Management Accounting – Setting Prices

cco Management Accounting Tutorial 5 15-3. List and briefly describe 4 major influences on pricing decisions Customer Demand: the demands of customers are of paramount importance in all phases of business operations, from the design of a product to the setting of its price. Product-design issues and pricing considerations are interrelated, so they must be examined simultaneously. For example, for a higher quality product; you need higher quality materials which will affect a higher cost and needs more time and this will lead to a higher pricing on a product.Also, a manager must not price its product out of the market price range. Actions of Competitors: companies must keep an eye on its competitors. If its competitor reduces its pricing on a product, they might have to follow suit to avoid losing its market share. However, one must not follow the actions of its competitors’ blindly as a company has to predict competitive reactions to its product-design and pricing strategy. Th e company must also be careful to properly define its product, such that if they increase the price of the product; will the consumers continue purchasing the product?Costs: some prices are determined almost entirely by market forces. Industries such as agriculture; where most products are market-driven. To make a profit, farmers must produce at a cost below the market price. This is very risky as it is not always possible to produce at a price lower than the market price and this will inevitably lead to losses for the farmers. In other industries, prices are set by adding a markup to production costs so managers do have some latitude in determining the markup. Therefore, both market forces and cost considerations heavily influence prices.No organization or industry can price its products below their production costs indefinitely. And no company’s management can set prices blindly at a cost plus a markup without keeping an eye on the market. Political, Legal and image-related issues: managers must adhere to certain laws. The law generally prohibits companies from discriminating among their customers in setting prices. It is also forbidden in collusion in price setting between major firms. Political considerations also can be relevant.For example, if the firms in an industry are perceived by the public as reaping unfairly large profits, there may be political pressure on legislators to tax those profits differentially or to intervene in some way to regulate prices Companies also consider their public image in the price-setting process. A firm with a reputation for very high quality products may set the price of a new product high to be consistent with its image. 15-11. Write the general formula for cost-plus pricing, and briefly explain its use. Price = Cost + (Markup % * Cost) 15-12. List the 4 common cost bases used in cost-plus pricing.How can they all result in the same price? – Variable manufacturing cost + (Markup % * Variable manufacturing cost) – Absorption manufacturing cost + (Markup % * Absorption manufacturing cost) – Total cost + (Markup % * Total cost) – Total variable cost + (Markup % * Total variable cost) Several different definitions of cost, each combined with a different markup percentage can result in the same price for a product or service. 15-13. List 4 reasons often cited for the widespread use of absorption cost as the cost base in cost-plus pricing formulas. – In the long run, the price must over all costs and a normal profit margin.Basing the cost-plus formula on only variable costs could encourage managers to set too low a price in order to boost sales. This will not happen if managers understand that a variable cost-plus pricing formula requires a higher markup to cover fixed costs and profit. Nevertheless, many managers argue that people tend to view the costs base in a cost-plus pricing formula as the floor for setting prices. If prices are set too close to variable manufacturing cost, the firm will fail to cover its fixed costs. Ultimately, such a practice could result in the failure of the business. Absorption-cost or total-cost pricing formulas provide a justifiable price that tends to be perceived as equitable by all parties. Consumers generally understand that a company must make a profit on its product or service in order to remain in business. Justifying a price as the total cost of production, sales, and administrative activities, plus a reasonable profit margin, seems reasonable to buyers. – When a company’s competitors have similar operations and cost structure, cost-plus pricing based on full costs gives management an idea of how competitors may set prices Absorption-cost information is provided by a firm’s cost accounting system, because it is required for external financial reporting under generally accepted accounting principles. Since absorption-cost information already exists, it is cost-effective to use it for pricing. The alternative would involve preparing special product-cost data specifically for the pricing decision. In a firm with hundreds of products, such data could be expensive to product. 15-14. What is the primary disadvantage of basing the cost-plus pricing formula on absorption cost? The primary disadvantage of absorption-cost or total-cost pricing formulas is hat they obscure the cost behavior pattern of the firm. Since absorption-cost and total-cost data include allocated fixed costs, it is not clear from these data how the firm’s total costs will change as volume changes. Another way of stating this criticism is that absorption-cost data are not consistent with cost-volume-profit analysis. CVP analysis emphasizes the distinction between fixed and variable costs. This approach enables managers to predict the effects of changes in prices and sales volume on profit. Absorption-cost and total-cost information obscures the distinction between variable and fixed costs . 5-15. List 3 advantages of pricing based on variable cost – Variable-cost data do obscure the cost behavior pattern by unitizing fixed costs and making them appear variable. Thus, variable-cost information is more consistent with cost-volume profit analysis often used by managers to see the profit implications of changes in price and volume – Variable-cost data do not require allocation of common fixed costs to individual product lines. – Variable-cost data are exactly the type of information managers need when facing certain decisions, such as whether to accept a special order.This decision often requires an analysis that separates fixed and variable costs 15-16. Explain the behavioral problem that can result when cost-plus prices are based on variable cost. If the managers perceive the variable cost of a product or service as the floor for the price, they may tend to set the price too low for the firm to cover its fixed costs. Therefore, if variable-cost dat a are used as the basis for cost-plus pricing, managers must understand the need for higher markups to ensure that all costs are covered. 15-17. Briefly explain the concept of return-on-investment pricingA common approach to determine the profit margin in cost-plus pricing is to base profit on the firm’s target return on investment 15-18. Explain the phrase price-led costing. Target costing sets the target cost by first determining the price at which a product can be sold in the marketplace. Subtracting the target profit margin from this target price yields the target cost, that is, the cost at which the product must be manufactured. This simple, but strategically important, relationship can expressed in the following equation:Target cost = Target price – Target profit 15-19. Why is a focus on the customer such a key principle of target costing? To be successful at target costing, management must listen to the company’s customers. Management needs to aggressivel y seek customer feedback and then the products must be designed to satisfy customer demand and be sold at a price they are willing to pay. In short, the target costing approach is market driven. 15-25. Describe the following approaches to pricing new products: skimming pricing, penetration pricing and target costing.Skimming pricing; which the initial product price is set high, and short-term profits are reaped on the new product. The initial market will be small, due in part to the high initial price. This pricing approach often is used for unique products, where there are people who ‘must have it’ whatever the price. As the product gains acceptance and its appeal broadens, the price is lowered gradually. Eventually, the product is priced in range that appeals to several kinds of buyers. Penetration pricing; which the initial price is set relatively low. By setting a low price for a new product, the management hopes to penetrate a ew market deeply, quickly gaining a la rge market share. This pricing approach often is used for products that are of good quality, but do not stand out as vastly better than competing products. Target cost; where the company first uses market research to determine the price at which a new product can be sold. Given the likely sales price, management computes the cost for which the product must be manufactured in order to provide the firm with the cost for which the product must be manufactured in order to provide the firm with an acceptable profit margin.Finally, the engineers and cost analysts work together to design a product that can be manufactured for the allowable costs. This method is used widely by companies in the development stages of new products. It is projected long-run cost that will enable a firm to enter and remain in the market for the product and compete successfully with the firm’s competitors. 15-27. Briefly explain the potential negative consequences in pricing decisions from using a traditio nal, volume-based product-costing system. Use of a traditional, volume-based product-costing system may result in significant cost distortion among product lines.In many cases, high-volume and relatively simple products are overcosted while low-volume and complex products are undercosted. This results from the fact that high0volume and relatively simple products require proportionately less activity per unit for various manufacturing support activities than do low-volume and complex products, yet a traditional product-costing system, in which all overhead is assigned on the basis of a single unit-level activity like DL hours, it fails to capture the cost implications of product diversity.

Person Who Changed My Life

We all have people who have changed our lives. People can change your life in a positive or negative way. My grandmother Esther changed my life in a positive way. My grandmother basically raised me. She changed my life and I am glad she did. My grandmother was a very hardworking woman. She valued education even though she never received an education during her childhood. It really touched me the way she would try to help me and give me advice. This made me work extremely hard in school. My grandmother taught me how important it is to tolerate people and certain situations. She told me showing people respect will get you a long way in life, as well as seeking help in hard times and facing problems instead of running away from them. Because of this, I try to see the good in people and over look the bad. When I have a problem I think of ways to solve it. When I cannot find a solution I ask for help before things get worse. She was very humble and kind. She did not let people take her kindness for weakness. She did not mind helping people. When you are wrong you have to swallow your pride and say your sorry. That is one thing she always did and taught me. The word love is used to often these for small things that do not matter. Few people understand what love really is. It is not trait we are born with like the color of our eyes. We have to learn to love ourselves and others. If you love some one you show it through actions and help them change if they need to.

Naturalistic Observation

Naturalistic observation is considered as one of the basic methods in psychological research and study. This fundamental research methodology is known to divulge and aid the psychologist in his or her critical analysis of the human behavior and characteristics while in socially acceptable public domain in his or her course of interacting with other individuals in their aspect of addressing their sociological needs. In this aspect of human interaction, psychologist try to significantly analyze the human nature as shown by their actions both involving the verbal and non-verbal communication style and how individuals manifest their motives while adhering to the social values and cultures pertaining to public communication. Naturalistic observation is commonly an actual observation of subjects mainly while they are in their course of social interaction specifically while they are in the public place. In the course of implementing this method, the researcher must also observe social values and cultural manners thus preventing any offensive act during the observation. In addition, the concept of personal privacy and inappropriate intrusion should also be constantly observed while the researcher is observing the subjects. All of these limitations must be implemented while the researcher observed the subjects in an isolated nature keeping his or her presence unnoticed and ideally absent to the personal space of the subject during their interaction. The only aspect to be focused on in this project is the psychological behavior of the subject as manifested by their very intricate details such as gestures, voice, reaction, facial expression and impression and others. Project: Naturalistic Observation In this aspect of applying the method of naturalistic observation during an actual psychological study, this author conducted a personal project using the said methodology. In this study, the researcher particularly this author will try to support the psychological hypothesis postulated by Aronson (et al, 2004) and Lesko (2000) regarding the psychological behavior and actions of individuals during an actual social interaction. This hypothesis will significantly govern the psychological observation project and will guide the researcher in establishing an interactional pattern as observed through the subjects. In this observation, the researcher presumptively hypothesized that the dominant speaker in the first part of the conversation will likely speak more frequently in the later part of the conversation. The chosen subjects are a man and a woman both Caucasians who are dining in a restaurant and are observably conversing with each other regarding a specific matter which both of them can relate. It is very apparent from the observable verbal and non-verbal aspect of their communication that the topic they are conversing is very critical as they both stresses their own involvement and awareness to it. Verbal recording is not very likely in this situation as an attempt to push this is prevented by the environment and the situation at hand however, few notes of recorded key words denotes that they are talking about a legal and ethical issue in their work environment. Words mentioned such as â€Å"management†, â€Å"chief-of-executives†, â€Å"a settlement bargain† and â€Å"what the labor union ought to do† will denote that they are both involve in the same job and in the same issue they are both probably working with. This will suggests that the situation is likely an informal meeting between the two, possible from different party, to discuss some important details regarding their business issue or a settlement for the resolution of their topic. This is established to be informal by the researcher as suggested by their attire as they are into casual wear. In non-verbal observation, the actions and gestures of the subjects will denote that they are with a professional background as their etiquettes and manners are significantly refined for the matter (Aronson et al, 2004; Lesko, 2000). In addition, their gesture mainly the speaker, at their specific chances, will suggests a clear and direct emphasis on his or her point thus suggesting that their topic is indeed of high importance (Lesko, 2000). This concept is further followed with the high intention of the other to listen carefully and then reply with his or her personal opinion on the matter with a language that is concise and direct to the point. The observed intonations and voice volume is noticeably well modulated suggesting that both of the subjects as well versed in the field of the topic and that they are cautious of offending the other. With critical and empirical observation of the subjects, this researcher has noted that the man seems to be speaking more frequently while the woman speaks primarily in response to the man’s idea. This factor suggests that the man has the part of proposal or he is the one with the main intention for the meeting, which is likely established by him. The verbal aspect of the woman can thus be regarded to be as a commentary or a supplementary mean in this conversation making her the character that the proposal is focused with. In the aspect of considering the hypothesis that is previously stated, the man is postulated to speak more frequently in the following period. And in the observed subjects, the man is indeed noted to have spoken more frequently than the woman, which establishes the hypothesized interactional pattern in the social behavior of the observed individuals. Conclusion As observed in the conducted naturalistic observation, it has been determined by this author that social interaction of individuals are indeed influenced by their natural nature and motives manifesting through the creation of the dominant speaker and the other being the receiver. The person who has the greater aim and intention in each social interaction who is more likely than one who established the said meeting has the greater possibility of becoming the main speaker in the conversation. On the other hand, the other party becomes the main receiver as his or her speech becomes supplementary or commentary with that of the other. Thus, in social interaction, it is very likely that one party manifest as the dominant side to guide and focus the conversation as he or she has the greater intention in the said interaction. Bibliography Aronson, E. & Wilson T. D. & Akert R. M. (2004). Social Psychology. Prentice Hall, NY, USA. 5th Edition. Lesko, W. A. (2000). Readings in Social Psychology: General, Classic and Contemporary Selections. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, USA. 5th Edition.

