Police suicide Essay

In the recent past, there have been a number of cases involving police suicide. These have brought alarm to the nation as the same people delegated with the duty of safe guarding life are now turning against their own self. It’s believed that the number of officers who die from suicide in the   US surpass the number of those who die in the line of duty. In most of the cases, the cause of death is not revealed to the people to protect the victim’s family and friends. Abstract This research paper intends to seek the main causes of police officers suicide. It contains a sample of research questions it intends to answer plus their hypothetical responses. It also contains literature on previous findings. In addition it contains the methods used in data analyses as well as the possible out comes of the research. Statement of the problem Basing on the fact that, there figures from the police department showing that their colleagues do commit suicide, its evident that these is a problem that needs to be addressed before this situation runs out of proportion. It’s from this factor of admission that the research paper seeks to identify the possible causes of rise in the rate of police sources. Research question In order to get the relevant information to this research, several questions could be formulated which if answered correctly would provide answers and information to aid in writing this report. These include: †¢ Under what situations do police commit suicide often? †¢ What age group of the police is at a higher risk of committing suicide? †¢ Are there particular periods or events in the police calendar that are followed by high numbers of suicide? †¢ Do police who commit suicide have a mental disturbance history? †¢ Were they alcoholic? †¢ What is the perception of the suicide to the police officers? Hypothesis †¢ Police between the ages of 20 and 30 are at the higher risk of committing suicide. †¢ Both normal and police officers with mental disturbance histories do commit suicide. †¢ Police officers often perceive as the last resort to resolve or run away from challenges or situations they can’t bear. Literature review It has been confirmed that more than 110 police officers have committed suicide during the last year alone with more cases still under investigation, this was an all time high since the recording begun in the 1980s. However the rate of police suicide is still low when compared to people of the American society with similar back ground and educational levels. This can be attributed to the fact that the police have the capacity to provide mental health care to its officers counseling and other support services required. (Krueger,1998) Suicides can be attributed to relationship problems. This may include, pressure from their spouses, be it financial or general relationship problems. If an officer can’t stand this pressure and they obvious fact of the availability of the weapons, chances of committing suicide are high. Suicide can also be attributed to strain relationship between officers and their fellow officers or officers and their seniors. In addition, there are times when the officers get trouble at their places of work. For instance they may be accused of neglecting their duties or services or a performance that does not meet the set out rules and standards. This pressure leads to suicide rather than face the ensuing consequences or disciplinary measures which include termination of services or suspensions. (www.usarmy.gov/suicide, 2008) Police officers faced with regal procedures such as murder cases, corruption cases or negligence of duty cases do commit suicide in the event that they feel they may not win the cases or justice will either be delayed or denied. Moreover, there are financial difficulties that often lead to high rates of suicide among the police officers. Currently in the USA there are several financial obligations that pose a challenge to the police officers in their endeavor to meet them. This includes taxation fees, mortgages and family financial obligations. Officers who find it hard to meet these obligations do commit suicide rather than face the realities of their failures. Another factor that has lead to police suicide is stress and depression. Officers are often time tied in their work leaving no or little time for leisure or recreation. This unavailability of time to refresh leads to clogged minds and chances of suicide are increased. The horrifying and terrifying realities that the police are exposed to can lead to mental disturbances leading to suicide. This includes exposure to suicide scenes, gun murders and horrifying accidents. (www.National P.O.L.I.C.E..org, 2001) Methods of data collection (surveys, focus groups, observations) Surveys Several surveys have been conducted by the police force to ascertain the rate of police suicide. This information are often found at the police records and aided in getting the data required. Human rights groups have also conducted several surveys and have come up with figures showing the numbers, their age groups, marital status as well as the causes of the police officers suicide. Focus groups In addition focus groups can be used to gather relevant information concerning these suicides. They can focus on a particular police county for a period of time keeping records and happenings and durations of suicides. Observations Several eye witness observations can also be relied on to come up with relevant information and figures. The information can be got from immediate family members of the officers involved who are affected by his or her death or who witnessed them committing suicide. Another way of gathering information is by interviewing fellow police officers or their seniors. They may be holding vital information about the circumstances surrounding the officers death or possess information that had been on to the by the officer prior to suicide. Methods of Data analyses Analytical induction method This method will be used to analyze the collected data and come up with comments to be used in the findings. In this method, the event surrounding the officers suicide are studied after which a hypothetical reason on the cause of that is developed. Logical analysis In this process, the cause of an officer’s suicide is determined by an inductive way of reasoning. For example, the cause can be attributed to a factor leading to another. Example, an officer commits murder, legal proceedings are instituted against him, its delayed, he is frustrated and commits suicide. Possible outcomes/ findings There are several factors that can be associated with the increased number of police suicide. Some of them are purely personal while others are a multiplicity of various other factors. Mental problems can be associated to these suicides. Officers who have a mental problem are at high risk of taking their own lives especially so if they suffer from the condition in their line of duty and in the possession of a weapon. Through their unsound mind, they may make unsound decisions to kill themselves. Another factor that would cause an officer to commit suicide is alcoholism and drug use. If an officer is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it reduces his or her cognitive abilities. With their reduced cognitive ability, they may turn against themselves as a way of actualizing their fantasies at the time which include the urge to kill or cause mayhem. Too much pressure at places of work may lead to suicide. Senior officers may pressure their junior to perform duties at specified period of time or which may pose danger to officers them selves. Such duties such as fighting armed drug cartels or tracking down terrorists and serial killers may lead to suicide among officers to avoid such works or as away of showing their displeasure to their seniors. The US justice system is also to blame for a number of police suicides. Rather than face the possibility of dismissal and the stigma associated with it from such legal proceeding such as murder, corruption or negligence of duty, officers results to taking their own life. In some other cases the regal proceedings may take longer period that expected leaving the officers frustrated and demoralized often leading to suicide.

Clinical Nursing Essay

Introduction Nurses utilize multiple theories daily to care for patients and their families, though these theories range from grand, to situation-specific, to mid-range the nurse tends to focuses on which theory will provide the best care to his/her patient. Perhaps in my opinion mid-range theories with their growing frequency of use are best suited for nursing in the 21st century. Mid-range theories are said to be middle rather than ordinary but they are specific enough to evaluate observed situations (McCurry, Revell, &Roy, 2009). There are multiple reasons why mid-range theories offer some of the most up to date information when it comes to the care of our patients and families, but let’s just break it down to three; interpersonal relations, family, and health promotion. The middle range theories of these three examples will provide a set of assumptions and/or predictions from specific situations confirmed by research (Nolan & Grant, 1991). Interpersonal relations First, Hildegard Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations has influenced patient care in the 21st century worldwide. What is so crucial and probably most significant with this mid-range theory is its focus on human issues and its value of future generations (Barker, 1998). Nurses utilize this theory to treat each patient as an individual realizing that each person and their situation are unique. By applying this knowledge to each patient the nurse is able to develop a therapeutic relationship, which will promote the planning and implementation of nursing care. For nursing care to be successful they must view the nurse/patient relationship as a partnership being aware both are working together for a common goal (Barker, 1998). Also, interpersonal relations are used in all areas of nursing, which is why it is so important for the future of nursing, because without these relationships we would not be effective in our profession. These relationships are needed to expand our know ledge of each patient and their situation. By establishing trust the patients are encouraged to express themselves openly and honestly. Therefore the relationship built bridges barriers that may have hindered the patient outcome. Family Second, Hildegard Peplau’s mid-range theory of family systems has revolutionized the nursing approach in which families are incorporated into decision makers. Currently, families are viewed as the most influenecial person when it comes to the care of their loved one, meaning not only are nurses to build a therapeutic relationship and trust with the patient but with their family as well (Forchuck & Dorsay, 1995). This theory molds nurses into advocates for the family unit, which in turn influences the patient’s quality of life. These relationships with families are crucial when it comes to care, for example, if a patient was unable to provide the nurse with health history or tell them when they are in pain the family is able to be the eyes, ears and speech of their loved one. This action improves the care for the patient and nurses need the families as much as the patient needs the nurse. This is one of the reason’s why this theory works in the 21st century even w ith all the technology in the world, we as nurses still need the human interaction to open our eyes to the patient/family dynamic. Family system nursing is both the individual and the family simultaneously instead of just merely family nursing where the nurse takes care of the patient within the context of the family (Forchuck & Dorsay, 1995). This practice focuses on the interactions and relationships made between the nurse, individual and family. In order for this theory to be successful the nurse must be aware of the range of choices and downfalls associated with family system nursing. Also it is necessary to build on these relationships to provide creative personal choice and consistent flow of care for the patient to enhanced achievable goals. This engagement of nursing with family systems opens the door for problem solving of patient situations, which implements structure in the nurse/individual/family relationship (Forchuck & Dorsay, 1995). Health promotion Third, is the promotion and maintenance of health by utilizing Nola Pender’s Health Promotion Model. Health promoting behavior is enhanced through nursing practice, which enhances the patient’s overall well being. This mid-range theory is important today because it guides a supportive and educative system in health promotion in a patient who needs teaching and  demonstration in performing self-care. By applying this method the nurse is able to identify patient’s health promoting behavior’s such as, health importance, self-efficacy, perceived control of health and perceived health status to find any gaps and/or barriers to their health promoting behavior (Simmons, 1990). By promoting health the nurse seeks to care for the individual by developing these behaviors of healthy living, which sets the stage for the individuals to gain knowledge to care for themselves. This applies to all nurses who actively promote healthy living by becoming an active influence in developing healthy living behaviors through education and guidance. Conclusion These middle range theories set the groundwork for research. Each are utilized daily in clinical practice to provide the best patient care. The rationale for considering the middle range theories is an important factor when considering a care plan, which requires the use of the nursing process. These theories follow the nursing process and help guide our responses to promote, educate, integrate and build relationships with these individuals and their families with the same common goal of promoting health. These authors point out how the nursing profession is influential in the care of other and how their actions influence health beliefs. These middle range theories build on other theories, which is why they are so important in nursing practice today. These theories can be used in different areas of nursing as well as using multiple theories in one area of nursing such as mental health. Also, middle range theories have identified multiple interventions for health related issues throug h simple research (McCurry et al., 2009). Nurses like myself have adopted these theories and incorporate them into daily practice to increase my own understanding of my patient and their situations and this is why I chose middle range theories. References Barker, P. (1998). The future of the Theory of Interpersonal Relations? A personal reflection on Peplau’s legacy. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 5, 213-220. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2850.1998.00128.x Forchuk, C. & Dorsay, J. (1995). Hildegard Peplau meets family systems nursing: innovation in theory-based practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 21, 110-115. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.1995.21010110.x McCurry, M. & Roy, C. (2009). Knowledge for the good of the individual and society: linking philosophy, disciplinary goals, theory, and practice. Nursing Philosophy, 11, 42-52. doi:10.1111/j.1466769X.2009.00423.x Nolan, M. & Grant, G. (1992). Mid-range theory building and the nursing theory-practice gap: a respite care case study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17, 217-223. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01876.x Simmons, S. (1990). The Health-Promoting Self-Care System Model: directions for nursing research and practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 15, 1162-1166. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2646.1990.tb01708.x

Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Assignment 1 - Essay Example to be comfortable, relaxed and informal, lots of discussions with everyone participating, teammates are free to express their feelings and ideas as well(West,2012).On the other hand an ineffective team is characterized by low unity as pertains team purpose, team seems to stay away from discussing its maintenance, there is an atmosphere of indifference in the group characterized by tension or boredom, an individual’s personal feelings are usually concealed, and there is no proper resolution of disagreements by the team (Zepeda, 2004). On their first meeting, each member should introduce himself/herself, share information in regard to their backgrounds, experience and interests. This assists in breaking the ice and letting team members learn more about each other. The team should also learn about what their project is all about as well as discuss the project’s goals/objectives and begin thinking about the various role(s) each will play in the team. When a conflict occurs within a team, the group leader should take firm control and should not allow others to begin wading into the argument by way of interrupting other speakers. All team members should remain silent and listen to their leader no matter how heated the conflict is. In order for a team to be effective it must be efficient, productive and cohesive and members must enjoy taking part in their various roles as well as working harmoniously together. The team must therefore be cohesive with all team members working together cooperatively and sharing co mmon resources and objectives (Zepeda, 2004).The leader in this case plays the role of building relationship of loyalty and trust rather than that of fear. The leader should be the harmonizing influence and should communicate clearly, facilitate communication as well as encourage all the team members to reveal and share information. Team members on the other hand should brainstorm, listen to their leader and each other, and obey the ground rules set by the

Windows Directory Services Proposal Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Windows Directory Services Proposal - Term Paper Example In addition, it simplifies the interactions amongst every hierarchy levels with in the organization. Since communication and connectivity are perhaps the most vital services to the operation of Initech, mitigating on possible problem points with them is in the best interest of the Organization. Another benefit it will bring to the company is its high reliability; the enormous strain that has been on the servers will be eliminated. The problem of mergers which have caused disconnection within the organization will also be solved. This will essentially minimize failure points. Other benefits that it has are its high security which will keep user passwords safe and help prevent access by unauthorized users, and low cost. Some of the key features in my design include the Active Directory  Domain Services. It is essential in defining the structure of data and  services that provide management, organization, and security of resources and accounts. It also has an Active Directory forest which contains all the trusts, sites and domains. This acts as an organization’s security boundary, and it defines the administration’s scope of authority. Other features that it has are the time service and source peer, and a clock manager among others. Initech should select my proposal because it touches on and helps to solve all the problems that the organization has been facing over the years. While designing this, I bore in mind the vital concerns that Initech as an organization has been facing. My design also incorporates services, data structure and elements that provide organization, management, and security of accounts and resources which will surely increase productivity in the organization (articles.bplans.co.uk). Forest, domain, OU, and trust configuration In this forest, a two-way, transitive trust association is automatically created between any newly created domain and its parent domain. Trusts are logical associations

Free writing journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Free writing journal - Essay Example There are many closing doors in the story, a symbolism of Miss Emily’s refusal to adapt to the changes. Miss Emily’s refusal to accept the changing nature and behavior of the society and her environment made her a recluse. This indicates that refusal to accept that our world is changing is a ticket to getting stuck in one place and never moving forward to where we want to be. There are several indications in the story proving Miss Emily’s refusal to become part of the modern world. She didn’t want to put tin numbers on her door and she doesn’t want to have anything to do with the postal service. She didn’t want to accept her debt and she insisted she had no taxes to pay. A Rose for Emily makes us realize that even if we stick to our traditions, there will come a time that our old ways can only be found in books. As people die, traditions die as well, even if we tried so hard to keep things the way it used to be. Since death is inevitable, we cannot assure ourselves that tomorrow, what we’re doing today will still be what the future will be

CU Boxes, Inc. Capital Budget Recommendation on a New Boot Sole Essay

CU Boxes, Inc. Capital Budget Recommendation on a New Boot Sole Machine - Essay Example The CFO has been tasked with offering a recommendation as to whether to stay the course with the current machine, delay the purchase, or buy the machine. For the purposes of this budgetary review and analysis the following assumptions are made: CU Boxes, Inc.'s discount rate shall be 10%. Let's see how the CFO tackles this request. There are two types of investments. "The investment decisions of any business are of two types: long term (where funds are usually invested for more than three years) and short term (where investments are for a year or less)." (Kapil p1). In this case, the boot sole machine, where the payback is longer than a year, is a long-term investment and fits the capital budgeting criteria. "The growth of any company is measured by the expected return multiplied by the amount of funds invested by the firm, that is, g = b x r - where 'g' is growth of the firm; 'b', the funds retained by the firm only for investment purpose; 'r' the required/expected rate of return; and r {gt} k (the cost of capital)." (Kapil p1) What the Kapil's model tells us is that as long as the expected rate of return is greater than the cost of capital (the discount rate at which cost of capital is calculated), there will be positive growth and that this is a good thing to have. "These decisions have to fulfill the criteria of creating net positive present value for the organization. Thus an organization should grab and hold on to every opportunity (both external and internal) that creates positive net present value (NPV) for its shareholders." (Kapil p1). Net Present Value (NPV) defined as "the present value of an investment's future net cash flows minus the initial investment. If positive, the investment should be made [unless an even better investment exists], otherwise it should not," (InvestorWords.com 3257), is one method of analysis used by CFO's. Another is the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) defined as the "discount rate at which the present value of the future cash flows of an investment equals the cost of the investment. When IRR is greater than the required return - called hurdle rate in capital budgeting - the investment is acceptable." (Zephyrmanagement.com/glossary). Using NPV first, we have an immediate outlay of capital and a constant return of cash flow calculated at year-end. NPV can be stated as follows: NPV = (10%, CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4, CF5)+CO where CF is cash flow and CO is cash outlay. In this case, with a discount rate of 10%, the result is a positive $14,998.98 at the end of year four and a positive $14,991.91 at the end of year five. (These calculations were made using an ExcelTM spreadsheet). Based on this NPV analysis the investment should be made and the CFO should make such a recommendation to his company's owners as per Kapil's statement above. Using IRR to determine whether the yield rate in a similar period is larger than the discount or hurdle rate, the result at the end of four years is a yield of 8%, which puts it below the discount rate. However, if the period of calculation is five years the IRR is now 15% and well above the 10% discount rate required. So, if the CFO had only used the IRR analysis for only a period of four years his recommendation might have been to limp along with the current machine, but if he ran the calculation out to five years the recommendation would be the same as

Marketing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Skills - Essay Example It is also concerned with anticipating the customers' future needs and wants, often through market research." These are the main key factors on which one should concentrate and thus opening the new doors of success in the field of marketing and in this field one should be adaptive to innovations and able to grasp the marketing trends and finally understanding the graph of success & failure of the best applied method. "Advertising is a one-way communication whose purpose is to inform potential customers about products and services and how to obtain them. Every major medium is used to deliver these messages, including: television, radio, movies, magazines, newspapers, video games, the Internet and billboards." But before choosing the advertising media one should concentrate on the following questions and try to answer these questions - What target markets I am trying to reach with my ads What would I like them to think and perceive about my products (this should be in terms of benefits to them, not you) What communications media do they see or prefer the most Consider TV, radio, newsletters, classifieds, displays/signs, posters, word of mouth, press releases, direct mail, special events, brochures, neighborhood newsletters, etc. What media is most practical for me to use in terms of access and affordability (the amount spent on advertising is often based on the revenue expected from the product or service, that is, the sales forecast) Lastly, successful advertising depends very much on knowing the preferred methods and styles of communications of the target markets that you want to reach with your ads. A media plan and calendar can be very useful, which specifies what advertising methods are used and when. "Effective copywriting (also known as business writing) is any writing that sells a product, a service, or even a person. The radio commercial you hear on your way to work is an example of copywriting. The sales letters and advertisements you receive in the mail are examples as well. Even the billboards you see on the highway are examples of copywriting. In other words it means the effective use of words to communicate a sales message. The objective of is to generate leads which are in turn converted to sales. It's only a way, how much footage a person can earn for his products through his ads or the way he presents it to the whole world i.e. attracting customers with the help of words within fractions of seconds." Some strategies are: - 1) Use attention grabbing text to keep users in the site. 2) Avoid making the

Barwa fainancial Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Barwa fainancial - Case Study Example The main amounts are; cash in hand 79, balances with reputed banks 16,663 (7,497+9,166), and wakala placements 942,500 (in thousands of Qatari Riyals). The Barwa keeps comparatively low cash balance in hand as a part of its credit risk limiting strategy. b. Barwa’s total Cash and Cash equivalents at the end of the year 2009 represent 979,217,000 Riyals (Barwa annual report). From Barwa’s consolidated statement of cash flows for the year ended 31st December 2009, it is evident that the organization used cash for a variety of purposes. Accounts payables constitute one of the major cash uses for the year. Similarly, the cash flow statement reflects that the Barwa used cash for ranges of investing activities including payments for acquisitions of property under development and investment property, payments for establishment and acquisition of associates, payments for the purchase of financial assets, and payments for the purchase of plant and equipment (Barwa annual report) . In addition, the organization has dealt with some financing activities include payments for purchase of land and dividend payments. Social contributions, office and administrative expensed and other miscellaneous expenses were the other items that contributed to cash expenditure. c. Barwa mainly practices impairment allowances in its accounting practices. As per the annual report, the impairment allowances represent Barwa’s estimated incurred losses ‘in its receivables and balances from financing activities’. From the framed accounting practices of Barwa, it is obvious that a specific loss component constitutes the main part of this allowance and it is directly associated with individually significant exposures. The element of allowance is visible in the organization’s construction contracts. During the progress of the construction contract, an allowance is maintained for contingency mechanism and it relates to gross margin recognition. It is computed on the basis of percentage of completion certified. Similarly, in order to state the receivables and balances from financing activities, the impaired allowances are deducted from the obtained amortized cost and the resultant figure is recorded. It is observed that due from various parties is not completely recoverable; hence, the Barwa has also marinated impairment allowances for such receivables. d. Barwa has formulated specific provisions for classifying its receivables from financial activities. These formulated provisions clearly comply with the Qatar Central Bank requirements. For this purpose, the Barwa classifies the receivables due for more than 90 to 180 days as substandard; whereas the organization considers it doubtful when the receivables due for more than 181 to 270 days. Finally, those receivables which are due fore more than 270 days are considered to be loss assets (Barwa annual report). This classification seems to be more practical so that it would increase the relia bility of financial statements. The firm does not write off any dues before the maturity period of nine months. This time period gives maximum opportunity to the debtors to clear their accounts; therefore, this provision assists the organization to avoid future corrections to a large extent. Probably,

