The Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Whom did the U.S Support and What Role Research Paper

The Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Whom did the U.S Support and What Role did they Play - Research Paper Example One of the key reasons for U.S. participation in this war was to fight terrorism in the Middle East nations. Chubin S, Tripp C,. Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988,Middle East--Politics And Government--1945-,Iran--History--1979-,Iraq--History--1958-. London: Westview Press, 1988. Print. This book is a collaborative writing between Shahram Chubin and Charles Tripp. The book contains relevant details regarding the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. The book contains details regarding the origins of the Iran-Iraq War. It separately analyzes politics and strategies that were associated with both countries during the war. Issues of long-term effects and impacts of the war on both countries are also addressed in this book. Religion in both Iraq and Iran is stated in the both. The book further continues by assessing the relationship between these two countries and the superpowers. In essence, the book in the conclusion chapters describes how Iran is related to the United States, and how Iraq related with Su perpowers, which were either hostile or friendly. Hiro D. The longest war: the Iran-Iraq military conflict. New York: Routledge, 1989. Print. Published in the year 1989, this book by Dilip Hiro turned out to be highly instrumental in providing information regarding the Iraq-Iran War. The book provides detailed information on the root of conflict between Iraq and Iran War. Hiro takes a deep and critical look at the boiling issues affecting embattle Iran and Iraq. Hiro continues giving details regarding the war by touching on impacts it will have on the outside and Western world that is through exploring the victims and benefactors of the war. The engaging part of the book is the part whereby, Hiro discusses how the war was fought that is, through stating the weaponry and strategy employed by both countries during the war. This book also provides information pertaining to the negotiations that failed, and resulted in the war. Jacek B. "US Role in the Iran-Iraq War and its Negative Imp lications on US-Iran Relations." Kulna: For All of Us (2010): 1-3. Print Jacek’s article is one of the most recent scholarly article that examines United States’ involvement in the Iran-Iraq war of 1980s. Since it is one of the latest publication in this subject matter, it highly gets cited in later articles and books on the U.S. participation in Iran-Iraq war of 1980s. The content of this article is easy to comprehend, and it helps me understand how the United States supported Iran, and defeated Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. It highlights both the reasons, contributions, and impacts of United States participation in this war. For example, the author notes that although the events of the United States involvement in this war may be forgotten by both Americans and Iranians, they significantly dictates how both the nations currently perceive each other. This article also shows how complicated this war was, from forming collaboration with Iran to defeating Iraq. Kilborn P. "Baker, In Saudi Arabia, to Pledge U.S. Neutrality in Iran-Iraq War." The New York Times (1987): 1-3. Print. This newspaper article from the New York Times was beneficial since it reported on a daily basis all the developments that led to the Iran-Iraq War. The genius of this newspaper article is the fact that it continued recording and reporting all that transpired during the war. This newspaper best exemplifies the stand that the United States took during the war. The day-to-day maneuvers, which

The issue of management discretion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The issue of management discretion - Essay Example The challenge compromises the quality of the financial reports delivered by the company analysts. This aspect is favorable to one party becomes a barrier for another party to the achievement of a certain goal. For instance, the case of Adelphia Company reveals management discretion challenge for the company stakeholders. In this case, the communications company created a high amount of debt amounting to $2.6B in its off-balance sheet records (Siddiqui 37). The company provides cable entertainment and other communication services. The debt was created when the top management of the company shifted the loans of the company amounting to $2.6B to the unconsolidated books of account, which were controlled by the family of the founders of the company, Adelphia Company. Accordingly, the money borrowed by the company to fund the company’s projects, balanced personal loans of the Adelphia founder family members. The rest of the amount was used in the covering of other expense relating to the Adelphia founder family members. Additionally, the money was spent in the purchase of a golf course and purchase of Adelphia stock, which was unwarranted, by the company rules and regulations. According to Martin, the money was misused in the purchase of luxurious condominiums in the city of Colorado and New York City (67). No expenditures were related to the initial objectives of seeking the company loan. The whole syndicate wax in the benefit of the executive team while it was in complete violation of the company regulation and the shareholders’ interests in the Adelphia Company. The move evoked the stakeholders’ stern reaction. The afflicted parties sued the executive management of mismanaging an embezzling of the Adelphia Company’s financial resources. The retaliation measure of filing of a bankruptcy claim was appropriate given that the claim represented the true state of affairs of the Adelphia

