Formal statements that are prevalent Essay

Formal statements that are prevalent -? Suggest what about the organization? â€Å"Cisco Systems’ vision is to change the way we work, live, play and learn. Our mission is to shape the future of the Internet in ways that empower individuals to participate fully in our vision. This powerful shared vision and mission is what we all have in common at Cisco. Equally compelling is the broad spectrum of unique skills, perspectives, values and behaviors that influence how we each like to work, live, play and learn. This is what defines Cisco’s diversity† (Chambers, 2003). Cisco’s culture drives the company to set high standards for corporate integrity and to give back by using Cisco’s resources for a positive global impact. Strong, mutually beneficial relationships with partners, customers, shareholders, and the people who work for, with and near Cisco are essential to the business (Good opening statement) Workspace: The Organizational Culture Spare lines, bare walls, and sweeping curves are the non-ornaments of the CISCO workplace; these are cultural clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s for futurism and modern thinking that have been used since the 1920’s. Flat screen monitors are hung like paintings on the wall. More modern than the design proper is the CISCO Vice President Dave Rossetti’s concept of the ideal office. Brad Stone of Newsweek writes, â€Å"CISCO VP Dave Rossetti heads a research group of 100 colleagues working on the office of the future. Rossetti talks about a workspace comprising free-floating employees who walk into a building and find an empty â€Å"generic office† nearest to their current team of collaborators. The office features boringly blank walls and surfaces when unoccupied, but senses when an employee wants to sit there, perhaps by reading his ID badge. Then it automatically customizes itself. Suddenly, the proper e-mail account appears on the PC, and the Internet telephone adopts that employee’s extension. Even the digital picture frames render photos of the employee’s family, or a favorite Ansel Adams vista.† Clearly, the message is that the workers make the workplace come alive. Customization for the individual indicates the company’s desire to make sure the worker is comfortable. The fact that each office would be identical illustrates that all workers would have equal resources. Corporate colors in the Executive Briefing Center are a sea like green/blue and a tan as shown in the promotional brochure. Warm yellow light flows from recessed fixtures in a design of radiating hoops. Clearly the message is â€Å"we are a global company†. The color scheme replicates that of the globe. To be seen as an agile competitor in the marketplace, a competitive company will ensure that its workers have the necessary tools they need to do the job well. Slogans -? Inform people in the culture The article The Best Team in the Business, (Doyle, 2004) describes a CISCO conference that was held in Honolulu. During the conference CISCO used an IP-based interactive polling system to pound Hawaiian drums and scroll the words â€Å"Incredible things happen† across a screen. The CEO enters the stage to an AC/DC song blasting over the large sound system. This type of slogan and saying provides the public with the impression that CISCO is up to date on technology, innovative, and motivates the crowd on the company. With the loud beat and demonstrations, the public immediately receives the impression that CISCO works towards making sure the incredible things happen statement becomes a reality. Deliberate role modeling, training and teaching is emphasized. CISCO produces many different unique ways to provide employees with empowerment and therefore has developed teams to handle any type of situation CISCO refers to these teams as their channel teams (Doyle, 2004). Channel teams provide business experiences that actually allow an organization to quickly resolve a situation. Having this type of team allows the organization to pull resources together to brain storm, work towards resolving conflict, come up with project plans, and work towards future enhancements. Channel teams provide role modeling, training and teaching allowing an organization to depend on all resources and have them organized to handle the task at hand. Rewards -? Used to motivate employees There are a few rewards and status symbols that motivate the employees at CISCO. CISCO offers employees a comprehensive and flexible benefits package. Depending on the work site, employees may have access to additional services to help them balance the competing demands of work and home. In addition, CISCO leaders support ongoing training and continual career growth. Regardless of location, all employees have access to e-learning activities. Traditional instructor-led sessions are also available in most locations. Managers also have discretion to identify other creative ways their employees can develop new skills. One benefit most focused upon was telecommuting. The benefits most cited by telecommuters are qualitative–reclaimed commute time, flexible working hours, fewer interruptions, as well as more family time. The average telecommuters savings (not including tolls and parking) resulting from a reduced IRS-established mileage rate). Their wardrobe and dry-cleaning costs were reduced by 40%, and lunch and snack expenses were reduced by a factor of five. Employees are able to work in an environment that is designed to meet their individual needs and style. Better relationships with spouses and children, improved personal morale and fewer sick days are cited by more than 80% of individuals who work some of their time at home. Stories, legends and myths The history of a company often tells a story that epitomizes the very nature of the company. CISCO Systems Inc. has such a story that shows the CEO’s concern for his employees. During 2002, John Chambers was CEO of CISCO SYSTEMS INC. When he learned that a CISCO employee needed a surgical procedure that only three doctors in the country could perform, he called and made the arrangements himself. (Hooper, 2002) This shows how culturally this company is like one big family. Organizational activities ?- Organizational Reactions to Critical Incidents CISCO’s leaders measure and control many organizational activities, processes, and outcomes. An important facet of CISCO’s business is the intertwined relationships between quality control, inventory, planning, and ordering. To assist with this process CISCO partners with dozens of companies. In particular, Flextronics, one of the largest electronics contract manufacturers, has partnered to create a secure and seamless integration between the two giants. (Roberts, 2000). CISCO has also controlled a past internal downsizing event. After jobs were cut, CISCO gave employees an option to stay with the company and work, at a reduced salary, for a nonprofit organization. Approximately 80 employees opted for the chance to continue to work (Murray, 2001). This program allows CISCO to reduce its workforce temporarily, while giving themselves the future option and control to bring trained and qualified employees into the workforce again. CISCO’s organizational leaders are quick to react to incidents and crises. Recently, an approximated 800 megabytes of software code, used to direct Internet traffic, was reportedly stolen by criminal hackers. CISCO spokesman, Robert Barlow, responded to the attack by stating, â€Å"CISCO is fully investigating what happened. As a matter of policy, we take security very seriously and we continue to take every measure to protect our intellectual property, employee, and customer information† (Musich, 2004). This attack is not just a security threat for CISCO, but the entire Internet. CISCO is maintaining a strong stance and will â€Å"continue to actively monitor the situation and will respond according to established processes and procedures, should the need arise† (Musich, 2004). Describe the workflow and organizational structure. In 2001 Cisco started to arrange its business structure from line of business to 11 technology groups, centralizing its engineering and marketing organizations to support this structure. (Pallatto, 2001) Details of this structure can be found at Cisco’s Website (http://newsroom.cisco.com). (This is a good way to direct the reader to an area, without including it in the paper). In the future it may be hepful to say ie search â€Å"corporate structure† on left side of website. The eleven areas that Cisco decided to focus on are Access, Aggregation, Core Routing, Ethernet Access, Internet Switching and Services, Cisco IOS Technologies Division, Network Management Services, Optical, Storage, Voice, and Wireless. This new organizational structure was developed to better enable Cisco to integrate solutions through out a company seamlessly across extranets, intranets, and the Internet. Organizational systems and procedures Organizational structure impacts the performance of the firm. Alfred Chandler suggested in his classic research that structure follows strategy. Through the years, organizations have altered their structures to better meet the demands of the competitive marketplace. CISCO Systems announced a number of changes in their organizational structure during the summer of 2001. Changing customer requirements and the inherent market opportunity were at the heart of the change. When CISCO created its line of business structure in April 1997, our enterprise, commercial, and service provider customers were building separate networks with predominantly unique product requirements. â€Å"Today, our customers want our products to move across all of these customer segments. They want a network of networks that are seamless and have transparent integration across extranets, intranets, and the Internet. As our customers and the industry evolve, CISCO continues to evolve its organization† (Chamber, 2001). The new centralized technology groups and marketing organization are a logical extension of CISCO’s Six-Point Plan. They began organizing the company around profit contribution, aligning resources to create efficiencies, and focusing on markets with growth opportunities. Centralized technology is also consistent with the breakaway strategy to take advantage of inflection points in the market. â€Å"We believe our changing customer requirements signal an important market transition point. Our new organizational structure will accelerate innovation and aggressively expand CISCO’s product leadership capabilities consistent with customer expectations for a single product architecture and strategy with clear product roadmaps† (Chambers, 2001). However, this new structure will allow CISCO’s technology differentiation to be at the forefront of messaging and competitive positioning. This change will lead to more efficiency in CISCO’s time-to-market with pro ducts, better use of engineering resources, and deliver a stronger competitive position overall. Organizational goals and associated criteria CISCO Systems is one of the most innovative companies in the high-technology industry.(Doyle, 2004) They hire talented people who can continue CISCO’s global leadership, delivering networking products and solutions that help customers achieve their business goals. Employers who invest in certifications experience a quick return on their training and certification investment. Investing in their skills brings improved employee morale, confidence, and productivity, while increasing the CISCO bottom line. To be part of the team an individual must be willing to accept a lot and part with nearly as much. Travel, for example, is intense. Team members say they rarely get by on anything less than 60-hour work weeks, and that doesn’t include time in the air, which is significant when considering they frequently huddle together all over the world for team meetings. Often, there are requisite get-togethers that are not considered part of the job, but merely adjuncts to it. That would include the weekend that members of Mounford’s team spent skiing in Chamonix, France, where he maintains a ski chalet. Then there are the rigors of the job, which can be intense. They’re compounded by the competitiveness of the individual team members. References Doyle, T. C. (2004, May). The Best Team in the Business, Cover Story. VARBusiness. Hooper, L. (2002). No. 7 John Chambers. Computer Reseller News 74. Retrieved May 24, 2004, from the RDS Business and Management database at the UPO Library London, Simon. (2004, May). CISCO shares fall on investor fears. The Financial Times, 17. Retrieved May 22, 2004, from InfoTrac OneFile database. Murray, Sarah. (2001, October). Human resources: Jobless staff gain community spirit: CISCO employees have the option of being seconded to non-profit organizations. The Financial Times, 2. Retrieved May 22, 2004. Musich, Paula. (2004, May). CISCO source code reportedly stolen. eWeek. Retrieved May 22, 2004, from InfoTrac OneFile database. Pallatto, J. (2001, October). Cisco searches for a market recovery. Internet World, 7 (18): 22, October 2001. Retrieved May 25, 2004, from the RDS Business and Management database at the UPO Library Roberts, Bill. (2000, July). Ready, fire, aim. Electronic Business, v26(7) 80. Retrieved May 22, 2004, from InfoTrac OneFile database. Stone, Brad. (2003, April) Newsweek, Vol. 141 Issue 17, p46, 2p, 1c. Retrieved May 23, 2004, from EBSCOHost Research Database. Unknown. (2001, August). Q&A: John Chambers Discusses. NEWS @ CISCO. Retrieved May 24, 2004 from http://newsroom.CISCO.com/dlls/hd_082301.html