Expression in Human Imagination, Values and Emotions Essay

Expression in Human Imagination, Values and Emotions - Essay Example According to Vernon (1999), the birth of baroque style was an extension of the renaissance art period. Eventually, renaissance gave way to baroque, as the baroque style became more and more distinct. Baroque paintings, sculpture and architecture of a dramatic character were influential tools in the possession of secular and religious absolutisms. Baroque flourished in the service of the Catholic monarchies and the Catholic Church. The artists of this style concentrated on space lights, natural forms, colors, as well as the literal relationship between the portrait subject and the observer. This style produces experience emotions, immensely powerful and thrilling to the observer. The logical purpose of this style was to relay messages to the illiterate people rather than the educated ones. This explains why the paintings were portraits of common and famous stories in the scripture. Initially, baroque art style was dominated by history paintings, religious paintings, portraits and allegories, but later, genre scenes, still life and landscapes gained notoriety rapidly (Vernon, 1999). The most striking feature of the baroque painting was immense drama, dark shadows and intense light. The artists used to select the moment when the action was taking place and also slightly before a sweeping action would take place (Vernon, 1999). For example, the portrait of a steady David daring the giant and another portrait of David throwing the stone with his sling. Baroque style of art was meant to evoke passion and emotion, as opposed to calm rationality of Renaissance. Baroque came up during a period of political and religious strife. Reformation was bringing chaos among the religion of Roman Catholic. As such, it formed a counter reformation to check the increase of Protestantism (Vernon, 1999). Rome was the centre of patronage at that period, and the church was in need of an art style that would lure people back to Catholic Church. The art was further influenced by the prevailing political climate as the monarchies of Spain, which promoted this style. This art period denied people the freedom to choose their life style and enjoy entertaining pieces of art, as it concentrated on religious issues only. Further, the political and religious chaos was ruining people’s happiness. This pressure led to the development of the rococo art movement. #2 Rococo Art was a decorative interior design and French art that emerged in the period (c.1700-1789). Rococo art style focuses on the indulgence and lavishness of the aristocracy. The paintings of this style have outstanding erotic themes, and they are also whimsical with striking flowering brushstrokes and petal colors (Vernon, 1999). The design of rococo rooms was total works of art with ornate and elegant furniture, tapestry complementing style, ornamental mirrors, and small sculptures, wall paintings and relief. Painters used curving forms and delicate colors to produce exceptional artistic works that were naughty. Many people believe that rococo serves the same purpose to baroque as mannerism serves to Renaissance. Therefore, rococo is

Graduation Rate Trends in California Essay Example for Free

Graduation Rate Trends in California Essay In California, graduation rates among public high schools students declined from sixty nine percent in 1992 to sixty five percent in 1996 (Plucker, ET all). In 2000, the State managed to exceed the national graduation average rate for public high schools for the first time in that decade. Before that year, California had always being between half to four points below the national average (Plucker, ET all). Johnson (2008) quotes from the 2008 Sacramento County Children’s Report Card report by stating that graduation rate in the high schools has fallen with fewer students meeting the requirements needed to join either California State University or The University of California. According to the report, the high schools graduation rate declined from 85. 1 percent in 2000/1 to 79. 6 percent in 2006/7. In the same report, it was revealed that the percentage rate of graduates (high school) who meet the GSU and UC requirement fell from 34. 4 % in 2002 to 22. 5 % in 2006 (Johnson, 2008). On the other hand, Mitchell (2008) reports that in Los Angeles, the number of public school students graduating has fallen for two consequent years (2006/7). She attributes this to the policy requiring all the students to pass an exit examination if they will have to get a diploma. The study also shows that decrease in the graduation rate can be attributed to the experiences of students while at the middle school and the quality of the high school teachers (Mitchel Sberg, 2008). According to San Jose Mercury News, the administration of exit exam was the reason for the decline in the graduation rate in the year 2006 (the first class sat for the exam). The rate of the high school graduates fell by four percent in California that year (Dave, 2007). However, despite the general decline in the number of students who are graduating, the number from the minority students is increasing (Nierstedt 2008). Experts have projected that the rate of graduation will continue falling over the next five years and that will definitely cause a decrease in college applications. On the other hand, due to the rising numbers of the graduating minority groups such as Asians and Hispanics colleges’ diversity will increase (Nierstedt 2008). The graduation rate in California among the blacks is increasing as compared to that of the whites students. For example, Pomona College in California has a graduation rate of black students being eighty-three percent, which is below that of other similar institutions. However, if compared with graduation rate of the white students, the rate is higher because the rate of graduation for the later is eighty one percent (Edwards, 2009). In addition, the methods that are used to calculate the rate are criticized because of the variations that are gotten if checked by different institutions. For example, California data shows that its graduation rate is better than the national average. However when the rate is analyzed by ethnic or racial groups, the results show that the number of African Americans and the Latinos is lost disproportionately (Koehler, 2004). Seventy percent of all the students in Californian schools graduate but two out of every five black Americans never graduated in 2000(Olmos, 2008). According to Patrcia (2008), Latino and African American students are less likely to graduate from high schools when compared to the white or Asian students. Also about one third or a quarter of all the public high schools students in California do not graduate. There is an allegation that there are States, California included that inflate graduation rate. The Education Trust based in Washington stated that â€Å"many States hide behind false data† with the study conducted showing that California had once reported that its graduation rate was eighty seven percent while in the real sense it was approximately seventy one percent (Eslinger, 2005). The report by the US Department of Education shows that the rate of graduation in all secondary schools is seventy percent with some schools in poor urban areas of California with a rate of forty four percent. This has been attributed to high costs of education and political and social factors (Douglass, 2008). Of all the 2004 high school students who sat for The California High School Exit Exam, only less than a half passed the exams a situation that forced the education board to postpone the use of the results as a graduation requirement until 2006 (Warren, 2008). Many young people in the State of California do not complete high school, many of them being African Americans and the Latinos (WestED, 2008). Fifty three percent of LAUSD students (freshman) never graduate four years later when compared to thirty eight percent of County freshman and twenty eight percent of California ninth graders (California Department of Education, 2009). A report by the Los Angeles County, Sheriff Lee Baca gave a report that associates the increase in criminal activities with the low rate of graduation among students. The reports suggests measures to increase the rate of graduation which include participating in high quality preschool, check and use of connect programs (to monitor whether high risk students are in school and connect them with needed services) (Bagchi, 2008). To improve the situation, several researches have been undertaken to get the main reason why the rate of graduation is moving down. The University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute has initiated the California drop out research project. The main objective of the research is to synthesize the researches that already exist and also to be in a position to make the policymakers and the public know the nature and the solutions to this problem(California Dropout Research Project, 2008). The report also suggests claims that the government of California is not doing enough to reduce the decreasing rate of graduation and more investment should be done to contain the situation (FCIK, 2008). The California Get Real coalition has proposed that Career technical education expansion can be useful in increasing the graduation rate in California (Price, 2007). On the other hand, Eccles (2008) states that students should be motivated to continue with their studies by building a stronger student teacher relationship. Students should also enroll in CTE programs as they increase their chances of graduating (Bates, 2008). REFERENCES Bagchi, S. (2008). Improving Graduation rates can cut crimes. Los Angeles: Heartland Institute. Retrieved March 5, 2009, from http://www. heartland. org/publications/school%20reform/article/22869/Improving_ Graduation_Rates_Can_Cut_Crime. html Bates, S. (2008). Facts about Academic success, drop-out rates, and career technical education. Retrieved March 5, 2009 http://www. citea. org/images/resources/Facts_about_academic_success_dropout_rates_ and_CTE pdf California Department of Education. (2009). Student Enrollment and Graduation Trends for LAUSD, Los Angeles County and California. Retrieved March 5, 2009 from http://www. afabc. org/chevron%20texaco%20brochure-2. pdf Douglass, J. A. (2008). Wrong Trajectory. Retrieved March 5, 2009, from http://alumni. berkeley. edu/california/200805/freespeech. asp Eccles, J. (2008). Can middle school reform increase high school graduation rates? Retrieved March 5, 2009, from http://www. edcoe. k12. ca. us/departments/curriculum_instruction/documents/ CILC082008_DropOutMiddleSchoolReform. pdf FCIK. (2008). Drop out Prevention report. Retrieved March 5, 2009, from http://www. fightcrime. org/ca/dropout/index. php Rumberger, R. (2008). California Dropout Research Project. Retrieved March 5, 2009, from http://www. lmri. ucsb. edu/dropouts/about. htm Johnson K. (2008). Report: High school graduation rates decline in Sacramento County. Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved March, 5 2009, from http://www. bizjournals. com/sacramento/stories/2008/11/17/daily7. html Mitchell, L. Sberg. (2008, June 21) Graduation rates declining in L. A. unified despite higher enrolment, study finds. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March, 5 2009, from http://articles. latimes. com/2008/jun/21/local/me-grads21

