Gulf War between Iraq and Kuwait Essay

This paper that in intensively researched, will examine on the reasons that led the Gulf war between Iraq and Kuwait, Saddam Hussein war invasion to Kuwait, Relations between Kuwait and Iraq, causes and effects of the war, the characteristics of Saddam Hussein, and the reason why he need money. According to the western sources especially from the USA, Saddam Hussein, a complex political leader, is portrayed as the â€Å"axis of Evil† in the Middle East. . He practiced cruel methods of leadership skills, his motivations, perceptions and decision making on behalf of the Iraq’s and his country neighbors for example the Kuwaitis. He has been pursing the development of weapons of mass destruction, despite the UN sanctions and terrorizing his associates especially in Kuwait. This information was gathered through the following sources. Information about â€Å"The Gulf Syndrome† www. geocities. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Information about â€Å"The profile of Saddam Hussein† www. mideastnews. co. Retrieved on 6th April 2009, Majid K. â€Å"War in the Gulf 1990-1991†, Information on â€Å"Persian Gulf War† www. encarta. msn. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009, Jerrold M. (2002), â€Å"Saddam Hussein of Iraq: Apolitical Psychology profile† and Information on â€Å"The characteristics of Saddam Hussein† www. qrmapps. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 The historical background of Iraq and Kuwait Iraq was created under the British rule in 1932. The formation of this state under single administration resulted to third pole power in that region leading to unstable combination of people with collective influences that might lopsided its neighbors to the south. State of Kuwait northernmost emirate of Arabian isthmus dates its history as a take apart geopolitical body back to the founding of Kuwait City in 1710. It became independent from British. Following the 1973 oil crisis, the soaring oil prices brought with it extraordinary wealth to this small country. Relations between Kuwait and Iraq As Kuwait was declared a sovereign state, Iraq voiced objections to its admission to the Arab league but instead declared it an Iraq territory. In 1963 Iraq dropped the objectives and in 1980 they enjoyed close ties during war against Iran as Kuwait supported Iraq. Causes of the war The border between these two counties has been in question. Nominally, Kuwait was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 18th century. In 1899, it asked for and received British protection in return for autonomy in its local affairs. It was granted independence in 1961 and this lead to Iraq claiming that Kuwait had been governed as part of the Ottoman province in southern Iraq and was rightfully Iraq’s. It only recognized Kuwait in 1963. But since then, there have been occasional clashes between the two nations. The Iraq troops invaded Kuwait in August 2nd 1990 taking the emirates by one day headed by the strongest leader in this region, Saddam Hussein. The 150,000 of his troops from Iraq overwhelmed the 20,000 Iran’s troop staking control of the capital city of Kuwait and then controlled the whole country. Effects of war It had a vast impact to the oil industry and affects the future of the civilians in Iraq. This has reduced it from affluence to a third world status. This led to a large number of the US and British forces stationed in Kuwait and other gulf states as well as Turkey. There is an increasing rate of a multinational task force of warships patrols the red sea and the Persian Gulf which tries to prevent the illegal export of oil from Iraq. The war led to many environmental hazards such as the destruction of marshes, burning of hundreds of oil wells, hence polluting the global environment. Characteristics of Saddam Hussein He is a dictator who saw Iraq as a great country and as an extension to himself. He saw himself as the successor of Nebuchadnezzar. He once said that â€Å"Our nation has a message,† he once proclaimed. â€Å"That is why it can never be an average nation. Throughout history our nation has either soared to the heights or fallen into the abyss through the envy, conspiracy and enmity of others. † He is self-centered. He saw the Iraq treasury centered to himself. During the Gulf war, the Kuwaitis investigated on Iraq’s assets by Kroll Associates, a New York firm and the detected that he had $2. 4 controlled deposits which spread among 50 banks which were controlled by Hussein’s family. He used to skim five percent of the Iraq’s annual oil income and did business with other external firms in foreign territory. He is an exalted self concept. â€Å"Saddam is Iraq and Iraq is Saddam†. He made sure that he built a cult of himself allover Iraq. This can be proved by his images everywhere in Iraq. His name is linked to hundreds of public works projects. For example the Saddam housing companies and also the â€Å"Saddam Line† in Iraq. He named part of Kuwait to himself the moment he took over Kuwait. When he appears in public, he has created an environment where people cheer, clap, and even kiss his hand when he appears in a public gathering. He killed whoever who did not show enthusiasm to the great leader. He killed by imprisoning them, helicopter crashes, tortured to death, sealing their bodies to the coffins. He used a secret police unit to achieve his ordeals. He used his Messianic to achieve his ambition of political power. He is malevolent. He has cold canning behind his every action. His ruthlessness was found to be terrible leading to cruelty, for fun, leadership style of Vlad the Impaler. He was stupid because the boasts were proved to be hollow. His lies were proven false quickly His is also portrayed as the madman of the Middle East and his name means the one who confronts. He is a paranoid in decision making His achievements were the transformation of the country where he built new roads, improved housing standards; food was brought to the people’s tables, cut illiteracy by 11% according to the official estimates. The cultural aspects of Muslims were relaxed allowing women equal pay for equal work. Reasons as to why he needed money The oil money allowed him to accumulate the largest and best equipped military machine in the Arab world. Most of them were Soviet, French and from other nations. Most of them were first rated. He had an annual budget of $12. 9 billion which was an average f $721 per Iraq citizen ye the average annual per citizen was $1950. He therefore equipped his army to distress the regional balances by ruthless mass killings, He was the veteran in army in the region. According to Jordanian newspaper ad-Dustour, Saddam â€Å"awakened the desire in every Arab soul for a glorious Arab stand,† Saddam Hussein was a ruthless dictator who was used to terrorizing his neighbors and gassed his own subjects. He normally followed his mafia rules which were not well understood by many in the world including the United States of America. He grew up as a thug and a hired gun, yet he has a soaring popularity in the Arab world. The differences between a Totalitarian and Authoritarian leader A totalitarian political power is in the hands of a few groups while the authoritarianism refers political power is in the hands of one person. Hence Saddam Hussein can be equated to both an authoritarian leader and a totalitarian according to the definitions and his leadership skills. Reference Information about â€Å"The Gulf Syndrome† www. geocities. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Information about â€Å"The profile of Saddam Hussein† www. mideastnews. co. Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Majid K. â€Å"War in the Gulf 1990-1991. New York: McMillan. Information on â€Å"Persian Gulf War† www. encarta. msn. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009 Jerrold M. (2002), â€Å"Saddam Hussein of Iraq: Apolitical Psychology profile† New York: Pearson’s Education. Information on â€Å"The characteristics of Saddam Hussein† www. qrmapps. com Retrieved on 6th April 2009

Competitive Strategies Employed by Retail Supermarkets in the Uk: a Comparative Study.