Group Development Essay

First, here is a summary of the development stages of a team. In the forming stage, team members come togetherand form initial impressions. They socialize in order to get to know each other and bond with other team members. In the storming stage, team members experience hostility and infighting over tasks and how the team works. In the norming stage, team members start to come together and realize what needs to be accomplished. In the performing stage, team members are well-organized and well-functioningand maintain a positive balance. In the adjourning stage, team members achieve closure when the project is accomplished. At the end of the cask study the team is still in the storming phase of team development. The team has not fully come together. There is still some infighting with Mike and the presence of cliques is developing, for example, the situation in the cafeteria. Overall, I think there is tension within the team. Christine’s leadership abilities could benefit by having knowledge of the stages of group development. Aside from the very first meeting Mike was not present at any subsequent meetings. He missed out on the forming stage of team development. During this stage Mike could have talked with the team about his outside distractions, job and girlfriend, that may prevent him from fully participating at the meetings, and on the project. If Christine had some knowledge of team development she would have recognized this lapse in the forming stage and could have been able to address this issue with Mike before it became a bigger problem. Christine, as the team leader, could have pulled Mike aside and talked to him about the importance of attending the meetings. She could have spoke with him after the cafeteria incident to reassure him that he was not being excluded, but that all the team members being there was truly a coincidence. Also, she could have told Mike her opinion about how she felt he had a lot to offer the team, the value of his contributions and how it would help with the success of the team. PART II – Problem Identification The primary problem that appears in this case is Christine’s lack of knowledge in team development and as a team leader. The secondary problem is Mike’s unwillingness to contribute to the team. Since Christine did not have knowledge of team development or experience she was ineffective as the team leader. She could have organized the team better by assigning tasks’, scheduling meetings in advance, and possible scheduling a team building event to solidify the forming stage of development. Mike was the second problem to overall team success. Although Mike had issues outside of the team he should have talked to the team at the beginning and asked for assistance and support. After the incident in the cafeteria Mike simply walked away. He should have stayed for a few minutes and discussed the situation with the other members. I don’t fell Mike did his part to interact with the team to enhance the forming stage of development. After the first meeting he immediately set himself as an outsider. Christine as a leader must understand the each group of individuals is going to have its own personality, both individually and collectively. When you understand the needs of each member, and the dynamic that each one brings to the group, then and only then, are you able to develop a strategy to utilize team development to achieve the groups ultimate goal. The goal is to complete a quality project on time. If Christine’s knowledge of team synergy, social facilitation, and overall team effectiveness would have server her well in her role as project leader. Lastly, Christie needs to learn how to assign tasks based on the strengths, and weaknesses of each team member. Other members of the team each had something to offer, including Mike. He was classified as a clown. Clowns tend to be very spontaneous in their thinking; this is a possible source of new and innovative ideas. This should have been communicated to Mike as well as the rest of the team. PART III – Retrospective Evaluation In order for Christine to solve her primary problem two things need to occur. First, Christine should take a class in organization behavior. Understanding the team development process, as well as, team effectiveness, and teams in an organization will definitely help Christine. She will be able to understand, and identify positive and negative aspects of her project team and would have been able to implement steps to correct any deficiencies. The second aspect was Christine’s lack of effectiveness and her inability to integrate Mike into the team. After the first meeting which Mike attended, the problems started. Mike did not make meeting, and was submitting hand written notes. Christine should have structured a meeting that Mike could attend, or scheduled a team building social event. in addition, she could have started reviewing his notes with the other team members at the meetings since he was not there to do it himself. This would at least have given the other team members the knowledge that Mike was making an effort on his part of the project. PART IV – Reflection In my opinion Christine was presented with a challenge that was way above her level of experience. Her lack of knowledge in team development, and as a team leader was evident in the project team. The team did not make it past the storming phase, and therefore never fully developed into an efficient team. She failed to integrate one individual into the team. This caused friction within the team and left one section of the project incomplete with one week remaining until the deadline. Overall, I do not believe Christine was an effective group leader. REFERENCES 1. Schermerhorn, J.R. Jr.,Osborn, R.N., Uhl-Bien, M., & Hunt, J.E., Organizational Behavior 12th Edition (2012), John Wiley & Sons, Danvers, MA.

20th Century Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

20th Century Literature - Essay Example Humans produce their environment in a creative and beautiful way whether they are free of the yoke of physical needs or encumbered by it. They creatively prepare for their future activities and work out their production on the basis of their set priorities. Humans who are liberated from downright exploitations view their â€Å"life-activity† as an object of their own free will. Social consciousness is created through the establishment of legal and political foundations that are anchored in the human efforts to produce their social life via independently and requisitely becoming a member of a particular productive force. Relations of productions basically determine the fate of an individual’s productive growth in a specific social association. An individual has an independent or â€Å"pure† self-identity which stands apart from others. Yet, this uniqueness is shattered by the emergence of classes because of the forced dominant identity fashioned for each class; this partition between the personal and class distinctiveness is the merchandise of the bourgeoisie. In V.S. Naipaul’s â€Å"A Baker’s Story†, the protagonist who described himself as an extremely black man triumphantly composed a rag-to-riches history through hard work, perseverance, optimism, and faith. Social forces around him were unfavorable to his disposition and yet he was able to transform these societal restraints to his personal growth through experience and creative planning. He did not allow external realities to hamper his original human nature which is the drive to succeed and achieve a life that is not fettered by physical needs but instead a life that is governed by self-actualization and constructive realities. History, according to Marx, is not an independent entity but rather a documentation of human struggles to realize their objectives. Prior to his success, the baker experienced an impoverished life due to his

Internal controls and weaknesses report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internal controls and weaknesses report - Essay Example The paper "Internal controls and weaknesses report" aims to analyze purchase and payment and the receipt and sales functions of a business enterprise. Audit and assurance are important accounting functions which seek to check the completeness of financial records. These two functions are mandatory for businesses that operate as public limited companies. However, other business establishments, including sole proprietorship, can opt to conduct an audit of their business processes so as to ensure that their businesses are operating optimally. This voluntary action will go a long way in ensuring that the interest of the owner of the business is safeguarded. The purchase and sales functions of this business happens to have some weaknesses which can be remedied by the implementation of the recommendations that have been tabulated. The purchase and the sales function of a business are very important to a business. These functions ensure that the assets of the business are well taken care of . It is very important to ensure that these functions are operating optimally to ensure that the business operations run smoothly. Audit and assurance is the business function that maintains control on this processes. This function ensures that the correct books have been kept and the right transactions have been recorded. It also ensures that proper authority has been obtained for any business transaction to occur. An accounts payable clerk (AP) and purchasing officer (PO) are employed in addition.

High Carbohydrated food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

High Carbohydrated food - Essay Example Hence, the main danger is the excessive intake of wrong high-carbohydrate intakes resulting in increase in weight. Carbohydrates may be beneficial if they include a healthy balance of different fats. A single dietary intake may, on one hand, result in excessive fats of one kind and on the other hand, lack of other healthier fats, proteins and fibers. High Carbohydrate diet contains more of vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron etc. and low of Vitamin B12, Zinc and Sodium (FitDay). The carbohydrates low on Glycemic index provides a control on blood sugar level after having the meals. The unawareness of high Carb/high Glycemic index diet boosts the sugar level to extremes which later on results in fatigues and distress due to energy crashes. French baguette has a Glycemic index of 95 and Peanuts has an index of 14. Hence, Peanuts are less likely to affect sugar level, whereas, French Baguettes are more likely to boost sugar level and provide an unnaturally high energy to the human body. Diabetic, cardiac and other patients must be aware of their intake needs. High-carb/low glycemic index helps preventing high blood sugar levels and balanced weight and energy of human body (Greenberg, 2011). FitDay. "Low vs. High Carbohydrate Diet: Which is Better? / Nutrition / Carbs."  FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 26  Sept.  2013. . Greenberg, Riva. "The High Carb Diet That Keeps You Healthy, Fit and Trim."  The Huffington Post. HPMG News, 21  Mar.  2011. Web. 26  Sept.  2013.

