Comparative Essay David Hume vs. John Locke - 1050 Words

Comparing John Locke against David Hume : Empiricism John Locke and David Hume, both great empiricist philosophers who radically changed the way people view ideas and how they come about. Although similar in their beliefs, the two have some quite key differences in the way they view empiricism. Locke believed in causality, and used the example of the mental observation of thinking to raise your arm, and then your arm raising, whereas Hume believed that causality is not something that can be known, as a direct experience of cause, cannot be sensed. Locke believed that all knowledge is derived from our senses, which produce impressions on the mind which turn to ideas, whereas Humes believed that all knowledge is derived from experiences,†¦show more content†¦Hume rejected lockes theory of experiencing cause. He argued that you do not feel the connection between your mind and arm, and thus dont sense the cause of the muscles contracting to raise your arm. Cause, in Humes mind, is a synthetic experience used to explain the unobser vable things in reality. To help explain he used the billiard ball experiement. Ball A is hit and put into motion towards ball B.When ball A collides with ball B the cause of ball Bs movement is not experienced, there is no observable connection between the two. This would mean that there is no way to be certain that everytime Ball A collides with ball B that ball B will move, ball A could just as likely bounce off and begin rolling in a random direction. He believd that there is no way of knowing for certain the outcome of an event without being able to perceive the cause. John Lockes theory of knowledge stated that all knowledge is derived from the senses, that are converted into impressions, that are then made into ideas, either simple or complex. Simple ideas are ones that involve only one sense, whereas complex ideas consist of multiple simple ideas being combined to create a vivid one. Ideas have two qualities, primary qualities, and secondary qualities. Primary qualities are things that are perceived the same for everyone, and secondary qualities are the individual perceptions ofShow MoreRelatedCleanth Brookss Essay Irony as a Principle of Structure9125 Words   |  37 PagesHistory and Class Consciousness Preface THE collection and publication of these essays in book form is not intended to give them a greater importance as a whole than would be due to each individually. For the most part they are attempts, arising out of actual work for the party, to clarify the theoretical problems of the revolutionary movement in the mind ,of the author and his readers. The exceptions to this are the two essays Reification and the Consciousness of the Proletariat and Towards a MethodologyRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages(Prentice Hall, 2012) Management, 11th ed. with Mary Coulter (Prentice Hall, 2012) Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10th ed., with David DeCenzo (Wiley, 2010) Prentice Hall’s Self-Assessment Library 3.4 (Prentice Hall, 2010) Fundamentals of Management, 8th ed., with David DeCenzo and Mary Coulter (Prentice Hall, 2013) Supervision Today! 7th ed., with David DeCen zo and Robert Wolter (Prentice Hall, 2013) Training in Interpersonal Skills: TIPS for Managing People at Work, 6th ed., with Phillip

A Simple Definition Of Innovation - 1853 Words

A simple definition of innovation is the application of new forms or ideas to elaborate different process, products, services or in a broader level changing an entire organization, aiming to increase as well to attribute value to the business. In a competitive industry this value can represent a large contribution to earn market share and competitive advantage, using the capacity to encounter opportunities and detect connections. Competitive advantage can be accomplished by innovation, approaching it in an ample concept, that includes new forms of doing things and technology (Porter, 1990). In other words, as per O’Sullivan and Dooley (2009), innovation is responsible for the company’s growth, which can be dimensioned by profit and turnover. For them, innovation consists in proposing changes for things already established and in this way creates something distinct. They highlight as well that although this is an important topic for various disciplines, the term is va guely comprehended and often times confused with other topics, for example: creativity, design, invention and change. As already aforementioned in the definition, although there is a misunderstood relating innovation just to technology, the idea is more embracing them that, whereas include not just to develop novel technologies, but also enclose improvement of process, non-technological products and services as well the knowledge for whole Organization. The types of innovation are generally presented asShow MoreRelatedCurrent Process Of Nice Technology Appraisal1593 Words   |  7 Pagesto assess the innovation of a new product †¢ Subjective nature of scales to assess QALY (EQ-5D), †¢ No assessment of burden of illness †¢ No assessment of negative impact on society †¢ No assessment of wider societal benefit Proposal to Modify the current approach A proposal for NICE to modify their current approach is vital in order to improve the process. One key thing would be to assess the degree of innovation of the new product/device/medicine. Let’s review first what innovation means and whatRead MoreFor The Past Forty Years, Ohio Is Believed To Have Gone1580 Words   |  7 PagesFor the past forty years, Ohio is believed to have gone through a process of deindustrialization. This means that Ohio experienced a decline in manufacturing jobs. While this is a simple definition, the origins of the term â€Å"deindustrialization† gives a deeper, more pejorative meaning to the term. This darker meaning to the term is perhaps more effectively conveyed through the term â€Å"rust belt.† After Ohio wen through the process of deindustrialization, the lack of industrial jobs in a once boomingRead MoreTechnology And Technology1218 Words   |  5 Pagesit has existed as long as innovation has existed. A cave man using a stone t o grind up wheat is just as much an application of technology as Tesla’s implementation of self driving cars. The invention and utilization of the wheel is as technological as the invention of the smartphone. Every type of innovation and invention can be traced back to a point in time where someone saw a way to apply their knowledge to something. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of technology is the practicalRead MoreHow Business Strategy and Choices should be made700 Words   |  3 PagesAmbiguity in the policy can also result in misunderstanding. When choosing a business policy, it should be as appropriate as possible. It should be in line with the present organizational goal/s. what this implies is that a policy is supposed to be simple. However, the simplicity of a policy should be accompanied with comprehensiveness and flexible in operation- it should be wide in scope to enable the line managers use them routinely. When all the above is achieved, then it means that the policy isRead MoreAnalysis Of The External Environment Of Business Essay1595 Words   |  7 Pages(Bannock et al 2003). This authoritative definition of technology assumes technology only refers to the artifacts themselves rather than the way they are used and the theories governing their application. Human knowledge however, is an essential ingredient of technology and I therefore prefer the following definition: ‘The application of available knowledge and skills to create and use materials, processes and products (Needle 2004) This wider definition relates the application of knowledge toRead MoreLiterature Review : Social Innovation Essay1608 Words   |  7 Pages Literature Review Social Innovation Developing any organisation which seeks to promote the way in which a social sphere operates, be it in the form of non-profits, social enterprises or any organisational structure, inevitably is an existential process, asking difficult questions around the nature of authentic, valuable social innovation. A somewhat common understanding of social innovation is expressed below: Social innovation refers to innovative activities and services that are motivated byRead MoreAnalysis of the External Environment of Business1608 Words   |  7 Pages(Bannock et al 2003). This authoritative definition of technology assumes technology only refers to the artifacts themselves rather than the way they are used and the theories governing their application. Human knowledge however, is an essential ingredient of technology and I therefore prefer the following definition: ‘The application of available knowledge and skills to create and use materials, processes and products (Needle 2004) This wider definition relates the application of knowledge toRead MoreOpportunities And Threats Of Entrepreneurship1483 Words   |  6 PagesA large number of definitions of entrepreneurship have appeared during the past decades. One of the reasons is based on the fact that entrepreneurship represents different phenomenon in different aspects, â€Å"being analyzed as a process, a resource or a state-of-being† (Naudà ©, 2013). Thus, it is too complicated to propose the definition through a simple explanation. Naudà © (2013) argues that three main categories of definitions of entrepreneurship have formed: â€Å"behavioral definitions† (Kirzner, 1973;Read Moresystem theory1652 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ One of the biggest breakthroughs in how we understand and guide change in organizations is systems theory and systems thinking. There are two main definitions of a system, an implicit and an explicit phrase, with the explicit phrase being used in system thinki ng by organizations. The definition refers to a system as being a collection of highly integrated parts or subsystems that attain a specific goal, through inputs that are processed into precise outputs. And thus if a part of thisRead MoreEthics and Innovations in Marketing and Its Relevance with Consumer Behavior1654 Words   |  7 PagesETHICS AND INNOVATIONS IN MARKETING AND ITS RELEVANCE WITH CONSUMER BEHAVIOR Kishor N. Choudhary N.S.B.College, Nanded ABSTRACT: In order to be consumer-oriented, marketing will have to be truthful and ethical. That is why it is very important in marketing, as in any other field; to apply the principles of Ethics It is also important to apply the processes of innovation, to find new ways of marketing effectively. This Paper explains the concept of Ethics in Marketing and overview a number of issues