1. Proposed working title: Competitive strategies employed by Retail Supermarkets in the UK: A comparative study. 2. Research Background: This research background focuses on competitive strategies employed by retail supermarkets in the UK. This background will give a general idea as what to anticipate in the report on strategies approach of leading retail supermarkets of the UK. Retail strategy is an overall plan or the agenda of action that has to follow by the retailer to get the success in the retail supermarket competition. (Barmen, B. & Evans, J. 2006). The retail supermarkets environment has become tremendous competitive in recent years . Top supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrison are heavily investing in infrastructure to bring higher quality product then their rivals. Retail supermarkets industry in UK has high development in their service by using advance technology, increasing product range, speed and quality. (Harvey, 2000). (Source: BBC news, 9 March 2006) Above diagram shows the market shares occupied by top retail supermarkets and other grocery markets in the UK on 9 march 2006. According to above diagram top four retail supermarkets of the UK hold 74. 4% shares of total grocery market on 9th march 2006. Tesco is the number one retail supermarket by griping 30. 4% market shares in the UK. Asda, Sainsbury and Morrisons are the main competitor of Tesco by holding 16. 6%, 16. 2 % and 11. 2% shares respectively. We can see very tough competition between retail supermarket in UK and Tesco looks more successful to overcome its competitor. Today these top retail supermarkets dominates grocery retailing in the UK. The industry construction is characterized by many attributes such as greater store size, lowering prices of goods and adopting different formats to satisfy the consumers’ expectation. (Andrew Holingworth, 2004) According to me retail supermarkets in UK are highly competitive which is good for consumers because aim of some organisations is to increase sales so they need to keep low price and in this competitive environment all organizations must be alert about changing needs of consumers and strategies of rivals. 3. Oraganisation Background: Tesco PLC: Tasco is number one retail supermarket in the UK now, which is founded by Jack Cohenin 1919. The first store-brand product sold by founder was Tesco-Tea. Tesco has spread its business all over the world of which 2,184 retail supermarkets are in the UK. Tesco’s UK supermarkets are divided into various formats differentiated by size and the range of product such as Tesco extra, Tesco superstore, Tesco metro, Tesco express and one stop where it offers fresh food and non food product like DVDs, books, clothing, health, garden furniture, electrical, home entertainment and also pharmacies. Tesco also has its other businesses like garden centres, Tesco personal finance which offers credit cards, loans, mortgages, saving accounts and insurance of car, home, life and travel. It also operates ISP, mobile phone, home phone and VoIp businesses. Tesco has its petrol pump at many places in UK. It offers lot of facilities like online shopping from its web site i. e. www. tesco. com at low price and club card scheme to its customers. (Tesco, 2008) J Sainsbury plc: J Sainsbury is UK’s longest retail supermarket chain of 509 supermarkets, 276 convenient stores and Sainsbury’s bank. It was founded by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury in 1869. Bacon was the first own-labeled product of Sainsbury. That time it has department of dairy, bacon, hams, Poultry and games, cooked meats and fresh meats. Now it has around 30000 fresh food and non-food products. Apart from this Sainsbury also has its Sainsbury’s bank which offers car, life, home, pet and travel insurance also offers loans, credit cards and saving accounts. (J Sainsbury, 2008). J Sainsbury was the UK’s leading retail supermarkets up to mid-1990s until it was overtaken by Tesco. (EL-Amir, A. nd Burt, S. 2008) 4. Rationale for the chosen topic: It is decides to select this research proposal topic competitive strategies employed by retail supermarkets in UK. This is first time I came to UK for my study. It was the big challenge for me to adjust and understand the circumstances over here because no one from my family and relative were with me and I have to manage everything like shopping, cooking, etc myself. On the first day I have to do shopping to get some goods & services so I was thinking from where can I get cheap, qualities and varieties of it? Many people gave me different suggestions but most of them were telling me to do the shopping from Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, and Morrison which are the famous retail supermarkets in UK where I can get lot of commodities. This motivates me a lot and on a personal note I would like to do my personal experience which drove me to choose this as my research topic. 5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: Following question came in my mind during my research: ? What combination of competitive strategies makes retail supermarkets of the UK like Tesco and Sainsbury so successful? What are the impacts of strategies of Tesco and Sainsbury on retail supermarket of the UK? ? How are retail supermarkets in the UK evolving to meet changing customer needs? ? How can they stand out in a highly competitive environment where consumers have so many choices? 6. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Main objective of my research will be: ? To recognize and compare the competitive strategies employed by the Tesco and Sainsbury. ? To classify t he impact of strategies employed by the Tesco and Sainsbury on consumers and share market. ? To identify profit margin strategies of Tesco and Sainsbury. An attempt to identify which of them are most beneficial for the consumer. 7. LITERATURE REVIEW: My research is on competitive strategies employed by the retail supermarkets in the UK. The information on this topic has been published all over the books, news papers, online journals and web reports. I would like to review some of the most striking opinions given by some authors and my views on it. â€Å"We do not vary our retail offer in line with levels of local competition. We and all the other major grocery multiples have national strategies on pricing, branding, advertising, quality, range and services. Commented by Tesco (Press association, 2007) I also agree with the author’s view above. Tesco which is number one retail supermarket in the UK decides their strategies by comparing their strong rival’s strategies. Now day’s customers have lot of choice to do shopping because of the competition between retail supermarkets in the UK. Most of the people choose to do shopping on the criteria of pricing, looking at brand and quality of goods and also service provided by the retail supermarkets. I also use same criteria to do my shopping. â€Å"Tosco’s attack on Sainsbury’s southern stronghold reflected a more aggressive store opening programmer. But he also said that Sainsbury, which will this week release interim results, could begin to feel the effects of the credit crunch if consumer worries about weekly shopping bills push them into the arms of cheaper rival such as Aldi, Lidl or Asda. † Commented by Paul Langston associated director for location strategy at CACI. (Elizabeth Rigby, 2008) I completely have the same opinion with the author’s view stated above. Tesco observes strong areas of Sainsbury and opened its aggressive stores it that area to overcome its strong rival and to attracts the customers by giving better service and choice for shopping. This is also the part of the competitive strategy employed by Tesco to capture the powerful areas of competitor Sainsbury. This is period of credit crunch in the UK. It becomes extremely necessary for the people to cut redundant expenses so it is very tough time for all retail supermarkets to think about it and keep their customers constancy. According to some authors the increased competition between retail supermarkets in UK has led them to expand their product categories and extend their retail format to get profit. (Hackney, Grant, & Birtwistle, 2006). It is obvious that as competitor enhance every organization must think to raise their sales and consumers loyalty by using different strategies if all are in homogeneous business. Many supermarkets offers consumer to do online shopping at low prices. This is also part of strategies of the retail supermarkets to stick consumer with them. And authors view is that Tesco is the more successful retail supermarket which gets huge profit by implementing internet strategy. Such a way every retailer try to act in accordance with their consumer by using new technology , reducing ransaction cost or extending their business to different formats. 8. METHODOLOGY: My research topic on competitive strategies employed by the retail supermarkets in UK is an always on going topic. Retail supermarkets have to decide their strategies depending on the market situation and studying their rivals’ strategies. In my proposed research I have to identify strategies of Tesco, Sainsbury and it impact. It c an be recognized by understanding, observing and in-depth study of each retail supermarket. Hence this proposed research is descriptive in nature. This will give clear thought and understanding. Descriptive research means the research which serves a variety of research objective to understand its phenomena or characteristics connected with it. For further in-depth study and to participate in the observation and to know what is happening I have chosen this method. (Donald, R. & Pamela, S. 2006). 8. 1. DATA COLLECTION: In this proposed is always ongoing topic and lot of articles and information published everyday in news papers, magazines, journals and books and research of other authors which can be collected from library and internet. The information about Tesco and Sainsbury can be collected from their own web side. It will give lots of analysis of other authors, writers and researcher . I will get lot of option to understand and obtain objective of my topic. (Kothari, C. 2005) 8. 2. DATA ANALYSIS: Most of the data will be analyse predominantly from the internet. My personal observation, understanding and input will be integrated. The data will be gathered by the supermarket as part of internal organizational project relating paper and internet. The data analysis will be based on the performance of two retail supermarkets over the past years. Time series analysis will be use to get the objective of research. Quantitative data will be supplement with qualitative data obtain from all possible sources. (Kothari, C. 2005) 8. 3. RESOURCE REQUIREMENT: All the resources will be available from internet and the review of literature will be obtained from college’s library and private library. Internet is the most genuine source which is easily available today where I can search out e-books, Journal published by other authors and also information about Tesco and Sainsbury on their own web site which can save my time and cost of research. Updates of newspapers, Journals, articles, others research reports are also available on the internet. 9. TIME SCALE: | |October 2008 |November2008 |December2008 |January2008 | |Activity | | | | | W1 |W2 |W3 |W1 |W2 |W3 |W4 |W1 |W2 |W3 |W4 |W1 | |W/K Commencing |X | | | | | | | | | | | | |Search information | |X |X |X |X | | | | | | | | |Read & understand information | | | |X |X | | | | | | | | |Finalized Objectives | | | | |X | | | | | | | | |Prepare & Submit proposal | | | | | |X | | | | | | | |Compile necessary data | | | | | | |X |X | | | | | |Device Research strategy & method | | | | | | | |X | | | | | |Get Feedback | | | | | | | |X | | | | | |Gather Data | | | | | | | |X |X | | | | |Analyses Data | | | | | | | | |X | | | | |Update literature Read | | | | | | | | |X | | | | |Prepare rough draft | | | | | | | | | |X | | | |Draft to supervisor for feed back | | | | | | | | | |X | | | |Edit unwanted information | | | | | | | | | |X |X | | |Make final draft | | | | | | | | | | |X | | |Print | | | | | | | | | | |X | | |Submission | | | | | | | | | | | |X | | 10. BIBILIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES: 1) Berman, B. and Evans, J. (2006), Retail Management a strategic approach, 10th edition, New Delhi, Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited. 2) Holingworth, A. (2004), â€Å"Increasing retail concentration: Evidence from UK food retail sector†, British Food journal, [online], vol. 206, issue 4/5, Pp. 629-638, Available from URL:http://www. emeraldinsight. com/Insight/viewContentItem. do;jsessionid=2D1F750288725BD25CCEDCE906588E78? contentType=Article&contentId=870774, [Accessed 7 November 2008] 3) Donald, C. & Pamela, S. (2006), Business Research methods, 9th edition, New Delhi (India), Tata McGraw-hill Publication. 4) Kothari, C. 1996), Research Methods and Techniques, 2nd edition, New Delhi, Age International publisher. 5) El-Amir, A. and Burt, S. (2008), â€Å"Sainsbury’s in Egypt the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? † International Journal of retail and distribution management, [online], vol. 36, Pp. 300-322, Available from UR L: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/Insight/viewContentItem. do? contentId=1714594&contentType=Article, [Accessed 8 November 2008] 6) Harvey, M. (2000), â€Å"Innovation and competition in UK supermarkets†, Supply chain management: An international study, [online], vol. 5, Pp. 15-21, Available from URL: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/Insight/viewPDF. jsp? Filename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/1770050102. pdf. Accessed 10 November 2008] 7) BBC news, 6 March 2006, â€Å"Q&A: supermarket competition concerns†, [online], Available from URL: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/4785544. stm. [Accessed 11 November 2008] 8) Press association, (2007), â€Å"Tesco fights monopoly accusations†, [online], The Guardian, Available from: URL:http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2007/apr/02/supermarkets. tesco. [Accessed 11 November. 2008] 9) Elizabeth Rigby, (2008), â€Å"Sainsbury losses strongholds to Tesco†, [online] Financial times, Available from URL: http://www. ft. com/cms/s/0/74abaa68-af75-11dd-a4df-000077b07658. html. [Accessed 12 November 2008] 10) Hackney, Grant & Birtwistle, (2006), â€Å"UK grocery

The Problems Encountered by DOH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Problems Encountered by DOH - Essay Example The researcher states that not too long ago, DOH was compelled to subcontract a batch of work to another firm so that it could make it to new delivery deadlines. DOH’s managing director had a lot of fears and reservations regarding this move. His primary fear was the quality of subcontracted work. He felt that the quality of the work would suffer and it would be of an inferior standard. However, this fear was removed when no defects were found in the subcontracted batch. On the other hand, DOH‘s main customer is not happy with the services being offered and the quality of batches that are being delivered to him. He insists that any further quality failures in future because of defective parts would lead to strict penalty charges like a cost of labor etc involved in removing the part from the vehicle. This is a grave concern for the management of DOH. They do not want these fears to rise and turn into a general impression in the industry. The quality concerns have to be t aken care off with immediate effect or else DOH might lose out on a lot of key contracts and accounts with various customers. Hard problems are problems which can be quantified i.e. they can be measured whereas soft problems are those problems which cannot be measured. They are qualitative in nature. The hard problems that the company can monitor are the number of defected parts being sent per month, the amount of loss being incurred, which site is producing more defected batches of work and what is the difference in quality if a bigger quality assurance team is in place. On the other hand some of the soft problems that DOH is facing include the coordination between different teams, quality control instructions have not been clearly communicated to the workers, strict check on quality throughout the process instead of just a last minute audit. There are a lot of middle managers which has wrecked a lot of havoc in the hierarchy of the workforce. Secondly, there is little or no regard for teamwork.

