Island Report

Purpose As requested, this report is an assessment of the suitability of Fiji Island for package holidays. The report summarizes the main attractions as well as the accessibility and accommodation. Location and access The Fiji islands are located in the Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of Australia, therefore the most convenient way of traveling to the island is by plane or by boat. Once on the island, traveling from the airport is possible by using the public transportation such as busses or taxis. Busses run from the airport or the center of the island to any attraction every 15 minutes during the day and every1 hour during the night.Accommodation and restaurants The island aims to provide traditional and authentic Fiji accommodation. This is achieved through the use of bungalows instead of hotels with lined ceilings and thatched roofs. The result is stylish, comfortable and caters for all tastes. There are a lot of restaurants on the island and Fiji’s food is a veritable melting pot of cultural influences from all over the world. However, because of the island’s politics, most of the restaurants close before 10 pm and if tourists want a certain type of restaurant, they have to make a reservation in advance.Tourist attractions Fiji Island offers a wide range of attractions and activities that visitors enjoy such as sailing, scuba-diving, dolphin watching or shopping tours. Also, the island is provided with an open-air fitness where the tourists can relax. However, the prices of this facility are higher in the summer period due to the big number of visitors. Recommendation In conclusion, due to Fiji’s natural beauty as well as the modern facilities, it represents one of the most visited islands and would be able to provide the facilities necessary for a perfect packaged holiday.

