Transaction Costs Economics

Introduction The conditions of doing businesses change dramatically for the past century and especially for the past 30 years. With the continuous improvement of the infrastructure marked by transportation, communications and technologies, as well as changing role played by the government and the financial markets, firms found new ways and equipped with new abilities to control their operations and interact with suppliers, customers, competitors and other stakeholders. Given the above infrastructure changes, vertical integration became a logical option for firms as the demand of product and market size increased tremendously which allowed the high-volume production since the early 90s. With the continuous advancement of the production and telecommunications technologies, it comes to a stage whereby market became a viable substitution of organisation as the exchange coordinator. Hence, one of the most important strategic decisions of firms is to define their boundaries and under what circumstances should they consider using market instead of internal organisation to coordinate exchange. This essay is to try to describe the key characteristics of Transactions Costs Economics (hereafter TEC) and with real life examples given as how it affects the decision of using market vs. organisation. Also, by quoting the example of Sony (battery), Apple (iPod) and firm that I am working with, we can see how firms define their vertical boundaries and what is the role played by coordination in a vertical chain. TEC One of the principle contributors to the study of TEC is Oliver E. Williamson. While Williamson drew on the earlier work done by Ronald Coase regarding the concept of transactions costs, he further advanced it and had developed the Transaction Costs Analysis (TCA) theory in the 1970s and the 1980s. In the neo-classical approach of economics study, firm is treated as a â€Å"black box†, and internal workings of which were not considered to be important. TEC, however, argued differently. It tried to explain why firms exist and why they existed in a particular form of structure and the extent to which it will integrate vertically, given the existence of transaction costs. Transaction costs can be aroused from: ? researching potential suppliers ?collecting information on prices ?negotiating contracts ?monitoring the supplier’s input ?legal costs incurred should the supplier breach contractual negotiations Another key characteristic of TEC is its underlying assumptions, namely bounded rationality and opportunism. Bounded rationality refers to the fact that people are bounded by the limits of their own knowledge and memories. People may also be bounded in their rationality when they are overloaded with information which is beyond their processing abilities. Opportunism refers to the possibilities that people might try to maximize their own benefit by lying about their true intentions or chances that people might exploit another party by taking advantage of unforeseen situations. It is worthwhile to mention that while TEC had tried to modify the assumptions under neo-classical decision theory by adding the deceitful human behaviour element in TCA, the core assumption of profit maximisation is still maintained. One of the key methods to maximize profit is to minimize costs. By assuming that management and the owners of the firms are rational, they must compare the cost of internal co-ordination, which includes the cost of internal production and the cost of governance, to the cost of using the markets, which includes external production cost and transactions costs. In essence, management is considering the â€Å"Make or Buy† decision when they do the cost comparison exercise. With the assumptions highlighted above, TEC then attempts to explain why a firm will integrate vertically by specifying three attributes that are used to characterize any transactions s, i. e. Frequency, Uncertainty and Asset Specificity. TEC argues that these attributes will determine whether transaction costs will be lowest in an organization or in a market. For frequency, it refers to the situation whereby firm will seldom integrate vertically if the services rendered or goods produced are rarely used. For uncertainty, it may be rooted from bounded rationality described above and from a situation whereby different parties involved had asymmetric information of the exchange. High uncertainty would generally lead to vertical integration, given the savings in transaction costs outweigh the costs incurred for vertical integration. For asset specificity, arguably it could be the most distinctive element in the TEC theory. As investment in relationship-specific asset that cannot be redeployed to another transaction without incurring extra cost or sacrifice in the productivity of the asset, it would lock the parties into the relationship to some degree. The level of specificity will increase if an asset has little value in alternative use. With the existence of this attribute, transaction costs may increase so much that it may push potential firm away from using market. In turn, firm will internalize the exchange by vertically integrating the firm that provided/offered the specific assets. With the notion of the investment in relationship-specific asset, it transforms the relationship between trading partners whereby parties which made investment in relationship-specific assets, the relationship changes from a â€Å"large numbers† bargaining situation to a â€Å"small numbers† bargaining situation. This situation is described by Oliver Williamson as the fundamental transformation. It gives raise to two important theoretical concepts, i. e. Quasi-Rents and the problem of Holdup. Both of these concepts affect the costs of arm’s-length market exchange and in turn affect the â€Å"Make or Buy† decision. Once a firm invests in a relationship-specific asset, it generates positive quasi-rent. The other party in the exchange may know this extra profit and will push for getting a share of it by holding up its trading partner. It can be done by renegotiating the terms of the exchange, or event breaching the contracts when they are incomplete. In view of the possible Holdup issue, the incentive for firms to invest in relationship-specific assets in the first place might be greatly reduced. Without the adequate supply of these assets, it might force the firm to make them by itself. Make Vs. Buy Cases Having the theoretical basis of the TEC theory described above, we can now see how the theory can be applied to the real life examples. The first example that I quote is the defect notebook batteries produced by Sony which resulted in recall in year 2006 and in 2008. In the personal computer (PC) manufacturing industry, most of the players, such as Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba and Dell, have been using the market and they buy most of the component parts required to make their desktops and notebooks instead of making them by themselves. One of the standard components of notebook is its battery. All of these PC firms buy their batteries from the market and one of the major battery suppliers is Sony. These PC firms made this â€Å"Buy† decision as they found Sony has attached economics of scale in producing notebook batteries which their in-house unit could not attain. Also notebook batteries are not relationship-specific assets and are not too difficult to coordinate in the production flows as it is a stand alone add-on that only required when the assembly of the notebook components is completed. So Timing and Sequence Fit are not a major coordination issue. In addition, leakage of private information is a non-issue as the raw materials of making battery cells are almost homogenous and relatively â€Å"low-tech† in the manufacturing process. Hence, these giant PC firms entered into contracts with Sony for the supply of their notebooks batteries. In year 2006, dozen of consumers worldwide reported Sony batteries were overheating and a few minor burns. The overheating batteries were shipped with Lenovo, HP, Toshiba and Dell notebooks. It resulted in a 9. 6 million notebook recall in year 2006. In this case, all PC firms were following the standard make vs. buy decision process and tried to reduce their production costs by using the market. However, all of them had underestimated the transaction costs related to the use of the market mechanism. With asymmetric information where Sony has more information that HP, Dell and other PC firms, it may subsequently use it opportunistically. The PC firms can reduce the problem by improving the quality control and contract terms of buying these batteries. However, it comes at a cost, transaction costs. While the compensations claims from these PC firms to Sony were not publicly disclosed, it certainly damaged the reputation of these PC firms and Sony. It also increased the costs of the contracts between them. While public expected this recall would not happen again, in year 2008, about 35,000 Sony notebook batteries were recalled in US after several reports of fire. Apparently, all parties involved had not taken into the transaction costs factor seriously enough given the 2006 recall. Vertical Integration I would like to illustrate the vertical integration strategy by referring to production of iPod by Apple Inc. While Apple Inc. claimed itself as a firm that designs and manufactures consumer electronics and computer software products, essentially it uses the market specialists as the coordination. It contracted out of all of its manufacturing functions and only kept the core design of its products in-house. Even its software was not entirely developed in-house. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc. , ordered a team of hardware designers within the firm to design the hardware of iPod in year 2000. When Apple first launched iPod in the market on October, 2001, it used the software developed by a company called PortalPlayer. Apple also contracted another company, Pixo, to help on the user interface design and implementation. It is Apple Inc. hich continuously refined the look and feel of the software as the development progress. Regarding manufacturing, it was out-sourced to Taiwan companies with factories located in Mainland China. Component parts that made up of iPod are supplied by different suppliers, such as Samsung for microcontroller and storage medium and Cirrus Logic for audio chip. Interestingly, while Apple Inc. decided not to have forward integration for the manufacturing of iPod, it actively pursed the downstream integration by establishing its own distribution and retailing channel. It set up an online media store of iTunes Music Store on April 2003 and operates more than 250 retail stores in more than 9 countries. With the PC iTunes software that can access the iTunes Store and the special property right protection technology (Data Retention Management) that only allows iPod to play the contents (which include music, videos and games) purchased from the Store, the iPod, iTunes and on-line iTunes Store are well-coordinated in the downstream of the vertical chain. It also increased greatly the sales and profitability of Apple Inc.. Another case that I can refer to is my firm that I am currently working with. It is big law firm. When we decide whether we would outsource our supporting functions, such as data management and IT support, we always consider the chance of leakage of our private (client’s) information, which is critical to our profession. It will have negative legal and reputational consequence if our clients’ information is leaked to outsiders. As complete contracting is either infeasible or too costly, most of data management applications are developed in-house instead of buying from the market. Conclusion TEC is important as it represents one of the first and most influential attempts to develop an economic theory that look into the firm structure in a more serious manner. It is most often used to analyze vertical integration of firms. With the development of technologies and communications, transaction costs to use Market are reduced. However, the example of Sony batteries recall case shows that firms might underestimate these costs. While more firms are downsizing their structure and contracted out their functions, they strategically integrate to the functions which can enhance their overall profitability. The setting up of iTunes Stores and selling of proprietary contents by Apple Inc. for iPod is a good example. With possible leakage of private information and the failure to have complete contract, professional services firm is more likely to use the internal resources for its data and IT management.

