Adaptive Culture and Cultural Artifacts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Adaptive Culture and Cultural Artifacts - Essay Example While the organization needed to know every accurate detail about its stakeholders, the latter also needed to provide an honest and realistic output of needs or wants that are to be fulfilled. In other words, information is the framework of those mentioned requisites; its timing and accuracy significantly determine the capability of the organization to process and integrate it with the organizational processes and practices. Moreover, all other aspects that serve to shape an organizational culture has to be taken into consideration -- its level of impact on organizational culture should determine its ability to be incorporated in the whole adaptive culture-framework. While in general, these aspects are conveniently referred to as processes and practices, in specific it includes policies, competencies, reinforced norms, et cetera. A more binding reinforcement for an organization aspiring an adaptive culture is the top management’s commitment. Additionally, the organization†™s people should be tirelessly reminded of the purpose of such adaptive culture. Both commitment and purpose are consistent ‘reinforcers’ of any desired organizational culture, and adaptive culture is no exception. I think that our organization has a relatively strong culture. First, because everybody knows what and who we do for; more than just profit or bonuses, we serve people. Every business unit, whether directly or indirectly involved, recognized its part in the whole value chain. In other words, each of us, from top to the bottom level, could identify ourselves in the organization’s collective mantra. Moreover, this recognition is reinforced through the individual integration of our own task to the company’s core task. Second, our Human Resource Recruitment filters the entrant workers; they make sure that the individual’s goals are well aligned or approximately paralleled with the company’s. Moreover, the HR people look at the

Rise of Consumer Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rise of Consumer Culture - Essay Example This linking culture Snow suggested in the second edition of his book in 1963, calling it a "third culture" where literary intellectuals lived in harmony with scientists, communicating ideas among each other and with the public. Brockman borrowed Snow's terminology of the third culture in his book (1995) of the same title as he daringly predicted that scientists and engineers at the cusp of what would soon become the dot.com boom will dominate this third culture. The boom came, but soon after followed the bust, and Brockman's third culture never materialised as he had hoped. What Snow and Brockman never realised was that a third culture had been moving quietly alongside these two cultures over the last half of the 20th century, one that combined the power of postmodernist intellectual thought and the energy of scientific innovation, helped along by the emergence of a capitalist society of excess wealth and prosperity. This third culture is the consumer culture, characterised by what we can describe as a body-centric attitude of consumption, where almost every conceivable commercial product is available to satisfy every craving or desire, fulfil any dream, and where reality can be reduced to one's identification with ideals created and circulated by the mass media. Essentially a perfect combination of Snow's two cultures - the romantic and the scientific - the consumer culture now defines who and what we are. The Marketable Self This is the scenario where Featherstone and other sociologists situate the body, the consuming subject, which is nothing more than the agent responsible for capturing and defining reality. Straddling the romantic-idealistic literary and the sensual-measurable scientific worlds, the consumer culture entices the human body to know and love it, to be a part of it, and to recognise that that is where its happiness and fulfilment lie. As the consuming subject (the body) attempts to capture - buying, eating, dressing up, or simply experiencing - reality in this consumer culture, it is the body that ends up becoming captive. It is in this context that we can analyse Featherstone's words (1991) that "the consumer culture constructs the marketable self." A main feature of this culture is a powerful popular media that helps in defining who and what we are. In his book (1999) Selling Dreams: How to Make Any Product Irresistible, Ferrari CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni (p. 193) describes the people of the consumer culture as bodies where product creators create a masterpiece the way a Picasso creates a painting on canvas, and where the media play the role of the artist's brush and oil. The body as a canvas Yes. In the consumer culture, "every instrument of the popular media - advertisements, television, and film to the press - provides a proliferation of stylised images of the body and emphasises the cosmetic benefits of body maintenance" (Featherstone, 1991). This strategy makes good business sense. After all, the physical perfection of the body or its idea of eternal youth has been one of our most cherished dreams. Beauty being a subjective judgment of a state of perfection, and the natural forces of aging, weight gain, and biological deterioration seemingly designed to halt our achieving that state, the possibilities for its definition are endless. The

