Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Stoke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Stoke - Essay Example nt clinical condition which requires proper management and intervention as it is the third leading reason associated with deaths in the United Kingdom. It is also the most important cause of disability in the country. Stroke has been defined by the World Health Organization in the year 1978 as a pathological condition in which signs are observed with regard to alterations in the cerebral activities which persist for a period of more than 24 hours and can even result in the death of the patient. The condition results due to reasons associated with the blood flow and are related to the vascular flow to the brain only (Mc Govern et al 2003).Ã Stroke is mainly divided into two forms with one resulting as a result of an infarct and is hence referred to as an ischemic stroke and it may also occur due to haemorrhage and it is then known as hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke that is prevalent with 85 percent of the cases presenting with this form of stroke. Ischemic stroke results due to the cardioembolic reasons which fibrillation of the atria or the formation of an embolus due to infective endocarditis. It can also result due to atheroembolic reasons which include carotid atheroma and occlusion of the cerebral artery. Diabetic vasculopathy as well as vasculitis is also associated with this condition. On the other hand hemorrhagic stroke may result due to aneurysm and hypertensive disease of the arteries. In at least 25 percent of the patients who report with stroke, atrial fibrillation is considered to be present which indicates the fact that the formation of the clot might have occurred i n the left atrium which then gets detached and obstructs the carotid arteries. In a patient with myocardial infarction, there is a tendency for the formation of clots which might also result in stroke. Atheromas are also associated with resultant stroke. Raised blood pressure, diabetes and high levels of cholesterol in the blood are associated with
Monday, October 28, 2019
The Road-Father Son Relationship Essay Example for Free
The Road-Father Son Relationship Essay The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the man protects and guides the boy during their trudge to the south. However, in the story, they act more as companions than father and son, and the man treats the boy as an equal both in action and dialogue. Chased by cannibals, the boy he man seeks to defend the boy from both the cannibals and scavenge food for them to survive. As the man and boy trek down the road, cannibals closely hunt them and they often escape by hiding or by retreating away. The man often plunders empty houses, trying to find food and clothes for them. The man is successful, finding ââ¬Å"crate upon create of canned goodsâ⬠(McCarthy 138). ââ¬Å"Tomatoes, peaches, beans, apricots, canned ham, corned beefâ⬠, etc. (McCarthy 138) provides the food the man and the boy eats. The man carries a pistol with him used to shield them from cannibals. Before the man dies, he gives the boy the pistol, telling him to ââ¬Å"keep the gun with you at all times. You need to find the good guys but you cant take any chances. â⬠(McCarthy 278). As mentioned before, the man and boy communicate more as friends than relatives.. At the beginning of The Road, when the man first woke ââ¬Å"heââ¬â¢d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside himâ⬠to confirm the childââ¬â¢s well-being. The man will ââ¬Å"read me [the boy] a storyâ⬠(McCarthy 7) and ââ¬Å"held the boy close to himâ⬠(McCarthy 29). The boy demonstrates great maturity as he cares for the man by reminding him to ââ¬Å"pour the hot water back [â⬠¦] and pour some of the cocoa into his ownâ⬠(McCarthy 34) and constantly reminding the man to take heed of his health. Eventually, after the man dies, he was ââ¬Å"wrapped in a blanketâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (McCarthy 286) and the boy ââ¬Å"sat beside him and he [the boy]
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Comparing 1984 and Brave New World :: Compare Contrast Comparison Essays
Comparing Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World In Orwellââ¬â¢s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxleyââ¬â¢s Brave New World, the authoritative figures strive for freedom, peace, and stability for all, to develop a utopian society. The Utopian society strives for a perfect state of well-being for all persons in the community, and over-emphasizes this factor, where no person is exposed to the reality of the world. As each novel progresses we see that neither society possesses family values nor attempts to practice them. Neither are passionate nor creative in factors such as love, language, history and literature. Our society today, in general, is unsure about the future: The nightmare of total organization has emerged from the safe, remote future and is now awaiting us, just around the next corner. It follows inexorably from having so many people. This quotes represents Wattsââ¬â¢ fear for the future; George Orwell and Aldous Huxley both explore the future state of civilization in their novels. They both warn us of the dangers of a totalitarian society. Both books express a utopian ideal, examine characters that are forced into this state and are compelled to dealing with this society and all the rules involved. The impracticality of the utopian ideal is explored in Orwellââ¬â¢s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxleyââ¬â¢s Brave New World. Both authors suggest that a lack of familial bonds, the repression of human individuality, and the repression of artistic and creative endeavors in order to attain a stable environment renders the achievement of a perfect state unrealistic. The lack of familial bonds, in both novels, contributes to the development of a dystopian society. This lack of familial bonds is evident through genetic engineering, the use of names, and a commonly used drug, soma. One of the first mentionings of family in Brave New World is when the main character, Bernard, asks the Controller, the ultimate leader, about the past and why their society does not believe in families. His response suggests that authoritative figures do not believe that there is need for a mother in society and therefore, the Controller responds, ââ¬Å"Mother, he repeated loudly rubbing in the science; and, leaning back in his chair, these, he said gravely are unpleasant facts; I know it. But then most historical facts are unpleasant.â⬠The disregard for mothers as a valuable figure in life contributes to the lack of familial bonds. In Huxleyââ¬â¢s Brave New World, human life is conceived in a bottle; the embryo no longer grows in the motherââ¬â¢s womb, and therefore no bond is formed between the mother and the baby.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
When Irony Becomes Cynicism :: essays research papers
Understanding modern culture can be very difficult. There are so many parts and variables that make up modern culture, and on top of that, these parts are always changing. In that sense, identifying and analyzing a specific trait in modern culture can be extremely challenging. Pinpointing a trait that is so frequently overused it is often taken for granted. Then being able to explain it so well that people will be able to understand and see this trait as if they had never used, or been a part of it before. This is the case with an essay by Charles Gordon, When Irony Becomes Cynicism. Through his essay, one learns where ironyââ¬â¢s roots started to grow into todayââ¬â¢s monster that it is, and how irony is overused in television, radio and conversation. Gordon has skillfully and honestly shown how irony is perceived and used in todayââ¬â¢s society. He fully shows that people use irony incorrectly, and it is to their disadvantage. Gordon has a particularly negative view on how much irony is used today. The thesis in his essay is not clearly stated, but his implied argument is that the overuse of irony has made society cynical. This negative view comes across to the reader through sentences such as the following, after Gordon has explained the technical meaning of irony, "In todayââ¬â¢s context, irony is a sensibility that values cleverness and style above passion and commitment. It attacks bad taste by seeming to celebrate it. It mocks devotion to important causes by feigning devotion to trivial causesâ⬠¦ Which makes it sound pretty awful, and it can be." After the first few paragraphs in his essay, it becomes clear which side Gordon is on. However, he does show that he is not totally putting down irony, just the people using it incorrectly, "â⬠¦ there is a line between irony and cheap cynicism that not everyone finds easily. The skillful ironist, one who uses the form as a weapon rather than an instrument of self-amusement, does society a service." His argument towards societyââ¬â¢s use of irony is well presented through his strong sentences. Gordon also provides an example of a popular show that is almost based totally around this cynical-irony he is discussing. "Take almost any episode of the much-celebrated Seinfeld television show and try to find anything more important than the lineup at a bagel store being discussed." Gordon then begins to hint at the source of this type of overused irony, a part of society he rests some of the blame on: pop-culture.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Pros of the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy Essay
My topic was about the proÃâs of the overthrow of the monarchy. A few of the reasons why the overthrow of the monarchy was good was because Hawaii started to become multi-cultural . Being multi-cultural can be looked upon as good if you see it as a way to diversify our cultures. Not to many states are as diversified as Hawaii which is special, some people are only one race like me but a lot of people here are a combination of many different ethnicities like Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, Samoan, black, and white this combination of all the ethnicities is what makes the people here that live in Hawaii unique. Another reason why the overthrow of the monarchy was good was because it ultimately it led up to the annexation of Hawaii to the US. When we became a U.S. territory Hawaii improved. Hawaii gained a sewer system, great fortunes were made by the industry people like the sugar and pineapple plantation owners, and also the real estate business boomed. A very important thing that happen when we became the 50th state of the U.S. was that America extended the bill of rights which gave women the right to vote. Before in the monarchy only 21 year old white male that could read and write English could vote. This gave women and men and the Hawaiian people more rights. Another pro of what the overthrow of the monarchy is that now there was not only one ruler. Instead of it being only one ruler it became a democracy. Even thought the system of 1 dictator was working out so far the island of Hawaii was rapidly changing and only having one monarch would probably not have fit the need of all that was happening in the islands. There was the needs of the native Hawaiian that was probably the most important to her, the needs of the sugar cane and pineapple owners. The plantations owner would want more land and so would the Hawaiians the needs of everybody on the island could have gotten too out of control for just 1 monarch to handle so having a democratic government would solve the need for all of that. Even though some Hawaiians feel that the overthrow of the monarchy was a bad thing there are some Hawaiians that actually think that the overthrow of the monarchy was a good thing. Earl Arakaki from ââ¬ËEwa Beach wrote in a letter to the editor that that annexation to the United States was the best thing thatà could happen to Hawaii, both for the native and foreign population. I am proud to be a part of the united states and IÃâm proud to be a native Hawaiian. Some Hawaiians accepted these changes and have adapted them into their lifestyles. Called the bi-cultural Hawaiians, they took the best from both worlds. In a diary entry that Queen Liliokalani wrote she said and I quote ÃâThoââ¬â¢ for a moment (the overthrow) cost me a pang of pain for my people, it was only momentary, for the present has a hope for the future of my people.ÃâHawaiian people are quite diverse of the subject on the overthrow of the monarchy although the native Hawaiian view point has been expresses many times there is always more than one side of a storyOur group opinion of the overthrow of the monarchy was bad because many Hawaiians lost the very culture that made them individual to the other races. Having the Hawaiian monarchy taken away from the Hawaiians was as if something you were really used to and were just fine with ripped away from you and told that it was wrong and you should start to live the way that we live and not even having a say in it. We also think that the overthrow of the monarchy was good too in a way because if the overthrow wouldnÃât have happened then like where would we be now? Some of us might not have ever met or even been born. Its like some of our parents would have never met and the way that Hawaii is now would be way, way different Bibliography Pat, Pitzer. ââ¬Å"The Overthrow of the Monarchy.â⬠Hawaiian Independence. May 1994. 20 August 2006 . Samuel Kaluna, Kaluna. ââ¬Å"Hawaii is not legally a state!.â⬠21 August 2007 .
