The Integumentary System

5 The Integumentary System FOCUS: The integumentary system consists of the skin, hair, nails, and a variety of glands. The epidermis of the skin provides protection against abrasion, ultraviolet light, and water loss, and produces vitamin D. The dermis provides structural strength and contains blood vessels involved in temperature regulation. The skin is attached to underlying tissue by the hypodermis, which is a major site of fat storage. CONTENT LEARNING ACTIVITY Hypodermis The hypodermis is not part of the integumentary system. Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Fat Hypodermis 1.Sometimes called subcutaneous tissue. 2. Loose connective tissue that attaches the skin to underlying bone or muscle. 3. Functions as padding and insulation. 4. Responsible for some of the structural differences between men and women. The hypodermis contains about half the body's stored fat. Measuring the thickness of the hypodermis is a technique used to estimate total body fat. 1 The dermis is dense connective tissue that forms the deep layer of the skin. Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Cleavage lines Dermal papillae Striae 1. Directions in which the skin is most resistant to stretch. . Lines visible through the epidermis produced by overstretching of the dermis. 3. Blood vessels in this structure exchange nutrients and waste products with the epidermis. 4. Projections from the dermis into the epidermis; produce fingerprints. Dermis The epidermis is stratified squamous epithelium separated from the dermis by a basement membrane. A. Epidermis Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Callus Corn Keratin Keratinization Lipids Stratum basale Stratum corneum 1. The process that changes the shape and chemical composition of epidermal cells. 2.The strata of the epidermis that produces new cells by mitosis. 3. The strata of the epidermis that contains dead, squamous cells. 4. Responsible for the structural strength of the stratum corneum. 5. Responsible for preventing fluid loss through the skin. 6. A thickened area of stratum corneum produced in response to friction. 7. Stratum corneum that thickens to form a cone-shaped structure over a bony prominence. The epidermis forms a permeability barrier that is also resistant to abrasion. 2 B. Match these terms with the correct part labeled in figure 5. 1: Dermis Epidermis Stratum basale Stratum corneum 1. 2. 3. 4.Figure 5. 1 Skin color is determined by pigments in the skin, by blood circulation through the skin, and by the thickness of the stratum corneum. Skin Color Using the terms provided, complete these statements: Albinism Birthmarks Blue color Carotene Cyanosis Melanin Melanocytes Melanosomes Red color Suntan 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. (1) is the term used to describe a group of pigments responsible for skin, hair, and eye color. It is produced by (2) in the stratum basale, packaged into (3) , and is distributed to other epidermal cells. Melanin production is determined by genetic factors, hormones, and exposure to light.A mutation that prevents the manufacture of melanin is called (4) . Increased melanin production in response to ultraviolet light results in a (5) . The (6) of tattoos, bruises, and some superficial blood vessels is due to the lightscattering effect of overlying tissues. (7) is a yellow pigment found in plants such as squash and carrots. When large amounts of this pigment are consumed, the excess accumulates in the stratum corneum and in fat cells of the dermis and hypodermis, causing the skin to develop a yellowish tint. Blood flowing through the skin produces a (8) . When blood flow increases (e. g. blushing) this color intensifies. A decrease in the blood oxygen content of blood produces a bluish color called (9) . Congenital disorders of blood vessels in the dermis produce (10) . 3 The presence of hair is one of the characteristics common to all mammals. A. Hair Match these terms with the corr ect statement or definition: Arrector pili Cortex Cuticle Hair bulb Hair follicle Hair root Hair shaft Medulla 1. Portion of hair protruding above the surface of the skin. 2. Soft center of a hair. 3. Outer layer of a hair consisting of a single layer of overlapping cells that holds the hair in the hair follicle. 4.An extension of the epidermis into the dermis. 5. Smooth muscles cells that cause hair to â€Å"stand on end† and also produce â€Å"goose flesh. † B. Hair is produced in cycles that involve a growth stage alternating with a resting stage. Match these terms with the correct part labeled in figure 5. 2: Arrector pili Cortex Cuticle Dermal papilla Hair bulb Hair follicle wall Hair root Hair shaft Medulla 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Figure 5. 2 4 The major glands of the skin are the sebaceous glands and the sweat glands. A. Glands Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Apocrine sweat gland Merocrine sweat glandSebaceous gland Sebum 1. Oily, white substance rich in lipids; lubricates hair and the surface of the skin, prevents drying, and protects against some bacteria. 2. Produces sebum; opens into the hair follicle. 3. Produces a watery secretion (sweat); opens onto the surface of the skin. 4. Produces a thick, organic secretion that is broken down by bacteria to produce body odor; opens into the hair follicle. B. Match these terms with the correct part labeled in figure 5. 3: Apocrine sweat gland Merocrine sweat gland Sebaceous gland 1. 2. 3. Figure 5. 3 5 The distal ends of the digits of humans have nails.A. Nails Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Eponychium Lunula Nail body 1. Visible part of the nail. Nail matrix Nail root 2. Cuticle; stratum corneum that extends onto the nail body. 3. Produces the nail. 4. Whitish, crescent-shaped area at the base of a nail; part of the nail matrix. B. Unlike hair, nails grow continuously and do not have a resting stage. Match these terms with the corre ct part labeled in figure 5. 4: Eponychium (cuticle) Lunula Nail bed Nail body Nail matrix Nail root 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 6 Functions of the Integumentary System The integumentary system has many functions in the body. Excretion Protection Sensation Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Temperature regulation Vitamin D production 1. The skin functions as a physical and permeability barrier. 2. Absorption of ultraviolet light by melanin. 3. Resists abrasion by sloughing cells from the epidermis. 4. Begins when a precursor molecule is exposed to ultraviolet light in the skin. 5. Carried out by producing sweat and increasing or decreasing blood vessel diameter. 6. Occurs to a slight degree with sweat production when some urea, uric acid, and ammonia are lost.The Effects of Aging on the Integumentary System As the body ages, many changes occur in the integumentary system. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Increases Using the terms provided, complete these statements: Dec reases As the body ages blood flow to the skin (1) , and the thickness of the skin (2) . The skin is more easily damaged and repairs more slowly. The amount of elastic fibers in the skin (3) and the amount of fat in the hypodermis (4) , causing the skin to wrinkle and sag. The activity of sweat and sebaceous glands (5) , resulting in dry skin and poor ability to regulate body temperature.The number of functioning melanocytes (6) , but in the hands and face, melanocytes increase to produce age spots. White or gray hair also results because melanin production (7) . The integumentary system is useful in diagnosis because it is observed easily. Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Cyanosis Jaundice Rash 1. Indicates impaired circulatory or respiratory function. 2. Results from a buildup of bile pigments in the blood. 3. Can indicate an allergic reaction, for example, to penicillin. The Integumentary System as a Diagnostic Aid 7 Burns are classified according to the depth of the burn.Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: First degree burn Second degree burn Third degree burn Full thickness burn Partial thickness burn Burns 1. Part of the stratum basale remains viable and regeneration of the epidermis occurs from within the burn area as well as from the edges of the burn; includes first and second degree burns. 2. Involves only the epidermis; red and painful. 3. Damages the epidermis and dermis; symptoms include redness, pain, edema, and blisters. 4. The epidermis and dermis are destroyed, and recovery occurs from the edges of the burn; also called a third degree burn. ? Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. Match these terms with the correct statement or definition: Basal cell carcinoma Malignant melanoma Squamous cell carcinoma 1. Begins in the stratum basale and extends into the dermis to produce an open ulcer; the most frequent type of skin cancer. 2. Develops from cells immediately superficial to the strat um basale; a nodular, keratinized tumor confined to the epidermis. 3. A rare form of skin cancer that arises from melanocytes, usually in a preexisting mole; unless diagnosed and treated early this cancer is often fatal. Skin CancerQUICK RECALL 1. List 5 functions of the integumentary system. 2. Name two strata of the epidermis and the process that changes the deepest stratum into the most superficial stratum. 8 3. Name two pigments involved in skin color. 4. Name the two stages in the hair growth cycle. 5. List the three types of glands found in the skin. 6. List four protective functions of the skin. 7. State two ways the integumentary system functions to regulate body temperature. 8. Name the three types of skin cancer. WORD PARTS Give an example of a new vocabulary word that contains each word part.WORD PART subdermkeratmelancyanpapillMEANING below skin horn black dark blue nipple 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. EXAMPLE 9 MASTERY LEARNING ACTIVITY Place the letter corresponding to the correct answer in the space provided. 1. The hypodermis a. connects the dermis to underlying bone and muscle. b. is the layer of skin where hair is produced. c. is the layer of skin where nails are produced. d. connects the dermis and the epidermis. 2. The part of the skin where cells divide by mitosis in order to replace cells lost from the outermost surface of the skin? a. hypodermis b. dermis c. stratum basale d. stratum corneum 3.The papillae of the dermis a. are responsible for cleavage or tension lines in the skin. b. contain large deposits of fat. c. are responsible for fingerprints. d. do not contain blood vessels. 4. In what area of the body would you expect to find an especially thick stratum corneum? a. back of the hand b. heel of the foot c. abdomen d. over the shin 5. The function of keratin in the skin is a. lubrication of the skin. b. to reduce water loss. c. to provide protection from ultraviolet light. d. to provide structural strength. 6. Concerning skin color, which of t he following statements is NOT correctly matched? . skin appears yellow – carotene present b. no skin pigmentation (albinism) genetic disorder c. skin tans – increased melanin production d. skin appears blue (cyanosis) oxygenated blood e. dark skinned person compared to a fair-skinned person – more melanin in the dark-skinned person 7. Hair a. slowly, but continually grows. b. grows from the tip of the hair shaft. c. consists of columns of dead keratinized epithelial cells. d. all of the above 8. A hair follicle a. is an extension of the epidermis into the dermis. b. receives a duct from a sebaceous gland. c. eceives a duct from an apocrine sweat gland. d. all of the above 9. Smooth muscles that produce â€Å"goose flesh† when they contract are the a. papillae. b. cuticle. c. medulla. d. arrector pili. 10. Sebum a. lubricates hair and skin, which prevents drying. b. is produced by sweat glands. c. consists of dead cells from hair follicles. d. is responsi ble for body odor. 10 11. If a person was born without any sweat glands, it would most likely affect the person's ability to a. secrete waste products. b. control body temperature in warm environments. c. flush out secretions that accumulate in hair follicles. . prevent some bacteria from growing on the skin. 12. While building the patio deck to his house, an anatomy and physiology instructor hit his finger with a hammer. He responded by saying, â€Å"Gee, I hope I didn't irreversibly damage the _____, because if I did, my fingernail will never grow back. † a. cuticle b. nail body c. nail matrix d. nail root 13. Skin aids in maintaining the calcium and phosphate levels of body by participating in the production of a. carotene. b. keratin. c. vitamin A. d. vitamin D. 14. On a sunny spring day a student decided to initiate her annual tanning ritual.However, she fell asleep while sunbathing. After awakening she noticed that the skin on her back was burned. She experienced rednes s, blisters, edema, and pain. The burn was nearly healed about 10 days later. The burn was best classified as a a. first degree burn. b. second degree burn. c. third degree burn. 15. A large, flat spreading lesion develops from a mole. A short time later the victim dies of cancer. The type of cancer most likely was a a. basal cell carcinoma. b. squamous cell carcinoma. c. malignant melanoma. ? F INAL CHALLENGES Use a separate sheet of paper to complete this section. 1. The rate of water loss from the skin of the hand was measured. Following the measurement the hand was soaked in alcohol for 15 minutes. After all the alcohol was removed from the hand, the rate of water loss was again measured. Compared to the rate of water loss before soaking the hand in alcohol, what difference, if any, would you expect in the rate of water loss after soaking the hand in alcohol. 2. It has been several weeks since Goodboy Player has competed in a tennis match. After the match he discovers that a bli ster has formed beneath an old callus on his foot and the callus as fallen off. When he examines the callus he discovers that it appears yellow. Can you explain why? 3. Why is it difficult to surgically remove a large tattoo without causing scar tissue to form? (hint: why do tattoos appear bluish in color? ) 4. Given what you know about the cause of body odor, propose some ways to prevent the condition. 5. Dandy Chef has been burned on the arm. The doctor, using a forceps, pulls on a hair within the area that was burned. The hair easily pulls out. What degree of burn did the patient have and how do you know? 11