My Most Exciting Vacation Essay

In the beginning of my holidays was very Boring, my family and me were at home the only interesting that we had had was watch some movies and get a delicious healthy dinner(pizza, hamburgers, tacos, etc)And stay like a happy family. My mom was very chili that was great for everybody because always she get stress all the time my dad as well then we got visit my grandmother and get to sleep there and celebrated my sister’s birthday with all my cousins’ uncles and aunts. We got there for 2 days only because my dad had work but before this I visited all the village, and I feel like a rich guy because everything there was very Cheaper and I can travel myself by a Moto taxi that his cost was 2 pesos to anywhere I can? t complain because y get a lot fun during those days later I went to a lot of friends’ parties because I’m very social(Obviously:D) and in those days I woke up like at 1:00 pm I was very lazy at the vacation but something that I enjoyed a lot was read in my room and get there for hours or almost all the day because it? my favorite hobby. I went out with my friends to Plaza for watch a movie, eat something and talk a little, even passing the time because all were boring at home and have a lot of free time and it was amazing passing time with all of them. Something that I didn? t like was that my Grandpa Can? t stayed with us because he died since 2 years it? s very sad; and I didn? go out of Chiapas as well was something that butters me because previous years we traveled to anyplace. At the end it wasn’t like I imagine but it was good for me because I passed the time with my family friends and people do I care and passing the time with my books and staying in the computer talking and checking my Facebook and finally before enter to classes all my family get a big dinner and saw the soccer game.

Case: Rhino hunting Essay

1. What is SANParks / Kruger National Park’s objective and vision? Is selling rhino consistent with their objective and vision? If not, then what should it be? Their objective and vision was to protect the wildlife in the South Africa National Parks. They would also generate revenue through wildlife sales, making the selling of rhino part of their vision, but they did this because they also believed in recolonization of wildlife in case of disease or poaching. They would also only relocate the species if it didn’t endanger the species in its present location, although they didn’t intend on selling to mostly hunters. 2. Who are the suppliers of rhino and what was the average selling price of a rhino? The suppliers were SANParks and Kruger National Park, with the average selling price of a rhino being $30,300. 3. What is different about selling to a safari company and a hunting company? Selling to a safari company the animal will be viewed, protected, and taken care of. When it comes to a hunting company the animal will be killed for profit. Hunting companies do have to abide by rules of how long until certain animals can be killed. 4. How does a sale to a hunting and safari company affect the economy? It generates them revenue and allows them to relocate wildlife to other areas of the world. The difference is, as stated above, they will always be taken care of in a safari company unless poached, where at a hunting company they will be killed at some point. 5. What are the driving forces behind poaching? Asians and Indians both desire rhino horns and will pay $7,200 per pound, with the average rhino horn weighing six to eight pounds. Giving the poachers great resources to be able to kill and retrieve these horns very easily. 6. How would you reduce poaching? Adding server consequences and fines to being caught can reduce poaching. I would also try and locate where the money for the recourses is coming from so that you can stop the poachers from the root. 7. How would you reduce poaching if a rhino’s horn could be cut and re-grown in six years? Poaching laws would stay the same, if not harsher for killing a rhino. 8. Construct a five forces model for the rhino sales industry. What competitive threats are associated with the rival sellers, suppliers, buyers, substitutes, and new entrants? Threats for with the rival sellers and the suppliers are all the same, which have a somewhat strong, having only SANPark and Kruger National Park, as well as the poachers, if you count the selling of rhino horns a rhino sale. The buyers consist of hunting companies, safari companies, other parks, private game reserves, or if poached the Asian and Indian black market. Substitutes and new entrants would mostly consist of poachers and the resale of rhinos by someone who has purchased from SANPark and Kruger National Park.

Access to Healthcare Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Access to Healthcare - Research Proposal Example When mention is made of access to healthcare, the norm has been to generalise the term to mean the reception of health services (Hendriks, 2007). The researcher sees this as a major problem that gives rise to the existing problem whereby none of the existing healthcare reforms seem to be solving the problem of access to health care for citizens. This is because there has not been any conscious effort aimed at finding the different variables that make up the components of access to healthcare to the ordinary American. In the opinion of Susser (2013), a refusal to distinguish between variables such as quality, affordability, coverage, and comprehensiveness remains a major limitation in the healthcare system. This position is shared by the researcher because healthcare reforms that have been used over the years only seem to tackle one of these variables at a time, thereby never solving the issue of access to healthcare in a holistic manner. Using the Patient Protection an Affordable Care Act (PPACA) passed in 2011 as an example, it would be noted that this reform focuses on coverage options (Access to Healthcare, 2014). Because of this, emphasise has been placed on increasing the number of insured American and reducing the number of insured Americans. But as this approach to access is taken from the perspective of coverage and affordability, the issues of quality and availability continues to exist. For example, under the PPACA, the problem of access to affordable care will be exacerbated by limited community based resources that provide preventive services, primary care access and ongoing care for patients with chronic conditions. As the number of insured citizens also increase, no one really seem to be thinking about how to make health facilities that are equipped with the right infrastructure and personnel to them. In the long run, access to healthcare services in the U.S. becomes regarded as unreliable and prohibit s people from

WONDERWORKS (TN) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

WONDERWORKS (TN) - Research Paper Example The details of this work provide an understanding into the works that went into the development of this building and the different questions of when, where, the size, civilization and cultures involved in the construction. The works also consider the nature of the construction as per the years when it was constructed comparing with the current level of input that would have gone into it if it were to be built today. Considering these, the materials used, and the possible material components of the structure, one understands the developments into the architectural field and their effects to the works in general. The details of the work explain these factors starting with a bibliography of Wonder Works. â€Å"WonderWorks Pigeon Forge: 50% Theme Park, 50% Science Museum, & 100% Fun† as the saying above goes, Wonderworks is a placed filled with fun and amusement. The place is located inside a very huge upside-down building, which is a symbol of great architectural works that existed since the years of earlier developments in buildings. The building provides amusement, science fair and a museum for children that all combine into a huge level of experience for anyone. The fee paid at the admission enables one to access 150 activities and above. These activities range from roller coaster simulators to others as developed below. The experience could take one three to four hours of fun and these provide the thrill based on the number of people involved. The place has activities that cater for people of all ages ranging from young children, to the teenagers and the adults too. Among the many attractions that this place has, the following are part and exhibitions that the place contains. Inversion tunnel that hangs on the rails that one passes through as they get to the different entertainment spots. The color combinations, the different patters developed and the circulation in motions created create an upside down

Factors Influencing Health Seeking Behaviors of African Americans Research Paper

Factors Influencing Health Seeking Behaviors of African Americans experiencing Stroke Symptoms A Systematic Review - Research Paper Example According to Wiley (2009), only 56.3% of African American respondents identified brain as the organ where stroke occurs. Among stroke symptoms, hemiparesis, speech disturbance, headache and blurred vision were the best recognized. Primary risk factors for stroke were correctly identified and included hypertension, family history of stroke, obesity, smoking and cocaine abuse. From the perspective on study results, Wiley et al (2009) found significant deficiencies in stroke literacy among African American study sample. Because of poor stroke literacy in Wiley's et al study (2009), participants were not likely to activate EMS. Consequently, poor literacy on stroke symptoms among African American population jeopardizes the effectiveness of early prevention therapy. King et al (2001) in their study aimed to determine whether African American individuals suffered from stroke (n=103) presented for treatment within the first 3 hours, a critical period needed for effective treatment with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Through Stroke Survey Tool, King et al (2001) determined that an average time needed for African American victims to present for treatment constituted 24.68 hours.

Evaluate the transition from oil based world economy to an economy Essay

Evaluate the transition from oil based world economy to an economy driven by alternative energy sources - Essay Example Further, there have been adverse effects on the environment from using oil. In the last fifty years, industrialization across the world has led to increases in carbon emission, depletion of the ozone layer, melting of ice caps and a general decrease in the quality of life. Besides this, oil is a non-renewable resource. This means that its quantities on earth are limited and will at some point be depleted. This makes the use of oil as a source of energy unsustainable and unreliable. Herald (12) uses the phrase ‘Peak Oil’ to describe the time when the world will reach its peak oil production. This will subsequently lead to decline in oil production and the rise in oil prices, causing a significant, yet unpredictable impact. At the moment, some of these consequences are already being experienced in the world. The amount of oil being produced surpasses the amount of new oil supplies being discovered. This indicates that the peak oil stage is fast approaching. With these fact s in mind, there is a greater need to shift the world economy to one that is dependent on renewable energy sources that can be replenished and which do not harm the environment. The following is an evaluation of the significance of this transition and its link to the economic and political processes of the world and the effects of this new venture on the world climate. To avert the effects of oil shortage on the world economy, there have been collaborative efforts to focus on alternative energy sources. These are other sources of energy besides fossil fuels. According to Michaelides (20), what constitutes to an alternative energy source is still being debated. However, the idea behind the term refers to any energy source that is environmentally friendly and not necessarily renewable. Some of these sources include wind, solar, ethanol, hydroelectric power, geothermal power and nuclear energy. These sources have enormous potential and they are able to meet the world energy demands man y times over. Their uptake despite being on the increase over the years has not yet surpassed that of traditional energy sources. Combined, these sources contribute up to only 20 percent of the world energy demand currently. Wind has been one of the best alternative sources which have become a competitive energy source in the world. It is preferred because is clean energy source and produces no pollution in generating power. Its rebirth was particularly focused on after the 1970 oil crisis. This saw a lot of research being conducted to harness wind and to improve wind turbines. Much more needs to be done to promote the use of wind energy such as the reduction of the cost of equipment, better policies to address the competitive land use and availability of distribution and transmission channels. Energy generation from wind is facing a challenge because it relies on high wind speeds, a factor which is not easily attained in densely populated regions. To tackle this hurdle, countries s uch as the Netherlands are opting to set up wind stations in areas which are far from the population although this requires for increase in distribution costs. Some of the countries that have fronted wind energy and encouraged its use include Spain, USA, Denmark and Germany. Wind energy is fast growing as a replacement for oil and these governments are giving incentives to encourage this

