Thursday, October 31, 2019

Integration paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Integration paper - Assignment Example Even though each of the concepts and theories learnt can be testified as transforming my learning in a very tremendous way, two concepts and theories I believe will continue to impact my corporate knowledge about emerging markets forever are the concepts on legal and ethical practices in emerging markets, and the ways in which local emerging businesses can effectively compete with multinational companies. These two concepts and theories are selected generally because they are transcending to both multinational companies and local companies. While learning about legal and ethical practice in emerging markets, I came to appreciate the kind of power and authority that the consumer in these emerging markets have as far as the command that they can have on the market is concerned. This is because for all this while, I thought that because most multinational companies that went to these emerging markets were from developed countries, they would go and influence the local people directly with their foreign ethics and culture. However, I have now come to appreciate the fact that culture and ethics are important concepts that establish the identities of people and so local consumers would not just allow the influx of foreign and strange ethics and legal practices to overtake what they have practiced for long. For multinational companies that are poised for success, the essential role that they can play is to admit a sense of readiness to comply by local ethical and legal standards. This is because with the ethical and legal inc lination that the local people have, they form a social hub, which is not easy to penetrate or break apart. Multinational companies must therefore see themselves as part of social network, where they are the ones who have to comply with set standards. The concept of competitions between local companies and multinational companies was

