Why Females Join Gangs Essay Example

Why Females Join Gangs Essay Why Females Join Gangs Female gang involvement has been on the rise throughout the decades. Deciding to become a gang member is a huge step for any girl or woman to take. There is no one specific reason, but instead several different motivating factors for females to join gangs. These factors include economic stresses, family stress, and a need to belong. Gender differences play a role in the urban environment and female victimization, young females turns to gangs in response to family and community violence victimization rather than a learned normalized behavior. Understanding the easons why females Join gangs in the first place will cause a better understanding of female gang involvement as a whole. This paper will discuss the contextual factors that motivate girls to Join a gang; the extent of the girls criminal behavior; and the physical, sexual, and psychological abuses the girls experience from other gang members. Female gang membership has increased in the recent years, with 29. 9% of girls claiming membership in high risk, high crime neighborhoods in 2008, and leading the National Counsel on Crime and Delinquency to rank young females as the fastest rowing offenders in national unevenly Justice population in 2009. Studies show the reason for female membership in gangs is due to pro-violent attitudes, physical abuse, abandonment and emotional abuse by caretakers. Gang involvement maybe a learned behavior situated in the context of childhood exposures to violence. In the inner cities of America a Job shortage took place in the eighties a nd early nineties, it was hard for the youths to find employment. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Females Join Gangs specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why Females Join Gangs specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why Females Join Gangs specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This led to the establishment of a very productive underground economy. According to Moore, the flourishing underground economy attracted gangs and increased gang membership. With the loss of Jobs and changes to the welfare system made it very difficult for inner city members to provide for their families. This was a hard time for women especially pregnant women. For these individuals gangs were seen as positive organizations that benefited the struggling community. According to Moore, gangs offered resources and protection to community members, more specifically females who feared their neighborhood. The struggling economy and inability to find a Job made gang life very attractive to both males and females. Economic stress often translated into a strain on family life. It may seem unreal that young girls would put themselves in a situation that involves such a high rate of risk. Most female gang involvement come from broken homes, where they have previously been a victim of a crime. In 1998, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency performed a study on young girls in the California juvenile Justice system to gain information on victimization before becoming a juvenile offender. Out of all the females interviewed 92% said that they had been abused emotionally, physically, or sexually before becoming a Juvenile offender. Although a majority of girls are abused before Joining a gang, there are also many hat participate in gang activities for other reasons. There are four elements discussed by Archer and Grascia (2006) that are typical characteristics of individuals who are most likely to become delinquent and then possibly become part of a gang. The four elements include attachment to family, peers, commitment to society, involvement in traditional activities such as going to school or work and belief in moral values. The following factors affecting female gang membership branch off these four key elements. A relationship a young women has with friends and male gang members seems to e the greatest factor of female gang involvement. Protection that membership offer women may be another reason why females become part of gangs. Young women value this protection because they may feel threatened by rival gang members or other non-gang men in the environment (Miller, 1998). By entering a gang females feel that they will gain respect from others such as their parents and rival peers. In the oxford reading a finding by Wang, stated that whereas more males Join gangs to make money, females are more likely to become associated with a gang for emotional support. This statement was contradicted by Walker-Barnes and Mason in 001, who found that an influence for females to Join a gang is the possibility of committing illegal activities that could lead to money-making opportunities. It was also found that the idea of these activities as exciting and providing adventure could be another factor for influencing females to affiliate with gangs Walker-Barnes Mason. The study that Walker-Barnes and Mason did found that many of the female reported that belonging to a gang made them feel important and good about themselves, built up their self-confidence, and allowed them to experience what it is like to be part of something important. Female gang members tries to make the gang their replacement family and often times see gang membership as fun. Some females even Join gangs for friendship or fun. Females may also Join gangs to escape from hostile home environments caused by poverty, abuse, or low parental involvement. A lot of female gang members has been sexually abused at home and may Join gangs to obtain protection from the abusive families. Female gang members wants attention from their parents, Joining a gangs is a way for them to gain attention even if its in a negative way. Adverse childhood experiences affect gang involvement. The violence and abuses that female gang members encounter inside their home, in the of interparental violence or physical or sexual childhood abuse and outside the home, in a form of community gang violence has showed to be a pervasive and inescapable context. Many of the women explicitly reflected upon a casual relationship between early childhood abuse or neglect experiences and gang membership Another point made is some females may think that becoming a member of a gang will actually give them the opportunity to demonstrate violent behavioral actions they may have learned from home according to Archer Grascia. For example, female gang members are more likely than male gang members to have come from a home that contained drug use and family members that have been arrested for crimes according to Moore. A study was done on 15 young females that lives in a residential treatment, they where interviewed about gang involvement. The structure of the interview was developed from Quickers social structural view of female Juvenile delinquency, which proposes the examination of macro level and exolevel issues as well as micro level issues. One out of the 15 who were interviewed stated Basically, I was born into the gang. My mother and stepfather were leaders in the gang, and I was always there. For my first birthday I got a tattoo on my arm that says Crips. Ill be one of them till I die. Most girls arent born into the gang, usually they start hangin with us at around nine or 10. Another was interviewed she was asked her reason for Joining a gang. She replied, with two answers belonging to a family and the feeling of power. My gang is my family; Im accepted, and I know I can always count on them. My family (gang) makes me feel like Im a somebody. When were hanging, people respect me. Conflict with and ambivalence toward the family of origin are aspects of normal adolescent development according to Erikson and Molidor. The teenager feels tense and anxious in the presence of the parents and feels safe only when apart from them. Instead of admitting any dependence and love, they take an attitude that is exactly the opposite according to Freud. The healthy teenager struggles with the issues surrounding individuation and separation and slowly develops a more individual sense of self apart from the family. Becoming a young female teenager in America can be a characteristic that nfluences young females to become apart of a gang. According to Wang the want or/ and need of experiencing adult roles, the security of having a specific status and identity, and the innate response to defy parents and/or people in authority may be seen as potentially influencing a young women into a gang. Most have been victims of violence and sexual abuse from parents and relatives since early childhood. They have been victims of poor economic conditions and the cycle of poverty and of overburdened and understaffed school systems that have failed to recognize them as at risk.

Dramatic scene Essay Example

Dramatic scene Essay Example Dramatic scene Paper Dramatic scene Paper Note how Marco realises what Eddie is trying to do, so he challenges Eddie to a chair lifting contest, showing Eddie he isnt the strongest man around. Act I ends on a dramatic note with Marco triumphantly lifting the chair above Eddies head like a weapon, giving us a parallel with the end of Act II, when Marco again defeats Eddie in a physical struggle. 16. The Catherine Rodolpho Eddie Triangle A highly dramatic scene In another highly dramatic scene, when a drunk Eddie returns home to find Rodolpho and Catherine emerging from the bedroom, he attempts to humiliate Rodolpho in two ways: First he kisses him full on the mouth, implying to Catherine that Rodolpho is gay. Then he kisses Catherine passionately himself (this first expression of his true feelings for her probably happens because the drink has reduced his inhibitions) to try to show Rodolpho that Catherine is already his (Eddies) and not available. Kissing Catherine marks the point of no return for Eddie. He could no longer disguise his passion for her and he realises, after this scene, that, if he forces Rodolpho out of the flat, Catherine will leave with her fianci so he will need to do something drastic if he is to prevent their marriage. In desperation Eddie goes to Alfieri, the lawyer, to ask if there is anything which can be done legally to prevent the marriage. Eddie says of Rodolpho; the guy aint right. Alfieri informs Eddie that there is nothing the law can do. However, the obsessed, tortured Eddie remembers there is one thing he can do if he is prepared to pay the price. The Conclusion. Realising that there is nothing the law can do to prevent the marriage of Rodolpho and Catherine, Eddie remembers Alfieris words. The lawyer had told him that the only thing he could do to prevent the marriage would be to report to the Immigration Service that he had two illegal immigrants in his house. To do this would amount to a betrayal of his wife, his family and his community and he would be an outcast, shunned by everyone. In schools, pupils who grass on others are despised, so you can imagine what Eddie would have to endure Alfieri had warned Eddie what would happen if he phoned: You wont have a friend in the world, Eddie. Even those who understand will turn against you. Put it out if your mind. But he cant. The rest of the play shows what desperate measures a human being is prepared to take when  he (or she) is in the grip of a great passion or obsession. Eddie has lost control of himself. His brain and common sense have been overwhelmed by his physical and emotional desires even to the point of self- destruction. It is frightening to watch and shows us that a passion, if strong enough, can lead us to betray our community and friends. It is Eddies bad luck that two other illegal immigrants, relations of Lipari, the butcher, have moved into the flat above without his knowing. When he gives the address to the Immigration Service it means he has betrayed these men too and it makes his rejection by his community certain. Marco spitting in Eddies face and naming him as the betrayer are important acts in marking Eddie as a social outcast. The final section of the play opens poignantly with Eddie alone in the rocker, rocking back and forth, emphasising his isolation from his family and community. He reminds me of a wounded lion still trying to prove he is powerful. On the day of Catherine and Rodolphos wedding (emphasising that his act of betrayal had not managed to achieve his aim of destroying their relationship), he is still trying to exert his authority over Beatrice. Eddie: You walk out that door to that wedding you aint coming back here Beatrice. Beatrice: Why? What do you want? Eddie: I want my respect. Didnt you ever hear of that? From my wife. Probably because he knows in his heart that he has lost it, Eddie is preoccupied in these final moments of the play with having respect from his wife and from the community. Catherine tells him openly that he has lost the right to any respect but Beatrice still seems to want to obey and love him. Beatrice says one very important thing, which makes us think hard about the events in the play: Whatever happened we all done it, and dont you ever forget it, Catherine. Beatrice certainly doesnt believe that Eddie is the only one to blame. Do you? There is an important conversation between Marco (awaiting his deportation trial) and Alfieri in prison. You will remember that Eddie was amazed that the law was powerless to stop Rodolpho marrying Catherine; Marco is equally astounded that there is no law to punish Eddie for his betrayal which, as Marco puts it, degraded my brother. My blood. He robbed my children, he mocks my work. Marco realises that, as his family have been insulted, he has a duty, under the code of vendetta, to satisfy the familys honour by gaining revenge on Eddie. So Marco, despite promises to the contrary, seeks out Eddie as soon as he is let out of prison to await his trial. It is easy to miss one significant point. Rodolpho mentions to Eddie that Marco is coming. Hes praying in the church. Part of the ritual of the vendetta was that the person prayed for Gods help and for success in the act of vengeance. It is interesting that murder for revenge was seen not as an act of unjustified violence but divine justice, doing what the law was unable to do. You will note that Marco says, of Eddie, to Alfieri: In my country he would be dead now. He would not live this long. Those who violate the communitys code face the prospect of revenge from the family of the victim. We have learned enough about Eddie to know that he will not try to escape when he knows Marco is coming, although Rodolpho, Beatrice and Catherine urge him to do so. Eddie would have considered this cowardice and he is also determined to make Marco apologise for spitting in his face and making his public accusation of betrayal. Eddie probably knows that he faces a life of loneliness and of being shunned by his community. To him such a life would not be worth living and he would rather risk death in a confrontation with Marco in the hope of perhaps regaining his good name by making Marco apologise. It is a faint hope, but Eddie has to cling to it. In the event, Marco merely repeats his accusations and, in the ensuing fight, kills Eddie. It is a powerful, dramatic ending to the play. The audience is left with many thoughts. Alfieri proclaims Eddies epitaph: He would not settle for half, whereas most of the time, in these civilised days, most of us do. Throughout the play, Eddie has refused to compromise, whereas most of us do, most of the time. He is driven to his death by this aspect of his personality,because of his own, however has refused to accept the fact that he is powerless to prevent his niece from loving someone else and cannot accept that the law is sometimes unable to provide what he, Eddie, considers to be justice. Speaking of Eddies death, Arthur Miller wrote in the preface to the play: We are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing his sense of personal dignity and to gain his rightful position in society. He refuses to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity. Only the passive, only those who accept their lot without active retaliation, are flawless. Most of us are in that category. Eddie, then, is an exceptional man, more prepared to press things to the limit than most of us are. All works of literature have a number of themes. These are ideas which the author has which she or he wants to share with the audience or with readers, for us to think about. So what are the main themes of A View from the Bridge? Betrayal Arthur Miller was particularly interested in what makes a person (in this case, Eddie) betray the trust even of people he loves and of the community in which she or he lives. In most cases it is passion (often sexual desire)which leads a person into betrayal. Eddie betrays Marco, Rodolpho, Liparis relations and their families when he telephones the Immigration Service. He betrays Beatrices love for him by his passion for her niece. He also betrays Catherines love for him as a father-figure and he betrays his own principles, all because he is in the grip of his strong sexual passion. Illusions Many of Millers characters suffer from illusions about what the world is like. This eventually leads to some lack of reality about the nature of the world. Eddies great illusion is that he can keep Catherine as a baby all her life and prevent her having contact with the more unpleasant aspects of life. He also seems to have illusions about what a dangerous world it is and how untrustworthy people are. You may remember the rather cynical advice he gave Catherine: Dont trust nobody. Believe me, Katie, the less you trust, the less you be sorry. The great irony is that Eddie is the one who is less worthy of trust than anyone in the play. Reputation and Community Many of us are content if we believe we have acted properly. If our own conscience is satisfied, we do not worry unnecessarily what others think of us. For many of Arthur Millers heroes, including Eddie, this is not enough. They need to have the communitys approval and respect. You will remember Eddies comment when he is being urged to run from Marco. Eddie says: I want my name. In order to live happily, Eddie needs his good name restored. Many of Millers heroes, including Eddie, would rather die than lose their good name with the rest of the community. Law and Justice A View from the Bridge makes us think about the issues of law and justice. The character, Alfieri, despite knowing in his heart about the probable tragic ending, is unable to do anything because the law is not adequate to deal with the strongest of human emotions. Neither is the law the same as justice. Marco believes that justice would be for Eddie to die because he has, in effect, caused Marcos family to starve. Yet the American law approves of Eddies action in reporting illegal immigrants. Miller, therefore, makes us question whether the law of a country is concerned with justice. The law of the government may be different from the law of the community in keeping the law of the country. Try to think of it in terms of schools. There are the rules (laws) made by the teachers; dont misbehave in class etc. , and the rules of the pupils; dont grass on your friends. Keeping the laws of the teachers may cause you to break the laws of the pupils, and vice versa. The Importance of Fate There seems to be little to be done to avoid the tragedy of Eddies death. It all seems predestined because of the situation Eddie is in and the powerful emotions he has. Miller makes us think about the extent to which human beings are able to control events. Certainly the intelligent Alfieri is incapable of preventing the tragedy. The Style of the Play. There are a few important points: The importance of conflict Note how many conversations in the play have two or more characters in conflict over an issue. This gives the play more energy. Dramatic moments Note how the conversations are broken up by scenes of dramatic action: e. g. the lifting of the chair the kissing scene the boxing scene the fight at the end of the play This means the audiences emotions fluctuate; quiet moments of conversation are broken up by sections of action which raise the emotions of the audience. Links with Greek tragedies.

Anna Arnold Hedgeman

This paper takes a look at the life and achievements of civil rights protagonist, Anna Arnold Hedgeman. This paper focuses on the life and accomplishments of humanist Anna Arnold Hedgeman. Details about her achievements as a mentor and civil rights leader are provided. The main idea of the paper focuses on race relations among African-Americans and the civil rights movement. Anna Arnold Hedgeman was born on July 5, 1899, in Marshalltown, Iowa.She was one of five children born, her father being a son of slaves.Hedgeman was well educated, for she attended high school in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later received a degree in English from the Methodist college of Hamline University.Growing up, Hedgeman became a very articulate, outspoken person.Throughout college, she grew very interested in the social injustices and racial inequality of African-Americans.In the ensuing decades of her life, Hedgeman devoted all of her time and energy to assisting many organizations and administrations that were intent on fighting for the rights of workers and for the better welfare of humanity. She acted as a teacher, consultant, and lecturer to these various groups, and eventually she owned her own consulting firm, Hedgeman Consulting Services.The focus of this paper will be to show how Anna Arnold Hedgemans concern for national and global equality led to her eventual involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and the March on Washington.

What policies, if any, should Europe implement to address Spains Essay

What policies, if any, should Europe implement to address Spains economic problems of declining prices and high unemployment - Essay Example ies include provision of financial assistance to Spain and its banks, substantial economic reforms, improve liquidity in the Euro zone banking system and initiate reforms on economic governance (Lee, 1). As a point of departure, the economic crisis in Spain going down to the rates of inflation and unemployment need immediate response to help the situation. The euro zone should release financial assistance from the it’s lending facility called the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) to Spain and its banks to rescue the nation’s financial base from further sliding prices. This facility provides loans in a direct manner to the euro zone governments (Patrick, Cohn-Bendit, and Griffiths, 38). The money is meant for recapitalization and purchase of government bonds primarily on the secondary markets. With the purchase of government bonds through the commercial banks of Spain, the situation is expected to slowly come to normal due to the ability of the government to pay for its spending, particularly the capital expenditure intended for national development. Equally, the European Union should seek that the Spanish government reaches and adheres to the set fiscal asceticism and structural reforms benchmarks. It is realizable that, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF help most of the euro zone nations to create and monitor implementation of sound reform programs. This process reassures a stable market for the euro zone goods and services and attracts rescue funds from the EFSF (Patrick, Cohn-Bendit, and Griffiths, 45). In addition, the reformed structures help in faster comeback from an economic downturn. For this case Spain stands a better chance of receiving these funds, because of its early adoption of the reforms assures a stable market free of volatility. The other rescue response involves the unprecedented steps intended to improve the liquidity status of the Euro zone banking structure. For instance from May 2010, the ECB

The Houpu Herbal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Houpu Herbal - Essay Example The bark, houpu, though, has a more catholic application in traditional Chinese medicine and numerous devious formulations are made of it to treat lung disorders like coughs and asthma and intestinal ones like infections and spasms. Also, the houpu forms a major component of medicines targeting abdominal swellings and edema (Dharmananda, Undated). The active components of the flower buds lack alkaloids and none have been found to date while aromatics with their decongestant properties like monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes have been abundantly evident (Dharmananda, Undated). In contrast, the bark, houpu, has a more composite nature and contains numerous carbon compounds. The pleasant fragrance is attributed to two sets of non-alkaloids - the mildly scented biphenols magnolol and honokiol and the strongly scented triterpene eudesmol (Dharmananda, Undated). These latter biphenols and triterpene - magnolol, honokiol and eudesmol - are the main medicinal constituents from the bark houpu. Magnolol (2-11%), honokiol (0.3-4.6%) and eudesmol (>1%) vary from species to species and also from region to region. Modern pharmacological investigations have revealed that these three constituents have the following properties - 1) anxiolytic effects; 2) abilities to enhance steroid production by the adrenal cortex; 3) abilities to inhibit bacteria and fungi; 4) antioxidant effects; 5) abilities to reduce inflammation and pain; 6) abilities to alleviate seizures; and 7) active antitoxic effects against organophosphoric pesticides (Dharmananda, Undated). The bark huopu also contains some alkaloids - benzylisoquinoline ones such as magnoflorine, magnocurarine and salicifoline. Of these, the most abundant is magnocurarine at >0.2% of the commercial bark material (Dharmananda, Undated). Other trace alkaloids are oxuoshinsunine, anonaine and michelabine. These alkaloids are not believed to take part in the pharmacological action of the bark though it is believed that they do have partial roles in its antispasmodic effects (Dharmananda, Undated). Though it is settled among pharmacologists that the three main alkaloids are common to this species there is varying report of other alkaloids detected in trace quantities in the same or different sub-species. Thus, Rowe and Conner, 1979, report that, aside from the three above-mentioned main alkaloids, certain magnolia sub-species also contain other alkaloids such as D-O-methylarmepavine in the stem. Also, the sub-species evident in the Southern parts of the US contains traces of anolobine, N-nornuciferine, liridenine and candicine (Rowe and Conner, 1979). There is also report of the Southern magnolia sub-species containing the glycosides magnolidin, magnolenin and magnosidin (Rowe and Conner, 1979). Traditional Chinese Viewpoint: One classical medical text from China 'Shen nong ben cao jing' (Chinese Medical Classics, Pregadio, Undated) lists houpo as a '3rd class remedy' (Forrest, 1995). This is because though the alkaloid magnocurarine is useful in minute quantities it is toxic in larger doses and proves contraindicative for pregnant women. In contrast, the flower buds' extract is listed in the same text as a 1st class remedy and prescribed for women, including pregnant ones (Forrest, 1995).

Haitian Vodou Essay Example for Free

Haitian Vodou Essay Vodou, A Haitian religion deeply rooted in colonialism stems from several African sources, which have constructed and maintained a hybrid Africana and European diaspora in the Caribbean. In an effort to preserve African tradition and spiritual belief, slaves in Haiti prior to the Haitian Revolution of 1791, established and developed the heterogeneous religion known as Vodou. As Vodou became a more prominent aspect of slave culture in Haiti the hybridization between traditional Africana religion and European religion fashioned a new system of belief. The fusion of Catholicism from Europe and African religions make up one of the most influential religions in Haiti today, in fact Vodou plays an imperative role in Haitian life. In addition to having a tremendous effect on Haitian religious practices, Vodou also plays a fundamentally important role in driving Haitian politics, economics, community, and social relations. From a student and non-Haitian perspective I seek to obtain knowledge on how Vodou has and continues to play a detrimental role in every aspect of Haitian life. Through analyzing and cross-examination of several texts it appears that without boundaries Vodou is important. Before delving into how Vodou effects nearly every aspect of Haitian culture I would like to first analyze the importance of understanding the roots and origin of a belief and practice that has become such a prominent aspect of Haitian life. In the eighteenth century the slave trade in Haiti ushered in a number of African slaves from various groups. These groups of African people brought with them to Haiti their traditions, beliefs, and lifestyles. In â€Å"Haitian Vodou† of Creole Religions of the Caribbean, the authors state that the slave trade was in fact the European way of â€Å"destroying all cultural connections† to the homelands of the slaves (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 101). European slave owners and slave traders thought it necessary to force European ideals and beliefs onto their slaves, ridding and dismantling the beliefs and tradition of their native land. In this respect the slave trade played a significant role in the creation of Vodou, catalyzing Afro-European syncretism into a new belief system. Vodou began as a way for slaves to hold on to their cultural beliefs, and helped refute the impositions of Catholic religion that the French attempted to employ, as they saw it necessary to condition African slaves to their lifestyle (102). In my opinion Afro-European syncretism is one of the more complex and intriguing religious developments as it pertains to Vodou. In Voodoo Africa’s Secret Power author Gert Chesi describes the fusion of African and European culture stating that slaves brought with them the gods of Africa to the Caribbean where they then blended with the Saints and other Catholic and Christian symbols (Chesi 231). The imposition of Catholic and Christian beliefs by Europeans onto African slaves made it nearly impossible for African slaves to remain entirely devoted to their home land beliefs and traditions. African slaves in Haiti adopted Vodou as a means of maintaining their traditional beliefs, however, Christian and Catholic ideals were still important influential factors in the establishment of Vodou. The spirits often associated with Vodou known, as Lwa are similar to Saints in the Catholic Church. Slaves in Haiti dealt with the pressures of forcibly having to adapt to European religion by integrating their belief system with that of the European belief system. I think that Slaves in Haiti used Vodou as a stabilizing factor in Haitian culture. The ritual and practice that developed through the integration of European tradition with African tradition ensures that African tradition will remain considerably important regardless of the fact that Europeans once tried to dismantle African tradition and impose Western tradition on those slaves living in Haiti. Vodou serves as a mechanism for passing on tradition from generation to generation. In Voodoo: Truth and Fantasy the author states that Vodou has emerged as a vibrant cultural force in twenty-first century Haiti (Hurbon 126). This statement supports the idea that Vodou has and continues to have a role in Haitian life and Haitian culture. Vodou has undoubtedly helped restore an almost lost identity to African slaves in Haiti, and has allowed generation after generation to know and understand the beliefs of the homeland from which their ancestors originated. The foundation of many Haitian affairs may not be solely rooted in Vodou, however, the religion holds weight in many political spheres throughout Haiti. Starting from the moment of its development, Vodou has been politically important to Haiti. In fact, its very creation resulted from various political, cultural, and religious â€Å"struggles for freedom† (33). After analyzing the roots of Vodou it has become quite apparent that Vodou played an important role during Haiti’s revolutionary period. During and before the Haitain revolution Vodou was used as a means of protecting and politicizing the interest of Haitian slaves. From that time forward Haitian people have continued to use Vodou as a political tool to protect their interests and assets. Vodou has indeed been subjected to â€Å"persecution at the hands of both Church and state† leaving many non-believers and outsiders to attribute negative connotations to Vodou as a whole (117). In 1835 Vodou began to publically suffer from political ostracizing under president Jean-Pierre Boyer who passed a penal code that called for the imprisonment of six months to two years for followers of Vodou practicing superstitious act (118). It seems to me that the reason behind the ban on Vodou practices not only stemmed from political issues occurring at the time, but also from past political experiences in Haiti. Hurbon does not mention Boyer’s reasoning behind implementing a penal code, therefore allowing one to speculate whether or not Boyer, although Haitian had ties to France. The reason I bring this point to light is because for one, Jean-Pierre Boyer sounds relatively French and secondly Boyer implemented a code that put restrictions on a religion that has roots deep within African culture. In addition to dealing with the idea of possible imprisonment, if caught practicing Vodou, Haitians also faced the possibility of abandoning and giving up the African culture and belief that was associated with Vodou. In response to government restrictions some Haitians created secret societies in order to keep the bonds of Vodou ritual and ties to kinship in motion. In 1957 President Francois Duvalier also known as â€Å"Papa Doc† started a political rehabilitation for Vodou (118). Duvalier’s involvement in Vodou was for the soul purpose of engaging the Lwa through ceremonies in order to gain the Lwas’ good will and also to spark enthusiasm in those who practice Vodou. Papa Doc’s presidency marked a period characterized by dark magic and sorcery. This period in Haitian history displays the negative aspects often associated with Vodou. In my opinion President Francois Duvalier’s understanding of Vodou curtails from misinterpretation and misuse. Duvalier did not seem to grasp the reasoning behind certain Vodou rituals and ceremonies, using them only as a way to advance himself politically. During Duvalier’s reign Haiti saw tremendous political change resulting from the misunderstanding or misuse of Vodou. On one hand Jean-Pierre Boyer refused to let any one in Haiti practice Vodou because of the negative connotations surrounding the religion. On the other hand Francois Duvalier used Vodou to bolster his political appeal, which dismantled the meaning and reasoning behind the ceremonies and rituals performed by those who practiced and truly understood and appreciated the meaning that those Vodou acts carry. In Creole Religions of the Caribbean, the authors mention that within Vodou practices the chief communicators that draw â€Å"konesans† or connaissance/knowledge are the Oungand and the Manbo (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 107). The Oungand and the Manbo are believed to receive knowledge passed down from the Lwa. The Oungand and the Manbo act as political leaders and have rural political power within their own community because the ability to communicate with the Lwa is looked up to. In Michel Laguerre’s book Voodoo and Politics the author states that Francois Duvalier used the political power of the Oungand and the Manbo to establish legitimacy among those who practiced Vodou (Laguerre 87). Today Vodou can be represented in popular culture as dark, sadistic, and involving many acts of superstition, denying it a position central to Haitian culture. However, despite the misconceptions surrounding Vodou today many religious works are carried out by Haitian elites. This goes to show yet another transformation in Haitian politics, and Vodou’s role in shaping a new system of life. From my examination of the texts that emphasized Vodou’s relationship to Haitian politics I have concluded that Vodou does in fact affect politics in Haitian communities and Haiti as a whole. The relationship between Vodou and Haitian economics is a long-standing phenomenon that has existed prior to the Haitian revolution in 1791 and continues to exist today. The slave trades influence on the creation of Vodou links the existence of the religion and also the economics involved between masters and sellers of slaves. During this time the Haitian economy was being stimulated by the slave trade. As the slaves grew weary, a number of rebellions occurred and Vodou greatly affected the plantation economy that the Haitian people originally were forced into. According to Omos and Gerbert, the economy in Haiti shifted from one of plantation to that of a â€Å"rural economy† of â€Å"subsistent farmers† working their own lands (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 103). Vodou practices and rituals play an important role in shaping and maintaing Haitian economics. The initiation and sacrificial rituals performed by many Vodou sects involve a great amount of â€Å"financial sacrifice† (Fernandez-Olmos and Paravisini-Gerbert 117). From my examination of several texts, including that of Olmos and Gerbet I have concluded that preparation for the many Vodou festivals, initiations, and temple gatherings are intensive and call for many financial sacrifices from those who may already be financially unstable. Animal sacrifice plays an important role in the finances of Haitian people. In Voodoo Africa’s Secret Power the author, Gert Chesi, included various photographs of Haitian Vodou sacrifices and rituals. Many of the photographs throughout Chesi’s book showed the sacrificing of cattle, sheep, and chicken. The cross-examination of various texts did not leave me with much information on the Haitian economy as it related to Vodou, however, I was able to infer that the economic sacrifices made by Haitian people were performed in order to obtain personal advancements or for the betterment of the community as a whole. Some sacrifices were performed to win the protection and trust of the Lwa spirits, and some sacrifices were performed in hopes that the Lwa would shed some rain to strengthen planation production. I think that the Haitian economy and the Vodou religion are dependent on each other. The dependency I see in the relationship stems from the fact that without an economy like the one in Haiti, Vodou would not be as prominent or even meaningful to the Haitian people. The economy as it is creates a buffer for Vodou as a religion. The economy allows for Haitians to use their beliefs and connections with the spirits to envoke hope, or optimism that the plantation life in Haiti will somehow flourish. This claim can be supported through the existence of rituals performed for protection, knowledge, and even rainfall. In Hurbon’s, Olmos’ and Gebert’s, Chesi’s, Laguerre and Michel’s and Smith’s descriptions of Vodou in Haitian culture one thing is for certain, Vodou has and continues to influence communities through and through. In Chesi’s pictorial account of Vodou in Haiti one can see pictures of various ways that the religion is linked to community. In one picture, Chesi captured a ritual being performed near a beach where one individual was having a ritual performed on him (ritual not clear from picture) while dozens of his Vodou community member looked on and supported him. What puzzles me the most is how instinctual and ritualized Vodou actually is. Chesi’s pictures show dozens and dozens of Haitian people flocking to support another Vodou practice, but for what reason? Why do these members feel so indebted to one another? From my observation the answer to this question comes from the simple fact that Vodou needs a sense of community mong its members to remain relevant. It was from the simple yearning to keep tradition relevant that Vodou stemmed, so it appears to me that the idea of community or family has been long standing, even deep within Vodou’s African roots. Hurbon’s choice of words within Voodoo: Truth and Fantasy shed’s lite on the communal aspect of Vodou a little differently. Like Chesi, Hurbon acknowledges the importance of community, even stating that Vodou â€Å"bring families together in large gatherings, a festive way of ensuring that religious traditions will endure† (Hurbon 14). In Hurbon’s text it appears that the family and passing of tradition from generation to generation is in fact important to the survival of Vodou. In my examination of Hurbon’s text it seemed as though Hurbon was promoting a balance of kinship and communal ties. Hurbon states that it is important to have family agreement in order to have a positive communal bond. One aspect of Hurbon’s text was that Vodou was often referred to as â€Å"a cult dedicated to spirits. † Hurbon did not let the wording of her description interfere with the way information was conveyed, however, I found it quiet bias that she would call Vodou a cult. Personally I associate the word cult with negative connotations. It is unclear whether Hurbon planned on conveying Vodou in a negative light, but one thing is for certain a cult describes a group of people or the communal bond that Vodou encourages. In Michel’s and Smith’s book, Voodou in Haitian Life and Culture: Invisible Powers, The authors proceed to explain how the â€Å"magical† or â€Å"superstitious† aspect of Vodou conveys a sense of community among its supporters. The authors show that not only is Vodou practice a family effort, but a community effort as well. Smith and Michel both depict a type of Vodou were literally everyone in a community is involved. From small children to the eldest members of a community, all play an important role in carrying on and performing the tradition of Vodou culture. The elaborate rituals and preparation described by the authors is only made possible through communal efforts. From my understanding of the community in Vodou culture, it appears that only through community and unity can tradition be kept alive. Despite any negative connotations Vodou may have, each author showed how important Vodou is in respects to several aspects of Haitian culture. Vodou is not only a religious matter, but also a political, economic, and social one as well. On May 14, 2013 guest lecturer Carnie Fabious stated, â€Å"Vodou is a way of life. † This statement alone sums up what Vodou was, and what Vodou continues to be in regards to Haitian culture. Fabious’ words show the importance that Vodou plays in all aspects of Haitian life, and demonstrates how relative the religion is to such a vast group of people.

Analysis of India in Comparative Politics Essay -- Compare Contrast Hi

Analysis of India in Comparative Politics Perhaps the most important issue to be addressed after the publication of this book is the dangerous climate that has risen in India. The debates over Kashmir, a small piece of territory both India and neighboring country Pakistan have been claiming since the 1940s, has heated up. The situation has grown to a point where the two nuclear powers have come the closest they have ever been to war, while the world holds its breath. When Great Britain gave India its independence in 1947, the subcontinent was split into Pakistan and India. Jammu and Kashmir (the area’s official name) was declared sovereign at first, but was eventually split between to two diverse countries. Since 1999, an increase in attacks in the Kashmir region by such methods as tanks and suicide bombers increased. This is has pleased neither India nor Pakistan, and in May 2002, the world watched as foreign peacemaking attempts were made to avoid nuclear war, the closest call since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. If war had happened, CNN estimated that an initial nuclear blast would kill as many as 12 million people, and Pakistan’s targets in India would have been India’s capital New Delhi and its largest city Bombay. 1 Though the fighting between India and Pakistan for Kashmir is as old as the countries’ independences, the renewed energy in fighting could prove devastating in the end. The situation has increased international participation. Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf and India Prime Minister Biharia Vajpayee have been forced by international pressures to hold talks in the hopes of bringing peace to the nations. The conflict between the two countries and the interna... ...feld.kashmir/index.html 1 Cable News Network. â€Å"U.S. warns of doomsday scenario.† June 1, 2002. http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/31/kashmir.attack.toll/index.html The Indian Express. Guatam Bhatia. â€Å"The city against itself.† July 1, 2002. http://www.indian-express.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=5212 India Mart. 1997-2002 trade policies. http://finance.indiamart.com/exports_imports/importing_india The (India) Tribune. Gaurav Choudhury. â€Å"Make private sector part of the delivery system; Competition vital for world class products.† http://www.tribuneindia.com/50yrs/lakshman.htm The Milli Gazette. Rizwan Ullah. â€Å"Two-party system.† October 15, 2000. http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/15-10-2000/Art5.htm â€Å"The Success of India’s Democracy.† Ed. Atul Kohli. Cambridge University Press. 2001. Pages 1-3. Analysis of India in Comparative Politics Essay -- Compare Contrast Hi Analysis of India in Comparative Politics Perhaps the most important issue to be addressed after the publication of this book is the dangerous climate that has risen in India. The debates over Kashmir, a small piece of territory both India and neighboring country Pakistan have been claiming since the 1940s, has heated up. The situation has grown to a point where the two nuclear powers have come the closest they have ever been to war, while the world holds its breath. When Great Britain gave India its independence in 1947, the subcontinent was split into Pakistan and India. Jammu and Kashmir (the area’s official name) was declared sovereign at first, but was eventually split between to two diverse countries. Since 1999, an increase in attacks in the Kashmir region by such methods as tanks and suicide bombers increased. This is has pleased neither India nor Pakistan, and in May 2002, the world watched as foreign peacemaking attempts were made to avoid nuclear war, the closest call since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. If war had happened, CNN estimated that an initial nuclear blast would kill as many as 12 million people, and Pakistan’s targets in India would have been India’s capital New Delhi and its largest city Bombay. 1 Though the fighting between India and Pakistan for Kashmir is as old as the countries’ independences, the renewed energy in fighting could prove devastating in the end. The situation has increased international participation. Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf and India Prime Minister Biharia Vajpayee have been forced by international pressures to hold talks in the hopes of bringing peace to the nations. The conflict between the two countries and the interna... ...feld.kashmir/index.html 1 Cable News Network. â€Å"U.S. warns of doomsday scenario.† June 1, 2002. http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/31/kashmir.attack.toll/index.html The Indian Express. Guatam Bhatia. â€Å"The city against itself.† July 1, 2002. http://www.indian-express.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=5212 India Mart. 1997-2002 trade policies. http://finance.indiamart.com/exports_imports/importing_india The (India) Tribune. Gaurav Choudhury. â€Å"Make private sector part of the delivery system; Competition vital for world class products.† http://www.tribuneindia.com/50yrs/lakshman.htm The Milli Gazette. Rizwan Ullah. â€Å"Two-party system.† October 15, 2000. http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/15-10-2000/Art5.htm â€Å"The Success of India’s Democracy.† Ed. Atul Kohli. Cambridge University Press. 2001. Pages 1-3.

Philosophy of Benedict Spinoza Essay

If one were to make a list of iconoclastic and radical thinkers, Benedict Spinoza would rank high. His great and enduring work, Ethics, continues to have renewed impact, currently among environmentalists and ecologically minded thinkers. Spinoza wrote numerous philosophical, political, and religious criticism works. His efforts consistently express a mind set in favor of religious tolerance and in opposition to traditional religious orthodoxy. In his two major works, Tractatus Thologico-Politicus and Ethics present interpretations of spiritual concepts that continue to offend some religious believers and provide an avenue of belief for those who aver traditional religion. Born in Amsterdam on November 24, 1632 in a jewish community and died in The Hague on February 20, 1677 at the age of 44. Latinized his given name Baruch(blessed) using the form Benedictus. Spinoza lived an outwardly simple life as a lens grinder, turning down rewards and honors throughout his life, including prestigious teaching positions. The family inheritance he gave to his sister. On 27 July 1656, the Talmud Torah congregation of Amsterdam issued a writ of cherem (Jew)/Herem(Hebrew), a kind of ban, shunning, ostracism, expulsion, or excommunication against the 23 year old Spinoza. Amsterdam and Rotterdam operated as important cosmopolitan centers where merchant ships from many parts of the world brought people of various customs and beliefs. Some possibility of free thought and shelter from the crushing hand of ecclesiastical authority. Most significantly, he came into contact with so-called ‘free-thinking’ Protestants – dissenters from the dominant Calvinism – who maintained a lively interest in a wide range of theological issues, as well as in the latest developments in philosophy and science. In order to discuss their interests, these free-thinkers organized themselves into small groups, they called colleges, which met on a regular basis. Spinoza may have attended such meetings as early as the first half of the 1650? s, and it is most likely here that he received his first exposure to Cartesian thought. His intellectual horizons were expanding and he was experiencing a restlessness that drove him to look further afield. It was at this time that he placed himself under the tutelage of an ex-Jesuit, Latinist,a medical doctor, Franciscus Van den Enden, who was notorious for his allegedly irreligious cast of mind, a passionate advocate of democratic political ideals. Spinoza’s increasingly unorthodox views and, perhaps, laxity in his observance of the Jewish law strained his relations with the community. Tensions became so great that resulted in his excommunication . Most Important works a) Ethica ordine geometrico demonstrate (simply, Ethics) b)Tractatus Theologico-politicus c)Brief Treatise on God, Man and His Happiness d)Tractaus de intellectus emendation e)Cogitata metaphysica Philosophy A . Against dualism â€Å"God is the infinite, necessarily existing (that is, uncaused), unique substance of the universe. There is only one substance in the universe; it is God; and everything else that is, is in God. † Spinoza believed God exists and contends that â€Å"Deus sive Natura† (â€Å"God or Nature†) is a being of infinitely many attributes, is abstract and impersonal. As a youth he first subscribed to Descartes’s dualistic belief that body and mind are two separate substances, but later changed his view and asserted that they were not separate, the universal substance consists of both body and mind, that it is a single identity there being no difference between these aspects. He contended that everything that exists in Nature (i. e. , everything in the Universe) is one Reality (substance) and there is only one set of rules governing the whole of the reality which surrounds us and of which we are part. Spinoza believes that: 1)a God that does not rule over the universe by providence, but a God which itself is the deterministic system of which everything in nature is a part. 2)God would be the natural world and have no personality. 3)To see God or Nature as acting for the sake of ends—to find purpose in Nature—is to misconstrue Nature and â€Å"turn it upside down† by putting the effect (the end result) before the true cause. 4)Nor does God perform miracles, since there are no departures whatsoever from the necessary course of nature. The belief in miracles is due only to ignorance of the true causes of phenomena. If a stone has fallen from a room onto someone’s head and killed him, they will show, in the following way, that the stone fell in order to kill the man. For if it did not fall to that end, God willing it, how could so many circumstances have concurred by chance (for often many circumstances do concur at once)? Perhaps you will answer that it happened because the wind was blowing hard and the man was walking that way. But they will persist: why was the wind blowing hard at that time? why was the man walking that way at that time? If you answer again that the wind arose then because on the preceding day, while the weather was still calm, the sea began to toss, and that the man had been invited by a friend, they will press on—for there is no end to the questions which can be asked: but why was the sea tossing? why was the man invited at just that time? And so they will not stop asking for the causes of causes until you take refuge in the will of God, i.e. , the sanctuary of ignorance. (I, Appendix) B. Humane vision â€Å"Everything must necessarily happen the way that it does. Therefore, humans have no free will. They believe, however, that their will is free† Spinoza was a thoroughgoing determinist who held that absolutely everything that happens occurs through the operation of necessity. For him, even human behaviour is fully determined, with freedom being our capacity to know we are determined and to understand why we act as we do. So freedom is not the possibility to say â€Å"no† to what happens to us but the possibility to say â€Å"yes† and fully understand why things should necessarily happen that way. This illusionary perception of freedom stems from our human consciousness, experience and our indifference to prior natural causes. Humans think they are free but they ? dream with their eyes open?. For Spinoza, our actions are guided entirely by natural impulses. This picture of Spinoza’s determinism is ever more illuminated through reading this famous quote in Ethics: ? the infant believes that it is by free will that it seeks the breast; the angry boy believes that by free will he wishes vengeance; the timid man thinks it is with free will he seeks flight; the drunkard believes that by a free command of his mind he speaks the things which when sober he wishes he had left unsaid. †¦ All believe that they speak by a free command of the mind, whilst, in truth, they have no power to restrain the impulse which they have to speak. † Thus for Spinoza morality and ethical judgment like choice is predicated on an illusion. c. Politcal Philosophy â€Å"Every man may think what he likes,and say what he thinks. The real disturber of peace are those who, in a free state, seek to curtail the liberty of judgement which they are unable to tyrannize over. † Spinoza’s reputation as a political thinker is eclipsed by his reputation as a rationalist metaphysician. Nevertheless, Spinoza was a penetrating political theorist whose writings have enduring significance. In his two political treatises,has it’s main purpose the defense of free expression, Spinoza advances a number of forceful and original arguments in defense of democratic governance, freedom of thought and expression, and the subordination of religion to the state. On the basis of his naturalistic metaphysics, Spinoza also offers trenchant criticisms of ordinary conceptions of right and duty. And his account of civil organization, grounded in psychological realism, stands as an important contribution to the development of constitutionalism and the rule of law. There is also textual evidence for the view that Spinoza does not reject other forms of government in favor of democracy. One of the central aims of A Political Treatise is precisely to demonstrate how different forms of governments can meet the fundamental political value of stability. For example, Spinoza explains that, historically, monarchies have enjoyed the most stability of any form of government (PT: VI:317), and that their potential instability results from the divergent interests between the sovereign and the citizens. In light of this, Spinoza advises the sovereign to act in his or her own interests which is to act in the interests of the citizens. In the case of aristocracy, instability is said to result from inequality of political power among the ruling aristocrats, the remedy for which consists of equalizing such power as far as possible. Spinoza’s considered thoughts on the stability of democracy were interrupted by his untimely death, but while he thought it most consistent with freedom, he nevertheless regarded it as the most unstable of all political forms. Indeed, Spinoza comments that democracies naturally evolve into aristocracies, and aristocracies naturally evolve into monarchies. At least on one understanding of â€Å"natural,† democracies may be interpreted as less natural than aristocracies and monarchies (PT: VIII: 351). To understand ends, sources, and justification of political authority, one does well to begin with the Conatus Principle and the associated psychological axioms employed by Spinoza. The source of problems for Spinoza’s political theory, specifically the moral notions of â€Å"contract,† â€Å"rights,† and â€Å"obligations† can also be traced to his view of human nature.

Malcolm Baldrige and the Evolution of Total Quality Management Essay

Quality and productivity can be considered mutually inclusive. An organization that aims for quality will eventually results to better productivity in the concept of services, goods being produced, personnel and human resources development, not to mention capital gain, increase in competitiveness, and increase in investment opportunities. Though it may be a good concept, a governing body should be present to determine the necessary criteria and set for definitive standards to follow. In the United States, the two governing body in quality standard award are the Ron Brown Award and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Malcolm Baldrige, a U. S. Secretary of Commerce during the era of the Reagan Administration, is the one responsible for organizing a conference on productivity in the White House. Apparently, he initiated the conception and blueprint in 1987 of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award: which focuses on quality. The award, through the National Quality Improvement Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-107), gives emphasis on quality services being given by different sectors such as education, health care, business, and non-profit organizations (Marion p. 1). These quality services are based on the practices of the Total Quality Management System (TQM) principles and contain seven criteria to determine the awardees: Leadership, Strategic Planning, Market and Customer Focus; Measurement, Analysis and Knowledge Management, Focus on Workforce, Process Management, and Results. These criteria are considered significant to U. S. competitiveness in terms of improving the capabilities, practices, and results of an organization; sharing and facilitating the most excellent practice among the different sectors; and to serve as a working tool guide for planning and managing. Most of these criteria are taken from the principles and techniques in quality management developed by Philip Crosby, W. Demings, Armand Feigenbaum, and Joseph Juran. Moreover, the award aims to promote significant level of quality consciousness; to be able to distinguish the achievements of U. S. companies in the context of quality; and to make available to the public the thriving strategies on quality. The process of selecting the winner involves an assessment of the written examination submitted by the applicant, a site visit on the company (provided that the company achieved a high score), and a final evaluation. Since the Malcolm Award is based on the principle of Total Quality Management, the system have evolved or developed in terms of the factors in performance measurement that includes the following: operating or in service measures, employee relationship, satisfaction of customers, and performance on financial aspects. For instance, based on the data of the 12 Companies that submitted their respective pertinent data for evaluation, on an annual basis product reliability increased by around 11. 3 %; the time of processing the order is reduced annually by 12% on the six companies; product errors and defects decreased by 10. 3% on the seven companies; and around five companies have reduced cost by 9%. This created a savings of around $1 Million to $115 Million. Aside from the improvement on the factors on performance measurement, indicators of employee relationship also improved. Employee satisfaction improved by 1. 4%, employee turnover (voluntary request for separation) decreased by around 6%, health and safety measures improved by 1. 8%, and the accumulated total-quality suggestions made by the employees increased by 16. 6%. The total customer satisfaction also increased by 2. 5% with complaints coming from the customer being reduced by 11. 6% and retention of customers also improved by 1%. Market share is increased by 13. 7% and the return of assets by 1. 3% (Shetty p. 4-6). Thus, Total Quality Management had eventually improved in terms of quality, customer satisfaction, and reduction in cost. Furthermore, the Total Quality Management System had an affirmative impact on all of the significant areas of concerns: improvement in product reliability, increased in customer satisfaction and responsiveness, and reduction in cost. Apparently related to these are the increase in job satisfaction, improvement of health and safety measures, and reduction in employee turnover. This improvement and reduction on specific areas will eventually yield to increase in the market share, profitability, and quality. The result of such will also produced a certain degree of competitive advantage, which is eventually acquired as a result of committing to quality. A firm competitive position will give the company a unique place in the market wherein the consumers are willing to pay for the product, and the established quality will become difficult to surmount by the competing companies. Another factor to consider in achieving a competitive advantage is through the reduction of cost by improving quality. Reducing cost is synonymous to reduction of the in-process work inventory, handling of materials, capitals on equipment and maintenance, thus reducing claims on liability. The reduced costs will in-turn lead to a higher profit margin, increase in the sales, and lower prices of the product. Therefore, cost and quality are the most important factors to achieve a competitive advantage and these can be realized through the implementation of Total Quality Management System. The implementation of the Total Quality Management depends on the need and the nature of the business. Companies that adopted a TQM, and subsequently succeeded on all areas described above still have to continue on developing the system. It is considered a continuous process and development. Different sectors of the industry such as in the health care, manufacturing, services, and small businesses are becoming more aware of the positive impact of adopting TQM, and the aspiration of being recognized as one of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awardees set forth the scene to a strong commitment towards excellence in management quality and company performance. The Award started at 1988 and after 20 years, around 79 companies are recognized. The impact of adopting the criteria of Malcolm Baldrige through the implementation of TQM had significantly produced quality and productivity to several companies such as: The ADAC Laboratories, Custom Research Inc. , Dana Commercial Credit Corp. , and Trident Position Manufacturing Inc. (Malcolm Baldrige recipients of 1996). Of these four, Trident and Custom Research belongs to the small business category, ADAC in the manufacturing sector, and Dana Commercial on services. The ADAC Laboratories, founded in 1970, have its product line in the design, manufacturing, marketing, and support intended for customers belonging in the health care sector such as in radiation therapy, information system in health care, and nuclear medicines. These services and products are sold to universities, hospitals, and clinics worldwide. The impact of adopting the criteria of Malcolm Baldrige has significantly improved the company’s market share (12% in 1990 to 50% in 1996), and customer satisfaction (no. 1 ranking). Before, the company was only focused on short-term financial goals, and not totally oriented towards attaining a quality firm for investors and customer’s satisfaction, and employee development. Determined to over-turn the current situation, the company adopted the criteria of Malcolm Baldrige. In 1994, ADAC applied for the Malcolm Baldrige getting up to the 2nd level (site visit). The site visit consequently gave the company a feedback assessment with around 148 areas of concerns that needs improvement. The company then utilized the feedback report as an external resource to eliminate the gaps. The management team attended the Center for Quality of Management, a consortium of experts in the field of Total Quality Management. The intensive two-day training made all employees understands the four relevant thoughts: shared learning, total involvement, focus on customer, and continuous development. Consequently, the turn-around of the company to focus on customer satisfaction had lead to a strong rate of retention with 94% as compared to the previous 50%; market share increased by 50% as compared to 12% six years ago; and the revenue per worker increased by around 75% (Marion p. 1). The results by adopting the criteria verified the kind of quality management the company had developed with emphasis on quality and excellence. Dana Commercial Credit Corporation, a subsidiary of Dana Corp. , provides financing and leasing services to a wide range of businesses and specific markets. Located at different offices such as in Canada, United Kingdom, and Ohio; the company