Critical Analysis on the Context of Multi-agency Team Work Essay Example

Critical Analysis on the Context of Multi Critical Analysis on the Context of Multi-agency Team Work Paper Critical Analysis on the Context of Multi-agency Team Work Paper This essay will focus upon a critical incident analysis in the context of multi-agency team work and inter-professional working. The details of the incident will be drawn from the authors recent experience with the Community Housing Support Team, in particular from Care Programme Approach meetings. The names of both clients and staff, as well as details pertaining to their locale have been changed or omitted to comply with the UKCC’s Code of Professional Conduct, Clause 10, (UKCC, 1992). The situation used within this assignment is based upon two clients who co-habit in a first floor maisonette as common law husband and wife. Mr Client has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia which is controlled with xenobiotics and is the main carer for Mrs Client who has a diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia also controlled by xenobiotics that are administered by Mr Client. Mrs Client also has a prolapse of the uterus which causes her to suffer from double incontinence. Arrangements have been made for Mrs Client to have the required operation to repair the problem, however prior to admission Mrs Client becomes very anxious and has twice refused to have the operation. Both clients have a poor dietary intake, poor personal hygiene, high caffeine intake, and a heavy smoking habit. The conditions that the clients are now living in due to the above being ongoing for some time are now less than satisfactory, and to that end the present situation and what should be done about it, has become the primary focus of the various professionals and agencies involved in care of the clients. Each client has their own keyworker representative from the agencies and professionals involved in their care, these are a community psychiatric nurse (CPN), social worker, and a member of the housing support team (HST). Both the clients have home care workers visiting as part of the social work input, and they also share the same general practitioner (GP), and psychiatric consultant. Housing support team input was on a daily basis with both clients and their role was to assist the clients with shopping and encourage the clients to use leisure facilities and local transport. The housing support team although referred to separately within this essay are officially part of the social work team, as this is the source of their funding. The social work keyworkers roles were to visit the clients on a regular basis and to assist with benefits, finances etc, as well as assisting the clients in conjunction with the rest of the care team if a crisis arose. The social work department had also arranged for home help to visit on a regular basis to assist with housework and hygiene. The clients community psychiatric nurse’s role was to monitor medication and mental state. These are the defined roles as the author understands them, however the care team as a whole interchanges, shares, or crosses over roles as a matter of course throughout the care deployment. In order to properly analyse the inter-professional working of the clients care team, it is important to collate the differing aims of each profession involved. Mr and Mrs Client’s keyworkers from the housing support team were of the opinion that the client’s accommodation had reached the stage where it was posing a health risk for both the clients and other residents in the building. Because the housing support team had daily input with both clients they were also able to pick up on various other aspects of care that appeared to require revaluation, such as medication and mental state, and had encountered such an issue with Mr Client giving Mrs Client the incorrect dosage of medication. Taking into account the issues raised the housing support team felt that they were maintaining a poor quality of life for the clients, and that alternative sheltered accommodation, and care approach should be discussed as this was unacceptable. The social work keyworkers in addition to their normal visits had arrangements for further visits outside of the care plan agreement as there was a recognised need for more intense support at this time. It was felt that placement in a nursing home as a couple with continuing input from the housing support team and community psychiatric nurse, would improve the clients quality of life. The clients general practitioner and consultant had made a referral to residential services. Both clients community psychiatric nurse felt that the clients mental state did not warrant an admission into hospital, however further arrangements should be made regarding medication and accommodation. These various agencies and professionals come together, in this case every six months, to partake in a care programme approach meeting (CPA). The care programme approach was first considered in nineteen eighty-nine then again in nineteen ninety in a Department of Health circular, before being implemented in nineteen ninety-one as an official guideline. However inter-collaborative working has been an aim of government policy in mental health services since the nineteen seventies, (COUCHMAN, 1995). Its target group being psychiatric clients in hospital, community or other specialised mental health service. The aim of the guidelines were to encourage greater efficiency and co-operation between the various agencies and professionals involved in the care of a client or clients. This was to be done by systematically assessing all the clients needs and the agency or profession that could best meet those needs, the appointment of a keyworker from one of the agencies or professions involved, to reach agreement between the carers involved and the client, and then to implement, monitor and set regular review dates, (COWART SEROW, 1992), In addition to the care plan approach meetings there is almost daily interaction between the agencies and professions involved. In addition to this there are meetings within each individual agency or profession, usually on a weekly basis, concerning the most appropriate delivery of care within the role of the individual agency or profession. The diagram in Appendix A shows the ways that clients enter the psychiatric services, and where inter-professional collaboration happens, it also shows that this care team is a hybrid parallel pathway team. Efficient inter-professional collaboration exists only where there is good group dynamics and working relationships, both within the care team and within the government who’s laws and guidelines that care team follows. However when reviewing the history of British social policy it is easy to become pessimistic, Webb, (1991) points out, â€Å"exhortations to organisations, professionals and other producer interests to work together more closely and effectively litter the policy landscape, yet the reality is all to often a jumble of services fractionalised by professional, cultural and organisational boundaries and by tiers of governance†. In order to overcome these problems they must first be identified and then strategies devised to overcome them. Whilst in the community with the housing support team the author observed that the main problem or cause of problems was communication, whilst ironically, most if not all of the problems encountered could have been avoided or solved more efficiently with effective communication. However the author feels this may be viewed by many as an over-generalisation, and so will break this down further into some of the ‘sub’ problems. A key difficulty is that working together appears to be the logical way forward, yet it is the authors experience that little consideration is given to the effects of such an activity, (CARLING, 1995). From an agencies or professions point of view collaborative activity raises two main difficulties first it looses its freedom to act independently when it would prefer to maintain control over its domain and affairs. Second, it must invest scarce resources and energy in developing and maintaining relationships with other organisations, when the potential returns on its investment are often unclear or intangible, (HUDSON, 1987). The main sources of conflict within an organisation and inter-professional collaboration are communication, power, goals, values, resources, roles and personalities. As mentioned previous a major source of conflict is the misunderstanding or breakdown of communication. However communication can also be used as a tool for clarifying opposing views. It is the authors observation that most values within an organisation are internalised and are therefore difficult to change, but they can be clarified through communication so as not to become a barrier. This kind of logic is a skill that can only be learnt through the application of common sense and the wisdom of experience, (BILLIS HARRIS, 1996). Conflict situations often arise suddenly, the author has observed that the more people that attend a meeting or that are involved in a decision regarding care organisation the more potential there is for conflict to occur. Power causes conflict when there are