Riordan Manufacturing Essay Example

Riordan Manufacturing Essay Riordan Manufacturing has production plants located in Albany, GA, Pontiac, MI, and their overseas plant in Hangzhouz, China. Each location is responsible for different production lines and inventory. The Research and Development department is located in San Jose, CA, Riordans headquarters. Riordan Manufacturings Vice President (VP) of Operations has a service request for an implementation of a Manufacturing Resource Plan (MRP) among Riordans three plants into one system. This request will make it easier to maintain the inventory of raw materials and inished products (Apollo Group, Inc. 2013). An MRP will improve the current computer systems. The VP of Operations, Mark Neitzel, made a request for the system. The system includes Inventor Oversight, which is broken into two components: The Inventory PC and the Customer Shipping and Billing. The further breakdown of the system needs to track all incoming raw materials, the manufacturing of product followed by product inventory, the ship ping of all products to clients, and the billing of clients. The system is broken down into workflows performed daily by each plant. Incoming raw materials workflow. 1. The Supply truck arrives at Receiving Dock with raw materials 2. The Dock Supervisor compares shipping documents against scheduled incoming orders 3. Once orders are concurred, the receiving team unloads truck and moves raw materials into the factory. 4. At the end of the day, the Dock Supervisor gives the log of all received materials to the Receiving Clerk. 5. The Receiving Clerk enters the nformation into the Inventory PC: the type of raw materials, vendor, and quantity. Manufacturing/Product inventory workflow. 1. The Manufacturing Staff completes inventory usage form indicating the type and quantity of raw materials used for manufacturing and assembly 2. The Inventory Clerk enters the information from the usage form into the PC. 3. After manufacturing is complete, manufacturing staff fills out inventory form. 4. Inventory clerk enters the forms information into the PC along with Bill of Materials (80M). Product shipping workflow. Orders from customers arrive by phone, fax, or sales staff and are recorded onto sales order forms. 2. The Sales Orders information from forms are entered into Customer Shipping and Billing System. 3. The Shipping Staff load trucks with products specified by the shipping document generated daily by the Customer Shipping and Billing System (Bill of Materials-BOM) (ADempiere, 2011). 4. Inventory clerk updates the Sipping Documents into the Inventory PC based on the shipping documents. Riordan Manufacturing By makemoves2014 We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Major General Joseph Hooker in the Civil War

