Author: chris

Name of Source Company

Background

The years 2008 and 2009 saw the United Arab Emirates experience an economic crisis. The particular emirate that was affected most by the crisis was Dubai (Ahmad and Al, 2010). Privately owned projects that were initiated in Dubai were cancelled while others were put to hold. The withdrawal of the private and foreign investors was a result of the financial strain that was being experienced globally. This withdrawal was detrimental to Dubai’s economic growth. The debt crisis of United Arab Emirates has also had a toll on the economy of Dubai. With little oil resources of its own, the international market lost hope in the emirate’s ability to contribute in offsetting the debt. There has therefore been a need to rescue Dubai from its economic constraints (Ahmad and Al, 2010).

The government then introduced a diversification program that was aimed at salvaging Dubai’s economic crisis (Ahmad and Al, 2010). The concentration of the program was to reduce the contribution of sectors related to oil in United Arab Emirate’s economy. The implication of this measure was to develop other sectors like trading, tourism and the technological firms. One of the strategies under the diversification program was the free zone strategy that was applied in Dubai and other emirates. This trading policy encouraged foreign investments in the region due to liberal trading policies. The policies decrease the amount of red tape applied by the UAE. This paper investigates the influence of the free zones on the economy of Dubai. It specifically shows the changes in the region’s GDP in the years 2009 to 2011.

Sample

The data that was used for the research was collected from financial reports of the UAE. These reports outline the UAE’s fiscal report from the year 2009 to 2011. The financial reporting was done by the International Monetary Fund. The data sampled describes the general population of the United Arab Emirates. Out of the seven emirates, Dubai is singled out and its population is indicated. The purpose of Dubai’s isolation is to see its contribution in the general GDP of UAE. All the data is well articulated in relation to the three fiscal years (IMF, 2011).

The GDP per capita and the real GDP is shown in the data compilation. The patterns of inflation during the three years are also shown. The purpose of this is to see the general trend in the purchasing vale of UAE’s currency. The data sampled also describes the exporting and importing patterns that UAE has experienced in the three years. The data indicates the value of the imports and exports and the growth in importation and exportation of goods in relation to previous years. The data also shows the exchange rate of the Dirham to the US Dollar (IMF, 2011).

The data also shows information on the levels of public debts. This information is represented in relation to the GDP. The data also shows the contribution of the different sectors on the economy. This is important in showing the influence of economic diversity. Some of the social indicators of a country’s economic development are unemployment and housing conditions. The data sampled shows the rates of unemployment and housing savings in the three years. The housing saving rates shows the government’s involvement in subsidizing housing costs for the citizens. The data also shows the percentages of trade freedom. This is in relation to the laws and policies that were enacted during the three-year period (IMF, 2011).

The purpose of the data is to compare the financial performances in the three fiscal years. This comparison is done while keenly observing the structural changes in the trading policies of UAE. Emphasis is laid in Arabia where Free Trading zones were introduced like the Jebel Ali Free Zone. The economic implications of the liberal policies are observed from the Per Capita GDP. In addition to this, social indicators like the housing standards and unemployment rates are also considered. This is because of the holistic dimension of economic development (Todaro, 1994).

Table with Summary of Samples

YEAR	2011	2010	2009
POPULATION
UAE Population (Million)	5.3	5.2	4.8
Dubai Population (Million)	0.7	0.6	0.4
Per Capita GDP (Billion Dollars)	365	301	271
Real GDP (%)	+3.3	+3.2	-3.1
ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION
Imports (Million Dollars)	185,627	161,412	149,708
Growth In Imports (%)	+15.1	+7.9	-15.2
Exports (Million Dollars)	254,278	212,263	191,777
Growth In Exports (%)	+19.9	+10.6	-19.7
Agriculture Sector	0.7	1.2	2.7
Industry Sector	59.4	48.8	36.2
Service Sector	39.8	40.2	42.2
Trade Freedom (%)	82.7	73	60
Exchange Rate	3.6	3.6	3.6
INDICATORS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Inflation (%)	3.7	2.7	1.2
Public Debts (%)	16.5	20.5	23.0
Unemployment Rates (%)	12.7	20.0	22.3
Housing Saving Rates (%)	15.6	14.0	10.0

 

Methodology

Quantitative analysis will be used to investigate whether economic growth was achieved in the region. The method will involve the comparison of the figures recorded for the three fiscal years. This implies comparing the GDP per Capita of the three years and relating them to the percentages of Trade Freedom that was experienced in the region. In addition to the economic growth of the region, the economic development of the region will also be monitored. This will involve comparing the rate of growth in GDP to the rate of reduction in public debts, unemployment and poor housing conditions.

The findings of the research show that there has been a steady increase in per Capita GDP of UAE. During the last fiscal year, there was a growth of 1.4%. Growth was also evident in the previous years.  The growth in per Capita GDP has been accompanied by growth in the liberty of trading policies in the region. In the three years, there has been an average of a 10% growth in the liberal policies of UAE. There has also been an increase in the economy’s dependence on industry. There has been a decline in the service and agricultural sectors. Economic growth has also been accompanied by changes in the structures of production. This is evident in the reduction of the rates of unemployment and poor housing facilities. However, this growth is negated by the rise in public debt. The last fiscal year saw a rise in the level of public by 1.5%.

It should be noted that the research has a number of weakness. One of the assumptions is that liberalization of the markets in the region played a major role in boosting the economy of the region.

Conclusion

The research proves the thesis that diversification of economies leads to an increase in per capita GDP of a state’s economy. UAE experienced a growth in its economy with the liberalization of its market. However, though economic growth is being achieved, the region is not experiencing economic development. This is evident in the region’s rise in the levels of public debt. Economic development needs economic growth that is accompanied by changes in the structures of production (Todaro, 1994).

 

Reference List

Todaro, M. P., & Todaro, M. P. (1994). Economic development. New York: Longman.

Ahmad, E., & Al, F. A. (2010). Fiscal reforms in the Middle East: VAT in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

IMF. (2011). World economic outlook May 2011: A survey by the staff of the International Monetary Fund. Washington, DC: IMF.

