Descartes Belief in God Essay - 1503 Words

Descartes and God In his groundbreaking work, Meditations on First Philosophy, the French philosopher Rene Descartes lays the groundwork for many philosophical principles by attempting to â€Å"establish a bold and lasting knowledge† (171)1. The foundations for knowledge Descartes established would go on to influence a plethora of other philosophers and philosophical works. Descartes argues in his meditations first from the point of view of complete skepticism, using skepticism as a tool in order to discover what is real. Through this method, Descartes explains the existence of man as a â€Å"thinking thing,† the capacity for human error, the overall trustworthiness of our senses, the existence of a physical world, the mind and body as separate†¦show more content†¦Descartes first uses a scientific cause-and-effect principle to claim that his clear idea of God is proof of God’s existence. Descartes claims that the â€Å"light of nature has reveled that there is at least as much in a complete efficient cause as in its effect† (178). By using this principle, Descartes claims that since his clear perception of God is a supremely perfect being, and since there is as much reality in his idea of God as in its cause, then God must exist as the only being with as much reality as his idea of God. Since Descartes has just proven God is the pinnacle of complete perfection and â€Å"deception always contain(s) imperfection,† then God cannot be an evil deceiver as Descartes earlier hypothesized (183). Descartes also delves into how the idea of God must come from God himself. Since God cannot be â€Å"taken in through senses,† and since Descartes himself didn’t create the idea of God, Descartes claims that the idea of God must be â€Å"innate†¦like my idea of myself† (182). Descartes uses this argument to claim that God â€Å"put this idea into me†¦like a craftsman’s mark on his work† (182). Descartes now sees himself and mankind created in God’s own image, and since he has proven God is perfect, God wouldn’t have created man specifically deceive them or to give them the capacity to err. According to this premise, Descartes infers that our senses aren’t made to err and will deliver truths when used correctly. Descartes deduces man’s ability to err stems fromShow MoreRelatedThe Life of Rene’ Descartes: His Works and His Beliefs in God1578 Words   |  7 PagesWas Rene’ Descartes just a visionary of truth, mathematical equations or was he truly a man that knew he was born to tell the world about life, knowledge, and how it all came together metaphorically? Please see the research on Rene’ Descartes cited accomplishments. Descartes was known as the first modern philosopher. Famous for making a connection between geometry and algebra, which allowed for solving of geometrical problem by way of algebraic equations, which promoted a new conception of matterRead MoreEssay about Descartes First Meditation924 Words   |  4 PagesDescartes#8217; first meditation, his main objective is to present three skeptical arguments to bring doubt upon what he considers his basic beliefs. Descartes believes this to be an intricate part of his complete epistemological argument. Descartes skeptical arguments are not intended to be a denial of his basic beliefs. On the contrary, he uses these arguments to help prove one of his main theses, which is the existence of God. One of the main premises that Descartes uses in his proof forRead MoreHow Descartes Throws On The Wind Of Search For A Universal And Unchanging Foundational Truth1615 Words   |  7 Pagesthis essay I will address how Descartes throws all his belief s to the wind in search for a universal and unchanging foundational truth, that bypass his deceptive senses and shines light on all his beliefs that are clearly and distinctly, proven based on his supreme foundational truth. As Descartes tries to unravel his former beliefs and find an unquestioning truth in which he can build all other truths without the errors of deception leading him astray. Descartes begins his search by questioningRead MoreDescarte and Pierce Essay examples1350 Words   |  6 PagesDescartes and Peirce both believe in belief and doubt. However, Peirce argument and determination to find a solution to overcome doubt is much stronger than Descartes’. Peirce also makes it known that he is aware of belief in which Descartes does not. Their beliefs result from the notion of clear and distinct ideas. Peirce and Descartes are both rationalists who believe that there is an independent truth and they know it when they see it. The problem that exists is that Descartes and Peirce realizeRead MoreThe Meditations On First Philosophy By Rene Descartes916 Words   |  4 Pageson First Philosophy by Rene Descartes is a thorough analysis about doubt. Descartes describes his method of doubt t o determine whether he can truly know something. One of his major arguments is the proof of the existence of God. In this paper, I will attempt to unravel the flaws in Descartes proof that God exists. In the meditations, Descartes evaluates whether or not everything we know is a reality or a dream. Descartes claims that we can only be sure that our beliefs are true when we clearly andRead MoreDiscourse on Descartes Skeptical Method1672 Words   |  7 PagesSebastian Gumina Paper Topic #1 Descartes’ Skeptical Method Descartes’ method offers definitive conclusions on certain topics, (his existence, the existence of God)but his reasoning is not without error. He uses three arguments to prove existence (His and God’s) that attempt to solidify his conclusions. For his method to function seamlessly, Descartes needs to be consistent in his use of the method, that is, he must continue to doubt and challenge thoughts that originate in his ownRead MoreEssay on descartes1223 Words   |  5 Pages Descartes ignored all he believed to be true. He believed that if any belief can be doubted it is not certain, making it unusable as a foundation. Descartes jettisons any information, knowledge, or truths that are based on his senses. He applied the â€Å"Dream Argument,† (19) where he stated that based on the senses alone, there is no definite way of proving that you are dreaming or awake. Therefore, any truths based upon the senses are unreliable and doubtful. Descartes turned to why a nd how his sensesRead MoreDescartes And Spinoza On Nature Of God1282 Words   |  6 Pages This is certainly the case when it comes to Descartes and Spinoza, who are both adamant that their views provide the correct context and insight on their opinions of God. In Readings in Modern Philosophy by Ariew and Watkins, it is revealed that while both philosophers tend to agree on opinions like God being infinite, there are many reasons why Descartes and Spinoza disagree on the nature of God and their opinion of substance, for example, Descartes believes that there is more than one type ofRead MoreThe Ontological Argument For The Existence Of God1509 Words   |  7 Pages Descartes’ ontological argument is an echo of the original ontological argument for the existence of God as proposed by St. Anselm in the 11th century. To illustrate the background of the ontological argument, Anselm’s argument works within a distinct framework of ontology that posits the existence of God as necessity by virtue of its definition. In other words, for the mind to conceive of an infinite, perfect God, ultimately implies that there must indeed be a perfect God that embodies existenceRead MoreHow Not to Build a Bridge Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pagesof knowledge I assume could conceivably be uncertain in reality. Rene Descartes set out to do just that in one his most famous works, entitled Meditations of First Philosophy; having realized that the beliefs he employed on a daily basis were flawed, Descartes began pursuing a foundationalist framework of knowledge that would enable him to develop certainty from his beliefs. While I agree with Descartes’ notion that the belief of which I can be most certain is my own existence as a thinking thing

Graduation Speech Math And Math - 997 Words

Often, when people ask me about my major they make a face at my response. Math. Why on earth would anyone ever want to study math? Their response, however doesn t discourage me. Rather, it encourages me to work harder at understanding math so that one day I can teach it in such a way that others understand. I was homeschooled until the second half of my sophomore year. I can clearly remember my freshman year sitting at the kitchen table attempting to understand what my mother called a simple concept and having absolutely no idea what slope-intercept form was about. It was only until I had a dedicated teacher my junior year who encouraged and challenged me to do my best who changed my opinion on math. After Algebra 2, I realized how much I enjoyed learning about math and how applicable it was to our daily lives. My senior year, I was asked by my pre-calculus teacher to tutor a struggling student in trigonometry. Although some days were a challenge to figure out the best way to explain the information, I found that I loved every minute of it. It was so rewarding to see the student finally understand a concept they had been struggling with. After much prayer and consideration, I decided my senior year to pursue a career in secondary mathematics education. At Bluffton University, I ve completed over 120 hours of field experience in my education classes. Working with students and assisting teachers in the behind-the-scenes work made me fall in love with the career even more.Show MoreRelatedGraduation Speech : Math Camp1046 Words   |  5 PagesUniversity s math camp. The arrival time was at seven Friday night, and the time we were released was five in the afternoon on Saturday. Arriving to math camp, I didn’t know what to expect and what to take from the whole event. 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Twelfth Night Coursework Assignment Free Essays

