China s Influence On The United States - 1168 Words

The products of China played a role in the way the United States came about and how their identity was created and solidified. China was seen as influential and beneficial for the Americans through trade and customs that they brought along with them. Some individuals have traveled over to the United States for the Gold Rush and others just wanted a better life for their future and for their families’ future. There were other convincing reasons that pushed the Chinese to migrate away from their hometown into a new environment as well. Chinese people were the first to migrate to the United States. Majority of the young men chose to come over to experience a better life in the States. However, the only Chinese women that would be able to†¦show more content†¦Groups that would agree and come over to work as a coolie were from Hong Kong, Canton, Macao, Amoy, and Swatow. Social challenges the Chinese experienced ranged from how they were treated in their jobs to how they wo uld marry. Along with the occurrence of the coolie trade, the workers are upset at the employers’ abuse and how they cannot regulate the laws within their job. When the Chinese came over, the Americans were discriminating against them and their manner. The way Americans described Chinese revolved about how China’s culture is not â€Å"normal† because it is being compared to their American culture and racialized comments. When you move into a new town or city, it is harder to get comfortable when the ones that already resides in area are judgmental and puts down the newer people. The Americans called the Chinese hurtful and unkind words like: â€Å"cowardly†, â€Å"submissive†, â€Å"silly grunts†, and â€Å"menaces†. Interracial marriages were shunned and disapproved by many, it created problems in racial and family order. An example of how a Chinese man with a White woman relationship was ruined when Elise Sigel was murdered and Leon Ling was called out for the murder because there was a rumor that they were in an affiliation with one another. From this incident and others, there were laws that were created to separate whites and Asian individuals from getting into any sort of relationship or contact. The Chinese did not have much to say about

Lord of the Flies Setting Free Essays

Bader al Issaei January 24, 13 Lord of the Flies The author Sir William Golding created the story Lord of the Flies. This author uses the setting to develop the main theme of the story. The setting did really create the theme of the story and without it Piggy could have lived. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies Setting or any similar topic only for you Order Now Without this setting the whole story could have changed because it story can be in a camp or in London or even their country. Then the whole story in that case will change. To add to that, there might not be a problem or a lord of the flies. There were a lot of settings he could have chosen but he only chose one, which is the island. He chose where to put the conch and he chose to put a castle rock, and he also chose where to put lord of the flies and what the weather will be. The writer of this story created many ways for using the setting, one general way is the geography of the island, he chose the island, witch I don’t think is a real island in the Pacific Ocean I think he created it, and this island changed the humanity of the boys. In the beginning of the story we are introduced to the creepers, while Piggy was following Ralph we found out that Piggy has asthma. Ralph goes to the beach and finds a bathing pool. So like a normal boy he jumps in the bathing pool but Piggy can’t swim because of the asthma he has. Piggy tests the water, and it was warm. Then we find out that Ralph can swim because his dad is a commander in the navy and he taught him. Piggy’s mom and dad are dead and he lives with his aunt. Then, Ralph found a conch and blew it to call the others so he was voted as chief, he told the others if they want to talk they have to hold the conch. Now the conch became an important symbol in the story and it symbolizes order. In the end of the first chapter Ralph, Jack and Simon discover that it is an island and that there are pigs. Ralph wanted to make a fire but the first one was not under control and burned a big part of the island. The second fire was the signal fire and it was on top of the mountain so it is in the center of the island. Now the fire symbolizes the rescue. William Golding chose an atomic war and above these boys at night there was a plane battle, in the meantime the twins where taking watch of the fire. Suddenly a dead Pilate was ejected from the plane and the twins thought that it was the beast. Jack, Ralph and the hunters went to see the beast and discovered the castle rock. It is the place that symbolizes savagery and the place where they killed Piggy, also known in the unfriendly part of the island. When Ralph, Jack and Roger saw the beast at night they ran letting others believe in the beast. Castle rock is now the place for the hunters and littluns and their chief is Jack. Without the Pigs there won’t be any hunter and it would be more peaceful, they could have just eaten fruit. The castle rock is a very rocky place with a lot of sunlight and heat, and that is not a perfect place to live in. It is the opposite from Simon’s nature place even the author said â€Å"Flower and fruit grew together on the same tree and everywhere was a scent of ripeness and booming of a million bees at pasture. Page 61,W. Golding. The writer cut the island into two sides, an unfriendly side and the friendly side. For example when Simon dies the writer says: â€Å"The water rose further and dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness† Page 180W. Golding. He said this because he died in the friendly side. Piggy, in the other hand, died in the unfriendly side of the island, the writer said: â€Å"the rock stuck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch explo ded into a thousand white fragments†. Page 212 W. Golding, so that didn’t seam as a fun sight. You can find the difference now with the two places. To add to that, Ralph was rescued when he came to the friendly side. William Golding added to the geography of the island a thicket next to the castle rock, and it was not put by accident, he did it so that Ralph would hide in it, but because it was in the unfriendly side Jack burned the whole island to get him out, he did and then got rescued. If you notice there are only one beach and the rest are cliffs. I think that the beach symbolizes something, which is the tribe’s home. They even have shelters in there and a bathing pool right next to the platform. Also, the writer putted the Lord of the Flies next to Simon’s mat as borders of the friendly side and the unfriendly. That is why Simon was confident when he went up to the mountain also he could have left the parachutist on top of the mountain as a proof that there is no beast. Sir William Golding is a smart writer because he has made a map in his head that really reacted to the whole story. This story mostly talks about the darkness inside the humans and how a war can happen, more over how the civilization could have started. The island took away all the humanity in them forcing them to act like savages. The whole island could have won the war yet no one did; even the leaders of these two tribes still hate each othe r. The person who created this map wanted that war to happen and wanted Ralph to survive. God created the Earth’s map and I am sure he created it for a reason. Word count: 1,010 words How to cite Lord of the Flies Setting, Essay examples

How does Tim Burton create an atmosphere in sleepy hollow Essay Example For Students

How does Tim Burton create an atmosphere in sleepy hollow Essay This image is followed by a montage sequence which includes- two people holding hands, a person sighing a will, a piece of paper (supposedly the will) being put into a brief case, the sealing of the will with a stamp. This opening scene establishes motif that will recur and may only be interpreted accurately in terms of importance on reviewing. During this section we are repeatedly being shown a windmill (it is seen on the stamp the briefcase and the carriage) with the name Van Garret written underneath it. This is likely to be the family crest which all point toward the denouement when the windmill explodes and all the loose points in the story are tied together. In the opening scene there are many feature which refer to the past these include:   Horse and carriage.   The inconsistency of the road.   Clothes and hair.   Environment (the place where Sleepy Hollow is based in is deserted, remote and unlit).   Music used is classical music.   Fog, lightning and thunder. During the first encounter of the headless horsemen we see a glimpse of him passing behind the carriage as we see this we notice we see Van Garrets head framed by the window, in doing this, Burton has highlighted the characters head making the audience anticipate the decapitation. Throughout the first scene there is no dialogue, which adds tension however throughout the scene the character communicates to the audience through facial expression making it seem like youre watching a silent movie. Before the death of Van Garret the poor fellow is trying to get away is trying to get away from the killer however he gets lost in a cornfield and runs into a scarecrow with a pumpkin for a head. The pumpkin is well known for being associated with Halloween, with spooky from its nature. We see a variety of camera angles and angles allowing the audience to share the sense of being lost. However, Van Garret is startled by the appearance of the object as its almost alive but at the same time demonic. However when seeing the scarecrow the camera angles automatically zooms in to Van Garrets face which shows relief, which is shared with the audience, nevertheless this is only momentarily as the horse is made present though digetic (the whinnying of the horse). The final image of the seen is of the pumpkin being streaked with blood, the motif starts and the scene. Scene 2 Unlike the previous scene we observe an urban, built upon city of New York, which is a contrast to that of Sleepy Hollow. However unlike the modern day buildings the attitude toward to crime is still going back to the medieval ages. We shown different gruesome contraptions that might have been used to punish criminals in the court. In this scene we immediately Ichobod Crane does not belong in the city of New York as Crane believes to identify criminals modern day scientific methods must be carried out however, by sharing this view with the community Crane is put to the test of solving these crimes of the headless horsemen. This shows that Crane is a detective however; does this mean the genre of the whole is murder mystery? So Ichobod Crane is sent to the town of Sleepy Hollow. As this is scene the credits are used in ghostlike font, which disappears after being seen. By doing this Burton adds the sense of a supernatural feeling. Another way Burton makes the have a sense of horror is the use of a non-diegetic sounds (orchestra playing classical but spooky song) which seems to get to get louder as Crane gets nearer to the Van Tassel mansion. As Crane enters the town he is seen going past a grave yard and as he walks down the street surrounded by simple houses we see villagers closing the shutters of their houses which is used as a metaphor for the secret which is vital to the solving of the mystery. .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 , .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .postImageUrl , .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 , .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7:hover , .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7:visited , .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7:active { border:0!important; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7:active , .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7 .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6c62198a15e2968ff4ac8bf6a02507b7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Star Wars: a New Hope EssayIt is kept from Crane as he is an outsider, and cannot be trusted. As Crane is seen walking up to the Van Tassel manor the building it self looks spooky. As Crane enters the building there is a change in the atmosphere instead of being ominous and mysterious one, we see village folk partying. In the centre of the room we see a crowd of men surrounding a young woman (Katrina Van Tassel) playing a game. However when the presence of Crane is noticed there is a cold welcoming as the main men of the villagers are seen giving each other signals. The way these signals are carried out we noticed these characters are conspiring and not the whole truth. When the meeting is held in a separate room we are told the story of the headless horsemen however instead of being a narrative there is an exposition sequence giving the viewer a background detail of Sleepy Hollow is presented in a frame narrative which makes it more interesting for the viewer however by doing this it reinforce one of the main phrases viewed in the movie seeing is believing. The production of this movies sole purpose is to make money for the organisation behind the movie (pathe) the movie has been designed for viewers aged between the ages of 15 (this is known by the certificate rating) upwards as it has a lot of images which parents might not find suitable for children. As different individuals have different preference Burton has used several genres in the movie, which increases the amount that will come to watch the movie.

