Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Knowledge Management - Essay Example nt position in this as they are the real â€Å"knowledge producers† and hence any new knowledge that a company looks for is produced courtesy through these people. Competitive success is basically commanded by the companys capability to harness and indeed develop new forms of knowledge, gained either by observation or by experience attained, which can be called as assets that in turn create the required â€Å"core competencies† of the said organization. (Sims, 2002) While knowledge management might just be a new trend in the organizational circles, it is absolutely a good idea to discuss it in line with the top managers of present times. What this does is that the managers understand that the employees and the organization-related individuals are speaking their language and they are getting the hang of their terminologies as a result of the same. While these competencies within knowledge management do exist in many forms, learning on the part of a particular company plays a pivotal role, which eventually ventures into other resources of knowledge to generate high-class and exceptional showing from the company’s employees. (Dunn, 2001) Making sure that a company has knowledge management easily understood within the domains of the top managers is a very pivotal aspect – one that needs a great deal of tolerance on the part of the middle management which is all this while changing into a knowledge organization nonetheless. It is quite true that there is a host of ways in which new knowledge within a company is facilitated within its ranks. The need here is to classify them with respect to their importance, which include the cultural infrastructure can be changed within a company so as to gather some proportion to the fact of the actual remains that have to be taken care of in the company and in its employees’ minds. It demands idealization and disclosure of everlasting knowledge that is created over a certain period of time. This usually requires basic changes to

