The Road Into the Open Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Road Into the Open - Essay Example She is a youthful Jewish lady from a Jewish working class foundation. In this time of First World War each religion and network is on the limit of changing themselves. This tale can be investigated mentally by featuring three characters Georg,Brennan and Anna Rosner. Georg being a rich noble has relationship with Jewish elites of the town .He shares his relaxation time with Jewish men who are in accordance with his enthusiasm and ability shrewd tendency. In a similar range of time, Georg winds up taking part in an extramarital entanglements with a Jewish young lady who is a vocalist and a participant in his melodic social occasions. Georg adored Anna and impregnates her with a kid .simultaneously, he is destroyed because of his personality of a rich aristocrat and his sweetheart who is a white collar class ladies. Georg is in an issue in order to figure out which class he would support, regardless of whether it is his rich Jewish brains, himself who is a rich Christian or Anna, this working class sweetheart who is an artist. The political foundation of the novel is war approaching Austria, its contentions and deteriorated feeling that current among Christians and Jews. These Jews had moved from Israel and Pale stein to Central European districts. Along the novel, one of the characters Bermann discloses to youthful Georg that in the event that one is resolved, at that point he/she can accomplish the opportunity they need regardless of what the circumstance might be. Here the Jewish are endeavoring to keep up their very own particular culture amidst Central European Country which is Austria. Brennan is bringing up to Georg that each individual can have his own answers for the issue however the genuine triumph is accomplished when one overcomes their annoyance, misery and nauseate. Brennen hear represents the piece of Jewish people group who is on to a disintegrative stage because of the matchless quality of Christians in the focal Europe. He is of the feeling that Jews must join together and live agreeably among Christians to deliver harmony and peacefulness. During those occasions, Christians had a contention

Background And Rationale Of The Study English Language Essay

Foundation And Rationale Of The Study English Language Essay Language appraisal is an instrument for language instructors to distinguish the understudies qualities and shortcomings in language learning, to put the understudy into a program and to quantify the utilization of English in four essential aptitudes (perusing, composing, tuning in, and talking). The evaluation should be possible by such strategies as tests, meetings, or perceptions. For language educators, the tests give proof of the aftereffects of learning and guidance, and subsequently input on the adequacy of the showing program (Bachman Palmer, 1996, p. 8). The test outcomes empower the understudies to build up their presentation in language adapting viably. What's more, it is critical to choose the most appropriate language tests which react to the particular objectives of instructing. Language instructors ought to likewise comprehend the capacities and the qualities of the language tests completely. Numerous specialists and analysts in language testing (Bachman Palmer, 1996; B rown, 1996; Hughes, 2003; McNamara, 2000) classify four sorts of language tests dependent on the test purposes and capacities as follows: (1) Proficiency Tests are intended to gauge general language abilities, including talking, tuning in, perusing and composing. Moreover, capability tests by and large assistance instructors to set up passage and leave measures for an educational program (Brown, 1996, p. 9). For example, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are right now utilized by numerous colleges where English language capability is required. (2) Achievement Tests are focused on the level of learning or how much advancement the understudies have made (McNamara, 2000). So accomplishment tests are legitimately applicable to the objectives of learning and guidance. These tests can be given in the center or toward the end of the program (Hughes, 2003; McNamara, 2000). (3) Diagnostic Tests are set up to examine the understudies qualities and shortcomings in the learning procedure (Brown, 1996; Hughes, 2003). These tests are directed toward the start of the program (Brown, 1996). (4) Placement Tests are centered around screening the understudies to see whether they can concentrate in a program and gathering the understudies in a similar degree of language capability (Hughes, 2003). Henceforth, the aftereffects of these tests will empower the educators to precisely put the understudies entering any organization or program (Bachman Palmer, 1996). Notwithstanding an away from of the capacities and the attributes of language tests, language instructors need to comprehend the development of those tests. There are two methodologies which have an effect on test development: the discrete-point approach and the integrative methodology (Hughes, 2003). For the discrete-point approach, language instructors see every language part independently, estimating each language expertise in turn, for example, testing sentence structure or jargon (Brown, 1996; McNamara, 2000). In language testing, discrete-point tests accentuate language structure as opposed to language use (McNamara, 2000). In any case, the discrete-point test results concentrating on a solitary language segment are insufficient to decide the understudies language capability (Jitendra Rohena-Diaz, 1996). As an outcome, Oller (1979) recommends that instructors should develop language tests utilizing the integrative methodology. In the integrative methodology, the language educators see language all in all, underlining both beneficial and open abilities (Brown, 1996; Hughes, 2003; McNamara, 2000). Integrative tests, for example, cloze, transcription, composing an article, and meeting, can quantify a few abilities at the same time (Brown, 1996; Hughes, 2003). In addition, integrative tests are appropriate for surveying language capability and informative abilities (Brown, 1996; McNamara, 2000). McNamara (2000) battles that integrative tests set aside a ton of effort to develop and score, as appeared in Table 1. Be that as it may, cloze tests are accounted for to be less tedious, simpler to score, and progressively solid in estimating understudies English language capability (Oller, 1979). The cloze test was started by Taylor (1953, refered to in Oller Conrad, 1971). Initially, there were two sorts of cloze tests: a balanced cloze and an irregular cloze (see Example 1). The previous alludes to the cancellation of explicit sorts of words in a chose section, for example, relational words or articles. The last arrangements with a steady erasure of each nth word, for example, each fifth or seventh word. The understudies task is to fill in the erased part in the cloze section. Cloze tests can gauge syntactic structure, composed articulation and jargon just as understanding cognizance (Steinman, 2002). Furthermore, a few examinations (Aitken, 1977; Oller Conrad, 1971; Oller, 1979; Stubbs Tucker, 1974) demonstrate that the cloze test is a powerful instrument which is solid and legitimate to quantify English language capability. Be that as it may, the distinctive erasure rates affect the legitimacy and the estimation of the cloze test (Alderson, 1979, 1980, 1983, 2000). Klein- Braley (1997) includes that the cancellation rates utilized in cloze tests require long entries. On the off chance that a cloze test with the erasure of each fifth word gives 50 things, the content length ought to be at any rate 250 words (Oller, 1979). This issue has prompted the advancement another type of the cloze test which is known as the C-Test. The C-Test, one of the new cloze tests, was developed by Raatz and Klein-Braley (1981) so as to check whether it could be more successful than the first cloze tests in estimating the understudies English language capability. The development of the C-Test depends on a similar rule as that of the cloze test; in any case, just the second 50% of consistently word is erased as can be found in Example 2. In the C-Test, if the erased word contains a significantly number of letters, the second 50% of this word will be erased, for example, exper I e n c e (10 letters). For a word with an odd number of letters, its bigger part should be erased, for example, th e r e (5 letters). Besides, many research considers demonstrate that the C-Test is more successful and more solid than the first cloze (Connelly, 1997; Dã ¶rnyei Katona, 1992; Klein-Braley, 1985, 1997), but then, Dã ¶rnyei and Katona (1992) report that the C-Test is unreasonably hard for non-local understudies examining an objective la nguage, for example, English. Therefore, Thongsa-nga (1998) received the first C-Test to make it reasonable for Thai understudies considering English as an unknown dialect. Mimicking the C-Test development, Thongsa-nga (1998) proposed the New C-Test (the NC-Test) by erasing the second 50% of each third word so as to give more insights for the non-local test takers, as can be found in Example 2. As indicated by the examination of Thongsa-nga (1998), the NC-Test is utilized as a capability test for non-local understudies at an auxiliary school level. The discoveries uncover that the NC-Test is solid to survey the English language capability of these Thai Mathayomsuksa Six understudies. To the extent this specialist has had the option to set up, there has been no exploration examining the utilization of the NC-Test for non-local college understudies in Thailand. So the current investigation is intended to inspect the likenesses and the distinctions in utilizing the C-Test and the NC-Test in estimating the English la nguage capability of first-year Thai college understudies. Another type of the cloze test, the Modified C-Test (the MC-Test), otherwise called the X-Test, was created by Boonsathorn in 1987 (refered to in Boonsathorn, 1990, p. 46). For the MC-Test, the primary portion of consistently word is erased (see Example 3). In the MC-Test, if the complete number letters of the erased word is a considerably number, the main portion of this word will be erased, for example, d I s a gree (8 letters). For a word with an odd number of letters, its bigger part will be erased, for example, o t h er. As per Boonsathorn (1987), the main half erasure in the MC-Test contrasts and the C-Test. His examination reports that the MC-Test is more troublesome and segregates better than the C-Test. Some examination discoveries show that the MC-Test has high unwavering quality and legitimacy and can be utilized with cutting edge understudies (Kã ¶berl Sigott, 1996; Prapphal, 1994; Sigott Kã ¶berl, 1993; Wonghiransombat, 1998). So the MC-Test ought to be additionally ex amined to see its qualities and shortcomings in evaluating English language abilities. The MC-Test can be an elective sort for a superior evaluation of the English language capability of Thai college understudies, in spite of the fact that the investigation of Sigott and Kã ¶berl (1993) claims that the MC-Test is progressively hard for non-local speakers. Wonghiransombat (1998) at that point proposed the New Modified C-Test (the NMC-Test) so as to make the first MC-Test proper for non-local understudies (p. 23). The development of the NMC-Test depends on a similar rule as the MC-Test; be that as it may, the primary portion of each third word is erased to give more insights as appeared in Example 3. Furthermore, Wonghiransombat (1998) reports that the NMC-Test with the third beginning stage, or the third-word erasure, is simpler and has preferable segregation over the first MC-Test. Her investigation, the main research done in Thailand to analyze the utilization of the MC-Test and the NMC-Test at the postgraduate level, likewise shows that the NMC-Test can be used to gauge English language capability of Thai postgraduate understudies. In this manner, the current examination is additionally planned for looking at the similitudes and the distinctions in utilizing the first MC-Test and the NMC-Test in estimating English language capabilit y of the Thai college understudies. Notwithstanding the development of new dialect tests, language educators should additionally explore the understudies test-taking systems so as to approve the language test and to look at what language capacities the test can quantify (Cohen, 1994, 1998). Test-taking procedures can be characterized as the pr