relationships within organisations between individuals of unequal power, the classic example being the doctor/patient relationship, or the nurse and the consultant. This can cause additional conflict where there are differently structured organisations working together as the power differences between individuals then become unclear. For example the power relationship between the community psychiatric nurse and the social worker. Another common cause of conflict is different goals, different methods of reaching those goals, different values, unclear or overlapping designation of responsibilities, lack of information and personality conflicts. It is acknowledged within health care that some conflicts can not be resolved, Mallory, (1981) states that unresolved conflicts need to be managed carefully within any work group in order to balance the level of conflict. Banton, (1985) remarks that the essential point is that conflicts of interest are of fundamental importance in all major areas of life in our society and therefore full consensus is only possible when people are prepared to restrict themselves to the trivial. Conflict in an open environment can be beneficial to the work environment as when handled in a mature and professional manner conflict can lead to creativity, innovation or growth, however if to much energy is expended in non productive activity then conflict becomes destructive. It is the authors opinion that conflict is an inherent part of the nursing and general health care culture, and that psychiatric nurses in the community are prime candidates for this because of the need to work collaboratively with people both professional and non professional of varying social, ethnic and educational backgrounds. Collaboration suggests that the combined power of the agencies or professions is distributed evenly, yet nurses are employed in a hierarchical system. Huber, (1996) suggests that nurses find that working in groups creates a situation in which there are a number of different colleagues and a variety of client types and different personalities to work with, these are complex interrelationships, and added to that complexity is the fact that there are multiple providers requiring co-ordination and communication to manage the care for any client. Within healthcare as a whole there is an interdependence between its members. The multi-disciplinary team breaks down into multiple care providers each relying on the other to carry out a portion of the work. For example a member of the housing support team can not monitor a clients medication if the clients community nurse has not organised the Doset box from the pharmacy. The source of conflict can be organisational, interpersonal or a combination of both. Personal and organisational goals and values may also be in conflict with or over general policies, a general policy being the course of action taken by an institution, department or unit. Policies in the main are meant to soothe conflicts over specific issues, they are designed to give about standard ways to make decisions in recurring situations. However different people within the care team may approach situations with differing viewpoints on how to best deal with certain issues, differences may occur over such things a clerical or managerial routines, or over record keeping and information sharing. Clashes may result at the intersection of a nurses professional judgement as an autonomous professional with standardised policies developed by the institution and designed to produce uniform behaviour, (AJN, 1987). Resource allocation comes under organisation issues and is especially important in the case of Mr and Mrs Client as the general consensus is that sheltered accommodation of some description is required, which inevitably will require funding. Budgeting has caused conflict over scarce resources within organisations. In the case of Mr and Mrs Client the funding for the accommodation should come from the social services department. Power conflicts can be both organisational and interpersonal and result in role conflicts. Role conflicts have been identified as being of two types, role overload and role ambiguity. Role overload is when a carer is expected to perform the work of other employees or disciplines in addition to providing their normal care tasks. Whereas role ambiguity is when the role and responsibilities of the carer expands faster than is officially recognised, (JOHNSON, 1994). To assist in making interprofessional collaboration joint working recommendations such as those stated in Building Bridges, (1996) have been suggested these include commitment on all levels of care approach and delivery, to maintain a primary focus on the service users, jointly owned or shared strategies for care of people with severe mental health problems, agreed procedures for access to services, agreed procedure for information exchange, clarification of roles and responsibilities and regular reviewing of interprofessional dynamics. ?vretveit, (1997) states that UK policy in the nineteen nineties has asked the question, what is wrong with the service? Rather than what problems need tackling in the outside world. In future it should re-focus on how partnerships between the users of the service, professional workers and managers can be achieved, in other words how can we make an integrated service truly democratic? The solutions to nearly all the crisis encountered by the care team can be or could have been solved or at least minimised through the effective use of communication. It is felt that it would also be important in interprofessional collaboration to have shared values and cultures, while a mismatch along these lines between health and social services has been well documented. (SMITH, 1993). Collaboration is the basis for team building and with the changes to healthcare, work redesign, restructuring and reengineering depend on effective collaboration, co-operation and group accomplishment. Proactive conflict resolution in work groups is the essence of building successful teams which are flexible and adaptable, and have a high degree of trust and communication. Therefore the ingredients for successful interprofessional collaboration may be a common goal, interdependence, co-operation, co-ordination of activities, task specialisation and therefore role clarity, equal division of effort and mutual respect. Team building is defined as being the deliberate process of creating and unifying a group into an effective functioning work unit to accomplish specific goals, (FARLEY STONER, 1989). In conclusion, collaboration has been called the most effective strategy for managing conflict to achieve long term benefits. However a wide differential in power (both felt and actual), exists between nurses, social workers, and consultants, and this hinders effective collaboration. Therefore with wide differences in power the most commonly used techniques seem to be compromise and accommodation. There are indications however that this is changing as the health service as a whole is and has undergone some major changes with the implementation of the care plan approach, care management and the formation of community teams such as housing support and community support teams, and as a result effective interprofessional collaboration could soon become more commonplace. (BALDOCK, 1974). REFERENCES. AJN, (1987), Conflict Management. American Journal of Nursing, New York. BALDOCK. P, (1974), Community Work and Social Work. Routledge and Kegan Paul, London. BANTON. R et al, (1985), The Politics of Mental Health. MacMillan Publishers LTD, University Press Oxford. BILLIS. D HARRIS. M, (1996), Voluntary Agencies. Challenges of Organisation and Management. MacMillan Publishers LTD, London. CARLING. P. J, (1995), Return to Community. Building Support Systems for People with Psychiatric Disabilities. The Guilford Press, London. COUCHMAN. A, (1995), Research and Evaluation Issues in Interprofessional Education. CAIPE, London. COWART. M. E SEROW. W. J, (1992), Nurses in the Workplace. Sage Publications, London. FARLEY. M STONER. M, (1989) The Nurse Executive and Interdisciplinary Team Building. Nursing Administration Quarterly. Volume 13, Number 2, Pages 24-30. HUBER. D, (1996), Leadership and Nursing Care Management. W. B. Saunders Company, USA. HUDSON. B, (1987), Collaboration in Social Welfare: A Framework for Analysis. Policy and Politics. Volume 19, Number 4, Page 243-256. JOHNSON. M, (1994), Conflict and Nursing Professionalization. Mosby, St Louis. ?VRETVEIT. J, MATHIAS. P, THOMPSON. T, (eds), (1997), Interprofessional Working for Health and Social Care. MacMillan Publishers LTD, Hong Kong. SMITH. R et al, (1993), Working Together for Better Community Care. SAUS Publications, Bristol. UKCC, (1992), Code of Professional Conduct. Clause 10. 3rd Edition. United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Visiting, London. WEBB. A, (1991), Co-ordination, A Problem in Public Sector Management. Policy and Politics. Volume 19, Number 4, Page 229-242. BIBLIOGRAPHY. ROPER. N, LOGAN. W, TIERNEY. A. J, (1986). The Elements of Nursing. Churchill Livingstone, London. LYTTLE. J, (1994) Mental Disorder Its Care Treatment. Bailliere Tindall, London. SELIGMAN. M, (1991). Learned Optimism. New York.