3d System and 3d Printing Essay Example for Free

3d System and 3d Printing Essay As a radical innovation, 3D printing has been introduced to market over 30 years since 1980s. This technology revolution doesn’t only change the process of molding; it also adapts its industry to go green by reducing wasting materials. In the contrast, object is produced by traditional technology (subtractive process) generates surplus cut material. In the early period of development, it was applied in hobbyist uses and industry uses such as design visualization, prototyping, architecture, education, and healthcare. In 2000s, along with mass launches of portable 3D printers from several companies, 3D printer has stepped on consumer product market; also, printed objects have been transformed from components or prototypes to finished goods. The personal 3D printer is incremental innovation of 3D printing. Basically, it was developed from industry 3D printer by design, size, and accessibility. Cube ® as 3D Systems’ first personal 3D printer is part of company’s strategy which is to accelerate 3D printer penetration. Five growth strategies See more: Homeless satire essay * Expand on-demand-parts services * Accelerate 3D printer penetration * Grow healthcare revenue * Consumer and retail * Create Seamless digital scan, design and print platform 3D Systems acquired Rapidform which is a leading global provider of 3D scan-to CAD and inspection software tools, located in Seoul, South Korea in 9 October 2012. 3D Systems is going to achieve its fifth growth initiative: to create a seamless, digital scan, design and print platform for the benefit of its customers. 3D Systems would broaden their range of capabilities with complementary products and technology, and extend its coverage and breadth globally with a significant foothold in South Korea and Japan. Technological Opportunities and Innovation The company has been playing as a leading provider in 3D printing business for over 25 years. It mainly focuses on business purposes e.g. making a rapid prototyping and manufacturing part. The research and development team of the company work closely with marketing department and foresee an opportunity gap in the current market. The team has an idea to entering into â€Å"home personal 3D printing† market by launching a new product line called Cube ® which allows people to print real object in three dimensions. Concurrent with introducing Cubify.com as a marketplace and meeting place where artists, designers, children and makers can sell their 3D designs and anyone can Cube ® in Product Life Cycle According to Product Life Cycle strategy, 3D Systems and its Cube ® have been successfully proving the Introduction stage and are ongoing with Growth stage. The attention has been captured by hyping up the publicity and put the personal home 3D printing into recognition. All sources of public media e.g. Magazine, Newspaper, YouTube, News, Trade Event are widely presenting the debut of company innovation of home personal 3D printer and has been awarded as the winner of â€Å"Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award 2012†. 3D Systems Focusing Strategies In order to move along from Introduction period to Growth, the company has put its focus into 4 main company strategies which one of them is â€Å"Accelerate 3D printer penetration†. It is emphasis on expanding company distribution channel through reseller and subsidiary around the world which currently the company only offers click-and-mortar store. Cube ® in Adoption Curve and its Development Culture Since the personal home 3D printer is new to market, with its intuitive experience offering to consumer, it is not difficult for Innovators group of people to adopt the printing technology. Therefore, with its product features—Simplicity of Plug and Play, WiFi printing support, and more pattern available to download on cubify.com, it would not be an obscurity for Early Adopters to adopt the system as well. Furthermore, Cube ® 3D printer is currently likely positioned on the upper right side of the 3D Systems’ Development Culture model where it is considered to be such a completely new and breakthrough product of the year. The company will constantly improve the printer itself as seen in the company annual report under research and development expenses increased by $5.7 million, or 58.1%, to $15.4 million in the first nine months of 2012 from $9.7 million in the first nine months of 2011 3D Systems Development Culture Cube ® and its complementary product The selling point of the Cube ® 3D printer is not only the machine itself but the company also offer a cloud service community—Cubify.com. - Cubify turns mobile device, PC or tablet into a powerful mobile digital canvas to unleash creativity and bring ideas to life in 3D. On Cubify.com, user can find coloring book, cloud gaming and share creativity in 3D experience. The site also offers intuitive 3D Apps, rich 3D printable content libraries of games, puzzles, and any other collections for creation, purchase, share, or even sell for money. Additionally, the website also provides online printing service and has the printed object ship it right to customer later by air mail. Therefore, this service has driven the company to hold competitive advantage over competitors. People are increasing the awareness of cloud service where everything can be done over the air. The company can create the value of its product by offering a place where community begins which increasing in customer lock-in strategy and generate more revenue to company in long run. What company strategies beyond launch Cube ®: Be fast mover The world’s first personal 3D printer was launched by Stratasys in 2009. At the same time, 3D systems also launched its first personal 3D printer to become one of fast movers to better understand the barriers to broad utilization. As technology world, time is everything. 3D systems entered the market early means to quickly build large installed based as many as its industry section, and keep its leading position in 3D printing technology. They are now working on a multi-front strategy to democratize access and accelerate the adoption of 3D printing for the student, the hobbyist and ultimately, the consumer. The real keys are utility and affordability. Cube is part of its plan. Razor-blade strategy The launch of Cube reflects company’s penetration strategy that attempts to make customers to lock in with its products. The price of Cube is affordable, in addition to its high quality of product and service such as friendly-use application, various materials and colors, platform named Cubify.com where users can download and upload sources. Printer won’t be only product customer will purchase. Once printer is purchased, customer needs to keep purchasing other complementary products such as materials, also service such as applications. They will continuously make profit for company; even the revenue of materials and service is greater than the revenue of machine. RD As a technology company, innovation is critical, and one of the key drives of innovation is research and development. 3D systems’ expense in RD is increasing gradually to ensure its leadership through technology and business innovation. Table: 1. 3Dsystems-2012 Financial Statement Protect innovation Only developing and introducing new technology and product that will meet the customers need is not sufficient to be successful. To gain profit and increase market share, the company need to protect the product and service and development and manufacturing phase copying by competitors and new entrants. 3D Systems consider their technology platforms and materials as proprietary and try to protect them through copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets. 3D Systems has worked steadily over the years to develop the market, protect its position with a portfolio of hundreds of patents, and to improve its machinery, software and materials. This has resulted in improvements in accuracy, surface finish and material properties that have been instrumental in expanding the rapid prototyping market as a whole. At December 31, 2011, 3D Systems held 725 patents and 257 pending patent applications worldwide, including applications covering inventions contained in our recently introduced printers. 3D Systems has also entered into licensing or cross-licensing arrangements with various companies in the United States and in other countries that enable those companies to utilize the technologies in their products or that enable 3D Systems to use their technologies in the products. Under certain of these licenses, they are entitled to receive, or obligated to pay, royalties for the sale of licensed products in the U.S. or in other countries. 3D Systems gain the competitive advantages from these patents and licenses and their success depends largely on the marketing, business development and applications know-how and on their ongoing research and development efforts. Although 3D Systems protect their intellectual property rights, the secrecy of their digital content, confidential information, trade secrets and unlicensed copying through a variety of techniques, the success of 3D Systems will motivate the competitors to copy what they are doing. When the competitors come with up with the technology and product with the same customer need, it will be harmful to their business. The loss of trade secret protection could make it easier for third parties to compete with their products by copying previously confidential features, which could adversely affect 3D Systems revenue and operating margins. Strategic acquisition 3D Systems has made and will continue to make strategic acquisitions in future also. 3D has acquired a number of technologies and competitor companies over the years. It purchased Keltool ® technology from 3M several years ago to address high volume injection mold-making applications. In rapid succession in 2001, it acquired OptoForm SARL (France), RPC Ltd. OptoForms technology was aimed at additive manufacturing applications and RPC was acquired to help the company replace its long-term relationship with resin supplier Vantico. 3D Systems completed twelve acquisitions in 2011 and the Z Corp and Vidar acquisitions in 2012. 3D Systems consolidated its entire personal and professional 3D printer businesses into a single unit. This acquisition integrates Z Corp and Vidar products and services with 3D Systems’ extensive portfolio, uniquely positioning 3D Systems for accelerated growth in the dynamic, rapidly expanding 3D content-to-print space. The transaction completes 3D Systems’ range of product capabilities, fills price gaps with complementary products and technology and doubles its reseller coverage globally. Z Corporation Z Corp provides 3D technologies used to create new products and services more effectively than any other ways, compressing the design cycle, generating new concepts, communicating clearly, fostering collaboration, and reducing errors. Z Corp solutions span the entire 3D CAD/BIM design process from concept through design verification. Z Corp is committed to making their solutions the fastest, easiest, most accessible and most valuable. Vidar Systems Corporation Vidar Systems is a leading provider of optical imaging technology specializing in medical and dental imaging markets. Built upon a solid foundation of innovation and an unwavering dedication to quality, the company is the worldwide leader and number one manufacturer of medical film digitizers. â€Å"This is a historic, game-changing event for our customers and stockholders. Today we gained complementary full color and high speed printing technology, increased our marketplace presence significantly in verticals beyond product development and direct manufacturing, assembled the largest and most-well prepared reseller channel in 3D printing, and catalyzed our healthcare solutions business,† said Abe Reichental, President and CEO of 3D Systems. â€Å"Concurrent with the completion of this transaction today, we have taken immediate, decisive steps to unleash the combined revenue growth potential and deliver the value creation inherent in this acquisition for the benefit of customers and shareholders alike.† 3D Systems plan to evaluate acquisition opportunities in the future in an effort to expand the business and enhance stockholder value. â€Å"Acquisitions involve certain risks and uncertainties including: * Difficulty in integrating newly acquired businesses and operations in an efficient and cost-effective manner, which may also impact our ability to realize the potential benefits associated with the acquisition; * The risk that significant unanticipated costs or other problems associated with integration may be encountered; * The challenges in achieving strategic objectives, cost savings and other anticipated benefits; * The risk that our marketplaces do not evolve as anticipated and that the technologies acquired do not prove to be those needed to be successful in the marketplaces that we serve; * The risk that we assume significant liabilities that exceed the limitations of any applicable indemnification provisions or the financial resources of any indemnifying party; * The inability to maintain a relationship with key customers, vendors and other business partners of the acquired business. Acquisition for the development of Cube * 3D Systems acquired Bit from Bytes (UK) which is one of the more successful of start-up companies producing open-source equipment in 2010. Both companies achieved from this acquisition. BFB has got the patent and technical issues as well as means to accelerate the pace of its development. It also provided 3D Systems with a window on very low price and easier to enter in cost sensitive fields such as education. In 2011, 3D followed up that acquisition and purchased BotMill, an even smaller US company producing RepRap derivative and the purchase of widen their offerings for those customers looking for machine at the lowest cost. At the start of the 2012, 3D introduced a third major initiative in the low cost, the Cube 3D printer presented as a key component in a new web-based consumer community the company has dubbed Cubifyâ„ ¢. It remains to be seen how 3D Systems will integrate these efforts, or whether the entities will maintain their individual identities. What benefits and risks of 3D systems in the future? Enjoy benefits 3D systems make mass targets by providing wide range of product portfolio in perspective of price and performance. In the meantime, its 7 print engines are technical standard in 3D printing industries. It means it can capture the majority of customers. Cube is a good trial to penetrate 3D printer to personal use. In addition, effective adoption of emerged new technology and booming market would urge 3D systems to gain large market share and profits while building its leadership. The powerful materials and services can diversify the revenue generation of the company; they build its competitiveness among market. Potential risks: Global economic, political and social conditions might increase costs, harm the ability of company to do business, change the market trend. Cube is still not dominant design yet; the competitors can easily take over its market position by launching higher performance machine with lower price. The company may incur substantial costs enforcing or acquiring intellectual property rights and defending against third party claims as a result of litigation or other proceedings. In some case, it may not be able to protect them from unauthorized copying, use or disclosure. In rapid changing technology world, it will be always possible that radically new technology emerges and destroy current one. If so, the company and its product will face huge difficulty. Recommendations: To gain greater market share with higher profit, we suggest 3D systems to improve in the following aspects: 1. Price 3D Systems could further reduce price of 3D printers to penetrate into market. If do so, company can build large installed base. Over time, when company gains sufficient user, it could start to reduce price of materials to follow penetration plan. On the other hand, it’s to ease users’ concern, and lift company’s reputation. 2. Product development 3D Systems should bring more advanced products with higher specifications to fulfill diversity of printing requirements. Printing product size, types of materials and level of printing details are main specifications customers care. Therefore product developments in general are to make bigger product size, more types of materials, and higher level of details. 3. Service The complexity of use and lack of 3D creations are key barriers of purchase. In order to ease use experience, we suggest 3D systems to develop a new application itself or gain it from acquisition. The application is complementary product which can convert 2D images into 3D creations. Of course, company might face copyright problems. In this case, it can communicate with a group of giant companies to sign a contract to gain information such as size, material, and color of their products. Certainly, the copyright problems will be solved. This service is not free to customers; they need to pay to download. Those giant companies will also gain big percentage of fee from download. [ 1 ]. 3DSystems2012 – NYSE Investor Presentation [ 2 ]. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/3d-systems-cube-r-wins-135242928.html [ 3 ]. 3DSystems2012 – Form10-Q [ 4 ]. http://cubify.com/cube/index.aspx [ 5 ]. 3DSystems2012 – Form10-Q [ 6 ]. 3DSystems2012 – NYSE Investor Presentation [ 7 ]. http://cubify.com [ 8 ]. http://www.thisweekbangalore.com/issue141/news10-Statasys.html [ 9 ]. http://investor.3dsystems.com/content/financial-reports, http://www.3dsystems.com/personal-3d-printers/ [ 10 ]. http://investor.3dsystems.com/content/financial-reports [ 11 ]. 3Dsystems-2012-form-10-Q.pdf [ 12 ]. 3D system 2011 Annual report on Form 10-K [ 13 ]. 3D system 2011 Annual report on Form 10-K [ 14 ]. 3D system 2011 Annual report on Form 10-K 16 http://investor.3dsystems.com/content/financial-reports [ 15 ]. http://investor.3dsystems.com/content/financial-reports

Aristotles Analysis of Oedipus the King Essay -- Oedipus Rex Essays

Aristotle's Analysis of Oedipus Rex   Ã‚  Ã‚   Aristotle is the most influential philosopher in the history of Western thought. A Greek drama by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, was praised in the Poetics of Aristotle as the model for classical tragedy and is still considered a principal example of the genre.   In this essay I will analyze Oedipus Rex using Aristotle's concepts praxis, poiesis, theoria.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thought and character make persons actions.   They only indicate the basic meaning of action but if one wants to understand how the arts imitate action more than just in concepts of thought and character he or she should explore the notion of it a little further.   Action springs from character and thought.   Aristotle believes that a man?s character makes him act in certain ways, but he acts only in response to the change of circumstances in his life, and it is his perception that shows him what to look for and what to avoid in each situation.   Furthermore, in Aristotle?s psychology, action and character are formed from out ill-defined emotions, which he calls pathos.   Therefore in any tragedy the element of it is essential.   If we want to understand the action in Oedipus Rex, we must concentrate on the relationship between the pathos with which the actual play starts and ends, and the purpose which is to find the slayer, t hat produces the events of the story.   Action and passion or (praxis and pathos), are very sharply contrasted.   Action is simply active: the character perceives something that it wants, and gradually ?moves? toward it.   Passion on the other hand is passive: the character suffers something that it can?t control, and therefore ?is moved? thereby.   This can be best illustrated in the Prologue of Oedipus Rex, Thebe... ...ing and unrivaled in its comprehensiveness. Works Cited and Consulted Barnes, Jonathan. The Complete works of Aristotle. Revised ed. Vol. 2. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1984. Benardete, Seth. ?Sophocles? Oedipus Tyrannus.? In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Ehrenberg, Victor. ?Sophoclean Rulers: Oedipus.? In Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex, edited by Michael J. O?Brien. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Grene, Marjorie. A Portrait of Aristotle. Chicago: U of C, 1963. Murray, Robert D. Jr. ?Sophocles? Moral Themes.? In Readings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997. ?Sophocles? In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.