What is Fair Credit

What is Fair Credit What is Fair Credit? What is Fair Credit?Borrowers with a fair credit score have room for growth if they are willing to be persistent.  Credit scores can be confusing. You might not always be certain of the meaning behind the three-digit number that comprises your credit score. But you generally can understand what it means to have a credit score that is “good” or “bad.”But what if you have a “fair” score? What exactly does that mean?Credit score reviewYour credit score is a three-digit number compiled by Fair, Isaac and Company, or FICO. FICO calculates your score using information about your payment history and debts that have been gathered by the three major credit bureaus.Your score is a number between 300 and 850. The higher this number, the better your odds of qualifying for loans and the better rates you can access.You also have a VantageScore, which is similar but was created more recently as a competitor to the FICO score.Fair credit“A ‘fair’ credit score falls in between a 580 -699 on the FICO and VantageScore Model rating charts,” said Beverly Friedmann, content manager for ReviewingThis. “Its technically right in the middle, above a bad or poor rating and below a good or excellent score. But while a fair credit rating is in the middle of the index and not considered poor, it is also not considered good (in terms of qualifying for loans and credit cards). Youll end up paying higher interest rates on any loans, cards, or mortgages with a fair score than someone with a good or excellent reputation.”Friedman also pointed out that there’s a… fair… degree of variance within that “fair” rating: “However, where you fall on this index can often make quite a difference. A few points can change the way lending companies interact with you, and a 580 score is quite different than a 699 score. Its important to bear in mind, however, that fair credit is certainly superior to poor credit. You can qualify for different loans and credit cards and rebuil d your reputation score easily, which is very challenging for those with poor or bad credit scores.”If you find out that you have fair credit, you should take that as a sign that you have room to grow while not letting any bad habits you have drag your credit down into the “poor” range.Moving beyond fairPayment history is the most important factor contributing to your credit score, followed by the amount of debts you currently owe. That is why Nathan Wade, managing editor for WealthFit Money, recommends focusing your attention in that direction.“Having fair credit means youre much closer to improving it than someone with bad credit,” he said. “Ensure that youre paying bills on time, pay off any debt youre in, and avoid applying for too much credit in a short period of time. Its also important to look for any mistakes on your credit reports and dispute them immediately.”You can get a free copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. Do not use any other sourc es to get a copy of your credit report, no matter how catchy their jingle might be, as it could be an attempt to scam you.How credit cards can help (if used wisely)Since you don’t have poor credit, you don’t have to be quite as risky about taking out loans, though you should still utilize significant discretion.While you should heed Wade’s warning about applying for too many different forms of credit too quickly, a credit card can be a good way to build your credit score, as long as you don’t use it too much and you pay off your entire bill each month. If you are paying off your whole bill each month, then it won’t matter that the interest rates on your card might be higher since you won’t actually have to pay any interest anyway. However, if you aren’t paying off the full amount, you will end up owing more on the balance and hurting your credit utilization ratio.You could also consider a secured credit card to help build your credit. This is a credit card that require s the user to put down cash as collateral, but it is easier for borrowers to qualify.Building credit can be a long and dedicated process, but you should feel encouraged in the knowledge that you aren’t starting from the bottom. Pay down your debts in full and on time, and you’ll be well on your way to “good” credit before you know it.For more information on credit scores and how they work, check out the following:6 Scary Facts About Bad Credit ScoresA Brief History of Credit ScoresAm I Alone? The Number of People With Poor Credit in AmericaCan You Repair Bad Credit for Free? Yes and NoHave Bad Credit? Heres What it Means and How You Can Fix It  |  InstagramContributorsBeverly Friedmann  works as a content manager for the consumer website  ReviewingThis,  has a background in sales and marketing management, and is from New York, NY.   Find more information on Twitter  @ReviewingThis.Nathan Wade is the Managing Editor for WealthFit Money. Find more information on Twitter  @GetW ealthFit.

Egypt And Mesopotamia - 917 Words

Architecture in Egypt and Mesopotamia When you think about ancient architecture, what questions arise? Do you ask yourself about its history, durability, and structure? For example, Egypt is known for its pyramids, while Mesopotamia is known for its temple. Both are influential and recognizable after so many years and will continue to be for years to come, those questions come without a doubt to mind. In the following paragraphs, these questions will be answered and explained in depth regarding these two civilizations, Egypt and Mesopotamia. In Egypt, architecture started in what was considered to be the Early Dynamic period and construction lasted about 20 to 40 years to complete. The Pyramids were built to honor†¦show more content†¦Egyptians used sand and stones, whereas Mesopotamians used clay and mud. Egypt structures are visited by tourists year around. However, the Meidum Pyramid did cease to last and collapsed because it was resting on sand versus rocks. In which, the Mesopotamians mud brick technique was later adapted by the Egyptians. Unfortunately, for Mesopotamia there is only one structure that still remains, a few were reconstructed and others were just gathered from archeological evidence. Historical evidence collected indicate climate change, affected the soil caused by mineral salt leading to broken bricks. Another reason for the reconstruction was power domination by the Elamites, they destroyed and rebuilt on the same location either being the same structure or ones similar to the previous wit h modifications. These two civilizations have brought the most memorable structures, considering the techniques used and unique designs. Egypt will always be admired for the Great Pyramid of Giza, known as one of the last original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ( Mark, 2016 ). The great pyramid of Giza was constructed as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu, including three chambers with two mortuary temples and three known as satellite pyramids dedicated to Khufus wives. Architectures also known to be constructed by the Egyptians are Zoser’s Necropolis built as a mortuary tomb for Pharaoh Djoser, it was surrounded by decorations and ceremonial structures. The Great Sphinx of Giza is knownShow MoreRelatedMesopotamia Vs. Egypt Mesopotamia1020 Words   |  5 PagesBuckley C Block History Mr. Kelly 10/2/15 Mesopotamia vs. Egypt Mesopotamia and Egypt were very different because of their geography and world view. Mesopotamia was often flooded because of their bad geography, but the land around the Nile river was built well so the Egyptians didn t have to worry about the river flooding as often. The land in Mesopotamia was often attacked and invaded. Ultimately the geography of Egypt was significantly better than Mesopotamia because of the benefits of the nile riverRead MoreAncient Egypt, Mesopotamia, And Mesopotamia1337 Words   |  6 PagesIn ancient Egypt, Rome and Mesopotamia the connections that the people had with their rulers stemmed from their belief that their ruler had a close connection with their God’s. Because of the vast role that religion played in their lives it was important to show their admiration and appreciation for these royal beings. From a psychological standpoint, through their style, significance, and idealization, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Rome’s depictions of royalty wit hin their artworks functioned as the bestRead MoreMesopotamia and Egypt Essay1125 Words   |  5 Pagesof Mesopotamia and Egypt. Both have many significant similarities and differences. I would like to compare some important points in four common categories. I will compare and contrast the geography and its impact, the political structure of each society, the importance of their existing class structures and finally the role of women in these dynamic civilizations. Mesopotamia and Egypt were both in flood basins of major rivers. Mesopotamia wasRead MoreEgypt And Mesopotamia Similarities751 Words   |  4 Pages Mesopotamia and Egypt were both part of the creation of the worlds first civilizations. These countries shared many similarities and differences within their society, political structure, and their religions. Mesopotamian and Egypt both flourished near rivers in which enabled them to become an agricultural enriched society. While both civilizations had the advantage of the rivers, Egypt did not have the fertile hinterland that allowed Mesopotamia to excel in agriculture. Through a political standpointRead MoreEgypt Mesopotamia Comparison961 Words   |  4 PagesEgypt and Mesopotamia Comparison In order to completely understand the relationship between two events, comparing and contrasting is necessary. Through comparing similarities and differences it is easier to analyze why things developed and occurred the way they did. For example, in comparing Egypt and Mesopotamia it will be easier to achieve understanding of major aspects of their culture, the way other cultures impacted them, and their influence on the future. InRead MoreEgypt, Mesopotamia, And Israel1418 Words   |  6 Pagesprey. This began civilizations that were controlled by leadership, organization, innovative technology and mainly by geography. An example of these civilizations are Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Israel. Each of these civilizations had their own advantages, Egypt was brought fertile land from the regular floodings by the Nile River, Mesopotamia was located in the fertile crescent and Israel was in between both of these advanced civilizations, this brought them many new ideas that they would integr ate intoRead MoreEgypt and Mesopotamia Essay1038 Words   |  5 Pagestime. Two of the most advanced were Egypt and Mesopotamia. Although both had a male dominant government that was supported by a patriarchal king or leader, Egypt had a strong, centralized government whereas Mesopotamia was decentralized and was based upon small city-states operating independently. To add, Egypt was also classified as self sufficient rather than Mesopotamia who relied on trade because of unstable agriculture. Due to Egypt surpassing Mesopotamia in areas such as governmental structureRead MoreEgypt And Mesopotamia Similarities984 Words   |  4 PagesPaper 1 In what ways were the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt alike? In what ways were they different? What accounts for these similarities and differences? Mesopotamia and Egypt were the first known civilizations in history. While maintaining separate identities, they still managed to have a vast number of similarities. Differences that go beyond general location were also very prevalent between the two civilizations. One of the biggest similarities between the two civilizations isRead MoreEgypt And Mesopotamia Similarities1368 Words   |  6 PagesBoth Egyptian and Mesopotamian Views of Living Egypt is a country found on the northeast corner of Africa. While Mesopotamia is found between the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates in the western part of the Middle East. Both of these countries share the Mediterranean Sea. Even though in distance they did not seem far apart they had similarities, and differences in their two cultures. Both Egypt and Mesopotamia had unique religions, writing systems, literature, scientific achievements, art, and intricateRead MoreMesopotamia, Egypt and the Hebrews1953 Words   |  8 PagesOctober 10th, 1994 Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Hebrews Their development from the 3rd millennium to 2nd C.E. When the canonization of the Hebrew Holy (TaNaKh) took place. Frank Mancini irg@ix.netcom.com MESOPOTAMIA Mesopotamia was the land of four primary civilizations: the Sumerian, the Akkadians, the Babylonian and the Assyrians. The Hebrews, like the Akkadians, belong to a group of people known as Semites and from there we can see the influence of Mesopotamian