Business Organisation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Organisation - Assignment Example The main aim behind all these changes and sophistications was to create a system under which the business world could grow. The introduction of legalities was another aspect that played a huge role in the development of the business world. The legalities made sure that the business practices are free from any element that can hurt a belief, value, culture, norm, etc. Business can be intuited after a thorough research of the market also keeping in view the personal capability as well. A grocery store can be a good investment especially for the one who is entering the business world. The option of grocery business is selected as the chances of return in the business are high and the complexities of legal procedures and licenses, etc. are not included (Pakroo, 2012). The sole proprietorship nature of the business allows it to be started more conveniently than other forms of business. The procedure might not be easy but it is not complex either. The sole proprietorship business puts all of the responsibility on the shoulder of the owner. The unlimited liability of the owner in the business is rather challenging. Sole proprietorship business can be started without any hassle as it does not involve any formalities that large corporations require. The first responsibility of the owner to start the business is choosing a name for the business. Starting a grocery store will not involve any complexities of partnerships that big corporations require at the start of their operations. In the grocery store the requirement of acquiring a license is not included. License to sell different products may be a requirement in some cases but they can be obtained rather easily. For example to sell liquor a license is needed and it can be obtained much more easily than acquiring a license to start a business involving partners or corporations. The next step in starting a business is the selection of a name.

What is the significance of 'participatory culture' to contemporary Essay

What is the significance of 'participatory culture' to contemporary graphic design practice - Essay Example Nonetheless, this kind of participation fails to enable the recipient to change the final appearance of the data, or to customize it according to their needs. In the recent past, however, there has been a significant concern among designers to create more interactive graphical interfaces for maximum gains. Otherwise referred to as co-creation, the future of technologies is likely to shift more in the direction of ensuring a greater level of participation by receivers in a way that will make modern technologies virtually owned by end-users. Since the beginning of the 21st century, and the rapid growth of Internet technologies around the world, there has been a need to create graphic designs that are flexible and more responsive to end-users (Barnes, 2013). Designers and instructors are working around the clock to achieve a complete integration of graphic design and other disciplines such as business. In all of these relationships, there are high chances that the technology trends will continue to evolve, as will the present-day socio-economic, cultural, environmental, and political forces into a more participatory operational context. The current world is witnessing a situation whereby graphical designs and or objects are no longer the ultimate consequence of design practice (Denning, 2013). Neuhauser et al (2009) have noted that, even though, posters, billboards, print media and navigational technologies are still commonly used among graphic designers, designers are more concerned with generating services, graphical e xperiences, and information that engage the end-user more than ever before. The rush towards a more participatory project designs based on users’ tastes and preferences is becoming more and more intensified by each passing day. Designers are increasingly seeing the need to create ‘users’ in the current technology era in order to facilitate more human-machine interactions as a way of enhancing efficiency

Macroeconomic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Macroeconomic - Essay Example The volatility in the expenditures made by the consumers can be explained by the volatility in the terms of trade. The economy of Australia can be characterized by less volatile terms of trade after the period of 1980s. It can be judged that economic growth shares close association with terms of trade. An economy moving along the growth curve is expected to witness terms of trade while the economy under the growth curve will face the declining terms of trade line. Question a The global prices of the exports as well as the imports and the goods basket offered to the consumers are the two prime components that make up the terms of trade. Australia can be treated to be the country that has the potential to affect the world prices of the goods. The terms of trade can also get influenced by the geographic boundary of an economy. Coal is abundant in the country and therefore Australia engages itself in coal export (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2011). A rise in the prices of coa l relatively to the prices of the other ICT goods will shed the effect in rising the terms of trade. The exchange rate of the economy and the terms of trade are closely associated. The nominal exchange rate got reduced being the resultant of financial crisis of 1990s. The influences with the geographical boundaries can play a part in volatility of import prices but the prices of the exports are influenced only by changes in world prices of the goods. In the short time period the fall of imports are steeper than the price of exports. The unstable growth in productivity in the sectors of tradable or non tradable goods played a part in boosting the exchange rate. The phase after the 1980s led to rapid productivity growth in the sectors of finance as well as insurance. The inflows of capital paved the way for strengthening of the U.S. dollar and this can be accounted to be the second factor. In the short run the exchange rate remained lower than the market rate. The economic growth rema ined at more or less at relatively stable state as the volatility in terms of trade played a major role. The less volatility in the terms of trade also contributed in keeping the rate of inflation at a lower level. In the initial phases of the new millennium the terms of trade began to rise. Over the last decade and a half Australia shifted from exporting price impulsive properties towards exports of goods whose price can be anticipated. Australia now engages itself in exporting the rural goods. It offers a wide variety of goods for export and experts are of the opinion that the export of the rural goods is an effective strategy for the country as exports of such goods can be assumed to capture a proportion of foreign market (Australian Government Productivity Commission, 2012). Therefore foreign capital will plight in into the country. The exports of the rural goods have taken the steep rising curve over the course of time and the exports of the goods comprises of vegetables and da iry products. Question b The terms of trade is influenced by the factors that are summarized below. The fluctuation in the levels of demand on the global platform The shocks in the market of commodities Globalization shock The fluctuations in the levels of demand on the global arena and the shocks on the commodity markets plays their part in raising the prices of the

How did the relationship between individual and state change over the Essay

How did the relationship between individual and state change over the course of the twentieth century - Essay Example This was a philosophy held by John Locke in the 17th century. In the traditional governments, only the high class citizens were allowed into politics and this did not include women. The Montagnards took up leadership and implemented revolutionary economic and social policies that resulted in revolts and violent reactions from the citizens. In the 19th century, most nations across Europe, North America and Spanish America adopted liberalism which opposed traditional conservatism and promoted representative democracy and the rule of law in government. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a characteristic change in the ideologies of citizens that influenced their relationship with state. The French revolution was characterized by various liberal movements including the women’s march on Versailles which forced the royal court back in Paris. Before World War I, the European political scene was dominated by liberalism but this was slowly replaced by socialism in the early 20th century. The Soviet Union communism was based on Marxism–Leninism ideology which held that the policies of understanding social life were the prevalent truths since the party was enlightened. It denied the possibility of multiple truths. Nazism was a form of socialism in the 20th century that was featured by theories of racial hierarchy, expansion of power and subjection to a single strong leader. The Nazis under Adolf Hitler aimed at eradicating social divisions to promote a strong homogenous society by expanding its territories at the expense of its neighbors. Like the most previous ideologies, Nazism excluded women from political involvement and classified them as children. It was against interracial interactions and trained young girls to avoid race defilement. In the book Under a Cruel Star by Kovà ¡ly, the writer describes her trials as a Jew during the Communism and

Business Research Essay Example for Free

Business Research Essay 1). Explain the difference between a research question and a hypothesis. Using your current or previous place of employment as a starting point, provide one or more research question and then develop two appropriate hypotheses. A resarch question is is a complicated question that does not have a clear cut anser too. The question is most likely variable different answers.A hypothesis is an aswer that might explane the research with lots of evidence. 2). You are the supervisor of a call center. Lately, there have been many misdirected or dropped calls. Develop one or two research questions and three hypotheses that might account for misdirected or dropped calls. Two research questions would be; when are the calls being dropped and what shift are the calls being dropped the most mi An appropriate hypothesis for the following would consist of; the calls are being dropped due to inefficent training. Another hypothesis would be that the system is having the problem. Lastly a hypothesis for both of them could be the customers may have dropped the calls due to cell phone usage. 3). What are dependent variable and independent variable? Select a library article that uses the quantitative research method and identify the dependent variables and independent variable researched in the article. Dependent vriables rely on other informations and factors and independent stands alone. Many different type contributing factors often leads to the summary of certain authoritative senses. Whereas being that quantitative research would require large amounts of information and edivence the following the factors from the dependent variable the independent would create the ideal theme.. 4). Provide examples of primary, secondary, and tertiary information sources at your current place of employment. How has each one been used? Provide examples of primary, secondary, and tertiary information sources at your current place of employment. How has each one been used? All three sources are used in your everyday tasks but to clarify the fmain one in my workplace would classify as the initial workplace email. Since my job is connected all over the world when the job changes this the first place it goes is email and then mail. In any given situation, a change can be added at anytime seem promptly next would be secondary which will be mailing the offical letter that was sent in the mail. so that these matters no matter what they are can be discussed. Lastly the matter is handle in meeting which means the matter is very serious. 5). Identify a management dilemma you  face at work or at an organization with which you were previously employed. Using the Management-Research Question Hierarchy in Ch. 5 of the text, develop the management questions, research questions, investigative questions, and measurement questions. A management situaion whould be times if flight changes or theier need to bring parts to the company.

