Credible and Reliable Sources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Credible and Reliable Sources - Essay Example Thus, those who have traditionally been university educated, were white males from privilaged backgrounds. This demographic has changed, and so to should the language conventions that reflect an era when only white males attended university – the very individuals or group that established past conventions. Thus, one important tip, is not to use 'gendered pronouns', rather, one ought to use 'gender neutral' pronouns like they, or their. One of the other elements that makes APA a desirable or optimal format, is the brevity of the style. With regard to the notion of APA Abbreviations, one of the important goals stressed, is that the style or format should do as little as possible to distract the reader from the content of what is being read. It is maintained by the APA that the less style formatting that is used, the better. The less there is formatting, the less attention a reader is going to spend paying attention to anything other than the basic text. So, for example, wherever possible, information is abbreviated. One good example of doing this, is with author's names. Author first names are not given either with 'in text' citations, which is normal for a lot of style conventions, or with bibliographical information.

Politics of Globalistation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Politics of Globalistation - Essay Example As stated by Mark (25), the dominance of one state over others in terms of economic and socio-political power is known as hegemony. Since the end of Cold World War, the United States has played a significant role in globalisation as a hegemon. U.S’ hegemony was able to impose its rules on the international system, provide goods to the system such as an international economic, financial and commercial order as well as global security and political order (Higgott 148). In short, the United States was able to open up national borders to foreign influences like political, cultural, and economic; thus, promoting globalisation. For this reason, in a world no longer defined by U.S’ hegemony, globalisation would not sustain. Higgott (156) claims that hegemony is crucial in creating international institutions that supply public goods, to the international system. Such institutions include World Trade Organisation, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, The North Atlantic Treat y Organisation, and United Nations, among others. However, Mark (33) argues that the role played by these international institutions is not responsible for stability of the international economy. This is because once they start; they do not need any further controlling since they can survive on their own and other nations come to value and preserve them. However, the United States hegemony does not only set rules for other nations, but also creates international institutions that supply public goods (Bryane 21). According to Robinson (36), such public goods would not be provided unless there was a nation in the international system willing to pay the disproportionate cost to supply them. In the current international system, the United State is the only nation able to absorb the disproportionate cost and supply the public goods to the international community; thus, creating a stable international economy which has less conflicts and more open. However, even if the U.S’ disprop ortionately bears the costs alone, it stands to gain due to its dominant position in the international system. Cox (256) claims that, US hegemony has contributed largely to global security through its military force. Nevertheless, many nations claim that the U.S’ has caused a reduction in international security; hence, they view America as a threat and doubt its intentions. This has led to destabilisation of the international cooperation. However, according to Cox (261), US military hegemony does not weaken global security, but rather promotes international democracy and liberty leading to political stability. For instance, the American military has helped to protect Saudi Arabia from attacks in order to ensure free flow of oil to other nations. Moreover, the stability of U.S’ hegemony has helped to prevent countries such as Germany from developing their own nuclear weapons; thus, protecting Asia and other European nations from destructive security competition and arms races (Harry 43). Therefore, if United States withdraws from its dominant role in the world, globalisation would deteriorate drastically due to lack of international security. However, without protection of Middle East by the U.S’ military hegemony, the free flow of oil is likely to be interrupted by war, which would result in increased oil prices and affect the global economy. Thus, increased oil prices would force nations to use coal that can cause environmental catastrophes

Evolutionary Approaches to Economic Change

Evolutionary Approaches to Economic Change What is the evolutionary approach to economic change? How does it compare with conventional approach in mainstream economics? Introduction The changes in the economic process brought about by innovation, together with all their effects, and the response to them by the economic system, we shall designate by the term Economic Evolution†, Schumpeter (1939).[1] The above description of economic evolution by Schumpeter aptly illustrates the picture of the evolutionary approach to economic change, where innovations and technology set the economic system in dynamic motion.[2] It takes into account the complexity of economic change by emphasizing: a.) the importance of technology as a contributing factor to economic change; b.) the factors that create states of disequilibrium; c.) the uncertainty of the economic system; d.) the importance of entrepreneurship; and e.) the diversity of growth rates. The evolutionary approach emphasizes dynamism in terms of competition between and among firms, which necessitates making new adaptations to the changing environment brought about by transformations created by other firms. [3] On the other hand, the conventional approach to economic change in mainstream economics perceives economic change as a function of savings, population growth and technological progress (which are viewed as exogenous), ascertain t he static income per capita levels. [4] It assumes that the growth rate of total output will in fact, always move towards a given constant level which represents a state of steady economic growth. [5] Moreover, the conventional approach operates on the basis of assumptions that center on the existence of perfect information, absence of uncertainty and achievement of warranted economic change. Comparative Analysis of Evolutionary and Conventional Approaches to Economic Change Evolutionary and conventional approaches to economic change differ in many aspects. In the context of economic change, these important differences center on the following points: a.) use of metaphors; b.) states of equilibrium / disequilibrium; and c.) emphasis on technological progress as input to economic change. Use of Metaphors The evolutionary approach uses biological metaphors to explain economic change, which uses the living organism in its analogy in effecting such change. This approach uses biological / genetic mutations to represent the small changes coming from investments in already existing enterprises. The process of mutation as evolutionary adaptation for survival lies on the nature of biological mutations which happens at random and where natural selection weeds out the unsuccessful species. Similarly, economic change in the context of the evolutionary approach occurs in a competitive environment where changes are made at random and where enterprises with less efficient management systems become the unsuccessful ones. On the other hand, the conventional approach uses physical metaphors such as investments taking the form of physical inputs such as â€Å"modifications of existing factories, fields, roads, harbours, etc†. [6] States of Equilibrium / Disequilibrium The evolutionary approach highlights the dynamic interaction of the various firms, consumers, households and markets, taking into account the distribution of income and production among them, thereby emphasizing the influence of a diverse group of variables on economic change. This is in stark contrast to the consideration of the economy as an aggregate entity by the conventional approach. In effect, the variables being diverse and numerous in the perspective of the evolutionary approach, potentially create states of dynamic disequilibrium within the economic system. These states of disequilibrium are in fact embodied in the structural change within the economic system which is â€Å"a necessary reflection of diversity in the growth rates of different activities.[7] It rejects the classical assumption of Say’s Law [8] , [9], since the evolutionary approach is grounded on a more realistic view of the economy where society places a value on the goods produced based on its prefe rences and tastes, thus, the uncertainty of gains and losses are well taken into account. This realistic view of the evolutionary approach to economic change therefore delves into the interaction between the diverse agents or actors involved in the economic system as a whole. These interactive processes being essentially dynamic and transformative in nature, expose the economic system into more random forces that lead to a disorderly state or to a state of disequilibrium. In this scenario, market processes shape the competitive process which breeds innovation consequently leading to the restless quest for technological progress. Technological progress later determines market share and hence, becomes a useful yardstick of competitive edge. In this case, there is hardly any state of equilibrium, but instead, there exist randomly interacting forces colliding with one another, producing further disequilibrium in the economic system. A useful analogy would be to equate biological evoluti onary forces that determine the likelihood of an organism to survive in a constantly changing environment, to the economic factors that cause disequilibrium which determine the competitive strength of firms in the face of imperfect competition. The conventional approach views economic change as a stationary or static process, and thus, the growth of all activities† are â€Å"at a uniform rate†. [10] The neoclassical theory which follows a conventional approach negates the importance of economic forces that often influence the rate of economic change, making it an idealized approach. Thus, in this case, there is a total absence of unemployment or inflation, while what exists is a uniform return to scale. This approach models economic change in a state of equilibrium where economic decisions are made from perfect information, and are carried out with â€Å"perfect foresight and precision so that there is never any excess supply of or, excess demand for, labor or land.† [11] This approach also assumes that a perfect suitability exists in production between capital goods and consumption goods, thus, â€Å"only one commodity is produced which may be used either for final consumption or for addition to the st ock of instruments of production.† [12] Hence this steady state of economic change in the perspective of the conventional approach assumes that: (i) all elasticities of substitution between the various factors are equal to unity, (ii) technical progress is neutral towards all factors, and (iii) the proportions of profits saved, of wages saved, and of rents saved were all three constant, [13] The conventional approach inherently possesses an â€Å"apparent inability to account for observed diversity across countries† and a â€Å"strong and counterfactual prediction that international trade should include rapid movement towards equality in capital-labor ratios and factor prices.† [14] Since it emphasizes the production function where the relationship of inputs of factors used to generate the output becomes a major consideration, in effect, it uses the classical assumption of Say’s Law.[15] Technology as Input to Economic Change The evolutionary approach to economic change emphasizes the role of technological knowledge in the improvement of economic productivity. It presupposes that technological progress and innovation are central to the attainment of economic change. J.S. Gans asserts that acceleration to the growth rate could be achieved if resources would be allocated to the production and distribution of knowledge. [16] The endogenous sources of technological progress and innovation are the institutions and organizations within which it becomes an integral part. This approach emphasizes the need to capitalize on institutions and organizations as sources of technological knowledge, in effect highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship in the quest for economic change. The costliness of technological innovation becomes embedded in the central factor of entrepreneurship which is viewed as a factor that drives capital deepening through shifts in the production function to achieve a higher rate of techno logical progress.[17] The conventional approach regards technology as exogenous and therefore is not regarded as an inherent part of the economic system . It does not trace the source of economic growth to technological innovation and consequently assumes that technology is a free good,â€Å"manna from heaven.† [18] Conclusion In the final analysis, the revolutionary and conventional approaches to economic change lie on opposite planes of the overarching concept of economic change. Their differences lie on the following salient points: The evolutionary approach emphasizes: the use of biological metaphors, dynamic change, and disequilibrium factors in a diverse economic system and entrepreneurship; and puts significant consideration on the role of technological knowledge as an endogenous part of institutions and organizations responsible for wealth creation and distribution. The conventional approach on the other hand, espouses: the use of physical metaphors, static or comparative static condition; disregards entrepreneurship due to the aggregate production perspective; and considers technological knowledge as a free, exogenous good , not directly associated with wealth creation and distribution. References: Dosi, G., Nelson, R. R., â€Å"Evolutionary Theories†. In Markets and Organization, ed. Arena, R., Longhi, C., 205-234. New York: Springer – Verlag, 1998. Gans, Joshua, S. â€Å"Knowledge of Growth and the Growth of Knowledge†. Information Economics and Policy, 4 (1989/91): 201 – 224. Green, Eric Marshall. Economic Security and High Technology Competition in an Age of Transition: The Case of the Semiconductor Industry. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1996. Lucas, Robert, E. Jr., â€Å"On the Mechanics of Economic Development† . Journal of Monetary Economics , 22 (July 1988): 3-42. Martens, Bertin. The Cognitive Mechanics of Economic Development and Institutional Change. New York: Routledge, 2004. Meade, J. E. A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth. New York: Oxford University Press, 1961. Meliciani, Valentina. Technology, Trade, and Growth in OECD Countries: Does Specialisation Matter?. London: Routledge, 2001. Metcalfe, J. Stanley. Evolutionary Economics and Creative Destruction. London: Routledge, 1998. Metcalfe, J.S. â€Å"Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge.† Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 12 (March 2002): 3-15. Nelson, Richard. How New Is New Growth Theory?. Challenge 40, no. 5 (1997): 29+. Reinert, E. S., Riiser, V. Recent Trends in economic theory – implications for development geography. Oslo, Norway: Studies in Innovation and Economic Policy ( Step Group) , 12 (August, 1994): 1-12. ISSN : 0804-8185. Available from: http://www.step.no/reports/Y1994/1294.pdf. Accessed ; 18, November, 2006. Scott, Maurice Fitzgerald. A New View of Economic Growth. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991. Sengupta, Jati K. New Growth Theory: An Applied Perspective. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 1998. 1 Footnotes [1] J. Stanley Metcalfe, Evolutionary Economics and Creative Destruction (London: Routledge, 1998 ): 103. [2] Giovanni Dosi, Richard R. Nelson, â€Å"Evolutionary Theories† in Markets and Organization, ed. Arena, R., Longhi, C. (New York: Springer – Verlag, 1998): 205-234. [3] Maurice Fitzgerald Scott, A New View of Economic Growth (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991): 124. [4] Jati K. Sengupta, New Growth Theory: An Applied Perspective (Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 1998): 13. [5] J. E. Meade, A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth (New York: Oxford University Press, 1961): 30. [6] Maurice Fitzgerald Scott, A New View of Economic Growth , 125. [7] J. S. Metcalfe, â€Å"Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge†. Journal of Evolutionary Economics 12 ( March 2002): 3-15. [8] Say’s Law assumes that â€Å"everything produced has some value for the community†. [9] Joshua S. Gans, â€Å" Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge†. Information Economics and Policy 4 (1989/91): 203. [10] J. Stanley Metcalfe, Evolutionary Economics and Creative Destruction, 3. [11] J. E. Meade, A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth (New York: Oxford University Press, 1961): 4 [12] Ibid, 6. [13] . J. E. Meade, A Neo-Classical Theory of Economic Growth, 30. [14] Robert E. Lucas, Jr., â€Å"On the Mechanics of Economic Development†. Journal of Monetary Economics 22 (July, 1988): 3-42. [15] Joshua S. Gans, â€Å"Knowledge of growth and the growth of knowledge†. Information Economics and Policy 4 (1989/91):203 [16] Joshua S. Gans, â€Å"Knowledge of Growth.., 220. [17] J. S. Metcalfe, â€Å"Knowledge of growth†¦, 4. [18] Erik S. Reinert and Vermund Riiser. Recent Trends in economic theory – implications for development geography. (Oslo, Norway: Studies in Technology, Innovation and Economic Policy: Step Group, 1998): 10. ISSN: 0804-8185. Available from: http://www.step.no/reports/Y1994/1294.pdf. Accessed: 18 November, 2006.

