Review on Data impediments to empirical work on health insurance Article

Review on Data impediments to empirical work on health insurance markets paper - Article Example it is found out that majority of the publicly available sources of data, that is commonly used by researchers are to carry out their study on the health insurance market shares, is unreliable. These data sources are said to portray great variability over the years and are relative to both a rational prior and to the inconsistency demonstrated in the health sectors discharge data. These data sources assume merger activities from specialized and from high professional findings. Their unreliability to the studying competition in the health insurance sector is revealed in their character to omit significant components of the market. Such omitted components may include the self-insured health plans. The article considers the private insurance industry that plays a more significant role in the health care sector in the United States. A large number of individuals in U.S purchase private insurance plans. Another significant number of individuals are covered through Medicaid while they are still enrolled in the private plans. The article compared the elderly people in U.S to the nonelderly. It was revealed that majority of the nonelderly individuals opt for the private insurance plans while 95 % of the elderly people are enrolled to the Medicare. Although a few numbers of the nonelderly are enrolled to the Medicaid, they are also found to have enrolled into the private plans. Only a quarter of the elderly people opt for the private insurance plans (Leemore et al. 11). According to this paper, the antitrust analysts and researchers cannot generate an accurate empirical analysis of competition in the health insurance industry through the use of a readily available market share data. These differences in shares and the concentration reported within different data sources would force researchers to choose among the competing data sets. The doubtfully high unpredictability within the data sets suggests

Ethics in Information Technology Essay Example for Free

Ethics in Information Technology Essay Chad White (2009) discussed that by the end of 2008, retailers have been sending a record breaking number of promotional emails. The main question is, is this increase worth the price of all the negative consequences of such campaign? Cassar (2009) said that people had less money to spend in 2008 and that they view the internet as a deal seeking venue but not actually purchase online. There are a lot of costs associated with even simple system messages like, â€Å"You have items left in your cart. † Doubling the sending of these emails over the holiday period can cause some serious irritation, too, as the company can easily be marked as spam because of these emails that are being sent at least twice daily by some. Before actually spending out the money for these promotional mails, it might be better if the companies spend the extra cost in promotion by helping the customers save more, for instance, they can offer a promotional coupon or free shipping. Noguchi (2008) said that email has become too time-consuming for people that instead of aiding to get things accomplished, email has become a distraction from work being done. In another article, Noguchi (2008) said that family can be reasons for email overload as some members of the family love sending pictures, videos and all other stuff they can think of to every email address they have on file. These things can get really distracting especially at work. Suggestions to resolve this dilemma: a person can always limit messages in his mailbox, do not open personal emails at work, mark emails requiring action, use spam blockers, be alert on the proper subject headings (Asiado 2010). The key is being organized (Asiado 2010). Schaper (2009) said that one way to avoid email overload is taking a break from emails even once a week. In fact, his research showed one Chicago based company is implementing this exact same rule. They understand that email is important and necessary to business but it can just be toxic, hence this policy. Glenn (2008) said that there is practically no privacy at work. Everything done by an employee on a work computer can easily be seen by his employer as everything is saved in the company’s hard drive. There is only one suggestion to resolve this: avoid using work computer to do incriminating acts against your own person or another. References: Asiado, T. (2010). Tips How to Reduce Email Overflow at Work. Suite101. Retrieved, 14 July 2010, from http://businessmanagement. suite101. com/article. cfm/tips-to-reduce-email-overflow-at-work Cassar, K. (2009). Little Holiday Cheer Ahead for Online Retail. neilsenwire. Retrieved, 14 July 2010, from http://blog. nielsen. com/nielsenwire/consumer/little-holiday-cheer-ahead-for-online-retail/ Glenn, H. (2008). E-mail at Work: Tips to Keep You out of Trouble. npr. org. Retrieved, 14 July 2010, from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=91604666 Noguchi, Y. (2008). Help! Family Spam is Crowding My Inbox! npr. org. Retrieved, 14 July 2010, from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=91402876 Noguchi, Y. (2008). Make it Stop! Crushed by Too Many E-Mails. npr. org. Retrieved, 14 July 2010, from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=91366853 Schaper, D. (2009). An E-Mail Vacation: Taking Fridays Off. npr. org. Retrieved, 14 July 2010, from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=91724075 White, C. (2009). Email Volume Sets New Records During Holidays. mediapost. com. Retrieved, 14 July 2010, from http://www. mediapost. com/publications/? fa=Articles. showArticleart_aid=98215

Criticism of a Social Group

Criticism of a Social Group The intergroup sensitivity effect occurs when people perceive criticism of a social group they belong to. Group members evaluation of the criticism depends largely on the source of the message. According to social identity theory outgroup members are typically evaluated less positively than ingroup members because people are motivated to perceive their group (and themselves) as more favorable than a reference group. Applying this ingroup preference to intergroup criticisms; outgroup critics are evaluated less positively than ingroup critics, and their comments arouse greater sensitivity than do the same comments made by an ingroup member. Since ingroup members receive more positive appraisal, their criticisms are perceived as more constructive, provoke less sensitivity, and are agreed with more. Research by Hornsey and Imani (2003) supported the intergroup sensitivity effect by revealing that ingroup critics were met with less defensiveness than were outgroup critics, regardless of t he amount of experience they had with the ingroup. The black sheep effect is another phenomenon related to social identity. When ingroup member deviate from the defining norms of the group they threaten the image of the group. One goal of group membership is positive distinctiveness; to be distinct from a reference group in a more positive way. When ingroup members deviate from norms that define the group they threaten the positive distinctiveness of the group. These individuals are then negatively evaluated. The black sheep effect refers to more negative evaluations of ingroup deviants compared to outgroup members, deviant or otherwise. Outgroup deviants cannot threaten the positive distinctiveness of the group like an ingroup member can. Groups may have a tendency to agree on more extreme positions than those held by individuals through a process called group polarization. Often this occurs following group discussion. Two theories may account for this phenomenon, social comparison theory (SCT) and persuasive arguments theory (PAT). According to SCT, people are motivated to evaluate and present themselves positively, in order to do this an individual must be continually processing information about how other people present themselves and adjust their self-presentations accordingly. People also want to be perceived to be better than average so they present themselves in a more favorable light. When all members of a group engage in this comparing process the result is a shift in a direction of perceived greater value. To do this people engage in removal of pluralistic ignorance, where they present their views as compromises between the ideal and the desire to not be too deviant from the group. People then tend to shift towards the ideal position, leading to group polarization. The bandwagon effect, or one-upmanship, also occurs because people want to be different and distinct from other people in their group in a more favorable direction. This happens when people infer the norm of the group, then shift their respo nse to a more ideal position. The persuasive arguments theory (PAT) suggests that an individuals choice or position on an issue is a function of the number and persuasiveness of pro and con arguments that that person recalls from memory when formulating their position. Discussion causes polarization because it provides persuasive arguments to the individual. These arguments tend to be evaluated on their validity and novelty. A meta-analysis by Isenberg (1986) suggested that, while there is evidence for both SCT and PAT as mediators of group polarization, PAT tends to have a stronger effect. While both may occur simultaneously, there is evidence that they are two conceptually independent processes. One of the primary ways that individuals maintain independence from norms associated with social groups is through social support. Allen (1975) proposed that social support serves to provide an assessment of physical and social reality. Under situations of conformity (experimentally manipulated by consensus on an incorrect answer) social support encourages individuals to express responses inconsistent with those of the group. Social support counteracts negative social factors related to dissent by reducing anxiety related to potential rejection, and reducing the perception that the group will make negative dispositional attributions about the dissenter. On a cognitive basis, social support helps nonconformity by simply breaking the expectation of group consensus, by cognitively restructuring the meaning of a given stimulus, and by reassuring the dissenting person that they have not lost touch with reality. Nonconformity aided by social support is enhanced by previous social contact w ith the supporter, and occur whether the supporter is an ingroup or outgroup member (as long as the conformity issue is not related to the salient social identity. The effectiveness of minority influence relies on a number of factors. According to Moscovici Faucheux (1972) one of the main factors is consistency of the message. People are motivated to seek consistency in their social world and it is easier to persuade individuals of the legitimacy of ones view on issues when the message is consistent, particularly when the answer is unknown (e.g. how to fix  the economy). Moscovici also suggests that rigid minorities tend to have a less direct influence than more flexible minorities, which may imply that Palin needs to portray her views as more moderate. Alvaro and Crano (1997) suggest that indirect minority influence may be effective at changing attitudes. In an effort to effect popular opinion about highly contested and core political issues (e.g. abortion rights) she ought to target an associated, less contentious issue (e.g. sex education in public schools). In order for her to have any success at indirect influence however, she needs to present herself as an ingroup member. She might focus on her identity as a woman, a mother, cite a long familial American heritage or any other potential cross-cutting categories. She will have more success if she portrays herself as more similar to the majority of Americans. Old fashioned prejudice may be characterized as overt prejudice where discrimination is obvious and public. Modern prejudice can be conceptualized as aversive racism (Gaertner Dovidio, 1986) which is characterized by ambivalence between feelings and beliefs associated with a egalitarian value system and unacknowledged negative feelings and beliefs about African Americans. For most Americans an egalitarian value system is important to the self-concept, demanding a nonprejudiced self-image. This is the result of sympathy for victims of past injustices leading to support of public policies that promote racial equality. However, negative attitudes toward African Americans are still pervasive. These feelings and beliefs may be derived from a historical and contemporary culturally racist contexts (creating uneasiness or discomfort). They may be biases derived from cognitive mechanisms that contribute to the development of stereotypes. They may also develop from any combination of historic al stereotypes, institutional racism, need for self-esteem, or economic competition. As opposed to the direct link between old fashioned racism and acts of prejudice, aversive racism has more complex antecedents for expression of prejudice. When there is weak, ambiguous or conflicting normative structure defining appropriate interaction or if a prejudiced response can be rationalized or justified through attribution to some factor other than race, actsof prejudice are more likely to occur. When there is clearly appropriate normative structure and a prejudiced response cannot be rationalized acts of prejudice are less likely to occur. Deindividuation effects have classically been described as anti-normative behavior stemming from decreased self-awareness and decreased self-evaluation, occurring when the presence and identity of a group supersede individual identity. Specific antecedents of deindividuation effects were proposed by Zimbardo (1969), which included anonymity, sensory overload, novel situations, loss of individual responsibility and substance abuse. Zimbardo proposed that deindividuation effects manifested as behaviors that were violations of norms and largely characterized as antisocial. Diener (1980) further elaborated on the effect as decreased self-awareness by an individual, making them responsive to external stimulus over internal monitoring and planning. It is important to note that these classical conceptions of deindividuation effects largely as an individual process, rather than a group process. A more contemporary model that challenges classical conceptualizations of deindividuation is the social identity perspective on deindividuation effects (SIDE; Reicher et al., 1995). The SIDE model proposes that deindividuation effects fall into one of two categories; (a) cognitive effects and (b) strategic effects, depending on whether the self or other group members are anonymous. Cognitive effects are believed to occur in relation to others being anonymous or identifiable. When group members are anonymous the individual has a tendency to perceive indicators of group membership, making social identity and group norms salient, however when other group members are identifiable, individual identity becomes salient, decreasing the power of group norms. In contrast, strategic effects occur when the self is either anonymous or identifiable to the group. They are named as such because rather than being involved in perception of social identity, they are involved in displaying social identi ty. Studies suggested that when an individual was anonymous they expressed more punishable than unpunishable ingroup norms, when they were identifiable, they expressed more unpunishable than punishable ingroup norms. When identity is available to an ingroup, individuals express group norms in an effort to enhance social identity, but when identity is available to an outgroup, individuals are less expressive of group norms, possibly for fear of retribution. The SIDE model suggests that crowd behaviors related to anonymity rarely result from deindividuated states, rather that behaviors were context dependant and consistent with group norms.