Brief History of Microbiology

Brief History of Microbiology 1- How Can Microbes Be Classified? Fungi, Protozoa, Algae, Prokaryotes and other organisms of importance to microbiologists B- The Golden Age of Microbiology 1- Is Spontaneous Generation Of Microbial Life Possible? Redis Experiment, Needhams Experiment, Spallanzanis Experiment, Pasteurs Experiment. CHAPTER (1): A BRIEF HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY Microbiology is the study of organisms and agents too small to be seen clearly by the naked eye. It is the study of microorganisms, or germs or microbes. However, some of these microorganisms are large and visible by our naked eye such as mushrooms, brown algae, and lichens. Viruses, bacteria, algae, fungi, and protozoa belong to microorganisms. Life would not exist without microorganisms. Plants depend on microorganisms to help them obtain their nitrogen they need from air. Animals such as cows and sheep need microorganisms in order to digest the cellulose in their diets. Our ecosystem rely on microorganisms to enrich soil, degrade wastes and supports life. Without microbial recyclers, the world would be buried under dead organisms. We use beneficial microorganisms to make our food such as cheese, yoghurt, bread, to develop our vaccines, hormones, vitamins and antibiotics. The human body is home to billions of microorganisms, many of which help keep us healthy. Microorganisms are not only an essential part of our lives; they are quite literally a part of us. Microorganisms can be both beneficial and harmful (infectious disease agents) to humans, animals and plants. Some harmful microorganisms also do cause diseases, from the common cold to AIDS. The threats of bioterrorism and new or re-merging infectious diseases are real problem. We will explore all the roles (both harmful and beneficial) that microorganisms play in our lives in this fascinating course. Importance of bacteria Bacteria can be categorized into harmful and useful bacteria, while some bacteria are non harmful-non useful. Harmful bacteria Bacteria cause some major diseases to humans, animals and plants. Among these diseases: cholera, typhoid, tetanus, pneumonia, tuberculosis and meningitis. Some pathogenic bacteria produce poisonous chemicals called toxins which affect certain parts of the host body. In food industry, bacteria cause spoilage of food and food poising. Useful bacteria Bacteria produce antibiotics which for the treatment of diseases. Bacteria provide enzymes for biological washing powders. Bacteria are used as microbial insecticides protecting crops from insect pests. Bacteria are used to leach out metals from some low grade ores such as copper and gold. Bacteria contribute greatly to food industry (butter, cheese, and yogurt). Certain bacteria are used to convert lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid. Certain bacteria are used to convert alcohol into vinegar. Â  Bacteria have an essential role in the natural cycles of matter. In the soil, bacteria affect fertility, structure and productivity of corps. One of the most important roles of bacteria is the breakdown of dead organisms and organic wastes into its basic inorganic parts. Carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, and sulfur are some of the most important materials returned to the soil and atmosphere. Such cycling of materials could not occur in the absence of certain bacteria. 9. As a source of food (single cell protein (SCP). Bacteria are a good source of (SCP) with plenty of food and space. (SCP can be produced using bacteria growing in waste paper, pollutants or any food waste product). The Early Years Of Microorganisms The early years of microbiology brought the first observations of microbial life, and the initial efforts to organize them into logical classification. Early investigators suspected the existence of microorganisms and their role in disease development even before microorganisms were detected. The first person observed and described microorganisms was Antony van Leeunwenhoek (The Father of Bacteriology and Protozoology) (Dutch) in 1674. He was a tailor and a lens grinder. He used to manufacture lenses to examine the quality of the clothes. He invented simple microscope in 1674 and he observed, drew, and measured large numbers of minute living organisms including bacteria and protozoa in pond water. He also described the motion, morphology and diversity of bacteria and protozoa. How Can Microbes Be Classified? Shortly after Leeunwenhoek made his discoveries, the Swedish botanist Linnaeus developed a taxonomic system-that is a system for naming plants and animals and grouping similar organisms together. Linnaeus and other scientists of that period grouped all organisms into either animal kingdom or the plant kingdom. Today biologists use the five kingdoms classification system and the three kingdoms classification system. The microorganisms that Leeunwenhoek described can be grouped into five basic categories: fungi, protozoa, algae, prokaryotes and small animals. The only microbes not described by Leeunwenhoek are viruses which are too small to be seen without an electron microscope. Cells are of two types: 1- Prokaryotic cells (pro = before, karyon = nut or kernel). Example: Bacteria (i) Organisms very simple in shape. (ii) The cells lack true membrane delimited nucleus. 2- Eukaryotic cells (Eu = true, karyon = nut or kernel). Examples: Algae, fungi, protozoa, higher plants and animals. (i) Morphologically more complex than prokaryotes and larger in size. (ii) Organisms with true nucleus. They have a membrane enclose nucleus. . Biologists have divided living organisms into five kingdoms: Kingdom Monera or Prokaryote: includes prokaryotic organisms (Bacteria and archea) and Cyanobacteria (the blue-green bacteria, formerly called blue-green algae). Kingdom Protista: Include either unicellular or colonial eukaryotic organisms that lack true tissues (Protozoa, small algae, and lower fungi). Kingdom Fungi: Includes eukaryotic organisms with absorptive nutrition and often multinucleate. Fungi includes moulds (filamentous fungi) and yeasts (unicellular fungi). Kingdom Animalia: Multicellular animals with ingestive nutrition (Vertebrates and invertebrates). Kingdom Plantae: Multicellular plants with walled eukaryotic cells and photosynthetic ability. Viruses do not fit into the classification of living organisms (five kingdoms classification system) because they are dependent on other cells for their reproduction (obligate parasites). Nevertheless viruses are also studied by microbiologists. The recent classification divided organisms into 3 kingdoms based on the analysis of the 16S RNA. Bacteria (True bacteria or Eubacteria). Archaea (Archaeobacteria). Eukarya (All eukaryotic organisms). Fungi (Mycology) Fungi are organisms whose cells are eukaryotic with a true nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane. Fungi differ from animals by having cell walls. Fungi are different from plants because they are heterotrophic (obtain their food from other organisms which is different from plants (obtain their food by themselves through photosynthesis i.e. autotrophic). Microscopic fungi include molds (filamentous fungi) and yeasts (unicellular fungi). Molds are multicellular organisms that are grow as long filaments called hyphae that intertwine to make up the body of the mold. Molds reproduce by sexual and asexual spores which produce new individuals. Yeasts are unicellular and they reproduce by budding. Many types of fungi are beneficial and some are also very harmful to humans causing many diseases. Mushroom is a typical example of macroscopic fungi. Some mushrooms are also poisonous and can cause death. Protozoa (Protozoology or Parasitology) Protozoa are single celled eukaryotic microorganisms with true nucleus that are similar to animals in their nutritional needs and cellular structure. The suffix protozoa in Greek mean (the first animals). Most protozoa are capable of locomotion through pseudopodia, cilia or flagella. Protozoa typically live freely in water, but some live inside animal hosts, where they can cause diseases. Most protozoa reproduce asexually, however some can reproduce sexually. Algae (Phycology) Algae are unicellular or multicellular photosynthetic autotrophic organisms. Algae are categorized on the basis of their pigmentation, storage products and their cell walls. Large algae commonly called seaweeds and kelps are common in the oceans. Unicellular algae are common in freshwater ponds, streams and lakes and in the oceans as well. They are the major food source of small aquatic and marine animals and provide most of the worlds oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis. Prokaryotes (Bacteriology) Prokaryotic microorganisms are unicellular microbes that lack nuclei. There are two kinds of prokaryotes: true bacteria (Eu-bacteria) and archaea (Archaeobacteria). Bacterial cell walls are composed of a polysaccharide called peptidoglycan, although some bacteria lack cell walls. Bacteria without cell walls are called mycoplasma. The cell walls of archaea lack peptidoglycan and instead are composed of other polymers. Most bacteria and archaea are much smaller than the eukaryotic microorganisms. True bacteria are found in all environments, however, archaea are only found in extreme environments (Difficult or harsh environments) (e.g. High or low temperature, high or low pH, high salinity, high pressure). Other Organisms Of Importance To Microbiologists Microbiologists also study parasitic worms which range in size from microscopic forms to adult tapeworms over 7 meters in length. The only type of microbes that remained hidden from Leeunwenhoek and other early microbiologists are viruses, viroids and prions which are much smaller than the smallest prokaryotic microorganisms and are not visible by light microscopy. Viruses could not seen until the electron microscope was invented in 1932. All complete viruses are acellular (not composed of cells) obligatory parasites composed of small amounts of genetic material (genome) (RNA or DNA never both) surrounded by a protein coat. The incomplete virus (Prions) consists only of protein coat and there is no nucleic acid and only attacks human and animals. While the incomplete virus (Virioid) consists only of nucleic acid and there is no protein coat and only attacks plants. Leeunwenhoek fist reported the existence of microorganisms in 1674, but microbiology did not develop significantly as a field of study for almost two centuries. There were a number of reasons for this delay. First, Leeunwenhoek was a suspicious and secretive man. Though he built over than 400 microscopes, he never trained an apprentice, and he never sold or gave away a microscope. When Leeunwenhoek died, the secret of creating superior microscope was lost. It took almost 100 years for scientists to make microscopes of equivalent quality. Another reason that microbiology was slow to develop as a science is that scientists in the 1700s considered microbes to be curiosities of nature and in-significant to human affairs. But in the late 1800s, scientists began to adopt a new philosophy, one that demand experimental proof rather than mere acceptance of traditional knowledge. This fresh philosophical foundation, accompanied by improved microscopes, new laboratory techniques, and a drive to answer a series of important questions, propelled microbiology to the forefront as a scientific discipline. The Golden Age of Microbiology For about 50 years during what is now called The Golden Age of Microbiology, scientists were driven by the search for answers o the following 4 questions: Is spontaneous generation of microbial life possible? What causes fermentation? What causes diseases? How can we prevent infection and disease? Competition among scientists, who were striving to be the first to answer these questions, drove exploration and discovery in microbiology during the late 1800s and early 1900s. These scientists discoveries and the fields of study they initiated continue to shape the course of microbiological research today. 1 Is Spontaneous Generation Of Microbial Life Possible? In the ancient times, many peoples believed that living organisms could develop from non-living matter, and they named this phenomenon as spontaneous generation (abiogenesis). Aristotle believed that simple invertebrates could arise by spontaneous generation. He also believed that frogs and shrimps could arise from mud, insects from the morning dew and maggots from decaying meat. The validity of this theory came under challenge in the 17th century. Redis Experiment (1626-1697). The spontaneous generation conflict was finally challenged by the Redi (1688), who carried out a series of experiments using decayed meat and he studies the ability of meat to produce maggots spontaneously. He concluded that maggots do not arise by spontaneous generation. In unsealed flask: The maggots covered the meat within few days. In the sealed flasks: The flies were kept away and no maggots appeared on the meat. In the gauze-covered flask: The flies were kept away and no maggots appeared on the meat, although a few maggots appeared on the top of the gauze. Needhams Experiment (1713-1781). He boiled beef broth in a sealed flask. Some days later he demonstrated that many of these flasks became cloudy and contained microorganisms. He thought that the organic matter in the meat contained a vital force that could give the properties of life from non-living matter. Since he heated the flasks he thought that the microorganisms is coming from the non living beef broth. Spallanzanis Experiment (1729-1799). Spallanzanis in 1799 reported results that contradicted Needhams findings. Spallanzani boiled some infusions for one hour and sealed the vials by melting their slender necks closed. His infusion remained clear, unless he broke the seal and exposed the infusion to air, after which they became cloudy with microorganisms. He concluded three things: Needham had either failed to heat his vials sufficiently. Microorganisms exist in the air and can contaminate the experiments. Spontaneous generation of microorganisms does not occur. All living things arise from other living things. Criticisms of Spallanzanis work were: The sealed vials did not allow enough air for organisms to survive. The prolonged heating for long time (one hour) destroyed the Life force. The debate continued until the French chemist Louis Pasteur conducted experiments that finally solved the theory of spontaneous generation to rest. Pasteurs Experiment (1822-1895). In 1861, Pasteur (The Father of Microbiology) solved the spontaneous generation conflict. The Swan Neck Experiment Pasteur placed nutrient solutions in flasks heated their necks in a flame and drew them out in a variety of curved shapes, and he kept the ends of the neck open to the air. He then boiled the nutrient solutions for a few minutes and allowed them to cool. No microbial growth was observed; even the flask contents were exposed to the external air currents. Pasteur pointed out that no growth was observed because dust and germs had been collected on the walls of the curved pre-heated necks. If the necks were broken, microbial growth appeared. The results obtained by Pasteur were against the spontaneous generation theory. 2- What Causes Fermentation? Pasteur developed the pasteurization a process of heating the grape juice just enough to kill most contaminating bacteria without changing the juice backs qualities so it could then be inoculated with yeast to ensure that alcohol fermentation occurred. Pasteur thus began the field of industrial microbiology or biotechnology in which microbes are used to manufacture beneficial products. Today pasteurization is used routinely on milk to eliminate pathogenic bacteria that cause tuberculosis and is also used to eliminate pathogenic bacteria and fungi in juices and other beverages. Because of Pasteur many significant accomplishments in working with microbes, Pasture is considered the Father of Microbiology. 3- What Causes Diseases? Robert Koch (German Doctor) (the golden age of microbiology 1880-1920) was the first person to demonstrate the role of bacteria in causing anthrax disease in 1876. Kochs proof that Bacillus anthracis caused anthrax. Koch discovered that bacteria are responsible for causing a disease. This was called the germ theory of disease. The science of etiology (the study of causation of diseases) was dominated by Robert Koch. Koch established criteria for proving the causal relationship between a microorganism and a specific disease. These criteria are known as Koch postulates, and it can be summarized as follows: (i)- The organism should be constantly present in animals or plants suffering from the disease and should not be present in healthy individuals. (ii)- The organism must be cultivated in pure culture away from the animal or plant body. (iii)- Such a culture when inoculated into susceptible animals or plants should initiate the characteristic disease symptoms. (iv)- The organism should be re-isolated from these experimental animals or plants and cultured again in the laboratory, after which it should still be the same as the original organism. Koch also developed media suitable for the isolation of pure bacterial cultures from human body. He developed nutrient broth and nutrient agar media. In 1882 Koch has used these methods to isolate the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. During Kochs studies on bacterial pathogens, it became necessary to isolate suspected bacterial pathogens. At first, he cultured bacteria on sterile surfaces of cut, boiled potatoes. This was unsatisfactory because bacteria would not always grow well on potatoes because of the acidity of the potato tissues. He then tried to solidify regular liquid medium by adding gelatin. Separate bacterial colonies developed after the surface had been streaked with a bacterial sample. When the gelatin medium hardened, individual bacteria produced separate colonies. Despite its advantages, gelatin was not an ideal solidifying agent because it was digested by many bacteria and melted when the temperature rose above 28ÂÂÂ °C. Fannie Hesse suggested a better alternative. She suggested the use of agar as a solidifying agent. Agar is derived from red algae. Agar was not attacked by most bacteria and did not melt until reaching a temperature of 100ÂÂÂ °C unlike gelatin. Richard Petri developed the Petri dish (Plate) in 1887, a container for making solid culture media. This development made possible the isolation of pure cultures that contained only a single microorganism. Koch and his colleagues are also responsible for many other advances in laboratory microbiology, including the following: Simple staining techniques for bacterial cells and flagella. The first photomicrograph of bacteria. The first photograph of bacteria in diseased tissues. Techniques for estimating the number of bacteria in a solution based on the number of colonies that form after inoculation onto a solid surface. The use of steam to sterilize growth media. The use of Petri dishes to hold solid growth media. Aseptic laboratory techniques such as transferring bacteria between media using platinum wire that has been sterilized in a flame. Koch hypothesized that each bacterial colony consisted if the progeny of a single cell. Koch use laboratory animals to inject bacteria and study disease development. For these achievements, Koch is considered as the Father of the Microbiological laboratory. Grams stain Although Koch reported a simple staining technique in 1877, the Danish scientist Gram developed a more important staining method in 1884. His procedure which involves the application of series of dyes made some microbes blue and others red. The blue cells are called the Gram positive and the red cells are called the Gram negative. We now use Gram Stain to separate bacteria into these two large groups. The gram stain is still the most widely used staining technique. It is one of the first steps carried out in any laboratory where bacteria are being identified. 4 How Can We Prevent Infection And Disease? 1 Semmelweis and Hand washing Semmelweis was a physician began requiring medical students to wash hands with chlorinated lime water. 2 Listers Antiseptic Technique Joseph Lister (1867), an English surgeon found indirect evidence that microorganism were agents of human disease. He worked on the prevention of wound infection. He developed a system of antiseptic surgery designed to prevent microorganism from entering wounds. Instruments were heat sterilized and phenol was used on surgical dressings and sprayed over the surgical area. He provided a strong evidence for the role of microorganisms in disease development because phenol which killed bacteria also prevented wound infections. 3 Nightingale and Nursing Nightingale was an English nurse and she is the founder of modern nursing and she introduced cleanliness and antiseptic techniques into nursing practices. 4 Snow and Epidemiology John Snow an English physician plays a key role ion setting standards for good public hygiene to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. His study was the foundation for two branches of microbiology (infection control) and epidemiology (study of the occurrence, distribution and spread of disease in humans). 5 Jenners Vaccine On 1796, Edward Jenner used cowpox-infected material to successfully vaccinate people against human small pox. He names the process vaccination after Vaccinia, the virus that causes cowpox. Jenner invented vaccination or immunization. In honor of Jenners work with cowpox, Pasteur used the term vaccine to refer to all weakened protective strains of pathogens. 6 Ehrlichs magic bullets and Chemotherapy Ehrlich found that chemicals could be used to kill microorganisms. He discovered chemicals active against trypanosomes the protozoan that causes sleeping sickness and against Treponema that cause syphilis. His discoveries began the branch of chemotherapy. The Modern Age of Microbiology 1 How Do Genes work? Over the past 40 yeasts, advances in microbial genetics developed into several new disciplines that are among the faster growing areas of scientific research today; including: Molecular biology A Molecular Biology Molecular biology combines aspects of biochemistry, cell biology and genetics to explain cell function at the molecular level. Molecular biologists are concerned with genome sequencing. A full understating of the genomes of organisms will result in practical ways to limit disease, repair genetic defects and enhance agricultural yield. B Recombinant DNA technology Molecular Biology is applied in recombinant DNA technology, commonly called genetic engineering which was first developed using microbial models. This includes the production of human insulin in genetically engineered bacteria. C Gene therapy An exciting new area of study is the use of recombinant DNA technology for gene therapy. This is a process that involves inserting a missing gene or repairing a defective gene in human cells. This procedure uses harmless viruses to insert a desired gene into host cells where it is incorporated into a chromosome and begins to function normally. 2 What Roles Do Microorganisms Play in the Environment? The study of microorganisms in their natural environment is called environmental Microbiology or microbial ecology. 3 How We Defend Against Disease? Advancements in chemotherapy were made in the 1900s with the discovery of numerous substances such as penicillin and sulfa drugs that inhibit bacteria. 4 The Scope And Relevance of Microbiology Microbiology has both basic aspects and applied aspects. A scientist working in the field of microbiology is called a microbiologist. Many microbiologists are interested in the biology of microorganisms. They may focus on a specific group of microorganisms and are called: Virologist (Virology is the study of viruses), Bacteriologist (Bacteriology is the study of bacteria), Phycologist (Phycology is the study of algae), Mycologist (Mycology is the study of fungi), and Protozoologist (Protozoology is the study of protozoa). Other microbiologist work in other fields such as microbial physiology, microbial cytology, microbial ecology, and microbial taxonomy. Other microbiologists have more practical applied fields such as medical microbiology, food and dairy microbiology, and public health microbiology. Medical Microbiology: Deals with human and animal diseases. Agricultural Microbiology: Deals with the application of microorganisms in agriculture. Public health Microbiology: Deals with the control of the spread of diseases. Food and dairy Microbiology: Deals with the application of microorganisms by man to make foods such as cheese, bread, and other important products. Industrial Microbiology: Deals with the industrial application of microorganisms such as the production of vaccines, antibiotics, vitamins and enzymes. Microbial Ecology or Environmental microbiology: Deals with the relationship between microorganisms and their environments. Microbial physiology and Biochemistry: Deals with the study with physiology of microorganisms and the effects of physical and chemical agents on the survival of microorganisms. 6 What Will The Future Hold? What will microbiologists discover next? Among the questions for the next 50 years are the following: What is the physiology of life forms that can not be grown in laboratory and only known to us now by their nucleic acid sequences? Does life exist beyond planet Earth, and if so, what are its features? How can we reduce the threat of infectious diseases, especially those that can be used by bioterrorists?