Monday, October 28, 2019

Trajectory of US Foreign Policy Essay Example for Free

Trajectory of US Foreign Policy Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The credo for â€Å"strong America and secured world† re-echoes the vision for retaining global alliances yet draws future challenges to US foreign policy in re-aligning socio-political confidence in the contemporary shift of political power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rise of third forces is critically perceived in the interplay of emerging political powers that may desolate convergence to US foreign policy. The perceptive basis of power shifting may in itself central to the change of US interstate (domestic) leadership and the clamor of the American people to reform the US foreign policies.    In contrast, the US economic, financial and military establishments can possibly absorb the vacillating pressure upon the change of political leadership.   The reconfiguration in the trajectory of US foreign policy may absorb the vacuum of power within the confines of socio-economic-political individualism. This individualism may be depictive to walking down a narrow road that is less traveled, as there goes an excerpt from the song ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (Elton John; in Taupin, B., 1973): â€Å"†¦So goodbye yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl, you cant plant me in your penthouse, Im going back to my plough†¦Ã¢â‚¬  From this pretext, what holds America’s foreign policy is to maintain the yellow brick road of economic and financial convergence ensuring the American people never to go back in the 1890’s US’ experience of great economic depression, in which today the US government controls its economic and political interests in a global landscape. This may be a classical overture leading to the contemporary challenges of US foreign policy, but an annotation to the modern political genre and re-structured geopolitical archetype in US’ shift of power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper will discuss the contemporary interstate (domestic) political interactions and the intrastate (foreign) shifting of political powers relating to the trajectory and future challenge in US foreign policy. Methodology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The review of literature will guide the overall discussions of issues and will be the basis of analyzing the situation. The method will adopt a 2-prong approach in examining the trajectory and challenges of US foreign policy to situate (2) interstate factors, and (2) intrastate responses. Rationale   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This section of the paper will present, review and discuss the January 2008 State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President George Bush in order to situate the interstate factors effecting the character-role of US executive, legislative, judiciary and military branches of government, and the intrastate affairs or foreign policy agenda.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   President Bush’ 2008 SONA emphasizes the credo for â€Å"strong America and secured world†. The credo calls on the critical character-roles of US’ governmental agencies in advancing the socio-economic-political-cultural well-being of the state from domestic to foreign abode. As quoted from the speech of President Bush, he implored â€Å"expanding opportunity to protecting the country, as the US government have made good progress, and yet it has unfinished business in which the American people expect to get it done† (The White House, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The quotation highlights the empowerment of US economy to which has been faced with uncertainties as indicated by job shortage, depleted market in housing, hurdled distribution of healthcare benefits, and reduction of revenues from increased government spending. Basically, President Bush refers both private and public financial incapability and the global economic recession. As further emphasized, the economic agenda is to draw a more empowered financial establishment and labor market, in which Bush stressed out the making of top quality American product as what he calls to be proudly labeled as â€Å"Made in the USA†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Science and technological innovations were also critically addressed by investing on research ingenuity and the unlimited development of scientific inventions and discoveries which aimed to create and provide â€Å"energy security.† Current technologies of adversaries must comply with human and environmental protection. President Bush reiterated the passing of the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† as encompassing the state immediate domestic need to education and urged US Congress for $300 Million scholarship budget.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On top of the domestic social-economic agenda for labor market, education, healthcare and revenue generation [through tax rebate package], President Bush cited the additional deployment of 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan, as he concluded that   â€Å"homeward bound† soldiers out of the 20,000 troops deployed in the Middle East must be replaced to ensure maintenance of peace and security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rationale of President Bush 2008 SONA was founded on recouping domestic uncertainties and pursuing the unfinished business in Middle East. Literature review: the shaping of US foreign policy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As presented and discussed in the rationale section of this paper, the literature review will examine the variety of â€Å"actors† and â€Å"factors† that relates the shaping of US foreign policy. The rationale section will also form part of derivatives to the overall discussions. The traditional foreign policy elites As an overview prior to discussing the topic, we may cite a quotation from the Director of Policy Planning Richard Haas of the US Department of State that may similarly define the traditional foreign policy elites: â€Å"Of the many influences on U.S. foreign policy formulation, the role of think tanks is among the most important and least appreciated†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (US Department of State, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the electronic journal, ‘US Foreign Policy Elites in a Post-Cold War Information Age’ published by Mark P. Lagon in 1996, the â€Å"special expertise† inside and outside of government that absorbs academics, quasi-academics, journalists, and polemicists becomes political appoint ­ees and career bureaucrats are referred to as â€Å"elites†. The â€Å"elites† creates the â€Å"inner circle† or sphere inside and outside of government.   Another representation correlated to the definition, the media has a crucial role in binding the â€Å"elite grouping† by providing medium of communication (or forum) for setting agenda (Lagon, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The 21st century â€Å"elites† may be also categorized or defined as a â€Å"political technocrat† because they have the capability to analyze or study a political-economic situation and influence the pre-condition effect or scenario of a situation. The elites may be also representing the â€Å"power brokering† between the governmental affairs and the social groups in a civil society. In domestic and foreign relations, most of business men and affluent academicians are the most likeable appointee or delegate to represent governmental functions. One that may exemplify the â€Å"representation† is by appointing a diplomatic functionary. The diplomatic function works within a â€Å"script† of function effective to carry out the mission at diplomacy level. In other words, the diplomacy level could only be functional in mediation and arbitration, in which the role of a â€Å"middle man† patterns the diplomatic functions. We may also refer the â€Å"at large† elites as belonging from the top social hierarchy [categorized by its family wealth and social academic status], in which may be â€Å"enticed† or drawn by political-economic sentimentalism [merely sympathetic to a cause, social conviction and plain beliefs] that allies with national advocacy and lobbyist groups or political activism. The capability of â€Å"at large† elites may have a â€Å"vacillating tendency† at crucial political standpoint, wherein to â€Å"toss coin† meant knowing both sides (pros and cons) of a national issue. In poor and undeveloped countries, like the Philippines in Asia, it has become a common knowledge that the traditional elites [mostly represented by disgruntled politicians, adventurous soldiers, government retirees, and idealistic academicians] have its own political grouping [even maintaining bureaucracy] inside and outside the government. In this case, the capability to be well-integrated in both â€Å"camps† and political grouping (opposition and government) attributes the ability to situate, adapt and formulate political configuration, in which the prognosis equates to being a â€Å"think tank†. In the US, the traditional elites are those belonging from a confederate political backing [that is also known as interest groups] that carry out a â€Å"national interest† agenda may it be through electoral processes, lobbying and issue advocacy. From that point of view, the capability to create impact could be publicly supported. Moreover, the special scholastic skill to substantiate political issues or able to expand prolific deductions or analogies could influence the policy making initiatives. The affiliation between elites and the gen ­eral public in a democratic processes of policy-mak ­ing is involving mobilization and ratification, wherein the elites configures the outline of a pol ­icy and mobilizes public convergence in which the framing of a policy is set at the dispensation of the legislative, executive and judiciary branches of government [and even the military establishments] for interstate (domestic) or intrastate (foreign) implementation. US political culture and mass public opinion In a joint lecture in year 2006 conducted by Bruce E. Gronbeck, A. Craig Baird from the University of Iowa and John D. Lees from Manchester University in England, they defined the contemporary political culture and mass public opinion under two categories; popularity and populism. Accordingly, popularity is more central to the personalities and characters involving the issues (be it social, economic and political). On the other hand, populism is drawn as an action-oriented response invoking the right to redress grievances and holding of assemblies. Combining both popularity and populism as a public response or action toward an issue is considered a relevantly critical public interest undertaking. The significance of political culture and mass public opinion which compose popularity and populism flows in the typologies of â€Å"information† and constructively appears in the public life. One example is the flow of information of economic uncertainty [as communicated by media] is the indication of depleted housing market, scarcity of healthcare benefits and shortage of labor markets, which was outlined in the political-economic agenda of President Bush’ 2008 SONA.    In contrast, political and economic analysts believe that government indecisiveness draws more â€Å"hostile popularity† of political leadership, in which populism resort to civic action or civil defiance. Like any other countries (poor and rich), the political culture and mass public opinion is focus at the governmental leadership and performance. The civil society [as composing various groupings] is the bulwark of indispensable opinion and perception consistent to the so-called â€Å"participatory or popular democracy†. The political culture and mass public opinion therefore refers to the existence of democratic processes that describes the type, category and classification of framing a public policy. The interest groups and the ‘military-industrial complex’ The interest groups being generally defined and perceived as grouping of individual types and stakeholders for socio-political interest or convictions are not representing the government neither functionaries of a government office. The interest group has varied classifications, such as endorser and financier of political candidates, advocates and lobbyist for legislative policy agenda, social work composing the non-governmental organizations and political activists. These classifications of interest groups are also described as â€Å"pressure groups† in a civil society. The US-based Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) found that the â€Å"pressure groups† are vulnerable to collaborating with â€Å"domestic extremists† being classified as hate groups that allies with â€Å"left-wing† radical activists motivated by religious-racial-cultural conservatism. To cite, the incident on April 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that accounted 168 deaths and wounded about 500 people has attributed to domestic terrorism, and suspected by the FBI as multi-perpetuated and politically motivated actions linking the â€Å"interest groups† of radical political activists opposing the World Trade Organization (WTO; in Fletcher, H., 2008). On the other hand, the military-industrial complex refers to the established institution of the US Armed Forces. However, a group of stakeholders [that are also classified as interest groups] acts as brokers, traders and suppliers of weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces. These stakeholders or interest groups also serve as a â€Å"pressure group† in dealing with the passing or enactment of a policy concerning homeland defense and most especially foreign security policy. The US war on Iraq and the continuing anti-terrorism campaign of the US government favors the stakeholders, in which the demand for supplying weaponry and armaments to the US Armed Forces categorically defines â€Å"profitable business in war†. The traditional and new media Based on the journal, ‘The Interaction of Traditional and New Media’, authored by John D. Leckenby and Everett D. Collier from the Department of Advertising, College of Communication at the University of Texas, the medium of communication has evolved the typologies of media outfit. The type of traditional and new media is classified in terms of technology, in which the information delivery and access through the Internet has typified the â€Å"traditional† and â€Å"new† medium of communication and updating to social developments. However, the classification does not necessarily feature the newest approach to bringing information and accessibility to consumers. As cited, the televisions broadcast and print media although classified as traditional [in the cyber age] still captures and captivates impact to public interest (Leckenby Collier, 2003). It maybe recalled that the coverage of television, broadcast and print media in Iraq has kept abreast the development of war around the world. It may be also a fact that the electronic or cyber media outfit relies from the â€Å"feedback information† of correspondents in Iraq. Otherwise direct satellite connection to the Internet could be most promptly delivered. At hindsight, a significant number of consumers to information are inaccessible or inadequate [and do not have computer facility] to use the Internet. To compare and contrast, the â€Å"new† media is based on the above definition on the use of cyber-technology that differentiates â€Å"traditional†, but not yet totally recognized as a habitual utility in a society. The societal significance of the â€Å"new media† outfit [using the Internet] may only be considered as an added feature to bringing about interactions of affluent group of people, financially supported political campaigns, and the attempt of the government to develop online transactions. In addition, the cyber-technology that pertains to E-commerce may be remotely attributed to â€Å"new media† with regard to journalism. What is then more significant [aside from classification] is the emerging venue or medium of both traditional and new media that bring about and reach out the development and trends of governance and public interest. Examining the White House and executive agencies The â€Å"White House† symbolizes the seat of power of the President of the United States. Political analysts even put satire to the white house as the home of many kitchens and chefs, wherein what is cooking inside the white house might be sourly, distasteful, and spoiled. The parallelism of this political satire may be referring to the consistent, efficient and effective role-modeling of the Chief Executive being the symbolical figure head of the White House. What is then bestowed upon the mandate of the President must be retained to the sovereign will of the people; the vox populi. Therefore, the mandate shall immerse in the life of the Executive Cabinet. Department of State The US Department of State (USDS) emanated from the year 1789 establishment of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Its primary mandate is to protect the global interests of the US government by managing about 250 US embassies and consulates throughout the world. The functionaries of USDS represent the US government to the United Nation (UN), NATO (North American Treaty Organization), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), and the European Union. USDS also manages the issuance of travel advisory to its citizens at home and in abroad. In sum, the USDS may be referred to as a fortress of the US foreign relations, in which it accesses and reach out international boundaries. Through that, it serves as a pipeline and breadth of US’ foreign policies and diplomatic partnership. The USDS plays a vital role in US’ global governmental functions. Thus, the trajectory of US foreign policy can be substantively achieved at intrastate domains. Department of Defense Mandated to secure and protect the domestic abode, the US Department of Defense (USDOD) has expansive role in protecting the foreign interest of the US government. The claim for â€Å"soldier-heroes† has been brought in the US war to Iraq. President Bush addressed the USDOD as â€Å"champions† of restoring democracies from adverse governments around the world. In early 1960’s towards mid-1970, former President Nixon mandated the USDOD in deploying troops to Vietnam as â€Å"mandamus duty† of the President to participate in domestic war. However, it has proven the saying â€Å"not to fight an enemy in his own backyard†, wherein an approximate 58,000 US soldiers died in related combat operations. Today, the war in Iraq has accounted 20,000 US troops deployment, aside from the most recent calling of President Bush [in his 2008 SONA] to deploy 3,200 Marines. The USDOD maintains its â€Å"military-industrial complex† in collaboration with various international governments upon the US foreign policy to â€Å"secure the world† in pursuit of war against domestic and international terrorism. Intelligence Community The intelligence community (commonly called as IC) is described by Military experts as â€Å"eyes and ears† of the US government, wherein it gathers information, process information and package information as a derivative or aid for policy legislation. The labeling of â€Å"spying† has graduated from the post-cold war competition of mice-and-cat espionage activities of CIA to Russian KGB. The contemporary strategic approach is focusing on the open-source information gathering that uses the method of HUMINT (human intelligence). The IC reform has been outlined in the enactment of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004. The creation of the Office of the Director for National Intelligence (ODNI) empowers the strategic and tactical approaches to processing the global information. Upon enactment of IRTPA, the Executive and Congress has accessed the â€Å"transparent undertaking† of the CIA and put the work into a new â€Å"twist† of domestic and foreign intelligence and enforcement that synergize and harmonize working relationship with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the USDOD. Economic institutions   The Department of Treasury holds the coffer of the State. Just like the â€Å"yellow brick road† [partly discussed in the introductory section] that symbolizes the commercial district in New York, wherein the former seat of monetary transactions happens at Wall Street, it ensure and protect the financial wellbeing of the State and the US government financing of domestic and foreign projects. The role of the Department of Treasury is not limited to revenue generations, printing of receipts, bank notes, federal reserves, debt collections and banking. The versatile character of the Department of Treasury is to determine the financial viability of US foreign investments, in which fiscal management form part in shaping a feasible and optimal policy that protects the US interest. The US Congress and the Courts The legislative and judiciary has commonalities in policy undertaking. The only difference is the characterization of policy in terms of ratification and interpretation of law [with jurisprudential values] effecting and affecting the enforcement. The passing of the IRTPA of 2004 is regarded as a comprehensive policy enactment in US history of law enforcement. First, the reform in IC through establishment of ODNI has carried out significant enforcement in arresting â€Å"domestic terrorist†. Second is the empowerment of the President to enact on Executive Orders [as presidential decision] to harmonize the homeland defense system. And, third, the juridical justification of continuous deployment of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US Public Law endures the pursuit of foreign interest in a â€Å"witch hunting† expedition against the terrorist. The foreign ally governments receives the support to law enforcement, supply of weaponry and economic projects, somehow, the burden of vulnerability from so-called enemies are translated into committing of human errors in enforcement resulting human rights violations and domestic economic disturbance. It may be perceived that while US foreign policy instigates the war on terrorism, the host country or government suffers socio-economic-political derailment. Critical analysis on the character-role of shaping US foreign policy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This critical analysis is pertaining to the Executive branch of government that holds the key actors and factors relating the character-role of shaping US foreign policy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Executive Cabinet generally contains the governmental leadership. It may be said that the â€Å"office† itself is being protected and preserved but the â€Å"personality† (being the President) calibrate and spearhead the role-modeling. This means, the â€Å"political will† emanates from the personal character of a President. In the event of â€Å"changing the guards† as characterized by a governmental revamp, reorganization for new sets of political appointees and the change of leadership itself [through election], the reconfiguration process may take time to re-establish the political will.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within the confines of the White House, the Defense, Treasury and ODNI are the three vital â€Å"guardians† of presidential decision [although Congress and the Courts of law collaborate]. It may be noted from the 2008 SONA of President Bush that the key elemental features of emphasis in delivering immediate governmental actions focuses and addresses selective governmental agencies, such as (1) the Treasury to handle the tax rebates and other fiscal management of economy; (2) the unfinished business in the Middle East as afflicted by political-economic reconstruction in Iraq, maintenance of security in Afghanistan and reconnaissance in Iran and Jordan for a potential stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and mediation of conflict in North Korea; and (3) above all is the call for continuous   empowerment of domestic and foreign policies being aligned to contemporary global challenges. Conclusion The trajectory of the US interstate and intrastate policy is may be perceived to be aligning the shift of political powers. One that describes the shifting is the domestic or national political leadership in 2008. From the point of view of election campaign in the US, political groupings and individualism may surface and is carried out upon racial equation. Although it is only a perception, the shifting of leadership [or changing of the guards] is earlier been held to be re-aligned in the overall governmental function contingent to protecting and preserving the US foreign interest. Second that describes the shifting is the emergence of â€Å"third force† political power at the global perspective. The third force may not be categorized likened to US but the proliferation of technologies in advanced weaponry and armaments may interchangeably interact in the global power sharing. The lull of silence in Iran and North Korea is yet unfolding much discoveries of the US.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As what the US being envisioned for â€Å"strong America and secured world† is a perseverance of its hero-in-history model at the global perception, in which recouping gaps and assessing unforeseen factors may supplant political indecisiveness amidst contemporary challenges. It may be therefore concluded that the trajectory of US policy widens the roadmap with symbolical trail as a cornerstone of gaining foreign alliances that shall keep America strong. References Fletcher, H. (2008). ‘Militant Extremist in the United States’. Council on Foreign   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Relations. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.cfr.org/publication/9236/#10. Gronbeck, B.E., Baird, A.C. and Lees, J.D. (2006). ‘The Twenty-First Century   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reconstitution of American Political Culture’. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/faculty/gronbeck/21st_reconstitution.pdf. John, E. and Taupin, B. (1973). ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’. MCA Music. Retrieved 10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.eltonography.com/songs/goodbye_yellow_brick_road.html. Lagon, M.P. (1996). ‘US Foreign Policy Elites in a Post-Cold War Information Age’.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Questia Electronic Journal Vol. 158. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LmRRTn5L9B6QHgvqf161MJQzGmPyt0yV65zLljpZzy4TGkvYDppP!1427019383?docId=95865979. Leckenby, J.D. and Collier, E.D. (2003). ‘The Interaction of Traditional and New Media’. Department of Advertising, College of Communication, University of Texas. http://www.ciadvertising.org/studies/reports/measurement/newmedia_chapter_print.pdf. The White House (2008). ‘Pres. George Bush State of the Nation Address’. Retrieved 10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20080128-13.html. US Department of State (2002). ‘US Foreign Policy Agenda’. Electronic Journal Vol.7,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No.3. Retrieved 10 May 2008 from    http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itps/1102/ijpe/ijpe1102.pdf.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

