Analysis of market and arrangement of production Essay

Analysis of market and arrangement of production - Essay Example ated that the oil and gas liquid output will remain no more than 3.54 mn b/d by the year 2011 though the country has pumped about 3.67 mn b/d last year. Oil consumption in China is expected to increase by 28% by 2011. Therefore the import of oil is expected to be 5.85 mn b/d by 2011. The overall business environment for oil and gas is moderately attractive from a regional perspective because political risk is overwhelmed by a strong and sustaining growth of demand for energy. There is a positive reserve for international oil and gas companies to take part in this competitive market. Economic risk is moderate and regulatory norms are set to make progress. China is an important nation in Asia for long, medium and short term oil and gas growth and demand that attracts energy sector investors (The China Oil and Gas Report 2008.) The Chinese oil and gas market conducts activities of storage, refining, exploration, production, transportation, development and marketing (King,2008). With augmented force for bigger oil manufacture and new basis of energy, opportunities to spend in oil and gas business are growing. Unearthing of new sources of oil and gas as well as persons eager to put their cash on the line is imperative to the oil and gas industry. Oil companies are in want of financiers to fund research, for the growth of new technologies, and the hunt of new sources (Richards) China is now a net importer of oil. It consumes nearly five million barrels of oil per day. Out of this requirement, one third is imported. It is expected that China will consume seven million barrels per day by the year 2020. in view of the above mentioned forecasts government sponsored groups have started functioning for devising objectives in this area. One of the main plans formulated is in the area of marketing oil and gas products (PETROCHEMICALS, CHEMICALS, OIL & GAS INDUSTRYWORKING GROUP.) The pricing device has been correspondingly continuing towards semi liberalised bazaar value

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle through Food

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle through Food The Scope As part of the Occupational Health and Safety programme at my place of work (a public service small medium enterprise), I have discussed and come to an agreement with the management to deliver a workshop on the importance of eating healthy in order to prevent obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, (2013) illustrate that workplace health programs are of great potential benefit to both employers and employees. Such educational and awareness programs or strategies enable both worker and the organisation to achieve a holistic lifestyle for better healthy living. These health programs could potentially save costs on absenteeism among employees. They may also reduce the cost of overtime to replace absent employees, as well the costs to train replacements. The scope behind this program is to give employees guidance on how to choose local fresh produce, rather than the imported or preserved food. This initiative will also raise the awareness about which food to choose and the importance to read the nutritional facts label. It is scientifically proven that fresh products are more beneficial to our health than the imported or preserved ones, both in taste and in vitamin content, because they arrive at our shops soon after being harvested and thus fresher. Yates (2009) supports this theory by quoting that scientifically, meat, fruits and vegetables are more nutritious when eaten as fresh as possible. Malta has a high rate of obesity according to surveys done by the European Commission. Eurostat (2011) reports that Maltese men occupy the top position of the European obesity rankings while Maltese women placed themselves second. In their ‘Paediatric Obesity’ journal, Fox and Jago (2011) who are both established researchers in pa ediatric studies, claim that Maltese children are the second fattest on the globe. Plan of Action The presentation is aimed mainly for both employees who cook at home and those who buy their snacks from vending machines or take away snack shops making them aware of how to choose healthy options, such as choosing baked not fried food, brown bread instead of white bread, fresh instead of processed or preserved food products. The employee age bracket varies from 18 to 50+ years of age. The workshop would be planned with the human resources department and it will be held in the training room of the company. Employees will be notified by means of a letter distributed internally for at least two weeks before. The workshop would take place during working hours, one in the morning and one in the afternoon in order to give the opportunity for everyone to attend at their preferred time. The workshop will be delivered by a qualified person in the matter and illustrated with charts and pictures accompanied with some motivational quotes. To support this strategy, the vending machines will be supplied with more genuine healthy choices rather than the usual junk food as per agreement with the supplier. Another initiative is that the company will supply a service of surveillance scheme by launching free optional medical check-ups every 12 months sponsored by the company. Information and facts about eating Years of research studies were carried out to come out with the result on what is contributing to the development of cardiovascular diseases. The WHO (2013) reported that a lifestyle based on high saturated fats, dairy products rich in fats and processed meat is the main cause for obesity and cancer reported. There is no doubt that all the food that we consume can have an important effect on our health and well being. Nestle and Nesheim (2012) reports that the daily average calories consumed by men must be not more 2,500 calories while women must consume 2,000 calories supported with some physical exercise. To lose weight, one must either consume fewer calories than needed or burn calories through physical activity. The combination of both is the ideal way to obtain fat loss while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Anyone who eats more calories than he/she burns will put on weight as the extra calories are stored as fat by the body. Therefore, with the right diet and by controlling eating habits and with a routine of physical activity, any person can lose weight. The benefits of eating healthily are; having more energy, self-confidence, a healthier heart, respiratory and circulatory system (Hunter, 2003). Nowadays, the best method to of determining the ideal body weight is by measurement kn own as Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI can be calculated by dividing the body weight in kilograms by the square of body height in meters (Kg/(m)2) and the ideal BMI reading should be 20 to 22. If it is more than 30 there would be the need for a change in lifestyle and to eat healthy and exercise more often. Ideally, this needs to be a way life and not a short term quick fix. During the presentation information and guide tips will be given to the employees on how to choose the right food and drink wisely. This presentation will also explain how the body works and how important it is to eat the right food and take smaller portions regularly. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the human body. Carbohydrates are found in a wide array of foods such as wheat, potatoes and pasta. Food rich in carbohydrates is ideal to be taken in the morning since carbohydrates are what give energy to the body. Some popular diets project carbohydrates as the source that generates body fat and obesity build up. However, the truth is that we do need carbohydrates in our diet, but not exceeding the required amount and not those containing unhealthy fats. For instance, wholegrain carbohydrates are the best choice since they contain vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that are essential for good health. Lack of carbohydrates will make you feel weak and without drive, so one should not cut them completely but choosing healthy options. â€Å"Protein is found throughout the body, in muscle, bone, skin, hair, and virtually every other body part or tissue† (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). Protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the muscle tissues in our body. The human body is made up of at least 10,000 proteins. However, the body functioning system does not store amino acids. On the other hand, it does store carbohydrates and fat. Therefore a daily intake of amino acids is needed to build new protein. Best protein sources with law saturated fat is found in lean beef, chicken or turkey breast, liver, fish, eggs, dairy products such as cottage cheese, nuts (almonds and hazelnuts), seeds, beans and lentils. It is highly important to choose the right protein in your food choices since some protein is rich in saturated fats. Beans, vegetables, and whole grains, are the best choice, as they are rich in healthy fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Almonds and hazelnuts are rich in healthy fats. Fish, chicken bre ast and beef liver are considered as the best animal protein and if you go for red meat try to choose the leanest cuts and try to avoid pork, lamb and processed meat such as burgers, sausages, breaded fish/poultry since the latter contain high amount of fats. If someone decides to dine out, as starter one could avoid high carbohydrates foods such as pasta and instead have an antipasto involving salmon, which is rich in protein and vitamin D and Omega 3. Apart from the calories and carbohydrates pasta contains, the sauces that go with it are mostly fat laden and therefore as a starter it would already be too filling. One can also opt for chicken salad, soup or skip the starter altogether. As a dressing, one can go for squeezed lemon, olive oil or balsamic vinegar instead of mayonnaise. As main course, one could opt for fish steak, lean fillet, or chicken breast and avoid processed or fried food. Instead of fries one can choose baked potatoes and try to cut down the bread intake. As a dessert, instead of indulging in a high calorie cake rich in sugars and fats one can opt to fruit salad which at least contains natural fructose and vitamins. In this manner, one can be enjoying food which is still tasty but is healthier. As a drink, it will b e ideally that one will opt to drink water or a glass of dry wine rather than soft drinks which contain a large amount of calories and sugars. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are non-beneficial to the human body. It is understood that these beverages are contributing to diabetes and heart disease. Harvard School of Public Health (2014), argue that by cutting down sugar-sweetened beverage intake will reduce the risk of obesity-related illnesses and that such statement is backed up with sufficient scientific evidence. A snapshot of the presentation’s content: Avoiding illness through the food we eat By the end of 1945, the Life Expectancy (LE) of EU citizens started to increase. There were improvements in the sanitary system, more epidemiological data and more quality improvements in medical cure. Furthermore, statistics estimate issued by the Malta Statistics Office reveal that the LE of a person born in Malta in 2013 is 82.2 for females and 78.0 for men (NSO, 2013). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has long since been promoting healthy eating patterns. As much as humans need clean air and access to water, food is a vital necessity for human health but it has to be healthy. Our health is particularly affected by agriculture and the other sectors involved with food supply. Therefore, to promote a healthy way of living there must be ongoing publicity to instruct the public the benefit of eating healthy food (Danzon, 2000). Nevertheless, although life expectancy in Malta has increased, statistics still show that the average Maltese person spends 7.1 years (9% of LE) with illnes s, due to lack of adequate knowledge about health (WHO, 2005). Hunter (2003) argued that by being obese, one is subject to high probability risk to serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, reproductive disorders, gallstones, osteoarthritis and certain type of cancer. Moreover, the WHO (2005) issued a report about non-communicable diseases (NCD) in Malta and such illnesses accounted for about 84%. NCD vary from heart disease, stroke (cerebrovascular accident), cancer disease, chronic lung disease and diabetes. Food produced locally Healthy eating campaigns promote the intake of small portions of healthy food every three hours to prevent weight increase, whilst related research studies acknowledge that the lack of combined healthy nutrients increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (WHO, 2000). Moreover, locally produced vegetables and fruits are fresher, with high source of nutrients content than the stored produce that are imported. Imports have the disadvantage of long distance travelling until they reach our market. During transportation, the source of nutrients is highly likely to be reduced while repetitive exposure to oxygen may quicken the deterioration process as oxidation may change its composition. The Food Revolution (2014) argue that since the food system is dominated by a few producers, when there is no other option for healthy food, the industrial food production methods (un-healthy) are determining our well-being. WHO (2000) stretches out that by having at hand the availability and the acce ssibility of fresh produce, there will be less need to buy long shelf-life products, with lack of vitamins and minerals and abounding in high calories, preservatives, salt and sugars. Farming and fishing is part of the Maltese heritage, so promoting healthy and fresh produce contributes to the local market, a good economy and a healthy lifestyle. Expected outcome Through this information awareness workshop, I hope that the targeted audience will choose to eat healthier, to buy more fresh local produce and to start preparing their food for their working day cooked in their kitchen, rather than buying junk food from the vending machines or take away shops. Due to family commitments, responsibilities, and other social obligations, for the majority of people engaged in a full time job, the maintenance of their individual well-being is often seen as a difficult task to meet with all the day demands. The adoption ofhealthy behaviourswill reduce risks for life threatening diseases from developing, it will reduce their associated costs and moreover it will improve the quality of life (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013).This will hopefully help out in today’s fast paced world and also help to minimise the consumption of ready-made and fast foods which are contributing to ill-health, obesity and disease. This is costing the govern ment and employers millions in treatments and in sick pay and medical support. Moreover, it is hoped that following these guidelines will help to extend a good quality of life and reaching WHO-Europe’s aims and goals. Such targets are that by the year 2015, our society will adapt to healthy patterns of living by having good quality of air, access to water and a lifestyle based on healthy eating and physical activity.