Copyright Laws in India Essay -- Technology Computers Essays

Copyright Laws in India This document is intended to give a brief overview of the patent and copyrights laws in India and a brief analysis on global issues related to these laws. India has progressed enormously in the field of technology and is ranked tenth in the pool of scientific and technical personnel in the world. There may be hundreds of economical, legal, ethical issues that might have global impact but discussing all of them here is almost impossible. Only the key issues are focused in this paper. India is quickly growing as leading world software producer. It has occupied a secured place in information technology arena by producing high quality software products and software professionals. India also has a fairly well developed system of infrastructure facilities like power, transport, communication and banking. Government of India has recently adopted an increasing liberal approach towards joint venture and import of technology. The country has also revised its patents Acts after a number of foreign companies brought suit against local firms for breach of patents. While computer programs are not currently patentable in India, the country is not without software protection. The Indian Copyright Law explicitly defines the software as a literary work, which can be protected. The statute gives the Indian Central Govt. power to extent copyright protection to foreign works if needed. With the protective necessary statute in place, India has only to enforce them. Enforcement in Ind ia, as in Mexico, indeed seems to be weak spot in controlling intellectual property. We will discuss the details of patens and copyrights issues of India in following sections of this paper. Overview of Patent laws in India The Indian Patent Law does not contain any specific provision regarding the protection of computer programs. Computer programs are not patentable per se, however a claim to a manner of manufacture, which results in a tangible product that requires the application of an algorithm or a particular computer program, may be patentable. Under Section 3(k) of the Patents (Second Amendment) Bill 1999, "a mathematical or a business method or a computer program or algorithms" is not a patentable invention. It appears that computer programs capable of bringing about a technical effect might be allowed, in pursuant to the recommendations made by the... ... of the program to be free software as well.) would prohibit it. Conclusion Software is special . Neither it can be compared to a copyrighted novel nor to a hardware or machinery. Software should be considered as a special case as it forms a unique nexus between the intangible world of abstract concepts and the concrete world of machinery. New discoveries and inventions are taking place everyday in this field. As we discussed above, there are many ethical issues if we protect the software as any other engineering process and there are many issues if we do not protect them. Being a responsible software engineer, I believe that software should be considered as a separate entity (different from other engineering processes or literary work) and new laws should be defined only applicable to software. References i. The patent and copyrights law in India, http://www.singhania.com/ip/contents.html ii. The Danger of Software Patents - by Richard M. Stallman, http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/stallman-mec-india.html iii. Philosophies of Free Software and Intellectual Property - by Brett Watson, http://www.ram.org/ramblings/philosophy/fmp/free-software-philosophy.html