Major General Joseph Hooker in the Civil War Born November 13, 1814, at Hadley, MA, Joseph Hooker was the son of local store owner Joseph Hooker and Mary Seymour Hooker. Raised locally, his family came from old New England stock and his grandfather had served as a captain during the American Revolution. After receiving his early education at Hopkins Academy, he decided to pursue a military career. With the assistance of his mother and his teacher, Hooker was able to gain the attention of Representative George Grennell who provided an appointment to the United State Military Academy. Arriving at West Point in 1833, Hookers classmates included Braxton Bragg, Jubal A. Early, John Sedgwick, and John C. Pemberton. Advancing through the curriculum, he proved an average student and graduated four years later ranked 29th in a class of 50. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st US Artillery, he was sent to Florida to fight in the Second Seminole War. While there, the regiment took part in several minor engagements and had to endure challenges from the climate and environment. Mexico With the beginning of the Mexican-American War in 1846, Hooker was assigned to the staff of Brigadier General Zachary Taylor. Taking part in the invasion of northeast Mexico, he received a brevet promotion to captain for his performance at the Battle of Monterrey. Transferred to the army of Major General Winfield Scott, he took part in the siege of Veracruz and the campaign against Mexico City. Again serving as a staff officer, he consistently displayed coolness under fire. In the course of the advance, he received additional brevet promotions to major and lieutenant colonel. A handsome young officer, Hooker began to develop a reputation as a ladies man while in Mexico and was often referred to as the Handsome Captain by the locals. Between the Wars In the months after the war, Hooker had a falling out with Scott. This was the result of Hooker supporting Major General Gideon Pillow against Scott at the formers court-martial. The case saw Pillow accused of insubordination following refusal to revise exaggerated after-action reports and then sending letters to the New Orleans Delta. As Scott was the US Armys senior general, Hookers actions had long-term negative consequences for his career and he left the service in 1853. Settling in Sonoma, CA, he began working as a developer and farmer. Overseeing 550-acre farm, Hooker grew cordwood with limited success. Increasingly unhappy with these pursuits, Hooker turned to drinking and gambling. He also tried his hand at politics but was defeated in an attempt to run for the state legislature. Tired of civilian life, Hooker applied to Secretary of War John B. Floyd in 1858 and asked to be reinstated as a lieutenant colonel. This request was denied and his military activities were limited to a colonelcy in the California militia. An outlet for his military aspirations, he oversaw its first encampment in Yuba County. The Civil War Begins With the outbreak of the Civil War, Hooker found himself lacking the money to travel east. Staked by a friend, he made the trip and immediately offered his services to the Union. His initial efforts were rebuffed and he was forced to watch the First Battle of Bull Run as a spectator. In the wake of the defeat, he wrote an impassioned letter to President Abraham Lincoln and was appointed as a brigadier general of volunteers in August 1861. Quickly moving from brigade to division command, he aided Major General George B. McClellan in organizing the new Army of the Potomac. With the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign in early 1862, he commanded the 2nd Division, III Corps. Advancing up the Peninsula, Hookers division took part in the Siege of Yorktown in April and May. During the siege, he earned a reputation for looking after his men and seeing to their welfare. Performing well at the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, Hooker was promoted to major general effective that date though he felt slighted by his superiors after action report.   Fighting Joe It was during his time on the Peninsula that Hooker earned the nickname Fighting Joe. Disliked by Hooker who thought it made him sound like a common bandit, the name was the result of a typographical error in a Northern newspaper. Despite the Union reverses during the Seven Days Battles in June and July, Hooker continued shine on the battlefield. Transferred north to Major General John Popes Army of Virginia, his men took part in the Union defeat at Second Manassas in late August. On September 6, he was given command of III Corps, which was redesignated I Corps six days later. As General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia moved north into Maryland, it was pursued by Union troops under McClellan. Hooker first led his corps in battle on September 14 when it fought well at South Mountain. Three days later, his men opened the fighting at the Battle of Antietam and engaged Confederate troops under Major General Thomas Stonewall Jackson. In the course of the fighting, Hooker was wounded in the foot and had to be taken from the field. Recovering from his wound, he returned to the army to find that Major General Ambrose Burnside had replaced McClellan. Given command of a Grand Division consisting of III and V Corps, his men took heavy losses that December at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Long a vocal critic of his superiors, Hooker relentlessly attacked Burnside in the press and in the wake of the latters failed Mud March in January 1863 these intensified. Though Burnside intended to remove his adversary, he was prevented from doing so when he himself was relieved by Lincoln on January 26. In Command To replace Burnside, Lincoln turned to Hooker due to his reputation for aggressive fighting and chose to overlook the generals history of outspokenness and hard living. Assuming command of the Army of the Potomac, Hooker worked tirelessly to improve the conditions for his men and improve morale. These were largely successful and he was well-liked by his soldiers. Hookers plan for the spring called for a large-scale cavalry raid to disrupt the Confederate supply lines while he took the army on a sweeping flanking march to strike Lees position at Fredericksburg in the rear. While the cavalry raid was largely a failure, Hooker succeeded in surprising Lee and gained an early advantage in the Battle of Chancellorsville. Though successful, Hooker began to lose his nerve as the battle continued and assumed an increasingly defensive posture. Taken in the flank by an audacious attack by Jackson on May 2, Hooker was forced back. The next day, at the height of the fighting, he was injured when the pillar he was leaning against was struck by a cannonball. Initially knocked unconscious, he was incapacitated most of the day but refused to cede command. Recovering, he was compelled to retreat back across the Rappahannock River. Having defeated Hooker, Lee began moving north to invade Pennsylvania. Directed to screen Washington and Baltimore, Hooker followed though he first suggested a strike on Richmond. Moving north, he got into a dispute over defensive arrangements at Harpers Ferry with Washington and impulsively offered his resignation in protest. Having increasingly lost confidence in Hooker, Lincoln accepted and appointed Major General George G. Meade to replace him. Meade would lead the army to victory at Gettysburg a few days later. Goes West In the wake of Gettysburg, Hooker was transferred west to the Army of the Cumberland along with the XI and XII Corps. Serving under Major General Ulysses S. Grant, he quickly regained his reputation as an effective commander at the Battle of Chattanooga. During these operations, his men won the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 23 and took part in the larger fighting two days later. In April 1864, XI and XII Corps were consolidated into XX Corps under Hookers command. Serving in the Army of the Cumberland, XX Corps performed well during Major General William T. Shermans drive against Atlanta. On July 22, the commander of the Army of the Tennessee, Major General James McPherson, was killed at the Battle of Atlanta and replaced by Major General Oliver O. Howard. This incensed Hooker as he was senior and blamed Howard for the defeat at Chancellorsville. Appeals to Sherman were in vain and Hooker asked to be relieved. Departing Georgia, he was given command of the Northern Department for the remainder of the war. Later Life Following the war, Hooker remained in the army. He retired in 1868 as a major general after suffering a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. After spending much of his retired life around New York City, he died on October 31, 1879, while visiting Garden City, NY. He was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in his wifes, Olivia Groesbeck, hometown of Cincinnati, OH. Though known for his hard drinking and wild lifestyle, the magnitude of Hookers personal escapades is a subject of much debate among his biographers.

