Marketing-Case Study on Dunkins Donut

MARKETING – BT10303 Presentation on Case Study Topic †¢ Dunkin’s Donut Group of Member ? Yelly Yong(YE 2007 – 7735) ? Heather Dyi(YE 2007 – 7733) ? Intan Arniesa(YE 2007 – 7729 ? Patrick Laing(YE 2007 – 7731) ? Mohd Raed (YE 2007 – 6892) Date of submission: ? 13th Sept 2009 Lecturer Name ? Ms Grace Phang Introduction of Dunkin’ Donuts [pic] [pic] Dunkin’ Donut is a highly recognizable brand name. Its global presence, strong sales and known brand name are qualities that many people envy. The company has almost 5000 stores worldwide. Dunkin’ Donut attracts customers in large part because of three key feature f its offering – quality, variety and affordability. The company pride itself on quality which makes freshness doughnut and coffee. They offers variety doughnut and flavored coffees. The Dunkin’ Donut also offers convenience which easy access location. Finally, Dunkin’s Donut can be afforded by all level of customer. 1. Would you say that Dunkin’ Donuts is product oriented or customer-oriented? Why? Dunkin’ Donuts are Customer Oriented because their primary goal is to get customer satisfaction which Dunkin Donut was attracting a customer from all level and keep providing a high quality menu item which they serving the customer with a variety doughnuts selection and a great coffee flavour with the reasonable price which can be afford by everyone.. ? Beside Dunkin Donut also work hard by providing high quality menu item and the best service to world wide customer just to earn customer loyalty. 2. What would you guess is Dunkin’ Donuts’ mission statement? What are its corporate goals? Dunkin’ Donuts’ mission statement would be â€Å"to emphasize the strong work ethic to make a good, fresh product, just for the customers†. By this, Dunkin’ Donuts declared its mission as to give full commitment in giving the best value of its customers’ money at anytime. ? The corporate goals would be â€Å"to be a fun company† and to be the best doughnut and coffee combo seller in the world by dominating at least one of these attribute: Doughnut selection, coffee flavor, price or location. 3. How would you tackle the issues of Starbucks and Krispy Kreme invading Dunkin’ Donuts turf? [pic]

Islamic Finance & Critical Success Factors Essay

I Would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who contributed their time and effort and provided their insight in enabling the compilation of this report, it is with much regret that all of their names cannot be mentioned individually here, however special mention needs to be made of certain individuals, without whose input this report would have not been possible. Mr Baratha Devanarayana course coordinator and project supervisor of the Advanced Diploma in Business Management programme at the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) for the support and advice given in content structuring and format design of the report. Would also like to mention Mrs Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia and Mrs Shamshed Akhtar, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan whose knowledge and valuable insight on the Islamic finance industry as leading professionals in the field have provided the basis on which the compilation of this report has been made possible. Executive Summary Islamic finance is a financial system based on Shariah law or Islamic law which mandates the prohibition of charging or payment of interest encourages risk and profit sharing between all parties to a contract and emphasizes the need of ethical investment which contributes to the greater good of society as a whole. Islamic finance is now one of the fastest growing financial segments in the international financial system today with an estimated annual growth rate of 15 to 20%. Industry assets worldwide are currently estimated to be between $1. 3 trillion and its industry assets and overseas portfolios are estimated to reach 4 trillion in the medium term. Diverse financial products and services, progress in developing regulatory frameworks and enhanced international linkages are driving industry growth. The critical success factors for Islamic finance to foster the growth of the industry, the application of these critical success factors and there potential applicability in the Sri Lankan context will be analysed, a comparison between Islamic finance and the conventional system on some basic indicators for competitiveness, social development and development finance will be made and the Sri Lankan and regional potential of Islamic finance will be analysed as the research undertaking of this study. The progress that has been made on certain aspects of the Islamic financial system both locally and globally, the importance of Sri Lanka fostering the growth of the Islamic finance industry are some of the issues discussed in this study. As a prelude to the research part of this study the recent developments of Islamic finance both globally and locally and the historical development of Islamic finance will be looked at to facilitate an understanding on how the system has evolved from a single institution a few decades ago to a global industry with a global presence spreading from the Middle East to Asia and the West.

American Minorities and Sports Essay Example for Free

American Minorities and Sports Essay Sports have always had an enormous impact on American society and culture. People use sports at all levels, whether it’s youth, high school, college or professional, to help build an identity, connect with others and grow as individuals. Even though American is a diverse country made up of different races, nationalities and ethnicities, discrimination has been in issue throughout America’s history. Sports took on an even greater meaning for some minorities during the 20th Century, especially Europeans and blacks. They used sports as a means of vertical mobility in order to advance themselves socially in America. The idea of social mobility was one concept that originally drew many immigrants to the country. Between 1880 and 1915, around 26 million immigrants moved to the United States, and about half came from several areas of Europe (Moore, 2011a). America offered the chance for people to better themselves and someone from any background could become successful and rise above their parents. During this time, Americans were already viewing sports as an important and democratic part of life, because it judged people on their talent and skill alone (Reiss, 1980). Competition was an opportunity to prove and show off your â€Å"manliness† and power. Sports were also seen as a way to gain vertical mobility, and for Europeans, it was a way to become more accepted into the American culture. Although they received more respect than blacks, they mostly were not considered truly â€Å"American† (Moore, 2011a). Boxing was a popular sport among young immigrants. Boxing was a sport that proved â€Å"manliness† and toughness, and turning professional meant chances to earn prize money. Most immigrants from Europe lived on the East Coast in cities that quickly became crowded and poor, and fighting was a functional skill to learn while living in the ghetto neighborhoods (Reiss, 1980). Boxing became a social ladder for ethnic groups since one group seemed to dominate until another group became better. Whoever were better boxers at the time were viewed as the tougher race. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s the Irish held most of the Heavyweight Championship titles, with boxers like John L. Sullivan, Jack Kilrain and Gene Tunney (Sowell, 1983). In the 1920’s and 30’s Jews began to have success in the ring, with 1913 being the only year in since the start of the century that there was no Jewish champion. In the two decade span they held 18 titles (Moore, 2011a). These champions were important to the Jewish in proving their worth to the country and countering the discrimination that the Nazis in Germany were trying to spread. Boxing for European ethnic minorities served as a way to prove their race’s toughness, and prizefighting was a way to leave the poor ghettos and make a decent life for themselves. Italians were slower than other groups in their involvement with sports. Between 1899 and 1924 about 4 million immigrated to the United States and settled in the crowded East Coast cities (Reiss, 1980). The Progressive movement was gaining popularity at the time, but because of their past in Italy, many Italians mistrusted governments telling them what to do and what their children should do (Moore, 2011a). However, 2nd generation Italian-American children were given opportunities to play sports through the creation of the Public School Athletic League. In 1905 historian Camillo Cianfarra tracked the Italian youth development in sports and observed: â€Å"In our public elementary school competitions, our children are not inferior to the children of other nationalities, in the lists of gymnastic [track and field] winners the Italian names appear quite frequently as they appear in the rosters of teams involved in inter-high school competition† (Reiss, 1980). Baseball soon became a popular sport with the Italians, and they became very successful with the sport. By the time of the Depression, Italians were becoming a majority in the Major Leagues (Moore, 2011a). Italians success in baseball gave them social mobility, but they were also still discriminated against. Some of the best players in the league in the 1930’s were Joe DiMaggio, Tony Lazzeri, Frank Crosetti and Ernie Lombardi (Baldassaro, 2005). Joe DiMaggio helped Italians gain more exposure and respect when he became the best player in the league and an American celebrity (Moore, 2011a). Blacks in the United States had similar involvement as the Europeans with ports and social mobility, although they faced much more discrimination and rejection than the other minorities. Blacks used sports as a main way to try and prove their equality to the rest of the country. They viewed successful black athletes as heroes and passionately supported them, and used them as a more subtle channel to showcase their fight against the discrimination and hate that they faced daily. Boxing featured several black champions and was a popular sport, just like it was with the European minorities. One of the earliest black champions was Peter Jackson, an Australian who won the Heavyweight Championship over there in 1886. He traveled to America in 1988 to fight John L. Sullivan, who held the Heavyweight Title, but Sullivan refused to fight him because he was black. Besides that setback, he was considered one of the best boxers of the time, and blacks loved him because he was a respectable man and proved black equality with his victories. Frederick Douglass at the time said, â€Å"Peter is doing a great deal with his fist to solve the Negro question† (Moore, 2011b). He was also respected within the white community because he never bragged or belittled an opponent (Moore, 2011b). People around the country of any race looked up to him as a role model. Although Peter Jackson helped gain some respect for blacks in white America, it wasn’t until Joe Louis that Americans found a black athlete that was embraced as an American hero. Louis was born in Alabama in 1914 as the son a sharecropper and great grandson of a slave. His family moved to Detroit in 1924 where he soon took up boxing. After ten years of hard work he won the Golden Gloves as a light heavyweight and his career took off from there. One of his biggest victories was against former heavyweight champion Primo Carnera in front of a crowd of 62,000 at Yankee Stadium (Official Site, n. d. ). Louis’s symbol as an American hero though didn’t fully happen until he avenged his loss against German champion Max Schmeling with a first-round knockout in 1938, during the time of the Nazi’s dominance in Europe. It was this victory that caused the American people to see him not as just another black fighter, but as an American hero. It helped to counter the impression of successful black athletes that Jack Johnson, the previous black heavyweight champion, had left, and in a way almost transcended his race (Schwartz, n. d. ). â€Å"What my father did was enable white America to think of him as an American, not as a black,† said his son, Joe Louis Jr. â€Å"By winning, he became America’s first black hero† (Schwartz, n. d. ). In the 1960’s, black athletes used the world’s biggest sporting stage to fight racism and show their protest against the discrimination that they were still facing. In October 1967 the Olympic Project for Human Rights was established by sociologist Harry Edwards and others, mainly athletes. The goal of the organization was to protest segregation and racism in sport and society. A boycott of the 1968 Mexico City Olympics was suggested but never happened, yet several members still used the Games as an opportunity for the organization. Many on the US Track and Field team wore black socks as support of the black community, or badges of the OPHR (Henderson, n. d. ). The most famous act of protest however was from sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who finished 1st and 3rd in the 200m final. On the medal podium, they each raised a fist while wearing a black glove. The act led to the International Olympic Committee president, Avery Brundage, suspending them from the rest of the competition and forcing them to leave (Moore, 1991). Although the protest had negative consequences for the sprinters, it was another key moment in sports that showed how the black community rallied around its athletes and used sports as a way to come together and fight for civil rights. Sports and competition were important in minorities efforts to advance in 20th century America through vertical mobility, although the reasons were different for each race. Europeans struggled with adjusting to a new country and culture, and sports helped serve as a way to assimilate more with the American culture and be accepted. Because of the large numbers of immigrants in the late 1800‘s and early 1900‘s, most lived in poor, crowded urban areas. Being successful in sports meant a chance to become professional, leave behind poverty, and make a life for yourself. It was essentially the â€Å"American Dream. † Sports had a slightly different meaning for black Americans. The United States was still a country of discrimination and oppression, and black society used their successful athletes to empower and unite them. Through heroes like Joe Louis, they fought against the discrimination and tried to prove their equality to whites. Both minorities in the 20th century viewed sports as a key tool in their struggle for acceptance in American society. American Minorities and Sports. (2017, Jan 08).

