Monday, September 30, 2019

Managing Health and Safety at Work Act Essay

Review of health and safety roles and responsibilities Identify 2 pieces of legislation relating to health, safety and welfare relevant to the workplace I have identified, The Health and safety at work act 1974 and Management health and safety at work regulations 1999. The health and safety at work act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering all work related health and safety in the UK. It sets out employers responsibilities for your health and safety at work. The Management of health and safety at work regulations make the assessment of risks a cornerstone of UK health and safety requirements. Duties statute law imposes on both the manager and the team and the managers responsibilities contained within the organisations health and safety policy. The most important responsibility as an employee is to take reasonable care of your own health and safety and if possible avoid wearing jewelry and tie hair back when using the machines. To take reasonable care not to put other people , fellow employees and members of the public at risk by what you do or don’t do in the course of your work. You should co-operate with your employer, making sure you get proper training and you understand and follow the company’s health and safety policies. An employee should never interfere with or misuse anything that’s been provided for your health, safety or welfare. It is your duty to report any injuries, strains or illnesses you suffer as a result of doing your job. You should always tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work eg becoming pregnant or suffering an injury. All employers must make the workplace safe and prevent risks to health and ensure that the machinery is safe to use, and that safe working practices are set up and followed. The employer needs to provide adequate first aid facilities and tell you about any potential hazards from the work you do and give you information, instructions, training and supervision as needed. Emergency plans need to be set up in case of emergency. Make sure that ventilation, temperature, lighting, and toilet, washing and rest facilities all meet health, safety and welfare requirements. Check that the right work equipment is provided and is properly used and regularly maintained. Ensure that the right warning signs are provided and looked after.Report certain accidents, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to either the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the local authority, depending on the type of business. Explain what is meant by a ‘competent person’ in your workplace A competent person is someone who has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities that allow them to assist members properly. The level of competence required will depend on the complexity of the situation and the particular help you need. When getting help you should give preference to those in your own organization who have the appropriate level of competence which includes the employer themselves before looking for help from outside. You must consult health and safety representatives in good time on the arrangements for competent help. Identify 2 ways you can provide health and safety information, instruction and training in your team One way you can provide health and safety information is by using leaflets and posters around the work place. You can get these from various sites including: – Sector Skills Councils (www.sscalliance.org.uk); – UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)(www.ukces.org.uk); – trade unions or trade associations; – further education colleges; – private training organisations; – independent health and safety consultants; – employer bodies (eg Chambers of Commerce); and – qualification-awarding bodies. To find a course leading to an accredited health and safety qualification look at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority website www.qca.org.uk/qualifications. Secondly you could offer on the job training or classroom based learning individually or in groups. Computer based or interactive learning is a very fast, accurate and fun way of teaching the employees.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Sustainable architecture

Worldwide scales are experiencing a rush of population growth, this growth to the ecological balance shown against the environment and the exploitation of natural resources have sued implement new methods of construction using new technologies. (Big & Green: Toward Sustainable Architecture in the 21 SST Century). Sustainable or sustainable architecture seeks to optimize natural resources and building systems that minimize the environmental impact of buildings and their inhabitants in the environment.The high energy demand and low production force s to focus on new technologies, methods and ways to economize, reduce costs and expenses. Among these proposals is Sustainable Architecture Think of It from the social environment; It Is what makes complex human, economic, cultural and environmental relationships. Sustainable design and construction are a specific, concrete example, I practice that can contribute to the Implementation of the complex concept of sustainability. (Rosaries Camas , Sustainable Design and Construction: Inescapable Reality).The author makes clear the close relationship between sustainability and the role that the user takes socially speaking. The architect built based on a sustainable paradigm, but ultimately individuals are those who dwell, live and interact within buildings. These are what define how they are responsible for the environment and nature. Home and building automation The technological evolution of deferent disciplines, have enabled an Interaction of the same that has led to the concept of Intelligent building or home automation.The combination of different disciplines to meet the new features and user requirements such as energy saving and automation thereof without affecting the way people live. Home and building automation: smart homes and buildings, Crisp ¶bal Roomer Morale). Implementing these systems so that they have little impact on the social life of people but at the same time help improve the quality of them reducin g the environmental impact by leveraging regulations energy consumption renewable energy.Dimension Policy, Social, Economic. POLICY Reconfiguration of the city. A sustainable city Is defined as a city where there Is adequate mobility, energy conservation and water resources, reduced noise pollution, and creation of public life. Sustainable architecture has an impact on the political dimension by the limitation that is given to new technologies as the predominant practice of governments and institutions is self enrichment, and economically not suit them.ECONOMIC Prefer local materials to promote the development of local industry and promote endogenous economy seeking to strengthen the internal capacity of a region or local community, to strengthen the society and economy from the inside out, to make it sustainable and sustainable SOCIAL The commitment that people have to the environmental impact. This implies the fact of how they will interact with the â€Å"sustainable† space and how effective it will be. Sustainable Architecture Sustainable Architecture The following paragraph is a discussion of sustainability as an architectural concept. The main issue is to illuminate the different aspects of sustainable architecture being more than just a calculation, and rather a tectonic solution with high architectural quality. This closely relates to context and human needs. In recent years, the attention given to sustainable and environmental design has only become more severe as a result of climate changes and rising energy prices. The entire change in architecture and design was initiated decades ago, fiercely debating the ustainability in building construction and city planning to the present day. Though instead of reaching a clear definition, the concept of sustainability has become mainstream and vague. In the genuine architectural practice, sustainability is the concept of saving resources in building developing and city planning, in terms of reducing the use of fossil fuels and other non- ­? renewable energy sources. Instead the site- ­? specific climate and topographic features are to benefit the built environment and architecture. (Pedersen 2009) This is what is immediately and commonly associated with ustainable architecture. Introducing the term Sustainable Development, the Brundtland Commission’s Report of 1987 assumes the same point of view but takes the considerations of sustainability a step further by stating †sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own†. The report suggests a more general approach to the concept than merely environmental aspects, and thus imposes the economic and social aspects to meet the requirements of both present and future generations. The concept of architectural ustainability suggests a more holistic approach to what is genuine sustainable. Not only should the quantitative and physical requirements of i. e. daylight, fresh air, and indoor temperature be implemented; the qualitative and tectonic heritage of architecture should on equal terms be secured to make a durable solution. A solution that architecturally facilitates both experienced and technical aspects that are both considered human need. If not implementing the tectonic, what is the building if not just machine? The environmental aspect has the ability to apply different scales, whether it is he environment of the local community or the global. Due to various use of the term, sustainability has commonly been anticipated as being the same as the notion of environmental design. The general take on the subject is that it is closely concerned with the climatic and modern technologies trying to optimize the energy consumption and emissions of the built. The latest technologies seek to bring pure functionality to the architecture through dynamic facades to either intercept or protect from direct solar radiation. The exploitation of passive solutions, su ch as solar shading, thermal mass and oncepts of natural ventilation is the means of providing technical durability in the built on both a local and global scale. In addition to this, the use of materials has a central role. Whether it is the specific terms of production, the durability or the life span, the use of materials has to meet the requirements of the present as well as the future. For instance, the use of local materials can provide labour to the direct local community, which suggests a link between the environmental and economic aspect. Without an understanding of social sustainability in architecture, buildings, no matter ow environmentally efficient, are not genuinely sustainable. The social aspect is anchored primarily in the larger scale like development of cities and neighbourhoods. Architecture has an opportunity to enhance social sustainability by providing built opportunities for connectivity and balance; connectivity between the individuals within the built and b etween the surrounding community and the occupants. Balance is an aspect mainly focusing on the relation between the individual and collective to prevent a social gap in terms of i. e. ethnicity, income and difference of age. While this embraces diverse and dynamic environment, the general concern of social architecture, and especially in dwellings, is to provide a place for safety and privacy as a part of the local identity. As mentioned, there are some basic architectural needs tied to the idea of dwellings. The dwelling as an archetype is also a product of human needs, and can be defined as having the elementary function of providing shelter. The relationship between inside and out is defined through the basic use of floor, wall and roof to create a place to be; thus creating an inside in the midst of an outside. Exploring the erminology, the German philosopher argues, that to dwell already relates to the notions of preserving, saving and the concern for land. (Sharr 2007; 45) Th is implies more poetic considerations of the architectural space and its significance to the human being. Consequently, sustainable architecture must conceptually be defined as consisting of not only environmental concern and exploitation of modern technologies but also the immeasurable qualities of poetics in architectural space. The concept of sustainability must assume the holistic approach, in which the human being finds comfort and empathy. Sustainable Architecture Sustainable Architecture The following paragraph is a discussion of sustainability as an architectural concept. The main issue is to illuminate the different aspects of sustainable architecture being more than just a calculation, and rather a tectonic solution with high architectural quality. This closely relates to context and human needs. In recent years, the attention given to sustainable and environmental design has only become more severe as a result of climate changes and rising energy prices. The entire change in architecture and design was initiated decades ago, fiercely debating the ustainability in building construction and city planning to the present day. Though instead of reaching a clear definition, the concept of sustainability has become mainstream and vague. In the genuine architectural practice, sustainability is the concept of saving resources in building developing and city planning, in terms of reducing the use of fossil fuels and other non- ­? renewable energy sources. Instead the site- ­? specific climate and topographic features are to benefit the built environment and architecture. (Pedersen 2009) This is what is immediately and commonly associated with ustainable architecture. Introducing the term Sustainable Development, the Brundtland Commission’s Report of 1987 assumes the same point of view but takes the considerations of sustainability a step further by stating †sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own†. The report suggests a more general approach to the concept than merely environmental aspects, and thus imposes the economic and social aspects to meet the requirements of both present and future generations. The concept of architectural ustainability suggests a more holistic approach to what is genuine sustainable. Not only should the quantitative and physical requirements of i. e. daylight, fresh air, and indoor temperature be implemented; the qualitative and tectonic heritage of architecture should on equal terms be secured to make a durable solution. A solution that architecturally facilitates both experienced and technical aspects that are both considered human need. If not implementing the tectonic, what is the building if not just machine? The environmental aspect has the ability to apply different scales, whether it is he environment of the local community or the global. Due to various use of the term, sustainability has commonly been anticipated as being the same as the notion of environmental design. The general take on the subject is that it is closely concerned with the climatic and modern technologies trying to optimize the energy consumption and emissions of the built. The latest technologies seek to bring pure functionality to the architecture through dynamic facades to either intercept or protect from direct solar radiation. The exploitation of passive solutions, su ch as solar shading, thermal mass and oncepts of natural ventilation is the means of providing technical durability in the built on both a local and global scale. In addition to this, the use of materials has a central role. Whether it is the specific terms of production, the durability or the life span, the use of materials has to meet the requirements of the present as well as the future. For instance, the use of local materials can provide labour to the direct local community, which suggests a link between the environmental and economic aspect. Without an understanding of social sustainability in architecture, buildings, no matter ow environmentally efficient, are not genuinely sustainable. The social aspect is anchored primarily in the larger scale like development of cities and neighbourhoods. Architecture has an opportunity to enhance social sustainability by providing built opportunities for connectivity and balance; connectivity between the individuals within the built and b etween the surrounding community and the occupants. Balance is an aspect mainly focusing on the relation between the individual and collective to prevent a social gap in terms of i. e. ethnicity, income and difference of age. While this embraces diverse and dynamic environment, the general concern of social architecture, and especially in dwellings, is to provide a place for safety and privacy as a part of the local identity. As mentioned, there are some basic architectural needs tied to the idea of dwellings. The dwelling as an archetype is also a product of human needs, and can be defined as having the elementary function of providing shelter. The relationship between inside and out is defined through the basic use of floor, wall and roof to create a place to be; thus creating an inside in the midst of an outside. Exploring the erminology, the German philosopher argues, that to dwell already relates to the notions of preserving, saving and the concern for land. (Sharr 2007; 45) Th is implies more poetic considerations of the architectural space and its significance to the human being. Consequently, sustainable architecture must conceptually be defined as consisting of not only environmental concern and exploitation of modern technologies but also the immeasurable qualities of poetics in architectural space. The concept of sustainability must assume the holistic approach, in which the human being finds comfort and empathy.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Competition law Essay

