Qualitative Research in Educational Processes Essay

Qualitative Research in Educational Processes - Essay Example The benefits of the use of qualitative research are also highlighted. The key social processes in educational environments are thinking, understanding, learning, studying, teaching, and interrelating. With respect to studying gender related issues in the primary school setting, all of these can show that there exist gender differences i.e. between boys and girls expressing their gender roles warranting a closer study of these social phenomena. The justification could be to prevent gender bias, stereotypes, discrimination, and so on. A study of these social processes especially requires a close examination of the phenomena of relationships within it. These relationships involve interactions mainly between students, teachers, the school management and parents. But the nature of these relationships is shaped by the context or environment and ethos within which they function i.e. the classroom and school atmosphere. For example, there are particular school rules that define these relationships, and children tend to behave differently at school than they do at home. In the latter, student behaviour is the phenomenon and the context is the classroom and school. ... The justification could be to prevent gender bias, stereotypes, discrimination, and so on. A study of these social processes especially requires a close examination of the phenomena of relationships within it. These relationships involve interactions mainly between students, teachers, the school management and parents. But the nature of these relationships is shaped by the context or environment and ethos within which they function i.e. the classroom and school atmosphere. For example, there are particular school rules that define these relationships, and children tend to behave differently at school than they do at home. In the latter, student behaviour is the phenomenon and the context is the classroom and school. If we distinguish between two sets of relations on the basis of gender, behavioural differences can be noted between boys and girls. These would typify behaviour associated with that gender although there could also be observed differences due to variations of the social context. In the process of learning too, there are observed gender differences. Qualitative research can help to understand these processes so that we can deal with the issues better. There is also a prevalence of stereotypes in the way boys and girls perceive different subjects and their contrasting attitudes towards them. A study of the role of gender can help to understand why certain subjects are regarded as masculine and others as feminine. Attitudes and study patterns differ between the sexes. The perceptions and attitudes formed early on can later impinge on their academic choices later in life. Gender differences and other gender related issues in a school could manifest not only whilst studying in

Theories and Principles for Planning and Enabling Learning Essay Example for Free

Theories and Principles for Planning and Enabling Learning Essay Unit 4 Theories and principles for planning and enabling learning Introduction There are four main schools of thought around the concept of teaching and learning. This assignment aims to discuss what those schools are, how each of them are relevant to a teaching approach and how some of those theories relate to my own working practice. Identify and discuss the significance of relevant theories and principles of learning and communication The four schools which impact on learning are Behaviourist The premise behind this theory is that learning occurs because of an external stimulus. The teacher will impact on learning significantly and therefore learning will be a passive process. Skinner (1904 – 1990) used a ‘skinner box’ to show that animals would repeat an action when rewarded either through positive or negative reinforcement. In the learning environment examples of this theory are when a learner is successful they may gain a certificate, verbal praise, longer break (positive reinforcement) or achieving a high grade allowing them to miss out additional pieces of coursework. (negative reinforcement) E. L Thorndike (1874 – 1949) played a crucial role in determining key laws to learning from a behaviourist perspective. He argued that learning was a gradual process and certain conditions would encourage learning. These were: a) The law of effect – learners are more likely to continue with a behaviour /learning if there is some sort of reward. Most commonly in the learning environment, a teacher will give verbal praise for success and positive efforts. b) The law of recency – the most recent learning is most likely to be remembered and where a task has been completed and rewarded soon after will have most impact on a learner. A good example is in DTLLS, assignments and journals are read and feedback given very soon after it has been submitted. It helps learners to know that they have been successful and achieved. c) The law of exercise – The more a task is completed the quicker it is achieved. Within those 3 domains there are 6 levels of learning development. Starting from the bottom, with the easiest level, to the top, which is the most complex level of learning and achieving a form of ‘mastery in a subject’. When looking at Blooms 3 dimensional pyramid, I would argue that the behaviourist schools of thought would only promote lower level learning purely because there is no encouragement to think outside of the box and have free reign to test out hypotheses and ideas. Bloom taxonomy of learning has played a significant part in planning and enabling learning. The application of his theory helps teachers take an inclusive approach by being able to differentiate tasks to suit the learners’ abilities at that current time. It also means that whilst different levels of tasks are being set, all learners can grow at their own rate and feel fully valued in the process. We might be setting different learning goals with learners based on their current level of learning but with a view to helping them to grow towards the next level of learning in Blooms model. Therefore, Teachers should be focused on promoting a growth from surface learning or learning without understanding (Petty, G. Pg 11. 2004) to deep understanding where the learner is able to critically evaluate and dissect their own ideas and findings from their learning. Gestalt theory is another important piece of theory that sits under the cognitivism framework. In particular the work of Max Wertheimer (1922) shaped the theory in learning. Gestalt means â€Å"whole† or â€Å"shape or pattern† (www. learningandteaching. info/). In contrast to Thorndikes earlier concept that learning requires no insight, the Gestalt angle emphasises the importance of insight in learning. According to J. Atherton ‘it concentrates on the way in which the mind insists on finding patterns in things, and how this contributes to learning, especially the development of â€Å"insight†. ’ (www. learningandteaching. info/) According to gestalt theory, the brain will eventually see a pattern in what a learner is studying and make sense of it before the learner fully understands what it is they really understand the concept in a stage by stage process Once they have the ‘knack’, that learning becomes permanent. Within the learning environment, when many learners are trying to learn new skills, they can experience frustration and anxiety. It is the job of the teacher to keep motivating and encouraging them to continue until they get the knack. Such an example might be a learner driver learning to pull off without stalling. It’s useful to consider the Gestalt approach when planning lessons because if the teacher has a structured and repeated method of doing things, the learners will recognise the pattern and find it easier to complete exercises and learn from those exercises. Constructivism in learning Constructivism sits under the umbrella of cognitivism.

