People are more knowledgeable today and therefore have more Essay

People are more knowledgeable today and therefore have more opportunities and choices than they had in the past, do you agree - Essay Example Due to change people now have more opportunities and choices than they had in the past. In society knowledge is produced and disseminated; knowledge has caused change in society making a development in various institutions in society, a good example is the development of medicine, there has been a shift from traditional cure to scientific discovery of medicine to cure various illnesses, there has been increased knowledge in that people can now self diagnosis, improvement in over the years, in the example given the example on a patient who is ill in the year 2000 BC the medicine will come from a certain tree or root, in the year 1000 AD the patient would be asked to recite a certain prayer, in the year 1850 AD the patient would be advised to drink a certain potion and lately in the world we are in today the patient will be asked to take a certain pill. Therefore in the world we are today we can say we are in a better position than we were in the past. Still in the medicine part, today we are in a position to choose from various medicines to cure certain illnesses, there is also the development of health institutions which is now improved to offer better health care and the training of doctors has led to development of educational institutions to train the doctors. All these have led to creation of more and complex institutions which have led to creation of more opportunities and choices. Religious knowledge is defined as knowledge based on beliefs, over the years this knowledge has been passed on to many people in the world, these is made possible by the development of science, the bible is now published and available to all unlike in the past, the improvement of modes of communication especially the mass media has made it easier for the dissemination of these knowledge. There are now many churches and denominations and people have now many choices, the improvement of this institution over the years. The emergence of religious leaders and increased belief in religion has led to change in society leading to a better society despite critics by Karl Marx that religion was an institution that legitimized capitalism and that religion led to a state of false consciousness. An improvement in environmental conservation knowledge has led to development of environmental conservation movements and institutions to improve on environmental degradation. In the past environmental degradation was not accounted for but in the present times there has been increased efforts to improve and conserve the environment, pollution has increased over the years due to improvement in science on sources of energy especially fossil fuels, in the present there is increased knowledge on environmental degradation and people are now looking for alternative sources of energy that are less pollutants. The sensitization of the deterioration of the ozone layer by the media has led to more conservative measures. The source of this knowledge is the development of science and technology, people in the present are have more knowledge than in the past, and these improvement has led to a better society that has more opportunities and choices. An example is the improvement o

Good and Bad Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Good and Bad Discrimination Essay When the word discrimination is brought up there is an automatic negative response, due to the fact that most have this idea that there is only bad discrimination. This comes from people using stereotypes and being prejudice which creates detrimental situations. However, when a person discriminates it does not mean they are trying to be harmful. Discrimination is when one distinctively favors or is against certain groups, categories, people, and classes and or things that may come from them. Discrimination its self is not bad, but the things that can stem from it, are actually what makes people look at it negatively. People discriminate for many reasons such as religion, race, and even for business and employment. It is one thing to have a preference over something else but to actually deny a person over what race, or religion they are is perverse. Now there are some positives when decisions are made about things depending on an individual’s race or religion. There are people who only want to date or marry to the same race, religion, culture, category, class, and things like that. And that does not always mean that they are being racist, stereotypical, prejudice or anything of that nature but that they simple are particular. There are even laws that require for workplaces to accommodate for their employees religion just along their religious practices will not bring problems to the employer. However, in the eyes of the employer they may feel as though if they indeed hire someone with certain beliefs that conflict may arise even if they are unintentional, and a decision maybe made to avoid that. Which is a decent argument but it still is a form of discrimination. One of the biggest reasons people discriminate is that they are actually afraid of what they may or may not understand. â€Å"The fear of that which is different, that which we do not understand, could have been an adaptive strategy early on in our history† (Why Does Discrimination Occur?. Ehow. com ). Instead of learning how to live with something and become more educated about it they cast it out. Especially if it is something that it out of the norm, or different. Such as homosexuality, a lot of people are homophobic. They have an unreasonable fear of homosexuals and which they may have their reasons as to why. Some people take it past the limits to make people are attracted to the same sex feel different, unaccepted, or unwanted all because they are ignorant of that culture. They have no idea what it is like and instead of trying to comprehend, they use negativity. Now there is nothing wrong with not being gay, and disagreeing with it but an opinion does not have to be expressed in a way that may be harmful. Just because a person is not apart of a certain group does not excuse the act of disrespecting another group or category. A lot of individuals will argue that it is simply wrong, and that it should not be permitted due to religious reasoning. Yes, that does make a lot of since, but I am very sure that many people do things that go against their religion all the time, they just happen to be discrete. Some people are afraid or have been brought up to not over step the boundaries so when others do not abide by the same rules they are automatically looked down upon. Society assigns everyone a certain social identity. Which ever category a person is placed they tend to accept others who are from the same group as they are. Prejudice is derived from our tendency to divide world into ‘us’ and ‘them†( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). This causes great division between people which is one of the reasons why a lot of people categorize other individuals. Being that prejudice, discrimination, and stereotype are in society there are social aspects and effects. â€Å"Exposure to derogatory ethnic labels can elicit conformity pressures with people wanting to fit-in† ( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). Generally people fear to be outcast so they go with the crowd. Afraid that if they choose not to agree then they might become socially unexpected. â€Å"People can reduce their reliance on stereotypes by consciously saying no to association between stereotypes and specific social groups† ( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). It would make a lot of since for people to simply not discriminate sadly that simply will not happen. Either way it may go it is up to the person on what they will choose to do, but social impact has a lot to do with the decisions people make. â€Å"Social influence plays a role in both maintenance and reduction discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes. Evidence suggesting that members of their group hold less prejudiced views are out of line with most people of their group, they may change their views. † ( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). â€Å"It may be conceived that because someone is guilty of discrimination that she is mean, angry and hateful, which very well may be the case. However, when we understand that within us all lies some form of discrimination, whether passive or aggressive, it should once again lead us to the conclusion that, of course, it is very easy to discriminate. (Why Is It So Easy To Discriminate? , eHow. com). Every person has their preferences, how they choose to go about them is completely their discretion. There are those who are prejudice, stereotypical, and who discriminate negatively acknowledge it and own up to it. â€Å"Each and every one of us stereotype and have a prejudice of something. Every single one of us. I stereotype fat people. I make fun of them, I call them lazy. Is it right? No. Should people suffering from obesity be kept from living their lives because of my prejudice and stereotypes of them? Absolutely not. † (Kriss 2010). Those who do discriminate have a point of view and some respectively explain them. Kriss discriminates against fat people, does she have that right? Yes, she knows that she should not do it, but she still stands by her opinion no matter what anyone else thinks. Everyone discriminates to a center extent because everyone has their own opinions, and make their own decision with different dependents. Yet and still there things that are wrong which happen to be connected to discriminating and even misconceptions. The way a person behaves is by far their own choice. People are raised differently, have different life experiences, and choose to surround themselves with certain crowds that may differ from others. There are exceptions and there are non exceptions, but being close minded will bring nothing but ignorance. There will always be discrimination because everyone will always have a preference. and there is really nothing that can be done about it. Also prejudice and stereotypes that comes with life. Everything has a positive and a negative.