Wisdom, Morality, and Meditation

The Fourth Noble Truth is the Noble Eightfold Path, which is also referred to as â€Å"Magga. † The Noble Eightfold Path essentially has three main parts: Wisdom, Morality, and Meditation. These three sections represent the eight sections of the Noble Eightfold Path. Wisdom is broken down into â€Å"Right View† and â€Å"Right Intention. † Next, morality consists of â€Å"Right Speech,† â€Å"Right Action,† and â€Å"Right Livelihood. † Finally, meditation consists of â€Å"Right Effort,† â€Å"Right Mindfulness,† and â€Å"Right Concentration. † One may think that these eight parts must be followed in a specific order, however, all eight parts work mutually dependent of each other. Right View is a part of Wisdom and, according to our class lectures, is the â€Å"Middle Way between eternalism and nihilism; the emptiness of all things. † Right View distinguishes wholesome (beneficial) things from unwholesome (harmful) things. A few examples of unwholesome things from our class notes are: onslaught of living beings, taking what is not given, sensual misconduct, lying speech, divisive speech (idol speech), harsh speech, covetousness, and wrong view. The roots of unwholesomeness can be narrowed down to three things: greed and desire, hatred and anger, and ignorance and confusion. Thich Nhat Hanh describes the importance of Right View and what it is within chapter 9. Right View is known as samyag drishti. TNH talks about how seeds are planted within our bodies, and everyone has them. I thought it was the coolest analogy when TNH taught of these seeds within our bodies. It seems like everyone has each kind of seed of all different traits, but it depends on whether or not those seeds are watered within our bodies. He says: If you live in an environment where your seed of loyalty is watered, you will be a loyal person. But if your seed of betrayal is watered, you may betray even those you love. You’ll feel guilty about it, but if the seed of betrayal in you becomes strong, you may do it. (TNH, 51) This is such an amazing statement because I am a fairly strong believer that you are the product of your environment. Most people do whatever the â€Å"status quo† is in their neighborhood and rarely does anyone make a big jump to do something drastically different. I feel like all people are created the same, at least mentally, and it is up to the upbringing to form how someone acts in life. The reading of TNH’s chapter 9 discussed how it is up to the individual to decide which seed grows more than others within one’s body. In class we discussed how one can try to keep the seed of anger, for example, from growing. It is up to the individual to essentially stunt the seed of anger’s growth when one feels any possibility of anger coming in. While pushing the feeling of anger away, one should try to grow the seed of loving-kindness instead. Within my own life, I try to live by the idea of â€Å"killing people with kindness. † This is my third year as RA here on St.  Bonaventure and when I confront a situation, I try to always be as nice as possible. There’s nothing better than when we are documenting a room for a violation, usually alcohol related, and being overly nice to them. They have no idea how to handle the niceness in the situation. It just makes the situation so much better in the long run. Most people act very mad and rude to us when they are being documented and they don’t expect us, the RA’s, to be nice to them, but when we are nice to them and don’t let their obscene â€Å"hate words† affect us, they don’t know what to do. I feel like this could be a small example of growing my seed of kindness because I could get very angry about the students calling me hateful names for simply doing my job. Instead, I try to do what TNH said in Chapter 10, â€Å"†¦replace an unwholesome thought with a wholesome one by ‘changing the peg,’ just as a carpenter replaces a rotten peg by hammering in a new one. † (TNH, 62) In this example of my RA duties, I replace the unwholesome thought of harsh speech with loving-kindness, compassion, and clarity (education) to why the students are being documented. Discussing â€Å"Morality†, I read a part in which Kornfield was talking about his teacher, Maha Ghosananda (the Gandhi of Cambodia). Kornfield was telling how his teacher would teach the survivors of the 1975-88 genocide in Cambodia practices of compassion and loving-kindness for their own loss and that of others. He said, â€Å"You have lost so much. Now you know how precious everything is in this world. You must love again and let new things grow. † (Kornfield, 81) This quote can be related to â€Å"Right View,† but more importantly the concept of compassion which is within â€Å"Right Conduct† or â€Å"Morality. I absolutely love this quote because I feel like way too many people take their great lives for granted. I am sad to say that I am sometimes right in that category of people. I am always humbled so much when I meet someone who has endured a great amount of pain, or those who have already had cancer and are the same age as me. Right now, while at college I have two close friends who have already battled cancer and are now back at college. It makes me feel like I should be so incredibly thankful for the life that I have been blessed with. Many times one can become attached to something that is not all that important. Meditation can resolve this. In chapter 12 of TNH, it talks about how we have become so efficient and able to talk to places on the other side of the planet, however, he also explains that people have a harder time with one-on-one interactions and speech nowadays. This is an example of becoming attached to technology instead of listening and speaking with people in person. When reading through Kornfield’s 24th chapter, I noticed the stories about Dipama Barua, one of the greatest meditators of the Theravada lineage. They told of how she lost two out of three of her young children to illness and lost her husband due to a heart attack soon after. Most people would feel like there is no longer a reason to live after something like that, and she was one of those people. However, after a year of lying in bed full of grief, she started doing meditation and then eventually became a master of meditation. (Kornfield 382-384) Kornfield had gone to see Dipama and had such an encounter! When he was leaving from seeing her, she touched him and said a 10 minute prayer in which he started to have a realization and see everything in a positive light. After this, he could not stop smiling at everything. (Kornfield 382-384) This encounter between Kornfield and Dipama reminds me of times that I feel like nothing can go right, but all it takes is seeing and talking to someone who you really like and respect. Then, after talking to this one person, you have a totally new positive outlook on life. This short story tells me that how you go through life is all about perspective. This â€Å"halt† in life represents a meditation. Sometimes one has to take a break from their busy lives and just reflect on their life and spirituality. When I have done this in the past, it feels so incredibly rewarding to just take a break from things and reflect on how great life is. When one is thinking about the Noble Eight-Fold Path, one has to remember that all of the â€Å"Rights† link into each other. We need to be compassionate for others, practice loving-kindness, and embrace wisdom, morality, and meditation within our lives to better understand everything.