Teaching Plan for Practical Skill and Techniques of Peripheral Essay

Teaching Plan for Practical Skill and Techniques of Peripheral Intravenous Cannulation - Essay Example This teaching plan shall provide an easy format to help teach medical staff like the nurses, midwives, physicians and surgeons on this procedure. The objectives of this teaching plan are to enable the student to know the devices and equipment used for this particular procedure. While learning, the students should know various parts of the body which are the best insertion sites. The students should also be able to completely do the procedure successfully and be aware of any associated complication and how to handle them. There are several learning theories that have been brought forward, the three main ones are behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. These theories merely try to explain how we learn. The behaviorist theory focuses mainly on the observable change .To modify people’s attitudes and responses, behaviorists believe that you either change the stimulus conditions in the environment or change what happens after a response happens. Behaviorists generally ignore t he internal factors of learning but on the contrary the cognitive learning theorists stress the importance of what goes on within the learner. Cognitive learning allows a student to think critically and gather information to acquire and develop his/her skills. It is therefore important in plan to teach certain skills that a conducive environment is provided to ease understanding of complex procedures. Lastly the constructivism focuses developing one’s learning from personal experiences. This simply applies a teacher must take into consideration the experience of the student thus provide sufficient room for practice either through simulations or with a real patients. Individuals may prefer a particular method of learning or different style and it’s the teacher’s judgment to decide which theory works for his student. The most common method used by many teachers is when students perform the cannulation under the supervision of a competent clinical procedure teachin g staff. There are several preferred learning styles by the students may opt one being the practical on an actual patient. In this case the practitioner or teacher must be present and ensure that the student has sound understanding of the procedure and anticipated outcomes. These may be both complications and expected anticipation. The other method could be the use of a simulated environment this can be used especially with students who have high anticipation to lower the pressure of dealing with an actual patient. For such students I would focus on building their psychomotor skills so that they build up confidence and it’s more practical to teach the students in parts. In such an environment the students can discover and learn different methods of performing the skills and also learn to correct errors that they make without fear of harming patients. These students would have enough practice before they can actually perform their first clinical procedure in an actual environm ent. Another technique that also uses non patients is use of videos from audio visual libraries to give the students a view of â€Å"real† patient scenarios. Although it has its disadvantages it also helps especially by filling the gap when real patients are not available. Similarly models may be used in teaching procedures like the intravenous cannullae insertion. This is very useful especially for students who have never performed such

Why Do Chinese Students Choose To Study For First Degrees In UK Essay

Why Do Chinese Students Choose To Study For First Degrees In UK Universities - Essay Example Why Do Chinese Students Choose To Study For First Degrees In UK Universities? UK degrees are perceived to have greater career value than those offered in Chinese universities (Agelasto, 2001). Research question Why do Chinese students choose to study for first degrees in UK universities? Background This research study will basically involve the global expansion of Chinese students studying at UK universities. There has been declaration of policies in the UK for the expansion of both the absolute numbers of foreign students and their share of this huge Chinese market. Mainland China has been the largest component of this growth in the UK. Currently, they are by far the largest national group of overseas students in the UK, with numbers increasing by a factor of almost twenty over the ten years from 1994/5 to 2004/5. This study will focus on Chinese undergraduates, for whom the growth in numbers has been particularly marked – from 245 to 20,820 in that ten-year period (Denscombe, 2010). These Chinese students comprise of a major input generally to the UK economy and particularly to the financial health of universities. Strategies for the expansion of the market share will benefit from a vivid understanding of the kind of demand and the customers in the market. There have been no detailed studies assessing the relevance of various factors believed to influence students’ decisions to study abroad. ... foreign students, this study will also contextualize and develop our understanding of the processes which are involved in individuals’ decision-making (Agelasto, 2001). Other information The Chinese students’ decisions to study in the UK however, should be understood based on the relevant conditions in the home country, which will include the various university options available there. This study therefore will also briefly include Chinese students who have opted to study at their local universities, so as to have a whole picture of the involved decision-making process and its theorization. Two broad theoretical positions have been used to account for developments in patterns of educational enrolment and the choices that lie behind them: human capital theory and positional competition theory. The former argues that expansion of demand for education reflects increases in the skill levels demanded by the economy, with increasing components of technical and scientific know ledge that require longer periods of more advanced education and training, precisely the situation in contemporary China, and the basis of the policy of ‘massification’ of higher education. Rates of return on educational investment can be calculated and it is these that motivate social and individual decisions to invest in education (Hechanova-Alampay et al., 2002). Positional competition theory on the other hand, argues that the expansion of educational demand at increasingly higher levels of the system, as currently experienced in China, is the outcome of competition to increase one’s educational standing relative to others. The labor market and education relationship is not one of providing necessary technical skills, but one which is mediated by the use of credentials as a screening device

Pensions and Redundancy Pay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pensions and Redundancy Pay - Essay Example The agenda of these consultations will include ways of avoiding redundancies or reducing the numbers affected, as well as disclosure of "the reasons for the redundanciesthe numbers and descriptions of those affectedthe proposed method of selecting those to be made redundanthow any redundancy payments better than the legal minimum will be worked out" (Trades Union Congress). Note that because in the first phase of redundancies 100 or more employees are likely to be made redundant over a period of 90 days or less, consultation must last at least 90 days. In the second phase of redundancies, if "20 to 99 employees to be made redundant over a period of 90 days or less, consultation must last at least 30 days" (Trades Union Congress). Concerning the company pension plan, the company will maintain pension plan commitments as previously defined. This is important for staff being made redundant and also for staff who remain with the company who see their pension rights being maintained. To achieve new lower staff levels, any staff over retirement age will be asked to retire. The company should however be aware of recommendations to "give a right to employees to request postponing retirement beyond 65 and a duty for the employer to consider these requests" (Confederation of British Industry). The company will propose that for redundancy pay the legal minimum is the preferred solution because it allows remaining jobs to be preserved. Also and for the reasons already mentioned, a "last-in, first-out" policy will be applied. Besides being consistent with the loyalty demonstrated by long-serving employees, the financial impact to the company will be minimised if redundancies are made to employees who joined the company more recently and who are typically younger. In particular, notice periods will be shorter and any negative effects on remaining staff minimised. Redundancy pay will be calculated to take account of length of service and current rate of pay and according to the legal minimum. This will be done with the financial department. The legal minimum for an employee who is made redundant will depend on the length of service, age and current pay of the employee concerned. The calculation is as follows: for employees over 41, for each complete year of employment after their 41st birthday, but before the age of 65, one and a half week's pay for employees aged 22-40, for each complete year of employment after their 22nd birthday, but before the age of 41, one week's pay for employees aged 18-21: for each complete year of employment while they were either 18, 19, 20 or 21, half a week's pay. These rules apply for employees with over two years of service with the company within a maximum of 20 years of service and pay levels up to a current weekly limit of 310 (Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform - BERR). The company should note that some organisations choose to offer more redundancy pay (World Bank) and should be prepared to justify its position in this case. Employees should note that no income tax is payable on a statutory redundancy payment. Pensions maintained with the company as deferrable pensions will be paid as an annuity rather than as a lump sum

Why are UFOs still a mystery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why are UFOs still a mystery - Essay Example There are many possible explanations as to why UFOs are still a mystery, some of which are discussed here. An unidentified flying object, UFO is â€Å"an object or light, reportedly seen in the sky, whose appearance, trajectory, and general dynamic and luminescent behavior do not readily suggest a logical, conventional explanation† (UFO). According to general belief, UFOs are spaceships, belonging to extraterrestrial life, or aliens. However, it is important to note that all unidentified objects in the sky need not necessarily belong to aliens. Many UFOs mistaken to be spaceships were actually found to be weather balloons or military airplanes. There have been many instances, however, where the appearance of a UFO could not be explained based on rational terrestrial phenomena, and it is believed that these can only be alien spacecrafts or flying saucers. Many instances of alien sightings on earth, have also been reported. For instance, a farmer and two members of the Mutual UF O Network, MUFON were reported to have seen a three-foot tall alien in Southeast US (Keen). In another event that occurred about 69 years ago over Los Angeles during the Second World War, a seemingly unidentifiable flying object was observed in the sky while the West Coast was preparing for an air raid, . Around 1,400 shells were fired at it. Yet, it managed to remain in flight â€Å"despite an intense artillery barrage that lasted 25 minutes† (Linkhorn). This incident was soon forgotten and was later revived as a â€Å"possible UFO event (Linkhorn). Describing the event and the UFO observed then, Bruce Maccabee, a UFO researcher states, â€Å"The technology goes beyond what we have† (qtd. in Linkhorn). Due to technological as well as intellectual limitations, the presence of extra terrestrial life and flying saucers will always remain a mystery. Nevertheless, the UFO sightings on earth do need further investigations to ascertain whether or not they belong to alien be ings. In spite of video and photographic proofs, apart from eye witnesses, UFOs still remain a mystery. The possible reasons as to why UFOs are still a mystery could be the absence of sound and rational evidence in favor of flying saucers. Inconsistent records, improper reporting by eyewitnesses, and governmental cover-ups may also be held responsible. From another perspective, it may also be assumed that UFOs especially flying saucers belonging to extra terrestrials do not really exist, and that they are actually fake stories perpetrated in order to hide military secrets. 1. Improper reporting and inconsistent records Improper reporting by witnesses of UFOs, hoax reports and lack of consistent records is one of the major reasons behind the prevalence of UFO mysteries. While innumerable sightings are reported worldwide, not all witnesses report a single incident with uniformity. This instigates doubt and disbelief in their existence. However, the witnesses and reporters cannot be bl amed for the lack of accurate information. Humans are bound by physical limitations. Furthermore, UFOs travel at extremely swift speeds. It is difficult to assimilate accurate details when confronted with a UFO sighting. Moreover, owing to the high velocities of these objects, they are reported to be seen at many different locations simultaneously. According to Peter Davenport, the executive director of the National UFO Reporting Center: It appears these things are capable of traveling at unimaginably high velocities. So a UFO that’s seen over Wenatchee can be over Florida or the Ivory Coast, I believe, certainly within minutes, and possibly

Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands Assignment

Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands - Assignment Example It was authored by Mary Seacole, a Jamaican-born who became famous because of the work she was doing as a nurse during the Crimean (Seacole 15). The book has received universal acclaim as one of the most comprehensible and fulfilling autobiographies of the 19th Century. This is attributed to the fact that the book revolves around a culturally sanctioned and self-reliant feminine. Mrs. Seacole fashioned her own identity despite the fact that other people assigned her other identities. This paper shall seek to address how she thought of herself in relation to the world, as well as how other people viewed her. It will also examine the ways in which Mary Seacole demarcated herself in terms of her imperial and national identities. In the book, Mary Seacole has depicted herself as a self-willed woman who cannot be brought down due to her race and economic status. In as much as she was a Creole, a half-cast between a Scottish father and a Jamaican mother, she was determined to go extra mile s and help people. She has managed to construct her racial image to the readers carefully, as well as those whom she came in contact with during her journeys. She makes minimal reference to her skin color except when people around her point it out. She lives her life normally without making her skin color an issue; while those living around her have an issue with her color. This is best demonstrated when she boarded a ship from Navy Bay to Jamaica with several Americans on board (Seacole 90).

Company structure Essay Example for Free

Company structure Essay 1. Explain the reasons why the organisational structure in any business is important 2. Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice. Management and culture diversity 3. Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this? In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this. 4. As mass communication and transport continue to grow, societies are becoming more and more alike leading to a phenomenon known as globalization. Some people fear that globalization will inevitably lead to the total loss of cultural identity. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? When international media (including movies, fashion shows, advertisements and other TV programmes) convey the same messages to the global audience, people argue that the expansion of international media has negative impacts on cultural diversity. What is your opinion? 5. Some people think using cultural heritage to develop international tourism is wrong. Others think that is the only way to protect cultural heritage. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Marketing 6. Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 7. Advertising is all around us; it is an unavoidable part of everyone’s life. Some people say that advertising is a positive part of our lives while others say it is a negative one. What is your opinion? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. 8. Do you think that ‘word of mouth’ is the best method of advertising? 9. What makes an effective advertisement? 10. In what ways can producers or retailers try to persuade customers to try new products? Pricing 11. In your opinion, are prices the only factor that makes people buy products? Give explanation. 12. Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems. To what extend do you agree or disagree? What other measures do you think might be effective? The costs of medical health care are increasing all the time. Governments are finding it difficult to balance the health care budget. Should citizens be totally responsible for their own health costs and take out private health insurance, or is it better to have a comprehensive health care system which provides free health services for all? Discuss. 13. It is said that â€Å"you have what you pay for†. Do you agree/ disagree with this statement? 14. Offering high prices is always good. Do you agree or disagree? 15. Offering ‘off sales’ is always good. Do you agree or disagree? 16. More and more people are becoming overweight. Some people say that increasing the price of unhealthy or high-fat foods will solve this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Arbitration The only way to solve a serious crisis between two nations is by going to war. What is your opinion? 17. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of arbitration 18. The advantages of arbitration outweigh disadvantages. Do you agree? Discuss International Trade 19. Some people pay money for the things they want or need. Other people trade products or goods for what they need. Compare the advantages of these two ways of obtaining things. Which way do you prefer? Explain why Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas. Free trade cannot be said to be beneficial to all sections of a trading nation. As such, it is necessary for it to be accompanied by an income redistribution policy. Discuss 20. While a country as a whole will gain from trading with other nations, this does not mean that all sections of the community within the country will benefit. Discuss. 21. Free trade is good for some but bad for others Discuss this statement 22. Everyone benefits from free trade! Discuss While protectionism is bad, the World Trade Organisation preference for the use of tariffs over quotas as a protectionist device is extremely sensible. Discuss. What are the key principles underlying the operation of the WTO? To what extent do these principles make economic sense? 23. What are the advantages and disadvantages of international trade? 24. What are the advantages of international trade to businesses? 25. Globalization makes rich countries richer and poor countries poorer. Do you agree? Banking 26. For hundreds of years, the monetary system of most countries has been based on the exchange of metal coins and printed pieces of paper. However, because of recent developments in technology, the international community should consider replacing the entire system of coins and paper with a system of electronic accounts of credits and debits.’ Discuss the extent to which you agree/ disagree with the expression above. Support your point of view with reasons/ examples from your own experience, observations or reading. 27. Many people are using credit cards or loans to run up personal debts that they may be unable to repay. It should therefore be made difficult for individuals to borrow large amount of money. What is your opinion on this? 28. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using credit cards? Many people who work in the banking and finance industries earn very much more than nurses, teachers and other people who work for their local communities. Some people think this is unfair. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience. 29. How do banks facilitate the workings of modern life? 30. What are roles of banks in international trade? Financing international trade 31. Documentary credit is often used to finance international trade. Why is it chosen so widely? Are there any risks or disadvantages for the exporter and the importer when they decide to use documentary credit? 32. Someday paper money and coins will be replaced by credit cards and online methods of monetary exchange. Do you agree or disagree? 33. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with using credit card. 34. Why is letter of credit the commonest method of payment in international trade? 35. What are the advantages and disadvantages of letter of credit? 36. What are the advantages and disadvantages of open account method of payment? Financial Statements Financial education should be a mandatory component of the school program. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? 36. Write an essay on the importance of financial statements of a company. Suggested points: + How many types of financial statements are there? + What purpose are they used for? + What are the features of each type? MA 37. Discuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of Company Mergers and Acquisitions. 38. What are the reasons for the failure of many Mergers and Acquisitions? 39. Why are there high rates of failure of Mergers and Acquisitons? Exchange rates Forecasting exchange rates is essentially a waste of effort. Discuss Topics for essay writing 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of international trade? 2. What are the advantages of international trade to businesses? 3. Globalization makes rich countries richer and poor countries poorer. Do you agree? 4. Why is letter of credit the commonest method of payment in international trade? 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of letter of credit? 6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of open account method of payment? 7. How do banks facilitate the workings of modern life? 8. What are roles of banks in international trade? 2. What makes an effective advertisement? 3. In what ways can producers or retailers try to persuade customers to try new products? 4. Explain the method of Mark-up price or the Cost-plus pricing 11. Explain what the Product mix pricing strategy is and give an example to illustrate your point.

