Author: chris

The Civil War: Causes and Consequences
The American Civil War, also referred to as the War Between the States lasted between 1861 and 1865. When the confederacy, consisting of eleven Southern slave states led by Jefferson Davis declared their secession from the rest of the United States commonly referred to as the Union, composing of the Free states and five slave states or Border States, which advocated for abolition of slavery, the War was born. This was essentially fueled by Abraham Lincoln’s election under the Republican Party and his vow to extend the campaign on the abolition of slavery. Both the outgoing president’s administration, James Buchanan, and the incoming Lincoln’s administration were in high opposition of slavery. In March 4, 1861, seven southern states declared their secession from the Union just before Lincoln took office. Consequently, the Lincoln administration declared this as a rebellion and rejected its legality. On April 12, 1861, hostilities began. Confederate forces attacked at Fort Sumter in southern Carolina. Lincoln responded by calling for volunteer armies from the remaining states and declared an Emancipation Proclamation which prioritized end of slave trade in the south as a war goal. These lead to secession by four more states. Important battles won by the Confederate commander Robert E. Lee in the east were neutralized by various vital battles such as The Battle of Gettysburg and the Capture of Vicksburg which availed access to the Mississippi River splitting the confederacy into two. On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, ending all Confederate resistance. While both the Union and the Confederates believed that they fought against tyranny and oppression, the Lincoln administration prioritized the war against slavery while the Confederates defended their right to self-rule.
Various reasons have been put forward as to the reasons for the onset of the Civil War. Key to these were the economic and social disparities between the North and the South, the clash between state and federal rights, the controversy between opponents and proponents of slave trade, the growth of the Slave trade Abolition Movement and the election of Abraham Lincoln coupled with the consequent battle at Fort Sumter.
The disparity in the economy and in the society was key in triggering the Civil War. In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. This was very profitable since it reduced the time taken in separating the seeds from the cotton hence farmers were encouraged to shift into cotton farming. Most farmers in the South shifted to plantation farming which required a larger workforce. This was easily provided by slaves who were a cheap source. Therefore, the Southern economy chiefly depended on cotton and therefore slaves whereas the North depended chiefly on industry rather than agriculture. Hence, the north was more urbane and had a vibrant city life. This necessitated that different classes had to interact while the South upheld an antiquated social order.
Secondly, since Revolution, there had been an existing controversy on whether states should be given more power or whether the federal government should exercise more control. The Articles of Confederation loosely governed the relationship between member states since the American Revolution and independence. However, due to common problems experienced, the leaders came up with the United States Constitution at the Constitutional Convention. This usurped individual member states the power of nullification which enabled them to reject any federal acts they felt were interfering in their state rights. Consequently, strong proponents of state rights such as Thomas Jefferson, John C. Calhoun and Patrick Henry fought hard for nullification. This finally resulted in secession when the states felt that nullification was no longer being applied.
Thirdly, the fight between pro-slavery and anti-slavery proponents in new states gained from the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican War as to whether the states should be free or slave states was a major contributory factor. In 1820, the Missouri Compromise prohibited slavery in states gained from the Louisiana Purchase in the latitude 36 degrees 30 minutes north with the exception of Missouri. Controversy further erupted on the lands gained from the Mexican War. Tensions were heightened by the 1846 Wilmot Proviso which proposed ban of slavery in these states. It was shot down in the senate. Henry Clay’s Compromise of 1850 further sought to create a balance between the free and slave states. It incorporated the crucial fugitive slave act. Tensions reached a boiling point due to the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act which proposed use of popular sovereignty in determination whether the states would be free or slave. In Kansas, proslavery Missourians poured into the state in order to influence it. Consequently, fighting not only broke out termed as Bleeding Kansas but also on the floor of the senate between antislavery proponent Charles Sumner and South Carolina’s Senator Preston Brooks.
The growth in leaps and bounds of the Abolitionist Movement contributed to secession. The North was highly polarized against slavery prompting sympathy for abolitionists and against slaveholders. The publishing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe and John Brown’s Raid and the Dred Scott’s Case and the passage of the fugitive slave act put pressure on the South.

The global recession came about as a result of liquidity insufficiency in the largest world economy, U.S. This has led to business closures like in the Wall Street and numerous government bail-outs in the banking and industrial sector such as AIG, the American International Group. The global financial crisis was a result of increased shareholder pressure on the firms’ managements especially CEO’s with an objective of maximizing profits at the expense of practicing required ethics. This paper therefore discusses ethics as the root-cause of the financial crisis and identifies the importance of practicing ethics and corporate social responsibility.