A situation in which a single company or group owns all or nearly all of the market for a given type of product or service. By definition, monopoly is characterized by an absence of competition, which often results in high prices and inferior products. According to a strict academic definition, a monopoly is a market containing a single firm. In such instances where a single firm holds monopoly power, the company will typically be forced to divest its assets. Antimonopoly regulation protects free markets from being dominated by a single entity. Explanation ‘Monopoly’ Monopoly is the extreme case in capitalism. Most believe that, with few exceptions, the system just doesn’t work when there is only one provider of a good or service because there is no incentive to improve it to meet the demands of consumers. Governments attempt to prevent monopolies from arising through the use of antitrust laws. Of course, there are gray areas; take for example the granting of patents on new inventions. These give, in effect, a monopoly on a product for a set period of time. The reasoning behind patents is to give innovators some time to recoup what are often large research and development costs. In theory, they are a way of using monopolies to promote innovation. Another example are public monopolies set up by governments to provide essential services. Some believe that utilities should offer public goods and services such as water and electricity at a price that is affordable to everyone.

Friday, September 27, 2019

See Assignment Criteria Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

See Assignment Criteria - Case Study Example The three elements are present in the given problem. First, the killing of Danni was unlawful. Based on the facts presented in the given problem, Sharon does not have any lawful reason to kill Danni. Second, Danni who is the victim in the given problem is a life in being. Finally, Danni could be liable for murder or manslaughter because her act of sending a mail bomb (though merely intended to frighten Gordon) actually caused or brought about the instant death of the victim Sharon. Thus, in R. v Smith (1959)2, where the victim was stabbed and died shortly afterwards, the fact that adequate medical care was not available could not be relied upon by the defendant, even though such care, if available, would probably have saved the victim's life. As long as the stab wound remained an operative cause of death, the defendant was guilty of murder. In the given problem, the mail bomb sent by Sharon was the operative cause of Danni's death. Hence, Sharon is criminally liable for Danni's death . In the case of R. v McFeely [1977] N.I. 149, the accused waited in a car while two men planted a bomb at an inn and carried out a robbery. After the two men warned the occupants that a bomb had been planted, the accused drove the two men away. As a result of the explosion, a police constable was killed. The accused was charged with murder and robbery. In its decision, the court held that the accused was not guilty of murder as although he knew the bomb was to be planted he also knew that a warning was to be given and that he didn't knew that it was probable that serious personal injury would result. Since the unlawful acts of the two men involved a risk of injury and as death had resulted, the accused was held guilty of manslaughter only. Applying McFeely, Sharon cannot be guilty of murder but for manslaughter only because even if Sharon knew the mail bomb was to be delivered to Gordon, death could not probably be the result as Sharon only intends to frighten Gordon. In R. v Loudon3, the accused drove a van containing a bomb into the premises of newspaper establishment. He shouted a warning before running off. When the bomb exploded, one was killed. The accused was charged with murder. He contended that there was no evidence that he intended to kill or cause serious injury to anyone and that no necessary mental element was present. The trial judge convicted the accused, holding that the accused knew that there would ensue from his actions a serious risk of death or grievous bodily harm to someone and with that knowledge deliberately drove the van into the loading bay with the intention of exposing someone to that risk. On appeal, it was held that when the accused drove the van into the loading bay and left it there, he knew it was probable that someone would be seriously injured or killed. In the given problem, Sharon could argue that she only intended to frighten Gordon and had no intention of inflicting any bodily harm or death. Thus, she could only be held guilty of manslaughter and not murder. In R. v Bateson4, the accused was only convicted of manslaughter and not murder because according to the court, to be guilty of murder a person must know that it is probable that as a result of his or her actions someone will suffer death or serious personal injury. In Bateson, the trial judge convicted the accused of murder holding that she knew that there w

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Managing Business Responsibly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Business Responsibly - Essay Example Then, the response of people to complex/ unexpected events can be considered as more credible, based on the fact that there has been no time available for the individuals involved to be prepared in regard to their response to the particular events (Atkinson and Young, 2008). For example, Garfinkel asked the students participated in his experiment to change their normal behaviour at home and ‘to act as if they live in a rented house and not in the house of their parents’ (Garcia 2013, p.19). The responses of the parents varied: other considered this behaviour as ‘a consequence of an illness or others regarded as rudeness’ (Garcia 2013, p.19). In other words, in any case this behaviour was perceived as being out of social norms (Garcia 2013). It should be noted that parents were not informed on the development of this experiment (Baert and da Silva 2010). However, this is the core characteristic of breaching experiments: those participating in the experiment d evelop a behaviour which is not aligned with social norms (OpenStax College 2012). In this context, the breaching experiments can be considered as valuable for identifying the actual response of people to unexpected events/ behaviour. Personally, a few years ago, I had developed a breaching experiment trying to check the response of my parents to my professional choices. For about a month I avoided going out and I was keeping on reading/ watching business – related videos through the Internet, a behaviour that was fully contradictory with my habit to meet my friends almost every afternoon and to watch sports in TV. My parents reacted rather positively; they’ve told me that they are not going to be opposed to my decision to choose the specific professional field and that I could continue my normal social life, as before. In other words, for my parents, my behaviour was perceived as an effort to show my willingness for a specific career. In

