British Political Parties Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

British Political Parties - Case Study Example The article also provides detailed information on how France’ National Front advocates socialism by allowing debates to be carried out on managerial competence. Just like FNF, Liberal Greens also advocates socialism by supporting civil liberties alongside social justice. The article also provides some information on how Liberal Democrats’ economic pitch is shifted to the left of labourers to magnify the effect of social authoritarian, According to it, Liberal Democrats advocate socialism by not only enhancing expansion of the Freedom of Information Act, but also a reduction of the detention period to 14 days. Just like other parties that advocate socialism, Conservative Party aims at doing away with ID cards. Unlike other parties, the New Labour insists on the retention of the DNA profiles of the victims of crime and 42 days retention for those involved in crime. Additionally, it privatises economy at the cost of nationalising the public. For a nation to grow, it must give room for new ideas to be inoculated in its management by allowing democracy to prevail. For instance, it is very crucial for Britain to have many political parties. Many political parties will enhance the running government in Britain to implement some crucial ideologies raised by other political parties. Additionally, the ideologies presented by different political parties enable the public choose the party that will contribute towards meeting their wants in

Advertisers Do Have a Responsibility to Society Essay

Advertisers Do Have a Responsibility to Society - Essay Example Different people today have varying perceptions about advertising in society. However, advertising cannot be considered good or evil. Advertising is like a tool or an instrument; therefore, its users might use it well or badly. Depending on how it is used, advertising might have both negative and positive effects on society. For this reason, therefore, advertisers do have a role in society. Advertising leads to different health conditions in society when the advertisers of junk food develop advertisements that are full of misinterpretation, mixed messages, and which hold important facts from the audience. For example, junk food advertising involves the promotion of literacy, health and fitness, and education (Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, n.d). Because of this, advertisers and other communication professionals have the responsibility of upholding ethics in advertising, which in this case includes dissemination of clear and honest information in advertising (Institute for Advertising Ethics, 2011). According to Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a large percentage of students are exposed to advertising of food, which has minimal nutritional value, and are high in fats and sugar (n.d). As such, advertising of food products should encourage healthy eating, including the consumption of fruits and vegetables (The Children's Advertising Review Unit, 2009). Every year, the rate of obesity among children and youth keeps increasing, and today, one-third of children and youth are obese, or at risk of obesity (Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, n.d). Therefore, advertising should be free of any deception (The Children's Advertising Review Unit, 2009). Advertising is harmful to society when it contributes to the decline in morality. For example, the exposure of children to advertising encourages materialistic values in children (Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, n.d). Because of this, advertisers should demonstrate special responsibility w hen advertising to children, bearing in mind that children have limited capability of evaluating the credibility of information, and might not be capable of discerning the persuasive nature of advertising (The Children's Advertising Review Unit, 2009). According to Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, advertising promotes the sexualization of childhood through the highly sexualized messages in the media ads (n.d). Therefore, advertisers should not include obscene messages and content in advertisements, which are inappropriate for children audience (The Children's Advertising Review Unit, 2009). According to The Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth, alcohol marketing encourages underage drinking (n.d). As such, advertisers should advertise to children, only products that are appropriate for them (The Children's Advertising Review Unit, 2009). Advertising promotes the stereotyping, when it places women at a disadvantage, in relation to the male gender. For example, alcohol adve rtisements portray women as sex objects and as a pretty package to see and not respect (Downing, McQuai, Schlesinger, and Wartella 2009). As such, advertisers should avoid any form of stereotyping and prejudice of any particular groups, but present them in a positive manner (The Children's Advertising Review Unit, 2009). According to the Media Education Foundation (2008), advertising emphasizes beauty and sexiness for women, at the expense of other important values and principles. Therefore, advertisers should encourage the development of positive personal qualities, characters, and values, and serve an educational role to the audience.