Detailed models of strategic change management

Detailed models of strategic change management This unit helps would-be-managers to understand the nature of change and to cope with it. It gives an understanding about change and the ways to manage with it without disturbing the working of the organization. In this unit we have discussed the different definitions and models of change which have been given by thinkers in the past which helps in evaluating the relevance of models of strategic change to organizations in the current economy. As we proceed, we examine the need for change and assess the factors that are driving the need for it. Also, the resource implications are discussed which do not respond to strategic change. The theories given by Kotter, Prosci, Lewis and others are milestones of the research on change management. Their theories have helped in thorough understanding of change management. As the topic develops, it gives vital information on the reasons of change in markets, budget pressures, new technologies and other new programs such as TQM and re-engineering. All in all, the topic is an important resource on the factors and implications that bring change. Another unavoidable and inseparable resource of the organization is stakeholders of the company. The topic discusses about systems modelling, divergence and convergence and methods of involving them into organization. It is also quite obvious that change brings resistance; therefore this unit enables us to manage resistance giving a way to strategies such as communications, education, forums, etc. The entire work gives a clear picture of change management. All a manager needs is to understand the criteria and manage with a difference on the guidelines of the researchers. Task 1: Discuss the Models of Strategic Change There are many theories about how to manage change. Most of the theories originate with leadership and change management guru, John Kotter who is a professor at Harvard Business School and world renowned change expert. The following eight steps in the change process are his contribution. JOHN KOTTER: Eight steps to transforming an organization (Kotter.J, 1995) Establishing a sense of urgency Forming a powerful guiding coalition Creating a vision Communicating the vision Empowering others to act on the vision Planning and creating short term wins Consolidating improvements and producing still more change Institutionalising new approaches Kotters research gave a whole new way to managing change. A programme of planned change and improved performance developed by Lewin involves the management of a three-phase process of behaviour modification. Lewins Change Management Model Source: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lewin.htm Unfreeze- Reducing those forces which behaviour in its present form, recognition of the need for change and improvement to occur. Movement Development of new attitudes or behaviour and the implementation of change. Refreezing Stabilising change at the new level and reinforcement (Hardy 1996) A new culture should be created within the organization such that managers look to change as an opportunity and adapt their business system to continuously emerging conditions. (Hussey 2000) Proscis ADKAR Effective change management demands five key goals to form the basic ADKAR model: Awareness of the need to change Desire to participate and support the change Knowledge of how to change (and what change looks like) Ability to implement the change on a day-to-day basis Reinforcement to keep the change in place (Hiatt 2003) Proscis ADKAR Source: http://techotoys.com/qwxDnJu0J/ Action Research Action research refers to a way to look at ones own work practically and check as he would like it to be. Because research is done by the person himself or the practitioner, it is called practitioner based research. It is also referred to as a form of self reflective practice because it involves the person himself and his own work. (Hardy 1999) Action research Source: http://www.llas.ac.uk/projects/2837 Task 1.2 Evaluate the relevance of models of strategic change to organizations in the current economy Teambuilding Consensus Strategic change models, as discussed above are the keys to success of any organization provided they are implemented in a sophisticated way. To achieve effective team decision making leadership, (Franzen 1994) describes Consensus Team Decision Making CTDM model which has three key pillars. Maintain high conceptual level Strive towards consensus Manage the decision making process Strategic interventions Types of interventions selected for a project although depend on variety; they are highly concentrated in a project. Strategic interventions are useful in situations like Rapid changes in the external environment Rapid or stagnant sales Increased competition Rapid expansion of markets Mergers and acquisitions (Lewin 2005) Decision Making Contingency Theory of Decision Making Decision participative contingency theory or the Normative Decision Theory is a model which says that the efficiency of a decision procedure depends on a number of aspects of the situation: the importance of decision quality and acceptance; the quantity of relevant information possessed by the leader and subordinates. (Fiedler 1999) In the autocratic style, the leader takes decisions without consulting others. (Lewin 2005) The participative style leadership, also known as participative democratic leadership style does the job of creating and maintaining healthy relationships between the employees and their leaders.(Kotter 2007) Proactive and Reactive (Whitehead 2006) PROACTIVE REACTIVE Needs to have and use own answers Understands the power of and uses team in solving problems Makes decisions by self Requests that team members make decisions Pushes for results Shares a vision so compelling the team wants to move towards it Reacts to change Foresees and influences change Teaches team to expect direction Teaches team to be self reliant Focuses on finding and fixing problems Focuses on achieving performance outcomes Quick to punish on mistakes Lets the team learn by errors Task 1.3 Assess the value of using strategic intervention techniques in the organization The most important asset of any organization is human resource and strategic intervention helps them to adjust with the changing strategies of the organization and understand it.(George 1999). At Sapphire Beauty Box, it is vital to have a peaceful mind and sound behaviour as this profession deals with direct clientele. The method of strategic intervention assists the employees of Sapphire to find meanings to their life, discover what, and why they do and how to meet their needs in positive and negative ways which helps to promote sustainable change. (Hiatt 2006) Human Process Interventions: These are helpful in particular during change project in organizations where there are some combinations of many new employees, different cultures, working together, many conflicts, etc. Activities: Coaching, counseling, delegating, group learning, virtual teams, etc. ( Hiatt and Creasey 2003) Techno-structural Interventions: These interventions are helpful in particular for rapid growth but few internal systems to sustain growth, many complaints from customers, etc. Activities: Balanced scorecard, downsizing and out placing, ISO 9000, Six sigma, etc.(Kurt 2005) Human Resource Management interventions: These interventions are helpful in situations like establishment of new organizational goals, implementation of technology for a short time, low productivity, etc. Activities: Staffing, evaluating performance, career development, employee wellness programme (George 1999) Task 2.1 Examine the need for strategic change in the chosen organization Reasons for change Change in market: The United Kingdom is going through recession and there has been recession and the CPI annual inflation has rose to 3.3%. (London Business Times 2009). There has been increase in prices, job loss, bankruptcy and what not. Every business has gone through losses and needs to cover up their expenses. (Fiedler 1999). At this point of time, Sapphire needs to change accordingly to ease customers at their purse and still keep them coming. Economic downturns: Due to price rise, the raw material needed at the store is also become expensive. It is important to cover the costs by bringing about change in the organization. (Paul 1996) Customer Expectations: There is a very hard competition in the market especially in the beauty field. Customers get attracted to offers and it is not easy to get their confidence. To invest into customers, It is important to change the strategies accordingly. (Kotter and Cohen 2002) Competitive Edge: Competition is healthy but can be fatal if the strategies become too monotonous and outdated. There is need for change to face competition. (Kotter 1995) Sapphire needs to be updated with products and material being used by competitors and try to do better than other turning the tables towards them. (Kotter 2007) Mergers: The merger of the organization with another can lead to change in strategy as the new staff can have better ideas and plans to make the company a success. (Paul 1996). If Sapphire merges with another company to make it a success, it may have to revise the ways to do things. Change in mission: If the mission of the company changes, obviously there has to be a different strategy to deal with it. The mission of Sapphire is to fight ageing and make people look beautiful but now the market demands more of stress releasing treatments. So Sapphire needs to rethink about its strategy. (Franzen and Hardaker 1999) Task 2.2 Assess the factors that are driving the need for strategic change in an organization The Shifting Economy The economy is so very changing and dynamic. Due to the unpredictability of it, the organization is in constant need of change in the strategy and economic plan. This is more prevalent since recession Environmental factors There are certain environmental changes that have an effect on the production and sales. These changes are to be monitored and the demand of change arises. Financial pressure There occur financial pressures on the organizations, in order to meet deadlines and targets. In order to handle finances, there has to be a change in finance plans. This is where the need for change management occurs. Technological advances There has been drastic change in production, marketing, outsourcing and other fields due to technology. The organization needs upgrading and has to keep in pace with the technological advances to succeed in its mission and make way for growth. Keeping in mind the factors discussed above, there is a need for change. Funding cuts With the recession in the economy, the company has cut down on costs and funds. There is need for change in financial strategy to keep the balance. Competition Competition is a healthy asset for any business. To keep up to the standards and do better than others is very important, hence it is vital to keep a watch at what others are doing and bring change in the company accordingly. Task 2.3 Assess the resource implications of the organization not responding to strategic change Restructuring of HR- If the company does not respond to the changes as discussed above, it may have to face severe consequences and lose in the process. The organization will have to restructure the HR making way for a new beginning. There have to be leaders chosen again and staff employed for the smooth working of the company. Interview and hire of new employees Interviewing and hiring of new staff will have to be done which is a time consuming and costly process for any business. Redundancies The organization will have redundancies if proper steps for the change are not taken in time. This will affect the working and time management of the strategy of work. Training Training is another costly and time taking process. It takes a lot to train the employees and bear the costs. If the need for strategic change is understood, there is no need for the organization to bear costs or losses. Task 3.1 Develop systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change in the chosen organization A stakeholder is one who has something to gain or lose through the outcomes of a planning process or project. These are also called interest groups and can have a strong bearing on the outcomes of political processes. It is useful for research projects to identify and analyse the needs and concerns of different stakeholders, particularly when these projects have an effect on policy Input-output transformation model Operations management transforms inputs (labour, capital, equipment, land, buildings, materials and information) into outputs (goods and services) that provide added value to customers. Transformation System is the critical element in the model that determines how well the company produces goods and services that meet consumer needs. It does not matter whether the organization is a for-profit company, a non-profit organization (religious organizations, hospitals, etc.), or a government agency; all organizations must strive to maximize the quality of their transformation processes to meet customer needs. Steps Involved Step 1: Clarify the research or policy change objective (Problem Tree Analysis or objectives analysis might help with this.) Stap 2: Identify all the stakeholders or interest groups associated with this objective, problem or issue. Stakeholders can be organizations, groups, departments, structures, networks or individuals. http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5257HYPERLINK http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5257title=stakeholder-analysisHYPERLINK http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5257title=stakeholder-analysistitle=stakeholder-analysis Step 3: Using the grid organise the stakeholders in different matrices according to their interest and power. Interest measures to what degree they may to be affected by the research project. Power measures the influence they have over the project or policy, and to what degree they can help achieve, or block, the desired change. The Cultural Web The Cultural Web http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_90.htm The Cultural Web identifies six interrelated elements Johnson and Scholes (2002) call it the paradigm the pattern or model of the work environment. By analyzing the factors in each, you can begin to see what is working, what isnt working, and what needs to be changed. The six elements are: The past events and people talked about inside and outside the company. Who and what the company chooses to celebrate say a great deal about what it values, and perceives as great behaviour. The daily behaviour and actions of people that indicate acceptable behaviour. This determines what is expected to happen in given situations, and what is valued by management. The visual representations of the company including logos, how exquisite the offices are, and the dress codes. Multiple Cause Diagrams Multiple cause diagrams http://ilearn.cto.int/login/index.php Multiple cause diagrams are a way of using interconnectedness to shape up a complex situation. They represent both adequate and casual cause without making a distinction between them. This system is pictured as an interconnected group of events or effects to cause an effect as a purpose. Sometimes, if the input cause is removed, the output cause continues to happen, may be because feedback loops are present or other causes drive the effect. Influencing skills The careless reception of authority is becoming increasingly less common in the world. To get things done, it is better to rely on commitment rather than authority. For example, gaining co-operation from other departments. Task 3.2 Develop a change management strategy with stakeholders in the chosen organization Developing a winning strategy is messier than textbooks suggest. Most insights that are important for formulating strategies rest in the heads of operating managers. (Kotter 2007) The Stakeholder Circle This is designed to put stakeholders on the project management radar. It is a proven method supported by a tough, easy to use tool that guides us through five easy steps namely: Identify your projects stakeholders and understand their needs Prioritize the stakeholders on the basis of power, proximity and urgency. Visualize the key stakeholders using the Stakeholder Circle. Engage with the stakeholders by building and implementing an effective communication plan. Monitor changes as you update and review your stakeholders at key points in the project. Public Hearings: There can be events where stakeholders are allowed to give evidence or question general public authorities about decisions. Public hearings: Regulated, formal arrangements for times and places at which members of the general public and other types of stakeholders can give evidence or question public authorities about decisions. Deliberative Polling: This collects views when people are introduced to the issue and think about it. It also includes a feedback session. Task 3.3 Evaluate the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change in the chosen organization The stakeholder model is helpful in explaining the rules of the economic game and the link between stakeholder value and competitive advantage. The stakeholder strategy plan guides us on how to interact and communicate with each stakeholder during different stages of a project. It also helps to define who should participate, in what ways and on what level of the project. It gives thorough knowledge of the matter and suits best to most organizations. Other ways such as polling, seminars and workshops are also perfect ways to handle change in a proper manner. Task 3.4 Create a strategy for managing resistance to change in the chosen organization Selective Perception: Peoples self interpretation of stimuli presents a unique image of the real world and results in selective perception. This leads to biased view of the situation that fits into the perception of reality. Habit: People are used to the same way of doing things which makes a habit. It becomes serves as a source of comfort. Bringing about change brings resistance. Loss of Freedom: If the change is seen as an inconvenience, it reduces freedom of action or results in increased control, there will be resistance. Direct vs Indirect There is staff that may resist directly and others that may be indirect in resistance. Direct resistance is to oppose in a direct manner and fighting straight but indirect resistance is to show resistance by making excuses such as resigning. Task 4.1 Develop appropriate models for change in the chosen organization that will reflect their circumstances The best model for change that applies to Sapphire Beauty Box is Proscis Five Building Blocks change management model which includes the ADKAR The first thing Sapphire needs is the Awareness of the need for change. If the need for change is understood, half the job is done. Planned communication is essential for understanding. Sapphire needs change as there is a need for it. Next is the Desire to participate and help the change. The employees of Sapphire need to make a personal decision to support the change and sustain it too. The CEO announced incentives for individuals creating a desire to be a part of the change. The third building block is providing Knowledge. Sapphire held a seminar for imparting awareness for change, how to undergo change and how to implement it. Prosci (2003) suggested forums and mentoring for knowledge of change. Ability to implement required skills and behavior is another building block of the ADKAR model. It is the difference between theory and practice. Once knowledge is imparted on change, the performance of the individual needs to be supported. Sapphire can do this by practice, coaching and feedback. Lat, but not the least comes Reinforcement. It is the final and essential stage of the model where efforts to sustain the change is accentuated. It is to be ensured that changes stay in place and individuals do not revert to old ways. The ways to do it are positive feedback, recognition, rewarding, etc. Sapphire makes it a point to take feedback of the customers as well as the employees to keep both sides balanced. There is a Best Employee of the Month award scheme at Sapphire Beauty Box which inspires employees to do their best. Proscis Change Management Model http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-adkar-overview.htm Task 4.2 Plan to implement a model for change considering the internal and external circumstances impacting on the organization Kaizen Method This is a Japanese method for continuous incremental improvement. It is a concept for gradual, continuous improvement. It assumes that every aspect of life has to be constantly improved. The main elements of Kaizen are effort, quality, and willingness to change, communication and involvement of employees. Its five founding elements are Teamwork Personal Discipline Improved Morale Quality Circles and Suggestions for Improvement. The Kaizen method is best for Sapphire Beauty Box as it is people oriented, requires long term discipline and easy to implement. Matrix Organizations This kind of organization offers the advantages of flexibility, greater security and control of project information. It establishes a grid with a two way flow of authority and responsibility. Task 4.3 Develop appropriate measures to monitor progress of the developed model Goal Based Evaluation To start with goal based evaluation, there can be two main questions we can ask for How has the programme made a difference Are the participants of the programme feeling better as a result of the programme? Outcome based evaluation is a way that determines if the project at Sapphire Beauty Box have achieved its goals. The organized process using OBE helps to establish clear outcomes, to measure benefits, clarify groups for which benefits are targeted. Other ways to monitor progress in Sapphire Beauty Box are regular reports of the activities being practiced in there. Meetings are also undertaken by higher authorities to administer the changes and keep a watch on them. Quality Circles appear simple and straightforward but have to be viewed in regard to Japanese culture and management systems. Quality circles are do work and are used successfully by British organizations. . CONCLUSION It can be concluded that strategic change is the key factor in any organization. Change is a pervasive influence. We are all subject to change in one form or the other which is continuous. The steps to change from Kotter give vital knowledge about making change Kotter is called the GURU in terms of change management. Proscis ADKAR building blocks give deep understanding and guidance for applying change and monitoring it to sustain change. Kurt Lewins change model is also an important one. The freeze, refreeze and transition stages develop new attitudes and behaviour.

