Thursday, October 31, 2019

International Marketing in Construction Industry Essay

International Marketing in Construction Industry - Essay Example ...) are aware of possible future challenges in this sector, and have started, or are preparing, to address them. The competition in this industry is high because these countries have a high demand for construction services, as they deem it to be necessary for their overall economic growth. In the past years, both the demand and the supply curves for this industry have witnessed a rightward shift, but as can be seen from the diagram below, the increase in demand has been more than the increase in supply, leading to a higher equilibrium price, and making this industry a highly profitable one for suppliers. Due to this very reason, there has been a lot of capital inflow and investment in the region, with more firms entering the market and a higher degree of competition in the industry. Deciding exactly which place to go will depend on the country's economy, the firm's goals, competition in that particular country, the market for labour force, etc. Also, policies by Governments and other statutory bodies regarding restriction on entry of foreign firms in the country will play a role. In the following topics, we shall discuss what factors will help the firm gain access to the market, and how the firm can tailor its own assets so as to make sure it best suits the region's industry. If we happen to see a bird's eye view of the constru... There is a huge variety in different states concerning the degree of development in this sector. For example, although public construction has remained weak in Vietnam, there has been a strong expansion in private construction that began in late-2001, and still continues1. In fact, this momentum was enough to pull overall growth in the industrial sector up to 9.0 per cent in 2003. Data shows that construction activities recovered strongly in Brunei from a contraction of 2.4 per cent in 2001 to expand 7.5 per cent in the following year but a real estate glut in the capital added to the sector's difficulties in 20032. The construction industry in Singapore has an annual gross output of about $10 billion, with a capacity of about $12 billion (Ofori, Foreign construction workers in Singapore). If we bring this to the forefront, then investing in Singapore's construction industry definitely seems to be a beneficial option for the firm. The industry contributes around 7 per cent of gross d omestic product (GDP) of the country and accounts for about 6.5 per cent of total employment. A very important thing to note is that since the mid-1980s, construction enterprises from Singapore have won a sizeable volume of projects in countries within the region. So, investors in Singapore are able to access markets throughout the region, without actually investing permanently in them. Regarding the area of Foreign Direct Investments in the region, South, East and South-East Asia have continued to be the main magnet for capital inflows into developing countries. In 2005, South-East Asia sub-region received $37 billion (Auansakul, An Excerpt from an Overview of World Investment Report 2006), led by Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Policies like allowing single-brand

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Policy Priority Issue Essay Example for Free

Policy Priority Issue Essay While most things in life come with an instruction manual, children do not. Parenting is a difficult job. While your child is growing, you must know the best, most up to date resources to assist you in providing the best for him/her. Success by 6 is an initiative to make sure that â€Å"every child in North Central Florida enters school healthy and prepared to learn by the age of 6† (Chun, 2005). It also assists families to be prepared to have a child in school. The greatest challenges facing our country can only be met by focusing on the development of all our children, beginning at birth. Early childhood programs are the most cost-effective way to ensure the healthy development of children in poverty and offer the greatest returns to society. In evidence-based home visiting programs, â€Å"professionals connect families to medical, dental, mental-health, and other support systems† (Daro, D., 2014). The time period from birth through age six is a critical one for â€Å"establishing the solid foundations essential for children’s long-term health, well-being, and learning† (Clothier, S., 2014). Background The Success by 6 was initiated in North Central Florida in 2005. It was initially expected â€Å"to reach 2,500 children with health and developmental screenings, child care provider training, parent education, mentoring, a community center, abuse and neglect prevention, home visitation, program evaluation and family referral programs† (Chun, 2006). This number was reached in its second year and continues to grow annually. As we look to improve and add state policies that lead to good health, learning, and family outcomes, like Success by 6, it is imperative to ensure that policies capitalize on both health and learning.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Developing Corporate Culture within an organisation