string(156) " Olivia uses deception to further her cause with Cesario and it is made inherent to him that she has fallen in love with his outward, disguised appearance\." 5. â€Å"Conceal what I am† Explore the theme of disguise and deception in â€Å"Twelfth Night† William Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ is based around disguise in the form of deception. In ‘Twelfth Night’, disguise takes many different shapes from physical to mental disguise. We will write a custom essay sample on Twelfth Night Coursework Assignment or any similar topic only for you Order Now One of the major themes of ‘Twelfth Night’ is also misperception and deception. Yet, paradoxically along the way there are many problems, deceptions and illusions, providing a comment on human behaviour and creating comedy. In ‘Twelfth Night’, Shakespeare explores and illustrates the theme of deception and disguise with precise detail. In ‘Twelfth Night’, it is evident that the fluctuation in attitude to the dual role and situation and tribulations imposed upon the character of Viola ends up in a better understanding of both sexes, and thus, allows Viola to have a better understanding for Orsino. â€Å"Stand you awhile aloof. Cesario, Thou know’st no less but all; I have unclasp’d To thee the book even of my secret soul.† Here it is apparent that after very little time Viola has won the trust of Orsino through her disguise and he seems to have decided that he can divulge more in Viola than in anyone else. She decides to take on this identity because she has more liberty in society in her Cesario mask, which is obvious when Orsino readily accepts her. Orsino confides in Cesario the most intimate feelings of his ‘secret soul’ and grows accustomed to Cesario very quickly, whereas, in her female identity, it is clear that she would not enjoy such freedom. I also think this is significant, as Shakespeare is conveying the impression that because Viola has disguised herself as a ‘eunuch’ she has more autonomy and less constraints; I think Shakespeare’s underlying and implicit message is that sometimes it is beneficial for women to dress as men to achieve freedom; therefore assuming a disguise is necessary. The theme of deception is also evident immediately in the play. A supposedly ‘noble’ Duke Orsino is suffering due to his unrequited ‘love’ for the Lady Olivia. † If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die.† There is a touch of unreality and deception here about Orsino’s distress, as if he unconsciously enjoying the situation he is in and so the audience is left to deduce whether or not Orsino is in self-deception. Shakespeare hints here that Orsino’s love for Olivia is a hyperbolic, abstract love and one of self-indulgence as it is ‘high-fantastical’ and so he encourages the audience to look more intimately and interpret Orsino’s ‘spirit of love’ as one of self-delusion. Orsino constantly reiterates how immense his ‘love’ is for Olivia, but it is easily seen as empty rhetoric. He is infatuated with the notion of love, and himself as the great, contemporary lover rather like Romeo from Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Deception plays a role here because it is clear Orsino’s conception of himself is misplaced and so he is self-deceiving and also this highlights his egotistical nature. Shakespeare also uses iambic pentameter here and this defines Orsino’s character to a certain degree. Iambic pentameter shows control and yet the emphasis here is on the instability and the intensity of his love for Olivia. This leads us to believe he is ‘in love with the notion of being in love’. This oration by Orsino also tells us something about his character and mood: he is in love, but this does not bring him happiness, rather a profound melancholy. His speech then turns to images of disease and death and it is excessively evident here that Orsino is misleading himself. ‘Excess†¦surfeiting†¦sicken†¦die†¦dying’ Orsino, here, has dramatised his passion and love for Olivia so much that he thinks he will die if she does not love him. It is clear he is deceiving himself and his situation can be interpreted as him being preoccupied with the sensation of love itself, feeding his emotions with music and elaborate poetic imagery. Shakespeare conveys Orsino’s ‘love-thoughts’ emotions for Olivia as passive, self-regarding and melancholic and Orsino as unrepresentative of his veritable feelings. Shakespeare invites the audience to interpret Orsino’s ‘love-thoughts’, which ‘pursue’ him as artificial ones because of the way Orsino is portrayed. â€Å"Be not amaz’d; right noble is his blood. If this be so, as yet the glass seems true, I shall have share in this most happy wreck.† Orsino here demonstrates a rapid detachment from Olivia and instead switches his attentions to Viola. This extremely quick change of ‘love’ from Olivia to Viola confirms his superficiality and self-deceit. The theme of disguise and deception is again present in the next scene where Olivia is in passionate mourning for her brother who ‘shortly died’. However, it is also clear that Olivia herself is in self-deceit. Her way of mourning involves her hiding behind a veil or disguising herself from the truth and refusing male company which is illustrated when she says like a ‘cloistress’ she will ‘veiled walk’ around with ‘eye-offending brine’. The mourning over her brother’s death is very dramatic, but she just lives the idea of mourning as she feels that this would do the death of her brother justice. She attempts to disguise all this under a veil, but to no triumph as her genuine personality shone through. Olivia as part of her mourning vowed that no man would see her face â€Å"till seven years’ heat†. But regardless of this, falls in love with Cesario which shows that her resolution is short-lived and the audience is left to question her sincerity. â€Å"Unless, perchance, you come to me again To tell me how he takes it†. Olivia is disguising her flirtatiousness towards Cesario by pretending that she only wants him to come back to bear news of Orsino’s reaction to her rejection. To further disguise her feelings, and deceive Malvolio, she tells a blatant lie to him, pretending Cesario left a ‘ring behind him’. â€Å"She returns this ring to you, sir; you might have saved Me my pains, to have taken it away yourself.† Olivia uses deception to further her cause with Cesario and it is made inherent to him that she has fallen in love with his outward, disguised appearance. Also deception features here as, ironically, Olivia’s advance is just as deceitful as Viola’s mere presence. It is clear to the audience that Olivia is deluding herself that she will be in deep mourning for her brother for ‘seven years’. Her first appearance, which ends with her falling for the disguised Viola, shows the shallowness of her real feelings of anguish. When Olivia, who is taken in by Cesario’s ‘youth’s perfections’, falls in love with Cesario she instantaneously forgets about mourning. Olivia’s elaborate, grief-stricken gestures towards her dead brother are examples of dramatised and overly exaggerated displays of emotion. Her grief may well be genuine but her extravagant vow to mourn him for ‘seven years’, sprinkling her chamber with tears and wearing a veil are quite simply empty gestures. On closer inspection one can also infer that Olivia is perhaps using her brothers death to conceal her aspirations for Cesario to remain close to her. â€Å"I bade you never speak again of him; But, would you undertake another suit, I had rather hear you than solicit that Than music from the spheres.† It is made explicit to Cesario that she wants to be courted by him, which is comical to the audience as they know about Cesario’s masquerade, and this is another example of the way Cesario deceives through disguise. Olivia has just lost her family, but her display of sorrow is very theatrical and self-deluding and seems to be full of barren gestures which say nothing about her true grief but merely disguise her true feelings and serve to self-deceive. Another character that is guilty of self-deception is Olivia’s servant Malvolio. A scene, which prepares us for dramatic irony, is when Maria writes the letter to Malvolio, under the pretence that it is from Olivia. As the audience is aware of this deception it sets up the dramatic irony, because Malvolio himself is not aware of it when he finds and reads the letter. Malvolio in his conceited role presents the possibilities of a very bland and critical existence, however when drugged with the mere possibilities of conceit, believing himself superior to others, he becomes the most absurd of all the characters and he reveals to us his disguised feelings. â€Å"Go, hang yourselves all! You are idle shallow things; I am not of your element; you shall know more hereafter.† Malvolio has extreme ambitions and aspirations to advance in social class by marrying Olivia which the audience can clearly interpret as self-delusional. Maria’s letter is only able to convince him that Olivia loves him because that is what he wants to believe. When the letter tells him to act proud and haughty, it only gives him permission to show how he already feels, as it appeals to his vanity. This trick would not have worked if the letter had not been disguised as Olivia’s, however, it is also important to include that Malvolio’s disguised feelings and self-deception convince him of its authenticity. It is his capacity for self-deception and it is really Malvolio’s ‘self-love’ which makes him easy to trick. Malvolio is also in disguise in the class system. He dresses in black and never laughs. â€Å"My masters, are you mad? Or what are you? Have you no wit, manners or honesty,† This however, is merely a disguise that he assumes, that allows him to criticize others. Under this disguise Malvolio is full of self-importance he is also self-absorbed and extremely vain. He conceals his ‘puritan’ personality during this ‘gulling’ episode and puts on ‘yellow stockings’ and behaves uncharacteristically boldly. When he is on his own he reveals he often daydreams of ruling a thrifty and solemn household while he plays with ‘some rich jewel’, and that Olivia will marry him and as a result he will become ‘Count Malvolio’ her equal. This shows his embedded self-deception. It is also ironic that Malvolio is more successful at fooling himself than he is at deceiving others. Malvolio is sure that some accident of luck has caused a man as fine as him to be born a servant rather than a master and that fortune will eventually correct that mistake. â€Å"all that look on him love him.† This reveals his arrogant nature and the fact that he is self-deceiving. Self-love is evident in many characters of the play, however, Malvolio’s self-love combined with his instinct for social climbing makes it more obtrusive. To conclude, Malvolio is self-deceived before he is deceived. Shakespeare makes this clear by exhibiting Malvolio’s vain glory just before he finds the forged letter: ‘To be Count Malvolio!’. The physical disguise in ‘Twelfth Night’ brings to light those who have mental illusions as to who they are. Malvolio for example considers himself to be respected and is the first person to call other characters a ‘fool’ when in fact the audience think of him as a fool. Deception and disguise also play a major role in the characters of Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. Sir Toby often persuades Andrew to give him money or buy him drinks in return for allowing him access to Olivia, in order to court/woo her. â€Å"Send for money, knight; if thou hast her not i’ th’ end, call me Cut.† Andrew does not realise that Sir Toby is fooling him and using him to pay for his entertainment and so deception plays a part here because Sir Toby is deliberately deceiving and deluding Sir Andrew to exploit him. It can also be argued that Sir Andrew is self-deceiving because he actually thinks that the rouge Sir Toby is his genuine friend, however, it is clear to the audience that his friendship with Sir Toby is feigned. However, it is also clear that if Sir Toby did not encourage and prompt him, he would never have aspired. ‘No faith, I’ll not stay a jot longer.’ This is important because it shows that although Sir Andrew is deceived, and foolish, he is not self-deceived. This also proves that although he is foolish enough to dream of Olivia’s hand, he is scarcely hopeful which shows that, unlike Malvolio, he has a greater sense of reality and does not delude himself or disguise that he knows Olivia does not love him. Another form of disguise, Shakespeare’s use of masks in the play, also contributes much to the disguise and deception in the play. These masks put characters in a form of ‘darkness of night,’ allowing them to become someone else. Shakespeare uses masking imagery throughout the play. The perfect example of this can be seen in Feste the jester. Feste demonstrates masking imagery when he disguises himself as ‘Sir Topas’ and is sent to judge Malvolio’s state of mind. â€Å"Sir Topas, never was man thus wronged. Good Sir Topas, do not think I am mad: they have laid me Here in hideous darkness.† By adopting this disguise, Feste is able to expose Malvolio’s self-conceit and other faults and therefore he successfully reveals Malvolio’s hidden feelings by disguising himself. Also Feste, in the guise of the Fool, comes out with wise and intellectual comments contrary to his role. Although characters wear masks, their true identities are always revealed. I interpret this as Shakespeare alluding to the fact that all disguises can be exposed. This statement is reinforced when Feste says: ‘Eyes show the days’. Feste is able to penetrate all the masks of the others, and he succeeds in concealing his own which makes him a master and professional of disguise. Feste is an ‘allowed fool’ a professional jester who has to be quick witted and clever to make jokes and puns. He is not expected to be idiotic or simple-minded. Viola, in her disguise as Cesario, is able to talk to her lover in a way that she could not do as a woman; she takes advantage of this situation and schools Orsino on the realities of love. â€Å"She never told her love,†¦.. Feed on her damask cheek.† Here Viola counters Orsino’s narcissism with her own sad story of concealed love. Shakespeare accentuates Orsino’s exaggerated, excessive idea of love, by showing alongside it the genuine love felt by Viola and therefore Orsino’s speech is undermined, as what he said is ironic. So, although Viola is disguising her feelings for Orsino, she does not deceive him and unreservedly hints that she has suppressed feelings for him. Sebastian’s relationship with Antonio is one of disguise because Antonio implicitly reveals his ‘love’ for Sebastian but deceives him and perhaps self-deceives as being just friendship, as one can conjecture that he is gay. â€Å"If you will not murder me for your love, let me be your servant†. This suggests that Antonio has repressed homosexual feelings for Sebastian that he disguises by pretending to only be his close friend. The play abounds in references to these different forms of disguise, to the gap between what appears to be true and what really is. Viola calls disguise a ‘wickedness/Wherein the pregnant enemy does much’ when she realises that Olivia has fallen in love with her persona as Cesario. In the play’s moral scheme disguise or self-deception creates frustration and confusion. Antonio, for example, regrets the ‘devotion’, which Sebastian’s handsome features had inspired in him. Word- play is also a form of disguise and the numerous puns in the play reflect this theme on a linguistic level. The dramatic convention of disguise produces ambiguities of meaning and emotion throughout the play. So, to conclude, I would argue that in ‘Twelfth Night’ every character conceals and deceives, however, without doubt Viola’s concealment of her physical shape as a woman, and emotions for Orsino is essential to the plot and creates the comedy and confusion. How to cite Twelfth Night Coursework Assignment, Papers