The Operational Strategy for Gap Inc

The Operational Strategy for Gap Inc It is clear in the market that as an organization Gap is struggling. Profitability, changing customer needs and tastes and increased global competition has affected our performance. The Gap North America division for instance, has not posted an annual increase in sales at stores open at least a year since 2004. In 2009, sales were $3.82 billion, down almost one-third from where they were in 2004, Clifford (2011). At least four changes at CEO level have occurred, and as the new CEO, the need to determine and implement an effective operational strategy is of paramount importance. The objective of this presentation is to obtain board approval on the proposed Operational Strategy for Gap and any possible changes to the recommendations and conclusions drawn by the executive team. The methodology adopted involved reviewing the entire business operations of Gap and that of its leading competitors (especially Zara). This involved using secondary data from the case study, internet searches on trends and developments in the global fashion industry and that of the company. In the development of this operational strategy it was important to note that, the operational strategy is sub servant to the broad corporate strategy and using the Porters (1985) value chain analysis. This according to Heizer and Render (2011) uses identified activities that represent strengths or potential strengths and maybe opportunities for developing competitive advantage. It must be noted early, however, that an alternative perspective exist that the use of resource view approach. Using the resource view approach means that Gaps effectiveness is predicated by determining the optimum fit for the firms resources in the dynamic environment as noted by Heizer and Render (2011). A hybrid response and differentiation strategy shall be adopted as apposed to the traditional cost leadership strategy within Gap. Our focus and competitive advantage as an organisation has thus shifted from just become cheaper to becoming better and faster. This means that we are aligning to changes in cus tomer needs, increasing global competitiveness and a dynamic business environment. (A justification for this strategy is provided for in annexure 1 of this report). The CSFs necessary to ensure the success of the operational strategy included, effective communication, internal marketing, change management and while communication was found to be the most Cost of implementing changes to ensure that successful execution of the operational strategy was determined asà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. The recommendations put forward to the board included the need to adopt the operational strategy in line with understanding that radical change is a prerequisite. Critical Success Factors to include, internal marketing of the operational strategy, building a performance culture, ensuring effective communication and putting in place a reward-systems that are linked to performance are a must. Table of Contents Page 1.0 Design of goods 2.0 Process and Capacity Design 3.0 Location Selection 4.0 Layout design 5.0 Supply Chain Management 6.0 Inventory Management 7.0 Scheduling 8.0 Conclusion and Recommendations List of References Annexures 1.0 Design of goods 2.0 Process and Capacity Design 3.0 Location Selection 4.0 Layout design 5.0 Supply Chain Management Hanna and Newman (2002) define SCM as the configurations, coordination and improvements of a sequentially related set of operations. It is the output from operations referred to by Hanna and Newman (2002) that customers get, and therefore, the strategic emphasis of well-managed supply chain is to have a competitive advantage driven primarily by strong customer focus. Heizer and Render (2011) define SCM as the management of activities that procure materials and services, transform them into intermediate goods and final products and deliver them through a distribution system. The authors believe that in todays business competition is not between companies but rather supply chains. This means that if internal operations at Gap can be improved to surpass that of competition it will give our organisation a competitive advantage. This section of the report will focus on how Gap can change its relationship with suppliers and distributors and most importantly an evaluation of managing our purchasing and outsourcing activities in line with increased competitive activity. In reviewing the above the objective it to build a chain of suppliers that focuses on maximising value to the ultimate customer Heizer and Render (2011). The major challenge within Gap has been our inability to control and determine what is to be made and what is to be purchased effectively. As we maximise value along the chain we will be able to ensure that we improve on quality, delivery and innovation. Our global presences demands that the review of the supply chain be linked closely to the overall strategy of the business. In other words this means that the operational strategy must link back to the broad corporate strategy for GAP. Key aspects of this the broad corporate strategy and operational strategy is driven primarily be the need to increase competitiveness through product customisation, high quality, cost reductions and speed to market with the added emphasis being on the supply chain Heizer and Render (2011). Refer to the corporate strategy in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. It is proposed that a new integrated supply chain be adopted with Gap. This means that, having fewer suppliers and building on a centralised manufacturing. The advantages will be cutting down on unnecessary costs by suppliers while building on a pool of highly effective supplier base that is aligned to the firms overall vision and direction. Zara continues to use vertical integration as a method to build on expandin g its supply chain. The Japanese, method of Keirestu would work well as we combine both few suppliers and vertical integration. Whilst our traditional many-supplier strategy worked in the past suppliers were responsible for maintaining the technologies and expertise, costs and quality controls the surge in competitive activity especially form Zara has shown that centralised and or few supplier strategy works better. The need to focus on controlling supply and building on technological advantages is an imperative to the success in the industry. It will be necessary as few suppliers will help on improve inventory management as we move closer to the implementation of a JIT system. These few suppliers will be asked to participate in the design of goods by helping in the partnering in research and development initiatives to include, provide design innovations, input on changing customers tastes and needs and technological expertises. Review of existing Suppliers: our focus is to cut down on scatter and huge number of suppliers and thus focus on building dependable close yet very few suppliers with long-term strategic relationships Heizer and Render (2011) Because of the shift in focus of our broad strategy (differentiation) it means that the selection of our suppliers inevitably has to change. This change however is radical demanding that our lower end suppliers that are not cost effective and do not meet the changing requirements set by the organisation must be immediately cut out. Whilst the medium to long-term aspect of our strategy demands that we build a centralised manufacturing. This means that, existing risk associated with the environment (customs duties, tariffs, security screening, natural disasters, currency fluctuations, terrorists attacks and political issues), controls (management metrics and reliable secure communication for financial transactions product designs, and logistics scheduling) and process performance (raw material and component availability, quality and logistics) need to be considered, Heizer and Render (2011). Ongoing reviews of competitors centralised manufacturing performance will continue in line with building on the above necessary changes to ensure that risks identified can be mitigated. Heizer and Render (2011) proposes that while changes in the supply chain management happens differently in different organisation its success will depend on the building mutual agreement of goals, trust and compatible organisational culture. These are discussed in the conclusion section of the report. Fisher (1997) offers insight on how supply chain decisions affect strategy. Because Gap desires to use a hybrid strategy various aspects of Fishers input are critical to the success of the organisation. Our Supplier goals will equate to those of Benetton and that is to share market research jointly and develop products and options. Our Primary selection criteria however will select primarily for capacity, speed and flexibility. Gap would need to invest aggressively to reduce production lead time while use product design that lead to low setup time and rapid production ramp-up. 6.0 Inventory Management Effective supply chain management that is aligned to both a well-structured operational and corporate strategy has ensured that Zara remains highly profitable. It has also meant that it (Zara) can continue to build on its in-house production and inventory management systems. Backed by advanced technologies and inventory optimisation models Zara has been able to improve on its efficacy. To this end, Zara has a failure rate of 1% compared to the industry of 10%. The experiences that we have faced as an organisation in managing inventory has greatly performance because our 10% error rate in our clothing collection is very high and makes us very uncompetitive. In-part our many-supplier strategy is to be the cause of theses failures while in turn the fact that suppliers are many, makes the handling and processing of inventory very difficult from inbound logistics of raw material inventory to delivery of finished goods inventory. Two categories of inventory posses the biggest threat to our organisation and are a major concern. These are the management of raw material inventory and finished goods inventory. It is key to note that in line with changes in supply change, a review of our customer satisfaction (refer to Goods and service design à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) suppliers, production schedules and human resource planning are key in achieving success in inventory management as noted by Heizer and Render (2011). Poor record keeping of inventory has also been a major problem this has been caused by the huge stock of unsold items returned from own store retail chains in exchange of in-season stocks. While the existing many-supplier strategy has also increased stock and warehouse as lead times for stocks continue to negatively affect stock holding levels and record keeping. This also in turn increases holding stock costs and insurance charges while our competitors especially Zara centralised distribution warehouses hold stock for only 72 hours. A very effective and simple system to implement in store is a two -bin system. It is the view of the executive that going back to basics in inventory control will play a critical role in ensuring that we succeed in tracking and monitoring stock movement for the group. If is difficult to worry about more scientific approaches such as probabilistic models when the major challenge is that we have excess stock of clothing lines that have not been sold. Art P eck the former CE for Gap the Northern American rightfully notes Unless we put cute clothes in front of our customer on the shelfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦everything else we do isnt going to matter. 7.0 Scheduling Contracting manufacturing has created major challenges for our organisation in the past, as lead times have been long, late deliveries and prevention of out-of stock situations become an on going exercise. Lessons from the industry have shown the need to restructure our scheduling in line with proposed changes in supply chain and inventory management. According to Heizer and Render (2011), the scheduling decision addresses the problem of matching productivity to fluctuating demands. It is however important to note that different processes suggest different approaches to scheduling. Based on our selected strategy and the position taken by our competitors such as Zara and HM, it is important that we build on process focused facilities in the medium to long term period as we seek to centralise our operations. This means that we generate a forward-looking schedule, where MRP generates due dates that are refined with finite capacity scheduling techniques as noted by Heizer and Render (201 1). Automated scheduling systems will be put in place with trained and competent personnel. This is necessary to ensure that accurate and relevant production database is maintained throughout the entire organisation. Therefore in the first few months of operationalising the CE and Operations Director will review item master file, routing file, work-centre master file to ensure that scheduling is down to satisfactory standards (something that my predecessors failed to effectively manage). In own store retail structures Gap will employ a strategy current used by Zara to effectively manage staff. This method involves cyclical scheduling as it has been proven to reduce man-hours and increase staff motivation. Software to perform scheduled staff based on stores forecasted sales volumes with location staffing even during peak periods has been identified and been purchased to achieve the above requirement of cyclical scheduling at own store retail locations. Feasible and efficient schedules of production must be developed, the demands of human resources and facilities must be determined and controlled Heizer and Render (2011). 8.0 Conclusion and Recommendations The above analysis has clearly shown that change is eminent within the organisation. It is important to note that this change is radical and has to be implemented immediately. The criticality of the operation strategy (like all other major programs such as the balanced score card) demands that executives are tasked with specific duties and responsibility to ensure its success. To this end, executive management must ensure that operational decisions assigned to them be coordinated and communicated effectively among all operational structures and divisions (a schedule for the critical implementation has been shown below). The major concern from a marketing perspective is our failure to provide customers with products that clearly meet their specific needs and or tastes. The ever-changing business environment and increased competitiveness globally has also worked against the firm. However, from a purely operational perspective this has meant that we need to change our operating model an d ensure that it is aligned to the broad corporate strategy. In this regard the most effective strategy will be a hybrid response and differentiation strategy. This strategy will be different to the traditional cost leadership strategy within Gap. Our focus and competitive advantage as an organisation has thus shifted from just become cheaper to becoming better and faster. This means that we are aligning to changes in customer needs, increasing global competitiveness and a dynamic business environment. Key aspects of differentiation that will be incorporated are innovative design and a shopping experience unmatched to competition whilst the response aspect of our strategy will ensure flexible manufacturing reliability in our inventory, supply chain and scheduling structures and quickness in process design (as this will now be a lean structure). Key Operations Decision Major activities to be conducted Responsibility Due Date Design of Goods Process and capacity design Location Selection Layout design Supply Chain Management Inventory Management Scheduling The success of the Operational Strategy will not solely be based on its adoption and approval by the board but also by the need and realisation that it has to be implemented. However, implementation will also involve change, Burnes (2004), effective communication, Thill and Bovee (2001), internal marketing, Keegan (2001) and redefinition of reward systems and performance culture, Hitt, Black and Porter (2004). These critical success factors will help build on trust, ownership, teamwork and transparency while ensuring the successful implementation of the Operational Strategy. 8.1 Performance culture Reid (2005), sums up a performance culture that Gap must adopt to achieve a credible performance learning system these are: Openness and trust: candor must be encouraged and managers have to be willing to speak the unspeakable. Trust produces an environment where there is less defensiveness when issues are raised; people react more honestly and ask questions. Managed differences: conflicts are addressed and unfulfilled commitments exposed, options and alternatives are looked at without predetermined outcomes. Simplicity and focus: there is focus on implementation, with clarity and precision defining what needs to be accomplished and how. There is commitment at every level to remove complexity from the way of doing business. Playing to peoples strengths: leaders know their people and match effectively talent and task, as they understand their peoples strengths and how best to elicit them. 8.2 Internal marketing Internal marketing must become part of the on-going process within Gap. This will involve functional process alignment, motivation and empowerment of employees at all levels to consistently deliver and satisfy customer experience. Internal marketing must empower employees and give them accountability and responsibility because it helps non-marketing staff to learn and be able to perform their tasks in a marketing-like manner. For the internal marketing to be effective, employees must internalise the core values of the organisation. Sponsors can print t-shirts, caps and merchandise to give employees to wear every Friday so that they remember the importance of the project. 8.3 Reward systems To address motivation and morale within Gap there is need to initial review the existing reward and performance bonus scheme. The traditional approach of linking this to bottom line heavily undermines long term sustainability of the organization, as managers and employees race to meet target. Having worked in operations, the risk is made high as we near the festive season sales personnel dump long shelf life products on customers (on the basis that they will be in critical short supply) so as to meet targets. This works well until two months down the line, customers either refuse to replenish orders and or return product because it is nearing expiration. These losses are usually only accounted for way after the productivity bonuses have been paid out and annual accounts drawn. Whilst it is important to inform or remind employees what results are desired and motivate them to achieve and exceed the performance targets, the performance learning system (balance score card will help addre ss ensure this is done with great transparency). To achieve the above, sponsors through the HR department must ensure: Drafting job description based on process requirements and characteristics Translating process goals and action plans, personal training and development requirements into personal performance measures. Defining appropriate performance targets based on known capability and desired characteristics. Formally appraising performance against the range of measures developed and compare with target performance. Rewarding and recognizing superior performance. A balance must be struck in selection of reward system mix for both long term and short term success of Gap. Thus, in the short-term, rewards such as bonuses, commissions and piece-rate payments can be used long-term rewards can constitute stock based incentives i.e. stock options, stock appreciation rights and phantom stock plans. 8.4 Change Management Having internally marketed the adoption of the Balanced Scorecard as a PMM system, performance measure owners, must manage the change process. The change being implemented in Gap is planned as it is being consciously embarked upon, Burnes (2006). Stages of the planned change will entail: exploration, planning, action and integration. During each stage identified above it will be necessary for performance measure owners to involve employees for the change process to be successful. The change process reinforces behaviors that are aligned to Gaps objectives through feedback and full utilization of the reward system being created. However, in the implementation of the balance scorecard and in effecting change as a critical success factor to the entire project barriers might impede the successful execution of the project. According to Burnes (2006) the barriers to effective change programs are: competing resources, functional boundaries, change management skills, communication, Them and us- the opposition element, people needs and training, unrealistic timetables, resistance to change and initiative fatigue These factors can occur at any stage and can affect employees both the general labour force and even managers and the executive. To overcoming these barriers, Burnes (2006) proposes communication, ability to establish high trust relationships, negotiation, Influencing and build on self confidence.