Developing Corporate Culture within an organisation As defined in Assignment 1, culture is a set values, beliefs, common understanding, thinking and norms for behavior that are shared by all members of a society. Organizational climate, on the other hand, is the process of quantifying the culture of an organization. It is a set of properties of the work environment, perceived directly or indirectly by the employees, that is assumed to be a major force in influencing employee behavior. In laymens terms, it is the employees opinion of the workplace environment that could have a direct bearing on their performance. For instance, a high performance climate will encourage individuals to do what is needed to meet goals, satisfy customers, and exceed expectations. Likewise, a poor climate will result in loss of confidence in the organization, lower commitment and mediocre performance from employees. There are six factors to evaluation climate, and they are: Clarity Everyone knows what is expected of them. Standards Challenged with reasonable goals. Responsibility Employees given authority to accomplish tasks without checking for approval. Flexibility Employees are recognized and rewarded for good performance. Rewards Employees are recognized and rewarded for good performance. Commitment People are proud to belong to the organization. Using these six factors to assess the climate at the School Employee Retirements System of Ohio (SERS), we can evaluate SERS existing climate from their scores in the Denison Organization Culture Survey. Climate Factors Denison Organizational Culture Survey Score Clarity Vision: 81% Goals Objectives: 82% Strategic Direction Intent: 78% Standards Coordination Integration: 87% Agreement: 73% Core Values: 73% Responsibility Customer Focus: 79% Flexibility Creating Change: 77% Empowerment: n/a Rewards Launch a rewards and recognition programme such as their standardized merit system to recognize those that go above and beyond. Commitment Capability Development: n/a Organizational Learning: 82% Team Orientation: n/a SERS has definitely taken on board the feedback from their initial Denison Organizational Culture Survey scores in 2006 and progressed significantly using the Culture Change Monitor. In a mere three years, it has realized remarkable improvements across many areas of the Denison model and transformed into an organization with balanced top-down and bottom-up team work and involvement. Task 2 Recommend ways to improve corporate climate in an organization. SERSs effort and accomplishment in their transformation is indeed an incredible feat. It would be wise for them to keep at their efforts in establishing an open communicative environment and aim towards creating an inclusive and meritocratic culture. American marathon runner, Joan Benoit Samuelson, was once quoted saying, I look at victory as milestone on a very long highway. Likewise, the journey to victory for SERS is a long road ahead. Thus it is important for SERS to consistency review the data to ascertain the details to progress forward and achieve organizational success. SERS could perhaps make improvements in their efforts for diversity and inclusion, which would ultimately lend in creating a strong future for SERS. This can be attained through addressing the factors of difference and fully capitalizing on the potential contribution of all employees. Embedding diversity and inclusion will give SERS the competitive advantage and help cultivate a competitive culture. For example, SERS could launch a global diversity drive and arrange networking events for affinity groups whereby particularly sub-sets of employees can network and exchange experience. Here, members can come together to discuss key issues and learn from each other, very much similar to their existing leadership development programme. On the employee development front, the SERS University is a good development to embed a learning culture within the organization. With this platform, employees are given the resources of a university to help them advance their careers, realize personal enrichment and achieve success. Additionally, the employee culture of SERS could be weaved into employee development course to inculcate a culture that focuses high engagement. Last but not least, it is recommended that SERS launch their own sustainability campaign to formulate a culture that is part of life and spirit of the communities it serves. It could be accomplished by involving volunteers across the company to donate time, money and resources to help those in need. Furthermore, SERS could offer educational resources such as books, classrooms, teachers to children in need. Task 3 Proposed a framework of organizational values that meet the specific strategic and operational needs of an organization The Competing Values Framework (CVF) developed by Quinn, Rohrbaugh could be proposed to conduct organizational analysis of the existing organizational values. The CVF was initially developed from the research on major indicators of effective organizations. Based on statistical analysis of a comprehensive list of effective indicators, Quinn and Rohrbaugh (1983) discovered two major dimension underlying conceptions of effectiveness. The first dimension is related to organizational focus, from an internal emphasis on the well-being and development of people in the organization to an external focus on the well-being and development of the organization itself. The second dimension differentiates organizational preference for structure and represents the contrast between stability and control and flexibility and change. Plotting this to illustrate, we get a spatial model that forms four quadrants, each with its own set of distinct indicators. Graphically, the CVF can be illustrated as the following: Each quadrant represents one of the four dimensions as depicted in the Denision Organizational Culture survey. These are the four major modes of organization and management theory. In the first quadrant on the upper left corner, we have the Human Relations Model which stresses on flexibility and internal focus. Here, cohesion, morale and human resources development are regarded as a criteria for effectiveness. On the upper right corner, we have the Open System Model. In this quadrant, emphasis is placed on flexibility and external focus, and the primary concerns are the readiness, growth, resource acquisition and external support. Moving on to the lower section of the diagram, the left quadrant is the Internal Process Model, while the right quadrant is the Rational Goal Model. The former emphasizes on control and internal focus and stresses the role of information management, communication, stability and control. The latter emphasizes on control and external focus, and looks upon pla nning, goal setting, productivity and efficiency as effective tools. Using the similar methodology, an alternative model of the CVF demonstrates the applicability towards leadership. Here, eight categories of leadership behaviors emerge, and can be illustrated as the following: Within each quadrant in this alternative model, each represents two roles that aligned with the four modes of organization and management theory. Human Relation Model Mentor is helpful and approachable, and is responsible for the personal development. Facilitator promotes teamwork, cohesiveness and manages interpersonal conflict. Open System Model Innovator possesses the creative and out-of-the box thinking skills, whereas broker possesses the political astute, persuasive, influential and powerful. Internal Process Model Monitor role checks on the performance and handles the paperwork, while coordinator facilitates the structure, schedules and the coordination efforts. Producer Role Model Producer role is responsible for the tasks and work, and motivate employees to attain stated goals, while director role engages in planning and goal setting, sets objectives and establishes clear expectations. This Competing Value Framework (CVF) can be a useful framework of organizational value that meets the specific strategic and operational needs of an organization. Management should take into account all of these eight roles and achieve a balance in competing demands and expectations. As such, this tool could help diagnose their existing and desired culture, and identify organizational gaps. Furthermore, it could be used as a tool for teaching and provide help in better understanding the similarities and differences of managerial leadership roles. Task 4 Identify internal and external stakeholders of an organization. Stakeholders in an organization are simply individuals or group that has an interest in the outcome of your objective. Internal stakeholders are defined as the people who are already committed in their responsibilities as board members, staff, volunteers, and/or donors. External stakeholders, on the other hand, are the people who are impacted by your work as clients/constituents, community, partners, and others. Internal Stakeholders can be represented by the following groups: Board members: Responsible for appointment of management in an organization, take accountability of management for their use of resources and the results of the stewardship of management. This stakeholder may engage in economic decisions which include whether to buy or sell an investment or whether to reappoint or replace the management. Staff members: Employees and their representative groups are interested in the well-being such as the stability and profitability of their employers. They are interested in information which enables them to assess the ability of the enterprise to provide remuneration, retirement benefits and employment opportunities. Donors: The investors of the organizations that provides the risk capital. They are concerned with the risk taken, and return on equity from their investments. They need information to make informed decision of either buying, holding or selling. Shareholders are also interested in financial metrics to discern the ability of the organization to meet dividend payments. External Stakeholders can be represented by the following groups: Clients: Clients or customers are the source of revenue for the business. Community Partners: These are the association boards, regulatory bodies that are concern with the business codes of conduct that the organization follows. Others: Could range from their Corporate Social Responsibility partners, group alliances, the charities that are in partnership with, and the environment. Using NHS as a case study, we can identify the following list of internal and external stakeholders: Internal Stakeholders External Stakeholders Director of Public Health Head of Health Intelligence and Information Procurement Director of Nursing Public Health Strategists Public Health Management Analyst Director of Programmes and Services Research Scientist Communications Environmental Health Intelligence Analyst Public Health Manager Trustees Board committee members Local Authority/council Providers Acute trusts Patients Service users Customers Suppliers Funders Quality assessors LINk group Special interest groups Health visitors/school nurses Wider public health workforce Media Task 5 Evaluate the effectiveness of an organizations existing communication strategies. Communication is one of the basic functions in an organization and its importance can hardly be overemphasized. It is the process of transmitting information, ideas, thoughts, opinions and plans between various parts of an organization. In other words, it is an active two way process that involves listening, speaking, writing and reading. Effective communication in the workplace is essential to provide clear direction and expectations to employees. This will help promote higher productivity, improved performance and increased customer loyalty and profit. Communication strategy in an organization is defined as a management technique for determining the most effective method of communicating in an organization. It outlines the process for communicating and sharing information on project benefits and facts to target audiences and stakeholders. In order to evaluate the effectives of SERSs existing communication strategies, it important to analyze this with respect to its internal and external stakeholders. Communication among internal stakeholders Since 2006, SERS have come a long way in establishing increased communication and promote a culture of openness. One avenue of communication among employees is the daily newsletter publication that provides the latest updates on community information and events, new hires and other relevant organizational information. In addition to that, monthly publications are handed out to employees detailing highlights from monthly board meetings to keep employee abreast on major organizational decisions. This provided employees a structured platform to keep track of major changes and also foster inclusion by encouraging participation in meetings. The set up of cross-function teams was another initiative on the communication front. This enabled staff to work in teams to address key issues, set specific goals and milestone to ensure accountability for their team. Here, cross-functional teams were responsible in the evaluation of the existing performance management process and the creation of competency models for every job function. These models communicated the performance metrics by first defining SMART goals, thus giving employees a sense of empowerment and accountability for reaching their goals. Communication among external stakeholders On the communication initiatives among external stakeholders front, not much have been mentioned in this case study. Extending this with additional research, SERS is currently exploring new ways to communication with their strategic partners. This involve identify and delivering solutions that will bring the greatest impacts to their external stakeholders. Currently, SERS is looking at providing multiple service channels for their existing members to include face-to-face, electronic, web, multi-lingual, etcetera. They have also engaged in lobbying and public education to minimize the potential for detrimental legislation. Task 6 Develop new communication strategies of an organization that address differences in belief, values, customs and language. The ability to communicate is essential to organizational success. We have come into an age of knowledge, and the ability to communicate effectively is the key to harness that knowledge. A good communications strategy would allow for better control and help structure issues in perspective to ultimately address the difference in belief, values, customs and language. Today, SERS has clearly identified its new model in its mission statement affirming its dedication to communication and collaboration to help them identify, and deliver solutions for, the issues of greatest impact to their members and retirees. In the initial stages of the development of a new communications strategy, it would be ideal to make this a collective process and involve participation of all members. This will help facilitate the brainstorm session and pool the necessary skills and competencies to develop an appropriate communications strategy for SERS. This strategy can be structured in several stages: Phase 1 Preliminary outline prepared by the close collaborators. Phase 2 Outline submitted to various partners for comments and revisions. Comments are also received from individuals, groups, etc. Phase 3 Management meets to finalize the strategy, and input/feedback from a communications expert is prompted. Phase 4 Once established, the strategy must be communicated to partners, groups and all members in the organization. The ideal way through the development process is to hold regular team meeting to keep everyone up to date on the needs and to keep the dossier active. This ongoing process allows the strategy to be continually verified during meetings, and evolve to adapt its existing requirements. At SERS, there are a few suggestions to be included in this new communications strategy. SERS can introduce new technologies to facilitate communication among staff. This could be implemented by installation of instant messenger applications, video conferencing tools and email to allow internal stakeholders to communicate more efficiently. SERS could bring its daily newsletters and monthly publications through its intranet and allow members access this information remotely or in the free time. Embed diversity and inclusion by launching a global diversity drive and arranging networking events for affinity groups whereby particularly sub-sets of employees can network and exchange experience. Here, members can come together to discuss key issues and learn from each other, very much similar to their existing leadership development programme. Adopt an open door policy to create an open atmosphere and allow junior members to freely discuss ideas or views on various issues. Creation of special occasion like an SERS day to allow employees from different departments to get to know each other on a personal level and engage in team building activities. Establish a feedback system to ensure a two-way process in the evaluation of colleagues and managers. Anonymity can be enforced by allowing employees to post feedback through an opaque ballot box. Conduct periodic surveys with their internal and external stakeholders to monitor existing performance and seek out avenues for improvement. Taking into account these suggestions for SERS coupled with the 4 stage action communications strategy, SERS will be able to achieve better manager employee relations, bring about improvement in motivation and morale, and ultimately increased productivity and ensure organizational success.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Essay on Camus’ The Stranger (The Outsider): Meursault as Metaphysical

Meursault as Metaphysical Rebel in The Stranger (The Outsider)  Ã‚     Ã‚   The Stranger by Albert Camus was published in 1942. The setting of the novel is Algiers where Camus spent his youth in poverty. In many ways the main character, Meursault, is a typical Algerian youth. Like them, and like Camus himself, Meursault was in love with the sun and the sea. His life is devoted to appreciating physical sensations. He seems so devoid of emotion. Something in Meursault's character has appealed primarily to readers since the book's publication. Is he an absurd anti-hero? Is he a moral monster? Is he a rebel against a conventional morality? Critics and readers alike have disputed a variety of approaches to Meursault. I believe he is the embryo of Camus' metaphysical rebel as articulated in the philosophical essay, The Rebel. He is the man who says by his actions, "I will go this far, but no farther." In order to understand Meursault's rebellion we must first understand the nature of his personality as portrayed by Camus. The novel begins with the laconic assertion "Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure." His mother's death briefly interrupts the pleasant flow of Meursault's life, a life devoted to appreciating sensation. He loves the feel of a crisp towel in the washroom. He enjoys eating, drinking, and smoking cigarettes. He loves to watch the sea and the sky. Swimming and making love to pretty girls like Marie are his favorite pastimes, so much so that an offer of a job promotion in Paris does not in the least appeal to him. When something bores him or distresses him he simply goes to sleep, as he does on the bus to his mother's funeral and even in jail. He is a detached observer of life. Symbolic of this quality... ... noble act. Even we might be able to do that.    BIBLIOGRAPHY Bree, Germaine. Camus. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1964. Camus, Albert. The Rebel. New York: Vintage Books, 1954 Champigny, Robert. A Pagan Hero. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1969. Cruickshank, John. Albert Camus and the Literature of Revolt. New York: Oxford University Press, 1960. King. Adele. Camus. New York: Capricorn Books, 1971. Lottman, Herbert R. Albert Camus: A Biography. New York: George Braziller Inc. 1980. Masters, Brian. Camus: A Study. London: Heinemann, 1974. McCarthy, Patrick. Camus: A Critical Study of his Life and Works. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1982. O'Brien, Conor Cruise. Albert Camus of Europe and Asia. New York: Viking Press, 1970. Quillot, Roger. The Sea and Prisons. University of Alabama: University of Alabama Press, 1970   