Biography of Elijah McCoy, American Inventor

Biography of Elijah McCoy, American Inventor Elijah McCoy (May 2, 1844–October 10, 1929) was an African-American inventor who received more than 50 patents for his inventions during his lifetime. His most famous invention was a cup that fed lubricating oil to machine bearings through a small tube. Machinists and engineers who wanted genuine McCoy lubricators might have used the expression the real McCoy- a term meaning the real deal or the genuine article. Fast Facts: Elijah McCoy Known For: McCoy was an African-American inventor who improved steam engine technology by designing an automatic lubricator.Born: May 2, 1844 in Colchester, Ontario, CanadaParents: George and Mildred McCoyDied: October 10, 1929 in Detroit, MichiganAwards and Honors: National Inventors Hall of FameSpouse(s): Ann Elizabeth Stewart (m. 1868-1872), Mary Eleanor Delaney (m.1873-1922) Early Life Elijah McCoy was born on May 2, 1844, in Colchester, Ontario, Canada. His parents- George and Mildred McCoy- were former slaves who had fled Kentucky for Canada on the Underground Railroad. George McCoy enlisted in the British forces, and in return, he was awarded 160 acres of land for his service. When Elijah was 3, his family moved back to the U.S. and settled in Detroit, Michigan. They later moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan, where George opened a tobacco business. Elijah had 11 brothers and sisters. Even as a young child, he enjoyed playing with tools and machines and experimenting with different ways to fix and improve them. Career At the age of 15, McCoy left the United States for a mechanical engineering apprenticeship in Edinburgh, Scotland. After becoming certified, he returned to Michigan to pursue a position in his field. However, McCoy- like other African-Americans at the time- faced racial discrimination that prevented him from earning a position appropriate to his level of education. The only job he could find was that of a locomotive fireman and oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad. The fireman on a train was responsible for fueling the steam engine and the ​oiler lubricated the engines moving parts as well as the trains axles and bearings. Because of his training, McCoy was able to identify and solve the problems of engine lubrication and overheating. At that time, trains needed to periodically stop and be lubricated to prevent overheating. McCoy developed a lubricator for steam engines that did not require the train to stop. His automatic lubricator used steam pressure to pump oil wherever it was needed. McCoy received a patent for this invention in 1872, the first of many he would receive for his improvements to steam engine lubricators. These advancements improved transit by allowing trains to travel farther without pausing for maintenance and re-oiling. McCoys device not only improved train systems; versions of the lubricator eventually appeared in oil-drilling and mining equipment and construction and factory tools. According to the patent, it did so by provid[ing] for the continuous flow of oil on the gears and other moving parts of a machine in order to keep it lubricated properly and continuous and thereby do away with the necessity of shutting down the machine periodically. As a result, the lubricator improved efficiency in a variety of fields. In 1868, Elijah McCoy married Ann Elizabeth Stewart, who died four years later. A year later, McCoy married his second wife, Mary Eleanora Delaney. The couple had no children. McCoy continued to improve upon his automatic lubricator design and make designs for new devices. Railroad and shipping lines began using McCoy’s new lubricators and the Michigan Central Railroad promoted him to an instructor in the use of his new inventions. Later, McCoy became a consultant to the railroad industry on patent matters. McCoy also obtained patents for some of his other inventions, including an ironing board and a lawn sprinkler, which he had designed to reduce the work involved in his household tasks. In 1922, McCoy and his wife Mary were in a car accident. Mary later died from her injuries, and McCoy experienced severe health problems for the rest of his life, complicating his professional obligations. The Real McCoy The expression the real McCoy- meaning the real thing (not a fake or inferior copy)- is a popular idiom among English-speakers. Its exact etymology is unknown. Some scholars believe it comes from the Scottish the real McKay, which first appeared in a poem in 1856. Others believe the expression was first used by railroad engineers looking for the real McCoy system, i.e. a lubricator equipped with Elijah McCoys automatic drip cup rather than a poor knockoff. Whatever the true etymology, the expression has been associated with McCoy for some time. In 2006, Andrew Moodie developed a play based on the inventors life called The Real McCoy. Death In 1920, McCoy opened his own company, the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company, to produce his products himself rather than licensing his designs to existing companies (many of the products he designed did not feature his name). Unfortunately, McCoy suffered in his later years, enduring a financial, mental, and physical breakdown that landed him in the hospital. He died on October 10, 1929, from senile dementia caused by hypertension after spending a year in the Eloise Infirmary in Michigan. McCoy was buried in Detroit Memorial Park East in Warren, Michigan. Legacy McCoy was widely admired for his ingenuity and accomplishments, especially in the African-American community. Booker T. Washington- an African-American educator and leader- cited McCoy in his Story of the Negro as the African-American inventor with the greatest number of patents. In 2001, McCoy was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. A historical marker stands outside his old workshop in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Detroit was named in his honor. Sources Asante, Molefi Kete.  100 Greatest African Americans: a Biographical Encyclopedia. Prometheus Books, 2002.Sluby, Patricia Carter.  The Inventive Spirit of African Americans: Patented Ingenuity. Praeger, 2008.Towle, Wendy, and Wil Clay.  The Real McCoy: the Life of an African-American Inventor. Scholastic, 1995.

Managing across Cultures individual report Essay

Managing across Cultures individual report - Essay Example As a result of its influence, culture management across organizations has started getting importance in business terms and is currently the one of the most evaluated subject for business analysts researchers and. In the present study culture will be studied with respect to its various dimensions researched by known people. Few of the organizational behaviour and cultural theories will also be discussed in detail Critical analysis of theory and research Culture plays a major role in characterizing the environmental context in which firms operate and decide, chose strategies and structures. A culture essentially consists of the expectations, experiences, philosophies and values ingrained and the elemental brinks which holds an organization or an association together (Bennett, Aston and Colquhoun, 2000). In broader terms organizational culture comprises of visions, norms, working languages, systems, beliefs, symbols and habits. Since individuals work together in an organization as a tea m with a common goal of completing the job, the culture created in a firm will help the team members in understanding each other more successfully (Olsonand Kroeger, 2001). Hofstede defines culture as â€Å"the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others† (Hofstede et al., 1990). ... ee individuals are integrated with groups Masculinity and Femininity (MAS) - Masculinity represents society’s preference towards heroism, achievement, assertiveness as well as material rewards. On the other hand, Femininity refers preferring modesty, cooperation and care for underprivileged and weak and improving quality of life. Society is both competitive and consensus oriented (Hofstede and McCrae, 2004). Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) - it is the tolerance of a society towards ambiguity and uncertainty. It expresses the tendency of feeling uncomfortable with risks and unexpected changes. countries showing strong UI have rigid belief codes while weak UI society have more tranquil attitudes where practice is given more preference than principles Long term and Short term orientation- long term orientation refers to the society and their individual’s explore for virtues. On the other hand, short term orientation refers to preference for absolute truth. They are normative t hinkers and exhibit respect for traditions. Another model of cultural dimensions was given by Trompenaars. He classified cultures according to a mix of value and behavioral patterns. The research was particularly focused on business executives. Seven value orientations were evaluated. The seven dimensions were particularism versus universalism, individualism versus communitarians, emotional versus neutral, specific versus diffuse, ascription versus achievement, nature-human relationship and nature-time relationship. Trompennar’s work primarily focuses on sociology and includes two measurements for attitudes which were environment and time. Researchers have divided Trompennars theory into two different aspects. There are three ways to handle cultural problems and five individual dimensions. Edward

