Google’s Strategy in 2010 Essay

What is Google’s business model? The answer is complex because it makes up of lots of different factors. The top 10 principles of Google’s corporate philosophy is what keeps them doing what they do best. (Gamble, 2010, pg. C-175). 1.Focus on the user and all else will follow. 2.It’s best to do one thing really, really well. 3.Fast is better than slow. 4.Democracy on the web works. 5.You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer. 6.You can make money without doing evil. 7.There’s always more information out there. 8.The need for information crosses all borders. 9.You can be serious without a suit. 10.Great just isn’t good enough. Their mission statement is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. (www.google.com). These 10 principles have helped them achieve their goal within their mission statement. Google has kept it simple but efficient. These 10 principles have guided them from the beginning and it has work. They don’t need to fix something that is not broken. Examine the financial reports in the case to determine the company’s profitability, liquidity, leverage and activity ratios. Based on these ratios what is your assessment of the company’s performance? Justify your answer? Profitability ratios are measures of performance that indicate what the firm is earning on its sales or assets or equity. There are the operating profit margin, net profit margin, return on total assets, return on equity, and basic earning power ratios. (Mayo, 2007). Operating profit margin = Earnings before interest and taxes/Sales 8,381,189/23,650,563 = 35.4% Net profit margin = Earnings after interest and taxes/Sales 6,520,448/23,650,563 = 27.5% Return on total assets = Earnings after interest and taxes/Total assets 6,520,448/40,496,778 = 16.1% Return on equity = Earnings after interest and taxes/Equity 6,520,448/36,004,224 = 18.1% Basic earning power = earnings before interest and taxes/Total assets 8,381,189/40,496,778 = 20.6% Leverage ratios measure the firm’s use of debt financing. There are two ratios; debt/net worth ratio and debt ratio. (Mayo, 2007). Debt/net worth ratio = Debt/Equity 4,492,554/36,004,224 = 12.4% Debt ratio = Debt/Total assets 4,492,554/40,496,778 = 11.0% Activity ratios measure how rapidly the firm is turning its assets into cash. The two activity ratios are inventory turnover and receivables turnover. Google does not have any inventory so there is no inventory turnover. (Mayo, 2007). Receivables turnover = Annual sales/Accounts receivable 23,650,563/3,178,471 = 7.4% Liquidity ratios measure the ease of which assets may be converted into cash without loss. There are two liquidity ratios; quick and current ratio. (Mayo, 2007). Quick ratio = Current assets – Inventory/Current liabilities 29,166,958-0/2,747,467 = 10.6% Current ratio = Current assets/current liabilities 29,166,958/2,747,467 = 10.6% Since Google does not have any inventory, the quick ratio and current ratio is the same. This shows that Google does have more assets than current liabilities. Overall, Google is doing extremely well all over the board. Their debt ratio is low sitting at 11 percent. They paid their bills on time because their receivables turnover is sitting at 7 percent. Investors know that Google is a good company to buy stock into. Perform a SWOT analysis of Google. Strengths Number one search engine with established name Simple interface-user friendly Their interface has 88 different languages-Global usage Localized search results Infrastructure Weakness Contextual ads targeted by click fraud Can’t expand to offline products Opportunities Acquisitions of other business Increase online advertising Alliances/partnerships with other companies Launched their own operating system Google TV Threats Facebook Click fraud Yahoo, Microsoft, and Amazon Slow economy Describe Google’s value chain. What is the source of the company’s competitive advantage? Since Google does not have any â€Å"raw† materials to process into finished goods like a traditional company, their value chain is different. Ben Morrow (2009) their value chain is more nuanced. Google gathers all the web users it can (the raw material) by enticing them to use its stellar search product with highly relevant results delivered promptly. Then, through assorted â€Å"signs† (text advertisements) it directs these same web users in the form of traffic to its advertising partners who transform the traffic into â€Å"conversions† or sales on their sites (finished good). Their added value is that they know where to direct the users to their sites that they needed to go. The source of Google’s competitive advantage is learning by doing as stated by Hal R. Varian, Google’s chief economist (Lohr, 2008). Basically, they arelearning from their competitors. For example, with Microsoft antitrust problems, they are now making antitrust training is mandatory for Google managers (Lohr, 2008). Some of Google’s competitive advantages are their value, rarity, imitability, and substitutability. Value because it is part of their value chain. Rarity because their user interface is so simple and user friendly. Also, it is hard for competitors to imitate because of the large infrastructure requirements to serve the relevant pages quickly. Google has servers all over the world all synced up and all running on a very large quantity of RAM, fast computer memory. (Morrow, 2009). References Lohr, S. (July, 7, 2008). The New York Times. Google, Zen Master of the Market. Retrieved on April 11, 2012 from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/technology/07google.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1. Mayo, H. (2007). Basic Finance: An Introduction to Financial Institutions, Investments & Management: 9 Edition. Thomson: United States. Morrow, B. (Feb. 22. 2009). Internal Analysis of Google Inc. Retrieved on April 11, 2012 from http://www.benmorrow.info/research/internal-analysis-of-google-inc/. Thomson A., Peteraf, M., Gamble, J., & Strickland, A.J. ( 2012). Crafting & Executing Strategy. McGraw-Hill.

