Britain's conflict with the Mau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Britain's conflict with the Mau - Essay Example I blame it on the period of occurrence since it is evident that most of the Mau Mau individuals were illiterate (Bradley, 1999). For this reason, they failed to see the significance of taking records on events happening during the time. According to David Anderson, he gave his figures on the number of casualties that faced judgment in relating to the crimes they committed, such as murder and rebellion against the laws set by the British government (Otero, 2010, p. 151). Many different authors such as Bernard Porter have different figures that contradict with David’s article ‘How Did They Get Away with It?’ (Porter, 2005, p. 2). The crimes committed during that time include murder of thousands of natives, the majority being the Kikuyu, brutal torture and unfair justice. The British Empire’s action towards the Kenyans was against human right (Howe, 2005, p. 138). For example, crimes such as forced labor, law wages and torture were against human rights. The co nsequences for such misguided actions include offering compensation to the family members of the Mau Mau group. In the article ‘Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World’ (2003), Niall Ferguson talks about the trial of Mau Mau suspects that was altered by either bribes or favourism. The United Nations branch in charge of protecting and defending human rights should have taken actions and let the British government face the consequences (Curtis, 2003, p. 127). For example, the consequences include facing the law, doing acts of contrition, providing health services to affected Mau Mau members and creating a memorandum of understanding with the Kenyan government and the Mau Mau (Slocum, 2005, p. 70). Analyze, evaluate and interpret complex abstract ideas and relate them to Britain's conflict with the Mau Mau In analyzing, evaluating and interpreting complex ideas, I come up with the idea that colonization was both beneficial and destructive. In relating it to Britainâ€⠄¢s conflict with Mau Mau, it is true that the British government introduced civilization, education, and large scale farming (Bradley, 1999). They improved infrastructure by constructing roads, buildings and industries that served as a source of employment to the Kikuyu and Mau Mau members. The benefits of the British colonization are innumerable and its effects are still witnessed currently since the country has progressed in international business and infrastructure (Porter, 2005, p. 4). On the contrary, the colonization had its negative impacts such as misery and suffering of the Mau Mau members, e.g., separation of family members since the men had to fight for the community (Berman and Lonsdale, 2002, p. 89). The number of deaths that were as a result of the colonization was astonishingly high since many individuals lost their lives fighting for freedom and their rights. Secondly, another idea I will bring forward is that democracy is essential when dealing with a large number of people. In relating this idea to the British conflict with Mau Mau, I believe that the British could have been welcomed peacefully if they could have used democracy as a tool for ruling (Branch, 2009, p. 54). Democracy allows people to choose policies, leaders, and regulations that would govern them.

Technology and modern enterprise Essay Example for Free

Technology and modern enterprise Essay Today billions in advertising dollars flee old media and are pouring into digital efforts, and this shift is reshaping industries and redefining skills needed to reach today’s consumers. Firms are harnessing social media for new product ideas and for millions in sales. Many of the world’s most successful technology firms—organizations that have had tremendous impact on consumers and businesses across industries—were created by young people. Today, tech knowledge can be a key differentiator for the job seeker. It’s the worker without tech skills that needs to be concerned. The aspiring investment banker who doesn’t understand the role of technology in firms and industries can’t possibly provide an accurate guess at how much a company is worth. Lecture 2 Chapter 2-4 Strategy and technology, case of Zara and Netflix Sustainable competitive advantage: financial performance that consistently outperforms their industry peers. According to Porter, the reason so many firms suffer aggressive, margin-eroding competition is because they’ve defined themselves according to operational effectiveness rather than strategic positioning. Operational effectiveness refers to performing the same tasks better than rivals perform them. Everyone wants to be better, but the danger in operational effectiveness is â€Å"sameness.† The fast follower problem exists when savvy rivals watch a pioneer’s efforts, learn from their successes and missteps, then enter the market quickly with a comparable or superior product at a lower cost. Operational effectiveness is critical. Firms must invest in techniques to improve quality, lower cost, and design efficient customer experiences. But for the most part, these efforts can be matched. Because of this, operational effectiveness is usually not sufficient enough to yield sustainable dominance over the competition. In contrast to operational effectiveness, strategic positioning refers to performing different activities from those of rivals, or the same activities in a different way. Technology itself is often very easy to replicate, and those assuming advantage lies in technology alone may find themselves in a profit-eroding arms race with rivals able to match their moves step by step. But while technology can be copied, technology can also play a critical role in creating and strengthening strategic differences—advantages that rivals will struggle to match. Higher inventory turns mean the firm is selling product faster, so it collects money quicker than its rivals do. Resource based view of competitive advantage can help: if a firm is to maintain sustainable competitive advantage, it must control a set of exploitable resources that have four critical characteristics. These resources must be (1) valuable, (2) rare, (3) imperfectly imitable (tough to imitate), and (4) non-substitutable. Dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) enabled existing fiber to carry more transmissions than ever before. The end result—these new assets weren’t rare and each day they seemed to be less valuable. Firms that craft an imitation-resistant value chain have developed a way of doing business that others will struggle to replicate, and in nearly every successful effort of this kind, technology plays a key enabling role. Sources of switching costs: learning costs, information and data, financial commitment, contractual commitments, search costs, loyalty programs. In order to win customers from an established incumbent, a late-entering rival must offer a product or service that not only exceeds the value offered by the incumbent but also exceeds the incumbent’s value and any customer switching costs. Commodities are products or services that are nearly identically offered from multiple vendors. Consumers buying commodities are highly price-focused since they have so many similar choices. In order to break the commodity trap, many firms leverage technology to differentiate their goods and services. Data is not only a switching cost, it also plays a critical role in differentiation. Network effects (sometimes called network externalities or Metcalfe’s Law) exist when a product or service becomes more valuable as more people use it. Switching costs also play a role in determining the strength of network effects. Tech user investments often go far beyond simply the cost of acquiring a technology. Nothing lasts forever, and shifting technologies and market conditions can render once strong assets as obsolete. It doesn’t matter if it’s easy for new firms to enter a market if these newcomers can’t create and leverage the assets needed to challenge incumbents. Beware of those who say, â€Å"IT doesn’t matter† or refer to the â€Å"myth† of the first mover. This thinking is overly simplistic. It’s not a time or technology lead that provides sustainable competitive advantage; it’s what a firm does with its time and technology lead. If a firm can use a time and technology lead to create valuable assets that others cannot match, it may be able to sustain its advantage. But if the work done in this time and technology lead can be easily matched, then no advantage can be achieved, and a firm may be threatened by new entrants. Industry competition and attractiveness can be described by considering the following five forces: (1) the intensity of rivalry among existing competitors, (2) the potential for new entrants to challenge incumbents, (3) the threat posed by substitute products or services, (4) the power of buyers, and (5) the power of suppliers.

The Master Speed by Robert Frost Essay -- Robert Frost Poem Master Sp

'The Master Speed' by Robert Frost Throughout the poem The Master Speed, Frost addresses the idea that marriage is a sacred bond that must be treasured all through our lives. The main reason for the apparent matrimony theme was due to the engagement of Frost's daughter. Because of this great influence over his life, Frost reiterated the advice to his daughter to stay at 'the master speed'; in order to fully enjoy the rest of her life as well as her future commitment. By this Frost suggests that one should not rush through life but instead take in life, nice and slow so that it may be savored. Frost first presents this idea by metaphorically discussing the spectacular abilities his daughter possesses but refuses to use. In the first quatrain, the poet suggests that his da...