Moral choices facing employees free essay sample

When employees sign a contract with a compamy, they are agreeing to perform certain tasks in exchange for a finacial reward. It is possible that employees are obligated to do their jobs only to get paychecks, but do they have an obligation to help the company past what they are legally responsible to do? What if their company’s interests conflict with their own? Should an employee speak out on immoral decision made by the company? Theses are just a few of the questions that an employee may have to consider while working for a company. Employees face tough moral choices including company loyalty, conflicts of interest, bribes, and whistle blowing. An employee has a legal obligation to the firm through his contract, but how loyal he is outside of legality is his choice. He can choose whether he wants to be completely loyal, not loyal at all, or if he will have a balance with his employer. Obedience loyalty, an extreme, is where an employee believes that he is worthless and his company is the only thing that matters. While this is a rarity, it is still present throughout some professional fields, such as the military. Obedience-loyal employees would put their lives in danger for their company and give up any personal life to do their job. A good example of this was April Leatherwood, a Memphis policewoman who went undercover for an entire year, putting family, friends, and her own hygiene behind her (Brusseau). Most employees do not display this type of loyalty but would rather have a balance between themselves and the company. Balanced loyalty occurs when an employee might sacrifice some things for his job but not as extreme as his own wellbeing. This is a more common form of loyalty and is displayed in more areas of work. An employee who has balanced loyalty may be asked to move for his job, might talk to his friends about how awesome his company is, or might choose political beliefs that are in the best interest of the company (Brusseau). The employee is not asked to make rash decisions (such as giving up his personal life for a whole year) but is still very loyal to the company and looks out for its best interest. Sometimes it is in one’s self interest to not be loyal to his company at all. The third form, free agency loyalty, is at the opposite end of the spectrum. An employee who practices free agency loyalty lacks any faith to his company at all. The argument behind free agency is loyalty only exists â€Å"in a reality where individuals stand by others to some extent without conditions† (Brusseau). Usually, in a profit-making company, they only look out for what is best for maximizing profits and not necessarily employees’ interests. If an employer isn’t loyal to its employees, than why should employees be loyal to the employer? Companies should have just as much loyalty in their employees as their employees have in them because it is the choice of the employee to stay. Even the most loyal of employees will find that their self-interests can sometimes conflict with the rules of their contract and the company. The problem may be as small as one wanting to wear a dress shirt and khakis to work but the dress code calls for a full suit. Or the problem could be larger like an employee believing he deserves a six-figure salary while he is only earning four figures. There are conflicting interests in almost every job and it is up to the employee to decide what he should do. Conflicts of interest can arise when â€Å"employees at any level have special or private interest that are substantial enough to interfere with their job duties† (Shaw 388). The conflicts in the workplace are usually small and only affect a few people, or can be large and affect the entire company. In his book â€Å"The Business Ethics Workshop† William H. Shaw describes one example of a financial case with Bart Erdman, the sales manager for Leisure Sports World. Since his brother-in-law is the company’s CEO, Erdman gives all of the firm’s promotional work to an outside advertising company raising advertising costs by fifteen percent. He has allowed his choices as an employee to be affected by his own interests, affecting the company as a whole (388). Even if Erdman had decided to pass a small amount of work to his brother-in-law, a conflict still arises. He still has a personal interest in his business transactions, which could lead him to act against the interest of the company. It starts to become a problem when the employee’s decisions affect not only the company negatively, but his own interests as well. If Bart had spent extra time and money that he didn’t have to try and get his work done, it goes against his own interest as well as the company’s. Deciding how to deal with a specific conflict can be troubling at times but an employee needs to find a balance between his company’s interest and his own. A severe conflict an employee may face is whether or not to take a bribe. According to ethicalrealism. com, a bribe is defined as â€Å"a payment made with the expectation that someone will act against their work duties† (Gray). A bribe can come from another company or from a supervisor within the company itself. Most bribes are financial, but can come can be in the form of anything the employee may value, such as a car. Bribes can also come as the form of a kickback, which is â€Å"a percentage payment to a person able to influence or control a source of income† (Shaw 396). An employer may use a kickback when he needs the employee to complete a task quickly and uses the payment as a motivation. Morally, taking a bribe is wrong but an employee may take the bribe if its benefits outweigh his present well-being. But if he takes the bribe, could he lose his job? What are the potential consequences that could affect him and the company as a whole? Whatever the controversy may be, an employee must look out for his best interest, the effects on his company and the legal consequences of taking a bribe. In the United States, it is illegal to receive and give bribes in the workplace. According to 18 USCS prec  § 201(b), â€Å"Whoever directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises anything of value to any public official with intent to influence that person’s official act will be fined for the offence of bribery† (Federal Laws). The punishment depends on the severity of the case but ranges from â€Å"a fine of an amount not more than three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, or imprisonment for not more than fifteen years† (Federal Laws). A bribe may or not be worth the risks that accompany it and the employee must make the choice for himself. Many employees witness their companies’ wrongful actions and need to decide whether or not to blow the whistle. Whistle blowing is defined as, â€Å"A practice in which employees who know that their company is engaged in activities inform the public or some governmental agency of those activities† (Shaw 404). These actions can be illegal, cause unnecessary harm, or just otherwise immoral. Depending on how serious the case is, an employee may see the public interest as more important than his own loyalty to the company. But sometimes whistle blowing is not always the right thing to do and could jeopardize the company’s welfare. That is why employees must look at the five justifications of whistle blowing before making any final decisions. The first justification states that whistle blowing must be done from an appropriate moral motive. Searching for attention, profit, or stirring up trouble are not justifiable reasons for blowing the whistle. Second, the whistle blower must have exhausted all internal channels prior to going to the public. This means the employee has talked with all supervisors and officials within the company in attempt to fix the problem. Having compelling evidence of wrongful actions is the third justification that employees must consider. This is hard to do because success requires hard evidence, such as accounting records. The more specific evidence employees can get, the greater chance of justification. Justification also requires that the problems are significantly wrong and the actions would be hazardous if not corrected. The final justification of whistle blowing that employees need to recognize is what the chances are they can actually remedy the problem. If going out to the public and exposing their company will not fix the problem, employees should not try to blow the whistle in the first place. Signing a contract and binding oneself to a company may seem very simple and harmless but there are many conflicts that arise. An employee has to look out for his own self interest as well as the company’s wellfare. But if the company performs immoral actions, the employee must decide whether or not he will expose his firm, potentially losing his source of income. There may be times when a rival company presents an employee with a bribe and he must elect to take it or not. Being an employee comes with not only demanding responsibilities but problematic choices that will test one’s morals. It is up to the employee to recognize the moral choices he has in front of him and ultimately how to deal with them. Work Cited

The novel One Hundred Years Essay Example For Students

The novel One Hundred Years Essay Swirling in the realm of academia for several decades has been the controversial issue of the nature and impact of foreign contact on remote, traditional societies. While undeniably bringing industrialization, increasing economic output, and establishing the Western culture in Third World areas, the negative externalities of foreign contact must not be ignored. It is the contention of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author of the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, that the aforementioned progress is merely an illusion. According to Garcia Marquez, a society that immerses itself in knowledge and technology invokes its own ruin. By using biblical references, the author demonstrates how the Colombian town of Macondo embarks on this path of destruction. As Macondo gradually accepts and embraces the outside world, it moves out of an Eden-like state, becomes ever more Westernized (and therefore evil), and spirals towards a Sodom and Gomorrah-like end. Through trade with the gypsies, contact with neighboring towns, the impact of national politics, and the capitalist system brought by the train and banana company, Macondo tasted the bitter fruit of knowledge, lost its innocence, and was annihilated. We will write a custom essay on The novel One Hundred Years specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Macondos conception occurred at the beginning of time, when the world was so recent that many things lacked names.1 The town had begun in a similar fashion to the book of Genesis, with so little known about the world, that objects remained unnamed. Founded in purity, after Macondos patriarch Jose Arcadio Buendia and his wife Ursula fled their previous town, life was begun anew. Carved out of a virgin forest, the village recreated Eden, as the people arranged the business of their souls directly with God. they had lost the evil of original sin. All were created equal, for Jose Arcadio Buendia had set up the placement of the original houses in such a way that all of them were equidistant from the river and all houses received the same amount of sunlight.3 As in The Garden, mortality was a foreign concept, as there was no cemetery in Macondo at this time, for no one had died4 In this remote village amidst the Colombian swampland, disconnected from all outside influence, no one was favored, no one died, and the town prospered. However, Macondo, paralleling the biblical account, consumed the forbidden fruit of knowledge when a wandering band of gypsies linked the town to foreign ideas and technology. The group brought scientific wonders like magnets, flying carpets, and alchemy to the town; all provocatively new items for Macondo. Despite the weak link established, for the group only appeared once per year, the town experienced dramatic repercussions. By bringing these inventions, domestic life was disrupted. Jose Arcadio Buendia was amazed by this knowledge, and completely abandoned his domestic obligations . Ursula and the children broke their backs in the garden.5 Other negative effects entered the Buendia household when the patriarch attempted to use his newly acquired knowledge of alchemy to double his wifes supply of gold. Ursulas precious inheritance was reduced to a large piece of burnt hog cracklings as a result.6 The Buendias son, Jose Aracadio, was even lured out of Macondo by a sensuous gypsy girl, demonstrating the divisive effects of foreign contact. The knowledge and technological wonders brought by the gypsies did not serve to better the community, but began to undermine its purity and success. Further eroding Macondos Eden-like state was the establishment of a direct link to the outside world. Ursula chased her prodigal son to no avail, but in doing so found a route to other villages that received mail every month in the year.7 Macondo was deepening its ties and contact with foreigners, resulting in a slow but gradual spiral into sin and conflict; characteristics of post-Eden Genesis. From a village of twenty adobe houses, Macondo was changed into an active town with stores and workshops and a permanent commercial route8 It must be stressed that the towns devolution was a phased process. Although the town was rapidly becoming commercialized, Jose Arcadio Buendia continued to lay out the streets and houses,9 suggesting that at this point in time Macondo retained some of its founding traits, namely equality. .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 , .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .postImageUrl , .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 , .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8:hover , .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8:visited , .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8:active { border:0!important; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8:active , .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8 .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u02580a822b9f0f1f6e43ef976f1803d8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye EssayYet, as the town grew ever more accustomed to Arabs trading in the streets and foreigners arriving on the new roads, a host of calamities began to strike the town. Rebeca, an outsider taking in by the Buendias, brought a plague of insomnia. Paralleling the biblical narrative of the golden calf, Macondo forgot its roots and even the values of the written letters,10 just as Israel forgot their God when they adopted a foreign religion. The growing town also introduced capitalism to the region, ending the equality upon which the society was founded. In one instance, a girl was enslaved by her grandmother and was forced to sleep with seventy men every night for ten years to pay off her debts. No longer did the sun shine equally on all inhabitants. Due to the towns rapid population growth, the national government determined it was necessary to rule Macondo through a magistrate. Don Moscote arrived and immediately ordered absurd changes, exemplified in the mandate that all houses were to be painted blue in celebration of the anniversary of national independence.12 The villages did not seek this foreign intervention into municipal affairs, for no one was upset that the government had not helped them. On the contrary, they were happy that up until then it had let them grow in peace.

us a legitimate democracy essays

us a legitimate democracy essays In any system which claims to be democratic, a question of its legitimacy remains. A truly democratic political system has certain characteristics which prove its legitimacy with their existence. One essential characteristic of a legitimate democracy is that it allows people to freely make choices without government intervention. Another necessary characteristic which legitimates government is that every vote must count equally: one vote for every person. For this equality to occur, all people must be subject to the same laws, have equal civil rights, and be allowed to freely express their ideas. Minority rights are also crucial in a legitimate democracy. No matter how unpopular their views, all people should enjoy the freedoms of speech, press and assembly. Public policy should be made publicly, not secretly, and regularly scheduled elections should be held. Since "legitimacy" may be defined as "the feeling or opinion the people have that government is based upon morally defensible principles and that they should therefore obey it," then there must necessarily be a connection between what the people want and what the government is The U.S. government may be considered legitimate in some aspects, and illegitimate in others. Because voting is class-biased, it may not be classified as a completely legitimate process. Although in theory the American system calls for one vote per person, the low rate of turnout results in the upper and middle classes ultimately choosing candidates for the entire nation. Class is determined by income and education, and differing levels of these two factors can help explain why class bias occurs. For example, because educated people tend to underezd politics more, they are more likely to vote. People with high income and education also have more resources, and poor people tend to have low political efficacy (feelings ...