Transformational vs Transactional Leadership Essay Example

Transformational vs Transactional Leadership Paper Leadership Styles, High-Quality Leader-Follower (LMX) Relationships and Job Performance The current globalized economic environment is becoming increasingly dynamic and competitive forcing organizations to improve their business practices to overcome greater challenges with more flexibility, efficiency and innovation in products and internal processes (Walumbwa et al. 2005, p. 235). Certainly, there is fundamental evidence of the positive association of leadership style and the influence on follower’s behaviour as a consistent way to improve job performance and organizational outcomes (Vaccaro et al. 2010). The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the impact of transformational and transactional leadership styles on leader member exchange relationships, job performance and job satisfaction. By using theories such Weber’s conceptualization of charismatic leadership, Burns’ transactional leadership and Bass’ Four I’s of transformational leadership, this paper acknowledge the superiority of transformational over transactional leadership style in developing high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships, increasing followers’ job performance and Job satisfaction. Recalling previous studies which asserted the dependence of leadership effectiveness on culture and organizational size (Paul et al. 001), it seems clear that transformational leadership is a more suitable leadership style for small, large and complex companies across cultures facing the challenges of globalization of markets. The superiority of transformational leadership style in building high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships is given to the practice of one or more of the Four I’s leadership behaviour. Firstly, Idealized influence through a charismatic behavi our will illustrate the positive influence on followers and their performance. We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational vs Transactional Leadership specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational vs Transactional Leadership specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational vs Transactional Leadership specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is followed by the ability to motivate team work and the achievement of general goals that produce personal satisfaction and commitment with the company (inspirational motivation). Furthermore, intellectual stimulation will certainly demonstrate how innovation and creativeness is promoted and their impact on organizational results. Finally, individualized consideration in hand with LMX theory will provide an example of the undoubted benefits of dyadic relationships in ‘in-group’ such greater loyalty and commitment. Leadership styles, high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships and Job performance. Focusing in the work of Burns (1978) and Bass (1985) on leadership behaviours, transformational and transactional leadership have been the objective of various research in order to capture the extent to which leaders influence subordinates by involving them in the organization’s goals, or by specifying the rewards that will follow the accomplishment of those goals (Rubin et al. 2005; Yammarino et al. 1997) According to Podsakoff et al. 1990) a fundamental characteristic of transformational leadership behaviour is the ability to create a compelling vision for the organization, providing an appropriate model consistent with that vision, stimulating the acceptance of group goals, expecting high performance, providing individualized support and intellectual stimulation. In contrast, transactional leadership is primarily concern with gaining compliance from subordinates by using a contingent re ward dimension or a passive form of managing by exception. The leader specifies what is expected from organizational members and the subsequent reward for its accomplishment (Bass and Avolio 1990). According to LMX theory, a high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationship, usually associated with dyads in the ‘in-groups’ of the organization, emphasizes in fundamental levels of loyalty, commitment, respect, affection, mutual trust and the possibility of mutual linking between leaders and followers (House et al. 1993). Transformational rather than transactional leadership is more likely to achieve this superior level in the follower-leader relationship by developing one or more of the Four I’s; Idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration (Bass, BM and Avolio, BJ (eds. ) 1994). Idealized influence A transformational leader acts in a way that becomes a role model or inspirational image for his/her followers (Zhang, X, Cao, Q and Tjosvold, D 2010) usually attributed to his/her charismatic approach. Certainly, charisma in meant to be a requirement for transformational leadership. According to Weber (1947) a charismatic leadership can inspire and motivate people to do more than originally intended. What is more, they can influence followers by arousing strong emotions in support of the organizational vision, creating a leader-follower relationship based on a common value system between leader, follower and organization (Paul et al. 2001). Towler (2003) demonstrated that workers who received a charismatic-training performed better on their knowledge test and were more satisfied with the task. Unlike, transactional leadership emphasizes in the transaction that takes place with followers based on explicit discussion of the rewards they will receive if they fulfil the requirements. As a consequence, the relationship with is limited to the leader’s ability to control the outcomes desired by followers. However, as Dorfman et al. (1999) argued, charismatic behaviour can have a negative implication on societies with a history of autocratic and despotic leaders. Inspirational motivation Undoubtedly, the contingent transactional reinforcement system motivates followers to perform in such adequate way in order to obtain the reward. However, through this system, followers’ job performance, as well as commitment, is strongly limited to fulfil the requirements of the contract in a self-satisfying attitude (Avolio,BJ, Bass, BM and Jung, DI 1999) rather than a commitment with the leader and organizational vision he/she has established. Contrary, transformational leaders promote an organizational citizenship behaviour in which team-supporting behaviours augment followers’ identification with group values. The leader motivates them to transcend from a self-concept to be committed with cooperative team goals. Followers find themself intrinsically motivated to fulfil a collective vision without expecting immediate personal and tangible gains (Wang et al. 2005). Intellectual stimulation Transformational leaders stimulate employees’ effort to be innovative and creative by questioning assumption, reframing problems and approaching situations in different ways (Vaccaro et al. 2010, p. 2). On the other hand, as Podsakoff et al, (1990) exposed, transactional leadership consist in two dimensions; Contingent reward systems, which emphasizes the institution of clear and precise agreements, and management by exception that promotes highly leadership involvement and intervention in order to monitor and ectify any divergence form standards. Amibile (1998) claims that both dimensions inhibit creativity and discourage the initiative to address new ways to facing the work. Although, currently research fail to demonstrate a universal leadership phenomena (Walumbwa et al. 2005, p. 235), transformational leadership, by using intellectual stimulation behaviours, exhibit a cross-cultural benefit on commitment, innovation and job performance, all of them being characteristics of high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationship. Avolio, Zhu, Koh, and Puja (2004), by gathering data from staff nurses in a large public hospital in Singapore, found a positive association between transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Likewise, Geyer and Steyrer (1998), as a result of a research in Australian banks, reported that transformational leadership had positive effects on employees’ level of effort and task performance. Individual consideration A transactional leader properly identifies employees’ needs in order to make the accurate motivational transactions; as a result, both parts expectations are met and job satisfactions is improved. However the exchange is usually limited to economic or tangible benefits and does not promote leader-follower relationships. In contrast, a transformational leader pays special attention to follower’s individual needs in a widely range, such achievement and growth, by acting as a coach or mentor. The leader demonstrate acceptance for individual differences, promote two-way exchange communication and sees the individual as a person rather than as just an employee (Bass, BM and Avolio, BJ (eds. 1994). In this extent, transformational leader promotes the creation of dyadic relationships with ‘in-group’ members which usually have a high-quality relationship with the leader and are expected to be more loyal to the leader, and perform in a greater extent as an exchange for intangible benefits like career development, participation in decision making, and access to information, between others (Vaccaro et al. 2010, p. 2). According to Deluga (1992), individualized consideration and charisma were two transformational leadership factors that predicted LMX and are the cause for subordinates to behave in ways (such as making extra efforts) that strengthen relational ties with the leader. Conclusion It seems clear that transformational and transactional leadership have positive relationship with organization outcomes; however this paper clearly stated the superiority of transformational leadership on building high-quality leader-follower (LMX) relationships based on the development of the Four I’s. First, by using a charismatic approach, transformational leaders create an idealize influence that augment follower’s emotions and commitment with the leader and organizational vision. Second, this paper claimed that by using inspirational motivating behaviour, leaders motivates followers to transcend from self-interest to commitment cooperative goals which led them to perform without expecting immediate personal benefits. In contrast, the transactional exchange-relationship with followers was meant to be limited to the interest on the reward promised as exchange for their task accomplishment in a very self-satisfying attitude. Given the importance of innovation in today’s organizations, intellectual stimulation was consider to be fundamentally related to followers’ commitment and organization increase on job performance and competitiveness. Unlike, by delimiting the outcome expected from followers and the reward system, transactional leadership was appeared to harm innovation in organization. Not different is the outcome of using managing by exception dimension. Finally, by having an individual consideration, transformational leadership are more likely to developed high-quality relationship members that are expected to be more loyal and perform in greater extent without expecting immediate tangible benefits. In contrast, commitment and higher achievement with a transactional leadership was limited to the exchange of direct economic and tangible benefits. Overall, due to the development of followers and their potential, transformational leadership is assumed to be more appropriate for many different types of companies and situations at any level across cultures. Reference list Amabile, TM 1998. ‘How to kill creativity’. Harvard Business Review, vol. 76, pp. 76–87. Avolio, BJ, Bass, BM, Jung, DI 1999, ‘Re-examining the components of transformational and transactional leadership using the multifactor leadership questionnaire’. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, vol. 72, no 4, pp. 441–462. Avolio, B J, Zhu, W, Koh, W, Puja, B 2004, ‘Transformational leadership and organizational commitment: Mediating role of psychological empowerment and moderating role of structural distance’. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, vol. 4, pp. 1–18. Bass, BM, Avolio, BJ 1990, ‘The Implications of transactional and transformational Leadership for individual, team and organizational development’. Research in Organizational Change and Development, vol. 4, pp. 231–72. Bass, B. M. Avolio, B. J. (eds. ) 1994, Improving organizational effectiveness through transformatio nal leadership, Sage Publications, London. Deluga, R J 1992, ‘The relationship of leader-member exchanges with laissez-faire, transactional, and transformational leadership’. Impact of leadership. pp. 237–247. Dorfman, PW, Howell, JP, Hibino, S, Lee, JK, Tate, U, Bautista, A 1997, ‘Leadership in Western and Asian countries: Communalities and differences in effective leadership processes across cultures’. Leadership Quarterly, vol. 8, no 3, pp. 233–274. Felfe, J, Tartler, K and Liepmann, D 2004, ‘Advanced Research in the Field of Transformational Leadership. Zeitschrift fur Personalforschung – German Journal of Human Resource Research. Special Research Forum, vol. 18, pp. 262–88. Geyer, A, Steyrer, J 1998, ‘Transformational leadership and objective performance in banks’. Applied Psychology: An International Review, vol. 7, no 3, pp. 397–420. House and Aditya; RC, Liden and Maslyn JM 1993, ‘Scale development for a multidimensional mesur of Leader-Member exchange’, Paper presented at annual meeting of the Academy of Management, Atlanta, Georgia. Paul, J, Costley, DL, Howell, JP, Dorfma, PW 2001, ‘The effects of cha rismatic leadership on followers’ self-concept accessibility’, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 31, no. 9, pp. 1821-1 844. Podsakoff, PM, MacKenzie, SB, Moorman, RH, Fetter, R 1990, ‘Transformational leader behaviours and their effects on followers’ trust in leader, satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviour. Leadership Quarterly, vol. 1, pp. 107–142. Rubin, RS, Munz, DC, Bommer, WH 2005, ‘Leading from within: the effects of emotion recognition and personality on transformational leadership behavior’. Academy of Management Journal, vol. 48, pp. 845–58. Towler, AJ 2003, ‘Effects of charismatic in? uence training on attitudes, behaviour, and performance’. Personnel Psychology, vol. 56, no 2, pp. 363–381. Vaccaro, IG, Jansen, JJ, Van Den Bosch, FA, Volberda, HW 2010, ‘Management innovation and leadership: The moderating role of organizational size’, Journal of Management Studies, pp. -23. Walumbwa, FO, Orwa, B, Wang, P, Lawler, JJ 2005, ‘Transformational Leadership, Organizational Commitment, and job satisfaction: A comparative study of Kenyan and U. S. financial firms’, Human resource development quarterly, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 235-265. Wang, H, Law, K, Hackett, R, Wang, D, Chen ZX 2005, ‘Leader-member exchange as a mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and followers’ performance and organizational citizenship behaviour’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 420-432. Weber, M 1947, ‘The theory of social and economic organizations’, translated by T. Parson, New York. Yammarino, FJ, Dubinsky, A J, Comer, LB, Jolson, MA 1997, ‘Women and transformational and contingent reward leadership: a multiple-levels-of-analysis perspective’. Academy of Management Journal, vol. 40, pp. 205–22. Zhang, X, Cao, Q, Tjosvold, D 2010, ‘Linking transformational leadership and team Performance: A con? ict management approach’, Journal of Management Studies, pp. 1-26.

Lawyers obligation etc essays

Lawyers obligation etc essays There are times when the ethical/moral obligation of confidentiality seems to be absolute. One of these is, and must be, that between a recognized confessorpriest, rabbi, ministerand the person confessing. Whether there are or should be exceptions to this is debatable; does the confessor have an obligation to make known an individual's intent to commit murder, for instance, or the fact that a murder has already been committed' It is interesting, and, while not the subject here, may shed some light on the ethical basis for confidentiality between lawyer and client. In addition, for lawyers, the obligation of confidentiality is a formally imposed obligation (as for priests). In fact, religion as known for the past couple thousand years would not be what it is without it, a mechanism for cleansing souls, among other things. Just so, the system of British jurisprudence would not be what it is without the obligation of confidentiality, through which the deeds and misdeeds of men can be weighed by human scales. The obligation of confidentiality means, in a purely utilitarian sense, that the adversary must diligently pursue truth. With luck, the give and take, again in a utilitarian sense, will produce that, For example, if a lawyer is to represent a client he or she knows is guiltyand if any lawyer taking the case would know the same thing because of a confession or a video or other solid evidentiary materialwithout confidentiality, that accused person could not obtain representation, never mind justice. In turn, that would throw the concept of English jurisprudence into turmoil. It would, in fact, virtually eliminate the need for trial by jury in some casesor even in many casesand that would prevent the refinements of law that exist in assessing and assigning de...