Charter of Rights and Freedoms Essay

Former United States Attorney General Ramsey Clark wrote in the New York Times, â€Å"A right is not what someone gives you; but what no one can take away.† It is in this vein that a country drafts legislation to protect the rights of their inhabitants. In the United States there is the Bill of Rights, which consists of a preamble and the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, 1787 . The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the first part of the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982 . Both of these documents provide for the rights and freedoms that both countries see as inalienable to their respective populations. This is where the similarity between them ends. These documents are vastly different. They were crafted in different centuries and therefore have different emphases. One key difference between the two documents is how they treat criminal law and the rights attached to an investigation. Another interesting comparison is what both documents do not discuss. In Canada, if a person is detained they are required to be informed of their constitutional right to an attorney in accordance to Section 10(b) of the charter and SCR R vs. Therens 1985. The judgment reads: â€Å"Where a detainee is required to provide evidence which may be incriminating and where refusal to comply is punishable as a criminal offence,†¦ s. 10(b) imposes a duty not to call upon the detainee to provide that evidence without first informing him of his s. 10(b) rights and providing him with a reasonable opportunity and time to retain and instruct counsel.† In the United States, a detainee’s right to council falls under amendment six to the constitution . Chief Justice Warren’s report reads: â€Å"The prosecution may not use statements, whether exculpatory or inculpatory, stemming from custodial interrogation of the defendant unless it demonstrates the use of procedural safeguards effective to secure the privilege against self-incrimination . . . As for the procedural safeguards to be employed . . . the following measures are required. Prior to any questioning, the person must be warned that he has a right to remain silent,  that any statement he does make may be used as evidence against him, and that he has a right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or appointed.† The difference between the details of these two ideas is great. The Charter makes the reading of the rights mandatory prior to anything that might be incriminating. This includes line ups, breathalyzers, etc . In the United States Miranda only has to be read once the person is custody, under interrogation or arrest. Miranda is the slang term given to the rights that the detainer is obliged to recite to the detainee before their detention. It begins with the lines made famous by cop shows, â€Å"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can and will be used against you in a court of law . . . † In Canada, because we have no Fifth Amendment law the detainee does not need to be warned against self incrimination. Also, in Canada, after the recitation of the rights, the detainee needs to be asked if they understand and if they want to call a lawyer now. These differences occur because of the nature of the two documents. The Bill of Rights was partially a reaction to anti-federalist complaints that the constitution gave to much power to the federal government. It was not written with the same forethought that was put into the Charter. Justice Lamer suggests that the differences emerge from the expansiveness that needs to be incorporated into a document of the charter variety . This is seen in other sections of both documents as well. The fourth amendment states, â€Å"The right of people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.† The Charter states in s. 8, â€Å"Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.† This provision of s. 8 is broad and conditional only to the provisions of s. 7 and the principles of fundamental justice. Is the body protected by this right? Does search include both body and place? The 8th amendment states, â€Å"nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† S. 12 uses the word â€Å"subjected†. The difference is that S. 12 can be applied to matters other then criminal punishment, as seen in Rodriguez v. British Colombia [1993] 3. S.C.R. The documents were written at very different times and for very different purposes. Out of this arise many differences. The Bill of Rights has a long history entangled with that of the American Constitution. It was the anti-federalists attack on the American Constitution. Patrick Henry told the Virginia Convention, â€Å"What can avail your specious, imaginary balances, your rope-dancing, chain-rattling, ridiculous ideal checks and contrivances.† They demanded a more concise constitution that clearly laid out the rights of the people and the limitations of the government. James Madison wrote in his diary, â€Å"that such fundamental maxims of free Government would be a good ground for an appeal to the sense of community against potential oppression and would counteract the impulses of interest and passion.† The Bill of Rights that Madison passed was based heavily upon The Virginia Declaration of Rights. The Virginia Declaration was a document that was written during the British occupation. Thomas Jefferson drew heavily upon it for The Declaration of Independence. Because it was written during the time of oppression of the British it very specifically counteracts the then current grievances. Is the issue of quartering a solider in your house at peace time such a pressing on that it is addressed in the Bill of Rights? There is no such provision in the Charter. Many of the rights guaranteed were those that were removed by the British. The British limited freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press. All of these rights are affirmed in the first amendment. To prevent revolution, the British limited the right to bear arms that is now protected in the second amendment. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms was written almost two hundred years after the Bill of Rights. It replaced the relatively ineffective Bill of Rights, 1960 that only affected the laws made after its inception. It was also a bill so it could be altered by an Act of Parliament. The late seventies, early eighties were a time of development and change. The country was still reeling from the FLQ crisis and was troubled by the possibility of Quebec separating from the rest of Canada. When Pierre Treudeau wanted to repatriate the constitution from Britain, he encountered heavy opposition  from the provinces, mainly Quebec. Tredeau then added the notwithstanding clause, or s. 33 of the charter to appease their concerns. What is seen as the Achilles heel, the flaw in the foundation of the charter is a result of the political pressures of the period in which it was written. The time period also had a great effect on the scope and nature of the charter. During the Treudeau years society began a liberalization that is continuing today. The rights of the individual became more and more important over those of the community. This is seen to the rights granted in the Charter that were not in the Bill of Rights. Mobility rights and equality rights were not expressly provided for in the Bill of Rights. The differences in the time periods have created documents with a very different focus. The American Bill of Rights protects the states against the tyranny and oppression of the federal government. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects individual rights and those of minority groups against subjugation by the majority. The Bill of Rights and the Charter do not provide for many rights that we see as fundamental. Both documents do not mention the word privacy or provide for definitions of expectations of privacy . They let the courts determine that reflective of society. It took a series of landmark rulings in 1973 for the USSC to define what â€Å"a reasonable expectation of privacy † is. The Canadian Supreme Court did the same with the first Charter challenges, including Hunter v. Southam Inc. and others. The Bill of Rights does not mention God, while the Charter begins with â€Å"Whereas Canada is founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.† This creates a complete separation of Church and State in the Bill of Rights, while providing for religious schools in the Charter. The Charter does not provide a right to property, economic rights or labour rights. This means that the rights of unions to bargain collectively, the rights to compensation for confiscated property and the right to form unions are not protected except by act of parliament. In the Bill of Rights it says, â€Å"nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just  compensation.† The Charter has Section One, a legal tool by which the Supreme Court can limit the rights of the people. It provides that no right is absolute and is subject to reasonable limits that can be justified in a free and democratic society. The Bill of Rights has no such tool. In fact, the first amendment begins, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting . . .† This results in the USSC protecting the rights of Neo-Nazis to parade through a neighborhood of holocaust survivors and allowing for the formation of religious cults. The Charter also has s.33 as mentioned above. The provinces have the right to opt out of federal laws. In Quebec, all laws begin, â€Å"Notwithstanding the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.† The Bill of Rights has no such section. This is a result of the American Civil War. During the Civil War, the South succeeded from the Union because they chose not to abide by the slavery laws. To prevent this from happening again, no such provision was included in the Bill of Rights. The American Bill of Rights and The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are two documents that protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens and landed residents of their respective countries. This is where the clear similarities between the documents end. They deal with the ideas of legal and prosecutorial rights very differently. The documents differ greatly in the origins and focus. The documents are also at variance in what they do not include. Both documents play a fundamental role in protecting the ways in which we live our lives. Their differences and variances provide and define the differences between our two societies. Bibliography: *Amar, Akhil Reed. The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998. *Beaudoin, Gerald A. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Toronto: Carswell, 1989. *Douglas, Ann. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Canda in the 80’s. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1999. *Dumbauld, Edward. The Bill of Rights and What It Means Today. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1979. *Greene, Ian. The Charter of Rights. Toronto: J. Lorimer, 1989. *MacCharles, Tonda. â€Å"Book ‘Em Dano! Canada’s Tough Arrest Rules.† The Toronto Star 15 April 2002. *McKercher, William Russel. The U.S. Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Toronto: Ontario Economic Council, 1983. *Supreme Court of Canada, http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/index.html University of Montreal. *The Bill of Rights, http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/billrights/billmain.html National Archives and Record Administration. *U.S. Supreme Court, Arizona v Miranda, http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=384&invol=436 Findlaw.

Audit of Automobile industry Essay

AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY IN UK United Kingdom has been a colossal manufacturer of automobiles in last 10 years. Producing more that 8 million vehicles and engines and exporting more than 80% of these, UK automobile industry stands as a driving force of its economy. The automobile industry generates a yearly turnover of around 55 Billion Pounds and largest value from exports. Nevertheless, the country that has automobile players like, Alexander Davis, Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, etc., is still said to be under a vast influence of dwindling supply chain and its dependence on foreign market. Let us scrutinize the situation of UK automobile industry by doing an internal and external environmental audit. INTERNAL AUDIT Internal environmental audit is performed to understand the position of industry with respect to its own environment. SWOT is one of the tools used to perform internal audit which is employed for studying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the subject. STRENGTHS The strengths of UK’s automobile industry: 1. Largest Revenue generating sector UK’s auto industry yearly contributes around 12 Billion Pounds to the economy of UK by generating revenue of more than 55 Billion Pounds, annually. 2. Diversity in products Products manufactured by UK automobile industry range from various premium and sports cars to commercial vehicles and engines. Around 80% of this is exported, yearly. 3. Chief employment generator The automobile industry in UK is a major employment generating sector, offering wide range of employment opportunities in manufacturing and R&D. WEAKNESSES 1. Disparity between manufacturers UK’s automobile industry is known for having an austere disparity between its manufacturers, which stands out to be a major weakness of this industry. 2. Depleted Supply Chain Supply chain of UK automobile industry is going through an appalling phase. A potent supply chain and its capacity is an important factor in determining market expansion and foreign investment. Extensive improvement, in the supply chain of UK automobile industry, is essential. 3. Dependence on foreign markets As the UK car industry exports around 80% of its produce to foreign markets, it is under the risk of getting directly dependent on economic crisis of other markets. UK motor industry should focus on reaching as many markets as possible to ease risk. OPPORTUNITIES 1. Providing eco-friendly vehicles UK’s automotive industry has been constantly active in innovating new products to provide a safe and eco-friendly environment, hence opening up string of opportunities. 2. Investments by Global OEMs In the year 2013 many global equipment manufacturers have announced investments in United Kingdom. Through these strategic alliance UK auto industry is believed to benefit significantly. THREATS 1. Soaring cost of Raw Material The cost of raw material has been ever rising; hence, the manufacturers pay more for procuring raw material every year. This eventually raises the price of automobiles. 2. Increasing competition With new companies coming in UK along with foreign direct investment the competition is bound to soar, ultimately increasing threat for existing companies. Bottom-line is that in spite of challenges faced by automobile industry in last decade, it is resurging from its downfall and looking forward to producing more number of vehicles this year. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The automobile industry in UK has been tactically working towards creating new opportunities and enhancing technology. It has extensively slogged to make UK more attractive for foreign investors. Through automotive industry’s external analysis, we shall study influence of external factors on the industry. The two major models discussed here are PESTLE Analysis and Porter’s Five Forces’ Model. PESTEL ANALYSIS Political To ensure there is no monopoly created in the industry, certain policies restricting firms from forming cartels and fixing price have been implemented. They also control the size of automobile companies. Economic With the advent of increasing inflation across the world, it is predicted that the purchase of automobiles shall increase in coming years. Also, globalisation has opened doors for foreign investors in UK. Social Recent researches show that young population in UK is declining and older population is rising. Hence, it is advisable that companies focus on creating more products catering to smaller families and older population. Technology Increased focus on providing eco-friendly vehicles has encouraged industry to continually invest in research and development. With popularity of new designing softwares, Global Positioning Systems for navigation, etc, technology has advanced two folds. Environmental As people are getting more aware and concerned about a healthy environment, it is imperative to create products that are eco-friendly. Hence, it has created a pressure on the industry to focus on environmental issues as well. Legal A few legal policies have been imposed by UK government like compulsory fitment of Electronic Stability Control and Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems in all the cars produced. PORTER’S FIVE FORCES’ MODEL 1. Threat from new entrants Automobile industry being capital extensive demands a lot of money to venture and uphold. In order to sustain, present automobile companies have augmented their production, enforcing new entrants to enter only on large scale. 2. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Due to increase in globalisation the industry has suppliers not only from UK but also from across the world. Hence, the bargaining power of suppliers is limited. As some manufacturers have joined hands with OEMs from China and India others source materials from UK itself. 3. Bargaining Power of Buyers This model brings forth the fact that purchasers have a power to regulate the market and increase competition. As consumers have access to extensive information and choice of numerous brands across the globe they definitely stand to have a better bargaining power. 4. Competition from Substitutes Substitute products are those that can be consumed in place of any product. For instance, people of UK can as well use public transport instead of private cars. They may also consider the option of using rented cars. 5. Existing Competition As UK is home to around 50 car manufacturers selling 200 models, the internal competition among the companies is inevitable. Apart from the local car manufacturers like GM, Ford, etc, the foreign manufacturers are also giving a lot of competition. The external influences play a major role in casting future of automobile industry in UK. Analysing the internal as well as the external environment of UK’s car industry helps identifying how it has been performing and what is the scope for improvement. United Kingdom offers an array of car models in a highly competitive market. Nonetheless, it is still facing a lot of issues in recovering from the past downfall. Market experts predict that the industry shall still be able to cater to the new more demanding market.