Effect On Air Pollution Of Kathmandu Valley

Effect On Air Pollution Of Kathmandu Valley Clean air is necessary for human health. Human body needs approximately 25 kg of air per day to keep up its requirement of oxygen (CEN, 2002). It replicates signifies the importance of air to human beings and any contamination in the air will have a direct impact on our health. Pure air consists 21% of oxygen 78% of nitrogen and 1% other gases. If the air composition is altered by the increase in concentration of certain gases or by intrusion of non-gaseous components like particulate matters, then the air is understood to be polluted and the components that alter the inherent compositional property of air are termed as air pollutants. Air pollution affects almost all aspects of the environment including the biota and the physical components where they strive on. A variety of sources have been identified as the components of the air pollution and they include both the natural and anthropogenic sources of origin; however, the anthropogenic sources of air pollution are more pronounced. Anthropogenic air pollutants are more harmful and include Particulate matter (PM), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Carbon monoxide (CO), Lead (Pb), Ozone (O3) and Hydrocarbons (HCs). (CEN, 2002) Air pollution is a big issue all over the world mainly in urban areas because of fossil fuel driven transportation system.. Besides this, the unmanaged booming of urban settlements has helped to increase the concentration of air pollutants by limiting their horizontal dispersion thereby interfering with the health of people. Mainly, children, elderly and the patients of lungs and heart are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution. According to Asian Development Bank (2001), in the South Asian Cities, approximately 100,000 premature deaths every year is caused by the detrimental effects of air pollution. Air Pollution in Kathmandu The issue of air pollution in Kathmandu Valley is continuously drawing the attention of concerned bodies and the gravity of the problem is growing year by year. Owing to the topography of Kathmandu Valley, growing population, haphazard urbanization and increase in vehicle density imparted as an effect of affluence and need to serve the growing population, the valley has been facing worse situation of ambient air every year. However, the issue of air pollution in Kathmandu Valley doesnt bear a long history as the development of road networks and history of transportation system in the valley do not have the long history either. Many researches and the discourse held within the country on air pollution has identified the transportation system and linked with it, the poor situation of the infrastructure as the root causes of air pollution in Kathmandu Valley. Regarding the dominant air pollutant of Kathmandu, it is Particulate Matter (PM), the concentration of which is observed higher d uring night in the winter due to the creation of inversion layer which acts as the blanket to trap pollutants. The PM concentration in Kathmandu has always exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) standard and National Ambient Air Quality Standard of Nepal. Besides particulate matters (PM10 and PM2.5) the concentration of other pollutants are not a major issue in Kathmandu Valley. Gaseous pollutants such as NO2 and SO2 are generally within standards but the concentration of NO2 is fairly high in areas with heavy traffic and this has the potential of future increase with further increase in number of vehicles operating within the valley. Another potential concern is the concentration of air toxins such as benzene and poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The concentration of benzene is within national standards but the national standard of 20 µg/m3 is itself fairly high. Although Nepal does not have any standards for PAH, monitoring done in 2003 indicated fairly high levels of these pollutants in Kathmandu Valley. (ICIMOD, 2007) PM2.5 is considered to be more hazardous than PM10. Although Nepal does not have any standards for PM2.5, some monitoring has been carried out for PM2.5 in Kathmandu Valley. (ICIMOD, 2007) Statement of Problem Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is the focus of all the major facets of the country, namely economy, tourism, culture, politics, administration and natural environment. Due to the above reasons, the population of Kathmandu valley is increasing day by day. Apart from this, the infrastructure development has never been able to keep up with the unmanaged and accelerating growth. As a result, this has led to increase in slums, inadequate and polluted drinking water supply, polluted air to breathe, haphazard manner of dumping the solid waste in the neighborhoods. Every people have right to breath clean air. Increase in population, vehicular fleet, energy consumption and industries, mainly brick industries have contributed to degrade air quality in Kathmandu valley. Overall, the bowl or the cup shaped topography of the valley also has prevented the dispersion of air pollutants to longer distances. Research questions: The research will address following issues: 1. What is the main air pollution facing by local people in Kathmandu valley? 2. What are the main institutional changes that have been made to control the air pollution? 3. What are strength and weakness of these institutional changes? 4. What further policy measures should be instituted to reduce air pollution to acceptable levels? 2. Background Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal. The Kathmandu valley consists of three major cities i.e Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. Kathmandu Valley is situated in 27 ° 3730 N and 27 ° 450 N latitude and 85 ° 15 ´0à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³ E and 85 ° 22 ´30à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³ E longitude. And the Kathmandu valley is located at an altitude of 1350meters. The Kathmandu valley is oval shaped and surrounded by high hill range. And the area of Kathmandu valley is 340 sq.km and the total population of Kathmandu valley is 1,442,271(CBS 2001). The climate of Kathmandu valley is sub tropical temperate. Along with it have four seasons pre-monsoon, monsoon, post monsoon and winter. In general, average temperature in summer is 32 °c and in winter is 5 °c. Due to economic activity and high chances of opportunities and facilities many people from all around the country has been migrated in the Kathmandu valley and is been highly dense. Air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley has been one of the major problems. It can be said that air pollution started as the invention of road networks and automobiles. High population with unplanned and unmanaged urbanization, rapid increasing of automobiles, vehicles and industries are the factors in the causes of air pollution. http://www.tsiindia.com/img/nepal_map.gif (Source: http://www.tsiindia.com/img/nepal_map.gif, date:30th November 2010) According to the presentation given by traffic police, road length per traffic police has improved since 1995 from 2.3 km to 1.6 km that is good sign for better traffic management. Nevertheless, due to enormous rise in the number of vehicles in Kathmandu, the traffic police are laden with responsibilities of higher number of vehicles than they had to be for 1995. From 2002 to 2009, the total number of vehicles in Bagmati zone increased by 1.25 times than that was before 2002 from 176415 to 396151. The statistics show that the vehicles has progressively increased from 2002 to 2009, the only exception being at 2006/07 probably due to the cause of contemporary political situation. The number of vehicles for individual traffic police has increased from 165 in 1995 to 415 in 2008 i.e. more than 2.5 times. In reality, the number of vehicles a traffic police should look for is even higher because not all the traffic police within Kathmandu are in duty at the same time during a day. In the context of road length and vehicle numbers, the nominal increase in road length has resulted in crowding of roads. The population density per kilometer road length during 1995 was 1668 that rose to 2353 in 2008 while, the number of vehicles per kilometer road length in Kathmandu was 70 in 1995 that has risen by about four times i.e. 255 in 2008. Moreover, in case of Kathmandu the traffic congestion, in practice, is observed due to the inadequate road width and lack of proper identification of the road lane for vehicles moving from the opposite directions. The proper traffic management can thus be initiated with the demarcation of lane, which can, as additional benefit, reduce the vehicle collision and traffic accident. Figure : Comparison on Transportation Attributes for 1995 and 2005 (Source: Valley Traffic Control, 2009 where Blue colour shows 1995 and red is 2005) Causes of Air pollution: If any unwanted particles mixed in the air, it is called air pollution. It can cause for both human Well as environment also. Air pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid as well as gas form. They are may be either natural or artificial. Main artificial air pollutants are Sulfur Oxides, Nitrogen Oxides, Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, Volatile organic compounds, Particulate matters, ground ozone, ammonia etc. (Wikipedia). Sources of artificial air pollution are as follows: i) Rapid Urbanization ii) Vehicular emission iii) Industrial growth iv) Unmanaged disposal of waste etc. 3. THEORY 3.1 Concept of Institution: An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order or it may bee said as a set of some formal rules, regulation and norms of some formal rules, regulation and norms formulated to establish the smooth running society or to govern the behavior of human being in the society. Institutions are formed to formalize the society and to show the human being to act as a social animal. It is the outcome of the society and can be said as the need in the human community to harmonize the behavior of the people. The term institution is commonly applied to customs and behavior patterns important to a society, as well as to particular formal organizations of government and public service (Stanford Encyclopedia: social institutions). Although individual, formal organizations, commonly identifies as Institution may be deliberately and intentionally created by people, the development and functioning of institutions in society in general may be regarded as an instance of emergency, that is institution arise, develop and function in a pattern of social self organizations, which goes beyond the conscious intentions of the individual human involved (http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/institution#aspects_of_institutions, 28th nov. 2010). The institution that has been established to enhance the quality of ambient air quality in Kathmandu is the outcome of the result from the air pollution. Those are not demand of the people but the result of the problem. The banning of two stroke vehicles in Kathmandu, banning of brick kiln factories was not in favor of people. It just hit on the head of the poor people in the society, but that was the outcomes of the problems not as the intentional outcomes. 3.2 Resource Use and Resource Regimes: Those goods which consists of a natural or human made resource system whose size or characteristics makes it costly but not impossible to exclude the people from getting benefits from its use are generally known as common-pool resource (CPR) or it may be called as common-property resources. Since the common-pool resources are open access, there is the problem off congestion or over use. Unlike public goods, they are subtractable. A common pool resource for example air is a large stock but only provides the limited quantity of extractable unit and over use will create problems as we are here to discuss the air pollution in Kathmandu. A common property regime is a particular social arrangement regulating the preservation, maintenance, and consumption of a common pool resource. The use of the term Common property resource to designate a type of good has been critized, because common pool resource is not necessarily governed by common property regimes.(http://en.wikkipedia.org/wiki/commo n/pool/resource,date26th Nov.2010). Example may be taken as the air in Kathmandu which is the common pool resources. It allows certain amount of pollutants but beyond this the gets polluted. There will be various consequences as it gets polluted. Because the core resource is vulnerable, it is subjected to congestion, over use and ultimately pollution. Any system has their own certain capacity to cope with the change and beyond that the system gets disturb and in case off air in Kathmandu, situation came due to the dramatic increase in population and excessive use of vehicles that run by the fossil-fuels. The use of common pool resources can be continuously done as the loop if they are managed properly and carefully exploited because they form the positive feedback loop since they are stock variable but the haphazard use of it deteriorates the stock and disrupt the flow variable for good. 3.2.1 Resource Use in Kathmandu: Open access Market Effect of distribution No rules As shown in the above figure, the air in the Kathmandu was open access and there was no any rules concerning the use of it and the ownership for it. As the time passes, there araised several agents and market introduced. The outcome of the dramatic increase in the population in the city results in the excessive use of vehicles for the transportation system. Unfortunately those vehicles are run by fossil fuel which when used emit air pollutant in the atmosphere. So there is the pollution problem in the valley. Now government has their head towards it and they are formulating institution to enhance thee quality of it. Though the air in the valley is open access but there are some rules concerning the use of it. Thee government have introduced green tax, banning of diesel running three wheelers etc. Now the system approaches where it is still the open access but with market, shown in the figure above. There are some rules concerning the use of it and hence thee distributional have came into action in this case. 3.3 Framework for Analyzing for resource use problem Air in the Kathmandu valley is common property and is open access. At the time passes, the technology has developed as well as the population of city increase dramatically. This is partly due the centralization and civil war in Nepal. If the natural resources was vast compare to the capacity of people to use it, there could be no problem (vatn, 2005), but here the thing is just opposite to that. Technology Attributes of the resources: Outcomes -resource use -state of resource Agents and aagents choices Patterns of interaction Institutions- regimes Convention Norms Formal rules (Source: Vatn, 2005,) (Figure: Framework for analyzing resource use problems) Finally this aspect has influence has chose new institution and government of Nepal formulated some rules and regulation for the enhancement of air quality in Kathmandu valley. Along with this, different Medias, NGOs, INGOs are involved to motivate people regarding air pollution. The institution such as banning of two stock vehicles, relocation of Himal cement factory, introduction of green tax was introduced. Although there are many such many rules regulation and acts came into existence but some the institution lack third party control system. The government formulated the rules and people were not seemed to walk along with this change. Since there was lack of third party no body were there to check and control the implementation of such policies. With regards to