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Code Switching Essay

Abstract: Though codeswitching research may vary from context to context and situation to situation, the common factors for code switching will be threefold. That is, code switching deals with languages in contact. In interactive social situations code switching will be the use of more than one language For example the interaction during various social events involving interlocutors who know more than one language. With these common factors of code switching this paper looks into the Malaysian context with special thrust to the various reasons involved for code switching during the social interactions. Data for the present paper were collected from the Tamil speaking undergraduate students of the University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. Their interaction in different identified domains involving three languages viz. Tamil, Malay and English were looked into. Gumperz (1982) while discussing the communicative function of code switching, claims that the speaker plays upon the connection of the we-code to create conversational effect. Thus code switching is seen as fulfilling the relational and referential functions of language that amounts to effective communication and interlingual unity. Apart from this function of code switching ,this paper could identifies several other reasons for code switching in the situations under study. Communicative functions and Reasons for Codeswitching : Malaysian Perspective . Code switching is an everyday reality in every place where more than one language is spoken in everyday communications. Many scholars have studied  extensively about the patterns of code switching and the reasons for code switching. The present paper discusses the communicative functions of code switching and also the sociolinguistic, cultural and pedagogic reasons for code switching in the Malaysian context. Data for the present study were collected from Tamil speaking University students who have enrolled as undergraduate students in the University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. The data were collected from these students while they were interacting in different domains viz. classroom, university campus, family, market, neighborhood etc. In all these domains they have to interact with Malay and Chinese speakers apart from as well as with other Tamil speakers. It is observed that all the students from whom the data were collected are competent to a certain extent in Tamil, Malay and English. Communicative Functions of Codeswitching Gumperz (1982) when discussing communicative functions, mentions the discourse function of codeswitching, also called the personalization function of language. A speaker plays upon the connotation of the we-code to create a conversational effect. Thus, code switching is seen as fulfilling the relational and referential function of language that amounts to effective communication and interlingual unity. Halliday (1975) on the other hand, views code switching as fulfilling the interpersonal function of communication. Here the mixed language spoken plays the role of a mediator. In other words, it is the use of language to act as a mediator between self and participants in the communicative event. In fulfilling the relational and referential functions, code switching is seen as the medium to convey both social and linguistic meanings. Gumperz (pg. 144, 1982) lists examples of situations created to convey meaning as given below: to appeal to the literate to appeal to the illiterate to convey precise meaning to ease communication, i.e., utilizing the shortest and the easiest route to negotiate with greater authority to capture attention, i.e. stylistic, emphatic, emotional to emphasize a point to communicate more effectively to identify with a particular group to close the status gap to establish goodwill and support Karen Kow (2003) listed in her article a few possible conditions for code switching. Some of the conditions given are, lack of one word in either language Some activities have only been experienced in one of the languages Some concepts are easier to express in one of the languages A misunderstanding has to be clarified One wishes to create a certain communication effect One continues to speak the language latest used because of the trigger effect One wants to make a point One wishes to express group solidarity One wishes to exclude another person from the dialogue. Kow suggests that from the list above, it may be possible to predict which conditions act on a particular sociolinguistic context for codeswitching, for example, when a person who lacks a word in English due to limited vocabulary code switches by using the lexical component from his/her first language instead of English. Therefore, the function here is to overcome the language barrier to meaning-making. Another example is a condition where the speaker, intending to express group solidarity, employs code switching. The function for the switch in this case is to establish goodwill and rapport. Similarly series of conditions can be established for the phenomenon of code switching depending on the social context. Such communicative functions of codeswitching can also be listed according to the functions that they try to accomplish. Among these, the following ten functions have been described in the professional literature (Malik, 1994): Lack of Facility Lack of Register Mood of the Speaker To emphasize a point Habitual Experience Semantic significance To show identity with a group To address a different audience Pragmatic reasons To attract attention. 1. Lack of facility : According to Malik (1994), bilinguals or multilinguals often explain that they code switch when they cannot find an appropriate expression or vocabulary item or when the language of conversation does not have the particular word needed to carry on the conversation smoothly. He offers the example of â€Å"Charan Sparsh† (touching feet) that does not convey the same meaning in the speaker’s code as it does in Hindi. The reason for switching may however be culturally conditioned and David (2003) notes that an alien concept often has a speaker switch to the language from which the concept is borrowed. For example, like the lexical item social drinker in English that is unacceptable in a Malay situation because of the simple fact that drinking alcohol is prohibited in Islam and the Malay-Muslim world does not have a word for it that is equivalent to its meaning in English. Hence, the phrase social drinker is directly borrowed and used as an instance of phrase level mixing as in the following example: Saya difahamkan bahawa OKS jarang minum, hanya seorang social drinker [I understand that OKS seldom drinks, he is only a social drinker] 2. Lack of register: When speakers are not equally competent in two languages and when the speakers do not know the terms in two languages, then codeswitching occurs. For example, college students often code switch by moving from Hindi to English. In certain occupations code switching takes place in the speech of doctors, lawyers, engineers while they interact among  themselves owing to the fact that proper terms in Hindi or in any other language other than English may not be available to them. As a result, they utilize the English terminology that they are familiar with. Thus, one can identify a great deal of lexical code mixing. As David (2003) notes, it is vital for a courtroom setting in Malaysia that a specific terminology be used to refer correctly to an object or a character. The use of the exact terminology or vocabulary is important in this setting when the terminology plays an important role and has the potentiality to make a major impact on life and death, freedom or imprisonment. Therefore, whichever the code is that enables the speaker to get his/her exact meaning across will be the one that is acceptable to the interactants including one where language mixing occurs. The following example cited by David is to the point: Ujian alcohol telah dijalankan iaitu breath analyzer test. [The alcohol test was conducted, i.e., a breath analyzer test] The term breath analyzer is in English rather than in the matrix language, Bahasa Malaysia, simply because of its context-bound significance. 3. Mood of the speaker: Malik (1994) claims that usually when bilinguals are tired or angry, code switching takes place with a new dimension. This means, when the speaker is in the right state of mind, he/she can find the appropriate word or expression in the base language. Very often he/she knows exactly the word in both the languages (X and Y) but the language Y may be more available at the point of time when the speaker has a disturbed mind. Such circumstances may create a hurdle in getting the appropriate word or phrase in the language in which the speaker may be more proficient if he is not mentally agitated. 4. To emphasize a point: Switching is also used to emphasize a point. Gal (1979) reports several instances in which a switch at the end of an argument not only helps to end the interaction but may serve to emphasize a point.  She has taken an example from English/German code switching and stressed that switching from English to German is a means of adding more force to the statement. Meanwhile, David (2003) uses the courtroom environment to show how a defending lawyer uses dominant Bahasa Malaysia to start with and shifts to English to emphasize an important point to the judge that the accused had not committed any crime for 10 years. Sebelum ini OKT pernah ditangkap pada tahun 1975 dan 1986. There has been a 10 years gap since the last offence Semenjak itu OKT telah berumahtangga, mempunyai kerja tetap dan insaf†. [Before this, OKT was caught in 1975 and 1986†¦..since then OKT has married and has held a steady job] 5. Habitual experience: Malik.(1994) stresses the fact that code switching often occurs in fixed phrases of greeting and parting, commands and request, invitation, expressions of gratitude and discourse markers such as Oyes (listen), you know or pero (but), whereas Hoffman (1971) reports that in Puerto Rican homes, the mother gives short commands to their children in English, such as Don’t do that†¦. and the rest of the mother’s warning will be in Spanish. David (2003), in turn, cites an example of habitual mixed discourse in a Malaysian courtroom where the dominant or matrix language is Bahasa Malaysia: Kes merupakan arrest case atau kes saman? [Is this an arrest case or a summons case?] 6. Semantic significance: Malik (1994), Gumperz (1970, 1976, 1982), and Gumperz and Hernandez (1972) all stresses that switching at a particular moment conveys semantically significant information. It is a communicative resource that builds on participant’s perception of two languages. Lexical choice conveys meaning during codeswitching. Gal (1979) reinforced this view by stating that listeners interpret codeswitching as an indicator of the speaker’s attitude, or communicative intents and emotions as code switching is a tool for conveying appropriate linguistic and social information. By the same token, David (2003) describes a range of speech acts like reprimands, directives, requests, and warnings that are conveyed by using different intricate strategies to show the semantic significance in certain specific situations. It is not only the lawyer who code switches, but also the judge. The example below shows how a judge shifts from Bahasa Malaysia, the national language and the official language at Malaysian courts, to English as a face saving gesture: Kenapa kamu tak setuju, panggilan pertama telah dijawab oleh BG Boy dan dah tentu Das mesti menanya di manakah BG Boy berada? Kamu tak faham soalan, saya maksudkan†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ [Why don’t you agree – Bg Boy responded to the first call and surely Dos asked where he was ? You do not understand the question, I mean†¦.] 7. To show identity with a group: Di Pietro (1977) reports that Italian immigrants would tell a joke in English and give the punch line in Italian, not only because it was better said in Italian but also to stress the fact that they all belong to the same minority group, with shared values and experiences (cited in Malik, 1994). 8. To address a different audience: Malik (1994) states that code switching is also used when the speaker intends to address people coming from various linguistic backgrounds. For example, in India the television announcer often uses Hindi as it is the national language but also switches to English. Also, he often repeats the same in English for South Indians or Indian people who do not know Hindi. Similar types of situations have also been reported in some other settings. Linguistic reinforcement often takes place even in courts, according to David (2003) where counsels tend to speak to a number of different interlocutors at the same time. During such occasions obviously they mix codes or switch codes accordint to the ethnicity of the addressee. One reason for such use of mixed languages is to address simultaneously persons from different linguistic backgrounds. Also, the speaker clearly distinguishes whom he/she addresses and what should be communicated. Hence,  the speaker uses part of the sentence in one language and the other part in another language. In the example below the lawyer used a mixed discourse of English/Malay, and the part of his utterance in English is directed to the judge and the other in Malay is meant for the witness. Objection, ada dua fakta di sini.The facts of the chart sheet are clear; it is a clear indication of misinformation. mana satu nak jawab? [Objection, there are two facts here. The facts of the chart sheet are clear; it’s a clear indication of misinformation. Which one do you want to answer?] The code switch is important as the judgment is dependent on the argument of the lawyer