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
How do Video Games Affect Children Professor Ramos Blog
How do Video Games Affect Children Nick White Mr. Ramos English 101 July 25 2019 How do Video Games Affect Children Video games arent going anywhere in 2016 more than 150 million people in the united states alone play at least 3 hours a week. And in 2016 24.5 billion copies of games were sold and that number has been increasing every year. I always see on the news people talking about how video games are hurting kids but they never talk about all the good they can do as well. Games are just like food or alcohol they really arent harmful in moderation, its when you become addicted when it really starts becoming a problem. It is true that games can become addictive and promote violence but they also help with puzzle solving and hand eye coordination. A Lot of people only talk about the bad but im here to tell the facts so you can decide. In 2017 Medical News Today published an article(Nichols) that analyzed 116 scientific studies and this is what they found. The studies showed that playing video games did many things to the brain. They show that the games helped with the subjects attention but primarily sustained and selective attention. They also noticed that the regions of the brain that deal with attention take less activation to turn on and stay focused. The final thing they noticed was that after long term gaming the right hippocampus had actually become enlarged which helps with visuospatial recognition. When 116 studies all come up with the same results then those are some pretty undeniable results. This shows that from a young if kids played video games they would actually pay better attention but it would also be easier for them to pay attention because it would require less work. This is very important because at around age 6 kids literally only have an attention span of 5 minutes so giving them something fun and inviting like a game would help develop their brains a lot and help down the line. Video games arent all good though. Video Games have been proven to raise stress levels for the person playing them. That is why parents who have kids that game a lot note that they tend to act irritable. The games are triggering the fight or flight response in the brain so the slightest thing can set them off (Dunckley). The stimulation, the dopamine that is released when they are doing good, the increased heart rate as they get closer to winning or losing all fed directly into the reactionary system so when they finally beat that level they let out a big BOOYAW or when they lose again they scream and throw the controller. This amount of stress is not safe for kids as itll cause them to have ââ¬Å"trouble managing emotions, suppressing impulses, following directions, dealing with frustration, and executing tasksâ⬠(Dunckley). This is all just multiplied if the kid stays up late playing the game and then all the sudden turns it off and tries to sleep. This will cause them to tos s and turn because their brain is still so active that it cant sleep and hinder the amount of REM(deep sleep) the child will get which will make the problems worse. Doctor Dunckley recommends that kids can play games but in very limited quantities and no screens 1 hour before bed time. In his article Rick Missimer talks about the positive and negative sides of videogames and the main good that videogames have is that they are invaluable to teach kids ââ¬Å"some essential skills like strategic thinking, innovative thinking and co-operationâ⬠(missimer).When faced with a new problem or a new level in a game you have to use your whole brain to come up with a plan to get past this. Maybe you fail but even in failing you will learn something plus failure just pushes you to try harder and try new ideas. Most games now are either cooperative or online and this allows the gamer to work on their teamwork and communication. One game I play a lot is rainbow six siege and the only way to play is 5 people versus 5 people so you have to work with and communicate with your team who could be completely random people from around the globe that you have to work with to win. You could ignore them or be rude and lose or you talk to them and work as a team to get the job done sure maybe you still lose but maybe you made a new friend or learned something new. Being able to communicate and work with people is an extremely vital skill to have in the real world so being able to practice it and play a game sounds like a pretty good deal to me. So far games seem pretty good right? Well we havent gotten to the biggest downside of video games yet, addiction. Patrick Markey and Christopher Ferguson published a book in 2017 that says ââ¬Å"video gaming raises dopamine levels in the brain to about the same degree that eating a slice of pepperoni pizza or dish of ice cream doesâ⬠they then continue on and say ââ¬Å"it raises dopamine to roughly double itââ¬â¢s normal resting level, whereas drugs like heroin, cocaine, or amphetamines raise dopamine by roughly ten times that muchâ⬠(Gray). This goes to show that games arent nearly as addictive as we think they are. People still can become addicted and have negative effects but the addiction comes from somewhere else other than purely dopamine and reward based. In Doctor Grays article he says ââ¬Å"Research shows that the great majority of video gamers, including those who are heavily immersed in games and spend large amounts of time at them, are at least as healthy psychologically, socially, and physically as are non-gamersâ⬠(gray). So why do people make such a big deal about being addicted to games when people who play a game that much dont even get affected. Most scientists agree that people arent addicted to the game itself theyre addicted to the escape it gives them from the real world which is a big problem. The more and more you become detached from reality the more and more dangerous you become because you start to believe things that arent true which i think is where people get the idea that video games make people dangerous because they look at the most extreme cases and that gives them the wrong idea. People can play violent video games and not be violent themselves but once they start imagining themselves in that world is when they start bringing that violence into the real world. That doesnt sound like addiction that sounds like they have a mental problem that causes them to feel detached from real life and hide in their vide o games. Video games absolutely have their pros and cons so Its up to you to decide how long you let kids play and what games you let them playà because that could help them in the future or throw them into being a social outcast. The scary thing is that everyone is different and everyone will react differently to different stimulus so we have no way ofà knowing what will happen to kids when they play video games. Dunckley, Victoria. ââ¬Å"This Is Your Childs Brain on Video Games.â⬠Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 25 Sept. 2016, psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-wealth/201609/is-your-childs-brain-video-games. Gray, Peter. ââ¬Å"Sense and Nonsense About Video Game Addiction.â⬠Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 11 Mar. 2018, psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201803/sense-and-nonsense-about-video-game-addiction. Missimer, Rick. ââ¬Å"The Impact of Video Games on Children.â⬠HealthGuidance, healthguidance.org/entry/11051/1/The-Impact-of-Video-Games-on-Children.html. Nichols, Hannah. ââ¬Å"How Video Games Affect the Brain.â⬠Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 10 July 2017, medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318345.php.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Jane Eyre Film Study essays
Jane Eyre Film Study essays It is common for either very well written books or those made popular by the general public to be made into movies. Most people who are avid readers make a point of reading the book first before viewing the movie. They believe seeing the movie version first ruins the book. This point is especially true for a literary masterpiece such as Jane Eyre. The author, Charlotte Bronte, wrote an incredible story of the orphan Janes life in such a descriptive manner that the reader is captured and feels as if he or she is in the story with Jane as she narrates it. No movie can reproduce the literary elements and themes as well as the written word of the author herself. The readers mind is taken on a journey as it does the work of exploring and imagining the story coming to life as the plot unfolds. Watching the movie after one has read and studied the novel does, however, help to put a picture to word. It takes the images the reader has envisioned and turns them into 3-D as the characters co me to life through the settings and acting. The setting of the red room in the book, which is found in chapter two, is described thoroughly as the room itself is symbolic of death, terror and confinement. On a deeper and more personal level, it is a symbol of things Jane has to overcome to find happiness. One of the grandest bedrooms or chambers in the Gateshead mansion, the red room was still rarely used; Jane describes it as being cold, silent, remote and solemn, containing a huge four poster dark mahogany bed. It has deep red drapes hanging from the four massive pillars and the bed is made with crisp, white linens. She describes a beautiful, stately room with an unlit fireplace and grand furniture and mirror but to her it represents more of a tomb; the place her Uncle Reed spent his last days and died. The settings are very similar between the book and the movie with a few differences bei ...
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Battle of New Market in the Civil War
Battle of New Market in the Civil War The Battle of New Market occurred on May 15, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). In March 1864, President Abraham Lincoln elevated Major General Ulysses S. Grant to lieutenant general and gave him command of all Union armies. Having previously directed forces in the Western Theater, he decided to give operational command of the armies in this region to Major General William T. Sherman and moved his headquarters east to travel with Major General George G. Meades Army of the Potomac. Grants Plan Unlike the Union campaigns of the preceding years which sought to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond, Grants primary goal was the destruction of General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia. Recognizing that the loss of Lees army would lead to the inevitable fall of Richmond as well as would likely sound the death knell of the rebellion, Grant intended to strike the Army of Northern Virginia from three directions. This was made possible by the Unions superiority in manpower and equipment. First, Meade was to cross the Rapidan River east of Lees position at Orange Court House, before swinging west to engage the enemy. With this thrust, Grant sought to bring Lee to battle outside of the fortifications the Confederates had constructed at Mine Run. To the south, Major General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James was to advance up the Peninsula from Fort Monroe and threaten Richmond, while to the west Major General Franz Sigel laid waste to the resources of the Shenandoah Valley. Ideally, these secondary thrusts would draw troops away from Lee, weakening his army as Grant and Meade attacked. Sigel in the Valley Born in Germany, Sigel had graduated from the Karlsruhe Military Academy in 1843, and five years later served Baden during the Revolution of 1848. With the collapse of the revolutionary movements in Germany, he had fled first to Great Britain and then to New York City. Settling in St. Louis, Sigel became active in local politics and was an ardent abolitionist. With the start of the Civil War, he received a commission more based on his political views and influence with the German immigrant community than his martial ability.à After seeing fighting in the west at Wilsons Creek and Pea Ridge in 1862, Sigel was ordered east and held commands in the Shenandoah Valley and the Army of the Potomac. Through poor performance and an unlikable disposition, Sigel was relegated to unimportant posts in 1863. The following March, due to his political influence, he obtained command of theà Department of West Virginia. Tasked with eliminating the Shenandoah Valleys ability to provide Lee with food and supplies, he moved out with around 9,000 men from Winchester in early May. Confederate Response As Sigel and his army moved southwest through the valley towards their goal of Staunton, Union troops initially encountered little resistance. To meet the Union threat, Major General John C. Breckinridge hastily assembled what Confederate troops were available in the area. These were organized into two infantry brigades, led by Brigadier Generalsà John C. Echols and Gabriel C. Wharton, and a cavalry brigade led by Brigadier General John D. Imboden. Additional units were added to Breckinridges small army including the 257-man Corps of Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute. Armies Commanders: Union Major General Franz Sigel6,275 men Confederate Major General John C. Breckinridge4,090 men Making Contact Though they had marched 80 miles in four days to join his army, Breckinridge hoped to avoid using the cadets as some were as young as 15. Advancing towards each other, Sigel and Breckinridges forces met near New Market on May 15, 1864. Deploying on a ridge north of the town, Sigel pushed skirmishers forward. Spotting the Union troops, Breckinridge opted to take the offensive. Forming his men south of New Market, he placed the VMI cadets in his reserve line. Moving out around 11:00 AM, the Confederates advanced through thick mud and cleared New Market within ninety minutes. The Confederates Attack Pressing on, Breckinridges men encountered a line of Union skirmishers just north of the town. Sending Brigadier General John Imbodens cavalry around to the right, Breckinridges infantry attacked while the horsemen fired on the Union flank. Overwhelmed, the skirmishers fell back to the main Union line. Continuing their attack, the Confederates advanced upon Sigels troops. As the two lines neared, they began exchanging fire. Taking advantage of their superior position, the Union forces began to thin out the Confederate line. With Breckinridges line starting to waver, Sigel decided to attack. With a gap opening in his line, Breckinridge, with great reluctance, ordered the VMI cadets forward to close the breach. Coming into line as the 34th Massachusetts began their attack, the cadets braced themselves for the onslaught. Fighting with Breckinridges seasoned veterans, the cadets were able to repel the Union thrust. Elsewhere, a thrust by Union cavalry led by Major General Julius Stahel was turned back by Confederate artillery fire. With Sigels attacks faltering, Breckinridge ordered his entire line forward. Surging through the mud with the cadets in the lead, the Confederates assaulted Sigels position, breaking his line and forcing his men from the field. Aftermath The defeat at New Market cost Sigel 96 killed, 520 wounded, and 225 missing. For Breckinridge, losses were around 43 killed, 474 wounded, and 3 missing. During the fighting, ten of the VMI cadets were killed or mortally wounded. Following the battle, Sigel withdrew to Strasburg and effectively left the Valley in Confederate hands. This situation would largely remain until Major General Philip Sheridan captured the Shenandoah for the Union later that year.