The Veldt Essay

Literature often deals with the dangers of our reliance on technology and the loss of innocence in children. The Veldt, written in 1950 by Ray Bradbury heavily relates to today’s society through our dependence of modern science and its technology. Through the children’s capacity for violence we are able to get a deeper understanding of the idea in the text of the negative impacts of consumerism and how that relates to our lives today. George and Lydia own an automated â€Å"Happylife Home,† what they thought would be good for their children and their imagination. The house is wife and mother now, and nursemaid. † [†¦] â€Å"I’m beginning to feel unnecessary to. â€Å" The mother Lydia says this and both parents are now realising there is something wrong with their way of life. They discuss how they are now part of a virtual reality rather than being self-sufficient and doing usual chores themselves. George and Lydia discuss whether or not to switch off the house, however therefore ruining their children’s happiness and their beloved nursery. This connects to the idea of the negative impacts of consumerism and the dangers of our reliance on technology. The roles of father and mother have been replaced. The children rely on technology more than their own parents and appreciate the house more than them. They are essentially living in a false world, which relates to our lives today. In the 21st Century the roles of not only mother and father but of workers as well have been replaced with technology. Those who worked in factories have now been replaced with heavy machinery and the consequences are the loss of jobs. Also though, today we rely on technology to perform the simplest tasks consequently making our generation lazier than previous generations. Another idea in the text is that we children’s capacity for violence through the use of technology and therefore their loss of innocence. Both George and Lydia question as to why there was so much death in the African nursery. We can now see however that’s its because Peter and Wendy had been thinking of death all along. â€Å"Why, they’ve locked it from the outside! â€Å"Mr and Mrs Hadley screamed. † After being warned the house was to be switched off, the children then locked their parents inside the nursery. Once inside, the parents realised that the screams they heard, and they prey they saw the lions eat earlier were in fact them. Then in the last line of this short story Wendy offers McClean, the psychologist a cup of tea, proving how effortlessly it was to kill their parents in order to save the house. Through the death of George and Lydia we can see this relates to today’s society. Just like the parents, we as a society today are locked inside of technology and we allow it to eat us alive. It affects our physical state with addiction and constant need for more technology. The Veldt, through the main ideas of the negative impacts of consumerism and children’s capacity for violence we get a deeper understanding of the dangers of technology. This story shows us how we buy devices without worrying about what they might do to our lives. It shows us the severe consequences of technology and illustrates how we as a society need to recognise the dangers before its too late.