Introduction Hiv Aids Essay Example For Students

Introduction Hiv Aids Essay Being one of the most fatal viruses in the nation, AIDS (AcquiredImmunodeficiency Syndrome) is now a serious public health concern in most majorU.S. cities and in countries worldwide. Since 1986 there have been impressiveadvances in understanding of the AIDS virus, its mechanisms, and its routes oftransmission. Even though researchers have put in countless hours, and millions ofdollars it has not led to a drug that can cure infection with the virus or to a vaccinethat can prevent it. With AIDS being the leading cause of death among adults,individuals are now taking more precautions with sexual intercourse, and medicalfacilities are screening blood more thoroughly. Even though HIV ( HumanImmunodeficieny Virus) can be transmitted through sharing of non sterilize needlesand syringes, sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, and through most bodily fluids,it is not transmitted through casual contact or by biting or blood sucking insects. Development of the AIDS EpidemicThe first case of AIDS were reported in 1982, epidemiologists at the Center ofDisease Control immediately began tracking the disease back wards in time as wellas forward. They determined that the first cases of AIDS in the United Statesprobably occurred in 1977. By early 1982, 15 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 foreign countrieshad reports of AIDS cases, however the total remained low: 158 men and 1 woman. Surprising enough more then 90 percent of the men were homosexual or bisexual. Knowing this more then 70 percent of AIDS victims are homosexual or bisexualmen, and less then 5 percent are heterosexual adults. Amazing enough byDecember of 1983 there were 3,000 cases of AIDS that had been reported in adultsfrom 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and the disease had beenrecognized in 20 other countries. Recognizing the Extent of InfectionThe health of the general homosexual populations in the area with thelargest number of cases of the new disease was getting looked at a lot closer byresearchers. For many years physicians knew that homosexual men who reportedlarge numbers of sexual partners had more episodes of venereal diseases and wereat higher risk of hepatitis B virus infection than the rest of the population, butconicidentally with the appearance of AIDS,. other debilitating problems began to doappear more frequently. The most common was swollen glands, often accompaniedby extreme fatigue, weight loss, fever, chronic diarrhea, decreased levels of bloodplatelets and fungal infections in the mouth. This condition was labeled ARC (AIDSRelated complex). The isolation of HIV in 1983 and 1984 and the development of techniques toproduce large quantities of the virus paved the way for a battery of tests todetermined the relationship between AIDS and ARC and the magnitude of thecarrier problem. Using several different laboratory tests, scientists looked forantibodies against the HIV in the blood of AIDS and ARC patients. They found thatalmost 100 percent of those with AIDS or ARC had the antibodies-they wereseriopostive. In contrast less then one percent of persons with no known risk factorswere seropositive. Definition of AIDSAIDS is defined as a disease, at least moderately predictive of defects in cell-meditated immunity, occurring in a person with no known cause for diminishedresistance to that disease. Such diseases include Kaposis Sarcoma, Pneumocystiscarnii pneumonia, and serious other opportunistic infections. After the discovery ofHIV and the development of HIV-antibody test, the case definition of AIDS wasupdated to reflect the role of the virus in causing AIDS, but the scope of thedefinition remained almost the same. .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a , .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .postImageUrl , .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a , .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a:hover , .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a:visited , .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a:active { border:0!important; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a:active , .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud5a66e003d24df863f681d2f9da5422a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Mystical Caves Used Throughout Mythology EssayTransmissionHIV is primarily a sexually transmitted disease, it is transmitted by bothhomosexual and bisexual and heterosexual activity. The first recognized case wasamong homosexual and bisexual men. Many numbers of studies have shown thatmen who have sexual partners and those who practice receptive anal intercourseare more likely to be infected with HIV than other homosexual men. Researchersfound a strong connection between HIV infection and rectal trauma, enemas beforesex, and physical signs of disruption of the tissue lining the rectum. Homosexual women tend to have a very low incidence of venereal disease ingeneral, an AIDS is no exception. Female-to-female transmission is highlyuncommon, however it has been reported in one case and suggested in another. Inthe reported case, traumatic sex practices apparently resulted in transmission of HIVfrom a woman who had acquired the virus through IV drug abuse to her non-drug-using sexual partner. 1983 was when the first heterosexual (Male to female;