A Raisin In the Sun

Mama's Dream Dreams are fantasies made up of images from your mind. Everybody has their nightmares, and dreams that sometimes come true in A Raisin In the Sun , by Lorraine Handlebars. The Younger family are African Americans, who struggle with economics. Mama's American Dream is she wants to use her husbands insurance to help her family. Mama's dream is affected by her personality traits of being caring, religious, and determined. One personality trait that affects her dream is her compassion.When mama says, â€Å"Come on now, honey. You need to lie down and rest a while†¦ Then have some nice hot food (pig PAGE). Mama shows her compassion to help her daughter feel better. Compassion affects Mama's dream by Another trait that strongly affects Mama's dream is her being religious. When Mama says, â€Å"Now don't you start child. Its being too early in the morning to be talking about money. It anti Christian, Mama ( pig 41 She illustrates how she feels money should not be more im portant than family.Mama's religiousness affects her dream by Walter said, † Where did you go this afternoon? † and Mama replied, â€Å"l went downtown to tend some business I had to tend to. † (pig 90) Mama demonstrates that as a mother she is devoted to always work so, the money earned can help the Younger and to buy her dream house. Mama's determination affects her dream by not ever giving up to strive for her goals. Without Mama's personality traits she would not have gotten her dream. A Raisin In the Sun Mama's Dream Dreams are fantasies made up of images from your mind. Everybody has their nightmares, and dreams that sometimes come true in A Raisin In the Sun , by Lorraine Handlebars. The Younger family are African Americans, who struggle with economics. Mama's American Dream is she wants to use her husbands insurance to help her family. Mama's dream is affected by her personality traits of being caring, religious, and determined. One personality trait that affects her dream is her compassion.When mama says, â€Å"Come on now, honey. You need to lie down and rest a while†¦ Then have some nice hot food (pig PAGE). Mama shows her compassion to help her daughter feel better. Compassion affects Mama's dream by Another trait that strongly affects Mama's dream is her being religious. When Mama says, â€Å"Now don't you start child. Its being too early in the morning to be talking about money. It anti Christian, Mama ( pig 41 She illustrates how she feels money should not be more im portant than family.Mama's religiousness affects her dream by Walter said, † Where did you go this afternoon? † and Mama replied, â€Å"l went downtown to tend some business I had to tend to. † (pig 90) Mama demonstrates that as a mother she is devoted to always work so, the money earned can help the Younger and to buy her dream house. Mama's determination affects her dream by not ever giving up to strive for her goals. Without Mama's personality traits she would not have gotten her dream. A Raisin in the Sun â€Å"America has given the Negro people a bad check† , this is thoroughly shown, along with other themes, throughout both A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s â€Å"I Have A Dream† speech. Before the civil rights movement, and for some time after, blacks were given the short end of the stick, they had to fight for their dreams and they had to fight against racism. They were given next to nothing but they were still expected to ask the whites to â€Å"forgive [them] for ever wanting to be anything at all! (p. 27). The ideas between the two works blend together very well and very easily that one of the biggest differentiations is the attitudes of the white people towards the blacks. Dreams are an incredibly monumental part of every person, they are what shapes them and guides them, and Hansberry and King both experienced a time when it was unbelievably difficult for blacks to achieve those dreams because the means necessary to reach them just weren’t available for black people. A Raisin in the Sun is full of dreams, Ruth dreams for a nice house for her family to live in, Beneatha dreams to become a doctor and do one of the most concretely good things that a person can do for another, Walter dreams of owning a liquor store and the financial security and independence he would achieve through that, and Mama dreams that future generations will have a better life. However, people don’t always think of how their dreams can influence them, the Youngers’ dreams and their attainment, or lack thereof, is directly related to the happiness and depression of the family. King’s dream was very similar to Mama’s, better things for the future, more opportunities, that blacks and whites would be able to sit â€Å"at the table of brotherhood†? together. All of Dr. King’s dreams have a common root, the abolition of racial discrimination. â€Å"The Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination†? , and while the chains are merely symbolic they may was well be literal. Fighting racial discrimination is the center of both pieces of literature, the people who support it, knowingly or unknowingly, are oppressing the blacks and making them feel like they didn’t belong anywhere. Around the Civil Rights Movement, black people didn’t feel like they had a home, their families had been in North America for centuries and because of that they felt absolutely no connection to Africa, the place that they were being told was their home, and they were being told and shown that they weren’t American either because of all the basic rights that were being taken away from them. They just wanted to â€Å"rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice†. And that was something that the Younger family was almost deprived of when they wanted to move to Clybourne Park, Mr.  Lindner came and told them that †our Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities† (p. 165). White people weren’t even being subtle with their racial discrimination; they had committees to make sure that black people knew that they weren’t welcome. Dr. King’s speech is all about trying to eradicate racism and so that people were not â€Å"judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character†?. In today’s society we are always told to do just that, do not judge a book by its cover, and it almost seems like fiction to think that an entire race was judged merely by how they look. The black people just wanted to be able to enter the â€Å"oasis of freedom and justice† , and the people around them were the ones who were going to have to make all the changes. In A Raisin in the Sun the white people clearly want nothing to do with the black people unless the blacks are doing the menial jobs that very few white people were willing to do, such as be drivers for the rich whites or clean their houses for very little pay, and the white people would get offended if the black people asked for a raise, after all the blacks should be grateful that the whites even considered giving them a job. However, when Dr. King made his speech there were white people in the crowd as well as black people. The white people knew that a change was coming and they were ready for the change because they thought that it would make things better, and Dr. King even acknowledges them while he is speaking, â€Å"many of our white brothers, as evidence by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. †? Between the speech and the play there is only about a decade of time between them, but the attitudes of the white people couldn’t be more different. Dreams, racism, and attitude are all substantially influential components to a society, and are certainly shown in both A Raisin in the Sun and â€Å"I Have A Dream†. And while racial discrimination has not been completely abolished from society, when A Raisin in the Sun first came out it gave incredible insight into how similar blacks were to whites, and when Dr. King gave his speech the Civil Rights Movement took off. Even though the blacks were given a â€Å"bad check†? their refusal â€Å"to believe that the bank of justice [was] bankrupt† made all the difference. A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry’s play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun,† was a radically new representation of black life, resolutely authentic, fiercely unsentimental, and unflinching in its vision of what happens to people whose dreams are constantly deferred. I compared Act One, Scene 2, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is on a Saturday morning, and house cleaning is in process at the Youngers. In the film, the setting is the same as play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is when Mrs. Younger gets the insurance check of $10,000. In the film, the plot is the same, but includes music not mentioned in the play. The dialogue in the film has some deletions from the original text, with new dialogue added throughout the scene. Some film techniques used are: the film cuts back and forth to different characters, the room is well lit with the sunshine coming in through the window, and music is added throughout some parts of this scene. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene involves dialogue. Much of the dialogue is deleted, however, new dialogue is added through some parts of this scene. Also, in the play, the mailman comes up to their apartment and rings the door bell unlike the film, Travis runs up to him outside the building and gets the mail from him right away and runs back to give it to Mrs. Younger (his grandma). I also compared Act Two, Scene 1, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is later, that same day at the Youngers. In the film, the setting is the same as play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is when Mama, Mrs. Younger, buys Travis a new house for when he gets older to be a man. In the film, the plot is the same as play with music added to parts of this scene. The dialogue in the film has some lines rephrased and also has some deletions from the original text; new dialogue is added throughout parts of this scene. Some film techniques used in this scene are: the room is brightly lit with lamps and other light fixtures, the film cuts back and forth to different characters and the camera seems to move alone with the characters as they did, and music is added throughout parts of this scene. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene involves dialogue. Much of the dialogue is rephrased and not said as the author has written it in the play. And also, some of the dialogue from the original text is deleted, however, new dialogue is added. And also, unlike the film, a lot of the actions the author has described in the play did not happen in the film. Such as, on page 91 as Ruth says â€Å"Praise God! the author describes that she raises both arms classically, and as she tells Walter Lee to be glad, the author describes she has laid her hands on his shoulders, but he shakes himself free of her roughly, without turning to face her, these actions did not happen in the film. I also had compared Act Two, Scene 3, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is on a Saturday, moving day, one week later. In the film, the setting is the same as the play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is Linder tries to buy back the house from the Younger family. In the film, the plot is the same as the play. The dialogue in the film has some deletions from play; new dialogue is added in replacement of the deleted dialogue. Some film techniques used in this scene are: the film cuts back and forth to different characters, and the room is well lit with the sunshine coming in through the window. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene also involves dialogue. The dialogue in this scene is mostly faithful to the play but has some deletions. On the other hand, new dialogue was added in replacement of the deleted lines from the original text. A Raisin in the Sun â€Å"America has given the Negro people a bad check† , this is thoroughly shown, along with other themes, throughout both A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s â€Å"I Have A Dream† speech. Before the civil rights movement, and for some time after, blacks were given the short end of the stick, they had to fight for their dreams and they had to fight against racism. They were given next to nothing but they were still expected to ask the whites to â€Å"forgive [them] for ever wanting to be anything at all! (p. 27). The ideas between the two works blend together very well and very easily that one of the biggest differentiations is the attitudes of the white people towards the blacks. Dreams are an incredibly monumental part of every person, they are what shapes them and guides them, and Hansberry and King both experienced a time when it was unbelievably difficult for blacks to achieve those dreams because the means necessary to reach them just weren’t available for black people. A Raisin in the Sun is full of dreams, Ruth dreams for a nice house for her family to live in, Beneatha dreams to become a doctor and do one of the most concretely good things that a person can do for another, Walter dreams of owning a liquor store and the financial security and independence he would achieve through that, and Mama dreams that future generations will have a better life. However, people don’t always think of how their dreams can influence them, the Youngers’ dreams and their attainment, or lack thereof, is directly related to the happiness and depression of the family. King’s dream was very similar to Mama’s, better things for the future, more opportunities, that blacks and whites would be able to sit â€Å"at the table of brotherhood†? together. All of Dr. King’s dreams have a common root, the abolition of racial discrimination. â€Å"The Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination†? , and while the chains are merely symbolic they may was well be literal. Fighting racial discrimination is the center of both pieces of literature, the people who support it, knowingly or unknowingly, are oppressing the blacks and making them feel like they didn’t belong anywhere. Around the Civil Rights Movement, black people didn’t feel like they had a home, their families had been in North America for centuries and because of that they felt absolutely no connection to Africa, the place that they were being told was their home, and they were being told and shown that they weren’t American either because of all the basic rights that were being taken away from them. They just wanted to â€Å"rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice†. And that was something that the Younger family was almost deprived of when they wanted to move to Clybourne Park, Mr.  Lindner came and told them that †our Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities† (p. 165). White people weren’t even being subtle with their racial discrimination; they had committees to make sure that black people knew that they weren’t welcome. Dr. King’s speech is all about trying to eradicate racism and so that people were not â€Å"judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character†?. In today’s society we are always told to do just that, do not judge a book by its cover, and it almost seems like fiction to think that an entire race was judged merely by how they look. The black people just wanted to be able to enter the â€Å"oasis of freedom and justice† , and the people around them were the ones who were going to have to make all the changes. In A Raisin in the Sun the white people clearly want nothing to do with the black people unless the blacks are doing the menial jobs that very few white people were willing to do, such as be drivers for the rich whites or clean their houses for very little pay, and the white people would get offended if the black people asked for a raise, after all the blacks should be grateful that the whites even considered giving them a job. However, when Dr. King made his speech there were white people in the crowd as well as black people. The white people knew that a change was coming and they were ready for the change because they thought that it would make things better, and Dr. King even acknowledges them while he is speaking, â€Å"many of our white brothers, as evidence by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. †? Between the speech and the play there is only about a decade of time between them, but the attitudes of the white people couldn’t be more different. Dreams, racism, and attitude are all substantially influential components to a society, and are certainly shown in both A Raisin in the Sun and â€Å"I Have A Dream†. And while racial discrimination has not been completely abolished from society, when A Raisin in the Sun first came out it gave incredible insight into how similar blacks were to whites, and when Dr. King gave his speech the Civil Rights Movement took off. Even though the blacks were given a â€Å"bad check†? their refusal â€Å"to believe that the bank of justice [was] bankrupt† made all the difference. A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry’s play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun,† was a radically new representation of black life, resolutely authentic, fiercely unsentimental, and unflinching in its vision of what happens to people whose dreams are constantly deferred. I compared Act One, Scene 2, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is on a Saturday morning, and house cleaning is in process at the Youngers. In the film, the setting is the same as play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is when Mrs. Younger gets the insurance check of $10,000. In the film, the plot is the same, but includes music not mentioned in the play. The dialogue in the film has some deletions from the original text, with new dialogue added throughout the scene. Some film techniques used are: the film cuts back and forth to different characters, the room is well lit with the sunshine coming in through the window, and music is added throughout some parts of this scene. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene involves dialogue. Much of the dialogue is deleted, however, new dialogue is added through some parts of this scene. Also, in the play, the mailman comes up to their apartment and rings the door bell unlike the film, Travis runs up to him outside the building and gets the mail from him right away and runs back to give it to Mrs. Younger (his grandma). I also compared Act Two, Scene 1, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is later, that same day at the Youngers. In the film, the setting is the same as play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is when Mama, Mrs. Younger, buys Travis a new house for when he gets older to be a man. In the film, the plot is the same as play with music added to parts of this scene. The dialogue in the film has some lines rephrased and also has some deletions from the original text; new dialogue is added throughout parts of this scene. Some film techniques used in this scene are: the room is brightly lit with lamps and other light fixtures, the film cuts back and forth to different characters and the camera seems to move alone with the characters as they did, and music is added throughout parts of this scene. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene involves dialogue. Much of the dialogue is rephrased and not said as the author has written it in the play. And also, some of the dialogue from the original text is deleted, however, new dialogue is added. And also, unlike the film, a lot of the actions the author has described in the play did not happen in the film. Such as, on page 91 as Ruth says â€Å"Praise God! the author describes that she raises both arms classically, and as she tells Walter Lee to be glad, the author describes she has laid her hands on his shoulders, but he shakes himself free of her roughly, without turning to face her, these actions did not happen in the film. I also had compared Act Two, Scene 3, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is on a Saturday, moving day, one week later. In the film, the setting is the same as the play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is Linder tries to buy back the house from the Younger family. In the film, the plot is the same as the play. The dialogue in the film has some deletions from play; new dialogue is added in replacement of the deleted dialogue. Some film techniques used in this scene are: the film cuts back and forth to different characters, and the room is well lit with the sunshine coming in through the window. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene also involves dialogue. The dialogue in this scene is mostly faithful to the play but has some deletions. On the other hand, new dialogue was added in replacement of the deleted lines from the original text.