The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes

The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What are all the IB courses available to take? Here's our complete list of all SL and HL classes. Every IB School is different, so your IB school may not offer all of the IB courses below. However, these are all of the classes that IB creates a curriculum and test for. There are 56 classes (counting HL and SL separately). I have categorized them by the subject categories that IB defines as the six subject groups. Table of Contents Group 1: Studies in language and literature Group 2: Language acquisition Group 3: Individuals and societies Group 4: Sciences Group 5: Mathematics Group 6: The arts To receive your IB Diploma, you must take from all 6 categories (except you can study an additional science, individuals and societies, or languages course, instead of a course in the arts). You must also complete what is known as the core, which includes one additional class: Theory of Knowledge / TOK I'll dive into more detail on each below: Group 1: Language and Literature Course Name IBO Description Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Language A: literature The course introduces students to the analysis of literary texts. The course is automatically available in 55 languages and available by special request and may be studied in any language with a sufficiently developed written literature. N/A No HL and SL Language A: language and literature The language A: language and literature course introduces the critical study and interpretation of written and spoken texts from a wide range of literary and non literary genres. The formal analysis of texts is supplemented by awareness that meaning is not fixed but can change in respect to contexts of production and consumption. This course is available for study in 17 languages. N/A No HL and SL Literature and performance The literature and performance course aims to explore the relationship between literature and theatre. The main focus of the course is the interaction between the literary skills of close reading, critical writing and discussion and the practical, aesthetic and symbolic elements of performance. It is available in English, and by special request Spanish and French. N/A No SL only Group 2: Language Acquisition Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Classical languages Latin or Classical Greek coursework provides opportunities for students to study the language, literature and culture of ancient Rome or Greece. N/A No HL and SL Language B Language B courses are foreign language courses intended for students who have had some previous experience of learning the language. They may be studied at either higher level or standard level. I took Language B SL (specifically Spanish B SL). After previously taking Spanish 5 years (beginning in 8th grade). I found the written exam very easy. There is also an oral presentation, which was more challenging. You present on a topic and are required to answer any questions that your teacher asks you regarding your presentation. I received a 7 in the class. Yes, Spanish B SL only HL and SL Language ab initio These courses are foreign language for beginners (that is, students who have little or no previous experience of learning the language they have chosen). These courses are only available at standard level. N/A Yes, Spanish ab initio, Mandarin ab initio, and French ab initio SL only Group 3: Individuals and Societies Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Business management Business Management course is a rigorous and dynamic course that explores how business decision-making processes impact on internal and external environments. In turn, it will explore how decision-making processes themselves are affected by internal and external environments. N/A Yes, HL and SL HL and SL Economics The course emphasizes the economic theories of microeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms and markets, and the economic theories of macroeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments and societies. These economic theories are not to be studied in a vacuum- rather, they are to be applied to real-world issues. Prominent among these issues are fluctuations in economic activity, international trade, economic development and environmental sustainability. N/A Yes, HL, SL, and one-year SL HL and SL Geography Geography takes advantage of its position to examine relevant concepts and ideas from a wide variety of disciplines. This helps students develop an appreciation of, and a respect for, alternative approaches, viewpoints and ideas. N/A No HL and SL Global Politics This is a relatively new class that was first available for testing in May 2017. The global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, liberty and equality, in a range of contexts and at a variety of levels. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international and global dimensions of political activity, as well as allowing them the opportunity to explore political issues affecting their own lives. N/A No HL and SL History The Diploma Programme history course aims to promote an understanding of history as a discipline, including the nature and diversity of its sources, methods and interpretations. It also helps students to gain a better understanding of the present through critical reflection upon the past. It is hoped that many students who follow the course will become fascinated with the discipline, developing a lasting interest in it whether or not they continue to study it formally. There are two â€Å"routes†: you can either study the history of Europe and the Islamic world or 20th century world history. Most likely, your school will only offer you one option. I took History HL and covered the History of Europe (I think they adapted it since I took it to add in the Islamic World). I thoroughly enjoyed the course. I think I got a 6 on the exam. No HL and SL Information technology in a global society The ITGS framework is modeled on a ‘triangle’. It uses an integrated approach, encouraging students to make informed judgments and decisions about the role of information and communication technologies in contemporary society. N/A Yes, SL and HL HL and SL Philosophy Philosophy is a systematic critical inquiry into profound, fascinating and challenging questions such as: What is it to be human? Do we have free will? What do we mean when we say something is right or wrong? N/A Yes, SL only HL and SL Psychology The IB Diploma Programme psychology course is the systematic study of behavior and mental processes. I took Psychology SL in high school and loved the course. We learned about very interesting experiments. Yes, SL and HL HL and SL Social and cultural anthropology The IB Diploma Programme social and cultural anthropology course offers an opportunity for students to explore and understand humankind in all its diversity through the comparative study of culture and human societies. N/A No HL and SL World religions It is a systematic, analytical yet empathetic study of the variety of beliefs and practices encountered in nine main religions of the world. The course seeks to promote an awareness of religious issues in the contemporary world by requiring the study of a diverse range of religions. N/A No SL only Group 4: Science Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Biology Biologists investigate the living world at all levels using many different approaches and techniques. At one end of the scale is the cell, its molecular construction and complex metabolic reactions. At the other end of the scale biologists investigate the interactions that make whole ecosystems function. I took SL and remember it being a pretty standard Biology class. It is probably very similar to AP Biology other than it requires more experimentation. No HL and SL Chemistry Chemistry is an experimental science that combines academic study with the acquisition of practical and investigational skills. N/A No HL and SL Computer Science The IB computer science course is a rigorous and practical problem-solving discipline. Computational thinking lies at the heart of the course and is integrated with other topics. This will be supported by practical activities including programming. N/A No HL and SL Design Technology DP design technology aims to develop internationally-minded people whose enhanced understanding of design and the technological world can facilitate our shared guardianship of the planet and create a better world. N/A No HL and SL Environmental systems and societies Through studying environmental systems and societies (ESS) students will be provided with a coherent perspective of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies; one that enables them to adopt an informed personal response to the wide range of pressing environmental issues that they will inevitably come to face. N/A No SL only Physics Physics is the most fundamental of the experimental sciences, as it seeks to explain the universe itself from the very smallest particles to the vast distances between galaxies. I took Physics HL in high school. It was most definitely the most challenging course and exam I took. We covered very high level physics that many Physics students do not reach until their sophomore or even junior year of college. The experiments were very interesting, and the reports for each were very long. It required a lot of time. No HL and SL Sports, exercise and health science The SEHS course incorporates the disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition, which are studied in the context of sport, exercise and health. N/A No SL only Group 5: Mathematics There are four math class options: Mathematical Studies SL (known as Math Studies) Mathematics SL Mathematics HL Further Mathematics HL The International Baccalaureate Organization does not do a good job distinguishing between the four courses, but from what I can gather, Mathematical studies SL is the lowest level of mathematics, then Mathematics SL, then Mathematics HL, then Further Mathematics HL. I took Mathematics HL. I found the class totally manageable, but the exam was much more difficult than I expected. This could have been because my class did not prepare me properly or maybe I did not study enough. Only Mathematics SL and Mathematics HL are available online. Group 6: Arts Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Dance The course focuses on the composition, performance and analysis of dance, or â€Å"expressive movement,† which is practiced among peoples of various backgrounds, and for a variety of purposes, throughout the planet. N/A No HL and SL Film At the core of the IB film course lies a concern with clarity of understanding, critical thinking, reflective analysis, effective involvement and imaginative synthesis that is achieved through practical engagement in the art and craft of film. N/A Yes, SL only HL and SL Music Through the music course students develop their knowledge and potential as musicians, both personally and collaboratively. N/A No HL and SL Theatre The IB Diploma Programme theatre course is a multifaceted theatre-making course of study. It gives students the opportunity to make theatre as creators, designers, directors and performers. It emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process, transforming ideas into action as inquisitive and productive artists. N/A No HL and SL Visual Arts The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts. N/A No HL and SL Other IB Required Class Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Theory of Knowledge (TOK) In this course, students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know. I know that sounds very vague. This was one of my favorite courses in high school. It was a mix of philosophy and personal evaluation. It allowed me to reflect on what issues were important to me. Yes N/A What's Next? Are you hoping to squeeze in some extra IB classes? Learn about the IB courses offered online. Studying for the SAT? Check out our complete guide to the SAT. Taking the SAT in the next month? Check out our guide to cramming. Not sure where you want to go to college? Check out our guide to finding your target school. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Working Capital Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Working Capital Management - Essay Example The paper tells that working capital for any firm is defined as the amount of money or current assets required by an organization for its everyday running. Liquidity in a business ensures that it remains solvent and that all its operations can be successfully undertaken. Cash, therefore, is a crucial part of the survival of any business organization. For this reason, sound financial management policies are paramount to the success of any business. Working capital management also involves providing finances for investment in the short term assets that are essential for the day to day running of the organization. They include reserve for unexpected costs, pre paid costs like operating licenses and insurance policies. Cyclic or seasonal financial needs should also be met. A clear example is the excessive spending of credit card holders during festive seasons like Christmas, where the banks experience an increase in lending. Good financial management will ensure that the banks can give a s much money as possible. There is also a delicate balance between too much solvency and profit maximization of an institution. Citibank, the principal operating subsidiary of Citicorp are among the biggest financial institutions in the world. Citibank has many international branches especially in south East Asia. In 1983, Citibank’s country manager for Indonesia, Melhi Mistri, was faced with the task of increasing profitability while managing the banks operating capital in line with reviews of its operating budget. He also had the mome

