Essay on Confucianism - 2000 Words

Confucianism A philosopher named Confucius founded Confucianism in China 2,500 years ago. Confucianism is a system of ethical behavior and social responsibility that became the great traditions of the East.1 It played an important role in the evolution in Chinese culture over the centuries. It has influenced near-by countries and had made a mark in the history of religion. There are today over six million people who call themselves Confucianists. Most Confucianists live in East Asia where Confucianism is thought to be born. For over two thousand years, Confucianism has been the dominant philosophical system of Chinese government, which has still a great hold on their people. Because Chinese culture has spread to the counties of†¦show more content†¦Throughout his governmental career, he was promoted several times. Later he became Grand Secretary of Justice and, at age 56, he became Chief Minister of Lu. Because of Confucius? increasing power, many nearby countries became worried that Lu would over power them. They sent messengers with gifts and dancers to distract the Duke during a sacrifice holiday and the Duke later abounded his duties. When Confucius received word of this, he resigned and left the country. Confucius spent the next five years of his life wandering China with his disciples until he was able to send messenger to the sympathetic king of a nearby country, who sent his own band of soldiers to rescue them 2. At the age of 67, Confucius returned to Lu where he spent the rest of his years teaching until he died at 72. Teachings The teaching of Confucius still has a great effect on the culture of China today. His followers wrote down all of his teachings after his death and have been translated into many different languages so that the entire world may benefit from them. Below are some examples from the Analects, Book 4.  · Roger T. Ames: The Master said, ?The authoritative person (ren) alone has the wherewithal to properly discriminate the good person from the bad.?  · E. Bruce Books: The Master said, It is only the rvn who can like others; who can hate others. Page 2  · Lionel Giles: Only he who has the spirit of goodness within him is ableShow MoreRelatedConfucianism : Taoism, Confucianism, And Confucianism1156 Words   |  5 PagesRaymond Cho EALC 350 October 29, 2014 Professor Birge Which philosophy: Taoism, Confucianism, or Legalism would be best in your opinion for maintaining a peaceful society? Why? Perhaps there is no single philosophy that can create a truly peaceful society. The conundrum of choosing a philosophy to embody a peaceful society is rather complicated, as the ideologies of the philosophies often differ greatly from their real world application. Debates over ideologies can create global scale problemsRead MoreChristianity And Confucianism : Confucianism2203 Words   |  9 PagesChristianity and Confucianism Christianity and Confucianism are important religions today at least according to the Chinese. As a result, the rising influence brought about by Confucianism in China tends to trigger conflicts between the two religions. The Chinese society is greatly influenced by Confucianism, which has a considerable impact on Christianity as a religion in China. The modes of thinking associated with Confucianism are evident in the Chinese Christianity, but Confucianism ideas are deeplyRead MoreConfucianism, Taoism, And Confucianism1277 Words   |  6 Pagesmain philosophies: Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism. These beliefs helped shape Chinese culture as well as Chinese history. Not only did people believe in these ideas, but the three helped to govern the mighty Chinese dynasties. These dynasties all provided an impact to each doctrine; the philosophy that had the greatest impact was legalism because it ended the Warring States Period, provided structure, and strengthened agriculture, and the military of China. Although Confucianism, Taoism and LegalismRead MoreA Short History Of Confucianism And Confucianism1196 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Dimick 23 November 2014 A Short History of Confucianism Confucianism is a way of life propagated by the Chinese philosopher Confucius in the 6th–5th century BCE, and it has been followed by the Chinese for more than 2000 years. Although Confucianism as changed over time, at its core, it is still places the same emphasis on the substance of learning, the source of values, and the social code of the Chinese. Additionally, the influence of Confucianism has extended to other countries such as KoreaRead MoreDifferences Between Confucianism And Confucianism1084 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosophies were similar, like their beliefs about man and society; their ideas were a little bit different and each had their own focus. The difference in focus between Confucianism and Taoism is that Confucianism was focused on having a structured society. It held as a principle the brotherhood of humanity. The opinion of Confucianism in humans was that for humans to live in harmony with each other there needed to be a type of hierarchy in place. That†™s why he had the five Confucian relationships inRead MoreEssay on Confucianism1052 Words   |  5 PagesConfucianism What is Confucianism? Confucianism was the single most important thing in Chinese life. It affected everything in China; education, government, and attitudes toward behavior in public and private life. Confucianism is not a religion, but it is more a philosophy and a guide to morality and good government. The Laozian and Mohist critiques of the Confucianism are both in an accurate fashion. Most significant value from Lazi is The Tao Te Jing. It is true that, while ConfucianismRead More Confucianism Essay2049 Words   |  9 Pages Confucianism Mencius vs Hsun Tzu nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Is man naturally good or is he evil? This question has not only been pondered by countless philosophers, but also by religious leaders around the world. Most often a single religious faith believes in either one or the other, and often these beliefs tend to create a certain world-view which dictates much of the faith. However, in some cases such as the one I will be discussing, two religious dignitaries do not agree and the repercussionsRead MoreContributions Of Confucianism1034 Words   |  5 PagesConfucius was a great Chinese philosopher, but he was also a teacher, editor, and politician. He was born on September 28, 551 BC, and died in 479 BC. He was most well known as Confucius, but his real name is Kong Qiu. After his death, Confucianism became the official imperial philosophy of China. Later after his death, he was regarded as a sage who deserved greater recognition, and his teachings became more popular. He accomplished many great things in his life, and died a successful man. Read MoreIs Confucianism A Religion?1595 Words   |  7 PagesIs Confucianism A Religion? Without a doubt, Confucius is regarded as one of the greatest sages of China history. Some people even refer to him as a deity. There have even been attempts to make Confucianism into a religion. However, present day people regard Confucius as an ethical teacher rather than a man of religious faith, and they refuse to believe that Confucianism is a religion. However, in order to determine whether Confucianism is a religion, the most important Confucian text, The AnalectsRead MoreMengzi And Confucianism817 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the oldest philosophies in Chinese history is Confucianism. At the time of the warring states, Confucius wandered throughout China seeking a ruler who accepted the Confucian way. Since then, his ideas grew and are still relevant today. Throughout time other philosophers, Mengzi and Xunzi, have interpreted Confucius’ teachings and have long debated whether human nature is good or bad. I argue that human nature is not, as Mengzi believes, inhere ntly good, instead, completely self-interested

Reasons For New Independence - 948 Words

Thomas Paines Common Sense pamphlet is an argument for American independence. There is talk on how when the settlers first came to America they still when by the English government and did not create there own. Also how he dislikes monarchies and how he views government should be or how he proposes it. He also talks how people who are rulers of monarchies have the power like God there devine right to be in the place that they are in. Then he goes into how America can not recosol ties with Great-Britain due to that in the future there will be more problems than there are at the moment and it could cause problems for there traid. Through time things had changed since the settlers came to the new world. When the settlers first came to the new world they came from England, arriving with their English ways of seeing government with and with their notions of government centered around it. They did not choose to create an new government from scratch but just went off on what they all alre ady had connecting the English government in the process. There and idea that is put into our view that if you were to put a people into a secluded place they would â€Å"in this state of natural liberty, society will be their first thought† (4). In this Pain is trying to say that normally when someone is free they naturally make a society that has a government, but through still having English ideals and a connection to England that is not possible to lose their connection to be unique.Show MoreRelated The Goals of the Declaration of Independence Essay1062 Words   |  5 PagesThe Goals of the Declaration of Independence The American Revolution was not only a battle between the British and the colonists; it was a historical movement that brought about new ways of thinking. The ideas of liberty and equality began to be seen as essential to the growth of the new nation. The separation of the American colonies from the British Empire occurred for a number of reasons. These reasons are illustrated in the Declaration of Independence. Although Thomas Jefferson wroteRead MoreIdeals : The Age Of Reason And The Declaration Of Independance Essay863 Words   |  4 Pagesin the Age of Reason Led to the Declaration of Independance In the Age of Reason, writers were most interested in logical arguments. They focused on faith and valued reason and order. The important writers in the Age of Reason were mostly political figures, so the writing concentrated on equality, individualism and self governance. The Declaration of Independence also focuses on equality and self governance by giving people their individual rights. The ideals of the Age of Reason shaped the DeclarationRead MoreCommon Sense: An Influence on American Independence Essay1228 Words   |  5 PagesWhat would influence you to fight for American Independence? Would your familys’ views, your friend’s views, or the views of a political pamphlet influence you? In the beginning of the American Revolution, a man by the name of Thomas Paine wrote a political pamphlet that would influence many Americans to fight for independence from Britain. Thomas Pain used several ideas that include government is a necessary evil, America will event ually be independent, Britain will always oppress the AmericanRead More American Independence Essay678 Words   |  3 PagesThe British colonies of north America declared their independence primarily for political reasons to what extent do you agree with this statement? The original 13 colonies of the United States of America were in desperation of independence and the advantages of leading a long, successful, happy life. In colonial times words like ?tyranny,? ?enslavement,? ?entrapment? and ?slavery? were part of the cultural norm. These words were common place and often used to describe the British control overRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence By The United States1106 Words   |  5 PagesThe setting of the Declaration of Independence was the United States. It was declared on July 4, 1776. After the Boston tea party rebellion the United states wanted their independence. One will describe why the declaration of independence was written. What lead to the cause for writing such a document. The leaders who wrote the declaration. And what the colony was going through for it to lead to the circumstances. One will look at how England was treating the colonies that made them want to be theirRead MoreExploring the Mexican Independence from Spain Essay902 Words   |  4 Pagesextent was Mexico’s independence from Spain a â€Å"full-scale assault on dependency†? This essay will investigate how the Mexican independence from Spain was only slightly a â€Å"full-scale assault on dependency†, due to several political and social conflicts. Firstly, Mexico remained a monarchy (but not under the control of Spain) after the insurgency. Secondly, there was still an official state religion in Mexico. Another reason is because social conflicts reduced the desire for independence .On the other handRead MoreThe Indian Independence Movement Of India1129 Words   |  5 PagesI am going to be focusing in on the later half on the Indian independence movement (1918-1947) leading up till the riots that caused the partition of India. This means that I will be analyzing the complete territory of India that was present during that time period. There are several reasons I am focusing in on this time period. First I will be r esearching about the independence movement which eventually led to the Indian Independence Act of 1947 and then see how that leads to the partition of IndiaRead MoreEssay on It’s Time to Put The Independence Back In Independence Day798 Words   |  4 PagesIt’s Time to Put The Independence Back In Independence Day â€Å"Jefferson and Washington fought a war for the principle of independence, meaning the moral right of an individual to live his own life as he sees fit.† - Michael S. Berliner Every Fourth of July Americas cities and towns fill with parades and fireworks, celebrating the Fourth of July, the birthday of America. But one hopes that--on the next Independence Day--the speeches will contain fewer bromides and more attention to exactlyRead MoreThe Declaration of Independence1200 Words   |  5 Pages The Declaration of Independence is one of the most remarkable documents of the United States of America. The elaborate document contains almost fourteen-hundred words including a basic structure divided into two parts and within the two divided parts contains four main ideas within seven components. The declaration is not just any standard written document; it is a work of art painted by colonists who are driven by rage because of King George III of Great Britain injustices’ toward the coloniesRead MoreWhy Is It Important for External Auditors to Be Independent? Relate Your Answer to the Primary Role of External Auditors. Give Examples of Specific Ways the Lack of Auditor Independence May Impact Adversely on an Audit.1638 Words   |  7 Pagesauditor independence may impact adversely on an audit. In 2001, there was an event that had shaken the whole business world. The crash of Enron in US, followed by worldwide collapse of its auditor, Arthur Andersen. It was a greatest corporate failure uncovered in business history. Follow the Enron-Andersen scandal, massive organizations like WorldCom, Xerox and Waste Management confront a similar fate. The debate rested on the issue of audit independence , that is