How to Get Your CDL in Alaska and Nebraska

How to Get Your CDL in Alaska and Nebraska This article is useful for anyone who wants to get your CDL in Alaska and Nebraska. If you want to learn about earning a CDL at other states, we have put together a comprehensive guide on how to get a CDL  in every state of the country. AlaskaAnyone  working temporarily in Alaska with  a CDL from another state can  work using their  home state CDL. But if transferring to a permanent position or moving to  Alaska full time, one must get an Alaska  CDL.To apply for a CDL in Alaska, you must:Provide proof of birthdate and identityBe 21+ years old when you apply if planning to drive inside and outside of AlaskaBe 19+ years old when you apply if planning to drive only within AlaskaHave held a regular driver’s license for at least one yearProvide your Social Security numberPass the vision, written, and road testsHave a valid medical cardWritten TestThe first part of the written test is a general knowledge test covering road rules, commercial vehicle laws, basic operati on knowledge, and safety procedures. Ever applicant takes the general knowledge test.  Once you pass this, you will be tested on other technical areas if they are applicable to your chosen vehicle.Road TestOnce you’ve passed your written tests, you must  take a road test, which is broken down into three parts:Pre-trip Inspection.  You must pass the pre-trip inspection before you will be permitted to go on to the basic skills portion of the road test.Basic Skills Test.  This test will cover maneuvers like  parallel parking, backing, alley docking, the forward stop, backward serpentine, and straight line backing. You must pass this portion of the road test before you  will be permitted to go on to the  driving skills portion of the road test.Driving Skills Test.  In this part  of the test, the examiner will ask you to perform a number of basic and complex driving maneuvers: right and left turns, intersections, urban and rural straight driving, urban and rural lane changes, freeway driving, stopping and starting, driving on curves, upgrades, downgrades, railroad crossings, bridges and under/overpasses.NebraskaWhen applying for a CDL in Nebraska, you must provide:Proof of valid U.S. citizenship or Proof of Lawful StatusU.S.-based identityA current address in NebraskaA  valid social security numberYou mustBe 21+ years old when you apply if planning to drive inside and outside of  NebraskaBe 18+ years old when you apply if planning to drive only within NebraskaTake a knowledge and skills testKnowledge TestYou are required to take one or more knowledge tests, depending on the  class of license and   endorsements you need.The general knowledge test is taken by all applicants.The passenger transport test is taken by all bus driver applicants.The air brakes test is taken if your vehicle has air brakes, including air over hydraulic brakes.The combination vehicles test is taken if you want to drive combination vehicles.The hazardous materi als test is required if you want to haul hazardous materials as defined in 49 CFR 383.5.The tank vehicle test is taken  if you want to haul any liquid or gaseous materials in tank(s) with  an individual rated capacity of 119+ gallons.The doubles/triples test is taken if you want to pull double or triple trailers.The school bus test is taken if you want to drive a school bus.Skills TestFinally, if and when you pass the required knowledge test(s), you can take the CDL skills tests. There are three types of general skills that will be tested: vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control, and on-road driving. You must take these tests in the type of vehicle for which you wish to be licensed.

Educational Web Portal's Use in the Study of Environmental Sciences Essay

Educational Web Portal's Use in the Study of Environmental Sciences - Essay Example While environmental science has gained a lot of attention of people in general and the educationalists in particular in the advanced economies, it remains a relatively neglected area of education in the third world countries primarily because there are several issues of much greater importance like poverty, hunger, violence, and terrorism that need to be solved before the people can pay attention towards the environment. Reduced emphasis of the government and the people in power on environmental sciences as an area of research and education restrains people’s access to the potential sources of information related to environmental sciences in the third world countries. In such circumstances, there is dire need of an online network that encapsulates all the required information about environmental sciences and one that is constantly upgraded and updated to make the latest findings and knowledge generated from the ongoing research and surveys in the advanced countries accessible to the interested learners in the third world countries. An educational web portal is a very effective tool to inculcate knowledge about the environmental science. People can connect with one another to form a learning community using the educational web portals. ... Educational web portals host research, lesson plans, and online course work, provides parents with a means to access the grades, monitor student outcomes, and satisfy the reporting standards established by the state. Educational web portals develop a common gateway to all the services and data that people need to share knowledge and jointly work on the environmental science projects. Educational web portals can be developed using such basic technologies as Windows Server and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server. Rapid availability of these technologies and expertise in their use extends the investment’s value in the Microsoft technologies. Educational web portals help the people achieve different kinds of goals and tasks that include but are not limited to the development of online communities for collaboration among the learners, administrators and the subject experts. â€Å"Portals, when properly designed, increase both effectiveness and efficiency of an institution†¦[an d] can be used as an effective communication tool† (Popovic et al., 2005, p. 322). People can use the educational web portals to improve the sharing of best practices in the industry among the members of the community. Users of the educational web portals can access the institution’s resources whenever required. The online document libraries available on the educational web portals are constantly updated with latest research findings and important documents like conference proceedings. When educational web portals are implemented in schools, it provides several kinds of services including lunch ordering, and online class registration. Educational web portals use dashboards to display updated performance data of the students. Students can share information with the community members, school

Product Liability Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Product Liability Case - Research Paper Example However, she was subsequently diagnosed shoulder chondrolysis that caused her shoulder socket and ball to fuse, severely restricting shoulder motion. As a result, she filed a product liability suit against I-Flow Corp, which manufactured the â€Å"PainBuster† device. In this case, she asserted that the device had not received FDA approval for use in such cases, arguing the product’s manufacturer was liable for the sale of this product despite not giving adequate warning and was, therefore, unreasonably dangerous (Moylan, 2015). There is no mention of the insurance company in the article, which might be explained by the fact the case was initially thrown out and the insurance company was not needed. The Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit found that, for medical devices, negligence of instruction was grounds for product liability, stating that this finding was not in contravention of the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 or the underlying intent of the US Congress in making these amendments to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act (Moylan, 2015). The suspected reason for Christina’s disorder was a â€Å"pain pump† that her doctors used to directly administer painkillers to her shoulder joint following the surgical procedure. Normally, this device is used to deliver different types of pain medications to the surgery site quickly and directly. However, the procedure involved in using the device has been linked to development of chondrolysis, which is a debilitating condition of the joints. This disorder causes the depletion of cartilage that separates and connects bones and, as a result, the joints become fused and lose all mobility. In majority of cases, the discov ery and diagnosis of this condition happens too late for any effective treatment or cure (Moylan, 2015). Before submitting her product liability case to court, Christina requested the court to instruct the jury on the negligence theory per se.

Endangered Animals should be protect Essay Example for Free

Endangered Animals should be protect Essay ‘Would you like to see humans becoming extinct after sometime? Animals are as important as humans and then how can we see animals extinct. Mahatma Gandhi (1956) had a quote which was ­Ã¢â‚¬ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way animals are treated†. There are several animals who are on the line of becoming extinct. Animals that are on the line of extinction are called Endangered Animals. If the current Endangered animals became extinct then many resources that people use will also disappear. We should save Endangered Animals due to that animals maintain healthy ecosystem, and animals provide with food source and raw materials. Essentially, animals help maintain the healthy ecosystem. The ecosystem is the connected in chains known as food chains and food webs. If one of the animal becomes extinct the whole chain is disturbed and there would be increase of some animals and decrease of some animals. The animals also maintain the balance of the nature. Animals helps the humans in many ways directly or indirectly. A scientific research by the World Wildlife Fund shows that the Tigers helps us protect the forests and other endangered animals but tigers are on the edge of getting extinct. There are only 3,200 tigers left in the world. â€Å"Would you like to work for someone and in return getting nothing except getting being killed†? The above explanation explain us that we need to save the endangered animals and this is one of the reasons we should save them.

Studying Genetically Altered Mice in Behavioral Genetics :: Behavioral Genetics

The field of behavior genetics is rapidly expanding. The practice of altering genes in mice and observing the effects is very common. Because of this it would be appropriate to adopt specific tests which will demonstrate the behavioral phenotype of the organism. In testing for the effects of genetic alteration it must first be ascertained that all of the necessary genotypes are represented. These include homozygous and heterozygous mice and wild type mice with no genetic alterations as controls. If significant differences are found between male and female mice the two sexes must be evaluated on their own. Care must also be taken in selecting the right strain of mice. This is because it has been found that in the strains that are usually used for testing some behaviors are noted to be aberrant and the unusual behavior in these genes might lead to the misinterpretation of the studied mutation. Different approaches are used in order to make the interpretation of these results more accurate in this sort of genetic background. When evaluating the behavior of genetically altered mice it must be ascertained that the mice don’t show any signs of aberrant behavior which would make further testing difficult or impossible. Indices of general health are obtained by recording the mouse’s weight, temperature, and any abnormal features. Neurological function is then assessed using different types of tests. The mouse is stimulated to see if it reacts normally to various different types of stimuli. Reflexes are measured by seeing how the animal reacts to a moving surface, light, and touch. The mouse is then observed in an area resembling an open field where its movements are recorded. Motor coordination is measure by placing it on a rotating rod and seeing how well it maintains its balance. This is also measures by recording its footprints in ink and measuring their pattern and the distance between them. The hearing ability of mice is also measured. These tests can help demonstrate the behavioral paradigms for the animal that is being studied. In some cases a deficit in motor or neurological function might make it impossible to run any further tests since almost all behavioral tests require certain basic functions such as locomotion. Sometimes the tests will have to be altered in order to effectively study the behavioral phenotype of the mice because of deficits in their functioning.

The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace.