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Marketing strategy of Adidas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Marketing strategy of Adidas - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is Adidas, the largest sport manufacturer in Europe and has Puma and Nike as its major competitors. They have divided their whole range of products into two segments: Adidas Performance and Adidas Originals. Adidas performance aims to show the loyalty and devotion of the brand to athletes, while Adidas Originals are all about fashion and lifestyle. The definition stated by Philip Kotler is: ââ¬Å"The science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit. Marketing identifies unfulfilled needs and desires. It defines, measures and quantifies the size of the identified market and profit potential. It pinpoints which segments the company is capable of serving best and it designs and promotes the appropriate products and servicesâ⬠. Adidas have been since its inception looking for opportunities in the market by constant market analysis. It has been seen that they have been the company of many firsts and therefore a company who has been creating a niche in many sectors. They introduced Adidas originals to target the market that did not wear the sportswear as they had no relation with sports but then Adidas cashed in on the opportunity by releasing a line of casual wears which would ultimately establish them in the non-sport sector as well. Main points from the definition: science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit.... The only new thing it has ventured into is the fashion and style apparel industry as well. It has done the promotion of its products by hiring clubs and sportsmen from different sports and countries to be their ambassadors.. As for their casuals line they have even hired sportsmen in this arena but used them to portray the use of Adidas besides the sports they play, in their routine lives. Task Two SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method that is used by companies to identify their internal and external conditions in one go. Strength and weakness are utilized as internal analysis tools while the opportunity and threats are used for external analysis. The SWOT analysis for ADIDAS is as follows (Smit, 2000): Strength: Adidas is a very established brand. It has been in the market since 1949 producing the sportswear for the world to wear. Deliverance of the promise. Adidas is a premium brand that promises to offer the best quality and delivers the same. Brand Ambassadors. Adidas has a very long and powerful list of brand ambassadors that includes people from nearly all the sporting arenas. It has sponsorship for huge sporting events like NASCAR and the IPL recently held in India. It has also had major sponsorship for some of the famous Football events. Diversity in the product range. Excellent supplier relationships. They have never had any lawsuits in relation with child labor or poor working. Adidas has a very established network of distribution; their goods are sold worldwide. Weaknesses: They are very heavily reliant on the sports industry alone. This may prove to be a disadvantage at a point as they have to diversify into other sectors as well to increase their own portfolio and reduce risks. They are
Friday, October 18, 2019
Public's general impression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Public's general impression - Essay Example The purpose of learning human relations concepts is to enable the organization members to work more effectively with other people in organizations. The study of human relations is not intended to discover clever techniques for winning friends and influencing people through personality development, nor to enable one to manipulate people to his own advantage. However, in understanding behavioral concepts, one is able to determine better options for solving problems, since all problems are unique in themselves, as to source, issue, people involved, time, place, and situational circumstances. Human relations, as a field of social skills, involve the appreciation of the various behavioral sciences such as psychology, economics, sociology, anthropology and education. It is likewise concerned with the why of peopleââ¬â¢s behavior in groups and what can be done to prevent and resolve conflict among organizational members. Retention of employees plays a major role in enabling the company to keep its best employees by providing competitive compensation and to recruit potential employees by engaging them with the benefits of being within the organization. It is more costly to lose an employee than to have a new one. In order to maintain a stable workforce, organizations with the help of human resource specialists should attempt to satisfy the workerââ¬â¢s demand for fair labor practice and equitable share in profits of the enterprise. Arbitration is instituted by the government as a due process to enable management and labor to come to reasonable terms and ensure work productivity. Compensation for labor must be established in accordance with the degree of contribution each position gives to the financial and management success of the organization. The Human Resource Specialist will serve as the means of communication for the management
Conflict at Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Conflict at Workplace - Essay Example The occurrence of conflict can occur in an organization for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons that it can occur is interdependence. ââ¬Å"When individuals or subunits are mutually dependent upon each other to accomplish their own goals, the potential for conflict existsâ⬠(Csuponona). Take for example a factory that produces and sells office supplies. The salesmen depend on the production department to have inventory to sell. If production does not keep up with the product demand the salespeople could enter into a conflict with the production department. A second reason that conflict can arise in an organization is due to the existence of scarce resources. Examples of scarce resources include money, time, materials or human resources (Sullivan, 2014). It is the responsibility of the manager to distribute resources in a fair manner. A third reason that conflict can manifest itself in an organization is due to power struggles. A power struggle can occur between the CEO and the board of directors, among the departmental leaders, or among the members of a workgroup. A fourth factor that can lead to conflict in the workplace is interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal conflict involves conflict between two or more individuals that disagree over a subject manner (Chand, 2014). This type of conflict is probably the most common type of conflict. Once conflict manifests itself companies must deal with it to find a resolution. An important aspect of any solution to resolve conflict is communication. ââ¬Å"Clear, concise, accurate, and timely communication of information will help to ease both the number and severity of conflictsâ⬠(Forbes, 2012). A manager must use active listening techniques between the parties involve to decipher the root of the problem. Appealing to the common goals of the parties can help alleviate the conflict. When interdependence caused the conflict a manager can
Thursday, October 17, 2019
First Experiences in College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
First Experiences in College - Essay Example Personal Narrative An example of a common difficulty experienced by students in their first days is solitude when they still lack friends. Students have uneasy times, usually dealing with strangers and possible humiliations that they may face. Cultural diversity among the students who are strangers can cause tension. Racial tensions, for instance, are common among new college students (German 155). Interaction among the students may encourage interpersonal efficacy, betterment of self-confidence and self-awareness (Burks 110). During my first days, I maintained openness and, therefore, managed to make friends. In cases when a student does not have any familiar person studying in the college, he or she may experience isolation (German 156). Isolation may result to other detrimental emotional conditions. Time management without factors compelling students is another issue they find challenging during their first days in college. It is a studentââ¬â¢s absolute responsibility to be disciplined to master the essence of proper time management, which is crucial to success in college education. I learnt that responsibility is an invaluable virtue for every college student.
Strategies for Implementing Accounting Software Systems within SMEs Essay - 1
Strategies for Implementing Accounting Software Systems within SMEs - Essay Example This especially relates to small businesses as their owners often lack the expertise beyond their core activities. Therefore the outcome of the research project will bring a list of recommendations for entrepreneurs based on the information concerning software implementation strategies acquired within the research. There is a wide choice of accounting software packages currently presented on the market addressing various needs of customer. In this highly diversified area, choosing the 'right' software system becomes an important and at the same time difficult issue leading to the importance of picking out the 'right' strategy for implementing accounting software. This problem requires further research, as it brings better understanding of links between accounting performance and strategies of software implementation. At first the researcher will contact from 10 to 15 SMEs to conduct interviews for gathering data needed for preparing a list of software implementation strategies used within those companies. Then the effectiveness of strategies will be evaluated and compared through measuring their accounting performance basing on the data gathered through interviewing. ... For that purpose the researcher will need a measuring system which will be developed within the research with the help of secondary data gathered through the literature review. The results of analysis will be used in the final report to recommend which strategies should be implemented with SMEs and which ones are better to avoid. Context: Setting, Background and Scope The proposed project will be based on the analysis of accounting performance of SMEs contacted during the research. Although temporal limits do not allow contacting a large number of SMEs in order to make the results of a research statistically more accurate, the project will be able to identify the most general trends in accounting software strategies. Then these trends are to be analysed from the scope of influencing the accounting performance of SMEs, i.e. from looking on their effectiveness. The measuring system developed within this project will particularly deal with changes in the accounting performance that occurred after the implementation of a certain strategy.' Project Strategic IT Value and Intention The results of the proposed research will be presented in a form of report analyzing software strategies used with SMEs with recommendations developed during the research. The recommendations on choosing a certain strategy for implementing accounting software systems developed within this project will be a useful contribution to the general theory of software implementation strategies explaining through evaluation of strategic approaches what steps a small to medium enterprise should take to implement a suitable accounting software successfully.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
First Experiences in College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
First Experiences in College - Essay Example Personal Narrative An example of a common difficulty experienced by students in their first days is solitude when they still lack friends. Students have uneasy times, usually dealing with strangers and possible humiliations that they may face. Cultural diversity among the students who are strangers can cause tension. Racial tensions, for instance, are common among new college students (German 155). Interaction among the students may encourage interpersonal efficacy, betterment of self-confidence and self-awareness (Burks 110). During my first days, I maintained openness and, therefore, managed to make friends. In cases when a student does not have any familiar person studying in the college, he or she may experience isolation (German 156). Isolation may result to other detrimental emotional conditions. Time management without factors compelling students is another issue they find challenging during their first days in college. It is a studentââ¬â¢s absolute responsibility to be disciplined to master the essence of proper time management, which is crucial to success in college education. I learnt that responsibility is an invaluable virtue for every college student.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Toward a Moral Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Toward a Moral Economy - Essay Example Moral norms as used here refer to the general statements or rules, such as always being truthful, while moral values are expressed as statements that describe features or objects as having worth (Velasquez, 2013). The focus of a moral economy, therefore, deals with achieving understanding of these practices and institutions, as well as on desirable and feasible possibilities for change. Judgments concerning the justice in society have their basis on moral principles that come up with fair ways for the distribution of economic burdens and benefits among all members of a specific society (Velasquez, 2013). In the same society, judgments concerning the violations of rights of its members revolve around moral principles that identify the aspects on which the individualsââ¬â¢ wellbeing and rights to freedom and liberty are respected by the authorities. The moral, economic society should also be guided by the utilitarian morality standard, which is a moral principle contending that various acts are right only to the extent that they increase the economic benefits to society, while also decreasing the economic costs to society. In addition, this moral economy must also possess an ethic of virtue, which refers to the ethic that places emphasis of ensuring the concrete wellbeing of other individuals in society, rather than only oneself (Velasquez, 2013). To evaluate the moral character of individuals in this moral economy, the ethic of virtue is used. Capitalist justice is based on the contribution of individuals in society and acts as a possible starting point for a moral economy. In this case, the benefits are distributed according to the individualââ¬â¢s contribution to society, raising the question about how distributive justiceââ¬â¢s contributive principle can allow for the measurement of each individualââ¬â¢s contribution on the basis of work effort (Velasquez,