American history

Grant. Discuss the objectives of each. Which plan was better for the Union and why?Before a comparison can be made of the policies of Andrew Johnson (President of the United States 1865-1869) and Ulysses S. Grant (President of the United States 1869-1877), the whole theory of Reconstruction has to be understood. The Civil War or sometimes referred to as the War Between the States happened between 1861 through 1865. It was the result of a long time brewing issue of slavery in the Southern States. Abolitionists of slavery and advocates of every human’s right to personal freedom were a strong political voice within the northern part of the Union while most of the southern states accepted slavery as a personal right. The North was more of an industrial area with many of its citizens being of a more conservative religious nature. The North did have a firm agricultural aspect as well but these farms where family owned with hired labor to work them. Indentured servants from the original colonial days no longer existed but within the fertile crop lands of the southern states, plantations of great size were prospering in the growth of cotton and sugar cane. With slave labor, the owners of these plantations amassed great wealth in comparison to their farmer counterparts in the north. Under pressure from these political groups, the federal government began to make efforts towards emancipation of the slaves and in protest, most of the southern states ceded to form a separate country of the Confederate States of America. A rift had formed within the country and war began. After four years of a long and bloody dispute, the war finally ended in 1865 with the surrender of the Confederates. The Confederate government was abolished and the whole country formed once again as the United States of America under the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Reconstruction began under Lincoln but due to his assignation, he did not live to follow his reconstruction plans. Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s vice president during Lincoln’s second term, automatically became the new president after Lincoln’s death. Mr. Johnson attempted to continue on with Lincoln’s policies concerning reconstruction. Lincoln had attempted to practice that though the southern states should be placed under military rule, it would be eventually be to return those states to their own governmental rule. If one tenth of the state population were willing to swear to an oath of loyalty to the Union, then that state was more likely to be removed from military government rule. In natural reaction, the once rebellious southern states objected to the state of being dictated to by the federal government in how their state should be run. The whole process was met with constant strife and disgruntlement from every side of politics. No satisfactory medium ground could be found. Most of the blame for this conflict was laid at the feet of Andrew Johnson, who as President was held the most responsible. This and other factors led to Andrew Johnson’s impeachment, including Johnson’s placement of Lorenzo Thomas as Secretary of the Department of War after having removed Edwin M. Stanton. This was all done without the approval or consent of the Senate. Johnson was charged with a high misdemeanor and his privileges of Office were removed as President. Ulysses S. Grant, a powerful figure in politics due to his favorable war credentials, had maintained a neutral attitude about Johnson’s Reconstruction policies during Johnson’s term. He was quoted as being in favor of Johnson’s policies as a continuance of Lincoln’s Reconstruction ideas. After his election as President, Grant took a stronger outlook on the Reconstruction issues. He absolved all military personnel of any charges of misconduct while in place as military government officials within the southern states. He gave them amnesty against any prosecution of acts while acting in capacity of military government. Grant took a dim view on the protests of the southern states’ complaints of military occupation and unfair treatment by the officials of that military occupation. The object was to form a one solid union once again at any price and to quell any possible uprising within the occupied states. While harsh and often unfair, Grant’s stern practices did succeed in ceasing any other attempts of the southern states to cede and order and unity was once again in place. Question Two: What impact did the frontier have on American behavior, attitudes, and institutions? Is the â€Å"frontier thesis† of Fredrick Jackson Turner still viable on today’s historians? With the opening of the western frontier, a whole new range of prospects was brought to the economy of the United States as well of the people who before populated the eastern part of the country and newly arrived immigrants seeking a better life in a different place. The gradual move west happened over a long period of time as the unexplored wilderness contained many dangers and unknown possibilities, both good and bad. It was a long slow process that happened over the first and middle part of the 19th century but by the last decade had arrived; most of it had been settled and civilized. Great new prospects had been introduced into America’s economy. The raw wealth in the forms of gold, silver or other mineral mining, oil, lumber and livestock ranching as well as other agricultural crops, gave the United States almost an unlimited source of products, increasing the country’s independence to provide for itself without so much dependency on foreign sources. The West had known such a boon of prosperity and economic growth that when the turn of the century arrived, there was an over abundance of these products and far less a demand for them than in the days when the West’s contributions to the country had been more in demand. Towns that had grown up overnight had faded away and new modernization of trains and freight shipping had eliminated many key jobs that so many people had known such as the end of the stage coach line and also the Pony Express. The East continued to prosper and develop new conveniences such as the telephone, the telegraph, electricity, automobiles, and the whole country was swept up in a whirlwind of inventive revolution. The Great Unknown just no longer existed as the whole vastness of the country was united by modern technology and sweeping change. It became the age of the machine and the end of the horse and buggy day. Fredrick Jackson Turner’s â€Å"frontier thesis† has broadened the whole concept that the generalized progression of people to move into unknown territory and settle it, leads to advances in all aspects of living from the industries of business to the growth and decline of economy. Foresight is better than hindsight could be said but it is only in hindsight that such historians as Fredrick Jackson Turner can project forecasts for today’s politicians. It could perhaps stop a forward movement such as that period went from prosperity to the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Fredrick J. Turner’s thesis also expounded on the value of deepening and strengthening relationships with neighboring and foreign nations as a broadened frontier. Question Three: Discuss the political, social and economic significance of the year 1876 in American History. This year brought a time of great strife for the United States. It had only been a little over a decade since the end of the Civil War and that poor economic growth in the southern part of the nation had ever lasting effects on the country as a whole. People were still moving west and many of the south were moving north to the cities in hopes of finding work and decent living conditions. This caused an overcrowding in these cities, affecting the normal citizenry as well as the newcomers, both American and still arriving immigrants. It was the end term of Ulysses S. Grant’s terms as President. The year was economically depressed which caused homelessness and unemployment for many Americans. These aspects were in direct contradiction of the people in the less populated western areas who knew a far better income and life. The year also suffered from a series of disasters from former years that has caused a great financial strain on the nation’s economy such as the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871 that had virtually left thousands homeless. There had been earthquakes and floods. Relief agencies were set up to bring relief to many of the indigent of those times but not all the money donated to at least thirty charities found its way to the intended purpose. There was rampant political misconduct. The year of 1876 is also known as the year of the tramp. Men who traveled from place to place working odd jobs or just simply squatting in places in groups causing disgruntlement and fear among the established citizens. The tramps were the by-products of the increasing number of homeless people. It became an even stronger distinction of class from the poor to the rich. More people were in poverty in comparison to the numbers who either wealthy or had a sufficient income to live a decent life. Homelessness breeds hopelessness and crime. Hobos were tramps that rode the railroads from place to place. The introduction of the railroad into American transportation was only increased by its use during the Civil War by transporting soldiers and equipment from place to place. Many of the hobos were ex-soldiers who had only gained a poorer way of life by fighting for their country instead of reaping rewards for their service by having a more evenly distributed prosperity. Such social and economic variances can only lead to a more volatile type of politics. During Grant’s term, the Democrat party had remained extremely weakened by the Civil War where the controlling party had remained Republican for a number of years. By 1876, the Democratic Party had finally begun to return to some power but there remained the strife that most of America’s politicians were Republican and more conservative and class aware. The rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer. Question Four: Compare the role of the political machines and the social reformers in dealing with the new urban environment of the late 19th Century. Which group was more successful and why? As it has been stated so many times, the 19th Century was a time of phenomenal change that far surpassed its preceding centuries. In those short one hundred years, there happened such a mass of innovative invention, mass population movement and radical social change than had ever been seen before. Accepted standards were challenged, religious statues questioned and political change that must incur with these actions. The questions of race, gender and creed became predominately evident in the American population that was more far spread than ever before and the country had amassed great growth in its size. Military force became a predominant figure in American politics since its said effective use after the Civil War. The federal government used its military forces as police basically after that period. Along with governing and maintaining the southern states during the years of the Reconstruction period, the American government now employed its Army to keep peace and jurisdiction among the remaining bands of Native American tribes in the west. Federal marshals held precedence over the local town and state marshals so the once wild frontier became more lawful and peaceful. At the end of Grant’s term in 1877, Rutherford Hayes became the President of the United States. He was also Republican and the highest seat in the country would remain in the control of the Republican Party until the election of Grover Cleveland in 1885. He was a Democrat and was set to bring about radical political change. He became the President of the common man but he also made strong enemies among certain powerful politicians in the Republican controlled Senate. Cleveland discovered a large monetary amount in the national treasury that had its basis in former Civil War tariffs and was termed as â€Å"pork barrel legislation†. He lowered the tariffs and vetoed laws that would have kept the tariffs and other such practices in force. He earned a high popularity among the agricultural groups and the less wealthy average American man on his income. His one term as President greatly aided the common man but his opponents in the political arena caused his loss to Benjamin Harrison in 1889. He re-ran in the following term and was re-elected President in 1893. His popularity was strong among the people of the spreading urban society of the United States. The time of the separation of Church and State had arrived. Women’s Suffrage had arisen on the horizon and would create a huge reform in American life and politics. The female citizens of the country had begun to demand their rights as individuals, especially the right to vote. What had been predominately a man’s world would soon be toppled over as American women brought their weight to bear upon every aspect of daily life. Along with Women’s Suffrage, came the feminine viewpoint of social reform to include religion more into politics and also led towards the prohibition of liquor. Perhaps a bit more predominant within the larger cities, the Suffrage movement caused more change within the expanded realm of the American population living. The political machines had a more direct bearing on the urban environment that the social reformers simply because the politics had a stronger foothold among the male population and it would take time for the new social reform to take effect. Question Five: Discuss the differences between the Populists and the Progressives as third parties in American politics. Include an analysis of their party platform, candidates and supporters. Both the Populist and La Follette Progressive parties were right wing. They were short lived political parties that did not survive the transitional growth of American politics. When George Washington was elected as President of the United States, there were no party affiliations. At the beginning, there was the Federalist Party and the Whig party and Anti-Federalist Party. The Federalist Party survived longer than either other party but within time several parties by other names would come into formation and as well disappear because their party platforms were too narrow and one sided to survive. The Populist Party would eventually move into becoming the Democratic Party with the election of Andrew Jackson as President. It began as the Democratic Republican Party, which because of its basic populist mandate, eventually became what we know today as the Democratic Party. The original Populist Party maintained too much of a radical, one-sided view. It had come down to an issue between the agricultural groups and the unionists. Due to falling land prices, crop prices, and heavy taxes, the western farmers felt themselves unrepresented in government. The unionists meanwhile were better organized and compact groups that differed greatly from the farming community. It was industrial against agricultural. Each newly formed party had its own interest in mind and chose candidates in accordance with those interests. There was no common benefit among the population as whole within these right wing parties. The Populist Party leaned closer to the farmers and sought to have a candidate elected that would represent them in Washington and relieve their growing pile of grievances. It connected eventually with the Greenback party but eventually took the form of the Democratic Party under the presidency of Andrew Jackson. The La Follette Progressive Party differed in its industrial pursuit as the Populist was agricultural. The Labor party turned to nominating candidates that would further their cause. The unionists cared little about the declining income plight of the farmers and by its very organized nature; the Labor party was eventually absorbed into what is now the Republican Party. Since each political party must differ in order to achieve a decent balance in politics, it is to the best advantage of election process to have two such agendas. There has been within the course of American history the emergence of third parties, even in today’s society with the Independent ticket. Though history has proved that very seldom is a candidate of a third party ever been elected to actually hold a political office. Works Cited/Reference Page: 1.   