Analysis of Oxygen Bearing Compunds

Analysis of Oxygen bearing Organic compounds Abstract The Unknown sample in the experiment can be tested to yield results such as 1 ° (primary), 2 ° (secondary), 3 ° (tertiary) alcohols. Tests such as the dichromate test, Tollen’s test, Lucas test, DNPH test and iodoform test would be very useful in determining the type of alcohol that the unknown sample belongs to. In the experiment, the unknown sample underwent series of testing to identify what property of alcohol it belonged to and the result was that it was a primary alcohol. It went through the Dichromate reaction, Tollen’s reaction and finally the Lucas reaction. Introduction â€Å"The analysis of oxygen bearing organic compounds† is an experiment in which a variety of tests are available to identify a compound’s property whether it is a primary, secondary or tertiary alcohol. The tests that are included to come up with such results are interconnected with one another like that of the Dichromate test, followed by the Tollen’s test to yield an aldehyde if positive for mirror coating. The second set of procedure would again start with The Dichromate test, followed by the Tollen’s test and finally the Lucas test to yield either primary alcohol if it became turbid or secondary alcohols as it’s result if it did not turn turbid. The last set of interconnected tests were that of again, the Dichromate test, Followed by the DNPH that would determine if the unknown sample is a Ketone (positive for red-orange precipitate) or a tertiary alcohol (if negative for red-orange precipitate). But before going deeper on what these tests are, what first are the difference between their results which are the primary, secondary and the tertiary alcohols, aldehydes and ketones? Alcohols are compounds in which one or more hydrogen atoms in an alkane have been replaced by an -OH group. Note however that there are different kinds of alcohols and Alcohols are categorized into different classes depending on how the -OH group is positioned and arranged on the chain of the carbon atoms. Chemical differences between the various types are possible. First to be discussed would be the Primary (1 °) alcohol, in which the carbon carrying the -OH group is only attached to one alkyl group. Meanwhile, In a secondary (2 °) alcohol, the carbon with the -OH group attached is joined precisely to two alkyl groups, these alkyl groups that are attached to the carbon chain may be the same or different. In a tertiary (3 °) alcohol, the carbon atom holding the -OH group is attached directly to three alkyl groups, which may be any combination of same or different [1]. On the other hand, another result that can occur would be the presence of ketones and Aldehydes. But again, to understand the experiment further, what are Ketones and aldehydes? A ketone can be characterized as either the functional group categorized by a carbonyl group (O=C) attached to two other carbon atoms or it can be identified as a chemical compound that contains a carbonyl group. A carbonyl carbon bonded to two carbon atoms makes ketones different from carboxylic acids, aldehydes, esters, amides, and other oxygen-containing compounds. The double-bond of the carbonyl group distinguishes ketones from alcohols and ethers. The simplest ketone known is acetone [2]. Lastly among the results is the aldehyde. The term aldehyde seems to have arisen from the wordds alcohol dehydrogenated. Way back in earlier times, aldehydes were at times named after the corresponding alcohols, for example, vinous aldehyde for acetaldehyde. (Vinous is from Latin vinum = wine, the traditional source of ethanol; compare vinyl. ). An aldehyde is an example of an organic compound which has a terminal carbonyl group. This functional group, which consists of a carbon atom bonded to a hydrogen atom and double-bonded to an oxygen atom (chemical formula O=CH-), is commonly called the aldehyde group. The other names for aldehyde group are formyl and methanoyl group. The aldehyde group is considered polar. Oxygen, which is more electronegative than carbon, pulls the electrons in the carbon-oxygen bond in the direction of itself, creating an electron deficiency at the carbon atom. Owing to resonance stabilization of the conjugate base, an ? -hydrogen in an aldehyde is more acidic than a hydrogen atom in an alkane, with a typical pKa of 17 [3]. Results and discussions The experiment included parallel testing of 3 liquids that would be used for comparison. the first sample would be the unknown sample, the second would be the positive standard in which formaldehyde was used and the last wold be the negative sample in which the simplest ketone, Acetone was used. Only three test were used to determine whether the group’s unknown sample was under the category of primary, secondary, tertiary alcohol, aldehydes or ketones. The three tests were done one after the other in this order: Dichromate test, Tollen’s test, and Lucas test respectively. In the Dichromate test, the unknown sample and the formaldehyde turned green meaning that dichromate oxidized the primary alcohol, secondary alcohol, and aldehydes to ketones or carboxylic acids. Samples turning green would be an indicator that the samples are positive for oxidation and therefore are oxidizable. On the other hand, the acetone remained orange which means that it is not oxidizable and can be further continued to another test, the DPNH test which would prove that it is categorized as a ketone because of the presence of a red-orange precipitate that indicates that the DPNH reagent condenses with the carbonyl containing molecules. The second test that followed the Dichromate test was the Tollen’s test. In this test, the unknown sample turned clear gray and the formaldehyde turned into a dark grey liquid with silver streaks. The silver streaks are similar with the silver mirror coat that means that the Tollen’s reagent oxidized the ammonium salts of the carboxylic acids with this, the formaldehyde was categorized as an aldehyde. Alternatively, The clear grey liquid of the unknown sample would indicate that it was not positive for the Tollen’s test and therefore it would need to continue to be tested so as to decipher if it is a primary or secondary alcohol. The last test would be the Lucas test in which the unknown sample did not turn turbid and therefore it was concluded to be a primary alcohol. Together with the unknown sample that did not turn turbid was isopropyl and MeOH which just remained as clear liquids. then again, the sample liquid that turned turbid was the tertbutyl. By this reaction, it is said that alcohols are converted to alkyl chlorides with ZnCl2 taking into consideration too that different alcohol types respond at different rates with ZnCl2. Table 1. Chemical Test |Unknown sample |Standard (+) |Standard(-) | |Dichromate |*unknown sample turned green |*formaldehyde turned green meaning |*Acetone remained orange meaning it| | |meaning it it oxidizable |it is oxidizable |is not oxidizable | |Tollen’s |*unknown sample turned clear gray |*formaldehyde turned dark gray with|*acetone turned very light grey | | | |silver streaks. then turned clear. | |Lucas |*unknown sample did not turn turbid|*Tertbutyl-turned turbid fast |*Acetone- Clear; already not | | | |*Isopropyl-clear |applicable since it is a ketone. | | | |*MeOH-clear | | Experimentation A. An unknown sample was given and it should be parallel tested with two other standards- one would be positive and one would be negative. B. The Dichromate test started the experiment. 8 drops of the unknown sample as well as the the two other standard- formaldehyde and Acetone was placed in separate test tubes addind 2 drops of of 10% K2Cr2O7 and 5 drops of 6M H2SO4. C. The Tollen’s test followed. 2 ml of freshly made Tollen’s reagent and 5 droops of the unknown sample were mixed. After 5 minutes and the silver precipitate did not form yet, it was placed in a 70 degree water bath for another 5 minutes. Then the results were observed. D. The last test was the Lucas test in which the iunknown sample, tertbutyl, isopropyl and MeOH was tested all at the same time. 5 drops of the sample was and 15 drops of concentrated HCl was mixed together with a â€Å"corn grain† amount of ZnCl2 solid and the appearance of turbidity was observed or not. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the unknown sample that was given to be tested was an oxidizable, primary alcohol based on the tests that were conducted. Since it was positive for the dichromate test, it was deemed to be oxidizable. In the Tolle’s test, as it did not produce a mirror coat, it was directed to the choice of being a primary or a secondary alcohol. And for the last test, the Lucas test, it was finally concluded that it was a primary alcohol since it did not turn turbid. References: Books: †¢ Timberlake, Karen C. , â€Å"General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry Structures of Life,Platinum Edition†, Pearson Education, Inc. , 2004 †¢ Bettelheim, F. A. , [et al. ], â€Å"Introduction to organic and biochemistry. 6th ed. †? Belmont, CA : Brooks/Cole, c2007 †¢ Wade, L. G. , . â€Å"Organic chemistry 6th ed. †. Upper Saddle River, N. J. : Pearson Prentice Hall, c2006. Additional On-line sources: †¢ [1] Clarks, j. (2003). Alcohol oxidation. Retrieved September 8 2008 from http://www. chemguide. co. uk/organicprops/alcohols/oxidation. html †¢ [2] N. A, (24 August 2008). Ketones. Wikipedia ®. Retrieved September 8 2008 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ketones †¢ †¢ [3] N. A, (31 August 2008). Aldehydes. Wikipedia ®. Retrieved September 8 2008 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Aldehydes