Physical Disorders and Health Psychology

Chapter 9: Physical Disorders and Health Psychology †¢psychosomatic medicine- psych factors affect physical function †¢behavioral medicine- applied to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of medical problems †¢health psychology- psych factors that are important to the maintenance and promotion of health opsych and social factors: †¢(1) affect biological processes †¢(2) long-standing behavior patterns put ppl at risk for certain disorders o50% of deaths from top 10 leading causes in US can be traced to lifestyle behaviors †¢poor eating habits, smoking, lack of exercise, General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)- Selye oalarm- response to immediate danger or threat oresistance- mobilize coping mechanisms to respond oexhaustion- body suffers permanent damage †¢chronic stress may cause permanent body damage and contribute to disease †¢stress= physiological response to stressor †¢HPA Axis ohypothalamus- pituitary gland- adrenal gland oimportant for stress ocortisol= stress hormone †¢baboon case study odominant males have less stressful lives due to predictability + controllability olower males experience stress from bullying, higher cortisol levels osense of control important stress, anxiety, depression related osimilar underlying physiological processes oself-efficacy: sense of control and confidence that one can cope with stress or challenges †¢stress can lead to decreased immune system functioning oincreased rates of infectious diseases, mono, colds, flu, †¢Immune system oeliminates antigens- foreign maerials, bacteria, viruses, parasites o2 main parts: †¢humoral> B cells, antibodies neutralize antigens †¢cellular> T cells, destroy viral infections + cancerous processes owhite blood cells do most of the work (leukocytes) microphages= first line of defense †¢autoimmune disease oimmune system overactive, attacks body cells †¢rheumatoid arthritis- too many suppressor T cells, body subject to invasi on by antigens †¢HIV- human immunodeficiency virus ?AIDS-related complex first: minor health problems before AIDS diagnosis w. pneumonia, cancer, dementia, wasting syndrome†¦ ? treated w/ highly active antiretroviral therapy †¢reducing stress, social support, CBT help †¢psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) opsych influences on neurological responding implicated in immune response †¢Cancer psychoncology- psych influences in development of cancer otherapy can help treatment to reduce stress, improve mood, alter important health behaviors, supportive relationships †¢reduce cancer recurrence and dying †¢influence support + development of cancer oâ€Å"benefit finding†- deepening spirituality, changes in life priorities, closer ties to others, enhanced sense of purpose opsych procedures important to manage stress especially w/ children who undergo surgery †¢Cardiovascular problems ocompromise heart, blood vessels and control mechanisms cardiovascular disease ostrokes ocerebral vascular accidents- temporary blockages of blood vessels to brain cause temporary/ permanent damage ohypertension- high blood pressure, risk factor for other heart probs †¢blood vessels constrict, heart works harder, pressure †¢essential hypertension- no verifiable physical cause †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"silent killer† †¢blacks more at risk than whites †¢genetic influences †¢anger + hostility increase blood pressure ocoronary heart disease †¢heart disease in #1 cause of death in western cultures †¢blockage of arteries supplying blood to heart muscle chest pain †¢plaque †¢deficiency of blood to a body part †¢heart attack- death of heart tissue when artery clogged †¢stress, anxiety, anger contribute (+lack of coping skills and low social support) †¢myocardial stunning- heart failure as a result of severe stress oType A behavior pattern †¢excessive competitive drive, sense of pressured for time, imp atience, high E, angry outbursts †¢at risk for CHD (although cultural diffs significant) oType B behavior pattern †¢more relaxed, less concerned about deadlines, seldom pressured, †¢Reserve capacity model associations among environments of low socioeconomic status, stressful experiences, psychosocial resources, emotions and cognitions> increase risk for CHD †¢Pain oacute- follows an injury, disappears once injury heals ochronic- begins w/ acute episode but does not go away osubjective term pain vs. pain behaviors= manifestations of exp oemotional component= suffering oseverity of pain doesn’t predict reaction b/c of psych factors †¢Phantom limb pain oppl who have lost an arm or leg feel excruciating pain in the missing limb †¢operant control of pain pain behavior under control of social consequences oie critical family members may become sympathetic †¢gate control theory of pain onerve impulses from painful stimuli travel to spinal column th en to brain odorsal horns of spinal column= gate osmall fibers open gate, large fibers close †¢brain inhibits pain oendogenous opiods- naturally exist within body> endorphins oshut down pain, runner’s high after exercise, †¢men and women exp pain differently omen have stronger endogenous opiod systems owomen have additional pain-regulating mechanisms odiff areas more prone to pain Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) olack of E, fatigue, variety of aches and pains oneurasthenia- lack of nerve strength, old diagnosis oprevalent in western world and China †¢Pain can kill you†¦ oincreases rate at which certain cancers metastasize ocan weaken immune system response by reducing natural killer cells opain> stress>vicious cycle †¢Biofeedback omake patients aware of specific physiological functions that ordinarily not be consciously aware of †¢heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension in specific areas, electroencephalogram rhythms, patterns of blood flow â⠂¬ ¢(1) conscious awareness (2) learn to control them oinstill sense of control over pain †¢progressive relaxation obecome acutely aware of tension, relax specific muscle groups †¢transcendental meditation ofocus attention on repeated syllable, or mantra †¢relaxation response- silently repeat mantra to minimize distraction by closing mind to intruding thoughts †¢Coping mechanisms oprescription drugs, reduced effectiveness over time odenial oimproved attitudes, realistic appraisals thru CBT †¢4 leading causes of death in Us oheart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disease AIDS prevention ocontraception ochanging high-risk behavior is only effective prevention strategy †¢smoking is epidemic in china omyths: tobacco is symbol of personal freedom, important for social interactions, health effects can be controlled, important to economy, †¢Stanford Three Community Study o1 community- assessed risk factors for CHD and smoking o2 community- media blitz on risk factors o3 community- face to face interventions, most successful at reducing CHD risk factors Chapter 10: Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders gender identity disorder- psych dissatisfaction w/ one’s biological sex, disturbance in identity †¢sexual dysfunction- difficult to function while having sex, ie no orgasm †¢paraphilia- arousal due to inappropriate objects/ individuals ophilia- strong attraction opara- abnormal †¢male female sex differences omen masturbate more and admit it ofemales associate sex w/ romance + intimacy rather than male physical gratification omen have diff attitude toward casual premarital sex omen show more sexual desire/arousal omen’s self-concept characterized more by power, independence, aggression owomen’s sex beliefs are more plastic/ changeable women emphasize relaitonships †¢sexual self schemas- core beliefs about sexuality †¢Cultural differences oSambia in Papua New Guinea †¢adolescent boys encouraged to engage in homosexual oral sex b/c semen valued†¦ wtf †¢Homosexuality omight run in families, genetic component? odifferential hormone exposure in utero ogreater probably of being left handed or ambidextrous olonger ring finger than index ofraternal birth order hypothesis- each additional older brother increased odds of being gay by one third †¢Gender identity disorder oa persons physical gender is not consistent with persons sense of identity tapper in a body of the wrong sex otranssexualism odifferent from transvestic fetishism- sexually aroused by wearing clothing of opposite sex odifferent from intersex individuals- hermaphrodites, born with ambiguous genitalia, hormonal or physical abnormalities oautogynephilia- when gender identity disorder begins with strong sexual attraction to fantasy of oneself as a female, then progresses to becoming a woman ogenetic component suspected †¢gender nonconformity oboys behaving femininely or females behaving m asculinely †¢sex reassignment surgery controversial to directly alter gender identity to match physical anatomy oin order to qualify, must live in opposite sex role for 1-2 yrs to be sure omust be stable psychologically, financially, socially ogynecomastia- growth of breasts †¢intersex individuals- born w/ physical charactersitics of both sexes o5 sexes: †¢males †¢females †¢herms †¢merms- more male than female but have some femal genitalia †¢ferms- ovaries but possess some male genitalia †¢Sexual dysfunction oinability to become aroused or reach orgasm o3 stages of sexual response cycle: desire, arousal, orgasm opremature ejaculation vaginismus- painful contractions in vagina during attempted penetration olifelong or acquired ogeneralized or situational odue to psych factors or medical condition †¢Hypoactive sexual desire disorder olittle or no interest in any type of sexual activity †¢sexual aversion disorder othought of sex or brie f casual touch may evoke fear, panic or disgust †¢male erectile disorder and female sexual arousal disorder oproblem is not desire, problem is physically becoming aroused †¢inhibited orgasm oinability to achieve orgasm despite adequate desire and arousal (common in women) ofemale orgasmic disorder- difficulty reaching orgasm retarded ejaculation- cumming delayed oretrograde ejaculation- shoot back into bladder rather than forward †¢premature ejaculation- more common, 20% of males †¢sexual pain disorders odesire, arousal, orgasm present opain so severe that behavior disrupted odyspareunia- no medical reason found for pain †¢vaginismus- pelvic muscles in outer third of vagina involuntarily spasm oripping, burning, tearing sensations during sex †¢Assessing Sexual behavior o(1) interviews- and questionnaires o(2) thorough medical eval- rule out medical conditions o(3) psychophysiological assessment penile strain gauge- picks up changes as penis expands â₠¬ ¢vaginal photoplethysmograph- measures light reflected from vaginal walls †¢Causes of sexual disorders obiological contributions †¢nuerological diseases †¢diabetes †¢arterial insufficiency- constricted arteries †¢venous leakage- blood flows out too quickly for a good boner †¢prescription drugs ?anti-hypertensive medications for high blood pressure ?antidepressants ?SSRIs mess w/ arousal and desire †¢elicit drugs- cocaine †¢cigarettes opsych contributions †¢anxiety- can increase or decrease desire †¢distraction men who are dysfunctional report less sexual arousal †¢inducing positive or negative mood directly affects arousal †¢performance anxiety, 3 parts: ?arousal, cognitive processes, negative affect †¢erotophobia- negative cognitive set about sexuality, viewed as negative or threating ? learned early in childhood from families, religious authorities ? early sexual trauma, rape victims †¢script theory- we all op erate by following â€Å"scripts† that reflect social and cultural expectations and guide our behavior †¢sexual myths/ misperceptions †¢Treatment for sexual dysfunction education is very effective, dispel myths and ignorance about sexual response cycle otherapy, increase communication b/t dysfunctional partners osensate focus and nondemand pleasuring- exploring and enjoying each others bodies thru touching, kissing, hugging, massaging †¢1st phase no genitals or boobs †¢2nd phase genitals but no sex or orgasm †¢3rd sex once aroused osqueeze technique- squeezing tip of penis to reduce arousal and gain control over ejaculation omasturbation training and porn! omedical treatments †¢oral medication (Viagra) †¢injection of vasoactive substances directly into the penis? †¢surgery †¢vacuum device therapy †¢Paraphilia if exists, individuals normally exhibit multiple paraphillic patterns oassociated w/ deficiencies in consensual adult s exual arousal, social skills, sexual fantasies †¢frotteurism orubbing against someone in a crowded public place until point of ejaculation †¢festishism operson sexually attracted to nonliving objects o(1) inanimate object o(2) source of specific tactile stimulation†¦ rubber o(3) body part†¦ foot †¢voyeurism obeing aroused by observing unsuspecting individuals undressing or naked †¢exhibitionism osexual gratification from exposing genitals to strangers orisk + anxiety can increase arousal oassociated w/ lower levels of edu transvestic fetishism osexual arousal from cross-dressing †¢sexual sadism oinflicting pain or humiliation †¢sexual masochism osuffering pain or humiliation †¢hypoxiphilia- oself strangulation to reduce flow of oxygen to brain to enhance orgasm †¢pedophilia osexual attraction to kids oincest when own family †¢Psychological treatment ocovert sensitization- carried out in imagination of patient, associate sexually arousing images w/ reasons why behavior is harmful or dangerous †¢orgasmic reconditioning opatients instructed to masturbate to usual fantasies but substitute more desirable ones just before ejaculation †¢Drug treatments â€Å"chemical castration†- eliminates sexual desire + fantasy by greatly reducing testosterone levels ocyproterone acetate + medroxyprogesterone ouseful for dangerous sexual offenders who do not respond to alternative treatmens Chapter 11: Substance-related and Impulse-control disorders †¢impulse control disorders- inability to resist acting on a drive or temptation osteal, gamble, set fires, pull out hair †¢polysubstance abuse- using multiple substances †¢substance use oingestion of psychoactive substances in moderate amounts that does not impair social, educational or occupational functioning †¢intoxication- getting high or drunk oimpairs judgment, mood changes, lowered motor ability †¢substance abuse ohow much ingested is problematic †¢addiction- substance dependence ophysiologically dependent on the drug requires increasing amounts to experience same effect (tolerance) onegative physical response when substance no longer ingested (withdrawal) oNicotine is arguably most addictive drug in the world, more so than meth! †¢5 substance categories o(1) depressants- sedation + relaxation†¦ alcohol o(2) stimulants- active + alert†¦ caffeine o(3) opiates- analgesia + euphoria†¦ morphine o(4) hallucinogens- alter sensory perception†¦ weed, LSD (5) other drugs- don’t fit neatly into categories†¦ steroids †¢Depressants odecrease central nervous system activity, reduce levels of physiological arousal omost likely to produce dependence, tolerance, withdrawal oalcohol †¢reduces inhibition, motor coordination, reaction time, judgement †¢esophagus>stomach>small intestines>bloodstream>heart (+other major organs)> liver †¢influences GABA receptors  œanxiety †¢influences glutamate system- excitatory, memory, blackouts †¢withdrawal delirium- frightening hallucinations, body tremors †¢liver disease, pancreatitis, cardiovascular disorders, brain damage †¢dementia- loss of intellectual abilities Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome- loss of muscle coordination, confusion, unintelligible speech †¢fetal alcohol syndrome- when pregnant mothers drink, fetal growth retardation, behavior problems, learning difficulties, physical signs †¢alcohol dehydrogenase- enzyme that breaks down alcohol †¢3 million ppl dependent in US ostages of alcoholism †¢pre alcoholic- drinking occasionally, few consequences †¢prodromal stage- drinking heavily, outward signs of a problem †¢crucial stage- loss of control, binges †¢chronic stage- primary daily activities involve drinking odrinking at early age is predictive of later abuse alcohol linked to violent behavior oBarbiturates †¢sedatives, help ppl sleep †¢highly addictive †¢overdosing> suicide †¢influence GABA obenzodiazepines †¢reduce anxiety †¢highly prescribed in US †¢alcohol amplifies effect oStimulants †¢most commonly used psychoactive drugs in US †¢amphetamine use disorders ?reduce appetite ?narcolepsy, ADHD, Ritalin ?stimulants illegally abused by college students†¦ no shit †¢crystal meth †¢MDMA- ecstasy ococaine use disorders †¢alertness, euphoria, increase blood pressure + pulse, insomnia, loss of appetite †¢paranoia, heart probs nicotine use disroders †¢withdrawal- depression, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, increased appetite †¢more prone to depression †¢Opioids oopiate natural chemicals in opium poppy have narcotic effect oâ€Å"downers† †¢Hallucinogens ochange sensory perception osight, sound, feelings, taste, smell omarijuana oLSD †¢Other drugs oSpecial K osteroids oPCP †¢Family and genetic influence †¢neurobiol ogical influence opleasure pathway in brain mediates experience of reward odopamine- pleasure oGABA- inhibitory NT †¢Psych dimensions opositive reinforcement negative reinforcement- use drugs to cope/escape from bad feelings and difficult life circumstances oopponent-process theory- an increase in positive feelings will be followed shortly by an increase in negative feelings and vice versa †¢cognitive factors oplacebo effect oexpectancy theory †¢social dimensions opeer pressure omarketing omoral weakness model of chemical dependence- drug use is seen as a failure of self-control in the face of temptation odisease model of dependence- drug dependence cause by an underlying physiological disorder †¢cultural factors oacculturation- adapt to new culture omachismo †¢neuroplasticity brains tendency to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections ocontinued use of substance†¦. decreased desire for nondrug experiences †¢Treatment obiological †¢ agonist substitution- take a safe drug that has a chemical makeup similar to the addictive drug ? methadone instead of heroin ?cross-tolerance: they act on same NTs †¢substitution ?nicotine gum instead of cigs †¢antagonist drugs- block or counteract effects of psychoactive drugs †¢aversive treatment- prescribe drugs that make ingesting abused substance extremely unpleasant opsychosocial †¢therapy †¢inpatient facilities †¢alcoholics anonymous- 12 steps †¢controlled use- controversial covert sensitization- negative associations by imagining unpleasant scenes †¢contingency management- decide on reinforces that will reward certain behaviors †¢community reinforcement approach †¢motivational interviewing- empathetic and optimistic counseling †¢CBT †¢relapse prevention †¢Impulse control disorders ointermittent explosive disorder- episodes where act on aggressive impulses †¢serious assaults or destruction of property â₠¬ ¢influenced by NT levels okleptomania †¢recurrent failure to resist urge to steal things not needed for personal use or monetary value †¢high comorbidity with mood disorders opyromania †¢irresistible urge to set fires pathological gambling otrichotillomania †¢pulling out ones hair from anywhere on body oothers †¢compulsive shopping-oniomania †¢skin picking †¢self mutilation †¢computer addiction Chapter 12: Personality Disorders †¢personality disorders- enduring patterns of thinking about ones environment and self that are exhibited in a wide range of social and personal contexts oinflexible, maladaptive and cause significant impairment or distress ohigh comorbidity †¢Axis I= current disorder †¢Axis II= chronic problem †¢5 Factor model oextroversion- talkative + assertive vs passive and reserved oagree-ableness- kind trusting vs hostile selfish conscientiousness- organized thorough, reliable oneuroticism- even tempered vs nervousness moody oopenness to experience- imaginative curious †¢Cluster A: odd or eccentric oparanoid oschizoid oschizotypal †¢Cluster B: dramatic, emotional, erratic oantisocial (m)- irresponsible, reckless behavior oborderline (f) ohistrionic (f)- excessive emotionality and attention seeking onarcissistic †¢Cluster C: fearful, anxious oavoidant odependent oobsessive compulsive †¢Biases ocriterion gender bias- criteria biased oassessment gender bias- assessment measures biased