A Comparison of Homeric Formalism in The Iliad and The Odyssey Essay

Homeric Formalism in The Iliad and The Odyssey "Much that is terrible takes place in the Homeric poems, but it seldom takes place wordlessly... no speech is so filled with anger or scorn that the particles which express logical and grammatical connections are lacking or out of place." (from "Odysseus' Scar" by Erich Auerbach)    In his immaculately detailed study comparing the narrative styles of Homer to those of the Bible, Erich Auerbach hits upon one of the most notable intrigues of reading Homer, namely his unrelenting sense of epic form and rhythm. The stories that unfold in the works of Homer are filled with passion and fury, but this never effects the meticulous regulation of his narrative. One of the chief questions regarding the works of Homer is to what effectual end he follows this formula so explicitly. In both The Iliad and The Odyssey, the reader recognizes patterns and formulae that combine to make up the Homeric template.    The reader can first recognize Homer's formulaic style on a specific scale in the repetition of phrases and epithets. Odysseus, throughout both The Iliad and The Odyssey is almost never mentioned without a reference to his cunning or "many designs". Likewise, throughout The Iliad the city of Troy is almost never mentioned without reference to it being "strong-walled" or "wide-wayed". As Richard Lattimore writes in the introduction to his translation, much of this particular kind of repetition was dictated by the metric needs of the poem. Above and beyond this strictly mechanical function however, recurring descriptions serve to ground the story in a cast of recognizable characters, thus creating a sense of familiarity for the reader.    Studying ... ...tions of the Odyssey,   Frankfurt, Athenaeum 1988 Hamilton, Edith. The Greek Way. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1930. Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988 Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Nussbaum, Martha C. "Victims and Agents: What Greek Tragedy can teach us about sympathy and responsibility." Boston Review. (1999)31 May 1999 Stanford, William Bedell. Homer's Odyssey. 2 Vols. Macmillan  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Iliad. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 1990. The Iliad of Homer. Trans. Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1951. Tracy, Stephen V. ,The Story of the Odyssey Princeton UP 1990 "Gospel of Matthew". The Holy Bible. New Revised Standard Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1989.

Is the Dollar Depreciation Good for the American Economy? Essay

Currency depreciation always affects both sides of the coin. By lowering the dollar, it will enhance the price competitiveness of US product overseas but lower dollar maybe counter productive especially if there is not enough output for further expansion. Thus the move to depreciate or to appreciate the currency is very significant for economy not only to the US but in the global economy as well. Maintaining the dollar at its value therefore is also very important as it provides balance on imports and export commodities. Over the years the dollar has been swinging high and low against some of the worlds leading currencies. The question that might be ask is, was it intentionally depreciated as part of economic strategy or was it a result of economic decline due to domestic or international circumstances that hamper economic growth, such as, the 9/11 tragedy and the US led war and continues occupation in Iraq? In the midst of ever-increasing competitiveness in the world market, dollar depreciation is good for America because it puts them in the economic competitive advantage position in the international market relying on the quality of the US made goods. It is often a deliberate economic action to cope with the stiff international market competition. However, there is a contraindication to this economic action as lowering the dollar would mean lowering the living standard back home. Depreciating the dollar could stimulate strong economic performance but it also poses bad impact because it will be at the expense of cutting American wages. Paul R. Krugman point out â€Å"Depreciating the dollar is a bad way to reduce the trade deficit because it amount to meeting international competition by cutting American wages, thus lowering the living standards of the American workers† (119) In view of the macroeconomic principles, it will be more advantage for the U. S. to depreciate the dollar at a certain level because it will help to settle some of its economic deficits such as unemployment problem and trade deficit. What the US needs to do is expand its market abroad while increasing domestic productions of export goods. If there is enough output for export expansion, the impact of lower dollars maybe minimal as more money will circulate in the market. Japan’s yen is certainly undervalued compared to the dollar and yet the Japanese enjoy a high standard of living comparable to that of the United States. By mass production it will create more jobs, which can ease the problem of unemployment Another thing the U. S. should do is to put a substantive limit on domestic product for domestic consumption in order to maintain the inflation rate at its current level. Because of the lower dollar, imports from other countries will be balanced by the US exports thereby wiping trade imbalances because of the higher dollar. Thus lowering the dollar provides ample economic benefit for America. It maybe a bitter pill to swallow for others but it may cure some of the economy’s diseases. But it cannot be denied that depreciating the dollars have a serious economic implications to some developing countries. As a matter of principle the US should not play the role of a shrewd manager who only cares of its interest at the expense of the weaker countries. Jacob Frenkel Noted â€Å"The U. S. decision on an exchange-rate regime will clearly affect foreign economies, and it is not clear that what is best for America will be best for the rest of the economy, we must reformulate our notion of how a good exchange rate system performs† (158). Frenkel cited that due to dollar depreciation, the corresponding appreciation of foreign currencies against the dollar worsens the situation abroad compared to the fix exchange rate case. Frenkel stated, â€Å"By allowing the U. S. to export some of its unemployment, the dollar’s depreciation has a beggar-thy neighbor effect† (158). Thus, while the dollar depreciation might shield the U. S. economy from the adverse effect of inflation, but it has an opposite effect on U. S. trading collaborates. To explain this further Frenkel said,â€Å"The beggar thy-neighbor effect of dollar depreciation can be thought of as a payment made by the foreign country to the United States in states of the world where U. S. aggregate demand is relatively low. In the opposite situation, the United States, by allowing its currency to appreciate, compensates foreign countries† (Frenkel, 158). Thus the depreciation of the U. S. dollar requires a more sensitive study of the possible implication on other countries particularly on the trading partners of the U. S. if the United States is concern of its trading partners’ economic developments. Not only in the international market that the dollar depreciation had its impact but in domestic economy as well. Allen J. Lenz pointed out that â€Å"contractionary policies could slow U. S. economic growth relative to foreign growth rates† (68). Lenz emphasized that what counts is not just good trade performance but how that performance is achieved. Strong U. S. market performance based on productivity gains contributes to gains in living standards. Strong performance achieved by dollar depreciation can lower living standards. The depreciation therefore is an important economic action of the United States that will have significant impact not only in the U. S. but also to its trading partners. It may be good for the U. S. economy, and bad for the trading partners, but it may also be bad for the U. S. Work Cited icago PressFrenkel, Jacob. Exchange Rate and International Macroeconomics. U. S. A. : University of Chicago. 1988. Krugman, Paul. Diminished Expectations U. S. A. : The Washington Post Company 1994. Lenz, Allen J. Narrowing the U. S. Current Account Deficit: A Sectoral Assessment. U. S. A. : Institute for International Economic. 1992.

Analyzing Both Sides of the Conflict Theory Essay

Conflict theory was the first radical criminological theory proposed by the scholars in the 1960s (Barkan, p. 254). It particularly analyzes the role of conflicts in class, gender, and power in the incidences of crimes in a particular society. It tells that these conflicts are the reasons why people commit crimes.   This specific thought opposes the view of the consensus theory which perceives crime as â€Å"any behavior that violates criminal law† (Barkan, p. 14). To compare, Conflict theory believes that a crime is far more complex than the first definition, assuming that people do not share the same values, beliefs, and dispositions. Because of this, the conflict theory becomes one of the theories that are applicable for larger contextual conditions. In fact, the theory encompasses a wide range of areas which makes it divided into sub- categories, such as radical criminology, peacemaking criminology, radical feminism, and left realism. (Greek, 2005). These minorities—the poor, Blacks, Hispanics, to name a few—are being given focus and importance through the theory. Marx and Engels specified that justice is not attainable and is unfairly being administered to the minorities. Through the conflict theory, an explanation on why minorities get involved with crimes is provided. The theory explains that laws against crimes are made not for the interest of everyone but only for themselves. Laws are made to serve the interest of the powerful who knows that their illegal malpractices can only become legal if the laws will be made based on their needs.   This made conflict theory sounds more realistic with consensus theory. It has able to portray the problem with power struggles as a source of crime motives that other theories disregarded or missed to see. However, proponents of the conflict theory also got blinded and missed to see some of the criticisms regarding the conflict. First of all, it is said that the conflict theory is too generalized and assuming with its discussion on the implementation of laws in societies. Laws connected to the prevention of street crimes such as robbery and murder do not necessarily serve the purpose of the powerful and neglects the less powerful minorities. In fact, such kinds of laws are directed to serve the security of everyone, and not just a little percentage of the people. The theory seems to forget that although people are different in some aspects, they still posses the same characteristics and needs. In this particular situation, all people need security for their lives. The laws protecting people’s lives could not be considered as law protecting only the interests of those who are in power; it is also for the benefit of other people. In addition to this criticism, the theory of conflict also shows a weak spot in terms of labeling disparities. There has been inconsistency in the evidence of such gaps tackling how dominant groups use the law to support their personal interests. In this way, the theory, in some ways, lose slightly its credibility. Nevertheless, the greatest strength of the theory is its vast and radical way of exploring the reason behind crimes in societies. These crimes are deeply rooted in the skins of the people who commit them. Although committers of crime are being treated as lowly kind of persons, their condition is being protected by the conflict theory. The theory will simply said that instead of committers, the minorities are victims of a much bigger crime brought about by the powerful groups to them. The theory, instead of prosecuting them, is aiming to reason out their main reason why they have done such crimes. Conflict theory acts like a lawyer who defends a person who has valid reasons behind the crime he committed. The lawyer may lack reliable and consistent evidence to prove the innocence of his client, but still, he believes in the accountability of the person. References Barkan, S.E. (2005). Criminology:   Sociological Understanding.   New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall   Bartos, J.O.   Wehr, P.E. and Paul Wehr. ( 2002). Using Conflict Theory. New York: Cambridge University Press Greek, C.E. Criminological Theory.   November 2005. Retrieved on 4 June 2008. http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/conflict.htm Lenski, G.E. (1966). Power and Privilege: A Theory of Social Stratification. McGraw-Hill.   