Digital investigation in the organization Essay - 2

Digital investigation in the organization - Essay Example Many organizations are in a position to benefit more if they have the ability to gather and preserve digital evidence before an incident occurs and not after the incident has occurred(Robert, 2004). The digital investigation for law enforcement yields digital evidence, the evidence however may involve the use of enhanced system and staff monitoring, physical and procedural ways of securing data to a standard to be accepted as evidence and considered admissible. It also involves technical and appropriate legal advice to staff and employees(Peter, 2003). The law enforcement perspective of the digital forensic investigation tends to disregard what happens to the object or the device before the decision is made whether to be accepted as evidence or not. In this context the evidence required is presented by the digital forensic investigation or not presented and therefore the suspect can neither be charged nor prosecuted. This investigation begins when a crime is committed and the investi gator avails himself to the crime scene(Robert, 2004). However in the business context the investigation is done on a continuous basis in the form of emails, portable computers, logfiles, and telephone and network traffics among others. Since it is a continuous process, the evidence may be collected before a crime and the evidence used to the benefit of the organization(Robert, 2004). In the recent technological environment the digital investigations are mainly done by the computer forensics analyst.

Decriminalizing Prostitution Essay Example for Free

Decriminalizing Prostitution Essay The oldest profession in the world, also known as, prostitution is one of the most controversial debates that many people have. Should it be legal, should it be illegal, are the women just selling their bodies because they have low self-esteem? Well, let’s discuss the pros and cons to decriminalizing prostitution. Where brothels are present and their outcome of business. Let’s focus on the positive side of decriminalizing prostitution, as mentioned one of the pros would be that it can be an economic means to a person in need of financial assistance. Just like every other job prostitution is a way of making a living, you have supply and demand, just as a cable man will come to your house and fix your T. V. a prostitute will give that companion to the person needing it. A second pro would be that it can minimize human trafficking, usually when something is illegal or inaccessible we want it more, making any means necessary to achieve it, this is true for human traffickers that sell humans for various reasons, mainly sex. If we can already make humans readily available for intimate reasons than we can naturally see trafficking coming to a halt. Another pro I can see with decriminalizing prostitution is reduction in violence within the prostitute community. Many prostitutes are raped, abused, and murdered. If we were to help protect these workers then maybe they would be less afraid to seek help from the police and the police would better protect them. Because prostitution is illegal many prostitutes that are raped or otherwise abused aren’t going to the police for fear that they will be arrested. The final pro is if we decriminalize prostitution then both the Johns and the prostitutes would have to get monthly checks for AIDS/HIV and all other STD’s. Enforcing this might ensure that we are putting an end to spreading diseases across the nation. We have discussed some pros now let’s discuss some cons, I can’t see many cons with decriminalizing prostitution but one of them would be the moral aspect of it. I can see how many crimes against these women would become a problem within society. Prostitution is seen as wrong and immoral, so I am not sure if a sex work professional would ever be seen as a the same as a teacher, CEO, or banker. The last con I can see is that the drug industry would sky rocket, as more and more prostitutes are trading sexual favors for drugs, I can see that drugs would now be spread more vastly across the plains. Just as corrupt as any company could be, prostitution and drugs are commonly known to be a hand in hand occurrence. This could become a problem in the future for police officials to get a hold of if taken out of control and not monitored correctly. In the United States there is only one state where prostitution is legal, which is Nevada. There are only 17 counties in Nevada that allow brothels in their counties, any county that exceeds 400,000 residents are not allowed to have a brothel. While it is a high paying profession and due to the recession it has seen its bad days, prostitution in Nevada is still a very popular and highly sought out job because of its high pay day. The working girls in a brothel have to be tested once a week for STD’s such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, and once a month for AIDS and HIV. They must also use a condom for ALL transactions and report their tax earnings to the county, so basically the county is their pimp. At the end of the day whether it is moral or not, it is the choice of the men and women who are choosing to sell themselves for money. We should not judge those who chose that profession as a means of making ends meet. Many people do what they have to do to provide for themselves and their families. There are prostitutes who do it solely for the money, some to upkeep their drug habits and some because they just plainly like sex.