Information Systems in London during Olympics 2012 Essay Example for Free
Information Systems in London during Olympics 2012 Essay The London Olympics preparations are integrating technology for the purpose of making the event a success in terms of order and security. An estimate of 7 billion euros has been budgeted for the technology sector for the purpose of coordinating the Olympic event (House of Commons 2006). The London Organising Committee of the Olympics Games (LOCOG) has projected that the information system will use 204 million euros, the telecommunications, 63 million euros, and the internet applications, 12. 5 million euros (House of Commons 2006). The LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will oversee that resources for information systems management are carried on effectively and efficiently for the Olympics success. Technology Following the announcement that the 2012 Olympics will take place in London, the LOCOG announced the need to capitalize on latest IT developments and creation of software and hardware that are integrated from a common database (House of Commons 2006). The IT structure in London consists of an estimate of 8000 PCs, 900 servers and 1000 network and security devices which will be integrated for the function (Jones, 2009). Moreover, there is a planned use for green IT systems for instance virtualisation which will help in reducing the number of servers needed and in turn help to cut down costs. Jones (2009) stipulates that London has the task of matching or even surpassing the Information system in the Beijing Olympics. The following types of technology were incorporated; Journalists recorded and communicated the happenings of the event through wireless technology, and also information systems were included in the commentatorsââ¬â¢ analysis. In the event venues, radio frequency technology was used for ticket verification. Worlwide TV coverage and online video streaming were enabled by Digital Ignition Control Systems which controlled time lags between the various Olympic venues. Online ticket selling will ensure a faster and easier success to tickets but the IS should be integrated in a way that online ticket scams are prevented (Hervey 2010). The IS in London will install surveillance systems such as the CCTV cameras that will help identify any suspected malicious behaviour (Chowdhry 2008). The UK intelligence community is expected to effectively use technology in information gathering and prevention of any adversaries. Purpose of information management systems in 2012 Olympics The purpose of the integrated information systems will be to serve as a foundation for the Olympic Games planning across all the important functional and operational areas such as the transport and sport venues, the Games workforce, the press operations, and the spectator services (House of Commons 2006). IT system is to link all the venues which will be used for Olympics in the UK and the Olympics Village. The venues are more than 90 and it is necessary to have an effective and efficient control system that will ensure that Olympic event runs smoothly. Transport system and sport venues planning Information systems will be applied in the planning and coordination of airlines, underground and overland rail links, javelin shuttles, cabs and buses. The major issues to consider in the planning include reduction of traffic and ease of transportation to and from the Olympic venues, and parking space; and the enhancement of security in both public and private transportation systems. This is based on the fact that in such a crowded event, it is expected that pickpockets and conmen will mingle with the crowd. Information gathering CCTV cameras will be situated at strategic locations for surveillance as people go about their activities. This includes surveillance in the transportation facilities as well as the gamesââ¬â¢ venues. Data will also be gathered by the large fleet of security officers who have been disposed to foresee the planning of the event by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) (Chowdhry, W. 2008). Training needs to take place for all the officers to be able to use integrated technologies in detection and prevention of adversaries. IT developments allow for efficient management of information and data, and thus facilitate faster and more effective processes of decision making. This saves the time required to reconcile independent and duplicative systems. Possible barriers to knowledge management IT technology is considered the most efficient and effective in management of such a mega event that will see visitors from all over the world visit London. However, one of the major hurdles that face the preparation is the very high costs usually associated with integration of high tech information systems. The high IT costs have escalated the general amount required for carrying out the whole even by ten times more (Jones 2009). The barrier is that this budget is already too high yet it may not be enough to deal with handling the increased security alert issues prior to and during the event. Terrorism events are on the increase and most of the developed nations including the UK are target to international terrorism (Hervey 2010). The most significant possible barrier involves the IT security where the London InfoSecurity committee fears that the Olympics information systems could be targeted by terrorists and thus imposes a threat to the national security. Physical security measures are put in place but there are worries that weaknesses detected in the Olympics Information Systems may be overlooked and then turn out to be major security hurdles. According to Hervey (2010) terrorists have the capability to simultaneously hit both cyber systems and physical targets through a blended attack strategy, and therefore the London security has to be very cautious when installing and managing these security systems.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Womens Reproductive Health: Human Rights
Womens Reproductive Health: Human Rights Womens rights to reproductive and sexual health are fundamental to womens health in the United States and abroad. Efforts concerning womens rights to reproductive health have been essential in expanding womens human rights. Adoption of a health and human rights framework encourages logical applications about the correlation between womens health and human rights, social justice, and respect for human dignity. Hindrance to reproductive health rights is political, legal, social, and financial in nature (Gruskin 1737). The purpose of this paper is to detail the significance of human rights associated with womens reproductive health rights in the United States and the public health implications of these rights. This paper investigates health and human rights, as it relates to a womans reproductive health in the United States, including the right to autonomy; the right to health care and information; and the right to equity in the distribution of health service resources, availability, and accessibility. The association of these rights to womens reproductive health in the United States has significant public health implications, discussed below. Historical and Modern Application of Modern Human Rights Development after WWII Human Rights Human rights are standards that defend all humans from serious legal, political, and social abuses (Mann et al. 9). Historical and modern applications of modern human rights development after World War II include, the World Health Organizations (WHO) Constitution in 1946, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, and The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1966. Each of these doctrines spelled out the premise that all humans are equal and free with rights, including the right to health. The right to health was first expressed in the World Health Organizations Constitution (1946). The World Health Organization declared in the Constitution that the fulfillment of the utmost achievable paradigm of health is one of the essential privileges of every person (Mann et al. 9; Ross 55; Robinson par. 8). Conversely, the right to health continues to be neglected in many parts of the world. This neglect, while not as grossly, is extended to the United States. The United States has abstained from passing this and other international agreements. In reality, the United States has not ratified a single treaty that acknowledges an entitlement to health for its citizens. The United States lack of ratifications of these treaties is challenging and will be elucidated later in this discussion. Human rights were also expressed by the United Nations in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was implemented as a reaction to the Nazi holocaust and set a benchmark by which the human rights actions of all countries should be defined. The UDHR commences by setting forth the fundamental principle that all people are born uninhibited and equivalent in distinction and rights (Mann et al. 10). Also, it prohibits any division in the fulfillment of human rights on the grounds as race, color, sex, language, religion, political, national origin, birth status. In addition, the UDHR clearly spells out the rights to security, life, and liberty, as well as the entitlement to be liberated from slavery, servitude, torture or cruel conduct or retribution (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 90-91; Ross 55-56). The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) further expanded on the issue of human rights by specifying socio-economic rights. These rights include, but are not inhibited to, the right to education, shelter, health, water and food, employment, social security, a healthy environment, and the right to advancement (International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights articles 10-12). The treaty exemplifies processes to be implemented by States parties to accomplish: maternal, child and reproductive health; healthy natural and workplace environments; prevention, treatment and control of disease; health facilities, goods and services. This treaty also states that all socio-economic rights must be declared without inequity (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 153) The right to health is also acknowledged in various other documents world-wide including: 1961 European Social Charter, 1978 Declaration of Alma Ata, 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 1988 Additional Protocol to the American Convention on HRs in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. Womens Human Rights Womens human rights are the freedoms and benefits given to women and girls. Womens human rights are categorized collectively and distinguished from comprehensive philosophies of human rights because they frequently vary from the self-determinations essentially held by men and boys. Themes regularly connected with the concepts of womens rights include, but are not restricted to, the right: to physical integrity and autonomy; to education; and to have marital, parental and religious rights. In 1979, The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the United Nations. CEDAW affirms women equal rights with men in all realms of life, including education, employment, healthcare, nationality, and marriage (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 198-203; Ross 1-3). In 1995, The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace, also popularly known as the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, was held in Beijing, China. The conference raised global knowledge of human rights, the inequalities and inequities between men and women, and bestowed the required motivation for accentuating gender-based violence as a precedence issue for engagement by the global community (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 79). Human rights are being used to promote public health. Reproductive health rights become visible in the globally reputable structure of human rights through established rights to life, security, equal treatment, education, development, and to the maximum health standards. The rights include the privilege to emergency medical services and to the fundamental health determinants, such as sovereignty from discrimination, and adequate food, water, and sanitation (Gruskin and Loff 1880). The right to health is an essential human right that consists of free will and privileges (Hunt 1878). The freedoms consist of the right to contribute to apposite decisions about ones health, including those made about sexual and reproductive freedom (Germain, Reproductive Health and Human Rights 65). Human Rights and Public Health Standards in Regards to Womens Reproductive Rights The associations amid medicine, public health, and human rights are developing swiftly, in result of a multitude of actions, occurrence, and efforts. These are comprised of the ongoing efforts on various aspects of womens health. To understand the associations between human rights and public health, it is fundamental to evaluate the important essentials of modern public health. Medicine and public health are two corresponding and interrelated methods for health advancement and protection through physical, mental, and social security. However medicine and public health must be separated because they serve different purposes (Germain 65). The primary disparity involves the population importance of public health, which varies with the individual center of medical care. Public health recognizes and measures health risks to the populations, composes legislative policies in reaction to these risks, and develops certain services contributing to the promotion of health and disease prevention (Gruskin and Loff 1880). Medicine, on the other hand, concentrates on the diagnosis and treatment of individuals. There is a strong association between