Jean Piaget & Child Development essays

Jean Piaget & Child Development essays Jean Piaget outlined a series of developmental stages that children go through as they mature. These stages are: Sensorimotor stage (birth-2 years); Preoperational stage (2-6 years); Concrete operational stage (7-11 years); and Formal operational stage (12 years into adulthood). For this assignment I was asked to observe a child who was in either the sensorimotor, preoperational, or concrete operational stages of development. The child whom I chose to observe was my little cousin Nicholas, or Nick for short. Nick is currently 7 Â ½ years old which puts him under the concrete operational stage of development. The concrete operational stage of development is defined by our textbook as "the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 years to 11 years of age) during which the children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events"(page 131). When broken down, this definition basically means that during the ages of 7 through 11, children gain the mental capacity, which allows them to understand different conservations, perform simple arithmetic, and to think logically and with reason. I observed Nick on the morning of Saturday October 19, 2002 while he was staying at my house for the day. This allowed me the perfect opportunity to get in some observations. I chose to do my observations while Nick was outside in my backyard helping my Father so some yard work. During the course of about half an hour, I witnessed what I thought to be typical behaviors for someone of his age. Nicholas appeared to be very interested in performing the tasks that he was involved in. He eagerly offered his assistance to my father. Although Nick wanted to involved and helpful, there was a few times when he seemed to grow inpatient with the way that my father was carrying out the chores. I was able to notice this because Nick was trying to tell my father how to do the work. For example, m ...

Westerns and social commentary

Westerns and social commentary Throughout history Americans have had a fascination with unexplored, uncharted, anduntamed territory. Never has this been so pronounced as with the American west.Stories of bravery, new peoples, cultures, and strange new lands have enchantedAmericans for nearly two centuries. This attraction is strikingly prominent in the filmhistory of the west. Yet, despite it's early and lasting popularity, the Western has notuntil recent years attracted the attention of interpretive critics. Many critics viewedWesterns as an escapist, immature medium. "Discussions of Westerns characterized thegenre as endlessly repetitive, utterly simple in form, and naive in its attitudes (Cook 64) ."However, since the late 1960's Westerns have been recognized, "similar to other forms ofpopular culture, as a useful barometer of shifting currents in American society andculture (Etulain 3)." The development of the western film genre in American film culturehas progressed in manner, style, and ideology, and can be tracked in association with thepolitical, societal, and cultural trends of the last 90 years.View of Hollywood and Los Angeles from Griffith Pa...The first westerns were the same as many other first films, merely scientificrecordings of actual events such as wild west shows and rodeos. The first Western withany content was The Great Train Robbery (1903). While still very primitive it gave much ofthe stock form to westerns that exists today."It established the essential formula of crime, pursuit, showdown, and justice,and within its ten minute running span it included, in addition to the trainrobbery itself, elements of fisticuffs, horseback pursuit and gunplay, along withsuggestions of small child appeal, and probably the first introduction of that clichÂÆ'Â ©to be, the saloon bullies forcing a dude into a dance (Everson 15)."As train robberies and similar crimes were not uncommon in the early nineteen hundredsThe Great...

Six Things Your Ghostwriting Client Should Expect From You

Six Things Your Ghostwriting Client Should Expect From You Could you cut off your own arm in order to save your life? That was the first question one of my ghostwriting clients asked, because that was the position in which hed found himself a few years earlier. He had been forced to cut off his own arm when he became trapped in a flaming piece of farm equipment and the subsequent international attention was the reason he wanted to write a book. The result: Unthinkable Choice: The Story of Sampson Parker. Even so, it wasnt my answer to his first question that landed me the assignment (my answer was I hope I dont ever have to find out). It was the answer to questions he had asked others about me prior to our meeting. Then it was the answers to questions we dealt with as the writing process progressed that reaffirmed his contention that I was the writer for the job. That being said, there are six things your client should expect from you when they hire you as a ghostwriter:  ·         Trust  ·         Flexibility  ·         Experience  ·         Authentic voice  ·         Clear communication  ·         Confidentiality These six attributes will (not can) make or break your career. Lets take a look at why thats true. Trust. Your client must be assured of your character, your ability, and the truth in your words and actions. They need to know that their faith in you and your abilities is well founded and well placed. Flexibility. It is essential that you are able to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements. To paraphrase a popular saying, stuff happens, and as a ghostwriter one of your greatest assets will be your ability to go with the flow. Experience. Is this your first rodeo or have you done similar jobs before? How long have you been writing and how long have you been writing professionally? Theres a difference, and your client deserves an honest answer. Authentic voice. This is the quality that makes your writing unique. But as a ghostwriter, you also need the ability to write in a way that sounds like your client. You must be able to hear and reproduce your clients unique cadence and rhythm on every page. For example, after I turned in the first draft of the book Unthinkable Choice, Sampsons wife called me after she read it and said, I cant believe it. The book sounds exactly like him. Clear communication. There should be no gray areas when it comes to what you expect from the client and what they should expect from you. So, spell it out in a contract, because it will protect both of you. For example: my clients have final say over most content, but I have the final say in matters of style. Period. Additionally, every stage of the project delivery and all financial arrangements are spelled out in detail. Confidentiality. While this should be fairly obvious, lets be crystal clear. If they cant trust you to keep some things to yourself, they shouldnt hire you. Not everything you hear is for public consumption, though it might be vital as a way for you to better understand your client. In short, your client needs to know the person they have hired has both the ability and the character to develop the project. Meet those criteria, and you will create a steady demand for your services. Sidebar: Where do you find ghostwriting projects? Check sites like: = Craigslist.org (be careful here because in addition to really good leads there are a lot of scams and content mills listed) = JournalismJobs.com = Freelancedaily.net = Mediabistro.com = Freelancejobopenings.com. You can also search phrases such as ghostwriter and ghostwriter wanted on SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com. Book packagers are always looking for dependable ghostwriters and The American Book Producers Association is a great place to start your search for projects (abpaonline.org).

Criminal prevention, treatment or punishment program Research Paper

Criminal prevention, treatment or punishment program - Research Paper Example The employ of such youth and juvenile-oriented programs vary from one state to another although local authorities and police officials admit that one without the other is simply incomplete. In criminal prevention and suppression, both practices are displaying effectiveness at different levels although prevention had proven to be more efficacious in exploiting the use and management of one of the least discussed but highly important areas of criminology – the finances. 2 In seeking for the restoration of the Community Youth Services grant line for the two fiscal years 2011 and 2012, Chicago Area Project (CAP) Director David E. Whitaker, said that the programs which focus on juvenile delinquency prevention cost taxpayers less than $500 per youth yearly while the expense of keeping a juvenile delinquent in detention is estimated to be up to $80,000 or $75,000 more expensive per youth, per year. The director of the Illinois side of the CAP project said that even if only one percen t or 700 of these youths go into juvenile detention, the cost would be a staggering $56 million annually or ten times greater than the entire Community Youth Services grant line. ... Such principle is explicitly underlined in the mission statement of the Anti-Gang Office, a division of the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security in Houston, Texas in these words: The office operates under the premise that gang activity is best addressed through three strategies: prevention, intervention and suppression. Prevention and intervention are offered by service organizations, with suppression addressed by law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. (houstontx.gov) 3 Peace and stability starts at home particularly with the parents themselves establishing the very core of discipline and provisions that make for a peaceful and stable family, the most basic foundation of any society. Generally, the whole community and the public at large will eventually take charge in the overall aspect of crime deterrence noting that the pillars of the justice system notably the police can only be as affective as the general public wants them to be. In reiterating the effective symmetry of criminology, a Mayor of Houston states that: â€Å"suppression is generally not successful alone. Houston provides an example of how suppression can be combined with other program elements, in that the Mayor's Anti-Gang Office uses suppression techniques as one element of the OJJDP's comprehensive gang model, â€Å"a paradigm that utilizes five core strategies (community mobilization, provision of opportunities, social intervention, suppression, organizational change and development) to address gang issues within a targeted community.†(usmayors.org) Working closely in consonance with the Anti-Gang Office of the Mayor, the Houston Police

In these papers there are alot of difficult words and complicated Essay

In these papers there are alot of difficult words and complicated sentences , So please replace them by use simple words and simple sentences - Essay Example of leading green campus initiatives†; and emphasizing that â€Å"successful application of these approaches requires a high competency in listening, communication, relationship building, vision development, responsiveness and continuous strategic adaptation† ; among others. The author likewise explained the basic nature of universities that provided the reasons for current inability to invite widespread campus involvement on the subject. The theories and concepts learned from the reading could be applied in one’s role as administrator and educational leader through suggesting policies for environmental protection and conservation programs within the university level. As stressed, wide-scale involvement or campus participation on environmental programs should be taught at the whole organizational level and across different cultures. Also, it was stated that organizational change would be most effective if all academic personal share the same commitment to environmental preservation and conservation. One believes that through encouraging the participation and involvement of various persons in a campus setting could be difficult. However, the task is not impossible. It just requires commitment, dedication, and perseverance from administrators and educational leaders to encourage student involvement and to deeply establish the need to focus on environmental protection and social responsibility by starting with one’s personal action, guidance, and direction. This article is one of the greatest works that discusses the cultural, social, economic and political nature of colleges. In this respect it explores the possible issues that the administrators should consider for them to effectively run these institutions. The conflict resolution is well discussed in this article and mediation is quoted as the most favorable remedial approach. various arguments that point out how the administrators can formulate appropriate conflict resolution and manage the student

Marketing plan ( Target Market ) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing plan ( Target Market ) - Assignment Example The target market of the new dome will be interested in saving the money and the time associated in the construction of dome. This will be the main differentiating point for the new foamed dome introduced by Pretson. The company will try to attract the large builders and architects who are currently involved in the business of building and construction. This strategy of targeting the architects and builders will allow the company to promote the new product in effective and efficient manner. Abby Preston who is working as a Chemist in ApplPoly Products’ resins laboratory, came up with new product ‘foamed dome’. In this product, the foamed polystyrene is utilized in order to build dome shaped roofs and other building structure. The procedure being used in order to construct the foamed dome is as follow: A specially designed machine has been used in the manufacturing of a foamed dome because of which, the dome shaped is formed by bending, placing and bonding pieces of plastic foam collectively. The head of the machine is mounted on a boom at the time of forming a dome and at this point of time, the machine swings around a pivot very much similar to the hands of a clock, laying and bonding layer upon layer of foam board in a rising spherical form. There are several benefits of the new foamed dome concept over the simple domes and structures constructed through the cement based materials. One main advantage is regarding the cost and time associated with the construction of the foamed dome and structure. The foam boards allow the architect to save time involved in the process of construction. On the other hand there is more time involved in the construction of the dome and structure through the cement. The polystyrene foamed board is one of the effective insulator and have outstanding and enduring insulating features. It is also important to acknowledge here that the foamed board is mainly used as an