Evaluating Environmental Regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Historical evolution of psychology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Personal Statement Example Everything works as per a set order, the analytical skills of an accountant are tested at every stage and the organization to which he is part of, places great confidence on him and he is liable to create a fine-looking picture of the organization based on incontrovertible facts. I would like to be in such a responsible position handling Accounts and Finance in a top organization to start with and after gaining two-three years’ experience would like to establish my consultancy firm in an important commercial center. The position as an auditor to prepare and examine the financial records is also of immense interest to me and as such it is part of my career objective. I have great interest in financial analysis/planning and budget strategy design with full learning commitment. My career goal is to sharpen analytical, strategic and critical thinking skills in day-to-day job while performing accurate financial analysis. Having excelled in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Finance, from Southeast Missouri State University- Harrison College of Business, I am well conversant with the following subjects and accounting procedures: Financial Statements, Spreadsheets, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft VBA, Cash Flow Management, Business Valuation, General Ledger, Risk Management, Value Added Analysis, Regulatory Accounting, Trial Balance and P & L Management. As such I am in a position to confidently assert that I own the requisite skills to enable me to apply for the university education to obtain the master degree with major in Accounting. The subjects of Accounting and Finance match well and they are of enormous interest to me. The knowledge of one of them helps to develop the skill of the other. Studying these subjects has led me to greater understanding of various methods and concepts to visualize difficult business issues in a logical manner without getting confused about the

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Cell phones at school - Essay Example Cell phones should be allowed in schools. The simple fact is that cell phones make the campus a safer place to be. During these perilous times, that consideration should be of the highest priority. In an emergency like a fire or terrorist incident, students with cell phones are able to immediately communicate with police and other authorities. This provides for a rapid response to any emergency; one that could shave precious minutes off of the time it would take to notify an administrator, have the staff member verify the emergency, and then phone officials. The classic example of this position is the tragedy that happened at Columbine High School. When two students started using guns on their instructors and classmates, "students and teachers began phoning to alert police of a shooting going on...[and] a teacher on a cell phone desperately pleaded for rescue with the police as she simultaneously shouted at her students" to stay down (Breggin, 2000, pp. 4-5). The fact that there were several groups of students located in is olated areas of the large campus makes the case for cell phones at school; they were able to be safely rescued by police as a direct result of their ability to call and advise them of their location and status. While such extreme situations occur rarely, when they do take place, cell phones in the hands of the students can save lives. The prima

Resulting in the Relocation of Japanese Americans Essay

Resulting in the Relocation of Japanese Americans - Essay Example The United States President made the above Executive Order to protect American interests. The Enduring Visions’ Chapter 25 states that the president during 1942 was Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Boyer 765). The order instructed all military units to imprison all Japanese Americans in preselected military prison camps (http://www.ourdocuments.gov/). The order was made in order to restrict the movement of resident who are of Japanese ancestries. The United States war enemies of 1942 included Japan, Italy, and Germany. The order was meant to restrict the movements of the Japanese Americans, two months after Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japanese military pilots (Laurier 35). Further, the order instructed the military to give food, shelter and other comforts to the incarcerated civilians. The order does mention the nationalities of the persons to be rounded up and imprisoned. However, the letter clearly states that the military will include the Japanese residents among those to be picked up and locked up in military camps within the United States (http://www.ourdocuments.gov/). Furthermore, the United States instructed the Secretary of War and the military commander to spearhead seeking the help of the federal troops and the federal agencies to implement the order. Consequently, the United States President ordered all United States departments to collaborate with the military authorities’ implementation of order 9066 (http://www.ourdocuments.gov/). Moreover, the intentions of the order did not limit the current investigations of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. The bureau was investigating and weeding out possible saboteurs and spies from within the American communities having race relationships with the current United States war enemies. The bureau picked up and filed cases against proven Japanese spies and saboteurs (http://www.ourdocuments.gov/). Further, Executive order 9066 was issued during February of 1942. The document was made after Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese airplanes during December 7, 1941. The Japanese bomb ing during was two hours (Lassier 89). Even though the order did not mention whether the targeted civilians were Japanese, German, or Italian residents, the general interpretation of the order was to only focus on the Japanese people. This is understandable because of the recent bombing of Pearl Harbor (http://www.ourdocuments.gov/). As proof, the military started to forcibly rounding up and transfer the Japanese Americans within the designation military zones. Secretary of State ordered the Military Commander, Lt. General Dewitt, as the military commander of the Western Defense Command overseeing the implementation of Executive Order 9066 on February 20, 1942. The military prison zones were located in the western halves of California, Oregon, and Washington. Likewise, the Southern half of Arizona was set as another military prison zone. As proof that the military zones are prison camps, the Japanese were restricted to only moving within the military zones

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Market Analysis and Marketing Plan - Assignment Example Samsung mobile phones are of cheaper and affordable prices therefore making them to sell more and increase penetration of the smartphones in the market. It yields high profits to the company (Michell, 2010). Environmental analysis is performed by Samsung companies enabling them to come up with long-term plans for the production of Samsung phones. It consists of political factors whereby the government’s policy such as tax imposed on Samsung mobile phones affects prices and influence production of the headsets. Social, economic factors where changes in peoples lifestyles and buying patterns of new trending Samsung smartphones provides an opportunity for the Samsung company. The opportunity ebales smart phone to make profits and improve on its products hence adding to improvement in the economy. Technological factors impact prospects for the company to implement new designs and inventions to engrave costs and develop new sets of Samsung phones with advanced features (Song & Lee, 2015). It entails the introduction of new smartphones with different features and designs low costs on an invention. The invention focuses on the environment that will influence the phones and the capability to market the phones (Pousttch, & Wiedemann, 2010). Focusing on producing too many Samsung smartphones of the same features will reduce demand as this will be monotonous in the product market. Companies and low-profit margin will interfere with the production system of the Samsung smart phones (Henry, 2008). Demand for Samsung tablets is an opportunity to the company as this will raise the supply and increase profits. Advertising the smartphones creates awareness o their existence and features designed and increase in the smartphone market for example in India (Majumdar, 2007). Samsung smartphones face high competition from other smartphone markets saturated in developed countries. There has been an increase in technologic

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Discourse Community - Essay Example Thus, a discourse community, in other words, can be termed as a group of individuals or rather people who talk the same language that can only be understood by the members of the community. There are various discourse communities in the societies. In sports, the communities range from football, basketball, hockey, tennis, rugby and volleyball among other. I belong to various discourse communities. They include my tennis team, my writing class and my farming community. All these discourse communities are significant to the lives of its member since they so big that they brings together people from all walks of life; whether poor, rich, young or old and even from diverse races. All these people from different social classes understand every bit of conversation inside the community. My writing skills have been built by the lessons I attend in the writing class. To me, this class really qualifies to be a discourse community since the members of this class share common interests, goals an d objectives. Thus, everything that occurs during this academic course occurs with a sole aim of improving the students’ writing skills. This academic course has enabled me to perfect my writing skills that can be applied in other academic courses. My writing skills have been improved through a series of group writing practice and individual writing practice as I follow the writing rules that are always presented to us in this class. Every member of this community always adheres to the set rules and policies in order to achieve or rather attain the projected obligation. Across the globe, there are millions of individuals who belong to this discourse community whereby similar rules apply. Therefore, applying the writing rules that have been contributed by various scholars across the globe and from different writing communities have greatly improved my skills because I have gained from diverse sources of information. Tennis, as a discourse community where I belong, the tennis l anguage is used in communication. I always use the tennis language whenever in the company of teammates or rather the people who understand or have knowledge about the tennis game. There are a number of words that can only be used in the tennis language. Therefore, people who are not familiar with the language cannot understand. Moreover, there are various terminologies which are used in the world of tennis which may mean other things in the normal world contexts. For instance, an individual who is outside the tennis discourse community might misinterpret an idea or a word when he or she tries to mean another thing. Thus, an individual who do not belong in the tennis discourse community will probably not understand the conversation of the community members even if he or she is taking part in the conversation. In order to understand that the tennis team is a discourse community, I had to take attend daily training and practice so as to make myself vast with the language, cultures, ru les and the entire routine or programs of the community. For an individual to join the tennis discourse community, he or she cannot just show up to the daily practice and become a member. Instead, he or she has to undergo a serious test or rather an interview so as to be accepted in the community. The test of new recruits comprise of various

