Life’s Journey

Life is an art of seeing everything as a purpose (Bangot, L. B.), this is what the statement of one writer when he wrote a fictional story â€Å"10:12’s Purpose†. Yes, everything has a purpose. The bad things that happened, this essay that I’m writing, all has a purpose. We cannot predict what will happen tomorrow, only God knows. The journey I life is the only journey that has many path. Everyone who takes has a different and unique road of adventure but what makes them common? Man has only two destinations. It’s our choice to where to go and whom to follow. How will we know our destination here on earth, simply, as we goes on with our lives, our hearts will lead us to where we should be going. President Fr. Robert Lawton, S. J. said during a baccalaureate mass: â€Å"So what is the answer to this deep insecurity that we all feel?† this is really an awakening statement. We never noticed about it but we sometimes feel it. What is really the answer to this great insecurity that is in us? Are we really insecure? One thing that will only answer these questions; we don’t have all what we want. Not all the goods are on our side. Even if all goods are there, there is still unsatisfaction and man will still crave for something that is better than what he have now. Even the most beautiful woman has an ugly that is in her. We are not perfect. We are made to be human beings. We don’t have that supernatural ability that will give us everything. If we have all, are we happy? Sometimes, but do we have a joyful life? Joy is different from happiness. Joy is felt even in the rainy season of our lives. We cannot feel this joy unless we do not feel insecurity. I remember a verse in the bible, it is on John 16:24 and it says â€Å"Until now yo0u have not ask for anything in my name, ask and you will received and your joy will be complete†. What a wonderful statement of Jesus. We can only have what we ask in prayer if we believed in Him as our savior. Believing means following what the Lord has said or commands and imitating His deeds. We can only have this if we accept Jesus as our Lord. The answer to our insecurity is the salvation that we can get from believing in Jesus. We will only be saving if we believe. In Ephesians 2:8-9 it says â€Å"For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith†¦.and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast†. It is only a gift from God. Every good works that we did will not be credited for our salvation. Our works (good works) are just an outflow of our faith. Jesus came into the world as a man and has nothing. Yet he wasn’t insecured because He knows who He is. He owns the riches of this world. What really is the most important to us? For me, it is the salvation. I would prefer to have all the bad things here on earth than to have no salvation. If I have the Christ living in me, why should I be insecure, my home is in heaven. In the statement of Fr. Lawton truly the journey to be oneself is the riskiest. If we have God living in our hearts, we have all the trials and testing of faith. We will be prune in order to bear fruits. It is the riskiest because the road ahead is a narrow road. If we claim to be a Christian (meaning: a person who follow Christ) then to be ourselves is to be a Christian. A Christian should be holy, humble, and everything you think that is right and good. A Christian knows God’s will. How, by meditating the bible. In Joshua 1:8 it says â€Å"Do not let this book of law depart form your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you will be very careful to do everything written on it, then you will be prosperous and successful†. Meditating is the only way to know what really God wants us to do. I am now in the stage to make my first pace in life. It is now the time that I will be equipped with knowledge about life. A four year University sounds like the entrance to be a real person. I feel excited but nervous, excited because I was given a chance to fulfill my dreams. This essay is the proof of the opportunity, but I feel nervous because I do not know what will happen to me, but one thing for sure, it is for my good. If I do not go to this University, I will be stuck as a person with no use (in the case the opportunity will just pass by without me grabbing it). I believed that Loyola Marymount University can give me not only the education that I need but the equipping to be oneself as well. In this school I will learn everything to be a person and not just that; I will also be equipped with God’s word. That is the most important of all. But because I’m still here on earth, I should also know what is happening and how to deal life here on earth. Also, I believe that LMU can give me the motivation that I need to pursue my journey. In other words, inspiration can also be taken when I’ll be inside the University listening to my teacher. But as for now, my only dream is to be part of the University and my only hold is the faith that God will give me a chance to study in LMU and be equipped for the life’s journey. Work cited: THE FAMILY DEVOTIONAL STUDY BIBLE (1987), New International Version. The Zonderval Corporation. Bangot, L. B. . 10:12’s Purpose.                           

Close Critical Analysis of Mrs Midas Essay

In Mrs Midas, Carol Ann Duffy takes the well-known story of King Midas from Ancient Greek mythology and places it in a modern context from the wife’s perspective. Originally, the story is about King Midas and the power he possesses that turns everything he touches into gold, which leads him to ultimately realise that wealth alone can’t make him happy – even unlimited gold. The moral of the King Midas story is that you can’t buy happiness, and also to be careful what you wish for as greed is sure to overcome you. This is where the present day expression ‘The Midas Touch’ derives from; meaning everything a person does is successful and profitable – as everything in modern society seems to be money orientated. Duffy implies another meaning to the story of King Midas as in ‘Mrs Midas’, Midas is portrayed as the modern day working man who neglects his wife for success and wealth – also reflecting the increasing number of couples having a divorces nowadays. The underlying theme of the poem is about the husband’s selfishness destroying marriage as men are associated with becoming too involved in work so neglect their wives/families. â€Å"He toyed with his spoon, then mine, then with the knives, the forks† the list of objects that he’s turning into gold illustrates the obsession men have with making money out of continuous successes they have; like Midas’ greed it seems addictive as they keep wanting more and more. ‘Toyed’ implies that he’s enjoying it; he enjoys being the alleged ‘money-maker’ so sees no harm in what he’s doing. It’s a flirtatious reference as if he’s using his male sexuality to get round his wife; this also may reflect how ambitious and prosperous men are perceived as more attractive by women (dependency so ensures security). Midas’ selfishness is highlighted when his wife describes her dream: â€Å"I dreamt I bore his child†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she can only dream of having his children as the reality is she’ll never be able to. It’s ironic how a wife’s ordinary dream of having a child can’t come true when her husband’s senseless dream of turning everything into gold does – Duffy contrasts men’s lust for materialism with women’s needs for simple things such as family. His selfishness is emphasised as because of his foolish actions, his wife won’t be able to accomplish these simple things – he’s already attained many successes it seems yet he’s asking for more. â€Å"My dream-milk burned in my breasts† milk that should be there is left unused so is causing her pain as she’s never going to feed this child, there’s also a sense of longing from her unfulfilled aspirations of motherhood. She’s never going to experience having a family (with Midas), which all married couples deserve to do. Following on from his endless desires, â€Å"But who has wishes granted? Him.† displays how no one actually has their wishes come true; only Midas could make this happen. The livid tone in which this is said suggests that he’s always had a greedy nature; the full stop stressing the bluntness of it as if, actually, she’s not so surprised that he was capable of doing such a thing. Her husband didn’t even consider her when he made the wish; he was that selfish he couldn’t stop to think about how this would impact of his wife. Perhaps this is imitating how in reality, men don’t always feel the need to consult their wives before making a decision as they feel in charge – ‘wearing the trousers’ in the relationship means that what they say, goes. The reader knows that the couple were in love, but Mrs Midas now fears her husband because of his power. â€Å"We were passionate then, in those halcyon days† implies that they did love each other, ‘halcyon’ suggesting that it may’ve been exciting young love as it was an early idyllic stage of their relationship; nevertheless they were in love which is now questionable since she’s afraid of him. â€Å"Near petrified/now I feared his honeyed embrace† portrays how Midas has subconsciously turned himself into something else – a monster – and as a result his wife is frightened of him and what he could do to her. â€Å"Honeyed embrace† sounds comforting – a soothing hug that’ll ensure everything’s alright, but really it means something completely different; it’s this embrace that will turn her into one of his gold pieces – end her life – so now she fears him more than anything. This poem very much seems to depict men as having dominating power over women. When Midas â€Å"sat in that chair like a king on a burnished throne† his status is represented as ‘man of the house’, putting him in light of the original King Midas. â€Å"Burnished† proposes that it isn’t any old throne but one polished to perfection, again signifying the lust men have towards a materialistic lifestyle. Mrs Midas feels confused therefore helpless, â€Å"what in the name of God is going on? He started to laugh.† displays Midas taking advantage of her ignorance, enjoying the new power he possesses. â€Å"Laugh† suggests that he’s pleased with himself and doesn’t really care about the consequences of what he’s done. Woman being under the influence of male dominance is shown through Mrs Midas’ obedience and ordinary lifestyle. â€Å"He asked where was the wine. I poured with a shaking hand† she’s acting the stereotypical wife who stays at home obeying the husband’s orders. The clichà © of women being the usual housewife is therefore present as well: â€Å"The vegetables cooked/I served up the meal† implies she does the cooking for them on a regular basis, as this is part of her daily routine. This is mirrored by the clear structure of stanzas, indicating the ordinary and boring life she’d had; the structure’s fixed and predictable. The absence of success for the wife also displays how women aren’t expected to work and achieve things for themselves. However, there is a slight suggestion to women maintaining some sort of power too. The whole aspect of the wife leaving the husband puts women into a different light, proving that Midas doesn’t control everything Mrs Midas does. â€Å"So he had to move out†, she’s made the final decision and he listened to her, he also ‘sat in the back’ of car which illustrates his decline in status from sitting on a ‘burnished throne’. She leaves him, â€Å"I sold the contents of the house and came down here† indicates that she’s taken a stand and even made money from it; the only achievement it seems that Mrs Midas has attained, is as a result of breaking up with her husband. This emulates how women don’t need to depend on men for success; they are capable of being independent and earning a living for themselves. Overall, still it seems that males possess overriding power over females. Despite Mrs Midas leaving Midas, it was fundamentally him who caused the marriage to end. She felt incompetent because of his power, so knew it was crucial to get away from him. At the end of the poem Mrs Midas admits that she misses him, revealing he still has a hold on her emotionally. â€Å"I miss most, even now†¦his touch.† implies she misses his humanity and what they would’ve taken for granted before – the physical side to their relationship, and of course with that the love they shared. Perhaps this reflects another negative stereotype of women where they’re seen as being too emotionally attached: Mrs Midas seems to be in love with Midas ‘even now’ – despite everything and him turning into a foolish, greedy ‘monster’. She doesn’t care for the golden ‘Midas touch’ that destroyed their love (which ironically is a positive association), but the true human Midas touch that loved her in return.