Caste System as a Form of Social Stratification

Caste System as a Form of Social Stratification The caste system is one of the oldest forms of social stratification and even though it may be prohibited by the law, the political divisions continue to exist in the minds of the people leaving many oppressed. Before the caste system, India had four groups or divisions already established: the Negrito, Mongoloid, Austroloid and Dravidian. It was during the Aryan invasion around 1500 BCE when the caste system was created. The word  caste  derives from  the Portuguese  word casta  , meaning breed, race, or kind. In this system, the citizens are divided into categories or castes. Varna, the Sanskrit word for color, refers to large divisions that include various castes; the other terms include castes and subdivisions of castes sometimes called subcastes. Among the Indian terms that are sometimes translated as caste are jati, jat,  biradri, and  samaj. There are thousands of castes and subcastes in India. It follows a basic precept: All me n are created unequal. Each category or jat has a special role to play in the society as well as a unique function: this structure is a means of creating and organizing an effective society. The caste system in India is primarily associated with Hinduism but also exists among other Indian religious groups. Castes are ranked and named. Membership is achieved by birth. Castes are also endogamous groups. Marriages and relationships between members of different castes, while not actually prohibited, face strong social disapproval and the threat of ostracism or even violence. To illustrate, in a notorious case in August 2001, a Brahmin boy and a lower-caste girl were publicly hanged by members of their families in Uttar Pradesh, India for refusing to end their inter-caste relationship.  [1]   The first of the four basic Vedic books, which are considered the source of Indian wisdom, is the Rig Veda- a collection of over 1,000 hymns containing the basic mythology of the Aryan gods. The Rig Veda contains one of the most famous sections in ancient Indian literature in which the first man created, Purusa, is sacrificed in order to give rise to the four varnas. The varna of Brahmans emerged from the mouth. They are the priests and teachers, and look after the intellectual and spiritual needs of the community. They preside over knowledge and education. The varna of Kshatriyas emerged from the arms. Their responsibility is to rule and to protect members of the community. They are associated with rulers and warriors including property owners. The varna of Vaishyas emerged from the thighs. They are the merchants and traders and those who look after commerce and agriculture. The varna of Sudras emerged from the feet. They are the laborers. Castes or subcastes besides the four mentioned include such groups as the  Bhumihar  or landowners and the  Kayastha  or scribes. Some castes arose from very specific occupations, such as the  Garudi   snake charmers or the  Sonjhari, who collected gold from river beds. Each caste is believed by devout Hindus to have its own dharma, or divinely ordained code of proper conduct. Brahmans are usually expected to be nonviolent and spiritual, according to their traditional roles as vegetarian teetotaler priests. Kshatriyas are supposed to be strong, as fighters and rulers should be, with a taste for aggression, eating meat, and drinking alcohol. Vaishyas are stereotyped as adept businessmen, in accord with their traditional activities in commerce. Shudras are often described by others as tolerably pleasant. The existence of rigid ranking is supernaturally validated through the idea of rebirth according to a persons karma, the sum of an individuals deeds in this life and in past lives. After death, a persons life is judged by divine forces, and rebirth is assigned in a high or a low place, depending upon what is deserved. This supernatural sanction can never be neglected, because it brings a person to his or her position in the caste hierarchy, relevant to every transaction involving food or drink, speaking, or touching. The Rig Veda mentions how the four varnas were created but it does not mention the concept of untouchability. The idea of an Untouchable caste à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is not in the Vedas or the law books, which list only four  varnas.  [2]  It is a part of the system that has been created by society itself. Untouchables are the fifth group. They are considered unworthy that they fall outside of the caste system. In 1950, the term Untouchable was eradicated under Indias constitution, and untouchables are now formally referred to as the Scheduled Castes. Gandhi referred to untouchables as Harijan, which means people of God. Politically active untouchables feel that this term Harijan might evoke pity rather than respect, and prefer the term Dalits, which means, oppressed. Dalits are descendants of the ancient Dravidians of India who lost their language and were subjugated due to the linguistic and socio-cultural oppression by the perpetrators of the caste system. While Dalits in Tamil Nadu speak Tamil, their brethren in other parts of India speak different Dravidian or tribal dialects or languages that arose due to mixtures of Tamil, Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic, such as Hindustani (Hindi). As an Indian is born into the caste system, they are supposed to stay with that caste until death. What a person in each of these varnas can and cant do, is prescribed in detail in the laws of Manu, written by Brahman priests at least 2,000 years ago. The laws of Manu are inscribed in Indian culture. Umashankar Tripathy, a Brahman priest, says, Manu is engraved in every Hindu  [3]   Untouchables or Dalits obviously live also by a certain set of rules. The occupations of people in caste systems are hereditary and dalits perform jobs that cause them to be considered impure and thus untouchable and for little or no pay at all.   They are restricted to occupations such as landless farm workers and peasants, and forced into washing clothes, beating drums, cutting hair, cleaning latrines and sewers, working as a leatherworker (they work with animal skin which makes them unclean), street cleaners, and manual scavengers. Manual scavenging refers to disposal of human waste by hand, using only the most basic tools, typically a brush, a tin plate and a wicker basket. Scavengers also dispose of dead animals. Millions of Dalits work even as slaves. They mostly have no opportunities for better employment. Dalits live in the most congested and cramped slums in villages, towns and urban areas consisting of huts or ghettos which are damp and cramped. They live in the most insanitary conditions with no access to public health and sanitation amongst open sewers and open air toilets. There are no state sponsored public housing rights or public health rights in India. Most Dalits are forced to live in isolated areas. Even after death, grave sites are segregated. The best housing is reserved for the upper castes; the government provides separate amenities for each neighborhood, which are segregated on caste lines. Dalits are usually left with the worse of the amenities or none at all. Over 85% of Indian Dalits own no land and are dependent on landlords for work or land to rent; those that do own land may find it difficult or impossible to enforce their rights; workers rarely receive the statutory minimum wage. Furthermore, in past decades, Dalits in certain areas (especially in parts of the south) had to display extreme deference to high-status people, physically keeping their distancelest their touch or even their shadow pollute otherswearing neither shoes nor any upper body covering (even for women) in the presence of the upper castes. In northern India for example, untouchables had to use drums to let others know of their arrival. Even their shadows were considered polluted. In the south, some Brahmins ordered Untouchables to keep at least 65 feet away from them. Untouchables are shunned, insulted, banned from temples and higher caste homes, made to eat and drink from separate utensils in public places. The higher-caste people do not accept food or water from the untouchable because it would transmit the pollution permanent and inherent in the person of the untouchable. Thus, untouchables are not allowed to drink from the same wells, wear shoes in the presence of an upper caste, or drink from the same cups in tea stalls. They are not allowed to touch people from the four varnas or caste groups. They are not allowed to enter houses of the higher varnas especially in which the chula (the small earthen stove) is located.  [4]  In public occasions, they were compelled to sit at a distance from the four varnas. They are also denied education, freedom of expression, and many other rights the higher classes have. Dalit children do not have access to education due to the lack of mandatory and universal primary and secondary education in India. Even in rural areas where there may be schools, Dalit children are ostracized, oppressed and stigmatized from attending school. Thus, few Dalit children progress beyond primary education and they are often made to sit at the back of the class. Nearly 90 percent of all the poor Indians and 95 percent of all the illiterate Indians are Dalits, according to the International Dalit Conference. Dalit Children are also subjected to atrocities such as sexual abuse in rural areas, physical abuse and murder just as adult Dalits are. They have a high level of malnutrition and ill health. Some are ordained into temple prostitution as a part of religious rituals for exploitation by non-Dalit men of the village or town. Dalit women do all the back breaking work society expects Dalits to do, such as manual scavenging, farm labour, stone breaking, etc., and in addition they have to bear domestic responsibilities as mothers and wives. Dalit women suffer double discrimination as Dalits and as women. They are exposed to sexual abuse at the hands of the so called caste Hindu men and also men who work or state authorities such as the police. They are frequently raped, gang-raped, beaten and tortured or forced to walk through the streets naked as punishment as an act of reprisal against male relatives who have committed some act worthy of upper-caste vengeance. Atrocities such as rape of Dalit women in police custody, bonded labour and physical abuse are common in India. The chastity of women is strongly related to caste status. Generally, the higher ranking the caste, the more sexual control its women are expected to exhibit. Brahman brides should be virginal, faithful to one husband and celibate in widowhood. By contrast, a sweeper bride may or may not be a virgin, extramarital affair may be tolerated, and, if widowed or divorced, the woman is encouraged to remarry. For the higher castes, such control of female sexuality helps ensure purity of lineageof crucial importance to maintenance of high status. Among Muslims, too, high status is strongly correlated with female chastity. Many thousands of Dalit girls are forced into marriage to temples or local deities in south India, often before puberty, sometimes in payment of a debt. They are married to temples under the guise of the religious practice Devadasis, meaning female servant of god. They are then unable to marry and become unwilling prostitutes for upper-caste men, many eventually being sold into brothels. The  Badi  Jat is regarded as a prostitution subcaste. Women and girls are routinely trafficked into brothels. Perversely, and hypocritically, untouchability does not seem to apply to prostitution and customers are mainly men from the upper castes. If, because of any reason, there was a contact between an untouchable and a member of the Varnas, the Varna member became defiled and had to immerse or wash himself with water to be purified. In strict societies, especially among the Twice Born (the three top Varnas) the touched Twice Born also had to pass through some religious ceremonies to purify himself from the pollution. If the untouchable entered a house and touched things of a Varna member, the Varna members used to wash or clean the places where the untouchable touched and stepped. A twice born Hindu is a male member of one of the three upper castes who has completed the thread ceremony. The thread ceremony is a Hindu initiation ceremony, similar to a Christian confirmation or a Jewish  Bar Mitzvah. A thread is given to the boy and it is thereafter worn over the left shoulder or around the waist. The thread has three strands, representing the three  gunas  (qualities):  satya  (truth);   rajas  (action); and  tamas(inertia). Sudras  and Dalits are excluded from the thread ceremony and cannot become twice-born. Horrific and unbearable are just a few words that come to mind when thinking of the abuse towards Dalits. More than 160 million people in India are considered achuta or untouchable. Human rights violation against these people known as Dalits is extremely prevalent although obviously illegal. Laws have been passed to prevent the abuse of the Dalits and NGO groups have been established to protect these people. However, that doesnt limit the crimes. The enforcement of laws on both local and nationwide scale designed to protect the Dalits is lax if not nonexistent in many regions in India. Often times, especially in rural areas, where the practice of untouchability is the strongest, police officers even join in the abuse of the Dalits. Nearly 50 years later, another event gave rise to a mass of conversions by the untouchables. A man from their class became educated, and then dared to try and watch a festival that the upper class men took part in. The untouchable was soon discovered and called a dirty untouchable and then killed. When the dead mans family tried to report the murder to the police, the police turned them away because they were untouchables. Eventually the police gave in and investigated the murder, later convicting a young man, but that did not satisfy the people. They were tired of being treated so poorly, and soon decided to abandon the Hindu religion and chose a new one. Other headlines about crimes victimizing the Dalits are as follows: Dalit boy beaten to death for plucking flowers; Dalit tortured by cops for three days; Dalit witch paraded naked in Bihar; Dalit killed in lock-up at Kurnool; 7 Dalits burnt alive in caste clash; 5 Dalits lynched in Haryana; Dalit woman gang-raped, paraded naked; Police egged on mob to lynch Dalits. Fear of public humiliation, beatings, and rape keep Indias Untouchables in their place. Statistics from Indias National Crime Records Bureau indicate that in 2000 25,455 crimes were committed against Dalits.  [5]  Every hour two Dalits were assaulted; every day three Dalit women raped, two Dalits murdered, and two Dalit homes torched. Majority of crimes go unregistered, because the police, village councils, and government officials often support the caste system, which is based on the teachings of Hinduism. Many crimes go unreported due to fear of reprisal, intimidation by police, inability to pay bribes, or simply because people know that the police will do nothing. There will be no punishment for the criminals; no justice for the victimized. Amnesty estimated that only about 5 percent of attacks are registered  [6]   Hundreds of thousands of Dalits have already renounced Hinduism, generally by conversion to Buddhism or Christianity, sometimes in mass ceremonies.  Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a Dalit leader, lawyer, and politician,  famously led several hundred thousand Dalits in converting to Buddhism, saying I was born a Hindu, but I will not die one. Conversion is not a panacea, however, and converts to other religions, especially Christianity and Islam, have suffered continued discrimination. Some converts have lost reserved occupations on the grounds that they are no longer members of scheduled castes and converts are not counted as Dalits in the Indian census. Amidst the oppression and hardships, Dalits still have social life which is expressed through dance and music. Theyre dance and music are full of fiery spirit, spontaneity and humour without the inhibitions and rigid classical structure that characterizes Hindu music and arts. Dalit songs celebrates life but laments their life conditions, while frankly exposing the realities of life, in a style full of humour and sensual zest, by using simple instruments and vocals. In modern times, Dalit poetry and writing by social and political activists have taken centre-stage amongst the educated activist community. Despite the harsh treatment that the untouchables are receiving, there have been certain attempts to help them. The elimination of untouchability became one of the main planks of the platform of all social reform movements of India. Reform movements and humanitarian acts such as those started by Buddha, Ramanuja, Ramanand, Chaitanya, Kabir, Nanak, Tukaram and others were established but they hardly had any effect on the peoples treatment on the untouchables.  [7]  The Hindu state also enacted laws to punish those who rebelled against their intolerable conditions. The social oppression of the untouchables had religious sanctions. The British listed the poorest (principally Dalit) subcastes in 1935, creating detailed lists of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The 1948 Indian constitution, thanks to its architect  Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, reinforced this classification, for a system of affirmative action called reservation. The concept was that these measures would help the poorest to escape poverty and oppression. Reservation is an attempt by the Indian national government to redress past discrimination. The constitution reserves 22.5% of national government jobs, state legislature seats, seats in the lower house of the national parliament and higher education places for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Unfortunately, this policy has not been implemented in full. Less than half the national government quota had been filled in total in 1998 and less than 15% of reserved public sector jobs. An unspoken policy discriminates in favor of upper castes, particularly Brahmins. Dalit representation in university teaching posts is less than 1%. New economic forces, education and nationalist movements had different impacts on the treatment of the people on untouchables. Because of new economic forces, railways and buses were introduced, thus, bringing touchables and untouchables together. Modern industries established in India recruited their labor supply and labor market from both touchables and untouchables, who further worked at the machines in physical proximity to one another. The workers also fought together during labor strikes.  [8]  Because of education, whether liberal or technical, their economic conditions somewhat improved and different sections following different occupations began to merge, on class basis, with groups of other castes following similar occupations. The new bonds were based not on caste but on common occupation and class. This very slowly began to dissolve the mass of the untouchables into groups such as factory workers, teachers, clerks, merchants, mechanics, or manufacturers. New economic bonds between the touchables and untouchables following the same economic activity started weakening the prejudice of untouchability.  [9]  Finally, nationalist movements also contributed to the benefits received by the untouchables. For example, the Swaraj struggle demanded the democratic alliance of all castes and communities in India whose vital interests lay in the political independence of the country. The nationalist movement contributed towards the dissolution of old distinctions. The social reformers were moved by humanitarian and national considerations when they crusaded against purely social evils.  [10]   The Untouchables is a topic that touches on many sensitive issues relevant to every society; not only to the Indian society. One prevalent issue that the Untouchables have driven out is that of being an outcast. Perhaps many of us, if not all, can relate to the feeling of being unable to belong and just longing to fit in. Perhaps in high school, we tried out many roles and sought the group we most felt at home in. For the Dalits, life is high school taken to the worse extremes. From birth, they are ostracized. They are placed outside of society; and seen as less than human. They are given roles that they must play, and follow a certain set of rules for the rest of their lives, or suffer the consequences. In our society, to be treated as an outcast in this manner is simply unimaginable. It would seem as though one would go through life apart from society; apart from people. It would be as though one isnt a person at all; that one would be less than a person; less than even an animal. This sense of inequality was seen many times over history, in many different societies, and many are still relevant in todays society. Divisions were brought about by differences in gender, creed, and race, to name a few. Wars have been waged; rallies have been set into motion; and lives have been lost, with regard to all these issues. With all that has happened in our worlds history, Indias society learned nothing to deter from inequalities problems. The Dalits are maltreated and discriminated against. The maltreatment for Dalit women are even harder hit. Their people experience the never-ending cycle of poverty. The caste system was built and based on the idea that each caste or jat has a special role to play in the society but shouldnt an individual have the right to choose what role he/she will play in the society? Is the caste system the best way to achieve an organized and effective society? It is understandable that breaking away from the caste system would be difficult or something very hard to get used to. India has lived through all these years with the mentality that all men are unequal and there will always be untouchables or Dalits. It has become a part of their lives and is embedded in them. There is very little pressure for change, especially within India: it is said that the majority has an interest in perpetuating caste discrimination.  [11]  Protests by Dalits themselves are rare: for many Dalits, day-to-day survival may be a higher priority.  [12]  To quote Human Rights Watch: The solution lies in concerted international attention to assist national governments in this important and long overdue work.  [13]   If you take a look at our society, even without the caste system, you will see that this never-ending cycle of poverty is also a major problem in the Philippines, and one question still stands, that is, How can one break free from poverty? Poverty is a problem, because those experiencing it, the poor, are marginalized. They can barely afford or sometimes cannot afford basic necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. Yes, in India, as well as the Philippines, there have been programs, laws to aid and support these people. However, it is in the implementation of these laws that fail to solve the problem. For most Western people, the single action that has the best chance of making a difference would be to raise awareness of the problem, repeatedly bringing it to the attention of individuals, politicians, media, diplomats and above all the Indian government.  [14]  The lack of will to change and unity among people (in India, as well as the Philippines) is one important problem in breaking away from poverty and making a change. Therefore, the caste system or these political divisions continue to live in the minds of many, leaving millions of untouchables or Dalits trapped in a world of oppression and poverty. Change is something much called for in the Indian society, in our society, and in many others around our world today. We can study the oppressive Dalit cases time and time again. We can feel disgusted, depressed, and down reading about them, and we can wonder, can their lives ever change? It isnt enough to read and wonder, in order for change, action is a must. In retrospect, there isnt much radical action one can take for the Dalits when still in second year college in the Philippines. However, we believe there is much we can do in the future, for our society, as well as others. In the words of Mahatma Ghandi, be the change you want to see in the world.