Marketing plan Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing plan - Article Example the market share of the carbonated drinks has been declining in the segment, from 29.8 percent in 2002 to 21 percent in 2007 and also 13 percent in 2014. This is because consumers are getting increasingly health conscious and this has restricted, to some degree, the growth of the carbonated soft drinks. In China, the soft drink production industry is highly concentrated. Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola alone dictate the market with an approximated joint share of 75.0 percent in 2014. Big businesses with Chinese local brands, like Jianlibao and Future Cola, account for a joint 6.3 percent market share. By 2002, this industry slowly come in a growth phase, and competition among businesses has since intensified. Majority of small enterprises have departed the industry, amalgamated with other firms, or transformed business direction, occasioning higher industry concentration. However, the leading role of Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola have been protected in the previous decade. The market shares of these key players within the industry are comparatively stable. Soft drinks, in China, refer to synthetic or natural beverages with not more than 0.5% alcohol content that may occur due to fermentation of the ingredient sugars and the making of flavoring extracts like vanilla extract. Ferrell & Hartline (2011) noted that soft drinks` demand kept growing as the Chinese citizens consumption level amplified in the past 30 years. Aggregate volume and total present value of soft drinks` sales growth in China rebounded in 2013 as opposed to that of 2012. A key reason for this was the 2013`s summer weather that gave this industry a good boost in sales. A lot of sunshine implies that more people buy drinks to enjoy outdoor and majority of impulse buying are seen in such hot climate. Besides this, fresh product development in numerous kinds of soft drinks are expected to drive consumption in 2016. Coca cola will continue to upsurge its penetration into the Chinese with distribution in both the

Part 1 3000 word lit review part 2 2000 word research proposal Essay

Part 1 3000 word lit review part 2 2000 word research proposal - Essay Example These falls have led to serious injuries in the elderly such as fractures of the hip and other skeletal parts (Daley & Spinks, 2000; Tinetti, et al., 1997). Falls have also led to lowered confidence and a fear of falling that has caused persons to remain sedentary, putting them at risk for other illnesses (Fortinsky et al., 2004). Studies have sought to ascertain the factors that contribute to falls in the elderly, and of these, most have been connected with strength and balance (Lord, Ward & Williams, 1999; Gardner, Robertson & Campbell, 2000). Problems with strength and balance have been shown to be the major contributors to the instability of the elderly (Rubenstein, 2004; Gardner, Robertson & Campbell, 2000). Strength and power reduction are characteristics of ageing that lead to a loss of functional balance and confidence (Hunter et al., 2004). In fact, balance depends on an intricate interaction of several of the body's systems: musculo-skeletal, nervous, vestibular, and visual (Gauchard et al., 1999; Lemmer et al., 1999; Carter et al., 2002). Both strength and balance can be thought of as having a bearing on the body's the ability to maintain posture, and posture can be defined as the proper positioning of each body part in relation to another (Pajala et al., 2004; Lord, Ward, & Williams, 1996). The somatosensory system is responsible for providing the central nervous system with information about the body's position through proprioceptors contained inside the muscles (Anderson, 2002; Islam, 2004; Lord, et al., 1996) . Yet the functioning of these balance components is shown to decline with age (Lord et al., 1994; Thelen et al., 1996; Judge, 2003). Exercise interventions of the form of proprioceptive and strength-training exercises have been cited as having the ability to reverse or slow many of these effects of ageing. In fact, it has been strongly suggested by research that older persons who are physically active display better sensori-motor and balance skills than their inactive counterparts (Toulotte et al., 2003; Lemmer et al., 2000; Hunter et al., 2004). Though many researchers have studied the combined impact of these exercises on functional balance, much needs to be researched on the impact each has individually on functional ability. Further than that, what studies have had to say on confidence levels of the elderly following intervention is also of importance and has often been overlooked. Veteran researchers such as Lord et al. (1996) and Brown et al. (2002) have demonstrated the benefit of these exercises, yet without separating them to isolate the effects of each. Other research done by Gauchard et al. (1999) has performed this separation, yet without the use of clinically tested interventions. Still others have employed good interventions and measures, but implemented exercises for far too short a period to achieve truly significant results (Carter et al., 2001). It is the purpose of this study to further critique the literature explored on both types of therapy for the prevention of falling in the elderly. It will consider exercise interventions that employ both resistance and proprioceptive activities in an attempt to locate areas in which definite conclusions have been achieved, as well as to locate areas in which improvements can be made to achieve better results. It will then use the information gained to design, implement and evaluate the outcome of a specifi c lower limb proprioception exercise programme and

Divisions of Diet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Divisions of Diet - Essay Example For underweight people, gaining weight is recommended. However, for those people that are already overweight, gaining more weight increases their risk to various diseases. When gaining weight, it is important that an individual sticks to healthy diet. Gaining weight should also be gradual until an individual achieves their ideal weight (Gabler 20). There are different types of food that might help an individual to gain weight in a healthy way. Foods such as chips, sweets, cakes, and other high calorie junk foods full of saturated fat and sugar only leads to the increase of body fat and not lean body mass. Instead of these, individuals should consume healthy foods that are highest in calories and nutrients (Gabler 22). Fats from plants are healthy and can help one to gain weight in a healthy way. These include nuts, peanuts, seeds, almond butter, hummus, seeds, peanut butter, and oils. On the other hand, animal fats equally contain fats, though these are high in cholesterol. Individuals wishing to gain weight should also drink more high-calorie juices. High calorie foods play an important role in weight gain. For instance, an individual can eat breads, including mainly dense breads, as opposed to white breads. Dense cold cereals such as granola and grape nuts, instead of flaked or puffed cereals are also a good source of high calories. Vegetables are also a good source of calories. However, one must choose starchy vegetables such as carrots, peas, potatoes, and winter squash, as opposed to watery vegetables such as zucchini, cucumbers, and green beans (UCCS Web). Gaining weight is also made possible by consuming fruits, which are high in calories. Such fruits include bananas, pineapples, apples, and pears, as well as all other dried fruits such as raisins, dried apricots, and dates. These have more calories as opposed to watery fruits such as oranges, plums, peaches,

Rdms.group project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rdms.group project - Essay Example The id fields, which will be used as unique field (i.e. primary key for the table), will be taken as AutoNumber data type so that it can automatically inserted for any new records in table. For AutoNumber data type, Long Integer field size is always taken (in Microsoft Office Access). For foreign key fields, Number data type with Long Integer field size will taken so that it can be easily linked with primary key fields. For name, description fields, we will take Text data type with field size 50 character. The 50-character size will be enough for storing student name, student type description and class name. The Student table will be linked with tables Student_Type. The Class_Registered table will be linked with two tables Student and Class_Type. The relationship between Student and Student_Type table will be One-To-Many (1:N). The relationship between Student and Class table will be Many-To-Many (M:N) and will be represented by two relationships: One-To-Many (1:N) relationship between Student and Class_Registered table and One-To-Many (1:N) relationship between Class_Type and Class_Registered

Comparison and Contrast of Keynesian and Classical Economic Essay

Comparison and Contrast of Keynesian and Classical Economic - Essay Example As the study discusses  Keynes further argued that the level of total spending in the economy could be less to provide full employment. This disagreed with the classical economists who believed that the interest rate adjustments, wages, and prices would help to prevent the unemployment. Keynes said that the full employment happens when the amount of total spending is enough. Moreover, if the spending is not sufficient, then the unemployment will occur.This essay highlights that  Keynes also disagreed with the relationship between saving and investment not being enough to support classical claims that the support full employment. Classical economist described two forces that ensure full employment occurs. Those are the interest rate adjustments and wage/price flexibility. If the interest rate falls as planned and the investors result in little spending, salaries and prices can still support to ensure full employment is reached. When a competitive market occurs, the low demand will lead to falling wages and prices that will finally lead to all outputs being sold and prevent unemployment.  Keynes disagreed with classical assumptions about high wages and prices are not consistent with the real world. Keynes explained that variety of forces prevented prices and wages from adjusting quickly. These forces prevent prices and wages from changing quickly and in a downward direction.  Keynes said that many product markets are monopolistic or oligopolistic.

Family study-child Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Family study-child - Essay Example The mother was busy preparing supper, the elder brother and sister were handling their homework and the father was watching his favorite television program. On being asked to provide 2 story books she would wish to be read from, the child brought those she had interacted with previously and found them interesting. When I asked why she chose those particular books, she said she enjoyed the stories contain therein and that they always made her laugh. She recollected how their teacher read them the stories and made them repeat some words that were funny to her. She also reviewed how one of her friends at school found it hard to say some words correctly and mentioned she was better than her in that. In all these questions, the girl showed great ability when it came to answering the simple questions. She answered them simply and in logical manner, expressing her feeling where needed. On asking the exact point where she liked reading the book from, she quickly suggested in their bedroom citing that her elder brother does that for her many times. She also said that her teacher told her how parents read their children stories before they sleep. Considering the answers given it is clear that this girl memory had grown significantly that she could remember most of the things in her past. Such is the case that every happening reminded her of similar experiences or even conversations made earlier and she would recite them in a logical manner. While reading the first story, the girl kept comparing my reading that of her teacher. She particularly insisted on the fact that her teacher always asked them to repeat some parts of the story after her. It is interesting that the girl had a good recollection of the story and would interject my reading from time to time to ask questions on the story, although she already knows the answers. On trying to answer her questions she would refute some of my answers saying it did not reflect what her

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

Research Paper Example The essays from McArdle, the Scientific American, and Sharma opened my eyes to the urgency of research on and policymaking regarding superbugs. I chose the topic of writing a policy that urges the government to provide financial incentives for antibiotic research, controls how healthcare workers prescribe antibiotics, bans the use of antibiotics for non-related applications in the agricultural sector, and prohibits the sale of over-the-counter antibiotics. My research questions are: How did superbugs develop? What are the current effects of superbugs on society? What can stakeholders do to prevent the development of superbugs and to resolve the national and global health issue of drug resistance? The starting points of my research are the essays from McArdle, the Scientific American, and Sharma, wherein McArdle gives an overview of the superbug problem and offers potential economic and legislative solutions. If the government and other stakeholders do not do anything about this probl em, bacterial infection will rise, and this will afflict and kill many people. At the same time, antibacterial medication prices will increase, which will prevent low-income people from receiving treatment that will help them survive drug-resistant diseases. To know more about the effects of superbugs on society and their historical development, I used the keywords â€Å"superbug drug resistance† in searching for relevant articles in EBSCOHost databases. I limited the publication years to 2009 to present and came up with 525 articles. I selected Walsh and Fischbach’s Scientific American article because they described the effects of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on the rise of deaths in the U.S. They also explained how MRSA developed. They further explored how new scientific approaches can resolve the resistance problem. While going through hundreds of search results, I also came across Leclercq’s article. He provided an update on drug resist ance issues and the challenges in designing new antibacterial medication. Aside from McArdle, the Scientific American article from the textbook showed the connection between antibiotics and agricultural problems. While researching for the effects and development of drug-resistant bacteria, I came across a lengthy article from Lessing. Lessing provides a useful section on the history of antibiotic use in the agricultural industry, which resulted to drug-resistant bacteria that afflict human beings. She shows how the quest for increasing profits produced ill consequences for human health in general. Lessing advocates citizen action because so far, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Congress have not produced meaningful legislative gains that ban antibiotic use for non-therapeutic purposes in the agricultural sector. To gain deeper knowledge on antibiotic use in agriculture, I further searched for articles using the key words â€Å"drug resistance antibiotic livestock United S tates† in EBSCOhost. I found the article from Love et al. They described the history of medicated feeds, the nature of free-choice medicated feeds (FCMF) use, and U.S. policies that tackle antimicrobial drug use in food animals. Their article is important because they balance policy considerations with agricultural realities and needs. Aside from this article, Sapkota et al.’s study captured my attention because they examined the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant

Prostate Cancer in African American Men Essay Example for Free

Prostate Cancer in African American Men Essay Prostate Cancer is the gland below a mans bladder that produces fluid for semen. Prostate cancer is common among older men. Prostate cancer is a silent killer, and because it grows slowly, many men have no idea its there It is rare in men younger than forty. Risk factors for developing prostate cancer include being over sixty five years of age, family history, being African American, and some genetic changes. There is an estimated of 241,740 new cases and 28,170 deaths from prostate cancer in the United States in 2012 (National Cancer Institute, 2011). Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, behind skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men especially in African American men. one out of six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. For example, if youre at home having a cookout with 11 of your friends, its likely that two of you at some point in your lives will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. and If youre an African-American man, those odds increase to nearly one in five. Prostate cancer affects African American men twice as often as Caucasian men; the mortality rate among African American is also twice as high. African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer of any ethic group in the world. In the African American community men are at high risk due to low socioeconomic status, and not getting cancer screening because of no health insurance. With the increased amount of men being diagnosed each year it is shocking that many men still avoid visiting the doctor because it makes them uncomfortable and they are afraid of what the results will be even when some clinics give free prostate cancer screening. While prostate cancer screening test can have abnormal results even when cancer is not present, it is important for men to have prostate screening done.prostate cancer is usually detected through screening, and there are two methods for early detection. The prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) is used, but there are many factors that can inf luence the outcome of the PSA test. Medications such as antihistamines, physical exertion or recent ejaculation can raise a PSA level. Another test for early detection of prostate cancer has been the digital rectal exam (DRE). Although, DRE is a better method for early detection, it is also a hindrance among men, particularly African-American men, to screening and early detection According to American Cancer Society (ACS) and American Urological Association (AUA), the PSA and DRE should be offered annually for all men beginning at age 50. However, they also recommend that African-American men with a family history of prostate cancer should begin testing by age 45. Early intervention is the key to a 5 year survival rate. Prognosis of prostate cancer diagnosed at an early stage is noted as being optimistic. Despite these credible statistics, free prostate cancer screening and early detection remains a problem area for many health care practitioners when it comes to the African American population (Plowden 2009) Madeline Leininger’s Sunrise Model has been used in many studies over the past twenty years. Between 1999 and 2008, over 200 citations of articles were noted using Leininger Theory (McEwen, 2011). She postulated that nurses should attempt to increase knowledge related to the care of people who value their cultural heritage and way of life (McEwen, 2011). The Leininger Sunrise Model of cultural diversity is used to obtain compliance with prostate cancer screening among African-American men; the goal has been to build a relationship of cooperation between clients and health care workers. Educating the men as well as examining their fears and anxieties is useful in removing barriers of resistance and gaining trust, thus empowering the client (McEwen, 2011). The Health Belief Model (HBM) â€Å"postulates a person’s perception of disease threat and benefits of taking action will predetermine taking action† (Rivers, 2009). The HBM is used to determine the African American male understanding of prostate cancer and to identify factors that would motivate that populatio n to seek screening and treatment of prostate cancer. The HBM has been used to design intervention to educate as well as facilitate access to screening and treatment (Rivers, 2009). Leininger’s Theory of cultural care diversity is a middle range theory that is based upon the major concepts of culture, culture care and understanding the differences as well as the similarities to transcultural human care. Her other major concepts of transcultural care are, caring, and ethic views, the system of health care, the professional system of care and culturally congruent nursing care. (McEwen, 2011) The strength of Leininger Theory lies in the fact that it is a holistic theory seeking to cover both the diversity and universality of nursing care concepts. Caring aspects within and between cultures must include the acknowledgement of the similarities and differences. The theory has been widely used within the credibility and confirm ability of data gained from research (McGee, 1994). Because the Leininger Theory places emphasis on cultural s ensitivity and cultural congruence, it can be said that cultural knowledge will improve care. However, because the approach fails to take into account a political and structural inequality of minorities and focuses on differences and deficits, it can be construed that the culture itself is the problem. The possibility of reinforcing stereotypes and increasing the gap between provider and patient may actually make the care aspect less than culturally safe (Orià ¡, 2005). Leininger Theory can be used in a wide range of modalities when considering the problem of prostate screening. When examining the focus of this clinical problem i.e., how to get increased participation from a high risk group to prostate cancer screening, Plowden reached several conclusions that are applicable to today’s practice for advance nurse practitioners. For example, African-American men were more likely to seek screening and participate in the treatment process if 1.) There was a perceived susceptibility to prostate cancer and that threat was perceived as severe in life threatening or disabling . 2.) There were perceived benefits to the screening such as early detection and accurate diagnosis. 3.) There were no perceived barriers. 4.) Sufficient triggers need to exist to motivate behavior (Plowden, 2009). When applying these findings to advanced nurse practitioners’ practices, it can be said that men in the high risk groups must first be educated on the risks of prostate cancer. They need to understand the implications involved with failure to be screened. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are very important to the 5 year survival post diagnosis. Screening is essential to the quality of life for a person diagnosed with prostate cancer. For example, lifestyle changes would have to be made after a radical prostectomy versus a chemo radiation treatment of a localized slow growing tumor. When health care professionals can successfully manage to remove or go around barriers, whether real or perceived, the goal of seeking medical intervention is improved. Health care professionals can attempt to established sufficient triggers so that the behavior can be motivated to attain compliance to screening. The advanced nurse practitioner’s challenge will be to first establish trust and reputation as a caregiver who cares and is approachable; educate the population of the high risk group to the benefits of early detection versus late discovery; provide easy access to screening and the follow up phase of the intervention; and maintain confidentiality. Peer group discussions with professionals have shown to aid in getting better compliance (Plowden, 2009). The African-American males’ decision making process when considering prostate cancer screening is influenced greatly by cultural mores and beliefs. These cultural beliefs often lead to a lower rate of compliance to free screening versus all other races i.e. Caucasians, etc. Leisiniger’s cultural diversity theory can be used to effectively educate and increase compliance by teaching practitioners ways to overcome these cultural barriers. By following the concepts of care, caring, and understanding feelings of self, as well as the feelings of others, it is possible to overcome cultural barriers. Works Cited Cherath, Lata, et al. Prostate Cancer. The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Laurie J. Fundukian. 4th ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 3578-3584. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. LATEST RESEARCH: Faster Prostate Cancer Growth In Black Men?. Prostate Disorders (2011): 31. Health Source Consumer Edition. Web. 7 Dec. 2012 Prostate Cancer. National Cancer Institute. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2009 (Vintage 2009 Populations), National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. .

Mississipi Burning Essay Example for Free

Mississipi Burning Essay The film, Mississippi Burning (1989) can be classified as a very useful source for a historian studying the Civil Rights Movement, however, there are a few noticeable limitations that could prevent the historian from gaining a full understanding of the true culture in the Southern States of America. The film thoroughly examines the role of the Klu Klux Klan and touches upon the role of the media. Despite the useful information that is provided throughout the film, there are certain flaws that limit the historian from gaining knowledge on the true nature of Southern Americans. In the 1950s the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement triggered the Klu Klux Klan organisations to ramp up their terrorisation of the African Americans. The most significant of these was the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan led by Robert Shelton. In the Deep South considerable amounts of pressure were put on blacks by the Klan not to vote. An example of this was in the state of Mississippi. By 1960, 42% of the population was black but only 2% were registered to vote. Lynching was still employed as a method of terrorising the local black population. (Klu Klux Klan, http://www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/USAkkk. htm) The film ‘Mississippi Burning’ supports this information and displays some of the methods the Klu Klux Klan used to attack and threaten African Americans as well as those who supported integration between blacks and whites. The media played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. People throughout the world were able to view significant events such as riots, marches and certain court cases. This meant that people became more aware of the extent of violence and injustice that was bestowed on African Americans, particularly in the small country towns in the Southern States. Actually viewing all this violence sparked even more rage amongst those who believed in the Civil Rights Movement. While the majority of White Americans still harbored racist views, many were horrified with the beatings, murders and other brutalities exposed by the media. Many northern whites did not understand what was happening in the South. The new surfacing of television delivered powerful images to the nations living room. Print media was important, but it was television coverage that played a major role in the changing of attitude towards the Civil Rights Movement. The film ‘Mississippi Burning’ subtly but effectively touches upon the role of the media. Throughout the film, there are shots of cameramen filming significant events such as the search for the missing activists and the court case for their murder. This allowed viewers to get a sense of how much the media was used to in this era to help people around the world become aware of atrocities occurring in Southern America. Despite the valuable information, that supported other sources, in the film Mississippi Burning, there were various inaccuracies that could potentially mislead a historian studying the Civil Rights Movement. To make the film more entertaining, it was clear that the producers of the movie were fairly biased towards the Southern Americans and portrayed them all as ‘redneck’ racists. In actual fact there were a number of residents in Mississippi who did accept the Civil Rights Movement and participated in marches and riots against those who refused to do so. Another inaccuracy in the film was the way the detectives discovered Deputy Pell was guilty of participating in the murders of the Civil Rights Activists. In the film, Agent Anderson becomes relatively close with Mrs. Pell, Deputy Pell’s wife. He eventually manages to milk information out of her. In reality, Klu Klux Klan member, James Jordon, confessed to the FBI agents that he witnessed the murders and agreed to co-operate with the investigation. Mississippi Burning is in many ways a useful secondary source for a historian studying the Civil Rights movement. The Klu Klux Klan were heavily acknowledged in the film and their methods of terrorising African Americans were exceptionally realistic, supporting other sources about Southern American culture. The media was also touched upon throughout the film, providing evidence that the media played a large role in the acceptance of the Civil Rights Movement. Despite the small inaccuracies in the film to create a more entertaining storyline for viewers, the benefits of the information provided, outweigh the flaws.