A report on dry bulk shipping

A report on dry bulk shipping Shipping is indubitably one of the fascinating industries in the world. It requires vast knowledge and skill to cop up with the day to day operations because of the complexity of the industry and its dependence on world economics. Dry Bulk ships carry dry cargoes in bulk from one port to another and can be categorised into handysize,  handymax,  panamax,  capesize, and very large bulk and ore carriers according to their sizes. The performance of the bulk shipping market depends on the demand for and supply of bulk shipping services, as well as the characteristics of the market structure. The importance of shipping cycle in case of dry bulk carrier is that they plays a vital part in the economics of shipping industry by managing the investment risk in an industry ,where there is large uncertainty about the future (Stopford,2009) Section 1 Literature Review One of the major aspects affecting the future of dry bulk shipping is the quality and the safety perspective. Nominal freight differentiation between quality and other tonnage has been observed occasionally and much services has been paid to promoting the need for younger and safer ships (Tamvakis  and Thanopoulou,2000) Another factor that can influence maritime flows of dry bulk commodity is seasonality patterns .Spot rates for bigger vessels shows higher seasonal variations compared to smaller vessels, although differences in seasonal fluctuations between sectors are removed as the contract duration increases.   (Kavussanos and Alizadeh,2001) Investing in shipping industry has an entirely new aspect by the introduction of private equity and the development of a hedging strategy, now this can be treated as a portfolio optimization problem. The freight futures provide a comparatively novel medium for hedging risk in  dry bulk  shipping markets. New uprising financial strategies in dry bulk shipping in future can revolutionize the entire market.( Cullinane,1995) Duration analysis done by Bijwaard G.E and Knapp.S provides an insight to the effectiveness of prolonging ship lives and the empirical data solidifies the idea about the life span of dry bulk carrier. Life span is an important aspect in predicting the ship cycle(Bijwaard and Knapp,2009)Scrapping of ship is done at a particular time and this is done when the ship is retired from the current use or when shipping cycle demands it. Gain and losses after the scrapping of a ship . entirely depends on the market condition. Demand of Dry bulk shipping is always related to the scrapping industry.(Knapp,2008) The Government is proposing that the UKs CO2 emissions should fall by at least 80% by 2050 . Release of exhaust gases and particles from oceangoing  ships is an important and growing provider to the total emissions from the transportation sector. New strategies like slow steam, alternate fuel and new logistic approach like jumbo ore carriers etc will be used in future to make the shipping sector more eco friendly(Eyring et al,2010) Research Hypothesis Marine flow of dry bulk goods in 2050 will be largely influenced on numerous factors and the background study done above concretes this statement. From the background study done above following hypothesis are made. The changing investment strategy like private equity and development of hedging strategy in worlds dry bulk shipping can promote the ship owners to invest in new ships and it can also attract new ship owners to the industry .If the scrapping doesnt goes in proportion with the production ,it could affect the supply and demand of dry bulk goods and there would be frequent interference of shipping cycle The design, tonnage and operation of dry bulks ships in 2050 can vary a lot from the present. Carriers like jumbo ore carriers and trend to containerisation can be the future of dry bulk shipping .Seasonality and size issues at present might be totally vanished in the future. Developed countries like United Kingdom are concentrating more on environmental issues caused by shipping industries and UKs target to reduce CO2 emission by 80% in 2050 can have great influence in marine transportation of dry bulk commodities. This is mainly because in future government may bring controls to ships having co2 emission more than 80% which can result in restricting ships entering into UK ports. Now this can lead to change in the flow of dry bulk goods in and out of UK. Both the demand for shipping services and shipping rates in 2050 will be positively related to the shipping cycle. Section 2 Data Analysis Origin of the data used in this research was mainly collected from Thomson Reuters Datastream, OECD.stat, Shipping Intelligence Network by Clarksons Research and United Nations Statistics Division.The other data source used in this research is Lloyds Shipping Economist The Shipping Intelligence Network according to Clarksons Research is one of the top on line commercial shipping database and almost all related data required for this research like Baltic Freight Index and the fleet size were collected from this source. Data required for shipping cycle are collected from Thomson Reuters DataStream which is according to their webpage the largest financial database in the world. Some data were also collected from OECD(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and United Nations Statistics Division The data for the supply and demand are accessible from a centralised table called Supply and Demand Data in Lloyds economist. The data required for supply and demand of dry bulk carrier were collected from those tables for the current analysis of the bulk carrier market The time series that were taken from Lloyds shipping are stated below Total demand and supply of bulk carrier fleet in million DWT Total size of bulk carrier fleet adapting slow steaming strategy Total number of bulk carriers order book in million DWT The number of bulk carriers order book should be taken serious as there is an interval of two years from the order to the delivery. The data for supply and surplus of the fleet following slow steam strategy is either laid up or in-active are calculated in tons of dead weight To analyse the dry bulk shipping cycle it is useful to study how the key variables in this market have developed over time. It is very difficult to find the accurate measures of cycles ,representing the demand for shipping service and hence it not easy to find a relationship between dry bulk shipping and shipping cycle in general .To measure the freight rates in dry bulk shipping BFI(Baltic Freight Index) can be used (Glen and Rogers1997) Even though the BFI (Baltic Freight Index) ceased to exist when Baltic Exchange Dry Index was introduced, till today it has been calculated and reported by Clarksons Research Shelley (2003), As demonstrated in the Figure some striking changes are recorded in the freight rates of dry bulk shipping in recent years. The BFI reached at its maximum level in October 2007, followed by a dramatic fall in 2008.Figure(b) shows that the volatility of the freight rates have increased significantly after 2002-03 If a Comparison is done between figure 1 and figure 2 some similarities can be observed like increased freight rates in 2003-04 are matched by increasing total bulker sales and similarly the vice versa in the year 2005 and 2008 and hence a co-relation between freight rate and bulker sales can analysed from the above figures. Figures also expose a trend in increased volatility in total bulker sales during the period 2003-2008.c(Clarkson,2010) The augmented volatility in current years point towards that the fleet is almost equal to the current capacity limit. During the high capacity period, demand shocks have a great impact on freight rates. This can be a logical explanation of the hugely increased freight rates in the recent periods of boom in the world economy GDP for OECD, USA, Japan and China can be used to determine shipping cycles. The GDP of OECD is used as a alternative variable for world production, while the GDP of the US, Japan, and China represents the economic activity and demand for shipping services in three very important countries in world trade.(OECD,2010) The figures are based on data from the Shipping Intelligence Network by Clarksons Research and Thomson Reuters DataStream -2 All quarterly variables, the GDP of OECD, USA, Japan, and China from OECD stat helped us in finding that, these variables are non-stationary, as is the relevant time series for the Baltic Freight Index. The BFI from Clarkson led to the conclusion that all the shipping cycle are co related with the BFI.The sources that are used in this research gave us a larger perspective of the research objective and found out that, identifying the shipping cycle is a difficult process because there is much less previous researches done on this topic. Section 3 Demand and Supply Model for Dry Bulk shipping In present day there are number of models which have been developed to forecast and explain freight rate by examining the factors influencing the demand and supply of the respective services..Tinbergen(1934) model is considered to be one of the oldest econometric application.(Beenstock and Vergottis,1993).In new models the basic concept and idea are similar but the models have become more sophisticated by the application of new techniques . In 1980 a model was developed and presented in Strandenes and Wergeland which was named as NORBULK model. This model is considered to be one of the important econometric technique in predicting the freight rate in dry bulk shipping. The NORBULK model is based on the assumption that the demand for transportation of dry bulk commodities is determined by the freight rates, the trade patterns, and variables reflecting the macroeconomic situation A Graphical illustration of NORBULK model is shown above. From the illustration it is clear that demand and supply of dry shipping services are assumed to be influenced by the freight rate and at the same time equilibrium freight rates reflect the demand and supply of the shipping services. The model also explains the fact that macro economic conditions (the product capacity and cycle situation)influence the trade of bulk commodities which can alter the demand for transportation of dry bulk commodity. The speciality of NORBULK model from other models is that the other models are concentrated on major bulk commodities separately. The relation between trade and aggregated macroeconomic condition is one of the distinct features of NORBULK model. Supply part of the NORBULK model accounts for the size of the fleet, the fuel price, and the freight rates. The shape of the supply curve in a specific market reflects the relationship between the freight rate and the supply of shipping services, while, for instance, changes in the size of the fleet cause shifts in the supply curve. A characteristic shape of a supply curve in dry bulk shipping Ton miles is the measurement for supply and demand in sea transport and this is equal to the average haul multiplied by the tonnage of cargo (Strandenes and Wergeland, 1980) Shipping cycles are not cyclical or regular and hence in true world shipping predicting the shipping cycle are a loose sequence of up and downs and hence predictions in ship cycle is always a tough task. According to Cufley it is totally impossible to predict when the market will move upwards or fall. NORBULK is an example of a model based on the assumption that demand is inversely related to the freight rate. The relationship was estimated to be very inelastic, however. Still, Strandenes and Wergeland (1980) argue that it is potentially important to account for the price elasticity in both supply and demand. There are 10 variables in the demand and supply model which affect the demand for shipping and the supply of ships for the carriage of goods. The variable in the demand for ships are: The world economy, seaborne commodity trades, average haul, political event and transport cost. The variables for supply of ships are: World fleet, fleet productivity, ship building productions, scrapping and losses and freight rates.(Stopford,2010).Difficulty of analysing the above variables is daunting. The world economy is complex and sometimes we have to wait for years for the availability of the detailed statistics for accurate evaluation .Many of the variables mentioned above are highly un predictable and hence the forecasting must be considered as a process to clarify the risk rather than creating certainty. Working of NORBULK model is not focused on a particular commodity and it gives a general result which can be applicable to all the dry bulk carriers. New developed models used in dry bulk shi pping concentrates more on a specific commodity and there is always possibility that when modelling a particular commodity bulk carrier new models might be more accurate than NORBULK model. Assumptions made in developing the model sometimes can be far away from the reality and this can always result in wrong forecasting or prediction. Conclusion: It is always interesting to follow the future development of the dry bulk shipping market. In our opinion to understand the basic forces controlling the development of freight rates and shipping volume both econometric and theoretical analysis are very significant . On analysing the economic market we were able to understand the relations that are believed to exist between factors. We were also able to discover that the reason for shipping cycles to exist are the inelasticity of supply in shipping market which disables supply to meet the demand in the short run. Journals Bijwaard,G.E and Knapp,S (2009) Analysis of ship cycles The impact of economic cycles and ship inspections Journal on marine Policy, Vol 33, Issue 2, pp-(350-360) Cullinae,K(1995) A portfolio analysis of market investments in dry bulk shipping Transportation Research Part B: Methodological(June)Vol 29, Issue 3, pp 181-200 Eyeing,V(et, al)(2010) Transport impacts on atmosphere and climate: Shipping The ATTICA Assessment Report (Dec)Vol 44,Issue 37,pp 4735-4771 Kaussanos,M.G and Alizadeh,A.H(2001) Seasonality patterns in dry bulk shipping spot and time charter freight rates Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review (December) Vol 37, Issue 6, pp 443-467 Knapp.S (et, al) (2008) Econometric analysis of ship demolition market Journal on Marine policy,) Vol 32, Issue 6, pp-( 1023-1036) Tamavakis,N.T and Thanopoulu,H.a(2000) Does quality pay? The case of the  dry bulk market Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, (December) Vol 36, Issue 4,pp 297-307 Books Stopford, M., 2009, Maritime Economics, 3rd edition, London, Routledge pp 64,424-427,512 Section 2 Clarkson (2010) Available from http://www.clarksons.com/services/overview/?serviceId=418 Accessed on 21st November 2010 Glen, D. R and Rogers, P(1997),Does weight matter? A statistical analysis of the SSY capesize index, Maritime policy and management,pp 24, 351-364 Lloyds Shipping Economist magazines London 2005-2010 Available from http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/sector/markets/lloyds-shipping-economist/ Accessed from 18th November 2010 O.E.C.D (2010) Available from http://oberon.sourceoecd.org/vl=6310340/cl=19/nw=1/rpsv/dotstat.htm. Accessed on 1st December 2010 Shelley, T( 2003) Chinas rapid expansion boosts world shipping industry, Financial Times, 25 November, pp 3 Thomson (2010) Avaialble From http://online.thomsonreuters.com/datastream/ Accessed on 5th December 2010 UNStats(2010) Available from http://unstats.un.org Accessed on 7th December 2010 Section 3 Beenstock, M., Vergottis, A., 1993, Econometric Modelling of World Shipping, london, Chapman Hall Stopford, M., 2009, Maritime Economics, 3rd edition, London, Routledge Wergeland, T. (1981). Norbulk: A simulation model of bulk freight rates. Working Paper 12, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Bergen, Norway