Applying Information Security and SDLC Essay

Write a paper of no more than 3,000 words in which you discuss one of the bookstores, use the SDLC method to implement a new technology into the bookstore, and detail a disaster recovery plan for the bookstore. Cite at least five references in your paper. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. If you are thinking of joining a fraternity or sorority, take the time to look into what each individual house has to offer. While there are similarities, many houses are different in the types of community service they do, the types of activities they prefer, and the overall attitude they portray. This pack contains BIS 320 Week 5 Applying Information Security and SDLC to Business General Questions – General General Questions Resource: University of Phoenix Material: Applying Information Security and SDLC to Business Write a paper of no more than 3,000 words in which you discuss one of the bookstores, use the SDLC method to implement a new technology into the bookstore, and detail a disaster recovery plan for the bookstore. Cite at least five references in your paper. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. If you are thinking of joining a fraternity or sorority, take the time to look into what each individual house has to offer. While there are  similarities, many houses are different in the types of community service they do, the types of activities they prefer, and the overall attitude they portray. This pack contains BIS 320 Week 5 Applying Information Security and SDLC to Business General Questions – General General Questions Resource: University of Phoe†¦ https://bitly.com/12BDPWw If you are thinking of joining a fraternity or sorority, take the time to look into what each individual house has to offer. While there are similarities, many houses are different in the types of community service they do, the types of activities they prefer, and the overall attitude they portray. General Questions – General General Questions Resource: University of Phoenix Material: Applying Information Security and SDLC to Business Write a paper of no more than 3,000 words in which you discuss one of the bookstores, use the SDLC method to implement a new technology into the bookstore, and detail a disaster recovery plan for the bookstore. Cite at least five references in your paper. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Clinical journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Clinical journal - Essay Example Weekly skin assessment was done during shower. One of the medical doctors came to assess the new residents. Previous nurse told the doctor that the patient on Cipro did not know that it was Bactrim DS for UTI. Order was clarified by MD, but it said that it was ok if it is Cipro has to be given to empty stomach 1 hour before meals. The wound doctor came to check the wound once per week. The patient with the wound needed to be assesed was put back to bed. One patient was admitted 2 days ago with wound on the right lateral ankle. The nurse documented unstageable wound. However, during the interview, the guest informed the wound doctor, he sustained the wound because he was hit by the Hoyer lift during transfer from the previous facility. The wound doctor stated that it is not unstageable but a trauma wound. There was a confusion with the location of the wound as well. Some nurses documented left ankle, while order was stated right. Therefore, the wound doctor asked me what I would do in that situation. I told him that I would assess the patient myself to clarify the confusion and make a note on the TAR and pass on the oncoming nurse. There is no 24 hours report shift for you to read. Therefore, you have to listen carefully to the report in order not to miss anything. In-service was given to diabetic mellitus that afternoon as well. A man from Lilly, the company that makes insulin, came to conduct the in-service. The topic that was discussed is rapid acting insulin such novolog, Humalog was discussed, long acting, for example, levemir and Lantus and peak time. The staff were able to differential between the type 1 DM of the pancreas which does not procedure insulin at all, while with type 2 the body produces insulin but the body cannot properly used it efficiently. Many years ago the body did not produce insulin for instance with type 1 diabetes you die because there were no such thing as insulin to give. And now hemoglobin HA1c is done to

COFFEE TRENDS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

COFFEE TRENDS - Essay Example Due to the high caffeine content and other chemical substances in coffee, critics argue that coffee is addictive and to some extent, it contributes to weight gain, thus, its consumption should be restricted. On the contrary, coffee has played an imperative role in human lives in various ways such as cultural, social, political, globalization, economical, and medicinal aspects, and thus its consumption should not be restricted. First, coffee plays a significant role in cultural and customary occasions in many societies. For example, it is presented and consumed in many communities whereby it plays various roles with regard to a particular culture. For instance it acts as ethnic or religious representative of many groups, matrimonial or funeral essential commodity, irreplaceable element for individuals and professionals at all times. In addition, coffee is a symbol of hospitability, whereby social hospitable norms of many ethnic and religious groups require them to offer at least †Å"a cup of coffee to their guests† as their standard etiquette (Topik 86). This is commonly seen in various religious societies, in which guests are often presented with a cup of coffee. For example, Muslims either in Ramadan or in their traditional weddings, keep coffee as a mandatory item for their guests. Similarly, Catholic, Jews and orthodox also keep this social beverage at important events such as funerals, marriage ceremonies, political and social meetings, and most importantly at professional work places (Croegaert 468). Secondly, coffee has been a crucial component of political and revolutionary movements’ gatherings and meetings. Throughout history, coffee houses have been social places for political and revolutionary movements across many nations. Companies such as Starbucks, Nestle, Proctor and gamble among others are popular for promoting a coffee culture where people can go relax in their coffee outlets and lounges, and consequently catch up or discuss po litical and social issues. Starbucks even went as far as providing Wi-Fi in their coffee lounges in Australia so that customers can even work while enjoying coffee and connecting. During the era of globalization and industrialization, coffee places were highly valued, and it represented a culture of class of people. Likewise, this era witnessed increasing activities of social movement groups, and as customary, coffee houses became their favourite meeting places. Hence, people planned, discussed and organised their social and political revolutions in â€Å"kefeteria† or in coffee houses against the government of that time (Croegaert 468). Therefore, restricting consumption of coffee would destroy such cultures and the values attached to it. Thirdly, coffee plays a crucial role in development of economy, which is evident from various companies that have made profit from coffee processing and sales. In the twentieth century, in USA 80% of the coffee production and supply was ass ociated to the four renowned brands namely; Nestle, Proctor and Gamble, Sarah Lee and Philip Morris. Likewise, Starbucks, MacDonald’s and Dunkin doughnuts have been responsible for the expansion of this social beverage throughout the world, especially in USA (Topik 100). With variation in the forms of coffee like espresso, cappuccino, cold-coffee; it overwhelmed cola-drink trend in the youth. Moreover, Dunkin Doughnuts and

Implementation brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Implementation brief - Essay Example In this similar context, the investing ideas for fitness centres include incorporating fitness centre through swimming pool, indoor game, sports equipment shop as well as boxing club amenities through which generating greater revenues for the organisation will be possible along with attaining diversification benefits. These fitness dimensions would further assist in hotel’s chaining to attract customers by rendering the aforementioned value-added facilities. This proposed investment implementation idea of incorporating various fitness dimensions shall also enable the hotel chain to maintain profitability by engaging effective sales through the utilisation of these services (Entrepreneur Media, Inc., 2013). The report of the investment implementation brief therefore focuses on identifying the impact to be created by the investment idea on the overall organisational structure or departments of East Nest Hotels along with a time plan for the implementation of the strategy. The re port also presents a brief idea regarding the linkage between the investment plan with other departments along with a milestone analysis and risk plan to justify the implementation benefits of the proposed initiative. ... or games facility and a sport shopping shop, it can be stated that such initiatives will be helpful in determining the degree of demands for the products and facilities offered in the market by the organisation. It will also have an impact on the degree of competition that an organisation faces in order to sustain its competitive position in the market, irrespective of the customers’ buying behaviours. It can also be stated that the investment idea will further help in maintaining the margin of profits allowing greater competitive advantages to the company. However, when implementing the plan, the regulations or policies currently performed within the organisation and its labour power can be taken into consideration, which has been affecting the expenses as well as competencies of the organisation (Madhura, 2007). In this context, the Human Resource (HR) manager will be responsible in addressing the issue of internal equity, i.e. in evaluating the resources for advertising the job profile, development of plan for ensuring the existing employees are not reprimanded with low remuneration for failing in achieving the targets of the additional activities assigned to them in lieu of the investment idea. In this particular context, the HR team will be held responsible in conducting regular training sessions for individuals through consultations, designing of programs, instructional sessions as well as obtaining feedbacks for the proper implementation of the requisite activities needed to implement the investment idea. Undoubtedly, such change would require additional manpower and investments to recruit competent trainers through internal recruitment and external labour market as well, as per their qualifications in providing fitness training program for individuals. It can

International Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Financial Management - Essay Example To the common man trade is simply the exchange of goods and services between two individuals, groups, and organizations. When trade begins to happen across regional boundaries it is categorized as international trade. Modern day phenomenon such as advancement in technology and globalization have allowed for international trade to happen at a much faster rate over a much larger scale. For this trade to occur smoothly and in order to avoid confusion and chaos; regulation and systematic order are extremely important. For this reason regions join hands to make trade blocs and trade regions which not only allow for a more efficient process but help both the trader and the buyer. In this essay we will be discussing the role of two trading giants, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries  (OPEC), and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); both of whose introduction caused dramatic changes to the way modern age trade is conducted. Before moving forth it is essential to differentiate between a trade region and a trade bloc. A trade region is essentially an agreement based on regional boundaries. Member countries join such a region based on their geographical location and hence enjoy many trade privileges. An example of a trade region is NAFTA where North American countries come together to form member states. A trade bloc maybe a trade region but it is not necessary since members are made not on geographical proximity but based on ownership of common assets. An example of a trade bloc is OPEC where countries exporting petroleum have come together to ease trade. OPEC was established when five countries (Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela) signed a trade agreement in Baghdad in September 1960. These five countries were then known as the founding members for this organization and were in later years joined by many more countries. Gabon and