Ethics and professional standards cannot be proved important in a better fashion than by the housing mortgage crisis in the U.S. The U.S Mortgage meltdown is a crisis whereby homebuyers can no longer afford to repay the billions of dollars lent to them by banks. Wall Street is a practical example that aimed at marketing this mortgage as a financially safe security by offering cheap credit that involved high- risk volatile products which were otherwise financially insecure in the long-term, but was in effect only interested in realizing massive profits while propagating corruption and greed.( Lim, M., 2008)
The current global financial crisis can be attributed to poor corporate governance and regulation. This financial disaster is attributed to nominal corporate governance and unregulated financial markets. House prices have gone down and mortgage default rates gone up resulting in rapid inflation. The subprime mortgage debacle was due to the banks urge to make large profits. Large unconscionable risks were assumed by investment banks and concealed in securities. These were then sold to other unsuspecting institutions.
“ The increasing complexity of securitization and the change in leading practices to ‘originate to distribute’ led to acute moral hazard where each participant in the mortgage chain was trying to make continuously greater returns while assuming that they passed on all associated risks to other participants” (Lewis, 2007).
Mortgages issued in Stockton are now in default or foreclosure. These mortgages have been termed as subprime implying that they are substandard since the borrowers such as the Fontenots had a sketchy credit capacity and lacked a proper repayment capacity yet bankers went ahead to issue the loan arguing that real estate’s value was on a continuous rise. This was a poor market assessment since the borrowers were being serviced in excess of 100% of the property’s worth. This was a profit motivated objective that not only led to the auction of these properties after the onset of the global recession, but has also made the banks to fold. This therefore, exemplifies how profit maximization at the expense of proper implementation of ethics can be very disastrous. (House of Cards, 2008). Hence, a self-regulatory market commonly referred to as laissez-faire cannot be left to entirely regulate itself since necessary ethics have been found not to be adhered to.
The banking industry has been characterized as greedy and shadowy. Changes came about after the U.S pulled out of the Dot-Com crisis after reducing interest rates to a low of 1%. In 2004, financial markets saw the need to break away from the traditional banking system to a new order of marketization. Credit transfer and risk management have come around from a more stable to a highly insecure status as the firms drive towards a higher profit realization. (Rowe and Day, 2007, pp. 39-44.). Moreover, it is outside of US regulation laws since an independent, self-regulatory capitalist market is assumed. Christopher Cox, Chairman of the SEC, testifying to the Senate Banking Committee on September 23, 2008, made clear the role of lack of regulation in the current financial crisis:
“The failure of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to give regulatory authority over investment bank holding companies to any agency of government was, based on the experience of the last several months, a costly mistake. There is another similar regulatory hole that must be immediately addressed to avoid similar consequences. The $58 trillion notional market in credit default swaps — double the amount outstanding in 2006 — is regulated by no one. Neither the SEC nor any regulator has authority over the CDS market; even to require minimal disclosure to the market”
(Cox, 2008).
Major corporations have trounced on ethics dealing with protection of shareholder equity and the issue on government bailouts. One time Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testified that he had counted on financial institutions to protect shareholder equity after being questioned by the House Committee of Government Oversight and Reform. This faith in the financial sector to carry out its ethical duties was no totally unfounded as the case was in the hedge fund Amaranth in 2006. The company was trading futures in the exchange where the exchange was the counter-party to Amaranth’s contracts. When Amaranth got bankrupt, the exchange forced the sale of Amaranth’s contracts in a liquid market to maintain its margin position (Cecchetti, 2007). As a result of these forced sales, while Amaranth collapsed and shares lost their value, there were no systemic problems. The exchange had been properly informed hence the market governance worked. This ensured a transparent transition. This has not been the case with big corporations such as Goldman Sachs. Transparency has been ignored and undue political influence used particularly in the bailout of former largest insurer, American

This essay reflects on the current physician shortages as revealed by the National Physician and Nurse Supply Survey and posted in the journal Entrepreneur. The survey carried on hospital CEO’s indicates 68 percent view these shortages as enigmatic and must be addressed (Caldwell 2007). This essay extensively covers physician shortages and the techniques the management applied to resolve this problem through a case study done on Banner Health. In specific, the problems discussed are workplace burnout and frustration which ended in loss of top talent. This highly affected client loyalty hence the overall financial performance of Banner Health. Management strategies on retaining physicians have also been tackled and have been in place for a year.