Business Ethics In The Context Of Globalisation Commerce Essay

Business Ethics In The Context Of Globalisation Commerce Essay The following document aims at studying Business Ethics in the context of Globalization. In order to do so, let us start with the definitions of the two most important words in the title: 1. Business Ethics Business ethics is the study of business situations, activities, and decisions where issues of right and wrong are addressed. It is worth stressing that by right and wrong we mean morally right and wrong as opposed to, for example, commercially, strategically, or financially right or wrong. Moreover, by business ethics, we do not mean only commercial businesses, but also government organizations, pressure groups, not-for-profit businesses, charities, and other organizations. For example, questions of how to manage employees fairly, or what constitutes deception in advertising, are equally as important for organizations such as CRY, the University of Mumbai, or the Bhartiya Janata Party as they are for Satyam, PG, or Infosys. However, given the high profile of ethical issues in relation to commercial businesses, it is these types of businesses that are predominantly focussed on in general. Business ethics and the law Having defined business ethics in terms of issues of right and wrong, one might quite naturally question whether this is in any way distinct from the law. Surely, the law is also about issues of right and wrong? This is true, and there is indeed considerable overlap between ethics and the law. In fact, the law is essentially an institutionalization or codification of ethics into specific social rules, regulations, and proscriptions. Nevertheless, the two are not equivalent. Perhaps the best way of thinking about ethics and the law is in terms of two intersecting domains (see Figure). The law might be said to be a definition of the minimum acceptable standards of behaviour. However, many morally contestable issues, whether in business or elsewhere, are not explicitly covered by the law. In one sense then, business ethics can be said to begin where the law ends. Business ethics is primarily concerned with those issues not covered by the law, or where there is no definite consensus on whether something is right or wrong. Discussion about the ethics of particular business practices may eventually lead to legislation once some kind of consensus is reached, but for most of the issues of interest to business ethics, the law typically does not currently provide us with guidance. 2. GLOBALIZATION Globalization is the progressive eroding of the relevance of territorial bases for social, economic and political activities, processes and relations. Globalization is not only a very controversial topic in the public debate; it is also a much contested term in academic discourse. Apart from the fact that mirroring the public debate the camps seems to be divided into supporters and critics, there is growing concern about whether globalization is a fact at all. So, for example, some argue that there is nothing like a global economy, because roughly 90 per cent of world trade only takes place either within or between the three economic blocks of the EU, North America, and East Asia, leaving out all other major parts of the globe (Chortarea and Pelagidis 2004; World Trade Organization 2004). Obviously, we have to examine the globalization buzzword more carefully and to develop a more precise definition if we want to understand its character and its implication for business ethics. Scholte (2000) says if we want to get a grasp on the decisive features of globalization, he suggests we can start by looking at the way social connections traditionally took place. These connections, be it personal relations to family members or friends, or economic relations such as shopping or working, took place within a certain territory. People had their family and friends in a certain village, they had their work and business relations within a certain town or even country. Social interaction traditionally needed a certain geographical space to take place. However, this link between social connections and a certain territory has been continuously weakened, with two main developments in the last few decades being particularly important. The first development is technological in nature. Modern communication technology, from the telephone, to radio and television, and now the internet, open up the possibility of connecting and interacting with people despite the fact that there are large geographical distances between them. Furthermore, the rapid development of global transportation technologies allows people to easily connect with other people all over the globe. While Marco Polo had to travel many months to finally arrive in China, people today can step on a plane and, after a passable meal and a short sleep, arrive some time later on the other side of the globe. Territorial distances play a less and less important role today. The people we do business with, or that we make friends with, no longer necessarily have to be in the same place as we are. The second development is political in nature. Territorial borders have been the main obstacles to worldwide connections between people. Only 20 years ago, it was still largely impossible to enter the countries in the eastern bloc without lengthy visa procedures, and even then, interactions between people from the two sides were very limited. With the fall of the iron curtain, and substantial liberalization efforts elsewhere (for instance within the EU), national borders have been eroded and, in many cases, have even been abolished. These two developments mainly account for the massive proliferation and spread territorial connections. These connections may not always necessarily have a global spread in the literal sense of worldwide spread. The new thing though about these connections is that they no longer need a geographical territory to take place and they are not restricted by territorial distances and borders any more. Relevance of globalization for business ethics Globalization as defined in terms of the deterritorialization of economic activities is particularly relevant for business ethics, and this is evident in three main areas culture, law, and accountability. 1. CULTURAL ISSUES As business becomes less fixed territorially, so corporations increasingly engage in overseas markets, suddenly finding themselves confronted with new and diverse, sometimes even contradicting ethical demands. Moral values, which were taken for granted in the home market, may get questioned as soon as corporations enter foreign markets. For example, attitudes to racial and gender diversity in Europe may differ significantly to those in Middle Eastern countries. Similarly, Chinese people might regard it as more unethical to sack employees in times of economic downturns than would be typical in Europe. Again, whilst Europeans tend to regard child labour as strictly unethical, some Asian countries might have a more moderate approach. Consider the case of Playboy, the US adult magazine, which had to suspend its Indonesian edition and vacate the company premises in 2006 in the wake of violent protests by Islamic demonstrators even though the Indonesian edition was a toned down version th at did not show nudity. The reason why there is a potential for such problems is that whilst globalization results in the deterritorialization of some processes and activities, in many cases there is still a close connection between the local culture, including moral values, and a certain geographical region. For example, Europeans largely disapprove of capital punishment, whilst many Americans appear to regard it as morally acceptable. Women can freely sunbathe topless on most European beaches, yet in some states of America they can get fined for doing so and in Pakistan would be expected to cover up much more. This is one of the contradictions of globalization: on the one hand globalization makes regional difference less important since it brings regions together and encourages a more uniform global culture. On the other hand, in eroding the divisions of geographical distances, globalization reveals economic, political, and cultural differences and confronts people with them. It has been said that countries exhibit very different views on the makeup of business ethics. These differences are regarded as based largely in cultural diversity. For example, Japan is considered to have an entirely different set of guidelines than the United States because the cultures of these two countries come from entirely different origins. However, if business ethics are based only in culture then businesses global interactions should instigate much more conflict than currently exists. The basic cultures of Japan and the United States have very little common ground, therefore their views on business ethics would come from entirely opposite directions. Compromising a cultures moral values can be considered extremely difficult; it is much more likely that those same values would try to be imposed upon the other party. With each culture imposing its values on the other, the result would be adamant conflict. However, the rapid growth of global business paints this picture of co nflict as false. Businesses can only expand quickly in global markets by being empathic to the needs, perspectives, and accepted procedures of their foreign counterparts and partners. Therefore, business ethics is not entirely based on the culture from which it is derived. It is based more on a basic human moral understanding that transcends international boundaries. Up to present, ethics have evolved through isolated pockets due to the limited scope of global communications. Todays close communication and cooperation of companies worldwide will have an evening out effect. Business ethics will eventually drive toward one general definition. What exactly constitutes that definition is yet to be determined. The certainty is that the definition will be fluid in nature and change as new principles are accepted and implemented. To know where we are headed we must understand how ethical business practices evolved. Although business ethics is a relatively new study the concept has been aro und since commerce began. For instance, a blacksmith earned his reputation by treating his employees well and his customers fairly. As his reputation grew so did the size of his business. While this is a simplistic example it is meant to show that the concept of fair business practices has existed and contributed to the success of enterprises long before business ethics became an established study. Prior to todays multiple innovations in worldwide communications, business morals in each separate geographical area evolved on their own. Without much influence from the outside world, ethical behaviour was influenced by what was important to the society. What was significant to the society created expectations of fair business practices that have carried through the years? What do societies consider important? Culture and ethics are interrelated and intertwined in such a way that it makes it difficult to know which factor guiding / motivating the behaviour is arising from a given situation. Is it the cultural vision of his/her ethics or is it the ethical vision of his/her culture that guides someone to do or not do certain things. Trompenaars survey questioning peoples reaction to a given situation shows that cultures with more emphasis on human relationships and loyalty (particularists) scored lower than those that emphasized obeying rules (Universalists).    The situation: youre riding in a car driven by a close friend, whos driving at least 35 mph in a 20 mph zone. He hits someone. No witnesses. His lawyer says if you testify under oath that your friend was driving at 20 miles per hour, it might save him from serious consequences. What right has your friend to expect you to protect him?   Lying was more prominent in cultures stressing human relationships, whereas it was less prevalent in cultures stressing rules. Telling the truth is an ethical value that appears in this context. One could say, people in cultures emphasizing human relationships would most likely lie to protect the relationship; whereas, people in cultures putting a greater value on rules would lie less in order to abide by the rule. Adler differentiates between cultures that are universally oriented (all rules apply to everyone) and particularly oriented the nature of the relationship determines how someone will act in a particular situation. When it comes to the actual experience of the individual in question it is not certain if that person is motivated by cultural influences and/or ethical implications of his/her act and/or decision. Paul Ricoeur suggests three positions in ethical development: 1) the self 2) relations with others, 3) institutional. Through this process of moral integration, the se lf eventually becomes autonomous (auto self- nomous norms which becomes understood as self-regulatory) in its experiences and interactions with others and institutions. The self internalises the cultural norms and values through socialization (being in the world with others).    2. LEGAL ISSUES A second aspect is closely linked to what we said previously about the relation of ethics and law. The more economic transactions lose their connection to a certain regional territory, the more they escape the control of the respective national governments. The power of a government has traditionally been confined to a certain territory, for example: French laws are only binding on French territory, UK laws on UK territory, and so on. As soon as a company leaves its home territory and moves part of its production chain to, for example, a third world country, the legal framework becomes very different. Consequently, managers can no longer simply rely on the legal framework when deciding on the right or wrong of certain business practices. If, as we said earlier, business ethics largely begins where the law ends, then deterritorialization increases the demand for business ethics because deterritorialized economic activities are beyond the control of national (territorial) governments. For example, global financial markets are beyond the control of any national government, and the constant struggle of governments against issues such as child pornography on the internet shows the enormous difficulties in enforcing national laws in deterritorialized spaces.   A behavior may be perceived as ethical to one person or group but might not be perceived as ethical by another. Further complicating this dichotomy of behavior, laws may have been legislated, effectively stating the governments position, and presumably the majority opinion, on the behavior. As a result, in todays diverse business environment, one must consider that law and ethics are not necessarily the same thing. Though law often embodies ethical principles, law and ethics are far from co-extensive. The law does not prohibit many acts that would be widely condemned as unethical. And the contrary is true as well. The law also prohibits acts that some groups would perceive as ethical. For example lying or betraying the confidence of a friend is not illegal, but most people would consider it unethical. Yet, speeding is illegal, but many people do not have an ethical conflict with exceeding the speed limit. Law is more than simply codifying ethical norms. Establishing a set of ethi cal guidelines for detecting, resolving, and forestalling ethical breaches often prevents a company from getting into subsequent legal conflicts. Having demonstrated a more positive approach to the problem may also ensure that punishment for legal violations will be less severe. Some activities and beliefs may be legal, but not perceived as ethical. Marriott Corporation maintains very comprehensive ethics standards to which their employees must abide. Their Corporate Dress Code is an example. Several years ago, the orientation program at Marriott Corporate Headquarters included a presentation on what was and was not considered acceptable appearance in the company. Some requirements included: Women could not wear skirts any shorter than 4 inches above the knee. Women could show no bare leg. Either long pants or hose were required at all times. Womens shoulders could not be exposed. Mens hair could not reach their collar, except for religious reasons. Men could not wear earrings. Although these rules were part of company policy, there is nothing illegal about any one of these items. However, in the Marriott Corporate culture, each was considered unethical. Another example is the manufacturing practices of Nike, one of the largest manufacturers of athletics sportswear in the world. Nike produces the majority of its goods in South East Asia. Despite the profits of the Nike organization, its foreign workers are paid substandard wages and work long hours in appalling conditions. In 1996, the entry-level wage at one of these factories was $2.20 a day. Labour groups estimate that a liveable wage in Indonesia is about $4.25 a day. Compare this with the pay of one of Nikes celebrity promoters, Michael Jordan, who gets $20 million a year to promote Nike sneakers. Jordans compensation alone is more than the annual income of 20,000 workers who make Nike shoes. Nikes manufacturing practices are not illegal. There is nothing that says a company cannot take its manufacturing operations outside the United States. And as long as the company is meeting the minimum wage standards of the host country, there is nothing illegal about paying low wages. However, most Americans would look at these practices as unethical, especially considering the profits of Nike and their spending on celebrity promoters. Clearly, there is a relationship between law and ethics, and this relationship is important in management. Managers must evaluate not only what is legal, but what they, their employees, and society consider ethical as well. Important here is that companies must also consider what behaviours their customers will and will not accept. The news is full of stories regarding the ethical issues with which companies are being confronted, such as the practices of Nike, as outlined above. No company wants to be forced to defend itself over ethical issues involving wages, the environment, working issues, or human relations. Managers play a vital role in a companys legal and ethical performance. It is in part their responsibility to ensure that their employees are abiding by Federal, State, and Local laws, as well as any ethical codes established at the company. But most importantly, the managers must provide a positive example to their employees of proper behaviour in light of laws and ethical codes. Certainly, policies and procedures will never be developed to satisfy everyone, but the establishment of Codes of Ethics will at least provide a framework for ethical behavior, and allow customers to evaluate the type of company with whom they are doing business. With this knowledge, employees and customers must decide whether or not they are willing and able to conform to these Codes, as well as to the laws that have been enacted. Managers cannot simply limit their decisions to following the law. They must also consider the ethics of their employees and customers. 3. Accountability issues Taking a closer look at global activities, one can easily identify corporations as the dominant actors on the global stage: MNCs own the mass media which influences much of the information and entertainment we are exposed to, they supply global products, they pay peoples salaries, and they pay (directly or indirectly) much of the taxes that keep governments running. Furthermore, one could argue that MNCs are economically as powerful as many governments. For example, the GDP of Denmark is about the same as the turnover of General Motors. However, whereas the Danish government has to be accountable to the Danish people and must face elections on a regular basis, the managers of General Motors are formally accountable only to the relatively small group of people who own shares in the company. The communities in the US, Brazil, or Germany that depend directly on General Motors investment decisions however have next to no influence on the company and, unlike a regional or national governm ent, General Motors is, at least in principle, not accountable to these constituencies. What this means is that the more economic activities get deterritorialized, the less governments can control them, and the less they are open to democratic control of the affected people. Consequently, the call for direct (democratic) accountability of MNCs has become louder during the last years, evidenced for example by the anti-globalization protests that we mentioned before. Put simply, globalization leads to a growing demand for corporate accountability. The corporate community has been shocked to attention by the recent corporate governance meltdowns. The silver lining is that these scandals are resulting in better financial oversight and more focused attention on the ethics of directors, officers, auditors and others. But while promises of increased ethical conduct focus the publics attention, self-scrutiny and accountability are also essential.   Ethics is easier in concept than in application. Codes of ethics are not new. Nor are efforts to encourage ethical corporate practices. In 1991, Congress enacted the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines. These guidelines had a major impact on corporate America and were an effort to positively induce companies to prevent unethical activity by providing mitigation of some punishment and reductions of fines for companies that proactively made a good faith effort to take steps to prevent unethical activity. Congress used the stick and the carrot approach to provide an incentive for companies to create or modify their ethics programsgood behavior is rewarded when companies involve themselves in crime controlling actions. Elements of an effective compliance program under the Guidelines include a code of conduct or ethics; oversight by high-level personnel; due care when delegating authority; effective training and communication; auditing and monitoring and reporting mechanisms; enforcement o f disciplinary mechanisms; and appropriate response after detection.  Five years later, a court case provided another wake-up call. In 1996, a court in Delaware held a board of directors responsible for the unethical and illegal actions of the organization and its employees. This case caught the attention of corporations and led some companies to institute compliance and reporting structures.   Of course, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has gotten the most attention recently. Sarbanes-Oxley was enacted in response to the conduct of corporations such as World Com, Enron and Arthur Andersen. While Sarbanes-Oxley largely affects only publicly traded companies, it has led to a trickledown effect. Its requirement that all publicly held corporations disclose whether or not they have a code of ethics for its Chief Financial Officers have led privately held companies and non-profit corporations to enact codes of ethics. The trend is that more companies are adopting and using codes of ethics.   There are several benefits of a formal ethics policy. As described above, there are legal benefits in the form of reduced fines and penalties. However, an ethical working environment is another important benefit. A formal ethics policy can lead to decreased job dissatisfaction, decreased pressure to violate ethical standards, improved communication, increased trust in management, greater consistency in decision-making, and fewer violations of law and regulation, just to name a few. Pragmatically, it is often true that good ethics equals good business. Consumers, employees, and vendors lose trust in companies which engage in unethical activities. Companies that promote trust, honesty, integrity, fairness and respect generally have an easier time attracting quality employees.   Less observable, a strong ethical environment can encourage conversations about ethical issues, questions, and gray areas. It can also provide a comfortable environment for employees to seek guidance and raise concerns. When given the opportunity to communicate expectations and requirements, a company can proactively influence its employees and officers to avoid unethical conduct and violations of law. A formal ethics policy reminds employees and officers what the company deems the right thing to do. IMPLEMENTING A CODE OF ETHICS Groucho Marx once said that The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, youve got it made. Ethics is a lot easier in theory, but ethical conduct cannot be faked. Implementing a code of ethics policy takes careful study, time and training. A code of ethics can apply not just to individualsboard members, officers and employeesbut also to aspects of the companys businessethical investing and pension fund management.   In adopting a code of ethics, a business must decide what type of code to adopt. Does it want a simple statement of aspirational values or does it want a complex manual that describes the companys rules and regulations and which provides detailed guidance about what conduct is not acceptable? What are the companys core values? How does the company want directors, officers and employees to reflect those values?   Codes of ethics are usually broken down into two types (or a hybrid of the two): values-based code of ethics and compliance-based code of ethics. A corporate values statement is an aspirational document which is based on underlying values or principles. It is not easy to enforce. A compliance-based code of ethics is a compliance document that emphasizes rules and written procedures, and, therefore, is easier to enforce. A hybrid consists of a statement of organizational values and how those values are to be applied. For example, because communications should reflect the ethics of the company, a code of ethics that has honesty as a core value may require that internal and external communications be truthful and respectful. The company may also require that product or service claims must be honest, straightforward and defensible. However, as with any company policy, it is important that this new code be reviewed by legal counsel before being formally incorporated into the companys poli cy.   Once the code of ethics policy is adopted, it must be communicated, enforced and effectively monitored. There is a natural reluctance to talk about ethics and values; however, a company can integrate discussions of ethics into decision-making, and encourage employees to raise ethical concerns. This can be done through training, providing whistleblower procedures, monitoring and rewards. Almost every company will have employees that made the correct decision in spite of the difficulty in doing so. Communicating these stories is one way to make ethics more meaningful. Employees should understand the companys core values and why they are core values. The company should ensure that its decision-making process factors in the companys code of ethics.   The ethics policy should also be communicated to board members and employees before they join the company; if the companys products and services and the kinds of decisions needed to be made and actions to be taken are communicated, the potential employee or board member can decide whether employment with the company is consistent with their values. CONCLUSION In conclusion we would like to depict the effect that Globalization will have on the ethical behavior and understanding of various stakeholders in a global business environment. STAKEHOLDERS ETHICAL IMPACTS OF GLOBALIZATION Shareholders Globalization provides potential for greater profitability, but also greater risks. Lack of regulation of global capital markets, leading to additional financial risks and instability. Employees Corporations outsource production to developing countries in order to reduce costs in global marketplace this provides jobs but also raises the potential for exploitation of employees through poor working conditions. Consumers Global products provide social benefits to consumers across the globe but may also meet protests about cultural imperialism and westernization. Globalization can bring cheaper prices to customers, but vulnerable consumers in developing countries may also face the possibility of exploitation by MNCs. Suppliers and Competitors Suppliers in developing countries face regulation from MNCs through supply chain management. Small scale indigenous competitors exposed to powerful global players. Civil Society (Pressure groups, NGOs, etc.) A global business activity brings the company in direct interaction to local communities with possibility for erosion of traditional community life; globally active pressure groups emerge with aim to police the corporation in countries where governments are weak and tolerant. Government and Regulation Globalization weakens governments and increases the corporate regulation for jobs, welfare, maintenance of ethical standards, etc. Globalization also confronts governments with corporations from different cultural expectations about issues such as bribery, corruption, taxation, and philanthropy.