“The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat”

Kaleb Clem Mrs. Winslow English II Honors 31 October 2012 â€Å"The Tell-Tale Hearts† – â€Å"The Black Cat† Comparison â€Å"The Tell-Tale Hearts† and â€Å"The Black Cat† are two stories that share more similarities than differences. The plots both start out the same with a main character whose actions throughout the story makes apparent to the reader his insanity and have to deal with the internal and external dilemmas that are caused by the evil deeds, which both happen to be involved with murder, due to the unstable state of the man’s conscience.The two stories have settings that are both strikingly similar. Both stories have a gothic, mysteriously dark setting. And both stories are set within the narrator and the main character’s home; however, â€Å"The Black Cat† had more than one setting. In â€Å"The Black Cat† the main character’s house is burned down and so he is forced to get a new one. More details ar e given about this house than his earlier house or the home in â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart. † We are told that the house is old, unlike the first one, and not what he and the wife are used to.The story also tells about the cellar, being such an important setting the narrator tells us that the psychological confinement is increased and taping that gets into our deepest fears concerning home and life. The characters from â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Black Cat† we see that for the most part, the stories are unbelievably alike. Both stories feature a man who is undoubtedly considered insane by the end of the story and who is the main character and policemen investigate under suspicion of murder. The Tell-Tale Heart† also has a neighbor who plays a small role in the story and The Black Cat contains the man’s wife, Pluto, and the second cat. The plot is almost exactly the same in both stories. Both stories feature a man who claims to be sane in the beginning although he proves to be otherwise later. The insanity in both characters differs. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart,† the man just seems to have a mental condition of sorts. In The Black Cat,† however, the main character is a raging alcoholic, which seems to be the main cause for his abnormal and malevolent behavior, like when he cut out Pluto’s eye. Pluto never did anything wrong, but the man was intoxicated. â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Black Cat† were very similar. They had almost the same plot. The settings in the stories were much in common, and both plots featured gothic elements with large houses and lack of character variety.