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Manaqeb Xani and Fazayel Xani Essay -- Iranian Storytelling

Over the years, Iranian Storytelling (Naqali) has been divided into various kinds and it has taken many different functions. Among them, Religious Storytelling has been assigned a propagandistic function. It was used as a device for the promoting Shiite and Sunnite Religions. There are many branches in Iranian religious Storytelling; Manaqeb Xani and Fazayel Xani are two to be noticed. This article is focused on both of these two types. Knowing that, Storytelling is an oral art and less attracting in spite of Ta‘ziyeh for many years, the threat of being forgotten is undeniable as the role of Storytellers in the society is diminishing. Therefore, it is essential to pay more attention and evaluate this art through documented studies and researches. Noticeable is that, these arts affect many Ta‘ziyeh’s plays with great roles in Iranian religious performances. Thus, in order to study Iranian drama, we need to have a comprehensive knowledge about Iranian Storytelling. The word uses information sources including books, articles, and masters of the field, who devoted many years to study rituals and custom and preserve them through ages. Moreover, they do their best to record these arts and make them a reliable document for future use. An Introduction to Iranian Storytelling Beside XeymÉ™ Ã… ¡ab-bÄ zÄ « and Ta’zÄ «ya, Storytelling (NaqqÄ lÄ «) is the most important type of Iranian real performance, that through ages is has become part of Iranian life and it is considered as a part of their spiritual cultural legacy. This art has an old antiquity and rooted in ancient Iran. Storytelling has been widespread during AÃ… ¡kÄ nÄ «yÄ n’s (250 B.C.-224 A.D.) and SÄ sÄ nÄ «yÄ n’s (224-651 A.D.) eras and it is believed to be belonged to these eras or even earli... ... says: â€Å"in the 10th century A.H Manaqeb Xani gave its position to Rowzeh Xani† (AÃ… ¾and 34). Beyza’i also talks about the descending trend of Manaqeb Xani: â€Å"even when the cause of this (propagative side) was diminished, Manaqeb Xani remained as a marginal side for Storytelling or popular entertainmentØ› it still has a role in popular performances or Iranian Storytelling the performer or Storyteller read about the Manaqeb of Ali† (BeyzÄ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã„ « 71). Conclusion Over the ages of competition between Shiite and Sunnite in Iran, Storytellers of Manaqeb Xani (Manaqebis) had an important role in Shiite’s gradual dominance and Sunnite’s doubling. Sunnite created a type of narrating technique known as Fazayel Xani to fight back Manaqeb Xani (Religious telling of Shiite). Accordingly, the competition between Sunnite and Shiite had been reflected in Fazayel Xani and Manaqeb Xani. Manaqeb Xani and Fazayel Xani Essay -- Iranian Storytelling Over the years, Iranian Storytelling (Naqali) has been divided into various kinds and it has taken many different functions. Among them, Religious Storytelling has been assigned a propagandistic function. It was used as a device for the promoting Shiite and Sunnite Religions. There are many branches in Iranian religious Storytelling; Manaqeb Xani and Fazayel Xani are two to be noticed. This article is focused on both of these two types. Knowing that, Storytelling is an oral art and less attracting in spite of Ta‘ziyeh for many years, the threat of being forgotten is undeniable as the role of Storytellers in the society is diminishing. Therefore, it is essential to pay more attention and evaluate this art through documented studies and researches. Noticeable is that, these arts affect many Ta‘ziyeh’s plays with great roles in Iranian religious performances. Thus, in order to study Iranian drama, we need to have a comprehensive knowledge about Iranian Storytelling. The word uses information sources including books, articles, and masters of the field, who devoted many years to study rituals and custom and preserve them through ages. Moreover, they do their best to record these arts and make them a reliable document for future use. An Introduction to Iranian Storytelling Beside XeymÉ™ Ã… ¡ab-bÄ zÄ « and Ta’zÄ «ya, Storytelling (NaqqÄ lÄ «) is the most important type of Iranian real performance, that through ages is has become part of Iranian life and it is considered as a part of their spiritual cultural legacy. This art has an old antiquity and rooted in ancient Iran. Storytelling has been widespread during AÃ… ¡kÄ nÄ «yÄ n’s (250 B.C.-224 A.D.) and SÄ sÄ nÄ «yÄ n’s (224-651 A.D.) eras and it is believed to be belonged to these eras or even earli... ... says: â€Å"in the 10th century A.H Manaqeb Xani gave its position to Rowzeh Xani† (AÃ… ¾and 34). Beyza’i also talks about the descending trend of Manaqeb Xani: â€Å"even when the cause of this (propagative side) was diminished, Manaqeb Xani remained as a marginal side for Storytelling or popular entertainmentØ› it still has a role in popular performances or Iranian Storytelling the performer or Storyteller read about the Manaqeb of Ali† (BeyzÄ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã„ « 71). Conclusion Over the ages of competition between Shiite and Sunnite in Iran, Storytellers of Manaqeb Xani (Manaqebis) had an important role in Shiite’s gradual dominance and Sunnite’s doubling. Sunnite created a type of narrating technique known as Fazayel Xani to fight back Manaqeb Xani (Religious telling of Shiite). Accordingly, the competition between Sunnite and Shiite had been reflected in Fazayel Xani and Manaqeb Xani.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Poetry Explanation on Wordsworth’s Poem Essay

Imagine walking through a field in early summer, around an aqua blue lake that is in the shape of a giant egg. You discover a field of daffodils that is flowing in motion like a grand â€Å"dance† full of elegance. This area is full of sublime that can only be fully appreciated by a poet. William Wordsworth has been to this place and it was the subject of his poem â€Å"I Wandered As Lonely As A Cloud. † He entered a state of tranquility when he visited here and writes this proficient piece of poetry when he has recollections about the daffodils. This poem questions the actual connection of man with nature. This essay will look into the figurative language, tone, theme, and imagery to discuss how the crisis of the speaker when he realizes that he cannot sustain the exalted feeling of looking out at the flowers. It will also look into the resolution, the memory, and the recollection. The figurative language hints at settle meanings that are not on the surface of this poem. They suggest the very connection between man and nature, and man’s desire to be part of the natural world. In this poem Wordsworth personifies the daffodils as people: â€Å"A host of golden daffodils / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze†. (Lines 4 & 6) This personification is relating the ecosystem around this majestic lake to human nature exemplified in everyday life. The speaker wants to become a part of this natural dance and become part of natures flow. People constantly want to become part of nature and Wordsworth believes that he can become a cloud in these moments of epiphany: â€Å"I wandered lonely as a cloud† (line 1) When he enters this surreal state during his recollections he also enters the sublime state of mind. The tone of this poem starts out as ecstatic, than somber, and than ecstatic. It only takes the speaker a recollection to overcome it and enter into the sublime. The stanzas in this poem go from being an astonishment of nature, to watching, to contemplating, to being lost in thought, and then to being inspired by nature again. The poet is looking at this wonderful piece of nature and is struggling to find inspiration. He looks upon it with a â€Å"pensive mood† (Line 20) and becomes awfully upset and worried that he might not find revelations from the natural beauty in the world. He soon rises above this by reminiscing about his encounters in nature and being inspired later on. This changes to tone in the poem to go to blissful. This is not a poem of blissful landscapes and joyful cartwheels, but one of a crisis and recollections. The plot itself is quite simple, but it is what lies underneath the surface that can confuse some. It is of a poet looking for his state of tranquility wandering and discovering in a windy field of grasses with a small patch of daffodils â€Å"dancing† on the edge of a lake. This is a memory that delights the speaker and gives him contentment, #5 he will later recollect to this thought in a search for inspiration, Wordsworth writes: â€Å"They flash upon that inward eye / Which is the bliss of solitude;† (Lines 21 and 22) It is also a poem of crisis for all he does is gaze without thought. He wonders if he is no longer enthralled by beauty. His recollections of returning to the scene and the feeling of sublime and tranquility help to overcome this thought. When Wordsworth is in the field of daffodils and does not enter a state of serenity and transcendence I feel sorrow for him for the place he describes through the visual imagery is so stunning that not to find inspiration should be a sin. Wordsworth describes the daffodils as being: â€Å"Beside the lake, beneath the trees / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze† (Lines 5 and 6) He shows how the daffodils are occurring in this natural and serene dance. This is a rare, minute, and breathtaking part of nature that should be partaken in by all who care to see it. He gazes and gazes, and is swept by his sensations, but does not realize or think about the transformitive power of this recollected image. The predicament that Wordsworth encounters was overcome to write a fine piece of poetry that contains figurative language, tone, theme, and imagery to prove a connection between man, nature, and the divine sprit. This poem is the foundation of Wordsworth that must be understood to go on to understanding poems such as The Prelude. Wordsworth and the Wordsworthian style is a magnificent one that should be experienced by all.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Health Psychology Essays