Droughts: The End of the American West Essay -- Climate Change and Dro

Droughts are one of the most expensive natural hazards and have the potential to last for months or even years (U.S. Drought Portal). Along with famine and flooding, droughts are considered one of the top three threats to the population (Oblack). A drought is defined as an unusually long period of time with persistent lack of precipitation that causes serious problems. Several factors that affect the severity of a drought are the degree of moisture deficiency, length, size, and location of where the drought occurs (Droughts). A drought can be categorized four ways. A Meteorological drought occurs when there are significantly lower levels of precipitation than normal. This type of drought is dependent on the region because what would be considered normal precipitation in one area could be different in another region. Agricultural droughts refer to when the amount of moisture is less than what the crop in that area requires. Hydrological droughts are when the water supply in the surface and subsurface of the ground is below normal. Socioeconomic are when the lack of water begins to affect people (Droughts). Droughts are caused when there is less rainfall then normal on a region. When the air sinks (subsidence) there is compressional warming or high pressure, which limits the formation of clouds. As a result, there is lower humidity and less precipitation (Predicting Droughts). Additionally, if there are higher temperatures or shifts in the wind pattern this could cause the evaporation of moisture in the ground to increase (Plumer). Droughts can be aggravated by people’s overuse through heavy pumping and farming of marginal lands that puts a strain on the water supply. Additionally people affect droughts by damming rivers. ... ...id W. Hyndman. Natural Hazards and Disasters. 3rd ed. Australia: Brooks/Cole, 2011. Print. Oblack, Rachelle. â€Å"What Causes Droughts?† About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. . Plumer, Brad. â€Å"What We Know about Climate Change and Drought.† Wonkblog. Washington Post, 24 July 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. . â€Å"Predicting Droughts.† National Drought Mitigation Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. . â€Å"Predicting Droughts with Greater Certainty.† Science Daily. N.p., 3 June 2009. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. . U.S. Drought Portal. NIDIS, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. .

The Important Things

The Important Things What are the most important things in my life? Family is the number one most important thing in my life. My girlfriend, education, career, money and happiness are also very important to me in life. Without my family I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I couldn’t ask for better parents. And I have a little brother I wouldn’t be able to live without. My parents work very hard to provide a wonderful life for us. We really enjoy going camping and taking other vacations together. It gives us a lot of quality time to spend together.My family helps me through the hard times in life. I have the best grandparents in the world that would do anything for me. I have been very fortunate being able to spend lots of time with them while growing up. We have made many special memories together that I will always hold close to my heart. There were six brothers and sisters on my dad’s side and four sisters on my mom’s side. Combining the two, I h ave twelve amazing cousins. We are all very close and get together to celebrate all of the birthdays and holidays.I love my family with all my heart and could never ask for a better one. My girlfriend means the world to me. Not only is she my girlfriend, she is my best friend. She knows how to make me smile when I’m not in a good mood. She is the one person I know I can count on. I love her with all my heart. I will never let her go. We have been together since the beginning of high school. We have a special connection with each other; there is something that will never break us apart. Education is a very important event in my life.Getting laid off for the second winter really inspired me to go back to school. I am now in a four semester program to become a Process Operator. Lewis and Clark provide a great education. I have been working hard and keeping my grades up so that I can graduate on time and look for a better job. My career is what I am working hard in school for now . The right job is out there for me somewhere. After I complete my education, I will find it. I am very determined. I feel that being younger I might have some advantages. My oal is to get hired on at Phillips 66. They will be hiring for the foreseeable future. Nine out of twenty people were hired from the last class that graduated from the program that I am in now. My cousin was one of them. Can money buy happiness? Some people are extremely wealthy but also very lonely, while others are poor but happy with their surrounding family and friends they have. You can buy many things with money but not happiness. There are many ways to obtain money. Some people may work for it while others might win the lottery.I am the type of person who works hard for my money and saves it. The more money I have available the happier I am with myself. I don’t let money take over my life though. I have a roof over my head and a meal to eat every night, so for that I am very happy. Being around my family and girlfriend is what truly brings happiness to my heart. The most important thing is to enjoy your life. Being happy is all that truly matters. Hold close those who are close to your heart. The love of family and the admiration of friends are much more important than wealth or privilege. The Important Things The Important Things What are the most important things in my life? Family is the number one most important thing in my life. My girlfriend, education, career, money and happiness are also very important to me in life. Without my family I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I couldn’t ask for better parents. And I have a little brother I wouldn’t be able to live without. My parents work very hard to provide a wonderful life for us. We really enjoy going camping and taking other vacations together. It gives us a lot of quality time to spend together.My family helps me through the hard times in life. I have the best grandparents in the world that would do anything for me. I have been very fortunate being able to spend lots of time with them while growing up. We have made many special memories together that I will always hold close to my heart. There were six brothers and sisters on my dad’s side and four sisters on my mom’s side. Combining the two, I h ave twelve amazing cousins. We are all very close and get together to celebrate all of the birthdays and holidays.I love my family with all my heart and could never ask for a better one. My girlfriend means the world to me. Not only is she my girlfriend, she is my best friend. She knows how to make me smile when I’m not in a good mood. She is the one person I know I can count on. I love her with all my heart. I will never let her go. We have been together since the beginning of high school. We have a special connection with each other; there is something that will never break us apart. Education is a very important event in my life.Getting laid off for the second winter really inspired me to go back to school. I am now in a four semester program to become a Process Operator. Lewis and Clark provide a great education. I have been working hard and keeping my grades up so that I can graduate on time and look for a better job. My career is what I am working hard in school for now . The right job is out there for me somewhere. After I complete my education, I will find it. I am very determined. I feel that being younger I might have some advantages. My oal is to get hired on at Phillips 66. They will be hiring for the foreseeable future. Nine out of twenty people were hired from the last class that graduated from the program that I am in now. My cousin was one of them. Can money buy happiness? Some people are extremely wealthy but also very lonely, while others are poor but happy with their surrounding family and friends they have. You can buy many things with money but not happiness. There are many ways to obtain money. Some people may work for it while others might win the lottery.I am the type of person who works hard for my money and saves it. The more money I have available the happier I am with myself. I don’t let money take over my life though. I have a roof over my head and a meal to eat every night, so for that I am very happy. Being around my family and girlfriend is what truly brings happiness to my heart. The most important thing is to enjoy your life. Being happy is all that truly matters. Hold close those who are close to your heart. The love of family and the admiration of friends are much more important than wealth or privilege.

France vs America essays

France vs America essays A Comaprison between France and America There are few countries in the world that share as similar governmental structures as the United States and France. It would be expected, however, that France and America would share such similarities in government based upon the fact that the original French Constitution was inspired by the U.S. constitution. Like America, France has an Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branch. However, the processes by which tasks are carried out by each of these branches are all slightly different from that of the United States. It is for this reason that the comparison of these two countries is so interesting; broadly speaking, both governments appear very similar, however, when looked at more closely there are smaller distinctions that keep them separate and unique. While examining the smaller differences between both countries, the chief distinction between the two governmentsthe political party system-will be discussed in detail. France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. In 1958, France constructed a presidential democracy that has been resistant to the instabilities that other parliamentary democracies have faced. In recent years, Frances reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved to be key in the economic integration of Europe, which includes the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. Currently, France is at the forefront of European states and it continues to grow as a more unified and capable country. France, like the United States, is a republic with a written constitution. As previously noted, the French constitution was modeled after the U.S. constitution containing a preamble, seventeen articles, as well as illustrating the principle of the separation of powers. The French Constitution also spells out natural and indefeasible rights such as liberty, property, ...

