The Persian Gulf War Essays - Kuwait, IraqUnited States Relations

The Persian Gulf War subject = U.S. History title = The Persian Gulf War The Persian Gulf War-the Feat of the Western Countries On August 2nd, 1990 Iraqi military forces invaded and occupied the small Arab state of Kuwait. The order was given by Iraqi dictatorial president Saddam Hussein. His aim was apparently to take control Kuwait's oil reserves (despite its small size Kuwait is a huge oil producer; it has about 10 per cent of the world's oil reserves ). Iraq accused Kuwait, and also the United Arab Emirates, of breaking agreements that limit oil production in the Middle East. According to Saddam Hussein, this brought down world oil prices severely and caused financial loss of billions of dollars in Iraq's annual revenue. Saddam Hussein had the nearly hopeless task of justifying the invasion. He plead the fact that Kuwait had been part of the Ottoman province of Basra, a city in the south of Iraq. However, the Ottoman province collapsed after World War I and today's Iraqi borders were not created until then. There was also a further and more obvious blunder in a bid to justify this illegal invasion. Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, had namely recognized Kuwaiti independence in 1963. Furthermore, Hussein claimed that Kuwait had illegally pumped oil from the Iraqi oil field of Rumaila and otherwise conspired to reduce Iraq's essential oil income. By invading Kuwait, Iraq succeeded in surprising the entire world. The USA ended her policy of accommodating Saddam Hussein, which had existed since the Iran-Iraq war. Negative attitude toward Iraq was soon a worldwide phenomenon. The United Nations Security Council passed 12 resolutions condemning the invasion. The ultimate decision was to use military force if Iraq did not withdraw unconditionally by January 15, 1991. Then, when the deadline was set, it was time to start preparing for the worst-the war. President George Bush confronted little difficulty in winning Americans' support for the potential war against Iraq. However, the government found it difficult to decide upon and state one overriding reason for going to war. Was it to oppose aggression or was it just to protect global oil supplies? Other powers were more directly concerned as consumers of Persian Gulf oil, but they were not as eager to commit military force, to risk their youth in battle and to pay for the costs of the war. Critics of President Bush continued to maintain that he was taking advantage of the issue of energy supplies in order to manipulate the U. S. public opinion in favor of war. After consulting with U. S. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney in early August 1990, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia invited American troops onto Saudi soil. He had seen Kuwait's destiny; therefore, he wanted protection. It was also the interest of the USA to stop any further advantage of the Iraqi army. The deployment was called ?Operation Desert Shield.? These troops were armed with light, defensive weaponry. On November 8, 1990 President Bush announced a military buildup to provide an offensive option, ?Operation Desert Storm,? to force Iraq out of Kuwait. The preparation of the operation took two and a half months and it involved a massive air- and sea lift. Finally, in January 1991, the U. S. Congress voted to support Security Council resolution 660. It authorized using ?all necessary means? if Iraq did not withdraw from Kuwait by January 15. Shrugging off this final warning, Saddam Hussein resolutely maintained the occupation of Kuwait. The United States established a broad-based international coalition to confront Iraq militarily and diplomatically. The military coalition consisted of Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Honduras, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Spain, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The war also was financed by countries which were unable to send in troops. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were the main donors. More than $53 billion was pledged and received. Before the war, it appeared obvious that Iraq would have very little chance against the Coalition. The relative strength between the parties was extremely unequal. The most critical difference was that the Coalition had a total of 2600 aircraft, over three times more than Iraq's 800 aircraft. Most Arab observers thought Hussein would not last more than six months. Lieutenant General Khalid bin Sultan, the commander of the Arab coalition forces, gave Iraq's leader only 40 days, and repeated this prediction many times. Iraq's

How to Write an Exploratory Essay on Globalization and Minority American Communities

How to Write an Exploratory Essay on Globalization and Minority American Communities An exploratory essay on globalization and minority American communities is very different from the traditional argumentative essay as you must write to convince your audience that your problem is important to them. Not only do you have to prevent this problem but you need to provide some conclusions as to how the issue can be solved. There is of course another aspect to an exploratory essay on globalization and minority American communities which is just as important. This is a retrospective form of writing which means you have to work through a problem. You have to state when certain research was completed and how. You really have to be introspective about the thinking process which led you to any conclusions you present. When you are writing your exploratory essay on globalization and minority American communities there are a few questions you have to ask yourself. Have You Set up the Context? You have to make sure you have all the general information about your main topic and the situation is explained to your reader so that they can make sense of the issue and know what question you are going to answer. Have You Stated Why Your Main Idea Is Important? You have to tell the reader why they should care about the topic of globalization and minority American communities and why they should keep reading your paper in the first place. Your goal here is to create an educational paper which is clear and compelling. When people read your paper they should want to act upon it. Have You Stated Your Research Question? You need to compose a question or two which communicate what you are going to discover by reviewing globalization and minority American communities and why you are interested in the matter. With this in mind, it is time to start drafting your work. Like any traditional essay, this one should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. Use an outline to make this process more efficient; with an outline you can write out the first draft in no time because all of the right sections are already covered. Editing When you go to edit the first draft of your exploratory essay on globalization and minority American communities it is important that you make sure every proper element has been covered. This is done by asking yourself a few questions including the following: Did you identify your problem? Did you mention any possible solution to your problem? Did you provide the reader with any different points of view relating to the topic? Did you explore the strengths and weaknesses associated with your topic? Did you make sure to introduce your research question? Did you review the causes of the problem and all contributing factors? Did you present to the reader all of the people or institutions involved in the situation and have included the decision makers? This guide should give enough insights on the matter in order to write your own exploratory essay on globalization and minority American communities. Feel free to also check our 20 topics and sample essay on the subject along with selected facts list for some solid data.

Herman miller Essay Example

Herman miller Essay Example Herman miller Paper Herman miller Paper Review the companys strengths and weaknesses. What are the short-term and long-term implications of its internal environmental conditions? Herman Miller produced Its first office furniture in 1942 by a man Gilbert Rhode, he died 2 years after the design was made and De Pre had to find a new designer then he hired George Nelson as Herdsmans first designer. Herman miller Is a 1. 3 billion dollar manufacturer that produces office furniture. It Is one of only four organizations and the only non-high technology that was selected for Fortune magazines 100 Best Companies to Work For. Herman Miller has a rich legacy, they go back to 1905 and the Star Furniture Company which was a manufacture of traditional bedroom suites. In 1909 it was renamed Michigan Star Furniture and hire DC Pre as a clerk then he became president. His father in law bought majority of the shares and in honor of that he named the company Herman Miller. This is where strength comes in because they are loyal to their employees and De Pre was committed to treating all of his employees individuals. They are lead innovators; they have to make sure that they are keeping up with what everyone expects from them which requires Intense research. Early In the history of Herman Miller, It survived the Great Depression, which Is saying a lot considering that the Depression was the biggest economical tragedy to date. In 2000 Herman Miller started off with record high profits and sales in 2000 2001. One of their strengths was when they offered and Employee Stock Option Plan. This gave employees a sense of empowerment because they knew that they had a hand in the company. In 2010 Herman Miller published their long practiced organizational values on a website What We Believe. These are used for uniting employees and building relationships and also contributing to communities. These principles that Herman Miller go by are some of their biggest strengths. Curiosity and exploration, they are a research driven company they respect and encourage risk taking and practice forgiveness. They mention that everyone makes mistakes and If It is an honest mistake then It needs to be learned from and move on. Engaging Is about their owners being actively committed to the life of the community. Stock ownership Is very Important to them but they needs more than that. The mall strength that comes from this and the payoff really come when people are aware of their problems, solutions, and behavior. Herman Miller is about performance and performance is required for leadership. They want to be leaders and they are committed to performing at the highest level possible. They are an inclusive company; they want to include all the expression of human talent and potential that they offer. They design things by looking at the world and how it works and how it doesnt work; there is a method for getting something done and solving a problem. Herman miller is environmentally friendly, which has a significant impact. This will have a long term positive impact in this entity which will add to its value as a many. They are also a well-known brand; people know what Herman Miller Is when you show them the logo or if asked who make office furniture. A companys biggest asset Is their customers and they have great customer loyalty. Herman Miller is somewhat of a more luxurious and comfortable high tech furniture that will benefit off the Cannon Plan that De Pre brought to the table and they still use today. They use teams and they are usually cross functional. They are based on product development and when that product has been developed the members of that team are given new projects. Because Herman Miller has instilled these values into their company they have a long term benefit from the foundation that they have laid which also are intangible. Their weaknesses is the fact that their market is always changing, they are somewhat in the fashion industry and what design was good for 2011 is not going to be the same for the next year. They must always be on top of what is new and what trends people will want to follow. They are also very expensive, much more expensive than their competitors, which in turn during an economic downfall, people will want to go with the cheaper version of the same thing. Another long term implication is the fact that they have always treated their employees well. The company offers them stock at a 1 5 percent discount and they are offered a 401 (k) and receive a 50 percent match for the first 6 percent of their salaries. They are also offered a retirement plan and the company deposits 4 percent of compensation on which interest is paid quarterly. Once again they are automatically eligible when they join Herman Miller. 2. Review the opportunities and threats present in Herman Millers external environment. How will these conditions affect the companys tragic decisions? Herman Miller has many opportunities, as any other business does it Just depends on how they decided to take the opportunity on. Financial Leverage allows Herman Miller to quickly expand into other markets especially in fragments industries. For example everyone is about going green, and Herman Miller took that into consideration and it used it to sell its products. They introduced a Mira Chair that was made out of 45 percent of recycled materials and 96 percent of the materials we recyclable. Builders that use Herman Miller, have cooperative advertising with strategic partners. Hilton Garden Inn rooms are equipped with the Mira chairs and if you look in the booklet on the desk it will tell you how you can order the chair for your personal gain. Herman Miller also has an online store that customers can visit; by having a store online you are appealing to a much wider group of people than normal. It is important that they keep this online market because it is easy and accessible but also is a very cost effective way to get do business. Along with their strength, innovativeness is an opportunity that Herman Miller has going for them. Being in the generation where people are looking to be comfortable and are learning more about the human body, Herman Miller can team up with scientist and any other expert that you can think of to make furniture more appealing physically and at a comfort level. Intense competition is a threat to Herman Miller; because their cost structure is high their competitors can produce other products that arent as expensive as Herman Millers products. Other companies can also look into brining in researchers to find the best fit for the human body, a chair that will help your back rather than make it worse. Another threat is the fact that Herman Miller already survived the Great Depression, they dont want to have to repeat it, but a bad economy is always a factor when you are trying to operate a profitably company. This will take away some customers, but if you are buying Herman Miller furniture sometimes a bad economy wont affect your spending habits. Affected by low growth rates which generate a more intense competitive environment and drive market prices down. A bigger threat that is becoming more common is telecommuting, where workers can carry out their responsibilities in a non-office eating and that reduces the need of office equipment. . Define the components of Herman Millers business strategy. Given the situation analysis, what modifications should be considered? Under the guidance of Dry. Frost was the first to implement a Cannon Plan. They are principles of equity and Justice for everyone in the company. The two major functions of this plan the use of teams and committees fo r sharing ideas on improvements and a structure for sharing increased profitability. This plan and relationship with Frost continued on for four decades. In 2003 Herman Millers tragedy helped the company recover from the collapse of the dotcom events of September 1 lath 2001. Sales fell 34 percent and profits dropped. Even with this happening the company bounced back by adopting a social contract with the workforce, restructuring and place in emphasis on the customer. This approach reinforced cultural elements and sustained the value of the organizational culture. In the past Herman Miller applied strategies that fuel growth and also restructured operations to reduce costs, reintroduce classic models, and launch new ideas and products. The idea for new items can be weak and the company. Herman Miller made up an Accessories Team that was an outgrowth for the project purple. A goal for this project was to stretch beyond the regular business lines. Office accessories is something that Herman Miller wasnt always involved in apart from the fact that it is a big part of what the independent dealers sell. Two people we assigned to come up with a team to launch a new product within 16 months. They hired people with different disciplines that were needed to help support the goal of the team. Leadership and decision making are shared both within the team and across the whole organization. In order for Herman Miller to keep leading the industry with office furniture they need to fit the needs of the changing market. They do maintain the strategic resources to introduce a promising new product that is a growing market segment. They should always be looking for ways to be a diverse company with their products by going into different industries and looking for markets with more long term goals. Herman Miller should consider expanding its global operation to increase its revenues and always have their dedicated cross-cultural teams. Another plus that Herman Miller has is the fact that their human resources is insider a strength in the company. Herman miller has 278 applicants for almost every Job opening. In 2009 they cut their workforce by more than 15 percent and reduced pay for the remaining workforce by 10 percent. The company sponsored 401 (k), even though this was a major problem employees praised the management for handling this with care and class and doing what is best for the company. Its strategy is Business as Usual it seems that Herman Miller will share the good and the bad with the employees, more specifically with compensation. Pay is determined by company performance. They receive a base pay in addition they participate in a profit sharing program where employees receive stock based on the annual performance. 4. Consider the companys international strategy and performance. What options are available to improve results in overseas markets? Herman Miller is considerable manufacturing in the I-J, Asia, and China. Herman Miller products are sold internationally through wholly owned subsidiaries in a lot of countries including Canada, Japan, Mexico, Australia, Singapore, china, India, and the Netherlands. They offer their products through independent dealerships. Herman Miller needs to cure a better return on its international business investments, that way that can take immediate action and have stronger levels of profitability. They can consider the high costs and the complexities of managing wholly owned subsidiaries. They can seek for strategic alliances for entry in new markets where knowledge and understating and competitive conditions are weak. They can seek for entry in growing markets especially India, Brazil, and China. If they do decide to enter new markets they need to conduct research to determine if international strategy is more suitable for the market they are attempting to enter.