Founding of the Republican Party

Founding of the Republican Party The Republican Party was founded in the mid-1850s following the fracturing of other political parties over the issue of slavery. The party, which was based on stopping the spread of slavery to new territories and states, arose out of protest meetings which took place in a number of northern states. The catalyst for the founding of the party was the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in the spring of 1854. The law was a major change from the Missouri Compromise of three decades earlier and made it seem possible that new states in the West would come into the Union as slave states. The change splintered both major parties of the era, the Democrats and the Whigs. Each party contained factions that either endorsed or opposed the spread of slavery into western territories. Before the Kansas-Nebraska Act was even signed into law by President Franklin Pierce, protest meetings had been called in a number of locations.   With meetings and conventions happening in a number of northern states, it is impossible to pinpoint one particular place and time where the party was founded.  One meeting, at a schoolhouse  in Ripon, Wisconsin, on March 1, 1854, is often credited as being where the Republican Party was founded. According to a number of accounts published in the 19th century, a convention of disaffected Whigs and members of the fading Free Soil Party assembled at Jackson, Michigan on July 6, 1854. A Michigan congressman, Jacob Merritt Howard, was credited with drawing up the first platform of the party and giving it the name Republican Party. It is often stated that Abraham Lincoln was the founder of the Republican Party. While the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act did motivate Lincoln to return to an active role in politics, he was not part of the group which actually founded the new political party. Lincoln did, however, quickly become a member of the Republican Party and in the election of 1860 he would become its second nominee for president. Formation of a New Political Party Forming the new political party was no easy accomplishment. The American political system in the early 1850s was complicated, and members of a number of factions and minor parties had widely varying degrees of enthusiasm about migrating to a new party. In fact, during the congressional elections of 1854, it seemed that most of the opponents to the spread of slavery concluded their most practical approach would be the formation of fusion tickets. For example, members of the Whigs and the Free Soil Party formed tickets in some states to run in local and Congressional elections. The fusion movement was not very successful, and was ridiculed with the slogan Fusion and Confusion. Following the 1854 elections momentum grew to call meetings and begin to seriously organize the new party. Throughout 1855 various state conventions brought together Whigs, Free Soilers, and others. In New York State, the powerful political boss Thurlow Weed joined the Republican Party, as did the states anti-slavery senator William Seward, and the influential newspaper editor Horace Greeley. Early Campaigns of the Republican Party It seemed obvious that the Whig Party was finished, and couldnt run a candidate for the presidency in 1856. As the controversy over Kansas escalated (and would eventually turn into a small-scale conflict dubbed Bleeding Kansas), the Republicans gained traction as they presented a united front against the pro-slavery elements dominating the Democratic Party. As former Whigs and Free Soilers coalesced around the Republican banner, the party held its first national convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from June 17-19, 1856. Approximately 600 delegates gathered, mainly from the northern states but also including the border slave states of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and the District of Columbia. The territory of Kansas was treated as a full state, which carried considerable symbolism given the unfolding conflict there. At that first convention, the Republicans nominated explorer and adventurer John C. Frà ©mont as their presidential candidate. A former Whig congressman from Illinois who had come over to the Republicans, Abraham Lincoln, was nearly nominated as the vice presidential candidate but lost to William L. Dayton, a former senator from New Jersey. The first national platform of the Republican Party called for a transcontinental railroad and improvements of harbors and river transportation. But the most pressing issue, of course, was slavery and the platform called for prohibiting the spread of slavery to new states and territories. It also called for the prompt admission of Kansas as a free state. The Election of 1856 James Buchanan, the Democratic candidate, and a man with an uncommonly long record in American politics won the presidency in 1856 in a three-way race with Frà ©mont and former president Millard Fillmore, who ran a disastrous campaign as the candidate of the Know-Nothing Party. Yet the newly formed Republican Party did surprisingly well. Frà ©mont received about a third of the popular vote and carried 11 states in the electoral college. All the Frà ©mont states were in the North and included New York, Ohio, and Massachusetts. Given that Frà ©mont was a novice at politics, and the party had not even existed at the time of the previous presidential election, it was a very encouraging result. At the same time, the House of Representatives began to turn Republican. By the late 1850s, the House was dominated by Republicans. The Republican Party had become a major force in American politics. And the election of 1860, in which the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln, won the presidency, led to the slave states seceding from the Union.

The future of Food Supply Chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The future of Food Supply Chain - Essay Example With the concern moving to the scarcity of resources, the world is facing a new challenge of producing more with lesser resources. The food supply chain industry is dominated by features like increasing demands, increasing volatility risks and limitation of resources. Discussion There are various factors that are likely to shape the future of the global food supply chain industry. The factors arising from the suppliers’ side are: increased competition for expenditures by the consumers, major changes in the operating environment, improvement of the quality of the commodities, high differentiation level of food products, cost-effective and flexible modes of logistics. The factors arising from the viewpoint of the customers are nutritional qualities of the food products, health benefits, sensitivity of the customers towards safety and quality of food, ways of production, place of production, environmental and social concerns and welfare of the community. The most important elemen ts for consideration in the designing of the food supply chains are on-shelf availability and cost efficiency for the businesses. But in the light of the emerging environmental concerns other factors like greenhouse gas emissions, energy conservation, increasing traffic congestions and transportation costs are also gaining importance. Challenges The future of global food supply chain focuses on the following critical dimensions: The global food supply chain industry is feeling the necessity of a paradigm shift in the processes as the future of the industry is considered to be highly different from the past trends in the industry. The need for adopting the latest technologies and innovations by the supply chain like the adaptation of the green supply chain is critical to comply with the raising environmental concerns all across the globe. The challenges arising in the global market which will influence operational changes in the major companies involved in the food supply chain indus try. The food supply chain industry has identified the need to implement a new business model to deal with critical issues like taking up new business opportunities and achieving sustainability in the industry. The increasing demand and the scarcity of resources is a major issue faced by the global food supply chain industry (McKinsey & Company 7). The population of the world is increasing in manifolds and so is the necessity to provide food and nutrition to the global population. According to the latest statistics, more than 850 billion people throughout the globe do not have proper access to food commodities and are more sensitive to price increases and nutritional concerns. The global food supplies need a boost by a considerable increase in the production of environmentally sustainable food commodities. But reaching stabilization is difficult due to the complexity of the food supply chains and the various factors diversely affecting its operations. Internal forces driving change The major changes in the food supply chain industry that will influence the changes in the supply chains are the flow of information, consumer behavior and the movement of goods (McKinsey & Company 12). Since these are internal changes occurring within the industry, the industry would have some control over reshaping these factors. Information flow: The proper flow of informatio

How Walmart as a brand uses social media, newsletters, and online Term Paper - 2

How Walmart as a brand uses social media, newsletters, and online selling propositions in persuading their customers - Term Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that in contemporary business within the globalized world, effective marketing is inevitable. Most successful companies employ proper use of internet marketing to explore and maintain market share within the globalized world. For instance, large companies use Internet marketing in advertising their products and services to the entire world market. Internet marketing is a fundamental form of promoting and selling products to consumers. Firms using the internet as a marketing tool can collect information from consumers that help in improving their product and services. Moreover, the cost of production is lowered and managing competition becomes easy. It is crucial for a brand to possess a unique social media strategy in persuading consumers. Using the main networks, the brands can focus on the interests of the customers and make decisions on improving quality of products and services. Wal-Mart brand uses Facebook as a social media platform fo r marketing. Consequently, the company has developed the various timeline and web pages for customers to join. Facebook pages allow the company to interact directly with customers hence attracting many customers. Moreover, Facebook pages allow Walmart to launch new products to customers and provide guidelines on how to use the products. Furthermore, Walmart provides pictures of the products which help in winning customers’ loyalty and building brand image. Positive comments and many likes in the updates posted by Walmart further advertise the products to many other web users. In addition, Walmart uses many  Twitter handles to post products, discussing emerging issues on the products and answering customers’ requests.

Data Representation Arithmetic Essay Example for Free

Data Representation Arithmetic Essay Oxford University Press Dictionaries defines an allegory as â€Å"a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one† Many people read in William Goldings Lord of The Flies as an allegory. There’s no question that it can be looked at as a symbolic story, however, the question is what Lord of the Flies is an allegory of? One way this novel can be looked at is as an allegory of human nature. In other words, this story can be seen as symbolism of how humans behave and show their true colors when placed into a survival situation. Various characters in Lord of the Flies could be thought to symbolize different qualities of human nature. Ralph, Piggy, and Jack are three extremely influential characters and all three of them represent both sides of human nature: good versus evil. Ralph symbolizes the good in humanity in Lord of the Flies. The name Ralph derives from the Anglo-Saxon language and means â€Å"council. † As commander of the conch, Ralph was voted chief of the boys on the island; and from this point, his name became affiliated with council and government. Throughout the story, Ralph never gave up on his views and priorities, them being to get off the island. Ralph also, in terms of Lord of the Flies, symbolized civilization and order. He established order and civilization on the island at the first meeting by creating a main goal, priorities, and gave out positions such as the hunters and his right hand man, Piggy. Ralph was the only outlet of hope towards the end of the book and he was able to follow through and survive without falling into the savage state like the others. In this novel, Piggy symbolizes intelligence and logic. From the beginning, by finding the conch and recognizing its importance, he has always been the voice of intelligence and insight. One may say that piggy may be more logical and objective and therefore describe him as being left-brained. He uses his logic at many points throughout the book in such times as when he wanted to take attendance or when make the sundial. Piggy has good intentions for his ideas, however, because of his lack of confidence and his physical appearance, he is shot down by most of the other boys. He is a great example of symbolism for human nature in Lord of the Flies because for one, he and Ralph both make up a nearly perfect leader with intelligence, leadership, logic, and insight. Also, it is important to connect that insight, being Piggy, was shot down and made savage by the hunters.

Women In Math :: essays research papers

Women In Math Over the past 20 years the number of women in the fields of math, science and engineering have grown at astronomical rate. The number of women which hold positions in these fields has more than doubled. In post secondary education women are filling up the lecture halls and labs where in the past where it was rare to see a woman at all. If a woman was able withstand the pressure that was put on her it was more than likely that she wouldn't even be hired. Many organizations have been established to help young women to prosue carriers in either math, science and engineering. A few examples of these organizations are, AWM (Association for Women in Mathematics), WISE (Women In Sience and Engineering), ASEM (Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics) and many others. Many young women do not prosue carriers in math for one or more key reasons. One is that they have no female role models to look up to or any famous females in that field to inspire them. Another is that they are often disgouraged by others, usually family members, â€Å" Why don't you be like your mother and stay home and raise the children.† is a common line used. This is most likely because the parents don't want to see their daughter go out and fall flat on her face when she doesn't make it. There is little support from others if a woman wants to go into these fields. Equal opportunities is also a large factor in this, either as a decision maker wether to go into the field or not or cold hard facts. Facts like 90 percent of engineering, math and science position are held by men, this means that they don't hire very many women. Another reason is that the maybe lacking the self-esteem within their self. This could be because of the scary numbers that are related to women and math, science and engineering positions. Or that they could be struggling in that area. Another factor could be that they fear that hiring opportunities are very