Job satisfaction in a physician’s work environment has been largely reduced by increased workload, lower workplace reimbursement and widely-felt powerlessness in the work environment leading to disenfranchisement and consequently leading to frustration. This is due to the fact that physicians rarely control global trends such as aging, cost versus reimbursement pressures, consumerism, changes in outpatient care and nursing shortages. Challenges such as conflict resolution, building workplace consensus and a rapidly changing market have been largely ignored in medical training. Intervention therefore, if not implemented, brings about physician workplace burnout. Burnout is a condition that occurs when demands placed against the physician exceed his personal ability to cope bringing about psychological anguish, physical illnesses, and clinical errors in the area of jurisdiction. Three priority items have been listed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory as: emotional exhaustion, decline in personal empathy and lack of self-actualization which weigh heavily in retaining surgeons. A study on 382 practicing surgeons in the U.S showed that 32 percent suffered emotional exhaustion, 13 percent felt depersonalized and 4 percent felt unaccomplished. This goes a long way to support that surgeons should not only be taught surgery but also life skills.
This case study is on Banner Health, a firm located in Phoenix, Arizona, and operates 10 hospitals in Phoenix and one in Arizona under its mother company. Banner Medical Group (BMG). Physicians are employed by the firm to provide adequate primary care for its patients and help with subspecialty calls on patient assists. Physician turnover rates were found to be in excess of 10 percent hence the management decided to implement an on-boarding program which would ensure physicians would not leave prematurely by fully engaging newly employed physicians.

The food industry has been under recent scrutiny as to its moral and ethical obligation to consumers in the provision of healthy, wholesome food to citizens. There has been a widening feeling that in order to impart ethics into the industry, there is a need to tax all unhealthy ingridients, regulate prices especially when cheaper prices come at an expense to the consumer and the need for classification and ethical traceability. Inn response, a group of protagonists in the industry who feel that consumers should be responsible for their own nutritional choices has clamoured for the market autonomy. They feel that utter freedom of choice as to which products should be consumed shoould be granted to the consumer. Therefore, the consumers, through their own intuition, should avoid all foods that are deemed harmful or unethically produced. It is in view of this contoversial debate that this esssay establishes the pros and cons of these arguments based on an ethics platform.
Positions have been adopted that provide a hard-line against consumers freedom of expression in the food industry. On one hand, the Chicago School of Economy postulates for a value free market with well informed and versed consumers in making suitable choices in consumption. On the other hand, there is the position held by lobbyists and campaigners for consumer rights who feel that the consumer should always be protected against harmful or inappropriate products by corporations in the food industry.
The consumer, in the former approach, is hereby viewed as either passive or equipped with insufficient knowledge and power so as to reject any advances that are deemed unethical. This incorporates the fact that the middle income consumer is frequently indebted to the producer, who would otherwise use this to the advantage of lowering standards to produce cheaper products that contravene basic ethics. The latter argument against consumer sovereignty and demands governmental interventions in the food industry proposes that consumers exhibit utilitarian maximization of their own persornal utility such that most people insist on buying cheaper products without giving a damn on whether the producer met the set moral standards. This in turn means that private preferences and interests take root in the protection of politicized issues such as the impact on the environment. Therefore, the voter, who happens to be hypothetically distinctive from the consumer, votes in an unethical government that does not have the public interests and moral principles at heart.
This is however contravened by the empirical evidence presented against these concepts. First, the idea of the market being value free is only hypothetical since societal norms of trust and decency such as adherence to agreed contracts between the consumer and the producer are mainly upheld by the market players. Secondly, although some consumers such as children are highly vulnerable, many consumers have diverse opinions regarding particular products, which is advanced by technological advances such as the internet and widespread awareness campaigns conducted by lobbyists and Non-Governmental Organisations. However, this aspect is flawed since the consumers can never at one time attain perfect knowledge on all the products offered in the market.
Thirdly, studies conducted by consumer-watch non-governmental organisations indicate that consumers are not concentrating solely on their personal and short-term interests and preferences but are shifting towards a sustainable public interest on consumerism issues. Therefore, the image of the rational, utilitarian, egoistic cost-effective consumer is being discarded as a portrayal of consumer behaviour, thought and a theoretical analysis. Fourthly, the distinction between the end user of various products and the general public, who vote for policies on food consumption is rather challenging. Empirically, the individual who shops and consumes the goods produced is one and the same with the voter who casts his vote in support or in opposition to various legislations or governments in the political process. Therefore, preferences expressed in shopping cannot be detached from political preferences. Moreover, from an analytical point of view, the distinction between consumer and citizen is not constructive in the food industry since the existence of consumer concerns expresses a discontentment in the ability of the existing regulatory body in dealing with rogue producers.
