My reflection of analysis on Philosophies of Judaism, Christianity, Essay

My reflection of analysis on Philosophies of Judaism, Christianity, and the Byzantine Civilization - Essay Example It is also referred as Trinity. The nature of God through the beliefs of Judaism is reflected in one substance and is considered to be one person. In Judaism, God is referred as Unity. The Byzantine Civilization also has different views about the nature of God. From Byzantine Civilization, it is discovered that the nature of God in this religion is not only considered as a substance but also as a being (Aitken and Paget). Judaism, Christianity and Byzantine Civilization all these religions have a same belief about the creation of the world. All these religions agree that the world is created by one God and is for a limited period. The Christians affirm the discussion of life after death as they believe in it. In Judaism and Byzantine Civilization, there are mixed views as some accept the fact that there will be life after death, and some disagree with it (Aitken and

Quality of Life for the Patient and Family Essay Example for Free

Quality of Life for the Patient and Family Essay Quality of life has a different meaning for everyone. Many personal thoughts and feelings can come into play when caring for others during the end stages of life. However as a nurse and caregiver, these opinions must be put aside at this significant time. For some health care providers, we may feel that keeping the patient comfortable and having them surrounded by family is most important. However, for the patient, personal culture, lifestyle and value for one self as well as a sense of independence in handling this time alone is most imperative. Therefor a nurse must consider the individuals past experiences, present lifestyle and personal hopes in which they choose to live in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns at this stage. One must meet not only the physical needs of the patient but the psychosocial demands in this sensitive time of need. Seeking aggressive medical treatment vs. palliative care is something that is very personal and differs from individual to individual. Nurses’ opinions and suggestions of the â€Å"best care† should not be voiced to the patient or family, even if asked directly. For Mrs. Thomas, time also plays an important role. She is young and may have many other worries than those of an older age experience in preparing for end of life. A nurse must consider what areas of life are important to her and what is the relative importance of each of these areas. Personal perception that counting on family support is huge, but may not be possible in Mrs. Thomas’ situation as her children live out of town. STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE The nurse should look at several strategies that directly impact the patient as well as the family. Quality of life not only looks at the health status the patient but those directly involved in the care of the patient. This encompasses a broader set of planning including finances, housing, and employment. This will have a direct impact on the entire family. Three important strategies that are helpful to relieve overall stress and promote optimal coping skills include: 1) patient awareness of disease process, 2) available support from healthcare providers and 3) addressing physical as well as the psychosocial needs of the patient. Healthcare professionals must be prepared and speak directly with the patient and family when it is determined best to the physician’s ability, that the identified disease of breast cancer will cause death. Advance planning and preparation may be helpful in dying well if Mrs. Thomas is more aware about her status of disease. Physicians and nurses must change the plan of aggressive medical treatments of curing the disease of breast cancer and concentrate providing support and a comfortable well being of the deteriorating disease process. This in turn should provide a plan of care for relief of pain, contentment to the patient and focus on the overall whole being of quality of life. The homecare team can include doctors, nurses, home health aides, social workers, and clergy as well as trained volunteers. Most team members provide on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to deliver support. The patient and family should feel the comfort in calling these resources at anytime. The nurse must remind Mrs. Thomas and her husband that they are not â€Å"bothering† any team member by asking for assistance. The team must always work together and communicate the patient’s goals for end-of-life care. It is important for all to realize this is very individualized for each patient and family member. Each individual strategy should include caring for the whole person physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. It important for the team to develop strengths based perspectives of psychosocial interventions and listen to what the patient and family have to say to enable them to cope better. In doing so, the team must also communicate on each encounter with Mrs. Thomas and family as well as each other to assure that her and the husband’s needs are being met. HOLISTIC CARE A holistic nursing care plan in valuable in delivering care to the entire person in supporting the physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, social and environmental needs. With this approach, nursing care needs to move away from viewing Mrs. Thomas as merely a diagnosis and treating her as a whole person. Nursing goals should be to develop immediate trust with the patient and family, provide comfort, supportive care, and symptom management. This can be achieved by effective communication and providing a calm, relaxed setting for Mrs. Thomas. Allowing her to speak openly and honestly about her feelings and emotions of grief, physical complaints such as pain, nausea, and difficulty sleeping is a good way to start to develop a trusting nurse/patient relationship. As a nurse, one must be supportive and be willing to listen openly. Once Mrs. Thomas begins to express these types of things, the nurse must review and evaluate every visit to improve specific concerns with her. More importantly, healthcare providers must display an openness to hear new concerns and prioritize the needs of the patient and family. FUNCTIONAL ABILITY Assessments to maintain the self functional ability for Mrs. Thomas should include creating a plan to achieve realistic goals and allow self care as long as possible. This in turn can give control back to Mrs. Thomas, help raise confidence and value her quality of life. Mrs. Thomas’ physical, social and environmental conditions should also be considered to help her care for herself. Discussing the 24/7 availability of visits from registered nurses and social workers, involving family and friends or volunteers that can help with running errands and meal preparation for adequate dietary intake, and discussing appropriate medical equipment to assist with ADLs such as performing personal hygiene can prove to be helpful. PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CARE When self-care is no longer possible, the importance of more frequent nurse and/or social worker visits, and interaction of clergy is valuable. In addition, further involvement of additional family, friends, home health aides or volunteers to assist not only with running errands, meal preparation and assistance with ADLs but being present in the home for longer periods to care directly for Mrs. Thomas becomes more imperative. The nurse can assist in making sure appropriate DME equipment is in the home. In addition, this turns out to be a time when additional emotional support is of great concern for Mr. Thomas. CHRONIC DEPRESSION Mr. Thomas already suffers from chronic depression and now has to endure immense and continuous stress to care for his wife with advanced breast cancer. Over time this takes a toll his health, ability to work, finances, and their own personal and family needs. Involvement of not only the nurse, but also social worker and bereavement counselor can help Mr. Thomas tremendously. Encouraging him to take his medications will help both him and his wife. Also, reassurance that it is okay to want quiet time and allowing others to help to care for his wife should be verbalized to him in a caring manner. Taking some of the financial worries away from Mr. Thomas may help as well. The social worker can discuss resources that are of no cost from community volunteer organizations and review the reimbursement of covered services from the insurance organization at the beginning and in ongoing care of his wife. Sharing the right information with the patient’s family is very important and can assist in better coping. Again, the home care team must offer an environment that provides the openness to hear all concerns and overall needs of not only the patient but also her family.

Affirmative Action :: essays research papers

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION A NECESSARY POLICY TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUITIES OR A DISCRIMINATIVE AND INEQUITABLE POLCY INTRODUCTION Historically, there have been arguments about what Affirmative Action (AA) really is. The basis of the argument for the most part, debates the goal(s) of AA. Is the goal of AA to erase past inequities for the disabled, minorities and/or women without protest? Or is Affirmative Action a culture or spirit that rewards diversity and differences? Basically there are two definitions or schools of thought for AA. The first school of thought is that AA is an umbrella term for laws and policies that the United States Executive, Judicial, and legislative bodies have mandated. Specifically, AA is a series of social policies and statutes that regulate activities and laws with the primary intent to achieve equity and increase opportunity for all. The second school of though is that AA is an umbrella term defining a broader set of activities whereby public and private institutions voluntarily incorporate practices and polices to increase diversity, opportunity and equity. Under this school of thought, AA is in spirit and an institutional policy. The intent of this paper is to address the serious and profound arguments of both schools of thought. In addition, this paper will address issues relative to determining whether or not AA is necessary instrument for the demise of discrimination and the formation of justice and whether or not AA needs to be maintained, modified or terminated. I. Affirmative Action Background A. A Brief History of AA in the United States of American Contrary to popular belief, the concept of AA actually began prior to the executive order signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. The concept of AA began upon the signing of Amendment XIII of the Constitution. 1. The Late 19the and Early 20th Century America began to deal with the inequities and lack of justice for mean of African decent in the 1800s. In my opinion, the initial and most significant policy or law relative to AA was Amendment XIII to the Constitution. The 13th Amendment states, â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction† (US Constitution, Amendment 13, Section 1). Further cited, â€Å"Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation†, (US Constitution, Amendment 13, Section 2). While the intent of the 13th amendment was to abolish slavery and begin the long process of just and equal rights for all American citizens.