Law and Ethics of Consent from Children in Medicine Essay

Law and Ethics of Consent from Children in Medicine - Essay Example In law children are those under 18 years of age. When ever providing consent for medical treatment, according to the age of the child there is a variance of treatment. The Family Reform Act of 1969 provides that, †the consent to treatment of a 16 or 17 year old is to be treated like the consent of an adult†( FRA 1969). Minors in some places are deemed incompetent and are not given the right to consent. In England, one can challenge the presumption of incompetence on the basis of proving that the minor is mature enough to understand the procedures and the outcome. However, whenever the minor is considered incompetent, the informed consent is required from the parents. This has no application to a refusal of medical treatment or to non-therapeutic procedures like organ or blood donation. For those children under 16 there is precedent in case law governing consent to treatment. The law was set out in the case of Gillick v West Norfolk and Wesbech AHA [1986] AC 112, the court held, â€Å"that if a minor has sufficient intelligence and understanding to enable him/her to understand the treatment and implications of treatment then he/ she is Gillick competent and can consent to treatment†( Gillick) The Human Rights Act 1998, which came fully into force on 2 October 2000, incorporates into UK law the bulk of the substantive rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights: of particular relevance to this area Article 2, the right to life, Article 3,m the right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment, and Article 8, the right to respect for private and family life† (HRA 1998)

Crisis Management unit 2 Complete Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crisis Management unit 2 Complete - Case Study Example BP also lacked proper mechanism in terms of the procedure and interpretation of the results for the negative pressure tests and hence even when they detected the pressure on the drill pipes, they assumed it was false negative and the presence of pressure indicated there was a leak and the seal had not been well secured. This eventually fueled the fire which led to casualties and the spill of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico and ultimate loss to the BP Company, the Cameron International, Transocean and the government (Crandall, Parnell and Spillan, 2009). The latest news about the BP explosion is that The BP engineer who was overseeing the safety and all other activities in the oil rig will be the first to be prosecuted and he will be taking the blame for the accident (Thompson and Galofaro, 2013). This is scapegoating as the accident was created by the neglect of several people and not only the engineer. The management should also be charged as being solely responsible as well and not take the engineer as a sacrificial lamb in the accident that not only cause massive damage but deaths as well. The Deepwater Horizon accident was associated more with faulty process safety culture than with cost cutting. BP had used a lot of money in the process and due to fall back in the schedule, had incurred an additional $58 million not budgeted for. This however is not the reason that caused the accident. As explained in the summary above, BP overlooked some of the safety procedures required to seal of the BOP in order to ensure no gas leaks that could easily be ignited and cause a fire. The BOP had earlier on (a few weeks before) been slightly damaged but no action for repair or even mere inspection was carried out once funny and suspicious rubber pieces were found in the oil. They also overlooked the fact that in order to completely seal the BOP, they had to use 21 centralizers. They had only six and instead of waiting for the rest to arrive, they decided to use those six. During the negative pressure test, when they discovered pressure being released, they termed it as a false negative pressure reading and the pressure seeped with the gas through the not completely sealed BOP and it was ignited causing the fire and the complete destruction of BOP which was slightly destroyed hence causing the oil spill. The strategy BP undertook of ignoring the safety precautions and instructions standards set and the management providing instructions that overlooked the danger is what led to the crisis. On realization of the looming crisis whose signs were eminent for all to see, BP would have formed a crisis team to handle the situation but nothing of the sort was done. Since the management had the power, authority and mandate to make final decisions concerning the running of the whole process, their word concerning the crisis was final and their decision carried out. Their neglectful and rush decisions are what majorly contributed to the accident. The first of the steps is to appoint and empower a safety precaution and investigation team which would be mandated to carry out safety checks as regularly as possible. Next would be to work hand in hand with the employees opening up direct communication with them so that in case of any faults in the rig or any other

Financial Development in Target Markets Dissertation - 1

Financial Development in Target Markets - Dissertation Example These countries will then be crosschecked and compared to their financial developments level through recalling the World Bank initiative, and finally will be compared with the UK economic development. The following are the selected countries; High income OECD - United States, High-income non-OECD -Hong Kong, Latin America and Caribbean-Mexico, South Asia- India, African sub-Saharan-Nigeria, Middle East- Egypt, East Asia and Pacific-Japan, Europe and Central Asia- RussiaThese countries will then be crosschecked and compared to their financial developments level through recalling the World Bank initiative, and finally will be compared with the UK economic development. The following are the selected countries; High income OECD - United States, High-income non-OECD -Hong Kong, Latin America and Caribbean-Mexico, South Asia- India, African sub-Saharan-Nigeria, Middle East- Egypt, East Asia and Pacific-Japan, Europe and Central Asia- Russia Banking sector development of the above eight cou ntries can be measured using at least one indicator from each of the various methods of indicators including measures of depth, access, efficiency and stability. To begin with, let the measure the financial development of the USA using any of the four indicators. The variable of the financial depth on the economic development is normally private credit to GDP. More specifically, the variable is the domestic private credit to the corresponding real sector by the deposit money banks in terms of the percentage of the local currency GDP. Thus, private credit excludes credit issued to the governments, governments’ agencies and corresponding public enterprises (Pearl, 2011, pp.212-289). Private credit to the GDP varies broadly across states and correlates strongly with the income level. For instance, private loans within high countries are standing at 103% that is four times the underlying average ratio within the little countries as depicted in the table (1) below. Based on the me asure, economies having deep financial systems are found in Europe, the United States, Japan, and Nigeria.  

Crisis Management unit 2 Complete Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crisis Management unit 2 Complete - Case Study Example BP also lacked proper mechanism in terms of the procedure and interpretation of the results for the negative pressure tests and hence even when they detected the pressure on the drill pipes, they assumed it was false negative and the presence of pressure indicated there was a leak and the seal had not been well secured. This eventually fueled the fire which led to casualties and the spill of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico and ultimate loss to the BP Company, the Cameron International, Transocean and the government (Crandall, Parnell and Spillan, 2009). The latest news about the BP explosion is that The BP engineer who was overseeing the safety and all other activities in the oil rig will be the first to be prosecuted and he will be taking the blame for the accident (Thompson and Galofaro, 2013). This is scapegoating as the accident was created by the neglect of several people and not only the engineer. The management should also be charged as being solely responsible as well and not take the engineer as a sacrificial lamb in the accident that not only cause massive damage but deaths as well. The Deepwater Horizon accident was associated more with faulty process safety culture than with cost cutting. BP had used a lot of money in the process and due to fall back in the schedule, had incurred an additional $58 million not budgeted for. This however is not the reason that caused the accident. As explained in the summary above, BP overlooked some of the safety procedures required to seal of the BOP in order to ensure no gas leaks that could easily be ignited and cause a fire. The BOP had earlier on (a few weeks before) been slightly damaged but no action for repair or even mere inspection was carried out once funny and suspicious rubber pieces were found in the oil. They also overlooked the fact that in order to completely seal the BOP, they had to use 21 centralizers. They had only six and instead of waiting for the rest to arrive, they decided to use those six. During the negative pressure test, when they discovered pressure being released, they termed it as a false negative pressure reading and the pressure seeped with the gas through the not completely sealed BOP and it was ignited causing the fire and the complete destruction of BOP which was slightly destroyed hence causing the oil spill. The strategy BP undertook of ignoring the safety precautions and instructions standards set and the management providing instructions that overlooked the danger is what led to the crisis. On realization of the looming crisis whose signs were eminent for all to see, BP would have formed a crisis team to handle the situation but nothing of the sort was done. Since the management had the power, authority and mandate to make final decisions concerning the running of the whole process, their word concerning the crisis was final and their decision carried out. Their neglectful and rush decisions are what majorly contributed to the accident. The first of the steps is to appoint and empower a safety precaution and investigation team which would be mandated to carry out safety checks as regularly as possible. Next would be to work hand in hand with the employees opening up direct communication with them so that in case of any faults in the rig or any other

Synopsis final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Synopsis final - Essay Example These indicators should be reliable and based on a sound frame work. They should also be Feasible and linked to data sources; Focused on the interests and justice needs of the people, neutral and administered by unbiased stakeholders. They should be nonjudgmental; track data over time and identify trends, establish benchmarks in key areas and contribute to improve implementation of the basic values of the EU, such as the rule of law, justice and fundamental rights. The rule of law plays a very important role in human life. It brings the value of fundamental human rights. The rule of law ensures respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy and equality. It also creates institutional trust among EU Member states. It eliminates vices such as unfair laws, unequal application of the law, corruption and violation of fundamental rights. The rule of law also ensures justice. People, organization’s and business firms enjoy protection when disputes arise. Fair dispute resolution is attained. Human, economic and social development is also attained through the rule of law and measure of property. Waldron’s also argued that citizens can bring out the best in themselves if their rights and interests are respected and protected. He also stated that the rule of law should protect personal property. The society which fails to protect property rights against legislative restrictions is failing to support the rule of law and the measure of property. Waldron’s argument rejects the idea that the rule of law privileges property rights over other forms of law, but instead claims that the rule of law should endorse the use of legislation to achieve valid social objectives. Waldron’s argument considers some of the implications of the law in economic matters and legislative impacts on property through appropriate balance between private property rights and

Examining The Application Package Of Accounting Software Information Technology Essay