Health Psychology Essays Health Psychology Paper Health Psychology Paper Health psychology can be safely termed as one of the relatively newer faces of applied psychology. As defined by Taylor: â€Å"†¦ the use of psychological principles to promote health and to prevent illness (Taylor 1990). The biopsychosocial model has been adopted in this field in which it considers the social, biological, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, psychosomatic and environmental factors as they relate to health care at the level of individuals (Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia). Although Health Psychology traces its origin from clinical psychology it has been classified into four different approaches: clinical, public health, community and critical health psychology (Marks, Murray et al., 2005). This purpose of this study is to provide a critical analysis of the current state of knowledge and literature available in the field of health psychology.   It has been verified in literature that physical health may be influenced by psychology through different direct and indirect means. There is also some evidence that certain negative mental states such as depression and anxiety can directly affect physical immunity through production of stress hormones, such as the catecholamines and glucocorticoids (Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia). There has been much debate on this research, however, there is also some indication that negative psychological states may lead to faster disease progression in certain diseases such as HIV and heart disease through these direct biological mechanisms. Also, disease processes can be indirectly affected by emotional states through their influence on health behaviors of individuals. Health psychologists have critiqued and deconstructed the individualism of mainstream health psychology and proposed innovative qualitative methods and frameworks for investigating health experience and behavior (Marks, Murray et al., 2005). Literature Review As more and more advance theories and research methodologies are being studied, health psychology is now considered both a theoretical and applied field. Many different and innovative methods are employed including questionnaires, interviews, controlled studies, and actions designed to bring about change using action research (Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia). Health psychologists conduct health interviews with clients that aim to construct a more holistic picture of each person’s health, one that includes their genes, religious beliefs, social supports, living conditions, emotional state, and beliefs of health, etc. They use this information to work alongside a person’s physicians and therapists to develop a treatment tailored for individual needs or to develop greater empowerment among the communitys members so that the community is able to strengthen and sustain its own quality of life (Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia). To support the above argument a study by Raeburn et al was based on community needs assessment, empowerment, community control and other community psychology principles and combined with a cognitive-behavioral approach to stress management derived from health psychology (Raeburn 1993). Generally stress is seen as involving the interaction of the person with his or her environment and is evidenced psychologically, behaviorally, cognitively, emotionally and socially when demands are perceived as excessive or where one’s coping resources are perceived to be inadequate. Health psychologists are generally in agreement that stress lessened or buffered in situations where there is a sense of personal control and efficacy and where perceived social support is present. As may be seen, community psychology principles of empowerment, competence building, and a psychological sense of community blend well with these notions (Raeburn 1993). Crossley has argued that there is a need to re-think the approaches and methods of mainstream health psychology (Crossley 2006). Several questions have been raised: Has the attempt to feed into the dominant biopsychosocial model of health and health care, and the resultant creation of quantifiable psychological measures congruent with biomedical data, served to submerge other important human values? These values must surely take central place in psychology, even if in no other domain? We must question whether the pursuit of ‘psychological health technology’ has become an end in itself? Is contemporary health psychology serving simply to reinforce the potentially destructive changes occurring in the wake of the rationalization of health care? Is there a need to step back from the professional ‘modernizing’ tendency to rush in and intervene in the ‘management’ of health-and illness-related issues? The process of rethinking health psychology involves the injection of a much needed sense of caution, a heavy dose of modesty, and a proper academic skepticism with regard to the limitations of our knowledge (Crossley 2006). To see the affect of psychological notion like hostility on health the study by Vandervoort supported the hypotheses that compared to their low hostility counterparts, hostile individuals would report more health problems, have a greater tendency to express irrational beliefs, and be more likely to cope with negative affect via the use of avoidant and confrontive coping strategies (Vandervoort 2006). As hypothesized, the use of confrontive coping was found to be most prominent for dealing with anger. Also, as hypothesized, irrational beliefs as well as avoidant coping with anger were found to play a mediating role in the relationship between hostility and health (Vandervoort 2006). That is, irrational beliefs and avoidant coping with anger explain, in part, how hostility is related to health. The results do not, of course, suggest that these are the only avenues via which hostility is related health. Given the paucity of literature on the mediating effects of irrational beliefs and coping styles on the relationship between hostility and health, as well as the general belief system of hostile individuals, replication of the findings is needed with various populations. This should include longitudinal studies investigating the stability (or lack thereof) of beliefs and coping patterns for it is only relatively stable maladaptive patterns that are likely to be etiological factors for major health problems (Vandervoort 2006). Should adequate future research replicate these findings, they would be informative for mental health clinicians treating clients with hostility problems as well as programs designed to ameliorate the impact of hostility on the development and course of disease.

Monday, October 21, 2019

US imperialism essays

US imperialism essays Under the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 the United States had policed the hemisphere, in theory to preserve the independence of its nations from European covetousness, in reality to protect America ¡Ã‚ ¯s own interests. This often involved military intervention, especially in Central America and the Caribbean. The Monroe Doctrine was based on the reasoning that the Caribbean was America ¡Ã‚ ¯s  ¡inland sea ¡Ã‚ ¯ and part of the economic structure. In Cuba, which America had liberated Spain, the US right of intervention was actually written into the Cuban constitution, through the so-called  ¡Platt Amendment ¡Ã‚ ¯. The reason behind the American imperial upsurge is mainly an economic issue: coincided with recovery from the Civil War, the U.S. started to expand in late 19th century. However, the American expansion into Latin America can also be attributed to nationalistic causes that go beyond the economic spectrum. Thus, U.S. expansion into Latin America was a result of U.S. eco nomic expansion and rising nationalism. American policy toward Latin America has changed over time to accommodate burgeoning American economic activities in the region.(1) During the early years of the nineteenth century, U.S. commerce with its southern neighbors demanded little more than policing the Caribbean for marauding pirates. As the United States grew into a commercial, industrial, and, eventually, financial power, its foreign policy broadened in scope.(2) The hunt for new markets brought it into competition with European nations, especially Great Britain. As a result, it became one of the major aims of American policy to check the further penetration of European commerce and capital into Latin America. By the turn of the century, Latin America had become not only a substantial market for American products but an important source of raw materials and a major area for capital investment as well. Having recently built a powerful navy, the United Sta...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Cultural and Ethnic Studies Term Paper Guide for Students Who Need Help