Expansion of NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed on 4th April 1949 after the Second World War as a realization of the importance of close ties between United States of America and Europe for the stability and security of world [1]. It was a watershed event in both the US history and in the history of 20th century, as it marked the isolationist strategy that had characterized US foreign policy since more than 2 centuries [2].The alliance was seen as a counter strategy to protect Western European democracies against the growing threat of communism under USSR[3]. Later on this strategic-military alliance proved an important tool in the wake of Cold War between USA and USSR where it was seen as only safeguard for US and its allies against the expansionist designs of communist countries spearheaded by USSR.However with the disintegration of USSR, unification of Germany and end of Cold War in 1989-1991, the functional utility of NATO were re-examined to decide its future role in the ne w world order. However, end of the Cold War did not signify end of role of NATO and soon it witnessed the wide ethnic and religious conflicts in the Eastern Europe, especially in Balkan nations [4]. By 1995, NATO was required to intervene directly in many of these affairs as well as play the role of peacekeeper in the newly independent countries.Later on in the decade, the issue of terrorism raised its head, and presented further challenges to roles, responsibilities and scope of NATO’s future strategies [5]. Through the entire decade of 1990s NATO was shaping up its own future action course and on June 8-9, 1997, it took decision to expand and include new democracies of The Czech Republic, Hungry, and Poland, all former USSR allies, as part of NATO[6]. Since this decision has risen much debated and heat over its contextual application in the changed world order, and criticisms have been abundant on the merit of expansionist strategy of NATO in the 21st century world [7]. Thi s paper shall examine the various issues involved with expansion strategy along with their merits and demerits.The debate against the expansionThe decision to expand the NATO has created heated debates and arguments, both in favor and against of the decision. Many hold the opinion that an expanded NATO would be beneficial for world order, global peace and security and economic development and free trade, while others view threats of greater regional tension and hegemony of certain nations if NATO continues to expand[8]. The Expansion of NATO is generally opposed on following four grounds[9]1.The expansion involves huge expenditure to protect the allied countries. Estimates have put the expenditure at more than $125 billion annually if US goes ahead with the expansion strategy.2.Dangerously high level of commitments on part of US of protecting the newly enrolled allied countries. Western European countries themselves have demonstrated little interest in the expansion program as they consider it primarily an American objective. Thus it falls back entirely on USA to shield the its allies which may be a daunting and horrific task given the complex geo-political relation they share with each other as well as USA’s former nemesis USSR.3. The third problem is a modification of second problem which involves conflicting nature of relations among even new entrants in   NATO. Further, some of the Central and Eastern European countries such as Hungry and Poland are embroiled centuries long feuds with their neighbors and a conflict, even though on limited scale would make it mandatory for US to assist the member country, thereby widening the scope of the conflict.4. The last concern presented relates to the possibility that expansion may forever engage NATO as a peacekeeping authority in the extreme Eastern Europe where situation among several countries, including Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Hungry, is so volatile that repeated conflicts can break out over a num ber of years.The expansion and responsible factorsThe expansion of NATO came after long negotiations with former communist nations that included Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union. NATO took a series of steps, such as formation of North Atlantic Cooperation Council in 1991 and NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 1994 to develop an amicable and peaceful environment for effective interaction and cooperation for these countries[10]. The decision to finally include Czech Republic, Hungry and Poland came after long deliberations and amidst a growing consensus that these nascent democracies needed to be integrated in the western democratic framework to help them achieve rapid and lasting economic development[11].Although the debate on this expansion has been widely across political and strategic spectrum, it should be noted that it was not for the first time that NATO had expanded. Article 10 of NATO’s foundation document has g iven it implicit rights to include new members on their meeting certain criteria[12].As one of the central premises of NATO is that attack on any of its member would be considered as attack against all and hence NATO would be s justified in taking military action against the aggressor, it attracted many European non members to the organization to safeguard their democratic values, freedom, heritage and civilization[13]. Thus NATO has undergone three major expansions since its formation to fulfill its commitment to stability and continued growth of economy and trade in the member countries.By 1990s most of the eastern European nations were convinced that in joining NATO remained their only hope to protect their integrity, and ensure their survival in an increasingly chaotic political order. On its part, NATO was also eager to embrace these countries has it perceived that most of problems afflicting Europe were occurring in non NATO member countries and therefore by increasing the sco pe of alliance, NATO would contribute towards increasing the stability and security in the Eastern Europe[14]. Further, the new responsibilities gave NATO the much-required opportunity to present a changed face and more responsible and comprehensive attitude in the post-Cold War world affairs[15].In wake of these developments, notwithstanding the criticism and debates surrounding the earlier expansion strategy to include the three former communist nations, USA has confirmed its commitment to further expansion of NATO in the coming years[16].European security and future expansion strategy of NATOAs the Cold War ended in 1989, it became apparent that Eastern Europe was headed for comprehensive restructuring and reformulating the strategies that were no longer applicable in the new context[17]. Abatement of hostilities between Western and Eastern Europe provided an unprecedented opportunity to policy makers to work towards attainment of long standing objective of European unification, in which NATO was considered as a powerful catalyst.NATO provided the vital platform where the political, economic and military interests of both Western and Eastern Europe came together and its own regional development took priority with view to strengthen the economic and strategic coalition of European states[18].   NATO was the instrument that facilitated this ideological and strategic unification of Europe.In the view of changed political order in Europe and risks of terrorism, NATO has formed a long term future expansion strategy that makes it open to every European country which seeks NATO’s help in protecting its identity and culture while making transition towards democracy[19]. Although the immediate and pressing needs of any plan of expansion have receded, especially after the successful handling of Balkan crisis by NATO and demonstration of its continued relevance as a capable peacemaker. Also, the latest enlargement, as discussed before, addressed one of the pr essing issues on NATO, to form an active collaboration with former USSR supporting countries.Yet the future expansion of NATO is inevitable, as many non –NATO European countries would begin to meet the conditions for entry into the Alliance and may question its commitment to peacekeeping if denied admittance[20].Therefore considering the requirement of expansion, NATO has planned the procedure in distinct steps, with no-surprise strategy. Aspirants may request for membership two years before the decision making years that are set as 2002, 2008-09, and 2012-14. As strategist point out that these expansions would be limited to introduction of maximum one or two nations at a time, rather than multiple entry[21]. These expansions would increase the membership of NATO to 25 countries, making it one of the most organized and important military alliances in the modern times.The future expansion strategy of NATO comprises of five steps1. Development of military cooperation with the n ewly joined state under Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative2. Greater PfP coordination and cooperation to meet expectations and aspirations of new members3.Formation of rules and guidelines that assess a given country’s eligibility for consideration of NATO membership4.Assessment and scrutiny of a given country’s standing in fulfilling NATO’s commitment if accepted as member5.Deciding the time frame for new country to join the Alliance.ConclusionExpansion of NATO has to be seen from a broader and longer perspective. NATO has become an indispensable tool, especially in the changing nature of terrorism that is taking global dimension. As once the free democracies of Western Europe and USA combined to thwart designs of Communism, its equally vital in the present scenario for them and the new members to form an alliance that thwarts evil purpose of global terrorism for which an armed, military equipped and strategically capable military authority is necessary.NAT O, by expanding its membership, is in the process of gaining that crucial strategic leverage, as well as create conditions in the first place that would prevent many countries to be affected by menace of terrorism in the changed world strategic order.ReferenceAlexander Moens, Lenard J.Cohen, Allen G.Sens .NATO and European Security: Alliance Politics from the End of the Cold War to the Age of Terrorism.: Praeger.: Westport, CT. 2003Barany, Z. The Future of NATO Expansion: Four Case Studies. Cambridge University Press.: Cambridge, England.: 2003Carpenter T.G and Barbara C. NATO Enlargement: Illusions and Reality. Cato Institute.: Washington, DC.: 2001Gardener, H..   NATO for a New Century: Atlanticism and European Security. Editor:   Carl C. Hodge. Praeger.: Westport, CT: 2002.Kaplna, L.S. The Long Entanglement: NATO's First Fifty Years. Praeger.: Westport, CT. 1999Lepgold, J.   NATO’s Post-Cold War Collective Action Problem, International Security, 23:1 (Summer 1998): 7 8–106Millar A and Plesch D.T. Pushing the Envelope Too Far? Technology's Impact on NATO Expansion. Journal of International Affairs. Volume: 51. Issue: 2.: 1998. Page Number: 641.Seidelmann, R. NATO for a New Century: Atlanticism and European Security. Editor:   Carl C. Hodge. Praeger.: Westport, CT: 2002.Simon, J.   Central European Civil-Military Relations and NATO Expansion Washington, D.C.: National Defense University, McNair Paper 39, 1995Solomons, G.B. The NATO Enlargement Debate, 1990-1997: The Blessings of Liberty.: Praeger.: Westport, CT.: 1998.Szayna, T.S. NATO Enlargement, 2000-2015: Determinants and Implications for Defense Planning and Shaping. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001.[1] A. Millar and D.T   Plesch. Pushing the technology too far?   Journal of International Affairs. [2] L.S. Kaplan. The Long Entanglement, Praeger, 1999. p. 1 [3] L.S. Kaplan. The Long Entanglement, Praeger, 1999. p. 2 [4] A. Moens, L. J.Cohen, A. G.Sens.   NATO and European security .   Praeger. 2003. [5] A. Moens, L. J.Cohen, A. G.Sens.   NATO and European security.   Praeger. 2003. [6] G.B. Solomons. The NATO Enlargement Debate, 1990-1997. Praeger. P 1. [7] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003. [8] H. Gardner. NATO for a New Century: Editor.   C. Hodge. Praeger. Westport, CT. 2002. P: 23. [9] T.G. Carpenter and A.B. Conry. NATO Enlargement: Illusions and Reality. Cato Institute. Washington DC. 2001. [10] Jeffrey Simon, Central European Civil-Military Relations and NATO Expansion (Washington, D.C.: National Defense University, McNair Paper 39, 1995) [11] L.S. Kaplan. The Long Entanglement, Praeger, 1999. p. 8 [12] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003 [13] G.B. Solomons. The NATO Enlargement Debate, 1990-1997. Praeger. P 2. [14] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003 [15] Joseph Lepgold, NATO’s Post-Cold War Collective Action Problem, † International Security, 23:1 (Summer 1998): 78–106 [16] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003 [17] R. Seidelmann, NATO for a New Century. Edit. Carl C. Hodge 2002. p- 47 [18] R. Seidelmann, NATO for a New Century. Edit. Carl C. Hodge 2002. p- 48 [19] T.S. Szayna. NATO Expansion 2000-2015. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001. p-41. [20] T.S. Szayna. NATO Expansion 2000-2015. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001. p-42. [21] T.S. Szayna. NATO Expansion 2000-2015. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001. p-42 Expansion of NATO IntroductionNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed on 4th April 1949 after the Second World War as a realization of the importance of close ties between United States of America and Europe for the stability and security of world [1]. It was a watershed event in both the US history and in the history of 20th century, as it marked the isolationist strategy that had characterized US foreign policy since more than 2 centuries [2]. The alliance was seen as a counter strategy to protect Western European democracies against the growing threat of communism under USSR[3]. Later on this strategic-military alliance proved an important tool in the wake of Cold War between USA and USSR where it was seen as only safeguard for US and its allies against the expansionist designs of communist countries spearheaded by USSR.However with the disintegration of USSR, unification of Germany and end of Cold War in 1989-1991, the functional utility of NATO were re-examined to decide its future r ole in the new world order. However, end of the Cold War did not signify end of role of NATO and soon it witnessed the wide ethnic and religious conflicts in the Eastern Europe, especially in Balkan nations [4]. By 1995, NATO was required to intervene directly in many of these affairs as well as play the role of peacekeeper in the newly independent countries.Later on in the decade, the issue of terrorism raised its head, and presented further challenges to roles, responsibilities and scope of NATO’s future strategies [5]. Through the entire decade of 1990s NATO was shaping up its own future action course and on June 8-9, 1997, it took decision to expand and include new democracies of The Czech Republic, Hungry, and Poland, all former USSR allies, as part of NATO[6]. Since this decision has risen much debated and heat over its contextual application in the changed world order, and criticisms have been abundant on the merit of expansionist strategy of NATO in the 21st century w orld [7]. This paper shall examine the various issues involved with expansion strategy along with their merits and demerits.The debate against the expansionThe decision to expand the NATO has created heated debates and arguments, both in favor and against of the decision. Many hold the opinion that an expanded NATO would be beneficial for world order, global peace and security and economic development and free trade, while others view threats of greater regional tension and hegemony of certain nations if NATO continues to expand[8]. The Expansion of NATO is generally opposed on following four grounds[9]1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The expansion involves huge expenditure to protect the allied countries. Estimates have put the expenditure at more than $125 billion annually if US goes ahead with the expansion strategy.2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dangerously high level of commitments on part of US of protecting the newly enrolled allied countries. Western European countries themselves have demonst rated little interest in the expansion program as they consider it primarily an American objective. Thus it falls back entirely on USA to shield the its allies which may be a daunting and horrific task given the complex geo-political relation they share with each other as well as USA’s former nemesis USSR.3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third problem is a modification of second problem which involves conflicting nature of relations among even new entrants in   NATO. Further, some of the Central and Eastern European countries such as Hungry and Poland are embroiled centuries long feuds with their neighbors and a conflict, even though on limited scale would make it mandatory for US to assist the member country, thereby widening the scope of the conflict.4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The last concern presented relates to the possibility that expansion may forever engage NATO as a peacekeeping authority in the extreme Eastern Europe where situation among several countries, including Romani a, Serbia, Slovakia and Hungry, is so volatile that repeated conflicts can break out over a number of years.The expansion and responsible factors  The expansion of NATO came after long negotiations with former communist nations that included Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union. NATO took a series of steps, such as formation of North Atlantic Cooperation Council in 1991 and NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 1994 to develop an amicable and peaceful environment for effective interaction and cooperation for these countries[10]. The decision to finally include Czech Republic, Hungry and Poland came after long deliberations and amidst a growing consensus that these nascent democracies needed to be integrated in the western democratic framework to help them achieve rapid and lasting economic development[11].Although the debate on this expansion has been widely across political and strategic spectrum, it should be noted that it was n ot for the first time that NATO had expanded. Article 10 of NATO’s foundation document has given it implicit rights to include new members on their meeting certain criteria[12].As one of the central premises of NATO is that attack on any of its member would be considered as attack against all and hence NATO would be s justified in taking military action against the aggressor, it attracted many European non members to the organization to safeguard their democratic values, freedom, heritage and civilization[13]. Thus NATO has undergone three major expansions since its formation to fulfill its commitment to stability and continued growth of economy and trade in the member countries.By 1990s most of the eastern European nations were convinced that in joining NATO remained their only hope to protect their integrity, and ensure their survival in an increasingly chaotic political order. On its part, NATO was also eager to embrace these countries has it perceived that most of problem s afflicting Europe were occurring in non NATO member countries and therefore by increasing the scope of alliance, NATO would contribute towards increasing the stability and security in the Eastern Europe[14]. Further, the new responsibilities gave NATO the much-required opportunity to present a changed face and more responsible and comprehensive attitude in the post-Cold War world affairs[15].In wake of these developments, notwithstanding the criticism and debates surrounding the earlier expansion strategy to include the three former communist nations, USA has confirmed its commitment to further expansion of NATO in the coming years[16].European security and future expansion strategy of NATOAs the Cold War ended in 1989, it became apparent that Eastern Europe was headed for comprehensive restructuring and reformulating the strategies that were no longer applicable in the new context[17]. Abatement of hostilities between Western and Eastern Europe provided an unprecedented opportuni ty to policy makers to work towards attainment of long standing objective of European unification, in which NATO was considered as a powerful catalyst.NATO provided the vital platform where the political, economic and military interests of both Western and Eastern Europe came together and its own regional development took priority with view to strengthen the economic and strategic coalition of European states[18].   NATO was the instrument that facilitated this ideological and strategic unification of Europe.In the view of changed political order in Europe and risks of terrorism, NATO has formed a long term future expansion strategy that makes it open to every European country which seeks NATO’s help in protecting its identity and culture while making transition towards democracy[19]. Although the immediate and pressing needs of any plan of expansion have receded, especially after the successful handling of Balkan crisis by NATO and demonstration of its continued relevance as a capable peacemaker. Also, the latest enlargement, as discussed before, addressed one of the pressing issues on NATO, to form an active collaboration with former USSR supporting countries.Yet the future expansion of NATO is inevitable, as many non –NATO European countries would begin to meet the conditions for entry into the Alliance and may question its commitment to peacekeeping if denied admittance[20].Therefore considering the requirement of expansion, NATO has planned the procedure in distinct steps, with no-surprise strategy. Aspirants may request for membership two years before the decision making years that are set as 2002, 2008-09, and 2012-14. As strategist point out that these expansions would be limited to introduction of maximum one or two nations at a time, rather than multiple entry[21]. These expansions would increase the membership of NATO to 25 countries, making it one of the most organized and important military alliances in the modern times.The future expansion strategy of NATO comprises of five steps1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Development of military cooperation with the newly joined state under Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greater PfP coordination and cooperation to meet expectations and aspirations of new members3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Formation of rules and guidelines that assess a given country’s eligibility for consideration of NATO membership4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Assessment and scrutiny of a given country’s standing in fulfilling NATO’s commitment if accepted as member5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Deciding the time frame for new country to join the Alliance.ConclusionExpansion of NATO has to be seen from a broader and longer perspective. NATO has become an indispensable tool, especially in the changing nature of terrorism that is taking global dimension. As once the free democracies of Western Europe and USA combined to thwart designs of Communism, its equally vital in the present s cenario for them and the new members to form an alliance that thwarts evil purpose of global terrorism for which an armed, military equipped and strategically capable military authority is necessary. NATO, by expanding its membership, is in the process of gaining that crucial strategic leverage, as well as create conditions in the first place that would prevent many countries to be affected by menace of terrorism in the changed world strategic order.ReferenceAlexander Moens, Lenard J.Cohen, Allen G.Sens .NATO and European Security: Alliance Politics from the End of the Cold War to the Age of Terrorism.: Praeger.: Westport, CT. 2003Barany, Z. The Future of NATO Expansion: Four Case Studies. Cambridge University Press.: Cambridge, England.: 2003Carpenter T.G and Barbara C. NATO Enlargement: Illusions and Reality. Cato Institute.: Washington, DC.: 2001Gardener, H..   NATO for a New Century: Atlanticism and European Security. Editor:   Carl C. Hodge. Praeger.: Westport, CT: 2002.Kap lna, L.S. The Long Entanglement: NATO's First Fifty Years. Praeger.: Westport, CT. 1999Lepgold, J.   NATO’s Post-Cold War Collective Action Problem, International Security, 23:1 (Summer 1998): 78–106Millar A and Plesch D.T. Pushing the Envelope Too Far? Technology's Impact on NATO Expansion. Journal of International Affairs. Volume: 51. Issue: 2.: 1998. Page Number: 641.Seidelmann, R. NATO for a New Century: Atlanticism and European Security. Editor:   Carl C. Hodge. Praeger.: Westport, CT: 2002.Simon, J.   Central European Civil-Military Relations and NATO Expansion Washington, D.C.: National Defense University, McNair Paper 39, 1995Solomons, G.B. The NATO Enlargement Debate, 1990-1997: The Blessings of Liberty.: Praeger.: Westport, CT.: 1998.Szayna, T.S. NATO Enlargement, 2000-2015: Determinants and Implications for Defense Planning and Shaping. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001.[1] A. Millar and D.T   Plesch. Pushing the technology too far?   Journal of Interna tional Affairs.[2] L.S. Kaplan. The Long Entanglement, Praeger, 1999. p. 1 [3] L.S. Kaplan. The Long Entanglement, Praeger, 1999. p. 2 [4] A. Moens, L. J.Cohen, A. G.Sens.   NATO and European security.   Praeger. 2003. [5] A. Moens, L. J.Cohen, A. G.Sens.   NATO and European security.   Praeger. 2003. [6] G.B. Solomons. The NATO Enlargement Debate, 1990-1997. Praeger. P 1. [7] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003. [8] H. Gardner. NATO for a New Century: Editor.   C. Hodge. Praeger. Westport, CT. 2002. P: 23. [9] T.G. Carpenter and A.B. Conry. NATO Enlargement: Illusions and Reality. Cato Institute. Washington DC. 2001. [10] Jeffrey Simon, Central European Civil-Military Relations and NATO Expansion (Washington, D.C.: National Defense University, McNair Paper 39, 1995) [11] L.S. Kaplan. The Long Entanglement, Praeger, 1999. p. 8 [12] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003 [13] G.B. Solomons. The NATO Enla rgement Debate, 1990-1997. Praeger. P 2. [14] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003 [15] Joseph Lepgold, NATO’s Post-Cold War Collective Action Problem, † International Security, 23:1 (Summer 1998): 78–106 [16] Z.Barany. The Future of NATO Expansion. Cambridge University Press. 2003 [17] R. Seidelmann, NATO for a New Century. Edit. Carl C. Hodge 2002. p- 47 [18] R. Seidelmann, NATO for a New Century. Edit. Carl C. Hodge 2002. p- 48 [19] T.S. Szayna. NATO Expansion 2000-2015. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001. p-41. [20] T.S. Szayna. NATO Expansion 2000-2015. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001. p-42.[21] T.S. Szayna. NATO Expansion 2000-2015. Rand. Santa Monica, CA. 2001. p-42