Has state played a leading role in upgrading technologies in the Asia Essay

Has state played a leading role in upgrading technologies in the Asia Pacific Answer with reference to relevant theories and us - Essay Example The integration of firms in Asia Pacific into GPNs have greatly stimulated industrial development. Operating under GPNs, Asia Pacific firms have been successful at tapping into the leading markets in the world (Barbara, 2008).   Through this, these firms have been able to compensate for their small size domestic market. Through network participation, Asia Pacific Firms have been able to access to the leading-edge technologies, as well as best-practice management approaches (Barbara, 2008).  This has created pressures, incentives, as well as new opportunities for the Asia Pacific network suppliers to update and upgrade their management and technological capabilities and the workers’ skill levels. Studies indicate that Asia pacific governments have been behind the most of the scientific innovations in these regions. The focus of this paper to discuss the role of Asia Pacific countries in upgrading technologies in the Asia Pacific region. The role of governments continues to be a source of development of industrial capabilities and economic growth in Pacific Asia region. However, the 2010 downturn in the electronics industry and the 1997 global financial crisis brutally exposed the model of technological diversification. A country becomes more vulnerable (1) if it becomes highly integrated into GPN (2) if its large share of exports is  purely electronic, and (3) if it is largely dependent on exporting products to the United States for purposes of getting revenue (Iansiti, & West, 1997). Additionally, returns for the factory model are also decreasing. As capital intensive for these investments increase, new employments are generated (Iansiti & West, 1997). It also causes the decline in local spillovers to domestic suppliers as global contract manufacturers contribute their services to the integrated manufacturing, which in turn increases the share of production of the global industry. Moreover, much of the investments of global factory has remained foo tloose leading to relocation of new low-cost locales and plant closure. Asia Pacific firms heavily rely on Japanese, European, and American firms as their dominant source of new technology. This shows why heavy concentration of innovative capabilities, R&D, and intellectual property rights being centered on the U.S (Iansiti, & West, 1997). For Asia Pacific, this led to razor-thin margins due to hefty licensing fee levied by the dominant global brand firms. A broad consensus has emerged across the region that electronic industries within Asia region need to upgrade to somewhat higher value-added technologically more attractive services, products and production stages (Chomsky, & Robert, 2011).  These changes, however, require strong innovative capabilities to be developed. In order to achieve this, the leading software and electronic companies and the Asia Pacific states have sought to improve and develop knowledge, skills, and management techniques required to help create and comm ercialize new services, products, processes, equipment and business models (Chomsky & Robert, 2011).   The states and these companies have focused on what is feasible (Chanda, 2007). This has been done with the view that the region as a whole has continued to substantially lag behind in the development of the broad-based science and technology systems (Chanda, 2007). Instead of directly adopting technology leadership

Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Bibliography - Essay Example The case of Quebec is used as an example for showing the resistance of a region to globalization using a particular element: the language; in accordance with Di Sciullo the French language has been used by Quebecers as a cause for protecting the region’s identity, even if the region is indispensable part of Quebec. In this way, the political choices of Trudeau in regard to ethnicity and identify of Quebec, as compared to other regions of Canada, can be clearly understood. Dufour, Christian. â€Å"Trudeau’s Canadian Legacy from a Quebec Perspective: New Canadian Nationalism Weakens Canada.† London Journal of Canadian Studies 18(2002/2003): 5-13, accessed February 12, 2012. The study of Dufour emphasizes on the role of Trudeau in the misunderstanding caused in regard to the demands of Quebecers, as citizens of a critical Canadian region. Moreover, through the above study it is made clear that the political decisions of Trudeau had led to the following problem: various cultural groups across Canada have been benefited from the changes in Canadian constitution while the rights of the citizens of Quebec were ignored. In other words, the study of Dufour, analyzing the conflicts between Quebecers and the rest of Canadians, makes clear the failure of Trudeau to secure national unity, especially as of the area of Quebec. The specific aspect of Trudeau’s legacy in regard to national unity is quite important, taking into consideration Quebec’s geopolitical value for Canada. In any case, the failures of Trudeau in managing the claims of Quebecers can be used for evaluating his practices in other regions with similar issues. Although the specific su bject is partially covered also in the study of Di Sciullo, the use of the study of Dufour is important in order to understand the challenges that nationalism has faced in Canada, especially since the information

Descriptive & Inferential Statistics Assignment

Descriptive & Inferential Statistics - Assignment Example Before then, the data for White and Black students included students of Hispanic ethnicity, so the analysis would not have been valid. The stats used to analyze the relationship between high school dropout rates and family income was provided by . The literature we read about school characteristics lead us to focus on the impact of attendance rates and wealth expenditures per pupil on high school dropout rates in the state of Maryland. The data used to analyze the relationship between high school dropout rates and school characteristics came the Maryland State Department of Education’s â€Å"2014 Maryland Report Card.† Since 2003, the Maryland State Department of Education has been collecting and publishing data on each of its schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, in each county in Maryland. Data for 2014 is incomplete, so the most complete statistics are available from 2003 through 2013. These data measure many important school characteristics, as well as calculating and reporting the drop-out rates for schools and counties. Among the most significant measures included in the report card are the number of students who missed 5 or fewer days of school each year, those who missed 90 or more days of school eac h year, the number of days of attendance each year, and wealth expenditures per pupil. Those four characteristics, including the dropout rates, are summarized here. From 1992 til 2012, there were 738,931 high school students of all races between the ages of 16 and 24 years old. Out of the 738,931 students, 469,016 of them identified as white, 106,216 of them identified as black and 120,321 of them identified as Hispanic; which leaves 43,378 students without any racial identification. From 1992 until 2012, 6.5% of White students dropped out of high school. The median was 6.8% and there was no mode present. The minimum amount of dropouts was in 2012 with 4.3% and the maximum

Computerised Accounting System Essay Example for Free

Computerised Accounting System Essay At very outset I sincerely thankful to you for promoting me in the cadre of A. O. ( Mkt) would like to draw your kind attention to my various earlier requests for restoration of my three increments as per the order dated 25th January 2005, passed by then CMD (copy enclosed ) by modifying the earlier order the following. 1 Restoring the basic pay to the same level as the order was to be without cumulative effect; as has been very categorically specified in the order. However, notwithstanding the above, the first part of the enclosed order was implemented long back in the year 2005, but even after so many years the 2nd part of the order is not implemented by your office till today my basic salary has not so far been restored. It is respectfully submitted that non restoration of my basic pay as mandated by the order under reference would be in derogation of the order passed by the erstwhile CMD. my salary in the promoted cadre cannot be fixed unless my 3 increments are restored only after restoration of these 3 increments my salary can be fixed In promoted (A. O. ) cadre . I therefore request your kind self to immediate restore my three increments ( by which my basic pay has been already been reduced )w. e. f. year 2005. so that there is no delay in fixing my salary in promoted cadre. I shall be extremely grateful to you for the act of kindness.