Hypertext’s Influence on Authorship :: Internet Authors Writing Essays Cause Effect

Hypertext’s Influence on Authorship The history of writing technologies has resulted in many changes in the way we view writing. One aspect of writing that that has seen a change as a result of writing technology is the notion of who can be a writer. Throughout history there seems to have been a trend writing technologies have followed. Each advancement in writing technology seems to have allowed authorship to a greater amount of people. First the invention of the book allowed for the first authors to record their ideas in a fixed medium. Then the invention of the printing press took the ability to make text from few well-trained bookmakers to anyone who owned a printing press. This led to a dramatic increase in the amount of books being created, resulting in a rapid proliferation of knowledge in the world. Many have theorized the next great revolution in writing technologies will be the Internet. Just like the printing press, the Internet is changing the notion of who can be an author. Today, anyone with Internet access can get his or her ideas on a web page. Posting ones thoughts, ideas, or writing online is in many ways similar to being published: Millions of people have access to posted writings to read, think about, and unlike a published book readers can even respond directly to the author. This new revolution raises a question. If anyone can make a web page and post their writing online for all to see, what happens to the notion of the author? It seems the authority that comes with being a published author is being threatened. Bolter explores this idea in the following passage of his book Writing Space â€Å"Those theorist specifically working on hypertext†¦have succeeded in portraying electronic writing as a medium that questions authority and fixity. For them, electronic writing reforms print by replacing the qualities of authority and fixity with t he flexibility and responsiveness that we have seen in literary hypertext†(165). If an author wished to get his or her writing and ideas out to a mass audience in the past the only way to do this was go through a publishing company. The publishing company would then pick and choose what it thought was worthy of being published.