Introduction Women in the workplace have historically struggled to be on an equal footing with men both in terms of pay and positions that they could achieve. In the U.K, where women are the majority population (51%) (ONS 2011), efforts to ease workplace discrimination and to provide equal opportunities have become central issues for political policy debates. Maternity laws exist to improve the health of newborn babies and the mother and at the same time minimize the inconvenience of working mothers while they are at such an important stage of their lives. The 2010 Equality act has provided the legal framework to end workplace discrimination and specifically addresses maternity discrimination. The Marmot review in 2010 that assessed the social determinants of health in the U.K has underscored well paid maternity and paternity leave as important for child and maternal health (Ward 2011). While government policy provides for maternity leave and benefits, availing these benefits have often disadvant aged women at the workplace. This paper will address issues surrounding maternity leave and its implications for women in the workplace. Maternity Benefits Late stages of pregnancy and postnatal care are important periods in the life of a woman and maintaining a healthy mind and body during these stages is critical for the baby’s health. Maternity leave and the maternity benefits are clearly social policies that help working women strike a balance between work and their parental role. Current policy permits women to take up to a year off from work to take care of their newly born. The regulations also permit women to return to their same jobs if they chose to within 26 weeks (The Telegraph 2014). The policy also permits women to request their employees for flexible working hours once they return to work. However, one of the stipulations is that women should take maternal leave in one block and are not allowed to break and manage their leave. These provisions are certainly essential from a social policy point of view as the Marmot review points to strong positive association between paid maternal leave and improved child health ou tcome (Ward 2001). The benefits of such policies lies in the health improvement and the potential savings on the NHS child healthcare costs (Ward 2011). While the benefits of maternal leave cannot be disputed, the current debate surrounds the continuing discrimination of women at the workplace and how maternal leave and benefits could actually contribute to preferential treatment of men over women in the labor market. Economic recession has also contributed to the increased discrimination against pregnant women. As a recent report from the U.K charity ‘Working Families’ has pointed out, there are growing number of complaints from women about pregnancy discrimination across the UK labor market (Working Families 2009). Evidence from recent surveys in the U.K of women who availed maternity leave has only confirmed the alleged discrimination against pregnant women. One survey commissioned by Slater & Gordon, one of the leading law firms in the U.K, for instance, reveals that ‘women are suffering in silence’. This survey pointed out that women are made redundant while on maternity leave and that one in seven wome n lost their jobs after availing of the leave. Among the survey participants, 40% indicated that their jobs were changed and almost half of them revealed that they were either demoted or that their working hours were cut (McVeigh 2013). As Samantha mangwana, an employment lawyer says many big organizations are part of this prevailing discrimination against pregnant women and frequently engage in out of court settlements. â€Å"I see the same major companies again and again and again, writing out these cheques – accompanied, of course, with a confidentiality clause†(McVeigh 2013). A more recent survey conducted by OnePoll on 1000 women who availed of maternity leave revealed that 30% of the women who rejoined felt that they did not fit in with their work environment anymore and that more than 40% felt that they had lack of support and only 3% of them sought legal assistance over maternity discrimination (McVeigh 2013). These surveys clearly point to the existing trend of maternity discrimination in the workplace. An early qualitative study by the ‘Equal Opportunities Commission’ reported that women on maternity leave were subjected to discrimination in various ways. Some women involved in this study reported that their employees withheld salary increases and bonuses simply because they were on maternity leave. Similarly, several women reported that their employers used the maternity leave period to create changes to their job including demoting them upon return. For instance one of the women in the study said, â€Å"I went from being a regional m anager to a store manager and had to take a ?5,000 pay cut. While I was on maternity leave they advertised â€Å"my† job and gave it to a man just as they had joked they would† (Davis et.al 2005). Evidence from these reports and surveys clearly project a worrisome picture of maternity discrimination and how availing authorized maternity leave could actually be a stumbling block for women in terms of their career prospects, promotions, pay increases and more seriously, how it could actually engender the risk of losing one’s job. A more exact picture of the prevailing scenario is the fact that since 2007 there have been more than 9000 pregnancy discrimination cases against employees across the UK. Speaking of the trend, Maria Miller, the minister for ‘Women and Equalities’, said, â€Å"It’s unacceptable that women suffer from discrimination when they become pregnant and yet many are saying that they are treated unfairly at work because of itâ⠂¬  (DCMS, 2013). A new national research at the cost of ?1m has been commissioned to assess and to address the systemic problems that have resulted in the plight for women. It is expected that the findings from this research and further policy reforms would contribute to improving the situation for pregnant working women (DCMS 2013). However, already there is some good development from the legal policy perspective that would ease the situation for women. New Parental Leave (More Choice) Given the existing problems and the resultant gender bias in the labor market it is clear that providing maternity leave and benefits as social welfare scheme , though absolutely essential from the health perspective of the newborn and the mother, has only added to the woes of women in the job market. A new and potentially improved social care policy is the proposed ‘shared parental leave’ policy which is slated to come into effect from April 2015. Under this scheme newborn baby care could be easily shared between the father and the mother. This new policy permits fathers to take paternal leave just as mothers could up to 50 weeks and also permits them to take the leave in a discontinued pattern so that mothers and fathers can alternate in caring for the newborn baby while at the same time balance their work and family. This provides an opportunity for women who want to return to work a little early not to be overly concerned or stressed out about the baby care as the fa ther could equally share the care of the newborn. Conclusion Maternity leave and maternity benefits are indispensable provisions from a pure social care perspective. These policies are in place to provide support to working women and to improve the health standards of the child and the mother. However, employers who are under pressures of poor economy are often discriminatory against pregnant women as the cost of maternity payments and the long leave of absence from work are considered to be unnecessary and avoidable costs to the company. This has resulted in women availing maternal leave to be left redundant and replaced by others. Those who return back to work are also forced to compromise their work status and compensation resulting in poor career prospects for the woman. Though maternity benefits are government policies and legal recourse is an option against maternity discrimination, barely a small percentage of affected women take that route to justice. The government has however instigated more research and has also come up with a novel and well balanced solution to the problem with the introduction of the draft for the ‘shared parental leave’. This new provision is certainly a positive step in not only balancing the gender divide but also in avoiding discrimination against women at the workplace as it provides more options for the parents to balance their time between work and baby care. References Davis S, Neathey F, Regan J & Willison R; 2005. Pregnancy discrimination at work: A qualitative study, Pregnant & Productive. Working Paper Series no 23. Pub by The Institute for Employment Studies. [Online] Available at [Accessed March 25th 2014] DCMS; 2013. ?1 million to help tackle pregnancy discrimination at the workplace, [online] Available [Accessed March 25th 2014] McVeigh T; 2013. One in seven women are made redundant after maternity leave, [online] Available at [Accessed March 25th 2014] ONS; 2011. 2011 Census: Population Estimates for the United Kingdom, [Online] Available at [Accessed March 25th 2014] The Telegraph; 2014. New Parental leave: What’s on offer for mums and dads[Online] Available at [Accessed March 25th 2014] Ward R; 2011. Health and equality impacts of well-paid parental leave, Pub by WHEC and MA. [Online] Available at [Accessed March 25th 2014] Working Families; 2009. Report of Working families helpline and Alliance against pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Pregnant women and new mums at risk of redundancy. [Online] Available at http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/PRENANCY-DISCRIMINATION-2.pdf > [Accessed March 25th 2014]

Poems-in the Shadow of Signal Hill Essay

In the Shadow of Signal Hill Signal Hill is a strikingly shaped hill or small peak overlooking the harbour of Cape Town. It has been used as a lookout post since the early days of the Cape colony. From it, the viewer can see Robben Island, the bare scar where the suburb of District Si stood before its occupants were evicted and its buildings demolished and Langa, a black township on the outskirts of suburban Cape Town. The overall significance of the title of the poem is that â€Å"Signal Hill† represents the higher, white authority or white government of the Apartheid era. The fact that it is a hill implies how the white government saw themselves as the superior party, the party that was raised above the nation they control. The part â€Å"in the shadow† of Signal Hill represents the black people who suffered under the Apartheid regime. They were the people who had to live in the shadows of the white government. The government overshadowed their whole lives and basically made their choices for them. The word â€Å"shadow† also bears a connotation of fear in general. When one looks at children’s books, one will notice that the antagonist in the stories would be a â€Å"shadowy figure†. Therefore the â€Å"Shadow of Signal Hill† suggests the white government is the antagonist in terms of them being wrong in what they are doing – which is initiating Apartheid in South Africa. 1. in the howling wind 2. by the murky waters 3. of the sea a cold, unpleasant atmosphere is created. Metaphor: howling wind might refer to the cries of the black people, their pleads for freedom and equality. 4. children of colour – refers to coloureds, Asians, black people and all others who suffered under the Apartheid regime. 5. gather shells 6. and hold them to their ears 7. and listen to the lamentations of slaves – cries/ weeping of the slaves. â€Å"lamentations† connects with â€Å"howling wind† which emphasises the suffering of the black and coloured people. 8. in the dungeon of death  since the children listen to the cries of the slaves in the dungeon of death while holding shells to their ears, it is possible that the shells can be a metaphor for the dungeon of death, which, in turn, is a metaphor for the situation the slaves or coloured and black people are in. This symbolises the helplessness of black people. 9. in the howling wind 10. by the murky waters 11. of the sea repetition of the first three lines adds emphasis to them. 12. sons of langa – Langa was a black township on the outskirts of suburban Cape Town. Langa not only represents the houses of the township, it also refers to the people who lived in Langa, therefore Langa is a community. â€Å"sons of langa† – the generation of the townships. This implies that the future generations will also be affected by Apartheid, whether it has ended or not. 13. gather at the ruins of district six 14. and sharpen the spears of the night 15. and the heroes from the island urge This possibly represents someone like Nelson Mandela, the infamous freedom-fighter. 16. go towards the fiery dawn . . . fiery: to be angry: the speaker suggests that the coloured or black people are angry, as it is expected since they have been treated like slaves by the white government for most of their lives. †fiery dawn† also suggest that an â€Å"angry break of day†, meaning that the coloured people wake up angry in the mornings. They are angry and frustrated with their circumstances. dawn: -the beginning of a phenomenon or period of time. -the break of day. Here it is suggested that the â€Å"fiery dawn† is indeed a new period of time which will commence. (The time of post-Apartheid.) The coloured people are angry and will take this anger and fight for their freedom. . . .: the ellipse is used effectively instead of a full stop. A full stop would end the poem. But the ellipse signals that the poem is not finished yet. It also resembles time passing. This symbolises that slavery will never come to an end, and no matter how much time passes, Apartheid will always be in the minds of the future generations. But they will keep on fighting for freedom in the future until the government treats everyone equally. About the poet: Patel is a committed political poet and worked on various poems regarding the aspect of politics. About the poem: â€Å"In the Shadow of Signal Hill† is an example of a protest poem. The poem has no punctuation marks or capital letters. This adds to the protest of the speaker. By ignoring common English grammar rules he strengthens the idea of protesting. The layout of the poem represents the waves of the ocean and the ebb and flow. The different lengths in sentences mimic the sea crashing onto the shore (represented by the longer sentences) and the retreating of the sea (represented by the short sentences. No punctuation marks means no stopping or pausing when one reads the poem. This also represents the image of the sea; the sea never stops moving, its waves will continuously crash on the shore, move back and repeat the process. Therefore by removing punctuation the poet effectively creates movement in the poem. Another reason for the lack of punctuation is to stress that there is no stopping slavery and discrimination. It is a never ending problem which will always continue to show its head somewhere else in the world. At comment 12, the highlighted words: Are they wrong/misinterpreted? I don’t know if your comment is a good or bad one. Futhermore, I think the tone is a sad, depressed tone when I read words like â€Å"murky† â€Å"shadow† â€Å"howling wind† â€Å"dungeon of death† â€Å"lamentation†. When I read the poem, I almost feel sorry for the slaves and children. Maybe this is also what the poet wants – to create an emotional atmosphere so the reader can empathise with the black people. I read the other students’ analyses and I agree that the word â€Å"children† is used to suggest innocence, and this stands in contrast with the rest of the tone of the poem. My thoughts are that the images of â€Å"murky waters† and â€Å"howling wind† also contrasts against â€Å"children†, because children are the symbol of happiness, laughter and care free circumstances. This, however is not the case with Langa. therefore the word â€Å"children† is used effectively to create contrast. I read the other students said that the spears of the night is a metaphor for the black people fighting back. â€Å"night† and â€Å"spears† usually have negative,  dark connotations, but in this instance it is the opposite: the black people represent freedom and light because they want to fight for what is fair and right. Then I also thought that, although one reads it as â€Å"night†, it can represent the homophone â€Å"knight†. this will make absolute sense in the context of the poem and the explanation just given. (it is like â€Å"Bustle in the House† where â€Å"morning† can be heard as â€Å"mourning†.) â€Å"Knight† also has a positive connotation. In medieval times the knight represented the good. A princess was saved by a knight in shining armour. Therefore the sentence â€Å"sharpen the spears of the night† can be reread as â€Å"sharpen the spears of the knight†, meaning that the people will fight for justice and that which is right?