10 Things Not to Say in a Job Interview

10 Things Not to Say in a Job Interview Job searching can be incredibly stressful. You’ve been anxiously sending out applications and now you have an interview, which is great! But you’ll want to make sure you don’t fall victim to any of the major faux pas of interviewing. Show you’re the right person for the job without waving any of the worst red flags. When in doubt, try to avoid the following 10 things.1. !!Salty language  just reads like amateur hour. Of course, everybody swears, but these words are best kept out of professional situations- particularly interviews. Likewise, you’ll want to keep any negative or bigoted speech off the table as well.2.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"My current boss is the  worst.†Your last boss was empirically awful, and you hated them. No matter how much righteousness is on your side, it’s best to refrain from boss-bashing to your potential new boss. It comes across as griping, and your interviewer will assume you just have a bad attitude- or that you were the one who was difficult to work with, not your former boss. If asked about a contentious boss situation, try and put a positive spin on the relationship by focusing on what you learned and how you grew.3.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I am the best, because I know everything.†There are lots of ways to enumerate your many accomplishments without coming across as arrogant and using too many â€Å"I† statements outlining your greatness. If extreme confidence is just part of who you are, find a way to check it for the purposes of the interview.4.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’ll do whatever, in any position. It doesn’t matter.†You may think you’re being open minded and helpful by saying you’ll â€Å"do whatever!† but really you’re just showing that you lack a specific passion for the work of that company or industry, and a lack of awareness as to what sort of role you could best play. Target your search to jobs you think you’d be uniquely qualified to pe rform, then sell that in the interview, specifically.5.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I  need this job or I won’t be able to pay my rent!†Ã¢â‚¬Å"If I don’t get this job†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is not a good way to start a sentence in an interview situation. There is no way to guilt an interviewer into giving you a job. Don’t even try. Get the job on your own merits and you’ll be a whole lot happier in the long run.6.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"So what is the exact title and who are you?†Don’t go into an interview situation without knowing exactly who you’re speaking with and exactly what the position is you’re being considered for. Ban the phrase â€Å"what job is this again?† from your vocabulary.7.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"So as a baby, I was very hard working †¦ and then in first grade †¦ and then in middle school†¦ â€Å"You’ll want to be as articulate as possible. Don’t give one word answers, but don’t get lost in run-on sentences or soliloquies either. Try to practice a few responses to questions you might reasonably expect to be asked. Keep each one under a minute, with just enough detail to help you stand out from the crowd.8. â€Å"Well, I’d say my biggest flaw is my obsession with being perfect.†No, perfectionism is not your greatest weakness. A hiring manager will see through this- the oldest play in the book- as a lazy clichà ©. Come up with something more honest that can lead you to a better discussion of how to learn and grow constructively.9. â€Å"How many vacation days do I get?†It’s perfectly reasonable to inquire as to the details of your compensation package. But focusing on these things too much, especially in a first interview, is a huge no-no- you’ll risk sounding like you won’t actually be interested in doing any work.10. â€Å"Sorry.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sorry I’m late† is something you should never say. First of all, you should never be late in the first place. Second of all, try to avoid having anything to apologize for. Be prompt or early, well-presented, put together, and prepared and you can do no wrong.

Harmonization of Financial standards and reporting standards Essay

Harmonization of Financial standards and reporting standards - Essay Example In relation to this discussion, the integration of accounting practices followed by the company with that prevailing within the host country is also an important issue faced by the company in its global business practices. In order to address this issue, the phenomena of harmonization of different accounting standards and practices and emergence of a common set of accounting standards has come into lime light (Choi, Frost and Meek 1999). In this context, the paper aims to discuss the phenomena of harmonization and evolution of one common set of accounting standards in the most empirical manner. The paper intensively focuses upon financial and reporting standards and need of their harmonization. The paper also investigates the significance of different international bodies and organizations such as International Accounting Standard Board (IASB), International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), and Accounting standards Board (ASB) in the context of making the process of harmonization of reporting and accounting standards more smooth and effective (Deegan and Unerman 2011). Financial accounting and reporting standards and their needs Financial accounting can reporting standards can be considered as guidelines and direction provided by the apex regulator authorities of the country for the purpose of aligning accounting practices undertaken by individuals and business organization in maintaining their accounts and reporting the financial records in a fair manner. In relation to this, different accounting and reporting standards reflects some crucial accounting principles on the basis of which, an organization can undertake fair and effective accounting practices (Nobes 1999). As the span of and importance of business activities of different organization in an economy is quite vital, having integrity of accounting practices becomes quite essential phenomena. These standards are quite essential for the purpose of preventing misrepresentation of different account

The impact of the Internet on the field of advertising Essay

The impact of the Internet on the field of advertising - Essay Example This work "The impact of the Internet on the field of advertising" outlines how the increasing usage of the Internet affected advertising industry and tools that it uses. Advertising through internet has made it possible for advertising agencies to measure the impact of their adverts on the potential viewers. This has been done through the development of methods of assessment based on measuring the number of times that individuals either visit a website or the number of clicks that have been made on a particular advert (Lee & Ahn, 2012). In this way, advertising agencies have come to have sound knowledge concerning not only the effectiveness, but also the means of developing improvement to adverts so that they can be more attractive to customers. Furthermore, internet advertising has made it possible for advertising agencies to only pay for those adverts that are performing. A method where payments are made based on the number of times that individuals click on an advert rather than on the impressions of the adverts themselves. This method of payment has attracted a large number of advertisers to the internet because they are able to have value for their money. Advertisers no longer have to worry about paying for nonperforming adverts because the internet has mechanisms to determine whether the adverts that they have posted are worth paying for or not, thus making the internet more efficient. The internet has had an impact on the manner through which investments are conducted by advertisers.