Examine and comment on Christian and Hindu beliefs about life after death Essay

Death is the most fateful experience of each individual’s life. Whether it is the end of one’s life, or the beginning of a new life, no one knows. Death for the Hindu is merely transition, simultaneously an end to a new beginning. Death for the Christian is destined and is a time of judgement that is made from their former performances in life. These are very different views from two major world religions that both question the different events that may take place after one’s death. The Christian faith believes that the body is resurrected at death and the soul of an individual is immortal and continues after death. The doctrines of the church teach Christians that after one dies, they will rise before God and be judged. They believe that Christians who have been faithful throughout their life by worshipping Christ and helping other who are less fortunate. A quotation from Matthew 25: 31-46, ‘One day we shall be called to account for the way we have used our gifts, our opportunities and our energies. Above all, we shall be required for the way we have behaved in relation to the poor, needy and the marginalised’, supports the belief of the Christian faith and continues to teach these beliefs to mankind. This judgement that is made by God determines whether a person’s soul will spend eternity in heaven or hell. Based on Jesus’ teachings and other sources of revelation, Christians believe that heaven is a place of eternal life, extravagance and luxury, ‘The best and sweetest flowers of Paradise God gives to his people when they are upon their knees. Prayer is the gate of heaven, a key to let us in to Paradise’, ‘There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ (Revelation 21:4), these quotations show Christians believe that heaven is a place for those who have worshipped God and have followed the teachings of Jesus. The bible has portrayed heaven as the ‘kingdom of heaven’, where ‘kingdom’ refers to a place of monarchy and sovereignty, where people will be reunited with God. However, Christians can not just enter heaven when they die, but will have to show that they are worthy of entering heaven, ‘For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:17-20), this quotation alternatively states that a person who thinks of themselves as higher than God, will never enter heaven. The question that then arises is, where do the unworthy of entering heaven, go after death? The complete alternative of heaven is hell, where people who have carried out immoral acts, such as murder and rape which are forbidden according to the sacred doctrines of the bible, along with people who do not believe in God and have not followed the Christian faith will live eternally in the brutal conditions that hell facilitates, ‘The sword which shall pierce them with the greatest sorrow will be the thought of having lost God, and of having lost Him through their own fault’, this quotation gives us a small insight of what hell is portrayed as by Christians. St. Augustine says that in Hell, the damned will be forced to think of nothing but God and that will cause them terrible torment. Biblical quotations such as ‘†¦and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth’ (Matthew 13:42) and In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says ‘Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire’, show that Jesus talks about hel l as being a place of fire and where souls are burnt and tortured for eternity. Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon which was titled Sinners in the hands of an Angry God. This contained a passage with a quotation ‘There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery’, stating that if a person enters hell, there is no turning back, and they will suffer in the fiery flames of hell. The bible also describes hell as an endless torture scene, with angels and Jesus present either as observers or as officials who are directing the torture of the victims in hell. However, there are two different concepts about the duration of the torture, Annihilationism and traditionalism. Annihilationism is the belief that unsaved individuals will be punished in hell for only a period of time that is appropriate to pay for the nature and frequency of their sins which they were alive on earth. Annihilationists also believe that when a person’s punishment has finished, and they have paid the full penalty for their sins, they will be exterminated and their soul will cease to exist in any form. This mean that the soul will not be tortured for any longer, however, they will never enter the kingdom of heaven, which consequently means that at that point, their life has come to an end. In contrast, traditionalism is simply a belief that unsaved individuals will be punished in hell not only for a year, or a decade, but for eternity without any hope of relief, moderation or cessation of the pain. There are many passages and quotations that appear to describe punishment in hell as lasting forever such as ‘the fire that burns them will never be put out’ (Isaiah 66:24) and ‘And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt’ (Daniel 12.2). These quotations from the bible clearly support the view of traditionalism which shows that even though God’s wish is for all to be saved, the ones who are not will be punished forever. Although this is the view for many Christians, others including Skeptics, Humanists, Atheists, Agnostics generally believe that there is no afterlife and accept that after death, there is personal annihilation. Roman Catholic Christians also have alternative but similar views as they believe that in between heaven and hell, there is ‘purgatory’. This is where people who have sinned within their lifetime, but have not sinned to the extent that they must enter hell and be tortured for eternity, are punished for their bad deeds until all penalties have been paid. This enables them to be cleansed from sin and can potentially enter heaven where their soul will rest for eternity. Roman Catholics also believe that people who have family and friends to pray for them after they die will be released from purgatory sooner than those who don’t. This is why many Roman Catholics have an overwhelming fear of death as they feel they will certainly suffer, whether it is in hell or purgatory. Pope John Paul issued a piece entitled Incarnationis Mysterium which suggests that Roman Catholics visit certain holy sites to try and reduce the amount of time they will have to spend suffering after death. In this, there is was an appendix called Conditions for Gaining the Jobilee Indulgence which suggested ways for Roman Catholics to attempt to reduce the amount of time spent suffering after they die by carrying out good deeds during their lifetime such as visiting the elderly who live along, the sick, the handicapped etc. Some Roman Catholics carry out these deeds, but the question that has to be asked is, is this being done from the goodness of their heart, or for the goodness of themselves? It is clear that different Christians have different views on life after death, but are similar and can be linked together in some sense, for example, annihilationism is vaguely similar to purgatory in the way that people who have sinned are not punished eternally. However, can this be said for the views on life after death for Christianity and Hinduism? Certainly not, as Hindus have a completely different perspective of afterlife. For Hindus, death is referred to as ‘mahaprasthana’ which means ‘great journey’. Hindus believe in reincarnation, which is the cycle of death and rebirth after a while in spiritual spheres into a new physical body, this is where the soul, which is the true self, remains the same, while the â€Å"vehicle† of the soul to make the needed learning experience changes. Death means nothing else but the loss of a vehicle the soul was using during its many reincarnations, which is a physical body. Saint Tiruvalluvar wrote that ‘death is like falling asleep, and birth is like awakening from that sleep’, this quotation shows that no Hindu should really fear death, as an individual is not the body in which they live, but the immortal soul which inhabits many bodies in its evolutionary journey. ‘Samsara’ is the term referred to by Hindus and means ‘wandering’. They believe that the soul wanders from body to body in one lifetime to another. The Bhagavad Gita, which is the holy text for Hindus, teaches that death should not be feared and there is no reason to grieve, ‘For sure is the death of all that is born, sure is the birth of all that dies: so in a matter that no one can prevent, you have no cause to grieve (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 verse 27). This quotation states that all are born again so there is no point grieving over something that cannot be avoided. However, the reason why all living things are continually reborn is based on the Hindu belief in karma. Karma means ‘action’ and the law of karma is the law of cause and effect. Hindus believe that the life they are living may not be the first one, and they may have been born many more times before that. The law of karma states that any good or bad deeds than have been carried out in one’s life will give an impression and will be carried over to the next life, for example evil and selfish actions will consequently results in a life of suffering. Therefore, it is said to believe that ‘everything has a cause and purpose’, ‘What a man becomes in his next life will depend upon his karma’ (Brihad-aranyaka Upunishad. IV. 4.verse 3). For a Hindu, this belief could provide a strong incentive to live a good, moral life so the fear of suffering in their next life is overcome. The law of karma can also explain the differences in circumstances and in equalities between people around the world. Although many Hindus aspire to a good rebirth, the ultimate goal of any Hindu is for the atman (soul) to escape Samsara altogether and this is known as ‘Moksha’. Moksha can be described as perfect peace and happiness, or as the soul ‘losing itself in Brahman’. Brahman means God and moksha is a spiritual state of existence in which there is a union with God, ‘When all desires that rest in the heart are liberated shall a mortal man become immortal and attain Brahman’, which shows that when all thoughts are put to rest and when the atman is truly identified as the equivalent of the reality of Brahman, an individual will be able to make moksha their goal and achieve it. Yoga may be considered as a way of exercise to keep the body healthy and fit where as the true meaning of yoga is unity and integration, and is the means, methods and discipline that will enable an individual to bring union with a personal God, Brahman. There are three recognised ways of doing this and they are ‘karma yoga’, ‘bhakti yoga’ and jnana yoga’. By carrying out these, and using them as a guideline, moksha can be gained. Hindus see their religion as a way of life and many Hindus apply themselves and live their lives wanting to act to the best of their potential in hope that when they die, they will be released from samsara and gain moksha. Christianity and Hinduism are two major religions that are followed worldwide. They also have very contradistinctive views on life after death. However, both Christians and Hindus turn to their religion to find answers for existence along with death. They also hold tenaciously to the beliefs taught by their particular denominations as a way of comfort. One thing that Christians and Hindus have in common is that they both portray religion as a way of life and use scholarly teachings to influence them on which rightful path to follow in life. Death has been questioned for a very long time and no one has been able to answer the question ‘What happens after death?’, which means no one really knows what events will take place after we die, where we will go or what will happen to us. Although we try and answer all of these questions with religious beliefs, until one experiences death, the question that has caused distress to people for over 2 millennia still remains, is there an afterlife?