The Flu Pandemic of 1918 Essays

The Flu Pandemic of 1918 Essays The Flu Pandemic of 1918 Essay The Flu Pandemic of 1918 Essay During the course of time certain incidents occur that change the course of our future and our thoughts.These incidents effect the population of the world either positively or negatively.Yet one event stood out to show how with the future brings both knowledge and power.Over the course of this century, scientific research has shown that modern medicine is not as exemplary as we would like it to be, since both we as people, and diseases are continuing a rapid growth or race to extinction of one another.For scientific comparisons, the 1918 Flu Pandemic will be the archetype. Since the beginning of time man has been haunted and tormented by one thing.Disease.Disease and bacteria have been causing great pain and strife to people since the beginning of time.From the Egyptians to the pioneers, and now today.As many different forms of diseases break out, society often is caught looking back in history to judge what to do in situations.This includes diseases.Scientists and researchers stil l havent found the direct cause of the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918, let alone many others that are taking place this very second.Diseases have damaged society for a long time, the bubonic plague that swept across Europe during the 1300s nearly half the population of Europe was killed by an epidemic of plague.(Fettner Pg. 1) Though diseases have been lingering in human society since the dawn of time, many have fought back diseases by researching and creating vaccines and advances in medicine to help the ill.From penicillin to advanced surgery techniques and Antibiotics, the world has given its best shots to end disease but are still falling up a little short. Since the beginning of the infectious influenza, which has been taking the lives of many humans for centuries, it has always been consistent with its treatments and symptoms.The flu is well known for being on time.As most are aware of the flu

Problems That Employees And Employers Face And Possible Solutions - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Problems That Employees And Employers Face And Possible Solutions - Smart Custom Writing Management of Information Systems and Corporate EthicsIn the business world, every organization has its mission, vision and defined goals. Today, the world is in a digital era, and organizations utilize automated Information Technology   (IT) systems to manage and protect information, reduce risk thus achieve their mission. Management Information Systems refers to the use of particular systems to give managers reports on their current and past operations. This helps the management in decision-making, and problem solving. The use of a good IT system can make an organization adhere to its corporate ethics and avoid scandals. The following summary of an article reflects the role of Information Technology Systems, Management of Information Systems in helping an organization to meet its corporate ethics, and responsibilities while adhering to the federal rules, and regulations. The essay also shows the role of the chief information officer in leading an organization towards achieving it s objectives. In the article, Business Ethics: Steering Clear of Scandal, Mary Pratt illustrates how IT leaders can aid their companies to avoid ethical problems. In the current digitalized era, the IT staff at Texas Health Resources Inc. is obligated to help in technical functions, meet its ethical standards, and comply with rules and regulations. According to the Deputy Chief Information Officer at the organization, Michael Alverson, the system should eliminate unethical behaviors and promote corporate ethics (Pratt 1). According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the medical records of a patient should be kept private. The records should also be easily accessible to the doctors, nurses, caregivers and the patient. The system should ensure that cases of malpractices where unauthorized information access can endanger the life and privacy of a patient are blocked. IT employers at this nonprofit healthcare organization have to comply with certain ethical standards. There are clear-cut organization policies that prohibit them from taking gifts so that they can influence decision-making in the procurement system. Procurement has to get to purchase an IT system that helps in meeting the quality, and the needs of the organization. If the organization has to procure a new system, they have to seek the Business Ethics council. The policies of ethics dictate that a company has to do the right thing. This means that they have to adhere to certain values like environmental sustainability, commit themselves to the community, and this can help employers to work. The ethics play a great role in enabling a company to meet rules and regulations of the federal government, meet the consumer and employee demands while ensuring profitability. Mike Distelhost, a law professor at Capital University Law School says that, the objectives of corporate ethics can be met appropriately only if an organization decides to use a good technological system (Pratt 2). The involvement of IT experts in policy making greatly contribute to the corporate strategy. They often know the capabilities, and weaknesses of a system, and how scandals should be blocked. The Executive Director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, Kirk O. Hanson, says that system should be able to monitor information access to avoid violation of company policy (Pratt 2). Unauthorized information access can lead to the downfall of an organization. It is important to note that the system should be designed in a way that guarantees authorized accessibility, and at the same time identify any attempt to breach it. It is possible for organizations to get systems that can effectively analyze customer satisfaction after surveys have been carried out. This can help to reveal worker’s compliance to business and organizational ethics. An organization can also design a system that enables it to screen the values of its business partners like subcontractors. This can help to eliminate malpractices like bribery. Today, the world is coming to terms with global warming, an organization should get a system that enables it to track its energy use and indicate inefficiencies. IT leaders especially the Chief Information Officer should act as a bridge, and help organizations to get a system that helps them to meet their social responsibility programs, and comply with business ethics. Intel Corp. can best illustrate this. According to its CIO, Diane Byrant, the company has an Ethics and Compliance Oversight Committee. This committee is based on the five key principles of both the workers and the company. These are the Company should carry out business both with integrity, and with honesty; Intel and its workers should comply with the law; employees should treat each other with fairness; employees should not engage themselves in conflicts of interest with the organization, and they should protect the reputation and assets of the company (Pratt 3). The IT staff at Intel has built an IT system that helps the company to meet this requirement. This has made it accountable in accordance to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There are also workers who handle documentation systems, and retain records, which is extremely essential in legal cases. Intel’s IT systems have enabled it to implement its corporate values. They have a system that enables them to scrutinize their suppliers to ensure that their ethical values and standards meet with those of Intel. At its data centers, the organization has excellent systems that monitor energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and aim at controlling the hazardous effects of global warming (Pratt 3). The organization has systems that will check for any improper behavior like the leaking of Intellectual Property to the public. In general, the organization has used solutions that aid in protection of its basic five principles, says Byrant. CIO’s should be at the forefront in building and implementing such systems instead of receiving orders from the executive management. Information management does not involve blocking of certain websites that may risk a company’s future and profitability. It should have systems that support daily activities of an organization, its business ethics, and responsibility programs. This article illustrates the need of Management of Information Systems in an organization. It shows the significance of the CIO in helping an organization to formulate and meet its strategic long and short-term goals. The CIO controls the implementation of technology so that the organization can have increased access to vital information, and integrated management of systems. In general, the CIO plays a key role in implementing practices, and processes that ensuring that information flows freely throughout the organization. This article has highlighted the benefits of MIS. Organizations structures have aligned themselves to meet with the demands of information management. Managers are able to have supervised their employees in an efficient manner, and in less time than before. These systems have led to a decentralized system of decision making without losing the awareness of an organization’s management. Organizations are able to divide themselves into distinct units, effectively utilize information and thus cut down costs and reduce unnecessary complexities.   In conclusion, the management of information dictates the profitability of an organization. It is easy to know who made a certain decision or action. The incentive system should be used to determine how the decision-maker should be rewarded or punished depending on the outcome of his or her action. IT can cut expenditures involved in processing and transferring both quantitative and qualitative organization. A good example is the manual trading of stocks on the conventional trading floors. A lot of money was spent on hiring brokers. The use of â€Å"screen-based† systems has saved resources in share trading. In the business world today, the information systems are the key to survival and profitability. Work Cited Pratt, K. Mary. Business Ethics: Steering Clear of Scandal. CIO. 2009. Web. 18 Nov 2010.

Walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Walmart - Essay Example It comes under strategic portfolio management. It has the following criteria: Score from the EFE Matrix (score is plotted on y-axis) Score from the IFE Matrix (score is plotted on x-axis) The IE Matrix is divided into three segments namely Grow and Build (High), Hold and Maintain (Medium) and Harvest or Divest (Low). Analysis of Wal-Mart using IE matrix: The Internal factor evaluation score of Wal-Mart is 2.80 and the External factor evaluation score is 3.86. According to these scores, Wal-Mart fits into the category of Grow and Build. The strategies suitable for Wal-Mart are discussed below: Market Penetration: This strategy can be used when a company wants to increase its market share with the help of its current products and services through greater efforts of marketing. This is extremely appropriate for Wal-Mart and can give a competitive edge because of the bankruptcy of K- mart. Wal-Mart should increase its promotional campaigns to capture the attention of its target market and retain the customers of K-mart as well. K-mart is closing hundreds of stores and this is an opportunity for Wal-Mart to control the market. The economies of scale against its rival also give the power to influence the market. The EDLP and rollback campaigns can be integrated in such markets where their share is less and will enable the employees to grow and promote in higher positions with the addition of more products and increased market share. Wal-Mart already enjoys a dominant position and requires a little effort to reach out to a range of customers. Wal-Mart can contact to local television stations and other advertising means to increase its customer base and positive image. The immediate results of this strategy includes increased market share, increased sales and increased customer recognition. This will also increase the competition because competitors will also respond to this strategy. Market Development: Wal-Mart can also enter into new markets by simple introducing its products and services in new geographic areas. This strategy also works with the core values of Wal-Mart. This strategy will provide many potential areas for growth both in local and international market. This is because Wal-Mart holds a strong position in the industry and has the needed capital and human resource to diffuse into the untapped markets. Thus, in order to maintain and expand their reach in all facets of the business Wal-Mart should continue to grow its business in different areas of the world. This will also provide quality of life in those areas where development is required. The costs for the implementation of this strategy are considerably high because it will involve the construction of new buildings and organization of new distribution networks. This is a very important strategy for Wal-Mart because they are currently using this strategy. The main advantage for Wal-Mart is its superior pricing ability which forces out the other local shops and stores. This will s urely increase the level of customer satisfaction as well as the increased capital investment. Product Development: This strategy can be used to increase the sales and serve to a diverse range of customers by modifying and improving the quality of existing products or services. This will provide the unique opportunity to compete with higher market sharing places in the other divisions. It is known that Wal-Mart operates in other divisions under its name. Through this strategy,