DNA Barcoding Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DNA Barcoding - Lab Report Example The protocol utilizes short sequences of organisms to characterize them. These oligonucleotides fall in positions in the genome which are agreed upon and its standard for a particular genome of interest. The DNA barcode sequences are also rather short in comparison to the entire genome and can be extracted with relative ease utilizing cheap methods. For instance, the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 mitochondria region (COI) has in the recent times being the standard barcode region for higher animals. One define characteristic of the DNA barcode is its commonality within a species (within species) and variations among species (without species). ie for a selected DNA barcode of a particular species there exists ranging differences and these differences are minor in individuals of the same species to gurantee the sequence segment to be used as a barcode. In obtaining the DNA for branding, the mayfly should be killed in a ‘DNA friendly fashion’ by avoiding the use of preservation agents such formalin which may degrade DNA. Genomic DNA is isolated via the fast DNA extraction method from fresh or frozen specimens. Combination of Chelex protocol with Proteinase K may rule out the need for tissue disruption while guaranteeing the release of DNA leaving chitinous material left intact. PCR amplification is done with an optimal primer specific for the barcode region. The barcode products obtained from the PCR are in most instances sequences bidirectional and later deposited in the barcode reference library.  

(Second Language acquisition) Data Collection Assignment requires Research Paper

(Second Language acquisition) Data Collection Assignment requires getting two language samples from second language learners - Research Paper Example However, in a bid to overcome barriers that could hinder one from acquiring new markets and opportunities, people have strived hard to beat all odds and perform feats previously considered impossible by their peers (Zaraysky 2009, 32). To understand the concept of second language acquisition, it is necessary to comprehend some factors that make a language harder to learn than another. The first of these factors is difference in grammatical structure of a language from another. Different languages have varied use of grammar. Whereas one language could demand that the verb comes before the subject, another could require that the subject comes before the verb. This causes initial confusion to the learner, slowing his pace and probability of grasping a new language. Second, a difference in pronunciation requirements of a language hinders one’s ability to articulate in speech a language he may have mastered its vocabulary. In addition, language learners are usually used to their lo cal accents and tone, and managing to cope with a foreign accent is sometimes nightmarish. Cultural differences between different language speakers influence their native language and the ease with which they can adapt to another cultural language (Blake 2008, 43). It is, therefore, important for a second language learner to understand the culture of the people he is learning their tongue. Aims and Objectives of the Research This inter-language data analysis aims at creating an understanding of differences between two sample languages. Upon gathering, analyzing and understanding these facts, there will be a clearer understanding of the difficulties one should expect while learning any of the two languages. In this case, German and English languages are compared and contrasted. Analysis of the languages is based on two samples of short essays (essay 1 and essay 2 available at the appendix). The objective of this comparison and contrast is to make learning the languages easy. Other th an the vocabulary aspect of the two languages, this research goes further to dissect each language in details and reveal their fine linguistic differences. Data pertaining to several aspects of the languages is a crucial facet of the research. Issues to do with pronunciation of English words against German language are considered at length. In addition, the research labors to find out grammatical differences between the two languages. The chief characteristic of this grammatical analysis is the order of verbs, subjects, nouns, pronouns and adjectives. Collected data is also used to create an awareness of the cultural differences, if any. It thereafter tries to offer solutions to the difficulties one observes in learning either English or German as a second language. Clearly, data collection and analysis of learning a second language will make the process of grasping German as a second language to a native English speaker easier. The research aims at lessening the time and effort one puts in learning a new lingo. By preparing one for the challenges to expect in learning a language and providing possible solutions to the hurdles, a learner is placed in a good position to learn fast. Data Collection Methods Methods used to collect data for this research was informed by several factors. It was necessary to put into consideration the data collection strategy, accuracy requirements of the research, skills of

Panetti, Scott v. Quarterman, Nathaniel (Dir., TX Dept. of Criminal Essay

Panetti, Scott v. Quarterman, Nathaniel (Dir., TX Dept. of Criminal Justice) - Essay Example Negative symptoms are so named because they are considered to be the loss or absence of normal traits or abilities, and include features such as flat, blunted or constricted affect and emotion, poverty of speech and lack of motivation. Additionally, a 'disorganization syndrome' and neurocognitive deficit may be present. These may take the form of reduced or impaired psychological functions. Even the diagnostic category of schizophrenia has been widely criticized as lacking in scientific validity or reliability, consistent with evidence of poor levels of consistency in diagnostic practices and the use of criteria. The problems and issues making up the diagnosis of schizophrenia would be better addressed as individual dimensions along which everyone varies, such that there is a spectrum or continuum rather than a cut-off between normal and ill. This approach appears consistent prevalence of psychotic experiences and delusional beliefs amongst the general public. The word Schizophrenia has derived from the Greek shjzofre'neja, meaning "split mind" manifested as mental disorder characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality. A person experiencing schizophrenia is typically characterized as demonstrating disorganized thinking and as experiencing delusions or hallucinations, in particular auditory hallucinations. In relation to the case of the Panetti, Scott v. Quarterman, Nathaniel the question arises "Does the 8th Amendment permit the execution of an inmate who has a factual awareness of the reason for his execution, but who, because of severe mental illness, has a delusional belief as to why the state is executing him, and thus does not appreciate that his execution is intended to seek retribution for his capital crime" On Jan. 5, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court accepted review in this capital case. LEAH FABEL, MEDILL NEWS SERVICE writes that "nothing stopped Scott Panetti, a diagnosed schizophrenic with a ten-year history of severe mental illness, from obeying the voices in his mind on Sept. 8, 1992. He shaved his head, sawed off the barrel of a shotgun and drove to his in-laws' home where he murdered them in front of his estranged wife and 3-year-old daughter. Then he showered, changed into a suit and presented himself to the authorities." By the time of his trial in 1995, Panetti dressed as a cowboy from the Old West and served as his own defense counsel. He subpoenaed John F. Kennedy, Pope John Paul II, Anne Bancroft and Jesus. We know on Sept. 21, 1995, the jury returned a guilty verdict and the state of Texas sentenced Scott Panetti to death. Today, after fourteen and a half years of legal wrangling, Panetti's fate rests in the U.S. Supreme Court. The final issue to be resolved is whether a state can execute a death row inmate who knows exactly what he did and the punishment that awaits him, but due to mental illness holds a delusional belief as to the reason for his execution. In the time since his conviction, Panetti has come to believe that the state of Texas actually is executing him for preaching the Gospel. His lawyers argue

Campare Sonnet Essay Example for Free

Campare Sonnet Essay Shall I compare you to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:| You are more lovely and more constant:| Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,| Rough winds shake the beloved buds of May| And summers lease hath all too short a date: | And summer is far too short:| Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,| At times the sun is too hot,| And often is his gold complexion dimmd; | Or often goes behind the clouds;| And every fair from fair sometime declines,| And everything beautiful sometime will lose its beauty, By chance or natures changing course untrimmd;| By misfortune or by natures planned out course. But thy eternal summer shall not fade | But your youth shall not fade,| Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;| Nor will you lose the beauty that you possess;| Nor shall Death brag thou wanderst in his shade,| Nor will death claim you for his own,| When in eternal lines to time thou growest:| Because in my eternal verse you will live forever. | So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,| So long as there are people on this earth,| So long lives this and this gives life to thee. So long will this poem live on, making you immortal| My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun;| My mistresss eyes are nothing like the sun;| Coral is far more red than her lips red;| Coral is far more red than her lips;| If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; | If snow is white, then her breasts are a brownish gray;| If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. | If hairs are like wires, hers are black and not golden. I have seen roses damaskd, red and white,| I have seen damask roses, re d and white [streaked],| But no such roses see I in her cheeks; | But I do not see such colors in her cheeks;| And in some perfumes is there more delight | And some perfumes give more delight| Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. | Than the horrid breath of my mistress. | I love to hear her speak, yet well I know | I love to hear her speak, but I know| That music hath a far more pleasing sound;| That music has a more pleasing sound. I grant I never saw a goddess go;| Ive never seen a goddess walk;| My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:| But I know that my mistress walks only on the ground. | And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare | And yet I think my love as rare| As any she belied with false compare. | As any woman who has been misrepresented by | The sonnet 18 is a Shakespeare’s early love poem which is about affection of a young man to his beloved. It starts with the genuine question, â€Å"shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? † The speaker is thinking about his lover’s beauty rather than putting her poem in a conventional love poem formula. Then, he points out her lover’s beauty was more beautiful and constant than a summer day; her beauty was eternal and would be preserved in the lines of this poem. However, Sonnet 130 is a more convincing love poem because it is more descriptive and realistic in depicting his lover which shows that his love is more sincere and everlasting. Sonnet 18 is about the feeling of perfection of his lover’s beauty while sonnet 130 is about the real appearances of her mistress. In sonnet 18 the speaker says, â€Å"Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:† Although summer is pleasant season, the speaker never talks about how his lover is like a summer day nor how she was more lovely. He did not give life to his lover because we can use this poem to mostly every woman in the world; he does not specifically describe his lover. In sonnet 130, the speaker explicit states what his mistress looks like. The speaker says, â€Å"My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun;/Coral is far more red than her lips red;/If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; /If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. It explicitly describes his lover in an honest way. Although love poems often use sun, snow and beautiful objects to praise the beauty of their subject, realistic love is not about an idealized sense of beauty. A person cannot love another one simply because they are physically beautiful. We think that the women with red lips, white skin and gold hair are beautiful, but does it mean the women that having â€Å"not so† red lips, brownish skin, and black hair are not beautiful? Beauty is subjective. When people love someone, they would define beauty by his/her st andard. By describing in detail of his lover’s appearance, the speaker of sonnet 130 really know his lover. Love is not only about the feeling of a warm sunny summer day, but know a person as a distinguish individual. Sonnet 130 make his lover feel special and superior because the speaker pay quite attention to her actual appearance, and honestly writes it down in a poem. It also gives her the sense of security because she knows he loves her for who she is and she does not need to pretend to be a perfect figure nor be an everlasting summer day. Sonnet 130 ses reality to prove the speakers love while sonnet 18 uses exaggeration. Sonnet 18 illustrates only the speaker’s love for his beloved’s beauty while in sonnet 130 illustrates more sincere love for her mistress even though she is not perfect. In sonnet 18, the speaker claim his lover was eternal by saying, â€Å"By chance or natures changing course untrimmd;/But thy eternal summer shall not fade /Nor lose possession o f that fair thou owest;/ Nor shall Death brag thou wanderst in his shade,† The speaker praise that her beauty stronger than the nature. Although the speaker values her beauty greatly and even believed her is beauty has the power to overturn the nature, it is only his wish and imagination that her beauty would not change. It will not be convincing to a woman since they consciously know that appearance will change. His lover will feel that the speaker only focuses on her beauty, but not anything else. In sonnet 130, the speaker states, â€Å"I love to hear her speak†. The speaker loves her thinking, her opinions and her intellects. The speaker values her thought which is not very common even in current society. Relationship is about equality and respect. Many men treat women as an object that has nothing inside. Even in sonnet 18, the speaker compares his lover as an eternal summer which also an object. Then, the speaker says, â€Å"I grant I never saw a goddess go;/My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:† . The speaker wants to compare his mistress with a goddess as many sonnets do, but he admits that he never saw one. It mocks that other poets are dishonest which compare their lover to a figure they never see. He emphasized the word â€Å"my mistress† which shows that he takes pride that this woman is his mistress as while as the ways his mistress is like. He shows that this poem is about her mistress but not anybody else, not even goddess can compare with his mistress. He cares only his mistress which makes her even superior to a goddess. He shows that although her mistress is not an immortal figure, but her mistress is special for him. Then, speaker of sonnet 130 transits his understanding of her mistress to his confession of love while in sonnet 18, the speaker transits his lover’s beauty to mortality. The speaker of sonnet 18 uses poetry to eternalize his lover while in sonnet 130, the speaker shows that his love for her is eternal. In the end of sonnet 18, the speaker says, â€Å"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, /So long lives this and this gives life to thee†. The life of the subject will be an endless summer, but only because the speaker has immortalized her in this poem, and only if people continue to read these verses. It makes the readers feel that the poem itself is greater than the subject. The poem builds up this subject with eternal beauty and the subject only lives in the poem. However, this poem is for a living woman, and she is not living by her beauty or by the poem. Every woman knows this poem cannot real give immorality to them because the readers do not even know who the subject is. Not only the woman reading this poem cannot relate herself to this poem, buy she also will feel the speaker’s love is unrealistic and superficial and will not last long. In contract, in sonnet 130, the speaker claims that â€Å"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare†. His claim is convincing because in previous lines, he honestly depict his mistress and we expect he is honest when he says that he loves her. Furthermore, if his love for her is not because she is idealized beautiful since she is not, then he must love her because of her which we define as true love. His love would not fate with changing of appearance or time. His mistress would feel that she has the speaker’s heart forever. Sonnet 130 well proved the speaker’s love for her mistress; his love is about understanding and respect; his love is strong and everlasting. In contrast, sonnet 18 is more about the speaker’s passion to his lover’s beauty than his love for her as a whole individual. Many people say romantic love would last long. It is because that when people know each other well, their flaws would appear, and they are intolerance to these flaws. They would try everything to change each other to the way they want, but they most likely fail. Everyone is difference and not perfect, so when people love someone, they should acceptance their flaws.