Foreign Policy Essay

Tension between the need for a peace without victory and the nightmare of a mighty European super-state subject by one power formed a fundamental dynamic of liberal internationalism with regard to the First World War. These contradictory, yet oddly complementary, principles and self-interests necessitated the formation of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). American politico-military policy in the Great War, as marked by presidential decision-making, was aimed at securing the mainly desirable peace while preventing a German victory. This combination of idealism and realism created the basis of Wilsonian foreign policy, and neither can be completely isolated from the other in explaining American involvement. Traditionally, American defense and foreign policies were in agreement both were predicated on the Monroe Doctrine. They assumed separation from European politico-military commitments and concomitant activism in the Western Hemisphere. Ever as the nation’s decisive victory in the Spanish American War, Americans had considered they a great power whether or not the U.S. was renowned as such in Europe. By 1914, the U.S. was the world’s leading industrial power and provincial force, but a century of inertia kept the nation’s compass set firmly on isolation. At the same time, America was not usually regarded by the great powers of Europe as a member of the club. European politicians usually were ignorant of American affairs and not mainly interested in learning (Erald A. Combs, 1983). In the second place, the Spanish Republic was not a democratic Republic in our sagacity of the word â€Å"democratic.† (Walter Lafeber, 1993)In the United States, violence is the last alternative of a small group of disgruntled citizens. In Spain, though, the majority believed in violence. The liberal minority which believed in Anglo-American or in French traditions was swept aside. But democracy should mean something more than majority rule. Democracy, if it is to have any moral force at all, should include the idea of civil rights and of protection of minorities. In Spain, the liberals who did believe in civil rights and in defense of minorities were forced from power. President Azaà ±a, a liberal, went into a type of retirement from public life and despaired of the Republic he had helped to set up. Azaà ±a wrote, â€Å"With most Spaniards it is not enough that they themselves can admit and believe what they like. They are offended, they are outraged, and they rise in revolt–if the same liberty is approved to anyone who thinks in a different way from them.† Salvador de Madariaga, the great liberal philosopher and historian, agreed with President Azaà ±a. Madariaga went into voluntary exile and refused to support either side in the Spanish Civil War. Other liberals lost their authority. Some were executed. Though supporters of General Franco have exaggerated the so-called â€Å"Red Terror† in Republican Spain, it is however a fact that–once the civil war had begun–the Republic was no longer competent or willing to guarantee freedom of speech, liberty of the press, freedom of religion, trial by jury. Throughout the Civil War, few Spaniards who dissented from government policy have the liberties which you and I think of as a essential part of a democratic society. When groups dissented from the Popular Front, they were ousted from the association government. When the groups were small enough, they were suppressed–as was the Trotskyite P.O.U.M. In short, the Republic was not all its American backers thought it to be. And, as Communist influence improved in Spain, as the Communists wrested power from liberals and socialists, the Republic became continually less democratic. Winston Churchill stood apart from his own Conservative Party and destined Neville Chamberlain’s devastating policy of appeasement. Anthony Eden resigned his post as Foreign Minister because he could not in good conscience persist to serve that disastrous policy. The Labor Opposition troubled for a change in policy if not in government. The Department of State is not lawfully bound to follow the Foreign Office’s lead. If Cordell Hull and Franklin Roosevelt chose to tag on the British, it was their choice. Whatever Hull believed, Roosevelt believed the British were wrong. We cannot excuse him by blaming the British. In the second place, the isolationists’ role can be overstates or misunderstood. Yes, the isolationists called for the embargo. No, the isolationists did not demand that the embargo be maintained. Senator Nye, the most significant of the isolationists, introduced, on May 2, 1938, a decree to lift the embargo. He saw the consequences of the embargo and determined that it was intervention against the Republic and not impartiality at all. Charles Beard, another leader of isolationist opinion, cynically denounced the embargo as the overturn of neutrality. Edwin Borchard and William P. Lage, two scholarly advocates of neutrality, Neutrality for the United States, that the embargo was erroneous: â€Å"This was thought to be neutrality legislation. In fact, it was the specific opposite.† The embargo was a form of involvement against the recognized government of Spain. In short, the leaders of American isolationism changed their minds on the embargo. Had Roosevelt joined their effort to sway public opinion, had he used his office to urge repeal on Congress, had he dared–as Henry Stimson suggested–lifting the embargo as part of executive prudence, the leaders of isolationism would have rallied to his side? He ignored the prospect. Nye’s bill never left committee. (Akira Iriye, 1993) In international affairs the USA displays growing unilateralism. International development policies have been forced by the Washington consensus. The United States fails to sign on to major greening protocols. Until lately the USA was perennially in arrears in United Nations dues. On numerous occasions (such as Nicaragua and Panama) the USA has not followed international legal standards and it ignores the International Court if its decision goes against it. American policies put in to the enduring stalemate in the Middle East. Take any global problem and the United States is both the main player and major bottleneck. It is a rational question to ask whether this is just a matter of current US administrations or whether more reflective dynamics are at work. If we take seriously global problems and therefore also the requirement for global reform (such as the condition of global public goods and the regulation of international finance) and then turn to the question of political implementation we obviously arrive at the door of the United States. Progressive social forces and international institutions the world over make proposals for global reform, whose list is significant and growing, but without US cooperation they stand little prospect of being implemented. The world leader, then, turns out to be the global bottleneck and in this light American conditions and problems become world problems. The difficulties are to evade mistaking American ideologies for realities, to avoid the trap of impressionism based on unawareness when everyone thinks they ‘know’ the USA on account of its large cultural radius, and to be brief while the data are vast. The literature on ‘America’, the largest and foremost developed country, is vast and multimodal. This part of the treatment is meant as a prà ©cis planned in brief vignettes. The second part probes the international consequences of American exceptionalism. This is less widely talked about and tucked within specialist literatures on international relations and international political economy (including transnational enterprises, the Washington consensus and military affairs). Twinning the themes of American exceptionalism and global implications is the pioneering element in this inquiry. The terrain is large, the literatures are wide-ranging and so this treatment is pointed, focusing on American exceptionalism and global ramifications. The closing section criticizes American exceptionalism as a self caricature and considers potential counterpoints. (Gruber, L. 2000) The whole world must adopt the American system. The American system can endure in America only if it becomes a world system. Americans who wanted to bring the blessings of democracy, capitalism, and constancy to everyone meant just what they said – the whole world, in their view, must be a reflection of the United States. There is no contradiction that several features of American exceptionalism shape modern globalization; yet developing this argument entails several hurdles. First, intrinsic in the notion of ‘Americanization’ is an element of methodological populism. To which unit of analysis does this apply – to which America, whose America? The USA is the fourth largest country in the world in terms of population, quite varied, and local differences play a significant part. American corporations with decentralized headquarters and offshore tax reporting cannot be merely identified with the United States either. Besides, international flows do not run just one way but in multiple directions; there are also trends of Europeanization, Asianization and Latinization of America, economically and culturally (regarding foreign ownership, management style, consumption patterns). Transnational Diasporas have been changing the character of ‘America’ all along and this bricolage character is part of its make-up. What then is the actual unit at issue? Is it a set of ’organizing principles’ that remain incessant over time, as Lipset would have it, or, at another extreme, is America a site, a place of transnational synthesis and bricolage? Since waves and layers of Diasporas, from the Irish to the Latino, have been shaping ‘America’ it is not feasible simply to refer back to the founding fathers in order to identify American fundamentals. It would not be productive either to rework the dà ©fi Amà ©ricain type of argument; that would place the argument in a setting of national comparisons and competitiveness, à   la Michael Porter. This national focus is in part overtaken by the dynamics of stepped up globalization and is not appropriate to an analysis of the relationship between AE and globalization. (Duclos, D. 1998) A second problem is to put up historical variation in US politics, or the association between structure and politics. AE does not quite match the definite profile of US administrations and is not essentially intrinsic to American politics; to argue otherwise would be to essentialism American politics. Wilsonian internationalism was also element of US foreign policy and American contributions to world order comprise the establishment of the UN and Bretton Woods system, the Marshall Plan, support for European union, and policies in favor of human rights and democracy. While these contributions are under disagreement they show that there is greater disparity to American foreign policy than just the profile of the past decades. As the emphasis here is on American policies in relation to modern globalization this serves as a note of caution. In the latter days of the Clinton administration there were several changes in the picture (mitigation of the embargo on Cuba, settlement of arrears in UN dues), some of which, such as US endorsement of the permanent International Criminal Court, were upturned by the next administration. In recent years much discussion on Americanization has focused on cultural dynamics, or what Nye calls ‘soft power’: the responsibility of media, popular culture and transnational consumerism, examined in cultural studies. It is also another type of populism for it is rarely effectively correlated with other dimensions of American influence: economic, financial, international and military. This lack of enunciation between soft and hard power is problematic. The question of AE and globalization differs from the conformist cultural imperialism thesis. Overall American impact is to a considerable extent a matter of what Galtung (1971) called ‘structural imperialism’: shaping other societies through structural leverage rather than just through direct political involvement. This includes but goes beyond popular culture, the cultural industries and the familiar litanies of Coca-colonization, McDonaldization, Disneyfication, Barbie culture and American media conglomerates. as these are high-visibility and receive irresistible attention, the more significant impact of AE perhaps concerns economic policies and international politics and security. These too are ‘cultural’, but covertly rather than obviously so and less visible in everyday life. They concern not just relations among advanced countries but relations across development ascents that affect the majority world. It may assist to differentiate several levels of analysis: Structural dynamics. This comprises scientific and technological changes forged by and exported from the USA. Eventually, however, these symbolize an inter-civilizational heritage. Fundamental dynamics which are universal to industrialized countries. Here the leading package offered by the country that founds these trends affects all; yet these dynamics are not essentially peculiar to that country. This brings us to the junction thesis of modernization theory according to which industrial societies would finally converge. In this category belong trends such as mass production, mass utilization, mass media, car culture, and suburbanization and information technology; that is, they are not ‘American’ per se but since the USA was the first comer they take an American gloss. American corporations and cultural industries request to draw monopoly rents from their provisional lead ‘by means fair or foul’. This is a general business practice with ample pattern in history. The British destroyed the Indian textile manufactures and trade and sabotaged incipient industrialization in Egypt, Persia and the Ottoman Empire. During international leverage (international financial institutions and the WTO) and regional arrangements the US government seeks to combine its lead and institutionalize the benefit of its multinational corporations. It follows that the center questions of global Americanization are the last two points: drawing monopoly rents and their institutionalization through superpower leverage. That the line between domestic and international politics is distorting is a familiar point in international relations literature. Often the importance falls on the international influencing the domestic. A major US export has been its brand of capitalism, as in Taylorism, Fordism, high mass-consumption, free trade, and American company and business practices. Another major policy take on by western countries is a â€Å"war on terrorism† that is not a foreign policy; it is an goal of a foreign policy. Western’s world way must reach beyond the curse of terrorism. We should offer an inclusive vision of hope and affluence for all nations, and thinking the interests of our friends and allies, as well as those peoples around the world who need to be our friends and share in our exposure. Beliefs, standards, values, and prospect are all part of a foreign policy, but they are not foreign policy. They are enriching blocks of foreign policy. It has become a maxim to state that September 11, 2001 â€Å"changed everything† as well as that â€Å"nothing will ever be the same again.† In fact, little has changed in the imperialist tendencies of American foreign policy since the founding of the United States of America in 1789. The war on terrorism possesses features that influence west to operate in direct confrontation of accepted norms of international law, and to overlook the deficiencies and the crimes of its cobelligerents. The new war is a messianic, apocalyptic struggle of blameless good against consummate evil. Its motivation is not the real world with its shades of gray (and indeed, relevant histories and grievances), but the type of struggles that used to play out in the cowboy movies. Little reveal is made of the fact that the primary enemy is religious, in fact intensely so at times to the point of prejudice, bigotry, and terror, and not atheist as the previous enemy was. There is no need to attempt to understand that this new enemy regards Israel as a state that practices state terrorism and that by supplying military and economic aid, Washington is an accomplice. Or to try to understand that this enemy believes that Washington should cut off this aid and declare war on state terrorists as well as private ones. Those on â€Å"our side† are seen as being good, or at least infinitely better than the enemy. It is a war of no negotiations with the enemy, no summit meetings, no compromise, and surely no need to modify policies to accommodate the feelings and the policies of the enemy, or examine any just accusations that the enemy might possibly have. The enemy’s soldiers will not be given prisoner of war status and will be tried in special military courts (New York Times, May 26, 2003). Similar to the enemies of the Cold War, the enemy in the new war is depicted as sinister, cunning and underhanded. This time—and it is no irrelevant difference—the enemy actually struck mainland west on September 11 and before, and is expected to strike again. The fear is that the enemy will develop and use weapons of mass destruction against us—nuclear weapons, or more probable, radiological dispersion devices, also called â€Å"dirty bombs† (conventional bombs to which radioactive material has been added). The result would be the spread of radioactivity over a large area. But we are advised that we must not panic. Just be careful and vigilant. This war too, America advises us openly and in advance, is a war of global proportions. It is an open-ended war with the world as its arena. The enemy assumes two general forms. One part is visible, above ground, represented by evil governments and reminiscent of the old Soviet bloc. So far only four of the enemy governments in the new war have been identified—the former governments in Afghanistan and Iraq, and two remain â€Å"axis of evil† governments in Iran and North Korea. The other enemy component is invisible, consisting, we are told, of cells in some 50 or 60 typically unnamed countries. These are not the cells of the communist party, but the underground organizations of what Washington chooses to call â€Å"terrorists† (New York Times, October 24, 2002). Whatever its form, whether bearing the legality of government or existing underground, the enemy should be destroyed. To do this, we must sometimes act alone, unilaterally. Other times we can act with our allies. America attacked the Afghan government only three weeks after the 9/11 tragedy. It therefore demonstrated that it was determined to protect the nation against terrorism, â€Å"to fight the war against terrorism,† not only by police measures—interpreting the determination to protect the nation as actions taken on to constrain and apprehend criminals but also by actually waging war against governments (Douglas Kellner, 2003). This, despite the fact that former approach is recognized as the most promising way a government can use to guard its citizens against terrorism if that government is interested in peace. Such an approach entails the kind of police measures actually adopted by Washington and other governments such as anti-terrorist measures affecting airplanes and airports, as well as foreign policy measures such as pulling troops out of Saudi Arabia, and threatening to lessen aid to Israel. The use of war, however, increases the damage to the victim country and the innocent parties therein. This increases the moral quandary posed by just war theory, as well as increasing the hatred that can consequence against the perceived aggressor, as has been demonstrated in the recent war against Iraq (Frederick H. Gareau; 2004). Thus like the war on terrorism, non-proliferation leadership desires global cooperation and coalitions. The two might combine such as while states both proliferate and sponsor terrorism-but their intimidation, and the techniques for dealing with them, are varied. Proliferation is provoked by customary state interest’s geography and security and maybe not terror, and consequently might require a varied set of policy responses. The approaches to proliferation will diverge in Iraq, North Korea, and South Asia. The â€Å"war on terrorism† rubric offers neither explanation nor path concerning our non-proliferation policy options. That said, if a propagating state sponsors terrorism, or has relations with terrorists disparate to the United States, then these two areas of center converge. And our tools to agreement with both threats must be directly focused on those states (New York Times, December 10, 2002). It is unsure that we face a feasible intimidation of a large-scale nuclear harass from another main nuclear power. The further real threat is now the development and deliverability of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons by terrorist associations and the states which support them. The Bush Administration has mapped a new path in association with Russia by moving to lessen nuclear munitions to usually low numbers and engaging former opponent on controlling the expand of nuclear technology. Nunn-Lugar non-proliferation programs have institutionalized a vital helpful association unswerving to the reduction and power of nuclear or double use materials. But we should be careful not to be lulled into a counterfeit sense of security with this new Russian-American agreement. The truth is that this new agreement – which represents progress – does not comprise the mainly dangerous nuclear threat that we still must deal with, and that is strategic nuclear weapons. Short-range nuclear missiles and bombs are left out of this agreement. Thus, The basic challenges for western countries foreign policy today are much as they have been in the past: to safe our interests and support our ideals in an deficient and precarious world. And to do it through leading coalitions of common interest. Reference: Akira Iriye, The Globalizlng Of America, 1913-1945, At 34-35 (1993) Andrà ©ani, G. (1999–2000), ‘The Disarray of US Non-proliferation Policy’, Survival 41(4): 42–61. Douglas Kellner, From 9/11 to Terror War: the Dangers of the Bush Legacy. Lanham. Rowman and Littlefield, 2003, p. 263. Duclos, D. (1998), The Werewolf Complex: America’s Fascination with Violence. Oxford: Berg. Erald A. Combs, American Diplomatic History: Two Centuries Of Changing Interpretations 56-61 (1983) Frederick H. Gareau; State Terrorism and the United States: From Counterinsurgency to the War on Terrorism, Clarity Press, 2004 Frederickson, Kari (2001), The Dixiecrat Revolt and the End of the Solid South, 19321968. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. Friedman, T.L. (2000), The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization. New York: Anchor Books, 2nd edn. Gruber, L. (2000), Ruling the World: Power Politics and the Rise of Supranational Institutions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Guyatt, N. (2000), Another American Century? The United States and the World After 2000. London: Zed Books. Hallinan, J.T. (2001), Going Up the River: Travels in a Prison Nation. New York: Random House. Huntington, S.P. (1999), ‘The Lonely Superpower’, Foreign Affairs 78(2): 35–49. Kaul, I., I. Grunberg and M.A. Stern (eds) (1999), Global Public Goods: International Cooperation in the 21st Century. New York: Oxford University Press. Keohane, R.O., and H.V. Milner (eds) (1996), International and Domestic Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kirkendall, R.S. (1980), A Global Power: America since the Age of Roosevelt. New York: Knopf, 2nd edn. New York Times, May 26, 2003, p. A18 New York Times, October 24, 2002, p. A1 Walter Lafeber, The American Age: U.S. Foreign Policy At Home And Abroad, 1750 To The Present 614-18 (1994). Walter Lafeber, The American Search For Opportunity, 1865-1913, At 180 (1993) William G. Howell, Power Without Persuasion: The Politics Of Direct Presidential Action 24-54 (2003) William Stueck, Rethinking The Korean War: A New Diplomatic