Substance of Reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Substance of Reality - Essay Example Another early philosopher of repute that grappled with the scientific explanation of what the substance of reality really was is Heraclitus who argued that all reality is involved in an ever-shifting flux (Solomon, Martin & Higgins 51). Precisely, Heraclitus argued that no one could ever step into the same river twice. Democritus, on his part, reduced all reality to an inestimable number of imperceptible and inseparable particles known as atoms, which are always moving in the emptiness and bumping into each other as if to combine but then separate. Just like the cosmological speculators, the Sophists also sought alternatives to thinking that was enshrined in authority, tradition and mythology; this established the foundation for two of the greatest ancient Greek philosophers ever known to this day, Plato and Aristotle. While Plato was Socrates’ greatest brainchild and student, Aristotle was Plato’s most famous student. Aristotle also mentored the greatest and most succe ssful conqueror and ruler ever known, the one and only Alexander the Great. Plato had political links both to the oligarchy and democracy and like Socrates, who participated in a discursive practice with his contemporaries challenging them to critically examine their ideas and beliefs, he believed in the prominence of virtue. Socrates taught all his students including Plato that every man was obligated to discuss virtue daily especially because a life that is not examined is not worth living at all. Socrates was largely opposed to the Sophist’s relativism and skepticism. Nevertheless, Socrates also emphasized values rather than physical science like Sophists, unlike other philosophers that came before him. Aristotle points out that Socrates emphasized questions of morality and specific definitions. Granted that Plato was thoroughly enchanted by Socrates’ teachings, it is often felt that his philosophy is a synthesis of the system of critical inquiry he inherited from h is teacher, the Socratic thought he adopted.

Analysing media text using the approaches in textual analysis Essay

Analysing media text using the approaches in textual analysis - Essay Example The analysis will focus on the image, the multimodal text and the message it conveys to its readers. In order to more critically understand the image presented on the cover, a brief background on the model is necessary. Miley Cyrus is a former child star on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, a character idolized by young girls because of her talent and wholesome personality. Parents were pleased that their children had a good role model in Hannah Montana that they encouraged them to emulate her, patronized her shows and bought her merchandize. However, as Cyrus grew older, she was captured by media in compromising situations that tainted her good reputation as a wholesome character (EOnline, 2013). Her controversial shift in image by exhibiting raunchy acts in public disappointed parents but were helpless in the fact that she was old enough to do what she wants. In March, 2013, she was featured on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine (see appended image) with short, blond hair wea ring a white outfit with an open jacket showing more than her cleavage. Her image stands out from a plain pink background as the most salient element. Pink is usually associated with softness and femininity, which may not suit Miley’s personality, however, Machin (2007) suggests that flat colours connote simplicity, emotions and modernity. Such a background contributes to the salience of the various elements in the cover. As is common in contemporary women’s magazines, the model is positioned at the center of the page with the magazine title on top and titles of articles featured in the magazine surrounding her. With the background colour of pink as base, varying hues of this colour are used in the main heading, some emphasized words in the titles and highlights of some other titles. Lirola (2006) contends that the colour of the background creates a specific context which gives cohesion in the elements. The written text, being influenced by the background colour now be comes part of the visual. Pink is usually associated with young ladies, which Miley Cyrus represents. Lirola also suggests that the colour pink is used to attract the readers’ attention. Since majority of Cosmopolitan readers are females, the colour encourages interaction with them. The close coordination of colours of the titles, the model’s clothes and other objects in the cover page produces an impression of high stylization and a connotation of modern fashionability (Machin & Thornborrow, 2003) which Cosmopolitan is known for. The image of Miley Cyrus is a metaphor in itself. Wearing a white outfit which connotes purity and wholesomeness, she wears nothing inside so a large part of her breasts are showing. Her shoulders are hunched, and her hands grip at the inner ends of her jacket, a tensed pose indicating discomfort in what she is wearing and wants to break free. Metaphorically, she wants to release herself from the pure mould that the Hannah Montana character h as created for her and unleash her new image of maturity and sensuality. This is complemented by her facial expression which is neutral, neither smiling nor frowning but her eyes look deeply into the readers’ as if letting them know she is serious in what she wants. Goffman (1979) identified the model’s gaze to be important and suggested that women are usually sights to be gazed upon by others in the image. However, when the model herself gazes into the

The Challenges for Business Start-ups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Challenges for Business Start-ups - Essay Example The essay includes discussion and analysis on different aspects of the topic such as financial resources, entrepreneur’s time, competition from existing firms, human resource management, establishment of customer base and intellectual property rights. Alone in United Kingdom, there are more than 4.8 million small businesses which employ less than five people. Furthermore, out of these 4.8 million businesses, 3.8 million are sole proprietors. According to a conservative estimate, almost 0.5 million people start their own business every year. Over 60 percent of the total workforce or almost 22.8 million people of the United Kingdom work with small and medium sized business. Surprisingly, 60 percent of the commercial innovations also come from these small businesses. However, there is another side of the picture, which tells that more than 80 percent of these small businesses fail within the first year of their operations. Therefore, the point here is that these new businesses of ten face a great deal of challenges during their initial days. As the old saying goes that â€Å"People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan†. Only those businesses survive, which have the planning, resources, determination, and focus to cope up with those challenges. This paper is also an attempt to present a brief overview of these challenges in light of various examples and theories. In conclusion, the researcher states that business startups without proper planning are similar to a ship, which is moving in circles without any direction.

What Is the Real Objective of Case Management Quality of Care vs Essay

What Is the Real Objective of Case Management Quality of Care vs. Reduced Costs - Essay Example However, it is questionable whether these systems can offer both quality and low costs. By coordinating the healthcare needs of a patient requiring multiple services from multiple providers, studies of disease management programs have shown that these programs do improve quality by offering interventions such as pre-recorded telephone reminders or home visits by medical professionals (Rand Corporation Study). According to the Rand study, conditions such as diabetes and congestive heart failure (CHF) benefited from case management and reduced costs by decreasing hospital admissions, while patients suffering from depression were more apt to use outpatient services and prescription drugs, increasing costs. Six chronic conditions were analyzed in the study: CHF, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes, asthma, depression, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Improved quality was found in four of the six illnesses, with inconclusive results for asthma and COPD. Long-term health outcomes have not been determined, however, because the study covered only one year. In a one-year study by Michael Long, professor at Wichita State University, geriatric patients who were at least 75 and functionally impaired were randomly assigned to a regular-care group or a case-managed group. The goal was to eliminate the fragmented care that often exists for these patients. Both benefits and costs must be taken into consideration before determining success or failure in such a patient advocacy program (Long). The goal should be set by a team and success determined by whether the goal is met. In Long's study, the case-managed group benefited more than the regular-care group, and improved quality was the result. Cost and quality are sometimes considered opposing factors, but Long considers this too simple an explanation. He recommends a formula: Quality=Benefits - (Risk and Cost), which takes into consideration all the factors involved in case management programs. Limitations of Case Management Programs In a more expanded study, consisting of 46 states examining HMOs and primary care case management (PCCM) programs, the reporting states tended to emphasize utilization results over quality-measure results. In states where many commercial health plans have recently abandoned Medicaid contracts and some rural areas of the United States have been unable to attract health plans, PCCM programs are distinct from capitated managed care plans in that the Medicaid agency purchases health care services as if it were a health plan (Schneider et al). A comparison of quality oversight PCCM programs and health plans serving Medicaid beneficiaries indicates that states with both have fewer expectations for PCCM programs and do not seem to have a distinct goal. At present, the study found that PCCM programs have not as a rule collected performance data, thereby lacking the means to improve quality care. Strengths of Case Management Programs One area in which healthcare costs are accelerated is with the high number of diabetics needing treatment, and case management is highly recommended for glycemic control in these patients. As noted by The Guide to Community Preventive Services online, "Diabetes management is complex and difficult for both patient and healthcare provider, and traditional healthcare delivery methods have not adequately met their needs" (Case Management Interventions). The Guide goes on to say that a systematic review shows case management delivered as part of disease management to be effective in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Managed care strategies for Medicaid populations in Florida, North Carolina, and