public health and human rights. In the article Health and Human Rights, Jonathan Mann et al. describe a trinary outline of health and human rights and the impact and implications in health policies, human rights, and the connection between the two. Health practices, policies, and programs have an effect on human rights. Public health liabilities are accomplished in considerable evaluation through programs and policies distributed, employed and implemented with assistance from the state. Public health functions are appraising health concerns and inadequacies, cultivating policies intended to manage health issues of precedence, and ensuring agendas to employ planned health goals (Mann et al. 13-17). For example, compilation of information on population health problems may be gathered on particular significant health problems opposed to others. This consequently creates inequity and other human rights violations by neglecting to contribute suitable health services. Public health is concerned with the advancement and security of the health of populations. There is a correlation between socioeconomic circumstances and inadequate health on womens reproductive health and human rights. The themes of public health and human rights are each comprised of health promotion and clarifying standards for performance (Gruskin and Loff 1880). The health and human rights framework is applicable to population issues concerning womens reproductive health. Human rights violations, such as gender inequalities, and lack of access to family planning, have a negative impact on womens health. Encouraging gender equality, development and ascertainment of womens reproductive health services and the elimination of impediment to womens economic and educational contribution is essential to promote public health. Gender equality Gender disparities are a chief reason of disproportion in health status, including health care. Gender differentiations are evident in disease prevalence; access to preventive care; and reproductive health. Promotion of gender equality in other sectors can influence health status and have reinforced public health outcomes (Robinson par. 9). Unfortunately, there remains a considerable disparities among recognized allegiance to gender equality in reproductive health services within the United States and abroad. The foremost cause of death and disease in women globally age 15-44 are reproductive health issues. Globally, inadequacies in family planning access contribute to the chief aspect regarding the 76 million unplanned pregnancies each year; nearly 20 million result in unsafe abortions, and attributing to nearly 70,000 deaths yearly. In emergent countries, the primary reason of death and impairment among women of reproductive age is pregnancy and childbirth complexities. Less than a quarter of married women use contraception in Africa. Females contribute to half the people infected with HIV-nearly 100 percent live in emergent countries (United Nations, Reproductive Health Factsheet). Cultural and societal customs regarding reproductive health contribute to the variations among womens and mens health status. Acknowledgment of the dynamic gender roles and associations reliant on social perspectives where cultural, religious, economic, and political positions are mutual are necessary to promoting gender equality in healthcare. Gender customs and discrimination within the United States, in addition to policies and laws influence womens access to health services and education can have a significant effect on womens reproductive health and their interrelated human rights (Germain, Reproductive Health and Human Rights 66). It is imperative to acknowledge the significant health outcomes attributed to a womans capability of autonomy in controlling health and health decisions. The ability for a woman to have control over when and how many children she has is crucial to increasing womens economic abilities. Family planning Family planning occupies the use of contraception to control the amount of children and intervals between births. An effective analysis of reproductive health allows women to establish informed decisions about their reproductive health and welfare (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 45-48). Family planning also encourages the preservation of womens freedoms and protects their health by precluding unplanned pregnancies and decreasing womens vulnerability to the health risks (Koop, Pearson, and Schwartz 190-191). All women should have the freedom to determine unconditionally and conscientiously the amount and proportion of children to have and to be able to acquire the education and information required to realize this right. Services include access to contraceptives, education, legal abortion, sexually transmissible infection (STI) screenings and treatment, pregnancy testing and counseling. In many parts of the world, including the U.S., these services remain unavailable. For example, betwee n 1994 and 2001, impecunious women had increased number of unplanned pregnancies, rates of abortion, and unintended births contrary to more affluent women. Low-income women are less likely to use contraceptives, thus increasing the incidence of STIs and abortion (Finer and Henshaw 95). High-quality family planning and the highest medical care aim to reduce abortion rates. Prohibiting access to superior reproductive health services and education amplifies the rate of abortion. Reproductive health and human rights and social and economic development. Population health is necessary for continuing economic advancement and overcoming poverty (Novick, Morrow, and Mays 20-24). Men and women should have a fundamental right to health and welfare, but significant infringements and disparities in health determinants and healthcare access continue to exist (Germain, Reproductive Health and Human Rights 65). In the United States, numerous relations among poverty and sexual and reproductive behavior exist. Being disadvantaged is related to first intercourse acts at an earlier age; less constancy with or no contraceptive usage; and reduced rationale to evade childbearing and rearing (Gruskin 1737). The prevalent concern is to surmount social cultural barriers and initiate family planning courses and assistances to women and girls. Supporting and promoting womens reproductive rights and encouraging family planning, enhances economic circumstances of women and families. Violence and discrimination against women continue to negatively impact the ir United States economy. The collaboration between public health and human rights transforms social and political structures that prevent women from fulfilling their highest human potential. The theory of a complex association between health and human rights has outcomes. Health professionals may supply beneficially to public acknowledgment of the remuneration and expenses related to the realization in respect of human rights and dignity. Public health may encumber human rights. In the name of public health, gross misapplication of private health status information can, consequently, aid in harming individuals and violating rights. Mann et al. explains that mishandling of HIV information has resulted in limitations on human rights in such areas as marriage and family, education and work, and freedoms (14). When vital public health problems are delineated on the basis of religion, national origin, or sex, health issues of prioritization may cause bias and are assigned inferior precedence. Additionally, discrimination may arise when health services fail to consider economic and socio-cultural impediments to their access. There are health effects consequent from human rights violations. The extent and scope of health consequences resultant from violation of rights and dignity continue to be disregarded. It is indisputable that human rights and dignity violations have poor effects on health. Recognition of these health influences connected with violations of rights and dignity can promote health and human rights fields (Mann et al. 17-19). For instance, the right to information may be violated when a woman seeks to attain a surgical procedure without appropriate procedural and health risk information available to her. Exploring the link between human rights and health is challenging. The most extensively established examination concentrates on higher socioeconomic status and enhanced health status. Lawrence Finer and Stanley Henshaw explain in the article, Disparities in Rates of Unintended Pregnancy In the United States, 1994 and 2001 that the rates of unplanned pregnancies have elevated among American women, the most prevalent populations being: women aged 18-24, low-income women, and minority women (91). The socioeconomic model generates escalating consequences that further increases the public health issues and human rights violations (Mann et al. 19-22). U.S. Healthcare Systems and Womens Reproductive Rights Public policy Public policy plays a role in womens reproductive rights in the United States. Most of the policy options are related to health care policies. Public health policies, programs and practices can burden human rights because reproductive and gender equity and equality are not analogous. Reproductive Rights are lawful rights and freedoms involving reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as the fundamental right of couples and individuals to choose without restraint and conscientiously the quantity and timing of their children. In addition, the rights also encompass the right to achieve the maximum paradigm of sexual and reproductive health and education/information devoid of inequity, force and aggression (World Health Organization, Reproductive Health.). According to the Center for Reproductive Rights in Report on the United States Compliance with Its Human Rights Obligations in the Area of Womens Reproductive and Sexual Health, a womans access to inclusive reproductive healthcare in the United States is not standardized or definite. The United States Constitution does not unequivocally defend the right to health and, consequently, healthcare is obtained through public and private sectors (par. 2). The United States is a new affiliate of the United Nations Human Rights Council. In the near future, the United Nations Human Rights Council will evaluate the United States adherence with the human rights responsibilities as declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the United Nations Charter; and international humanitarian law (Center for Reproductive Rights; Report on the United States Compliance). This relationship will influence United States public policy as it correlates to public health issues as it exemplifies the importance of freedoms and human rights afforded people in the United States, as well as in other nations. Medical Ethics and Reproductive Health Rights There are ethical principles involved with womens reproductive health rights. Essential to contemporary medical ethics is a value for patient autonomy and the basic principle of informed consent. Medical ethics deals with the selections by both medical professionals and patients and the responsibilities and commitments of medical professionals to their patients. In addition, medical ethics also comprises of choices developed by society, the allocation of supplies and health care access and the problems evolving from these. Four elemental principles are feasible in modern medical ethics are: respect for autonomy, the principle of beneficence, the principle of non-malfeasance, and the principle of justice. Autonomy is respected when persons are considered ethical representatives with functions and responsibilities and the aptitude to comprehend and formulate ethical conclusions. The principle of respect for autonomy gives the power for the freewill of all people. In addition, the principle of beneficence attempts to promote the good of the person by doing good; the principle of non-maleficence attempts to evade producing injury; and the principle of Justice considers all people comparatively equal (Harman 40; Key Ethical Principles). Modern medicine considers the medical professional and patient reciprocally united in the treatment decision making process. Respect for autonomy, informed consent and confidentiality are also important for ethical performance. Autonomy In health care, respect for patients autonomy is imperative. Occasionally, autonomy can clash with opposing principles of ethics, such as beneficence (Pozgar 360-361). Autonomy can be limited through the position of the capability to make decisions for oneself, as in the case of a person in a coma or severely brain injured person. The principles of human dignity and respect for people are embedded within autonomy. The principle of human dignity is the fundamental worth that resides in every human being. Respect for people as a principle purports that all people should be treated as capable as they are free and responsible people (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 69-70; Key Ethical Principles). Informed Consent In health care contexts, the rights to informed consent and confidentiality are influential to assure decisions are made under the patients own free will. The principle of informed consent gives every capable woman the rights and responsibilities to progress her own health (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 86; Key Ethical Principles). These rights oblige certain associated obligations upon health care providers. To obtain informed consent of the patient, healthcare providers are obligated to divulge information of anticipated treatments and their alternatives, and they must revere her right to treatment refusal. In addition, healthcare providers are obligated to maintain privacy to permit the patient to make private decisions independent of others, including healthcare providers and family (Pozgar 278-279). Informed consent is an issue of determination. The most important characteristic is that it is patient enabling therefore providing the patient the information she requires in order to make a logical decision for her healthcare needs to be met. Confidentiality In U.S. health care, confidentiality is regulated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Privacy Rule, and many state laws (Miller 440-446). Confidentiality is generally used for discussions that occur between medical providers and patients in the course of treatment and/ or consultation. Legally, medical providers cannot disclose patient-provider discussions. In turn, the health care provider has a duty to respect the patients trust and keep sensitive medical information confidential (Miller 447-450; Pozgar 267-268). This necessitates the health care provider to respect the patients privacy by inhibiting others access to the patients private health care information