Ethics of Encryption Essay -- Essays Papers

Ethics of Encryption Effects of Encryption on the Constitution of the United States of America In the rapidly developing field of computer science, there is no more controversial issue than encryption. Encryption has become a highly contested issue with the broad use of global networks including the Internet. As more and more sensitive documents are being placed on computer networks, and trusted information is being sent from computer to computer throughout the world, the need for encryption has never been greater. However, the effects of encryption on our lifestyle and the government's role in encryption has been (and will continue to be) debated for years to come. The United States (U.S.) Constitution was drafted to prescribe to the American people, government's powers and limitations. In the form of the Bill of Rights, the people's rights were added to the Constitution to make the document complete and to ensure that the U.S. government does not hold the power to oppress the citizens of this country. The right to privacy, though never specifically mentioned in the Constitution, has been interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court from the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments as well as many other passages in the document. These three amendments are the focus of the debate over encryption. Does the government's plan to limit encryption have an adverse effect on the citizens' rights to free speech, protection from unlawful searches and seizures, or self-incrimination? There are many terms which have been introduced by the field of encryption. Each of these terms are need to understand this discussion. Plaintext is the original document to be transmitted or stored on a computer system. Ciphertext is the encrypted document. ... ... Case for 'Clipper'." Technology Review. July 1995: 48-55. Dorman, Lester et al. "Digital Privacy." http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~pweston/privacy.html. December 1995. Froomkin, A. Michael. "The Metaphor is the Key: Cryptography, The Clipper Chip, and the Constitution." http://www-swiss.ai.mit.edu/6095/articles/froomkin-metaphor/text.html. December 1995. Henick, Ben. "The Constitution of the United States." www.csum.edu/A_S/History/docs/usacon.html." December 1995. Licquia, Jeff. "PGP Frequently Asked Questions." http://www.prairenet.org/~jalicqui/pgpfaq.txt. December 1995. Litterio, Francis. "Statement of Rep. Jack Brooks (D-TX)." http://draco.centerline.com:8080/~Efranl/clipper/brooks-statement.html. December 1995. Morton, Bill. "The Beginner's Guide to Pretty Good Privacy." ftp://ftp.prairenet.org/pub/providers/pgp/pgpbg11.asc. December 1995.

Drug Testing and Ethics Essay

Is drug testing an unwarranted invasion of employee privacy? Which is more important–getting drugs out of the workplace or protecting the privacy of the employee? What about other health-threatening activities, i. e. smoking outside of working hours, unprotected sex, etc. Should employers be able to question or test employees or potential employees about these activities? Both of these scenarios are tricky ones. On the one hand, any employer would want to get drugs out of the workplace. On the other hand you don’t want to invade an employee’s privacy. At the same time some jobs may require employees to conform to a certain standard of behavior both on and off the job, but how much is too much? How much should be employees be judged and how high of a standard should be set. Where do we draw the line? Shaw and Barry in their text Moral Issues in Business state â€Å"A firm has a legitimate interest in employee conduct off the job only if it affects work performance† (Shaw & Barry 2010, p477). It can be argued that as long as the drug use doesn’t affect the employee’s work performance, then he shouldn’t be tested. If he is tested and the result is positive, but work performance is satisfactory, then drug use should not be considered as grounds for termination. Perhaps a better way to state this could be that as long as employee performance meets or exceeds the expected standards, then drug testing should not be used even if drug use is suspected. Egoism can be used to argue from both points of view. According to this theory, â€Å"an act is morally right if and only if it best promotes an agent’s interests† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p59). Following this theory, if the employer drug tests several employees and fires all who test positive, then they are acting in their best interests. On the other hand, if the employee’s best interests are served through their drug usage, then the employee has acted in the best moral way that he can. Using this theory does however raise some interesting questions. If the best possible person for a specific job is fired as a result of a drug test result, and the company’s performance in that specific department falls as a result of this, then was the action a morally right one? From a personal point of view, I believe that drug testing should be used only if the job requirements demand it. I don’t see any need for the person who picks up my garbage to be tested. I do however see a need for the school crossing guard at my children’s school to be tested. The person who shovels the snow from my driveway in the winter and mows my lawn in the spring and summer doesn’t need to be drug tested. My doctor should be. Several years ago my husband and I had a spat over my decision to hire the town drunk to do some lawn work and prune some tree branches off our roof. In all fairness I had no idea that he was the town drunk when I hired him, I was out in our backyard picking up fallen branches and he walked by at that moment. He asked if I had any odd jobs to be done and since he came across as clean and presentable and lucid I hired him on the spot. It wasn’t until three weeks later when my husband came home early and saw Bruce (the town drunk) at the top of a 50 foot tree sawing branches off that he realized who his new handyman was. Since he was usually the one on call at night whenever Bruce had one of his â€Å"benders† and had had cleaned him up several times, he now knew where Bruce was getting his drinking money from. My husband came home and told me he’d fired him. I rehired Bruce a day later. My reasoning was that he’d never shown up drunk, he did a great job on any task I set for him and his fee was reasonable. It was within my best interests to keep Bruce employed therefore I was acting as an egoist. It was within Bruce’s best interests to remain employed since it gave him the money to support his habit. He was acting as an egoist. We were both also following the theory of Libertarianism under which each person is free to live as he or she wishes â€Å"free from the interference of others† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p122). My husband in his decision to fire Bruce was also acting partially from an egoist point of view since an unemployed Bruce meant a sober Bruce which meant no trips to the ER which meant that my husband wouldn’t have to deal with a cursing, screaming, bloody drunk Bruce. At the same time he was also acting from Kant’s theory which states that â€Å"Only when we act from a sense of duty does our action have moral worth† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p69). My husband felt that it was his duty as a member of the medical profession, not to enable a habit that could possibly cause harm to an individual. A high incidence of false positive results in drug testing is another reason for the argument that drug testing should not be used. In researching this paper I was surprised to learn how many over the counter drugs can produce false positive results. According to an article on The National Center for Biotechnology Information website entitled â€Å"Commonly prescribed medications and potential false positive urine drug screens† published Aug 15th 2010, â€Å"A number of routinely prescribed medications have been associated with triggering false-positive UDS results. Verification of the test results with a different screening test or additional analytical tests should be performed to avoid adverse consequences for the patients. † Some of the more common drugs that could produce false positive results were nonprescription nasal inhalers such as Vicks, antihistamines, antidepressants, and antibiotics such as Amoxicillin which has been associated with false positive urine screens for cocaine. Employers should not be able to question or test employees about other behaviors that they might consider health threatening. This is a rather grey area and raises the questions of where to draw the line. For example if a company which is trying to reduce health insurance costs, decides to eliminate all smokers from their payroll since it costs more to insure smokers, shouldn’t they then eliminate overweight employees who are more likely to develop health problems than fit ones? What about employees with pre-existing conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure or kidney problems? Shouldn’t they be eliminated as well? Should employers be allowed to use polygraph tests to â€Å"screen† out potentially costly employees who may engage in illegal drug use or any of these activities? The polygraph test, or as it is more commonly known, the lie detector test measures several physiological with in the human body such as increased blood pressure, increased pulse and respiration. However in spite of what most people believe it is not the most reliable test. Shaw and Barry in their text Moral Issues in Business list three assumptions made by those who advocate for the use of these tests. These assumptions are *  1.  Lying will automatically trigger a distinctive response to the question. * 2. Polygraphs are very accurate. * 3. Polygraphs cannot be beaten. (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p480). Unfortunately for these advocates while the polygraph test measures bodily responses to questions it cannot indicate whether or not the response is actually a lie. A person who has a history of being abused may register different reactions to questions along that subject area and all that these reactions may indicate is discomfort to the question not necessarily that the response to the question itself is a lie. Opinions vary as to just how accurate the tests are with the percentages ranging from 90% to as low as 55%, the higher percentages coming not surprisingly from the American Polygraph Association. Finally polygraph tests can be beaten and even generate false positives. Spies John Walker and Aldrich Ames both passed polygraph tests as did Gary Ridgeway the â€Å"Green Killer†. Ames actually passed two different polygraph tests. Since these tests are costly, using them as a screening method for either new hires or present employees may not be the best solution and should be considered on a case by case basis. Other methods should be used before resorting to polygraphs testing such as drug testing which may indicate previous drug use (although as has been mentioned earlier some false positive results may occur) or even background tests which may turn up questionable incidents. If during the course of these two checks questions are raised about the employee or new hire, then the employer could resort to the use of a polygraph. It could be argued that utilizing either or both of these two other methods is even more costly to the employers but I would say that any employer who needs to use a polygraph test to weed out potentially costly employees could afford to administer the extra tests to be absolutely sure. Fortunately for most employees, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 which protects the rights of employees and outlines the usage and restrictions of lie detector tests states: â€Å"The EPPA prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests, either for preemployment screening or during the course of employment. Employers generally may not require or request any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test, or discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee or job applicant for refusing to take a test or for exercising other rights under the Act†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ It then goes on to outline just which employers are permitted to utilize lie detector tests †¦ â€Å"Subject to restrictions, the Act permits polygraph (a type of lie detector) tests to be administered to certain job applicants of security service firms (armored car, alarm, and guard) and of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers. Subject to restrictions, the Act also permits polygraph testing of certain employees of private firms who are reasonably suspected of involvement in a workplace incident (theft, embezzlement, etc. ) that resulted in specific economic loss or injury to the employer. † (United States Department of Labor website) My argument to using a polygraph test therefore would be that assuming that the employer fell into one of these categories then yes they should be permitted to utilize lie detector tests but only as a last resort. I submit this argument using the rule utilitarianism theory. This is not to be confused with act utilitarianism. Under act utilitarianism, â€Å"we ask must ask ourselves what the consequences of a particular act in a particular situation will be for all those affected. If its consequences bring more total good than those of any alternative course of action, then this action is the right one† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p63) The action that produces the greatest amount of happiness is the right one. Rule utilitarianism asks â€Å"what moral code †¦ a society should adopt to maximize happiness. The principles that make up that code would then be the basis for distinguishing right actions from wrong actions† (Shaw & Barry, 2010 p80-81). Under act utilitarianism, if 20 employees were polygraphed and 15 of them failed the test and were fired as a result, then the action would not be a moral one since more people would be left unhappy rather than happy. Using those same figures, if the rule or moral code that needed to be followed was that of a no drug policy, and the same 20 employees were polygraphed and again 15 failed and were fired, then the action would be a morally right one since firing the 15 employees made sure that the moral code was enforced. References http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20689123 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygraph_test http://www.dol.gov/compliance/guide/eppa.htm#who

