Euthanasia Essay

Countless debates have been conducted in recent years regarding euthanasia. It is a topic of great significance and sensitivity, because in the simplest terms, it is a debate about someone’s right to take his/her own life. Ultimately the legalization of euthanasia is a matter of human rights, and therefore the outcome of its debate has great implications on how humans define those inalienable rights. The arguments against euthanasia are numerous, and many of them are valid, good, humanitarian points. After all, euthanasia has been used to justify some of history’s most horrific and terrible genocides and injustices throughout the world. However, the debate of euthanasia, like life, is very complicated. It is very opaque, not black and white. By and large, euthanasia should be illegal. However, to outlaw it universally no matter the circumstance, forces suffering upon certain people and deprives them of their only relief. Legalizing euthanasia is a very controversial topic, however it should be legal in very limited and exact, fiercely regulated situations. Respect for patient autonomy is a standard for human rights within the medical practice, and the choice of euthanasia is an essential part of these rights. The concept of patient autonomy is a fairly recent standard in medical ethics. After World War II, all the despicable Nazi medical experiments became known to the world. After much litigation and evaluation, the current concept of patient autonomy became very important. The result was that no one may force another to be the subject of research against his/her will. The patient has the option to choose how he/she should be treated. This standard is now all but universally accepted in democratic countries. Currently, the right not to suffer is an indispensible part of patient autonomy and of human rights the world over (Annas 1992). The choice of euthanasia should be available to patients who are physically incapable of taking their own lives. There are people who are paralyzed in a tragic accident or dying a slow miserable death for years. These people don’t have the choice to decide about their own life. Some of them are alive only by some elaborate medications or machinery without which their bodies will stop living. It used to be the law of natural selection that decided the fate of an injured human being. These days we have machines and committees to â€Å"choose† life to continue, though it is more like forcing life without consent. According to nature, our bodies would die far earlier than we sometimes allow. However, it is considered an offense when somebody is helping another person to take his/her own life. There is no law against suicide. Paralyzed or physically inept people have already been robbed of enough: their physical faculties. Is it really the right of another person, a politician, to force their suffering and ensure the inferiority of their liberty by denying them a right a non handicapped person has: suicide? There is a main difference between euthanasia and suicide. Euthanasia is the last choice for people who are suffering and dying, incapable of taking their own lives. In countries where euthanasia is illegal, patients who are mortally ill or wounded, don’t have the option to choose when death will meet them. Healthy, non-handicapped people who decide to commit suicide have the option to choose when they will meet their death (Leavitt 1996). To deny these people the only escape from their suffering and misery, through suicide, is to prolong their suffering and in effect to sustain it. Euthanasia can be legal in limited, patient chosen scenarios without running the risk of being abused to justify the systematic murder of people. Many opponents of euthanasia agree that to deny a person incapable of choosing suicide is to â€Å"force† that person to continue to suffer. Such people oppose the legalization of euthanasia, based on the â€Å"slippery slope† argument. That is, if euthanasia is legal at all, eventually an evil person will be able to justify murder as legal (Dees). These possibilities are very important for lawmakers to take into consideration. However, the slippery slope arguments are not inevitable. The physical evidence does not support opponents. As Leavitt reports, there is no support for the â€Å"slippery slope† arguments. Legislators were scared that euthanasia will be overused, but the number of people who accessed euthanasia increased only in small amounts (p. 48). Because pain is subjective, and can be caused by a very complex number of things, it becomes difficult to create legal boundaries to define and quantify it (Dees,Vernooij-Dassen, Dekkers, & van Weel p. 339-352). Though this is true, it does not mean it is absolutely inevitable that all people suffering and wanting to die should be denied that privlege. Approaches to euthanasia vary from country to country, and even within the same country opinions are divided. Euthanasia is legal in Netherlands (2000), Switzerland, Belgium (2002), Luxemburg (2009), and Albania (1999). In the USA, Oregon became the first state to pass The Death With Dignity Act (2005), which â€Å"allows terminally ill Oregon residents to obtain and use prescriptions from their physicians for self-administered, lethal medications. Under the Act, providing these medications to end one’s life does not constitute illegal assisted suicide. Of course, the individual has to meet certain requirements, such as being over age of 18 years old and diagnosed with a terminal illness and capable to make conscious decisions. The â€Å"Death with Dignity Act† doesn’t include patients who are in a vegetable state and not able to make decision, but this is a big step in right direction (Law and Medicine 1995). Another important argument for legalizing euthanasia is the cost of keeping patients alive. It is common for a terminally ill patient to lose all their savings while sitting helplessly in the hospital, against their will, with no hope of recovery. This is especially true for people without health insurance. A patient in this situation must sit passively, as they suffer in helpless pain, while the money of their families and loved ones is drained for a hopeless cause, for the maintaining of the misery and terror that life is for them. They take up time, resources of the hospital and its staff, and taxpayer dollars. All a patient in this circumstance wants is to end it all. Yet somehow, by denying them their wish to end it all, the suffering of that individual is spread like a virus, and becomes a collective suffering, shared by all and alleviated by nothing but that which the government and â€Å"law† denies them. As Taylor (2005) reported that â€Å"Some 28 percent of this year’s Medicare budget of $290 billion (projected to grow to $649 billion by 2015) will be spent on people in their last year of life. In many cases, the main effect will be to prolong the pain of impending death† (p. 58). Not only does this money go to a â€Å"lost cause† whereby the beneficiary of the law and resources is only made to suffer by those same offerings, others who want to choose life are further denied in their options because of how those government funds are allocated. As Taylor points out again, â€Å"If the right-to-lifers put our money where their mouths are, we may spend more tax dollars to postpone the expiration of post-sentient Alzheimer’s patients than we spend to educate poor children† (p. 959). Illness has a great impact patients, family, and friends. The results of studies showed that caregivers of patients with cancer and dementia have increased health problems and psychosocial stress. We should be very careful to make the legal limits of euthanasia very strict. So racial or prejudiced euthanasia will never possible in justifying murder for a cause other than a patient’s individual will and choice. Citizens should ensure that the government or private sector can never end the lives of innocent people who hinder their agendas. This said, it’s a person’s right to end his or her own life. Should we rob someone who is too weak or otherwise physically unable to choose this liberty by her/his own power? To force suffering upon someone whose only available relief is death is a gross injustice. Every life deserves equal liberty, and we should grant the same choices and freedoms for all humankind. Clipboard Edits: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ (Apted 1996). †¢ There is big debate over legalization of euthanasia. This is topic there is controversial among politician, religious organization and citizens. Everyone wants to make decision about the fate of a ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬nother human being. However, rarely do the policy makers ask the opinion of the patient, the subject of all the debate in making their decisions about that patient’s fate, his/her rights. â€Å"There is no law†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Using new technologies the human population is continually trying to prolong individual life. One negative consequence is that by extending the length of a person’s life, the process of dying and suffering can also be extended The economic effect of keeping patients alive against their own will or without their consent, has significant consequences on these patients’ families. For example, The Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatment (SUPPORT) reports that â€Å"families of seriously ill patients experienced substantial economic losses, in 20% of families, a family member had to stop working; 31% of families lost most of their savings† (Emanuel, E. , Fairclough, Slutsman, ; Emanuel, L. , 2000, p. 451-459). It makes very little (Starrs, 2006, p. 13-16).