Cultural and Ethnic Studies Term Paper Guide for Students Who Need Help When writing a cultural and ethnic studies term paper, it is essential that you learn the subject matter of the term paper to write the right terminologies and have a holistic approach of what the paper will entail. Tutors in colleges give term papers to students in the course of a school period, which is combined with the rest of the semesters coursework. You can also be assigned a term paper to assess and track expected knowledge outcomes about cultural and ethnic studies courses. Term papers in cultural and ethnic studies are for a specific purpose. Your cultural and ethnic term paper should focus on a single topic or interrelated topics in culture and ethnic studies and must be organized, well-written, coherent, logical, and well researched to reflect your knowledge of the chosen topic, and the area of study. The term paper should be precise and follow the guidelines of the professor. In some cases, when writing term papers in cultural and ethnic studies, the professor might present you with a few topics to choose from, whereas, in other cases, they might let you choose a topic for yourself. In such a case, you need to have an understanding of the way to select an ideal topic for your cultural and ethnic studies paper. All in all, writing of a term paper might be challenging but this cultural and ethnic studies guide will help you write your paper with ease. Selecting a Topic for Cultural and Ethnic Studies There are various issues that you should consider when choosing a topic for a term paper in cultural and ethnic studies, they include: Length of the paper: a term paper in cultural and ethnic studies should have a foundation to guide the writing of the paper. The subject area is wide and entails various things that are intertwined with tradition and the various practices that are undertaken by different ethnic groups. Having a wide variety of cultures, it is advisable for the scholar to first determine the length of the paper as a guide to what topic to write about. Determination of the length of the paper makes it easy to choose the topic to write about. If the paper is long, it is advisable you choose a topic, which is broad, and if the paper is short you choose a narrow topic. Therefore, it is essential to note that the length of the paper is one of the primary determinants of the topic to write about cultural and ethnic studies. Topic complexity: it is good that you choose a topic that you can handle. In this case, it should be within your understanding. Topics in cultural and ethnic studies term papers are complex depending on what level of study one is at for example, there is a difference in the content that is covered in college, undergraduate or postgraduate studies. To reduce the stress level that can be induced by confusion by a topic that you are not conversant with, chose a topic that you are conversant with and that you can write about with a lot of ease. If having difficulty with your topic, allow your instructor to explain and help you clarify certain areas of the topic you are interested in but that you find to be complex. Examples of topics in cultural and ethnic studies include: The importance of ethnic studies in the society Discuss the connection between racial affiliation and ethnocentrism Explore the components of critical race theory Examine how gender interacts with other social identities to shape bias Examine the interaction between race and prejudice in American literature. Describe what a biracial couple is Access to resources: Before you make a final decision on choosing a cultural and ethnic studies topic, it is a good idea to assess the resource availability. Don’t hesitate to check it in advance rather than suffering from the lack of reliable resources to refer to during the writing process later. Don’t choose the topic of cultural and ethnic issues that are limited in resources to use in a term paper. The sources of information that you can rely on are divided into primary, secondary, or tertiary, It is crucial to find the reliable sources of information. Luckily, you can do it without going far from your computer. Just check out some online databases and decide if the topic won’t cause any additional stress in searching for the information required. Consider various cultural and ethnic-related news articles so that you can highlight different perspectives concerning some current cultural and ethnic issues. Pre-Writing Tips You Should Consider After the topic is chosen, you aren’t ready to write a term paper itself. Know why? No valuable idea is found or well-researched. Don’t hurry to start writing a term paper immediately. You’ll find it easier to write your cultural and ethnic studies term paper if you create an outline first. Primarily, you need to think carefully about what questions are to be answered in your paper so that it will have any research interest. For that purpose, it is better to try out planning, brainstorming, clustering, and outlining techniques that would ensure you write a good term paper on cultural and ethnic studies. These pre-writing steps will make it easy for you to arrange all your ideas in a systematic way: Planning is a stage at which you need to set dates and even particular time frames to start and finish working on a term paper and its parts. Stick to this schedule during the whole writing process no procrastination, and the final success will be assured! Proper planning helps most people work faster as they know what to work on, in what way and during what time to work on each part of the work. Researching the topic is vital as it allows you to know what has already been written on the topic and what arguments you can add or counter. For this, you need to know where the good sources of sources of information may be. Remember that while choosing a topic, you are supposed to do some preliminary research? If you take it seriously, be sure you are ahead now. Just plunge into those resources extensively to find something valuable for the topic of your term paper. Brainstorming is a stage that helps you develop some valuable research ideas. This way, you avoid the situations when you’re stuck and don’t know what to write next. Use various brainstorming techniques for the best results in the following order researching, note-taking, mind mapping, freewriting. Due to these procedures, you will increase the understanding of the subject matter. Besides, it will allow you to write a term paper almost effortlessly as there will be valuable ideas to include in your term paper. How to Develop a Strong Thesis Statement Every academic paper is supposed to have the main idea on which the topic and its investigation are based. Moreover, a well-developed thesis statement serves as a roadmap for the readers who are interested in the topic of your term paper as they will know what to expect from the particular paper. And your instructor would like to read a well-written term paper and assess it accordingly. So start impressing your instructor with a good thesis statement. How to create a strong thesis statement? Easily if you apply the following cultural and ethnic studies term paper tips: Think of disputable claims about your topic you could state; Inform the readers about your opinion about the topic with the help of strong evidence you will explore in the paper; Avoid vague words and expressions to be as clear and specific as possible in your thesis statement. If the term paper is about African American culture and society, the thesis statement should provide an argument showing the impact of the African-American culture on the society. A thesis statement may look like: â€Å"African Americans form one of the biggest ethnic groups in the United States that allows them to make lasting contributions to American culture.† How to Write a Term Paper Outline You can’t write a term paper as you want. Yes, you can be creative and original in term paper writing, but all the academic papers must have a sense of structure. Your cultural and ethnic studies term paper is no exception. Make the content of your term paper well-structured with the help of an outline. What elements to include? Look! An introduction is that your term paper starts with and you should start with as well. Explain what aspects your research topic entails, what the purpose of writing a term paper, Besides, provide the background information so that your readers will understand the topic fully immediately in the beginning of reading the introduction of your term paper. It doesn’t mean that writing an introduction first implies finishing it first as well. Be ready to come back to the introduction again and again while working on the body. Keep in mind that the thesis statement is written in the introduction. And so it should be stated. Then pass on writing the next parts of your term paper. Body sections are the main parts of your term paper that require a lot of work from you as a researcher. Start with the topic sentence for each physical paragraph. As a rule, each paragraph deals with one main idea relevant to your thesis statement. Then you need to broaden each paragraph with additional points, subpoints and other supporting details like examples, findings, etc. Use the material you manage to gather at the prewriting stage. Here you are the fruits of your work at the beginning. The conclusion is a part that your term paper ends up with. So it should be summing-up and logical for your readers. Return to your thesis statement and introduction and state what you manage to do in the role of a researcher. In the end, you can offer the key findings, courses of action, solutions to research problems. After you find out what elements your term paper involves, it is a good idea to start outlining. There are many ways to outline alphanumeric, full-sentence, decimal ones. It’s up to you what is more convenient for you. But don’t skip this step anyway. How to Finish Working on a Term Paper Now, look at what you’ve written, and answer if the required word/page count is met, all the ideas are relevant to the research topic and presented logically, and all the references and in-text citations are edited as required. Don’t be afraid of revising the whole term paper as it guarantees you the high chances to get the desired mark. Dreaming about the best grade ever? Follow our post-writing tips to come close to this result: Read your term paper so that each sentence makes sense to the given topic. It is crucial to read a paper aloud to notice any possible ambiguity of the content or the slightest errors in grammar or sentence structure. Due to reading aloud, most misused or missing words are often found. Don’t allow yourself to miss any important word in a term paper. Use additional digital tools to make sure that there are no spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes. With the beginning of the digital age, people enjoy making machines do everything for them. Simple checking of spelling is also can be trusted to your PC. Even if you have no time to reread your term paper, a computer can do it for you while you are cooking or eating, for example. Find out how to make your computer read documents to you and take advantage of it shortly. Edit your term paper according to the necessary formatting style, be it APA, MLA or Harvard. Formatting is an extremely important process in the academic fields. The credibility and readability of your term paper depend on the way you format it whether it will be done properly or not. So if your instructor specifies the formatting style requirements for a term paper, check them before submitting your final paper. Don’t tend to think, â€Å"My paper is fine as it is.† Your paper will be fine when you follow this guide from the beginning to the end. Enjoy the writing process and get the desired results for that!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Media ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Media ethics - Research Paper Example The media is important in information dissemination in the society. However, this would never be realized if some ethics are not observed. There are several areas where ethics is observed in the media sector. I am a journalist by profession hence I have a vast knowledge with regards to the ethical and legal implications in this career. As journalists, we act as the eye and the mind of the public. It is through our work that the public get to know the happenings in the nation and the world as a whole. We are the role models of several people, more so the teenagers, who tend to dress, act and behave the way we do. I must admit that journalism is one of the complex careers because everyone is watching, any slightest mistake or misconduct will go into record. This may make one lose his/her job or even arrested depending on the seriousness and nature of the misconduct. There are set of ethics and law that is meant to guide us while we interact with the public. The difference between law a nd ethics is that ethics is the good characters accepted by both man and God, but their violation has no legal consequences, while law is a set of regulations whose violation has some legal implications like an arrest or charges. ... This is mainly common in the political arena where a certain political leader may use his/her power to influence the news read to the public. Certain journalists may also decide to manipulate news content on the basis of personal interest. There is no specific law describing specific legal consequences to such act, but one may lose the public favor and lose his/her job. External stakeholders like advertising companies may cut their links with such media company. Social researchers indicate that major civil and international wars have been sparked by the manipulation of the actual facts. The public will have no time to evaluate the news but take it the way it is being read. Manipulating the news is like lying to the public which not only unethical but demoralizing. For instance, think of a situation a certain media house have used to announce hunger in a certain part of the country so that other citizens to rescue the situation, only to later realize that the hunger was faked so that some regional leaders could make personal gains. This would kill the trust between the public and the media company. The truth is another ethical issue in the journalism. The main aim of the media sector is keeping the public on the truthful side. A certain government may hide some issues from the public out of personal greed, but is the role of the media to reveal truth to the nation and the world as a whole. Media without truth is considered dead because it serves its purpose. The current constitutions of several democratic nations regard media as an independent entity and freedom of expression. This enables the media to report any situation the way it is. Language is another important ethical matter in the media sector. Ant media

Friday, October 18, 2019

What will replace passwords Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

What will replace passwords - Research Paper Example At the same time, social media has created a medium for people to interact and share their personal information with other people located in different parts of the world. Countries have democratized the use of technology in order in order to sustain the stream of development that can be accrued from the use of the internet. It is now evident that the expanding of cyberspace is bringing new opportunities and at the same time; new threats. While the cyberspace is encouraging open markets and open social orders, the openness of this space has exposed the people towards cyber attacks. Many of the countries have tried to protect their people against the attacks. However, the technological sector is evolving very fast, an aspect that is making it very hard for the institutions that have been put up to deter the attacks to keep up with the changes. The internet providers and social media companies have not been able to put up stern measures to avoid the attacks. A cyber-attack is the conscious misuse of computer frameworks, technology-ward endeavours, and systems. Cyber-attacks use pernicious code to modify computer system, rationale, or information, bringing about troublesome results that can trade off information and lead to cyber crimes, for example, data and wholesale fraud (Wilson, 2014). Cyber-attacks were originating from various distinctive sources and varieties. There are different procedures to use in cyber-attacks and an assortment of approaches to control them to people or foundations on a more extensive scale. Attacks are broken down into two classes, Syntactic attacks, and Semantic attacks. Syntactic attacks are direct; it is viewed as vindictive software which incorporates viruses, worms, and Trojan stallions. A standard computer virus, presumably the most widely recognized type of a cyber-attack, may addition beginning to access to a computer or framework in two ways: remotely or proximately. A few viruses, for example, Conficker, spread through a