Strategic Financial Management(business report) Essay - 1

Strategic Financial Management(business report) - Essay Example According to Kanter (1995) such an action will not constitute an adequate response. This is so because success is based on an organisation’s ability to create, rather than predict the future by developing those products that will literally transform the way the world thinks and view it self and the needs (Kanter 1995:71). This paper is aimed at analyzing the case study of Amazon.com. In an attempt to implement a strategic and management turn around strategies by the CEO Jeff Bezos. The objectives of this paper can be examined from three dimensions. In the first instance, the paper seeks to outline, analyse and discuss the main issues concerning the case study Amazon.com. The first part of the paper provides the background while looking into the market in which the company is operating. The section also highlights the profitability and liquidity position of the company. Part two of the paper looks at the marketing strategies of the company by utilising the four Ps. The section further looks at the Human resource management strategies, operations analysis, the SWOT, PESTLE with respect to the case Amazon.com. The last part of the paper provides the conclusion and recommendation through the development of the strategic direction for the company. Amazon .com worldly known as Amazon is a key and strategic player in the field of electronic commerce. Being a worldwide brand selling virtually everything through its online shopping experience with customers. Today, Amazon serves customers in more than 200 countries through its several retail websites. Its e-commerce business model has become a benchmarking platform for other businesses to develop their e-business. Through its online shopping access webpage customers can shop virtually everything from financial services to diamond rings. Thus, to sum up, while operating as an online and e commerce supermarket,

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

Literature - Essay Example The point of view literary device in the story is crucial in deciding the perception and stance of the story as it progresses (Dupriez 29). This is a strong influence in determining the overall tone of the story. The author switches point of view a couple of times. At some point, it will be of one of the slaves, and then it switches to the master of the plantation (Murphy 97). This way, the readers are able to take a look into the person's mind and understand their feelings and thoughts better. For example, in Chapter 7 where Eliza is trying to escape and save her child, the narrative is in her point of view: She wondered within herself at the strength that seemed to be come upon her;...and every flutter of fear seemed to increase the supernatural power that bore her on, while from her pale lips burst forth, in frequent ejaculations, the prayer to a Friend above,—â€Å"Lord, help! Lord, save me!†. (Perkins 381) After several paragraphs, the point of view shifts to other characters. Stowe writes â€Å"Andy looked up innocently at Sam, surprised at hearing this new geographical fact, but instantly confirmed what he said by a vehement reiteration† (Perkins 387). Such strategy makes the lines more personal, and provides the readers with a reading experience that makes them understand each person independently. The imagery literary device in the story helps readers create mental pictures of scenes in the story which helps them experience the events more vividly (Dupriez 32). Imagery plays a crucial part in providing mental sketches of important events and scenes such as the deaths of each slave or even the Shelby mansion (Murphy 99-100). This is also evident in the dramatic scene in Chapter 7 where Eliza is running away. The imagery in this scene helps the readers experience the dread, worry, and fear that Eliza is feeling that very moment. ...the bare thought of putting him out of her arms made her shudder, and she strained him to her bosom wit h a convulsive grasp as she went rapidly forward. (Perkins 381) Imagery is used on several parts of the novel. Another example is in showing the experiences a slave endures at the hands of a cruel master. In Chapter 40, Stowe writes â€Å"Legree stood aghast, and looked at Tom; and there was such a silence that the tick of the old clock could be heard, measuring, with silent touch, the last moments of mercy and probation to that hardened heart† (Perkins 396). The reader can almost feel the deafening silence as the slave waits for his Master's reaction. The foreshadowing literary device (Dupriez 19) is seldom used in this novel, but when used, it is in such a powerful manner that makes the readers dread for what they are sure is about to happen (Murphy 105). For example, in Chapter 40 again, Stowe writes â€Å"It was but a moment. There was one hesitating pause,—one irresolute, relenting thrill,—and the spirit of evil came back, with sevenfold vehemence;† (Perkins 396). Readers can immediately feel that despite the hesitation, the quiet moment of reluctance, the comeback of evil will bring Tom something that is even more dangerous, and even fatal. Furthermore, foreshadowing is evident in this line â€Å"Like his Master, he knew that if he saved others, himself he could not save; nor could utmost extremity wring from him words save of prayer and holy trust† (Perkins 397). Here, readers are made to see the eventual fate that

An essay about the right of habeas corpus in the context of the war on

An about the right of habeas corpus in the context of the war on terror - Essay Example Signing into law of the Magna Carta was occurred in 1215 by King John. It gained significant political and legal prominence during the preceding centuries. During the early 12th century, King John of England was hugely unpopular in his country and was at constant conflict with some wealthy oil barons. The archbishop of Canterbury, in an effort to protect the rights of the church and make the king and the barons be at peace, conceived the Magna Carta. Magna Carta turned out as the Great Charter of the Liberties. The Charter promised the protection of the church’s rights from interference either by the king or the rebel barons. It also promised the barons protection from unfair or illegal imprisonment and limitations to the feudal payments to the crown. A council of 25 barons were necessary for the implementation of the feudal payments (Davis, 2010). King Edward in 1297 later issued this charter in a bid to raise taxes for his indebted monarchial government and to win political support. Edward institutionalized it as part of the Statute Law hence Giving birth to the genesis of the Habeas Corpus. In the early 16th century, a prominent lawyer who was also a politician; Sir Edward Coke advocated for common law to override the authority of the king. In addition, the advocacy was for the establishment of a civilian power and extension of the civil liberties of the freemen (Halliday, 2010). Coke was instrumental in the drafting of the petition of right. This petition later formed the basis for the English constitution and allowed for specific liberties. Aside from limiting the king from invoking martial law during the times of peace, the petition of right also permitted prisoners to give their views in the circumstances where their detention was questionable. Habeas corpus in England originated among the powerful ruling elites whose intention was to put limitations on the powers of the monarchy.

Product, Price, Distribution and Promotion Essay

Product, Price, Distribution and Promotion - Essay Example The choice of market assumes significance considering the high economic growth of the nation as well as the demand for quality healthcare in the nation. Intensity Level India emerges as one of the most favorable destinations for setting up a healthcare unit for cardiac ailments because of the huge market size. A research reports currently values the Indian healthcare industry at about 34 billion US dollars. This value is expected to reach up to the tune of 40 million dollars by the end of 2012. In addition to this the burgeoning population of the nation also adds to the profitability of the Indian market. In addition the lack of facilities with the government hospitals acts as a lucrative opportunity for the private sector considering the fact that approximately 80 percent of the healthcare spending is being done by the private sector in the nation (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2007, p.1-2). Marketing Mix Product The proposed cardiac super specialty center would have all the aspects that would provide world class treatment facilities. The hospital would have a narrow breadth with regards to the product offering and would only focus towards cardiac and heart ailments (Berkowitz, 2006, p.218, 219). Apart from separate wings like emergency, and outdoor, the hospital would also have dedicated Intensive Cardiac Care Units, High Dependency Units that would be equipped with latest machinery and equipments. In addition to equipments the hospital would also have quality paramedical staff including qualified nurses and attendants to regularly cater to the patients. Highly expert doctors would be kept as specialists for different ailments related to cardiac problems. In addition to this the hospital would also have tie ups with leading hospitals abroad and would have video conferencing facilities that would help the doctors to consult expert doctors from across the globe. The hospital would also have outdoor facilities for the patients. The hospital would have a 24 hour dedica ted emergency facility for catering to any emergency. Specialized trauma care centers would also be established to cater to patients suffering from severe trauma. Price The new healthcare unit would follow a premium pricing strategy that would be based on the level of specialized healthcare facilities being provided to the organization. A skim based pricing strategy would be adopted as the hospital would be targeting only premium segment patients who are more concerned about the quality of treatment and do not bother about the costs. This would help the hospital to earn better margins to maintain its sustainability and profitability. Maintaining a premium pricing strategy would help in generating greater financial viability and sustainability for the organization to grow and prosper in the future. The hospital would also have tie ups with leading insurance providers and would also provide cashless treatment to the patients based on the quantum of insurance coverage. High level of tr ansparency would be maintained in the billing section with prior consent from patients before initiating any treatment. As a part of corporate social responsibility the company would also provide free treatment to the needy patients. Three percent of the total bed strength would be reserved for charitable purposes. Place/Distribution The new hospital would be located in any of the top four metros of

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example She jumps to the stage and starts singing and dancing, and along with her, everybody dances. The dwarfed dancers sing and dance aside the eatables over the tables as the astonished and overwhelmed real-size guests watch them. In the end, one of the female guests passes a compliment for the girl, appreciating her energy and performance. The commercial ends with the girl’s wink to the audience. The main idea of the whole commercial is that Pepsi is the answer to all the thirst and tiredness, and the effect is equally strong upon people of all ages and all ethnicities. Pepsi instills all the freshness and energy in the person who drinks it that he/she needs to rock. The performers have been purposely dwarfed in the commercial. This variation in size not only adds a lot of drama in the commercial, but also suggests that those who drink Pepsi are taken by its joy into an imaginary world of happiness and joy where they can sing and dance and party wherever they want. Nothing could be more appropriate to end the commercial with than the wink of the girl that has been the center of attention throughout the commercial. Ever since the conception of Pepsi around the start of the 20th century, one of its primary goals has been outselling Coca-Cola because it is Pepsi’s main competitor. Pepsi has been using commercials to promote its product for decades. Pepsi has run numerous campaigns, including famous celebrities in many of them to make a claim. The fundamental ideology behind this has been that ordinary people should drink Pepsi because stars and celebrities drink it. For instance, the â€Å"Joy of Cola† campaign of Pepsi run in the late 90’s, Pepsi used a combination of factors including catchy jingles, humor, and celebrities to sell itself. The pathos, logos, and ethos used in â€Å"Joy of Cola† have helped Pepsi bring its consumers in the new millennium. The Pepsi jingle for this campaign was a very suitable jingle for Pepsi because it had the tendency

