Rimsky-Korsakov Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rimsky-Korsakov - Essay Example The Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888 set one of these wonderful stories, the tale of Schaherazade to music. It should be noticed that "based on The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, this orchestral work combines two feature common to Russian music, and of Rimsky-Korsakov in particular in particular: dazzling, colorful orchestration and an interest in the East, which figured greatly in the history of Imperial Russia". Through all the movements of the suite run the theme of gorgeous women and wonderful teller, Schaherazade. Emotional, sensuously winding and full of inscrutability melody for violin solo, which is accompanied by harp, perform this theme. This is not just some excerption from an ancient eastern melody. It was composed by Rimsky-Korsakov himself, in the way that it is really seems the melody combines all the enchantment and inviting mystique of eastern lyrics. The same may be said about all other themes: orchestral, lyric-singing etc. They all synthesize eurhyth mics, figuration, and diversity of color of eastern music. Rimsky-Korsakov is best known for his mastership to paint beautiful pictures in music by using the colors of sound made by each instrument of orchestra. He had a color ear for music, and perceived the notes associating them with particular colors2. Note C D Eb E F G A Color white yellow dark bluish-grey sparkling sapphire green rich gold rosy colored The whole first movement depictures the sea, which appears again in the ending section of the final. In such way the composer margined his suite with glaringly blue, and sparkling sapphire colors. The theme of sea is falling from the theme of overbearing Sultan. The theme of Sultan is built on four notes of the describing whole tone scale. Immediately following this theme, almost interrupting it, is the gentle and passionate violin solo of Scheherazade. This is one of the loveliest melodies ever penned. "Listening to these two themes, and the sweeping music of Schaherazade's tales that transports us bodily into the magic of the 1001 Tales of the Arabian Nights, one can only wish that Rimsky-Korsakov had had the time to produce settings for the other 997"3. Some time after we forget about fearful governor as Allegro starts painting the picture of the sea. Accordingly changes the character of the first movement: now it sounds stately and on an even keel. This calmness is underlined with figuration of accompaniment, in which we hear decuman ocean waves. The main theme of the first movement is added by two accessory themes. One of them is a theme of Sinbad's ship. The other one is a theme of Scheherazade, Sultan's wife, who used to please her husband with the marvelous stories. It is remarkable that the wavy accompaniment, which appears as an essential element of the main part, disappears just for a while and then comes again, sounding almost throughout whole first movem

Ethics of Autonomous Drones in the Military Essay Example for Free

Ethics of Autonomous Drones in the Military Essay She states that even the best and most trained soldiers that are in the midst of battle may not always be able to act accordingly with the battlefield rules of engagement that were stated by the Geneva Convention because of possible lashing out from normal human emotions such as anger, fear, resent, and vengefulness. The second major point Dean wants to show, by the views and studies of others, in her article is that with this possible step in our evolution of military technology we do not want to let this idea fade away. Another major point is if we do develop this technology how would we do so, and if not, would we regret not advancing in this field further many years from now. With all of this information Dean uses to present her ideas there are still major flaws such as, the majority of these ideas and beliefs are theoretical, they still have not been fully tested, there is error in all technologies, and where else would the technological advancements lead artificial intelligence. The first argument providing support for Dean’s major point comes from the research hypothesis and thoughts of a computer scientist at Georgia Institute of Technology named Ronald Arkin. Arkin is currently under contract by the United States Army to design software programs for possible battlefield and current battlefield robots. The research hypothesis of Arkin is that he believes that intelligent autonomous robots can perform much more ethically in the heat of the battlefield than humans currently can. Yet this is just a hypothesis and while there is much research done towards this hypothesis there are still no absolutely positive research information that states an autonomous robot drone can in fact perform better than any soldier on the ground or up in a plane could do. In Arkins hypothesis, he stated that these robots could be designed with no sense of self-preservation. This means that without one of the strongest fears for humans, the fear of death, these robots would be able to understand, compute, and react to situations with out outside extraneous emotions. Although the men and women designing these robot programs may be able to eliminate this psychological problem of scenario fulfillment, which will cause soldiers to retain information that is playing out easier with a bias to pre-existing ideas, it is not always the case that this happens to soldiers. You have to realize that from the second a soldier begins his training he is trained and taught to eliminate the sense of self-preservation. There are isolated incidents with soldier error, but they are and will be corrected by superior officers or their fellow soldiers. Another factor that affects Cornelia Dean’s arguments is that there are errors in all things including technology. Throughout history there have been new uses of technology in warfare but with these come problems and error flaws that have cause and can cause more casualties than needed. With the use of an Automated drone the belief by Dean is that it will be able to decide whether or not to launch an attack on a high priority target whether or not if the target is in a public are and will decide if the civilian casualties would be worth it. But what happens if that drone is only identifying the target and the number of civilians surrounding it? It will not be able to factor in what type of people would be around him such as men, women, or children and any variance of them. The error in this situation would be the drone saying the target is high enough priority and a missile is launched and the civilians were women and children around while a school bus was driving by. The casualties would then instantly out weigh the priority to eliminate a specific target and a human pilot would much easier abort a mission than a predetermined response of an autonomous robot. Although Ronald Arkin believes there are situations that could arise when there may not be time for a robotic device to relay back what is happening to a human operator and wait for how to respond in the situation that could complete a mission, it may be that second of time delay between the robot and human operator that the ethical judgment is made. Also the realization that many robots in which are operated by humans are widely used to detect mines, dispose of or collects bombs, and clear out buildings to help ensure extra safety of our soldiers is a way that robots are already used today as battlefield assistants supports Dean. But all of these machines in the field have moments of failure or error. When the machines do fail it takes a soldier who has trained for that experience to fix and then use it again. If an autonomous drone fails while on a mission it is completely by its self and no human operator to fix it. Then can arise the problem of enemies realizing they were even being monitored and they could gain access to our military technology and can eventually use it against us. Another major point that Cornelia Dean discusses upon is with this possible step in our evolution of military technology we do not want to let this idea fade away. A large part of that is if we do develop this technology how would we do so, and if not, how much would we regret or how much would it affect us for not advancing in this field further many years from now. The argument that if other countries advance upon this faster and better than the United States military we could become less of a world power and be more at risk of attack and war with greater human fatalities is not necessarily true. This situation is important in the sense of keeping up with the other world powers but I believe that the risk for reward is not worth the amount of damage and civilian casualties that could happen from any number of robotic drones and their possible errors. There is a possibility as the technology develops and robots become more and more aware to the point were, Arkin believes that, they can make decisions at a higher level of technological development. Yet if these autonomous robots truly can think for themselves and make decisions brings a whole new possibility of problems of what if the robot can decide something differently than what the developers originally had programmed. Also comes the actual use problem of can the government ethically accept that in early stages of use, even after extraneous testing, there may be accidental casualties. If a robot has any error of making decisions because of how new and un-tested they are any of the possibly terrible results would not be the responsibility of the robot but of the country and government that designed it. The supporting evidence of this article strongly shows that Cornelia Dean will hope that use of these ethically superior autonomous robots will be apart of our military in the near future before the United States fall behind to other super powers in the world. Yet with all of this information Dean uses to present her ideas there are still major flaws such as, the majority of these ideas and beliefs are theoretical, they still have not been fully tested, and that there is error in all technologies. With these major points being enforced with plenty of evidence throughout the article, and with all of the possible negative sides and errors of this argument, it is safe to say that this will be and is a controversial topic of discussion by many governments and all parties involved with this technological advancement.