Significance of Service Encounter-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Service Marketing. Answer: Introduction In all the service industries, the experience that the client has with the brand chooses its potential. The premise on which the brand would be reviewed would be the service experiences or the exposures of the client that they have in terms of communications with the brand. In this way, for any service based associations, the organization should take a gander at enhancing the client benefits which are the main zones where there is a current communication with the client (Coffee Shop Ruled Related Business, Gift Shop Held Functionally Related Business, 2017 The chosen service organisation for the study is the Starbucks coffee shop in Australia. Source: (Caudwell, 2011) Significance of service encounter The above flow chart shows how different processes are carried out for providing the customer with a great servicing experience. All of these encounters would be directly including the client like taking the order, giving out the bill to him and asking for the feedback. Starbucks has to deal with these in an effective manner so that the service encounter becomes better. The service encounters have to designed in such a manner that The businesses are able to change the neutral emotional encounters of clients which they have while entering the premises, into the positive one (Ventola, 2005). It is important to have a great service encounter so that business can build up a great reputation and on from the scene. That Eurasian or waiting line has impact on the encounter off client and the servicing start fasting sure that the client is made of Time taken for their order. This would make the clients to perceive a control on the proceedings. Every service interaction is an opportunity for Starbucks to show that their brand is the best and each off the positive encounter reinforces the brand image. This way or that service and counter can make Starbucks to be the favourite brand of the customer. The business has to maximise the use of the service and counters in interaction with the clients and understanding of the demands, wishes so that the services can be offered accordingly (Fitch, 2011). The service and counter is important as it acts as an ideal platform to get the feedback from clients, based on which the necessary improvisations can be made as and when required. The experience course alludes to a progression of experiences ideal from the time a client comes to take the service. The experience course can be vital as any experience can be basic, as it decides consumer loyalty and dependability (Schmenner, 1995). In case it's the initial association of the client then the underlying collaboration will be the early introduction. In this way, these collaborations must be given significance, as they are basic and impacts client's impression of the association. For instance, a client requiring the repair service may change to some other organization on the off chance that he is put on hold for quite a while or even treated impolitely. Regardless of the possibility that the specialized quality of that firm is unrivalled, the firm may not get an opportunity to substantiate themselves before the client. At the point when the client has had numerous communications with firm, each experience will be essential as it will make a consolidated picture of th at firm. Numerous positive encounters will give a picture of "high calibre" and many negative encounters will speak to an awful picture. Mix of positive and negative connections will leave the client befuddled about the quality (Zhang, Dou and Chen, 2013). It is proposed that not all experiences are similarly essential in building long haul relations. For each association, certain experiences can go about as a key to consumer loyalty. For instance, in a coffee shop setting, an investigation of clients uncovered that experiences with the servicing staff were more critical in anticipating the consumer loyalty (Hollis, 2002). As it is properly said "one rotten one can demolish the entire wicker bin of apples." The same applies in this as well; one negative experience can push the client away, regardless of what number of experiences had occurred before. So a firm needs to give a considerable measure of significance to such experiences. However a few experiences are more basic. For instance, a client who has been utilizing a coffee shop services for almost 15 years is very content with the service. He has a colossal store and many records. One fine morning, when he leaves the bank the guard approaches AUD5 for stopping charges of his car. He goes inside the coffee shop and advises the worker at the counter, who guides him to the officer. The officer guides him to the Manager, who says he is vulnerable as this is another approach of the coffee shop. The client who was so content with the coffee shop services chooses to switch to any other coffee selling outlet. Analysis of managerial Implications As stated above, the business must make use of the service encounters in attaining the customersin whole. Just like other practices, the encounters in the service industry can't be reviewed only on the basis of any method medical calculations. There are various qualitative aspects which also influence the service encounters. The managerial implications that these encounters can have might be straightforwardly impacting the return oninvestment andmarket shares. This is so because the encounters havedirectimpact on theclientsdecision regarding the brand. This holds good particularly in the example of hospitality brand where the trust is important and most of the businessesare formed onbasisof word of mouth.Generallyall thecoffee shopsof present-day are similar but they can excel or do betterthenothers in terms of the services being offered. The management has to be aware of different service interactions that the clients will have while placingorderor while handling any transaction. Th is way the management must be clear on what all can haveimpacton the clients in a negative way. The improvements have to be done to ensure that the clients get to know of the completeness of the procedure former the timetakenand quality that would be ensured so that there is no ambiguity (Giesbrecht, Schwabe and Schenk, 2016). This makes the management clear on what all can haveimpacton the clients in a negative way. The improvements have to be done to ensure that the clients get to know of the completeness of the procedure former the timetakenand quality that would be ensured so that there is no ambiguity (Hanser, 2012). This way the management can get assistance inreductionof the expenses and efforts which can be there due to reworking. The lesser of reworks and lesser of ambiguity will bring in higher satisfaction. Starbucks can also make use of these encounters to up-sell different services that are offered by. There has been adequate and lots of systems and checking developments by other businesses to manage the demand and requirements of the business however very less effort has been there for implementing the same in an effective manner. When the psychological dimension is added to the service sector then it would increase the brand loyalty and clients who are contented and delighted with the service will actually reference the same to additional clients so that a great brand image can be played. Also the Internet transactions where the clients do not have direct involvement have to be considered in order that the complete service encounter is a great one and in an organised manner. The businesses are nowadays putting in lots of money for promotion of the brand by different channels, in case they manage to make their service part to be the best then they can actually do the minds of clients with very less expenditures and that also for a huge time span. Conclusion For service associations the communication between front?line work force and the client is essential as they intend to make superb service experiences (Svensson, 2004). Much research has concentrated on attempts by associations to teach the "right" sort of disposition in their front?line workers. This is the perfect open door for the organizations in guaranteeing that they leave a positive effect with the clients. This task would be taking a gander at the effect that service experiences have on hospital industry by taking a genuine circumstance that occurs in Starbucks and the path in which these can be handled. References Caudwell, J. (2011). Starbucks in the Stacks.The Serials Librarian, 61(3-4), pp.321-322. Coffee Shop Ruled Related Business, Gift Shop Held Functionally Related Business. (2017).Bruce R. Hopkins' Nonprofit Counsel, 34(5), pp.4-4. Fitch, K. (2011). Developing professionals: student experiences of a real-client project.Higher Education Research Development, 30(4), pp.491-503. Giesbrecht, T., Schwabe, G. and Schenk, B. (2016). Service encounter thinklets: how to empower service agents to put value co-creation into practice.Information Systems Journal, 27(2), pp.171-196. Hanser, A. (2012). Class and the Service Encounter: New Approaches to Inequality in the Service Work-place.Sociology Compass, 6(4), pp.293-305. Hollis, S. (2002). Capturing the Experience: Transforming Community Service into Service Learning.Teaching Sociology, 30(2), p.200. Schmenner, R. (1995).Service operations management. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Svensson, G. (2004). A customized construct of sequential service quality in service encounter chains: time, context, and performance threshold.Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 14(6), pp.468-475. Ventola, E. (2005). Revisiting Service Encounter Genre Some Reflections.Folia Linguistica, 39(1-2). Zhang, S., Dou, W. and Chen, J. (2013). A service evaluation method for cross-cloud service choreography.Concurrency and Computation: Practice and Experience, 27(9), pp.2373-2389.