Andrew Johnson, A Study In Courage by Lloyd Paul Striker, Macmillan, 1929 2. Ulysses S. Grant: Politician by William B. Hesseltine, Dodd, Mead, 1935 3. Halford Mackinder and the ‘Geographical Pivot of History’: A Centennial Retrospective, Journal article by Klaus Dodds, James D. Sidaway; the Geographical Journal, Vol. 174, 2004 4. Down and Out, on the Road, the Homeless In American History by Kevin L. Kusmer, Oxford University Press, 2002 5.Political Mischief: Smear, Sabotage, and Reform In U.S. Elections by Bruce L. Felknor; Praeger Publications, 1992 American History American History American History American History American History American history Grant. Discuss the objectives of each. Which plan was better for the Union and why?Before a comparison can be made of the policies of Andrew Johnson (President of the United States 1865-1869) and Ulysses S. Grant (President of the United States 1869-1877), the whole theory of Reconstruction has to be understood. The Civil War or sometimes referred to as the War Between the States happened between 1861 through 1865. It was the result of a long time brewing issue of slavery in the Southern States. Abolitionists of slavery and advocates of every human’s right to personal freedom were a strong political voice within the northern part of the Union while most of the southern states accepted slavery as a personal right. The North was more of an industrial area with many of its citizens being of a more conservative religious nature. The North did have a firm agricultural aspect as well but these farms where family owned with hired labor to work them. Indentured servants from the original colonial days no longer existed but within the fertile crop lands of the southern states, plantations of great size were prospering in the growth of cotton and sugar cane. With slave labor, the owners of these plantations amassed great wealth in comparison to their farmer counterparts in the north. Under pressure from these political groups, the federal government began to make efforts towards emancipation of the slaves and in protest, most of the southern states ceded to form a separate country of the Confederate States of America. A rift had formed within the country and war began. After four years of a long and bloody dispute, the war finally ended in 1865 with the surrender of the Confederates. The Confederate government was abolished and the whole country formed once again as the United States of America under the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Reconstruction began under Lincoln but due to his assignation, he did not live to follow his reconstruction plans. Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s vice president during Lincoln’s second term, automatically became the new president after Lincoln’s death. Mr. Johnson attempted to continue on with Lincoln’s policies concerning reconstruction. Lincoln had attempted to practice that though the southern states should be placed under military rule, it would be eventually be to return those states to their own governmental rule. If one tenth of the state population were willing to swear to an oath of loyalty to the Union, then that state was more likely to be removed from military government rule. In natural reaction, the once rebellious southern states objected to the state of being dictated to by the federal government in how their state should be run. The whole process was met with constant strife and disgruntlement from every side of politics. No satisfactory medium ground could be found. Most of the blame for this conflict was laid at the feet of Andrew Johnson, who as President was held the most responsible. This and other factors led to Andrew Johnson’s impeachment, including Johnson’s placement of Lorenzo Thomas as Secretary of the Department of War after having removed Edwin M. Stanton. This was all done without the approval or consent of the Senate. Johnson was charged with a high misdemeanor and his privileges of Office were removed as President. Ulysses S. Grant, a powerful figure in politics due to his favorable war credentials, had maintained a neutral attitude about Johnson’s Reconstruction policies during Johnson’s term. He was quoted as being in favor of Johnson’s policies as a continuance of Lincoln’s Reconstruction ideas. After his election as President, Grant took a stronger outlook on the Reconstruction issues. He absolved all military personnel of any charges of misconduct while in place as military government officials within the southern states. He gave them amnesty against any prosecution of acts while acting in capacity of military government. Grant took a dim view on the protests of the southern states’ complaints of military occupation and unfair treatment by the officials of that military occupation. The object was to form a one solid union once again at any price and to quell any possible uprising within the occupied states. While harsh and often unfair, Grant’s stern practices did succeed in ceasing any other attempts of the southern states to cede and order and unity was once again in place. Question Two: What impact did the frontier have on American behavior, attitudes, and institutions? Is the â€Å"frontier thesis† of Fredrick Jackson Turner still viable on today’s historians? With the opening of the western frontier, a whole new range of prospects was brought to the economy of the United States as well of the people who before populated the eastern part of the country and newly arrived immigrants seeking a better life in a different place. The gradual move west happened over a long period of time as the unexplored wilderness contained many dangers and unknown possibilities, both good and bad. It was a long slow process that happened over the first and middle part of the 19th century but by the last decade had arrived; most of it had been settled and civilized. Great new prospects had been introduced into America’s economy. The raw wealth in the forms of gold, silver or other mineral mining, oil, lumber and livestock ranching as well as other agricultural crops, gave the United States almost an unlimited source of products, increasing the country’s independence to provide for itself without so much dependency on foreign sources. The West had known such a boon of prosperity and economic growth that when the turn of the century arrived, there was an over abundance of these products and far less a demand for them than in the days when the West’s contributions to the country had been more in demand. Towns that had grown up overnight had faded away and new modernization of trains and freight shipping had eliminated many key jobs that so many people had known such as the end of the stage coach line and also the Pony Express. The East continued to prosper and develop new conveniences such as the telephone, the telegraph, electricity, automobiles, and the whole country was swept up in a whirlwind of inventive revolution. The Great Unknown just no longer existed as the whole vastness of the country was united by modern technology and sweeping change. It became the age of the machine and the end of the horse and buggy day. Fredrick Jackson Turner’s â€Å"frontier thesis† has broadened the whole concept that the generalized progression of people to move into unknown territory and settle it, leads to advances in all aspects of living from the industries of business to the growth and decline of economy. Foresight is better than hindsight could be said but it is only in hindsight that such historians as Fredrick Jackson Turner can project forecasts for today’s politicians. It could perhaps stop a forward movement such as that period went from prosperity to the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Fredrick J. Turner’s thesis also expounded on the value of deepening and strengthening relationships with neighboring and foreign nations as a broadened frontier. Question Three: Discuss the political, social and economic significance of the year 1876 in American History. This year brought a time of great strife for the United States. It had only been a little over a decade since the end of the Civil War and that poor economic growth in the southern part of the nation had ever lasting effects on the country as a whole. People were still moving west and many of the south were moving north to the cities in hopes of finding work and decent living conditions. This caused an overcrowding in these cities, affecting the normal citizenry as well as the newcomers, both American and still arriving immigrants. It was the end term of Ulysses S. Grant’s terms as President. The year was economically depressed which caused homelessness and unemployment for many Americans. These aspects were in direct contradiction of the people in the less populated western areas who knew a far better income and life. The year also suffered from a series of disasters from former years that has caused a great financial strain on the nation’s economy such as the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871 that had virtually left thousands homeless. There had been earthquakes and floods. Relief agencies were set up to bring relief to many of the indigent of those times but not all the money donated to at least thirty charities found its way to the intended purpose. There was rampant political misconduct. The year of 1876 is also known as the year of the tramp. Men who traveled from place to place working odd jobs or just simply squatting in places in groups causing disgruntlement and fear among the established citizens. The tramps were the by-products of the increasing number of homeless people. It became an even stronger distinction of class from the poor to the rich. More people were in poverty in comparison to the numbers who either wealthy or had a sufficient income to live a decent life. Homelessness breeds hopelessness and crime. Hobos were tramps that rode the railroads from place to place. The introduction of the railroad into American transportation was only increased by its use during the Civil War by transporting soldiers and equipment from place to place. Many of the hobos were ex-soldiers who had only gained a poorer way of life by fighting for their country instead of reaping rewards for their service by having a more evenly distributed prosperity. Such social and economic variances can only lead to a more volatile type of politics. During Grant’s term, the Democrat party had remained extremely weakened by the Civil War where the controlling party had remained Republican for a number of years. By 1876, the Democratic Party had finally begun to return to some power but there remained the strife that most of America’s politicians were Republican and more conservative and class aware. The rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer. Question Four: Compare the role of the political machines and the social reformers in dealing with the new urban environment of the late 19th Century. Which group was more successful and why? As it has been stated so many times, the 19th Century was a time of phenomenal change that far surpassed its preceding centuries. In those short one hundred years, there happened such a mass of innovative invention, mass population movement and radical social change than had ever been seen before. Accepted standards were challenged, religious statues questioned and political change that must incur with these actions. The questions of race, gender and creed became predominately evident in the American population that was more far spread than ever before and the country had amassed great growth in its size. Military force became a predominant figure in American politics since its said effective use after the Civil War. The federal government used its military forces as police basically after that period. Along with governing and maintaining the southern states during the years of the Reconstruction period, the American government now employed its Army to keep peace and jurisdiction among the remaining bands of Native American tribes in the west. Federal marshals held precedence over the local town and state marshals so the once wild frontier became more lawful and peaceful. At the end of Grant’s term in 1877, Rutherford Hayes became the President of the United States. He was also Republican and the highest seat in the country would remain in the control of the Republican Party until the election of Grover Cleveland in 1885. He was a Democrat and was set to bring about radical political change. He became the President of the common man but he also made strong enemies among certain powerful politicians in the Republican controlled Senate. Cleveland discovered a large monetary amount in the national treasury that had its basis in former Civil War tariffs and was termed as â€Å"pork barrel legislation†. He lowered the tariffs and vetoed laws that would have kept the tariffs and other such practices in force. He earned a high popularity among the agricultural groups and the less wealthy average American man on his income. His one term as President greatly aided the common man but his opponents in the political arena caused his loss to Benjamin Harrison in 1889. He re-ran in the following term and was re-elected President in 1893. His popularity was strong among the people of the spreading urban society of the United States. The time of the separation of Church and State had arrived. Women’s Suffrage had arisen on the horizon and would create a huge reform in American life and politics. The female citizens of the country had begun to demand their rights as individuals, especially the right to vote. What had been predominately a man’s world would soon be toppled over as American women brought their weight to bear upon every aspect of daily life. Along with Women’s Suffrage, came the feminine viewpoint of social reform to include religion more into politics and also led towards the prohibition of liquor. Perhaps a bit more predominant within the larger cities, the Suffrage movement caused more change within the expanded realm of the American population living. The political machines had a more direct bearing on the urban environment that the social reformers simply because the politics had a stronger foothold among the male population and it would take time for the new social reform to take effect. Question Five: Discuss the differences between the Populists and the Progressives as third parties in American politics. Include an analysis of their party platform, candidates and supporters. Both the Populist and La Follette Progressive parties were right wing. They were short lived political parties that did not survive the transitional growth of American politics. When George Washington was elected as President of the United States, there were no party affiliations. At the beginning, there was the Federalist Party and the Whig party and Anti-Federalist Party. The Federalist Party survived longer than either other party but within time several parties by other names would come into formation and as well disappear because their party platforms were too narrow and one sided to survive. The Populist Party would eventually move into becoming the Democratic Party with the election of Andrew Jackson as President. It began as the Democratic Republican Party, which because of its basic populist mandate, eventually became what we know today as the Democratic Party. The original Populist Party maintained too much of a radical, one-sided view. It had come down to an issue between the agricultural groups and the unionists. Due to falling land prices, crop prices, and heavy taxes, the western farmers felt themselves unrepresented in government. The unionists meanwhile were better organized and compact groups that differed greatly from the farming community. It was industrial against agricultural. Each newly formed party had its own interest in mind and chose candidates in accordance with those interests. There was no common benefit among the population as whole within these right wing parties. The Populist Party leaned closer to the farmers and sought to have a candidate elected that would represent them in Washington and relieve their growing pile of grievances. It connected eventually with the Greenback party but eventually took the form of the Democratic Party under the presidency of Andrew Jackson. The La Follette Progressive Party differed in its industrial pursuit as the Populist was agricultural. The Labor party turned to nominating candidates that would further their cause. The unionists cared little about the declining income plight of the farmers and by its very organized nature; the Labor party was eventually absorbed into what is now the Republican Party. Since each political party must differ in order to achieve a decent balance in politics, it is to the best advantage of election process to have two such agendas. There has been within the course of American history the emergence of third parties, even in today’s society with the Independent ticket. Though history has proved that very seldom is a candidate of a third party ever been elected to actually hold a political office. Works Cited/Reference Page: 1.   Andrew Johnson, A Study In Courage by Lloyd Paul Striker, Macmillan, 1929 2. Ulysses S. Grant: Politician by William B. Hesseltine, Dodd, Mead, 1935 3. Halford Mackinder and the ‘Geographical Pivot of History’: A Centennial Retrospective, Journal article by Klaus Dodds, James D. Sidaway; the Geographical Journal, Vol. 174, 2004 4. Down and Out, on the Road, the Homeless In American History by Kevin L. Kusmer, Oxford University Press, 2002 5.Political Mischief: Smear, Sabotage, and Reform In U.S. Elections by Bruce L. Felknor; Praeger Publications, 1992 American History American History American History American history American History American History American history