Chris’s major flaw in Horses of the Night

Imagination limits reality. In â€Å"Horses of the Night†, Margaret Laurence suggests that attempts to live unconstrained by an uncontrollable circumstance using imagination as an escape can prove insufficient and detrimental. Chris, the protagonist, is born into the Great Depression, has a dream that cannot come true. Chris attempts to escape this circumstance to realize his dreams. These attempts at escape leave Chris in a broken psychological state. Chris has a dream of becoming an engineer but his environment prohibits him.He is a hopeful young man who moves into Manawaka to attend high school. The relationship between Chris and Vanessa offers insight into Chris’s inner most thoughts and motivations. He says, â€Å"What I am going to be is an engineer, civil engineer. (287)† This statement is juxtaposed with â€Å"The Depression did not get better, as everyone had been saying it would. It got worse, and so did the drought. (288)† This contrast is used to establish the central conflict of the story, Chris’s unachievable dream. The Depression is Chris’s inescapable circumstance that he has no way of overcoming.Although he is innovative and hardworking there is nothing he can do about his environment. Throughout the exposition, of the story Grandfather Connor acts as a reminder of Chris’s reality. He references Chris’s deceased father by mocking Chris for chasing his dreams. â€Å"Wilf wasn’t much good, even as a young man†¦ If the boy takes after his father, it’s a poor lookout for him. (285)† This quote not only foreshadows the inevitability of Chris’ failure, but also reminds him of his hopeless reality. The Depression is described by Vanessa as an uncontrollable force brought upon the people by a malevolent God.An allusion to the Bible is made when Vanessa describes the depression’s effect on Manawaka as â€Å"Children of Israel being afflicted by Jehovah but n ever in real danger of annihilation(288)† this again reaffirms the circumstance of Chris’s environment are unchangeable and unaffected by human means. Chris’s dream is pure and full of good intentions but the timing of his existence did not benefit him. But in turn prohibits him from ever achieving his dream. Chris surrounded by pessimism, grief and depression uses imagination to escape.Chris uses false hopes to fulfil his dream of becoming an engineer by using imagination to escape reality . He fabricates the reality around him in order to escape using imagination. When Vanessa asks him about Shallow Creek, Chris weaves a fantastical story. These fabrications serve as an insight to Chris’s primary escape: imagination. Chris understands that his situation is inescapable but he will not accept that his dream cannot be achieve. Furthermore, when Chris faces negativity or confrontation he removes himself to his surroundings mentally. This trait is shown thoug h his conflicts with Grandfather Connor.When Grandfather Connor bludgeons Chris with harsh words, Vanessa comments â€Å"he gave no sign of feeling anything(285)† and â€Å"He would not argue or defend himself, but he did not apologize, either. He simply [appears] to be absent, elsewhere. (286)† Whenever he faces resistance or any form of reality, he escapes to his imagination. By ignoring the negative aspects of his life he cannot understand the fragility of his unachievable goal. The night before his departure Chris explains that â€Å"anybody can do anything at all, anything, if they really set their minds to it.(290)†The action Chris takes prohibits the realization of his dream while his constant escape from an undesirable circumstance is disconnecting him from reality. Vanessa was an optimistic girl that bought into all of Chris’s tales and believed in all of Chris’s strange fantasies and unreachable dreams. But as the story progresses and the description of the effects of the great depression worsen, she becomes less naà ¯ve to the destructive reality of her circumstance. This is unlike Chris who is still seemingly optimistic about his situation.By persisting and working hard Chris’s only companion through his journey to realize his dream is his imaginative false hopes. It drives Chris forward motivating him to never stop believing and focus on the end goal. Although he is innovative though his business ventures it still cannot overcome the fact that his circumstance I far too much for him to handle. The reality of the great depression cannot be overcome by even the most hardworking because the circumstance surrounding Chris is an unstoppable force that will inevitable crush Chris’s dreams.Even though Chris persistently tries to realize his dream the reality of his circumstances could not be escaped. Imagination although motivating Chris’s escape from reality, using imagination, not only destroys h is dream but also his mind. Chris is cynical because he realizes that his once hopeful theory is now crushed by reality. He says â€Å"To believe in a God who is brutal. What else could He be? (298)† Chris, although, did all he could to achieve his goal, his circumstance, or the will of God, is prohibiting him.For Chris there is nothing more  disappointing than to persevere to acquire his dream but to lose it all because of an uncontrollable force. When Chris talks about the war, he mentions â€Å"What kind of God would pull a trick like that? (298)† Chris understands the detriments of war yet he still feels the need to leave his current circumstance of Shallow Creek. Ironically, Chris escapes the reality of his circumstance by facing the reality of war. Even though he escapes so many times he cannot physically escape the reality of war. Chris comes home, insane and hospitalized.This implies that Chris escapes into his imagination, going insane. Chris never faces rea lity. When reality is all around him there is no way to ignore it. Before he could merely shut himself off to the world, but in war there is nothing you can escape to, only insanity. Chris’s attempts to escape the reality of his circumstance, be it through imagination or false hopes prove, futile and fatal. Dreams need to be grounded within the boundaries of circumstance or else they will never come true, because reality will trample over imagination. Chris’s major flaw in Horses of the Night Imagination limits reality. In â€Å"Horses of the Night†, Margaret Laurence suggests that attempts to live unconstrained by an uncontrollable circumstance using imagination as an escape can prove insufficient and detrimental. Chris, the protagonist, is born into the Great Depression, has a dream that cannot come true. Chris attempts to escape this circumstance to realize his dreams. These attempts at escape leave Chris in a broken psychological state. Chris has a dream of becoming an engineer but his environment prohibits him.He is a hopeful young man who moves into Manawaka to attend high school. The relationship between Chris and Vanessa offers insight into Chris’s inner most thoughts and motivations. He says, â€Å"What I am going to be is an engineer, civil engineer. (287)† This statement is juxtaposed with â€Å"The Depression did not get better, as everyone had been saying it would. It got worse, and so did the drought. (288)† This contrast is used to establish the central conflict of the story, Chris’s unachievable dream. The Depression is Chris’s inescapable circumstance that he has no way of overcoming.Although he is innovative and hardworking there is nothing he can do about his environment. Throughout the exposition, of the story Grandfather Connor acts as a reminder of Chris’s reality. He references Chris’s deceased father by mocking Chris for chasing his dreams. â€Å"Wilf wasn’t much good, even as a young man†¦ If the boy takes after his father, it’s a poor lookout for him. (285)† This quote not only foreshadows the inevitability of Chris’ failure, but also reminds him of his hopeless reality. The Depression is described by Vanessa as an uncontrollable force brought upon the people by a malevolent God.An allusion to the Bible is made when Vanessa describes the depression’s effect on Manawaka as â€Å"Children of Israel being afflicted by Jehovah but n ever in real danger of annihilation(288)† this again reaffirms the circumstance of Chris’s environment are unchangeable and unaffected by human means. Chris’s dream is pure and full of good intentions but the timing of his existence did not benefit him. But in turn prohibits him from ever achieving his dream. Chris surrounded by pessimism, grief and depression uses imagination to escape.Chris uses false hopes to fulfil his dream of becoming an engineer by using imagination to escape reality . He fabricates the reality around him in order to escape using imagination. When Vanessa asks him about Shallow Creek, Chris weaves a fantastical story. These fabrications serve as an insight to Chris’s primary escape: imagination. Chris understands that his situation is inescapable but he will not accept that his dream cannot be achieve. Furthermore, when Chris faces negativity or confrontation he removes himself to his surroundings mentally. This trait is shown thoug h his conflicts with Grandfather Connor.When Grandfather Connor bludgeons Chris with harsh words, Vanessa comments â€Å"he gave no sign of feeling anything(285)† and â€Å"He would not argue or defend himself, but he did not apologize, either. He simply [appears] to be absent, elsewhere. (286)† Whenever he faces resistance or any form of reality, he escapes to his imagination. By ignoring the negative aspects of his life he cannot understand the fragility of his unachievable goal. The night before his departure Chris explains that â€Å"anybody can do anything at all, anything, if they really set their minds to it.  (290)†The action Chris takes prohibits the realization of his dream while his constant escape from an undesirable circumstance is disconnecting him from reality. Vanessa was an optimistic girl that bought into all of Chris’s tales and believed in all of Chris’s strange fantasies and unreachable dreams. But as the story progresses and the description of the effects of the great depression worsen, she becomes less naive to the destructive reality of her circumstance. This is unlike Chris who is still seemingly optimistic about his situation.By persisting and working hard Chris’s only companion through his journey to realize his dream is his imaginative false hopes. It drives Chris forward motivating him to never stop believing and focus on the end goal. Although he is innovative though his business ventures it still cannot overcome the fact that his circumstance I far too much for him to handle. The reality of the great depression cannot be overcome by even the most hardworking because the circumstance surrounding Chris is an unstoppable force that will inevitable crush Chris’s dreams.Even though Chris persistently tries to realize his dream the reality of his circumstances could not be escaped. Imagination although motivating Chris’s escape from reality, using imagination, not only destroys his dream but also his mind. Chris is cynical because he realizes that his once hopeful theory is now crushed by reality. He says â€Å"To believe in a God who is brutal. What else could He be? (298)† Chris, although, did all he could to achieve his goal, his circumstance, or the will of God, is prohibiting him.For Chris there is nothing more  disappointing than to persevere to acquire his dream but to lose it all because of an uncontrollable force. When Chris talks about the war, he mentions â€Å"What kind of God would pull a trick like that? (298)† Chris understands the detriments of war yet he still feels the need to leave his current circumstance of Shallow Creek. Ironically, Chris escapes the reality of his circumstance by facing the reality of war. Even though he escapes so many times he cannot physically escape the reality of war. Chris comes home, insane and hospitalized.This implies that Chris escapes into his imagination, going insane. Chris never faces re ality. When reality is all around him there is no way to ignore it. Before he could merely shut himself off to the world, but in war there is nothing you can escape to, only insanity. Chris’s attempts to escape the reality of his circumstance, be it through imagination or false hopes prove, futile and fatal. Dreams need to be grounded within the boundaries of circumstance or else they will never come true, because reality will trample over imagination.

Coast4Life Inc.

This report outlines the strategic options available to Coast4Life for the upcoming fiscal year. Through my research, I have identified the current situational analysis that is necessary to be considered for the options that will be provided in this report. Current situational analysis: Vision: Coast4Life cruise will be the first choice for vacationers who are seeking a safe, enjoyable and unique cruise experience in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Mission: Coast4Life meets the needs of vacationers by offering safe, enjoyable and unique cruises along BC coast at affordable prices and at a high quality of service.Coast4Life strives to minimize the safety effects of cruising on ecology and maximize the safety of customers, staff and marine life by ensuring ships are well maintained and environmental and safety regulations are exceeded. Preferences: The Board of Directors(BOD) preference is to be profitable and maintain a positive net income in light of upcoming economic downturn. The G eneral Manager of the Fraser dry dock believes it defines the reputation on BC Coast for Coast4Life safety. Constraints: Cash available on hand is $10,461,000 and an after tax rate of return on 16%.Key Success Factors: Coast4life cruises wants to provide high quality services to the passengers. Refer to the passenger/crew ratio in comparison to industry averages(see Appendix 3-1). Current Financial Analysis(See Appendix 1- Financial Ratios): Ongoing increase to Coast4life’s abilities to meet its short-term obligations. In light of the slight increase of acquiring additional assets, our revenue streams still continues to outmatch this on a steady basis; however, the incremental revenue is declining with each year.Our service offerings grow; generating incremental income each year; nevertheless, Coast Native and Natural Splendour gross margin’s are the same, and each offers different services. Company’s ability to cover interest is growing over the years, and our debts are declining. Coast4Life’s ability to convert investments into profit has increased. Strategic Options: To cut costs. Option#1: Divesture of the Fraser dry dock Pro(s): Gain on sale of $7,274,000; in favour of BOD preferences and in line of providing the necessary funds to maintain incremental financial targets for upcoming economic downturn(see Appendix 3- 2).Con(s): Against general manager’s preference, as can affect the reputation of the company – the quality of safety regulations the company adheres to. Option #2: Registering Coast4Life’s ships in Liberia Pro(s): Wages&Salaries will be cut by 30%; In favour of BOD’s preference to cut costs – $1,423,530 would be saved by outsourcing from Liberia(see Appendix #3- 3). Con(s): Affect quality of service provided by the crew; be against the mission statement Hiring unskilled labour can potentially increase management expenses(Additional Training).Minor options: For materiality purposes with respect to revenue sources the following are minor options to generate additional revenue: Option #1: Switching customer target markets Pro(s): By targeting 40-60 year olds, revenue streams will increase by 20%, which could also increase all financial ratios by the same rate and, thus be in line with the vision statement. This target group can afford a more unique experience given industry annual family income of $78,000. For ages 40 -60 Industry is higher by 8% so we have space to grow and target this age group (see Appendix 3-4). Con(s):By changing target there is no guarantee that revenues will be maintained throughout the downturn in the following fiscal year even with growth in tourism industry in Canada. Option #2: Implement a web-based booking system Pro(s): Can potentially save the company up to $1,341,250 [($2,146,000Ãâ€"10% reduction)/16% after tax rate of return] in travel agent commissions over the life of the company and assist in further increasing the companyâ⠂¬â„¢s activity ratio Can be paid off in less than 4 months. The payback formula proves that no cash is needed to be spent, as through the incremental savings this investment will be recouped(see Appendix 3-5).Cons: Decrease word of mouth advertising via travel agents. Increase global competition due to the online presence. Recommendation Given the uncertain future ahead, it is best to be conservative and in line with the current mission statement for company objectives. It would be best that Fraser dock would be divested and web-based booking system would be implemented. This would cut costs and increase revenues via savings that can be earned without risking the reputation of the company or established revenue stream. With this consideration, the company will still have enough resources to maintain its financial position.

Flow Charts and an Accompanying Memo Assignment

Flow Charts and an Accompanying Memo - Assignment Example The company has been spending considerable amounts of resources and time and ending up with the wrong candidate. It is the right time for a change for the betterment of the Company. In order to guarantee a steady growth and attainment of the set company objectives, it is of the essence to consider a dynamic recruitment process. It is also apparent that many companies, at present, are adopting innovative recruitment processes for senior-level staff members, especially our competitors. Additionally, our competitors have broadened their horizons on the subject of recruitment approaches. In particular, Companies are investing in the social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Job websites to find prospective employees. On the other hand, companies consider the mobile and online applications to recruit staff members. These activities indicate that managers and human resource administrators see the value of technology in targeting the highly qualified and relevant candidates for job positions. It is also clear that acquiring the right candidate for distinctive job positions is not an easy task. This is considering that our company has been spending considerable amounts of time, money and resources in conducting a recruitment process (wh ­ich entails combing through hundreds of academic and work portfolios) and still end up with hardly any reliable candidates. The Master Computer Services Company must adopt new and innovative ways of recruitment of its senior staff members in order to save on the recruitment costs and resources. This will be made possible by considering the following new and innovative recruitment approaches. Social channels of recruitment - Social channels are developing fast and many employers are considering using the social media to reach out to the potential candidates.