Kamkhya Temple Essay

The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Shiva, and the giver of salvation. Shakti is known as Kamakhya. The Kamakhya Temple, which is situated high up on a hill called Neelachal Parbat or Kamagiri in the city of Guwahati, is one of its several religious landmarks, which speaks volumes about the rich historical treasure over which the state of Assam is settled. This sacred temple in the heart of the capital city of Assam holds more than it meets the eye of the spectator. The Kamakhya Temple had been built in admiration to Goddess Kamakhya or Sati, who was one of the numerous incarnations of Goddess Durga or Goddess Shakti. History The temple is situated a few kilometers away from the Guwahati Railway Station, and is open for visitors throughout the year. The exact date of the original temple is not known. It is believed that, the temple is an ancient temple. The Temple was rebuilt in 1665, after being destroyed by Muslim invaders. It was probably an ancient Khasi sacrificial site, sacrifices are still very much part of worship here. Group of devotees arrive each morning with goats to offer to Shakti. Although little is known about the early history of the temple, the first reference to the place has been traced back to the Allahabad inscriptions of Emperor Samudragupta. There is a legend attached to the history of the temple, which goes way back to the mythological age. According to the legend, Sati the wife of Lord Shiva (one of the holy Trinities in Hindu mythology) took her life at a `Yagna` ceremony that had been organized by her father Daksha, because she could not bear the insults hurled at her husband by her father. On hearing the news of his wife`s death, Shiva, the destroyer of all that was evil flew into a rage and punished Daksha by replacing his head with that of a goat. Torn between misery and blind fury, Shiva picked up the corpse of his beloved wife Sati and performed a dance of destruction called the `Tandava`. The intensity of the destroyer`s fury was so overwhelming that it took several Gods to pacify his anger. In the midst of this struggle, Sati`s corpse accidentally got cut into 51 parts by the disc in the hands of Lord Vishnu (also one of the Trinities in Hindu mythology), and her female genitalia or `Yoni` fell on the spot where the Kamakhya temple stands today, forming one of the many Shakti `Peethas` adorning the rest of her body parts. But the place where her uterus fell was not known till the god of love, Kamadeva, searched it out to rid himself of a certain curse of Brahma`s. Kama regains his body here. The place came to be known as `Kamarup` and the presiding deity as `Kamakhya` or one worshipped by Kama. Another legend says that the demon Narakasura fell in love with Goddess Kamakhya once and he wanted to marry her. But as a goddess cannot marry a demon or asura, Goddess Kamakhya played a trick to save herself. She laid a condition that she would marry him only if he builds a temple for her within one night. Narakasura agreed to it and almost finished building the temple overnight. This scared Goddess Kamakhya and before the final steps of the temple were completed, a cock was sent to cry cock-a-doodle-do to announce the arrival of the morning, before it was actually dawn. This made Narakasura very angry and he killed the cock on that spot. But according to the condition Narakasura couldn`t marry Goddess Kamakhya after that. It is said that the present Kamakhya temple is the same that Narakasura had made for the Goddess. Still another Legend says that Shakti, the mother Goddess, challenged the supreme creative power of Bhrahma and that Brahma could thereafter create, only with the blessings of the Yoni, as the sole creative principle. After much penance, Bhrahma brought down a luminous body of light from heaven and placed it within the Yoni circle, which was created by the Goddess and placed at Kamarupa Kamakhya in Guwahati. Site & Architecture King Nara Narayana of Cooch Behar rebuilt the temple in 1665 after it had suffered destruction at the hands of foreign invaders. The temple consists of seven oval spires, each topped by three golden pitchers, and the entrance spirals down to a curvy path of some distance, which specially links the main road to the temple. Some of the sculptured panels of the temple carry depictions of Gods and Goddesses of Hindu pantheon carved in a delightful pattern. Tortoises, monkeys, and large number of pigeons have made the temple their home, and loiter around the premise, being fed by the temple authorities and the visitors. The cryptic, as well as the peaceful ambience of the temple combine together to soothe the nerves of visitors, and take their minds to flights of inner salvation, and this is the very reason that people come here for. Images of gods and goddesses of Hindu religion are carved on the walls. The image of the Goddess along with other deities is kept on a th rone. The current temple structure was constructed in1565 by Chilarai of the Koch dynasty in the style of medieval temples. The form of the earlier structure, destroyed by the Kala Pahar, is unknown. The temple consists of three major chambers. The western chamber is large and rectangular and is not used by the general pilgrims for worship. The middle chamber is a square, with a small idol of the Goddess, a later addition. The walls of this chamber contain sculpted images of Naranarayana, related inscriptions and other gods. The middle chamber leads to the Sanctum sanctorum of the temple in the form of a cave, which consists of no image but a natural underground spring. The spring emanates from a fissure in a large rock that symbolizes a Yoni. In summertime the water runs red with iron oxide resembling menstrual fluid, an occasion for the Ambubasi festival. Though the temple is aligned facing east like most Hindu temples, the worship of the yoni is performed facing north. The Kamakhya Temple has a beehive like shikhara. Some of the sculptured section seen here are of interest. There are images of Ganesha, Chamundeswari, dancing features etc. The temple is a natural cave with a spring. Down a flight of steps to the bowel of earth, is located a dark, mysterious chamber. Here, draped with a silk sari and covered with flowers, is kept the â€Å"matra yoni†. There is no image of Shakti here. Within a corner of a cave in the temple, there is a sculptured image of the Yoni of the Goddess, which is the object of reverence. A natural spring keeps the stone moist. Other temples on the Neelachala hill include those of Tara, Bhairavi, Bhuvaneswari and Ghantakarna With all its enigmatic splendor and picturesque locale, the Kamakhya Temple is one of the most astounding structures, not only in Assam, but also in the whole of India. Durga Puja is celebrated here annually during Navaratri in the month of September- October. It is a three-day festival attracting several visitors. A unique festival observed here is the Ambuvaci (Ameti) fertility festival wherein it is believed that the Goddess (mother Earth) undergoes her menstrual period.

Article Review of Half Defense Positive Accounting Research

This report discusses research paper on the half a defense positive accounting research. Positive accounting research is the research to test the positive accounting theory. Watts and Zimmerman state that the contract between parties in different organizations leads the accounting to be emerged. The scientific research is called to be positive accounting research when the non rational elements of human behavior cause accounting. Along with this, the main aims this report is to analyze the phenomena of the accounting research. The main aim of the research paper was to analyze the positive accounting research in intellectual project in scientific research with a view to identify the cause and effect relationship in the world. The report will include the critical argument on ontology and epistemology, research methodology used in the article, hypothesis set out in the paper, and hypothesis testing with recommendation provided in the article. The main focus of the report is to identify t he cause and effect relationship in accounting. The article is focused on the review of epistemological and ontological hypothesis of the intellectual project to understand and gain insight into the deficiencies and importance of positive accounting research. This article analyzes and discusses Positive Accounting Theory. It compares two different theories positive accounting theory and normative accounting theory to identify the best one theory. It assesses the development of Positive Accounting Theory and puts in comparison with three standard account of science Lakatos, Kuhn, and Popper. This article demonstrates that rather positive Accounting Theory comprises of elements of all the three standards of science however methodological status of the Positive Accounting Theory does not fit any of three fully. Along with this, the article found that development of Positive Accounting Theory characterized normal science over the decades by Kuhn. This article aims to identify that how the current accounting research practices are below to whatever required conducting the research successfully. It also assesses two aspects epistemology and ontology of the positive research. Along with this, the article shows that Watts and Zimmerman devised a term Positive Accounting Theory for their theory of accounting. Along with this, the epistemology and ontology of the research programs of positive accounting have been examined. This paper identified that positivist research programs are very effective and powerful, however due to some deficiencies in the research practices it losing its value. This paper identified that casually development of theoretical models, dully reliance of research on the rational of hypothesis testing, no interest in the quantitative parametrical values, and analysis of qualitative data using theories exist. Different competing theories should be tested comparatively to ensure the critical qualitative research. According to this paper, the positive research in accounting is not able to attain scientific objectives of the research. However, normal science defined by Kuhn is best suited to the positive research in accounting than actual science. Apart from this, the article devised some suggestion such as better theoretical model for positive accounting research, better measurement of the theoretical models, and shifting the focus to anticipation of the parameters from testing the formed hypothesis. There are following working hypothesis made in this paper. These hypotheses are These hypotheses were developed based on the understanding and knowledge gained by the researcher from the literature review. The researcher did not assert for the hypothesis and revealed the general agreed explanation that the living being outside the world intervene in the world that causes the events in the world. In this paper, theoretical framework has been used to conduct the qualitative positive research of accounting. This paper includes theoretical framework that defines the hypothesis, data collection, hypothesis testing, how the existing theories are falsified and proved, research approach, philosophy, and other research methods and methodologies for the qualitative and quantitative positive accounting research program. The epistemology, ontology and research methods are the part of interpretive research paradigm. Positive accounting research is the testing of the positive accounting theory. According to Watts and Zimmerman, implied or express contract between parties in the different kinds of organization and the rational in their self interest may cause accounting. The positive accounting theory carries choice for managers, auditors’ decision for reporting and pricing, politicians and regulators’ decision regarding accounting standards, expert advice, and various other phenomena of accounting. Some kinds of accounting researches assess the human behavior without considering the rationality and self interest of the parties. Thus, the positive accounting research is broader than the positive accounting theory. This may be called as scientific accounting research as the non-rational elements of the human behavior cause the phenomena of accounting. Positive accounting research is just different from the accounting research. Ontology states that the knowledge developed by the contextual and social understanding of the accounting. At the same time, epistemology aspect of the interpretivist paradigm states that how does one get to know about the worldview of a person. The positive accounting research is interpretivist research pursuing some of the question such as what, why, when, and how to develop the contextual understanding of the research topic or problem. The world does not object the nature of the persons consisted of their role, practices, relationships, and conducts. The events or contract between parties may be without following any rational aspects. The self interest as recited above should comprise of the experience gained by the social actor or person and the meaning he or she gives to his or her life and acts. Both of the elements of self interest give the sense of the subjectivity but they form an objective reality during the social interaction process among parties. Due to the logical difficulties between ontological and epistemological aspects of positive accounting research, the positive research programs are futile as they aims at developing the objective understanding of the factors causing phenomena of accounting.   The ontology here has defined the reality of the social interaction between human beings and epistemology has defined that how the research can discover the meaning behind the activities and events took place. The research asks open questions rather than close ending questions to know about the viewpoints of the persons. The researcher decides about the questions to be asked from the participants. The manager controls over the research through the budgetary system. The key problem has to be identified for furthering the research process. It may be that the positive epistemology and ontology are not correct but they cannot be said illogical and absurd.   Methodology is the third element of the research paradigm. The methodology states that methods used in the research. The methodology used in the article given below: Research philosophy and research approach: The interpretivist research philosophy has been used in this paper to discover the causes of accounting phenomenon without non rational assumptions. The researcher used some questions such as what, why, when, and how regarding the relationship between positive and interpretive accounting research as that between humanity and science. At the same time, here inductive approach was used to prove the theories. Inductive approach has been used to gather the qualitative data to test the cause and effect relation between human behavior and accounting. The research design is the types of research to be used for solving the problem. The research design may be of two types such as quantitative research and qualitative research. The qualitative research has been conducted using inductive approach to gather the huge data regarding positive accounting research in organizations. The qualitative research methods include interview, narrative, observation, case study, ethnography, and others. Here the researcher has used qualitative research to test the theories. The qualitative research is used to test whether the nature of reality which is socially framed is not an insuperable issue, and is there a difficulty in observation of the corporate directors’ social world than the same of the wolf. The survey has been used to know the human behavior in the group.   Survey is the method in which the information about behavior of the human in organizations is gathered through asking some question or observation. There are some steps of the Poppers theory that should be followed while testing the theories. This process includes four steps which are The Popper’s criterion may not be falsified and disapproved because many of the assumption are decided theoretically so falsification of that prediction does not show the assumption which is actually wrong. At the same time, the testing of hypothesis by the observation is not the scientific research therefore the Popper’ criterion cannot be disproved. The observation cannot help in measuring a single theory but in case of two or more theories the observation might be selected. A decisive observation can disapprove the theories which are incorrect but at the same time it would have to support to the competing theories or theory.   The qualitative accounting research fails in solving the question whether theory of Foucault is applicable in situation of the adoption of the strategic system approach in auditing and whether the application technology of self devised by Foucault to ensure the compliance by front line auditors is an empirical question or not. The theoretical frameworks used are assertion that leads the failure of the qualitative accounting research.   The paper provided includes some recommendation for effective positive research programs. A specific vulnerable model should be utilized with carefully entering the variables in model for mathematical measurement. Analytical modeling of the theoretical models to effectively test the theoretical prediction should be. In accounting research, the researcher should develop a theoretical model accordingly that may support in collection, validation and analysis of data. The main focus of the research should be on the measurement rather than testing. The measurement supports in developing the conceptual understanding. This paper identified that gap between positive accounting research programs and requirements to make it more effective for contributing in intellectual programs. This limitation affects the significance of the article. Improper selection of the research methods leads to ineffective research and testing of the theories that leads to incorrect consequences. These limitations put impact on the quality of the article and its contribution. The scientific research hypothesis set out the researchers was not accepted by the Kuhn theory. The article focuses on the Kuhn theory which is not accepted by other most of the scientists. From the above analysis, it can be concluded that the report defined the topic of the paper, hypothesis, theoretical framework of the research elements such as ontology and epistemology, research philosophy, research approach, research design, and data collection methods. It is found that the qualitative research is not able to addressing the research question related to the positive accounting research and positive accounting theory. There is some suggestion provided for the effective positive accounting research. The critical analysis in the paper has implication on the positive accounting research programs. The analysis suggested some recommendation that may help in improving the positive accounting research. Dunmore, P. (2009) Half a Defence of Positive Accounting Research. Retrieved from https://www.massey.ac.nz/~pvdunmor/HalfaDefence.pdf