The Impact of Project Management in Information Systems free essay sample

The explosion in the computing field in the last twenty years forced the organisations to be computerised for achieving most of their operations using Information Technology (IT) systems. The implementation of the systems requires a management program for the IS applications development. Susan Brock (2003) supports that as the data into valuable corporate information has become more viable through information technologies, the application of IT based projects has risen too (Susan Brock, 2003). The organisations use Information System Projects for either updating, or either upgrading or changing the existing system in order to meet users or customers’ requirements. It is supposed that the tools and techniques used in such IS projects will differ independently based on the projects’ requirements. The roles and responsibilities of each contributor to the projects differ as well. The organisations responded to this new challenge by putting into place project management teams that take into account the technological and organisational complexity of their Information System Projects (Vital Roy, 2006). We will write a custom essay sample on The Impact of Project Management in Information Systems or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The management of a software development project presents many difficulties. Most Information Systems projects are considered less than successful or many are simply cancelled. Project Management has been introduced as a major factor for controlling and tracking their projects in order to avoid these project failures. On the other hand many IS projects are successful when are completed on time, on budget, on scope and met the customers and users needs and requirements. This could happen by investigating and analysing the key elements of project management required for the successful implementation of these projects. 2. Project Management in IS projects As it stated above, Project Management is the most important tool for managing, tracking and controlling the projects. David Dixon (1988) defined Project Management as the management tool for estimating, planning, scheduling the activities needed to achieve the expected levels of functionality, quality and performance within the specified constraints for cost, time, schedules and resources (David Dixon, 1988). These activities divided into different tasks which must be assigned to the project team and be controlled by the project manager. Although most of the projects are successful, delivered on time and covered the appropriate requested requirements, some of the projects are considered less than successful and many are simply challenged or cancelled. According to the study of Susan Brock (2003), projects’ failures have reduced significantly considering the number of projects has almost doubled between 1994 and 2002, however almost half of the projects remain â€Å"challenged† (Susan Brock, 2003). During the years, IT professionals researched and studied different situations and suggest some key elements and theories for the successful implementation of IS projects such as the documentation of the Project Initiation Document (PID), the important role of the project manager, the project planning, project quality, etc. 1. Organisational Framework First of all an important section to be investigated and analysed is the organisational framework which considers the organisational structure for IS project work. The organisational framework is established at the outset and well understood by all concerned since otherwise it will be impossible to get important decisions made and to get a clear idea about the project (James Cadle and Donald Yeates, 2001). It is very important to know the customer, sponsor and project manager of each project because they are all responsible to make the most important decisions for the project. The other various roles may be organised in different ways, depending on a number of factors including the type of the project and culture of the rganisation. The other principal roles for an IS project could be the analyst, designer, administrator, programmer, testing team and project office. The PRINCE project management method is suggested for the best organisational framework either in the start or during the process of the project. Projects in Controlled Environment (PRINCE) is a structured approach to project management developed by the UK government (James Cadle an d Donald Yeates, 2001). It was originally intended for the management of IS projects and offers a number of beneficial documents in the management of IS projects such as Project Initiation Document (PID), Risk Log Document, Project Quality Plan, Stage Plan Document, Work Plan Document, etc. 2. Project Manager Another key element, may be the most important, is the project manager. The project manager is appointed by the project board of the organisation and is responsible for the management of the project on a daily basis and for the achievement for the project objectives and expected results. . Role and Skills The project manager is totally responsible for the success or failure of the whole project. The role of the project manager is very important, serious and complicated. James Cadle and Donald Yeates (2001) believe that project manager must track, monitor and check the project every day through to completion and also has to: ? Achieve the project’s objectives on time, on cost and quality constrai nts imposed by the project board. ? Take or make timely decisions to assure the project’s success ? Select project team members Create the project team and be ready for any changes in the team during project process. ? Keep the project board and senior management informed of progress and alert them to problems especially if these could affect the organisations’ or business objectives. ? Recommend the termination of the project if necessary. ? Take role of the communicator between the project board, senior management and project team. ? Select, manage and control subcontractors. ? Give permissions about the internal and external resources decided to be used in the project. ? Face and solve any problems or conflicts during the project’s process Generally, the project manager in an IS project has to create a product usually a new IS system incorporating hardware and software. As it stated above project manager should go through a difficult role to achieve the project’s objectives, however some skills are required in order to be a successful project manager such as: ^ Leadership: project managers must be able to stimulate action, progress and change. ^ Technological: project managers need to have a clear idea and accurate perception of the technical requirements of the project so that business needs are addressed and satisfied. Evaluation and decision making: project managers should have the ability to take serious decisions and evaluate alternatives. The members should be developed from a group of individuals, each with their own interests, style and goals, into a project team that works together to achieve the project’s objectives and requirements using the each other’s strengths. The most original and useful method of team effectiveness is Belbin Test, created by Dr. Meredith Belbin, which includes questionnaires for measuring aspects of personality completed by project team’s members. The scores from the questionnaires will help the project manager to assign the team members into the eight â€Å"team roles† suggested by the Belbin Method. According to the definitions given in the Belbin Test Document the eight project team roles are: ? Coordinator: provides consensual leadership, coordinating project team’s effort however lacking in originality. ? Shaper: A dynamic leader of the team, pushing activities forward and bringing â€Å"shape† to the team. The Shaper can be inspiring but can also be abrasive. ? Innovator: A source of original and a creative team member but sometimes forms a personal attachment to impractical ideas. Resource Investigator: Team’s link to the outside world and another source of ideas with the responsibility to identify and investigate resources that will help the team. ? Monitor/ Evaluator: Keeps the team on the right track and separates the practicable ideas from that are not, however sometimes is insensitive to the team members’ feelings. ? Team Worker: Sensitive to personal needs and upsets, works hard and maintains positive atmosphere in the team. ? Implementer/C ompany Worker: Takes an idea and produces a schedule. The company worker works well with plans and milestones but can be inflexible with any project’s changes. ? Completer/Finisher: Worries about what can go wrong in a project, checks up on detail and focuses the team on project’s deadlines (Belbin Test Document, 2006). If all the key roles of the project team are filled, project team stands a very good chance of success. On the other hand if some key roles of the project team are missing, it weakens the team and may lead to failure. 4. Project Plan Another key element of the project management required for the successful implementation of an IS Project is Project Plan. Planning is very important and essential in order to get the expected results and meet all the objectives and goals after the execution of the IS Project. It involves thinking hard about the IS project, what to achieve and how the team will go about it. The beginning for a good Project Plan is the understanding of the project’s requirements and the project manager must be sure that this is available before the start of the planning. The analysis of the work to be done has been made using the work breakdown structure or product breakdown structure. Work breakdown structure is the method that used to break down project progressively into smaller parts until the end up with individual tasks and work packages. After that project manager may create a Gantt chart using Microsoft Project as the tool for assigning the duration, milestone, resources, cost and staff required for each tasks as identified in the Work Breakdown Structure Diagram. Dave Martin (2004) states that â€Å"Of course ‘slippage’ from the plan is ‘a normal, natural trouble’ and its importance or magnitude is measured against the schedule. Where ‘slippage’ does occur, contingency plans are made by reference to possible implications† (Dave Martin, John Mariani and Rock Rouncefield, 2004). According to the above statement, the planning project breakdown should be revised easily especially when the project manager may need to re-estimate and reschedule some tasks in order to meet some missed requirements or to improve the progress of the project in case of ‘slippage’. Project Plan is also a way of communication between the project manager with the users, project team, project board and senior management so they can be informed anytime about project’s progress. James Cadle and Donald Yeates (2001) are suggested that the project plan must always be in electronic version using either Microsoft Visio for the work breakdown structure or Microsoft Project for Gantt chart or network action diagram. Most of the planning tools have facilities to track progress on an IS project. The data may have to be input manually by the project manager or it may be possible to link the planning tool to a time recording system and capture the input that way (James Cadle and Donald Yeates, 2001). The project manager will be able to compare the actual progress with the plan in order to identify where problems seem to be arising and decide how to solve them. 5. Project Risk Management Information System projects are becoming increasingly complicated and are subjects to various risks. Risks cannot be avoided at all but they can be managed in such a way that they are recognised and their impacts are avoided or reduced. First of all the team has to identify the risks of the project, however each project is unique so its risks will arise from the factors that may not have been seen before in the project. There are a lot of project’s areas in which risk could arise and it is difficult for the project manager to be sure that all the possible risks have been identified. All risks must be highlighted even if some of them are unpopular or never arise in similar projects in the past. After the identification and analysis of each possible risk, they need to be described so that it is clear exactly what each risk is all about (Jamie Smith, 2005). Once there is a brief description of the risk, the project team is in a better position to understand its impact and what needs to be done to mitigate it. The following list, introduced by James Cadle and Donald Yeates (2001), provides the starting point for the identification of possible risks in an IS project:  ¦ The Commercial Background- it may be a new business area in which the organisation has little experience or no market research. The possible identified risk is the lack of information about the background and requirements of the projects  ¦ The Contract- is the formal, legal stipulation of the responsibilities and agreement between the organisation and the project team (Dave Martin, John Mariani and Rock Rouncefield, 2004). There may be the risk of delay or underperformance of the project, unclear terms in the contract about the payment or not linked tangible milestones.  ¦ The users- may be unfamiliar with the new technology or unwillingness to change working practises to fit with the new system such as the London Ambulance System (LSA). The management of the organisation and users may hold very different view of what the system supposed to do.  ¦ Acceptance Criteria – The acceptance criteria may not have been clearly defined in the contract or the customer may not accept some or all of the new system. The Project Plan- possible tight timescales, milestones may be too far apart or deliverables may not have been defined enough to work so the product is not the expected result, the project may be bigger so more staff is required than the estimation at the start of the project. After completing the risk identification the project team should take some actions against those risks like the avoiding actions, try to prevent the risks from occurring, and the mitigation actions where the project teams try to reduce the impact of the risks if they occur. Finally the project teams register the identified risks either using the Risk Log Document which is part of the PRINCE or the risk map if they want to highlight only the very important and dangerous risks. 3. Conclusions The impact of Project Management in the Information Systems Project improved the percentages for the successful projects. It is the management tool for planning, monitoring, tracking and controlling the whole process of the project. The IS project to be considered will be the delivery of a specified information system within given constraints of time, quality, resources and cost, however the project organisational framework is also important because the project team has the chance to get a clear understanding of who the customer, the project’s scope and the purpose of the project is. The PRINCE project management method offers an effective structure for the management of IS project. The project manager plays the most important roles in a project team and is the main reason for the success or the failure of the project. Project manager is responsible for the build of the project teams using the most popular method of Belbin Test. Project Plan is also required in order to track, monitor, control and compare tasks with the time. The suggested tool for planning is work or product breakdown structure for break down tasks into smaller subtasks. Project Manager must take decisions about the duration, cost and resources for each task which can be presented in a Gantt chart using Microsoft Project.