The Bucket List Life in Late Adulthood Essay Example For Students

The Bucket List Life in Late Adulthood Essay The Bucket List, (2007) is a meaningful movie about two terminally ill patients, Carter Chambers and Edward Cole, experiences the death and dying phase in their late adulthood. Carter and Edward were roommates in a hospital owned by Edward himself. They became friends not so long after that and made a bucket list of the things they wanted to do before they die. The Bucket List is a list of the craziest and most unforgettable things a person hopes to experience or achieve in life. Although Carter and Edward were close friends, they both have lived very different lives. While Edward got all the money in the world, he has never been loved. On the other hand, being a mechanic at a typical car repair shop, Carter lived a happy life with his loving wife and family regardless of the financial issues. Despite the fact that his wife disagreed with the plan, Carter and Edward left anyway. They went sky-diving, got tattoos, drove the Shelby Mustangs, flew in a private plane to France, went to the African safari, Egypt, the Great Wall of China, and finally to Hong Kong. We will write a custom essay on The Bucket List Life in Late Adulthood specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Throughout the trip, Carter realized family was what important to him, and Edward realized the last thing he wanted to do was seeing his daughter again. At the end of the movie, Carter and Edward passed away; their remains were buried in two coffee cans at the top of Mount Himalayans. The movie did an excellent job at displaying the biosocial development of aging portrayed by Carter and Edward. It also applied the wear-and-tear theory, meaning a process by which the human body wears out because of the passage of time and exposure to environmental stressors (Berger, 2012a, p. 654). Not only aging dealt with physical changes, cognitive changes, but it also dealt with death and dying, which was the result of the wear-and-tear theory for late adults who suffered illnesses. The death and dying phase was emphasized significantly in the movie. It had also mentioned several emotional characteristics of death and dying such as denial, anger and acceptance. In the beginning, both Carter and Edward went through denial, where they attempted to deny the reality that they both have cancer and tried isolating themselves from reality, led to the feeling of anger and resentment to the people around them. However, in the end, after fulfilling their bucket list, they both have learned to accept reality, death, and found peace within themselves. Self-actualization is a cognitive development mentioned slightly in the movie. It is the final stage of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs characterized by aesthetic, creative, philosophical, and spiritual understanding; portrayed by Carter (Berger, 2012b, p. 686) Carter has always tended to accept himself and others as they are. He lacked inhibition but was able to enjoy himself and his life free of guilt. Meanwhile, self-actualization was what Edward lacked. A characteristic under self-actualization called peak experiences was actually displaying in both characters Carter and Edward as well. What is actually a peak experience? According to Maslow, these are feelings of opening up to the vision, the feeling of conquering obstacles, the feeling of ecstasy, wonder and awe, the loss of placement in time and space with, finally, the conviction that something extremely important and valuable had happened, so that the subject was to some extent transformed and strengthened their daily life by such experiences (What are peak experiences? n. d). That, was what happened in the end of the movie, after fulfilling their bucket list and did the things they have never done before, but always wanted to do, Carter and Edward was finally ready to face death because they have finally lived up to the quote: â€Å"Live each day as if it was your last day. Erik Erikson’s last stage of psychosocial development, Integrity versus Despair, was similar to what Carter and Edward had gone through psychosocially. .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 , .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .postImageUrl , .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 , .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836:hover , .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836:visited , .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836:active { border:0!important; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836:active , .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836 .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ueda8e0fbbc548736957903c1f8493836:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Harlem Renaissance and Langston Hughes EssayThis last stage defines an elder who seek to integrate their unique experiences with their vision of community (Berger, 2012c, p. 694). For example, both Carter and Edward had looked back upon their lives, wished they had done something different and wanted to do things that they still want to do. Carter always wanted to be a history teacher, but he felt like he needed to work hard to keep food on the table for his family. On the other hand, Edward always wanted to have someone special in his life because he was married four times and had a daughter but was never in a great relationship with anyone besides his work. Thus, they both have shown despair. However, Edward and Carter felt like they wanted to switch roles, in the end, their lives seemed to have been fulfilled emphasizing integrity. Throughout the movie, cancer was what hindered the growth and development of Carter and Edward. If they were cancer-free, they could have lived longer and could possibly become centenarians. But, they would never have been able to experience the joy, the love, and the crazy experiences if had not for cancer. Although, cancer has made them bitter men in the beginning, but at the end, they were happy with what they had because they have fulfilled their wishes. Overall, The Bucket List was successful at demonstrating the effects of death, the values in life and particularly, the development of an average older adult through biosocial, cognitive and psychosocial phases. Not only the movie teaches a person to deal with what life offers, to forgive, to love, but also to live the best a person can be with positive attitudes. Even though, Carter and Edward were old and at the verge of dying, they still had goals that they wanted to accomplish. They got out there and achieved what was on the list even when they may not have been well all the time. So, live life to the fullest everyday and always have a goal, something that can be live up to and look forward to. Bibliography: Berger, K. S. (2012a). Late Adulthood: Biosocial Development. The developing person through the life span (8th ed., p. 654). New York: Worth Publishers. Berger, K. S. (2012b). Late Adulthood: Cognitive Development. The developing person through the life span (8th ed., p. 686). New York: Worth Publishers. Berger, K. S. (2012c). Late Adulthood: Psychosocial Development. The developing person through the life span (8th ed., p. 694). New York: Worth Publishers. What Are Peak Experiences?. (n.d.). About.com Psychology. Retrieved November 12, 2013. http://psychology.about.com/od/humanist-personality/f/peak-experiences.htm

Free Essays on Electro Convulsive Therapy

Electro-Convulsive Therapy ECT (Electro-convulsive Therapy) is a procedure in which a brief application of electricity is used to produce a generalized seizure. Once a commonly used - and controversial - treatment for a variety of mental problems, ECT still bears a stigma despite advances which have made it far safer and more effective. It is not known how or why ECT works or what the electrically stimulated seizure does to the brain. In the U.S. during the 1940's and 50's, the treatment was administered mostly to people with severe mental illnesses. During the last few decades, researchers have been attempting to identify the effectiveness of ECT, to learn how and why it works, to understand its risks and adverse side effects, and to determine the best treatment technique. Today, ECT is administered to an estimated 100,000 people a year, primarily in general hospital psychiatric units and in psychiatric hospitals. It is generally used in treating patients with severe depression who cannot wait for antidepressant medication to take effect. It is also used for acute mania, and certain schizophrenic syndromes. Used to treat depression Modern ECT is used primarily in the treatment of severe depression, and psychiatrists say it has proved the most effective treatment in many cases. It is also used in some cases of schizophrenia and mania. But mental health campaigners say that, although it may work in the short term, it is unclear what its long-term effects are. Many experts say it is often used against people's will and it wants to see a ban on this, but psychiatrists say that would mean about 20% of patients who now receive the treatment would not get it despite being most in need. They argue that some people are incapable of giving or denying consent. ECT treatment is generally administered in the morning, before breakfast and can be on an in-patient or out- patient basis. Prior to the actual treatment, the patient is given ... Free Essays on Electro Convulsive Therapy Free Essays on Electro Convulsive Therapy Electro-Convulsive Therapy ECT (Electro-convulsive Therapy) is a procedure in which a brief application of electricity is used to produce a generalized seizure. Once a commonly used - and controversial - treatment for a variety of mental problems, ECT still bears a stigma despite advances which have made it far safer and more effective. It is not known how or why ECT works or what the electrically stimulated seizure does to the brain. In the U.S. during the 1940's and 50's, the treatment was administered mostly to people with severe mental illnesses. During the last few decades, researchers have been attempting to identify the effectiveness of ECT, to learn how and why it works, to understand its risks and adverse side effects, and to determine the best treatment technique. Today, ECT is administered to an estimated 100,000 people a year, primarily in general hospital psychiatric units and in psychiatric hospitals. It is generally used in treating patients with severe depression who cannot wait for antidepressant medication to take effect. It is also used for acute mania, and certain schizophrenic syndromes. Used to treat depression Modern ECT is used primarily in the treatment of severe depression, and psychiatrists say it has proved the most effective treatment in many cases. It is also used in some cases of schizophrenia and mania. But mental health campaigners say that, although it may work in the short term, it is unclear what its long-term effects are. Many experts say it is often used against people's will and it wants to see a ban on this, but psychiatrists say that would mean about 20% of patients who now receive the treatment would not get it despite being most in need. They argue that some people are incapable of giving or denying consent. ECT treatment is generally administered in the morning, before breakfast and can be on an in-patient or out- patient basis. Prior to the actual treatment, the patient is given ...

Assignment 7 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

7 - Assignment Example They are therefore in any way not guilty of the accusations against them. Based on the Rowley family understanding of the FAPE, their daughter was entitled freely to have a sign language interpreter attend all her classes to aid in her learning despite the education board proving that she was fine in classes and performed above avarage with the help of the FM hearing aid kit. The accused, the education board, however, did yield to the demands of the Rowley’s because they saw it unnecessary to have the sign language interpreter assist the young girl in her education. The education Board agreed to this decision after conducting several tests to determine whether the pupil required the help of the sign language interpreter. The first reason to my conformance with the decision of the Supreme Court, based on the FAPE requirements is that the acts provide for and I quote, â€Å"we hold that the state has satisfied the FAPE requirements by providing personal instructions with sufficient support services to allow the child to benefit her education from that instruction† (Rowley p. 203-204) this means that the Education acted in the best interest of the FAPE requirements. My second conformance reason is that the Educational board were right to deny the Rowley’s daughter Amy the aid of a sign language interpreter because she was a great lip reader and her prior teachings allowed her to maximize her own capabilities resulting to her impressive above average performance in her kindergarten studies. These results indicated that she was capable of achieving good grades without the assistance of the sign language interpreter. Based on my own understanding and personal judgment, the Supreme Court rulings were correct. To begin with, the fact that the FAPE requires that a child be admitted to a public institution freely and be provided with the necessary tools to aid their education, do not promise availing of the same through thoughts

JIT variability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

JIT variability - Essay Example Variabilities in production and distribution systems are those unexpected occurrences that upset or alter pre-planned production activities. As a way of overcoming such variabilities, JIT systems use existing inventories judiciously and tactically. For example, â€Å"the 'extra' inventory is then used to cover variations or problems. Effective inventory tactics require 'just in time', not 'just in case'. JIT inventory is the minimum inventory necessary to keep a perfect system running. With JIT inventory, the exact amount of goods arrives at the moment it is needed, not a minute before or a minute after.† (Chapter 16, p.495) One way in which JIT can help remove variability is by â€Å"eliminating inventory that hides variability in the production system†. A suitable analogy to illustrate this point is a lake full of rocks. â€Å"The water in the lake represents inventory flow, and the rocks represent problems such as late deliveries, machine breakdowns, and poor person nel performance. The water level in the lake hides variability and problems. Because inventory hides problems, they are hard to find†. (Chapter 16, p.495) JIT can help reduce variability here by reducing unwanted inventory. The top management can greatly reduce variability by adopting JIT practices.