Procter and gamble tide detergent in south africa

Procter and gamble tide detergent in south africa PG ability to enter the South African market are of crucial importance for the companys future success. They did not enter the market of Republic of South Africa before may be because of the political, economic and cultural issues that prevailed then. The following report will discuss about the strength and weakness of Procter and Gamble and then how entering the South African market and how to pay attention to their competitors. Later on a marketing plan will also be discussing on how to successfully position Tide in the South African market. The Procter and gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational conglomerate that manufactures a wide range of consumer products which ranges from beauty and grooming, health and well being, household care etc. The pampers another brand of PG that comes under its household category is the top selling diaper brand in the world .The Tide detergent comes under their house hold care category to For about 60 years, Tide has been caring for the clothes of families across the globe and helping to provide the everyday miracle of clean clothing .this product manufactured by Procter and gamble is a very popular laundry detergent and very successful on the markets in Canada ,the United States, Morocco ,India, Saudi Arabia etc .South Africa seems to be a promising market for the company this might be the factor the company entered the South African market with its Star homecare product Pampers . Tide is among the most popular and patronized detergents in the world .Since its launching in 1946 the worlds first synthetic detergent was able to establish its market supremacy. The laundry detergent powder owned by Procter and Gamble currently holds about 40 percent of the laundry detergent market and it was able to penetrate into all the market which its operating now within a small period of time it continues its stable growth in the market and is committed towards helping families in their laundry needs. The Tide offers a wide array of products such as the Tide liquid, Tide Powder, Tide coldwater, Bleach, Tide HE and so on. Therefore we can say from its very Tide Bleach to Tide Total care to their very recent Tide stain release in wash booster it stress on the importance of clean, fresh clothes that helps you feel youre the best and most confident no matter what you wearing thats their motto . Market Entry Since there is always this issue of a giant US corporation spreading American style consumerism into all corners of the globe .However a Multinational Corporation cannot just waltz into any country and beat the completion there and just take the market share there are lot of big business houses that has failed in the past to local companies . In this case PG should enter the market with their product Tide as a local company investing in the South African economy and hiring local workers from there and this is exactly how the company has been positioning itself for the past so many years .Yes it should be a Greenfield investment, even though it might be an expensive option however the benefit associated with its that it can build the subsidiary the way it wants and importantly could transfer the same kind organizational culture and practices with ease making it easy to establish operating routines and it also helps to expand and spread the core competencies within the enterprise throu gh the way of Greenfield investment . Therefore Tide should enter the Republic of South African market by building manufacturing plants and hiring workers from thereby it can also create a good reputation there by providing employment for the locals .Like said before even though it might be little expensive later on it will start to bear fruit . Environment Analysis:- PG as we know is the worlds leading laundry detergent company with a market share of 28.1 percent compared to its main arch rivals Unilever with a market share of 17.4 percent as per a survey conducted in 2006. Even though its competitor Surf another major laundry detergent and some other detergent brands from Unilever has already made entry into the South African market much before itself the penetration in this are hasnt been that significant .PG was late in entering the Indian detergent market to its rivals Unilever Surf because the Indian economy wasnt that open and investment friendly until a couple of years ago by the time they entered even though Unilever held a strong position and enjoyed huge market share there PG Tide was successful in bringing down the market share of Unilever Surf by engaging in a price war with them and now there no more huge market share is enjoyed by both the players as result. Similarly even if they are late in entering the Republic of South Africa wi th a population of about 49,991,300 people as per 2010 census, and is predicted among as the next best developing economies along with countries like Bangladesh, Egypt etc leaves a lot a scope and significant growth opportunities for Tide in South African market. Political Environment:- The Republic Of South Africa is Parliamentary democracy wherein the members are elected for a 5 year term .The Government have a favorable attitude towards foreign direct investments countries like United States and the members of European Union, Japan etc are their major trading partners .Therefore one can say there not much PG has to worry about by introducing its Tide Detergent in this market as the Political factors are in favor and there is not much legal restrictions that the company has to comply with .The Government is investment friendly and has also formulated a new strategy to boost the countrys economic growth to 6 % by 2014. Economic Environment:- The economy of South Africa is pretty good. They have a growing economy with a GDP of 287 billion USD in 2009 and a real GDP growth rate of 3.7 % in 2009 from its previous 3% in 2008 .Their purchasing power is also expected grow over the period of time and its predicted as the next best 10 developing economies (In a report from France 24) after India and China. The key economic reforms have given rise to the macroeconomic stability of this country. Taxes have been reduced, tariffs lowered and exchange controls relaxed all these are positive signs. Social and Cultural Factors:- Their gross income and disposable income has increased rapidly over the recent years compared to before and is expected to grow even more and there are lot of potential for further growth for the country in different spheres. Statistical figures indicate that the Engels co-efficient is slightly decreasing in the last few years. Both the urban population and rural population have a level of welfare that they will be willing to spend on the basic requirements products. Culture:- South Africa has a population of about 40 million people and about three quarters of its population is black and about 15 percent white. Apart from Afrikaans most of them do speak good English which is the global language. South Africa is considered to be an Industrial giant of Africa. Some of their business etiquettes with respect to communications they do not like to rush deals and are very casual in business dealings ,its better to use titles and surnames to address the people ,hand shake is the most common way of greeting however handshakes vary between the various ethnic groups . South Africans prefer a win-win negotiation and with respect to appearance and behavior they like to be well dressed and gift giving is not norm in the business and business meetings will be generally held over lunch or dinner in some good restaurant. Technological environment:- South Africas manufacturing output is technology intensive with high tech manufacturing sector such as machinery, scientific etc .South Africas technological research and quality standards is pretty good. They have also developed number of leading technologies in fields energy and fuels, steel production, telecommunications and Information technology etc Thus after the PEST analysis it is pretty much clear that business environment is favorable to launch Tide in RSA. SWOT Analysis:- Strength PG Tide is a very strong brand its been really successful in numerous number of countries including the Unites States and various other countries in Asia such as India, Pakisthan, Srilanka and Bangladesh etc . It has a certain popular tagline in each of these countries and these have helped to retain the Brand name in everyones mind. It makes its product available in different quantities and prices based on that meeting the consumer needs. The company has about 127Â  000 employees working for them with people from various nationalities working for them on the top level group and PG operates in numerous number of countries it also invests a large pile of money on their RD . The detergent also helps in reducing waster consumption. They also do have high quality manpower Weakness- Tide has a lot of competitors in the market such as the various Unilever home care brands such as Surf Excel, Omo, Comfort, Cif etc. Then since Tide is detergent product there are lots of substitute products available in the market like detergent cakes, liquid detergents etc .This might reduce the market demand for the detergent powders. The company might have to spend on for certain cultural and other activities in the public other than just spending for product development and research. The lack of reliability on data is another factor since the market is pretty huge and its spread over a lot of countries it is not possible to get a reliable data about the market demand and other datas that will help in market development. This might reduce the predictability power of the company Opportunities The Company can utilize upon the changing lifestyle of the people for increasing the demand of the product by concentrating on customer needs and by giving the best product thereby the company can widen the scope and can increase the demand of Tide products. The company can try to acquire a high market share for the product by increasing the production and market share and thereby it is possible to achieve high demand and a reduction in price of the product thereby ensuring customer satisfaction. PG could also apply certain new tactics in the market by introducing a new product. Tide can opt this strategy by introducing a new variety in the market it could get a sudden boost in the demand of the product at the time introduction in the market. Threats The Company might face some legislative pressures as the chemicals that are used in the production of detergents are harmful for the human body and natural environment. There might be environmental effects as the detergent contains chemicals that are harmful for human being and natural resources. Therefore the company must make sure that it makes environment friendly products. There could be chances for price war we know that the primary goal every manufacturer will be to increase the demand for their productions since sufficient demand is necessary for the company to survive in the competitive market. If any of the competitor company reduces their products price and this might result in a price war between the two. Marketing Strategy:- Procter and Gamble as one of the worlds consumer products companies in the world often undertake market research before launching its product and also uses this research to make decisions about the marketing mix as well as its marketing strategy and tactics. Market Research thus helped the company determine its marketing strategy by shaping the brand name and the product identification that the product would carry. Knowing the fact that women would be the primary target market for the product therefore the tactics should be developed keeping this in my mind and use in its promotional strategy. 8704cov_piechart.gif The Marketing Mix Price This is the most powerful tool in marketing, as we know it is utilized in many a ways mainly to increase unit sales ,to make the market less attractive to potential competitors and to attract buyers so that they buy other items once the transaction has started . The PG pricing of Tide detergent soap proves to be an effective means not only to attract consumers but also to reduce the market appeal to its competitors .In India PG had launched discounts for both its brands Tide and Ariel for about to 20% to 50% literally there was a price war with its archrivals Unilever Surf which was enjoying a major market share in the market before .However by its reduced pricing strategy buying Tide has become an economic -wise option for the larger masses. By slashing its price the volume of Tide sales have surged tremendously. PG will have to follow a similar pricing strategy here in South Africa like they did in India as their competitors Unilever brands are pretty strong there. 12 South African Rand for 1 Kg of tide would be a good idea. Product Its considered that Tides usefulness expires as soon as laundry is finished, but this is not to suggest that PG is not going to be liable after its use .The trend nowadays is providing feedback mechanism. Its been realized by PG which is why one can notice writings in the packets like if you have any suggestions or comment write to us. The company would be able to know how the customers feel about the products what they think of it in order to make this effective ,to bring awareness to their customers they have to re-in force the message to its customers via TV , radio or internet . The company should therefore make sure what thats discussed above is done in the South African market. Tide is an excellent brand name which carries its supremacy and toughness across the markets where its present. Promotion The very existence of internet has revolutionized the world of information technology this a very good sign for many new advertising opportunities .For e.g. the pop up ads and email ads .The television and radio advertising are also important ways to promote Tide in its new market .Like any other effective television and radio advertising it requires a very good punch line ,present the competitor product without mentioning its name tell about its weakness they should get testimony of experts or renowned authorities. Drawing the attention of the internet users obviously would not readily move them into action. They have to therefore find some new ways or effective techniques to further engage them in company website. Therefore a strong consideration must be given to the content of the site. Thus by making the site more attractive this will help to engage more consumers and they will start to react positively to the ads. Therefore company has to have an effective promotion and public relations in their new market in all the tools available to them. Advertising in various media maintains superior standing of the product in the wide detergent market place. Place /Distribution:- The choice of distribution is an extremely important decision to make. It should meet the needs of the South African market .When it comes to the elements of distribution channel which includes packaging, storage facilities, transportation and the members such as brokers, retailers and households must be suitable for the SA market needs. Tide must be made available both in the retail stores and wholesale stores of South Africa as the product try to satisfy the immediate need of people. Packaging the product must take the following into consideration must facilitate storage and handling of the product must protect Tide from extreme temperatures, isolate appropriate purchase quantities. And also make sure that the packaging materials must be of bright colors to instantly capture attention of the consumers. At the same time storing Tide must be done by complying with the rules of the South African Government .PG must also inform their stakeholders ,manufacturers about the various storage risks that might happen such as fires,theft,loss of market demand etc this will also ensure effective handling of storage costs . And its also important that they build a sound communication channel with their consumers, manufacturers, brokers and other stake holders in the new market for the smooth functioning. Competitive Analysis:- Tide is among the top 20 worlds detergent manufacturers. According to certain reports published during the period Tide held the highest share of 3 billion dollars during the late 2000 followed by its stalemate Ariel with about 2.8 billion US dollars. The major competitors that Tide is going to face in South Africa will be its major arch rivals and strong competitors such as Omo, Surf and Persil the other laundry detergents from Unilever.The competitors have already established their brands in the South African markets . However PG neednt be worried about that since before also there was this situation were Unilever tapped into the Indian markets even when it was not so business friendly even after making a late entry into the market arena they were able to capture significant share in the Indian market Tide will be able to repeat the same here also with its heavy advertising and other related campaigns so as to promote sales .However there are also lot of other small rivals in the fi eld as a result of product innovation and behavior dynamics of the consumers therefore Tide will have to concentrate on its marketing strategy focusing in order for them to dominate the market eventually . Conclusion:- The international marketing of PG Tide is really important before its entry into the new market. Basing it from the facts gathered in this research, it could be concluded that the international marketing of Tide is effective. Its constant dedication in achieving its goals defines its success and further utilization. Its necessary that one company must know to stay in competition in order to endure in the market. It is also important for the company to understand whats the major driver of the firms profitability in a competitive market this key marketing challenge and strategy. So as to conclude the report helps in identifying the various resources of PGs Tide. Its important for the company that in spite of their success it should continually work on its strategy change and development is indispensable. All this will help in the companys success.

Comparing Merchant’sThe Death of Nature and Thomas’ Man and the Natural

Comparing Merchant’sThe Death of Nature and Thomas’ Man and the Natural World    The works of Carolyn Merchant and Keith Thomas pertain to the same subject matter and even to the same time period. Nevertheless, in comparing their interpretations of the evidence and the presentation of their arguments concerning the history of mankind’s relationship with nature in Tudor and Stuart England through the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, we find that they are quite different. Merchant presents us with a rather one-sided, retrospective attack on science as the root of all environmental evil, while Thomas offers a relatively neutral, prospective look at how the people of this time reacted to the changing views of nature and what, exactly, caused these views to change. The theme running through Merchant’s book, The Death of Nature, is one of pessimism toward science. Her main argument is that the root of today’s environmental problems can be found in the early modern period, an era in which, Merchant says, nature was robbed by science of its right to life and spirit and became, effectively, a machine. According to Merchant, in the early 16th century with the rise of modern science and technology, mankind’s view of nature as a living being changed and nature became a machine to be dominated, dismantled and its secrets discovered, no matter what the cost. Of the many examples Merchant uses to illustrate her point, none seems so warranted as that of Sir Francis Bacon, the father of modern science. We follow Bacon through Merchant’s book as one of the ringleaders of the movement to mechanize and de-spiritualize nature. "The Baconian method," says Merchant, "advocated power over nature through manual manipulation, technology, and... ...covery, he does imply that, with new theological interpretations raising moral standards and with new scientific discovery, nature was, so to speak, given back some of its rights as a living organism. While Thomas and Merchant argue different sides of the same coin, the two authors do agree on one thing: that, like the lyrics of a popular rock song, "video killed the radio star," something new seems to have "killed" the organic view of nature in the early modern period. But while Merchant stops there, pessimistically asserting that we have not moved beyond the "death of nature," Thomas believes that science, as opposed to being merely an enemy of nature, actually resuscitated it, saving it from the earlier, anthropocentric view of Tudor and Stuart England. Works Cited Merchant, Carolyn. The Death of Nature, Thomas, Keith. Man and the Natural World.

Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights - Class Struggles :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights   - Class Struggles   Conflict is a basic foundation for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Much of this conflict results from a distinct division of classes and is portrayed through such ways as personal relationships, appearance of characters, and even the setting. The division of classes is based on cultural, economic, and social differences, and it greatly affects the general behavior and actions of each character. The setting of the story at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange provides a clear example of social contrast. While the Heights is depicted as simply typical and "domestic," the Grange is described as a "scene of unprecedented richness" (80). Each house is associated with behavior fitting the description. For example, when Catherine is taken into the Grange, she experiences drastic changes, thus going from a "savage" to a "lady" (80). While at this house, she rises in status, learns manners, and receives great privileges such as not having to work. Heathcliff, on the other hand, learns to classify himself as a member of the lower class, as he does not possess the qualities of those at the Grange. The critical essay explains a main point in Wuthering Heights, Catherine's decision to marry Edgar Linton rather than Heathcliff, and this decision widens the gap between social classes. Edgar Linton is a wealthy man of high status, and Heathcliff is poor and possesses no assets. Catherine does not consider personal feelings, but instead, she focuses on her outward appearance to society. "Edgar Linton will be rich and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighborhood whereas if Heathcliff and I married, we should be beggars (81). It is obvious that wealth justifies social class, and Catherine strives to achieve high status. The struggle between social classes roughly resembles a real-life conflict during this time. The book was published during the Industrial Revolution, a time of great economic change in which laborers fought for fair conditions in the workplace, and employers fought to defend themselves. People formed groups to work for their own benefit, thus, causing the separation of classes.

Journal Entry Essay

In the twentieth century, the journal of my Irish ancestor, Detective Robert Shorts, was found during an Estate sale. He immigrated from Ireland in the early 1850’s as a teenager and spent the later part of his life as Detroit’s Detective and, later, Police Chief. The following are his words. October 24, 1872, Detroit. It was a dark time. The city had been safe since the 1830’s, so safe that women could walk about without their husbands or go to work without an escort. Now. Well, now things were dark. I found myself standing alongside the latest victim, pretty, well-dressed, not a prostitute. A lady of means, murdered in broad daylight. I wondered what the world was coming to. Back in Ireland, this never would have happened to her. Things were different there. The main difference being that in Ireland, you knew where the bad neighborhoods were, and unless you were there for reasons unmentionable, you avoided them like the plague—for that’s what it would get you, and that would be the best of things. Things had changed so much if you didn’t know the new buildings in town you could get easily lost and wind up in a bad spot. Which is probably what happened to the lady, I considered. I saw nothing that would have placed her in this dark alley that used to be a small, slightly urban park. My hand rested on my pistol as the city’s finest surrounded me to take pictures of the scene and lay the tape that would seal this woman’s fate in history as one of the first victims of organized crime. December 26, 1880, Detroit. I was named Police Chief today, called in to work to have the torch handed down to me as the last Police Chief had been murdered by vindictive members of the mob. As of yet, we have apprehended no one in the cursed plague of murders that have been a result of their organized crime since I began as Detective on the force in the early 1870’s. As the holiday passed me without celebration, I began to wonder why I ever came to this country. I came alone, without parents to support me, and with only my wits to get me to this country of freedom and inspiration. America. Land of the free, brave, and dangerous. I don’t know what most immigrants were thinking or where we got such ideas. But, in trading crime for commerce, it is true that I make more in wages in one month today than I ever made in more than two years of factory work back in Ireland. Yet, in looking out my window, I considered what there was to feel inspired about when more than six slaughterhouses surrounded the precinct. I had to endure the rancid smell of rotting meat day in and day out while I worked my cases. The mayor has promised change in the area of expansion, and a business district, which would place the markets and businesses on a different block, but that ideal seems a long way off. The papers said today that the city has seen extensive growth, moving the population from two thousand to more than one hundred sixteen thousand in the past fifty years (Schneider, 3). That’s more than one hundred thousand people who have moved within the city lines in the past fifty years. It’s no wonder the city is floundering in crime and un-planned expansion. From what I’ve seen, this dramatic increase has done more for the volume of crime and murder than it has for the success or development of the city, but there is hope of a revitalization from the industrial revolution sweeping the nation, even reaching a dark place like Detroit.

Biomedical Engineering Essay

Biomedical Engineers are highly trained scientists who use engineering and life science principles to research biological aspects of animal and human life (1). Some tasks of a biomedical engineer include, developing new theories, modifying, testing, and proving existing theories, and designing health care instruments and devices or apply engineering principles to the study of human systems. Biomedical engineering has been created by advancements in technology. It is an interdisciplinary field that brings together two respected professions, biology and engineering. The profession was developed primarily after 1945, as a new technology allowed for the application of engineering principles to biology (2). Employers for biomedical engineers include hospitals, industry, research facilities of educational and medical institutions, teaching, and government regulatory agencies (1). The jobs involve working closely with life scientists, members of the medical profession, and chemists. Most work revolves around the laboratory. In biomedical engineering design, medical instruments and devices are developed. Engineers work on artificial organs and surgical lasers, for example. Engineers design and build systems that will update hospital, laboratory, and clinical procedures. They also train health care personnel in the proper use of this new equipment. Within biomedical engineering, and individual may concentrate on a particular specialty area. Some of the well-established areas are bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, biomaterials, systems physiology, clinical engineering, and rehabilitation engineering (2). All of these areas depend on each other in order to be successful. Biomechanics is mechanics applies to biological or medical problems. Examples include the artificial heart or kidney. Bioinstrumentation is the application of electronics and measurement principles and techniques to develop devices used in diagnosis and treatment of disease (2). â€Å"Educational requirements include a strong commitment to learning and being scientifically inclined† (1). Being able to apply knowledge in problem  solving is a large part of biomedical engineering. Becoming a biomedical engineer requires long years of schooling because a biomedical engineer needs to be an expert in the fields of engineering and biology. Being familiar with chemical, material, and electrical engineering as well as physiology and computers is important (1). Most engineers have an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering or a related field and a Ph.D. in some facet of biomedical engineering. At least a bachelor’s degree is needed in engineering to become a biomedical engineer. It usually takes four or five years to earn this degree (3). The salary scale for biomedical engineering varies with the amount of education and experience. The federal government pay scale for holders of a bachelor’s degree starts at approximately $23,000. Biomedical engineers with a master’s degree could start at about $26,000,and those with a doctorate at around $28,000. The average salary for all engineers in the federal government is $38,000 a year. Instructors earn about $26,800 and professors earn about $63,000 (1). Earnings in the private sector generally run higher than those in government or education careers (2). In the 1990’s, there were more than four thousand biomedical engineers in the United States. They are employed in all parts of the country in hospitals, colleges and universities, medical and engineering schools, federal and state agencies, and private industry. â€Å"It is expected that there will be greater need for skilled biomedical engineers through the 1990’s† (2). Prospects look particularly good in the large health care industry, which will continue to grow rapidly, primarily because people are living longer (1). New jobs will become available to biomedical research in prosthetics, artificial internal organs, computer applications, instrumentation, and other medical systems. In addition, a demand will exist for teachers to train the biomedical engineers needed to fill these positions (1). Works Cited â€Å"Biomedical Engineers.† Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance. 10th ed. 1997. â€Å"Biomedical Engineers.† Careers in Engineering. Chicago: Ferguson Publishing Company, 1999. â€Å"Biomedical Engineering.† Career Information Center. Ed. Richard Lidz. 6th ed. 13 vols. New York : Simon & Schuster Macmillan, 1996.