CRITIQUE OF PERSONAL STATEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CRITIQUE OF PERSONAL STATEMENT - Essay Example During my University placement, I displayed excellent communication skills and interacted well with members of multi-disciplinary teams in enhancing the quality of patient care (p 15). During my placement at the Community Drug and Alcohol team, my personal statement demonstrates that I complied with specific organizational policies and national legislation governing various treatment options such as the Health Act 2006 that provides guidelines on control and prevention of healthcare associated infections (hygiene code) and infection control policies of the health institution. In order to ensure quality nursing care, my personal statement confirms that I appreciate diversity and enhance social inclusion of the vulnerable groups through understanding the unique factors that determine the health of certain high-risk populations like aged citizens, people with mental disability and children (Johns, 2009, p 45). In this case, I offered non-discriminatory services and share decision-making with the patients (Polit and Beck, 2004, p 278). The essay will critically analyze my personal statement using the 4 NMC domains of nursing and midwifery council that include professional values, communication and interpersonal skills, nursing practice and decision-making, leadership, management and team working. The essay will also outline how i have acquired the necessary competencies and outline strategies for continuing professional development. I believe I have remained commitment to developing nursing practice through continuous learning; critical research appraisal and engaging in clinical practice activities that enhance my nursing skills (Griffith and Tengnah (2011p 54). While working at Kensington Nursing Home as a health care assistant, I complied with the legal and professional standards such the Data protection Act 1998, and promoted human rights as outlined under the standards of nursing practice issued by the Nurses and Midwifes Council (NMC). Accordingly, my persona l statement confirms that I have been able to build strong partnerships and therapeutic relationships with clients in order to offer person-centered nursing care and improve the nursing outcomes. I understand that all health professionals have professional responsibility and accountability for assessment, planning and evaluating standards of health care. I agree with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2013) that qualified nurses must respect patients’ dignity and provide high standards of care all the time (p 6). Accordingly, mental health nurses must promote the health and mental wellbeing of the clients through preventing mental illness and advising clients on the available therapies (McSherry, Pearce and Tingle, (2011, p 78). From the personal statement, I am capable of identifying the unique needs of the patient such as emotional and physiological distress or changes in behaviour that are associated with psychiatric disorders. Health Professions Council (2004) points out that the nurses must evaluate the emotional stress that may be associated with pain, illness, disabilities or loss (para 3). As a nurse, I will use my knowledge and skills to identify potential mental health problems or psychiatric disorders in fostering the health and safety of the patients (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2004a, para 4). I have gained knowledge on symptoms of various disorders in my studies and

Is it possible for the architect of one culture to design for another Essay

Is it possible for the architect of one culture to design for another - Essay Example There are many architectural features which are inherent to different religions. But do the architect's faith and the style of the building designed always coincide The purpose of the paper is answering the following question: is it possible for the architect of one culture to design for another Are there such examples in the history of architecture 2. Interosculation of cultures, including religious, occurs rather often throughout history. "Initial attempts at training the Ottoman architects in contemporary building techniques and European styles were made in 1801, at the new Imperial College of Military Engineering. The first foreign instructor commissioned to teach young Muslim architects was probably the British architect, W.J. Smith" (1). So, in early 19th century (and even earlier) began the interaction of Ottoman and European architectural traditions that is very important for architectural development in the West (Christian culture) and in the East (Muslim culture basically). "The effects of Westernization upon the Ottoman Architecture commenced with the changes seen in applied decoration... Ottoman architects reinterpreted Western influences on the Ottoman manner" (1). As we see, interosculation of architectural styles leads to changes in architecture which can be very important. "More modern examples can be seen in th e works of Antonio Gaudi, the great Spanish architect who studied Islamic art and architecture and even incorporated its themes into Spanish church buildings, such as the school he built for a convent in Ejica, Spain" (2). So, Antonio Gaudi, transforming the main features of Islamic architecture for the European and Christian one, could use it designing church buildings. "Islamic architecture has influenced European culture even more than it has American culture, as is evident in Venice on Italy's Adriatic coast" (2). Interosculation of cultures gives the beginning of original architectural styles having features of both Christian and Islamic cultures, so it is not surprising that it can be possible for the architect of one culture to design for another. "In the mid-1920s, developer Glen Curtiss bought land north of Miami and built an entire city of Moorish buildings. Under Curtiss' plan, nearly every building in Opa-locka, Fla., had a dome and minaret. It became known as "the Baghd ad of the South" (2). This example also tells about interaction of two religious cultures in architecture. "The history of Islamic architecture will always be intertwined with the US, Europe and other continents Even during the Crusades Europeans who went to the Holy Land were changed by what they saw in Egypt, Syria and other countries" (2). Throughout the history of the Middle Ages Arabian influence on the European architecture was especially high. During the Crusades Europeans firstly touched to Islamic architecture and culture having apprehended its main features and canons. During the Arabian seizure of Spain Islamic architectural elements became widely spread in Europe in spite of differences between

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 102

Discussion - Assignment Example Critical thinking is very important especially in academics. It develops the creation of ideas, building of principles and formulation of theories. Critical thinking enables students to determine the credibility of hypothesis and experimental results. Critical thinking enables one to collect information, sum them up, select the preferred theories and arguments and be able to justify the conclusion taken. Bifocals are glasses with two different prescriptions ground into each lens, making it possible to focus at two different distances from the wearer. In this case bifocal is the term. The definition serves its main purpose by explaining what the term means. The definition given here is a lexical definition; they tell us what the word ordinarily means. (Parker & Richard, 2014). This is an analytical definition. It explains the features that a thing must have in order for the term being described may fit its description. Seventy percent of all freshmen at State College come from wealthy families; therefore, probably about the same percentage of all students at State College come from wealthy families. The premise is 70 percent of the freshmen at State College come from wealthy families. The Conclusion is most of the students in State College come from wealthy families. This argument is valid, because it guarantees its conclusion

Marketing Research in Theory and Practice Essay

Marketing Research in Theory and Practice - Essay Example Marketing Research in Theory and Practice Before embarking upon discussing the research report on the given topic, it would be appropriate to define some concepts and terms used in the present study. â€Å"Marketing research†, according to the American Marketing Association, â€Å"is the function that links the consumer, customer and the public to the marketer through information-information is used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, evaluate and refine marketing actions; monitor market performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process.† In other words, marketing research refers to the systematic procedure for the collection and analysis of data regarding some specific market product. It enables the manufacturers, industries and companies to have a comprehensive and analytical assessment in respect of the views, preferences, requirements as well as prospects and perils of the consumers, retailers and stakeholders involved in sales and purchase of their product. The data gathered and interpreted during marketing research significantly supports the organizations draw out future plans according to the changing trends a nd scenario of the market. It is considerably helpful in enhancing the organizations’ volume of production and sales. â€Å"Marketing research† Zaidi & Javed opine, â€Å"concentrates on data collection related to market product while interacting with the consumers, gathering information from them and interpreting results about various aspects of a market product.†

Final Exam Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Final Exam Questions - Assignment Example Although mergers and acquisitions are always used in the same breath, the two terms have different implications. Generally, the main difference between mergers and acquisitions is based on how the purchase is articulated and communicated or received by the concerned parties. For example, unlike acquisitions, mergers occur when two companies agree to join and operate as one. In this regard, the merged companies can operate as equals or through laid down agreements. On the other hand, acquisitions involve a company taking over another company and establishing itself as the owner through a purchase. A fundamental characteristic of many acquisitions is that the acquiring company always takes over the management and ownership of the other companies they have acquired and eventually combine their operations. In this regard, the controlling power of one company is transferred from one shareholder group to another. One of the ways through which mergers and acquisitions contribute to business growth and expansion is that they offer quicker methods for companies to grow and reorganize their assets portfolios. They allow companies to acquire assets across many industries. It allows them to establish and penetrate new markets depending on the objectives of the company; acquired assets may be sold or retained (Maksimovic, 2011). ... In an acquisition, the acquiring company establishes sustainable positive results by spreading its risks through many different industries (Ross, 2005). Another important contribution of mergers and acquisitions related to business growth is that they enable companies take advantage of economies of scale. They increase the purchasing power of equipment’s and office supplies saving costs. This is due to increased negotiation power due to increased company size. The new entities, can access new technologies which gives them a competitive edge over their competitors. Expenses related to information and intelligence logistics are also reduced due to a shared infrastructure. This makes the cost of production per unit output to decrease increasing profits (Maksimovic, 2011). Question 4: How can a firm create the conditions for innovation? There are a diverse number of ways through which firms can create enabling conditions for innovation. Innovation is crucial to the growth and sust ainability of modern companies because. Increased innovation leads to more products in the market generating more sales. The top companies in the world are leading in innovations. Creating a culture of innovation is one of the best ways that companies can create favorable conditions for innovation. For example, a culture of risk aversion is one of the critical barriers to innovation. As a result, to ensure continued innovation, firms should move from risk aversion organizational culture to a culture of calculated risk taking. Similarly, firms should also create organizational cultures that promote curiosity and tolerance of mistakes and wish to experiment with new things. This includes giving the employees the freedom to experiment, promotion of open communication as well as

Biometrics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biometrics - Assignment Example However the success of the method is still skeptical where network authentication is considered. Advantages There has been varied and large number of arguments in favor of adopting the biometric authentication for network access. Among them the most accepted argument is the uniqueness of biometric characteristics. This uniqueness of the biometric characteristic helps to make it an ideal candidate authenticating technology. There is no better way to authenticate an individual’s identity than verifying his inherent and unique attributes; at first his fingerprints. The use of fingerprints as system of identification can be traced back to the 1850s; evidence to this belief is the establishment of Scotland Yards Central Fingerprinting Bureau in 1901. Another view that supports the biometrics is that the principle of network security is least disputed. In this system, the individual cannot forget the password or transfer the password to somebody as it is a unique physical attribute. This may be the most driven argument that supports the biometric authentication technique. Again, the next argument in this phase is also regarding the security. It is not possible to duplicate a biometric feature of an individual during the data uploading stage or in the verification stage. In the traditional method of token system, the user ID and the password may be easily replicated, which is not possible at all in the biometric authenticating technology. These unique characteristics cannot be lost or stolen. Disadvantages In the same way, there are several arguments against the introduction of the particular technological advancement—biometric authentication technology. Though the cost for the implementation of the biometric technology is coming down, still it is too expensive. While implementing the system, it is not enough to acquire the hardware and the software, but they are to be linked with the current networking. The cost return ratio is very low in the technolog y even though it helps to reduce the administration overheads. Although many find biometric authentication systems to be very successful, they ignore the fact that the same authentication data can be misused in multiple applications. When the user inputs his biometric authentication data for his identity in a particular application, the same data can be used to authenticate that person in a different application. It is a threat to the person’s security over his properties. For an example, if a user authenticates himself with his biometric characteristics to get access to airlines, an unwanted person can gain access to the user’s bank account, car, etc with the same authentication data, which can be hacked from the network easily. Scientists say that these problems will be outsourced by the invention of further advanced systems. However, how far the technology goes, till there will be its disadvantages too. Besides, as Vaca (2007) points out, in the biometric authentica tion technology, first of all, the person who captures the raw biometric data must be trust worthy person, as they have the option of keeping the raw data with themselves. Ethical Issues The controversy of the technological advancement has put forward so many social and ethical impacts. The biometrical authentication systems raise many ethical issues regarding the concept of privacy. These issues are not the same