Critical Response Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Response - Research Paper Example David Grindstaff’s Queering marriage: An Ideographic Interrogation of Heteronormative Subjectivity â€Å"maps the contemporary scene of heteronormative power and resistance through two rhetorical performances of gay male identity† using his and other theorists’ ideas. I totally agree with him when he said: â€Å"The recent controversy surrounding same-sex marriage marks the institution, practice, and concept of marriage as a significant site of power and resistance within American culture (p. 258)†. In my opinion, human rights apply to everybody regardless of gender, race, and preferences. Grindaff said that â€Å"†¦the decision to sanction same-sex marriage would extend legal and economic advantages to same-sex couples, which appears to carry the promise of social equality on a broader scale† (p. 258). I totally agree with him. There are advantages that married couples enjoy and when same-sex marriage is approved, it will be unfair for the cou ple not to enjoy such advantages. As Pastor Allen has shared: Though my partner and I had a commitment ceremony in 2003, and obtained a marriage license this past July in Washington D.C., we learned that marriage is more than our religious convictions and our commitment, but also about laws that will protect us. Marriage equality is not about religious rights, but the right to equal benefits. At the end of 2003, the U.S. Government Accountability Office identified 1,138 federal provisions where marital status is a factor in determining or receiving benefits, rights and privileges. These include next-of-kin hospital visits and medical decisions where one partner is too ill to be competent; automatic inheritance in the absence of a will and inheritance of jointly owned real and personal property through the right of survivorship. These benefits allow all marriages access to the social and emotional supports that can produce healthy families and communities (Same-sex marriage is about equality, not religion. August 2010). Wilson’s â€Å"conservative† response to Andrew Sullivan rejects same-sex marriage for purely symbolic reasons. He first locates his grounds for equating â€Å"heterosexual marriage† (identity) with procreation (act) in scripture: the Torah links â€Å"sex to procreation the highest standard by which to judge sexual relations† (p 159). In other words, heterosexual marriage, in its ideal or symbolic form, serves procreative purposes (p. 267). Although I must admit that this is true it does not mean I agree. There are couples who get married but do not have children on purpose and there are married couples who cannot have children for several reasons such as physical and financial. And there are people who opt to have children but never get married. Kristen Houghton said in her article, â€Å"The reality of the word "marriage" is a meeting of two minds and the joining of two lives. Husband and wife need not always beco me Daddy and Mommy. Decide how you want to live and be realistic about your expectations, your needs, and your wants. To become or not become parents is a personal