Human motivation Essay

Introduction: A person is a complex creature who goes through a variety of developmental changes in his life. Each of these changes, a particular learning occurs. When we learn, we organize, shape, and strengthen our brain. Humans are like machines who never get tired of learning. From the day we are born, our brain works and encode those that we have learned in the web connections of our brain. But what does learning mean? Learning is how one acquires new information about the world he lives in. It is how he interprets and understands reality in a way that his behavior changes because of those learned information or knowledge. Learning is also said to be an active process in which the learner uses sensory input and constructs meaning out of those things that has to be learned. The learner needs to do something to be able to learn because learning is not just a passive acceptance of knowledge and ideas of a person alone, but rather, an activity or process which involves the learner to engage with the world he is in. Motivation on the other hand is a key component in learning. Essential because it includes an understanding of ways in which the knowledge can be used. Unless we know the reason why, we may not be very involved in using the knowledge that may be instilled in us, even with the most intensive, severe, rigid, and direct type of teaching. When one is not motivated to learn, teaching becomes ineffective and useless. Motivation is an inner state of need or desire that activates an individual to do something that will satisfy that need or desire. Motivation is derived from the need or desires internal to the individual such that others cannot motivate an individual but must manipulate environmental variables that may result in an increase or decrease of motivation. The relationship between motivation and learning is connected and are mutually causal. That is, those individuals, â€Å"who are more motivated learn more†¦those who learn more become more motivated† (Richmond, 194). In classroom settings, the teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning and self motivation. Knowing how to meet individual learner’s needs for control, competence, and belonging in the classroom is one key to student motivation to learn. Following are examples of learning as tied to human motivation. Teacher Rose is a regular teacher of 45 students in a public school. Three of her students are repeaters and two manifests symptoms of mild retardation. Their presence in class causes her stress and anxiety not because she don’t want these children there but because she feels like she is not able to help them as she‘s supposed to be. Since there are no special schools in the place to cater the needs of these children, she decided to apply for a scholarship at the district office to study Special Education. The process was not an easy one but because of her desire to help these children, she was able to graduate and earned a degree in Special Education. Now she’s more fulfilled and happy because she is able and capable of teaching and handling these types of children. Sir Benjamin on the other hand is a teacher who wishes to become a lawyer someday. But due to poverty, this dream remains only a dream. When he got married and belittled by his in-laws, Sir Benjamin vowed to become a lawyer to prove that he can be somebody someday, a person his in-laws would respect and be proud of. When his marriage was annulled due to insistence of his in-laws, Sir Benjamin applied for a scholarship in a university to pursue his studies in Law. After painful years of studying and teaching at the same time, he was able to graduate and pass the board exam. Now, he is already a lawyer. Although he was not able to win back his beloved wife, he is still happy and proud because at last, he was able to fulfill his dream and was able to prove himself at the same time. Jane is also an example of a person who was able to fulfill and finish her studies because of her desire to help her parents. Due to poverty, Jane wasn’t able to pursue college education. She went to work in a restaurant for two years. When given a chance to apply for a scholarship at the Mayor’s office, she didn’t hesitate to ask permission from her employer. Working during the day and studying during the nights. The process was long and hard and yet she was able to graduate. She was very motivated to finish her studies because she needs to get a descent job so she would be able to send her younger brothers and sisters to school. Now, she works in a bank, a lot more comfortable and happier because she’s able to fulfill her dreams. Motivation therefore comes from within, and most people with intrinsic motivation are most likely to succeed.

Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub

Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and San Francisco Disease epidemics are largely caused by specific historic, political, economic, and cultural aspects. In this respect, the infection spread is often regarded as a social rather than biological process. The plague of the twenty-first century is AIDS that have been caused by a complex of cultural, economic and political conditions. Specifically, gender inequalities, genocide, poverty, and many other factors have had a destructive impact on the situation in developing countries (Kalipeni 15).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and in San Francisco and Church’s Response to the AIDS Pandemic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to the lack of resources, consistent infrastructures, and effective governance, these economies have been struck by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and AIDS. The Afric an continent has undergone the worst shifts, particularly its Sub-Saharan region. However, poverty is only one of the key drivers of disease epidemic because there are many cultural, moral, and ethnic determinants influencing the situation. To enlarge on this issue, the rate of people suffering from HIV/AID is significant. Irrespective of local conditions and geographical peculiarities, the reasons for HIV/AIDS emergence are rooted in a complex mix of political, social, and economical factors that drive the epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa and San Francisco. The nature of these factors is different, but refers to the common categories. The most tangible of epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa is strongly associated with gender issues. Specifically, such problems as gender inequalities and gender vulnerabilities, violence, and many other gender-related challenges are on the South African agenda (Gender and Inequalities and HIV n. p.). Gender inequalities are more related to masculinity imply ing that males are likely to have more sexual partners. This is of particular concern to men having relationship with much younger women. Further, force sex and violence of physical and emotional character are experienced by women who are less resistant to these threats. What is more threatening is that women have a lesser access to HIV/AID prevention plans causing restrictions to a decision-making process. Poverty and migrations are also among the core reasons for spread of the dangerous epidemic. Specifically, HIV prevention programs are often halted due to the lack of funding. These socioeconomic obstacles prevent the population from receiving sufficient financial, moral, and social support from developed countries (Kalipeni 205). This also explains why AIDS pandemic is still the major threat to our plant (Kelly 26). Despite the fact that many scientific and technological advances directed at preventing the disease have been introduced, the evidence shows that they have little im pact on the developing countries having much lesser access to financial resources.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cultural believes, morale, and ethics are decisive in defining the underpinnings of increased rates of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. While attaining much importance to cultural forces, it should be noted that educational and information reforms must be introduced to increase the population knowledge and promote generally accepted educational standards (Kalipeni 17). Lack of information and responsiveness explains the inefficiency of prevention plan because cultural constraints determine the results. Although the United States belong to one of the most developed economies, the rate of AID/HIV creates a serious challenge to the US government. The problem is of particular concern to San Francisco region where the epidemic is also on the rise. The contri buting factors involve sexual orientation issues, injection drugs problems, and racial discrepancies. Heterosexuality can be largely associated with psychological, behavioral, and ethical patterns that are strongly associated with homosexuals (Kelly 45). Injection drugs are also toughly connected with the development of AIDS/HIV because they reflect the behavioral and psychological patterns that are typical of citizens (Rao and Svenkerud 86). In this respect, the prevention programs should be culturally sensitive and oriented on shaping new cultural patterns. Finally, racial discrepancies influence greatly the situation with AIDS increased rate as far as immigration issues are concerned. To be more precise, African Americans have higher rates of reported HIV cases among which are such categories as MSM and trans-persons are included (San Francisco HIV Prevention Plan 3). In conclusion, the analysis of social, cultural and political situations in Sub-Saharan region and San Francisco has revealed that that there are a great number of factors contributing to the spread of the epidemic. In particular, the key driving factors of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan African involve gender inequality, poverty and migration, and cultural beliefs. In its turn, San Francisco high rates are largely predetermined by sexual orientation, injection drugs proliferation, and racial discrepancies. All these factors can be embraced into a complex mix of social, cultural, and economical issues. Differences and Similarities of Factors Driving HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and San Francisco The identification of factors triggering the rise of HIV/AIDS in the regions has uncovered a number of distinctive differences and similarities. Before analyzing those, it should be stressed that pandemic is a social process that touches upon many political, ethnic, racial, cultural, and economical issues, which is the explicit similarity related to issue.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Key Drivers of HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and in San Francisco and Church’s Response to the AIDS Pandemic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another common feature refers to the sexual orientation problem, particularly to homosexual males who have greater risk of being infected by the disease. Hence, due to male gender prevalence in South Africa, men are more likely to be sexually promiscuous. Despite similarities, there are obvious distinctions predetermined largely by economical and political conditions. Specifically, the level of poverty is different and, as a result, the causes of pandemic differ as well. South African region refers to developing economies whereas San Francisco in much more advanced in these terms. In addition, there are also discrepancies in cultural beliefs and perceptions. Lack of education and deficiency in understanding the problem prevents African people from embracing the seriousness o f the issue. Church’s Response to AIDS Pandemic Today, African religious institutions are primarily considered as healing ministries. This tendency has come to the forth when it comes in Christian traditions in African region as far as the problem of AIDS spread is concerned. The analysis of religious background of churches in Zimbabwe and other countries of Southern region have revealed that religion considers AIDS as a deviation of behavior and rejection to follow the main principles of religion (Dube 27). The church reaction on the epidemic, therefore, can be considered through wider applications of religion to AID/HIV problem. Judging from the above, Churches in African places an emphasis on moral dimension to eliminate spiritual and physical suffering that people endeavor because of the disease. In this respect, the Christian communities are more presented as mentors and teachers encouraging people to fight with the pandemic and resort to pre-caution methods. Their actio ns are directed at increasing people’s awareness and promoting specific educational programs based on the Biblical principles. The reforms concern both the infected people and the one who face this threat. Dube, Lilian et al. African Initiatives in Healing Ministry, South Africa: UNISA Press, 2011. Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"Gender and Inequalities and HIV†. Gender, Women and Health. World Health Organization. 2011. Web. Kalipeni, Ezekiel, et al. HIV and AIDS in Africa: Beyond Epidemiology, New Jersey: Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Print. Kelly, Michael. HIV and AIDS: A Social Justice Perspective. Nairobi, Kenya: Paulines Publications, 2010. Print. Rao, Nagesh, and Peer J. Svenkerud. Effective HIV/AIDS prevention communication strategies to reach culturally unique populations: lesson learned in San Francisco, U. S. A and Bangkok, Thailand. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 22.1 (1998): 85-105. Print. San Francisco Prevention Plan. Introduction. SFHIV. 2010. Web.