American History, Mind and Machine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American History, Mind and Machine - Essay Example In many ways after the divisiveness and devastation of the Civil War, the United States searched for order economically, politically, geographically, socially and racially. Select one of these areas, or suggest another, and make a case for the reasons why it was the most vital area that America needed to address. Some examples include the westward expansion of the nation, the reunification of a national political system in the north and south, the influx of immigrants, conflict with Native Americans, and an increase of racial segregation. It seems that the most vital area that the United States needed to address after the end of the Civil War was the reunification of a national political system since it established the United States as a unified state. While before the outbreak of the Civil War American used plural to speak about the United States (the United States are†¦), after the end of the war it became a norm to use the United States in singular (the United States is†¦). It means that the reunification took place on the highest constitutional level, with issues of secession as well as state veto power properly addressed. Specifically, the political unification meant creation of the central government that took under control all U.S. territory. In some way, the motto by the Founding Fathers â€Å"From many, one† eventually became a reality, but strong national government was â€Å"more powerful than even the most nationalistic Americans had imagined before the war† (â€Å"The Civil War, Results of the Civil War†, 2012, [online]). 1b-Most people have views that are strongly influenced and informed by philosophy, often without realizing it. Identify a view you have—whether on politics, religion, science, culture, or even the media and entertainment—that might be regarded as being related to philosophy. What kind of reasons do you have for holding that belief? What figure from the history of philosophy section do y ou think might have some views that are similar, or at least relevant, to your own? Explain why you chose that particular figure. Aristotle spoke of Socrates as of a philosopher who restricted his quest with ethical enquiries. Therefore, Socrates is generally known as â€Å"the first moral philosopher†. Indeed, according to the account of Xenophon, Socrates persistently discussed human affairs and did not stop asking questions like â€Å"what constitutes the character of a citizen?†, â€Å"what is the just?†, and â€Å"what is the unjust? † (Xenophon quoted in Aristotle, 2001, p. 161). This way of addressing the world – in a moral quest – is quite close to my understanding and my life philosophy. Similarly to Socrates I believe that one should rather concentrate on moral self-development than on amassing material wealth. In other words, developing virtues is seen as the primary objective. This position is quite close to Socrates who is known to have said â€Å"virtue was the most valuable of all possessions; the ideal life was spent in search of the Good† (Socrates quoted in Michael, 2007, p. 16). 2a-During a remarkable period of change from roughly 1865 to the early 20th century, the great cities that we know and love today expanded at an incredibly rapid pace and went through a fundamental transformation in composition and construction. Select one of the ways that the American city was changing and analyze its historical significance (explain why this topic is important to the study of the history of the nation). What short and long term effects did the transformation of American cities have on the nation? The decades after the end of the Civil War were the time of the move from the rural areas to the city. While these were initially migrants from small towns or remote farms that filled the cities, in the 1880s American cities were flooded with immigrants from overseas. Immigration became the major factor of p opulation growth in the cities like Chicago (Monkkonen, 1990, p.95). It ensured a constant supply of

Content and language Essay Example for Free

Content and language Essay In this piece of coursework I will be comparing the front cover of a broadsheet and a tabloid newspaper on the day that labour won the 2001 Election. To do this I will be concentrating on three main attributes, which are design and layout, content and language. First of all I will look at how effective the design and layout of the front cover is. On my chosen tabloid, The Sun, there is of course the bright red Sun logo but even more striking is the headline, Blairs Back. This headline is over double the size of The Sun logo. There is then on the left-hand side of the page a big picture of Tony Blair. Below the big heading is a sub heading which reads, Labour romps in with epic second landslide. Below the sub heading is a small section of text that carries on inside the paper. Overall the design and layout of this front cover is quite effective because the bold headline stands out and really hits you in the face which makes you want to buy the paper to see what the headline means. The sub heading then gives you more information, which shows that the paper is quite informative. The photograph on the front cover ads a bit of colour and life to the paper to show the reader that it isnt a dull paper. There is also a lure at the bottom of the page that says, See pages 2, 3, 4, 5 and 4-page pullout. This shows the potential buyer that there is a lot more information inside the paper about the election that encourages them to buy the paper. Basically, the front cover of The Sun concentrates entirely on the election. On the other hand in my chosen broadsheet, The Times, it is a very different story. The front page of The Times doesnt just concentrate on the election but on many other topics including things like sport. Like The Sun it has a date and price at the top of the page. The main headline reads, Election reward for Prescott. This is referring to the new job John Prescott will get now that Labour has been re-elected. Below that in the centre of the page is a picture of Tony Blair enjoying a day out with his family. Below that is another smaller story about the election. The headline says, Blair forecasts further growth. There is another smaller picture of the Blair family to the left of the headline. Below that is a completely unrelated article about Lord Archer. To the right of this story is an advertisement for Tiffany Co. diamonds. Overall the design and layout of The Times is very effective. The main headline is bold and simple which stands out. The photographs add life and colour to the paper. The amount of text shows the buyer it is a very informative paper that will appeal to a lot of people. The second story and the advertisement shows the buyer that the paper is interested in the election but the final story shows the buyer that it is also interested in the rest of the world. There is also a lure at the bottom of The Times. It reads, The Times Today: page 2. Crossword: p 32. Media: Times 2, p 21-25. TV radio: Times 2, p 27-32. This also encourages the buyer to buy because there are other things inside apart from news. The photographs on both papers are also important. In the Sun it shows a smiling Tony Blair in a shirt and tie. I think that the picture is trying to say that Tony Blair is happy to be back in office and he is going to try his hardest to make a difference. In The Times there are two photographs which show a very similar thing. Both of the photographs show Tony Blair acting very relaxed with his family. The bigger photograph was taken this year just before the election but the smaller one was taken in 1997 before the election. I think the photos are trying to say that Tony Blair is almost taking it too easy and that he thinks he has already won. The headline of a newspaper and the way it is presented is also very important. On the front cover of The Sun the headline is short, snappy, bold, big and close together. The headline reads, Blairs back, which is in block capitals. The headline takes up just over half the page even though it is very short. I think the headline is trying to create the effect that Labour is back, bigger and better than ever. On the front page of The Times it is very different. The main headline on the front page is a lot smaller and less bold than the one in The Sun. It is a lot more spaced out and not as to the point as The Sun. The headline reads, Election reward for Prescott. The headline is in lower case writing but is bolder than the text in the article. I think the headline is trying to create the effect that if Labour win the election people involved get rewards. In other words if you work hard you will get a treat! The arguments and issues presented in the lead story are a very important part of a front page. On the front page of The Sun it is obvious straight away that The Sun is very pro Labour. You dont even need to read the article to know this. At the top of the page there is a badge with the Labour symbol in the middle. In the article though it says, Tony Blair powered back into No10 early today after a SECOND landslide victory. You can see straightaway that The Sun is persuading the public that Labour deserves to be back in office. After reading the article you can also tell that The Sun does not like the Torys. In the article it says, Jubilant Mr Blair crushed Tory dreams of a revival-and put William Hagues job as Opposition leader in peril. This is a very blunt and uncaring comment and it shows The Suns loyalty to Labour. In the article it also gives you all the statistics to show you by how much Labour won, as if they havent already! The ITN exit poll gave Labour 417 seats. The Suns article is also very brief with not much detail in it. The Times article though is very different. It has a very neutral attitude and it is almost being unfair to the Labour party. In the article the writer raises the issue that although John Prescott has been given a new title he has been doing that job all along. Mr Prescott is being switched from his role as Environment Secretary to become Mr Blairs deputy in fact as well as name. The writer then raises the argument that John Prescott wont be with Labour come next election. Even so, some ministers believe it will be surprising if he stays in the Government throughout the new Parliament. The article in this paper is a lot longer and more detailed. The language in the two newspapers is very different. This is because The Sun appeals to the working class person where as The Times appeals to the more professional classes. That is why The Times uses more sophisticated language and The Sun is very blunt and to the point.