IBM History

IBM History IBM or International Business Machines is a well-known  American computer manufacturer, founded by Thomas J. Watson (born 1874-02-17). IBM is also known as Big Blue after the color of its logo. The company has made everything from mainframes to personal computers and has been immensely successful selling business computers. The Beginning of IBM On June 16, 1911, three successful 19th-century companies decided to merge, marking the beginnings of IBM history. The Tabulating Machine Company, the International Time Recording Company, and the Computing Scale Company of America joined together to incorporate and form one company, the Computing Tabulating Recording Company. In 1914, Thomas J. Watson Senior joined CTR as CEO and held that title for the next twenty years, turning the company into the multi-national entity. In 1924, Watson changed the company’s name to International Business Machines Corporation or IBM. From the beginning, IBM defined itself not by selling products, which ranged from commercial scales to punch card tabulators, but by its research and development. IBM History of Business Computers IBM began designing and manufacturing calculators in the 1930s, using the technology of their own punch card processing equipment. In 1944, IBM together with Harvard University financed the invention of the Mark 1 computer, the first machine to compute long calculations automatically. By 1953, IBM was ready to completely produce their own computers, which began with the IBM 701 EDPM, their first commercially successful general-purpose computer. And the 701 was just the beginning. IBM History of Personal Computers In July 1980, Microsofts Bill Gates agreed to create an operating system for IBMs new computer for the home consumer, which IBM released on August 12, 1981. The first IBM PC ran on a 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 microprocessor. IBM had now stepped into the home consumer market, sparking the computer revolution. Outstanding IBM Electrical Engineers David Bradley joined IBM immediately upon graduation. In September 1980, David Bradley became one of the original 12 engineers working on the IBM Personal Computer and was responsible for the ROM BIOS code.

Challenges Faced by Managers in the Public Sector

Challenges Faced by Managers in the Public Sector There are different levels of management in the three different sectors of the economy. There are non-managerial employees, first-line managers, middle managers and the top managers. Robbins et al ;( 2009). This essay will critically evaluate the challenges faced by managers in the public sector organisations. The essay will assess the roles of the manager in this sector and the difficulties managers encounter whilst carrying out their duties. The challenges posed by organisational structure and design with an example from the Northampton Borough Council, the issues due to the organisational culture, privatisation of some of the public sector services, the strategic management of the public sector and the complexities due to the constant changing environment in which these organisations operate, and the challenges to managers of the most recent comprehensive budget cuts, will be evaluated in this essay. The typical roles of a manager in any organisation is to organise, lead, plan an d control the activities of the people and other resources within it towards achieving the objectives of that organisation; Naylor (2004). The role a manager plays is dependent on the level of management position although each level has its challenges. At the senior level, the manager’s role is much broader and in depth and it requires creativity and innovativeness; Robbins et al (2009). The senior manager is involved in decision making, strategic management planning and control, the manager, at this level of management is expected to have an understanding of all areas of the organisation to enable sensible handling of any given situation Hanagan;(2008). The role of the manager did not change in the 21st century rather the method of carrying out the above mentioned roles are different, for instance the manager has to organise work differently, communication is more sophisticated such as, the use of internet, mobile telephones and e-mail. In recent times, the management of cha nge is considered as the most important skill of management due to the pace of change in the 21st century Hanagan, (2008).The rapid changes in technology, enormous improvements in communication, the increase in focus on global economy, and the environment are issues to the modern day manager. In addition to the above, the role of the manager in the public sector is challenged by the constant changes in legislation and political policies subject to government in power Hanagan (2008). An organisation is an arrangement which has been set up for a particular purpose. Robbins et al (2009). Different organisations belong to different sectors of the economy. There are three sectors; the public, the private and the third sector such as social enterprises. This three sectors have some common characteristics which are: they all have distinct purpose, each organisation is made up of people, and all create a structure within which the people could carry out their duties Robbins et al(2009). Org anisations are grouped as public sector depending on certain factors such as; how much the organisation competes with similar organisations, goods and services are charged indirectly and how much it allows itself to be influenced by demand and supply of goods and services. The less such organisations are influenced by the above factors the more the organisations are considered as public sector organisations Hanagan (2008). Instances of these organisations are; Local Government council, Libraries, the National Police Force, the Defence Ministry, Colleges and Universities. The common features of these organisations are; they are set up to fulfil specific purposes, they are service motivated, they are accountable to many stakeholders and the public, they carry out their duties for the good of the people and they are funded through the use of taxpayers’ money. Avery important challenge to a manager whether in the public sector or in the private sector is to be aware of their rele vant stakeholders and operate the organisation in ways which will yield maximum returns to each stakeholder group Bloisi et al (2007).

What do you understand by the term the Washington Consensus Does it Essay

What do you understand by the term the Washington Consensus Does it adequately describe the ideology which informs the policies of the IMF in the new millenniu - Essay Example From a technical viewpoint, the term ‘Washington Consensus’ is a name given to the policies which were suggested by Washington based institutes to the Latin American countries in order to bring up and improve their economies. The term was originally created by Williamson and has been a part of political and economic terminology ever since. The defenders of the consensus call it a boon and a path to greater economic freedom for the less developed countries of the world. Those who oppose it call it a cruel implementation of new liberalism and a tool for the global hegemony of America (Williamson, 2000). Williamson himself is well aware of the detractions and has said that people misunderstand the notion completely. He says that audiences around the world think that the Washington Consensus are a name given to neo-liberal policies that have been forced upon various weaker countries by the Washington-based international financial organisations that have led those countries towards a state of crisis and created misery for their people (Harvard University, 2003). The vastly different opinions created by the implementation of the Washington Consensus shows that the policies are controversial if nothing else. The policies themselves were outlined by Williamson (2000) as the implementation of monetary discipline in terms of trade, redirection of public expenditure towards projects that could given high economic returns to the people as well as alleviate poverty (healthcare, education etc.), a broader tax base, free floating interest rates, liberalized trade policies, creation of foreign investment opportunities, privatization of national enterprises, deregulation of the economy and the establishment of competitive exchange rates. While the policies mentioned above might be seen as helpful and useful for a developing economy, there are situations where such policies can be harmful if the implementation is weak or uncontrolled

Ideas of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ideas of God - Essay Example Plato cautions about highlighting the stories about quarrels of gods and quarrels in heaven. They will have adverse impact on the thinking of humankind, and will have no useful influence. On the contrary, humanity may try to emulate such examples. Plato states that God is good. But he is not the author of all good things. There are many evils as compared to good things in human life, but God owns responsibility for the good. One should not see evil in God and should look out for it in some other source. Plato equates God with the concrete concept or the ultimate good. God is at the top of Plato’s hierarchy. But he also opines that goodness may emerge from different sources other than God. Plato is inconsistent or wavers when he discusses God and that exhibits the weakness of his ideas of God. He finds it difficult to agree that God is omnipotent. To Porete, that which is not practical cannot be spiritual either. Every spiritual concept must stand the test of practicability. To her God is an attainable reality, through constant efforts through the prescribed procedures and through 7 different stages. She describes the hurdles that a human being has to encounter in the spiritual path, in her book â€Å"The Mirror of Simple Souls† wherein she â€Å"employs the device of direct discourse with consummate power.†(Preface, 1) Love, Reason and the Soul engage themselves in a discussion of self-discovery about their real nature. Love is blind, and its poetic utterances cannot be real; they can at best be emotional. Perfect conclusions are never possible through reason. For every argument, there is bound to be a counter-argument. Is it possible to know the soul through verbal description? According to her, God is to be attained (realized) by a human being through a relation that â€Å"allows the spiritual ascent of the soul to God.†(Introduction, 27) The glow of transcendental love pours through Porete’s work.

Macro Analysis about Apple Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macro Analysis about Apple - Research Paper Example ation has always been at the forefront of innovations in the electronics industry, their biggest drawback has been inability to hold onto market share after the initial novelty wears off. This has seen Apple Inc. start to transform itself to a fully-fledged consumer electronics organization and away from being an inventive computer manufacturer. The cause for this transformation has mainly been due to external factors as the company expands globally and comes up against increased competition (Lashinsky, 2012). This paper will seek to carry out an analysis of Apple Inc.’s macro-environment using the PESTLE tool with the aim of detailing critical issues facing Apple’s marketers. Moreover, this information will be applied when making recommendations regarding marketing strategies for Apple Inc. The macro-environment of Apple Inc. will help in the determination of the organization’s current situation. To carry out this analysis, a PESTLE analysis will be applied with the objective of determining the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors that will impact Apple Inc. This tool is effective in investigating the macro environment of an organization with the intention of using the information as a guide for strategic decision-making. The assumption for using a PESTLE analysis is that, if an organization carries out a current audit of its environment, while also assessing probable trends and changes, it gains a competitive advantage over its competitors in responding to these changes (Keller, 2013). This tool is useful in comprehending the larger picture with regards to, the wider environment that Apple is operating in, while also allowing the company to understand risks present in the market, as well as potential, position, and direct ion that the organization should take strategically. While using a PESTLE analysis, a company can find out where their products are positioned with regards to the external environment, which will

The Fat Girl, Andre Dubus

The Fat Girl, Andre Dubus To accept the others, first we have to accept ourselves and accept who we are The Fat Girl is a short story about a girl that tries to fit in todays standards and satisfies her parents as well. The author , Andre Dubus , shows how trying to fit in the society standards , individuals have the pressure of conforming to a superficial image. This idea is developed through the early years of Louise , her weight change and new life , and back to the old habit. First of all, Andre Dubus, takes us into the life of a young girl whose mother is convincing her that she will become fat and how hard is to make friends. We can see this after the mom tell her daughter , You must start watching what you eat, her mother would say. I can see you have my metabolism. As the mother doesnt want that, she puts Louise onto a strict diet. In order not to displease her mother, but still satisfy her hunger, Louise started eating food when no one was watching. While her mother was strict and caring, on the other side her father was loving and misguided. Louise didnt have a lot of friends. Her two childhood friends, Joan and Marjorie were both thin but they felt as a social outcast in other ways. Louise only feels comfortable in the presence of others who were also insecure and unhappy. Ironically Louise intentionally chooses friends who are not heavy because she worries about the way others will see her. I was always thinking about what people saw when they loo ked at me and didnt want them to see two fat girls. It appears that Louise finds her weight issues to be bigger than her friends insecurities. She chooses to exclude those who are heavy from her life while welcoming those with different negative issues. In addition to her self-image issues, Louise also doubts her ability to find happiness in an intimate relationship. Her mother put in her head some negative perceptions such as In five years youll be in high school and if youre fat the boys wont like you; they wont ask you out . This quote shows the overall feeling of the people who dont meet todays standards. Louise continues down this negative road when she decides to go to an all-girl college so she can avoid rejection from guys. Up until this point her only contact with a boy was at a picnic with a drunken kiss . Once in college , Louise shows us how changing and losing weight makes a lot of difference in someones life. Louise continues her self-loathing into college where the only close friend she makes is this thin girl with emotional issues. In the story we can see a strong friendship between the two girls, which leads to the important point where Louise decides to go on a diet, and it is only because her best friend Carrie convinces her that she needs to become thin so that some boy will love her as Carrie does. Carrie pleads, I want you to be loved the way I love you. Louise, if I help you, really help you, will you go on a diet?. Although Carrie is trying to help her best friend, she is actually reinforcing Louises views of her own body. She starts losing fat and her mother starts threating her differently. She finds her way more beautiful and starts buying all kinds of stuff .As Louise progresses with her new diet, she becomes more and more irritable and unhappy with life. In all her l ife she had never been afflicted by ill temper and she looked upon it now as a demon which, along with hunger, was taking possession over her soul .With this quote the author wants to show us that Louise is being pressed into losing weight for strictly superficial reasons, and so she can get accepted into society and fit todays standards. This can be further seen when Louise feels shame and embarrassment when she goes to Carries house for thanksgiving, all because she is aware Carries parents know she is dieting. Louise is uncomfortable and feels excluded in partaking of the many dishes the other thin people can comfortably enjoy. In the end , we cant forget our old habits and sometimes we should accept who we are and stay the way we are. After college, the new thin Louise meets a young lawyer named Richard, who finds her attractive and has no knowledge of her life before. Louise is sure he would never have looked at her if she had still been heavy. They get married and Louise becomes a housewife. While Louise struggles to keep herself thin, her husband can eat anything he wants and still remain fit. She makes him all kind of Italian food that she is unable to consume. It is ironic that she marries a person who has the metabolism of a pencil sharpener when Louise must watch every calorie she eats. The next five years shows a Louise who is thin with new friends, a loving husband, and an active lifestyle, which is by most accounts a perfect life. In her fifth year of marriage, Louise becomes pregnant and her eating begin to become uncontrollable. The new changes in her body frighten her as Louise remarks that sh e is starting to gain weight but she told herself it was only the baby, and would leave with its birth. But at other times she knew quite clearly that she was losing her discipline she had fought so hard to gain during her last year with Carrie. A baby is born, but Louise has now returned to her bad habits and though she cares for her child, she continues to alienate her husband. They fight at nearly every dinner over her appetite and weight gain . Andre Dubus finishes his story with a surprised Louise enjoying a candy bar and shocked to discover her husband Richard is still there. In conclusion, The short story The Fat Girl by Andre Dubus shows many of the negative aspects associated with eating disorders, fat people, and the way society addresses them. Todays standards are too high and people who dont fit in them are getting rejected and they feel sad about their body. Sometime they try changing , but sometimes is better to be who you are and accept yourself.