Law abstracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law abstracts - Essay Example The resulting document was described on its face as a bill of lading and consisted of three documents. The form was partially consistent with a traditional bill of lading, but was essentially a straight bill of lading. In an action for damages for the printing equipment, the plaintiff sought to rely on the Hague/Visy Rules. Outcome: In the hearing of first instance, an arbitral panel ruled that since the agreement for shipment was concluded by virtue of a straight bill of lading, the Hague Visby Rules were inapplicable. This decision was upheld the Commercial Court upon appeal. The Commercial Court ruled that the straight bill of lading was not within the parameters of Article 1(b) of the Hague/Visby Rules. The Court of Appeal reversed the Commercial Courts ruling and the defendant appealed to the House of Lords. In a unanimous decision, the House of Lords confirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal. The House of Lords ruled that, at the time of drafting and implementing the Hague/ Visby Rules, straight bills of lading were in widespread use among carriers and consignees. Had the drafters of the Hague/Visby Rules intended to exclude the Rules applicability to straight bills of lading, it would have specifically said so. ... In this regard, a straight bill of lading was covered by the Rules if it was either a bill of lading or some other document of title revealing the rights and duties of the parties. Commentary on the Case: Schmitz argues that the straight bill of lading is usually rejected as a formal bill of lading because it is usually non-transferrable. However, the House of Lords ruling in the Rafaela demonstrates the need for flexibility as technological advancements have changed the character and form of traditional bills of lading and it is now necessary to analyse content as opposed to form to determine whether or not a document can be regarded as a bill of lading or a similar document of title.1 Dockray also argues that the Raefela also cleared up â€Å"longstanding doubts† that a straight bill of lading was a bill of lading under the Hague/Visby Rules.2 The meaning of Seaworthiness pursuant to Article 3(1) Hague/Visby Rules Actis Co. Ltd. v Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd. (The Aquacharm) [19 82] 1 WLR 119. Plaintiff: Actis Co. Ltd. Defendant: Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd. (The Aquacharm) Facts: In 1971, the defendant deployed the Sanko on a time charter to transport a shipment of coal to Japan from the US. The charterers required that the ship be loaded to the draught which was permitted by the Panama Canal Company. The ship’s master permitted 43,000 tonnes of coal but failed to take into account the fact that the ship’s bow had a tendency to lean when passing out of salt water into fresh water during its journey through the Panama Canal while transporting the coal. As a result, the plaintiff’s cargo was delivered later than the time stipulated for delivery. Therefore the plaintiff sought damages for expenses

Good Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Good Writing - Essay Example It’s hard to tell whether a piece of writing is good or bad by simply looking at it. You have to read and analyze the piece writing and finally, explain why the writing is good or bad. Good writers organize their work in a logical and effective manner. The ideas will be clear, interesting and concise (Murphy 2009). Ideas help a writer to communicate through writing to other people. The sentences will be fluent and be flowing from one idea to another. A piece of good writing will be communicative and correct. This means that good writing will be free from spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes. Good writing demands a person to recognize the owner if the writer borrows ideas form that piece of writing (Murphy 2009). Good writing is always a result of hard work and a lot of practicing. The ability to write well is not something that is inborn (Murphy 2009). A good writer always puts in a lot of time and effort to improve his writing. I would say I am a good writer. I always t ry my best to make sure that my work is free from grammatical, punctuation and spelling mistakes. I also ensure that my ideas are concise and are related to the topic. My ideas will flow fluently from one idea to another. Information connects thought my writing eventually responding to the needs of the reader. I also cite my work whenever I use any secondary or primary sources. I also read a lot and do a lot of practice to perfect my weak areas. This has helped me gain confidence and improve my attitude towards writing.

Letter to the Instructor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Letter to the Instructor - Essay Example Similarly, your classes provided me with opportune period to improve on my grammatical weaknesses such as punctuation and sentence structures. The awareness of my strengths and weakness as a writer have facilitated my personal development through optimization of my excellent skills and mitigation of my writing weaknesses. I was most driven and pleased by the narrative essay among the four forms of essay that we covered in the course work. The utmost level of creativity and anecdote pertaining to the narrative essay demanded prolific and versatile writing skills from the writers hence I found it more interesting to work on. On the other hand, summary and response essays did not elicit my creativity and hence were less pleasing to me. In addition, summary and response essays proved cumbersome as one had to critically understand the subject topic and related metadata such as the author’s name and the context of the narrative. Additionally, my examination of the four forms of essay that we covered, revealed varied level of difficulty for each. Personally, I classified the narrative essay as the most complex and challenging. The skill of conceptualization which is the foundation of every spectacular literary work was highly demanded in the development and completion of the narrative essay. Closely related to the narrative essay was the explanation of the concept a research paper which was basically the theoretical framework of a research paper. The theoretical framework is characterized by robust research concerning information from other sources, theories and concepts pertain to the subject topic, followed by elaborate synthesize and synergy of the varied information to develop a single holistic viewpoint. I found the difficulty level of the summary and response essay to be moderate. Unlike other forms of essays, I was readily provided with materials

Capital Investment Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Capital Investment Appraisal - Essay Example In applied capital budgeting, however, the fundamental concept of managerial flexibility, or active project management, has been well accepted and long practiced. In the past, one way decision-makers have attempted to supplement a traditional analysis is with "what if" analyses, such as sensitivity analyses, scenario analyses, and simulation. However, richer and more efficient capital budgeting decision-making frameworks are needed; and they should directly translate into increased corporate effectiveness, profitability, and long-term survival in today's globally competitive marketplace. (Black 637-354) The primary enhanced decision-making framework is a "real option" analysis. During the last fifteen years, increasing attention has been given to the "real option" approach to capital investment decision-making. "Real options ... allow managers to add value to their firm, by acting to amplify good fortune or to mitigate loss". When real options are present, the traditional DCF methodology may fail to provide an adequate decision-making framework because it does not properly value management's ability to wait, to revise the initial operating strategy if future events turn out to be different from originally predicted, or to account for future (dis)investment. (Trigeorgis 202-224; Fabozzi 7-9; Grinblatt 9-15) Thus, calculating the value of the decision rights of managers to actively manage investment opportunities is not simply a matter of discounting. In addition, since management is not committed to revising the firm's investment strategy or undertaking these future discretionary op portunities, the right to do so is truly an option. That is, managers undertake these opportunities only if and when they chose to do so. In practice, capital investments are determined by managerial discretion where the available options to invest in real assets is evaluated on an on-going basis and either exercised, deferred, or allowed to expire. An option-based approach is, therefore, an excellent representation of the managerial decision-making process. To be simple the internal capabilities of a firm must be matched to its external opportunities in order for managers to maximize shareholders' wealth. The real options are characterized by the flexibility they offer in timing of decisions involving the capabilities and opportunities of the firm (Walters and Giles 1-7; Ross 96-102; Chung 1215-1221; Copeland 15-22). The true NPV of a project can be viewed as the sum of the traditional NPV and the values of inherent real options: True NPV = Traditional NPV + NPV of Real Options. To clarify the value of options from active management, suppose that a firm considers producing a new product, which requires an initial outlay of $1 million. The capacity of the production facility over one period would be 40,000 units. The variable cost of producing one unit of this product is $390. The price of the product in one period from now would be either $300 or $500 with an estimated probability of 50 percent for each state of the nature. The appropriate discount rate for the project is 15 percent. The expected cash flow from the project after one period woul

Air Pollution in America Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Air Pollution in America - Term Paper Example This is due to the fact as time goes by, people breathe in so many things that can be considered liter of air. In the course of a day, we breathe 5,000 to 15,000 liters of air. With each breath, we inhale life-sustaining oxygen, which is absorbed in our lungs and carried throughout our body. Air also contains pollutants, including pollen, microbes, particles such as soot and dust, and gases such as carbon monoxide-substances that can harm the human body. Contact with these harmful substances, which are filtered through the lungs and can also irritate the eyes and skin, triggers several defense mechanisms such as coughing, sneezing, and the production of secretions. When these defense mechanisms are overwhelmed, human tissue is damaged or destroyed. Chronic or severe exposure may hasten the onset and progression of disease and even result in death (Myer, p.43). Even though this study would have been conducted in other countries, almost all the world's countries and their people possess unifying attributes that make them distinct and unmistakable for any other nationality, race, culture and language. America possesses the probability of encountering this problem because of countless causes such as cultural differences and differences in opinions while having environment issues that could very destroy the earth. This is why there has been discussion of air pollution contributing to health issues in such a way, which gives a bleak future. This is why there was a court case between the United States vs. Rapanos was an issue because they went against the Clean Air Act. DiscussionIt is easy to gather that Americans want a future that has economic prosperity and clean air that will be more abundant. This is because the American life consists of material prosperity as much as in civil liberties or political democracy is an old on as the content of what people believe it to be. However, since the structure of globalization has to be reconstructed while the greenhouse effect is being dealt with through the air pollution issue, the planet's air is being destroyed by carbon dioxide and other pollutants.. "There is only one way to pacify our inflamed atmosphere: The climate challenge requires all the countries of the world to adopt a common framework with mandatory reduction targets. Within such a framework, countries can find their own ways to meet the shared goal. Since the United States emits at least twenty percent of the world's greenhouse gases - with only five percent of the world's population - it clearly needs to take a prominent role in any globa l solution. Here is a concrete framework for change that is financially sensible, politically feasible and based on existing technology" (Gelbspan). In the twenty-first century, economic changes and changes in the environment were threatening all American classes economically. . With addressing global solutions for the environment, the United States will force environmental laws onto the public such as the following. John and Judith Rapanos own three parcels of land in the State of Michigan known as the Salzburg, Hines Road, and Pine River sites. PA at A2. In the 1980's and 90's, the Rapanos hired contractors to prepare these sites for development. The