Baroque Period

Baroque was the artistic period dating from 1600 to 1750 in European history. Derived from the Portuguese word barocco, Baroque literally means an ‘uneven pearl. ’ Often compared to Hellenistic art, Baroque artists discovered emotions and used strong contrasts of light and shade showcasing continued motion in their works. Cunningham L. S. & Reich J. J. (2006) state that: It is not surprising that the term baroque, originally used to describe the extravagant European art of the seventeenth century C. E. , is often applied to the art of the Hellenistic period.The artists responsible for these innovations created their works for a new kind of patron. (p. 77) Baroque was born in Italy. From the Renaissance period of symmetry, monumentality, balance and odd forms, the Baroque period was characterised by bold, curves and asymmetrical themes in paintings and buildings. Heinrich Wolfflin, in Principles of Art History: the problem of the development of style in later art (1932; t ranslated 1950, Page 14), explained the differences between the art of the 16th and 17th centuries stating that â€Å"baroque (or, let us say, modern art) is neither a rise nor a decline from classic, but a totally different art.† It also reflected the growth of monarchies as such a style suited the aristocracy who thought of integrated structures. Intense spirituality, realism of daily life, and psychological exploitation depicted in works of art and sculptures are highlights of Baroque art. Cunningham L. S. & Reich J. J. (2006) explain that: During the Baroque period, artists were attracted by extremes of feeling – sometimes these strong emotions were personal.Painters and poets alike tried to look into their own souls and reveal by color or words the depths of their own psychic and spiritual experience. The desire to express the inexpressible required the invention of new techniques. As a result, baroque art placed great emphasis on virtuosity. Sculptors and painter s achieved astonishing realm in the way in which they handled their media. Stone was carved in a way such as to give the effect of thin, flowing drapery, while seventeenth-century painters found ways to reproduce complex effects of light and shade.(p. 359) Some of the main representatives of baroque art are Michelangelo Merisi-Caravaggio (Portrait of a Courtesan-1597), Annibale Carracci (River Landscape-1595), Agostino Carracci (Lamentation of Christ-1606), Rembrandt (The Jewish Bride-1666), Nicholas Poussin (The Plague at Ashdod-1630), Georges De La Tour (The Fortune Teller-1620-1621) Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez (Prince Balthasar Carlos-1635), Peter Paul Rubens (Mercury and Argus-1638), and Jan Vermeer (The Artist in his Atelier-1670).Like art, Baroque architecture too progressed from renaissance in Italy. Curving facades, oval shape, triangular areas between rooftops, tips scrolls and gilded and double curves with luxurious materials and ornate decorations were emphasized upon instead of symmetry. The most famous work is the Palace of Versailles, France (built by Louis XIV) which was a symbol of wealth and power. Baroque architects used marble, gilt and bronze in their works.Ceilings used illusionism where paintings were done and looked like engravings for expressing emotions. The main representatives of Baroque architecture were Gianlorenzo Bernini (Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, 1645-1652) and Francesco Borromini (Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza, 1640-1650). The late Baroque era was known as Rococo (1700-1780). In this era, the sculptors obtained unified spaces, created decorative schemes and emphasized on structural elements (Church of the Carmine, Turin, Italy, 1732, by Filippo Juvarra).Baroque style moved out of Rome and split in two different forms – The Roman Catholic countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria and South Germany) and Protestant regions (England, Netherlands and rest of northern Europe). The Catholic countries were inclined towards fre er and active surfaces thereby appealing through the senses, whereas the Protestant countries were more restrained and developed a quiet monumentality. As it migrated, Baroque style underwent changes in different countries according to the traditions, preferences and outlooks. In France, the architecture was geometrical, formal and precise merging with the Rococo style.Dutch painting was sober and detailed; and Dutch architecture was affected by political and commercial events, thereby emphasizing on beauty and nature of the middle class. Germany continued with its alpine wood crafting tradition in sculptures. The Baroque style moved towards extravagance in Spain and Latin America. In the latter half of the 18th century, baroque transitioned to romanticism which was ‘the age of enlightenment. ’ References: Cunningham L. S. & Reich J. J. (2006). Culture and Values: A survey of the Humanities. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