The Aztec Calendar Stone - Not a Calendar After All

The Aztec Calendar Stone, better known in the archaeological literature as the Aztec Sun Stone (Piedra del Sol in Spanish), is an enormous basalt disk covered with hieroglyphic carvings of calendar signs and other images referring to the Aztec creation myth. The stone, currently on display at the National Museum of Anthropology (INAH) in Mexico City, measures about 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) in diameter, is about 1.2 m (3.9 ft) thick and weighs more than 21,000 kilograms (58,000 pounds or 24 tons). Aztec Sun Stone Origins and Religious Meaning The so-called Aztec Calendar Stone was not a calendar, but most likely a ceremonial container or altar linked to the Aztec sun god, Tonatiuh, and festivities dedicated to him. At its center is what is typically interpreted as the image of the god Tonatiuh, within the sign Ollin, which means movement and represents the last of the Aztec cosmological eras, the Fifth Sun. Tonatiuhs hands are depicted as claws holding a human heart, and his tongue is represented by a flint or obsidian knife, which indicates that a sacrifice was required so that the sun would continue its movement in the sky. At Tonatiuhs sides are four boxes with the symbols of the preceding eras, or suns, along with the four directional signs. Tonatiuhs image is surrounded by a broad band or ring containing calendrical and cosmological symbols. This band contains the signs of the 20 days of the Aztec sacred calendar, called Tonalpohualli, which, combined with 13 numbers, made up the sacred 260-day year. A second outer ring has a set of boxes each containing five dots, representing the five-day Aztec week, as well as triangular signs probably representing sun rays. Finally, the sides of the disk are carved with two fire serpents which transport the sun god in his daily passage through the sky. Aztec Sun Stone Political Meaning The Aztec sun stone was dedicated to Motecuhzoma II and was likely carved during his reign, 1502-1520. A sign representing the date 13 Acatl, 13 Reed, is visible on the surface of the stone. This date corresponds to the year 1479 AD, which, according to archaeologist Emily Umberger is an anniversary date of a politically crucial event: the birth of the sun and the rebirth of Huitzilopochtli as the sun. The political message for those who saw the stone was clear: this was an important year of rebirth for the Aztec empire, and the emperors right to rule comes directly from the Sun God and is embedded with the sacred power of time, directionality, and sacrifice. Archaeologists Elizabeth Hill Boone and Rachel Collins (2013) focused on the two bands which frame a conquest scene over 11 enemy forces of the Aztecs. These bands include serial and repeating motifs that appear elsewhere in Aztec art (crossed bones, heart skull, bundles of kindling, etc.) which represent death, sacrifice, and offerings. They suggest that the motifs represent petroglyphic prayers or exhortations advertising the success of the Aztec armies, recitations of which might have been part of the ceremonies which took place on and around the Sun Stone. Alternative Interpretations Although the most prevalent interpretation of the image on the Sun Stone is that of Totoniah, others have been proposed. In the 1970s, a few archaeologists suggested that the face was not Totoniahs but rather that of the animate earth Tlateuchtli, or perhaps the face of the night sun Yohualteuctli. Neither of these suggestions has been accepted by the majority of Aztec scholars. American epigrapher and archaeologist David Stuart, who typically specializes in Maya hieroglyphs, has suggested that it may well be a deified image of the Mexica ruler Motecuhzoma II. A hieroglyph at the top of the stone names Motecuhzoma II, interpreted by most scholars as a dedicatory inscription to the ruler who commissioned the artifact. Stuart notes that there are other Aztec representations of ruling kings in the guise of gods, and he suggests that the central face is a fused image of both Motecuhzoma and his patron deity Huitzilopochtli. History of the Aztec Sun Stone Scholars surmise that the basalt was quarried somewhere in the southern basin of Mexico, at least 18-22 kilometers (10-12 miles) south of Tenochtitlan. After its carving, the stone must have been located in the ceremonial precinct of Tenochtitlà ¡n, laid horizontally and likely near where ritual human sacrifices took place. Scholars suggest that it may have been used as an eagle vessel, a repository for human hearts (quauhxicalli), or as a base for the final sacrifice of a gladiatorial combatant (temalacatl). After the  conquest, the Spanish moved the stone a few hundred meters south of the precinct, in a position facing upward and near the Templo Mayor and the Viceregal Palace. Sometime between 1551-1572, the religious officials in Mexico City decided the image was a bad influence on their citizens, and the stone was buried facing down, hidden within the sacred precinct of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Rediscovery The Sun Stone was rediscovered in December 1790, by workmen who conducted leveling and repaving work on Mexico Citys main plaza. The stone was pulled to a vertical position, where it was first examined by archaeologists. It stayed there for six months exposed to the weather, until June of 1792, when it was moved into the cathedral. In 1885, the disk was moved to the early Museo Nacional, where it was held in the monolithic gallery--that journey was said to have required 15 days and 600 pesos. In 1964 it was transferred to the new Museo Nacional de Anthropologia in Chapultepec Park, that journey only taking 1 hour, 15 minutes. Today it is displayed on the ground floor of the National Museum of Anthropology, in Mexico City, within the Aztec/Mexica exhibition room. Edited and updated by  K. Kris Hirst. Sources: Berdan FF. 2014. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press. Boone EH, and Collins R. 2013. The Petroglyphic Prayers on the . Ancient Mesoamerica 24(02):225-241.un Stone of Motecuhzoma IlhuicaminaS Smith ME. 2013. The Aztecs. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Stuart D. 2016. The Face of the Calendar Stone: A New Interpretation. Maya Decipherment: June 13, 2016. Umberger E. 2007. Art History and the Aztec Empire: Dealing With the Evidence of Sculptures. Revista Espaà ±ola de Antropologà ­a American 37:165-202 Van Tuerenhout DR. 2005. The Aztecs. New Perspectives. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Inc.