Fuddy Meers Essay

They play was quite an interesting play with its use of comedy and tragedy. The actors did a terrific job on portraying the characters. The set was small so it was much easier to see their reactions. The introduction to the play was pretty unique with those people in tight pants and glitter all over everybody in the lobby. They never broke character no matter what went on in the lobby. Later they used as prompts on stage which was pretty interesting because at times I was so into the play I forgot they were there acting as a car or a door. Although Claire was the main character, the actor who played Millet had the best acting on stage. They way he switch between the two personality was amazing and hilarious. He portrayed the character really well and had me believing for a bit that he actually had a dual personality. His entrance on to the stage in every scene was perfect, every time he can on he was really enthusiastic and his enthusiasm did not fluctuate too much in the play, even though he was not playing one but two characters. The actress who played Claire portrayed the character well. From the beginning to the end she really captured the characters and her emotions. When she first entered on stage I was confused of what was going as she was walking aimlessly across the stage but later realized that was the whole point. She wanted the audience to believe she was confused and lost; and she did. I notice her break the fourth wall every now and then as she looked into the audience. I suppose it was part of the scrip to interact with the audience because she mostly did it when she was on the side doing random things with the people in tight pants. Her entrances where perfect every time, even though the scenes where being switched off between her and Richard in the car, she never seen to loose focus. You could clearly see every expression on her face which made it more realistic to the audience. The actor who played Richard could have done a better job on portraying his character. He wasn’t terrible it just looked like he was trying to hard; it just didn’t seem as natural. For example in the scene he gets pulled over by the lady cop, he was a little too jittery; no one really acts like that. Overall he did pretty decent job but could have done much better. The limping man, who was Zack than later we found out he was Claire ex husband, did an amazing job portraying his character. It wasn’t only his facial deformation, which I have to admit looked pretty real to me, but was the way he acted out the character, from the lisp to the scary deep voice, that made him truly incredible. He made the audience believe he was really deformed. The scene when he first took Claire and he was struggle to enter the window was pretty hilarious but he also gave an insight to what he character was going through. They endowed many things on the set, most of the things looked pretty realistic. In the scene when Richard and his son go looking for Claire they used a paper joint to endow the marijuana they were smoking but they did not portray being under the influence as well as they could have. Usually people that smoke pot are really laid back and giggly with short term memory loss not knowing what their doing half the time. They also endowed the officer’s gun which still look pretty real. When Claire was running up and down the stage with that knife it seem pretty dangerous but from where I was sitting I couldn’t even tell if it was real or fake. The overall play was excellent and it gave me an opportunity to learn from these actors what to do and not to do. They really had some tremendous actors on this set who did an amazing job on convincing the audience on what was going on in the play.

gay dennis essays

gay dennis essays For several thousand years, Vietnamese Lunar New Year has been a traditional celebration that brings the Vietnamese a sense of happiness, hope and peace. However, in recent years, It also bring back a bitter memory full of tears. It reminds them the 1968 bloodshed, a bloodiest military campaign of the Vietnam War the North Communists launched against the South. The "general offensive and general uprising" of the north marked the sharp turn of the Vietnam War. Today there have been a great number of writings about this event. However, it seems that many key facts in the Communist campaign are still misinterpreted or In the mid-80, living in Saigon after being released from the Communist "re-education camp," I read a book published in the early 1980's in America about the story of the 1968 Tet Offensive. It said that the North Vietnamese Army supreme command had imitated one of the greatest heroes of Vietnam, King Quang Trung, who won the most spectacular victory over the Chinese aggressors in the 1789 counter-attack - in planning the 1968 The book quoted King Quang Trung's tactic of surprise. He let the troops celebrate the 1789 Tet Festival one day ahead so that he could launch the attacks on the first three days of the lunar new year while the Chinese troops were still feasting and not ready Those who claimed the similarity between the two campaigns certainly did not know the whole truth, but jumped into conclusion with wild imagination after learning that the North Vietnamese attacking units also celebrated Tet "one day ahead" In fact, the Tet Offensive broke out on the Tet's Eve - in the early morning of January 30, 1968 at many cities of Central Vietnam, such as Da Nang and Qui Nhon, as well as cities in the central coastal and highland areas, that lied within the Communist 5th Military Region.. The other cities to the south that included Saigon, were attacked 24 hours la...

Wuthering Heights and Hindleys Essay Example

Wuthering Heights and Hindleys Essay Example Wuthering Heights and Hindleys Essay Wuthering Heights and Hindleys Essay Essay Topic: Wuthering Heights Heathcliffs desire to fulfill his wicked needs of revenge due to his mistreatment at a young age reveals a change of character. Following the humiliation Heathcliff is forced to encounter due to Hindleys cruel actions, his only solution is to take revenge on Hindley for his abuse: I only wish I knew the best way! Let me alone, and Ill plan it out: while Im thinking of that, I dont feel pain' (Bronte 69). Heathcliff reaches a point where he can no longer handle the abuse of others. He instead, reveals to Nelly and the reader the bitter feelings that resign inside of him. He is ready for revenge. This event illustrates the character change Heathcliff encounters. Previously being the boy dismissing bullying from others, he turns into the most desperate person for revenge. Slowly isolating himself from the rest of the people, Heathcliff eventually takes the extreme path, and leaves Wuthering Heights. Shortly following his return form his long disappearance, Heathcliff has returned as a well educated and civilized man. Nelly further describes his appearance: He had grown a tall, athletic, well-formed man His countenance was much older in expression, it looked intelligent, A half-civilized ferocity lurked yet in the depressed brows, and eyes full of black fire, but it was subdued (Bronte 109). Upon his return to Wuthering Heights, Heathcliffs appearance is completely changed, but the struggle is figuring out whether his heart is also changed for the better. He seems to appear as an intellectual, rich, and well mannered individual. This behaviour appears rather strange coming from a man whose past is full of hate and injustice. The reader later realizes that behind Heathcliffs new appearance is a dark soul ready to take revenge, slowly and painfully. Furthermore, ones appearances narrate a story, but their hearts is what counts. Finally, Heathcliffs corrupt actions towards his wife and son due to mistreatment during his childhood leading him to revenge, also illustrates an evolution of character. Having been informed of Isabellas love for him, Heathcliff decides to present her with the favour of his consent: Now, as soon as he beheld her, his first precaution was to take a sweeping survey of the house-front There was another rapid glance at the house, and supposing himself unseen, the scoundrel had the impudence to embrace her (Bronte 126). Heathcliffs favour towards Isabella carried a negative intent, in which Catherine and Nelly quickly came to realize. Knowing that turning Isabella into his wife would tear Catherine apart and devastate Edgar, he does so willingly. This is just the beginning of a journey of corruption on behalf of Heathcliff. He goes on to marry Isabella, only to destruct her life with cruelty and hate, as a form of revenge to Edgar. But more is to come. After bringing Linton, his son, into Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff involves him in his revengeful plans: Papa wants us to be married, he continued, after sipping some of the liquid. And he knows your papa wouldnt let us marry now; and hes afraid of my dying, if we wait; so we are to be married in the morning, and you are to stay here all night; and, if you do as he wishes, you shall return home next say, and take me with you' (Bronte 310). Years later, following Isabellas death and his son, Lintons, birth, Heathcliff decides he wants to have Linton living with him in his home, where he belongs. Yet again, Heathcliff only appears to be doing a kind act, but his intentions prove the reader wrong. Forcing his son Linton into marrying Cathy, Catherines daughter, Heathcliff knows that her home, the Grange, will fall into Lintons hands. Lintons death being near due to his illness, predicts the Grange would then be in Heathcliffs possession, making him successful in attaining the fortunes of both his enemies, Hindley and Edgar. In doing so, he corrupts the life of his own son, proving himself to being a heartless and selfish man. Heathcliff in the end takes advantage of his power in order to lead the innocent in to suffering, proving that he had been impacted as a child, having the urge to release his anger on his enemies loved ones. In conclusion, mistreatment during the childhood of an individual, leading them to seek revenge, reveals character development, as shown in the novel, Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. Through Catherine and Hindleys mistreatment of Heathcliff leading him to revenge in the future demonstrates character development; Heathcliffs desire to fulfill his wicked needs of revenge due to unfortunate events encountered at a young age, also reveals a change of character; lastly, Heathcliffs corruption towards his wife and son due to mistreatment encountered during his childhood leading him to revenge, illustrates an evolution of character. Therefore, one would conclude that this novel is indeed a compound of vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors (Unknown Author), proving that the actions of one individual can shape the actions of another.