ROLE OF INTERNAL AUDITORS IN RISK MANAGEMENT Essay Example for Free

ROLE OF INTERNAL AUDITORS IN RISK MANAGEMENT Essay Effectiveness of Internal Auditing of institutions and bodies formed under Acts of Parliament has been less studied and reported in the literature. The study is focused in examining the relationship between the employees’ attitude and perception and the internal Audit’s effectiveness in delivering on their roles in a rapidly evolving environment and public’s awareness of their roles. The main aim of this research study is to better understand  and measure the effect of employee’s attitude and perception on the effectiveness of internal audit in public institutions, with National Social Security Fund as a case study. A survey of sampled 425 employees will be undertaken and the results of the quantitative and qualitative survey findings will be reported. The research is designed to be conducted using both quantitative and qualitative approaches by use of literature review, survey, and case study. Data will be collected from the chosen sample through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews as well as review of available documents and records targeting members of the Internal Audit. Data will be analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 11.0 tool, which is a computer based automated statistical tool and conclusions drawn; from the findings of the study, recommendations will be made which will help institutions to determine paradigm shift in attitude and perceptions by employees necessary to keep the internal audit as an effective critical function relevant in the future for robust public sector financial management and governance to assist organizations achieve their goals. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.0 Background to the Study. Traditionally, internal auditing in the public sector served as a simple administrative procedure to ensure compliance and it comprised mainly of checking for accuracy of transactions, pre-payment verification and control, counting assets and reporting on past events to various levels of management. However, combinations of factors in the social-political and economic discourse globally have led to greater citizen awareness and participation in the public sector governance. As a result, public institutions are moving towards higher levels of transparency, efficiency, accountability and integrity in the use of public resources. Consequently, the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA, 1999a) redefined internal auditing as: †¦. an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by  bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. This definition signifies that internal audit has undergone a paradigm shift from an emphasis on accountability about the past to improving future outcomes to help auditees operate more effectively and efficiently (Nagy and Cenker, 2002; Stern, 1994; Goodwin, 2004). Since, the definition equally serves both the private and the public sectors (Goodwin, 2004), it is used in this study as a basis to analyze public sector internal audit effectiveness. Internal audit is effective if it meets the intended outcome it is supposed to bring about. Sawyer (1995) states, â€Å"†¦ internal auditors job is not done until defects are corrected and remain corrected.† Van Gansberghe (2005) explains that internal audit effectiveness in the public sector should be evaluated by the extent to which it contributes to the demonstration of effective and efficient service delivery, as this drives the demand for improved internal audit services. Traditionally, ineffectiveness of internal audit has been as a result of understaffing, unqualified and nonprofessional staff and underfunding. Despite invigorated internal audit function with sufficient well trained, qualified and professional staff topped up with adequate funding in the public sector institutions such as National Social Security Fund (NSSF), and being charged with responsibilities of advising management on issues of policy and compliance, accountability, financial reporting, safeguarding of assets, risk management, prevention of fraud and on economic and efficient use of resources (PFA, 2003): there are continued incidences of budget deficits, unpaid utilities, unremitted pensions, unproductive investments, irregular payments, unaccounted for funds, loss of pension cash, non compliance with policies and procedures and general mismanagement of funds. A report by the Auditor General tabled in Parliament in June, 2013 indicated savers could have lost billions of shill ings in dubious transactions and shady land deals (SNP, June 6, 2013). There is urgent need to identify critical success factors to enable the internal audit to perform effectively the roles for which it is intended in the public sector financial management and governance. 1.1Statement of the Problem Public sector institutions have functional well funded internal audit departments with well qualified and professional staff whose role is to provide the management with re-assurance that internal controls systems are adequate and that they are complied with, that risk exposures are identified and addressed, and that fraud is quickly identified and inherently deterred. However, internal auditors have continued to be ineffective as envisaged by continued incidences of fraud and corruption, abuse of authority and outright financial mismanagement of massive scale due to perception and attitude issues towards their work. This precipitates the increased risk of financial failure of the institutions, poor and compromised service delivery, public agitation and political disaffection towards the government of the day. Little has been researched on the effect of employee’s perception and attitude on the effectiveness of internal auditors. This study therefore is meant to bridge that ga p by finding out to what extent the employee’s perception and attitude is attributed to ineffectiveness of the internal auditors thus affecting the delivery of assurance services `central to organization achieving its objectives. 1.2Purpose of the Research To determine paradigm shift in employee’s perception and attitude necessary to keep the internal audit as an effective and critical function relevant in the future for robust public sector financial management and governance. 1.3Objectives of the Research The research will be guided by the following objectives: 1. To determine the effect of perception and attitudes on the effectiveness of internal audit in the public sector financial management and governance. 2. To identify value addition services required to enhance relevance and effectiveness of the internal audit function in the public sector. 3. To identify the measures that would enhance or maintain better perception and more positive attitude by employees towards internal auditors. 1.4Research Questions The research questions of this study shall be: 1. How does employee’s perception and attitudes towards internal auditors affect internal audit effectiveness in the public sector financial management and governance? 2. Which value addition services are required to enhance relevance and effectiveness of the internal auditors and in effect ensuring they are perceived well? 3. What steps can be taken to ensure the employees continually maintain a positive perception towards the internal auditors so as to achieve organizational goals? 1.5Significance of the Study This study seeks to generate useful insights on how managing employee’s attitude and perception affects internal auditor’s effectiveness which then can be used by the government and public institutions. This promotes effectiveness in the role of internal audit functions in the public sector financial management and governance by addressing the employee’s attitude and perception. It can also be used by researchers for further research as this is a new area to be studied. 1.6 Basic assumptions of the study It is assumed that the respondents would be co-operative and provide accurate information when responding to the research questions. It is also assumed that the sample size to be chosen will be adequate to enable the researcher draw valid conclusions about the population. 1.7Limitations of the study Time constraint is a limiting factor because the study has to be concluded within a short time. Availability of funds is also a limiting factor to the study since the researcher is self sponsored. There is also no assurance that the respondents would return all the questionnaires duly completed, neither is there a guarantee that the subjects would respond to all the questions put forward to them comprehensively. The answers of some respondents may not be representative of the whole population. The condition of the subjects may affect their responses as emotions may be involved thus affecting their accuracy in responding. 1.8Delimitation of the study The study shall be restricted to three Branches of National Social Security Fund, within Rift Valley region. The study shall focus on how effectiveness of internal audit functions in public sector financial management and governance are affected by employee’s perceptions and attitudes. Public sector may be defined to include the Central Government, the courts, the National Assembly, the Senate, Constitutional Commissions, County Governments and institutions and bodies formed under an Act of Parliament. For precision and focus, the purpose of this study shall be restricted to public sector institutions formed under an Act of Parliament and case study is NSSF. Literatures on other independent variables are not to be studied as this research is to be narrowed down to employee’s perceptions and attitudes only. Due to time constraints and the budget, population to be studied is only narrowed down to NSSF staff which is convenient to the researcher within the province. On the methodology to be used, Telephone interviews wouldn’t be applied as it is unreliable, the employees may not cooperate, and is expensive than a candid face to face interview where all staff may be met in the same place as per their convenience. 1.9Organization of the study Chapter one provides a background on internal audit effectiveness, statement of the problem, purpose and objectives of the research, research questions that the study looks forward to answering, significance of the study, basic assumptions of the study, limitations to the study and delimitations of the study. Chapter Two outlines the various schools of thought on what constitutes internal audit effectiveness and factors affecting it, as expounded in various literatures available. Chapter three outlines the research design and methodology used for purposes of completing the study. It also describes in details research design, target population, sample, sampling procedure and data collection instruments. Chapter four will contain data analysis, presentation and interpretation while chapter five shall provide a summary of findings, discussion, conclusions and recommendations. This is followed by references and appendices sections. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction This chapter is will cover critical review of literature by other scholars and writers in relation to and the implication of employee perception and attitude on internal audit function and its effectiveness in the public sector financial management and governance. 