English Tips for Job Interview Questions and Answers

English Tips for Job Interview Questions and Answers Congratulations! You have applied for a job and now you are getting ready for that important job interview. Use this page to make sure your English makes a great impression, in addition to your skills. Opening Questions When you walk in the room the very first impression you make on the interviewer is key. It is important that you introduce yourself, shake hands, and be friendly. To begin the interview, its common to engage in some small talk: How are you today?Did you have any trouble finding us?What do you think of the weather lately? Take advantage of these questions to help you relax: Human resources director: How are you today?Interviewee: Im fine. Thank you for asking me in today.Human resources director: My pleasure. Hows the weather outside?Interviewee: Its raining, but I brought my umbrella.Human resources director: Good thinking! As this example dialog shows, its important to keep your answers short and to the point. These type of questions are known as ice-breakers because they will help you relax. Strengths and Weaknesses You can expect to be asked about your strengths and weaknesses during a job interview. Its a good idea to use strong adjectives to make a good impression.  Use these adjectives to describe yourself by talking about your strengths.   accurate -  Im an accurate bookkeeper.active -  Im active in two volunteer groups.adaptable -  Im quite adaptable and happy to work in teams or on my own.adept -  Im adept at identifying customer service issues.broad-minded -  Im proud of my broad-minded approach to problems.competent -  Im a competent office suite user.conscientious -  Im efficient and conscientious about paying attention to detail.creative -  Im quite creative and have come up with a number of marketing campaigns.dependable -  Id describe myself as a dependable team player.determined -  Im a determined problem solver who wont rest until weve come up with a solution.diplomatic -  Ive been called in to mediate as Im quite diplomatic.efficient -  I always take the most efficient approach possible.enthusiastic -  Im an enthusiastic team player.experienced -  Im an experienced C programmer.fair -  I have a fair understanding of programming languages.firm -  I have a firm grasp on the comp lexities facing us.innovative -  Ive often been complimented on my innovative approach to shipping challenges. logical -  Im quite logical by nature.loyal -  Youll find that Im a loyal employee.mature -  I have a mature understanding of the market.motivated -  Im motivated by people who love to get things done.objective -  Ive often been asked for my objective views.outgoing -  People say Im an outgoing person whos very personable.personable -  My personable nature helps me get along with everyone.positive -  I take a positive approach to problem-solving.practical -  I always look for the most practical solution.productive -  I pride myself on how productive I am.reliable -  Youll find that Im a reliable team player.resourceful -  You might be surprised by how resourceful I can be.self-disciplined -  Ive often been complimented on how self-disciplined I remain in difficult situations.sensitive -  I do my best to be sensitive to others needs.trustworthy -  I was so trustworthy that I was asked to deposit company funds. Make sure to always have an example ready as an interviewer might like  more details: Human resources director: What do you consider your greatest strengths?Interviewee: Im a determined problem solver. In fact, you might call me a trouble-shooter.Human resources director: Could you give me an example?Interviewee: Certainly. A few years ago, we were experiencing difficulties with our customer database. Tech-support was having difficulties finding the problem, so I took it upon myself to dig into the problem. After two days of brushing up on some basic programming skills, I was able to identify the problem and resolve the issue. When asked to describe your weaknesses, a good strategy is to select weaknesses that you can overcome by a specific action. Once youve described your weakness, state how you plan to overcome this weakness. This will demonstrate self-awareness and motivation.   Human resources director: Could you tell me about your weaknesses?Interviewee: Well, Im a little shy when first meeting people. Of course, as a salesperson, Ive had to overcome this problem. At work, I make an effort to be the first person to greet new customers to the store despite my shyness. Speaking About Experience,  Responsibilities Making a good impression when speaking about your past work experience is the most important part of any job interview.  Use these verbs to specifically describe responsibilities at work. As with  speaking about your greatest strengths, youll need to have specific examples ready when asked for further details. act -  Ive acted in a number of roles in my current position.accomplish -  It took only three months to accomplish all our goals.adapt -  I can to adapt to any circumstance.administer -  Ive administered accounts for a wide range of clients.advise -  Ive advised management on a wide range of issues.allocate -  I allocated resources across three branches.analyze -  I spent three months analyzing our  strengths and weaknesses.arbitrate -  Ive been asked to arbitrate between colleagues on a number of occasions.arrange -  Ive arranged shipments to four continents.assist -  Ive assisted management on a wide range of issues.attain -  I attained the highest levels of certification.built -  I built out two new branches for my company.carry out -  I was responsible for carrying out managements decision.catalog -  I helped develop a database to catalog our clients needs.collaborate -  Ive collaborated with a wide range of clients.conceive -  I helped conceive of a  new marketing approach.conduct -  I conducted four marketing surveys. consult -  Ive consulted on a wide range of projects.contract -  Ive contracted with third parties for our company.cooperate -  Im a team player and love to cooperate.coordinate -  As project manager, Ive coordinated major projects.delegate  -  I delegated responsibilities as supervisor.develop -  We developed more than twenty applications.direct -  I directed our last marketing campaign.document -  I documented workflow processes.edit -  I edited the company newsletter.encourage -  I encouraged coworkers to think outside the box.engineer -  I helped engineer a wide range of products.evaluate -  I evaluated sales operations throughout the country.facilitate -  I facilitated communications between departments.finalize -  I finalized quarterly sales reports.formulate -  I helped formulate a new market approach.handle -  I handled foreign accounts in three languages.head -  I headed the RD department  for three years.identify -  I identified produ ction issues to streamline development.implement -  I implemented a number of software rollouts. initiate -  I initiated discussions with personnel to improve communications.inspect -  I inspected new equipment as part of quality control measures.install -  Ive installed more than two hundred air conditioners.interpreted -  I interpreted for our sales department when necessary.introduce -  Ã‚  I introduced a number of innovations.lead -  I led the regional sales team.manage -  I managed a team of ten for the past two years.  operate  -  Ive operated heavy equipment for more than five  years.  organize -  I helped organize events at four locations.presented -  I  presented at four conferences.provide -  I provided feedback to management on a regular basis.recommend -  I recommended changes to help improve workflow.recruit -  I recruited employees  from local community colleges.redesign -  I redesigned our company database.review -  I reviewed company policies on a regular basis.revise -  I revised and improved plans for company expansio n.supervise -  Ive supervised project development teams on a number of occasions. train -  Ive trained new employees. Human resources director: Lets talk about your work experience. Could you describe your current responsibilities?Interviewee: Ive taken on a number of roles in my current position. I collaborate with consultants on an ongoing basis, as well as evaluate ​the  job performance of my team members. I also handle foreign correspondence in French and German.Human resources director: Could you give me some more details about job evaluation?Interviewee: Certainly. We focus on project-based assignments. At the end of each project, I use a rubric to evaluate individual team members on key metrics for the project. My evaluation is then used as reference for future assignments. Your Turn to Ask Questions Towards the end of the interview, its common for the interviewer to ask you if you have any questions about the company. Make sure to do your homework and prepare for these questions. Its important to ask questions that show your understanding of the business rather than just simple facts about the company. Questions you might ask could include: Questions about business decisions such as why a company decided to expand into a specific market.Questions that show off your intimate understanding of the type of business.Questions about current projects, clients and products that go beyond information you might find on the companys website. Make sure to avoid any question about workplace benefits. These questions should be asked only after a job offer has been made. Choose Your Verb Tenses Well Here are some tips on verb tense usage during the interview. Remember that your education took place in the past. When describing your education use the past simple tense: I attended the University of Helsinki from 1987 to 1993.I graduated with a degree in agricultural planning.If you are currently a student, use the present continuous tense:I am currently studying at the University of New York and will graduate with a degree in Economics in the spring.I am studying English at the Borough Community College. When talking about current employment be careful to use the  present perfect  or  present perfect continuous. This signals that you are still performing these tasks at your current job: Smith and Co. have employed me for the last three years.I have been  developing intuitive software solutions for more than ten years.When talking about past employers use  past tenses  to signal that you are no longer working for that company:I was employed by Jacksons from 1989 to 1992 as a clerk.I worked as a receptionist at the Ritz while I was living in New York.