Legal and Financial Structure of Project Finance in India Essay

Legal and Financial Structure of Project Finance in India - Essay Example This paper further discusses several aspects of investment risks in India, and points out how investors can implement certain useful techniques. Finally, it offers some suggestions to overcome these challenges. Keywords: Investment, Project Finance, Investment in India, Public-Private-Partnership. Introduction: The long term financing of various types of infrastructure, industrial and public service projects are usually referred to project finance. In recent times, it has funded many large-scale natural resource projects as well as a number of high-profile corporate projects. However, similar type of financing scheme is recorded in the history of ancient Greece and Rome, the modern trend of project finance developed in last forty years. Basically this is an innovative and timely financing system. The non-recourse or limited recourse loans of project finance are mainly based upon the estimated cash flow of the project. â€Å"The key to project finance is in the precise forecasting of cash flows† (Ghersiy, 5). The assets, rights and interests of project secure the loan amount in such cases of debt. And repayment of loan exclusively depends on project’s cash flow. The balance sheet and creditworthiness of the project sponsors are secondary in it. Unlike conventional financing methods, project financing is unique. Since project financing enhances the values of some of these projects by permitting higher optimal leverage than with conventional financing.... The borrowing party has limited liability in some risky and expensive projects. Such cases are secured by a surety from sponsors. Therefore this is also known as limited recourse financing. There are many huge industrial and infrastructural projects, as already carried out successfully for certain types of project i.e. infrastructure development, mining, highways, railways, pipelines, power stations, etc. By the end of previous millennium, the private share alone in infrastructure investment varied between the lows of 9% and 13% in Germany and France and the extreme highs of 47% and 71% in the US and Great Britain, respectively (Miller & Lessard, 67). In fact, the projects that require non-recourse project financing would require significant contractual framework (Singh, 19). Moreover, the securities and borrowings are designed to be serviced and redeemed exclusively from the cash flow in non-recourse project finance. Whereas, the project sponsors or government provide undertakings t o an effect that coerce them to supplement the cash flow under assured limited conditions in limited recourse project finance. Generally, project financing is not designed for already running business rather for the large-scale innovative initiatives. Often it involves the creation of a legally independent project company financed with equity from one or more sponsoring firms and non-recourse debt for the purpose of investing in a capital asset (Esty, 213). The design of project finance is indicated in the following diagram. Figure: Project Finance Structure Source: The Institute for Public Private Partnership (Powell, 19) In present scenario, project financing emerged as an alternative to conventional financing over the world,

The Novel Kate Chopin The Awakening and the Short Story by Kate Chopin Essay

The Novel Kate Chopin The Awakening and the Short Story by Kate Chopin The Story of an Hour - Essay Example Sometimes cultural expectation or social conditions make people behave in a typical manner. Kate Chopin’s short story ‘The Story of An Hour’ and his novel ‘The awakening’ are two works in which the social conditions or the cultural expectations compel people to escape to the world of freedom (Petry, 1996) (Koloski, 1996). The protagonist of the novel ‘The awakening’ longed to take herself away from the expectations of her society (Telgen and Hile, 1998). While reading between the lines of ‘The awakening’, readers can find that the most crucial incident, the suicide of Edna (at the end of the book) is a consequence of her attempt to escape from everything and to tear herself away the social expectations to which she was strongly bounded to (Ewell, 1986). Her mentality was one of despair in which she does not wanted to live in the way she was supposed to be. Reading thorough the mind and sole of Edna, we can see that the decisi on that she has taken at the end was the one and only solution for her to escape from the internal struggles she suffered. She had violated the line that marks the norm of the society (and its conventions) of the late 1800s (Telgen and Hile, 1998). Edna’s despair that she will not be able to live in the ‘expected’ manner, leads to her take her own life. ... Edna was actually becoming free (recognizing her selfhood) attaining freedom and victory that was denied to her by Robert. Edna is a woman who should have born couple of centuries later; she would never fit in the life of the 1800s. Robert’s demand for Edna to be his wife, a ‘mother-woman’, following all the social conventions and followings, were unacceptable to Edna. As far as she was concerned, such a submission to his desires is a denial of her identity. Edna was unable to face this reality and she opted not to live rather than being submissive to the followings. She does not want herself to be locked inside the societal cage in which men others wanted her to reside. Her outlook and personality made her unfit for the life of her times. Edna’s life became quite unsuitable for the role her lover, husband and what the society demanded for her. Edna’s personal desire of freedom was denied in all her relationships, her father, her husband and even Rob ert (Ewell, 1986). Everybody denied her wish to live in her freedom and wanted her to submit her ‘sense of self’ in the role she was expected to play. Edna refuse to play these roles and her sense of self was too strong and very precious for her. "Edna's sense of self makes impossible her role of wife and mother as defined by her society; yet she comes to the discovery that her role of wife and mother also makes impossible her continuing sense of independent selfhood" (Chopin, 1982). She was found to be moving into the water and swimming away from the shore where she would remember "Leonce and the children. They were a part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul" (Chopin,