The Sarcophagus of Pakal

The Sarcophagus of Pakal In 683 A.D., Pakal, the great King of Palenque who had ruled for almost seventy years, died. Pakals time had been one of great prosperity for his people, who honored him by entombing his body inside the Temple of the Inscriptions, a pyramid that Pakal himself had ordered built specifically to serve as his tomb. Pakal was buried in jade finery including a beautiful death mask, and placed over Pakals tomb was a massive sarcophagus stone, laboriously carved with an image of Pakal himself being reborn as a god. Pakals sarcophagus and its stone top are among the great all-time finds of archaeology. Discovery of Pakals Tomb The Maya city of Palenque had risen to greatness in the seventh century A.D. only to mysteriously go into decline. By 900 A.D. or so the once-mighty city was largely abandoned and the local vegetation began to reclaim the ruins.   In 1949, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier began an investigation at the ruined Maya city, specifically at the Temple of the Inscriptions, one of the more imposing structures in the city. He found a stairway leading deep into the temple and followed it, carefully breaking down walls and removing rocks and debris as he did so. By 1952 he had reached the end of the passageway and found a magnificent tomb, which had been sealed off for more than a thousand years. There are many treasures and important works of art in Pakals tomb, but perhaps the most striking was the massive carved stone which covered Pakals body. The Great Sarcophagus Lid of Pakal Pakals sarcophagus lid is made of single stone. It is rectangular in shape, measuring between 245 and 290 millimeters (roughly 9-11.5 inches) thick in different places. It is 2.2 meters wide by 3.6 meters long (about 7 feet by 12 feet). The massive stone weighs seven tons. There are carvings on the top and sides. The massive stone would never have fit down the stairways from the top of the Temple of the Inscriptions; Pakals tomb was sealed first and then the temple was built around it. When Ruz Lhuillier discovered the tomb, he and his men painstakingly lifted it with four jacks, raising it a little bit at a time while putting small pieces of wood in the gaps to hold it in place. The tomb remained open until late 2010 when the massive lid was painstakingly lowered once again, covering Pakals remains, which had been returned to his tomb in 2009. The carved edges of the sarcophagus lid narrate events from the life of Pakal and those of his royal forebears. The southern side records the date of his birth and the date of his death. The other sides mention several other lords of Palenque and the dates of their deaths. The northern side shows Pakals parents, along with the dates of their deaths. The Sides of the Sarcophagus On the sides and ends of the sarcophagus itself, there are eight fascinating carvings of Pakals ancestors being reborn as trees: this shows that the spirits of departed ancestors continue to nourish their descendants. The depictions of Pakals ancestors and former rulers of Palenque include: Two images of Pakals father, Kan Mo Hix, being reborn as a nance tree.Two images of Pakals mother, Sak Kuk, being reborn as a cacao tree.Pakals great-grandmother, Yohl Iknal, is shown twice, reborn as a zapote tree and an avocado tree.Janahb Pakal I, Pakals grandfather, reborn as a guava treeKan Bahlam I (ruler of Palenque 572-583), reborn as a zapote tree.Kan Joy Chitam I (ruler of Palenque ca. 529-565 A.D.), reborn as an avocado tree.Ahkal Mo Nahb I (ruler of Palenque ca. 501-524 A.D.), reborn as a guava tree. The Top of the Sarcophagus Lid The magnificent artistic carving on the top of the sarcophagus lid is one of the masterpieces of Maya art. It depicts Pakal being reborn. Pakal is on his back, wearing his jewels, headdress, and skirt. Pakal is shown in the center of the cosmos, being reborn into eternal life. He has become one with the god Unen-Kawill, who was associated with maize, fertility, and abundance. He is emerging from a maize seed held by the so-called Earth Monster whose enormous teeth are clearly shown. Pakal is emerging along with the cosmic tree, visible behind him. The tree will carry him to the sky, where the god Itzamnaaj, the Sky Dragon, is awaiting him in the form of a bird and two serpent heads on either side. Importance of Pakals Sarcophagus Pakals Sarcophagus lid is a priceless piece of Maya art and one of the most important archaeological finds of all time. The glyphs on the lid have helped mayanist scholars pinpoint dates, events and familial relationships over a thousand years old. The central image of Pakal being reborn as a god is one of the classic icons of Maya art and has been crucial to understanding how the ancient Maya viewed death and rebirth. It should be noted that other interpretations of Pakals headstone exist. The most notable one, perhaps, is the notion that when viewed from the side (with Pakal roughly upright and facing to the left) it can appear as if he is operating the machinery of some sort. This has led to the Maya Astronaut theory which states that the figure is not necessarily Pakal, but rather a Maya astronaut piloting a spaceship. As entertaining as this theory may be, it has been thoroughly debunked by those historians who have deigned to justify it with any consideration in the first place.   Sources Bernal Romero, Guillermo. Kinich Jahahb Pakal (Resplandente Escudo Ave-Janahb) (603-683 d.C) Arqueologà ­a Mexicana XIX-110 (July-August 2011) 40-45. Guenter, Stanley. The Tomb of K’inich Janaab Pakal: The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque Lapida de Pakal, Palenque, Chiapas. Arqueologia Mexicana Edicion Especial 44 (June 2012), 72. Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo. Grandes Hallazgos de la Arqueologà ­a: De la Muerte a la Inmortalidad. Mexico: Tiempo de Memoria Tus Quets, 2013. Schele, Linda, and David Freidel. A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1990.

Case Pneumonia Essay Example for Free

Case Pneumonia Essay Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection. It is also called Pneumonitis or Bronchopneumonia. Pneumonia can be a serious threat to our health. Although pneumonia is a special concern for older adults and those with chronic illnesses, it can also strike young, healthy people as well. It is a common illness that affects thousands of people each year in the Philippines, thus, it remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the country. There are many kinds of pneumonia that range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. In infectious pneumonia, bacteria, viruses, fungi or other organisms attack your lungs, leading to inflammation that makes it hard to breathe. Pneumonia can affect one or both lungs. In the young and healthy, early treatment with antibiotics can cure bacterial pneumonia. The drugs used to fight pneumonia are determined by the germ causing the pneumonia and the judgment of the doctor. It’s best to do everything we can to prevent pneumonia, but if one do get sick, recognizing and treating the disease early offers the best chance for a full recovery. A case with a diagnosis of Pneumonia may catch one’s attention, though the disease is just like an ordinary cough and fever, it can lead to death especially when no intervention or care is done. Since the case is a toddler, an appropriate care has to be done to make the patient’s recovery faster. Treating patients with pneumonia is necessary to prevent its spread to others and make them as another victim of this illness. The lungs constitute the largest organ in the respiratory system. They play an important role in respiration, or the process of providing the body with oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. The lungs expand and contract up to 20 times per minute taking in and disposing of those gases. Air that is breathed in is filled with oxygen and goes to the trachea, which branches off into one of two bronchi. Each bronchus enters a lung. There are two lungs, one on each side of the breastbone and protected by the ribs. Each lung is made up of lobes, or sections. There are three lobes in the right lung and two lobes in the left one. The lungs are cone shaped and made of elastic, spongy tissue. Within the lungs, the bronchi branch out into minute pathways that go through the lung tissue. The pathways are called bronchioles, and they end at microscopic air sacs called alveoli. The alveoli are surrounded by capillaries and provide oxygen for the blood in these vessels. The oxygenated blood is then pumped by the heart throughout the body. The alveoli also take in carbon dioxide, which is then exhaled from the body. Inhaling is due to contractions of the diaphragm and of muscles between the ribs. Exhaling results from relaxation of those muscles. Each lung is surrounded by a two-layered membrane, or the pleura, that under normal circumstances has a very, very small amount of fluid between the layers. The fluid allows the membranes to easily slide over each other during breathing. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY Pneumonia is a serious infection or inflammation of your lungs. The air sacs in the lungs fill with pus and other liquid. Oxygen has trouble reaching your blood. If there is too little oxygen in your blood, your body cells can’t work properly. Because of this and spreading infection through the body pneumonia can cause death. Pneumonia affects your lungs in two ways. Lobar pneumonia affects a section (lobe) of a lung. Bronchial pneumonia (or bronchopneumonia) affects patches throughout both lungs. Bacteria are the most common cause of pneumonia. Of these, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common. Other pathogens include anaerobic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, C. psittaci, C. trachomatis, Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, Legionella pneumophila, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and other gram-negative bacilli. Major pulmonary pathogens in infants and children are viruses: respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, and influenza A and B viruses. Among other agents are higher bacteria including Nocardia and Actinomyces sp; mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and atypical strains; fungi, including Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Pneumocystis carinii; and rickettsiae, primarily Coxiella burnetii (Q fever). The usual mechanisms of spread are inhaling droplets small enough to reach the alveoli and aspirating secretions from the upper airways. Other means include hematogenous or lymphatic dissemination and direct spread from contiguous infections. Predisposing factors include upper respiratory viral infections, alcoholism, institutionalization, cigarette smoking, heart failure, chronic obstructive airway disease, age extremes, debility, immunocompromise (as in diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure), compromised consciousness, dysphagia, and exposure to transmissible agents. Typical symptoms include cough, fever, and sputum production, usually developing over days and sometimes accompanied by pleurisy. Physical examination may detect tachypnea and signs of consolidation, such as crackles with bronchial breath sounds. This syndrome is commonly caused by bacteria, such as S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae. NURSING PROFILE a. Patient’s Profile Name: R. C. S. B. Age: 1 yr,1 mo. Weight:10 kgs Religion: Roman Catholic Mother: C. B. Address: Valenzuela City b. Chief Complaint: Fever Date of Admission: 1st admission Case Pneumonia. (2018, Oct 16).