Citizen Service Centres (KEP): Perceptions of Customers

Citizen Service Centres (KEP): Perceptions of Customers 1. Introduction 1.1 Importance of the Research According to the philosophical bases of marketing customer wants satisfaction. As the consumer is the key for a firm, the voter is the central element for a government or party (Lock and Harri,1996).In this context the citizen voter wants satisfaction and searching his satisfaction from the services that are offered to him is ‘‘ a lens through which government and public managers can gain a better perspective on how citizens respond to the performance of public services, (Van Ryzin , 2004) and offers important findings for the policy makers. Citizen satisfaction surveys are frequently used by U.S. local governments and public administration researchers in order to measure the quality of local government services (Hatry et al., 1992; Miller and Kobayashi, 2000). A big number of U.S. cities use surveys regularly (New York , San Francisco, Phoenix etc.),in order to analyze in a descriptive and unvaried way , the level of perceived quality of services ,within a locality and over time (Van Ryzin et al., 2004). Recent studies have compared citizen satisfaction with benchmarks that were developed from data collected across many localities (Miller and Miller 1991; Miller and Kobayashi 2000), and have focused on the individual, jurisdictional, and city-specific determinants of citizen ratings of service quality (De Hoog, Lowery, and Lyons 1990; Hero and Durand 1985),like taxes and expenditure ,and also on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of respondents such as race (Schuman and Gruenberg, 1972). Other investigations have negotiated the citizen satisfaction from the police according to their ethnoracial characteristics (Brad W. S. 2005), or satisfaction from the education system or from hospitals (Amyx,Bristow ,2001, Suda Anita D.,1998). The importance of the public services quality became popular in the United Kingdom at 1990s when the political parties put an emphasis on the subject ,but even in our days the need for quality services that meet â€Å"customer† citizens needs and expectations, is more and more obvious .This need for quality public services is even expressed by the European Social Fund, as the implementation of the strategy and policies of the European Committee at Member States ,is strongly related with the public service organizations, which many of them are responsible for (ESF,2009). And although, in the marketing research exist a number of well-developed models of approaching customer satisfaction, there has been little development of a model that would test citizens satisfaction. As a result, it would be valuable to test such a model in the framework of Greek public services. 1.2 The Research Objectives The overall objective of this research is to examine the Greek citizens perceptions and expectations of service quality concerning the Citizen Service Centres (KEP) -a Greek public service based on servqual model. From this overall objective a number of more specific aims can be identified: Investigate consumer expectations towards the service offered from public services Examine citizen perceptions about Citizen Service Centres(KEP) Asses the factors that play an important role in the service quality of Citizen Service Centres (KEP) 2. Literature Review 2.1 Politics and the marketing concept It has often been argued that the application of ‘marketing tools and instruments in politics is nothing new (Perloff, 1999; Baines and Egan, 2001).In the last twenty-five years what have changed about the political marketing is not just the size of political marketing management but also the belief that political actors act and think in political terms. Political actors are them that they try to do marketing management in a frame of integration of marketing instruments in a coherent marketing strategy (Newman, 1994a; Dermody and Scullion, 2001). It is supposed that the selling of politicians and the selling of a product is linked (OShaughnessy, 2001) and that commercial and political contexts are essentially similar (Kotler, 1999). Many marketers believe that the tools and concepts of marketing can be transferred directly to the political arena (Lock and Harris ,1996) .The applications of political marketing are used as a tool of managing politics, developing policy (Nimmo, 1999), or even governing (OShaughnessy, 2003). The marketing concept in commercial terms is based on the principle that all company planning and operations will be customer oriented. As such the philosophical basis of the marketing concept is that customer want satisfaction (OCass, 1996). When a political party or candidate applies this concept to the political process, they must be in a position to adapt to and satisfy voters needs (Mauser, 1983; Newman and Sheth, 1987; Reid, 1988). For major mainstream parties, the overriding objective is to attract voters, win elections and hold power (Lock and Harris, 1996).In this extent knowing the degree of satisfaction of citizens seems to be important. 2.2 Citizen Citizen is every person of a state that has the citizenship of it (New Encyclopaedia, 2006). According the place and the time different criteria were used to define the citizen .The genealogical criterion, which is the oldest, the legal criterion and the economic (taxation) criterion .According to the first, citizen is the son of citizen that hasnt lost his rights. This definition was used in the ancient cities in order to distinguish the mass from the public. According to the second criterion citizen is each one that is recognized like that from the law. And finally, according to the last , citizen is each one that owns property or a quantity of goods and contributes to the governmental budget (Encyclopaedia Papyrus Larousse Britannica, 1992).Citizens have some rights and obligations .Their rights are political such as the right to vote, to be member of the jury or public servant , and personal such as the right to live ,to have free speech , to work, to live in freedom ,etc . ,that are protected from the state and are given to everyone. Citizens obligations such as taxation are set in order to protect the privileges that are offered to citizens from the government and they emerge from the need of the States existence (New Encyclopaedia, 2006). One of the governmental works is the provision of goods and services. All the modern governments take part directly to the economy by providing goods and services , organising industrial enterprises I promoting economic activities .Providing sanitary, education, and social insurance services , is one of the modern states concerns (Heinz Eulau ,1992). 2.3 Citizens as Customers, Customers as Citizens The classic definition of customer is â€Å"one who purchases or receives a product or service† (Carlson, 1997). The concept of customer is often more complicated in the public sector. For example, the city of Coral Springs in Florida, refined the idea by considering two distinct categories of external customers. Moreover, a building permit applicant is a direct customer while the applicants neighbors are among the indirect customers who will benefit if the decision helps to ensure a safer city and more appropriate land use and construction practices. But even with these refinements, â€Å"citizen† sometimes has a broader meaning. Citizens enjoy rights and take on responsibilities that extend well beyond those commonly recognized to customers (Popovich, 1999). Despite the passage of generations, the fact that government cannot succeed without the peoples trust and support, is a true even today. These essential elements of civil society shape the capacity and help determine the actual performance of government. Societys efforts to accomplish its highest priority and most practical goals are likely to fall short in the absence of the peoples agreement in the functions of government. As the customer is the key for a firm, the citizen -voter is the central element for a government. 2.4 Public services A service is a non material product (education, health safety etc).The meaning of public services isnt constrained in the area of Public and Αdministrative law .The public service is a known significance in the economy, as an appropriate tool of the states expansion in the social relations, for the preservation of stabilized provisions for the welfare state. Beyond the needs of the of practical policy, the interest of the political science with the expansions of the political philosophy is expressed , as the public service is characterized as the expansion of the state in its social activity . In other words , it is the way by which the state contacts the citizens in order to cover their direct needs .After the two World Wars this phenomenon is observed in the European area .In Germany , this works as ‘‘Anstalten (institutions) and the ‘‘ offentlichen Unternehmungen (public enterprises) . The administration (the welfare state) undertakes and guarantees ben efits even for the preservation of life of human who live massively in big cities such as transportation ,cleanliness , water , electricity etc. ÃŽ ¤he principles of function of the public services are connected with the needs and social aims that are tended to fulfil. Therefore, services are provided to everyone in the same way in order to cover the needs, under conditions that change from time to time (Encyclopaedia Papyrus Larousse Britannica ,1992 ). According to the Europa Glossary that is being updated given the recent signing of the Treaty of Lisbon ,the concept of public service is >. At the same time the Europa Glossary defines that continuity of service quality security of supply equal access affordable prices social , cultural and environmental acceptability Article 16 of the EC Treaty, introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam, confirms the role of public services in the European Union. The EU policy on operators of public services is still shaped by the desire to liberalise network public services and to widen the scope of competition on national markets, be this, in the areas of rail transport, postal services, energy or telecommunications>>. 2.5 Citizen Service Centres (KEP) The institution of KEP was founded in 2002, based on an idea of the Deputy Minister Mr Beno. The KEP were founded according to the article 31 of law 3013/2002 and were staffed with short term labour agreement workers, according to the processes of article 6 of law 2527/1997. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (2007), over 60.000 of citizens visit every day Citizen Service Centres (KEP) for certified or not processes, ratifications of registrations, certifications of genuine signature and every kind of administrative information. The last three years 40 new KEP were founded and now they are 1035 at their total. The centres are open Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 20:00, and Saturday, 8:00 to 14:00. At Citizen Service Centres (KEP) citizens can:  · obtain information on what they need to do in order to manage their transactions with the municipality * submit applications for the processing of matters that involve the City that the KEP is registered and state agencies in accordance with joint decisions issued by the Interior Minister or other competent Minister >(City of Athens ,2007). Some of the procedures (about 1.014 at total) that Citizens can carry out at Citizen Service Centres are the following:  · The registration or transfer of registration of a passenger vehicle or motorcycle  · The issuance of a birth certificate duplicate  · The issuance of a criminal record duplicate for general or legal use  · The issuance of a marital status certificate  · The issuance of a birth certificate duplicate for those registered with the City of Athens  · The application for a rent subsidy for the year 2006 to Workers Housing Organisation beneficiaries (former recipients)  · The issuance of a registry birth certificate duplicate for an adult or minor  · The issuance of a public transport pass for individuals with disabilities  · The application for the seasonal unemployment benefit in accordance with Article 22 of Law 1836/89 OAED (Greek Manpower Employment Organisation)  · The issuance of a marital status certificate for individuals registered with the City of Athens (online)  · The application for a rent subsidy for the year 2006 to Workers Housing Organization beneficiaries (new recipients)  · The issuance of a marriage license duplicate  · The application for the OAED (Greek Manpower Employment Organization) family subsidy  · The issuance of a drivers license  · The issuance of a Type A military status certificate (full)  · The renewal of a drivers license  · The issuance of a registry death certificate duplicate  · The application for change in passenger vehicle or motorcycle ownership  · The issuance of a permanent residence certificate  · The issuance of a judicial interdiction certificate See Appendix 1 Progressively KEP were transformed to Centres of Completed Transactions, bringing the Public Administration more near to citizen. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (2007), citizens trust KEP and are in general satisfied from them. Nowadays they have permanent staff which possesses about 2588 positions. The number of affairs that KEP handled the last years is presented at the table below: PERIOD NUMBER OF AFFAIRS SERVED CITIZENS 2006 3.042.509 1.154.554 2005 2.305.195 1.527.516 2004 1.643.313 1.316.505 2003 423.759 356.872 Medium number of affairs per day from Monday to Friday: 11.805 Medium number of affairs per day (Saturday): 821 According to the Ministry KEP are recognizable from about the 80% of citizens. Equally big are the visits to them that they exceed 60%, since they were enriched with new, more attractive for the citizen processes. But more interesting are the numbers linked with the subject of satisfaction of citizens, which according to the ministry exceeds the 90%. The problems that the Public Administration was facing when KEP were created were multiple. The most serious of them were the bad organization and the centralism of public services, lack of confidence in the government owned services, lack of evaluation, lack of meritocracy, weakening of ASEP, fragmentary, and consequently unsuccessful, efforts of application of Electronic Governing, absence of controls and sanctions and finally inflation of bureaucracy and corruptness. For this reason in 2007 a number of regulations of the article 15 of the law for Citizen Service Centres (KEP) were introduced, in order to fight the difficulties and dysfunctions of citizens service (Ministry of Internal Affairs, 2007). Some of the regulations were the following:  · The foundation of the Direction of Organization and Operation of KEP in the General Secretariat of Public Administration and Electronic Governing. The Direction was founded in order to guarantee the proper operation of KEP, but also their evolution in Centres of Completed Administrative Transactions, and the resolution of problems that emerges, because of their big number, the crowd of subjects and processes that they realize and the recent enlargement of their competences. The monitoring and the co-ordination of the operation of KEP is practiced , up today, at fragmentary way from the existing Direction of General Secretariat of Public Administration and Electronic Governing, fact which creates difficulties as far as it concerns the united confrontation of problems.  · The regulation of subjects of mobility of permanent personnel. The employees will stay in the KEP of their placement, for at least a five-year period, so that the experience, which has been acquired in the particular KEP, not to get lost.  · The simplification and acceleration of processes  · The restriction of joint responsibilities between the Ministries. It is indicatively reported that Minister of Internal Affairs does not act jointly in more than 25 different regulatory actions  · The obligatory deadline of 50 days for the transaction of the affairs of citizens  · The payment of complete compensation in the citizen in case of delay  · The self appointed search of supporting documents from the service on behalf of the citizen. 208 certificates can be requested from the service without the citizens presence, for 18 of them the self appointed search is obligatory. Indicative is the progress that took place in the case of self appointed search of certificates of birth from KEP, where, while in 2005 they had 231.327 certificates and medium time of transaction the 8 days, in the end of 2006 the transaction reached 432.188 certificates, that is to say almost double, with medium time of transaction the 5 days. Same is the acceleration as far as it concerns the certificates of familial situation, where while in 2005 were published 253.071 certificates, in 2006 until 2007, 373.219 certificates have been published  · The suppression of submission of supporting documents and their replacement with a personal declaration form for 7 cases  · The videoconference of administrative bodies  · The generalization of electronic communication and exchange of documents between the services. The network â€Å"SIZEFKSIS† ensures 50.000 digital certificates (under form of card) in civil servants equal in number. With this way is provided the possibility of electronic distribution of document, with simultaneous place of signature on this, with electronic way, without a problem of genuineness, after the distribution becomes from the above permitted employees with the use of digital certificate of (card). This electronic distribution involves big acceleration of process of publication and mission of document and contributes considerably in the fighting of bureaucracy.  · The application of a plan of restriction of state expenses and the enlarged public sector, by reforming the public services, so that they become more functional and effective  · The promotion of a regulatory reform, with the establishment of rules of good legislation as well as a system of evaluation of the results of legislative regulations in the competitiveness and the entrepreneurship The City of Athens operates a total of seven (7) Citizen Service Centres (KEP), one in each City District. Citizen Service Centres provide an online service for Athens citizens with regards the following: * City of Athens municipal roll certificates * Permanent residence certificates * Certification TAP property fee payment (in cases where agreement exists on the number of square metres registered with the Public Power Corporation and the contract of purchase) The Citizens Helpline 1595 provides information on documents required for all procedures processed by Citizen Service Centres. 2.6 Service marketing Usually marketing had been seen as having dual dimension.On the one hand, there is the notion which supports that the existence of an organization in economical and social content is based on the satisfaction of customer needs and wants, and on the other hand there is the â€Å" set of activities † which serve this philosophy in order to be implemented (CromptonLamb,1986). The marketing of services is a sector with particular characteristics .The expenditure on services is growing in most industrialized economies. According to the European Commission , â€Å"the percentage share of gross domestic product attributable to the services sector rose from 38 per cent in 1970 to almost 50 percent by 1990†. Crowell supports that â€Å"what is significant about services is the relative dominance of intangible attributes in the make up of the service product†. Services as a special kind of product usually they do not result in ownership but they can be linked to a physical good require special treatment. According to Jobber, as many offerings may combine tangible and intangible characteristics the distinction between them is >. For example, a marketing research study provides a physical good, which is the report that comes out, but also is the result of a number of service activities such as interviews with respondents, analysis of results, designing of the research, etc. Products such as a skirt or a pair of socks usually are not accompanied by a service so they can be characterised as pure goods, but also a visit to a doctor or psychotherapy can be regarded as a pure service as there is nothing tangible that the client receives. 2.6.1 THE NATURE OF SERVICES Service characteristics can be summarised to the following four: intangibility, variability, perishability and inseparability. 2.6.1.1 Intangibility As intangibility can be characterised the fact that services cant be smelled, touched, tasted or seen. Service is â€Å"a deed, performance or effort and not an object device or thing† (Berry, 1980). In other words customer cant evaluate a service before buying it and sometimes cant evaluate it even after consuming it. For this reason the challenge for the service providers is to prove the quality of the service by communicating tangible benefits to consumers. Another characteristic of intangibility is the fact that the service cant be owned so customers pay for the use of product or the performance. 2.6.1.2 Variability The provision of service quality may vary depending to the person who provides it. In other words important factors are the capabilities the person has, his physical and mental situation (tiredness, attitude etc.) the location the service is provided .So, in order to control quality variation , methods such as evaluation systems , tight quality controls and service standardization methods are necessary (Jobber,2004). 2.6.1.3 Inseparability In contrast with physical goods services cant be stored in order to be used later. Services are characterised by the â€Å"simultaneous production and consumption.† Because of this characteristic service providers role is very important to the satisfaction of consumer, as many times he is supposed to be himself the company in the eyes of customer (Berry, 1980). For this reason â€Å"the importance of service provider is an integral part of the satisfaction gained by the consumer†. The behaviour of the service provider is also important for the experience that the customer has for the provided service .So, great importance must be given to the training and rewarding of the staff and its selection (Aijo,1996). Another element that is connected to inseparability is the fact that the customer may experience the service in combination with other customers because of the nature of the service and the place it is offered. At this case marketing managers should take into consideration the role of customer interactions between them, but also the inter customer conflicts and nuisance (Barron et al., 1996). 2.6.1.4 Perishability Unlike the physical goods, services cant be stored in order to be used in the future or at peak times. So service providers should take into consideration the combination of demand and supply and use methods such as multi-skilling of the staff in order to be used at peak seasons or part time employees, supply flexibility, differential pricing and reservation system in order to minimize time waiting (Jobber, 2004). Today one of the greater challenges that the sector of services has to face is the increasing competition in combination with the growing expectations of customers and the developing demands of customers as service improves (Joseph Walker, 1988). 2.6.2 SERVICE MARKETING MIX Models had to explain the relationship between the market and the organisation in order to maximize the seconds performance (Gronrooss C, 1982). To certain extent managing services are more complicated than managing products, as products can be standardised. The standardisation of a service is far more difficult as there are more input factors i.e. process, people, physical evidence, to manage than with a product. The service marketing mix consists of the 7Ps model. These include except from the classical 4 Ps that stands for: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, three more Ps which are People, Process and Physical evidence. 2.6.2.1 People People participate and deliver the service experience, the efficiency and effectiveness, the availability and capability, the customer interaction and the internal marketing. Any provision of service includes as an essential part the use of appropriate staff and people. In order to gain an organisation competitive advantage it is important that it recruits the right staff that is well trained in the delivery of service. Usually consumers perceptions and judgements are affected by the employees they interact with. Consumers wait from the staff to have the appropriate attitude, service knowledge and interpersonal skills that they are paying for. So many organisations train their staff to certain standards. Physical Evidence Physical evidence concerns the place where the service is delivered, infrastructure, facilities, surroundings, essential evidence and peripheral evidence ,equipment and premises. It is an element of the service mix that contributes to the formation of the opinion of the consumer about the organization .So the judgments and the perceptions of the consumers are formed by the sight of the service provision .For example if you walk in an office you expect a friendly environment neat and tie. Process The systems used to assist the organisation in delivering the service, constitute the process. So process refers to the operating process that takes the customer through ,from the initial contact till the service experience and evaluation , database management, service delivery, queuing systems, ordering ,standardization .The customer usually expects efficiency and quickness at the process of the service delivery and this fosters consumers loyalty and confidence in the organization. 2.6.3 Quality Quality is important to business organisations and their consumers, because quality products or services can and will secure consumers business. In addition, linking quality with expensive spending is not absolute, as price will not determine always quality. The high or low quality of a product or service is usually determined, â€Å"by how it made the consumer feel and whether consumer expectations were satisfied or exceeded† (Kotler P. et al, 2008). Quality was very popular in the marketing literature,  « where the notion of satisfying the customer was a dominant model of quality of service provided and consumer satisfaction  » (Raftopoulos V., 2005). The US Strategic Planning Institute in 1972 developed the concept of relative perceived quality (RPQ),  «that is the perception of quality as defined by customers, relative to the offerings of competitors. In other words quality is what a customer perceives it to be and this is a dynamic and complex notion.  » 2.6.3.1 Public service quality The need for quality public services is also expressed by the European Commission through the European Social Fund in its program for 2007-2013.The reason is that the quality of public services affects the implementation of policies and the strategy design as public sector organizations are responsible for them at a big degree at the Member States ,e.g. government ministries , local authority departments and special agencies (ESF,2009). The fact of how important is the quality of public services and the need to be improved, became popular, in Britain, at 1990s when the Government gave clear > on the subject, by the proposal of the Conservative Prime Minister John Major enclosed in his Citizens Charter White Paper (Prime Minister, 1991). The issue faced great consensus from the political parties as the same year both Liberal and Labour parties published their own citizen charter proposals. The citizen driven improvement of the quality of public services was a fact (Black et al., 1994). This policy which faced the citizen as user and needed the reporting of performance from the service providers was continued for a long period it was enriched with best value new policies and was popular as>.According to this concept public services is better to be managed than administrated (Black et al.,2001). At the same time another reason that public service quality is important is that the needs and expectations of the users change and increase. Service quality and how to measure it developed to be a critical issue ,so during the 1990s performance measurement techniques developed as a result of >such as government legislation ,regulatory activity by industry keepers and major policy initiatives, as Black St. et al. , characterize them, and not as a result of the needs of the service provider. Meanwhile , all the efforts of understanding and measuring public service quality where characterized as weak and an increasing interest for quality improvement models techniques , certification and awards developed .So a number of new significances appeared such as total quality management and continuous improvement, process mapping techniques, Institution Standards and Charters. The revolution of the commercial service sector that took place the previous decades influenced also public sector organizations that faced the need to provide quality services that meet ‘customer needs and expectations. As Wisniewski remarks, > (Wisniewski, 2001). The notion of treating the customers has started to change as they dont receive passively uniform services without their voice or influence being considered (Skelcher, 1992). At the opposite side, the adoption of traditional methods may lead to the delivery of a service distant from customer needs. So organizations many times, after a more profound search, discover that the needs and values of customers are different from what they assume before searching (Farquhar C.R. ,1993). In order to discover customer perceptions and collect data concerning the attitudes o