The 5 Best Singulair Alternatives for Asthma and Allergies

The 5 Best Singulair Alternatives for Asthma and Allergies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you take Singulair for asthma or allergies? Are you wondering about possible Singulair alternatives? In this article, I’ll go through what Singulair is and how it works. I’ll also walk you through both prescription-only and over-the-counter Singulair alternatives, including the estimated cost and pros and cons of each one. What Is Singulair? How Does It Work? Singulair, or montelukast, is a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA). Leukotrienes are released by the immune system in response to allergens, such as pollen, and promote inflammation, bronchoconstriction (tightening of the airways in the lungs), breathing difficulties, and other allergy symptoms. The active ingredient, montelukast, in leukotriene receptor antagonists like Singulair binds to these receptors and opposes their function. Singulair is usually used to prevent asthma attacks and treat seasonal allergies. Singulair isn’t effective for acute asthma attacks or sudden, extreme allergic reactions. Instead, it’s commonly used long-term for maintenance purposes and is usually safe for extended, regular use. Why Use an Alternative to Singulair? There are several main reasons why patients with asthma and/or allergy symptoms might be looking for Singulair alternatives. Generally speaking, the reasons to choose another medication rather than Singulair are cost, side effects, and effectiveness. Cost Currently, a month’s supply (30 tablets) of Singulair costs around $246. You might be considering a Singulair alternative in order to save money. Side Effects For many patients, Singulair has no major side effects. However, some Singulair users report negative side effects like headache, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, skin reactions, or worsening asthma. One of the most worrying (though rare) side effects of Singulair is a change in mood or depressive symptoms, which may include suicidal thoughts or actions. For this reason, some patients with histories of anxiety or depression choose an alternative to Singulair. Effectiveness For whatever reason, Singulair might not effectively treat your symptoms. Perhaps a medication with a different active ingredient will work better for you, or maybe you need a stronger drug than Singulair. Singulair is usually used to treat asthma or allergies. Top 5 Singulair Alternatives The following Singulair alternatives are often used to treat asthma or allergies. For each one, I’ll go through how it compares to Singulair in terms of cost, side effects, and effectiveness. #1: Nasonex (Mometasone) Nasonex is a mometasone nasal spray used to treat congestion, runny nose, and other seasonal allergy symptoms, as well as nasal polyps. It is available by prescription or over-the-counter. Estimated Cost (Without Insurance): One 60-spray bottle of Nasonex costs about $150. Pros: Nasonex is more effective for allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages) and congestion than Singulair for most users. Also, Nasonex virtually never causes side effects like depression, behavioral changes, or suicidal thoughts or behaviors. These are more common with Singulair, so if you have trouble with anxiety or depression, Nasonex may be a better choice. Cons: Some negative side effects of Nasonex include headaches, bronchitis, nausea, sore throat, nosebleeds, and sores or white spots inside the nose or mouth. The main downside of Nasonex is that it doesn’t work right away. It should be used twice daily, starting one to two weeks before allergy season, in order to be effective by the time your allergy symptoms start. How Does It Compare? Nasonex is generally cheaper than Singulair, and is usually as effective or more effective in treating allergy symptoms like nasal congestion and inflammation. However, Singulair is more effective for asthma symptoms and in preventing asthma attacks. #2: Flonase (Fluticasone) Flonase is a corticosteroid nasal spray that’s used to treat allergy symptoms by reducing nasal inflammation. It’s available over-the-counter. Estimated Cost: For a bottle that contains around 120 sprays, you should expect to pay about $25 over-the-counter. Pros: Flonase is available at most pharmacies and only needs to be used when you’re experiencing asthma or allergy symptoms, so it’s cheaper, and unlike Singulair, you don’t have to take it every day. Flonase doesn’t have as many reported side effects as Singulair, especially those such as insomnia, aggression, anxiety, and depression or other behavioral changes. Cons: Because Flonase comes in spray form, it can be hard to keep track of how much you’ve taken or how much you have left. Also, Flonase is a Category C drug, meaning that risks can’t be ruled out for pregnant or nursing moms. Singulair is a Category B drug, so it’s generally considered safer for unborn and breastfeeding babies. How Does It Compare? Flonase is generally considered the first-choice treatment for seasonal allergies by doctors, because it doesn’t have to be used long-term and doesn’t carry as much of a risk of side effects as daily-use medications like Singulair. One study found Flonase and other nasal sprays containing fluticasone to be superior to montelukast for allergy symptoms. However, if you experience negative side effects with Flonase, have had nasal surgery, or have an irritated nasal passage, Singulair or another oral medication might be preferable to Flonase. Nasal sprays like Flonase can be the best available treatments for allergy symptoms. #3: Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine) Sudafed is a nasal decongestant used to treat allergy symptoms such as sinusitis and stuffy nose. It is often available over-the-counter, but requires a prescription in some states in the U.S. Estimated Cost (Without Insurance): Sudafed is generally inexpensive, with 24 tablets costing around $8-10 at generic pharmacies. Pros: One study found that Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) was more effective than montelukast in treating nasal congestion. If you’re experiencing congestion as your primary symptom, Sudafed is an inexpensive OTC alternative to a prescription drug like Singulair. Cons: Some Sudafed users report negative side effects like anxiety, restlessness, hyperactivity, a racing heartbeat, high blood pressure, insomnia, or hallucinations. Also, Sudafed can make users drowsy. Sudafed, unlike Singulair, doesn’t treat asthma or prevent asthma attacks. Also, after four days of use, Sudafed doesn’t work as effectively. How Does It Compare? Sudafed is a cheap, convenient alternative to Singulair if your main allergy symptom is nasal congestion or inflammation of the nasal passages. One study at the University of Chicago found Sudafed and Singulair to be equally effective in the treatment of hay fever and to have similar side effects. However, Sudafed isn’t appropriate for long-term use, for more severe allergy symptoms, or for people with asthma. #4: Allegra (Fexofenadine) Allegra is an antihistamine, meaning that it inhibits the release of histamines- compounds that trigger allergic reactions- in response to allergens such as pollen. It relieves allergy symptoms like itching, hives, watery eyes, and congestion. It’s available OTC. Estimated Cost: 30 tablets of Allegra will cost you around $20 at most generic pharmacies. Pros: Allegra users don’t report side effects of depression or weight gain as commonly as Singulair users. Allegra can be used in babies six months or older, while Singulair isn’t safe for a baby until he or she has reached 12 months of age. Also, Allegra, unlike Singulair, comes in liquid form as well as tablet form, which some users (especially children) might find easier to take. Cons: Users of Allegra some report negative side effects such as impotence, other sexual side effects, drowsiness, and weight loss. Allegra can’t be prescribed to anyone with kidney disease, as it can (rarely) cause kidney damage or failure. Allegra is only used to treat allergy symptoms. It isn’t approved or effective in treating asthma. The risks of taking Allegra while pregnant are unknown. It’s generally considered to be safer to take Singulair than Allegra while pregnant. How Does It Compare? Allegra users who experience adverse reactions to the medication report different, but potentially just as serious, side effects- such as kidney damage or failure, rapid weight loss, anxiety, impotence, and other sexual side effects- as those frequently experienced by Singulair users. Allegra is an inexpensive, and often effective, allergy medication, but won’t be as helpful if asthma attacks or other breathing difficulties are your main symptoms. Allegra is generally considered to be safe for regular use, but there aren’t as many studies on long-term use of the drug as there are on chronic use of Singulair, so there isn’t as much data available overall. #5: Accolate (Zafirlukast) Accolate is an alternative to Singulair for asthma and allergies. Like Singulair, it's a prescription-only LTRA except that the active ingredient is different (zafirlukast rather than montelukast). Estimated Cost (Without Insurance): Accolate tends to be cheaper than Singulair. Currently, a month’s supply of Accolate would cost you around $126.80. Pros: Although changes in mood and behavior can be side effects of both medications, Singulair users report more frequent suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as more symptoms of depression as a result of taking the drug. This is rarer among Accolate users. Additionally, overall, more patients report negative side effects with Singulair than they do with Accolate. Cons: Although Singulair users report more side effects over, Accolate carries a higher risk of liver failure than does Singulair. Though this side effect is rare, it is serious. More Accolate users report certain other adverse side effects, such as severe headaches, as well. On a less serious note, Accolate has to be taken twice a day, unlike Singulair, which some users don’t prefer as it’s more difficult to remember to take. Also, Accolate hasn’t been on the market as long as Singulair, and it isn’t prescribed as often. Therefore, we simply don’t have as much data on Accolate’s side effects, particularly of long-term use of the drug. How Does It Compare? One study didn’t find many differences in the effects, or effectiveness, of Accolate and Singulair. Overall, the two medications are very similar both in how, and how well, they work for people with asthma and/or allergies. The biggest differences between Accolate and Singulair are their cost and side effects, with prices usually much lower for Accolate than for Singulair, and fewer users reporting suicidal thoughts or attempts when using Accolate as opposed to Singulair. Also, although Accolate and Singulair are both leukotriene inhibitors and thus very similar, their active ingredients are different, so one may work for you while the other doesn’t. Many users report more success with Singulair than with Accolate, and vice versa.

Psychological Theories in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Psychological Theories in Education - Essay Example In recent years, the focus has been on creating a socialization process which assists the novice educators in understanding and applying general insights relating to teaching and learning. Thus, it can be seen that various theoretical approaches and practices were suggested by several psychological theorists in the history of education. In the 20th century, one most prominent researcher in developmental psychology has been Jean Piaget (1896-1980) who was mainly interested in the biological influences on how people come to know or learn and considered himself a genetic epistemologist. He is one of the most significant education theorists who has dealt with the cognitive as well as constructivist strategies of learning and contributed heavily to the various aspects of education through his significant theories. The Piagetian theory of cognitive development and constructivist learning theory have both had a significant impact in the field of education. Jean Piaget is the central contrib utor of Cognitive constructivism which is mainly based on his work. The two major aspects of his theory are the process of coming to know and the stages one moves through as one gradually acquires the ability to know. In an analysis of Piag... to the physical and mental stimuli is of significant value for human beings to survive in any kind of environment and this process of adaptation incorporates both assimilation and accommodation. According to Piaget, every individual holds mental structures. It is through assimilation of external events, and conversion of these events to suit one's mental structures that one gains the ability to adapt to the physical and mental stimuli. Furthermore, it is important to realize that the mental structures themselves lodge to new, strange, and frequently changing aspects of the outer environment. The second principle of Piaget, termed as organization, is concerned with the nature of the adaptive mental structures which he explained through the first principle. According to Piaget, the organization of the mind is in multifarious and integrated ways. It is important to understand the theories of Piaget in relation to the mental development of the child. "Piaget's theory has two major parts: an "ages and stages" component that predicts what children can and cannot understand at different ages, and a theory of development that describes how children develop cognitive abilities." (Cognitive Constructivist Theories). Piaget's theory of cognitive development is the major foundation for cognitive constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. According to his theory of development, humans cannot be 'given' information which they immediately understand and use, but instead, they must 'construct' their own knowledge. They build their knowledge through experience which facilitates them to create schemas which can be understood as mental models. Through the complimentary processes of assimilation and accommodation, these schemas are changed, engorged, and made more sophisticated.

The Coercion used in Continental Army Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Coercion used in Continental Army - Essay Example Very little scholarly work had been done on military discipline and enforcement in the American army during the Revolutionary War. The neglect is not for lack f source material. Thousands f orderly books, manuals f instruction, court martial transcripts, and other primary sources exist in private collections and in local and national repositories, including the National Archives and the Library f Congress. Most f this material is readily available to researchers, and some f it, most notably in George Washington's papers, has appeared in print. Ward is the first historian to examine the primary sources in depth, however, and he has written a pioneering study f a very important element in the military history f the Revolutionary War. Washington was no touchy-feely general. As Ward explains, he developed his understanding f military discipline from study and observation f British practices during the French and Indian War. Discipline during that war followed standard eighteenth-century practice. Penalties were cruel--from whipping and riding the wooden horse to public hanging--and intended to terrify rather than to correct. Washington was as enthusiastic as any other officer in applying this discipline, often more so. And in the Revolutionary War, he made tough discipline a centerpiece f his military philosophy. The relatively democratic, easy-going methods common to the New England militia in early 1775 were not for him; and on taking command f the Continental Army later that year, he quickly instilled an authoritarian, hierarchic system that came down hard on everything from cowardice and desertion to foul language, gambling, and female camp followers. Ward's focus is less on policy formulation than on the effect that Washington's discipline--developed in consultation with Congress and the generals--had on the common soldiers. This emphasis on the average man helps to keep the book far more fresh and exciting than any purely administrative study. At all levels, from officers' guards, pickets, and police, to provost guards, executioners, and field musicians, Ward explores what it meant to live under Continental Army discipline, making use f numerous interesting anecdotes. At times, Ward's tendency to hop from one topic to another makes for haphazard reading, but the narrative, though at times awkwardly written, never loses interest. What is missing is a coherent overall sense f how military discipline evolved during the war, and particularly f how lessons learned during the course f the conflict influenced the development f U.S. Army discipline in succeeding eras. The book lacks a concluding chapter to bring all f the loose ends tog ether, instead ending rather abruptly with a discussion f military executions. Still, there is no question that Ward has written the definitive study f American military discipline during the Revolutionary War. The inability to adequately equip the troops stemmed from the structure f the Commissary Department, and its adjunct, the Quartermaster Department. Military officers normally headed these departments, but