Is Affirmative Action Fair? Essay -- Law Government Equality Papers

Is Affirmative Action Fair? A black student has been waiting for that letter of acceptance from the college of her choice. She receives that letter and gets in. At the same time a female white student is also waiting for her letter of acceptance from that same college. The white student receives a rejection letter even though she had higher test scores and a better GPA than the black student. Was this fair to the students? Was it the best outcome for the country in the long run? Many minority students are accepted into colleges and law schools due to their race while at the same time white students are rejected because colleges have to make room for these minorities. The question many colleges are facing now is whether race should be considered in college admissions. Is affirmative action necessary anymore and is it fair to all students? What is its long-term impact on American and world society? Liberals say, â€Å"Yes affirmative action is a fair path and a path that still needs to be taken if our society is going to move forward.† Conservatives argue that affirmative action is reverse discrimination against white students and that widespread use of affirmative action in colleges is creating an un-level playing field. The liberal’s logical argument is based on the assumption that race is already an issue in college admissions and that historically there has been a lack of opportunity for minorities, especially African Americans. From this perspective, Liberals want to use race-based admission standards as a way to redress historical and contemporary biases against certain groups and cultures. To Liberals there are biases built into university admissions that favor white, middle class, suburban students. The ver... ...com/site/pros_cons/affaction/affaction.html (22 April 2002) Tien, Chang-Lin. â€Å"In Defense of Affirmative Action.† USA Today (Magazine). 126.2630 (November 1997): 58-61. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A20004051. Thernstrom, Stephan. "The Scandal of the Law Schools. (Legacy of affirmative action)" Commentary. 104.6 (December 1997): 27-32. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A20078580. Thernstrom, Stephan, & Thernstrom, Abigail. â€Å"Racial Preferences: What we Know Now.† Commentary. 107.2 (February 1999): 44. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A53914152 Wright, Scott W. â€Å"Texas Ruling may Dismantle Affirmative Action.† Black Issues in Higher Education. 13.3 (April 4, 1996): 8-10. Online. Information Access Expanded Academic ASAP. Article A18327446.