Kant Hypothetical and Categorical Imperatives Essay

In the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, by Immanuel Kant, Kant proposes a very significant discussion of imperatives as expressed by what one â€Å"ought† to do. He implies this notion by providing the audience with two kinds of imperatives: categorical and hypothetical. The discussion Kant proposes is designed to formulate the expression of one’s action. By distinguishing the difference between categorical and hypothetical imperatives, Kant’s argues that categorical imperatives apply moral conduct in relation to performing one’s duty within the contents of good will. According to Kant, the representation of an objective principle insofar as it necessitates the will is called a command which formulates the notion of an imperative . Imperatives are simply a formula of a reason. It determines the will of the action. Imperatives can be expressed in terms of what ought to do. For example, take the command â€Å"Sit Down! † Kant expresses this command as an imperative by stating, â€Å"You ought to sit down! † All imperatives are formulated by doing an action according to the standard of a will that it will provide a good ending in some way. If the end action is good, as a mean to something else than it is considered a hypothetical imperative. On the other hand, if the action is good according to itself than it is considered a categorical imperative. Thus, Kant implies a distinction between these two kinds of imperatives. The first imperative that Kant proposes is hypothetical. A hypothetical imperative states only that an action is good for some purpose, either possible or actual . In a hypothetical imperative the action is done out of necessary for some purpose. Hypothetical imperatives take on the general form of; â€Å"If †¦then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"If† is considered the antecedent and â€Å"then† is considered conditional. Hypothetical imperatives tell us what we should do provided the fact that we have certain desires. For example, â€Å"If you want to get an A, then you ought to study. † Wanting to get an A is required of one insofar as one is committed to studying. In other terms, if one desire is to get an A then the action one must take is to study in order to fulfill that desire. Hypothetical imperatives can further more be explained by breaking them down into what Kant calls â€Å"rules of skills,† and â€Å"counsels of prudence†. Rules of skills simply imply the notion that there is something that you have to do; how one must accomplish something. An example of this is, â€Å"If you want to get well than you ought to take your medications. † The action in accordance to the rule of skills implies the importance of taking your medications. Kant noted that there is no question at all whether the end is reasonable and good, but there is only a question as to what must be done to attain it. Moreover, the counsel of prudence examines just that. The antecedent â€Å"If† refers to the varying degrees of happiness within an individual. â€Å"If you want to be happy then you ought to invest in a retirement plan. † One’s motive to be happy (happiness as it implies to individualism) is fulfilled through the action. The action is done through the perception of prudence as it commands not absolutely but only as a means to further the purpose. In this respect, hypothetical imperatives apply actions of good in a conditional way. It is formulated that you need to know what the condition is before you act. Conditions are based upon a posteriori referring to experiences of knowledge due to ones own result. Therefore hypothetical imperatives do not allow us to act in a moral way because they are based upon desires and experiences rather than good will or moral conduct. In contrast with hypothetical imperatives, which is dependent on an indivdual having a particular desires or purpose (such as wanting to get an A), categorical imperatives describe what we are required to do independently of what we may desire or prefer. A categorical imperative is the only imperative which immediately commands a certain conduct without having as its condition any other purpose to be attained by it. Categorical imperatives are moral obligations that do not have a â€Å"If†¦ and then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  form. In this respect they provide behavior categorically. They are not if you want x then you ought to do y. Rather they take the form of, you should do y. Kant states that categorical imperatives are limited by no condition, and can quite properly be called a command since it is absolutely, through practically necessary. Categorical imperative are concerned with the form of action and the princple from which the that action follows. The moral action is good within itself such the notion of practical reasoning. Unlike a hypothetical imperative, categorical imperatives rely on independent experience; a prior. This is due to the fact that one’s moral principle is not based upon previous experience, but instead it is rooted in good will and one’s ability to perform their moral duty. Kant refers to this principle as the principle of morality. For it is from this in which all our moral duties are derived. The basic principle of morality is important because it commands certain courses of action. It is a categorical imperative because it commands unconditional actions. It is also independent of the particular ends and desires of the moral actions. One can never really no the end motivate to why such an action is preformed, but one can concure that the action was done according to the moral duty of good will. Having good will or practical reasoning, lays a foundation that implies categorical imperatives to do what is pure and simple. A good will is good not because one wants to attain happiness or a purpose but it is good in itself. Kant explains that there is no possibility of thinking of anything at all in the world, or even out of it, which can be regarded as good without qualification, except a good will. Therefore in accordance to good will, one must act as if the maxim of their action was to become a universal law. Kant first mentioned the notion of categorical imperative when he proposed the moral or universal law. You should never act except in such as way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law. Since maxims are basicly principles of action, the categorical imperative commands that one should act only on universal principles, that could be adopted by all rational agents such as human beings. Actions that are done from duty are out of respect for the moral law. Duty is the necessity to act out of reverence for the law set by the categorical imperative. Because the consequences of an act are not the source of its moral worth, the source must be the maxim under which the act is performed, excluding all aspects of desires. Thus, a categorical imperative must have moral content if, and only if, it is carried out solely with regard to a sense of moral duty in coordination with good will. Clearly one can see that Kant believes in the expression of actions through imperatives. By proposing imperatives, he formulated a command of reason. As hypothetical imperatives address actions done for a desire or a purpose, categorical imperatives, on the other hand address actions that result from moral conduct and good will. In distinghing the difference between these two imperatives, Kant’s main objection is to provide his readers with a clear understanding that actions based upon imperatives can be projected from two different views but the end result always provides good, in some way.

Appearance Vs Reality Essay

Throughout life we are constantly seeing new perceptions of things and in turn constantly changing our perception of reality. The Key concepts of Appearances and Reality were explored through the use of Paradox, Point of View and Verisimilitude, within the texts The Truman show (Peter Weir) and Relativity (Escher). These concepts were used to effectively portray the key differences, and deeper meanings of Appearance and Reality. The way in which we view an object, situation or concept, greatly affects how we interpret its reality. This concept is explored by using Point of view to change the viewer’s ideas about the True reality of within the Truman show. The whole idea and notion of our reality is based upon what we see, what we grow up with. We learn from a young age what we see isn’t always the truth, and therefore we adapt our reality to what we already know. This is the same for Truman Burbank, a 33 year old average man. He is the unknowingly star of a television show all of his life. Everything he does and says is recorded and televised uninterrupted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Like us Truman has never questioned his life as his point of view has never been given the opportunity to change. That was until a series of incidents occurred that changed his Point of view. A key change in Truman’s point of view is when a series of onset glitches lead him to see a different reality that clashes with what he knows. These events lead him to become erratic and quite demented (Evident by the erratic car trip with Meryl), eventually leading to a point where Truman has Meryl by the throat with a set of dicers and Meryl screams’’ Somebody do something’’. This quote leads Truman to the core belief that there is something wrong with his reality and that he will not stop until he finds out what is real and what is not. This eventually leads him to the point in which he leaves the T. V set and has discovered the through a new point of view his true reality. This is Through the use of Point of view; the audience is able to observe how changing views can lead to a new reality. Reality or the Truth can be very hard to identify from an Appearance. The concept of Verisimilitude is very evident in Escher’s Relativity through the use of conflicting images and vectors to reveal the hidden truth. Escher’s relativity is an image that at first is very perplexing. A series of staircases intertwined in what appear at first to be impossible. The image can actually be viewed in different points of view, each of which changes the intention of what is real, and what is not within the image. E. g. persons are waking up/down a staircase and when the image is rotated, they are now walking upside down and defying gravity. The way, in which we observe it at any angle, an object within the image is wrong. The almost impossible picture, riddled with false appearances has still got reality within it. Using verisimilitude we are able to see that although the image has several false appearances, one of them must be the true reality, otherwise the image could not exist. The problem for the viewer though , is how can we judge one false truth as more real than the other, this means that no matter what our first appearances are always not going to reflect the true nature of the reality around us. The Truman show explores the Paradox of appearance and reality, and how that changes our final point of view towards a situation. In the Truman show we start off with the interviews of the cast, this is our first insight into how the show operates. A key quote which sets a paradox within the film is when Truman’s best friend Marlon says ‘’Nothing you see on this show is fake. It’s merely controlled’’. This is contradictory to the very nature of the show, it’s a show which is meant to have the Truth in it, e. g. (TRUE MAN), he is the reality of the show and yet his reality is a false appearance. How we never question the nature of reality is also explored when Christof the director says ‘’ we accept the reality with which we are presented’’. This is another paradox as we explored before a false reality is also representative of the truth. Truman himself is accepting of the reality he is presented because he initially never had a reason to change his point of view. But through the film the paradoxes of the false reality and the Truth clash, revealing a deeper truth, which is revealed at the end of the film to Truman. The use of a Paradox to reveal a hidden truth between Appearance and reality is effective within the Truman show as it allows the Audience to change their point of view and observe how it is changed in others. The composer Peter Weir (The Truman show) and Escher (Relativity) both used Point of view to change the perceived reality of the persona and the viewer. Paradox and Verisimilitude are both mechanisms for the changes towards a true reality and are used by each composer to explore effectively the differences and similarities of Appearance and Reality.

Judo Stategy Essays

Judo Stategy Essays Judo Stategy Essay Judo Stategy Essay In each of the four cases, does the entrant or challenger (i. e. Softsoap, Red Bull, supermarkets, Freeserve) have a competitive advantage when they market? Would they if the incumbents imitated their product offerings immediately? Softsoap According to the time of the case, bar soap is the product which is the market leader until late 1977, Minnetonka release Soap Machine that is the first time to have liquid soap in the market and continuously launch Softsoap in 1980. Softsoap entered to the market as the first mover, gain a competitive advantage and become to the market leader. However, competitive advantage of Softsoap is not able to preserve the market share when it is attacked by big players in the market as PG and Armour-Dial which are produce the liquid soap after. Red Bull Red Bull has a competitive advantage in term of focusing on the specific market and distribution strategy. It focus on the energy drink segment which has a small percentage from soft drink industry. They success in access to the consumer which is Red Bull assess that big player as Coke and Pepsi are probably not come to play in this category. Moreover, using its own distribution network can build brand image and it’s the easy way to keep Red Bull uniqueness. Supermarkets In U. K. Petrol Price War case, supermarkets had the competitive advantage but they are not sustainable because it’s depend on gasoline price and the location. Lower price gasoline was the factor to persuade customers to the store while the authority of setting gasoline price was the major gasoline retailers. Freeserve Cutting price is not quite a competitive advantage, in case of Freeserve, it effort to provide service in low price expect to outcome AOL while AOL not only be internet service provider but also provide content valuable as interactive news, entertainment shopping, information, email service and so on. It’s probably that Freeserve was operating in on loss by too low of service fee. 2. In the Softsoap and Red bull cases, what kept the incumbents from fighting back aggressively, at least initially? In case of Softsoap and Red Bull, the big players as PG, Armour-Dial, Lever Brothers and Colgate Palmolive (Softsoap Case), Coke and Pepsi (Red Bull Case) penetrate their market share and have a strong brand. It’s quite too risky to fighting back aggressively because it probably damage their current brand, decreasing brand image, decreasing the market size by cannibalize to current product and maybe lesser profit from fighting because of more spending on promotion and advertising for launching new product. 3. In the case of the UK petrol war, how do you think the supermarkets expected the major gasoline retailers to react to their entry? Was this expectation reasonable? In U. K. Petrol War case, I think supermarkets expected the major gasoline retailers to react their entry because the sales volume and revenue of supermarket was high or low depend on gasoline price which was controlled by major gasoline retailers. The expectation is reasonable because it’s the only one way the gasoline stands compete is price. When price war occurred, in one area where compete in price, the petrol station in that area have the same low price, leading to loss in profit margin. Moreover, the variety of consumer behaviors, consumers may prefer the convenient in filling up the gasoline then ignore to find the lowest gasoline price and sometimes it’s not reasonable to save a few money for lower gasoline price by the wasting time. 4. In the Freeserve vs AOL case, which consumers do you think are most readily switching to Freeserve? How can AOL retain these customers? Because of the low price of Freeserve, it probably gain the customers who are price sensitive as teenagers who get low income and don’t pay attention more to value-added service while AOL was the higher price but providing more than internet accessing. Ways to retain AOL customers are create network effect in order to create high switching cost by build up special things which create community among the users such as instant messaging, provide contents which is the strength of AOL service such as interactive news, entertainment, information, shopping, email service and so on. Last but not least, AOL is the largest internet service provider, It can communicate this strength point to users to rely on AOL then they will not switch to freeserver.