Analysing The Religious Views On Euthanasia Philosophy Essay

Analysing The Religious Views On Euthanasia Philosophy Essay When it comes to religious point of views on issues, euthanasia is one of the most controversial moral topics of all time. Euthanasia comes from the Greek word ÃŽÂ µÃƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± meaning good death. Euthanasia can be defined as the practice of ending a life in a technique that reduces pain and suffering ( Eike-Henner 11). Religions such as the Roman Catholics and Orthodox Judaism oppose euthanasia on the grounds that it invades Gods territory of life and death. Life is considered a gift from God and should only be taken back by God. There are different forms of euthanasia: voluntary/involuntary and active/passive. Active euthanasia is the inducement of death by taking specific steps such overdose of painkillers or sleeping pills. Passive euthanasia, on the other hand, is the discontinuation of medical treatment in a terminal case so as to allow the patient have a natural death. Voluntary euthanasia is killing a person for the purpose of relieving pain from terminal or incurable illness or injury with their consent. Finally, involuntary euthanasia is killing a person for the purpose of relieving suffering without first obtaining the persons consent. This paper will examine the ethical views of the Roman Catholics and the Orthodox Jews on the act of euthanasia. The Roman Catholic teachings have a precise definition for euthanasia. Pope John Paul II describes it as an act or omission which of itself or by intention causes death, with the purpose of eliminating all suffering (Evangelium vitae [Ev], 1995, n. 65). The Church teaches that it is morally unacceptable and constitutes it as a murderous act, which is contrary to what they call the dignity of a person. Namely that every individual is born with dignity, and they are an estimable value. They value the human life, because a person indeed is priceless, for they are created by God. Euthanasia is an act that denies respect of God, the creator. Even if a person is acting on good faith, nothing changes the nature of what euthanasia is; at the very base euthanasia is an act of murder. When it comes to physicians assisted suicide the Roman Catholics describe it as a grave sin against God, because it suggests that a person is in charge of their body instead of God the creator. Physicians assiste d suicide can be defined as a doctor or medical staff person prescribes a lethal amount of medication with the intent of assisting a person commit suicide (John 151). The patient then takes the dose or turns the switch. Since preserving life is the greatest good for Catholics, they believe that the 5th commandment in the Old Testament of the Bible says it all Thou shall not kill (John 14). They believe this applies to killing oneself or killing someone else who has asked to die such as a terminally ill patient. No human being has the authority to make life and death decisions. Killing denies the victim something that he or she values greatly, continued life or a future. Moreover, since continued life is necessary for pursuing future endeavors, killing brings the suppression of all of these plans. Therefore, Catholics believe that doctor assisted-suicide deprives an individual of a future that they potentially couldve had. In the case of sustaining life, it is said that one is obligated to use ordinary means, but one is not always obligated to use extraordinary means. The term ordinary means refers to all medicines, treatments, and operations, which offer a reasonable hope of benefit for the patient and which can be obtained and used without excessive expense, pain, or other inconvenience. By contrast, extraordinary means refers toall medicines, treatments, and operations which cannot be obtained or used without excessive expense, pain or other inconvenience, or which, if used, would not offer a reasonable hope of benefit. (John 30). These two concepts are derived from the general distinctions between avoiding evil and doing good. Thus, the duty to preserve life is a duty to do good which has reasonable limits, whereas euthanasia or mercy killing is evil and hence must be avoided. The Catholic position is a firm no to active euthanasia, but passive euthanasia could be acceptable in certain limited case s. For example, a therapy which was only prolonging death in a hopeless case and is morally acceptable, since the ultimate purpose is not suicide or euthanasia, but rather, an act whose moral object may be precisely described as allowing the patient to die for legitimate reasons. According to Roman Catholics, everything happens for a reason, by trying to control life or death, we would be interfering with Gods will. The sanctity of life principle, which rests on the human persons unique relationship with God, is the basis of the Churchs honoring of human life as a basic value. Under this principle, direct intervention to end the life of a patient in a terminal condition would not be condoned. This negative position also follows from the religious principle of divine sovereignty, the idea that God has the right over life and death, and the end of human life is not subject to a persons free judgment (Eike-Henner 32). Catholics believe that the end of life is a very spiritual time, and euthanasia happens to interrupt this spiritual moment. As stated in the bible So God made man to his own image, to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27). (Eike-Henner 37). Saying that God made man to his own image, does not mean that human beings look like God, but rather human beings have distinct capacity for rational existence that permits them to see what is good and want what is good. As people flourish these capabilities, they live a life that is equivalent to Gods life of love. The Roman Catholic Church affirms mans basic unity and his living in this world for God and for others. More than simply living in this world, the Church affirms life as a participation in the life of God in such a way that earthly life makes it possible and prepares one for participation in eternal life. Everyone faces death in its inevitability, a reality occurring only once. Catholics however, believe that death, like birth and life, is part of the same hu man condition. One is born in order to live and eventually die, having made the very best one could of all three conditions in one continuing totality. Death comes at the end of life so that one may go forward and meet in fullness having completed that life. Judaism is, in its essence, a life affirming faith. And Thou Shall live by them Gods Commandments, (Leviticus 18:5) is the central imperative of Torah. Orthodox Judaism is one of the modern Jewish movements who believe that both the Written and Oral Torah are divine and represents the word of God. (John 37) When it comes to the topic of euthanasia, Orthodox Jews believe that man is charged with preserving, dignifying and hallowing his life. But he is not given the absolute title over his life and body, only its caretaker, for life is a gift from God, to whom the individual is responsible for its preservation. My God, the soul with which Thou hast endowed me is pure. Thou hast created it. Thou hast formed it. Thou has breathed it into meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦So long as there is soul within me, I give thanks before Thee, Lord my God. (John 99) Man is never called upon to determine whether life is worth living. According to Orthodox Jews life is a gift of infinite value. Since infinity is, by definition indivisible, it clearly makes no moral difference whether one shortens life by many years or by a few minutes, or he was old and physically or mentally disabled. In such cases, suicide is no less culpable than murder. When it comes to physician assisted suicide, one aspect needs to be taken into consideration, The Hippocratic Oath. The physician derives his ethical warrant from the Hippocratic Oath, which on one hand, requires that he desist from supplying deadly medicine to his patients for the purpose of hastening their demise, or even from offering advice which may lead to suicide, and on the other, that he relieves suffering. The discontinuation of artificial life supporting therapy is determined by the halakhic status (Jewish Law) of the terminally ill patient. A person who is regarded as having no chance of survival beyond 12 months, in spite of the application of all unknown therapeutic techniques is called a treifah (Eike-Henner 87). Therefore, regarded as a living being, and its ephemeral life has full halakhic value. However, if one kills a treifah is guilty of murder. However, if death is imminent, in consequence of loss of a vital organ or massive arterial bleeding it is termed a nevei la me-hayyim (Eike-Henner 87) and is not considered as already dead, because recovery is possible in exceptional cases. The final phase for terminally ill patients is called goses, (Eike-Henner 88) which is the inability to swallow own saliva. According to Judaism it is generally held that most patients in this condition cannot recover and that death will come within 3 days. If thats the case, then, the physician may discontinue medication for the existing condition and does not need to initiate treatment of an unrelated and possibly fatal complication. In all cases, nutriments as well as painkillers should be supplied. Among rabbinic ethicists, Rav Moshe Feinstein holds that when a patient is gripped by unbearable pain and suffering, nature should be allowed to take its course. Thus when a patient is on a respirator and the machine is temporarily removed for servicing, if the patient shows no sign of life the machine need not be restored (John 87). However, Orthodox Jews do allow f or the termination of artificial means of the patient if such means does not enhance the patients state and are the only things keeping the patient alive. It is also acceptable to take strong painkillers, even it they hasten death, as long as the drug is not the cause of death and the intention is to alleviate pain and not to cause death. Orthodox Jews do recognize the pain and suffering a patient experiences and the effect it has on the family, however, the Jewish faith has always responded against the termination of a persons life, even in the most severe cases when it may become evident to them that life is meaningless. Roman Catholics and Orthodox Jews have similar ethical views when it comes to the termination of ones life. They believe that suffering is used to purify ones soul, and God has the only right over a persons body. Dr. Kavorkian also known as Dr. Death is an American pathologist that performed assisted suicide in 1990s. From an Orthodox Jews perspective, Dr. Kavorkian is known as a murderer, because under the Jewish law, any form of active euthanasia is strictly prohibited and condemned as plain murder. Murder is one of the 3 fundamental sins prohibited by the Torah, and anyone who kills a person is guilty to the death penalty as a common murder. Similarly, the Roman Catholics disapprove physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia, on the grounds that it invades Gods property and to assist some in committing suicide is to commit murder, which goes against Gods unequivocal commandment Thou Shall not Kill. Euthanasia is one of the most controversial topics facing religions. The Bible and the Torah both state that human life is the property of God, and as humans we are only caretakers of that property, and have no consent of destroying something that does not belong to us. Every human life is valuable, regardless of their age, sex, or race. Catholics and Orthodox Jews would state that anybody who insists that they have the choice to terminate their life is denying the truth of their intrinsic relationship with God. People should not ask for euthanasia because no one knows the significance of each human being, for every human life is priceless

Merchant Of Venice - Plot Structure :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