The Freedom of the Press Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Freedom of the Press - Research Paper Example Freedom of the press implies non-interference from the state or the various organs of the state. Media house and companies may seek their freedom through legal means, which may be stated in the constitution. Governments may define which materials should not be disclosed to the public, based on how it classifies information. Some government information may be secret or sensitive; governments protect such information from exposure to the public. Cornwell (2004) states that â€Å"the universal declaration of human rights provides for freedom and rights of expression and opinion to every person† This freedom extends to the rights to air one’s opinions without interference. It also includes the right to impart information and ideas through any form of media, be it print or broadcast. However, there is legislation accompanying this viewpoint; this legislation ensures that media freedom is put under scrutiny. Government legislation may prohibit foreign media and journalists fr om covering issues happening within the country. For example, in times of revolutions and wars, the press may not be allowed to cover the events taking place. Thus, the public may not be aware of instability and brutality in their countries. Limiting the press freedom affects the public negatively, as people remain in the dark, without any knowledge of some crucial events taking place in their country (Hume, 2005). This paper will discuss the benefits that can be gained when the public supports the freedom of the press. Reasons why the public should support the freedom of the press The public should join hand with the media in fighting for the freedom of the press, because of the various benefits gained when the press is free. Firstly, a free press holds the government accountable for its actions. In cases where the public may not be able to scrutinize the activities of government agencies, the media come in and do so (Hume, 2005). Some governments may not be willing to be transpare nt, government officials may indulge in corruption and misappropriation of public funds. In such a case, a press that has freedom ensures that the public becomes aware of the way funds are being utilized. An independent media may initiate demonstrations and mass action, where citizens get the opportunity to protest against corrupt government officials. When the media lead citizens in protesting, governments may be forced to dismiss corrupt officials (Bollinger, 1991). As Cornwell (2004) notes, press freedom should get public support because a media that hold the government accountable can help in upholding the rule of law. This will create more stability in a country and make it more attractive to investors. International politics, commerce, and trade activities mainly depend on the media.

Major point Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Major point - Essay Example ession especially after training has been accomplished, for instance a child taught and graduated in medicine to become a doctor has no point in time that children can think of training again in order to become an athlete. In this context, school children are taught on how to be morally upright but majority of parents in the United States are concerned by the morality of their children because they do not practice it at home which is in contrary to what is expected of them. This shows that teachers in school only teaches but does not ensure that what he taught is practiced by the children. In addition, It has also been observed that children who performs better in school and attain good grades are unable to solve basic problem. This is especially true if the problem they were solving is twisted in one way or another (Taylor 153). This shows that children acquire intellectual knowledge alone in the school and if children are only academically equipped then there are going to be ill-equipped in the society since Schools teach children to solve a problem by use of formula whose behavior can be controlled and be predicted. When these children finally graduate they expect to solve life problem using formul as in their area of profession. However, not all those who graduate eventually get jobs and to apply these formula in real situation and therefore, end up becoming frustrated in their lives because they cannot cope up with challenges of life in the real world. In some cases what the school teaches the children is not connected to his future, for example some topics in school syllabus are not relevant in the children life e.g. solving a matrix question, most children will not make use of this learnt knowledge this topic only makes them intellectually knowledgeable but when it comes to life, they will not have knowledge in solving real life issues and challenges that face them. It also noticeable that school is not connected to the feature of the children, this is

Ethical Issues in Testing and Assessment Essay Example for Free

Ethical Issues in Testing and Assessment Essay Counselling psychology plays an essential role in the life of most individuals nowadays. Even various institutions like schools and corporations also used this field of psychology especially in dealing with their students and employees. Counselling psychology is responsible for conducting various tests and assessments in order to measure the intelligence, personality and other related factors concerning the behaviour of an individual. Nevertheless, ethical issues are often associated with these tests and assessments due to the sensitive cases that are involve in it. A good example is the MMPI that is a kind of personality test. MMPI is a test that is designed to measure the pathological personality traits of an individual. It has been widely recognized and used as a personality assessment technique. The administration of this assessment takes about an hour and a half wherein the individual who would receive this test have to answer a large number of items that would reveal their personality (Butcher Hostetler, 1990). The validity and reliability of the MMPI has been debated. This is due to the fact that some argues that personality is very difficult to measure especially since it often deals with psychological construct. Moreover, ethical issues also become observable when this MMPI is not use for its intended purpose. The main objective of the MMPI is to give substantial result about the personality of an individual but some use it in terms of employment. The result of the MMPI becomes a basis for certain institutions or companies to discriminate individuals from a certain position (A Guide to Psychology and its Practice, n.d. ). This becomes unethical since the MMPI is not similar to employment tests and thus, it does not give reliable results on whether a person should be hired or not for a particular occupation. Furthermore, personality test like the MMPI often fails to recognize that the personality of an individual has a lot to do with its cultural background. The MMPI should not be implemented universally since there should be discretion in using it depending on the type of culture that an individual has. This is essential in order to get reliable results from this personality test. Lastly, ethical issues also exist in the administration and examination of the MMPI. This is due to the fact that psychologists who conduct these tests should not be subjective in interpreting its results. They should also observed confidentiality with regards to the result of such assessment as well as the necessary precaution in taking care of the important documents that concern the individuals whom they administered these tests. References A Guide to Psychology and its Practice. (n. d. ). Psychological Testing. Retrieved August 11, 2008, from http://www. guidetopsychology. com/testing. htm. Butcher, J. N. Hostetler, K. (1990). Abbreviating MMPI Item Administration: What Can Be Learned From the MMPI for the MMPI – 2? Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Retrieved August 11, 2008, from http://www1. umn. edu/mmpi/Reprints/Abbreviating%20MMPI%20item%20administration. html.

Music Of Claude Debussy And Dmitri Shostakovich Music Essay

Music Of Claude Debussy And Dmitri Shostakovich Music Essay The Romantic era presented many European composers who referred to themselves, or were referred to by others, as nationalist. Nationalism was very important because it allowed societies to continue to remain loyal to their country and allowed the country to gain cultural identity and individuality. Our definitions of nationalism are extremely vague and inconsistent, as many composers music seems to fit under the nationalist category. This is why the definition of musical nationalism must be refined, so that only composers whose music truly represents all aspects of their nation may be called nationalist. This means that the music must first and foremost appeal to the people and must reflect the nations cultural identity, rather than superimpose a culture upon it. The composer must also keep in mind the nations past and reveal hopes for the future. This means that a true nationalists music, in essence, becomes the nation by not simply encompassing the views of one member of society, o r even one group in society, but of the nation as a whole. Claude Debussy is known today as one of the great French composers who, in the words of Robert Orledge, was ever concerned with the necessity for French music to be true to itself. Orledge described his final series of chamber sonatas as enveloping a nationalistic spirit looking back to Rameau. Debussy was known for incorporating many international influences into his music, most notably the music of the Russian Five, and the Javanese gamelan. All of this considered, is it truly logical to refer to Debussys music as nationalistic, or even French for that matter? Is it not equally possible to call it Russian, since, quite arguably, most of his musical influences stem from there? Before a decision can be made concerning nationalism in Debussys music, we must take a look at the music of Dmitri Shostakovich. The creation of the Soviet Union marked the beginning of the largest obstacle for Russian composers. It was first time in history where a government, a secular power, had a direct say in the subject matter and appropriate style of all art forms. During the Soviet Union, it was the composers job to acquire culture which already existed amongst the intelligentsia (the Russian intellectual class), rather than to invent their own culture. The artistic movement enforced by the Soviet government between 1936 and 1950 was known as Socialist Realism, described by Stalin as an art national in form and socialist in content. This made it nearly impossible to express or create without crossing the very fine line set by the State. Artists of the time faced constant fear of exile and unemployment. The composers who did comply with the rules, however, became terrifically wealthy and were able to thrive under Soviet rule, earning up to 10,000 rubles per work commissioned by the Union of Soviet Compo sers. Dmitri Dmitrievich Shostakovich was one such composer. During the social realist period, Shostakovich came back from a temporary downfall stronger than ever with the aim to write music which was consistent with the changes brought on by the Revolution and which was, above anything else, to be created for his people. Shostakovich composed symphonies which would restore his glory and forever mark him as one of the great symphonic composers. Shostakovich had managed to please his audience by progressing in innovativeness, continuing Beethovens and Tchaikovskys strong symphonic traditions, and composing in a way that can truly be considered nationalistic. Shostakovichs music represented the epitome of Soviet nationalism and there are numerous elements present in his music which prove this. Shostakovichs main goal as a composer after his revival was to please the people which formed his nation. During an interview with an American correspondent, Shostakovich illustrated this by saying: I consider that every artist who isolates himself from the world is doomed. I find it incredible that an artist should want to shut himself away from the people, who, in the end, form his audience. Shostakovichs music was in touch with the national character of the time: it contained quotations of popular folk songs, was historically significant, and reflected the social realist style of the time. In an article about Soviet music, Nicolas Slonimsky stated that, the musical biography of Shostakovich is a perfect mirror of the changing policies in Soviet music. Shostakovich is the product of Soviet life. An important example of this can be seen in Shostako vichs 7th symphony which was performed on March 1st, 1942 in the temporary capital of Kuibishev. It represented the survival and victory of the nation, inspired by the battle of Leningrad. The main theme is of a Soviet war hero which drowns out a second hesitant, puppet-like theme representing the Germans. Shostakovich used this piece to build the morale of the nation, and helped fight the war from a cultural standpoint. It is true, however, that Shostakovich did succumb to artistic compromise during the social realist movement in order to provide for his family and continue to work as a composer. At the time, Shostakovich wrote music which was loyal to the state, but he did not necessarily agree with the government`s policies. Of course, speaking out loud about his disagreement with the authorities was impossible. Contrary to popular belief, this couldn`t be more irrelevant to whether or not he composed in a nationalistic style. A nation, after all, is defined by the unity of its people, and has absolutely nothing to do with the policies of its government. A composer may whole-heartedly agree with the politics of a country, but still fail to represent its people, its history, its culture and the nation as a whole in their music. Of much importance, on the other hand, is the fact that Shostakovich kept the history of Russian music alive by incorporating compositional techniques used by his predecessors; however, he did not do so in a strictly imitative manner. He made use of the hopelessly sombre mood and the spirit of universal humanity of Tchaikovsky, the folk elements of Prokofiev and, finally the inventiveness of Stravinskys music. In utilizing these elements, Shostakovich was able to continue his countrys strong symphonic reputation and paved the way for new composers by applying innovative orchestration, contrasting orchestral timbres, increasing chromaticism, and vigorously precise rhythms. The innovativeness Shostakovich possessed is an essential quality to have as a nationalist composer, because without innovativeness, one cannot expect to continue the cultural and artistic legacy of a country. In the words of Ernest Newman musicians are generally driven to nationalism as a revolt against foreign influence., much like the Russians did during the 19th century when Italian and German influences were taking over. Rather than escaping foreign influence, Debussy turned to it and incorporated it into his music. Debussys music is no more French than French fries are. Just because one is called French and claims to love their country, does not mean they are intrinsically and whole-heartedly French. As Ernest Newman said: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦however typically Russian a Russian may be, he is not a Russian if he looks, as many Russians do, beyond the borders of his own country, and finds certain aspects of foreign art more interesting than the indigenous art of the home territory. There is no doubt that Debussy was a brilliant composer, but it is quite obvious that he did look far, far beyond the influence of his own nation. How is it then, that we can even begin to consider him as a music ien franà §ais, especially when comparing him to true nationalists like Shostakovich? Rollo H. Meyers argues that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Debussy, from the very beginning of his creative career, always knew exactly what kind of music he wanted to write, and no influence whatever could have made him change his course. If he took anything from others, he only took what, in a sense, already belonged to himà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. This is not unlike modernizing verses of Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet and claiming them to be your own invention because Shakespeares timeless writing already belonged to you. It is people like Meyers who contribute to the constant false identification of nationalism in many composers music. 21Slonimsky, Dmitri Dmitrievitch Shostakovitch, 415. Shostakovich, unlike Debussy, was one of the few composers to truly combine being a good musician with being a good nationalist. He was a true professional when creating his music and always found new ways of appealing to his audience. On top of all of this, he managed to deliver ground-breaking techniques and advance the future of music. His music was revolutionary yet was not overly experimental as to cause a disconnection from his audience. This is especially remarkable considering the limitations set by the Soviet authorities. Even though Debussy is evidently a Frenchman, if one compares him to Shostakovich, it is hard to understand how one could ever consider Debussys music as being French. This so called French quality of his music is really just his Debussyist style of composing, which is purely unique to him, and is not a reflection of his country or his people. This comparison allows us to rethink the definition of nationalism in music and what it means to truly represent a nation. To be nationalist does not mean that one must be born or even grow up in a country. It means that one must act with the nations best interests at heart, and not look beyond that nation for influence. To be a nationalist is to, in essence, encapsulate the past, present, and future of the nation all at once, and to create music which is of the people, by the people, for the people. One must also not be too experimental on an audience, since that immediately disengages them and does nothing to unite a nation. The musical and cultural influences brought upon by truly talented and nationalist composers like Shostakovich were, and still are, extremely significant. Whether or not one agrees, or even whether or not Shostakovich himself agreed with the politics of the Soviet Union is irrelevant. Shostakovich wrote for his people above anything else. He reflected the cultural and historical significance of his country in his music and, despite the oppressive forces of the Soviet government, co ntinued to compose innovatively and in a way which advanced the future of music. It would be difficult to disagree that a figure like Shostakovich was exactly what the struggling country needed at the time: a truly nationalist composer who would write first and foremost for his country and for his people.