Resource Based View of the Firm to Strategic Management in a Global Essay

Resource Based View of the Firm to Strategic Management in a Global Environment - Essay Example Organization refers to systems and procedures that lie outside hard assets yet add value to profitability. Globalization requires that we expand the definition of resource to include intangible assets that are not easy to measure in terms of dollars. According to Wheelen and Hungary, globalization is increasingly dependent on regional trade organizations such as NAFTA. The ability of a firm to lobby for successful legislation and work with regional trade partners is imperative for success. Regional trade groups in Asia, Europe, and North America are a step towards international standards and a firm's ability to position itself within this framework, though of great importance to profitability, is difficult to measure in terms of asset allocation. A firm's existing culture and its ability to adapt is another aspect of a firm that can be measured as a strength or weakness in globalization. A firm's ability to understand and implement business across borders is dependent on the staff's orientation towards the host country's laws, traditions, and accepted business practices. Other intangibles such as brand recognition, respect for intellectual property, and social capital can all contribute to a firm's ability to compete (Rycroft,2002) . ... nformation necessary to plan and move in a timely and profitable fashion (Yeniyurt et al, 2005) Competitor intelligence, as well as customer knowledge, can be used to measure standards or indicate the need to innovate or change strategies. Information of the global setting has the ability to turn this intangible asset into profitability. Moving into the global arena demands that we alter our traditional measures of resources and implement a strategy to quantify what has until recently been considered intangible assets. Resource allocation and the core competencies of a product or service should not be abandoned. Resources such as uniqueness, rareness, desirability, and distribution channels are as important to profitability as ever. However, the need to measure other resources that include culture, diversity, ability to network globally, and the flexibility to adapt to changing global needs are the ingredients necessary to adequately form a firm's global strategy as it relates to the resource based view. The ability to measure these seemingly elusive characteristics of a firm is imperative as we move forward from multi-national to globalization. Works Cited Fahy, J., Alan Smithee. (1999). Strategic Marketing and the Resource Based View of the Firm. Academy of marketing science review, -. Retrieved 12 Jan. 2006, from http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/amsrev/theory/fahy10-99.html#return Rycroft, R. (2002). Technology-Based Globalization Indicators: The Centrality of Innovation Network Data. Occasional paper series. Retrieved 12 Jan. 2006, from http://www.gwu.edu/cistp/PAGES/Tech-BasedGlobIndic_RWR_10.7.02.pdf Wheelen, T. L., & Hunger D. J. (2006). Strategic Management and Business Policy. (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education

What was the Monroe Doctrine and what impact has it had on American Essay

What was the Monroe Doctrine and what impact has it had on American history - Essay Example 87). The restrictions ushered to curb the remaining Latin American colonies under Spain and Portugal from gaining the looming independence from Portuguese, as well as Spanish Empires. Together with Britain, United purposed to ascertain total refrain by European Powers into the barred states. The immediate success is that continental powers did not revive the Spanish empire as a result of the British strong Navy following the weakness in U.S military. It never spread like a national doctrine to curb the threat to interest Americans and got hidden from American history for a decade. It culminate to France relinquishing the Maximilian. Besides, Spain stopped interfering with Dominican Republic in 1965. It allowed Unites States forcefully to regulate Dominican Republic’s customs with an objective to revive its economy. It also led to a military confrontation in Haiti and Nicaragua. Monroe doctrine led to harmonious linkages between US and UK (Sexton, 2011, p.

Passion in Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Passion in Life - Essay Example Without passion for something, life becomes dull and drab. However, the insertion of passion in such a life will brim it with energy and power. Similarly, a lack of passion in a relationship makes it dull and boring. Many people confuse ambition with passion. Passion is the driving force behind the work that an individual does to achieve the goals and ambitions in his life. Passion is a mix of truth, authenticity, enthusiasm and depth. The complex and yet simple nature of this uncontrollable and unbridled emotion is such that it just cannot be faked. Any act lacking sincerity, emotion or enthusiasm just will never be able to exist in the world of the passionate. Passion exudes its own unique energy. Passion is what gives a person solace while doing what they feel so strongly about. A person becomes infatuated with certain things in life, but if there is no passion in it, the act starts to feel too monotonous. The person will eventually get fed up of it and consider all the time spent on it as wasted. However, if the very same thing is done with passion, it embraces one for life. I also a passion in my life and I deeply wish to accomplish it. I have come to realize that the driving force behind everything that I do is the intense desire to give my family a life void of strain and one that promises a better future. Everything I do is now based on this simple thought.