Spartan Education Essays - Sparta, Ancient Greece, Helots

Spartan Education Essays - Sparta, Ancient Greece, Helots Spartan Education When examining any society, one of the most important aspects of its civilization to identify is the education of the youth. Children yearn to please their instructors. Therefore, when all children throughout a society are taught a certain way to live and think, when they grow up, the society itself models these values instilled upon the children. Naturally, when using this ideal to study the history of the Ancient Greeks, focus falls upon its two major city-states, Athens and Sparta. As in almost every aspect of comparison, the difference between the education of the warlike Spartans compared to the education of the philosophical Athenians is like comparing black to white. The main focus of a Spartan education was not to focus on literacy. Instead, as a result of the system of helotry practiced in Sparta, fitness, obedience, and courage had to be taught in order for the Spartans to retain the militaristic supremacy that they had over the rest of the Peloponnesus. In contrast, an Ath enian education was devoted to the three basic categories of literacy, music, and physical education in hopes of creating intelligent, well-rounded citizens who could responsibly participate in the Assembly. For purposes of comparison, the education of both societies can be broken down into three distinct periods of age in which certain traits were taught and which certain schools were attended. When education was complete, the society had successfully refined another child into its strict system of beliefs and principles. In the eighth century B.C., Sparta was in need of more fertile land to support an ever-growing population that demanded food. Consequently, Sparta was forced to do what any ancient civilization did when in need of

5 Strategies That Will Help You Build Strong Workplace Skills

5 Strategies That Will Help You Build Strong Workplace Skills As we look at a brand new year, you might have the classic resolutions lined up: eat better, sleep better, be better. If your revamped goals also include being better at your job (or stepping up your game so you can nab a new job), there’s a great way to make progress without changing everything at once: build your workplace skills. This can mean bolstering skills you already have, or seeking out new ones. Saying â€Å"go forth and build skills† is one thing, but how to actually do that? Let’s look at some strategies for how to start your growth process.1. Be realistic.If you decide you want to brush up your Spanish language skills, don’t expect to be fluent in six months’ time (no matter what that app tells you). Make sure you’re setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Bound). Make sure your skill-building goals have concrete steps that can be achieved in the time and brainspace you have available.For exampl e, if you’ve been saying you’ll take that management seminar when you have a magical period of free time that never materializes, chances are you’re not going to do it this time around, either. Make sure you have the time and space in your life to work on these skills before you dive in.2. Focus on quality over quantity.Making a little progress on 10 skills is nice, but wouldn’t you rather make tons of progress on 2 skills? Pick a few areas where you can really dig in and put in the work, with the time you have available.3. Focus on process over end result.Let’s say your current plan (realistically) looks like this:1. Improve communication skills.2. Yada yada yada.3. †¦Promotion!That’s a system that isn’t going to work. It’s great to envision where you want to end up (that’s a key part of any goal setting exercise), but you can’t let the details in the middle get muddled while you focus on the end. Make sure you know exactly how you’re going to get to that endpoint by creating specific steps and touchpoints along the way. Where do you want to be in two months with this? Six months? A year?4. Pick skills that will be useful.Don’t learn Swahili because hey, why not learn Swahili? Learn Swahili because your company just opened an office in Tanzania, or because your boss’s boss is fluent, and you’d love to drop some key phrases at next year’s office holiday party. Focus on skills that will be useful to you in the short term, and that are specific to your career path. For example, if the next level at your job involves presentations, work on your public speaking skills. If data analysis is an emerging trend in your field, seek out online lessons for some ninja tricks to improve your Excel game.5. Know your existing strengths.Yes, the whole point of this exercise is to learn new things. But it will be very difficult to learn these new things if you’re going too far outside your comfort zone, and want to give up because your new skill is hard. It could very well be that you’re just not learning the skill in a way that makes sense to you. Make sure that you understand how you learn best. If it’s by watching other people do things, take online tutorials. If you process information by hearing it, seek out lectures. If you would rather read about it, head to the library. If you try to align your skill-building with your best learning style, you increase your chances of success.So what skills will you be building in the new year? We’d love to hear about your progress!

How did the industrial revolution that happend after the civil war in Essay

How did the industrial revolution that happend after the civil war in america changed the social,political, economic and philosophical system in the country - Essay Example The consecutive growth periods increased standard of living and led to urbanization and mechanization across USA. The nation emerged as a technologically advanced country with sound economy on strong grounds. Subsequently, USA was able to reestablish its military power and emerged as a super power in the international community having considerable influence on world politics and decision-making. Indeed, the social shift became evident because African – Americans migrated from rural areas to urban neighborhoods and formed new colonies. They received more power and basic rights after constitutional amendments and abolishment of certain slavery laws. Indeed, the people poor minority group provided education and greater participation in US politics. (Martin et al) and (Mokyr,

Labour Turnover and Customer Service in Restaurants Essay

Labour Turnover and Customer Service in Restaurants - Essay Example As the discussion stresses restaurant, hotel and leisure industry is very much dependent on their employees for keeping their customer satisfied. This is a service industry where the intangibility, inseparability and heterogeneity of the service make it very challenging for the service provider to maintain consistency and increase the level of satisfaction received by the consumers.This discussion outlines that the labour turnover in the service industry is high. The high rate of turnover is result of various factors like lack of opportunities and growth, low income level and other reasons. The employees are the face of the service providing company. High employee turnover rate also indicates towards the management problems and internal issues of the organisation. Organisation is questioned for not able to retain its employees.  In this situation, it becomes very challenging for the human resource management professionals or business owner to ensure the stability of employees. Ther e are various strategies that a company adopts to attract and retain employees and maintain their image in the job market. Restaurant companies offer different types of monetary and non monetary benefits to its employees. The monetary benefits are incentives, bonus, stock options and others cash components.  The non monetary benefits include insurance, heath benefits, maternity and paternity leaves, education sponsorship, education assistance etc.

Quality Initiative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Quality Initiative - Essay Example Thus, we stick with a very high standard of quality which is attained only when the business organization manufactures product which is free from any deficiency. The importance of quality in ZJZ Cosmetics can never be overstated. First of all, quality has become the one of the most important tenets of the company. Quality is a competitive advantage which identifies and separates ZJZ Cosmetics from its numerous competitors in the marketplace. It is with this high standard of quality that we established our reputation in the industry together with our customer’s trust and confidence. The focus on quality has enabled ZJC cosmetics to create an image of excellence gaining strong patronage from numerous clients. Maintaining high product quality ensures the satisfaction of customers’ needs and facilitates the establishment of strategic partnerships with them. Excellent product quality is not only instrumental in attracting new clients and maintaining current ones. ZJZ Cosmetics’ financial objectives of profitability and maximization of shareholder value is attained largely through its commitment in manufacturing products with zero deficiencies. This helps the company to minimize wastage thereby making its processes more time and cost efficient. In line with ZJZ Corporation’s goal of upholding product excellence, it will put in place a quality control system which generally aims to establish routine technical activities to measure and control the quality of the inventory as it is being developed. This effort will be used in order to ensure that products are manufactured according to their purpose at their specifications allowing no room for defects. The specific objectives of the quality initiative are stated as follows: The quality control program will be ZJZ Cosmetic’s primary means of maintaining the excellence of its products and improving the efficiency of its production

Liability Issues - Limited Liability Company Essay

Liability Issues - Limited Liability Company - Essay Example In this case, though, it appears that the â€Å"sole trader† concept is not appropriate for these three individuals. This is because the sole trader is an individual who sets up an entity. Thus, whatever entity they set up will not be a sole trader. Thus, it could either be a limited liability company or a business partnership. A limited liability company is one in which the three individuals can form by pooling their resources in the form of acquiring shares in the company to be formed. The acquisition of shares creates a separate entity that will have a limited liability. On the other hand, if the three individuals in question decide to form a partnership, they will be a collection of individual sole traders who will contribute their resources according to a ratio. Based on the ratio of contributions, they will bear responsibility for issues that come up and also get to split profits on the basis of the ratio. However, partnerships often do not have a limited liability. The concept of â€Å"limited liability† is steeped in the idea that a firm is separated from its owners. This is steeped in the case of Salomon V Salomon (1897) in which a man created an entity with 20,007 shares. He took 20,001 shares and sold one share each to six of his family members. The business went into liquidation and the creditor sued for the recovery of money from the owner with 20,001 shares. The court held that once it was incorporated as a company, the liability was limited and the liability for issues and matters was only limited to the assets and shares owned by the business itself. Based on this, it is deduced that a business that has a limited liability is separate and different from its owners (James and Tilley, 2009). In doing this business, there are risks and there is a possibility that the computers of the firm could encounter some forms of risks.  In that case, there is the need to protect the entity from having its liability spread from the organisation they will form to the owners of the business.  Ã‚  