thus, producing a trusting atmosphere supporting patient candidness with the health care provider. Technology and Challenges Unique to the U.S. and Developed Countries Technological Advances Technological advances play a role in womens reproductive rights in the United States. Reproductive technology includes contemporary and projected uses of technology for human reproduction, including facilitated reproductive technology, such as in-vitro fertilization; contraception; and abortion. The principles of integrity and totality assert that the wellbeing of the total person should be recognized when determining technology or therapeutic intervention usage (Harman 40; Key Ethical Principles). Assisted Reproductive Technology In the U.S., there has been an increase in assisted reproductive technology (ART). In the United States, the first baby conceived through ART was born in 1982. Each year since, there has been a remarkable increase in the amount ART procedures performed, from 64,681 to 134,260 between 1996-2005 (Wright et al. 9). Assisted reproductive technologies pertain to a number of alternatives to assist a woman in becoming pregnant (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 305). Because assisted reproductive technology procedures are very costly and invasive, they are frequently employed as a final recourse for conception. These medical procedures, when employed, are frequently used along with more conservative treatment to amplify the success of the procedure. Assisted reproductive technology methods include in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) (Wright et al 3-5). Donor egg or embryo and surrogacy are also considered forms of assisted reproductive technology (Cook, Dickens, and Fathalla 305-307). Recently there has been an increase in assisted reproductive technologies and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in particular. In-vitro fertilization is the method where the ovum is fertilized by sperm outside the womb or in vitro. The fertilized ovum is then relocated to the womans uterus with the intention of producing a pregnancy. In-vitro fertilization is the principal remedy in infertility to other unsuccessfully facilitated reproductive technology approaches. There are examples of womens health rights being violated with in-vitro fertilization. Women who are single, overweight, or of significant age past child bearing years may be denied the same rights as a married, normal weight, younger woman. Contraceptives Contraception is the utilization of a variety of techniques to inhibit pregnancy as well as thwarting sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While, for the most part, the United States exemplifies elevated concentrations of contraceptive use as a method to prevent pregnancy, it is not uniformly dispersed within the United States. Certain populations, mainly urban and rural communities, contraceptive alternatives are restricted and access is complex, ensuing an unrealized necessity for contraceptive technology. (Guttmacher Institute, Facts on Contraceptive Use in the United States). In spite of evolvement of contraceptive technologies, method selection is individual. Classification of contraceptive technologies is based on the length of defense. These classifications are permanent, long-term, and short-term methods. Permanent methods of contraception have a very high success rate and include male (vasectomy) and female sterilization (tubal ligation). Both procedures are invasive and increase the risks of infection and other health complications and do not prevent against HIV and STDs. Long-term methods, while not as invasive as permanent methods, also have a very high success rate. Intrauterine devices (IUD), oral contraceptives, and hormonal injections are forms of long term contraceptive methods. This method, like permanent methods, can increase the risk of health complications and do not prevent against HIV and STDs. Short-term methods of contraception are to some extent less successful than long-term and permanent methods. Short-term contraceptives methods include condoms, spermicides, vaginal barriers, and emergency contraceptive pills. While side effects of this method are fewer than previously mentioned methods, only the condom prevents conception and HIV and STDs simultaneously when used appropriately (Guttmacher Institute, Facts on Contraceptive Use in the United States). Access to reliable, safe contraceptives is an essential component of a womans reproductive health and public health as a whole, with significant emphasis on the aspect of reproductive rights. It is imperative for healthcare providers to emphasize confidentiality and empower the womans autonomy regarding decisions about contraceptive methods. Abortion Abortion is a pregnancy that does not result in a birth (Pozgar 309). Therapeutic and elective abortions are the most common types of abortions in the United States. Therapeutic abortions are executed when there are fetal anomalies or when pregnancy endangers the mothers health. Elective abortions are the intended disruptions of pregnancy for basis exclusive of fetal irregularities or maternal threat. These types of abortion to end unintentional pregnancies are not uncommon (Guttmacher Institute, Facts on Induced Abortion). Access to reliable, legal abortion is a fundamental element of a womans reproductive health and an important factor of reproductive rights (Germain, Womens Health 193). Women must have significant procedure accession where abortion is legal. In the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the constitutional entitlement to abortion was acknowledged but failed to give women attainment to abortion services because of the escalating amount of limitations. Consequently, numerous state laws constrain a womans ability to obtain an abortion thus increasing the number of illegally obtained abortions. These laws are intended to make it more complicated for an abortion to be attained. A womans capability to access abortion services is additionally threatened by public persecution of abortion providers and confines on federal and private resources has produced a scarcity of services (Center for Reproductive Rights, Report on the United States Compliance par. 16-23; Guttmacher Institute, Fa cts on Induced Abortion). A resolution cannot ensue without corroboration for alteration. A considerable portion of the issues with womens health are mortality of mothers in addition to the fetus due in part to little education and little or no maternal health care available. Conclusion The association of human rights with regards to womens reproductive health in the United States is a significant public health issue. The overall importance of womens health and human rights is to advance the health of women and girls throughout the lifetime. Future optimal balance should be negotiated between public health goals and womens health and human rights approaches. The extensive historical impact of womens health and human rights emphasizes the need for endorsement and defense of health through respecting; protecting and fulfilling of womens human and health rights that are inextricably linked. It is imperative for public health officials and law makers to understand the serious health consequences and implications of defiance of womens health and human rights can have. The creation of universal health policies and programs to promote womens health and human rights in their design can facilitate the support of rights to autonomy, participation, privacy, and information in health care. Finally, susceptibility to illness can be abridged by adopting measures to appreciate, defend and accomplish human rights through autonomy from inequity of race, sex, and gender roles, as well as a fundamental right to health, nutrition, and education. The focal point for womens health issues is to remedy the inequities in research, health care services, and education that have positioned the womens health in danger. By organizing womens health research, health care services, and public policy new programs and ideas required to advance womens health in the United States and internationally can increase (Gruskin, Reproductive and Sexual Rights). Expansion of improved womens health practices by recognizing and duplicating thriving womens health programs, advancement of public health education by expanding the involvement of women and girls in health education courses, and increasing access to womens health services by involving professionals, such as health care professionals and public health officials, on womens health issues will attempt to close the disp
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Parenting Style of the Watsons Essay -- Teaching Essays
Parenting styles are very important in influencing childrenââ¬â¢s behavior, and the styles form the context in which childrenââ¬â¢s behavior might occur (Fox para. 2). There are four different types of parenting styles. These styles, developed by child psychologist Diana Baumrind, who provides a majority of the information found in the book Understanding Children and Adolescents,include authoritative, permissive, authoritarian, and neglectful/uninvolved (Forsyth 376). In the extremely funny childrenââ¬â¢s book The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, the author Christopher Paul Curtis uses the familyââ¬â¢s life and adventure as a way of showing many characteristics of a particular parenting style used on the children. The main focus is on Byron and what effect the parenting approach has on the childââ¬â¢s behavior. Throughout this essay I am going to argue that the Watsons, as parents, use the authoritative parenting style and that the parenting style has an effect on the childââ¬â¢s behavior. Using my research, I will define the four types of parenting styles and their effects on child behavior. Baumrindââ¬â¢s work on the classification of the four parenting styles has influence research on the effects parenting has on child behavior (Fox para. 3). I will also use specific examples from Curtisââ¬â¢s book, showing Byronââ¬â¢s behavior, along with various responses that demonstrate that the authoritative approach is used. The first type of parenting style identified by Baumrind is the authoritative approach. Authoritative parents use both parental authority and an explanation of their standards in specific situations. Children raised with the authoritative parenting style have the highest social competence (Forsyth 32). Authoritative par... ...ââ¬â1964. New York: Bantam, 1995. Darling, Nancy. ââ¬Å"Parenting Style and Its Correlates.â⬠Eric Digest1999. Ebsco. 5 December 2001. Forsyth, Alfred G., Peggy D. Forsyth, David E. Schickedanz, and Judith A. Schickedanz. Understanding Children and Adolescents. 4th ed. Mayfield, 1993. Fox, Roberta A. ââ¬Å"An Empirically Derived Classification of Parenting Practices.â⬠Journal of Genetic Psychology 106 (1999): 343, 14 pp. Masterfile Premier. Ebsco. Joyner Library, Greenville. 2 December 2001. Horton-Parker, Radha J. ââ¬Å"Teaching Children to Care: Engendering Pro-Social Behavior through Humanistic Parenting.â⬠Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development 37.2 (1998): 66, 12 pp. Masterfile Premier. Ebsco. Joyner Library, Greenville. 2 December 2001.
Friday, October 11, 2019
The Bell Jar Essay -- Essays Papers
The Bell Jar People's lives are shaped through their success and failure in their personal relationships with each other. The author Sylvia Plath demonstrates this in the novel, The Bell Jar. This is the direct result of the loss of support from a loved one, the lack of support and encouragement, and lack of self confidence and insecurity in Esther's life in the The Bell Jar. It was shaped through her success and failures in her personal relationships between others and herself. Through life, we often lose someone we loved and cared deeply for and supported us through life. This is demonstrated by the loss of a loved one when Esther's father died when she was nine. "My German speaking father, dead since I was nine came from some manic-depressive hamlet in the Prussia." (Sylvia Plath page 27.) Esther's father's death had showed that she was in need of a father figure for love, support and to act as a model for her life. Esther grew up with only the one influence of a parent, her mother. Often times the loss of a friendship can be a great loss of support and confidence within our lives because we can lose them forever. This is demonstrated when Buddy Willard Esther's boyfriend break up. "He told me that his annual fall chest x-ray showed he had caught tuberculosis...in the Adirondacks" (Sylvia Plath pg. 58.) Buddy and Esther break up due to the fact that he was not very honest with her in many ways. He did not have the courage to admit to a certain side of his character and not only that Buddy was diagnosed with an illness but he had other relationships aside from Esther. Therefore Esther experienced another loss of a loved one. Within life, we gain the support from someone that helps us get through life but often times leaves us when we need them most. This is proven when Doreen; Esthers co-worker at the modeling magazine begins to lose contact with Esther through life "Doreen is dissolving... none of them mean anything anymore" (Sylvia Plath pg.17) Doreen begins to lose contact with Esther throughout life, just when Doreen had opened new doors to her. Esther was coming through a very difficult time in life, when Doreen started drifting away from Esther. Once again, Esther experienced the loss and support of a great friend and advocate. Ones' life is made up by framework. You gather friends and folks together and ... ...a Plath page 93) After finding out that she had not made the writing course, Esther thought to herself; that even before entering the essay, she knew she would not make the course. Proving that even before entering her essay for the college, she had no confidence in being accepted. After building confidence within herself, Esther decided to write an autobiography using herself as the heroine but she felt that she could not write a novel based on life because she felt she had not experienced it. "How could I write about life...baby or even seen anybody die." (Sylvia Plath pg. 99) Thus, this proves that Esther did not even have the self confidence within herself to follow through with her own ambition of becoming a writer. During a journey through life one starts with a foundation to build on and decide on framework of ones life. In order to sustain and maintain life one needs a basis of love, support, food for thought and life to breath, expression and experience. If an individuals life is shaped and directed by the successes or failures of human relationship, without substance, one might as well seal up their life with a vacuum lid and live in a glass jar.