Understanding Of Feminist Theory And Patriarchy Sociology Essay

Understanding Of Feminist Theory And Patriarchy Sociology Essay Western female thought through the centuries has identified the relationship between patriarchy and gender as crucial to the women ¡Ã‚ ¦s subordinate position. For two hundred years, patriarchy precluded women from having a legal or political identity and the legislation and attitudes supporting this provided the model for slavery. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries suffrage campaigners succeeded in securing some legal and political rights for women in the UK. By the middle of the 20th century, the emphasis had shifted from suffrage to social and economic equality in the public and private sphere and the women ¡Ã‚ ¦s movement that sprung up during the 1960s began to argue that women were oppressed by patriarchal structures. Equal status for women of all races, classes, sexualities and abilities in the 21st century these feminist claims for equality are generally accepted as reasonable principles in western society; yet the contradiction between this principle of equality and the demonstrable inequalities between the sexes that still exist exposes the continuing dominance of male privilege and values throughout society (patriarchy). This essay seeks to move beyond the irrepressible evidence for gender inequality and the division of labour. Rather, it poses the question of gender inequality as it manifests itself as an effect of patriarchy drawing from a theoretical body of work which has been developed so recently that it would have been impossible to write this essay thirty years ago. Feminist Theory and Patriarchy Although  ¡Ã‚ ¡K patriarchy is arguably the oldest example of a forced or exploitative division of social activities ¡Ã‚ ¨ and clearly existed before it was ever examined by sociologists, the features of patriarchy had been accepted as natural (biological) in substance. It was not until feminists in the 1960s began to explore the features and institutions of patriarchy, that the power of the concept to explain women ¡Ã‚ ¦s subordinate position in society was proven (Seidman, 1994) . The feminist engagement with theories of patriarchy criticised pre-existing theoretical positions and their ideological use, tracing theoretical progenitors of popular views about gender, gender roles etc (Cooper, 1995; Raymond, 1980). Developing theories to explain how gender inequalities have their roots in ideologies of gender difference and a hierarchical gender order, feminist theoretical concepts of patriarchy are able to explain and challenge gender inequality and the gendered division of labour in the private and social spheres (Seidman, 1994). They have done this by challenging concepts of gender, the family and the unequal division of labour underpinned by a theory of patriarchy that has come to reveal how it operates to subordinate women and privilege men, often at women ¡Ã‚ ¦s expense. Patriarchy, Structure and Gender Inequality Walby (1990) reveals how patriarchy operates to achieve and maintain the gender inequalities essential for the subordination of women. Crucially for this essay, she shows how it can operate differently in the private and public domain but toward the same end. She identifies patriarchy as having diverse forms of and relationships between its structures in the public and private spheres, and yet still operates in a related fashion. Walby ¡Ã‚ ¦s explanation sees the household and household production as being a key site of women ¡Ã‚ ¦s subordination but acknowledges that the domestic area is not the only one that women participate in. She shows how the concept of patriarchy is useful in explaining the relationship between women ¡Ã‚ ¦s subordination in the private and public arenas by showing that they work equally to achieve this subordination as well as supporting, reflecting and maintaining patriarchy itself. Firstly, Walby points out that the structures of patriarchy differ in their form. The household has a different structure to other institutional forms, e.g., the workplace. This is an important point because if feminist theories of patriarchy are to stand they must show that patriarchy operates to the same end in both the private and public sphere, even if it uses different strategies, otherwise it could not be the main reason for the continuing inequality of women in both the private and public sphere. Walby shows that within the private structure and the public structures, patriarchy does use different strategies to maintain gender inequality and these strategies both achieve the subordination of women. The household strategy is considered to be exclusionary and the public structures strategy as segregationist. The exclusionary strategy in the private arena is based on household production. Application of this strategy in the domestic sphere depends on individual patriarchs controlling women in the private world of the home. The male patriarch in the household is both the oppressor and recipient of women ¡Ã‚ ¦s subordination. This strategy is direct  ¡V women are oppressed on a personal and individual basis by the individual patriarchs who share their lives. The segregationist strategy used in the public patriarchy actively excludes women from the public arena using various structures to subordinate them. Application depends on controlling access to public arenas (Golombok and Fivush, 1995). This strategy does not benefit the institution directly, but it does ensure that individual patriarchs are privileged at the expense of women, and it maintains gender differences. The way in which individual patriarchs and public institutions use there power further reveals how related the structures of patriarchy are. Public institutions do not have the power to oppress individual women or exclude them directly from public structures; this work is carried out in the home. Power in institutions is used collectively rather than individually, and the segregationist strategy pursued in the public arena maintains the exclusionary strategy used in private that in turn supports the segregationist strategy used in public. Yet, the institution can only pursue its segregationist strategy because the individual patriarch subordinates the individual women daily. Walby ¡Ã‚ ¦s description of patriarchal structure looks powerful where there are fewer variables  ¡V e.g., when women and men seem to share the  ¡Ã‚ ¥privilege ¡Ã‚ ¦ of being exploited equally as a labour force working equal hours for equal pay in equal conditions (Haug, 1998). Haug (1998) cites research from East Germany which allows her to calculate that women do 4 hours and 41 minutes of domestic labour against men ¡Ã‚ ¦s 2 hours 38 minutes. Men split their extra two hours between leisure time and paid employment. She asks if it is a realistic possibility that patriarchy could be so completely and comprehensively asserted in as little as two hours a day. Haug does not answer this question (perhaps it is rhetorical) but I think that Walby ¡Ã‚ ¦s (1990) theory of patriarchy is so powerful because it can reveal the answer to questions like this. Walby ¡Ã‚ ¦s theory stands because she shows that the power of patriarchy is asserted in both the private and public sphere simultaneously supporting, reflecting and maintaining itself, regardless of the economic and social framework that prevails. In Haug ¡Ã‚ ¦s case, patriarchy is not being asserted in two hours per day, rather it is an expression of patriarchy, i.e., a symbol of male privilege, which could only be expressed if the general strategies of patriarchal structure were intact and functioning. This description of the relationship between patriarchy and structure demonstrates how inequalities in the workplace and in inequality in the home are two sides of the same coin and individual males are involved in the direct and indirect subordination of women simultaneously. The concepts that allowed Walby (1990) to define patriarchy as she has are discussed below, with reference to the work of second and third wave feminist thinkers. Gender and Gender Inequalities in the Domestic and Occupational Divisions of Labour Feminist concepts of gender and gender inequality allow us to refer more or less directly to a theoretical framework for understanding how they have come to form a basis that helps structure the whole of society according to the concept of patriarchy (Seidman, 1994). The gender differences, which lead to gender inequality in the division of labour, and presented as natural by patriarchy and unequal gender order has been normalised and legitimated by science, medicine and popular culture (Raymond, 1980). Feminists hold that this normalisation conceals the social and political formation of an unequal male order, arguing that gender difference is socially produced in order to sustain male dominance (Seidman, 1994). Frable (1997) points out that there is no basis for a biological account of gender difference since gender identity can only refer to the psychological sense of being male or female. Gender is now understood as a social category (Frable, 1997) and so liberal feminism was correct to deny that nature requires rigidly separate and unequal social roles based on gender (Ruehl, 1983). The patriarchal concepts of gender criticised by feminists are used to ascribe the roles that result in gender inequality in the division of labour (Sarup, 1993). This view is supported by Garnsey (1991) when she describes the division of labour as the differentiation of work tasks organised in structured patterns of activity. These activities are imposed and remunerated in a specific and unequal manner. When the evidence allows us to place the words  ¡Ã‚ ¥according to gender ¡Ã‚ ¦ into the last two sentences, and they new sentences mean something, then the concepts of patriarchy argued by feminists begin to take on an explanatory power. Occupational Labour and the Economy Liberal feminist provided concepts of gender that account for pay differentials and might even account for why women can receive less money than men for doing the same job (Golombok and Fivush, 1995). They can be used to explain why the political and social change which has allowed substantially greater numbers of women to enter the labour force has also concentrated them in the poorest employment (Golombok and Fivush, 1995). This is especially so if Garnsey ¡Ã‚ ¦s (1991) description of the differentiated and imposed tasks of the division of labour is used to structure the argument. However, they do not explain the reasons behind women ¡Ã‚ ¦s oppression and in order to do this Marxist feminists to began to argue that gender inequality has been shaped by capitalist development, highlighting explanations which connect gender inequality with economic needs (e.g., Mitchell J, 1966 used Marxist theory in Women: The Longest Revolution). However, while most feminists see the close links between the organisation of production and the division of labour many thought that there was a limited future for feminism under theories which reduced the specifics of women ¡Ã‚ ¦s lives to the extent that the subjective and interpersonal flavour was not captured (e.g., Firestone S, 1970; The Dialectic of Sex: the Case for Feminist Revolution). The socialist or Marxist feminist proposition positions class as the most basic form of human conflict but this position was challenged by radical feminists according to whom, equality does not mean being like men (Sarup, 1993). Radical feminists successfully argued for the substitution of gender conflict as the source of all other conflict and fighting for equality in the occupational field became subordinate to challenging the social and cultural order (Sarup, 1993). Asserting that a female identity and subjectivity could only be defined without reference to the patriarchal framework, many radical feminists looked for ways to identify and develop a female culture and way of being which was free from the influences of patriarchy. For example, Irigaray (1985) proposed that this be done through the promotion of entre-femmes, a kind of social form specific to women. A cultural terrain distinct from women ¡Ã‚ ¦s usual site the family. Household Labour Feminist writers have taken the family as a central feature of their explanation of patriarchy but they do not always agree about its role in shaping women to serve patriarchal ends in domesticity and work (Sarup, 1993). Liberal feminism recognized the gendered, social roles of wife and mother but advocated choice for women with respect to marriage, family, career etc., proposing to achieve this through a process of education and reform (Seidman, 1994). In radical feminism, the family is viewed as a major institution whose role is to foster gender inequality through the socialisation of children and subordinate women by forcing them to conform to feminine stereotypes (e.g, Greer G, 1970, The Female Eunuch). Postmodern feminism based on Foucault ¡Ã‚ ¦s work explicitly criticises the emphasis on the family as  ¡Ã‚ ¥the unit in charge ¡Ã‚ ¦ (Sarup, 1993). In order to carry out its functions, the family relies on differential relationships (Broderick, 1993). Coole et al (1990) point out that the functional needs served by the nuclear element of the nuclear family are neither exclusive nor universal which indicates that differentiation it is not essential to the performance of the vital functions of the family. This means that the social roles of wife and mother as conceived by liberal feminism are a gendered and manufactured choice. The differential relationships that identify the roles of wife and mother are part of the nuclear family model promoted by patriarchal ideologies for more than one hundred and fifty years (Coole et al, 1990; p43). This suggests that the one or some of the roles ascribed to the family by other feminists may be more accurate. Despite the differences, feminism ¡Ã‚ ¦s main assertion, that gender identities and roles are socially formed, makes the theoretical proposition that a social and political explanation (patriarchy) can be given for male dominance and patterns of gender inequality possible (Seidman, 1994). Conclusion The strength of feminist perspectives on patriarchy is that most of them have been developed from the standpoint of women ¡Ã‚ ¦s lives (Seidman, 1994) and yet this is also a criticism  ¡K what women ¡Ã‚ ¦s lives does the standpoint reflect? If feminist perspectives of patriarchy are to be useful they must not only make sense structurally, they must also make sense of all women ¡Ã‚ ¦s lives. Lesbian, Black,  ¡Ã‚ ¥Third World ¡Ã‚ ¦ and post-colonial critics have demonstrated some of the limitations of western feminist agendas that prefer patriarchal accounts of equality to racialised and cultural accounts (Burman, 1998). For example, the promotion of reproductive choices by western feminists in the 1970s focused on contraceptive and abortion rights. However, many women at that time were being discriminated against because of their colour, sexuality or physical abilities and were fighting to keep their children, born and unborn (Burman, 1998). Whilst these criticisms of western feminist raise questions about how and why the priorities of the issues and campaigns these women cho (o)se to think and act on were agreed, they do not suggest an alternative account of inequality in which the public and private oppression of women is explained (Seidman, 1994). Critics are however right to point out that the feminist account of patriarchy developed by western liberal feminists needs to be expanded to ensure that the experiences of more women can be included but they must also acknowledge that the priorities and concerns of liberal feminists have resulted in some of the most far reaching and important education and legal reforms of this century taking place in the last the last twenty years. These reforms particularly reflect the western feminist concern with differential relationships. In the area of social policy and the law, reformers have begun to focus on protecting the individual rights of vulnerable household members  ¡V women, children, and the elderly (MacLean Kurczewzki 1994) at the expense of patriarchal privilege. Crucially, whilst the law has become aware of the potential for the exploitation of family members and in acting underlines the importance of public attitudes and legislation in maintaining gender inequalities and differential relationships; the reform approach cannot be seen as an open acknowledgement that socialisation patterns and family arrangements are male dominated (MacLean Kurczewzki 1994). Following the vote of the General Synod in 1992, the ordination of women in the Church of England has challenged hundreds of years of patriarchal authority and tradition in the church. The implicit relationship between individual men and institutions can be viewed explicitly in the complex provision made to protect those who are individually opposed using the church ¡Ã‚ ¦s own structures. Regardless of the refusal of key patriarchal institutions to acknowledge the extent to which man have been and are systematically and deliberately privileged by their structures and actions, these dominant forms of power can help produce social change, even if they are only attempting to keep in touch with contemporary society (Cooper, 1995). The process of power is therefore open to change and feminist theorists have shown using their account of patriarchy that the  ¡Ã‚ ¥by products ¡Ã‚ ¦ of power (e.g., inequality) can be mediated by the institution which represents it and moderated to be less damaging to individuals (Cooper, 1989).