Alistairs Heroism

Alistair suddenly woke up. He looked around. No He may have sworn to say what heard. He must have dreamed. When Alistair listened to it again, he was preparing to fall asleep again. This is a bit silly. Alistair got up from his cold mat as his bed. He has to find something about it. He wears a dirty patchwork cloak and passed the door of a crackling sound. His owner Torbin did not even notice his absence. Alistair quickly ran to the bush where he heard the noise. This week's geospatial Friday, we will enter space through British Guildford to meet Alistair Maclenan. Alistair is the founder of QuarryOne Eleven, a geographical B2B marketing agency, and is the president of UK GeoForum. As a very active participant in the UK geospatial community, Alistair recently wrote an excellent article emphasizing one of the main strengths of integration in Europe. On June 23, the British citizen will answer the question Is the UK a member of the EU or will you leave the EU? This is their first chanc e to decide their membership since 1975 when Britain participated in the then general market at the time and made the last referendum. This is not the first threat to the EU in the near future - Greece almost went to the door last year Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay Mike Todd McKay McLean Alistair McLean Alistair McLean Alistair McLean Charles McLean Moira McMillan Bonnie MacMillan Macrone Michael Madden Chris Carson Madgulkar Vyangicz Machalkar Vyankatesh Madhavan from the storage Maconie Stewart Dr., Cavery restaurants Madhavan Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan Meenakshi Reddy Madonna magazine Pradeep Magic School Bus Magic School Bus Magic tree House Magic Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Magic Tree House Mag ic Wood House Magical Tree House Magical Tree House Magical Tree House Magical Tree House Magical Tree House Magic Tree house magic tree house magic tree house magic tree house A sword of tungsten from Vienna led Amy, Dan and Nelly to Japan and found a clue related to Japanese samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In cooperation with Alistair Oh and Kabras, three went to Korea who lived at Alistair's home. Alistair's secret library book took them to a hill called Pukhansan. The team found the entrance to the cave to hide the treasure of Hideyoshi and gold which is the third clue. Dan decoded the puzzle and deceived the Cabras, the Cablus escaped and sealed the rest of the cave. After escaping, Dan, Amy, Nelly visited Egypt as suggested by the puzzle.

Discuss the Collapse of the Barings Bank. The solution that led after Research Paper

Discuss the Collapse of the Barings Bank. The solution that led after the collapse - Research Paper Example His superiors had approved his purchases on the Singapore markets, and immediate sales on the Japanese markets, whereby he could secure a small profit. On the contrary, he bought from the Singapore markets and held on to the stocks as a gamble on the future treads in the Japanese markets. Based on the existing literature (Bair 2015), it is apparent that Barings bank was bought by the Dutch bank called ING, at a total of  £1 and assumed all of the bank’s liabilities (Bair 2015). As a result, a subsidiary ING Barings, was formed. Huon’s (2015) study further revealed that ING sold its operations based in the USA to ABN Amro for $275 million. The rest of ING Barings, was integrated with its European banking division. By the year 2001, Barings Bank had only been left with Asset Management after selling operations stated above, and the rest being absorbed by ING Barings. ING went a step to split BAM and sold it to Mass Mutual and Northern Trust. Mass Mutual acquired BAM’s investment management activities, as well as the patent rights to use the Baring Asset Management name, whereas Northern Trust acquired BAMs financial services group. In response to the conflicting question on whether they managed to fix the financial problem or not, recent research (Anon 2015) proved that Barings bank never regained its stability as a complete investment corporation. However, Barings name still lives on as the Mass Mutual Subsidiary; Barings Asset Management. Further results (Glyn 2015) showed that the Bank’s private equity international, which included investment teams in India, Asia, and Latin America, was acquired by its respective management teams. These teams in the present days are Baring Vostock Capital Partners in Russia, GP investments in Brazil,Baring private equity in Asia and Baring Private Equity Partners in India. In regard to Leeson; the man

Judicial Conduct and Disability Act Research Paper

Judicial Conduct and Disability Act - Research Paper Example The repeated reassignment of cases from Article is also constitutional. This will always be so as long as a rational reason exists for the Article III judge to request for a change of either judge or venue of the case (Baum, 2013). One example of such a rational reason is conflict of interest. However, it would be unconstitutional for Congress to delegate the authority to remove an Article III judge to the Supreme Court. This is because these judges can only be removed when the Congress successfully impeaches them. In addition, since these judges serve in their positions during good behavior, they cannot be discharged and only Congress can remove them through impeachment (Baum, 2013). Finally, federal judges should be appointed for life. The reason that they should have life tenure is because they should be insulated from whatever politics are gripping the nation at any particular moment (Baum, 2013). If federal judges did not have tenure for life, it would be easy for them to become affected by various issues and crisis that were prevalent in the different political parties. In addition, giving them tenure for life makes sure that they are above social issues in the

Cultural Food - Tomatoes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cultural Food - Tomatoes - Essay Example There is further speculation as to how the tomato became more widely available. The most popular school of thought is that Cortez, who was a Spanish explorer who took over the now called Mexico City in 1521 took the yellow fruit to Europe where it gained popularity. Another school of thought is that Christopher Columbus was the first to introduce the tomato. Regardless of this, there was mention of the tomato in European literature in 1544 where it was referred to as a golden apple. The modern-day name tomato is derived from the Nahuatl language but the name Lycopersicum literally translated means ‘wolf-peach’. This was thought to be a reflection of the widely held view, particularly in Europe that the fruit was poisonous and could, therefore, be used to protect against wolves. From a very early stage, tomatoes have been seen as a perfect fruit for cooking in many cultures. Culturally they were very important to those in Southern Mexico region of Pueblo thinking that anyone who saw another individual eating a tomato would gain divination powers. Culturally the tomato had a bit of a slower introduction within Europe. Whilst the Mediterranean climate was perfect for tomato growing there was no immediate evidence that it was used as food. There is evidence that the Spanish used the tomato as fruit from the early 1600s although it is possible that it was recognized as a food before then. Clear recipes including tomatoes were published in 1692 but it was also evident that the main role of the tomato across much of Europe was as a table decoration and not as a food. By contrast in England, the tomato did not get cultivated until the late 16th, early 17th century. There is no denying that the tomato has become a critically important element of modern society and recognized on a global level as an important food item. In modern society, there is a positive attitude towards the fruit although deeply rooted historical perceptions have now shaped the symbolic influence of this widely accepted fruit, be it negative or positive.

DQ 4 Secondary Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DQ 4 Secondary Research - Essay Example Misleading - Secondary data is often misleading for the researcher as it is that this data had been collected for another purpose. It is merely the interpretation of primary data. The researcher should look from this point of view to understand the difference. Non-updated - Secondary data is collected from old sources. Therefore there sources may not be applicable for current needs. The researcher should check the date and time of publishing to find if the research still applicable or not. Difference in units of measurement - A researcher may mistakenly use the secondary research in his/her own units of measurement without realizing that they were in different units. The researcher should convert the units into the ones that he/she requires. Accuracy - The quality of secondary data depends on who had collected the data and how it was collected. The researcher has to be sure of the accuracy of the data before using it. Therefore the researcher should use renowned sources only to maintain the accuracy of the research. Costly - If secondary data is taken from corporate libraries or archives, the researcher would have to spend hefty sums to gain access to such libraries and archives. Non-paid websites and other sources can be used however authenticity and reliability must also be checked for. UWB is trying to launch a new product and for that purpose it hired a

Implementation of the Basic Human Right - the Right for Freedom due to Term Paper

Implementation of the Basic Human Right - the Right for Freedom due to the European Convention of Human Rights - Term Paper Example The sublimeness of the idea of human rights is enough to capture the imagination and fancy of someone reflecting on the idea. But if one is pulled back into reality, with the grimness of the world that human beings have created for themselves, one then is thrust to the question of justice, of equality, of liberty, of rights, and of freedom.  Ã‚   And for this very reason, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom and its Eight Protocol came into inception.Europe ravaged by the atrocities of the Second World War had become the living witness of the extent of the possibility of the madness that could be inflicted by man to other men.   Thus, the man-made catastrophe – genocide - had spurred various leaders of Europe to come together and create a treaty.   A convention that will have for its undertakings â€Å"the promotion or encouragement of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction, and to take joint and separate action in co-operation with the Organization for the achievement of these objectives.† Together with this sad and horrifying experience of Europe is the fact that during the creation of the convention, Europe is â€Å"ideologically broken,† because during that time the â€Å"ideological conflict between Eastern Europe and Western Europe† was as real and as palpable as any concrete human experience.   With these two reasons acting as the primary motivators and ethos, Europe had created the European Convention for the protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its eight Protocols. This convention was â€Å"signed on November 4, 1950† and â€Å"entered into force on September 3,1953†.It is in this light that this paper is being pursued - to be able to shed light into the question of liberty as it is elucidated and clarified in the â€Å"European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms a nd Its Eight Protocols.†Ã‚  

Cultural Food - Tomatoes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cultural Food - Tomatoes - Essay Example There is further speculation as to how the tomato became more widely available. The most popular school of thought is that Cortez, who was a Spanish explorer who took over the now called Mexico City in 1521 took the yellow fruit to Europe where it gained popularity. Another school of thought is that Christopher Columbus was the first to introduce the tomato. Regardless of this, there was mention of the tomato in European literature in 1544 where it was referred to as a golden apple. The modern-day name tomato is derived from the Nahuatl language but the name Lycopersicum literally translated means ‘wolf-peach’. This was thought to be a reflection of the widely held view, particularly in Europe that the fruit was poisonous and could, therefore, be used to protect against wolves. From a very early stage, tomatoes have been seen as a perfect fruit for cooking in many cultures. Culturally they were very important to those in Southern Mexico region of Pueblo thinking that anyone who saw another individual eating a tomato would gain divination powers. Culturally the tomato had a bit of a slower introduction within Europe. Whilst the Mediterranean climate was perfect for tomato growing there was no immediate evidence that it was used as food. There is evidence that the Spanish used the tomato as fruit from the early 1600s although it is possible that it was recognized as a food before then. Clear recipes including tomatoes were published in 1692 but it was also evident that the main role of the tomato across much of Europe was as a table decoration and not as a food. By contrast in England, the tomato did not get cultivated until the late 16th, early 17th century. There is no denying that the tomato has become a critically important element of modern society and recognized on a global level as an important food item. In modern society, there is a positive attitude towards the fruit although deeply rooted historical perceptions have now shaped the symbolic influence of this widely accepted fruit, be it negative or positive.