Religon Buddhism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Religon Buddhism - Term Paper Example The discourse would initially proffer a brief historical background of Buddhism, prior to determining its common practices and core beliefs. Likewise, the paper would present a personal experience visiting Buddhists’ place of worship and to relay the responses from a devotee’s point of view. History Diverse research literatures have expressed different views on the exact origin of Buddhism. There are studies tracing the roots of Buddhism from the Indus Valley civilization and the Aryans (A View on Buddhism, 2006, pars. 1 & 2). In a website About Buddhism (2007), its history indicates that â€Å"the founder of Buddhism in this world is Buddha Shakyamuni. He was born as a royal prince in 624 BC in a place called Lumbini, which was originally in northern India but is now part of Nepal† (About Buddhism, 2007, par. 1). Likewise, History World (n.d.) identified Nepal as Buddhism’s point of origin, with Siddhartha Gautama, a Nepal prince, â€Å"follows an asceti c life for six years before deciding that a middle path between mortification and indulgence of the body will provide the best hope of achieving enlightenment. He resolves to meditate, in moderate comfort, until he sees the light of truth. One evening he sits under a pipal tree at Buddh Gaya, a village in Bihar. By dawn he is literally buddha, an 'enlightened one'. Like any other religious leader he begins to gather disciples. He becomes known to his followers as the Buddha† (History World, n.d., 1). Common Practices Buddhism reveals three common trainings or practices consisting of sila (â€Å"virtue, good conduct, morality†); samadhi (â€Å"concentration, meditation, mental development†); and prajna (â€Å"discernment, insight, wisdom, enlightenment† (Robinson, 2009). As averred by Robinson (2009), the practice of sila was premised on the principles of equality and reciprocity. Devotees are taught to acknowledge equality in stature of all living things a nd to practice, what is commonly known as the Golden Rule. The underlying idea for this practice is self-preservation. No one wants harm to be inflicted upon oneself. If everyone adheres to this principle, ultimately, no harm befalls mankind – the good of all is preserved. By this, an individual treats everyone else with respect, grace and concern. This in turn, develops good relationship to others, consistent with their belief in karma. Core Beliefs The core beliefs of Buddhism centers on reincarnation, on diverse cycles of rebirth, karma, and on Nirvana, or the state of being free and liberated from suffering (Robinson, 2009). They also believe in Four Noble Truths, the Five Precepts, and the Eightfold Path, among others. These beliefs focus on respect for all living things, ending suffering through the eightfold path, and following commandments which are almost synonymous with the Catholic’s Ten Commandments, specifically highlighting avoiding killing, stealing, tel ling lies, misusing sex and consuming liquor or drugs, among others. Worship Visit There is a Buddhist temple in Knost Drive, Mims, Florida known as the White Sands Buddhist Center. It rests on a 16-acre peaceful and beautiful land very near the Atlantic Ocean. There is complete serenity, simplicity and cleanliness in the worship place – a conducive environment for meditation and reflection, of seeking inner peace and enlightenment. The monastery’s ceremonial hall serves as a worship place for devotees. The statue of Buddha is strategically located

Inaugural Speech Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example for Free

Inaugural Speech Rhetorical Analysis Essay John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech is certainly one to remember. It’s memorable not for its length, but for the effective content that it beholds. He entices readers by the use of strong rhetoric techniques. His inaugural analyzes style of writing, such as diction, tropes, schemes, and syntax, and applies the concept of it effectively throughout the speech. A reader performs rhetorical analysis to examine how authors attempt to persuade their audiences by looking at the various components that make up the art of persuasion. Moreover, it is most essential to be able to understand the relationship among the speaker, subject, and audience, which President Kennedy adequately exploits in his speech. It is a necessity to be able to identify the speaker, subject, and audience in a piece of writing, such as John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech. The ethical appeal, instead refers to the credibility, character, and confidence of a writer. There are a number of ways in which an author may establish ethical appeal. During the time period in which it was written, cold war tensions were still lingering the atmosphere and Kennedy had just won the position as president in a very close election over an accomplished opponent. Therefore, the nation is vulnerable and tense and has reached a turning point in history. The speaker would be classified as the narrator, which in this case is John F. Kennedy. Since he was elected president, the audience views him as an authoritative figure whose speech should be respected. Although Kennedy was young, he still faced critique on his tone and image, whether that be physical or mental. His speech was not aimed toward any particular individual, it was written for the world. So, it was expected of him to exhibit hope, compassion, strength, and loyalty. The speaker, subject, and audience all depend on each other in a piece of work because without them, it would be difficult to identify what the writing is talking about and who would be affected by it. Within President Kennedy’s speech, he utilizes various rhetorical strategies, including diction, tropes, syntax, and schemes, which make it more effective and versatile. For instance, parallelism such as the statement, â€Å"whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, hear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe,† gives flavor to the speech by pointing out opposite words within a single sentence but still making it work. A few antimetaboles are used in the speech, such as â€Å"let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate† and â€Å"ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,† make the speech more effective by twisting around the order of the words, or syntax, to get people to realize a point. Additionally, what makes Kennedy’s speech so effective is that he can transition from a simple sentence to a more complex, meaningful one in a matter of lines of the speech. In accordance to the diction, the words in his speech (freedom, poverty, devotion, and loyalty) are considered abstract. This is because they all convey a tone of desire and significant qualities held by friends. They strengthen and add more feeling to the speech as well. However, the archaic words, such as writ and forebears, are used in a manner to bring in the old language as well as the new, therefore there is sophistication as well as understanding. Kennedy also uses juxtaposition when he says, â€Å"peaceful revolution,† and this adds spice to the speech because of the contradiction of the two powerful words. Yet another effective rhetoric strategy that he uses is hortative sentences, such as ones using the phrase â€Å"let us† or â€Å"let both sides†, which urges action and attention to the audience the speaker is writing to. Clearly John F. Kennedy has made remarkable use of various rhetorical strategies throughout his inaugural speech, which in turn allows one to develop a superb rhetorical analysis with the different components of the text. His speech is an effective piece of writing because of its style, diction, syntax, tropes, and schemes. Additionally, it all goes back to the understood relationship between speaker, audience, and subject as well as the classical appeals.