Marxism as an Alternative theory

The contrasting social divide of 19th century Europe was one of the principle-instigating factor that inspired Karl Marx and Frederick Engels to come with Communist Manifesto in 1848. It called upon the working classes to declare war upon the bourgeoisie. In the opinion of Marx, capitalism with its inherent tendency to favor property accumulation, market system and wage labor system had always worked in promoting the clout and wealth of aristocracy while working to weaken the peasants class and sending them to the levels of subservience and just subsistence (Freedman, 1990, 1).The philosophy was a major intellectual achievement of Marxism as it described the ills and problems affecting the society not in terms of faulty ideology and philosophy but in the   terms of economic forces of capitalist development (Aune, 1994, 17). As Freedman (1990, 2) states, Marx viewed the major conflicts and events of world not as consequences of ethnic, lingual or religious factors but purely through economic perspectives. He argued that capitalism and its resultant class system have been the main instrumental factors in creating the present structure of human society and behavior.  Marxism attempts to correlate the entire progress and evolution of human civilization with Marx’s staunch view that economic factors have determined the history of humanity. It attempts to understand the origin, functioning and structure of all the social institutions on economic models and assumes that once this knowledge is gained, it can be employed to recreate the social order that is beneficial for every member of society, while eliminating the ills of poverty, inequality and class distinctions (ibid).Marxism also views state (government) as an instrument of the ruling class that works to protect the interests of the economically prosperous segments at the cost of the working population (Freedman, 1990, 2). The premises of this argument lies in the fact that typically every state is in fluenced heavily by the rich and wealthy section of society and as such its policies are inherently oriented towards safeguarding these affluent sections. The working-lower class is just treated as a tool to further the riches of this affluent section, while providing them with bare facilities that are hardly sufficient to maintain their existence.School and churches are also viewed as extending arms of the same system that continuously works to maintain, and in fact, promote the social divide. Thus nation and state are essentially nothing but exploiters of working population. As a consequence, terms like patriotism and nationalism hold no meaning to the oppressed working society, which is made to work not the for the benefit of the nation but for the few and selected elite group of people that in their limited numbers represent an entire nation.A careful study of Marxism reveals following three major elements that define the structure of the world of Marx (Heilbroner, 1980, 21).Mat erialist approach to History: The historical analysis of activities of people’s activities that creates conditions of subsequent class emergence and struggle of present times.General view of capitalism: Capitalism, and the economic forces that are the root of entire social divideCommitment to socialism: It envisions a future where every man is able to create a just world through his own efforts and commitment.Marxism, in its zealous criticism of the capitalist system, pronounced the immanent end through of capitalistic society through t its own contradictions and an eventual sweep over of the world by socialist forces. However capitalism has survived and contrary to Marx’s vision, it has become mainstay of democratic and developed world, whereas Marxism holds it appeal for the poor and oppressed classes in underdeveloped countries (Freedman, 1990, 2)Mainstream Political theoriesThe mainstream political theories have evolved from Machiavellian concepts to one that is fo cused on a welfare state that is founded around the concepts of participative democracy and social justice (Young, 1998, 479). As listed by Young (ibid) the mainstream political theories, developed consciously over last 25 years, although with inputs spanning over past hundred and fifty years, areSocial justice and welfare rights theory: Unlike Marxist theory of handing over the reins of government to workers, the social justice and welfare rights theory attempts to strike a cord of balance among different economic classes with their commitment to social equality and economic justice. One of major themes running through this theory is egalitarian distribution of resources to people who have been deprived of them, it doesn’t attempts forced equality among all classes of society.  Democratic theory: Also labeled as participative democratic theory, it lays emphasis on a concept of democracy that proceeds through age long ideals of democracy that proceed through active discussi on, participation and decision making by citizen, against the emerging plebiscite and inter-group pluralist concepts of the democratic mode (Pateman, 1970). The theory aims to achieve the goal of social equality through democratic participation that both helps as well as promotes social equality. The thrust of the theory is that a democracy that only provides voting rights to people for representatives who rule them remotely lacks the element of a real democracy. Instead the democratic set up should be made to incorporate citizen’s participation at every stage of the governance and decision making process. This in turns demands providing all the citizens with sufficient levels of education and economic and social uplifting whereby they are able to appreciate and exercise their democratic rights.Feminist political theory: It is a major emergent trend in the mainstream political theories, and one that brings in the question of female participation, as a separate entity, in the working of democracy. It helps in to integrate the elements of family relations, sexual biases, and gendered related discrimination in the political question.Marxism as an alternative theoryAs noted above, the essential philosophy Marxism lies in defining all the historical and social events in terms of manipulation of resources by capitalist forces that worked in depriving a majority of population from basic means of living. Marxist approach viewed social structure in terms of non-owning workers and non-working owners that was the root cause of every social and political evil. Marx defined all the events in form of ‘class struggle’ and placed supreme faith in human will (Freedman, 1990, 6).Marxism views human beings capable of molding their own destinies, creating their own world, and change the entire structure of a oppressive society to one where every one holds same dignity and right to a provisioned life. However its more than hundred years to Marx’s momento us work Das Capital that predicted downfall of bourgeois and capitalist system, an event which completely failed to materialize (Wolfe, 1985, 317). It points out to some considerable short sighting or inappropriate reading by Marx of the nature of interaction of social and economic forces.Marx, in predicting the immanent downfall of the existing capitalist system through popular revolution and protests by bourgeoisie, had given a sweeping and generalizing theory that was supposed to take into every possible factor and consequence of historical, social and human events. The theories of Ricardo, Hegel and Smith that Marx used to develop his own general explanation of all events were relatively semi –developed and in the transitory phase (Freedman, 1990, 126) and as could provide a very weak base to the daring presumptions and foresights that Marxism professed boldly.The theory failed to take into account the results of people’s will to act outside the boundaries that it imposed. It was, in a sense then, technically incapable to address issues emanating from this scenario, a flaw that later on emerged as a major shortcoming of the entire Marxist model.Marxism always stands in direct contrast to critical theory that was developed by Max Horkheimer in 1937 (Therborn, 1996). It was mean to be a critique of the theory of political economy and provide replacement of materialism embedded in the Marxist approach (ibid). Critical theory rejected the principles of division of labor and believes in social advances through meaningful and coordinated interaction among various classes, as against the Marxist approach of inherent and inevitable class struggle that has shaped up historyHistorical MaterialismIn the Marxist philosophical approach, history is a study in the development and evolution of the capitalist system. In the opinion of Marx the consciousness of a man is the product of his social being which defines the legal and political superstructures (Heil broner, 1980, 62). The materialism of Marxism differed sharply from idealism contained in the other approaches that saw history as product of different beliefs and approaches. Marx clearly stated that history is the product of labor, efforts and determination of countless men and women who worked to improve their material conditions in a material environment.Primarily what it signifies is that entire history of world is composed of forces of economics and compulsions of existence through limited resources. The thought processes and ideas that have been assumed to shape history, in Marxist ideology, were themselves product of the materialistic conditions (Heilbroner, 1980, 63). Marxism further takes the concept of materialism and intertwines it with class structure to lay the foundation of theory of class struggle that is presented as a direct consequence of material forces in operation.Although the historical materialistic view point of Marxist philosophy had been validated in defin ing some of the major events of history, however its broad generalization of economic activities has brought it under criticism from many theorists. Whereas Marxist ideology attempts to focus not primarily but only on economic factors, it has been perceived that even economic factors themselves are affected by social, political and religious factors (Heilbroner, 1980, 64).Marxism in context of USAAs a political and social theory Marxism has traditionally failed materialize in the USA. This is because the socialist theory of Marxism conflicts with the principles and ideals of democracy. Although it is true that true socialism as envisioned by Marx was never practiced anywhere, but the fact remains that within the scope of political models of Marxism there are ample opportunities for a political system to become authoritarian, culminating in kind of dictatorship that was hallmark of socialist USSR government (Geras, 1994). This is to say, the socialist structure proposed by Marxism is seriously vulnerable to deformation by individuals with such designs.However, within the framework of classical Marxism also democratic ideas have not found much support. Essentially Marxism advocates liberation and rule of workers, which has to occur independent of any form of government (ibid). Therefore it is indeed successful in outlining the process of social and political change but falters on the final form of governance that opens the doors for ambiguity, deformation and misinterpretation. This severely limits the democratic angle of Marxism.Further, with its sole emphasis on workers right and class struggle between proletariat and the bourgeois, Marxist ideology aims to create a society that lacks economic incentives to evolve and move ahead. In its aim to bring marginalized sections of society in the center, the model threatens to create a new section of marginalized. These inherent ideological differences with free, democratic and progressive ideals that USA has cherishe d since its independence define the incongruity of Marxism in the USA’s political, social and economic atmosphere.ReferenceAune JA ,1994,   Rhetoric and Marxis, Westview Press, Boulder, COFreedman, R, 1990, The Marxist System: Economic, Political, and Social Perspectives.Chatham House Publishers, Chatham, NJ.Heilbroner, RL, 1980,   Marxism, for and Against,W. W. Norton. New York. Young, IM,   1998, A New Handbook of Political Science. Edit, Robert E. Goodin – editor, Hans-Dieter Klingeman, Oxford University Press. Oxford.Geras, N. 1994. Democracy and the Ends of Marxism. New Left Review Volume: a. Issue: 203.PATEMAN, C. 1970. Participation and Democratic Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressWolfe, BD,1985,   Marxism, One Hundred Years in the Life of a Doctrine. Westview Boulder, CO.Therborn, G, Dialectics of Modernity, 1996, On Critical Theory and the Legacy of Twentieth-Century Marxism, New Left Review. Volume: a. Issue: 215.