Show how the plot of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is apparently fanciful but in reality exactingly structured. â€Å"The Merchant of Venice is a fairy tale. There is no more reality in Shylock’s bond and the Lord of Belmont’s will than in Jack and the Beanstalk.† H. Granville-Barker, in Prefaces to Shakespeare. This is one way of looking at the play, reading it or enjoying the performance. But it can be a contradiction to our actual feelings about this complex play. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ might appear to be a romantic tale without much logic but that would be a superficial interpretation. Portia’s father may have raised our concerns in taking away her freedom to choose her beloved; Shylock’s bond and those conditions may violate most legal codes; but the way the play moves takes one beyond these doubts and objections. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Shakespeare creates an interesting contrast between the mercantile and tumultuous city of Venice and the peaceful and gracious world of Belmont. The striking difference between these two settings helps to capture and maintain our attention. There are differences in the value of systems of the people belonging to the two different cities. The contrast between Venice and Belmont is that one place is where money is made and the other where it is spent. One is characterised by light and sunshine and the other by moonlight and music. Wealth is described in almost sensuous terms like when Salerio says â€Å"†¦touching but my gentle vessel’s side†¦Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks.† And in an ironic way later love is talked about in commercial terms. Another contrast is presented when the scenes shift from Venice to Belmont. When we hear of Shylock’s hatred and his terms of the bond, our anxiety builds. But then the play moves on to Belmont and the mood shifts from a sort of harshness and tension to a world of romance and graciousness. The most striking contrast is between the court room scene in Act IV and the opening scene of Act V which takes place on a starlit, romantic night in Belmont. Venice could also be a sort of â€Å"a disguise† for London. Venice is â€Å"poised between Christians† on one hand whose acquisitive practices do not match up with their protestations against usury and Jews on the other whose dealings rest on the â€Å"double pillars of expediency and Levitical Law† Shylock’s attitude to money is contrasted with that of the Christians. Merchant Of Venice - Plot Structure :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays Show how the plot of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is apparently fanciful but in reality exactingly structured. â€Å"The Merchant of Venice is a fairy tale. There is no more reality in Shylock’s bond and the Lord of Belmont’s will than in Jack and the Beanstalk.† H. Granville-Barker, in Prefaces to Shakespeare. This is one way of looking at the play, reading it or enjoying the performance. But it can be a contradiction to our actual feelings about this complex play. ‘The Merchant of Venice’ might appear to be a romantic tale without much logic but that would be a superficial interpretation. Portia’s father may have raised our concerns in taking away her freedom to choose her beloved; Shylock’s bond and those conditions may violate most legal codes; but the way the play moves takes one beyond these doubts and objections. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Shakespeare creates an interesting contrast between the mercantile and tumultuous city of Venice and the peaceful and gracious world of Belmont. The striking difference between these two settings helps to capture and maintain our attention. There are differences in the value of systems of the people belonging to the two different cities. The contrast between Venice and Belmont is that one place is where money is made and the other where it is spent. One is characterised by light and sunshine and the other by moonlight and music. Wealth is described in almost sensuous terms like when Salerio says â€Å"†¦touching but my gentle vessel’s side†¦Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks.† And in an ironic way later love is talked about in commercial terms. Another contrast is presented when the scenes shift from Venice to Belmont. When we hear of Shylock’s hatred and his terms of the bond, our anxiety builds. But then the play moves on to Belmont and the mood shifts from a sort of harshness and tension to a world of romance and graciousness. The most striking contrast is between the court room scene in Act IV and the opening scene of Act V which takes place on a starlit, romantic night in Belmont. Venice could also be a sort of â€Å"a disguise† for London. Venice is â€Å"poised between Christians† on one hand whose acquisitive practices do not match up with their protestations against usury and Jews on the other whose dealings rest on the â€Å"double pillars of expediency and Levitical Law† Shylock’s attitude to money is contrasted with that of the Christians.

Lawrences The Horse Dealers Daughter versus a Soap Opera :: essays research papers

D.H. Lawrence's "The Horse Dealer's Daughter" could be described as a story in which boy meets girl. Its plot, on the surface, resembles that of any number of traditionally romantic pastorals: a country boy saves a country girl from drowning, sees something in her that he never saw before, and, at the end of the story, proposes marriage. In this day, this story would get made into a soap opera, and would be called ?Mabel?. This story deals with everyday soap life and has the thick plot that only soap can hold a candle to. In this story, the horse dealer's daughter is a young woman named Mabel, who has recently discovered that her family has lost all its money, her brothers can go off and make their own way in the world, but Mabel has nowhere to go. There are a few options open to her -- going to live with a sister, becoming a servant -- but she has run her family's household ever since her mother's death and none of these options are acceptable to her. Her third option is introduce, while Mabel is cutting the grass around her mother?s grave. This option is what brings the soap form dry and boring, to a matter of ?life and death?, going to her mother literally, through death, rather than just figuratively through a sense of unity with the departed one. This is also the part when the man, who is Dr. Jack Fergusson, comes in and sweeps her off of her feet. Now logic would tell us that the reason Jack felt free to undress Mabel was that he is a doctor. Doctors do not look at naked women in the same way as, for example, a lover would, there is absolutely no reason to believe that he has ever looked at Mabel lustfully, or even lovingly, before. But Lawrence seems to argue that by plucking the doomed Mabel out of the water, by bringing her back into the world, Jack has assumed responsibility for her. The most traditional way for a young unmarried man to assume responsibility for a young unmarried woman is to marry her. Consequently Mabel assumes that Jack must love her, since he has brought her back to the world of the living and purports to take care of her. The fact that he has removed her clothes (as a husband would) only seals their compact.

What The United States Can Learn From Japan :: essays research papers

What The United States Can Learn From Japan Japan and the Four Little Dragons in order to achieve their industrialization goals have a diverse set of policies ranging from limited entitlement programs to a education and government bureaucracy that stresses achievement and meritocracy. But one of the most significant innovations of Japan and the Four Little Dragons is there industrial policy which targets improving specific sectors of the economy by focusing R&D, subsidies, and tax incentives to specific industries that the government wants to promote. The United States could adopt some of these industrial policies to help foster emerging high tech businesses and help existing U.S. business remain competitive with East Asia. In Japan the government both during the Meiji period and the post World War II period followed a policy of active, sector selective industrial targeting. Japan used basically the same model during both historical periods. The Japanese government would focus its tax incentive programs, subsidies, and R&D on what it saw as emerging industries. During the Meiji period Japan focused it's attention on emulating western technology such as trains, steel production, and textiles. The Meiji leaders took taxes levied on agriculture to fund the development of these new industries. Following World War II Japanese industries used this same strategic industrial policy to develop the high-tech, steel, and car industries that Japan is known for today. Some American industries are currently heavily supported by the government through subsidies and tax breaks to farmers, steel producers, and other industries that have been hurt by foreign competition because they are predominantly low-tech industries. But this economic policy of the U.S. is almost a complete reversal of the economic policies of Japan and the Four Little Tigers; instead of fostering new businesses and high tech industry it supports out of date and low tech firms who have political clout. The existing economic policy of the United States fails to help high tech businesses develop a competitive advantage on the world market instead it stagnates innovation by providing incentives primarily to existing business. The structure of U.S. industrial policy like the structure of an advance welfare state has emphasized rewarding powerful lobbying groups and has not targeted emerging sectors of the economy. The current U.S. industrial policy is a distribution strategy and not a development strategy. Instead of this ad-hoc industrial policy the United States should follow Japan's model of strategic targeting of emerging technology. The U.S. instead of pouring its money into subsidies and tax breaks for failing low-tech industries should provide loans, subsidies and R&D money for firms that are producing high technology products. Unfortunately, there are several impediments to copying

Hunters in the Snow Essay

Friendship. What does it mean? I believe that friendship means that you’re there for a person no matter what and if they are in need then you would do anything to help them out. Hunters in the Snow doesn’t exactly define friendship. If anything it defines betrayal. Throughout this short story some of the characters do actions to their â€Å"friend.† Betrayal and loyalty is kind of the theme throughout the story and it makes a person think about who their real friends are. In Hunters in the Snow, Kenny, Tub, and Frank are all supposed to be friends, but through a couple series of events make a person wonder what exactly friendship means to them. Each one of the characters has certain traits that can lead them to betray them. Towards the end of the story, the reader starts to feel sorry for Kenny after Tub and Frank leave him in the back of the pickup while they go eat pancakes, then Frank and Tub â€Å"accidentally† make a wrong turn so they couldn’t get Kenny to hospital in time after being shot. Lack of loyalty also leads to betrayal in this short story. In the beginning, Tub and Kenny were pretty good friends, but towards the end, Kenny is almost the outcast when Tub and Frank just leave him in the back of the truck wounded while they stop and eat. Betrayal and loyalty is a key characteristic that is portrayed in Hunters in the Snow. After reading this short story it really makes on person think about the characteristics they look for in their friends. Throughout this short story it was pretty obvious that all three of the main characters lack characteristics of being a good friend, but they are all very good at backstabbing their â€Å"friends†.