The Indestructible Women essays

The Indestructible Women essays In The Grapes of Wrath, we observed the several important roles of the women. The women in this novel were idealistic for their sacrifices and their roles in the family. Today, women are often viewed as just simple housewives who are always in control of their husbands, but John Steinbecks view of womanhood was much different. Womanhood is a term which is actually used to represent womens lives and how they respond to different situations. My essay is going to be on the four most important women of this novel: Ruthie, Grandma, Ma, and Rose of Sharon. From Ruthie, the youngest of the family, to Grandma, each member symbolized and portrayed everyday life for women in rough times. I hope these four women in the following essay inform you a bit about the life during the Depression and how the women made such a great impact. The very first woman I would like to talk about is a little girl named Ruthie, the youngest of the Joads. She is a young girl going through puberty that is trying to find her place in this world. She is young and inexperienced, trying to soak up as much knowledge as she can from her older examples. She is stuck between maturing and staying a child. I would like to repeat a quote from The Grapes of Wrath while Ruthie and Winfield were eating candy, "Ruthie, dressed in a real dress of pink muslin that came below her knees, was a little serious in her young-ladiness.... Ruthie felt the might, the responsibility, and the dignity of her developing breasts..." In just that one quote, Steinbeck uses three descriptive words to describe. The word might suggests power, which is used for nurturing and sustaining life. The word responsibility shows that women have a greater responsibility than men do. Finally, the word dignity shows her becoming a woman. When given little responsibility she fe els important and feels like she can be trusted with important information that affects the family. She gets so excited at ti...

A Novel IS Fiction

A Novel IS Fiction A Novel IS Fiction A Novel IS Fiction By Maeve Maddox Ive noticed that some people talk about fiction novels. A novel IS fiction. One can talk about writing a novel OR about writing fiction. To combine the two is to wear a belt with suspenders. (Another example of reluctance to let the word do the work.) In writing terms, fiction is any non-factual narrative composition. It may be short or long. It may contain historical or scientific facts, and it may describe characters named for historical personages, but the conversations and treatment of events are understood to have been made up by the author. Fiction may be written in various lengths. Here are some guidelines. A short story is a fictional narrative of no longer than 20,000 words and no shorter than 1,000. Most short stories run between 3,000 and 10,000 words so that they may be read at a single sitting. A novelette is a fictional narrative of from 7,500 to 17,500 words in length. A novella is a fictional narrative between 17,500 and 40,000 words. A recent fad called flash fiction concerns itself with the writing of extremely short narratives. People disagree as to the length of flash fiction. The only point of agreement is that it is shorter than the traditional short story, no longer than 2,000 words. Most flash fiction is between 250 and 1,000 words. Various terms for these very short narratives are in use. The oldest is short short story. More recently one hears postcard fiction, micro-fiction, micro-story, and sudden fiction. Some websites now feature what are called one sentence stories. The ones Ive read dont appear to be anything more than well-crafted sentences one would expect to find in a conventional story. They tend to be descriptive and anecdotal, but not true stories. Finally there is the novel, a long fictional narrative that can be from 60,000-100,000 words. For some authors 100,000 words are not enough: James Joyce, Ulysses: 250,000 words (It only seems longer.) Victor Hugo, Les Miserables: 513,000 words. Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace: 460,000 words in the original; 560,000 words in English translation. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged: 645,000 words. Samuel Richardson, Clarissa: 969,000 words. (English majors have to read this early example of an epistolary novela story told as a collection of letters.) AND THE WINNER IS Marcel Proust, A la recherche du temps perdu (In English Remembrance of Things Past/In Search of Lost Time): 1.5 million words published in 13 volumes. NOTE: the above Wikipedia quotation has since been corrected to read 1.5 million words published in 7 volumes. Proust was still working on this 7-volume monument when he died. The first English translation, by Scott Moncrief, was published in 12 volumes. Publishing history of A la recherche du temps perdu. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Homograph Examples40 Synonyms for â€Å"Lie†Plurals of Proper Names

Fostering Interpersonal Relationships in Diverse Groups

Fostering Interpersonal Relationships in Diverse Groups Proper interpersonal relationship is an important provision within international corporations. Additionally, the aspects of diversity must be considered within organizations in order to enhance competitiveness, distinctiveness, prosperity, and uphold meaningful competitive advantages.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Fostering Interpersonal Relationships in Diverse Groups specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A marketing campaign (organized by a global U.S. Corporation) meant to recruit team members in Greece, Singapore, Germany, and Iran must consider the provisions of varying cultures, diversity, interpersonal relations, and other relevant provisions in the recruitment drive. Since the organization endeavors to attain an international outlook, dominance, and presence, it is crucial to consider such provisions during the development of a viable recruitment drive (House, Gupta, Dorfman Javidan, 2004). This move will consi der and nurture the aspects of Cultural differences, gender provisions, power distance, future performances, individualistic vs. collectivist patterns, uncertainty avoidance, and assertiveness among other considerable virtues. There are numerous ways through which an organization can foster interpersonal relationships among the diverse groups of people from the four concerned cultures namely Greece, Singapore, Germany, and Iran. Evidently, each country has varying cultures in the realms of their lifestyles, operations, and workplace provisions. In order to foster interpersonal relationships, the aspects of tolerance, understanding, support, flexibility, and cultural dynamism are important. They allow one to relate perfectly with others despite the cultural and individual differences (Firestone Catlett, 2009). It is crucial to consider such provisions in the diverse contexts due to their viability and appropriateness. By promoting tolerance among the concerned individuals, it is pos sible to enhance the interpersonal relationships in a diverse workforce. Encouraging teamwork, providing individuals with considerable and equal opportunities within the workforce, as well as nurturing each person’s distinctiveness can help in fostering interpersonal relationships considerably. It is also important to appreciate gender differences, enhance equality, enhance future performances, and reduce the provisions of power distance within international corporations. The understanding of honor and diversity across the four cultures of Greece, Singapore, Germany, and Iran can be improved through numerous ways. It is important to enlighten the concerned stakeholders on the importance of diversity and how it can be nurtured to benefit the concerned organizations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, cultural differences can be used to improve the competitiveness, international presence, viability, and competitive advantages of the concerned company despite the challenges. This is a critical provision in diverse contexts as indicated earlier. Another practice meant to develop/improve the understanding of honor and diversity within the concerned organization is the development of equity and justness within the workforce (House, Gupta, Dorfman Javidan, 2004). Since the four countries differ considerably in the aspects of culture, it is crucial to consider viable provisions regarding this issue. Some cultures have established and embraced the provisions of individualism while others have embraced collectivism. Operating contextually in every country might enhance the prosperity of the organization. Additionally, minimizing power distance and avoiding uncertainties can actually help in the situation. It is crucial to understand how to be a servant leader to employees from each of the four countries namely Greece, Singapore, Germ any, and Iran. Since each country possesses distinctive workplace cultures, a servant leader in each country must understand the environment of operation, embrace interpersonal relationships, lead by examples, establish/embrace teamwork, and consider other viable provisions that will uphold the productivity of the workforce (Grà ¶schl, 2011). This occurs while regarding diverse stipulations in each country. Additionally, a servant leader must prospect the intended future performances of the organization in respective countries. This will help in organizing business prospects within the corporation. Concurrently, it is important to be assertive in some circumstances. References Firestone, R. Catlett, J. (2009). The ethics of interpersonal relationships. London: Karnac. Grà ¶schl, S. (2011). Diversity in the Workplace: Multi-disciplinary and International Perspectives. Farnham: Gower. House, R., Gupta, V., Dorfman, P. Javidan, M. (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Fostering Interpersonal Relationships in Diverse Groups specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Fair Price and Stock Valuation Techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fair Price and Stock Valuation Techniques - Essay Example If the estimation above were accurate, the share would be said to be undervalued by the market. The Gordon’s growth model has several weaknesses that may make the estimates not to be perfectly accurate. The model used above utilized a trend over 5 years to calculate earnings growth; this does not give a precise estimate. The data applied in the estimation stock’s value is historical (up to December 2011), the market changes from that time may have affected the share prices. The model also assumes constantly growing earnings per share; this assumption is not realistic and may over value a stock. The information used by the market in valuing the stock includes past, present and future information, whereas the model only utilizes past data. (Stoltz, 2007).   stock-analysis-on.net. GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) | Present Value of Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF) [Online] (Updated 2012) Available at: http://www.stock-analysis on.net/NYSE/Company/GlaxoSmithKline-PLC/DCF/Present-Value-of-FCFF [Accessed On 6 November 2012] Londonstockexchange.com. gsk   glaxosmithkline plc   [Online] (Updated 2012) Available at : http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-markets/stocks/summary/company-summary.html?fourWayKey=GB0009252882GBGBXSET0 [Accessed On 6 November