Essay --

The Journey of Knowledge In David Northrup’s Africa’s discover of Europe, he gives an overview of the encounter between Africans and Europeans from 140-1850. Africans played a huge role of the globalizing of cultural and economic transactions. The first encounters between the two continents were mutual. Both parties tried to gain from each other through their transactions. The purpose of this book is to inform readers that we shouldn’t look at Africans as the victim, rather as an active contributor in the African-European relation. Early encounters of Africans in the Western world and Europeans in Africa began to change the societies in Europe and Africa. The fifteenth century â€Å"marks the beginning of an era of continuous and increasing interactions between the two continents and their cultures† (Northrup 2). Also, â€Å"commercial and cultural interactions grew both Africans and Europeans made many adjustments in their ideas of each other† (2). In other words, the depictions of Africans in Europe began to change as Africans became more common in Europe, and â€Å"Africans were also expanding their knowledge and understanding of Europe† (3). One important aspect of the encounter between European and African precolonial nations was trade. Before the European voyages of exploration in the fifteenth century, African rulers and merchants had formed a trade link between the Mediterranean world and within the continent, there were local exchanges among regional neighbors which will later conn ect themselves in long range trade. For example, the supply of slaves from Africa into the Mediterranean Europe was increasing in the thirteenth and fourteenth century; â€Å"the number of â€Å"black† was rising among the Slavic and North African slave populations ... ...slave societies that emerged on Saint Louis and Gorà ©e. The emergence of slave societies created slave-owning merchants: â€Å"Gorà ©e and Saint Louis developed from a small society of signares, French merchants, and slaves into an urban slave society dominated by a slave-owning class of habitants† (Searing 107) due to the fact that slave society was an independent society from the Atlantic merchants and the habitants became obligatory intermediaries in the trade between the islands and the mainland (107). The urban slave population contained high proportion of skilled laborers and native born slaves who were less likely to revolt or run away (104). In conclusion, the relation between Africans and Europeans were mostly mutual. Africans should not be seen as victims of slavery as both parties profited and lost from each other, and were both victims in the Atlantic economy.

The Negro Movement

Looking back at the history of the culture that has risen from the ashes; one may be quite surprised just how far the African American culture has come. The progression of the African American culture is indeed one to be proud of. From cotton fields to Harlem, â€Å"The New Negro Movement†, sparked a sense of cultural self-determination, with a yearning to strive for economic, political equality, and civic participation. This was a movement that sparked a wide range of advancements in the African American culture. Leaving footprints of great individuals as well as set a path way for future generations to follow; setting a trend for Black greatness. After the American Civil War there was a spark within the African American culture to diminish the legacy of slavery. It started in 1908, with the development of the NAACP (The National Association of Colored People), which led the fight against racial discrimination. What is known as â€Å"The Great migration† in 1914 was the migration of over 500,000 or more Blacks in a six year period; for industry jobs, and overall better opportunities. Blacks were leaving the South headed North in search for something new. This was the escape they longed for from oppressive living and social conditions that threatened life. New York was one of the more appealing states, considering New York schools prohibited separate schools for African Americans. Therefore, education was also made easier for African Americans. By 1819 Harlem, New York had the highest count of Black people in the world. In 1916-17, Hubert Harrison; whom is considered the father of â€Å"The New Negro Movement† established his first association â€Å"The Liberty League†, along with his first newspaper. During the 1920’s and 1930’s, African Americans expressed themselves through Literature, Art, Music, Drama, Movies, and protest. Mr. Harrison encouraged Blacks to expand and improve through education, awareness, and Afro-centric community programs. With â€Å"The Voice† of â€Å"The New Negro Movement† energized the Black community to demand equality. This was in fact the birth of the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance is the name given to the period from the end of World War I and through the 1930’s Depression era. During this time, there were many great literary works to come about. A group of writers produced a great group of Literature. Some of those writers include: Alain Locke, who described himself as the â€Å"midwife† to aspiring young black writers of the 1920s. In a 1925 essay entitled ‘The New Negro', Howard University Professor of Philosophy Alain Locke described this transformation as not relying on older time-worn models but, rather, embracing a ‘new psychology' and ‘new sprit'. Central to Locke's prescription was the mandate that the ‘New Negro' had to ‘smash' all of the racial, social and psychological impediments that had long obstructed black achievement. Six years prior to Locke's essay, the pioneering black film maker Oscar Micheaux called for similar changes. In his film Within our Gates, Micheaux represented a virtual cornucopia of ‘New Negro' types: from the educated and entrepreneurial ‘race' man and woman to the incorrigible Negro hustler, from the liberal white philanthropist to the hard core white racist. Micheaux created a complex, melodramatic narrative around these types in order to develop a morality tale of pride, prejudice, misanthropy and progressivism that would be revisited by Locke and others (Rhapsodies in Black: Art of the Harlem Renaissance (London/California: Hayward Gallery, Institute of International Visual Arts and University of California Press, 1997). Black-owned magazines and newspapers flourished, freeing African Americans from the constricting influences of mainstream white society. Charles S. Johnson's Opportunity magazine became the leading voice of black culture, and W. E. B. DuBois's journal, The Crisis, with Jessie Redmon Fauset as its literary editor, launched the literary careers of such writers as Arna Bontemps, Langston Hughes, and Countee Cullen(The Birth of the Harlem Renaissance: History & Timeline — Infoplease. com). Additionally, there were other aspects of Black greatness emerging from oppression. â€Å"†¦Through their artistry, the literature of this period helped to facilitate a transformation from the psychology of the â€Å"Old Negro† (characterized by an implied inferiority of the post-Reconstruction era when black artists often did not control the means of production or editorial prerogatives) to the â€Å"New Negro† (characterized as self-assertive, racially conscious, articulate, and, for the most part, in charge of what they produced). Landmark texts that marked this transformation and encouraged increased exploration of African American experience through literature included The Book of American Negro Poetry (1922), edited by James Weldon Johnson and The New Negro (1925) by Locke. The short-lived literary magazine Fire!! (1926) also had a significant impact on the literary production because it represented the efforts of younger African American writers (such as Hughes and Hurston) to claim their own creativity apart from older artists (such as DuBois and James Weldon Johnson), as well as to establish autonomy from potential white exploiters†¦ (Trudier Harris-Lopez, â€Å"Forward† Harlem Renaissance, Volume I. Janet Witalec, project editor. Farmington Hill, MI: Gale, 2003 Call and Response: The Riverside Anthology of the African American Literary Tradition. Ed. Patricia Liggins Hill. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998). The Spiritual Coming of Age was solely for African Americans to express thems elves and exert self-determination. To have a sense of race pride. White Literary establishments became fascinated and began to publish their works. African American Literature has impacted American culture in an enormous way. Their writings have inspired many African Americans to continue the legacy in Literature. At this same time, the Jamaican-born Marcus Garvey began his promotion of the â€Å"Back to Africa movement. † Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL), which advocated the reuniting of all people of African ancestry into one community with one absolute government. The movement not only encouraged African-Americans to come together, but to also feel pride in their heritage and race (http://www. biography. com/blackhistory/harlem-renaissance. sp). The Harlem Renaissance was a defining movement within the African American culture. 1929 marked the beginning of the end of the Harlem Renaissance. Due to the economic declines, many prominent writers departed Harlem. Although there was not much time during this period, this era influenced many writers to come. Its great moments in History like this that inspire and influence generations to come. The Harlem riot of 1935 was the final event. The progression of African Americans has come a long way. From slavery to Harlem, and beyond; African Americans have made their mark in History. Shortly after the Renaissance, many came into their own creativity. With the emergences of people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , Malcolm X, Sojourner Truth, the African American culture has gone far beyond what was imagined centuries ago. Many great musicians from jazz era contributed to the mass music frenzy we see today. With great musicians like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, we now have Kenny G, and Boney James. With Poets such as Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston, we have Maya Angelou, and Gwendolyn Brooks. The Harlem Renaissance has contributed too many great works among African Americans. The African American culture has blossomed in many ways. In the beginning of the 1970’s, African American literature went mainstream, and has continued to do well; moreover, books by Black authors continue today to receive best-selling awards. This also marks the era where African American writings were considered as a legitimate genre of American Literature. The Civil Rights movement made a powerful impression on black voices in the 1960s. Baldwin, whose fiction and essays dealt not only with race but sexuality, family, the ex-pat life, and his childhood in the Church, returned from many years in Paris to participate in the burgeoning movement. Many of Baldwin's most significant works were written in the 60s, including Another Country and The Fire Next Time (â€Å"African American Literature: History, Crossword, Quizzes, Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights. † Infoplease.  © 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 26 Apr. 2011http://www. infoplease. com/spot/bhmlit1. html).