Tourism in Porto

Porto is situated in the north of Portugal. It is the second most visited city by tourists after Lisbon, the capital. I am going to inform about where the tourists most like to spend their time, how much time they spend in Porto, when about in the year they come, to explain why tourists come to Porto, what they like and dislike about the city, and describe what the whole city is about. There are many tourists that come to Porto. They like to go and see cultural, historical monuments and places that are significant to Portugal. They usually go and see the famous bridges like the Ponte D. Luis, Ponte d'Arribida. This bridge is made of concrete and it set the world record for concrete bridges for some time. It has an arch, 52m tall and the plate is 70m above water level. There is a river, called River Douro, which separates the city of Porto from Gaia. Almost all the port wine warehouses are located in the riverbank. Tourists like to go and see them, and as they go to the Gaia side, they all go to the restaurants in Cais de Gaia – which is a pacific place where there are many restaurants and some pubs. Other places where tourists enjoy going are the monuments, and the important buildings. The one I am most interested in is the Clirigos tower; it has a historical meaning, and it is one of the highest monuments in Portugal. It is located near the downtown. This tower has a church connected to it, called the Clirigos church. These buildings are a baroque and rococo piece of work. All the historical excitement lies in the museums, Serralves Foundation – Contemporary Art Museum, Tram Museum, Romantic Museum, Soares dos Reis national museum and many more. The tourists which come to Porto in May / June or September / October are usually over 50. Some French, English, Italian and Spanish people come in July / August, but most of the Spanish people prefer to come in December. Tourists usually stay from one to three days in Porto. In the year 2001, there were more tourists than ever, because Porto was nominated to be the capital of culture in Europe. In that year, 126594 tourists came to Porto. In December 1996, Porto was taken to the world patrimony. I did some interviews to some tourists in the Ribeira, and in the Cais de Gaia. I asked them what they didn't like in the city. Some people liked the city as it was although some thought that there should be some improvements to make. Some people enjoyed being in Porto despite the fact that the roads in the downtown were very confusing, there were not many signals to help them. They also said that they hated the traffic jam in the city centre. Many tourists would like to stay more time because they were enjoying themselves, but some didn't want to stay. They usually come here for pleasure, for curiosity, historical reasons, and sometimes in business trips. To get to the downtown, and that area of Porto, I think the best way to enjoy most is to go by public bus. If you want to go shopping in the downtown, then you need to go to the Rua de Santa Catarina. The first thing to do is that you have to get on the public bus number 35 or 37, which stops at the Avenida dos Aliados. Then you just walk through the slope, which is Rua 31 de Janeiro, and then turn left, and there you are. If you want to go to the Ribeira, you have to get on the public bus number 01. In order to get on the public buses, you need to buy some bus tickets. They are about 75cents each for 1 trip, there are 10 trip ones which cost about i 7. 50. Make sure that you don't buy then from inside the bus, because they are double the price! Despite the fact that sometimes the autocarros are very crowded and it doesn't always have the best conditions to stay on or it doesn't smell very well, you enjoy it. Nearly every citizen who is not able to drive a car will go by autocarro. As a result, the public buses are usually crowded, but it always depends at what time you go. In the morning most people go to work, so it might get crowded, but just after midday it might be less. The buses and taxi's have a priority in the city of Porto. They have one track in the road for them. As there are lots of vehicles in the roads, for the buses to get through easily, it was necessary that a track would be built just for buses and taxis. There are many ways to reach the Gaia side. Mainly all of the tourists like going on boats. It takes you on a mini-tour through the River Douro. It takes about 30 minutes. It will show all the famous bridges, the Ribeira, Porto's edge, Gaia's edge and the Gaia side. It is a very good opportunity to see both Porto and Gaia together; it's interesting, and enjoyable. In Porto's side you will see the Ribeira, although you will be able to see other parts, but not much. While in the Gaia side, you can see the Cais de Gaia, and the Gaia city. Whenever you need to go shopping, there are many places where you can go. For example if you want to go to an open area, with shops – clothes, footwear, toys, cafis and esplanades – there is the Rua de Santa Catarina. On that same road, there is the Via Catarina shopping centre. It has restaurants (Chinese, Italian, Mc Donald's and many more), shops – to buy clothes, jewellery, decoration, toys†¦ Some people enjoy having fast food, like eating a burger in Mc Donald's, but other people like eating pizza or pasta (Italian) or Chinese. Whenever I go to a shopping centre, I eat something fast, like a burger or a sandwich – so I can walk around and have fun. Via Catarina is not the only shopping centre in Porto. There is Norteshopping and Maia Shopping, which are in Matosinhos or Maia (Northern side), Arribida Shopping, and Gaia Shopping (in the Gaia side). All of these shopping centres are malls with millions of shops, corridors, and restaurants. Above all else, each shopping centre has cinemas in it! Arribida shopping has 20 cinema rooms, Norteshopping has 8, Gaia Shopping has 6, and Maia shopping has 8. In my opinion, Norteshopping is the best one of them all. It is the largest, with most shops, and the biggest ones. Another reason why I think this shopping centre is the best one is because if you need something, you will always be able to get it. Not a very good aspect about this mall is that Friday and Saturday night (sometimes Sundays) it gets too crowded. You cannot see anything that is in front of you, just will be able to see people. It smells like damp, sometimes muddy and the floor is not always clean, it might have litter and rubbish like chocolate wrappers and tissues – on the top floor mostly, where the restaurants are; you feel sweaty, and hot contrary to how you feel when you're not in the centres (especially in the winter) In the winter, as it is very cold here in Porto, each weekend, nearly everyone go to the shopping centres, the one which is closest one's home. People go and get together, go to the cinemas, have lunch / dinner, go shopping; they go with their family, friends, anything! Later on the year, people start going to other parts of Porto, instead of being cramped up into a shopping centre, they go for a walk, in the Avenida do Brasil, go to the Parque da Cidade (City Park) and open areas like that. The city of Porto is the most important in the North of Portugal. This is mainly because it has the most important port called Porto de Leixies. All of the textiles and footwear are made in the North, and those supplies are exported from Porto de Leixies. Many imported items are also collected there. The city isn't bad at all. It might not have the best weather all time round, but Porto is still a beautiful city, still continuing its tradition, and also developing at the same time. Porto makes me feel glad of what I am.

“Iron triangle” Essay

â€Å"Iron triangle† is a term used by political scientists to describe the policy-making relationship between the legislature, the bureaucracy, and interest groups. The term iron triangle has been widely used by political scientists outside the United States and is today an accepted term in the field. In the United States, bureaucratic power is exercised in the Congress, and particularly in congressional committees and subcommittees. By aligning itself with selected constituencies, an agency may be able to affect policy outcomes directly in these committees and subcommittees. This is where an iron triangle may manifest itself. These are the powerful interests groups that influence Congressional votes in their favour and can guarantee the re-election of a member of Congress in return for supporting their programs. At another corner sit members of Congress who also seek to align themselves with a constituency for political and electoral support. These congressional members support legislation that advances the interest group’s agenda. Occupying the third corner of the triangle are bureaucrats, who are often pressured by the same powerful interest groups their agency is designated to regulate. The result is a three-way, stable alliance that is sometimes called a subgovernment because of its durability, impregnability, and power to determine policy. Consumers are often left out in the cold by this arrangement. An iron triangle can result in the passing of very narrow, pork-barrel policies that benefit a small segment of the population. The interests of the agency’s constituency (the interest groups) are met, while the needs of consumers (which may be the general public) are passed over. That public administration may result in benefiting a small segment of the public in this way may be viewed as problematic for the popular concept of democracy if the general welfare of all citizens is sacrificed for very specific interests. This is especially so if the legislation passed neglects or reverses the original purpose for which the agency was established. On the other hand, lobbyists also helped the consumer and the general public as well. Since the consumer and the general public are usually less educated, unorganized and lacks financial resources, the lobbyist and interest groups represent them in some ways. A public good is something from which everybody benefits. People cannot be excluded from enjoying the good just because they didn’t pay for it. If an interest group is successful in lobbying for laws that will improve the air quality, for example, everyone who breathes that air will benefit, whehter they paid for the lobbying effort or not. Despite the bad reputation earned by interest groups through the years there are several advantages to their existence. Interest groups help bridge the gap between the citizens and the government and enable citizens to explain their views on policies to public officials. They also help raise public awareness and inspire action on various issues. They often provide public officials with specialized and detailed information that might be difficult to obtain otherwise. This information may be useful in making policy choices. Interest groups serve as a check on public officials to make sure that they are carrying out their duties and responsibilities. Bibliography: Edward I Sidlow, Beth Henschen. America at Odds, Thomson Wadsworth, 2005. ISBN 0534647596 Gordon Adams. The Iron Triangle: The Politics of Defense Contracting, Council on Economic Priorities, New York, 1981. ISBN: 0-87-871012-4 Jack H. Knott, Gary J. Miller; Reforming Bureaucracy; Prentice-Hall; ISBN 0-13-770090-3 (1st edition, 1987) Francis E. Rourke; Bureaucracy, Politics, and Public Policy; Harpercollins; ISBN 0-673-39475-1 (3rd edition, 1984) Iron Triangle Retrieved March 06, 2007, from â€Å"http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Iron_triangle†.