) Henry's speech was a call to action. What did he want his fellow Research Paper

) Henry's speech was a call to action. What did he want his fellow Virginians to do What were his justifications for the prop - Research Paper Example He suggests that slavery and lack of freedom among them can only bring about more violence and oppression to the region. He asks the fellow Virginians to fight energetically for their rights and freedom as they owe one from the British Empire. His justification for this call is that, not fighting and being ignorant to the atrocities of British ministry can only lead them slavery and oppression . Henry also mentions that the life with less liberty can make the Virginians weak in performing their duties and responsibilities to their own nation. It also can be a disloyalty to the God and the majestic heavens. He further argues that fleets of army and navy are not necessary for the British ministry to impart freedom and human rights to the fellow Virginians. Henry addresses the one who oppose him by saying that, the war has already begun. He is commenting that things have gone far than expected and the Virginian fellow men have taken action to launch war against British ministry. Henry i s making clear that the Virginian fellow men can get liberty only if they fight as the situation has gone out of hand Generally speaking, Slavery is the main theme in Henry’s speech and this is illustrated widely by him throughout his speech in an imagery way. His imagery can be seen when he comments that the fellow Virginians are in the forged chains of British ministry. The only factor which influences the fellowmen is the illusionary hope, which they nurture in their mind .They hope ardently that the British ministry would give them liberty in future times, but Henry see this hops as an illusion. Henry asserts that, the Virginian men and women are slaves of British colonists, and if they don’t fight then the state of Virginians can only be deteriorated. Henry also comments that their senses are not shut towards the atrocities of British leaders and war is inevitable. The imagery element is highly experienced when Henry claims that the clamoring of the slaved Virgini ans can be heard till the plains of Boston. This kind of imagery put forward by Henry showcases the oppression and despair in the minds of the subjects of Virginia. The imagery of Henry can be reflected when he argues that the fellowmen has the blessing of God of nature in fighting and they can win as they are in the favor of truth and liberty. The imagery of God has prominent influence on fellow Virginians as this re-imposed the religious thoughts and principles buried in their minds. Henry has intimidated the Virginians by declaring several resolutions to protect the human rights and liberty of the country men. One among them was the tax resolution which aimed the well being of the fellow Virginians. â€Å"Henry’s five resolution, known popularly as the Virginia Resolves, might have remained a local matter had if not for the colonial press†(pg.118,chapter Apparently, the imagery used by Henry like slavery and power of God and nature has well resonated among the Virgi nians because they believe in God and can resemble things regarding their life to the Henry’s speech. The Virginians of the British colony were living a life that resembled slaves and hence the call for action by Henry hit the Virginians hard. Henry knew that Virginians were religious people, thus the mention of imagery like God’s and nature’s power initiated a profound impact on his countrymen. Henry in his speech has taken the

Assisted Suicide Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assisted Suicide - Term Paper Example This question is of great value to the society as well as health care practitioners. An answer to this problem can be obtained through arguments that are in favor and not in favor of assisted suicide. According to Webster, assisted suicide falls under the umbrella of euthanasia (McDougall, 2008, p.1). The term euthanasia is referred to as good death, this term is mostly used when health care practitioners ends a patient life in order to help him avoid his unbearable sufferings. Euthanasia is divided into two kinds, active and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia refers to activities conducted to put an end to a patient’s life; it is even recognized mercy killing. Majority of the jurisdictions around the world has pronounced mercy killing as illegal and has even referred to it as murder. Passive euthanasia refers to an act of allowing a patient to die even when there are available procedures to delay the death. Examples of passive euthanasia include instances when patients den y treatments that can delay the death of a patient, this kind of euthanasia falls under the category of natural death. Body Suicide is term used to refer to an individual’s act of taking his/her own life, assisted suicide is a term used to refer to the help that an individual has while he takes his/her own life. In case of assisted suicide, the healthcare practitioner or the person providing care to the patient provides a method to the patient to take his/her own life and the patient himself, willfully adopts the provided method to put an end to his lie and suffering. Assisted suicide can either fall in the category of active or passive euthanasia, whether an act of assisted suicide is active or passive euthanasia depends on the meaning attach to the assistance provided to the patient. Examples: a drug used to take life is prescribed by a doctor to his/her patient while the doctor knows that the patient wishes to put an end to his life, a nurse supplying a medicine to the pat ient and the drug is used can put an end to the patient’s life and a health care practitioner helping the patient in every step of taking his/her own life, steps include: placement of the drug in the patients mouth, and assisting him in swallowing the drug. Pro Assisted Suicide There are various reasons due to which patients opt for assisted suicide rather than bearing the pain before natural death. One of the reasons is the lack of proper care and inhumane activities conducted by the caregivers in health care centers. This means that individuals are not being properly cared for in healthcare centers due to which a patient’s pain increases and they demand for death. Factors that have been proposed that make an individual wish for assisted suicide are threat of being isolated, pain not being cured, depression, threat of loss, feeling of helplessness and concerns regarding family. Another reason that makes individuals wish for assisted suicide is that patients know that they are ultimately going to die even if they use technology and treatment to delay, thus they opt to die rather than being unable to control their death. Due to these disturbing reasons, patients lose hope and accept death as a better alternative. According to the judicial system of US, a patient or an individual (patient) has a right to decide whether they want to live or die, patients in America obtained the right to accept

President Obama's Health care reform Research Paper

President Obama's Health care reform - Research Paper Example coverage, insured families that are only a sickness away from financial ruin as well to as patients whose insurance companies have rebuffed covering them. This law has several components that are outlined in the following paper. This paper is further going to give the case for and case against the law. The health care reform is a comprehensive insurance strategy that aims to ensure that every American has quality health care and it is affordable to them. The aim of the health care reform was to target and ensure that all Americans were insured for their health care in a way that was affordable for the individual, the family and the government at large. The reform’s plan was also to target every individual in America irrespective of whether one had a prior cover or not. This was very vital as the number of uninsured individuals was on the increase as would be compared from the year 2000 during which it was only 13.1% of the Americans. This number went up to 16.3% in the year 2010 (Christie, Para 1). The major reasons for such a big percentage is the increase in restrictions for acquiring health care insurance and the increasing cost of getting the cover as well. Some of the restrictions were the denial of cover for individuals with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes in children and young adults aged 19 and 25 years of age who did not have medical cover in the place where they were working. Furthermore, the high cost was way above the affordability of most middle and low-income earners. The battle to have the legislation about the reform has not been smooth sailing and it has been largely treated as a battle between the democrats against the republicans. On the 7th of November 2009, when the bill was tabled in the house, the democrats had the day by a slight margin of 219 while the republicans had 212 (Kane, Para 1). Later on march the 23rd 2010, president Obama signed the bill into law and that, according to some people, was the light at the end of the

Financial Research Report Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Research Report - Math Problem Example These locations are thus the operational locations of the bank. The bank has been operated throughout the past 115 years and during this long term history, banking system all over the world has underwent a lot of change with respect to the technologies along with innovated products and services. The most interesting feature of the bank is that its mode of operating and doing business within the community did not change along with the market trend during its past numerous years of existence. The Chairman of Capital City Bank Group believes that his bank provides a favorable environment to the employees who work over there and provides great benefits to them through promotion of family values and various other amenities for making them feel like home (Capital City Bank Group, 2011). Capital City Bank Group is an outstanding performer in the US banking industry and the bank holds an excellent position of repute not only within the industry but within the business communities as well. Th e success of the bank is evident through the various achievements it has attained throughout its years of operations within the industry. During the recent past, the bank has expanded towards a wide geographical location outside the area of Tallahassee. Along with expansion through physical location spreading, the bank has also increased its reach of client towards various locations of the country (Capital City Bank Group, 2011). Capital City Bank Group is a financial services company which comprehensively values to its customers and this form of the bank’s business operations has added genuine value towards the prospect of the company. The prospect will be validated in the next sections of this research paper in terms of ratio and trend analysis of the banks’ performance over the past three years and projecting those of the future three years. Along with the projection of future performance of the bank, the stock performance will also be compared with that of S&P†™s 500 Index for evaluating the prospect of investing in the bank’s stocks. Ratio Analysis The ratio analysis and the trend analysis in this section will be performed with the help of past three years’ financial figures collected from the annual reports of Capital City Bank Group. The sources from where the data related to financial performance of the bank has been collected have been provided at the end of this research report. Ratios Actual 2008 Actual 2009 Actual 2010 Projected 2011 Projected 2012 Projected 2013 Liquidity Ratios Current Ratio= Current asset / current liability 1.34 0.96 1.86 1.89 1.94 1.98 Debt to equity ratio= Total liabilities / Owner’s equity 7.53 8.13 8.99 9.23 9.46 9.55 Operating Efficiency Ratio 64.91 % 77.33 % 84.23 % 86.25 % 88.37 % 92.33 % Profitability Ratios Return on sales or profit margin= (Net profit / Net Sales) *100 10.66 % - - 2.89 % 3.56 % 6.89 % Return on assets= (Net Profit / Total Assets)*100 0.59 % - - 0.52 % 0.56 % 0. 62 % Return on equity= (Net profit / Owner’s equity)*100 5.06 % - - 4.11 % 6.45 % 9.12 % Note: Ratios related to net profit during the years 2009 and 2010 have been kept blank due to the reason that

Contact zone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contact zone - Essay Example It happened that I befriended a tour guide who promised to take me deep into the communal areas to meet people and learn their culture someday before returning home. The problem was that on arriving in the rural area, I was embarrassed by having many people from the community following us and making some funny jokes about my dressing that was very different from theirs. In summers, am used to wearing light clothing that expose most of the body to enjoy the sun bath and the freshness of the weather in my destinations. However, the community I visited was a conservative one that adorned in clothes that covered almost the entire body. I could clearly tell they were making fun of my clothing. When having lunch, as I liked having new delicacies from native communities, the type of food that was served was very different to what I was used to. From that time, I could read some negative reactions from the people I had visited and even the person I head befriended was involved in some jokes that made fun of me. Considering am not used to working in the garden, I made an ugly scene trying to learn farming using animals to plough. The reaction in the entire contact with the community was that I was a fool who did not know the best things to eat and one that could not work. From the interpretations that I got, I learned that the locals were remarking that people of my type were a lazy lot who could not do any physical activity or wear decent clothing to cover the body. From the experience, a contact zone is influenced by the extent of adherence to beliefs and values in a community and the degree to which such a community recognizes and embraces defying cultures. The community in question was a conservative one that followed strict codes of behaviour and values. Anyone who failed to abide by these values was a laughing stock and an outcast not welcome in the community. Pratt (37) suggested that a person surrounded and living in a particular culture will develop a strong be lief that their culture is much better than other cultures out there, and will look down upon anyone practicing a different culture. This influence was manifested in the community above. Most of the indigenous people do not travel but live in strong communal ties separated into several clans, with each clan having a strict code of values and behaviours to follow. As a result, anyone with different behaviours or values was an intruder whose behaviour had to be ignored with a â€Å"disgusting† attitude. Concerning the dressing code, the community had a strong belief that wearing exposing clothing was a taboo that an adult was not supposed to be indulged in. A pair of summer shorts and a small vest was not considered decent clothing, and from the observation, there was a sense of disgust especially from the elders. Communities are differentiated not by their genuineness, nevertheless by the stylishness in which such communities are imagined (Pratt 37). Judging from the entire re ception and treatment while in the community, it was evident that the community had a perception and belief that I lacked values and discipline. The fact that I could not participate in farm activities effectively or other strenuous physical activities such as using animals in the farm suggested I was lazy compared to their fellow communal members. The main problem was that the community lacked any insight regarding western communities or life and cultures in the western world,