Analysing Strategic Issues in Geely Automobile †Industry Structures and Dynamics Essay

Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. , formerly known as Guorun Holdings Ltd. , embarked on a major restructuring in 2003. By establishing two joint-venture associated companies in Ningbo and Shanghai with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Ltd. , a major privately-owned auto manufacturer in China, the company had successfully entered into China’s booming sedan industry. In the same year, the company set up an auto parts subsidiary in Taizhou of the Zhejiang province, further consolidating the foundation of the company’s investments in China’s automobile industry, thus successfully transforming the company’s key businesses into automobile manufacturing and the related areas. In May 2004, the company’s two associated companies agreed to acquire other auto-related assets under Zhejiang Geely Holding. After the acquisitions, the automobile research and development organizations under Zhejiang Geely Holding, all operating production plants, car models, and respective engines and gearboxes being launched or to be launched would have been included in the two associates formed by the company. This restructuring should enable the company to share the same interests and benefits with Zhejiang Geely Holding in their future developments in auto-related businesses. Analysing strategic issues in Geely Automobile – Industry structures and dynamics (5 forces) Michael E. Porter’s five-forces model assess the nature of competition in an industry, it looks at the strength of five distinct competitive forces, which include the Degree of Rivalry, The Threat of Entry, The Threat of Substitutes, Buyer Power and the Supplier Power. When these forces are being taken together, they determine long-term profitability and competition. Porter’s work has had a greater influence on business strategy than any other theory in the last half of the twentieth century. (Porter,1998) Out of them, the rivalry between existing sellers in the market, the potential threat of new sellers and substitute products entering and becoming available in the market are chosen to facilitate a greater discuss on.

Free Essays on Liscensed To Kill

Licensed to Kill Is there a difference between murder and justifiable murder? By definition, a murder is the unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice. In contrast, the definition of a justifiable murder is a non-criminal homicide, usually committed in self-defense of another. The real question is, is there really a difference between justifiable murder and murder. When someone is killed, they are either killed from an accident, natural causes, or an intentional killing. So where does a justifiable murder fit in? In a case where someone is being attacked and forced to use a lethal method to subdue an attacker, such as rape, robbery, or simply, life threatening physical abuse, it could be argued that murder was only used in self defense as a last resort. In this sort of case, for it to be completely justifiable, killing an attacker must only be done if other alternatives had failed. Simply killing someone and saying that they â€Å"could have† hurt them is not justifiable. When there are other methods to subdue an attacker are available in a certain situation, is murder necessarily justifiable simply because it was the easiest way to solve a conflict. For example, if a person is acting hostile towards a police officer, and the police officer resorts to shooting and killing a person, is that justified? In today’s society, there are numerous lesser-lethal alternatives to a pistol. For example, there are paralyzing tazers, gasses, and even rubber or beanbag ammunition for pistols and shotguns. When all of these alternatives are available, how could the use of a firearm be at all necessary? In conclusion, the term justifiable murder has been used so often in cases where it should have been considered a murder. Too often in cases someone gets killed and the killer goes without the slightest punishment when they murdered someone, accident or not. What is learned from this? That it is ok to ... Free Essays on Liscensed To Kill Free Essays on Liscensed To Kill Licensed to Kill Is there a difference between murder and justifiable murder? By definition, a murder is the unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice. In contrast, the definition of a justifiable murder is a non-criminal homicide, usually committed in self-defense of another. The real question is, is there really a difference between justifiable murder and murder. When someone is killed, they are either killed from an accident, natural causes, or an intentional killing. So where does a justifiable murder fit in? In a case where someone is being attacked and forced to use a lethal method to subdue an attacker, such as rape, robbery, or simply, life threatening physical abuse, it could be argued that murder was only used in self defense as a last resort. In this sort of case, for it to be completely justifiable, killing an attacker must only be done if other alternatives had failed. Simply killing someone and saying that they â€Å"could have† hurt them is not justifiable. When there are other methods to subdue an attacker are available in a certain situation, is murder necessarily justifiable simply because it was the easiest way to solve a conflict. For example, if a person is acting hostile towards a police officer, and the police officer resorts to shooting and killing a person, is that justified? In today’s society, there are numerous lesser-lethal alternatives to a pistol. For example, there are paralyzing tazers, gasses, and even rubber or beanbag ammunition for pistols and shotguns. When all of these alternatives are available, how could the use of a firearm be at all necessary? In conclusion, the term justifiable murder has been used so often in cases where it should have been considered a murder. Too often in cases someone gets killed and the killer goes without the slightest punishment when they murdered someone, accident or not. What is learned from this? That it is ok to ...

Dung Beetles and Tumblebugs, Subfamily Scarabaeinae

Dung Beetles and Tumblebugs, Subfamily Scarabaeinae Where would we be without dung beetles? We’d likely be buried hip deep in poop, that’s where. Dung beetles do the dirty work in our world by breaking down, burying, and consuming animal waste. True dung beetles and tumblebugs belong to the subfamily Scarabaeinae (sometimes called Coprinae). Description: The subfamily Scarabaeinae is a large insect group, so there’s quite a bit of variety in the size, color, and shape of dung beetles. Most dung beetles and tumblebugs are black, but a few more flamboyant species come in brilliant shades of green or gold. Dung beetles vary in size from about 5mm to 30mm long. Just below the frons (forehead), the dung beetle’s exoskeleton forms a rounded shield-like structure called a clypeus, which covers the mouthparts. Some male dung beetles possess impressive horns, which they use as weapons to fend off other male competitors. Even a novice observer can recognize a dung beetle by its behavior. As if by magic, dung beetles appear on fresh dung piles, and quickly begin tearing the patty apart. A single pile of elephant scat attracted 16,000 dung beetles, with 4,000 scatophiles already at work in the first 15 minutes after the poo was deposited on the ground. If you want to see a dung beetle, find yourself a fresh cow patty to observe. Dung beetles play important roles in the ecosystems in which they live. Gardeners would pay good money to have someone work manure into their soil, but dung beetles provide that service for free. As they roll their balls of poo away, they disperse seeds that passed through the digestive tract of the herbivore and wound up in its scat. Dung beetles and tumblebugs recycle nutrients and help plants thrive. And don’t forget, all those piles of poop attract other, nuisance insects, like filth flies. When dung beetles clean up quickly, they prevent many disease-carrying pests from breeding. Classification: Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass - InsectaOrder - ColeopteraFamily - ScarabaeidaeSubfamily - Scarabaeinae Diet: Dung beetles feed primarily on dung, especially of herbivorous mammals, although some beetles in this group feed on carrion, fungi, or even rotting fruit. Dung beetle adults typically derive their nutrition from the liquid component of excrement, and can filter out any solid particles as they ingest it. As the dung dries out, it becomes less palatable to the beetles and they will search for a fresher source of food. Parent dung beetles provision their young with dung balls, so the developing offspring have a ready source of food when they emerge from their eggs. Dung beetle larvae can digest the drier, fiber-rich part of the dung, and use chewing mouthparts to consume it. Life Cycle: Like all beetles, dung beetles undergo a complete metamorphosis with four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The mother dung beetle deposits her eggs in dung balls, which the parents skillfully bury or roll into underground tunnels. Each egg is placed in its own chamber, and will hatch within a couple of weeks. In general, dung beetle larvae will feed for about 3 months, molting through three instars before pupating inside their dung chambers. The adult will emerge from its brood mass in 1-4 weeks, and then dig its way to the soil surface. Special Behaviors: The dung beetle makes its living on piles of poop, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy life. That scat is a veritable free-for-all of dung beetles trying to grab the nicest hunk and run. A sneaky dung beetle might lie in wait for a more ambitious beetle to do the work of rolling a nice, neat dung ball, and then dash in and steal it. It’s in the dung beetle’s best interest to retreat quickly with its poo prize, and that means it needs to roll the ball in a straight path. Should the beetle inadvertently push its dung ball in a curve, it risks winding up back in the melee, where a beetle bully can cause trouble. It’s no easy task to roll a ball of poo in a straight line, especially when you do so by pushing it from behind with your back legs, and your head down. Researchers studying dung beetles in Africa have recently shown that the beetles look to the heavens for navigational clues. The sun, moon, and even the gradual gradient of light that we call the Milky Way can help the dung beetle maintain a straight line. And each time a dung beetle encounters an obstacle – a rock, a depression in the soil, or perhaps a clump of grass – it climbs atop its dung ball, and does a little orientation dance until it figures out which way to go. Range and Distribution: Dung beetles are both abundant and diverse, with roughly 6,000 species in over 250 genera known so far. Dung beetles live on every continent except Antarctica. Sources: Ecology and Evolution of Dung Beetles, edited by Leigh W. Simmons and T. James Ridsdill-Smith.Borror and DeLong’s Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.Encyclopedia of Insects, 2nd edition, edited by Vincent H. Resh and Ring T. Carde.Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity, by Stephen A. Marshall.Scarabaeinae Overview, Generic Guide to New World Scarab Beetles website. Accessed May 8, 2013.