Victorian Decade of Crisis: An Overview

Victorian Decade of Crisis: An Overview Why have the 1880s been viewed by historians as a decade of crisis for London? Great city of the midnight sun, Whose day begins when day is done.[1] The late Victorian era was a time of many developments, and much progress. After a number of short trade depressions in the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign, the situation stabilised and then increased from the mid-1840s. This was largely due to the massive spread of railways at the time. This period of increasing industry was complemented by the so-called ‘Golden Age’ of High Farming; when agriculture enjoyed similar successes, despite the repeal of the corn laws in 1846. This Golden Age was followed, however, by a period of prolonged depression which spanned over twenty years from the early 1870s until the mid 1890s. It was only in 1914, with the outbreak of the Great War, that the relative decline of Britain as an industrial power became apparent. Why were the 1880s such years of crisis, and what was the extent of this crisis? Although the decade falls in what is usually described as the Great Depression, export and production figures for the period suggest the industrial situation was not as bad as some believe. The steel industry continued to expand, as did the coal and cotton textiles industries. The amount of cotton cloth exported was 3573 million yards between 1870-79, while between 1880-89, this figure increased 4675 million yards.[2] As Burnett states, â€Å"by the decade of the 1880s, it was clear that the growth both of the cotton and woollen industries had fallen off sharply†¦Ã¢â‚¬ [3] There were, however, other aspects of the period which warranted the description more. Prices were falling, for example, which meant the value of exports was reduced, thereby reducing profits. Unemployment in the decade averaged 5.4% compared to 4.6% in the twenty years before 1874. In 1886, the figure rose for that year to 10%.[4] The cause of the depression has been attributed to the reduction in railway building which started. In each five year period between 1845 and 1870, an average of 2000 miles of new track were laid, while between 1885 and 1900, this figure fell to 750 miles.[5] This affected one of the major growth industries of the earlier period; the steel industry, as demand fell. It was also during this period that the competition from other countries began to be noticed. This came most acutely from Germany and the USA. German coal production rose from 34 million tons in 1870 to 59 million tons in 1880, while US coal production rose to 64.9 million tons in the same period. While British production was still ahead at 149 million tons, competition was growing. The case was similar in pig-iron and steel production.[6] In the US, machines such as the typewriter and the sewing machine were being developed. Having been the first nation to industrialise, much of the machinery and equipment used in British industry was becoming outdated and surpassed by technology which the newly industrialising nations were utilising. It was in this period, and during the 1880s in particular, that the extent of this relative decline began to be noticed, and this was a major contributory factor to the decade being seen more generally as one of crisis. As Harris points out, â€Å"one of the striking facts that emerges from the Census of 1871 is that, a hundred years after the onset of the Industrial Revolution, the topography of Britain was still in many ways that of a predominantly rural country.†[7] Britain, as well as falling behind in technological developments, was being pushed out of her traditional markets by these newly industrialising nations. The US could increasingly meet her own needs, while the European markets were being flooded with cheaper, often better quality goods from other countries. Belgium, for example, developed cheaper, better quality methods of glass production, while the Germans were able to introduce Siemens furnaces for steel production. While these other nations increasingly introduced tariff systems to protect their domestic markets, this was anathema to the British laissez faire approach. Consequently, the British markets remained unprotected and were flooded with imported goods. Another industrial problem in Britain during the period was the failure of British management systems. These, too, were becoming outdated and surpassed by competitors’ newly-developed systems. Often based around the family firm, management positions were often filled by familial connection rather than ability. Coupled with this was the lack of investment in new machinery and industrial apparatus which in turn contributed to the lack of competitiveness in British industry generally. There was a general lack of initiative and failure to get involved in the newly developing industries such as the petro-chemical and electrical engineering industries, which would soon come to dominate industry. During the 1880s, imports of wheat and flour into the United Kingdom increased to 70,282 thousand cwt from just 50,406 thousand cwt the previous decade.[8] These imports often came from the US, where the vast prairies were developed by trans-continental railway. The imports were helped by the development of large merchant steamships. The cost of imports fell dramatically, making it much more viable to import larger quantities of foodstuffs. The average annual wheat price fell from 47.67 shillings per quarter between 1875-9 to just 31.58 shillings per quarter in 1885-9.[9] An important development in the 1880s was the introduction of the refrigeration ship, which enabled meat products to be imported from countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Argentina.[10] Despite this gloomy economic and industrial situation which was afflicting the country generally, London itself was not amongst the worst hit area. The flux of imports affected the agricultural sector, not many of whom were to be found in the metropolis; particularly those who relied on wheat and cereal growing. Again, the refusal of the government to introduce a tariff system to protect the domestic market did nothing to help the situation. A benefit of the depression, particularly for those not dependent on agriculture, was that it meant food was cheaper. This in turn meant that those who were employed actually enjoyed a higher standard of living. In 1888, the Conservative government set up the London County Council. This was a response to the political activism of the great reformers of the decade, but it marked a positive step in the battle against poverty and want. It involved direct election of 118 councillors, which allowed public opinion to have a say. Although struggles for power even within this new body continued, it moved the battle to political ground. This development was complemented in the 1880s by the growth and development of more organised trades unions in London. This attempt to organise labour often involved the transport workers, and therefore focused on London. While this was undoubtedly a positive development, giving many workers, for the first time, an authoritative voice bout their conditions, it can be said that this led to increased struggle and clashing between workers and employers, which contributed to the idea of the city being in crisis. The most spectacular manifestation of this was the riots in Trafalgar Square in 1886 and 1887, which although they involved the unemployed rather than unionised workers, highlighted the animosity felt towards the privileged and propertied people of London. This culminated in ‘Bloody Sunday’ on 13 November 1887. Mackail described the events. â€Å"No one who ever saw it will ever forget the strange and indeed terrible sight of that grey winter day, the vast sombre-coloured crowd, the brief but fiery struggle at the corner of the Strand, and the river of steel and scarlet that moved slowly through the dusky swaying masses when two squadrons of the Life Guards were summoned up from Whitehall.†[11] Another positive development for London during the period, which counters the impression of London as a city in crisis during this period, was the effect on the great city of the railways and steamships. Having already assisted the growth and development of the empire, by the 1880s, they had considerably magnified the importance of London itself. As well as being a great international seaport, the increasing rail network focused on London also. In 1880, the total value of London’s trade was greater than that of its nearest rival, Liverpool.[12] London also became a symbol of free trade, as it was the centre of the great importing warehouses. This, of course, was not as positive as it may have seemed, given the negative effects on the rest of the country of the massive growth in imports during the period. The flip-side of these developments in transport was the social cost. People often had to be turned out of their homes in order to build the new terminals. Industrial conditio ns amongst the workers were less than adequate also. This was most marked in 1889, the year of the great dock strike at the London docks, as the workers struggled to achieve the ‘dockers’ tanner’. This event can be seen to encapsulate much of the perception about the decade as a whole; one of struggle and conflict between workers and their managers. Urbanisation was a major factor during the period. Much of this was concentrated in London and Middlesex (as well as Lancashire, Durham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, west-central and parts of south Wales). Increasing ground rents in the period were beginning to drive many of the middle and upper classes to the city limits. The term ‘Greater London’ was used for the first time in the 1881 Census; an area that was growing the most rapidly.[13] During the 1870s, rural population experienced an absolute decline for the first time since records began while urban population increased by 75% in some cases. In response to this there was a building boom in London during the 1880s. By the middle of the next decade, in London and Middlesex, nearly half of the population had been born elsewhere.[14] While this massive urban growth was positive for the city in many ways, it also meant more crowding, insufficient housing, increasing rents and costs and the dangers of disease that acco mpany such conditions. Harris discusses the fall in fertility during the 1880s. Commentators at the time put it down to the strain of urban living and the modern education system â€Å"eroding human procreative powers†.[15] This fall in the birth rate concerned many contemporaries at the time, and it has been debated at length by historians ever since. It is interesting that it coincided with the Great Depression, and another, later drop coincided with a fall in real wages in 1900. This general atmosphere of depression, economic an social, was perhaps at its most acute during the 1880s, and although it actually spanned over twenty years, it is this decade in particular that is remembered as a decade of crisis. During the 1880s, Charles Booth began his great survey of the London poor entitled London Life and Labour. this would become an important work in drawing attention to the want of the working class in the capital. It marked a realisation, or appreciation, of what was becoming a serious problem of poverty and low living. In one passage, he describes the typical working woman (who was often only partly-employed) as â€Å"generally elderly, infirm, penniless and a widow †¦ she is nervous and timid, and takes work at whatever price it may be offered to her.†[16] A major reason why the decade is seen as one of crisis, then, is that it was one of the earliest times that the poverty and dire situation of the working classes in London was forced to the attention of the wider public. Poverty was the â€Å"biggest single fact of contemporary existence.†[17] Poverty, poor sanitation and over-crowding were nothing new to the 1880s, but with Booth’s work, and the later wo rk of Rowntree, the situation was increasingly recognised. Booth’s work was followed quickly by other similar studies such as Andrew Mearn’s The Bitter Cry of Outcast London (1883) and General Booth’s In Darkest England and the Way Out (1890). In 1887, Henry Hyndman published a pamphlet entitled A Commune for Socialism which was a plea for municipal socialism. This was a cry that was increasingly being taken up, as the importance of local government as a means of social reform was being recognised. Joseph Chamberlain was one of the members of the government of the day to realise this importance, and indeed introduce it into the national debate. He spoke about this in 1885. â€Å"Local government is near the people. Local government will bring you into contact with the masses. By its means you will be able to increase their comforts, to secure their health, to multiply the luxuries which they may enjoy †¦ to lessen the inequalities of our social system, and the raise the standard of all classes in the community.†[18] It was, then, increasingly brought into the national debate, and this bears large responsibility for the impression of the 1880s being a decade of crisis. This was, however, a positive step, as it l ed to increased activism and political developments favouring the working classes. In Victorian Cities, Briggs describes London as ‘the World City’. This captures how London was seen, both domestically and abroad, throughout much of the Victorian era. By the closing decades of the nineteenth century, then, why was the greatest city in the world experiencing a crisis? During the 1880s, the Quarterly Review described the â€Å"complete separation of the residences of the different classes of the community.†[19] This was referring to the contrast between the East End and the West End of London, and the effective segregation of the population of London into rich areas and poor areas. It has been said that the residents of each respective part of London knew and cared little about the other area. In another work important in stimulating the better-off into action called Tales of Mean Streets Arthur Morrison asked â€Å"who knows the East End?† The description that followed in answer reflected the common perception of the situation in the East End: â€Å"an evil plexus of slums that hide human creeping things; where filthy men and women live on penn’orths of gin, where collars and clean shirts are decencies unknown, where every citizen wears a black eye, and none combs his hair.†[20] The situation in London, then, was not homogenous throughout the great city. There were pockets of serious depravity, while other areas enjoyed great wealth and luxury. It was this juxtaposition of the East End with the bright lights of the West End that highlighted the dire situation in the East End, and did more than anything to contribute to the impression of London as a city in crisis during the 1880s. The stark difference was that although poverty was present in parts of the West End, for example around Belgrave Square, it was largely hidden from view, while in the East End it was clearly visible for those who cared to see it. During the 1880s, however, as London was increasingly being seen as a world city, as the capital of the greatest empire in the world, it was the ostentatious and dazzling aspect of the city’s situation which was emphasised. Here, then, is an interesting paradox. Although the 1880s saw some of the early social commentators and reformers recognise and draw attention to the ills of the poorer classes in London (as well as other industrial cities of England), to many London remained one of the greatest cities in the world. In 1883, for example, an Australian writer described London in New York’s Century Magazine. â€Å"We may talk of our Western empire and our admirable ports, of our growth and our growing wealth; but here is, and will remain for generations, the centre of the commercial and political world, the focus of intellectual activity and the mint of thought.†[21] The 1880s were a decade of great struggle in London. There was much poverty and want, with disease rife, and sanitation poor. The dire situation did not affect the whole of the city, however, and it was the wealth and opulence of the West End which highlighted how bad the situation elsewhere had become. It was also a decade of increasing social comment and investigation. The middle classes were, for the first time, taking an interest in their less fortunate neighbours. The decade was not the first in which London was in crisis; it was simply one of the earliest that the situation was recognised. BIBLIOGRAPHY Baycroft, T., Nationalism in Europe 1789 1945 (Cambridge, 1998) Briggs, A., Victorian Cities (London, 1968) Burnett, J., Useful Toil (London and New York, 1994) English, R., Kenny, M. (Eds), Rethinking British Decline (New York, 2000) Feldman, D., Englishmen and Jews (New Haven and London, 1994) Fraser, H., ‘Municipal Socialism and Social Policy’, in Morris, R.J., and Rodger, R. (Eds), The Victorian City (London and New York 1993) Harris, J., Private Lives, Public Spirit: Britain 1870 1914 (Oxford, 1993) Lowe, N., Mastering Modern British History (London, 1998) Mathias, P., The First Industrial Nation (London, 1969) Morris, R.J., Rodger, R. (Eds), The Victorian City (London and New York, 1993) Pugh, M., State and Society (2nd edition) (London, 1999) Taylor, A.J.P., The Struggle for Mastery in Europe (Oxford, 1971) Footnotes [1] Richard le Gallienne (1895), quoted in Briggs, A., Victorian Cities (London, 1968), p311 [2] Mathias, P., The First Industrial Nation (London, 1969), p468 [3] Burnett, J., Useful Toil (London and New York, 1994), p15 [4] Lowe, N., Mastering Modern British History (London, 1998), p216 [5] Ibid, p216 [6] Taylor, A.J.P., The Struggle for Mastery in Europe (Oxford, 1971), ppxxix xxx [7] Harris, J., Private Lives, Public Spirit: Britain 1870 1914 (Oxford, 1993), p41 [8] Mathias, pp472-5 [9] Ibid [10] Lowe, p221 [11] Quoted in Briggs, p329 [12] Briggs, p318 [13] Ibid, p312 [14] Harris, pp41 44 [15] Ibid, p47 [16] Quoted in Burnett, p35 [17] Briggs, p313 [18] Quoted in Fraser, H., ‘Municipal Socialism and Social Policy’, in Morris, R.J., and Rodger, R. (Eds), The Victorian City (London and New York 1993), p263 [19] Quoted in Briggs, p314 [20] Quoted ibid, p315 [21] Hogan, J.F., Century Magazine (1883), quoted in Briggs, p317