Ethical Challenges and Agency Issues Free Essays

When an agent finds out that they are going overbudget or over the allotted time limit the most critical element is open communication. With open communication it gives management more advance warning earlier in the budget cycle to make changes that can get the project back on track. The most important element management needs is ample time to make corrections to keep the project on budget and within time constraints. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Challenges and Agency Issues or any similar topic only for you Order Now The more time management has the better their chances are of getting the proper resources aligned to get the budget back under control. If the budget issues are due to the client not properly keeping records, the agency could word the contract in a way that allows provisions for adjustments which would enable the agency to form a financial or time resolution with the client. A contract that allows for those types of adjustments limits agency issues and will keep a better working relationship between the two parties. The main issue is deciding what party is responsible or accountable for an overbudget project. If the agency can demonstrate why the budget is off to the client and be able to charge extra for the additional work the agency could delegate more resources to get the project completed in time as well. It is critical for the agency to have open communication between its team members, but it is just as crucial for the agency to be honest with the client as well. The ethical issue that arises with being overbudget is that individual employees don’t want to be penalized or face repercussions for their performance so they delay reporting results to management. When employees are afraid to report shortfalls earlier in the process it can lead to higher costs and major agency issues. The sooner the agent can show the client that planning or reporting issues are occurring they can make vital decisions to get the project back in line. Employees need to objectively think about others involved in their future with the company and client. As long as individuals clarify expectations and apply ethics to a situation it is possible to get a project back on budget. The agency can delegate more resources to an area that needs more manpower or money to get the project completed as promised to the client. Executive Pay Analyzing the ethical challenges as well as any agency issues in the Level of Executive Pay Case Study brings forth hidden issues in the New York Stock Exchange. To better analyze these issues one first has to ask oneself the following question, what is the true definition of ethics. Wheelwright defined ethics as â€Å"that branch of philosophy which is the systematic study of reflective choice, of the standards of right and wrong by which it is to be guided, and of the goods toward which it may ultimately be directed. † Did Mr.  Richard (Dick) Grasso violate any ethical standards set forth by the organization he was representing; did he really violate the systematic study of reflective choice, of the standards of right and wrong? In order to get a straight answer to this question it will dependent in which side of the fence one might find oneself in; if you are on the side of the lucky ones that happens to earn this outrageous sums of money then the answer would be no. But if you find oneself in the other side of the fence with the individuals who earn an average salary that would never get the opportunity to reach the levels of aristocracy that Mr.  Grasso reached then the answer would be yes. The ethical roles on all companies play a big role on the decision making of each enterprise. Before and after Mr. Grasso was hired it was customary to compensate top officials with these large sums of money. Top officials in the NYSE never had to disclose their earning to the public or to the SEC before so it’s hard to say any ethical standards were bent or even broken. This type of compensation to top NYSE officials was customary and there were no real intentions to misguide or mislead the public or the SEC. Just because not everyone in the NYSE had access to potentially earn this outrageous sums of money will indicate to the public that these individuals were directly involved in unethical behavior. All companies in today’s business society have a code of conduct implemented but this does not means that it is being followed. What companies are doing is creating rewards methods in order to retain the services of these top business gurus that would help their business to maximize their profits and Mr. Grasso track record spoke for itself. These incentive programs can help businesses to minimize any unethical attempts to their code of conduct. The general public and the SEC are outrage because of the outlandish compensation top NYSE officials receives but at no point during the case study it mentions that these top officials have a salary cap. One believes that since there were no salary cap on how much NYSE officials might earn there are no ethical implications that could discourage NYSE official from making these large sums of money. What one does believe is that if there are established codes of conduct and employees or management violates them, there should be strict actions taken to prevent the problem from worsening. One believes that all employees including management needs to uphold the highest level of ethical conduct if a company wants to be successful. 1933, 1934, and SOX The financial information users usually rely on opinion of independent auditors to make important economic decisions. To protect users’ interest from fraudulent financial statement, security acts of 1933, 1934, and SOX joined in to ensure adequate information disclosure. The acts provide regulation that goes beyond and requires more extensive disclosure than GAAP to govern corporate financial activities. For example, companies must fill audited annual and unaudited interim financial statements in conformity with regulation S-k. In addition, the regulation S-K governs the footnote disclosure in the financial statements. Congress enacted the acts after the stock market crash in 1929 to regulate the trading of securities to the public. For this reasons, security trading companies must register with SEC prior to issuance of security to ensure that information presented to investor for making accounting decisions is correct. In the aftermath of the famous corporate accounting scandal (Enron) that rock the world market, congress enacted the Sarbanes- Oxley Act (sox) to strengthen corporate accountability and governance of public companies. The provision increases the CEO and auditors responsibilities. CEO and other top executive must certify that company financial statement and other disclosures are fairly presented in accordance with GAAP. In other words, CEO is responsible to ensure that material misstatement does not exist in the financial statement presented to the users. SOX also authorize the Public Company accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to oversee the activities of the registered accounting firm. This changes the way auditors plan, implement and report the audit. The provision increases penalties that could affect an accountant who is involve in the destruction, alternation, or falsification of records in federal investigations. Any violation of such may be subject to fines and imprisonment of up to 20 years, additional training, new quality control procedure, revocation of firm’s registration, and barring from participating in audit of public companies. How to cite Ethical Challenges and Agency Issues, Essay examples

Secret Recipe IMC plan Essay Example

Secret Recipe IMC plan Essay A major difference for managers operating on international markets is the impact all these currents and cross-currents have on the competitive landscape. Wilson and Gilligan (2003) define marketing as getting the competitive advantage and keeping it. The task of achieving this in a competitive environment where firms are subject to local, regional and global competition can be immensely challenging. This is especially so if indigenous local competitors are supported by the government of the notary major difference for managers operating on international markets is the impact all these currents and cross-currents have on the competitive landscape. Wilson and Gilligan (2003) define marketing as getting the competitive advantage and keeping it. The task of achieving this in a competitive environment where firms are subject to local, regional and global competition can be immensely challenging. This is especially so if indigenous local competitors are supported by the government of he country major difference for managers operating on international markets is the is especially so If Indigenous local competitors are supported by the government of the country A major difference for managers operating on International markets Is the Impact all Gilligan (2003) define marketing as getting the competitive advantage and keeping It. The task of achieving this In a competitive environment where firms are subject to local, regional and global competition can be Immensely challenging. We will write a custom essay sample on Secret Recipe IMC plan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Secret Recipe IMC plan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Secret Recipe IMC plan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This Is specially so If Indigenous local competitors are supported by the government of the country major difference for managers operating on International markets Is the Impact all these currents and cross-currents have on the competitive landscape. Keeping It. The task of achieving this In a competitive environment where firms are subject to local, regional and global competition can be Immensely challenging.

Free Essays on The Trumpet

When I was a young child in fifth grade, my parents encouraged me to join the school band. The instruments I had to choose from included: the trombone, the trumpet, the clarinet, the flute, and percussion. The trombone interested me most. My bandleader felt that I would be better suited playing the trumpet. My first trumpet was a beginner trumpet. When I pick it up today, it sounds pretty sorry! I now own a Vincent Bach silver trumpet that in my opinion is much easier to play and sounds more professional. This trumpet is an intermediate trumpet, and the silver provides an advantage to the sound. Besides being an attractive trumpet, silver plating slightly brightens the sound. Gold plating resists tarnishing and darkens the sound. I have given some thought to my next instrument, which I hope will be a professional trumpet. I researched the following trumpets:  · The 180 Series trumpet  · The LR180 Series trumpet  · LT180 Series trumpet The 180 Series trumpet is the most popular of all Bach Stradivarius trumpets for good all-around playing. It features standard weight body and bell, and standard construction #25 mouth pipe. Most musicians prefer the 180 with .459" medium-large bore, #37 bell flare, and silver-plated finish. If I were to get this trumpet it would be a great trumpet, but the LT180 Series or LR180 Series would be more desirable. An LR180 Series trumpet has a unique configuration offering the quick response of a lightweight model with the projection of a standard weight bell. It features lightweight body, standard weight bell, and reversed construction #25LR mouth pipe. I think it would be an excellent trumpet to have in college, because of the lightweight. Players seeking a lively trumpet with quick response prefer the LT180 Series. This trumpet has a lightweight body and bell, and standard construction #25 mouth pipe. The LT180 with .459" medium-large bore, #43 bell flare, and silver-plated finish m... Free Essays on The Trumpet Free Essays on The Trumpet When I was a young child in fifth grade, my parents encouraged me to join the school band. The instruments I had to choose from included: the trombone, the trumpet, the clarinet, the flute, and percussion. The trombone interested me most. My bandleader felt that I would be better suited playing the trumpet. My first trumpet was a beginner trumpet. When I pick it up today, it sounds pretty sorry! I now own a Vincent Bach silver trumpet that in my opinion is much easier to play and sounds more professional. This trumpet is an intermediate trumpet, and the silver provides an advantage to the sound. Besides being an attractive trumpet, silver plating slightly brightens the sound. Gold plating resists tarnishing and darkens the sound. I have given some thought to my next instrument, which I hope will be a professional trumpet. I researched the following trumpets:  · The 180 Series trumpet  · The LR180 Series trumpet  · LT180 Series trumpet The 180 Series trumpet is the most popular of all Bach Stradivarius trumpets for good all-around playing. It features standard weight body and bell, and standard construction #25 mouth pipe. Most musicians prefer the 180 with .459" medium-large bore, #37 bell flare, and silver-plated finish. If I were to get this trumpet it would be a great trumpet, but the LT180 Series or LR180 Series would be more desirable. An LR180 Series trumpet has a unique configuration offering the quick response of a lightweight model with the projection of a standard weight bell. It features lightweight body, standard weight bell, and reversed construction #25LR mouth pipe. I think it would be an excellent trumpet to have in college, because of the lightweight. Players seeking a lively trumpet with quick response prefer the LT180 Series. This trumpet has a lightweight body and bell, and standard construction #25 mouth pipe. The LT180 with .459" medium-large bore, #43 bell flare, and silver-plated finish m...