Christian Societies Emerge in Europe Essay

Christian Societies Emerge in Europe, 600-1200 1. What new political systems emerged in Europe after the fall of Rome? How consistent were these systems, and what major variations were there? Byzantine had a continuation of Roman Imperial rule and tradition where it was completely gone in the kingdoms succeeding Rome in the West. Byzantine still used the imperial law intact while the west used provincial form of Roman law. Byzantine combined imperial rule with the political oversight of the Christian Church which led to Christian monarchs, a ruler with supreme religious and political authority. This prevented the empire to divide into principalities like in the East. Imperial authority and urbanization of the Byzantine protected them from population loss and economic reverse of the Western Empire besides from the Bubonic plague. decline. In western Europe, the imperial legal framework of the Roman Empire disappeared and saw to the rise of kings, nobles and chieftains in regions. Family based traditions of the Germanic people persisted and supplied laws of the Roman emperors. A local lord had a castle where peasants could take refuge in times of fear and security. Manorial systems developed which are self-sufficient farming estates consisted of outbuildings, castle, peasant village and surrounding land. Feudalism is the more political term where kings and lords give land to vassals in return for sworn military support. Fear allowed for farmers to give up their land in return for protection. Poorly organized govt. and isolation made them rely on own resources. The lords provided governance and justice while royal govt. involvement is limited. Jurisdiction fell under the clergy of the church, monasteries or nunneries which owned agricultural land. During the revival of Western Europe, 1000-1200, independent cities formed and were governed by communes or groups of leading citizens. Instead of farming these cities turned to manufacturing and trade. Laws made serfs free once they left the countryside for the city. Venice became dominant sea power and competed with Pisa and Genoa for domination of trade with Muslim ports in Africa and Med. Cites in Flanders rivaled Italian cities in prosperity trade and industry (dominated fish and wool trades) Abundant coinage of silver and gold coming from Muslim and Byzantine lands, promoted economic activity 2. How and why did Christianity spread throughout Europe up to 1200 CE? It spread through the Roman Empire which ruled parts of the Europe west of the Rhine and south of the Danube. First when Christianity was not very widely practiced and it was illegal, it spread along urban networks and lower classes. Then emperors started to convert starting with the Byzantine emperors established Christianity as their official religion. Then Christianity started to gain support and patronage. There were a few missionaries sent out of the Roman Empire such as St. Patrick who spread the religion to Ireland. Trade and Christian slaves also spread Christianity more easily to a broad range of places. After the division of the Roman Empire, two –thirds of Christians adopted Muslim faith in Byzantine territories around southern Med. The church and the jurisdiction of the pope remained a huge influence and role model in society. Kings who succeeded Western Europe generally were Christian so they can win the favor of their subjects. There were more missionaries spreading the teachings of Christianity. Monasteries and covenants planted Christianity in new lands. The Poles and other Slavic people in the North accepted the Christianity of Rome, taught by German priests and missionaries, and diffusion from Constantinople. In Kiev Russia, Vladimir married a bride from the Byzantine imperial family and converted to Orthodox Christianity and opened his lands to Orthodox clerics and missionaries†¦ Generally speaking, Christianity spread because of cultural diffusion, missionaries, political contacts such as marriage alliances, and Christian conquests. 3. How does the economic, social, and political structure of Europe compare with the previous era under the Roman Empire? Economically, Byzantine government remained the same in terms of set prices, organized grain shipments to the capital and monopolies on trade goods and luxuries. This may have slowed economic developments. The focus was mainly on Constantinople’s rich, trade, glittering court and cathedrals leaving the poor and the travelers behind which affected other Byzantine cities negatively. There was no moral code to follow so there were many crimes. In Western Europe, Germanic political order cared less about the urban based  civilization of Rome. It lost pop. in most regions and some cities became villages. Roman Roads, abandoned villas and public buildings started deteriorating as wealth, maintenance, and workers decreased. Paying with coins was replaced with the bartering system. Trade declined so they had to rely on local sources. Roman centralization used its wealth and production on the capital, which spread Rome’s cultural traits throughout the provinces. But Germanic territorial lords persisted on their own cultural traditions so literacy and other aspects of Rome declined. The status of women changed. During the Roman Empire, the family was centered on the legally all-powerful father while woman enjoyed freedom in public. Later, after the 7th century, women lived in confinement and hid their faces under veil. They only socialized with males in their family. On the other hand, from 1028-1056, women ruled along their husbands. Some also played prominent roles based on status such as the daughter of Emperor Comnenus by expressing her ideas and point of view. In Western Europe, the Germanic tradition was splitting property among sons. The Manorial system allowed for Nobles and their family to completely rule over the serfs of agricultural workers who worked the land in return for protection and could not leave the manor where they were born into. This limited the freedom and potential achievement for most people except for the nobles. K nights, the primary figure of medieval warfare, regularly answered to calls for military service and there was a growing number of warriors and horsemen which gradually led to an increased status of a mounted warrior, becoming a landowner. Land was the basis of wealth so the more land, the more support for the knight there is. Fiefs or grants of land could be inheritable as long as military service was provided. Noblewomen played key parts in the Feudal system. A man who married the daughter or widow of a lord with no sons could gain control of their property. Marriage alliances affect the kingdom on a whole. Noblewomen had sufficient roles in society such as directing public works. Noble daughters AND sons had little say in marriage matters but issues of land, power, and military service took more importance. Noblewomen could inherit land even when the husband was away at war. Regular women worked with the men, performing agricultural tasks such as raking, stacking hay, shearing sheep, and picking vegetables. They also were skilled artisans so they could weave and sew. Some women lived my monastic rules by seclusion in convent  but very small percentage. Convents provided refuge for widows and for other women in need of protection and spirituality. Byzantine still maintained Roman Imperial rule and traditions. Imperial authority and urbanization of the Byzantine protected them from population loss and economic reverse of the Western Empire. The Bubonic Plague and other epidemics, excluded from this condition, caused decline of pop., elite, and wealth and shifting views of saints. Power in the imperial court was organized by family based aristocracy rather than earlier class based office holdings by 11th century. Territorial losses of prosperous Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia by the Sassanids and invasions of Slavic and Turkish people in the Byzantine Empire led to military weakness and decline. In western Europe, the imperial legal framework of the Roman Empire disappeared and saw to the rise of kings, nobles and chieftains. Family based traditions of the Germanic people persisted and supplied laws of the Roman emperors. Society focused on rural villages and estates (manors) rather than cities. The Church also played a huge part in the political structure in both Byzantine and especially the West where not only did it offer religious guidance, but political jurisdiction as well according to church or clergy property. Three traditions constantly competed with each other; Feudal law from Germanic custom gave supreme power to the king, canon law is the single hierarchical legal institution with jurisdiction over Western Christians, and Monasticism which is living in a religious and secular community following pre-Christian practices such as celibacy, chastity, obedience and poverty. 4. Describe the process by which Christianity diverged into two branches: Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. There were disagreements between the popes and princes of Western Europe that gradually worsened. The patriarchs of Constantinople challenged the jurisdictions of the popes of Rome and some practices of the Latin Church. This formed a schism or split between the Latin Church and Orthodox Church. Christian populations followed the religious guidance of the pope of Constantinople and the pope of the Western Church had similar authority. Missionaries in the East spread Christianity among the Slavs so in the west, they spread Christianity into the British Isles and German lands. In the West, the papacy is the central administration of the Roman Catholic Church of which the pope is the head. Roman nobles lost control of it though eventually and became an international office where councils of bishops set canons or rules to regulate the priest and people not part of clergy. It was hard to unite the church when there were disagreements between regions over church regulations, shortages of trained clergy, political disorder, insecurity, some polytheism, and selling appointments. Because of political fragmentation, the pope needed allies, especially the support of the king. Both considered themselves as absolute authority. In 969, the Holy Roman Empire established loose confederation of German states and principalities. The first emperor had secular political authority over general Christian interests but the law of the church controlled jurisdiction overall church and clergy property while bishops holding land as vassals owed their service to kings and princes. This led to the investiture controversy or medieval struggle between the church and the lay lords to control churc h appointments and popes vs. emperors and kings. 5. What role did technology and improvements in agriculture play in the development of the European economy? Agricultural Europe produced horses for a specific type of warfare in the Roman legion where larger and heavier horses were needed. Farmers practiced shifting cultivation in Kievan Russia where they would burn a section of forest for fertility instead of manorial agriculture system. Between 1000-1200 western Europe transformed from subsistence farming where only basic needs were met for food, shelter and clothing to growing population and agricultural production. The food surplus made the return of a money-based economy and supported larger numbers of workers and traders. Population growth was started by new technologies and the appearance of the self-governing cities of Italy and Flanders devoted to seaborne trade. There were also improvements in central administration, greater control over vassals, and stronger kingdoms. A new plow appeared which cut deep into the soil to turn over land and made it easier to farm heavy soil but took more energy and animals. The horse collar was a harnessing method used to hitch horse to plows and carts more efficiently as they were faster and stronger than oxen. Some areas favored oxen and contributed to the pop. growth as well. 6. How did Kievan Russia develop both in conjuncture with Western Europe and Byzantium yet develop distinct  characteristics? The environment is quite different because of the fact that there is frozen tundra in the north, cold forest zone, then a more temperate forest, mixed forests and steppe grasslands. There is a different culture of the Slavic people who spoke distinct languages. Kievan Russia developed Orthodox Christianity officially like in Byzantine which extended northward which provided a barrier against Latin Christianity. Even though orthodox Christianity was the official religionthere was still distinct cultural traditions such as polytheist designs and beliefs, rejections of Christian burial practices, and traditional Slavic marriage practicing casual and polygamous relations. Besides this, Kievan developed distinct ones as well. Its political power came from trade rather than from landholding like the manorial system of western Europe. Farmers practiced shifting cultivation in Kievan Russia where they would burn a section of forest for fertility. Poor land and short growing season in the very north made food scarce so the focus was more on horse breeding than agriculture.