Starbucks Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Starbucks Marketing - Research Paper Example In 1992, there was no focus on advertising and Labor force but with the growth of retail outlets, the company was still reluctant in increasing the Labor force, which is the company's major expense. Starbucks didn't spend any money on advertising. So, during the early 1990s, the company had no promotion. The only promotion made was through opening many retail outlets and boosting the sales promotion. 2. Starbucks has picked up an additional target segment of customers by 2002. Who were these customers What is Starbucks' position for this new segment relative to its position for its earlier customers What are the implications of this new target and position for Starbucks' marketing mix Starbucks positioning changed with the expansion in the target market. Starbucks established itself as a dominant specialty-coffee brand and its objective was "To become the most recognized and respected brand in the world." This was achieved through: Starbucks introduced a wide range of product variety including whole bean coffees, rich brewed coffees, Italian style espresso drinks, cold-blended beverages, premium teas, pastries, sodas, juices, sandwiches and salads. The product mix varied depending on a store's location and size. The biggest driver of company's growth was product innovation. New products were launched regularly and a new hot beverage was introduced during every holiday season. Brand name was establi... Starbucks introduced a wide range of product variety including whole bean coffees, rich brewed coffees, Italian style espresso drinks, cold-blended beverages, premium teas, pastries, sodas, juices, sandwiches and salads. The product mix varied depending on a store's location and size. The biggest driver of company's growth was product innovation. New products were launched regularly and a new hot beverage was introduced during every holiday season. Brand name was established and this again contributed to the position of the company. Starbucks had the Size advantage over its competitors and its goal was opening 15000 stores world wide. Service was the distinguishing factor and the employees were trained and empowered to provide good quality service, which was evaluated on service, Cleanliness, Product quality and speed of service criteria. Service innovations along with technology functionalities like T-Mobile HotSpot wireless internet service was an added advantage. Price Discounts were given at stores. Spilt drinks were replaced without any additional charge. Regular customers were given sample free drinks if they didn't have cash and provide cheque. Starbucks established itself as a premium-priced player in the market but service overwhelmed price in this aspect.Place Channels were used very effectively and Starbucks opened licensed stores world wide. Nearly 77% of the sales came from these stores. Starbucks also sold its products through non-company operated retail chains called Specialty Operations which accounted to about 15% of net revenues. Starbucks operated domestic and international licensed stores. Starbucks also had a joint venture with Pepsi-Cola to distribute bottled beverages. Starbucks had plans to open 15000 international locations. This will

Ensuring Health And Safety At Workplaces

Ensuring Health And Safety At Workplaces Introduction In our day to day lives, accidents tend to occur under different circumstances some of which can be avoided. Most accidents are attributed to carelessness of which it is believed just a little carefulness could avoid and in the process reduce the many serious injuries incurred and even at times death or decapitation. Accidents are unplanned and unfortunate events that results in damage, injuries or upsets of some kind. This is the same even at workplaces. Most accidents at work places are sometimes as a result of carelessness. These accidents can be avoided if the following measures can be taken at the places of work. Management is committed to safety in the work place, employees are informed about accident prevention, consultation between the employer and employee takes place on a regular basis, there is a trusting relationship between the employer and staff and employees have actual input into the decision-making process. Employers and employees attitude towards accidents also contribute greatly towards preventing them from occurring. If both the employer and the employee approach safety at places of work with diligence, then these cases of accidents will be greatly reduced and inefficiency due to lose of time from work by employees will be avoided. The best method to achieve this is through cooperation of the two main partners (employer and employee who may be represented by unions), an approach known as the shared responsibility model. Workplace and Injury Hazards Accidents at work are sometimes caused by a complex combination of unsafe employee behavior and unsafe working conditions. Several factors contribute to the complexity of managing safety in the workplaces. These factors include effects of some industrial diseases dont show up for years, employers may cover up a health or safety problem before the inspector arrives, employers may fail to monitor or disclose health risks and employees may fail to follow safety practices at the workplaces or engage in dangerous behavior while at work. It is also critical that organizations consider the safety of members of the public who enter the company property. Awareness of health hazards is very important. Employers should give thought to preparing for emergency health hazards. While the number of workplace injuries may level off, the direct cost of injuries does not. Moreover, workplace injuries result in several indirect costs such as damages, recruitment, inefficiency and reduced production. Men are more than twice as likely as women to have a time loss injury while with reference to age, younger workers are most likely to be injured. Logging and forestry, construction, manufacturing and transportation are among the most dangerous industries and the most common types of injuries are strains and sprains followed by contusions, crushing or bruises. The most likely body parts to be injured are in order back followed by fingers then legs. Health Hazards Health hazards can be classified into four categories. Physical agents exposure to physical elements. Biological agents (Biohazards) exposure to natural organisms. Chemical agents exposure to chemical compounds or harmful toxic substances. Ergonomically related injuries work environment related including stress, strain, fatigue and back injuries. Across the country there is growing emphasis on the health of younger workers who are the most injured. The most common injuries affecting them include electrocution and machine injuries yet a number of them are not aware of their health and safety rights and responsibilities at the workplace. Safety Regulations Every employee has fundamental rights which are:- The right to know about hazards in the workplace. The right to participate in correcting the hazards. The right to refuse dangerous work. A key element of health and safety laws is joint occupational health and safety committee which is required in every workplace. Responsibilities of these committees include to meet at least once a month, to ensure adequate records are kept regarding accidents and health hazards, to investigate and resolve complaints by employees, to participate in investigations of health and safety-related injuries, to regularly monitor health and safety programs, to monitor records of injuries and illnesses, to cooperate with safety officers investigating a complaint or accident, to develop, establish and promote health and safety programs and procedures and to obtain information from the employer and government agencies concerning existing potential hazards in the workplace. Some other federal laws are:- The hazardous product act whose primary objective is protecting consumers by regulating the sale of dangerous products. Its an important part of the Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS), which requires that suppliers label all hazardous products and provide a material safety data sheet (MSDS), on each of them which contains hazard symbol, information on the properties and composition of the product, nature of the potential hazard that may result from misuse of the product and suggested emergency treatment procedure the employer must provide training to enable employees recognize the WHMIS hazard symbols. The transportation of dangerous goods act which makes transport Canada a federal government agency responsible for handling and transporting dangerous materials by federally regulated shipping and transportation companies. It requires that the carriers should be informed of dangerous goods which should be classified according to a coding system. The Canadian center for occupational health and safety act whose objectives are to promote health and safety in the workplace and the physical and mental health of the working populace in Canada, to facilitate consultation and cooperation among federal, provincial and territorial jurisdiction and to participate by labour and management in the relevant to the Canadian circles, to aid in the progress and maintenance of policies as well as programs tailored towards the elimination of occupational hazards and finally to serve as a national center for statistics and other information relating to occupational health and safety. The center is supervised by a board of governors made up of the federal government representatives, labor and employers. Organizations are now connected electronically with the center and have access to relevant information. Safety Enforcement In the federal jurisdiction all industrial units are inspected at least once a year to confirm their safe operation. The numbers of visits depend on units accidental records and its size. During these visits, the safety may at any time enter any property of business and are given a wide range of powers as stipulated in section 14 of the Canada labour code (part 2). No law by itself can make a workplace safe. It is far more effective not to mention less costly if the responsibility for safety becomes a concern for everyone starting with top managers going down to the supervisors and lastly the employees. The top managers must set policies and make concern for health and safety of the organizations culture and strategy while the supervisors must become proficient in maintaining safety which means knowing about health and safety laws and regulations and learning communications skills in order to convey the necessary information to employees. Employees are responsible for working safely. It is imperative to train the employees so that they comprehend safety rules on how to safely operate equipment. Good safety performances should be recognized and rewarded while unsatisfactory practices be documented and corrected. Human resource professionals should ensure consistent enforcement of all safety and health rules. This is achieved through creating a safety climate in the organization and conducting health and safety audits voluntarily or as a result of being targeted by government health and safety officials. Safety climates are becoming an important factor affecting safety knowledge and motivation. Workplace Stress Workplace stress occurs where there is pressure or unrealistic job demands than the worker can deliver within the required time. It is often the conflict between the employees ability and the job demands. Senior management officials are also recognizing the importance of health issues on employee performance. Stress symptoms involve both mental health and physical health. People who are stressed may become nervous, easily provoked to anger and chronically worried about things. Exposure to stressful working conditions called job stressors which can directly influence the health and safety of employees and this is what causes workplace stress. Frequently occurring stress is known as acute stress. The general and widely recognized cause of stress is change because it requires adaptation. A substantial and prolonged stress can bring about a condition of mental, emotional and sometimes physical exhaustion known as burnout. Slight stress improves performance due to the challenge until reac hes a plateau after which it becomes too great and performance starts to decline because the employee loses the ability to cope, becomes unable to make decisions and is erratic inn behavior. Solutions to workplace stress can be curative which correct the outcome of stress or preventive which attempt to change the cause of stress. In managing stress at work, the human resource department can come up with a stress audit to evaluate the extent of dysfunctional stress hence identify the cause of stress. Organizations can also introduce fitness and employee wellness programs. These programs have a positive impact on reducing stress and absenteeism and increasing productivity. Other contemporary workplace safety issues include workplace security, sick building syndrome, workplace violence and ergonomics. The human resource managers face challenges when they have an AIDS infected employee. Its a breach of human rights laws to discriminate against AIDS infected people but just in case the other employees refuse to work with that person the employer should establish a policy and have an action plan in place before such a case arises among employees or their dependant. It must be continually stressed that top managements involvement in setting a health and safety Policies are essential and if it does not assume the leadership role, it sets example by its inaction and middle managers, first line supervisors and employees will behave accordingly. It is important to have a control process in place. Causes of accidents should be identified and eliminated, an effective training exercise should be carried out, the human resource department should use its information system to monitor for patterns of accidents or health problems and finally management should continually encourage safety awareness on the part of super visors and employees. Conclusion Occupational health and safety continues to be an imperative part of the organizations operation. It is taking the centre stage in the priorities of the human resources management. Most of the occupational health and safety acts created by the federal and provincial governments now require the establishment of safety committees in companies. The prevention of accidents is therefore key to the human resource managers, who should also focus. AIDS at the workplace is an important issue and the human resource department needs to take measures to curb severe friction among work groups or irrational actions from frightened employees that may arise as a result of HIV and AIDS cases.