Parents and Educators as a Powerful Influence Essay -- Graduate Colleg

Parents and Educators as a Powerful Influence Every individual has an impact on the world, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. For the most part, the greatest impact an individual will have is limited to those with whom he interacts and the small community in which he lives. To a certain extent, each person has control over his own actions and decisions, and the choices he makes will ultimately determine how much power he will have over his own life. In as much as any human being can control his surroundings, he can also control the contributions he makes to the community and the quality of his own life. Although one might not ever be able to create an ideal world, through life experiences, relationships with those around him, imagination, and above all, education, he can reach his own human potential and achieve his own ideal individual existence. As no one can avoid interacting on some level with other human beings, no one lives in complete isolation. Literature, film, and music provide many examples of the consequences and implications of alienation and isolation. In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield’s constant attempts to alienate himself ultimately fail due to his love and desire to care for his sister, whose love and concern for him does not allow him to disengage totally from the world. It is through a person’s relationships with other people that he finds his place in the world and develops his own sense of importance. The caring and love of other human beings reaffirm a person’s sense of self-worth and give him the confidence to explore his world and form other attachments that will allow him to continue to grow and to develop as a person. ... ...ces in life. Educators introduce the child to a broad spectrum of knowledge, but more importantly, they fuel his imagination and present all the possibilities. Through art, literature, music, and history, in particular, a child can share the thoughts and feelings of those who came before him, and he can begin to explore his own imagination and creativity. It is this unique ability educators and parents have to connect children with the world around them that empowers the children to find their own places in society. This knowledge allows a child to discover and to revel in his own sense of individuality and to make choices and decisions that are true to his character. Perhaps Polonius said it best in Hamlet when he advised his son Laertes, â€Å"This above all: to thine own self be true,/And it must follow, as the night the day,/ Thou canst not then be false to any man.†

Superhero and Comic Book

Superhero By Numbers – Lisa Watson and Phil Stocks January 29, 2009 by angelan Abstract: This paper reports on results of a statistical analysis correlating superhero characteristics such as powers, motivations, weaknesses, and costumes with commercial viability as represented by comic book sales and number of appearances in new media such as cinema and television. Results indicate that features of a character have little impact in the comic book market, and that new media trends support a move away from god-like, untouchable heroes to heroes displaying more human frailties and highly visual super abilities.Introduction The superhero is an ingrained part of popular culture that has seen resurgence in the last decade through the introduction of prominent characters to new audiences through expanded media. There was a time when superheroes were entrenched firmly in the comic book medium. However, advances in technology and changes in distribution channels have changed the superh ero industry considerably. With comic books barely achieving a fraction of early sales volumes, publishers are trying to revive their comic book heroes by taking them from the â€Å"Silver Age† to the silver screen and other fora.However, with greatly advanced media come great financial risks. In order to secure their investments, the sponsors of these types of ventures must have a solid understanding of the modern superhero audience and what it is looking for in an iconic protagonist. Heroes and villains express cultural values regarding what society reveres as admirable and fears as deviant (Klapp 1962). Bradford Wright’s (2001) book â€Å"Comic Book Nation† outlines the evolution of comic book stories and characters mimicking cultural change; however, this discussion was done retrospectively (as were others).These types of observations tell us that what was popular during the golden age of comic book heroes will surely not be desirable in today’s socie ty. It would be useful if publishers were able to determine what readers are drawn to now so that they might better meet the demands of this generation of reader. Empirically studying the popular appeal of superhero traits can give us insight into our society and trends within its development. What makes a character popular or prominent as we enter the Aquarian age? How important is boundless virtue or courage in the face of insurmountable odds?How relevant is the softer, vulnerable side of a character? Do readers have preferred super powers? Is an Achilles’ heel necessary? Moreover, what characteristics are enduring? Answers to these sorts of questions should provide the insights that will tell companies which avenues should prove the most lucrative and least risky to pursue in bringing superheroes back to the masses. The aim of this study is to analyse trends in superhero characteristics empirically in order to establish current popular superhero traits.Following standard p ractice for writing academic articles in the applied social science of marketing, study findings are then used to develop a series of managerial implications for businesses. In this instance, findings may be used to reduce risk in choosing existing heroes to introduce to modern audiences, or to create a new breed of hero that is better able to reach the target readers, viewers and players of the future. Literature Review Superheroes made inroads into popular culture in the 1930s at newsstands around America.The â€Å"Golden Age† of comics set a precedent of seemingly indestructible superheroes who held secret identities and were dedicated to upholding truth and justice (Bongco, 2000). After struggling to maintain reader interest through the early 1950? s, the â€Å"Silver Age† of comics saw revamping and reintroduction of characters thought to be buried deep in the archives at the Hall of Justice, this time bringing some more human qualities to the fore. Now, â€Å"wh en you think of Superman, you most likely think of the Superman that was in vogue when you were a child.There’s been a Superman for every decade since the character was created† (Fingeroth, 2004, p. 20). Even today, one man’s Dark Knight is not necessarily another boy’s Batman. The eighties and nineties saw a bold break from tradition as comic publishers started directly targeting more mature readership by introducing not just human struggles within the characters, but hints of amoral and anti-heroic tendencies as well (Bongco, 2000). Do superhero fans of today prefer the altruistic heroes of yesteryear like Spiderman, the bad-boy good guys like Wolverine, or looking into the darkest depths of the Dark Knight?The comic book companies that own our superheroes have used in-your-face tactics to increase sales figures before. The Justice League of America and The Avengers were, after all, â€Å"the fictional result of the real world commercial desire to gathe r the company’s most popular heroes into one magazine or animated series† (Fingeroth, 2004, p. 104). However, when companies are betting multi-billion dollar budgets on public interest in particular superheroes, they should be sure they are choosing wisely. Only the most popular of the comic book superheroes can make it to the silver screen or video game monitor.Which character is the right one? Which iteration is the right one? Or should we abandon our superheroes of yesteryear and create new ones, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, exclusively through new media to show us the way? It is impossible to have a discussion of superheroes without the issue of gender being raised. Superwomen generally are parts of super teams rather than stand alone characters, and often they are in relationships with male counterparts. However, both partners need not be super, and significant others can be used as plot devices in stories.Therefore, it is worth exploring whether being in these s orts of relationships increases a character’s popularity. What do we look for in our superheroes? Kevin Smith (2003) has a simple view: â€Å"altruism and clothes† (p. unknown). On a more serious note, Fingeroth (2004) asserts that strength of character, positive values, and a determination to protect them start the list. So what separates superheroes from our other heroes? Bongco (2000) offers a costumed, secret identity (p. 102). Fingeroth (2004) argues that they have to possess skills and abilities that normal humans do not.Physical, mental and sensory attributes may be heightened. They may have superhuman powers that can range from magical gifts, to scientifically engineered mutations, to high-tech equipment or weaponry combined with an inexplicable ability to walk away from every battle unscathed. But most importantly, they always have to win in the end. By considering a wide range of these characteristics, we hope to be able to determine which combinations of the se characteristics are related to commercial success in a modern market. Method A database of superheroes was constructed incorporating a wide range of superhero characteristics.The purpose of this article is to determine what characteristics are most popular and commercially viable in today’s market. Marvel and DC Comics make up two thirds of the comic book market; thus it was decided that limiting characters to those in these comics would not be detrimental to sampling frame representativeness. An initial breakdown of character attributes and super abilities, including numerical rankings, was derived from information from fantasy role-playing games written for the Marvel and DC universes, specifically Marvel Super Heroes by TSR, Inc. , and DC Heroes by Mayfair Games.Independent variables included attributes and powers listed in the role playing games, as well as variables for their secret identities, weaknesses, motivations, costumes, significant others, and whether they ar e human, not human or mutant. The Marvel Super Heroes template and numeric scale was used and DC characters were translated from the DC Heroes system into the Marvel one. Both systems relate their numeric rankings to feats accomplishable in real-world terms (e. g. , able to lift 100 tons) and the attributes and powers are similar enough that this translation is formulaic and involves negligible speculation.Costume variables consisted of whether the heroes wear a cape and whether their costumes are primarily spandex. Significant other variables included whether the significant other is aware of their secret identity and whether he or she is used as a plot device; however, because not enough information was readily available about this variable it could not be used in the final analysis. Cape and secret identity were dichotomous (yes/no) variables. Weaknesses, motivation, humanness and spandex were short scales. Weakness scaled from none to debilitating (0-2). An example debilitating weakness is Superman’s vulnerability to Kryptonite.An example intermediate weakness is Iron Man’s alcoholism. Motivation ranged from none-given (0) to vigilante/revenge (1) to sense of duty (2) to desire to serve (3). Humanness extended from not human (0) to mutant (1) to human (2). Spandex ranged from no spandex (0) to sometimes appears in spandex (1) to all spandex all the time (2). Because the majority of superpowers are unique, they were grouped according to common attributes: powers derived from weaponry or equipment, the power to manipulate matter or energy (external to oneself), powers that are inherent to one’s physical body, powers of the mind, and magical powers.The very common powers of being impervious to harm and being able to fly were given separate entries. These variables were regressed on dependent variables representing commercial popularity to see which combinations of characteristics should prove most successful in the current marketplace. Tw o dependent variables were used to determine characters’ commercial success. The first was the collective number of movies, television programs and video games in which they have featured as main characters. The sampling frame for this data was the Internet Movie Database (http://www. mdb. com, 2005). The second variable was an estimated comic book sales figure for 2004. It used the monthly Top 300 comic sales lists published by ICV2. com (2004) to calculate the total number of Top 100 comic issues sold in 2004 that featured each of the heroes as central characters (based on title characters for individual titles and feature characters in the case of group titles). While these data can not be entirely accurate, they should provide reasonable estimates of heroes’ market popularity in popular media.Results There are 75 heroes in our database; some individual data points are missing for some characters. This sample is small for the number of independent variables in our a nalysis. Therefore, the first step was to conduct a factor analysis to group individual measures together to create a smaller, but still representative, variable list. A principal components analysis with a varimax rotation was used. It yielded 9 factor components. Factor loadings above 0. 400 may be seen in Table 1.The first factor was labelled â€Å"Physical Attributes,† incorporating health, strength, fighting ability, endurance and agility. Wearing a cape also loaded onto this factor, suggesting that particular fashion item is reserved for only the most powerful of superheroes. Apparently the new cape-less trend started by top superhero designer Edna â€Å"E† Mode has not yet caught on with the big boys. The second factor, â€Å"Sensory Attributes,† included karma, intuition and psyche, which may represent such characteristics as â€Å"spidey senses. † The third factor included resources, reasoning ability, popularity and motivation.This combination s uggests someone who is smart, rich, resourceful, charming and philanthropic, and was thus labelled â€Å"Appeal. † The fourth factor seemed to consist of the most stereotypical traits of a superhero: being bullet proof or indestructible, the ability to fly, and a desire to help protect mankind. As such, it was decided to call this factor â€Å"Golden Age† attributes. Factor five consisted of powers derived from weapons and/or equipment and the power to manipulate matter and/or energy, and was thus labelled â€Å"External Powers. † The sixth factor was labelled â€Å"Secret Identity. Powers associated with the body loaded negatively with secret identity, suggesting that characters without superhuman defences are more likely to require secret identities to protect themselves. The next factor, labelled â€Å"Mysticism,† included magical powers and powers of the mind. These powers were also associated with capes, which are still used by such modern media mag ical superheroes as Harry Potter. At first glance, factor eight appeared to be a bit of a mosaic of collected variance; however upon further inspection it is quite enlightening.This factor encompasses a weakness combined with powers related to the character’s body and high endurance. This factor captures the Achilles heel of the character, along with the struggle to overcome it; thus it was assigned the label of â€Å"Tenacity. † The ninth factor demonstrates the humanness of the character. Amusingly, wearing spandex is positively related to being human. It must just fit better under a wider variety of everyday street clothes. [pic]These factors were used as independent variables in two regression models relating the factors first to appearances in movies, TV shows and video games (new media), and then to comic book sales volumes (as outlined in the method section). Neither of the dependent variables was normally distributed, so natural log transformations were conduct ed on each of them before analyses were conducted. When the superhero factors were regressed on the new media variable, residual analysis uncovered a non-random error distribution that suggested weighted least squares was required.Thus, a weighted least squares regression analysis was conducted using unstandardized residuals as the weighting factor. The model returned an adjusted R? value of 0. 77, meaning that 77% of the variance in new media appearances for superheroes could be explained by the nine superhero factors (Table 2). Four factors had significant effects on how often a character appeared in new media. Sensory abilities, external powers and humanness had positive relationships with new media appearances. It is easy to see why external powers would be desired in today’s visually focused media.Interestingly, the Golden Age factor had a negative relationship with new media appearances, with Golden Age characteristics making a character 35% less likely to appear on scr een. Some of our favourite superheroes have been recreated and revamped over the years. An example of a Golden Age character shedding these stereotypical powers in new media would be the television program Smallville, in which Superman can’t fly and has not yet devoted his life to saving mankind. This example is also an apt one for demonstrating the appeal of the other two factors, humanness and sensory attributes.Directional results indicate that audiences want characters to be less untouchable and more human and to have an innate ability to understand their fellow man. They want to empathize in some way with the protagonist in the story. These results could describe the hardened street smart Batman or the gentler Tobey Maguire version of Spiderman, both of whom are due to make reappearances at the box office, and both of whom will be sporting spandex. Alternatively, these results could be used as a skeleton around which to build new characters to debut in video format. [pic ]A second regression analysis was conducted using comic book sales figures estimates as the dependent variable. The mass audience for movies is a much broader one than the comic book niche market, and as such is looking for more sophisticated superhero stories. Thus, what these two audiences are looking for in superhero characteristics may also be very different. As in the first analysis, the 9 superhero factors were regressed on the transformed dependent variable, in this case Top 100 comic book sales. Linear regression results did not require weighting. Results can be seen in Table 3.Only one of the measured superhero factors, tenacity, played a significant role in determining comic book sales. The ability to overcome weakness in the face of insurmountable odds is something that comic book fans have come to expect from their superheroes over the decades. When writers gave their characters flaws in the Silver Age it was meant to make them look even better when they beat the bad guy (Lang and Trimble, 1988). Apparently the formula still works. These results indicate that changing superhero characters, or developing new ones, will have little effect on sales. pic] This stagnancy with respect to characters may be caused by a general shift among comic book fans away from emphasizing characters and more towards purchasing issues based on their artists (Brown, 1997). Alternatively, this is a small market that is steeped in tradition. Fans involve themselves heavily in these products and are quick to point out inconsistencies. They may simply not be open to change, meaning that the superheroes themselves are hardly considered at this point, so long as they are consistent.In short, this small market is not where growth will happen and is not representative of a broader audience so pursuing alternative characters in this medium could prove to be a waste of resources. Managerial Implications Apart from shedding light on current cultural values, these findings can be ap plied commercially. While results suggested that the comic book market is not strongly character driven, results indicated that characters have a major impact on on-screen popularity.Television and movie audiences seem to want to see heroes that are intuitive human beings that have powers that are external to themselves, whether they stem from equipment or the ability to manipulate matter or energy outside of themselves. They are no longer interested in god-like characters that can fly and can’t be killed. This combination includes mutant characters. Results can be applied to choosing existing characters to introduce into these media, developing new characters specifically for those media, or altering existing characters to better suit the wants of the audiences viewing those media.For example, Iron Man fits these criteria, making him a perfect choice for an upcoming silver screen venture. Findings also suggest that Professor X would be a more popular character if he were to develop the ability to move things with his mind. Alternatively, an entirely new breed of superhero could be introduced to the world. A league of new and improved, culturally customized superheroes to rise from the wake of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter, never having been restricted by the walls of a comic book panel.Limitations There are several issues that require the reader to interpret these results with caution. First, for reasons of practicality, we use quite a small sample of the most well established characters created by the two biggest comic book publishers for our analysis. Therefore, innumerable other superheroes developed by them, smaller companies and independents, as well as those that did not originate in comics, but in some other medium such as television or movies, are not accounted for.Next, much of our analysis was based on comic book sales figures, the overwhelming majority of which were published by Marvel and DC; however, these sales figures were us ed as a surrogate measure of character popularity. It must be recognized that collectors now often consider the comic book artists rather than the characters that they create when purchasing issues, as well as purchasing multiple copies of those they believe will be valuable (Brown, 1997).Thus, character popularity may not be as highly correlated with comic book sales figures as we assume in our analysis. Similarly, Marvel, DC and the majority of the new media depicting those superheroes come from North America. As such, our results may not be generalizable across cultures. Finally, audience demographics for Marvel Comics, DC Comics and the various other superhero media discussed here are proprietary, so we are unable to consider how the audiences for these media are similar or how they differ in our analysis.Instead we are making an assumption that there are differences and inferring that comic book producers have been successful in their bids to increase the superhero audience thr ough the use of new media channels. Future Research This study could be expanded to include a more representative sample of heroes from a wider range of publishers and media if a consistent system for quantifying many of the superhero traits could be agreed upon. Findings would be much more robust and reliable if this were achieved. Demographic or cross-cultural comparisons of preferred superhero traits and media could also be introduced.Villains should also be included in any future analyses. These additions would make the findings more inherently interesting because â€Å"comic book evildoers†¦help define the comic book hero† (Fingeroth, 2004, p. 15). Should further sociological analysis be of interest, a longitudinal study of these characters’ traits, their associated artists and their evolutions could be compared empirically to the observations provided to date and used to attempt to predict current popular trends and their changing sociological implications f or now and into the future.Little empirical work exists in the realm of superheroes as they relate to popular culture, leaving endless opportunity to test the many sociological theories being advanced about them. References Bongco, M. 2000. Reading Comics: Language, Culture, and the Concept of the Superhero in Comic Books. New York, NY: Garland Publishing. Brown, J. A. 1997. Comic Book Fandom and Cultural Capital. Journal of Popular Culture 30 (4): 13-34. Fingeroth, D. 2004. Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society. New York, NY: Continuum.Grinfeld, M. J. 1997. Superheroes Impart Life’s Lessons. Psychiatric Times 14. Klapp, O. E. 1962. Heroes, Villains, and Fools: The Changing American Character. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lang, J. S. , and Trimble, P. 1988. Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? An Examination of the American Monomyth and the Comic Book Superhero. Journal of Popular Culture 22 (3): 157-173. Smith, K. 2003. The Superhero. Rolling Stone, May 15. Wright, B. W. 2001. Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Counsumer Behavior Essay