Online Shopping Behavior of Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Online Shopping Behavior of Women - Essay Example Previous research studies have already identified several differences in the shopping behavior of males and females in conventional "bricks and doors" retail stores. For each of the key questions below that will guide the online shopping research, a summary of what we already know is provided. The surveys and other sources will yield further information about men's and women's online shopping habits. Analysis will show whether men and women continue to exhibit the same patterns, or develop new ones based on their experiences and preferences in the visual-only online shopping environment. Among a host of other factors, how does the lack of physical store buildings, touchable merchandise, and interaction with live people, both other shoppers and sales personnel, change the browsing, shopping and buying patterns of men and women of various ages Not according to Paco Underhill, marketing consultant and author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping (Simon & Schuster, 2000). His research shows that both men and women spend time shopping -- in specific and widely differing categories -- without having a specific need in mind as they shop. His company, Envirosell, has done marketing studies for large computer retailers which show that 17% of the male customers interviewed come into the stores more than once a week just to look around. Computer equipment, video games and DVDs have replaced cars and music systems for many men as their technology focus. They go to the store to gain information as well as to buy, as was noted from how intently they read the packaging of software and accessory hardware for their computers. Men prefer to get their information firsthand, off the box or from a brochure, rather than ask a salesperson. For other purchases, such as clothing and shoes, men go into a store, pick out what they need, and try it on. If it fits, they buy it. Women assess clothing, particularly shoes, on many criteria besides fit to close the deal on a purchase. These include price, color, fabric care and if the garment makes them look good overall or makes certain features look better or worse. Many a pair of pants or shoes have been rejected, even if they fit well, for the subjective reason that "they make my butt look too big," or "they make my legs look fat." Shoes also must fit the season (summer or winter), and the activity where they will be worn. These range from dancing; dating; management meetings; taking the kids to a soccer game, ad infinitum, which is why there are so many more styles of shoes for women than men. 2. Are the buying decisions of male shoppers more rational than those of female shoppers Traditional research shows that in certain situations, males shop no more rationally than females. A primary case in point is the supermarket. Grocery industry studies show that sixty to seventy percent of supermarket purchases by both men and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Teaching English in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia Literature review

Teaching English in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia - Literature review Example The reason is that variables involved in the development process cover those areas that this paper is interested in – the demographics of the young learners (at what age children usually learn English), the teaching content (such as how religion can be integrated in the instruction), teaching methodologies, perceived problems that are unique to Saudi children and their solutions, among others. Literature on the demographics of young learners in Saudi Arabia is quite scarce. This is more so in the field of ESL or what in identifying studies that actually investigated the beginning age of ESL learners in the country. There are researchers, however, who have mentioned some information and pertinent facts regarding this matter in their wider discourse of either English learning in the Middle East or as part of the wider profile of Saudi Arabia. An excellent example is Abir’s (1993) insights on the issue. He stated, for instance, that â€Å"the standard of education in the urban centres catering to the Saudis of middle-class background is on the whole relatively low,† and that â€Å"memorising is still the backbone of the system, while standard of English†¦ is uneven and often very poor.† (p. ... (Bingham, p. 435) Beginners are usually assessed according to their English language competency and currently they have more than 600 students coming from both expatriates and Saudis alike. Similar international schools roughly adopt the same standards. Meanwhile, the national average of new learners is glaringly different. Wilson, for example, wrote that based on statistics, Saudi children start learning at a later age but that enrolment is increasing rapidly because of extensive support from the government. (p. 106) In addition public elementary schools are usually late in introducing ESL as opposed to the private schools like in the case of Jeddah Prep & Grammar School, which has been established by British and Dutch expatriates. According to Abdan (2002), elementary students should be introduced to English in elementary school because public elementary school students are presently underexposed to the language since English is not part of the national curriculum. (p. 265-266) The benefits of introducing English to young learners, preferably to be integrated in the elementary education curriculum have been cited and proven by numerous studies. These benefits are explained in various arguments ranging from the social, cultural to psychological. According to Nikolov and the European Centre for Modern Languages (2007), young children can benefit from early language learning in the same way as older pupils do. In their research, they found that majority of teachers have been surprised to find how quickly young children pick-up English. (p. 26) It is for this reason why, in America, immigrants immediately send their children to school to learn English as part of the faster strategy to assimilate in the society. (Welch

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

A Midsummer Night's Dream Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Midsummer Night's Dream - Assignment Example Another instance that people make decisions for others is Demetrius wants to marry Helena but since his father has asked him to marry Hermia then he has to obey. Another situation is where the decision to love is placed on a cupid. In the play there is a quote â€Å"Cupid painted blind. Nor hath loves mind of any judgment taste†¦ Because of the choice, he is so oft beguiled. The writer of the play has bestowed the decision to love or not to love on Cupid. This might not be a person making a decision for another but rather leaving this to fate. Theseus makes a comment in the last scene that says that people let fear distort people’s senses and make people see things that do not exist. In a literal sense allowing fear make decisions for you is a sense of control. This quotes shows it â€Å"Or in the night, imagining some fear, How easy is a bush supposed a bear?†.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Determining the Status of an Independent Contractor and Taxes Essay

Determining the Status of an Independent Contractor and Taxes - Essay Example Avoiding taxes is not the primary goal of an independent contractor but they know if they are classified as employees they suffer some consequences. Some of the consequences one suffers are that they might not be hired by the hiring firm since they these firms will be forced to pay additional expenses of treating them as employees. The aims of the firms to maximise their profit and to ensure they achieve their goals, they have to ensure that they minimise their operational expenses. For this case, if an independent contractor is classified as an employee he will never be hired by the hiring firms. (Fishman, 2006) The other reason as to why the independent contractors do not need to be classified as employees is because they will add additional tax burden to themselves by being subjected to tax. Their pay will be deducted, something they would not be experiencing if they were independent contractor. (Fishman, 2006) According to Fishman (1997), the U.S Bureau of Labour Statistics shows that in U.S.A alone, there are eight million independent contractors and in the next ten years, this number is expected to double. The use of independent contractors is beneficial companies that cannot afford to hire permanent employees especially small and medium ones. This is especially so for those companies that can not be able to employ a permanent employee for specialized function. For instance, a company engaged in international commerce can hire an attorney who has specialized in international trade as an independent contractor to provide international legal advice. This staffing approach is more affordable than employee a permanent employee and for this case due to the fact that this attorney's salary will not be taxed, then it does not mean he want to avoid paying the tax. 1 Permanent employees have been given a great deal of job security by European laws and because of these laws, the economic uncertainty has forced employers to use short-term contracts than using permanent employment. These short-term contracts are the use of independent contract and statistics shows that this tread is on the increase. In every five employees in France, one is on part-time contract; 30 percent of workforce in Britain is on temporary employment; in Spain, for every ten jobs created, seven of them are on temporary basis; and the ban on private temporary employment agencies has been lifted in Germany. These statistics shows that there is great rise in the use of independent contractors in many European countries. The use of independent contractors has become popular since it reduces costs and legal requirements imposed on termination or lay off of employment in Europe. Due to the fact that the temporary employees hired by companies under temporary employment does not mea n that they are avoiding paying taxes since they employment is being dictated by circumstances. (Templeman, 1996) Independent contractors results in cost savings which include: reduced book keeping and payroll preparations costs, avoidance of taxes, reduced fringe benefits, elimination of worker's compensation benefits, elimination of overtime pay, decreased administrative burdens and reduction in capital and maintenance costs if the independent contractors provides their own tools and equipment. (Bureau of National Affairs, 1994; Stalnaker, 1993). Even though independent contr

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Adult Learning Theory Essay Example for Free

Adult Learning Theory Essay Holt (2011), it is stated that it is necessary to bring both concepts of the Bible teaching and contemporary adult learning theories together for the most effectiveness. In the Holt article; it is shown that Biblical explanation and interpretation assist the adult learner in gaining knowledge. The choices one makes gives real world perspective and power can only be obtained by the Holy Spirit. The article discusses the styles in which adult learning makes a difference, whether androgogy, transformative learning or self-directed learning (Holt). Adult Learning Theory for the Twenty-First Century† discusses the goals of educators to better prepare themselves to better deal with adult learners. Over the last 15 years, learning theories have changed very aggressively (Merriam, 2008). As adults continue to develop human physiology changes, thus learning teaching styles have to change to keep up. It has been recognized that with time everything that adults experience is part of the learning process. It has been further recognized that educators have to increase their tool set to involve creative and artistic modes of teaching to reach a wider audience. Both articles cover the ever-changing dynamics of the human psyche and educational styles and requirements in dealing with adult learning. Educators have to continue to increase knowledge both for themselves as well as those whom they are educating. Where the styles of the teaching process in the Holt (2011) article differ from the Merriam (2008) article, they both recognize the changes in adult learners. It has been recognized over years and will continue for years to come that educators of adults will have to continue honing their skill sets to accommodate the learning styles of adults. Since adults learn differently from children it is important to include the learning styles necessary to maximize the efforts of educators. As adults learning styles change it will be necessary for those educating adults to change also. Reflection After reading both articles and realizing the application in my own life and learning style, I conclude that adults learn differently. There were moments of complete frustration as I was putting my thoughts together as I can tend to be somewhat of a perfectionist. I had the realization that time management and organizational skills are imperative when completing an assignment of any type. The Holt (2011) article caught my attention initially because of how I tend to study and read the Bible in particular. I am coming to understand more and more how I learn and further realize that the concepts of knowledge, choice and power are applicable in my own life. I am intrigued by the concept mentioned in the Holt article and will consider its application to my current Bible study methods. The Merriam (2008) article is interesting in the fact that I had no idea how challenging it is for educators to keep up with the learning curve that is necessary to continue teaching the increasing number of adult learners. Being out of the college environment for so long, I realize it is not as easy to just get things done with all of the demands of life as I know it. I can see how both articles and their teaching styles have a positive impact on dealing with adult learning. With all of the influences of culture, music, art, etc, it is imperative that educators find a way to keep up with the demands of educating the population of adults returning to increase their knowledge to keep up with fast paced American culture. I now have a new respect for teachers on all levels. It is interesting that adult educator’s find is so necessary to effectively reach adults. It is increasingly more common for adults to return to school for a number of reasons, and are driven to succeed for just as many reasons. Thankfully educators realize the change necessary to comprehend the goals of those adults striving for successes related to educating themselves. References Holt, R. A. (2011). Teaching that transforms: Facilitating life change through adult Bible teaching. Christian Education Journal,  8(2), 450+ Merriam, S. B. (2008). Adult learning theory for the twenty-first century. New Directions For Adult And Continuing Education, Volume 2008, Issue 119, 93-98. DOI: 10. 1002/ace. 309