American Ethnic Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

American Ethnic Literature - Essay Example The relationship between the ethnic and the mainstream is not a static one. Especially in a multiethnic nation like the US, this relationship is continually changing. The relationship between the mainstream and ethnic communities, as well as their literary utterances, always goes through a process of mutual commentary and refashioning. We can apply Trivedi's formulation in defining the phenomenon as a 'transactionas an interactive, dialogic, two-way process rather than a simple active-passive one; as a process involving complex negotiation and exchange'. (Trivedi,1993 p.125) The question of language and literary production is integrally linked to the issue of power and political control and domination. Noted Spanish American author Richard Rodriguez' 'Hunger of Memory' foregrounds this association of language with the centralization of power structure. For Rodriguez, language is a conduit of social power, and the notion of 'public identity' is largely dependant on one's mastery of academic English. Similarly with literature, political domination is closely connected with canon formation. As a result, literature produced by the 'mainstream', following codes of European aesthetics, comes to be accepted as the 'mainstream' literature, or simply 'literature' of America. On the other hand, literary works produced outside the scope of this central literary corpus is designated as 'ethnic literature': the 'margin' to the American 'center'. Long relegated only to the second ranks of literary practice, ethnic literature at present takes a much appreciable position vis--vis what is usually considered to be mainstream literature. An interest towards an understanding of 'ethnic' voices in literature and relocating them within the range of mainstream academic practice has also been observed in the present times. However, this attempt has attracted a certain degree of hostility: a kind of academic hostility that is not an uncommon reaction to the center's attention towards ethnography and ethnic literature. The Chicana/o communities have been prominent in their conflictual engagement with the role and function of 'ethnic' intellectual/ academic identities, as defined by the 'academic' center. Angie Chabran has been particular suspicious of this whole enterprise of 'Chicana/o' studies - stating that it uncritically assists in the anthropoligation of the Chicana/o people. (Chabran 228-47) This attitude is now gaining currency, that ethnic study, in the form of literature or sociology, or within any other academic discipline, is basically a kind of re-instatement of categories rather than an attempt to obliteration. However, on the flip side of hostility, there have also been attempts towards reaching a cultural middle point, towards 'hybridization'. This hybridization has also been brought about by a dynamic relationship between the mainstream and the ethnic literary practices. The aesthetic and the consequent economic dictates of mainstream literary practice has influenced the narrative style and aesthetic stylizations of the ethnic forms. They have retained some of the literary forms that have ethnic roots, but have been adopted to fit the more linear and accepted forms of mainstream li