International Political Economy
Part Perspectives on International Political Economy The first chapter of the text deals with the fundamental nature of International political economy (PIP) and some analytical Issues related to Its multidimensional character. Chapters 2 through 4 are the core chapters of the text that explore the history and policies associated with the three dominant PIP perspectives, namely economic liberalism, mercantilism, and structuralism. These theoretical tools are useful In understanding many political, economic, and social Issues In the global economy of the past as well as the present.Chapter 5 develops two alternative PIP respective?constructivism and feminism?that derive, In part, from the three mall outlooks under study. Chapter What Is International Political Economy? We Are the 99%: A Haitian hillside. Georgian Allen When a philosopher has once laid hold of a favorite principle, which perhaps accounts for many natural effects, he extends the same principle over the whole creation, a nd reduces to it every phenomenon, though by the most violent and absurd reasoning. Our own mind being narrow and contracted, we cannot extend our conception to the variety and extent of nature â⬠¦David Hump, ââ¬Å"The Septicâ⬠2 The Darkness on the Edge of Town he Darkness on the edge of town What are the chances you will find a good paying Job?or any Job for that matter? when you graduate from college In the next few years? Have your parent's or people you know lost their Jobs, the family home, or a big chunk of their retirement savings? How are you adjusting to the financial crisis? Maybe things haven't been that bad for you, yet! Reading the headlines of any major newspaper, you might sometimes worry that the world is on the brink of a global economic catastrophe, if not a second Great Depression.The effects of the global economic crisis have made many people feel ensue, tearful, and depressed. The collapse to the US housing market in 2 morphed into a credit crisis tha t threatened some of the biggest banks and financial institutions in the United States and Europe. Government leaders responded with a variety of bank rescue measures and so-called stimulus packages to restart their economies. These interventions angered many ordinary folks who felt that the bailouts rewarded bankers and Coos who had caused the crisis in the first place.Meanwhile, many people around the world were forced out of their homes and became unemployed. They suffered cuts in social services, health care benefits, and education spending when governments were forced to trim budgets. As we write in late 2012, the hoped-for recovery has proved elusive. Unemployment in the United States is stuck at 7. 9 percent; in the European Union (ELI), it has risen to 1 1. 6 percent (23. 4 percent for young people). Home foreclosures and stagnant incomes continue to place enormous strain on many families' finances.The EX. has fallen into another recession, with countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal so deep in debt that they might slide into national bankruptcy, causing the Else's monetary system to collapse. People seem to have lost confidence in national and international political institutions that underpin capitalism and democracy. Is this what the Great Transformation from industrial to post-industrial society was supposed to look like? Are globalization and the so-called ââ¬Å"creative destructionâ⬠of new technologies shrinking the middle classes in Western countries and permanently shifting economic dynamism to Asia and Latin America?Adding to the sense of gloom are events around the world in the last few years. High oil prices have benefited giant oil companies while hurting consumers. The giant British Petroleum (BP) oil spill reciprocated an environmental catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. Japan's Fuchsia earthquake and tsunami damaged several nuclear power plants, causing release of dangerous radioactive material across a large swath of te rritory. High agriculture commodity prices have raised the cost of food and increased levels of world hunger.Because there has been little progress in reducing reliance on fossil fuels, capping carbon emissions, or investing in alternative energy resources, the threat of catastrophic climate change looms larger. And wars in Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, and the Congo are destroying the livelihoods of millions of people. Hope on the Horizon? Is there only gloom and doom around the globe? Surely, no! As we discuss in Chapter 13, emerging powers such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia have dramatically reduced poverty in the last fifteen years and made it possible for hundreds 4 Chapter 1 of millions of people to Join the middle class.Fortunately, they continued to grow at a fairly robust pace after 2007; more Jobs, investment, and consumption in these countries helped keep the rest to the world trot tailing into a deeper recession. Of most of the last decade, sub-Sahara Africa has als o grown surprisingly fast, thanks n part to high prices for oil and commodities exports. And the European Union won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize, a reminder that?despite its serious economic and social problems today?the community has advanced the causes of ââ¬Å"peace and reconciliation, democracy, and human rightsâ⬠for more than sixty years.Along with these rays of hope are three interrelated global developments that merit discussion at the beginning of this textbook because they are profoundly shaping the international political economy: the Arab Spring, the European sovereign debt crisis, and the Occupy Wall Street (SOWS) movement. Taking place on three different continents since 2011, they have shaken political institutions and spurred waves of political protests in response to a variety of social and economic ills. None of us knows how these momentous developments will play out, but we can be sure that they will affect our daily lives and pocketbooks for many years.Each i s a double- edged sword: a potential harbinger of positive change and a potential foreshadowing of worse yet to come. In other words, each development can either help lead to a more stable, prosperous world in which human security is better guaranteed or ender divisions within and between societies wider than before so that cooperative relations and a fairer distribution of resources remain ever more elusive goals. The Arab Spring took the world by surprise?a reminder that social scientists still do not have good tools to predict when and why large-scale changes will occur in complex socio-political systems.On December 17, 2010, a Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouzouki set himself on fire in reaction to harassment by police officers. His death sparked street demonstrations that brought down the Tunisian government one month later. Protests spread like wildfires to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. After eighteen days of mass demonstrations, Egypt authoritar ian president Hosting Embark resigned on February 11, 2011, replaced by a military council. On February 15, residents of Bengali, Libya, rose up against the regime of Miramar Qaeda.Following months of NATO bombing and rebel fighting, Qaeda was killed on October 20, 2011, and a National Transitional Council took power. The dramatic political protests?which captivated television viewers and Twitter-feed followers around the world?created an opportunity for a number of Arab countries o Join the community of democratic nations. Yet the crackdown in Syria showed the world how determined some authoritarian leaders in the Middle East are to remain in power?even at the expense of killing tens of thousands of their own citizens.With the genie of Arab political opposition out of the bottle, countries in the Middle East and North Africa are rapidly changing. Fortunately, high oil prices and a return to relative stability in many places could improve conditions in 2013. Along with the Arab Spri ng came President Barack Beam's withdrawal of all U. S. Troops from Iraq at the end of 2011. An ignominious end to an imperial endeavor, the withdrawal seemed to signal that the U. S. Public was no longer willing to pay for wars that drain the public treasury.President Obama refocused U. S. Policy on fighting against the Taliban in Afghanistan and ratcheting up pressure on Iran to abandon its effort to develop nuclear weapons. Many analysts believe that Beam's decisions reveal a significant weakening of U. S. Influence in the Middle East. Perhaps to counteract this decline, Obama decided to bolster the American military presence in the Pacific by cultivating ties with countries afraid of China's rise and attaching 2,500 troops permanently in northern Australia beginning in November 2011.A second development?the European sovereign debt crisis?relentlessly gathered steam after 2010 in the face of a prolonged recession that made it hard for some countries to pay back huge loans to dome stic and foreign banks. European Union leaders had hoped to contain the debt problems in Greece and Ireland, but governments in Spain and Portugal also began to have trouble raising new money by issuing new government bonds. All four countries in 2012 had to get financial bailouts in exchange for adopting painful government spending cuts that contributed o high unemployment.Even with help from the European Central Bank, these countries have dire conditions that threaten the stability of the European financial system. Rupee's responses to its debt crisis have stimulated widespread social unrest. Severe austerity measures have spawned street protests throughout the continent and brought changes of government in Greece, Italy, and Spain. Some EX. leaders and analysts believe that the crisis will spur European countries to form closer ties, while others foresee the death of the Euro and the prospect of national bankruptcies as some countries refuse to pay back onerous loans.If problems worsen in France and Italy, the EX. could unravel economically, causing another deep global recession. The crisis is forcing Germany to decide if it is willing to share the costs of making the EX. stronger, or if it will pursue its purely national interests. The outcomes will likely cause changes in Rupee's traditionally generous social programs and in Rupee's influence in the world. A third development started as an anti-wall Street protest in New York City's Cutting Park on September 17, 2011. Two weeks later, the Occupy Wall Street movement had quickly spread to many major U. S. Ties, tit encampments and ââ¬Å"general assembliesâ⬠in public spaces. Similar ââ¬Å"occupationsâ⬠occurred in Europe, Israel, Chile, and Australia. Although the majority of participants in the SOWS social movement have been students, union workers, progressive activists, and the unemployed, their ideas seemed to resonate with a significant number of the middle class. Calling themselves the â â¬Å"99%â⬠(in contrast to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans), SOWS protestors criticized financial institutions, condemned Wall Street greed, and called for a reduction of corporate control over the democratic process.Although SOWS encampments disappeared, the movement kook up new campaigns in 2012, including efforts to stop home foreclosures and reduce student debt. What do these three developments have in common? While each has its own causes, the protestors collectively represent a reaction to corrupt government and growing inequality. In three large regions?the Middle East, Europe, and North America?movements sought protection from financial and cultural globalization that left people feeling at the mercy of market forces.In many cases, protestors felt that they were unfairly forced to bail out the wealthy but denied a chance to snare many o governments 6 s to previous growth. Austerity policies that many had adopted since 2008?and even earlier in the Arab countries?cu t into a host of public social programs such as education and relief for the poor. Many disgruntled citizens disagreed with their leaders, who argued that such reductions were necessary to reduce the size of government, balance national budgets, and stimulate economic recovery.While Arabs claimed a political voice that had been squashed by decades of dictatorial rule, Americans and Europeans seemed to demand a new kind of politics freed from the grip of special interests and big money. In all three cases, elites who were supposed to be the experts on political and financial affairs suddenly were at a loss to explain why things had gotten so bad under their watch. With a loss of faith in Arab regimes, EX. leaders, and U. S. Bankers came a certain ââ¬Å"denationalizationâ⬠of ruling ideologies such as economic liberalism.A new emphasis was placed on democratic participation and economic fairness. Despite a new zeitgeist in the air in three continents, old political and economic institutions were still resilient. Many regimes held firm in the Middle East. American banks grew even egger after government bailouts, and more money than ever poured into the campaign war chests of Democratic and Republican political candidates. EX. political elites continued to make deals that seemed designed to save big investors and banks rather than ordinary citizens.The alternatives to the old did not always promise a better future, either. In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Psalmists like Egypt new president Mohamed Moors' made their own undemocratic power grabs, seeking to impose religiously conservative policies and weaken women's rights. Reactions against austerity in Europe strengthened extreme right-wing parties in Greece and France while fueling anti-E or secessionist sentiments in the United Kingdom and Catalonia.And by refusing to organize and engage in ââ¬Å"normalâ⬠politics, the SOWS forces dissipated?leaving normal two-party gridlock in Washington after t he November 2012 elections. The Road Ahead By discussing above the three big developments, as well as the problems and promises in the global economy, we have hopefully given you a sense of some of the important phenomena we seek to understand in international political economy. Not unsurprisingly, there are fierce debates about the causes of current crises and the best solutions to them.One of the arguments we make in this text is that to adequately describe and explain the current global