institution we may also distinguish between operational rules, rules concerning the defining of operation rules and finally external arrangement / rules. The operational rule defines the everyday regulation regimes. (Vatn, 2005). The next important factor to take into consideration is agents and agents choice. Here the structure of institution greatly helps to motivate the people. Institution in Nepal was so formed that people were motivated and aware of air pollution and its impact to some extent. But the technology did not fit the resource use. As being the developing county the people do not have any option rather than to use fissile fuels as the main source of energy for the transportation system. At the same time dramatic increase in population in the city force to consume more fuel energy and Kathmandu valley stood first in position in term of vehicle registration in Nepal. So the air being the open access was very vulnerable to risk. Eventually due interaction of technology and choice of agents the problem of air pollution came in the valley. There difficulties are mainly due to four factors. Basically regime is not able to motivate correlation action in accordance with what is demanded given resource characteristic, technology, number of agents and corruption by the government official. Corruption is so deep rooted that one can easily break up the institution formulated by the state. This can be seen as the drawback of the system or the lack of motivation. If outcomes are not in accordance what is expected or wanted agents can change institutional structures. In principal this may occur at all level, with regards to conventions, norms and formal rules (Vatn, 2005). However, changing such rules and regulation certainly need considerable time and result of such change to the institution can only be noticed after some period of time. 3.4 Air as a common pool resource in Kathmandu Goods or resources can be generally classified into two groups. They are Excludable or Non-excludable and Rivalry or Non Rivalry. When a person or a firm can set a barrier on his/her property like land to prevent the use of it by other are called excludable goods and those where the demarcation is not possible are called non-excludable goods. When the goods at one time prevent the use off same good simultaneously by other is called rivalry goods and on the other hand, just like air, the of which can never stop other to use it at the same time is called non-rivalry goods or resource. Exclusion costs (TCs) Low High I III II IV Yes Rivalry in use or consumption No (Source: Vatn, 2005, pp 263) (Fig: Characterization of resources or goods according to the cost of exclusion and rivalry in use or consumption). While goods of type I are typically labeled Private goods, type II and type IV are called goods and public goods, respectively. With regards to type III, common-pool-resourceis an often used concept. In the tradition of leaping of resource characteristics to regime implication, type I is often equated with private property and markets, II with clubs, III with standard common property or open access and IV with state/public property. (Vatn, 2005, pp 263) 3.4.1 Rivalry goods As we are discussing about the in the Kathmandu valley, it can bee seen that the resource is rivalry type. In Kathmandu valley, different types of factories, industries, vehicles are continuously meeting the air pollutant which ultimately invited the pollution problem and all the citizens are suffering from it. In the case of rival goods, the core problem is that of external effect. This is typically the case for many environmental resources where use-at least beyond the certain level-reduce its quantity and/or quality (Vatn, 2005, pp263). Therefore air in case of Kathmandu valley can be considered as rival goods. 3.4.2 Non-Excludable goods When the goods are private or owned by certain people or organization, than the demarcation is very easy that means transaction cost is very low. But when thee goods or resources are open access or common property, the exclusion cost is very high because the typical demarcation is not possible. In this case, air is common property and everybody in the city can use it undoubtly and the transaction cost is very high 3.5 Mechanism to reduce air pollution: The pollution problem in Kathmandu can be seen as the outcome of excessive energy used and technological development. This can simply be framed as follows: Production Input Output 3.5.1 Taxation input Basically the major pollution problem in the valley is due to the excessive use of the vehicles which are runes by the petroleum products. So air pollution can be reduced by introducing the tax in the fossil fuel. This is the best way because there is low transaction cost in doing so. High tax in the fule wills automatically reduce the use of private vehicles and the public vehicles uses will be increased to the considerable extent. 3.5.2 Taxation in production and technology On the other hand, this can be done by introducing the tax in the technology that means motor car, private vehicles, and factories, industries which use energy and emit the pollutants in the air and also providing the subsidy to those who use bicycle or electronic means of transportation. As the government of Nepal is doing , banning of diesel running three wheelers, two stock vehicles are also the way to enhance the air quality to some extent. This is a very simple way and there is low transaction cost in introduction such institutions but this dominantly hit the poor in the society. 3.5.3 Taxation in Output There is another way of controlling the air pollution but the transaction cost in very high in doing so. The introduction of emission tax can be very good way to enhance the air quality. Here the transaction cost will be fairly very high. 4. Methods For fulfilling the study objectives, a systematic study approach was followed. The major base for research founded with the collection of relevant secondary data and information from various national and international sources. The field-based study could not be done. The following process are done: Literature Review Secondary Data Collection Data Analysis Draft Report Preparation Final Report Dissemination 5. Analysis Increasing number of vehicles without extension of roads is diagnosed to be the major problem in Kathmandu. The growth of the vehicles in Kathmandu is a major concern to traffic police, vehicle drivers, and pedestrians. From the result, it is observed that the road length of Kathmandu is increasing very nominally while the numbers of vehicles are increasing with an exceptional growth rate and it ultimately help to increase air pollution. 5.1 Causes of Air Pollution Air pollution causes by both anthropogenic as well as natural sources. Anthropogenic source is the main cause in Kathmandu valley than that of natural source. Mainly fossil fuel combustion and other activities like brick factories, unmanaged road system, stone grinding factories are added pollution. Vehicle system is the main source to emit carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide. Approximately 67 percent of Particulate matter is supplied by vehicular emission in Kathmandu valley. 5.1.1 Sources of air pollution Sources of air pollution are of two types: Natural and artificial. Main sources of artificial air pollution are as follows: A) Rapid Urbanization: Kathmandu valley has very fertile land, but nowadays it is known as unmanaged urban area. The main cause of this is Kathmandu-centric development and migration of people due to insurgency and political conflict. It is the biggest city of the Nepal and about 20 percent urban people live here. The population increase rate here is as twice as national rate of 2.2%. (ICIMOD, 2007). B) Vehicular Emission: It is the main source for air pollution. According to the Department of Transportation and Management, Government of Nepal, the first bus service in Nepal commenced in1957 and since then the fleet has grown substantially. The cumulative vehicular number in Bagmati zone (administrative zone where the vehicles of Kathmandu Valley are registered) was 176,415 in 2001 and it reached 396,151 in 2008. Most of the vehicles registered in Bagmati zone is used in Kathmandu valley. This record shows the rapid increment of vehicles in Kathmandu valley. Vehicle number in Kathmandu has been increasing rapidly in the last five years. C) Industrial Emissions: About two-fifth industries in Nepal are located in Kathmandu valley. According to the Department of Cottage and small industries, there were 14,971 up to 2006. Out of them, 111 are brick kilns and 89 are stone crushers. They contribute 14% of the total particulate matter in Kathmandu valley. Management of solid waste is another problem which also causes air pollution and vulnerable to health. (ICIMOD,2007) 5.1.2 Effects of air pollution The effect of air pollution is high in human health. High exposure in air pollution may cause chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma and other respiratory problems. It also affects cardio vascular system and nervous system (Lahiri, 2003). Particulate matter is the main problem of Kathmandu, which not only affects the health but also the tourism industry. Due to the poor health, human productivity is also loss. All these impacts finally affect the economic system of individual as well as of state. The long term study of health impact due to air pollution is yet to be conducted in Kathmandu Valley. However, Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Centre (CWIN) surveyed about 60 children who were working as staffs on three-wheelers in valley and result showed that 84% staffs were suffering from eye problem, 82% chest pains, 66% were suffering from coughs and 58% by headaches. Similarly 45% children were suffering by respiratory problem. Shakya S conducted a study incorporating questionnaires to the traffic police. He observed that out of 90 traffic police, most of them were suffering from diseases related to nervous and respiratory systems. Similarly, Clean Energy Nepal (CEN) also did a questionnaire survey for the people who live near to the brick industries and in control area. The study revealed that 54% out of surveyed people near to the brick kiln were suffering from respiratory problem and 41% people in the control area were affected by respiratory disorder. The other problems due to air pollution are as follows: Acid rain Ozone layer depletion Reduction of visibility In context of Kathmandu, the issues of acid rain and ozone layer depletion are not very significant as both of these issues are the outcomes of the heavy industrial pollution. The formation of the photochemical smog and acid droplets due to hydration of the SOx and NOx are not well defined in the pollution status of the ambient air of Kathmandu. As mentioned in the earlier sections the concentrations of both these gases are well below the standards set by the Government of Nepal and WHO. However, regarding the visibility the problem perpetuates in Kathmandu during all seasons with even more pronounced effects during the winters when temperature inversion takes place. The visibility problem is basically caused by the particulate matters and the problem subsides only during the periods of heavy rainfall. 5.2. Policies and institutional arrangements for managing emissions from motor vehicles: A number of programs have been done to fight against the air pollution in Kathmandu Valley. Some are given below. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 1991, government stopped to register three-wheelers. It was the first response related to air pollution of Kathmandu valley. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 1994, government place emission standards for in-use vehicles. Green stickers were given those vehicles which met emission values. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ministry of Population and Environment was established in 1995. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Environmet Protection Act 2000 and Rules were enacted in 1997. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 1998, the government formulated NVMES in 2000; these standards, equivalent to EURO-I emission norms, went into effect from January 2000. All new means of transportation imported from abroad since then have had to meet the terms. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 1997 the government decided to provide financial support to battery-operated electric three-wheelers. It was given in the form of tax breaks. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 1999, diesel three-wheelers were banned in Kathmandu Valley. Similarly it was banned in other cities also. Vehicle owners were given tax incentive to buy new vehicles. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In November 2000, the government decided to ban public vehicles older than 20 years. Similarly it banned all two stroke vehicle in Kathmandu Valley. The policy was followed from 16 November, 2001. Government tried to follow this rule strictly but was unable to put into practice the decision. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In late 2000, two-stroke motorcycle registration was restricted. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The vehicle run by LPG and CPG (compressed natural gas) was improved from 2000. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 2001, government decided adds 10% extra tax for the vehicle having older than 15 years. This is the first case that government linked between tax and vehicle age. It helped to discourage the use of older vehicles. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 2001, The National Transport Policy was formulated. This policy is directly related to clean transportation system. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In 2003, the National Ambient Air Quality System for various air pollutants was established. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Two-stroke three-wheeler vehicles were banned from 2004 in the Kathmandu Valley. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Government closed Himal Cement Factory to control the air pollution which was situated near the valley. (Source: Dahal, 2006) Government has formulated and applied many rules and regulations to address the air pollution of Kathmandu valley, but the graph below shows that the main air pollutants Total Suspended Particulates (Particulate matters) is increasing every year. (Source: MoEST Report 2006) 5.3. Strength and weakness of these institutional changes: It is found that reforms in existing institutional set up is likely to bring some positive impact on the air quality of Kathmandu valley. Removing two stroke vehicles from the valley have reduced the air pollution as well as noise pollution. It has also helped to reduce the energy consumption because the two stroke vehicles use more fuel than other. However, the rules and regulations are no implemented because of the political instability and corruptions. The economic condition of the country has also impacted on the implementation the institutions because the government has not allocated sufficient fund for environment. In Nepal there is separate ministry dealing with environment (Ministry of Environment), however, the establishment of the local authority like environment department and its associated regional and district bodies, to effectively deal with the problems related to environment has not been materialized yet, even after more than a decade has passed with the establishmen t of environment ministry. The establishment of environment department is still in the stage of planning and government has made efforts to establish it in near future, but according to the government financial constraint