Types of Advertising Essay Example for Free

Types of Advertising Essay

Human resources and Induction and Orientation

Human resources and Induction and Orientation Human resource management is the focal point of modern day organizations as they gear towards enhancing their competencies in a highly competitive environment. As such, organizations have had to contend with numerous challenges ranging from changing technology to the lack of adequately skilled workers. Strategies, which ensure that organizations perform at their very best are a high-end commodity and all professionals involved are hard at work in order to devise the most effective of them. As highlighted by Jackson and Mathis (2008:6), human capital is critical in enhancing an organizations core competency. Therefore, right from the initial stage of recruitment to full assimilation into the workplace, human resource departments ensure that human capital is developed efficiently. Inductions and orientations have become significant in human resource development and a constant feature in most training programs. As the words suggest, such programs serve to acquaint the employee with thei r new working environments and ensure that they adjust amicably. This paper seeks to evaluate induction and orientation, understand these concepts concerning their meanings, purpose, benefits, roles played by employers and employees, and provide an illustration of such a program. It has been a tendency for most organizations to plan for such programs and later on fail to implement them. However, organizations can no longer do this, as they cannot afford to lose employees nor have inept workers. Definitions Orientation/ Induction Jackson and Mathis (2008) define orientation as a planned process whereby newly recruited employees are introduced and familiarized with their new workplace. This includes meeting their co-workers and being acquainted with other aspects of the organization. In addition, orientation may include such simple topics as the location of a particular department and such complex issues like career development. Stirzaker (2004) asserts that induction, as a planned process is capable of benefiting entire organizations and specific individuals. This is so because it allows new employees to acclimatize to their new jobs and become fully committed and productive employees at a fast pace. In addition, Carrell, Elbert, Hatfield and Grobler et al, (2002) stipulate that induction is an integration process, which allows new employees to become part of an organization through learning and understanding their environment and responsibilities. On the other hand, Meyer (1999) adds the aspects of organizat ional goals, values, policies, and protocols as part of the factors addressed during the induction process. More often than not, these two terms are used together with orientation being reflected as the initial introductory stage and induction as the ongoing process of familiarization after orientation. Moreover, a distinction arises in the fact that orientation takes place within a short period contrary to induction, which is systematic, and spans throughout the employees first years of employment. Objectives and Purposes of Orientation/Induction Employers engage in long processes of employee recruitment and selection in search of individuals who are competent in their areas of specialization. As they do so, employers contemplate how the new recruits will serve their organization and realize high performance levels. It is important to note that getting the best value out of an employees abilities starts at their first encounter with the potential employer. Ideally, at this initial stage the employer must set them up for success. In order to do so, employers must put into consideration numerous aspects of human resource management, which, eventually serve as the objectives of the orientation and induction process. Orientation and induction aims at enhancing comfort in new employees by reducing any anxieties or unresolved negative emotions. Compton and Nankervis (2009:184) indicate that induction programs need to consider the feelings experienced by employees during their initial days in the new workplace. Indeed, employees often exhibit tendencies of fear and reluctance to engage fully in their duties during their first days due to various issues. For instance, it is likely that a new employee will be unaware of where a particular department or is within the organization. They may fail to ask for directions because they are afraid or anxious about other employees perceptions of them. Consequently, there is a likelihood that they will waste time dwelling on their state of discomfort or trying to locate the department. Organizations can plan to have new employees oriented with various locations in order to ease their discomfort. Furthermore, employers aim at creating an impression by appealing t o the employees psyche while assuring them of their remarkable competencies and abilities. In addition, orientations and inductions can involve having individual sessions with the new employees and instilling in them the organizational spirit of cooperation. This objective spills over to enhancing employee satisfaction and thus reducing turnover rates, absenteeism, and other hindrances to higher productivity. Orientation and induction not only allows new employees to adjust to their new workplace but it also offers tentative information about their duties and responsibilities. Abernathy and Bell (2010:3) highlight that induction provides employees with knowledge on the organizations structure and on how they can utilize different available resources in enhancing their performance. In gaining this knowledge, employees are able to develop reasonable expectations on their new roles. New employees often have limited knowledge on the organization and the induction process ensures that any existing gaps are addressed and as Evans and Verlander (2006:4) explain, emphasis is put on ensuring that employees understand the organization and its operations accordingly. At the end of the orientation and induction, new employees are fully socialized and have understood and accepted the values and systems found within the organization. This implies that they are able to communicate effectively with the m anagement, develop a sense of belonging and contentment with their new jobs and to gain high enthusiasm for hard work. Essentially, orientation and induction serves an informative and motivational role in enhancing employee productivity. Lawson (2007:19) emphasizes that orientation and induction processes need to incorporate cognitive, affective, and behavioral forms of learning. Cognitive learning will instill information about the organization; affective learning promotes the development of positive employee attitudes while behavioral learning serves to accentuate the employees skills and abilities. Employer and Employee Obligations Orientation and induction programs involve the participation of both the employer and new employees. From the initial stage of adjustment, these two players serve different roles. Carrell, Elbert, Hatfield and Grobler et al, (2002) showcase that at the orientation phase human resource managers are obligated to meet the new employees and provide them with descriptions of their duties and responsibilities. They also provide details on the organizations chain of command and information on employees supervisors and expected protocol. While they do this, managers give room for employees to interact with their colleagues or team members. This interaction also allows them to learn the roles played by other employees within the organization. The employer also stipulates the organizations expectations of the new employee as well as the present conditions of work. This involves informing them of the organizations values, mission statement, and vision. Most importantly, they point out the signi ficance of employees aligning their individual objectives with those of the organization. In addition, they must ensure that they ease the new employees discomfort, peak their interests in the organization and work and provide any information regarding work. Furthermore, Bennet and Graham, (1990) indicate that human resource managers are also expected to acquaint the employees with the physical facilities within the organization by giving them a tour. Apart from these obligations, employers also need to inform new employees of any existing laws, regulations, and policies with respect to their jobs and conduct. Other issues that need to be addressed by employers include accommodation, transportation, and payment procedures among others. New employees must be acculturated from their very first day in the organization. Managers must ensure that the organizational culture is reflected in the orientation and induction in order to ensure that employees are a good fit for the organization. Benefits of Orientation/Induction On Employee According to Gibbs and Maxwell-Crawford (2003:4), research has indicated that well planned and implanted orientation and induction programs accrue major benefits. As the new employees are acquainted with their new roles, they are able to gain confidence in their new job. Enhanced familiarization allows for high productivity and peaked individual performance, as employees are able to work comfortably. This comfort reflects a lack of fear or anxiety and heightened positive attitudes towards work, colleagues, and managers. As employees gain knowledge on the organizations culture, they are able to assess their level of compatibility with the organization. Indeed, they manage to weigh the benefits of working for the organization with respect to such factors like career development. At this early stage, it is quite advantageous for an employee to acknowledge whether this organization will serve their needs. They establish whether there are training programs, promotion and other appraisal s trategies, which will foster their career development. If indeed an organization does not offer what they need, then they are able to cease progress and thus avoid future disappointments. Akdere and Schmidt (2007: 326), propose that orientation and induction programs are significant in nurturing employees views on leadership and vision. As they learn about the organizations goals, they understand the significance of these aspects. This allows them to develop working strategies, which aim at ensuring that the organizations vision is upheld. During orientation and induction, new employees are welcomed warmly and as the organization reinforces the employees significance, they develop a sense of worth and value. Consequently, they become more motivated and indeed decide to work there. Essentially as highlighted by Hamilton (2002), the new employees first impression of the employer plays a major role in their decisions to either progress with work or terminate their employment. On Employer Early turnover is a challenge, which plagues most modern organizations. Johnson and Westwood (2004:1) highlight that in the future, organizations will experience a scarcity of work force due to increased rates of employee turnover. It is at the orientation and induction stages that the risk of early turnover can be addressed. Indeed, studies have shown that beginning employees engaged in induction programs are less likely to terminate their current employment (Ingersoll and Smith, 2004). Orientation and induction fosters retention in numerous ways. First, when employees are provided with adequate knowledge on the organizations procedures and support systems, they are influenced by the ease with which they execute their daily duties. In addition, the socialization process, which occurs during such a program, promotes the development of individual and collective relationships amongst colleagues. This interaction builds a perception of team spirit and cordial working relationships, whic h eventually amount to high productivity and competent performance. These factors not only reduce early turnover, but they are also responsible for an earlier increase of employees productivity, commitment and work efficiency. Employers also avoid other negative effects, which often accompany early turnover. These costs include reduced revenue, and productivity, high recruitment costs, unfavorable publicity, and loss of competitive advantage. Orientation and induction programs serve as a platform for the employer to weigh an employees competence and behavior. Furthermore, as new employees are highly susceptible to taking on an organizations culture, employers are able to influence and observe the employees potential for assimilation into the company. Orientation is a stage for instilling value and laying an impeccable foundation for excellence, which will ensure that new employees utilize their abilities maximally. Sample of Orientation/Induction Program The orientation and induction program must be planned carefully in order to enhance its effectiveness. Prior to the beginning of the program, all necessary requirements should have been put in place for smooth implementation. This involves notifying current employees of the arrival of the new employees, setting up offices and relevant facilities among others. Complementary for Orientation Sample Orientation Checklist On their first day, new employees are expected to fill in forms stipulated in the processing-in checklist. Name of Employee: Department: Organization Policies and Procedure Company History Organization Chart Function of the Company Classification of Employees Insurance Benefits Life Insurance Workers Compensation Other Benefits Child Care Health Services Holidays Induction Kit The induction kit may comprise of participant materials and guides. Lawson (31) highlights the use of organization materials like policy guides and maps among others. Sample Orientation/Induction Program Time Activity 8:00- 9:00 a.m Processing-In 9:00- 10:00 a.m Welcome by Organization CEO 10:00- 11:00 a.m Meet with supervisor 11:00-11:30 a.m Tea 11:30-12:30 Tour of the premises and facilities 12:30: -1:00 p.m Introduction to team members and colleagues 1:00- 1:30 p.m Lunch 1:30- 2:30 p.m Providing mentors 2:30- 3:30 p.m Viewing the organizations documentary video 3:30- 4:30 p.m Questions and Answers Time Activity 8:00- 9:00 a.m Processing-In 9:00- 10:00 a.m Welcome by Organization CEO 10:00- 11:00 a.m Meet with supervisor 11:00-11:30 a.m Tea 11:30-12:30 Tour of the premises and facilities 12:30: -1:00 p.m Introduction to team members and colleagues 1:00- 1:30 p.m Lunch 1:30- 2:30 p.m Providing mentors 2:30- 3:30 p.m Viewing the organizations documentary video 3:30- 4:30 p.m Questions and AnswersSample Induction Course Time Course 8: 30 Organization Structure, Vision, Mission and Objectives 10: 30 Tea with Team members 11: 00 Ethical Regulations 12: 30 Lunch with Supervisor 13: 30 Conflict Resolution Procedures 14: 30 Group Interaction 16: 00 Discussion and Review