Edward Gein Essays - Human Trophy Collecting, Free Essays

Edward Gein Essays - Human Trophy Collecting, Free Essays Edward Gein All through history there have been stories of death and killing. There have been many murders in America. Some killers have had odd practices that they inflict on their victims; however, few have gone to the extent of Edward Gein. Because of his obsession with women and odd practices committed on the bodies of his victims, Edward Gein is considered to be the most bizarre murderer in America's history. Ed Gein was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on August 21, 1906 (Woods 8). His father later moved the family to Plainfield, Wisconsin (Woods 9). Gein had one brother named Henry (Woods 6). Their father was an alcoholic and their mother was a strict believer in God and doing the right thing. Their mother impressed on them the importance of marriage before sex. In 1940, Ed's father died. Even though he was thirty-four, Gein was still living on the farm with his mother and brother (Woods 22). In 1944, Henry Gein asked Ed to help him do some controlled burning on a marsh on the family's property. Ed had taken care of his part of the burning and went looking for his brother, but could not find him. Ed organized a search party, but they found nothing. On his way back to the house, Ed found Henry laying on a brush pile, dead. Ed attributed the death to heart attack or smoke inhalation, and the idea of an accident was accepted by all. No autopsy was performed. Some people believe that this may have been the beginning of Ed's killing spree(Woods 23). The next year, 1945, Ed's mother suffered a stroke. Ed says it was because of the way his neighbors constantly argued and how much it upset his mother. Ed was in charge of taking care of his mother. He took care of her for a period at the farm but could not handle it and was forced to put her into a hospital. Soon after, she had a second stoke and died (Woods 34). This left Ed alone. He began reading books about the female anatomy and became very interested in adventure stories involving head hunter and cannibals. At one point, a well-meaning person brought him back two shrunken heads from the Philippines. Ed found them very interesting and showed them off to many people in the community. As time went on he also became interested in the preservation of the human body after death and read books on the subject (Gollmar 74). In 1947, Ed began robbing graves in three local cemeteries. Sometimes he would take the whole body and sometimes just parts. His favorite part was usually the head of the dead person (Gollmar 58). He would cut it from the body in the cemetery and take it back to his house. When there, he would make a death mask. He would remove the skin from the bone and stuff the skin with tissue paper and saw dust. When the police searched his house, they found approximately ten of these masks scattered around the home of Ed Gein (Portrait of a Killer 40). In 1954, Ed committed the first murder he admits to. Mary Hogan, the owner and operator of a local tavern was killed. She was shot and her head was possibly cut off at the scene. At the scene, the police found a large pool of blood but no drag marks. Therefore Mary Hogan had been carried from the bar. After Gein had been caught, the police realized he was too small too carry the large stature of Mary Hogan from the scene and believed he may have had an accomplice for this murder and the grave robbings, but Gein constantly denied this (Gollmar 89). Ed Gein had few close friends. However, after he was caught a man who was believed to be Gein's best friend became violently mentally ill and was committed to a mental hospital. He died in the hospital a short time later. The police think he may have been Gein's accomplice in the murder of Mary Hogan (Gollmar 45). Ed Gein's final victim was a local shop owner named Bernice Worden. The killing took place on November 16, 1957. It was

10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Essay Example

10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Essay Example 10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Paper 10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Paper Essay Topic: Literature allusion A reference to another work of literature, person, or event personification attributing human qualities to something non-human, 2. acting as an example of simile A comparison using like or as metaphor figure of speech comparing two different things onomatopoeia A word that imitates the sound it represents. interjection A word that shows strong emotion or surprise imagery Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) hyperbole An exaggeration dialogue Communication between two or more people alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sounds