Deafness and the Power of Signing Essay -- Sign Language Deaf Communic

Deafness and the Power of Signing When the deaf Miss America spoke to a crowd of thousands about overcoming her handicap, deaf people across America were disgusted. Deafness is not a handicap, I have been told again and again. It is a cultural identity, a way of life, a choice, even (some hard-of hearing people speak of the time when they had to decide, deaf or hearing), but never a handicap, never something to be overcome. The sign for people like Miss America is the sign for hearing, with the forefinger circling up by the forehead instead of down by the mouth. She thinks she's hearing, is what it means. There is also a sign for the reverse: some hearing people get so involved in the deaf community that they think they are deaf, like the woman who pretended to be deaf and got to be in one of those real-life Saturn Commercials. She was a minor celebrity until she was found out - an investigative reporter called her house and she answered the phone. Afterward there was an outpouring of letters to DeafLife magazine fr om people who said they had known all along her signing was not perfect, and the sign she made up for Saturn in the commercial was not in accordance with the deep structure of American Sign Language. American Sign Language is a naturally acquired language; my sister, at five, has perfect ASL grammar and sentence structure, something I will never really have. Grammar in ASL is about your face: eyebrows are lifted for yes or no questions, scrunched together for wh- questions. When signing the word "big", say "Cha" with your voice. It is important to look the signer in the face; use peripheral vision to absorb the hand and arm movements. This, of course is not as easy as it sounds - deaf people have extraordi... ...cks views the uprising as the deaf community's coming of age, the time they decided to go on their own, and it was the beginning of a resurgence of deaf pride which had been waning since Clerc's days. 3. Cohen, Leah Hager. Train Go Sorry: Inside a Deaf World. New York: Random House, 1994. The title refers to a sign expression, the sign equivalent of "you missed the boat." When Leah Cohen was growing up, her father was the principal of Lexington School for the Deaf, an oral school in New York. Cohen learned ASL as an adult and shows a deep love and respect for the language, but she is not convinced that an exclusively ASL education is the best solution. She believes in a compromise between ASL and speech, that oral education is still important, particularly for poorer deaf children, who have fewer opportunities to work in the deaf community or with interpreters.

E-Business Evolution

E-Business Evolution By: Scott Pitcher BIS 375 October 22, 2012 Prof. Alanzo White ? E-Business Since the dawn of the Internet business have been finding more was to utilize the Internet in a way to reach consumers that would otherwise not have known of the company products. In the 1990’s e-business came to the Internet it was unlike the conventional way of conducting business, for example before when the consumer wanted to order something out of a catalog he or she would pick the item then call the business and tell customer service what he or she wanted.The next step would be going down and checking the product that was purchased and then taking it home. Well things have changed since the days of ordering by phone and then going and picking up the purchased item. Now in the present time he or she can order products via the Internet. Within a couple of clicks of the mouse and a credit card the product can be ordered and shipped without ever leaving the comfort of his or her h ome. In a brief discussion this paper will explain the evolution of e-business.E-Business Evolution As the Internet has evolved so has e-business over the last 15 years e-business has developed from ecommerce to e-business. With e-business companies or business are able to do business not only locally but also conduct business out of the state and the United States. In today’s business companies are looking for new ways to reach consumers, consumers that would otherwise not be able to go to the place of business to make his or her purchase.With the evolution of e-business companies like Wal-Mart, Sears, Target, and other companies that list their business and information on the Internet are striving to reach new customers and offer more services to the customers that choose to shop at the business website. The ability to reach new customers is not only for the business but also for the consumer. Now the consumer can shop on line to find the best deals for the product that he or she is looking for. Now Consumers can review websites and compare pricing for products before making a purchase.To be compare and contrast with the way shopping for the consumer was before e-business was to take time to go to the place of business and look at the product that the company was displaying on shelf’s and on hangers. Walking around the retail shops and waiting in long lines and dealing with traffic or other sources of public transportation. With the use of e-business the consumer no longer needs to go to the place of business and make the necessary purchase via the Internet. Supply Chain ManagementA business cannot operate if it does not have a product to sell to its customer that is in stock. It is the same for a store that the consumer walks into just as if he or she would be purchasing it from the Internet. Even though there are similarities between e-commerce and e-business taking purchase orders and having stock and even in some cases shipping the product. With e-commerce stoking its shelf’s are different from e-business. E-commerce use a manager or an employee to take inventory of the item that are in stock and orders the items that are running low on.This order is then submitted and now the retail store will have to wait till the items arrive before the store inventory is brought back to its par-levels. With e-business the company that is doing business through the use of the internet has a networking system that automatically sends the order being placed by the consumer to the distributor so it can be shipped right from the distributor to the consumer without ever coming in contact with the business that is doing the advertisement on the Internet.Even with the ability to sell products without even carrying the item in stock means that the information being shared through the inner networking system has to be as reliable in order for the suppliers to control their product inventory and for manufactures to adjust to the amoun t of material that will be needed for each participating business that sells the manufacturer’s product. If the information that is being shared is not accurate it causes either a product shortage or an overstock in the manufactures inventory. ConclusionSince the dawning of the Internet and the demand for faster customer service the way we use to consider shopping and even conducting business has been rapidly increased, having many different options on selling and buying products and material has made it easier for both sides. The consumer can make purchases from not only his or hers computer at their homes but also with the use of mobile devices and software applications make purchases while on the go. For business they will not need to build so many store locations which will reduce the company over head.References Papazoglou, M. P. , Ribbers, P. (2006). E-Business: Organizational and technical foundations. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. Some Limitations of E-Commerce. (2011). Ro se India Technologies PVT, LTD. Retrieved on October 22, 2012, from http://www. roseindia. net/tutorial/ecommerce/limitations-of-Ecommerce. html Wagner. C. M, Sweeney. E. (2010). E-Business in Supply Chain Management, Dublin Institute of Technology Retrieved on October 22, 2012 from http://arrow. dit. ie/

Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Example

Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Example Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion Essay Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Maurice Hank Greenberg and other former American International Group Inc. executives exploited their authority 35 years ago, costing a charity set up by AIGs founder $6 billion.In a letter alerting the charity today, Spitzer said Greenberg, ousted as AIGs chief executive officer amid an accounting probe by Spitzer earlier this year, shortchanged the Starr Foundation when he was an executor of AIG founder Cornelius Vander Starrs estate in 1969 and 1970. Greenberg and the other former executors called the allegations outrageous and indicative of a pattern of abuse by the attorney general.Spitzer, who said he found incriminating evidence in documents Greenberg tried to keep secret during the accounting investigation, may be stepping up pressure as the 80-year-old seeks to rebuild his legacy as leader of the worlds largest insurer for almost 40 years. New York-based AIG has restated $3.9 billion of earnings and pledged to cooperate with regulators. Greenberg has said the corrections were driven by fear.The case against AIG has been personalized because the company has rolled over and Hank hasnt, said Phillip Phan, a finance professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., who wrote Taking Back the Boardroom. Hank is a direct challenge to his attempt to clean up the industry.Spitzers letter, accompanied by a 26-page report on his investigation of the matter, said Greenberg and the other executors cheated the foundation by selling Vander Starrs assets at below-market prices to two private companies that they controlled. C.V. Starr ; Co. and Starr International Co., which still exist today, shared offices and executives with AIG, and in fact all the executors of Starrs were C.V. Starr directors.`Public Stink BombWere charitable assets of the foundation, as the residual beneficiary of the estate lost in a series of transactions orchestrated by the very fiduciaries obligated to protect the est ates interests? Spitzer wrote to Starr Foundation President Florence A. Davis, who used to be AIGs top lawyer.Greenberg and the other former executors called the latest allegations Spitzers attempt to justify his decision to pressure AIGs board, under threat of criminal indictment, to remove Greenberg as chairman and CEO. Spitzer, who accused AIG and Greenberg of fraud in a civil suit in May, announced he wouldnt pursue criminal charges against Greenberg last month.The attorney generals case against Hank Greenberg was disgraceful from the start, said billionaire Ken Langone, a co- defendant in Spitzers lawsuit against former New York Stock Exchange Chairman Richard Grasso. It now seems apparent that Mr. Spitzer is trying to shore up his sorry case and his flagging political reputation by lobbing what amounts to a public stink bomb.Court ApprovalGreenberg, Houghton Freeman, John Roberts and Ernest Stempel are the only executors still living today, according to C.V. Starr spokesman Ho ward Opinsky. Today they cited 25-year-old approvals from a former New York attorney general and the New York Surrogates Court inGreenberg, Houghton Freeman, John Roberts and Ernest Stempel are the only executors still living today, according to C.V. Starr spokesman Howard Opinsky. Today they cited 25-year-old approvals from a former New York attorney general and the New York Surrogates Court in defending the asset sales by Starrs estate. The executors had determined that they should get the approvals precisely because of their multiple roles.The conduct and attitude of the attorney general in his pursuit of these allegations reflects a pattern of abuse and bad faith adopted toward Mr. Greenberg from the beginning of the investigation of AIG, they said in more than 35 pages of written response to Spitzers allegations.Spitzer urged the foundation to appoint an independent committee to evaluate remedies, though Greenberg, who now runs C.V. Starr and Starr International as investment c ompanies, is also chairman of the charity.Negative PublicityOpinsky said the Starr Foundation issued a statement today defending the transactions, though calls to Courtney OMalley, a vice president at the foundation, and the firms main number werent returned.While the Starr Foundation respects the authority of the Attorney General to supervise charitable foundations, and to investigate alleged improprieties, the Foundation is concerned that allegations concerning a judicial proceeding closed more than 25 years ago and the negative publicity attendant thereto may adversely affect the value of the assets of the Foundation, without discernable purpose, according to an emailed statement that Opinsky said the foundation provided.Spitzers report contends the foundation, which has $3.5 billion in assets, would have accrued another $6 billion over the past 35 years had it not been underpaid in three separate estate transactions following Starrs death in 1968. To make matters worse, C.V. Sta rr and Starr International sold the same assets to AIG at far higher prices shortly thereafter, Spitzer said.AIG SharesIn one transaction, for example, Spitzer said the executors knew the estates 48 percent stake in American International Underwriters Far East Inc. was worth far more than book value because one of them was the president of Far East.The estate got cash that would be worth $17.6 million today, he said. Instead, it should have received AIG stock that would be worth $1.2 billion today.Spitzer, who oversees nonprofits and charitable foundations, said the foundation may have claim to AIG stock held by Starr International. The firm, which distributed deferred compensation to AIG executives for decades, is in a legal battle with AIG to keep control of more than $19 billion of the companys shares. AIG spokesman Chris Winans declined to comment.Spitzer said Greenberg and his lawyers misrepresented the transactions to the former attorney general and to the court. There is no s tatute of limitations if the foundation chooses to try to recover the money, Spitzer spokesman Marc Violette said, declining to say what action the attorney general might take.The Starr Foundation makes charitable grants in education, medicine and public policy.(Article appeared in bloomberg.com on Dec. 14th, 2005)http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000006;sid=asSTBnA7L7gA;refer=home#Bloomberg Article AnalyisThis article, entitled Spitzer Says Greenberg Cheated Charity of $6 Billion (Update4) appeared on bloomberg.com on December 14, 2005.   In this article, it is discussed how New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer recently issued a letter to the Starr Foundation, a charity set up in conjunction with the American International Group, Inc.s (AIGs) founder Cornelius Vander Starrs estate, stating that Maurice Hank Greenberg and other former American International Group Inc. executives committed wrongful acts thirty-five years ago, resulting in a monetary loss to the charity in the amount of six   billion dollars.   Greenberg was AIGs former chief executive officer, and the executor of the estate, who was ousted from his CEO position amidst an accounting investigation.Namely, Spitzer alleges that these individuals sold shares of AIG stock owned by the charity in three separate transactions for far less than these stock shares were worth.   These shares were sold to C.V. Starr ; Co. and Starr International Co., who still exist today, share executives with AIG, and all of the directors of these companies were executors of Starrs estate.   These shares were sold by these corporations back to AIG at a much higher price shortly thereafter.As agents and fiduciaries of Starrs estate and the foundation, the executives had a duty to act in the best interest of them.   They also had a duty to reveal any conflicts of interest, and not to profit at the expense of the estate and foundation.  Ã‚   Furthermore, they were directors and officers of AIG, who made a profit for C.V. Starr ; Co. and Starr International Co. at the expense of AIG.   This was another conflict of interest at the expense of AIG shareholders.   As AIG insiders, the executors knew the actual value of the shares and chose to sell them at a lesser price to divert value from the charity to these other corporations.   Furthermore, the foundation may now have claim to some of the shares held by Starr International.   These executors are also agents and fiduciaries of Starr International, who may have ultimately harmed Starr Internationals well-being by their wrongful acts.

Neurofibromatosis Essays - Clinical Medicine, Medicine, Free Essays

Neurofibromatosis Essays - Clinical Medicine, Medicine, Free Essays Neurofibromatosis Neurofibromatosis is a disorder affecting the chromosomes of the human body. It is a hereditary disorder affecting the nervous system. The term neurofibromatosis actually refers to two different genetic diseases. The most common type is NF 1, and the less common type is NF 2. Both disorders are transmitted in an autosomal dominant fashion. An autosomal dominant disease is a disorder caused by the presence of a single autosomal dominant gene; an abnormal factor located on any chromosome other than the sex chromosome. They are both characterized by occurrences in multiple neurofibromas. The main symptom of these disorders is tumors that form on the ends of nerves throughout the body. NF 1 is most commonly diagnosed during childhood. The most outstanding symptoms seem to occur during adolescence and pregnancy. Although the symptoms of NF vary and are unpredictable another common sign is brown spots on the skin. The markings on the body usually measure .5cm in diameter for younger children and can reach 1.5cm by adulthood. They can also decipher NF by observing markings or freckling on the iris. The most common tumors occurring with NF 1 are located under the skin. They have even been found in deeper areas of the body. The amount or severity of pain from these tumors can range from minimal pain sparsely to intense pain constantly. One of the most severe results and the most apparent results of these tumors is disfigurement and orthopedic problems. These problems include scoliosis and pseudoarthrisis. There also may be some delaying in sexual maturation. There are many more learning disabilities and optic problems that may develop throughout their life. Neurofibromatosis 2 has symptoms that usually develop much later in life compared to NF1. Most people are diagnosed with NF2 between the ages of 14 and 20. There are fewer symptoms for this type than NF1. There are fewer brown spots on the body. This disorder is noted for the frequency of tumors found on the spinal cord and brain. These tumors more often than not cause loss of hearing or a ringing sounds to occur in the ears. The probability of being effected by neurofibromatosis is very surprising. It is actually one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States. The probability of being born with NF1 is 1 in 4000. The probability of being born with NF2 is 1 in 50000. This disorder effects all ethnic races and sexes. Because NF is an autosomal dominant genetic condition you cant get it from other people. Statistics show that only about 50% of those affected with NF have family history of NF. The only way to get NF is from your parents. The parents can only give NF to their offspring if they are also plagued by this disorder. In the past few years there have been huge advancements in treatment for neurofibromatosis. They still havent found a cure or effective treatment for this disorder. They have deciphered that NF1 effects chromosome 17 and that Nf2 effects chromosome 22. The problem with finding a cure for this disorder is that about of all cases occur due to new mutations of the genes. In 1990 scientists were able to clone the gene of NF1 and then produce its protein, neurofibromin. Once again in 1993 they were able to clone the gene of NF2 and create its protein, Merlin/ schwannomin. One of the only treatments for this disorder is removal of the tumors which is done like the removal of any other tumor. New advancements are made everyday toward finding the secret behind this disorder. Taking this fact into consideration, doctors must always be kept up to date concerning new procedures and treatment of this disorder. Even though there have been huge advances in understanding this disorder there is no medical therapy available. The diagnosis of NF1 and NF2 are still largely based on clinical criteria. The diagnosis for NF1 was established by the NIH Consensus Development Conference. They stated specifically that 2 or more of the following must be present: (1) 6 or more Caf-au-lait macules (brown spots) are present, (2) 2 or more neurofibromas (tumors), (3) freckling in the axillary or inguinal regions, (4) an optic pathway tumor,