Recruitment and Selection of personnel. How to evaluate the Essay

Recruitment and Selection of personnel. How to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment processes - Essay Example In the next step, the research establishes a correlation between hiring methods and organizational performance across various parameters like financial, productivity, quality, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and quality staff retention. Research finds that some of the recruitment and selection practices have a higher correlation with organizational performance across all the above stated parameters. Finally the study suggests methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the recruitment and selection practices. Among various studies on human resource practices, there aren’t many that focus on measuring effectiveness of recruitment and selection methods. Recruitment and selection are those vital components of HR function that provide human capital to the organization, which forms the core of competitive advantages for the company. Attracting quality manpower through various strategies, screening, short listing and carrying them through the selection process and finally inducting the most suitable candidates in the organization are the various stages involved. Some of the researchers like Breaugh & Starke (2000) have tried to find a correlation between recruitment process and subsequently success of the selected candidate on the job. That provides one parameter for measuring the effectiveness of one of the components. Retention of the selected employees cant be ignored from the scope of effectiveness of recruitment and selection strategies. Though once the suitable candidate is hired, half the job is done, some of the issues related directly to employee turnover and retention, might be unrelated to recruitment and selection processes. However, staff turnout before becoming productive, can be a sign of ineffective process. In todays competitive world, Human Resource function isnt just a support function and the measures like Balanced Score Card have been developed to measure HR from financial perspective as

Write up of 'Cameroon Case Study' Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Write up of 'Cameroon Case Study' - Coursework Example However, there are other sickle cell anaemia screening tests unavailable to test sickle cell anaemia in the small laboratory at the Mbetta Health Center. The tests require high cost, a lot of time, and they are by the high temperature and humidity. On the first day in Cameroon at Mbetta Village, the nursing staff referred to me a case of a boy aged 4 years. The boy was clearly unwell; he presented fever, headache, fatigue, pain in the arms and legs. On physical examination by a nurse, the boy`s blood pressure was in a normal range and he had no palpable lymph node. However, the higher left hand abdominal quadrant palpation, auscultation, and percussion signified an enlarged spleen. The nurse noted the boy`s mucus to be pale in colour on examination and the sclera portrayed some elements of Icterus. With no any other abnormal physical signs observed from the boy, the nurse took a venous blood sample and put it into anticoagulant to assist in carrying out a laboratory investigation of the disease. Sickle cell anaemia affects bones, lungs, abdomen, joints, limbs, and lungs (Ohene-Frempong 2006). For instance, pain, swelling, and fever occur when sickle cells block limb veins (Center for children with Special Needs 2006). When spleen traps many red blood cells a mechanism meant to trap the abnormal red blood cells, it enlarges (Maakaron, E. J. n.d.). Lastly, life-threatening cases of sickle cell anaemia occur when red blood cells are trapped in the lung vein to cause Acute Chest Syndrome, which may damage vein in the lungs. It is detected through abnormal breathing and normal blood pressure (Ohene-Frempong 2006). The laboratory in Mbetta village is small and equipped as a basic haematology laboratory. It contains microscope, slides, cover slips, and various stains like Romanowsky stain and immersion oil. It is also equipped with haematocrit centrifuge, glass capillaries, an electrophoresis tank, and a power pack. A

Science Project Idea Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Science Project Idea - Research Paper Example Moreover, Kowalski (1987) points out that another research found that several days of fasting produced irritability, muscular weakness and depression or apathy. Since then studies has focused on how cognition is affected by nutrition. The sparse research on effects of food deprivation has created a void for further studies. Up to date no research has investigated perseverance despite its significance in cognitive functioning. According to McLeod (2002), perseverance can be a better indicator other than achievement tests in growth assessments in thinking abilities and learning as perseverance assists in complex problems solving. Testing as many cognition aspects as possible is the solution because the tasks nature is important when doing interpretation of the link between cognitive performance and food deprivation (Crumpton et al, 1966). Therefore, this research will help us understand how food deprivation for a short term affects perseverance and concentration with a difficult task. Particularly, participants starved for 24 hours will be expected to perform worse on perseverance task and concentration test than the ones starved for 12 hours who in turn are predicted to perform worse than the ones who were not starved. ... (ii) Materials Accuracy and concentration speed will be measured using number matching test found online (www.psychtests.com/tests/iq/concentration.html) which contained 25 numbers in 6 lines each as suggested by Eisenberger (1980). Participants will be required in 6 minutes to find in each line pairs of numbers that can add up to 10. Scores will be calculated as a percentage correctly pairs identified out of possible 120 (Eisenberger, 1980). On the hand, perseverance will be measured with a puzzle containing five octagons. Every octagon will include a specific object stencil such as flower or animal. The octagons will be piled on top of another in a particular way to make a rabbit silhouette. However, three of the identified shapes will be altered slightly to make the task impossible. Finally, perseverance scores will be calculated as a number of minutes spent by a participant on the puzzle before giving up (Green, Elliman & Rogers, 1995). Results After following all the procedures and doing the experiment, the results were as follows. Three questions of manipulation check indicated that every participant followed the rules and perceived correctly their deprivation condition. The average score for concentration was 77.78 with a standard deviation of 14.21 which was good. An average time of 24 minutes with standard deviation of 10.16 was averagely spent on the puzzle. From our prediction that 24 hour deprivation grouped participants would perform on the perseverance task and concentration test worse than 12 hour group participants, who would in turn perform worse than control group participants. From one way ANOVA, the results portrayed no significant effect of starvation condition on the concentration. On another ANOVA showed a significant effect on starvation

Political Science Discussion Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Political Science Discussion - Article Example Moreover, the article highlights on the diplomacy role of Obama administration in addressing the situation. The spat in public by Mr. Kerry is seen as affecting negotiations that have been there between United States and Russia in resolving the crisis in Syria (Gordon, Sanger and Schmitt 1). Moreover, the article addresses the reluctance of Obama administration in engaging directly in the political situation, in the country. The inaction is seen as the administration pulled back the threat of cruise missile strike (Gordon, Sanger and Schmitt 1). The only move the administration has taken is trying to provide support to opposition forces and handling of humanitarian crisis. In addition, the article talks of some meeting of different countries intelligence chiefs. The meeting came with a plan to provide rebels with most sophisticated weapon as a solution to Syria civil war (Gordon, Sanger and Schmitt 1). The idea was out of realization that diplomatic attempts of addressing the crisis has failed. The article helps in highlighting the challenges and failures in addressing the situation, in Syria (Gordon, Sanger and Schmitt 1). Moreover, it helps in showing response by leading players in the world politics on situation. It has also helped in showing why diplomacy has failed. However, in my opinion, the situation in the country can only be addressed in the warring parties are disarmed instead of arming both sides. Gordon, Michael, Sanger, David and Schmitt, Eric. â€Å"Middle East.† Nytimes.com. Web 20 February 2014.

The ontological argument for God's existance Term Paper

The ontological argument for God's existance - Term Paper Example Each Christian must be familiar and informed about the teachings of the Church and Christ. However, it is also helpful to be well-versed with the philosophical and theological writings of Church members. Most of these writings of Christian philosophers and theologians can shed light on the problem of evil, God’s existence and other hostilities that are rejected by modern non-believers. A concise philosophical foreword to intellectual arguments on the subject of God’s existence can aid in propagating the truth and representing Christianity as a logical religion and a lifestyle to other people. This study concentrates on three popular arguments concerning the existence of God – the ontological, cosmological and teleological argument. These evidences have constantly been disputed by different theologians and philosophers over the years. II. St. Anselm’s First Argument St. Anselm, a Doctor of the Church and Canterbury’s Catholic archbishop, was the firs t to formulate the Ontological Argument. This argument is conceivably the most bizarre and most intensely debated proof about the existence of God. It has gained the attention of prominent philosophers such as G.W.F. Hegel (who supported Anselm’s claim) and Immanuel Kant (who opposed Anselm’s claim). ... In essence, this means that the idea of God is a concept buried in people’s minds. God is a probable being and might truly exist. This is because the concept of God does not yield internal inconsistencies. If a particular thing/being exists solely in our own perception and could possibly have existed in reality, then it might have been superior and greater. Simply put, this certain something that is existent in reality great or perfect. Something that only resides in people’s minds can become greater by existing for real. Suppose that, theoretically, God exists solely in a person’s understanding and not for real, then it is probable that God would be greater than he already is (following from premise 3). This means that God can become greater. This argument becomes ridiculous because God is already a perfect being in which a â€Å"greater† is no longer possible. This is where the contradiction lies. Hence, it follows that the notion of God existing only in a person’s understanding is false. For this reason, God exists both in people’s understanding and in reality. This argument is intriguing because it claims that God, who is perfect, should exist in all possible situations so as to gratify his perfection. A God who is existent in only selected circumstances and does not exist in others is a being who is less than perfect. III. Gaunilo’s Reply to St. Anselm’s Arguments Gaunilo is a monk of Marmoutier and a contemporary of Anselm. He was responsible for the creation of one of the most vital critiques of the argument posed by Anselm. It is a sensible to care that the contention of Anselm unlawfully moves from the existence of a concept to the existence of something corresponding to that concept. As put sometimes by the objection, things are