Implementation of the Basic Human Right - the Right for Freedom due to Term Paper

Implementation of the Basic Human Right - the Right for Freedom due to the European Convention of Human Rights - Term Paper Example The sublimeness of the idea of human rights is enough to capture the imagination and fancy of someone reflecting on the idea. But if one is pulled back into reality, with the grimness of the world that human beings have created for themselves, one then is thrust to the question of justice, of equality, of liberty, of rights, and of freedom.  Ã‚   And for this very reason, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom and its Eight Protocol came into inception.Europe ravaged by the atrocities of the Second World War had become the living witness of the extent of the possibility of the madness that could be inflicted by man to other men.   Thus, the man-made catastrophe – genocide - had spurred various leaders of Europe to come together and create a treaty.   A convention that will have for its undertakings â€Å"the promotion or encouragement of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction, and to take joint and separate action in co-operation with the Organization for the achievement of these objectives.† Together with this sad and horrifying experience of Europe is the fact that during the creation of the convention, Europe is â€Å"ideologically broken,† because during that time the â€Å"ideological conflict between Eastern Europe and Western Europe† was as real and as palpable as any concrete human experience.   With these two reasons acting as the primary motivators and ethos, Europe had created the European Convention for the protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its eight Protocols. This convention was â€Å"signed on November 4, 1950† and â€Å"entered into force on September 3,1953†.It is in this light that this paper is being pursued - to be able to shed light into the question of liberty as it is elucidated and clarified in the â€Å"European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms a nd Its Eight Protocols.†Ã‚  

The Rise of the KKK Essay Example for Free

The Rise of the KKK Essay As a result of the Red Scare and also anti-immigrant feelings, groups bigots used anti-communism as their excuse to harass any group that wasn’t the same as their group. One of these groups was known as the Ku Klux Klan, or the KKK. The Ku Klux Klan was a secret organization that used terrorist tactics in an attempt to restore white supremacy in Southern states after the Civil war. This group was devoted to â€Å"One hundred percent Americanism† and by 1924, the KKK membership had reached 4. 5 million white male citizens. The Ku Klux Klan also believe in keeping black people â€Å"in their place† by destroying saloons, opposing unions, and driving Roman Catholics, Jews, and foreign-born people out of the country. One scared African American told me in an interview that members of the Klan had even been harassing their three year old daughters. Members of the KKK were paid to recruit new members into their group of secret rituals and racial violence. Even though the Ku Klux Klan dominated state politics in many states, by the end of the decade it’s criminal activity led to a decrease in power. In the 1920s, the Klan moved in many states to dominate local and state politics. The Klan devised a strategy called the decade, in which every member of the Klan was responsible for recruiting ten people to vote for Klan candidates in elections. In 1924 the Klan succeeded in engineering the elections of officials from coast to coast, including the mayors of Portland, Maine, and Portland, Oregon. In some states, such as Colorado and Indiana, they placed enough Klansmen in positions of power to effectively control the state government. Known as the Invisible Empire, the KKKs presence was felt across the country. But when the Klan came to recruit in the town of Greenville, Mississippi, LeRoy Percy moved to keep the Klan out of his town. His passionate speech at the Klans recruitment session convinced townspeople to support a resolution to condemn the Klan.