Point of View in Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essay

Point of View in Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   The choice that a novelist makes in deciding the point of view for a novel is hardly a minor one. Few authors make the decision to use first person narration by secondary character as Ken Kesey does in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.   By choosing Bromden as narrator instead of the central character of Randle Patrick McMurphy, Kesey gives us narration that is objective, that is to say from the outside of the central character, and also narration that is subjective and understandably unreliable. The paranoia and dementia that fill Bromden's narration set a tone for the struggle for liberation that is the theme of the story. It is also this choice of narrator that leads the reader to wonder at the conclusion whether the story was actually that of McMurphy or Bromden. Kesey's choice of narrative technique makes One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest a successful novel. It would be hard to ignore biographical information when analyzing a work by Ken Kesey, because of both his involvement with the Beat writers and as an advocate for hallucinogenic drugs. In fact, it is said that Kesey created the narrator of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest during a peyote hallucination, when an Indian came to him (Tanner 21). While his choice of the Indian, a supposed deaf mute, as narrator seems out of the norm it is even more so when comparing Kesey to the other Beat writers. McMurphy can be compared closely to Dean Moriarty of Jack Kerouac's On The Road, but Bromden is nothing like Kerouac's narrator, Sal Paradise. Certainly the loud and boisterous McMurphy would have made for an interesting narrator for this novel but this would have provided for a very different ending. Even the... ...oo's Nest. Ed. George J. Searles. Albuquerque: Univ. of New Mexico Press, 1992. 5-11. Hunt, John W. "Flying the Cuckoo's Nest: Kesey's Narrator as Norm." Lex et Scientia 13 (1977): 27-32. Rpt. in A Casebook on Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Ed. George J. Searles. Albuquerque: Univ. of New Mexico Press, 1992. 13-23. Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. New York: Signet, 1962. Martin, Terence. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and the High Cost of Living." Modern Fiction Studies. 19 (1973): 43-55. Rpt. in A Casebook on Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Ed. George J. Searles. Albuquerque: Univ. of New Mexico Press, 1992. 25-39. Semino, Elena and Kate Swindlehurst. "Metaphor and mind style in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Style 30 (1996): 143-67. Tanner, Stephen L. Ken Kesey. Boston: Twayne, 1983.

Is Homeschooling a Better Choice? Essay -- Education School Essays

Is Homeschooling a Better Choice? He is up with the sun, ready to go. He waits patiently for his brothers and sisters, but today is the first day of school and he is eager to start on his studies. All of the children are assembled in the front foyer as the big, yellow school bus zooms past their house. None of the children seem to notice. Instead, the group of eager students proceeds into their "schoolroom" to greet their teacher, also known as "Mom." Even as early as the turn of the century, children were often taught at home by their parents. Most often, this was because of the need of help on the family farm, location, or the lack of money. The description above, however, is one of a modern family. Home schooling is the fastest growing idea in education in the United States and beyond, in such countries as England, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. (Blumenfeld 1) Probably the most asked question of homeschooling is, "Why?" Many parents feel the guardians of homeschooled children have deprived those children of social intelligence. They may feel that the children are taken away and are isolated for all their childhood years. This idea couldn’t be more far from the truth. Parents homeschool their children because they care about the education they receive. They know the public school system is in trouble. So much so, things such as becoming intellectually crippled and seriously handicapped are effective for 40 to 60 percent of schoolchildren. This academic problem is due to the educational means and methods public schoolchildren are brought up on. Reading disabilities diagnosed later on in life, such as dyslexia and attention deficit disorder can be caused by these teaching methods. ADD is often treated by the drug R... ...oses. (Blumenfeld 112-116) Homeschooling isn’t just an idea; it’s a way of life. The parents know their children, and kids learn naturally, with out any help, so continuing their interests through one on one interaction could only be good on them. Children learn so much more about the world around when they can be active participants in it. This is an idea that is long overdue. Works Cited Blumenfeld, Samuel L. Homeschooling: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Children. Secaucus, N.J.: Carol Publishing Group, 1997. Dobson, Linda. The Homeschooling Book of Answers. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1998. "How to Get Started Homeschooling." Home School House. 1998. www.geocities.com/~perkinshome/page54.html. Indiana Department of Education. Shackelford, Luanne, and Susan White. A Survivors Guide to Home Schooling. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1988. Is Homeschooling a Better Choice? Essay -- Education School Essays Is Homeschooling a Better Choice? He is up with the sun, ready to go. He waits patiently for his brothers and sisters, but today is the first day of school and he is eager to start on his studies. All of the children are assembled in the front foyer as the big, yellow school bus zooms past their house. None of the children seem to notice. Instead, the group of eager students proceeds into their "schoolroom" to greet their teacher, also known as "Mom." Even as early as the turn of the century, children were often taught at home by their parents. Most often, this was because of the need of help on the family farm, location, or the lack of money. The description above, however, is one of a modern family. Home schooling is the fastest growing idea in education in the United States and beyond, in such countries as England, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. (Blumenfeld 1) Probably the most asked question of homeschooling is, "Why?" Many parents feel the guardians of homeschooled children have deprived those children of social intelligence. They may feel that the children are taken away and are isolated for all their childhood years. This idea couldn’t be more far from the truth. Parents homeschool their children because they care about the education they receive. They know the public school system is in trouble. So much so, things such as becoming intellectually crippled and seriously handicapped are effective for 40 to 60 percent of schoolchildren. This academic problem is due to the educational means and methods public schoolchildren are brought up on. Reading disabilities diagnosed later on in life, such as dyslexia and attention deficit disorder can be caused by these teaching methods. ADD is often treated by the drug R... ...oses. (Blumenfeld 112-116) Homeschooling isn’t just an idea; it’s a way of life. The parents know their children, and kids learn naturally, with out any help, so continuing their interests through one on one interaction could only be good on them. Children learn so much more about the world around when they can be active participants in it. This is an idea that is long overdue. Works Cited Blumenfeld, Samuel L. Homeschooling: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Children. Secaucus, N.J.: Carol Publishing Group, 1997. Dobson, Linda. The Homeschooling Book of Answers. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1998. "How to Get Started Homeschooling." Home School House. 1998. www.geocities.com/~perkinshome/page54.html. Indiana Department of Education. Shackelford, Luanne, and Susan White. A Survivors Guide to Home Schooling. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1988.

Observation Essay - The Barbershop -- Observation Essay, Descriptive Es

Observation Essay - The Barbershop Immediately I recognized that things were different, as I struggled to find a parking spot in the tiny lot hidden just off of the highway. The barbershop is located in an area too small to be considered a strip mall-and apparently too small to handle all of its customers' vehicles. It is the third in a row of three shops, although the first, a former ice cream/water ice business, was for rent. I knew that all of the drivers of the automobiles in the lot were in the barbershop, as the repair shop next to it does not open until 9 A.M. Apparently all Saturday mornings here begin with such a full parking lot. Once I found a parking spot, I was ready to begin my observation of the U.S. Male Men's Hair Care Center. I walked into U.S. Male tentatively, looking for a corner seat. Air coming through the open door chilled the shop's interior, which was teeming with customers just fifteen minutes after the shop had opened. The stares from those already seated in the shop's green plastic chairs along the right wall, as well as from those getting haircuts in the four leather chairs to my left, pierced me as I wandered over to one of the vacant seats. There were only two available, so I was stuck between a chair seating Outdoor magazine and another holding a man in his forties who was reading The News Journal and sipping a rapidly cooling cup of coffee. There were ten customers in all, and they all seemed ready for a wait as many came prepared with equipment similar to that brought by the gentleman on my left. I was surprised by the lack of conversation amid the fairly large crowd, although I attributed this to it being too early in the morning to engage in any sort of meaningful conversation. Two... ...nted near the high left corner of the entrance to the shop. On the spinning blue band in white letters was written "Hairstylist," rather than what I thought was the more appropriate title, "Barber," since schools that train hairstylists are different from the schools that train barbers. I also noticed signs on the outside of the building, as well as on the billboard near the highway, which emphasized "Fast-Service" and "Fast Walk-in Service." These signs also showed subtle indications of the maleness of this shop. The "L" in the word "Male" on the billboard facing the highway had the barber pole drawn into it to stress that "U.S. Male Men's Hair Care Center," as it is advertised in the phone book, was in fact a barbershop. I smirked when I noticed this, and I surmised that this was done to prove to men that this was not a salon. Salons are for women, of course.

