the new Mount Carmel Monastery. References Mystic Monk Coffee | Buy Coffee Beans Online | Online Coffee Store. (n.d.). Mystic Monk Coffee | Buy Coffee Beans Online | Online Coffee Store. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/storefront.php Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., III, A. S. (2012). Case 1. Crafting and Executing Strategy (18th Edition ed., pp. 420-424). New York: McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.

Water Sources Assessment for Edo State, Nigeria

Water Sources Assessment for Edo State, Nigeria AN ASSESSMENT OF WATER SOURCES FOR DOMESTIC USES IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA BY  *OKADIGWE L.O.  And  **DR. EFE, S.I. Abstract The study was carried out to assess the water sources for domestic uses in Edo State, by carrying out a survey of households in Ugo, Ebele, Igueben and Urhonigbe. Data were collected using various methods which included observations, oral interviews and questionnaires. On the whole, one hundred and sixty (160) questionnaires were administered on heads of householder. Information were gathered on various sources of water, those provided by the government, distances they go, the cost they buy water, the people who are involved in water collection and what the government should do to help in alleviating their problems. The findings have shown that generally, one major source is rain water stored in wells. From the study almost all the respondents said they fetch water from their domestic uses from dug out wells which their roofs help during the rains for them to trapped and store in underground hand-dug wells. The nearest stream is at Umutu, which is about 20 kilometer away in Delta Sta te. There were only four families with water boreholes for commercial purposes. These water vendors sell water at N5 per ten litres. This is out of the reach of many people in this community to satisfy their water demands. The water board was observed to be non-functional. Reasons advanced by the respondents were poor power supply, inadequate operators, breakdown of equipment and poor maintenance. In conclusion, in Urhonigbe in Edo State of Nigeria, the sources of water for domestic uses are inadequate. There is every likelihood that even the existing water from the dugout wells will be contaminated and not portable. It is therefore recommended that the Edo State government through the state water Board should assist in water supply development in Ugo, Ebele, Igueben, Urhonigbe town to ease the sufferings of the ruralites especially the women and children whose daily chores is providing water for domestic uses. They should equally make the water portable in order to make for good he alth all these are what this study has looked into. Introduction Water use varies considerably around the world depending on the availability of water and the degree of industrialization. However, water use can be classified into four broad categories: Domestic use Agricultural use Industrial use and In-stream use Water is important for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses. The study of water and the means by which it may be obtained and controlled for use is of utmost importance to the welfare of mankind, Lapades (1974). About 70% of the earth is covered by water, which is the next most abundant resource after, air, water is the only natural resource founding three states of matter, (gas, liquid and solid) (Ifabiyi, 2000). Apart from air, water is the most important resources to man. He can survive longer without food than without water. Man requires water for cooking drinking, washing, general sanitation (Ayoade and Oyebande, 1983), based on this Charley and Hagget (1969) has stressed that the availability of water has been important in sitting of human settlements and in the development of towns and cities. The use of water from drinking and household needs ranges from washing, cooking, bathing and for flushing of toilets and for general hygiene (Jennings, 1980). It is universally accepted that an adequate supply of water for drinking, personal hygiene and other domestic purposes is essential to public health and well-being. According to a United Nations publication, on water security 2004, they posited that 1.2 billion people live on less than one U.S. dollar a day and over 2.3 billion live on the equivalent of two U.S dollar or less. These people, who are in millions are of the world’s poor, use less water directly or indirectly but depend upon its resources for their livelihoods for more than the rest of us, out of the 500 million people living in sub-Saharan African the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) (1990), revealed that about 256 million lacked safe water for use. This situation is worse in some drought affected areas where renewable fresh water has dropped per person by more than 65% over the past 40 years (Ifabiyi, 2000). It is a well known fact that large numbers of people in Nigeria, most of them living in rural areas, do not have access to safe and reliable source of water. The average daily requirement of an adult for alimentation only is 2.5 liters (Isaac, 1965). Under the tropical conditions, the amount may be double. In addition much greater quantities are required for domestic activities. Total domestic water needs in home with piped water and inside sanitation is at least 115 liters per head per day. Study Area The total population figure of Edo State by 2006 as given by national Population Commission is 3,117,852 showing that the need for water will be high. In the rural communities in Edo State, there are various sources through which water are got for domestic uses. This main objective for this study