Free College Admissions Essays - MS Will Not Kill My Dream :: College Admissions Essays

MS Will Not Kill My Dream My story with MS began on December 4, 1999. I arrived at school as usual that cold winter morning feeling pretty good, a little tired, but other wise ok. Upon parking my car and opening the door to get out my right arm went to "sleep." I was totally blown away by it. How bizarre I thought to myself and just sat there a moment trying to figure out what possibly could be wrong with my arm. The next two days brought no relief and if anything it seemed to be getting more intense. My WHOLE arm was asleep and I just couldn't understand it. I visited a chiropractor a couple of days later and she said I was dehyrdrated and that my nervous system was under attack. Little did I know! I became increasingly concerned as the days passed and just couldn't buy what everyone was telling me, that I had a pinched nerve. I just knew it was something more and it was! I found a doctor about two weeks later and by that time my right hand was barely useable and the right side of my face, head and chest had also gone numb. I was scared to death! This doctor was wonderful and immediatly ran tests, sent me to a specialist, (neurologist) and spent hours with me examining me and trying to figure out just what could be wrong with me! MS never crossed my mind. A nurse of over ten years I have taken care of only ONE MS patient, a lady in her 90's! MS just didnt occur to me. After several visits to the neurologist, MRI, spinal tap and a slew of blood work I was told that MS was VERY likely the culprit. I was, to say the least, devastated by this news. I cried and cried and greived over this. It was with great fortune that a lady I worked with became extremly helpful to me during this time and prayed for me, listened to me and on more than one occasion, let me cry on her shoulder. On March 4, 2000 I visited a MS specialist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon N.H. and he made it official that it was MS and immediatly started me on Avonex. At this point I had researched the disease endlessly, somewhat come to terms with this awful fate and began to think more positively.

Was the Reconstruction Period a Failure

Was Reconstruction a failure? As the bloody Civil War drew to a close, the period of reconstruction began to take shape across the states. There were many questions aroused following the war regarding the physical re-building of the nation, demobilisation and most importantly what was to replace the pre-war norm of slavery? America’s position on the latter, was of course both vague, with differing opinions from the North to the South, these differences which should have been settled with the outcome of the Civil War meant the war on the battlefield had transgressed to one on a social and political level.However as Michael Les Benedict quite aptly states that ‘winning had been more important than figuring out what to do afterwards,’ which resulted in a sporadic reconstruction being forced by dissimilar motives. When looking at how successful the Reconstruction period was in America one should consider the intentions behind such Reconstructing, this poses the questi on therefore of whether the period was one of rebuilding relations between the North and the South or between the slaves and citizens?This essay will look at therefore the attempt at creating an increasingly harmonious nation with the interruption of unstoppable de facto discrimination that made reconstruction a void period. When discussing the reconstruction some decide to begin with the Emancipation Proclamation where Lincoln addressed the nation on 1st January 1863; â€Å"I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free. This of course was the primary leap into the unknown, however as this was not passed through Congress and there only being a few states state’s emancipated renders 1863 as an ineffectual starting date for the Reconstruction period. However what was important during this time was the role of African American’s in the war which shaped their position in post- war America. ‘By the wars end, some 180,000 blacks had served in the Union Army. ’ Although there was severe dissatisfaction over conscription, the opportunities offered in the army was the foundation for the move towards equality.Primarily it was an opportunity for Afro-Americans to prove their capability and ability to be disciplined; this allowed them to be seen as equals, as equal as possible as the time. ‘Although slavery was still legally intact, in the summer of 1862 General Butler began substituting a system of compensated labour,’ Butler’s recognition of military status of black soldiers was an example of the positive outcome of the war, and what impact It had on integration even though ‘most of the soldiers spoke scornfully of ‘niggers’’ there was an un-admitted truth that the war could not have been won without the help of the Negros.Learning from the military integration and flowing the passing of the 13th Amendm ent in 1865 saw the true beginning of the reconstruction period and as a result there was an increase of active participation of African-Americans in society. ‘Local leaders played such a variety of roles in schools, churches, and fraternal organizations that were bridges to the larger world of politics. ’ The primary source of involvement was through the parishes however Afro-Americans were soon able to work their way further as in 1865 John S.Rock of Boston was the first black lawyer admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court, this showed that ‘slowly the North’s racial barriers began to fall. ’ This positive change not only saw the increased integration of black’s within the judicial branch, however also in the executive, ‘among the ablest were Robert B. Elliott of South Carolina and John R. Lynch of Mississippi. Both were speakers of their state House of Representatives and were members of the U. S. Congress. ’ However such was short lived due to the ever increasing violence from the Ku Klux Klan; this shows that the restoration was limited to the North.As previously mentioned the 13th Amendment was a milestone in the road to freedom or blacks, however ‘the amendment closed one question only to open a host of others. ’ This was because although freed on paper and equal under the law, Afro-Americans were not quite regarded as equal under the eyes of society. The federal government therefore set up a protective organisation; the Freedman’s Bureau which meant ‘there was a freer attitude towards supplying money for plantation equipment, clothing, and food, including salt, bacon, and other necessities for the Negros. The was a successful outcome of the Bureau, however there was obvious weaknesses within the Bureau, commenting on the organisation, a citizen expresses that ‘it would have been wise if our statesmen could have received, digested and acted upon the answers these men [ blacks] gave to their questions. ’ This suggested the nonchalant attitude the bureau had towards the emancipated slaves, rendering the establishment of a new life increasingly difficult without federal aid.Further evidence of the federals restricted willingness to give aid can be seen through their attitude as ‘for a while northerners regarded the proposed Fourteenth Amendment as an incredibly lenient settlement of the Civil War. ’ Prior to this the Civil Rights Act had been passed in 1866 which declared that ‘every race and color, without regard to any previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall have the same right. This shows that had the 14th amendment seen to be too radical then the importance of the Civil Rights Act had not been thoroughly enforced of accepted. ‘Years before the end of slavery, black abolitionist Charles L. Reason had predicted th at emancipation would impose â€Å"severe trials† upon the freedman. ’ This prediction of course was one of great clarity as during the reconstruction period there was a general neglect of emancipated slaves and a re-establishment and maintenance of white supremacy.The neglect can be seen though the inefficiency to support the released slaves and their struggle during the reconstruction period, ‘finding employment and housing, food, clothes and medicine for the flow of refugees into the Department was almost impossible. ’ There was such little prospect for a freed slave that the result was to work practically how life had been previous to the 13th Amendment just without chains or to get involved with sharecropping which resulted in the increase of Tenant farming. Planters had no desire to further economic democracy, white or black, and no confidence that freedman could farm successfully independent of whites. ’ The lack of confidence in the freed ma n bears question to what it was really the Civil War was fought for. ‘In 1861, the restoration of the Union, not emancipation, was the cause that generated the widest support for the war effort,’ this supports the evidence that there was a lack of concern for the emancipated slaves, as this was not at the forefront of Americans objectives.Quite a profound contribution to the failure of the reconstruction period was none the less than the president at the time, Andrew Jackson. Following the assassination of Lincoln was the beginning of the end for the Reconstruction period as Jacksons interpretation of reconstruction was a reflection of his southern prejudices. Jackson excluded black’s from politics, in fact excluded numerous problems from his time in office; ‘Johnson had always believed in limited government and a strict construction of the Constitution.In Congress, he had moved to reduce the salaries of government workers, voted against aid to famine-stric ken Ireland, and even opposed appropriations to pave Washington’s muddy streets. ’ This could either be described as laissez faire methods of rule or negligence. Although the Civil Rights Act did eventually get passed this was with no thanks to President Johnson, who during what was meant to be the restoration period vetoed it twice meaning its eventual passing through congress was due to an overall majority vote from his cabinet.The lack of the presidents intervention, or acceptance of the Sherman-Johnston agreement reflected the lenience accepted by the executive at the time as it was agreed that ‘the executive authority of the government of the United States not to disturb by reason of the late war so long as they live in peace and quiet. ’ This meant very liberal treatment of the ex-rebels of the Civil War. The leniency toward the de-mobilisation of the South meant it possible for ‘the same people, the same issues that had precipitated the great war to remain. This therefore making the restoration of slavery further possible, rather opposite to the original intentions of restoration, it was what Les Benedict described as the ‘death of the Confederate reconstruction. ’ ‘Laura Towne reported that the freedman would not believe that Lincoln was dead’ as he was the foundation for the emancipation of the slaves and one who had revolutionary visions at a time of prevalent discrimination. As previously mentioned, Afro-Americans were increasingly getting involved in positions and society; however this was not true to everyone and was definitely not on the increase. Cleveland County, North Carolina, counted 200 black members of biracial Methodist churches in 1860, ten in 1867, and none five years later. ’ There is a recurring trend of the laissez faire method of rule or negligence towards the Afro-Americans during the reconstruction period. Under President Ulysses S. Grant the state produced less for ms of reconstructive policies to protect the black’s from a prejudice society. ‘He had won election in 1868 by urging, â€Å"let us have peace,† and he had not intervened in the South until Klan violence had forced his hand. This shows the executives turning a blind eye towards the violence and discrimination that prevailed throughout the reconstruction period. Not only was there negligence towards imposing protection for the emancipated slaves, but there were further restrictions implemented on their freedom such as the Black Codes; Sec. 3. ‘Every negro is required to be in the regular service of some white person, or former owner, who shall be held responsible for the conduct of said Negro. ’ This shows that although black slaves were meant to have been emancipated, there was always the clause of being emancipated under the control of the white man.The fact the white man had control over the emancipated slave made freed life sometimes harder than t he days of slavery. Additionally although the 15th amendment was passed with the intention of enabling the emancipated the privilege of the vote, it was not long followed by the restrictive Jim Crow laws which had further implication into the post-Reconstruction period and into the twentieth century. The Crow laws not only made it impossible for makes to ascertain suffrage due to the Grandfather Clause, but enabled de facto segregation.The reconstruction period was not only a failure due to the legislation or lack of legislation, but the economic depression resulted in ‘the first great crisis of industrial capitalism permanently altering the nature of economic enterprise, and had profound political and ideological consequences. ’ This meant that due to economic hardship there was a decrease in sympathy towards the Negro who had nothing compared with the white man who had nothing. ‘By the end of 1874 nearly half the nation’s iron furnaces had suspended opera tion’ The reconstruction period was one that saw a plethora of legislative change, however not all for the better.There were many empty promises directed at the liberated slaves, however liberated is not the correct term to use. The emancipated slaves saw little to no improvement in their lives, and not only were the reconstruction a failure with regards improving relations between North and South; it was a failure with repairing relations between the slave and the citizen. The fact the reconstruction period was so short and its ending reverted back to previous times renders the reconstruction period a failure. There remained the underlying intentions, just lacked motivation to implement the reconstruction of the ‘United’ states.Additionally these intentions derived from a handful of just minded thinkers such as Lincoln, however there were too many, with great power who were not yet ready to accept the equality that was preached to clearly in the Declaration of I ndependence, the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th amendment. Therefore as there was such little actual change when reflected against how much legislative change at Washington makes the Reconstruction period a failure as perception, treatment and understanding of a different race did not improve.