Communication and professional relationships Essay

Assessment task – TDA 2.3 Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults. 1.1) Describe how to establish respectful, professional relationships with children and young people Establishing relationships with children and young people can be hard, especially within a school environment. Ground rules must be established, in order for there to be mutual respect. It is important that the child/young adult understands that you are there to support them, but not to be their friend. It is important to understand the age of the person you are communicating with – what issues and problems may be affecting them, at what is significant to their lives at that time. This understanding will enable you to support them effectively at any phase of their life. Simple things like maintaining eye contact when speaking, and listening and commenting appropriately, ensure that the other person knows you have heard and understood what they have said. By setting a good example, you show children what is appropriate, and how to communicate correctly with each other. Something as simple as praising a child for correct behaviour is enough to inspire them to repeat it, and also inspires others to do the same. By using positive behaviours, you inspire a positive result. Five key things to remember when building and maintaining any relationship within the school are: Always remain professional: no bad language, inappropriate conduct, and don’t bring your home life to work with you. Treat others with respect. It is surprising how well they will respond! Notice the efforts and achievements of others, staff or students, however small. Give practical support when it is needed. Always avoid gossip, and negativity, within the workplace. 1.2) Describe with examples how to behave appropriately for a child or young person’s stage of development. By the time the child/young person has reached the age range of key stages 3 – 4, they will most likely have a different style of communicating from stages 1-2. They may have a better attention span, be able to immerse themselves in tasks for longer periods of time, and communicate about their activities in a more adult manner. At key stage 1-2 you can expect children to lose focus easily, with play being more interesting than class work, and  they will be far more excitable. It will be important to recognise, and adapt, to each age level, and encourage behaviour that is expected at that age, and discourage behaviour that is not. As children age, it is inevitable that language will become less formal, and they may well be less willing to contribute in a discussion, or speak out in class, due to heightened self-awareness, and less self-confidence. They will also start using different methods of communicating – email, instant messaging, and social networking are becoming more and more common, with children as young as 5 having Facebook accounts and virtual profiles. An understanding of these technologies will be useful to support children to stay out of danger. As a teaching assistant, it is important to help those who are less outgoing, and support them to make themselves heard. You can do this by quietly encouraging them to put up their hand and answer a question, or even by setting them goals to speak up once a day. It is important to recognise each achievement of a child or young person, no matter how small it seems to you, as it is likely that it would be a big accomplishment for them. Changing the style of language that you use will help interaction with different age ranges, but children and young people are always conscious of how adults communicate with each other – and it is this observation that teaches them for the future. 1.3) Describe how to deal with disagreements between children and young people Disagreements between students (and staff) usually happen at either break, or lunch time. With any argument or disagreement, it is important to find out what happened. This includes each person’s opinion of what happened, from the beginning, in their own words, and how it made them feel. Each person must feel that they have been listened to and understood, and that they have had a fair chance to say their piece. It may be that you need support from other members at this stage, especially if the debate has become heated! Once all sides have been heard, you can decide how to progress. An apology may be needed from one party, or if a misunderstanding has taken place, it may be appropriate to sit everyone down together to discuss the incident as a group. It is important with all students that they understand the link between emotions and behaviour, and how their own behaviour can affect the others around them. By talking in groups, everyone can appreciate how their own behaviours and emotions contribute to the well-being of the other students. 1.4) Describe how own  behavior could†¦ Promote effective interactions with children and young people Your own behaviour, as a teaching assistant, can have a very positive affect and influence on the children and young people you help and support. If they see that you are being respectful, courteous and tolerant, listening attentively, being kind and understanding with the children and adults surrounding you, and that you are recognising their achievements and ideas, then children will hopefully, in turn value and respect one another. Impact negatively on the interactions with children and young people If children or young people see that you are rude to someone, for example a member of staff; not saying please or thank you, interjecting in conversation, or not paying attention when someone is talking to you, they may well think that these are acceptable behaviours. Children and young adults may also may not find you approachable, and not be so keen to come to you with their problems, issues or concerns. 2.1)Describe how to establish respectful, professional relationships with adults Adults working within the education profession should expect an environment of mutual support, and openness. However, this is dependent on the attitude of each individual, and their commitment to maintaining positive relationships. Staff should work in a team – there should be no lone working in schools, and the team should communicate positively with each other, parents, and professionals from outside the school. You will need to remain professional even outside of the education setting. For example, you might be out at the Christmas party, with friends, colleagues, or even parents of the children you support. You need to be trustworthy – avoid talking about people in a negative way, this will only impact you negatively in return. Be respectful of others: you not always see eye to eye with a colleague, but listening to what they have to say, and valuing their ideas and opinions helps keep communication open. There are varied ways and means of supporting individuals, but the PIPE acronym is a good way to remember the basics: Practical: This may be as simple as helping someone who is unfamiliar with the class room layout or school surroundings, or assisting a disabled student to navigate a corridor Information: You may be required to pass on material about a situation, or be asked to a write reports on the student you are supporting Professional: This could be by helping the teacher or session leader with their lesson plan, or you may be asked if you can assist and observe a new member of staff Emotional: This could be anything from supporting a student with an emotional situation, to talking to a colleague at lunch time about a stressful incident, or even just keeping a good sense of humour during a difficult time. 2.2) Describe the importance of the adult relationship as a role models for children and young people Children will be leading by example, and will want to come to school if the environment is positive, constructive, and supportive. Communication and support between team members should be practical, informative, professional, and emotional, and as a role model in the school environment, this should reflect in the relationships that that team has with students, and other adults. Whilst at work you must remember to leave your personal feelings, and home life, at home. However stressful life might be, the children and young people you support need your concentration and focus to enable them to achieve their goals. Negative behavior can impact those around you, and make for an uncomfortable working environment for all involved. 3.1)Describe how communication with children and young people differs across different age ranges and stages of development Communication techniques will differ depending on the ages of the person. Young children will need more reassurance than older children, to ensure they feel safe, and are doing the right activity in the right way. Young children will be anxious to see their parents during the first term, often asking how long it will be until they can go home. Supporting them at this time is crucial, as it can make school a rewarding, exciting place if they are encouraged and nurtured in the right way. Teenagers will likely need more guidance, and some help to talk about their issues, problems and thoughts. TAs will need to adapt their vocabulary when talking to different age ranges, so that they can be understood. Communication can be verbal, nonverbal, informal and formal, as they learn to communicate and adapt using these different types of communication as they mature. 3.2)Describe the main differences between communicating with adults and communicating with children and young people There are similarities between the age ranges, in terms of communication techniques, such as maintaining eye contact and interest, listening to what is being said and responding appropriately, and treating the student with the courtesy and respect that you would expect yourself. Always be clear with your dialogue: don’t use unnecessarily complicated language or sarcasm, make sure that what you have said has been understood, and keep your instructions clear and precise (no long lists), and always stay professional. However, there are differences between the communication techniques used for children and adults. For example, the relationship that you have with a child in the school setting is that of a carer, and may appear patronising if used on others. An approach that was successful in the classroom when supporting a student to understand a maths problem, may not be an appropriate approach when speaking with a colleague or co-worker. Children copy adult behaviours, so keep this in mind when communicating with them! Show respect for your colleagues and children will pick up on this, and show respect for their peers. Acknowledge the contributions of others, and say thank you, even if you don’t always agree. Remember that as an elder in the school environment, you will be looked to as a role model. 3.3)Identify examples of communication difficulties that may exist It is likely that communication difficulties will be encountered occasionally, within the school environment, but there are ways to avoid this happening. There are many, many examples of communication difficulties that could arise in the school environment, some examples of potential problems are: speech delay impairment With any one of these examples, a care package/person centred support plan would accompany the student, and it is essential that all staff who work with them has read and understood every element of it. 3.4)Describe how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs To support your students, and team, effectively, you will need to be constantly adapting your communication style. This will depend on the needs of the individual, and you will need to be aware of their potential problems. As a good teaching assistant, you should be able to quickly observe as assess the situation, in order to cope effectively and ensure a positive result. You will need to detect any sensitivity in the student, and support them if they are nervous or shy about speaking. Some examples of good communication are: Speak slowly and clearly. Do not interrupt. However tempting it may be, the person needs the opportunity to speak without interjection. Arrange a translator in advance if required. Whether it is for a foreign language or signing, it is crucial that this be prepared for, to spare the student and embarrassment or upset. Use different methods of communication – if a student is struggling with verbal instruction, get creative! Use flash cards, drawings or hand signals! Maintain eye contact, respond appropriately, and use positive body language. Be empathetic: a child hearing the words â€Å"I understand† can be comforting and reassuring. Have respect for the speaker, don’t allow yourself to be distracted by other conversations. These are the basics for communication with a child, young adult or colleague. In any situation communication can be adapted to be appropriate for the audience, such as: Think about the situation or occasion, and with whom you are speaking. The context of your communication makes a difference both in the way you engage with others, and in the way they interpret your communication. To adapt effectively, you need to understand who you are talking with. See things from their view, and tailor your communication to them as much as possible, by using the points above. Acknowledge that there are differences in personality, whether you are speaking with children are adults. Some children might appreciate a  light hearted approach, whereas the head teacher will expect professionalism at all times. Be intentional with the language you use. Words can help you quickly connect with someone, but they may also offend them. A joke that was funny in the staff room may be wildly inappropriate in the classroom! Avoid using sarcasm with children. It is generally considered as a negative form of humour, and may easily be misunderstood. Choose words based on the age, education, and literacy level of the person you are talking to. By assuming that someone understands the level at which you are speaking, you could easily offend them. 3.5)Describe how to deal with disagreements between†¦ The practitioner and children and young people Dealing with disagreements can be difficult. You cannot always say exactly what you are thinking, and in order to remain professional, you must always be polite, fair, and respectful. Disagreements and misunderstandings should be dealt with as soon as possible, preferably with another adult as a mediator. When dealing with a disagreement or argument between children, for example in the playground, you should not allow yourself to be drawn into any bickering. If the pupil does not calm down, or is particularly defiant, it may be wise to take a ‘time out’ from a difficult situation, in order to have the time and space to think about what has been said, and to calm down. You can then approach the situation logically and rationally, giving each side of the argument a chance to speak. It is important at this time that you remain supportive to each child, be polite, and sympathetic. The practitioner and other adults In a disagreement between colleagues, this kind of situation is unlikely to resolve itself if left, and it is uncomfortable to work in an atmosphere of tension. Bear in mind that this will soon be picked up by other staff and students. Avoid being drawn into disagreements, if they do not concern you, as this rarely has a good outcome and can often turn into negativity and gossip. Asking the advice of an impartial adult can also help to get an unbiased review of the situation, and how to progress from it. 4.1)Identify relevant legal requirements and procedures covering confidentiality, data protection and the disclosure of information Whilst communication is the key to good relationships with students and colleagues, there are times when  information shouldn’t be shared with others, and it is crucial to know who, and when, to pass it on to. The key people working with children in the school setting should have a good understanding of the current laws and legislations that protect the children they support. These people are: teachers, teaching assistants, healthcare staff (nurses) and any principals/head teachers. There are laws protecting children, and staff, with regards to safeguarding information. The main legislation that governs the safeguarding of materials is The Data Protection Act 1998. This ensures that relevant information is not passed on without consent, and outlines what must be shared, in the interests of child safety. There are eight principles, regarding the principles of practice or information, and these state that information should be†¦ â€Å"used fairly and lawfully; All data about an individual must be obtained fairly, and lawfully. The individual must be informed of the purposes that the information is being collected, and who is going to process it. The new Data Protection Act covers personal data in both manual and electronic form, meaning that emails are just as safe as paper files, and must be treated the same way. With information kept in electronic form, appropriate measures must be taken to keep it safe. While a padlock may be sufficient for a filing cabinet, data encryption and regular back-ups may be required for information stored on a  computer. Under the Data Protection Act, all organisations that hold confidential information about individuals must be registered with the Information Commissioners Office. This helps to protect the information that is held, and ensure it is not shared unnecessarily. Training on safeguarding children is mandatory in the education setting, and this will provide all the information about the specific policies and procedures that apply to each school, and who to contact about concerns, or questions. Usually, the first point of contact for a concern or question would be the line manager, such as head of safeguarding or principal, or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). The individual who provided the information is also entitled to certain rights, under the Data Protection Act 1998. Any individual can make an access request to view the information that is stored, and also to change, block or erase it. The information is also subject to protocols to ensure it is not used to cause damage or distress, or to make significant decisions, by means of an automated system. These guidelines, regulations and policies not only protect children within the education environment, but also staff. For example, at an interview or hearing, everything that is said can be written down, and safely stored for reference, only being shared on a need to know basis. 4.2)Describe the importance of reassuring children, young people and adults of the confidentiality of shared information and th e limits of this It is important to reassure children that they will stay safe, and that you will only repeat what they have told you to those who need to know. Parental consent is usually required before information can be shared; however, if the pupil is at risk of harm to themselves or others, confidentiality can be breached. In all situations, it is necessary to tell the pupil that you will not be able to maintain confidentiality, and that you will have to tell someone else. It is crucial to be educated in the policies and procedures of the individual school setting, and to know who to turn to, should the situation ever arise. 4.3)Identify the kinds of situations when confidentiality protocols must be breached There may be times when it is crucial for staff to know sensitive information about a student, for example, if they are suffering a health condition that could affect them in the classroom, such as asthma or epilepsy. In these circumstances, an agreed protocol would be set up within the school, and all staff would be trained on how to manage  such circumstances. The parents of the child must give permission for the information to be shared, and the staff must do everything in their power to protect the privacy of every child, and adult. It is also required for the school to have designated first aiders, and for the children/young adults to know who these people are, in case of an emergency. There are certain circumstances in which a practitioner can pass on the information to the relevant authority without permission. If you become aware of information which led you to a genuine suspicion that a child is being abused at home, then it would it be right for the responsible adult to pass on the information. The general rule is that if you believe a child to be at a significant risk of harm then you should pass on personal information to those who would be able to prevent harm. Every school will have policies and procedures that must be followed in these circumstances.