Image as Icon: Recognising the Enigma’ by Tracey Warr

Image as Icon: Recognising the Enigma’ by Tracey Warr In Tracey Warr’s essay, ‘Image as Icon: Recognising the Enigma’, she identifies and discusses four discourses of performance photography–the document, the icon, the simulacrum and the live act–and what is at stake in these discourses is the ‘truth’. What she describes as ‘contradictory’ and contentious between the discourses, I believe what she has shown is the different ways in which photography is utilised and read as a medium for documenting and presenting a live performance. Although these photographs may offer themselves as an accurate record of the event, or the complete ‘truth’, Warr shows how incomplete, though necessary, photography is in depicting the experience of the live performance. Adrian George offers a loose definition of live performance art as primarily consisting of a living ‘human presence–a body (or bodies) in space and at a specific moment, or for a definite period’. What is difficult about performance art is that most people expect to see ‘art’ in a traditional sense, which is an art object. Performances do not have a ‘fixed referential basis’, much like Robert Smithson’s earthwork, Spiral Jetty 1970, whose spiral formation no longer exists physically due to erosion by the sea. Because performances and works like Spiral Jetty ‘continue to exist only through an accumulation of documentation and discourse’ documenting these works become very important in placing them in a historical context. In Warr’s discourses of performance photography as the document and the simulacra, we have what appear to be two polarising discourses–the ‘real’ evidence and the simulation; however, her development of both discourses arrives at similar conclusions about truth telling. Warr defines the discourse of the document as ‘the image perform[ing] the role of materialist evidence and proof–showing us exactly what happened so we can ‘know’ it’ while the discourse of the simulacra ‘explores fakery, the performative and representation’. According to Susan Sontag, unlike writing or even paintings and drawings which are perceived as ‘interpretations’, the photograph is perceived not so much as ’statements about the world so much as pieces of it, miniatures of reality that anyone can make or acquire’. However, both Warr and Sontag debunk the myth that the photograph is objective or factual. The perfo rmance is filtered through the photographer and camera through the process of framing, cropping and composing the photograph. Then there is the process of choosing the best photographs to represent the entire performance, which Warr points out are usually the most composed photographs. In addition to this process of reduction, the experience of ’sound, time, space, [and] often the audience’ are missing from the photograph. The photograph as document is exposed, so to speak, as being like the simulacra, a mere representation or a simulation–the document is a construction. In reference to Hans Namuth’s photographs depicting Jackson Pollock painting, Fred Orton and Griselda Pollocks’ pose the question: ‘how far does the photographer document what happened and how far does he or she create the ‘documented’ phenomenon?’ Although Namuth’s photographs can be read as historical documents of the painter, Warr points out that these images are actually ‘Namuth and Pollock staging Pollock’. Another question that could be asked is how much does the artist perform for the audience and how much does the artist perform for the camera? Many performances during the 60s and 70s are ‘hybrid performance photography’ which were performed especially for the camera as opposed to a live audience. This kind of performance photography subverts the function of the photograph as an objective, unobtrusive document as the hybrid performance photography blatantly uses the camera as an accomplice to stage its performance. Hybrid performance photography also subverts the central idea in the discourse of the live act. In this discourse, documentation is relegated to a mere ’subsidiary status’ while the live performance itself is ‘primary, cathartic, witnessed and ontological’. Here, documentation is supposed to be as ‘unobtrusive’ as possible because the most important aspect is the interaction between the performer and the audience, an aspect that comes from the traditions of the theatre. However, trying to capture the experience of the interaction between the performer and the audience is problematic as not only is the photograph incomplete as a truth teller as mentioned already but the viewer of the photograph cannot intervene with the performance. During the live performance, there is an opportunity for the audience to react ‘with a corporeal response’ but when viewing the performance through a photograph, the viewer is ‘already in interpretation mode’. Trying to decipher whether or not the photograph of Chris Burden’s nail-scarred hands in Trans-fixed 1999 is real or staged is an example of being in the interpretation mode. Because the live performance lacks a fixed referent, the performance photograph itself is liable to become an icon. Here, the photograph functions beyond just a mere document or a staged image. In this discourse of performance photography, the ‘icon presents us with a manifestation of the unknowable and an encounter with that manifestation in a state of belief’. Warr points out that the role of the photograph as an icon is riddled with contradictions and compromise. The icon ‘is both indexical and documentary’, presenting itself as tangible evidence but in doing so it also ‘compromises it status as a manifestation of an unknowable to be believed’–conjuring up issues of fakery. The icon is a paradox because the iconic ‘must be universally familiar and †¦enigmatic’, or ‘the known and the unknowable’. In the world of art, the photographs of Jackson Pollock and Joseph Beuys–images of two famous and well-k nown artists–are as much icons as are their artwork. Warr’s exploration of the four discourses presents contradictions between the discourses but at times they also complement each other. However, all four discourses point to the conclusion that even performance photography, like the art object, has no fixed meaning nor is there a fixed relationship between photography and performance. As Warr has shown us, it is a relationship that is highly complex.