Influence of Nuclear Destruction on the Evolution of Japan Essay

Influence of Nuclear Destruction on the Evolution of Japan â€Å"The strangest thing was the silence. It was one of the most unforgettable impressions I have. You’d think that people would be panic-stricken, running, yelling. Not at Hiroshima. They moved in slow motion, like figures in a silent movie, shuffling through the dust and smoke. I heard thousands of people breathing the words, ‘water, give me water.’ Many simply dropped to the ground and died.† ~Setsuko Thurlow In a flash, 120,000 corporeal humans are destroyed. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remind us of the terrible power humans can unleash, and the horrors of nuclear destruction. So if we as Americans are distressed about this event, imagine what the Japanese think. The bombings are still very present in the minds of Japanese, and one does not have to look very far to see evidence of this. Everyday Japanese remind themselves of the past through popular culture. Japanese animation (usually referred to as anime), manga comics and feature films all heavily rely on nuclear war or apocalyptic weaponry as either the main story or a huge plot device. Such a cataclysmic, culturally altering event is difficult to forget. The memory of the nuclear destruction at the end of WWII is ingrained in Japan’s collective unconscious, as reflected in everyday pieces of Japanese popular culture, especially anime films and manga. Japanese are â€Å"still suffering from the sociological and physiological after-effects† of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Kawasaki 20). The direct victims and survivors of the bombings, called hibakusha, are not the only casualties of this event. Beyond these people, their friends and relatives all share a coll... ...nk heavily about reality, existence, and time. While viewers need not constantly think of the nuclear destruction that brought about this art, it is important to once in awhile reflect on how this reality came to be, and recognize history and the changing face of a nation. Works Cited Akira. Special Edition. Pioneer Entertainment, 2001. Grave of the Fireflies. Cmp/Us Manga Corps, 1988. Kawasaki, Shoichiro. A Call from Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Tokyo: Asahi Evening News, 1978. Linner, Rachelle. City of Silence: Listening to Hiroshima. New York: Orbis Books, 1995. Munroe, Alexandra. Scream Against the Sky: Japanese Art after 1945. New York: Harry N. Abrahms, 1994. Neon Genesis Evangelion. Perfect Collection. A. D. Vision, 2002. Tasker, Peter. The Japanese: A Major Exploration of Modern Japan. New York: Truman Talley Books, 1987.

Jack London Stories, The Red O :: essays research papers

The Red One Jack London was one of America’s greatest authors. His works were of tales from the unexplored savage lands of the Klondike to the cannibal infested Philippine Island chain of the vast Pacific, and even the far reaches of space and time. Jack London himself was a pioneer of the unexplored savage frontier. London wrote about this unknown frontier with a cunning sense of adventure and enthrallment. “He keeps the reader on tenterenters books by withholding facts in a way that makes him participate in the action'; (Charles Child Walcutt 16). He taunts the reader with unfulfilled information that subliminally encourages the reader to continue reading their selection. “The tortuously baroque style, it’s telling often proves an annoyance';(Gorman Beauchamp 297-303). London’s writing attributes are so deep in description and narration, the reader sometimes perceives the story-taking place with them included in the action. His ability to exclude just the very min iscule amount of information transforms his books into a semi-formal mystery. Mr. London’s tales deal with nature, the men and women who either neglected the fact that they are mere mortals, or they humbled themselves as being only a solitary one being on the earth. His stories satisfied the civilized American readers yearn for knowledge of what awaited them over the horizon, with either promise of prosperity or demise with a manifestation of dismay. Jack’s stories have to do with as much from the unknown as it does in dealing with personal experiences. At the young age of thirty-two, London set sail for Hawaii and then the South Pacific. Where he encountered cannibals and inspiration for the later to be, “The Red One';. Mr. London’s tale consisted of a foolhardy character named Bassett. Bassett is a collector of prized species who explores the cannibal-infested Island of current day Guadalcanal. Initially Bassett, against his instincts, follows a distant sound that emanates deep within the Island. After headhunters kill his assistant, Bassett himself, teetering on the edge of death, stumbles into a mountain field and falls unconscious, with only hopes of dieing. He is saved by a foraging native that brings him to the capital village London’s character Bassett, freely agreed to a death beheading instead of nervous meddling and contemplating the afterlife. “When I die I’ll let you have my head t o cure, if first, you take me to look upon the Red One';(Jack London 977).

Henry Ford Essay -- Automobile automotive industry biography

Henry Ford revolutionized the American automotive industry and forever changed transportation. Born on the morning of July 30, 1863 in a patch of Michigan woods, Henry Ford matured into the founder of the Ford Motor Co. that made the Ford name famous. The Ford Motor Co. would develop American automotive icons that continue to make a lasting impression. Henry's ancestors came to Michigan from Ireland in hope of a new life in a New World. His parents, William and Mary found success in America, unfortunately Mary died a tragic death after complications of the birth of her eighth child (Lacey 11). At the young age of fourteen Henry is already interested in industry and mechanics, he sees his first steam engine that gave him newfound enthusiasm to continue with his interest. Without hesitation Henry immediately gets out into the exciting working world and starts his own business with friend James Flower in 1879 called the James Flower And Brother Machine Shop. Soon moving to Detroit, Henry uses his skills from his company to get hired at the Detroit Dry Dock Company where he meets a major inspiration, a construction engineer by the name of Frank Kirby (Lacey 24). Kirby taught Henry to "Stick in his toenails" and to work hard if he wanted to succeed, Henry took him very seriously. Many years later Henry shows his respect to Frank when he decides to place the names of the world's greatest inventors and scientists on his engineering laboratory in Detroit. The names included Copernicus, Edison, Newton and Kirby. Henry had been working very hard lately and took a break from his industrial career to venture back to the family farm where he married Clara Bryant on April 11, 1888 (Lacey 32). On a quest to continue his dream of t... ... public, he succeeded in giving all of the United States access to travel anywhere they desire. While at the same time the nation's economy soared from the sales of other industries that supported his factories, such as rubber, steel and glass. Consumers were no longer confined to their small towns, now they can bring their families and their money to enjoy great cities such as Detroit, where Ford got his lucky break in industry. Today the automobile industry is stronger than ever, selling millions of cars to eager consumers. Every year new models are released with newer features and technology to lure the purchaser. Every manufacturer today should thank Ford for what it has done in the past, whether it was the assembly line, interchangeable parts, strong quality of the Model T, it's undeniable what Ford has done for the industry, economy and transportation.

Compare and Contrast London by William Blake and Island Man by Grace Nichols Essay