Abortion - How can I Impose My Morality on Another? :: Persuasive Essay, Argumentative

Abortion - How can I Impose My Morality on Another?      Ã‚  Ã‚   "I'm opposed to abortion, but how can I impose my morality on someone else?" This common expression expresses the sentiments of one who wishes to be open to the religious convictions of another on this delicate issue of abortion.    In that statement, replace the word "abortion" with anything else you're opposed to. Like "I'm opposed to racism, but how can I impose my morality on someone else?" or "I'm opposed to rape, but how can I impose my morality on someone else?" Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn't it? Why can we impose our "morality" on someone when it comes to racism or rape? Because there's someone else involved. Raping isn't a "choice" a rapist makes in a vacuum - it involves a victim whose life will be altered forever because of that rape. Racism isn't a "choice" made in a vacuum, either. The actions of a racist storekeeper defending his "choice" to do what he wants with his store involve blacks who are unjustly kept from shopping there. The issue here is not "private morality" but civil rights - keeping innocent people from becoming victims.    What about abortion? Is it a matter of private morality, like deciding which church you're going to attend, or is it a matter of public morality - a matter of civil rights? If there's a victim involved, it's a civil rights issue. Is there a victim involved in abortion? There are many who say that there is not, that the preborn child is just a mass of tissue, a part of the woman's body. If this were the case, then no one would have any reason to oppose abortion any more than they would oppose tonsillectomies or appendectomies.    But is that the case? Developments in the science of fetology have given us greater opportunities than ever to learn about the preborn. We know that the baby has a completely different circulatory system than the mother, and often a different blood type. He or she has a completely different genetic code. We know that by the 21st day after conception the baby's heart has begun to beat (Tanner 64). Brain waves are detectable by day 40 (Hamlin 20), and movement also begins around this time (Arey). By eight weeks, when a woman generally discovers she's pregnant, all body systems are present (Hooker). Abortion - How can I Impose My Morality on Another? :: Persuasive Essay, Argumentative Abortion - How can I Impose My Morality on Another?      Ã‚  Ã‚   "I'm opposed to abortion, but how can I impose my morality on someone else?" This common expression expresses the sentiments of one who wishes to be open to the religious convictions of another on this delicate issue of abortion.    In that statement, replace the word "abortion" with anything else you're opposed to. Like "I'm opposed to racism, but how can I impose my morality on someone else?" or "I'm opposed to rape, but how can I impose my morality on someone else?" Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn't it? Why can we impose our "morality" on someone when it comes to racism or rape? Because there's someone else involved. Raping isn't a "choice" a rapist makes in a vacuum - it involves a victim whose life will be altered forever because of that rape. Racism isn't a "choice" made in a vacuum, either. The actions of a racist storekeeper defending his "choice" to do what he wants with his store involve blacks who are unjustly kept from shopping there. The issue here is not "private morality" but civil rights - keeping innocent people from becoming victims.    What about abortion? Is it a matter of private morality, like deciding which church you're going to attend, or is it a matter of public morality - a matter of civil rights? If there's a victim involved, it's a civil rights issue. Is there a victim involved in abortion? There are many who say that there is not, that the preborn child is just a mass of tissue, a part of the woman's body. If this were the case, then no one would have any reason to oppose abortion any more than they would oppose tonsillectomies or appendectomies.    But is that the case? Developments in the science of fetology have given us greater opportunities than ever to learn about the preborn. We know that the baby has a completely different circulatory system than the mother, and often a different blood type. He or she has a completely different genetic code. We know that by the 21st day after conception the baby's heart has begun to beat (Tanner 64). Brain waves are detectable by day 40 (Hamlin 20), and movement also begins around this time (Arey). By eight weeks, when a woman generally discovers she's pregnant, all body systems are present (Hooker).

Beauty Contests Are Harmful

The old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In other words, someone or something that is considered attractive to one person may not necessarily appeal to another. If we lived in a perfect world, maybe everyone would follow the wise words of this old saying and admit that evaluating beauty is a subjective practice. However society that does exist feels some strong compulsion to turn every aspect of people’s lives into a competition. In my opinion, the prize of Beauty Queen in one competition society could live without. Beauty contests are an unnecessary element in society simply because they set unrealistic beauty standards for an audience of easily influenced young girls, they encourage judging on appearance, rather than on a person's character, and mainly because they objectify women. Beauty contests are well promoted by the media, with television and images, which influence young women’s opinions on appearance. The participants of these contests are poor role models for these girls as they set impractical body weight, breast size and clear skin standards. This sets an ideal female body, which only a minority of women can realistically aspire. This adds pressure on all women to conform which can then become incredibly harmful to young women by encouraging dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery, or simply making them feel inadequate and ugly. An article, titled â€Å"Thoughts about Miss Teen USA,† out of a local American magazine was written by a young teen in 2005, who had just watched ‘Miss Teen’ on NBC. Her recap of the contest was; â€Å"White teeth. White teeth. Prom-style dress. Blonde. White teeth. Blonde. Chandelier earings. Tan. Blonde. Tan. Strapless gown. † Followed by â€Å"That’s all you need to know† This certainly does not promote the contest in fact quite the contrary. The statement made by this young teen is not one that is from a minority. She is one of thousands that view this as the â€Å"norm† for a woman of beauty. It is not healthy for a young teen to think there is one type of beauty or one type of accepted body. It is harmful and could lead to both physical and emotional damage. Secondly, beauty contests further the belief that looks are superior to a person’s abilities, feelings and heart. These women are judged solely on the bases of physical appearance. The existence of talent just does not work simply because an â€Å"ugly† person just won’t win! Judging women but not men, primarily on their looks contributes to the subjugation of women because other qualities, such as intelligence, are not seen as part of ideal femininity and therefore not as things to which women should aspire. Miss USA 2002 went to a tall blonde ditzy Ohio woman, who was won over by the crowd when she made her statement that education was important and that you can tell if someone has an education by looking at them. The irony in the statement being that beauty contests are not shallow and are not just based appearance. Beauty being seen as a high priority to men and women all over the world is harmful because it discourages women to be different and to show women are not â€Å"just a pretty face. † Lastly, beauty contests strongly promote the negative aspect that women are seen as objects of sexual interest. These contests fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. They do nothing to aid the liberation of women, in fact by promoting looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general. On the 17th of February the Campus National Organisation for Women protested the Miss UF Beauty Pageant. They handed out 300 protest flyers which stated their disgust with Florida Blue Key and the University of Florida for holding a sexist pageant where women must be inspected in swimsuits and parade around in evening gowns in order to be awarded scholarship money. This shows how beauty contests encourage women to see themselves as an object (like a car) to be judged by men. Beauty contests hurt women by treating them as objects held up to a strict standard of â€Å"beauty,† a standard that is painful, time-consuming, and expensive for women to try to achieve. In a high percentage of Hollywood films, even those in which the woman should be portrayed as a strong willed, independent heroine, usually feature women being played off solely as sex objects. Though there is nothing wrong with a woman being classified as â€Å"sexy† it should not be the entire package. One made of uniqueness, intelligence and charm is what should be promoted. Movies such as; Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Charlies Angels, send the same message to the young men and woman, that beauty contests do, which is that only one kind of women’s body is acceptable. This is harmful to a majority of women as beauty contests are encouraging men to treat them as an object rather than woman with opinions and uniqueness. Beauty contests are an unnecessary element in society because they set unrealistic beauty standards for an audience. There are contests out there, which attempt to create a judgment of well-balanced people. These sorts of competitions are trying to promote the intelligence mixed with beauty side, which should be heavily commended. However, contests in which beauty is emphasised as a solitary basis for winning, like beauty contests, are dangerous and harmful to society.