Science Project Idea Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Science Project Idea - Research Paper Example Moreover, Kowalski (1987) points out that another research found that several days of fasting produced irritability, muscular weakness and depression or apathy. Since then studies has focused on how cognition is affected by nutrition. The sparse research on effects of food deprivation has created a void for further studies. Up to date no research has investigated perseverance despite its significance in cognitive functioning. According to McLeod (2002), perseverance can be a better indicator other than achievement tests in growth assessments in thinking abilities and learning as perseverance assists in complex problems solving. Testing as many cognition aspects as possible is the solution because the tasks nature is important when doing interpretation of the link between cognitive performance and food deprivation (Crumpton et al, 1966). Therefore, this research will help us understand how food deprivation for a short term affects perseverance and concentration with a difficult task. Particularly, participants starved for 24 hours will be expected to perform worse on perseverance task and concentration test than the ones starved for 12 hours who in turn are predicted to perform worse than the ones who were not starved. ... (ii) Materials Accuracy and concentration speed will be measured using number matching test found online (www.psychtests.com/tests/iq/concentration.html) which contained 25 numbers in 6 lines each as suggested by Eisenberger (1980). Participants will be required in 6 minutes to find in each line pairs of numbers that can add up to 10. Scores will be calculated as a percentage correctly pairs identified out of possible 120 (Eisenberger, 1980). On the hand, perseverance will be measured with a puzzle containing five octagons. Every octagon will include a specific object stencil such as flower or animal. The octagons will be piled on top of another in a particular way to make a rabbit silhouette. However, three of the identified shapes will be altered slightly to make the task impossible. Finally, perseverance scores will be calculated as a number of minutes spent by a participant on the puzzle before giving up (Green, Elliman & Rogers, 1995). Results After following all the procedures and doing the experiment, the results were as follows. Three questions of manipulation check indicated that every participant followed the rules and perceived correctly their deprivation condition. The average score for concentration was 77.78 with a standard deviation of 14.21 which was good. An average time of 24 minutes with standard deviation of 10.16 was averagely spent on the puzzle. From our prediction that 24 hour deprivation grouped participants would perform on the perseverance task and concentration test worse than 12 hour group participants, who would in turn perform worse than control group participants. From one way ANOVA, the results portrayed no significant effect of starvation condition on the concentration. On another ANOVA showed a significant effect on starvation

The ontological argument for God's existance Term Paper

The ontological argument for God's existance - Term Paper Example Each Christian must be familiar and informed about the teachings of the Church and Christ. However, it is also helpful to be well-versed with the philosophical and theological writings of Church members. Most of these writings of Christian philosophers and theologians can shed light on the problem of evil, God’s existence and other hostilities that are rejected by modern non-believers. A concise philosophical foreword to intellectual arguments on the subject of God’s existence can aid in propagating the truth and representing Christianity as a logical religion and a lifestyle to other people. This study concentrates on three popular arguments concerning the existence of God – the ontological, cosmological and teleological argument. These evidences have constantly been disputed by different theologians and philosophers over the years. II. St. Anselm’s First Argument St. Anselm, a Doctor of the Church and Canterbury’s Catholic archbishop, was the firs t to formulate the Ontological Argument. This argument is conceivably the most bizarre and most intensely debated proof about the existence of God. It has gained the attention of prominent philosophers such as G.W.F. Hegel (who supported Anselm’s claim) and Immanuel Kant (who opposed Anselm’s claim). ... In essence, this means that the idea of God is a concept buried in people’s minds. God is a probable being and might truly exist. This is because the concept of God does not yield internal inconsistencies. If a particular thing/being exists solely in our own perception and could possibly have existed in reality, then it might have been superior and greater. Simply put, this certain something that is existent in reality great or perfect. Something that only resides in people’s minds can become greater by existing for real. Suppose that, theoretically, God exists solely in a person’s understanding and not for real, then it is probable that God would be greater than he already is (following from premise 3). This means that God can become greater. This argument becomes ridiculous because God is already a perfect being in which a â€Å"greater† is no longer possible. This is where the contradiction lies. Hence, it follows that the notion of God existing only in a person’s understanding is false. For this reason, God exists both in people’s understanding and in reality. This argument is intriguing because it claims that God, who is perfect, should exist in all possible situations so as to gratify his perfection. A God who is existent in only selected circumstances and does not exist in others is a being who is less than perfect. III. Gaunilo’s Reply to St. Anselm’s Arguments Gaunilo is a monk of Marmoutier and a contemporary of Anselm. He was responsible for the creation of one of the most vital critiques of the argument posed by Anselm. It is a sensible to care that the contention of Anselm unlawfully moves from the existence of a concept to the existence of something corresponding to that concept. As put sometimes by the objection, things are

Different types of wastewaters Essay Example for Free

Different types of wastewaters Essay Domestic wastewater Domestic effluents are generated from activities such as bathing, laundry, cleaning, cooking, washing, and other kitchen activities. This contains a large amount of organic waste with suspended solids and coliforms. Calculations made based on available data show that half the organic waste is from the domestic sector (PEM, 2003). As stated in the EMB report, domestic wastewater discharges contribute highest to the BOD load as the lack of sewage treatment system allows more than 90 percent of inadequately treated domestic sewage to be discharged into surface waters, which contain bacteria and viruses that threaten human life. Geographically, data show that one-third (30 percent) of BOD generation comes from Metro Manila and Region IV alone, at 18 and 15 percent, respectively (PEM, 2003). Industrial wastewater Reports show that the volume and characteristics of industrial effluents vary by type of industry and are influenced by different factors such as production processes and the scale of production used. Industries that are found to be water-intensive, i.e. food and dairy manufacturing, pulp, paper and paperboard products, and textile products, correspondingly discharge large amounts of wastewater (PEM, 2003). Most of the water pollution-intensive industries are in National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Region III. Food manufacturing industries, piggeries, and slaughterhouses are the main sources of organic pollution (PEM, 2004). A report from a study conducted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 1999 emphasizes that the situation is even more critical with regard to hazardous wastes. In the said report, approximately 2,000 cubic meters of solvent wastes, 22,000 tons of heavy metals, infectious wastes, biological sludge, lubricants, and intractable was tes, as well as 25 million cubic meters of acid/alkaline liquid wastes are improperly disposed of annually in the Metro Manila area alone. A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted in 2001 (as cited in National Economic Development Authority’s document on the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010) states that around 700 industrial establishments in the  Philippines generate about 273,000 tons of hazardous wastes per annum. It was further estimated that with 5,000 potential hazardous waste generators, about 2.41 million tons of hazardous wastes will be generated. At present, the report added, there is no integrated treatment facility for hazardous wastes in the country although there are about 95 small to mediumscale treatment facilities that treat hazardous wastes (i.e., used oil, sludge). There is approximately 50,000 tons of hazardous wastes stored on or offsite due to lack of proper treatment, recovery and recycling facilities. Sometimes they end up being recycled in backyard operations further putting at risk workers and communities hosting these informal recycling facilities. Other hazardous wastes are exported to other countries for recovery and disposal (i.e. metal bearing sludge, used solvents and electronic wastes) and treatment (e.g. PCB). Health and environmental problems Much of the surface water in urban areas is a public health risk while rural surface waters are also sources of disease. The World Bank estimates that exposure to water pollution and poor sanitation account for one-sixth of reported disease cases, and nearly 6,000 premature deaths per year. The cost of treatment and lost income from illness and death due to water pollution is pegged at PHP6.7 billion (US$134 million) per year (PEM 2006). Pollution of our water resources such as untreated wastewater discharges affect human health through the spread of disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Some known examples of diseases that may be spread through wastewater discharge are gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and, recently, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) (PEM 2003). The state of water in the Philippines (Bacongui, Beau, 2007, October). Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/Global/seasia/report/2007/10/the-state-of-wa ter-in-the-phil.pdf Hazardous and toxic waste management Republic Act 6969, implemented by DAO 29 series of 1992, regulates the range of activities associated with hazardous and toxic materials (use, transportation, storage, export, distribution, manufacture, and processing). Users or handlers of chemicals must first check with DENR whether the substances are included in the Philippine Inventory of Chemicals and Chemical Substances (PICCS). A Chemical Control Order (CCO) prohibiting, limiting, or subjecting use to certain controls or conditions may be issued for chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk to public health or the environment. Environmental Impact Management System An on-going innovation under the EIS system is the introduction of programmatic compliance. Under this program, industries sited in declared industrial development areas may be issued a single Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). This approach has the advantage of reducing the cost of document preparation and review. Furthermore, it justifies the future application of carrying capacity assessments to determine the number and types of industries that should be allowed to locate in a given area. Philippines: Country Profile. In Green Productivity Practices: In Select Industry Sectors. (Abanto, Arnel. 2001) Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.apo-tokyo.org/gp/e_publi/gpp/0302PHILIPPINESrev.pdf Water pollution creeping in – senator MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines faces a creeping water pollution problem because of rapid urbanization and industrialization, a senator warned over the weekend. Senator Pilar Juliana â€Å"Pia† S. Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Health and Demography Committee, said she is worried that government has weakly-implemented programs to improve the quality of fresh water supply. Cayetano pointed out that inadequate resources, institutional fragmentation and poor statistics as the major stumbling blocks in achieving the goal of securing a sufficient future supply of clean fresh water. She said addressing this concern is in line with the Millennium Development Goal 7 for environment sustainability which is to reduce by one half, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources chairman, said the issue emphasizes the importance of refo resting the country’s denuded mountains. Forests, Zubiri said, act as watersheds, storing and releasing fresh water through natural processes. In past Senate Committee hearings, testimonies on the country’s forest reserve being  denuded at a fast clip the past few decades had been presented. Citing the Philippine Environment Monitor report of the World Bank in 2003, domestic wastewater represents 48 percent of the total pollution in the entire country; the rest is due to industrial and agricultural sources. In Metro Manila alone, the share of domestic sewage is 58 percent of the total. Because of insufficient sewage treatment and disposal, more than 90 percent of the sewage generated in the Philippines is not disposed or treated in an environmentally acceptable manner, Cayetano said. The same report estimates that water pollution costs the Philippine economy an estimated P67 billion ($.3 billion) annually of which P3 billion is attributed to health, P17 billion to fisheries production and P47 billion to tourism. Cayetano pointed out that Department of Health (DoH) statistics show that approximately 18 people die each day from water-borne diseases, which accounted for 31 percent of all reported illnesses from 1996-2000. She said the Congressional Oversight Committee was created following the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 2004 and found out weaknesses in the enforcement of environmentally-related laws. â€Å"There are too many hands dipping in the broth, so to speak. Around 30 government agencies are involved in the management of our water resources. The gaps, overlaps and conflicts of responsibilities are apparent during the conduct of our (committee) hearings, making the institutional framework highly fragmented, weak and complicated,’’ she said. Water pollution creeping in – senator (Casayuran, Mario. 2011, April) Retrieved January 9, 2013 from http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/312556/water-pollution-creeping-senator#.UO1KP-TwaSo ‘Water pollution a threat’ Gov’t not enforcing environment laws SWS survey  MANILA, Philippines . Five of every 10 Filipinos believe water pollution is a serious threat to their health and environment, but the government is unable to enforce environmental laws. Results of a survey of the Social Weather Stations released Friday also showed that at least three of every six residents of Metro Manila did not agree that pollution was an acceptable trade-off for economic progress. The SWS survey, a first on water pollution and enforcement of environmental laws, was commissioned by  the environmental group Greenpeace as part of its Project: Clean Water program launched in September. The initiative aims to mobilize action in protecting the country’s vast fresh water sources. A recent World Bank study warned of a possible water scarcity problem in the country by 2025. The survey from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 covered 1,200 randomly chosen adult respondents divided into samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. We wanted to see how Filipinos perceive the problem because it is very hard to push for the implementation of environmental laws if the public accepts water pollution as an unavoidable consequence of economic development, said Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner in a press conference Friday. Half of the respondents said water pollution in the country was a very serious problem and posed great danger to their health and environment; 22 percent found it somewhat serious; nine percent, a little serious; and 19 percent, hardly serious. While growing concern for water pollution was noted among residents in urban areas, with 58 percent finding it unacceptable that economic progress should mean environmental destruction, some 48 percent said they were not aware of any laws enacted to help prevent pollution. Among the environmental policies cited in the survey were the Clean Water Act and the Solid Waste Management Act. Out of the 1,200 respondents, 26 percent said they were familiar with the Clean Water Act; 27 percent were aware of the Solid Waste Management Act while 50 percent admitted not knowing about the laws. ‘Water pollution a threat’ (Uy, Jocelyn, 2008, January) Retrieved January 9, 2013 from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080126-114918/Water-pollution-a-threat Dirty Water: Estimated Deaths from Water-Related Diseases 2000-2020 (Gleick, Peter, 2002, August) Retrieved from http://www.pacinst.org/reports/water_related_deaths/water_related_deaths_report.pdf