Chessington History Essay Example for Free

Chessington History Essay Chessington Zoo was opened in July 1931 as a private venture by Reginald Goddard who invited the public to view his private animal collection. After the War Chessington soon became known for the different types of entertainment it could offer:- a circus, a funfair and a miniature railway as well as the zoo. Despite this in the early 1970s the attendance figures of over 800,000 began to decline. The Zoo was in need of further investment. In 1978 the Pearson Group bought Chessington and when they later bought Madame Tussauds, they put all their leisure interests together to form the Tussauds Group. 1981 saw the beginning of the planning for the transformation of Chessington. Six years and i 12m later the Park was ready. It was opened in July 1987 by H. R. H. Prince Edward. The opening coincided with the opening of the M25 which gives easy access to the Park from various parts of the country. Approximately 18m people live within a 2 hour drive of the Park. On 19th October 1998 it was announced that Pearson had sold the Tussauds Group to Charterhouse Development Capital for i 352m. The Tussauds Group Vision and Mission Vision: Entertaining People. Mission: To deliver real growth in profits to take Europes leading entertainment world-wide. The Marketing Department are a small team who work across both Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park. It is the overall responsibility of the Marketing department to ensure that the brand identities of the two Parks are maintained in all communication both on and off the Parks. They do this through first identifying the brand identity, target market, and visual representation of the brand, i. e. the logo. For Chessington the target market is families with children under 12. Each year the marketing department will put together a marketing plan that covers the following areas: Product. Although almost without exception a new attraction is launched each year, and the main launch communication will focus on that, general communication about the rest of the Park is required. Theme Parks provide a whole day out for the family and its not just about the rides. The other attractions, places to eat, games, photography, the atmosphere, all play an important part in delivering a great day out. Pricing. There is a complex pricing structure for the Park which looks to maximise the revenue the Park can achieve with its targeted number of visitors. Marketing will review the pricing each year and along with the finance department look at how the budgeted targets can be achieved through the pricing matrix. Advanced sales are important to the business and for this reason tickets booked in advance are discounted, also those booked via the Internet are further discounted as this is a more efficient way for us to produce the tickets. Advanced tickets reduce the queues at admissions as visitors already have their tickets and can go straight in to the Park. Promotion. Promotion of the Park happens via a number of different communication channels. Advertising. This is generally broken down into two areas, the creative production of the advert and then the choice of where to place that advert, TV, Radio, Press etc. For the year 2002 communication for Chessington will focus on the new attraction, Hocus Pocus Hall. The main creative idea is all based around The New Adventure Starts Here. This new creative idea will be adapted for use on TV, Radio, Press and in Childrens comics, ie The Beano. Promotions. Promotions are very import in incentivising visitors to come to the Park. The incentive is generally either a Buy One get One Free mechanic or a discount off the full adult or child price. Chessington ran promotions on its own or in conjunction with the Tussauds Group, ie Tesco. Promotions can be run with a wide variety of partners, Esso, News of the World, KP Skips or solus via a direct mail campaign to surrounding homes. Public Relations. This area is all about getting positive exposure in the media, TV, Radio and Press. This is generally achieved through issuing Press Releases and conducting interviews with journalists. Measuring the Success. Throughout the year, how the Park is doing against its financial targets is constantly reviewed, but in addition Marketing conducts ongoing research into how the Park is performing on a daily basis. Questionnaires are handed out to visitors as they leave asking them to rank the rides experiences, eating places, how friendly and helpful the staff were, etc. This provides information on where things may be going wrong and how to put them right. New Media is a crucial area for involvement now and in the future. In addition to maintaining its own site: www. chessington. com, the Marketing department looks to exploit other opportunities for advertising, promotions and PR on other sites. Use of agencies. Chessington uses a wide variety of agencies as they bring different areas of expertise and experiences to the department. We use an advertising agency to create the TV, Radio adverts etc. and also for all the design work for the Gate Map. The space for the TV, Radio slots etc  is purchased by a Media Buying agency. We also use a Sales Promotion agency, PR agency and Internet design agencies. Corporate Hospitality makes it possible for businesses to entertain their guests at Chessington World of Adventures. Up to 3 000 corporate guests can be catered for at any one time. Education. An establishment like Chessington World of Adventures offers the opportunity for students studying the leisure industry, business or animals to visit the Park and find out more about their subject. For this reason, it is possible for groups to incorporate an educational talk into their visit. The Zoo enables guests to learn about the wildlife at Chessington World of Adventures. The Marketing Department ensure that the signage for the animals and around the Park are of a high quality and accessible by all the guests. Most often asked marketing questions Q Is the price of a new attraction affected by the viability of the ride? A Careful research is undertaken before a new attraction is bought. The attraction may be put in place to address a gap in guest numbers for a particular age range. The new attraction will encourage that element to visit the Park and therefore increase guest satisfaction.

Doctor-Assisted Suicide and the Hospitals Bottom Line :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia and the Hospitals' Bottom Line      Ã‚   An important factor in debates over health care and treatment strategies is the issue of cost. It is tremendously expensive to provide the state-of-the-art care that the modern hospital offers. Concerns about where the money will come from to care for elderly citizens appear to be making the case for "mercy killing" even more compelling. Under financial pressure, hospitals are exercising their right to deny such expensive healthcare to the aged or seriously ill.    We reserve the right to refuse service: Most people have seen these signs at restaurants and retail shops. But now, metaphorically, some hospitals are hanging such notices over their entryways by promulgating "futile care" protocols that grant doctors the right to say no to wanted life-extending medical treatment to patients whose lives they consider lacking in sufficient quality to justify the cost of care.    Unnoticed by the mainstream press, a disturbing study published in the Fall 2000 issue of the Cambridge Quarterly of Health Care Ethics reveals how far the futile-care movement, in reality the opening salvo in a planned campaign among medical elites to impose health-care rationing upon us, has already advanced. The authors reviewed futility policies currently in effect in 26 California hospitals. Of these, only one policy provided that "doctors should act to support the patient's life" when life-extending care is wanted. All but two of the hospital policies defined circumstances in which treatments should be considered nonobligatory even if requested by the patient or patient representative. In other words, 24 of the 26 hospitals permit doctors to unilaterally deny wanted life-supporting care.    How is such medical abandonment justified? Advocates of futile-care theory cleverly shift the focus away from the physiological effect provided to the patient and toward whether the patient has the "potential for appreciating the benefit of the treatment." Thus, the Cambridge Quarterly reports that 12 of the 26 hospitals surveyed prohibit treating people diagnosed with permanent unconsciousness (other than comfort care) based on these patients' supposed inability to know they are being treated. Never mind that several medical studies demonstrate that this condition is often wrongly diagnosed (40 percent misdiagnosis according to one British report). And never mind that such patients sometimes awaken unexpectedly, as recent headlines attest. What is most disturbing is that these policies, if enforced, would prevent profoundly brain-damaged and dementia patients from receiving tube-supplied food and water because such care is considered medical treatment.