Analysis of The Scarlet Letter Ch

Nathaniel Hawthorne expresses Hester Prune's self-perception by using the concept of physiognomy, the notion that the outer appearance of a person reflects his or her Inner qualities. One of the common methods through which people display their beliefs and emotions is the manner In which they present themselves to society. Hester displays her beliefs about her own character through her choice of clothing. Hawthorne also uses clothing In order to depict Hester Implementation of self enmeshment, which is a result of her negative self-perception.She alms to express that her appearance has become so unattractive as a result of her sin. In other words, her the unbecoming state of her heart which has become Impure Is reflected In her clothing made of â€Å"the coarsest materials† with colors of â€Å"the most somber hue. † The most eye-catching article of her outfit, the scarlet letter, also greatly contributes to the physical display of her sin. Purposely reminding the peopl e and herself about that which she is guilty of is how Hester punishes herself mutinously.Her self punishment involved not only wearing â€Å"plain† clothing, but also practicing asceticism in order to prevent her from experiencing any form of enjoyment. When Hester â€Å"devoted[sees] so many hours† to sewing â€Å"coarse garments† she is limiting herself from reaching her true potential of artistic talent. The coarse garments are symbolic of the bland dull distractions she turns to in order to restrict herself from working on that which she is truly passionate about, in other words, to refrain from creating beautiful and arabesque articles of clothing.Initially one would find Hester adornment of Pearl ironic in regards to her decision to live simply without any form of enjoyment. However, after closer inspection, it can be inferred from the diction within the text that this might be another form of self punishment. Hester makes beautiful clothing for her daugh ter Pearl to wear, however this is not for the sake of her passion to create elaborately designed needle-work. The fact that Hawthorne chose to introduce Pearl's attire in this specific paragraph nits that there is a relation between Hester self punishment and the reason behind why she adorns her daughter.The implied â€Å"deeper meaning† refers to the same reason why Hester wears plain clothing. Pearl's beautiful clothing makes her stand out when seen in the community, and the color and fancy design of the cloth reminds both Hester and the people of the scarlet letter. Thus, Hester uses Pearl's attire as a way to punish herself; the clothing will never allow her nor society to forget what she did. Even today, clothing Is one of the mall WAP through which people express themselves.It Is also a way through which they reward themselves. The opposite of this case Is seen in chapter 5 of The Scarlet Letter; Hawthorne uses clothing to depict how Hester displays negative self-perce ption. She believes that she must atone for elaborate embroidery. She also uses clothing as a form of self punishment when she dresses her daughter, as it will serve as a constant reminder of her scarlet letter and of the fact that she is forever labeled as an adulteress.

To Kill A Mockingbird Essays (520 words) - To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird Essays (520 words) - To Kill A Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is an ageless classic that takes place during the 1930s. In the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, there was a deadly racial attitude towards the people who were different then the general public. In a town of tunnel vision and hatred, Atticus and Scout stood out with open minds. Atticus was the anchor of reason in Maycomb. He understood many people in town and taught his children how to understand other people's feeling as well. Atticus believed that if you knew what someone had been through, then you would understand them better. Atticus also made Jem and Scout realize that no one is pure evil; meaning that if you look hard enough, you would find that there is good in every person you meet. Mrs. Dubose, who was perceived as an "old witch" by Jem and Scout, showed great bravery in her fight against drug addiction. Atticus believed Jem would change his opinions of Mrs. Dubose if he spends some time with her. Only after Mrs. Dubose's death did Jem begin to perceive Mrs. Dubose the same way his father did. Likewise Atticus defended Tom Robinson when no other lawyer would. He was one of the few respectable people who were not blinded by the racial injustice Tom Robinson faced. Not only did Atticus defend Tom in the courthouse, he defended him at jail on one occa sion too. It happened when an angry mob was trying to kill Tom Robinson, but Atticus risked his life to save him from that mob. If only the people of Maycomb were willing to listen to Atticus' wise advice, then the town would be free of racism. Scout, symbolizing the leaders of tomorrow, began to see how other people perceived things. She started to understand the meaning of "to kill a mockingbird." At first Scout couldn't comprehend what Atticus meant when he said, "It was a sin to kill a mockingbird." As the novel progressed, Scout begun to realize how people contributed to the community without harming others. For example when Boo Radley (the shy neighbor who never went outside) killed Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout, the sheriff of Maycomb County tried to cover it up. Heck Tate, who was the sheriff, believed that "...taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight" (279) was a sin. Tate reasoned that Boo would have hated being praised a hero by the townspeople because he was so shy. Because she had a child-like innocence and believed that racism is wrong, she could have been the perfect role model for people of all ages. Atticus and Scout, the few people in Maycomb who had enough senses to see the injustice of discrimination. Some people may ask how a whole town could be consumed by hatred. But even today our world continues to deal with racism. If people like Atticus and Scout did not exist in our world, then mankind would be in forever war until we completely destroy each other.