The Prevalence of Microorganisms in Hospital Wards

The Prevalence of Microorganisms in Hospital Wards CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Hospital acquired infection are also known as nosocomial infection are infections acquired from healthcare services (hospitals) during treatment, which are secondary to the patients original condition. The source and spread of organisms inside the hospital are important issues, human related organisms or the body flora, also found in clothing are spread through shedding during human activities(Ekhaise et al., 2010). Although many such infections occur in patients, infections acquired at work by staff members also are considered nosocomial infections. Many factors can contribute to the acquisition of nosocomial infections, and no single factor or condition to explain why they occur. The most significant factor for determining the outcome of infection is the immunological state of the host. The nosocomial infections are often related to therapeutic and diagnostic procedures that are routinely employed in health care. For more than a century, this issue has been recognized as a critical problem which affects the quality of healthcare and a principal source of adverse outcomes. The patients who are immunocompromised are often hospitalized and undergo invasive examination and treatments thus hospital environment may facilitate the transmission of microorganisms among patients. The intense use of antibiotic promotes antibiotic resistance for the pathogenic microorganisms whereas changes in the medical practices continually present new opportunities for the development of infection (Dilip Kumar et al., 2013). According to Baveja in 2002, the term hospital acquired infection, hospital- associated infection, hospital infection or nosocomial infection(nosocomion,meaning hospital) is defined as infection developing in patients after admission to the hospital ,which was neither present nor in the incubation period at the time of hospitalization . Such infections may become evident during their stay in the hospital or sometimes after their discharge. According to Gupte in 2006, sources of hospital acquired infection are infecting microorganisms from fellow patients which may be multidrug resistant, infecting organisms from hospital staff, infecting organisms from instrument, blood products, intravenous fluid, from patient’s normal flora, etc, insects are also source multidrug infection, organism may be present in air, dust, water, antiseptic solution, food, surfaces contaminated by patient’s secretions, blood fluid, etc. In all over the world weather it is a developing or developed countries, this hospital acquired infection have assumed worrisome proportions in all healthcare scenarios (Col Shivinder Singh, et al 2015). As much as 80% of the estimated hospital deaths are related either directly or indirectly from Hospital Acquired Infection (Hughes et al, 2005). Patients are likely to get sick in hospital due to wide variety of microorganisms which are responsible for many different kinds of hospital infection. Thus during the stay of patients in the hospital it has become increasingly unsafe place. Thus infection has become a significant health hazard and requires great expense for final outcome of treatment. Infection safety (IC) is a quality standard which is essential for safety of patients, staff and visitors. It involves issues like clinical governance, risk management, quality of health and safety which affects most departments of the hospital (Dhayana Sharon Ross et al., 2014). Hospi ­tals have the potential for pathogen spread because they have contact with instruments, medical furniture, medical staff, skin, air, physical facilities and drainage. Contaminated environment are the main cause for such pathogens thus strict safety biosecurity procedures is to be applied (Mazzali M et al., 2003). The common nosocomial infections are mainly include urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, respiratory tract infections, blood stream infections, skin infections, gastrointestinal tract infections and central nervous system infections. These are mainly caused by Staphylococci, Pseudomonas, E.coli etc. And the common antibiotic resistant nosocomial infections include the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and Vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE). Many different environmental factors may either help or prevent the transmission of microorganisms. Hospital environment are the one where both infected person and persons who is at increased risk of infection assemble (Mayon et al., 1988) Today HAIs affects more than 2million patients annually, at a cost of 4.5 billion (Apostolopoulou and Veldekis 2005). The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of microorganisms in hospital wards of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore. Many different wards such as female neurology ward, male neurology ward, male neurosurgery ward, female neurosurgery ward, male pshyciatry ward, female pshyciatry ward, paediatric neurology ward, paediatric neurosurgery ward, de- addiction ward, short stay ward, head injury ward and step down ward was chosen for the study due to its high patronage by patients from all over India. Labs such as clinical microbiology lab, fluorescent microscope room, NABL room, bactec room and neuromicrobiology lab was also taken into consideration in order to ascertain the nature of microorganisms present. REVIEW OF LITERATURE When we think about hospital, one thing comes to our mind is â€Å"Hospital is the place for cure†. This revolutionary idea of treating the patients under the same roof was considered to ease the job of healing. But due to lack of knowledge of sterilization and antisepsis, it turned wrong in Pre- Listerian era leading to gangrene and death of patients which were suffering from wounds. Due to this reason a new discipline was emerged called as senics which was mainly dealing with the Hospital Acquired Infection (Nosocomial Infection). Semmelwis in 1861 with the help of medical officer and students observed the association of Puerperal sepsis in patients. Thus by the introduction of hand washing with chlorinated lime, he was successful to bring dramatic reduction in infection rate. Hospital acquired infection (HAI) are infections acquired during hospitalization, which are not present at eh time of admission (Atata et al, 2006). Due to its increased mortality and morbidity in the hospital patients these HAIs are of significant cause. HAIs are also caused due to prolonged hospital stay which are inconvenient for the patient and constitute economic burden on health care (Malhotra S, et al 2014). Dancer in 1999,depicts that microorganisms which are associated with hospital acquired infection displays two important characteristics, firstly those are the pathogens of well-established medical importance and secondly they also can withstand the hospital environment which benefits them outside temperature. Thus providing an appropriate environment niche for their survival until they transfer back to patients. Some pathogens originate from patients own flora especially those who are immunocompromised whereas others can survive in human tissues and thus rely upon person to person spread in order to disseminate. The patients who are immunocompromised due to underlying diseases, medical or surgical treatment, age are typically affected by nosocomial infections. In pediatric ICU, the hospital acquired infections are approximately three times higher than elsewhere in hospitals (Weistein 2006). Pathogen transference occurs most commonly by presence of bacterial or fungi in inanimate surfaces and equipment or between the hands of health professionals and patients (Kayabas et al., 2008). The transmission of microorganisms from hands of health care workers, medical equipment and surfaces which has become contaminated with a wide variety of pathogenic and nonpathogenic organisms has become a significant proportion of hospital environment infection which ultimately results in crosscontamination (Sehulster et al., 2003). When compared to other hospital patients, the patients who are hospitalized in ICUs are 5-10 times more likely to acquire nosocomial infection. The risk of infection and the frequency of infection vary by infection site. The increasing incidence of infection is caused mainly by antibiotic-resistant pathogens leading to seriousness of hospital acquired infection (Weber 2006). Some of the common human pathogens like, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter spp, En ­ terococcus spp and Escherichia coli can survive for longer periods of time on the hospital surfaces or formites that can potentially transmit infectious organisms(Kramer et al., 2006). The primary sources of indoor air contamination are the microorganisms. When compared to outside air environment, the indoor air environment can potentially place patients a greater risk because enclosed spaces can confine aerosols and allow them to build up to infectious level. The relative humidity and/ or the moisture content of the materials determine that to what extent different micro-organisms are able to grow on indoor or outdoor materials (Dhanasekaran et al., 2009). Adebolu and Vhriterhire in 2002 reported that magnitude of hospital acquired infection is dependent upon the number and type of visitors, mechanical movement within the enclosed space, quality of hospital systems and level of hygienic conditions in hospital environment. Hand hygiene has been considered to be the most important tool in nosocomial infections control. One of the significant contributors to the outbreaks of this hospital environment infection is failure to perform appropriate hand hygiene. Resident and transient microorganisms are known to be the natural microflora of the skin of hands. The resident microorganisms survive and multiply on skin and does not cause any harm to human flora whereas transient microorganisms represent recent contamination of hands which is acquired from colonized or infected patients/clients or contaminated environment or equipment. These transient microorganisms are not isolated consistently from most of the persons. When compared to resident microorganisms, the transient microorganisms which are found on the hands of health care personnel will become as a primary source of infections. Gram negative coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus has been known to be the most common transient microorganisms (Sarmad et al. , 2009). Appropriate hand washing results in reduced incidence of both nosocomial and community infection (Kampf et al., 2004). BIBILOGRAPHY Dhyana Sharon Ross., Dr. S. Vasantha. 2014. A Study on hospital acquired infections (HAI), control and management. International journal of innovative research in science, engineering and technology. 3(1): 2319-8753. Atata, R.F., Ibrahim, Y.K.E., Akanbi II, A.A., Urinola, P.F., and Saui.A. 2006. Prevalence of nosocomial infections in a tertiary health care institution in Nigeria (2000-2002), Journal of applied and environmental sciences. 2(2): 212-215. Malhotra S, Sharma S, Hans C. 2014. Prevalence of hospital acquired infections in a tertiary care hospital in India. International journal of medicine and medical sciences. 1(7): 2315-9844. Col Shivindra Singh, Col Rakhee Goyal, Brig G.S Ramesh, Maj Gen V., Ravishankar, Gp Capt R.M. Sharma, Maj D.V. Bhargava, Lt Col S.k. Singh, Maj M.K. John, Surg Lt Cdr Anoop Sharma. 2015. Medical journal armed forces India. 71: 28-32. Hughes AJ, Ariffin N, Huat T.L., Abdul Molok H, Hashim S, Sarijo J, Abdul Latif N.H., Abu Hanifah Y, Kamarulzaman A. 2005. Prevalence of nosocomial infection and antibiotic use at a university medical center in Malaysia. Infection Control Hospital Epidemiolgy. 26:100-4. Dancer S J. 1999. Mopping up hospital infection. Journal of hospital infection. 85-90. Robert F. Boyd, J.Joseph Mare. 1990. Medical Microbiology. Little, Brown and Company Boston. 1980. (1), 701-713. C.P Baveja. 2005. Arya publication. 2. Dileep Kumar Sharma, yogendra Kumar Tiwari, Nitya Vyas, Rakesh Kumar Maheshwari. 2013. An investigation of the incidence of Nosocomial infection among the patients admitted in the intensive care unit of tertiary care hospital in Rajhastan, India. International Journal of Current microbiology and Applied Sciences. 2(10): 428-435. Adebolu, T.T. and K.J. Vhriterhire. 2002. Survery of the microbial flora of the Ondo State Specialist Hospital Environment, Akure, Nigeria. National Journal of Microbiology 16(112): 91-94. F.O.Ekhaise, E.E.Isitor, O.Idehen, A.O.Emoghene. 2010. Airborne microflora in the atmosphere of an hospital environment of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),Benin City, Nigeria. World journal of Agriculture Sciences 6(2): 166-170. Ekhaise, F.O., O.U. Ighosewe, O.D. Ajakpori. 2008. Hospital indoor airborne microflora in private and government owned hospitals in Benin City, Nigeria. World Journal of Medical Science. 3(1): 34-38. Dutkiewicz, J. M. Augustowska. 2006. Variability of airborne microflora in a hospital ward with a period of one year. Annals of Agriculture and Environmental Medicine. 13: 99-106. Sehulster L, Chinn RY. 2003. Guidelines for environmental infection control in healthcare facilities. Recommendation of CDC and the healthcare Infection Control Practice Advisory Committee (HICPAC). MMWR Recommendation and Report. 52(RR-10):1-42. Kayabas U, Bayraktar M, Otlu B, Ugras M, Ersoy Y, Bayindir Y. 2008. An outbreak of pseudomonas aeruginosa because of inadequate disinfection procedures in a urology unit: a Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis based epidemiologic study. American Journal of Infection Control. 36(1): 33-8. Kramer A, Schwebke I, Kampf G. 2006. How long do Nosocomial pathogens persist on inanimate surfaces? A systematic review. BMC Infectious Disease. 6:130. Sarmad, M.H Zeiny. 2009. Isolation of some Microorganisms from Bar Soaps and Liquid Soaps in Hospital Environments. Iraqi Journal of pharmaceutical Sciences. 18(1). 18.Muller J.H., J. Hinton. 1941. A protein-free medium for primary isolation of gonococcus and meningococcus. Proceedings of the society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 48:3330-333. 19.M.H.Gordon, T.G.M. Hine. 1016. An experimental study of the cultural requirements of the Meningococcus. British Medical Journal. 2(2916): 678-684. 20.Baure, A.L., M.M. Kirby, J.C Sherris, M. Turck. 1966. Antibiotic susceptibility testing by a standardized single disk method. American Journal of Clinical Pathology. 45:493-896. Not Written in Referrence. Apostolopoulou, E., and Veldekis, D. 2005. Nosocomial bloodstream infections in intensive care unit: excess nursing workload, extra costs. Icus Nurs Web J.. Gupte S. The short text book of medical microbiology.Japyee brothers medical publishers (p) ltd: New Delhi; 2006. 471-473. Weinstein.A.Nosocomial infections Update.www.ftp.cdc.gov/pub/eid/ vol4no3/adobe/weinstein.pdf . March-2006. Weber. Nosocomial infections in the ICU-the growing concern of antibioticresistant pathogen. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/guerv.fcgi. April- 2006. MacFaddin J.F,. 1985. Media for isolation-Cultivation-Identification-Maintenance of Medical Bacteria. Vol.1, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