Compare and Contrast â€Å"London† by William Blake and â€Å"Island Man† by Grace Nichols. Consider How Each Poem Conveys Alternative Attitudes To Life And Society. Introduction The poem â€Å"London† written by William Blake (1757 – 1827) is a clever poem. Although we can appreciate it, and understand William Blake’s ideas, it was not understood or valued when it was written all those years ago. In contrast the poem â€Å"Island Man† written by Grace Nichols is a contemporary poem. The single idea that brings these two poems together is that they are both about the city of London. â€Å"Island Man† is in language that we understand today, Blake’s poem uses the English language of the 18th century. Brief Historical Background William Blake was born in a district of London called Westminister on the 28th November 1757. His obvious artistic talent lead his draper father to enter him into Par’s Drawing School in the strand. This lead on to him later being apprenticed to James Basire, an engraver who worked for the Royal Society of Antiquaries. He married Catherine Boucher in the August of 1972 when he became a freelance engraver. Blake was an accomplished artist in many areas, not only did he write novels and poems, he was also interested politics and religion but he could paint and engrave to a very high standard. Blake was introduced by Joseph Johnson to other radical thinkers of the day including Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, Joseph Priestley and Thomas Paine. In his books such as The French Revolution 1791, and America: A Prophecy 1793. He developed his attitude of revolt against authority, combining political belief and visionary ecstasy. The political situation of the time was such that some of his work was printed anomalously because he feared government persecution. In 1800 Blake moved to Felpham where he began work on his epic poem, â€Å"Milton† and â€Å"Jerusalem†. In these poems Blake reveals his social criticism combined with prophecy and biblical legend. In 1803 Blake was charged with high treason on the testimony of a drunken soldier named John Scofield fortunately he was acquitted and moved back to London. Blake died in obscurity in 1827 and was buried in an unmarked grave at Bunhill Fields. The poem â€Å"London† is obviously drawn from Blake’s own experiences of the London in which he lived. He saw London for the hell hole that it was through the eyes of a man that seemed to feel all the poverty and degradation of everyday life that ordinary people understood. His religious beliefs embraced Unitarianism a very simplistic form of Christian worship which was in direct confrontation to the Church of England and all its values. This sensitive artistic man saw all the horrific abuses in society, and this poem was his way of making people confront the problems. Even though he did not have a solution to the problems, he wanted people to face up to the problems and try to work together to make their society a better place. Main Criticism of â€Å"London† Title Blake chose the simple title â€Å"London† to engage his reader’s interest about their capital city. London was the heart of the country, the city of government. It was a symbol of power and majesty. As the reader would examine the poem however they would realise how ambiguous the title really was. Blake was preparing the reader for a powerful poem, but the power of the poem was in showing the reader how sordid their beloved city really was. Type of Poem This poem is warning the whole of London’s population just how hideous the real face of the city was. Blake was behaving like a prophet advising that people should fundamentally change their way of life. â€Å"Runs in blood down Palace walls† is a caution to people in authority that if they continued on their course of closing their eyes to the poor and the conditions in which they lived, what had happened in France namely the Revolution and the slaughter of the Monarchy making France a republic would happen in Britain. The theme of constraint and social control runs through the whole of the poem. People could not choose how they lived their lives. Subject of Poem & Its Treatment The subject of Blake’s work includes the exploitation of people and their eventual corruption in every conceivable part of society. â€Å"How the youthful Harlot’s curse†. Blake explains here that these young people had no choice but to resort to prostitution. Society corrupted them and they then in turn became sinful and corrupted. Voice The poem is written through the eyes of one person, but this person wants you to experience all the oppression and social injustice that is all around. This person has strong beliefs and is prepared to stand up and speak out for those who are less fortunate than himself. â€Å"I wander thro'† begins the poem and so sets the reader on their own personal journey through the disgraceful city of London. Mood & Tone A desperate and hopeless mood runs through the whole of this poem, it is negative and offers no solution to the terrible torment that the people suffer. â€Å"And mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness marks of woe.† Blake makes no secret of the fact that he sees misery, illness and oppression in every individual that he meets. Form & Structure The structure of this poem consists of four stanzas each of which contains four lines, this is known as a quatrain. Blake chose this arrangement to reflect the idea of control and authority with great effect. The monotonous structure of this poem reflects the way in which life is played out. This poem is very much like a ballad in that it tells a story of a walk through London and the terrible sights to be seen. Blake shows his genius in the third stanza when every first letter of the line spells the word â€Å"hear†, this being the last word of the second stanza. This technique is known as an acrostic, and is usually used in romantic poems, however in this case the poet uses this skill to underline the message of the poem, being that society must listen to his warning of approaching doom. Rhyme The rhyme scheme of this poem is ABAB. It is regular and gives a sense of control. The narrator is obviously sure of his ideas and completely confident in the knowledge that he holds the moral high ground. Rhythm The rhythm of this poem reflects the rhyming scheme in that it is very controlled in order to make the poet’s point of view quite clear. There is a continued steady beat, which seems to reiterate the poet’s ideas. Imagery Imagery features throughout this poem from beginning to end. Feelings and ideas are evoked by Blake’s particular choice of language. â€Å"Every blackning Church appals†. How can the reader not fail to appreciate the distressing nature of this poem when this line is read. A Church should be a place of God, holy and pure. This Church was black, which suggested unholyness, and ungodliness. The blackness underlines the feelings of despair and helplessness A Church should be welcoming, it should not repel people. The blackness of the Church contrasts deeply with the red of the blood that runs down â€Å"Palace walls†. The blood is an image of the violence that is all around. A very strong image is â€Å"The mind-forg’d manacles I hear†. Obviously the people’s thoughts were being controlled; they had no freedom of thought. The image of the physical manacle is powerful when it is used in the context of people’s minds and thoughts being constrained. â€Å"And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse†. We see in this image the death of marriage and the death of family values, marriage is under threat. Married men were known to visit prostitutes. In this final line many ideas are represented, one would not expect the word â€Å"hearse† which represents death and the ceremony of a funeral in the same line as the word â€Å"Marriage† which represents life and the ceremony of a wedding. The word â€Å"plague† in this line conjures up the idea that it is inevitable that society will fall apart, it is inescapable, and the very fabric of society was rotten. â€Å"Marks of weakness, marks of woe†. In this line thoughts of oppression appear on individuals faces. It is noticeable that social injustice has made them weary and downtrodden. The word mark is used to convey two different meanings, firstly how he notices these people, and secondly the physical marks of oppression on the peoples faces. Language The poet chooses the words he uses very carefully to invoke very specific ideas. â€Å"Plague† is a word associated with suffering and helplessness. â€Å"Woe† is used to convey feelings of distress and oppression. â€Å"Runs in blood† makes us think of violence and the brutality of life. â€Å"Harlot’s curse† shows us the negative side of the sordid life in which they lived. These words appear throughout the poem, powerfully showing the ideas Blake feels is his duty to share with society. Techniques â€Å"In every† and â€Å"cry† are repeated. This is to get the point across very forcefully. The effect of the terrible conditions in which people lived stretched across the whole of society. â€Å"Cry† in this context shows their fear, they are not screaming, they are experiencing internal agony. The full spectrum of people were â€Å"marked†. Blake is quite revolutionary in the line â€Å"In every Cry of every Man†. He uses the word â€Å"Man† to mean every ordinary man, they were important. Alliteration is used to great effect in the phrase â€Å"Soldiers sigh†. The words are bound together intensifying the feeling of the desperation that these royal servants felt. In the line â€Å"Marks of weakness, marks of woe† the alliteration strengthens the repetition technique. â€Å"How the youthful Harlot’s curse Blasts the new-born Infant’s tear†. This is an example of enjambment, the rhythm and thought are continued from one line to the other and is reflective of the flow of the Thames that runs through London. â€Å"Runs in blood† is a very powerful metaphor, the idea of oppression is cleverly communicated through this technique. â€Å"Mind-forg’d manacles† is used to illustrate just how oppressed people felt not only in body but also in spirit. The poem starts with the personal pronoun â€Å"I†. The poet wants us to understand that he has strong personal beliefs contained within this poem. He is prepared to stand by these beliefs and try to make the reader understand his views on society and social justice. Blake puts the words â€Å"Man†, â€Å"Chimney-sweep†, â€Å"Church†, â€Å"Soldier† and â€Å"Palace in capital letters. Here he is emphasising the importance of every section of society, and how each word symbolises every section of that particular status. Senses The poet appeals to our sense of sight and sound in his poem. In stanza one the sense appealed to is visual talking about the river Thames and the streets of London full of business activity. Blake concentrates on the physical surroundings. One stanza is in direct contrast to the other. The word â€Å"cry† is repeated several times, this together with â€Å"Soldiers sigh† gives the reader an understanding of the pitiful sounds that surrounded the poet as he journeyed through London. The poet wants us to listen to everything he says, he emphasises this in the third stanza with the first letter of every line spells the word â€Å"hear†. Our sense of sight cannot help but be engaged by â€Å"Every blackning Church†. Black is a colour associated with evil and bad happenings. Tenses The poem was written in the present tense. All the sights and sounds he experiences are happening now and need to be addressed immediately. Society needs to examine itself and change. Punctuation is used by the poet to control the rhythm and the pace. The commas are used to list the many problems that are witnessed â€Å"In every voice, in every ban†. The poet also uses other techniques of punctuation such as a colon in the line â€Å"Every blackning Church appals:†. This is to differentiate between two different subjects being the Church and the Monarchy, it is to make clear who he is accusing of being hypercritical and who he is accusing of being violent. The Effects on the Reader The effects on the reader are quite profound, we are left reflecting and wondering what is really going on in society. Blake hoped his poem would make a difference and reach people who could make society a happier and fairer place to live. He offers no solution towards the end of the poem, but hopes that others would think about the problems that he sees and make some effort towards change for the better. Brief Historical Background Grace Nichols was born in Gorge Town, Guyana in 1950. She grew up in a small coastal village and moved to the city when she was 8 years old. As a child she lived through the countries struggle for independence. She has worked as a teacher and a journalist and has a strong interest in Guyanese folk tales. Grace arrived in Britain at the age of 17, bringing with her the warmth of her Caribbean sensibility. Her poems celebrate sensuality and generosity, and attack petty mean-spiritedness. She has won many awards and prizes and is especially noted for her contribution to children’s literature. The poet spent her informative years in the Caribbean and so sees London in a different perspective from someone who has lived there all their lives. Grace Nichols also has a completely different cultural background to someone who has been brought up in London. Main Criticism of â€Å"Island Man† Title The title represents solitude and isolation, an island represents a place of escape and provokes feelings of a natural environment. â€Å"Man† is universal; it is anonymous and could mean any single man. We see here the similarities with Blake’s poem London in that his poem is from the perspective of an anonymous man. Type of Poem The poem is about a man who has a dream about a beautiful island, he would love this island to be his reality, however his reality is â€Å"Another London day†. The theme of pleasant solitude and peaceful isolation runs through this poem. There is a free lifestyle and a sense of liberty that combined with naturalness makes this poem easily readable. The poems are both concerned with the reality of London life. They maybe set at different times, but they both set in the same city and both are dissatisfied with London life. Subject of Poem & Its Treatment The subject of Grace Nichols poem is the wonderful quality of life on an island compared to the â€Å"dull† lifestyle of contemporary London. More than half the poem is taken up with the description of the island, we wonder therefore if the poet would rather be on the island than in London. The poet has experienced two different ways of life and seems to prefer the island life. In Blake’s poem however, Blake doesn’t seem to have experienced another way of life, his poem just concentrates on the appalling conditions f London. Voice This poem is written through the eyes of one person. This person wants you to understand just what its like to live on a beautiful island and then come back to the â€Å"dull† reality of their life as it is now. Mood & Tone The mood of this poem is one of longing. The poet wants to escape into her fantasy of island life. The fantasy is in stark contrast to her life now. Her sense of hope emerges when she describes the island; â€Å"breaking and wombing† is a phrase that reflects on nature and natural happenings, it gives hope. Despair seems to return when she describes London. The sadness appears in the poem when the dream ends, and he wakes up to reality, â€Å"island man heaves himself† he is weary before the day even begins. This is in stark contrast to Blake’s poem where desperation and hopelessness for everybody runs through the poem. In Grace Nichols poem, island man feels sorry for himself because he hasn’t got the quality of life he wants. Form & Structure The structure of this poem is random; it is obscure and has no particular form. It is purposefully freestyle and reflects a modern poem. The distinct irregularity and variety of each line length is planned. It reflects island life which isn’t planned. This is in distinct contrast to Blake’s poem which is in the form of a quatrain. Rhyme The part of the poem that deals with island life has no rhyme, however when we come back to London in the third stanza we see one rhyme â€Å"soar† and â€Å"roar†. This suggests that there is some structure and control to reality of city life. These words have an aggressive violent sound, they seem to symbolise the aggressive life of London. This is a contrast with Blake’s poem which has a rhyme scheme of ABAB which helps him to convey a sense of controlled aggression throughout his poem. Rhythm The rhythm of this poem reflects the poet’s thoughts. A dream follows no set pattern, and neither does this poem. This contrasts with Blake’s poem which is very controlled and obviously not a dream but a living nightmare. Imagery Imagery features throughout the poem. Feelings and ideas are evoked by Grace Nichols particular choice of language. â€Å"Morning† this is the first line of the poem, just one word. â€Å"Morning† conjures up images of a hopeful start to the beginning of a new day; there might be new opportunities in the new day ahead. â€Å"Wombing† is a word that invokes feelings of a safe environment. He is surrounded by the sound of â€Å"blue surf† and is in a womb of his own making. Feelings of the continuing cycle of life are reflected by the use of this word. â€Å"Wild seabirds† is written again on its own line to emphasise the importance of nature, they were completely free. However nature worked in harmony with inhabitants of this island, fishermen were a fond memory of â€Å"island man†. The poet highlights the fact that the sun rises in the â€Å"east†; the sun is a symbol of life giving and newness, the light of a new day. The â€Å"east † symbolises an area of beauty and mystical ideas. Some religions pray facing east, this is a very positive idea. â€Å"His small emerald island†. Emeralds are very precious gems, they are beautiful and unique like the island to the island man. The island is his treasure, his to own, he belongs there. The memory of his island enables him to exist in the realities of city life. His frequent dreams and thoughts always bring him back to where he believes he really belongs. When the poem comes back to reality the images are of â€Å"grey metallic† sands, these are not natural. We are reminded of the grey and dismal polluted streets of London. It was not a natural environment. The use of the word â€Å"North† has connotations of coldness and harshness. The â€Å"North Circular† is a road that the inhabitants of London travel around, it is a controlled motorway and symbolises the hectic pace of city life. A circular road around the city makes the reader think that island man is now in a life that he can’t get out of. In Grace Nichols’s poem there are many images of nature, quite unlike Blake’s poem where even the river Thames is exploited and controlled. The seabirds were â€Å"wild† they were completely free, quite unlike Blake’s poem where there were â€Å"mind-forg’d manacles†. In Blake’s poem there is no escape from the realities of life, of the helplessness and despair that surrounded him. In Grace Nichols’s poem she has an escape, she escapes into her dreams. Language Grace Nichols uses the language of today. She uses modern words such as â€Å"groggily† and â€Å"muffling†. Blake would have had no idea what these words would have meant. She uses words to contrast ideas such as the â€Å"east† representing island life and the north representing London life. Grace Nichols is not as detailed or aggressive as Blake but they do have the same attitude to London life. â€Å"Blue surf† represents island life whilst â€Å"grey metallic† represents London life. The whole of Blake’s poem consists of negative language over half of Grace Nichols’s poem, the part that deals with island life consists of positive language. Techniques Grace Nichols uses the repetition of the word â€Å"groggily† to move from one part of the poem to the other, it is a turning point; it separates island life from reality. Island man does not want to leave the island, it is an unpleasant experience in which the island man is confused. Repetition is again used in â€Å"Muffling muffling† to emphasise the fact that although his dream was clear, real life is confusing. Blake also uses a repetition technique, but he uses it to convey his ideas. An example of alliteration in Grace Nichols’s poem is â€Å"sun surfacing†. This paints a picture in the reader’s mind of the sun rising over the water, a very powerful image of island life. Blake again uses alliteration in the same way to evoke effective images. Enjambment is used to great effect, the poem is at random with irregular lines to reflect the randomness of a dream and the confusion felt well awaking. Blake’s poem also has thoughts running from one line to the other. The poem â€Å"Island Man† is written in the third person, it communicates a sense of detachment and could well be someone else’s experience, there must be many people in London who are away from home and feel a sense of isolation even tough they are surrounded by hoards of people. In comparison Blake’s poem was written in the first person making â€Å"London† a more personal poem. The same senses are evident in both poems, each of the poems only deal with sight and sound, but are treated in different ways. The poem â€Å"Island Man† sights and sounds are linked â€Å"sound of blue surf† gives the reader an idyllic image of a perfect island beach. In the poem â€Å"London† the whole of the first stanza is concerned with sight and the whole of the second stanza is concerned with sound. Tenses The poem â€Å"Island Man† is written in the present tense in modern-day London. In comparison the poem â€Å"London† although also written in the present tense is concerned with 18th century London. Punctuation Grace Nichols’s technique of using absolutely no punctuation what so ever is very effective, it communicates the idea of freedom and a dream like state. There are no rules in this poem, thought continues from one line to the other. â€Å"His crumpled pillow waves island man heaves himself†. This is in direct contrast to Blake’s poem which is ruled by punctuation. The poem has either a comma, full stop or colon. Effect on the Reader â€Å"Island Man† in the first half of the poem is very bright and cheerful and shows a very natural and free way of life, which every reader could identify me with and would hope to aspire to. The second part of the poem deals with the reality of London life again, which many people can identify with. In contrast Blake’s poem â€Å"London† is a very gloomy poem all the way through.