An essay about the right of habeas corpus in the context of the war on

An about the right of habeas corpus in the context of the war on terror - Essay Example Signing into law of the Magna Carta was occurred in 1215 by King John. It gained significant political and legal prominence during the preceding centuries. During the early 12th century, King John of England was hugely unpopular in his country and was at constant conflict with some wealthy oil barons. The archbishop of Canterbury, in an effort to protect the rights of the church and make the king and the barons be at peace, conceived the Magna Carta. Magna Carta turned out as the Great Charter of the Liberties. The Charter promised the protection of the church’s rights from interference either by the king or the rebel barons. It also promised the barons protection from unfair or illegal imprisonment and limitations to the feudal payments to the crown. A council of 25 barons were necessary for the implementation of the feudal payments (Davis, 2010). King Edward in 1297 later issued this charter in a bid to raise taxes for his indebted monarchial government and to win political support. Edward institutionalized it as part of the Statute Law hence Giving birth to the genesis of the Habeas Corpus. In the early 16th century, a prominent lawyer who was also a politician; Sir Edward Coke advocated for common law to override the authority of the king. In addition, the advocacy was for the establishment of a civilian power and extension of the civil liberties of the freemen (Halliday, 2010). Coke was instrumental in the drafting of the petition of right. This petition later formed the basis for the English constitution and allowed for specific liberties. Aside from limiting the king from invoking martial law during the times of peace, the petition of right also permitted prisoners to give their views in the circumstances where their detention was questionable. Habeas corpus in England originated among the powerful ruling elites whose intention was to put limitations on the powers of the monarchy.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example She jumps to the stage and starts singing and dancing, and along with her, everybody dances. The dwarfed dancers sing and dance aside the eatables over the tables as the astonished and overwhelmed real-size guests watch them. In the end, one of the female guests passes a compliment for the girl, appreciating her energy and performance. The commercial ends with the girl’s wink to the audience. The main idea of the whole commercial is that Pepsi is the answer to all the thirst and tiredness, and the effect is equally strong upon people of all ages and all ethnicities. Pepsi instills all the freshness and energy in the person who drinks it that he/she needs to rock. The performers have been purposely dwarfed in the commercial. This variation in size not only adds a lot of drama in the commercial, but also suggests that those who drink Pepsi are taken by its joy into an imaginary world of happiness and joy where they can sing and dance and party wherever they want. Nothing could be more appropriate to end the commercial with than the wink of the girl that has been the center of attention throughout the commercial. Ever since the conception of Pepsi around the start of the 20th century, one of its primary goals has been outselling Coca-Cola because it is Pepsi’s main competitor. Pepsi has been using commercials to promote its product for decades. Pepsi has run numerous campaigns, including famous celebrities in many of them to make a claim. The fundamental ideology behind this has been that ordinary people should drink Pepsi because stars and celebrities drink it. For instance, the â€Å"Joy of Cola† campaign of Pepsi run in the late 90’s, Pepsi used a combination of factors including catchy jingles, humor, and celebrities to sell itself. The pathos, logos, and ethos used in â€Å"Joy of Cola† have helped Pepsi bring its consumers in the new millennium. The Pepsi jingle for this campaign was a very suitable jingle for Pepsi because it had the tendency

The influence of mercantile economics on European Colonial Expansion 1500-1800 Essay Example for Free