Marriage is a Sacred Union between Man and Woman Essay -- Gay Marriage

Marriage is Sacred Marriage has always been a sacred agreement between a man and a woman. This definition was written in the Bible and sanctified by God. Our country was founded on the principles of the Bible and therefore should not support an action, such as legalizing gay marriage, which goes against our founding beliefs. When it comes to the issue of gay marriage, Americans have many different views. Research shows that the majority of Americans oppose gay marriage, but when it comes to deciding who should make the laws, Americans are split in half (Bayles 6). 48% of Americans said that the federal government should make the laws and 46% say it should be left to the states (6). This information shows that the majority of Americans have strong opinions about the issue, but don’t know of any way to solve the issue (6). The controversy of gay marriage is seen even in groups who support strong marriages. Author Karen Peterson uses her article to address the issue of how gay marriage sits with the â€Å"marriage movement,† the coalition of professionals dedicated to strengthening marriages (7). This movement has successfully included pro-marriage initiatives across America and formed new high school courses on relationships (Peterson 7). Peterson finds that the â€Å"marriage movement† has many different views within itself and struggles with the question of â€Å"How can one be a proponent of marriage in general but oppose marriages between gays† (7). David Blankenhorn who is the founder of the Institute for American Values and an important member of the coalition, says that they hope to settle the issue and no longer be silent about it. The coalition hopes to participate in and improve the nationa... ... come from this decision. Allowing gays to marry will go against American history and simply cause problems for the people of America now and in the future. Works Cited Bayles, Fred, and Andrea Stone. â€Å"Gay-marriages foes try to stop ‘activist courts.’† USA Today 25 Feb. 2004: 06a. Bennett, William. â€Å"Leave Marriage Alone.† Newsweek 3 June 1996: 27. Breslau, Karen, Brad Stone, Debra Rosenberg and Tamara Lipper. â€Å"Outlaw Vows.† Newsweek 1 Mar. 2004: 40. â€Å"Broken marriages, not gay nuptials, pose risk to kids.† USA Today 23 Feb. 2004: 18a. Peterson, Karen S. â€Å"On gays, ‘marriage movement’ is on both sides of the aisle.† USA Today 4 Aug. 2003: 07d. Sullivan, Andrew. â€Å"Let Gays Marry.† Newsweek 3 June 1996: 26. Taylor, Chris. â€Å"I Do: No You Don’t.† Time 1 Mar. 2004: 3c. â€Å"USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll.† USA Today 24 Feb. 2004: 06d.