Holocaust Museum in Washington DC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Holocaust Museum in Washington DC - Essay Example School children and heads of state are among those coming to learn about the ravages of a global war with the official website attracting on the average around 25 million hits in 5 years. My reason to visit was due to my interest in history and the curiosity to see for myself what was capturing the interest of people around the world. The museum has over 12,750 preserved artifacts as well as 49 million pages of text and 80,000 photographs. Names of 200,000 survivors are also recorded here as well as taped interviews of some of them. Visiting the museum is the perfect opportunity for any history fan to get to see the way of life from those times. I had already done a bit of browsing on USHMM’s official website and wanted to see the place in flesh and blood, or bricks and mortar, in this case. Despite being familiar with the place’s background and what it stood for, I was not quite prepared for the melancholy and eerie air that permeated the building. The structure seems to resonate with the presence of human souls, a rather accurate term since the USHMM was designed by Holocaust survivor James Ingo Freed to be a resonator of memory, as my guide informed me. The most startling feature of the museum is the octagonal Hall of Remembrance, a huge, silent space to memorialize the 6 million victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Visitors can light candles or visit an eternal flame in silence homage to the departed souls. In the Hall of Remembrance, even the air feels heavy with the weight of history. Before you actually come to visit the place, the reality of the Holocaust and the fact that these people actually lived, laughed, cried and loved does not actually sink in. Sitting in contemplation in the Hall of Remembrance, you are made aware of the fact that every single name on display was a living, breathing human being, with dreams, hopes, and aspirations. The USHMM was built not just as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It was also construct ed to familiarize newer generations with the horror and futility of war. It was meant to pass on the message that hatred should not be allowed to prosper. And I must confess it did have this effect on me. A visit to USHMM is not just about learning about this calamity. The place helps one connect with their innermost feelings of compassion, sympathy, and empathy.

A case summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A case summary - Essay Example In October 2008, Siemens was ordered to pay a fine amounting to $284 million and convicted of funneling money. Corruption had steeped throughout the organization and the announcement of the amnesty plan led to low level employees coming forward with crucial information. By 2008, the head of the medical equipment division went on trial and the investigation expanded to include 270 former and current employees. There were various charges including the allegation that a former Siemens board member used Siemens money to support an employer friendly union to counter the Siemens worker union. By December 2008, Siemens agreed to pay a fine of $800 million to settle the charges and in July 2008, Siemens agreed to pay the World Bank $100 million for its role in bribing Russian officials. The ethical issue in this regard is the fact that Siemens used bribery as a method of obtaining contracts and bypassed the selection tests using money. This is unfair to other companies who competed for the same contracts using their merit and own abilities. It is against the free market policies and this practice gives an unfair advantage to Siemens. The culture of corruption had steeped through the company, from the top level executives to the lower level employees. There was a method to the corruption and this leads to Siemens becoming a company with absolutely no moral direction. Moreover, the sheer magnitude of the corruption suggests that all members of the company felt that the corruption wasn’t really an issue. A company blinded by profits and willing to compromise on such basic morals, would also compromise on the quality of the service they provide. Besides, since the selection is not done on the basis of merit and the best company might not have been necessarily selected, the quality of the work might be compromised as well. The safety of the people using the services provided by

Sam Harris and Free

Sam Harris and Free Will Essay Convince that free will is an illusion Worse than an illusion- a totally incoherent idea Impossible to describe a universe in which it could be true Two Assumptions: Each of us was free to behave differently than we did in the past Example: I could have chosen chocolate ice-cream but I chose vanilla We are the conscious source of our thoughts and actions The experience of wanting to do something is in fact the proximate cause of action Example: I feel that I want to move and then I move Both assumptions are false We live in a world of cause and effect. No way of thinking of cause and effect that allows the affirmation of free wills assumptions Either our wills are determined by a long chain of prior causes And we are not responsible for them Or they are the product of chance And we are not responsible for them Or they are some combination of determinism and chance No combination allows us free will Example: Murderer As sickening as I might find the persons behavior, I have to admit if I were to trade places with him, atom for atom, I would be him. There is no extra part of me that could resist the impulse to victimize innocent people. Nobody picks the life influences which shape the development of their nervous system You are no more responsible for the micro structure of your brain than you are for your height The role of luck appears decisive Imagine the murderer was found to have a tumor in the place of the brain that would explain his impulses We would view him as a victim of biology A brain tumor is a special case of physical events giving rise to thoughts and actions Deeper than cause and effect We have a subjective experience of free will which cannot be mapped onto physical reality The subjective experience is also intangible Thoughts simply appear in consciousness what are you going to think next? Thoughts just emerge in consciousness- we are not their authors That would imply that we think them before we think them Is it willed? Utterly unaware of the neurophysiological events which produce changesin thought Were you free to choose that which did not occur to you to choose? No position to know why you picked what you picked†¦. Though you may ascribe narratives- they are divorced from reality – post hoc- evidenced by psychology Even if you were right, you still can’t explain why the memory occurred or had the effectit did. You as a conscious witness of your inner life Does not depend on philosophical materialism where the mind is dependent on the physical The unconscious operations of a soul grants you no more freedom than the unconscious operations of your neurophysiology The endurance of the philosophical idea that free will exists is borne of our feeling of its existence Emerges from a felt experience divorced from logical and scientific terms Compatibilism To argue that free will is compatible with the truth of determinism A person is free as long as he is free from any outer or inner compulsion that would prevent him from acting on desires or compulsions Misses the point. Where is the freedom in doing what one wants when one’s wants are the product of prior causes which one cannot inspect and therefore could not choose- and one had absolutely no hand in creating Compatibilism- a puppet is free as long as it loves its strings Compatibilist response: Even if our thoughts are the product of unconscious causes, they are still our thoughts and actions. It is something that you have done. The unconscious neurophysiology of your brain is just as much you as your conscious thoughts are. Bait and Switch- Trades a psychological fact, the subjective experience of being a conscious agent, for a conceptual understanding of ourselves as persons The psychological truth is that people feel identical to and in control of a certain channelof information in theirconscious minds- and they are mistaken The fact that we are stardust does not drive our moral intuitions of politics You simply cannot take credit for your unconscious mental life Are you making red blood cells at this moment? Hopefully your body is- but if it decided to stop, you wouldn’t be responsible for that change†¦. You would be a victim of that change A claim which bears no relationship to the actual experience which has made free will a problem for philosophy The truth is we feel or presume an authorship over our own thoughts and actions that is illusory How can we be free as conscious agents if everything we consciously intend was caused by events in our brain which we did not intend and over which we had no control – we can’t Confusion between determinism and fatalism Our choices matter There are clearly paths to making wiser choices How much a conversation could change you? But we cannot choose what we choose in life When it seems we can choose what we choose. We don’t choose to choose what we choose – there is a regress here that ends in darkness We have to take a first step for reasons that are subjectively mysterious You have not built your mind. And in moments when you seem to build it, when you make an effort to learn a new skill or improve yourself, the only tools at your disposal are those inherited from moments past. It is possible to change. In fact, viewing oneself as an open system, open to a myriad of influences makes change even more possible. You are by no means condemned to be who you were yesterday. In fact, you can’t be that person. The self is a process. This is what makes growth possible. The self is not a stable entity. Subjectively speaking, the unfolding of our lives is a mysterious process. None of us know how it is we came to be in this moment. And we don’t know what’s going to happen next really on any level. We don’t know what we are going to think and feel next. To declare my freedom is to say I don’t really know why I did that but I don’t mind that I did You are free to do what you want but where do your wants come from It takes away an egocentric view of life We are part of a system, of history.