Plato and Aristotle Criticisms of Democracy

Plato and Aristotle Criticisms of Democracy Plato’s criticism of democracy Plato criticises the free choices or freedoms in democracy and the free choice of occupation. An important theory that comes from Socrates states that control of policy in government should be given in the hands of the ‘guardians’. The guardians are those who have reason or a dominating faculty which allows them to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Plato and Aristotle: Criticisms of Democracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Morality can be guarded and ensured if those given the chance to have power over it are those whose actions are ruled by reason. The others who are not dominated by reason should not be allowed to take control of policy. (Sofroniou 2007, p. 75) People in government should have moral knowledge and not just moral opinion. According to Plato, this is a requirement in order for a government to be moral. An ordinary citizen can have opinion about good things in life but may not have good moral judgement. He does not know if such things are good if he does not know how to distinguish the ‘essence of goodness’ and its corresponding attributes or manifestations. If a citizen does not possess this power or quality, he will not be able to know the goodness of a thing. To speak of it in our present time, there are only a few people who are given the power of ‘sound judgement about what is right and what is wrong’ and should have the power to make policy. Plato opposed the doctrine that everyone should be allowed to express his or her own opinion, to state his beliefs or to influence policies because those who are not trained to function in government do not have enough reason and do not exactly know what is right and what is wrong. A moral government should be controlled by those with moral knowledge and not with mere moral opinion. In order to expou nd on this clearly, Plato makes another distinction, that between Forms and their apparent manifestations. Plato would like to distinguish the ‘essence’ of beauty and the manifestations of beauty. For Plato these are two different things – essence and manifestations of beauty. (Sofroniou 2007, p. 75)Advertising Looking for research paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Modern philosophers have interpreted this distinction with their examples of ‘particular’s and ‘universals’. For example, an orange has its individual qualities, the particulars, but oranges have general qualities of colour, taste, smell, and so on. An orange may have a particular sweet taste – it may be sweeter than another orange but the universal quality is that all oranges have sweet taste. Plato suggests that a thing is beautiful if it has the Form of beauty. We will know that a t hing is beautiful if we know the Form of beauty, or the thing has the presence of that Form, and not on our mere belief that the thing is beautiful. Knowledge depends upon what we know of the universals. Having knowledge of the Form is important before one can have the wisdom to act and according to Plato this is a prerequisite before he can act on his own life or anything about the state. This is true with goodness and the Form of goodness. The Form of goodness enables us to understand the goodness of a thing. This is compared to the sun which makes our eyes see and makes things visible to everyone.(Sofroniou 2007, p. 76) The Form of the Good, according to Socrates, may not be the same with universal characteristic. But Socrates believes the objective difference between good and bad acts and humans know how to recognise this difference and distinction. Socrates suggests that only the philosophers can do it. A philosopher is one who has the ‘passion to see the truth’. H e knows how to discern the essence of the thing and does not confuse things. For this reason, Socrates concludes that philosophers should be kings – political power and philosophy should meet so that people can rest from troubles and there will be peace in the land. (Sofroniou 2007, p. 77) Plato suggests that a government should be composed of experts. He does not conform to the democratic system that people should select the kind of leaders to make the policy of government because those who are elected in office will only do what satisfies public demand and do not even know the essence of things and the many manifestations of things. Experts in government should be selected according to their knowledge of the essence of things.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Plato and Aristotle: Criticisms of Democracy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More How should experts in government be selected? According to Plato , someone who has the capability to have knowledge of the Good needs training or his mind should be trained for this purpose. And another important thing is that someone who has this kind of knowledge and training should live apart from temptations so that he is able to perform his solemn duty.(Sofroniou 2007, p. 78) Plato criticises the free choice of occupation and the free choice of being politician. In the play, Socrates proposed in social justice that one should perform one social service according to his best nature or capacity one should perform according to what he knows best. He must not perform the job of a cobbler if he is a carpenter, or perform the job of a carpenter if he is a cobbler, or perform both. If this happens, he does a great disservice to the city and it would cause a problem. (Santas 2010, p. 171) Multitasking results in a great problem for the city, Socrates suggests. A money maker should not become a soldier, or a soldier cannot become a counsellor and gu ardian, or one man cannot perform all those functions; otherwise, he gives a ‘ruin of the city’ (Santas 2010, p. 171). The principle of social justice The principle of social justice, as suggested in the Republic, is that one should perform for what he is best suited and should not be permitted to do anything that he cannot do best; anyone should also not be permitted to change occupation from something for which she can do best to something she cannot do best, and this applies to all. Why can this harm the city? According to Socrates, this goes all the way to the principle of division of labour which makes things easier, rather than each one do all the things he/she can do – be it production of food, shelter and clothing. People are born with different talents and capabilities needed in different occupations. An individual can do best on one particular thing while another one can do best on other things. He cannot do many things because doing best on one occupat ion requires time, education, training, and so on. (Santas 2010, p. 172) Socrates’ reasoning is still applicable in our time. Division of labour is applied in production. In communities, we get the right people for the right job.Advertising Looking for research paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Firms have human resource management to get the best person for the job. And it is not possible to have two jobs for one person even if that person is multi-talented – his performance will be affected. It is still best if people are chosen and perform their job according to their knowledge and training. Aristotle’s criticism of democracy Aristotle’s criticisms of democracy are varied and still practiced up to today. They can be applied in many governments today. They are present in many of human activities. Aristotle says that there is a tendency for democracy to be excessive. More democracy is the usual cry of democrats. A democrat starts with a cry for justice and equality; then he identifies this with the masses and the sovereignty and will of the people. He ends up with absolute freedom (Coats 1994, p. 54). Absolute freedom and absolute ownership of property go together. Extreme democracy, according to Aristotle, allows the political domination of a small gr oup of citizenry over all the members of a polity (Ober 2001, p. 328). Aristotle says that democracy can change and like any other human activity, it is subject to change. Democracy can turn into oligarchy or oligarchy into democracy, but there are other forms of democracy and also other forms of oligarchy. From oligarchy, tyranny can take place and tyranny terminates progress. (Simpson 1998, p. 419) Aristotle in his writings taught that there is a system of check in democracy, something which is found in the American system. This kind of check is present in the powerful and the elite. Bureaucrats are criticised by the people, and when the people are organised, they oppose every proposed measure which is good for the people. (Wilson, Cheek, Power, Cheek 2001, p. 242) Aristotle sometimes agreed with Plato that democracy is not an ‘ideal political constitution’ but it distorts and corrupts something else. Aristotle attacks what democracy creates: the people’s ambi valence to what they call social justice; political chaos; seeming lack of morality by the so-called elite; the holding on to power by a select few; etc. (Corcoran 1983, p. 17) Aristotle considers polity is a form of government or state – it is constitutional and applies to what we now know as democracy. Aristocracy has a constitution which diverts from democracy or it may have a mix of oligarchic and democratic ideals. But Aristotle recognizes democracy as the best that we can ever have as a form of government – it is ‘a government of, by, and for the people’ (Jayapalan 2002, p. 139). It is false to state that democracy is a government by the poor because rich countries of the world have the democratic form of government – with all the weaknesses and barriers that democracy can offer to the poor. But it is still the best, or perhaps better than dictatorship. Aristotle does not recognize or mention other forms of government like Parliamentary, Repre sentative, or Totalitarian form. (Jayapalan 2002, p. 139) Concept of private property Aristotle’s criticism on private property is often the subject of commentaries of philosophers. It is interesting and worth the time because it is one of the original concepts of socialism: wealth should not be used for private gain but for the common good. Property enables an organised community to be well constituted and in a well-organised polity common means should be given to all people. (Frank 2005, p. 55) Aristotle prefers the word ‘holding’ instead of ownership but he rejects common ownership by Plato. He is not opposed to private property but anyone with property should also have the power over it. He opposes forced redistribution of property because it may lead to civil strife. (Frank 2005, p. 55) But if people have private property, there should be one for common use, with laws applied to it, properties like land and crops, political offices, and so on. This gives a p ublic dimension to the concept of property. Scholars regard property as an instrument; theorists hold that it is an instrument to accumulation of wealth. Property can lead to wealth and virtue. But Aristotle says that too much property can harm the owner or possessor of property. The summary of Aristotle’s understanding of property is that property is both private and public. Excessive property will not do any good to its owner. (Frank 2005, p. 56) How valid are the arguments of Plato and Aristotle? The world’s main source of Greek political thought, the old and modern tenets of democracy are the writings of Plato and Aristotle. No way can they be considered not valid. Plato is Aristotle’s predecessor and most of their writings agree although there are times that they deviate from their original ideas. Plato and Aristotle have anti-democratic biases which sometimes render obstacle to a political-science student’s serious study of ancient political thought . But they are more than valid and are even applicable to today’s democratic practices. Plato’s criticism on the many kinds of regimes depends on the degree from which they have departed from ideal democracy. Aristotle’s criticism on democracy and oligarchy are very valid in the sense that they sometimes both meet on their extremes. For example, when democrats cry for justice, they go to the extent of seeking the people’s support but when they are given the freedom, they abuse power. Oligarchs are old-time democrats who have lost their being democrats because of their long stay in the system. They are used to democracy that they have taken it for granted. They have transformed into oligarchs. (Yunis 1996, p. 26) In contrast to Plato, Aristotle warns of excessive property for excessive wealth brings harm to the possessor. Aristotle’s words echo in the lobbies and corridors of wealth and power in congress and in the skyscrapers of businesses in New Y ork and Wall Street where money sells like hotcake, or ‘money doesn’t sleep’. It is here where according to Plato freedom becomes absolute because the democrat continues to cry for justice. Plato and Aristotle both opposed absolute freedom. Plato said that if all people are allowed to express themselves, there will be chaos. This is the freedom of expression that is a primary freedom of the world today. Take this out and there will be chaos and war. But this is one of the primary causes of war – the freedom to express one’s self. While both Plato and Aristotle are proponents of democracy, they want a controlled democracy. It may be called an ‘autocratic democracy’. But this could be an ideal state. There are states practicing this form of autocratic democracy. Some call it a police state. And they are successful in some sense. References Coats, W 1994, A theory of Republican character and related essays, Susquehanna University Press, U. S.A. Corcoran, P 1983, â€Å"The limits of democratic theory†, in G Duncan (ed.), Democratic theory and practice, Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge and New York, pp. 13-24. Frank, J 2005, A democracy of distinction: Aristotle and the work of politics, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London. Jayapalan, N 2002, Comprehensive study of Aristotle, Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi. Ober, J 2001, Political dissent in democratic Athens: intellectual critics of popular rule, Princeton University Press, Oxford and New Jersey. Santas, G 2010, Understanding Plato’s Republic, John Wiley Sons Inc., West Sussex. Simpson, P 1998, A philosophical commentary on the politics of Aristotle, University of North Carolina Press, North Carolina. Sofroniou, A 2007, Moral philosophy, from Hippocrates to the 21st aeon, Lulu.com, UK. Wilson, F, Cheek, H, Power, M, Cheek, K 2001, Political philosophy and cultural renewal: collected essays, Trans action Publishers, New Jersey. Yunis, H 1996, Taming democracy: models of political rhetoric in classical Athens, Cornell University, New York.