I Love You Bro Play Analysis Theatre Essay

I Love You Bro Play Analysis Theatre Essay The La Boite Theatre Companys production of Adam J. A. Casss I Love You, Bro , directed by David Bethold, is a play which masterfully engages and captivates the audience. It effectively tells an enthralling tale of love, deceit and manipulation. The plays protagonist, Johnny, is a troubled teen who is desperate for love. Devoid of any power in reality, online chatrooms are his only escape. It is here, on the virtual stage, where Johnny meets, seduces and manipulates the unwitting Markymark, who through the lies of Johnny, becomes a tool in an incitement of murder. Although on the surface, I Love You, Bro may seem a twisted story of devious treachery, it is in fact a simple, yet tragic anecdote of a boy whose desire to be loved supersedes any other. The play successfully engrossed the audience through its skilled use of dramatic elements. The tension which existed in the play was well cultivated by the roles and relationships excellently portrayed by a single actor. Some of the succes s in this regard can be attributed to the highly creative use of the stage, and the combination of lighting and effects, designed by Renee Mulder, Carolyn Emerson and Guy Webster. Behind the many masks which he creates, Johnny (played by Leon Cain) himself is just as intriguing a character as any he invents. Coming from a world of domestic violence, lacking any who sincerely love him, it is little wonder that he reaches out in the only way he has available to him; virtually. Early on in the play, Johnny tells the audience he was never an outgoing personality; however, as the story develops, so too does Johnnys confidence. As the main protagonist, the story follows Johnnys struggle to connect with someone, and the gradual transformation of this struggle into an unhealthy obsession. The subject of this obsession is the oblivious teen footballer, Mark. When Mark first begins conversing online with Johnny, he mistakenly believes him to be a female. Johnny plays along, eager to satisfy his desire to be needed by someone. As time progresses, the relationship between the two grows exponentially, to the point wherein Johnny believes himself to be in love with Mark, wh o was still unaware that his online lover is in fact a younger male. Throughout the course of the play, Johnny conceived a multitude of spurious characters, all of whom served to further his connection with Mark. Initially, the chain of characters began with a simple error on Marks behalf. After mistakenly believing that Johnnys online alias AlbaJay was a female character, Jessica was born. Jessica was Johnnys first creation, and became his obsession when he came to the realisation that she could act as a conductor for reciprocated love. Jessica, although starting off fairly innocently and without any intention of harm, Johnny soon begins to conceive new characters to fuel his insatiable desire to feel as though he is cared about and attempts to achieve this with his creation of two new fictitious characters. These characters are Simon, Jessicas helpless, albeit fabricated younger brother and Stings, an intimidating bully. Johnny creates these people in order to heighten Marks feelings towards him by establishing an element of danger in the relationsh ip the two share. By putting Simon in a threatened position, and then using it to pressure Mark into a predicament wherein he has limited courses of action he can take, Johnny takes the game to a much higher level, and as a direct result, vastly increases the tension in the play. Similarly, the creation of Jane Bond and Agent 41579 serve similar purposes as Johnnys previous fabrications. Jane Bond and Agent 41579 both add to the danger involved in the romance, deepening the urgency of the connection between Mark and Johnny. In addition to this, Agent 41579 is similar to Jessica in that she acts as a magnet for attention and the affection of Mark. The establishment of the new relationship between Mark and Agent 41579 created a renewed level of tension after a lull in the play, and this was only increased as the plot continued and led to the attack on Johnny. This story is played out on a quite simplistic and minimalistic set designed by Renee Mulder. It consisted of an abstract stage, which was elevated in the upstage region to creatively act as a cyclorama onto which images and videos were projected. As well as this, the stage had a simple wire framed desk structure at its most downstage point. It was to this point that the entire stage was pointed towards and focussed on. This was because the desk and the computer which sat upon it were the pinnacle of Johnnys existence. His computer was the most important part of his life. The set was an accurate reflection of his world, and how it revolved around his online presence. The jagged and sharp edges of the stage also demonstrated the disjointed and shattered life which Johnny was a part of when not on his computer. The stage also worked well in cohesion with the use of a single actor. Being a small and uncluttered stage, the focus was always directed on Johnny and his actions, and this for ced the audience to engage with him and added significantly to the plays overall delivery. Another interesting aspect of the set was the wheeled chair which so often Johnny rolled around the stage on. The use of this chair to roll around stage showed Johnnys internal conflict and indecisiveness. On numerous occasions throughout the play, Johnny could be seen rolling around stage when faced with a difficult decision. This clearly showed his opposing and clashing opinions, a metaphor for his uncertainty as to which direction to take, and ultimately, his uncertainty in himself. The action of the play was effectively accentuated by lighting and effects. For the majority of the play, the stage was lit with an azure blue tinge. The lighting effects reflected Johnnys personal feelings at any certain time. A perfect example of this was seen when Stings took over Johnny. Stings was the darker side of Johnny, and the lighting of the production captured this aspect of him perfectly. Each time Stings appeared, the lights would immediately and without warning switch off from a light colour, and the stage would be bathed in almost total darkness, with only the slightest hints of light dancing around stage.In combination with this, a distinct whipping sound effect was played to indicate the rapid and brusque change into the alter ego. After the change had occurred, a low and menacing tone was played, personifying the insidious nature of Stings. Similarly, the azure colour which was present as Johnny took the guise of Jessica showed his softer, lighter side. These light ing and sound elements were creatively used to transmit both mood and personality to the audience, as were the simple images and occasional video images projected onto the cyclorama. Director David Berthold successfully manipulated the dramatic elements of distinct roles and relationships presented in Adam J. A. Casss I Love You, Bro. Consequently, the audience is able to connect on a very powerful level with this production. The play skillfully creates tension at key points throughout the plot, and by the timely balancing of this tension, the play was thoroughly engaging.