Absolute threshold Differential threshold †¢How does sensory adaptation affect advertising effectiveness? How can marketers overcome sensory adaptation? †¢Discuss the differences between the absolute threshold and the differential threshold. Which is more important to marketers? Explain your answer. For each of these products—chocolate bars and bottles of expensive perfume—describe how marketers can apply their knowledge of differential threshold to packaging, pricing, and promotional claims during periods of (a) rising ingredient and materials costs and (b) increasing competition. 2. Key Concepts Contrast Figure and ground †¢How do advertisers use contrast to make sure that their ads are noticed? Would the lack of contrast between the advertisement and the medium in which it appears help or hinder the effectiveness of the ad? What are the ethical considerations in employing such strategies? †¢What are the implications of figure-ground relationships for print ads and for online ads? How can the figure-ground construct help or interfere with the communication of advertising messages? †¢Find three examples of print advertisements that use some of the stimulus factors discussed in the chapter to gain attention. For each example, evaluate the effectiveness of the stimulus factors used. 3. Key Concepts Selective perception Perceptual mapping †¢Define selective perception. Thinking back, relate one or two elements of this concept to your own attention patterns in viewing print advertisements and TV commercials. †¢Select a company that produces several versions of the same product under the same or different brands (one that is not discussed in this chapter). Visit the firm’s Web site and prepare a list of the product items and the benefits that each item offers to consumers. Are all these benefits believable and will they persuade consumers to buy the different versions of the product? Explain your answers. †¢Construct a two-dimensional perceptual map of your college using the two attributes that were most influential in your selection. Then mark the position of your school on the diagram relative to that of another school you considered. Discuss the implications of this perceptual may for the student recruitment function of the university that you did not choose.