Surgical placement in a local hospital

Surgical placement in a local hospital This is a reflective essay based on my own experiences, whilst on my five week surgical placement in a local hospital. The aim of this essay is to explore the use of communication and interpersonal skills in clinical practice. I have chosen this particular incident as I spent a considerable amount of time communicating verbally and non verbally with this particular patient. To protect the identity and maintain confidentiality of the patient I have chosen to discuss, they shall be known as John. This is in accordance with the NMC code of professional conduct (NMC, 2008). To assist me in the process of reflection I am using Gibbs (1988) reflective model. This cycle provides a description of the event, feelings towards the outcome, an evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan. Jasper (2003) suggests that reflection is one of the key ways we can learn from our experiences. There are numerous reasons why reflection is important to nurses. Through reflection we can learn more abo ut our role and the elements that limit our abilities; this allows the opportunity to improve the way we care (Ghaye Lillyman, 2001). John was a 74 year old man admitted onto the ward from the emergency department, two days previous to me starting my first late shift of that week. He had been suffering from retention of urine, and was in considerable pain. My mentor and I were informed during handover that we would be looking after John on this particular shift. We were asked to change the dressing on his right leg. It had become ulcerated due to suffering from a condition known as Peripheral Vascular Disease (Alexander, Fawcett Runciman, 2004). As a result of this disease the patient had undergone amputation of the left leg below the knee some years ago, resulting in him becoming immobilised and requiring the use of a wheelchair. It became clear during the handover that Johns behaviour had become very difficult over the last couple of days. The nurse in charge went on to describe the nature of his behaviour including; that he had thrown items across his room, was constantly pressing his nurse call button, was sho uting all day and he had also refused to have a wash and change his pyjamas. As we left the room where the handover had taken place, my mentor suggested that we should change Johns dressing now, but firstly we should get him washed and changed with my assistance. I knocked on his door and introduced myself as a student nurse. I proceeded to ask John for his consent in order for me to assist him in having a wash and change of clothing (NMC, 2008). John was sat on his bed and appeared to be quite tense. He looked up at me and shouted no, I want to see a doctor and I havent had a cigarette for two days. I explained that I was here to assist in changing the dressing on his leg and to help him to have a wash and change. I moved closer towards his bed and lowered myself to his eye level. I then began to engage in conversation with him by maintaining a soft tone of voice and asking him if he would like a cup of tea after we had finished. His body language softened and he looked up and smil ed, he said I would love one. I smiled back at John, I then repeated the question of assisting him with having a wash and change, whilst maintaining a relaxed posture and eye contact. John gave me his consent and I proceeded to assist him in maintaining his personal hygiene with respect and dignity (NMC, 2008). With Johns co-operation my mentor and I were then able to go on and change the dressing on his leg. Through this learning experience I encountered a combination of feelings towards the situation. From the initial handover, the staff nurse in charge did not paint a positive picture of John. I wondered why this particular patient was so aggressive and demanding and the staff described him as being difficult. I felt anxious, as this was my first placement as a first year student and I did not feel experienced enough to deal with the situation. During my encounter with John it became clear why he would feel so angry and frustrated. I noticed he didnt have a wheelchair in his room, and it became apparent that he was a smoker. He also hadnt been given any nicotine replacement therapy to help him cope with his withdrawal symptoms. When the full extent of Johns situation became clear to me, I felt immense frustration for him. According to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct (2008), nurses should treat patients with respect and maintain their dignity. With John not having a wheelchair, he was confined to his bed and therefore had lost his autonomy. The situation also made me very angry, reflecting back I feel I should have been more assertive and maybe questioned why Johns requests had been ignored by the staff. It was unfortunate that the professional staff had acted the way that they did; overlooking how angry and frustrated John had become and failing to act upon it. The nurses compassion and communication skills seemed to be very much lacking; not listening to his requests and showing no feeling towards him. This breakdown in communication in the nurse patient relationship with john, left him feeling frustrated and not in control of his own wellbeing (Garnham, 2001). At first, I could not see any good points in this situation; however looking back I can see that it did have its positive side, in as much as allowing me to examine myself and to search for my short fallings in relation to the incident. The incident has also given me the opportunity to link theory to practice. The way I communicated with John had a positive outcome for both of us in that his personal hygiene needs were met and I learnt that effective communication is essential in building a trusting bond between the patient and the nurse (Almond Yardley, 2009). The bad points of this experience were that I judged John based on the information I received during the initial handover without having met him first. This could have created a barrier between the patient and I. Accepting a patient as a unique individual and without judgment is very important in the communication process. I have learnt from this experience that as nurses we should respect a patients beliefs and values and we should not let our own beliefs and values affect our decision making in patient care (Rogers, 1957). I also feel that I should have been more assertive when it came to the way John was being treated by the staff. As a first year student I did not feel comfortable questioning the way a professional staff nurse carried out her nursing care. However, from this experience I will question bad practice in future, as the NMC (2008) states that I am personally accountable for my actions and omissions in my practice and that I must always be able to justify my decisions. According to Maxim Bryan (1995 cited in Briggs, 2006), Communication is the process of conveying information between two or more people. Communication is essential in building relationships with patients and gaining trust. In the NHS, the majority of the complaints brought against them were for poor communication from healthcare staff (Pincock, 2004). To highlight how important communication is in the nursing profession, the NMC identified it as being an essential skill and only if a student is competent in this skill can they then go on and register as a nurse (NMC, 2007). In order to communicate with John the situation required the use of interpersonal skills, known as non verbal and verbal communication. Non verbal communication is described by (Dougherty Lister, 2008 p.62) as being information transmitted without speaking. Johns body language indicated that he was tense and anxious, therefore approaching him with empathy ensured that he was being understood and that his participation in communication was valued (Peate Offredy, 2006). Given the history of Johns aggressive outbursts it was necessary to consider the proxemics in the situation. It is recommended that keeping within a distance of 4 to 12 feet away from a person is less intimidating for them (Egan, 2002). In order to engage in conversation with John, Egans (2002) acronym SOLER was used. This is a process of using body language to actively listen to a person. By sitting squarely towards John, having an open posture, leaning in towards him, maintaining eye contact and a relaxed posture, t his in turn encouraged him to relax and feel less intimidated, therefore able to talk more openly (Dougherty Lister, 2008). Verbal communication with John was enhanced by the use of facial expression and paraverbal communication. According to (Delaune Ladner, 2002, p195) Facial expressions give clues that support, contradict or disguise the verbal message, therefore the use of a smile when approaching John indicated warmth and friendliness. This was assisted further by the use of paracommunication; these are the cues that accompany verbal language. These include tone, pitch, speed and volume of the person speaking; therefore communicating with John using a soft tone of voice added further meaning to the spoken words (Delaune Ladner, 2002). The barriers in communication during this incident were Johns aggressiveness. This could have been due to the withdrawal from cigarettes, as according to Bruce (2008) irritability is a symptom of nicotine withdrawal. If a patient is unable to smoke in hospital then nicotine replacement therapy should be introduced and the patient should be treated like any other dependant. Bruce (2008) states that Withdrawal from nicotine needs to be recognised and treated appropriately in the acute hospital; it will often be the ward nurses who are relied upon to recognise the symptoms. These symptoms were overlooked by the staff and to add to his frustration he had no means of mobility in order to allow him to leave the ward for a cigarette. This may account for his outbursts of anger. Peplau (2004) suggests that when there is an obstacle or obstruction preventing a person from achieving their goals this may lead to frustration which in turn often leads to anger. Using Gibbss reflective cycle has assisted me in analysing the situation and to put things into perspective, recognising how I can put this learning experience to positive use in my future practice as a nursing professional. If this situation were to arise again I know I would now have the courage to question the nurses attitude at an earlier stage pointing out that bad practice by anyone is not acceptable. From this experience I have learnt that I need to be more assertive and if I feel the needs of a patient are not being met, my first consideration should be to protect the interests and safety of patients, in line with the NMC (2008) Code of Professional Conduct. This reflection has highlighted the need to increase my knowledge and understanding of the process of communicating with patients from different cultural backgrounds, I will address these issues by, listening and learning from the qualified staff and by reading relevant literature. In conclusion it can be seen that the nurse has a very important role in communicating with patients throughout their treatment. When a patient is admitted to hospital, assessments should be made based on the activities of daily living, (Roper, Logan Tierney, 2000). Johns assessment not only should have identified the level of care required, it should also have established his normal routine and the fact that he was a smoker and also required a wheelchair for mobility. If Johns needs had been assessed correctly the breakdown in the relationship between John and the professional staff could have been prevented. Overall, through this reflection I have learnt that communication is an essential skill that requires as much practice and consideration as any other aspect of nursing. References Alexander, M., Fawcett, N. Runciman. P, (1994) Nursing Practice Hospital and Home The Adult London: Churchill Livingstone. Almond, P. Yardley, J. (2009) An Introduction to Communication. Chapter 1 IN Childs, L., Coles, L., Marjoram, B. (Eds.) (2009) Essential Skills Clusters for Nurses Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Briggs, D. (2005) Communication and Interpersonal Skills in Nursing. Chapter 4 IN Peate, I. (2005) Compendium of Clinical Skills for Student Nurses London: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Bruce, G. (2008) Smoking Cessation in Hospital London: Nursing Times. [Online] last accessed 18th November 2009 at http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice-clinical-research/smoking-cessation-in-hospital/1646376.article. Delaune, S. Ladner, P. (2002) Fundamentals of Nursing: Standards Practice (2nd Edition) Albany: NY Thomson Delmar Learning. Dougherty, L. Lister, S. (2008) The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures (7th Edition) Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Egan, G. (2002) The Skilled Helper: A problem management approach to helping (7th Edition) California: Brooks / Cole. Garnham, P. (2001) Understanding and dealing with anger, aggression Nursing Standard Vol. 16, No. 6, pp 37-42. Ghaye, T. Lillyman, S. (2001) Reflection: Principles and Practice for Healthcare Professionals. Wiltshire: Mark Allen Publishing ltd. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A Guide to Learning and Teaching Methods Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic. Jasper, M. (2003) Foundations in Nursing and Health Care: Beginning Reflective Practice Oxford: Nelson Thornes. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2007) Essential Skills Cluster for Pre- Registration Nursing Programmes. Annex 2 to NMC Circular 07/2007, [Online] Last accessed 1st December 2009 at http://www.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=2690. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2008) The NMC Code of Professional Conduct: Standards for Conduct, Performance and Ethics London: NMC. Peate, I. Offredy, M. (2006) Becoming a Nurse in the 21st Century Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Peplau, H.E. (2004) Interpersonal Relations in Nursing New York: Springer Publishing Company. Pincock, S. (2004) Poor communication lies at the heart of NHS complaints, says ombudsman British Medical Journal January Vol. 328, No. 7430, p10. Rogers, C. R. (1957) The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Theraputic Personality Change Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Vol. 60, No. 6, pp 827-832. Roper, N., Logan, W. Tierney, A. J. (2000) The Roper Logan and Tierney Model of Nursing London: Churchill Livingstone.