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Intelligence Led Policing: Ethical Issues

Intelligence Led Policing: Ethical Issues The second important report by Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary set out the main elements of intelligence led policing and crime reduction Policing With Intelligence (HMIC, 1997). Both report accepted the use of intelligence led policing tactics in crime reduction of high volume crimes such as vehicle theft and burglary which so far had only been used in tackling serious crime. The use of information technology was seen as the major vehicle and conduit for managing the increased information generated as a result of a change in policy to intelligence led policing. The increasing fear in the community about crime and the fear of crime, coupled with a loss of confidence in the police, fuelled a drive towards an increase in private security arrangements. This move is seen in the growth of private security companies both residential and in shopping centres, initiated by both private citizens, commercial premises owners and insurance companies. The desire and practice of amassing information resulted as part of the increase in the risk society (Maguire, 2000), but increased information and data does not necessarily lead to crime reduction. Although the police may benefit from access to huge amounts of statistical data, some academics have suggested that the impetus for this has in fact emanated from other external institutions such as health, insurance and education establishments (Ericson and Haggerty, 1997). The data processed by the police has been used by these establishments for their own risk assessment purposes rather than being used for crime reduction purposes. The recent requirement for the police service to produce annual and other reports and publishing key performance indicators which required statistical returns was another fundamental reason for the computerisation of criminal records. In fact some commentators argue that the computer systems are barely used in the fight against crime reduction (Ratcliffe and McCullalgh, 1998). The unease which the police feel about the drive towards intelligence-led policing is set out in a report on Merseyside Police (Barton Evans, 2001). This research was undertaken over a twelve month period from April 1996 to April 1997. It uncovered that an intelligence-led approach was adopted for all key service areas and not just crime with an emphasis on the importance of circulating intelligence and focusing on the role of intelligence-led crime prevention strategies. The implementation of the new policy was achieved by the introduction of crime management units, force intelligence systems and a force intelligence bureau. In evaluating the new systems, the researchers were hindered because statistical data standardised across areas was not available. However based on a mixture of observation and talking to various officers, the researchers concluded that some areas of the process worked well whilst others displayed shortcomings. The obstacles to the new policy lay in different officers comprehension of proactivity with only limited training offered; no distinction between information and intelligence; no consistency of tasking meetings whose purpose was to increase intelligence gathering in each area; the diverting of officers onto reactive investigations. - The use of informers is seen as particularly valuable in crime investigation strategies. In a publication issued ten years ago the Audit Commission stated that informants are the life blood of CIA and have been vocal in calling for their increased use in the fight against crime (Giddens, 2004). Informants have been in use by the British police for many years and is sometimes referred to as the second oldest profession The use of informers is fraught with complex connotations particularly around the integrity of the information received from them in the light of their motivation. An increase in intelligence-led policing has led to the traditional police-informer relationship being modernised and put on a professional footing. The modern term for engaging with informants is human source capability whereby the police can capture and utilise the knowledge and skill of those persons in society who have access to the criminal element within the community via an organised and structured HSC framework. It has been argued that there has been a dearth in the use of informants outside the sphere of organised crime (Innes, 2000). With the advent of intelligence-led policing the police-informer relationship has moved to a more sophisticated professional and ethical system in respect of both recruitment and management of sources. The introduction in the UK of specific source handling units and HSM units in certain police areas have advanced a more professional approach to intelligence gathering. The relationship between police and sources remains a highly controversial area of law enforcement. In particular when participant informers are encouraged to commit crime due to their particular relationship with the police, major concern is expressed (Billingsley) A participant informer is one who is permitted to carry on committing a crime so that the police can identify those main participants involved in organising the criminal activity. Research shows that some police officers have a tendency to rely very heavily on informants and to condone various criminal acts undertaken by some of their sources. If the use of informants becomes prolific it undermines the whole criminal investigation process as it is shrouded in secrecy, and intrigue and somewhat lacking in legitimacy itself, undermining the precept of transparency and openess within the police service and compromising the adage that justice must be seen to be done. Additionally some relationships between officers and their sources are seen as unhealthy involving the controlling of sources by selective distribution of information by police officers handling the informants. (Cooper and Murphy, 20). The potential harm to police legitimacy given the ethical difficulties posed by the police/informer relationship has been highlighted by several commentators, (Dunningham and Norris, 1999). Dealing with informants often places police officers in invidious circumstances. The police officer has to balance their official duties to detect and reduce crime with a moral obligation to be above bribery and corruption. They also have various official duties and all of these obligations need to be balanced when dealing in the slightly murky world of the criminal underworld with its temptations and people who would benefit from an officers downfall. Nothing it seems can be taken at face value when dealing with informants. In his study of Melbourne police informers Settle noted the wide discrepancy between the legal and the actual position of the police/informer relationship. Police are expected to be accountable to the law for their methods whilst at the same time are under pressure to maintain order pragmatically (Settle, 1995 p.3) Basically this means that their actions must be justified in legalistic terms but such terms are at variance with several of the informal practices used in crime control such as informants.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Pros and Cons of Pharmaceutical Patents