Country project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Country project - Essay Example According to our business strategies, Saudi Armco will produce an estimate of 8 barrels annually and manage over 100 oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia (Tait). In addition, it has 300 trillion scfd of natural gas oil rich reserves estimated to have a yield of approximately 260 million barrels, hence explaining why it accounts to be the leading daily oil producer globally (Fernandez). Some of these prominent reserves embrace Ghawar and Shaybah, which are the world’s principal oil fields ever unveiled. In addition, Saudi Armco boasts of having the world’s largest hydrocarbon network, which is mainly the Master Gas system - MGS. MGS is a gas gathering and processing system built in 1975 that will enable Saudi Armco to sell all its gas products obtained during oil production as well as from gas reservoirs (Badr 1). The system will also become Saudi Arabia’s industrialization main resource ever since it can produce large amounts of natural gas on a daily basis. (Ferna ndez). In addition, Saudi Armco hosts several goals it ought to accomplish like producing about 10% of energy consumed globally on daily basis (Zuhur 149). To maintain its petroleum production capacity, Saudi Armco will constantly involve itself in varied investments with the intention of heightening its good publicity, be the most reliable energy producer and a global supplier. All the company’s activities will encompass exploring, refining, chemical processes, distribution, marketing and production, which will all be exclusively under supervision of Ministry of petroleum and mineral resources in conjunction with the supreme council for petroleum and minerals. Initially, Saudi Armco’s plans were to use Cray supercomputers in its EXPEC computer centre (ECC) in aid to process large quantities of data from exploration (Badr 2). However, plans are underway to ensure we integrate a new supercomputing system with a storage capacity of 1050 terabytes to enable it support maj or explorations in the Red sea region. Currently, Saudi Armco owns five domestic refineries in Saudi Arabia, which will be primarily for availing adequate oil products to the local market. In addition, together with other stakeholders, the enterprise expects to buy a half of each of the two existing in-kingdom refineries located at Yanbu and Jubail. According to our objectives, apart from marketing crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas together with liquids, Saudi Armco will also export crude oil to other global regions using tankers. The Company will also actively participate in the fight against environmental degradation like air and water pollution. For instance, the management board has already rolled out Saudi Armco’s environmental plan incorporating all intended departmental branches (Badr 2). In this context, Saudi Armco will be able to play a major role in advocating for technological solutions to environmental issues not only now but also in the future. Conse quently, this will prompt the company to maintain all its projects while under in operation aim at minimizing their environmental pollution by use of high classic technological knowhow (Badr 3). Part 2 Saudi Arabia Physical and demographic environment Advantages to business Most oil and gas reservoirs explored by Saudi Armco their respective locations are in Saudi Arabia. This is a great advantage to the enterprise because it does not incur costs of transporting raw materials to the refineries before shipped to varied

British Petroleum Plc IT Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Petroleum Plc IT Analysis - Assignment Example The adaptation of cost leadership and differentiation strategies will help the company reach the next level through increased business efficiency, improved data processing and storage among other benefits. The two options go hand-in-hand during their implementation but, BP should consider implementing the cost leadership strategy first then implement differentiation strategy later. Cost leadership strategy enables a firm gain competitive advantage through reduction of economic costs below the competitors’ cost. On the other hand, differentiation strategy enables an organization to shift product development on the bases of cost of marketing of goods and services (Conklin & Sorrell 2010). By first implementing the differentiation strategy, BP will sand a better chance of implementing differentiation strategy. BP’s main objective is to become the leading oil and gas producing industry globally by adaptation of them modern I.T. services that assists in improving business en vironment. The BP I.T processes will be achieved through various strategies set aside by the company management that include value added preposition, target markets, cost factors, revenue drivers and revenue streams. All these strategies focus on the company becoming the cost leader in the market, which requires an implementation of the cost leadership strategic option. ... BP is a large industry with an extremely high volume of production of oil and gas. In addition, the company has specialized machines and proficient workforce that enable provide high quality products and services. The high volume of production places BP in a better position of lowering costs per unit production the implementation of cost leadership strategy easier and fast. In addition, the company can reduce its overhead costs through spreading different costs to other areas like advertisement. Moreover, by implementing this strategy BP will hold the strongest position in the industry and will be able to set floor prices for other companies to follow. The second strategy should follow cost leadership is differentiation option. After ensuring the company’s cost security, BP can come up with differentiation strategy that will increase the value of her products and services relative to the perceived value of other companies. BP will implement differentiation strategy by using fe atures that will make customers prefer the company products and services to those offered by competitors. The focus on high revenue and cost margins places BP in a better position to achieve and perfect economic performance. With I.T in place and low cost of products and services, customers will be more attracted to BP products and services because they are more valuable and have differentiation advantage. Question4 Write a proposal to BP on I.T integration to reducing cost Summary BP is the leading oil and gas production company and serves many customers globally. BP wishes to integrate I.T. systems in her operations in order to improve the overall efficiency in terms of customers’ services and products production. By establishing the

Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Art history - Essay Example The subject that is Madonna and child in Granacci’s painting are more real than that of Andrea. The first element that makes the painting real is the proportion of human physical features. The child in Granacci’s painting is short and stubby just like a child should be. The distance between his eyes and the nose seem more proportionate to the human size than in Andrea’s version of the child. In the second painting, the child’s leg does not resemble that of a child, it looks like an adult leg with the proportion of that of a child. The child’s stubby physique is not present in the legs and hands. The child’s eye has more color and depth in Granacci’s painting making the painting look more real. The mother in this painting also looks more real. Her physical features such as hands and the nose look more proportionate to that of a real person. In Andrà ©a’s painting, the mother’s hands are short and the artist created shadows on her

Public Relations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Public Relations - Assignment Example This is a professional organization comprising of professionals from different walks of life who are interested in developing their careers within this field. I am confident that if I jouin this organization, I will immensely benefit since I wil get an opportunity to interact with other people with a wealth of knowledge in this particular field. This will also give me exposure to other pertinent issues that often shape the profession of integrated marketing communication and public relations. Above all, networking This organization fits with my goals because it is designed to enlighten all the members about the paths they can follow in as far as their career development is concerned. This association will also help me to interact with other professionals in the same field where we can exchange information and other relevant ideas that can contribute towards the generation of knowledge in our field. The organization has upcoming events and conferences that are meant to boost our knowledge in the field of marketing communication and public relations. For instance, the association has upcoming conferecnces that include the following: Ameerican Marketing Association’s 2014 Annual Conference, Brand Manage Camp as well as the 2015 Analytics with Purpose Conference among

How does past worldwide exhibitions influence present exhibitions Essay

How does past worldwide exhibitions influence present exhibitions Using case studies of The Great Exhibition 1851, The Mille - Essay Example When looking at defined ideas within the architecture, there is the ability to identify with a variety of approaches which are a part of the exhibitions. When comparing the Great Exhibition of 1851 to the Millennium Dome 2000 and the Shanghai World Expo 2010, direct relationships are seen with the approach. This is based on the purpose, reason and benefits of each exhibition. This is also a part of the architecture and design that is developed, specifically which states a specific message relating to the architectural designs and approaches. This paper will examine the differences and similarities of each as well as how they have held similar approaches in the development of the architectural principles. The Great Exhibition of 1851 The Great Exhibition of 1851, also referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition, took place in London in May of 1851. The idea was based on creating a temporary structure that combined the cultural and industrial changes of the time. The main features of the exhibition were based on having a highlight to modern approaches to industry and design, specifically as a response to the French Industrial Exposition of 1844. The motive was to make a statement that Britain was a leader in the concepts of industry and culture and had superior achievements to others that were a part of the changes into modernism during this specific time frame. The exhibition was formed over a period of 10 days by Joseph Paxton, specifically which was designed as a glass house or green house that stood 1851 feet long and 454 feet wide. The cost to build the exhibit was 500,000 but made a surplus of 16,190,000 pounds as of 2012. The price of admission ranged, dependent on the status of the individual, ranging from three guineas to five shillings. The opening day held 2,500 people as a part of the exhibition with 1/3 of the population, or six million people, going to the final exhibition (Victorian Station, 2001:1). The basis of the Crystal Palace provided a vari ety of benefits to London and to the holding of the exhibition. The Great Exhibition is now recognized as one of the best world exhibits that was made, specifically which allowed the UK to become recognized as a world leader. The benefits furthered with noting the industrial and technological movements which were in society. The innovations which were added had displays of how different pieces of machinery and other operations were conducted. Those who were visiting the exhibition were able to take part in a deeper understanding of the movement forward with technology and how this was creating an alteration into society at the time. This was furthered with the openness to the cultural relations, art and architecture that was displayed and the music, cultural performances and political recognition which were associated with the exhibition. Each of these were able to influence and create interest within society based on the variety of shows which were held and how this was leading the innovation as well as the various concepts within the historical moments. The interest which this gathered and the approaches which were taken to gain this recognition then allowed the doors of the UK to open into cultural relations, recognition with the technology and responses which were noted from the surrounding society (Victoria Station, 2001:1). An important component with the Great Exhibition was based on the design and architecture which was used in developing the correct approach to the exhibit.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lincoln-Douglas Debates - Essay Example He also insisted that he would be happy to abolish slave trade and slavery â€Å"I should be exceedingly glad to see slavery abolished in the District of Columbia.† His lack of support for the slavery was however not that passionate and he would not put in personal effort to see it end unless Congress as a whole made that decision based on the power the constitution had accorded them. He made this position very clear in his speech when he said â€Å"†¦I should not with my present views be in favor of endeavoring to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia†¦ (Henretta and Kevin 333)† His position on slavery was legal as he based everything on the constitution. This is evident for example when he said that he would abolish slavery because he was a member of the Congress and the Congress had the constitutional power to abolish it through changing or amending the slavery laws that were currently present. He also gave a number of legal conditions in which he would abolish slavery including if the majority of the voters in the District of Columbia voted for it to be abolished and also if the owners of those slaves were to be compensated for having to part with their slaves who were their laborers. An individual watching this speech would expect that once Lincoln becomes the president, he would honor his words by using his constitutional power to abolish slavery or influence the Congress to amend the constitution and especially the clauses that allow slavery as a way to abolish slavery. These expectations are based on the fact that Lincoln was a man who knew law very well and followed it to the letter and he was also a man of actions and especially when it is something he desired. If his desires were therefore on abolishing slavery, he would have made that happen as soon as he became president. His desires to abolish slavery