In1962, the John F. Kennedy government appealed to the consumerism rights broadly through the enactment of the Bill of Consumers Rights, which was consequently integrated into the European Union consumer policy programme. It addressed the rights to safety, the right to keep the consumer informed, the freedom of choice, the freedom to be heard, right of representation and the right to sufficient legal protection. After the 1992 Rio Convention in which the general significance of sustainable production was deliberated upon by most nations till a consensus was achieved and the later creation of the unified European single market, the ethics in consumerism and diverse consumer needs came to prominence. However, concerns expressed by consumers are multiple and cannot be aptly documented in law.

This research paper presents the ethical principles against physician assisted suicide based on both the utilitarianism theory and virtue ethics. Medical professional codes prohibit physicians from carrying out assisted suicide. Despite ethical and legal bans, there has been increased lobbying to legalize this in recent years.Views on the pros and cons should be clearly articulated by medical practitioners so as the public can decide whether to embrace change. In addressing this controversial issue; physicians, policymakers, and the public must consider the individual needs of patients, the vulnerability of minority patient groups, ethics and professionalism, and the complexities of these patient’s healthcare.
The morality of this issue is here-in discussed under an individual’s capability to decide on manner and timing of his or her death, the effect of the person’s death on the physician, the utiliritarian analysis of this type of death, the right to have a dignified death, the reason for committing suicide, potential costs that shall be saved, public support or lack thereof, protection against exhaustion of family assets, the sanctity of human life, probable errors in diagnosis and impact of the patient’s life on others.
“The purpose of medicine is not to relieve all the problems of human mortality, the most central and difficult of which is which is why we have to die in ways to us….Medicine’s role must be limited to what it can it can appropriately do, and it has neither the expertise nor the wisdom to respond to the deepest and oldest human questions” (Kathleen M. Foley, 1999)

Campaigners for physian assisted suicide state that each person has the authority to decide when to terminate his life without undue influence being exerted.This involves timing and manner of death, avoidance of pain and suffering and the memory on how a person would want to be remembered. This decision should be autonomous and self-declaratory. This proposition is however flawed since it underscores the principle on sanctity of life. This argument is also flawed since it argues that these patients are under immense pain and suffering which research has shown not to be true. The reason is actually as a result of depression and loss of hope. When this were aptly treated, 50% of Americans were found to reverse their decisions.Terminally ill patients may also feel that they are a financial burden to their families and friends leading to more depression. If this is actually a misconception and the family values the patient’s life more than the mental and financial burden, then it would be wrong for him or her to commit suicide.
Utilitarian reasoning proposes that this form of suicide enables a patient to control manner and time of death and a person’s autonomy is honoured at death.The theory also seeks to prove that costs far outweigh the benefits through utalitarian calculation as proposed by John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). Calculation of pleasure is weighed against pain. Professional ethics however dictate it is wrong to terminate a person’s life merely based on a utalitarian analysis. This is since it is not a particular individual’s analysis but rather a general one based on the greatest pleasure based on a majority of patients. Thus this does not answer the querry whether physian assisted suicide is good for the society as a whole. Proponents campaigning for legalization of this form of suicide have claimed public support on yhis but various polls in the U.S have disapproved utalitarian thinking. Public opinion polls regarding assisted suicide and euthanasia have been voted down such as Michigan Proposal B, in 1998 by 71 to 29 percent. In 1992, California Proposition 161, a bill seeking to legalize voluntary euthanasia was voted down by 54-46 percent. Based on this results, the assumption that the majority of people is in support of this is incorrect and misleading.

Democracy is a widely acknowledged form of political government under which the power to govern is sourced from the people either by a conducting a direct referendum or through an election of various representatives. In the 5th century BC, the Greeks coined this system of government that vests all power to decide as to who shall rule squarely on the people. This system chiefly asserts on equality and freedom as its mainstream virtues. Therefore, citizens are viewed as having equal access to power and deemed as equal before the law. Therefore, every man is entitled to one vote with an equal weight. These rights and liberties practiced by the citizens within such a state are secured by a constitution. Although this system of government implies multiple freedoms to its citizens, it can end up failing and becoming cumbersome to the subjects if proper checks and balances are not put in place to constantly keep the leaders in track. Therefore, an in-depth analysis of democracy has been carried out herein by evaluating the pros and cons of this system. (Strong, 1998)
There are numerous merits as to why a democracy should be the system of choice in governance. First, smooth transitory changes can take place in government without violence. This is enabled through free and fair elections whereby the citizens determine the ruling authority by simple majority. Secondly, democracy prevents monopoly of any one ruling authority. This is since the incumbent government has to compete with other parties and personalities after expiration of its term. This therefore ensures that the ruling authority works for the people and towards their needs or leave office due to the failure to be re-elected.