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

What were the problems faced by Henry IV on His accession and how did he attempt to solve them Essays

What were the problems faced by Henry IV on His accession and how did he attempt to solve them Essays What were the problems faced by Henry IV on His accession and how did he attempt to solve them Essay What were the problems faced by Henry IV on His accession and how did he attempt to solve them Essay In the late 16th Century, there was a lot of trouble and there would be for a few years in Europe. This was particularly apparent in France under the reign of Henry III. The way in which Henry came to power was unexpected and was amidst a whole load of controversy. Henry III was assassinated and he had no natural heir to the throne of France. So on his deathbed he named Henry of Navarre to the throne, the problem was that he was a Protestant and he would have to convert before becoming the French King. This is only the beginning of the trouble and bothers that Henry of Navarre would have to deal with during his reign. The reason why Henry III gave the throne to Henry of Navarre was due to their friendship and the fact that they were allies in a war against the League and the man they named as the heir to the throne called Charles X. in a battle to win Paris back from this group Henry III was assassinated. Henry IV had to endure a number of problems during his reign and this essay will say what they were and how they were solved.Inn France there was a civil war; it was called the War of the Three Henrys. In order for Henry to secure his realm he needed to secure a power base. The only was he was going to be able to do this was to win back Paris from the forces of Henry of Guise. This was a major problem, as Henry needed to bring peace; he also had a severe shortage in men compared to the vast army of Mayenne. Henry was able to defeat the 24,000 strong army of Mayenne with only 5000 men; he did this at the Battle of Arques. He then went on to try and take over Paris but was unsuccessful. He was then able to return to Normandy and conquered another number of cities. There was another battle at the Battle of Ivry where the forces of Mayenne where supplemented by Philip II of Spain. Then as it looked as if Henry was going to finally take over the capital of Paris, the Duke of Parma came to the rescue and was able to join with the League to ma ke the army 24,000 strong, again Henry IV was forced to leave. Again, Henry realised that he needed to take another stronghold of the League to reinforce his power and so he focused on the Leagues other stronghold of Rouen in Normandy. Unfortunately for Henry, Parmas army again pushed Henry back. This was the end for the Henry and he had to think of a new game plan in order to capture Paris.The second one of Henrys problems was his religion at the moment he was a protestant and it was the reason why Henry was at war with Henry of Guise and Philip II of Spain. In order for Henry to be recognised as king of France then he would have to become a catholic. So, on 17 may 1593 the Archbishop of Bourges announced that Henry was to become Catholic. In July he went St. Denis to receive instruction from a group of Bishops, so on the 25 July he abjured his protestant faith. So there were massive street parties and a large street procession, with the cheers of long live the King. In 1594 he was finally pronounced king and he had his coronation. The only problems were now with controlling the battling religions in France and creating peace and not civil war. The other was with the Spanish garrison still in Paris, this was swiftly dealt with by opening the gates from inside and by letting Henrys troops flood in. The success was completed with the blessing of the Pope and the reconquest of Amiens in 1597 and the Peace of Vervins in 1598. Along with the peace of Vervin there was another peace settlement, this one was within the country and was to prevent civil war between the Catholics and the Protestants.This settlement was called the Edict of Nantes and was made to establish the good and lasting peace. It gave the opportunities for the Huguenots to practice their religion, they were able to practice on the grounds of a nobleman, at two places in each baillage and wherever they could prove that their faith had been openly practiced in 1596 and 1597. They were able to hold an y position in state and enter any profession, they were granted access to any schools, universities and hospitals. It was also judged that any legal case should be in front of a court including Protestants and Catholics. However, this was not complete peace there was opposition to it, and this was made known by certain extreme groups. There were some doubters in the court but after Henry IVs speech on the registration of the Edict of Nantes they soon changed their mind, as it was very well constructed and very emotive. Henry IV came to power with a lot of religious problems along with the fact that religious war was looming, however through his pragmatism and peaceful ideals he was able to deal with these problems.Before Henry had come to the throne, the war in which the previous monarch had been involved in was disastrous for the countrys economy and so it was up to Henry to find out how to sort them out. Henry was in debts of 138 livres; the crown owed money to the English crown, German princes, Swiss Cantons and the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He did this by employing the protestant, the Duke of Sully. Henry began to develop0 the ideals of absolutism and started to rebuild the nations capital. He also started to rebuild the state industry for business. In 1602 he started the Council of Commerce, which fostered the silk industry. He also set up factories for tapestry production such as the Gobbelins Factory.The country also began to make progresses in the production of morocco leather, paper, fine glass and metallurgical industries. This new stability of Henrys reign brought about a new revival in agriculture, harvests got better, cash crops increased and generally every one was enjoying the reign of Henry. The duke of sully also started to invest in developing bridges, canals and improving roads. He made sure all the work was done to a high standard by inspecting it through a team of inspectors and treasurers, so he used centre control. Sully had the largest rol e to play in reducing his countrys debt. He did this with the use of ten major ways. The first way was the storage of bullion in the Royal Treasury, this was where all the real money was kept and from this all the countrys wealth could really be counted.It also allowed the country to have some backup if the country really needed it, like in the case of war. There was a reduction of debts to foreign states, many debts were settled privately. With the marriage to Marie de Medici a lot of debt was also wiped off, along with a large sum of money given to Henry IV. Past debts were also written off and treasurers were told not to pass any of those debts into existing budgets. It was also recommended that certain Rentes should be discontinued and that interest rates should be reduced on others. There was also a reduction in direct tax and an increase in indirect tax.This was most poignant on Le Gabelle, which was a tax on salt, which everyone needed. There was also the introduction of the Paulette, which was basically a cash payment worth a 1/16th of the assessed price of an office. Sully also made the work of Provincial Treasurers more efficiency and often checked up on defaulters. He also imposed a tight supervision on expenditure and could control it when in times of hardship. He also attempted to reform the provincial financial administration. He also increased the growth of the Privy Council. All in all Sully did well he reduced the Kings debts by a lot and was able to increase income, he was most definitely the most valuable asset in helping the king with his financial problem.Another problem faced by Henry IV was provincialism and the lack of central power. Due to the vast size of France it was very hard to keep a track on every part of the country. This was why different rules were placed in different places and why central government rules were not followed in others. It all came down to the lords and the nobles who were looking after the lands. A way in whi ch henry tried to combat this was to move Provincial Governors from where they were used to being. He moved them to unfamiliar territory so they didnt know anyone and wouldnt be able to start a revolt or try and screw the King in some way. He did this to the Duke of Guise and the Duke of Conde.Most of his Provincial Governors were military commanders and they did a lot for the King. They ensured the effective expenditure of taxation, they worked on roads, bridges and fords, and they tried to exercise control over the nobility and other local political groups. Local Parlements were also very active; the king appointed their presidents and tried influencing their work. However, quite often they rejected Edicts in both religion and taxation. However hard the King tried to keep control over the groups there were always local revolts and murders of royal officials so he had to fight hard to try and keep some form of central control.The last main problem that henry had was the constant th reat of Spain. With Spain controlling Spain, the Spanish Netherlands, and Italy along with many other colonies it was a major threat to France. With Spain being the most dominant and strongest force in Europe it was very threatening with Spain being on the doorstep. The Spanish were constantly involved in French business due to the war going on before Henry IV came to power and the way in which they had to leave Paris. Philip II was also involved in the plots against France and didnt like the way in which the Protestants were being treated as he felt that they were being treated to good. He wasnt also very pleased in the way in which Henry converted to Catholicism and promised to get rid of the Protestants, but instead used the Edict of Nantes to maintain peace. Spain also used their wealth to influence Provincial Governors and to cause revolts with the peasantry to make it hard for France.In conclusion henry had a lot of problems on his accession to the throne, and he dealt with th em very well. He had been threatened of civil war and he obviously didnt want this as it would put the country into debt and would be the worst thing that could possibly happen to the country. Other problems he had were religion and the way in which he dealt with religion. He dealt with it well, to keep the peace. He also improved the countrys finance, tried to keep provincialism under order due to the size of the country. He also did well to keep Spain off his back. So finally Henry IV had a lot of problems as most monarchs of his time but managed to deal with them sufficiently.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Alcohol and its Complications