Article Review of Smoking Essays

Article Review of Smoking Essays Article Review of Smoking Essay Article Review of Smoking Essay Addictive items have become one of the most significant health problems. The countries will be affected medical,economical,legal and social effects because of the use of addictive items. In this study is to identify and compare the number of basic students in Germany and Turkey. Turkey is one of the leading tobacco producing countries as well as of the major tobacco consuming countries. Smoking is very addictive and has effects both on economy and health. That is not easy to quit smoking because in statistic only 2-3% of smokers can quit smoking annually. Many of the adults start smoking at early ages and increase the amount of cigarettes smoked in adulthood. There also people say that smoking is because of personality traits. Up to now,no specific personality traits are identified as a risk for addiction to smoking. The methodology used in this study is survey by using questionnaire. First,the researcher make a sampling. The participants of the study are a total of 1024 German and Turkish basic education. Second,the data were collected through survey questionnaire because this study is an empirical one. Third,the data obtained were analysed by make use of descriptive statistical techniques,especially in the form of means,frequency and percentage. The findings or results in this study suggests that the rate of both German and Turkish students who frequently and sometimes smoke is higher than expected from their ages. However,the rate of the students who tried to smoke in both sample groups is also interesting. The findngs also indicate that the rate of the students who stated that their mothers, fathers, friends and teachers smoke is high. However, the rate of mothers and friends who smoke in the Turkish sample is lower than that in the German sample. Although in both sample groups the rate of the students who may try to smoke once is high, this rate varies between the groups. More specifically, the number of the German students who reported that they may try to smoke is much higher in contrast to Turkish participants.

15 Dis- Words and Their Relations

15 Dis- Words and Their Relations 15 â€Å"Dis-† Words and Their Relations 15 â€Å"Dis-† Words and Their Relations By Mark Nichol Words with the antonymic prefix dis- are easily confused with similar-looking terms starting with mis- or un- that usually have differing connotations or entirely distinct senses. Here are comparative definitions of some of these terms, along with etymological identification: 1-2. Disassemble/Dissemble/Misassemble The first two words have a shared etymology but distinct meanings. To disassemble originally meant â€Å"to disperse† and now means â€Å"to take apart,† but to dissemble is to conceal or simulate. The Latin root they share is simulare, which means â€Å"to make like or to compare.† (Resemble, semblance, and the like also stem from this word, and similar is closely related.) Dissimulation is dissemble’s more directly descended synonym. To misassemble, meanwhile, is to assemble incorrectly. 3-4. Disassociate/Dissociate These interchangeable words mean â€Å"to separate,† either literally, as in withdrawing from a social group, or figuratively, as in diverging from past behavior. (The common root stems from the Latin term sociare, which means â€Å"to join,† from which English derives social, society, and similar words.) 5. Discharge/Mischarge Discharge means â€Å"to release,† â€Å"to unload,† or â€Å"to perform one’s duties.† Mischarge is a rare word meaning â€Å"to make a mistake in charging,† as in loading a weapon. (The root word, charge, is from the Latin term carricare, meaning â€Å"to load.†) 6. Disconnect/Misconnect To disconnect is to uncouple or unhook. To misconnect is to put together erroneously. (The shared root, connect, is from the Latin word connectere, â€Å"to join together.† That word’s root, in turn, is related to nexus, meaning â€Å"a link or bond.†) 7. Discount/Miscount A discount is a markdown on a price. A miscount is a tabulation made in error. (The source of the root count is the Latin word computare, from which, of course, compute and computer are derived.) 8. Disinformation/Misinformation Disinformation is a form or propaganda intended to cover up inconvenient facts and/or sway public opinion. Misinformation is a more neutral term referring merely to incorrect data. (The Latin root they share is formare, which means â€Å"to form or shape.†) 9. Disinterest/Uninterest These seemingly indistinguishable words sharing the root word interest (from the Latin term interesse, meaning â€Å"to be between† or â€Å"to make a difference†) have a key difference of connotation: To be disinterested is to have no stake in something, to be impartial, and uninterested denotes the more basis sense of a lack of concern or investment in something. 10. Dislocate/Mislocate To dislocate is to put out of place; to mislocate is to misplace, or lose. (Locate is from the Latin word locare, â€Å"to place,† and is related to locus, which refers to a site or center.) 11. Disorder/Misorder Disorder is a lack of organization or an instance of random placement, or a state of social upheaval; it is rarely used as a verb, perhaps because disorder is generally not a consciously achieved state. Misorder is an uncommon verb meaning â€Å"to erroneously order,† as in preparing an order, or a list of items such as tasks to accomplish or products to purchase. Disorder also applies to a mental or physical condition that is not normal. (The root word order is descended from the Latin term ordinem, meaning â€Å"arrangement.†) 12. Disorganized/Unorganized These antonyms of organized (from the Latin word organum, meaning â€Å"instrument† or â€Å"organ†) are nearly synonymous, but a distinction is sometimes made between the former referring impersonally to places and things and the latter being a personal characteristic. 13. Disqualified/Unqualified To become disqualified is to be deprived or made ineligible; to be unqualified is to already lack the required prerequisites for qualification. (The common root is from the Latin term qualis, meaning â€Å"of what kind,† which is also the source of quality.) 14. Dissatisfied/Unsatisfied These terms have different shades of meaning: To be dissatisfied is to be disappointed in the quality of something, such as a product, or work done; unsatisfied refers to a quantitative displeasure, such as when an appetite or demand is not fulfilled. (Satisfy, the root of both words, comes from the Latin term satisfacere, a compound of satis, meaning â€Å"enough† also the source of sate, meaning â€Å"to appease an indulgence† and facere, meaning â€Å"to do or make,† whence fact.) 15. Distrust/Mistrust Both words mean â€Å"the absence or lack of trust,† with no real distinction between them. The root, of course, is trust, borrowed from Scandinavian and related through the Germanic-language family tree to true and truth. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterCapitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsThe "Pied" in The Pied Piper