Free Essays on My Accident

March 24, 1994 is a day that I will never forget. I had stopped at the 82nd Street Cafà © about 3:30 in the afternoon, here in Lubbock, to have a late lunch. I left the cafà © about 4:00, to head home. Leaving the parking lot was difficult due to all the traffic that was on 82nd street. Finally, I was able to pull out into 82nd and work my way into the turning lane in order to turn left. I had almost my entire car into the turning lane when suddenly my car had spun around and I was facing the cafà © that I had just left. Not knowing at first what had happened, I finally realized that I had been in an accident. A tall, slender, young man appeared, and said, â€Å"I have called the ambulance and they are on the way.† I realized that this was the young man that had just waited on me in the cafà ©. A woman came from a barber shop across the street came to see if I was okay. The women was middle aged and had light brown hair, she was very motherly and soft spoken. She asked, â€Å"Are you alright?† I was not sure if I was alright but I said to her, â€Å"My head hurts a little.† She told me that she would go and get a cool wet towel, and for me not to move. The lady returned, she had brought me a wet towel and also a phone. She asked, â€Å"Do you need me to call someone for you to let them know what had happened?† I replied, â€Å"Would you please call my dad and let him know to meet me at UMC hospital.† As she was calling my dad the ambulance finally arrived. It seemed to have taken them a long time to get through the traffic. As one of the EMTs approached me, he noticed that I was holding a towel to my head. When he reached my car he asked if I hurt anywhere else besides my head. I told him not that I know of. I also explained to him that I was eleven weeks pregnant. The EMT was very polite and understanding, and I was placed on a gurney and wheeled to the ambulance. I noticed that they had placed another woman in the ambulance before me... Free Essays on My Accident Free Essays on My Accident March 24, 1994 is a day that I will never forget. I had stopped at the 82nd Street Cafà © about 3:30 in the afternoon, here in Lubbock, to have a late lunch. I left the cafà © about 4:00, to head home. Leaving the parking lot was difficult due to all the traffic that was on 82nd street. Finally, I was able to pull out into 82nd and work my way into the turning lane in order to turn left. I had almost my entire car into the turning lane when suddenly my car had spun around and I was facing the cafà © that I had just left. Not knowing at first what had happened, I finally realized that I had been in an accident. A tall, slender, young man appeared, and said, â€Å"I have called the ambulance and they are on the way.† I realized that this was the young man that had just waited on me in the cafà ©. A woman came from a barber shop across the street came to see if I was okay. The women was middle aged and had light brown hair, she was very motherly and soft spoken. She asked, â€Å"Are you alright?† I was not sure if I was alright but I said to her, â€Å"My head hurts a little.† She told me that she would go and get a cool wet towel, and for me not to move. The lady returned, she had brought me a wet towel and also a phone. She asked, â€Å"Do you need me to call someone for you to let them know what had happened?† I replied, â€Å"Would you please call my dad and let him know to meet me at UMC hospital.† As she was calling my dad the ambulance finally arrived. It seemed to have taken them a long time to get through the traffic. As one of the EMTs approached me, he noticed that I was holding a towel to my head. When he reached my car he asked if I hurt anywhere else besides my head. I told him not that I know of. I also explained to him that I was eleven weeks pregnant. The EMT was very polite and understanding, and I was placed on a gurney and wheeled to the ambulance. I noticed that they had placed another woman in the ambulance before me...

Andrew Jackson A True Man of the People

Andrew Jackson A True Man of the People Abstract Andrew Jackson the 7th U.S president was born on 1767 in one of the states in the U.S. Orphaned at a young age, Jackson spent his teenage life hopping from one job to another and he even had a stint in a British Jail. At the age of only twenty four years, Jackson married Donelson Robards who was a divorcee.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Andrew Jackson: A True Man of the People specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the dying years of the 18th century, he served in the Tennessee Constitutional Convention, House of Representatives, Senate and even in the Tennessee Supreme Court. During the battle of the Tennessee troops and the Creeks in 1812, Jackson was the commanding officer and he helped in delivering victory to the Tennessee troops. Jackson was elected as the 7th U.S President in 1828 and for the years that he was on the throne, he introduced reforms, which favored the common man from the politica l class that had existed for a long time. Andrew Jackson: A True Man of the People Introduction Andrew Jackson the 7th U.S president was born on 1767 in one of the states in the U.S. Orphaned at a young age, Jackson spent his teenage life hopping from one job to another and he even had a stint in a British Jail. At the age of only twenty four years, Jackson married Donelson Robards who was a divorcee. In the dying years of the 18th century, he served in the Tennessee Constitutional Convention, House of Representatives, Senate and even in the Tennessee Supreme Court.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During the battle of the Tennessee troops and the Creeks in 1812, Jackson was the commanding officer and he helped in delivering victory to the Tennessee troops. In the following years, Jackson’s aptitude in war was evident when he helped in the capture of two Engli shmen suspected of terrorism in Pensacola. Jackson was elected as the 7th U.S President in 1828 and for the years that he was on the throne, he introduced reforms, which favored the common man from the political class that had existed for a long time.1 The reason why Andrew Jackson is known as â€Å"A Man of the People† is the numerous reforms that he introduced to help the common person in America. Once he ascended to the throne, Jackson engineered constitutional reforms that granted him permission to carry out far-reaching reforms without being limited by the constitution. In addition to the domestic reforms, he vetoed a bill seeking to enlarge the United States Bank and constantly ensured that he was informed of any improvements in the internal affairs of the federal government. The policies  that he introduced were so popular with the working class and the plantation farmers from all over the country such that he received a landslide victory in his reelection bid in 183 2.2 Indeed, Andrew Jackson is believed to be the president who vetoed the most bills in the American History. His policy in life was that one needed to reward loyalty and to constantly ensure that he appealed to the masses. In order to ensure that he was in touch with the public, he appointed men and women who were in touch with the society as his personal advisors.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Andrew Jackson: A True Man of the People specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This was in contrast with his predecessors who only relied on their cabinet for advice. While this was laudable, it had a negative effect since most of the cabinet members were rich people who only wanted to protect their interests without being concerned on how it affected the common person. However, Jackson knew that if people were to believe that he had their best interests at heart then he had to have advisers who were closer to the peop le. 3 When he first ascended to the presidency, numerous sectional issues that had not been addressed by previous presidents existed. Many states from the South were of the opinion that they needed to retain most of their rights. However, Jackson felt that if America was to prosper then there was need to ensure that all the states were reading from the same script. Since most of the states were complaining of tariffs, he introduced a moderate tariff that was supposed to apply in all the states. Despite his good intentions, South Carolina wanted to nullify the tariff and declare it unconstitutional. However, Jackson stood his ground and forced South Carolina to adhere to the tariffs. In 1832, Jackson used his immense power to veto a charter for the Second Bank of America. Although the government claimed that the bank could lead to more investments, Jackson saw it as a mere strategy by the wealthy to increase their wealth at the expense of the poor. This forced the government to save their money in the existing banks, which then loaned it to the ordinary people. Because the federal money was in excess, the banks were forced to lend out the money in an indiscriminate manner and this led to high levels of inflation.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In order to pacify the people and stop the easy flow of money, Jackson demanded that no liquid money was to pay for any land purchase but instead gold or silver was to be used. Although this would pose problems later on, it solved the problem and this led people to believe him even the more. Jackson’s intention was well intended and it coincided with his nature of putting the interest of the people first.5 In 1830, Jackson showed another side of his caring nature when he supported the expulsion of Indians from Georgia. Although the act made him to be chastised by the West, his only consolation was that he had the support of the people. To support his actions, Jackson invoked the Indian Removal Act that had been passed in 1830. However, the American Supreme Court had passed a ruling preventing the government from expelling them but Jackson disregarded the ruling. In what later came to be known  as the Trail of Tears, government troops led close to 15,000 Indians from Georgia to their ancestral land. Indeed, a president who is ready to risk losing support from his peer countries and even disregards a court decision to support the wishes of the masses is nothing but a man of the people.6 After retiring from active politics in 1836, Jackson maintained a lively interest in national politics. In order to ensure that he was not locked from national politics and from making decisions touching on the common person, Jackson had handpicked Martin Van Buren as his successor. Buren’s election ensured that Jackson would remain in the limelight and influence major decisions. In fact, it is believed that Andrew Jackson was a major figure in white House until the time of his death on June 8, 1845. In the years before his death, Jackson prevented the reintroduction of the Second Bank of the United States Charter, which he believed would oppress the ordinary Americans. Although there are many explanations for Jackson’s interest in ordinary citizens, it is believed that his poor upbringing made him close to them. Once he ascended to the presidency, he did anything possible to ensure that they were free from oppression by the political elite.7 Conclusion Andrew Jackson is considered as one of the greatest American presidents in history. To begin with, he was the first President in the U.S to come from a poor background. Having been orphaned from a young age, Jackson had to overcome many  odds to become the American president. After spending many years with ordinary  citizens, Jackson felt closer to them and he constantly fought for their rights when he became president. On more than one occasion, Jackson risked losing the support of the States and that of other nations to fight for causes that he believed would help the poor. Even after his two terms had expired, Jackson worked behind the scenes to ensure that the bills he had blocked were not reintroduced. This can only be considered nothing but a great and pure love for the peopl e that he represented. Footnotes 1Kelly, Martin. Andrew Jackson-7th President of the United States, 2011. Web. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/andrewjackson/p/pjackson.htm 2Watson, Thomas. The Life and Times of Andrew Jackson, 1912. Press of the Jeffersonian pub. Co, 23-25. Print. 3Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Books, 3-10. Print. compromise tariff was enacted to ensure that no state paid higher tariffs than others did and this increased his standing among the people who had for long had to content with uneven distribution of resources. 4 4Kelly, Martin. Andrew Jackson-7th President of the United States, 2011. Web. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/andrewjackson/p/pjackson.htm 5Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Books, 3-10. Print. 6Berry, Christina. â€Å"Andrew Jackson-The Worst President the Cherokee Ever Met† All Things Cherokee, n.d. Web. allthingscherokee.com/articles_culture_events_020201.html. 7Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Book s, 3-10. Print. Berry, Christina. â€Å"Andrew Jackson-The Worst President the Cherokee Ever Met† All Things Cherokee, n.d. Web. allthingscherokee.com/articles_culture_events_020201.html. Kelly, Martin. Andrew Jackson-7th President of the United States, 2011. Web. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/andrewjackson/p/pjackson.htm Watson, Thomas. The Life and Times of Andrew Jackson, 1912. Press of the Jeffersonian pub. Co, 23-25. Print. Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Books, 3-10. Print.