is an assessment of sources of water for domestic uses in Edo State. This study focuses on the assessment of water sources for domestic uses in some towns in Edo State. Methodology Data for this study were collected through primary sources, which consisted of personal observation, oral interview and questionnaire administration. On the whole one hundred and sixty questionnaires were administered on the respondents in Ugo, Ebele, Iguben and Urhonigbe which were selected rural villages in Edo State based on the severity of water problems. Random sampling techniques were applied. A total of one hundred and sixty questionnaires were administered on the basis of forty to each rural community. The data gathered were presented in tables expressed percentages. The biological characteristics of the quality of water from these rural communities were analyzed with the most probable scientific methods. Various Sources of Domestic Water Rural areas in Edo state, Nigeria have several sources of water which are used for domestic purposes. The sources vary from natural sources like from rivers, streams, rain water, dugout wells, boreholes and in few cases pipe born waters. These rural communities rely on various sources for their households needs as water is for daily need and throughout the year. The study revealed that the main source of water for domestic use is from dug well in which water from rainfall gathered from the roof. Surface Water These are waters which are found in streams, rivers, lakes, springs, dams and shallow wells. Surface water is the commonest water in the rural villages in the developing countries. Women and children get up early in the morning to go to fetch water for domestic uses in these villages. One major problem is that most of these surface waters are polluted all along the path ways through which the flow. People have their baths wash their clothes, cooking utensils and even some abattoirs are close to them which help in polluting and making the water unsafe for drinking and utilization for other domestic purposes. Ground Water Resources Groundwater is an important part of the hydrologic cycle, but it lies beneath the surface, beyond the soil-moisture root zones. It is tied to surface supplies through pores in soil and rock. Ground water is the largest potential of fresh water source in the hydrologic cycle-larger than all surface lakes and streams combined. About 50% of the U.S Population derives a portion of its fresh water from ground water sources. Between 1950 and 1995, annual ground water withdrawal increased to 150%. In some states such as Nebraska ground water supplies 85% of water need and as high as 100% in rural areas, Robert (2002). Despite this volume and its obvious importance groundwater is widely abused by pollution and over consumption in quantities beyond natural replenishment rates. In Canada, about 6 million people (two-third of them live in rural areas) rely on ground water for domestic needs. In many ways ground water is better than surface water. It is available in many parts of the world that lack dependable surface runoff. Whereas surface supplies are affected by short term drought, groundwater is generally free of sediment colour, and pathogenic (disease) organism, although, polluted ground water conditions are considered irreversible. Ground water movement is controlled by the slope of the water table. Ground water is one source of water but it is not very common yet in the rural areas because of the cost of sinking. Rainwater Harvesting Techniques Edo State is not endowed so much with surface water. In rural area of Nigeria, water is traditionally, managed for two major purpose namely domestic consumption and agriculture. The techniques of water harvesting are micro-catchments and roof collection (Olokesusi, 2004). With reference to roof collection techniques, until the advent of western containers such as plastic sand metal African typically collected rain water from roof-tops with the aid of calabashes, and earthen ware pots. These objects are merely placed below the roof eaves and the water drops into them. Another traditional collection techniques, involved the construction of sliced bamboo gutters along the roof eaves, through which the water flows into calabashes and earthen pots. The water would then be taken into homes for domestic uses. Rural Water Treatment In many rural areas of in parts of Edo State water used in homes especially those for drinking area treated in various ways at the level they understand. Whenever surface water has been collected it is allowed to stand for some hours before it is decanted into earthen pots for storage. Some add alum in other to pull down sediments in the water to the bottom of the container after which they use some add ash and only a few boil cool before they use as drinking water. Results Table I: Water use and Sources in the Sample Communities Source of water Location Ugo Ebele Igueben Urhonigbe No % No % No % No % Rain water 10 25 14 35 6 15 8 20 Well 25 62.5 20 50 30 75 28 70 Stream 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bore holes 3 7.5 6 15 4 10 4 10 Public pump 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 40 100 40 100 40 100 40 100 Source: survey data, Feb. 2009. In the four rural areas studied, water stored in the well is commonly used for domestic purposes in Edo State, In order of usage Igueben recorded (75%), Urhonigbe (70%), Ugo (62.5), and Ebele (50%) respectively(see table 1). Only a few uses bore hole and also since state surface water is very scare no respondent mentioned stream as a water source in Ebele, Igueben and Urhonighe. Public pump were not mentioned at all. This is because in many places