2.1 Internal Audit Function Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organizations operations (IIA, 2002). It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes (Collier, etal, 1991). With this description forming a foundation, the essential characteristics of an effective internal audit function can be framed. According to Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA, (1999), internal audit is an important part of the corporate governance structure within an organization. Corporate governance includes those oversight activities undertaken by the board of directors and audit committee to ensure the integrity of the financial reporting process. Three monitoring mechanisms have been identified in the corporate governance literature. They are external auditing, internal auditing and directorships (Anderson et al, 1997; William, 2000) as well as the audit Committee (IIA, 2003). 2.2Internal Audit Evaluation Evaluating the internal audit function is to examine how well it can detect errors within an organization as well as fraud that have received greater emphasis (Rittenberg Anderson, 2006). The internal audit function is an important function that has been shown to add value and reduce detected errors by external auditors (Godwin, 2003; Carcello, 2005). Farber (2005), observed that the objective of internal audit function is to improve on the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance. Nestor (2004)  observed that internal audit function is taken to be an important governance tool to protect corporations from internal criminal behavior. Further, the professional literature suggests that internal audit is a vital tool in fraud detection when assets are misappropriated by employees or outsiders (Carcello et al, 2005b; Rittenberg and Anderson, 2006). As a result of the increase in accounting scandals in recent years, the internal audit function has received impressive atte ntion as an important contributor to effective public sector financial management and governance. Furthermore, the issue of effectiveness of internal audit is indispensable because it will create improvement in the government ministries (Unegbu Kida, 2011). In line with this, consideration over the measurement of the effectiveness of internal audit function keep receiving significant challenges, consisting the finding of the best and relevant method for measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of internal audit (Bota Palfi, 2009; IIA, 2010; Spertus et al, 2010). In this vein, measurement of internal audit effectiveness should be considered because it has a role to play in achieving public sector objectives. Therefore, Arena and Azzone (2010), Chaveerug (2011) and Mihret et al, (2010) emphasize the need for future studies to examine the factors that influence internal audit effectiveness and the possible interactions among them. Equally, it is interesting to focus on the model that will lead to the strength of internal audit effectiveness (Aguolu, 2009). Consequently, many stu dies that have been conducted on internal audit effectiveness give more concern to private sector and the central government and its various ministries and departments. Internal Auditing of institutions and bodies formed under Acts of Parliament has been less studied and reported in the literature. 2.3Internal audit effectiveness: The word â€Å"effectiveness† have been defined by different researchers, for instance Arena and Azzone (2009) defined effectiveness â€Å"as the capacity to obtain results that are consistent with targets objective,† while, Dittenhofer (2001) view effectiveness as the ability toward the achievement of the objectives and goals. In the same context, a program can be seen as effective if its outcome goes along with its objectives (Ahmad et al, 2009; Mihret et al, 2010). In this situation, internal audit effectiveness means  the ability of the internal auditor to achieve the established objective within the public sector institution. This goes along that the objectives of an internal audit for every organization depend on the goals set out by the management of the organization (Pungas, 2003) as such, the objective of internal audit in public sector institutions should also go a long with the set up goals by the management of the particular institutions and Acts of Parliament that established them. With regard to that, the internal audit should be able to achieve the established objective in order improve the performance of the organization. Consequently, to determine whether the internal auditing function is operating effectively or not, some things have to be considered which include; identification of the basic objective of internal auditing; define the goals to be accomplished by the internal auditing and establish measures that will assist toward the achievement of those goals (Aguolu, 2009; Dittenhofer, 2001) while Cassandra et at (2008) argued that in order to achieve internal audit objective, three basic c onditions must be satisfied i.e. independence; organizational status; and objectivity, also (Feizizadeh, 2012) consideration was that, for an internal audit function to achieve high levels of effectiveness these four items must be consider; goes along with stakeholder needs; achieves best to his abilities; complies with relevant professional standards and; performance measures. Thus, Beckmerhagen et al (2004) also argued that the audit effectiveness should not be measured based on achievement of the audit objectives or on the number of findings of the internal auditor alone, but also more important is to determine the quality and suitability of the audit plan, execution and follow-up. Similarly, Shareholders have the power to remove any internal auditor that is ineffective (Dhamankar Khandewale, 2003). This should also be the case in public sector, where internal auditors that are not effective despite the provision of all necessary measures that might have improved their effectiveness, should be removed by the stakeholders. Generally, researchers have also indicated some of the reasons behind the ineffectiveness of internal audit to include; ineffective management controls, non clear definition of objectives by some organizations and inadequate support from top management (Ahmad et al, 2009; Dittenhofer 2001; Unegbu Kida, 2011). Therefore, in line with their findings, the implications of an ineffective internal audit in a public sector management can lead to; the possibility of the emergence of fraud; low or non compliance with internal policies and procedures; ineffective financial decision for successful operation (Unegbu Kida, 2011). Hence, the effective internal audits carry out an independent evaluation of the financial and operating information and systems and procedures with a view to provide good recommendations for improvements (Mihret Yismaw, 2007; New Delhi, 2006). That is why proper internal organization is also essential factor that lead to the achievement of internal audit effectiveness. Similarly, internal audit effectiveness can also be enhanced by ensuring consistency in the documentation of audit work, quality of reporting and proper implementation of their recommendation (Mihret Yismaw, 2007). Therefore, having such effective internal audit within organization, will automatically helps to achieve performance and profitability and prevent in loss of revenues particularly in public sectors (Vijayakumar Nagaraja, 2012), even though Pilcher Gilchrist and Singh (2011) observed that efficiency and effectiveness of audit in a public sectors context is more complex than in the private sectors. Several studies have been conducted on the internal audit effectiveness. For example the study carried out by Ahmad et al (2009) on the effectiveness of internal audit in Malaysian public sector, using simple percentage for data analysis found the lack of audit staff is ranked as the major problem faced by internal auditors in conducting an effective internal auditing. The study concluded by suggesting that future studies should adopt other methods such as field survey of wider groups of internal auditors both in public and the private sectors. Likewise, Theofanis, et al (2011) examine the relationship between element of internal control system and internal audit effectiveness and the result of the study reveal positive relationship between the two relationships. Even though the studies used only 52 Hotels in Greek as a sample and mail survey for data collection, but at conclusion they suggest that if future studies should carried out research on internal audit effectiveness with large sample, the result will be better than their own. Also Feizizadeh (2012) carried out study on strengthening internal audit  effectiveness and found that most of the companies measure and quantify the performance effectiveness of their business activities. Therefore, looking at the above studies, they consider the effectiveness of internal audit at company’s level, hotels and banks ignoring such effectiveness at local level. In this vein, this study extends the previous study through examining such effectiveness at public sector institutions and mainly on the employee perception and attitude which many did not cover. 3.4 Conceptual Framework Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of factors influencing Internal Audit CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.0Introduction This chapter will focus on the methodologies used for the study which will include: research design, study area, identification of the target population, sample selection method and size, data collection techniques, data analysis methods and the anticipated constraints. 3.1 Research design The study will adopt a cross sectional survey design where both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis will be used. The respondents will be selected from different departments within the branch; this includes; managers, Internal Audit, Human Resource, Information technology staff, Finance and Accounts staff of NSSF. 3.2Scope of the study The study will be carried out at NSSF Branches at Nandi Hills, Kericho and Sotik in Rift Valley Region. All information and respondents targeted to participate in the study are expected to be easily accessible in the offices situated in these places. Other variables will not be considered in this study. It is limited to the attitude and employees’ perception 3.3Population The public sector in Kenya constitutes the central government and the allied ministries and departments, the county governments and the related departments, the courts, constitutional commissions and institutions and bodies formed through Acts of Parliament. It is the single largest employer of internal auditors, but the target population for this study within the NSSF will include and be stratified as: Branch Managers, Accountants, and other staff, totaling 425 possible respondents. 3.4Sample Selection and Size A purposive sample is used. Accordingly a survey type of research will be adopted in which a sample from the target population will be used for the study. The total staff population in NSSF is 1455. To arrive at the sample size for the purpose of this research study, a sample size calculator is used. By putting the confidence level at 95% and a confidence interval of 4, the sample size needed to be selected is from the 1455 employees will be 425 which represent 29.2% of the sample target population. This represents an average of a third of the total number of members of staff and will be representative enough for this research. It is distributed as shown in the table below: Composition of staff with NSSF Kenya for the purpose of the research working. Category Target Population Target Sample Percentage of target population Managers