Alcohol and its Complications Free Online Research Papers Alcohol is probably one of the most abused substances known to mankind. If everyone knew the effect alcohol had on their body, they would probably still drink it; however, there are some people that have realized drinking alcohol only makes things worse in the end, so the people that choose not to drink have superior heath and tend to live longer. People drink to socialize or just to relax; either way, it causes mental, physical, and emotional complications. Mentally, alcohol alternates the whole way the brain usually thinks and acts, which can cause people to regret things whenever the alcohol wears off. Alcohol causes brain cells to be destroyed, which impairs the memory. Also, the vision is blurred and speaking starts to slur, consequently, making the person intoxicated seem incompetent. Physically, alcohol can damage several important organs including the stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, and the heart. Many different kinds of cancer can form over a period of time from all of the organs damaged. Some cancer can be treated, but there is always a possibility that it can come back. Most of these organs are vital to living; so if the damage is severe, the result can be fatal. Years of drinking can cause a person’s appearance to change, also. Dark circles around the eyes can form, wrinkles will start to form around the eyes and mouth, and the skin color can lighten to look like a pale, ill person. Drinking alcohol can also cause a person to become emotional. It’s most common for a female to start crying and for a male to get irate and start a fight. Alcohol triggers certain parts of the brain which initiates the emotion resulting in drama and a bad night. Even though there are some people that can drink without any of the above happening, it still can be dangerous and the people drinking should be monitored closely to prevent issues. â€Å"I made a commitment to cut out drinking or anything that would hamper me from getting my mind and body together. And the floodgates of goodness have opened upon me spiritually and financially.† This quote was said by Denzel Washington and I agree with him. I believe that because people waste their hard earned money on alcohol whenever they could be saving up for desperate days. It doesn’t make since to spend it on something that will get you nowhere; except mentally, physically, and emotionally ill. Research Papers on Alcohol and its ComplicationsHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Hockey GameGenetic EngineeringCapital PunishmentThree Concepts of PsychodynamicWhere Wild and West MeetPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyLifes What Ifs

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Confederate General Robert Edward Lee essays

Confederate General Robert Edward Lee essays General Robert Edward Lee was a gifted Confederate general whose military prowess was probably the greatest solitary reason in keeping the Confederacy going during the four-year American civil war. His military career was great, and the most important part of it was his role in the civil war. For a year he was military consultant to the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, and was then put in charge of the army in northern Virginia. Some of his important battles included those of Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Antietam, and Gettysburg. Lee was made the chief officer of all Confederate armies in early 1865 (all hope for the south was lost by this time); two months later the war was ended by his surrender at Appomattox Court House. Lee was born on January 19, 1807, in Stratford, Virginia. His father was Lighthorse Harry Lee ( a revolutionary war hero of sorts). Young Lee was schooled at West Point Military Academy. When he graduated in 1829, he was second in his class, earning him a charge as second lieutenant in the engineers. Later in the same year he married Mary Custis, who was the daughter of Martha Washingtons grandson. He had seven children, Agnes, Annie, Mary, Mildred, George Washington Custis Lee, Robert Edward Lee Jr., and William Henry Fitzhugh Lee. Continuing his military career, Lee became first lieutenant in 1836, and after that captain in 1838. He famed himself in the battles of the Mexican War and was injured in the raid of Chapultepec in 1847; he received his third brevet promotion in rank for his praiseworthy achievements . He was chosen superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy and later was selected colonel of cavalry. He was in charge of the Department of Texas in 1860. The next year, Lee was called to Washington, D.C., when war between the North and South was drawing closer. President Abraham Lincoln had decided to offer command of the Union military to him, but Lee ...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The man who was almost a man by Richard Wright Essay

The man who was almost a man by Richard Wright - Essay Example Seeing that he was being controlled in almost every sphere of his life, David decides to establish his own identity. Due to the increasing resentful of his powerlessness, Dave thinks that moving out and owning a gun would instantaneously make him a man by using the gun. He has a higher likelihood of shooting. â€Å"Dammit, hed done it! He fired again. Blooooom! He smiled. Blooooom! Blooooom! Click, click. There! It was empty†. Due to his inability to control himself, he decided to shoot Jenny (horse) just to prove to himself his not afraid. He says, "Lissen here, Jenny! When Ah pull this ol trigger, Ah don wan yuh t run n acka fool now!† and he run away. Additionally, his running away was wrong since he needed to pay for the mule that he killed which belonged to Mr. Hawkins. Mr Hawkins says, â€Å"Whut yuh pay fer it?" "Two dollahs." The other argument is that is it wrong for him to run away because he could be provoked and shoot people in the train considering that his gun was loaded, â€Å"Got a long strip of old flannel from a trunk, wrapped the gun in it, and tied it to his naked thigh while it was still loaded.† Since Dave was so engrossed in proving himself to be a man, wherever he runs to he will cause much more harm with the gun due to his attempts of trying to establish himself as a man â€Å"He felt his pocket; the gun was still there†¦ stretching away, away to somewhere, somewhere where he could be a man.† Therefore, is it important for people to know who they are in the world? This is the question Dave should have asked himself before making that decision of purchasing a gun. One needs to recognize himself to prevent serious problems from occurring. That is why Dave was not right by escaping with the train to move out of his

Friday, October 18, 2019

Selfies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Selfies - Research Paper Example Selfies are described as being photographs that are taken by individuals of their own persons with the typical aid of webcams or smartphones and then subsequently uploaded to the various social media websites. The increasing popularity of selfies and photography is highlighted by the fact that according to phys.org (2013), the internet search provider Yahoo recently estimated that in 2014, an estimated over 880 billion photographs will be taken. According to this estimate, there will be about 123 photos taken throughout the year for every child, man and woman on earth with the larger part of these photographs being selfies. A survey conducted in Britain for Samsung found that 10 percent of women and 17 percent of men were recorded as stating that they greatly enjoyed what they believed to be good-looking photographs of themselves. Part of the allure of selfies is based on the fact that taking a selfie is considered to be a ridiculously easy affair. This is in contrast to the photo taking affairs of yesteryears where taking photos was considered to be a serious and careful affair. During this era of film cameras, it was not worth it to waste an expensive roll of film on attempting to take self-portraits that had a high likelihood of not being well focused (Adewunmi 2013). The raging popularity of selfies on social media led to the development of Instagram in October 2010. Instagram is a social media website that is dedicated to facilitating the sharing of both pictures and videos. Instagram users are able to take pictures which they then easily upload and share with their friends on the site. Hoping to ride on the ever rising popularity of the selfies phenomenon, the social media site Facebook bought Instagram for approximately $1 billion in combined stock and cash, this is after Instagram had only been operational for only about three years. The increasing number of users

The Effects Of Welfare Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Effects Of Welfare Reform - Essay Example Welfare reform are a great source of assistance for many individuals who are unable to earn their living for any of reason and depends on the social welfare programs to get their share of livelihood. This dependence on the welfare programs may be attributed to their some physical or mental disability, natural calamity or age factor. The large number of dependents in our society requires a comprehensive mechanism to address the issues pertaining to their requirements and needs. Additionally, some other facets of the society who require some economic enabling assistance may get the benefits of the reforms. Taxpayers are also the legitimate beneficiaries of the system. The social response to these needs shapes into the welfare systems arranged, managed and run by individuals, state, social security groups and societies, state owned welfare schemes like Medicaid and Medicare or similar services. Welfare of these needy and dependants is not a simple task, enormous spending are required to keep these programs running and a huge managerial effort is required address the issue in a befitting manner. Moreover the coordination among various social welfare programs and scheme is of core importance to avoid wastage of hard generated resources. More recently there is an increased awareness among masses to ensure that their contributions in these social welfare programs are used purposefully for the wellbeing of the targeted populations.

Slip & Fall Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Slip & Fall - Assignment Example Hence the defense is correctly drawn as far as the grocery store rules are concerned. The bag boy had done his duty which is important to consider in defense of the grocery store. Ann is being emotional in her response because it was her mistake in the first place and the grocery store should not pay for her lapse in concentration. Also the fact that she did not read the wet floor sign and disregarded it was her own mistake, which needs to be understood on the part of the court. Hence suing the grocery store for damages is unwarranted and does not merit a case at all. Ann should have known better where she is in the wrong and what kind of error she has committed in bringing her downfall (Biggermann, 2010). The grocery store did everything to make sure that she did not cross the barrier but putting up the wet floor sign but if she did not read it, then it is solely her own mistake and the store must not be blamed for it. Also the fact that many customers visit this grocery store on a daily basis is enough for the court to understand that a grocery store can just do so much. The customers need to be wary of the signs that are put up at such places and find out where they are going wrong or committing mistakes. This will put them at ease as far as slipping and falling down dynamics are concerned. It is important that the court considers the defense of the grocery store management as well before reaching on to a decision. The facts are there for the court to see and analyze, and now it is the responsibility of the honorable court to reach a decision which is based on impartiality and fairness. Ann must have known she is not following the proper rules and procedures within the grocery store and this is one aspect that should not have lingered on to such proportions. However, this unfortunate event took place much to the agony