Definition and Discussion of Comparative Grammar

Definition and Discussion of Comparative Grammar Comparative grammar  is the branch of linguistics primarily concerned with the analysis and comparison of the grammatical structures of related languages or dialects.   The term comparative grammar was commonly used by 19th-century philologists. However,  Ferdinand de Saussure regarded comparative grammar as a misnomer for several reasons, the most troublesome of which is that it implies the existence of a scientific grammar other than that which draws on the comparison of languages (Course in General Linguistics, 1916). In the modern era, notes  Sanjay Jain et al., the branch of linguistics  known as comparative grammar is  the attempt to characterize the class of (biologically possible) natural languages through formal specification of their grammars; and a theory of  comparative grammar is  such a specification of  some definite collection. Contemporary theories of comparative grammar begin with Chomsky . . . , but there are several different proposals currently under investigation (Systems That Learn: An Introduction to Learning Theory, 1999). Also Known As:  comparative philology Observations If we would understand the origin and real nature of grammatical forms, and of the relations which they represent, we must compare them with similar forms in kindred dialects and languages . . ..[The task of the comparative grammarian] is to compare the grammatical forms and usages of an allied group of tongues and thereby reduce them to their earliest forms and senses.(Grammar, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1911)Comparative GrammarPast and PresentContemporary work in comparative grammar, like the comparative work carried out by nineteenth-century grammarians, is concerned with establishing [an] explanatory basis for the relationships between languages. The work of the nineteenth century focused on relationships between languages and groups of languages primarily in terms of a common ancestry. It assumed a view of linguistic change as by and large systematic and lawful (rule governed) and, on the basis of this assumption, attempted to explain the relationship between languages in terms o f a common ancestor (often a hypothetical one for which there was no actual evidence in the historical record). Contemporary comparative grammar, in contrast, is significantly broader in scope. It is concerned with a theory of grammar that is postulated to be an innate component of the human mind/brain, a faculty of language that provides an explanatory basis for how a human being can acquire a first language (in fact, any human language he or she is exposed to). In this way, the theory of grammar is a theory of human language and hence establishes the relationship among all languagesnot just those that happen to be related by historical accident (for instance, via common ancestry).(Robert Freidin, Principles and Parameters in Comparative Grammar. MIT, 1991)

The Importance of the Arts essays

The Importance of the Arts essays The arts are commonly grouped into four categories, those of dance, music, theater, and the visual arts. Dance is the human experience translated by physical movement. It can be anything from the classic form of ballet to ballroom. Music is sound, how pitches relate to one another-composed to convey the wordless of human expression. In the broadest sense, can be defined as including everything connected with dramatic artthe play itself, the stage with its scenery and lighting, makeup, costumes, acting, and actors. The visual arts include sculpture and painting. Each of the arts is a reflection of the culture that produced it as well as capable of transcending its own specific category to complement any of the other categories. For example, in the dance category-river dance is a type of dance that is a cultural reflection of an Irish tradition. And hip-hop is a type of dance that complements the similarly named musical genre. The arts as a form of expression is a form and a vehicle of communication, of outreach, indicative of the common plight of humanity to be part of community. Each story communicated by each of the arts combines to create a more complete, more complex, more fully and unconsciously honest picture of the society that created it. Every generation commonly defines itself by the arts. Perhaps most importantly, each of the arts can transcend time and retain relevance even to modern ages and audiences. An example of this would be the works of Shakespeare. Written hundreds of years ago and in an archaic and often difficult to decipher language, the themes found in Shakespeares plays and other writings are still relevant and still applicable to modern interpretations. The arts demonstrate the common themes of the human experience. The benefits of the arts in education are immeasurable. According to an article in the Charlotte Parent, the arts are a necessary part of the education that will allow s...

10 Chemicals You Can Use to Turn Fire Green

10 Chemicals You Can Use to Turn Fire Green Green is possibly the coolest color to turn flames. Its not a color you get from the fuel, so you have to add a chemical to get the effect. The color comes from the ion emission spectra, so you can use any of the chemicals that produce green in the analytical method known as the flame test. The most readily available compounds  are: boric acid (boron compounds), sold as a disinfectant and roach killerborax (boron compounds), sold as a laundry booster and home cleanercopper sulfate (copper(II) compounds), sold as a root killer and algicide However, other chemicals will make green flames: thallium compoundsantimony compoundsbarium compoundsmanganese (II) compoundsmolybdenum compoundsammonium compoundsphosphates moistened with sulfuric acid How to Get Green Fire If you add any of these chemicals to a fire, youll get green flames. The trouble is, there might be other chemicals in your fuel that can overpower the green, making it impossible to see. You can add copper compounds to wood fire and get a range of colors, including green. Most of the other colorants wont work with a campfire or fireplace fire because sodium in the fuel emits a bright yellow light that overpowers the green color. The best way to get green fire is to heat the chemicals in a blue gas flame or to add them to an alcohol-based fuel. In addition to gel fuels, you can use methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol. Safety Information None of these chemicals is edible and a few are toxic, so dont roast marshmallows, hot dogs, or other food over a green fire. Having said that, the boron and copper compounds are relatively safe in that they arent consumed by the fire, so they dont really add to the toxicity of any smoke, plus they are household chemicals that  can be washed down the drain. If you are using colorants on a camping trip or outdoors, be aware of the effects of the chemicals on the environment. High levels of boron compounds can be toxic to some plants. High levels of copper compounds can be harmful to invertebrates. These are properties that help make these chemicals useful in the home, but not so great for wild habitats. Use care with methanol (wood alcohol) and isopropanol (rubbing alcohol), since these fuels are absorbed through the skin and are toxic.