Pros and Cons of Pharmaceutical Patents Pros and Cons of Pharmaceutical Patents Considering that patents were originally designed to protect the work of an individual, and that in the pharmaceutical industry it is usually the company that hold the patent rights, what is the theoretical justification of maintaining the current system. Consider only the US market and use models that address the issue from an economic perspective This essay concerns the advantages and disadvantages of patents in the USA. Broadly, two main arguments stem from the idea of patents in relation to the American pharmaceutical market. One is that, since patents were designed to give protection to the work of the individual the idea that patents are now used to confer rights on third parties such as pharmaceutical companies is a situation which is undesirable because it goes beyond how patents were originally intended to function. The second argument defends the rights of third parties such as pharmaceutical companies to be protected under patent laws on the basis that this function of a patent has evolved pragmatically and remains to be an important element of patenting rights law in the USA. Various economic arguments have been advanced in support of the later argument, whereas various ideological and economic arguments have been advanced to support the traditional interpretation of how a patent should function and in what circumst ances. This essay will consider these arguments in depth. As a prelude to this analysis however, the idea of a patent will be defined and explained, and there will be a discussion regarding models of patent functioning. A patent Patents are rights granted, endorsed and enforced by government[1]. The rights associated with patents are exclusive rights and these prevent others from selling, manufacturing, making, advertising or otherwise using the invention or idea over which an individual has a patent[2]. Grubb (1999) gives us the following definition of patents: ‘A patent may be defined as a grant by the state of exclusive rights for a limited time in respect of new†¦useful invention. These rights are in general limited to the territory of the state granting the patent, so that an inventor wishing protection in a number of countries must obtain separate patents†¦[3]’. Patents have been compared with property rights as patents effectively convey rights which are akin to property rights to the patent holder[4]. Importantly, in the context of this question, a patent or certain rights associated with it may be legally transferred to another[5]. The process of obtaining a patent involves compiling a detailed specification of the idea or invention which the patent is sought in respect of. This procedure makes it more clear what the patent holder will regard as an infringement of their patent rights. In the USA, this process of description and specification is referred to as the patent specification. This patent specification must comply with national patent laws. Attempts have been made to ensure that patent laws are applied with uniformity on an international level[6]. These attempts have been organised, in large part by the World Trade Organisation[7]. Why do patents exist in the pharmaceutical market? Without patents, there would be no incentive for inventors to divulge their ideas and inventions to the general public. Where inventors of drugs and pharmaceutical innovations are concerned; without the protection which patenting offers, there would be no incentive, firstly for the inventor to devote time and effort to the formulation of their invention, since others could so easily replicate it and secondly an absence of patenting could encourage inventors to protect their ideas through secrecy and non-disclosure[8]. Therefore, an absence of patenting laws can be tied indirectly with the thwarting of innovation and with the thwarting of the disclosure of technological advances to the general public[9]. Some advocates of patents have argued that the process of patenting contributes to the economy, since it encourages companies to invest in research and development[10]. The absence of patents imputes the converse of this rationale. The reason for this is that companies invest in research and development because the development of technological advancement can be productised and marketed; often generating huge profits for the company with successful research and development projects. Patenting makes this productisation process very profitable, since the patenting process ensures that others do not replicate the product concerned to gain a share of the potential profits[11]. This creates an incentive for companies to invest money in research and development and this investment leads to technological advancement[12]. The incentive would not exist without the protections which patents can provide. Critics of patenting processes also argue that patents encourage monopolies[13]. Companies, for example pharmaceutical companies who patent drugs can sell those drugs at quite high prices. The process of competition would ordinarily discourage this method of artificial pricing, but the operation of a patent can preclude most forms of competition[14]. Patents have also been critiqued given that they preclude competition even where another inventor has created the same or a similar product using independent methods. The theoretical justification for maintaining patents in their current form in the pharmaceutical market Patents are particularly important within the pharmaceutical industry in America. As explained above there are large costs involved in the research and development process. Conaway (2003) illustrates this: ‘The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the pharmaceutical industry’s trade association, estimates that the U.S. pharmaceutical industry spent over $30 billion just on research and development in 2001†¦.In total, each new drug that makes it to market can cost half a billion dollars to develop†¦[15]’. As Conaway goes on to argue[16], this means that where innovations are discovered in the pharmaceutical industry, the profits which emanate from this have to be maximised to make the large levels of research and development investments worthwhile. These constraints are what make patents in the pharmaceutical industry so important, as without patents, technological innovations in the pharmaceutical field can be pirated, which in turn thwarts profit. How can this be reconciled with the idea that patents were intended to protect the work of the individual, which was the original function of a patent? The answer is that it does not have to be reconciled in this way, since patents continue to protect the work of the individual, albeit in a more complex way. To see how the current system continues to operate to protect the work of the individual one simply has to unravel the dynamics of corporate pharmaceutical processes and examine them more closely. As we have seen in the last section, the rights in patents are in many ways akin to property rights. These rights are transferable. Individual inventors may transfer, license or otherwise confer patent rights upon corporate pharmaceutical actors. This transfer benefits the individual inventor, since the individual can expect to be remunerated in exchange for the patent rights or in exchange for certain rights in patents. Therefore the current system continues to protect the work of the individual, albeit indirectly. Where an individual who works within industry invents a patentable idea, and they have invented it through the use of the research and development money/resources available from their employers or sponsors, the individual often waives their rights to claim an interest in the idea they create, since it would not have been possible to do this without the investment of the employer/sponsor. It may not be reasonable to expect a patent to operate to protect the work of the individual in these circumstances since the individual no longer has an individual claim to the invention. In these circumstances the patent may be held by the pharmaceutical company, as individuals can only legitimately expect to have an individual claim to the patent rights where the idea is the product of purely their own efforts and investment. In another indirect way however, this arrangement does operate to protect the work of the individual since, although the individual may have waived their rights to claim indi vidual patent rights, these individuals are often engaged in high income jobs. Another example of why there is a theoretical justification for the current system involving the protection of the rights of the individual in the pharmaceutical market is as follows. It is also often the case that inventors in the pharmaceutical industry in the USA want to concentrate their efforts on what they are good at, which involves the research and development of new drugs. The idea of patents which protect the work of individuals therefore still exists since many inventors wish to transfer their interest in the invention in exchange for remuneration. The inventor would not be remunerated were it not possible to transfer patent rights in this way. Therefore, the patent operates to protect the rights of the individual before the transfer occurs. It is surely reasonable to sanction the idea that the individual may then use this benefit in the way that he or she sees fit. This essay has discussed the pros and cons of patents in the pharmaceutical industry. It has explained the rationale behind economic models which advocate and repudiate the modern operation of patent rules and laws. However, this system works and although it represents a deviation from the original conception of patent law; pointing to this deviation in itself is not enough to effectively critique the transition. This is because patents continue to protect the work of the individual. This usually happens in a more indirect way, but this system has not disenfranchised the individual. Therefore systems of patent transfer and the processes where patents are used have evolved pragmatically and these processes continue to protect the interests of individuals, albeit in a more complex way. Bibliography Books ROBERT A. BLACKBURN, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT IN SMALL FIRMS (Routledge 2003). MATTHIAS BRANDI-DOHRN, STEPHAN GRUBER AND IAN MUIR, EUROPEAN PATENT LAW: LAW AND PROCEDURE UNDER THE EPC AND PCT (Oxford University Press 1999). PHILIP J. CURTIS, THE FALL OF THE U.S. CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY: AN AMERICAN TRADE TRAGEDY (Quorum Books 1994). WAYNE CREWS AND ADAM THIERER, COPY FIGHTS: THE FUTURE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE INFORMATION AGE (Cato Institute 2002). BOB DEMATTEIS AND ANDY GIBBS, ESSENTIALS OF PATENTS (Wiley 2003) PHILIP W. GRUBB, PATENTS FOR CHEMICALS, PHARMACEUTICALS, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY: FUNDAMENTALS OF GLOBAL LAW, PRACTICE, AND STRATEGY (Oxford University Press 1999). J. W. HARRIS, PROPERTY AND JUSTICE (Clarendon Press 1996). RICHARD T. HOLZMANN, INFRINGEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES PATENT RIGHT: A GUIDE FOR EXECUTIVES AND ATTORNEYS (Quorum Books 1995). VALENTINE KORAH, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AGREEMENTS AND THE EC COMPETITION RULES (Oxford University Press 1996). PAUL LERNER AND ALEXANDER POLTORAK, ESSENTIALS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (Wiley 2002). DUNCAN MATTHEWS, GLOBALISING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: THE TRIPS AGREEMENT (Routledge 2002) DUDLEY F. PEGRUM, THE REGULATION OF INDUSTRY (Richard D. Irwin 1949). WILLIAM HYDE PRICE, THE ENGLISH PATENTS OF MONOPOLY (Harvard University Press 1913). Article CARRIE CONAWAY, TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING CAN BE BAD (Published at: > 2003). 1 Footnotes [1] PHILIP W. GRUBB, PATENTS FOR CHEMICALS, PHARMACEUTICALS, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY: FUNDAMENTALS OF GLOBAL LAW, PRACTICE, AND STRATEGY 3 (Oxford University Press 1999). [2] RICHARD T. HOLZMANN, INFRINGEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES PATENT RIGHT: A GUIDE FOR EXECUTIVES AND ATTORNEYS 11 (Quorum Books 1995). [3] PHILIP W. GRUBB, PATENTS FOR CHEMICALS, PHARMACEUTICALS, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY: FUNDAMENTALS OF GLOBAL LAW, PRACTICE, AND STRATEGY 3 (Oxford University Press 1999). [4] J. W. HARRIS, PROPERTY AND JUSTICE 3 (Clarendon Press 1996). [5] BOB DEMATTEIS AND ANDY GIBBS, ESSENTIALS OF PATENTS 21 (Wiley 2003) [6] MATTHIAS BRANDI-DOHRN, STEPHAN GRUBER AND IAN MUIR, EUROPEAN PATENT LAW: LAW AND PROCEDURE UNDER THE EPC AND PCT 11 (Oxford University Press 1999). [7] DUNCAN MATTHEWS, GLOBALISING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: THE TRIPS AGREEMENT 7 (Routledge 2002) [8] WAYNE CREWS AND ADAM THIERER, COPY FIGHTS: THE FUTURE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE INFORMATION AGE 17 (Cato Institute 2002). [9] PHILIP J. CURTIS, THE FALL OF THE U.S. CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY: AN AMERICAN TRADE TRAGEDY xiv (Quorum Books 1994). [10] ROBERT A. BLACKBURN, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT IN SMALL FIRMS 35 (Routledge 2003). [11] PAUL LERNER AND ALEXANDER POLTORAK, ESSENTIALS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 89 (Wiley 2002). [12] DUDLEY F. PEGRUM, THE REGULATION OF INDUSTRY 2 (Richard D. Irwin 1949). [13] WILLIAM HYDE PRICE, THE ENGLISH PATENTS OF MONOPOLY 1-10 (Harvard University Press 1913). [14] VALENTINE KORAH, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AGREEMENTS AND THE EC COMPETITION RULES 250 (Oxford University Press 1996). [15] CARRIE CONAWAY, TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING CAN BE BAD 2 (Published at: > 2003). [16] CARRIE CONAWAY, TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING CAN BE BAD 2 (Published at: > 2003).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Irish Emigration to New York City Essay examples -- American History

Irish Emigration to New York City The Potato Famine - How, Why, and When the Famine Started Many historians equate the Irish immigration to America with the potato famine of the 1840s, but is is clear that a considerable number of Irish had made their way to Great Britain’s colonies on the North American mainland before 1800. For example, many Irish families came and settled the colonies in the early 1600s. Harbors and towns were named after settlers. Some of these settlers even became Royal governors; one example is Sir Thomas Dongan, who became governor of the colony of New York in 1682. Some other examples of early settlers: in 1670, Charleston, South Carolina was settled by Irish and English emigrants. Sullivan's Island in the Charleston Harbor was named after Captain Florence O'Sullivan who had commanded one of the settler's ships. In 1683, Salem County, New Jersey was settled by Irish immigrants from Tipperary. In 1710, the Blue Ridge region of Virginia was settled by three families from the north of Ireland. In 1762, the house of John Marshall at Moun t Pleasant, near King's College (later Columbia) was the site of the first recorded celebration of St. Patrick's Day in New York City. In 1768, the Wesley Chapel in New York City was established by Irish Methodists. This was the first Methodist Church in America. At the beginning of the 19th century, agriculture was Ireland’s dominant industry. The English prohibited the Irish from practicing their Catholic faith. The English stripped a number of wealthy Catholics of their wealth, their positions, and their homes, which left them paupers. Moreover, no Irish Catholic was allowed to own land, vote, hold office, receive an education, own a gun, or eve... ... Social Experience in the American City, 1760-1900. New York: Cambridge Press, 1989. Byrne, Stephen. Irish Immigration to the United States. New York: Arno Press, 1969. Ernst, Robert. Immigrant Life in New York City, 1825-1863. New York: King's Crown Press, 1949. Ewen, Elizabeth. Immigrant Women in the Land of Dollars. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1985. Pencak, William, Selma Berrol, and Randall Miller. Immigration to New York. Philadephia: Balch Institute Press, 1991. Potter, George W. To the Golden Door; the Story of the Irish in Ireland and America. Boston: Little, Brown, 1960. Stansell, Christine. City of Women. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1982. [1] Robert Ernst, Immigrant Life in New York City, 1825-1863 (New York: King's Crown Press, 1949) [2] Ernst, Immigrant Life, 59. [3] Ernst, Immigrant Life, 67.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Frankenstein is perceived as a horror story. Essay -- English Literatu