Ideological Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ideological - Essay Example Such has been the case with of this author with regards to the topic of prayer in school. As a function of seeking to explain and ideological biography for how this belief has grown and evolved through time, the following analysis will analyze the different stages and approaches that existed within my mind up until the present time. Before delving into the issue, it must be understood that the issue of prayer in school has been one that has been hotly contested and debated within the sphere of politics and current media during my adolescence and childhood. As a result of this fact, the perennial presence of this debate allowed me to be presented with the arguments for and against school prayer at a relatively young age. In keeping with the way in which the majority of society viewed the issue, I was led to believe that prayer in school, although representing a few key benefits, was ultimately against the separation of church and state and should not exist to any degree or level withi n the educational system. Rather than this being informed by a particularly atheist and/or anti-religious viewpoint, this was instead informed as a result of the impact that media and the political debate had upon my own views. However, as I began to mature, I began to note the failures within the educational system as compared to the prior years in which it has been so successful. For instance, my parents, as well as older generations work continually discussing the devolution of the United States educational system and seeking to understand what changes could potentially be made as a means of remedying this decline. As a function of the presence of this issue and the clear and unmistakable fact that the United States educational system was merely a shell of what it was during the time of my parents and/or grandparents, my views with respect to the role of prayer in school began to change. Rather than being diametrically opposed to such an idea, I began to integrate with a level of appreciation with respect to some of the benefits that it might provide. However, of all of the factors that influence this progression of ideology within my own life, perhaps the most important was a level of increased importance with regards to the role in which religion played within my own life. As was the case of many individuals growing up in a religious home, religion did not have a personal impact upon me until such a time that I began to experience religious growth and appreciation within my own life. Realizing the power and help that prayer exhibited within my own life allowed me to come to a greater level of appreciation and understanding with regards to the degree of help and power that prayer could provide within the group setting. Anyone with even a cursory level of understanding concerning the power that prayer can provide understands that group prayer is a particularly powerful means through which intercession can be provided. As such, failing to utilize such a powe rful tool within the educational system is merely ignoring a cost of free and highly successful method through which the educational system and personal development of the individual students can be maximized. All too often, within the current system, millions of dollars are poured into particular programs with little result. However, it is my firm belief, as a result

Womens Issues Essay Example for Free

Womens Issues Essay This research was conducted from an investigate concept through personal interviews of minorities and female executives, Human Resources executive recruiters, through journals, articles from websites, peer publications, and secondary research of studies performed through data collection and data analyzation. The various articles and journals reviewed will provide an overview of the glass ceiling, address the problems and challenges, identify the types of barriers and trends, and propose a solution. Through this study we will attempt to measure whether organization’s recruitment process, criteria, and strategic plans are aligned with the goals and objectives to meet the needs of the organization and better identify the best qualified candidate and improve the organization’s bottom line. Glass Ceiling Overview Definition The â€Å"glass ceiling† is defined as the invisible but real barrier through which the next stage or level of advancement can be seen, but cannot be reached by a section of qualified and deserving employees. Such barriers exist due to implicit prejudice on the basis of age, ethnicity, political or religious affiliation, and/or sex. Although generally illegal, such practices prevalent in most countries (www. businessdictionary. com) Overview The analogy â€Å"glass ceiling† is a terminology used quite often in corporate America to best identify just how far women or minorities have or will rise up the corporate ladder. Many feel it is often impossible for that demographic to exceed beyond the level of mid-management; and although we have made some strides and have increased the number of women and minorities entering today’s workforce, it’s no surprise a small fraction of those have successfully risen to the executive level in the corporate environment. Problems and Challenges Women Women face greater barriers and rely on strategies for advancement that are different from those of their male counterparts (Lyness and Thompson, 2000). There are many ways discrimination against women exists, such as job segregation, gaps in compensation, sexual harassment, inability to participate in career developmental opportunities, lack of available mentorship programs, and the lack of career advancement opportunities. According to a report from the federal bipartisan Glass Ceiling Commission (1995), 95% to 97% of senior managers of Fortune 1000 industrial and Fortune 500 companies are men, yet white males make up only about 43% of the workforce. The same study reported that only 5% of senior managers in the Fortune 2000 industrial and service companies are women. These commission findings are especially striking since women make up nearly half of the workforce (www. highbeam. com). One would have you believe the success of women career both economically and self gratifying can only be accomplished if and only if there is a change in behavior. We want to believe the selection process is objective and carefully thought out. Yet, others expect the process to be about the individual’s performance and merits and together the choice is based on the right fit for the organization. I conducted a total of 22 individual personal interviews, 11 of which included female executives. When asked what were some of the challenges they faced throughout their tenure? The responses varied but the one thing each clearly stated was â€Å"learning the language of the male dominant role†. Other challenges provided were: †¢ Advantages males have related to social networking †¢ Lack of mentorship †¢ Wage gaps for comparable work †¢ Work-life balance †¢ Shadows of the predecessor Minorities The remaining personal interviews conducted were with 11 male minority executives. When asked what were some of the challenges they faced throughout their tenure? Again, the responses were in variations; however each clearly identified â€Å"race† was the greatest challenge. But, the one thing that I found to be quite astounding when each expounded on race as an issue, was they all made the decision in their career they would not make this their problem, yet it would be others. What I got out of those words was without acknowledgment there cannot be acceptance. Other challenges provided were: †¢ Respect †¢ Removal of identity crisis †¢ Externally viewed before internally judged †¢ Education inferiority (studies outside of the U.  S. ) †¢ Mindset of organizational promotions Human Resources Meeting with executive recruitment representatives, I found they in fact face many of the same challenges women and minorities face. As a recruiter their responsibility first and foremost is to stay in-lined with the organization’s mission and vision. However finding the most qualified candidate is the biggest challenge. In terms of demographics, they aggressively seek to recruit more women or minorities for those positions because there is such a small percentage currently in place. Unfortunately if the candidate is not the right fit or if felt the cultural and/or environment carry an abundance of testosterone, many of the female executives are driven away which begins the recruitment process. Another challenge is with the selection process and not being able to question the decision-making especially when clearly felt other candidates were possessed more qualifications. Glass Ceiling Barriers Types The gender wage gap if asked is probably the biggest challenge women executives will tell you they encounter. A study conducted by the National Census Bureau showed U. S. omen still earned only 77 cents on the male dollar in 2008, according to the latest census statistics. That number drops to 68% for African-American women and 58% for Latinas (www. time. com). When speaking with one female executive she explains â€Å"one of the biggest challenges she faced would be the initial promotion as an executive. She indicated she was very excited because she knew the promotion was not only well deserved but she would be the only female executive within the organization. However in looking back she realized how the male dominant environment worked as she would only receive a 3% pay increase†. She regrets that decision but stated she attributes who she is today because of that unfortunate event. Discrimination or harassment is another challenge women and/or minorities face in achieving executive positions. African American executives feel to survive this culture it is essential remain true to themselves. However women executives will tell you there is a constant misrepresentation related to the gender and the ability to maintain as their counterparts. Although illegal, discrimination and harassment occurs subtle and overtly, with the glass ceiling harassment being the most difficult to prove. Work and family is another major challenge women face because many of the female executives are made to choose between working long hours and their family; while their male counterparts don’t have to make such decisions thereby giving them the opportunity and ability to put in those extra hours. The lack of mentorship is also challenging. One of the interviewees stated â€Å"higher profile jobs at the executive level will require more of your time. It is felt that males can depart and detach, however females feel an excuse has to be made†. Women enter the business environment in the early stages of their careers and in many instances are usually on the same level as men. However, according to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) studies show in the next 5 to 10 years, men seem to benefit from upward career movement more than women, in part because women do not locate mentors as easily as men (www. shrm. com). Some organizations have recognized the need to assist in getting mentors and have also implemented training and development programs in support of women and minorities to develop mentoring relationships. Leadership Challenges Roles and responsibilities Many female and minority executives say leadership can be quite challenging especially being in the shadow of a predecessor. For women achieving this role, it is a constant second guessing of management styles. Clearly men and women possess different leadership styles. However one group may view as more of the nurturing role whereas counterparts are viewed as having no personal or emotional ties and are in capable of relating to personal issues. Many women feel like the outsider at the executive management level. They also have to deal with the shrewdness of having to prove they belong in that role. One of the interviewees is a Captain in the Police Department who not only was the first female she was the first African American to obtain that high ranking in the organization. One of her greatest challenge is having to constantly prove that she fits into this male dominant career. Many decisions are questioned and she often times finds herself having to put on the hardcore role to show she is capable of performing her roles and responsibilities while her counterparts are received with blessings.