Recruitment and Selection Practices in a Selected Organisation Essay

The purpose of this business report is to assess and evaluate the organisation’s recruitment and selection strategy and make constructive recommendations for the improvement of the organisation’s recruitment and selection process. Both interview questions and a questionnaire were used to research and gather information about the organisation’s strategy for recruitment and selection. In the first instance, the organisation was contacted and a meeting arranged with the HR manager. At this meeting, the HR manager provided me with background information regarding the organisation and completed the questionnaire that had been prepared. After the meeting, the information from the questionnaire was analysed and subsequently a set of interview questions was developed. One week later, upon return to the organisation, a structured interview was conducted with the HR manager, with the goal to collect more in-depth information about the organisation and its processes for recruitment and selection. Several issues were identified that the organisation needs to address in the recruitment and selection process. Recruitment preparation needs to have a clear method of communicating requests for vacant or new positions — such as a requisition form or memo. Employment agencies are a beneficial source to use for employing low skilled workers on a temporary basis, in order to keep the workflow uninterrupted, therefore, maintaining acceptable productivity, and lower staff turnover. Metropolitan daily newspapers are a good way of attracting suitable professional candidates for vacant positions. Advertising internally to fill positions and having a structured interview helps ensure that the right applicant is matched with the right job. Advertising internally also helps increase commitment amongst employees. Finally, by developing an orientation program and implementing it with new employees, the organisation can decrease staff turnover and increase commitment. Journal of Management Practice, 4(1), 166-177 Â © Penny Clark Recruitment & Selection Clarke 1 Purpose of the Report The purpose of the business report is to examine and assess the organisation’s strategy for recruitment and selection. An attempt to establish what level of understand ing the organisation has of the recruitment and selection process is carried out. In addition, the current strategy and processes used to implement recruitment and selection in the organisation is being assessed. Finally, recommendations will be made based on the information gathered, whilst taking into consideration the current economic climate and the availability of suitable resources. 1. 2 Sources of Information The information used to write this business report came from several sources. One such source was a personal communication with the Managing Director. The major source used was the organisation’s HR manager. This consisted of one informal discussion with the HR manager, in addition to a scheduled meeting and a planned interview. Two different types of research tools were used to obtain the information required to prepare this business report. The first was a questionnaire that was developed and subsequently completed by the HR manager. The other research tool used was a set of interview questions that had been compiled. These questions were asked of the HR manager during the planned interview. 1. 3 Scope of the Report The business report covers two main areas of the organisation’s strategy for recruitment and selection.

Hockey’s Influence on Canada Essay

Sometimes it is easy to forget the game played on frozen ponds and backyard rinks, and get lost in the overwhelming professional sport known as hockey. However, we strive to remember that hockey became Canada’s game because it made our never-ending winter months more bearable . The game gradually became a sport, then an entertainment industry. It seems like the lockout was one of the biggest news stories of the year. Part of the amazing nature of the game is that it’s origins are fairly vague. However, we always remember that hockey is our game. It may not be our official sport, like lacrosse is, but hockey is what Canada seems to be most well-known for, and it continues to have immense influence on our free society, with its unique style and attraction. We invented it, we had the best players, and have so many cultural ties between the game and the people. Hockey has had and still has an incredible influence on Canadian culture. Canadians are hockey crazy. The people love the ever-changing game, and the land and the winter are every where. One reason why everyone is so attracted to it is that we really needed a sport we could claim as ours, that we could play yearlong. Canadians are out where they shouldn’t be, doing what to others seems to make no sense. Only a few scruffs of trees and buildings distract the eye from its vastness. What we needed to tie us together had to have a feeling that travels throughout the country with attributes we all have in common, things we care about, things that help us make sense out of what we are. It is a hard feeling to achieve. It seemed that so much about Canada set us apart: topography, distance, language, climate, rivalries and cultures. Hockey became a winter passion for both players and watchers. It kept coffee row humming. It was a means of winter fitness, and the driving force behind the building of community centres, the way in which widely separate communities connected with each other. Before there were malls, kids would hang around in hockey arenas. Before Zambonis could be found in every hockey rink in our land, it was the kids who would fight for the right to clear off the rink so a barrel of hot water could be wheeled out for the flooding. The origins of hockey are vague, but it seems that the early game was a combination of lacrosse and rugby on ice. Not very exciting to watch, but  rugby and lacrosse players used it for winter recreation. The championship system spurred the game’s popularity. The Stanley Cup created natural rivalries between teams and cities. All the while, rules changed to make the game faster, rougher, and more exciting. Professional leagues grew all over the country. The great rivalries between Toronto and Montrà ©al drew in loyal, rabid fans [Dryden]. It is tempting to glamourize the years before the NHL expanded, and before the rest of the world discovered hockey. The terrific Canada-Russia series of 1972 showed that international hockey could generate the same excitement and fan loyalty as the domestic game. Canadian hockey fans remember with pride that hockey remains Canada’s most significant contribution to the world of sports. Hockey has been a part of life in Canada for over one hundred years. Thousands play it, and millions follow it. Hockey’s evidences are everywhere. In Canada, hockey is one of winter’s expectations. It is played in every province and territory. It is hockey’s reach into the past that makes hockey such a vivid instrument through which to view Canadian life. In little more than a century, hockey has moved from pickup games on rivers to amazing games televised on Hockey Night in Canada. Another impressive detail we must acknowledge is that the games greatest players had pure Canadian heritage, which made hockey’s popularity soar. Canadians know that we’re good at what we do, and that’s why hockey has been incredibly important in our society. For instance, Wayne Gretzky. Born in Brantford Ontario, he is well known for his record-breaking all time point record of 1,850 goals. This fact is irrefutable. Gretzky also coached the men’s’ 2002 Olympic team [World Almanac & Book of Facts]. When he was traded for multiple Los Angeles players in 1988, Canada was set into somewhat of an emotional earthquake. This shows how dedicated we are to supporting our home-grown players. Another hockey great, who was purely Canadian, and proved his worth in the game of hockey, is the amazing Rocket Richard. He was known for his excellence, but was also just as well known for his great spirit and love for the game. He, as well as Gretzky, was given the honour of being among the best in the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1955, Richard was, without thought, suspended from the league, Canada, especially Montrealers, went into  complete uproar, inducing numerous death threats upon the president Clarence Campbell, as well as what has been called the worst riot in Canadian sports history. This example really shows how dedicated Canadians are when backing up their own players, the ones they know are the best. Yet another great example of hockey’s influence on Canadian culture is the legendary Bobby Orr. Orr was born in Parry Sound, Ontario, and was well known for his excellent defensive skills. Although Bobby played most of his career for Boston, he has not been forgotten as having Canadian birth, and that is something Canadians hold very important in their heart. They love him so much for his homeland, despite the fact he played for our toughest opposition. He is another great player that attracted a lot of attention, specifically in Canada, to the game. That attention still lives on. Another profound reason for hockey’s great influence on Canada is that there are so many cultural ties from our society to the game. A great example of this is Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons has one of the most successful marketing operations in Canada. Tim Hortons stores are plentiful in Canadian cities and towns; it is said that you can find one within four or five blocks wherever you are in any city. The chain has expanded aggressively across urban Canada and also into small rural towns. There are now over 2,350 outlets in Canada. [Skogan] Due to its powerful and effective branding, â€Å"Timmy’s† has established itself in the top class of restaurants in Canada and in the heart of Canadian culture. Tim Horton, the founder of the chain, was known for his excellence on the rink as a professional hockey player. Because one of hockey’s greatest players founded the most well-known food chain in Canada, it gives it another tie to Canadian culture, which weaves into people’s lives, even when they go to buy a coffee or donut. One also associates the game of hockey and the NHL with Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC). A cultural institution since it was first broadcast on radio in 1933, HNIC has been a TV mainstay since 1952 and is today one of those rare programs that still appeals to a wide cross-section of the population, and draws around 2.1 million viewers a week on average [Cox, Damien]. The satisfying double-header of hockey action is drawing roughly 6.7% of the nation’s population. That is, until the lockout, which is driving Canadians mad. Another instance of our life without hockey is how angry the hockey fans were when they learned that Ron Maclean, sidekick to Don Cherry, was not to get his contract renewed as the program co-host for the 2003 hockey season. CBC was blanketed with thousands of complaints and petitions when they made the press release, and they lost the support of the executive producer of HNIC, Joel Darling [Wilson-Smith]. From this it is obvious Canada backs HNIC with love, and HNIC is just one foundation that makes the game’s impact and grip so strong on Canadian culture. Finally, one of the greatest reasons why hockey has such an influence on Canadian culture is because we have been lucky enough to have experienced culturally defining moments within the sport. Hockey has been enjoyed for approximately a century now, and that left many opportunities for our athletes to shine at our favourite sport. The 1972 Summit Series was probably the most recognized milestone in Canadian hockey, when Canada’s best played eight games against Russia, with the final game being won by Paul Henderson of Canada, in the last few seconds, for a 6-5 win, giving them the series [Wilson, par. 10]. Another great example of how crazy Canadians have been for hockey over the years is the 2002 Olympic Gold. It was an excellent win over the U.S, and re-established our reign of power in the hockey world. Within the excellent story of the ’02 gold medal, there is a more heartfelt story of Trent Evans, an ice-maker, who embedded a loonie at centre ice, for a little extra luck [Proctor]. This dedication is what helps Canada stand out, and what gives it aa place in our culture today, because of all the amazing moments in the past. Hockey has had and still has an incredible influence on Canadian culture. So many things factor into Canada’s fascination with the sport of hockey. We discovered it, and took the time to practice and dedicate ourselves, giving us some of the best players in history. We linked our country as a whole to the sport, fortifying it as a national symbol, and we succeeded, with many  moments that stand out in hockey history, to reminisce, and reflect on for the future. It’s a wonder why it isn’t our national sport.

Healthy People 2020 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Healthy People 2020 - Essay Example One of the various objectives healthy people 2020 has provided for the well being of Americans is the promotion of Nutrition and Weight Status. It encourages the choice of healthy, nutritious diet to reduce the risk of any chronic disease and to maintain a healthy body weight. Good nutrition is especially essential for children’s physical as well as their mental growth. Moreover, it is important in reducing the risk of many health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and malnutrition, etc. (Healthy People.gov, 2013). Obesity is one of the most prevailing health problems among adults and children. Being overweight is a result of excessive intake of calories and underweight is directly linked with food insecurity that means limited or no availability of healthy and nutritious food. It is obvious that the amount of caloric intake affects an individual’s health whether it is high or low. Other than this, it is important to keep this in mind that what is the source of the calories a person is taking. There are many foods, which help prevent various diseases and are also helpful in weight control. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Plenty of researches show that making these foods a huge part of the diet will protect against diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure and many other health issues. On the other hand, excessive fat and sugar intake increases the possibilities of various health problems (Brug, Starlen, & Maskini, 2012). Most important thing for health is a healthy weight.