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Historical) PowerPoint Presentation

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Current Trends in the Tobacco Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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How a second grade Special Ed inclusion class will benefit the Trotter School in Dorchester, Ma - Research Proposal Example The integration of the varied categories within the school setting varies some choosing partial inclusion while others are pursuing full inclusion practice. Either of the inclusion subsystems, it is notable the entire essence and role of inclusion in facilitating equal education opportunities for the people of the nation. The concept of inclusion remains a somewhat vague as many do not understand what inclusion means and entails. The subject of mainstreaming also arises as the public strives to understand the issues with the current education and the need for the changes to incorporate inclusion. The historical development of the subject began with â€Å"progressive inclusion† to define the process of the evolution of services for the disabled people. Initially, as the United States emerged as a national, the educational services did not factor the people with disabilities. In the early 800s, the residential institutions and asylums began to facilitate and accommodate those with hearing, mental, emotional or visual impairments (Smith 32). The options facilitated for the primary source of education for the disabled until the 900s when the unit for special day schools for the disabled came into fashion. The 950s and 1960s marked the organized movement from the parents of children with disabiliti es in pressuring the courts and legislature for changes in the education services for their children (Smith 38). Following the act describing education for all handicapped children, the disabled children had the basis to mandate them to access appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. This least restrictive environment is what inclusion seeks to establish for the children with disabilities as they pursue their life endeavors. It is difficult to establish the status of educational placement for the students with disabilities. However, according

Market research Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Assignment - Research Paper Example Energy drinks are products that became popular in the year 2000 and their popularity kept on increasing since then. These products are really suited for those individuals who have to work at night hours or have a hectic nature of work on their shoulder. The launch of a 12 hour energy drink would be considered a market leader product in a market where the current offering is only a 5 or a 6 hour version of the energy drink. As it is considered to be newer version of the product in the existing market, it would be really beneficial if a market research is conducted to analyze whether the product will succeed in the market or not. As the company in question lacks the budget to conduct a survey or the focus group research analysis, the only option left would be to use public information on the energy drink market that would help in identifying the target markets for such an energy drink. On the basis of the information and the current buying behaviors of individuals, it seems obvious tha t the target market for a 12 hour energy drink would be the age group of 16 to 30 years old. The recent trend of advertising for the energy drinks currently focus on the young generation of such age group. This age group is can further be divided into athletes, gamers, party lovers and workaholics. Now it would be really difficult to target all these different target groups with a uniform/similar product but since the product brings an extension to the time period i.e. 12 hour version, it may be possible that it can serve all the different target groups with a uniform product i.e. similar product, packaging, etc. By identifying the target market, a segment of the market would be identified. This market segmentation would help in reduced marketing costs for the company. For a successful market segmentation and target market, proper consumer data would be analyzed with respect to the energy drinks. Using the public information, both quantitative and qualitative would be analyzed. Quan titative data would include such as age group, the age group of 16 to 30 years old would be the perfect market as far as the age group is concerned for the 12 hour Power O energy drink. The income factor would not be much of a concern as far as the target market is concerned, the prices of such energy drinks are cheap and these can be easily bought by the target age groups. As far as the qualitative data is concerned, there would be no effect based upon the education of that particular target market. The occupation of the target market may come into question with regards to the occupation. People working at night hours are deemed to be fond of energy drinks, hence a 12 hour Power O energy drinks would really help them. The only question that would really matter would be the fact that such 12 hour energy drink would have ingredients that might have negative effects on the users. Such 12 hour energy drink would have heavy amount of caffeine that can be considered to have negative and harmful effects on the users of such energy drinks. Hence at the target age range of 16-30, it could be excessively harmful and it can create legal restrictions on the sale of such energy drinks (as is the case in Norway and Iceland where under 16 sales is prohibited) because of the increased amount of caffeine