Definition and Examples of Media in Communications

Definition and Examples of Media in Communications In the communication process, a medium is a channel or system of communication- the means by which  information (the message) is transmitted  between a speaker or writer (the sender) and an audience (the receiver). The plural form is  media, and its also known as a channel. The medium used to send a message may range from an individuals voice, writing, clothing, and body language to forms of mass communication such as newspapers, television, and the internet. Communication Media Changes Over Time Before the printing press, mass communication didnt exist, as books were hand-written and literacy wasnt widespread throughout all social classes. The invention of moveable type was a major communication innovation for the world. Author Paula S. Tompkins sums up the history of communication and change thusly: When a communication medium changes, our practices  and  experiences of communication also change. The technology of writing liberated human communication from the medium of face-to-face (f2f) interaction. This  change affected both the process and  experience of communication, as persons no longer needed to be physically present to communicate with one another. The technology of the printing press further promoted the medium of writing by  mechanizing the creation and distribution of the written word. This began the new communication form of mass communication in pamphlets, newspapers, and cheap books, in contrast to the medium of handwritten documents and books.  Most recently, the medium of digital technology  is again changing the process and experience of human communication.(Practicing Communication Ethics: Development, Discernment, and Decision-Making. Routledge, 2016) Television mass media used to distill the news into a nightly news hour. With the advent of 24-hour news channels on cable, people could check in hourly or at any point in the hour to find out the latest news. Now, with social media platforms and the ubiquitous smartphones in our pockets, we can check news and happenings- or be alerted of them- constantly throughout the day. This puts a lot more news up front just because its the most recent. News outlets and channels looking for peoples eyeballs on their content (and advertisers) have a lot of pressure to keep those updates coming to peoples feeds. The outrageous, shocking, and easily digestible gets shared more widely than something thats complex and nuanced. Something short gets read more widely than something long. Authors James W. Chesebro and Dale A. Bertelsen noted how modern messaging seems a lot more like marketing than discourse, and their observation has only been amplified with the advent of social media: [A] significant shift in the nature of communication has been reported for several decades. Increasingly, it has been noted that a shift from a content orientation- with its emphasis on the ideational or substantive dimension of  discourse- to a concern for form or  medium- with an emphasis on image, strategy, and patterns of discourse- has been identified as a central feature of the information age. (Analyzing Media: Communication Technologies as Symbolic and Cognitive Systems. Guilford Press, 1996) Is the Medium the Message? If the medium through which information is delivered via affects what people get out of it, that could have big implications for today. As people move away from the in-depth coverage of an issue they can receive in print media to getting more information from social media, they consume increasing amounts of their information in soundbites, shared snippets of news that may be slanted (or fake, i.e., completely invented with no basis in fact), or inaccurate. In the modern age of people will remember it if you repeat it often enough- it doesnt matter if its true, it takes deeper dives into the information by message receivers to find out the real story and any hidden motives behind the headlines. If the medium doesnt equate with the message, its still true that different formats carry different versions of the same story, such as in depth of information or in emphasis.

Discussion Board 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion Board 1 - Essay Example Worth noting, unethical behavior is different from unlawful in the sense the former entails that which is not acceptable as per the stipulated rules by a firm. Conversely, unlawful behavior has to do with what is legally forbidden. For instance, an employee who physically attacks another at the workplace is engaging in an unlawful act; starting romantic relationships in the office is unethical. Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) has elicited mixed views since Milton Friedman asserted the essence of every business. Milton’s statement that the primary objective of every business is to make profit is often viewed negatively with some contesting these assertions. To some, businesses have a responsibility to the society around it. However, the position taken here is that the statement by Milton is correct and is strongly agreed with. First, hardly any business is conducted without employees meaning that the society already benefits through employment. In addition, many companies require materials, many of which are sourced near their stations (Lee & Kotler, 2013). This greatly influences the communities around because the business offers a market place for different materials. There is more than a business does to the society than monetary assistance including invention. For instance, Microsoft has caused a global impact simply by inventing interesting computer-related products. As a result, people from around the world have used some of these products to change their lives positively. In this case, the society has not directly benefited in monetary from Microsoft, but their lives are transformed tremendously. Hence, CSR is not compulsory for businesses since it is not the primary objective. Besides, by undertaking different projects, businesses affect the society in various

Workplace Drug Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Workplace Drug Testing - Essay Example Drug Testing may help in identifying and understanding employee situation and deciding on whether to employ a new person because drug abusers always have a certain behavior pattern. Drug abusers may find it hard to follow normal performance standard and make an individual unable to follow normal time patterns. In that case, drug testing amongst employees may boost general performance of the organization. Moreover, the Fourth Amendment of the constitution permits drug testing amongst employees thus making it a legitimate need for government agencies. Drug testing is therefore done because it is a Federal Law requirement. Finally, drug testing acts as a social responsibility because it is a way of combating drug use and saving many people’s career. When employees test positive, several companies send employees for treatment instead of laying them off.Testing Affect Employees’ RightsDrug testing tends to interfere with the privacy of individual employees to some extent. Fo r instance carrying out urine testing is intrusive and an invasion of employees’ privacy. This is because workers are asked to list all the drug prescription as well as over-the-counter drugs taken in the last 30 days. Listing the drugs taken for the last thirty days is an intrusion of privacy because it may be possible to know and understand medical histories of the employees tested for drugs. Medical reports for individuals are always confidential and should not be revealed to the third party, as is the case.