Cholesterol Essay examples -- essays research papers

Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's normal to have cholesterol. It's an important part of a healthy body because it's used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, and serves other needed bodily functions. But too high a level of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack. It's also a risk factor for stroke. Hypercholesterolemia is the term for high levels of blood cholesterol. You get cholesterol in two ways. Your body makes some of it, and the rest comes from cholesterol in animal products that you eat, such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, butter, cheese and whole milk. Food from plants — like fruits, vegetables and cereals — doesn't have cholesterol. Some foods that don't contain animal products may contain trans-fats, which cause your body to make more cholesterol. Foods with saturated fats also cause the body to make more cholesterol. Cholesterol and other fats can't dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are two kinds that you need to know about. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as the "bad" cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can clog your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as the "good" cholesterol. Your body makes HDL cholesterol for your protection. It carries cholesterol away from your arteries. Studies suggest that high levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart attack. What's the Difference Between LDL and HDL Cholesterol? Why LDL cholesterol is considered "bad"? When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, it can cause a heart attack or stroke. The levels of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the blood are measured to evaluate the risk of having a heart attack. LDL cholesterol of less than 100 mg/dL is the optimal level. Less than 130 mg/dL is near optimal for most people. A high LDL... ...ce the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is below 200 mg/dL. Half of all Americans age 20 and older have cholesterol levels that are too high (200 mg/dL or higher). The good news is you can make many lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. To reduce cholesterol in your blood, eat foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, lose weight if you need to and exercise for a total of at least 30 minutes on most or all days of the week. Some people may also need to take medicine, because changing their diet isn't enough. If you've been prescribed medication or advised to make lifestyle changes to help manage your cholesterol, carefully follow your doctor's recommendations. Learn the facts about cholesterol have regular screenings and, if you need to lower your cholesterol level, work with your healthcare professionals to set up a plan. Reduce your risk of heart attack — take responsibility for managing your cholesterol levels. By lowering your blood cholesterol level, you'll cut your risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke! Understanding And Controlling Cholesterol By Shelton Davis

Improvement of the International Trade Essay

Introduction Organizations are facing increased global competition, economic uncertainties, and changing markets. Technology is changing the way we conduct business and manage information. Outsourcing of goods and services enables companies to take advantage of lower costs in areas such as labor, energy, land and capital. By doing this, companies hope to lower their overall cost structure, improve profit margins, and enhance product quality, reliability and distribution, thus allowing them to compete more effectively. Suppliers and vendor partners may be located in the same city, region or country. But they are just as likely to be located halfway around the world, adding new challenges to business management. The growth of international strategic partnerships has risen exponentially in the last twenty years. Competing in a global marketplace has made it increasingly important to align business strategies with a risk management strategy that includes strengthening global supply chains and vendor partnerships. In the near future, it is supply chains that will compete, not companies. Global supply chains must be carefully selected and monitored to ensure the competitive edge required to achieve success in the global market place. Typically, the first order of business has been logistics and operations. 1. Logistics moves the entire economy Economic developments in recent years have led to the creation of complex company networks and systems of goods flow – in the process, the globalization of procurement, production and sales as well as the division of labor have increased. In addition, the complexity of international logistics systems in many sectors has grown as a result of increasing product variations and differentiation. Another factor is that many companies are concentrating on their core skills and are reducing their vertical integration. The efficient management of the resulting global flows of goods has boosted both the business and economic significance of logistics. Structure of Global Trade International trade, both in terms of value and tonnage, has been a growing trend in the global economy. It is important to underline when looking at the structure of global trade that it is not nations that are trading, but mostly corporations with the end products mostly consumed by individuals. Inter and intra corporate trade is taking place across national jurisdictions is accounted as international trade. The emergence of the current structure of global trade can mainly be articulated within three major phases: †¢ First phase (immobile factors of production). Concerns a conventional perspective on international trade that prevailed until the 1970s where factors of production were much less mobile. Prior to the end of World War I, global trade was mainly structured by colonial relations. Particularly, there was a limited level of mobility of raw materials, parts and finished products. After World War I international trade became fairly regulated with impediments such tariffs , quotas and limitations to foreign ownership. Trade mainly concerned a range of specific products, namely commodities, (and very few services) that were not readily available in regional economies. Due to regulations, protectionism and fairly high transportation costs, trade remained limited and delayed by inefficient freight distribution. In this context, trade was more an exercise to cope with scarcity than to promote economic efficiency. †¢ Second phase (mobility of factors of production). From the 1980s, the mobility of factors of production, particularly capital, became possible. The legal and physical environment in which international trade was taking place lead to a better realization of the comparative advantages of specific locations. Concomitantly, regional trade agreements emerged and the global trade framework was strengthened from a legal and transactional standpoint (GATT/WTO). In addition, containerization provided the capabilities to support more complex and long distance trade flows, as did the growing air traffic. Due to high production (legacy) costs in old industrial regions, activities that were labor intensive were gradually relocated to lower costs locations. The process began as a national one, then went to nearby countries when possible and afterwards became a truly global phenomenon. Thus, foreign direct investments surged, particularly towards new manufacturing regions as multinational corporations became increasingly flexible in the global positioning of their assets. †¢ Third phase (global production networks). There is a growth in international trade, now including a wide variety of services that were previously fixed to regional markets and a surge in the mobility of the factors of production. Since these trends are well established, the priority is now shifting to the geographical and functional integration of production, distribution and consumption with the emergence of global production networks. Complex networks involving flows of information, commodities, parts and finished goods have been set, which in turn demands a high level of command of logistics and freight distribution. In such an environment, powerful actors have emerged which are not directly involved in the function of production and retailing, but mainly taking the responsibility of managing the web of flows. The global economic system is thus characterized by a growing level of integrated services, finance, retail, manufacturing and nonetheless distribution, which in turn is mainly the outcome of improved transport and logistics, a more efficient exploitation of regional comparative advantages and a transactional environment supportive of the legal and financial complexities of global trade. Trade Facilitation The volume of exchanged goods and services between nations is taking a growing share of the generation of wealth, mainly by offering economic growth opportunities in new regions and by reducing the costs of a wide array of manufacturing goods. By 2007, international trade surpassed for the first time 50% of global GDP, a twofold increase in its share since 1950. The facilitation of trade involves how the procedures regulating the international movements of goods can be improved. It depends on the reduction of the general costs of trade, which considers transaction, tariff, transport and time costs, often labeled as the â€Å"Four Ts† of international trade. United nations estimates have underlined that for developing countries a 10% reduction in transportation cost could be accompanied with a growth of about 20% in international and domestic trade. Thus, the ability to compete in a global economy is dependent on the transport system as well as a trade facilitation framework with activities including: †¢ Distribution-based. A multimodal and intermodal freight transport system composed of modes, infrastructures and terminals that spans across the globe. It insures a physical capacity to support trade and its underlying supply chains. †¢ Regulation-based. Customs procedures, tariffs, regulations and handling of documentation. They insure that trade flows abide to the rules and regulations of the jurisdictions they cross. Cross-border clearance, particularly in developing countries, can be a notable trade impediment with border delays, bottlenecks and long customer clearance times. †¢ Transaction-based. Banking, finance, legal and insurance activities where accounts can be settled and risk mitigated. They insure that the sellers of goods and services are receiving an agreed upon compensation and that the purchasers have a legal recourse if the outcome of the transaction is judged unsatisfactory or is insured if a partial or full loss incurs. The quality, cost, and efficiency of these services influence the trading environment as well as the overall costs linked with the international trade of goods. Many factors have been conductive to trade facilitation in recent decades, including integration processes, standardization, production systems, transport efficiency and transactional efficiency: †¢ Integration processes, such as the emergence of economic blocks and the decrease of tariffs at a global scale through agreements, promoted trade as regulatory regimes were harmonized. One straightforward measure of integration relates to custom delays, which can be a significant trade impediment since it adds uncertainty in supply chain management. The higher the level of economic integration, the more likely the concerned elements are to trade. International trade has consequently been facilitated by a set of factors linked with growing levels of economic integration, the outcome of processes such as the European Union or th e North American Free Trade Agreement. The transactional capacity is consequently facilitated with the development of transportation networks and the adjustment of trade flows that follows increased integration. Integration processes have also taken place at the local scale with the creation of free trade zones where an area is given a different governance structure in order to promote trade, particularly export oriented activities. In this case, the integration process is not uniform as only a portion of a territory is involved. China is a salient example of the far-reaching impacts of the setting of special economic zones operating under a different regulatory regime. †¢ Standardization concerns the setting of a common and ubiquitous frame of reference over information and physical flows. Standards facilitate trade since those abiding by them benefit from reliable, interoperable and compatible goods and services which often results in lower production, distribution and maintenance costs. Measurement units were among the first globally accepted standards (metric system) and the development of information technologies eventually led to common operating and telecommunication systems. It is however the container that is considered to be the most significant international standard for trade facilitation. By offering a load unit that can be handled by any mode and terminal with the proper equipment, access to international trade is improved. †¢ Production systems are more flexible and embedded. It is effectively productive to maintain a network of geographically diversified inputs, which favors exchanges of commodities, parts and services. Information technologies have played a role by facilitating transactions and the management of complex business operations. Foreign direct investments are commonly linked with the globalization of production as corporations invest abroad in search of lower production costs and new markets. China is a leading example of such a process, which went on par with a growing availability of goods and services that can be traded on the global market. †¢ Transport efficiency has increased significantly because of innovations and improvements in the modes and infrastructures in terms of their capacity and throughput. Ports are particularly important in such a context since they are gateways to international trade through maritime shipping networks. As a result, the transferability of commodities, parts and finished goods has improved. Decreasing transport costs does more than increasing trade; it can also help change the location of economic activities. Yet, transborder transportation issues remain to be better addressed in terms of capacity, efficiency and security. †¢ Transactional efficiency. The financial sector also played a significant role in integrating global trade, namely by providing investment capital and credit for international commercial transactions. For instance, a letter of credit may be issued based upon an export contract. An exporter can thus receive a payment guarantee from a bank until its customer finalizes the transaction upon delivery. This is particularly important since the delivery of international trade transactions can take several weeks due to the long distances involved. During the transfer, it is also common that the cargo is insured in the event of damage, theft or delays, a function supported by insurance companies. Also, global financial systems permit to convert currencies according to exchange rates that are commonly set by market forces, while some currencies, such as the Chinese Yuan, are set by policy. Monetary policy can thus be a tool, albeit contentious, used to influence trade. The close relationship between international economic growth and logistics Mobility is a critical condition for gains to be achieved in productivity, growth and employment in a macroeconomic context. The connection between economic growth and demand for product-transporting services is the result of various effects. These effects can clearly show the growing significance of the economic sector of goods distribution: 1 The effect of goods volume For a long time, it was assumed that in highly developed economies fewer and fewer quantities of goods were produced for the macrologistics system and that the transport volume rose at a slower pace than the economy. Today, it can be assumed that the development actually goes in the opposite direction as a result of the increasing inter-company division of labor created by intensified outsourcing in some highly developed countries. Transport intensity – that is, transport performance per production quantity unit – increases for many types of goods. Individual parts or components of a product are transported numerous times during various stages of the value chain, e.g., transports between plants. 2 The effect of goods structure In highly developed economies, the number of high-quality consumer and production goods rises. The share of mass goods, on the other hand, stagnates or even falls. The distribution of goods then shifts to high-quality products that must be shipped quickly. Because of the relatively low costs, road transports Road transport generally benefit. Railroads and inland water transports generally suffer because of their low speed. 3 The effect of logistics Logistics systems constantly undergo optimization. Supply chain management Supply chain management, production-synchronization deliveries that employ just-in-time Just-in-time concepts, the forgoing of storage and global outsourcing are just a few examples of this. But the application of modern logistics concepts affects the economic sector of goods distribution. This is because the new logistics focus of industrial and trade companies has altered the demands placed on the goods-distribution system. Road transports can react relatively flexibly and well to these demands. Railroads and inland water transports have a difficult time making this switch. At the same time, air-freight transports profit from time-critical shipments. 4 The effect of integration The creation of large economic regions gives rise to international, cross-border logistics systems. For instance, the European Union and regulations from the World Trade Organization [World Trade Organization (WTO) have propelled globalization Globalization in the goods-distribution sector. As economic regions spread, cross-border trade expands and the distances that must be covered by logistics systems lengthen. The effect of integration describes the increasing demands placed on the economic sector of goods distribution that are arising from the creation of larger economic regions and cross-border logistics systems. Conclusion: In all likelihood, globalization will continue and intensify. Trade is critical to economic growth and to global development. Trade facilitation has been pointed out as the lowest-hanging fruit in this respect. It has also been argued that logistics services play an important role in matching entrepreneurs in poor countries with foreign customers, whether these are retailers or downstream manufacturers. In particular, as the traditional wholesalers are increasingly being bypassed in modern supply chains, developing countries need to ensure that their entrepreneurs have access to modern intermediaries that can help match local suppliers with foreign buyers and with ensuring that products meet quality as well as time reliability requirements. The future growth of world trade will not be evenly spread, any more than world trade has ever been evenly spread in any period in world history. Individual countries are in very different positions with respect to their ability to benefit from world trade. Part of that is luck – having a coast, and rich neighbors help. But part of it is skill. Countries that are open to world trade, that create the infrastructure, and above all the right attitude, will be best placed to weather the current hiatus more successfully, and to prosper in the years ahead. References: http://www.dhl-discoverlogistics.com/cms/en/course/trends/macroeconomics.jsp http://www.na-businesspress.com/Wisma.pdf http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch5en/conc5en/ch5c2en.html http://www.unece.org.unecedev.colo.iway.ch/fileadmin/DAM/trade/agr/meetings/ge.01/document.r/wppdf.pdf