3 Steps To Being More Productive, Without Stressing Yourself Out

3 Steps To Being More Productive, Without Stressing Yourself Out It’s no surprise that our attention spans are shrinking and our to-do lists are spiraling hideously out of control while we procrastinate, panic, and eventually curl up into a ball watching Netflix. This is the world we live in! We all want to be more productive- the kind of people who write (and actually work through) detailed to-do lists, skipping from project to project until we’ve conquered the mountain of our goals.1. Write it downThe most important first step is to get that giant, unmanageable list out of your brain. Make a physical to-do list. Even if you already have one. Divide it into large projects and small projects so you don’t get freaked out every time you look at it thinking, AAAAH,  I HAVEN’T DONE THAT GIANT SCARY THING. Keep the giant scary things separate from the â€Å"I can do this in an hour† things. That way you can start crossing things off immediately and build enough momentum to tackle the hard stuff once you’ve se ttled into work.2. Hunker down and do itThe second step is to actually show up and do the work. That means clearing your headspace and being present and mindful of your task. Think about the parameters of each one before you start in on it. That way you’ll choose tasks that match your current state of mind at any given moment, and increase your potential for success. Sick or sad or really distracted? That’s probably not a great day to start your biggest project. Save that project for a day when you’re feeling confident and clear-headed.3. Prepare for distractionsThe final step is being able to handle the curve balls that will, inevitably, come your way. Build time and space into your work-time structure to handle the emergencies and extra assignments  as they hit you. Budgeting for this will help you not to feel that you have lost anything when you blitz through these unexpected tasks. You can go back to your existing list guilt-free.This doesn’t mean y ou’ll never again get stressed out by the piles and piles of tasks you have to do, but these guidelines should give you a strategy at how to conquer those piles without the panic. The more you practice them, the less to-do list stress you’ll have.How to Overcome Your To-Do List Anxiety

Beta Blocker Treatment in Heart Failure Literature review - 1

Beta Blocker Treatment in Heart Failure - Literature review Example Studies confirm that Carvedilol therapy is more superior to the latter two Beta Blockers compared. This is due to its nature characteristics that entail possessing Alpha1 Beta1 and Beta2 whereas the two have only Beta1-selective receptors. Besides Carvedilol has vasolidilating characteristics, which is not evident in other Beta Blockers. However, not all people having Systolic malfunction qualify for Beta Blocker therapy. Since, it necessitates that one be in a stable condition and non-hospitalized. Random admission of the therapy on patients with absence of meticulous scrutiny normally results to patients’ death or complex predicaments, besides physical deterioration of the body. Admission of Beta therapy encompasses starting with small and regulated dosage until the patient attains the tolerable state for large doses. This therapy also sternly shuns attempts meant for abrupt discontinuation of the dosage because of its grievous effects. Since it yields to circulatory deterioration characterized by electrophysiologic unsteadiness. Finally, it has various side effects that if not attended to effectively may yield to be ruinous to the patients. For instance, some comprise Bradycardia, Fatigue, lightheadedness and frequent headaches, Insomnia, Chronic chest aches, High triglycerides and depression. Beta Blocker besides its present efficacy as a remedy for heart malfunction, it requires further study to reduce both the evident and future derivatives. This will ensure ailing persons do not suffer other complications while trying to cope with the main grievous predicament (chronic heart failure). Nakamura, K, Murakami, M, Miura, D, Yunoki, K, Enko, K, Tanaka, M, Saito, Y, Nishii, N, Miyoshi, T, Yoshida, M, Oe, H, Toh, N, Nagase, S, Kohno, K, Morita, H, Matsubara, H, Kusano, K, Ohe, T, & Ito, H. 2011, Beta-Blockers and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Heart Failure, Pharmaceuticals,

Great depression in USA Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Great depression in USA - Coursework Example The other great expansion was amount of buyers. All this factors that experienced great expansion led to the increase in buying public utility stocks contributing to a rise in their prices. In October 1929, America experienced a dramatic fall in utility price. The decline in utility price caused panic among the margin buyers and they had to sell all the stocks (Divine et al., 751). 2. What was the legacy of the New Deal? The legacy of the New Deal is that it played a crucial role toward alleviating the worst suffering of the depression. For example, the early New Deal contributed in assisting bankers and industrialists (Divine et al., 762). Moreover, the early New Deal tried to assist large farmers and members of the labor union (Divine et al., 762). However, the New deal was still being held captive of the conventional thinking of the day. It is not possible to say that the New Deal would have ended the depression basing in the historical facts. For example, development of the World War II interrupted the process. 3.  How did Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s political philosophy affect his New Deal? Roosevelt political philosophy contributed to a decline in his New Deal (Divine et al., 751). He played a crucial role in defeating a number of conservative Democratic congress representatives and senators. Roosevelt’s target gleefully changed the interference with local politics. Divine et al., (774) indicates that only one of the men that Roosevelt sought to defeat lost in primaries. The worst blow of Roosevelt’s New Deal came in the economic sector. Most of the business executives claimed that Roosevelt recession reflected a lack of confidence in FDR’s leadership hence leading the New Deal to become ineffective (Divine et al., 751). 4. How did Herbert Hoover deal with the depression? Hoover blamed the depression on foreign policies. He rejected various proposals for bold government and relied instead on voluntary cooperation within the b usiness of which he used to halt the slide (Divine et al., 754). Moreover, he called various leaders associated with industries to the White house and secured agreement to maintain prices and wages at a high level. Hoover also believed in voluntary efforts that played a significant role in relieving the human suffering brought about by the depression. On this case, he called private charities and local governments to help in offering clothes and food to the needy ones. With the request of Hoover, Congress managed to cut taxes in an attempt to restore public confidence. He also managed to adopt a few federal works projects such as boulder dam in order to provide jobs for the young people (Divine et al., 754). 5. What were the weaknesses of the New Deal? Through the New Deal, Roosevelt managed to develop the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Through this organization, the burden of unemployment eased but it failed to overcome depression (Divine et al., 760). This means that one of the weaknesses of the New Deal is failure to overcome depression. Through the New Deal, the WPA filed to prime the American economy by increasing consumer purchasing power. The other weakness associated with the New Deal is that it led to a growing frustration and the appearance of more radical alternatives. These alternatives challenged the conservative nature of the New Deal that made the FDR to shift to the left (Divine et al., 760). Part 1 (B) What were the forces that caused the stock market to crash? According to the article, one of the causes that led to the

Professional Development as a Strategic Manager Essay

Professional Development as a Strategic Manager - Essay Example c management study: the first makes stress on the meaning of the strategic management concepts, the second focuses on the process and important factors. The essence of the decision making in strategic management is perfectly explained by the following citation: The role of strategic management in the organization should not be underestimated as it is very important. The issue is worth-discussing; therefore, in the given paper I would like to discuss my professional development as a strategic manager and prove that I can build the long-term business strategy for the company British Airways taking into account the organizational change in the new rapidly changing market conditions. Now leadership ideas get new sense in the transportation industry; leadership is thoroughly investigated from the theoretical and practical points of view. It is obvious, that transportation industry requires gifted leaders as any other, however as far as transportation sector has special characteristics, and is focused on offering the clients distinctive services, leadership in this industry can’t be considered as universal. Nevertheless, leadership ideas of other successful companies can be applied and adapted to the sphere of transportation business. Shelley Kirkpatrick and  Edwin A. Locke  (1991) state that "key leader traits include: drive (a broad term which includes  achievement,  motivation, ambition, energy, tenacity, and initiative), leadership motivation (the desire to lead but not to seek power as an end in itself), honesty, integrity, self-confidence (which is associated with emotional stability), cognitive ability, and knowledge of the business. According to their research, "there is less clear evidence for traits such as charisma, creativity and flexibility". Though transportation industry is considered to be the one, where many leadership initiatives can’t be completely appropriate and almost certainly requiring other methods, however leadership is still very

Is Wind Power Green Issue 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is Wind Power Green Issue 9 - Essay Example These options may not supply the entirety of the power to the unit, but they are usually able to make a significant impact on cutting conventional energy costs, depending on the area. Naturally, in an area like the Pacific Northwest where it is usually cloudy or rainy, solar power would be less effective, and in an area where there is not much wind, wind power may not be justified on a cost basis. â€Å"Many energy providers say they have to charge more for renewables to offset the risk and expense of researching and developing new markets. "Providers say it is more expensive energy to produce, and its definitely true that wind and solar power have very small government subsidies compared to coal and nuclear power energy," says Isaac Elancavae of the Michigan Environmental Council† (Donner, 2002). As time passes, however, the cost of these options is dropping. Wind power does not create any sort of pollutant gases, as conventional power does. These elements of wind power, pros and cons, will both be explored in more significant detail later in the report, but generally, these elements are used in tandem to create living and consumer spaces that are more environmentally friendly than they were in the past. For both materials and renewable energy resources, builders have virtually endless options. In terms of material, everything from insulation (recycled spray-insulation) to flooring (non-soil eroding bamboo floors) can be seen from a building green perspective. And in terms of renewable energy, as discussed above, although the main options are till solar and wind power, there are many other options also available to builders, such as methane and geo-thermal heat installation. Generally, as these technologies age, they become progressively cheaper. One may remember when buying a VCR cost several thousand dollars, when they were first invented. Today the same player costs under a hundred

Sustainability Of The International Trade Regime Term Paper

Sustainability Of The International Trade Regime - Term Paper Example The first reason is that the developing countries are as necessary to sustain the international trade regime now, as the developed countries/dominant countries. This is primarily because the international trade regime and the capitalist project are largely dependent on labor and natural resources – assets which the developing countries have in abundance. The second is that the viability and sustainability of the international trade regime depend as much on trade as well as on issues such as the environment and climate change. The debates created by a diverse international community has preserved rather than compromise the international trade regime. To this end, I will give the example of the debate between the US and Europe on biotechnology. A. The developing countries are as necessary to the international trade regime as the developed countries Krasner has argued that a â€Å"potentially dominant state has symbolic, economic and military capabilities that can be used to entice or compel others to accept an open trading structure.† (page 27). There is of course logic to this assertion as we have seen the many ways in which asymmetrical power relations were used to compel adherence to the principles of liberalization. He has also discussed the unfair and unjust ways that the developed nations might have taken advantage of developing nations in order to establish their lead, as for example, using protectionist policies to get ahead and then demanding openness and trade liberalization once a chasm has been created.