Business And Cultural Environment Of Syria Economics Essay

Business And Cultural Environment Of Syria Economics Essay Syria (officially the Syrian Arab Republic) is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. Syria has been governed by the Baath Party since 1963, although actual power is concentrated to the presidency and a narrow grouping of military and political strongmen (Wikipedia, 2010). Moreover, the nature in Syria is distinctly diversified. It contains seashores, mountains, forests, dessert, rivers, caves, natural and artificial lakes, and a lot summer resorts. All this along with the diversity in the antiques, the ancient cities with its markets, khans and old domiciles, the handicrafts and the traditional industries contribute to formulate a unique attracting compound tourism product. Analysis of Syria Business Environment Cultural Environment in Syria Languages Arabic is the official language, spoken by 89% of the population, while 6% speak Kurdish, 3% Armenia n and 2% other languages. Otherwise, English and French are spoken in business circles (Arabic German Consulting, 1999). Ethnic groups Syrians are an overall indigenous Levantine people, closely related to their immediate neighbors such as Lebanses, Palestinians, and Jordanians. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history; they are in fact largely a blend of the various Aramaic speaking Syriac groups indigenous to the region who were Arabized when Muslim. Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula arrived and settled following the Arab expansion. Religions The overwhelming majority of the Syrian population is Sunni Muslim. Other Muslims which include: Ismailis, Shiites, and Alawites. Of the non-Muslims in Syria, most are Christians, primarily Greek and Armenian Orthodox. Religious minorities include Druze, who follows a religion related to Islam, and a community of approximately 1000 Jews. Syria has 70% Sunni Muslim, 12% Christians (almost is Orthodox and Greek Catholic) and 18% other minority groups including Jews and Druzes (Arabic German Consulting, 1999). Syria Culture Syria is a traditional society with a long cultural history. Importance is placed on family, religion, education and self discipline and respect. The Syrian’s taste for the traditional arts is expressed in dancing such as the al-Samah, the Dabkeh in all their variations and the sword dance. Marriage ceremonies and the birth of children are occasions for the lively demonstration of folk customs (Advameg, Inc., 2010). Traditional Houses of the Old Cities in Damascus, Aleppo and the other Syrian cities are preserved and traditionally the living quarters are arranged around one or more courtyards, typically with a fountain in the middle supplied by spring water, and decorated with citrus trees, grape vines, and flowers. Political and Legal Environment in Syria The Syria government hopes to attract new investme nt in the tourism, natural gas, and service sectors to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil and agriculture. Syria has begun to institute economic reforms aimed at liberalizing most markets, but reform thus far has been slow and ad hoc. For ideological reasons, privatization of government enterprises is still not widespread, but is in its initial stage for port operations, power generation, and air transport. Almost sectors are open for private investment except for cotton mills, land telecommunications, and bottled water.

Entrprise resource planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Entrprise resource planning - Essay Example It also helps maintaining adequate inventory levels within the organization. There are three primary factors or influencers in aggregate forecast accuracy include regulation changes, economic conditions and analyst characteristics changes. 2. Explain the Outsourcing Decision process used by the major US Automotive OEMs in Shedding most component manufacturing (e.g. Delphi, Visteon), while maintaining Most Metal Stamping and Powertrain Manufacturing. Outsourcing remains firmly entrenched in the business. Therefore, companies mostly focus on the significance of the decision-making process during outsourcing. By engaging in the Outsourcing Decision Process, most US Automotive OEMs aim at increasing efficiency and saving costs in shedding component manufacturing during powertrain manufacturing and metal stamping. In doing the decision process, most OEMs tend to use the Outsourcing Decision matrix, which entails the operational performance. The processes, in this case, include forming a strategic alliance, retaining, and outsourcing. On the other hand, using the matrix tool entails first identifying the tasks strategic importance, identifying the contribution of the operational performance and plotting the automotive OEMs tasks on the matrix. A more detailed insight in reference to outsourcing decision process used by most automotive OEMs includes preparing, selecting the vendor, transition, managing relationship and reconsideration. During the preparation phase, the automotive OEMs engage in sourcing options, strategies, and the configuration activities. On the other hand, during the selection of the vendor, most automotive companies do the negotiation after choosing the vendor. The transition process entails defining the communication and knowledge exchange. It also entails assets, people and information transfer. Managing relationship, in this case, entails ensuring that the relationships last thus management of the success

Deforestation Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Deforestation - Article Example The limitation of deforestation outweighs its benefits and, therefore, the activity should be stopped at all cost. There are various effects of deforestation that can be witnessed in the world today. Cutting down of trees interferes with the water cycle, causes loss of forest species, results in soil erosion and decreasing the quality of life (Lewellen, 643). Trees tend to hold the soil together and therefore without them, and soil is often carried away by rivers and other water bodies. Accumulation of this land in water bodies causes siltation and reduces their qualities. Less forest cover results to flooding and landslide issues that are all connected to soil erosion. Trees often produce water vapor after absorbing rainwater.  The water vapor is later released to the atmosphere that then forms into clouds that result in rainfall. Additionally, over 70% of animals and plants live in forests. The trend is however changing as a result of continuous destruction of forest land by peop le all over the world. Loss of habitat can lead to extinction of various animal species. Given the many advantages associated that are associated with forests, countries all over the world should come up with strategies that will prevent continuous destruction of tree cover by setting up policies aimed at protecting forest land. Countries that have less forest cover should come up with initiatives that will help restore new tree cover in various parts of the country. Countries around the world should be able to come up with various strategies.

Aspects of Business Offers and Proposals Assignment - 2

Aspects of Business Offers and Proposals - Assignment Example According to English Contract Law, it has been recognized that the communication is done through post ultimately gives rise to various practical problems. The offer that is posted and the letter of acceptance which takes several days to arrive is one of the problems by communicating through the post. With reference to the case of â€Å"Household Fire Insurance v Grant† (1879), in order to overcome this difficulty, the courts established the rule of ‘postal acceptance’ which depicts that acceptance of the offer is complete when it is posted (University of London, 2012). According to Article 4, the communication through ‘Electronic Messages’ is regarded as the communication that the parties engaged in an agreement or an offer made by means of data messages. The conception of data messages includes information or data created, despatched, received or accumulated by visual, electronic or magnetic means (United Nations, 2007). As identified in the case of â€Å"Byrne v van Tienhoven† (1880), an offer can be rescinded in any situation or condition before accepting the offer but the revocation should be informed and corresponded to the offeree, though it is not obligatory on behalf of the offeror. It can be stated that a particular offer can be withdrawn in any condition or situation (United Nations, 2007). In this particular case study, the primary consideration would be that whether a contract has already been formed or not between Jones Ltd and Smith Plc. From the case study, it has been identified that Smith Plc is not obliged to go for any such agreement in order to perform services to all the photocopying machines of Jones Ltd because no such contract has been formed and that was just a proposal or an offer.

Whether or not legislation should legalize marijuana for personal use Essay - 1

Whether or not legislation should legalize marijuana for personal use in Arizona - Essay Example Demands of making marijuana legal and authorized are against the health majors and ways to safeguard the physical wellness. By making the marijuana legal, the price will get declined terribly resulting in greater use of the drug. Altered state, the RAND Corporation has made a report that determined the possible outcomes in case of making the marijuana legal (RAND, 2012). According to the report, the cost of marijuana will crash rapidly that will ultimately force the addictives to consume it in greater quantity. It is the illicit nature of the drugs that has kept the prices of drugs to a higher slot. The use of drug is highly dependable on the availability of money, for the young children it is a good factor to make them away from the drug by remaining it non-affordable. The consumption of the items that have been declared as illegal such as tobacco and alcohol has left behind the marijuana use (Lowinson 1393). Thus, giving a clear signal that making things legal can enhance the availability and it gets acceptable by the majority. It can be clearly evident in the case of highly restricted prescription drugs like oxycontin, the drug became far more easily reachable then before resulting in inappropriate use. Although, the high restrictiveness was there to prevent all such acts. The revenue generated by the tax could be counterbalance by the social costs these legalize products put on the society. The social cost of alcohol and tobacco is much greater than the tax and other revenue it produce. In 2007, the tax collected by the federal excise was determined to be as $9 billion; however, only $5.5 billion was collected. On the other hand, $185 billion was the total social cost resulted from the alcohol and tobacco regarding health problems, criminal cases, lack of potency at workspace and other issues (The White House, 2013). The collected tax

IT Systems Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT Systems Case Study - Assignment Example The institutional archives manager at Campus A learned the tough way that he could not inactively wait till electronic records were conveyed to his office for long-standing access and retention. A research of the records at the campus, aided by the National Historical Publication and Records Commission grant, discovered that over 90 percent of the data sets did not have adequate documentation, hence making archival evaluation impossible (Kahn, 2000, 332). Campus B The archives department at Campus B opted for a method to handling electronic records, which was extremely diverse from Campus A’s. Rather than working with groups all through the university system, the archives department opted to work with a minute group of mainly external experts on creating an electronic-record policy (Kahn, 2000, 336). The challenge to this is that it left out vital departments of the institution meaning that the final policy did not incorporate every department’s view about the endeavor (Kahn, 2000, 337). Also, the campus had limited resources unlike Campus A, which opted to use all the resources they could together for the endeavor. Unlimited resources translated into unlimited support for the system. Strategic Responses to the Challenges Campus A In response to the campus’ IT report, the institution archives director begun by strengthening internet record management in his office and also by seeking the assistance of relevant and significant offices and departments all round the institution. He also started to make use of a new budget-management scheme, which rewarded record-management endeavors all through the university system (Kahn, 2000, 334). The director’s initial move to deal with this problem was to add the role of electronic-record management to the archives department. The appointment of the electronic-record administrator in the archives department was a departure from normal practice whereby record management was housed in an administrat ive scheme. Campus B The archives department allocated a majority of its internal budget resources and a US$130,000 national grant for creating a conceptual strategy for managing electronic records (Kahn, 2000, 335). The money was largely used to recruit a small team and pay faculty to oversee pilot record-management plans and create policy. The archives department director also hired a counseling board which included national specialists in the field of electronic-record management. Just two people in the institution’s hierarchy—a university personnel director, as well as a university information resources administrator—were included on that board (Kahn, 2000, 336). This would assist the campus to come to grips with the policy and management concerns surrounding electronic records. Social Action Theory Social action, in sociology, is an act that considers the actions and reactions of people (or 'agents'). Max Weber considers that "an Action is 'social' if the p erforming person considers the behavior of others and is thus oriented in its course. Campus A Campus A’s archives department is situated at the library adjacent to the geographic center of the main campus. The department is in walking distance to several university

Evaluate an Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Evaluate an Argument - Essay Example The author further states that the information may be true but, but since the experts do not review the site’s access; there is a substantial peril in relying on this resource for your academic works (Isites.harvard.edu, n.d.). As with the conclusion of the argument, the author clamps the whole argument against the use of Wikipedia and suggests that Wikipedia is good for use for some functions. For instance, they can be used for becoming accustomed or background information of what one is researching (Isites.harvard.edu, n.d.). For the validation of the argument to hold, it means that all of their premises that support the argument are all true and the conclusion must ultimately be true. The argument in this article is valid because the premises are well linked to the conclusion. In terms of soundness, the argument is not sound even if it is deductive and logically valid; it has some mythical arguments that habitually make it unsound. When viewed from an inductive perspective, which holds on the basis of probability, that if the premises given are true then conclusion is most likely to be true. The inductive argument employed here is strong- it holds on the assumption that the conclusion of X is probably true if the premises of X are true. The deductive is valid as per the author’s premises for a number of reasons, which include; the contributors are not expertise and are anonymous and, therefore, their credibility is questionable; the information or articles on the website are out-of-date and may be posted by someone who wants to just mislead the audience; and because the administrators do not review the site’s access. Based on these validations, it clear that the deductive argument is true and valid since its conclusion sustains all the premises stated therein. However, the deductive argument in the article is not sound because of the following. Several