What You Should Know About Kants Ethics in a Nutshell

What You Should Know About Kants Ethics in a Nutshell Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is, by common consent, one of the most profound and original philosophers who ever lived. He is equally well known for his metaphysics–the subject of his Critique of Pure Reason-and for his moral philosophy which is set out in his Groundwork to the Metaphysics of Morals and the Critique of Practical Reason. Of these last two works, the Groundwork is by far the easier to understand. A Problem for the Enlightenment To understand Kant’s moral philosophy it is crucial first of all to understand the problem that he, like other thinkers of the time, was trying to deal with. From time immemorial, people’s moral beliefs and practices had been based on religion. Scriptures like the bible or the Koran laid out moral rules that were thought to be handed down from God: Don’t kill. Don’t steal. Don’t commit adultery, and so on. The fact that the rules came from God gave them their authority. They were not just somebody’s arbitrary opinion: they gave humanity an objectively valid code of conduct. Moreover, everyone had an incentive to obey them.  If you â€Å"walked in the ways of the Lord,† you would be rewarded, either in this life or the next. If you violated His commandments, you would be punished. So any sensible person would abide by the moral rules that religion taught. With the scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, and the great cultural movement known as the Enlightenment which followed, a problem arose for this way of thinking. Simply put, faith in God, scripture, and organized religion began to decline among the intelligentsia–that is, the educated elite. This is the development that Nietzsche famously described as â€Å"the death of God.† And it created a problem for moral philosophy. For if religion wasn’t the foundation that gave our moral beliefs their validity, what other foundation could there be? And if there is no God, and therefore no guarantee of cosmic justice ensuring that the good guys are rewarded and the bad guys are punished, why should anyone bother trying to be good? The Scottish moral philosopher Alisdair MacIntrye called this â€Å"the Enlightenment problem.† The problem is to come up with a secular–that is, a non-religious–account of what morality is and why we should be moral. Three Responses to the Enlightenment Problem 1.  Social Contract Theory One response was pioneered by the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679). He argued that morality was essentially a set of rules that human beings agreed upon among themselves in order to make living together possible. If we didn’t have these rules, many of which are laws enforced by the government, life would be absolutely horrible for everyone. 2.  Utilitarianism Another attempt give morality a non-religious foundation was pioneered by thinkers like David Hume (1711-1776) and Jeremy Bentham (1748-1742). This theory holds that pleasure and happiness have intrinsic value. They are what we all want and are the ultimate goals that all our actions aim at.  Something is good if it promotes happiness, and it is bad if it produces suffering. Our basic duty is to try to do things that add to the amount of happiness or reduce the amount of misery in the world.   3.  Kantian Ethics Kant had no time for utilitarianism.  He thought that in placing the emphasis on happiness it completely misunderstood the nature of morality.  In his view, the basis for our sense of what is good or bad, right or wrong, is our awareness that human beings are free, rational agents who should be given the respect appropriate to such beings.  Let’s see in closer detail what this means and what it entails. The Problem With Utilitarianism The basic problem with utilitarianism, in Kant’s view, is that it judges actions by their consequences.  If your action makes people happy, it’s good; if it does the reverse, it’s bad.  But this is actually contrary to what we might call moral common sense.  Consider this question.  Who do you think is the better person, the millionaire who gives $1,000 to charity in order to look good in front of his girlfriend, or the minimum wage worker who donates a day’s pay to charity because he thinks it is is duty to help the needy? If consequences are all that matter, then the millionaire’s action is better.  But that’s not what most people think.  Most of us judge actions more by their motives than by their consequences.  The reason is obvious: the consequences of our actions are often out of our control, just as the ball is out of the pitcher’s control once it has left his hand.  I could save a life at the risk of my own, and the person I save could turn out to be serial killer.  Or I could kill someone in the course of stealing from them, and in doing so might accidentally save the world from a terrible tyrant. The Good Will The first sentence of Kant’s Groundwork states: â€Å"the only thing that is unconditionally good is a good will.† Kant’s argument for this is quite plausible. Consider anything you think of as good: health, wealth, beauty, intelligence, etc. In every case, you can imagine a situation in which this good thing is not good after all. A person can be corrupted by their wealth. The robust health of a bully makes it easier for him to abuse his victims. A person’s beauty may lead them to become vain and fail to develop their talents. Even happiness is not good if it is the happiness of a sadist torturing his victims. A good will, by contrast, says Kant, is always good in all circumstances. But what, exactly, does he mean by a good will? The answer is fairly simple. A person acts from a good will when they do what they do because they think it is their duty: when they act from a sense of moral obligation. Duty v. Inclination Obviously, we don’t perform every little act we do out of a sense of obligation. Much of the time we are simply following our inclinations, acting out of self-interest. There is nothing wrong with this. But no-one deserves any credit for pursuing their own interests. That comes naturally to us, just as it comes naturally to every animal. What is remarkable about human beings, though, is that we can, and sometimes do, perform an action from purely moral motives. E.g. a soldier throws himself on a grenade, sacrificing his life to save the lives of others. Or less dramatically, I pay back a debt as I promised to do even though this will leave me short of money. In Kant’s eyes, when a person freely chooses to do the right thing just because it is the right thing to do, their action adds value to the world; it lights it up, so to speak, with a brief glow of moral goodness. Knowing What Your Duty Is Saying that people should do their duty from a sense of duty is easy. But how are we supposed to know what our duty is? Sometimes we may find ourselves facing moral dilemmas where it isn’t obvious which course of action is right. According to Kant, however, in most situations are duty is obvious. And if we are uncertain we can work it out by reflecting on a general principle that he calls the â€Å"Categorical Imperative.† This, he claims, is the fundamental principle of morality. All other rules and precepts can be deduced from it. He offers several different versions of this categorical imperative. One runs as follows: â€Å"Act only on that maxim that you can will as a universal law.† What this means, basically, is that we should only ask ourselves: how would it be if everyone acted the way I’m acting? Could I sincerely and consistently wish for a world in which everyone behaved this way? According to Kant, if our action is morally wrong we would not b able to do this. For instance, suppose I’m thinking of breaking a promise. Could I wish for a world in which everyone broke their promises when keeping them was inconvenient? Kant argues that I could not want this, not least because in such a world no-one would make promises since everyone would know that a promise meant nothing. The Ends Principle Another version of the Categorical Imperative that Kant offers states that one should â€Å"always treat people as ends in themselves, never merely as a means to one’s own ends. This is commonly referred to as the â€Å"ends principle.† But what does it mean, exactly?   The key to it is Kant’s belief that what makes us moral beings is the fact that we are free and rational. To treat someone as a means to your own ends or purposes is to not respect this fact about them. For instance, if I get you to agree to do something by making a false promise, I am manipulating you. Your decision to help me is based on false information (the idea that I’m going to keep my promise). In this way, I have undermined your rationality. This is even more obvious if I steal from you or kidnap you in order to claim a ransom. Treating someone as an end, by contrast, involves always respecting the fact that they are capable of free rational choices which may be  different from the choices you wish them to make. So if I want you to do something, the only moral course of action is to explain the situation, explain what I want, and let you make your own decision. Kant’s Concept of Enlightenment In a famous essay entitled â€Å"What is Enlightenment?† Kant defined enlightenment as â€Å"man’s emancipation from his self-imposed immaturity.† What does this mean? And what does it have to do with his ethics? The answer goes back to the issue of religion no longer providing a satisfactory foundation for morality. What Kant calls humanity’s â€Å"immaturity† is the period when people did not truly think for themselves.  They typically accepted moral rules handed down to them by religion, by tradition, or by authorities like the Bible, the church, or the king. Many people have lamented the fact that many have lost their faith in these authorities. The result is viewed as a spiritual crisis for Western civilization. If â€Å"God is dead,† how do we know what is true and what is right? Kant’s answer is that we have to work these things out for ourselves. But this is not something to lament.  Ultimately it is something to celebrate. Morality is not a matter of subjective whim. What he calls â€Å"the moral law† –the categorical imperative and everything it implies–can be discovered by reason. But it is a law that we, as rational beings, impose on ourselves. It is not imposed on us from without. This is why one of our deepest feelings is reverence for the moral law. And when we act as we do out of respect for it–in other words, from a sense of duty–we fulfill ourselves as rational beings.

Legal advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Legal advice - Essay Example Winter Ltd is a company which sells books on the internet and is now willing to expand its business by selling CD’s & DVD’s, but for this purpose it needs capital and now has approached Spring Bank for a loan of 2 Million. For Spring Bank, just like all other banks, it is an opportunity to grasp and on the same time it has to be very careful about the collaterals and security offered by Winter Ltd. as to repayment of the loan because every loan has an inherent risk of default. In case of intangible assets the risk involved might be of some other nature as compared to loans which are secured against some physical asset. In order to avoid any risk Spring Bank would have to be very careful of all the circumstances and financial condition of Winter Ltd. before extending loan facility to them. It would be appropriate that before reaching a decision as to loan for Winter Ltd, we must consider the types of loan which can be offered to them by the bank. There are commonly two major types of loans which are being offered to commercial entities to support their business and the same can be considered in case of Winter Ltd, too. These are Overdraft Facility or Term Loan. Overdraft is an arrangement between client and its bank in which continues flow of cash is guaranteed in a bank account; bank agrees to provide a facility of loan to an agreed limit. In such a case this overdraft facility might be one time relaxation or may be a permanent feature of account operation with the client. In such case this overdraft may be created and paid off in continues manner. Customers credit cards are also useful links for his credit worthiness.2 This facility, however, is not flawless and involves risk on part of bank mainly. Bank is providing this facility on the basis of client’s reputation and is without any collateral which means it is an unsecured loan and hence invites a lot of caution on part of bank to allow

What public Sector Bodies can expect from their Auditors Essay

What public Sector Bodies can expect from their Auditors - Essay Example Auditors often provide added value by noting an opportunity for cost-efficient improvements which may arise from the auditors’ investigation and bring these issues to the attention of the management. Thus, it is expected that public auditors should endeavor to promote better decision making and management wherever possible, in order to effect a more efficient use of public resources. Proper auditing in the public sector is essential for maintaining the confidence of the general public during any tenure of managing public funds, and should be carried out to ensure accountability of those entrusted with public funds. On their own part, Malaysian public sector auditors should be accountable for their performance, and it is the duty of public sector auditors to undertake their auditing work in an objective, cost-effective and professional manner, with due regard to the needs of the public sector bodies that they audit. The primary audience of the public sector auditors includes the local electorates, the taxpayers and the parliament, as their statutory functions are executed on behalf of the taxpayers. It is essential for public sector auditors to thoroughly plan each audit with a good understanding of the operational environment. The major value of financial statement auditing comes from the assurance provided to taxpayers due to objective and rigorous auditing. The service provided by public sector auditors also provides value by causing an improvement of financial management. It is important for auditors to endeavor to promote better decision making and management whenever possible, so as to enable better and more effective use of public resources (Kamaruzaman Jusoff 2010). This can be achieved by the dissemination and highlighting of good practice and the provision of technical assistance which will help to promote efficiency in corporate governance arrangements in the public sector in Malaysia. As set down by the statement of auditing 100,

Employee Reward and Recognition Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Employee Reward and Recognition Systems - Essay Example The compensation strategy offered by the company for its employees must be fair and without any biases. The company must have compensation policies wherein it would reimburse or compensate the full amount for the employees for any accident or any such condition faced during the working hours. However, the company will have to ensure that such situations have not arisen out of any negligence on the part of the worker. These would include fatal accidents within the company premises only. Every employee desires to be awarded and appreciated for his work and efforts. The company needs to make sure that it addresses this need of the employee from time to time so that it retains the interest and morale of the employee. Rewarding the employee financially by providing different sorts of benefits is essential in this respect. However, the company needs to ensure that it forms its financial reward system by remaining unbiased and transparent. The company needs to evaluate its internal as well as its legal formalities while forming such a system for awarding its employees. Intangible or non-financial benefits can also be given but it has been seen that it is the tangible or precisely the financial form that makes more impact on the employee performance. In the case of Electra Pvt Ltd, the company is on a growing spree. It wishes to expand its business. As such it would include more manpower and sources. It thus becomes all the more crucial to retain as well as absorb new recruits which can be done by appreciating their work on a regular basis. The company must be impartial and fair while rewarding its employees.