The Cultural Competence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cultural Competence - Assignment Example A number of South Vietnamese were fleeing desperately in the jungle to small boats that were awaited to take us to the land of safety and freedom where we would eventually call home. During that period of darkness, I walked along a lonely road with limited family support as culturally mental health people like me were not recognized in the Vietnamese culture (Vaage et al., 2010). Problems are kept within the family rather than being shared with others and a facade often presented to the public to show a happy family life. When the social work profession does not solve the issue of understanding my culture, I would easily oppress the disadvantaged groups as a social worker, for example, those who try to share their problems. This is due to the misunderstanding of cultural differences. It is fair to say as a social worker, I must gain cultural competence to understand peoples cultural differences and the impact of social injustices on their wellbeing and to go beyond race and ethnicity (Healy, 2000). By implementing cultural care and as a social worker, I can more effectively address social injustice issues faced by vulnerable people in our community and tailor to the appropriate needs of clients empowering them to live life with dignity, respect, and values. Diversity refers to the characteristics that make people different from each other. Such differences set in as a result of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds (Omoniyi & White, 2006). In Canberra, the diverse communities bring vibrancy, innovation, new ideas, economic development, resources, and sustainability. The Australian Census of Population and Housing is a source of data about Australians and their cultural diversity. Census carried out in 2011 indicated that approximately a quarter (26 percent) of Australia’s residents was born in other countries, and a further 20 percent had an average one overseas-born parent.  

Service Operation and Manufacturing Operation Essay

Service Operation and Manufacturing Operation - Essay Example It covers the lean operations and resource planning system to illustrate clearly that point. Introduction Service operation management is very different from manufacturing operations management. Service operations management entails fulfilling the end user’s needs and creating a suitable environment for the workers so that they can produce the required specifications of the user (Johnston 1998). Manufacturing operations management entails producing the required commodity required by the end user. It entails making sure that the product required has undergone through all the detailed steps in the manufacturing process. Difference between service operation and manufacturing operation Service operation is a process that is concerned with the maintenance of daily operations that occur with in an organization. Service operation management makes sure that the daily activities of the business run normally without any interruptions. Service operations management focuses on the infrast ructure and the daily activities that are used to deliver services for an organization. Some of the tasks that occur in service operation include fixing problems that occur in the organization, fulfilling the user needs and requests, resolving failures of the system, and undertaking routinely operational tasks. On the other hand, manufacturing operations are the tasks that an organization undergoes in order to produce a commodity. Manufacturing operations make sure that the production of the commodity that is needed has been successful. In addition to that, it makes sure that the quality of the goods or commodities needed are met. While service management focuses on the maintenance of the infrastructure and meeting the requests and orders of a client, manufacturing operations makes sure that the needed commodity is produced. Service operations deal with the services that are to be given to the organization while manufacturing operations deal with creating the goods that are needed f or production in the organization. This is to imply that service operations deal with the intangible while manufacturing operations deal with the tangibles in an organization. The intangibles that service operations deal with is the fixing problems that occur in the organization, fulfilling the user needs and requests, resolving failures of the system and undertaking routinely operational tasks. The tangible that the manufacturing operations deal with is the production of the goods of one unit until the end. Manufacturing operations make sure that the goods that are required are manufactured and processed the way the client has requested them to be. In service operations, there is a relationship between the producer and the consumer. The production and consumption is simultaneous while in manufacturing operations, there production and the consumption of the goods occur at different stages (Hammer & Champy 2001). For instance, in a baking flour company, the task that service operatio ns entails is to make sure that the consumers are satisfied with the baking flour. The service operations management team will make sure that the daily activities in the company run efficiently. However, in a manufacturing operations set up, the management team will make sure that they process the baking flour that is needed. In addition to that, they will also make sure that all the steps that are required to produce the baking flour are completed. In a service operation system, the inventory concept might not be material. For instance in a health care sector, people who are queuing in a

African American Social Standings Essay Example for Free

African American Social Standings Essay The progression of African Americans in America began with a practice called slavery. Slavery is the state of a person who is the chattel of another. It began in 1441 when Portuguese men kidnapped 12 black Africans from Cabo Blanco and moved them to Portugal. This opened the door to slavery in the Americas. A British statesman stated that Slavery is a weed that grows on every soil. The first African Americans slaves in America were brought to Jamestown, Virginia as servants and or slaves in August 1619. In order for slavery to work Africans had to made to seem inferior, one of the main an most common ways to show this was through religious racism ( Aretha, David pg. 21 ) The practice of slavery was then sent to the south were they were put on plantations. Plantations consisted of a large mansion like home surrounded by a large farm where slaves planted and harvested crops and performed other jobs which they werent paid for. While on the plantation the slaves called the owner Master or Mistress, they provided the slaves with food housing and clothing. ( David Brion Davis, World Book online Slavery) While on these plantations many of the slaves faced severe consequence for disobedience. They received consequences for not working hard or fast enough, they would also be used as an example in order to control the others. Their harsh punishment would include branding, whipping, mutilation, chaining and sometimes the harshest punishment of all cold blooded murder. Slavery was one of the worst periods in American history. During this period of slavery there were few revolts but many runaways. While slavery continued to spread and get more brutal in the South, the North disagreed with the idea of free labor. Their difference fueled the abolitionist movement. The Abolitionist Movement was the first movement that lead to the African Americans political and physical freedoms from slavery. Antislavery activity began in colonial days. During the 1680s, Quakers in Pennsylvania condemned slavery on moral grounds. In the late 1700s, several leaders of the American revolutionary movement, including Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry, spoke out against slavery. (David Herbert Donald, World Book Online? Abolitionist Movement). During the start of the movement there were almost no public newspaper that publicized the abolishment of slavery. William Lloyd Garrison, an American journalist and abolitionist who became famous in the 1830 for denouncing slavery, published the first issue of his abolitionist newspaper The Liberator January 1st 1831, which was at that time the first Abolitionist newspaper. The reason William Garrison published the newspaper was because he was tired of the other methods that many abolitionists had tried. Garrison said slavery should be ended immediately. Another front runner during the Abolitionist Movement was Sojourner Truth. She was an ex-slave and also one of the main figures in the fight for womens rights and equality. On January 1, 1863, the Abolitionist goals were reached when President Abraham Lincoln the 16th president issued his Emancipation Proclamation. It read that all persons held as slaves in rebellious states are and henceforward shall be free (McPherson, James M. World Book Online? Emancipation Proclamation. ) . Around the same time Congress passed the 25th Amendment into Constitution which therefore abolished slavery. Months later it was ratified. Following the Emancipation Proclamation, The North (union) and the South (confederate) began a civil war which lasted from 1861 to 1865. The war ended with many of the major cities in the South in ruins and most of the Northern cities left untouched. The Reconstruction period in the U. S followed the Unions victory over the Confederate Army in the civil war . The period was used to rebuild the south and patch-up the relationship between the North and South. Along with rebuilding and patching up relationships, the North sent teachers to the south to educated the African American ex slaves who had became newly members of the society. The teachers taught ex slaves reading, writing an arithmetic. The Reconstruction Act called for a new Constitution to be established in each state. It also gave Freedmen the right to participate in voting. The 14th Amendment was also passed and ratified during the Reconstruction period. The 14th Amendment granted full citizenship to all people born or naturalized In the United States of America . Many of the laws passed during this period were set in place to protect the rights of former slaves, such as allowing blacks to vote an giving them many of the same rights as whites and protecting things dear to them such as property and money. During this period many advancements in society were made by African Americans, such as the Self-Leveling Table created by Charles William Allen , the corn planter check rower by Ralph W. Alexander and the spark plug by Edmond Berger these are only three of the more than 200 inventions/advancements made by African Americans during the reconstruction period. These African Americans, lead professions even when high limitations were placed upon them. (Aretha, David pg. 61) Advancements like these opened the door and let people know that African Americans were not incompetent but could actually make a difference in the world. Even though laws were set in place many southern whites still did not want to think an ex-slaves as anything close to equals. This lead to much violence and death of both whites and former slaves. In time, southern whites regained control of their state governments and took away many of the rights that blacks had won during reconstruction. ( Stephen V. Ash, Work book online? Reconstruction). After the Reconstruction period ended and the North soldiers returned back home, which left ex slaves with no form of protection lead to extreme backlash against the African American community by whites. Following the Reconstruction period Jim Crow laws came into effect. Jim Crow laws resulted from the support southern whites and their effort to maintain segregation of blacks. These type of laws plagued the United States during the 19th century. The first type of Jim Crow law was set in place in Tennessee which called for the separation of African-American and white riders on the railway. This practice was soon adopted by other southern states. The spread of segregation laws through the South was supported by a many Supreme Court decisions. ( Joe R. Freagin, World Book online? Segregation) The Separate but Equal Doctrine arose during the period in which Jim Crow laws were on a rise. The Separate but Equal Doctrine stated that African Americans were equal to whites but should be kept separate from whites. The separate but equal doctrine was totally incorrect. For example Blacks and whites were separated in schools but the white schools had busing an the best books and teachers on the other hand the black schools had run down classrooms and unacceptable books. Blacks and whites were also separated in eateries, the White restaurants had the best locations and best accommodations on the contrary the black restaurants were small and modest. Most of these Jim Crow laws were declared invalid by several Supreme Court decisions in the 1950s and 1960s and by the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968. ( Alton Hornsby, World Book Online? Jim crow) During the 1950s the Civil Rights Movement took flight along with desegregation. The Civil Rights Movement was just that a movement towards civil rights which were stated to be The freedoms and rights that a person may have as a member of a community, state, or nation. (Bruce Allen Murphy, World Book Online? Civil Rights) The first major event of the civil rights movement was the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education, which desegregated public schools across the nation. Schools in the south were very slow in changing their ways and violence usually erupted when black students tried to register. Then, in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, a seamstress named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. After she was arrested for breaking the law, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began, For 382 days, from Dec. 5, 1955, to Dec. 20, 1956 blacks refused to ride Buses and carpooled to destinations. It ended Dec 20, 1956 with the Supreme-Court-ordering desegregation of Montgomery buses. The boycott brought fame to a reverend named Dr. Martin Luther King. During the Civil Rights Movement the most effective way to get things done many believed was through non violence. Non violence was not just a way of acting but a state of mind and doctrine which Martin Luther King Jr. took from Mahatma Gandhi he stated that with non violence you can move mountains. Some methods they used to get their point across were sit ins, boycotts, marches and public speeches. Although many activist believed in non violence there was another side to the Civil Rights Movement and that was the Black Power Movement. The Black Power Movement was a more radical movement than the Non Violent Movement. Front runners like Malcolm X and other influential faces such as Huey P. Newton and Bud Siegel who together formed the Black Panthers all believed that the white man was the problem and that in order to win equal rights that African Americans needed to start fighting fire with fire and bullets with bullets instead of the more passive ways of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. ( Aretha, Chronicles pr. 261-300) In conclusion I believe that the law has provided African Americans with equal rights as whites but I believe that they may still appear not to be equal. In the 21st century I believe and know that there are many laws that seem to make African Americans and white equals but there is still much discrimination in the world. I also believe that the racism is not as bad but still exist, it just isnt as blatant and in your face as it was in the past. African Americans still have trouble getting jobs, being accepted into organizations and colleges or university, But I do believe that we have made a 900 degree turn from the time where Colored and White signs decorated the front of every doorway, restroom and waterfountian in the southern U. S.