Frankenstein is perceived as a horror story. When we analyse the monster, however, the story becomes much more complex. Discuss this statement with close reference to Shelley’s presentation of the monster in the novel. Frankenstein is a novel with great hidden depths and a whole new outlook on life itself. Frankenstein was written in 1818 by Mary Shelley. The novel was a deep insight to a number of things, this including the gothic period. In her 1831 introduction to the novel, Shelley declared her desire to ‘curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart’ This was the first of many signals to the reader that Frankenstein should be placed in the genre of the gothic Frankenstein was written with a great ‘scare factor’ from Gothicism which is part of the Romantic Movement. At that period in time-Gothicism was extremely popular as it was exciting, dark and dramatically horrifying. The book had a tendency to tap into people’s fears. It made the impossible become reality and the absurd become believable. However, Frankenstein was much more than just a horror story and because of this, it was written to deal with more complex issues/themes. Frankenstein was written with such great detail and invisible links to more larger arguments. It deals with issues such as; is it right to play God? Is it right to judge on appearances? Also, HOW and WHY a physically hideous murderer is the most sympathetic character in the novel. The novel also contains elements of science fiction with victor and his ‘great experiment’. At that period in time, science and technology was just beginning to progress at such an alarming pace and inventors were extremely enthusiastic towards science. Victor Frankenstein ... ...nthusiasm for science and the French revolution meant she was used to seeing corpses. This was also incorporated within the novel when she made references to bringing the dead back to life. Mary Shelley’s presentation of the monster shows us that we should never judge on appearances and there is always more to a person than what meets the eye. So in an odd way then, Shelley leaves us to decide whether we think ‘the monster’ IS human or NOT and the ways our experiences shape us into the people we become. In addition to this-the story of Victor Frankenstein and his great creation is much more than a typical horror story. It is an insight to Mary Shelley’s life and a way of describing her pain and loneliness. So, to conclude Frankenstein is a ‘horror’ story which in fact is enormously realistic and covers everyday issues and a diverse amount of themes.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Han China vs. Imperial Rome

Han China vs. Imperial Rome After a brief brush of decentralization and the experience of inclusive centralization, China evolved into its most extensive and influential period: Han China. Imperial Rome used the more traditional Republic methods to also grow to be one of the most influential and powerful empires of the classical world. While China differed with Rome on the roots of change and therefore their approach to governing, the want to expand and centralize government could only be achieved through similar paths of trade and domination.Han China chose the middle path between the two diverse methods of government and pursued the policies of administrative centralization and imperial expansion. In contrast, Imperial Rome centralized political and military power which coincided with the preservation of traditional republican offices and form of government. The Han government believed that the network of political alliances in the Zhou Dynasty caused chaos between states, but the tightly woven Qin dynasty diminished the reason for imperial family members the sustain the empire.Han China was preferably divided into administrative districts that were governed by officials. These officials reached the emperor’s expectations, but allowed his authority over them while the bureaucrats implied his policies. Although, original forms of governing were adjusted in both places; the military responded directly to the emperor or ruler to avoid the problems caused by generals commanding personal armies. Imperial Rome progressed, from a previous dictatorship, by fashioning a centralized political government and unifying military power.Imperial Rome, in comparison to Han china, handled governmental functions with more concern. The Roman Emperor accrued copious amounts of power for himself and took complete responsibility during these times. Both Imperial governments expanded their empire while maintaining an imperial government. As well as, incorporated conquered cit izens into their empire’s culture and society; Rome conquered distant lands and integrated them into the Roman Empire, and Han China dominated nearby countries such as Vietnam and Korea and orbited them into the society of the Han.Both imperial governments knew that with the expansion of their empire would come with the benefits of new trade routes. When Roman soldiers charged into less occupied areas, such as Spain, Germany and Britain, they brought with them the ideas of developing local economies and states. A problem occurred with the expansion of the Han Dynasty though, due to high taxes poor harvests and burdens of debt many landowners were forced the sell their land and often enough themselves.As smaller farmers began to fall, large estates grew and social tensions were stressed, creating more problems as well as a higher chance of social immobility in the Han society. Even though Han China was developing expansion and centralization as a new frontier for the Chinese d ynasties, while Rome was just centralizing military and political power based on traditional republican values, both empires had to progress in the same fashion. Once the broad goals have an effective path, the empires can diverge to become unique and more specialized in political power.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Procurement plan Essay