 

Christian traditions

Evolution is a characteristic of the effect of time on the society and it is evidenced in basically every aspect of civilization. Christian worship has not been left out as the tradition undergone various changes over the course of time. Worship in the early church is highly different from the middle and the modern church. The early church was a minority movement characterized by a hostile religious environment (Duchesne, and McClure, 23).  The church could not conduct peaceful open air meetings or public Christian worship that normally characterizes the modern church. This is considered as the primary reason as to why the New Testament is limited in providing detailed directives regarding the order and leadership of worship (Duchesne, and McClure, 77).

The early church usually met in the homes of the members for worship and instruction. There were no public churches and the synagogues were primarily used for Judaism worship. This is particularly evidenced in the book of acts in instances such as the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper. Christian worship in the early church was also characterized by the singing of hymns, recitation of psalms, prayer, thanksgiving and instruction. However, there is no specific order in which the above followed. The gospel of Luke and the book if revelation contain preserves of some of the hymns used during times of worship by the early church. The worship roles are also different from worship in the Old Testament. The New Testament fails to clearly indicate on who is to officiate hymns, instruction, thanksgiving or any part of the worship, however, the old testament clearly indicates that this was done by the Levites and the priests (Jan Pelikan, 103).

Christian worship in the early middle ages was mostly experienced in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern orthodox and the Anglican churches. These churches practiced what is now referred to as traditional forms of worship that are mainly characterized by liturgical services held in great monumental buildings known as cathedrals. The worship services were characterized by what is primarily referred to as the sacramental tradition. The worship services are very formal with each of the aspects of the service designated to particular individuals. The worship services are centered on the vocal thanksgiving, praise, appreciation of the demise and revivification of Christ through the presentation of bread and wine as the Holy Communion. Worship was primarily recognized as taking part in the demise and revivification of Christ. The structure of the services is primarily formal characterized by ordered steps in accordance to a Liturgy mainly depicted by activities such as choral music, prayers, recitations, hymns, the reading of Holy Scripture and instruction by the serving priest. The priests primarily lead the service and offer some variety of instruction or sermon wearing sacred clothing known as vestments (Haarsma and Loren, 89).

The modern church has faced intense evolution because of the effect of time. The church is now over two thousand years old and with this comes a lot of changes. The division of churches into various denominations has led the modern church to concentrate primarily on “winning new souls” as part of the fulfillment of the great commission and in the process adding to their flock. In order to perform this fete, most of these churches have borrowed a lot from the society so as to attract them. There are many churches nowadays that have divided the worship service into the main church and the youth service. The latter is specifically designed to cater for the needs and tastes of the youth. These services are characterized by contemporary aspects of worship that include the inclusion of rock and hip-hop music in the worship services. Language has also evolved in the Christian worship service to include informal ones so as to serve the local community (Stevens, 45).

 

 

Works cited

Duchesne, L, and M L. McClure. Christian Worship: Its Origin and Evolution. a Study of the Latin Liturgy Up to the Time of Charlemagne. London: Society for promoting Christian knowledge, 1904. Print.

Haarsma, Deborah B, and Loren D. Haarsma. Origins: Christian Perspectives on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design. Grand Rapids, Mich: Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2011. Print.

Jan Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: The growth of medieval theology (600-1300). Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980.

Stevens, James. Worship In The Spirit – Charismatic Worship In The Church of England. New York: Paternoster. 2002. Print.

 

The Awakening in Comparison to How Stella Got Her Grove Back

Kate Chopin in her novel The Awakening incorporates different themes and issues plaguing an advancing society. The book The Awakening centers on Edna Pontellier who has contrasting views about being a woman in a male dominated world. In addition, her views are regarded as unorthodox in Southern United States where women are viewed as lesser to men. The book attracted condemnation for its boldness in advocating for relegation of duties by the women in their homes in pursuit of personal happiness by women who were mothers or had other responsibilities. However, the book was condemned for its strong description of sexual desires by women in a time when women were not thought of having any feelings and were considered as beings that were for the sole purpose of taking care of family. The Awakening in comparison to the movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back, are identical in that they narrate of how two women are suppressed by society such that they cannot achieve what they crave for because of a prejudiced society (Bassett, 1998). Moreover, How Stella got her Groove Back is a movie about a woman by the name Stella. Stella while on her vacation in Jamaica meets a young man by the name Winston Shakespeare who is 20 years her junior. Despite their 20-year difference in age, they become embedded in a steamy relationship that soon turns into a romantic relationship (Bassett et al, 1998).

Edna Ponteiller is a woman who is held captive by her situation as a mother and a wife in a male chauvinistic society. Edna became involved with a young man with whom she was emotionally attached. The novel is an illustration of the societal injustices against women that were prevalent during that time. This is also identical to Stella’s situation whereby she faces criticism from some of her family members who question her decision to be involved romantically with a younger man. However, Edna’s situation is slightly different from Stella’s because of the different times. In Edna’s time, women were treated as outcasts for having love relationships with young men. Edna seems to have a desire to relive her youth with Robert as they become intimate. Robert is romantic in comparison to her husband who is on frequent business meeting thus lacks time to give love and affection to his wife (Chopin & Culley, 1976).

The book Awakening and the movie How Stella Got her Groove Back both have dominant themes of sexuality. In the Awakening, Edna is portrayed as a sexual being when she becomes sexually involved with Arobin. Stella is also portrayed as a sexual being because she seems at first to be intent on fulfilling sexual desires of Winston and her own as well. Both Stella and Edna try to juggle their responsibilities as mothers and their sexual or physical needs as women, which seem not to be satisfied. As for Edna, she might be referred to as promiscuous because she is already married yet she does not respect her union with her husband and has relations with Robert and Arobin. Arobin considers his relationship with Edna as a fling with no consequence whatsoever (Chopin & Culley, 1976). Stella and Edna both have a right to happiness and thus they are put in bad light by society because they are in pursuit of love that has been elusive.

Despite the prejudices in society against women courting younger men, they defy the odds to achieve the happiness they long for in a happy relationship that is full of love. The book also brings forth the question why does Edna receive condemnation. for being involved with Robert whereas Robert is not put in bad light but is considered as a successful  because he manages to win Edna’s attention. This is a clear illustration of society’s bias towards men who conquer hearts of women who are already married or greater in age. In addition, Winston does not receive any criticism for winning the affection of older Stella but instead receives admiration from part of Stella’s family and friends for winning her heart (Bassett et al, 1998).