Compare and contrast two pieces of art Research Paper

Compare and contrast two pieces of art - Research Paper Example It was painted between the years 1829-32 and is one of the most renowned pieces of work by Hokusai. The painting shows a picture of a huge wave intimidating boats all around it, close to the Kanagawa or Japanese prefecture. Most of the times, people mistake the wave to be a part of the tsunami since the disaster is a very common phenomenon near Japan and the Japanese islands. However, it is a wave of the open sea, a commonality in the region of the water body there. Mount Fuji can also be seen in the background of the picture. The dormant volcano has formed a very important part of Japanese paintings and art because of its significance in the environment around the waves. It is also sometimes painted in order to depict the kind of warning the volcano is supposed to show to its audience through a picture portrayal. The picture is also a part of the Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji and is the first of the series. (Katsushika Hokusai and Japanese Art) â€Å"Washington Crossing the Delawa re† was made in 1851 by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. ... his crew helps him cross the Delaware River however many say that the American flag shown in the picture is a symbol of anarchism and does not show American unity. The painting had to undergo restoration after it had been destroyed in a fire and then further again, in a bombing. Other pieces of creative art like poems and sonnets have also been made on the basis of the picture portrayed in the painting, which is one of the best forms of art alive for the depiction of the important event that took place in American history. (Washington Crossing the Delaware) Both paintings have been made with a great amount of detail in their own ways; however the technique used in their creation is very different from each other. The Jap-Asian painting made by Hokusai has been made with the Ukiyo-e technique; this is used for making single brush strokes onto silk or even on paper. It is very easy to make very thin lines and use colour very well with this kind of painting. It helps to give a portrayal of a very simple sketch with deep detailing. The waves in the picture have very extensive detail and the lighting has been worked on fantastically with a cloudy background helping to make the same even more sinister in its own way. The fierceness of the waves has been shown wonderfully, especially with the volcano in the backdrop of the painting. In contrast to the same, the painting by Leutze is more realistic in its approach. It has a very artistic touch and composition to it with excellent lighting and Washington’s face looking at the bright sky and sun, revealing an image along the likes of emerging victorious. The picture according to the painting takes place at dawn with very dark tones all along the sky and the sun rising along the horizon. (Leutze, Emanuel) There are different

Influence of language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Influence of language - Essay Example The language was much more formal than she could ever think of making at home. Tan recognizes that scripted English or the English used to address a large group of professionals greatly differs from the language she talks to her loved ones with. Although both are generally recognized as English, yet she is much more careless in the use of tenses, the pronunciation and the selection of words while talking to her husband or her mom than she is while talking to the outsiders. That is indeed true! Our English at formal gatherings is way different from what we speak in our homes. In fact, the level of formality we maintain in our expression accords with the degree to which a certain occasion is formal. Thus, I am not at all formal while addressing a crowd at a birthday party but I am formal to my utmost capacity while addressing a speech in the school. In Tan’s case, the difference in English was found to be characterized by the difference of relationship she had with people she talked to at different points in time. This made the English she used while talk ing to her loved ones, more of a language of intimacy than Standard English language. Tan talks about her mother’s English and discusses it with reference to a passage based on her direct quotes. Tan’s mother’s English in no way, conforms to the formal standards of English grammar. This contrasts with the fact that she is a regular reader and viewer of famous English novels and programs. Yet Tan says that the way her mother spoke helped shape her imagination because her mother made frequent use of imagery in her browbeaten English. Tan says that people including herself have conventionally tried to judge her mother’s ideas and thoughts by the quality of her language. Since her English was poor, nobody ever took her seriously. In order to make people take her seriously. This is an unfortunate reality of our society and is also a prime

Teacher collaboration and student achievemant Research Paper

Teacher collaboration and student achievemant - Research Paper Example The respondents were asked to rate their response using Likert Scale as follows: strongly agree (1), agree (2), disagree (3), and strongly disagree (4). The following variables were used to identify the responses of teachers, to the questions posed above: (1) Informal Conversation; (2) One-on-One Assistance; (3) Routine Sharing of Materials, Methods, Ideas; (4) Routine Team Analyzing Data; and (5) Joint work. Analysis of Data and Interpretation Table 1 The Total Number of Respondents (Teachers) Per Grade Level and Department (Subjects) Grade Level Math Science Social studies Language Arts Total Number of Teachers 6 4 2 2 4 12 7 3 2 2 4 11 8 3 2 2 4 11 From the table, it is deduced that there are more teachers in the Grade 6 level with 35% or 12 out of 34 respondents in that grade level. Overall, there are a total of 34 teachers who responded on the survey aiming to investigate the impacts of teacher collaboration vis-a-vis non-collaboration on student academic achievement. Table 2 Re sults indicating Respondents View on the Variables of Informal Conversation, One-on-One Assistance, Routine Sharing, Routine Team and Joint Work Per Subject Math Science Social Studies Lg. ... 6 disagree Joint Work 10 agree 6 agree 3 agree 3 strongly disagree 6 agree 6 disagree The respondents’ view of the five variables indicated in the table would determine their perceived importance to thereby manifest the extent of teacher collaboration, by favoring its relevance or not. Those who strongly agreed perceived these variables as of utmost importance, in contrast to those who disagreed. From the table above, the results are summarized below: Informal Conversation: Out of 34 respondents, 6 or 18% strongly agreed; 65% agreed, while also 18% disagreed. It can be deduced that majority are in favor of informal conversation increasing teacher collaboration. One-on-One Assistance: From the total respondents, majority or 53% disagreed versus 47% who agreed that one-on-one assistance is a variable that increased teacher collaboration. Routine Sharing of Materials, Methods, Ideas: A total of 88%, or 30 teachers agreed that routine sharing of materials, methods and ideas are ef fective means to increase teacher collaboration. Only 4 respondents or 12% disagreed. Routine Team Analyzing Data: From among those who responded, 74% or 25 teachers acknowledged that routine team analyzing data is contributory to teacher collaboration. Joint work: Finally, a parallel percentage of respondents viewed joint effort as crucial to teacher collaboration where 74% agreed (6 of whom strongly agreed) and the rest of the 26% disagreed. On a per subject basis, the following results are hereby presented: Math: The total number of respondents who agreed that all the variables are crucial to manifest teacher collaboration for the subject of Math is 46 out of 48 (where only 2 disagreed). The results indicate the acknowledgement of Math teachers requiring collaborative efforts manifested

Approach to Care of Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Approach to Care of Cancer - Essay Example Many cancers are initially recognized and diagnosed through screening or because of the appearance of certain signs and symptoms. The common cancer diagnostic procedures include imaging through X-rays, CT scans, endoscopy, genetic testing, tumor biopsy, surgery and various laboratory tests like blood tests, urinalysis and tests for tumors makers. Tumor makers are either substances that the body makes in response to cancer cells or are released into the urine or bloodstream by cancer cells (Moscow and Cowan, 2007). Biopsy involves a histological examination of abnormal body cells by a pathologist. The tissue diagnosis done by the pathologist reveals the type of cell proliferating, genetic abnormalities, the histological grade of the cell and other features of the tumors. Blood tests are used to confirm the substances levels in the blood. They show how healthy a person is and whether an infection is present. It reveals the status of the kidney and levels of waste products like blood ur ea nitrogen/creatinine. Urinalysis reveals the components of urine and checks the presence of blood, drugs, proteins and other substances in urine. Genetic testing is important in identifying mutations, chromosomal changes and fusion genes, and possible genetic predisposition. Cancer staging involves finding out how much cancer is in the body and its location. It describes how far it has spread anatomically and groups patients with the same prognosis and treatment in one staging. Stage I cancers are small, localized and curable, stage II and II cancers are locally advanced and/or with local lymph node involvement while stage IV cancers are metastatic o inoperable cancers. Doctors should first establish the cancer stage for each particular patient because to some extent, treatment and prognosis depend on the cancer stage. They should highly utilize information on cancer staging to plan for the treatment and help to individual patients. Patients falling to the same staging could be of fered group support where possible to encourage compliance with treatment and alleviate psychological effects of diagnosis and treatments. Individual situations within a group should also be considered. Complications of cancer The first complication presented by cancer is that it might spread. The cancerous cells could invade and destroy other body organs rendering them dysfunctional. This requires the use of treatments that will destroy cancer cells and also prevent their spread. Other complications may be evident depending on the stage and type of the cancer. Systemic cancer is associated with neurologic complications which occur after routine chemotherapy. Brain metastases are the most prevalent of these and they manifest as altered mental status, headache, sensory loss, hemiparesis, impaired cognition and sensory, speech, visual, and gait disturbance. Lung cancer can result in heart diseases and breathing difficulties due to the presence of lumps or destruction of the air passag e and heart tissues. Pancreatic cancer is associated with complications like jaundice due to blocked bile duct, severe abdominal pain due pressed nerves and bowel obstruction due to pressed or blocked intestine. Blood loss and/or anemia as a result of damaged hemorrhaging tissues and weight loss resulting from frequent nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite are