Getting Interactive Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Getting Interactive Research - Essay Example Moreover, exercises that focus in problem solving and group discussion are crucial in integrative learning tools. This essay focuses on the reasons why interactive approach is essential in training adults. Interactive learning is grounded on the principles of adult learning theory, which emphasize on the need for active involvement of learners in the learning process. According to Trotter (2006), adults appreciate training approaches that allows them to perform tasks such as solving their own problems or training others through sharing of experiences. Adult learning theories focus regarding the ways in which adults learn new skills or acquire information. The adult learning theory, which was developed by Malconlm, Knowles, and Jane Vella, shows that adults prefer learning approaches that enable them to share life experiences and integrate them in the learning process. Interaction is a process that can be created and enhanced. This is done through activities such as scavenger hunt, ro le-play, case analysis, virtual laboratory, and introduction of learning game in the learning process. Such activities encourage learners to find knowledge that is applicable to a given topic and use it in problem solving. Moreover, interactive learning encourages learners to develop novel perspectives, which they can use in their work places. A number of principles govern adult learning process. The principles emphasize on the significance of interactive learning process. For effective learning, adults require to be respected. Moreover, adults prefer a learning process that enables them to realize immediate practicality of learning. Another principle that governs adult learning is creation of a safe learning environment. Another principle that is essential in adult learning is the level of engagement. Adults learn best when actively involved. According to Merriam (2011), interactive learning should be relevant and applicable to real life situations. Therefore, interactive learning process is should meet the above principles for it to be essential. Malcolm Knowles adult learning theory discourages use of teacher-centered models in teaching adults. His theory promotes training strategies that relate to the learners experiences. This increases the relevancy of the concepts making it easy for the adult learners to conceptualize different concepts. Knowles theory consents that interactive learning engages the learners encouraging them to be explorative other than knowledge recipients, which enhances discoveries. Activeness characterizes interactive learning and encourages learners to apply their skills instead of memorizing information. Jarvis (2004) argues that activeness is essential since adults are able to retain knowledge when they learn through application or if they are engaged in discovering the content. Unlike the traditional teacher centered training approach which equipped students with skills to enable them pass tests, learner centered adult training a pproach enables student retain the knowledge. This essential since it enables learners to apply the knowledge acquired in class in the real world. Jack Meziro theory of transformative learning identifies reflection as crucial in enhancing learning. Therefore, interaction is essential in ensuring that the learning process results in direct effects such as acquisition of competency and changed

Stop Torture Essay Example for Free

Stop Torture Essay Would you authorize torturing an individual in order to save the lives of hundreds? A majority of the population would agree that sometimes torture becomes necessary. Employed during war, many civilians believe torture is justified as a method to retrieve information to save lives and many military personnel would argue that the same methods would be used against their comrades. Contrary to the majority, the use of torture is unnecessary because it harms innocent individuals, provides inaccurate information, and contradicts America’s efforts in making the world a better place. People have mixed feelings regarding the use of torture to capture terrorist or prevent terrorist attacks. Some can argue that torture is an effective method that can be used to get suspects to speak so that authorities can respond quickly. The use of torture can help soldiers retrieve valuable information from captured terrorist to prevent damage from other terrorist. Secondly, if terrorist are not limited to physical violence and acts of immortality, why should soldiers who protect innocent people be limited to nonviolent interrogation. Many will argue that terrorist are not afraid to use violence, hence, we should not be afraid either. Last but not least, why should one have empathy towards people who are intentionally causing mayhem and chaos? While these are seem as reasonable arguments to allow the use of torture, there are many consequences and drawbacks that are associated with the use of torture. There have been many instances reported where American soldiers treated other innocent Iraqi civilians in custody with inhumanity and ruthlessness, such as the infamous stories of â€Å"Abu Ghraib. Abu Ghraib has been in news articles for quite some time, and reporters have provided insight on how innocent civilians were thrown in prisons and treated with inhumanity and cruelty. The documentary Taxi to the Dark Side, written and directed by Alex Gibney, is about a taxi driver who was taken into custody at an U. S. military base in Abu Ghraib. He was stripped naked on arrival, chained to the ceiling, and beaten several times a day. After enduring five days of excruciating pain and torture, he died. One must stop and wonder why the American government at Abu Ghraib sanctioned such inhumane methods? They did not. These techniques of chaining prisoners to the ceilings, using physical violence, and waterboarding were only sanctioned in Guantanamo Bay. However, these practices migrated to Abu Ghraib without any official orders. The guards at Abu Ghraib must have reasoned that if torture was allowed in a military base, why limit these cruel methods to just one base? This misguided reasoning spreads chaos and along with it derives horrifying incidents like Abu Ghraib. American soldiers who were the guards at Abu Ghraib wanted to contribute and help their mission become succeed. For them, torture was about obtaining information from prisoners by any means necessary to help war efforts. However, the feeling of being superior to Iraqi prisoners led them to treat these innocent men like â€Å"dogs† (Gibney). In the article, â€Å"The Abolition of Torture,† author Andrew Sullivan argues that torture is not only ineffective but also morally wrong. Andrew Sullivan writes this article in response to Charles Krauthammer’s belief in the need for torture and Krauthammer defines a terrorist â€Å"an unlawful combatant. He lives outside of laws of war because he does not wear a uniform, he hides among civilians, and he deliberately targets innocents† (Sullivan). Knowing that there are many instances where innocent individuals are thrown into prisons as terrorist by government officials. What difference is there between the American government officials and terrorist if both harm innocent individuals? In order for us to sustain faith in humanity, we must treat everyone with humanity in mind; terrorist or not. The use of torture spreads like a forest fire and brings down innocent individuals with it. Another reason torture is unnecessary because it generates inaccurate information. When facing torture, prisoners will say almost anything to make the pain go away. This often leads to false information and wastes valuable time. The American government approved â€Å"waterboarding† as a method of obtaining information from prisoners immediately after September 11, 2001. In an article written by Senator John McCain, who was tortured for years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, he provides an insight on the truth behind the use of torture. Senator McCain recounts conversation with CIA director Leon Panetta, Panetta stated, â€Å"None of the three detainees who were waterboarded provided Abu Ahmed’s real name, his whereabouts or an accurate description of his role in al-Qaeda† (McCain). Khalid Sheik Mohammed was waterboard 183 times, yet he did not provide any vital information that led to capturing Osama Bin Laden. This clearly demonstrates that torture is not an effective method because the results can be inaccurate and often misleading. Finally, yet most importantly, the use of torture reverses America’s efforts of making the world a better place. For a country to become an example of justice or humanity, its actions must represent its ideals. When the world hears about America’s policy on torture, it contradicts their efforts of going to third world countries to fight off terror and establish democracy. In his article â€Å"U. S. Went to the ‘Dark Side’ on Torture,† Charles C. Krulak observes that America’s policy on torture â€Å"alienated would-be allies and fueled Al Qaeda’s recruiting efforts. † Many religionist extremist and terrorist recruiters use incidents like Abu Ghraib to influence individuals to take part in terrorist activities. Children growing up in third world countries who witness instances like Abu Ghraib can easily be misguided and join terrorist camps. America’s policy on torture causes more chaos and takes away from what it means to be an American. America was founded as country for the free, brave, and ones who believe in democracy. We classify ourselves as the world police and protectors of humanity. However, our government justifies taking Iraqi civilians treating them with inhumanity and putting them through cruel and unusual punishments. Aren’t these actions forbidden by the American constitution? The American constitution is the building block for American civilization. The constitution along with the Bill of Rights not only protects the freedom of citizens of the world but also guarantees them the right to a trail. What has happened to the beliefs that founding fathers laid out for our country to follow? IF we are to set an example for justice and democracy, we must stop the use of torture. The goal of democracy is that every man should be treated equally. On the other hand, torture is an act of inflicting permanent pain and grief. Democracy and torture can never go hand in hand. Torture should never be a way to gain advantage over an individual, whether it is mental or physical. Torture is merciless, unkind, and brutal, which can also define the character of the user and becomes a part of his/her human nature to feel a sense of empowerment toward another human being, in other words â€Å"the enemy†. As a result, torture influences both sides to ongoing revenge, anger and violence. Torture served no purpose to initiate anything positive for our world today or tomorrow. Mahatma Gandhi once stated, â€Å"An eye for an eye leaves the world blind. † If the world leaders continue to exercise methods of torture, then there will be no room for the advancement of humanity. America should not use torture to fight against terrorism. As the use of torture is terminated, the world will have a chance to come together and end terrorism because the main root of terrorism is being inhumane and we should not fall in that category by using torture as our way to fight against it.

Critical Appraisal Role Of Physiotherapy Health And Social Care Essay

Critical Appraisal Role Of Physiotherapy Health And Social Care Essay The aim of this assignment is to critically appraise the scientific research paper The role of physiotherapy in the treatement of subacromial impingement syndrome by Dickens, Williams Bhamra (2005) while detailing the objectives of the paper, research methods used and the outcomes of the research findings. What is the scientific paper is about? The aims of the research paper according to Dickens Williams Bhamara (2005:1) was to investiagte the effectiveness of a physiotherapy programme in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome. This paper did not outline specific modalities and was reliant on convincing the reader that physiotherapy should be viewed as a first line management for subacromial impingement syndrome against the present orthepedic view which would swing towards operative intervention as the corrective action. The paper was published by Elsevier for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy by a combined group of physiotherapists and Orthepedic surgeons and was funded by the Physiotherapy Research Foundation. When combined these groups may lead the paper to be viewed as self servicing and lead the reader to pinpoint a lack of impartiality. Patients for the research where taken from a waiting list for surgery for subacromial impingement syndrome. Each of these patients was independently reviewed by surgeon James L Williams, a coauthor of the paper, and had underwent three steroid injections into the subacromial space, given at 6-weekly intervals as part of an exisiting protocol (Dickens et al, 2005:160). The study was conducted in a randomised fashion in that the eighty five clients were selected by giving a client on a surgical waiting list an envelope that had within it either control or physiotherapy, 45 joined the physiotherapy group while 40 joined the control group. There were 100 envelopes split 50:50 between the groups which leads the reader to believe this may have been quasi-randomised. In order to assess physiotherapy without bias clients who had previous physiotherpay treatement were excluded from the study according to Dickens et al. Also clients with signs of cervical radiculopathy, adhesive capsulitis or clinically obvious rotator cuff tears or a grade III subacromial spur on their shoulder suprasinatus outlet radiograph (Dickens et al, 2005:160). The randomised fashion was administered by human administrators and not via a computerised system. A control group was used and this group had no alternative but to continue on towards surgical intervention, this created a bias for this group since the probability for having surgical intervention was P-1. Intitially the group of patients numbered eighty five patients from an initial set of 100 envelopes. 9 of the initial 40 patients in the control group refused to attend the repeat assessmemt at the end of the program, 3 of the physiotherapy group dropped out for social reasons leaving 42 partcipating in there group. Due to the substantial number of dropouts weight must be given to the emergence of unfairness to any comparsion portrayed in the paper. Follow up occurred after a 6 month period and performed by James L Williams, a coauthor of the paper, and may not have been blind since he could have easily discussed whether they felt they still needed surgery (Dickens et al, 2005:161). How the study was designed? The aims of the research paper according to Dickens Williams Bhamara (2005:1) was to investigate the effectiveness of a physiotherapy programme in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome. According to the Webster dictionary the word effectiveness means to produce a desired effect, the desired effect is not established in the aim. This ambiguity around the aim of the paper leaves any conclusion open to interpretation by the reader. When the paper is read in its entirety you could potentially interpret the aim as conveying the message that physiotherapy should be first line management for subacromial impingement therefore moving interventive surgery to second line. There is no published pilot data therefore we cannot correctly establish if the sample size for the scientific paper is justified. We do know that the randomisation process catered for 100 patients, 100 envelopes, of which only 85 were taken up, 72 patients successfully making it to the reassessement stage. The age ranges within the groups have relevance to the outcome of the scientific research. We only have a mean age of each group without an reference to outliers who could affect the statistical data. It is clear that the more junior males respond better under all conditions. This contradicts the statement the two groups were well matched for age, sex and initial constant score (Dickens et al, 2005:161). The probability values (p-values) have been averaged (p This lack of depth in the data provided does not allow the reader to establish if a null hypothesis was proved and may lead them to believe this was pure coincidence. Scientific research should always start from the null hypothesis point of view to ensure impartiality. The selection process for patients, waiting list for surgery, post steroid injection, exclusion of specific pathologies, clinical history and examination meant the group may have been skewed to fulfill the authors aims. Steriod injections can provide an improvement in subacromial impingement due to its anti-inflammatory effect. The selection process did not seem to take into account the duration nor the severity of the impingement syndrome on the individual nor if they were receiving treatment from other practitioners not listed. There is no detailed information regarding the treatment programme dispensed to the physiotherapy patients. If a specific treatment programme had been documented and applied to all patients in this group more quantative data and allowed the research to be replicated and potentially validated by other authors. This would have also allowed the treatments to be cross referenced with socio demographic data from each patient and establish sub sets within the master data. We are unsure how the null findings are interpreted since the authors do not detail this. Nor have they given any data around the chi-squared test. Probability values are give in a round format (p The constant score has a low systematic error but is not reliable for clinical follow up in patients.The constant scores taken at the start of the research were based on 85 patients not on the same 72 patients whom allowed themselves to be reassessed at the end of the programme. This lead to a lack of confidence in the method used by the authors to compare pre and post programme data, they may not have itemised which data belonged to each patient and therefore could not remove this anomoly. The involvement of James L Williams in the reassessment process ensured a lack of blinding and a bias, though the authors clearly did not see this position the follow up assessments were performed by JLW in a blinded situation (Dickens et al, 2005:162). All assessments should have been performed by a validated third party reusing the initial assessment criteria. Since we have no detailed information about the modalities utilised, treatment cycles matched with socio demographic information there is no clinical relevance to the outcomes. To have clinical relevance the process needs to be reproducable which is highly unlikely based on the information presented in the scientific paper. How was the study conducted? A quasi-randomised human administer method of 100 envelopes split evenly between the control and physiotherapy groups were handed out to 85 patients. All 85patients were told that participation on the programme would not affect there standing on a waiting list for surgery. This promise may have affected participation since they would have already been convinced of the necessity for surgery by an orthepedic surgeon. The dropping out of patients in both groups weakened the statistical data which the paper relies upon and imbalanced any findings. Interpreting clinical programmes requires greater participants reducing any potential for the play of chance. How was the study analysed and were there limitation and errors in the study? Each treatment group should have been similar based on age, sex, duration of syndrome, decrease in range of movement and similar capacities to perform the home care plan. Based on the information conveyed in the paper we must assume none of these points were established and therefore does not allowed for each group to have a comparable baseline. The quasi-randomised allocation of each patient to a group ensured that the treatment groups were not comparable. Since all participants stayed within their allocated groups we can establish that the intention was for the results to be analysed by intention to treat. Unfortunately there were patient withdrawals from the programme which would allow to construe that the comparision of treatments would no longer be fair. Also the treatment received within the physiotherapy group as a whole may have differed from individual to individual but no patient moved between groups. Not enough importance was placed on statistical information like the control group having members who improved, yet were not involved in the physiotherapy programme. Also confounding may have occured due to the pre programme steroid injection. Steroid injections are interrelated to anti inflammatory improvements in a range of impingement syndromes. The report had no reference to any confidence intervals which would have ensured the removal of the chance effect and imporved the significance of any statistics. The lack of statistical data in table format and the reliance on prose within the paper show the paper to be more a marketing document than a reliable source of data. Quantative data tables would have allowed the reader to view and validate the authors outcomes. This lack of independence in data lead the reader to wonder does the data actually support the outcome. The approach of only conveying results taken by the authors, could create suspicion in the mind of the reader, undermines the credibility of the paper. Side effects are an important factor in all scientific research papers. What if the side effect of the treatment modalities outwayed the alternative approach taken by the control group. Effectiveness of treatment and a lesser set of side effects would need to be established against the control group to ensure there is no bias. Since there is no mention of side effects for either groups we can only assume that the authors wished to purposefully withhold this information. This factor only would ensure that it clinical relevant is negated. How would you interpret the study and what if any are the implications of the study for your practice? The main finding confirms that a physiotherapy programme is of benefit (Dickens et al, 2005:163) does not confirm the objective of the scientific paper. All the paper conveys is that there are successful alternatives to surgery for a subset of the population. There are too many pervasive factors to rely on the statistical significance of the data put forward by the authors. No true finding can be extracted from the paper and it portrays a message set by the authors who went out to prove it. Therefore I cannot see any attempt by the authors to perform a null hypothesis test which should have been their approach. The only assumption to an attempt at a null hypothesis is the assumption that at the outset of the programme no difference existed between all patients in each group. Other alternatives could account for the 11 physiotherapy group patients improving, steriod injection, age, change in lifestyle etc. This overlooking of the steroid injection pre programme participation has a major impact on the validity of the results. The severity and duration of the syndrome on the patient could potentially have an impact of any positive results. The research funder being a physiotherapy organisation has may have had an effect on the interpretation of data. The length of gap between the post surgery and final step in the physiotherapy programme and final assessment may have had an effect on the results. Rehabilitation programmes may not have been adhered to during this period. Why not take periodical assessements every fortnight over the final 6 month period? We also do not know how the drop outs from the programme affect the data use to support the outcome. We can only assume if this data was removed the outcome may have not supported the objective and therefore shown the physiotherapy is not or no more effective than surgery. Alarmingly this scientific research paper references 26 papers published prior to 2000, the oldest being from 1973, while only 5 papers are based between 200 and the time of release of the paper. This points to either a lack of interest in the particular field or a selective extraction of papers to support the authors objective. Normally supporting information referencing in other reports should be relatively up to date and from journals of quality. Ideally a research paper should look to changing your clinical practice. This paper does not provide me with any rational to change nor if it had a credible case would I understand what I should be changing. Since I cannot replicate the treatment modalities used within the study I cannot change practise nor would I recommend another practioner to perform the same.

The First Crusade Essay -- essays research papers

The First Crusade As the year 1000A.D. was approaching the strength of Christianity in Western Europe was growing along with its population. The newly reformed and organized Church began to gain great power. A new Europe was being born with the Catholic Church as a force in every area of life. In Christian beliefs, the savior, Jesus Christ was to return to earth and bring judgment on its people. Many clergy members along with lay people believed this would take place in the year 1000A.D. . Knowing this, the people of Europe awaited the return of Christ and feared the Wrath of God. Religious people wanted to make up for their sins and avoid the horrors of eternal damnation. Clergy members were often consulted to figure out what would be a suitable penance. " The Church itself still frequently imposed pilgrimages as a penance" (Campbell p.14). A pilgrimage to the Holy Land was not an easy task to say the least. The road to Jerusalem was jagged. On the way to Jerusalem, pilgrims were often murdered by thieves. They were defenseless and often did not return. Some pilgrims did return from the Holy Land. They came back with tales that planted the seeds for a Crusade. "The pilgrims that returned from the Holy City of Jerusalem recounted tales, often grossly exaggerated, of the horrible pollution of the sacred places at the hands of the Turks" (Campbell p23). Other stories of the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the burial place of Jesus, by the Turks surfaced in the early eleventh century. The news of the destruction of the Sepulcher was mourned in every Christian country. The nations looked to Rome for a solution to this most serious of Problems. The Byzantine emperor asked for the aid of the Pope to help him with his Turk problem. To the Pope, it would be a strategic move to aid the Byzantine emperor. The Pope realized that this offered the opportunity to re-establish the universal Church and establish the supremacy of Rome. In 1095, at the Council of Clermont in southern France, "Urban II challenged Christians to take up their weapons against the infidels and participate in a holy war and recapture the Holy Land" (Spielvogel,p344). Pope Urban II addressed the French telling them of the horrors im... ...m the clutches of non-Christian rulers. They successfully carried out the wishes of the Pope and , more importantly, what they believed to be the " Will of God ." The crusading knights gained new powers through the conquest along with salvation. Economically, the First Crusade was a success for Western Europe. New ports on the Mediterranean were in the hands of Western lords, opening new gates for trade. On the other hand, the First Crusade could be seen to be a failure in many ways. Relations with the Byzantine Empire grew far more distant. The Pope's dream of unifying the eastern and western churches could not be achieved. The gruesome display of barbarism on behalf of the Crusaders could also be seen as a failure in morals. It seemed that the Crusaders, for the most part, lost their way. Their goals switched from religious to materialistic. The First Crusade was the first installment in a series that lose their " holiness" and become less successful. Militarily, the First Crusade was an utter success. It started a hatred for the West by the Near and Middle Eastern peoples that still is strong today.

What Is Conflict

What is Conflict? The simple meaning of conflict is basically a disagreement through which the person or people involved recognize a threat to their needs, interests or concerns. With how things are now in modern life conflicts are inevitable. Anyone can get into a conflict. Sometimes little arguments lead to an intense conflict. Also, sometimes people overcome their conflicts quickly. I believe that some conflicts can be easily resolved because it teaches people how to deal with situations like that, and leads people to think about the conflicts. It means that people learn from their mistakes.Also, if the person has enough experience about dealing with conflicts, he or she will be able to resolve it easily. For example if someone was speaking aloud and was interrupted instead of straight away starting an argument they could remind the person to respect other people when speaking. We can understand from this that because of his or her knowledge in dealing with conflicts, she was able to solve it quickly before it increase into serious fight. How we respond to conflict is in two ways, we have emotional responses which are the feelings we experience in conflict, reaching from anger and fear to depression and confusion.Emotional responses are often misunderstood, as people tend to believe that others feel the same as they do. Therefore, differing emotional responses are confusing and, at times, threatening. We also have physical responses to conflict which play an important role in our ability to meet our needs in the conflict. They include high stress levels, body tension, and increased sweat, shallow or accelerated breathing, and rapid heartbeat. These responses are similar to those we experience in high-anxiety situations, and they may be managed through stress management techniques used by many people.Establishing a calmer environment in which emotions can be managed is more likely if the physical response is addressed effectively. These are important factors into our experience during conflict, because they often tell us more about what is the true source of threat that we notice; by understanding our thoughts, feelings and physical responses to conflict, we may get better insights into the best potential solutions to the situation. One key point to understanding conflicts is seeing that each person may have a different view onto any given situation.This could also be called the role of Perception. Some of these views would be one of which, gender and sexuality. Men and women often observe situations rather differently, based on both their experiences in the world. As a result, men and women will often approach conflictive situations with differing mind-sets about the desired outcomes from the situation, as well as the set of possible solutions that may exist. Another would be Knowledge (general and situational). People respond to given conflicts on the basis of the knowledge they may have about the issue at hand.This includes specific knowledge about the situation (i. e. , â€Å"Do I understand what is going on here? â€Å") and general knowledge (i. e. , â€Å"Have I experienced this type of situation before? â€Å"). Such information can influence the person's willingness to engage in efforts to manage the conflict, either reinforcing confidence to deal with the dilemma or deflating the person’s willingness to openly consider alternatives. This can decide the confidence of a person when they going into a conflict. Although it is usually best to have a minimal amount of conflicts it is useful in some place such as in organisations.In fact, conflict can be good for organizations because it encourages open-mindedness and helps avoid the trend toward group think that many organizations fall prey to. The key is learning how to manage conflict effectively so that it can serve as a catalyst, rather than a burden, to organizational improvement. Although it is often assumed that people avoid conflict, many pe ople actually enjoy conflict to a certain degree because it can be the motivation for new thinking. Considering a different point of view which represents conflict can open up new possibilities and help to generate new ideas that might otherwise have not been considered.It is like when you are in a race you will run faster when your second rather than first because you have that person in front of you pushing you to go faster. My final point about conflict is the reason why most people tend to avoid getting into conflict. Engaging in discussion and negotiation around conflict is something we normally approach with fear and hesitation, afraid that the conversation will go worse than the conflict has gone so far. In my opinion our responses, as said earlier, are likely to to include behaviours, feelings, thoughts and physical responses. If any of these responses shows tress factors that make us reluctant to talk things out, we are more inclined to follow the pathway of avoidance, basi cally because where scared. In addition, consider that our society tends to reward alternative responses to conflict, rather than negotiation, people who aggressively pursue their needs, arguing rather than co-operating with a situation, are often satisfied by others who prefer to put up with this. Managers and leaders are often rewarded for their aggressive, controlling approaches to problems, rather than taking a more compassionate approach to issues that may seem less decisive to the public or their staffs.I find this to be unfair but it is my opinion on it. To conclude I believe that Conflict can be easily initiated but also easily resolved if handled in the right way or if he or she has experience. There are different responses to conflict which can lead to different outcomes of the conflict. Different people have different view on situations causing controversy between them. There can be use of conflict in organisations by making it beneficial to the person or company. Finally how I believe society sees conflict and why it is normally avoided which in my opinion it should be.

Catch Me if You Can by Frank W.

Catch Me if You Can by Frank W. Catch Me if You Can by Frank W. Abagnale is the true story of Frank Abagnale himself, as a real fake. Throughout the book, Abagnale uses several different rhetorical devices, such as foreshadowing, irony, point of view, and importance of title; and raises certain social issues.The title Catch Me if You Can is very important because it is a perfect example of foreshadowing. Frank's first taste of the criminal life occurs at age sixteen. He cons his father out of $3,400. After which, Frank runs away to New York and the con-artistry begins. By impersonating people, Frank gets a thrill and acquires a lot of money. Therefore, Abagnale spends most of his life running from the authorities.The author writes the book in his own point of view, which makes sense because the story is about his own life. By writing of personal experiences, the reader is persuaded to take the book more literally.Frank BoonBecause the book is written about Abagnle himself, the reader gets to know his personal thoug hts and reasoning for his crimes. When Frank cons his father and is caught, his reasoning is evident when he says: "It's the girls, Dad....They do funny things to me. I can't explain it" (17). The reader also gets a better feel of the way Abagnale thinks, and his ability to manipulate others for information. Acting as Bobby Black a high school reporter, Frank interviews a Pan Am pilot and gets all the information he needs: "I was finding a lot of nuggets for my poke" (35). He also gathers information from the women he dates in his present field of work. While the women believe Frank is interested in getting to know them, his real motive is to become as educated as possible.Abagnale uses irony in the book...

100 Years Of History Essays - Conservatism In The United States

100 Years Of History Essays - Conservatism In The United States 100 Years of History CURRENT EVENTS: 1945-1996 1945 On April 12 Harry S. Truman became President of the United States of America., In Washington, D.C. On August 6 at 9:15 a.m. US fighter planes dropped an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima Japan. In Berlin, Germany on April 30, Adolf Hitler was found dead, Hitler committed suicide. 1946 On October 16 in Nurenburg, 9 Nazi war criminals were hanged for the crimes during WW II. On April 25 Big Four Ministers met in Paris to finalize a treaty with Germany, to end WWII. In Austria Queens New York, on October 22, Chester Carlos tried his experiment that is commonly known as the Xerox machine. 1947 On November 20, in England, Queen Elizabeth gets married to her cousin Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. On November 2, at the Long Beach Harbor, in Los Angeles, the Spruce Goose, the world's largest airplane, flies for the first time. It got to 70 feet and flew for a mile. On April 7, in the US, Henry Ford dies at the age of 83. 1948 On July 7, in Cleveland, Satchel Paige, a Negro sidearm pitcher, signed a contract to pitch for the all white Cleveland Indians, against the Yankees. In Washington, D.C. on June 24, President Harry S Truman signs a new Draft Act, requiring men 19 to 25 to register for the US military. On January Mohandas K Gahndi was assassinated at 78, in India, he died 20 minutes after being shot. 1949 On the continent of the United States, Albert Einstein presents his gravitational theory to the world, on December 26. On July 27, Captain John Cunningham, a WW II fighter ace, flies the first jet airline, the Comet, from Britain. On October 10 in New York, Jackie Robinson wins the World Series MVP 1950 On January 25 the North Korean Reds invade Southern Korea by crossing the 38 Th parallel, a line set to separate the Korean land given to the Russians after WWII. On July 31 President Truman, from the White House in Washington, D.C., authorizes military build up in Korea, to stop the communist invasion of southern Korea. On August 21, in the US, Negro tennis player, Althea Gibson, becomes the first Negro to be admitted to pro tennis. 1951 On January 15 the UN slows down the attack by North Korea and China in Korea. On November 28 the UN makes the 38 Th parallel a truce line for North Korea and South Korea, putting an end to the Korean war. In October, in New York the Yankees beat the Mets to win the World Series. 1952 On March 5, in Washington, D.C., Dwight Eisenhower becomes president of the United States by a landslide. In Cuba on March & the US signs a military aid pact with Cuba. On January 1 Illinois defeats Stanford 40-7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. 1953 On March 5 in Moscow, Joseph Stalin dies in a hospital, sometime before 10:00 p.m., after suffering from a heart attack. On June 2, in England, Elizabeth the II is crowned queen of England. On September 2 in Newport, Rhode Island, John Fitzgerald Kennedy gets married to Jacqueline Lee Buoveir. 1954 On January 31 in Berlin the Big 4 met to discuss concerns for atomic weaponry. The Nautilus, the first US atomic submarine, is launched from Connecticut, at a harbor in Groton, on January 21. Joe Dimaggio got married to Marilyn Monroe at the San Francisco City Hall, on January 14. 1955 On July 18 in Anaheim, California, Disneyland opens Never Never Land. The Big Four at Geneva on July 23 decided to discuss the problems in Europe at a later date, sometime in October. French tanks, in Morocco, on July 27, halt Moroccan riots, killing 56 people in the process. 1956 On February 24 in Montgomery, Alabama buses are being boycotted, which was started by Rosa parks have gotten about 115 Negroes arrested. In April the Supreme Court rules that Negroes can ride buses with equal rights in Virginia, and will soon be enforced in 12 other southern counties. On March 22 in Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a reverend, and equality movement leader, was arrested and found guilty for orchestrating the bus boycotts. 1957 On January 21 President Eisenhower is sworn in for his second term as president, in Washington, D.C. On January 4 the UN reopened the Suez Canal, after repairing damage done during the Suez Canal incident. On January 10 in Britain, Harold Macmillian replaced

The Gold Standard vs. Fiat Money

The Gold Standard vs. Fiat Money An extensive essay on the gold standard on The Encyclopedia of Economics and Liberty defines it as: ...a commitment by participating countries to fix the prices of their domestic currencies in terms of a specified amount of gold. National money and other forms of money (bank deposits and notes) were freely converted into gold at the fixed price. A county under the gold standard would set a price for gold, say $100 an ounce and would buy and sell gold at that price. This effectively sets a value for the currency; in our fictional example, $1 would be worth 1/100th of an ounce of gold. Other precious metals could be used to set a monetary standard; silver standards were common in the 1800s. A combination of the gold and silver standard is known as bimetallism. A Brief History of the Gold Standard If you would like to learn about the history of money in detail, there is an excellent site called A Comparative Chronology of Money which details the important places and dates in monetary history. During most of the 1800s, the United States had a bimetallic system of money;  however, it was essentially on a gold standard as very little silver was traded. A true gold standard came to fruition in 1900 with the passage of the Gold Standard Act. The gold standard effectively came to an end in 1933 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt outlawed private gold ownership. The Bretton Woods System, enacted in 1946 created a system of fixed exchange rates that allowed governments to sell their gold to the United States treasury at the price of $35/ounce: The Bretton Woods system ended on August 15, 1971, when President Richard Nixon ended trading of gold at the fixed price of $35/ounce. At that point for the first time in history, formal links between the major world currencies and real commodities were severed. The gold standard has not been used in any major economy since that time. What system of money do we use today? Almost every country, including the United States, is on a system of fiat money, which the glossary defines as money that is intrinsically useless; is used only as a medium of exchange. The value of money is set by the supply and demand for money and the supply and demand for other goods and services in the economy. The prices for those goods and services, including gold and silver, are allowed to fluctuate based on market forces.   The Benefits and Costs of a Gold Standard The main benefit of a gold standard is that it  ensures  a relatively low level of inflation. In articles such as What Is the Demand for Money? weve seen that inflation is caused by a combination of four factors: The supply of money goes up.The supply of goods goes down.Demand for money goes down.Demand for goods goes up. So long as the supply of gold does not change too quickly, then the supply of money will stay relatively stable. The gold standard prevents a country from printing too much money. If the supply of money rises too fast, then people will exchange money (which has become less scarce) for gold (which has not). If this goes on too long, then the treasury will eventually run out of gold. A gold standard restricts the  Federal Reserve  from enacting policies which significantly alter the growth of the money supply which in turn limits the  inflation rate  of a country. The gold standard also changes the face of the foreign exchange market. If Canada is on the gold standard and has set the price of gold at $100 an ounce, and Mexico is also on the gold standard and set the price of gold at 5000 pesos an ounce, then 1 Canadian Dollar must be worth 50 pesos. The extensive use of gold standards implies a system of fixed exchange rates. If all countries are on a gold standard, there is  then  only one real currency, gold, from which all others derive their value. The stability of the gold standard cause in the foreign exchange market is often cited as one of the benefits of the system. The stability caused by the gold standard is also the biggest drawback in having one.  Exchange rates  are not allowed to respond to changing circumstances in countries. A gold standard severely limits the stabilization policies the Federal Reserve can use. Because of these factors, countries with gold standards tend to have severe economic shocks. Economist  Michael D. Bordo  explains: Because economies under the gold standard were so vulnerable to real and monetary shocks, prices were highly unstable in the short run. A measure of short-term price instability is the coefficient of variation, which is the ratio of the standard deviation of annual percentage changes in the price level to the average annual percentage change. The higher the coefficient of variation, the greater the short-term instability. For the United States between 1879 and 1913, the coefficient was 17.0, which is quite high. Between 1946 and 1990 it was only 0.8. Moreover, because the gold standard gives the government little discretion to use monetary policy, economies on the gold standard are less able to avoid or offset either monetary or real shocks. Real output, therefore, is more variable under the gold standard. The coefficient of variation for real output was 3.5 between 1879 and 1913, and only 1.5 between 1946 and 1990. Not coincidentally, since the government could not have discretion over monetary policy, unemployment was higher during the gold standard. It averaged 6.8 percent in the United States between 1879 and 1913 versus 5.6 percent between 1946 and 1990. So it would appear that the major benefit to the gold standard is that it can prevent long-term inflation in a country. However, as  Brad DeLong  points out: ...if you do not trust a central bank to keep inflation low, why should you trust it to remain on the gold standard for generations? It does not look like the gold standard will make a return to the United States anytime in the foreseeable future.

American Politics and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Politics and Society - Essay Example There are many policies that the President cannot make possible all by himself. The different executive departments and agencies are managed and directed by persons who may not necessarily share the same objectives as the President. Furthermore, if he needs to make any changes it will first have to pass through Congress. The President has limited control over legislative acts as well. There are several steps that needed to be done before a policy can be implemented that are under the jurisdiction of persons beyond the control of the President. The President even has limited control over such important agencies such as the Federal Reserve. The British Prime Minister, on the other hand, holds the most important position in parliament as he makes many of the political decision in his country. He is responsible for appointing his cabinet. He also has the power to make the final decision on major issues. On becoming President the previous role of senator, governor or political representative held before assuming presidential role has to be relinquished. The President, therefore, while being head of the executive does not have the responsibility of representing any individual state or region. This is different with the Prime Minister. He is also a member of parliament and he, therefore, has the responsibility and duties of caring for a constituency like any other ordinary member of parliament. The party system within the United States of America is not as strong nor does it have the traditional pomp and power like what is associated with political parties in the United Kingdom. While the President automatically becomes the party leader he does not necessarily have members of his party in his cabinet. It is different with the Prime Minister who is responsible for appointing party members to his cabinet. Normally, the cabinet only comprises party members and affiliates.

2-5 paragraphs on the history of the broadcasting of the U.S. open and Essay

2-5 paragraphs on the history of the broadcasting of the U.S. open and then 2 other seperate ones on the history of the broadcasting of the masters golf tournament - Essay Example n able to broadcast the tournament live in HD in fact, in the year 203, both NBC as well as ESPN planned an unprecedented total of over 35 hours of combined live coverage of the U.S open. The Masters Golf tournament can be said to be a long time spring stable when it comes to the sports TV calendar. The Augusta National Golf club has over the years partnered with CBS and they can be said to have a unique relationship (Gomery, 18). This is because CBS often pays lower than market value for the broadcasting rights. The first time the Masters were televised was in the year 1956 (Gomery 5). CBS has been able to provide the coverage for the masters since it was first gotten in the year 1956. ESPN has, however; also taken the rights doe broadcasting the masters and it has expanded its coverage to around 5 hours each day. The scheduled live team has increased from 2.5 hours to around 18

Construction of Hong Kong International Airport Assignment

Construction of Hong Kong International Airport - Assignment Example The 1984 Declaration also stated that British rule over Hong Kong was to end in July 1, 1997. Meanwhile, firstly, Hong Kong Airport was under pressure as it became smaller and difficult to handle the increasing number of people and cargo (Perren, 2005: 1). Secondly, the rapid increase of Hong Kong’s population made it a dense city, and thirdly, residential houses were constructed next to the Kai Tak airport, which was very risky to the population. The above issues instigated the need of constructing a new airport in Hong Kong. David Wilson, Hong Kong’s British governor, came up with an idea of building an airport before the 99-year land lease ended in 1997. The new Hong Kong International Airport, at Chep Lap Kok, was to be constructed on an artificial island after the flattening of Chep Lap Kok and Lam Chau Islands. The construction of this airport called for support from the UK and Chinese governments as both governments signed a memorandum of understanding that estab lished the parameters of control of the construction of the airport. The airport came into existence after the investment of more than $20 billion USD in the construction. In overall, the whole project comprised constructing large tunnels, a high-speed rail system, new superhighways, suspension bridges, cargo and freight terminals and the airport. The construction of the airport started in 1991, and it was officially opened in 1998 (Craig, 1998: 98). The stakeholders and their success The major stakeholders during the construction of the new Hong Kong International Airport were the governments of Britain, China and Hong Kong. Firstly, the British government was involved because Hong Kong was a British territory. Secondly, the Chinese government was involved because Hong Kong was to fall under the authority of the Chinese government after the expiry of the lease, and thirdly, Hong Kong was involved since it was the local government. Conflict of interest ensued among the stakeholders because of future social, political and economic benefits. However, tension among the stakeholders was cooled down after the signing of the memorandum of understanding in 1991 by the British and Chinese governments. The bodies that were charged with the task of supervising the construction of the new airport were: The Sino-British Airport Committee Board and the Provisional Airport Authority. In essence, the airport’s financial and policy framework was negotiated by the Sino-British Airport Committee Board while the design and development of the whole project was overseen by the Provisional Airport Authority. Additionally, the Provisional Airport Authority had the objective of financing and delivering the following complete infrastructures: the tunnels, bridges, cargo and freight terminals, railway connection and the airport (Annual Report 2009/10, 2009: 47). The stakeholders who were involved in the construction of the new Hong Kong International Airport managed to drive the project into a major success. Firstly, the success of the project was seen when the two governments of UK and China signed a memorandum of understanding that ensured the construction of the airport. Secondly, the memorandum of understanding by the two governments ensured a smooth transition of Hong Kong after the 99-year lease expired in 1997. Thirdly, the

Quality management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Quality management - Assignment Example It would not be easy for the managers to implement several independent management systems to address all these aspects. This is the context when an integrated management system that can effectively address areas like quality management, environmental management, and health and safety management becomes important. An integrated management system is a broad concept that covers different aspects of corporate management. A close analysis reveals that the Oman Air has not implemented an integrated management system yet. Evidently, it is suggestible for the organisation to think about a new system. To be specific, the Oman Air management team has to consider a comprehensive five-phase execution strategy encompassing phases like preparation, planning, execution, monitoring, and certification. Development of a well structured quality policy and environment policy is vital to direct this management system implementation process effectively. This paper will explore some potential approaches to the implementation of an extensive integrated management system (IMS) in Oman Air. Oman Air The Oman Air, based on the grounds of Muscat International Airport in Seeb, Muscat, is the Oman’s national airline that was founded in 1993. Oman Air operates in the aerospace industry. The original history of the Oman Air can be dated back to 1970 when the Oman International Services (OIS) was established. The Oman Air operates international passenger as well as scheduled domestic services in addition to providing regional air taxi and charter flight services in the country. Oman Air, a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation has become the world’s first airline service to offer both Wi-Fi and mobile phone internet connections on selected routes as of March 2010 (flyfirstclass.com, 2013). Oman Air received the ‘Airline of the Year’ Gold award at France’s Laurier d’Or du Voyage d’Affaires (Oman Air, 2011). After its foundation in 1993, the Oman Air rapidly spread its roots across the globe over the next several years. The Omani government recapitalised the airline in 2007 by increasing its shares in the airline from nearly 33 to 80 percent. In the same year, the organization considered reviewing its strategic plans with intent to explore the opportunities of entering the long-haul market. In May 2007, the government announced that it is going to pull out of Gulf Air so as to concentrate more on the development of Oman Air. The organisation launched its long haul services in November 2007 by operating flights to London and Bangkok. Oman Air planned new long haul routes with the arrival of its new Airbus A330-200/300 aircraft. The Omani government held 99.8 percent shares in the Oman Air as of November 2010 (omanair.com, 2012). Currently, the airline has 44 global destinations across 23 countries. In addition, it has codeshare agreements with four airlines including Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Roya l Jordanian (travel media). Sinbad is a three tier frequent flyer programme launched in 2007 and is directly managed by Oman Air where the three tiers are Sinbad Blue, Sinbad Silver, and Sinbad Gold (sindbad.omanair.com, n.d.). Integrated management system As mentioned already, it would be a difficult task for firms, particularly huge sized firms, to maintain separate management systems to deal with different areas of organisational management. According Zeng, Tam, and Tam

Literature Review on Leadership Theories, Leadership styles and Research Paper

Literature Review on Leadership Theories, Leadership styles and Visioning - Research Paper Example This generosity and unconventional style has been adapted by many ICT companies. Facebook has the same casual office lay-out and also provides employees with free food. Viximo has a â€Å"come and go as you please† policy and actually encourages their employees to establish their own business. The question now is whether this leadership styles are really borne of the technology or a modification of the classic ones. Servant Leadership As early as 1977, Robert Greenleaf already came up with Servant leadership theory. He argues that great leaders are the ones that serve his constituents. Yet, earlier thinkers like Socrates and Xenophon (Adair, 1989) believed that leaders should lead by serving and even earlier than that is St. Paul who publicly declared that his strategy in ruling other people and making them follow him is by serving them. This is the same strategy used by Jesus Christ. Though many may question his persona as God, no one can question the greatness of his leaders hip style (Cross, 1998). ... These things allow the employees to grow and learn and do their jobs (Dess and Picken, 2000). The test of whether or not servant leadership (Greenleaf, 1977) is effective lies in the productivity of the people within the organization. Servant leaders prove the system is working when people are more independent and able surpass the quality of work expected of them. It can be argued that an organization with a servant leader actually serves a purpose, not the person. Some examples of servant leaders are Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. They all rule their nation but put their cause front and center instead of relying on their persona. This allows the people to hinge their faith on a dream instead of a person. It strengthens their faith in a vision instead of a person (Zohar & Marshall, 2001). Action-Centred Leaders Adair (1973) also developed the Action-Centered Leadership theory. This leader clearly demarcates three levels of leadership: the team, the job, and the person. These thre e elements require separate strategies but also overlap as each cannot be operated in a vacuum, one must be operated in consideration with the other two. This theory argues that there is no leadership style that may be considered the best kind and that several styles may actually be used in a single organization by one person. The key is in determining what kind works best for a certain situation. If servant leadership puts the members’ need in front and center, ACL believes that the task is the most important element in leading an organization (Adair, 1989). Leaderless Theory This is, perhaps, the newest of the new theories that are emerging and also the one that is directly influenced by ICT. Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom

Review of Technology Opportunities for GLM's Information Systems Research Paper

Review of Technology Opportunities for GLM's Information Systems Management 2012-2017 - Research Paper Example This new technology has been seen to have a lot of potential. With the advent of information technology, there is a lot to be desired with the adoption of mobile applications. The mobile phone technology is proving to be a simple and effective method of managing applications and businesses. There is also the technology of customer relationship management software that has been used and employed extensively. With the use of this enterprise software, it is simple to manage the relationship that the organization has with the clients. It is good to know what the clients require. This paper will look at the role that the three technologies have on GLM Company. It will assess the role that these three technologies have. Introduction There have been some trends which have boosted the growth of enterprise software in the market. The first factor that was considered is the achievement of integrated information architectures which is used to improve the performance of business systems. When on e company adopts the use of enterprise software, the competition will also be compelled to adopt enterprise software so that they are at par in competition. The second fact that has boosted the adoption of packaged software is the Y2K bug which was feared as the world turned to the millennium. Since the bug was solved, another factor is the striving of the European Union to have one currency. This encouraged the companies to have packaged software to replace tailor-made software solutions. This is seen as a way of solving a universal bug instead of having independent software developers. This is hard because there will be difficulty if bugs like Y2K is realized in the market. Another factor is that there is the paradigm shift of businesses from the offline systems to e-commerce. There are the greater advances in technology where the companies are shifting to the use of the Internet for solutions to the problems and challenges found in the business world. A brief review of the organi zation’s IS/IM to date after the implementation of the findings from BCCD The organization’s information system has been greatly improved since the implementation of the finding from BCCD. The operations and activities in different departments have been running on smoothly. The major challenges the organization faces and need to be addressed is the fact the different systems that are running in each department are independent. These make the flow of information from one department to another and hence slow down the speed of doing business. Another issue that still exists is the fact that these systems are managed separately. This gives room to risk like fraud. As such there is need for improvement in the system so that these entire shortcomings are addressed. We must enhance marketing capability to respond to new markets 2. We must improve customer communication 3. We must build integrated IT systems which are easy to manage and responsive to customer needs 4. We must improve working environment and practices for staff. 5. We must provide customer support training for key customer interface staff. 6. We must enhance sales to increase existing markets. Description of the technologies Mobile technologies One challenge that the company has been facing is ensuring that they are efficient in offering the services and also being able to outdo its competing firms. Often, the staff is faced with the difficulty of both attending to clients and attending the training workshops that were demanded. The

Quality management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Quality management - Assignment Example It would not be easy for the managers to implement several independent management systems to address all these aspects. This is the context when an integrated management system that can effectively address areas like quality management, environmental management, and health and safety management becomes important. An integrated management system is a broad concept that covers different aspects of corporate management. A close analysis reveals that the Oman Air has not implemented an integrated management system yet. Evidently, it is suggestible for the organisation to think about a new system. To be specific, the Oman Air management team has to consider a comprehensive five-phase execution strategy encompassing phases like preparation, planning, execution, monitoring, and certification. Development of a well structured quality policy and environment policy is vital to direct this management system implementation process effectively. This paper will explore some potential approaches to the implementation of an extensive integrated management system (IMS) in Oman Air. Oman Air The Oman Air, based on the grounds of Muscat International Airport in Seeb, Muscat, is the Oman’s national airline that was founded in 1993. Oman Air operates in the aerospace industry. The original history of the Oman Air can be dated back to 1970 when the Oman International Services (OIS) was established. The Oman Air operates international passenger as well as scheduled domestic services in addition to providing regional air taxi and charter flight services in the country. Oman Air, a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation has become the world’s first airline service to offer both Wi-Fi and mobile phone internet connections on selected routes as of March 2010 (flyfirstclass.com, 2013). Oman Air received the ‘Airline of the Year’ Gold award at France’s Laurier d’Or du Voyage d’Affaires (Oman Air, 2011). After its foundation in 1993, the Oman Air rapidly spread its roots across the globe over the next several years. The Omani government recapitalised the airline in 2007 by increasing its shares in the airline from nearly 33 to 80 percent. In the same year, the organization considered reviewing its strategic plans with intent to explore the opportunities of entering the long-haul market. In May 2007, the government announced that it is going to pull out of Gulf Air so as to concentrate more on the development of Oman Air. The organisation launched its long haul services in November 2007 by operating flights to London and Bangkok. Oman Air planned new long haul routes with the arrival of its new Airbus A330-200/300 aircraft. The Omani government held 99.8 percent shares in the Oman Air as of November 2010 (omanair.com, 2012). Currently, the airline has 44 global destinations across 23 countries. In addition, it has codeshare agreements with four airlines including Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Roya l Jordanian (travel media). Sinbad is a three tier frequent flyer programme launched in 2007 and is directly managed by Oman Air where the three tiers are Sinbad Blue, Sinbad Silver, and Sinbad Gold (sindbad.omanair.com, n.d.). Integrated management system As mentioned already, it would be a difficult task for firms, particularly huge sized firms, to maintain separate management systems to deal with different areas of organisational management. According Zeng, Tam, and Tam

Review of Technology Opportunities for GLM's Information Systems Research Paper

Review of Technology Opportunities for GLM's Information Systems Management 2012-2017 - Research Paper Example This new technology has been seen to have a lot of potential. With the advent of information technology, there is a lot to be desired with the adoption of mobile applications. The mobile phone technology is proving to be a simple and effective method of managing applications and businesses. There is also the technology of customer relationship management software that has been used and employed extensively. With the use of this enterprise software, it is simple to manage the relationship that the organization has with the clients. It is good to know what the clients require. This paper will look at the role that the three technologies have on GLM Company. It will assess the role that these three technologies have. Introduction There have been some trends which have boosted the growth of enterprise software in the market. The first factor that was considered is the achievement of integrated information architectures which is used to improve the performance of business systems. When on e company adopts the use of enterprise software, the competition will also be compelled to adopt enterprise software so that they are at par in competition. The second fact that has boosted the adoption of packaged software is the Y2K bug which was feared as the world turned to the millennium. Since the bug was solved, another factor is the striving of the European Union to have one currency. This encouraged the companies to have packaged software to replace tailor-made software solutions. This is seen as a way of solving a universal bug instead of having independent software developers. This is hard because there will be difficulty if bugs like Y2K is realized in the market. Another factor is that there is the paradigm shift of businesses from the offline systems to e-commerce. There are the greater advances in technology where the companies are shifting to the use of the Internet for solutions to the problems and challenges found in the business world. A brief review of the organi zation’s IS/IM to date after the implementation of the findings from BCCD The organization’s information system has been greatly improved since the implementation of the finding from BCCD. The operations and activities in different departments have been running on smoothly. The major challenges the organization faces and need to be addressed is the fact the different systems that are running in each department are independent. These make the flow of information from one department to another and hence slow down the speed of doing business. Another issue that still exists is the fact that these systems are managed separately. This gives room to risk like fraud. As such there is need for improvement in the system so that these entire shortcomings are addressed. We must enhance marketing capability to respond to new markets 2. We must improve customer communication 3. We must build integrated IT systems which are easy to manage and responsive to customer needs 4. We must improve working environment and practices for staff. 5. We must provide customer support training for key customer interface staff. 6. We must enhance sales to increase existing markets. Description of the technologies Mobile technologies One challenge that the company has been facing is ensuring that they are efficient in offering the services and also being able to outdo its competing firms. Often, the staff is faced with the difficulty of both attending to clients and attending the training workshops that were demanded. The

Heather Whitestone Essay Example for Free

Heather Whitestone Essay Introduction: Heather Whitestone is one of the most inspiring female figures of our time. She posses an excessive amount of dedication and devotion. She went deaf around 18 months and from then on was faced with a series of difficulties socially and educationally. She pummeled through all the angst and frustration and became very successful for she went to a regular school and passed in the high portion of her class and then further became Miss. America of 1995. She inspires people that they can accomplish so much because within her lifetime she has done so much more than and ordinary person who can hear. 1.Heather Whitestone is the first woman with a physical disability ever to win the coveted Miss America title. During her finale performance she memorized the musical beats to perform a ballet routine 2.As the naming of the new Miss America was only moments away, and the final two contestants- Heather and Miss Virginia, Culen Johnson awaited the announcement of which women will wear the crown, doubt shadowed Heather’s face, making it clear she was uncertain of whether she would be able to lip-read the announcement. Once they had shouted that Culen Johnson Miss Virginia is the first runner-up and Heather was the winner, Miss Virginia pointed her fingers at Heather and mouthed, â€Å"It’s you!† 3.Heather successfully promoted her platform, S.T.A.R.S (Success through Action and realization of your dreams) throughout her reign. 4.She was the first Miss America to be featured on a Barbara Walters’ television special 5.When her first son turned 2 and began to ask questions such as â€Å"What is this sound?† and â€Å"What does this mean?† she decided to get a cochlear implant to teach herself and her son 6.She had a cochlear implant in when she was 29 throughout the Miss America pageant, then got one when she was 32 and now relies mostly on lip-reading, which she claims is tiring. 7.Although she can’t hear herself currently speaking she still has a southern accent 8.All three of her children and hearing and are very supportive of her disability 9.Doctors told Heather’s parents that she would never read beyond the third grade level, nor learn to speak 10.She said she would like to assist children from all backgrounds to reach their fullest potential in life, to set high goals, and achieve them, as she has been doing for many years

Foundations Of Organization Structure

Foundations Of Organization Structure (b; Easy; p. 452-453) 4. The degree to which tasks are subdivided into separate jobs is termed: a. departmentalization.b. decentralization. c. work specialization. d. structure.(c; Moderate; p. 452-453) 5. In the late 1940s, most manufacturing jobs in industrialized countries were being done with high: a. departmentalization. b. decentralization. c. work specialization. d. structuralization. (c; Moderate; p. 453) 6. For much of the first half of the 20th century, managers viewed _____ as an unending source of increased productivity. a. departmentalization b. formalization c. work specialization d. automation (c; Moderate; p. 454) 7. Which one of the following components of organizational structure specifically defines where decisions are made? a. complexity/simplicity b. formalization/informalization c. centralization/decentralization d. specialization/enlargement (c; Moderate; Exh 15-1; p. 453) 8. The basis by which jobs are grouped together is termed: a. departmentalization. b. bureaucracy. c. specialization. d. centralization. (a; Easy; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) 9. Grouping jobs on the basis of function, product, geography, process, or customer is a form of: a. departmentalization. b. specialization. c. centralization. d. bureaucracy. (a; Moderate; p. 454) 10. One of the most popular ways to group activities is by: a. product. b. function. c. geography. d. process. (b; Challenging; p. 454) 11. Proctor Gamble departmentalizes by Tide, Pampers, Charmin, and Pringles. This is an example of departmentalization by: a. function. b. process. c. geography. d. product. (d; Easy; p. 455) 12. A plant manager who organizes the plant by separating engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and purchasing into departments is practicing _____ departmentalization. a. target customer b. product c. functional d. geographic (c; Moderate; p. 454) 13. _____ departmentalization achieves economies of scale by placing people with common skills and orientations into common units. a. Functional b. Process c. Product d. Geographic (a; Moderate; p. 454) 14. At an Alcoa aluminum tubing plant in New York, production is organized into five departments: casting; press; tubing; finishing; and inspecting; packing; and shipping. This is a. functional departmentalization. b. process departmentalization. c. product departmentalization. d. none of the above. (b; Moderate; p. 455) 15. The unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom is termed: a. chain of command. b. authority. c. span of control. d. unity of command. (a; Moderate; p. 456) 16. The right inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect orders to be obeyed is termed: a. chain of command. b. authority. c. power. d. unity of command. (b; Moderate; p. 456) 17. The _____ principle helps preserve the concept of an unbroken line of authority. a. span of control b. chain of command c. unity of command d. centralization (c; Moderate; p. 456) 18. The _____ principle states that a person should have one and only one superior to whom he or she is directly responsible. a. span of control b. chain of command c. unity of command d. authority (c; Moderate; p. 456) 19. The _____ refers to the number of subordinates a manager can efficiently and effectively direct. a. span of control b. unity of command c. chain of command d. decentralization principle (a; Moderate; p. 456) 20. Which of the following is a drawback of a narrow span of control? a. It reduces effectiveness. b. It is more efficient. c. It encourages overly tight supervision and discourages employee autonomy. d. It empowers employees. (c; Challenging; p. 457) 21. Which of the following is not a drawback of a narrow span of control? It is expensive. It makes vertical communication in the organization more complex. Supervisors may loose control of their employees. It encourages overly tight supervision. (c; Challenging; p. 457) 22. The trend in recent years has been toward: narrower spans of control. wider spans of control. a span of control of four. an ideal span of control of six to eight. (b; Moderate; p. 457) 23. If you have a narrow span of control, you have a(n) _____ organization. efficient short tall matrix (c; Moderate; p. 457) 24. _____ are consistent with recent efforts by companies to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed up decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees. Wider spans of control Narrower spans of control Matrix structures Simple structures (a; Moderate; p. 457) 25. The best definition for centralization is: decision making is pushed down to lower level employees. decision making is concentrated at a single point in the organization. decision making depends on the situation. decision making is done in each department and then sent to the president for the final decision. (b; Moderate; p. 458) 26. In an organization that has high centralization: a. the corporate headquarters is located centrally to branch offices. b. all top level officials are located within the same geographic area. c. top managers make all the decisions and lower level managers merely carry out directions. d. action can be taken more quickly to solve problems. (c; Moderate; p. 457-458) 27. The more that lower-level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the more _____ there is. a. centralization b. decentralization c. work specialization d. departmentalization (b; Moderate; p. 458) 28. If a job is highly formalized, it would not include which of the following? a. clearly defined procedures on work processes b. explicit job description c. high employee job discretion d. a large number of organizational rules (c; Moderate; p. 458) 29. Explicit job descriptions, lots of rules, and clearly defined procedures concerning work processes are consistent with: a. high formalization. b. high specialization. c. high centralization. d. bureaucracy. (a; Moderate; p. 458) 30. Employee discretion is inversely related to: a. complexity. b. standardization. c. specialization. d. departmentalization. (b; Challenging; p. 458-459) Common Organizational Designs 31. Which of the following is not a common organizational design? simple structure bureaucracy centralized structure matrix structure (c; Moderate; p. 459) 32. The _____ is characterized by a low degree of departmentalization, wide spans of control, authority centralized in a single person, and little formalization. a. bureaucracy b. matrix organization c. simple structure d. team structure (c; Moderate; p. 460) 33. Which one of the following is consistent with a simple structure? a. high centralization b. high horizontal differentiation c. high employee discretion d. standardization (a; Moderate; p. 460) 34. The ____ is a flat organization. bureaucracy centralized structure matrix structure none of the above (d; Moderate; p. 460) 35. Simple structures are characterized by: a. shared authority. b. a narrow span of control. c. standardization. d. a low degree of departmentalization. (d; Moderate; p. 460) 36. This is most widely practiced in small businesses. simple structure standardization centralized structure span of control (a; Easy; p. 460) 37. The bureaucracy is characterized by all of the following except: a. highly routine operating tasks. b. formalized rules and regulations. c. tasks that are grouped into functional departments. d. decentralized decision making. (d; Moderate; p. 461) 38. The key underlying all bureaucracies is: a. flexibility. b. standardization. c. dual lines of authority. d. wide span of control. (b; Easy; p. 460) 39. The ____ is characterized by highly routine operating tasks achieved through specialization. simple structure bureaucracy centralized structure matrix structure (b; Moderate; p. 461) 40. The strength of the simple structure lies in its: efficiency. simplicity. centralization. span of control. (b; Easy; p. 460) 41. Which of the following is not a weakness of the simple structure? It is risky. information overload There is little unity of command. slower decision making (c; Moderate; p. 460) 42. The structure that creates dual lines of authority and combines functional and product departmentalization is the: a. organizational structure. b. bureaucracy. c. matrix structure. d. virtual organization. (c; Moderate; p. 462) 43. The matrix structure combines which two forms of departmentalization? a. process and functional b. functional and product c. product and process d. none of the above (b; Challenging; p. 462) 44. The _____ violates the unity of command concept. a. simple structure b. virtual structure c. matrix structure d. team structure (c; Challenging; p. 462) 45. Which one of the following problems is most likely to occur in a matrix structure? a. decreased response to environmental change b. decreased employee motivation c. loss of economies of scale d. employees receiving conflicting directives (d; Moderate; p. 463) 46. The strength of the matrix structure is its: a. ability to facilitate coordination. b. economies of scale. c. adherence to chain of command. d. standardization. (a; Moderate; p. 463) 47. The major disadvantage of the matrix structure is: a. the confusion it creates. b. its propensity to foster power struggles. c. the stress it places on individuals. d. all of the above (d; Challenging; p. 463) New Design Options 48. The primary characteristics of the _____ structure are that it breaks down departmental barriers and decentralizes decision making to the level of the work team. a. virtual b. team c. boundaryless d. organizational (b; Moderate; p. 463-464) 49. In larger organizations, the team structure complements what is typically a: virtual organization. bureaucracy. formal structure. boundaryless organization. (b; Challenging; p. 464) 50. A small, core organization that outsources major business functions is the _____ organization. a. team b. virtual c. boundaryless d. matrix (b; Moderate; p. 464) 51. The ____ is also called the network or modular organization. virtual organization team structure pyramid boundaryless organization (a; Moderate; p. 464) 52. The prototype of the virtual structure is todays: appliance manufacturers. movie-making organizations. fast-food restaurants. software companies. (b; Challenging; p. 464) 53. The major advantage of the virtual organization is its: a. control. b. predictability. c. flexibility. d. empowerment. (c; Moderate; p. 465) 54. The _____ organization stands in sharp contrast to the typical bureaucracy that has many vertical levels of management and where control is sought through ownership. a. virtual b. team c. limitless d. matrix (a; Moderate; p. 465) 55. The boundaryless organization relies heavily on: information technology. functional and product departmentalization. the simple structure. none of the above. (a; Moderate; p. 466) 56. An organization that seeks to eliminate the chain of command, have limitless spans of control, and replace departments with empowered teams is the: a. virtual organization. b. boundaryless organization. c. matrix organization. d. team structure. (b; Moderate; p. 466) 57. The one common technological thread that makes the boundaryless organization possible is: a. reengineering. b. MBAs. c. networked computers. d. mainframes. (c; Moderate; p. 468) Why Do Structures Differ? 58. The _____ is a structure characterized by extensive departmentalization, high formalization, a limited information network, and centralization. a. mechanistic model b. organic model c. traditional model d. bureaucracy organization (a; Moderate; p. 468) 59. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mechanistic structure? a. extensive departmentalization b. high formalization c. limited information network d. flexibility (d; Easy; p. 468) 60. If there is low formalization, a comprehensive information network, and high participation in decision making, one would expect a(n): a. simple structure. b. mechanistic structure. c. organic structure. d. stable structure. (c; Challenging; p. 468-469) 61. All of the following are characteristics of the organic model except: a. cross-functional teams. b. cross-departmentalization. c. cross-hierarchical teams. d. high participation. (b; Moderate; p. 468-469) 62. Which of the following is not a determinant of an organizations structure? strategy organization size innovation technology (c; Moderate; p. 469-472) 63. Changes in corporate strategy precede and lead to: a. changes in the environment. b. better communication. c. increased productivity. d. changes in an organizations structure. (d; Challenging; p. 469) 64. A strategy that emphasizes the introduction of major new products and services is a(n) _____ strategy. a. innovation b. enhancement c. progressive d. organic (a; Moderate; p. 469) 65. The innovation strategy is characterized by: a. unorthodox structures. b. a mixture of loose with tight properties. c. low specialization and low formalization. d. high technology. (c; Moderate; p. 469) 66. _____ refers to how an organization transfers its inputs into outputs. Production Technology Operations Process (b; Challenging; p. 470) 67. Which of the following is not part of the organizations environment? public pressure groups customers technology competitors (c; Moderate; p. 471) 68. The _____ of an environment refers to the degree to which it can support growth. a. capacity b. qualifications c. potential d. capability (a; Moderate; p. 472) 69. _____ refers to the degree of instability of an environment. a. Instability b. Volatility c. Irregularity d. Unpredictability (b; Moderate; p. 472) 70. Three key dimensions to any organizations environment have been found. Which of the following is not one of these key dimensions? a. volatility b. capability c. complexity d. capacity (b; Moderate; p. 472) 71. The _____ of an environment refers to the degree of heterogeneity and concentration among environmental elements. a. density b. simplicity c. complexity d. intricacy (c; Moderate; p. 472) Organization Designs and Employee Behavior 72. Which of the following generalizations about organizational structures and employee performance and satisfaction is most true? a. There is fairly strong evidence linking decentralization and job satisfaction. b. It is probably safe to say that no evidence supports a relationship between span of control and employee performance. c. The evidence generally indicates that work specialization contributes to lower employee productivity. d. No one wants work that makes minimal intellectual demands and is routine. (b; Challenging; p. 474) 73. There is research evidence to suggest that: a. employees with high self-esteem are more satisfied with decentralized organizations. b. a managers job satisfaction increases along with the number of employees he or she supervises c. centralized organizations tend to have more satisfied employees. d. a managers job satisfaction is inversely related to the number of employees he or she supervises (b; Challenging; p. 474) TRUE/FALSE 74. Organizations have different structures, but the structure has little bearing on employee attitudes and behavior. (False; Easy; p. 452) What is Organizational Structure? 75. Specialization defines how job tasks are formally defined, grouped, and coordinated. (False; Moderate; p. 452) 76. Managers need to address six key elements when they design their organizations structure: work specialization, departmentalization, chain of command, chain of control, centralization and decentralization, and formalization. (False; Challenging; p. 452) 77. The degree to which tasks in the organization are subdivided into separate jobs is termed departmentalization. (False; Moderate; p. 452-453) 78. Work specialization and division of labor are the same thing. (True; Easy; p. 452-453) 79. Work specialization may result in employee boredom, stress, and absenteeism. (True; Easy; p. 454) 80. For much of the first half of this century, managers viewed departmentalization as an unending source of increased productivity. (False; Moderate; p. 454) 81. The strength of functional departmentalization is putting similar specialists together. (True; Moderate; p. 454) 82. Only one form of departmentalization can effectively be implemented in an organization at a time. (False; Moderate; p. 455) 83. The inherent right in a managerial position to give orders and expect the orders to be obeyed is termed power. (False; Moderate; p. 456) 84. Departmentalization answers questions for employee such as To whom do I go if I have a problem? (False; Moderate; p. 456) 85. The unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon is termed the command line of authority. (False; Easy; p. 456) 86. The principle of unity of command suggests that managers should support one another. (False; Easy; p. 456) 87. The trend in recent years has been toward wider spans of control. (True; Easy; p. 457) 88. Span of command determines the number of levels and managers an organization has. (False; Moderate; p. 456) 89. All things being equal, the wider or larger the span, the more profitable the organization. (False; Challenging; p. 456) 90. Flat organizational structures result from narrow spans of control. (False; Challenging; Exh. 15-3; p. 457) 91. Narrow spans of control can result in lack of supervision, causing performance to suffer. (False; Moderate; p. 457) 92. Having too many people report to you can undermine your effectiveness. (True; Easy; p. 457) 93. The more that lower-level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the more decentralized the organization. (True; Moderate; p. 458) 94. A decentralized organization is more likely to result in a feeling of alienation by employees than a centralized organization. (False; Challenging; p. 458) 95. There has been a marked trend toward centralized decision making. (False; Moderate; p. 458) 96. Increase in the number of rules and regulations results in increased formalization. (True; Easy; p. 458-459) 97. The greater the formalization, the more input an employee has into how his or her work is done. (False; Challenging; p. 458) 98. Autonomy and formalization are positively related. (False; Moderate; p. 458) Common Organizational Designs 99. The simple structure is flexible and inexpensive to maintain, but the chain of command is often ambiguous. (False; Moderate; p. 460) 100. The strength of the bureaucracy lies in its ability to perform standardized activities. (True; Challenging; p. 461) 101. A major strength of the simple structure is that it easily adapts to any size organization. (False; Challenging; p. 460) 102. The simple structure is risky. (True; Challenging; p. 460) 103. Standardization is the key that underlies the simple structure. (False; Easy; p. 460) 104. The matrix structure is characterized by highly routine operating tasks achieved through specialization. (False; Challenging; p. 461) 105. A major weakness of the bureaucracy is that it creates sub-unit conflicts. (False; Moderate; p. 462) 106. The bureaucracy is efficient only as long as employees confront problems that they have previously encountered. (True; Easy; p. 462) 107. A structure that creates dual lines of authority and combines functional and product departmentalization is the matrix structure. (True; Easy; p. 462) 108. The strength of the bureaucracy is its ability to facilitate coordination when the organization has complex and interdependent activities. (False; Moderate; p. 462) 109. The matrix structure facilitates the allocation of specialists. (True; Challenging; p. 462) 110. The major disadvantages of the matrix lie is that it creates sub-unit conflicts and that functional unit goals can override the organizational goals. (False; Challenging; p. 463) New Design Options 111. The team structure breaks down department barriers and decentralizes decision making. (True; Moderate; p. 463-464) 112. Often the team structure complements what is typically a bureaucracy. (True; Moderate; p. 464) 113. The primary characteristics of the virtual organization are that it breaks down department barriers and decentralizes decision. (False; Moderate; p. 463-464) 114. You have decided to hire a small shop to do all your duplicating and printing. This is an example of outsourcing. (True; Moderate; p. 465) 115. The matrix organization is also called the network or modular organization. (False; Challenging; p. 464) 116. The major advantage to the virtual organization is its flexibility. (True; Easy; p. 466) 117. The virtual organization is effective in obtaining organizational stability. (False; Moderate; p. 465-466) 118. Jack Welch coined the term virtual organization. (False; Easy; p. 466) 119. An organization that seeks to eliminate the chain of command is a boundaryless organization. (True; Easy; p. 466) 120. Status and rank are minimized in the borderless organization. (False; Challenging; p. 466) 121. Globalization is easier in a borderless organization. (False; Challenging; p. 466) 122. The technological thread that makes the boundaryless organization possible is networked computers. (True; Moderate; p. 468) Why Do Structures Differ? 123. The organic structure is characterized by extensive departmentalization, high formalization, a limited information network, and centralization. (False; Easy; p. 468) 124. The boundaryless organization is an example of the organic model of organizational design. (True; Easy; p. 468) 125. Mechanistic structures are high in formalization. (True; Easy; p. 468) 126. Mechanistic structures have high participation in decision making. (False; Moderate; p. 468) 127. Strategy does not impact an organizations structure. (False; Easy; p. 469) 128. An innovation strategy works well only for the simple structure. (False; Moderate; p. 469) 129. An organization that controls costs, refrains from incurring unnecessary innovation or marketing expenses, and cuts prices in selling a basic product pursues a price-minimization strategy. (False; Moderate; p. 469) 130. An innovation strategy seeks to quickly move into new products or new markets after their viability has been proven. (False; Moderate; p. 469) 131. Size affects structure at a decreasing rate. (True; Challenging; p. 470) 132. Adding 500 employees to an organization that has only 300 members is likely to result in a shift toward a more organic structure. (False; Challenging; p. 470) 133. Technology refers to how an organization transfers its inputs into outputs. (True; Moderate; p. 470) 134. The three key dimensions to an organizations environment have been found to be: capacity, complexity, and technology. (False; Challenging; p. 472) 135. The environment of an organization needs to be assessed in terms of capacity, which is the degree of heterogeneity and concentration among environmental elements. (False; Challenging; p. 472) 136. The more scarce, dynamic, and complex the environment, the more organic a structure should be. (True; Challenging; p. 472) Organizational Designs and Employee Behavior 137. Research supports the notion that employees prefer an organic structure. (False; Moderate; p. 474) 138. The evidence generally indicates that work specialization contributes positively to productivity. (True; Easy; p. 473) 139. A review of the research indicates that there is no evidence to support a relationship between span of control and employee performance. (True; Moderate; p. 474) 140. Organizations that are less centralized have a greater amount of participative decision making. (True; Easy; p. 474) SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS Application of: What is Organizational Structure? Consultants Exceptional has hired you to develop training materials for their consultants. Your first assignment is to develop a training program that helps their consultants to analyze and understand the organizational structure of the company that they are assisting. They believe that in order to adequately evaluate and understand the company, they need to understand the basic organizational structure. Then they will be able to recommend actions and changes based on that structure. 141. One of the questions you tell the trainees to ask is To what degree are tasks subdivided into separate jobs? This question addresses the issue of: a. formalization. b. work specialization. c. span of control. d. chain of command. (b; Moderate; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) 142. _____ is addressed by asking the question On what basis are jobs grouped together? a. Departmentalization b. Work specialization c. Centralization and decentralization d. Formalization (a; Challenging; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) 143. You instruct the trainees to ask about the degree of rules and regulations that direct employees and managers. You want to help them understand the: a. chain of command. b. degree of formalization. c. span of control. d. degree of departmentalization. (b; Moderate; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) Application of Departmentalization You have divided the jobs done by your department through work specialization and are now trying to decide how to best group them for efficiency and service to the customer. You are considering whether to group activities by function, product, process, geography, or customer. 144. You have decided that since you are a

Stanhope and Raleigh in R.C. Sherriffs Journeys End :: Sherriff Journeys End Essays

Stanhope and Raleigh in R.C. Sherriff's "Journey's End" Journey’s End is a well received play written in 1928, by R.C Sherriff. The play is set in a trench system, which were used during most of the Great War. In the play we get an insight into a fascinating relationship between a Junior officer, Raleigh, and the commanding officer, Stanhope. The relationship shows us some effects of the war and it has many ups and down which are well portrayed. During this essay I will comment about the ever changing relationship between young Raleigh and Stanhope. Commanding officer Stanhope is the company commander and is therefore under constant pressure, as he had to make tactical decisions and is also responsible for the welfare for a number of officers. Stanhope is considered as one of the best infantry commanders, ‘ He’s a long way the best company commander we’ve got’, Osborne (Pg 4). Stanhope forms a strong bond the officers, he is seen as hard working and passionate, ‘His commanded this company for a year – in and out of the front line. He’s never had a rest. Other men come over here and go home again ill, young Stanhope goes on sticking it, mouth in, mouth out’, Osborne (pg6). Stanhope particularly forms a strong bond with Officer Osborne, Stanhope has been involved in war activities since the war started and we see that during this time Stanhope has grown a close relationship with Osborne, and sees him as an ‘Uncle-figure’. Numerous times we see that Stanhope refers to Osborne as, ‘Uncle’. The character of Stanhope also shows the dread and stress of war, we learn of commander Stanhope drinking vice, often he is reduced to endless bottles of whisky to revert from the stress of war, it shows how badly men were affected. His problem with drinking is seen to a large extent, the reason why the relationship between himself and Raleigh is never stable and is continually changing. His drinking problem is highlighted throughout the play, ‘ Drinking as a fish as usual’, (pg 4). He is seen as a workaholic, ‘ I’ve seen him on his back all day with trench fever – then on duty all night’, (pg 6) and it seems as of he is not coping well at all, ‘ Lost control of himself; and the he – sort of - came to – and cried’, (pg 6). Raleigh is a young officer, drafted out from England into commander Stanhope’s infantry. Raleigh is a very inexperienced soldier, having just been transported from England and the prospect of being one of Stanhope’s officers is a momentous boost to his fragile confidence.