U.S. History - Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

U.S. History - Reflection Paper - Essay Example While pursuing the course under consideration I came across a few things that were new to me. Britain first lost the War for Freedom in the minds and hearts of the people inhabiting the American colonies, before it lost it on the battlefields of America. Britain never tried to holistically and formally participate in the political issues that were of emotional, social, economic and cultural significance to the colonies. Whatever political influence Britain exercised on the colonies was pecuniary and ‘Britain centric’ in nature that included recognition of the Proclamation Line, posting of British garrisons and imposing arbitrary taxes. Had Britain been more sensitive and astute in its response, perhaps the American Revolution would have never taken place. The other thing that was new to me was the fact that the political and social figures that are oft revered in the American history were marked by immense contradictions in their personal choices and political beliefs. For example Thomas Jefferson is considered to be one of the greatest American Presidents who was publically opposed to slavery. Yet, it was amazing to find out after some research that due to a big personal debt, Jefferson owned slaves for his entire life. 2. One most important thing about the American history that surprised me pleasantly was the text of the Declaration of Independence and its moral and ethical ramifications. I personally feel that the Declaration of Independence is a document that is not only of timeless relevance to the American democracy, but the very ability of its drafters to envisage and formally consolidate the ideals and principles that were of universal appeal and importance, in an age when the means of communication and hence the possibility o f a global spread of ideas was very constrained, is amazing, surprising and pleasant indeed. The Declaration of Independence was indeed a worthy culmination of the liberal ideas enshrined in the Western philosophy and politics. Consider the words: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.† The very ability of the drafters to come out with the idea of universal equality in those times is indeed astonishing and surprising. No doubt, at a very late stage, it was Lincoln who once more brought to fore the views and ideals of the Founding Fathers enshrined in the Declaration of Independence to start a war to end slavery, which was to change America forever. I found it really surprising that the Declaration of Independence is a document of recurring importance that is perhaps never going to lose its salubrious fr eshness and appeal in the times to come. 3. The things about the US history that surprised me unpleasantly or disappointed me were the treatment met to the Native Americans and blacks and the very fact that America harbored and exercised imperialist intentions and designs at some time in its history. These aspects of the US history were not only contrary to the American ethos and beliefs, but signified the tendency of a nation to resort to hypocrisy in the face of commercial advantages and interests. Though, the Founding Fathers promised a fair treatment to Native Americans, yet the practice of a specific race to resort to unchecked expansion in the Indian territories, encouraged by a belief in the inferiority of the Native races and culture sounded simply horrific and contradictory. The very same beliefs allowed the plantation holders to exploit the black slaves in an emotional and ethically callous pursuit for

Environmental Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Environmental Strategies - Essay Example The results are analyzed in relation with the discussions that were explained in literature review section. Based on the discussions made on global warming and its effects, both the organizations agreed to the fact that global warming is a significant problem and believe that it is important for them to act on it with immediate effect. As a service provider for Network Rail, Atkins limited believes that public is the major contributor for global warming. They suggest that with proper usage of rail networks, the usage of cars and trucks to travel can be avoided to a great extent and thereby, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. The organizational heads believe that, because of recession in current economy, the issues related to environmental changes have lost their limelight and have taken a back step. With the climatic change meet scheduled to happen at Copenhagen in November, clients and service providers believe that the global warming issues will again be under the scanner. They expect the meeting to design long term plans to achieve the goal of reducing global emissions by 80% from the current level in 2050. On organizational perspective, as an example of companies practicing new strategies with the primary focus both on environment and customer, the rail network organization has come up with an A2B strategy for their business. By this strategy, they have kept the mitigation of climate change effects as one of the top requirements, on par with cost and maintenance activities. Based on the argument produced by Arvin Lazar regarding climate change becoming one of the top most agenda for organizations, the two organizations have different opinions on this issue. Being a part of the government of UK, Network rail has taken into consideration the environmental impact by green house gases, in their funding strategy. They have organized an environmental committee to promote them to a state where they have a clearer idea about the environmental impact caused by them. Whereas on the other hand, the contractors are concerned more about the quality of the product they deliver rather than climate change. They prioritize issues based on the client needs and believe that climate change would be considered as a top priority in the near future. On an introductory note, we can summarize the issues that the contractors and the client are challenged by implementing the environmental change strategies in their respective system. For the client, implementing the environmental strategies is in the pipeline but the only drawback they are facing is a failure of an estimation of the cost required to do the same. The contractors, due to recession are in a state of implementing environmental strategy only on compulsion from the client and hence it is yet to become their prime motive. Since there are no set of standards on implementing the strategies, both the clients and contractors believe that the implementation is not a onetime process. Government The government has introduced a program called Climate Change Program (CCP) to reduce Carbon content emission levels. But then, as (David 2008) suggests, the above program will not affect greatly on reducing the percentage of emissions. The contractors agree with this thought as their main goal is quality of work rather than leverage of taxes. The client side analysis shows that they believe the rules are only just to comply and suggest that legislations in Scotland have to certain extent,

Content Analysis on Prime Time Television Using Cultivation Theory Research Paper

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Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum Coursework - 11

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum - Coursework Example All these aspects require a different type of organizational skill. In addition, leadership in nursing requires a person that can serve not only the responsibilities he or she is given by the position but also serve people that he leads. For example, a nurse leader must serve nurses through offering them support in different ways both professionally and in terms of personal aspects that affect the way they work. As such, a leader must possess skills and the right attitude that can help them serve as a servant leader. This helps nurses to feel comfortable to work because the working environment becomes friendly. The leader must also help in creating a safe working environment so that nurses can feel free to share their problems and feel safe and cared for when working. Currently, I have completed 72 hours out of 150 hours. During these hours, I have engaged in different activities. My nurse leader has developed a working environment that protects and values the nurses that she leads i ncluding me. First, the nurse leader has developed a supporting environment where we feel like a family. The nurse leader encourages us to share all our joys and problems with each other so that we can be happy together and help one another in times of trouble. Nursing is a challenging profession and makes the life of nurses difficult especially when they do not have support systems. However, the nurse leader has created an environment where we do not consider her as a strict leader but more of a guiding and supporting leader.

Summary of Transportation Research Record Assignment

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Light jet plane Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Light jet plane - Research Paper Example The most primitive needs should be satisfied completely first and then gradually other needs should be fulfilled but then again sometimes the most primitive needs only prove to be a hurdle in the overall growth and routine task execution. The higher importance tasks can only be efficiently performed if the lower basic necessities are met. (Rakowski, 2008) The light jet plane is basically a corporate jet with only one operational pilot seat and capable of accommodating around five people. Some of the have a proper lavatory system while some do not; however, it is very comfortable and highly in demand for many companies. Businessmen and VIP personnel can easily cover their required distances with all the space at their disposal and without having to bear the discomfort of public air transport planes. As the name signifies these planes are small, less heavy and fly at slow speeds but comfortably. (Pike, 2009) The major factor utilizing probably the majority of the organization’s concerns is the fiscal policies. External crisis such as inflation, stock market ups and downs etcetera have huge bearings on the overall economic infrastructure. The economic conditions of the population is checked and double checked before pricing goods or investing in the manufacture process. Moreover the financial condition of a particular locality plays a driving role admits (Kreitner, 2007). Not every geographical demarcation is well suited for buying expensive luxuries. So the company should chalk out its fiscal policies considering the minutest details regarding the ongoing currency value, stock’s market and the economic solidarity of the country. In order to avoid any major setbacks to the organization’s revenue generation or the entire outlet flop. In the modern era of technology it is extremely important for every company in the endeavor to

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum Coursework - 11

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum - Coursework Example All these aspects require a different type of organizational skill. In addition, leadership in nursing requires a person that can serve not only the responsibilities he or she is given by the position but also serve people that he leads. For example, a nurse leader must serve nurses through offering them support in different ways both professionally and in terms of personal aspects that affect the way they work. As such, a leader must possess skills and the right attitude that can help them serve as a servant leader. This helps nurses to feel comfortable to work because the working environment becomes friendly. The leader must also help in creating a safe working environment so that nurses can feel free to share their problems and feel safe and cared for when working. Currently, I have completed 72 hours out of 150 hours. During these hours, I have engaged in different activities. My nurse leader has developed a working environment that protects and values the nurses that she leads i ncluding me. First, the nurse leader has developed a supporting environment where we feel like a family. The nurse leader encourages us to share all our joys and problems with each other so that we can be happy together and help one another in times of trouble. Nursing is a challenging profession and makes the life of nurses difficult especially when they do not have support systems. However, the nurse leader has created an environment where we do not consider her as a strict leader but more of a guiding and supporting leader.