have activities that includes management of assets services, combined-venture leasing consortium, and leasing of equipment for manufacturers and dealers. The company decided to apply for the Malcolm Baldrige Award for two compelling reasons: after receiving the Dana Quality Leadership award, the company intended to benchmark it alongside the Malcolm Baldrige; and the challenge of pursuing the Baldrige award will provide a significant â€Å"push† towards a fast improvement in quality for the company. Making through the process of the Baldrige criteria eventually created a strong culture with emphasis on service quality and customer satisfaction. In return, the morale of the employees is high as well as the profit. Custom Research Inc. is one of the small firms that received the Baldrige Award that clearly shows that no matter what the size of the company, better quality management can also be achieved just like those of multinational companies. Established in 1974 by Jeff Pope and Corson, CRI caters big companies in designing and conducting projects that can provide relevant information to make effective decisions in business. The main office is located at Minneapolis with several offices in Ridgewood and San Francisco, and New Jersey. In 1998, the company had reduced its client from 138 to 67, primarily to provide better service as well as establish partnership with their biggest clients. From 1992 to 1994, the company had applied for an assessment to Baldrige and reached the site visit level three times. After receiving the Minnesota Award for Quality in 1995, CRI decided to re-apply again for the Baldrige since the award was patterned to it. Winning the state award had helped the company achieving its goal to be awarded by Baldrige in 1996. Since the employees are less, all took part during the application and assessment process wherein each employee knows the whole process, the criteria, and how it is should be implemented in their respective field of work. Thus, the Baldrige Award had greatly influenced all employees towards achieving quality and productivity creating a positive atmosphere to the company. In return, the employees are all motivated that results to better business opportunities and results. Trident Precision Manufacturing Inc. is a private company that manufactures various components of sheet metal (precision), customized products, and assemblies (electromechanical). With its lone manufacturing plant in New York, the Company developed processes and tooling to manufacture and assemble components intended for the different sectors of the industry such as in equipment used in office, banks, health care, and even defense. Trident began to exploit the criteria of Baldrige in their quest for quality in 1989. The criteria had served as an open window to know the areas of weaknesses and strength of the company. April Lusk, Trident’s administrator for quality, emphasized that the biggest significant asset of the Baldrige Quality Award process was the feedback report, which stands for an unbiased assessment of a company’s strength and weaknesses. Trident then utilized those feedback reports to narrow the gaps and eventually achieved better results: due to a strong focus in customer satisfaction, the company has been able to maintain its position as the main supplier to chief customers even though it reduced their supplier percentage to 65%; the focus on employee involvement also played a major role achieving a 100% employee participation on departmental occupation team, around 95% of the improvement on processes have been established, the recognitions and rewards for the employees increased, employee turnover decreased, and the company have invested 4. 6% of the payroll towards education and training (Marion p. 1). The continuous improvement of the employee, their commitment to the internal and external clientele, and the eventual â€Å"control† of their processes have made Trident to stand out and establish a dedication towards excellence and quality. More so, Trident’s strong affirmation towards an environment that is family oriented, continuous effort for improvement, and teamwork are the main factors the Baldrige Award considered. Responsibilities are shared, suggestions considered and implemented so as to create an environment where the employees are satisfied and their morale is high, resulting to a stronger and a healthier business. The background discussed on the four companies clearly illustrated the impact of implementing the principles of Total Quality Management System through the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Awards. These companies aspired to achieve the Baldrige Award and the results improved the company’s overall quality and productivity program, as well as their business status and competitiveness. By analyzing the stories behind each success of a company towards achieving the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Awards, several key pointers should be emphasize such as the following: Leadership also plays an important role towards attaining quality. Top management should exert effort in terms of leadership and support since the adherence to quality usually accompanies changes in the company’s operating systems or philosophy. Clear goals should be determined as well as a positive atmosphere or culture to encourage the employees to attain such goals. The presence of a highly motivated staff or employees also has significant contributions towards attaining quality. Quality depends on the employee’s efficiency, and subsequently to the employees work motivation. It also encompasses all the aspect of human resources such as employee training and recruitment program, job descriptions, and rewarding as well as empowering employees. Employee involvement are considered an important aspect, and also the encouragement of a corporate vision towards quality-related improvement activities and programs may require several major adjustments or changes the way the employees are being managed (Shetty p. 6) Another factor that is significant is the aim for a total customer satisfaction. Realizing this vision will create an effort towards improving quality. Exceptional external and internal systems are necessary to supervise customer satisfaction through the use of surveys, evaluation of services and products, and investigation of complaints (Reiman p.11) Analysis of information is also critical since this will serve as a basis on making corporate decisions and adjustments. Efficient and complete data gathering serves as a powerful tool for the company since these will reflect the strengths, weaknesses, goals, quality, and service standards, to name a few. Suppliers also have a significant role in the pursuit of quality. Usually, successful companies develop long-lasting relationships with suppliers having a vision for quality. The company relatively engages the suppliers to become an integral part of the firm’s TQM. Consultations, trainings, and continuing contracts are some of the ways the company engages the suppliers on its TQM program. Thus, the suppliers become a partner in administering quality efforts, which in turn have major effects on how the suppliers are conventionally managed. The commitment to quality is a boundless process; therefore, a continuous program for improvement and development should be implemented. The results on the companies that implemented the Total Quality Management System in pursuit of achieving the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards proved to be a success. The end-results created better customers satisfaction, high morale of employees, reduced cost, decreased on employee turn-over, good competitive advantage, improved health and safety measures, better production processes, increased in market share and profits, quality and productivity. The Malcolm Baldrige Award provides a vast range of quality concerns. The feedbacks made by the Award committee can be use by the company to narrow the relevant gaps, which are based on the findings. The award served as an effective guide with respect on streamlining the business and management practices. The criteria set forth by Baldrige, based on the principles of Total Quality Management, provided the significant standards of excellence to achieve quality and productivity.The award served as an effective catalyst to strengthen and improve the company’s competitiveness. Works Cited Shetty, Y. K. â€Å"The Quest for Quality Excellence: Lessons from the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award†. Sam Advanced Management Journal. 22 March 1993: 1-14 Harmon, Marion. www. qualitydigest. com. Jan. 1997. Retrieved April 23, 2009. http://www. qualitydigest. com/jan97/baldrige. html Reiman, Curt W. â€Å"Winning Strategies for the Malcolm Baldrige Award,† Journal of Quality Management, July 1990, pp. 9-25.