Potassium Iodide Lab Essay

I. Title: Finding the Formula for Lead Nitrate II. Purpose: This experiment was to test the different concentration levels of specified alkali metals to determine the greatest mass of lead nitrate. III. Background Information: Potassium Iodide Potassium Iodide is a crystallized, white salt but known to turn a bright yellow when exposed to prolonged moisture such as mixing with water. It is a simple iodine salt. In its natural state it is mostly colorless and odorless. If tasted, it would be like saline and extremely bitter and is has a relatively low level of hazard. Its main use is in photography but also used in table salt to â€Å"iodize† food and can be used in expectorants for lung congestion. It can also be used to protect the thyroid from radioactive iodine Potassium iodide IUPAC name Potassium iodide Other names Kalium iodide, knollide, potide Identifiers CAS number [7681-11-0] RTECS number TT2975000 Properties Molecular formula KI Molar mass 166.00 g/mol Lead Nitrate Lead Nitrate is a hazardous colorless crystal or white powder. It has a long history of uses. Until 1974, when the dangers of lead were realized, it was in a variety of products. Lead(II) nitrate IUPAC name Lead(II) nitrate Other names Lead nitrate Plumbous nitrate Lead dinitrate Plumb dulcis Identifiers CAS number [10099-74-8] RTECS number OG2100000 Properties Molecular formula Pb(NO3)2 Molar mass 331.2 g/mol Appearance White odourless solid Density 4.53 g/cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Melting point Decomposes at 290-470 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C Solubility in water 52 g/100 ml (20 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Solubility in nitric acid in ethanol in methanol insoluble 1 g/2500 ml 1 g/75 ml Structure Crystal structure Face-centered cubic Coordination geometry cuboctahedral Hazards MSDS External MSDS EU classification Toxic (T) Dangerous for the environment (N) Repr. 1/3 EU Index 082-001-00-6 NFPA 704 0 3 3 OX R-phrases R61, R20/22, R33, R62, R50/53 S-phrases S53, S45, S60, S61 Flash point Non-flammable Related compounds Other anions Lead(II) chromate Lead(II) sulfide Other cations Sodium nitrate Magnesium nitrate IV. Materials: * Electronic scale * Lead Nitrate * Potassium Iodide * Beaker * Graduated Cylinder * Funnel * Filter paper * Pipettes * Water V. Procedures: 1. Materials were gathered and then specific concentration ratio was received (water:solute 1:9) 2. Cylinder was filled with 100 milliliters of lead iodide *Graduated Cylinder is hydrophobic *Caution: Be sure of precise readings by measuring at the appropriate part of the miniscus 3. Cylinder was filled with 900 milliliters of KI 4. The solution was gently shaken to ensure even distribution of solute to solvent 5. Solution was then transferred to filter paper *Two filter papers were used for double filtration 6. The filter paper was put into a funnel of a beaker to the solution would separate VI. Data: a) mass of filter papers: b) mass of lead iodide: 3rd period 4th period 1:9 2:8 3:7 4:6 5:5 6:4 7:3 8:2 9:1 c) molar mass of KI: 165.998 g/mol d) molar mass of Pb(NO2)3: 331.268 g/mol e) calculation for determining molarity for each solution based on 1,000 ml: 200 ml/1000 ml x .5 ml = .1 ml f) observations: The two liquids started to both appear clear. After combined, it almost instantly turned to a neon yellow. While filtering, a colorless liquid seeped through while the yellow precipitate clung to the filter paper. There was little water in the flask but over half the filter paper had been covered in neon yellow. e) cautions: One must ensure to Read the meniscus at the proper point Use a plastic graduated cylinder for elimination of meniscus Measure by getting down at eye level Carefully take proper measurements Use two filter papers for double filtration Zero the scale after first weighing the filter paper Use an electronic scale for accuracy Product enhancements to minimize error Digital scale Pipette’s measurements to allow a few drops of solution to be retained Plastic graduated cylinders for no confusion figure 1: rinsing setup figure 2: Pipette dispensing of liquids figure 3: filtering apparatus VII. Analysis The lab performed was found to be an effective way of discerning the formulation of lead nitrate and potassium iodide’s precipitate and use the chemical formula to understand the reaction. The formula is as follows: KI + Pb(NO3)2 –> PbI + K(NO3)2. Potassium Iodide and Lead Nitrate yield Lead Iodide and Potassium Nitrate. The reaction taking place is known to be a double replacement. The two compounds split and then combine with the counterparts. The PbI remains in the solution and the K(NO3)2 forms the precipitate. The purpose of the experiment was to find which combination of concentrations would consequently have the greatest impact on the mass of the Lead Iodide. It was found that when the concentrations of each are 5:5, the filtration leaves a substantial amount of the liquid and the yellow precipitate known as lead iodide is at the peak of the masses. The interesting part of the experiment is that it was far from expected results. It was conducted by three classes and the data varied across the chart. The last test group was not able to be used because of the inconsistency in which the obtained measurements compared to those of the rest of the tests. Therefore, only two classes were compared. The 4th period was seen to be the most accurate. The first two measurements, those of 1:9 and 2:8 varied greatly. The following masses compared were similar yet period 3 were all a little lower until the last concentration level measurements which were almost exactly the same The mistakes prevalent in the lab are not due to the experiment itself. Rather, it is human error that can be held accountable for the drastic differences. One of the reasons is improper measuring and mixing to begin. The students may not have gone to eye level to read each mark carefully to ensure only the most exact measurements. Also, the pipette is made of glass. This calls for the meniscus to be read properly or else the measurements will be off. To avoid confusion of the meniscus with graduated cylinders, plastic would be most appropriate. Luckily, these are hydrophobic and without a meniscus, they are simple to read. If glass was used, then it would leave open some opportunities for mistakes. With the pipettes, there could have easily been bubbles. The bubbles would take up space where the liquid should be for precise measuring. If twisted the wrong way, it would be easy for air to get trapped and cause these pockets. The pipettes however are carefully crafted so that the markings are a little above where they should be. Taking that into consideration, the room for error in not allowing all the water to drip out of the pipette, if done properly, is eliminated. Another space for error is the filter papers. Some of them were larger than the others. This can distort the results. The same filter paper should be used for all of those participating in the tests. The papers also varied in thickness. Others used only one paper, allowing too much precipitate through, and others used more than two. This allows the paper to absorb too much liquid instead of filtering it all the way through. An additional problem is evaporation. Leaving the filtration apparatus uncovered could allow gradual evaporation. Quite oppositely, the humidity in the room could also cause tampering with the solution. With the weather changes, the temperature of the lab was not held at a constant. One day it was heated the next was at a very cool temperature. This could easily have an effect on the experiment. All these reasons could have a great deal in the variety of results. The experiment would need to be performed again to accurately portray the data. Human error would need to be nonexistent VII. Conclusion As previously stated, the results of the experiment were not all in agreement. The different classes obtained various results. This can be due to human error. After realizing the effects on the reaction taking place, it was also discernable how concentration can easily affect the combination. However valuable knowledge on the formation of lead iodide was gained from this lab and the purpose was successfully completed.

Effective Business Letter Essay

Did you know that in 1999 that two babies died after suffocating on plastic Pokemon balls that their parents got from Burger King? Furthermore, three children choked on â€Å"Scooter Bugs† that were given out at McDonalds. How would you feel if your child was injured due to the fact that your company had not pretested the safety of a toy? Many toys that are given out to toddlers are really meant for older children. In addition, many of these toys are produced cheaply overseas, and often small parts break off and they become serious choking hazards. According to statistics, Burger King distributes nearly 100 million toys annually to children; McDonald’s gives away 1.5 billion worldwide. This entire industry accounts for one-third of all toys distributed in the United States. Millions of them have been recalled after children were hurt. Industry leaders such as, Burger King and McDonald’s, now recognize that protecting child safety is to their advantage. Fortunately, Burger King now uses safety tests before, during, and after manufacturing to catch any hazards in advance. Furthermore, McDonalds’s has developed a testing doll with artificial lungs to check for suffocation risks called the â€Å"McBaby.† We want other fast food restaurants to follow their lead and start checking toys before distribution. McDonald’s has loaned the â€Å"McBaby† to our department so that other fast food vendors will participate in child protection. We would be more than happy to demonstrate how this baby works and how to invent a device similar to this. Please contact Melissa Gardner at 1-800-777-2233 to set up a time for us to come directly to your restaurant and do a presentation for you. Please help to keep our children safe. We look forward to hearing from you.   