T.S. Eliots use of Poetic techniques in The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufr

T.S Eliot, widely considered to be one of the fathers of modern poetry, has written many great poems. Among the most well known of these are â€Å"The Waste Land, and â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock†, which share similar messages, but are also quite different. In both poems, Eliot uses various poetic techniques to convey themes of repression, alienation, and a general breakdown in western society. Some of the best techniques to examine are ones such as theme, structure, imagery and language, which all figure prominently in his poetry. These techniques in particular are used by Eliot to both enhance and support the purpose of his poems. The theme of Prufrock is the negative, individuality repressing effect that society has on its people. The Prufrock persona illustrates this, he is alienated by the inane social rituals that define his life, â€Å"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons† and make it insignificant and useless. The Waste Land’s theme is that the world, in particular western civilisation, is a culturally and spiritually barren place. Society is portrayed as a pile of â€Å"†¦stony rubbish†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , the ruins of a once great city now reduced to rubble where nothing can grow. Lives mean nothing, but the poem also offers hope through a return to basic religious values, ending with the repeated chant of â€Å"Shantih shantih shantih†, which means, â€Å"the peace which passeth understanding†. The poems both portray the same basic idea, but they have two main differences. Firstly, there is the way in which the themes are expressed. In Prufrock , Eliot uses a pers ona as an example of the debilitating effect of living with so many expectations, rules, standards and meaningless rituals has on a the individual. In many ways, this is a very effe... .... Figuring very prominently is Dante, with the epigraph in Prufrock an exact quote from Inferno, and more subtle references found in The Waste Land that are very suggestive of a Dantean descent into hell. Dante, and to a lesser extent Joseph Conrad, from whom Eliot derives a certain amount of horror, which subtly complements his themes, have had a profound impact on Eliot’s writing. He chooses to quote or allude to parts of other works that complement his own. The techniques used by Eliot in creating both The Waste Land and Prufrock, are used in largely similar ways as far as furthering his purpose, yet differ slightly in style or small alterations when examined more closely. Some techniques, such as imagery, are more similar than others. Though he may use devices differently for each poem, it is only in such a way that makes them unique, and conveys his purpose.

The Life and Work of Galileo Essay -- Essays Papers

The Life and Work of Galileo Galileo Galilei is considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. He made life changing discoveries and mystified many with his knowledge. However, not all of his work was accepted well. Galileo challenged the church creating a controversy that will never be forgotten. Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy February 18, 1564. He was the son of Vincenzo Galilei, a member of a Nobel family, a musician and a mathematician. Galileo, at an early age, developed a great love for mathematics and mechanics. However, his parents urged him to seek medical professions which promised more fortune. Galileo’s love for mathematics turned him away from his parents wishes only to follow his natural talents. Before reaching the age of twenty, Galileo made a great observation of mechanics. He observed a swinging lamp in the cathedral of Pisa which led to his theory of the pendulum and fifty years later led to the construction of an astronomical clock. In 1588, he was given the title of the Archimedes of his time. He also received a position of lecture-ship at the University of Pisa. With this position, he began his research on free-fall and eventually proved that all objects in a vacuum would fall at the same rate of speed. This observation was contradictory to the previous beliefs that the rate of fall of an object was proportional to the object’s mass. The Aristoteleans refuted his findings, however, and remained faithful to their master’s discoveries. By the influence of his friends, he received a position as the chair of mathematics at the University of Pisa. He remained there for eighteen years before returning to the original home of his family in Florence. There he was appointed math... ...mple, in the Bible it says that God created the earth. Science merely attempts to decipher how it was done. Today, the truth about Galileo’s studies has received proper recognition, and it is understood that science is a reflection of reason, and reason a reflection of science. Footnotes 1. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Online. Internet. 25 Sept 1999. 2. see Catholic Encyclopedia 3. Modern History Sourcebook: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633. Online. Internet. 25 Sept. 1999. 4. see Catholic Encyclopedia Bibliography - Spangenburg, Ray and Diane K. Moser. The History of Science from the Ancient Greeks to the Scientific Revolution. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1993 - Spangburg, Ray and Diane K. Moser. The History of Science in the Eighteenth Century. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1993 The Life and Work of Galileo Essay -- Essays Papers The Life and Work of Galileo Galileo Galilei is considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. He made life changing discoveries and mystified many with his knowledge. However, not all of his work was accepted well. Galileo challenged the church creating a controversy that will never be forgotten. Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy February 18, 1564. He was the son of Vincenzo Galilei, a member of a Nobel family, a musician and a mathematician. Galileo, at an early age, developed a great love for mathematics and mechanics. However, his parents urged him to seek medical professions which promised more fortune. Galileo’s love for mathematics turned him away from his parents wishes only to follow his natural talents. Before reaching the age of twenty, Galileo made a great observation of mechanics. He observed a swinging lamp in the cathedral of Pisa which led to his theory of the pendulum and fifty years later led to the construction of an astronomical clock. In 1588, he was given the title of the Archimedes of his time. He also received a position of lecture-ship at the University of Pisa. With this position, he began his research on free-fall and eventually proved that all objects in a vacuum would fall at the same rate of speed. This observation was contradictory to the previous beliefs that the rate of fall of an object was proportional to the object’s mass. The Aristoteleans refuted his findings, however, and remained faithful to their master’s discoveries. By the influence of his friends, he received a position as the chair of mathematics at the University of Pisa. He remained there for eighteen years before returning to the original home of his family in Florence. There he was appointed math... ...mple, in the Bible it says that God created the earth. Science merely attempts to decipher how it was done. Today, the truth about Galileo’s studies has received proper recognition, and it is understood that science is a reflection of reason, and reason a reflection of science. Footnotes 1. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Online. Internet. 25 Sept 1999. 2. see Catholic Encyclopedia 3. Modern History Sourcebook: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633. Online. Internet. 25 Sept. 1999. 4. see Catholic Encyclopedia Bibliography - Spangenburg, Ray and Diane K. Moser. The History of Science from the Ancient Greeks to the Scientific Revolution. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1993 - Spangburg, Ray and Diane K. Moser. The History of Science in the Eighteenth Century. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1993