Influential Costs to Healthcare Departments

Influential Costs to Healthcare Departments Patrick Bobst New federal laws, government regulations and the continuous rising costs of medical care have healthcare organizations facing financial revenue challenges stemming from fluctuating patient volumes to declining reimbursements. A major change in the healthcare industry has incentivized healthcare systems to keeping patients healthy and out of facilities instead of applying patient volume reimbursements. Healthcare organizations are shifting to value-based models that strategically focus on initiatives to not only reduce costs, but also improve efficiency while improving quality care. Challenges to maintain high quality care under tight budgets will be a continuous and arduous task for senior leaders. Budgeting practices are regarded as an organizational imperative if costs are to be predicted and controlled(Frow, Marginson, Ogden, 2010). Nurse Managers with a firm grip on relevant budget information are influential to patient care and insure the patient is receiving the best and safes t possible service(Dunham-Taylor Pinczuk, 2010). Budgeting increases efficiency through planning and coordination as well provides the ability to weave together all the disparate threads of an organization into a comprehensiveplan that serves many purposes (King, Clarkson, Wallace, 2009). Organizations today are implementing strategies to control the rising cost of healthcare are aimed at reducing medical resource consumption rates (Reiter Song, 2013). Research has shown that shifting budget strategies away from growth and expansion of high fixed costs associated with hospital care is shifting from growth and expansion toward a focus on efficiency, maintenance and existing capital in order to achieve cost control (Reiter Song, 2013). Cost Concepts in Healthcare Nurse Managers are rarely involved with revenue information but mainly involved with the spending aspect of the budget (Dunham-Taylor Pinczuk, 2010). Understanding the relationship of cost to volume is an important concept in a manager’s role for a departmental budget. Complexity surrounds the concept of volume, especially in volume-driven healthcare revenue planning and reporting. Volume in hospitals includes not only the patient census numbers but also takes into account the patient acuity, patient insurance type, patient minute/hours/days, and number of patient visits (Dunham-Taylor Pinczuk, 2010). â€Å"Direct supply costs are the only truly variable costs and a hospital that can be directly tied to patient volume and to cash expenditures† (Rauh, Wadsworth, Weeks, 2010, p. 61). Labor can be classified into two broad categories of direct labor and indirect labor. Labor is direct when working wages can be identified with specific costing units such as departments products or sales contracts and indirect labor is identified as all other employees that cannot be directly traced to the costing units (Chiang, 2013). Distinguishing between direct and indirect labor is vital to the budgetary process in determining accurate costs, measuring efficiency, decision-making and control, and minimizing overhead allocation inaccuracies (Chiang, 2013). Costs that have a direct correlation to the department could be either a variable or a fixed cost and the sum of these components equate to the total cost. Fixed costs are those that stay the same regardless the number of patients a healthcare facility treats or admits. The hospital still has to pay fixed costs even if their services are not used or even underutilized. Examples of fixed costs include insurance premiums, rent o n buildings or equipment, depreciation on buildings or equipment, taxes, utilities, and some salaried labor costs(Roberts et al., 1999). In healthcare, variable costs are expenses that fluctuate directly and proportionally with patient volume (Dunham-Taylor Pinczuk, 2010). Variable costs comprise all direct materials related in treating an individual patient including medications, testing agents, and disposable supplies as well as the salaries of nurses and technicians. Nurse Managers are considered a direct cost to the nursing department since the salary is the same reoccurring amount each month regardless of the quantity or volume of patients. The medical supplies furnished to the nursing department will be a direct cost that will be a variable cost if the total amount of supply used in the department increases or decreases as a volume in the department fluctuates. In estimating budgets, nurse managers determine the relationship between fixed costs, variable costs and total costs by utilizing a relevant range graph. The relevant range graph represents the likely range of activities within each cost behavior that is covered by the budget(Dunham-Taylor Pinczuk, 2010). Labor’s Influential Department Costs With enduring economic changes in healthcare, executives are continuously seeking how best to manage labor costs, how to efficiently allocate resources and optimize hospital staffing while reducing expenses all the while improving patient care. Twenty-five to 30% of the healthcare budget in a hospital organization stems from the nursing department (Dunham-Taylor Pinczuk, 2010) and the variable costs of labor are often 50 to 60% of total operating expenses(Rauh, Wadsworth, Weeks, 2010). Nursing departments are the only area where labor costs are directly related to patient volumeand the hospital’s profitability is very sensitive to changes in patient volume (Rauh et al., 2010). A hospital loses 100% of the patient revenue when volume is reduced but saves only on the cost of the direct supplies, whereas when patient volumes increase the next patient become highly profitable since revenue is captured(Rauh et al., 2010). Rauh et al. (2010) asserts, the true cost of caring for t he next patients is relatively small, as the additional cost is limited to direct supplies(p. 62). As a result, nursing management will focus their attention on utilization and throughput, the driving force in any fixed cost industry (Rauh et al., 2010). With labor cost containment and productivity initiatives scrutinized, managers are implementing flexibility in staffing. Strategically integrating a flexible staffing workflow provides the ability to adjust skill mix of core staff and volume of workforce when volume cycles demand. PACU Staffing and Productivity The labor force of the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is directly patient volume driven and planned differently than other units. The PACU workload resets daily, with a daily variation in census, and the workload is peaked by time of day. The unit of service indicator used for the PACU department during the budgetary process is 2.5910 hours per patient. For example, with 40 surgical cases scheduled the PACU’s productive target hours will be 103.64. Hours per patient minute (HPPM) are the numbers of hours of nursing care provided, compared to the number of patients during a 24-hour period. Actual productive HPPM is calculated by taking the total nursing hours spent providing direct patient care each month and dividing it by the actual patient minutes spent in PACU. These hours include nurses, clerical, ancillary staff, and the assistant nurse manager. The nurse manager reviews weekly reports for the target HPPM with actual HPPM, monitoring vacancy rates, and maintaining the a verage nurse to patient ratio of 1:2. Understanding these reports help the nurse manager make data driven budget and staffing decisions. Due to the PACU’s fluctuating workload and census, adjustments are necessary to the HPPM. In order to ensure safe patient care the PACU manager evaluates the nursing skill level each day and makes the proper skill mix adjustments. Since shift overlap overtime raises the HPPM, the nurse manager analyzes productivity reports daily. Historical data supported management’s decision to mitigate expensive nursing care hours with an adjustment in our workforce to flex positions in order to meet changing volumes. Nonproductive non-worked hours and nonproductive indirect hours are also important budgeting factors in labor. Nonproductive, indirect hours referred to the hours reserved for activities, meetings, education and orientation. Nonproductive non-worked hours include paid time off for vacation, holidays, and sick time. References Chiang, B. (2013). Indirect labor costs and implications for overhead allocation. Accounting Taxation, 5(1), 85-96. Dunham-Taylor, J., Pinczuk, J. Z. (2010). Financial management for nurse managers: Merging the heart with the dollar (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Frow, N., Marginson, D., Ogden, S. (2010). Continuous budgeting: reconciling budget flexibility with budgetary control. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 35, 444-461. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2009.10.003 King, R., Clarkson, P., Wallace, S. (2009). Budgeting practices and performance in small healthcare businesses. Management Accounting Research, 21, 40-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mar.2009.11.002 Rauh, S., Wadsworth, E., Weeks, W. (2010). The fixed cost dilemma: What counts when counting cost reduction efforts. Healthcare Financial Management, 64(3), 60-63. Reiter, K. L., Song, P. H. (2013). Hospital capital budgeting in an era of transformation. Journal of Healthcare Finance, 39(3), 14-22. Roberts, R. R., Frutos, P. W., Ciavarella, G. G., Gussow, L. M., Mensah, E. K., Kampe, L. M. (1999). Distribution of variable versus fixed costs of hospital care. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 281, 644-650. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.281.7.644

Cleopatras Beauty Essay -- Egypt History Papers

Cleopatra's Beauty Was Cleopatra beautiful? This is a seemingly straightforward question but there are many characteristics of beauty and all must be considered when applied to Cleopatra. Firstly, what is beauty? Beauty is different for every person and every time period. The old saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder remains truthful today. It is not only the person that dictates what is beautiful; the time period during which beauty is portrayed must be taken into account as well. The aesthetic ideal of the Renaissance is quite different from that of today's typical "beauty." When applying these questions to Cleopatra, the only way to judge her beauty is by the works in which she is depicted. One obvious obstacle with this judgment is that everyone creates his or her works during different time periods. Another problem with the depiction of Cleopatra's beauty is the artist's hidden agenda. Every artist that depicts Cleopatra has a reason for portraying her in the way that they do, weather i t be to show what a woman should not be or to promote anti-orientalism. The only concrete proof of Cleopatra's appearance is the marble statues and the coins that bear her face. Are these even the real Cleopatra? The real Cleopatra's beauty is a mix between physical beauty and actual beauty. Actual beauty can be defined as the interaction of personality and sensuality with the external. Cleopatra is lauded for her beauty but this beauty is, in fact, actual beauty. Would we consider Cleopatra beautiful in this day and age? I say no. Perhaps if we knew her and were ensnared by her legendary charms, she would be beautiful to us but one must decipher her personality before discovering her actual beauty. PHYSICAL BEAUTY Physica... ...100 C.E.]. Trans. Sir Thomas North (1579). Ed. Geoffrey Bullough, Narrative and Dramatic Sources of Shakespeare. Vol. V. Columbia UP, 1964. Pomeroy, Sarah B. Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Schocken Books, 1995. Pomeroy, Sarah B. Women in Hellenistic Egypt: From Alexander to Cleopatra. New York: Schocken Books, 1984. Roddam, Frank. Cleopatra [Leonor Varela]. ABC, 1999. Shakespeare, William. Anthony and Cleopatra [1608]. Ed. Michael Neill. Oxford UP, 1994. Sidney, Mary. "The Tragedy of Antonie." In Renaissance Drama By Women: Texts and documents, Ed. S.P. Cerasano and Marion Wynne-Davies, 19-42. New York: Routledge, 1992. The Real Cleopatra: Cleopatra's Palace. Discovery, 1999. Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1991.