Public Surveillance in the USA Essay -- CCTV, Privacy Rights, Right of

1. Introduction All the developed countries (developing countries are also in no way lagging behind) the incidence of the people being monitored under various surveillance systems is high of which closed circuit television system (CCTV) is gaining dominance. For instance, the UK has over 4.2 million of them, giving it a ratio of one for every 14 persons and the USA is reported to have been installing it on a rapid pace in every conceivable location as town centers, schools, public transportation systems etc with a spiraling budget estimated at $100 million. With the terrorists attacks looming large in the wake of 9/11 attacks and despite the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the trends are going towards more and more technology oriented surveillance methods. This has naturally caused widespread concerns about the privacy issues and necessitated more evidence based research to inform policy and practice. The critical issue that needs to be addressed in the argument for or against the use of public surveillance system in the USA is which one takes precedence, viz, whether safety of the public and property at large or the invasion of the rights of the individuals who are subjected to some sort of interference in their privacy. In other words, does a citizen have an unfettered right to privacy even when it comes to issues relating to the enforcement of law in prevention of terrorist attacks, crime and restoring security and peace of the citizens at large? I propose to argue in this paper in favor of the need for public surveillance system by advancing the reasons for its imperative and take the view that it does not amount to prima facie violation of individuals' rights and in contravention to the rights guaranteed under the constitution... ...lsh. "Public Area CCTV and Crime Prevention: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." Justice Quarterly 26.4 (2009): 716-745. Web. 24 Apr. 2011 Print Gill, M., & Turbin, V. (1998). CCTV and shop theft: Towards a realistic evaluation: In C. Norris, J. Moran, & G. Armstrong (Eds.), Surveillance, closed circuit television and social control (1998) (pp. 189-204):. Aldershot: Ashgate: Print Slobogin, Christopher. Privacy at Risk: The New Government Surveillance and the Fourth Amendment. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Print Sutton, Adam, and Dean Wilson. "Watched over or over-watched? open street CCTV in Australia." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology 27.2 (2004): 211-230. Print. White, R., & Sutton, A.: Crime prevention, urban space and social exclusion. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Sociology, 31(1): 1995: 82-99. Print

On Being an Atheist Essay

In this article McCloskey writes what he believes as truth in the world we live in. He states that theists believe in a God and that they have â€Å"proofs† that this God exists. In the article he addresses these â€Å"proofs† and in a very academic and respectful way tears them down. He attempts to eliminate all possibilities of the existence of God, through what he calls â€Å"reasons why I believe that atheism is a much more comfortable belief than theism, and why theist should be miserable just because they are theists.† The first issue that McCloskey references to is the â€Å"proofs† that Christians hold to prove that God exist, but as we learned in one of our PointeCast presentations, the reasons Christians believe in God are not exactly proofs, because they cannot scientifically or in any way prove to a point that God does in fact exist. These reasons are arguments, theories and carefully thought out propositions that try their hardest to justify what we believe in. Because of this McCloskey argues that humans should give up on the notion that God exists, yet since there also no way to prove that God does not exist, McCloskey is defeated by his own logic. So if humans are to give up on both the notion that there is or is not a God, then that leaves us with nothing whatsoever to believe in. There is no way to prove that God does or does not exist, what I might believe to be a strong argument for the existence of God, and atheist such as McCloskey might deem nonsense. These â€Å"proofsâ₠¬  are simply and objective argument for the existence of God, thus have to be taken as valid argument, propositions, and theory and not as tangible proof. McCloskey dissects three major arguments being the cosmological proof, the  theological proof, and the argument from design. He takes all these arguments and picks them apart for both atheist and theist to see what he is trying to prove. In all honesty in some cases in these arguments of his I can see what he is trying to prove, yet in the end I have no sense of what he has accomplished with his arguments if he himself cannot prove that God does not exist. The first argument that McCloskey addresses is the Cosmological proof. He states that we cannot possibly assume without proof on an â€Å"an all-powerful, all-perfect, uncaused cause† and to this notion I somewhat agree. The reason being is that this argument does not specify the qualities of a god that could create the universe as it is. Thus the argument simply states that there must have been a first cause or there would have been infinite regress, or in other words gods and that is what the argument is trying to avoid. The next argument that McCloskey addresses is the Theological proof. He states that there cannot be indisputable proofs and examples of design that the whole argument becomes invalid. In this case he is again defeated by his own logic; because once again there is no way that any arguments attempting to prove that God does not exist are indisputable as well. In the world we live we must believe in what we as individuals take to as truth, since there is no possible way that a person can prove or disprove that God does or does not exist. McCloskey is attempting to support his arguments so hard that in the essence of itself he is defeating himself without realizing it. I believe that a perfect example of intelligent design is the human body. There is no possible way that such a complex and amazing creation came from a bunch of cells meshing together. Our bodies are built to live on the earth in a way that is amazingly thought out. The body is functioning, living organism in and of itself with thousands of different parts and pieces all working together to accomplish one goal: to live. The human body is the perfect example to show that intelligent design was indeed included in the universe and in the world today. Though this does not prove that there is one God, it does prove that there is a higher being that created what we are  today. I do not object to the thought of microevolution or even evolution itself, but I do not believe that evolution exterminates the need for intelligent design and a creator. Evolutionists believe that there exist the â€Å"perfect condition† as to what created the cosmos and the world around us, yet all the experiments to prove that this event took place have failed. Again there is the fact that we cannot prove or disprove this belief, while the experiments have failed; there is no way to go back in time and to prove that it indeed does not exist. Yet people must take into account that evolution does not cancel out God, in fact why couldn’t it have been God himself that created the â€Å"perfect condition† that brought into place evolution. McCloskey also addresses the fact that there is imperfection and evil in the world, he states that there could not possibly be a God who would allow this. First of all, the cosmological proof in itself does not tell us the characteristic of the creator, simply that there is one. Secondly a person who believes in God would tell you that there is evil in the world because God gave his creation the right to choose. The choice of the first man and woman of the world which God created chose to sin and brought evil into the world. There is also the fact that I believe McCloskey is being quite bold by stating that there is no divine purpose. After all he is simply a person in the world; he himself is not the creator and definitely does not have all the knowledge of the universe. The fact that McCloskey brings up the presence of evil is quite understandable. I completely understand where he is coming from and have had experiences in my own life with people like this. This is actually a very common argument among atheist and McCloskey is not an exception. It is sometimes hard to accept that fact that evil sometime does in fact fall into God’s Will, even some theist have trouble with the problem of evil when they themselves believe in a â€Å"good God†. In this argument I honestly have trouble as well. It is hard to justify a good person’s murder, or the rape of a young child, or the death of thousands because of a natural disaster. Yet in  the depths of my heart I personally believe that when God created the world it was not as such, it was perfect. When sin entered into the world it brought the evil as well. As for why God allows such evil to take place, that is a harder question and an even more difficult answer. I was brought up to believe that when God sees his creation in pain, it hurts him too; there have been times when I have questioned why God allows certain evils in our lives. The truth is there is no arguments that can make a person feel better in the face of child abuse, rape, murder, suicide, and even natural disasters, yet in the moments when people are hurting the most is when they turn to God. Thus I believe that is the way in which we see the reason there is evil in the world. God did not create the world with evil in place, but he did create a creation that could choose for their selves. Thus in essence the human race suffers from our own choices. McCloskey makes some very valid arguments yet I find that most of them stand empty handed. McCloskey also questions why God would not create a human race with free will to always to choose what is right. To this statement I honestly believe that would not be freewill. The reason that God created man with free will was so that he could love God of his own free will. If God had created man to the point where he could only choose what was good and right then in essence it would not have been free will at all. The beauty of having free will is the fact that God lets you choose, though he knows the choices that you will make, the choices are yours. Whether to love God or to reject God, free will cannot be controlled for then it would not be free will at all. At the end of his article McCloskey states that atheism is a much more comforting belief than theism. He uses the example of an ill child that was dying and that he would find no comfort in knowing there was a God. I on the other hand find that if there was no God and man was here on earth simply to be and that there was no reason for living that the death of a child would be unimportant. This might sounds very cruel but it is the truth. If there is no reason to live then dying is not much of an issue, since there is no afterlife simply the life we have here on earth. I find the fact of not knowing what will happen after death disconcerting. To know that when I die I will be in heaven with God is more than enough to help me through this  life on earth. Atheism to me is a sad religion with no reason for the existence of man. Heaven holds so much for the believer, peace, no pain, and an eternal home with God. Atheism to me is the religion that is the most miserable to live with, not theism. The greatest reason being that if there is no God, no afterlife, no salvation; then when death is on your doorsteps there is no hope only despair and fear of the nothingness beyond the grave. I cannot live believing there is no reason to live here on earth, knowing God loves and has a place for me in heaven is what helps me live on this Earth. References Craig, William L. Reasonable faith: Christian truth and apologetics. 3rd Ed. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008. 71-90. Evans, C. S., Manis, R. Z. Philosophy of religion: Thinking about faith. 2nd Ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009. McCloskey, H. J. Question 1: On being an atheist. 1968. 51-54.