Data Acquisition - Urban regenration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Data Acquisition - Urban regenration - Essay Example London City airport is located in the eastern part of London. It is between the Royal Albert Dock and the King George V Dock, two large docks that were built for heavy shipping and in a relatively populated area. It is also close to the Royal Victoria Dock. The redevelopment project will increase the size of the airport and the number of flights to the airport. It would also have good pollution, waste, and noise controls. There are plans to extensively increase the volume of public transportation to and form the airport. This would hopefully reduce the volume of automobile traffic and the need for a large road system. The plan is to build a larger airport that will serve aircraft well but will also not damage the surrounding neighborhoods, docks, or river with excessive pollution or traffic. To carry out this task, a variety of useful surveys will be used. These include an aerial survey, a picture of the finished airport, a geological survey, a hydrographic survey, a historical survey, a topographical survey, and a planning survey. All of these surveys have some importance, but some of the surveys are more useful for the project than others. Some of these surveys are vital, some very useful, and others less useful. The aerial survey is very useful to the project. It provides a visual photograph of the area around the airport. It reveals all of the landforms, buildings, and land uses around London City Airport. This is a very useful survey. If there are tall buildings, radio towers, mountains, or hills in the area around the airport it will be very difficult for airplanes to take off or land at the airport and a high risk of plane crashes. This could cause the project to be unfeasible. If there are residential neighborhoods near the airport they could be adversely affected by the noise from the aircraft. Any inhabited land that is very close to the airport might have to be bought

Hazardous Materials Packaging -351 Forum 4 Assignment

Hazardous Materials Packaging -351 Forum 4 - Assignment Example Products damaged during shipment can also be shipped back to the point of origin for reprocessing and repackaging. Lai and Cheng (2009) posits that "In the case of some products that contain hazardous materials such as batteries and electronic equipments, there are safe disposal requirements that must be adhered to and reported" (p. 72). In some countries particularly European countries, producers are required to retract packaging materials from their clients for proper disposal or recycling (Schatteman, n.d). Issues of pollution and climate change has forced many countries to implement laws and regulations that require proper disposal of hazardous materials after the end of their life cycle and this is responsibility of both the retailer and the manufacturer. Schatteman (n.d) further asserts that these laws have forced manufacturers to initiate reverse logistics for such materials in order to dispose them properly. During transportation or shipment of hazardous materials or products back to the manufacturer or to the point of origin, it is imperative to properly package them to prevent any leakages. Proper packaging also involves labeling the packages in a bid to distinguish hazardous materials from non-hazardous materials (Jaffin, 2013). In a nutshell, reverse logistics is shipping back products such as hazardous products back to the manufacturer for proper disposal, repackaging, or reprocessing. Therefore, the products ought to be packaged properly to prevent any leakages or accidents during shipment. National Archives and Records Administration. (2012). Hazardous Materials; Reverse Logistics (RRR). The Daily Journal of the United States Government. Retrieved from

Discuss the multiple theories of reading that are presented in Essay

Discuss the multiple theories of reading that are presented in Northanger Abbey. How might they lead us to create a theory of reading for real readers, and why might this theory be important - Essay Example The novel encompasses a strong morale, guidance for the choice for true companion and shows how other considerations are mere shallow. ‘Northanger Abbey’ can be treated as a torch bearer of the Austen canon. Very rightly, it upholds or clearly indicates the theme of Jane’s forthcoming novels. As a literary piece, the novel has a great value. ‘Northanger Abbey’ encompasses within its plot, few frivolities of the Eighteenth century literature and encapsulates many of the contemporary fiction and their genre. The novel, ‘Northanger Abbey’ is often claimed by critics as â€Å"earliest and least perfect†. It is also criticized that ‘Northanger Abbey’, â€Å"lacks the narrative sophistication of the later works†. But the main fact is quite different from all these criticism. Within its limited scope, Austen tried to portray a discursive description of what a fiction might be. He precisely shows the way that how a novel should be written and most importantly, read. The heroine of ‘Northanger Abbey’ Catherine is deliberately portrayed as a complete deviation from the conventional heroines of Eighteenth century fictions. Catherine is simple and notably undistinguished. She is a girl from a middle-class family and she falls in love with her hero, much before the hero of Austen’s ‘Northanger Abbey’ put any of his serious thoughts on the girl. All these deviations prove that Austen desperately wanted to re-shape and re-evalu ate Eighteenth century fiction and its reading pattern along with the writing style. This is also a vital reason for manifesting the plot of ‘Northanger Abbey’ in a fashion of a parody for Gothic Fiction. ‘Northanger Abbey’ is indeed an important literary document; purely concomitant to the Radcliffeian popularity, and is truly a literary landmark. It is more than a mere debunking sentimental Gothic novel. It is a serious attempt to depose a narrative technique that challenges the stress on characters by Richardson and

Can Politics be Removed from Redistricting Essay

Can Politics be Removed from Redistricting - Essay Example The act of redistricting is a process that requires adequate planning by the legislation body before they come up with a complete and fair form of new districts. Though the legislation body has the right and privilege to plan for the redistricting process, they are not competent enough of guaranteeing that the plan will be successful. Thus my stand concerning the matter is that politics can and should be removed from redistricting. Iowa is the single state that is capable of giving any of the nonpartisan community the right of setting up laws that governs the procedures that apply in the redistricting process. This is because in many of the known states, the procedure of the redistricting is solely carried out by the government body and also the political alone. This is in inclusion of the republicans as well as the democrats of the states. Consequently, this action is often for the benefit of the republicans and moreover for the advantage of the democrats. This is because; they use this idea to their benefit of the political interests. Subsequently, the republicans and the democrats do this to obtain a large section of their states to enlarge the district area. Moreover, this action is chiefly for them to gain sole security in the job sector. Thus in Iowa, this procedure is solely performed by a group of selection of three parties. These parties include lawyers, the governor, the secretary, and the auditor. Additionally, there are also the two main individuals who are from the popular political parties (Vork 1). This is chiefly to avoid any form of corruption and manipulation of the process that governs the redistricting procedures (Vork 1). Consequently, for the redistricting process to be in order, there are asset of states laws that the body ought to follow. There are a variety of redistricting methods that a state can employ in the process of redistricting. There is the independent body system, which involves the employment of individuals from the independ ent section with a few representatives from the politicians and the government. The costs and benefits of different redistricting systems Thus the benefit of this body system is that there will be no interference during the redistricting processes by the political parties (Ansolabehere, Gerber & Snyder 768). Second, there is the legislators system. This system utilizes the legislative body of the government. The chief cost that this body brings is the implications during the redistricting procedure. This is because the legislative body utilizes the laws set by the government body. Therefore it becomes hard for the legislators not to favor the government as well as the political parties. Although the two types of the redistricting are different, the chief goal of the process is to attain balanced and equal forms of districts without favor (Ansolabehere, Gerber & Snyder 770). Thus the chief benefit of the redistricting process is that the state gets the opportunity of being in the lis t of the government for the development process. For instance, the minority group gets to obtain the financial support from the government with ease. This further allows an equal and uniform amount of expenditure by the government for the districts from the minorities (Ansolabehere, Gerber & Snyder 768). Considering or not considering how certain factors may change the sort of districts drawn

Luis Valdez and El Teatro Campesino Research Paper

Luis Valdez and El Teatro Campesino - Research Paper Example Valdez was raised in a family of farmworkers who were migrants in the lands of caucasian Americans. He grew up in Delano, California and was exposed to farm work at a young age. He was well educated, despite the fact that his parents were in frequent travels. He finished college and went on to see labor unions and their struggles in a stranger country (Elam Jr. 3). In 1965, he started to participate in a strike organized by a union of farmers called the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (Elam Jr. 3). He was an apprentice then at the San Francisco Mime Troupe when he convinced leaders of the labor union to create a theater company of their own (Elam Jr. 3). He was successful in convincing UFWOC leaders and staged various plays that expressed the sentiments of the union as well as a cultural expression of Chicanos as a minority group. Themes of the play involved struggles of Mexican farmers, meager income in farm work, among others (Elam Jr. 3). In 1965, Valdez founded El Teatro Campesino, which was worldly-renowned (Huerta 69). Actors who were part of his newly-organized theater group were farmers, who were eager to expose the injustices they suffered in the fields while actively urging other farmers to join their cause, too (Huerta 69). Two years later, Valdez’s theater group abandoned the common portrayal of agricultural issues and began to explore other issues concerning the Chicanos or the Mexicans (Huerta 70). Valdez separated from the union because of the need to improve his craft in terms of standards in an effective theater play. El Teatro Campesino still graced farmers’ invitations to perform during union strikes, but also did portrayals of other worthy issues such as the American educational system and the status of the Chicanos in the particular sector (Huerta 70). The Education System. Valdez created plays that depict his criticisms against the American educational system. No Saco Nada de la Escuel a or He Didn’t Get Anything from School depicts how the education system forced the Americans’ dominant culture into the minds of cultural minorities such as the Chicanos (Valdez 66). Through that play, Valdez was able to convey his message of his opposition against the imposition of the English language as a medium of instruction in class, while discrimination against non-English speakers continued (Valdez 70-71). Murillo, Jr. et al. described language as a symbol of one’s identity; it is the â€Å"blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow† (19). Thus, Valdez believed that it is not an easy transition for students who were born and raised with the Spanish language as the mother tongue (66). Moreover, No Saco Nada de la Escuela portrayed how Valdez sees the American education system as a venue for bullying, and the toleration of it among Latino students. English was portrayed as the key to communication, the eradication of discr imination, and the perfect way to pass. Latinos in the Education System: 1950s to 1970s During the 1950s up until the 1960s, only few Mexican students successfully finished high school (I. Lopez 16-17), especially in schools located in Los Angeles. According to Lopez, the quality of education can be considered as the â€Å"

Free trade, international business and globalisation continue to Essay

Free trade, international business and globalisation continue to increase inexorabley if they are so beneficial to our world and - Essay Example From the point of view of international business, globalization is not a mere sale in the overseas, but an operation in the overseas. Producing companies or the runners of business decide to produce in foreign countries for making this operation successfully. By producing in the foreign countries, the companies obtain access to the preferred inputs and to markets. The cheap inputs may be labor or raw materials like minerals or agricultural products. The relevant implications of the international business or globalization of business is free trade and competition. The overall interest of most of the global companies lies in free access to market. Similarly, the companies support the reduction of investment barriers in the individual countries. The competition is brought by the companies into the markets where there exists a limited number of local producers. The competition may be with local producers or among these companies them selves (Stewadson, 1999). Positive Roles of Internatio nal trade and business in the era of Globalization Free trade in the context of globalization attribute to i) the demand expansion and increasing returns to scale, ii) technological dynamism and investment, iii) specialization of production, technological advances and spill over, and above all to the iv) employment generation in a country, where the multi national countries produce or run the business. The goods and services which are produced locally have access to a larger market and the demand expansion effect of trade make the economy capable of overcoming the constraints of its local and domestic market size. The increasing returns to scale as a result of access to international markets can further reinforce the benefit of operating at a higher output level. The manufactured goods propose better prospects for export earnings by allowing for a more rapid productivity growth and production expansion and also offer the promise of greater price stability as volumes expand, thereby avoiding the declining terms of trade which hinders the long run economic performance of many developing countries (UNCTAD 2002) Trade leads to acquisition of newly affordable goods that are necessary for technological dynamisms, poverty reduction and increasing economic development. Those goods would not available unless export or import occurs properly and even if they are available, those may not be for the scarce domestic resources. If the foreign earnings from exports are appropriately re-invested, competitiveness would be enhanced and this leads to expansion of exports and greater investment. Trade with sufficient strategic support, incentives and guidance of the government can lead the economy to industrial diversification and other crucial economic development. The experience of South Korea is very relevant in this context. Export earnings have been used to import the selective capital goods and technologies which led to the inception of new and outstanding industries (in wh ich the country had any initial comparative advantage) which are internationally competitive (for eg., Steel and Ship Building). The trade theories indicate that a nation exports the commodities which are produ

Can Politics be Removed from Redistricting Essay

Can Politics be Removed from Redistricting - Essay Example The act of redistricting is a process that requires adequate planning by the legislation body before they come up with a complete and fair form of new districts. Though the legislation body has the right and privilege to plan for the redistricting process, they are not competent enough of guaranteeing that the plan will be successful. Thus my stand concerning the matter is that politics can and should be removed from redistricting. Iowa is the single state that is capable of giving any of the nonpartisan community the right of setting up laws that governs the procedures that apply in the redistricting process. This is because in many of the known states, the procedure of the redistricting is solely carried out by the government body and also the political alone. This is in inclusion of the republicans as well as the democrats of the states. Consequently, this action is often for the benefit of the republicans and moreover for the advantage of the democrats. This is because; they use this idea to their benefit of the political interests. Subsequently, the republicans and the democrats do this to obtain a large section of their states to enlarge the district area. Moreover, this action is chiefly for them to gain sole security in the job sector. Thus in Iowa, this procedure is solely performed by a group of selection of three parties. These parties include lawyers, the governor, the secretary, and the auditor. Additionally, there are also the two main individuals who are from the popular political parties (Vork 1). This is chiefly to avoid any form of corruption and manipulation of the process that governs the redistricting procedures (Vork 1). Consequently, for the redistricting process to be in order, there are asset of states laws that the body ought to follow. There are a variety of redistricting methods that a state can employ in the process of redistricting. There is the independent body system, which involves the employment of individuals from the independ ent section with a few representatives from the politicians and the government. The costs and benefits of different redistricting systems Thus the benefit of this body system is that there will be no interference during the redistricting processes by the political parties (Ansolabehere, Gerber & Snyder 768). Second, there is the legislators system. This system utilizes the legislative body of the government. The chief cost that this body brings is the implications during the redistricting procedure. This is because the legislative body utilizes the laws set by the government body. Therefore it becomes hard for the legislators not to favor the government as well as the political parties. Although the two types of the redistricting are different, the chief goal of the process is to attain balanced and equal forms of districts without favor (Ansolabehere, Gerber & Snyder 770). Thus the chief benefit of the redistricting process is that the state gets the opportunity of being in the lis t of the government for the development process. For instance, the minority group gets to obtain the financial support from the government with ease. This further allows an equal and uniform amount of expenditure by the government for the districts from the minorities (Ansolabehere, Gerber & Snyder 768). Considering or not considering how certain factors may change the sort of districts drawn

Free trade, international business and globalisation continue to Essay

Free trade, international business and globalisation continue to increase inexorabley if they are so beneficial to our world and - Essay Example From the point of view of international business, globalization is not a mere sale in the overseas, but an operation in the overseas. Producing companies or the runners of business decide to produce in foreign countries for making this operation successfully. By producing in the foreign countries, the companies obtain access to the preferred inputs and to markets. The cheap inputs may be labor or raw materials like minerals or agricultural products. The relevant implications of the international business or globalization of business is free trade and competition. The overall interest of most of the global companies lies in free access to market. Similarly, the companies support the reduction of investment barriers in the individual countries. The competition is brought by the companies into the markets where there exists a limited number of local producers. The competition may be with local producers or among these companies them selves (Stewadson, 1999). Positive Roles of Internatio nal trade and business in the era of Globalization Free trade in the context of globalization attribute to i) the demand expansion and increasing returns to scale, ii) technological dynamism and investment, iii) specialization of production, technological advances and spill over, and above all to the iv) employment generation in a country, where the multi national countries produce or run the business. The goods and services which are produced locally have access to a larger market and the demand expansion effect of trade make the economy capable of overcoming the constraints of its local and domestic market size. The increasing returns to scale as a result of access to international markets can further reinforce the benefit of operating at a higher output level. The manufactured goods propose better prospects for export earnings by allowing for a more rapid productivity growth and production expansion and also offer the promise of greater price stability as volumes expand, thereby avoiding the declining terms of trade which hinders the long run economic performance of many developing countries (UNCTAD 2002) Trade leads to acquisition of newly affordable goods that are necessary for technological dynamisms, poverty reduction and increasing economic development. Those goods would not available unless export or import occurs properly and even if they are available, those may not be for the scarce domestic resources. If the foreign earnings from exports are appropriately re-invested, competitiveness would be enhanced and this leads to expansion of exports and greater investment. Trade with sufficient strategic support, incentives and guidance of the government can lead the economy to industrial diversification and other crucial economic development. The experience of South Korea is very relevant in this context. Export earnings have been used to import the selective capital goods and technologies which led to the inception of new and outstanding industries (in wh ich the country had any initial comparative advantage) which are internationally competitive (for eg., Steel and Ship Building). The trade theories indicate that a nation exports the commodities which are produ