International Integration

International Integration Introduction The ongoing process of international integration is often referred to as ‘globalization'. An organization called the ‘United Nations' (UN) is specifically important as it is contributing to this process by creating a possibility for its members to discuss problems, initiatives and much more. Almost all states are its members and through that an important environment is created for international integration. The question this article tries to answer is; ‘Is international integration an advantage or disadvantage for world peace? ‘.An answer is tried to be found through the exploration of the process of globalization, its link to the UN and the current conflict in Syria. The case study of the current conflict in Syria explores how the UN works in certain situations and the problems it faces for acting on an international level. It will be used as an example to find an answer to the main question. As the UN is almost an unive rsal organization it is the terrain for endless discussion between its members who all have certain interests. But its democratic character may not be truly valid as certain actors have more power than others, influencing the process of equal input.International integration and its features are constantly developing and as will be described the process has multiple consequences, positive and negative ones. Globalization Modern society anno 2012 could be described as an interconnected world where information is shared at a rapid pace through various channels as internet, television and telecommunications. Mankind has evolved a curiosity in everything that happens around him. Nowadays it is possible to acquire the latest news by a single mouse click and we are excited to share even the slightest happenings through our personal domains such as Facebook and Twitter.A global network of intelligence arose with the development of modern day communication resources, one of the reasons for t he process of globalization (Jeffery, 2002). The general understanding of the process of globalization is the increasing international integration of the world caused by mass trade and cultural exchange (Fincle & Govale, 2012). Although opinions also seem to differ about the meaning of the concept it is generally accepted that it is concerned with the growing scope, speed and intensity of interconnectedness worldwide (Goldstein & Pevehouse, 2011).Reasons given for globalization are; freedom of trade, improvements of transportation, labor wages and skills and improvement of communication resources (Fincle & Govale, 2012). Globalization has resulted in increased international trade, transnational corporations, faster and better accessibility of information, freer movement of persons and a greater dependence on the world economy. Opponents of globalization see an expanding gap between the rich and the poor, as wealthy states drain human and natural resources from less developed countri es for unfair compensations (Jeffery, 2002).Several indicators for globalization have been developed over the last decades, relevant are their variables and data they use. One of the first indicators designed and one that is used as reference for many others is the Kearney/FP index which is supported by a database (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007). It takes into account; â€Å"[†¦ ] the economic integration in the world economy, the extent of international political engagement, the internationalization of personal contacts of citizens and the use of internet technology. † (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007, p. 3).The Modified Globalization Index, by Martens and Zywietz, includes these four variables and adds another two;†[†¦ ] the involvement of a country’s military-industrial complex with the rest of the world, and the intensity of globalization in the ecological domain. † (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007,p. 4) Their definition of globalization is; â€Å"[†¦ ] the intensification of cross-national cultural, economic, political, social and technological interactions that lead to the establishment of transnational structures and the global integration of cultural, economic, environmental, olitical and social processes on global, supranational, national, regional and local levels. † (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007,p. 4). Another is the Dreher globalization index that builds on the Kearney/FP index and emphasizes on information flows and international integration through economic policy development. Another description of globalization is found in the work of Gibbens, who seems to agree that globalization is a process of cultural, political and economical integration of nation states throughout the globe (Giddens, 2000).Ritzer(2004) introduces, actually prefers, the use of the term ‘grobalization', since he focuses on the imperialistic character of nations and transnational corporations. He pinpoints the will to integrate international ly by those who have the resources required. International integration is a worldwide process with consequences. The process is steered by forces and it is important to mention that these forces are not divided equally across the world but rather are directed from a centre (Iadicola, 2008). Nowadays the United States of America is in this centre of a so-called global empire.It has the most influence on international organizations and the determination of integration on political, economical and societal levels among nation states (Iadicola, 2008). Iadicola(2008)researched this power centre empire idea. A passage concerned with globalization states that;†[†¦ ] globalization is in part a product of the power of empires as a result of conquest and trade and immigration creating patterns of cultural diffusion. â€Å"(Iadicola, 2008, p. 2-3). Globalization started long ago and it intensified during the colonial era.Yet, nowadays it seems globalization has increased in speed a nd reach as could be explained by the intense growth communication means, with internet as key feature. The empire has played a sufficient role in the distribution of capital flows, trade and economic partnership. Integrating more and more states into the world economy does not mean that wealth is equally divided among them, as Iadicola(2008) describes;†[†¦ ] the structure of international flows of income, investments, and royalty payments today does not correspond to any notion of an interdependent world that is mutually benefiting from these flows.In contrast, singular concentration and unidirectional flows towards imperial-based corporations dominates the process of globalization[†¦ ]. â€Å"(Iadicola, 2008). Empires have determined the forces of globalization for ages, The British Empire is a prime example of how trade was used to connect multiple continents. But also the Greek, Ottoman and the European empires as the Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch were all invol ved in international integration as they claimed overseas territories in the form of colonies and motivated international trade(Iadicola, 2008).Maier(2005)sees the empire as a major, leading actor in international integration. The forces needed to influence globalization are found at this actor. Empires are organized by and for those who principally control resources and production and not by those who work for it, as the empire has a class ideology(Maier, 2005). The empire has four essential features that relate to its influence or penetration of those dominated by it. These features can be seen as globalization forces, used to gain more wealth, power and increased global cultures.It uses; military-, economic-, cultural- and political penetration and integration. The USA has used these means with increasing intensity over the last decades to expand their interest (Iadicola, 2008). Globalization can be seen as international integration at multiple levels. Its intensification over th e last decades can be attributed to new and faster ways of communication, increased global trade and the need of the empire for expanding its power. Yet, there is more to describe that will help to discover its limitations, overall developments and influence.Relevant for the increasing international integration is international law. International law can be seen a system of principles, rules, concepts and norms for governing and managing relations among states, intergovernmental organizations(IGO), nongovernmental organizations(NGO), individuals and several other actors in globalization. International law's main sources of creation are custom and treaties(conventions). Customary international law can be seen as law that arises from certain, commonly practiced actions by states. An example is the immunity diplomats enjoy in foreign countries.Custom will most of the time be formalized into a treaty, the most important source of international law (Scott, 2010). These laws are created t o rise expectations, create stability among states and determine how states should interact on international level as well as national. Although states enjoy sovereignty, they are restrained when certain agreements are made between states and adaptation of domestic policy might be required and is sometimes urgent (Shaw, 2008). International law is created by states, IGO's and NGO's and it is made for them.The creation of international law is an outcome of international integration where states work together to set boundaries, create rules and determine what is important. Through international law it becomes clear that globalization influences all involved and will have consequences. The UN is the major actor that creates the environment for the adaptation of international law, what will become clear later in the article. As mentioned, treaties are the main source of international law. It is an agreement that legally binds parties under international law (Scott, 2010).There are bilat eral, two parties involved, and multilateral treaties in where three or more parties participate. The focus on international integration makes it relevant to research multilateral treaties. â€Å"A multilateral treaty is the culmination of what may have been a long political process. [†¦ ]Once the treaty document is in place it provides the central focus for the continuation of the political process that, together with the treaty itself, can now be referred to as a ‘regime'. [†¦ ] a pattern of cooperation[†¦ ]†(Scott, 2010, p. 161-163). According to Krasner(1983) a regime is â€Å"[†¦ principles, norms, rules and decision-making processes around which actor expectations converge in a given issue area. â€Å"(Scott, 2010, p. 163). The described passage provides a reasonable idea of what a regime in international law is. To establish a regime several factors or processes are involved. The first process is that of there being an issue of importance th at concerns three or more states(Scott, 2010). There is a need to manage a common problem. It triggers the process of international integration. This need will be generated by negotiations, the second process.It is in this phase that states or certain parties have the possibility to define, prioritize and recommend. Negotiations happen between states, but also between IGO's and NGO's who are capable of putting certain issues on the agenda of states, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(Scott, 2010). During the negotiations parties are able to hear each other out, trade information or make proposals. The very existence of a variety of parties makes it tempting to think that there are many issues that need attention, much negotiations happen and that there are an enormous amount of multilateral treaties.The last part is a fact, a solid proof of an interconnected world, where cooperation is extensively exercised. Yet, the value of an issue depends on by who it is prese nted. As mentioned before, globalization seems to be steered by an empire and especially from its centre. Scott(2010) does not mention empire, but he uses a different term, ‘hegemon'. â€Å"The theory of hegemonic stability suggests, most basically, that a regime emerges when a hegemon-a state with preponderant power- regards such a regime as being in its best interests.The United States has been a world hegemon since World War II. â€Å"(Scott, 2010, p. 165). A hegemon is a super power who is capable of exercising positive leadership and is capable of making others accept its preferences. Short term costs are seen as a possibility when the hegemon regards the regime to be useful and will pay off in the long run. Phase three and four are closely related. In the event of a conference all parties, or its delegations are presented the basic draft of the treaty in where an issue is tried to be managed.Proposals of laws, measures to be taken or cooperation to be achieved are pres ented and discussed during the conference which will result in a final draft on which all parties agree. Phase four is adoption and ratification of the final draft, legally binding all parties. A regime is established. Globalization is for a large part achieved through treaty making, where parties work together to find solutions, create plans for development and control processes. Besides states working together, individuals can influence its process by creating needs, address problems and inform.The modern means of communication have increased the connectivity between society and those in power as international integration is increasing on all levels. Some multilateral treaties establish an international organization that is concerned with the provisions the treaty entails. The United Nations The most known international organization, made up of states, is the United Nations(UN). It was established via the UN charter, a multilateral treaty, stating its goals, procedures, means and measures and much more on how all participants were to act. It started with 51 member states and it has 193 nowadays.The UN is an organization that reaches all over the globe and it is possible for every member to address a problem during certain occasions(Scott,2008). The UN is as it were an umbrella organization, it established many others to carry out what was agreed upon in the UN charter. The UN has so many organizations that it practically is involved all over the world with all kinds of problems on economical, social and conflict matters(Scott, 2008). The UN charter is made of several articles, divided in chapters, paragraphs and subparagraphs. It is an immense agreement on how states should interact, develop, help and much more.The first article states the UN's main purpose on which it was founded after World War II. Article 1 â€Å"The Purposes of the United Nations are: 1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace; . To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace; 3. To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and 4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends. (UN, 1945) International peace and security, globa l peace and security, a global purpose which states that all members should help to solve and prevent problems as peacefully as possible. By signing the UN Charter a state will become part of an extensive network of rules and procedures which it has to embrace, which have been determined by them and others. The UN has increased its influence due to the creation of an environment for treaty making. Over time the UN has become the world's most important organization for international integration by motivating states to solve problems.Its power has be justified by its members and the agreements between them (Schooyans, 2001). The major organs of the UN are the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the Economical and Social Council and the General Assembly. For finding an answer to my question the focus will be on the Security Council. The Security Council is an organ that is most known due to the measures it can take. It is made up out of 5 permanent members and 10 non permanent members which will be selected by the General Assembly. Its permanent members are China, The United Kingdom, The USA, France and Russia.In chapter V of the Charter articles are defined to state its purpose. Article 24 â€Å"1. In order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations, its Members confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and agree that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security Council acts on their behalf. [†¦ ] (UN, 1945). All members should keep the Security Council informed, an obligation to make sure the UN can act if this is required.The five permanent members have a veto right, meaning they can dismiss certain decisions even when they are urgent, generally accepted and majority voted. According to article 42 and 43 of the UN charter the Security Council is able to implement measures as economical and political exclusion, named sanctions. If n o positive result follows, then it is allowed to use article 43 stating â€Å"[†¦ ]it may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.Such action may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of Members of the United Nations. † (UN, 1945). Whenever the Security Council comes to an agreement about what measures should be taken it presents a resolution, a formal statement, extensively describing what is to come, how it is to come and who should be involved. A resolution could form the basis for a military intervention. A problem that needs attention, according to the Security Council is (article 39)†[.. ] any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression[†¦ ]† (UN, 1945).The Security council has presented multiple resolutions with regards to an act of aggression such as resolution 83 and 84, 1950, to use force â€Å"[†¦ ] to repel the armed attack upon the republic of Korea by forces of North Korea. â€Å"(Scott,2010, p. 103). The use of force has been authorized through more resolutions regarding, Kuwait, Somalia and Sudan. Looking back at the main question, it might be tempting to say that an organ, with multiple members, working for a safe and secure world is a definite yes. International integration has reached a point where there is a collective choice.A democratically (up till the veto) determined procedure that takes into account agreed norms and values by almost all states. The vision was formed by 51 founding members and today the charter is almost universal. When a decision to interfere, to use force, to discriminate sovereignty, to ‘ensure' safety and security is made it becomes clear that this world is so interconnected, that it lets an organization decide over life and death. Determining if the use of force is necessary, is not only led by the Security Council, it is allowed to ask help and advice to reach a conclusion.Many international organizations keep track of human rights and they are eager to alarm the security council to act, with sanctions or force, when they think something needs to be changed. Their expertise and resources make them trustworthy, not only for the Security Council but also