Significance of the Study Essay Example for Free

Significance of the Study Essay This study is all about Wi-Fi connections on school campuses and the proper usage of it, there are several reports show, that some students don’t use those Wi-Fi connections for school projects, assignments, etc but they use it more on social networking sites such as Facebook, twitter, tumblr etc. other students use it for watching/downloading porn. The researcher aims to know what is the real purpose of Wi-Fi connections on school campuses and what they do to those students who are addicted to social networking sites. It will give help to those students who are addicted to social networking sites and how do they stop using it even in school hours. The study is very helpful because it improves the knowledge of the people that are involved in the study. It will give information on how students react physically and emotionally. Scope and Delimitation of the Study This study was undertaken to determine the usage of Wi-Fi connections on school campuses by third year high school students of Maryhill College during the school year 2012-2013 the respondents of the student were 223 third year students. This study also focused on proper usage of students of Wi-Fi. The aspects looked into were the meaning of Wi-Fi, proper usage of internet connection of students and other wireless connections. Definition of Terms For better understanding of the study the following were defined briefly: Internet. is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (often called TCP/IP, although not all applications use TCP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking technologies Wireless network. efers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise (business) installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment locations. Wireless local area network (WLAN. ) links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method (typically spread-spectrum or OFDM radio), and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet.