Performance Apprisal Management-Assignment

Performance Apprisal Management-Assignment Q 1: How do goals , objectives and competencies help in an effective Performance Management System ? Performance Management System : Performance management System are set up to provide feedback to employees on how effectively they are performing in their jobs. Such programs normally include a set of goals or objectives the employee must accomplish within the review period as well as the standards or criteria for determining whether the defined goals have been accomplished.Effective performance management include the following features: * Linking individual goals to the corporate and work unit business plans and goals; * Focusing on results, behaviors (competencies) as well as process improvement; * Regular reviews and updating of performance plans to address changing demands; * Training for both managers and employees on how to effectively give and receive feedback, including providing feedback to employees who experience challenges in perfo rming to the standards required in their jobs / roles; * Training for managers on how to provide performance evaluations that are valid, fair and unbiased.Performance management is about achieving results in a manner that is consistent with organizational expectations. Integrating competencies within the performance management process supports the provision of feedback to employees not only on â€Å"what† they have accomplished like performance goals, but also â€Å"how† the work was performed, using competencies for providing feedback. Assessing competencies as a part of performance management is an important means of assisting employees in understanding performance expectations and enhancing competencies.Multi-source feedback, while not an HR application per se, is a method that is often used in performance management to assess and provide employees with feedback on â€Å"how† they performed their work . GOAL : # The aim is to focus people on doing the right t hings in order to achieve a shared understanding of performance requirements throughout the organization. # Integration is achieved by ensuring that everyone is aware of corporate, functional and team goals and that the objectives they agree for themselves are consistent with those goals and will contribute in specified ways to their achievement.How do GOALs help in an effective Performance Management System : Corporate strategic goals provide the starting point for business and departmental goals, followed by agreement on performance and development, leading to the drawing up of plans between individuals and managers, with continuous monitoring and feedback supported by formal reviews. If we define the relation between the performance Management System and goals of the organizations then we get- # A performance management system is â€Å"the process through which companies ensure that employees are working towards organizational goals. # It includes more than just a performance ap praisal. The performance management system is also composed of â€Å"strategic plans, manager accountability, pay, promotion, training/development, and discipline. † Most organizations have some type of formal or informal performance reviews, but a performance management system attempts to provide the overarching structure for planning and analysis of activities for each individual, in the context of the organizational whole. Through continual assessment, the system ensures that successes are recognized and problems are addressed early.Better planning at the beginning of the year, including setting realistic goals for each employee, ensures measurable positive successes for the library and its staff, aligned with the larger organizational goals. When an organization has not developed a performance management system, lack of clarity in setting and developing staff goals, lack of alignment between organizational goals and employee goals, lack of communication on priorities , al l can be avoided through the effective implementation of a performance management system. Everyone in the organization is clearly aware about the common organizational goals and objectives.Once the goals are clearly defined, everyone works for the growth of the organization. OBJECTIVE : # Something which has to be accomplished. # They define what organizations, functions, departments, teams and individuals are expected to achieve. How do OBJECTIVEs helps an effective Performance Management System : Objectives are performance standards. They are used when it is not possible to set time-based targets, or when there is a continuing objective which does not change significantly from one review period to the next and is a standing feature of the job.These should be spelled out in quantitative terms if possible, for example, speed of response to requests or meeting defined standards of accuracy. Objectives describe something to be accomplished by individuals, departments and organisations over a period of time. They can be expressed as targets to be met such as sales and tasks to be completed by specified dates. They can be work-related, referring to the results to be attained, or personal, taking the form of developmental objectives for individuals. Objectives need to be defined and agreed.They will relate to the overall purpose of the job and define performance areas – all the aspects of the job that contribute to achieving its overall purpose. If we define the relation between the performance Management System and objectives of the organizations then we get- A structured and documented process encourages objective evaluation and fair treatment # Business objectives need to be linked to team and individual accountabilities. To measure the Performance Management system objectives are define as Individual output measures. like- * Achievement of objectives Achievement against agreed standards of performance, which might be descriptions of excellent, good, sati sfactory or poor performance. * Behavior, measuring the extent to which individuals exhibit behaviors associated with performance such as respect for others, trust etc. * Specific instances of performance for example commendations for specific pieces of work. COMPETENCE : # Refers to the behavioral requirements of a role to carry out the work satisfactorily. # What people bring to work in the form of different types and levels of behavior. Examples can be: job and professional knowledge, communication, teamwork, productivity, management etc. Practicing good performance management requires proficiency in certain competencies. Competencies are observable, measurable patterns of skills, knowledge, abilities, behaviors, and other characteristics that an individual needs to perform work roles or occupational functions successfully. Every organization has some competencies around which their business operations revolve. An efficient and effective employee performance measurement solution ensures that the competencies are managed well.Supervisors must manage employee performance well in order for agencies to accomplish their missions and achieve their goals. Consequently, performance management is one the most important parts of a supervisor's or team leader's job. Developing skills in performance management is a wise investment for agencies—an investment that will help them achieve their strategic goals. Performance Management Processes and Related Competencies-Managing employee performance includes: * planning work and setting expectations, * monitoring and measuring performance, developing the capacity to perform, * periodically rating performance in a summary fashion, and * recognizing and rewarding good performance. How do COMPETENCIEs helps an effective Performance Management System : Performance management competencies that all supervisors (and team leaders) should develop and demonstrate include: * Communicating. Establishing and maintaining effective communications with each employee not only requires good oral and written communication skills, but it also includes the ability to establish good working relationships.To communicate effectively with employees, supervisors must establish an environment that promotes an open door atmosphere, the sharing of ideas, and employee involvement in decision making processes. * * Setting Goals. Setting long- and short-term goals with employees gives focus to employee efforts. When goal setting is done correctly, employees strive to accomplish those goals and feel confident in achieving them. When goal setting is done poorly, work does not progress as desired.Knowing how to set goals effectively is an important part of performance management. To do this well, supervisors need to be able to clarify expectations and to set realistic standards and targets. * * Measuring Employee Performance. Credible measures of performance that employees understand and accept are critical for achieving high lev el performance. Measuring employee accomplishments, using both qualitative and quantitative measures, provides the information that supervisors and employees need in order to monitor performance. * * Giving Feedback.Feedback should inform, enlighten, and suggest improvements to employees regarding their performance. Supervisors should describe specific work related behavior or results they have observed as close to the event as possible. * * Coaching and Developing. Using their coaching skills, supervisors evaluate and address the developmental needs of their employees and help them select diverse experiences to gain necessary skills. Supervisors and employees create development plans that might include training, new assignments, job enrichment, self-study, or work details. * Recognizing. Effectively recognizing employees is another performance management competency. Being able to genuinely acknowledge a job well done is critical for strengthening employees' commitment to do their b est. Supervisors should be skilled at using formal awards programs as well as using informal recognition techniques, including personal thank and voicing verbal appreciation in staff meetings. Developing Competencies- Agencies will benefit in many ways if they invest in developing performance management competencies in their supervisors and team leaders.These competencies should form the basis for their training and development to ensure that the Federal Government can carry out its mission in the 21st century. (You will note that most of these competencies are reflected in OPM's Executive Core Qualifications for the Senior Executive Service. ) Because good supervision and leadership require effective performance management, we will focus this series of articles on the performance management competencies we have outlined here. The next article in this series will highlight communication skills.Q 2:Identify at least 3 general or core competencies for each (3) levels of management. Ex plain each competencies in details . There are lots of competencies. The 3 general or core competencies for each (3) levels of management are given bellow – Core Competencies of top-level management : Top-level managers make decisions affecting the entirety of the firm. Top managers do not direct the day-to-day activities of the firm; rather, they set goals for the organization and direct the company to achieve them.Top managers are ultimately responsible for the performance of the organization, and often, these managers have very visible jobs. (1) Intellectual Competencies : Planning and causal thinking :refer to implications, consequence, alternatives or if-then relationship analyzes causal relationships. It makes strategies and plan steps to reach a goal. Diagnostic Information seeking : Pushes for concrete information in an ambiguous situation seeks information from multiple sources to clarify a situation which uses question to identify the specific of a problem or other situations.Conceptualizations and synthetic thinking :Understand about how different parts , needs or functions of the organization fit together. Identities partners and interprets a series of event. Identities the most important issues in a complex situation. Uses unusual analogies to understand and explain the essence of a situation. Leadership skill– role-playing, decision simulation and job rotation are the training methods used to nourish leadership skill in employees, as the top management will be able to pick up this skill through working on different roles and models. 2) Influence Competencies : Concern for Influence (The need for power) : which refers to persuade people, anticipate the impact of actions on the people. Directive influence (Personalized power )-face up to people directly when problems occur. Collaborative Influence (socialized power)-Operate effectively with groups to influence outcomes and get operations. Builds â€Å"ownership† of controversy decisions among key sub-ordinates by involving them in decision making . Symbolic Influence : Personal example for an intended impact uses symbols of group identity. (3) Others :Self Confidence-refer self as prime mover, leader or organizations or the organizations mentions being stimulated by crisis and other difficult problems. Self as the most capable person for getting the job done. # Core Competencies of Middle-level management : Middle managers can motivate and assist first-line managers to achieve business objectives. They may also communicate upward, by offering suggestions and feedback to top managers. Because they are more involved in the day-to-day workings of a company, they may provide valuable information to top managers to help improve the organization's bottom line.Some core competencies of middle level managers are given bellow : (1)  Ã‚   Thinking about the organization : Strategic Vision-evaluate the internal and external business environment to develop a long-t erm vision and strategy for the unit/organization. Analysis and Problem-Solving -effectively examine events, issues, and problems, and generate optimal solutions in a timely manner. Business and Financial Penetration -demonstrate a good understanding of company’s business model and markets as well as good commercial and financial acumen.Ability characteristics– job rotation, job enrichment, decision simulation, practical training and teaching training . Motivational characteristics– the help of sensitive training, brain-storming, and case studies. (2) Deliver Result : Manages Execution -ensure achievement of business goals aligned with the operational roadmap and standards through managing execution of business plan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Customer Focus- foster a customer-focused environment   delivering exceptional service and anticipating future   customer needs.Leads for Performance -demonstrate and foster a sense of urgency and strong commitment to achieving goals. Drives Change and Innovation- champion new ideas and initiatives and create an environment that supports change and innovation. (3) Energize People : (Strengthen) Communication- communicate with impact, and create an environment in which people communicate honestly and openly   Ã‚   Engages and Inspires -inspire commitment and energy and a desire to excel and bring one’s best contribution to the organizational mission and goals.Develops Human Capital- ensure or contribute to the availability and development of the talent needed to meet current and future organization goals   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interpersonal skill  or Cultivates Relationships and Networks-develop and leverage effective network and relationships with others inside and outside of the organization. to use role-playing method to foster interpersonal skill in employees. Also, job-rotation and group discussion are often used on this dimension. Fosters Teamwork and Cooperation- promote a sens e of collaboration and work effectively across the organization to achieve goals.Conceptual skill– to use on-the-job training to develop conceptual skill in employees. Conversely, decision simulation and role-playing are also instrumental in developing conceptual skill in middle-level managers. # Core competencies of first –level manager or, first –line manager :(Supervisor) First-line managers are responsible for the daily management of line workers—the employees who actually produce the product or offer the service. Although first-level managers typically do not set goals for the organization, they have a very strong influence on the company.These are the managers that most employees interact with on a daily basis. There are many competencies of the managers which are given bellow : ( 1) Act as a role model : Adapts and Learns-work effectively in the face of ambiguity, shifting priorities, and rapid change while actively developing one’s skills a nd capabilities. Continuous learning – Builds Trust and Confidence- consistently act and communicate in ways that model organization’s   values and demonstrate fairness, objectivity, integrity, responsibility and transparency. 