American Indians and Freedom Essay

American Indians have striven for freedom ceaselessly since the colonization in 1800s. But for different American Indians, the definitions of freedom vary a lot. For the chief Seattle, the writer of AUTHENTIC TEXT OF CHIEF SEATTLE’S TREATY ORATION 1854, the freedom means the rights to live with the nature harmoniously and to keep their religion and traditions. For Carlos Montezuma, the writer of Let My People Go, the definition of freedom is very absolute and stems from political rights. His freedom means the rights of managing the stuffs of American Indians totally without the control of white man. From my point of view, the definition of freedom to American Indians is more close to its political definition because the rights of protecting the holy nature will not be given if they lose the political rights. But I argue that the real freedom does not mean the absolute free. Moreover, the chief Seattle and Carlos Montezuma differ in the issue about whether American Indians should accept the management of colonists. For the chief Seattle, he thinks him and his people can accept the management of colonists on the condition that the colonists will not destroy their holy nature. For Carlos Montezuma, he asks the colonists not to interfere the issue of American Indians because the corrupt management of the colonists. I think that American Indians can accept the management of the colonists if they can own enough political rights. The best way is to contend for a democracy system and government for American Indians rather than just asking for leaving the control of the colonists. It is obvious that the two writers own quite different understandings when they face with the same word—freedom, as I mentioned at the beginning. The writer of AUTHENTIC TEXT OF CHIEF SEATTLE’S TREATY ORATION 1854 shows deep love to his ancestors and the things his ancestors leave for them. He uses â€Å"sacred† to describe its ancestors and â€Å"hallowed ground†, â€Å"verdant valleys†, â€Å"murmuring rivers† and so on to describe his living environment. Also, the writer thinks that their religion is â€Å"the Great Spirit† and gives them in â€Å"solemn hours of the night. † Yet, in the perspectives of these American Indians, the colonists refuse to accept and respect the holy nature and ancestors of Africa Americans. The writer writes, â€Å"Your God is not our God! Your God loves your people and hates mine! † The quote indicates that American Indians in Seattle fear deeply that the colonial rule will ruin their living environment, religion and traditions. Hence, for the writer, their freedom means the respect of their culture. Nevertheless, Carlos Montezuma, the writer of â€Å"Let My People Go†, asks for totally different freedom. He writes, â€Å"The Indian Bureau is the only obstacle that stands in the way that hinders our people’s freedom. †, â€Å"†¦when the Indians will need the most help in this world , †¦ the Indian. Bureau will cease to exist†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"the Indian employees in the Indian Service; their personality is destroyed†¦they have nothing to say. † These quote express the strong willing of American Indians to escape from the control of White Americans because of the corruption of Indian Bureau. So, the definition of freedom to Carlos Montezuma is the rights to express their own willing and achieve more political rights. I quite agree with Carlos Montezuma because he wants to ask for more political rights. Even if the Big Chief at Washington promised that the new colonists will respect the culture of the American Indians in Seattle, he can easily renege on the promise without the political rights or the protection of the law. On the other hand, the chief Seattle and Carlos Montezuma own different attitudes towards the issue about the management of white American. Carlos Montezuma hastily wants to abolish the Indian Bureau system rather than improve the system. Carlos Montezuma writes, â€Å"The Indian Bureau system is wrong. The only way to adjust wrong is to abolish it, and the only reform is to let my people go. † The quote expresses the urgent willing of Carlos Montezuma to stop the run of the wrong system. He owns the opinion to escape the control of White Americans. However, I think that American Indians can accept the management of colonists only if the colonists launch laws to protect the American Indians and give them enough political rights. The opinion of stopping the run of the system is too arbitrary and naive. It is highly possible that a ruder way to manage the American Indians created after the abolition of the old system. Carlos Montezuma cannot accept the management of White Americans at all. But the chief Seattle’s requirements related to the acceptance of the White Americans’ management perhaps is without much consideration. The chief Seattle writes, â€Å"But should we accept it, I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. † The quote has implication that the chief Seattle will accept the colonial rule on the condition that the colonists will not hurt their ancestors, friends and children. And in the same paragraph, the writer emphasizes the importance to protect their holly hillsides, valleys, plains and so on again. I argue that his thoughts and requirements are too premature and primitive. These are the basic rights for human beings. Even these rights are promised to give these American Indiana, they are still far away from freedom, as I regard it. Therefore, the real freedom cannot be achieved either by abolishing a wrong system and totally losing control or by asking for so limited rights and show kindness or obedience to the colonists. Of course, freedom definitely is not what the Chief Seattle thinks. He views freedom as the rights on the foundation of compromise and only asks for poor limited rights. Besides, for me, freedom also is not absolute like Carlos Montezuma thinks. It does not mean you can do what you want without others’ management and totally losing control. Freedom means you can own all the proper political rights under the protection of an impartial system or laws. The most significant issue for the real freedom is to create a right system or laws to protect the rights legally for these American Indians. No matter the chief Seattle or Carlos Montezuma, they both lack in the consciousness to create a right system or laws to protect themselves. If this kind of thing can be done, the existence of India Bureau or the colonial rule of White Americans does not matter to them at all. For this reason, it is so vital for American Indians and also other races to force the society to create a more and more impartial system ceaselessly. Works Cited Carlos Montezuma, â€Å"Let My People Go†: An Address delivered at the conference of the Society of American Indians in Lawrence, Kansas, N. p : n. p ,1915 Dr. Henry A. Smith, AUTHENTIC TEXT OF CHIEF SEATTLE’S TREATY ORATION 1854, N. p : n. p ,1887.