SWOT Analysis on Chicago Healthcare Center

SWOT Analysis on Chicago Healthcare Center Introduction The Chicago Healthcare Center has been in existence for the last ten years. It has continued to offer quality health care services to people around this place at subsidized prices. Although the government has established other healthcare facilities within this city, this hospital has been considered as the most successful healthcare center in Chicago in the last five years. One of the reasons why this hospital has been successful is because of its application of the emerging technologies in its operations.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on SWOT Analysis on Chicago Healthcare Center specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The management has been keen on using the emerging technologies in its operations as a way of improving its efficiency. It has been keen on installing some of the modern life-supporting machines to help ensure that patients who visit the facility get the best medical attention they need. The most recent move was the decision to install electronic medical record to help reduce the time patience take before they can finally be admitted in the facility. This electronic medical record helps in making the process of data storage, modification or retrieval easy for the management of this hospital (Coulter, 2009). In order to bring clarity to the benefits that the management stands to gain by using this technology, a SWOT analysis will be appropriate. SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS Reduced labor expenses Speed in managing data Ease in data modification Ease in data retrieval WEAKNESSES Cost of installation Skilled labor needed Lack of goodwill from employees OPPORTUNITIES Quality healthcare to patients Fewer errors in data management Increased capacity of the hospital due the use of machines Possible expansion if the system is a success THREATS The threat of hackers who may try to get classified information of the hospital Possible failure of the system that can l ead to loss of important data. Strengths Implementation of this system brings with it a number of strengths to the hospital. When this hospital implements this proposal, it will cut the cost of labor because fewer individuals would need to be employed for the purpose of data management. The process of data management will also be efficient and effective. This includes such activities as data entry process, data modification and its retrieval whenever it might be needed (Kratschmer, 2011). This means that the hospital will be able to serve more people at a lesser cost and within a shorter period when this technology is implemented. The hospital will have a higher capacity to meet the demands of its clients in a more effective and efficient manner, making it emerge as a stronger healthcare provider within this city. Weaknesses It is true that any change within an organization will always bring with it some elements of weaknesses despite the possible advantages it may have. This s ystem has a number of weaknesses that the management has to find a way to deal with. One of the main weaknesses of this new system is the initial cost. The firm will have to incur the initial cost of installing this system within the firm. Besides this cost, the management will have to look for skilled labor to take care of the new machines that will be installed within the firm. This may force the management to hire new employees for this task, or take their current employees to higher learning institutions to advance their skills. Finally, there is need to develop goodwill among the employees (Spulber, 2007). There might be lack of goodwill from employees who feel that their jobs are threatened.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Opportunities Implementation of this technology brings a number of opportunities to the hospital. One such opportunity is that it enables the hospital opportunity to improve its healthcare services to patients. This technology also offers the hospital an opportunity to expand its operations. With the errors reduced, this firm will be able to increase its patient intake on a daily basis. Threats Although this system comes to improve the functionality of the hospitals, it also comes with some threats both to the management and to the patients. To the management, there is the threat of a competitor hacking into the system and getting classified information about the firm. There is also the risk of data of the patients being accessed by unauthorized persons. This is because of the increased cyber crime that is common in this country. There is also another threat of a possible failure of the system. This can paralyze the operations of the firm. Conclusion It is clear that installing electronic medical record will be of great benefit to the hospital. The time taken to record data, modify them and their retrieval is shortened. The process becomes more efficient. This system also reduces the cost of labor because only a few individuals would be needed to manage the machine. However, it is important to appreciate that this comes with threats and weaknesses to the firm. Issues such as cybercrime and skilled labor to manage the system must be addressed. References Coulter, M. (2009). Strategic Management in Action. New York: Pearson Higher Education. Kratschmer, P. (2011). Organizational Culture is Highly Resistant to Change. New York: GRIN Verlag. Spulber, D. (2007). Global Competitive Strategy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on SWOT Analysis on Chicago Healthcare Center specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Arctic Fox Facts (Vulpes lagopus)

Arctic Fox Facts (Vulpes lagopus) The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small fox known for its luxurious  fur and entertaining hunting antics. Photographs of the fox usually show it with a white winter coat, but the animal may be a different color depending on genetics and season. Fast Facts: Arctic Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes lagopus (V. lagopus)Common Names: Arctic fox, white fox, polar fox, snow foxBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 20 inches (female); 22 inches (male), plus a 12 inch tail.Weight: 3-7 poundsDiet: OmnivoreLifespan:  3-4 yearsHabitat: Arctic tundraPopulation: Hundreds of thousandsConservation Status: Least Concern Description The scientific name  Vulpes lagopus  translates to fox hare-foot, which refers to the fact that the arctic foxs paw resembles a rabbits foot. It is the only canid whose foot pads are completely insulated by fur. An arctic fox has thick fur covering the soles of its feet. Wayne Lynch / Getty Images Arctic foxes are about the size of a house cat, averaging about 55 cm (male) to 52 cm (female) in height, with a 30 cm tail. The foxs weight depends on the season. In the summer, a fox puts on fat to help it survive the winter, essentially doubling its weight. Males range from 3.2 to 9.4 kg, while females weigh from 1.4 to 3.2 kg. The arctic fox has a low surface area to volume ratio to protect it from  the cold. It has a short muzzle and legs, compact body, and short, thick ears. When the temperature is warm, an arctic fox radiates heat through its nose. There are two arctic fox color morphs. The blue fox is a morph that appears dark blue, brown, or gray year-round. Blue foxes live is coastal regions where their fur serves as camouflage against the rocks. The white morph has a brown coat with gray abdomen in the summer and white coat in the winter. The color change helps the fox blend in with its surroundings to avoid predators. Habitat and Distribution Like its name implies, the arctic fox lives in the tundra of the Arctic region of the Northern Hemisphere. It is found in Canada, Alaska, Russia, Greenland, and (rarely) Scandinavia. The arctic fox is the only native land mammal found in Iceland. Adaptations for Life in the Arctic Circle When an arctic fox hears a rodent beneath the snow, it leaps into the air to silently pounce upon prey from above. Steven Kazlowski/Nature Picture Library / Getty Images Life on the tundra isnt easy, but the arctic fox is well adapted to its environment. One of the most interesting adaptations is the foxs hunting behavior. The fox uses its front-facing ears to triangulate prey location under the snow. When it hears a meal, the fox leaps into the air and pounces into the snow to reach its prize. An arctic fox can hear a lemming under 46 to 77 cm of snow and a seal lair beneath 150 cm of snow. Foxes also use their keen sense of smell to track prey. The fox can track a polar bear to scavenge its kill or smell a carcass from 10 to 40 km away. The foxs coat color helps it avoid predators, but the coats main adaptation is its high insulation value. The thick fur helps the fox stay warm even when the temperature drops well below freezing. The fox doesnt hibernate, so the coat makes it possible to conserve heat and hunt in the winter. However, recent research indicates the fox quickly burns its stored fat when the temperature drops well below freezing. Foxes live in burrows, preferring warrens with multiple entrances/exits to aid in escaping predators. Some foxes migrate and will tunnel in snow to make a shelter. Reproduction and Offspring If food is abundant, an arctic fox may give birth to up to 25 pups!. Richard Kemp / Getty Images Arctic foxes are mostly monogamous, with both parents caring for offspring. However, social structure depends on predator and prey abundance. Sometimes the foxes will form packs and be promiscuous to increase pup survival and guard against threats. Although red foxes prey upon arctic foxes, the two species are genetically compatible and have been known to interbreed on rare occasions. Foxes breed in April or May with a gestation period of approximately 52 days. Blue foxes, which live on the coast and enjoy a consistent food supply, typically have 5 pups each year. White arctic foxes may not reproduce when food is scarce, yet can have as many as 25 pups in a litter when prey is abundant. This is the largest litter size in order Carnivora. Both parents help care for the pups or kits. The kits emerge from the den when they are 3 to 4 weeks old and are weaned at 9 weeks old. When resources are abundant, older offspring may remain within their parents territory to help guard it and aid kit survival. Arctic foxes only live three to four years in the wild. Foxes with dens near a food supply tend to live longer than animals that migrate to follow larger predators. Diet and Behavior This arctic fox, midway between its summer and winter coats, is stealing an egg. Sven Zacek / Getty Images The arctic fox is an omnivorous predator. It preys on lemmings and other rodents, seal pups, fish, birds, eggs, insects, and other invertebrates. It also eats berries, seaweed, and carrion, sometimes tracking polar bears to eat the remains of their kill. Arctic foxes bury excess food in a cache to store for winter and rearing kits. Arctic foxes are preyed upon by red foxes, eagles, wolves, wolverines, and bears. Conservation Status The blue fox variant of the arctic fox is highly valued in the fur trade. lambada / Getty Images The IUCN categorizes the conservation status of the arctic fox as of least concern. The global population of arctic foxes is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. However, the species is acutely endangered in northern Europe, with fewer than 200 adults remaining in Norway, Sweden, and Finland combined. Even though hunting has been prohibited for decades, the animals are poached for their valuable fur. The population on Medny Island, Russia is also endangered. Threats The arctic fox faces severe challenges from hunting and climate change. Warmer temperatures have made the foxs white winter coloration readily visible to predators. The red fox, in particular, threatens the arctic fox. In some areas, the red fox has become dominant as its predator, the grey wolf, has been hunted to near extinction. Disease and scarcity of prey affect arctic fox populations in some parts of its range. Can You Have a Pet Arctic Fox? Red foxes are more common pets than arctic foxes. All images taken by Keven Law of London, England. / Getty Images Foxes, like dogs, belong to the family Canidae. However, they are not domesticated and do not make ideal pets. They mark territory by spraying and need to be able to dig. While there are examples of foxes kept as pets (particularly within their natural range in the Arctic), the red fox is more popular because its better adapted to co-exist at a temperature comfortable for humans. Keeping a fox is illegal in some regions. The arctic fox is a prohibited new organism according to New Zealands Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. While you may be able to befriend an arctic fox if you live in the Arctic, the creatures are unwelcome in the Southern Hemisphere because they would upset the ecology. Sources Angerbjà ¶rn, A.; Tannerfeldt, M. Vulpes lagopus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2014: e.T899A57549321. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-2.RLTS.T899A57549321.enBoitani, Luigi . Simon Schusters Guide to Mammals. Simon Schuster/Touchstone Books, 1984. ISBN 978-0-671-42805-1Garrott, R. A. and L. E. Eberhardt. Arctic fox. In Novak, M.; et al. Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America. pp. 395–406, 1987. ISBN 0774393653.Prestrud, Pal. Adaptations by the Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) to the Polar Winter. Arctic. 44 (2): 132–138, 1991. doi:10.14430/arctic1529Wozencraft, W.C. Order Carnivora. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 532–628, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0