A Case Study About Healthcare Leadership

A Case Study About Healthcare Leadership Effective leadership is essential in health care organisations as in other organisations. It is necessary for driving innovation, effective patient care, patient safety, improving working within clinical teams, sorting out issues within emergency context and other aspects necessary for effective and efficient running of healthcare organisations. Transformational leadership has often been prescribed as the ‘gold standard’ of healthcare leadership(Gopee and Galloway 2009).This essay sets out to: briefly discuss the concept of leadership; highlight why leadership is important in healthcare; make a distinction between the closely-related concepts of leadership and management; briefly highlight how power relates to leadership; describe some leadership approaches applicable within the context of healthcare organisations; describe leadership styles visible in healthcare; present a case study set in a teaching hospital practice setting in Africa ; critically assess the leadersh ip approaches operating within the setting and its effect on organisational performance ;and make recommendations on improving leadership practice within the specified setting. What is leadership? Leadership can be defined as â€Å"the ability of an individual to influence a group of people to achieve a goal(Bryman 1992).It is also noted that ‘leadership can have four possible meanings, namely: the activity of leading; the body of people who lead a group; the status of the leader; and the ability to lead'(Gopee and Galloway 2009). Kouzes and Posner (2007) suggest some characteristics of an effective leader namely to: be more effective in meeting job-related demands; be more successful in representing their units in upper management; create higher performing teams; foster renewed loyalty and commitment; increase motivational levels and willingness to work hard; and possess high degree of personal integrity. Why leadership in healthcare? Effective leadership and management has been found to contribute to efficiency of health care services, performance (McColl-Kennedy and Anderson 2002) and satisfaction of staff employed within them.(Bradley and Alimo-Metcalfe 2008) researched the causal relationship between leadership behaviours and the performance and productivity of staff and found that ‘engaging leadership’ improved employee engagement and performance. (Morrison, Jones et al. 1997) studied the relationship between leadership style, empowerment, and job satisfaction on nursing staff at a regional medical centre. They used Bass’s Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire to measure leadership style, items from Spreitzer’s Psychological Empowerment instrument to measure empowerment, and the Warr, Cook, and Wall’s job satisfaction questionnaire to measure job satisfaction. The authors found that both transformational and transactional leadership were positively associated with job satisfaction. Some other researchers reported t hat good leadership skills impacted on patient safety and quality of care (Corrigan, Lickey et al. 2000; Firth-Cozens and Mowbray 2001; Mohr, Abelson et al. 2002).Furthermore, leadership skills are essential in the world of public health policy and leadership is one of the core competencies required of public health trainees(Faculty of Public Health 2010). Leadership versus management Relevant to this discourse is making a distinction between leadership and management. They are two similar but distinct concepts. Management is seen as seeking order and maintaining stability while leadership is seen as seeking adaptive and constructive change. Leadership in the healthcare context aims to influence practitioners towards the achievement of the common goal of quality patient care. On the other hand, management as a process coordinates and directs the activities of an organisation to ensure it achieves its set objectives. Management ensures healthcare resources (human such as doctors, nur ses and clerical staff and non-human resources like medical devices and consumables) are utilised in an efficient way whilst delivering effective healthcare service(Gopee and Galloway 2009). However, leadership is known to be complementary to management (Kotter 1999; Zaleznik 2004).

Behavior modification for children with ADHD Essay

Behavior modification for children with ADHD - Essay Example This is a significant number that makes ADHD one of the most common learning and behavioral disorders to date. The number of American children and adults diagnosed with ADHD has significantly increased from over the years (Frame, 2003). ADHD is a medical term and as it is a problem related to children, that educators and researchers in education should learn its explanation and the symptoms that help identify the problem. It is necessary to clarify the term ADHD because it is not a single behavior but a mix of complex patterns that it is sometimes called an â€Å"assemblage† (Marcus &Saka, 2006 cited in Goodwin, 2010, p.2). It is a condition that the National Institute of Mental Health (2012) explains as â€Å"one of the most common childhood brain disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood† (p.1). The most obvious symptoms are â€Å"difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity). These symptoms can make it difficult for a child with ADHD to succeed in school, get along with other children or adults, or finish tasks at home† (ibid, p.1). In order to be diagnosed, symptoms include inattentiveness, disruptivene ss, as well as social and academic discrepancies in the child’s school or home settings. For example, this includes poor interactions with their parents, teachers, and classmates and a decrease in academic achievement. Children with ADHD endure these difficulties chronically and persist into adolescence and adulthood, negatively impacting their lives and the people surrounding them (Jones & Chronis-Tuscano, 2008). Many children are losing their battle with ADHD without the much needed help from their surroundings. ADHD cannot be categorized as a medical problem, but it is a behavioral and learning difficulty that needs to be effectively managed in the classroom by teachers and at home by the parents, because â€Å"there is currently no cure