The influence of mercantile economics on European Colonial Expansion 1500-1800 Essay 1.0  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction   The Rise of Europe between 1500 and 1850 was largely accounted for by the growth of European nations which shared their borders with the Atlantic and, in particular, by those that engaged in colonialism and transoceanic trade. Europe was the gateway to the Americas for the Asian traders, and vica-versa. The fact that the economic performance among Atlantic trading nations blossomed due to their access to the Atlantic, is explained by the fact that countries with relatively non-absolutist initial institutions experienced faster growth[1].   Because of this, urbanisation in Western Europe grew significantly faster than in Eastern Europe after 1500 and due in large part to the growth of Atlantic traders (read countries). The process of European growth between 1500 and 1850 was attributed to those countries which had access to the Atlantic, and trade through these Atlantic ports accounted for most of the differential growth of   Europe; Western Europe in relation to Eastern Europe. With trade playing an important part in the economic and social development of most of Europe between 1500 and 1800, Europe witnessed a major revolution- The Price Revolution, starting about the 1520s to the 1630s. This long period, about 120 years in all, saw Europe undergo sustained economic growth and expansion that was marked by: A sustained demographic upsurge, in which European population about doubled By much urbanisation, expanded in scale, by a conspicuous growth of industries By dramatic overseas commercial expansion and colonial exploitation in first Africa, then Asia, the Americas: north and south, with the Caribbean Sea as the focal point A marked monetary expansion, from vast new supplies of both gold and silver from Africa and the Americas (Mexico and Peru), which fuelled an already on-going inflation (begun with earlier monetary expansion) These metals were vitally necessary for Europeans to expand their trade with Asia in particular (Asia being vastly greater in size, population, and economic wealth than the still underdeveloped west European economy), but also the Baltic regions of northern Europe and Russia, as well, where population was markedly too sparse and/or too poor to demand that much in the way of European goods (beyond salt, herrings, beer, woollens)[2]. 2.0  Ã‚  Ã‚   Overview Prior to the 19th century, agriculture played an important role in the lives of the Europeans. There was discrimination between the rich and poor. The poor had to work in the land held by the rich to make a living. There was a long period during which the wage-land rent ratio declined, that implied that there was a rise in inequality. Farmland owners were far closer to the top of the income distribution than were landless workers. At some point in the 19th century this pattern reversed, and wages started to rise relative to land rents, implying a decline in inequality. This pattern soon changed and the traditional link between factor prices and factor endowments was broken some time in the 19th century[3]. It was evident that with trade beginning to grow due to their proximity to the Atlantic, the European nations could not hold back on development. There was also the question of what caused the structural break in wage-rent ratio behaviour? The all important finger pointed to industrial growth; industrial revolutionary forces led to the break in living standards behaviour. Though the exact date or period is elusive, many scholars date the first industrial revolution in Europe from 1760, while some cited this to be from 1780. There were others who disagreed with these views altogether, but everyone were unanimous in their conclusion that, these changes came about due to the technological advance accelerated in English industry about this time (Mokyr 1990; Crafts 1994; Temin 1997)[4]. With trade growing and industrialisation taking place, the two commodities that could be produced simultaneously were: Agricultural products using land and employing labour Manufactured goods using capital and labour Though there were two options to choose from for the poor strata of society of the 1600 and 1700 Europeans, the most appealing aspect for the workers to turn away from agriculture was the sense of freedom and better life. Industries attracted the workers more, and drew them out of agriculture and into the cities, raising wages, lowering rents, and inflating the ratio of wages to rents[5]. Europe is well placed and accessible to the Americas, Asia, and within the whole of Europe itself. This was a distinct advantage that Europe had to encourage the Europeans to bolster exports. This gave rise to industrialisation and pushed trade beyond their borders. Intercontinental trade rose and this influenced prices too. It could be reasoned that trade could have influenced price factors for several centuries before the structural break occurred. However, it turned out that the growth in European overseas trade was not due to global commodity market integration, as measured by a decline in intercontinental price gaps, but rather to shift in demand and supply in Europe, Asia and the Americas (O’Rourke and Williamson 2002a)[6]. It was only in the 19th century that large-scale intercontinental trade became possible in such basic commodities as grain, animal products, coal and manufactured intermediates[7]. 3.0  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Influence Although Europe witnessed some improvements in economic institutions in the late medieval and early modern period, as mentioned earlier, rapid economic development did not begin until the emergence of political institutions providing secure property rights to a broader segment of society and allowing free entry into profitable businesses (North and Thomas, 1973, and North and Weingast, 1989)[8]. Most European countries were under the power of the monarchy. With the rise of political institutions, the power of the monarchy was constrained along with their supporters. The political institutions began to show their strength to control the power of the monarchy, and prerogatives emerged when groups that favoured change, that is commercial interests outside the royal circle, became sufficiently powerful politically. Starting 1500, and more so from 1600 onwards, countries with non-absolutist institutions and easy access to the Atlantic, trade across the Atlantic rose, that enriched and strengthened commercial interests outside the royal circle, enabling them to demand and obtain the institutional changes necessary for economic growth. This was the beginning of the shift from monarchy rule to political rule in these parts. Although profits from Atlantic trade were relatively small in terms of GDP, they were still substantial, and much greater than what was witnessed earlier. By the end of the 17th century, the volume of trade across Atlantic was much larger than that of long-distance Mediterranean trade seen ever before. Those who stood to gain by these initiatives became very rich by 17th- and 18th-century standards in Europe, and were without doubt politically and socially very powerful. What was surprising was that these changes did not take place in countries with highly absolutist institutions, such as, Spain, Portugal, and to a large extent France. The monarchy was able to suppress any political arising and control the expansion of trade. They along with their allies were the main beneficiaries of the early profits from Atlantic trade and plunder; with groups favouring change in the political arena not becoming powerful enough to induce change[9]. The path to development and growth has not always remained the same. The dynamics of accumulation, the agents of expansion, and opposition have not always been the same. There has been a great difference in the various phases of the development of capitalism through this period. We note that different rules and regulations were employed by the European nations in their quest for expansion (Aglietta 1979; Lipietz 1987, 1988). The period 1500-1800 popularly called as the mercantilist phase, trade played a pivotal role in defining the way the European nations concentrated on global mercantile economics. Merchant capital began to ex ­pand on a global scale through state-chartered companies. As Colonial expansionism was the goal of most these European countries, commerce had a big hand in pushing this initiative. The countries in Western Europe accu ­mulated capital through com ­merce, colonial plunder, slave trade, and de-farming. The European traders reached far corners of the globe in their quest and they began to specialize in the production of consumer items such as sugar, coffee, spices, fabrics, salted fish, fur, and later wheat and timber. While the production of consumer items expanded in the colonies, giving way to their colonial expansion, the effects of these measures led to the downfall of other subsistence economies in Europe and the rest of the world. In the industrial phase (1800-1890), the engine of global expansion was the industrial capital of Western Europe. A particularly important feature of this phase of capitalist development was a change in the dominant eco ­nomic discourse from protectionism to free trade and competition. The vic ­tory of the manufacturing class over the landowners and mercantile bour ­geoisie in repealing restrictive trade practices, such as the corn laws in Britain (which meant lower costs of production), marked the victory of the free traders[10]. Note: â€Å"There is a tendency among mercantilist (Krasner 1985) and regulationist (Ag ­lietta 1979) scholars to overemphasize the national dimension by regarding the world economy as a system of interacting national social formations (Aglietta 1982: 6). Although the role of the nation-state in modern societies has been very important, treating nation states as actors having connections with each other and with other organizations in the international arena makes it difficult to deal with social relations that are not between or outside states, but simply crosscut state divisions (Giddens 1990: 67). As some of the twentieth-century nation-states are torn apart by ethnic and religious conflicts, and as new social identities organized around religion or re ­gionalism are emerging, insistence on the nation-state as the unit of analysis will sig ­nificantly limit in our understanding of the political and ideological dimensions of globalization†-Mustafa Koc. The title ‘Atlantic traders’ referred to Britain, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, which were the nations most directly involved in trade and colonialism with the New World and Asia. These nations maintained a rigorous attitude towards trade and expansionism. These countries, because of their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, traded far and wide, to Asia and Americas. They were very aggressive and wanted to expand their presence around the world and were involved in colonialism-and slavery-related activities as well as trade[11]. The Rise of Europe between 1500 and 1850 is largely due to the Rise of Atlantic Europe[12]. In order to study the influence of mercantile economics on European colonial expansion, Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson used three data series to measure economic development. The three data series were: Constructed estimates of urbanisation based on the urban population of Bairoch, Batou and Ch`evre (1988)[13], which was a comprehensive dataset with information on all 2,200 European cities which had, at some time between 800 and 1800, 5,000 or more inhabitants. This data was then divided by the population estimates of McEvedy and Jones (1978)[14] to calculate urban population growth. The second in this series was to use estimates of GDP per capita from Maddison (2001)[15]. To continue with the research, the estimates chosen were from 1500, 1600, 1700, 1820, and then more frequently. Finally, the third data used was the use of European city-level data from Bairoch, Batou and Ch`evre (1988), to investigate which urban centers were driving demographic and economic growth, and also to contrast the growth of Atlantic ports to other ports and to inland cities[16]. The research was conclusive in determining whether there was a significant growth pattern based on the period 1500 1800. There were significant positive estimates to imply that Atlantic traders started to grow in 1500-1600. The estimates confirmed the positive growth pattern in large effects from the interaction between the Atlantic traders from 1600. These effects become statistically significant after 1750; the effects are statistically significant starting 1700. An important revelation from this exercise was the explicit sign that showed that perhaps the only countries with high growth potential, or those that were going to grow, engaged in substantial Atlantic trade and colonial activity. Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Germany and Norway, despite having access to the Atlantic, either directly or via the North Sea, are stark representation of countries that did not take a major part in long distance oceanic trade or expansionism[17]. This evidence established a significant relationship between the potential for Atlantic trade and post-1500 economic development, and suggests that the opportunities to trade through the Atlantic, and the associated profits from colonialism and slavery, played an important role in the Rise of Europe[18]. 4.0  Ã‚  Ã‚   Observation We see that the influence of Atlantic trade; the opening of the sea routes to the New World, namely, Africa and Asia, and the building of colonial empires contributed to the process of West European growth between 1500 and 1800 not only through its direct economic effects, but also indirectly by inducing fundamental institutional changes, with Britain and the Netherlands (Duchy of Burgundy) leading from the front. Through their rigorous initiatives in Atlantic trade, both Britain and the Netherlands altered the balance of political power by enriching and strengthening commercial interests outside their royal circles. Through this channel, they contributed to the emergence of political institutions protecting merchants against royal power. The tendency for institutional change to emerge became more evident in societies which already had checks on royal power than in countries with absolutist regimes and monarchy-controlled trade monopolies. Those countries with easy access to the Atlantic and without a strong absolutist monarchy, Atlantic trade provided substantial profits and political power for merchants outside the royal circle. This group could demand and obtain significant institutional reforms protecting their property rights. With their newly gained power and property rights, these merchants took advantage of the growth opportunities offered by Atlantic trade, invested more, traded more, and fueled the First Great Divergence.[19]. Another point of contention in the theory of European colonial expansion was the search for precious metals and gun powder trade. Folasade Ifamose of the University of Abuja contents that, the whole region between the Volta and Niger area was acutely convulsed and destabilised by the direct involvement in the gun and gun powder trade across the Atlantic between 1500 and 1800 by the British, Dutch and Portuguese traders. The desire to capture cities with precious metals as well as those with direct access to the Atlantic coasts directly affected and influenced many of the Atlantic access nation kings to participate actively in the trans-Atlantic trade. The ultimate desire of the traditional rulers was to acquire, among other things, firearms from the triangular trade through the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British[20]. 1590-1621 saw the Dutch swarm out all over the European, Atlantic and Asian seas and established new overseas markets. The Dutch state supported their traders in overseas trading operations and in a decisive movement accelerated the production of more ships to enhance trade and changing market opportunities. Moreover, the build-up of a reorganised army and navy in the Dutch Republic stimulated the growth of a new infrastructure of arms trade and arms production, which provided an important condition for the expansion of Dutch interests overseas[21]. The Sea is the only Empire which naturally belongs to us, conquest is not in our interest, wrote the Englishman Andrew Fletcher in 1698[22]. Few of the great ancient empires relied so much on sea power; Europe used the one resource that gave it an advantage, namely its skill in shipbuilding and navigation, to create something quite unprecedented, seaborne empires[23]. When trading possibilities proved disappointing or local populations proved hostile, Europeans turned to conquest (expansionism), along with forced extraction of resources. Next was the importation of European herds and crops, altering forever the ecological balance of these places. The production of sugar using slave labour, already perfected on Mediterranean isles, was first transferred to the near Atlantic islands and then to the Caribbean. And islands were to remain the preferred destinations for plantation economies for centuries. When one thinks about the expansion of Europe we often conflate an oceanic presence or a bounded presence on an island or a littoral, with continental territorial control, wrote Elizabeth Mancke[24]. 5.0  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion During the period 1500-1800, the world saw the expansion of trade beyond the borders of most Western European nations. Countries like Britain, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, and France began to explore the other side of the world through the sea. The Atlantic was a convenient way for these European traders to reach beyond boundaries. Their expertise in ship-building helped them establish trading ports in Africa and Asia. However, when the local population of the African and Asian countries began to revolt, the European traders with the help of their respective rulers began to exploit and embark on a conquest policy. This way, some of the Western European nations, including Britain, Portugal and the Netherlands began to show their ascendancy in forging expansionism roles. It was from its mastery of the seas, not land, that Europe experienced its first great economic boom. The wealth accumulated through its archipelagic empires of access found its way back to Europe, partly to be invested in land, partly to capitalise new industrial enterprises that would ultimately overturn the old order of things. By the late eighteenth century the boundary between land and sea became more definite and during the nineteenth century new nation states concentrated their energies on their own interiors. The European plunderers forced many Asian and African peasants to bonded labour and took back with them all possible resources available (John R. Gillis, 2003). 6.0  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography â€Å"Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson†, The Rise of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change, and Economic Growth, [electronic bulletin board] May 4, 2004, [cited 27 February 2007] available at econ-www.mit.edu/faculty/download_pdf.php?id=1181 â€Å"O’Rourke Kevin H and Williamson Jeffrey G†, From Malthus to Ohlin: Trade, Growth and Distribution since 1500, [electronic bulletin board] April 2003, [cited 27 February 2007] available at www.tcd.ie/Economics/TEP/2002_papers/TEPNo5KO22.pdf â€Å"O’Rourke Kevin H and Williamson Jeffrey G†, After Columbus: Explaining the Global Trade Boom 1500-1800, [electronic bulletin board] February 2001, [cited 27 February 2007] available at www.tcd.ie/Economics/TEP/2001_papers/TEPNo6KO21.pdf â€Å"Prof. Munro John†, ECONOMICS 303Y1, The Economic History of Modern Europe to1914, [electronic bulletin board] September 2001, [cited 27 February 2007] available at eh.net/coursesyllabi/syllabi/munro/01dutcom.pdf â€Å"Engerman Stanley L†, The big picture: how (and when and why) the West grew rich, Policy Research, Vol. 23, 1994, 547-559, [electronic bulletin board] 1994, [cited 28 February 2007] available at www.compilerpress.atfreeweb.com/Anno%20Engerman%20The%20big%20picture%20Research%20Policy%201994.htm â€Å"Koc Mustafa†, Globalization as a Discourse, [electronic bulletin board] [cited 2 March 2007] available at www.mrs.umn.edu//chollett/anth%203204/Course%20Readings/Globalization%20as%20a%20Discourse.rtf Acemoglu Daron, Johnson Simon and Robinson James, The Rise of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change and Economic Growth, [electronic bulletin board] p.6, September 10, 2003,[cited 3 March 2007] available at http://web.mit.edu/sjohnson/OldFiles/www/attach/Rise20%20of%20Europe%20final%20revision.pdf Harvard University, 1999 WP Abstracts, [electronic bulletin board] December 9, 1999 [cited 3 March 2007] available at www.fas.harvard.edu/~atlantic/abst99.html Gillis R. John, Islands in the Making of an Atlantic Oceania, 1400-1800, [electronic bulletin board] 2003 [cited 4 March 2007] available at www.historycooperative.org/proceedings/seascapes/gillis.html [1] Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson, Abstract, p.2, The Rise of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change, and Economic Growth [2] John Munro, The Dutch and the Macro-Economic Trends of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, p.2, The Economic History of Modern Europe to1914 [3] Kevin H. O’Rourke and Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2003, Introduction, From Malthus to Ohlin: Trade, Growth and Distribution since 1500, p.2-3 [4] N.F.R. Crafts, The Industrial Revolution in R Floud and D. McCloskey, The Economic History of Britain Since 1700, Vol.1, Cambridge University Press J Mokyr, The Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress, Oxford University Press Temin, Two Views of the British Industrial Revolution, Journal of Economic History, 57 (March) 63-82 [5] Kevin H. O’Rourke and Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2003, Introduction, From Malthus to Ohlin: Trade, Growth and Distribution since 1500, p.3 [6] K. H.O’ Rourke and J. G. Williamson, After Columbus: Explaining the Global Trade Boom 1500-1800, Journal of Economic History 62 (March), 1-31 [7] Kevin H. O’Rourke and Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2003, Introduction, From Malthus to Ohlin: Trade, Growth and Distribution since 1500, p.2-3 [8] Douglass C. North and Robert P. Thomas, The Rise of the Western World: A New Economic History, Cambridge University Press Douglass C. North and Barry R. Weingast, Constitutions and Commitments: Evolution of Institutions Governing Public Choice in Seventeenth Century England, Journal of Economic History, 49, 803-832 [9] Kevin H. O’Rourke and Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2003, Introduction, From Malthus to Ohlin: Trade, Growth and Distribution since 1500 [10] Mustafa Koc, Phases of Global Expansion, p.266, 13 Globalization as a Discourse [11] Atlantic trade opportunities became available only during the late 15th century, thanks to the discovery of the New World and the passage to Asia around the Cape of Good Hope. This resulted due to a series of innovations in ship technology, pioneered by the Portuguese that changed rigging and hull design of ships and developed the knowledge of oceanic navigation. [12] Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson, The Rise of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change and Economic Growth, p.6, 2003 [13] La Population des villes europ ´eenees de 800 `a 1850: Banque de donn ´ees et analyse sommaire des r ´esultats, Centre d’histoire  ´economique Internationale de l’Uni. de Gen`eve, Libraire Droz, Geneva [14] McEvedy, Colin and Richard Jones (1978) Atlas of World Population History, Facts on File, New York [15] Maddison, Angus (2001) The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective, Development Centre of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, Paris [16] Atlantic Trade and the Rise of Europe, Data, p.7 [17] Ch.1.2, Economic Growth in Europe, p.10, Atlantic Trade and the Rise of Europe [18] Ch.1.5 Interpretation, p.15, Atlantic Trade and the Rise of Europe [19] The establishment of political institutions limiting the power of the monarchy must have created positive spillovers on the rest of the economy of the rest of the non-Atlantic British cities, especially on the industrial capitalists, Ch.2.1, The Argument, p.17, [20] Folasade Ifamose, The Indigenous Aristocracy, the Atlantic trade, and the Gunpowder Economy, University of Abuja, Nigeria, www.fas.harvard.edu-1999 WP Abstract [21] Michiel de Jong, The Role of the State in the Expansion of the Dutch Overseas Trade Networks, 1590-1630, Universite it Leiden, The Netherlands, www.fas.harvard.edu-1999 WP Abstract [22] Quoted in Anthony Pagden, Peoples and Empires: Europeans and the Rest of the World from Antiquity to the Present (London: Weidenfeld and Nicoloson, 2001), p. 94. [23] C.R. Boxer, The Dutch Seaborne Empire, 1600-1800 (London: Penguin, 1973) [24] Elizabeth Mancke, Early Modern Expansion and the Politicization of Oceanic Space,†Ã‚   The Geographical Review, 89, nr. 2 (April 1999), p. 227