The Impact of Christianity on Western Civilization

The Influence of Christianity on Western Civilization The positive influence of Christianity is far reaching especially in the rich history and culture of Western Civilization despite a long standing ignorance or adamant denial of its contributions. The Bible itself is responsible for much of the language, literature, and fine arts we enjoy today as its artists and composers were heavily influenced by its writings. Paul Maier, in writing the forward to the book How Christianity Changed the World by Alvin J.Schmidt, says this about the profound impact Christianity has had on the development of Western Civilization: â€Å"No other religion, philosophy, teaching, nation, movement—whatever—has so changed the world for the better as Christianity has done. Its shortcomings, clearly conceded by this author, are nevertheless heavily outweighed by its benefits to all mankind† (Schmidt 9). Contrary to the history texts treatment of the subject, Christian influence on value s, beliefs, and practices in Western culture are abundant and well ingrained into the flourishing society of today (Schmidt 12).In the Old Testament book of Hosea the writer states: â€Å"my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,† a statement that can well be applied to those today who are forgetful of the past (The Reformation Study Bible, Hosea 4. 6a). Schmidt writes regarding liberty and justice as seen by today’s culture: â€Å"The liberty and justice that are enjoyed by humans in Western societies and in some non-Western countries are increasingly seen as the products of a benevolent, secular government that is the provider of all things.There seems to be no awareness that the liberties and rights that are currently operative in free societies of the West are to a great degree the result of Christianity’s influence (248). History is replete with examples of individuals who acted as a law unto themselves â€Å"often curtailing, even obliterating the n atural rights and freedoms of the country’s citizens (249). Christianity’s influence, however, set into motion the belief that man is accountable to God and that the law is the same regardless of status.More than one thousand years before the birth of Christ the biblical requirement given by Moses comprised an essential component of the principle that â€Å"no man is above the law. † One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. (Deuteronomy 19. 15) Thus the accuser, regardless of position in society, could not arbitrarily incarcerate or execute the accused and was himself subject to the law.The New Testament also mandated two or more witnesses in ecclesiastical matters regarding an erring Christian in Matthew 18:15-17 (Schmidt 249). The criminal and justice systems of many free countries today employ this Judeo-Christian requirement of ha ving witnesses testify and in British and American jurisprudence, witnesses are part of â€Å"due process of law,’ a legal concept first appearing under King Edward III in the fourteenth century (Schmidt 249). One startling example of the concept that no man is above the law is seen in the conflict between the Christian emperor Theodosius the Great and St. Ambrose. It happened in 300 A. D. hen some in Thessalonica rioted and aroused the anger of the emperor who overreacted by slaughtering approximately seven thousand people, most of whom were innocent. Bishop Ambrose asked the emperor to repent and when Theodosius refused, the bishop excommunicated him. After a month Theodosius prostrated himself and repented in Ambrose’s cathedral. Often mistaken as a struggle for power between church and state, the evidence in which Ambrose’s letter to the emperor cited sole concern for the emperor’s spiritual welfare conclude this as being the first instance of applyi ng the principle that no one is above the law (Schmidt 250).The Magna Carta served as a courageous precedent some five hundred years later to the American patriots in the creation of the unique government of the United States. The charter, signed in 1215 at Runnymede by King John granted a number of rights never held before this historic occasion including that â€Å"(1) justice could no longer be sold or denied to freeman who were under authority of barons; (2) no taxes could be levied without epresentation; (3) no one would be imprisoned without a trial; and (4) property could not be taken from the owner without just compensation (Schmidt 251). The Magna Carta had important Christian ties as demonstrated by its preamble that began, â€Å"John, by the grace of God†¦,† and stated that the charter was formulated out of â€Å"reverence for God and for the salvation of our soul and those of all our ancestors and heirs, for the honour of God and the exaltation of Holy Chur ch and the reform of our realm, on the advice of our reverend [church] fathers† (Schmidt 251).This document also followed the precedent established in 325 at the Council of Nicaea in which Christian bishops wrote and adopted a formal code of fundamental beliefs to which all Christians were expected to adhere. The Magna Carta displayed what its formulators as Christians expected of the king and his subjects regarding civic liberties (Schmidt 251). Natural law is a concept with a long history dating back to the Greco-Roman philosophers.Despite some variations among philosophers one point of agreement was understood as â€Å"that process in nature by which human beings, through the use of sound reason, were able to perceive what was morally right and wrong† (Schmidt253). With the emergence of Christianity common law was clarified to state that â€Å"natural law was not an entity by itself but part of God’s created order in nature through which he made all rational human beings aware of what is right and wrong† (Schmidt 253). The Apostle Paul expressed this in the New Testament book of Romans: For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them† (Romans 2. 14-15). Martin Luther stated: â€Å"Why does one then teach the Ten Commandments? Because the natural laws were never so orderly and well written as by Moses† (Schmidt 253).In his Two Treatises of Government, physician and political philosopher John Locke (1632-1703) claimed that government existed only to uphold the natural law and that governmental tyranny violated the natural rights of man (Schmidt 253). Natural rights were derived from nature and not from kings or government. The renowned English scholar Sir Willi am Blackstone had immense influence on the American patriots in the eighteenth century who used his Commentaries of the Laws of England (1765) while formulating the fledgling government as evidenced by the Declaration of Independence.The words â€Å"the Law of Nature and of Nature’s God† document the reliability on the Christian understanding of the natural law (Schmidt 254). The Declaration of Independence goes on to state that â€Å"whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government,† thus reiterating the concept of â€Å"inalienable rights† given by nature. The term â€Å"self-evident† has Christian roots going back to theological writings of the eighth century.Schmidt quotes Gary Amos, author of Defending the Declaration, as saying: â€Å"To the medievalists, ‘self-evident’ knowledge was truth known intuitively, as direct revelati on from God, without the need for proofs. The term presumed that man was created in the image of God, and presumed certain beliefs about man’s rationality which can be traced as far back as Augustine in the early fifth century† (pp. 254-55). Schmidt believes it is quite plausible that St. Paul’s biblical concept of â€Å"self-evident† (Romans 1. 20) knowingly or unknowingly influenced Jefferson when he wrote the term into the Declaration (Schmidt 255).The last portion of the Declaration includes the phrase â€Å"Supreme Judge,† a term used in Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government, where he refers to Jephthah calling God â€Å"the Judge† in Israel’s fight against the Ammonites (Judges 11. 27). If this is taken from Locke’s work, Amos contends, â€Å"then we have a direct link between the Bible and the Declaration of Independence (Schmidt 255). The Constitution, the hallmark of the foundling government in America, was greatly influenced by the French Christian and philosopher Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) as evidenced by the three branches of America’s government.Schmidt makes note that one historian has said that Montesquieu’s book, The Spirit of the Laws (1748), â€Å"[gave] American Constitution writers their holy writ† and called Montesquieu â€Å"the godfather of the American Constitution† (256). Montesquieu’s political theory was incorporated into the Constitution mostly as a result of the role taken by James Madison, known as the principal architect. His arguments for a separation of powers stemmed from the Christian teaching of the fallen nature of man. He is quoted as saying, ‘The truth [is] that all men, having power ought to be distrusted, to a certain degree. In his Federalist Paper number 51 he notes, â€Å"If men were angels, no government would be necessary† (Schmidt 257). Many history texts have made note that the three powers are derived from Montesquieu’s theory but have failed to note the influence of Christianity on his beliefs: â€Å"It is not enough for a religion to establish a doctrine; it must also direct its influence. This the Christian religion performs in the most admirable manner, especially with respect to the doctrines of which we have been speaking.It makes us hope for a state which is the object of our belief; not for a state which we have already experienced or known† (Schmidt 257). The founding of America’s republic government can best be described as the pinnacle of our American Christian heritage. Noah Webster defined government in his American Dictionary of the English Language (1828) as: â€Å"Direction; regulation. ‘These precepts will serve for the government of our conduct. ’ Control; restraint. ‘Men are apt to neglect the government of their temper and passions. â€Å" Thus Webster defines government in a way that reflects the biblical con cept of governmental authority, that is, beginning with the individual and extending outward to include all institutions (DeMar, God and Government, pp. 4-5). The Founding Fathers recognized the importance of self-government. As DeMar states, â€Å"A self-governed individual is someone who can regulate his attitudes and actions without the need for external coercion† (14). Believing God’s law to be the sole standard for determining right and wrong John Adams wrote, â€Å"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.It is inadequate to the government of any other. † The words of Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) reveal the mindset of many who fled to the shores of America in search of religious freedom: â€Å"He knows not how to rule a Kingdom, that cannot manage a Province; nor can he wield a Province, that cannot order a City; nor he order a City, that knows not how to regulate a Village; nor he a Family that knows not how to Govern himself; neither can any Govern himself unless his reason be Lord, Will and Appetite her Vassals; nor can Reason rule unless herself ruled by God, and (wholly) be obedient to Him. †Though the Constitution does not implicitly assume a Christian nation or acknowledgement of the providence of God in national affairs, an omission greatly regretted by the Christian public at the time of adoption (Morris 296), fundamentals of Christianity were incorporated into the State Constitutions of the Revolution which demonstrated the Christian life and character of our civil institutions (Morris 269). Among other things, the influence of Christianity has spread into the concept of freedom and rights of the individual. Without this freedom there is no real freedom on the economic, political, or religious level (Schmidt 258).From its inception, Christianity has placed a high value on the individual in stark contrast to the Greco-Roman culture in which the individual was always subordinate to the state (Schmidt 259). Malcolm Muggeridge, once a non-Christian but later a strong defender of Christianity, said, â€Å"We must not forget that our human rights are derived from the Christian faith. In Christian terms every single human being, whoever he or she may be, sick or well, clever or foolish, beautiful or ugly, every human being is loved by his Creator, who as the Gospels tell us, counted the hairs of his head. † (Schmidt 260).Individual freedom has led to many positive effects in the history of Western society. One essential aspect of this began with individuals such as Tertullian, Lactantius, St. Augustine, and later Martin Luther who promoted religious freedom. Luther, standing before Emperor Charles V and the Diet of Worms in 1521 declared: â€Å"Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the word of God. I cannot and will not recent any thing, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.God help me, Amen. † The First Amendment echoes the desire of prominent Christian forbears in promoting religious liberty and freedom of the individual (Schmidt 263). Christianity’s influence on education can be seen at its very inception with the teachings of Jesus who used words, parables, and human-life illustrations and taught others who then would become teachers themselves (Schmidt 170). Schmidt notes that the earliest Christians were mostly Jews who came from a long-standing tradition that valued formal education. St.Paul in his epistles makes references to Christians teaching in Ephesus, Corinth, Rome, Thessalonica, as well as other places (171). Teaching continued after the death of the apostles and in the very early church (A. D. 80-110) the Didache, basically an instruction manual for new converts to Christianity, appeared. Ignatius, a bishop of Antioch in the first decade of the second century, in sisted that children be taught the Scriptures and a skilled trade, a concept carried over from the Jews (Schmidt 171). Jesus Christ’s command to the disciples and all Christians was to teach people â€Å"all things† that he commanded him.Newcomers, in preparation for baptism and church membership, were taught orally by the question and answer method. Both men and women over a period of two to three years were catechized and first were instructed in the teacher’s home (Schmidt 171). These types of instruction lead to formal catechetical schools with a strong emphasis on the literary. Justin Martyr, around A. D. 150, established schools in Ephesus and in Rome. Other schools quickly spread throughout the regions. The school is Alexandria, Egypt was well noted for its literary qualities (Schmidt 171).Christian doctrine was the primary focus of these schools though the one in Alexandria also taught mathematics and medicine and when Origen succeeded Clement he added g rammar classes (Schmidt 172). Although Christians were not the first to engage