After Edna fails to have Robert in her life because he has fled with no sign of coming back she becomes distressed and suicidal. In the end, she opts to commit suicide because she cannot bear the thought of living her past life and without Robert in her life. In contrast to Edna’s situation, Stella does not opt to commit suicide because she eventually gets married to Winston despite their significant age difference. Despite having doubts about having a relationship with a younger man, she stills goes on to have an intimate relationship.

In conclusion, the differences in time are a clear illustration of the views of people about unions between two people of with varying ages. Women are regarded as outcasts yet men are considered as conquerors of the heart when they court a significantly younger woman. In Edna’s time, it was socially acceptable for older men to court younger women. Yet Edna’s actions received condemnation from people in her community who called her as promiscuous.

References

Bassett, A., Diggs, T., Goldberg, W., & Twentieth Century Fox Home Video (Firm). (1998). How Stella got her groove back. Beverly Hills, California: Twentieth Century Fox.

Chopin, K., & Culley, M. (1976). The awakening. New York: Norton.

 

Organizational Communication Systems and Technology

There are diverse communication systems in an organization. They include images, speech, writing and audible signals (Papa et al, 2008, p. 20). Our organization uses the speech, writings and images type of communication systems. There are the internal and external systems, which are further divided into the formal and the informal types. The most used system is the written communication. This comes in both hard and soft copies. Hard copies include magazines, notice boards, memos, letters and reports, amongst others. Soft copies include email messages, mobile phone text messages and the internet such as the organization’s website.

The speech is under oral communication, which is under the informal communication category. This type of system is done directly to the recipients. For example, it is used during meetings and presentations, amongst others. The images are used in both informal and formal situations. For example, documentaries are aired during meetings in order to bring forth a particular concept or show a particular progress. Images through PowerPoint are also shown during presentations in order to enforce a particular idea (Zaremba, 2010; p.35).

Computers, mobile phones and the internet technologies have played a positive and a negative impact on the systems. For example, communication is more effective and efficient with the use of these technologies. On the contrary, it is more expensive as there must be availability of these technologies and the operating skills for the information to be passed. Some are expensive.

References

Papa, M. J., Daniels, T. D., Spiker, B. K., & Daniels, T. D. (2008). Organizational communication: Perspectives and trends. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Zaremba, A. J. (2010). Organizational Communication. New York: Oxford University Press

Communication without Human Intervention

Communication can take place without the intervention of the humans. This has been made possible by the availability of technologies. Most organizations have used the computers for this type of communication to take place. Computers are programmed to pass information automatically to other computers without the intervention of anybody (Stallings, 2000; p.5). Organizations use this when doing both the internal communication and the external communications. For example, the available services in an organization might constantly flash on a screen inside or outside the organization’s building. This flashing is usually not operated by anybody but rather a computer was programmed to pass the information through the screen, which acts as a monitor.

The organization’s transactions, which come in form of purchase orders or invoices, are communicated through electronic transmissions (Unitechedi, 2012). The transactions are automatically taken in by the computerized system as soon as they take place and then they are fed to another system that is viewed by the appropriate people.

However, there are places where the human intervention is needed. For example, the transactions might be sort out before they are handed over to the responsible management. The annual statements must be reconciled before they are communicated to the shareholders. These long processes require the intervention of the humans. This is because most, if not all of the systems have not been programmed to finish off these final details.

References

Stallings, W. (2000). Data and computer communications. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.

Unitechedi (2012). A guide to EDI for Publishers. Retrieved from http://www.unitechedi.com/guide.htm

Comparison and Contrast of Characters

In the tragic play, “Medea” the main character Medea goes through many tragedies in life, where she is neglected by the one she made sacrifices for and loved. Medea is driven by a passion and love for her husband, and does many things including killing her own brother to have him free. She was betrayed by her husband, Jason, who went ahead to marry another women. The play focuses on her quest to seek vengeance on her husband that portrays her for what she is. On the other hand, Dido is in similar situation, though her reaction is different from Medea, where she ends up committing suicide. She is also faced by betrayal after she is in love with her husband who betrays her. The two women have similar character traits as well as differences in terms of how they choose to deal with their problems.

Some of their characters that are similar include love. Medea so many atrocities in order to have her husband by her side. She loved him more than he loved her. The narrator says that she only came to Greece to follow Jason. She has done too much for Jason, including helping him win the Golden Fleece. This is showed when she is lamenting, saying she cheated her father, tamed the fire-breathing bull, saved his life from danger, killed for him amongst other thing, and finally says her intelligence and wisdom has only served him. Dido is a similar situation where she loves her Aeneas so much that she ends up committing suicide. When Aeneas comes after they are blown to the shore, Dido takes care of him and opens her heart to him despite knowing her words will bring shame to her. When Aeneeas decides to leave back for Italy, Dido does everything in her power to convince him to stay. However, Aeneas says it is not his will but the will of the gods.

Both of these women are quite knowledgeable and clever. Medea manages to trick people using her wisdom and knowledge. All she does is well calculated, and nothing has she planned to do and failed. She is bright enough to trick her father, as well as Jason so that the children could be allowed into the palace. This way she could be in a position to fulfill her revenge. In addition, she uses her knowledge to trick the daughters of the rival king Pelias into killing him. On the other hand, Dido is a bright intelligent woman, who is the queen of Carthage, which she rules with great intelligence. She is able to maintain her focus on ruling the city with wisdom.

Medea is revealed as a woman full of revenge when she plots killing her husband for betraying her. When she first plans to kill her husband, she then realizes that this will not make him feel the same pain as she did. She decides to kill the woman he married and her father. However, she manages to kill Glauce and Creon through poisoning them with magic fire where they suffer a great deal before they die. Realizing this is not enough to make Jason learn his lesson; she decides to kill their two sons. She kills them with a sword in the house, and flees together with the two dead boys in a dragon chariot just before Jason could even tough the boys. She is finally able to get her revenge. On the other hand, Dido takes a different cause from Medea, where she chooses to commit suicide because she could not bear the thought of being left by the man she loved. As Aeneas is leaving, she only curses him as she goes ahead to impale herself on his sword before she dies.