Instructional design Essay Example for Free

Instructional design Essay Instructional design is an important tool in any system of education. It enables all the stakeholders of the educational sector to achieve their objectives. This paper critically analyzes the various approaches to institutional design, their benefits and weaknesses, and further examines the principles relevant to instructional designs. Introduction There has been a massive increase in institutions that offer e-learning and this can be attributed to the changes from the traditional methods of teaching, to the future trends in the same. E-learning enables learners to get access to various curricular from the comfort of their computers. It also enables students to earn degrees from prestigious universities, without being physically present there. However, the success of e-learning can be largely attributed to instructional design programmes that guide teaching methods, and ensure that all stakeholders in the education industry achieve their objectives. Instructional design involves transforming the learning principles into learning activities. It goes further and develops, utilizes, manages and evaluates resources and processes for learning. Instructional design also involves creating the right environment, that will transform learners from states of inability to accomplish tasks, to states of the ability to accomplish tasks. There are three main approaches that are used in achieving these objectives. The first approach is the behavioral approach, the second is the cognitivism approach, while the third is the constructivism approach. These approaches have benefits and limitations, and are discussed below. Behaviorism approach. The founder of this approach to instructional design, is John Watson. He wrote a paper in 1913, in which he argued that when studying social science, we should study and record overt behavior only. This is the behavior that can be observed and measured, and he further added that we should ignore inner states such as mental states or motives. The reason for ignoring the inner state, according to him, was that it cannot be objectively measured. This implies that the inner state cannot be simultaneously observed by many observers. Watson called the inner processes, the black box, and his view was that they were not accessible, scientifically. In behaviorism, our focus is overt behavior and its stimuli, thereby making it the stimulus-response-psychology. Watson further says that all behavior can be attributed to external stimuli, which is observable. How the stimuli is processed inside the body is regarded as irrelevant, since it cannot be objectively measured. Since the behaviorists view behavior as a response to environmental stimulus, change of behavior can be realized by creating the favorable environment. Watsons approach to behaviorism was influenced by Ivan Pavlovs earlier perspectives on operant conditioning and classical conditioning. Pavlov, had discovered that responses of salivation, brought about by seeing food, could also be generated by stimuli present during the presence of food. He observed this by doing an experiment with his dog; the fact that a bell was rang, just before the dog ate food, made it salivate every time it heard the bell, even though food was not present. This is what Pavlov referred to as classical conditioning. Skinner, on the other hand, came up with the operant conditioning perspective. His view was that behavior is only likely to be repeated, after getting a certain reward and that the repetition is dictated by the consequence of the same behavior. Edward Thorndike is another social scientist who supported the behaviorism approach. He stated that if there is a response to a situation, and it leads to a consequence that is satisfying, it is very likely that the response will be repeated, if the situation happens in future. He conducted an experiment using cats in puzzle boxes and realized that the time they took to escape from the box gradually reduced. He further attempted to see if the cats were using insight or whether they were gradually learning. His findings were that they were gradually learning, since the reduction in time used did not change abruptly, but instead changed gradually. The philosophy behind behaviorism is that a person can derive meaning, in the environment, without using personal experience (Ainslie, 2001). The instructional goals are framed in observable and specific behavioral terms. This approach looks at the immediate change in behavior, that can be recognized. In a learning environment, the instructor presents well structured materials to the student, and assesses his or her complete understanding of the same. The instructor focuses on interaction and presentation, offering individual students tutorial relationship. The students read provided materials and the assesses their mastery of the same, through individual tests and assignments. Since the general agreement is that stimuli leads to a specific response, most of this type of research is carried out with animals, in laboratories. It makes no difference in whether the response is observed using an experiment, as opposed to real life situations, if stimuli generates certain responses. The approach has been very useful in introducing humane education environments, since it was realized that rewards encouraging desirable behavior achieved better results, than punishments for undesirable behavior. Types There are basically three types of behaviorism; the first type is the methodological behaviorism. In this case, behaviorism is seen to ignore the mental state and other internal processes that affect behavior of an organism. This type of behaviorism sees no additional benefits that can be derived from consideration of an entitys desires or beliefs, in understanding patterns of behavior and therefore ignores them. This type of behaviorism views the mental state as a poor object of empirically studying the behavior of an entity. The second type of behaviorism is the psychological behaviorism and it tries to explain animal and human behavior as influenced by external stimulus. This is explained by Watsons experiment on the dog and bell, which is explained above. The dogs characteristic of salivating every time it hears the bell can be explained by this type of behaviorism. The third type of behaviorism is the analytical behaviorism, which is also called the logical behaviorism. This is a philosophical theory that explain the meanings of mental concepts and terms. It further goes on to explain that the idea of a mental condition or state is a behavioral disposition idea. Strengths According to Graham (2004), one of the strengths attributed to this approach is that it avoids regressive explanation of behaviors. This is through avoidance of explaining a form of behavior, using another form of behavior, that is, explaining overt behavior using covert behavior. This is achieved through ignoring mental activities, which are forms of behavior and using other forms non behavior, such as environmental stimulus, to explain behavior. Another strength that behaviorism possesses is that it is anti-nativist. Nativists believe that the mind at birth, has rules of processing that are used when learning. Behaviorism is supported by theorists since they believe that the mind learns through exposure to a stimulus and not through implicit procedures. Weaknesses. One weakness of behaviorism is the inadequate understanding of the effect of reinforcements on behaviors. The reinforcement should always increase frequency of responses, but this relies on the ability of the organism to recall the circumstances under which the stimuli was presented. This means that in the event that the organism forgets those circumstances, there will be no response to the stimuli. The second weakness is that this approach ignores the mental state and the inner motivation. This is commonly referred to as the black box and is usually ignored by behaviorism. The disadvantage of this ignorance is that both the mental state, and motivation play a part in determining the behavior of an individual. The third weakness is that for the organism to react to the stimuli, the reinforcement has to be consistent, otherwise the organism will not notice it. Some theorists regard intrinsic human conditions as limitation to this approach. These include loss of memory, presence of pain, paralysis of the body and the language barrier. All these can make the organism or human fail to respond to the reinforcement, either because they do not sense it, or they sense it but are unable to respond. Cognitivism Cognitivism is an approach that tries to study the inner processes that are ignored by behaviorism. Cognitivism attempts to open the black box that is closed by behaviorism. According to cognitivism, human minds process information, which makes it important to understand the processes, which include problem solving, remembering, attending and knowing work. Cognitivists relate to the computer language of input of information, and processing of the same, leading to output of information. Cognitivism started in the 1960s, when there were limited perspectives on approaches to behaviourism. Some of the theorists that were associated with cognitivism include; Robert Gagne, Jerome Bruner and Ausubel David. Ausubel stressed importance of content meaning, which could be associated with the pre-existing information. Bruner, on the other hand stressed the importance of motivation in the learning process, while Gagne defined the conditions of learning, which include intellectual skills, verbal information and cognitive processes. Questions were asked about the black box and someone had to open it. The basic view in this approach, is that the response to a situation by human beings is dictated by processing of information. Cognitive theorists view much of learning as taking place through repetition and contiguity. They view the role of reinforcement as more of provision of feedback on accuracy of a response, rather than motivation. It is easier to remember information with the following qualities; The first is meaningful effects, which means that meaningless information is difficult to remember and vice verse. Practice effects means that information that is rehearsed is easily remembered, especially if done with distributed practice (Place, 2000). Schema effects imply that it is difficult to remember information that cannot fit a persons schema. Mnemonic effects are used to transform meaningless words and expressions into meaningful semantics. State dependent effect means that it is easier to remember something, under the context it was taught in, than on a different context. Weaknesses The weakness with this approach is that the learner may not learn the best way of accomplishing a task, using this approach, since it might change in different situations. This means that the knowledge learned may not be applicable in solving new problems. For instance, the correct way to log into a computer may vary with the model and software being used. The other weakness, according to Kearsley (2007), is that this approach does not always work, this may be due to a combination of several factors. The brain cannot be taken to work exactly like a computer, since a computer is a machine. There are human factors that might hinder a person from effectively remembering what is learned, but the same cannot be said of a computer. The person might have stress or be exhausted and this affects the working of the processes. Constructivism This approach views learning as a process that is constructive and active. Learning is seen to occur when children construct representations of the information that they have acquired and processed. This requires the link between pre-existing knowledge and new information. This link is subjective and varies from one person to another, since everyone possesses different knowledge, brought about by undergoing different experiences. However, it is important that the pre-existing knowledge is stimulated in order for the person to remember it, and subsequently link it to the new information. Jonassens model Jonassen is a University of Missouri don and an expert in implementing innovative theories of learning. He designed a learning framework for curriculum development and the following are the elements; the first element is the plan for establishing and developing the instruction program. The second element is the methods for advancing existing programs, while the third is strategies for sustaining partnerships. The fourth is assessment of the instruction impacts and evaluation of the learners understanding. These guidelines help in transformation of students gestalt from the stage where they are confused to the stage where there is familiarity. Gestalt psychology This is a theory of the brain and mind that explains that the whole of the brain is not equal to the sum of the parts. It is used to explain how human senses work, especially in recognizing whole forms and figures. There are four properties in this approach and the first is emergence. Here, the vision is not properly visible. The second property is reification and here, the perception of the aspect is generated. The third stage is multistability and in this case, ambiguous perceptions moves between two possible interpretations. The last property is invariance and this is where geographical objects, simple in nature are recognized, even though they may be rotating or distorted in scale. Techniques The techniques used in constructivism include collaborative learning, where learners who have different backgrounds and skills discuss and do tasks together, such that they come to an agreement on the truth about a certain situation or circumstance. Another technique involves library research and the learners discover new facts by themselves, without the aid of the instructor. Similarly, field work excursions may also help the learners discover things as they are in real life, through conducting research on the ground. Learners can also learn through teaching, which is different from presentations, since the learners have the freedom to use their own approach to teaching. The strength of this approach is that it is useful for the learner when dealing with real-life situations. According to Robinson (2003), the basic forms of teaching using this method are coaching, scaffolding and modeling. These methods help the students in acquisition of cognitive skills, through practice and observation. Modeling provides an opportunity for the learner to observe problems and their solutions, in order to enable them to create conceptional models. Scaffolding and coaching provides feedback, hints and sometimes guidelines so that they are able to complete tasks. Examples of such forms of teaching are on-line message boards, workshops, simulations and games. Criticism While the constructivists state that learning can be enhanced by doing, critics argue that this is not always the case. They further argue that some novice learners lack schemas or the mental capability to learn through doing. Some critics even go further to say that years of research have not proved that the constructivist approach leads to discovery, and in the instances where discovery has occurred, this was as a result of guided discovery, through help by instructors. Some critics see the constructivism approach as impractical in certain fields since it reveals certain weaknesses, that are attributed to the constructivism approach, which they view as focusing on memorization as opposed to behavior action or change. For example, in a study done on medical students, project based learning revealed weaknesses in the students abilities to pass written tests, due to the bias in learning the experimental aspects. Principles of instructional design These are the principles that should be followed when undertaking instructional design, and their purpose is to achieve the objectives of instructional design. The first principle is the fairness and this implies that all learners should use equal means to achieve the requirements of the course. The instructions should be accessed by equally by all learners. Diversity and the different abilities of the learners should be taken into consideration. An example of such a learning environment is an on-line based course. The second principle that should be applied is the flexibility in participation, use and presentation of learning materials. This means that there should be several ways of accessing the learning materials, interacting with them, and evaluation of use of the materials. The instructions should be designed to satisfy the wide range of preferences of the learner. Examples of such learning environments are ones with provision of optional assignments, due dates and formats where possible. The third principle, according to Wells (2000), is consistent and straightforward instructions, and this means that the instructions should be clear and free from unnecessary distractions and complexities. This can be done through ensuring that grading, content, learning objectives and assignments are consistent. The fourth principle is explicitly presenting information, and this is where expectations of the course are clear. It also entails making all communication lines clear and removing any barriers to the same. It also involves presentation of the information in a multiple format. This can be achieved through making explicit expectations on assignments and providing a rubric or grading system. The fifth principle is a supportive environment for learning. This entails proper handling of mistakes made, and viewing them as opportunities for learning. It also involves minimizing the hazards that have the potential to cause irreversible failures and errors. An example of such a learning environment is one where very large assignments are broken into smaller components so that there are minimal errors by students. Another way to achieve this is to provide questions that are frequently asked during assessments. The other principal is having learning space that can accommodate all students and finally, minimizing unnecessary physical requirements or efforts by the students. This can be achieved by for instance, allowing the students to use word processors for a submission, and allowing the electronic submission of the assignments. Conclusion There are several approaches that can be used in instructional designs. Each approach has its own pros and cons. It is important to evaluate these before using an instructional design approach. The instructors should understand the learning process, when dealing with students, and the obstacles to learning so that they can avoid them. It is also clear that there are several principles that should be followed when practicing instructional designs. It is very important to create the right environment for learning, since that is what motivates students to learn. It is also important to take care of the diverse needs of learners since they come from different backgrounds, and most of all, equality should be observed regardless of the background of the learner. References. Ainslie, G. (2001). Breakdown of Will. Washington: AMACOM. Graham, G. (2004). Identifying the Mind: Selected Papers of U. T. Place. Oxford: Oxford