Genes - Definition, Function, and Mutations

Genes - Definition, Function, and Mutations Genes are segments of DNA located on chromosomes that contain the instructions for protein production. Scientists estimate that humans have as many as 25,000 genes. Genes exist in more than one form. These alternative forms are called alleles and there are typically two alleles for a given trait. Alleles determine distinct traits that can be passed on from parents to offspring. The process by which genes are transmitted was discovered by Gregor Mendel and formulated in what is known as Mendels law of segregation. Gene Transcription Genes contain the genetic codes, or  sequences of nucleotide bases in nucleic acids, for the production of specific proteins. The information contained within DNA is not directly converted to proteins, but must first be transcribed in a process called DNA transcription. This process takes place within the nucleus of our cells. Actual protein production takes place in the cytoplasm of our cells through a process called translation. Transcription factors are special proteins that determined whether or not a gene gets turned on or off. These proteins bind to DNA and either aid in the transcription process or inhibit the process. Transcription factors are important for cell differentiation as they determine which genes in a cell are expressed. The genes expressed in a red blood cell, for example, differ from those expressed in a sex cell. An Individual's Genotype In diploid organisms, alleles come in pairs. One allele is inherited from the father and the other from the mother. Alleles determine an individuals genotype or gene composition. The allele combination of the genotype determines the traits that are expressed or the phenotype. A genotype producing the phenotype of a straight hairline, for example, differs from the genotype resulting in a V-shaped hairline. Inherited Through Both Asexual and Sexual Reproduction. Genes are inherited through both asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction. In asexual reproduction, resulting organisms are genetically identical to a single parent. Examples of this type of reproduction include budding, regeneration, and parthenogenesis. Gametes Fuse to Form a Distinct Individual Sexual reproduction involves the contribution of genes from both male and female gametes that fuse to form a distinct individual. The traits exhibited in these offspring are transmitted independently of one another and may result from several types of inheritance. In complete dominance inheritance, one allele for a particular gene is dominant and completely masks the other allele for the gene.In incomplete dominance, neither allele is completely dominant over the other resulting in a phenotype that is a mixture of both parent phenotypes.In co-dominance, both alleles for a trait are fully expressed. Some Traits Determined by More Than One Gene Not all traits are determined by a single gene. Some traits are determined by more than one gene and are therefore known as polygenic traits. Some genes are located on sex chromosomes and are called sex-linked genes. There are a number of disorders that are caused by abnormal sex-linked genes including hemophilia and color blindness. Variation Helps Adapting to Changing Situations Genetic variation is a change in the genes that occur in organisms in a population. This variation typically occurs through DNA mutation, gene flow (movement of genes from one population to another) and sexual reproduction. In unstable environments, populations with genetic variation are typically able to adapt to changing situations better than those that do not contain genetic variation. Mutations Are From Errors and the Environment A gene mutation is an alteration in the sequence of nucleotides in DNA. This change can affect a single nucleotide pair or larger segments of a chromosome. Changing gene segment sequences most often results in non-functioning proteins. Some mutations can result in disease, while others may have no negative impact on or may even benefit an individual. Still, other mutations may result in unique traits such as dimples, freckles, and multicolored eyes. Gene mutations are most commonly the result of environmental factors (chemicals, radiation, ultraviolet light) or errors that occur during cell division (mitosis and meiosis).

SWOT analysis of 2 fictitious companies and what my company, a Research Proposal

SWOT analysis of 2 fictitious companies and what my company, a competitor of these 2 companies, would do about a weakness from each company - Research Proposal Example All this is possible when the organization is aware of its internal and external environment. Hence, in this paper an attempt is made to analyze the environment of S & W and Makatume, both from the tools industry and appropriate strategies are suggested. As mentioned in the abstract, the success of any entity is directly dependent on its ability to see into the future. The extent to which an entity can envision itself into the future decides the survival and growth of that entity. But at this point of time, it is not sufficient that a company just grows, but it can serve the best interests of its stakeholders only if it can ensure sustained development. Self awareness in the teams, departmental and organizational level is the first step towards development of strategies (Whetton, 2002). Hence, to have a clear awareness of the internal and external environment, the SWOT analysis is carried out. 5. Change in buying preferences of the consumers to go for specialized tools which adopt modern designs and technology. The dynamic nature of consumer preferences makes development of marketing strategies an very challenging task.(Paul Peter, 1996) Of the major weaknesses mentioned, two of the weakness are related to its production systems. The plants are outdated and are located in high labor cost area. Also the company is unable to adapt to the changing environment. If we watch closely, all these weakness

Cross-cultural management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cross-cultural management - Assignment Example That is why all objects that are found on the land are living, since they emanated from the land, which gives life, soul and spirit to the living. According to Ferraro’s notion of culture, â€Å"Everything that people have, thinks, and does, they do it as members of a society.† In relation to the aboriginal culture of spirituality, this notion can easily be confirmed. This is because, in the aboriginal culture, spirituality is expressed in the form of ceremonies, paintings and rituals (Holden, 2002 p42). This fact points to the fact that the expression of spirituality in this culture is not done as individual aspect, but rather as a societal aspect, where all people are enjoined either through ceremonies or rituals to conduct their spiritual expressions. There is a great relationship between the aboriginal spirituality and the land, since the aboriginal culture upholds the fact that land is their food, their culture, their identity and their spirit. Therefore, in any as pect of expressing spirituality; the ceremony, the ritual or the painting, has to start and end with the connection of the people to the land, since land is the fundamental aspect of their lives. The ceremonies and the rituals are conducted on land, since land serves as the major bond that links life and the aboriginal people. The tight connection between the spirituality and land concepts in the aboriginal culture emanates from the fact that, the aboriginal people believe that they originated from the land, and they will end up in the land, once they are dead (Velo, 2012 p77). Therefore, to them, land is as good as the spirit that gives them life, and it is a fundamental source of life for them. No wonder therefore that any spiritual aspect of the aboriginal pe

Qatar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Qatar - Essay Example tructure that exists within many of Qatar’s main cities, the nation itself has chosen to build new cities and form entirely new residential and commercial areas where none previously existed. This growth plan is of course optimistic but presents unique opportunities for the development and consideration of green/renewable energy alternatives that this infrastructure and society can leverage. Due to the fact that these cities are truly being born from nothing, the potential for developing a renewable and green infrastructure base is perhaps higher as compared to any other region of the world. Yet, opportunity alone does not create a guarantee that green and renewable energy will be the locus of interest for the developers of these respective cities. Instead, the remainder of this chapter will reveal the way in which approach determines whether or not the renewable/green infrastructure and energy provision that Qatar will engage within its new and developing cities will ultimate ly be successful or not (Koch 2014; Alzubaidi2013). Whereas it is of course tempting to utilize Qatar’s mass levels of financial reserves as a means of purchasing the most advanced green and renewable energy systems that are currently available, this particular temptation must at least partially be resisted. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that Qatar is a unique nation within unique latitude that exhibits a litany of unique environmental challenges. First and foremost among these is of course the fact that Qatar is a relatively hot climate that has very little rainfall and must therefore be considerate of the overall cyber resources that are involved in any means of energy production. Accordingly, one of the most effective processes that can be pursued is to ensure that Qatar utilizes targeted metrics and goals with respect to what it envisions as the future of sustainable and green energy within the nation. As such, rather than merely leveraging the state

Religion and Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion and Sports - Essay Example The mural at Notre Dame Stadium is a classic example of how religion has gained significance in sports. This â€Å"World of Life† mural also dubbed â€Å"Touchdown Jesus† informs students, athletes and spectators that religion remains part and parcel of the athletic competition. It teaches all that religion is necessary for achievement as an athlete (Baker, 2007). Religious elements like faith have been known to help players in a highly pressurizing environment. With fanatical following, sometimes an athlete can be overwhelmed by outside influence. This usually emanates from spectators who yearn for good performance. Therefore with faith, an athlete can handle pressure related to off field concerns. In the religious concept, faith is belief in God that He is in control. Thus an athlete will have greater focus, thereby improving his chances of excelling, since the outside influences are taken care of by God. Again, athletes on most occasions view themselves as talented. In religion, these are God given abilities. Here, they view their talents as a God given abilities which must be used to bring glory to God. This alone is a great motivating factor that religion has played in sports. As a result, these athletes compete with greater passion which translates to success (Delaney & Madigan, 2009). In religious congregations, ministers have used sports stories for the benefit of their societies. Some values that resonate well in sports and public include hard work, endurance and detest for cheating. These can have immense impact on communities. It is no doubt that sports just like religion have places for common gatherings. Teams have a following that forms a community (Baker, 2007). For instance in American football, Boston Red Sox has devoted fans who share similar memories of their team. Hence there is closeness among these fans. Supporters therefore will feel comfortable and identify with fellow supporters. This community formed can enjoy the benefit of cohesiveness and a sense of sharing which has enabled humanity to live in harmony. Thus these concepts bind religion and sports together. Religion in sports has been argued to give confidence and strength to athletes. This confidence improves the chances of a success. Here the belief that you have a God behind you, hence the belief of having a good performance (Baker, 2007). When athletes promote and confess their religious beliefs publicly, there is a likelihood that their followers will probably identify with them. An example is in football. When magnificent footballers score, they sometimes show off messages in their chests. Brazilian footballer Kaka is known of scribing the words â€Å"I belong to Jesus† in his shirt. This in effect has impacted on his watching fans who would be interested in knowing Jesus and following his ideals, another positive impact of religion in sports (Coakley, 2008). With intense commitments to their teams and sports personalities, spectator s give meaning and focus to their lives. Sports spectatorship is also a transformative activity by which fans break out from their boring lives. From this perspective, spectatorship are thought to suit specific religious purpose including disappointments, limitations of daily life, establishing a society of fans and belonging to a team (Baker, 2007). Arguments against religion in sports Arguments against religion in sports border on commitment and adverse erosion of social order. Some of the worst sporting violence has been blamed on sectarianism (Coakley, 2008). A good example that comes into fore is the fierce rivalry between Scottish football clubs Rangers and Celtic. According research, many Catholics