South African Public Hospitals Health And Social Care Essay

South African Public Hospitals Health And Social Care Essay The words crisis and health care follow each other in sentences so often in South Africa that most citizens have grown numb to the association. Clinicians, health managers and public health experts have been talking about a crisis in access to health care for more than half a century, and the advent of democracy has not alleviated the situation. South Africas inability to adequately respond to its many crises is also the result of a national healthcare system designed to provide treatment rather than prevention. The over-dependence on hospital-based care in South Africa not only makes the healthcare system expensive and inefficient, but also precludes much-needed investments in primary and preventative care. Health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi honestly conceded that the public health system faces very serious challenges'(Philip 2009). In this review I describe the crisis in childcare and its consequences for the health of children, characterise the underlying reasons for the crisis, examine current interventions and explore some medium and longer term solutions. How severe is the crisis? It is not surprising that the publics perception of health services are often determined by stories about the care offered to children presented in the media. For instance, in one week in May 2010, two stories dominated newspaper and media headlines in Gauteng. One was the death of seven newborn infants and the infection of 16 others as a result of a virulent infection (subsequently identified as a norovirus) acquired by the infants at the Charlotte Maxexe Johannesburg Academic Hospital. At Natalspruit Hospital in Ekhuruleni, 10 children similarly succumbed to a nosocomial (hospital acquired) infection (Bodibe 2010). These types of events, with large numbers of children acquiring infections in hospitals are not uncommon, although only a fraction grabs the headlines. Outbreaks occur at regular intervals at hospitals throughout the country. An outbreak of Klebsiella infection was responsible for 110 babies dying at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Durban, according to the organisation Voice that threatened a class action case against the Department of Health. The national health department itself has identified infection control as one of six key areas that needed improvement in the public health sector (Department of Health 2010). Poor health care at several Eastern Cape hospitals left more than 140 children dead in one of South Africas poorest districts within the first three months of 2008 (Thom 2008). A task team investigating these deaths in the Ukhahlamba district concluded that they were not the result to any particular disease outbreak or exposure to contaminated water as initially suspected, but rather that the health service available was hopelessly defective. (Report on childhood deaths, Ukhahlamba District, Eastern Cape) The Ukhahlamba task team, comprising of three experienced public sector paediatricians, painted a grim picture of Empilisweni Hospital childrens ward where most of the deaths occurred. Problems identified included: The structure and layout of the physical facility was inappropriate no nurses station or work surfaces, no separation of clean and dirty areas and no play or stimulation facilities, The ward and cubicles were overcrowded and no provision existed for lodger mothers, who paid R30 to sleep on the floor next to their children, There were grossly inadequate services no oxygen and suction points, too few electrical sockets, no basins or showers and too few toilets in the patient ablutions, and an unacceptable ward kitchen, Extremely limited clinical equipment, Staffing deployment and rotation did not promote effective care, with few nurses dedicated to the childrens ward and doctors changing wards every two months, leaving the ward devoid of experienced personnel, There were limited policy documents and no protocols or access to appropriate clinical reference material or guidelines, Clinical practices were ineffective or dangerous, particularly regarding infection control and the preparation and distribution of infant feeds and medicines, Not a single hospital record included details about the prescribing or administration of infant feeds. Fluid management was badly documented. Three of the children appeared to have died from fluid overload due to inappropriate and unregulated fluid administration, The majority of the children were never weighed, their nutritional status was not assessed nor their HIV status established. The task teams audit of 45 of the deaths revealed that most of the deaths occurred within the first 48 hours of admission to hospital and were in infants who were self-referred. The dominant diagnoses were diarrhoeal disease, pneumonia and malnutrition. The task team concluded that These deaths are more likely the result of poor care of a vulnerable impoverished community with high rates of malnutrition among the infants and poor utilisation of the available health services. The pathetic situation described at Empilisweni Hospital is not unique and similar abject conditions can be found at many of the paediatric wards at the 401 hospitals in the country. While objective evidence to support this contention does not exist, paediatric practitioners in many provinces and settings would readily acknowledge the veracity of the claim. The explanation offered by different investigations of adverse events occurring at public hospitals countrywide is remarkably similar. Uniformly, there is a combination of overcrowded wards, understaffing, overwhelming workloads, a breakdown of hygiene and infection control procedures, and management failure with a lack of auditing or monitoring systems to identify and respond to problems at an earlier stage. Increasing child mortality What is not contentious is that South Africa is one of only 12 countries where childhood mortality increased from 1990 to 2006 (Childrens Institute 2010), with a doubling of deaths in children under the age of five years in this period (from approximately 56 to 100 deaths per 1000 live births). The 2010 UNICEF State of the Worlds Children estimates South Africas under 5 death rate to be 67 per 1000 for 2008 (UNICEF 2009). This high rate ranks South Africa 141st out of 193 countries. The national statistic also hides marked interprovincial variations; from about 39 per 1 000 in the Western Cape to 111 per 1 000 in the Free State (McKerrow 2010). A single disease HIV- is largely responsible for the increased mortality. Countries with a similar economic profile (Gross National Income [GNI]) as South Africa such as Brazil and Turkey boast about four-fold lower under 5 mortality rates (U5MR). South Africas high U5MR is even more disconcerting when compared to poorer countries such as Sri Lanka and Vietnam. These two countries U5MRs are roughly five times lower (15 and 14 per 1,000 respectively) despite having a GNI less than one half to a third of South Africas (UNICEF 2009, World Bank 2010). Despite being classified as a high middle income country, South Africa has high levels of infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, HIV, tuberculosis and parasitic infections normally found in poorer countries. Similarly, there has been little success in reducing undernutrition in children a quarter of South Africas children are stunted (short). Further, as a result of increased urbanisation and economic development, the country is also experiencing increasing levels of traumatic injuries and chronic diseases of lifestyle such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease that are more typical of better resourced countries. These diseases mainly affect adult populations but are increasingly being identified in children. The worsening in child health has occurred despite significant improvement in childrens access to water, sanitation and primary health services. Almost 3000 new clinics have been built or upgraded since 1994, health care is provided for free to children under 5 years and pregnant women (Saloojee 2005), and the child social support grant is reaching 10.5 million children (more than half of all children in the country) (Dlamini 2011). These achievements have been marred by several shortcomings. Many new clinics and the district health systems are not yet adequately functional because of a lack of personnel and finances, poor administration, and expanding demands. Public tertiary health care (academic hospital) services have severely eroded. Characterising the crisis The World Health Organization, in 2000, ranked South Africas health care system as the 57th highest in cost, 73rd in responsiveness, 175th in overall performance, and 182nd by overall level of health (out of 191 member nations included in the study) (World Health Organization 2000). What explains this dismal rating? Despite high national expenditure on health, inequalities in health spending, inefficiencies in the health system and a lack of leadership and accountability contribute to South Africas poor child health outcomes. Hospitals operate within a dysfunctional health system Poor hospital care is but one marker of a dysfunctional health system that comprises blotches of independent services rather than a coherent, co-operative approach to delivering health care. Most primary health care services for children are only offered during office hours, with some clinics restricting new patients access to services by early afternoon a waste of available and expensive human resources. Some clinics lack basic diagnostic tests and medication. Consequently, many hospital emergency rooms are flooded with children with relatively minor ailments because their caregivers choose not to queue for hours at poorly managed local clinics, or prefer accessing health services after returning from work. The referral system in which patients are referred from clinics to district, regional or tertiary hospitals according to how serious their health problems are has disintegrated in many parts of the country. Children who require more specialised care often cannot get it either because they get stuck within a dysfunctional system or because there is no space for them at the next level of care. Transport to secondary and tertiary level hospitals is problematic, resulting in delays or non-arrival, increasing the severity of the disease and treatment costs when the child does arrive. District hospital services are the most dysfunctional (Coovadia 2009), with patients often by-passing this level of care in settings where access to secondary (regional) or tertiary care (specialist) services are available. Despite cut-backs in budgets, tertiary care settings continue to attempt to provide first-class services, which although commendable, may result in over-investigation and treatment, and denial of essential care to children who reside outside their immediate catchment areas (because the hospital is full). Changing health environment Some of the increasing stress faced by the public hospitals may be attributed to the changing health environment in which they operate. Two factors are most responsible for the change: rapid urbanisation and the AIDS epidemic. Urban, township hospitals are particularly affected by the burden of increased patient loads, and barely coping with the demand. Although a national strategic plan for HIV/AIDS exists, the ability to implement the plan is constrained by the enormous demands on human and fiscal resources demanded for its implementation. The budget allocated to HIV/AIDS has increased from R4.3 billion in 2008 to an estimated R11.4 billion in 2010 (13% of the total health budget) (Mukotsanjera 2009). New initiatives aimed at strengthening the HIV/AIDS response, include a national HIV counselling and testing campaign and the decentralization of antiretroviral treatment from hospitals to clinics with nurses now providing the drugs. About a third of children at most South African hospitals are HIV infected. HIV-positive children are hospitalised more frequently than HIV-negative children (17% compared to 4.7% hospitalised in the 12 months prior to the study) (Shisana 2010). Children with AIDS tend to be sicker and often require longer admissions despite suffering from the same spectrum of illnesses as ordinary children. Greater numbers of patients, higher disease acuity levels and complications, and slower recovery rates all impact on limited resources. High mortality rates take an emotional toll on doctors and nurses. Hospital paediatrics, which has always been a popular and rewarding choice for newly qualified doctors because of modern medicines ability to quickly restore desperately ill children to health has now become much more about chronic care delivery because of the high number of HIV infected children in the wards, many of whom are re-admitted regularly because of recurrent infections. In recent years, young doctors have been dissuaded from selecting primary care disciplines, such as paediatrics, and have moved instead to pursuing specialities where contact with patients is limited, such as radiology, for fear of acquiring HIV from work-related accidents such as needle-stick injuries. The availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy to increasing number of children nationally, thou gh still limited to fewer than half of all eligible children, has the potential to return paediatrics to its previous status as a rewarding and fulfilling specialty. Inequity Inequities and inequalities abound in South African health care spending generally, and specifically regarding childrens health. Of the R192 billion spent on health care in 2008/09, 58% was spent in the private sector (Day 2010). Although this sector only provides care to an estimated 15% of children, two-thirds of the countrys paediatricians service their needs (Colleges of Medicine of South Africa 2009). Furthermore, of the R90 billion provincial public health sector budget, about 14% is spent on central (tertiary) hospital services (Day 2010), which primarily benefits children residing in urban settings and wealthier provinces such as the Western Cape and Gauteng. Similarly, marked inequities exist in the number of health professionals available to children in different provinces with, for example, one paediatrician servicing approximately 8,600 children in the Western Cape, but 200,000 children in Limpopo (Colleges of Medicine of South Africa 2009). This differential exists among most categories of health professionals. The current health system claims to provide universal coverage to children. Yet, from a resourcing, service delivery and quality perspective, the availability and level of service is inequitable with many patients and communities experiencing substantial difficulty in accessing the public health system. Rural and black communities remain most disadvantaged. Apartheid age differentials continue in present day health care. Thus, for instance, while the formerly whites only Charlotte Maxexe Johannesburg Academic Hospital now mainly serves a black urban population, its resources including ward facilities, staff-patient ratios and overall budget still show a clear positive bias when compared to the resources available to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital located in Soweto (a former black hospital) (von Holdt 2007). Nationally, the most stressed hospitals are those with the lowest resources per bed. The least stressed hospitals continue to be those with previous reputations as high-quality institutions (mostly previously whites only hospitals) that provide them with a kind of social capital (von Holdt 2007). Management capacity crisis The battle for the control of hospitals South Africa has embraced the concept of health services