New Public Management and Health Sector Reforms

New Public Management and Health Sector Reforms Q. What is New Public Management? Explain the concept and application in relation to health sector reforms across developed and developing countries. 1. Introduction In the contemporary era, neo-liberal policies are given weightage attributing to their stance of limiting the work of government in the economy and its ability to introduce efficiency and effectiveness. We now witness an emerging trend of adopting neoliberal policies. The New Public Management is, therefore based on the neo-liberal views and attempts to introduce private sector efficiency in the public sector of a particular country. The use of New Public Management (NPM) has led to use of tools like decentralization, privatization, contractualism, total quality management, performance related pay etc. While adoption of NPM seems an attractive option for various economies, its applicability and success in developing and developed nations is highly debated upon. Popular examples reveal that the NPM techniques are likely to fail in developing nations because they do not have the preconditions required to harbor NPM. However, the success of NPM techniques purely depends upon the environ ment within which it is implemented and on the compatibility of the techniques with the countrys norms and values. This essay therefore aims to assess the applicability and success of NPM approaches in the case of developing and developed countries. The essay will begin with literature review that will emphasize on what paved the way towards NPM, definitional aspects of NPM and implementation of NPM as a steady reform process. The essay will then illustrate the case studies of Norway and Chile and analyze the degree to which NPM was successful in the two countries. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Road to New Public Management For long now, the public sector setup has been under pressure to bring about efficiency by adopting more market oriented and private sector practices (Dunleavy Hood, 1994). This has been argued to be due to multiple factors such as economic and fiscal dilemmas that brought about the need for states increased role in the economy (Ferlie, et al., 1996). The public sector crisis in the developed economies led to the search for new ways of organizing the public services and hence, redefining the role of the state to encourage competition and market oriented approaches. States indulgence in market type approaches in order to treat the problematic public sector led to the promotion of marketization, that was ought to be more efficient and effective as it tend to keep in mind needs of the individuals and consumers. The shift towards New Public Management (NPM) started in 1970s and 1980s in UK, under Margaret Thatchers regime when she called for the readjustment of the iron industry, and in US municipal government who were agonized at the hands of economic recession and tax revolts. NPM practices were next adopted by Australia and New Zealand, which brought NPM into limelight and brought them on the agenda of OECD countries. It was not until then, theorists started to identify the common characteristics of what is known as New Public Management today (Dunsire, 1995). 2.2 Defining New Public Management Advocates of the traditional bureaucratic system declared the term New Public Management as a misnomer at its very emergence. There have been claims that what is characterized to be New Public Management is practiced in the public sector since quite long now and thus, there is nothing new in the practice. Moreover, it is also argued that NPM tends to target the core values of the public sector an, is therefore little about public management and more of an attempt to wipe out public administration as a subject in social sciences (Farazmand, 2000). However, despite heavy criticism and attempts to minimize its use in the field of public administration by traditional bureaucrats, there is consensus among scholars that NPM tends to dominate majority of contemporary era public settings. New Public Management, in itself, is a reform process, undertaken at the administrative level where structural, organizational and managerial changes are targeted in the public sector. As per Pillott (2011), it is a bunch of management appraoches and techniques and a vission, an ideology. Thus, NPM basically is a set of mangerial actions generated from the private sector and applied in the public sector in order to yield similar level of effciency and effectiveness. Different scholars tend to provide different ideas for conceptualising NPM. Hood (1991) however, brings them under a common banner by summarising the key elements of NPM under 7 main characteristics. He claims that NPM is inclusive of; entrepreneurial management rather than traditional b ureacracy, as highlighted by Clarke Newman (1993), benchmarked standards and performance measures as highlighted by Oshborne, et al. (1995), pays attention to output control as highlighted by Boyne (1999), calls for shift towards decentralization as highlighted by Pollitt, et al. (1998), advocates competition in public sector workings, superiority of private sector style of working as highlighted by Wilcox Harrow (1992) and advocates discipline in the allocation of resources as highlighted by Metcalf Richards (1990). Thus, NPM is inclusive of privatization, decentralization, outsourcing, contractionalism, competitive mechanisms like performance related pay, total quality management etc. Scholars argue that New Public Management has therefore, emerged in response to the Old Public Management and in order to understand NPM, it is of utmost importance that we fitst understand Old Public Management and its principles. Old Public Management is in line with the ideas of Max Webers bureaucratic setup. It emphasises on exante and procedural control and the traditional hierarchial setup where functions are divided among different functional units (Osborne Gaebler, 1993). While the old public management was based on strict hierarchies and rules, new public management looks into political and accountable management and thus advocates contracts and market superiority. Morover, while old public management used stability and permanence at its very foundation, new public management is based on contracts. Institutionalisation is at the very core of Old Public Management, whereas new public management requires more of strategic management and thus doenst require strict institutiona ization (Peters, 1996). 2.3 NPM as a Reform Process Many scholars shed light upon reform process that has incorporated elements of new public management in the public sector. Advocates have argued that public settings can achieve their goals if flexibility is introduced in the system and public officers are given significant autonomy. This will not only lead to effective management of the functions of the units but also enhance the performance of departments and agencies working together in a contractual capacity. Autonomy will therefore allow them control their resources and use them in the best possible manner as to achieve the required results. Hence, it will enable department to make best use of private sector tools such as contracting, outsourcing, accrual accounting, total quality management, user survey etc. (Osborne Plastrick, 1997). While the bureaucratic systems are rigid and answer back to orders, decentralization and autonomy will allow creative thinking by pushing the decision making authority down the hierarchy. Thus NP M has been able to promote accountability though encouraging shared missions and systems, by freeing organizations from the control of central agencies and allowing workers to adopt a problem solving approach (Osborne Plastrick, 1997). A large number of developing countries are still trying to make use of NPM approaches in the public sector. For e.g. Malaysia has adopted Total Quality Management in their production processes in order to minimize wastage and ensure good quality of products (Fei, 2003). However, the implementation and spread of the NPM process has not be unanimous around the globe. The major differences have been as per the context of the country. While some countries have resisted to NPM attributing to the strong bureaucratic culture, others have just restored their national initiatives under the label of NPM, when in essence old public management is still followed there. Thus, adoption and introduction of NPM is seen as a complex process where the context within which the country is, matters (Christensen Laegreid, 2006). Adoption of NPM has also differed as per the nature of the countries being developing and developed. While the process was initiated by developed countries at the first place, the ir public sectors are now stable with accomplished NPM practices for e.g. in the case British health care system. Moreover, developed economies tend to meet the preconditions, such as well function markets and economic development, required for the implementation of NPM principles. However, the implementation in developing countries has been troublesome. It is argued that developing nations are still struggling to stabilize their economies, ensure imposition of rule of law and instill proper bureaucratic structures, that introduction neo-liberal techniques disrupts the entire process and causes instability (Akhtar, 2016). Hughes (1998) argue that implementation of NPM in developing countries may yield opposite results than what is required. While NPM approaches may be adopted to promote greater transparency and eradicate corruption, a greater degree of autonomy to officers may lead to chances of corruption. Similarly, in case of contracting out, absence of appropriate laws and rules can limit the use of contracts as they may not be fulfilled in their true essence. Moreover, it is also claimed that there is not standard model for implementing NPM in totality, across the countries. Developing countries, especially, tend to adopt particular elements of NPM that are best suited and are most beneficial for them. Two popular and evident elements adopted as a part of NPM have been privatization, downsizing. Moreover, corporatization has been an another successful element of NPM for e.g. in the case of African countries where customs and income tax departments have been merged together under the corporatized national revenue authorities, which has brought about internal efficiency in the unit (Chand Moene, 1999). 2.4 Implementing NPM inspired Reforms Different schools of thought draw upon various theories in order to explain the adoption and implementation of reforms that are inspired by NPM. Olsen (1992) provides 2 main reasons for the implementation of NPM techniques. He argues that NPM techniques can be adopted by countries as internationally set standards and examples only because they have become a prevailing trend. Such a change will only be based on pressure and will take place as a part of diffusion process. Secondly he suggests that NPM techniques can be implemented because of the dire need to introduce technical efficiency and hence, it would serve as the optimal solution to the large array of problems existent in the very department. A contrary view, however, argues that the NPM techniques adopted must be in line with the national norms and values held by the countrys public sector. Thus, this makes applicability of all the elements of NPM difficult and only a few elements remain relevant considering the situation from country to country. It is argued that if this is not ensured, the changes introduced may be incompatible with the setting and thus would lead to conflicts among stakeholders within the public sector. NPM elements are not in line with the traditional norms and values of the public sector and this may lead to agitation among officers making it difficult to implement the reforms. Thus, it is of utmost importance that reforms are introduced such that they integrate with the existing culture of the public setup (Selznick, 1984). 2.5 NPM in Health Care Sector A wide variety of literature provides us with insight into how NPM is being incorporated in the health sector or various developed as well as developing economies. However, Cairney (2002) in his study specifies the difficulties in assessing the usefulness of NPM approaches in the health care sector of economies around the globe. He specifies that this can be attributed to lack of data available to carry out the study and as well as the geographical differences that make it difficult to form a standardized analysis. Literature however reveals that health care reform efforts have proved to be little fruitful in African countries. In Ghana, according to Larbi 1998, structural changes have made few alterations to the popular practices. Management has limited autonomy, government doesnt have the capacity to reach performance targets, and IT systems are obsolete to measure the performance. African health systems do not have enough funds to support the NPM scheme, which makes it difficult t o bring about change. Any efficiency gains fail to bridge the gap between resources need and availability. Hence, the budget allocation serves as the only way to ensure whether performance targets can be met or not. This is a popular example of issues face by developing countries when implementing NPM reforms. 