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640) Research Paper

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640) - Research Paper Example He is declared as the most eminent Flemish painter and artist who ever existed. His contributions are not only identifiable in his paintings and artworks, but also in the works of his students, whom he gave refined training on artwork and painting. Although he learnt artwork under several reputable painters of the time, his artwork represented a refined brand, paving a new era in the European artistic field. His innovation in artwork made Antwerp the most popular destination of painting in the 17th century. He is notably credited with pioneering the Flemish Baroque style of painting (Rubens, Gilles and Chris, 7). This style involved use of exaggerated motion and color to depict movement in paintings and artwork, which easily produced the themes of drama, dance and music. His talents made him have more work than time could allow, making him amass immense wealth during his 30 years which he was involved in painting and artwork. However, the most interesting aspect of Peter Paul Rubens is that his talent grew with time and his expertise, refinement and abilities improved with time. Therefore, he maintained consistency in providing quality paintings, until he met his death in 1640. His accomplishments are notable to present day in different museums of Europe. His uniqueness is identifiable in the fact that; while most of the painters of his time specialized on one kind of painting, Peter Paul Rubens engaged in different types of paintings, all of which he perfected and generated quality works (Rubens, Gilles and Chris, 13). History painting is one of his styles, which involved the creation of biblical, historical and mythological objects. To portray the historical theme, he created paintings such as monumental historical scenes and biblical story painting representations, which resonated well with his movement and color themes that advanced visualization and movement. Religious paintings also formed a bulk of his artwork. He is credited with advancing the development of altarpiece paintings, which were religious paintings portraying a biblical theme that were placed in a flame and suspended behind the altar to pass a religious message (Logan, Peter and Michiel, 23). In creating his religious paintings, Peter Paul Rubens used the panel pai nting technique, which entails the incorporation of different painting themes in a panel that was subdivided several times, with each section of the panel possessing a different painting, but all advancing the same theme or telling the same story (Pauw-De Veen, 243). His altarpieces were either painted in front of the altar, where the priest could stand behind, or painted on a panel that was then suspended in front of the altar. Among the most popular of his religious paintings include the Descent from the Cross triptych, which was painted in the in Antwerp, Cathedral of the Lady (Pauw-De Veen, 248). Peter Paul Rubens is also an advent of the Counter-Reformation painting, which highly changed the paintings that were previously done during the renaissance and the thirteenth century (Rubens, Gilles and Chris, 18). This refers to the artwork that sought to turn back the religious paintings into more religious oriented, as opposed to the decoration oriented themes that were being advanc ed during the period. During this period, the Catholic Church perceived the Protestants as a major threat to its doctrines of faith. Therefore, they sought to enhance their religious theme through the application of artwork and paintings that reflected more religious themes. Thus, Rubens, being the most eminent painter of his time, was hired to revolutionize the renaissance painting into the counter-reformation artwork and paint

Religion and Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion and Sports - Essay Example The mural at Notre Dame Stadium is a classic example of how religion has gained significance in sports. This â€Å"World of Life† mural also dubbed â€Å"Touchdown Jesus† informs students, athletes and spectators that religion remains part and parcel of the athletic competition. It teaches all that religion is necessary for achievement as an athlete (Baker, 2007). Religious elements like faith have been known to help players in a highly pressurizing environment. With fanatical following, sometimes an athlete can be overwhelmed by outside influence. This usually emanates from spectators who yearn for good performance. Therefore with faith, an athlete can handle pressure related to off field concerns. In the religious concept, faith is belief in God that He is in control. Thus an athlete will have greater focus, thereby improving his chances of excelling, since the outside influences are taken care of by God. Again, athletes on most occasions view themselves as talented. In religion, these are God given abilities. Here, they view their talents as a God given abilities which must be used to bring glory to God. This alone is a great motivating factor that religion has played in sports. As a result, these athletes compete with greater passion which translates to success (Delaney & Madigan, 2009). In religious congregations, ministers have used sports stories for the benefit of their societies. Some values that resonate well in sports and public include hard work, endurance and detest for cheating. These can have immense impact on communities. It is no doubt that sports just like religion have places for common gatherings. Teams have a following that forms a community (Baker, 2007). For instance in American football, Boston Red Sox has devoted fans who share similar memories of their team. Hence there is closeness among these fans. Supporters therefore will feel comfortable and identify with fellow supporters. This community formed can enjoy the benefit of cohesiveness and a sense of sharing which has enabled humanity to live in harmony. Thus these concepts bind religion and sports together. Religion in sports has been argued to give confidence and strength to athletes. This confidence improves the chances of a success. Here the belief that you have a God behind you, hence the belief of having a good performance (Baker, 2007). When athletes promote and confess their religious beliefs publicly, there is a likelihood that their followers will probably identify with them. An example is in football. When magnificent footballers score, they sometimes show off messages in their chests. Brazilian footballer Kaka is known of scribing the words â€Å"I belong to Jesus† in his shirt. This in effect has impacted on his watching fans who would be interested in knowing Jesus and following his ideals, another positive impact of religion in sports (Coakley, 2008). With intense commitments to their teams and sports personalities, spectator s give meaning and focus to their lives. Sports spectatorship is also a transformative activity by which fans break out from their boring lives. From this perspective, spectatorship are thought to suit specific religious purpose including disappointments, limitations of daily life, establishing a society of fans and belonging to a team (Baker, 2007). Arguments against religion in sports Arguments against religion in sports border on commitment and adverse erosion of social order. Some of the worst sporting violence has been blamed on sectarianism (Coakley, 2008). A good example that comes into fore is the fierce rivalry between Scottish football clubs Rangers and Celtic. According research, many Catholics

Science applied to adult nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Science applied to adult nursing - Essay Example Whenever he consumed alcohol, he would take huge amount at a time, despite advice from his family doctor to take alcohol in moderation. In the emergency room, he was found to be pale and dehydrated. He had tachycardia (heart rate 120 per minute), high blood pressure (150/110mmHg), diaphoresis and tenderness and gaurding in the epigastric and left hypochondriac region. Respiratory rate was mildly elevated (26 per minute), but there was no breathlessness. Oxygen saturation was normal. A diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was made and patient was shifted to medical intensive care unit for further management. In this essay, the life science patho-physiology of acute pancreatitis will be discussed along with behavioural science as applied to the care-taking nursing staff, including breaking bad news, with reference to the patient. Sam is diagnosed to have acute pancreatitis. Inflammation of the organ pancreas is known as acute pancreatitis. Pancreas is an important gland located in the left upper and posterior aspect of the abdomen. It is both an endocrine and exocrine gland. As an exocrine organ, it produces various digestive enzymes essential for the digestion of protein, fat and carbohydrates. As an endocrine gland, it secretes the hormone insulin essential for glucose metabolism. While 80 percent of the organ is involved in exocrine function, only 20 percent is responsible for endocrine function (Gardner and Berk, 2010). According to Al-Omran et al (2010), "acute pancreatitis is a common hypermetabolic, hyperdynamic disease process of variable severity that has multiple etiologies and creates a catabolic stress state promoting a systemic inflammatory response and nutritional deterioration." Any injury to acinar cells and impairment of secretion of zymogen granules can result in acute pancreatitis. Factors which contribute to acinar damage are gall stones, alcohol abuse and intake of drugs toxic to pancreas. Though it is unclear as to what mechanism triggers the