Study the nature of impulse buying

Study the nature of impulse buying Literature review Many researches have been carried out to study the nature of impulse buying and various factors that affect it. Impulse buying is influenced by a variety of economic, situational, personality, time, location and even cultural factors. Researches have also been conducted to understand the underlying motivational factors behind impulse buying. Similarly researches have been conducted to study factors that moderate impulse buying behavior. Consumers engage in impulse buying to satisfy hedonic desires for fun, novelty and variety; also impulsiveness is correlated with consumers desires to fulfill self-esteem and self-actualization needs. In the early stages research on impulse buying behavior was product-focused, as only products were held responsible for exciting people for unplanned purchases. The researchers directed their efforts and attention only to the type and characteristics of products and other factors associated with the availability display etc. of products in stores. But later on, from the last few decades, the researchers focused on customers rather then products as being the cause of impulse buying. The factors like personality characteristics, income level, need to fulfill self-esteem etc. are typically responsible for impulse buying behavior. The understanding of impulse purchasing was greatly improved through Sterns identification of four distinct classifications of impulse purchasing: planned, pure, reminder and suggestion impulse purchasing. The four categories are as follows: Pure impulse buying is a novelty or escape purchasing which breaks a normal buying pattern; Reminder impulse buying occurs when a shopper sees an item and remembers that the stock at home is exhausted or low or recalls an advertisement or other information about the item and a previous decision to buy; Suggestion impulse buying occurs when a shopper sees a product for the first time and visualizes a need for it, even though he has no previous knowledge of it; and Planned impulse buying occurs when a shopper enters the store with some specific purchases in mind, but with the expectation and intention to make purchases that depend on price specials, coupon offers, and the like. (Francis Piron (1991), â€Å"DEFINING IMPULSE PURCHASING†, in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 18, eds. Rebecca H. Holman and Michael R. Solomon, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 509-514) There are some factors other then product and individual characteristics that also play an important role in generating impulse purchases. Gender Differences in Impulse buying Several previous researches on impulse buying have paid some attention to the role gender plays in determining this behavior. These researches show that men and womens shopping behavior differs on many levels. Kollat and Willet (1967) found that women tend to engage in more impulse buying as compared to men. It is also argued that women because of their propensity to shop more in general, make more impulsive purchases. Tariq Jalees (2009) also found that the level of impulsiveness in reference to buying is stronger in females as compared to males. Transaction Size affecting Impulse Buying Kollat and Willet (1967) used two measures of transaction size: number of different products purchased and the grocery bill. They found out that the increase in size of the grocery bill and number of purchases made resulted in an increase in unplanned impulse purchases. Shopping List and Impulse buying Studies conducted by Kollat and Willet (1967) indicated that one of the factors that affect impulse buying is the presence of a shopping list. This however only holds true if the transaction size is greater than 15. When more than 15 or 20 products are purchased, shoppers having a list make a smaller percentage of unplanned purchases. However, when less than 15 or 20 products are bought, the shopping list does not affect the percentage of unplanned purchases. Pre-decision stage and impulse buying The research study conducted by Muhammad Ali Tirmizi, Kashif-Ur-Rehman M. Iqbal Saif (2009) clearly indicate that there exits a weak association between consumer lifestyle, fashion involvement and post-decision stage of consumers purchasing behavior but Pre-decision stage of consumers purchasing behavior established strong association with the impulse buying behavior of the consumers. The pre-decision stage of the purchasing associate the buyers with unplanned or impulse buying because these days stores are full of variety of products and a buyer can easily get interested in purchasing a product which appeals him or her while shopping the planned list of products. (Muhammad Ali Tirmizi, Kashif-Ur-Rehman M. Iqbal Saif 2009) Group influence on impulse buying Most research in consumer psychology assumes that impulsive purchasing can be best explained by factors at the individual level, in contrast a research study conducted by Xueming Luo (2005), indicates that the presence of others influences this behavior. Presence of peers increases the urge to purchase, and the presence of family members decreases it. Visual merchandising and impulse buying Todays retail stores are almost universal in their reliance on self-service merchandising and a high rate of impulse buying. Self-service merchandising is facilitated by store design and careful attention to traffic flow, while impulse buying is enhanced by the use of special displays. Customers typically do not cruise the aisles aimlessly hoping to find something to buy. Most consumers are busy people and have a purpose to their shopping trip. Thus, impulse sales are created not by persuasive reasoning, but by striking an emotion that the customer can act upon quickly. There appear to be three mechanisms by which the impulse buying response can be triggered. First, the special display cues the customer to respond to an external advertising campaign. The display creates impulse sales by reminding customers about the extensive advertising to which they have (hopefully) been exposed. Second, the display can serve to break the consumers conditioned reflex to buy a particular product. If the consumer buys Brand A because it has become a habit, then it will be necessary for them to have a reason to break this conditioned purchase behavior. Special displays provide a way to accomplish this because the consumer is responding emotionally, not through a reasoned process. Finally, special displays create impulse sales for new or novel products by instigating the desire to â€Å"try something new!† The salient feature to remember about impulse sales is that they are a response to an emotional appeal. A successful appeal may take many forms, but those most universal and easiest to communicate are identified by simple phrases such as: â€Å"low price,† â€Å"new,† â€Å"free,† â€Å"extra,† etc. A special display is used to get the customers attention for each of these messages. A research study conducted by W.M.C.B. Wanninayake Pradeep Randiwela (2007), indicates that most of customers have given first and second priority to visual merchandising. Second and third largest amount of customers mentioned price of goods and location of the outlets. According to the literature and pilot study in Sri Lankan supermarkets, researchers recognized that lighting, design layout, product display and cleanliness are the main variables of visual merchandizing. Price discounts and impulse buying This factor is the most talked about when it comes to impulse buying. A lot of people say that they indulged in impulse buying just because something was on a discount. Deals and discounts contribute to impulse buying, and when we see something priced much lower than what we are used, that triggers a desire to get that thing and save money. A large part of all purchases are attributed to impulse buying, this is undoubtedly good for retailers, but its not as good for consumers, because a lot of impulse buys dont end up getting used at all, and one regret spending any money on them. Price promotions come in various forms, such as buy-one-get-one-free offers, coupons, and of course price discounts. Cash reward is a new popular promotional tool used at many famous department stores, apparel retailing chains, and grocery stores. Consumers can obtain a rebate when their purchase passes a threshold set by the company, as in, purchase over $100 to get a $10 cash reward. However, distinguished from other price promotions, cash rewards provide consumers freedom to choose any products within the store rather than a specific product. Cash rewards, like the conditional discount of coupons, give rebates only to consumers achieving the purchasing threshold. Facing free choice and the conditional-discount promotion, consumers may be attracted to buy merchandise in excesses their original shopping budget. Those consumers perceive gains from getting the cash reward if they reach the threshold and perceive losses from not taking advantage of the offer if they do not. Such perception generates an â€Å"artificial buying desire.† Price discounts and cash rewards do increase the possibility of occurrence of unplanned purchases, especially when a consumers shopping expenditure approaches the offers threshold. Hypotheses The hypotheses formulated after review of the literature are given below: H1: Visual merchandising has a strong influence on the impulse buying behavior of the consumers. H2: Price discounts have a strong influence on the impulse buying behavior of the consumers. The testing of the hypotheses is confined to the primary data collected from Karachi. References Kollat, D. T., Willett, R. P. (1967). Is impulse purchasing really a useful concept for marketing decisions? Journal of Marketing Research, 4, 21-31. International Review of Business Research Papers, Vol. 5 No. 6 November 2009, Pp.298-308, An Empirical Analysis Of Impulsive Buying Behavior In Pakistan Tariq Jalees* JOURNAL OF CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY, 15(4), 288-294, Copyright  © 2005, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. How Does Shopping With Others Influence Impulsive Purchasing? Xueming Luo University of Texas at Arlington An Empirical Study of Consumer Impulse Buying Behavior in Local Markets Muhammad Ali Tirmizi, Kashif-Ur-Rehman, M. Iqbal Saif, European Journal of Scientific Research, ISSN 1450-216X Vol.28 No.4 (2009), pp.522-532  © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2009, http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr.html W.M.C.B. Wanninayake, Pradeep Randiwela, 7th Global Conference on Business Economics, ISBN: 978-0-9742114-9-4 October 13-14, 2007, Rome, Italy

Als :: essays research papers

Medical history has been filled with an array of diseases and illnesses, ranging from the common cold to deadly killers. Some are easily treatable and others can be terminal, but some of the worst are those that still remain without a cure; one such disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a degenerative disease affecting the human nervous system. It is a deadly disease that cripples and kills its victims due to a breakdown in the body’s motor neurons. Motor neurons are nerve cells in the brainstem and spinal cord that control muscle contractions. In ALS, these neurons deteriorate to a point that all movement, including breathing, halts. Muscle weakness first develops in the muscles of body parts distant from the brain, such as the hands, and subsequently spreads through other muscle groups closer to the brain. Such early symptoms as this, however, can hardly be noticed. Early symptoms of ALS are very slight and often overlooked. They begin as simple things, such as tripping or dropping things. Twitching or cramping of muscles and abnormal fatigue of the arms and legs may soon follow, causing difficulty in daily activities, such as walking or dressing. In more advanced stages, however, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing and swallowing ensue, until the body is completely taken over by the disease. Intellect, eye motion, bladder function, and sensation are the only abilities spared. Where and how this deadly disease originated is unknown, but it was first identified in 1869, by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. ALS is not contagious, but research is still vague on the cause of the disease. Today, there are three recognized forms of ALS: genetic, sporadic, and Guamanian. The genetic form of ALS appears to be inherited or passed down within a family, and about ten percent of ALS patients have a family history of the disease. An abnormal gene has been located in about half these families, but the cause of the remaining half is still unknown. The next, most common form, is sporadic ALS. These patients have no family history of disease, and the cause of their coming down with ALS is a mystery. Finally, is Guamanian ALS, called this because a high percentage of cases occur in the Pacific Islands near Guam. One major reason ALS is such a frightening disease is because no cure has been established. Although no effective treatment has been developed, a number of drug trials have been conducted, and there are some devices designed to help ALS patients maintain independence as well as safety as the disease progresses.