Which Fields Have the Highest Paying Administrative Jobs

Which Fields Have the Highest Paying Administrative Jobs According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, administrative assistant jobs are projected to grow by 13.2 percent by 2022. This ever-changing job title comes with a variety of  duties and levels of responsibility, depending on the employer. Administrative professionals  are reportedly assuming more managerial tasks across the board, requiring more skills and knowledge than ever before.Fields that employ administrators are far-ranging- if youre looking for work in the field, you have many  options to consider. Salaries vary depending on the type of administration, experience, and education level.  Lets take a look at some of the most lucrative fields.Real Estate AdministratorAdministration in the real estate field may include recruiting, training and hiring of personnel. Management of the client database, generating leads, and doing follow-ups can also be part of the job description. Real estate administration duties can also include financial responsibilities:  making budget s, paying bills, and handling bank accounts.Working as a real estate administrator pays an average of $46,000 per year, depending  on your location and size of the agency.Legal Administrative AssistantThe Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that administrative support in the legal industry offers among the highest pay- and that can include overtime. While the average annual earnings are $48,000, the amount often increases due to  bonuses and profit sharing. In addition, medical and dental coverage are frequently provided.Youll need to have knowledge of legal terms and principles (as well as the ability to write correspondence and draft documents using these  terms) to be competitive in this niche.Business AdministratorBusiness administrators work in many fields and industries: sales, retail, hospitality, and  management operations are a few. Among other duties, a business administrator may oversee a companys budget and finances and analyze sales reports.Those with associate d egrees may earn  from $25,000 to $50,000 annually; a bachelors degree can bump the annual average salary  up to around $88,000.Academic AdministratorThis support job for teaching departments handles administrative  duties  along with tasks like  resource planning, scheduling, logistics, and project management. The average salary of an academic administrator is around $90,000 for elementary and secondary schools.Database AdministratorThis type of administrator organizes and stores data on special programs, such as   shipping records for customers or  financial information for institutions. To be a database administrator, you must  be able to install, upgrade, configure, and maintain an organizations databases. The average annual  pay of a database administrator is $78,500 per year.Financial AdministratorFinancial administrators, who carry  responsibility for budget information, accounts receivable and payable, and the preparation of financial reports, can work for a large number of different companies: from banks to schools and retail companies. Salary is dependent on the type and size of the company and the duties required.The average salary for this position is around $46,000, but may range between $32,000 and $66,000.When looking for a job, there are many things to consider, such as different fields of employment for which you may be qualified, particularly if you are pursuing a career as an administrator. TheJobNetwork can do your job searching for you by sending you alerts when a job matching your qualifications and interests comes up. The advantage of doing this type of job search is that you are notified right away when appropriate jobs arise, instead of having to perform the search yourself. Once you enter your job interests and qualifications, you can be alerted or you can perform searches yourself to find the perfect job for you.