Discuss how curatorial practices shape an exhibition Essay

Discuss how curatorial practices shape an exhibition - Essay Example London, from 15th October, 2008 to 18th January, 2009; explores the dramatic rise of portraiture during the 15th and 16th century Renaissance, through the art works of great masters of Northern and Southern Europe. The exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid (Artdaily.org, 2008). It is essential that the exhibition is an intelligently planned and painstakingly executed interpretation of the art works selected. While providing for other possible understandings of the art displayed, it is essential to acknowledge the fact that some art pieces that might have been included to enhance the experience further, could not be procured. According to Storr (2006: 14), â€Å"a good exhibition is never the last word on its subject†. The exhibition’s curator, Susan Foister states that during the Renaissance, â€Å"great painters burst upon the scene with a fascination for the human likeness. They not only acquired the technique to do it, but also the intellectual liberation required to think about what it meant to an individual† (Higgins, 2008). After the dark ages, humanism greatly focused on the individual. The exhibition Renaissance Faces: Van Eyck to Titian at the National Gallery, London provides a rare opportunity to explore over seventy Renaissance portraits along with important sculptures, drawings and medals. Some major paintings have been loaned from the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. These are displayed alongside a selection from the rich in-house collection of Renaissance portraits in The National Gallery, London such as Holbein’s â€Å"The Ambassadors†. Similarly, outstanding masterpieces by Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Van Eyck, Holbein, Durer, Lotto, Pontormo and Bellini are featured (Artdaily.org, 2008). The curator, Susan Foister has stated that the exhibition examines the reasons why portraits were made during the Renaissance, â€Å"the motivations that animated lives are the same as those today. Love,

I'm sending you two articles could you please use them only, extract Essay

I'm sending you two articles could you please use them only, extract the info and write about Non Lipid Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Flow basis Markers - Essay Example While the classical view of IHD has been the accumulation of plasma lipids and other sedimentary substances (plaques) on arterial walls, diminishing the lumens by large percentages till serious impediment to blood flow occurs that lead to the pathological condition. There are also other factors that progressively weaken and rupture arterial walls and also seriously affect blood flow (Libby, 2006). The principal predictive potential to assess degrees of progression towards cardiovascular disease is assaying the levels of these risk factors in the blood. These factors are consequently called biomarkers and since they generally affect blood flow to the heart they are also called flow basis biomarkers. This paper is assessing the predictive values of some non-lipid biomarkers. Biomarkers capable of predicting cardiovascular risk are generally categorised into eight groups - 'inflammatory markers, markers for plaque erosion and thrombosis, lipid-associated markers, markers of endothelial dysfunction, myocardial injury or dysfunction markers, oxidative stress, metabolic markers and markers of neovascularisation' (Cooke, 2006). Common lipid biomarkers are low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol including oxidised LDL cholesterol, small dense LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein and lipoprotein-associated phosphol

ENTERAL NUTRITION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ENTERAL NUTRITION - Essay Example The purpose of this study was to determine the practices of enteral nutrition and procedures among adults in intensive care units (Fulbrook et al., p. 163). The independent variables were adults in intensive care units while the dependent variables were practices of enteral feeding. A hypothesis of this study was that timely administration of enteral feeding could minimize complications in the ICU and improve the recovery rates among adult patients in ICU. (Fulbrook et al.,p. 166). A progression of worldwide studies has demonstrated that, in numerous ICUs, health care providers do not begin enteral nutrition for all qualified patients. Postponing timing in the organization, and a few highlights having an effect on a conveyance may lead to disappointment in individual encouraging targets (Fulbrook et al., p. 174). This article focuses on a literature review with the aim of helping establish the criterion for enteral nutrition among the critically ill as well as helping identify timely initiation among those eligible. Proper assessments are essential before initiating this mode of feeding. (Fulbrook et al.,p. 178). Enteral feeding is a necessity to optimize caloric targets. The research suggests that enteral nutrition to commence within 24-48 hours and the nurse should monitor the patient for any complications arising from this feeding method. The reported troubles in improving calorific admission in critically ill patients have driven the ICU group to distinguish proof based rules to create models of NS and enhance persistent results. (Fulbrook et al.,p. 176). Early start of EN, the lower term of mechanical ventilation, decrease in the unseemly utilization of parenteral sustenance (PN), potential to decrease sepsis-related complexities, intrusions in conveyance and diminished danger of death. A convenience sample test of basic consideration of medical caretakers speaking to 20 nations of the European federation of Critical Care Nursing associations

Organizing, Decision-Making, Ethics, and the Law in Management - Case Essay - 1

Organizing, Decision-Making, Ethics, and the Law in Management - Case Study - The Vacation Request [S3] - Essay Example Properly communicated and followed reporting lines result in better clarity of objectives and lesser instances of mismanagement occur with effective controlling and monitoring mechanisms enhancing productivity of employees. Small businesses establish themselves quickly but most of the time they fail to convert themselves in to large enterprises as they fail to adopt or practice the formal management structures and reporting lines, hence decision making is ineffective or prolonged and the owner is involved in micro management of issues. With properly defined roles, job descriptions and established reporting lines small businesses can enhance their operations with supervisors entrusted to manage their staff while senior management concentrates on core business planning activities. In the case study Harry should have informed Tom to take approval from his reporting authority, i.e. Luther Jones. In this particular instance the decision on whether the leave should be approved or not was not made by the competent authority. In fact the authority of Luther was bypassed; this issue de-motivates the manager and encourages employees to reach senior management for their small issues this phenomenon shifts the focus of senior management from core business to micro managing and a loss of trust occurs amongst all three parties. Harry would not trust Luther’s ability to supervise Tom, Luther would not trust Tom in future and would develop negative feelings for Harry and Tom and other team members would always look up to Harry for trivial decisions related to their own employment. All three parties share the blame in this instance, Tom should have followed the hierarchy, Harry should have consulted Luther or should have turned down Tom sending him to Luther for approval and Luther should have met and discussed his responsibilities with Harry in order to avoid such confusions. In

Consumer Behavior Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Consumer Behavior - Assignment Example my home Jim Maxwell and Ian Mc Donald who recently purchased DVD player - home theatre system of two different brands, in order to analyze the changing behaviours of consumers. Jim purchased the Sony brand while Ian purchased a Panasonic one. Their buying decisions were influenced by need for recognition. Before purchasing, both of them have searched a lot to collect information regarding the product. They have evaluated all the possible alternatives before taking the purchasing decisions. films you purchased you can no longer play! So you have a problem or a new need. For high value items like a DVD player or a car or other low frequency purchased products this is the process we would take.† (Consumer Buying Behaviour) Most of the purchasing decisions are accompanied by an identified need. Sometimes that may be the malfunctioning of an existing product or sometimes it may be for getting some social recognition. Recognition is a primary psychological need, many of the human beings possessed. Most of their purchasing decisions were influenced by such thirst for recognition. They may feel inferiority if they possess old goods. In Jim’s case he is more focussed on social recognition while Ian seems to be more practical than Jim in his decisions. Once the consumer decide about the need of purchasing he will definitely go for information regarding the product he wanted to purchase. â€Å"Sources of information could be family, friends, neighbours who may have the product you have in mind, and alternatively you may ask the sales people, or dealers, or read specialist magazines like What DVD to help with their purchase decision. You may even actually examine the product before you decide to purchase it.† (Consumer Buying Behaviour) The following questions were asked to Jim and Ian regarding the collection of information of the DVD player they purchased Most of the people are rely on, advertisements in television, news papers, Super markets and internet for the

Forecasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Forecasting - Essay Example Forecasting is therefore a complex business in the company, which effectively has more than one personality. Seasonal forecasting is less significant and used at Daimler Chrysler than for example in the energy industry, in which the seasons make for dramatic and cyclical shifts in demand. It is not as though automobile sales do not peak at certain times of the year, but our regression models are able to take care of these models. We can also use moving annual totals for monthly future projections, rather than a calendar method, to ensure that we account for relatively minor seasonal fluctuations in demand. Seasonal forecasting has some applications for our finance business. Customers of the Daimler Chrysler Bank may have seasonal fluctuations in demand for their products and services. The financial services wing of the company has to evaluate the validity of revenue forecasts in applications for loans in such cases. There are also some key materials that we use in production, which experience seasonal fluctuations in pricing and availability. Energy is an example for plants in the northern hemisphere. Leather, though relatively small in total cost, is another example, the purchase and production support services functions of the company have to keep seasonal forecasting methods in mind, when planning for supplies at optimal prices and in time. Delphi Delphi is a key component of forecasting methodology in the automobile business. Product demand is significantly affected by cultural and geo-political matters, which lie outside the domain of expertise of a car and truck maker. The company has long gestation periods for developing new products. Hence, there is an important and frequent need to use third-party consultant from diverse fields to understand future automobile needs in various parts of the world. Daimler Chrysler has also to use Delphi as it spreads its wings to new territories. Russia, China and India are amongst the new markets with high growth potential for automobile sales, but which have driving, traffic and customer needs very different from the traditional strong holds of Western Europe and the United States. Relevant trend data are lacking for these key opportunities, and Delphi provides important learning inputs for entry and consolidation strategies for such markets. The Delphi technique has a number of drawbacks (Evans, 2002, p 366). The kind of experts selected for the study affect the outcome, and there is inevitable subjectivity in their forecasts. Most of them are highly biased and may take extreme positions to suit their private agendas. The questionnaires we deploy during the interviews are a bit vague, and the responses are therefore not universally comparable. There is no valid measure of error as with regression models. Nevertheless, this method is the best when we need ideas about the distant future and how customer choices and competitive technologies are likely to change. Daimler Chrysler cannot do without Delphi, its weaknesses notwithstanding, because innovation lies at the heart of our competitive position (Daimler-Chrysler Creates New Management Model, 2006). We need expert inputs on matters such as future consumer needs and energy security. The jatropha project in India and the driver assist system are examples of

Science News Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Science News - Article Example However, in Asimov’s words, the future is not safeguarded and humanity is staring at disaster. This is evident in issues of overpopulation, global warming, and inter-ethnic conflicts that threaten existence itself. Overall, a belief in an interesting future remains the only gateway to a pleasurable life. There are equally scientists who have attempted to defy norms that have been considered taboos. For instance, the story of the tycoon who attempted to defy gravity is the best case study. In the movie Gravity, two spacecraft astronauts try to oppose the gravitational pull occasioned by severe orbital altitudes. Unfortunately, the phenomenon of inverse square law weakens gravity but still, does not after the effects of the gravitational force (Johnson 1). Likewise, the strength of gravity on terra firma is a huge phenomenon that accounts for more than 13 percent when assessed from the International Space Station. It, therefore, concludes that the actors in Gravity would depart space at the speed of 17,000 mile per hour. Astronomy faces a hazy future if the right plans are not implemented to safeguard most its gains over the last centuries. According to Dennis Overbye, the foundation of the Lick Observatory marks the beginning of a collaborative initiative with the University of California to collect $700,000 in the acquisition of bigger telescopes. On that account, the purchase of the Thirty-Meter Telescope has resulted to acrimony amongst astronomers who fear that the Observatory maybe closed. It implies that they would lose valuable educational and research tools that have shaped astronomy in the institution for many years (Overbye 1). Similarly, Telescopes at Lick were instrumental in the research on dark energy that earned the university the Nobel Prize in 2011. Therefore, a move to interfere with its operations is tantamount to suppressing the success of adaptive