Question is in the instruction part Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Question is in the instruction part - Essay Example In relation to architecture, it may be useful to define the concept of ‘Gothic’, which first belonged to the medieval period in Europe, from about 12th to 16th centuries. The characteristics included the pointed arch, large ribbed vaults and large, high windows, and later the flying buttress. The style was applied mainly to churches and cathedrals, therefore having religious and ecclesiastical connotations, though stately homes, convents and monasteries also adopted it. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, its revival coincided with the popularity of the Gothic genre in English fiction, often quoted as having originated with Horace Walpole’s ‘The Castle of Otranto’ (Walpole 1764). The underlying ethos seems to be one of highly charged emotional content, thrilling sensationalism and a rejection of the rational and classical clarity with determined the Enlightenment. Gothic fiction and architecture would seem to seek to extend beyond normal, ratio nal boundaries in society and to find instead, a more exciting form of expression and stimulation – almost taking reader and characters to the brink of insanity through the alteration of perceived reality. Certainly, the Gothic literary conventions call up childhood fears, myths, legends and superstitions, and in so doing, overturn common perceptions and distort reality. Just as it is impossible to fully understand the workings of the human mind, the environments created in the fiction are difficult to grasp, alien and mysterious and possibly reflecting, in the form of the deep, dark pits and dungeons, an allegorical picture of psychic depths beyond our conscious knowledge. Robert Barry (1995) states that: In ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, Poe creates an atmosphere of increasing tension and doom, launching into a description which engages the

CCNA SECURITY CASE STUDY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CCNA SECURITY CASE STUDY - Essay Example The proposed network security policy as stated below specifically addresses access rights the minimum requirements for hardware buildup and the parameters and basis for audit and review. The Network Security Policy shall guide the access rights policy and set the parameters for the information security audit and review policy. The login policy including the password policy shall also be guided by the Network Security Policy (Whitman and Mattord). This paper shall also draft a procedure that will be responsive to the requirement of the Network Security Policy. The procedure will not only provide a detailed implementation of a specific intent of the policy it will also guide the operation and mechanism of the policy when implemented (Whitman and Mattord). Please note that the policies and procedures detailed in this paper is only recommendatory for the consideration and approval of the management of CMS. 2. Table of Contents 1.Summary 2 2.Table of Contents 3 3.Network Security Policy 4 I.Policy Declaration 4 II.Objective 4 III.Scope 4 IV.Definition and Abbreviations 5 V.Responsibilities 5 VI.General Requirements 7 V. Related Procedures 10 VI. Enforcement 10 4.Router Configuration Procedure 11 I.Purpose 11 II.Standard 12 III.Procedure 13 IV.Records Generated 14 5.Switch Configuration Procedure 14 I.Purpose 14 II.Procedure 14 A.Create and Administrative User 15 B.Storm Control 15 C.Protection against STP attacks 15 D.Port Security/Disabling unused ports 15 III.Useful Resources 15 3. Network Security Policy I. Policy Declaration CMS is in the business of providing health care services in line with its fiduciary and legal obligation this policy shall protect the privacy of its clients and employees by protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all records, data, information entrusted to it. II. Objective The purpose of this policy is to outline the Network Security at CMS to be followed to ensure the confidentiality, availability and integrity for the purpose of protecting CMS, its client and employees. Inappropriate implementation exposes CMS to risks including virus attacks, compromise of network systems and services, and legal issues. III. Scope This policy applies to the whole CMS-Systems related Infrastructure and Equipments employees and customers. To achieve this goal, the following are required for implementation: Establish company-wide policies to protect the CMS networks and computer systems from abuse and inappropriate use. Establish mechanisms that will aid in the identification and prevention of abuse of networks and computer systems. Establish mechanisms that will limit the access and authorization of CMS personnel to information assets that balances role and job requirements and information security requirements. Establish mechanisms that will protect the reputation of the Company and will allow it to satisfy its legal and ethical responsibilities with regard to its networks and computer systems’ connect ivity to the worldwide Internet. Establish mechanisms that will support the goals of other existing policies. IV. Definition and Abbreviations Network resources - includes any networks connected to the CMS backbone, any devices attached to these networks and any services made

Question is in the instruction part Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Question is in the instruction part - Essay Example In relation to architecture, it may be useful to define the concept of ‘Gothic’, which first belonged to the medieval period in Europe, from about 12th to 16th centuries. The characteristics included the pointed arch, large ribbed vaults and large, high windows, and later the flying buttress. The style was applied mainly to churches and cathedrals, therefore having religious and ecclesiastical connotations, though stately homes, convents and monasteries also adopted it. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, its revival coincided with the popularity of the Gothic genre in English fiction, often quoted as having originated with Horace Walpole’s ‘The Castle of Otranto’ (Walpole 1764). The underlying ethos seems to be one of highly charged emotional content, thrilling sensationalism and a rejection of the rational and classical clarity with determined the Enlightenment. Gothic fiction and architecture would seem to seek to extend beyond normal, ratio nal boundaries in society and to find instead, a more exciting form of expression and stimulation – almost taking reader and characters to the brink of insanity through the alteration of perceived reality. Certainly, the Gothic literary conventions call up childhood fears, myths, legends and superstitions, and in so doing, overturn common perceptions and distort reality. Just as it is impossible to fully understand the workings of the human mind, the environments created in the fiction are difficult to grasp, alien and mysterious and possibly reflecting, in the form of the deep, dark pits and dungeons, an allegorical picture of psychic depths beyond our conscious knowledge. Robert Barry (1995) states that: In ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, Poe creates an atmosphere of increasing tension and doom, launching into a description which engages the

The Family in the UK today is in crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Family in the UK today is in crisis - Essay Example absence of fathers in the lives of their children.2 Aside from the after effect of the feminist movement on traditional family lifestyle, Burgess (1926) states that industrialization and modernization also creates a signifincant impact over the continuously changing functions on nuclear family in our society.3 With regards to the increasing rate of divorce in UK, the essence of a child personally knowing and growing up with his/ her biological parents is highly affected. As a result, a lot of social consequences are becoming significant in the lives of the local citizens. In order to determine whether the family in UK today is in crisis, the researcher will examine the trend related to divorce rate, crime rate, employment rate, early abortion rate and the decline in the UK population as well as its corresponding consequences in our society. One of the main causes of crime is due to poor parenting which is often associated with broken family.4 Many times, children who grew up with a broken family either causes an aggressive behavior or inferiority complex among the children.5 Eventually, these young individuals may end up searching for other alternative ways such as joining a gangster or end up using drugs and alcohol in order to divert their attention from their family issues.6 In line with this matter, Slapper (1997a, 1997b) suggest that parents who practice poor parenting should be controlled by imposing them a penalty.7 Social and economic resources of each family could affect the parents’ capacity to regulate their children’s behaviour.8 In a traditional nuclear family structure, in case the father could not provide sufficient monetary income for the needs of the family, the wife has no choice but to go out of the house to work. Based on the report that was released by the Office for National Statistics in 2006, divorce rate in England and Wales fell by 7% as compared to 2005.9 Eventhough divorce rate in UK dropped from 13.1 to 12.2 persons

The Things They Carried Essay Example for Free

The Things They Carried Essay Some things in life become part of you. People, places, feelings; you can become so close that you are one. But sometimes, these things can consume you; swallow you whole. In Tim OBriens novel, The Things They Carried, many characters become one with the land of Vietnam. Vietnam consumes characters in different ways, but it always results in a characters unity with the land. Unity is defined as â€Å"the state of being one; oneness†. Kiowa physically becomes part of the land in â€Å"Speaking of Courage†, when he sinks into the shit field, where Jimmy Cross ordered his troops to camp out. In this case, Kiowa is literally swallowed by the land. Mary Anne becomes part of the land differently in â€Å"Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong†. She becomes psychologically attached to the land; it consumes her mind and her life. Vietnam is dangerous and hungry. It will eat you alive. During Norman Bowkers flashback in â€Å"Speaking of Courage†, its learned that Jimmy Cross orders his platoon to camp out in â€Å"a big swampy field beside the river There was a ville nearby fifty meters downstream and right away a dozen old mama-sans ran out and started yelling bout how the field was bad news not a good spot for GIs. † (144, 145). Cross decides to set up camp, regardless, and â€Å"the rain kept getting worse by midnight the field turned into soup. † (145). A soldier soon realizes that â€Å"it was a shit field the village toilet. † (145). The Viet Cong troops attack the platoon, and hell breaks loose. â€Å" he heard somebody screaming It was Kiowa Kiowas wide open eyes settling down into the scum Kiowa was almost completely under There were bubbles where Kiowas should have been Kiowa was gone. † (148, 149). Kiowa gets sucked into the shit, and physically becomes part of Vietnam. Tim OBriens writing emphasizes Vietnam, the land itself, as a character. Vietnam does as it pleases; takes what it wants. It selfishly takes Kiowa away, so that both of them can be in unity until the end of time. However, unlike Kiowa, Mary Anne becomes psychologically one with Vietnam in â€Å"Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong†. Rat Kiley tells a remarkable tale about an American war medic, Mark Fossie, who ships his girlfriend, Mary Anne, over to Vietnam to be with him. â€Å".. the guy sends her the money. Flies her over. This cute blonde just barely out of high school Comes right out to the boonies. † (90). The troops stationed at the medical base take a liking to Mary Anne; she reminds them of the girls back home. Time passes, and Mary Anne begins to evolve. Shes curious about everything, especially Vietnam; the people, the land and the war. â€Å"She was curious about things she liked to roam around asking questions She had a good quick mind The war intrigued her. The land, too, and the mystery. † (95, 96). Soon, Mary Anne hangs around with the elite Green Berets stationed at the medical base. She goes on ambush and patrols the wilderness with them. Mary Anne enters Vietnam as a naive child, but the land changes her into a brutal she-warrior. Vietnam infatuates her; it fills her body and soul with the desire to be free within its mysterious realm. â€Å" everything around it, the entire war, the mountains villages the trails and trees rivers and deep misted-over valleys Sometimes I want to eat this place. Vietnam. I want to swallow the whole country I just want to eat it and have it there inside me you cant feel like that anywhere else. † (111). Mary Anne loses herself to Vietnam. It consumes her, and she embraces it. She is bound to the land in perfect unity, until her dying day. â€Å"She had crossed to the other side. She was part of the land She was dangerous. She was ready for the kill. † (116). Vietnam is ravenous and can never satisfy its vicious hunger. It feeds on the minds, bodies, and souls of its prey by eating them alive. To be consumed by the land is to become one with it; joined in complete unity, both perfect and terrifying. Vietnam is shrouded in mystery and danger. If youre not careful, it may suck you in and never let you go.