Examining The Application Package Of Accounting Software Information Technology Essay It is a widely researched topic to motivate small businesses to adopt IT. There is little research focused specially on the motivating factors for adopting computerized accounting systems (CAS) in small organization, though there is much study on the overall adoption of IT. However, small business accounting software is an essential sub-set of overall small business IT research. Accounting software was the biggest application package used and the powerful factor behind the IT hardware acquisition decision. To look into the motivating factors for adopting accounting software, it would be practical to first review the more comprehensive literature on overall IT adoption. Hence, this literature review begins with a discussion of the studies of general IT adoption and then reviews studies particularly focused on accounting software adoption. 2.1 FACTORS FOR ADOPTION OF IT Thong (1999), Harrison, Mykytyn and Riemenschneider (1997), Cragg and King (1993), Moore and Benbasat (1991) and Treadgold (1990), who have made research about small business IT adoption, have now identified a variety of motivating factors. Thong (1999) attempted to strengthen the myriad of IT adoption research by developing an integrated model of information systems adoption. This model is a useful framework in reviewing the variables that impact on a small business owners decision to adopt IT. Thong classified the factors into four elements: Characteristics of the organization; Characteristics of the management; Characteristics of the technological innovation; and 4. Characteristics of the business environment. 2.2 Characteristics of the Organization The characteristics of the organization are variables that manipulate the decision whether to adopt IT or not. Organizational characteristics for instance: employees level of IT knowledge, business location, information-intensity, business size and industry sector has been evaluated in preceding research studies of Fink (1999); Burgess (1998); Wenzler (1996); Attewell (1992); Yap (1990); and Delone (1988). In general, the greater the sales turnover are determined by the larger the number of employees and the more information-intensive the industry, thus the more likely a small business will adopt IT innovation .In addition, Thong (1999) states that small businesses tend to suffer resource poverty in terms of financial competence, offered time and IT skilled staff to facilitate innovation adoption. As a result, Attewell (1992) adds that resource poverty raises the obstacle to innovation adoption in small business. 2.2.1 Information Intensity Yap (1990) quoted in Thong (1999), that businesses have different information-processing needs in different sectors. Those in more information-intensive sectors are more likely to adopt IT than those in less information-intensive sectors. Further, (Porter and Millar, 1985) have reported that greater uses of IT in businesses are due to greater information intensity. Therefore, greater information intensity will lead the holder or supervisor of small business to perceive IT as a most important competitive device and as a result increase the probability and complexity of applying computer software. 2.2.2 Business Size Dewar and Dutton (1983) and Moch and Morse (1977) quoted in Thong (1999), point out that the technological innovation literature has found that larger businesses have more capital and infrastructure to facilitate to adopt computerized accounting system. However, Ein-Dor and Segev (1978), specify that small and medium businesses face considerably more barriers, among others, a lack of internal information system expertise, restricted monetary resources and as such are less likely to adopt information systems than large businesses. Supplementary literature Alpar and Reeves (1990) quoted in Thong (1999) disagree that, even among small businesses, the larger the business, the more able it is able to employ people with specialized skills, for example, knowledge of information systems. Hence, there is a greater opportunity to move from manual system and adopt the computerized one. 2.2.3 Industry SEcTOR Some particular industries are more suited to computerized record keeping than others are discussed by some researchers. These findings are partly supported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 1999-2000 report, Business Use of Information Technology. The maximum use of computers was in businesses in the material goods, business services, electricity, gas and water supply industries. At the same time, the minimum computer use was in the private and other services like housing, cafes, restaurants, transport, storage, retail trade and construction. Therefore, it is more suitable to implement a CAS in industries in which there are more trading dealings and transaction processing so that to facilitate day-to-day running of the business. 2.3 Characteristics of Management Thong (1999) points out that in large businesses, group teams are usually involved in the IT decision-making process. However, this is in distinction to small businesses where the owner-manager is generally the IT decision maker. Therefore, Rizzoni (1991) indicates that in small businesses, the characteristics of the owner-manager are vital in determining the businesss approach to IT. Thong (1999) emphasized that the three major characteristics of owner- manager which are important to IT adoption are: Level of IT education and accounting knowledge. Computer self-efficacy, and Innovativeness. 2.3.1 Level of IT Education and Accounting KNOWLEDGE In view of the fact that managers have miniature knowledge about accounting or seeing as they do not know how to prepare accounts and financial statements, they generally prefer to contract out their accounting work to public accounting firms. In addition, in several countries and in several businesses, managers neither considered the accounting subject by any means nor the accounting subject in the secondary level or tertiary level. Accordingly, Lees (1987), DeLone (1988) and Neidleman (1979) quoted in Thong (1999), specify that the possessors are not alert of the significance and the usefulness of accounting information over and above the advantages of using computers to make effortless accounting works. Thus, it still exists an unwillingness to apply computer software for the reason that business process outsourcing decreases the lack of accounting perceptive of owners. Consequently, there would be a larger possibility to implement a CAS, if managers have been educated about the a ccounting knowledge or if they could be learned about the advantages of computer know-how to produce rapid and precise accounting information. 2.3.2 Computer self-efficacy Self-efficacy is the belief that one has the capability to perform a particular behavior that is extending the social cognitive theory. Compeau and Higgins (1995) described computer self-efficacy as a judgement of ones capability to use a computer. Delone (1988) and Raymond (1988) state that small businesses owners or managers who have commenced computer training and possess computer self-efficacy are more liable to implement IT. The key leader for innovation is the owner-manager and small businesses often cannot afford the luxury of experts to guide them towards the innovation adoption and diffusion process. Thus, it is important for the owner-manager to have computer self-efficacy. It is posited here that, to the degree that the owner-manager feels comfortable and confident with the information technology, here construed as the owner-managers computer self-efficacy, innovative information technology will be adopted. On the other hand, Gableand Raman (1992) discovered that managers in quite a lot of firms are less alarmed or have no idea of the probable remuneration resulting from the use of computers in accounting as they do not possess computer knowledge. Hence, managers would be willing to adopt such computer technology to process accounting data and produce appropriate and consistent financial reports on time, if they could be learnt about the favourable effects resulting by adopting accounting software package. 2.3.3 INNOVATIVENESS Innovation is defined as a change made in the traditional way of doing things. In this framework, innovation means the development of altering the way of preparing financial reports from manual system to accept accounting software package as a device for recording and processing accounting transactions and financial reports. Thong (1999) states that the owner-manager is the one who is in charge for the running of the company in small and medium businesses. As a result, the characteristics of owner-manager are essential in determining the innovation attitude given that they are the main decision maker. Kirton (1976) quoted in Thong (1999), contends that everyone is located on a continuum ranging from an ability to do things better to an ability to do things differently. The owner-manager will seek solutions that have already been tried and understood, if the latter is not a modernizer. In contrast, Kirton, (1984) indicates that the owner or manager who wants to innovate will favour so lutions that have not been attempted and are thus hazardous. However, Thong (1999) suggests that there is not anything that other associates of the business can do to use computers for accounting works if the owner-manager has not the willpower to innovate. 2.4 Characteristics of the Technological Innovation The decision to implement Information Technology is dependent on the characteristics of the technological innovation itself as they are also a vital determinant. Rogers (1983) defined diffusion as the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels overtime among the members of a social systems. Rogers uses the terms technology and innovation synonymously, but explains that technology is a design for instrumental action that reduces the uncertainty in the cause-effect relationships involved in a desired outcome. There are five, potentially relevant, characteristics of innovation noted by Rogers (1983) which are potentially valuable in explaining the results of our research. Complexity: how difficult technological innovation is perceived as easy or difficult to understand and use; Compatibility: how technological innovation must be consistent with the existing values, past experiences and needs of potential adopters, for instance producing quick reports as efficiently and effectively; Relative advantage: how much technological innovation must be perceived as better or worse to be compared to its predecessor system; Trialability: is the degree to which an innovation may be experimented with by potential users on a limited basis; Observability: how much time it takes for the results of technological innovation to become visible and maximize profit. It has been noticed, over the past decade that the initiation of powerful, economical microcomputers jointly with available accounting software, have enhanced and raised the barriers to IT modernization. Thong (1999) confirms that, this has shown the way to a boost in the adoption of IT in the accounting field of small businesses. 2.5 Characteristics of the Business Environment Business environment encompasses all those factors that affect a companys operations, and includes customers, competitors, stakeholders, suppliers, industry trends (accounting firm and accountants), regulations, other government activities, social and economic factors and technological development. 2.5.1 ACCOUNTING firm Oran (1988) and Shannon (1986) indicate that many small business owner-managers are not alert of the extra services supplied by accountants. Additionally, until a problem does not arise, owner-manager will not discuss with accountants (Holmes 1987). Moreover, ASCPA (1992) and Breen et al. (1994) maintained in their research that an external accountant used up much of his time on an act in accordance with accounting practice and accounting standards, thus he can help a business to acquire and put into practice the accounting software in the business accounting cycle. Gorton (1999) found that businesses that were recently start-up were more liable to move toward an external accountant for suggestion than more grown-up organizations. Also, Wenzler (1996) states that accountants are exceptionally placed to provide accounting software advice and support to their clients. Such proposal shows to be efficient and effective for businesses to opt for accounting software. There are close relationships between small and medium business owners and accountant, seeing as quite a few small and medium businesses contract out their operation transaction recording and reporting to external accounting firms. In addition, Davis (1997) noted that small and medium businesses depend a lot on accounting firms as their most faithful business advisors. Accounting firms have more acquaintance about their clients and their clients business. They know what their objectives are, and can put forward approaches to help in attaining those objectives. For this reason, as recommended by Yap et al. (1992), accounting firms can considerably influence CAS adoption among small and medium businesses and besides their participation may also contribute to the achievement of computerized accounting implementation. Nevertheless, to reduce errors and put a stop to fraud, it is essential for accountants to be aware of the impact of making use of of computers on the accounting procedures and controls that are premeditated. Moreover, computers cannot replace the opinion and insight of educated accountants but the computerized accounting software can facilitate the tasks by automating much of the everyday bookkeeping processes in the manual accounting systems (e.g. posting, trial balance preparation). Furthermore, computer software allows the accountant to spotlight more on how to proceed with the accounting entries and techniques on financial reports. Last but not least, more of the accountants hard work can be paying attention on supporting management in considering the impact of financing, investing and operating decisions on financial statements and other measures of performance by utilizing accounting software. 2.5.2 Competition Ives Learmonth (1984) and Link Bozeman (1991) quoted in Thong (1999) confirmed that it is usually assumed that competition will enhance the possibility of innovation adoption. Ettlie (1983) and Ettlie Bridges (1982) quoted in Thong (1999) also point that competition leads to environmental insecurity and increases both the need for and the rate of innovation adoption. Porter and Millar (1985) advise that, businesses will be able to compete in three ways by adopting IT: IT can create competitive advantage by reducing costs or increasing differentiation. IT can change the industry structure and, in doing so, change the rules of competition. IT generates new businesses by creating derived demands from new products, often within existing operations of the business. 2.5.3 External Agents Small businesss customers were a considerable reason for implementing IT, more than the pressure of competitors suggested by Wenzler (1996). Luckily, Public Practice Accountants are in a superior position to provide systems analysis, design, implementation, and support advice to their clients as many small businesses are in lack of resources to adopt CAS. Furthermore, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was an external influence on small business owner-managers decisions to adopt a CAS. Many small businesses would have taken advantage of Government incentives to help with the transition costs of the GST. Many small businesses computerized their accounting systems following the introduction of the GST because accounting for the GST using manual records proved to be too complicated (Lief 2000). Since the introduction of the GST, it has been shown that many small businesses agree that the costs involved were usually: offset by better record-keeping and resultant better business management. The general consensus was that the move to computerized records was very positive for the small business sector overall. 2.6 BARRIERS FOR ADOPTION OF IT Computerized accounting implies that the only thing that employees do is inputting and recording transactions into the computer, which then processes the other steps of the accounting cycle automatically or by a request. Davis and Olson (1985) defined Information System adoption as using computer hardware and software applications to support operations, management, and decision making in the business. In this study, computerized accounting is defined as using computer software applications to support accounting operations. However, many small businesses are cautious about the effect computer may have in their firm. When a CAS is installed, if there is a bad option of hardware or software, or insufficient planning, this may lead to obscurity and may have severe long-term consequences. Some reasons constantly mentioned in literature to explain why small firms that had not yet adopted IT, identified the three main barriers to IT acquisition. 2.6.1 Lack of computer skills and knowledge Stanworth and Gray (1992) and Marlow (1998) reported that drains on time and money characterize important limitations. Computer technology infuses businesses both large and small; the need for employees with adequate IT knowledge is serious. There are two achievable solutions to this dilemma. Firstly, it is the employment of devoted IT staff. However, this is can be outer the budget of the small association and is expensive. Secondly, IT training is another choice. Conversely, this also appears to be costly. The courses for small firms, professional practices where clients are to be paid on a time basis, time used up when undertaking training is considered by many owner-managers to be a loss of income as all these have proved to be expensive. Accordingly, many small and medium enterprises struggle forward with what knowledge exists inside the organization. The small body of study emphasizing upon the outcome of training in small firms is contradictory. Delone (1988), investigation of vital process factors, stated that the level of computer training was not connected with IT success (measured as the impact of IT on the organization and computer use). On the other hand, Montazemi (1988) stated that there is a favourable relationship between levels of training and measures of the impact of IT. Where workers were disappointed with the levels of training available, he noticed their computer literacy, end-user fulfillment and approval of IT was poorer than their better-trained counterparts. In addition, Igbaria et al. (1997) accounted that training also is useful for small organizations. Their research demonstrates training to be definitely related with the apparent effectiveness of IT and to use it without difficulty. On the basis of their conclusions, Igbaria et al. declare that individuals with no sufficient training are liable to face troubles while using the system. Since they are struggling, they may in fact consider that the system is too rigid to utilize and that the performance remunerations of practice are offset by the hard work of employing it and finally become hesitant to adopt the technology, thus defeating the purpose of establishing the new technology. 2.6.2 Lack of Time Niederman et al.(1991) and Galliers et al.(1994) state that analysis carry out in large businesses have constantly revealed information systems (IS) planning to be one of the top priorities of information systems and business managers for time management. However, Fidler et al.(1993) and Dou- kidis et al, (1994) report that existing study puts forward that small organizations are fading to pursue the model set by their larger counterparts and remain, in terms of modern management practice, in the dark ages. Whilst it is recognized by Malone (1985) and Cragg (1990) that the official planning techniques of large businesses are not essentially suitable for small businesses as investigation recommends that small firms that have adopted more formal planning systems come across lesser IS problems. Regardless of such results, Cragg and King (1993) report finding `few formal planning and control activities associated with the computer, or for that matter, with the business as a whole. Where planning does take place it has a tendency to be assumed on an unexpected, problem basis; only an action of the owner-manager; informal, periodic and closed; and prejudiced seriously by advice from external sources with less skills and experience than the owner-manager. While Doukidis et al. (1996) suggests, although IT is generally linked with a systematic approach to management and decision-making and its introduction requires careful planning, much small business management performance is based on short-term, informal, ad hoc lines. Furthermore, McMahon (2001) study mentioned that it really develops management in small firms and frees up time by using a computerized record keeping system. However, John Breen and Nick Sciulli (2002) initiated that business operators are probable to have complexity finding time to put into operation a CAS as they lack the time to examine and or implement a computer software package. For that reason, it may have a positive effect on the business taken as a whole and may facilitate to find the time to adopt CAS, if owner-managers could have the required management and financial skills. Besides, Proudlock et al (1999) research observed that some businesses owners did not have enough time to locate and acquire particular accounting software that satisfy their business necessities, and they did not have time to set up the accounting software and to record the routine business dealings. This is why they did not adopt Information Technology in the financial accounting system. 2.6.3 financial resources Iacovou et al. (1995) finds that small and medium enterprises need a constant supply of sufficient financial resources for a flourishing adoption of CAS. The financial resources are looked-for to face the installation costs, maintenance, and other current expenses that might crop up during the whole course of the system operation. However, Iacovou et al. (2005), Quayle (2002) and Riquelme (2002) added that not all small and medium enterprises have enough financial resources needed to support the adoption of CAS and as such financial limitation becomes the barrier to CAS. Head (2000) confirmed that: ..small business cries poor when it comes to buying computers. This shows that it is very costly and difficult when shifting from manual system to computerized system. Also, due to costly investment, many small business managers were unwilling to use computer software in the accounting system as mentioned by Head (2000) research study. However, Doukidis et al. (1994) and Proudlock et al. (1998) state that consultant assistance comes at an elevated price, often too high for the small business. Consequently, many small organization owners prefer to obtain advice from neighbouring firms and support firms as well as less formal sources of advice such as immediate family, friends and acquaintances, who basically have little or no understanding of the business. In the same way, Delone (1988) and Gable (1991) affirmed that IT consultants may not always be the reply. Although they are familiar with the application of IT in business, they hardly ever are aware of the specific needs of individual businesses in the same depth as the owner-manager. 2.7 Conclusion This overview of past research studies has clearly demonstrated the criteria which influenced the factors for the adoption of information technology in the accounting profession for some small and medium businesses. Nevertheless, these past studies have lifted a debatable issue in the literature. Consequently, no contrasts are made between businesses that use a computerized accounting system. This assessment would be practical in the reasons for using or not using computerized records, over and above what factors would persuade more businesses to adopt IT irrespective of their dimensions. Moreover, according to the literature, all of the above characteristics influence the owner or managers decision to implement IT in the accounting field to a varying extent depending on the economy and industry in which the business operates. .