Richard Branson Leadership Essay

Introduction I have chosen to write the profile of a Business leader who I admire on Richard Branson. Branson is a English business magnate, best known as the founder and chairman of Virgin Group of more than 400 companies. According to Wagner and Hollenback (2009), leadership is ‘the use of non-coercive and symbolic influence to direct and coordinate the activities of the members of an organised group toward the accomplishment of group objectives. According to Clark (2010), there are three main leadership styles. These are autocratic, democratic and laissez faire. In order to be an effective leader, managers should use all three leadership styles. A good leader should be able to judge which leadership style is most appropriate in a given situation. Research carried out by the University of Michigan and Ohio State University suggests that there are a number of behavioural and leadership theories. These theories outline different aspects of a leader’s behaviour or leadership style which may differentiate those who are effective leaders from those who are not. For example, the University of Michigan identified two general classes of supervisory behaviour. These are employee oriented and job production oriented behaviours. Research carried out by the Ohio State University is very similar to the above piece of research. They identify the two classes of supervisory behaviour styles as a considerate style i.e. employee oriented and an initiating structure style i.e. job production oriented. Similarly to the two above pieces of research, Fiedler identifies two different leadership styles. These are relationship motivated leaders i.e. employee oriented/considerate style and task motivated leaders i.e. job production oriented/initiating structure style. Another piece of research conducted by House identifies four different behavioural styles. They are as follows: directive leadership, supportive leadership, participative leadership and achievement oriented leadership. In order for a manager to be an effective leader they must also be able to perform their roles effectively. A modern leader has fourteen main roles. Richard Branson’s Profile Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born on the 18th of July 1950 in Blackheath, London. In his youth, Branson was not an impressive student. He was dyslexic and near-sighted, but he could always make things happen. When  he was seventeen, attending school at Stowe, Richard and a classmate started a magazine, Student . When doing an interview with The Guardian he stated â€Å" it was aimed at giving young people a voice on key issues such as the Vietnam War†. He sold  £6,000 worth of advertising in its first edition, which was launched in 1966. The first run of 50,000 copies was disseminated for free, after Branson covered the costs with advertising. This was important business and sales experience for Branson and what he learnt during this time benefited him over time. While running the Student from a basement in London, Richard noticed that stores were not discounting records. Richard began to run ads in the Student offering records at discount prices. The orders flooded in and record sales soon became more profitable than subscription sales. Richard quickly set up an office above an old shoe store and Virgin was born (http://www.lemonadestories.com/virgin.html). The name â€Å"Virgin† was suggested by one of Branson’s early employees because they were all new at business. It was from this point that the Virgin brand grew. Earning enough money from his record store, Branson in 1972 launched the record label Virgin Records with Nik Powell and bought a country estate, in which he installed a recording studio. Mike Oldfield, whose debut album Tubular Bells (1973) was Virgin Records’ first release and a chart-topping best-seller. Virgin Records had other notable artists such as â€Å"The Sex Pistols† and â€Å"Culture Club†. n 1992, to keep his airline company afloat, Branson sold the Virgin label to EMI for  £500 million. Virgin Atlantic had its inaugural flight in 1984 on its then only route between London and New York. After adding a route from Gatwick to Miami in 1986, Virgin Atlantic celebrated its 1,000,00th passenger in 1987. In 2011 Virgin Atlantic carried 5.3 million passengers, making it the eighth largest UK airline in terms of passenger volume. Branson has added other airlines to his Virgin empire such as Virgin Express which operates in Brussles, Virgin Australia and Virgin America. Not being one to shy away from a challenge Branson has had many other ambitious business ventures such as Virgin Vodka, Virgin Cola, the gay night club Heaven, Virgin Cosmetics, Virgin Money, Virgin Cars, F1 team Virgin Racing and most famously Virgin Galactic which plans to provide sub-orbital spaceflights to space tourists, suborbital launches for space science missions and orbital launches of small satellites. He himself frequently  states that all of these ventures are â€Å"calculated risks† which is hard to argue against seeing as Branson is the 4th richest citizen of the United Kingdom, according to the Forbes 2011 list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of US$4.2 billion. Bransons ambitious and risky are not just limited to the business world as he has broke several world records and attempted many more, for example he completed the first balloon flight across the Atlantic in 1996. All these business and adventuring feats make Branson a truly admiral business leader role model. Branson’s Career and Leadership Style Branson’s career has been hugely successful from leaving school at 16 to go on to become the 4th richest U.K. resident is remarkable. Branson is clear in his book â€Å"Screw it, let’s do it† (2007) about how he has achieved this: â€Å"I have no secret. There are no rules to follow in business. I just work hard and, as I always have done, believe I can do it† With this being said he has combatted the tediousness of working hard by indulging himself in whatever he does, taking a genuine interest and having fun with it: â€Å"A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.† Bransons leadership style is undeniably democratic. Although a democratic leader will the final decision, he or she invites other members of the team to contribute to the decision-making process. This is not only increase job satisfaction by involving employees or team meam members in what’s going on, but it also helps develop people’s skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own destiny, such as the promotion they desire and so are motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. Branson professes this in an interview with Kets De Vries (1998) : â€Å": I’m absolutely certain that it’s a question of the kind of people you have, and the way you motivate them. I’m sure that’s what makes any company successful. If you can motivate your people, use their creative potential, you can get through bad times and you can enjoy the good times together. If you fail to motivate your people, your company is doomed†¦.If your employees are happy and smiling and enjoying their work, they will perform well. Consequently, the customers wiIl enjoy their experience with your com- pany. If your employees are sad and miserable and not  having a good time, the customers will be equally miserable.† In the same interview Branson says he often rewards employees: â€Å"We like to reward our key performers for their creative contribution†¦ I suppose that we have made maybe 15 or 20 multimillionaires through this structure.† Branson applies this personal approach when assessing new business like when Virgin Money took over Northern Bank: â€Å"When we launched Virgin Money, I met with staff members at branches up and down the country. The insight those visits gave me were priceless. If I ever needed convincing that investing in a bank was the right thing to do, well, the stories I heard that week confirmed it. To see so many employees enthusiastic and proud to be working for Virgin made me even more excited about the future of our bank. We very much wanted Virgin Money to be the start of something different, and it was great to see that everyone was onboard. I’ve found that if you ensure that your staff and customers are happy and that your product or service is of good quality, the finances often take care of themselves.† What I could learn from Sir Richard Branson Through my study of Branson I have took many snippets of advice which I hope to use during my career in business after I complete my studies. Branson is an avid ambassador for his democratic style of leadership: â€Å"Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can’t be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them.’ This is definitely a characteristic I want to weave into my leadership fibre. This approach has served Virgin well over the years as in his book, Branson (2009), he mentions a positive outside perspective of working for Virgin which is echoed by the agreement of Virgin staff who enjoy working there. â€Å"Virgin people have told me that at the end of a tiring day, when they are off duty, having a drink in the pub, or a meal, they’re occasionally asked where they work. When they say, â€Å"With Virgin,† the enquirer usually replies, â€Å"Lucky you! That must be a great place to work!† Our staffs usually agrees.† In addition to this extracted advice he gives open advice to anyone who wants  to join him in being an entrepreneur. Forbes magazine (2012) pitched Sir Branson the question â€Å"What are your top three pieces of advice for young entrepreneurs?† to which he responded: â€Å"1. Create a strong culture of excellence – roll up your sleeves and work alongside your staff and take care of them. 2. Don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself if it helps your business. 3. Find ways to equally prioritize people, planet and profits – because it CAN be done.† These three points offer up key things to take on board if you are to succeed. Have high standards to give you an edge over competition and if needs be work on the ground level with your staff to set an example of how you expect things to be done. Take risks even if there is a chance it may make you look silly if it fails, it could help your business and you should lose your ego for the sake of your business. And finally your staff are your greatest resource, environmental and ethical procedures should be taken, Branson has become environmentally aware ever since a speech Al Gore gave him and he has even set up a green fuel business, and do all you can to ensure your business is running profitably. He insists these three things can be done together.Branson is a master marketer and communicator. Forbes (2012), When Richard Branson had the idea of launching Virgin Atlantic, he pitched it to his fellow directors who had no previous experience in the airline business. He delivered the idea simply, concisely, and effectively. Branson offers leaders and entrepreneurs this advice: â€Å"It is vitally important to present a clear, concise plan that investors can easily understand and repeat to their own people. In the first meeting avoid overly complicated, numbers-laden presentations.† Presentations are supposed to be about getting your point across effectively, you could have the most statistical, graphically stunning and hilariously funny presentation to have ever been seen but if the people you are pitching it to don’t come out of that meeting 100% sure what the point you were trying to make was and interested in your idea then you have failed in your objective.As well as learning from Branson’s successes and teachings, there is equally as much to learn from his failings. He expresses this himself: â€Å"You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.† Branson’s book â€Å"Business stripped bare† even has a whole chapter called â€Å"Damage Report†. One anecdote goes as follows: â€Å"I was nineteen years old and driving a shipment of records to Belgium when I stumbled on the fact that records  bought in Great Britain that were intended for export were not subject to purchase tax. So I bought the records I needed, pretended they were export, and then sold them to British customers. The whole ploy involved driving four Transit vans loaded with records to Dover, taking them to France, then returning on the next ferry with the records still on board. It not only was illegal, it was really pretty stupid. In May 1969, I was caught red handed by HM Custom and Excise†¦ But I learned a very important lesson: never do anything that means you can’t sleep at night.† This is a huge piece of advice and something we can learn from and hopefully avoid from encountering ourselves. It cost Richard  £60,000 and took almost 3 years for him to patch up such a loss. Illegal doings can almost certainly cost a business its existence and shouldn’t even be thought about. Conclusion Michael Walenius (2010) concludes in his analyses of Branson’s leadership that â€Å"Sir Richard has got a very high degree of consideration and participation in what he does, but at the same time he is very involved in the structure setting at the start of a new business. He is definitively a relationship-oriented leader who is good at aligning people and giving them emotional support and encouragement. He seems to fall into the segment of being a participative and consultative leader. His very strong charisma seems to make anyone listen and follow him.† I find it extremely difficult to disagree with this evaluation. Branson is an iconic leader who prioritises his employees and their well-being. He follows his belief that a happy employee will work harder, create a happier and better working environment, infect customers with their pleasantness, resulting with a happy and loyal customer who then by word of mouth praise the business leading to increased revenue. He is extremely insightful with his advice on presentations, assessing business opportunities and acknowledging and learning from your mistakes. With an estimated wealth of  £4.3 billion, 400+ companies under his name including the 7th biggest airline in the U.K., the first commercial space travel business and most importantly a well-respected name that’s held in high regard in the public eye Branson truly is the business leader who I most admire and most envy. References: Books: Wagner, J.A. and Hollenback, J.R. (2009) Organizational Behaviour: Securing Competitive Advantage, Michigan: Taylor and Francis Richard Branson (2009) Business Stripped Bare: Adventures of a Global Entrepreneur. London. Virgin Books.Branson, Richard (29 March 2007). Screw It, Let’s Do It. London. Virgin Books Websites: Clark, D. (2010) ‘Leadership Styles’ [online] (Cited 3 February 2012) Available from Kets De Vries (1998) Charisma in Action: (online) (cited 2 December 2012) Available from < http://molar.crb.ucp.pt/cursos/2%C2%BA%20Ciclo%20-%20Mestrados/Gest%C3%A3o/2007-09/DGRH/Papers/Charisma%20in%20action%20PPP.pdf> Richard Branson (2012) Richard Branson on How to Delegate Control of Your Finances (online) (cited on 2 December 2012) Available from < http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/224879> Carmine Gallo (2011) Richard Branson: The One Skill Leaders Need to Learn (online) (cited 2 December) Available from < http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2011/06/29/richard-branson-the-one-skill-leaders-need-to-learn/> Michael Walenius (2010) The leadership style of Sir Richard Branson (online) (cited 2 December) Available from < http://michael.walenius.com/?p=141>