In each of the stories, there is a man who these women are attached to so closely by love that drives them to do the unimaginable. Medea does everything for Jason, her husband who then betrays her. On the other hand, Dido commits suicide because of the strong love she had for Aeneas, who could not stay back to love her, and had to go back to Italy. These men do not give much concern to what the women who love them feel, and go ahead with their personal issues without stopping for a moment to consider their feelings.

Jason and Aeneas also have their similarities and differences shown in their different roles they take. Both Jason and Aeneas are ambitious and will do just anything for honor and fame. Jason uses Medea to gain everything he has gained including the Golden Fleece. Aeneas also loves honor as Dido says that she loves a man who loves fame than a woman. In addition, he leaves for Italy despite Dido’s plea. Both of these men have little value for the love they are given by their women, who love them more than anything else does.

Despite having same characteristics, they have different ways of doing things as well as reasons. Jason does everything just for self-gain, where he uses Medea to gain tittles and even to eliminate his enemies. He goes ahead to marry the princess for his own self-gain. On the other hand, Aeneas does this because of his title, and because the gods are telling him to do so. He is loyal to his people, and follows the destiny chosen for him by the gods. This brings out another difference between the two men, where Aeneas does this not out of will but because of prophecy and destiny chosen for him, while Jason chooses his own destiny out of his own selfish interests.

The History of the Pacemaker

The pacemaker is described as an artificial gadget that uses electric impulses to control the heartbeat by relying on its contact with the skin next to the heart. The pacemaker is used to aid people to maintain a constant heart rate in people suffering from cardiac problems. The concept of the pacemaker was developed in the year 1899 by J.A. McWilliams when he discovered that the heartbeat could be evoked by electric impulses applied at intervals equal to 60 -70-heartbeats a minute (Jordeans et al, 2007). The artificial pacemaker concept underwent modifications in the preceding years until an American psychologist Albert Hyman improved on the concept and developed what he called the Hyman’s artificial pacemaker, which continues in use to this date (Greatbatch, 2000). His new invention relied on an electromagnet that was powered by spring-wound cranked motor.

The use of the electric pacemaker has been used to aid people suffering from myocardial infarction to manage the disease. The patients who use pacemakers usually suffer from sinus node dysfunction. The pacemaker was first used in Australia after development in 1926 by doctors Mark Lidwell of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital aided by physicist Edgar Booth of University of Sydney devised the pacemaker, which was first used to resuscitate a baby who had developed complications (Jordeans et al, 2007). The pacemaker was successful such that it was so effective on the baby that the baby’s heart was bale to function after ten minutes. The first clinical application of the pacemaker was in the year 1952 whereby the Zolla pacemaker was used on a 75-year old patient in Boston Beth Israel Hospital who suffered from two consecutive Stokes Adams attacks and heart blockage for two years was aided by the use of the Pacemaker (Jordeans et al, 2007).

The first implanted pacemaker was used on a British man Arne Larsson on March 8 1958 who was suffering from Stoke Adams attacks at the age of 43. The pacemaker underwent more advancement because of technological advancements. During the 1970’s pacemakers were developed which relied on plutonium isotopes for energy. The pacemakers had a remarkable lifespan of ten to twenty years regardless of constant use. Contrary to the advantages attributed to their lifespan, they had a devastating effect on the life of the user due to the exposure to the radioactive plutonium. Moreover, people were concerned over the methods that would be used to dispose of the radioactive isotope and the pacemaker after use (Jordeans et al, 2007).

In the year 1972, a programmable pacemaker was developed that set a precedent for the development of pacemakers with programmable ability. The pacemakers have been a source of hope for people with cardiac problems and continue to give more hope to people as technological advancements aid people to live better lives with the aid of the artificial pacemaker. The use of the pacemaker has increased due to several factors. The existence of foods and advancements in societies has led to people living sedentary lifestyles, which has resulted to an increase in heart related problems. In addition, the increase in populations across the world has resulted in an increase in the demand for the pacemakers (Greatbatch, 2000). The effectiveness of the pacemakers aided by the developments in technology resulted in devices that were reliable for the treatment of myocardial infarction and sinus node syndrome. In the year 1980, most of the pacemakers in the market functioned by the use of lithium ion batteries that were hybrid in nature and would facilitate easy management of the heartbeats of the user. During the 1980’s there was significant competition among manufactures of the pacemakers who delved into the manufacture of pacemakers that were dual chambered which meant that the pacemaker had the ability to facilitate better coordination of the contraction in the ventricles and the atria. In addition, the dual chambered pacemakers had positive physiological effects on the patients

For an individual to meet the criteria for implant he or she must exhibit signs of sinus node syndrome, which is the most common cause of use of the pacemakers according to cardiac medical practioners (Greatbatch, 2000). Sinus mode syndrome is usually common among elderly people due to their ages. In addition, heart block is another common use of the pacemaker and bradycardia, which is caused by drug treatment for heart conditions, warrants the use of pacemakers to save the lives of the patients. Over the past years, advancements have aided in the treatment of more diseases such as tachyarrhythmia, several kinds of syncope and progressive heart malfunction. In addition, technology has aided in the treatment of permanent atrium ventricular blockage (Greatbatch, 2000).

The estimated number of cardiac pacemakers implanted around the world was estimated at 548,000 pacemakers according to estimates from Cardiac Pacing Incorporated. By the end of the year 2000, more than 200,000 pacemakers were implanted in the United States alone at estimated costs of $2 billion (Jordeans et al, 2007).Beyond the year 200 new pacemakers that were more energy efficient than. However, the use of the pacemaker does nor in itself reduce the effect of the disease nor does it cure the sinus node syndrome but instead improve the quality of life of the sufferers and the effects of the disease (Jordeans et al, 2007).

In conclusion, the pacemaker has undergone various advancements owing to the technological advancements attributed to modernization of civilizations. The pacemaker has turned out to be one of the most important gadgets in the history of man. It has aided people with cardiac problems to live quality lives and have the chance to live for prolonged periods that they never thought were possible. Hence the pacemaker can be described a gadget of hope that gives life to those who did no think of living amid their sympathetic health conditions.