Analysing The Chemistry Of Coke Chemistry Essay

Analysing The Chemistry Of Coke Chemistry Essay Coke is the most popular carbonated soft drink. Generally there is Phosphoric acid in all fizzy drinks including cokes. The Phosphoric acid is infused as an active ingredient in coke to provide the tangy flavour. There is variety of different types of cokes. For example diet coke which contains less sugar and calories than original coke, vanilla coke which has vanilla flavour and zero coke which contains no sugar at all. Nowadays it is getting issued that phosphoric acid can damage humans teeth or bone health even with minimal exposure. Investigation of finding out the amount of phosphoric acid in each three different cokes; original, zero and vanilla coke by titration is done for consumers to let them know that amount of phosphoric acid is not changed depends the types of the cokes. Introduction Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) is an active ingredient that contributes the tangy taste in the coke. The acid is fairly weak but, more drinks, the more acid human body has to neutralize. For that the body uses calcium from the bones which reduce the bone strength. (AdlersbergJay, 2010) To analyse the phosphoric acid in cokes, the acid/base titration method has been brought. Acid/bas titration is required to determine the unknown concentration of a known reactant. It is performed by dropping the known solution in the burette into the unknown solution in the beaker which has been added a few drops of the indicator or simply using the pH Meter. (KennanMark) The indicator is a liquid that makes the colour change of the solution when it is neutralized. Different indicators are used for different pH levels and they have different colour changes. (Acid-Base Chemistry) Indicator pH Range Color Change Thymol blue 1.2 2.8 red à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ yellow Methyl red 4.4 6.2 red à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ yellow Litmus 5 8 red à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ blue Bromothymol blue 6.2 7.6 yellow à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ blue Phenolphthalein 8.0 10.0 colorless à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ pink The experiment is performed based on the hypothesis, the amount of phosphoric acid in each different types of cokes are different as they are not the same type of the coke. Main Body Aim The aim of the experiment is to analyse a commercial sample of three different types of cokes and determine the mass of phosphoric acid in the samples using volumetric analysis; acid/base titration. Hypothesis If the types of the coke are different then the quantity of phosphoric acid in cokes will differ to each other because each types of coke contain variety of ingredients in different amounts. Materials Balance 50ml beaker 20ml pipette 25ml pipette 50ml burette 250ml volumetric flask 100ml volumetric flask 250ml conical flask Spatula Label sticker Small glass funnel Burette stand and clamp White tile Distilled water Phenolphthalein indicator KHSO4 Approx 0.1M NaOH solution Coca-Cola (original, zero, vanilla) Method Standard KHSO4 Solution Approximately 3g of KHSO4 was measured and put into a clean 50ml beaker. For dissolving the KHSO4, Transferred KHSO4 and distilled water to 250ml volumetric flask and filled the flask with distilled water. Put the stopper and mixed the contents of the flask well. Then calculated number of moles and concentration of KHSO4 and recorded them. Standardising the NaOH solution Pour the 0.1M of NaOH into the burette and made sure that the initial volume exactly 0.00ml. Next, poured the standard KHSO4 solution measured with 20ml pipette into conical flask and added 3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator. Then, the NaOH was slowly dropped into the flask until the KHSO4 solution turned slightly pale pink which tells its end-point and recorded the NaOH volume used. Repeated standardising twice and recorded them as well. After that, calculation of the molarity of NaOH was done by using the average of the three volume measurements. Analysis of Coke Before starting the analysis of the cokes, original coke, zero coke and vanilla coke had been left for approximately 32 hours in the beakers with no lids on, to make sure there was no carbonic acid in them. This was because that coke doesnt only contain phosphoric acid but carbonic acid which makes the drinks fizzy. Put cokes measured by Pipette 20ml in to 100ml volumetric flasks. Then made 20% diluted coke by filling the flask to the 100ml mark with distilled water. Put the stoppers on them and shake the each solution. Labelled the each flask. Pipette 25ml of each three 20% diluted coke solution to clean 250ml conical flasks and added 3 drops of phenolphthalein indicator to each samples in flasks. After that, titrating NaOH solution was performed into the coke samples and recorded the required NaOH volumes for the samples. Again, the steps were repeated twice for each sample. Lastly, the molarity of phosphoric acid in the 20% coke solutions and the mass of phosphoric acid present in commercial undiluted cokes were calculated. Results Standard KHSO4 solution Mass of KHSO4 used: 3.2g Standardising the NaOH solution V(KHSO4) = 20ml Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 NaOH Volume used 20.4ml 19.8ml 19.8ml Average volume: (20.4+19.8+19.8)/3 = 20ml Analysis of Coke Volume of 20% original/zero/vanilla coke used = 25ml Trial 1 Trial 2 Original 0.7ml 0.8ml Zero 0.8ml 0.8ml Vanilla 0.7ml 0.9ml Average volume: Original: (0.7+0.8)/2 = 0.75ml Zero: (0.8+0.8)/2 = 0.8ml Vanilla: (0.7+0.9)/2 = 0.8ml Discussion Analysis of results The experiment was performed in three parts to titrate the cokes. The first part was for making standard KHSO4 solution. 3.2g of KHSO4 was used to make the solution and that made the concentration of KHSO4 solution 0.0938M which is nearly 0.1 M. Molar mass of KHSO4: 39.1+1+32.1+(161) = 136.2g/mol Moles of KHSO4: m/M = 3.2/136.2 = 0.0235 moles Concentration of KHSO4: n/V = 0.0235/0.250 = 0.0938M (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‹â€ 0.1M) The second part was for standardising the 0.1 M NaOH solutions. It was performed three times and the average volume of NaOH used was applied in the calculation of concentration of NaOH by using the concentration formula, C1V1=C2V2. The calculation below shows the concentration of NaOH was 0.0938 M. Concentration of NaOH: (CKHSO4VKHSO4)/VNaOH = (0.093820)/20 = 0.0938M Lastly the third part was for analysis of cokes. Titrating three different types of coke by NaOH solution was performed in this part. The result showed that NaOH solution has been used 0.75ml for original coke and 0.8ml for zero and vanilla coke. The volume used differences between the three cokes were not that big. However these little differences affected the final result. Concentration calculation was brought to determine the concentration of 20% coke solutions and undiluted coke. After the molarity of undiluted coke (phosphoric acid), it was able to calculate the mass of phosphoric acid in 1L of undiluted coke solutions. Concentration of 20% coke solutions (phosphoric acid): (CNaOHVNaOH)/Vcoke Original: (0.0938 x 0.75)/25 = 0.002814M Zero: (0.0938 x 0.8)/25 = 0.003002M Vanilla: (0.0938 x 0.8)/25 = 0.003002M Concentration of the undiluted coke (phosphoric acid) Original: 0.001814 x 5 = 0.00912M Zero: 0.003002 x 5 = 0.01501M Vanilla: 0.003002 x 5 = 0.01501M Mass of phosphoric acid in 1L of undiluted coke solutions (Molar mass of phosphoric acid (H3PO4): (13)+31+(164) = 98g/mol) Original: 0.00912 x 98 = 0.89376g/1000ml Zero: 0.01501 x 98 = 1.47098g/1000ml Vanilla: 0.01501 x 98 = 1.47098g/1000ml Throughout the titration in third part of experiment, the amount of phosphoric acid in 1L of undiluted original coke, zero coke and vanilla coke have been calculated. The result came out fairly different to the hypothesis of this experiment. Contrary to the expectation, titration results of three cokes were not that different. According to the result, there is approximately 0.89376g of phosphoric acid in original coke and 1.47098g of phosphoric acid in zero and vanilla coke. The original coke has 0.57722g less phosphoric acid than others. Therefore the original coke has less phosphoric acid and zero and vanilla coke contain 0.57722g more phosphoric acid. Error analysis The major error was occurred during the titration. Because the colour of the cokes was too dark to see the colour change to pink, it was needed to be diluted so the coke solutions were 20% diluted with distilled water. However, even if it was able to see the colour change, the colour of the diluted coke was still dark that it was hardly seen the solutions changing of pale pink, end-point. The result was supposed to show their phosphoric acid contents were same but it was not. It is assumed that the titration was not accurate enough because of the dark colour of cokes and that is because there was 0.05ml of NaOH less volume used in original coke. Conclusion The purpose of the experiment was to find out the most phosphoric acid contained coke since it was guessed that different types of coke would contain unlike quantity of acid to each other. So the method of acid/base titration has been invited to figure out the amount of phosphoric acid in each different types of coke; original coke, zero coke and vanilla coke. For the titration, standard KHSO4 solution and standardising the NaOH solution were required. Throughout all the records and calculation, it was able to determine the quantity of phosphoric acid in each types of coke. Different to the prediction, fairly similar amounts of phosphoric acid were contained in the cokes. It is shown through that original coke is bit healthier than other two types of coke as it has 0.57722g less phosphoric acid it but as the difference is not that outstand, it is determined that generally constant amount of phosphoric acid are irrespective of the types of the coke.