Love Is Not Bliss (Romeo & Juliet + Othello) A Thesis Essay Example for Free

Love Is Not Bliss (Romeo Juliet + Othello) A Thesis Essay One of the reasons that the works of Shakespeare are so renowned is simply for the fact that he can beautifully create moments of happiness, sadness, glory, agony, misery, love, betrayal and anything else which may fall in between (Krakauer 09). There are numerous situations in real life in which one person may fall deeply in love with another, but it will eventually turn out that it was never to occur in the first place. When it comes to Shakespeare, love is never meant to blossom in the plays Romeo and Juliet, and Othello. In the very first act of Romeo and Juliet, for example, we learn that there is a feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. Two households, both alike in dignity (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene) From Ancient grudge break into new mutiny (Act I Sc I). Romeo and Juliet fall instantly in love with each other. But, because of their families hatred, their happiness and youth are wasted. Juliet receives a marriage proposal from Paris, and agrees that she will consider marrying him if she likes him. After falling in love with Romeo however at first sight, she learns as he leaves that he is a Montague. She is struck with as much horror as he is after he finds out that she is a Capulet. It is just a little while later that Juliet delivers her famous speech: O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? O, be some other name! Whats in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. (Act II Sc II). Passion it is of course, but that contaminated term has in our day become helpless to express it. Purity would be the perfect word for it if the world had not forgotten that purity is simply Greek for fire (Krakauer 17). Juliet later discovers that her father has arranged for her to marry Paris in three days. She refuses to do so, and her father is furious over the fact that his daughter is so proud and ungrateful. She then turns to her mother but her mother refuses to listen to what she has to say. In desperation, she turns to the nurse for advice, and even the Nurse believes that Juliet should marry Paris, because Romeo was banished from Verona and is not likely to return. Juliet realized that everyone is against her, so she turned to  Friar Laurence for help. The Friar knows of a sleeping potion that Juliet would be able to use that would fool her family to believe that Juliet is dead. Juliet decided to use that potion on the very night that she is to wed Paris. When the family finds Juliet dead, the Friar says that they must arrange for a burial and carry Juliets body to the church. After Romeo (then in Mantua) learns that Juliet is dead, he buys some poison and intends to kill himself in the vault where Juliet lies. Paris is in the vault when Romeo arrives, and he assumes that Romeo is there for evil purposes. The two men then fight a duel, and Romeo realizes that he has killed Paris as he falls. He then gazes at Juliet in her tomb, and swallows the poison after giving her a last kiss. He instantly dies, and Juliet wakes up shortly thereafter. After she realizes that Romeo is dead, she takes his dagger and stabs herself with it. It is then that the families reconcile when it is too late. Statues were to be made in honor of the lovers. Cynics are fond of saying that if Romeo and Juliet had lived, their love would not have lasted (Krakauer 24).There is also numerous instances in Othello in which it is evident that love was never meant to blossom between Othello, and his wife Desdemona. Brabantio is the father of Desdemona. He regrets the fact that he allowed Desdemona to marry Othello, who just happens to be a Moor. He realized that he would have rather let a unestablished man named Roderigo take Desdemonas hand in marriage. Othello is accused of using witchcraft on his wife, and it is said that he is probably abusing her as well. However, when Desdemona is questioned, she admits that she has fallen in love with Othello and married him on her own will. Brabantio is furious when he hears his daughters confessions, and he practically disowns her. He then turns to Othello, and says Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee (Act I Sc III). Then there is the notorious villain, Iago. He came up with a plan to make it seem like Desdemona was cheating on Othello with his friend, Michael Cassio. Iago feels hatred towards Othello because he passed him over, and promoted Cassio for a position. Iago also had suspicions that Othello may have been having an affair with Emilia (Iagos wife), and for that he wants get revenge on  Othello. Shakespeare gives Iago an outward appearance of honest virtue and has Othello consistently call him Honest Iago. (Krakauer 56). Iago has the tendency to be very convincing and manipulative. He manages to make money off of Roderigo by offering foolish advice followed by a great deal of logic. After much talk, Roderigo is even convinced to sell off his land, so he can have a lot of money in his hands to get the attention of Desdemona. It is safe to say that Iago is very much like the devil himself (Krakauer 62). This is evident in his soliloquy at the very end of Act I. He reveals to the audience that he wishes to abuse Othellos ear, and blacken Cassios name as well. Iago also tends to compare people to animals, such as when he says, The Moor is of a free and open nature that thinks men honest that but seem to be so, and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are. (Act I Sc III). Iago does indeed poison Othellos ears by convincing him to view the friendship between Desdemona and Cassio under a negative perspective. At a party, he gets Cassio to drink an excessive amount of liquor, which makes him drunk. At one point as Cassio gets in a fight with another person, Othello walks in, and Iago makes him take Cassios position away from him. Iago then goes over to Cassio and acts as if he is a friend to him. He tells Cassio to request Desdemona to convince Othello to give Cassio his position back. Desdemona agrees to do so, but all in a very innocent manner. Since Iago has plagued Othellos mind with false thoughts, Othello gets furious everytime that Desdemona mentions Cassios name. He begins to suffer mentally, and has trouble sleeping, and begins to snap at Desdemona over the slightest things. Eventually, Othello smothers Desdemona, and kills her. Emilia discovers what has happened, and cries out till Iago arrives. She then reveals the fact that Iago is a villain, and Iago kills her. Othello realizes that he has made a mistake, and kills himself, and Iago gets executed. The love stories in Romeo and Juliet, and Othello start off very nicely, but unfortunately end with tragic deaths.

The Purpose Of Research In Social Work Social Work Essay

The Purpose Of Research In Social Work Social Work Essay This essay will focus on how EBP and practice wisdom should be combined and not seen as opposing opposites as together they have great value for social work practice. Also both should determine the practitioners decision making processes in practice because failing to do so could actually be oppressive to both service users and practitioners. Also this integration could facilitate and encourage the use of research amongst social work practitioners in day to day practice. EBP in social work has been implemented at a slow pace and has not been greatly embraced and valued by practitioners (McNeill, 2006; Pignotti and Thyer, 2009; Mitchell 2011, Nevo and Nevo, 2011). Epstein (2011) highlights how practitioners have voiced that they resent EBP as it presents as a threat to their autonomy and creativity. This idea of EB knowledge solely determining practice could be perceived by practitioners as disempowering. An approach that devalues practice wisdom and professional judgement in favour of objective, manualised, and empirically supported interventions (Webb, 2001; Nevo and Nevo, 2011) can be seen to undermine professional autonomy as it places authority of science over the authority of the practitioner (Nevo and Nevo, 2011). Furthermore it can actually be seen to oppress practitioners as it seems to be controlling their decision making process that may often conflict with their practice wisdom. An approach that alongside EB knowledge also embraced practic e based knowledge may be of more use and value to practitioners and may be more likely to be used in practice as it detaches EBP from its solely scientific and thus its oppressive nature. It is now increasingly being recognised in the EBP literature that social work values and practitioner wisdom need to be integrated with practice; however this integration is often unclear (Epstein, 2009; Mitchell, 2011; Nevo and Nevo, 2011). A shift towards evidence informed practice (EIP) rather than evidence based practice is now being recognised (Epstein, 2009; Haight, 2010; Nevo and Nevo, 2011). However practice is wisdom is still not acknowledged amongst some EIP advocates for example Haight (2010) but is greatly valued amongst others such as Nevo and Nevo (2011). Stoesz (2010) argues that the social work profession is too subjective and reflexive and argues that only scientific evidence is acceptable and ethical as anything else could be depriving an individual of effective treatment (Stoesz, 2010; Gambrill, 2010). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are seen to provide gold standard evidence for practice to be based on. Qualitative research and practice wisdom or clinical judgments are valued the least as are less scientific (Corby, 2006; Epstein, 2002; Dodd and Epstein, 2012). Epstein (2009) rejects the use of RCTs on ethical grounds as the methodology deprives the one group of intervention. RCTs may have value for research findings and in turn practice but its research methodology is unethical to some service users. Ethics is of great importance within social work as it is of importance that social workers be ethical professionals and work anti oppressively. And also be guided by research (Nevo and Nevo, 2011). BASW (2012) code of ethics states that evidence informed knowledge derived from research and practice evaluation is the basis of methodology in social work. However if practitioners are not using EB knowledge and are using only practice wisdom this could be depriving service users from an effective treatment and is not integrating evidence into practice. What would be of more value is to encourage and accept EB knowledge and practice wisdom so that not one or the other, but both are valued and used by practitioners so that research is being incorporated into and informing social work practice as BASW (2012) states. Also BASW (2012) states that knowledge should also come from practice evaluation and mentions acknowledging context but does not mention practice wisdom. This evidence informed approach whereby acknowledging being specific to context but that does not mention practice wisdom is similar to EIP advocated by Haight (2010). To ignore the existence of practice based wisdom and its perceived value by practitioners in influencing their decision making process will only further limit the potential of integrating EB research into practice. McNeill (2006) highlights how practitioners decision making is not driven by research findings, even when provided with evidence of intervention effectiveness. Gambrill (2006) acknowledges how in social work practice a number of unsupported interventions are conventionally used and accepted in practice that are based on professional authority and clinical experience and not research evidence. Pignotti and Thyer (2009) concluded that just because social workers valued and used EBP interventions they also valued and used Novel unsupported therapies (NUTs) in practice. This could suggest that practice wisdom is valued in the decision making process and could be of priority even when provided with evidence of an interventions effectiveness (Gambrill, 2006; McNeill, 2006). It also could suggest that both EBP and practice wisdom are also co-existing in the decision making process in practice (Pignotti and Thyer, 2009). Pignotti and Thyer (2009) highlights how little is known about why social work practitioners choose NUTs. Similar Research could be of value in potentially identifying how Practice wisdom as well as EB knowledge together both are being used and are of value to practice. Mitchell (2011) illustrates how the sole use of EBP had limited valuable application in real world practice. Mitchell (2011) found that when attempting to implement EB services for young people with complex needs, this was limited without the integration of practice wisdom. As most research focuses on a single disorder or problem it is difficult to implement such research when faced with complex factors that interact in complex ways in real world settings. Also it could be seen as unethical and oppressive to arrange and reduce human beings using solely scientific EB interventions. Corby (2006) states how human beings are too complex to assume a one size fits all approach. In such complex cases as encountered by Mitchell (2001) practice wisdom and EBP were integrated in order to make a decision based not only on evidence but of relevance to the case at hand. Fook (2012) describes how a reflective practitioner situates themselves and their knowledge in the specific context of a situati on, looking at the situation as a whole and in relation to their own experiences. Although the term of practice wisdom is not used this seems to reflect some of the nature of practice wisdom and how it can be of use to each individual case. With exclusion of their own experiences Fook (2012) also seems to reflect BASW (2012) concerning Evidence informed knowledge. It seems to be now increasingly acknowledged that practitioners are not passive recipients or implementers of information, however in addition to this practice based wisdom should also be acknowledged as of value. The understanding of the processes of how EB knowledge and practice based knowledge are integrated into practice is of importance to the purpose of research in social work. The integration of research and practice may then be of perceived value to practitioners. One of Mitchells (2011) main arguments was that the main barriers to implementation and value of EBP in real world practice is the oppositional construction that remains concerning EBP verses practice based wisdom. Fook (2012) describes the notion of dichotomous thinking whereby most phenomena are seen to fit into binary and oppositional categories, with one being devalued in relation to the other. This dichotomous thinking appears to be occurring within social work research and practice in relation to EBP and practice wisdom.