Thirdly, a democracy serves as motivational factor to the people. This is since the government is obligated towards its citizens. By carrying out of all its duties and goals set which are supported by the majority, the people feel appreciative and encouraged to work even harder towards attaining a better economic status. Finally, a democratic government makes the citizens have a feeling of participation and ‘ownership.’ They feel that the government has been legally elected by them and that it is theirs. They are able to express their freedom of choice and opinion through the ballot box or voting process. This has the capacity of enhancing nationalism. (Kukathas, 2004)
Despite all these merits, there are various demerits and criticisms that have been put forward against democracies. These have been based on the irrational voters who are widely perceived that they are poorly informed on political, social and economic issues.
First, democracies have been deemed to be politically unstable. Though the government is elected in by the majority, during its term, opponents and the media frequently challenge the ruling authority which could lead to a sudden change in the political support. This goes a long way in discouraging foreign investment and economic growth. (Zorach, 2010)
Secondly, democracies have been characterized by short terms. This is especially the case after elections and there is no clear winner leading to formation of coalitions due to the fact that democracies are not after the ideological match but the support of the majority. Any imbalance in the treatment of principal partners may lead to withdrawal from the coalition hence the collapse of the government leading to another election.
Thirdly, the democratic governments are slow in responding to key issues in the society. This is because decisions are carried out through consensus rather than a unilateral system that would otherwise speed up decision making.

In this essay, healthy foods and eating habits have been contrasted with unhealthy foods and the poor eating habits associated with them. For a person to remain healthy, not only physically but also mentally, food rich in proteins, carbohydrates and a variety of vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin, calcium and iron need to be taken regularly and in appropriate proportional amounts. Junk and fatty food such as burgers, pizzas, fried chicken and potato chips which are very popular but highly detrimental to the body due to the buildup of cholesterol should be avoided.
Healthy foods therefore must be taken through a balanced diet which may include fresh fruits such as citrus and vegetables as a source of vitamins, vital minerals and roughage which greatly aid in averting deficiencies such as scurvy in the case of vitamin C, constipation and conditions such as anemia in the case of iron; protein-enriched food especially white meat such as fish rather than red meat and plant proteins such as green grams which ensure proper growth; and energy-giving food such as fiber cereals and whole-meal bread which are rich in starch.
Unhealthy foods such as white pastas, refined white sugar, aspartame, taste-enhancing chemicals, candies, corn syrup containing high fructose levels and denatured fats are largely responsible for obesity, hypertension, coronary heart condition and diabetes. This are largely consumed through junk food which the body cannot fully handle and are therefore converted into fat which is stored mainly under the skin as adipose tissue. Some taste enhancers and sugars have been found to cause indigestion, acne and gas problems when regularly taken. Hence, healthy foods should be consumed in regular and considerable amounts and should be prepared under cooking methods such as boiling, grilling and steaming rather than deep-frying methods which increase the fat content. If proper eating habits are observed, common ailments can be avoided.

This research proposal extensively focuses on the national and state language politics and policy aired in the United States in the BBC Radio program, Around Us. The issues discussed herein aired on this radio program range from excerpts of vital landmark court cases in fields such as education and issues affecting English Language learners. This is in line with the set principles on education as put forward in the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and Annual Yearly Progress (AYP).There have been a number of legislations and court cases that have been significant cornerstones in the past years as in relation to English learners. Around Us analyzed some of these cases and legislations and presented the following report.
“This is your favorite program Around Us and I am your host Mellissa Rahgo. With me is our special edition guest, Mr. Lin Kim, a lawyer championing for equal education access rights for foreigners. In today’s edition, we shall look at past legislation enacted in support of English Language Learners. We shall also tackle landmark court cases in the past in relation to our day’s topic. Let’s take a look at our first case ruled in 1954 by the U.S Supreme court between Brown versus the Board of Education, 347 U.S 483 which was decided on May 17, 1954 in the district of Kansas as follows:
“Today, education is a principal instrument in awakening the child to cultural values, in preparing him (her) for later professional training, and in helping him (her) to adjust normally to his (her) environment. In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he (she) is denied the opportunity of an education.”