3. Case Study: Norway Vs Chile 3.1 NPM and Health Sector Reforms in Norway Norway being a welfare state and a developed economy has believed in the equal access of services to its people, irrespective of the socio-economic status of the individual and this therefore has been true in case of their health sector as well. The Norwegian health system is structured into 3 levels: national or state level, the 4 health regions and municipalities. While at the state level, Ministry of Health ensure policy making, the health regions and municipalities implement the policies. The major health sector reforms in Norway were undertaken in 2002 and before that the system was just a tax based decentralized version of British NHS. As Selznick (1984) theorises about the context within which reforms are implemented, weak evironmental pressures in Norway made it difficult to implement reforms at the first place. Although, Norway is a developed country, it is a welfare state as well which holds strong central control in order to ensure the welfare of its people. Their Rechssta at culture and norms were less compatible with the values of NPM. However, post 1990s when the devolution culture started gaining popularity, reforms within healthcare seemed more inevitable. The Norwegian Healthcare Sector experienced the introduction of Unitary management systems, with quasi markets and performance measurements models through principles of free patients choices. Other reforms included, the activity based funding system based on diagnosis and a more comprehensive and transparent quality control system. The most important reform that was inline with NPM was, hospitals being introduced as enterprises, which seemed as a shift towarsd neoliberal and private sector models. Five regional health enterprises were formed which were independent entities with their own boards and managing directors. The main aim in doing so was to devolve managerial processes in order to enhance efficiency to sub-levels in the hospital. Moreover, it aimed to stimulate the flow of information in order to enhance efficiency and ensure financial responsibility is delegated evenly among the health objectives. The structural changes were intended to minimize the impact traditional bureaucratic structure and introduce private sector like management and efficiency. However, the Ministry of Health was responsible for appointing the board which depicts that in pratice the control remained in the center, as ministry controlled the boards at an arms length. Thus, the reforms that aimed to devolve power to the lower levels actually ended up creating a hybrid which included both the elements of devolution as well as centralisation. The central government ensured that the ministry maintains control through the use of article of association, contracts and throguh regular enterprise meetings. In addition to this the allocation of resources in the form of funds was also controlled by the government. A performance monitoring system was implemented that included issuance of task sheets mentioning objectives that were to be fulfilled. Contracts too mentioned targets and objectives for the employees and results were measured using quantitative indicators. The reforms were implemented at the first place to improve resource utilization and coordination so that easy and equal access to health care can be ensured for norwegian citizens. However, the confussion in division of responsibility only increased the use of resources while leavinf financial problems. While the devolution meant that counties were suppose to be the owners of health care, in practice the enterprises were heavily influenced by the central governement. In this confussion, counties exercised their control in multiple ways. While some practiced management by objectives (a popular element of NPM), others just practiced excessive control over the hospitals. Thus, NPM approach was falling apart in Norwegian Healthcare System and what was required was clearly defined targets and goals for the hospitals and roles for every tier in the system. While changes were made to the structure, no significant change was made to the financing methods. Policy frameworks dictate management procedures of the enterprises, which means that enterprises still work on direction of the central government. The culture of responding to superiors, rather creative approach to problem solving, still maintains. Thus, introductin of NPM techniques and approaches were a myth in Norwegian Healthcare System. This can be referred back to Selznicks (1984) as well as Christensen Laegreids (2006) theory. The context within which NPM was implemented was resisting the change. Norway being a welfare state had central control in its core foundations. Thus, in such a situation, not the ability to implement the reforms is relevant, rather the environment within which it is implemented and its acceptance are of greater concern. 3.2 NPM and Healthcare Reforms in Chile Chile being a developing nation in Latin America, was one of the first few country which began its health sector reform at the earliest. Chile has been known fro adopting NPM techniques and incorporating them in their health sector in order to introduce efficiency. Since the health reforms in 1980s ensured decentralization of the services such that 13 regionald and 26 local health service divisions were formed which held administrative responsibility of the health care system. Each of the decentralisaed units were therefore responsible for curative and presventive services. Just like other secotors of economy, health care in Chile also experienced privatization of public health care system and promotion of market oriented privtae health insurance plans that came to be known as ISAPREs (Berman Bossert, 2000). Although these were privately administered, their funds were still taken out from wage withholdings and employer contributions. Chile reformed its health sector into a dual heal th care system where citizen had the option to either cover their health expense through National Health Insurance Fund or through private health insurance companies. The national health insurance scheme is funded by the government, through acquiring revenues through taxation. The duality in the health care system has therefore caused private and public health care to have different objectives rather than common goals. While the public insurance scheme focuses on primary services, private insurance schemes focus on secondary and territiary services. Primary services are however, decentralised to municipalities. The duality in the health care system, however, ensured that the low income poor individuals of the country have easy access to health care facilities. Moreover, the public sector not only served as the provider of the health facilities but also ensured that it offers large scale easy access of health facilties to all (Berman Bossert, 2000). Moreover, Chiles reforms were a l egitimate process which systematically separated that health service provision and regulation, imposed regulation on private health provision, and ensured fund raising to finance the health care scheme. On the other hand, reforms established proper monitoring mechanisms which included inspections by independent agencies, of financial department and quality assurance of the health care units working in Chile. The reform process in Chile, therefore has not been withouth crtitique. NPM techniques like private health care schemes brought about positive changes in the health results as the infant mortality rate significantly went down in Chile. In addition ot this, there reforms also positively contributed towards improving life expectancy and, nutrition and sanitation. While the NPM techniques seem to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services, the reforms were criticised for harbouring inequality (Bruce, n.d.). As the health insurance is funded from wage withholding, poor who did not have enough income could not pay for the secondary and teritiary health services provided by the private sector. Chile being one of the first Latin American country to adopt market oriented approaches in the health sector reforms, provides an example of how health reforms should be adopted. Limited success and agitation against the reforms in Chile can be attributed to its nature of being developi ng. Chile had undergone military dictatorship where the government struture had not have the opportuity to stabilise. Thus, Chiles environment and context make it difficult for the NPM techniques to work out beause for NPM techniques require a well functioning market and economic development to be successful. However, Chiles health sector was succesfully marked by privatization of helth care fields, economic stability and international environement that made neoliberalist reforms inevitable. Conclusion Conclusively, we have established the success of NPM techniques in countries depend upon the environement within which they are implement and the degree of resistance they face. It s of utmost importance that the norms and values of the country are compatible with that of the NPM based reform, otherwise reforms are likely to face resistance. For e.g. a country which a centralised economy and a strong bureacratic structure is less likely to accept privatization of central machinery. This has also been explained by Christensen Laegreid (2006) and Selznick (1984) in their theoretical frameworks. Thus, in the case of Norway and Chile, while one was a developed country while the other was developing, both faced difficulties in successfully implementing the NPM techniques. Even after the implementation, the reforms were able to achieve little which can be attribute to the incompatibility of the reforms with the environment within which they were applied. Thus, it is of utmost importance t hat reform process if backed by a preliminary study that ensure the applicability of the reforms and reflects upon the expected success rate of the reform in the particular country. Akhtar, S., 2016. Academia.edu. [Online] Available at: http://www.academia.edu/8099444/Application_of_New_Public_Management_in_Developed_vs_Developing_Countries Berman, P. A. Bossert, T. J., 2000. Learned? A Decade of Health Sector Reform in Developing Countries: What Have We, s.l.: Harvard School of Public Health. Boyne, G. A., 1999. Introduction: Processes, Performance and Best Value in Local Government. Local Government Studies, 25(2), pp. 1-15. Bruce, N., n.d. Teh Chilean Health Care Reforms: Model or Myth?, s.l.: Yale Center for International Area Studies. Cairney, P., 2002. New Pubic Management and Thatcher Healthcare Legacy: enough of theory, what about implementation. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 4(3), pp. 375-398. Chand, S. K. Moene, K. O., 1999. Controlling Fiscal Corruption. World Development, 27(7), pp. 1129-1140. Christensen, T. Laegreid, P., 2006. Autonomy and Regulation: Coping with Agencies in the Modern State. s.l.:Edward Elgar. Clarke, J. Newman, J., 1993. The right to manage: A second managerial revolution?. Cultural Studies, 7(3), pp. 427-441. Dunleavy, P. Hood, C., 1994. From old public administration to new public management. Public Money Management, 14(3), pp. 9-16. Dunsire, A., 1995. Administrative Theory in 1980s: A Viewpoint. Public Administration, 73(1), pp. 17-40. Farazmand, A., 2000. Building Partnerships for Governance. Manila, UN. Fei, T. L. K., 2003. Total Quality Management in Malaysian Government Agencies: Conditions for Successful Implementation of Organizational Change. International Public Management Journal, 6(2), pp. 145-172. Ferlie, E., A. P., Ashburner, L. Fitzgerald, L., 1996. The New Public Management in Action. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hood, C., 1991. A Public Management for all Seasons?. Public Administration, 69(1), pp. 3-19. Hughes, O. E., 1998. Public Management and Administration: An Introduction. s.l.:Palgrave Macmillan. Metcalf, L. Richards, S., 1990. Improving Public Management. London: Sage. Olsen, J. P., 1992. Analysing Institutional Dynamics. s.l.:Nuttfield College Oxford, Center for European Studies. Osborne, D. Gaebler, T., 1993. Reinventing Government: How the Entrepreneurial Spirit is Transforming the Public Sector. s.l.:Plume. Osborne, D. Plastrick, P., 1997. Banishing Bureaucracy: The Five Strategies for Reinventing Government. s.l.:Addison-Wesley. Oshborne, S. P. et al., 1995. Performance Management and Accountability in Complex Public Programs. Financial Accountability and Management, 11(1), pp. 19-37. Peters, B. G., 1996. Future of Governing: Four Emerging Models. s.l.:University Press of Kansas. Pillott, C., 2011. Public Management Reform: A Comparative Analysis New Public Management, Governance, and the Neo-Weberian State. s.l.:Oxford University Press. Pollitt, C., Putman, K. Birchall, J., 1998. Decentralsiing Public Service Management. s.l.:Palgrave. Selznick, P., 1984. Leadership in Administration. s.l.:University of California Press. Wilcox, L. Harrow, J., 1992. Rediscovering Public Services Management. London: McGraw Hill.