Trust in E - Commerce Essay Example for Free

Trust in E Commerce Essay Introduction The composition of this essay will concentrate on the topic about Trust in E-Commerce. Hence, this would focus in rendering a clear understanding on how such trust in E – Commerce would work in the actual practice of electronic business. The completion of this essay is up to provide general information about the importance of trust in E – Commerce. In addition to this, it will give an evident rationale in the primary functions of trust in actual practice of business in E – Commerce. Moreover, this paper holds on the purpose of providing comprehensive details on trust in E – Commerce. The following will be discussed: 1. A Brief Back Ground: Trust in Online environment 2. Importance of Trust in E Commerce 3. Major Risks in E-commerce 4. Arguments, Issues and More At the end of the paper, its goal includes determining the importance of trust in the practice of E – Commerce. Nevertheless, this essay would work to tackle prominent issues about E – Commerce with regard to trust. The Definition of Trust in an Online Environment Singh (1996) differentiates between two types of trust, which is that of soft trust and hard trust. Under the concept of soft trust, the important elements are that which â€Å"involve human psychology, brand loyalty, and user-friendliness† (Bollier 1996: 21 as cited in Singh 1996: 145). On the other hand, that of hard trust has factors, which â€Å"involve authenticity, encryption, and security in transactions† (Bollier 1996: 21 as cited in Singh 1996: 145). There is distinction that is to be made between the two that is the main reason for its separation. However, both sets of factors enable the users to have a sense of trust in a virtual environment where the virtual characteristic of the online environment has produced uncertainties.   Likewise, it is to be noted that the factors included for the â€Å"soft trust† involves those which are relative to the customers and are points where the online environment interacts with the users. These are the things, which are related to the client and would vary from every user. On the other hand, those elements under the category of hard trust leans towards those characteristics of the online environment which the users look for and which the different participants in the online environment should provide and possess in order for trust to be built. Moreover, Sutherland and Tan (2004) define trust as the element of the users that allow them to be vulnerable and take risks. It results to their acceptance of both the positive and negative consequences of their use of the online environment. The level for such may vary from one person to another depending on the elements of hard and soft trust placed above. Figure 1. E-Commerce Diagram for Secure Transactions Importance of Trust in E – Commerce Trust in a sense has always been significant aspect in doing business (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). Hence, establishing trust and credibility is a helpful way to gain the confidence of consumers or the customers (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). In sales, establishment of such trust is an efficient way to reach higher rate of sale (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). Likewise, trust and credibility is significant in building firm relationship with consumers and attract potential customers or buyers in the future (The Importance of Trust and Credibility n.d.). The E-commerce is a type of a socio-technical system in exchanging business data and information, upholding business relationships, and accomplishing business transactions through the used of telecommunications networks (E – Commerce Relationships n.d ). In literature, trust is commonly characterized as the confidence or predictability in individual’s potentials (Pavlou n.d ) and the confidence or faith in others goodwill (Trust in Electronic Environment n.d.). In the practice of E – Commerce, trust is considered to be the focal point of creating a firm relationship with the clients or the consumer (E – Commerce Relationships n.d.). This is due to the fact that in such environment the presence of risks, uncertainties, and interdependencies are prevalent (E – Commerce Relationships n.d.). Hence, such trust in the field of E – Commerce is significant for the fact that it serves as the key factor in establishing social capital (On-line trust: concepts, evolving themes, a model n.d.). In addition to this, trust in E-commerce is important in achieving positive outcomes or results such as improving supplier performance, attaining consumer’s satisfaction increasing competitive advantages, and other substantial economic achievement (Building E-commerce Trust Applying Usability Principles n.d., eCommerce and the electronics industry n.d.). In citation of these facts and information it is reasonable enough to say that such trust in the field of E –Commerce is proven to be significant and effectual in many ways. Moreover, apart from the significance of trust in E –Commerce, it also entails positive benefits. Such reward of trust is measurable in a broader range in E – Commerce such as reducing the transaction costs, endorsing advantageous behaviors to attract and limiting the extent of formal contracts (E – Commerce Relationships n.d., Egger n.d.). Nonetheless, trust plays a significant role in e-commerce due to the scenarios like lack of physical proximity, inefficiencies in web technology, anonymity, potential opportunism and lack of control (E – Commerce Relationships n.d.). Major Risks in E-commerce With the speedy development and improvement of technologies, more specifically that of the Internet, it is a fact that this entails a broader range of significant and new opportunities (Hunter n .d.). However, such new opportunities have come with new risks that are commonly not included in the company’s actual risk management strategy (Hunter n .d.). Likewise, the utilization of risk management has been part of the part of the business industry and is widely implemented in such environment (Hunter, n .d.). This is in support of protecting the company’s tangible assets that are exposed to different perils or risks (Hunter, n .d.). Thus, in the field of E –Commerce, such management strategy relies more in the use of technology such as the internet (Hunter, n .d.). Nonetheless, with the appropriate and accorded utilization of such risks management program, possible perils in E – Commerce could be addressed accordingly (Hunter, n .d.). In a sense, it is considered that the possible risks or perils in the field of E – Commerce is associated in different detrimental form such as, viruses, hackers and abuse of credit card numbers used in the transactions over telecommunication lines (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). However, such risks in E – Commerce could possibly be addressed by means of utilizing technological advances (â€Å"Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Certainly, in E – Commerce, major risks are categorized in three primary areas which are business risks, information risks, and technology risks (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). In a sense, the Information Risks are perils that involve information published and depicted in the web page or sites, which are associated with the manner of e-commerce (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). In addition to this, such category of risk in E – Commerce is considered to be the threats that are associated with the mismanagement of vital information such as violation of laws in a given state and other countries (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). The Technology risk is defined as the hazard that is associated with the databases, telecommunications, software and hardware (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Also, these specific risks entails consequences that result to the mismanagement or misuse of technology and the utilization of inappropriate technologies in support of addressing the business needs (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Business risks, on the other hand, are all about the relationship between the customer or consumers and the supplier. Also, this include risks that are associated with products and services, which are marketed and distributed over the Internet (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). In addition to this, such risk in E – Commerce also involves the possible risks associated with managerial factors in the business, which includes contractual and personnel matters (Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce n.d.). Furthermore, the risk of Credit Card Fraud is also perceived as one of the detrimental threats or danger in E – Commerce (Electronic Commerce n.d.). It is believed that such business peril has been in the system ever since credit cards are introduced (Electronic Commerce n.d.). As such, this risk of fraud is anticipated in the business as far as the credits cards are utilized mainly in the E – Commerce transactions (Electronic Commerce n.d.). Likewise, most of the companies involved in the E – Commerce industry is considered to be exposed to such risk by means of credit card utilization and losses for such (Electronic Commerce n.d.). By citing the actual process of utilizing the credit card in E – Commerce, it is clearly evident that such risk of fraud is prevalent in the business (Electronic Commerce n.d.). However, through the use of simple, but effective, strategies such risks in E –Commerce could possibly be addressed (Electronic Commerce n.d.). For instance, the service-based businesses with returning transactions from recognized client or customers entails a much lower risk of fraud (Electronic Commerce n.d.). Nonetheless, with the appropriate implementation of strategies and utilization of effectual business system, it is a fact that companies in E – Commerce could mitigate and prevent the possible risks that are stated above and gain positive benefits from online businesses such as credit transactions (Electronic Commerce n.d.). Arguments, Issues and More Just like any other business industry, the E – Commerce also experiences different issues that could be harmful in a sense. From a personal point of view, issues and arguments in business sectors is part of its actual practices. Thus, this could also serve as the valuable source of learning, which could be used for improvement and development of the company. In the industry of E – Commerce, it is perceived that the notion of trust is a significant matter that is considered in different issues. Moreover, â€Å"trust† is a notion that everyone clearly understands at a given personal perception (A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness n.d.). However, it is considered that one of the main issues with regard to trust in E –Commerce is associated with the people’s difficulties in expressing specific definition of such idea (A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness n.d.). Some of the public entails stricter basis in measuring and evaluating their trust in a person or a company (A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness n.d.). Moreover, the strategy to provide or render a reliable state of trust in the field of E – Commerce is considered to be one of the most pervasive issues in the industry that is still in search of possible resolution (Trust Issues in Ecommerce n.d.). This is due to the fact that such traditional method of face-to-face contact and reputation is far from occuring as compared to that of the actual business transaction of E – Commerce (Trust Issues in Ecommerce n.d.). Thus, the new method that is based on the utilization of digital certificates and cryptographic algorithms rendered by Certification Authorities are one of the common issues in E – Commerce as it is not enough to solve the issues with regards to trust (Trust Issues in Ecommerce n.d.). Conclusion With the above facts and information depicted in this essay, it is clearly reasonable to say that trust in E – Commerce plays a profound role in the industry. Hence, such notion is indeed significant in the entire process and actual practice of electronic business. As such, trust in Electronic Commerce works as the essential component towards the achievement of business success. In addition to this, such trust is important in rendering rooms for improvement and development in terms of financial aspects, operational, and over-all business performance. Thus, such is significant in the industry of Electronic Commerce as it is considered to be the key factor achieving various positive outcomes and results in the business. Nonetheless, the completion of this essay renders definite information on the primary uses and significance of trust in Electronic Commerce practices and business transactions. Moreover, this depicts the major issues of trust in E – Commerce and incorporated with the accorded reasons on such topics together with the appropriate mechanism or methodology to accordingly address such trust issues. References A Thoughtful Approach to Web Site Quality, E Commerce | Trust Trustworthiness [online] available from http://www.philosophe.com/commerce/trust.html [August 15, 2008]. Building E-commerce Trust Applying Usability Principles [online] available from http://www.nicolasdeproft.be/pages/ecommercetrust/conclusion.html [August 15, 2008]. eCommerce and the electronics industry [online] available from http://www.ferret.com.au/n/eCommerce-and-the-electronics-industry-n686364 [August 15, 2008]. E – Commerce Relationships [online] available from http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0198-239216/E-commerce-relationships-the-impact.html [August 15, 2008]. Egger F. (n.d.) Affective Design of E-Commerce User Interfaces: How to Maximise Perceived Trustworthiness [online] available from http://www.ecommuse.com/research/publications/CAHD2001.htm [August 15, 2008]. Electronic Commerce [online] available from http://www.responsivesystems.com.au/ecommerce/index.html [August 15, 2008]. Hunter S. (n.d.) E-commerce Risks [online] available from http://www.marsh.com.au/ECommerceRisks.htm [August 15, 2008]. Managing Risks in Electronic Commerce [online] available from http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/abe/business/miller/ecrisks.html [August 15, 2008]. On-line trust: concepts, evolving themes, a model. (n.d.) [online] available from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6WGR-48DXRCC-1_user=10_rdoc=1_fmt=_orig=search_sort=dview=c_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=9893dfb675be4b1cc30748424542452e [August 15, 2008] Pavlou p. (n.d.). The Transitional Role of Institutional Trust in Online Interorganizational Relationships [online] available from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.3.6276 [August 15, 2008] Singh, S. (1996). The social impact of electronic money. In G. Rosston D. Waterman (Eds.), Interconnection and the internet (135-154). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Sutherland, P. Tan, F. (2004). The nature of consumer trust in B2C electronic commerce: A multi-dimensional conceptualism. In Information Resource Management Association International Conference, Innovations through information technology: 2004 Information Resources Management Association International Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, May 23-26, 2004. UK: Idea Group Inc. The Importance of Trust and Credibility. (n.d.) [online] available from http://www.zeald.com/Resources/The+Importance+of+Trust+and+Credibility.html [August 15, 2008] Trust Issues in E – Commerce. (n.d.) [online] available from http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/~lpb/research/trust/ [August 15, 2008] Trust in Electronic Environment. (n.d.) [online] available from http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGki7BHKhIaHYAmwpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTBydHRjbmRzBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMwRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkAw/SIG=12fkedrf3/EXP=1219063361/**http%3a//www.hicss.hawaii.edu/HICSS36/HICSSpapers/STFMS01.pdf [August 15, 2008]