The Beginning And Development Of Gothic Architecture Case Study

The Beginning And Development Of Gothic Architecture - Case Study Example The characteristics of Gothic architecture gave the specific definition which was related to what is often referred to as the French style, beginning in the 12th century and going through the 16th century. The architecture was most often used as high art and was created for cathedrals, castles, palaces and other governmental buildings. Many often referred to the style as one which was regarded as belonging to higher powers, which was why it was used for these specific types of buildings. The original term was created by Giorgio Vasari in 1530 in response to a culture which was considered rude. Most during this time believed that the group should be outcast. To represent this, different symbols were used to show that vandals and others within society shouldn’t be present in specific buildings. The architecture of the building is then made to symbolize the individuals who should not enter into a given place (Glaser, 15). The main beliefs and descriptions with the Gothic architec ture then led into concepts which were associated with the symbolic meaning that was created, most which was in reference to the Christian and high-quality attributes which would not welcome others within the region. The features which were used, inclusive of ornate structures and intricate decor became some of the defining parts of the architecture. ... The main focus was designed with both a vertical emphasis, which pointed upwards as a symbol to the higher powers as well as with the concept of having as much light in the building as possible (Murray, p. 18). An example of Gothic architecture can be seen in influences such as the Notre Dame church, as seen in figure 1. Figure 1: Church of Notre Dame In this figure, the elements of the Gothic can be seen. At the lower area, there are three arches which one can enter, all of which are rounded.

Treatment for Autism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Treatment for Autism - Essay Example Because the cause is uncertain, there is no precise remedy for the disorder. Treatment approaches are primarily for improvement, rehabilitation and education on appropriate social, vocational, and communication skills. This paper will discuss Asperger Syndrome in adults, their characteristics; impairments in social functions and social and emotional factors that affect their behavior. Likewise, this paper will talk about their direction towards diversity through possible employment. Treatment and management will also be highlighted. Asperger Syndrome Asperger Syndrome (AS) was initially recognized in the early 1940s by Austrian pediatrician, Hans Asperger. In his practice, he observed four of his young male patients with typical intellect and verbal communication development but demonstrating autistic traits. Abnormalities in social interaction and communication, together with restrictive and repetitive behavioral patterns were noted. It was in 1944 when the disorder was officially n amed Asperger Syndrome. Asperger Syndrome falls under â€Å"Pervasive Developmental Disorders,† as stated in Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association (1994) (Myles et al, 2005). Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder under the scope of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). AS individuals generally have normal or superior intellect. The disorder is typified by qualitative impairment in communication, social interaction and cognition; peculiarities in sensory input; restrictive number of extreme and highly focused interests; and difficulties in organization and motor movements (Attwood, 2003). Asperger Syndrome characteristics may be manifested to a bigger or smaller extent. AS individuals may have a tendency to experience exclusion and isolation and may have difficulty understanding the world around them, eventually resulting in disappointment, despair, resentment and self-disrespect (Attwood, 2003). Common Characte ristics of Asperger Syndrome Adults Asperger Syndrome individuals frequently display a restricted ability for natural social communications, difficulty in initiating and maintaining friendships, repetitive behavioral patterns, and a narrow topic of interests. While a few of them may exhibit definite dilemmas in communication, such as poor nonverbal communication and obscure speech, several of these individuals demonstrate good and even higher cognition and verbosity. Asperger Syndrome comprises delays in gross and fine motor development, including walking abnormalities and peculiar gestures (Brasic, 2009). Individuals with Asperger Syndrome have normal or above average intellectual capacity but may not show social sensitivities or sympathy towards family and friends. Evidences were reported that AS individuals manifest excellence in the fields of music, mathematics, physics, and computer science. Whereas the delays demonstrated are usually devastating, several of these individuals e xperience optimistic results, particularly those performing extremely well in matters independent on social interaction (Brasic, 2009). Majority of AS individuals are actually proud to be diagnosed with the disorder. It is strongly believed that famous men of history such as Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison both have Asperger syndrome features (Hamilton, 2010). Qualitative Impairments in Reciprocal Social Interaction AS individuals are usually socially detached; not sensitive to the feelings of

The Beginning And Development Of Gothic Architecture Case Study

The Beginning And Development Of Gothic Architecture - Case Study Example The characteristics of Gothic architecture gave the specific definition which was related to what is often referred to as the French style, beginning in the 12th century and going through the 16th century. The architecture was most often used as high art and was created for cathedrals, castles, palaces and other governmental buildings. Many often referred to the style as one which was regarded as belonging to higher powers, which was why it was used for these specific types of buildings. The original term was created by Giorgio Vasari in 1530 in response to a culture which was considered rude. Most during this time believed that the group should be outcast. To represent this, different symbols were used to show that vandals and others within society shouldn’t be present in specific buildings. The architecture of the building is then made to symbolize the individuals who should not enter into a given place (Glaser, 15). The main beliefs and descriptions with the Gothic architec ture then led into concepts which were associated with the symbolic meaning that was created, most which was in reference to the Christian and high-quality attributes which would not welcome others within the region. The features which were used, inclusive of ornate structures and intricate decor became some of the defining parts of the architecture. ... The main focus was designed with both a vertical emphasis, which pointed upwards as a symbol to the higher powers as well as with the concept of having as much light in the building as possible (Murray, p. 18). An example of Gothic architecture can be seen in influences such as the Notre Dame church, as seen in figure 1. Figure 1: Church of Notre Dame In this figure, the elements of the Gothic can be seen. At the lower area, there are three arches which one can enter, all of which are rounded.

The Strengths and Limitations of the Universalist and the Contingency Essay

The Strengths and Limitations of the Universalist and the Contingency Approaches to HR Strategy - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that every organization has certain vision mission, vision, goals, and objectives. The vision and mission of the organization are attained with the help of the organization's goals or objectives. The vision and the mission statement the ultimate reason for the survival of the organization. Thus the objectives and goal which are decided after considering the mission and objective of the organization are utmost important. Goal attainment is very important for the survival and the growth of the organization. To attain the goals of the organization the management takes various types of strategies. These strategies are implemented at the various level of the organization. The managerial strategies ranges consist of various corporate-level strategies, business level strategies and the last but not the least the human resources strategies. Human resource is a very important and vital aspect of the organization. It is the human resources which ulti mately implement the entire plan into action and drive the organization to achieve the goals of the organization. Strategic human resource management is a vital part of organizational management. Management uses various manage the human resource efficiently and effectively. The different activities under human resource strategies are aimed at various actions at policies which can influence human resource management. The process of managing human resource includes the hiring of the efficient and quality candidates, designing jobs, job description, job allocation, other human resource policies etc. All theses process directly affects the overall performance of the organization. The two important approaches to human resource strategy are Universalist and Contingency approaches.

Humanities Today Essay Example for Free

Humanities Today Essay This paper discusses the definition of humanities and differentiate between the humanities and other modes of human inquiry and expression. It also includes examples that reflect current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and examples in the following types of humanities; art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature. Defining Humanities The humanities can be defined as knowledge that investigates the human experience, and studies human culture, such as the arts, literature, philosophy, history, including other human endeavors. Gaining knowledge from others’ records of the human experience offers us the  opportunity to feel a connection to other cultures and to those from the past, as well as with our contemporaries (Stanford University, 2015). Modes of Human Inquiry and Expression The difference between the visualization of humanity and the practical application of humanity is the understanding of the critical observation of what humanity should be as opposed to what humanity is. In other words, they focus on ideas and values, not just the creation or outcome of an action. Other modes of human inquiry include the study of non-human subjects like in mathematics or natural sciences and do not have much to do with the creative human  endeavors. The humanities are committed to studying the aspects of the human condition using a qualitative approach that normally prevent a single paradigm from defining any discipline. Some studies included in humanities can also be regarded as social sciences in other studies that include; communications, cultural studies, archaeology, and history. Examples of the Humanities HUMANITIES TODAY 3 Humanities are the experiences of the human being that can be visual, audible, and even felt by touch. They can be expressed through art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature.  Art Art include paintings, photography, sculptures, and architecture. The artist can express their emotions, cultural ideals, even political views through their work. There are many classic artists such as Michelangelo who are well renowned which will continue centuries after their time. Artists, like Michelangelo, were commissioned to produce for organizations such as the Roman Catholic Church (Drake, 2008). Michelangelo viewed himself as a sculptor and quite reluctantly took on the task of painting the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. No doubt there was a  political agenda and at one point Michelangelo was accused of being a heretic because his work reflected disturbing, past events by the church. A contemporary example would be pop artist Andy Warhol. Beginning in the late 1970’s, Warhol created paintings that were abstract, which is an example of how humans have the ability to think conceptually. Now, art can be digitally mass-produced and distributed which creates a large market for sales and profits, although not necessarily for the artist. Music Music is a common form of expression used to communicate current trends, politics, technology and socioeconomics. The most common genre of music today that expresses all of these messages is hip-hop music. Specifically â€Å"Gangsta rap represents part of a larger focus on hip hop and politics that is popular within the media and among scholarly research and the prominence of gangsta rap in the late 1980s and early 1990s prompted the association between hip hop and violence that contemporary social scientists theorize† (Gilliam, 2007). Architecture HUMANITIES TODAY 4 There are several different methods within modernism style of architecture. The modernist style looks for function rather than trying to reproduce the natural environment. There are several forms within the modernism style they include: structuralism, formalism, Bauhaus, the international style, brutalism, and minimalism. The features of modernism includes the fact there is little embellishment or decoration, man-made supplies are used (metal and concrete). Architects in the 20th century include I. M. Pei. In the Early Twentieth-Century modern architects used materials such as ferroconcrete and structural steel in conjunction with the cantilever to build beautiful ensembles. Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959), was one of the first American architects of world significance. He introduced a new style. He combined the new technology of steel and glass with the aesthetic principles of Asian architecture [ (Fiero, 2006) ]. In 1909 Wright completed the Robie House in Chicago. This marked the beginning of a long career creating memorable masterpieces. Today most of these techniques have inspired many of the current styles enjoyed by millions. Philosophy Philosophy is defined as a â€Å"comprehensive system of ideas about human nature and the nature of the reality we live in and is a guide for living, because the issues it addresses are basic  and pervasive, determining the course we take in life and how we treat other people† (Thomas, 2005). Major philosophers of the 20th century include Carl Jung, Albert Camus, and Bertrand Russell. Literature Literature provides readers a written composition comprised of current or previous cultural issues. According to the Department of State’s website â€Å"Social and economic advances have enabled previously underrepresented groups to express themselves more fully, while HUMANITIES TODAY 5 technological innovations have created a fast-moving public forum† (U. S. Department of State, 2007). One example of a current piece of literature is the novel, The Kite Runner. The book was written by Khaled Hosseini and â€Å"tells of childhood friends in Kabul separated by the rule of the Taliban† (U. S. Department of State, 2007) Conclusion The study of humanities is an ever changing journey. Humanities will changes with the questions and expression about every generation to come. Humanities are unique in that a quest for the purpose and meaning of the human life is being sought. As time goes on, the study of humanities will be become broader, taking with it all the questions of yesterday. HUMANITIES TODAY 6 References Drake, C. (2008, November). Did Michelangelo have a hidden agenda? The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www. wsj. com/articles/SB122661765227326251 Fiero, G. K. (2011). The Humanistic Tradition Book 3: The European Renaissance, The Reformation, and Global Encounter. McGraw-Hill 6e Stanford University. (2015). Home of the Human Experience. Stanford University, Stanford, California. Retrieved from http://shc. stanford. edu/ Thomas, W. (2005). What is philosophy? Retrieved from http://objectivistcenter. org/cth409- FAQ_Philosophy. aspx.