Internal Control Essay

(1) If the LJB Company should decide to become a publicly traded company, a few internal controls should be implemented to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). * Management will need to provide periodic quarterly reports to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of LJB’s internal controls over financial reporting procedures. * Management should certify the accuracy and fairness of presentation of their financial statements. * Independent auditor(s) outside of LJB will need to attest to management’s assessment of said internal controls. Additionally, non-audit services between these two parties (LJB and said independent auditor) are prohibited. (2) There are a few internal control measures that LJB already has in effect and are better for it: the use of pre-numbered invoices by the accountant and your (the President’s) involvement in the approval and hiring process of new employees. I also recommend the purchase of the indelible ink machine as per the accountant’s request. As this applies to the Internal Control Principle of Physical Control, future check fraud will be more difficult to be accomplished. 3) There are several internal control weaknesses that I assess LJB currently has. Following each weakness I list below is a recommendation from myself to rectify these internal control weaknesses. * One is risk is the accountant who serves as Treasurer and Controller. Although I understand this is to streamline many processes, it possesses a risk where an opportunity is created for this employee to commit fraud. This also violates the Segregation of Duties Principle of Internal Control Principles. I recommend that these two responsibilities be segregated 2 different employees. * When the accountant in charge of payroll leaves employees’ checks in his office unsupervised and unsecured, it presents an opportunity for theft. This violates the Internal Control Principle of Physical Control, as though checks are not constantly kept in the accountant’s office safe prior to pick up. I recommend that these checks remain physically secured at all times (by the accountant, or by delaying delivery to the accountant until he reaches his office). Due to the unorthodox honor system of dealing with petty cash, any single employee can withdraw a substantial amount of petty cash in relative anonymity. This violates two Internal Control Principles: Physical Control and Establishment of Responsibility. It violates the Physical Control Principle because the petty cash is easily accessible with no form of physical protection of theft, and it violates the Establishment of Responsibility Principle because no single person is in charge of the Petty Cash Fund (rather everyone is). This can be remedied by assigning a custodian to be responsible for the fund, as well as creating a secure area to store said funds. * These previous points additionally bring up another weakness, though not actually part of the Internal Control Principles. Though it seems to be LJB’s unofficial policy to trust long-term employees, when a desirable opportunity to commit fraud/theft arises, it becomes at the discretion of the employee to commit these acts for their personal benefit. Another weakness is LJB’s lack of individual passwords which allows personnel to anonymously use the company computers and databases. This lack of individual accountability will prevent most attempts to track suspicious employee activities on company computers and databases. This instance violates the Internal Control Principle of Physical Control. I recommend assigning employees individual accounts and passwords, as well as creating a form of digital control to prevent future unauthorized activities, such as viewing pornography on company computers. Lastly, because LGB unknowingly hired a convicted felon, it can be deduced that LGB’s Human Resource Department may be lacking, due to the fact that a background check should have caught his criminal history. This may violate the Human Resource Control Principle of the Internal Control Principles. I recommend that the Human Resource Department reevaluate their policies and staffing procedures to prevent future incidents from happening. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and please consider my recommendations before going public with the LGB Company.

Love and Sacrifice

Love and Sacrifice Making sacrifices for love and saving love by doing sacrifices can be very difficult. But not for Della and Jim. They would do anything for love. They were poor but they still did anything they could do for each other. They sacrificed their most valuable and prized possessions for each other. Now that’s what I call love. â€Å"Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to. (Mitch Albom) Both Della and Jim sacrifice something they love deeply for an even deeper love, each other. Della sacrificed her hair and would have â€Å"mocked it at her Majesty’s jewels and gifts† (Henry, 99) if she could, it was that valuable to her.But she loved her husband so much she gave her hair up just for him. On the other hand, Jim had a family watch that was so precious to him that if â€Å"King Solomon been a janitor †¦ Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passe d †¦ to see him [King Solomon] pluck his beard from envy. (Henry, 99) Della and Jim loved each other so much they gave up their most beloved items. â€Å"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. † (Aristotle) Della loved Jim so much that when she sold her hair for twenty dollars â€Å"she was ransacking the stores for Jim’s present. † (Henry, 99) She wanted to find the perfect gift for him, so she sold her most prized possession to buy a gold chain for his valuable watch face.Also Della said a very romantic thing to Jim showing how much she loved him. You needn’t look for it [Della’s hair] †¦ it’s sold, I tell you – sold and gone too †¦ Be good to me, for it went for you. † (Henry, 101) When Della said this to Jim it showed how much she really sacrificed her hair just for his love. You don’t need money for love you need to sacrifice. Della and Jim are poor but very in love. So in love, which they gave up their favorite possessions for each other. That is amazing to do something that hard for someone else. That really shows what people will do for love.

The Effectiveness of Anti-bullying Policies within the NHS: An Empirical Investigation