Essay --

The Sorrow of War is a novel written by Vietnamese writer, Bao Ninh. First published in 1990, it came from being his graduation project to one of the most prestigious piece of literature in history. This work of fiction focuses solely on a seventeen-year-old male named Kien and his life from pre-war to post-war. What many people are oblivious to is the fact that Ninh had his own share of time in war when he served in the Glorious 27th Youth Brigade. Having said that, it is utterly safe to imply that Ninh’s time in war has a strong reflection in Kien’s characteristic traits and experiences that he endured in the novel. The Vietnam war was the struggle between the nationalist forces attempt to unify Vietnam under a communist government and the United States effort to prevent Communism from spreading even further. This explicit war lasted from 1959 through April 30, 1975. It was a very long, costly war that disturbed the peace of many nations during the 20th century. In total, more than 500,000 soldiers were involved in the conflict and the price that the fighting nations had to pay economically, politically, and morally were annihilating figures to look at. The United States, alone lost over 60,000 soldiers in Vietnam. Most of them were killed while some vanished in the thick jungles located there. In total, between 3.2 and 5 million people were disables, disfigured, or wounded for life. In comparison to the author, Kien served in the 27th Battalion and only â€Å"ten men survived from the Battalion after fierce, horrible, barbarous fighting† (Ninh 5). Ninh was also one of the ten men that su rvived out of the five hundred that had went to war. That kind of fate and fortune shared by both men is conferred in the Saintil2 n... ...o terms with his new identity, a survivor just like Kien. He hoped that the novel, The Sorrow of War will open the eyes of many who are oblivious to the effects of war and will at the same time help anyone that are in the same boat as him. By the end of the novel, Kien regained his self-confidence and focuses more on making his life better in the future instead of reminiscing on the past. The Sorrow of War ended in such an abrupt manner that shocked most, if not all, of the readers. Ninh commented on that fact by claiming that the only reason why the he chose the ending to be like that was to reflect on the suddenness of the Vietnam war. He also admits to having a strong personal connection to the novel, and in many ways Kien and Kien’s troop represents him and his troop. Aside from everything else, Kien will always be a part of Ninh that nobody but him understands.

Your Trusted Friends Analysis

Have you ever been watching television and right in the middle of your show been flooded with an endless amount of commercials? If you answered yes, I’m willing to bet that one of those advertisements were for one of the many fast food companies in the United States. In our country, fast food corporations have a dominating grasp on the consumer and the market as to which they are tackling. Some are calling it a pandemic, the next tobacco, and even a deadly drug that is being given to us willingly without any restrictions. Society has come to see this so called viable source of food as a quick, convenient way of getting the nutrition needed during our everyday lives. The only reason as to which we have been able to convince our minds that what is being offered is ok is due to the intense advertising campaigns, which these multi-million dollar fast food companies run. With ads directed at adults showing how a quick burger can be convenient on the go to a full blown marketing campaign directed at kids from ages three to thirteen, fast food companies have been able to brainwash most of America without any real restrictions. To ensure the health and well being of our countries youth, fast food companies must take more responsibility and be required to have restrictions on their marketing campaigns. Toys, Play place’s, clowns and kid’s club are only a few of the many marketing ploys which giant fast food companies have enacted to grab the youth demographic and capitalize on it. What kid is going to deny a fun finger food like french-fries, a cheeseburger, and on top of all that a toy! It’s like the big brother stealing candy from his younger sibling. In America, we have determined that the age of 18 is when one is considered an adult and liable for his own actions. Yet we allow major companies, which are detrimental to our overall health, to spend billions of dollars on marketing tactics that our directed solely at our countries youth. How can we expect these young children to make decision about poor food choices and living a healthy lifestyle when there is a toy involved? Schlosser touches on the growing problems with marketing that is aimed directly at the youth. He admits that studies don’t by the FTC show that young children cannot tell the difference between advertisements and actual television shows (192). This gives these companies a huge advantage over their target market. The child’s brain is under constant development and when they are exposed to so many advertisements daily for these fun, exciting foods that come with toys and feelings of fun, they are bound to give in do to their sheer mental capacity. In Eric Schlossers article â€Å"Your Trusted Friends† he states, â€Å"The typical American child now spends about twenty-one hours a week watching television- roughly one and a half months of TV a year† (193). This being said, children are seeing hundreds of these brainwashing commercials a week. Fast food corporations are pretty much stealing from the helpless with out any repercussions. Without any restrictions theses billion dollar empires are going to continue to target the heart of America, which will inevitably leading to a completely unhealthy nation who is blinded by the advertisements. It is time someone steps in and makes a change to benefit those who are suffering the most from this outrageous marketing scheme, our nations youth. That someone I speak of is the government. We need stricter policies on advertisements and target audiences. It's one thing for an adult male to make a decision to eat the unhealthy food offered by these companies. Being an adult he should be able to understand the consequences of eating fast food. It’s the eight-year-old child who does not. If fast food companies are going to base their marketing campaigns around children they should be inclined to help support positive programs for theses children such as schools physical education, summer programs and other activities that will teach kids to become active. The government needs to formulate a plan that would implement strict tax laws on marketing campaigns directed at younger audiences we could use these tax dollars for these types of programs that would counter the effects these companies products are having on the kid. I doubt parents would feel as bad giving McDonalds their money for non-nutritious food if they new a few pennies out of the cost of a cheeseburger would be going to her child’s elementary school P. E. fund. Kids will always love toys, fun foods and a happy time and these companies know that. There is no stopping the marketing that will be pushed at these kids. But what we can do is hold the companies responsible and demand that they give back. Our country over the past decade has been through everything from wars to recessions and the last thing we need is to only worsen the poor health of our country due to fast food. Our most impressionable citizens, our youth, are being flooded every day by the intense marketing schemes from fast food companies daily. These empires that have been built on our bad eating habits and poor decisions are only going to get worse and effect our children as well grandchildren if we don’t start finding solutions to counteract what these companies our doing to us. And I say counteract because we cannot bring these companies down. What we can do is hold them accountable and demand that they give a fraction of what they put into these giant marketing campaigns back to our nation’s children and the programs that are needed to keep them healthy. If we are going to make certain that our country lasts we must make fast food companies more responsible for the elaborate schemes they direct at our children. With some push and demanding of change from our government concerning this issue we can ensure the future health of our country.