Managing Cultural Dynamics In Global Markets Commerce Essay

Managing Cultural Dynamics In Global Markets Commerce Essay Culture defines a certain way of life. The study of culture is one of the prerequisite for the studies of management and international management in particular. The knowledge of culture is also required for designing products and business strategies for the consumers of a foreign market. Figure 7: Components of Culture The management is a dynamic process and needs constant innovation and changes to accomodate as per economic conditions and cultural influences.The business strategy is formed as result of business effort, economic conditions and other components of culture. In this chapter of thesis, i choose to describe the sensitivity of management to dynamics of culture. It also focuses on origin and elements of cultures in different countries. 2.2 Cultures Pervasive Impact The culture affect the life of an individual from birth to death. It influences the consumption pattern as well as other habits. For example, Spanish are considered sleeping less than other Europeans. The birth rates  [2]  have been severely effected by other religious beliefs. For example, in China, there is more child births in the year of dragon(12 animals) as it is a symbol of good luck. The year witnessed huge sales of toys, diapers etc. So, the managerial decisions need to take account of such things. The below mentioned table shows the different consumption pattern existing across different countries: Table 1- Consumption patterns( annual per capita) Country Cut Flowers Chocolate (Kg) Fish (Kg) Pasta ( Kg) Tobacco (sticks) Wine (Lt) France 81 4.3 27.6 4.6 1375 30.4 Germany 120 8.7 10.2 5.1 1719 21.3 Italy 87 2.5 22.2 20.7 1869 34.4 Netherlands 125 5.0 22.6 2.5 1050 17.9 Spain 33 1.7 37.4 4.4 2288 13.1 United Kingdom 48 10.5 15.4 2.1 973 15.7 Japan 110 1.8 37.8 10.9 2472 6.9 United States 75 5.6 19.0 3.5 1428 5.9 Source: Euro monitor international, 2010 and 2011 From the above table, one can see the British consume highest amount of chocolate. This habit can be attributed to cool British environment, which enables better storage and taste. There is also trends of declining chocolate consumption in Six of European countries with decreasing latitude. Another important thing is about the fish consumption of Japan, as Japanese island is surrounded with water there is a special liking for Fish and seafoods. The Spanish have special liking for fish as well while the flat geography of England is suited for red meat consumption and production. The high noodle consumption of Japan is because of its proximity to China. There is one more interesting table on data related to consequences of consumption. Table 2: Consequences of Consumption Country Birthrate (per 100,000) Life expectancy Heart Disease Liver Diseases Lung Cancer Stomach cancer France 12.3 79 75 16 42 9 Germany 8.2 78 241 22 46 16 Italy 8.6 79 131 19 55 19 Netherlands 10.6 78 113 5 54 11 Spain 8.9 78 100 15 59 15 United Kingdom 10.6 77 162 9 57 12 Japan 9.2 81 59 11 42 41 United States 13.1 78 193 11 55 5 Source: http://www3.who.int/whosis/menu.cfm The longest life of Japanese is attributed to their fish consumption. But high incidence of stomach cancer is because of salty food, like soya sauce and bacterium Helicobacter pylori. This bacteria is because of unhealthy sanitaery conditions in aftermath of world war 2.This has also lead to inventions of some of the best methods to fight stomach cancer in Japan. Similiarly, the high rates of lung cancer among Spanish people is because of their high cigarette consumption. 2.3 Origin of Culture  [3]   To study how the culture of a particular country originated, its needed to study the things like geography, history, social institutions, economy etc. 2.3.1 Geography It is a broad term which includes climate, topography, flora, fauna and micro biology. The presence of large amount of sea water and ports in a country made it a trading hub. Also, Netherlands being a country with lesser colour due to year round snow fall made the people to bring best flowers to country. 2.3.2 History: The historical events have a strong effect on technology, social institutions, cultural values and consumer behavior. The most recent example is of 2003 Middle east conflict. Due to hatred against American product in particular Coca Cola, there were several brands born for example, Mecca Cola, Muslim Up, Arab Cola etc. There are thousands of examples, one is the formation of independent America and its values in 1776 after the publication of Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations. 2.3.3 The Political Economy: The most prominent ways to govern a country was of three types- Fascism. Communism. Democracy. The Fascism collapsed in 1945 followed by communism in 1990s. Another things to affect the political economy was seen in aftermath of September 9/11. The effect of political economy on cultural values will be detailed in next sections of this chapter. Figure 8: Origin elements and Consequences of Culture 2.3.4 Technology: One can easily notice the impact of technology on cultural values in United states. Apart from the inventions of jet, Internet the most influencing technology is the advent of birth control pills in USA. It was because of this that the women participation in United states workforce increased. Although, roman catholic church had criticized the advent of this technology . 2.3.5 Social Institutions  [4]  : The social institutions include family, religion, school, government and organization. These all institutions help people to organize and live collectively. Every culture has its own criterion related to the family, group behavior, men and women equality etc. For example, As Canada is diverse and has various sub cultures, a travel advertisement shows picture of a wife alone for English-speaking Canada and wife with husband for French speaking Canada. 2.3.6 Family: The family types vary around the globe. For example, Nepotism is favored in Chinese and Mexican cultures, while it is criticised in American culture. The size of family do vary with cultures, for example, Japanese mothers tend to care for her children alone and also sleep with them. An American family has parents working hard to support their kids. Also, the kids are taught lessons of individualism very early as they are put in separate bassinette. Also, the higher percentage of boys in India and China are because of the favoritism towards male child. 2.3.7 Religion: Religion is the first social institution a child faces on coming out of his house. The protestants believe in confessing directly to god unlike roman catholics, who confess via church. Some scholars are of thought that the protestants action promote equality among people. So, its important for business managers to understand others religion. It is not an easy task, for example, despite having close to 1.2 billion people following Islam, the MNCs often hurt their sentiments. 2.3.8 School: The school is another important social institution, which helps to shape consumer behavior. There are studies that show strong relation between literacy rates and economic development of a country. The world bank report also supports the above fact as it says that the countries with less than 50 per cent literacy rates are unable to develop properly. The good literacy rates of a country also helps in business communication, which is an important tool for business managers. 2.3.9 The Media: Media is the fourth most influential social institution after school, church and family. This emergence of media in past 30 years comes from the fact that the women have increased their participation in media work force and hence the influence of family has reduced over time. And, on average an American kid attends school 180 days per year. So, leaving plenty of time for too much media exposure and now it is being criticized as well. 2.3.10 Government: The government does not influence the thinking of a child or adolescence. The government has responsibility to effect the mid set of adults. For example, the French government promotes procreation among its citizen and also offers money as birth bonus. The Chinese and Japanese governments are promoting creative thinking by changing school activities and timings. Many times the government is also involved in influencing consumption. For example, after a research showing that drinking caused a lost 2 percent of Irish GDP, the government further tightened the rules to prevent under age drinking. 2.3.11 Organizations: The organizations have a say in media. They have access to global markets and has ability to influence innovation. The organizations can promote a new way of thinking and hence influence a culture. 2.4 Elements of Culture  [5]   As the culture has been defined as a combination of values, rituals, symbols, beliefs, and thought process. The management should give due importance to all of five elements. 2.4.1 Cultural values The cultural values differ from one country to another because of existing diversity across the borders. The study of Geert Hofstede explains how a culture affect the business behavior. His studies covered 90,000 people across 66 countries and he put emphasis on four basic dimensions. The Individualism/Collective Index(IDV). Power Distance Index(PDI). Uncertainity Avoidance Index(UAI). Masculinity/Femininity Index(MAS). The MAS index, which focuses on achievement is least important of above four and i chose to not discuss it in my thesis. Table 3: Hofstedes indexes, Languages, and Linguistic Distance Country IDV Score PDI Score UAI Score Primary Language Distance From English Arab countries 38 80 68 Arabic 5 Australia 90 36 51 English 0 Brazil 38 69 76 Portugese 3 Canada 80 39 48 English 3 Colombia 13 67 80 Spanish 3 Finland 63 33 59 Finnish 4 France 71 68 86 French 3 Germany 67 35 65 German 1 Great Britain 89 35 35 English 0 Greece 35 60 112 Greek 3 Guatemala 6 95 101 Spanish 3 India 48 77 40 Hindi 3 Indonesia 14 78 48 Bahsa 7 Iran 41 58 59 Farsi 3 Japan 46 54 92 Japanese 4 Mexico 30 81 82 Spanish 3 Netherlands 80 38 53 Dutch 1 New Zealand 79 22 49 English 0 Pakistan 14 55 70 Urdu 3 South Korea 18 60 85 Korean 4 Taiwan 17 58 69 Taiwanese 6 Turkey 37 66 85 Turkish 4 United States 91 40 46 English 0 Uruguay 36 61 100 Spanish 3 Venezuela 12 81 76 Spanish 3 Source: From Geert Hofstede, Cultures Consequences,2001. 2.4.1.1 Individualism/Collectivism Index: It shows the behavior which promotes self interests. The cultures that score high on this index promotes individuality by rewarding individual efforts while the low score countries promote group work. Individualism refer to a culture where everyone is independent to other members of family and look after themselves. Although, individualism do promote group work only with the difference that individual performance is identified and rewarded. 2.4.1.2 Power Distance Index: This index is a measure of inequality existing in a society. It generally refer to superiors and sub ordinates relationships. The cultures with higher PDI scores in above table reflect hierarchical organization set up and a sense of privilege for the managers enjoying power. The cultures with low PDI score promote equality. 2.4.1.3Uncertainty Avoidance Index: This index deals with the ease of acceptance of changes by the society. The cultures with high UAI scores are unwelcoming to new ideas. These societies have rules to check anxiety and avoid risks. The countries with lower UAI scores are risk takers. 2.4.1.4 Cultural values and Consumer Behavior: The Hofstede index scores do reflect the cultural values and behaviors existing across different countries. For example, the high scores of United States(91) on IDV reflects that the people like to sit alone and have separate office space etc. While high scores on Hofstede uncertainity avoidance index for Japan(92) and France(86) shows the rejection of risk taking behavior or these citizens might be happier not taking risks in stock markets. Americans have a score of (46) and it signals otherwise. 2.4.1.5 Rituals The rituals include behavior patterns that are learned over a period of time and repeated.For example, Marriages ,funerals or graduation ceremony. The rituals differ across countries. The rituals can be of dinning in a restaurant, in Madrid its common to have dessert first and dinner in midnight, the whole process may last for around three hours. So, the rituals help to form expectation among people. 2.4.1.6 Symbols  [6]   The researcher and anthropolgist Edward T. Hall outlines that culture is a type of communication. He further adds that interpreting symbols around us is an indication of socialization. The child starts listening, watching and learning languages, symbols around him. I start discussing step by step, starting with Language. 2.4.1.7Language The languages are in themselves a social institution and also holds political significance. For Example, in Canada there were political disputes over English/French languages in past. The French people are always trying to maintain purity of their language. In world, many of the languages are on the verge of extinction and the cultural diversity is decreasing with time. The importance of language is for managers, for example, a marketer wanting to sell products in Francemust be familiar with French. So, it is not unfair to say that linguistic distances are a measure of trade affairs among different countries and greater distances accompany with higher transaction costs. With time, the researcher have grouped languages into families, For example, Spanish, Italian, French and Portugese have roots in Latin. However, German, Chinese, Japanese are different branches of a language tree. The distance of these languages from english has been shown in previous table. Also, one can predict and expect different behavior based on the above mentioned index. For example, higher distance from English language is a reflection of lesser individualism. Also, French language has two words for you while English has just one, so English language promotes the equivalence of social status. 2.4 2 Aesthetics as Symbols  [7]   As we know an art has tendency to communicate. For example, in lieu of writing 1000 words one can draw a picture. So, aesthetics become an important issue to be tackled by business managers. Every culture has its own unique myths and metaphors. For example, if one goes to a Japanese restaurant, its common to hear subtle earth tones while if one goes to an ethnic Chinese restaurant, its normal to encounter bright red and yellow lights. The error on aesthetics issues can lead to huge business blunders. These issues are of more importance in deciding advertising, packaging signs of a product. For example, the Japanese word for four is shi, it also means death. In Japan, the teacups are sold in set of five not four. There are a set of different metaphors representing different cultures as shown in below mentioned table. Table 4: Metaphorical of 23 Countries The Thai Kingdom The Traditional British House The Japanese Garden The Malaysian Balik Kampung India: The Dance of Shiva The Nigerian Marketplace Bedouin Jewelry and Saudi Arabia The Israeli Kibbutzim and Moshavim The Turkish Coffeehouse The Italian Opera The Brazilian Samba Belgian Lace The Polish village Church The Mexican Fiesta Kimchi and Korea The Russian Ballet The German Symphony The Spanish Bullfight The Swedish Stuga The Portugese Bullfight Irish Conversations The Chinese Family Altar American Football Source: Martin J Gannon, Understanding global culture 2.4.3 Beliefs  [8]   The human belief is generally formed from reading religious texts. For example, the Western world donot like to use number 13, as they consider it unauspicious. This eminates from the fact that Jesus sat with 12 people in his last supper. There are various secular beliefs as well and they are also called superstition. For Example, the belief of ghosts and demons prevelant in many countries. The Chinese has special significance of number 8, as it denotes prosperity, so the business managers try to put price tags such that they end with number 8. There is another very interesting belief in China, that is of feng shui. It is a way to link a human body to external or driving source of energy, which is responsible for life. The fundamental is to reduce negative energy and ensure good luck, prosperity and good health to owner of the house. The business people often seek the advice of feng shui master to decide entrance of house, day of establishing business etc. In China, people donot like houses having North-West and South-West entrances, as both of the directions are considered to be of devils. This kind of practices must be taken care by business leaders. For Example, Hong-Kong Disney Land is built with the help of a feng shui master. Generally, it is found that some beliefs of a culture are not taken seriously by persons belonging to another culture. Such mistakes should be minimized as beliefs are a culturtal fabric and guide behavior of a society. Thought Processes: Across different cultures around the globe, the thinking method is very different. The book by Richard Nisbett The Geography of Thought is a master work on this issue and shows the existing different thinking patterns prevelant in Asian and Western societies. The author cautions that one should not try to generalize Japanese, Chinese and Korean culture as well as European and American culture. The general findings of the book are consistent with the data used in this thesis. The Nisbetts book shows one very good example of different way to look at a figure by Asians and Europeans. He found that if an Asian sees a picture, he will recall the key figure as well as backlground. But, if an European looks at the same figure, he will only recall the key central figure. This variation of thinking shows wide differences in preferences, values and expectations. The business managers need to be prompt in the above criterion, particularily in case of selling a new product or service. 2.5 Cultural Knowledge  [9]   The cultural knowledge cab be divided into two parts: Factual Knowledge. Interpretive Knowledge. The factual knowledge is associated with the facts which a manager is obliged to learn like, meanings of symbols, colours and tastes. The managers are also required to anticipate various cultural traits. The interpretive knowledge includes learning things like , the peoples attitude towards others, value of time and other cultural patterns. The interpretive knowledge also includes meaning of life in a particular culture etc. 2.5.1 Factual Versus Interpretive Knowledge  [10]   It is very important for managers to have full understanding of factual as well as interpretive knowledge of a society. For example, it is a well known fact that 98 percent of Mexican population is Roman catholic. But, it is also very important to understand that being a catholic in Mexico is different from being a catholic is Spain or Poland. For example, in all catholic countries All souls day is an important festival. The Mexicans also name it as The Day of Dead and believe that the dead persons come to feast and put the favorite food of ancestors on their graves. Its common to see market full of chocolates in the shape of bones etc. Also, the prayers are offered, candles lit. The later activities are catholic but the dead feasting is pre-christain Mexican thinking. The same day is celebrated very differently in other catholic countries. The interpretive knowledge includes the understanding of feelings. Although, this knowledge is dependent on past experiences but should be kept distant from the home countrys self reference criterion(SRC). The managers can be dependent on the text materials related to a culture for learning but the best method of learning is to spend some time in that culture. 2.5.2 Cultural sensitivity and tolerance  [11]   The managers need to analysze objectively any new culture. The managers need to be open in accepting new cultural values. The managers should not judge culture as right or wrong but as a different way of life. One should always keep in mind that for every annoying trait the people see in another culture, there are also some annoying facts in own culture. For Example, It may be a compulsion to use perfumes in one culture while the people in other culture may like to maintain their natural body odor. As the job of managers involve introducing changes and improvements, the managers must be open to accepting or rejecting new ideas and suggestions. The business managers must also be aware of methods to unleash any resistances to change as well. 2.5.2.1 Cultural Change The culture has been defined by many researchers as a living object as it is always going through transformations. The cultures changes in different ways, some culture are influenced by any natural distater or they are influenced by some external disturbances like the case of Japan after world war 2. The societies change to adjust for the changing environment. In order words, a culture is the best way to answer common problems poised by external environment of a society. The cultures also try to diagnose themselves by an activity known as cultural borrowings. This refers to looking into anothers culture for solutions to the problem faced in ones own culture. Another way to solve the problems is through inventions. 2.5.2.2 Cultural Borrowing  [12]   As discussed before, it is a systematic way of looking into another societies to solve the problems being faced in one owns society. For example, nowadays a person living in one country frequently uses the things manufactured in another countries, this is a clear demonstration of a way to solve needs of a society in best way. These cultural facets can be in the form of food, things and habits. It should also be noticed that once a solution is found, it is communicated to next generation and with time becomes a culture heritage. This cultural heritage is an important differenciating factor between human beings and animals. The cultural heritage may contain some borrowed behaviors but it becomes unique for a society and business managers need to demonstrate a clear understanding of them in order to ensure cultural empathy. Similarities: An Illusion The inexperienced business managers get illusive in drawing similarities among cultures which is unexistant. There are several nations in the globe who speak same language, have similar cultural heritage but a product acceptable in one culture might not be acceptable to another culture. That same applies to advertisements as well. Even is English speaking countries like USA and Britain, Although the spoken language is same, there may exists different meanings of a same word or phrase. For example, The Americans call bathroom as toilet in general context but in England bathrooms serve the purpose of only bathing. Another example is that an American asks for elevator and British for lift. Anthropologist Edward Hall says that the world pre assumes similiarities in American and British culture, which is not correct approach. Another interesting event for cultural unification is of Europe, the business managers and MNCs have started to refer them as European customers. Although, the concept of European integration is based on the fact that the barriers to trade and commerce must be reduced but this does not make the business managers to believe that all Europeans have same preferences and tastes. Even in European union, the different countries have their own traditions based on hundreds of years of their heritage. It will not be possible to remove those cultural heritages. The differences exist across a country as well, for example, the East and West Germans have seperate cultural values. In USA, the people in Southern parts have different cultural values than Northern part and so on. The business managers should not formulate common policies based on accepted beliefs, they should focus on the innate needs of individual markets. Although, with time the international markets will integrate and countries will have more economic and social interdependence. The managers need to recognise the pattern of cultural borrowings and keep away from mistakes of cultural unifications. As, culture is a broad term the managers should develop strategies according to the needs of culture . The cultural dynamics will keep on innovating with the help of inside inventions and borrowings, and it will always be an assignment for managers to identify and solve those challenges. 2.6 Resistance to Change  [13]   Although the human behavior, taste, habits and life styles change over years but this change is a gradual process. Any body needs some time to adjust in a new role. So, its usual to notice some resistance to change. The extent to which a change faces resistance depends and varies from one society to another. There are socieites where people readily accept new ideas and habits, geberally in the countries having high scores of high individualism( IDV), lower power distance (PDI) and uncertainity Avoidance index( UAI) like USA, there is special space for innovations. There are some other types of studies which try to find the extent of acceptance of innovation in a society. The research findings indicate that the innovations which resolve the innate needs and interests of a society are most readily acceptable. The best example is the industralization in Europe and the development of methods to make life more productive and the growth of supportive systems like fast food services to support valuable time mentality. Another case is of the rejection of genetically modified food items in Europe. The Europe saw first widespread protests against genetically modified tomatoes where as the other countries of Asia and America had it without any problems untill 2000. It was then that the people started protests and the federal government intervened to define new food standards. With time the resistance  [14]  to change fades away as people become aware for the need to change. Generally, the resistance to new ideas can be overcome in few months but for some complex ideas it may take centuries to overcome resistance. 2.6.1 Planned and Unplanned Cultural Change  [15]   In order to plan the implementation of changes, first it is necessary to identify those cultural factors which are