LC 50 and LD 50 Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LC 50 and LD 50 - Dissertation Example LD 50, also known as lethal dose 50 %, refers to the amount of a substance, in solid or liquid form, which is able to kill 50 % percent of a target population in a single dose. The dosage defines either single or multiple applications according to predetermined prescriptions. The two terms defines lethal administration of a substance in a habitat (Fingas and Charles, p. 191).angelo, social How oil can enter an organism Oil can enter into plants and animals’ bodies through different ways such as â€Å"physical exposure, ingestion, absorption and through food chain† (Fingas and Charles, p. 193). Entrance by physical exposure involves the organisms’ direct contact with oil, such as movement in the oil that can then enter the organisms’ bodies through their external openings. Ingestion is however the case of a direct consumption of oil. Absorption of oil occurs through transfer of volatile components through membranes of plants and some animals while exposure through food chain involves multiple transfers through ingestion (Fingas and Charles, p. 193). Meaning of avoidance Avoidance is one of organisms’ responses to calamities, such as oil spill, by restraining from affected areas. Aquatic animal are for example able to move to deeper levels to avoid spilled oil on water surface. Effects of oil spill on the aquatic environment Oil spill have different degree of effects on plants and animal depending on species and age.

Sustainability Of The International Trade Regime Term Paper

Sustainability Of The International Trade Regime - Term Paper Example The first reason is that the developing countries are as necessary to sustain the international trade regime now, as the developed countries/dominant countries. This is primarily because the international trade regime and the capitalist project are largely dependent on labor and natural resources – assets which the developing countries have in abundance. The second is that the viability and sustainability of the international trade regime depend as much on trade as well as on issues such as the environment and climate change. The debates created by a diverse international community has preserved rather than compromise the international trade regime. To this end, I will give the example of the debate between the US and Europe on biotechnology. A. The developing countries are as necessary to the international trade regime as the developed countries Krasner has argued that a â€Å"potentially dominant state has symbolic, economic and military capabilities that can be used to entice or compel others to accept an open trading structure.† (page 27). There is of course logic to this assertion as we have seen the many ways in which asymmetrical power relations were used to compel adherence to the principles of liberalization. He has also discussed the unfair and unjust ways that the developed nations might have taken advantage of developing nations in order to establish their lead, as for example, using protectionist policies to get ahead and then demanding openness and trade liberalization once a chasm has been created.

Retaining the HR Function Essay Example for Free

Retaining the HR Function Essay Introduction This report is to the executive directors and will be outlining the importance of retaining the HR function within the business. I will be explaining how HR activities support the organisations strategy and how HR professionals support line managers and their staff. HR is essential to the smooth running of the business. HR is there to ensure that the company do not have a high turnover of staff and that training is given to employee. HR is essential to help the company meet its targets, and ensuring that the company complies with legal requirements including Health Safety. How three HR activities support the organisations strategy Recruitment Recruitment is co-ordinated by the HR department and is a major factor on how your business recruits the right type of people to carry out the tasks required. HR will in this instance start from the beginning and advertise for the positions to be applied for, HR will also screen and interview the right type of candidates required and then Induct them once the candidate  is successful in getting the position. This is a time consuming job which the department that HR are recruiting for will not have time for and can spend their time concentrating on their departments. HR are responsible for sending out the necessary letters and paperwork to the candidates. Disciplinary’s / Grievances Disciplinary’s are usually completed due to a employee mis conduct or absence related. The HR team usually monitors all absences and would notify the line manager of any concerns. HR support the line managers by attending these disciplinary meetings and advise on the best course of action to be taken, HR are also responsible for ensuring the necessary paperwork is completed for the disciplinary to take place. Grievances are dealt with by the line managers also and again HR is responsible for ensuring that grievances are dealt with fairly and equally. Induction The HR department are responsible for inducting all new employees who enter into the business. Inductions are quite important in how the new employee fits into the business and responds with the demands and the business strategy. All new employees should be inducted with the practices, policies and procedures and the culture that the company operates in. This will allow the new employee to familiarise and settle into their role with how the business works, this should help keep the employee retention level quite low. The induction process done ‘effectively reflects the employer brand and the values the organisation is promoting. It is important, therefore, to ensure that the induction process reflects the values and culture of the organisation’ (CIPD, 2014) Three ways HR professionals support line managers and their staff Performance management The HR function here will provide you with the best way to maximise the potential of your employees. If you have underperforming employees HR will be able to help you get the maximum out of them. The process is performance management during this period the employee will go through a set of meetings to discuss their performance shortfalls. if after reviewing the  shortfalls the HR department are able to advise of the further necessary steps to take e.g. disciplinary, warnings etc. HR are there to support the managers carrying out the meetings and advising of the best way forward. Legal The HR function for the business in a legal matter would be to ensure that the organisation activities are complying with legislative requirements i.e. pay increase, working time regulations. HR would have to know the employment law to a degree in this way HR would act as an advisor for the company. We may also be making a decision on some occasions depending on the circumstances surrounding the issue or speak to the line managers on further training. more importantly HR are responsible for keeping records e.g. disciplinary, absences, training, as these good records can afford real protection for employers and managers who may need to defend their actions at a tribunal or In other courts (Martin and Whiting, 2013). If the company fails act accordingly to the legal requirements they could possibly face claims, and also the last instance close down the company Training HR is responsible for the training aspect of the business, if a department identifies the need for a training requirement they will notify the HR department. The HR departments responsibility would be to find how the training is going to be given out, i.e. external or internal If external training is required HR who have to find a company who deliver the training and find out the necessary information. This may include costs, venue, duration. HR would also draw up the relevant training contracts so that the company would not lose out financially if the employee was to leave once they had received the training. Conclusion To conclude the above points which I have mentioned, the HR department is an integral part of the organisation and is essential in meeting the business strategy. As you can see from the report without the HR department the business cannot function properly, by reducing the size of the HR department you may ultimately affect other parts of the business and the strategy as  whole. This may lead to an increase in employee retention and legal costs in the form of claims, tribunals etc. The examples of the parts of the business given above where HR is essential are a few and many more functions within the business need the HR department. The HR department are also their to support employee’s and for them to come and see and speak to someone in private and confidential nature this helps with employee relations. With the help of the HR department employees within the organisation are being given the necessary training. These employees who are given the opportunity of progress with the company are more devoted to meeting the business need and most of all the strategy. REFERENCES CIPD. (2014). What is an Induction. Available: http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/induction.aspx#link_2. Last accessed 04th December 2014. Martin, M. and Whiting, F.. (2013). Human Resource Practice. 6th ed.. CIPD.

Bidding Strategy of Construction Companies

Bidding Strategy of Construction Companies Introduction This report aims to assess the value to construction companies of having a defined bidding strategy that is complied with when tendering for new work. The majority of construction companies have a bidding strategy of some form whether it is specified or not, in the instance that a company does not engage in a process of selection when approaching new work then they will offer little value as they would be pricing every job available regardless of the contract value, location, programme or their previous experience of that type of work. At the time of writing the UK economy (in particular the construction industry) remains gripped by the instability and uncertainty created by the financial market turmoil that occurred throughout 2007 2008 leading to the greatest economic crisis and subsequent recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s (Brunnermeier, Markus K., 2009). As such construction companies are faced with a market place as competitive as any in living memory, for most turnover and profits have dropped significantly and this subsequently applies extra emphasis to the importance of the tendering process. The report will firstly review the literature available on bidding strategies in the construction industry with a brief review of the effects of the recession on contractors bidding prices. The literature review will then be advanced upon by conducting an assessment of the bidding strategy utilised by Dawn Construction Ltd, a main contractor operating in the central belt of Scotland. 2.0 Bidding Strategy 2.1 Definition A bidding strategy can be described as a wide range of applied techniques and timing in order to achieve predetermined objectives. Brook (2008) offers the following analogy It is interesting to note that in military terms, the word strategy means the skilful management of an army in such a way as to deceive the enemy and win a campaign. In business the stated objectives can sometimes be achieved by deceiving the opposition but principally the specified objective is to be successful in winning contracts at prices which would allow the organisation to carry out the work profitably In effect a bidding strategy is the decision by a company on which work to price for and the level of profit to incorporate in order to successfully secure the project and maintain the businesses financial security. 2.2 The Tender Process Under traditional circumstances the tender process for a contractor commences with the clients invitation to tender. Upon receipt the contractors response will be shaped by several factors, ultimately though the volume of available work will determine the eagerness of the contractor to price the tender. Very few contractors will actually outright decline the opportunity to price work for a reputable client, in the instance where the contractor does not want to price a tender for whatever reason it is more likely that he will price the work using uncompetitive rates in order to ensure they do not win the contract.(Smith, 1995) This practice is commonly referred to as cover pricing and the primary objective of it is for the contractor to avoid work that he does not want to undertake without insulting the client and being removed from his future tender lists. Although cover pricing was made illegal in 2000, it is still regularly employed by contractors who differentiate between submitti ng a price that is non-competitive and the act of colluding with others in a bid-rigging process. (Bingham, 2009) 2.3 Decision to Tender Prior to committing to pricing a project a contractor must carefully consider his decision to tender as every job he prices costs the company money and reduces the resources available to price other work. Some contractors engage in a grading system when they receive a tender (i.e. a grading range of 1-4), this is in order to prioritise enquiries and put emphasis on winning the types of projects best suited to the company. Others prefer to approach each tender with the aspiration of winning the contract, allowing their price to be influenced only by perceived risk and relevant market factors. Where circumstances change during the bidding process perhaps the contractor wins another contract unexpectedly this can be taken into account at adjudication stage. (Cook Williams, 2004) Cooke Williams (2004) cite the following as key factors in influencing a contractors decision to tender: General Is it our kind of work? What is the current workload? Working Capital Is there sufficient working capital to fund the project? What will be the effect on company financial resources? Availability of Resources Do we have the resources available to price? Do we have the site labour available to undertake? Are suitable subcontractors available? Location Is the project located within our trading area? What management and control problems will there be with a contract located some miles from head office? Size Type of Work What is the monetary value of the project? Is the contract too big for the company to undertake? How did the company perform on similar types of work in the past? Subcontract element What is the extent and value of the contractors work in the project compared with the subcontract element? Is the main contractor simply being asked to manage a number of subcontractors? Is a reasonable mark-up on subcontractors likely? General Is it our kind of work does it fit into strategic plan? What is the current workload in both the contracts division and the estimating section? Do we have the financial and management resources to undertake the work? Working Capital Is sufficient working capital available to fund the project? What will be the effect on company financial resources? The working capital required to fund a  £500,000.00 project will be approximately 15-20% of the monetary value at the peak funding month (say  £100,000- £150,000) Availability of Resources General management personnel (e.g. contracts managers, planning engineers, quantity surveyors) Site management (e.g. site agents, foremen/gangers, site engineers) Labour and plant Subcontractors are suitable subcontractors available and what is their resource situation? Location Is the project located within our trading area? What management and control problems will there be with a contract located some miles from head office? Size Type of Work What is the monetary value of the project? Is the contract too big for the company to undertake? Taking on a project which is too big could be damaging to future planning and growth What impact will there be on the viability of the business if the contract fails to make an adequate margin? If a contractor with an annual turnover of  £10 million wins a  £4 million contract and this project makes a loss, the whole business could be put at risk. A major project could give the company severe liquidity problems How did the company perform on similar types of work in the past? Bibliography Construction planning programming Control Brian Cooke Peter Williams Finance Control for Construction Chris March