Blood Brothers Essay

â€Å"Blood Brothers† is a play about two twins who are separated at birth, they do not only have different parents but have a whole different lifestyle. Eddie lives in a world of luxury and has opportunities to go to university and eventually owning his own business which is more than Mickey could have ever dreamed of. On the other hand Mickey is brought up in a working class family with no qualifications whatsoever, as soon as Mickey thinks he has finally settled down with a job he then finds himself fired and starts turning to crime. Towards the end of the play the differences between Eddie and Mickey begin to show as friction is caused between them. They begin to turn against each other and Linda is stuck in the middle as she has feelings for both Eddie and Mickey, this is when the question is raised asking whether Linda and Eddie have been having an affair. This is then what sends Mickey off the rails and ends up being the cause of the Johnstone twin’s death as Mickey shot Eddie in a rage of anger over Linda. Tension is caused at the end of the play when Mrs Johnstone tells Mickey and Eddie that they are brothers as the audience already knew this they just wanted to know when and how this would be revealed to the twins. Willy Russell wrote Blood Brothers to show how life was in Liverpool in 1980s and how being in a different class separated people. He also refers to the recession and how so many people lost their jobs and the only way for them to earn a living was to turn to crime like Mickey did as he needed money to support Linda and his child, Sammy did not help the situation as he was the one who had persuaded Mickey to earn money in that way. The end of the story is revealed to the audience by the narrator at the very beginning of the play. This builds up tension because people know what is going to happen so they are waiting to find out how it happened and what led up to that scene. Another thing that adds tension to the play is how the narrator keeps on referring back to the devil â€Å"the devils got your number, y’know he’s gonna find y’. Y’know he’s right behind y.† Towards the end of the play the narrator says how close the devil is getting, the devil being the devil inside Mickey when he shoots Eddie down. Mrs Johnstone sings a song about the price that she has to pay â€Å"Living on the never, never, constant as the changing weather never sure who’s at the door or the price I’ll have to pay† This song says that Mrs Johnstone has a price to pay, this could mean that she has to give up her baby in return for the money that Mrs Lyons gave her but the audience know that the price that she will have to pay is the guilt that she will suffer and that both her twins die. The constant weather indicates her life has been up and down like it’s raining when she is sad and sunny when she is happy and that everything changes as fast as the weather. Secondly when she says that she is â€Å"living on the never, never, Constant as the changing weather never sure who’s at the door† this could refer to the people who came to knock on her door to take away her possessions and that living on the never, never could mean that she knows that nothing that she has will stay with her forever. Another thing that indicates this is that when she says â€Å"It’s alright lad †¦ we’re used to it we were in the middle id our tea one night when they came for that table.† This means that she has had her belonging possessed before and because of this she doesn’t really mind when it happens again because it has happened so many times before. Willy Russell has made the audience sympathize with Mrs Johnstone because she has been through a lot in her life. At the beginning of the play she tells us how she got to be in that position in that moment in time. Mrs Johnstone describes her marriage and says â€Å"that I was six weeks overdue† which makes the audience feel sorry for her. It also describes the place of marriage which was at the registry office. â€Å"We got married at the registry and had a do†. This suggests to us the audience that the wedding was nothing too fancy, not too expensive and that the marriage was sudden and unexpected. She got married because she was expecting a baby, in difficult, circumstances to get married in. Soon after the wedding Mrs Johnstone wanted to go out and enjoy herself like she had done before but her husband wouldn’t take her anywhere because he became very conscious of her appearance and felt embarrassed to be seen with her. This is evident due to the fact that sh e gained weight and now perceived herself to be â€Å"twice the size of Marilyn Monroe†. The audience feels sympathetic towards her because she has seven children and low self esteem. This is shown by the fact that she describes herself to look like she is forty two instead of twenty five. This shows the physical strain that Mrs. Johnston has gone through. I understand why she gave her baby away to Mrs Lyons because Mrs Lyons emotionally manipulated Mrs Johnston in this terrible time she is going through. Mrs Lyons attempts to make Mrs Johnstone think positively by saying that â€Å"if he’s with me you’ll still be able to see him each day as you come to work† Mrs Lyons presents Mrs Johnstone with the idea that her son would have a much better life with herself â€Å"if he grew up here as our son†¦ he could have everything†. However this is why she may have done this for the benefit of the baby because she felt that Mrs Lyons could provide for him much better than she ever could and she just wanted him to have a better life. The purpose of the narrator is to explain some of the key action on stage. The narrator also involves the audience by asking them directly, to judge what they see. He reveals that the brothers die at the very start of the play and from then on he constantly reminds the audience of the twin’s fate. He presents the themes of fate, destiny and superstition throughout the play, but at the end he asks the audience to consider if it was social class rather than fate that caused the tragedy. In the play the narrator constantly reminds Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons about the devil â€Å"Y’know the devils got your number, y’know he’s gonna find y’, y’know he’s right behind y’, he’s starin through your windows and he’s creeping down the hall.† This makes the audience realise that when the narrator refers to the devil he means the devil that is going to cause the death of the twins at the end of the play this makes the audience anxious as to when this is all going to happen. In this play Mickey, Eddie, Linda, and Sammy play all sorts of games, I think that the games that they play influence them when they are older for example they play with pretend guns and Sammy says â€Å"It only fires caps. I’m gonna get a real gun soon, I’m gonna get an air gun† This later becomes true as Sammy does get a real gun which is then used to kill someone; both Mickey and Sammy were arrested for this. The arrest is also relevant as the children used to play cops and robbers. â€Å"Come on Eddie, you can have a shot at our target in the park.†This is relevant because Mickey and Eddie practised shooting and in the end Mickey shoots Eddie so the shooting practise came in handy. I think the strongest child was Linda because she stuck up for Mickey no matter what; she stuck up for him when he was getting told of by the teachers and she was able to have the courage to lie to a police officer. Superstition is a big theme in the play and Mrs Johnstone is shown to be superstitious right at the beginning of the play. â€Å"New shoes on the table. Take them off†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .The new shoes on the table could result in the birth of the twins. â€Å"Plural, Mrs Johnstone, mouths to feed, you’re expecting twins.† The narrator uses superstition during the play to imply the loss of money or precious things. â€Å"An’ a spider’s been killed.† A main part in the play is when Mrs Lyons uses Mrs Johnston’s superstitions to stop her from telling Eddie and Mickey that they actually brothers â€Å"They say that if either twin learns that he once was a pair, they shall both immediately die.† As Mrs Johnstone is very superstitious she believed every word Mrs Lyons says to her. This superstition later becomes true, as at the end of the play the only reason why the gun got fired was because Mrs Johnstone told the boys that they were actually br others as she thought that it would stop Mickey from shooing Eddie but in the end although it may have been an accident Mickey still fired the gun either over anger or rage over Linda or pure shock to find out that he was a twin. The narrator finishes his speech with the idea of superstitions and whether they are the cause of the traumatic story line and ending. â€Å"And do we blame superstition for what came to pass.† The first sign of tension is when he kids grow up and Sammy causes trouble on the bus as he gets a knife out and starts threatening the conductor to give the bag with all of the fair money in just because he wouldn’t give Sammy a ticket â€Å"Fuck off, now move, you move! Give me the bag† This creates tension because nobody has ever seen that side of Sammy before and even Mickey gets scared and tries to stop him from getting into to deeper trouble â€Å"Sammy, Sammy!† The repetition means that Mickey is really worried and wants to get Sammy’s attention. When both Sammy and Mickey are both fired tension is created when Sammy asks Mickey to help him out with a job, Sammy then produces a gun and says they will go and hold someone up for some money. Mickey is reluctant at first, but wants to be able to buy Linda something nice, and agrees to stand guard. The audience want Mickey to be able to say no to Sammy because they know that it probably won’t end well, because they know that Mickey wants to be able to provide for Linda and his child but he won’t be able to do that behind bars. Meanwhile all this is happening at exactly the same time Edward meets up with Linda, proclaiming his love for her. She explains she has always loved him in a way, but she is now married to Mickey, and very much in love. Willy Russell shows them talking at the same time so the audience can compare what both Linda and Mickey are saying, Mickey gave into temptation and was willing to help Sammy with a job for money whilst Linda had Eddie declaring his love for her but Linda was strong enough to say no because she couldn’t do that to Mickey. At the beginning of the play Mickey and Eddie had a very strong friendship and cared and looked out for each other, when one was sad the other asked why and wanted to help â€Å"Mickey what’s wrong?† Eddie saw that Mickey was upset so he wanted to know if there was anything he could do to help. â€Å"I Thought we were blood brothers† this shows that they were once very close and being blood brothers meant that they always stuck together. As the play went on and the kids grew up into adults the relationship between Mickey and Eddie had changed. Before they were best friends, which had then changed into a university kid and an unemployed man who had nothing to say to each other. When Eddie announced that he had everything he had ever wanted and offered to give Mickey money, Mickey’s jealousy got the better of him â€Å"You, you’re a dickhead†. This indicates that Mickey is angry at Eddie because he has everything including all the money in the world whilst Mickey had no job, no money and hated the thought that his old best friend had everything he didn’t have. Right at the start of the play everyone saw how close Mickey and Linda were but when Mickey was in jail it not only changed him, but it changed his mental health as he became attached to drugs and became insane and mad. â€Å"He said about, about me nerves, an how I get depresses an, I need to take these cos they make me better.† But when Mickey did use these drugs it might have made him feel better but it put a strain on his and Linda’s relationship as they argued all the time which then resulted to Linda turning to Eddie for comfort and supposedly romance. Willy Russell uses ellipses to show pauses or that t he character is being hesitant in sentences to create tension and also to make the reader hang on to the speakers words and waiting for the next instalment. In the final moments of the feel tense as Mickey is running round the town with a gun searching for Eddie and everyone is wondering if he actually will shoot his brother or if he will just threaten him. The confrontation between Eddie and Mickey is very dramatic as Mickey is shouting out the odds and Eddie is denying everything. Then the police come in demanding that Mickey puts down the gun down then when he starts to realise what he is doing he begins to lower the gun, then when Mrs Johnstone comes and announces that they are twin brothers â€Å"Mickey don’t shoot Eddie, he’s your brother, I couldn’t afford to keep both of you. His mother couldn’t have kids so I agreed to give one of you away.† Mickey despairs that he was not the one given away, because then he could have had the life given to Eddie. Mickey, distraught, gestures carelessly with the gun towards Eddie. This sad story ends when the police misinterpret this action and gun Mickey down as he accidentally shoots Eddie, killing him. I think Blood Brothers the musical is a fantastic play, I especially love the way that each song has a meaning and the emotions of the characters in the lyrics. But I thought the end was good as you would have never thought that Mickey would kill Eddie. How the play was set for the narrator to have told the end of the story and the beginning of the play created more and more tension as the play went. I liked the fact that Willy Russell was influenced by Liverpool in 1983, only some of the characters had a Liverpool accent these were Mickey, Sammy, Linda, and Mrs Johnstone these were all the people in lower class and the ones who didn’t have an accent were Eddie, Mrs Lyons and Mr Lyons as they were very well spoken and in upper class. I learnt how social class can get in the way of you want to be friends with because their parents might not approve of you. I think the play might still have a relevance for a modern day audience as some people still rely on their class to get things, for example if Mrs Lyons wasn’t in upper class then Mrs Johnstone would have been able to stand up to her because she wouldn’t have thought that she was so high up. This can make modern day audiences change their mind and know that the times have changed so they can be friends with whoever they want to be. Another thing that the audience would see is how Mrs Lyons gave Mrs Johnstone money for her baby and that still happens today, so they can see that if someone does give their baby away to someone for money then it might not always end in happiness.