Trust in E - Commerce Essay Example for Free

Trust in E Commerce Essay Introduction The composition of this essay will concentrate on the topic about Trust in E-Commerce. Hence, this would focus in rendering a clear understanding on how such trust in E – Commerce would work in the actual practice of electronic business. The completion of this essay is up to provide general information about the importance of trust in E – Commerce. In addition to this, it will give an evident rationale in the primary functions of trust in actual practice of business in E – Commerce. Moreover, this paper holds on the purpose of providing comprehensive details on trust in E – Commerce. The following will be discussed: 1. A Brief Back Ground: Trust in Online environment 2. Importance of Trust in E Commerce 3. Major Risks in E-commerce 4. Arguments, Issues and More At the end of the paper, its goal includes determining the importance of trust in the practice of E – Commerce. Nevertheless, this essay would work to tackle prominent issues about E – Commerce with regard to trust. The Definition of Trust in an Online Environment Singh (1996) differentiates between two types of trust, which is that of soft trust and hard trust. Under the concept of soft trust, the important elements are that which â€Å"involve human psychology, brand loyalty, and user-friendliness† (Bollier 1996: 21 as cited in Singh 1996: 145). On the other hand, that of hard trust has factors, which â€Å"involve authenticity, encryption, and security in transactions† (Bollier 1996: 21 as cited in Singh 1996: 145). There is distinction that is to be made between the two that is the main reason for its separation. However, both sets of factors enable the users to have a sense of trust in a virtual environment where the virtual characteristic of the online environment has produced uncertainties.   Likewise, it is to be noted that the factors included for the â€Å"soft trust† involves those which are relative to the customers and are points where the online environment interacts with the users. These are the things, which are related to the client and would vary from every user. On the other hand, those elements under the category of hard trust leans towards those characteristics of the online environment which the users look for and which the different participants in the online environment should provide and possess in order for trust to be built. Moreover, Sutherland and Tan (2004) define trust as the element of the users that allow them to be vulnerable and take risks. It results to their acceptance of both the positive and negative consequences of their use of the online environment. The level for such may vary from one person to another depending on the elements of hard and soft trust placed above. Figure 1. E-Commerce Diagram for Secure Transactions Importance of Trust in E – Commerce Trust in a sense has always been significant aspect in doing business (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). Hence, establishing trust and credibility is a helpful way to gain the confidence of consumers or the customers (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). In sales, establishment of such trust is an efficient way to reach higher rate of sale (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). Likewise, trust and credibility is significant in building firm relationship with consumers and attract potential customers or buyers in the future (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). The E-commerce is a type of a socio-technical system in exchanging business data and information, upholding business relationships, and accomplishing business transactions through the used of telecommunications networks (E – Commerce Relationships n.d ). In literature, trust is commonly characterized as the confidence or predictability in individual’s potentials (Pavlou n.d ) and the confidence or faith in others goodwill (Trust in Electronic Environment n.d.). In the practice of E – Commerce, trust is considered to be the focal point of creating a firm relationship with the clients or the consumer (E – Commerce Relationships n.d.). This is due to the fact that in such environment the presence of risks, uncertainties, and interdependencies are prevalent (E – Commerce Relationships n.d.). Hence, such trust in the field of E – Commerce is significant for the fact that it serves as the key factor in establishing social capital (On-line trust: concepts, evolving themes, a model n.d.). In addition to this, trust in E-commerce is important in achieving positive outcomes or results such as improving supplier performance, attaining consumer’s satisfaction increasing competitive advantages, and other substantial economic achievement (Building E-commerce Trust Applying Usability Principles n.d., eCommerce and the electronics industry n.d.). In citation of these facts and information it is reasonable enough to say that such trust in the field of E –Commerce is proven to be significant and effectual in many ways. Moreover, apart from the significance of trust in E –Commerce, it also entails positive benefits. Such reward of trust is measurable in a broader range in E – Commerce such as reducing the transaction costs, endorsing advantageous behaviors to attract and limiting the extent of formal contracts (E – Commerce Relationships n.d., Egger n.d.). Nonetheless, trust plays a significant role in e-commerce due to the scenarios like lack of physical proximity, inefficiencies in web technology, anonymity, potential opportunism and lack of control (E – Commerce Relationships n.d.). Major Risks in E-commerce With the speedy development and improvement of technologies, more specifically that of the Internet, it is a fact that this entails a broader range of significant and new opportunities (Hunter n .d.). However, such new opportunities have come with new risks that are commonly not included in the company’s actual risk management strategy (Hunter n .d.). Likewise, the utilization of risk management has been part of the part of the business industry and is widely implemented in such environment (Hunter, n .d.). This is in support of protecting the company’s tangible assets that are exposed to different perils or risks (Hunter, n .d.). Thus, in the field of E –Commerce, such management strategy relies more in the use of technology such as the internet (Hunter, n .d.). Nonetheless, with the appropriate and accorded utilization of such risks management program, possible perils in E – Commerce could be addressed accordingly (Hunter, n .d.). In a sense, it is considered that the possible risks or perils in the field of E – Commerce is associated in different detrimental form such as, viruses, hackers and abuse of credit card numbers used in the transactions over telecommunication lines (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). However, such risks in E – Commerce could possibly be addressed by means of utilizing technological advances (â€Å"Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Certainly, in E – Commerce, major risks are categorized in three primary areas which are business risks, information risks, and technology risks (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). In a sense, the Information Risks are perils that involve information published and depicted in the web page or sites, which are associated with the manner of e-commerce (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). In addition to this, such category of risk in E – Commerce is considered to be the threats that are associated with the mismanagement of vital information such as violation of laws in a given state and other countries (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). The Technology risk is defined as the hazard that is associated with the databases, telecommunications, software and hardware (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Also, these specific risks entails consequences that result to the mismanagement or misuse of technology and the utilization of inappropriate technologies in support of addressing the business needs (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Business risks, on the other hand, are all about the relationship between the customer or consumers and the supplier. Also, this include risks that are associated with products and services, which are marketed and distributed over the Internet (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). In addition to this, such risk in E – Commerce also involves the possible risks associated with managerial factors in the business, which includes contractual and personnel matters (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Furthermore, the risk of Credit Card Fraud is also perceived as one of the detrimental threats or danger in E – Commerce (Electronic Commerce n.d.). It is believed that such business peril has been in the system ever since credit cards are introduced (Electronic Commerce n.d.). As such, this risk of fraud is anticipated in the business as far as the credits cards are utilized mainly in the E – Commerce transactions (Electronic Commerce n.d.). Likewise, most of the companies involved in the E – Commerce industry is considered to be exposed to such risk by means of credit card utilization and losses for such (Electronic Commerce n.d.). By citing the actual process of utilizing the credit card in E – Commerce, it is clearly evident that such risk of fraud is prevalent in the business (Electronic Commerce n.d.). However, through the use of simple, but effective, strategies such risks in E –Commerce could possibly be addressed (Electronic Commerce n.d.). For instance, the service-based businesses with returning transactions from recognized client or customers entails a much lower risk of fraud (Electronic Commerce n.d.). Nonetheless, with the appropriate implementation of strategies and utilization of effectual business system, it is a fact that companies in E – Commerce could mitigate and prevent the possible risks that are stated above and gain positive benefits from online businesses such as credit transactions (Electronic Commerce n.d.). Arguments, Issues and More Just like any other business industry, the E – Commerce also experiences different issues that could be harmful in a sense. From a personal point of view, issues and arguments in business sectors is part of its actual practices. Thus, this could also serve as the valuable source of learning, which could be used for improvement and development of the company. In the industry of E – Commerce, it is perceived that the notion of trust is a significant matter that is considered in different issues. Moreover, â€Å"trust† is a notion that everyone clearly understands at a given personal perception (A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness n.d.). However, it is considered that one of the main issues with regard to trust in E –Commerce is associated with the people’s difficulties in expressing specific definition of such idea (A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness n.d.). Some of the public entails stricter basis in measuring and evaluating their trust in a person or a company (A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness n.d.). Moreover, the strategy to provide or render a reliable state of trust in the field of E – Commerce is considered to be one of the most pervasive issues in the industry that is still in search of possible resolution (Trust Issues in Ecommerce n.d.). This is due to the fact that such traditional method of face-to-face contact and reputation is far from occuring as compared to that of the actual business transaction of E – Commerce (Trust Issues in Ecommerce n.d.). Thus, the new method that is based on the utilization of digital certificates and cryptographic algorithms rendered by Certification Authorities are one of the common issues in E – Commerce as it is not enough to solve the issues with regards to trust (Trust Issues in Ecommerce n.d.). Conclusion With the above facts and information depicted in this essay, it is clearly reasonable to say that trust in E – Commerce plays a profound role in the industry. Hence, such notion is indeed significant in the entire process and actual practice of electronic business. As such, trust in Electronic Commerce works as the essential component towards the achievement of business success. In addition to this, such trust is important in rendering rooms for improvement and development in terms of financial aspects, operational, and over-all business performance. Thus, such is significant in the industry of Electronic Commerce as it is considered to be the key factor achieving various positive outcomes and results in the business. Nonetheless, the completion of this essay renders definite information on the primary uses and significance of trust in Electronic Commerce practices and business transactions. Moreover, this depicts the major issues of trust in E – Commerce and incorporated with the accorded reasons on such topics together with the appropriate mechanism or methodology to accordingly address such trust issues. References A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness [online] available from http://www.philosophe.com/commerce/trust.html [August 15, 2008]. Building E-commerce Trust Applying Usability Principles [online] available from http://www.nicolasdeproft.be/pages/ecommercetrust/conclusion.html [August 15, 2008]. eCommerce and the electronics industry [online] available from http://www.ferret.com.au/n/eCommerce-and-the-electronics-industry-n686364 [August 15, 2008]. E – Commerce Relationships [online] available from http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0198-239216/E-commerce-relationships-the-impact.html [August 15, 2008]. Egger F. (n.d.) Affective Design of E-Commerce User Interfaces: How to Maximise Perceived Trustworthiness [online] available from http://www.ecommuse.com/research/publications/CAHD2001.htm [August 15, 2008]. Electronic Commerce [online] available from http://www.responsivesystems.com.au/ecommerce/index.html [August 15, 2008]. Hunter S. (n.d.) E-commerce Risks [online] available from http://www.marsh.com.au/ECommerceRisks.htm [August 15, 2008]. Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce [online] available from http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/abe/business/miller/ecrisks.html [August 15, 2008]. On-line trust: concepts, evolving themes, a model. (n.d.) [online] available from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6WGR-48DXRCC-1_user=10_rdoc=1_fmt=_orig=search_sort=dview=c_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=9893dfb675be4b1cc30748424542452e [August 15, 2008] Pavlou p. (n.d.). The Transitional Role of Institutional Trust in Online Interorganizational Relationships [online] available from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.3.6276 [August 15, 2008] Singh, S. (1996). The social impact of electronic money. In G. Rosston D. Waterman (Eds.), Interconnection and the internet (135-154). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Sutherland, P. Tan, F. (2004). The nature of consumer trust in B2C electronic commerce: A multi-dimensional conceptualism. In Information Resource Management Association International Conference, Innovations through information technology: 2004 Information Resources Management Association International Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, May 23-26, 2004. UK: Idea Group Inc. The Importance of Trust and Credibility. (n.d.) [online] available from http://www.zeald.com/Resources/The+Importance+of+Trust+and+Credibility.html [August 15, 2008] Trust Issues in E – Commerce. (n.d.) [online] available from http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/~lpb/research/trust/ [August 15, 2008] Trust in Electronic Environment. (n.d.) [online] available from http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGki7BHKhIaHYAmwpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTBydHRjbmRzBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMwRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkAw/SIG=12fkedrf3/EXP=1219063361/**http%3a//www.hicss.hawaii.edu/HICSS36/HICSSpapers/STFMS01.pdf [August 15, 2008]