Based on the definition of Einarsen and Skogstad (1996), workplace bullying is defined as follows: â€Å"A person is defined as bullied if he or she is repeatedly subjected to negative acts in the workplace. However, to be a victim of such bullying one must also feel inferiority in defending oneself in the actual situation. This definition builds on research on bullying in the school playground†¦ and stresses that bullying and harassment imply a difference in the actual or perceived power and ‘strength between the persecutor and the victim.Typically, a victim of harassment or bullying is teased, badgered, and insulted and perceives that he or she has little recourse to retaliation in kind†¦This definition†¦is not limited to a predefined set of negative acts. It covers all situations in which one or more persons over a period feel subjected to negative acts that one cannot defend oneself against. Even if a single episode, e. g. physical assault may be regarded as bullying or harassment, this definition emphasizes ‘repeated negative acts.’ Consequently, serious conflicts between parties of ‘equal’ strength, or isolated episodes of conflict, are not considered as bullying. (p. 187). The NHS represents a very important entity in the delivery of healthcare services. And as bullying represents an important work place condition variable that may affect the quality of services delivered within the organisation and to patients, it is but logical to conduct a study on bullying within the NHS. Review of Related Literature O’Hare (2006) reports that there were about 5 thousand nurses attacked while at work in Northern Ireland in 2005.A handful of the victims suffered fractures, still others were grabbed by the throat, or subjected to insulting behavior such as being spat at. More than 60% of those surveyed underwent verbal harrassment as well, while about 27% were physically abused (O’Hare, 2006). These figures take on greater importance as we consider the scarcity of healthcare workers who are expected to deliver quality healthcare to NHS patients. Why is it crucial to emphasize civility in the workplace? The cuthroat competition of contemporay organisation necessitate that they develop strong retention factors that will motivate their employees to stay.It has become increasingly difficult to make employees stay within an organisation for long, and one important factor that influences such a decision is the environment of hostility vis-a-vis civility within that workplace. More often than not, employees choose to transfer to other companies instead of taking in such working conditions (Glendinning, 2001). NHS’ Definition of Bullying Bullying is defined within the NHS Trust as follows: â€Å"Persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, which amounts to an abuse of power and makes the recipient feel upset, threatened, humiliated or vulnerable.Bully ing undermines a victim's self-confidence and may cause them to suffer stress† (NHS Anti-bullying policy, 2002, p. 1). The NHS Trust likewise acknowledges that the occurrence of bullying within the workplace results in undue stress, depression, decrease in self-esteem, undesirable performance, and ineffective dealings with others (NHS Anti-bullying policy, 2002). Definition of Bullying by the NHS Trust The UK is not alone in its struggle to protect its workers from bullying. In a study by Glendinning (2001), they studied this phenomenon within an organisational context.Through a comprehensive review of related literature, they have conlcuded that a new relationship between supervisors and subordinates have evolved, and rightly so with the increasing dynamism and competition in the new global village (Glendinning, 2001). Moreover, it prescribes that the human resource function be held most accountable for curbing such occurrence. Difficulties in Deploying Anti-bullying Policies Glendinning (1999) differentiates between a â€Å"bullying† superior and a hard to please one. The latter simply sets out stiff expectations and targets from his subrodinates to be able to optimize their performance.On the contrary, this is not the intention of a bullying boss (Glendinning, 1999). He proceeds by consistently showing aggressive behavior that causes either physical or psychological harm to the staff he supervises . Some of the repercussions of bullying behavior in the workplace are turnover, retention, recruiting and succession issues, employee health effects, reduced productivity, counterproductive behavior, and legal countermeasures by employees (Glendinning, 1999). Prescriptions for HR Professionals for Creating a Bully-free WorkplaceAccording to Cox (2005), 87% of those in the human resources funtion were keenly informed of bullying occurences within their company. This may be a disturbing finding considering that despite such awareness, there are still 19 million working days lost because of this phenomenon. In fact, the figures show that out of five employees, there is one who is likely to feel stressed from this cause. Stress, in itself, incurs substantial cost at 7 billion annually (Cox, 2005). There has been difficulty of monitoring bullying incidents, primarily because some or even several incidents go off unreported.While there are preponderant anti-bullying policies, there is a dire need for training so that there may be heightened awareness on observing the indicators of bullying. If the bad treatment is rooted on ostracism, the employer may even be held liable for the action. Currently, employees have something more solid to rely on as a result of the Majrowski v Guy's & St Thomas's NHS Trust case. Mr Majrowski contended that his employer was partly accountable for the acts of an employee and asserted that he did experience bullying, harrassment, and intimidation from his superior.He likewise experienced extreme criticisim and others were favoured over him. As a result, the Court of Appeal rules in his favour and explicitly prescribed that he could depend on the Act and that the NHS was accountable for the actions committed by the employee (Cox, 2005). This decision has accorded employee’s a novel right, including definitions and entitlements relatd to harrassment and anxiety (Cox, 2005). There are several recommendations put forth for human resource professionals to be able to promote a bully-free workplace.One such proposal is to establish standards of interpersonal behavior within the organization to be able to (Pearson, Anderson, & Portah, 1999). Spelling out these expectations early on clearly lay down what is considered desirable or undesirable behavior within the company. Next is to be able to convey a clear message on the organization’s stance on bullying and its corresponding policies. The first realm which may exert an influence on this phenomenon is the recruiting function whi ch may relay these messages to prospective employee early on during the onboarding process (Pearson, Anderson, & Portah, 1999).The policies related to bullying must also be clearly reflected onto the employee’s job description, and there should be emphasis on the repercussions of violating these. Flynn (1999) also recommends that these behaviors be included as criteria for evaluation during the performance appraisal exercise. Given this backdrop, the current paper proceeds with an empirical investigation of bullying within the NHS Trust. The primary aim to to put forth recommendations on how to increase the efficacy of its anti-bullying policy, resulting in increased retention among its nurses and medical staff.Problem Statement The present research intends to address the following problem: How effective is the drafting and deployment of anti-bullying policies within the NHS? Thus, to be able to respond to this question adequately, the following questions have been investigat ed: 1) To what degree does bullying behaviour transpire within NHS hospitals as perceived by nurses / midwives / health care assistants and student nurses? 2) What is the efficacy level of the NHS anti-bullying policy as perceived by the medical staff? 3) Is there a significant relationship between the following variables?a) Degree of bullying behaviour experienced and level of efficacy of the NHS Bullying Policy? b) Degree of bullying behaviour experienced and age of the medical staff? b) Degree of bullying behaviour experienced and length of service of medical staff? Method Research Design The present investigation is a descriptive-correlational research that intends to define the present levels of bullying occurring within the NHS. The study is descriptive because it aims to depict the levels of bullying, the degree of awareness and involvement of nursing staff and hospital personnel in the drafting an deployment of bullying policies.In effect, there will be a need to compute for means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages to present the descriptive outcomes. The research is also categorised as correlatinal since it will also establish relationships between a) bullying behaviour and level of efficacy of the NHS Anti-bullying policy, b) degree of bullying behaviour experienced and age of the medical staff; and c) degree of bullying behaviour experienced and length of service of medical staff. Samples and Sampling Plan All hospitals within the NHS umbrella are qualified to take part in the investigation.Each of these hospitals shall be invited to take part in the study. They shall be selected through the use of a random numbers table. A total of 100 nurses and hospital staff shall be chosen through stratified random sampling, where the number of respondents shall be based on the relative size of the hospital (compared to the other hospitals chosen). A consent form has been distributed to the respondents of the study which explained that they are to willingly participate in the study and that they could choose to cease from participating at any time, without reprisal.They were also assured of the confidentiality of their responses and of their anonymity. All these measures have been undertaken for ethical reasons (Bryman, 1992). For the structured interview, 10 out of the 100 nurses / midwives / health care assistants and student nurses who originally took part in the study shall be asked questions that relate to their bullying experiences. This small sample shall be purposively chosen such that half of them have reported the bullying behaviour while the remainder did not.Moreover, selected key managers of the trust shall also be interviewed on how bullying is curbed within their respective areas of jurisdiction through the Trust’s anti-bullying policy. The qualitative data that will be gathered from the interviews shall supplement the quantitative findings from the survey questionnaire (Bryman, 1992). Instrument The NHS nursing staff and medical personnel have been asked to accomplish a self-constructed bullying questionnaire, whose items were based from the NHS Trust anti-bullying policy. The instrument uses a 5-point Likert type scale, which each number representing an opinion.The tool has three major parts. The first potion requests for demographic information, including gender, age, and tenure. The second portion is further subdivided into two parts: bullying experiences and the efficacy of the NHS Trust anti-bullying policy. The first sub-item intends to measure the degree of bullying experienced by the respondent and by others who also belong to that workplace. The items on efficacy talk about about individual and managerial responsibilities as regards curbing bullying behaviours in the workplace, conduct of investigations, and bullying awareness and training.Finally, there is an item which requests for an overall evaluation of the policy’s efficacy. Procedure The instrument shall be finalised and pilot tested. Undertaking a pilot study is necessary for instrument develepment. Chisnall (1997) points out that the value of a pilot study lies in validating the accuracy and consistency of â€Å"sampling frames† and planning the final sample size by measuring variability. According to Hunt et al (1982), â€Å"pilot testing pertains to testing the questionnaire on a small sample of respondents to identify and eliminate potential problems.† The pilot test will entail the participation of 5 respondents from any of the NHS hospitals chosen. Invitation letters shall be sent to all hospital administrators of the NHS, soliciting permission for the conduct of the study. Once permission is granted, the respondents shall each be given a consent form and shall be requested to return it three days later. On the agreed upon date, the researcher shall visit each of the randomly chosen hospitals to administer survey forms to the respondents.The survey questionnaire will be personally administered by the researcher to be able to address inconsistencies in addressing respondent queries (Oppenheim, 1992). On completion of the nursing staff, medical personnel and administrators of the NHS will be thanked, and shall be briefed on the study’s objectives. The outcomes shall be made available to them upon completion of the study. On the whole, the researcher expects that the level of bullying will be correlated with the perceived efficacy of the policy. Those who are older in terms of age and with longer tenures will tend to have lesser degrees of bullying experienced.Method of Data Analysis Pearson’s correlation coefficient shall be used as the main technique for data analysis apart from the descriptive statistics – the mean, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages. Pearson r is a measure of the degree of association between two measures. When the figure is positive, this indicates that as one measure increases, there i s a corresponding increase in the other. Salkind (2000) asserts that the Pearson’s correlation coefficient necessitates that both variables are measured on the interval scale.The present study shall make use of the Pearson correlation coefficient to present the relationships among the variables degree of bullying, efficacy of bullying policy, age, and tenure of respondent. References Bryman, A. (1992). Reasearch methods and organisation studies. London: Routledge. Chisnall, P. M. (1997). Marketing research (5th ed. ) Berkshire: McGraw-Hill. Cox, E. (2005). Bullying is tricky for employers. The Journal, 32. Einarsen, S. & Skogstad, A. (1996). Bullying at work: Epidemiological findings in public and private organizations.European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 5, 185-201. Glendinning, P. (2001). Workplace bullying: Curing the cancer of the American Workplace. Public Personnel Management, 30(3), 269-275. Guynn, J. (1998). Mean business: Workplace bullies undermin e morale and productivity. Providence Sunday Journal (11/01/98).. Hunt, S. D. , Sparkman, J. R. D. & Wilkox, J. (1982). The pretest in survey research: issues and preliminary findings. Journal of Marketing Research. May, 269-273. NHS Anti-bullying policy. (2002). Retreived on November 28, 2006 from http://www. southtees. nhs.uk/foi/HRPantibullying. pdf O’Hare, P. (2006). 5, 000 nurses attacked. The Mirror, 6. Olweus, D. (1999). Norway. In P. K. Smith, Y. Morita, J. Junger-Tas, D. Olweus, R. Catalano, & P. Slee (eds. ) The nature of school bullying: A cross national perspective. London: Routledge. Oppenheim, A. N. (1992). Questionnaire design interviewing and attitude measurement. London: Pinter. Pearson, C. , Anderssen, L. & Portah, C. (1999). Assessing and attacking workplace incivility. Academy of Management Review. Salkind, N. J. (2000). Statistics for people who hate statistics. USA: Sage Publications Inc.