Phase 4 Discussion Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Phase 4 Discussion Board - Essay Example Also, the beverage industry is one in which brand loyalty is an important factor. For example, many people are hard core loyals to brands such as Coke or Pepsi, and it would take time to steal market share away from these established brands. As more and more time lapses after the launch, more people would become aware of the product and more trial would be generated. Optimistically speaking, if consumers like the new product, there would be more repeat purchase as time goes by. Satisfied consumers market the new product even more through the word of mouth as they encourage their friends and family to try it out. Hence, as more time goes by, more and more sales can be generated. Generally, for new products, the initial hype created by promotion campaigns is what leads to trial purchase. Even after the launch, the level of advertisement and other promotional activities has a considerable effect on the sales level. Advertisements can be in the print or electronic media. Other promotional activities can include Below The Line (BTL) activities such as free trial purchases offered to consumers, or free gifts with every purchase of the new product. For a new product, there has to be large scale advertisement and promotional activity to create awareness about the brand, and to steal the market share away from already established brands. It has already been mentioned that the beverage industry is usually dominated by a few players which have a strong, brand loyal customer base. A unique brand image needs to be created to appeal to the target audience, so that those loyal to other brands will be attracted towards the new one. This unique brand image can only be done through effective advertisement and promotional campaigns. If we were to take the combined effect of time and advertisement/promotion, it would give us an even clearer picture of the success or

The Islamic Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

The Islamic Empire - Essay Example The Muslim physicians were very early and keen experimenters too, and they invented many surgical techniques and dietary improvements. Unlike Christian doctors of the period, they believed in active intervention to heal people and had considerably more success than western monks and nuns, who mainly offered basic nursing and religious support. 3 The Christian Crusades started out as pious journeys which individuals made as a way of doing penance for their sins. They were extensions of local pilgrimages to various churches and holy places and people banded together to set off for Jerusalem, which was revered above all places on earth because of its association with Jesus Christ. Over time the need for protection against the hazards of the journey grew more intense, whether from opportunist robbers or from some powerful Islamic figures who resented the Christian presence on their lands. The people who went on the large scale and well-armed pilgrimages were usually noblemen and their en tourage, and they were motivated by greed and a sense of adventure, rather than religion. Kings and churches supported the crusades also for political and economic reasons since they distracted people from troubles at home and offered chances to bring back spoils of war. Inventing a horrible enemy encouraged people to become mercenaries and defend their own culture. In an imitation of Islamic ideas, the concept of a â€Å"Holy War† was used to drum up support but in fact, a lot of this was just propaganda with no real basis in fact.

Strategic Business Analysis - Case Study about Netflix Essay

Strategic Business Analysis - Case Study about Netflix - Essay Example This essay focuses on the business analysis of the Netflix company. The researcher aims to describe the strategic business analysis of Netflix, that is the wÐ ¾rld's lÐ °rgest Ð ¾nline DVD mÐ ¾vie rentÐ °l service, Ð ¾ffering mÐ ¾re thÐ °n three milliÐ ¾n members Ð °ccess tÐ ¾ 50,000 titles. It is stated by the researcher of the essay that the Ð °ppeÐ °l Ð °nd success Ð ¾f the cÐ ¾mpÐ °ny Ð °re built Ð ¾n prÐ ¾viding the mÐ ¾st expÐ °nsive selectiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f DVDs; Ð °nd fÐ °st, free delivery. The Netflix business mÐ ¾del is Ð °n Ð ¾rgÐ °nized rent Ð ¾f DVD Ð °dvertised thrÐ ¾ugh Internet Ð °nd delivered thrÐ ¾ugh the pÐ ¾stÐ °l mÐ °il. Te key drivers Ð °re the number Ð ¾f custÐ ¾mers, custÐ ¾mer quÐ °lity, prÐ ¾duct cÐ ¾sts Ð °nd fulfilment cÐ ¾sts. In the first pÐ °rt Ð ¾f the essay the researcher Ð °ssess the cÐ ¾mpetitiÐ ¾n in DVD industry. Using PÐ ¾rter’s Five FÐ ¾rces MÐ ¾del Ð ¾f CÐ ¾mpetitiÐ ¾n the researcher defi nes the kinds Ð ¾f cÐ ¾mpetitive fÐ ¾rces thÐ °t currently fÐ °ce Netflix. In pÐ °rticulÐ °r, the researcher also provides Ð °n Ð °nÐ °lysis Ð ¾f relÐ °tiÐ ¾nships between Netflix, BlÐ ¾ckbuster Ð °nd WÐ °l-MÐ °rt. SecÐ ¾nd pÐ °rt Ð ¾f reseÐ °rch is referred tÐ ¾ current pÐ ¾sitiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f Netflix in DVD industry. Using the grÐ ¾up mÐ °pping strÐ °tegy, key cÐ ¾mpetitÐ ¾rs Ð °re described Ð °nd cÐ ¾nclusiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f rivÐ °lry in the industry is mÐ °de. Further the study prÐ ¾vides mÐ ¾re discussiÐ ¾n Ð °nd less Ð °nÐ °lysis Ð °s the subject Ð ¾f DVD Ð ¾nline rentÐ °l industry Ð °nd its lÐ ¾w bÐ °rriers tÐ ¾ entry Ð °nd high bÐ °rriers tÐ ¾ prÐ ¾fitÐ °bility Ð °re mentiÐ ¾ned. In the cÐ ¾ncluding pÐ °rt the recÐ ¾mmendÐ °tiÐ ¾ns Ð °s fÐ ¾r the strÐ °tegies thÐ °t might bring grÐ ¾wth Ð °nd sustÐ °inÐ °bility tÐ ¾ Netflix Ð ¾ver the next five yeÐ °rs Ð °re presented.