2) Personality characteristics– to use role-playing, sensitiveness training and case studies to forward employees’ focus on this element. Honesty and Integrity –truthfulness, honor rest two level managers. (3) Flexibility : flexible for their working time as well as the ready for outside of the schedule time. Flexibility is the ability to adapt to and work with a variety of situations, individuals and groups. It is about being able to think on your feet, and not being disconcerted or stopped by the unexpected. Communication- Quality result orientation- Team work- These are also very important core competencies of first level management . Performance Apprisal Management-Assignment Performance Apprisal Management-Assignment Q 1: How do goals , objectives and competencies help in an effective Performance Management System ? Performance Management System : Performance management System are set up to provide feedback to employees on how effectively they are performing in their jobs. Such programs normally include a set of goals or objectives the employee must accomplish within the review period as well as the standards or criteria for determining whether the defined goals have been accomplished.Effective performance management include the following features: * Linking individual goals to the corporate and work unit business plans and goals; * Focusing on results, behaviors (competencies) as well as process improvement; * Regular reviews and updating of performance plans to address changing demands; * Training for both managers and employees on how to effectively give and receive feedback, including providing feedback to employees who experience challenges in perfo rming to the standards required in their jobs / roles; * Training for managers on how to provide performance evaluations that are valid, fair and unbiased.Performance management is about achieving results in a manner that is consistent with organizational expectations. Integrating competencies within the performance management process supports the provision of feedback to employees not only on â€Å"what† they have accomplished like performance goals, but also â€Å"how† the work was performed, using competencies for providing feedback. Assessing competencies as a part of performance management is an important means of assisting employees in understanding performance expectations and enhancing competencies.Multi-source feedback, while not an HR application per se, is a method that is often used in performance management to assess and provide employees with feedback on â€Å"how† they performed their work . GOAL : # The aim is to focus people on doing the right t hings in order to achieve a shared understanding of performance requirements throughout the organization. # Integration is achieved by ensuring that everyone is aware of corporate, functional and team goals and that the objectives they agree for themselves are consistent with those goals and will contribute in specified ways to their achievement.How do GOALs help in an effective Performance Management System : Corporate strategic goals provide the starting point for business and departmental goals, followed by agreement on performance and development, leading to the drawing up of plans between individuals and managers, with continuous monitoring and feedback supported by formal reviews. If we define the relation between the performance Management System and goals of the organizations then we get- # A performance management system is â€Å"the process through which companies ensure that employees are working towards organizational goals. # It includes more than just a performance ap praisal. The performance management system is also composed of â€Å"strategic plans, manager accountability, pay, promotion, training/development, and discipline. † Most organizations have some type of formal or informal performance reviews, but a performance management system attempts to provide the overarching structure for planning and analysis of activities for each individual, in the context of the organizational whole. Through continual assessment, the system ensures that successes are recognized and problems are addressed early.Better planning at the beginning of the year, including setting realistic goals for each employee, ensures measurable positive successes for the library and its staff, aligned with the larger organizational goals. When an organization has not developed a performance management system, lack of clarity in setting and developing staff goals, lack of alignment between organizational goals and employee goals, lack of communication on priorities , al l can be avoided through the effective implementation of a performance management system. Everyone in the organization is clearly aware about the common organizational goals and objectives.Once the goals are clearly defined, everyone works for the growth of the organization. OBJECTIVE : # Something which has to be accomplished. # They define what organizations, functions, departments, teams and individuals are expected to achieve. How do OBJECTIVEs helps an effective Performance Management System : Objectives are performance standards. They are used when it is not possible to set time-based targets, or when there is a continuing objective which does not change significantly from one review period to the next and is a standing feature of the job.These should be spelled out in quantitative terms if possible, for example, speed of response to requests or meeting defined standards of accuracy. Objectives describe something to be accomplished by individuals, departments and organisations over a period of time. They can be expressed as targets to be met such as sales and tasks to be completed by specified dates. They can be work-related, referring to the results to be attained, or personal, taking the form of developmental objectives for individuals. Objectives need to be defined and agreed.They will relate to the overall purpose of the job and define performance areas – all the aspects of the job that contribute to achieving its overall purpose. If we define the relation between the performance Management System and objectives of the organizations then we get- A structured and documented process encourages objective evaluation and fair treatment # Business objectives need to be linked to team and individual accountabilities. To measure the Performance Management system objectives are define as Individual output measures. like- * Achievement of objectives Achievement against agreed standards of performance, which might be descriptions of excellent, good, sati sfactory or poor performance. * Behavior, measuring the extent to which individuals exhibit behaviors associated with performance such as respect for others, trust etc. * Specific instances of performance for example commendations for specific pieces of work. COMPETENCE : # Refers to the behavioral requirements of a role to carry out the work satisfactorily. # What people bring to work in the form of different types and levels of behavior. Examples can be: job and professional knowledge, communication, teamwork, productivity, management etc. Practicing good performance management requires proficiency in certain competencies. Competencies are observable, measurable patterns of skills, knowledge, abilities, behaviors, and other characteristics that an individual needs to perform work roles or occupational functions successfully. Every organization has some competencies around which their business operations revolve. An efficient and effective employee performance measurement solution ensures that the competencies are managed well.Supervisors must manage employee performance well in order for agencies to accomplish their missions and achieve their goals. Consequently, performance management is one the most important parts of a supervisor's or team leader's job. Developing skills in performance management is a wise investment for agencies—an investment that will help them achieve their strategic goals. Performance Management Processes and Related Competencies-Managing employee performance includes: * planning work and setting expectations, * monitoring and measuring performance, developing the capacity to perform, * periodically rating performance in a summary fashion, and * recognizing and rewarding good performance. How do COMPETENCIEs helps an effective Performance Management System : Performance management competencies that all supervisors (and team leaders) should develop and demonstrate include: * Communicating. Establishing and maintaining effective communications with each employee not only requires good oral and written communication skills, but it also includes the ability to establish good working relationships.To communicate effectively with employees, supervisors must establish an environment that promotes an open door atmosphere, the sharing of ideas, and employee involvement in decision making processes. * * Setting Goals. Setting long- and short-term goals with employees gives focus to employee efforts. When goal setting is done correctly, employees strive to accomplish those goals and feel confident in achieving them. When goal setting is done poorly, work does not progress as desired.Knowing how to set goals effectively is an important part of performance management. To do this well, supervisors need to be able to clarify expectations and to set realistic standards and targets. * * Measuring Employee Performance. Credible measures of performance that employees understand and accept are critical for achieving high lev el performance. Measuring employee accomplishments, using both qualitative and quantitative measures, provides the information that supervisors and employees need in order to monitor performance. * * Giving Feedback.Feedback should inform, enlighten, and suggest improvements to employees regarding their performance. Supervisors should describe specific work related behavior or results they have observed as close to the event as possible. * * Coaching and Developing. Using their coaching skills, supervisors evaluate and address the developmental needs of their employees and help them select diverse experiences to gain necessary skills. Supervisors and employees create development plans that might include training, new assignments, job enrichment, self-study, or work details. * Recognizing. Effectively recognizing employees is another performance management competency. Being able to genuinely acknowledge a job well done is critical for strengthening employees' commitment to do their b est. Supervisors should be skilled at using formal awards programs as well as using informal recognition techniques, including personal thank and voicing verbal appreciation in staff meetings. Developing Competencies- Agencies will benefit in many ways if they invest in developing performance management competencies in their supervisors and team leaders.These competencies should form the basis for their training and development to ensure that the Federal Government can carry out its mission in the 21st century. (You will note that most of these competencies are reflected in OPM's Executive Core Qualifications for the Senior Executive Service. ) Because good supervision and leadership require effective performance management, we will focus this series of articles on the performance management competencies we have outlined here. The next article in this series will highlight communication skills.Q 2:Identify at least 3 general or core competencies for each (3) levels of management. Ex plain each competencies in details . There are lots of competencies. The 3 general or core competencies for each (3) levels of management are given bellow – Core Competencies of top-level management : Top-level managers make decisions affecting the entirety of the firm. Top managers do not direct the day-to-day activities of the firm; rather, they set goals for the organization and direct the company to achieve them.Top managers are ultimately responsible for the performance of the organization, and often, these managers have very visible jobs. (1) Intellectual Competencies : Planning and causal thinking :refer to implications, consequence, alternatives or if-then relationship analyzes causal relationships. It makes strategies and plan steps to reach a goal. Diagnostic Information seeking : Pushes for concrete information in an ambiguous situation seeks information from multiple sources to clarify a situation which uses question to identify the specific of a problem or other situations.Conceptualizations and synthetic thinking :Understand about how different parts , needs or functions of the organization fit together. Identities partners and interprets a series of event. Identities the most important issues in a complex situation. Uses unusual analogies to understand and explain the essence of a situation. Leadership skill– role-playing, decision simulation and job rotation are the training methods used to nourish leadership skill in employees, as the top management will be able to pick up this skill through working on different roles and models. 2) Influence Competencies : Concern for Influence (The need for power) : which refers to persuade people, anticipate the impact of actions on the people. Directive influence (Personalized power )-face up to people directly when problems occur. Collaborative Influence (socialized power)-Operate effectively with groups to influence outcomes and get operations. Builds â€Å"ownership† of controversy decisions among key sub-ordinates by involving them in decision making . Symbolic Influence : Personal example for an intended impact uses symbols of group identity. (3) Others :Self Confidence-refer self as prime mover, leader or organizations or the organizations mentions being stimulated by crisis and other difficult problems. Self as the most capable person for getting the job done. # Core Competencies of Middle-level management : Middle managers can motivate and assist first-line managers to achieve business objectives. They may also communicate upward, by offering suggestions and feedback to top managers. Because they are more involved in the day-to-day workings of a company, they may provide valuable information to top managers to help improve the organization's bottom line.Some core competencies of middle level managers are given bellow : (1)  Ã‚   Thinking about the organization : Strategic Vision-evaluate the internal and external business environment to develop a long-t erm vision and strategy for the unit/organization. Analysis and Problem-Solving -effectively examine events, issues, and problems, and generate optimal solutions in a timely manner. Business and Financial Penetration -demonstrate a good understanding of company’s business model and markets as well as good commercial and financial acumen.Ability characteristics– job rotation, job enrichment, decision simulation, practical training and teaching training . Motivational characteristics– the help of sensitive training, brain-storming, and case studies. (2) Deliver Result : Manages Execution -ensure achievement of business goals aligned with the operational roadmap and standards through managing execution of business plan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Customer Focus- foster a customer-focused environment   delivering exceptional service and anticipating future   customer needs.Leads for Performance -demonstrate and foster a sense of urgency and strong commitment to achieving goals. Drives Change and Innovation- champion new ideas and initiatives and create an environment that supports change and innovation. (3) Energize People : (Strengthen) Communication- communicate with impact, and create an environment in which people communicate honestly and openly   Ã‚   Engages and Inspires -inspire commitment and energy and a desire to excel and bring one’s best contribution to the organizational mission and goals.Develops Human Capital- ensure or contribute to the availability and development of the talent needed to meet current and future organization goals   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interpersonal skill  or Cultivates Relationships and Networks-develop and leverage effective network and relationships with others inside and outside of the organization. to use role-playing method to foster interpersonal skill in employees. Also, job-rotation and group discussion are often used on this dimension. Fosters Teamwork and Cooperation- promote a sens e of collaboration and work effectively across the organization to achieve goals.Conceptual skill– to use on-the-job training to develop conceptual skill in employees. Conversely, decision simulation and role-playing are also instrumental in developing conceptual skill in middle-level managers. # Core competencies of first –level manager or, first –line manager :(Supervisor) First-line managers are responsible for the daily management of line workers—the employees who actually produce the product or offer the service. Although first-level managers typically do not set goals for the organization, they have a very strong influence on the company.These are the managers that most employees interact with on a daily basis. There are many competencies of the managers which are given bellow : ( 1) Act as a role model : Adapts and Learns-work effectively in the face of ambiguity, shifting priorities, and rapid change while actively developing one’s skills a nd capabilities. Continuous learning – Builds Trust and Confidence- consistently act and communicate in ways that model organization’s   values and demonstrate fairness, objectivity, integrity, responsibility and transparency. 2) Personality characteristics– to use role-playing, sensitiveness training and case studies to forward employees’ focus on this element. Honesty and Integrity –truthfulness, honor rest two level managers. (3) Flexibility : flexible for their working time as well as the ready for outside of the schedule time. Flexibility is the ability to adapt to and work with a variety of situations, individuals and groups. It is about being able to think on your feet, and not being disconcerted or stopped by the unexpected. Communication- Quality result orientation- Team work- These are also very important core competencies of first level management .