Criminal Administrator’s Responsibilities

Administrative functions and responsibilities cover a wide spectrum of concerns relating to workers’ employee rights. Corollary, the basic rights of employees guaranteed by the constitution and other statutes underlie the duties and responsibilities of a criminal justice administrator. With regards to drug testing, the criminal justice administrator should establish guidelines clarifying purposes and procedures governing the testing for drugs and alcohol based on reasonableness of purpose and scope, or when there is a special need that outweighs the individual's privacy interest (The National Worksrights Institute). The administrator should therefore institute a written policy which identifies the specific positions subject to testing, the manner in which the testing will be administered, the right of an employee to refuse to be tested and the consequences of refusing, the disciplinary or other action which may result from a test, and the rights of a person with respect to retesting and appeal. Relating to privacy rights, the criminal justice administrator should see to it that clear guidelines are in place to respect an employee’s reasonable expectation of privacy in his desk, file cabinets, and office, and enforce procedures in making reasonable intrusions into those zones of privacy (O'Connor v. Ortega, 107 S. Ct. 1492, 1987). In this modern era of digital technology, the criminal justice administrator must establish policies and protocols including proper monitoring practices to respect the privacy rights of employees. You can read also King v Cogdon The administrator should ensure that mechanisms are in place to provide clear written notification of their right and intent to randomly monitor, read and intercept data from workplace computer networks and terminals (The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986). Additionally, the administrator must issue guidelines to ensure confidentiality of medical information and all medical data related to the employee’s health, diagnosis and treatment of illness or any information revealed during medical consultations (American with Disabilities Act of 1990). With regards to sexual harassment issues, the administrator must take all steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment from occurring, such as affirmatively raising the subject, expressing strong disapproval, developing appropriate sanctions, informing employees of their right to raise and how to raise the issue of harassment and developing methods to sensitize all concerned. As such, the administrator must implement an effective sexual harassment preventive program founded on an explicit policy against sexual harassment that is clearly and regularly communicated to employees and effectively implemented. The administrator should see to it that a procedure for resolving sexual harassment complaints and to encourage victims to file complaints is in place. Thus, the administrator should take immediate and appropriate corrective action by doing whatever is necessary to end the harassment, make the victim whole by restoring lost employment benefits or opportunities, and prevent the misconduct from recurring. (U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1990). Concerning disability issues, the criminal justice administrator should formulate policies and guidelines that shall not discriminate against a qualified individual with a disability because of the disability of such individual in regard to â€Å"job application procedures, the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees, employee compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment†. (Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 102). As such, he must impose standards, criteria, or methods of administration or administrative control that respect the rights of persons with disabilities.

Foreign Market Entry Strategies Essay

When an organization has do a decision to enter an afield market, there are a contour of options open to it. These options vary with speak to, risk and the grade of control which stack be exercised all over them. The simplest salmagundi of entry strategy is export using either a intention up or in claim method much(prenominal) as an agent, in the case of the former, or countertrade, in the case of the latter. More multiform forms embroil abroad instantly investments which whitethorn remove joint ventures, or export processing zones. Having decided on the form of export strategy, decisions have to be do on the specific channels.Many plain products of a raw or good nature use agents, distributors or involve Government, whereas processed materials, whilst not excluding these, rely more(prenominal) heavily on more innovative forms of access. These are discussed in this paper. The three important ways are by target or indirect export or production in a foreign s phere. Exporting Exporting is the most handed-down and well established form of operational in foreign markets. Exporting can be defined as the trade of goods produced in one country into another.Whilst no direct manuf operateuring is required in an abroad country, significant investments in marketing are required. The tendency may be not to obtain as much precise marketing information as compared to manufacturing in marketing country however, this does not vary the need for a detailed marketing strategy. Here the manufacturing is home based thus, it is less(prenominal) risky than overseas based. anyway bounteous an opportunity to learn overseas markets onward investing in bricks and mortar, it also reduces the strength risks of operating overseas.Exporting methods include direct or indirect export. In direct exporting the organization may use an agent, distributor, or overseas subsidiary, or act via a Government agency. The disadvantage is in the main that one can be at the mercy of overseas agents and so the need of control has to be weighed against the advantages. For example, in the exporting of African horticultural products, the agents and Dutch bloom auctions are in a office to dictate to producers.According to Collett3 (1991) exporting requires a partnership betwixt exporter, importer, government and transport. Without these 4 coordinating activities the risk of failure is increased. Contracts between buyer and seller are a must. Forwarders and agents can play a life-sustaining role in the logistics procedures such as booking air space and put documentation. Foreign direct investment Besides exporting, other market entry strategies include licensing, joint ventures, contract manufacture, ownership and troth in export processing zones or free trade zones.Licensing Licensing is defined as the method of foreign operation whereby a firm in one country agrees to permit a company in another country to use the manufacturing, processing, tr ademark, know-how or some other skill provided by the licensor. It is quite similar to the franchise operation. coca Cola is an excellent example of licensing. In Zimbabwe, United Bottlers have the licence to begin Coke. Licensing involves little expense and involvement. The only cost is signing the agreement and policing its implementation.