Nebulized L-epinephrine in Post -Bronchoscopy Croup

Nebulized L-epinephrine in Post -Bronchoscopy Croup Safety and Efficacy of Nebulized L-epinephrine in Post -Bronchoscopy Croup in Children, Anesthesia Consideration Dr Asma Aref Idamat, Pharmacist Dr Hussein Khraysha, Senior Specialist Anesthetist Dr Najeh Alomari, Consultant Pediatric Surgeon Amman-Jordan ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of bronchodilator effect of nebulized epinephrine post bronchoscopy in children and to compare the effectiveness and side effects of nebulized L-epinephrine (NLE) 1/1000 at a dose of 0.1 mL/kg versus 0.5 mL/kg in the treatment of post-bronchoscopy croup and upper airway obstruction . MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between April1998 and April 2002, 120 children, who developed signs and symptoms of upper airway obstruction (UAO) after bronchoscopy, were randomized to receive either 0.1 mL/kg or 0.5 mL/kg of nebulized L-epinephrine (NLE). Age group ranged from 4months to 14 years, mean of 4.6 years, male /female ratio 4:1. UAO scores, vital signs (VS) ,oxygen saturation (O2 Sat)and side effects if present were recorded before ,at 15 minutes , 35 minutes and 45 minutes after the treatment. The treatment was accomplished in the recovery room under the care of the anesthetist and pediatric surgeon. All patients were reviewed carefully prior to discharge from recovery room. RESULTS: Sixty children were allocated to the 0.1mL/kg (NLE) and sixty children to the 0.5 mL/kg (NLE).. The (NLE) was mixed with 2ml of normal saline. Both groups showed improvements in UAO scores and Oxygen saturation over time. There were no significant differences in UAO scores and VS between the groups at all time points. There were no side effects of epinephrine during the observation. CONCLUSION: The administration of nebulized L-epinephrine is safe and effective in reliving croup and upper airway obstruction (UAO) post-bronchoscopy in children. NLE at the dose of 0.1 mL/kg results in similar improvements in the UAO scores, compared with the dose of 0.5 mL/kg. No complications were seen in either dose and we recommend the routine use of 0.1ml/kg (NLE) post –bronchoscopy in children. Key words: Bronchoscopy, Bronchodilators, L-adrenaline, croup, children Introduction Croup or subglottic edema post bronchoscopy and post intubation is a well known entity. Children are more vulnerable to develop croup after such procedures than adults due to well known differences in the anatomy of upper airway and tracheo-bronchial tree with narrower laryngeal and tracheal lumens with the result of obstruction more readily by to mucosal edema due to different causes, like viral and bacterial infections as well as allergic manifestations. The narrowest part of upper airway is that at the level of cricoid cartilage which makes the internal tracheal injury by endo tracheal tube or bronchoscope sheath more prone at the narrow subglottic area even after easily passage through the vocal cords. Bronchoscopic removal of aspirated foreign bodies in children is a common procedure in Jordan and many other countries worldwide. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia using rigid bronchoscopic device through which the ventilation is maintained. Foreign bodies are usu ally successfully removed using forceps, wash out with saline and suction tube. In many cases repeated bronchoscopic intubation may be necessary to assure complete removal of foreign bodies with the result of significant irritation and edema to the tracheo-bronchial tree with the sequel of croup, wheezy chest and features of upper airway obstruction (UAO) which may lead to significant morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. The incidence of post intubation croup in children was reported to be between 1 to 6 % (1,2). The medical treatment of postintubation croup is the same as that for infectious croup, including corticosteroids and nebulized epinephrine. The vasoconstrictive effect of epinephrine decreases the degree of subglottic edema, resulting in clinical improvement. Traditionally recemic epinephrine has been used as a non-selective adrenergic agonist of choice in children due to its supposedly fewer side effects than the more active and more readily available natural laevorot atory form of epinephrine. However, there seems to be no pharmacological basis for this belief (3-5) and subsequent trials have shown the L-epinephrine which we use for resuscitation, to be safe and effective in both infectious and postintubation croup(6,7). In addition, L-epinephrine is readily available in all countries while racemic epinephrine is not. Even in countries where both forms are available the racemic form is much more expensive(8 ).It was noted that the doses of L-epinephrine used in those trials were 2.5 and 5 mL of 1:1000 solution for all recruited children, regardless of weight. As a result, the dose of L-epinephrine in the treatment of croup has been suggested to be 0.5 mL/kg, with a maximum dose of 2.5 mL and 5 mL for children younger and older than 4 years, respectively (9). So far there have been very few reports that have studied the efficacy L- epinephrine in the management of post bronchoscpy croup and (UAO) in children. This study was designed for tow purpo ses of: (a) ascertaining the effectiveness of L-epinephrine in the management of croup and weezy chest post bronchoscpy in children or not; and (b) comparing the efficacy of a nebulized L-epinephrine at the dose of 0.1ml/kg versus 0.5ml/kg for the treatment of the above conditions and finally to recommend the routine use of L-epinephrine at the dose of 0.1ml/kg as protocole for the management croup and (UAO) post bronchoscopy in Children Material and Methods Between April1998 and April 2002, 120 children, who developed signs and symptoms of upper airway obstruction (UAO) after bronchoscopy such as severe irritative cough, wheezy chest, stridor and hoarseness of voice were randomized to receive either 0.1 mL/kg or 0.5 mL/kg of nebulized L-epinephrine (NLE) with maximum of 2mL for patients below 5 years of age and 4mL for patients above 5 years of age. Two mL of normal saline were added to the dose of L-epinephrine. Age group ranged from 4months to 14 years, mean of 4.6 years, male /female ratio 4:1. We used L-epinephrine because racemic epinephrine in not available in our hospital and it is expensive. The treatment was accomplished in the recovery room under the care of the anesthetist and pediatric surgeon using facemask with 100% oxygen at 6 liters/minute. The main parameter that evaluated was the change of the (UAO) scores (Table 1) and the other parameters that evaluated were changes in the respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation observed by pulse oxymeter. All parameters were evaluated at 15 minutes, 35 minutes and 45 minutes after the treatment, side effects of nebulized epinephrine, if present such as tremor, arrhythmia, and pallor were recorded at the same time. The management was repeated after 2 hours whenever clinically indicated if the results were not satisfactory. All patients were reviewed carefully prior to discharge from recovery room. RESULTS One hundred and twenty children post bronchoscopy for foreign body aspiration (FBA) were enrolled in this study. Sixty children were allocated to the 0.1mg/kg (NLE) and sixty children to the 0.5 mL/kg (NLE). The (NLE) was mixed with 2ml of normal saline. Both groups had the same baseline characteristics (Table 2) and both groups had initially moderate upper airway obstruction. Both groups showed clinically significant improvements and reduction in UAO scores and Oxygen saturation at 15, 35 and 45 minutes(Table 3) compared to that prior to (NLE) at time 0. There were no significant differences in UAO scores and VS between the groups at all time points and none required immediate intubation or re-bronchoscopy. Side effects of epinephrine including pallor, arrhythmia and tremor were not observed. Table 1: Upper airway obstruction score (15)** Score 0 1 2 Cough Stridor Retraction Inspiratory breath sounds Cyanosis* None None None Normal None Hoarse cry Inspiratory Suprasternal Harsh with rhonchi In room air Bark Inspiratory +expiratory Suprasternal+ substernal +intercostal Delayed In 40% oxygen *Cyanosis was modified and defined as oxygen saturation ** Downes JJ, Raphaely RC. Pediatric intensive care. Anesthesiology 1975; 43: 238-50. Table 2: Patient characteristics of our study groups 0.1mL/kg 0.5mL/kg Number of patients 60 60 Mean age (years) 3.4 5.8 Gender (M/F ratio) 4:1 4:1 UAO score immediately after bronchoscopy ( Mild ( Moderate 4-7) n, % (Severe > 7) n, % 12 (20%) 42 (70%) 6 (10%) 15 (25%) 38 (63.33%) 7 (11.66%) Table 3: The outcome variables in our study groups Time Time 0 15 Minutes 35 Minutes Nebulized L-epinephrine / Dose Number of patients 0.1mL/kg 0.5mL/kg 60 60 0.1mL/kg 0.5mL/kg 60 60 0.1mL/kg 0.5mL/kg 60 60 Upper airway obstruction score (Mean) 5 (1-8) 5 (1-7) 3 (1-6) 2 (0-5) 2 (0-5) 1.4 (0-5) Respiratory rate/minute (Mean) 28 30 32 33 29 28 Heart rate /minute (Mean) 126 128 130 128 125 123 Systolic blood pressure :mmHg (Mean) 95 100 102 106 97 103 Diastolic blood pressure: mmHg (Mean) 55 61 58 63 56 62 Oxygen saturation % (Mean) 93 94 96 97 98 98 Discussion Post bronchoscopy croup and respiratory distress is know entity in pediatric age group, especially when there is a need for repeated bronchoscopic trials for retrieval of long standing foreign bodies. In such conditions, severe inflammatory process of tracheo-bronchial tree is almost present from certain foreign bodies like peanut and other seeds that elaborate severe irritative substances leading to infection and granulation of bronchial tree that aggravate the respiratory distress, bronchospasm and croup post bronchoscopy. The main aim of the clinician in such conditions is to provide relief of respiratory distress by decreasing upper airway irritation and improving air entry. The present study has attempted to verify the safety and efficacy of bronchodilator effect of (NLE) and to prove that a dose of 0.1mL/kg is at least as effective as the dose of 0.5mL/kg in the treatment of croup and (UAO) post bronchoscopy in children. Many studies have tested the value of racemic epinephrine compared to placebo (10) and to nebulized salbutamol (11-13) and the results showed superior value of racemic epinephrine in the treatment of bronchiolitis. It seems no pharmacological basis for the belief that racemic epinephrine is safer than L-epinephrine (3-5) and racemic epinephrine is not available in Jordan and is thus difficult to obtain and expensive, making L-epinephrine a more viable option. Sumboonnanonda (14) used (NLE) at the dose 0.05mL/kg (maximum 0.5mL) in the treatment of infectious croup. They found a clinically significant improvement in (UAO) scores at 24 and 48 hours after admission, even in the placebo group without dexamethasone treatment .The present study found similar results at average 30 minutes in children with post-bronchoscopy croup and wheezy chest. The maximum dose of (NLE) in this study was 2mL for patients less than 5 years of age and 4mL for patients more than 5 years. In our study we confirmed the safety and efficacy of (NLE) in the treatment o f post intubation croup (6) and infectious croup (7), when Nutman (6) used 0.25mL of 1% L-epinephrine (2.5mg) regardless the weight, for children post-intubation croup and found significant reduction of stridor score within 20 minutes, the same we observed in our study which continued at least over the next 4 hours post –bronchoscopy. Waisman (7) used 5mL of 1/1000 L-epinephrine (5mg), regardless the weight, in children with infectious croup when he found a significant reduction of croup score, reaching its maximum at 30 minutes. The majority of our patients required one section of (NLE) to achieve these results and in very few of them who had long standing foreign bodies and repeated trials of bronchoscopy and bronchial wash out, another session of (NLE) required over 24 hours on 6 hourly interval. The present results suggest that nebulized L-epinephrine, at a minimal dose of 0.1 mL/kg, is at least as effective as the dose of 0.5 mL/kg in the treatment of post-bronchoscopy c roup. Both doses temporarily alleviated airway obstruction without undesirable side effects. The dose of 0.1 mL/kg is much less expensive. We would suggest that the dose of 0.1 mL/kg is also efficacious in the treatment of children with post-bronchoscopy croup. This dose may be adequate to diminish mucosal edema of the upper airway by stimulating alpha-adrenergic receptors and producing vasoconstriction (4). In conclusion, the presented data suggest that administration (NLE), at the dose of 0.1 mL/kg is safe and effective and results in a similar reduction in upper airway obstruction scores, compared with the dose of 0.5 mL/kg, in children with post-bronchoscopy croup. Neither dose was associated with any adverse side effects and we recommend the routine use of 0.1mL/kg (NLE) post –bronchoscopy in children. Taking in consideration the comparable efficacy of both doses, the use of a small dose in clinical practice would save the medication expense and, theoretically, have a lower risk of developing side effects that are mostly dose dependent. Future studies should consider the use of (NLE) at the dose of 0.1 mL/kg in children with post bronchoscopy croup, which has a pathophysiology resembling infectious croup. Further studies examining the optimal dose and frequency of (NLE) in children with croup due to different pathologies including post-bronchoscopy croup seem warranted. Acknowledgment to DR Mohamad Al-Sukar, Chair of Anesthesia Department –Royal Medical Services,Dr Kassem Khamaeseh,MD, Anesthesia Intensive care for their support and review of this manuscript. References 1. Borland LM, Colligan J, Brandom B.W. J Clin Anesthesia Koba BV, Jeon IS, Andre JM, MacKay I, Smith RM. Postintubation croup in children. Anesth Analg 1977; 56:501-5 Holbrook PR, Issues in airway management -1988. Critical Care Clin 1988;4:789-802 Remington S, Meakin G. Nebulized adrenaline 1/1000 in the treatment of croup. Anesthesia 1986;41:923-946 Tabachilk E, Livensopn H. Clinical application of aerosols in pediatrics. Am Rev Respir Dis 1988;122:97-103 Waisman Y, Klein BL, Boeinning DA, Young GM, Chamberlain JM, O’Donnell R, et al . Prospective randomized double-blind study comparing L-epinephrine and racemic epinephrine aerosol in the treatment of laryngotracheitis (croup). Pediatrics 1992;89:302-6 Nutman J, Brooks LJ, Deakin KM, Baldesare KK, Witte MK, Reed MD. Racemic versus L-epinephrine aerosol in the treatment of postextubation laryngeal edema : Results from a prospective ,randomized double-blind study .Crit Care Med 1994;22:1591-4 Menon K, Sutcliffe T, Klassen TP. A randomized trial comparing the efficacy of epinephrine with salbutamol in the treatment of acute bronchiolitis. J Pediatr 1995;126:1004-1007 Siberry GK, Lannone R. The Harriet Lane Handbook 15th Edition .St Louis : Mosby-Year book,2000:705-6 Kristjansson S, Lodrup KC, Wennegren G, Strannegard I-L, Carlsen KH. Nebulized racemic adrenaline in the treatment of acute bronchiolitis in infants and toddlers. Arch Dis Child 1993;69:650-54 Wennegren G, Holmgren D, Engstrom I, Sten G, Bjure J. Using transcutaneous blood gases to evaluate treatment effects on acute asthma in young children. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1988;48(supp 189:41-44 Sanchez I, Dekoster J, Powell RE, Walstein R, Chernik V, Effect of racemic epinephrine and salbutamol on clinical score and pulmonary mechanics in infant with bronchiolitis . J Pediatr 1993;122:145-151 Reijonen T, Korpi M, Pitkakangas S, Tehhola S, Kyllikki R. The clinical efficacy of nebulized racemic epinephrine and albuterol in acute bronchiolitis. Arch Pediatr Adolosc Med 1995;149:686-692 Sumboonnanonda A, Suwanjutha S, Sirinavin S. Randomized controlled trial of dexamethasone in infectious croup. J Med Assoc Thai 1997;80:262-5 Downes JJ, Raphaely RC. Pediatric intensive care. Anesthesiology 1975; 43: 238-50.