 

Attached Article link

Symptomatic Brady arrhythmias in the Adult: Natural History Following Ventricular Pacemaker Implantation http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-8159.1982.tb02245.x/abstract
Reference

Greatbatch, W. (2000). The making of the pacemaker: Celebrating a lifesaving invention. Amherst, N.Y: Prometheus Books.

Jordaens, L., & Theuns, D. A. M. J. (2007). Implantable cardioverter defibrillator stored ECGs: Clinical management and case reports. New York: Springer.

Simon, A. B., & Janz, N. (January 01, 1982). Symptomatic bradyarrhythmias in the adult: natural history following ventricular pacemaker implantation. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : Pace, 5, 3, 372-83..

Management concept relate to films

The film chosen is Crimson Tide. The movie entails two military leaders who conflict about leadership during war or battle. They have different backgrounds and this is what causes the differences. Captain Frank Ramsey is the overall commander of a submarine. He is old in this job and almost retiring. On the other hand is Lieutenant commander Ron Hunter. He is a young graduate from Harvard University, with different philosophies. Captain Ramsey leads his troupe with bravery. He believes their responsibility is to preserve democracy and not practicing it. Hunter principle is military in the nuclear age should target prevention of war. The troupe sets out for a mission of destroying nuclear weapons in Russia, after a fanatic threatens to attack USA.
On their way, they receive a message that there is a Russian group, which is planning to attack the American ship. The ship is ordered to fire but when they are about to receive further instructions, the radio call breaks down. At this state, there is confusion whether to proceed with the strike or not. Ramsey is convinced they should go ahead because they had been ordered to strike. Hunter feels they should not do it because they do not have they rest of the instructions. Both are determined to enforce what they believe and feel and they do it at all costs. The two management concepts revealed in this movie is communication and leadership.
These are very important concepts in management and they highly determine success. Communication involves conveying a message from one person to another. It could be conveyed in many ways, either verbally or not verbally. There should be a sender, message and the receiver. The two parties communicating are required to have a common topic. Communication is said to be complete only when the receivers gets the right message. Sometimes the receiver may get the message but understand it differently. It will be considered that no communication took place.
When the superiors from the military base were giving instruction, they did not finish. This made Captain Ramsey to conclude that they should fire. This cannot be considered as communication. The message was not fully conveyed. Communication barriers include perception, filtering and language barrier. The way people perceive things may cause problems in communication. Leaders should understand that their subjects might have different interpretation on their actions or gestures. They should clarify what is necessary to avoid confusion. Messages may be filtered or not delivered at all. Filtering alters the original message hence it is a barrier.
If a different language is used and the receiver does not understand it, he or she will not receive the message. Sometimes people undermine the impact of non-verbal communication. It involves symbols, sign language or any other way of communicating non-verbally. There is a lot of non-verbal communication in this movie. The conflict between Ramsey and Hunter brings rise to a lot of non-verbal communication. For example, Ramsey considers Hunter to be an obstacle to carrying out the strike. He arranges how Hunter will be locked up.
This act is a message to Hunter that Ramsey is ready to do everything possible, to carry out the order. Hunter had planned to implement mutiny in return. Mutiny is causing resistance to lawful order. Therefore, Hunter was planning to disregard the order until the superiors give further instructions. Lack of good communication can cause insubordination and confusion in administration. Rules, policies and instructions should be clearly laid out to avoid confusion. In the movie, the conflict was caused by lack of clear instructions.
It is apparent that if there was no communication barrier and they receive instructions, there would not have been disagreements. For communication to take place there should be an understanding between the parties involved. The two leaders, Ramsey and Hunter could not come to an agreement on which action to take. They were affected by a communication barrier called “ourselves”. This means that people concentrate on themselves more than the other party does. The attitude of superiority and ego is also a problem between the two people. They both feel they know the best and their decision are the right ones. Another communication barrier is their background.
Ramsey argues he is more experienced in this field and his decisions should not be challenged. Especially, not by a person as young and knew as Hunter. Hunter’s reasons were based on scholarly foundation because it dealt with facts and not opinion. The most important thing about communication is the sender to send message and the receiver to understand as it should. The two barriers are psychological and they should be eliminated by leaders. It does not matter how good each individual is. They should cooperate and be exemplary to the rest of the troupe. The only physical barrier was the spoilt radio call.
If the psychological barriers can be eliminated then there would have been no arguments on decisions. There is a big problem of communication between these two leaders and it needs to be addressed. As a military troop, poor communication is very dangerous. It can lead to huge losses. It is respected that Ramsey was the overall commander but he should respect the opinion of his assistant. If they do not have a common stand, then they should discuss and get a solution. Communication issues easily affect management because the rest of the members become confused.
For instance, when Ramsey and Hunter confronted each other in front of their subjects, it was a wrong portrait. Subjects felt they did not have competent leaders because they could not work together. Hunter’s threat of mutiny shows great insubordination. Such actions are contributors of failure leads to failure. Leadership is the major concept of management in this movie. Leadership is directing people to achieve certain goals. Unfortunately, this is not the case in this movie. The leadership depicted by the commanders, show that they are not good at it.
They portray a disrespectful personality and they do not care what their subjects will think of them. The two commanders show various weaknesses in their leadership style. They seem to out do each other, a character that is not supposed to be in a leader. Leaders are considered as servants of their subjects because they should lead them in the right way. Ramsey and Hunter seem to be doing contrary, thus confusing their subjects. Leaders should have qualities that will command respect from their subjects. They should be exemplary so that their subjects will follow suit. It is important for them to have emotional intelligence.
They should have controlled their emotions and thought about their actions. Integrity was required in this situation. People of integrity are trustworthy because they never deviate from their values. In such a military setting, a commander should have self-confidence. The commander should believe in his ability to lead the others in achieving objectives. It is a basic requirement for the commanders to be intelligent. Sometimes they have to make a decision within a very short time and with little information. They must know what to do in every situation. If they are in a dilemma, they are supposed to use advice from their assistants or other advisors.