Financial Decision Making, Easyjet in comparison with Ryanair

Financial Decision Making, Easyjet in comparison with Ryanair The purpose of this report is to prepare an analysis of the financial performance and position of Easyjet plc in comparison with that of Ryanair plc. The CORE model approach was used in preparing a review of each airlines annual accounts with selected ratios applied to evaluate compare, contrast their financial performance. An analysis of Easyjet plc performance and position against Ryanair plc confirms the following key findings. The principal finding from this report is that the current finance strategy for Ryanair plc is not sustainable in the long term. Easyjet plc diversification into ancillary activities has incurred costs which will be recouped over a period of time and reflect a positive investment strategy during and after the economic downturn. Furthermore, Easyjet will achieve additional savings if an optimum hedging policy is implemented during the current economic downturn. Introduction An appreciation of the European airline industry was considered in relation to Easyjet plc current financial positioning and brand recognition as the preferred low cost airline provider. The financial performance and position of Easyjet plc was appraised against Ryanair plc through application of the CORE (Context, Overview, Ratio, Evaluation) model. Context establishes the market share and European airline environment from an internal and external perspective that the two plcs operate and compete within. Overview is an appraisal of the financial performance between the two Plcs in relation to similar operational activities and qualifying their accounts and strategic approach during the current economic downturn. Ratio analysis establishes the relationship between stated totals within the Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement and Income Statement to establish the base of Evaluation for financial performance between Easyjet plc (Easyjet) and Ryanair plc (Ryanair). Evaluation of the two accounts is an integrative component of the CORE approach based upon the three previous stages to assist with identifying an overall conclusion from the analysis. The overall conclusion may then be drawn as to the degree of success of the organisation in terms of the implementation of the corporate strategy for customer, competitors and suppliers according to the specific focus of the analysis (Moon Bates, 1993). Context (Internal): Each airline as their primary activity provides international and regional low cost airline fares within the European airline industry. Both airlines are recognised within the market and operationally focussed towards a low-fare strategy. Sustainability and success of providing low cost airline fares is critically dependent upon retaining a low cost base especially during the current economic downturn to protect long-term viability. The global duopoly of Boeing and Airbus within the European airline industry influences the high fixed costs relative to variable costs that is inherent to airline pricing and generates the operational focus towards retaining a low cost base. Reducing operational costs provides each airline with flexibility to offer lower ticket fares, issue dividend shares or retain earnings for future investment as part of their competitive advantage over a rival (Brassinton Pettit, 1997). From a media perspective and operational approach, Ryanair has successful introduced a low cost base through staff optimisation and promoting www.ryanair.com for online ticket sales. Application of the airlines website can provide an integrated marketing communications strategy as well as introducing an effective management information system to co-ordinate revenue activities. Ryanair is reputed to have achieved  £22 million pounds in reduced sales and distribution costs through application of their web-based management information system (Done, 2008). Additional operational savings to establish a low cost base have been generated through Ryanairs standardisation of their airline fleet to Boeing 737s. Standardisation provides lower staff training and maintenance costs due to familiarity and inventory considerations. Both airlines target the European short-haul city break market segment and utilise a system termed yield management to allow seats to be priced according to supply and demand (Ryanair Plc, 2008). Ryanair and Easyjet focus upon an optimum turnaround time at each due to empty planes being non-revenue generating. To maximise profits, fixed and variable costs are regularly challenged to introduce further savings which establishes the rationale as a low cost airline provider not to be forthcoming with compensation to passengers for flight cancellations. It is therefore an operational priority to ensure service delivery with minimal lost baggage claims and flight reliability exceeds the industry standard in relation to key performance indicators. Dependent upon the size of the aircraft purchased or leased from Boeing and Airbus, economies of scale can be achieved to increase the operating profit margin of the airline. Establishing a sustainable low cost base can increase the projected operating profit, increasing the airlines purchasing power to negotiate preferential commercial arrangements with suppliers. Furthermore financial success in one industry sector provides opportunity to develop activities in another sector using ancillary partners. In relation to each airline generating ancillary revenue, Easyjet activities have diversified into various market segments and achieved higher revenue returns beyond that of Ryanair, as detailed within each airlines Income Statement. Both the airlines have expanded their ancillary activities with Easyjet achieving a 115% improvement for ancillary services including Car rentals, Hotels, apartments, Travel Insurance and Airport Parking as recorded within their respective company accounts.Ultimately, Easyjet is expanding the portfolio of activities during the economic downturn to develop the brand and establish complimentary ancillary services to mitigate against revenue loss in a specific sector such as Passenger flights. In contrast, Ryanair has generated a 23% improvement in their ancillary services with passenger service the primary focus to achieve revenue (Easyjet Plc, 2008). As a short term strategy, this has possibly generated the concern that Ryanair performance has improved over Easyjet, yet as a long term approach the approach is not sustainable. This is due to all operational activities having a specific cost threshold and in a fare war contest it may become necessary to subsidise activities from other more profitable ancillary activities. The current approach by Ryanair in the economic downturn is therefore considered prejudicial against their long-term viability. Each airline primary assets are detailed within the Income statement that reflects the substantial capital outlays in relation to the purchase of aircraft fleet for both providers. In the long term this approach can be beneficial due to reduced future costs associated with leasing as well as minimising interference from external financing companies concerning pricing tactics with possible withdrawal of finance due to perceived negative publicity of the airline. Ownership of aircraft establishes a tangible asset and brand platform that can be applied to increase shareholders and investors confidence. The accumulation of assets establishes a long-term investment strategy that requires operational maintenance and management depreciation consideration. Ownership of the asset ultimately provides each airline with the opportunity to select without constraint their service partners for maintenance, cleaning and insurance coverage. As previously mentioned both airlines target the short-haul city break markets and utilise the yield management system to allow seats to be priced according to supply and demand therefore exercising full control of their marketing mix to the consumer (Airlines, 2006). Recorded revenues of  £2,171 million was achieved by Ryanair during the financial year ended on March 2008, representing an increase of 21.3% over 2007 and generating 37.6% of the total revenues in 2008(Ryanair, 2008) in comparison recorded revenue was  £2,362.8 million in September 2008 generating an increase of 31.5% compared to their performance in 2007 and reflective of a sustainable corporate strategy to protect the viability of Easyjet during the economic downturn(Easyjet Plc, 2008). Easyjet completed the acquisition of GB Airways in January 2008 with Ryanair attempting a similar corporate acquisition that was rejected by Aer Lingus. Currently no progress has been achieved from the Aer Lingus rejection of the offer yet the collapse of buget airlines Sky Europe in 2009 with previous budget airlines also going into administration does not provide the consumer with confidence in low cost fare providers (PIGNAL, 2008). Context (External) According to Datamonitor (2008) by 2011 the airline industry is forecast to have a value of  £89 billion with 773.5 million passengers anticipated to use airline travel on an annual basis. Competition amongst the two airline providers is increasingly focused towards cost and brand marketing. Various management cost reduction initiatives with provision of only one class of service have developed each airlines reputation as a no-fill providers due to costs being charged for all non-essentials. To assess the external profile of Easyjet in comparison to Ryanair a SPECTACLES approach is applied with consideration towards the various categories as well as applying Porters five forces model (1980). Social considerations include recognition of both airlines as market leaders with strong brand identification for low cost fares. Furthermore, both airlines have developed a reputation for reliability through punctuality of flight times, minimal flight cancellations and reduced lost luggage claims. Political considerations include all regulatory constraints that may apply to both providers such as airport charges which are generally levied through regulation rather than commercial negotiation. Economic considerations include the economic downturn, reduced disposable income and expenditure of customers together with increasing fuel costs due to global conflict and fear of terrorism attacks. In addition, global events have increased insurance provisions and requirements within the airline industry. Cultural considerations include the perception that low cost airlines provide an inferior service in comparison to traditional flag carrier and charter airlines that concentrate upon a differentiation competitive advantage. Technological considerations include the recognition that safety is a main consideration and cost aspect with all aircraft parts have a defined life-span before replacement is required. The replacement of prop aircraft to jet engines as part of fleet modernising as well as increasing safety requirements requires airlines to a continual review of their projected capital and maintenance allowances. Aesthetic considerations include the preference for one airline over another with Easyjet achieving a global focus due to broader activities in comparison to Ryanair. Both airlines provide the same class of service on all flights with emphasis upon low costs. Customer considerations include ease of on-line booking together with ticket costs combined with reliability of each airline operating the prescribed flights and minimal loss baggage claims. Against Easyjet, Ryanair has achieved significant short-term success in this category at the expense of generating a love/hate relationship with the public. Legal considerations include the regulatory constraints for passenger safety, security provisions, noise reduction, and environmental issues. In addition, to employment and aviation law, there is competition and liability legislation that restricts the operating activities of each airline. Environmental considerations include all regulatory constraints that may apply such as noise reduction, emissions and fuel efficiency, reduced energy, water and material consumption and air traffic congestion. Sectoral considerations include review of competitors and future regulatory considerations to enable a competitive advantage to be developed over rival airlines. In many respects review and implementation of Porters (1980) competitive forces provides the sector framework for analysing the intensity of competition to the profitability and attractiveness within an industry. The below five forces diagram illustrates the relationship between the different competitive forces (Porter, 1980). Adapted from Porter (1980) Five Forces Model Threat of new entrants low The preference for lower air fares generated the business opportunity for Easyjet and Ryanair to compete against traditional flag carrier and charter airlines. A high capital investment and legislation requirement combined with competition for additional airport slots/positions creates physical and financial barriers for new operators within the airline industry. Bargaining power of customers increasing Availability of constant information through the World Wide Web provides information of which airline has the cheaper fare and within an economic depression, the preference of the customer is generally towards the cheaper service provider. Bargaining power of suppliers strong but limited The price of aviation fuel is directly related to the cost of oil, as an individual company Easyjet and Ryanair does not have the power to alter this. The impact of the supplier depends on the availability of alternative suppliers and product substitutes (Dibb Simpkin, 2001). The more these airlines expands the more power it will possess over its suppliers Threat of the substitute products or services low There are no tenable threats from other modes of transport as distances are too great except from London to Paris, which can be reached by Euro Star. Current competitors Easyjet and Ryanair sustain a cost leadership advantage over all other operators including traditional flag carrier and charter airlines that utilise a differentiation rather than a low cost base. Overview: Both Ryanair and Easyjet have membership of the European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA) to assist with their equal representation within the airline industry. According to ELFAA (2009) statistics Ryanair provides 1,200 daily flights in contrast to the 1,000 daily flights provided by Easyjet. As a consequence of providing a higher volume of daily flights than Easyjet, the passenger load factor for Ryanair is lower at 81.4% according to the June 2009 ELFAA statistics. The passenger load factor of 85.2% for Easyjet identifies on average their passenger occupancy per flight which can be compared to the break-even point to identify the profitability of a specific flight (ELFAA, 2009). The below table provides an insight of each organisation in relation to their operations and company profile. RYANAIR EASYJET ESTABLISHED 1985 1995 ANNUAL TURNOVER 2171 million 2,362 million OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE Ryanair