Market Structures Essay Example for Free

Market Structures Essay According to McConnell and Brue (2004), a monopoly occurs when a single firm is the sole producer of a product for which no close substitutes exist. Since the United States Postal Service (USPS, 2008) has no close substitutes, competition does not exist. The Postal Service’s universal service obligation (USO) is broadly outlined in multiple statutes and encompasses multiple dimensions: geographic scope, range of products, access to services and facilities, delivery frequency, affordable and uniform pricing, service quality, and security of the mail (USPS 2008). When monopolists are not protected by law from competition, the companies may have to keep their prices low in order to keep competition from entering the market. However, USPS is considered a pure monopoly and barriers of entry are in place. USPS is the only federal operating system that sends and delivers mail. USPS has competition in the market with services such as package delivery. Now, the agency has to compete with major companies such as UPS and FedEx. United States Postal Services depends on operation funding from postage and fees. Comparatively, the Postal Service provides a higher level of service and does so at low, affordable prices (USPS, 2008). The University of Phoenix (UOP) is an institution for profit and it operates in a market structure with pure competition. According to McConnell and Brue (2004), â€Å"pure competition involves a very large number of firms producing a standardized product (that is, a product identical to that of other producers, such as corn or cucumbers). New firms can enter or exit the industry very easily,† (University of Phoenix, 2004). There are many universities, colleges, community colleges, and vocational schools for students to choose from. They offer education in the U. S. and overseas. Different educational institutions offer programs that are identical or similar to UOP. However, the tuition is not the same for all schools. UOP does not have a perfect substitute because of the many campus locations and varied degree programs. UOP does not have a significant control over the price of education. It can not change the market price; it can only adjust to it. University of Phoenix participates in Federal Student Aid grant and loan programs with attractive terms. All students seeking federal financial aid benefits must be admitted to a financial aid eligible degree or certificate program in order to determine financial aid eligibility. In order to be eligible for tuition deferment under the Financial Aid Plan, at least 50% of student’s annual tuition must be funded through the federal financial aid benefits and there are extremely strict policies that the UOP must adhere to in order to be eligible for Title IV. University of Phoenix observes the federal regulations regarding student loan requirements, including pricing and non-pricing strategies. The Arizona Student Loan Code of Conduct is designed to create and ensure uniform student loan practices that focus on the best interest of borrowers. In the Arizona Student Loan Code of Conduct, restrictions are defined to manage the relationships among school employees, learning institutions, lender advisory board members, and student loan organizations. In education, universities can freely enter and existing firms can freely leave purely competitive industries. According to McConnell and Brue (2004), â€Å"a few industries more closely approximate pure competition than any other market structure. In particular, we can learn much about markets for agricultural goods, fish products, foreign exchange, basic metals, and stock shares by studying the pure-competition model. Also, pure competition is a meaningful starting point for any discussion of price and output determination. Moreover, the operation of a purely competitive economy provides a standard, or norm, for evaluating the efficiency of the real-world economy,† (University of Phoenix, 2004). Nike is an example of a monopolistic competition. This type of market structure has many sellers. Each firm in this market sells only a small share of the industry’s output. The key to this is product differentiation. While there are many firms selling similar products, it’s the price and quality differentiation that makes the consumer choose one product over another. (Forgang Einolf, 2006) These markets are extremely competitive and each manufacturer tries to appeal to the consumer on a different level of expert service or material. (University of Phoenix, 2004). The Nike swoosh has certainly become a brand mark that consumers are willing to pay a higher price for, however, Nike must also consider the current economy and the value offered for that higher price. Their products must truly be manufactured with superior quality and materials. Nike must walk a fine line with their pricing strategy. Too high a price will cause the consumer to opt for a less expensive brand and too low a price will not offset the superior manufacturing or costs paid to athletes to endorse or assist with design on the product. Therefore, Nike continuously battles between a relative price for the average consumer and making an acceptable profit. Also, Nike must constantly put a new, trendy product on the market. Styles must change frequently and certain quantities of the product must be produced without saturating the market with similar products. The niche Nike has chosen is to eliminate certain styles within a time frame therefore, causing the consumer to upgrade to the newest, latest, styles. The J. C. Penny Company, commonly known as â€Å"Pennies,† is an American department store aligned with the practice of oligopoly. The characteristics of oligopoly have commercial groups entwined in price collusion while refusing to compete on the basis of price. It was noted by McConnell and Brue that commercial groups â€Å"share of the total market is typically determined through product development and advertisement,† (University of Phoenix, 2004). In short, oligopoly happens when a certain market is manipulated by small commercial groups. In most cases, there are two or more commercial groups controlling the market. Pennies is a retail store that carries a wide verity of health and beauty products, fine jewelry, electronics, clothing for infants, teenagers, men and women, and home decor. In most cases, oligopolies would avoid using price cutting methods. Oligopolistic commercial groups are highlighted by the existence of several commercial groups having significant portions of the market. Those commercial groups buy into calculated behavior and they have a hard time existing without each other. Consequently, the actions of one commercial group can be directly affected by the moves of rival groups and the products they produce may virtually be nearly uniform or meaningful. Another example of an oligopoly (overt) is the OPEC cartel. According to Kaplan (1999), an oligopoly is an industry that is dominated by a few firms that display highly coordinated behavior and examples of oligopoly include the auto and oil industries. Concerning the oil industry, the oil cartel OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a pure example of an oligopoly. OPEC is the alliance of thirteen countries that have significant influence on the price of international oil and â€Å"creating a balance between oil supply and demand† (Iran, 2008). Generally, oligopolies operate in collusion or employ price leadership. OPEC relies on these secret agreements (collusion) to govern oil in the international market. Additionally, these countries can unify and offer prices â€Å"in response to changes in costs or demands†, making other firms react quickly (Kaplan, 1999). â€Å"It is not uncommon to see several gas stations on the same block with identical prices even though they appear to be in a very competitive environment. If one stations cuts the price per gallon, the others must quickly follow of they will rapidly lose market share as consumers switch to the lower priced station† (Kaplan, 1999). This uniformity still does not have the power to ignore consumer taste. When examining the dynamic history between OPEC and consumers, it is clear that there is a cause-and-effect for OPEC’s decision. For example, OPEC has famously used oil as a leverage tool to importer nations. In 1973, OPEC and a supplementary organization decided to place an embargo on oil and subsequently raised the price of crude oil. However, Western nations transitioned creatively as they found new oil markets in other countries. Thus, the price hike did not have much bearing on the Western nations. The monopolist seeks maximum total profit, not maximum price. The monopolist shuns higher price because they yield a smaller-than-maximum total profit. Some high prices that could be charge would reduce total sales and total revenue too severely to offset any decrease in total cost† (McConnell Brue, 2004). Moreover, OPEC miscalculated production and consumer demand for oil, which resulted in too much oil production in the world market. Thus, prices began to decline due to surplus while OPEC lost much revenue and division because of competing opinions on oil prices and arguments about oil production. Recently, the 9/11 attacks and the Iraqi invasion prompted world oil prices to rise higher than OPEC quotas, which severely impacted the purchase price to Western consumers. Yet, automobile firms began vehicles with alternative fuel options, hybrid models, and decreasing the retail prices of vehicles during the economic recession. Additionally, many consumers have reacted to price hikes by using public transportation, carpooling, purchasing hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles, and/or moving closer to the city. Lastly, Western importer nations are discovering new oil markets separate from OPEC. Still, collusion allows OPEC to â€Å"reach agreements to fix prices, divide up the market, and otherwise restrict competition amongst themselves. By controlling price through collusion, oligopolists may be able to reduce uncertainty, increase profits, and perhaps even prohibit the entry of new rivals† (McConnell Brue, 2004). In respect to today’s global economic condition, a recession can severely disable a cartel’s ability to manipulate output and increase profits. â€Å"Long-lasting recession usually serves as an enemy of collusion because slumping markets increase average total cost. Firms find that they have substantial excess production capacity, sales are down, unit costs are up, and profits are being squeezed. Under such conditions, businesses may feel they can avoid serious profit reductions by cutting price and thus gaining sales at the expense of rivals† (McConnell Brue, 2004). As recently as November 2008, OPEC is considering reducing oil output. â€Å"But if crude prices continue to fall, then an additional OPEC cut may be needed. â€Å"The producer group agreed to cut output from November 1 by 1. million barrels per day (bpd) after oil prices dived from a July record of $147 a barrel to less than that. Venezuela said on Tuesday it will propose another cut of 1 million bpd at the cartel’s next meeting† (Iran, 2008). Thus, â€Å"investor concerns over further declines in crude oil demand under the impact of the global financial crisis have kept pressing recent oil prices lower† (Iran, 2008). With the drop in gas prices, consum ers are able to purchase more gas based on oil price reduction, income, and inelasticity of gas as a resource. In the Market Structures Simulation, Quasar starts as a leader in the industry with its technology. Quasar has the monopoly on the market at the start of the scenario. After the initial surge of manufacturing and selling the products, Quasar realizes it must invest in advertising and upgrades to production to keep the edge. Orion begins to produce a similar product at a lower price. Quasar must understand that stabilizing the price at this time will create an oligopoly market structure and stabilize the industry. As Quasar adjusts its price accordingly, profits stay steady and Quasar is able to invest in its own branding and innovation once again. As time goes on, we see Quasar move to a perfect competition where inventory is reduced, manufacturing processes are improved, and prices are stable. At this point, Quasar needs to maintain its market share by staying on top while continuing to increase the efficiency of its processes to maximize profits.

Spoken language vs written language

Spoken language vs written language Thes is statement: It is more difficult to understand the spoken language than the written language for some reasons. Annotated Bibliography Ridgway, T. (2000). Listening strategies- I beg your pardon? ELT Journal Volume 54/2 Oxford: Oxford University Press In the essay, Tony Ridgway writes about the basic differences between the spoken and the written language, furthermore, he clarifies the main disparities between spoken and written texts. In the centre of his work, he examines wheter the the skills and strategies which people use during reading could be transported into listening. In a separate paragraph, he explains what startegy means exactly, because according to him, there is confusion with it. Ridgway deals with the question of conscious listening and direct listening strategy, because in his view, it is impossible to do it directly. Afterwards, he tells his opinion about the importance of practising. At last, he explains the authentic texts, which means that realistic situations should appear in listening tasks. At the end, Ridgway summarises the topic of the essay in the practical consequences. Field, J. (2000). Not waving but drowning: a reply to Tony Ridgway ELT Journal Volume 54/2 Oxford: Oxford University Press In his essay, John Field deals with the same topic like Tony Ridgway, but he has a different opinion, so this is a critical reflection. There are ideas of Ridgway in which Field agrees with him, but not so many. He rather lists the assuptions of Ridgway, for example equality of texts, the question of transferring skills from the first language into the second, and the problem with simplified texts. Furthermore, he introduces two types of students: the risk-taker and the risk-avoider. He also expresses dissatisfaction about some definitions of Ridgway, like strategy, strategy types and skills. Afterwards, he summarises Ridgways main arguments and writes his own opinion about them. At the end of the essay, he explains Ridgways solution and tells, why he cannot agree with him. The National Capital Language Resource Center. (2003, 2004) Strategies for Developing Listening Skills. Teaching Listening. Washington, DC Retrieved from http:// www.nclrc.org/essentials/listening/stratlisten.htm The target of this article is to help students developing their listening strategies. According to the writer, listening is a really important part of language learning, but it needs to improve it. Students can easily generate better results with the following strategies: top-down, which means a listener based strategy, when students are familiar with the background of the text, and bottom-up, which means a text based strategy, when students listening for specific details and word-order patterns. The writer also mentions a metacognitive strategy, which means the preparation for the listening method and evaluate it. Afterwards, four basis steps are given to realize the aim: listening to meaning. These steps include figuration the purpose, selection the relevant pieces, selection an appropiate strategy and check of comprehension.