Employee Empowerment Essay

1.0 Introduction Employee Empowerment is not something that you simply declare you will initiate and expect that the program will be successful.   It requires good management programs for it to succeed.   This piece purports to show how team building as a management program can be used to make employee empowerment a success. Employee empowerment should be understood to mean a situation where everyone can take action to enhance his/her work, either in personal or organizational terms, and not just delegation of job authorities to job holders.   The essence of employee empowerment is to develop leadership skills (Lashley , 2000). 2.0 Case study Using an organizational culture framework, this case study examines the critical preconditions necessary for employee empowerment and highlights how the multiple cultures within one public bureaucracy differently impacted their implementation. Serve, a large human service organization, initiated an employee empowerment program that contradicted and thus collided with many elements of its overall organizational culture. Despite the best intentions of the organizational leaders, upper management support, and opportunities for participatory decision making, the organization could not foster the critical preconditions needed for employee empowerment. Leaders had difficulty expanding the employees’ power and promoting member inclusion. Concurrently, most employees rejected these new opportunities for control and distrusted the leader’s intentions. Yet, despite the widespread rejection of these empowerment initiatives, most employees described their work lives as empowering the piece discusses how a localized empowerment endeavor may be a more appropriate and feasible focus for public bureaucracies seeking to initiate greater staff empowerment. Particular attention is paid to the interaction between individuals and their environments, and how this interaction affects the empowerment process in light to the whole team building exercise. 2.1 Management Program that could be used in addressing the problem To avoid such instances like the one mentioned above, team building as strategy can be used. Team building refers to improving team performance by developing team working skills by using any appropriate method.   Effective team building and employee motivation fit together.   Successful organizations are not involved in team building as an end to itself but rather because with effective team building employee motivation increases and organizational results are achieved. (Cherney, 2002). 3.0 Review of the research With Adams Associates, enjoyment increased team building effectiveness.   Team building is a tool for employee motivation.   All teams go through very predictable phases.   Knowing and understanding these phases gives leadership the confidence to continue in the team building even when during one of the phases, the employee motivation appears to be declining. A prime example of utilizing and effectively using the method of team work is through a workshop duly created for the purpose of enhancing skills of the employee, creating a spirit of team building, showing how to address conflict management, teaching problems solving skills and enhancing quality management techniques with team work, there is better understanding of the different leadership styles as well as inclination of and empowerment of employees (.Modern Management, 2003). Communication also, as one of the most vital and important methods of any relationship has been observed to lead to a truly cohesive and effective means of accomplishing goals of the organization.   One of the prime examples practiced by a number of organizations includes a morning chat before commencing actual work.   This morning exchange of ideas not only gives impetus to the overall objectives of the organization, they also provide a sense of motivation and empowerment for the numerous tasks and activities that will face the employees during the course of the long working day ahead of them. Though this morning exchange of ideas and sharing of information may not take long, the little time together provides a sense of responsibility amongst team members and leads the team to bring out new ideas that may assist other team members in their course of their day’s normal routine work.   It also allows employees to reinforce ground rules that have already been established by the organization, as well as lead to a truly satisfying and enjoyable working environment. Another important way of enhancing employee empowerment via team building is through enhancing leadership skills among employees.   Good leadership qualities are similar to good parenting. The object is thus to create an environment where employees not only enjoy to utilize their own strengths, but as members of a team also ensure that they become effective and contributing members of the respective organizations. In case of any changes, the workers must be involved or else they will fight progress (Chien, 2004).   In an empowered organization people should not expect to be told what to do but they should know what to do.   There is therefore need to support and stimulate the people co-operate to overcome functional barriers and work to eliminate fear within their team (Hand 1994:25). Research findings concerning self-managed teams have been largely positive.   Proponents claim that self-managed work teams are effective because they empower employees to make decisions that affect their lives.   Thus these teams radically change the way that employees value and think about jobs.   Other benefits associated with self managed teams include greater flexibility to respond to market changes and competitive pressures. 3.1 Companies that have experienced various degrees of success Let us now see why some companies seem so successful while others do not.   Microsoft’s success can be attributed tot heir work place environment, empowerment of employee ideas and their employee benefits.   A motivated work force, coupled with a well built team causes a team of motivated people to work towards accomplishing their goals. In order to achieve its goals, Microsoft hires not only graduates who the company believes will contribute by bringing in fresh innovation and ideas for the upcoming generation.   After hiring these employees, the company ensures that these employees are always focussed and are giving their full potential in delivery of services. Eastman Kodak, a company concerned with developing, manufacturing, marketing imaging products and service for consumers has adapted a Kodak and lean cross-dock projects to oversee that the company is successful.   Lean cross-docks create an environment of empowerment by enabling any cross-dock employee to top and seek help to fix problems.   Employees training encourage empowerment by providing the rationale for why processes are performed in a specified manner.   This not only enhances their employee’s understanding of operations but also facilitates operational improvements. It also practices respect for workers starting with worker safety.   Employee safety is particularly critical at cross-dock because of the fast-faced, high volume material flow.   Respect for workers is also communicated by seriously considering employee suggestions for improvement and reviewing them in a timely manner (Child et al, 1994). In pursuing the opportunity, Kodak used the expertise of Tran freight; a lean-dock specialist.   The team then developed projects objectives based on thorough discussions with Kodak managers.   The objectives included creation of employee-empowered, team oriented in problem solving among others and team building was also at the core of these objectives.   This success enabled Kodak to expand the number of plants and supplies involved in the lean cross-dock operation. With the above two examples, it is evident that team building is crucial for employee empowerment to be a success.   For team building to thrive, the executive leadership needs to clearly communicate its expectations for the team performance and expected outcome.   The team members should understand why the team was created.   The organization on its part needs to demonstrate consistency of purpose in supporting the team with required resources. The members also ought to understand the context.   That is why they are participating on the team.   They should understand how the strategy of using teams will help the organization attain its communicated business goals.   Over and above all, the members should define their team’s importance to the accomplishment of corporate goals and understand where its work fits in the total context of the organization goals, principles and visions. For good team building, the members need to have the desire to participate in the team. The feeling that team mission is important should be entrenched in each and every one of them.   They should perceive that service as valuable to the organization and to their own career, anticipate recognition for their contributions and expect their skills to grow and develop on the team. The management also needs to enhance clarity about the priority of the tasks of the team members.   The organization is required to provide business information regularly.   The team members also need to communicate clearly and honestly with each other and bring diverse opinions to the table as ways of addressing necessary arising conflicts. If these suggestions are not adhered to employee empowerment in an organization is doomed to fail.   These are however not the only reason why employee empowerment fails.   Other reasons are explained herein. Firstly, there is lack of a clear definition of empowerment by managers.   Managers need to clarify such issues as what decisions can be made in their absence by the employees, without their permission or oversight. Secondly, the top management sometimes defines the decision making authority and boundaries with staff but then micromanage the work of employees.   This is majorly because the managers do not trust the staff to make good decisions.   If the staff members know this, they will craftily make decisions on their own and hide the results or come to the manager for everything because they do not know what they really can control (Bateman & Snell, 1999). Sometimes, managers abdicate all responsibility and accountability for decision making when reporting staff for instance is blamed or punished for failures, mistake and less optimum results, they flee from empowerment.   This failure to publicly support decisions and stand behind the employees makes them feel deserted.   As a company’s resource therefore, employees need to be organized forcefully enough to achieve the objectives.   A critical feature of successful teams is that they are invested with a significant degree of empowerment or decision making authority. Equally important, employee empowerment changes the manager’s mindset and leaves them with more time to engage in broad based thinking, visioning and nurturing.   This intelligent and production division of duties between visionary leaders, focusing on emerging opportunities and empowered employees, running the business until day to day provides for a well managed enterprise with strong growth potential. To sum it all up, there are a few things that need to be done for successful employee empowerment as relates to team building.   The top management needs to realize that its behaviour must change too.   They should not expect employees to confidently begin solving problems and making improvements unless they see that the executive group will support it and do it themselves.   Infact, employees will not even bother trying unless they see evidence that top people mean it (Zoglio, 1997). A clear goal needs to be set since groups of employees with no experience working together on business issues will not know where to start.   Focus should be on the real work effort.   Remember, empowerment works best when employees have an important compelling business-related goal such as saving the company from bankruptcy, being the low cost, high quality leader in their field. 4.0 Conclusion For employee empowerment to be a success therefore in any organization, team building is a critical component.   This is because it will ensure commitment which is the foundation for synergy in groups, contribution, effective communication, and co-operation and will also deal effectively with conflict management.

Video games for children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Video games for children - Essay Example In earlier days, when children did not have video games to play with, they often spent time playing outside their homes, with their friends and family members. They spent time reading and inculcating various hobbies and habits that helped them to pass time as well as develop varied interests in different fields. Video games had never been a part of that period or culture for people. A few games did begin to develop with the advent of the 90s but during that time they were far too expensive to be affordable by the common man. It was for this reason that parents and children alike were able to spend time together and interact with each other. As video games started becoming a part of children’s’ lives, parents began to complain that children were not giving them enough time, or putting in much effort into their homework from school. (Norcia, Andrea) Video games popularized themselves in the 90s with a number of games like Super Mario and Tetris forming the lead into taking children into the virtual world. Instead of running around and gaining some physical exercise, children now began to move joysticks sitting in one place for hours at an end, making the characters within the game run and jump around. Today, there are millions of different video games produced all around the world as children have become completely addicted to playing them in an attempt to reach higher levels every time.

The U.S. Labor Market Cools, and It's Not Just the Weather Assignment

The U.S. Labor Market Cools, and It's Not Just the Weather - Assignment Example The report also adjusted previous values on an upward trend. The bad weather, in December, persisted in January and influenced adjustment of data but the persistence indicate that the slow recovery from lost employments during the previous recession may be due to other factors than the bad weather. Retrenchment in the public sector is one of the factors to the poor recovery because while the private sector created about 142000 jobs in January, the public sector lost about 29000 jobs and this occurred and the federal and state levels. Most of the aspects of employment however remained the same. Average working period per remained constant at 34.4 hours while average hourly wage improved by just five cents. The number of people out of employment remained the same while unemployment rate reduced by 0.1 percent from 6.7 percent. Reduction in number of beneficiaries on unemployment benefits and number seeking jobs could have accounted for this. The labor force however grew by 499000 while total employment increased by 616000. This is however still above the threshold limit beyond which the central bank pledged to maintain minimal interest rates. Many of the new employment opportunities rose from highly paying sectors in which retail trade was the most significant (Philips 1). Unemployment is one of the indicators of an economy’s status and its measure and trend is significant to the corporate sector. A reducing trend in unemployment rates is an indicator of recovery from the previous recession and informs business organizations to expand their production capacity because of better economic prospects. Another implication of the article on the corporate sector arises from its clarification of the source of poor trend in unemployment indicators. Explaining cause of the poor observation distinguishes progress in the corporate sector from the declining opportunities in the public sector to offer confidence in the economy, a

Comparison of Xu Bing and Gu Wenda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Comparison of Xu Bing and Gu Wenda - Essay Example In addition, the contemporary artists like Xu Bing and Gu Wenda are aware of that their viewership is not limited within the Chinese context, but it extends to the global community. Thesis statement: The comparison of the Chinese artists named as Xu Bing and Gu Wenda, based upon their life, career and work, proves that both of them share certain similarities within their life and career, but their artworks prove that Xu is interested in combining traditional art with modernity, but Gu is interested in going beyond traditional art by making use of the elements of modernity. Xu’s life (say, this artist was born in the year 1955) represents the modern/contemporary art within China. Besides, he was born in a major city area in China, named as Chongqing. But his family was forced to relocate to Beijing and this helped this artist to be in touch with metro life. Ann MacArthur stated that, â€Å"Xu Bing. a leading figure in the international art world, was born in China and now lives in America† (2006). But the Cultural Revolution deeply influenced this artist’s early years of life because he was forced to relocate to village areas for service. Later, he was able to return to metro life. Here, he decided to mold his future career by enrolling himself as a student at the CAFA. In the year 1987, he was able to receive MFA. Within scenario, his major subject (say, printmaking) deeply influenced his future career and usage of medium in art. At the same time, he was not ready to yield to the strict laws implemented by the authorities. This is evident in his works related to political criticism. So, he was forced to migrate to US and this helped him to gain international attention. Still, he was not ready to forget his motherland because he returned to his motherland in the year 2008. But Gu’s early life was comparatively