Free Essays on The Oration On The Dignity Of Man

Oration-Essay The hand-out, â€Å"Oration on the Dignity of Man†, brings up various and many key points which relate to the ideas and beliefs of the Renaissance period. The article itself expresses Pico’s idea that an individual is limited only by his own visions and is not just a part of the early idea that; man has a sense of natural helplessness. The humanists during the Renaissance period were centered around the new era of art, architecture, and a new way of thought. This new way of thought was implemented during the beginning of the Renaissance period. The Renaissance itself was a time where the people wanted to get re-focused on themselves and their center thought on the human capacity. The period was suppose to open up the idea that you can control what you become, as well as what you are now. The people of the Renaissance strove more to be an individual and stray from the idea that everyone was the same. Individualism during the time before was never a factor. No other cultures had a way of thinking for themselves. The Oration exposes these people to his achievable ideas that man has no limits and should strive to be divine. In also saying that, Pico sends forth the idea that although the â€Å"supreme maker† could give each person the ability to reach goals equally, he could not give each the same results. By expressing that idea the article gives us a sense of competition and for those people to question the unknown. The Renaissance idea of secularism and humanism, made up the who idea of the Renaissance. The idea of humanism caused a disruption with that of religion. Humanists, including Pico, explored the idea of secularism as separate. Humanism deals with the spirituality of a single individuals beliefs. Pico’s article clearly helps us to arrive at that idea by his tone in saying that god created all equal with the same â€Å"intelligence’s†, but it all depended upon the... Free Essays on The Oration On The Dignity Of Man Free Essays on The Oration On The Dignity Of Man Oration-Essay The hand-out, â€Å"Oration on the Dignity of Man†, brings up various and many key points which relate to the ideas and beliefs of the Renaissance period. The article itself expresses Pico’s idea that an individual is limited only by his own visions and is not just a part of the early idea that; man has a sense of natural helplessness. The humanists during the Renaissance period were centered around the new era of art, architecture, and a new way of thought. This new way of thought was implemented during the beginning of the Renaissance period. The Renaissance itself was a time where the people wanted to get re-focused on themselves and their center thought on the human capacity. The period was suppose to open up the idea that you can control what you become, as well as what you are now. The people of the Renaissance strove more to be an individual and stray from the idea that everyone was the same. Individualism during the time before was never a factor. No other cultures had a way of thinking for themselves. The Oration exposes these people to his achievable ideas that man has no limits and should strive to be divine. In also saying that, Pico sends forth the idea that although the â€Å"supreme maker† could give each person the ability to reach goals equally, he could not give each the same results. By expressing that idea the article gives us a sense of competition and for those people to question the unknown. The Renaissance idea of secularism and humanism, made up the who idea of the Renaissance. The idea of humanism caused a disruption with that of religion. Humanists, including Pico, explored the idea of secularism as separate. Humanism deals with the spirituality of a single individuals beliefs. Pico’s article clearly helps us to arrive at that idea by his tone in saying that god created all equal with the same â€Å"intelligence’s†, but it all depended upon the...

Yaxchilan - Classic Maya City-State in Mexico

Yaxchilan - Classic Maya City-State in Mexico Yaxchiln is a Classic period Maya site located on the riverbank of the Usamacinta river that borders the two modern countries of Guatemala and Mexico. The site lies within a horseshoe meander on the Mexican side of the river and today the site can only be reached by boat. Yaxchiln was founded in the 5th century AD and reached its maximum splendor in the 8th century AD. Famous for its more than 130 stone monuments, among which include carved lintels and stelae depicting images of royal life, the site also represents one of the most elegant examples of classic Maya architecture. Yaxchiln and Piedras Negras There are many extant and legible inscriptions in Maya hieroglyphs at Yaxchilan, which provide us a nearly unique glimpse into the political history of Maya city-states. At Yaxchilan, for most Late Classic rulers we have dates associated with their births, accessions, battles, and ceremonial activities, as well as their ancestors, descendants, and other kinsmen and companions. Those inscriptions also allude to an ongoing conflict with its neighbor Piedras Negra, located on the Guatemalan side of the Usumacinta, 40 kilometers (25 miles) upriver from Yaxchilan. Charles Gordon and colleagues from the Proyecto Paisaje Piedras Negras-Yaxchilan have combined archaeological data with information from the inscriptions at both Yaxchilan and Piedras Negras, compiling a political history of the intertwined and competing Maya city-states. Early Classic 350-600 AD: Both communities began as small cities during the Early Classic in the 5th and 6th centuries AD, when their royal dynasties were established. As early as the 5th century, a neutral zone existed between Piedras Negras and Yaxchilan that was not controlled by either polity; and warfare was limited to a few, unusual episodes of direct conflict.Late Classic 600-810 AD: During the Late Classic, the neutral zone was repopulated and transformed into a contested frontier. Warfare was most frequent in the 8th century AD  and involved the governors of secondary and tertiary centers loyal to each combatant.Between the 7th and 8th centuries AD, Yaxchiln gained power and independence under the rulers Itzamnaaj B’alam II and his son Bird Jaguar IV. Those rulers extended their dominion over other nearby sites and started an ambitious construction program that included most of what is visible on at Yaxchilan today. At about 808, Piedras Negras lost its ruler to Ya xchilan; but that victory was brief. Terminal Classic 810-950 AD: By 810, both polities were in decline and by AD 930, the region was essentially depopulated. Site Layout Visitors arriving at Yaxchiln for the first time will be mesmerized by the tortuous, dark passageway known as â€Å"the Labyrinth† leading into the main plaza, framed by some of the most important buildings of the site. Yaxchiln is made up of three major complexes: the Central Acropolis, the South Acropolis, and the West Acropolis. The site is built over a high terrace facing the Usumacinta river on the north and extending beyond there into the hills of the Maya lowlands. Main Buildings The heart of Yaxchilan is called the Central Acropolis, which overlooks the main plaza. Here the main buildings are several temples, two ballcourts, and one of the two hieroglyphic stairways. Located in the central acropolis, Structure 33 represents the apex of Yaxchiln architecture and its Classic development. The temple was probably constructed by the ruler Bird Jaguar IV or dedicated to him by his son. The temple, a large room with three doorways decorated with stucco motifs, overlooks the main plaza and stands on an excellent observation point for the river. The real masterpiece of this building is its nearly intact roof, with a high crest or roof comb, a frieze, and niches. The second hieroglyphic stairway leads to the front of this structure. Temple 44 is the main building of the West Acropolis. It was constructed by Itzamnaaj B’alam II around 730 AD to commemorate his military victories. It is decorated with stone panels depicting his war captives. Temple 23 and its Lintels Temple 23  is located on the southern side of the main plaza of Yaxchilan, and it was built about AD 726 and dedicated by the ruler Itzamnaaj B’alam III (also known as Shield Jaguar the Great) [ruled 681-742 AD] to his principal wife Lady K’abal Xook. The single-room structure has three doorways each bearing carved lintels, known as Lintels 24, 25, and 26. A lintel is the load-bearing stone at the top of a doorway, and its massive size and location led the Maya (and other civilizations) to use it as a place to exhibit their skill at decorative carving. Temple 23s lintels were rediscovered in 1886 by the British explorer Alfred Maudslay, who had the lintels cut out of the temple and sent to the British Museum where they are now located. These three pieces are almost unanimously considered among the finest stone reliefs of the entire Maya region. Recent excavations by the Mexican archaeologist Roberto Garcia Moll identified two burials under the temple floor: one of an aged woman, accompanied by a rich offering; and the second of an old man, accompanied by an even richer one. These are believed to be Itzamnaaj Balam III and one of his other wives; Lady Xooks tomb is thought to be in the adjacent Temple 24, because it features an inscription recording the queens death in AD 749. Lintel 24 Lintel 24 is the easternmost of three door lintels above the doorways in Temple 23, and it features a scene of the Maya bloodletting ritual performed by Lady Xook, which took place, according to the accompanying hieroglyphic text, in October of 709 AD. The king Itzamnaaj Balam III is holding a torch above his queen who is kneeling in front of him, suggesting that the ritual is taking place at night or in a dark, secluded room of the temple. Lady Xook is passing a rope through her tongue, after having pierced it with a stingray spine, and her blood is dripping onto bark paper in a basket. The textiles, headdresses and royal accessories are extremely elegant, suggesting the high status of the personages. The finely carved stone relief emphasizes the elegance of the woven cape worn by the queen. The king wears a pendant around his neck portraying the sun god and a severed head, probably of a war captive, adorns his headdress. Archaeological Investigations Yaxchiln was rediscovered by explorers in the 19th century. The famous English and French explorers Alfred Maudslay and Desirà © Charnay visited the ruins of Yaxchilan at the same time and reported their findings to different institutions. Maudslay also made the fist map of the site. Other important explorers and, later on, archaeologists that worked at Yaxchiln were Tebert Maler, Ian Graham, Sylvanus Morely, and, recently, Roberto Garcia Moll. In the 1930s, Tatiana Proskouriakoff studied the epigraphy of Yaxchilan, and on that basis built a history of the site, including a sequence of the rulers, still relied on today. Sources Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst Golden C, and Scherer A. 2013. Territory, trust, growth, and collapse in Classic period Maya kingdoms. Current Anthropology 54(4):397-435.Golden C, Scherer AK, Muà ±oz AR, and Vasquez R. 2008. Piedras Negras and Yaxchilan: Divergent Political Trajectories in Adjacent Maya Polities. Latin American Antiquity 19(3):249-274.Golden CW, Scherer AK, and Muà ±oz AR. 2005. Exploring the Piedras Negras- Yaxchilan Border Zone: Archaeological Investigations in the Sierra del Lacandon, 2004. Mexicon 27(1):11-16.Josserand JK. 2007. The Missing Heir at Yaxchiln: Literary Analysis of a Maya Historical Puzzle. Latin American Antiquity 18(3):295-312.Miller M, and Martin S. 2004. Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya. Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco and Thames and Hudson.ONeil ME. 2011. Object, memory, and materiality at Yaxchilan: The reset lintels of Structures 12 and 22. Ancient Mesoamerica 22(02):245-269.Simon, M, and Grube N. 2000, Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya. Thames Hudson, London and New York. Tate C. 1992, Yaxchilan: The Design of a Maya Ceremonial City. University of Texas Press, Austin.