President Obama's Health care reform Research Paper

President Obama's Health care reform - Research Paper Example coverage, insured families that are only a sickness away from financial ruin as well to as patients whose insurance companies have rebuffed covering them. This law has several components that are outlined in the following paper. This paper is further going to give the case for and case against the law. The health care reform is a comprehensive insurance strategy that aims to ensure that every American has quality health care and it is affordable to them. The aim of the health care reform was to target and ensure that all Americans were insured for their health care in a way that was affordable for the individual, the family and the government at large. The reform’s plan was also to target every individual in America irrespective of whether one had a prior cover or not. This was very vital as the number of uninsured individuals was on the increase as would be compared from the year 2000 during which it was only 13.1% of the Americans. This number went up to 16.3% in the year 2010 (Christie, Para 1). The major reasons for such a big percentage is the increase in restrictions for acquiring health care insurance and the increasing cost of getting the cover as well. Some of the restrictions were the denial of cover for individuals with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes in children and young adults aged 19 and 25 years of age who did not have medical cover in the place where they were working. Furthermore, the high cost was way above the affordability of most middle and low-income earners. The battle to have the legislation about the reform has not been smooth sailing and it has been largely treated as a battle between the democrats against the republicans. On the 7th of November 2009, when the bill was tabled in the house, the democrats had the day by a slight margin of 219 while the republicans had 212 (Kane, Para 1). Later on march the 23rd 2010, president Obama signed the bill into law and that, according to some people, was the light at the end of the

Contact zone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contact zone - Essay Example It happened that I befriended a tour guide who promised to take me deep into the communal areas to meet people and learn their culture someday before returning home. The problem was that on arriving in the rural area, I was embarrassed by having many people from the community following us and making some funny jokes about my dressing that was very different from theirs. In summers, am used to wearing light clothing that expose most of the body to enjoy the sun bath and the freshness of the weather in my destinations. However, the community I visited was a conservative one that adorned in clothes that covered almost the entire body. I could clearly tell they were making fun of my clothing. When having lunch, as I liked having new delicacies from native communities, the type of food that was served was very different to what I was used to. From that time, I could read some negative reactions from the people I had visited and even the person I head befriended was involved in some jokes that made fun of me. Considering am not used to working in the garden, I made an ugly scene trying to learn farming using animals to plough. The reaction in the entire contact with the community was that I was a fool who did not know the best things to eat and one that could not work. From the interpretations that I got, I learned that the locals were remarking that people of my type were a lazy lot who could not do any physical activity or wear decent clothing to cover the body. From the experience, a contact zone is influenced by the extent of adherence to beliefs and values in a community and the degree to which such a community recognizes and embraces defying cultures. The community in question was a conservative one that followed strict codes of behaviour and values. Anyone who failed to abide by these values was a laughing stock and an outcast not welcome in the community. Pratt (37) suggested that a person surrounded and living in a particular culture will develop a strong be lief that their culture is much better than other cultures out there, and will look down upon anyone practicing a different culture. This influence was manifested in the community above. Most of the indigenous people do not travel but live in strong communal ties separated into several clans, with each clan having a strict code of values and behaviours to follow. As a result, anyone with different behaviours or values was an intruder whose behaviour had to be ignored with a â€Å"disgusting† attitude. Concerning the dressing code, the community had a strong belief that wearing exposing clothing was a taboo that an adult was not supposed to be indulged in. A pair of summer shorts and a small vest was not considered decent clothing, and from the observation, there was a sense of disgust especially from the elders. Communities are differentiated not by their genuineness, nevertheless by the stylishness in which such communities are imagined (Pratt 37). Judging from the entire re ception and treatment while in the community, it was evident that the community had a perception and belief that I lacked values and discipline. The fact that I could not participate in farm activities effectively or other strenuous physical activities such as using animals in the farm suggested I was lazy compared to their fellow communal members. The main problem was that the community lacked any insight regarding western communities or life and cultures in the western world,

Equality of Condition Essay Example for Free

Equality of Condition Essay In his book â€Å"democracy in America†, Alexis de Tocqueville provides a thorough study of the equality of condition as a distinctive feature of the democratic America and discusses some of the consequences it might have. He begins his writing by introducing the reader that during his stay in America the equality of condition struck his attention the most. In America, the democracy has reached another level that has never been seen before or experienced in any of the European countries but that are slowly progressing towards it. This level of democracy has created a society in which all persons are legally understood to be socially and politically equal. Despite all the benefits that the equality of condition brings to the society, it also tends to isolate people from one another and cut them off from the social beliefs and values. When this form of isolation is transformed into an extreme form of individualism, it creates selfishness and egoism among people. When these people come together to form a majority which in a democratic society enjoys a great amount of power, it might cause the tyranny of majority – de Tocqueville’s main concern. The concept of equality of condition is more complex than it first seems and a society based on this fact poses a threat to freedom. De Tocqueville argues that â€Å"the influence of the equality of condition extends far beyond the political character and the laws of the country and it has no less empire over the civil society than over the government, it creates opinions, gives birth to new sentiments, founds novel customs and modifies whatever it does not produce† (â€Å"Democracy in America† Heffner ed., 26). It is important to depict from this quote that a society based on the equality of condition, above all, creates the common opinion. In an equal society, the fact that all the members are resembled enables them to trust and support the common judgment and opinion. Furthermore, de Tocqueville argues that all the inhabitants of the democratic society are individually equal and independent to each other but if one individual alone tends to contrast the â€Å"totality of his fellows†, he will find himself insignificant and weak. Therefore in a democratic society, the public has, as de Tocqueville calls, â€Å"a singular power† where it enforces certain opinions and infuses such opinions in the intellect of their mind. Considering that in a democratic society, it is the majority that takes decisions, the public opinion will then become the law creating political omnipotence. Therefore, de Tocqueville claims that in the US the majority comes up with opinions and the individuals although they develop their personal thoughts have to adopt those that the majority offers since they, alone, are unable to contrast them. This, in turn, discourages and in a way prohibits them from developing their own intellectual thoughts. Thus, the equality of condition that gives rise to the majority opinion poses a great threat to the individual freedom of thought. During his stay in America, de Tocqueville discovered that the American people appeal only to their own individual effort of its own understanding. He has found that in America the tie which unites generation is broken and that nobody traces or cares about the ideas of their forefathers. In a society where everybody is equal and classes tend to disappear, no man can have an intellectual influence in the mind of another man since nobody looks at his fellows as being superior. Therefore, de Tocqueville argues that in a society based on the equality of condition, not only the trust of one man on another is destroyed but also the intellectual authority on any man. In absence of such intellectual authority, people develop their own believes and judgments within themselves different from the rest of the society. In the absence of an intellectual trustworthy authority capable of imposing social beliefs and values, people are left to seek the truth alone and when they fail to do so or such truth is against their personal judgment, they simply ignore it. Thus, an equally conditioned society tends to isolate people from one another and cut them off from a common set of social beliefs and values. This isolation that results from the equality of condition has dangerous consequences if it reaches extreme levels which de Tocqueville calls individualism. As a result of the individualism, the selfishness and the egoism of people will be born. The egoism and selfishness cause people in this society to develop a love for material gratification a love for richness. They want to acquire everything for themselves even if it is done in the expense of other people. Furthermore, according to de Tocqueville, these individuals do not change their character as they unite with each other or grow in number. In fact, they tend to enforce those selfish opinions but on a greater scale. The majority they create will then act as one selfish individual and in a pure democratic society is given the power to make laws and take decisions on behalf of everybody. Therefore, such a majority consisting of egoist people who fulfill their needs and greed in the expense of the other people composing a minority creates the tyranny of majority. In a democratic society, the ultimate reason that the tyranny of majority occurs, is the individualism which separates people from each other and from the social values and beliefs and allows people to establish selfish opinions that hurt the other people. Therefore, de Tocqueville argues that the establishment of â€Å"family†, â€Å"religion† and â€Å"patriotism† are necessary protections against such tyranny because they bring people together and enforce on them social and moral values. Families bind people together and connect them with each other. Members of the family are taught to sacrifice some of their personal gratification for his ancestors and descendants. Therefore, the establishments of families attempt to fight the selfishness that individualism has created. The members of the family in their childhood are taught morals and social values. The elderly in the family can influence the young ones because they are perceived to have some intellectual authority. Therefore, the family brings people close to each other, where one member of the family cares about the others, and to the social values avoiding the isolation. Patriotism also fights the selfishness and brings people together. De Tocqueville sees patriotism as one citizen making a personal sacrifice for the greater welfare of the public. He also argues that in a patriotic society people do not fail to faithfully support each other. A patriotic person believes that it is his duty to make himself useful to other fellow citizens. Therefore, patriotism also creates a strong community where the members care about one another. It breaks the isolation and consequently the individualism that the equality of condition creates. Religion also brings people close to each other and to the social and moral values. De Tocqueville argues that every religion places the object of men’s desire above any treasurer in the earth. Every religion imposes duties on men towards his fellow citizens and draws him away from the contemplation of himself. Furthermore, the main concern of religion is to purify and restrict the excessive and exclusive taste for well being which men in the periods of equality wishes. Man cannot be cured by the love of the riches but they may be persuaded to enrich themselves by none but honest means (â€Å"Democracy in America† Heffner ed., 152). Thus, religion serves as a superior intellectual authority which brings people together to each other and also enforces on them moral values that people abide to. In essence it fights both the isolation and the selfishness of people. The â€Å"family†, â€Å"patriotism† and â€Å"religion† fulfill the absence of a superior intellectual authority, create a strong community and bring people close to the social and moral values which lack in an egalitarian society. De Tocqueville emphasizes the importance of associations in a democratic society. In his opinion an association consists of a group people united by a common interest and who agree to promote their ideas in a certain manner. Simply, associations guide a group of people with divergent minds towards achieving a specific end. In order for an association to exist it has to have the liberty to create an opinion and the freedom to meet which a democratic society grants to them. De Tocqueville distinguishes between two types of associations; the political association and the civic association. The political association besides having the two liberties mentioned above, they also have the liberty to unite into electoral bodies and chose their representatives. A political association acts as a government within a government where the delegates of the association represent the collective force of their party just like the delegates of the majority. The civic associations include a large number of organizations starting from building inns, churches, schools and hospitals. While the political associations have one major goal that they try to achieve by electing delegates; the civic associations are less formal, include a larger number and attempt to improve the social life in the society. Political associations are sometimes used to organize revolutions like those in Europe whereas the civic associations are voluntarily created and peaceful in their nature. The political associations are similar to the political parties today who elect their delegates and compete for offices. The civic associations are very similar to the interest groups where a group of people form an organization and express their point of view in certain issues and attempt to influence those who already occupy offices. The civic associations like the interest groups include a greater variety of interests. De Tocqueville goes further to argue that the political and civic associations are necessary to retain an active community life in a democratic society. De Tocqueville argues that in a democratic society all the citizens are independent and feeble and they, alone, cannot do anything and cannot oblige another person to assist them. They all become powerless if they do not learn to help each other voluntarily. If they do not form associations, which are simply artificial ways of binding people, they might preserve their wealth but their independence as well as their civilization will be in jeopardy. Furthermore, in a democratic society, as I have discussed earlier, people tend to get isolated from tone another. Therefore, since civic associations are very diverse, they are necessary to voluntarily bring people together and create ties among them. Thus, they are crucial to retain an active sense of community life. The political and civic associations are very important in a democratic society in the attempt to avoid the tyranny of the majority. The minorities can create political associations and elect their delegates in order to directly fight the oppressive laws created by the majority. The civic associations can also be used by minorities to create a larger group and then together voice their opinion. The associations are also used to bring people together and avoid the creation of individualism which is very likely in a society based on the equality of condition. Political and civic associations are, therefore, necessary schools for democracy because they teach us how to avoid the tyranny of majority in advanced democracies. De Tocqueville’s philosophy is still relevant for our own time. Nowadays, the political and civic associations play a very important role in creating communities. As countries become more democratic, the number of associations in those countries increases because people as individuals become powerless and they are unable to defend their beliefs on their own. Today, the political and civic associations are very common and much more active that they have ever been. The political and civic associations enable people to unite and become active members of the society. As people join different organizations, they agree to help and support other fellow citizens. People unite and form associations because they have strong feelings for a cause they fight although such a cause might not directly affect them. Therefore, political and civic associations tend to correct and remove selfishness from the people. The existence of a large number of associations is the reason why we have not exp erienced the tyranny of majority although a number of countries have reached advanced levels of democracy.