Unlike in the movie, Ramsey and Hunter could not consult each other. They greatly competed, yet they were leaders of the same ship. They needed to develop a spirit of cooperation in their team. It is the responsibility of the leader to show the team how to work together by being a team player. Ramsey should have shown Hunter how to cooperate with him and they get a common idea of what to Elucidating and comprehending the characters of excellent leadership is most likely easier than practicing it. Good leadership demands profound human qualities, which surpass usual ideas of authority. In the current time, fine leaders are an influential power, assisting people and organizations to achieve and grow. The customary perception of a leader seen as the directing person at the top of management is currently a very wrong image of what proper leadership must be. Successful leadership does not need immense technical or intellectual ability. These attributes may be helpful, but they are not essential.
Good leadership in the recent age more significantly needs attitudes and behaviors, which depict and relate to humanity. Numerous capabilities in life are acquired skills, information, then using them in a dependable manner. Leadership is quite diverse and asks for emotional strengths and behavioral personality. It can be tapped from a leader’s immense psychological and religious reserves. The leadership position is an unavoidable expression of people’s desires and problems in current life. Leadership is therefore an insightful concept, with increased difficult implications. All these are influenced by an increased multifaceted and dynamic world. Leadership and administration are usually seen as similar entities but there is a distinctive difference.
Leadership is also viewed as directing, commanding people and making imperative decisions as a representative of an organization. Efficient leadership is far much more than all these beliefs. It demands dedication, selflessness and commitment. A leader is a hard worker because he or she must show the rest how to work. People must stop thinking that leadership is about being bossy and making people do what the leader wants. There is a very big difference between a boss, manager and a leader. People must take time to understand all these three and evaluate themselves where they belong.
This is an easy method to perceive how leadership is different from management. Management is mainly characterized by processes. Leadership is mainly about conduct. In other words, management depends intensely on concrete quantifiable capabilities. They include proper planning, making use of managerial systems, and utilizing suitable communications methods. Leadership incorporates many managerial skills, but only as a derivative or backdrop role of true leadership. Leadership mainly is determined by less substantial and less quantifiable things like trust, integrity, positive attitude, good decision maker, and individual personality. They are neither procedures nor skills. Neither are they outcome of practice. They are significant components of humanity, and are made possible mostly by the leader’s personality. This mostly is contributed by hi or her reserve of emotions. Another way to compare leadership to administration is leadership does not significantly rely on the methods of management and procedures a leader uses. Leadership mostly is determined by the mode where the leader uses administration ways and procedures. The management should try to use leadership method than being managers.
It will enable them to be more effective and successful. The commanders in the movie surely have a lot to learn for them to become good and effective leaders. They should also try to improve their communication skills. This can be done by empathy. A sender should check whether the receiver will get the message, as it should be. The sender can repeat the points to ensure the receiver will understand. The sender should know the right time to send. It should be when the receiver has less distraction. The words should be clear and easy to comprehend.
When anyone is receiving messages, he or she should be an active listener. Listen as long as possible and evaluate. Ensure less interruption or none. Have interest in the topic being communicated to maintain concentration. Leadership is faced with many challenges but a good leader will always get ways of subduing them. The focus should always be directing other members in achieving the set goals.

Portrayal of Women in Shakespeare’s Comedies

Question four

Literature is denoted as the mirror of the society. With this regard, the writers mainly tend to narrate their interpretations of the society they are living in. Shakespeare is no different from other artists since he mirrors the issues and lifestyles depicting his world in his works of art. With time, comes change in all aspects of life. Over the years, cultures, environments and even language have experienced great changes. Similarly, the women folk of the Elizabethan times have changed a lot when contrasted to ordinary modern women. The female leads in comedy seem to be very different from ordinary women in today’s society especially in the developed nations.

The female leads in Shakespeare’s comedies are portrayed as being manipulated in contrast to the women in the modern society. The women folk in the modern society have been completely revolutionized. The women have taken up lead roles that have been previously left for the preserve of men. It can be seen even in the modern families where the bills are now being split between the husband and the wife, the provision of education to the girl child has specifically played a major role in this revolution. This has led to women qualifying in the corporate market and it now normal to see women in managerial positions and even sitting at interviews interviewing and assessing potential candidates (Shakespeare, Stephen, and Andrew, 2008).

This is very different from the women in the Elizabethan society as portrayed by Shakespeare. It is expected that having an unmarried woman at the throne of Elizabethan England would ensure more rights and privileges from the womenfolk. On the contrary, this is not the case. From his works, we find that the women in the society were not in any way regarded as equals but rather seen as inferior people who needed to be taken care of by men. However, there lies a dim similarity with some of the women in Shakespeare world who seem to enjoy a greater degree of autonomy and power in contrast with a patriarchal society. This highlights a contrasting image of the portrayal of women in the Elizabethan times. There is the conception of women empowerment depicted by those who seem to be strong and independent while there are the rest who are inferior and submissive. The character traits of both however, seem to be developed by theme or plot rather than the qualities of the leads themselves (Shakespeare, Stephen, and Andrew, 2008).

The way Shakespeare portrays the women in his comedies is a strong indication of both how he perceives them and how the men of the Elizabethan society perceived them. The women are portrayed as having limited freedom in comparison to the male characters. Although there are a few of the women who tend to dominate their husbands in manipulating them, their schemes always end up in futility indicating that women in the Elizabethan society are utterly inferior and when given the opportunity to show their leadership skills, all their efforts and plans are in futility. This is evidenced by two of Shakespeare’s tragedies, “Hamlet and Macbeth,” where we see women in some sense of power but their use of this power does not benefit the society in any way. This is a strong difference between women in today’s society, who have used their power and influence to bring changes and benefits to the women who are still oppressed in the society.

The high-born women in the comedies are depicted as “possessions” that can be passed on from the father to the husband. The daughters do not have a say on whom to marry nor do they have the privilege of exploring the world freely. When this is done, it is often in the presence of chaperones. Many of the women in the Elizabethan society are manipulated and coerced to perform the bidding of the men folk. Shakespeare however, portrays the lower class women to have more freedom and also allows them to have the freedom of exploring their sexuality. This is probably because their low-status in society does not seem to pose any harm to the society. Those who seem to have some bit of power are untrustworthy and are always portrayed as having questionable motives or morals. As an example, we find Gertrude in Hamlet who decides to get married to the murderous brother to her husband and also find Lady Macbeth manipulating her husband to commit murder to acquire the throne. The end of their scheming lives mostly ends in death. Their efforts are of course fruitless therefore questioning their ability to lead uprightly.