in formal teaching it appears they were the first to teach both sexes in the same setting. Schmidt notes W. M. Ramsey as stating that Christianity’s aim was â€Å"universal education, not education confined to the rich, as among Greeks and Romans†¦and it [made] no distinction of sex† (172).St. Augustine once said that Christian women were better informed in divine matters than the pagan male philosophers (Schmidt 172). Details on the education of children are not known until the fourth to the tenth century when cathedrals and episcopal schools were maintained by bishops. The schools taught not only Christian doctrine but also the trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic) and quadrivium (arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy). The espiscopal schools primarily trained priests but also enrolled others.Children of royalty and the higher social ranks attended the cathedral schools and othe rs were instructed in monasteries or nunneries, where girls predominated. Although children were encouraged to enter church vocations most entered secular ones. At the time of the Reformation, Martin Luther, to his dismay, found widespread ignorance when he visited the churches in Saxony. He proceeded to write Small Catechism in 1529 noting that the common people had little to no knowledge of Christian teachings and that many pastors were incompetent to teach. He criticized the bishops for this indiscretion (Schmidt 176).Luther urged a state school system â€Å"to include vernacular primary schools for sexes, Latin secondary schools, and universities. † He also said that parents who failed to teach their children were â€Å"shameful and despicable† (Schmidt 177). Education in early America was built on the heels of the Reformation of the sixteenth century which â€Å"stressed reclamation of all of life, with education as an essential transforming force (DeMar, America ’s Christian Heritage, 39). Modeling the Academy of Geneva (founded by John Calvin in 1559), universities sprang up that would apply the Bible to all of life (DeMar 39).On of the first colleges to be founded was Harvard in 1636 three years after John Eliot (1604-1690) first proposed a college for Massachusetts Bay. Harvard’s curriculum emphasized the study of biblical languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic), logic, divinity (theology), and communication (public speaking and rhetoric). Latin also linked students to classical studies and the writings of the church fathers (DeMar 43). The Puritans held to the belief that the collegiate education proper for a minister should also be the same for educated laymen.There was no great distinction between secular and theological learning (DeMar 44). The early motto of Harvard was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae (â€Å"Truth for Christ and the Church†). Harvard’s motto today has been reduced simply to Veritas (DeMar 45) . Other early universities built exclusively on Christian principles were William and Mary (1693), Yale (1701), Princeton (1746), King’s College (1754), Brown (1764), Rutgers (1766), and Dartmouth (1769) (p. 42). The education of colonial children was provided by a curriculum of three books in addition to theBible: the Hornbook, the New England Primer, and the Bay Psalm book. The Hornbook, a single parchment attached to a wooden paddle, contained the alphabet, the Lord’s Prayer, and religious doctrines written or printed on it. The 1690 first edition of the Primer contained the names of the Old and New Testament books, the Lord’s Prayer, â€Å"An Alphabet of Lessons for Youth,† the Apostle’s Creed, the Ten Commandments, the Westminster Assembly Shorter Catechism, and John Cotton’s â€Å"Spiritual Milk for American Babes† (DeMar 41). The Primer was the most commonly used textbook for almost 200 years.Another popular textbook was The Mc Guffey Reader (Schippe 9). Noah Webster, educator and compiler of the 1828 An American Dictionary of the English Language wrote: â€Å"Education without the Bible is useless. † (DeMar, America’s Christian Heritage, 40) Christian faith was integrated into every facet of education in early America. Christianity’s influence on language, literature, and the arts is often overlooked and even taken for granted. Without the Bible much of what we enjoy today would be non-existent. The English language incorporates many words and phrases taken from the Bible when first translated.In 1380 John Wycliffe translated the Scriptures in its entirety and from it appears many of the words we still use today including the words adoption, ambitious, cucumber, liberty, and scapegoat among others (Schippe 12). William Tyndale translated the first English translation from the original texts. A gifted linguist skilled in eight languages with impeccable insights into Hebrew and Greek, T yndale was eager to translate the Bible so even â€Å"the boy that drives the plow† could know the Bible (Schippe 13). Some familiar words and phrases of his include: â€Å"let there be light (Genesis 1. 3),† â€Å"the powers that be (Romans 13. ),† â€Å"a law unto themselves (Romans 2. 14),† and â€Å"fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6. 12)† (Schippe 13). The influence of Tyndale on the English language was solidified in the publication of the 1611 King James Bible which retained about 94 percent of Tyndale’s work (Schippe 12). A renowned scholar on the literature of the Bible, Alistair McGrath notes, â€Å"Without the King James Bible, there would have been no Paradise Lost, no Pilgrim’s Progress, no Handel’s Messiah, no Negro spirituals, and no Gettysburg Address† (Schippe 12). Despite the hostility and persecution towards the Christians in the early centuries under Nero and Domitian and ater under the Catholic Church prior to the Reformation the Scriptures were meticulously copied by the priests and monks which in later years were translated into the languages of the common people even under threat of punishment (Schippe 14). Tyndale first worked in secret and when later betrayed and about to be burnt at the stake he called out, â€Å"Lord, open the King of England’s eyes. † Within a year King Henry allowed English Bibles to be distributed. Two million English Bibles were distributed throughout a country of just over six million nearly seventy-five years after Tyndale’s death (Schippe 14).Writers, artists, and musicians over the centuries have been greatly influenced by the Bible. From Dante to Milton to Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the words and themes found in the Scriptures have made their way into much of the literature we study and enjoy today. Other great writers in the history of Western Civilization include Chaucer, William Shakespeare, John Donne, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herma n Melville, William Blake, T. S. Eliot, and William Faulkner, to name a few (Schippe 44). Art depicting biblical scenes was made popular especially during the Renaissance with artists such as Raphael, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt.Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the most famous composers, was greatly influenced by the Scriptures. His Magnificant was written for the Christmas service of 1723 at St. Thomas’s Church in Leipzig (Schippe 237). The cantata, a genre of vocal music in the Baroque period and a key part of the German Lutheran service, was primarily used in Bach’s music. A deeply religious man, Bach signed his cantatas â€Å"S. D. G. , which stands for Soli Deo Gloria—â€Å"to God alone the glory† (Schippe 237). Many other forms of music known today have Christian roots such as the sonata, the symphony, and the oratorio.Most forms of music began as psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs and the outgrowth from there progressed as the monks and churches spre ad throughout the ages. Ambrose (340-97) first had members of his congregation sing psalms antiphonally and allowed all people to participate in the morning and evening church services by setting the words of his hymns to â€Å"an easy metrical form, the iambic diameter (Schippe 316). Biblical stories were dramatized and performed in song as early as the ninth century. A well-known church drama in the tenth century was Visitatio sepulchri (The Visit to [Christ’s] Sepulcher). Schmidt notes there is good eason to believe the opera evolved out of church dramas that appeared five hundred years before the Renaissance (316-17). The works of Handel, Beethoven, Mozart, and Mendelssohn among others have greatly been influenced by the words of the Bible; oftentimes the music itself directly reflected that influence (Schippe 328-29). With the publishing of Andrew Dickson White’s A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom in 1896 the idea that Christianity w as responsible for the arrival of science has largely been pushed out of the minds of the people, especially in academic circles (Schmidt 218-19).However, there is a pronounced difference between the pagan and Christian religions, that being the Christian presupposition of one God who is a rational being. Schmidt asks the question, ‘If God is a rational being, then may not human beings, who are made in his image, also employ rational processes to study and investigate the world in which they live? † (219). It was Robert Grosseteste (ca. 1168-1253), a Franciscan bishop and first chancellor of Oxford University, who first proposed the inductive, experimental method and his student, Roger Bacon (1214-94) who asserted that â€Å"all things must be verified by experience. Nearly three hundred years later Francis Bacon (1561-1626) gave momentum to the inductive method by recording his experimental results. Bacon has been called â€Å"the practical creator of scientific induc tion. † Besides his scientific interests he also devoted time to theology and wrote treatises on the Psalms and prayer (Schmidt 219). The inductive empirical method guided by rational procedures stood in stark contrast from the ancient Greek perspective of Aristotle which had a stranglehold on the world for fifteen hundred years.Even after these empirically minded individuals introduced their idea the scholastic world for the most part continued to hold to Aristotelianism which was the real â€Å"struggle† between the Catholic Church and science (Schmidt 219-220). One other prominent presupposition of Christianity is that God, who created the world, is separate and distinct from it unlike Aristotelian philosophy which saw the gods and universe intertwined. Pantheism regarded the scientific method as sacrilegious and an affront to divine nature and thus only in Christian thought where God and nature are separate would science be possible (Schmidt 221).Schmidt quotes Lynn White, historian of medieval science, as saying â€Å"From the thirteenth century onward into the eighteenth every major scientist, in effect, explained his motivations in religious terms† (222). William Occam (1280-1349) had a great influence on the development of modern science. His concept known as â€Å"Occam’s Razor† was the scientific principle that states that what can be done or explained with the fewest assumptions should be used. It is the principle of parsimony.As was common with almost all medieval natural philosophers, Occam did not confine himself to scientific matters and wrote two theological treatises, one dealing with the Lord’s Supper and the other with the body of Christ, both of which had a tremendous impact on Martin Luther’s thinking (Schmidt 222). Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519), while a great artist and painter was also a scientific genius who analyzed and theorized in the areas of botany, optics, physics, hydraulics, and ae ronautics. However, his greatest benefit to science was in the study of physiology in which he produced meticulous drawings of the human body (Schmidt 223).Andreas Vesalius (1514-64) followed in Da Vinci’s footsteps. In his famous work, De humani corpis fabrica (Fabric of the Human Body), published in 1543, he corrects over two hundred errors in Galen’s physiological writings. (Galen was a Greek physician of the second century) The errors were largely found by dissecting cadavers (Schmidt 223). The branch of genetics flourished under the work of Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884), an Augustinian monk, who after studying Darwin’s theory of evolution rejected it (Schmidt 224). In the field of astronomy great advances were made under devout Christian men Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, and Galileo.In physics we encounter Isaac Newton (1642-1727), Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716), Blaise Pascal (1623-62), Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), Georg Simon Ohm (1787-1854), Andre Ampere (1775-1836), Michael Faraday (1791-1867), and William Thompson Kelvin (1824-1907). These men held to a strong Christian faith as evidenced by their writings. Before he died, Kepler was asked by an attending Lutheran pastor where he placed his faith. Kepler replied, â€Å"Solely and alone in the work of our redeemer Jesus Christ. † Kepler, who only tried â€Å"thinking God’s thoughts after him,† died with the Christian faith planted firmly in his mind and heart.His epitaph, penned four months before his death stated: I used to measure the heavens, Now I must measure the earth. Though sky-bound was my spirit, My earthly body rests here (Schmidt 230). Such was the mindset of the fathers of modern science who held to deeply religious beliefs and saw no contradiction between faith and science. Had it not been for those men who believed in a rational God who created rational men who sought only to understand the world that God had created and obeyed the command to ha ve â€Å"dominion† (Genesis 1. 28) over the earth, science would not be as it is today.History books are filled with the rich details of men and women whose lives were changed by Jesus Christ and impacted the world through ideas found in Scripture in a wide array of disciplines. To deny the influence of Christianity on Western Civilization is to deny history altogether. Although at certain times there loomed dark areas in church history by those who deviated from the faith the overall positive contributions far outweigh the negative. There is no mistaking the fact that Christianity has changed the world for the better. Works Cited DeMar, G. (2001).God and Government: A Biblical and Historical Study. Powder Springs, GA: American Vision. DeMar, G. (2003). America’s Christian Heritage. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. Morris, B. (2007). The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States. Powder Springs, GA: American Vision. The Ref ormation Study Bible. R. C. Sproul, gen. ed. Orlando: Ligioner Ministries: 2005. Schippe, C. , & Stetson, C. (2006). The Bible and Its Influence. Fairfax, VA: BLP Publishing. Schmidt, A. (2004). How Christianity Changed the World. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.