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility Research Paper - 1

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility - Research Paper Example Shareholders Firstly, with response to the key shareholders of the given case study, these can most easily be related in terms of patients, staff, vendors, and management. With relation to the patients and staff, these two shareholders are the most obvious ones with which the hospital president will come in contact with on a daily basis. However, beyond these shareholders, there are also those of the vendors with which the hospital necessarily does a healthy and continual level of business with. These vendors will be discussed at length further in the analysis as they exemplify a peculiar and dynamic shareholder within the level of seeking to ensure the hospital behaves in an ethically and morally expeditious manner. Finally, as with any level of position and/or responsibility – no matter how high, the president of the hospital is ultimately responsible not only to the staff and patients of the hospital he presides over but also to the board of trustees, regional compliance ma nager, executive committees, and a litany of other shareholders that define the very upper reaches of oversight for the president’s position. ... thermore, this group is unique within the representation of the other groups that will be discussed as it is the only one that acts as that of the end consumer/customer. As such, this group is directly affected by any adjustment to the level, quality, or affordability that the health care exhibits. Secondarily, the next group of shareholders that have been mentioned are those of the staff that are employed by the hospital. These of course obviously include doctors and nurses as well as the full array of primary healthcare providers. However, this also includes the array of support staff, janitors, facility maintenance, HR departments, lab personnel, and pharmacists/technicians etc. Although it may be convenient for the reader/researcher to lump all of these individuals in with the â€Å"responsible† and/or â€Å"guilty† party with reference to the elevated level of patient deaths that have been occurring, the preceding analysis helps to point to the fact that this group itself is diverse and varied and thereby cannot be lumped together as a responsible entity for the patient losses that have been suffered. Moreover, the needs and wants of this particular group of shareholders are concentric upon retaining their position, whatever that might be, within the hospital, and ensuring that no disastrous revelations threaten the security that their livelihood provides. As such, the hospital staff have a strong vested interest in ensuring that no waves rock the boat so to speak. Although a vested interest does not necessarily correlate to an unethical action, it should nonetheless be noted by the reader that this vested interest is every bit as strong as any of those which will be or have been listed within this paper. Thirdly, the vendors themselves represent a powerful group of

Who came to the front Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Who came to the front - Research Paper Example And Craig strongly criticized the world of men in excluding the important role played by women during war time. Perhaps, this leads Bonney to â€Å"go forth alone† since women are perceived as weak and fragile to face the war. As a consequence, Bonney, Luce, and Craig fought the battle in two fronts: war and men. On the other side of the scale, the three women greatly differ in their approach of combating the struggle in finding the truth. For example, Bonney employed her camera to capture the images of war. Although Luce and Craig utilized pen and paper, still, they both differ in their specialty in or perception about writing. Luce sees the war-correspondent writing style merely as a â€Å"time off† in contrast to her playwright vocation. Craig, however, views the correspondent type of writing as a vocation in itself. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that Luce attempted to convince her fellow literary writers to avoid isolationism. Furthermore, the three women largely differ in their location as they struggle to get the truth. Europe is for Luce and Washington is for Craig as their participatory place of war. And Bonney’s target location is the countryside full of danger and conflict. Nevertheless, these three brave women did what they could to expose the evils of war and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Slip & Fall Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Slip & Fall - Assignment Example Hence the defense is correctly drawn as far as the grocery store rules are concerned. The bag boy had done his duty which is important to consider in defense of the grocery store. Ann is being emotional in her response because it was her mistake in the first place and the grocery store should not pay for her lapse in concentration. Also the fact that she did not read the wet floor sign and disregarded it was her own mistake, which needs to be understood on the part of the court. Hence suing the grocery store for damages is unwarranted and does not merit a case at all. Ann should have known better where she is in the wrong and what kind of error she has committed in bringing her downfall (Biggermann, 2010). The grocery store did everything to make sure that she did not cross the barrier but putting up the wet floor sign but if she did not read it, then it is solely her own mistake and the store must not be blamed for it. Also the fact that many customers visit this grocery store on a daily basis is enough for the court to understand that a grocery store can just do so much. The customers need to be wary of the signs that are put up at such places and find out where they are going wrong or committing mistakes. This will put them at ease as far as slipping and falling down dynamics are concerned. It is important that the court considers the defense of the grocery store management as well before reaching on to a decision. The facts are there for the court to see and analyze, and now it is the responsibility of the honorable court to reach a decision which is based on impartiality and fairness. Ann must have known she is not following the proper rules and procedures within the grocery store and this is one aspect that should not have lingered on to such proportions. However, this unfortunate event took place much to the agony

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Who came to the front Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Who came to the front - Research Paper Example And Craig strongly criticized the world of men in excluding the important role played by women during war time. Perhaps, this leads Bonney to â€Å"go forth alone† since women are perceived as weak and fragile to face the war. As a consequence, Bonney, Luce, and Craig fought the battle in two fronts: war and men. On the other side of the scale, the three women greatly differ in their approach of combating the struggle in finding the truth. For example, Bonney employed her camera to capture the images of war. Although Luce and Craig utilized pen and paper, still, they both differ in their specialty in or perception about writing. Luce sees the war-correspondent writing style merely as a â€Å"time off† in contrast to her playwright vocation. Craig, however, views the correspondent type of writing as a vocation in itself. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that Luce attempted to convince her fellow literary writers to avoid isolationism. Furthermore, the three women largely differ in their location as they struggle to get the truth. Europe is for Luce and Washington is for Craig as their participatory place of war. And Bonney’s target location is the countryside full of danger and conflict. Nevertheless, these three brave women did what they could to expose the evils of war and

Quality of Life Essay Example for Free

Quality of Life Essay Twenty first century is witnessing a world that has become an increasingly diverse and complex place. Changing global trends are causing a paradigm transformation of social and cultural systems. Western societies are experiencing an accelerated aging and people in general have evolved a misconception about today’s elderly. They are perceived as being sick, isolated, self-centred and a burden on society, which is totally false. There is a need to develop social cohesion between generations and within the older generation to understand the matter in correct perspective. An effort has been made in this paper to focus on this key issue and highlight the importance of inter and intragenerational relationships to quality of life to older people. The present demographic profile of the United Kingdom reflects a number of consistent and marked trends. People are living increasingly longer, the birth rate is showing a steady decline and the mean age is increasing steadily. By 2031, the over 80s population is predicted to double to 5 million, according to the Office of National Statistics. If the health of the elderly population follows current trends that will mean people spend more of their lives fighting various illnesses. Since 1981, the amount of time women can expect to live in poor health has increased by 15%. For men, the length of poor health rose by 34% (Triggle, 2004). Besides health, older people face the mobility problems, poor transport and lack of finance. Car usage declines with age and varies by sex. 77 per cent of men and 64 per cent of women aged 65-74 in 2001 in Great Britain had access to automobiles (National Statistics, 2006). Today, we can observe a significant change in family structures. The realignment of family ethos has caused varying degrees of separation between the young and old members of families and affected familial relationships negatively. As people age and their working lives end, they may have more free time available to spend in a social circle. Barriers of older life further enhance the necessity to promote inter and intragenerational relationships. This paper scrutinizes the various dimensions of quality of life at old age. It overviews the factors affecting quality of life and highlight the significance of relationships at old age. Components of Quality of Life  Quality of life is a wide ranging term. The Department for Work and Pensions of UK (2006) identifies five domains as the most relevant to assessing progress in older people’s quality of life: 1) Independence within inclusive communities. 2) Healthy, active living. 3) Fairness in work and later life. 4) Material well-being. 5) Support and care. Independence within inclusive communities necessitates to address issues like exercising independence, exercising choices that give them control over key aspects of their lives, and participation in local community through inter and intragenerational relationships. Health and active living deals with problems like access to healthcare proportionate to older peoples needs. Fairness in work and later life encompasses factors like job opportunities, involvement in decisions that affect their lives, and no age discrimination in access to goods, services and employment. Material wellbeing includes sustaining key elements of their previous lifestyle, and using their resources to best effect. Support and care encompasses the supply of care and support, availability of support in a variety of forms to meet diverse needs, affordable care, and protection to older people from abuse. Factors Affecting Quality of Life of Older People Good quality of life in old age is a realistic ambition for all. Early old age, sometimes called the Third Age, between 55 and 75 years old, is the phase of life between leaving the labour market and the onset of physical dependency. There are a number of factors that affect quality of life at this age. A research study carried out by Dr Blane (2003) concluded that quality of life for the affluent-healthy is higher than for the deprived-sick. Having control over when and when not to work has a significant bearing on quality of life. Then the quality and density of a persons social network was more important than the number of people in the network. Importance of Intergenerational and Intragenerational Relationships to Quality of Life The term generation has a numerous contemporary meanings, incorporating biological, familial and social factors (Back, 1987). An intergenerational perspective (between and across generations) highlights the reciprocal obligations, rights and influences between different generations. An intragenerational perspective identifies similar age groups and the succession of individuals who are distinguished by the bounds of a society and set apart by time and common experience (Fredriksen, 1993). Historically, within the UK, there had been a strong tradition of the young learning from the old in their role as respected elders or through structures such as apprenticeship schemes and trade guilds (Hatton, 2002). Significance of intergenerational relationships is evident from a survey which reports that to the elderly, welfare of children and grandchildren is twice as more important than their own health and money (Roy, 1999). Older parents have always been providing financial support in the forms of donations, gifts and regular monetary contributions to their children. They are also important sources of instrumental support (shopping, cleaning, home maintenance, childcare) and emotional support (advice, validation) for their children (Bengtson, Rosenthal Burton, 1990). Many elderly people continue to provide support for adult children and the provision of a home for one’s children can extend well beyond middle age (Evandrou, Falkingham, Rake Scott, 2001). Living arrangements are a key dimension of quality of life and well-being in old age. Older people living alone are more likely to enter an institution than those living with other people (Breeze, Slogett Fletcher, 1999). Involvement of older persons in local communities contributes to their quality of life, as well as to the functioning of the community. The relationship between different groups of older persons is therefore very crucial in maintaining the quality of life (UN-Economic and Social Council, 2002). Altered patterns of mortality and fertility have made intergenerational structures in the family more â€Å"top heavy† and vertically extended. While horizontal, intragenerational ties are shrinking, vertical ties across generations are more complex and durable than ever before in history (UN-Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2005). Importance of social groups and networks in later part of life is quite evident from a research study carried out in Scotland (Philip, Gilbert, Mauthner and Phimister, 2003). The participant observations and questionnaires have provided useful insights into the levels and types of participation in social groups among older people in the study area. The report finds that there is high level of participation and involvement in social groups amongst older people (aged over 60). As a whole, respondents attended 68 wide-ranging types of groups including civic participation (e. g. local government), voluntary activities (e. g. Red Cross; Meals on Wheels), friendship, social, leisure, religious, cultural, heritage and special interest groups. Those aged in their seventies and early eighties were the most likely to be involved in social activities Another study summarises that older people preferred the company of others, had a higher level of contact with friends and lower levels of psychological problems (McKee, 2002). In 2002 around three in ten men aged 80 and over and nearly one in five women in England said they owned a mobile phone. Use of mobile phones and the Internet helps older people to remain independent by making it easier for them to communicate with their family and friends or to access public and commercial services (National Statistics, 2006). Conclusion Society in the UK is changing. More people are living longer in greater prosperity. In the next decade, the numbers over 50, over 65 and over 80 will all increase to levels never seen before. We need a coherent strategy to manage that demographic change. Elaborate and diligent plans are required to enable older persons to continue to participate fully in all aspects of life. For a better quality of life, we need to promote the development of a society for all ages through the strengthening of intergenerational and intragenerational solidarity. Young generations have responsibilities and a special role in building a society for all ages. Older generations have equal role to play.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Dual Relationships in Counseling