for the world population. The increasing interconnectedness of the world makes it possible for these organizations to spread their worries and claims faster than ever before due to technological innovations as the internet, smart phones and global broadcast channels.International integration benefits from these technological innovations as problems become more visible and are spread faster. Communication and cooperation between organizations and states can lead to fast decisions and less damage to those under threat. International interventions, approved by the Security council, have increased in numbers since the ending of the cold war. The 1990's can be app ointed as the decade where most international interventions took place. It is also in this period that the idea of diplomacy over the use of force blurred.The use of force, military interventions, became a short term solution that would end the suffering of those suppressed. With regards to the twentieth century Afghanistan and Iraq are the most violent interventions so far. After the 9/11 terrorist attack in New-York, the USA promoted and executed the ‘war on terror'. This replaced the idea behind interventions for humanitarian and conflict reasons to a new enemy; international terrorism and its supporting regimes. The use of violence became a tool to scare off the opponent as well as completely deactivating him.Inner state conflicts that have been addressed increasingly over the past two decades are a relative new symptom for the UN and its Security Council. Shifting from conflicts between states to a state in conflict with itself. The traditional rules for peace keeping did not apply for these kinds of conflicts(Zandee, 2012). International integration reaches to the very integrity of states, as seen with the use of resolutions. Not only in cooperative ways, but also in the form of interventions approved through cooperation between states.The link between globalization and the UN is in its cooperative character, where the United Nations provides a ground for discussion, problem solving, initiatives and the creation of rules. The UN promotes development on different levels and multiple fields and it is to be reached through cooperation between its members (Bertucci & Alberti, 2001). In the year 2000 the ‘UN Millennium Summit' was held for the purpose of the discussion and adaptation of the ‘UN Millennium Declaration'. Over 150 world eaders eventually adopted the declaration, agreeing on the goals it set out to achieve for the upcoming 15 years such as less poverty, better health care and non-violence. Important was the emphasis on better an d more efficient cooperation between its members, an increase of international integration. One of the main points made was to make globalization a positive force for all world's people (Sneyd, 2005). Syria Syria is a state in the middle east neighboring Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq. Its main source of income is the oil- and gas industry and a small sector of tourism can be found at the Mediterranean sea.Syria has had several conflicts over time regarding territory with its neighboring states (Donker & Janssen, 2011). Syria's recent history has been used as one of the many motives for the protests that arose in the spring of 2011. In 1967 the Syrian political party Ba'ath took power by a coupe, overthrowing the government. After this, in 1970, the Ba'athist Hafez al-Assad took power in his own hands via a second coupe. He used his military connections, as he fought in many sections, too establish a loyal security force. Hafez al-Assad appointed many relatives and friends to several high governmental and military functions.In the beginning he was not very popular as he originated from a relatively small community of Alawi. Syria houses a variety of subcultures and religious sects and multiple conflicts between them have passed over time. Yet, the majority of Syria supported him for bringing stability to the economy and its inhabitants. This changed over time as Hafez al-Assads regime became more authoritarian and the economy started to fail. In the 1970's uprisings begun, which became more and more violent under the leadership of the ‘Muslim Brotherhood'.An example is its sniper campaign targeting the government's representatives. Many inhabitants did not support this way of protesting and the increasing awareness of the Brotherhood's intentions gave way for Hafez al-Assad to act brutally in 1982. This was the final standoff between the Islamists and the regime and it took place in Hama. An estimated number of civilian causalities varies betwe en 5000 to 20000. Hafez al-Assad's ruler ship was based on fear and showed severe consequences for those trying to destroy it. The media was state controlled and still is in present day (Donker & Janssen, 2011).To gain stability after the uprisings Hafez al-Assad assigned more political positions to other sub group members of Syria. In response to the Brotherhood, any political form of Islam was strictly forbidden. During the late 1980's and 1990's Syria underwent, as many other states due to ending of the cold war, economic liberation. Policies developed actually improved the position of political elites who had the resources to engage in exclusive economic deals. The tension between state, now seen as corrupt, and its society grew. In July 2000 Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father and he has been the leader of Syria ever since.His attitude and means concerned with ruling Syria do not vary that much from his father; society's voice and politics are still not coherent as a small gro up owns most of the states power as well as economical and military resources. Bashar al-Assad's nationalism, clientelism and severe repression held up over the years until March 2011 (Donker & Janssen, 2011). On March 6, 2011, children that were not older than 15 wrote the text ‘the people want the fall of the regime' (in Syrian) in the southern city Daraa. The children were arrested and tortured by Syrian security forces.Protests arose in response to this incident, first locally, but it did not take long for the remaining Syrians to participate in nationwide demonstrations. At first uprisings were generally peaceful, as people remembered what happened under his father's ruler ship. Yet, over time certain protest groups became more violent and separated themselves from the mainstream, but still recalling its support (Donker & Janssen, 2011). Videos posted on YouTube of the arrests spread a wide feeling of anger, among citizens, but also internationally (Times, 2011).Anti gove rnmental movements have been suppressed to underground spheres under the ruler ship of the al-Assads and its police state. Yet, there was an opening for coming out now. Support for protests and coordinated uprisings were now present and several movements tried to gather as much people as possible. Thus, it happened several times that the government controlled media was manipulated to prevent protest progress as when mobile phone networks were shutdown as well as many websites (Zoepf, 2011).The so-called ‘Arab Spring' started at the end of December 2010 as a series of protests and demonstrations across several North African and Middle Eastern states, such as in Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia and also in March 2011 in Syria (Schippers, 2011). The Arab Spring was mostly led by the voices of youngsters concerned with their future. The feeling of repression, unemployment, corruption and little democratic value triggered many to protest against their current leaders and governments. Many other states were showing symptoms of breaking regimes, motivating Syrians to continue to fight for their cause (Schippers, 2011).The peaceful protests gave way for more violent ones once the government started to repress them with violence. Heavy military resources were used to break up demonstrations as well as targeted assaults on protest group leaders (Schippers, 2011). More and more, images, videos and reports came from Syria and were spread all over the world. The cruel acts of armed government forces towards civilians were portrayed as terroristic, suppressive, inhumane and in violation with international laws (Khalay, 2011). As in other ‘Spring' states, governments were not going to settle easy.Violence was commonly used in Egypt and the prime example is Libya where the protests led to a civil war between government and several protest groups. The killing of civilians by a central, repression based government was described as a crime and the international communi ty was to be involved soon (Khalay, 2011). Amnesty International is an international organization concerned with human rights. It is mayor player in international integration, as its reports trigger discussion, provoke change and picture current developments.During the Arab Spring, Amnesty International has been highly concerned with the treatment of civilians. Reports about Syria indicate serious human rights violations and the organization is alarming the international community to act to stop these practices. Violent attacks harm civilians and there is a lack of primary resources and security. It is a situation that needs to be changed and it needs to be changed fast as these gross violations lead to more causalities every day (Khamis, 2012). International intervention returns to the picture.Up till recent day the inner state conflict Syria is dealing with, is still not resolved. Thousands of deaths are marking an ongoing civil war which seems not to end on a short notice as the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad still enjoys military support(although some soldiers turned over) as well as scarce, yet important public support. The international community, with the UN as main player, has alarmed the Syrian government to stop its activities and has applied multiple sanctions to pressure its movement and resources such as oil export restrictions (Iadtu, 2011).The security council has been involved since the beginning of the cruel acting of the armed government forces. The Arab Spring has been interpreted as a period of humanitarian crimes, where old repressive regimes are tried to be destroyed (Iadtu, 2011). The Security Council approved a military intervention in Libya, bombing governmental buildings, weapons depots and providing resources and manpower to the ‘democratic' opposition. The bombings were successful till the extent that they destroyed most of Libya's military force used for repression.Thus, the amount of civilian, unintended, casualties were h igh. The creation of an integrated democratic governmental structure has shown some progress, but the latest report indicates new instability as power protest groups now claims power and use force to gain this (Nazemroaya, 2012). The Security Council has send negotiators, as Kofi Annan, to Syria to discuss possible diplomatic solutions to end the conflict. Yet, Bashar al-Assad does not want to comply. Its government is also stating that it is fighting terrorist groups and not the entire population of Syria.He refers to groups of protestors that are well armed and are targeting the Syrian government. It accuses the USA and other Western countries of supplying the opposition with resources to take out the government. In response to this acquisition the Western society claims the protestors need to defend themselves from ongoing governmental attacks (Cunningham, 2012). The Security Council has suggested a similar intervention as in Libya, thus Russia and China stood in the way as they vetoed this proposal.Russia has been internationally criticized for the ongoing weapon supply to the Syrian government. Battle helicopters have been shipped several times and the USA is the main opponent of this practice as it implies Russia is supporting the al-Assad regime and therefore approving it means on how to settle the conflict. Russia says it is not violating any international laws and that it is providing the helicopters for protection and not for attack (Lathd, 2012) Russia is Syria's biggest arm supplier, it houses the only Russian naval base in the Mediterranean Sea.Syria has quite some Russian inhabitants and the Russian Orthodox church is influential regarding certain accommodations and populations in Syria (Carr, 2012). Besides these interests, other factors play a big role. Russia played its veto card with the statement that it does not want to see a Libya scenario again. That includes many civilian victims, the rise of radical Islamism and a lot of costs (Carr, 20 12). It is stopping the Security Council from taking action in the form of an military intervention.It can also be taken in consideration that Putin faced some severe resistance when he reassigned himself as president and its resulting protests. Supporting another military intervention might give Putin away as a person willing to participate in overthrowing repression led governments, as Russia might be labeled as such with suspicious democratic regulations (Lathd, 2012). The Security Council has not been able to stop the conflict, yet its sanctions are felt more every day. But also these means of conflict suppression are not only inflicting al-Assads government, large parts of the population are facing below average standards of living.Russia also shares the opinion that Western states are providing resources to destroy the regime (Cunningham, 2012). Cunningham(2012) and Nazemroaya(2012) argue that international interventions are a tool of Western imperialism, modern colonialism. T he power of the Security Council and its main members has grown towards a way to change states in such a way that the West will benefit from it, such as open economies ready for more foreign investments. The Western media plays a significant role in portraying situation as cruel and is good at moving the populations emotions and opinions.It tries to justify their actions by showing images of killed children, while negative reporting about NATO bombing and the resulted civilian deaths are hard to find. Once violence has started it is important to supply the opponent, in this case the protestors, with arms, so it can be said that the government, when shooting with sharp, is harming civilians. It is important that the media will justify the intervention with help from international organizations such as Amnesty International. The ‘Responsibility 2 Protect' has been used under the headline ‘humanitarianism' to execute violent operations as seen in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya .The Security Council, and the UN, have enormous international powers and are able to decide over death and life. The hegemon plays an important in addressing and executing issues and missions. Much military interventions have led to the destruction of regimes and set boundaries for future development. Syrians are pessimistic about a foreign intervention as some of them still support al-Assad. It is unlikely that Russia will set for a new direction soon, leaving the situation of ongoing civil war to continue (Cunningham, 2012) (Nazemroaya, 2012).Up till present day no military intervention has been undertaken. Constant debate about the use of such a mean slows the power to act and protect down. Syria is under international interest, but the international community has not yet found a way to act and stop the violence. The conflict in Syria provides a better look at the problems international integration is facing when debate and veto votes lead to a stop in developing solutions for c onflict. The democratic aspect leads to a proper justification of the Security Council's decisions, but it turns against him when there is no cohesion.The consequences are severe, as Syria remains in a civil conflict. Conclusion The answer to the main question revolves around the process of globalization, the United Nations and the current conflict in Syria. International integration has generated an interconnected world, in where more is known then ever before and where states are generating cooperation. The change in communication resources has led to a network of intelligence where one can find and publish almost everything. Accessibility, fluidity and transparency mark modern times.The United Nations is a prime example of international integration and it will continue to be. Its goals, declarations, treaties and resolutions illustrate the worldwide need for international integration and its further development. The UN's power has increased over time and the Security Council is o ne of the most profound organs to achieve its goals. The validity of the resolutions is determined by the permanent members, powerful actors in the world with more influence than other states. History illustrates interventions as successful means to stop violent conflicts and generate peace.Thus, this should be claimed with care as the current conflict in Syria is not benefitting from international integration. The empire steers the interests of the UN, yet others are able to influence its goals. As the USA is a superior military-, economical- and political power in the world, its influence has great consequence for international integration. World peace is one of the main goals of the United Nations and the integration of states worldwide has set out several positives achievements. Is international integration an advantage or disadvantage for world peace?The United Nations motivate international integration and its goals are clear. It wants to distribute wealth, create common inter ests of concern and stop violent conflicts. If international integration was less intense than it is nowadays, the legality of actions by states would be less, possibly provoking new conflicts. The democratic procedures justify the UN's actions and consensus is properly reached. Yet, as the Syria case has shown, it also slows down the process of acting. Overall I would like to answer the question with; an advantage.Cooperation leads to efficient usage of resources as knowledge, money and weapons. It also integrates multiple interests and reflects opinions. The recognition of the UN's goals creates a justifications for its actions and therefore prevents further conflict. If ( almost ) universal goals and means are approved, acting for the sake of world peace will be accepted faster. 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Long Repressed in Syria, an Internal Opposition Takes Shape. The New York Times , p. 12. ——————————————– [ 1 ].Transnational c orporations, also called multinational corporations, are corporations operating in multiple states all over the world. An example is McDonalds, with restaurants in more than 100 countries [ 2 ]. Sovereignty is seen as a concept of a state being independent from other states influences. It entails that a certain territory that belongs to a state should not be interfered by another state so that it is free to make its own choices, create laws and determine a governmental form. [ 3 ]. In this context the word regime refers to states that are lead by dictators, corruption and unjustified government violence.