My Mom is a Pathological Liar :: Personal Narrative, essay about my family

I think it was my mother who taught me the meaning of honesty. Not because she was honest, but because she lied all the time. She felt that the easiest way out of any given situation was generally the best way out. And, for her, that generally meant telling a "little white lie." As a young child I thought it was kind of cool. And, naturally, when I would come to her with a concern or question wondering what I should do, she generally advised me to lie. "Mom, I told Theresa that I would go over to her house, but now I would rather go to Sue's house to play." "Tell Theresa you're sick," she would advise. And generally I did. But I didn't seem blessed with her lack of conscience. On many painful occasions Theresa would find out that I really went to Sue's house without her. These occasions taught me that it is more painful to be caught in a lie than it is to tell the truth in the first place. I wondered how it was possible that my mother had never learned that lesson. I started thinking of all the lies that I'd heard her tell. I remembered the time she told someone that her favorite restaurant had closed, because she didn't want to see her there anymore. Or the time she told Dad that she loved the lawn mower he gave her for her birthday. Or when she claimed that our phone lines had been down when she was trying to explain why she hadn't been in touch with a friend of hers for weeks. And what bothered me even more were all the times she had incorporated me into her lies. Like the time she told my guidance counselor that I had to miss school for exploratory surgery, when she really needed me to babysit. And it even started to bother me when someone would call for her and she would ask me to tell her that she wasn't there. So, I started my own personal fight against her dishonesty. When I answered the phone and it was someone my mother didn't want to talk to, I said, "Louise, mom is here, but she doesn't want to talk to you. My Mom is a Pathological Liar :: Personal Narrative, essay about my family I think it was my mother who taught me the meaning of honesty. Not because she was honest, but because she lied all the time. She felt that the easiest way out of any given situation was generally the best way out. And, for her, that generally meant telling a "little white lie." As a young child I thought it was kind of cool. And, naturally, when I would come to her with a concern or question wondering what I should do, she generally advised me to lie. "Mom, I told Theresa that I would go over to her house, but now I would rather go to Sue's house to play." "Tell Theresa you're sick," she would advise. And generally I did. But I didn't seem blessed with her lack of conscience. On many painful occasions Theresa would find out that I really went to Sue's house without her. These occasions taught me that it is more painful to be caught in a lie than it is to tell the truth in the first place. I wondered how it was possible that my mother had never learned that lesson. I started thinking of all the lies that I'd heard her tell. I remembered the time she told someone that her favorite restaurant had closed, because she didn't want to see her there anymore. Or the time she told Dad that she loved the lawn mower he gave her for her birthday. Or when she claimed that our phone lines had been down when she was trying to explain why she hadn't been in touch with a friend of hers for weeks. And what bothered me even more were all the times she had incorporated me into her lies. Like the time she told my guidance counselor that I had to miss school for exploratory surgery, when she really needed me to babysit. And it even started to bother me when someone would call for her and she would ask me to tell her that she wasn't there. So, I started my own personal fight against her dishonesty. When I answered the phone and it was someone my mother didn't want to talk to, I said, "Louise, mom is here, but she doesn't want to talk to you.