By closely examining the texts, it can be interpreted that this may not be necessarily the case. In most of Shakespeare’s works, appearances can tend to be deceiving. There are instances where the behavior exhibited is a façade and is simply a means to an end. The facial expressions are a simply a façade to the person’s real feelings. There are those who are conniving enough to use the façade as an acculturated veneer to manipulate the play’s events. The examination of these archetypes indicates that the only difference between them and the modern woman is their cunningness in using humility and submissiveness as deceptions for achieving a greater end.

In Shakespeare’s play, “Hamlet”, we find Hamlet who is submissive to the men in her patriarchal society. She ends up being easily manipulated and seems unable to express her own feelings. She therefore ends up living up to the expectations of the women folk in her life as opposed to her own. She gives in to her father’s demands and proceeds to marry his choice of a suitor. Even in her married life she submits to the will of her husband and dutifully performs his bidding. Were she independent and resistant to the control in her life, she could have possibly ended up with the man of her desire.

We also find Miranda in “The Tempest’” whose voice is utterly silenced in the entire play. She indicates royalty and submission to the men in her patriarchal society. She plays the role of an individual who is only supposed to be seen but never heard. Even though she is royalty in that her father is the king, the male characters disregard this fact and treat her like a commoner who does not have a say. This is reflection of the patriarchal society in which, Shakespeare lived in. Her actions are completely in contrast with ordinary women who fit her stature and in similar circumstances. Women from the royal families contrast with Miranda’s character by far. They exhibit great independence, confidence and whose opinion is always valued. Such women are never likely to be married off to suitors against their wishes but are mostly independent and marry at the time and person of their bidding. Even in Elizabethan times, the then reigning queen, Queen Elizabeth was so independent that she could not share her ruler ship with anybody. She therefore ended up being unmarried all her life since getting married would require to submit to her husband.

Desdemona, in “Othello” takes up the role of a rebellious individual to indicate that such individuals also existed in the Elizabethan society. She refuses to heed to her father’s obligation and instead proceeds to marry Othello against the wishes of her father. However, this dominion in her life was short lived when her husband had to hit her and therefore could not afford protection from him. This also shows that most of the decisions made against the father’s in a patriarchal society always end in dismay.

Shakespeare portrays female characters that seem submissive and easily controlled. They can therefore be given the term dutiful daughters and submissive mothers who offer themselves over to patriarchal repression without complaint. When analyzing the role that Hero plays in Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing” we find a lady who is completely submissive and controlled by the father Leonato. This is specifically on the issue of finding a suitable suitor. During the second act, we find the father perceiving that Don Pedro is interested with the daughter and may proceed to ask her hand in marriage. He instructs Hero not to decline the Prince’s advance regardless of the difference in age between the two. This indicates the patriarchal aspects of the society because at first the man is one who makes the advances and the tone of the father does not give room for the daughter to give any objections (Shakespeare, Stephen, and Andrew, 2008).

The patriarchal society has suppressed Hero greatly that she is submissive to not only her father but to the rest of the male characters in the play. Hero is easily wooed and does not get the chance to choose her mate. The prince easily flatters her and therefore effortlessly manipulates her into becoming her wife. The same effort is involved in undoing her when she refers to her as her as an adulteress. The prince manipulates her through his nefarious schemes close to the point of death. Even in the presence of the influence of a more liberated Beatrice, Hero never seems to stand up to her self and doesn’t act under her own volition.

In “The taming of the shrew”, we also find Kate who often submits to the patriarchal figure of her father. She has given in to her father’s demands regarding her behavior and courtship. On the other hand, we also find Bianca who submits willfully to the bidding of the patriarchal society. She even states, “[W]hat you will command me will I do/So well I know my duty” (II.i.6-7). Her submission to her father’s demands show a greater contrast to the women in today’s society who would find themselves in similar situations. This is because she offers to stand aside and wait until her sister Kate to be married off first and wait for her turn in line with the demands of her patriarchal society.

The final scene however brings in a contrast to the archetypal characterizations. We find Bianca changing from her submissive nature once she has been married to Lucentio. This seems to spark her into becoming willful and utterly disobedient to the husband and refuses to heed to his summons. We also find Kate fitting well into the wife material as she is dutiful to Petruchio and heeds to his summons. When requested by Petruchio, she heeds and fetches Bianca and instructs her on how to obligate to her wifely duties.

This can be interpreted that the women in the tragedies are mainly portrayed as conniving since they use the submissive masks to accomplish their own ends. Bianca puts on a façade of a dutiful and submissive daughter so that she can end up with husband of means. Once she has attained her ends, she drops the façade to become a pampered and petulant child. Kate’s shrewd and withdrawal nature can be interpreted as her own means of ridding off the disliked suitors. This can be form of ensuring the survival of the fittest in that the one who persists is the ideal mate for her. When Petruchio persists and resolves to marry her, she realizes that this is the ideal suitor and therefore drops the façade to be the loving and caring wife. This is unlike the women of today who would outright detest what they do not want instead of putting up facades (Shakespeare, Stephen, and Andrew, 2008).

Although Shakespeare attempts portray a strong, independent female character in the comedy “As you like it,” there is still the nuance of a patriarchal perception of women being people who cannot be independent and are easily manipulated. This is evidenced by the character of Rosalind who is portrayed as having a sense of independence and control over her life but this is only attained when disguises herself as a male figure.  This shows that being her very self as a woman cannot afford her the success unless she takes up the figure of a man. This further indicates that there are women in the patriarchal societies who have the same potential as the male counterparts but cannot make any accomplishments because they are not afforded the opportunities.

 

 

 

 

Work cited

Shakespeare, William, Stephen J. Greenblatt, and Andrew Gurr. The Norton Shakespeare: Tragedies. New York: W. W. Norton, 2008. Print.