Procurement plan The procurement plan for the NHS hospital development may be undertaken through the following steps and processes: 1. Procurement guidelines: a) Goods and services shall be procured under and in accordance with NHS guidelines and provisions outlining the functioning and operation of such procedures. b) Outsourced services, consultants, off-branch goods and services are to be procured in accordance with the requisite NHS guidelines and project specifications. c) Standard bidding documents/ Proposals/ bidding paper etc will all be finalized as per NHS guidelines and will adhere strictly to NHS quality and safety requirements (Fewings 2010) 2. Selection of goods and services: The current project is one of re-development and upgrading the current capabilities of the Southmead hospital project. In keeping with that goal there are certain target areas that have been determined as priority areas these can be enumerated as: a) Infrastructure: The re-developed institute is one that is seeking to combine the two institutions of Southmead and Frenchday into one overarching institution for providing the best quality healthcare to the people of that particular county. b) Services: In addition to traditional healthcare services the facility will also host a significant parking facility, concourse, catering facilities and a variety of similar commercial interests that will fill the seven story structure. The facility will also feature a helipad that poses its own unique problems in terms of special infrastructural needs and requirements. C) Accessibility and environmental compatibility: One of the main issues facing the institution prior to the redevelopment of the institution was one of accessibility i.e. the acute and non-acute service centers where spread over the various sites reducing accessibility for the clients and patients, thus reducing effective service time and severely affecting patient care. Another issue that was identified as a core  issue was that of the environmental integrity of the institution, specifically in regards to energy wastage and infection containment. The existing infrastructure was one of wasteful energy leakages and un-contained infection that resulted in the spread of hospital diseases and led to severely compromised patient care and health infrastructure. Consideration of all the above variables and factors needs to be taken into consideration while considering the infrastructural needs of the institution. 3) Goods and services: In terms of goods the following generic categories of products need to be stocked up on surplus levels of inventory: Sanitary products Dressing Equipment Laboratory consumables Emergency consumables Disposable syringes Saline solution Theater equipment (Gloves, scrubs, gowns, masks etc) Generic medication (Antibiotics, coagulants, local anesthetic etc ) The above detailed equipment is one that is used in copious amounts and regularly in all major health institutions and healthcare providers need to be well stocked on the above goods and the like. There are certain other kinds of good which form the median range of products to be kept in stock, to be stored at optimum levels: Bed-sheets and related supplies (pillows, blankets etc) General anesthetic and specialty medicinal supplies (insulin, adrenalin etc) Housekeeping supplies (bed pans, cafeteria supplies etc) In keeping with the same classification of goods, there is a third level of classification of products and goods that a healthcare institute requires that may be classified as critical products such as: Specialty equipment (Physiotherapy, patient recovery etc) Specialty medicine (Epinephrine, methamphetamine etc) The above equipment (especially drugs ) are to be kept on a strictly controlled basis and require to be carefully monitored and controlled, thus  these are kept at levels that are closely calculated on a need of use basis. D) Services: From time to time the institution may require specialty services in order to aid in its smooth functioning and operation. The different services required may be classified as below: Healthcare services: These include services related to the medical nature of the healthcare institution, most commonly related to consultative services and operational guidance in the forms of outside medical consultants for specialized medical care for patients in case of ailments that are not routinely treated at the center; secondary healthcare services such as those relating to early infant care and patient outgoing also fall under this category. Non-Healthcare services: These include services related to the commercial aspect of the institution, for example: independent contractors to handle the catering aspect of the institution, or construction consultants to aid in the different infrastructural needs and requirements of the institution. For example: contractors and outsourced services to handle the IT infrastructure of the institution and other secondary and tertiary aspects associated with the facility. 3) Procurement methods: In keeping with the classification of the different procurement requirements of the institution as outlined above, there can be different procurement methods adapted to each category of product: Category A products: These include products that are consumed in large bulk in the daily operation of the institution such as; sanitary products, dressing equipment, etc. As these are required to be replenished in continuous cyclical repetition the best procurement method for these kinds of products would be to request competitive quotations from interested parties and entering into long term contractual obligations with the selected parties in order to ensure continuous supply of the said products, bulk buying is required and contractual terms and conditions may be changed to reflect the cost benefit  acquired due to the economies of scale achieved through bulk buying. Category B products: These include products that are used on a somewhat daily basis, products that may be reused and put into the operational cycle over a medium period of time such as: bed sheets, pillows, cutlery etc. A similar procedure as for category A products may be used for these kinds of products except the period of contract for such products should be short to medium-term periods of time i.e. 1-2 years to provide for changing market conditions and to accommodate favorable, more cost effective offers from different vendors. Category C products: These generally include highly restricted and seldom used products, mostly in use for highly specialized medical procedures, such as: radioactive isotopes, scheduled drugs, restricted materials etc. These kinds of products are kept under strict control by the medical advisory bodies and are used only in cases of strict and extreme medical necessity. The procurement method for these kinds of products should be as per use and consists of a strictly formalized approach to the governing and regulatory bodies. Generally use of such products comes with strict guidelines and benchmarks that determine the level of competence of the institution to handle such materials, special care should be taken to ensure strict and absolute adherence to such standards and guidelines before initiating the procurement method for said substances. Services: Non-medical services: These kinds of services are procured by the fixed and sealed tender method wherein fixed tenders are invited from interested parties and the lowest bidder wins the contract for providing the said services to the institution. Medical services: This category of services is available only from a limited pool of resources and as such traditional methods of procurement give way to new, innovative forms of contracts and agreements such as having a visiting specialist, or having a ‘guest specialist’ who visits the institution regularly or on  demand whenever a situation arises requiring the specialists unique skill sets. Procurement issues: Post-tender negotiations: There are several situations wherein changing market conditions and various environmental variables necessitate the re-negotiation of contracts after the finalization of tenders. One such example may be in the drop in the prices of raw materials required; change in the immigration policy may flood the market with more affordable labor creating the requirement for new terms of contract with longstanding contract partners. However NHS does not permit post tender negotiations. (NHS, Barnet, 2009:37). This creates significant levels of problems in negotiating contract details after the issuance of tenders (Morris et al., 2007). Fund Management: Typically there are several differences in how the funds allotted to a particular project are managed in respect of public and private interests, for instances privately managed projects have more flexibility in regards to funds allocation and consumption and are subject to less paperwork, therefore are consequently subject to greater independence. However, being a public project, it would require better and more efficient management of public funds. This translates into tighter controls, apprehension in fund allocations, delayed fund usage and general financial disarray. This is a very real, very serious issue facing most all government institutions and not necessarily limited to just the NHS. Environmental issues: In recent years renewed attention has been paid to environmental concerns emanating from organizational operations. Medical institutions have traditionally been highly inefficient in terms of energy usage and According to a research conducted by Torbay NHS Care Trust, (2010, p. 10), 60 of the total carbon footprint of NHS originates from the procured goods and services. Implementing IT infrastructure: The business model for a lot of the modern healthcare facilities has integrated the need for a comprehensive IT support framework that supports the operational activities of the organization. Ensuring compatibility with modern standards of IT infrastructure and implementing modern IT concepts like e-commerce etc in the procurement plan is a major challenge for the managers. Procurement strategy: Core strategic priorities: To establish a process of sourcing contracts and frameworks to ensure the delivery of best value. To implement and fully utilize efficient on†line procurement systems and processes that move away from a paper based system and reduce the transaction effort within the Trust. To implement a set of standard policies and processes to ensure that all staff understand and comply with the mechanisms for purchasing goods and services. To implement a range of management information systems that allow for the results of current procurement patterns to be analyzed to ensure that best value is secured. To develop a materials management structure to allow efficient and effective delivery and stockholding. Establishment of accurate assessment centers catering directly to the diagnostic needs of patients from various medical need backgrounds. Aesthetic and functional design of the hospital interiors, compensating for the needs of special requirement patients involving senior citizens as well as early childhood care. Combination of easy access as well as synergistic design based construction that combines the best of functionality, environmental friendliness and ease of use. Strategic principles: The strategic principles on which the procurement strategy will be based can be enumerated as follows: Strive for continuous improvement in quality, price and processes by researching and developing a detailed understanding of potential products and services. Encourage environmentally advantageous products and services by, where appropriate, working with providers to minimize the environmental and social impacts associated with products and services. Strategic Model: The strategic model which will ensure the application of the strategy formed is described as follows: 1) Control: Performance: The various parameters of healthcare deliverables, measurable service outputs, and performance indicators etc will be used to measure performance efficiency and effectiveness. Governance: Formulating executive level strategies and policies to guide the procurement process and strategy. Risk: Acceptable parameters of different procurement components such as inventory levels, service delivery time, turnaround time etc. 2) Process: Sourcing: The activity of determining and defining business demand and the subsequent engagement with the supply market to acquire or fulfill that demand in the most cost effective way for the hospital is to be determined and executed by a central procurement department. Financial management: The allocation, budgeting and consumption of funds is to be managed in accordance with NHS guidelines and undertaken by the executive level governing body overseeing said functions of the hospital. Data Management: The use of above mentioned IT infrastructure to enable efficient data forecasts and effective material management. References: Bower, Denise 2003, ‘Management of procurement’ Pearson Publishing Fleming, Quentin 2003, ‘Project procurement management’ SUNY press Zaman, Nadeem 2011, ‘Procurement Management Process’ Toronto Press Sherman, Stanley 1985, ‘Government Procurement Management’ Penguin Publishing England, Wilbur 2009, ‘Modern procurement management’ Harvard Press Ukalkar, Sanjay 2000, ‘Strategic Procurement Management’ Abrahms Publishing Nelson, Clarence 2001, ‘IT use in Procurement Managament’ SUNY press

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Assignment Unit 303 Support Learning Activities Essay

Mrs S the class teacher, the children and I sat on the carpet and Mrs S asked the children to identify different value coins by sight. I was then asked by Mrs S to help year 1 yellow table with counting coins and recognising the value of money. Mrs C gave each table various amounts of 1 pence, 2 pence, 5 pence and 10 pence coins. I asked all of my table to sit down properly. One child was kneeling on her chair so I explained that she needed to sit down so that she didn’t slip and so that everybody could see. The children initially kept grabbing at the money so I stated that they would all get a turn individually and to leave the coins alone for the moment. Each child was then asked in turn from left to right to work out how many 1 pence pieces were in 2 pence, 5 pence and 10 pence. I referred to the number line on the wall opposite to demonstrate adding and counting. I recognised that one of the children on my table was very quiet and timid, he was reluctant to join in at first as a lot of the other children were talking over him. I asked the table to be quiet so that he could concentrate. I then asked him to count all the 1 pence pieces on the table, he responded well and showed good counting skills, after he had finished I asked if he fully understood all of the task and he replied with a smile. I then worked with the table as a group and we discussed what sort of job involved counting money. Some of the table gave good examples such as working in a shop or bank. A couple of the children appeared to have a greater knowledge of money and addition so whilst the rest of the table continued to discuss money I asked the remaining two to work out bigger sums i.e: how many 1 pence pieces were in two 10 pence pieces and how many 2 pence pieces made up 10 pence.  Also how many 5 pence pieces were in 20 pence. I monitored their ability to count up in twos and fives they both answered quickly and correctly and seemed to enjoy the task. We then counted the coins again individually, as the children were responding I praised each one stating â€Å"well done†. Unfortunately one child didn’t get a turn at the final task because we had run out of time. I asked her if she understood all that we had done and she replied â€Å"yes† Mrs S said it was nearly break time so I asked all of the children to listen to me and tidy away quickly and quietly and explained that if they did this our table would be rewarded with a trophy. Mrs S tied a yellow ribbon around the trophy and awarded our table with it. The children were elated. She then asked me how each child had responded. I explained that they all fully understood the task in hand and although one child did not get time for the final task, she did fully understand. I explained to Mrs S that two of the children I monitored showed a better understanding of Mathematics and money so I decided to progress further with them to maintain their interest and not distract the others. The table all enjoyed the discussion which was carried out without the need to shout out or jump about on their seats. For future reference I will pay close attention to the time required to complete the task to ensure that each child gets the same amount of turns.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Miller further Essay