Mahatma Gandhi vs. Mao Essay -- Compare Contrast, Comparison

Gandhi vs. Mao Mao and Gandhi became key leaders in each of their countries, India and China. Although they both wanted very similar things to happen to their countries, they used very different tactics. The main points in their rules where economical, political and social. And all points affected their people in many ways. First, to make each of their countries stronger economically Ghandi and Mao changed laws and broke rules. During the British rule in India there was a salt tax, which made it very hard for the people of china to buy salt, but it was illegal for them to make their own salt. Because Ghandi did not think this tax was righteous, on. In 1930, March 12th, he and eighty other people walked in the "salt march." The salt march was a walk of approximately 240 miles to the Arabian see where they could make salt, illegally. Many people found the "salt march" meaning full. And Ghandi became a larger economic leader. Another way that Gandhi made India more powerful economically was spinning and wearing the traditional clothing of India. By doing this all people of India did not purchase and western clothes, which knocked a chunk out of the British economy thus adding to end of British rule in India, and making the country of India wealthier because they were not buying western clothes owned, buy B ritish shopkeepers. On the other hand Mao did not have a government to battle against to make china more powerfully economically. When Mao and his followers where on the long march they would go through small villages and towns taking the land away from the land owners and give the land to the peasants who worked on the land, who had been kept in poverty by the landowners for many years. This made Mao well known through out c... ...estern and made a student army that killed and destroyed anything western. Mao and Gandhi made a great impact on their countries socially by getting rid of things like the caste system. But Gandhi has been looked up to by other people and has passed on what he did to make the world a better place. But Mao brought death when he thought that his country was getting out of control and that is not something to look up to. Both Mao and Gandhi made their countries what they are today socially, economically, and politically. Both by taking the same things and using them in different ways. Gandhi on one hand was more peaceful and did not believe in war. And wanted the whole of the country to unite as one. Mao on the other hand, was more military induced and used war to sometimes get what he wanted. China and India could not be what they are today with out Mao and Gandhi.

Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Cloning In the past few years, the topic of cloning has been in the news a lot. It is a very controversial issue, with many opposing viewpoints. While some find it acceptable, others object for religious reasons. A big concern is the possibility of abuse of this new technology. One of the big questions is "Where will we stop?" We may start by just experimenting and studying, but then what? Manufacturing human bodies for spare parts? No one can be sure where it will stop. The Supreme court says that everyone has the right to make their own reproductive decisions without government interference, but now it is proposing bans on human cloning. These bans prevent the very research needed to make cloning safe (Eibert). So, it seems that the government is not giving human cloning a chance. There are many benefits to cloning in the fields of fertility, organ transplants, and fighting disease. Although there are many benefits, the possible effects and moral considerations are too great for us to cont inue experimentation. Â  Benefits One of the major benefits of cloning technology is improvement in the field of fertility. In vitro fertilization only has a success rate of about 10%. To improve effectiveness, doctors could clone embryos, and the success rate could drastically increase (Masci 413). Another benefit in the field of fertility is that parents unable to conceive naturally, even with in vitro, or people too old to conceive, could still have a genetically related child (Masci 413-414). With cloning, egg and sperm would not be necessary for reproduction, because any body cell would work (Eibert). The resulting offspring would actually be a replica of one parent (Masci 413-414). Other benefits to using cloning come in the field of fighting disease. When genes are not in use, they become dormant. In order for cloning to take place, all genes must be active. Discovering how genes are turned on and off could lead to treatment for different cancers (Masci 414). Cloning could also revolutionize the field of organ transplant. Organs and bone marrow could be cloned and used for transplant. Thousands of people die waiting for transplants, so this could save many lives. In addition, the organs used in the transplant could come from the same patient, reducing the risk of rejection by the body (Masci 414). To treat heart attack victims, doctors could clone healthy heart cells and inject them into damaged areas of the heart (Masci 415).