Death :: essays research papers

Death   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Death is the thing most people fear the most. I myself however do not, death can mean a lot of things. To me death is a restraint on life, a barrier which holds people from living life to its fullest. I hate being restrained, being set boundaries. However death also deserves respect, because if you do not respect death, you die, literally!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What causes death? Well, there are a lot of things that cause death. Disease, old age, Natural and un-natural occurrences, and suicide. The focus of this essay is to tell my views on the leading cause of death. What is the leading cause of death? I believe it is AIDS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency, is the disease that renders the body's immune system unable to resist invasion by several microorganisms that cause serious infections. AIDS is transmitted by blood, through intimate sexual contact, from infected mothers to their babies in the uterus, and perhaps through infected mother's milk. Currently there is no cure for AIDS, however research is showing hopeful signs. Research has made breakthroughs the past years and have come up with ways to slow things down, but not cure AIDS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many ways to prevent AIDS. I believe the leading way is abstinence. No sex until your sure of your sexual partners past sexual history should you consider sex. If you must have sex then have safe sex. Safe sex includes using any instrument or object which does not allow bodily fluids to be exchanged. Preventing AIDS is something we all can do. No one is forced to have sex (unless raped), no one is forced to do drugs with infected needles and no

Lord of the Flies :: essays papers

Lord of the flies Artificial Restraints in Lord of the Flies "GOLDING PUTS SO MANY ARTIFICIAL RESTRAINTS ON HIS STORY IN ORDER TO EMPHASISE HIS POINT, THAT THE WHOLE THING COMES OUT TOO NEATLY AND, IN FACT, REDUCES THE POWER OF HIS MESSAGE." I think that, while the boys experience immense bad luck due to the author, the story still proves its point. It is still possible though, that the bad luck of the boys could have been experienced in real life. I think that without this bad luck, the point of the story wouldn’t be as great, because without the restraint’s Golding placed on the boys, life on the island would have been too easy for the boys. The major constraint that Golding puts on the boys is the personality clash between Jack and Ralph. From the beginning, when Ralph is elected leader, Jack hates Ralph, and towards the end of the book, the feeling becomes mutual. Without Jack and Ralph’s problems, life would have been easy, and the ‘darkness of man’s heart’ would not have been conveyed to the reader. Jack shows ‘the darkness’ and if he and Ralph had just been friends, there would never have been an opportunity for Jack to show this darkness which lurked beneath the surface. Golding also uses the dead pilot conveniently against the boys - the way in which he is caught in the trees just in the right position to be caught by the wind and look like the beast and the way the wind picks up after Simon has let him down from the trees and carries him out to sea, so that the other boys cannot see that it wasn’t a beast. The author uses the boy’s fear against them, and although this could possibly happen in the situation, Golding uses it as a weapon against them, their morale and their companionship. I think that the boys split up and go to Jack because of the fear - he can kill the beast, he can get them meat, and if they ever get upset, he can start a dance and all will be fine. Lord of the Flies :: essays papers Lord of the flies Artificial Restraints in Lord of the Flies "GOLDING PUTS SO MANY ARTIFICIAL RESTRAINTS ON HIS STORY IN ORDER TO EMPHASISE HIS POINT, THAT THE WHOLE THING COMES OUT TOO NEATLY AND, IN FACT, REDUCES THE POWER OF HIS MESSAGE." I think that, while the boys experience immense bad luck due to the author, the story still proves its point. It is still possible though, that the bad luck of the boys could have been experienced in real life. I think that without this bad luck, the point of the story wouldn’t be as great, because without the restraint’s Golding placed on the boys, life on the island would have been too easy for the boys. The major constraint that Golding puts on the boys is the personality clash between Jack and Ralph. From the beginning, when Ralph is elected leader, Jack hates Ralph, and towards the end of the book, the feeling becomes mutual. Without Jack and Ralph’s problems, life would have been easy, and the ‘darkness of man’s heart’ would not have been conveyed to the reader. Jack shows ‘the darkness’ and if he and Ralph had just been friends, there would never have been an opportunity for Jack to show this darkness which lurked beneath the surface. Golding also uses the dead pilot conveniently against the boys - the way in which he is caught in the trees just in the right position to be caught by the wind and look like the beast and the way the wind picks up after Simon has let him down from the trees and carries him out to sea, so that the other boys cannot see that it wasn’t a beast. The author uses the boy’s fear against them, and although this could possibly happen in the situation, Golding uses it as a weapon against them, their morale and their companionship. I think that the boys split up and go to Jack because of the fear - he can kill the beast, he can get them meat, and if they ever get upset, he can start a dance and all will be fine.

State championship Essay -- Personal Narrative Sports Hockey Papers

State championship Bzzzza, Bzzzza, Bzzzza; â€Å"alright here we go†, I think to myself, as I sleepily roll out of bed at 8:00am, on March, 4 2001. I put on some pants, a shirt, shoes and grab a coat. As quick as I am up, I am out (of) the door. I get in my car and make my way towards the hockey rink, for a team breakfast. The eight minute car ride to the rink, I am thinking of only one thing, to take home a state championship this afternoon. I walk into the rink and I see my teammates sitting in a circle not talking, just slowly eating their carefully planned out carbohydrate loaded breakfast. I sit in the circle and look around as they all give me reassuring looks. I say nothing as I slowly eat my bagel and raisons; I am just thinking about the task in hand. When everyone is done eating the coach orders us to the locker room. Twenty, young, determined hockey players file into the Shaker Raiders locker room, sit down quietly and patiently wait for the coach to make his speech. â€Å"Padua†, he starts, â€Å"we are Familiar with their line up†. We were very familiar with their line up because we had played them four times earlier this season. In all four matches we lost. â€Å"What has happened earlier this season, does not matter†, he goes on. â€Å"We are going to win this afternoon. I have put together a film of highlights from our previous games against them, which I think will help us today†. We watched the film, which went over specific plays we were supposed to run, and key players on Padua’s team. One player, the film focused on a lot was their goalie. The film showed a play where their goalie, Wolf, let in consecutive goals over his left shoulder. We watched the play over ... ...so hard to get. The period kept winding down slower and slower, until finally there was 5 seconds-4-3-2-1, â€Å"YEAAAAH†, â€Å"WHOAAAAH† as we all ransacked our goalie. There was a huge pile and hugging on the ice which lasted for what seemed an hour. It had all paid off. We did it, we accomplished our goal we were state champions. If it were not for all the hard work and determination there would have been no way that we could have pulled off this feat. It has changed me forever. Winning has done so in many ways. One I am a lot more confident, whether it is from the benefits of being a state champion or knowing that I accomplished a goal I set out to do. Also it has affected me because I know that if you are determined and work hard you can achieve anything you want to. I learned this through a game, a game that has changed my life.

An Analysis of Obesity in America

LIB 111 9 October 2012 Our Responsibility: An Analysis of Obesity in America America is becoming obese. As a community we are becoming more accepting of being overweight. Americans must make choices about where they eat, and how much they eat, for themselves, as well as their families. It is a person’s own responsibility to choose what they consume, not their government’s. Fast food is the new tobacco. Only society, not the government will be able to change the way Americans view their food choices.Many people, such as First Lady Michelle Obama, in â€Å"Remarks to the NAACP National Convention† believe that it is the government’s job to help control America’s obesity rates (432). Obama states that the government is proposing, â€Å"a $400 million a year fund†(427), to promote health. America prides itself on the liberties of its citizens, and the government is supposed to ensure that American’s have rights, not take them away. Forcing Americans to change their way of eating is not the solution to obesity. In â€Å"What You Eat Is Your Business† written by Radley Balko, Balko talks about how America is â€Å"migrating toward socialism†(396).We are migrating toward socialism by not allowing the people to think for themselves and make their own decisions. Balko believes that we should not bring â€Å"government between you and your waistline†(396). He argues, â€Å"[w] e’re becoming less responsible for our own health, and more responsible for everyone else’s†(396). Balko makes the most valid of points by asking himself, â€Å"if the government is paying for my anti-cholesterol medication, what incentive is there for me to put down the cheeseburger? †(397). If the government is just going to take care of you once you have the negative affects of fast food, you don’t need to prevent it.David Zinczenko, chief editor of Men’s Health wrote, â€Å"Donâ€⠄¢t Blame the Eater† in 2002. In his essay, Zinczenko voices that the public should know better than to eat several meals a day at a fast food restaurant, however he does hold fast food restaurants accountable for not telling the public how many calories a meal contains (397). It is the government’s duty to have fast food restaurants make nutritional facts available to the public. American’s find it easiest to blame others for their faults, instead of dealing with them.In society, many people are often careless when looking out for themselves, and always claim to need the government’s assistance when in need. Our government should help, but only as a last resort. Americans need to promote their own healthy lifestyle. If there is no inner desire for a healthy lifestyle, the government should not be able to change your chosen way of living. Food is related to emotions. All American’s can relate to the sweet smell of their mother baking cookies on a co ld day, and the melt in your mouth taste of the warm cookies after playing outside in the cold.Judith Warner claims, â€Å"the Obama nanny state is, essentially, snatching cookies-I. e. , the pursuit of happiness- from the mouths of babes†(401). By regulating what children are allowed to eat, it is an â€Å"assault on the American way of life†(401). It is a parents job to control what their children eat, not the governments. Many find that their inspiration is from ads, other people, TV, and Internet. It is society that evolves and changes into a new mindset together. Tobacco sales, as argued by Judith Warner in â€Å"Junking Junk Food† did not decline due to the government’s involvement, but because of society’s modern outlook on smokers.Warner says â€Å"it was a shift in cultural attitudes, not laws or regulations, that led Americans to quit smoking†(404). If the harmful ingredients in tobacco can be outlawed by society, and influence Ame ricans to live a healthier lifestyle, then society, not our government can and will be responsible for their healthy diet. One will not change their outlook on healthy living or healthy diets, based on what a government demands, it must be one’s own choice to change the way they and their families eat and exercise.When society begins to evolve, without the government demanding it, people will be confident with their healthy lifestyle choices. Warner believes that â€Å"social norms could change: that huge portions, or eating processed foods loaded with sugar, salt and fat for example could become socially unacceptable†(404). There is hope for American citizens to make their own decisions. It is up to American parents to control what their children eat, as well as what they are consuming. The government does not have the right to regulate one’s personal food intake.American’s must see their current faults, and allow for change in their lives. We must be re sponsible for ourselves, and not allow the government to constantly take care for their citizens as children. Works cited Balko, Radley. â€Å"What You Eat Is Your Business†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 395-397. Print. Obama, Michelle â€Å"Remarks to the NAACP National Convention†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing.Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 417-433 Print. Warner, Judith. â€Å"Junking Junk Food†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 400-404. Print. Zinczenko, David. â€Å"Don’t Blame the Eater†. â€Å"They Say/I Say† with readings: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York. W. W. Norton, 2012. 391-392 Print.