In The Essay -- English Literature

In The â€Å"In The Knight, the knight is an epitome of human society, yet his appearance doe not portray his true self. Do you agree?† In Adrienne Rich’s poem The Knight, the reader is given a brief yet profound insight into the deceiving nature of humans; how we give a calm, collected front full of light and purity, yet beneath the surface we are in truth dark and inevitably mortal. The Knight portrays what every man, woman and child must inevitably decide on: to expose their true face or to hide behind a false mask to please others. The initial line â€Å"A knight rides into the noon† evokes a sense that the knight, a chivalrous and pure being, is riding gallantly into the noon, where the sun’s brightness is at its apex. When the knight’s â€Å"helmet points to the sun†, it further reinforces the first line by exemplifying the light that exists on the knight’s outer coat of armour. His bright shining armour has the brightness of â€Å"a thousand splintered suns†, dazzling any who would cross him in glorious battle. â€Å"The soles of his feet glitter†, evoking a feeling that every little detail of his armour blazes, even the soles of his feet, which would not normally see much light at all because they face down towards the earth. The knight’s outward appearance illustrates the mask that all of us put on in front of other people, whether to please or manipulate others. However, towards the end of the first paragraph, we start to see that things are not all they seem, that not all that glitters is gold. Because â€Å"under his crackling banner he rides like a ship in sail† gives the sense that although his task is underway, his â€Å"crackling banner† symbolises that the knight’s image is starting to give way to what he is truly b... ...the same peers. Rich evokes the feeling that not everyone is willing to give up their false image and that they hide behind their mask to be praised by society. Only a select few go against the false mask and live a true life free from lies and being a crowd-pleaser, but at the same time being shunned by their peers. In the end, the knight may go either way, living a false life and a dying a false death; or he could live a false life but atone himself by revealing his true self in death. Without his armour to conceal him, his true form would be exposed to the world and he could stop living a lie. Inevitably however it is out of his hands, he cannot choose whether or not to shatter his own armour in an intense battlefield. However, the knight’s true form might be known, and he might find that one measure of peace that all people seek, in death, at last. In The Essay -- English Literature In The â€Å"In The Knight, the knight is an epitome of human society, yet his appearance doe not portray his true self. Do you agree?† In Adrienne Rich’s poem The Knight, the reader is given a brief yet profound insight into the deceiving nature of humans; how we give a calm, collected front full of light and purity, yet beneath the surface we are in truth dark and inevitably mortal. The Knight portrays what every man, woman and child must inevitably decide on: to expose their true face or to hide behind a false mask to please others. The initial line â€Å"A knight rides into the noon† evokes a sense that the knight, a chivalrous and pure being, is riding gallantly into the noon, where the sun’s brightness is at its apex. When the knight’s â€Å"helmet points to the sun†, it further reinforces the first line by exemplifying the light that exists on the knight’s outer coat of armour. His bright shining armour has the brightness of â€Å"a thousand splintered suns†, dazzling any who would cross him in glorious battle. â€Å"The soles of his feet glitter†, evoking a feeling that every little detail of his armour blazes, even the soles of his feet, which would not normally see much light at all because they face down towards the earth. The knight’s outward appearance illustrates the mask that all of us put on in front of other people, whether to please or manipulate others. However, towards the end of the first paragraph, we start to see that things are not all they seem, that not all that glitters is gold. Because â€Å"under his crackling banner he rides like a ship in sail† gives the sense that although his task is underway, his â€Å"crackling banner† symbolises that the knight’s image is starting to give way to what he is truly b... ...the same peers. Rich evokes the feeling that not everyone is willing to give up their false image and that they hide behind their mask to be praised by society. Only a select few go against the false mask and live a true life free from lies and being a crowd-pleaser, but at the same time being shunned by their peers. In the end, the knight may go either way, living a false life and a dying a false death; or he could live a false life but atone himself by revealing his true self in death. Without his armour to conceal him, his true form would be exposed to the world and he could stop living a lie. Inevitably however it is out of his hands, he cannot choose whether or not to shatter his own armour in an intense battlefield. However, the knight’s true form might be known, and he might find that one measure of peace that all people seek, in death, at last.

Windflower by Gabrielle Roy Essay -- essays research papers

Windflower   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gabrielle Roy, the author of Windflower, shows us through her main character, Elsa Kumachuck, that isolation can have unfortunate effects on an individual and the people around them. We, as readers, are in the beginning given the impression that Elsa is a fit mother who is responsible and knows how to raise her child properly. Later on though, we realize that it's the influence of other people in her life and the experience of isolation later on that lead her to make the decisions that she does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elsa Kumachuck was at one time just a carefree teenager, going to the theater to watch movies, laughing with her friends, and discussing sex. Her whole life changes in one night though, when Elsa is raped by a GI soldier, and as a result, gets pregnant. Elsa experiences a very dramatic change in herself, both physically and emotionally, and seems to lose all interest in the things that she used to enjoy. When her baby, Jimmy, is born however, she appears to be herself again. She snaps out of her depression as she observes the little boy she has given birth to. The unique little boy with blond hair and blue eyes takes her breath away. It seemed that in giving life to her child she had restored her own life to herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Jimmy is a joy and a blessing to Elsa, he also creates a conflict for her. She does not know whether she should raise him as an Eskimo like herself, or white...