Dual Relationships in Counseling Dual Relationships in Counseling According to Corey (2009), the issue of dual relationships, involving clients and counselors has been widely addressed by the various professional ethical guidelines. Corey continues to say that except for sexual intimacy with a client, there is not much consensus in the professional world of mental health practitioners regarding the appropriate way to deal with dual or multiple relationships. The 1995 Code of Ethics for the American Counseling Association (ACA) addressed the issue by urging professional counselors to avoid such relationships due to the potential harm to the client and the reputation of the counselor. However, according to Cottone (2009), the ambiguity found in the 1995 ethic code of dual relationships needed to be addressed because the term â€Å"dual relationships† was nondescript and did not give good guidance to the profession or to clients who have an ethical concern or complaint. Hermann and Robinson-Kurpius (2006) stated that one of the goals in revising the 1995 ACA Code of Ethics was to provide more ethically acceptable and structured guidelines for counselors to consider before entering into dual relationships. Herman and Robinson-Kurpius state that The 2005 ACA Code of Ethics replaces the term â€Å"dual relationship† with â€Å"nonprofessional interactions† and outlines which dual relationships are ethically acceptable and which are strictly prohibited. Corey (2009) stated that dual relationships, either sexual or nonsexual, occur when professionals assume two (or more) roles simultaneously or sequentially with a person seeking professional counseling. This may mean two professional roles, such as counselor, and teacher, or combining a professional and a non-professional role, such as counselor and friend or counselor and lover. Dual relationship issues, both sexual and nonsexual, affect virtually all counselors and human development specialist regardless of their work setting or clientele. Corey continues to state that counseling professionals must learn how to manage multiple roles and responsibilities in an ethical way. This issue becomes learning to deal effectively with the power differential that is inherent counseling relationship (Corey). Potential Harm The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) prohibits romantic and sexual interactions between counselor and client. The ACA requires a counselor to wait five years before becoming involved sexually or romantically with former clients. Section A.5.b states that counselors are prohibited from having sex or romantic relationships with family members of clients for five years as well (ACA, 2005). The ways in which counselors can misuse their power and influence are varied. Kagle and Giebelhausen (1994) argued that relationships that are not sexual violate professional boundaries when they state, â€Å"The practitioners influence and the clients vulnerability carry over to the second relationship† (p. 215). The viewpoint of Kagle and Giebelhausen is that the practitioner is in a position to exploit the client for his or her own personal gain. Sonne (1994) has argued that the nature of such dual relationships undermines the financial responsibility between the counselor and the client. Because of this second relationship, the counselor is now susceptible to other interests (personal, financial, or social, etc.) that he or she may put before the best interests of the client. Potential Benefits According to Corey (2009), the ways in which counselors can misuse their power and influence are varied. In some instances, maintaining such boundaries may in fact place a needless emphasis on the power gap and the hierarchy of the relationship. Strangely, in these situations, the secondary relationship is destructive to the counseling relationship because it was avoided (Corey). Pope and Keith-Spiegel (2008) argue that nonsexual boundary crossing has the potential of strengthening the therapist-client working relationship by enriching therapy and serving the treatment plan; however, if dual relationships are not approached with a clear decision process the relationship could undermine therapy causing the therapist-patient alliance to be cut off, and â€Å"cause immediate or long-term harm to the client.† Pope and Keith-Spiegel contend that boundary-crossing decisions are made daily by counselors, and these subtle decisions will sometimes affect whether therapy progresses, stalls, or ends. Pope and Keith-Spiegel (2008) state that counselors make the best decisions when they have an approach to boundary crossing that is based upon sound critical thinking and ethical reasoning. It is important for counselors to stay alert to evolving legislation and case law affecting ethical standards as well as current research. Ethical Decision Process Simon and Shuman (2007) state the responsible counselors are in the habit of setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries, even when working with boundary-testing and difficult clients. They also contend that there are no perfect therapists thus no perfect therapy. This fact alone should motivate counselors to know their boundaries because doing so will make the difficult task easier. Boundary violations in therapy are different from boundary crossings, according to Remley and Herlihy (2009). Boundary violations by counselors can be and are for the most part harmful to their patients, however, most boundary crossings are not and can prove to be beneficial. According to Knapp and Slattery (2004), it helps to distinguish between behaviors that are boundary cross and behavior that are boundary violations. (Taken from Pope, Kenneth S.; Keith-Spiegel, Patricia. Journal of Clinical Psychology, May2008, Vol. 64 Issue 5, p638-652, 15p; DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20477; (AN 31735122) In 2004, Knapp and Slattery stated that when a counselor strays from their professional role, a boundary crossing has occurred. The authors continue to explain that boundary crossing are not always harmful, but they can proved to be helpful or at best neutral. Two beneficial boundary-crossing examples were given. The first is where a holiday gift is received from a client and the other is when a counselor self-discloses in order to help the client. In any circumstance when the potential of boundary-crossing exists, â€Å"The counselors task is to determine when circumstances justify a boundary crossing†¦ if a boundary crossing appears to be harmful or misunderstood by a client, it is important for the counselor and client to process the event and discuss why it occurred and its relationship to the treatment goals.† (quoted from http://www.kspope.com/dual/index.php) Before the ACA Ethics Code was revised Gottlieb (1994), developed a decision making model to help the practitioner avoid exploitive dual relationships. An extension of Kitcheners 1988 model, â€Å"is the model that examines the established relationship along three aspects: power, duration, and termination status. Gottliebs protocol then makes recommendations based on the circumstances of the current and contemplated relationship. Examination of these three dimensions from the viewpoint of the consumer, not simply the counselor, is emphasized. Barnett (2007) stated, When considering crossing boundaries with a client, counselors should work to be sure that (a) their intention is motivated by the clients treatment needs and best interests and not by their own needs; (b) the boundary crossing is consistent with the clients treatment plan; (c) the boundary crossing is sensitive to the clients diagnosis, history, culture, and values; (d) the boundary crossing—and the reasoning supporting it—is documented in the clients record; (e) the boundary crossing is discussed, if possible, with the client in advance to ensure his or her comfort with the plan and to prevent misunderstandings; (f) the power differential present is considered, and the clients trust is not exploited; and (g) consultation with a respected colleague is used to guide the psychologists decision. (p.403) General guidelines are found throughout the literature to aid counselors when faced with duel relationships (Corey, 2009). When functioning in more than one role with a client, Corey recommended thinking through potential problems before they manifest and offered the following to guide the process: (a) Set healthy boundaries from the outset; (b) secure the informed consent of clients and discuss with them both the potential risks and benefits of dual relationships; (c) remain willing to talk with clients about any unforeseen problems and conflicts that may arise; (d) consult with other professionals to resolve any dilemmas; (e) seek supervision when dual relationships become particularly problematic or when the risk for harm is high; (f) document any dual relationship in clinical case notes; (g) examine your own motivations for being involved in dual relationships; (h) when necessary, refer clients to another professional. (p.50) Conclusion To be a professional counselor I must be responsible thus careful to understand the boundaries that can confuse a therapeutic relationship Boundaries support relationships and give structure within which relationships can grow. They allow us to determine what we are responsible for in a relationship and the appropriate limits of that relationship. Our personal boundaries are often conveyed nonverbally as well as verbally and may be determined by personal worldview, by role, by custom and even by law. They are present in every relationship we have, but differ in intensity and practice according to the nature of the relationship. In most helping relationships, boundaries are maintained primarily for the benefit of the counselee, who is often vulnerable and in need. The challenge that I will face daily is not to decide if it is unethical to engage in multiple relationships, but to be prudent in the management of dual or multiple roles. References American Counseling Association. (1995). Code of ethics and standards of practice. Alexandria, VA: Author. American Counseling Association. (2005). ACA code of ethics. Alexandria, VA.: Author. Barnett, J. E., Lazarus, A.A., Vasquez, M.T., Morehead-Slaughter, O. Johnson, W.B. (2007, August). Boundary issues and multiple relationships: Fantasy and reality. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(4), 401-410. Articles, research, resources in psychology. Retrieved from http://kspope.com/dual/index.php Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy, (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brook/Cole. Cottone, R. (2009). Allowing dual relationships. Journal of Counseling Development, 87, 241-245. Dual Relationships (n.d.) Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://kspope.com/dual/gottlieb.php#copy Dual Relationships, Multiple Relationships, Boundary Decisions (n.d.) Retrieved November 9, 2009 from http://kspope.com/dual/index.php Gottlieb, M.C. (1994). Avoiding exploitive dual relationships: a decision-making model. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice and Training, 30, 41-48. Articles, research, resources in psychology. Retrieved from http://kspope.com/dual/index.php Hermann, M. A., Robinson-Kurpius, S. (2006). New guidelines on dual relationships. Counseling Today. Retrieved on November 4, 2009 from www.counseling.org/Publications/CounselingTodayArticles.aspx?AGuid=4e95be9d-748a-4b52-accb-bd7db9241cb6. Hillman, J. (1996). Care of the Soul. New York: Warner Books. Kagle, J. D., Giebelhausen, P. N. (1994). Dual relationships and professional boundaries. Social Work, 39, 213-220. Knapp, S., Slattery, J., (2004). Professional boundaries in nontraditional settings. Professional Psychology: Research Practice, 35 (5), 554. Taken from Pope, Kenneth S.; Keith-Spiegel, Patricia. Journal of Clinical Psychology, May2008, Vol. 64 Issue 5, p638-652, 15p; DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20477; (AN 31735122) Retrieved November 9, 2009 from http://www.kspope.com/dual/index.php Pope, K., Keith-Spiegel, P., (2008). A practical approach to boundaries in psychotherapy: Making decisions, bypassing blunders, and mending fences. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64, (5), 638-652. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from Quotes and Information about Boundaries in Therapy Counseling from Articles, Books, Studies http://kspope.com/dual/index.php Remley, T. P., Herlihy, B. (2009). Ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling. Boston, MA Simon, R., Shuman, D. (2007). Clinical Manual of Psychiatry Law. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from Quotes and Information about Boundaries in Therapy Counseling from Articles, Books, Studies http://kspope.com/dual/index.php Sonne, J. L. (1994). Multiple relationships: Does the new ethics code answer the right questions? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 25, 336-343. Retrieved November 4, 2009, from PsycARTICLES database.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Zapatistas :: Essays Papers