IT Systems Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT Systems Case Study - Assignment Example The institutional archives manager at Campus A learned the tough way that he could not inactively wait till electronic records were conveyed to his office for long-standing access and retention. A research of the records at the campus, aided by the National Historical Publication and Records Commission grant, discovered that over 90 percent of the data sets did not have adequate documentation, hence making archival evaluation impossible (Kahn, 2000, 332). Campus B The archives department at Campus B opted for a method to handling electronic records, which was extremely diverse from Campus A’s. Rather than working with groups all through the university system, the archives department opted to work with a minute group of mainly external experts on creating an electronic-record policy (Kahn, 2000, 336). The challenge to this is that it left out vital departments of the institution meaning that the final policy did not incorporate every department’s view about the endeavor (Kahn, 2000, 337). Also, the campus had limited resources unlike Campus A, which opted to use all the resources they could together for the endeavor. Unlimited resources translated into unlimited support for the system. Strategic Responses to the Challenges Campus A In response to the campus’ IT report, the institution archives director begun by strengthening internet record management in his office and also by seeking the assistance of relevant and significant offices and departments all round the institution. He also started to make use of a new budget-management scheme, which rewarded record-management endeavors all through the university system (Kahn, 2000, 334). The director’s initial move to deal with this problem was to add the role of electronic-record management to the archives department. The appointment of the electronic-record administrator in the archives department was a departure from normal practice whereby record management was housed in an administrat ive scheme. Campus B The archives department allocated a majority of its internal budget resources and a US$130,000 national grant for creating a conceptual strategy for managing electronic records (Kahn, 2000, 335). The money was largely used to recruit a small team and pay faculty to oversee pilot record-management plans and create policy. The archives department director also hired a counseling board which included national specialists in the field of electronic-record management. Just two people in the institution’s hierarchy—a university personnel director, as well as a university information resources administrator—were included on that board (Kahn, 2000, 336). This would assist the campus to come to grips with the policy and management concerns surrounding electronic records. Social Action Theory Social action, in sociology, is an act that considers the actions and reactions of people (or 'agents'). Max Weber considers that "an Action is 'social' if the p erforming person considers the behavior of others and is thus oriented in its course. Campus A Campus A’s archives department is situated at the library adjacent to the geographic center of the main campus. The department is in walking distance to several university

Later Adulthood Development Report Essay Example for Free

Later Adulthood Development Report Essay Aging occurs in every stage of life, and as adults grow older and move from one stage of adulthood to the next many new changes can occur in their everyday lives. The transition from middle adulthood to later adulthood can bring a whole new level of changes to an individual’s life. The aging process includes changes in roles and social positions, considering living accommodations with health care needs, transitioning from work life to retirement, changes in social policies, and changes in relationships with family members and peers. As aging occurs individuals notice a numerous amount of changes in their lives. Some of those changes occur in their roles and social positions. As an individual ages they may begin to notice both physical and mental changes that decrease their ability to carry out activities in their daily routines. An individual who was once the leader of company meetings may notice that they are no longer able to hear or see things as well as they were before, and they may not be able to process their thoughts as quickly. They might also notice a delay in their reaction time. While some people may assume it is because of a medical issue, it could just be because of aging. As aging continues throughout later adulthood individuals may also notice changes in their physical appearances such as loose or wrinkly skin and a decrease in muscle tone. Throughout life individuals may decide to move from one place to another to experience what it is like to live in a new place. As individuals age their health starts to decline, and in some cases, some families have to make the decision to put their loved ones in a nursing home or hire a nursing staff to do home visits. When the health of a loved one becomes an issue family members have to make sure they are getting the  proper care they need to ensure their loved ones are safe and their health needs are being met. Some elderly individuals are able to go through life and not need any type of assistance caring for themselves, but some individuals get sick and cannot properly take care of themselves any longer. Alzheimer’s and Dementia are two of the worst diseases an individual can develop as they age. Once Alzheimer’s or Dementia really set in the individual start to forget life as they previously knew it. They no longer recognize their family or friends and have a hard time remembering anything about their lives. According to the Alzheimer’s Association there are three stages to Alzheimer’s disease, the early, middle, and late stages. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease an individual may still function as well as they did before they knew they had the disease, â€Å"He or she may still drive, work, and be a part of social activities† (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). According to the Alzheimer’s Association, â€Å"The middle stages of Alzheimer’s are typically the longest and can last for many years†. The third, and final stage of Alzheimer’s, the late stages, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, â€Å"may last for several weeks or several years and requires intense are the clock care†. As Alzheimer’s progresses the individual may experience symptoms such as; anger, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, memory loss, confusion, repetition, and physical discomfort. As Alzheimer’s slowly starts to take over the individual it becomes harder and harder for both the individual and the family to deal with the changes that are occurring. That is why it is so important to make sure there is a trained medical professional on site at all times to care and comfort the individual dealing with the disease. The transition from working life to retirement can be a difficult process for some adults as they struggle to accept the changes that will occur in their lifestyle. But, on the other hand, retirement can also be an enjoyable time for some adults as they see it as an opportunity to do things they love without having to worry about work interfering with their plans. Some aging adults have a hard time coping with the thought of retirement because of the drastic change in income and they do not know what to do with  all the extra time they will have throughout the day. While the changes in income between a weekly or biweekly paycheck greatly differ from their previous profession and the amount of money received through social security, most employers offer a 401K savings plan to help with retirement and life after working. Social policies were put in tact to ensure that anyone in need is able to have their needs met. These needs can include medical, nutritional, and income needs. The government has funded programs such as food stamps to help families all over the country provide food for their families. Other government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare are intact to help cover medical expenses for people who cannot afford health or dental insurance. When it comes to the elderly, social programs such as Social Security and the Older Americans Act were put intact to ensure the elderly (anyone aged sixty five or older) are able to financially support themselves. Social policies are a great way to ensure individuals are properly taken care of and are able to support themselves. Family is forever, and nobody should ever feel as if they have to go through life alone. As we age it is important to remember how important our family and friends really are to us. We spend our whole lives searching for someone to spend the rest of our lives with and to build a family with, but as we age and people in our families start to die people begin to feel lonely. Losing a close family member or even a friend can leave individuals with a feeling of loneliness or even depression, â€Å"Most people seventy years of age or older are widowed, divorced, or single† (Zastrow Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Grandparents and great- grandparents should never have to feel like they are unimportant or unwanted by their families. As individuals mature and go on with their own lives they should always continue to stay in touch with everyone in their family, but they should especially make sure their grandparents and older family members are healthy and well taken care of. The changes that occur throughout our daily lives are preparing us for the next stage of life. As individuals age they experience new things and learn  new things about themselves. Some people fear aging as they fear they will no longer be able to properly care for themselves any longer, but with the love and support from our families anything is possible. The aging process includes changes in roles and social positions, considering living accommodations with health care needs, transitioning from work life  to retirement, changes in social policies, and changes in relationships with family members and peers. Aging is just one of the many aspects of life that everyone has to deal with, and it is up to us to determine how we want to deal with it and let it affect our everyday life. References: Alzheimer’s Association. The Stages of Alzheimer’s. Retrieved from: http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_4521.asp U.S Department of Health and Family Services. Caring for Frail Elderly People: Policies in Evolution. Retrieved from: http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/chap14.htm Zastrow, C.H. Kirst-Ashman, K.K. (2010). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment (8th Ed.)