Strengthen the Separation between Church and State Essay -- Argumentat

Strengthen the Separation between Church and State First Amendment issues of the separation of church and state and state establishment of religion have long been litigated in the federal courts. Until recently, the Supreme Court had a consistent track record of preventing the intermingling of religion and government, especially when it came to the nation's public schools. Yet this past year, a newly activist conservative court has set about rewriting some of the Warren Court's judicial legacy. In the 1995 case of Rosenberger v. University of Virginia, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, declared that the University of Virginia was constitutionally required to subsidize a student religious magazine on the same basis as secular publications and activities. This decision opens the door to greater government financial support for religious organizations. Groups like the Christian Coalition and the American Center for Law and Justice, the legal wing of Pat Robertson's financial empire, saw this narrow decision as a victory for their agen da of weaving together government and religion, thus tearing down the wall of separation between church and state, To justify their pursuits, they site the need for moral leadership in this country, which many view as ethically and morally rudderless. Yet Ralph Reed, Pat Robertson, the Christian Coalition, and other similarly thinking individuals and groups are promoting an agenda more far reaching than their mainstream supporters have in mind. The move to infuse government with a greater religious presence has almost nothing to do with instilling traditional values and morality, and almost everything to do establishing Christianity, specifically evangelical Christianity, as the state religion. ... ... such unions. The United States has the highest level of religious involvement in the western world precisely because we have no state religion, as most nations in Europe do. In that region, state-sponsored churches are moribund, and religious enthusiasm is lackluster. America has a vast diversity of religious viewpoints because the spiritual aspect of people's lives is free from the intrusive tentacles of Uncle Sam. If it were not for our separation of church and state, odds are the evangelical faiths that gave rise to the Christian Coalition never would have existed. Therefore, Ralph Reed and Pat Robertson are destroying the agent of their own creation. They would never want socialized medicine, yet they are trying to implement socialized religion. But if you don't want government meddling with your body, why would you want government interfering with your soul.

Government Essay -- Governmental Politcs Political Essays

Government Government! You can't live with it! You can't live without it! It is the "common cold" that everyone dreads. The American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition defines government as, "The exercise of authority in a political unit in order to control and administer public policy." Webster's Desk Dictionary of the English Language defines government as, "The political direction and control exercised over a nation, state, community, etc." The common individual might define government as the root of all evil. The thing about government is that no one stops to think about how government came about. Government falls into two categories; monarchy or a republic. A monarchy is a form of government that is always headed by a monarch (king, queen, emperor, etc.) These monarchs develop this status most often by heredity. Monarchies are divided into three different magnitudes; limited, constitutional, and absolute. A limited monarchy is where the sovereign's powers are limited to ceremonial events. They do not interfere with politics. Most countries that have a limited monarchy have a Prime Minister that takes care of the political business. An example of a limited monarchy is in the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is the monarch. She is the one that holds all the ceremonies, cuts ribbons, and kisses babies. Prime Minister John Major has all political responsibilities. A constitutional monarchy is when the monarch's power is defined in the constitution of that country. The king has the ability to veto bills, but is just like any other citizen of that country. He is not above the law. An example of this type of monarchy is Sweden, or Norway. The last type of monarchy is an absolute monarchy. This monarch ha... ... as a result of conquest and force. Karl Marx was a tremendous supporter of the force theory. He believed that government is genuinely bad and people should try to revolt. He predicted that government would eventually vanquish and the world would be completely government free. Obviously Marx's prediction did not happen. One particular event that occurred was the Industrial Revolution. More jobs resulted from the industrial revolution giving people fewer reasons to revolt. All theories could apply to our government. What it comes down to is that we have a government, we are stuck with a government, therefore we should do our best to make our government the best that it can be. There are many aspects to a government. One should take a good look at other countries and be thankful for the type we have. Government may be the root of evil, but it is a necessary evil.

Describing The Obelisk :: Egypt Monuments Essays

Describing The Obelisk Whether you are driving past it on the freeway or it catches your eye as you leave the movie theater, the obelisk that stands in front of the Irvine Spectrum Center is a commanding sight to see. The 50-foot high fiber optic wonder is an impressive display of ancient shape and modern technology. During the evening hours, the needle rhythmically fades from one color to another, changing shades and hues. In daylight, it is a gleaming white beacon to all who look on. It is the identifying feature of a large business center know as the Irvine Spectrum. It is located where the 5 and 405 freeways connect in Irvine. This plaza contains a diversity of shops and restaurants, as well as commercial and business buildings. It is also the site if the Edwards 21 Cinema Complex and Edwards Imax 3-D Theater. Irvine Spectrum is surrounded by expanses of land that have yet to be developed, or are undergoing preliminary steps of development. This center is used by both young and old who shop, eat, and w ork there. Many people go to the Irvine Spectrum for the sole purpose of visiting the most technologically advanced movie theater in the world - the Edwards Imax 3-D Theater. I believe that this attraction is one of the main reasons the obelisk stands in front of the complex. When The Irvine Company, the development firm which built Irvine Spectrum, decided to have this one of a kind theater located at Irvine Spectrum, I think they were searching for something which would represent the grandeur of the new attraction. I believe the obelisk is that something. The stately shape is easily identifiable as one that has endured the test of time, while the advanced fiber-optics which cover the surface add new-age technology to ancient symbolism. The combination of these two factors into the structure of the obelisk parallels the theater because both are classics with a new twist. The obelisk, however, also parallels its counterparts from thousands of years ago. From the remains of great civilizations of the past, obelisks are found to be one of the most easily identifiable monuments of all.