Light jet plane Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Light jet plane - Research Paper Example The most primitive needs should be satisfied completely first and then gradually other needs should be fulfilled but then again sometimes the most primitive needs only prove to be a hurdle in the overall growth and routine task execution. The higher importance tasks can only be efficiently performed if the lower basic necessities are met. (Rakowski, 2008) The light jet plane is basically a corporate jet with only one operational pilot seat and capable of accommodating around five people. Some of the have a proper lavatory system while some do not; however, it is very comfortable and highly in demand for many companies. Businessmen and VIP personnel can easily cover their required distances with all the space at their disposal and without having to bear the discomfort of public air transport planes. As the name signifies these planes are small, less heavy and fly at slow speeds but comfortably. (Pike, 2009) The major factor utilizing probably the majority of the organization’s concerns is the fiscal policies. External crisis such as inflation, stock market ups and downs etcetera have huge bearings on the overall economic infrastructure. The economic conditions of the population is checked and double checked before pricing goods or investing in the manufacture process. Moreover the financial condition of a particular locality plays a driving role admits (Kreitner, 2007). Not every geographical demarcation is well suited for buying expensive luxuries. So the company should chalk out its fiscal policies considering the minutest details regarding the ongoing currency value, stock’s market and the economic solidarity of the country. In order to avoid any major setbacks to the organization’s revenue generation or the entire outlet flop. In the modern era of technology it is extremely important for every company in the endeavor to

Apple Marketing Strategy Essay Example for Free

Apple Marketing Strategy Essay 1. Apple Marketing StrategyApple has been so successful in these last years thanks to his fresh, imaginative way to think and do its business: awinning combination of exceptional products, great style and design, great strategy, innovative marketing, sleekand enticing communications.Apple owes its overwhelming success in the last years to the iPhone and to the smart iPod and iTunes productcombination, a combination of a great hardware piece with great style, great software, great performance, userfriendly interface, with a good e-business service. The iPod + iTunes halo effect and new great Mac computers andMac OS software did the rest in increasing Apple revenue stream. In the 5 years between 2003 to 2008 the Apple share value increased 25 times, from $7.5 to $180 per share. At july2008 prices, before the US Financial Crisis, Apple stock market capitalization was $160 billion.In January 2010 Apple shares topped the $210 mark.But even the best companies with the best products have bottleneck factors which often avoid full exploitation ofthe opportunities.The iPod.Few people are aware and few market analysts too that for the first 3 years the iPod was an absolute flop. TheiPod was launched in october 2001, and between 2001 and 2004 iPod sales were between 100-200 thousand unitsper quarter, very far from todays 10-20 million units per quarter, and the iPod sales were not even covering theproduct research development costs. Then, in June-Aug 2004 something happened, and iPod sales began to grow strongly, quarter after quarter. Today,we all know where the iPod stands, and what a remarkable success it is.The iPod made the fortune of Apple, and it stands out as the major turning point in the company growth.Few people know that the iPod + iTunes business idea was not conceived inside Apple, but was proposed to Appleby an outside source, a music lover and Engineer named Tony Fadell.More on Tony Fadell and on the iPod marketing on iPod Marketing StrategyThe iPod marks another outstanding result in marketing:the annihilation of competitors. To know more see the analysis onThe iPod competitorsIt should be noted that, since the second generation of iPods in 2002, the iPods were made compatible not only withthe Mac operating systems but with Microsoft Windows operating systems as well.We should ask ourselves (and to Steve Jobs): how many iPods would have been sold if the iPods would had beencompatible only with Mac operating systems?Where the iPod is manufactured and assembledThe iPhone. The pipeline of new products which came out from Apple in the last years is impressive, and overwhelming. In 2007,with the successful launch of the iPhone, Apple has marked another milestone in its development and growth.And moreover, the iPhone enters a market the market of mobile phones a market which is mature, and saturated.Nonetheless, Apple has been able to develop a revolutionary product, and to change the paradigm in the mobile 2. Phone market.The iPhone is 5 years ahead of all its competitors. A wonderful product, amazing user interface, great design. It isnot only a mobile phone, it is a product between a mobile phone and a laptop computer. Even calling it asmartphone is not enough.In July 2008 Apple launched the second generation iPhone, the iPhone 3G.The iPhone 3GS.In June 2009 Apple launched its third generation iPhone: the iPhone 3GS.The iPhone 3GS has a 3 megapixel autofocus camera, video recording and editing capabilities, voice control, longerbattery life, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA internet connection. iPhone 3GS is twice faster than the iPhone 3G. The iPhone 3GSprices: $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB model.more on the new iPhone 3GS on the iPhone 3GS page.More on iPhone Marketing on the iPhone Marketing Strategy page.Apple did great. no doubt. However Apple has done some serious mistakes.The most serious mistakes Apple has done concern marketing and distribution strategies in Europe.Apple has overlooked the European markets, and missing big numbers in unexploited sales. With better marketingstrategy, better communication and distribution, Apple could have made 300% more revenues in Europe in the last 4years. Apple Marketing in EuropeWe met with with Erik Stannow, Apple Vice President of Marketing for Europe EMEA. We have been talking withErik Stannow about the marketing and distribution issues of Apple in the European markets and we gave somevaluable suggestions to improve the Apple marketing strategy and distribution in Europe.Well, it seems that in Cupertino they dont care so much about Europe.Steve JobsIf we talk about Apple success, about Apple great products, we need to talk about Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs has beenand is the great mind behind all this.Steve Jobs is a genius, he is a magician, too. He is the most skilled guy in introducing new products one morething the most skilled in presenting the key features, and he is a great communicator. Even more important, Steve Jobs has Vision. Vision in the strategy, Vision in the product development, Vision in thealliances.Apple Communication Strategy.Apple communication is sober, intriguing, simple, clear, minimalist and clever. And it has a style of its own. Both inthe tv ads, both in print ads, both in the online communications. A lesson to be learned by many companies in theworld. Well, of course when you have great products it is much easier to entice the costumers, but neverthelessdoing it with style and cleverness is a very good point. It boosts sales, but enhances the brand value too.The famous I am a Mac, I am a PC tv ads are a milestone in communications. Smart, simple, effective andhumiliating (for Microsoft ).More on Apple Communications and on the Apple Commercials I am a Mac I am a PC on the AppleCommunication Strategy page.