High School Math That Meets College Requirements

High School Math That Meets College Requirements Different colleges and universities have very different expectations for high school preparation in math. An engineering school like MIT will expect more preparation than a predominantly liberal arts college like Smith. However, preparing for college gets confusing because the recommendations for high school preparation in math are often unclear, particularly when youre trying to distinguish between what is required and what is recommended. High School Preparation   If youre applying to highly selective colleges, schools will generally want to see three or more years of math that include algebra and geometry. Keep in mind that this is a minimum, and four years of math makes for a stronger college application. The strongest applicants will have taken calculus. At places like MIT and Caltech, youll be at a significant disadvantage if you havent taken calculus. This is also true when applying to engineering programs at comprehensive universities like Cornell or the University of California at Berkeley. If youre going into a STEM field  (science, technology, engineering, and math) thats going to require math expertise, colleges want to see that you have both the college preparation and the aptitude to succeed in higher-level mathematics. When students enter  an engineering program with weak math skills or poor preparation, they face an uphill battle to make it to graduation. My High School Doesnt Offer Calculus Options for classes in math vary widely from high school to high school. Many smaller, rural schools simply dont have calculus as an option, and the same is true even for large schools in some regions. If you find that youre in a situation where calculus simply isnt an option, dont panic. Colleges receive information on the course offerings at your school, and they will be looking to see that you have taken the most challenging courses available to you. If your school offers AP calculus and you choose a remedial course on the mathematics of money instead, you clearly arent challenging yourself. This will be a strike against you in the admissions process. On the flip side, if a second year of algebra is the highest level math offered at your school and you complete the course successfully, colleges shouldnt penalize you. That said, students interest in STEM fields (as well as fields such as business and architecture) will be strongest when they have taken calculus. Calculus may be an option, even if your high school doesnt offer it. Talk to your guidance counselor about your options, which may include: Taking calculus at a local college. You may even find that some community colleges and state universities offer evening or weekend courses that wont conflict with your high school classes. Your high school is likely to give you credit towards graduation for college calculus, and youll also have college credits that are likely to transfer.Taking AP calculus online. Here again, talk with your guidance counselor about options. You may find courses through your state university system, a private university, or even a for-profit educational company. Be sure to read reviews, as online courses can range from excellent to terrible, and its not worth your time and money to take a course that isnt likely to lead to success on the AP exam. Also, keep in mind that online courses require lots of discipline and self-motivation.  Self-study for the AP calculus exam. If youre a motivated student with a  strong aptitude for math, its possible to self-study for the AP exam. Taking an AP course isn t a requirement for taking an AP exam, and colleges will be impressed if you earn a 4 or 5 on the AP exam after self-study. Do Colleges Like Advanced Math Topics? Success on an AP calculus course is one of the best ways to demonstrate your college readiness in mathematics. There are, however, two AP calculus courses: AB and BC. According to the College Board, the AB course is equivalent to the first year of college calculus, and the BC course is equivalent to the first two semesters. The BC course introduces topics of sequences and series, in addition to the general coverage of integral and differential calculus found on the AB exam. For most colleges, the admissions folks will be happy with the very fact that youve studied calculus. While the BC course is more impressive, you wont be hurting yourself with AB calculus. Note that far more college applicants take AB, rather than BC, calculus. At schools with strong engineering programs, however, you may find that BC calculus is strongly preferred and that you wont earn calculus placement credit for the AB exam. This is because,  at a school like MIT, the content of the BC exam is covered in a single semester. The second semester of calculus is multi-variable calculus, something not covered in the AP curriculum. The AB exam, in other words, covers a half-semester of college calculus  and isnt sufficient for placement credit. Taking AP Calculus AB is still a big plus in the application process, but you wont always earn course credit for a high score on the exam. What Does This All Mean? Very few colleges have a definite requirement regarding calculus or four years of math. A college doesnt want to be in a position where it has to reject an otherwise well-qualified applicant due to a lack of calculus classwork. That said, take the strongly recommended guidelines seriously. For most colleges, your high school record is the single most important component of your application. It should show that youve taken the most challenging courses possible, and your success in upper-level math courses is a great indicator that you can succeed in college. A 4 or 5 on one of the AP calculus exams is about the best evidence you can provide of your math readiness, but most students dont have that score available at the time applications are due. The table below sums up the math recommendations for a range of colleges and universities. College Math Requirement Auburn 3 years required: Algebra I and II, and either geometry, trig, calc, or analysis Carleton Minimum 2 years algebra, one year geometry, 3 or more years math recommended Centre College 4 years recommended Harvard Be well-versed in algebra, functions, and graphing, calculus good but not required Johns Hopkins 4 years recommended MIT Math through calculus recommended NYU 3 years recommended Pomona 4 years expected, calculus highly recommended Smith College 3 years recommended UT Austin 3 years required, 4 years recommended

Enforcing arbitration clauses in contracts Research Paper

Enforcing arbitration clauses in contracts - Research Paper Example Any subcontract entered into thereafter is subject to the initial contract on arbitration (Yale law journal 6). Under the American contract law, Parties are allowed to agree to arbitrate disputes arising from contracts entered as provided for in the Federal Arbitration Act 9 U. S.C. The Act pre-empts any state law which imposes special requirement on the enforceability of the arbitration. In the case of Oxford Health Plans v. Sutter, the plaintiff sued the defendant at the New Jersey state court for failure to make prompt payments. Oxford Health had entered into an agreement with Sutter that they shall have all their cases outside court. No civil action vis-Ã  -vis any dispute arising under this Agreement shall be instituted beforehand any court, and all such disagreements shall be submitted to final, ultimate and binding arbitration (Strong pg. 23). The court advocated for an arbitrator as per the contract. The arbitrator ruled that the case warrants a court hearing. Oxford sought to overturn the decision on grounds that the arbitrator had operated in excess of his authority. According to t he Arbitrator, the case was of material concern to all parties and warranted proper class hearings. When forwarded to the US Supreme Court, the court ruled that the arbitrator was within his jurisdiction to warrant a case hearing. Based on Stolt-Nielsen S, A v. Animal feeds int’l Corp case, the court ruled that the arbitrator could call for a class hearing if the matter were principle to the two parties and only proper legal channels could solve the case. The arbitrator can submit to class adjudication unless there is a contractual basis for ending the party agreed to do so (Harvard journal of law & gender). In this case, the arbitrator has not overdone his mandate to warrant a class hearing (Federal Arbitration Act). In a similar case, American Express Co. v. Italian Colors restaurants, the

Employability Portfolio Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Employability Portfolio - Assignment Example MS Work I have used this program for general word processing. In the Office, it was very useful in producing office documents. MS Excel I have used this program in simple data analysis such as analyzing market data to find median, mode and mean. MS Project This software is very useful in project management. I have used it in the past to plan projects for efficient time and resource management. MS Access This is a database management system. I have used it in the past to create and manage databases QUESTIONS Please answer all of the following questions using examples from either university or your work experience. 1. Tell us about yourself. What are you passionate about? a.) Related to your education or studies/degree? I have a passion for making things work, especially with people. I believe that the best resources that an organisation has. In this regard, I feel that I can be able to make big and important contributions. Human resource is a field that has a lot to be learnt and to b e investigated and there are issues and these interests me. b.) In your personal life? I believe in people development and I also believe that any person can be turned into an efficient and effective person. I always look around myself and see a lot of human resource, not only in companies but in every day lives, being wasted. This makes want to do something that will change this and that will help in making sure that they are able to reach their potential. When I see organisations using too much money trying o buy talent, I feel that there are better ways of getting talent, that is, by develop the talent in house. 2. Can you give us an example of a successful team that you have been a member of? In my neighbourhood, we created a voluntary group that that was intended at helping disadvantaged children in getting education. This team was successful in making sure that all these children were given a second chance. We saw most of the children improving their grades and also having a b etter attitude towards education. Why was it successful? I can attribute the success of the team to two major issues, both of which have to do with human motivation. The first factor is that the team members were highly motivated. I founded the team on a noble cause and the only motivation was to see these children getting better lives. The fact that we saw these children having better lives made it easier for the team to have ht energy and will to go on even with the numerous challenges. The second factor was the factor that the team focused on motivating the children to learn on their own. The team did not only try to offer the children knowledge, focused on making the students to be able to look at knowledge seeking as a fun activity. This was my idea which I introduce to the team and asked them to discuss on how to motivate the children to like reading on their own. After discussion with the team, we developed a method of encouraging the students to learn in their selves. What w as your role in the team? I was the founder in the team and after the team was founded, used to be the coordinator, albeit not in an official way. The main challenge of that the team was facing was the fact that most of the students who was