Shamanism: The Siberian Paradigm in the Analysis of Shamans Essay

Shamanism: The Siberian Paradigm in the Analysis of Shamans THE ANALYS OF THE SHAMAN: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION King Louis IX of France, a devout Roman Catholic who is venerated as saint and exemplary Christian monarch, received a harrowing report from a Franciscan monk in 1255. The Monk Wilhelm av Ruysbroek, who had been sent to the court of Mongolia on behalf of France, retold the account of an oracle that invoked spirits with sorcery and fed an evil darkness with drum music and boiled meat. Scholars now realize that this account describes the first encounter a Westerner experienced with shamanistic rituals (Siikala, A.L. & Hoppà ¡l, M. 1998). More importantly, despite his subjective portrayal, the French Monk introduced the concept of the shaman to the West. Through many subsequent eye-witness reports, it would be seen that the role of the shaman has remained relatively unchanged from century to century. The shaman, as a spiritual-religious specialist, is now the focus of much Western scholarship with research analyzing the role of this individual within the shamanistic systems of belief. Yet, it is within this study that the scholar of shamanism must become acquainted with the characteristics of the shaman through the collection and scrutiny of primary data in order to properly interpose established conclusions to the discipline. These conclusions should introduce original claims within the field such as shaman identification criteria, detailed research methodologies, and deconstructions of clan-specific shamanic history. More importantly, the data being analyzed must originate from first-hand accounts of shamans and their otherworldly journeys, ceremonial rituals, and specialized paraphernalia. The aim of this research piece is... ...ifferent worlds and interaction with unearthly beings is juxtaposed with a dependency to a participatory community. In the end scholarship is given an understanding of the shaman that is accord with the reality of the cultural circumstances. References Eliade, M. (2005). In L. Jones (Ed.), Encyclopedia of religion (2nd ed. ed., pp. 8269-8274). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. Pharo, L. K. (2011). A methodology for a deconstruction and reconstruction of the concepts â€Å"Shaman† and â€Å"Shamanism†. Numen: International Review for the History of Religions, 58 Sidky, H. (2010). Ethnographic perspectives on differentiating shamans from other ritual intercessors. Asian Ethnology, 69(2), (pp. 213-240). Siikala, A.L. & Hoppà ¡l, M. (1998). Studies on shamanism. Helsinki: Finish Anthropological Society. Stutley, M. (2003). Shamanism: An introduction. London: Routledge.

History of English Literature :: Literature Language Plays Essays

History of English Literature I. INTRODUCTION English literature, literature written in English since c.1450 by the inhabitants of the British Isles; it was during the 15th cent. that the English language acquired much of its modern form. II. The Tudors and the Elizabethan Age The beginning of the Tudor dynasty coincided with the first dissemination of printed matter. William Caxton's press was established in 1476, only nine years before the beginning of Henry VII's reign. Caxton's achievement encouraged writing of all kinds and also influenced the standardization of the English language. The early Tudor period, particularly the reign of Henry VIII, was marked by a break with the Roman Catholic Church and a weakening of feudal ties, which brought about a vast increase in the power of the monarchy. Stronger political relationships with the Continent were also developed, increasing England's exposure to Renaissance culture. Humanism became the most important force in English literary and intellectual life, both in its narrow sense—the study and imitation of the Latin classics—and in its broad sense—the affirmation of the secular, in addition to the otherworldly, concerns of people. These forces produced during the reign (1558–1603) of Elizabeth I one of the most fruitful eras in literary history. The energy of England's writers matched that of its mariners and merchants. Accounts by men such as Richard Hakluyt, Samuel Purchas, and Sir Walter Raleigh were eagerly read. The activities and literature of the Elizabethans reflected a new nationalism, which expressed itself also in the works of chroniclers (John Stow, Raphael Holinshed, and others), historians, and translators and even in political and religious tracts. A myriad of new genres, themes, and ideas were incorporated into English literature. Italian poetic forms, especially the sonnet, became models for English poets. Sir Thomas Wyatt was the most successful sonneteer among early Tudor poets, and was, with Henry Howard, earl of Surrey, a seminal influence. Tottel's Miscellany (1557) was the first and most popular of many collections of experimental poetry by different, often anonymous, hands. A common goal of these poets was to make English as flexible a poetic instrument as Italian. Among the more prominent of this group were Thomas Churchyard, George Gascoigne, and Edward de Vere, earl of Oxford. An ambitious and influential work was A Mirror for Magistrates (1559), a historical verse narrative by several poets that updated the medieval view of history and the morals to be drawn from it. The poet who best synthesized the ideas and tendencies of the English Renaissance was Edmund Spenser.

Reaction Paper: Children of Heaven

The movie â€Å"Children of Heaven† is about the life of All and Sahara, two children who come from an impoverished, Muslim family. All loses his sister's only pair of school shoes, and this story is of how the two keep it a secret from their parent's, and all the things they do to keep it hidden. To me, this shows how something that's insignificant to one person, can be a big deal to someone else. Take this situation, if I were to lose my shoes, or if they got worn out, I would simply buy another pair.For others though, if their one pair of shoes got destroyed, they would repair it until it was held together entirely by glue and thread. Throwing it away would be out of the question to them. This movie made me reevaluate my life, it made me wonder about the things I was ungrateful for, for all the things I take for granted: sleeping on a mattress instead of a floor, having more shoes than I need, and having money to spare on trivial things like ice cream and whatever else caug ht my fancy.The movie showed me to appreciate the life I was even, and to show sympathy to the less fortunate, to never turn a poor man away, because he may have faced the same problems those children faced. It also taught me the value of hard work. Right now, I don't have to lift a finger, my parent's pay for everything I have. One day though, I'm going to have to earn a living, and this movie showed me how some people do so much for so little. It taught me that I'm going to have to work hard to get what I need to survive alone in this world, much like how the father of All and Sahara had to garden to feed his family.

How Does Shakespeare Present the Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet

Sexual love is used in this play as comic relief between the serious parts, as an ice-breaker and to keep the audience entertained. Shakespeare included sexual love in this play because at the time, the audience for whom he’d be performing wouldn’t be very educated and including this would grab their attention straight away Sexual love is the first type of love displayed in this play. You meet two Capulet servants, Sampson and Gregory in the first scene. They are talking about women as sexual objects and nothing more. Sampson is talking about how he will ‘be cruel with the maids’ once he has taken care of the men, and how he ‘will cut off’ their ‘maidenheads’. He is talking about raping the wives of the men he has killed, referring to their virginities as their heads. He is also very generous about himself, suggesting that his penis is â€Å"a pretty piece of flesh’ and that women will be able to feel him while he is ‘able to stand’, meaning that he’s having an erection against the women. This is very sexual because to feel a man’s erection, you have to be very close to him and he has to be practically grinding against you, and be turned on by you. While they only see women as objects of lust, sexual love is not only relatable to men; women can be just as sexually-minded. In this play, Shakespeare does have a lot of sexual-orientated characters but one of the most amusing ones is possibly Juliet’s nurse. She finds a way to make everything she says sound suggestive when most people wouldn’t be able to. She may get it from her late husband, who was just as inappropriate as her, telling a three year old that she ‘will fall backwards when thou hast more wit’ which basically translates to him telling her that when she gets older she’ll know to lie backwards so a man can lie on top of her, which is completely senseless to say to a child. On the other hand, it is more likely Nurse was just always like that. Nurse seems to think that the only important thing to consider in a marriage is sex, saying that Juliet should ‘seek happy nights to happy days’ as if a good sex life is the key to having a happy marriage. She also has the skill to twist things that seem perfectly innocent into a sexual innuendo. Nurse also says that ‘women grow by men’ which is a double entendre of that women grow in status when they marry the right men, but Nurse is saying that they also grow pregnant and sex is a very important factor in a good and healthy marriage. Romeo and Mercutio also have the tendency to be sexually minded. Mercutio refers to Rosaline, the girl Romeo thinks he’s in love with as ‘medlar’, a rude way to refer to a woman’s or a man’s sexual anatomy and he also talks about Romeo as if he was ‘a poperin pear’ which is a pear shaped like a penis. Mercutio is very crude and sexual throughout this entire speech. Romeo, while you don’t see him being sexually orientated throughout the book, does have his moments away from the spiritual plains of love. He sneaks out to meet Juliet and is hoping that ‘her vestal livery is but sick and green’ and that she should ‘cast it off’ because ‘none but fools do wear it’. By saying this, he’s implying that he hopes she will not remain a virgin because he wants to marry her and have sex with her. While this isn’t quite as bad as the long speeches that Nurse and Mercutio make, it is still slightly sexual which shows that even people as spiritually inclined as Romeo can be orientated this way. Surprisingly, Juliet also has her moments even though she is very young. When Juliet is about to leave Romeo, Romeo inquires whether she will really leave him ‘so unsatisfied’. Not realising that he’s merely talking about keeping her forever through the gift of marriage, and thinking he’s asking her if she’ll really leave him without having sex, she immediately asks ‘what satisfaction canst thou have tonight’. She immediately jumps to the conclusion that he was asking for sex before even considering the other options. Shakespeare includes this because it shows that anyone can have sexual thoughts about another, even someone like Juliet who appears to be so innocent and young. Sexual love, while present throughout the play is not the only love explored by Shakespeare in ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Courtly love is also present, but only in the beginning of the play. At the time ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was set, courtly love was very popular and many poets were using it, thus including it in the play was making the play very fashionable for its time. Romeo is the character that feels courtly love for Rosaline, meaning that his love for her in unrequited but he seems to love her anyway. The first time you meet Romeo he is pining over Rosaline because ‘she’ll not be hit with cupid’s arrow’ and won’t return his feelings for her. He is acting very pathetic and spewing out long speeches full of oxymorons and rhyming couplets, making it very obvious that he’s practiced what he’s going to say because people don’t go around just talking in rhyming couplets and oxymorons. His long speeches have a rather pathetic ending. He has put together very fashionable, lengthy spiels full of oxymorons about ‘loving hate’ and ‘heavy lightness’. When Benvolio finally comprehends and asks him ‘who is that’ Romeo loves, Romeo quite pathetically admits that he does ‘love a woman’. This declaration is a rather meager way to sum up all he’s spent hours preparing while privately ‘in his chamber’ and wandering around in the woods ‘many a morning’. Throughout most of his speeches he isn’t giving a proper answer to any of Benvolio’s questions. He keeps giving Benvolio very vague responses in an attempt to make Benvolio question more. Romeo is coercing people to worry about him more than necessary by pretending that the situation is more confusing than it is. After his long oxymoron-filled speech he asked Benvolio ‘Dost thou not laugh’, wanting Benvolio to worry about him and to give him attention. As in true courtly love fashion, Romeo is enamored with Rosaline and will do anything to see her. Benvolio, a true friend, tries to make Romeo see sense that there are ‘other beauties’ in the world and Romeo should ‘examine’ them and forget about Rosaline. However, Romeo won’t hear of it and attempts to convince Benvolio that he ‘canst not teach’ Romeo ‘to forget’ how beautiful Rosaline is and how much he loves her. Although Romeo’s courtly interests are mostly kept to the first few scenes of the play, the Friar does bring it up later on, saying that ‘thy love did read by rote, that could not spell’. The Friar is explaining to Romeo that Romeo knew the way that people were supposed to act when they were madly in love and he was simply pretending to be in love when he wasn’t, which is what courtly love is. Another type of love showcased in this play is Romantic love, and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is one of the most famous romantic plays ever written. In the play, I think that Shakespeare presents the love between Romeo and Juliet as very artificial. He shows it through their first meeting, Juliet’s inexperience, Romeo’s attitude and the attitude of Romeo’s friends. Romeo and Juliet’s conversation forms a sonnet when they first meet. This is the first conversation they have and before he even hears her speak, he refers to her as a ‘shrine’, invoking the deepest religious love for her. Romeo is flattering her to get her to fall for him. Before he even knows who she is, he asks to ‘smooth that rough touch’ that is his ‘unworthiest hand’ with a kiss. She immediately counters that by telling him ‘you do wrong your hand too much’. She’s trying to tell him that there is nothing wrong with his hand, and he doesn’t need to kiss her. Finally he asks outright for her to ‘let lips do what hands do’, showing he’s rather desperate to get to kiss her. Juliet says in return that she isn’t going to move and that he can kiss her, but that she won’t kiss him. Their conversation does form a sonnet, but Juliet is just playing along with Romeo because he’s the one that initiated the conversation in rhyme and she’s simply joining in. She is attracted to him, but she’s not just going to give in to his desperation. He has to work for the right to kiss her. After the kiss, Juliet is understandably very taken aback, considering she is quite inexperienced and this is her first kiss. She tells him that ‘you kiss by th’ book’, showing that Juliet only knows what love is like in books and fairytales and she’s comparing her feelings about Romeo to that. It is arguable that this is not real romance. I think that the best evidence for the idea that the romantic love displayed in this play is artificial is the attitude of Romeo. When we first meet him he is obviously enamoured with Rosaline, but sees this beautiful girl that removes any thought of Rosaline from his mind. This is superficial because he doesn’t know anything about Juliet, he doesn’t even know her name and yet he’s certain that he loves her, saying ‘did my heart love till now’, when just moments before he had been professing his undying devotion to someone completely different. When Romeo attempts to talk Friar Lawrence into marrying him to Juliet, Friar Lawrence remains unconvinced, saying that ‘these woes were all for Rosaline’. Romeo insists, illogically, that his love for Juliet is real because she loves him back and Rosaline ‘did not so’. He says that even though he was going on and on about her, she’s old news and he no longer loves her because he’s found someone better. I don’t think He really loves Juliet because her prettiness is the only reason he ever spoke to her and it is reasonable to believe that if he sees someone prettier he might forget all about her. Even Romeo’s friends know that he’s being pathetic. Mercutio actually makes fun of him for spewing out all the rhyming poems which really don’t have any semblance towards true love by saying ‘speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied’. Mercutio is certain that this will all be over soon. Before the party Mercutio tries to cheer Romeo up with his big ‘Queen Mab’ speech, showing that he wants Romeo to be happy. We trust Mercutio because he is a very likeable character. Benvolio, who has been primarily concerned with Romeo’s wellbeing throughout the play so far, is certain Romeo will move on and ‘examine other beauties’. We trust Benvolio’s opinion because he shows the most direct concern about Romeo and even he seems to think that this is all a phase. Before Balthasar brings Romeo news of Juliet’s death, Romeo is very happy because he has had a dream about Juliet which is the ‘flattering truth of sleep’. This is very similar to his dream in an earlier scene about Rosaline, which was about ‘things true’, being how much he loves Rosaline. Referring to both Rosaline and Juliet by using the word ‘true’ makes it plausible that he is just being as over-dramatically ecstatic about a dream about Juliet as he was depressed over a dream about Rosaline before the party in which he saw Juliet. I think that this makes us doubt his sincerity because he is using the same story about a dream for both girls. When Romeo finds out about Juliet’s supposed death, he doesn’t even stop to think, which proves that he doesn’t consider the possibilities of his actions. He immediately goes to buy ‘a dram of poison’ so he ‘may fall dead’ by Juliet’s side. In my opinion, for a girl that he hasn’t even spent a full day with, this seems like a very rash decision. Juliet, waking up and finding Romeo dead beside her also kills herself with a dagger after trying to take the poison off his lips so she will ‘die with a restorative’ but when that proves to be a failure, stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger. She is allowed a little more leeway, being very young and traumatised at finding her new husband dead on top of her and is likely to be very dramatic. They barely know each other and yet they kill themselves over the premise of ‘true love’. I think that the real tragedy in this play is not that true lovers are forced to kill themselves to be together but that two young and healthy people with long lives ahead of them kill themselves over miscommunication and feelings that ultimately end up to be an over exaggeration of two hormonal teenagers! Parental love, whilst a minor aspect of love in this play, is still very present. Neither Juliet nor Romeo have very close relationships with their parents and seek out parental advice in the forms of Nurse and Friar Lawrence. Romeo does get along with his parents and they do love him. When you first meet the Montagues after a large street fight, his mother expresses her relief that Romeo ‘was not at this fray’, showing that she is concerned about his physical wellbeing. His father is obviously concerned about Romeo’s mental state at the fact that Romeo is currently wandering around by himself ‘many a morning’ and stays ‘private in his chamber’ during the day, cutting himself off from everyone else. After the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, when the Capulets and Montagues have realised what happened, we find out that Montague’s ‘wife is dead tonight’ because the ‘grief of’ her ‘son’s exile hath stopped her breath’. This makes it obvious that the Montagues really do love their son, but don’t have a strong connection with him because he never talked to them about what was troubling him. Even though Romeo and his parents are emotionally close to each other, they do not communicate with each other well and to show this Shakespeare does not put one scene in this play in which Romeo directly interacts with his parents. This shows that while they are family, they don’t really rely on each other to help out. Instead of questioning Romeo about his actions himself, his parents send Benvolio, Romeo’s friend and cousin, which shows that Romeo is more likely to confide in Benvolio than in his own parents. Romeo, instead of going to his parents for advice, goes to Friar Lawrence for parental help. The Friar knows what’s going on in Romeo’s life more than the parents do. It is normally a parent’s job to chide their children but Romeo says to Friar that ‘thou chid’st me oft for loving Rosaline’ which means that the Friar has taken on the responsibility of telling Romeo off about Rosaline, whom Romeo has not even told his parents about. Juliet’s predicament with her parents is similar as they also love her very much. When Paris, a suitable young man, requests Juliet’s hand in marriage, Lord Capulet thinks Juliet ‘is yet a stranger in this world’ and tells Paris to come back in ‘two more summers’. That Lord Capulet doesn’t want to marry her off so young even to such a suitable person shows that he really cares for Juliet’s well-being. When Juliet is mourning the banishment of Romeo, Lord Capulet decides to throw her a party to take her mind of what he thinks is an over-reaction of Tybalt’s death. He agrees to make ‘a desperate tender’ and allow her to marry Paris, hoping that this will cheer her up. He does this because he had Juliet’s best interests at heart and just wanted to please her and make her happy again, by giving her a large party and lots of attention. After Juliet is found supposedly dead, Lady Capulet gets very upset, saying that if Juliet does not ‘look up’ than Lady Capulet ‘will die with thee’. Both the Capulets genuinely love their daughter, calling her their ‘only life’ when she is found dead. Like Romeo, Juliet’s parents don’t communicate with her well. They don’t understand her emotions and don’t know how to speak to her effectively. When Lady Capulet wishes to speak privately with Juliet she asks Nurse to leave but the minute she is left alone with Juliet she calls Nurse ‘back again’. Since Lady Capulet didn’t raise Juliet and Nurse did, Lady Capulet would feel more comfortable if Nurse is in the room because she is unsure of how to talk to her own daughter. When Juliet is distraught after Romeo’s banishment, they assume she is upset over Tybalt’s death because ‘she loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly’. Instead of asking her what is wrong, they automatically think that she is upset over Tybalt, which shows miscommunication. Like Romeo has the Friar, Juliet has Nurse whom she trusts with her personal life. Nurse is the only one Juliet tells about Romeo, and ‘did send the Nurse’ to get information out of Romeo about the wedding. She trusted her Nurse with this part of her life that she didn’t tell her parents about. Friendly love in this play is possibly the only love that is not somewhat superficial and fake. Primarily, we see friendly love being expressed amongst Romeo and his friends. Benvolio is the most open about how much he cares for Romeo’s well-being. He expresses his concern to Romeo directly, wondering ‘what sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours’. Even though Benvolio is certain that he would sooner ‘die in debt’ than Romeo not forget his love for Rosaline, he is troubled that Romeo is upset in the moment. When Romeo is missing after the party Benvolio goes searching for him accompanied by Mercutio and is anxious that Mercutio ‘wilt anger him’ by insulting Romeo about Rosaline, even though Benvolio agrees ith him and Romeo arguably deserves it. This shows that Benvolio really does care about Romeo and doesn’t wish for him to be upset over anything. Mercutio shows his concern for Romeo in a different way, although he still makes it obvious that he cares. When Romeo is depressed with ‘a soul of lead’ before the party, Mercutio wants to cheer him up. When Romeo insists that he ‘dreamt a dream’, Mercutio picks up on that straight away and begins to make fun of Romeo in a jovial way, saying ‘and so did I’. Romeo asks what Meructio’s dream was, giving Mercutio the perfect opening for his ‘Queen Mab’ speech, which is a jokey speech about a fairy queen so he can lighten Romeo’s mood and also point out that ‘dreamers often lie’. At the end Romeo tries to insist that Mercutio ‘talk’st of nothing’, to which Mercutio replies ‘true, I talk of dreams’, which is another way of telling Romeo to lighten up and enjoy the party without focusing on his dreams. This shows Mercutio cares because he just wants Romeo to have a good time and move on with his life without focusing on the past. When Tybalt is calling Romeo ‘a villain’ and Romeo is not standing up for himself, Mercutio gets very angry on Romeo’s behalf and gets into a fight with Tybalt that kills him. Even though Mercutio was in a rather restless mood that day because of the weather, I find it hard to believe that he would fight Tybalt without a reason. It is plausible that he was just using Romeo as an excuse but the fact that Mercutio is so concerned about Romeo’s honour that he will fight for him, makes Mercutio a true friend. Even though Balthasar is Romeo’s servant, he does have his moments of showing true friendship and concern for Romeo. Balthasar is the only person Romeo trusts other than Friar to tell about Juliet and Balthasar keeps Romeo updated about the goings and comings of Verona and of Juliet. Immediately after Juliet’s funeral Balthasar ‘took post to tell it’ to Romeo. Even though Romeo told Balthasar to leave once they got to Juliet’s crypt or he would ‘tear thee joint by joint’, Balthasar stayed behind because he doubted Romeo’s ‘intents’ and feared the way he looked. This shows true friendship because even faced with the possibility of getting killed by his master, Balthasar remains behind to keep an eye on him. Even Romeo has his moments of being a genuine friend towards his boys, as shown after Mercutio has been fighting with Tybalt. At first along with everyone else he assumes Mercutio is just putting on a show for the audience, sure that ‘the hurt cannot be much’. His certainty that Mercutio will be fine shows his closeness to Mercutio because he refuses to consider the possibility that Mercutio might die. After finding out that ‘brave Mercutio is dead’, Romeo is absolutely furious and all thoughts of ‘sweet Juliet’ leave his head and all he wants is for ‘fire-eyed fury’ to lead him to kill Tybalt for ‘Mercutio’s soul’. This is once again showing that his grief over Mercutio overwhelms his love for Juliet. Knowing the possible consequences Romeo refuses to let Tybalt ‘go in triumph’ and kills him because Tybalt killed one of Romeo’s closest friends. In conclusion, Shakespeare presents the theme of love in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as mostly artificial. Romantic love, which is the love most people arguably expect to read about in this play, is very artificial, creating the true tragedy of the play of two people dying for no concrete reason. Sexual love and courtly love are both put on for show. Sexual love is used as comic relief and is not taken seriously and courtly love is only a way of showcasing that romantic love really is artificial. Parental love is real but is strained with no communication so the only genuine form of love expressed successfully in this play is friendly love.