Fichtes Subjective Idealism Essay -- Philosophy Essays

Fichte's Subjective Idealism With a dramatic dialectic style, Fichte expounds his subjective idealism which seriously undermines claims of an external world and which ultimately borders on solipsism. Beginning with the question of Free Will, Fichte concludes that there is none before engaging a mysterious Spirit in a philosophical dialogue over the nature of Fichte's knowledge. In the end, Fichte curses the Spirit for revealing the grim truth: "all reality is transformed into a fabulous dream, without there being any life the dream is about, without there being a mind that dreams." Following the same path of reasoning as the dialogue, the Spirit begins by asking Fichte how he knows of external objects. In answering that the knowledge of external object arrives as a result of direct, immediate sense perception, Fichte concedes that he possesses no direct consciousness of outside objects, but only of himself. "In all perception you only perceive yourself," since perception is merely the conscious recognition of observation statements such as 'I see' ... Fichte's Subjective Idealism Essay -- Philosophy Essays Fichte's Subjective Idealism With a dramatic dialectic style, Fichte expounds his subjective idealism which seriously undermines claims of an external world and which ultimately borders on solipsism. Beginning with the question of Free Will, Fichte concludes that there is none before engaging a mysterious Spirit in a philosophical dialogue over the nature of Fichte's knowledge. In the end, Fichte curses the Spirit for revealing the grim truth: "all reality is transformed into a fabulous dream, without there being any life the dream is about, without there being a mind that dreams." Following the same path of reasoning as the dialogue, the Spirit begins by asking Fichte how he knows of external objects. In answering that the knowledge of external object arrives as a result of direct, immediate sense perception, Fichte concedes that he possesses no direct consciousness of outside objects, but only of himself. "In all perception you only perceive yourself," since perception is merely the conscious recognition of observation statements such as 'I see' ...

Zeitoun Essay

Despite warnings of evacuation, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Syrian-American owner of a painting and contracting company in New Orleans, chose to stay when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. During his canoe trip journey after Katrina, Zeitoun encountered many people who were trapped in their homes and in need of his help. Risking his life to save others, Zeitoun was falsely accused of stealing and dealing drugs because of his race. In Zeitoun, Dave Eggers portrays the view that America has towards Muslim people and how people are treated unjustly simply because of how they look.A few days after Katrina hit, the levees broke, leaving the trapped civilians in shock and poverty. People who remained in the city had little resources, causing many people to break into other homes and stores to find whatever they can to survive. Zeitoun sailed on his canoe around the city and helped people who were trapped in their homes, including two dogs that were left behind by their owners. He felt that he was unable to leave his business because he felt responsible for the damaged houses throughout the duration of the storm.Also, Zeitoun felt that his home was â€Å"worth fighting for† (70) Zeitoun believed that by staying in New Orleans, he felt as if this opportunity was given to him by God to help the people who were still trapped in the city. The National Guards showed up at Zeitoun’s house with guns, assuming that Zeitoun and his friends were part of the Al Qaeda. The guards forcefully tackled them to the ground and arrested them. The National Guards did not inform them why they were being arrested and taken into custody.Zeitoun was taken to an interrogation room where he was stripped naked and his rectum searched for imported goods. They were forced to sleep on the ground and could not touch the jail bars or there would be consequences. Zeitoun was accused of terrorist activity, thus he and his friends were treated inhumanly. During the brutal treatment in jail, Z eitoun had splinters on his foot and asked for medical attention, but his request was denied without consideration due to his status. Eventually, his splinter got worse and he had to perform a medical procedure by cutting the splinter out himself.The soldiers and police in charge of the city after the hurricane arrested anyone who looked remotely suspicious and even those who did not. Instead of serving the public by helping them in the days following the hurricane, they took the civilians to the Greyhound bus station where they dispensed people into cages. Zeitoun and his companions were denied their rights, including the right to make a phone call. Knowing his constitutional rights, Zeitoun makes desperate pleas to the guards to have the opportunity to call his wife, Kathy, in Arizona. However, Zeitoun is repeatedly met with answers such as, â€Å"Phone's don't work.You guys are terrorists. You're Taliban. † (222) Based on how they looked, they were treated as terrorists an d the law seemingly did not apply to them. When Zeitoun’s wife, Kathy, finds out that he was arrested, she did not give up fighting until he was out of jail. Kathy did everything she could to get her husband out of jail. Kathy found a lawyer and found out exactly where Zeitoun was. When Kathy came to see Zeitoun, Raleigh, Zeitoun’s lawyer told her that it would cost $75,000 to bail her husband out. The price would have been lower if Zeitoun was not charged of being a terrorist.Zeitoun was wrongly treated because he seemed to be different from everyone else, due to his ethnicity, heritage, and beliefs. The National Security were afraid that Zeitoun was a terrorists that would put the country into turmoil. The soldiers and police abused their powers and treated people that are different with brutality. Dave Eggers was trying to show the reader how people can be wrongly punished based on their background, race, culture, and religions even if they mean no harm. Dave Eggerà ¢â‚¬â„¢s book illustrates how people tend to jump into conclusions and make fast assumptions of others without getting to know them.

Communication: Death and Life Essay

Describe ethical dilemmas that may arise in own area of responsibility when balancing individual rights and duty of care. Nurses and other medical personnel normally confront ethical dilemmas when caring for terminally ill patients. Correct understanding of the fundamental ethical principles aids the nurses to examine major dilemmas in the delivery of healthcare to the very sick patients or terminally ill patients. Due to a boost in medical knowledge and expertise, so are alternatives for healthcare. These alternatives present intricate moral dilemmas when decisions arise regarding the treatment of dying patients. Majority of the medical personnel are faced with the decisions related to the treatment of dying patients to ease a patient’s final misery. Conceivably, a decision will need to be made about whether to allow a patient to continue living or to end his or her life by terminating treatment when all’s said and done. Often, these decisions concerning the care of a dying loved one confront people from all walks of life (Butts and Rich, 2005) End of life is a concept that is often ignored despite the fact that everyone will die some day. It is because death is a part of life that people are familiar with palliative care given at the end of life. Yet, the end of life concept is generally thought to be something equated with human life. At least, that is what people tend to think of when the phrase â€Å"end of life† is uttered. Today, palliative care is offered when someone is dying, and when the end is predictable. Some people die a slow death from issues like cancer or heart disease, but others die abruptly from an accident or heart attack when life ends. In the latter case, the end of life is only known in retrospect. How is the end of life defined? Death is very difficult to define. Yet, doctors have determined some criteria to at least allow someone into a hospice program. Still, the end of life can be looked at philosophically, and examined in regard to a number of different domains. For everyone, death is inevitable, and each loss is personally felt by those close to the one who has died. It is very important that nurses, the medical staff and or love ones understand the end of life process of the being in order to care for them. The dying person should be allowed to have a peaceful, pain free, and dignified death. The World Health Organization (2009) has defined palliative care as: â€Å"an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems such as physical, psychosocial and spiritual.†Caring for those receiving palliative care in the community during the end stages of life requires an extraordinary commitment from the nursing team, not only human resource but also competence, compassion and focus in anticipating the needs of the patient and family. It is a complex activity involving a holistic approach, building relationships together with expert professional skills and decision making processes (Melvin 2003). Similarly, in caring for older people the Gerontologists and ethicists argue that nursing home residents would receive more humane care at the end of life if they remained in nursing homes rather than were transferred to hospitals. Yet, there are legitimate concerns when advocating that nursing homes care for dying residents. Nursing homes recognize the need to earn society’s confidence in their ability to provide the dying the highest standard of care. Many homes do, in fact, deliver principled and compassionate are. Yet, even those homes that adhere to high standards point to the lack of industry guidelines on what constitutes quality end-of-life care as a barrier to their ability to assure that care to dying residents conforms to the highest quality. Nursing homes need public policy that supports their efforts to explore the use of palliative care models. Explain the principle of informed choices People approaching the end of life should have the opportunity to make informed decisions about their care and treatment, in partnership with health and social care professionals and with their families and carers. Good communication between health and social care professionals and people approaching the end of life and their families and carers is essential and should be sensitive to personal preferences. Treatment and care, and the information given about it, should be culturally appropriate. It should also be accessible to people with additional needs such as physical, cognitive, sensory or learning disabilities, and to people who do not speak or read English. People approaching the end of life should have access to an interpreter or advocate if needed. Workforces involved in end of life care should adopt an agreed, consistent approach and attitude to end of life care that encourages and accepts patient choice, regardless of their own background, culture and views. (Www diversity, equality and language, NHS, NICE guidelines) These principles should include: 1. The choices and priorities of the individual are at the centre of all End of Life care planning and delivery. 2. Effective, straightforward, sensitive and open communication between individuals, families, friends and staff underpins all planning and activity. Communication reflects an understanding of the significance of each individual’s beliefs and needs. 3. High quality End of Life Care is delivered via the process of close multi disciplinary and inter-agency working. Collaborative working ensures that the needs of the individual are articulated, shared, understood and reviewed. By developing and utilising networks the right resources and support are identified and provided. 4. Individuals, their families and friends are well informed about the range of options and resources available to them to enable them to be involved in the planning, developing and evaluating of End of Life Care plans and services. 5. Care is delivered in a sensitive, person-centred way that takes account of the circumstances, wishes and priorities of the individual, their family and friends 6. Care and support are available to, and continue for, anyone affected by the end life, and death, of the individual 7. Workers are supported to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to initiate and deliver high quality End of Life Care, or where appropriate to seek advice and guidance from other colleagues Workers recognise the importance of their continuing professional development, and take responsibility for it