The issues facing corporate social responsibility

The issues facing corporate social responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility is a universal concept that represents the good, desirable business behaviour. It transmit to what extent it is judge morally or ethically good for CSR. Corporate Social Responsibility is a standard of corporate behaviour which is socially broad in its behaviour(Carroll,1999).Corporate Social Responsibility is also define as the company`s Voluntary/discretionary relationship with its societal and community stakeholders(Woddock,2004).In other words Corporate Social Responsibility is a commitment to improve social well being through proper judgment of business practices and contribution of corporate resources(Nanc Lee and Philip Kotler, 2005). Introduction: Its is a concept where organisations consider the interests of the society by having the knowledge and responsibility of the force of their activities on customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment in all aspects of their operations(D Wood, 1991). This requirement is seen to extend beyond the legal responsibility to comply with legislation and sees organizations freely taking more steps to enhance the quality of life for their employees and their families on the other side they are also doing community and society work in large scale. Growth and Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility : Business ethics is that form of Applied ethics that examines the ethical progress and principles of any business that can arise unfortunately in a business. In this 21st century businesses are getting more and more advance as by adapting the Corporate Social Responsibility in their business and its is increasing day by day hence providing more ethical businesses processes. All together, more force is applied on industries for bringing improvement in there business ethics through there new public laws (e.g Higher road tax for vehicles that produces higher-emission on roads). Business ethics has both normative and descriptive effect. As a commercial practice and a career specialization, the field is primarily normative. In academia descriptive approaches are also taken. The Business progress and work done shows range and quantity of business ethical issues describes the ways in which business is professed to be at non positive value with non-economic social principles. For Example : Now a days a lot of commercial and non commercial websites rely on commitment for promoting non-economical social principles under the range of headings like ethics codes, social responsibility charters. In some cases organisation and corporations again consider there main values and principles in the view of business ethical considerations. e.g BP`s beyond petroleum environment angle.Corporations reconsider their core values in view of business ethical considerations like BPs beyond petroleum environmental angle. Corporate Social Responsibility become common in 1970s but is was really condensed. Marks Spencer is also using Corporate Social Responsibility in the community with the help of building a trade network with the community by providing sold fair pricing in purchases. Corporate Social Responsibility Risk in Implementing : Risk management is the main element of any business that involves risk strategies. Reputations that take years to build up can be washed out in hours through activities such as fraud scandals activities. These occurrences can also draw unwanted attention from governments, courts etc. Developing a pure culture of doing the correct thing at the right time in the corporation can limit these risks. Difference Between Brand : In fully jam-packed marketplaces companies do there best for a unique selling objective which separate them from competitive minds. Corporate Social Responsibility can play a vital role in developing consumer satisfaction based on their ethical values( Paluszek, John (April 6-7,2005). Some big brands like The Body Shop and American Apparel (Dr. Tantillo`s Marketing Doctor Blog, March 28 2008) have build on ethical values. Service organisations can also take benefit from developing there reputation for there honour and best practice, so all the businesses have to have responsible for their environment. Corporate Social Responsibility Effects Negative Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) or commercial citizenship entails companies behaving in a socially liable manner, and dealing with other business corporation which also do the same . As the public sector and businesses are getting aware of Corporate Social Responsibility CSR, they take care of taking corporate social responsibility into consideration when planning for future out comes to become a socially responsible, otherwise the business has to face wrong feedback in the shape of company getting effected . Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Public : Companies that are appeared to be socially responsible by showing environment saving or environmental sustainability on the same side doing immoral , illegal socially irresponsible activity in a terrific message for the stake holders and the consumers and investors. This type of activity effect the credibility and image of the company and damage its image in the market. Bad Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) or commercial citizenship entails companies behaving in a socially liable manner, and dealing with other business corporation which also do the same . As the public sector and businesses are getting aware of Corporate Social Responsibility, they take care of taking corporate social responsibility into consideration when planning for future out comes to become a socially responsible, otherwise the business has to face wrong feedback in the shape of company getting effected . Negative Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Publicity : Companies that are appeared to be socially responsible by showing environment saving or environmental sustainability on the same side doing immoral , illegal socially irresponsible activity in a terrific message for the stake holders and the consumers and investors. This type of activity effect the credibility and image of the company and damage its image in the market. For Example: Bad implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility can ruin the image of the company like Enron the Texan energy company. Its a natural gas company, in the year 2001 it got collapsed under a huge debt as at previously it was the largest accounting firm. Enron was the best at corporate patronage and has given in millions in charity to different charity organizations and also won awards for its corporate social responsibility work, but in year 2001 Enron got collapsed miserably because of bad debt and the main person responsible for this cause who made this giant fraud was Jeffrey Skilling and he got jailed for 24 years for this .The articles about Enron stated the backlash for its activity(Adam Lashinsky, New York Times, November 2001). Legal Troubles Lead by Bad Corporate Social Responsibility: Companies and businesses that are involve in wrong irresponsible social activities also pay a high price for its activities. The best example for this is the Exxon Valdez tanker incident in Prince William Sound, near the coast of Alaska on March 24 1989 is the most memorable incident in corporate social responsibility, as this incident had created a bad image of the company by spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil in Prince William Sound and damaging the wildlife and fishing industry as a result Exxon Valdez has to pay $4.84 billion for clearing them selves from this Scandal( National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, March 24 1989) Long Term Effects of Wrong CSR on Brand and Its Reputation Building a brand is a long term effort which takes years to build up but by a single mistake done my wrong corporate social responsibility strategy can ruin companies reputation its image, it can never be able to shake off the ill effects bad corporate social responsibility that has on the brand and reputation. The report developed on corporate social responsibility by Tsinghua University indicates that in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) describes that after taking interviews form 68% of the consumers said that they will not buy products of those companies who has bad corporate social responsibility performance. This practice is also same in automotive companies with 62.9% of costumers saying that they will not buy automobiles from companies with bad CSR performance(Tsinghua University). As there is a relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility performance in the eyes of consumers and the effect it has on the strength of a company`s brand that it will do little good to the company then, to hurt its already build brand with poor choice in corporate social responsibility Risk in implementing Corporate Social Responsibility : Managing risk is the main part of many corporate strategies. Reputations that take decades to build up can be cleaned out in hours through incidents such as corruption scandals or environmental activities. These occurrences can also draw unwanted attention from regulators, governments, courts etc. Building a genuine culture of doing the right thing within a corporation can offset these risks(Kytle Beth, Paramveer Singh, 2005, Corporate Social Responsibility as Risk Management A Model for Multinationals). Corporate Social Responsibility from a Business Point of view : Its is very obvious that in Businesses that are running today have Corporate Social Responsibility is tangled in many multinational organizations planning process. The reasons that work behind social responsibility towards human environmental responsibilities is still unknown as weather they are based on genuine interest or on hidden motives. Organizations are basically entities that are developing and manufacturing products to make profits to gratify there shareholders (Prof Malloy 1959). As Milton Friedman believes, there is no place for Social responsibility as a business function. However a business still comprises people those posses both the humanistic and naturalistic view points. The humanistic view is that a deteriorating environment and planet is of no relevance in sustaining human life let alone a business. The naturalistic view is where we draw the line between exploiting our natural resources and destroying our fauna and flora for the sake of profiteering and sustainability (Grace and Cohen 2005,144). The need to create an ideal scenario that is praetor efficient may be the main reasons such mediators are there to adjudicate. Influence from the population, government and competitors are possible forces that can destabilize an organization should its motives or unethical processes become clear. Legal structures in place, are created to ensure international borders are not left exposed to multimillion dollar organizations self interest. Stringent laws and penalties are governed by legal bodies such as the International Court of Justice that are capable of sanctioning non abiding organizations (ICJ 2007). CSR has been an issue of some debate. There are some people who claim that Corporate Social Responsibility cherry-picks the good activities a company is involved with and ignores the others, thus greenwashing their image as a socially or environmentally responsible company. There are some other people who argue that it inhibits free markets. Borderline Organization Motive : CSR will attribute other business motives, which the companies would dispute. For example, some believe that CSR programmes are often undertaken in an effort to distract the public from the ethical questions posed by their core operations. Some that have been accused of this motivation include British American Tobacco (BAT),(Friends of the Earth, 2005) which produces major CSR reports and the petroleum giant BP which is well known for its high achievements in advertising profile advertising promotion on environmental awareness as part of it operations. Opponent who believe that CSR is self interested: The dispute is that the reason corporations put in place social projects is for the commercial benefit they see in raising their reputation with the public or with government. They suggest a number of reasons why self-interested corporations, solely seeking to maximize profits are unable to advance the interests of society as a whole. They would point to examples where companies have spent a lot of time promoting CSR policies and commitment to Sustainable Development on the one hand, whilst damaging revelations about business practices emerge on the other. For example the McDonalds Corporation has been criticized by CSR campaigners for unethical business practices, and was the subject of a decision by Justice Roger Bell in the McLibel case (which upheld some of these claims, regarding mistreatment of workers, misleading advertising, and unnecessary cruelty to animals). Similarly Shell has a much publicized CSR policy and was a pioneer in triple bottom line reporting, but was involved in 2004(Shell, 2004) in a scandal over the misreporting of its oil reserves which seriously damaged its reputation and led to charges of hypocrisy. Since this has happened the Shell Foundation has become involved in many projects across the world, including a partnership with Marks and Spencer (UK) in three flower and fruit growing communities across Africa. These arguments usually suggest that stronger governments and international laws rather than intentional measures are necessary to ensure that companies behave in a socially responsible manner. Other views from this perspective include: Corporations really care little for the welfare of workers or the environment, and given the opportunity will move production to sweatshops in less well regulated countries. Companies do not pay the full costs of their impact. For example the costs of cleaning pollution often fall on society in general. As a result profits of corporations are enhanced at the expense of social or ecological welfare. Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility: Social responsibility of a business refers to what the business does, over and above the statutory requirement, for the benefit of the society. The term corporate citizenship is also commonly used to refer to the moral obligations of the business to the society. This implies that just as individuals, corporates are also integral part of the society and their behaviour shall be guided by certain social norms. The operations of business enterprises affect a wide spectrum. The resources they make use of are limited to those of the proprietors and the impact of their operations is felt also by many a people who are in no way connected with the enterprise. Benefit of Corporate Social Responsibility in Businesses: If the corporation or business want to be socially responsible it is not necessary that good business tactics make the business good in its practices. CSR has some effects that directly relates to economics of the company, they are customers, public relations, shareholders and employees. If it is applied into the business plan, Corporate Social Responsibility has some benefit which relates to companies. Getting the right to operate by stakeholders: Some industries like mining industries requires a licence to operate because of some allegations of environmental factors that are to be get by certain authorities and as well as from the community, because there operation can effect the community near by .If this requirement is not fulfilled then they have to face some concequences in operating the industry. Brand value and its reputation: Business values are important company`s social, ethical and environmental performance because of its globalization, mobility and advancement in customers and suppliers ideas in the competitive market, to develop themselves to compete with the competitors, by keeping in mind that Brand name is also growing and getting importance, as the main worth of any company is its brand name . Enhanced efficiency in Operations: Corporate Social Responsibility plays a vital role in corporate sector with result in enhancing the efficiency in the operations of the company, e.g improving the efficiency in energy and natural resources, reducing the waste like proper handling of waste materials. Better recruitment improves the business and its life style, that will result in less absentees from office and increase the employees performance which result in company`s saving for example companies that provide relaxing and free from stress environment to its employees will result in employee performance enhancement and increase in production line. There is a study conducted by some of the large employers (Medstat Group, American Productivity and quality Center, 2009) got and idea that if health services can be provided to employees of the company then their productivity and efficiency will increase towards that company and will decrease the amount employees getting absentees from work and production. Customer Satisfaction and Sales: A research was done on corporate social responsibility regarding sale and customer satisfaction done by Millennium Poll(Millennium Poll, Dec 1999)that it interviewed approx 25000 people from near 23 countries which want to contribute to the society rather than only making profits by business have to first impress in need and wants of the customers by giving them quality, price, taste, and appearance and availability of their required product or services. To Attract and Preserve the quality of Employees performance: A research done by a UK consulting firm Stanton Marris (Stanton Marris, research) from top most employees of 24 well known companies shows that employers status and reputation is very important when an individual accepts a job offer, and nearly six percent of employees suggest that company`s commitment is more important while looking for job in any field as a skill worker these are the essential part of job search. Market and product development with corporate social responsibility: Cooperation with the help of local communities coutures products and services in the local markets. Like IBM Cooperation its a giant in its field, I had partnership with the community which produced six new products for the market and got nearly 15 applications for patent in year 2000(IBM Corporation, 2000). CSR as a conflict between Shareholders: In Corporate social Responsibility there are two type of share holders one is insiders who are connected with the firm and completely rely on firm`s conditions and the other type of share holders are institutions or small investors which are not connected or rely on any other party. Affiliated owners are those who`s identity and reputation is related and linked with the firm, while on the other hand non affiliated owners are those who hold the shares of the firm but their holding did not effect the portfolio and also not to the firm. If the benefits are considered then insiders affiliated shareholders gain a great benefit from the firm high corporate social responsibility, they bear the cost from being associated with for and shown to be irresponsible. Insider group consist of two major subgroups that are managers and non managers. It is very difficult to understand that which group will gain more by having socially responsible firm, but it is said that both the insider groups care for the firms rating and performance. For example, consider the following three individuals: Steven Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computer, Warren Buffet, a large blockholder and a director of The Coca-Cola Company, and Roy Disney, a director of The Walt Disney Company. We argue first that all three of these individuals (Jobs = a manager; Buffet and Disney =non-managers) are strongly affiliated with their corresponding firm, and further, that these individuals should gain from the fact that their firms have a high CSR rating more than a 5 diversified shareholder such as Fidelity, whose reputation is not affected by the social rating of one single firm in its portfolio. In what follows, we explore how this potential conflict may be affected by different attributes of the firm, namely, a firms ownership and capital structure. In addition, we discuss how free cash flow and other governance issues may affect the conflict. Corporate Social Responsibility Examples: BG INDIA LTD Natural gas is becoming the fuel of choice in a world increasingly concerned with the environmental impact of its energy consumption and India is no exception. Demand for natural gas in India is expected to more than double over the next two decades, rising to 13,700 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) by 2025 With its natural gas industry expertise, BG India is well placed to make a significant contribution to the countrys future energy needs. 1995: Formation of Mahanagar Gas Ltd: joint venture with the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) 1997 : BG acquires majority interest in Gujarat Gas Company Limited 2000 : GGCL commissions 73 km Hazira-Ankleshwar transmission pipeline 2002 : BG acquires 30% interest in Panna, Mukta and Tapti fields BG Indias exploration and production assets include a 30 per cent interest in the Taptigas field and the Panna/Mukta oil and gas fields. Significant investment is planned forfurther development in the fields. BG India has a 65.12 per cent controlling stake in Gujarat Gas Company Limited, which supplies natural gas to the cities of Ankleshwar, Bharuch and Surat in south Gujarat. BGIndia also has a 49.75 per cent stake in Mahanagar Gas Limited, which is developing anatural gas distribution system in Mumbai. Both companies deliver piped natural gas todomestic, commercial and industrial customers as well as compressed natural gas (CNG)for natural gas vehicles. BG India is part of BG Group, a leading international energy company that has expertise across the spectrum of the natural gas chain. India is one of BG Groups six core geographic areas of operation. BG India is responsible for managing and developing the upstream and downstream interests of the Group in the country. BG India has been patron of St Teresas Special School, Santa Cruz, which is for differently challenged children. The company provides support for training materials. According to the information provided by the administration people at St Teresas Special School, BG India provided financial support to the school once and that was almost two years ago. Since then, there has been no contact regarding this subject on their part. When asked about the policies to approach the company for donations and other voluntary forms of support, the staff member informed us that the company delays the matter for a couple of months every time they do so. The company claims that Corporate Responsibility (CR) remains a top priority at BG India, based on a recognition that the company has a duty to act responsibly both towards its employees and the wider community in which it operates. BG India mainly contributes to society in several ways: delivering gas to markets; providing energy and infrastructure to support development; creating and sustaining jobs in local economies; and through taxes and duties paid. These benefits are enhanced by the companys CR strategy, which not only ensures that it behaves in a socially responsible manner, but also makes a positive and meaningful contribution to community development. Tata Tea Tata Tea has launched a unique Presently Tata Tea is running its campaign on motivating Indians to vote in elections. It has launched a website to help voters in registering them into voter list Dr. Reddys Foundation This foundation is Founded by Dr. K Anji Reddy in 1996 and it is involved in promoting PPP models connecting life, learning and livelihood and it defines the real causes of poverty improvement. It helps to empower people to support there livelihoods and responding to the society.Dr. Reddys is one pharmaceutical company that has evolved from a social initiation backdrop into a corporate giant. CSR rating agency Karmayoga states that Dr. Reddys Lupin Laboratories are the only two pharmaceutical companies that are making genuine efforts for the society. The company continuously tries to meet societys expectations by developing innovative medicines that enable people to live longer and healthier lives . To facilitate policy development, implementation and communication, a cross-functional team was established at the beginning of 2002 to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach. The team is made up of representatives from the key business areas who ensure that policies are in place and mechanisms exist for their implementation and monitoring. They also contribute to reporting progress through this report and in other ways, for example through conference presentations and on companys website. CONCLUSION A business with fewer stakeholders to satisfy, their greatest concern appears to be their customers and their own ability to satisfy the demand for products effectively. Businesses are demonstrating that well managed corporate responsibility actually supports business objectives, especially amongst large corporate where improved compliance, reputation and relationships has been shown to increase shareholder value and profitability. For privately held businesses, the pressure to act can stem from the demands of the supply chain, with large multinationals increasingly demanding that suppliers conform to ethical business practices.Incorporating corporate responsibility into a businesss core strategy can also enhance its attractiveness as an employer.