Holdings Plc Easyjet Plc NO OF AIRCRAFT 220 165 MAJOR FLEET TYPE BOEING A320 ;BOEING MAIN HUB LONDON, STANSTED LONDON, LUTON AIRPORT H/Q DUBLIN, IRELAND LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM NO OF ROUTES COVERED 950 400 NO OF COUNTRIES COVERED 147 COUNTRIES 28 COUNTRIES EMPLOYEES 5920 6107 PASSENGER VOLUME 60 MILLION 43 million PASSENGERS 5.12 million 3.53 million PUNCTUALITY FLIGHTS ON TIME 88% 80% ACQUISITION MERGERS FAILED TO ATTEMPT AER LINGUS ACQUIRED GB AIRWAYS EXTERNAL AUDITORS KPMG PRICEWATER COOPERS AIRLINE PASSENGERS PER EMPLYOEE 9679 6772 Source : Easyjet plc 2009 Ryanair plc 2009. Both the airlines follow the going concern basis in preparing their financial statements which have been certified by independent respective external auditor as being a true and fair status of the companys financial overview. The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting standards (IFRS) as adopted by European Union (EU) and effective from March 2008; as applied in accordance with the prevailing Companies Act legislation. Both airlines amended their accounting policy in 2005 from UK GAAP to International Financial Reporting Standard (Ryanair Plc, 2008 Easyjet Plc, 2008). Both airlines are successful in strategising for revenue generation with Ryanair maximising its profit through effective control of operating expenses in comparison to Easyjet. An example is Ryanairs effective fuel hedging policy which allows the airline to allocate fixed fuel costs without surcharge to the customer whereas Easyjet varies their fuel surcharge to the customer. The turnover for Easyjet is  £2,362 million (2008) from  £1,797 million (2007) which is a 20% increase in the turnover. Unfortunately due to the increased administration expenses incurred profit margins have not been maximised due to staff, marketing and fuel costs. These costs cumulatively represent a total cost increase of 28% in 2008. The final outcome was a decrease in profit margin from 11.23% from 4.66%, which trails far behind Ryanairs profit margin (Easyjet plc, 2008). Ryanair in comparison to Easyjet has increased its turnover to  £2,171 million (2008) from  £1,789 million (2007) which is a 13% increase whereas their administration costs increased by 13% from last year. This has led to Ryanair capitalising on the increase in turnover to profit (Ryanair plc, 2008). Airline passenger per employee for Ryanair is greater in comparison to Easyjet and reflects an optimum utilisation of resources. Ryanairs punctuality of flights on time is 88% when compared to 80% of Easyjet which demonstrates the operational efficiency of staff. The customer base has increased for both airlines with Ryanair achieving greater customer retention through market domination of the short haul flights. The addition of 16 more aircrafts through Easyjets acquisition of GB airways to 165 aircrafts amounted to a capital expenditure of  £118 million (Easyjet plc, 2008). Ryanair took the delivery of 30 new aircrafts bringing its total to fleet of 220 aircraft which amounted to  £97.1 million towards capital expenditure incurred for the year. Both the airline has an expansion plan which clearly shows in their adding of more aircrafts to their existing fleet. Ryanair has raised finance through the mortgage of their aircraft, with a book value of  £3,061.5 million as collateral security for finance generated through loans for purchase of next generation 737-800 Boeing aircrafts (Ryanair plc, 2008). Ratios The calculated ratio analysis establishes the relationship between stated totals within the Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement and Income Statement to establish the base of Evaluation for financial performance between Easyjet plc (Easyjet) and Ryanair plc (Ryanair). The three main areas of Strategic analysis include Profitability, Liquidity and Efficiency as well as Gearing and Investment. Consideration of the ratios reflects the performance of Easyjet in achieving strategic goals in comparison to Ryanair and other rivals. The ratios are in the table format and the implications are discusses below (Moon Bates, 1993). Ratios RYANAIR EASYJET 2008 2007 2008 2007 Profitability ROCE 9.20% 9.86% 5.78% 12.08% Net Profit Margin 16.17% 20.16% 4.66% 11.23% Goss profit margin 19.79% 21.09% 3.85% 9.57% ROSF 15.61% 17.15% 6.51% 13.22% Liquidity Current Ratio 1.53 Times 2.02 Times 1.56 Times 1.88 Times Acid Test Ratio 1.53 Times 2.02 Times 1.56 Times 1.88 Times Gearing Ratio 47.55% 44.47% 41.53% 39.19% Interest Cover Ratio 5.53 Times 5.09 Times 3.36 Times 6.70 Times Efficiency Ratio Earnings per share 20.67 22.56 19.84 36.61 Wage Cost (%) 10.51% 10.13% 11.14% 11.36% Other ratios Debtors Collection days 4.6 days 3.82 days 21.55 days 34.2 days Creditors Payment days 17.39 days 8.94 days 11.97 days 8.04 days Source: Easyjet Plc.2008 Ryanair Plc, 2008. The financial ratios provide a quick and relatively simple means of assessing the financial health of the organisation (Atrill Eddie, 2006). Evaluation: To complete the CORE model an evaluation of the two airlines has been prepared with a succinct summary of the main findings of the report including key recommendations identified. Both airlines have reduced profit margins with Easyjets profit margin gap is significant in compared to Ryanair. The decline in the profit is mainly due to an increase in administration cost as previously reported. The main contributing factor is 66% increase in the fuel cost when compared to 2007 whereas Ryanair had only 14% in increase in fuel cost due to its effective (73%) hedging policy on fuel charges. Neither airline released dividend payments for 2008. To reduce short-term earnings volatility Easyjet has put the following fuel and currency hedging positions in place: 66% of anticipated 2009 funding requirement is hedged at  £1.96/ £,an additional 5% of requirement are hedged with collars with average floors of  £1.73/ £ (of what Shinde per sq metre); 56% of 2009 capital expenditure relating to aircraft deliveries hedged at  £1.97/ £; 81% of anticipated 2009 euro surplus hedged at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.24/ £. (Easyjet plc, 2008). Easyjet has also achieved a positive trend through reduced wage costs in comparison to Ryanair, which is a consistent consideration to maintain during an economic downturn to ensure competiveness with Ryanair. The operating profits for Easyjet were lower due to incurred advertising costs which were high in comparison to minimal advertising costs incurred by Ryanair and recorded as zero within the Income Statement. Online booking for Ryanair is greater than 90% which results in a small operating expense towards marketing. In contrast to Ryanair, Easyjet is applying a long term strategic approach to maximise revenue through advertising in the media and other channels to inform customers of their service value with competitive low fares. The acquisition costs for integrating GB Airways costed at  £12.9 million in 2008 which is going to reflect as an expense on next years income statement will assist Easyjet to increase profit margins. Easyjet has also increased ancillary revenue which will assist the company to mitigate its corporate risks through diversification of activities. Both airlines use the straight line method for calculating depreciation due to which Easyjet is showing 33% increase in its depreciation cost versus Ryanair 22% increase in depreciation. In relation to Easyjet the depreciation cost is high due to the acquisition of GB Airways with additional assets to be depreciated. The interest cover ratio, which is used to determine how easily either airline can pay interest on outstanding debt, was calculated by dividing each airlines revenue before interest and taxes with ratio. The interest cover ratio has declined dramatically for Easyjet by 3.34 times when compared to Ryanair which increased by 0.44 times. Thus the decline in Easyjets interest cover ratio can be explained through an increase in borrowing and combined with a dramatic decline in profitability in 2008. The lower the level of operating profit coverage, the greater the risk to lenders that interest payments will not be met, and the greater the risk to the shareholders that the lenders will take action against the business to recover the interest rate. Whilst Ryanair has its maintained a preferable interest cover ratio in comparison to Easyjet due to the profit  £429,664 achieved despite high borrowings. Easyjets Interest cover ratio was not as favourable due to their profit margins of  £910,000 despite achieving a preferred gearing ratio in comparison to Ryanair. The gearing ratio refers to the relationship between the amount of fixed interest capital and the amount of equity within each airline. Ryanair has increased from 44% (2007) to 47% (2008) primarily due to an increase of long term debts at 13% in 2008. When the value of debt capital is more than the value of equity as in Ryanairs situation the organisation is highly geared due to significant borrowings of  £1,814.57 increasing the risk of becoming insolvent in the medium to long term particularly if the economic downturn continues. Ryanair is raising finance for operational activities at the expense of an increased gearing ratio from 9.32% in 2007 compared to 39.96% in 2008 due to a decrease in profit margins (Ryanair Plc, 2008). Whilst, the gearing ratio for Easyjet increased to 41.53 % (2008) from 39.19 % (2007) this is primarily attributed to the acquisition of GB Airways. The future gearing for Easyjet will reduce due to consolidation of activities whereas Ryanair increased gearing is attributed to the intended acquisition of Aer Lingus, purchase of market shares and investment within operational activities. It would therefore appear that Ryanair have exhausted the potential to achieve future funding due to their current gearing ratio whereas Easyjet focus is towards consolidation of activities with an increase in profit margins anticipated in 2009/10. Easyjet have increased current liabilities in terms of aircraft maintenance cost and derivative financial instruments (hedging losses) that have generated a reduction in the current ratio combined with the acquisition of GB Airways. Whilst Easyjet can access significant cash and liquid investments to mitigate the risk of business disruption events of approximately  £863 million as at 30 September 2008 this excludes restricted cash of  £66 million for short-term liabilities. Whereas the cash balance for Ryanair has improved it is only through analysis of the ratios that a downward trend is developing due to an increase in current liabilities within derivative financial instruments. Ryanair utilises derivative financial instruments to hedge against losses by anticipation of future price increases concerning predicted variability in cash flows of an asset, liability or a highly probable forecasted transaction. A significant contribution for an increase in the current ratio for Ryanair is the increase in maturity of debts. Both Ryanair and Easyjet have a similar acid ratio due to absence of stock or inventories within their published balance sheets. The sales revenue per employee ratio identifies how each airline is utilizing their employee productivity with an increase generally reflective of efficiency with management establishing additional key performance indicators for staff to achieve. As previously detailed on the ratio comparison table, Ryanair has increased sales revenue per employee. Return on capital employed identifies the relationship between the operating profit and average long term capital invested and is significantly reduced for Easyjet due to long term liabilities yet this is recognised as a temporary phase following the GB Airways acquisition as well as undertaking airline operations within a competitive market. Achieving a profit within an economic downturn combined with adjustment of the hedge reserve will enable Easyjet to improve their effectiveness in 2009/10. In contrast, the capital redemption reserve for Ryanair has increased due to purchasing previously released equity shares as well as increasing long term liabilities with various financial institutions and established primarily on the basis of guarantees granted by Export-Import Bank of the United States to finance the acquisition of 107 Boeing 737-800 as a next generation aircraft. Whilst having less favourable ratios than Easyjet the funding provided by the Export-Import Bank of the United States for Ryanair is attributed to the bank emphasis to support the financing of U.S. goods and services (Trade Finance, 2004). It could also be suggested that the purchase of previously released shares by Ryanair was implemented to prevent another airline purchasing Ryanair shares due to their perceived vulnerability since the continued reduction of operational costs is not a sustainable activity. The Debtors Ratio identifies the effectiveness of a debt collection routine and within the competitive low fare airline industry, efficient ratios would be anticipated especially when the focus is towards cost reduction measures and borrowing finance is a chargeable activity. Ryanair has an excellent debtor collection policy with a minimal increase 0.78 days in 2008. This could also be reflective of the absence of available liquid reserves within a business to increase the availability of working capital and reduce finance borrowings. In contrast, Easyjet debtor ratio can be optimised from 12.65 days in 2008 to improve the availability of working capital within the business and limit borrowings. In comparison of the two airlines, Easyjet could improve their debtor ratio to seven days for efficiency purposes whereas Ryanair requires a constant focus on their debtor ratio analysis due to availability of working cash and requirement to minimal all non-essential costs. The Creditors Ratio provides an alternative perspective on how the two airlines consider their debt considerations. Ryanair creditor payment period is 8.45 days and therefore due to the volume of activities there is the availability of finance for other activities for an average of 8.45 days until payment/settlement is issued. Through utilising the credit payment period as a temporary borrowing option there is the perceived high risk that funds for payment could become committed and rather than generating revenue growth, funds are being juggled. In contrast the creditor payment period for Easyjet is 3.93 days restricting the availability of working capital to be paid to creditors rather than using it for day to day operations. In summary of the ratios selected for comparison the creditor and debtor ratios is reflective in general of how each airline is approaching their activities. Ryanair is quick to require settlement from debtors due to their restricted borrowing availability and uses a period of 8.45 days as an opportunity to generate additional revenue prior to settlement. Depending upon the volume of finance available within this period, Ryanair is anticipating the generation of additional revenue through hedging activities and received interest returns. In contrast, Easyjet is quick to make settlement as a creditor and less e