Hamlets Antic Disposition Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlet's Antic Disposition      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In William Shakespeare's famous tragedy Hamlet, the main character of the story is one majestically elaborated, aside from being quite complex. There are infinite volumes written about this character because Shakespeare leaves no firm proof of many of his character traits. Yet on Hamlet's antic disposition, meaning his obviously absurd temperament or madness, Shakespeare leaves plenty of reason to believe that it is feigned, meaning that it is simply a ploy to help Hamlet carry out his plans for revenge. It is feigned, meaning that it is faked, merely put on as a faà §ade. This is denoted in various aspects of his antic disposition. Hamlet's antic disposition is self imposed, meaning that he himself decides to appear "mad", assuming the antic disposition willingly because he thinks it meet. It is methodical because there is a system to it. He is able to turn it on and off when he has reason for it; other characters in the play notice it and Hamlet himself states it. Finally, Hamlet's madness is also clever because it allows him to express himself and his thoughts clearly, and through comments full of wit that show his awareness of reality when he mocks other characters in their faces without their noticing. Therefore, Hamlet's antic disposition is not true madness; rather it is feigned because it is self imposed, methodical and clever.    Hamlet's antic disposition is self imposed, meaning that he chooses to impose this disposition upon himself. He willingly appears to be mad in order to obtain all he wants. This comes up in the situation after Hamlet has seen his father's ghost and is with Horatio and Marcellus. He, on this occasion warns them that he does "think meet to put an antic d... ... and off at his will, being it a means for an end. This again, shows that the madness is feigned because true madness lacks method. Finally, the cleverness of his madness shows it to be feigned because he expresses his true opinions through the madness, being able to even mock others willingly, a characteristic that clearly renders his madness fake. Shakespeare lets us know that his main character is mad through all these proofs he leaves behind. Yet there are many other aspects of Shakespeare's Hamlet to be analyzed and discussed, but that you will not find here for they are elsewhere, in endless volumes of infinitely large libraries.    Bibliography:    1. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1958.    2. Wilson, John Dover. What Happens in Hamlet. Cambridge: University Press, 1935.

Concept Computers :: essays research papers fc

A Strategic and Financial Analysis of Concept Contents Page 1.0 – Introduction 2.0 – SWOT Analysis 2.1-Strengths 2.1.1-Established, Major Global Company 2.1.2-Workforce and Culture 2.1.3-Cash Reserves 2.2-Weaknesses 2.2.1-Post-Standardisation Decisions 2.3-Opportunities 2.3.1-Consultancy for Enterprise Solutions 2.4-Threats 2.4.1-Overseas Entrants 2.4.2-New CEO and Staff 2.5-Summary 3-PESTEL 3.1-PESTEL Framework Diagram 3.2-Political 3.3-Economical 3.4-Sociocultural 3.5-Technological 3.6-Summary 4-Porter’s Five Forces Framework 4.1-Threat of New Entrants 4.2-Threat of Substitutes 4.3-Bargaining Power of Buyers 4.4-Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.5-Competitive Rivalry 4.6-Summary 5-Financial Analysis of Concept, 1999-2002 5.1-Calculations Sheet 5.2-Gross Profit Margin (GPM) 5.3-Expenses Ratio 5.4-Return on Total Assets (ROTA) 6-Bibliography 1.0-Introduction This report has been produced to give consultancy to Kent Andrews, CEO of the computing company Concept. I will use literature theory models to analyse Concept. Using this analysis Kent should be in a stronger position to reinstate Concept to market leadership in its industry. To closely study Concept strategically I will use the SWOT and PESTEL frameworks and Porter’s Five Forces model. I will use accounting calculations to assess Concept’s financial state and then comment on my findings. 2.0-SWOT Analysis Johnson et al (2005) state that a SWOT analysis â€Å"summarises the key issues from the business environment and the strategic capability of an organisation that are most likely to impact on strategy development†. 2.1-Strengths: I would describe the three strengths below as being Concept’s ‘Core Competences’ (Hamel, G and Prahalad, C. K.). I felt it unnecessary to elaborate on the competency theory additionally. I feel these strengths support the definition Johnson et al (2005) give Core Competences: â€Å"†¦activities that underpin competitive advantage and are difficult for competitors to imitate or obtain† 2.1.1-Established, Major Global Company Despite recently losing market leadership, Concept is still a prominent global player. It has reacted well to competition in the past 30 years and this experience and knowledge of the industry should aid its recovery to the industry’s forefront. Concept has established itself as a leading brand name, and governmental decisions to assign Concept’s operating system as the industry standard shows potential buyers the professionalism and expertise of the company. 2.1.2-Workforce and Culture Concept has a well structured and experienced workforce, complete with Product and Country managers. Key staff was poached from competitors at the end of the 1970s. This would suggest to me that firstly these employees may still be with Concept, indicating it has competent employees, and secondly, it cements the notion that Concept was, and still is, an attractive company to be involved with. The organisational culture and structure is described as being the base of its success. Concept has adapted to a changing climate on a few occasions throughout its long history, especially when reacting to customer needs, such as by manufacturing palm tops and developing enterprise software.

Prospero’s Speech: The Art of Theater Essay

Shakespeare is commonly known as a great writer; but we cannot lose sight of the fact that he is every inch   a man of theater, very much like Henrik Ibsen of the nineteenth century. His career in theater began as an actor. Working closely with the manager and the actors gave him a great sense of theater which is evident in all his major plays. In The Tempest Prospero’s speech (4.1.148-158)   about the farewell to his magic is regarded as Shakespeare’s farewell to his dramatic writings symbolized by the breaking of Prospero’s magic wand. Here Shakespeare shows himself a master of language which is lucid and direct. In As You Like It the Senior Duke’s remark â€Å"This wide and universal theatre/   presents more woeful pageants..† triggers   Jaques’ reflection   on the resemblance between human life and   an actor’s performance on the stage: â€Å"All the world is a stage,/ All men and women merely players;/ they have their exits and entrances;/ And one man plays in his time plays many parts,/ His acts being seven ages.† ( 2.7.137-143 ) This speech shows how deeply Shakespeare’s mind was involved with the   theater. In his famous speech following the report of Lady Macbeth’s death, Macbeth compares his frustrated life after the crime to an unimpressive actor â€Å"..Out, out, brief candle!/ Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/ That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,/ And then is heard nor more:† (5.5.17) It would not be an exaggeration to say   that Shakespeare’s greatest gift was theatrical: transforming well-known stories from Plutarch’s Lives, Seneca, Ovid, Lodge, Greene and many old plays into tragedies like   Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, King Lear, and Julius Caesar, and into comedies like As You Like It and Twelfth Night. Early he joined Lord Chamberlain’s company of players which became King’s company till Globe Theatre was built in 1599. According to A.L.Rowse he used to take charges of horses at the playhouse before he became an actor (Rowse.97) and later became a partner in the Globe Theatre. His entry into theater was attacked by Greene’s   well-known caustic remark: â€Å"Yea, trust him not.: for there is an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his ‘Tiger’s heart wrapped in a player’s hide’, supposes he is well able to   bombast out a blank verse as the best of you, and being an absolute Johannes Factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shakes-scene in a country.† Having tasted popularity with his histories and comedies, Shakespeare had his tragedies performed at Globe under his supervision and fully exploited the talents of   tragic   actor like Richard Burbage and comic actor like William Kempe . As   female roles were acted by boys in his time, it was his sense of theater that prompted him to disguise his heroines like Portia, Rosalind and Viola in male attire and thereby help the boy actors look natural. The Elizabethan stage had no painted scenery and the play was acted in day light, he used his superb blank verse speeches to make the audience forget their surrounding and concentrate on the play. Besides poetry, he also skillfully used costume, gestures, group of talented actors, music, procession and dancing for the highest dramatic effect. The inadequacy of the bare Elizabethan stage had to be compensated with good expositions. Shakespeare conveyed the necessary information about the setting and the major characters and the situation to the spectators in the opening scenes of As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Antony and Cleopatra and other plays through natural dialogue.   In Julius Caesar he makes it clear to the audience that there is sufficient light at night before Brutus reads the letter thrown in by one of the conspirators. His first hand knowledge helped him   cater to the taste of the smoking gallants and fashionable ladies, the attentive audience who were generous with applause but also ready to hiss and mew at bad performance and also the ill-smelling groundlings who paid a penny to be entertained with comic scenes like Porter scene and the grave diggers’ scene. His plays are definitely for all ages and all times, but they are very much geared to Elizabethan theater. References Greenblatt, Stephen. (1997) The Norton Shakespeare. N.York. W.W.Norton & Co. Rowse, A.L. (1963) William Shakespeare. London. Macmillan. 1963