Eastern European Immigration Patterns to the USA

Immigration to the United States is a complicated demographic consideration that has contributed to cultural change and population growth in the United States. The social, political and economic aspects of this phenomenon have led to controversy regarding economic benefits, employment for non immigrants, ethnicity, voting behavior, and settlement patterns. In the year 2006, the United States had accepted more permanent residence immigrants than all other worldwide countries combined. After immigration ethnic quotas were eliminated, the number of United States immigrants eventually quadrupled. The leading countries contributing to immigration to the United States include India, Mexico, Philippines, China, and Europe. This paper will focus on European Immigration to the United States and the patterns involved (Cohn, 2001).

Beyond half of Europeans immigrating to the United States in the 17^th and 18^th century period arrived as indentured servants (Cohn, 2001). The mid 19^th century witnessed influx from Southern, Northern, and mainly Eastern Europe from Asia and Latin America. Historians suggest that an estimated 400,000 European immigrants used the Atlantic Ocean to access the United States in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The early years of America witnessed little immigration from Eastern Europe up to only 8,000. However, up to the 20^th century, European immigrants largely increased to thirty million. In the course of their transatlantic voyages, death rates were high with one European immigrant dying in every seven.

Every European migrating into the United States had different reasons. Between the years 1880 and 1915 alone, over thirty five million European natives left their country behind to migrate to the United States (Carlson, 2000). Issues pertaining to political and economic conditions, population growth, industrialization and urbanization degrees, led to this migration. For example, religious and political discontent facilitated migration of Eastern Europeans into the United States between the seventeenth and eighteenth century. This was largely influenced by the renewed Napoleon warfare in Germany. Many people were forced out due to the harsh forest and taxation laws (Carlson, 2000).

From England, emigration due to political reasons was massive in the nineteenth century, and greatly reduced after the introduction of the reform bill. In Germany however, the 1830 revolutionary movement oversaw massive departure of its natives into the United States. At this time, this reaction was as a result of harsh political oppression. In the early nineteenth century, religious discontent in Prussia led to its natives migrating to the United States. The failed attempts of revolutionizing Europe in 1951, especially Germany, ended up in a struggle against monarchial institutions (Carlson, 2000). Ultimately, the following years witnessed an increase in the Eastern European emigration towards America. In the course of this period, political issues after Prussian warfare between Austria and Denmark, and the Alsace Lorraine annexation in the German empire, all facilitated political emigration in the United States.

In addition, the large part of the nineteenth century saw lower class natives in both Germany and Ireland living under continuous starvation. Incompetent governance, pernicious legislation, untapped human resource, ignorance modern production methods, and inadequate means of learning and application all reduced the natives of Eastern Europe to low wage earners. They would eventually immigrate to the United Sates as a means of seeking better livelihood conditions (Carlson, 2000). After the European revolution, a period of peace, prosperity and good harvests followed. This would only translate to rapid increase in population through out the nineteenth century. As a means of easing up on the population, natives migrated from Eastern Europe to the less populated United States.

Currently, the United States has a dream of delivering better lives to its immigrants usually in terms of personal freedom and financial prosperity. However, the government has become stricter when allowing immigrants into the nation to avoid overpopulation and negative effects on the economy.

 

Reference

Carlson, A. W. (January 01, 2000). One century of foreign immigration to the United States: 1880-1979. International Migration (Geneva, Switzerland), 23, 3, 309-34.

Cohn, R. L. (January 01, 2001). A comparative analysis of European immigrant streams to the United States during the early mass migration. Social Science History, 19, 1, 63-89.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion post

Yahoo and Google groups are sites that allow communication among its members. The members share common interests and these sites give them a chance to interact. These sites have categories of groups for their members. A new member is assisted to join the one that is suitable for him or her. The groups include animals, business, internet, games, music, education and science among others. The two groups are among the biggest discussion groups online. They use the webpage to send and read messages. Use of emails is also possible to send and receive messages from other group members. Other features, which are provided, are photos, calendar schedules and other announcements. These groups are helped many people to gain a lot of knowledge from other people and sources (Primary research groups, 2011).

Yahoo and Google groups have a relationship with a book called “Blue ocean strategy”. This book talks about how companies can adopt strategies that will eliminate competition. It seems to be a very educative book because no company likes competition from its rival. Companies would appreciate a business environment where they get increased profits from their products. I have discovered a unique relationship between the groups and the book. This book can be helpful to members of these two sites. This mostly applies to the member of Yahoo group, who belong to business and finance category. They can use the book to study about the strategies and discuss it online via their sites. Members who work in companies will learn new ways of dealing with competition. Discuss these strategies in groups is better than reading them as an individual. The areas which will prove difficult for some people, they will receive assistance from those who have no problem comprehending. In addition, the group has diverse people with different kinds of knowledge in business. They will share this knowledge as they expound on the contents of the book. In other words, the concept of virtual learning will be applicable in this exercise (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005).

One concept I would want to disagree with, is the efficiency of using these groups as a platform of discussion. The mode of communication is sending messages via email or wring on the website. This method has low efficacy when such an intense discussion is done. It will be very time consuming and people may not fully benefit from this activity. Some members will not be able to contribute; hence, the discussion will not benefit them. The book is characterized with several criticisms and the members would want to discuss them. Criticisms are not facts therefore; they face a lot of debate. There is a question of how the debate will be carried by the members. There is likely to be confusion if there is no one to organize the discussion (Primary research group, 2011).

The best way to improve efficiency is having a person who will coordinate the discussion. People will forward their contributions to the coordinator and he or she will post them on the site. The coordinator will also organize how the questions will be answered. Generally, forming a discussion on the analysis of a book, using these groups can only be done in an organized way. The most convenient way of holding forums or discussion virtually, is using teleconferencing (Primary research groups, 2011).

According to this weeks reading, I have learnt social sites like Yahoo and Google groups are not only for leisure and for recreation. They can be used for can be used in enhancing business or in education. This book was not only important to the business and finance group but also to the group belonging to education. They can also form a discussion and analyze it. It would boost their knowledge in business strategies. It also talks about discovering untapped markets as a way of eliminating competition. This is also important for marketers in these two groups (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005).

References

Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2005). Blue ocean strategy: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press.

Primary Research Group. (2011). Library use of the mega-Internet sites, 2011-12 edition: Google, Facebook, Yahoo!, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, and more. New York: Primary Research Group.