Another court case in 1974 was also upheld in favor of English Learners by the U.S. Supreme Court as a valid interpretation of the requirement of Title VI in the 25 May memorandum in Lau vs. Nichols as follows:
“Basic English Skills are at the very core of what…public schools teach. Imposition of a requirement that, before a child can effectively participate in the educational program, he must already have acquired those basic skills, is to make a mockery of public education.”
“Mr. Lin, what do you make of this?” Mr. Lin on air: “I suppose that these rulings were vital in oveturning earlier rulings. The basic need put forward by people with the urge to learn English as a language should be upheld and respected. This is even further exemplified by the Castaneda vs. Pickard case in 1981 which formulated a method to determine if a school district was in compliance with the Equal Education Opportunities Act enacted in 1974. Allow me to quote the Supreme Court’s ruling as follows:

The school is pursuing a program informed by an educational theory recognized as sound by some experts in the field or, at least, deemed legitimate experimental strategy; the program and practices actually used by (the) school system are reasonably calculated to implement effectively the educational theory adopted by the school; and the school’s program succeeds, after a legitimate trial, in producing results indicating that the language barriers confronting students are actually being overcome.
This was a 3-way criterion that ensures that this fundamental right was further embedded in the U.S laws. It is of essence for us to note that Castaneda commented that the benefits which would accrue to limited English proficient students by remedying language barriers which impede their ability to realize their academic potential in an English language educational institution may outweigh the adverse effects of such segregation. This was a very powerful statement that sheds light on this issue with a new dimension altogether.”
Mellissa on air: “In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court in Plyler vs. Doe ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits states from denying a free public education to undocumented immigrant children regardless of the immigrant status. The judge stated that:
“Undocumented alien children cannot be denied a free, public education because such a denial would violate their constitutional right of equal protection. Visiting condemnation on the head of an infant is illogical and unjust. Moreover, imposing disabilities on the child is contrary to the basic concepts of our system that legal burdens should bear some relationship to individual responsibility or wrongdoing. Obviously, no child is responsible for his or her birth and penalizing the child is an ineffectual – as well as unjust – way of deterring the parent.”
Was this an utter confirmation that time was ripe for this to be embedded wholly in the constitution?” Mr. Kim: “An act on English learning had actually been passed in 1964 in a well-documented law referred to as Title VI, Civil Rights Act in the United States Code 1703 25 May memorandum. This was further reflected in the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, 1974.

Problem Definition
This essay focuses on public libraries and their consequent improvement through embracing current technology that has been largely ignored but highly implemented by rival private libraries. Public libraries are non-profit avenues patroned by members of the public or the surrounding community as a crucial source of information gained either through books, journals, articles or free online material provided therein. Vital services such as internet access, book lending, learning centers, ESL, programs and activities, community meeting and exhibition and a myriad of other services need to be improved to ensure maximum service to the public who support such government run institutions. Therefore, there is a need to install up-to-date information technology to aid in service improvement and cut down on budged reduction. This shall go a long way in catching up with their counterparts in the private sector (Mohamed & Walczyk, 2009).
Problem Statement
In retail businesses, services are always consumer-centered. To enhance the customer service, business owners (a) accelerate the check out process through self checkout machines, (b) make it possible for customers to browse the entire store searching for the needed products from home through online store catalog, (c) allow customers to create personal accounts and register as store users to be part of the store social network, and (d) search for products in the store and check prices through (RFID) Radio Frequency Identification self check. In order to accomplish this, retailers always search and implement new technologies. In public libraries, technology is also an important facet of the institution. Technology increases the accessibility of library items and resources through online cataloging, speed the check in and checkout procedures, and help keep the library open by using technology to replace the staff during budget cuts. However, regardless of the benefits of technology, public libraries usually implement technologies later than any retailer. Library services require significant investment in technology in order to provide access to knowledge collections required by today’s knowledge requirements.
While the demand for technology requires significant investment in order to stay current with technological innovations, library funding for leading edge technological support remains slow. At best, libraries are known to be fast followers (Porter, 1989). To be a fast follower means that library organizations as a whole adopt technology which is tried and true, following the use and implementation strategies of other areas of industry. Hence, the study will investigate the reasons behind the delay in implementing technologies in the public libraries of New York City. The problem is that public libraries in NYC are not able to stay current with implementation of the newest technologies to facilitate library efficiency and good customer services
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this case study is to identify the barriers that prevent libraries from implementing new technologies that can save time, money, and have a significant impact on whether libraries can survive in an increasingly difficult economy.