Artificial River Essay

APUS, Section 4 Mr. Gordinier January 8th, 2013 All situations and topics have multiple views and perspectives to them. A paradox exhibits contradictory aspects in which there is not either a single good or a bad, positive or negative. In The Artificial River The Erie Canal and the Paradox of Progress, 1817-1862, written by Carol Sheriff, there are many different examples of paradoxes. Towns initially saw the Canal having a negative impact on them, but realized it could help. The Canal provided for faster transportation, but in the case of a crash would take a long time to recover from. Also businessmen benefitted from the Canal, but other lost a lot of money because of it. The Canal provided dramatic change to the upstate New York area. In some cases this change resulted in prosperity and in others it resulted in failure and loss. At the time prior to building the Canal many negative impacts were the only things being considered. In 1826, a Canal Board was set up to deal with many of these complaints and problems. Most of the agreements and compromises were expressed through contracts made between the Canal Board and the people of the towns. Individuals questioned the right to take land to build the canal, water resources being used, and also commercial structures being built along the Canal. The thought of how much these commercial structures could drastically benefit these towns were not contemplated. When the Canal was built towns all along the route from Buffalo to Albany prospered from the revenue and the attraction the Canal brought with it. Whether the Canal was being used for business people, immigrants, settlers of the region, or tourists, the border-towns all had some appeal to these persons. After some time the state was continually asked to expand the Canal from the original route to include connecting canal routes. However, the same towns along the route from Buffalo to Albany had already been established along the lines of the original canal. These towns would need to be relocated in order to obey these new requests. This presented a major problem because the people in these towns had formed a life around the Canal and many of them made their income based of the Canal. The inhabitants of the towns changed their mentality from not wanting the Canal to invade on their lives, to it being an essential part of their lives they depended upon. The Erie Canal provided an extremely fast source of transportation compared to other ones of that time. A lot of the land that the Canal went through was uninhabited and therefore people weren’t able to move through these areas. Once the Canal was built it served as that pathway through these areas. The Canal also was a much cheaper source of transportation that was used by residents, tourists, emigrants, and workers during this time. Evangelical preachers used the artificial river to seek salvation among these people. Also the Canal helped to serve as an underground railroad, transporting slaves from Syracuse to Buffalo, near the Canadian border (Sheriff 53). The Canal not only sped up transportation, but also cost much less for goods to be delivered. Before the Canal goods from Albany to Buffalo would increase to five or six times their actual value just because of transportation. This helped business prosper and served as a positive aspect for the Canal. Although transportation was faster if a boat along the Canal crashed it would hold things up for a long time. A boat crashing had a chain effect on other boats because they then would be slowed down as well. People would not get where they needed to be on time was well as goods. A lot of the times if a boat did crash the goods were not able to be salvaged and hurt the business that owned them. There was also the issue of passing under bridges and how low they were. In a play of William Dunlap the brother of Amelia describes the inconvenience this was saying â€Å"In constant dread of lifting your head above your knees for fear of having it knock’d off your shoulders by a bridge† (Sheriff 55). Inconveniences such as these eventually encouraged travelers to find a different source of transportation; the railroad. The railroad had advantage over the Canal in the fact that it could run all year round. Individuals took advantage of the Canal and used it to help themselves gain profit. Businessmen and entrepreneurs saw the Canal as an opportunity to make money. Some bought their own boats and turned them into their business place. Boats were transformed to stores and markets in which people would buy off of them. Business was not only done on the Canal, but other men would use all the people, especially tourists, and try to sell consumer goods to them. A lot of times these vendors would scam people buying from them. They would sell fake remedies with false claims. Many times they would also trade counterfeit bills for items of actual value. The Canal helped solo merchants in a way that had never been done before. On the other hand the Canal was also very detrimental to many people as well. The people it affected were those whose land and water supply it had taken. When the Canal was built it ruined early settlers property such as the Archbalds. Frequently properties were cut in half. Once water was let into the Canal it caused a number of problems. Majorly because of poor workmanship and laziness water would stream out of the Canal and into farmers’ land. Fields and basements would be flooded, livestock would be injured, and gardens would be damaged. Also the workers feet would trample over fields, showing no regard or carefulness of their surroundings. One farmer claimed that workers torn down his fence simply for their own amusement. Without a healthy stock of crops the farmers would not make as much money and financially were negatively affected by the Canal. The Erie Canal had widely varying results on the people it impacted. Businessmen and entrepreneurs received financial success through the Canal while farmers and people already established along the lines of the Canal seemed to be negatively affected by it. There is no question transportation was faster and cheaper than any other source around that time. Communities and towns both benefitted from the Canal being around them. Initially there was a great amount of hype surrounding the Canal and all this hype brought people. Businesses thrived off these tourists and newcomers. Positives and negatives came from the opening of the artificial river that would change history forever.

International development project analysis Essay

Introduction: – †¢ New science, technologies and ideas are crucial for the achievement of the goals, but global research investments are insufficient to match needs and do not focus on the priorities of the poor. †¢ Many technological and policy innovations require an international scale of research effort. †¢ DFID’s (Department for International Development) Central Research Department (CRD) commissions research to help fill this gap, aiming to ensure tangible outcomes on the livelihoods of the poor. †¢ CRD seeks to influence the international and UK research agendas, putting poverty reduction and the needs of the poor at the forefront of global research efforts. †¢ CRD manages long-term research initiatives that cut across individual countries or regions, and only funds activities if there are clear opportunities and mechanisms for the research to have a significant impact on poverty. †¢ CRD works closely with DFID’s Chief Scientific Adviser to maintain external links, particularly with UK Science, Whitehall and political stakeholders, to promote DFID’s agenda. †¢ DFID is seeking views to help it develop a new research strategy 2008-2013. Your chance to get involved When developing policies, it is recognized that consulting with a wide range of interested groups helps to ensure that the impact of its proposals on different sectors of society is taken into account. Public consultations are carried out wherever possible as recommended in the Code of Practice on Consultations by the Cabinet Office in January 2004. The Code aims to increase the involvement of individuals and groups in public consultations, minimizing the burden it imposes on them, and giving them enough time to respond. This guidance is used in conjunction with the compact between the government and the voluntary and community sector which includes a specific code of good practice on ‘Consultation and Policy Appraisal’. If you would like to take part in DFID public consultations, information will be posted on these pages. . . . Page-2 Page-2 Consultation The Cabinet Office is conducting a review of Consultation Policy to see how Government consultations can be improved and is keen to hear your views. As the centre–piece of this review, Hilary Armstrong MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Social Exclusion, has launched a paper entitled â€Å"Effective Consultation† to seek evidence on Government consultations. The consultation is aimed at anyone with an interest in responding to government consultation exercises, from those who regularly respond to the Government’s consultations to those who might be interested in doing so. These might include business organizations, voluntary and charitable sector organizations, campaigning bodies, trades unions, citizens, etc. The Better Regulation Executive is keen to meet with people who have experience of Government consultations and to discuss with them how Government consultations can be improved. The BRE is therefore organizing a series of events with Government Offices including two, larger, public seminars on the subject. †¢ Annual Reports: Assessment of performance on government consultations. †¢ Code of Practice: The Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation sets out the basic principles for conducting effective Government consultations. †¢ Consultation Guidance: Guidance for running consultations in government. †¢ Current Cabinet Office Consultations: A list of current Cabinet Office consultations with links for more information. †¢ Government Consultations: Links to departmental consultation websites. †¢ Effective Consultation Events: Further details on the Better Regulation Executive’s program of Consultation events. The following eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were agreed at the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000 and nearly 190 countries have subsequently signed up to them. The eight Millennium Development Goals: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 2. Achieve universal primary education. 3. Promote gender equality and empower women. 4. Reduce child mortality. 5. Improve maternal health. 6. Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases. 7. Ensure environmental sustainability. 8. Develop a global partnership for development. . . . Page-3 Page-3 REPORTS AND FORMATS Annual Report Format for DFID-contracted Research Programmes Front cover with Title of Research Programme, Reference Number and the Period Covered by the report. Include a table of contents, annexes, etc. , as necessary. 1. Background Information Title of Research Programme: Reference Number: Period covered by report: Name of lead institution and Director: Key partners: Countries covered by research: Planned Actual Start Date: End Date: Total programme budget: 2. One page summary (A narrative focussing on two main questions: (i) How far have intended outputs as listed in the logframe been achieved? And (ii) What is the impact of the research programme so far? ) 3. Key Themes – Progress towards outputs and impact What are the research outputs? Outputs OVIs Progress Recommendations/Comments Where are the research impacts? Purpose OVIs Progress Recommendations/Comments 4. Lessons learnt †¢ Working with Partners †¢ Good Practice/Innovation †¢ Project/programme Management †¢ Communication 5. Programme Management Annual Report Summary sheet for R4D 1. Background Information Title of research programme: Reference Number: Period covered by report: Name of lead institution and Director: Key partners: Countries covered by research: Start Date for research programme: End Date for research programme: 2. One page summary 3. Products and Publications Inception Phase Report Format Front cover with Title of Research Programme, Reference Number and the Period Covered by the report. Include a table of contents, annexes, etc. , as necessary. 1. Background Information Title of research programme: Reference Number: Period covered by report: Name of lead institution and Director: Key partners: Countries to be covered by research: 2. A document of overall plans to complement your research proposal and setting out: †¢ Themes. †¢ Planned activities. †¢ Areas for development during life of the research program. †¢ Where appropriate, a response to referees comments on the original research proposal and/or any comments or note of endorsement from the CAG/CARG. 3. Finalized log frame 4. Plans for capacity development 5. The Management structure for the research program 6. Ongoing monitoring arrangements for the research program 7. Communication strategy 8. Annual activity plan 9. Detailed financial plan.

Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl Essay

The autobiographical narrative â€Å"Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl† unveils casualties of life faced by black women during 19th century. A special attention Harriet Jacobs gives to a sexual relationship with Mr. Sand and moral values of black women. Thesis An â€Å"illicit† sexual relationship with Mr. Sand described in the Narrative does not reinscribing the stereotype of the black woman as lascivious and hypersexual, but proves that the black women are loving and sympathetic creatures seeking for a relationship based on romantic love. Love and romantic relations between a man and woman has played a crucial love in their lives. For Linda Brent, an â€Å"illicit† relationship with Mr. Sand means pure relations free from social statuses and financial gain. Harriet Jacobs stresses that love and passion are typical for the black woman even if she is engaging in the â€Å"illicit† sexual relationship. As the most important, Harriet Jacobs underlines that the black women could not move beyond the constrictions of the ideology. The existence of the institution of marriage, in which men played the dominant role and wielded control, placed women at the mercy of their male counterparts. At the beginning of new millennium, there are more and more people who prefer not to get marriage, but living together for many years trying to keep or preserve their personal freedom and independence. The example of Linda Bret shows that in spite of all the negative life lessons Linda understands what it is to be an individual and loving woman. The autobiography portrays that the black women are not promiscuous or lascivious, but loving and sympathetic creatures. In this case, it is important to take into account the epoch and economic system of slavery which deprived black women their rights and freedom. Linda Brent is a person who uses love as her emotional guide. But love symbolizes psychological state of Linda who becomes more passionate and sympathetic. The problems, unveiled in the autobiography, are received much publicity, because for some people these problems are too intimate or dedicated, they touch personal feelings and human soul. Linda Brent is suppressed by the norms and circumstances, her own narrow worldview and personal low spirits which make her dependant upon life situations. One of the secrets of Linda Brent is her natural beauty, which lies in the way she perceives the world. Through the character of Linda Bret, Jacobs depicts that that to the black woman who had survived the illusions that freedom and marriage would provide lifelong companionship and identity, and who had come to recognize the existential solitude of all human beings, feminism became a kind of credo. For the black women love means dream which comes true. In this sense, she is a victim because she needs to escape from realities of life which she cannot change. She is a victim of social structure and class conflict which destroy human relations and hopes. The autobiography suggests something of the historical loss for women of transferring the sense of self to relationships with men. Her sexuality is still her life, just as it made her on the pillory superior to her disclosed lover. Jacobs associates shame over her ancestors with the guilty excitement she felt in taking up the story. Her love throughout is maternal compassion for what is vulnerable to the passage of time. But her mind does not recoil from such pain; Linda Bret never avoids disquieting realities. But it is precisely an indiscriminated change, this stream of undifferentiated ran ­dom perceptions, which is called â€Å"life†.   The â€Å"illicit† sexual relations create a feeling of guilt being one of the reasons that her sexual freedom does not take her very far. It is possible to say that despite their efforts to escape the rituals of femininity, the black women seems fated to reenact them, even though, as Jacobs recounts these scenes and revises their conventions. The values and nature of black women described by Jacobs are not lascivious or hypersexual. Modern values and realities of life support behavior and choice of Linda who wants to love and be loved. References Jacobs, H. Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl. 2003. Available at: http://docsouth.unc.edu/jacobs/jacobs.html   

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Case Study Example This paper analyses Sysco’s need for a Business Intelligence Software, its development with software vendor, Business Objects and the implementation and integration decisions. It also looks at the three basic license buying structures available to the company and discusses the most important decision of all which is the quantity of licenses to buy. Sysco is a highly decentralized business system with different regional operations and specialty’s which are independent from each other. All these independent business systems have some form of Business Intelligence systems which had to be replaced. Having a common Business intelligence system would mean that the different operations of the company will have to pay their part of the cost which might reduce their net profits and replace a system which was working properly. Therefore the different operations might resist implementing the new system all over the company. A Business Intelligence system would take care of Sysco’s data mining and extraction needs. It would also help in producing reports and analysis and help in data distribution. Sysco initially decided that it would use the Business Intelligence software to answer only two questions. They were ‘Which additional products would we be selling to each of our customers?’ and ‘Which of our current customers are we most likely to lose?’ The two questions that Sysco decided to address were forward looking and predictive. Answering these questions manually was very time consuming and cumbersome. Automated, quick and constant answers to these questions would be extremely helpful to Sysco as they were integral to the company’s business and would generate a rapid return on investment. By partially implementing the Business intelligence system, the company would become familiar with its scope. Business Objects recommended this approach as it utilized its main competitive advantages of adhoc querying, caching and

Marcel Duchamp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marcel Duchamp - Essay Example The paper "Marcel Duchamp" focuses on the important figure in the art, Marcel Duchamp. Particular to that was the avant-garde movement known as the Dadaists and the Surrealists: "the mission of the early 20th Century avant-garde thus consisted in undermining the idea of art's 'autonomy' in favour of a new merging of art into what he calls the 'praxis of life'." The work being examined in the following, falls within the genre of this movement, and thus, one of the running themes explored throughout this discussion, will address how L.H.O.O.Q. can be understood as an expression of the avant-garde of his age, and how this fits within the agenda of the Dadaists. In introductory terms, Dadaism is a movement that sought to deconstruct the relationship of art to the power structures that financed it, so to speak. By challenging the power relations surrounding the work of art, the further agenda of exposing the essentially "bourgeoisie" values are likewise a theme that is incorporated into t he actual pieces or works of art themselves. In 1915, Marcel Duchamp moved to New York City from Paris. In Duchamp's own words, he was not moving to New York so much as he was fleeing the art community in Paris which he believed was burdened by the history and traditions of European art. As he states: â€Å"If only America would realize that the art of Europe is finished – dead – and that America is the country of the art of the future. Look at the skyscrapers! Has Europe anything to show more beautiful than these? New York is a work of art, a complete work of art . . . And I believe that the idea of demolishing old buildings, old souvenirs, is fine . . . The dead should not be permitted to be so much stronger than the living. We must learn to forget the past, to live our own lives in our own time.† [Kalaidjian, Ed., 2005, 195]. In terms of the back drop of rejecting history or the tradition of art, the work in question eventually came to be known as a 'ready-ma de'. That is, a found object which has been altered or modified in a way, and then presented as a work of art. The work in question [APPENDIX A] is a reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, which is arguably, the most famous work that is housed in the Louvre in Paris. As far as the modifications go with this particular work, Duchamp has merely added a mustache and titled the work with the initials L.H.O.O.Q.. This title is supposed to be a pun or a play on the French: â€Å"Elle a chaud au cul" and as translated into English, the phrase means "She has a hot ass" [Seigel, 1995, 119] . There is an interesting controversy about the work, that it is germane to the very meaning of the work itself. One of the important aspects of a work like this, is the very capacity for it to be photographed and reproduced. Indeed, the technique involved with the work in the first sense involves photography insofar as the image itself is initially a photograph of the Mona Lisa: "photography was crucial in disseminating Duchamp" [Hopkins, 2004, p. 46]. The contemporary twist on the controversy occurred in 2006 when the art critic and editor of Art in America, had to issue an apology for misunderstanding the authenticity and provenance of a reproduction of Duchamp's famous work: â€Å"I was wrong in 'Dada Lives' to claim that Francis Picabia's bungled 1920 reproduction

Project Pitfall Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project Pitfall Analysis - Essay Example The risk management process is very important for smooth running of the concerned project. Generally a detailed survey of the market is not done which results in the facing of unidentified risk due to its wrong assessment. To overcome these barriers a few calculative measures have to be taken. The focus of risk aversion should be mainly to take up a level of project whose risk can be easily identified and acceptable; prioritize the alternatives of the risk attached to the concerned project; resourcing, selecting, planning and implementing the most appropriate course of action elected for the elimination of the risk; double check on whether the action plan thus formulated is working in accordance to the plan hatched and lastly a regular revision of the action plan keeping the present market conditions in mind (â€Å"The Risks and Risk Identification† 1). The inadequate project management capability can arise due to faulty selection of the personnel for the respective company. This can be overcome by appointing the right person at the right time for the right designation having the required qualification for the concerned post. As the incapability to perform in managing the project of the company generally arises out the lack of sound knowledge of that field. As said earlier that a project needs to have clarity before undertaking, thus the lack of it results in confusion and disagreements about the project responsibility. Confusion leads to disagreements which can be due to various reasons like goal conflicts which occur because of the end results attached to it along with clashes related to the objectives of the project and administrative conflicts which may arise due to the management structure and responsibility assigned related to tasks, functions and decisions. All these have a solution, the application of which will help overcome the crises. Firstly, developing a master plan with will be compatible for the application of the long term

Outline for essay topoc. Critically cinsider the role of insuranse law

Outline for topoc. Critically cinsider the role of insuranse law and practice in the regulation of international business transactions - Essay Example Regulations of insurance agents and insurance companies will also be introduced. There will be arguments on insurance policies and regulatory issues concerning risk and operation management of insurance businesses. There will be a discussion of the nature and fundamentals of insurance, its functions and purpose in commerce, and its effects and function on tort litigation and recovery. These will be discussed in relation to insurance contract, structure, interpretation, and use. This section will discuss international company, business transactions involving insurance law. Examples of treaties and international trades will be highlighted, as well as the benefits and effects to the global economy. This section will highlight private law of transactions involving the movement of goods from one country to another. It will also describe the public law controls which effect such transactions and transactions which are governed by other legal systems such as WTO. This section will describe the way in which major projects are financed, focusing on the key features of the financing and the players who bring infrastructure projects to life.   There will be emphasis on the key legal and other risks in the project financing. This section will examine the international trade landscape, the main institutional protagonist, namely the World Trade Organization, and its rules. It will also examine the legal issues surrounding cross-border investment decisions and disputes Oduntan, Gbenga C.I.F. Gatwick and Other Such Nonsense Upon Stilts: Incoterms and the Law, Jargon and Practice of International Business Transactions6. International Company and Commercial Law Review, (2010). Organization. RH, Robert Hunter, Federal Insurance Administrator from 1974 to 1978, is president of the National Insurance,Consumer Organization. REFORM INSURANCE, NOT LIABILITY LAW; TAMING THE LATEST INSURANCE CRISIS. New York Times 1986 Apr

Beatlemania Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beatlemania - Essay Example The ‘60’s era was instigated by events in the U.S. but affected the entire industrialised world. No other decade or era in the past century witnessed the massive social or cultural upheaval that occurred during this tumultuous time. No other period of time in the history of societies have so many cultural changes occurred in such a short time. Following the ‘60’s, the idea of what was ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’ in society was greatly altered in a relatively short period of time and like no other time in at least 100 years. Because of the art and popular music of the 1960’s, people today have a higher level of tolerance for alternative forms of lifestyles and artworks. The most influential musical artists of this or any generation were without question the Beatles. The Beatles, considered by many to be popular music’s most historically important band, continues to evoke intrigue and fascination from a social point of view while their music, even today, appeals to people of all ages more than 30 years after their last album was released. The Beatles were the embodiment of the 1960’s.