delivered within a three-tiered national health system framework national, provincial and district. Provinces are charged with the responsibility of providing secondary or tertiary hospital services, with district services having responsibility for district hospitals and clinics. Existing legislature allows hospital chief executive officers (CEOs) considerable powers in the running of their own hospitals. However, there is a dysfunctional relationship between hospitals and provincial head offices, which often assume authoritarian and bureaucratic control over strategic, operational and detailed processes at hospitals but are unable to deliver on these. There is a blurred and ambiguous locus of power and decision-making authority between hospitals and head offices (von Holdt 2007). Hospital managers are disempowered, cannot take full accountability for their institutions and are mostly unable to decide on matters such as staff numbers and appointments, drawing up their own budgets or playing any role in the procurement of goods and services. The structural relationship between province and institution is a disincentive for managerial innovation, giving rise to a hospital management culture in which administration of rules and regulations is more important than managing people and operations or solving problems, and where incompetence is easily tolerated. Hospital managers lack of control undermines management accountability and promotes subservience to the central authority. The role of provincial health departments should really be about controlling policy regarding training, job grading and accountability. Silos of management Most South African hospitals have essentially the same management structure where authority is fragmented into separate and parallel silos. Thus, doctors are managed within a silo of clinicians, nurses within a nursing silo, and support staff by a mesh of separate silos for cleaners, porters, clerks, etc. The senior managers in the institutions have wide spheres of responsibility but with little authority to make decisions or implement them (von Holdt 2007). As an example, a clinical department such as paediatrics is headed by a senior or principal paediatric specialist who has no control over the nurses in the paediatric department. In the wards, nursing managers are responsible for effective ward functioning, but have little control over ward support staff such as cleaners or clerks. A senior clinical executive (superintendent) has responsibility for the paediatric (and other) departments, but can exercise little substantial authority over it because power lies within each of the silos (doctors, nurses, support workers). As a result, the clinical executive has to attempt to negotiate with all parties. Doctors and nurses do not determine budgets, or monitor and control costs. In essence, those responsible for using resources have no influence on their budgetary allocation, while those responsible for the budget assume no responsibility for the services that the budget supports. Most clinical heads have no idea what their budgets are and costs are not disaggregated within the institution to individual units or wards. Thus, what should be managed as an integrated operational unit (for example, a ward or clinical department) operates instead in a fragmented fashion with little clear accountability. In this circumstance all parties are disempowered, and relationships oscillate between diplomacy, persuasion, negotiation, angry confrontation, complaint and withdrawal. In the process few problems are definitively resolved, with negative consequences for patient care. Where institutional stress is high, the fragmented silo structures generate the fault lines along which conflict and managerial failure manifest (von Holdt 2007). Financial crisis Insufficient expenditure on health, hospitals and child health Between 1998 and 2006, South African annual public per capita health expenditure remained virtually constant in real terms (i.e. accounting for inflation), although spending in the public sector increased by 16.7% annually between 2006 and 2009 (National Treasury 2009). Nevertheless, the small increases in expenditure have not kept pace with population growth, or the greatly increased burden of disease (Cullinan 2009). In 2009 the country spent 8.9% of the gross national product (GDP) on health (Day 2010), and easily met the World Health Organisations (WHO) informal recommendation that so-called developing countries spend at least 5% of their GDP on health (World Health Organization 2003). However only 3.7% of GDP was spent in the public sector, with 5.2% of GDP expended in the private sector (Day 2010). In per capita terms R9605 was spent per private medical scheme beneficiary in 2009, while the public sector spent R2206 per uninsured person (Day 2010). Although the health of mothers and children has been a priority in government policy since 1994, including in the latest 10 Point Plan for Health (Department of Health 2010), it has not translated into movements in fiscal and resource allocation. Children comprise nearly 40% of the population (Statistics South Africa 2009), but it is unlikely that a similar proportion of the health budget is spent on child health. No reliable data exist, as government departmental budgets do not specifically delineate expenditure on children, easily allowing this constituency to be short-changed or ignored. Poor fiscal discipline A lack of accountability extends throughout the health service, and includes the lack of fiscal discipline. Provincial departments of health collectively overspent their budgets by more than R7.5bn in 2009/10 (Engelbrecht 2010). Provincial departments frequently fail to budget adequately, resulting in the freezing of posts and the restriction of basic service provision (e.g. routine child immunisation services were seriously disrupted in the Free State province in 2009 [Kok D 2009]). Every year, budgetary indiscipline results in critical shortages of drugs, food supplies and equipment in many provinces, particularly during the last financial quarter from January to March, and during April when new budgetary allocations are being released. Stock-outs of pharmaceutical agents, medical supplies such as disinfectants or gloves or radiological material, and food or infant formula, may annoy staff but may have devastating consequences for patients, including death. Most of these stock-outs are the result of suppliers terminating contracts because of failure of payment of accounts. In Gauteng, medical suppliers are currently owed more than half a billion rand by the Auckland Park Medical Supplies Depot, the central unit from which medicines are distributed to provincial hospitals and clinics. The largest amounts owed by the depot are to two pharmaceutical companies (some R130 million) (Bateman 2011). A recent embarrassing occurrence is the return of R813 million to Treasury at the end of the past financial year by the health department because of unspent funds (Bateman 2011). Most of the money was budgeted to revive collapsed and unfinished infrastructure at hospitals. This function belongs to the Department of Public Works, and hospitals have little influence on the functioning of this separate department a further example of fragmented services. Treasury has nevertheless allocated funds for the revival or construction of five academic hospitals by 2015, mainly through public private partnerships. These are Chris Hani Baragwanath in Soweto, Dr George Mukhari in Pretoria, King Edward VIII in Durban and Nelson Mandela in Mthatha, as well as a new tertiary hospital for Limpopo. Provincial health departments are beginning to show modest success in rooting out fraud and corruption, but their efforts have revealed widespread swindling costing taxpayers billions of rands, much of it deeply systemic (Bateman 2011). The bulk of endemic corruption involves dishonest service providers with links to key health department officials, looting via ghost and multiple payments loaded onto payment systems. In the Eastern Cape an external audit of anomalies in four health department supplier databases revealed R35 million in duplicate or multiple payments in 2010 (Bateman 2011). Some 107 suppliers had the same bank account number, 4 496 had the same physical address and 165 suppliers shared the same telephone number. Less sophisticated fraud involved the bribing of district ambulance service directors to transport private patients. Theft of equipment, medication and food is pervasive, aggravating existing bottlenecks in supply chain management. Almost R120 000 worth of infant formula destined for malnourished babies or infants of HIV-positive mothers was stolen in the Eastern Cape in 2010 for which three foreign national businessmen and four health department officials were arrested. Eight nurses at Mthathas Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital were arrested for allegedly stealing R200 000 worth of medicines (Bateman 2011). In KwaZulu-Natal, a report to the finance portfolio committee revealed 24 high priority cases involving irregularities, supply chain and human resource mismanagement, overtime fraud, corruption, nepotism, misconduct and negligence, amounting to nearly R1 billion. Among others, the former health MEC, Peggy Nkonyeni faced charges of irregular tender awards amounting to several million rands (Bateman 2011). Ten health department officials in Mpumalanga, including its chief financial officer, appeared before a disciplinary tribunal on charges of corruption. Three separate probes uncovered massive fraud and corruption in the department, including irregularities with tender procedures and the buying of unnecessary hospital equipment. Perversely, Sibongile Manana, the health MEC, was removed from her post by the provincial Premier, and given the Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture portfolio. The Premier justified this decision by claiming that the reshuffle of his executive council was to rectify instances of mismanagement and wrongdoing uncovered by a series of forensic audits (Bateman 2011). Human resources crisis Staff shortages Staff shortages are a critical problem in most public hospitals, and are the result of underfunding as well as a national shortage of professional skills. Almost 43 % of health posts in the public sector countrywide are vacant, and more concerning appear to be increasing (up from 33% in 2009 and 27% in 2005) (Lloyd 2010). Some institutions are running with less than half the staff they need, with more than two-thirds of professional nurse posts and over 80% of medical practitioner posts in Limpopo unfilled (Lloyd 2010). Shortages of support workers such as cleaners and porters exacerbate the problem, since nurses and doctors end up performing unskilled but essential functions. Shortages of nurses in particular are generating a healthcare crisis in South African public hospitals (von Holdt 2007). Nurses have a wide scope of practice, and bear the brunt of increased patient-loads, staff shortages and management failures. Ironically, a number of nursing colleges were closed down in the late 1990s as part of governments cost-cutting measures while government made it very difficult for foreign doctors to practice in the country. The situation is now being addressed with recognition of the need for both more nurses and doctors to be trained. However, the constricted resources available limit a speedy or meaningful response and considerable investment in new facilities and trainers is required over the next decade to address the current deficit. Throughout the country, doctors and nurses constantly make decisions about which patients to save and which to withhold treatment from based on available staff and physical resources, rather than medical criteria. Because of the pressure on beds, children are sometimes denied admission to hospitals, not referred appropriately or discharged prematurely, thus facing the danger of deterioration, relapse or death. Conditions of service Understaffing and vacant professional posts and are the result of a number of factors, and vary in different locations. They include failure to establish new posts despite the increased demand for services, frozen posts because of insufficient funding being available and lack of suitably qualified staff. This lack may be because of pull or push factors. Pull factors attract staff away from the public service and include emigration and movement to the more lucrative private sector. Push factors such as poor salaries, the inability of hospitals to satisfy the simple creature comforts of staff, particularly in rural or township settings, and a blatant disrespect by hospital administrators of the professional status of staff induce staff to leave the public service. The high death rate of health workers from AIDS has further exacerbated the skills crisis. The Occupational Specific Dispensation was a measure introduced to specifically address the poor salaries paid to nurses and doctors. Although the intervention has been successful in retaining some staff in public sector hospitals and even enticing private sector nurses and doctors back, this financial incentive was insufficient to prevent national strikes by both doctors in 2009 and the entire health sector in 2010. Much of the dissent and unhappiness related to conditions of service, rather than the declared dispute about the size of the annual increase of the pay package. The long and bruising six-week strike was a sad indictment of the poor levels of professionalism of health workers, with wards full of newborn and young infants in many hospitals being abandoned instantly and completely with no interim plans for their feeding or care. This necessitated emergency evacuations or alternative arrangements by practitioners who were willing to place their little patients needs above th ose of the strike action, and by concerned members of the public. Undoubtedly, many hundreds of childrens lives were lost during this industrial action but the details of these deaths and any consequent punitive action has been conveniently ignored in an attempt to placate further strike action by the responsible parties. Aberrant staff behaviour Absenteeism among health workers is rife, even at well run institutions such Durbans Addington Hospital (Cullinan 2006). This is mostly due to stress, but nurses moonlighting in private hospitals to supplement their state salaries is also a factor. At hospitals where management was weak, such as Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in East London or Prince Mshiyeni in Durban, nurses also turned up late, left early, and often neglected patient care such as regular monitoring of vital signs (Cullinan 2006). Hospital managers ability to take disciplinary action is severely limited by the centralised nature of provincial health bureaucracies. In many provinces, the provincial head of health is the only person able to dismiss staff. Hospitalised children are the most vulnerable, since they cannot demand services or advocate for their own needs. Thus missed feeds, failure to receive prescribed medication timeously or missed doses, inattention to monitoring vital signs and delays in responding to sudden clinical deterioration are daily occurrences in childrens wards countrywide. Service delivery crisis Inadequate patient care There is a crisis of caring at hospital throughout the country. Evidence of poor service delivery at hospitals is disputed, ignored, and mostly tolerated by readily accepting the excuse of low staff morale, staff or resource shortages and no money (Saloojee 2010). The caring ethos that characterises the health profession has eroded to the degree that most patients are grateful for any acts of kindness directed to them. Many patients can recount how their most basic needs, such