Strategic Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Plan - Assignment Example External analysis of global car industry: [On the basis of MACRO (PESTEL) Analysis] (for reference see Appendix-1) The auto industry is often thought of as one of the most global of all industries. Car industry is experiencing rapid changes with globalization (Carson, 2004). Rapid changes are also altering the industry structure and attractiveness. The emerging markets include Latin America (Mainly Brazil), ASEAN countries, Eastern Europe, China and India. The fast growing emerging markets taken together, increased vehicle sales by 70-80% and production by almost 80-90%(Auto Industry Statistics). Car sales growth rate in US is around 3.5%, in Western Europe around 2.5% and in Japan around 1.5% while in China it is almost 9%. Globally the total car industry employment is predicated to reach 4.8 million by 2015. It is estimated that global car industry revenue reach 903 billion Euros by 2015. So the car industry has been focused on the potential of the emerging markets to offset the in dustries maturity and stagnation in the Triad economics of scale and spread the costs of developing new models. One of the main features of car industry experiencing is, manufacturers extending their operations in developing countries. For global producers, rapidly growing markets in developing countries were meant to provide for spreading vehicle development costs; for establishing cheap production sites for the production of selected vehicles and components; and for access to new markets for higher end vehicles. "Corporate strategies in regard to globalization vary depending on the starting point of individual firms, but there seems to be a large measure of convergence toward 1) building vehicles where they are sold, 2) designing vehicles with common 'global' under-body Platforms while retaining the ability to adapt bodies, trim levels and ride characteristics to a wide range of local conditions" (Sturgeon and Florida, 1999). Now we are going to analyze in short, different strategic tools, which are available to analyze global car industry. The strategic tools and different analysis techniques that we used to critically analyze the industry are: Macro environment: PESTEL analysis Industry: Porter's five forces Strategic groups and Cognitive map Key Factors for Success Marketplace: Market Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning Telescopic Observation Matrix Political forces as well as WTO regime plays major role in opening of the markets for foreign players. Change in the regulations of the market due to governments policies, foreign direct investment increased and also funds started to flow towards developing countries to establish new manufacturing plants. Due to these political and economical changes North American & European manufacturers opened new plants in Eastern Europe, Asia and South

Critical Analysis of Two Short Stories Walkers Everyday Use and Strong Essay

Critical Analysis of Two Short Stories Walkers Everyday Use and Strong Horse Tea - Essay Example â€Å"Strong Horse Tea† is a story revolving around Rannie Toomer, a single black mother of a baby boy named Snooks. She struggles to keep herself composed in the most difficult of situations which primarily involves the health of her son who is extremely ill but, no doctor would attend to his needs. She patiently waits for any kind of help from the doctors and refuses all sorts of home remedies or magic to heal her son because she does not believe in such notions proposed by her neighbor. She ignores the fact that the doctors are not willing to give her an appointment because of her color and, this represents her strength of self-worthiness and her capability of rising above the mundane. Hence, when Sarah, an old black woman, attempts to convince Rannie of using home remedies to heal her son, she blatantly declines her offer. Rannie remains fearless and independent with regard to her decision for seeking help from the modern facilities in the midst of the traditional methods her black community still revered. To split away from her own tradition was a courageous move she taken by Rannie. In the story â€Å"Everyday Use†, the situation is more or less the same but, what Mama’s eldest child Dee undergoes is a rebellious identity crisis. She is sent away from home for educational purposes but she realizes how little she knows about her own heritage. She renames herself Wangero which is an African name. She believes in a new optimistic, Americanized world for the blacks, which is not her fault. She was sent away from home and indirectly away from her own tradition. This, however, was not Mama’s intention. She sent her away so that she could receive the best education and also because Mama feared that she and Maggie would not be able to tolerate each other. When she arrives home on vacation she accompanies a boyfriend Hakim who