Significance of the Study
In the past 20 years urban public libraries have integrated new technologies (e.g., Bar-coding systems, RFID Systems, Online Catalogs, Self-Checkout Machines, and Social Networks) to increase the accessibility of library services. Additionally, technology allows the library to remain open and running at its full capacity by filling the gap left by missing library staff as a result of layoffs during a budget reduction. However, the above mentioned technologies were implemented in the private sector long before they were adopted by public libraries. This study will investigate the reasons behind the lag in implementing new technologies in public libraries, and propose an approach to speed up the implementation of new technologies in the library system.
Nature of the Study
This qualitative case study will propose a qualitative study methodology to investigate the services that need to be provided by the library to its community. How can libraries replace the human factor with new technologies to save money and time and maintain the quality of its services during budget reduction? The reasons behind the library’s delay in implementing technologies compared to private sector also are investigated. Further, the study will provide recommendations that would help library administrators remain abreast of the new technologies in the market that may help the library to advance its services with high level of customer service.
The needed data for this study will by collected through surveys with library patrons, community library managers, and librarians from different communities. The library patrons’ surveys will be developed in order to collect data regarding the patrons’ opinions on different technologies that may be used in the library and their expectations from these technologies. The librarians’ surveys will be developed to collect data regarding their experience using the existing technologies in libraries. The community libraries managers’ surveys will be developed to collect data regarding the effects of using new technologies on themselves and on the library staff from the management and leadership perspective.
Research Questions
Why are the New York City libraries late in implementing new technologies?
What is the leadership role in implementing new technologies in libraries?

Methodology
In this qualitative case study I will investigate the essential need for technology implementation in today’s industries and compare it to the public library services that might enhance by implementation. Thus, library services require significant investment in technology in order to provide access to knowledge collections required by today’s knowledge requirements. While the demand for technology requires significant investment in order to stay current with technological innovations, library funding for leading edge technological support remains slow. At best, libraries are known to be fast followers (Porter, 1989). To be a fast follower means that library organizations adopt technology which, is tried and true, following the use and implementation strategies of other areas of industry.
This qualitative case study serves to investigate the technology affects on the services that required to the community. Further, the study seeks to investigate the affects of technology implementation in libraries and answer questions such as the implications of replacing the human factor to save money. Issues of time management and maintaining the quality of library services during times of budget reduction, and the reasons behind the library’s delay in implementing technologies compared to private sector will be investigated. The study will provide recommendations that would help library administrators remain abreast of the new technologies in the market that may help the library to advance its services with high level of customer service.
Research Method:
This study will propose a qualitative study methodology to investigate the services that need to be provided by the library to its community and investigate? How libraries can replace the human factor with new technologies to save money and time and maintain the quality of its services during budget cut. Further, investigate the reasons behind the library lateness in implementing technologies compared to private sector. Further, the study will provide recommendations that would help library administrators to be abreast of the new technologies in the market that may help the library advancing its services with high level of customer service.
Data Collection
The needed data for this study will by collected through developing surveys with library patrons, community library managers, and librarians from different communities. The library patrons’ surveys will be developed to collect data regarding the patrons’ opinions regarding different technologies that may be used in the library and their expectations from these technologies. The librarians’ surveys will be developed to collect data regarding their experience using the existing technologies in libraries. The community libraries managers’ surveys will be developed to collect data regarding the effects of using new technologies on themselves and on the library staff from the management and leadership perspective.
Populations
Business leaders and decision makers have new technology implemented in their business. Decision makers, technology managers, community library managers, Librarians, and public represent different communities in New York City.
Data Analysis
Qualitative data analysis software NVivo9
Research Design
Explanation how Research Design is appropriate to the Research Method
The case study to investigate and explore the reasons behind the delay in implementing the technologies in Public Libraries in New York City compared to private businesses.
Specific population group of proposed study is identified as
Samples that represent businesses, public libraries, and public
Geographic Location of study is identified as

New York City population increased due immigration and community’s exodus due economic rescission which increased the need for using public libraries in New York City. However, because of the lack in funding public libraries, the technology implementation will expedite the services. New York City contains five boroughs served by three public library systems. New York Public library serves Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island through 92 libraries, Queens Public Library serves Queens Borough through 63 libraries, and Brooklyn Public library serves Brooklyn Borough through 60 libraries.
Limitations
Potential weaknesses of this study can be that the sample size is not large enough to give good cross section representation of the library patrons. Also since various demographics visit the library at different times, observation at all hours of the library would give a better representation, but may not be feasible. In addition, with the current unemployment rampant among all sectors, the survey may be biased negatively.
Delimitations
Although it would be better to run surveys in all branches of the library system to get a comprehensive view, this study will are focus in three branches only to be economical and feasible. The three locations will be selected on the basis of diverse demographics.