Machiavelli and Odysseus

Power and Leadership The Connection of Power and Leadership between The Odyssey and The Prince Research Assignment Stories in Diverse Media LAPS/HUMA 1780 Prepared for: Dr. Gillian Helfield Mr. Julian Manyoni Prepared by: Samuel James Ysip 212-697-983 Power and Leadership Power and leadership play a big role in accomplishing the objectives of a team. A person having these two attributes can direct a group of people towards achieving their common goal. These two components of authority are also essential to each other in order for the leader to be successful.Power is a person’s ability to influence others and leadership is a person’s talent to guide a group of people to achieve their common goal. A person that has power but without the capacity to make the right decisions for the team will definitely fail to lead a team to their goal and a person without the influence on others but with the talent to lead a team will sure not be able to implement the qualities of a great leader to a group. Homer’s The Odyssey and Machiavelli’s The Prince are two books that both contain themes about power and leadership.Homer’s The Odyssey contains information about Odysseus’ leadership capabilities during his journey home to Ithaca and how he reacted on different situations that involve critical leadership decisions. It also contains the status of his leadership in his homeland and what kind of monarchy he has. On the other hand, Machiavelli’s The Prince gives out information and guidelines on what a Machiavellian leader should be and how he should react in different kinds of situations. It also contains different theories on how the structure of a monarchy affects a ing’s superiority in his own kingdom. Throughout Odysseus’ journey, he made questionable decisions that contradict the teachings of Machiavelli. By not following the guidelines of Machiavelli on leadership and power management, as a result, Odysseus fail ed to lead his team safely back to Ithaca. Through Machiavelli’s theory, on could also argue that because of the structure of Odysseus’ kingdom in Ithaca, it resulted to the noble men in Achaea to take advantage of his absence, thus resulting to the exploitation of his land.The disobedience of Odysseus’ crew members to his orders resulting to their death, the act of contempt of Eurylochus against Odysseus and the effects of political structure in Ithaca to Odysseus’ supremacy as king are the three factors that constitute the power and leadership issues in The Odyssey which are connectedly criticized and discussed through the guidelines and theories of Machiavelli in The Prince. The disobedience of Odysseus crew members to his order of not eating the cattle of Helios which resulted to their death is the outcome of Odysseus’ failure to apply the teaching of Machiavelli about being compassionate or cruel.In chapter seventeen of The Prince, Machiavelli stated that, â€Å"A ruler mustn’t worry about being labelled cruel when it’s a question of keeping his subjects loyal and united . . . he will prove more compassionate than the leader whose excessive compassion leads to public disorder, muggings and murder. † (65). Odysseus’ compassion towards Eurylochus; a high ranking crew member that insults him and constantly tries to lure Odysseus’ crew members to disobey his orders, resulted to the death of the crew members and further delayed his return to Ithaca.Eurylochus’ exploitations in the story began to develop when they arrived at the island of Aeaea. Eurylochus disagreed with Odysseus’ decision to go back to Circes palace to have his men rest after a long travel. He then insulted Odysseus by saying, â€Å"So too it happened with the Cyclops, when our companions went into his yard, and the bold Odysseus was of their company; for it was by this man’s recklessness that these too perished. † (10. 435-438). These two incidents alone have enough grounds for Odysseus to take actions on Eurylochus’ obvious disregard of his authority.Odysseus considered killing him by taking his head off but he realized that he is related to Eurylochus by marriage and his men were also able to stop him by pleading to him. This confrontation is an evidence of Odysseus showing incorrect compassion towards Eurylochus. Although Odysseus showed a sign of disappointment, he never really punished him which led to more disobedience by Eurylochus. It also showed that he considers his men’s view of his actions. His actions confirmed that he would rather show compassion than cruelty by being stopped by his men from killing Eurylochus through their pleading.By not taking the necessary actions on Eurylochus’ behaviour, he was able to persuade Odysseus to land on the island of Thrinakia where Helios keeps his cattle despite Circes advice to stay away from Heliosâ₠¬â„¢ belongings. When they landed on the Island where the cattle are, Eurylochus again stirred up trouble by persuading the crew members that it’s fine to eat the cattle of Helios while Odysseus was asleep. Eurylochus said, â€Å". . . hunger is the sorriest way to die and encounter fate . . . let us cut out the best of Helios cattle and sacrifice them to the immortals who hold wide heaven . . . nd if we ever come back to Ithaca . . . we will build a rich temple to the Sun God Helios. † (12. 342-346). This final incident that Eurylochus was able stir up became the main reason of the crew members’ death and also Eurylochus. Odysseus should have made the right decision of eliminating Eurylochus when he first started to disregard his superiority on the Island of Aeaea. Odysseus also showed a sign weakness in his leadership when Eurylochus was able to persuade him to land on an island where the temptations are apparent despite the group and Eurylochus’ consta nt disobedience and the crew’s inability to avoid temptation.In the book Machiavelli on Modern Leadership, Michael A. Leeden stated that â€Å"Without fear of punishment, men will not obey laws that force them to act contrary to their passions. † (115). Odysseus’ lack of implementing punishment to his subjects made his crew men, particularly Eurylochus, more attracted to temptations and more convenient of violating not only Odysseus’ orders but also the gods’. Leeden also stated in his book that â€Å"to be an effective leader, the most prudent method is to ensure that your people are afraid of you.To instill that fear, you must demonstrate that those who attack you will not survive. † (126). This statement criticises Odysseus response to Eurylochus’ disobedience. Eurylochus challenged and ridiculed Odysseus’ leadership and authority during their stay on the island of Aeaea. He also questioned Odysseus decision of not wanting t o land on the island of Thrinakia although he was able to persuade him anyway. Odysseus failed to respond with effective force on these incidents which resulted to more disobedience. The system of uthority that Odysseus implemented over his subjects during their journey resulted to his men’s downfall and also his. By not applying the teachings of Machiavelli on how a leader should use power to appropriately perform cruelness or compassion to achieve a better and more disciplined kingdom, Odysseus showed unnecessary compassion to the wrong person; a sign of a weak leadership, thus resulting to the death of his whole crew and further delayed his return to Ithaca. Odysseus’ leadership flaws do not stop on his lack of control over his subjects.He also made terrible judgements that led to the death of some of his companions that consequently resulted to the lost of their trust to his leadership. Because of these bad decisions, Eurylochus; Odysseus’ second in command, found the courage to challenge his leadership. In The Prince, Machiavelli stated that, â€Å". . . when there is no threat from outside, a ruler must take care that his subjects don’t start conspiring against him. He can guard against this by making sure he isn’t hated or despised and that people are happy with him† (73).One reason of Eurylochus’ voice of displeasure with Odysseus’ leadership is because of Odysseus’ foolishness and stubbornness. On the Island of Cyclopes before Odysseus took his men to the cave, he stated that â€Å"my proud heart had an idea that presently I would encounter a man who was endowed with great strength, and wild, with no true knowledge of laws or any good customs. † (9. 213-215). On their way to the Cyclops’ cave, Odysseus knew himself that danger is on their way yet he still made careless decisions when they get there.Instead of quickly taking all the things they needed inside the cave and despi te his men’s persuasions, he still decided to wait for Polyphemus to arrive because he personally wanted to try his luck if the Cyclops would actually welcome them inside. Odysseus stated that â€Å"From the start my companions spoke to me and begged me to take some of the cheeses, come back again, and the next time to drive the lambs and kids from their pens, . . . but I would not listen to them . . . not until I could see him, see if he would give me presents. † (9. 224-229).The fact that Odysseus is a known tactician, one could argue that his companions’ simple strategy is far much better than Odysseus naive idea of trying his luck with the Cyclops. Although Odysseus’ cunnings got him out of the cave after getting trapped, the consequences of his foolish curiosity in regard to the death of his comrades and the lost of trust of his comrades, outweigh the benefits of his cunnings. Odysseus stubbornness and foolishness led to the death of six of his men a nd this gave Eurylochus one of the reasons to go against his authority.The incident on their way out of Island of the Cyclopes also added fuel to the fire when Odysseus provoked Polyphemus by shouting to him. His crew members yet again pleaded to him, â€Å"Hard one, why are you trying once more to stir up this savage man . . . † (9. 494-495). They also mentioned that because of Odysseus’ provocative actions, the Cyclops threw big rocks at them and led the ship back to the shore and almost got them caught and get killed. This declaration by his crew members is a sign of their disappointment with Odysseus’ leadership.It shows that they are concerned with how Odysseus constantly putting them in harm’s way by being out of control. Another sign of their dissatisfaction is when the notion of unfairness came into their minds when they foolishly opened the bag of wind that sent them back to Aiolian Island. His companions stated that Odysseus â€Å"is bringing h ome with him handsome treasures . . . while we, who have gone through everything he has on the same venture, come home with our hands empty. † (10. 40-43).This action by the crew members shows a symptom of mutiny against a leader that is supposed be trusted and respected by his subjects. It also signifies that Odysseus has lost his connection with his crew men and they don’t see him anymore as one of them. In an article by Elihu Rose, he claimed that â€Å"Mutiny begins with grievances over some existing or threatened condition. The question then may be posed as to whether those grievances, legitimate or not, were ultimately addressed and, if so, to what degree . . . † (572).This statement supports the idea that mutiny is indeed the result of lack of acknowledgement by the people who are responsible to address the internal issues of an organization. It applies to Odysseus’ constant disregard of his crew members’ pleadings which resulted to him putti ng his crew members into situations that they didn’t wish to go through. According to Machiavelli, â€Å". . . one of the most powerful preventive measures against conspiracies is simply not being hated by majority of people. People planning a conspiracy must believe that killing the ruler will be popular . . † Eurylochus knew the disappointment of the crew members on Odysseus’ leadership. This gave him the further courage to voice out his displeasure on Odysseus’ authority knowing that the crew members also have an issue with the way Odysseus handled situations. It also gave him the courage and the capability to persuade the crew members to disobey Odysseus’ orders of not eating the cattle of Helios. Machiavelli’s advice to a king of keeping his subjects satisfied or simply not despise him to avoid contempt or mutiny certainly didn’t apply to Odysseus leadership.The stubbornness of Odysseus along with his inability to create a cohesi ve relationship among his crew resulted into disappointment inside his circle which paved the way for Eurylochus to contempt against his authority. Lastly, the capability of the noble men to threaten his throne and exploit his belongings could be argued as the result of the political structure of Odysseus’ kingdom. Chapter four of The Prince discusses the advantages of appointing ministers and the disadvantages of a kingdom with nobles.Machiavelli stated that, â€Å"These barons have their own lands and their own subjects who recognize the barons as their masters and are naturally loyal to them. Where a state is governed by a king and his ministers the king is more powerful since he is the only person in the state whom people recognize as superior. When they obey someone else it is only because he is minister or official and they have no special loyalty to him† (16). In other words, Machiavelli suggests that because the nobles have their own power inside a king’ s monarchy, they’re more likely to disobey or be mutinous against a king’s authority.On the other hand, a monarchy that has ministers instead of barons, gives the king the security of not having any defiance against his superiority. In The Odyssey, Achaea is a land filled nobles. It is known in the story that Odysseus did not appoint any ministers or any sort of authority to secure his throne in Ithaca from any threats while he is gone to war. This signifies that his power over the people of Ithaca is not absolute or in other words, the foundation of his power is fragile once a certain threat to his power comes in.In The Prince, Machiavelli claimed that the nobles are more likely to be corrupted by foreign forces because they are hard to please and are always eager for a change in leadership. This suggests that even if Odysseus came back to Ithaca on time, his authority is not secured from any internal or external forces (e. g. the nobles or other kings) that wanted to challenge it and much more worst if he actually have died in the war. In The Odyssey, Telemachus stated that, â€Å"It is not bad to be a king . . . in fact there are many other Achaian princes, young and old, in sea girt Ithaca, any of who might hold this position, now hat the great Odysseus has perished. † (1. 