Ehe novel by Charles Dickens Essay

The most predominant theme in the two poems is that of sheer desperation. The notion of hope and hopelessness is effectively conveyed, representing the poet’s anger at the absence of democracy and equanimity in society. They struggle to restrain this frustration towards the outrageous political and social racism made against ethnic minorities in the way they have been. However, thematically, the way the oppressed deal with the unjust and prejudiced policies installed into society differs greatly between the poems. In Nothing’s Changed the poet returns to the wasteland that was once his home, and relives the anger he felt when the area was first destroyed. When confronted with the new hotels and the restaurants, which are surrounded by the poverty and suffering – his deep content forces him to want to destroy the restaurant – â€Å"with a stone or a bomb†. This makes him reflect that despite the changing political situation, there are still huge inequalities between blacks and whites. Nothing’s changed. Therefore, the subdued message in â€Å"Nothing’s Changed† is the Whereas, in Not my business a different message is conveyed, as in the beginning stanzas Osundare sits back, grateful he is safe, as those around him are taken away. Eventually, he too is taken away and the reader is left with the distressing and uninspiring ending. The poem runs parallel to a quote which came through from the most devastating human conflict in history, World War Two, Edmund Burke once said that â€Å"all that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. † This concept is particularly relevant in the poem and reflects the general theme of it, the way Osundare is allowing the government to act, rather than protesting. Similarly, both poems have a memorable last line. Afrika writes â€Å"Nothing’s Changed† for his last line and because the last line and the title are the same, a cycle is suggested, that simply nothing’s changed, and never will. It also suggests that he is returning to district six after his campaigning, and finds despite the removal of all the â€Å"whites only† signs, the town is still filled with prejudice. In Not my business. The theme of social division and the poet’s thoughts on them is a clear one throughout all the poems. In Nothing’s Changed, Tatamkhulu Afrika comments on how even though district six has ended its apartheid, people are still prejudiced towards black people, when he writes â€Å"whites only inn. No sign says it is: but we know where we belong† Afrika develops a sense of desperation and longing for a place or ideal society. He is desperate for district six before the apartheid, when people of all races and beliefs lived peacefully, as he says â€Å"No board says it is: but my feet know†. He finds himself longing for the past, when he was a member of the African National Congress, fighting against apartheid. The anger of the poet comes through as he reflects on his childhood, â€Å"his hands burn for a stone, a bomb, to shiver down the glass† of the Inn, as he did when he was younger. All three poems compare two ways of life. In Nothing’s Changed, Afrika compares his life with the ANC, fighting for equal rights, to his life now, after his ‘victory’, where prejudice still remains. Furthermore, through consistency and regulation in the structure the poets reflect the relentlessness of government regime and ongoing racial attitudes. Despite the morally unjust and unsubstantiated discrimination which still exists, there are no breaks in the poems and this represents the way racism has become embedded into society and people’s lives, so much so that the poets see no reason to stop the fluency of the poem because of it. On the other hand, this consistency in the structure could relate to the emotional state of the poet and their reaction to the injustices progressing in the poem. In Nothing’s Changed the structure appears regulated, implying the poet is managing to keep his emotions in check and accept the racism in South Africa. However, within the stanza’s there are irregular line breaks and punctuation giving the poem a sense of choppiness, suggesting there are internal issues which the poet is struggling to control as the poem becomes progressively unfair. These line breaks and irregularities may, alternatively, symbolise the way that the government claim to have ended the apartheid and it appears over, however there are still underlying issues which exist in society. In addition, the punctuation creates speed and therefore tension, which creates a sense of ambiguity; the regularity of the stanza construction, evoking the concept of detached rationalism, contrasting with the wildly fluctuating line length, suggesting that the poet is struggling to contain his emotion. This structure successfully encapsulates the interior conflicts existing in South Africa. Whereas, In Not my Business the stanzas appear regular to represent the implacable government regime, inflicted on the oppressed peoples. The repetition of the sentence lengths and stanzas implies that, despite the death and kidnapping, the poet does not see it important enough to break the consistent structure. This poignant message optimises the idea of the whole poem that if there is not a will to protest, evil will go on and ultimately succeed. Finally, in the last stanza the indented few lines of â€Å"what business is it of mine? â€Å", which seem to have been catching up with the poet throughout, are replaced with a full stop representing finality. Finally, the use of linguistic techniques, most predominantly the use symbolism, is most effective in helping the two poets convey the meaningful and differing messages intended. An important image in Nothing’s changed is that of the â€Å"glass† which shuts out the speaker in the poem. It is a symbol of the divisions of colour, and class – often the same thing in South Africa. As he backs away from it at the end of the poem, Afrika sees himself as a â€Å"boy again†, who has left the imprint of his â€Å"small, mean mouth† on the glass. He wants â€Å"a stone, a bomb† to break the glass – he may wish literally to break the window of this inn, but this is clearly meant in a symbolic sense. He wants to break down the system, which separates white and black, rich and poor, in South Africa. In Not my Business the image of the jeep is effective in personifying the government as threatening and monstrous. The jeep is symbolic of the establishment throughout the poem, it appears a like a predator, as it â€Å"stuffed him down the belly† implying they are monstrous and ruthless toward the victims. The government seem like a faceless and impersonal tyrant, who through bribing the people of their â€Å"yam† are enforcing a deadly regime that, much like the Nazi one, see’s people taken away randomly, to die. The range and extent of the vocabulary used differs mostly between Not my Business and Nothing Changed. In Nothing’s changed Afrika is very detailed in his description of the wasteland. The â€Å"purple flowering† represents the White population at the beginning of the poem. The purple connotes royalty and class representing their superior position in society. The â€Å"flowering† implies growth and development, perhaps, socially, the problems getting worse and the racism is becoming stronger. This juxtaposes the â€Å"amiable weeds† which relates to the Blacks position, the way they are out of place and unwanted in society. The Blacks have removed them like an owner of a garden would remove a weed. Moreover, the images in the poem – of the wasteland itself, the expensive restaurant, and the working man’s cafe – are sharply contrasted to create a sense of division, mirroring the division within the country itself and within the poet’s mind. The stark difference In Nothing’s Changed, Afrika says the Inn is â€Å"flaring like a flag† meaning it is glaringly bright. Flaring has another meaning: spreading gradually outwards, which is relevant to Afrika’s feelings, as the Inn’s whites only prejudice is spreading throughout district six.