Essay --

Children are our future and they should be given every possible opportunity to succeed in life even if they are born into disadvantaged situations. Sometimes the families of certain children can’t provide as much as other children’s families and this can create a gap in the achievement and development of these children. Those disadvantaged children need special programing that accommodates for the lack of cognitive and social development that if not properly addressed could lead to poor school performance and delinquency. The Head Start program was created to address this shortcoming that some children face and to catch them up with their more advantaged peers. (Garces, 2002, p. 999) Head Start was originally designed to provide a nurturing environment that would provide children with preschool education, positive social interaction, and nutritious snacks and meals to help compensate for the lack of those things in the children’s lives. Head Start does an adequate job at meeting the needs of children in the manner in which it was originally founded. The Head Start program is not bad and should not be done away with. But, from what I have learned through this study, amendments could be made to increase the longevity of the desired results. In this paper I will discuss the Head Start program. How Head Start has succeeded. The way it attempts to influence children’s behaviors. I will also discuss some of the shortcomings of the Head Start program and ways to make the program more effective. Discussion: Early intervention into the lives of children has been proven to prevent delinquency. At an early age it is an effective means of changing the course of children’s lives for the better. The most commonly agreed upon age to begin e... ...have health concerns as well. Perhaps an upgrade with some of the standards of the Perry Preschool Project would be a sound investment in the lives of children. This investment would serve to better achieve a reduction in crime and delinquency. This upgrade would be relatively simple since the current policy is similar to the Perry Project. Another very important reminder, and something that I became aware of through this project, is to always consider the individuals who will be impacted by this policy. The investment in their lives is extremely important because at the ages that early intervention deals with, they may not have anyone else to fight for them. The policy that is implemented should really have the best possible outcomes for children associated with it. Head Start and other early childhood interventions are important for the children that they impact. Essay -- Children are our future and they should be given every possible opportunity to succeed in life even if they are born into disadvantaged situations. Sometimes the families of certain children can’t provide as much as other children’s families and this can create a gap in the achievement and development of these children. Those disadvantaged children need special programing that accommodates for the lack of cognitive and social development that if not properly addressed could lead to poor school performance and delinquency. The Head Start program was created to address this shortcoming that some children face and to catch them up with their more advantaged peers. (Garces, 2002, p. 999) Head Start was originally designed to provide a nurturing environment that would provide children with preschool education, positive social interaction, and nutritious snacks and meals to help compensate for the lack of those things in the children’s lives. Head Start does an adequate job at meeting the needs of children in the manner in which it was originally founded. The Head Start program is not bad and should not be done away with. But, from what I have learned through this study, amendments could be made to increase the longevity of the desired results. In this paper I will discuss the Head Start program. How Head Start has succeeded. The way it attempts to influence children’s behaviors. I will also discuss some of the shortcomings of the Head Start program and ways to make the program more effective. Discussion: Early intervention into the lives of children has been proven to prevent delinquency. At an early age it is an effective means of changing the course of children’s lives for the better. The most commonly agreed upon age to begin e... ...have health concerns as well. Perhaps an upgrade with some of the standards of the Perry Preschool Project would be a sound investment in the lives of children. This investment would serve to better achieve a reduction in crime and delinquency. This upgrade would be relatively simple since the current policy is similar to the Perry Project. Another very important reminder, and something that I became aware of through this project, is to always consider the individuals who will be impacted by this policy. The investment in their lives is extremely important because at the ages that early intervention deals with, they may not have anyone else to fight for them. The policy that is implemented should really have the best possible outcomes for children associated with it. Head Start and other early childhood interventions are important for the children that they impact.

Victorian Newspapers -- Victorian Time Period

Victorian Newspapers: The Source for Inquiring Minds In William Makepeace Thackeray's novel Vanity Fair, George Sedley Osborne exhibits a desire to have his name appear in the newspapers. Furthermore, he is not the only one in Vanity Fair who is concerned with the newspapers, considering the fact that the words "newspaper" and "newspapers" appear twenty-two times in Thackeray's novel. Still, there is much more to know about Victorian newspapers than Thackeray imparts to his readers. Although George is unsuccessful in getting his name in print, the following information will be successful in illustrating to its readers the when, where, and why of newspapers in the Victorian era. The Nineteenth century included a monumental step for the world of newspapers. In fact, the "first papers to resemble the daily newspaper of the mid-twentieth century were the penny papers of the 1830's" (Hartman 17). Though their origins began in the Victorian era, the newspapers read today barely resemble the sparse "penny papers" years ago (Hartman 17). Reader Appeal Victorian newspapers found their start as expensive publications that were essentially unattainable by the lower classes. The reason for this inaccessibility is accounted for by the additional tax placed on newspapers during this time. This tax "took the form of a stamp duty, paid and recorded on every copy" ("Images"). Nevertheless, the sales of newspapers continually climbed. In addition, the "early select papers appealed only to man, the political animal" (Sampson 855). Indeed, the majorities of topics found in an early Victorian newspaper were political, and also sought to be partisan, rather than non-partisan. Finally, towards the end of the century, papers appealing to the "whol... ...ttp://www.uk.olivesoftware.com>. "Concise History of the British Newspaper in the 19th Century." The British Library Newspaper Library. The British Library Board. 09 Nov. 2004 . Dowd, Robert C. "A Brief History of Newspaper Publishing in Florida." The Florida Newspaper Project. University of Florida. 07 Nov. 2004 . "Extracts from the Times." Monuments and Dust: The Culture of Victorian London Collection. University of Virginia. 07 Nov. 2004 . Leary, Patrick. "Newspapers." Victoria Research Web. 07 Nov. 2004 . Rinhart, Floyd and Marion. Victorian Florida: America's Last Frontier. Atlanta, GA.: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd., 1986.

History of Human Services Essay

It is common for people to expect something in return for helping someone out or providing them with a specific service. It is also very common for people to expect to have to give up something in return for asking for help or specific services. While not everyone believes that those who are in need should be helped, there are opposing positions which feel that reform is a way to retract and counteract the situation the for the person in need. In order to get a better understanding of what is needed in the present time, we must first learn and understand how and why people of the western culture helped others through human services. As provided in The Introduction to Human Services: Policy and Practice, tracing back through history it shows how the western culture went through a difficult route of providing help for people in need. It shows how people in need were provided help from their families and the church or a benevolent feudal lord, later leading to receive help from the government, then eventually receive help from volunteers or trained professionals (Mandell & Schram, 2012). In the United States there are several helpful services which are no longer being made available due to the government’s decisions to strip away the programs or services for those in need and putting much of the burden on the volunteer and charity groups or churches. With the limited amount of resources and services available, these groups and churches are limited on what they can do to help. According to Garrow (2010), â€Å"nonprofit human service organizations located in a munificent environment can pursue multiple funding opportunities such as donations, fees for services, and other revenue-generating activities† (pg 447). There are several factors which have influenced our ability and willingness to help society members. Some people are just willing to help those in need because they have the means and are either empathetic or sympathetic to the needs of others. Many people who have gone through similar instances as those who are in need now are willing to try to help someone because they can feel their pain because they have been through the same tough times. While there are some that ant to help because they can, there are also those who can help but refuse to because of their survival of the fittest mentality because of their victim blaming point of view which sees and blames people for their own misfortune and not a circumstance due to social forces (Mandell & Schram, 2012). Reciprocity is a give and take type of situation. When there is someone receiving goods or services, it is expected that there is some type of benefit received back in return. In western cycles of giving and helping this same principle is put into place. There was once a time where people would help others because they want to or because it makes them feel good for doing so. Now in more modern times people expect a benefit received from the services they provide. Some consider the fact that people are in the situation they are in because of something they have done wrong or incorrectly. Mandell & Schram (2012) provide philosophies which clash with the methods of providing help. These philosophies include: * Deserving vs. Undeserving: This is where victim blamers are as the superior to the victims who need help which are put in discriminatory classification as higher or lower categories and some are considered to be more worthy of receiving benefits and services than others (pg 32). * Means-tested vs. Universal programs: This is where means-tested programs that are available only to the poor, whose assets fall below a certain set eligibility level as oppose to universal programs that provide income supports and social services to both the affluent and the poor (pg 32). Culture of poverty vs. Opportunity theory: This is where a system of self-defeating beliefs passed on from parent to child as oppose to the theory that people are prevented from getting out of poverty because of their lack of social opportunities rather than because of their individual defects (pg 32 & 35). There are four issues within the cycle of helping in the American society which connects to all types of situations and circumstanc es of people. The cycles consist of welfare reform, treatment of mental illness, juvenile justice, and criminal justice. With all of these issues, they prove the influence of human services which are of precedence of the spotlight and should be addressed accordingly. Welfare: * Welfare is considered as Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) and according to Mandell & Schram (2012) welfare provides a good example of the cycles of reform (pg 43). * Since welfare and other safety net programs were cut back, the criminal justice system expanded, causing the United States to have the highest incarceration rate on the planet which is five times the world’s average (pg 43). Mandell & Schram, 2012) Mental Illness: * Mental illness can be diagnosed only by observing. * The imprecision of the diagnosis of schizophrenia, for example, is illustrated by a study done by thirteen psychology researchers where they all presented themselves at the doors of various mental hospitals telling them they heard voices, with the outcome of each being discharged with a diagnosis of schizophrenic on remission. There are an uneven number of people of color in mental hospitals due partly to racial discrimination and partly because an unequal numbers of them are poor. (Mandell & Schram, 2012) Juvenile Justice: * The child-saving movement was the efforts of reformers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to rescue children from unwholesome influences which led to the development of children’s institutions, foster care, and the juvenile court (pg 55). The juvenile court system was based on the belief that children who break the law should not be punished like adults (pg55). * Juvenile reformatories were supposed to protect youngsters humanely from the corrupting influences of adult criminals but youth were found guilty and was assigned to a reformatory without trial and with a minimum of legal protection because legal due process was assumed to be unnecessary since reformatories were intended to reform and not punish (pg 55). Now juveniles have the right to know the charges against them, the right to have their own lawyer, and the right to confront and cross-examine their accuser and witnesses (pg 56). (Mandell & Schram, 2011) Criminal Justice: * The U. S. is the world’s leader in incarceration with 2. 3 million people in the nation’s prisons or jails in 2010 (pg 58). * Even though most of the prisoners are men, the number of mothers in America’s state prison has reached a record high (pg 58). * Many of the mothers who have been sentenced to prison had previously received TANF (pg 58). Another reason for the increase in incarcerations has been the imprisonment of undocumented immigrants (pg59). * Prisoners have to put their lives on hold while prison and in many states cannot vote when they get out (pg59). * Some human service workers work with people who are on probation and parole or in rehabilitation programs in order to check for inaccuracies in their crime records, help children visit their parents to prevent termination of parental rights, or help released prisoners to find jobs (pg 60). Mandell & Schram, 2012) In my opinion I think that we are trying to do as much as we can to help with welfare, juvenile justice, mental illness, and criminal justice. There is only so much that can be done since government only allows so much assistance and resources to those in need. There are fortunately volunteers and charities which provide the much needed assistance and resources for those without asking for any type of payment or reciprocity in return. Just as it is stated by Oftelie (2011), â€Å"human services support our nation’s social fabric, economic competiveness and equity in the American dream. We have the strategies and technologies for increasing capacity and performance† (pg 15). We need to learn to reach out to help others to become better for themselves, their families, and society. While not everyone believes that those who are in need should be helped, there are divergent positions which point out that reform is a way to withdraw from and offset the difficult circumstances for the person in need. Throughout history there has been a list of challenges for changes which can attest for the reform within human services. Through reciprocity and other factors of societal circumstances shape the behavior for helping those in need. Even though there have been many changes in the cycles of helping in the American society, we can always use even more improvements in welfare, mental illness treatment, juvenile justice, and criminal justice systems. It is up to everyone to find a way to contribute to develop new approaches to human services.