393-396). This statement by Telemachus; son of Odysseus, is a confirmation that Odysseus throne is in fact open for any internal or external forces (i. e. suitors Inside or outside of Ithaca) to occupy without any prohibition. According to Machiavelli, â€Å". . . there will always be barons ready to assume authority when circumstances swing their way . . . † (18). Odysseus’ absence in Ithaca and the inexistence of authority gave the noblemen the chance to do whatever they want in his land, consequently giving the noble men their chance to finally occupy his throne.An example of this is the persistence of the Achaean noble men to take his throne by marr ying his wife; Penelope, despite her obvious intension of not wanting to marry. Another result of lack of authority in Ithaca is the constant abuse of his property in the hands of the noble men by uncontrollably devouring his livestock and wine. Although Telemachus tried to appeal to the suitors by holding an assembly with all the suitors and the Achean elders, it was not enough to get the suitors out of his land. Telemachus stated that â€Å"We have no man here such as Odysseus was, to drive this curse from the household.We ourselves are not the men to do it . . . not men well seasoned in battle. † (2. 58-61). Although Telemachus has the right to be aggravated with the suitors’ spoilage of his belongings, there is no authority or power in his kingdom beyond his capability that could demand the suitors out of his land. Without Odysseus, the noblemen hold the power on the land and are pretty much entitled to enforce their own rules. In the book Greek Political Thought b y Ryan Balot, he stated that, â€Å"Odysseus was like a father to his people who protected them from foreign enemies, from less restrained aristocrats . . When Odysseus left Ithaca, everything went downhill, because of the greed and hubris of wealthy well-born men without a sense of decency . . . Meanwhile, the political community could exert some – though not enough – pressure on these aristocrats to amend their behaviour. . . as long as Odysseus was gone, those who would normally have been in charge were left with pious hopes that the gods would rescue them. Therefore . . . the well being of Ithaca depended on Odysseus return and his forcible reassertion of his power. † (32).This statement by Balot supports the argument that the inexistence of ministers who play as the second in command of the king makes the monarchy vulnerable not only from the nobles but also from external threats. Without the authority of appointed ministers who play as the second in comman d of the king, it makes the noble suitors subsequent to Odysseus in the hierarchy of power in Ithaca. With the little gap between the powers of a king and noblemen, it makes it easier for the noblemen to enforce their authority in a kingdom when the power of a king is inexistent.Balot’s view of the situation in Ithaca also supports the idea that Odysseus’ authority in his kingdom is not supreme amongst all the people under his authority and it is just a matter of chance before the noblemen defy him. Machiavelli’s theory about the advantages of ministers and the disadvantages of having noblemen in a monarchy certainly applies to the structure of Odysseus’ monarchy. With the kind of monarchy that Ithaca has, Odysseus’ superiority in his land is undeniably vulnerable from the defiance of the ambitious and opportunistic noblemen.The inexistence of legitimate authorities like the ministers who play as the second in command of the king to provide governa nce all over the land and also as the king’s safeguard from any mutiny makes the supremacy of Odysseus as a king of Ithaca questionable. A leader’s utilization of both power and leadership is the sole reason for an organization to succeed or fail. A leader that lacks either one of these elements is most likely to fail on directing a group to achieve the group’s common objective including the leader’s own personal goal.The issues of power and leadership throughout Odysseus journey in The Odyssey are linked to the ideologies and guidelines of Machiavelli’s The Prince on how a king can efficiently apply his power and leadership to maintain a well-organized and successful monarchy and what kinds of circumstances can affect a king’s supremacy to his own kingdom. Throughout Odysseus journey, he showed manners of leadership that contradicted the guidelines of Machiavelli of how a king should react in different situations that involve a critical lea dership decisions.Odysseus’ too much compassion towards his crew members contradicts the advice of Machiavelli on why it is better for the leader to be feared than loved. His inappropriate compassion towards his crew members led to their rebellion against his authority which consequently led to their own destruction. Odysseus perhaps wanted to be viewed as a compassionate leader, therefore loved by his people, instead of being viewed as a cruel but effective dictator. But according to Leeden â€Å"Indeed, if you are feared, your followers will always find reasons to love you. †(128).Odysseus recklessness also resulted to the contempt of his second in command, Eurylochus. Machiavelli stated that a king should have the characteristics of both fox and lion to avoid traps and scare out enemies. Although there is no doubt that Odysseus is a courageous warrior and at the same time cunning, he showed at times that he only utilizes the qualities of a lion but lacks or disregar ds the qualities of a fox, thus resulting to his crew members frustration of his actions. An example is when he courageously waited for Polyphemus despite knowing the fact that he’s an unlawful monster.Machiavelli stated that those kings that only rely on qualities of a lion have no idea what they’re doing. The structure of Odysseus’ monarchy is also discussed in Machiavelli’s The Prince. Machiavelli’s view on why a king is better off with a monarchy with appointed ministers than a monarchy with ruling noblemen can certainly be applied to the struggle of power in his land, Ithaca. The situation in Ithaca proves that Machiavelli’s view on the importance of ministers and the disadvantages of having noble family in a monarchy is accurate.These issues of power and leadership in The Odyssey created the consequences that plagued Odysseus, his crewmen and his wife and son throughout the story. The rebellion of his crewmembers is the result of Odyss eus’ failure to apply an efficient leadership along with his power, consequently resulting to his authority over his men to diminish as well. The effect of the political structure to Odysseus’ supremacy in Ithaca is unchangeable, thus making him an inevitable victim of an unavoidable circumstance.However, If Odysseus followed the guidelines of Machiavelli on how an ideal king should lead, Odysseus could have saved some of his crew members and achieved their ultimate common goal and that is returning to Ithaca safe and sound. Bibliography Balot, Ryan. Greek Political Thought. Blackwell Publishing, 2006. 32. Print. This text contains a thorough history of ancient Greek political thought. It examines different kinds of ancient text (e. g. The Odyssey) in order to clearly demonstrate the political thought and structure of ancient Greece during its time. It also studies the connection between politics and ethics in ancient Greece.Part of this text studies the tendencies of the noblemen to revolt against a ruler. Balot stated that the aristocrats often sought for political connection outside a king’s monarchy to gain additional political connection that could possibly help them attack their own government. It also contains Balot’s view of the situation in Ithaca when Odysseus power is inexistent. Balot stated that Odysseus existence as a king is the only thing that hinders the â€Å"less-restrained† aristocrats from doing what they wish to do in his land. Homer. The Odyssey of Homer. Trans. Richmond Lattimore.New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. , 1967. Print. The poem The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus’ journey back to his kingdom after the Trojan War. It describes the trials and the consequences that Odysseus had to go through trough out his journey. This text relates to my essay about â€Å"Power and Leadership† because it exhibits Odysseus’ leadership capabilities on different kinds of situations ( e. g. Odysseus leadership in the island of the Cyclops) throughout his travel. This text is relevant to my argument because it contains incidents that required Odysseus to make leadership decisions.An example of these incidents is when he decided to wait for the Cyclops despite his crew members’ request of leaving the cave. By using these incidents in The Odyssey, it will help me apply the guidelines of Machiavelli on how a king should respond in different kinds of situations that required critical leadership decisions. Ledeen, Michael. Machiavelli on Modern Leadership. New York: Truman Talley Books and St. Martin's Griffin, 1999. 112-149. Print. This book studies the lessons of Machiavelli on leadership and how they can be applied to modern politics. Michael A.Ledeen’s personal view on the importance of Machiavellian leadership will be used as a tool to back up my claims on why the consequences that Odysseus suffered throughout his journey were the results of his lead ership decisions that contradicted the guidelines of Machiavelli. In one case in the book that indicates the importance of inserting fear in the people under one’s leadership, Leeden uses George Washington as an example by illustrating how the former U. S. president used his army to control the citizens who were against the idea of paying excise tax on their liquor.Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Trans. Tim Parks. Great Britain: Penguin Books Ltd, 2009. Print. This book by Machiavelli instructs the readers of the guidelines of how a â€Å"Prince† should lead and overcome adversaries or conflicts the Machiavellian way. It relates to my topic of â€Å"Power and Leadership† because it contains ideologies of how leaders should react or demonstrate power when threatened by internal or foreign forces. This text also discusses different circumstances that could affect a king’s superiority in his kingdom.The effect of the political structure of a king’s kingdom is an example of the topics that are discussed in this text that could be applied to the circumstance of Odysseus kingdom, Ithaca. This text will be the basis of my judgement on the rights and wrongs of Odysseus’ leadership. It will also be the basis of my evaluation on what Odysseus should have and should have not done on different situations throughout his travel. Rose, Elihu. â€Å"The Anatomy of Mutiny. † Sage. (1982): 572. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. ;http://afs. sagepub. com/content/8/4/561. full. pdf;. This article by Rose studies the reasons of mutiny in the military.It also explains the different kinds of mutinies, how the process of mutiny starts and how to end it. It also contains examples of passed mutinies from sixteenth century French monarchy. This article is essential to the argument of why Odysseus’ inappropriate actions in the land of the Cyclopes have made his crewmen disappointed which led to the act of contempt of Eurylochus against him. Its explanation of how mutiny starts supports the argument that Odysseus’ action against the will of his crewmen is the primary reason why his subordinates rebel against his authority in their journey.