Proposal to Cease Testing Blood Donations for CMV

Proposal to Cease Testing Blood Donations for CMV Status Public Executive summary (200 words) In response to SaBTO recommendations for replacing CMV seronegative cellular blood components with leucodepleted blood components, an implementation project has been established pending approval from the Board. The proposed implementation date of January 2018 is considered a realist timeframe for this approach. Communication with clinicians indicates the acceptance of leucodepleted components as CMV safe, replacing the selection of CMV seronegative components. Information has been obtained regarding international practices and use of leucodepletion with respect to CMV. This paper sets out key information on the proposed replacement of CMV seronegative blood products with leucodepleted blood products, provides recommendations of the optimal strategy to achieve this, and takes into consideration patient groups that may be affected. Action requested (bulleted list) The Board is asked to: Note the implementation plans for the introduction of CMV safe blood products Approve the proposal to cease production of all CMV seronegative blood products that undergo leucodepletion and consider these products as CMV safe Approve the proposal to continue the production of CMV seronegative red cell and platelet components for intra-uterine transfusions and neonates Approve the proposal to continue the production of CMV seronegative granulocyte components for CMV seronegative patients Approve the proposal to continue the production of CMV seronegative blood components for seronegative and seropositive pregnant women that require transfusions throughout pregnancy Agree the recommendation to continue to implement CMV PCR as a screening method for early detection for all haemopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplant recipients Purpose of paper (1 paragraph) For over 30 years, there has been an ongoing debate regarding the use of CMV seronegative blood components versus the use of leucodepleted blood components. To date, the use of CMV seronegative blood products has been implemented to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus in patients considered at risk. Leucodepletion has been performed on all blood products in the UK since 1999. This paper provides an overview on the use of CMV seronegative blood products in comparison to the use of leucodepleted blood components. This paper provides an assessment of patient groups that are considered at risk of CMV and considers advantages to ceasing of CMV testing in the UK. Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a pervasive, cell-associated prototypic virus that is a member of the betaherpesvirus subfamily (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; Ljungman, 2004). CMV mostly causes asymptomatic infection or mononucleosis-like-infection in an immunocompetent host; however, in an immunocompromised host it can result in chronic and persistent infection with devastating outcomes (Seed et al., 2015). Patient groups that are considered at risk of life-threatening transfusion-transmitted CMV infection includes CMV seronegative patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and solid organ transplantation, low birth weight and premature neonates, foetuses that require intrauterine transfusion, CMV seronegative pregnant women, and highly immunocompromised patients, such as those with malignant disease (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; SaBTO, 2012). CMV infection is frequently encountered throughout childhood and an estimated 50 60% of the adult population in the United Kingdom (UK) are CMV positive (SaBTO, 2012). CMV infection can be transmitted both horizontally and vertically (Crough and Kannah, 2009). Horizontal transmission occurs through contact with body fluids, such as urine and saliva, sexually through genital secretions, blood transfusion, and hematopoietic stem cell and organ transplant (SaBTO, 2012; Sia and Patel, 2000). Vertical transmission occurs from mother to child, via delivery and breast milk (Crough and Kannah, 2009). Additionally, congenital CMV infection is highly prevalent and may arise through a primary maternal infection during pregnancy (Crough and Kannah, 2009). Following exposure to CMV and the initial infection, the virus remains in a dormant state (Ljungman, 2004). Seroconversion of the host occurs between 6 8 weeks and mounts an immune response, producing CMV specific immunoglobulin (IgG) (Seed et al., 2014). In the UK, there is an estimated seroconversion rate of 1% per annum (SaBTO, 2012). CMV therefore has a window period, in which there may be underlying viremia and high viral load (Liberman et al., 2011). Subsequently, a CMV seropositive individual is considered to have been infected, whilst at the same time considered potentially infectious due to the life-long persistence of the virus (SaBTO, 2012). Transfusion-transmitted CMV infection is regarded as a potential threat to the safety and sufficiency of the blood supply for a multitude of reasons (Roback, 2002). Firstly, transfusion-transmission of CMV that is present in blood and blood components can result in the infection of naà ¯ve recipients (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; Ljungman, 2004). Secondly, transfusion-transmitted CMV is acknowledged as a primary source of infection, in which donor infectivity is an underlying reason, that may result in CMV disease (Ljungman, 2004). Thirdly, CMV seropositive recipients that are exposed to blood products containing CMV may cause reactivation of the latent virus or reinfection from a new strain (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; Ljungman, 2004). However, the risk of transfusion-transmitted CMV infection has been significantly reduced through the implementation of leucodepletion and production of specific CMV negative blood and blood products (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014). Since November 1999, all blood products (unless state otherwise) produced by the UK blood service are leucodepleted (Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom, 2013). Initially, this was a response taken to reduce the risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) disease in blood transfusions; however, this risk reduction strategy has proven beneficial in additional areas of transfusion science and blood safety (Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom, 2013). The UK specification for leucodepletion is: more than 90% of leucocyte-depleted components should contain less than 1 x 106 leucocytes and more than 99% of components should contain less than 5 x 106 leucocytes (SaBTO, 2012). The specification for 99% of components is regarded as the level in which blood components are deemed CMV safe (SaBTO, 2012). Leucodepletion has considerably reduced the risk of transfusion-transmitted CMV, to a level that mirrors the selection of CMV negative blood products (Ljungman, 2004; Bowden et al., 1995). However, it has yet to be shown to what extent the techniques are comparable and how this may affect patient groups considered at risk of CMV infection (Ljungman, 2004). It is important to note that whilst leucodepletion removes most white cells from blood products, it is not 100% effective (Kumar, 2006). Therefore, there is a residual risk of CMV transmission in blood products of recently infected donors (Kumar, 2006). This occurs in the window period of the virus from 6 8 weeks to 1 year following seroconversion, in which the virus may be present in the remaining plasma or white cells (SaBTO, 2012; Ziemann et al., 2010; Drew and Roback, 2007). CMV transmission can occur in both donors that have an active infection, including primary or reactivated, or latent infection (Azevedo, 2015). The leading mechanism of transfusion-transmitted CMV infection is through mononuclear cells that are believed to harbour a latent infection (Ljungman, 2004). CMV is thought to persist in circulating monocytes, in which an estimated 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 100,000 peripheral blood monocular cells carry CMV (SaBTO, 2012). Pennington et al (2001) conducted a study that provided evidence to suggest that leucodepletion filters are highly effective in removing mononuclear cells and may reduce CMV levels to 0.1 viral copies per mL in leucodepleted blood. Furthermore, blood products that have been leucodepleted are monitored continuously, using flow cytometry, to assess efficiency (SaBTO, 2012). Moreover, the prospect of having a component issued that contains a leucocyte count above the UK specification can be calculated (SaBTO, 2012). In regards to testing for transfusion-transmitted CMV, there are two main methods that are used. This includes serological testing and Nucleic Acid Technology (NAT) testing (SaBTO, 2012). Serological testing involves the use of antibody screening which is accomplished through the use of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests that detect total CMV antibody (Ross, 2011). Screening for CMV infection using serology is the most prevalent method used and is based on the agglutination principle (Ross, 2011; Ljungman, 2004). The method offers several advantages as it is fast, highly sensitive, and highly specific, constituting an ideal screening test (Ross, 2011). This method, however, is associated with two key limitations. Firstly, the window period presents a challenge in regards to activation of the primary infection and seroconversion (Ljungman, 2004). Secondly, there is a risk of obtaining false negative screening results (Ljungman, 2004). Therefore, there is a risk that CMV may be transmitted via a CMV seronegative component (SaBTO, 2012). In addition to serology, NAT testing is used to detect CMV DNA and subsequent infection (Ross, 2011). Several qualitative and quantitative assays are available for this method (SaBTO, 2012). This screening method is associated with variation in the sensitivity and specificity of available assays (Roback et al., 2003;2001). Studies have highlighted inter-laboratory variation for samples containing low viral load (Pang et al, 2009; Wolff et al., 2009). As a result, a CMV DNA reference has been developed for comparison of results when sensitivity is a challenge (Ross, 2011). To produce a supply of CMV negative blood and blood components, several donations are screened each year. Overall, an estimated 25 40% of donors are CMV antibody positive, dependent on age. The production and use of CMV negative blood components forms a significant undertaking for the blood service. According to the report released by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues, and Organs (SaBTO) in March 2012, in the last 5 years, the number of CMV negative platelets and red cells has increased. The report notes that NHSBT charge  £7.76 for CMV negative red cells and platelets, covering the inventory and screening costs. This amounts to a total of  £2.5 million per annum, in which  £230,000 is dedicated to apheresis platelets and  £2,270,000 to red cells. The number of donations that are screened is greater than the number of donations that are issued as CMV negative. In addition, not all donations screened will deliver a negative result. Subsequently, it has been proposed that the use and production of CMV negative components is reviewed. SaBTO recommends the use of a single inventory and accepting leucodepleted blood products as CMV safe. This is outlined in section 6. Proposal 6.1 This proposal has been written to ask the blood centre to consider ceasing CMV testing for an agreed list of blood products and in its replacement, support the use of leucodepleted blood components that are considered CMV safe. 6.2 The proposal of ceasing CMV testing for the replacement of leucodepleted components that are considered CMV safe is associated with several advantages. Inventory management Management of a single inventory would offer an advantage to blood banks and hospitals. This would be a preferred method to the current used for ease of access. NHSBT must ensure CMV negative components are available across the country on multiple NHS sites. To achieve this, NHSBT spend approximately  £95,000 n the delivery of CMV negative components. Wastage The Belgian Blood Service have produced a report that states implementation of pathogen reduction in platelets to inactivate CMV may result in an overall decrease in the wastage of platelets. A 1.5% reduction is estimated, which would result in a saving of  £0.22 million. Improved compliance with safety initiatives Reduction in the wastage of blood products and implementation of a single inventory would enable the target of 80% platelets by apheresis to be met sooner. Furthermore, this would support transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) prevention, as the number of male platelet donors would increase due to enhanced recruitment strategies. This would further enable costs of HLA antibody screening of potential female platelet donors to be avoided. Reduction in hospital blood bank workload Because of the removal of CMV seronegative components, the workload in hospitals and blood banks would decrease. Staff would no longer have to spend time ordering or checking platelets as CMV negative components. This would have a direct positive impact on the stock management. Staff that may potentially be free from the responsibility associated with CMV negative products will be able to invest their time elsewhere, to improve the efficiency of the blood service. Reduction in clinical errors The Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) have reported from 2000 to 2010, 1040 reports were filed stating special requirements were not met. Of these, 83 were attributed to the inappropriate selection of blood components that were not CMV negative. 65 were attributed to selection of blood components that were both CMV negative and irradiated components. However, none of these cases reported CMV transmission. 6.3 The proposed implementation date of this project is January 2018. Further clinical guidance is to be requested from SaBTO who will instruct in the implementation plan of this proposal. 6.4 Consideration must be given to specific patient groups that are considered at risk of CMV infection. This includes: Haematopoietic stem cell transplant patients Leucodepleted blood products can be used for all patient groups post haemopoietic stem cell transplantation Patients receiving transfusions and may need a transplant also may receive leucodepleted products CMV PCR should be used to assess CMV infection for patient groups to enable early detection and treatment Intra-uterine transfusions and neonates CMV negative components should be provided for intra-uterine transfusions and neonates (up to 28 days post expected due date) All blood products produced at a reduce size for neonates should be CMV seronegative Pregnant patients CMV seronegative blood products should be provided to pregnancy women, regardless of CMV status. Components should also be provided for transfusions throughout pregnancy, for example in the case of haemoglobinopathies. HIV and immunodeficient patients These patients should receive leucodepleted blood as there is no evidence to suggest a benefit with the use of CMV seronegative components Organ transplant patients Organ transplant patients should receive leucodepleted blood only CMV PCR should be used to assess CMV infection for patient groups to enable early detection and treatment Granulocytes Granulocyte components provided should be CMV seronegative for all patients as these components cannot be leucodepleted 6.5 Potential impact on blood centre employees includes the reduction in workload. Considerations needs to be given towards how this workload can be replaced. Consideration also needs to be given towards the possibility of redundancy, as a successive effect of this proposal. 6.6 The board must be aware of the clinical and financial benefits of this proposal; however, the board should also be aware of potential limitations regarding the operation of the proposal. The board should also be aware of potential legal repercussions should someone become infected with CMV through a blood component. 6.7 Stakeholders that will need to be involved include both internal and external. Internal stakeholders will include the manager of the NHSBT site and the head of testing. External stake holders will need to raise public awareness regarding the change in production of seronegative CMV components. Doctors will also need to be aware of the changes implemented to CMV negative components and be aware of who this applies for. E.g. certain patient groups will still receive CMV seronegative components. References A. Ross, S., Novak, Z., Pati, S. and B. Boppana, S. (2011). Overview of the Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus Infection. Infectious Disorders Drug Targets, 11(5), pp.466-474. Azevedo, L., Pierrotti, L., Abdala, E., Costa, S., Strabelli, T., Campos, S., Ramos, J., Latif, A., Litvinov, N., Maluf, N., Caiaffa Filho, H., Pannuti, C., Lopes, M., Santos, V., Linardi, C., Yasuda, M. and Marques, H. (2015). Cytomegalovirus infection in transplant recipients. Clinics, 70(7), pp.515-523. Crough, T. and Khanna, R. (2009). Immunobiology of Human Cytomegalovirus: from Bench to Bedside. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 22(1), pp.76-98. DOH UK, (2012). SaBTO Report of Cytomegalovirus Tested Blood Components, Position Statement. [online] pp.1 15. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/215125/dh_133086.pdf [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Drew, W. and Roback, J. (2007). Prevention of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus: reactivation of the debate? Transfusion, 47(11), pp.1955-1958. Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom. 8th Edition, TSO Norwich, http://www.transfusionguidelines.org/transfusion-handbook/3-providing-safe-blood. [Accessed 25/10/2016] Kumar, H., Gupta, P., Mishra, D., Sarkar, R. and Jaiprakash, M. (2006). Leucodepletion and Blood Products. Medical Journal Armed Forces India, 62(2), pp.174-177. Ljungman, P. (2004). Risk of cytomegalovirus transmission by blood products to immunocompromised patients and means for reduction. British Journal of Haematology, 125(2), pp.107-116. Pang, X., Fox, J., Fenton, J., Miller, G., Caliendo, A. and Preiksaitis, J. (2009). Interlaboratory Comparison of Cytomegalovirus Viral Load Assays. American Journal of Transplantation, 9(2), pp.258-268. Pennington, J., Garner, S., Sutherland, J. and Williamson, L. (2001). Residual subset population analysis in WBC-reduced blood components using real-time PCR quantitation of specific mRNA. Transfusion, 41(12), pp.1591-1600. Roback, J. (2002). 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Wolff, D., Heaney, D., Neuwald, P., Stellrecht, K. and Press, R. (2009). Multi-Site PCR-Based CMV Viral Load Assessment-Assays Demonstrate Linearity and Precision, but Lack Numeric Standardization. The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, 11(2), pp.87-92. Ziemann, M. and Hennig, H. (2014). Prevention of Transfusion-Transmitted Cytomegalovirus Infections: Which is the Optimal Strategy?. Transfusion Medicine and Hemotherapy, 41(1), pp.7-7. Ziemann, M., Unmack, A., Steppat, D., Juhl, D., Gà ¶rg, S. and Hennig, H. (2010). The natural course of primary cytomegalovirus infection in blood donors. Vox Sanguinis, 99(1), pp.24-33.