Strategy and Strategic Management

Strategy and Strategic Management Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategy and Strategic Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century Introduction There is no unanimity among scholars and practitioners on the meaning of strategy. Texts on the subject discuss strategy from different and sometimes contradictory perspectives. The only issue, over which there is little debate, is the origin of the term strategy. â€Å"In its original sense, strategy (from the Greek word, Strategos) is a military term used to describe the art of the general (Harvard Business School, 2005, p. xi). This art is about plans for troop deployment in battles to win wars. Many writers acknowledge that the concept of strategy has military origins, with Sun Tzu’s â€Å"Art of War† being one the oldest treatise on strategy. Businesspersons seem to enjoy using military analogies to conceptualize the running of bu sinesses in the modern world. Indeed, the pressure of keeping a business afloat amidst a very volatile operating environment that the world has become can feel like war. It is the goal of this paper to seek to uncover the essential components of strategy and the process of formulating a coherent organizational strategy in the context of the built environment. Amid the differences that exist as to what strategy is, it seems more beneficial to embrace a wide-angled view of since each of the viewpoints has merit and contributes to the overall understanding of the concept. It is the approach that Mark, (2004, p. 11) advocates for in the context of business when he states, â€Å"One of the greatest benefits of a comprehensive approach to strategy is the surfacing and exploitation of multiple sources of attractive growth†. However, this growth should give due considerations the internal resources availability for now and for the future.Advertising Looking for essay on busin ess economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Essential Components of Strategy The first essential component of strategy is action. The Harvard Business School (2005) states, â€Å"Strategy is about doing the right things† (p. xi). Actions reveal an organizations strategy. A deliberate strategy informs its actions. However, actions not based on a defined strategy still qualify for consideration as part of organizational strategy. Secondly, strategy refers to a plan. Henderson (1991) states, â€Å"Strategy is a deliberate search for a plan of action that will develop a business’s competitive advantage and compound it† (p. 5). This plan informs the actions undertaken when the strategy is deliberate. Henderson (1991) assumes that all strategy must be formally planned. In the context of strategy, it is not the formalization of a plan but the deliberate choices a business puts in place that counts. Another view forwarded by the Harvard Business School (2005) about strategy is that it is a resource control and utilization plan meant to protect the central interests of an organization. These resources include finances, physical infrastructure, and human resource. This view accomodates the lack of a deliberate centralized conventional business strategy made through a formal process. It simply refers to the arrangement of those resources in a sensible manner towards certain ends. Competitive advantage is the motive behind strategy. Robert (2005) succinctly states, â€Å"Strategy is about winning† (p. 4). This view is supported by Porter (1991) who states, â€Å"the essense of strategy formulation is coping with competition† (p. 11). The idea expressed reveals the intentional use of a plan to out-perform business rivals using unique traits of the organization in order to survive, and hopefully thrive. In this case, strategy answers the need to be the best among competitors. T he fifth essential component of strategy revealed by Robert (2005) is organizational identity. He states, â€Å"At the most basic level, strategy making extends beyond questions of resource deployment and market positioning to address fundamental questions such as: what is our business? What are we trying to achieve? What is our identity as an organization?† (Robert, 2005, p. xi). This approach requires the organization to understand itself first before venturing out into the market with a clear direction. Wall (2004) agrees with this approach showing that strategy provides an organization with a â€Å"coherent sense of direction†, which is yet another essential component of strategy (p. 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategy and Strategic Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This coherence makes it possible for all members of the organization to act in a coordinated fashion, which is esse ntial for the success of a business. This holds true for small firms as well as large corporations. The final essential component of strategy is context. Successful strategy is very contextual. â€Å"As soon as we move beyond general notions to more precise definition, then these depend upon the type of arena within which strategy is being deployed† (Robert, 2005, p. 7). This element accounts for the disparities in the views on strategy since some of the viewpoints are highly contextalized. Increasingly, in this era of multinationals and globalization, context is more difficult to delineate especially geographically, yet to ignore context when developing strategy is to court disaster. Towards a Unified View of Strategy Based on the viewpoints above, Mark (2004) seems to have developed the most comprehensive definition of strategy. He states, â€Å"Strategy is about raising and allocating resources, setting priorities, directing organizations, and demonstrating through decisi ve behaviour what will be done – and what will not – in the pursuit of a larger vision, goal, mission, or high level set of objectives† (Mark, 2004. p. xv). His definition is broad enough to capture most of the essential elements of strategy thereby avoiding the problem of high contextualization. It is also wide enough to cover the specifics of strategy that are valid in the strategic management of all organizations. This makes it useful in understanding the concept of strategy. Its other strength is that it leaves room for looking at strategy as either deliberate or consequential. The elements defined here do not require a centralized approach to strategy development but even if it is there, it does not disqualify it. Its major weakness is its lack of enviromental cognisance. It does not account for environmental factors that greatly influence the preparation and execution of strategy. This goes to demonstrate that the process of developing a unfied view of stra tegy is a work in progress, and still requires effort to sysnthesize the essential elements into a comprehensive definition of strategy. This preferred view must include the nine essential componenents identified above and in addition it must allow for both the deliberate and consequential nature of strategy.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A definition that meets the above criteria will still be somewhat incomplete since there is still the problem of universality versus contextualization. The following is an attempt to redefine strategy to meet this criteria presenting a wider understanding of the concept. Strategy is a set of actions, planned or otherwise that influence resource acquisition and allocation, deployed for the express purpose of attaining competitive advantage based on a clear organizational identity expressed in terms of its place, power, problems and potential, which informs its direction and actions within its environmental context. This definition captures all the essential elements identified but its rather cumbersome. It is long and may not appeal to the wider audience who actually need a concise definition to capture the essence of strategy. Probably, the sensible thing to do is to settle for a simplified global definition, while providing working definitions for each field, as writers have alread y done. The Strategy Process As expected, there is no universality in the recommendation of an ideal process for strategy development. There are different views on it. â€Å"Henry Mintzberg and his colleagues at McGill Unversity distinguish intended, realized and emergent strategies†. (Robert, 2005, p. 14). Intended strategy is the one the organization deliberately plans and positions itself to implement. Emergent strategy is the one which developes unwittingly as an organization responds to evolving issues. When these two strategies interact, the result is the realized strategy which is the strategy the organization finds itself implementing. These three strategies are the result of three concurrent processes and they demonstrate the organic nature of strategy. Strategy therefore is not a static process but a dynamic one that evolves and requires regular refitting. There is much concurrence though when looking at strategy as a process. In fact, there is a deliberate encourag ement that organizations should take an active role in the developement of their strategy, other than waiting for one to emerge as they undertake their daily business. The Harvard Business School (2005) states, â€Å"strategy creation and its implementation should be approached as a process† (p. xvi). The school proposes a five level process for strategy development that is useful in understanding the strategy process. The steps in the process are developement of a mission, followed by identification of organizational goals. Thirdly, there is the actual strategy development succeeded by the strategy implementation process. The final level is performance measurement. The first level of strategy development is mission. â€Å"Strategy creation follows from the mission of the company, which defines its purpose and what it aims to do for customers and other stakeholders† (Harvard Business School, 2005, p. xvi). Mark (2004) underscores the importance of mission when he says that the identification and action upon a particular set of issues determines the success of a business. When the organization is clear about its priorities, then it can sucessfully engage in determining what is essential to its operations for success. The mission sets the rules governing its key relationships and functions. The next level is the identification of goals. â€Å"Strategy creation typically begins with extensive research and analysis and a process through which senior management zeros in on the top priority issues that the company needs to tackle to be sucessful inn the long term† (Harvard Business School, 2005, p. xvii). There is a difference in opinion as to the direction of flow of the process, and whether it is the top management that is best placed to set organizational goals. They have the tools and the authority but they lack in understanding of frontline issues that are key in implementation. Frontline staff on the other hand have clear views on what is not working for them but they lack the organizational overview. Probably, a middle line where the management gets input from the frontline is the best way around this challenge. Once the goals are set, strategy creation takes place. It involves determining the internal and external forces followed by the identification of the choices that the organization has to achieve its objectives. Many tools are used to examine the organization’s capacity to settle on a particular organizational strategy after an environmantal scan. While The Havard Busienss School advocates for SWOT as a method of conducting an enviromental scan, Robert (2005) feels that this approach is difficult to implement in practice and he advocates for a two way analysis of the environment, looking at internal and external factors. He contends that its not the four way classification but the â€Å"rigor and depth† in the analysis of these factors that counts (Robert, 2005). Another popular tool worth menti oning used to conduct an evironmental scan is the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis. This tool is useful when the organization’s bottom line is the impetus driving the organization’s effort in undertaking a stategic planning process. There is lesser contention on who developes organizational strategy. Many writers agree that â€Å"the job of creating an organization’s strategy over time falls to senior managers† (Walker, 2004. p4). The forth step in the strategy process is implementation. â€Å"A strategy that is formulated without regard to its implemetation is likely to be fatally flawed.† (Robert, 2005, 14). In pushing the case for more frontline involvement, Daughtry and Casselman (2009) state, â€Å"Vision and strategy, critical though they are, are virtually useless without consistent execution right down to the frontlines† (p. 1 ). This requires good communication along the ranks of the organization. They add that â€Å"Strategy h as to be translated into the language and actions appropriate to each level in the organization† (Daughtry Casselman, 2009, P.5). The final level in the strategy process is performance measurement. This lacks in organizations that do not have deliberate strategy. They do not know what to measure since they have not categorically stated what their goals are. This five-step process is more useful as a conceptual model than as an actual implementation process. Wall (2004) warns that things do not work out this neatly in the real world where forces shift suddenly and without warning. Perhaps it is best to look at strategy development as â€Å"an iterative process that begins with a recognition of where you are and what you have now† (Henderson, 1991, p. 6). New information and circumstances feed into the old circumstances forcing us to change and adapt our methods. The role of strategic management is to ensure that the changes in the environment do not adversely affect the organization’s long term view, but that the organization prepares in advance to take advantage of these changes. Application of Strategy-Strategic Fit and Strategic Foresight Just like other organizations, construction companies exists within a certain environment defined broadly by the natural environment, demographic structures, social structures, legislative processes, technology, and economy. This environment has an immediate impact on their interest’s interests and influences everyday decisions. In addition, they have their own unique internal environments defined by organizational culture, resources outlay such as level capitalisation and expertise, and business processes defining how they find and execute construction contracts. The internal environment influences the realization of their aspirations and the momentum they sustain towards their realization. Certain other forces much larger in dimension constitute the business climate of companies in the built en vironment. These include the macroeconomic trends, political issues, and global trends. Montgomery and Porter (1991) observe, â€Å"Increasingly, both business units and corporations must compete globally† (p. xv). Dalic (2007) calls it â€Å"the convergence of cultures† (p. 4). The climate has long-term impacts on the industry though it may be a while before a particular company begins to feel the impact of climatic changes. They are a very strong motivation behind the strategy process. Before a construction company develops its strategy, it is beneficial and maybe crucial for it to determine what its environment looks like. This allows it to forecast the impact of its present actions thereby providing it with the range of presently available options and the limits within which it can operate profitably. The application of strategy and the strategy process allows an organization to determine two important contexts in strategic planning and strategic management. These are strategic fit and strategic foresight. Strategic Fit Strategic fit looks at the present. It refers to the process where an organization examines its current position to ascertain whether it is sitting squarely on its best possible footing or whether there is a mismatch, based on its objectives. In the built environment, a company looks at whether its level of staffing and financing corresponds to the available opportunities. The resulting plan from the process is a strategic plan to give the organization a better placement within its business context. Robert (2005) recognizes the need for strategic fit when he states, â€Å"For a strategy to be successful, it must be consistent with the firm’s external environment and with the characteristics of the firm’s internal environment- its goals and values, resources and capabilities, and structure and systems† (p. 14). Construction projects normally take very long from ideation to completion, and it is normal for v ery drastic changes in the business enviroment to occur within the life of the project. By seeking to attain strategic fit, a construction company ensures it takes advantage of the present opportunities which may dissapear because of environmental change. Strategic fit is the result of implementing measures concluded upon after conducting an environmental scan during the strategy process. Strategy and the strategy process may provide organizations in the built environment with the ability to determine their strategic fit to ensure that they are currently using their resources to the best effect. However, due to the dynamic environment in the present business context, for a small outfit such as small to medium enterprise construction industy, the strategy process considerations may pose challenges to them in utilizing their resources to the best outcome as it is somewhat restrictive in terms of time, cost and resource availability. Strategic Focus/Foresight On the other hand, strateg ic foresight, also known as strategic focus, refers to the preferred position of an organization usually at some point in the future. By looking at the medium and long-term opportunities, a construction company may find certain desirable positions they would prefer to occupy at that future date. Strategic foresight considers all the forces acting on the business environment within which the organization operates and seeks to determine their impact on the long-term objectives of the organization. This prepares it to take advantage of arising opportunities and prepares it to handle future challenges. â€Å"One of the biggest challenges facing executive teams is lack of strategic focus† (Daughtry Casselman, 2009, p. 7). Its long-term nature makes it easy to ignore especially for small construction companies with severe resource constraints. The pressure of the present seems to make strategic foresight an unnecessary burden on already overworked executives. By drawing on strateg y and the strategy process, a construction company creates strategic focus on its executives, thereby preparing them to handle the challenges the company will face in the future. It assures the long-term survival of the company. It is tempting to look at the strategy process in terms of strategic foresight without considering the implications of strategic fit on the desired future. Organizations in the built environment need to know that strategic foresight without strategic fit results in â€Å"a plan for the future without a plan for the present† (Wall, 2004, p. 13). On the other hand, strategic fit without strategic focus gurantees the present at the expense of the future. Hence, the outcome should be a balanced strategy where there should be a constant review of the corporate strategy and its implication on present and future resources, and the competitive advantage in the market place. Reference List Bacharach, S.B. (1989) Organizational Theories: Dome Criteria for Evalu ation. The Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 496-515 Bourgeois III, L.T. (1984) Strategic Management and Determinism. The Academy of Management Review, 9(4), 586-596 Dalic, T. (2007) Globalization of Marketing Strategies in Light of Segmentation and Cultural Diversity. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag. Daughtry, T.C. and Casselman, G.L., (2009) Executing Strategy: From Boardroom to Frontline. Herndon, VI: Capital Books. Harvard Business School (2005) Strategy: Create and Implement the Best Strategy for Your Business. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. Henderson, B.D.(1991) Developing Strategy in C.A. Montgomery M.E. Porter, eds. Strategy: Seeking and Securing Competitive Advantage. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing Division. Li. Y and Peng, M.W. (2008) Developing theory from strategic management research in China, Asia Pacific Journal Manage, 25(3), 563-572. Mark, D. (2004) Strategy: A Step by Step Approach to the Developement and Presentation of World Class Business Strat egy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Poppo, L. and Zenger T. (1998) Testing Alternative Theories of the Firm: Transaction Cost, Knowledge-Based, and Measurement Explanations for Make-or-Buy Decision in Information Services, Strategic Management Journal, 19, 853-887 Robert, M.G. (2005) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Smircich, L. and Stubbart C. (1985), Strategic Management in an Enacted World, The academy of Management Review, 10(4), 724-736. Teece, D.J., Pisano, G. and Shuen, A. (1997) Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management, Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509-533. Toffek, M.W. (2004) Strategic Management of Product Recovery, California Management Review, 46(2), 1-22 Venkatram, N. and Cumillus, J.C. (1984) Exploring the Concept of â€Å"Fit† in Strategic Management, The Academy of Management Review, 9(3), 513-525 Walker, G. (2004) Modern Competitive Strategy. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Wall, S.J. (2004) On the Fly: Executing S trategy in a Changing World. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. D31BM – Business Management for Built Environment