financial crisis?or any of the other issues covered in the different chapters?we must use an analytical approach that synthesizes methods and insights derived from economics, political science, and sociology as conditioned by an understanding to history and philosophy. As you delve deeper into the material, you will learn a variety of theories and analytical tools that help us interpret the interrelationships of the state, market, and society in different nations.The PIP method bridges different a cademic disciplines to better explain employ, real-world problems that span physical and intellectual boundaries. While this statement might sound a bit formal and confusing at this point, keep in mind that we do not think you need to be an economics major, a specialist in finance, The What, Why, and How of International Political Economy or a Middle East expert to understand the basic parameters of the global financial crisis or the Arab Spring.This book is written for students who have limited background in political science, economics, or sociology, as well as for those who want to review an assortment of topics in preparation for graduate school. In the next section, we look at how to study PIP?its three distinct analytical perspectives and a number of methodological issues with which PIP students should become acquainted. All the chapters in the book cover important theoretical and Policy issues that have connections to the three developments we have mentioned?and to many more. In this way, we hope students might better understand different dimensions of the problems and then make some reasoned Judgments about how to solve them. Later in this chapter, we discuss the popular phenomenon of globalization as a way o introduce students to many of the political-economic conditions that led up to the global financial crisis. Many PIP experts have asserted that the economic liberal ideas behind globalization may have contributed to the crisis. Opinions differ, however, on whether or not the crisis signals the end of laissez-fairer economic policies, or even the end of capitalism itself. He what, why, and how of International Political economy Our discussion of the financial crisis and its consequences makes clear that today's complex issues can no longer be easily analyzed and understood by using any single et of disciplinary methods and concepts. Those who study PIP are, in essence, breaking down the analytical and conceptual boundaries between politics, economic s, and sociology to produce a unique explanatory framework. Following are several examples of questions that traditional academic disciplines might ask as they seek to explain the global financial crisis.Each discipline focuses on different actors and interests: International Relations: How much has the financial crisis detracted from the ability of states to pay for military defense? How has the crisis affected the conditions of war or terrorism in poor states? As Europe, Japan, and the United States struggle, will emerging countries like China, India, and Brazil gain more political influence in international institutions? International Economics: How has the crisis impacted foreign investment, international trade, and the values of different currencies?Comparative Politics: What is the capability of political institutions within different nations to respond to the needs of the unemployed? What new political forces are emerging and with what effects on political coalitions? Sociolo gy: How has the crisis affected consumption trends for different groups such as the upper, middle, and rower classes? How do the effects of inequality vary on the basis of ethnicity and gender? Anthropology: How have different societies in history dealt with crises related to how they allocate scarce resources?And how have these crises impacted their cultures, values, and societal norms? 8 Focusing on a narrow range of methods and issues enhances intellectual specialization and analytical efficiency. But any single discipline offers an incomplete explanation of global events. Specialization promotes a sort of scholarly blindness or distorted view that comes from using only one set of analytical methods and incepts to explain what most decidedly is a complex problem that could benefit from a multidisciplinary perspective.When defining PIP, we make a distinction between the term ââ¬Å"international political economy' and the acronym PIP. The former refers to what we study?commonly re ferred to as a subject area or field of inquiry that involves tensions among states, markets, and societal actors. In this text, we tend to focus on a variety of actors and issues that are either ââ¬Å"internationalâ⬠(between nation-states) or ââ¬Å"transnationalâ⬠(across the national borders of two or more states).Increasingly today, any analysts use the term ââ¬Å"global political economy' instead of ââ¬Å"international political economy' to explain problems such as climate change, hunger, and illicit markets that have spread over the entire world, and not Just a few nations. In this book, we often use these two terms interchangeably. The acronym PIP also connotes a method of inquiry that is multidisciplinary. PIP fashions the tools of analysis of its antecedent disciplines so as to more accurately describe and explain the ever- changing relationships between governments, businesses, and social forces across history and in different geographical areas.What are some of the central elements of the antecedent melds to study that contribute to IP 7 First, PIP includes a political dimension that accounts for the use of power by a variety of actors, including individuals, domestic groups, states (acting as single units), international organizations, nongovernmental organizations (Nags), and transnational corporations (Tens). All these actors make decisions about the distribution of tangible things such as money and products or intangible things such as security and innovation.In almost all cases, politics involves the making of rules pertaining to owe states and societies achieve their goals. Another aspect of politics is the kind of public and private institutions that have the authority to pursue different goals. Second, PIP involves an economic dimension that deals with how scarce resources are distributed among individuals, groups, and nation-states. A variety of public and private institutions allocate resources on a day-to-day basis in local markets where we shop. Today, a market is not Just a place where people go to buy or exchange something face to face with the product's maker.The market can also be thought of as a driving force that shapes human behavior. When consumers buy things, when investors purchase stocks, and when banks lend money, their dependability transactions constitute a vast, sophisticated web of relationships that coordinate economic activities all over the world. Political scientist Charles Limbo makes an interesting case that the economy is actually nothing more than a system for coordinating social behavior! What people eat, their occupation, and even what they do when not working are all organized around different agricultural, labor, and relaxation markets.In effect, markets often perform a social function of ââ¬Å"coordination without a coordinator. L Third, the works of such notables as Charles Limbo and economists Robert Hellbender and Lester Throw help us realize that PIP does not reflect enough the societal dimension of different international problems. 2 A growing number of PIP scholars argue that states and markets do not exist in a social vacuum. There are usually many different social groups within a state that share identities, norms, and associations based on tribal ties, ethnicity, religion, or gender.Likewise, a variety of transnational groups (referred to as global civil society) have interests that cut across national boundaries. A host of Nags have attempted to pressure national and international organizations on issues such as climate change, refugees, migrant workers, and gender-based exploitation. All of these groups are purveyors of ideas that potentially generate tensions between them and other groups but play a major role in shaping global behavior. How to Study PIP: Contrasting Perspectives and Methodologies The three dominant perspectives of PIP are economic liberalism, mercantilism, and structuralism.Each focuses on the relationships between a va riety of actors and institutions. A strict extinction between these perspectives is quite arbitrary and has been imposed by disciplinary tradition, at times making it difficult to appreciate their connections to one another. Each perspective emphasizes different values, actors, and solutions to Policy problems but also overlooks some important elements highlighted by the other two perspectives. Economic liberalism (particularly unilateralism?see Chapter 2) is most closely associated with the study of markets.Later we will explain why there is an increasing gap between orthodox economic liberals (Eels), who champion free arrests and free trade, and heterodox interventionist liberals (Hills), who support more state regulation and trade protection to sustain markets. Increasingly, Hills have stressed that markets work best when they are embedded in (connected to) society and when the state intervenes to resolve problems that markets alone cannot handle. In fact, many Hills acknowledge that markets are the source of many of these problems.Many liberal values and ideas are the ideological foundation of the globalization campaign. They are derived from notable thinkers such as Adam Smith, David Richard, John Maynard Keynes, Frederica Hayes, and Milton Friedman. The laissez-fairer principle, that the state should leave the economy alone, is attributed to Adam Smith. 3 More recently, economic liberal ideas have been associated with former president Ronald Reagan and his acolytes, who contended that economic growth is best achieved when the government severely limits its involvement (interference) in the economy.Under pure market conditions (I. E. , the absence of state intervention or social influences), people are assumed to behave ââ¬Å"rationally' (see Chapter 2). 10 That is, they will naturally seek to maximize their gains and limit their losses when reducing and selling things. They have strong desires to exchange and to generate wealth by competing with others for sales in local and international markets. According to Eels, people should strongly value economic efficiency? the ability to use and distribute resources effectively and with little waste.Why is efficiency so important? When an economy is inefficient, scarce resources go unused or could be used in other ways that would be more beneficial to society. This idea has been applied to the new global economy and is one of the basic principles behind globalization. Mercantilism (also called economic nationalism) is most closely associated with the political philosophy of realism, which focuses on state efforts to accumulate wealth and power to protect society from physical harm or the influence of other states (see Chapters 3 and 9).In theory, the state is a legal entity and an autonomous system of institutions that governs a specific geographic territory and a ââ¬Å"nation. â⬠Since the mid-seventeenth century, the state has been the dominant actor in the international community based on the principle that it has the authority to exercise sovereignty (final authority) over its own affairs. States use two types of power to protect themselves. Hard power refers to tangible military and economic assets employed to compel, coerce, intelligence, tend tot, or death enemies and competitors.Soft power comprises selective tools that reflect and project a country cultural values, beliefs, and ideals. Through the use of movies, cultural exports and exchanges, information, and diplomacy, a state can convince others that the ideas it sponsors are legitimate and should be adopted. Soft power can in many ways be more effective than hard power because it rests on persuasion and mutual exchange. For example, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Barack Obama partly regained some of the world's support for the United States through a discourse emphasizing multilateral cooperation.Structuralism is rooted in Marxist analysis but not limited to it (see Chapter 4). It looks at PIP issues mainly in terms of how different social classes are shaped by the dominant economic structure. It is most closely associated with the methods of analysis many sociologists employ. Structuralisms emphasize that markets have never existed in a social vacuum. Some combination of social, economic, and political forces establishes, regulates, and preserves them.As we will see in the case of the financial crisis, even the standards used to Judge the effectiveness of market systems reflect the dominant values and beliefs of those forces. The Benefits of PIP Each perspective in PIP sheds light on some aspects of a problem particularly well, but casts a shadow on other important aspects. By using a combination of the three dominant PIP methods and concepts (outlined in Table 1-1), we can move to the big picture?the most comprehensive and compelling explanation of global processes.Not surprisingly, mixing together the disciplines of economics, political science, and sociology gives rise to a n analytical problem: It is difficult to establish a single explanation to any PIP issue because each discipline has its own set of analytical concepts, core beliefs, and methodologies. Does this weaken the utility of PIP? Not at all. We must recognize that PIP is not a ââ¬Å"hard scienceâ⬠; it may never table 1-1 Conflicting Political economic Perspectives about state-market relations in Capitalist societies Monetarism (Orthodox Economic Liberals) Main Ideas aboutCapitalism ââ¬Å"Laissez-fairerâ⬠; minimal state intervention and regulation of the economy Keynesian (Heterodox Interventionist Economic Liberals) The state primes (injects money? liquidity) into the economy to restore confidence in it and to stabilize it Efficiency mixed with a variety of state political and social objectives Developmental State Model (Mercantilism) Socialism (Structuralism) Social Democracy (Structuralism) The state plays a proactive role in the economy to guide and protect its major industr ies The state controls the economy. Prices set by state officials. Emphasis on state
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