Nonfiction Reaction

â€Å"Salvation† by Langston Hughes â€Å"Who Will Light the Incense When Mother’s Gone? † By Andrew Lam Nonfiction Reaction University of Phoenix ENG/125 Jill Greene Nonfiction Reaction â€Å"Salvation† by Langston Hughes Langston Hughes, author of the nonfiction short story â€Å"Salvation,† was born James Mercer Langston Hughes on February 1, 1902 to Carrie and James Hughes in Joplin Missouri (New World Encyclopedia, 2008). Langston Hughes was among the principle figures of the Harlem Renaissance. He is a major influence to writers and poets of different races and creeds. His writings, inspired by the rhythms and language of the black church and blues and jazz music of his era, send messages of equity, harmony, and unity. Hughes believed music to be the true expression of the black spirit. In Hughes’ nonfiction story, â€Å"Salvation,† he writes about his salvation from sin that was instead an abandonment of his belief in Jesus. The story begins with the revival at his Auntie Reed’s church. Hughes was told: When he becomes saved he would see a light, and something would happen inside. Jesus would come into his life and God would be with him from then on. He would be able to see, hear, and feel Jesus in his soul. Hughes, 1940, p. 351) During the revival that night the children were brought to the front of the church. At the end of the sermon the preacher asked the children enter the fold of Jesus and save their soles from sin. Some of the children went right away. People of the church prayed for the other children until they went t o the altar. Hughes did not go because he was waiting to see Jesus and the light. Hughes and Westley were the only children left. Westley became tired and went up to the altar to save his sole from sin. Hughes was still waiting to see the light and Jesus. The congregation continued to pray for Hughes. Hughes was waiting to see Jesus. Jesus never came. Hughes began to wonder why he could not see Jesus and what would happen to Westley for taking Jesus’ name in vain and lying in the church. He finally rose and went to the church alter to join the other children. The congregation began to rejoice with shouts of Amen. That night in bed he cried. His aunt thought his crying was because the Holy Ghost had come into his life, and he had seen Jesus. He was crying because the Holy Ghost had not come into his life, he had not seen Jesus, and he could not tell her of his lies (Hughes, 1940, p. 352). He could not tell his aunt he no longer believes that there is a Jesus. In this nonfiction story Hughes uses irony to show that no matter how bad a person wants something to happen, chances are that something may not happen. Hughes was told that he would see a light and Jesus. Jesus does not come. This causes Hughes to doubt his salvation and religion. Hughes has to give in to the painful truth that he would not see a light or Jesus. As the preacher sang of â€Å"the ninety and nine safe in the fold,† Langston could not help but believe he was the â€Å"one little lamb left out in the cold† (Hughes, 1940, p. 51). This song was a comparison of the children to lambs. The children were lambs, innocent and with a need to be led to Jesus. Within this flock Hughes and Westley were the strays that needed to be led back to the right path to Jesus. These boys came to the altar for the wrong reasons. Hughes demonstrates that temptation still exists, much like the temptation of th e apple in Eden. Hughes gives in to the temptation of lying about seeing Jesus. This causes Hughes to doubt the existence of Jesus because â€Å"he did not come to help him† (Hughes, 1940, p. 352). This story reminds the reader of the pressure that adults can unknowingly place on children. â€Å"Who Will Light the Incense When Mother’s Gone? † by Andrew Lam Andrew Lam, author of the nonfiction short story â€Å"Who Will Light the Incense When Mother’s Gone? † was born in 1964 in South Vietnam. He came to the United States in 1975 at the age of 11. The nonfiction short story â€Å"Who Will Light Incense When Mother’s Gone? † is about the loss of old traditions. When Lam’s mother turns 70, she and her sister wonder who will keep the tradition and light the incense to the dead when each sister is dead. Their children have become Americanized and do not want to keep the tradition. Their grandchildren will not because they do not understand this tradition. The ladies assume that the ritual will end with them. The children, born in America, know nothing of their ancestors in Vietnam. The ritual consists of lighting joss sticks at the ancestral altar. Then talking to the ghosts and saying prayers to the spirits of dead ancestors asking for protection. Lam uses imagery about the incense slowly burning and his mother mumbling indecipherably to dead people to show how this tradition is old and nonsensical to him. Lam’s mother is afraid that he has become too American. She believes that he has become a cowboy. â€Å"A cowboy in Vietnamese estimation is a rebel who, as in the spaghetti westerns leaves town—the communal life—to ride alone into the sunset† (Lam, 2003, p. 1078). Lam uses metaphors, cowboy, to describe how his mother views him. Lam expresses his fear to be left alone in the world when his mother leaves, but hesitates to take up her traditions. Lam’s mother wants her children to be Americans, to finish high school, go to college, and receive employment in the field of study. She would also like them to keep Vietnamese traditions. Lam believes he and his mother live in two different worlds. â€Å"His is a world of travel, writing, and public speaking; hers is a world of consulting the Vietnamese horoscope, attending Buddhist temple on the day of her parents death anniversaries, and telling stories of the past† (Lam, 2003, p. 1078). When Lam considers the traditions that will be lost, he has feelings of guilt. â€Å"I wish I could assure my mother that, after she is gone, each morning I would light incense for her and all the ancestor spirits before her, but I cannot† (Lam, 2003, p. 078). His mother and other Vietnamese mothers connect him and his generation to the traditional past. When she is gone this will be lost. â€Å"I fear she’ll leave me stranded in America, becoming more American than I expected, a lonely cowboy cursed with amnesia† (Lam, 2003, p. 1078). Both of these stories, â€Å"Salvation† and â€Å"Who Wil l Light Incense When Mother’s Gone? † are about loss. Hughes writes about the loss of his faith and Lam writes about the loss of his family tradition. I understand these feelings of loss. Traditions that my family did when I was younger, I no longer do as an adult. When gathering together with family and talk of these times, one begins to wonder why these times had to stop. Our lives have gone in different directions, and we no longer make time for extended family outings. Nonfiction stories such as these bring back memories to the readers. Everyone has a time when they have lost faith in something or questioned the loss of a family tradition. While reading these stories one can imagine themselves becoming a part of the story. Imagination is more useful for the reader. I believe that imagination is already a part of nonfiction writings. The writer is using imagination while writing about the past. The writer has to imagine as he writes. References Hughes, L. (2011). Salvation. In S. Barnet, W. E. Cain, & W. Burto, Literature for composition: Essays, stories, poems, and plays. (9th ed. , p. 351-352). Boston, MA: Pearson. (Original work published 1940). Lam, A. (2011). Who will light the incense when Mother’s gone? In S. Barnet, W. E. Cain, & W. Burto, Literature for composition: Essays, stories, poems, and plays. (9th ed. , p. 1077-1078). Boston, MA: Pearson. (Original work published 2003). New world encyclopedia. (2008). Retrieved from http://www. newworldencyclopedia. org/entry/Langston_Hughes