Information system development life cycle models Essay

Health information managers must understand the components of information systems and how information systems affect the organization, individuals within the organization, and interested publics outside the organization. Information systems provide opportunities to improve internal operations, create competitive advantage in the marketplace, improve patient-care delivery, enhance research, and provide better service. Information system risk occurs when the systems are not well integrated, are poorly managed, or do not support the goals of the organization. In order to exploit information system opportunities and minimize threats and risks, a thorough understanding of information system components and how these relate to the organization is necessary. An information system is composed of a group of components (people, work processes, data, and information technologies) that interact through defined relationships to accomplish a goal. Information systems must be able to adapt to environmental change. A good example of a health-related information system is an order entry system. The goal of the system is to process physician orders. The system is composed of a group of components including people (nurses, physicians, unit secretaries, laboratory personnel), data, work processes, and information technologies. Each of these components interacts through defined relationships. fails to accommodate the environment or if the interactions among its component parts fail, the system becomes nonfunctional and disintegrates. Thus, a system must be composed of a group of components that: ï‚ · Interact through defined relationships ï‚ · Work toward accomplishing a goal ï‚ · Self-adapt and respond to environmental changes Figure 2-1 provides an example of the relationship of these characteristics. An information system is composed of a group of components (people, work processes, data, and information technologies) that interact through defined relationships to accomplish a goal. Information systems must be able to adapt to environmental change. A good example of a health-related information system is an order entry system. The goal of the system is to  process physician orders. The system is composed of a group of components including people (nurses, physicians, unit secretaries, laboratory personnel), data, work processes, and information technologies. Each of these components interacts through defined relationships The peoples enter orders in a predefined way through a data entry terminal (hardware) and through interaction with software. Through the predefined interactions between the hardware and software, the order is processed. The order entry system is self-adapting and able to accommodate environmental changes such as order volume. The example depicted in Figure 2-2 demonstrates the characteristics of a system as applied to an information system: component parts working in predefined relationships that can self-adapt to environmental changes to accomplish a common goal. As the bidirectional arrows depict in Figure 2-2, at any given time there is a potential three-way interaction between all system components. People interact or are affected by work practices, data, and information technologies. Work practices affect people and may be impacted by data availability and information technologies. Information technologies may affect work practices, people, and the input, processing, or dissemination of data. Thus, we see that information components are highly interrelated. Recognizing these interrelationships is very important, since a problem with one component will likely adversely impact all other components within an information system. When information system problems arise, it is crucial that all information system components and their relationships be examined System Elements Systems have three principal elements: inputs, processing mechanisms, and outputs. Figure 2-3 depicts their simple relationship. In the order entry example given previously, inputs include physician orders such as laboratory, radiology, or pharmacy orders that are entered in a computer terminal on the patient-care unit. The orders are subjected to several processing mechanisms that check their consistency and completeness before they are routed to the appropriate department. The output of the system is a requisition for a specific type of test, procedure, or pharmaceutical. In addition to inputs, processes, and outputs, most systems also have a  feedback loop. Feedback provided by the system influences future inputs. In the order entry example, feedback regarding nonavailability of an ordered drug in the pharmacy department inventory might be provided to the physician. In this case, the system might suggest what alternatives or substitutes are available Information System Components All definitions of an information system must embody the essence of the four system characteristics that were previously presented. Thus, an information system is a group of interrelated and self-adapting components working through defined relationships to collect, process, and disseminate data and information for accomplishment of specific organizational goals. The components of an information system should be broadly interpreted. For example, information system components should be viewed to include people, work procedures, data, and information technologies (Alter, 1992). Although organizational goals may not be specifically included in the components of an information system, they must be viewed as the driving force for the development, design, implementation, and evaluation of information systems. Each information system must be evaluated in terms of its contribution to meeting the goals of the organization Information System Types In Chapter 2, six types of information systems are discussed: transaction processing systems (TPS), management information systems (MIS), decision support systems (DSS), executive information systems (EIS), expert systems (ES), and office automation systems (OAS). Early systems in health care were principally transaction processing systems. These systems automated operational functions such as accounting, payroll, inventory, and admission/discharge systems. Later, other transaction systems, such as order entry, were added to the capabilities. Management information systems emerged in the late 1970s and gradually became more sophisticated during the 1980s. One factor influencing the growth of MIS during this period was the introduction of the national prospective payment (diagnostic-related groups or DRGs) system for Medicare patients. Because of DRG implementation, hospitals needed information systems that provided better filtered and formatted data for making managerial and strategic decisions. The  implementation of DRGs also revealed the weaknesses of current information systems in linking and integrating data. Weaknesses associated with the proliferation of stand-alone systems and the historical emphasis on financial systems became magnified during the 1980s coiera When the same kind of decision is made on a regular basis, it will require access to the same kind of data and may use the same knowledge. In these circumstances, one can develop a regular process or information system to accomplish the task. An information system could thus be anything from the routine way in which a clinician records patient details in a pocket notebook, the way a triage nurse assesses patients on arrival in an emergency department, through to a complex computer-based system that regulates payments for healthcare services. An information system is distinguished from other systems by its components, which include data and models. Recall from the last chapter that there are several different kinds of information model, including databases and knowledge bases. These different information components can be put together to create an information system. For example, consider a calculator that can store data and equations in its memory. The data store is the calculator’s database, and the equation store is its knowledge base. The input to the calculator becomes the equation to be solved, as well as the values of data to plug into the equation. The database communicates with the knowledge base using a simple communication channel within the device, and the output of the system is the value for the solved equation (Figure 3.6). There are many potential internal components that could be included within an information system, including a database, a knowledge base, an ontology, and decision procedures or rules of inference. The different components of an information system are connected together with input/output channels, which allow data to be shifted between the components as needed. A patient record system is a more complex example of an information system. Its purpose is to record data about particular patients in some formalized fashion to assist in the control Wager2009  An information system (IS) is an arrangement of information (data), processes, people, and information technology that interact to collect, process, store, and provide as output the information needed to support the organization (Whitten & Bentley, 2005). Note that information technology is a component of every information system. Information technology is a contemporary term that describes the combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with data and telecommunications technology (data, image, and voice networks). Often in current management literature the terms information system and information technology are used interchangeably. 6.1.1 What Is a System?shortliffe Until now, we have referred informally to health information systems and computer systems. What do we mean when we refer to a system? In the most general sense, a system is an organized set of procedures for accomplishing a task. It is described in terms of (1) the problem to be solved; (2) the data and knowledge required to address the problem; and (3) the internal process for transforming the available input into the desired output (Figure 6.1). When we talk about systems in this book, we usually mean computer-based (or just computer) systems. A computer system combines both manual and automated processes; people and machines work in concert to manage and use information. A computer system has these components: ââ€"  Hardware: The physical equipment, including processing units (e.g., the central processing unit (CPU)), data-storage devices, comunication equipment, terminals, and printers ââ€"  Software: The computer programs that direct the hardware to carry out the automated processes—i.e., to respond to user requests and schedules, to process input data, to store some data for long periods, and to communicate informative results to the users; at times the software will prompt the users to perform manual processes System Design and Engineering in Health Care 235 ââ€"  Customers: The users who interact with the software and hardware of the system, issue requests, and use the results or forward them to others; there will be other users who are concerned with providing input, system operations, backup, and maintenance The role of a computer is, broadly speaking, the conversion of data into information. Every piece of data must be supplied by a person, by another computer system, or by data collection  equipment, as seen in patient monitoring (see Chapter 17). Information that is output is delivered to health care professionals or becomes input to another computer system. In other words, a medical computer system is a module within the overall health care delivery system. The overall health care system not only determines the need for the computer system (e.g., which data must be processed and which reports must be generated) but also the requirements for the system’s operation (e.g., the degree of reliability and responsiveness to requests for information). Acquisition and operation of a computer system has implications for the organization of an institution. Who controls the information? Who is responsible for the accuracy of the data? How will the system be financed? The installation of a computer system has sociological consequences as well. The introduction of a new system alters the work routines of health care workers. Furthermore, it may affect the traditional roles of health care workers and the existing relationships among groups of individuals—e.g., between physicians and nurses, between nurses and patients, and between physicians and patients. Important ethical and legal questions that arise include the confidentiality of patient information, the appropriate role of computers in patient care (especially in medical decision making), and the responsibility of developers and users for ensuring the correct operation of the system (see Chapter 10). Although the technical challenges in system development must be met, organizational factors are crucial determinants of the success of a computer system within the institution. These factors can differ greatly among institutions and can make the transfer of a well-functioning system to another site difficult. 6.1.2 Functions of a Computer System Computers have been used in every aspect of health care delivery, from the simple processing of business data, to the collection and interpretation of physiological data, to the education of physicians and nurses. Each chapter in Unit II of this book describes an important area for the application of computers in biomedicine. The unique characteristics of each problem area create special requirements for system builders to address. The motivation  for investing in these applications, however, is the computer’s ability to help health professionals in some aspect of information management. We identify eight topics that define the range of basic functions that may be provided by medical computer systems: 1. Data acquisition and presentation 2. Record keeping and access 3. Communication and integration of information 4. Surveillance 5. Information storage and retrieval 6. Data analysis 7. Decision support 8. Education .