Summary
As technology implementation help businesses expediting customer service and reduce staffing from the financial perspective, public libraries also using the technology for the same purpose. Technology implementation becomes the final solution to keep public libraries open when public libraries face funding reduction. However, instead, technology implementation in public libraries always comes long after implementation in the private sectors. Due the economic recession, public libraries become crucial resource for free public service including job hunting, creating and polishing resumes, free internet access, GED help, homework help and ESL classes, etc. This qualitative study is to investigate the reasons resides behind the delay in technology implementation in public libraries. Further, the study will explore the effects on library services as a conclusion of technology implementation.

Each day I pose and reflect on the impact of school, family and friends on my life, I cannot help but see the very people and things that have shaped me into what I am today. Since from day one, my family has been very supportive and encouraging. Schooling has come at a cost, but it has enlightened me on so many issues that otherwise I would have been ignorant of. Society, through family, friends and community and a proper education are apt defining factors of my personality.
Ours is a very close-knit nuclear family. I cannot remember when we did not have supper together at the family dinner table without due reason. It constitutes of my father, a lawyer by profession and an educationist by principle; my mother, a nurse by trade and an apt disciplinarian and my brother who is ten years my junior. My father has always been very encouraging, motivating and always there for me when I am down. My zeal to pursue academics can all be attributed to him. I remember him coming to primary school to attend the Academics Day. He encouraged and gave me hope that I would improve in Mathematics even if I was second last. His words were so sincere and even though my friends had made me a laughingstock, I vowed right then to work hard.
The fact that I am very disciplined is due to my mother who brought us up under strict Christian principles. She has a knack for zero tolerance of any indiscipline and improper mannerisms. She detests laziness and has always insisted that handwork coupled with a well-organized and neat personality is the key to success. My very funny kid brother has always taught me to smile at life’s absurdities. Observing him grow, especially when he was learning to walk, taught me that even if life’s obstacles might seem insurmountable, it was a matter of time before we conquer them.
One of the key things I have learnt from my family is to be selflessly accommodating and always be open for dialogue. Watching my father handle a crisis inspires me. He is always cool and collected and he is the epitome of admiration. When my temper flares be it at home or at school, he is the figure I recall in my mind. On the other hand, my mother has always been full of concern. Sometimes, I feel that she worries too much. Her tender hands always make me loved and a need for protection, a special kind of connection between a mother and child. It instills the need to be responsible, honest and trustworthy even without her saying it.
Schooling has not come without its challenges. Being separated from my mother, who was then a housewife, was one of the painful necessities in my life. In lower primary, I learnt some of the basic skills used in judging any country’s development index: reading, writing and arithmetic which are the core factors defining literacy. My first grade teacher was a tall lady whom we kids all feared. Somehow, the nostalgic image that comes to mind is that of a towering lady demanding concentration and respect as she instills our first academic knowledge. From her, I learnt the basics of literacy but most of all, the art and skill of listening: being still, quiet and attentive. After progressing to upper grades, I was able to clearly define what I want to become in future, an economist. This goal could not have been envisioned were it not for my teachers. Most important in this decision-making was my usually reflective and philosophical eighth grade teacher, who never failed to remind us to work with the end in mind. When he rarely opened up, he used to talk of various professionals and exciting careers. Finally, one hot Wednesday afternoon, he started off on a history class only to mention one of the greatest economists of all time, Vilfredo Pareto, a former engineer.
Schoolmates have been instrumental in shaping me. I have picked certain habits, knowledge and behavior which otherwise could not have been instituted elsewhere. Though some like truancy earned me a beating, others like learning how to share selflessly are attributes that last an entire lifetime. Fast friendships and cronies are tried and tested in school. Birds of a feather are said to flock together hence a person’s character is not only molded but reflected in a group. When we chose not to attend classes for a day and go strolling and ‘sight-seeing’ in town in seventh grade, we had no idea how heavy the cane would fall on our backs. This served as a reminder on responsibility and a correction on our individual and collective behavior. High school has been another molding point of my life. It comes as quite a surprise from the rather duller primary school life. Leadership is one of the hardest skills to acquir4e and its said to be inborn. So when I got elected as first year’s representative in athletics, it came along with its opportunities, challenges and learning avenues. Being entrusted to guide a group is an experience worthwhile. It not only conveys maturity and responsibility but also presents an opportunity for self-improvement. Mingling with different students and teachers, at times multi-racial with highly contrasting backgrounds, other than your primary school friend presents more exposure. It is therefore evident that a man’s character can only be shaped by his environment, in this case, school and family.