Soviet Union Invasion of Afghanistan Research Paper

Soviet Union Invasion of Afghanistan - Research Paper Example The paper describes also the aftermaths of the war. With the collaboration of America-Pakistan against the USSR, Afghanistan saw an emergence of ongoing guerrilla warfare. The United states, through Pakistan, funded the Afghan insurgents and Mujahideen, financing them with weapons as well as money. The Soviets suffered enormously through the hands of this mujhahideen. The soviets had to pay a huge price because of this ferocious resistance as it turned out to be disastrous in terms of military, financially as well as diplomatically. In 1988, the Geneva accords were signed and it included in it a time table which ensured a full Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989. Estimates of the Afghan death vary from 1 million to around 2 million. 15000 soviet soldiers were also injured and killed in the war. Around 10 million Afghans fled to Pakistan as well as Iran. Another 2 million Afghan people were displaced within the country. The Aerial bombing by the soviets destroyed important stru ctures like irrigation canals which were extremely crucial to the agriculture in and arid climate. Most of the farmers who decided to stay in Afghanistan had their fields and irrigation systems bombed and live stocks destroyed. The Landmines alone killed 25000 Afghans during the war and another 10-15 million land mines have been left scattered throughout the country. Even today, Afghan people die or are critically injured as a result of these land mines. A year after the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the USSR collapsed. Similarities between the USSR and US war in Afghanistan: Of course, there are many similarities between the Soviet strategies and policies of their Afghan war of 1979 and the American tactics in Afghanistan since 2001. In 1980s, the USSR was failing in Afghanistan even after a new leadership was emerging the capital of the Soviet Union. The new leadership started to make new strategic changes in order to rescue

Logistics Technologies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Logistics Technologies - Research Paper Example Military logistics is critical in the battlefield for the army to accomplish their strategies. The success of any military operation depends on the organization of its logistics, which acts as the backbone in any military operation. During the 1812 War and during World War II involving the Third Reich’s Sixth army, â€Å"the enemies severed their logistical capabilities on their march to Moscow, making them vulnerable and easy prey for the Russians who laid in wait† (De Rosario et al, 2009). The armies ran out of water, food, ammunitions and fuel, with the Russian winter making the situation much worse. Due to the great distances involved, there was no communication among the various commanders on the ground and from their command base, thwarting any efforts of coordinated operation. Consequently, in the spring season, â€Å"the armies could not adequately resupply their diminishing stocks and greatly lowered their resistance against a much stronger advancing Russian U ranus forces† (De Rosario et al, 2009). There was communication breakdown as the entire army network was broken; generally, the failure was because of poor logistics planning in establishing the relationship between intelligence in the war, operations needed and the logistical issues that facilitate communication. Military operations are solely dependent on the logistics laid down to support the operation. It follows that to enhance reliability and effectiveness in military operations, integrating technology in the logistic process is a critical aspect to consider in any military related logistic process. Logistics is critical to the functioning and success of any army operation. Any change in the operation strategies has to affect how such changes have to be supported. Technology is currently the single most important aspect in ensuring smooth army operations and great support, leading to

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Organizational Change At Qatar Olympic Committee Essay

Organizational Change At Qatar Olympic Committee - Essay Example The conference supported playing for a greener future. Moreover, the QOC entered in a partnership with the Look Company to promote innovative environmental awareness (â€Å"The LOOK Company† 1). Through this partnership, QOC derives the free will and ability to help in conserving the environment.The transition plan shall include the establishment of an environmental policy for QOC and a QOC 2030 Sustainability Plan. The QOC should also establish an environmental committee to implement the QOC environmental policy and the QOC 2030 Sustainability Plan. The organizational change will also include partnerships with sporting bodies like IOC, FIFA, and non-governmental organizations that promote environmental conservation like UNEP. The QOC should also convince the Qatar government to invest more money in environmental conservation. The QOC shall engage the youths and community-based organizations to create environmental awareness that seeks to enhance sustainable development. I wil l also encourage QOC to promote the recycling of branding elements made of fabric and recommend better ways of conserving energy and reducing gas emissions in the sporting manufacturing companies. These measures will define organizational change that will foster environmental conservation at the QOC.Nevertheless, I face a great personal challenge to achieve my objective due to my lack of persistence and poor persuasive skills. Indeed, I am prone to quick discouragements and I lack the capacity to persuade the QOC to adopt my proposal.

Fact pattern Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fact pattern - Essay Example Although these legal principles are national; the scope of others depends on state law development. Currently; art trade activities involving production, sale, display and collection of art get professional legal considerations through regulation, statute, treaty, case law, ordinance and regulation. Art traditionally concerns fine art and visual arts. Also, it’s noted that art law is very similar to the cultural property law. Entertainment law generally entails industries or sectors engaged in the production of theatre, music, television, publishing and motion pictures. These entertainment sectors deal with economic or business aspects that are applicable to almost all areas of law; for example copyright, trade secret, publicity, securities, trademark, rights of privacy and publicity, corporate law, international law, constitutional law and labor law. All of these stated laws work towards protecting the creative rights of the individual or the enterprises. Other laws related to the entertainment law include; intellectual property law, sports law, telecommunications law and First Amendment law. The most basic legal tool in the entertainment sector is the personal service agreement (Wasko 178). The personal service agreement is quite often governed through statutes, and they are at times the subject of court processes due to restrictions on rights of the artists to create or perform for other enterprises o r individuals. Another additional issues discussed in this paper is the fact pattern which involves presentation of evidences. Law practitioners are required to study the proofs in order to disregard or ignore those which are not applicable to the subject matter at hand. Copyright law protects artistic works. The artistic works should be presented in tangible mediums like paintings. Copyright is given through the federal statutes and it enables the artist to have exclusive rights on his works; like reproduction

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Logistics Technologies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Logistics Technologies - Research Paper Example Military logistics is critical in the battlefield for the army to accomplish their strategies. The success of any military operation depends on the organization of its logistics, which acts as the backbone in any military operation. During the 1812 War and during World War II involving the Third Reich’s Sixth army, â€Å"the enemies severed their logistical capabilities on their march to Moscow, making them vulnerable and easy prey for the Russians who laid in wait† (De Rosario et al, 2009). The armies ran out of water, food, ammunitions and fuel, with the Russian winter making the situation much worse. Due to the great distances involved, there was no communication among the various commanders on the ground and from their command base, thwarting any efforts of coordinated operation. Consequently, in the spring season, â€Å"the armies could not adequately resupply their diminishing stocks and greatly lowered their resistance against a much stronger advancing Russian U ranus forces† (De Rosario et al, 2009). There was communication breakdown as the entire army network was broken; generally, the failure was because of poor logistics planning in establishing the relationship between intelligence in the war, operations needed and the logistical issues that facilitate communication. Military operations are solely dependent on the logistics laid down to support the operation. It follows that to enhance reliability and effectiveness in military operations, integrating technology in the logistic process is a critical aspect to consider in any military related logistic process. Logistics is critical to the functioning and success of any army operation. Any change in the operation strategies has to affect how such changes have to be supported. Technology is currently the single most important aspect in ensuring smooth army operations and great support, leading to

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Fact pattern Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fact pattern - Essay Example Although these legal principles are national; the scope of others depends on state law development. Currently; art trade activities involving production, sale, display and collection of art get professional legal considerations through regulation, statute, treaty, case law, ordinance and regulation. Art traditionally concerns fine art and visual arts. Also, it’s noted that art law is very similar to the cultural property law. Entertainment law generally entails industries or sectors engaged in the production of theatre, music, television, publishing and motion pictures. These entertainment sectors deal with economic or business aspects that are applicable to almost all areas of law; for example copyright, trade secret, publicity, securities, trademark, rights of privacy and publicity, corporate law, international law, constitutional law and labor law. All of these stated laws work towards protecting the creative rights of the individual or the enterprises. Other laws related to the entertainment law include; intellectual property law, sports law, telecommunications law and First Amendment law. The most basic legal tool in the entertainment sector is the personal service agreement (Wasko 178). The personal service agreement is quite often governed through statutes, and they are at times the subject of court processes due to restrictions on rights of the artists to create or perform for other enterprises o r individuals. Another additional issues discussed in this paper is the fact pattern which involves presentation of evidences. Law practitioners are required to study the proofs in order to disregard or ignore those which are not applicable to the subject matter at hand. Copyright law protects artistic works. The artistic works should be presented in tangible mediums like paintings. Copyright is given through the federal statutes and it enables the artist to have exclusive rights on his works; like reproduction

Jain Architecture Essay Example for Free

Jain Architecture Essay Summary Jainism is a religion, based on ‘non violence’ and ‘self control of the human senses’. It has its origins in India. Jains are idol worshippers, and a temple is a place where this worship is carried out. Jain places of worship in India are unique in many respects. Temple cities are built atop hills at a considerable height from the sea level. Palitana, Delvada and Sametshikhar are classic examples of cluster of temples built on the top of hills. These were built during the times when the only technology available was hand work. Ranakpur and Shramanbelgoda are other classic examples of architectural masterpieces emerging out of devotion to idol worship. A photographic exhibition on these five sites is proposed. It will try to explain the uniqueness of temples at each of the sites. It would be an effort to demonstrate to the world, the marvelous results faith can bring. Attention would also be paid to the extensive use of marble as a material of faith ( the idols) construction ( the structures) and decoration ( the pillars and the domes) of Jain temples. The team will visit each of the sites and shoot the required still pictures. Specialists on each of sites will be personally interviewed to understand the architecture of each site as a form of art. So far, much work is not done on documentation of Jain architecture. Nor is there any authentic analysis available to see them as a form of art. For examples the basic geometric principles of Jain temples are hardly documented. The final form of the exhibition will be a series of still photographs, sketches or drawings or maps supplemented by text. This will make a comprehensive presentation of Jain temples as a form of art. Scope: The scope of this exhibition is to communicate the uniqueness of Jain architecture, mainly the five most popular sites in India, namely, Sametshikhar, Palitana, Delvada, Ranakpur and Shramanbelgoda. The medium used is still photography, supported by drawings, sketches and written text. All the photographs will be shot on 35 mm format. All the information will be displayed on panel size 4 ft X 3 ft. Each site will be allotted 10 panels, making it 50 panels in total. Each temple site will be documented as an independent module, to facilitate erection at any place in future. Leaving proper space between two modules will ensure a smooth human flow, while the exhibition is on. The exhibition is not to be viewed from a religious or a philosophical point of views, but as a form of art. It will expose the onlooker to how Jains incorporated the element of art into their ‘places of worship’. All the five sites chosen for this exhibition are in India. Sametshikhar, in the state of Bihar, can be compared to Mecca of Jains. This is the place where most of the 24 ‘tirthankars’ of Jains, attained their ‘nirvan- freedom from the cycle of rebirth’. Temples are built on the top of an array of hills as a mark of respect to each of them. Palitana, in the state of Gujarat, is a city of temples on the top of a hill, where the first ‘ tirthankar’, prayed. Delvada, at Mt. Abu in Rajasthan is well known for its intricate hand carving of large marble columns and the domes. Ranakpur, at the foot of Aravalli hills in Rajasthan, is again a rare piece of architectural marvel. It is a four sided temple, with 1,444 hand carved marble columns, in its interior. No art symbols on any of the columns are duplicated. The ceilings and the domes are also carved with symbols representing Jain beliefs. Shramanbelgoda, in the state of Karnataka in South India, is not a closed temple, but a single, huge idol of Bahubali. This idol is believed to be carved out of single piece marble. Temple complex at Palitana ( clipart ) ( ref. No. 1 ) Close up view of column carving at Delavada Dome carving at Delavada ( clipart ) ( clipart) ( ref.No. 2) ( Ref. No. 3 ). Temple complex- Delwada ( clipart) ( Ref. No. 4) Temple complex – Ranakpur ( Clipart) ( Ref. No. 5) Few of the 1444 pillars at Ranakpur ( Clipart)(ref6) Dome carving at Ranakpur(Clipart) ( Ref 7) Pillar carvings – Ranakpur ( Clipart ) ( re no. 8) Idol of Bahubali, Sramanbelgoda ( Clipart )(ref 7) A team consisting of experts in still photography, freehand sketching, documentation will be visiting these sites personally in India. They will also interview and talk to people who are experts on each of the sites. The same team on return, will edit the visual and the text material and prepare the final panels. This team will also be present at the site wherever this exhibition is held, to personally brief the visitors on the subject. This exhibition must happen, because of the uniqueness of its subject. Perhaps there is no such collective documentation existing, as yet. It would surely enlighten the onlooker. Works-cited page 1. Clipart , Clip Arts from Jain temples/Pilgrimage places, Retrieved on 1 May 07 from: http://www. jainworld. org/pictures/temples .