Aditya Birla Case notes

The Unknown Global Indian Conglomerate Q) After a decade of reform, had the Barilla group done enough to outpace its rivals , or was there another step It had to take to be â€Å"Barilla #1†? NAS: Once Kumar Mangle Barilla took over the Barilla group in 1995 after the untimely death of his father, he ushered In an era of reforms and mandated the company be among the top three players In the world or at least in the region for any particular Investment. The renewed focus of the group was in making investments in India, acquiring companies outside India fuelling growth.One of his notable acquisition was Novels to make the high-risk aluminum business less vulnerable to price fluctuations on the London Metal Exchange. (Novels was acquired by Handball). Mangle Barilla focused on strengthening and consolidating similar businesses together and investing in growth business sectors from the cash generated from the value businesses. His strategy paid off and from being a conglomerate wi th Just US$I . 5 billion in revenues in 1995 it had grown to a business with revenues of approximately US$40 billion in year 2012.Though the group has come a long way It Is still at number three amongst the Indian Conglomerates(Number 1 being Data with revenues of US$OHIO billion as of 2012 and RILL with revenues of US$74 billion). In certain businesses the group Is number one Like VS. and cement whereas In certain other sectors like retail It needs to work towards establishing itself amongst the top three. The level of competition has increased both at home and abroad and the Barilla group needs to rethink their strategy to be the number one. The Barilla Financial services can play a major role with insurance company and an asset management fund.As a conglomerate it should be able to reap the benefits of distributing its costs across similar businesses and achieve cost leadership to gain a competitive advantage over its rivals. The group is looking at investment opportunities in Af rica, South America, East Europe and Central Asia because these geographies present Immense opportunities for the group to do business. The next logical decision of the group would be to Invest in Infrastructure and the group Is actively seeking out opportunities for the same. With the new government In place this might be one of the lucrative business opportunities.The roof is diversified across many sectors but it should be cautious enough not to spread its wings too thin. Recently the group sold off Ditty Barilla Maniacs as the group wanted to exit the business process outsourcing sector because it lacked scale and was not amongst the top three players in the particular region. The capital raised from the deal was invested in other growth sector opportunities in the group. The group has redefined its business strategy and management practices aimed at becoming the foremost firm in India but it still has a long way to go. According to Kumar Mangle Barilla he has all the large piec es in place.

Drug Profile Paper - 1105 Words

Drug Profile Paper University of Phoenix PSY/425 March 22th, 2012 Drug Profile Paper This paper will illustrate several aspects of how drugs affect our lives. Addiction philosophies including the psychology and physiology will be explained in an attempt to describe how drugs affect our bodies both physically and mentally. Secondly, different drug categories types will be covered including: stimulants, depressants, narcotics, hallucinogens, and cannabis. Each of these categories has different addiction potentials and effect levels including withdrawal symptoms. Finally, the abuse of prescription drugs and their effects will be discussed. Addiction is primarily psychological although addiction can be defined as the physiological†¦show more content†¦With this dependence, users must increase the dosage to gain the same effect. Some signs of narcotic abuse are analgesia, sedation, shallow breathing, slurred speech, and or/confusion. Withdrawal symptoms are usually severe and can be seen as early as 12-14 hours after the last dose. Symptoms of Narcotics withdrawal are irritability, craving, runny nose, muscle aches, and anxiety. Along with the previously mentioned symptoms are many complications such as infections, pneumonia, seizures, and constipation. (Zwanger, 2010) According to Doctor Parish, hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that cause an alteration in perception, thought, or mood. A rather heterogeneous group, these compounds have different chemical structures, different mechanisms of action, and different adverse effects. Despite their name, most hallucinogens do not consistently cause hallucina tions, which are defined as false sensations that have no basis in reality. Often, they are more likely to cause changes in mood or in thought than actual hallucinations. (Parish, 2011) Hallucinogens have very specific symptoms that pose a particular physical risk. These include increased heart rate, high blood pressure, tremors, seizures, and even coma. In regards to withdrawal from the use of hallucinogens, these drugs do not seem to be physically addictive but may pose a psychological threat to users because theyShow MoreRelatedA Study On Clinical Practice1222 Words   |  5 Pagesnew combination of medicine or active ingredients, C) new route of administration, D) new drug delivery system and/or E) An established medicine to be used in a new population of patients.’’ (MHRA, 2009) This symbol is included in the early BNF monograph and SPC/PIL of the medicine when it was new to the market. When a medicine is new to the market more information about the safety and efficacy of the drug is required by the MHRA. Although prior to the medicine gaining a marketing authorisationRead MoreA Research Study On Cancer Essay1425 Words   |  6 Pagesregimen’s toxicity profile. Currently, a gap exists in that toxicity profile: patient reported outcomes. Addressing this gap impacts therapeutic decisions through two pathways: therapeutic dose adjustments (driven by adverse events) as well as empowering patients to understand what to expect during therapy by publicly providing patient-reported outcomes. Background and Significance Adverse events are defined by FDA as untoward medical occurrences regardless of causality to a drug. Adverse events defineRead MoreEssay On Intratumoral Heterogeneity In Primary Glioblastoma805 Words   |  4 PagesGlioblastoma was to determine the composition of a glioblastoma tumor to better understand how the heterogeneity in the regulatory programs of the cell are important to prognosis and therapy. The authors took 5 glioblastomas and used SMART-Seq to profile them. They isolated the individual cells from the 5 glioblastomas and created single-cell full-length transcriptomes to then determine the intratuormal heterogeneity. From this, the authors were able to find that the tumors were variable in theirRead MoreRacial Profiling by Police Essay examples1581 Words   |  7 Pagescrime based on their race, ethnicity, religion, or nation origin. Creating a profile about the kinds of people who commit certain types of crimes may lead officers to stereotype against a particular gr oup and act according to the stereotype given to a specific ethnic group and applying it to everyone that may seem to be apart of that ethnic group rather than one specific person displaying one specific behavior. This paper, therefore, is designed to focus on law enforcement and racial profiling. Read MoreHow Do People Act When The Wifi Goes Down? Essay1587 Words   |  7 Pagesan addiction. Social media is defined as websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. Social networking can be defined as virtual communities where users create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. For the purpose of this essay I am focusing on the large platforms of social media that include networking: video gaming platforms, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram andRead MoreCity Demographics and Crime Profile of Chicago666 Words   |  3 PagesCity Demographics and Crime Pr ofile of Chicago AJS 514 October 19, 2015 James L. Smith City Demographics and Crime Profile of Chicago Chicago is a big and beautiful city in the United States, this paper will discuss the cities demographics and analyze a criminal profile. It will include the characterization of the city in terms of social and intellectual context and identify social factors that contribute to crime. A description of beliefs people living there would accept for explainingRead MoreIdentifying A Target Market And Prepare A Customer Profile890 Words   |  4 PagesWebsite Article: How to Identify a Target Market and Prepare a Customer Profile URL: http://edwardlowe.org/how-to-identify-a-target-market-and-prepare-a-customer-profile/ This website’s main focus is on how to identify a target market and prepare a customer profile. Hence the article explained in great detail about getting the message to the people who need and want what you have to offer. † This guide takes you through a step-by-step process that helps you identify specific target markets withinRead More Drugs and Alcohol in the Adolescent Years Essay1547 Words   |  7 PagesDrugs and Alcohol in the Adolescent Years The years of adolescence are a very important time for both young girls and boys to make decisions that will essentially have the power to shape their lives. In life there are conflicts to be overcome from both the â€Å"evil† social world and also a young girl’s vulnerability can cause problems. Both have a huge impact on decisions she will make. Drugs and alcohol are both issues that almost any young person in today’s society is going to comeRead MoreA Color Problem in a Post Racial Nation Essay1637 Words   |  7 Pagessociety. This paper will in great detail prove that the social phenomenon of racial profiling is a germane factor when considering DuBois’s theory as it relates to people of color, and that being black and living in America is inherently a problem. In doing so, it will also challenge the ideology of America being a â€Å"color-blind† or â€Å"post-racial society†, where minorities (mainly blacks) in the twenty-first century, can and will receive the same equitable treatment as Caucasians. This paper also willRead MoreCelebrity Justice Essay example1382 Words   |  6 Pageshave been arrested or charged with a crime is a long one. Drug possession, lying to investigators, driving while intoxicated, shoplifting - the list of offenses is also a long one. When arrested, are celebrities held to the same standards of justice as the rest of us, or do they receive special treatment in the legal system? If convicted how, do their sentences compare to those of a majority of those i n our justice system? In this paper, I argue that celebrity status does give a defendant a number

About Two World Trade Center in New York City