Capital Punishment Essay: Retardation and Capital Punishment

Retardation and Capital Punishment      Ã‚  Ã‚   One can agree (or not) with the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that the death penalty should not apply to retarded citizens because it violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against "cruel and unusual punishment," and still be troubled by the twisted road the court took to reach its destination. Reading the history of the Eighth Amendment shows that it proceeded from concerns over the methods the state could use to take the life of a convicted criminal -- not the intelligence level of the criminal.    When the Constitution was adopted, the British penalty for high treason was to have the convicted person "hanged by the neck and then cut down alive, then he was disemboweled while yet living. His head was cut off and his body divided into four parts for disposition by the King"(Norton). Among punishments for other crimes, English law provided for cutting off the ears, flogging, cutting off hands, castrating, standing in the pillory, slitting of the nose and branding on the cheek. Now THAT was cruel and unusual punishment.    The Supreme Court, in its decision, said that persons deemed retarded -- with an IQ of 70 or less -- and judged guilty of a capital crime, cannot be executed. In so rul... ...Retarded citizens who do not know right from wrong should be exempted from the death penalty -- but not given blanket absolution by a Supreme Court, which has relied in this latest of many recent rulings not on the Constitution, but on a preferred outcome. Such "reasoning" will come back to haunt us in situations where the outcome is less desirable.      WORKS CITED:    Atkins v Virginia. http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-8452.ZS.html    Norton, Thomas James. "The Constitution of the United States," p. 224.    Trop v. Dulles. http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/meiklejohn/meik-1_4/index.html

Cognitive Interventions Essay

The only thing that tells everyone apart from everyone else is each person’s genetic make-up. And there is only one exception and that would identical twins, because no two people are the same. This can be said true about the way we all think. There is no one person that thinks the same as the next person. People believe that we are all born innocent and that we are pure in thoughts and in behavior. There are many different factors that can and sometimes do influence how a person is controlled by his/her cognitive ability to think before acting. There are people who do a better than others can. There are people who have certain psychological problems that seek out help from a therapist to get a handle on their problems. One of most popular therapy would be cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). The base of this theory is that some of the behaviors are caused by a person’s inner thoughts or by mental inability to deal with problems or events in our lives. In this paper, I will summarize the article â€Å"Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Child Physical Abuse,† that describe Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) and the use of AF-CBT in adolescent anger management. Article Summary Childhood anger can be tiger by many different factors, thoughts or even events during a child early life. A young child is not able to express their feels in a correct way, so they have problems in dealing with their anger. This could also be that they were never taught by his/her parents how to handle their emotions. A good example would be a friend of mine that has a child with some deep rooted problems, When Sam get angry he will not able to express how he feels so he acts out towards anyone that is near him. At Christmas time I brought him a soccer ball that he wanted and when he opened it he just threw it to one side, so he was punishment, sent to his room, when he came out the looks in his eyes just plain scared me. I have seen that look in a person who just committed a murder. Cold and dark look is what this child has. Most children with this type of problems, it could be a result of abuse in the home by one or both parents, and the type of abuse could be physical or sexual. At the time of the abuse the child may feel that they could not fight off the person who is abusing him or they are so scared to tell anyone. When this time of situation has occurred the child is not able to handle so they will out and get into trouble. They may start getting into trouble at school, start handling out with the wrong crowds and getting into serious trouble with the law. The child may become involved with sex, alcohol and drugs, sometimes the child could turn out to be an abuser also. Children will do this to get away from their home life and the pain. If the abuse was discover at an early age, and then the child can be remove from the home and has a better chance to get therapy and could turn out to normal. This way the hate and anger can be redirected to a more positive avenue. It difficult for a child to understand why things happened to them and but to be able to speak to someone that can be able to help them understand that it was no their fault and help them heal their emotional wounds. Unfortunately, the affective of the abuse may follow the person throughout their life in many different forms. It can affect their children and even their partners. They may became have problems like becoming overweight so they will not be attractive to men. They also can be very sexually active. Being in therapy as a child they can be with other children that have been threw the same as the child and could help to release their anger, it could also help them from staying away from trouble and from hanging out with the wrong people. This would help the child to focus more on school and what is important to the child. The cognitive behavior theory is known to help child that are victims of abuse cases whether it is physical or sexual and the parents that are the abusers, that may help them to reestablish a relationship between parents and children. Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy  The main usage of the Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) is working with children and their families that have suffered sexual or physical abuse; the environment is very hostile, the child may be subject coercion and are aggression when the family is present. AF-CBT is also used for children with behavioral problems such as Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. AF-CBT is right for children who are the ages of 5-15, who exhibit some level of behavioral or emotional dysfunction and for parents or caregivers who may resort to uncomfortable or unsafe levels of physical punishment. The goal of this therapy is to reduce the level of physical abuse risk factors of the caregiver or family and to reduce the consequences of these experiences for the children. The primary focus is behavior management, social skills, training, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving skills, and communications skills for the caregiver’s level of anger and promote nonaggressive discipline strategies, to enhance a child’s coping skills, and encourage problem-solving and communication. There are three stages of AF-CBT process, each of the steps consisting in multiple steps that involve the child and the parent(s) separately and jointly. This type of treatment would be taken place as outpatient or in a setting that ongoing contact with the caregiver and the child. The treatment should take place twice a week for approximately three to six months. Abuse-Focus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in an Adolescent Anger-Management, the important part is to be able know how to control anger. Everyone can control their anger and being angry is a normal part of life. Just like everyone else, adolescent are no exception. The only exception is that adolescent can take their anger to the extreme and their action may not be called normal when angered. There is one way to help the adolescent to control their anger is by cognitive therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy can occur in many different ways, the most common is the one-to-one talk with the adolescents. Once the problem is out in the open, the therapist may give the adolescent advice and to show how to control or redirected their anger. It is a success when one discovers the problem using the cognitive behavioral therapy. Now that the adolescent is able to control their anger it more benefit for those who are around the adolescent, it does benefit both parties. With aggressive or violent behavior the AF-CBT will target in three ways in which people can deal with the situations: 1) Cognition (thinking), 2) Affect (feeling), and 3) Behavior (doing). AF-CBT use many different techniques that are used by practitioners, such as behavior and anger management, problem solving, social skills training, and cognitive restructuring. All programs require proper training in different areas, especially with psychological skills so that enhancing interpersonal effectiveness and self-control is maintained. Conclusion The article explains to us how to deal with child and adolescent in dealing with their anger due to physical or sexual abuse to them and to be able overcome their anger and to deal with feelings as well as their families. The primary goal of AF-CBT is to reduce other behavioral problems in children and adolescent when they grow-up.