Zapatistas For the past several years, there has been an on going movement to liberate the large population of farmers in Mexico. These farmers are fighting to win back their pro-claimed rights to their farm land. The farmers operate within an organization known as the Zapatistas. In present time the Zapatistas, with the help of the media especially the filmmaker Nettie Wild, have gained global attention towards their struggle for human rights. Many efforts have been made by outside authorities like the US, to assist the human rights movement in Mexico. The movement so far has resulted in many political killings of the Zapatistas members. Mexico’s government has been trying to rid themselves of the â€Å"chaos† the Zapatistas have stirred up within the country. The Mexican government has forced over 17,000 people into refuge because they have not allowed them back onto their farm land. Efforts continue on behalf of the Zapatistas and many outside authorities to bring peace to this area of Chiapas. I believe that the Zapatistas have made their fight a global issue. The art of Erica Chappuis displays a culture of people who are in hiding and trying to survive with the little resources they have. The art displays Zapatistas with coffee plants in which they are selling, wearing their trademark bandana covering their faces. This picture makes a strong argument for what they are fighting for. If Mexico allowed them back onto their land they would still be cultivating coffee, but would not have to cover their faces. The covering of the Zapatistas faces exploits the human rights struggle that they are currently fighting. The Zapatistas movement is a â€Å"post modern revolution†. In the world today the emphasis on human rights is strong, thus this is why the Zapatistas have gained so much attention. I believe that the Zapatistas are slowly succeeding in their revolution because of the mass attention they are receiving. As more and more people become aware of the horrible human rights struggle these people are undergoing, I believe their mission will become more and more successful. The more people who know about the struggle will then in turn put more pressure on the Mexican government to liberate these people. I believe that the Zapatista movement is worthy of support. No people in the world should be forced off their land and into hiding.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Catcher In The Rye- TERM PAPER -- essays research papers

It is all Fun and Games until Someone Looses a Rye   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once is a generation, a book is written that transcends reality and humanity .The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger, combines a unique style, controversial theme, and thought provoking main character in this perceptive study of the human condition. This postwar novel protests against the loss of innocence and hypocrisy of the era and is the definitive coming of age novel. Salinger constructs a shocking reality, populated by ‘phonies’ and bursting with falsities- a reality that is all too real.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Catcher in the Rye is the story of a young man's understanding of the world he lives in, and the things he encounters (Lomazoff 3). This work is similar to other famous and influential works of the same nature. For example, Maxwell Geismar sums up the novel as â€Å"†¦an eminently readable and quotable [novel] in its tragicomic narrative of preadolescent revolt. Compact, taut, and colorful, the first half presents in brief compass all then petty horrors, the banalities, the final mediocrity of the American prep school† (Geismar 195). Holden can not understand the purgatory of Pency prep, and futilely escapes from one dark world into darker world of New York City. The second half of the novel raises the intriguing questions and incorporates the deeper meaning of the work (Geismar). Holden sits on the cusp of adulthood, tethering dangerously close to his fate and reality and The Catcher in the Rye is the story of his journey into the adult world. In addition, this novel is similar to other famous works of the same nature. Salinger emulates elements of Shakespeare's Hamlet and Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Like Huck Finn, The Catcher in the Rye is the story of a young man’s journey into adulthood. Holden journeys into the human condition, Huck likewise seeks out human nature. Huck, like Holden, hates hypocrisy, and fells the need to search for integrity. Similarly, both works start out the same way. Their simple exposition of location and scope draws in the mind, and fastens it securely to the page. Holden’s opening speech is merely a modernized and adapted version of Huck’s. Holden Caulfield strikes many readers as an urbanized version of Huck Finn (Lomazoff 3). In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, things Price Hamlet cannot control dominate his thoughts and life. ... ...universal meaning of the novel has won over even the most stubborn censors. Critics love this novel, and praise the author. Burger admires the theme, style, diction, and the issues raised in his review for The New York Times (Burger). Smith praises the adolescent nature, magic of the novel, and psychoanalysis of teens in the Saturday Review of Literature (Smith). Both men understand the motivation of Salinger, and respectfully praise his coming-of age masterpiece. This unusually brilliant novel withstood the critics before angry censors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Catcher in the Rye is universally appealing as a coming of age novel. Holden Caulfield is the ultimate protagonist, and stands for everything that is good within the human spirit. The Catcher in the Rye raises questions that are of epic proportions, and masterfully allows the scholar to interpret an individual answer. Perhaps Holden is too raunchy, perverse, or mentally unstable to be a hero; yet his human side and flaws are what seem to be his most idiosyncratic and admirable traits. Holden Caulfield, this modern Huckleberry Finn, reminds everyone of how bad growing up feels but never makes us feel sorry for it.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Causes and Consequences of World War 1

The causes of World War I, which began in central Europe in July 1914, included many intertwined factors, such as the conflicts and hostility of the four decades leading up to the war. Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism played major roles in the conflict as well. However, the immediate origins of the war lay in the decisions taken by statesmen and generals during the July Crisis of 1914, casus belli for which was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife by Gavrilo Princip, an irredentist Serb. The crisis came after a long and difficult series of diplomatic clashes between the Great Powers (Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria-Hungarian Empire and Russia) over European and colonial issues in the decade before 1914 that had left tensions high. In turn these diplomatic clashes can be traced to changes in the balance of power in Europe since 1867. [2] The more immediate cause for the war was tensions over territory in the Balkans. Austria-Hungary competed with Serbia and Russia for territory and influence in the region and they pulled the rest of the Great Powers into the conflict through their various alliances and treaties. The topic of the causes of World War I is one of the most studied in all of world history. Scholars have differed significantly in their interpretations of the event. Consequences of the War During and in the aftermath of the war the political, cultural, and social order was drastically changed in Europe, Asia and Africa, even outside the areas directly involved in the war. New countries were formed, old ones were abolished, international organizations were established, and many new and old ideologies took a firm hold in people's minds. There were some general consequences from the creation of a large number of new small states in eastern Europe as a result of the dissolution of the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires, and the regional disturbance of the Russian Civil War. Internally these new states tended to have substantial ethnic minorities, which wished to unite with neighboring states where their ethnicity dominated. One consequence of the massive redrawing of borders and the political changes in the aftermath of war was the large number of European refugees. Economic and military cooperation amongst these small states was minimal ensuring that the defeated powers of Germany and the Soviet Union retained a latent capacity to dominate the region. In the immediate aftermath of the war, defeat drove cooperation between Germany and the Soviet Union but ultimately these two powers would compete to dominate Eastern Europe. Perhaps the single most important event precipitated by the privations of World War I was the Russian Revolution of 1917. A socialist and often explicitly Communist revolutionary wave occurred in many other European countries from 1917 onwards, notably in Germany and Hungary.