in Edo State surface water is lacking and is a manor problem for the people residing in these villages. Table II: Local methods of storing water by the respondents Water storage method No % Dugout wells 70 43.75 Clay earthen wares 50 37.5 Plastic tanks 20 12.5 Kegs/ 20 liters and 10 liters 10 6.25 Total 160 100% Source: Survey data Feb, 2009. Local methods used for storing water as gathered from the respondents are dugout well (43.75%), clay earthen wares (37.5%), plastic tanks (12.5%) and kegs of different sizes (6.25%). There is revelation that traditional was of storing and preserving water in the rural areas of Edo State is not being combined with the modern types. For instance one of the respondents interviewed mentioned that if many of the ruralites can afford plastic water tanks that they prefer it to earthen wares which break up easily. Table 3: Cost of Water for Domestic Uses on Daily Bases Cost No of Results Percentage N5 14 8.8 N10 41 25.6 N20 53 33.1 N30 32 20 N40 and above 20 12.5 Total 160 100% Source: Survey data Feb., 2009. It is evident from table 3 that most people spend an average of N20.00 daily to buy water. Thirty two people spend N30.00; forty one respondents agreed that they spend N10.00 daily to buy water. The implication of these expenses is that these rural inhabitants spent between N300.00 to N900.00 and these are predominately peasant farmers. Table 4: Causes of water shortage Causes of water shortage No of Respondents % Government neglect 97 61 Low rainfall 8 5 Absence of surface water 32 20 Few private scheme 23 14 Total 160 100% Source: Survey data Feb. 2009. Table 3 revealed that the government neglect is the major cause of water shortage accounting for 61 percent of responses followed by absence of surface water that accounted 20 percent. Few private borehole schemes accounted for 14.4 percent and low rainfall 5 percent. Quality of Water in the Rural Area of Edo State The rainwater quality in the four rural areas of Edo state showed satisfactory concentration in their physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics. This is because they fell with 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) safe limits for domestic water (see Onotu, 2006), thus it should be harvested, stored and use as alternative source of water for domestic uses since there is virtually the absent of hand-dug wells in these rural communities. The absent of hand dug wells in these rural areas could be attributed the topography of the area which is over 150 feet. The well is rain fed types, where gutter is connected round the roof and a ridge is connected from the gutter to the cemented wells. Nevertheless the rain water need slight purification methods (through traditional and scientific approaches) should be adopted in terms of its pH, Zn and Fe concentration. The detail method could be seen (Efe, 2006 and Origho, 2009). However the quality of the rain water stored in those wells d epreciates with times, the residents adopt the addition of Alum, this actually only allows the suspended substance or particles to settle down. According to Efe (2006) the water quality stored in rain fed wells depreciate by 2% on monthly basis, and gives room for the growth of pathogens. Similarly long storage the rain water makes the quality of the water from these wells vulnerable to bacterial. For instance high concentration of total coliform 1.2 -2.3MPN/100ml and faecal coliform (0.23-1.00) were found in over 40% of the rain fed water samples. And the water is characterized with high level of total dissolve substance (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity. The water quality was observed in open wells and those covered with leaf and thatches. Conclusion and Recommendation In conclusion in Edo State of Nigeria, the sources of water for domestic uses are inadequate. There is ever likelihood, that even the existing water from the dug-out wells which almost of the household have and water stored in plastic tanks which were from rainfall harvesting will be contaminated. Water born disease will be prevalent and the sanitary level will be very low. It is therefore recommended that the Edo State Government, through the state water Board should assist in the water supply development in the State to ease the suffering of the women and their children whose duty on a daily basis is to provide water in various homes in the various areas studied. They should equally make the water potable by adopting some purification methods in order to make for good health and healthy living in these rural environments. REFERENCES Aderibighe, S.A., Awoyemi, A.O. and Osagbemi, G.K. 2008. â€Å"Availability, Adequacy and Quality of Water Supply in Ilorin Metropolis†, Nigeria, European Journal of Scientific Research, Vol. 23. No 4. Anyadike, R.N. 1984. â€Å"Managing Nigeria’s Water Resources Through Pollution Control†, paper presented at the 27th Annual Conference of the N.G.A. University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Ayoade, J.O. and Oyebande, B.L., 1985. In a Geography of Nigerian Development ed, by Oeuntoyinbo et al published by Heinemann Educational Books (Nig), Ltd, Ibadan. Efe, S. I. (2006) Quality of Rainwater Harvesting for Rural Communities of Delta State, Nigeria. The Environmentalist, vol. 26, pp.175-181 Onotu, E, (2006) Quality of Surface Water in Edo State, Nigeria. Unpublished B.Sc Dissertation in the Dept. of Geography and Regional planning, Delta State University, Abraka, pp23-45 Origho, T. (2009) Assessment of Rainwater Harvesting in Ughelli delta State , Nigeria, Unpublished M.Sc Dissertation Dept. of Geography and Regional Planning, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria pp16-67