The Change in Obstetric Care in the United States :: Evolution Childbirth America

Imagine for a moment a small room with pale green walls, and smelling of latex and disinfectant. The sharp light of fluorescent bulbs gives the space a harsh unnatural glow. A woman is lying on a metal bed: covered by a flimsy sheet, legs uncomfortably splayed open, feet in stirrups. A doctor and an entourage of residents enter the room in white coats. The doctor snaps on a pair of latex gloves, looks and feels between the woman’s legs, announces everything is moving "right on schedule," and hurries out the door, on to another patient. The woman is left wondering, among other things, what "on schedule" means. It doesn’t sound very pleasant, but for years this was what it was like to give birth in an American hospital. And, for many women, it is still true today. Just add to the situation a fetal monitor to measure the baby’s heart rate, an intravenous drip into the mother’s arm, an ultrasound machine, a catheter to collect the mother’s urine, surgical instruments for performing an episiotomy before delivery (an incision made to widen the vaginal opening), and various other technological devices, "just in case." While they can be helpful in certain situations, such as high-risk births, these things can impede the natural process of labor. In this paper, I will examine three distinct stages of obstetric care in the United States. By looking at the stages, you can see the evolution of childbirth in our country as it developed from a female- to a male-dominated field, and how it is now beginning to break away from some of the traditional medical methods that have been used for over 50 years. However, this break is not complete. Even with today’s woman having more power than ever in her decision making, we as Americans still can’t seem to get away from the technology used in childbirth, even though much of it is unnecessary and can sometimes even be detrimental. For the past 100 years, our view of pregnancy and childbirth has evolved into seeing it as a condition or sickness that needs to be controlled and treated by modern medicine. The first stage of OB care took place before and during the 19th century. In that time, obstetrics was a field dominated by women, almost entirely midwives. Almost all physicians were male, but for the most part, obstetrics was not studied in medical school.

Health Development in Africa Essay

Throughout the world there is a growing concern about health as it is regarded as an essential part of the sustainable human development efforts. The growing importance of the health of the population is being highlighted in the economic circles, the foreign policy and the socio cultural settings. During the last 25 years, there has been drastic realization about health issues in the developing nations, which has given them hope of a better future for their children. Africa is one such region where poverty and hunger is widespread. This is the region where health care facilities are underdeveloped due to which many people face death. This paper, therefore, aims to devise and develop an essential health development policy, program and strategy for African region in order to eradicate the poverty. This forms the main thesis of the research paper (Mills, 1995). The role of health development has been gaining importance in the Africa and different countries are assisting the efforts by providing increased resources, which has put huge pressures on the weak health structure, organizational capabilities and workforce in one of the poorest regions of the country. There is a severe lack of planning and management of the health resources in this part of the world which has led to non- implementation of the health plans. The problem in the African region has been largely related to poverty, wars and conflicts, bad governance and non performance of health programs. This region also faces a huge virus of HIV and AIDS which increase the burden of disease (Loewenson, 1993). The domestic and international health polices for Africa have been drafted by international agreements of multiple countries which include Alma Ata Declaration of 1978, World Health Organization’s Bamako Initiative in 1987 and Paris Declaration of 2005, and including many more. The famous Alma Ata, known as the birth of primary health care or PHC, aims to provide a comprehensive and affordable health plan by providing health facilities at the most basic level. However the PHC failed to achieve its targets due to lack of infrastructure and facilities, staff, civil wars, natural disasters and issues of bad governance and corruption. Later various new international policies were tried which included the structural adjustment plan of the World Bank which was based on loans, privatization and cost recovery, however it failed to deliver due to various reasons (Sikosana, 2009). The Bamako Initiative was launched in 1987 which was aimed at access to quality health care and tackle the scarcity of medicine by a number of balanced policies which were implement able and are the perfect health development plan for the impoverished region of Africa. Together with the World Bank 1993 report, both the policies aim at providing the healthcare at the grass root level in order to eradicate poverty (Mills, 1995). The recommendations include improving primary healthcare at all the levels in an equitable manner which should be available to all the people at any income level. Another recommendation includes the decentralization of the management of the PHC to the district level as oppose to the earlier practice which limited the control to few big hospitals which was the reason for corruption and bad governance. The government should ensure equity of fees charged at all levels which would ensure homogeneity of services to rich and poor alike. The government should be highly committed to maintain and expand the PHC program and all the national health policies should be inline to one standard policy. The government should also closely monitor the whole policy implementation process and ensure services to the poor. Sustainable effort should also be made to for poverty alleviation through education, gender equity, improved mother and child health programs and AIDS control programs. For the African health problems, the policymakers should make integrated national plans and strengthen the health systems by empowerment, equity and sustainability of the efforts. The public private partnership is also essential for the sustainability of the strategy (Sikosana, 2009).