Monday, October 14, 2019

Exercise for Balance in the Elderly | Research

Exercise for Balance in the Elderly | Research CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The ageing process is considered as a biological reality, and which cannot be controlled by human being. It is dynamic in nature. The beginning of the old age is about 60 or 65 years and it is equivalent to retirement age. According to the developed countries, old age means at the point when the active contribution is no longer possible (Gorman et al., 2007). As a natural part of aging, physiological and psychological changes can occur and it can affect the lifestyle and health of old age people. Most of the older adults commonly affected by the problems like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fractures, diabetes, hypertension, poor vision, hearing impairment, cardiovascular diseases, COPD, poor kidney function, cancers, urinary incontinence, anxiety, depression and balance problems.(Nabili,2010) One of the leading health concerns, in case of elderly is falling and which is related to balance Problems. (Cochrane library).  Balance problems and falls are common, and falls can occur due to impaired balance among elderly .Worldwide, the number of persons over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group. In the middle of the 20th century 14 million people were in the age group of 80 years or older. By, 2050 it will be about 400 million in world wide. Approximately 28-35% of people over the age of 65 fall each year, and this proportion increases to 32-42% for those aged more than 70 years. 40% elderly people living in long term care setting experienced recurrent falls during each year and it is high as compaired to community older adults. Falls may lead to, increased dependence, loss of autonomy, confusion, immobilization and depression. (WHO). According to the centre for control of diseases and prevention (CDC) , one in every 3 adults over the age of 65 falls each year. Walking difficulty and poor balance are common impairments in old age group and which is the high risk for falling. In 2011American geriatric society recommended that all adults aged 65 or older should screen for falls. (Shubert, 2011). Falls can occur in all age groups especially in older adults. The prevalence and incidence of falls more commonly occurs after the age of 65 and (30-60) percentage in annually. As compaired to men, women are more prone to get falls. A study was conducted in Cape Town of South Africa to identify the risk factors of falls. The subjects were selected randomly aged more than 65 years. Total number of samples was 837 from different groups like whites, black Africans and Indians. The study result shows that, incidence of falls was high in women and prevalence of falls was different for different groups. (Kalula, 2010) The risk factors for falls are mainly Gait disturbance, muscle weakness, Dizziness, postural hypotension, visual Impairment, and syncope, use of an assistive device, visual deficit, arthritis, impaired activities of daily living, depression, and cognitive impairment. (WHO, 2006) As age increases, individuals experience decreased strength and balance, which is a risk factor for falls. Balance is the ability to maintain an upright posture during dynamic and static tasks. Maintaining balance requires interactions between central and peripheral factors. (Knerl, 2009) Balance problems are commonly reported by elderly people. Good balance has been associated with independence in daily activities. Deterioration in balance may leads to reduced physical activities and fear of falling. Balance assessments serves several purposes, such as quantitative, description of ability, monitoring subject’s progress overtime and evaluating the effectiveness of intervention.(Sihvonen,2004) For old age people 65 or older, in 2010 the total direct medical cost was 30 billion dollars due to fall injuries and by 2020 it is expected to be about 54.9 billion. Implementation of effective intervention could reduce the health care costs of fall related injuries.(CDC) From the Health Day News, exercise programme means to prevent falls in the seniors, but according to new review it says that exercise programme helps to prevent injuries also. Balance training has been identified as one of the top 10 worldwide in the fitness industry. In 2008 Physical activity guidelines for Americans recommend that balance exercises for 3 days in a week was effective for active and inactive elderly aged more than 65. Gait and balance disorders are common in elderly. As a health care team, physicians or nurses have the responsibility to ask about the previous history of falls. Due to the lack of standardized measures,evidence for the effectiveness of balance training is limited. Yet the exercise and physical therapy are included in effective options for gait and balance. NEED FOR THE STUDY With the exponential growth in older population, exercise is a key target(WHO,2002) and it is a subset of Physical activity that is planned , structural and repetitive and it is considered to be the important rehabilitation programme to improve the functional ability of old age people (Cochrane library). Dr.Nick cavil says that â€Å"A people get older and their bodies decline in function, physical activity helps to slow that decline. In older adults reduced balance is associated with, decreased physical functioning and increase risk of falling. This review analyses the effect of exercise on balance in older adults. (Cochrane editorial unit). In 1960’s an astronaut called John Glenn disqualified from his service, because he experienced balance problems during his working. Then after the rehabilitation programme, at the age of 77, he performed well. As per Indiana University, exercises that speedup swaying that may help to forestall balance problems in later. For the exercise programme safe environment is recommended, for that first step, to acquire sufficient fitness and Self-confidence. Gait balance training is effective, in clinical balance outcomes in elderly. These interventions are probably safe. (Howe, 2011). One in every 3 adults over the age of 65 falls each year . Balance is critical when it comes to avoiding falls at any age. Balance exercise improves strength and flexibility on both sides of the body, not only do they reduce the risk of sips , trips, and falls but also increases the likelihood that seniors will be able to recover balance or reduce the injuries . After 50 years of age , begins to lose 10% of our strength per decade of life , which leads to balance problems. Balance exercise help to reduce the decade of life. (CDC). A study to evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced balance training programme to improve the mobility of older adults with balance problems. The study was conducted in Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust general hospital; the design adopted for the study was prospective singled blind randomized controlled trial. The subjects participated in the study were 199.The interventional group received balance training programme and control group received physiotherapy. The outcome measures were Berg balance scale,Frenchay Activities Index (FAI), Falls Handicap Inventory (FHI), and European Quality of Life questionnaire were measured regularly at 6,12 and 24 weeks.Both groups showed improvements. (Intervention: 22.5-16.5 seconds, P =.001; control: 20.5-15.8 seconds, P =.054). As by conclusion, the results shows that exercise programmes had an effect on balance among elderly. (Steadman, et.al 2003) Older adults can improve their quality of life by participating in balance exercises. Their by they can improve their mobility and get fit. The researcher says that as age increases, there is a chance of losing muscle mass and strength. Exercise programme helps to improve the postural alignment in sitting and standing position. Many of the older adults, admitted to the hospitals due to decreased balance problem and it results in falls related injuries, so the investigator reveals that exercise programme helps to reduce the falls by improving balance among elderly. According to American journal of epidemiology 30% of community – dwelling seniors /citizens will experiences falls at least once a year due to balance problems. so, as a health care professionals we are responsible to make out the solution. During cinical posting in medical and surgical ward in KMCH, the investigator came across so many persons with fall related injuries due to balance problems, and most of them were in the age group of more than 60.So in order to reduce the rate of falls and to improve the balance the researcher selected the exercise programme as an intervention for elderly people. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Effectiveness of exercise program on balance among elderly in selected old age home at Coimbatore. OBJECTIVES Objectives of the study were to assess the balance score among elderly. determine the effectiveness of exercise programme in improving balance scores. identify the association between the balance scores with selected demographic and clinical variables of elderly people. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Balance:-Ability of an individual to maintain the line of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway during different activities such as bending forward, transfer and closing eyes. Exercise programme:- Systematically planned programme for the old age people to improve the balance, of 5 exercises namely sit to stand, heel to toe walk, one leg stand, sideways walking and step up. Elderly:-Both male and female in the age group of 60-80 years. HYPOTHESIS There is a significant improvement in balance following exercise programme among elderly. ASSUMPTIONS Balance impairments are important risk factor for fall. Balance impairments are higher in elderly people. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK A conceptual frame work in nursing is the backbone, on which the nursing research is built. A theoretical explanation of the phenomenon or problem and serves as the basis for the formulation of research hypothesis. The conceptual framework adopted for this study is wiedenbach’s Theory, (1970) which is established by Ernestinewiedenbach, who was early nursing leader. Wiedenbach focuses on individualizing care for each patient. This is done by assessing the individual needs of each patient, so the nurse knows when to step in and help the patient. Central purpose Central purpose of this study is to improve the balance among elderly people. Prescription The investigator plan the prescription that will fulfil the central purpose (improve the balance among elderly).Thus the investigator, selected the method, exercise programme for elderly people, and which is considered to be the effective measure of improving the balance. Realities Agent investigator Recipient elderly people with decreased balance Goal improvement in balance Means provision of exercise (make them to do) Frame work old age home. Identification This includes identification of balance problems among old age people and also importance of exercises and its effects to improve the balance among elderly. Ministration Provision of exerciseprogramme (balance exercise) for elderly with balance problem. Validation Evaluation of the effectiveness of exercise programme on balance with the use of berg balance scale