Robert Penn Warren: Distinguished American Writer and Poet :: Biography Biographies Essays

Robert Penn Warren: Distinguished American Writer and Poet Robert Penn Warren, born in Guthrie, Kentucky in 1905, was one of the twentieth century's most eminent American writers. He was a distinguished novelist and poet, literary critic, essayist, short story writer, and coeditor of numerous textbooks. He was also a founding editor of The Southern Review, a journal of literary criticism and political thought. The primary influences on Robert Warren's career as a poet were probably his Kentucky boyhood, and his relationships with his father and his maternal grandfather. As a boy, Warren spent many hours on his grandfather's farm, absorbing stories of the Civil War and the local tobacco wars between growers and wholesalers, the subject of his first novel, Night Riders. His grandfather, Thomas Gabriel Penn, had been a calvary officer in the Civil War and was well-read in both military history and poetry, which he sometimes recited for Robert. Robert's father was a banker who had once had aspirations to become a lawyer and a poet. Because of economic troubles, and his responsibility for a family of half-brothers and sisters when his father died, Robert Franklin Warren forsook his literary ambitions and devoted himself to more lucrative businesses. Robert Warren did not always have ambitions to become a writer, in fact, one of his earlier dreams was to become an adventurer on the high seas. This fantasy might have indeed come about, for his father intended to get him an appointment to Annapolis, had it not been for a childhood accident in which he lost sight in one of his eyes. Warren was an outstanding student but there were also many books at home, and he savored reading. His father at one time aspired to be a poet. His grandfather Penn, with whom he spent much time when he was young, was an exceptional storyteller and greatly influenced young Red. But both of these men whom he loved had in some sense failed to achieve. By contrast, Warren was determined to achieve, to be successful. During his college years at Vanderbilt, the sense of being physically maimed, as well as the fear sympathetic blindness in his remaining good eye became almost unbearable. At Vanderbilt University he met Allen Tate, John Crowe Ransom, Donald Davidson, and others interested in poetry. As part of The Fugitives, a private group that met off campus, he delved deeply into poetry, and his first poems were published in their short-lived quarterly. Warren had a remarkable capacity for friendship, and he was in touch with these men all of their lives. For years Tate was "first critic" of his poetry.

My Philosophy :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Teachers Essays

My Philosophy Why do children turn out the way that they do? Do the decisions we make as teachers have a big impact on our students? Consideration needs to be given to these issues as we enter classrooms. The children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore, all children need a structured education to help them learn their responsibilities in life. Children need to stay active in the classroom and be aware of the importance of their education. Students of the elementary age have various characteristics. They have curiosity flowing and their minds are active. Children want to understand what is happening around them. Students have a wide imagination, which allows them to be creative and unique. Children respect their teachers and imitate their actions because they look up to their teachers as role models. Students are dependent, therefore needing attention and assistance. The nature of knowledge is relative. Each individual learns differently. Teachers need to use different strategies for everyone to learn the same area of curriculum. Everyone has a distinct personality that allows him or her to learn differently. Some areas come easier to individuals than other areas. Each person’s ability to learn something is dependent upon his or her environment around them. For example, if someone isn’t provided with the proper tools for the area of study, they will not be able to learn it. The use of different techniques will allow each individual to use their constructive intelligence. The purpose of education is to help individuals to learn about their world, morals, and the values of their country that will help guide them through their society. Education is a very important aspect in today’s world. Education allows each individual to succeed in life and to inspire knowledge that will be passed on to younger generations. As a teacher, I hope to provide the best education possible for my students. I plan to inspire each individual in a way that will help them in life.

Urban Legend of The Boo Hag Essay -- Urban Legends

The Boo Hag Background Urban legends survive through time by having three elements: â€Å"a strong basic story-appeal, a foundation in actual belief, and a meaningful message or ‘moral’† (Brunvand 10). These characteristics are not only inherent in the content of the story, but also in the performance of the story to an audience. Like an actor on stage, storytellers have the responsibility of keeping a story entertaining, yet believable, through their gestures and attitude while telling the story. One particularly interesting legend involving magic and witchcraft, which was performed to me by an old friend from high school, is entitled â€Å"The Boo Hag.† The storyteller was an eighteen-year old male attending the University. Currently a sophomore, he was raised as a Catholic in Maryland. Upon visiting me a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night, we relaxed over some calzones in my dorm as we began to watch television and listen to music. Flipping through the channels, we came across the Sci-Fi network, sparking a sudden interest in both of us to talk about scary stories. We began to discuss the local urban legends, myths, and horror stories that we knew, and he began to tell a story that he heard from a friend down in South Carolina during his freshman year. It went like this. Story So†¦There was this man named Phil who lived in South Carolina. He was a nice, simple man who worked hard as a farmer. Though he was doing well for himself, he felt lonely. You see, he had been divorced two times already, and he really wanted some companionship in his life. He decided to travel into the town square. It was there that he saw one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Desperate to meet someone, he approach... ...rall appeal as an entertaining and engrossing story, and the morals that it conveys, all of which can be related to our society, that it has the potential to remain a folk tale in our culture for many years to come. Works Cited Brunvand, Jan Harold. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings. New York: W. W. Norton, 1981. Dominey, Craig. The Boo-Hag: Gullah. The Moonlit Road. 5 April 2008 http://www.themoonlitroad.com/archives/boohag/boohag_cbg002.html. Dominey, Craig. The Boo-Hag Origin. The Moonlit Road. 5 April 2008 http://www.themoonlitroad.com/archives/boohag/boohag_cbg001.html. McKissack, Patricia C and Onawumi Jean Moss. Precious and the Boo Hag. Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books, 2005. Schlosser, S.E. Boo Hag. American Folklore. 5 April 2008 http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/tx7.html.

Dr. Faustus as a Tragic Hero.

Dr. Faustus the protagonist of Christopher Marlowe's great tragedy can be considered as a tragic hero similar to the other tragic characters such as Oedipus or Hamlet. Dr. Faustus who sells his soul to Lucifer in exchange of twenty four years of knowledge ought to have some special features in order to be considered as a tragic hero. But first of all let me present Aristotle's definition of a â€Å"Tragic hero† and then I will elaborate on each element in relation to the tragedy of â€Å"Dr. Faustus†. According to Aristotle, â€Å"the tragic hero evokes both our pity and terror because he is neither good nor thoroughly bad but a mixture of both; this tragic effect will be stronger if the hero is better than we are. Such a hero suffers from a change of happiness to misery because of his mistaken choice which is led by his hamarcia (error of judgment). The tragic hero stands against his fate or the gods to demonstrate his power of free will. He wants to be the master of his own fate. He decides to make decisions but mostly the decision making would lead to weakness or his own downfall. Now according to Aristotle's definition of a â€Å"tragic hero† it is time to elaborate on the clues in details in order to conclude that Dr. Faustus can also be a tragic hero according to following reasons: Firstly because Dr. Faustus as a tragic hero evokes our pity. We feel some form of connection with him because he has a sense of realism. Dr. Faustus makes mistakes which can be also all h uman condition. He wants to gain more knowledge that is also another part of human condition to learn and understand more. We sympathize with Dr. Faustus because his feelings are similar to other human beings at the end we really want him to repent in order to change his fate radically. We sympathize with him at the end of the drama when it is time for a farewell to his soul. Although he has done many faults but we really want God not to be so fierce towards a human being. He desires: O soul, be changed to little water drops And fall into the ocean. Ne're be found. My God, my God, look not so fierce on me! ( Act V, Scene ii: lines 180-182) Secondly because Dr. Faustus is a well-known and prosperous character, so the reader notices to his reputation as a well-respected scholar inevitably. In Act I, Scene i ; he calls for his servants and students in his speech about various fields of scholar ship which suggests him to be a prosperous intellectual. Philosophy is odious and obscure, Both law and physic are for petty wits, Divinity is basest of the three, Unpleasant, harsh, contemptible, and vile; ‘Tis magic, magic that hath ravished me. ( Act I, Scene i: lines 107-111 ) His reputation as a scholar has been mentioned both in the beginning and at the end. It is one of the clues to present Dr. Faustus as a tragic hero so that the readers would be able to sympathize with him throughout the whole drama. In the closing lines the scholars put emphasis on this aspect more when they lament about their respectful professor's death. Yet for he was a scholar once admired For wondrous knowledge in our German schools, We'll give his mangled limbs due burial; And all the students, clothed in mourning black, Shall wait upon his heavy funeral. (Act V, Scene iii: Lines 14-19) Thirdly because Dr. Faustus' mistaken choice, exchange of his soul to Lucifer, results in his downfall. His agreement with the devil blinds him in choosing between right and wrong. In the opening speech, in Act I, Faustus tells that he is skillful in different sciences but he wants to know more. FAUSTUS. How am I glutted with conceit of this! Shall I make spirits fetch me what I please, Resolve me of all ambiguities, Perform what desperate enterprise I will? I'll have them fly to India for gold, Ransack the ocean for orient pearl, And search all corners of the new-found world For pleasant fruits and princely delicates; I'll have them read me strange philosophy, And tell the secrets of all foreign kings; I'll have them wall all Germany with brass, And make swift Rhine circle fair Witttenberg; I'll have them fill the public schools with silk, Wherewith the students shall be bravely clad; I'll levy soldiers with the coin they bring, And chase the Prince of Parma from our land, And reign sole king of all the provinces; Yea, stranger engines for the brunt of war, Than was the fiery keel at Antwerp-bridge, I'll make my servile spirits to invent. ( Act I, scene i: lines 79-98 ) Actually the desire for learning is part of human nature but he chooses the wrong way without some sense of guilt. His hasty desire for power and honor did not allow him to repent. He was so confused that he couldn't decide on following the ways of God or the path of Lucifer. Fourthly because Dr. Faustus wanted to support his own plot to make his own decision. This aspect of his character was as a result of the Renaissance period, unlike the medieval period, the dominance of fate upon human life became as a matter of ignorance. It was time for secular matters. Therefore, the dominance of science shadowed upon individuals thought . Dr. Faustus wanted to take destiny in his own hands to demonstrate the power of free will against fate. A case in point is when he passionately demanded Mephistophilis to: Go, bear these tidings to great Lucifer: Seeing Faustus hath incurred eternal death By desperate thoughts against Jove's deity, Say, he surrenders up to him his soul, So he will spare him four and twenty years, Letting him live in all voluptuousness; Having thee ever to attend on me, To give me whatsoever I shall ask, To tell me whatsoever I demand, To slay mine enemies, and to aid my friends, And always be obedient to my will. Go, and return to mighty Lucifer, And meet me in my study at midnight, And then resolve me of thy master's mind. ( Act I, Scene iii: lines 91-104 ) He did not want to be a puppet dancing to the strings of destiny, despite the fact that tragedy functions paradoxical towards human destiny. Hence according to the aspects which I elaborated on, I can describe Dr. Faustus as a tragic hero. Although he devoted himself completely to Lucifer, never choosing right and making a tragedy out of his own downfall, but I found the drama as an optimistic and didactic one. I believe that Marlowe wanted to teach Christian faith besides a chance for salvation. Marlowe uses the tragic irony of Dr. Faustus as his ultimate intention to illustrate the downfall of a tragic hero.