Miller further continues the feeling of contempt towards John Proctor in the following Act through Elizabeth Proctor’s despair. Instantly we can see the tension and strain is the Proctor marriage as when her husband returns home late after a long day planting in the fields, Elizabeth is intensely suspicious of him. This tension is reinforced when the couple sit down for dinner as she uses a patronising tone with him and he secretly insults her by adding more seasoning to the soup she has made when she is not in the room, this is a metaphor showing how their marriage has grown bland and tasteless. This underlying tension between them is undoubtedly caused by Proctor’s affair with Abigail. When Elizabeth informs him that Mary Warren, their servant, had been in court that day as an official of the witchcraft trials, Proctor tells her how he knows the witchcraft accusations are all false as Abby told him when he was with her last week. Elizabeth is disturbed that the two were alone together, but Proctor tells her ‘I’ll not have your suspicion anymore’. He shouts at her with a ‘violent undertone’ to ‘learn charity’, as he has ‘tiptoed around the house for seven months’ since Abigail left. He tells his wife that he has honestly confessed to his sin and tells her that her ‘justice would freeze beer’. This represents him as being an uncaring man as his wife is obviously in distress and we feel sorry for Elizabeth as he is shouting at her and telling her that she is a cold woman when it is he who has been in the wrong when he had his affair with Abby. His callous way makes the audience assume that he will later not be hanged as it is thought that he will not care about admitting to witchcraft, and therefore sacrifice his family name for his life. However, this act also allows the audience to first see how Proctor is not all an evil man through his deep, utter regret, his guilt and his constant desire to cleanse himself of his previous sinful activities with Abigail. It is this break down that helps so show Proctor as no longer being wicked, but rather as being weak and pitiful. As a result, Miller represents Proctor as humanity, as he is someone who is at the same time strong and weak, someone who has made mistakes but who has the sense to learn from them, therefore becoming a better person. The inevitability of his death therefore starts to show, as his true character is honest. The audience further start to have some second thoughts about Proctor’s first cold hearted appearance in the way that Elizabeth seems to be a cold and demanding woman and Elizabeth herself believes that her chilly behaviour may have driven her husband to adultery. She is also withdrawn and distant, this has gradually given her home a silent and insecure atmosphere, and as she continues to punish her husband for his sin, their marriage becomes increasingly tenser. The tension continues to build when Mary Warren then enters, as she informs Proctor and Elizabeth of the many people that have been arrested and how some people will hang. She hands Elizabeth a poppet that she made in court that day, ‘I made a gift for you today, Goody Proctor’ and claims that Sarah Osburn sent her spirit out in court to get them, this shows how easily Abby influenced her and the increasing power Abby is getting as the girls are willing to do whatever she orders them to do. Proctor can not believe the power Abby seems to have over the girls at court and demands evidence of witchcraft from Mary Warren and forbids her to go to court again but she replies that she is ‘amazed you do not see the weighty work we do’ but he threatens her with a whip, ‘strangely she does not resist him’. This shows how although Proctor can use his strength and power to his advantage, he can also use it in a negative way. It also illustrates how Abby is gaining increasingly more power as even the girls themselves are starting to believe that there is witchcraft. Mary claims that she saved Elizabeth’s life today, for she was accused. Elizabeth then realises that Abigail wants to kill her, ‘she wants me dead, John, you know it’. Proctor underestimates Abby, as he never once thought that she would be as wicked or malicious as to accuse Elizabeth of witchery, as Elizabeth is such a good, honest woman who strongly believes in justice and sticking to moral principles. Elizabeth is a well-respected and dignified woman and to accuse her shows that Abigail must strongly hate her as it was dangerous to accuse such a honourable, devout Christian woman of sinful activities when she has such strong religious beliefs. The religious beliefs of Elizabeth and her husband are later questioned when Hale arrives at their house, ‘I thought sir, to put some questions as to the Christian character of this house’. Proctor tries to explain why he works on a Sabbath and has not to been to church as often, he criticises Parris and claims that he spends the church’s money wasteful. Hale asks why only two of Proctor’s children are baptized and asks him to say the Ten Commandments but he can only remember nine of the ten, Elizabeth instantly gives him a sharp and bitter reminder of the tenth, adultery. This is ironic as he broke this commandment when he had his affair with Abby. Proctor obviously knows how foolish he was to be unfaithful and now feels very guilty, this is shown in his constant desire to forget about his sins, and when Elizabeth reminds him, it is ‘as though a secret arrow had pained his heart’. When Proctor tries to tell Hale that witchcraft accusations are not true he does not believe him as he feels that many have confessed to witchcraft. It is here that the hypocrisy of the witchcraft hysteria is exposed as the only way for people to save themselves from hanging was to admit to witchcraft, this sent the witchcraft trials off in a vicious spiral as people would definitely confess to witchery and accuse others, if they would be hanged for denying it. This makes the audience consider if Proctor would confess to witchcraft like the majority of the village to save his life as although he has been represented as not being totally religious by not going to church all the time like the rest of the community, he has given good, moral reasons for not attending. Some of Proctor’s qualities are also helped to be further expressed in Elizabeth’s arrest on the charge that her spirit stabbed Abigail with a needle, ‘stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly he drew a needle out’. He says that he will ‘not give his wife to vengeance’ and when Reverend Hale insists that the court is just, Proctor calls him a ‘Pontius Pilate’. His deep passion and love for his wife mounts along with his anger against the charge and how he is willing to fight for what is right and moral is also expressed. This also shows how Proctor misjudged Abigail as is actually more cunning than he first thought, this seems to show how Proctor sees some good in everybody as he thought she was better than that. The poppet shows that Abigail is yet more wicked, it illustrates how she is jealous and envious of Elizabeth because John loves her so much and also shows how she is determined, unscrupulous, cold and scheming. In the first act, she behaved just in her own interests; she was ready to harm others, but only to save herself. However, in this instance she frames Elizabeth on purpose out of revenge, planting the poppet to murder her. When Elizabeth is taken away, Proctor demands that Mary Warren come to court with him, he uses his intelligence as he knows that he can use Mary to his advantage by making her give evidence against the charges of witchcraft and therefore to prove Elizabeth’s innocence. However, Miller adds irony here as Proctor can rely on one single person to save them from Abigail’s charges but this one person, Mary Warren, is one of the weakest characters in ‘The Crucible’. She alone has the power to stop the hysteria of the witchcraft trials, but does not have the strength or will to do it. Mary needs a lot of force from Proctor to even think about coming clean about the lie in court and as Proctor uses one of his qualities, power, as he is demanding her to give evidence against Abby. She sobs ‘I cannot, I cannot’ but Proctor further expresses his love for his wife as he cries that his ‘wife will not die for him’. His morals and principles allo w the audience to believe that his death will be inescapable. Act Three continues to defend Proctor by focusing on his good points. He enters the court in a powerful manner, presenting a piece of paper signed by Mary Warren saying that the accusations of witchery are false. This shows how he is a natural leader but this quality causes friction between him and Parris. This is revealed as Parris takes the evidence from Proctor as an attack on the court, and even as an attack on him, further, it illustrates how Parris is paranoid and foolish. When Proctor is told that his wife is pregnant by Danforth; although Proctor did not know if it is true or not, he tells everyone in the court that Elizabeth never lies so he believes it, this shows that even thought Elizabeth is often cold towards him, he still deeply loves and trusts her. When Abigail starts to pretend that she can feel a sharp cold wind, ‘a wind, a cold wind has come’, Proctor calls her a ‘whore’ and grabs her by the hair, finally admitting that he had an affair with her, he cries ‘I have known her sir, I have known her’. This again shows how Proctor’s energy and strength can be used negatively. However, he also illustrates deep shame and regret for his unfaithfulness but lets all of the truth be known even if it does mean that he will be charged and the once totally respected member of the community will have a dint in his reputation. He lets all the truth be known as he knows that many innocent people are dying for stupid reasons, this expresses how Proctor supports the theme of truth and justice. It also conveys how Proctor will not lie to defend himself, therefore portraying the idea that he will not later admit to witchcraft to save his own life, therefore expressing how his death may be inevitable. This scene is very ironic as to prove that he is innocent and to show that he is now faithful to his wife, Proctor has to openly tell everyone in the court about his affair. To save Elizabeth and to stop himself from being accused of witchcraft, he has to blacken his name. Even with this sin, Proctor is still shown as a martyr, as he sacrifices his good reputation in Salem, where public reputation is very important, in order to save his wife and others who have been accused of witchcraft even though they are innocent. His great belief in justice helps the audience to believe that his death will be unavoidable as it expresses how he will not carry on the accusations, which will undoubtedly cause many more unjustified deaths, and therefore his life will be lost to save other people.

Friday, September 13, 2019

To What Extent are Tutors and Students Responsible for the Learning Essay

To What Extent are Tutors and Students Responsible for the Learning Experience in Higher Education - Essay Example Many experiments have been done on the same and several critics have given the drawbacks and necessary steps that need to overcome them to have a better learning experience. On keeping this as a starting note, it is high time that equal importance is given to students and their learning experience at a higher education level. The primary factor that determines the scale of the learning experience of every student is their boredom factor. So, in order to identify the extent to which the students and teachers are responsible for the learning experience in higher education, an analysis has to be made with boredom as a critical factor.( Mann & Robinson 2009) To give a brief explanation of what boredom is, it can be attributed to person's state of mind when he has nothing to do that he likes. On an analysis on what causes boredom among students which in turn leads them to have a bad learning experience, it was found out that the teaching techniques of the lectures and the methods they fol low to be the primary reason. Some of the teaching methods followed by teachers evoke a passive environment of learning. Also, a one-way relationship between teachers and students could also lead to a dip in their learning curve. On the other side, a student's individual interest also plays a part on the grade one earns in learning. (Gjesne 1977) If the student is not open towards learning new things, irrespective of whatever the teacher presents. Then, the student is at the receiving end for all the blames of having a lean learning experience. Hence a cognitive analysis is required on both sides to determine the extent of impact on learning experience. ( Mann & Robinson 2009) Teachers' effect on learning experience The main teaching method that is followed in most of the universities is converting text to computer PowerPoint presentations and presenting them. Although studies have shown that these methods have improved the learning outcomes of students, there have been cases where it has had a negative impact on students. Hence a factual study of whether these presentations have improved the learning outcomes have not been provided yet.