Identifying and preventing harm from deterioration in patients

Identifying and preventing harm from deterioration in patients This study will discuss what a nurse needs to know in relation to identifying and preventing harm from deterioration in patients in a hospital ward setting. A review of current literature will be carried out in order to find the best available evidence on the subject. The key issues arising from the literature will be critically analysed to provide a balanced and objective consideration of the strengths and limitations of current practice in relation to the recognition and communication of patient deterioration. Finally the study will use the evidence to attempt to make recommendations for practice in this area and discuss the nurses role in the development of the new practices which could enhance the management of patient deterioration and ultimately ensure safer care for patients. Rationale for Subject Choice As a student nurse about to become a registered and accountable practitioner, one of my main concerns is that I have the knowledge and skills to recognise deterioration in the condition of my patients and the ability to communicate my concerns effectively to ensure they are seen promptly by a more senior clinician and any further decline is prevented. Therefore my rationale for choosing to study this topic was to try to find evidence which would support me in contributing to safer care of acutely ill patients. Background The increasing complexity of healthcare, an ageing population and shorter length of stay, means that hospital patients today need a higher level of care than ever before. Therefore, it is essential that hospital staff are equipped to recognise and manage deterioration (Department of Health 2009). Many patients who experience cardiopulmonary arrest show signs of deterioration for more than 24 hours before arrest, and it has been estimated that approximately 23,000 in-hospital cardiac arrests in the United Kingdom (UK) could be avoided each year with better care (Smith et al 2006). Furthermore, evidence has shown that delays in recognising deterioration or inappropriate management can result in late treatment, avoidable admissions to intensive care and in some cases, unnecessary deaths National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) (2005) National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) (2007) (2007a). These studies highlighted the magnitude of the problem in the UK, they s howed that hospital staff do not understand the disturbances in physiology affecting the sick patient, they frequently ignore signs of clinical deterioration and lack skills in the implementation of oxygen therapy, assessment of respiration and management of fluid balance NPSA (2007) (2007a). NCEPOD (2005) reported that approximately 50% of ward based patients receive substandard care prior to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, and 21-41% of ICU admissions are potentially avoidable. Analysis of 425 deaths that occurred in general acute hospitals in England showed that 64 deaths occurred as a result of patient deterioration not being recognised due to observations not being undertaken for a prolonged period leading to changes in vital signs not being detected, and delay in patients receiving medical attention even when deterioration was detected (NPSA 2007). Despite considerable economic investment there is continued evidence of suboptimal care and the Department of Health (DoH) (2 009) have acknowledged that the recognition and management of acutely ill patients need attention. They say there are many factors influencing a patients ability to receive appropriate and timely care including the failure to seek advice, poor communication between professional groups, and a lack of clinical supervision for staff in training (DoH 2009). The following literature review will attempt to find evidence of the factors which contribute to sub optimal treatment of deterioration. Literature Review A literature search was undertaken using the electronic databases CINAHL, ESCBO host, Internurse, Medline, Science Direct and Swetswise through the Liverpool John Moores University search engine, and also the British Nursing Index via Ovid using the Royal College of Nursing search engine. The keywords used were: deterioration, hospital deterioration, communication of deterioration and early warning systems. A total of thirteen articles were found to be of use, two of these were published outside the UK (Australia and Italy) however after reading them it was decided that the evidence was relevant and they were deemed appropriate for use. As the study developed a further search was performed using the terms deterioration tools, communication tools, SBAR and RSVP communication tool two articles from this subsequent search were used in this study. Additionally and as mentioned above useful references were also sought from the Department of Health, the National Patient Safety Agency, the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcomes and Death, and the National Institute of Clinical Excellence. The search revealed the topic had been fairly well researched, especially in recent years and the articles seemed to have stemmed from the reports by NPSA (2007) (2007a) and NICE (2007). Smith (2010) recently proposed a Chain of Prevention to assist hospitals in structuring their care processes to prevent and detect patient deterioration and cardiac arrest. The five rings of the chain represent staff education, monitoring, recognition, the call for help and the response and it was found that the themes of education, and recognition were well documented in the literature. Nurse Education Preston and Flynn (2010) say in order to avoid unrecognised patient deterioration and therefore enhance patient safety nurses must review their knowledge and skills in measuring the physiological parameters of temperature, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, oxygen saturation levels, and neurological function, and in particular identified the respiratory rate as a particularly sensitive indicator of clinical decline. In addition nurses also need to recognise the significance of physiological compensatory mechanisms that are activated in clinical deterioration, so they can report their findings accurately and with confidence to doctors and senior staff. Steen (2010) agrees that nurses require the knowledge and skills to be able to provide critical care in the general ward setting, as accurate assessment using a systematic approach can aid timely detection and intervention and can help to stabilise the individuals condition preventing organ dysfunction, multi organ failure and furthe r deterioration, thus reducing morbidity and mortality rates and admission to ICU. However, Odell, Victor and Oliver (2009) feel that recognising deterioration of a ward patient and referring to critical care teams is a highly complex process, requiring skill, experience, and confidence. Preston and Flynn (2010) suggest that nurses can be helped to develop these skills by attending the Advanced Life Threatening Events Recognition and Treatment (ALERT) course, they considered the possibility of nurses undertaking the ALERT course whilst a student, they say this will help newly qualified nurses to promote their skills, abilities and rationale for recognizing and responding to patient deterioration. They also recommend the further development of acute illness simulation programmes in both pre and post registration courses to help nurses to become more confident and expert in responding and reporting acute illness to medical and more senior staff. They say what is needed is a closer col laboration between education and health service partners to deliver these programmes and competent clinical teaching staff to facilitate these simulated exercises in a safe environment that utilises accurate patient scenarios, equipment and charts that are currently used in practice (Preston and Flynn 2009). Monitoring Accurate monitoring of patient condition featured highly in the literature. The NPSA (2007) revealed that in 14 of the 64 incident reports they studied, no observations had been made for a prolonged period before the patient died therefore vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse and respirations were not detected. But the literature revealed the crucial importance of regular observations in the recognition of deteriorating patients. Preston and Flynn (2010) said doing the observations is crucial for detecting early signs of deterioration in acute care as closely monitoring changes in physiological observations can identify abnormalities before a serious adverse event occurs. Early identification is important to reduce mortality, morbidity, length of stay in hospital and associated healthcare costs (NICE 2007). Preston and Flynn (2010) also stipulated that close supervision of unqualified nursing staff doing the observations in acute care should be a high priority and should follow both the NICE (2007) guidelines and recommendations from the NSPA (2007) (2007a). However following an observation of care by Morris (2010) an issue was identified where observations were incomplete, with recording of respiratory rate and oxygen saturations omitted and although an early warning score chart had been used, a score had not been recorded (Morris 2010). Recognition The importance of nurses utilising an early warning system was highlighted. Cei, Bartolomei and Mumoli (2009) say using the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) when recording patient observations is a simple but highly useful tool to predict a worse in-hospital outcome and aid identification of patients at risk of clinical adverse events such as cardiac arrest, sepsis and raised intracranial pressure. Nonetheless a study by Donohue and Endacott (2010) revealed that participants did not look for trends in the MEWS data and few used MEWS data in the manner it was intended i.e. it was used to confirm whether the patient met the trigger criteria, rather than as a routine component of assessment, the study found that MEWS was used infrequently, used too late and not employed to communicate patient deterioration. Mohammed, Hayton, Clements, Smith, and Prytherch (2009) felt the significant advantage of an early warning or track and trigger system like MEWS was that they use a visual scale t hat gives a score if a physiological recording enters a colour zone. But they found that there are disadvantages to using these systems in practice if nurses add up the scores incorrectly. In their study (Mohammed at al 2009) found that calculating scores could be improved by using a handheld computer and this approach was more accurate, efficient and acceptable to nurses than using the traditional pen and paper methods in acute care. The Department of Health (2009) say early warning systems play a key role in the detection of deteriorating patients; however, clinicians need to be aware that in some clinical situations these systems will not reflect clinical urgency (Department of Health 2009) and effective assessment skills must be employed. Call for Help and Response The NPSA (2007) report revealed that in 30 of the 64 incident reports they audited, despite recording vital signs, the importance of the clinical deterioration had not been recognised and/or no action had been taken other than the recording of observations (NPSA 2007). This could be due to ineffective communication of the deterioration. The literature review showed that communication of deterioration was a more recently well documented subject. Steen (2010) Tait (2010) feel that a vital component of the management of the acutely ill patient is the ability to communicate clearly and precisely with all members of the multidisciplinary team to aid timely and appropriate help and intervention for the patient. Still there is much evidence of communication breakdown between disciplines, Beaumont (2008) states communication between medical and nursing staff can be problematic, nurses may not communicate clearly enough and struggle to convey information in a manner that would convince doctor s of the urgency of the situation, sometimes there is failure by doctors to perceive, understand or accept the source of nurses clinical and professional judgement, less experienced nursing staff might not feel comfortable or confident to call more senior staff because they fear doing the wrong thing or crossing occupational and hierarchical boundaries. These problems can result in conflict between professional groups as they attempt to work towards positive outcomes and may prevent patients from receiving assistance and support when required (Beaumont 2008). Endacott, Kidd, Chaboyer and Edington (2007) agree that formal divisions of labour and professional boundaries can cause gaps or discontinuities in patient care and feel communication between clinicians must improve. Donahue and Endacott (2010) say the failure of nurses to recruit senior support to deal with acutely ill patients is a contributing factor to the sub-optimal care of critically ill patient, it may be due to a lack of experience or knowledge on the part of the doctor but may equally be due to the nurses inability to articulate the seriousness of the situation. Their data identified that nurses have an awareness of the need for a succinct story but they continue to make calls for assistance with little relevant information (Donohue and Endacott 2010). As stated above suboptimal communication between health professionals has been recognised as a significant causative factor in incidents compromising patient safety and the use of a structured method of communication has been suggested to improve the quality of information exchange (Marshall, Harrison and Flanagan 2009). A number of communication tools are available; some hospitals use the SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) tool to structure conversations between members of the multidisciplinary team, which uses standardised questions to prompt the conveyor of information to share the necessary details (Steen 2010). In a simulated clinical scenario Marshall et al (2009) described the positive effect of this method on students ability to communicate clear telephone referrals. However, Featherstone, Chalmers and Smith (2008) feel that SBAR is not a memorable acronym and they prefer the use of the RSVP (Reason, Story, Vital Signs, Plan) system used in the ALERT cou rse as framework for the communication of deterioration, the authors say SBAR does not easily slip off the tongue, and RSVP is much easier to remember in an emergency. They say the reason for the call can be explained in clear simple language, and the story gives a time line of important events, they feel nurses will be familiar with a narrative style of communication and are used to giving a brief summary as part of the handover process. The vital signs must be given in figures, and can include the early warning score, or summarized in words that convey the deterioration effectively and the plan for the patient should be outlined by the caller or expected from the receiver (Featherstone et al 2008). Smith (2010) says the use of standardised method of communication, such as the RSVP system will improve communication about patient decline. Recommendations for Practice Constant change within the National Health Service is essential to advance care quality and ensure the provision patient focused care that is evidenced based. Ensuring the latest and best available evidence is put into practice is a is a crucial way of ensuring that people get the treatments and services that are the most effective and will have the best health outcomes, it ensures that the public funding that supports the NHS is used wisely and that the treatments and services offered are cost effective, and both of these factors lead to the provision of clinically effective care. Everyone involved in healthcare provision must ensure quality is enhanced and must be willing to change current practices for the benefit of patients. Nurses have a professional responsibility to keep up to date with changes and developments within their field and to deliver care based on the best available evidence or best practice (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2008). Larrabees (2009) Model for Evidence Based Practice Change suggests that there are six steps towards implementing change in practice, firstly practitioners should assess need for change in practice, and this study has found evidence which clearly points to the need for changes in practice in order to reduce avoidable harm to patients. The next steps of Larabees Model (2009) are to locate the best evidence, and critically analyse the evidence, and from the evidence found in this study it is evident there are several recommendations for changes in practice which would help nurses in acute care to develop their skills in recognising and reporting deterioration. To keep the Chain of Prevention suggested by Smith (2010) strong he suggests that staff education, monitoring, recognition, the call for help and the response must all be robust in order to prevent harm from unrecognised and unassisted illness. Recommendations to enhance these areas would be to ensure that the recognition of life threatening illness is taught from an early stage in a nurses career by attending the ALERT course earlier in their training and by the teaching of patient scenarios in the clinical area and facilitated by staff who are trained in critical care. With regards to the call for help and the response rings of the Chain of Prevention (Smith 2010), it has been shown that the use of communication tools help nurses to get an earlier response when calling for assistance, so it seems sensible to implement the standard use of a communication tool in acute care when communicating deterioration. The next step in Larabees Model for Change (2009) is to design the practice change, and it is recommended that use of the RSVP communication tool (see appendix) should become hospital protocol when calling for assistance; this is because it is easy to remember and it is used as part of the ALERT course which many acute care nurses have attended. Nurses should receive training on the use of this tool and it should be displayed near the tele phone in every acute area. In order to implement and evaluate this change, which are the next steps in the Model (Lara bee 2009) a nurse should firstly let people know about it, this can be done by using various means of communication i.e. trust intranet, ward meetings, discussion with senior nursing staff and managers. They must then get people to take on the change by involving enthusiastic team members and organising a pilot test of the use of the RSVP tool. Crucially the rate in which more senior practitioners respond must be audited find out if the tool is working in practice and if not why not, is more information or training required is the tool not displayed clearly enough. The final step of the Model for Change (Larabee 2009) is to integrate and maintain the change in practice, to do this a nurse must ensure all new staff are trained to use the system and continuously evaluate its use to ensure it is working in practice. Conclusion This study has highlighted the evidence base and resources available to support nurses in contributing to safer care of acutely ill patients it has found that in order to facilitate accurate detection of changes in condition, nurses working in acute care must acknowledge the importance of observations and early warning systems in the identification of patients at risk of adverse events and ensure patients are assessed using a sound knowledge of physiological compensatory mechanisms, to enhance this knowledge they should attend an ALERT course, the evidence pointed to nurses attending these courses early in their career and that clinical scenarios could also help increase their knowledge of acute illness. It was found that communication tools help nurses when calling for senior assistance and the implementation of a standard tool within acute hospital settings could help to prevent harm from deterioration.