E Business Integration Systems Of Alibaba

E Business Integration Systems Of Alibaba Alibaba.com is commonly quoted among the leading 5 websites in the world. Other 5 websites which are competing in the same race are Amazon, Yahoo, eBay as well as AOL, with the help of domestic as well as international media. Hence, in other words, www.alibaba.com is a top rated business-to-business (B2B) as well as business-to-consumer (B2C) website. The e-business integration system of this website, in general, needs such a tactic, which has a touching appeal in order to produce prompt action. Hence, principally for an expensive products or assistance, this website is required to offer superior depth of information to the customers (both buyers as well as suppliers) in order to assist them in their assessment of this business. This website is useful for both buyers as well as sellers. Hence, one can buy as well as sell products also. This website is basically an English-language website as English is the only language which can be understood by whole world. So, there is no geographical challenge for this website to seek attention of customers. It primarily serves small as well as Medium-Sized Enterprises or in short SME, in the worldwide trade community, and hence, around 1 million users have registered themselves to this site from more than 200 countries as well as territories. Over 300,000 visitors go through this site every s ingle day, among which maximum users are global buyers as well as importers who are looking for trading with traders in China as well as other foremost manufacturing nations all over the world. Hence, the primary customers for this website are Suppliers, Exporters, Manufacturers as well as Importers. Problem Statement As www.alibaba.com is a website on a broader perspective, millions and trillions of customers go through it and trade accordingly. Now, the main problems while designing this website which needs to be solved are following: The website must be user friendly, so that it should not be problem for a buyer or a seller to navigate the site and work accordingly. Not everyone is well versed with internet technology; hence, its really important to make a comfortable website with not very complicated language. but, on the same hand, the website should be attractive enough to appeal visitors to go through it. Secondly, its a normal tendency that customers usually like to inspect the merchandise before purchase; hence, they can assume that they are at advanced threat of fraud as they are not able to inspect the product and services physically. There is one more risk of making purchase with the help of stolen credit cards or any other counterfeit refutation of the online purchase. Hence, this website needs to be more reliable and secured from customers perspective. Third problem area is that Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption is a must to be used for secured transaction otherwise not a single buyer as well as supplier will want to use their credit card for this purpose. SSL is a technique which usually solves the difficulty of credit cards which, many times, got disconnected in delivery between the customer and the business. A lot of hackers are there to hack the transaction in between; hence, SSL should be compulsorily used in order to avoid Identity theft. Thus, computer security is really a major concern, now days, for both merchants as well as e-commerce service providers, who install countermeasures like, firewalls as well as anti-virus software, which is essential for protecting the network. Phishing is one more danger, where customers are fooled by thinking that they are trading with retailer of good reputation, while, they are actually manipulated to feed confidential information to such a system which is controlled by malicious parties. Hence, website needs to be secured enough to avoid the circumstances of Phishing. One more problem area is privacy. No one wants to share their personal and confidential information with third party or over unsecured network because of risk; hence, registration must be very confidential and secured. Even, a lot of consumers do not like spam and telemarketing also, which can lead to providing contact data to any online merchant. Objective This research intend to develop as well as design a website with inbuilt e-commerce techniques, such as, B-2-C (Business-to-Consumers) as well as B-2-B (Business-to-Business) features meant for efficient marketing approaches. Moreover, there are few more specific objectives while designing this site, as well. First is to build up such a system which must permit a process of monitoring in order to maintain database interactivity. Second objective is to create such a data-driven application where the contents of the web can be reorganized dynamically. Furthermore, last but not the least objective is to provide as well as improve all the product information and allocation for Alibaba.com. Summary Alibaba.com is one of the global leaders in the world of e-commerce for small scale business organizations as well as flagship corporations of Alibaba Group. This website offers internet as well as Web-related services to customers all over the world. The services provided by this website are selling different products to its customers. As this website is designed on the principle of Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Customer (B2C), both, buyers as well as suppliers are its customers. Based on the experience along with expertise in both business-to-consumer and business-to-business sales, this business organization believe that it can offer a unique as well as superior service to its customers across the whole world, in comparison to what is currently available. The development of this project is based on the phases of System development Life Cycle. All the problem areas have been identified and hence, a user-friendly website has been created. These phases of development will emphasize most of the aspects of this system and the business. Planning Planning is something which is very important for any organization to do as it will help in organizing things in a planned manner. We can be successful in what we are doing if proper planning is done. We need to understand the purpose of planning the things. This will help in going in the right path. There are many important things which have to be taken care when planning for a task. Planning a website is again the most important thing as it is used by the users of the organization. This is something which has to be taken care seriously. Proper planning will lead to the success of the company. It is always advisable to design a website with the help of experienced people. There are two main steps in planning for a task. Project intention: This is something which helps in understanding the importance of the project. The value of the project should be known properly. Our final intention of creating a website is to increase the revenue of the company. Website should be planned in such a way that it is user friendly. Users should be able to use the website and should get the required information from it. Website planning is an important task and should be taken seriously. Details about the company should be included. Search options should be very friendly. This will help in navigating properly across the site. We should design the website in such a way that customer can get all the information that they are looking out for. We should look into minimizing the work and should think of saving money. Website should be designed in such a way that customers are visited quite often and can be impressed with the websites information. This will increase the number of users and also helps in increasing the revenu e of the company. Project management: Project management is very important as it will help in understanding the requirements. We should be very careful when designing the website. We should a proper planning of how to create the website. Care should be taken that the size of the website should be enough to get into it as it may slow down which will in turn increase customers frustration. Designed website should be virus free which will increase customers visit and also will ensure that the website is safe enough to use. There are many other things which also have to be taken care and are the color, design and the font size. Color used to design the website should be light and should not involve many colors. On the other side we should also make it look attractive. Font size should be normal so that we can easily follow. We should try to create something different on the website which will attract customers and can increase our revenue. Competition is very high in this modern generation. So we should m ake the difference to tolerate our competitors. We should ensure that the language is English as most of the customers across the globe can access the website. In this way a planned website can be created successfully with all the latest features. Analysis, including descriptions of the requirements or projected features of the Web site by highlighting integration issues The analysis phase describes all the possible necessities of this website in order to develop it. Requirements are basically the collection of functionalities as well as constraints which the end-user must expect from the site and as alibaba.com has both buyers and suppliers as the customer, it really need a well designed integration of selling and busying over the secured mode. These requirements are collected from the customer by means of discussion. It is really very important to take customers suggestion as end of the day our goal is to satisfy our customers. We should be able to analyze what is the problem, where are we lagging behind, what are the improvements to be made, etc. In this way, many things can be sorted. Analyzing the current situation and working accordingly will help in overcoming the barriers. We should be capable to analyze the situation. These requirements are examined in order to check the validity as well as the possibility of incorporating them in the system which is to be developed. At last, a document providing requirement specification is developed that will serve the intention of guiding principle for the forthcoming phases of model. This website has been designed on the basis of waterfall model under the processes of System Development Life Cycle. The requirement specifications which are included for the purpose of development of website are: proficiency in copy writing, conventional graphics, high-resolution images, consultation regarding website architecture, reasonable web hosting along with the service of active 24X7 customer supports for the domains, domain registration, hosting as well as other services. This site also requires various development services including ordinary B2C functionalities, such as e-commerce solutions as well as video integration. More features like online catalogs, integrated convincing client demonstrational videos or testimonial videos, and many others, can appeal visitors to view and trade through this website. Local Search as well as Ranking Services may also assist in dominating the presence of local market. This site will also offer various other services like pay-per click services in support of Google Adwords, MSN advertisement Center and Yahoo Search promotion, consulting advertising over the internet, in addition to entire program management in order to get the majority for the budget. Diagram1: Project Management technique While every project has different set of requirements as well as challenges as per the project specification, there are several milestones and considerations, which are common in every project. In broader perspective, a 5 stage strategy is developed. These phases comprise of all the necessary phases of a Software Development Life Cycle or in short, called SDLC model. Requirement Analysis: Before start functioning on the project, an in-depth study of users requirements is needed to make the base or foundation of the website. Hence, this will assist in suggesting one of the best clarifications suiting the current requirements. Design: next phase is design phase which basically starts as soon as the project kicks-off. This phase describes the designs for the front-end along with robust and scalable application structure which includes the database design. This phase is one of the critical phases in the project since; entire application is going to be formed based on this framework. Development: As soon as the design is confirmed, reviewed as well as approved in the design phase, now the next stage is the development stage where application development starts utilizing the suitable programming languages based on the requirement of project. Various type of testing is done in this phase, such as unit testing, system testing as well as integration testing at various milestones of this B2C and B2B website development project in order to make sure an error free delivery to the end user. Devotion to various programming in addition to testing standards is stringently followed to make sure the quality of the code and performance. Implementation Support: Subsequent to the development phase where various coding and testing is completed, the next stage is the implementation and support stage. Here, the recently developed application is installed in the real server environment to check whether it is working as per the strategy or not. Hence, now, the application goes live. In this stage, support is also provided in order to keep the application forever on the go. Maintenance Promotion: The last stage is maintenance and promotion. As soon as any application goes alive, updates are necessary. It helps the application to get restructured as per the need of latest environment. Hence, any and all of these updates are accomplished as a component of maintenance work. Various marketing campaigns over the internet are also done in order to enhance the visibility of the business over the internet. Project initiation, management and control scenarios, including overall planning and role assignment to each member To initiate a project of alibaba.com, its really required to move on with several careful planning along with projecting. Initially, this business can reduce the cost; however, it will improve the situation, later on. Following are the five most important control scenarios, which this website has taken in consideration while designing it. First feature or scenario is its reliable hosting which comprises of more than 99.99% uptime. Second feature is its user-friendly appearance as well as feel. This appealing appearance is brought with the help of various professional designs or softwares having template storefront. Third attractive scenario is a gateway for secure payment, incorporated with the feature of shopping cart. Payment transaction is mandatory to be secured and encrypted; otherwise, no user will try this site. Fourth scenario of this website is to generate a merchant account. This account will help in accepting multiple mode of payment as different users can use different mode of payment in order to trade. Fifth most important feature is to store the contact information of the customer in order to smooth the progress of customer service as well as privacy policy. Locating a Niche Market in the world of