Long-term Effects of Chernobyl

Long-term Effects of Chernobyl Abstract Chernobyl was a city in Ukraine that housed one of the most tragic nuclear power plant accidents in history. It happened 30 years ago, however, the effects are still felt by many. This paper will explore the long term effects that Chernobyl left behind. Today, the city is still sectioned off from the rest of the country in an effort to help protect people from the ongoing radiation exposure. Clean up workers and anyone living nearby are at risk for life-long chronic diseases, some of which are not curable at the present time. These diseases or illnesses include cataracts, cardiovascular disease, psychological effects, birth defects, papillary thyroid cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Other effects include a contaminated agricultural and water system. The Effects that Chernobyl Left Behind The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was one of the most important forms of power in Ukraine and the surrounding areas. It housed 4 nuclear reactors, each of which have been shut down over the years. One particular reactor, number 4, had undergone a test that went awry. On April 26, 1986 one of the worst nuclear power plant accidents occurred at Chernobyl. The personnel controlling these reactors were not following correct operating protocol, which led to the disaster. The reactors were highly unstable and not designed to operate at low power. If the reactors lost water for cooling, nuclear chain reactions occurred more frequently and the power output increased causing a power surge, in turn heating the reactor. The lid to the reactor had reached an excessive temperature and finally blew apart sending nuclear fuel and fragmented material into the surrounding area. A dangerous amount of radioactive material was released into the environment and sent the staff at the plant and the public into a panic (Chernobyl Accident and Its Consequences-Fact Sheet. March, 2015). Reactor number 4 contained about 190 metric tons of uranium dioxide and fuel products that exploded into the environment. It is estimated that about 13-30 percent of this product made it into the atmosphere (Chernobyl Accident and Its Consequences-Fact Sheet. March, 2015). This massive amount of uranium dioxide is the leading component in the radiation exposure to so many people. Uranium is one of the biggest contributors to natural terrestrial radiation. Terrestrial radiation is found in the ground and the major isotopes of concern for terrestrial radiation are uranium and the decay products of uranium. This is the material that was used in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This explosion affected 18 miles around the city of Chernobyl. In order to contain the ongoing radiation exposure, officials have built a concrete building around reactor number 4 in order to help filter the radiation exposure from entering the atmosphere. Â  It has been 30 years since the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, but the effects still live on. Today Chernobyl is a ghost town since it was evacuated directly after the accident. It has since been deemed to be a toxic and unlivable place due to the radiation exposure that may be received. There have been regulations and emergency preparedness precautions that have been put into effect in order to ensure that this kind of crisis will never happen again. According to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the government of Ukraine evacuated about 115,000 people from the most heavily contaminated areas in 1986. Even though the vast majority of the area was evacuated, long-term effects still linger. Health effects and diseases have developed in the years after the accident upon individuals who worked at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, or were in the surrounding area. Some diseases that are more prevalent as a result of the radiation exposure from the accident incl ude, cataracts to the eyes, cardiovascular disease, psychological effects, birth defects such as hydrocephalus, as well as increased risk for cancers such as papillary thyroid cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Other effects include unusable land for farming or unstable livestock from the accident. As a result of this catastrophic event, more than 200,000 km2 were subjected to levels of radioactive deposits exceeding 37 kBq/m2 of 137 Cs, the cut-off level to classify an area as contaminated. The average dose that was received from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident ranges from less than 10 milisievert (mSv) to over 1 sievert (Sv). (Moiseenko, Khvostunov, Hattangadi-Gluth, Muren, & Lloyd, 2016). 1 Sv is equivalent to 100 Rem. Radiation equivalent man (Rem), is the traditional unit of measure for humans. All of the units will be converted into this value. This is a substantial amount of radiation considering the allowable dose for a non-occupational person to receive is 0.5 Rem per year. The dose that was received by some people in the accident is two hundred times that of the normal limit for the entire year. The occurrence and severity of cataracts is proportional to the dose of radiation received. The Ukrainian-American Chernobyl Ocular study reported a dose-related increase in the rate of cataracts in cleanup workers from Ukraine. This study also caused for reevaluation of the dose limits to the eyes by the International Commission on Radiologic Protection. It has since then been changed from 1 Gy (gray) or 100 Rem down to 0.7 Gy or 70 Rem for non-occupationally exposed people, and down to 0.5 Gy or 50 Rem for those occupationally exposed. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident caused the universal exposure limit to the eyes to be lowered due to the increase in cataracts among those people who were exposed. (Zablotska, 2016). Cardiovascular disease reports are only increased in the Chernobyl clean up worker cohort. It may not be a significant cause of cardiovascular disease in people elsewhere, however clean up workers had an increased amount of cases because they were exposed to so much radiation in such a short period of time (Zablotska, 2016). Prolonged exposure to radiation may cause chronic kidney disorders, which induce hypertension and thus might contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (Kamiya, et al., 2015). Psychological effects pertain to the mind, emotions, or reactions to certain events. According to Zablotska (2016), a catastrophic event such as the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident warranted many psychological effects on workers as well as ordinary people of the surrounding areas. These effects may never disappear, as many people still have symptoms decades after the accident. The lack of information given to the general public about what had happened caused a panic among many. The mystery of radiation exposure also caused anxiety among those affected by the exposure. Some people have developed severe anxiety due to the fact that they are nervous about being exposed to that much radiation, and the diseases that follow a high dose. Many people including young children and teens during the accident have post-traumatic stress disorder. This is mostly due to being forced to leave their roots in such an abrupt way. People were mistrusting towards their government for not keeping th e reactors under tighter regulations. Many were also frustrated by the lack of emergency preparedness plans that could have prevented so much widespread damage. Young children and teens may also be more susceptible to certain diseases and cancers because their cells are more radiosensitive towards exposures, which makes parents very anxious and depressed fearing something may happen to their babies. Another long lasting effect of the accident is the prevalence of thyroid cancer. This disease is by far the most frightening and notorious of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. This is the disease that everyone worries about because it can affect teens, children and adults in the same way. According to Handkiewicz-Junak et al., (2016) there have been approximately 5,000 thyroid cancer cases since the accident in the surrounding area. Two parallel studies have been performed. One study involved subjects in Ukraine and the other involved subjects in Belarus, one of the neighboring countries of Ukraine. Each study comprised about 12,000 children or adolescents from the accident. All of the subjects had been exposed to Iodine-131, which is a radioisotope. Periodic standardized screenings revealed that thyroid cancer and non-malignant diseases of the thyroid were far more prevalent in these studies than normal. Furthermore, evidence from other smaller population-based case-contro l studies confirms a causal relationship between the observed increase in thyroid cancer risk and exposure to Iodine-131 from the Chernobyl fall out (Zablotska, 2016). Another study was conducted on 65 children who had been exposed to Chernobyl radiation and sporadic papillary thyroid cancer. All participants were residents of the same region so that factors related to genetics or environment were reduced. Using DNA microarray, which measures the gene expression of many different samples, ten genes were confirmed as being associated with radiation exposure samples. This concludes that there is a significant difference in gene expression that causes papillary thyroid cancer to become active in post-Chernobyl subjects who were exposed (Handkiewicz-Junak et al., 2016). Chronic lymphocytic leukemia was found in workers who helped clean up after the Chernobyl accident. A study was conducted on the clean up workers registered in the Chernobyl state registry who resided in six regions of Ukraine (five oblasts and Kiev city). This particular cohort represented about 47% of the total number of clean up workers who helped at the Chernobyl accident. The study was later updated to include another nearby area, which bumped up the cohort to representing about 60% of the clean up workers. The findings showed an excess occurrence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cases compared with national levels during the study period of about 26 years. The most drastic increase in cases occurred within the first decade after the accident and continues during subsequent decades. The potential risk from a different cohort, measured between 1986-2006, demonstrated the same risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and it still remains active over 20 years after the exposure (Bazyka , et al., 2015). We know that radiation is cumulative and that any amount can cause genetic effects on future generations. Many of the clean up workers at the time of the accident were young adults who were at the start of their fertility and birthing years. The clean up workers could have been exposed to high amounts of radiation without any form of protection to the gonads. Certain mutations in DNA can form due to exceedingly high doses, which are then passed on to subsequent generations. For this reason, birth defects are put in the spot light for those affected. According to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, a positive correlation has been associated with external and food based exposure, with hydrocephaly (Lie, Irgens, Skjaerven, Reitan, P. Strand, T. Strand, April 1992). According to Webster’s dictionary, hydrocephalus is an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the cranial cavity. This causes expansion of the cerebral ventricles in the brain, and increased intracrania l pressure, skull enlargement, and cognitive decline (Hydrocephalus: Merriam-Webster). This is one of the very serious birth defects related to those individuals of reproductive age during the exposure. Lastly, effects of the Chernobyl accident extend further than just diseases or cancers directly affecting humans. The accident has a large impact on the soil and water system. The soil around Chernobyl cannot be used for farming since radioactive fuel and isotopes were scattered across a large area. In the first few weeks after the accident, private farm owners were not educated on the risks associated with the radioactive isotopes and fuel particles in the air and now onto their farms. Their farm animals, such as cows, consumed the radioactive material that was sprinkled over their hay, or other feed, and then produced milk that the farm owners then drank. The milk contained very high amounts of Iodine-131, which as previously discussed, contributed to increased rates of thyroid cancer. The water system was also contaminated with Iodine-131 and had the same effect on people as contaminated milk does. Contaminated water and milk are one of the leading causes of thyroid cancers among young children and teens (Beresford, et al., 2016). In conclusion, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident was one of the most catastrophic nuclear accidents in history. The wide range of people that were affected is astonishing. The radiation exposure blanketed some 200,000 km2, including Ukraine and the surrounding areas with thousands of people sickened by disease and turmoil, living with the consequences and long-term effects for the rest of their lives. People had to abruptly evacuate their homes and hometown roots due to this nuclear crisis. The after effects caused psychological problems and stressors, while also leaving many with no place to live. Anyone who may have helped clean up after the accident are at risk for cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancers such as thyroid or leukemia. Those individuals who were of reproductive age may have passed along mutated DNA causing birth defects. The effects that Chernobyl left behind are countless, however, regulations and safety precautions have been put into place in order to prevent such a catastrophic event from happening again. References Backgrounder on Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident. (2014, December 12). http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/chernobyl-bg.html Bazyka, D., Gudzenko, N., Dyagil, I., Goroh, E., Polyschuk, O., Trotsuk, N., . . . Romanenko, A. (2015, September 24). Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Chornobyl Cleanup Workers. Health Physics, 111(2), 186-191. doi:10.1097/HP.0000000000000440 Beresford, N., Fesenko, S., Konoplev, A., Skuterud, L., Smith, J., & Voigt, G. (2016, June). Thirty years after the Chernobyl accident: What lessons have we learnt? Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 157, 77-89. doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.02.003 Chernobyl Accident and Its Consequences-Fact Sheet. (2015, March). http://www.nei.org/master-document-folder/backgrounders/fact-sheets/chernobyl-accident-and-its-consequences Handkiewicz-Junak, D., Swierniak, M., Rusinek, D., Oczko-Wojciechowska, M., Dom, G., Maenhaut, C., . . . Jarzab, B. (2016, January 26). Gene signature of the post-Chernobyl papillary thyroid cancer. European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging, 43(7), 1267-1277. doi:10.1007/s00259-015-3303-3 Hydrocephalus. (n.d.) . In Merriam-Webster online dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrocephalus Kamiya, K., Ozasa, K., Akiba, S., Niwa, O., Kodama, K., Takamura, N., . . . Wakeford, R. (2015, August 01). Long-term effects of radiation exposure on health. The Lancet, 386(9992), 469-478. https://wwwclinicalkeycom.sladenlibrary.hfhs.org/#!/content/playContent/1-s2.0-S0140673615611679. Lie, R., Irgens, L., Skjaerven, R., Reitan, J., Strand, P., & Strand, T. (1992, April 2). Birth Defects in Norway by Levels of External and Food-based Exposure to Radiation from Chernobyl. American Journal of Epidemiology, 136(4), 377-388. http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/136/4/377.short Moiseenko, V., Khvostunov, I. K., Hattangadi-Gluth, J. A., Muren, L. P., & Lloyd, D. C. (2016, April 1). Biological dosimetry to assess risks of health effects in victims of radiation accidents: Thirty years after Chernobyl. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 119(1), 1-4. doi:10.1016/j.radonc.2016.02.033 Zablotska, L. B. (2016, April 29). 30Â  years After the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident: Time for Reflection and Re-evaluation of Current Disaster Preparedness Plans. Journal of Urban Health J Urban Health, 93(3), 407-413. doi:10.1007/s11524-016-0053-x