School Lunches Essay -- Social Issues, Childhood Obesity

School Lunches â€Å"More than a third of the county's children are overweight or obese.†(Gustin, 1). As shocking as this is, it's true. One of the big reasons that children and teens are overweight is because of the foods that they eat. They are fed these fattening and unhealthy foods by the school system. Their futures can be changed if we change our choices. Having more nutritious lunches can have a positive impact on the health of American teens. â€Å"More than 76 percent of schools sell soft drinks and sweetened fruit drinks, but fewer than half offered bottles water. Fewer than 15 percent sell low-fat or nonfat yogurt, and fewer than one third order skim milk. Only 25 percent of schools say they've reduced fats and oils in recipes.†(Spake, 2). Choices at lunch range from greasy to unidentifiable. Most students eat school lunches five days a week. So most of the food they eat throughout the week comes from the school cafeteria. Although, the schools do tend to offer healthy choices such as salads, subs, skim milk, and unlimited fruits and vegetables. â€Å"Each week Phoenix students are served a variety of fruits and vegetables from guava to grapes and jicima to red peppers. School officials hope that by exposing children to fruits and vegetable they may develop a taste for them and request their parents to buy them.†(Bailey, 1). Real meat is becoming an issue in schools. â€Å"According to reports issued b y the Physicians Committee for responsible Medicine (PCRM) the USDA dumps hundreds of millions of pounds of surplus beef, chicken, cheese, and pork on the National School lunch Program.†(Lord, 42). Chicken isn't whole white meat; some of it doesn't even taste like meat! Let’s move on to unhealthy foods. There are unlimited amounts of un... ...ars of school. Once kids eat their lunches they normally want to go run around and use some of that energy from the food so they can concentrate better in class. It is also a good thing to require because school gym is the only exercise most teens and children get throughout the day. It helps cut the growing rate of diabetes and obesity. Sports are also a good way to stay active and healthy. Not only are you constantly moving and getting tons of exercise, but sports teams normally offer a good healthy snack after games such as peanut butter crackers and juice boxes or nutrition bars and bottled water. It all makes a huge difference in the development of children and teens. If we take these small steps to change, we can easily redirect the lives of children and teens health. Having more nutritious lunches can have a positive impact on the health of American teens.

1984 Essay --

Are you sitting comfortably? I find myself constantly drawn back to the subject of George Orwell’s 1984 it follows a dystopian community, which is set in a world that has been in continuous war, and has no privacy by means of surveillance and has complete mind control and is known by the name of Oceania. It keeps an eye on a man named Winston whose features are described as him having â€Å"a smallish, frail figure†¦his hair very fair, his face natural sanguine, [and] his skin roughened† (Orwell 2). This book illustrates to readers what the world would be like if we were under complete control of the Government, as a result, this book poses a couple motifs’ for instance Part One tackles â€Å"Collectivism† which means the government controls you, while Part Two fights with â€Å"Romance† because Winston and Julia’s love, and Part Three struggles with â€Å"Fear† and how it controls you physically and mentally. Likewise, George Orwell’s 1984 Part One Motif is â€Å"Collectivism† which means an economic or political system in which the government controls everything like land, business, and in Oceania’s case even to extent of mind control. This theme proves itself as you first turn the page in part one when it states â€Å"Big Brother is Watching You† (Orwell 2). Those five words that could be read under that poster seem to act as all he needs in this community to prove his control and authority. The motif played a main part here because it was all about someone not having their own control; it was about them having everything accepted by Big Brother whether what they inscribe in their journal, what their thoughts were, or even what they were doing because Big Brother is watching at all times. Part two of George Orwell’s 1984 motif is â€Å"Romance† because Winsto... ...f it no matter what even if it means betraying the people we care. In order to understand ourselves, we must first understand George Orwell’s 1984. This book expresses multiple motifs like Part one on Collectivism by the people of Oceania putting their community in the hands of Big Brother, or Part Two was about Romance between Julia and Winston and about how the party wanted to alter love for complete devotion to Big Brother, and later in Part Three it was about fear and how it can control you. We must ultimately comprehend how this book could prove more of a timeline of events taking place now if we don’t put steps inline to stop the Government from complete control, really we are the proles Orwell was mentioning we are the hope and we must utilize it. â€Æ' Works Cited Orwell, George. 1984: a novel. New York, N.Y.: Published by Signet Classic:, 1977. Print.

The Selfish Linda Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay

The Selfish Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman      Ã‚  Ã‚   Linda, a character from Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" is a selfish housewife. She pretends to care about her husband, but in reality, prefers that he kill himself so that she can live an easier life. Linda is given nothing but motive for wanting her husband, Willy, to die because of the ways he mistreats her. For example, during a family conversation in Act I, Linda, trying to put in a few words, says, "Maybe things are beginning to change-," with Willy coming in right after her, "(wildly enthused, to Linda)Stop interrupting!..."(1187) Linda, trying desperately to be a part of the conversation, is constantly denied her voice. Always under Willy's control, Linda is treated as if she is allowed to speak when he gives her permission. In another conversation in Act I between Biff, Happy, and Linda, more evidence of Willy mistreating Linda is provided: "Linda: It seems there's a woman...(She takes a breath as-) Biff: (sharply but contained) What woman? Linda: (simultaneously) ...and this woman... Linda: What? Biff: Nothing. I just said what woman."(1184) During this conversation, Linda is introducing the idea to Biff and Happy that Willy's car accidents might not have been accidents. She is telling of a woman that was a witness to the wreck, but a twist comes into the conversation. It seems that Biff is quick on making an assumption about who the woman is, and Linda shows a suspicious tone to Biff's reply. This time implies that Linda is aware that Willy is unfaithful to her, providing another way he mistreats her. In Guerin Bliquez's essay over "Death of a Salesman", she states, "But betrayal exposes the basic dishonesty of th... ...was helpful. She had a job of destruction and definitely helped Willy with his troubles. Helped him so much that eventually he committed suicide. Now she has the ability to say she married a successful man, maybe dead, but successful. Works Cited: Bliquez, Guerin. "Linda's Role in 'Death of a Salesman'," in Modern Drama, Vol. 10, No. 4, February, 1968, pp. 383-86. RPTD in Drama Criticism, Vol. 1. Gale Research Inc.. 1991. 322. Dillingham, Wiliam B.. "Arthur Miller and the Loss of Conscience" in Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman. Penguin Group. 1967. 344. Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman" in Literature, Reading, Reacting, Writing, Compact Fourth Edition. Harcourt, Inc.. 2000. 1187, 1184, 1221, 1229, & 1230. Schlueter, June. Essay over "Death of a Salesman" in Arthur Miller-Criticism and Interpretation. The Ungar Publishing Company. 1987. 65.

Practical Assignment: Introduction to Information Technology

Objective This coursework aims to provide students an opportunity to explore the use of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powering to enhance their understanding of the application software features in word document and power-point slides presentation. Grouping This Is a group-based assignment. Student must form a group with minimum 4 members and maximum 5 members. Note: same group members of theory assignment. Plagiarism All work is to be the result of the student's own individual and group effort.Students found to have copied others' work will be penalized for plagiarism. A student who plagiarisms will receive zero point credit on the assignment. Late Policy The assignment should be submitted on the due date stated below unless there are legitimate reasons as to why a student can not complete the assignment by due date. As a general rule, no extension of time will be granted. Assignment received after the due date without legitimate reason will be penalized. Submission date: 22/07/2014 (Tuesday, week 1 1) Assignment return week: Week 14 To begin†¦ Find an article from newspapers, internet, magazines etc. And you have to make sure the article is able to match the features checklist [PART 2 FILE]. The article that you have selected must get the approval from your tutor. Take note: the article length must be at least a full page long of AAA paper size and/or at least 400 words. You can refer an article sample In Attachment 1 on Cell. Task 1: Based on the article that approved by your tutor, you need to design that article into organized. Task 2: Retained the contents of the article you designed in task 1 you need to create a retrieve and great-looking Power-point presentation slides show.Note: The power- point slides length must be between 10- 15 slides long. Assessment This assignment contributes 70% of the overall practical course assessment. Submission Details and Report Sequence Assignment report must properly staple with suitable labels. Use AAA sized paper with printing on one side only. Arrange the assignment report follow the sequence below: 1 . Submission form (is a cover page, you can download from. Plagiarism statement (you can download from Cell- PART 3 FILE) 3.Plagiarism statement form (you can download from Cell Features Checklists (you can download from Cell – PART 2 FILE) 5. Acknowledgement 6. Table of Contents 7. Word report 8. Powering presentation slides Note: Printed in Landscape Orientation with 4 slides in a sheet 9. References (follow Harvard Referencing System) Note: Inappropriate referencing style will cause marks deduction Save a softly of Powering presentation in a CD for Submission. (One tutorial class submit one CD ONLY which contains all different groups Powering slides show)

Life of Pi and Religion Essay

The Grapes of Wrath has many Religious parallels to the bible. The characters are paralleled with people from the bible, some easily recognizable. Also the Grapes of Wrath is during the Great Depression which can be an allusion to the horrible treatments and suffering times the Israelist people had to deal with reflects to this time period. The plot of John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, can easily be related to many biblical references as well as it could be applied to the daily struggles of the lives of Christians. Two particular portions of this novel stick out more than any other. Those are the characters of Jim Casey and Pa Joad. Jim Casey reminds me of Moses from the bible because in the bible Moses lead thousands of people out of harsh treatments and slavery and led them to the promises land Canon. Where Steinbeck could be referring the Joad family as the people who followed Moses and Jim is viewed as Moses who tries and lead them to a safe place where they won’t suffer anymore. Throughout The Grapes of Wrath, religious symbols crop up, explaining the significance of the section. One use of symbolism is that when on the road to California, Tom runs in to a snake. Already used in the novel is the fact that to the Joads, California represents a place of great wealth, freedom, and prosperity. It is a Garden of Eden, so to speak. The Garden of Eden had a serpent who brought the Wrath of God upon Adam and Eve. The serpent gave them with the forbidden fruit. California is forbidden to outsiders and migrants. No Okies allowed. The snake represents the Eden Serpent and its betrayal to Adam and Eve. California will betray the Joads.