Purpose and Meaning of Human Existence Essay

unmatched of the commodious ironies with respect to Samuel Becketts conceal for Godot is that iodin of the creations superlative scats is so poorly understood. Thither argon, to be sure, m each foreign interpretations. Precise fundaments or intentions sport been difficult to discern from the matchs textual matter. These interpretive difficulties withdraw from been alter by the fact that Beckett was often equivocal when asked nearly the exact part of accredited characters in the con or the content of the text.This is non meant to suggest that certain ancestors and intentions apprize non be determined, for in that location certainly appear to be certain thematic patterns, but sooner to suggest that the ladder does appear in certain ways to be decipherable to varied shells of interpretations. A review of the erudite texts and articles, for instance, reveals academic arguments to the inwardness that the campaign is slightly God, salvation, the French apology to Ger opus profession in the historical period in which the bump was written, the purpose of military personnel beence, and the insignifi faecest of time.With such a variety of interpretations, sticker up by specific references to the dissipations text and different(a) historical circumstances, it would expect nearly impossible to identify an overarching or unifying stalk. A c atomic number 18ful exam of the walkovers text, how invariably, suggests that such a dominant thematic element brush aside be tack together. The thesis of this radical, and so, is that the dominant content in delay for Godot is the valet de chambre creative activitys anticipate for purpose and essence in a world that t residuumer benesss either do not generalize or merchant shipnot assure.In support of this thesis, this paper leave attempt to harmonize the different critical interpretations and demonstrate that the main characters with their talk on a shape of dif ferent subjects consistently illustrate the gentle take for purpose and morsel in a world that come alongs hopelessly beyond their comprehension. Critical Confusion and Multiple Interpretations Harmonizing varied Perspectives As an initial matter, before go on to an psychometric test of the plays text, it is useable to present the critical astonishment that has arisen from ternary interpretations of the play.This is useful because even these different interpretations can be harmonized to almost come throughing if the truly dominant theme of the play is said to be the valet de chambre attend for purpose and meat in a complicated or complex world. It is well- pitched, for example, that the play presents a series of universal c alone forions specifically, as one academic has observed, postponement for Godot, in m all ways, scarce extends those uncertainties Why be we here? Are we completely in an uncaring existence, or not?What argon we to do opus we ar here? How can we turn in? And, ultimately, what does it matter? (Hutchings x) These types of questions, to a large extant, transcend m each of the conflicting interpretations. If Godot is God, as some fall in argued, then Vladimir and tarragon ar postponement for God. They freely admit that they ar not specially familiar with Godot and this admission reflects and reinforces the fact that these ii kind beingnesss do not yield a perfect knowledge of the designer of their world.If Godot is not God, as some lease argued, then Vladimir and estragon atomic number 18 by peril waiting for some type of smart spark in order to secern them why they are waiting, whether they should leave, or whether it energy be collapse to leave their describe by the steer and take favourable step to go and find the murky Godot. In either concomitant, whether Godot matchs God or a figurative type of noetic flash, the core theme is one of twain(prenominal) homo beings who seem consis tently unavailing to determine what to do.They engage in a series of superficial conversations, they consider self-annihilation as a way of end peak their confusion, and in the end they remain severely planted on the country road much as the tree where they wait is firmly planted in the ground. so far if one is to assume, as some prentices have, that the play is tangiblely an aesthetic allusion to the French resistance or the onset of the Cold War, this does not necessarily undermine the notion that tender-hearted beings are somehow trapped in spite of appearance a world or amicable circumstances in which they have itty-bitty control or little understanding.The all all-important(a)(p) point, for purposes of this papers thesis, is that the conflicting interpretations can be transcended if one assumes that the transcendental theme is one some specifically cogitate to the charitable beings search for purpose and nub in a confusing physical world. Whether Vladimir a nd Estragon are waiting for God, a real person, happy knowledge of social circumstances, or the laws of the universe is fundamentally tangential to the fact that they are helpless in the circumstances that Beckett has created. They are petty, feeble, and passive.The rest of this paper therefore restoration from the assumption that the conflicting interpretations can be unified by treating the fundamental theme as the search for purpose and meaning in life sentence. This fundamental theme ordain be discussed in the following sections by referring to specific features of the play. Significance of Human high society Pairs, Dependence, and Shared Searches One of the to the highest degree important structural features of the play is the fact that compassionates beings are portrayed as being extraordinarily opineent and unable to exist in isolation or individually.This is most evident in the fact that the plays characters come in rivals and seem in many ways to be inseparable. The main characters, for instance, are Vladimir and Estragon. It would appear that they have arrived as a pair, they continue to wait as a pair, and although they neer leave they do talk about loss as a pair. They have different face-to-faceities, they would appear to have different backgrounds given over the different stories that they tell, and but they seem noncompliant or unable to separate and go their own ways.This notion of clement inseparability, a putting green fear or ignorance about the meaning of human man, is disassembleicularly make water when Vladimir and Estragon are discussing the crucifixion of de bangry son Christ and the two thieves on the elude next to Jesus. Specifically, the fear of being alone and the emphasis of human lodge is provided in the following passage VLADIMIR Ah yes, the two thieves. Do you remember the story? tarragon none VLADIMIR Shall I tell it to you? ESTRAGON no VLADIMIR Itll pass the time. (Pause. ) Two thieves, crucified at the aforesaid(prenominal) time as our Saviour. One ESTRAGON Our what?VLADIMIR Our Saviour. Two thieves. One is supposed to have been saved and the other . . . (he searches for the contrary of saved) . . . goddamn (Becket n. p. ) This passage illustrates the need for human companionship and in plus the need for human beings to depend on each other. This companionship is needed because human beings must face the uncertainties of the world and human existence together. The dependence is and so caused by a fear that individuals leave be unable to cope with these uncertainties whereas existence sharing these fears can at least(prenominal) confront these uncertainties together.This common flummox, in short, helps human beings to deal with their confusion about the meaning of human existence better than if they pondered these questions alone. An examination of the replete(p) play consistently reinforces these notions of companionship and dependence. Later on in the play, for example, Vladimir and Estragon are considering suicide and the pair again grow concerned that one allow successfully commit suicide and the other provide fail. The panorama that one of them will die and one will live is a frightening thought for both men because one will be unattended in death and the other will be unattended in life.Again, because the purpose and the meaning of human existence is unknow both in life and in death, the pair refuse to flare up up or pursue any implement that might destroy their mad and physical bonds. At another point in the play, Estragon states that There are times when I wonder if it wouldnt be better for us to part to which Vladimir responds rather matter-of-factly You wouldnt go far. (Beckett n. p. ). The play could not exist as it was think if the pair ever did separate.The quest for purpose and the meaning of human existence is therefore a common human quest rather than an individuals personal burden. These notions of human companions hip and a divided up quest are even much than powerfully presented with the human pairing of Pozzo and roaring. In their start appearance, Lucky is a hard worker and yet he prefers being a hard worker and being dependent to being set free. Lucky is ridiculed, he is called a pig, and yet he reacts angrily when someone other than Pozzo attempts to help him more specificly, he kicks Estragon in the shins.A grievous scene in this respect is when Lucky appears to faint after dancing and big(a) his rather incoherent speech more particularly, Pozzo is deeply fearful at the prospect of losing his slave when he says dresst let him go (Vladimir and Estragon totter. ) outweart move (Pozzo fetches bag and ring and brings them towards Lucky. ) Hold him irritated (He puts the bag in Luckys hand. Lucky drops it immediately. ) Dont let him go (He puts back the bag in Luckys hand. Gradually, at the feel of the bag, Lucky recovers his senses and his fingers at long last close round t he handle.) Hold him tight (Beckett n. p. ) Even a human maestro is dependent on his slave, the companionship of maestro and slave is intimate because both fear facing the uncertainties of life alone, and like the bond that exists between Vladimir and Estragon, so too does a very real bond exist between Pozzo and Lucky. This bond is reinforced in the second act when Pozzo returns blind and his come is tied to a rope being held by Lucky. Pozzo could not sell his slave and the slave is now leading the master.As if these two traces were not enough, Beckett included yet one more human pair to emphasize the common fears that human beings have about the purpose of their lives and the meaning of human existence. This final human pairing is the boy sent as Godots messenger. The boy and Godot constitute a final human pairing and the boy recounts to Vladimir and Estragon that Godot is real and that Godot beats my sidekick. (Beckett, n. p. ) Despite the beatings, the boy and his brother remain with Godot as is established at the end of the second act.This scene is in any fiber notable because it establishes that Godot exists and that the most inborn human relationships are about the aforementioned human pairings rather than about Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot. The waiting, as it were, may simply be the context within which Beckett sought to establish the shared human bonds with respect to their confusion about the meaning of life. The question frankincense becomes how these dependent and mutually burdened companions ought to near their lives.Function of Idleness Fear of put to death and Aversion to Failure In addition to their unwillingness to separate, Vladimir and Estragon seem also quite unwilling to commit to any put through despite a great deal of conversation. To be sure, the play is tag almost exclusively by dialogue rather than action. The pair carry on a series of seemingly long conversations, most of them rather childish and inane, and these conversations in the end seem to represent a rather firm commitment to make no commitments at all.Vladimir, for example, recognizes this fear of action or commitment when he says to Estragon Let us do something, while we have the chance It is not every day that we are needed. Not hence that we are personally needed. Others would meet the case equally well, if not better. To all gentlemans gentleman they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it, before it is too late (Beckett qtd. in Brater 147)Vladimir and Estragon, for all of their apparent desire to real meet Godot, are wholly offhanded to take any affirmative steps to actually go and locate him on their own initiative. They admit that time is passing, that they represent all mankind, and that it will be too late if they do not do something. It is this very inability to do something, an inability which they represent figuratively as all human beings, that characterizes their function in the play. There are several clues to the effect that they can find Godot if they were not check or afraid in some way.First, Vladimir and Estragon have obviously followed a country road to the tree where they are waiting for Godot. The fact that they have walked this particular country road, and selected this particular tree, suggests that they know in which direction the mysterious Godot resides. Presumably, if their actions were not somehow constrained, they would simply continue walking along the same country road until they found Godot. They could ask for directions or assistance along the way and they could become more spry in pursuit of their ultimate destination.The problem, however, is that both Vladimir and Estragon perhaps do not know their precise destination. The second clue to the effect that the waiting of Vladimir and Estragon is a product of their own doing rath er than Godots apparent tardiness is the fact that a boy appears twice in the play as a messenger. The boy admits quite literally that he and his brother know Godot, that they are employed or otherwise beholden to him in certain respects, and that he will return to Godot as soon as his message has been provided to Vladimir and Estragon.Why, then, could they not have simply followed the boy home to Godot? Indeed, this is a peeping question that can sole(prenominal) be resolved if one assumes that Godot is inappropriate to the waiting. some(prenominal) interpretations, it must be acknowledged, have suggested that Beckett intend Godot as God and that they boy messenger was think as a type of angel ( Mercier 27) such an interpretation, whether accurate or not, does not undermine a thesis to the effect that the predominant theme remained mans tentative quest to understand himself and the universe in which he lived.This is dependable for a couple of reasons. First, when asked wheth er he intended Godot as God, Beckett repeatedly stated that there was never intended to be any relationship between Godot and God. Presumably, the plays author knows what was intended. That many interpretations have focus on Godot as God, however, is not surprising. The label are almost the same and the quest to understand the nature and the meaning of human existence necessarily implicates some questions tie in to God and how the universe was created.Thus, although these interpretations are just about sensible, the evidence that can be condescendd from Becketts own statements and the plays text taken as a tout ensemble counsel against such an interpretation. God is relevant, as one possible explanation for the meaning of human life, but Godot is no more God than Vladimir and Estragon are hoping for salvation. Godot is Godot and the human pair waiting by the tree are seeking understanding and illumination rather than salvation. Second, the plays theme is more about the waitin g and the rational underlying the waiting than it is about Godot.The entire play, to be sure, takes place in one setting. Other settings, including Godots, are tangential and not central features of the plays structure. The waiting, in this respect, transcends the distant character vaguely known as Godot. One leading scholar of the play has noted how the waiting is more important than Godot by arguing that The plays minimal plot and action are accurately described in its title passim the duration of the play, and throughout an undeterminable amount of time that elapses in their lives, the two central characters await an event that does not happen and may never happen.Meanwhile, necessarily, they pass away their time in some- times abrasive conversation, in chance encounters with a pair of odd passersby, and in expressions of mutual if sometimes exasperated benignity and the long-standing concern that can develop only between inseparable friends. (Hutchings 23) Taken together, the go around argument that one can derive from the plays text is that there is a dominant theme that dominant theme, in turn, is that human beings are conjointly and inseparably bound together by the fact that they do not know the purpose of the human race or the meaning of their own existence.Such a lack of knowledge encourages closer types of human dependence and simultaneously inspires caution, hesitation, and fear. All the while, amidst this uncertainty and fear, time passes by and all human beings are faced with dying without ever having understood why they existed in the first place. Life is a tree to which we are all tethered much in the same way that Vladimir and Estragon were figuratively tethered. Conclusion In conclusion, Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot is best read as an artistic rendition of the greatest human plight of all time.Human beings, in this respect, are born with an imperfect knowledge of themselves and of the universe in which they exist and are pass judgm ent to function. This imperfect knowledge lends itself to much dead reckoning of the purpose and meaning of human existence, as the many religions around the world forcefully attest to, but in the end it is nothing more than idle and unimportant speculation. Godot, whether he is God or not, is irrelevant in the play. It is the waiting, the search and the confusion that all human beings share, that is the plays common lamentation.That all of the critics tend to characterize the play as tragedy or frivolity somewhat misses the plays essential nature as a lamentation for a quest for knowledge that can never be fulfilled. We are better advised to forget Godot and get on with living rather than waiting for divine inspiration that will probably never arrive.Works CitedBeckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot. Samuel Beckett. net Brater, Enoch. The globalisation of Becketts Godot. Comparative Drama 37. 2 (2003) 145+. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. Hutchings, William. Samuel Becketts Waitin g for Godot A Reference Guide. Westport, CT Praeger, 2005. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. Mercier, Vivian. The Uneventful Event. The Critical Response to Samuel Beckett. Ed. Cathleen Culotta Andonian. Westport, CT Greenwood Press, 1998. 95-96. Questia. Web. 10 Dec. 2009.