Organisational Change Of The American International Group Commerce Essay

Organisational Change Of The American International Group Commerce Essay The American international group has a history that dates back to 1919. The company was started when Cornelius Vander Starr established an insurance agency in shanghai the capital city of china. Starr was the first person from the western to sell insurance policies to the Chinese. Starr sold policies until the company which is the current AIG left china in 1949. In the same year the companys headquarter was moved to New York in United States from where it expanded through venturing into other markets in the parts of Latin America, Asia, Europe and Middle East. In 1962 the management of the company moved from Starr to Maurice Greenberg who diverted its concentration from personal insurance sales to high margin corporate coverage where he eliminated agents by bringing in independent brokers whom he used in selling insurance polices. This strategy helped the company to price insurance depending on its probable return even at times when there were reduced sales of certain products and for a long period and still incur very little extra expenses. After Greenberg took over the management of the company it sooner went public in 1969. Starting from 2005 the company was caught up in a series of frauds that were investigated by the justice department of U.S., the office of attorney general in new state and the securities exchange commission. The then CEO Greenberg was suspended and replaced by Martin Sullivan in Feb. 2005. In June 2008 some financial losses were disclosed which led to the fall of AIG share price in the stock market. This resulted to resignation of Sullivan who was then replaced by another CEO Edward Liddy in sep. same year. American international group is the biggest underwriter of industrial and commercial insurance. The financial scandals of 2008 led to great losses to the company which made it suffer a liquidity crisis as its credit rating was downgraded. AIG it a globally recognized insurance company with branches in different parts of the world. Its vision is to be the leader in innovative mortgage solutions while its mission is to be the mortgage insurer of choice through: professional and dedicated staff, entrepreneurial leadership, disciplined risk taking, customer satisfaction, and through solutions to facilitate Canadian homeownership. The companys global benefits network has lately introduced the AIG atlas as one of its strategies. This atlas is a basically a range of products meant to assist in meeting the unique benefit needs of the employees. This will then enhance the utility of the capability of the companys employees in over 100 countries hence be able to provide the best services as well as cost effective solutions to its customers all over the world (AIG Group Management Division 2009). The unique benefits to the employees will include medical insurance, life insurance and long term disability insurance. The company al so intends to provide full time services through charge-free phone number as well as management and monitoring of emergency medical cases. Strategies of AIG The company is one of the leading international insurance and financial organizations. It has partnered with several business groups including CRM, which is the number one credit management solutions provider in Europe. This partnership has enabled the company to provide better customer satisfaction and hence improving its sales of insurance policies while accomplishing efficiency gains. Currently, American international group operates in more than 130 countries while its member companies serve institutional, commercial, as well as individual customers through the widest property, life, and casualty of any insurer in the world (AIG Group Management Division 2009). The company is thus going through a period of drastic reviews of its of the processes and structure in all its centres so as to maximize and establish its B2C customer management. By making use of its resources more effectively the company aims to improve the efficiency of CRM and provide the best responsive customer care. Having partnered with other outsourcers, AIG realized the importance of outsourcing partners with whom they can combine the breadth of experience by providing well managed and high quality services. In 2002 AIG and finalized a business strategy with Transom with outlined a number of challenges such as developing organizational skills to secure maximum profitability and customer satisfaction. The company also had to act according to the desired outcomes for improved organization, quality and management as well as provide cost effective high quality and fulfilment solutions (AIG Group Management Division 2009). Following the deal between the two companies Transcom began to handle the inbound customer care service on behalf of AIG. Transcom then enhanced the quality of services by dealing with the mistakes in the existing program of AIG. Leveraging its long experience and first class technology, Transcom has been able to strengthen and expand the CRM activities of AIG through addition of telemarketing campaigns. Transcom has also succeeded in bolstering AIGs customer revenue and base through contacting its potential customers and presenting them with persuasive offers to coverage commerce. The general improvement in the quality of service of AIG has come from the enormous improvement in customer relations which has in turn strengthened AIGs image as a professional organization. All this was possible since Transcom kept within the service level boundaries as well as constant customer contact (AIG Group Management Division 2009) Organizational Behavior Analysis Organizational behavior analysis is an evaluation of the way individual work in an organization. The organization does not need to be a business institution like the American international group but can also be a religious institution. The ultimate goal of organizational behaviour analysis is to understand in a better way the relationships between individuals in an organization, the relationship of the employees and the organization and the organizations relationship with the rest of the society (Harigopal 2006). This information is then used by the management of organizations to increase the efficiency and productivity of and achieve the goals and objectives of the institution as a whole. According to Harigopal (2006), by gaining and understanding this knowledge the employee are able to realize the contributions of their individual efforts to the bigger image of the organization. The progress and success of every organization rests on the philosophy of management as well as on its vision, goals and values. These factors then drive the organizational culture that is made up of the social environment, formal and informal organization. The culture then influences the type of communication, leadership and group dynamics within the institution. The employees or workers in the institution then take these aspects as the quality of their work life and therefore they determine their rate or degree of motivation. The ultimate results of these will be individual satisfaction, performance, personal growth and the general development of the organization. Organizations are undergoing exceptional radical change in all systems of operation ranging from decision making to global competitive pressures and technology to acquisitions and mergers(Harigopal 2006). Organizations have therefore to respond quickly and effectively while remaining flexible and transforming themselves for the new world of work. Organizational behavior is therefore written with these changes and it explains through what leaders and managers need to know about organizations as they struggle to bring productivity and success in them. Organizational behavior and leadership development is institution wide responsibility that stretches across all functions and departments. Culture is described as the conventional behavior in a given society that includes beliefs, knowledge, customs and practices. Although it rarely finds its way into the conscious mind, it often affects the behavior of human beings within a given society or organization. Employees in an organization like the AIG usually depend on its culture since its culture gives them stability, understanding, security and the ability to react to a given situation. Organizational culture creates a number of concepts, situations and strategies that affect every level of planning in any institution. Understanding the operation of culture and organizational structure and the machinery that it runs behind the scenes helps the employees to organize and strengthen the effective cultures and remove the bad ones thus establishing and environment that promotes success within the institution. According to leadership theorists, diminishing and weakening of an organization together with the employees resistance to change is usually caused by ineffective leadership (Harigopal 2006). For instance the American international group underwent financial crisis in 2008 as a result of poor leadership. The bad culture of impunity that had been developed in the company led to corruption and mismanagement of funds as well and some other unscrupulous deals. Strong leadership and organizational culture are necessary for long term success in every corporation. However some institutions may show signs of success for a long time even without a strong organizational culture but when the culture starts to erode, the big organizations take only a short period of time to collapse. Strong leadership is necessary for a strong organizational culture although the reverse is also true. Without strong leadership to maintain everything running, a strong organizational culture will only dull and eventually erode. Practising business people and theorists have found out that organizational culture and leadership are tightly intertwined. Leaders require having a clear understanding of the impact and identity of the organization culture so as to determine the kind of adjustments and management systems needed within the organization as well as have the right styles of effectively communicating their visions to rest of the institution. The study of the operation of organizational culture and organizational structure makes the practical study of organizational culture and structure implications important. In all organizations from government groups to sport teams, the study of the impact of culture and structure on the general picture of an organization shows a better way of making an entity work. Good organizational structure ensures balanced distribution of responsibilities among the top management of groups as well as among the workers (Harigopal 2006 p.102). This has shown that good organizational structure with excellent personnel that ensure all are focused at the same goal, works well than excellent but conflicted personnel. Organization structure generally deals with the culture set up. It deals with the working of the management, the specific responsibilities of the supervisors, and the manner in which a complaint is passed through the ranks. Organizational structure ensures that. Managing change in organizations A significant change in an organization occurs when the overall strategy of an organization are changed for success, or when an organization adds or removes a major section or practice or when there is a change in the operation nature. Organizations develop by undergoing through significant changes at different points in their progress. Successful organizational change is usually very difficult to achieve thus it usually calls for skilful leadership in change management. In work organizations there are different approaches in guiding change whereby some are structured, planned and explicit while others are more unfolding, organic and implicit. These approaches work in different styles. Some work from the future to the present for instance when an organization develops a vision to be achieved in the future and then lays down strategies on how to acquire that vision. Some other approaches will work from the present to the future. In this approach the organization will identify its current problems issues and goals and then lay down strategies on how to deal with those priorities and how to achieve them (Harigopal 2006 p.97). The variation in the type of strategies used depends on the culture of an organization or on the leadership style of the managers. When starting from the present to the future the organization looks at its past in relation to the present and then looks at the present in relation to the future and then evaluate whether it can still go on with its activities just like it has been doing. For an organization doing business in this fast changing and advancing environment, doing thins like has been doing before may not help it compete fairly with others in the industry (Harigopal 2006 p.98). Even doing the same thing harder or even fine tuning it may sometimes make no difference. What organizations need to do keep doing things different as the changing business environment demands. In the daily operation of organizations the structures, methods, processes and technologies that were appropriate in the earlier market conditions may not be applicable in the current or future conditions. This implies that organizations may be forced to reset themselves on different assumptions and business prospects that are in accordance to customer focus, innovativeness, competitive intelligence, and competency base. For the best results in a change effort, the change agents should first of all have a comprehensive understanding of the context of the change effort such as the right strategies needed and the kind of results expected. This means that the change managers should have a clear understanding of the basic structures and systems in an organization as well as their typical terms and roles (Harigopal 2006 p.98). The leadership style and management systems of an organization in relation to its culture are also necessary. Change management encompasses thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation of necessary strategies. Before a change is initiated and during the change process the change leaders should conduct extensive consultations with the people affected by the change and also involve them in the change process. The managers should also find ways of aligning the aims of the business with the needs of their people. The managers should check if the people affected agree with or at least understand the need for change and that they have a chance to decide or give views on how the change should be managed. The sensitive aspects of the change management should be handled through face to face communication so as to convey meaning and understanding. According to Harigopal (2006), managing change therefore demand establishing different management structures, like the interim structure to deal with the business of the business, the transition management structure to smoothen the change process and a structure to stream line the new state of the organization (p.95). Before starting the change process, an organization should be clear on its purpose, direction and vision as well as have a clear analysis of its prevailing strengths and weaknesses in relation to opportunities and threats. The dynaminism of business environment will then determine what should be changed and the required pace of change. Impact of technology on business According to (HÃ ¥kansson, Waluszewski Prenkert 2009), business today is inextricably entangled with technology starting from the smallest business to International Corporation with a number of monolithic applications of legacy. In todays world one cannot be in successful business activities and fail to come across the issues of technology. This is because the way business processes are carried out today is very different from the way they were being carried out 30 years ago. Technological advancements have occurred in several areas from communication, stock market, travel i.e. by air, land and water and technology has also evolved around our lives. Information technology has revolutionised the systems of business operation around the world. Local business have now gone international as a consequence of simple website information technology that than enabled them to advertise internationally (HÃ ¥kansson, Waluszewski Prenkert 2009). Information technology (IT) has helped in customer service where big organizations like Microsoft and American international group attend to needs of their customers through online services like email and chart. Internal and external networking in organizations has improved business operations around the world. Through networking staffs and clients in organizations can effectively get in touch with their leaders for feedback and updates on progress and extensions. Communication within firms as well as between firms has really bloomed with the current developments in technology. Business between organizations has even become easier and more effective. For instance the American international group has been able to work with other organizations and improve its services due to improved IT and communication. However due to high technology computer systems in organisations todays business calls for extensive and careful planning. This planning can be done on organised pattern, with formats schedules and Gantt charts. Due to improved computer systems huge data bases can now be managed and stored on network and back up drives for future records. Accessibility of stored data and files has also become easy with the discovery of a series of shared folders and password keys. According to HÃ ¥kansson, Waluszewski Prenkert (2009) Cash transactions are easily made hence reducing delay which then gives liquidity to business and makes the overall processes i n business faster. Information technology has enabled the businesses to put up an easier and effective coordination with their suppliers. This then has enabled them to benefit from production economics when they operate with the large specialized suppliers. Furthermore the drastic reduction of in the IT cost as well as the reduced risk of transaction in explicit coordination has been it possible for extensive application of explicit coordination with the suppliers. The resulting economized transactions and other factors thus enable a long term business partnership with a smaller set of suppliers According to Johnson Redmon Mawhinney (2001), communication is an essential part of any organization regardless of its operation size. It helps in building public relations via effective interpersonal relations and enhancing teamwork for high performance. Effective communication basically entails relaying messages in a clear and precise manner making it easy to be understood without altering the message being conveyed. Communication is composed of a couple of stages: sender as the source of communication, encoding involves the sender internalizing the message, channel of communication, decoding is relaying the message to the receiver. Receiver in this case is the intended recipient of the message and the reaction/feedback of the receiver completes the cycle. The effectiveness of the communication depends on both the degree of attention from both the listener and the recipient of the message. For effective communication one strives to reduce the mistakes likely to occur at every stage of communication discussed above. Encoding involves synthesizing the information to be communicated. The precision and ease with which you communicate will depend on the level at which you internalize the message (Johnson Redmon Mawhinney 2001). Special attention should be placed on the critical issues, the likely mistaken assumption the communication might generate and the missing information. One should understand well the message he wants to convey, project the likely impact and reaction it will be getting then relay it at the best time possible Wrong interpretations or assumptions may result to communication breakdown. Communication breakdown slows the implementation of ideas and creates stumbling blocks for the path towards the success of an institution. Both the sender and conveyer of the information should have the same understanding of the information. Well conveyed message helps th e listeners understand your thoughts, your perspective on a certain idea. Channels of communication vary from electronic communication electronic communication (fax, internet, video conferencing) face to face, telephone, mails, reports, memo and notices. Choosing an appropriate channel adds value to the information being relayed since each channel has its advantages and weaknesses. Decoding of the message by the listener also requires skill. One should be keen in order to note things like the mood of the sender the feelings in the message and its relevance. Poor decoding which mostly arises from lack of deep understanding of the issue at hand limits the importance of the message. Feedback by the receivers both verbal and non verbal helps in assessing how effective the communication was received. Upon failures it might be important to repeat the message. Circumstances at which you relay your information has impact on the communication. Many organizations like AIG have maintained success and goals achievement due to use of effective communication methods which have enabled participation of all employees towards accomplishing common goals. Removing mistakes from all the stages of communication is very important. The message should be organized, summarized and with minimum or no errors at all. Recent studies point out that communication skill both written and spoken is the biggest factor in isolation that is used in determining managers of cooperation. This is a major boost on the ability to relate well with your subjects and respect you. Poor communication skills will lead stand in the way of career progression as it leads to poor coordination of ideas. Conclusion In todays world, whether an organization is a profiting or non-profit making, it very important that the organization motivates and utilizes its talent. Understanding the organizational behaviour is a major factor for increased opportunity and chances of success in the business world (Johnson Redmon Mawhinney 2001). On the other comprehensively understanding the organizations culture ensures continued growth in a diverse manner. In order to attract talents and high quality skills into an organization there is need for a culture of open communication and diversity. Once the institution has the best culture it needs in its activities then it can improve its efficiency and have more widespread viewpoints from which it can learn from hence expanding its systems and operations. However there should be good care to ensure that the organizational culture and structure are in accordance or compatible with the strategic goals of the organization. In todays fast moving global world fro business, organizations need to quickly learn their threats and opportunities and adapt to them. The rate at which an organization learns these factors, affects the speed and efficiency at which the organization handles these opportunities and threats. Effective communication is also a very important factor in the productivity and success of every organization (Johnson Redmon Mawhinney 2001). Communication can either be formal or informal which are both used in all institutions whether directly or indirectly. Formal channels of communication in organizations usually follow the chain of command which is usually from top to bottom. On the other hand the informal channel tends to be more open and spontaneous. Gossip is some form of informal communication. The informal communication is a very effective method of communication and its mostly used by small companies. Investments aimed at increasing the level of explicit harmonization with the outside agents has resulted in enhanced risk to organizations. This has traditionally made organizations to avoid this increased risk by under investing in coordination. However information technology has been found to have the ability of reducing coordination cost without increasing the associated risk of transactions resulting in more outsourcing and less vertically integrated firms. Lower relationship specificity of IT investments and better capability of monitoring, means that organizations can safely invest in information technology. This will then enhance coordination between firms than in traditional investments. The rate and importance of organizational change has not slowed in the past years but it has actually been improving. The continued rapid technological innovations are bringing in changes in organizational processes and systems. The faster growth in internet has enabled much easier and faster access to information and knowledge which has then changed the way people operate businesses. The expectations of employees in their movement from one organization to another have also increased hence necessitating more and more organizational changes so as to meet the current market demand. American international group is a constantly changing organization due to the changing customer demands among other factors. According to AIG Group Management Division (2009), the rate of change portrayed a good culture of AIG that does not show resistance to change in the organization. Although the company experienced some hard times in 2005, its culture of good change enabled it to come out of the crisis. Organizational change has seen the abolition of some of the international market barriers which has then helped many organizations like AIG to venture into partnership with foreign institutions thus improving its market and services. This therefore illustrates the importance of constant organizational change. In spite the importance or organizational change not all the undertaken changes that deliver the expected benefits to the organization. This is the reason why any change in an organization should be carried out through the right procedures. Strong leadership qualities for the managers are also necessary for successful organizational change (Harigopal 2006). Failure for organizational change to deliver is usually brought by reasons such as absence of a change agent with qualifications or the change agent being too junior in an institution. Lack of support by the senior management and their committed executive should be available in any organization. Poor definition of organization objectives and diverse dimensional solutions helps in building confidence in the involved participants hence enabling them to take part in every process of the change. Failed organizational change initiatives do a lot of harm to the employees both in their spirit and strength which creates more difficulty in the accomplishment of the consecutive change initiatives. Actually todays managers face a great challenge in managing change. In order to ensure success therefore all managers are required to understand their organization together with their real needs. According to Harigopal (2006), the change leaders should also understand that bringing positive change in any organization is primarily about changing the employees behaviour in certain ways. Leadership, and powerful management skills like visioning, planning, prioritizing, giving feedback and rewarding are key issues in the success of any organization.