Case Study#1 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

#1 - Case Study Example In the state of Florida, it can be found out that most of the wildlife has been safeguarded by one or the other law. Such laws of Florida have been enacted by the governments at the various level including local, regional, state or federal (Schaefer, Tucker & McGurie, â€Å"Laws that Protect Florida’s Wildlife†). The other law regarding that of two weeks counselling prior to marriage, for the interracial couples, has been enacted for the best interest of the couple. As, the involved individuals in such marriages are often from a very different cultural and economic background, so it can be identified that such counselling would help the future husband and wife to know each other better. Though it seems that the both the law statutes have been enacted for the greater good of the society, one to reduce the pollution content and save the ecological balance by protecting the extinct species of blood and the other contributing towards post marriage harmony but one might not like the statutes. The person travelling from outside the state of Minnesota might feel that he has to incur extra cost in lieu of pollution resistant device in his vehicle. The interracial couple can also have reservations as they are adult and the state can not impose them the counselling sessions. In such cases, the affected parties might appeal to the higher court of law i.e. the court of appeal. If the legislation permits, they can also appeal to the apex court i.e. the Supreme Court. As discussed earlier, the law of the land should not impose certain statutes upon the mature adults. If any of the individual decided to choose upon his life partner, who happens to be from a different race, the legalities of the nation should not compel him to have mandatory counselling session for two weeks. As matured individual adults, they have the right to get married to the person they want to. Also, it is very hurting

Internet slang, and the effect it has had on traditional language Essay

Internet slang, and the effect it has had on traditional language - Essay Example ranca (Vosloo, 2009), not only replacing English and other languages during electronic interactions, but also invading the everyday speech among them. Netspeak or internet slang has been defined by McFedries as â€Å"the words, idioms and peculiarities of spelling and grammar that are characteristic of online documents and communications.† It began as Instant Messaging Services like AOL, MSN and Yahoo magnetized millions of users that constantly sought to find efficient, shorter and faster ways of interaction, with limited characters on the keyboard determining the linguistic capacity (Shaw, c.2004). The outcome was sentences and phrases abbreviated into words and replacement of characters with others that resemble them for convenience of typing. This led to coining of a synonymous term, ‘leet’, which is a shortened term used for elite and is also written as 1337, similar characters as implied by the definition. Some of the most common ‘words’ are LOL, an acronym for ‘laughing out loud’, and ‘BARB’, which is a shortened version of ‘be right back.’ The knowledg e of Netspeak is now crucial to understanding any conversation that takes place over internet messaging. Another distinguishing aspect of Netspeak is the coinage and use of emoticons or graphical smileys, used to convey emotions and intentions like happiness and anger. As obvious, the reason for hostility against it by intellectuals is random and erroneous use of spellings- often called creative spellings, - grammar and punctuations by users, since it is informal and free of such constraints. This could be explicitly explained by the example, ‘practice b4 u go, k?’ The effects of internet slang on writings have been well-noticed and criticized by teachers and parents alike, with students also admitting its drawbacks. Lee describes them as constant attacks of technology on formal written English (cited in Vosloo, 2009), while Humphry compares its brunt on grammar, punctuations and

Comparison of Heterosexual-Parents and Homosexual-Parents Essay Example for Free

Comparison of Heterosexual-Parents and Homosexual-Parents Essay Most people have an automatic belief that a child who is raised by heterosexual-parents is better off than a child who is raised by homosexual-parents. The belief held by most people may make the task seem more socially acceptable. However, there is no law against it, nor is it written in stone that a child should not be raised by homosexual-parents. Furthermore, with the same amount of love, structure, effort, and stability homosexual-parents can be equally as nurturing to a child. The ideal family has always consisted of having two parents which consist of a male and a female. Nevertheless, having parents of the opposite sex does not mean a child with homosexual-parents cannot get the same adequate amount of love. A child with homosexual-parents has two parents who work and take care of them also. Both heterosexual-parents and homosexual-parents can and do show the same amount of love by spending time with the child, talking to the child, working to provide for the child, and showing the child affection. Homes with heterosexual-parents may seem to have more structure and balance because they do not appear to have to deal with any outside negativity. Negativity can result from a number of things such as race and social status, not just the marital status of the parents. Nevertheless, both a home usually has one or more parents who works and provides for the family and there is typically one parent who devotes a lot of time and energy in focusing on the family, especially on the child. Both types of parents can have rules which have to be obeyed, household chores which have to be done, and family time which is a must for raising a well-developed child in today’s society. Therefore, if heterosexual and homosexual parents disregard whatever outside negativity they may encounter and focus on the family and focus on what is important there will be the same amount of structure and balance to a child with either type of parents. Everything in life that a person believes is worthwhile takes effort and time. Parents have to put forth great effort and huge amounts of time in raising a child, especially if a parent wants a well-rounded, well-mannered, happy, smart, and what they believe to be a perfect child. Both heterosexual and homosexual parents can work towards achieving the ultimate goal of raising a perfect child. However, even though at times it may appear to be an easier challenge for heterosexual -parents, it does not mean the same goal cannot be achieved by homosexual-parents. For the sake of the child both types of parents must put forth a worthwhile effort and spend time focusing on what is best for the child. Society, as a whole, automatically has a preconceived idea that heterosexual-parents create a more stable environment for a child. However, the preconceived idea of society does not mean homosexual-parents cannot create a stable environment for a child. The two different types of parents must ensure stability for a child. Stability enables a child to focus on academic achievements and being a well-behaved child who has a stable home life does not seem to get themselves into as much trouble when compared to a child without a stable home environment. In other words, it does not matter if the child has heterosexual-parents or parents who are homosexual, stability, love, structure, and effort plays a major role in the proper development of a child.

Status of Women and Marriage Change Essay Example for Free

Status of Women and Marriage Change Essay The Medieval approach to the subject of marriage was entirely distinct and unlike our own. It is difficult to understand their view on married life, as it appears to us, in the modern day to be much more of a contract for the consolidation of estates and monetary gain rather than the love of two people. However the view of women in general was very  unlike the outlook of our contemporary society and to understand their view of marriage we must first understand the outlook of women in the Middle Ages.   Women are first mentioned in The Bible in Genesis 2:21-3. It is described how woman is created from the rib of man and how the man said  This at last is bone of my bones  and flesh of my flesh;  she shall be called Woman,   because she was taken out of man1. The following passages in The Bible describe the fall of Eve and the temptation of Adam. From the very first literature, women are depicted with less moral standing than men and are seen as the downfall of all good, honest Christians. Apostles such as St Paul and St Augustine are also seen to have a grave role in the shaping of the view of women in the Middle Ages. However condemnation of females was not only confined to the Christian Church, as we know it today. Constantine, who established the progressive Christainisation of the empire, discovered small yet troubled heresies among which was one called Gnostics. They believed that the created world was inferior to the spiritual one and as women are the creators in our world they were therefore automatically lesser in the eyes of the lord. Many Gnostic sets wished to discard the reproducing purposes of women and also believed that marriage was sent from the Devil. They are quoted as declaring Marrying and reproducing are said to be instigated by Satan However they did not just believe in this without any cause. Gnostics thought that if women abandoned their duty to procreate they would be worthy to preach, baptise and prophesy alongside men. There were already many prior instances of women taking on such roles within The Bible. However, most surprisingly was the vision of the female Christ. This was maintained by Montanist liturgies that had great worship for Eve as her first sin brought about the miracle of incarnation. So it is easy to see that womens role within this society was a perplexed and confused issue. There were so many different views from many different sects of Christianity, however what I am going to concentrate on is the view of the laywomen in the Middle Ages by the Christian church.  All women were expected to be married, even Nuns were the brides of Christ. Although it was expected, marriage was not the ideal state for a woman. The perfect form was virginity. Those women who preserved their virginity were exalted among others as they had not given in to temptation and from the stories of Eve its in the female nature to be tempted. Puritans wrote  Per mulierem culpa successit,  Per virginem salus evenit  Sin came from women,  But salvation through a virgin2  However even virginity could not bring a woman to the higher state that a man holds within the Christian Church of the early Middle Ages. Cyprian, a third century writer made virginity the distinguishing and unique mark of Christianity, which in turn made virginity a public affair as opposed to a private virtue. Cyprians later contemporary; Ambrose conceived the idea that there were only two types of women in the world. Those who led normal married lives which were tarnished by sexual intercourse and those who stood out from the rest, exceptional women who remained virgins. St Augustine held up the celibate marriage of the Virgin Mary as an ideal for all. Unfortunately pureness would be impossible for the masses. Interestingly, it was only female virginity that held such high esteem. Origen a second century monk castrated himself out of dedication to sexual purity and was punished by the church and excluded from priesthood as he was no longer whole. Female virginity was held in high reverence throughout the Middle Ages however this did change somewhat towards the latter part of this era. With the emergence of characters such as Alysoun in Chaucers The Canterbury Tales there was born a women who could play men at their own game. She could quote the Holy Scriptures, making them state that her way of life was viable. She in effect could turn around any criticism of her manner by means reserved only for men of the cloth. There was also an ideal of mutual freedom in marriage, which was conceived, in the late Middle Ages that would not have been imagined any earlier. Women were seen to take control of the household and hold an equal share of the responsibility within the home. Although their aging husbands may have to show them how to run their household, it was down to the lady to see that everything gets done. The man would provide his young bride with a conduct book explaining what she should do if he were to die suddenly, whether he thought it appropriate for her to re-marry. In addition to house rules and his preferences in the way his household was run.