High School vs College Essay

Upon attending college for a semester and a half, I have found that I enjoy being a college student more than being a high school student. In the time that i have been in college, I have seen that more freedom is allowed to students in college than in high school. Such choices as the note taking, the environment, or class selection are a few examples of how college is less restrictive than high school. Because of the educational freedom and having more control over my education, I find being a college student more enjoyable than being a high school student. In high school, the classes that students take appear to be easy. They seem easy because when a person is in high school, he/she can just brush effects off. For example, if someone does not pay attention and does not do anything for the entire class period, he/she can copy someone else’s notes and still learn the material because they have that class five days a week. Another reason high school classes give the impression of being easy is because a person can miss school/class, not get penalized, and most of the time the teacher will go over the material the student had missed. â€Å"High school is mandatory and free whereas college is voluntary and expensive. â€Å"(Information for High School Students) On the other hand in college, the classes appear to be hard. A college student cannot just brush a class off. Well, he/she can, but they will suffer from it in the long run. For instance, if someone does happen to attend class but has no intention of paying attention to the lecture, he/she is going to suffer from not being attentive and will wish he/she did pay attention because most of the time professors do not review any of the lectures or material before a test. Like high school, a college student can copy another student’s notes it may be slightly helpful, but not as much as if they had been in class and attentive. College classes are also hard because a person cannot really miss a class. In order to know what is going on and what assignments are going to be due, a student needs to attend every class if possible because he/she does not have the same class five days a week. In college, it is either two or three days a week and that is it. If someone does miss a class, it is very hard to catch up on what he/she missed. In high school, â€Å"teachers provide you with information you missed when you were absent but in college professors expect you to get from classmates any notes from classes you missed. † (The Differences High school vs College) In my opinion, missing one class in college is like missing a whole week in high school because that is how much material is covered in one class. Another topic to be compared and contrasted is note taking and teachers. in high school, the notes are given directly to the students by the teacher; spelled out and everything. Sometimes the teacher will tell the students what to write down in their notes from the textbooks that are given to them. The teacher will usually tell them what to study and wait until everyone is finished writing to continue. Similarily in college sometimes a student does get one of the professors which do tell them what to write down and do write notes on the board for them, but the notes are not as vague as in high school. On the other hand, when a professor lectures, the students have to listen carefully and write downideas that seem to be importnat to them. In college, abbreviations are a key aspect because people are not going to be able to write down the professor’s lecture word for word, so instead they take the main ideas and write them down. Teachers, both in high school and college, differ in his/her own class policies. For example, both in high school and in college, you can have one teacher that is extremely nice and will tell you what to write and study and you can also have a teacher who is not so nice and does not tell you anything and you have to kind of figure it out for yourself. The last topic in which i am going to compare and contrast is the atmosphere/environment. In highschool, a student does not really have much freedom, high school is kind of like a jail. A student has to be in class by a certain time, and if he/she is late, he/she can get in an enormous amount of trouble. For instance, if a high school walks into class five minutes late, and his/her teacher is not very nice, that student is most likely going to receive a referaal and a detention. A student in high school only has roughly two to three minutes between each class. However, in college the environment is not as strict. There is a good amount of freedom at college. There are breaks between classes anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. During these breaks, a person does not have to stay at school. â€Å"Although there is freedom in college, likewise to high school eventhough a college student will not get a referral or detention the student’s professor does seem to get mad if a student is late consistentaly and will take a point or two off his/her participation and effort grade, if he/she happen to have one of those not so nice professor’s. â€Å"(Personal Interview) Overall, there are many similarities and differences between high school and college. I found there to be more differences in my search than similarities. I stated three subject matters but there are many more, such as, the tests, the people, the work, and so on. Being a college student now, if there was an opportunity for me to go back and relive my high school days i would, but this time i would pay much more attention because once someone gets to college it seems to be ten times harder!

Process of Learning Essay

Learning is an invisible process in which the behaviour is modified in order to attain certain goals. It is a process in which an individual acquires and develops knowledge, understanding, skills, interests and attitude that are necessary to meet life’s situations. This paper briefly analyzes the process of learning. Introduction â€Å"Learning is the insatiable curiosity that drives the adolescent boy to absorb everything he can see or hear or read about gasoline engines in order to improve the efficiency and speed of his ‘cruiser’† (Mark K. Smith). Learning can be considered as a product and also a process. It is the end product of the various experiences we come across in our life. At the same time it is a continuous never ending process as well. Even from the birth day itself the learning process starts. Learning and Behaviour Learning is observable through the behaviours of a person. An observable change in behaviour can be witnessed after a person learned something. For example, we know that small kids do not know much about the dangers of fire and they will be usually attracted towards fire. But once if they happened to come in contact with fire, they will experience the burning effect of fire and will never play with fire again. In this case we can say that the child learned to behave properly with fire and we can observe Process of Learning 3 the changes in behaviour of the child before and after experience with fire. So we can conclude that learning is characterised by change in behaviour. Behaviorism, as a learning theory, can be traced back to Aristotle, whose essay â€Å"Memory† focused on associations being made between events such as lightning and thunder. The theory of behaviorism concentrates on the study of overt behaviors that can be observed and measured (Good & Brophy, 1990). It views the mind as a â€Å"black box† in the sense that response to stimulus can be observed quantitatively, totally ignoring the possibility of thought processes occurring in the mind. Some key players in the development of the behaviorist theory were Pavlov, Watson, Thorndike and Skinner. (Brenda Mergel) (James Atherton) Process of Learning 4 Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was the first to conduct experiments to study how learning and behaviour are connected. The experiment was performed on a dog. He started to give food to his dog after ringing a buzzer. The experiment was repeated for 7 days and after 7 days he started to ring the buzzer alone and did not give any food to the dog. Still he found that the dog secreted saliva in the same measure as before. â€Å"Because a bell consistently rang before food appeared, Pavlov’s dog learned to salivate at the mere ringing of the bell; this is a conditioned response. † (Michael g. Maxwell) So it is clear that our learning and behaviours are interconnected. Learning and Thinking â€Å"Learning implies the acquisition of knowledge from experience, while thinking involves the conscious processing and use of knowledge. † (Michael g. Maxwell) Learning has definite connection with thinking as well. Nobody can say that he has learned something without thinking. For example, we know that lightning and thunder, both occurs at the same time. But we have seen the lights of lightning first before hearing the thunder sound. Though we have learned that both lightning and thunder occurred at the same time, in order to explain the delay of thunder in reaching us, we must think in terms of the velocity of sound and velocity of light. Only after we thought about the velocity differences, we can say that we have learned thunder and lightning properly. So learning definitely leads to thinking which may lead to the modification of behaviours Process of Learning 5 Behaviour and Thinking in terms of learning Learning leads to thinking. Thinking leads us to arrive at conclusions which will force us to change our behaviours. So in that sense both thinking and behaviour are interlinked with each other. Without thinking, no behavioural changes can happen. Same way without learning, no thinking can take place. For example, everybody knows that smoking is injurious to health. If a smoker, happens to meet a person who is suffering from cancer because of his smoking habit, may think about the consequences of his smoking habits and hence times he may change his smoking behaviour. Thus we can conclude that both the learning theories with respect to thinking and behaviour are connected to each other. Conclusion Learning is a complex process which stimulates thinking which will be resulted in the modification of behaviours. Learning is a continuous process which starts from birth and ends at death. It can be considered as a process and a product. Process of Learning 6 References 1. Mark K. Smith (1999, 2003), learning theory, Retrieved on February 8, 2009 http://www. infed. org/biblio/b-learn. htm 2. Brenda Mergel, Instructional Design & Learning Theory, Retrieved on February 8, 2009, http://www. usask. ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda. htm 3. Michael g. Maxwell, Learning and thinking: what science tells us about teaching Retrieved on February 8, 2009, http://www. studentsfriend. com/onhist/learning. html 4. James Atherton, Behaviourism, Retrieved on February 8, 2009, http://www. learningandteaching. info/learning/behaviour. htm