Water for Elephants

The story follows Jacob Jankowski who was an old man living in a nursing home, as he looks back about a time that defined his life. In the 1930’s, 23-year-old Jacob’s life changed drastically. One minute he was finishing his Veterinarian degree at Cornell and planning to follow his father in the family business. The next his parents passed away in a car wreck, turning his world upside down. Jacob walked out of his final exams and hopped town, climbing on the first train he could. He quickly found out that it was no ordinary train. It belonged to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a travelling circus. With no financial prospects and no place to go, Jacob landed a job as the show’s veterinarian. Travelling with the circus had its ups and downs. He had a place to stay, food to eat and animals to look after. But his sleeping quarters were with the horses and a cranky clown, and money was never guaranteed. Jacob’s superior, August, seemed like a nice guy. But his true colors came out when times got tough. And worst of all, Jacob fell in love with the beautiful performer Marlena, who just happened to be August’s wife. Number of Pages: 325 Setting and Time Era of Novel: Story takes place in a traveling circus and is in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Character #1 Name: Jacob Jankowski Role in the Novel: Jacob is the narrator through the whole story who talks about his life in a circus. Description: In Water for Elephants there are two parts to Jacob Jankowski, one when he is older and the other when he is younger. The older Jacob Jankowski, 90 or 93 years old, relates his experiences with the ‘Benzini Brothers Circus’, back in 1931, to Charlie, a present day Circus manager. The younger Jacob is a 23-year-old young man who must leaves his studies, as a Cornell University veterinary student, after losing both of his parents in a car accident. Out of desperation and grief over his loss he jumps onto a train that happens to house the ‘Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth’, thus beginning his involvement with the circus. After his involvement in the circus Jacob starts to fall in love with Marlena who is married to the circus head animal trainer, August. Character #2 Name: Marlena Rosenbluth Role in the Novel: Marlena is married to August who is the head animal trainer for the ‘Benzini Brothers Circus’ and is also the star performer in the circus shows. Description: Marlena is the star performer of the Benzini Brothers circus. She married August Rosenbluth, against her parents’ wishes, and ran off with him to join the circus. Marlena endures her husband’s unusual behavior, which is not always the most pleasing in any way but eventually finds comfort with Jacob after they form a bond with Rosie the circus’ new elephant. Character #3 Name: August Rosenbluth Description: August is Marlena’s husband and the head animal trainer. He is alternately charming and brutal, both to the humans and animals aboard the Benzini Brothers train. Later in the book, it is explained that he is a paranoid schizophrenic. Themes and motifs: The book, Water for Elephants, has a symbolic study of human need for love and acceptance. The primary symbols are revealed through unique characters that struggle to feed deep internal desires. Rosie, the elephant, is a big and powerful symbol. More than just being a performing animal, Rosie reflects the desperation of so many Americans during the Great depression. Being in the hands of August, Rosie lives a passionless life. When she reaches for more, drinking the sweet circus lemonade that she craves rather than the water that she requires for sustenance, she is beaten into submission. August’s cruel message is clear that the circus is no place for independent passions. Symbols: Water – A symbol of purification, which is portrayed many times. Before Jacob jumps on the train the book states: When I first submerged my feet into frigid water, they hurt so badly I yanked them out again. I persisted, dunking them for longer and longer periods, until the cold finally blistered. † ?Train tracks – Are a symbol of choosing one's direction in life. For instance, the book states: â€Å"This is so odd†¦ I'm running beside a moving train in the middle of nowhere†. Their Society and Culture: In Wa ter for Elephants, the society and culture is pretty much exactly how it was in the 30’s. Because it was the time of the Great Depression, people did everything they could to make their lives happy. Book Review: I personally loved everything about this book! Other readers may find themselves churning through this book at a quick pace, eager to see what lies ahead, and then slowing down as they realize the book is coming to and end. Or at least that’s what I was doing. Water for Elephants is a book that can be read over and over again, recommended and handed off between friends; it begs to be discussed and mulled over. With lines of startling beauty, haunting and graphic scenes and finely drawn characters that dance off the page, readers can dip in and out of the novel, immersing themselves in Jacob's memories. The book is a beautifully written and extensively researched story, and is often surprising and funny. I highly recommend Water for Elephants if you’re looking for an enchanting story with adventures that place the reader alongside Jacob and his wild transfer into adulthood. Definitely a must read! Summary of the Novel: Water for Elephants, written by Sara Gruen, tells the story of a man named Jacob Jankowski, who leaves his life as a Cornell University veterinary student after losing both his parents in a car accident, and jumps onto a train that happens to house the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. After a short confrontation with Blackie, a bouncer that stops stowaways, and Camel, a limp old worker, promising him a job and an audience with Uncle, the ringmaster, Jacob decides to stay aboard the train. Since his parents have died in an automobile accident, and he has not a home to call his own, he decides to remain with the circus. Jacob is employed as the show’s veterinarian and he faces a number of challenges in dealing with the head trainer, August, while also learning how to function in the hierarchy of the circus and falling in love with August's wife, Marlena. Jacob Jankowski, a ninety year-old man who lives in a nursing home, tells the story as a series of memories. As the memories begin, Jacob Jankowski is twenty-three years old and preparing for his final exams as a Cornell University veterinary student when he receives the news that his parents were killed in a car accident. Jacob’s father was a veterinarian and Jacob had planned to join his practice. When Jacob learns that his father was deeply in debt because he had been treating animals for free as well as mortgaging the family home to provide Jacob an Ivy League education, he has a breakdown and leaves school just short of graduation. In the dark of night, he jumps on a train only to learn it is a circus train. When the owner of the circus, Uncle Al, learns of his training as a vet, he is hired to care for the circus animals. The head trainer, August, is a brutal man who abuses the animals in his care as well as the people around him. Alternately, he can be utterly charming. Jacob develops a guarded relationship with August and his wife, Marlena, with whom Jacob falls in love. August is suspicious of their relationship and beats Marlena and Jacob. Marlena subsequently leaves August, which is the precipitating event leading to the ultimate demise of the Benzini Brothers circus. As the story climaxes, several circus workers who were red lighted off the train come back and release the animals causing a stampede during the performance. In the ensuing panic, August is killed. As a result of this incident, which occurred during a circus performance, the circus is shut down. Marlena and Jacob leave, along with several circus animals, and begin their life together. Water for Elephants The story follows Jacob Jankowski who was an old man living in a nursing home, as he looks back about a time that defined his life. In the 1930’s, 23-year-old Jacob’s life changed drastically. One minute he was finishing his Veterinarian degree at Cornell and planning to follow his father in the family business. The next his parents passed away in a car wreck, turning his world upside down. Jacob walked out of his final exams and hopped town, climbing on the first train he could. He quickly found out that it was no ordinary train. It belonged to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a travelling circus. With no financial prospects and no place to go, Jacob landed a job as the show’s veterinarian. Travelling with the circus had its ups and downs. He had a place to stay, food to eat and animals to look after. But his sleeping quarters were with the horses and a cranky clown, and money was never guaranteed. Jacob’s superior, August, seemed like a nice guy. But his true colors came out when times got tough. And worst of all, Jacob fell in love with the beautiful performer Marlena, who just happened to be August’s wife. Number of Pages: 325 Setting and Time Era of Novel: Story takes place in a traveling circus and is in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Character #1 Name: Jacob Jankowski Role in the Novel: Jacob is the narrator through the whole story who talks about his life in a circus. Description: In Water for Elephants there are two parts to Jacob Jankowski, one when he is older and the other when he is younger. The older Jacob Jankowski, 90 or 93 years old, relates his experiences with the ‘Benzini Brothers Circus’, back in 1931, to Charlie, a present day Circus manager. The younger Jacob is a 23-year-old young man who must leaves his studies, as a Cornell University veterinary student, after losing both of his parents in a car accident. Out of desperation and grief over his loss he jumps onto a train that happens to house the ‘Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth’, thus beginning his involvement with the circus. After his involvement in the circus Jacob starts to fall in love with Marlena who is married to the circus head animal trainer, August. Character #2 Name: Marlena Rosenbluth Role in the Novel: Marlena is married to August who is the head animal trainer for the ‘Benzini Brothers Circus’ and is also the star performer in the circus shows. Description: Marlena is the star performer of the Benzini Brothers circus. She married August Rosenbluth, against her parents’ wishes, and ran off with him to join the circus. Marlena endures her husband’s unusual behavior, which is not always the most pleasing in any way but eventually finds comfort with Jacob after they form a bond with Rosie the circus’ new elephant. Character #3 Name: August Rosenbluth Description: August is Marlena’s husband and the head animal trainer. He is alternately charming and brutal, both to the humans and animals aboard the Benzini Brothers train. Later in the book, it is explained that he is a paranoid schizophrenic. Themes and motifs: The book, Water for Elephants, has a symbolic study of human need for love and acceptance. The primary symbols are revealed through unique characters that struggle to feed deep internal desires. Rosie, the elephant, is a big and powerful symbol. More than just being a performing animal, Rosie reflects the desperation of so many Americans during the Great depression. Being in the hands of August, Rosie lives a passionless life. When she reaches for more, drinking the sweet circus lemonade that she craves rather than the water that she requires for sustenance, she is beaten into submission. August’s cruel message is clear that the circus is no place for independent passions. Symbols: Water – A symbol of purification, which is portrayed many times. Before Jacob jumps on the train the book states: When I first submerged my feet into frigid water, they hurt so badly I yanked them out again. I persisted, dunking them for longer and longer periods, until the cold finally blistered. † ?Train tracks – Are a symbol of choosing one's direction in life. For instance, the book states: â€Å"This is so odd†¦ I'm running beside a moving train in the middle of nowhere†. Their Society and Culture: In Wa ter for Elephants, the society and culture is pretty much exactly how it was in the 30’s. Because it was the time of the Great Depression, people did everything they could to make their lives happy. Book Review: I personally loved everything about this book! Other readers may find themselves churning through this book at a quick pace, eager to see what lies ahead, and then slowing down as they realize the book is coming to and end. Or at least that’s what I was doing. Water for Elephants is a book that can be read over and over again, recommended and handed off between friends; it begs to be discussed and mulled over. With lines of startling beauty, haunting and graphic scenes and finely drawn characters that dance off the page, readers can dip in and out of the novel, immersing themselves in Jacob's memories. The book is a beautifully written and extensively researched story, and is often surprising and funny. I highly recommend Water for Elephants if you’re looking for an enchanting story with adventures that place the reader alongside Jacob and his wild transfer into adulthood. Definitely a must read! Summary of the Novel: Water for Elephants, written by Sara Gruen, tells the story of a man named Jacob Jankowski, who leaves his life as a Cornell University veterinary student after losing both his parents in a car accident, and jumps onto a train that happens to house the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. After a short confrontation with Blackie, a bouncer that stops stowaways, and Camel, a limp old worker, promising him a job and an audience with Uncle, the ringmaster, Jacob decides to stay aboard the train. Since his parents have died in an automobile accident, and he has not a home to call his own, he decides to remain with the circus. Jacob is employed as the show’s veterinarian and he faces a number of challenges in dealing with the head trainer, August, while also learning how to function in the hierarchy of the circus and falling in love with August's wife, Marlena. Jacob Jankowski, a ninety year-old man who lives in a nursing home, tells the story as a series of memories. As the memories begin, Jacob Jankowski is twenty-three years old and preparing for his final exams as a Cornell University veterinary student when he receives the news that his parents were killed in a car accident. Jacob’s father was a veterinarian and Jacob had planned to join his practice. When Jacob learns that his father was deeply in debt because he had been treating animals for free as well as mortgaging the family home to provide Jacob an Ivy League education, he has a breakdown and leaves school just short of graduation. In the dark of night, he jumps on a train only to learn it is a circus train. When the owner of the circus, Uncle Al, learns of his training as a vet, he is hired to care for the circus animals. The head trainer, August, is a brutal man who abuses the animals in his care as well as the people around him. Alternately, he can be utterly charming. Jacob develops a guarded relationship with August and his wife, Marlena, with whom Jacob falls in love. August is suspicious of their relationship and beats Marlena and Jacob. Marlena subsequently leaves August, which is the precipitating event leading to the ultimate demise of the Benzini Brothers circus. As the story climaxes, several circus workers who were red lighted off the train come back and release the animals causing a stampede during the performance. In the ensuing panic, August is killed. As a result of this incident, which occurred during a circus performance, the circus is shut down. Marlena and Jacob leave, along with several circus animals, and begin their life together.