Online Retail A lot of entrepreneurs, in todays time, already have a thought of what they want and are capable of selling over the internet. On the other hand, few of the entrepreneurs still do not know what to sell, however, are familiar with the opportunity and hence, are involved in the planning of initializing a retail business based on e-commerce. The preliminary phase of business planning is basically an opportunity in order to investigate numerous markets in addition to making sensible and realistic decision on which products or else, services are offering the maximum earning potential. A niche is really important while planning for a online retail as if you dont know what to sell and how to sell, then its not possible to sell products and services properly and run business. Hence, its really important to think about all the expenses linked with the product, together with its storage, import taxes, shipping or packaging, in order to obtain a practical projection of the expenditure of selling it. Projecting Sales, Costs and Profits in B2C E-Commerce Business Planning Financial projections play a very important role on the planning for business. However, this is also true that it is really impossible to enlighten at the planning phase how well the business will be going to perform. Still, market as well as competition research work as a support and permit entrepreneurs to formulate educated guesses that include various tools like, graphs or charts in this phase of business planning. Diagram 2: Detail Project Analysis with the help of graphs and charts This course of action is really very important. As, in todays world, B2C e-commerce companies like www.alibaba.com launch themselves very quickly over the internet, hence proper research and plan acts are really important to be performed as they work as an authenticity check. A lot of time it happens that a idea which seems one of the best idea from the theory perspective, does not make logic in the live, real environment, hence, its best to have few alternatives so that one can move on to the subsequent possible product. This alternative is basically sinking money into a failed business. Its a ray of hope to a dead business. Design Detailed feature of www.alibaba.com Design phase is the subsequent phase after the analysis phase in the system development life cycle model. Unlike analysis phase, where what needs to be done is decided, this phase implements the strategies of analysis phase and design the frame work of the website as shown below: Diagram 3: Screenshot of www.alibaba.com Diagram 4: Screen shot of www.alibaba.com The website of www.alibaba.com is very user friendly. As this site has the features of both B2B (Business-to Business) as well as B2C (Business to Consumer), buyers and sellers, both are its customers. One can buy various products and on the same time one can sell various products from here. Below are some key features of this website as per the SDLC approach: This site has a Buy feature. This tab is needed to be used when the user is planning to buy various products. This tab comprise of all the details which are needed while purchasing: newly added products (detail of fresh products), how to buy, safety and security center and last but not the least is the post buying leads. Second feature is the sell feature. This tab is used by the end user when its time to sell products. Hence, this tab is mainly used by suppliers who supply products. This tab comprises of all the details while selling products, such as, newly added buying leads, how to sell and display new products. Third key feature is the community tab. This tab is basically a support tab in order to help both buyers and sellers while dealing with their trade. It comprises of :Ask it, where one can ask any question regarding this site and the answer will be provided to them as soon as possible, forums, price watch which gives an idea on the prices of different products and trade shows. Fourth feature is the registration feature. As this website deals with genuine trade, fake peoples are not allowed to enter here. Thus, a proper registration is done here before buyers and sellers move inside to trade. This consists of a proper unique login id and password, which help in maintaining the secured environment. Fifth key feature is the search tab. This tab is also very different unlike other search engines. Here, various products can be searched out. Moreover, suppliers as well as buyers can search for different products for selling and buying purpose, separately. Searching can be done as per the geographical location also. The next key feature of www.alibaba.com is the ask it section. Here, both buyers and suppliers can ask any type of query related to dealing with this website. For example, a customer can ask a question like should he has to make payment before the delivery or after delivery, etc. this site consist of three sub features which means question can be related to trade, safe trading as well as finding different suppliers. Next feature is the price watch tab. This gives an idea of updates in the value of different currency, different product prices, etc. hence, while trading, customers do not have to go through other websites to check all this and they can get the updated information from here, only. Next feature is the success stories tab. This feature helps in providing success stories of this website. Its just a strategy to promote this website as customers definitely want to be aware of this, when they are trading here. Hence, they need not check various news sites in order to get the latest report. Each and every success story related to www.alibaba.com is available here. One more unique feature of this website is to provide a detail of products which are highly eye-catching. This tab is known as featured products. At present, which product is leading the market, can be known from here. This gives the customer an idea to go through them and buy as per their requirement. This feature is very similar to todays special in restaurants. Next feature is the advertisement section. This section advertises one of the best products of this e-commerce site. Last but not the least feature is the section from where one can easily surf all the details about the website, from company information, partners, to buying, selling, safety and support and other services as well as tools. Detailed description of features and functions of www.alibaba.com Alibaba.com is basically based on quite a few requirement frameworks that include strategic advertising branding, consultation for web designing, creation of professional contents, robust features of ecommerce, management in addition to administration of site, managed services, systems integration, as well as hosting. Below are the details of all the features as well as functions, which have been the part of the alibaba.com. Custom Site Design This feature include customized or traditional designed banner, navigation buttons or links, logo, site layout as well as color scheme as per the choice of the customer for the website. It basically works as per the customers need, requirement as well as choice. Second customized design is that the home page of www.alibaba.com must have various links, such as, view account, buyers and suppliers account login, , checkout page, shopping cart in addition to site map Management of various products Customized products are making entry and hence, get managed with the help of built-in merchant tools This website includes pages with unlimited number of grouping, sub-categories as well as detailed information related to products. Products are assigned to multiple different categories as well as sub-categories One more function of this website is to upload products in bulk or product feeding which means importing product details from other websites or databases by the help of files of XML data feed. Internal products can be searched with the help of various keyword related to products along with search query archiving. Technique for dynamic imaging is used which helps in enlarging image view, zooming image as well as multiple views of the image from front, side and back in order to provide most favorable user experience. Selection of Color swatch is done which allow end users to select from a variety of available colors. Notification for Out-of-stock is provided. This basically produce an out-of-stock notice on that page where the product detail is mentioned along with an anticipated in-stock date One more feature of this site is such that it can mark products as Unavailable. This means, products which have been removed from the catalog, although not from the database, are marked as, not available. Playback of video is also available to give attractive look to end-user. Videos related to any product can be uploaded on the site and played on the page of detailed product. Order Management Order editing can be done here, which means all the components of order can be edited. Searching for Order can be done which includes searching orders by the name of customer, corporation name, date, state, and order ID as well as order status. This business works on the principle of partial as well as back-order shipment which means shipping of in-stock items are done first and items which are out-of-stock are shipped later on. Order history is available which helps registered end users to view a catalog of formerly placed orders in addition to transferring selected orders to the online basket, known as shopping cart. Tracking of order status can also be done which means registered users are able to keep a eye on the condition of current orders as well as partially shipped orders. Shopping Cart Shopping cart is basically an online basket. Hence, a normal shopping cart or a drop-down is really needed and hence, designed. The customer can select among any of these two which appeared on the page where product detail is given in order to transfer the product to a shopping cart. The feature of this function is such that it can sum up all the items automatically inside the cart. Editing of shopping cart can also be done like consumers can delete items as well as update product items as per their requirement. Checkout Processing of instantaneous credit card permit order payment by majority of the credit card. Payment processing is done at the point of sale or for the duration of order fulfillment Order notification consumer get order confirmation along with order tracking number as well as shipping confirmation as soon as the order ships. Security SSL is used which means secured encrypted transport of order as well as credit card information is done. Secured HTTPS/SSL as well as password protected entry is done in order to enter to the admin section. Complete log-out capabilities is provided for site administrator as well as customer. Website is PCI compliant which means the servers are firewall protected. Numbers of credit card are no longer stored than necessary, susceptible data is encrypted in addition to restricted access. Audit logs are also created. Site Management Account management is done where site administrator has to login and revise the information related to customer account. Product management as well as order management is done. Pricing updates are provided which gives flexible interface for various price information related to all product items or for definite categories. Generation of sales reports for sales is done with the help of date, type of product, customer, location and order size, etc. Content management is done. Reviewing customer reviews, making those reviews on or off, are done here. User Engagement Customer account registration is done. Account information can be viewed. Customers can login to go through and update various and can check status of the order. Onsite blogging- end users can put their comment on various blog posts. Onsite product reviews can be done which means customers may rate as well as share their personal experiences regarding any product. Social media optimization in addition to integration provides link to social media sites such as Digg and Reddit, and on the other hand, two-way incorporation with different social networking sites such as Facebook as well as Twitter. Testing Diagram 5: Testing Testing is one of the important parts of designing and development of web based application for the reason that this application all the time works as a multi-user system along with limitations of bandwidth. Few of the common testing are integration testing, Scalability testing, Stress testing, resolution testing, load testing as well as cross-browser compatibility testing. Testing is a broader term which basically divided into two parts: automated testing and manual testing. Both of these testing can be performed without any failure. For instance, its really essential to test the speed of uploading of graphics, in order to calculate this loading time, as they plays a very important role in the appearance of any website. In todays time, there are a lot of testing tools available over the internet which assist testers to test the web applications. After complete of all the short step-by-step testing, a final testing is necessary. This testing will be done in a live environment. Hence, the basic policy is that as soon as the site is uploaded, there must be a complete testing. Various Inputs to the phase of testing A website, supporting documents, Requirement specifications, Technical specifications, along with Technical documents Various outputs of the phase of Testing Complete Website, Reports on testing, Error logs, recurrent interaction along with developers as well as designers Promotion This stage of system development life cycle is applicable only for websites. This phase consist of preparing Meta tags, steady analysis in addition to suggesting the URL to various search engines as well as directories. Its generally an ongoing process because the different strategies of search engine usually changes quite often. Hence, one of the ideal policies for submission will be to submit the website URLs once in every two months. Moreover, if the end user is willing, paid submissions as well as paid click can also be performed with extra cost. Various Inputs to the phase of promotion A website along with content, Mails from client notifying the competitors Few Output to the phase of promotion Site submission is done along with essential Meta tags. Maintenance and Updating All the e-commerce websites like www.alibaba.com basically require frequent updates in order to look fresh and adjust with any situation. Hence, a need for analysis is there so that application can be well maintained as well as all the phases of life cycle must get revised. Bug or error fixes are also done throughout the period of maintenance. As soon as the website is functional, ongoing promotion, content management and updating, technical maintenance, reports for website visit, mentoring as well as staff training are considered necessary on a normal basis depending on the intricacies of the website as well as the needs within the business organization. Various Inputs to Maintenance along with Updating Site or the application, Content as well as functions which are needed to be modernized, Reports for Re-Analysis Various Outputs to Maintenance along with Updating An Updated application, Various supporting documents developed to