Introduction to Organic Chemistry Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Organic Chemistry Essay Amines are compounds composed of nitrogen atoms bearing alkyl or aromatic compounds. Amines undergo interesting reactions, one of which is with the reaction with nitrous acid producing an azo dye. In this study, the experiment focused on synthesizing an observing the physical properties of Sudan-1. Sudan-1 is of the most common dyes found in waxes, oils and in some food ingredients specifically curry and chilli powder. Furthermore, this study aimed to understand the mechanism behind the synthesis of 1-phenylazo-2-naphtol. To be able to synthesize Sudan-1, preparation of phenyldiazonium chloride solution and ÃŽ ²- naphthol solution were done. Ingrain dyeing was also done in this experiment. The synthesis of Sudan-1 has a two-step reaction – diazotization and coupling reactions. Diazotization is the formation of diazonium salt, meanwhile, the coupling reaction took place when an activated aromatic compound, ÃŽ ²-naphtol was reacted with the diazonium salt, benzene diazonium chloride, to form the azo compound known as the 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol. As a result, an orange-red precipitate was formed after series of reaction. Hence, all the said objectives in this experiment were achieved. Amines are compounds that are composed of a nitrogen atom bearing alkyl or aromatic groups. They are basic and nucleophilic because of their lone pair. They occur both in plants and animals. Amines produces some of the most interesting effects and of the common reaction of aminewith nitrous acid producing a dye[4]. Alizarin, for example is a red dye extracted from madder root used by Egyptians and Persians. However, in this experiment, it aimed to produce a dye commonly known as Sudan-1. Sudan-1 is a lysochrome with the chemical formula 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol. It is a powdered substance with an orange-red color. This azo dye is most commonly found in waxes, oils, and also in some food coloring ingredients – curry powder and chili powder. However, the presence of Sudan-1 in most foods now is currently being banned because it has been classified to be carcinogenic. This experiment focused on synthesizing of 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol which is a two-step reaction. The first reaction is the reaction of aniline with nitrous acid, which is called diazotization and second, the reaction of diazonium salt and beta-naphtol to form azo dye which is the coupling reaction. Figure 1 Diazotization Reaction of Aniline to Produce a Diazonium Salt Figure 1 Diazotization Reaction of Aniline to Produce a Diazonium Salt In diazotization reaction, there is a formation of diazonium salts. This reaction is made possible when a primary aromatic amine is treated with nitrous acid. Then in coupling reaction, the electrophilic substitution reaction of a diazonium salt with an activated aromatic ring formed a azo compound specifically an azo dye.[3] The main objective of this study was to be able to synthesize Sudan-1. Also, it aimed to characterize the azo dye with its most distinguishing physical properties. Furthermore, this experiment also aimed to understand the mechanism behind the synthesis of Sudan-1. Figure 2 Coupling Reaction of Benzene Diazonium Chloride with ÃŽ ² -Naphthol Figure 2 Coupling Reaction of Benzene Diazonium Chloride with ÃŽ ² -Naphthol Aniline was reacted NaNO2 crystals under acidic condition using HCl in a cold temperature. The solution was done in a very cold temperature because the phenyldiazonium intermediate easily decomposes back to its aniline counterpart at a slightly high temperature; hence the temperature of the solution was maintained in an ice bath below 5Â °C. Rock salt may also be added to the ice bath to maintain the temperature. However, in this experiment, no rock salts were added instead constant monitoring of the temperature was done. ÃŽ ²-naphthol solution was used as a coupling reagent in synthesizing Sudan-1. In preparing ÃŽ ²-naphthol solution, ÃŽ ²-naphthol was dissolved in 5% of aqueous NaOH and was also cooled in an ice bath below 5Â °C, this was to avoid the decomposition of the compounds. The main reaction that occurred in the preparation of phenyldiazonium chloride solution was diazotization reaction. Diazotization is the reaction between a primary aromatic amine and nitrous acid at cold temperatures to diazonium salt compound.[2] Figure 1 below is the reaction exhibited by the phenyldiazonium chloride solution. As this experiment aimed to synthesize Sudan-1, two steps are done. The first step would be the reaction of a primary aromatic amine to produce a diazonium salt as seen in Figure 1. The second step, then, is the reaction of the diazonium salt with a strongly activated aromatic syste,l known as coupling reactions. Azo coupling is the reaction between a diazonium compound and aniline, phenol or other aromatic compound which produces an azo compound.[5] In this experiment ÃŽ ²-naphthol couples with the diazonium salt. Figure 2 below shows the coupling reaction of the benzene diazonium chloride with ÃŽ ²-naphthol and having the product of Sudan-1. Furthermore, figure 3 below is the summary of reactions of the synthesis of Sudan-1 in this experiment. Figure 3 Summary of Reactions in Synthesizing Sudan-1 Figure 3 Summary of Reactions in Synthesizing Sudan-1 In this experiment, a filter paper was used to undergo ingrain dyeing. Ingrain dyeing is an irreversible chemical reaction of the diazonium salt solution and the activating aromatic solution. An orange-red filter paper was produced after such procedure. The presence of orange-red color in filter indicates the presence of the azo dye (see appendix for the orange-red filter paper produced). The Sudan dye is synthesized right in the spaces between the filter paper such that they are permanently trapped inside the fiber spaces of the filter paper.[2] After mixing the phenyldiazonium chloride solution with the ÃŽ ²-naphthol solution, an orange-red paste-like solution was formed. Furthermore, the mixed solution was also reacted at a temperature not exceeding 4ËšC for 1-5 minutes. Afterwards, the mixture was also filtered was washed with several portions of water to filter the product, Sudan-1. Recrystallization was also done when the filtrate was steamed bath after dissolving it with 95% hot ethanol. AS a result, orange-red crystals were formed which is the Sudan-1 product. The crystal appeared to be orange-red in color due to the N=N bond present in Sudan-1. The N=N is responsible for the absorption of light thus reflecting a color which is orange-red. The structure of Sudan-1 is shown in Figure 4 below showing the N=N bond of the compound. The N=N is known as the chromophores which are responsible for the color. The –OH group attached in the structure is also responsible for enhancing the orange-red color. The –OH functional group is known as the auxochrome, which modifies the ability of the chromophore to absorb the light.[1] Figure 4 Structure of Sudan-1 Azo-compounds, compounds with general formula Ar-N+=N-Ar-, are coupling products from the reaction of diazonium salts with amines. The general reaction pattern for Sudan synthesis first undergoes diazotization reaction and then coupling reaction with highly activated aromatic compounds. In this experiment, the diazotization reaction of aniline with NaNO2 and HCl yielded a diazonium salt, benzene diazonium chloride. Furthermore, the diazonium salt then underwent coupling reactions with an activated aromatic ring which is ÃŽ ²-naphthol. The coupling reaction yielded an azo compound which is most commonly known as the Sudan-1 with an IUPAC name of 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol. As a result of the reactions in this experiment, an orange-red color of solution was produced. This experiment aimed to understand the reactions that underwent to synthesize Sudan-1; as a result, figure 3 was the summary of reactions. As a physical result, orange-red colored crystals were produced representing the azo compound, Sudan-1. However, some minor errors will not be ignored in this experiment. Some errors like human errors might have affected the results in yielding a pure azo compound. One human error, would be the measuring of the reagents used to yield the said product. Also, the misreading of some measurements may have also affected the results of this experiment. Also, some impurities in the chemicals used will also not be ignore, since this impurities may have led to a not so visible side reactions in the said experiment. After being said and done, all the said objectives in this experiment were met.

Whistle Blowing

Whistle Blowing We live in a complicated society. Every decision that we make is based upon our health, safety, economic and human rights. At times the decisions made are by the corrupt, incompetent and lazy, which leads to the compromise of the ethical standards of our society. Accidents happen or corruption flourishes because of employees who know about the wrong doings but are afraid of losing their jobs. In the modern society, the importance of whistle blowing is increasingly being recognized as a measure to reduce corruption and avoid dangerous situations by encouraging the disclosure of unethical, illegal or prohibited activities performed by private institutions or the government. It also helps to improve the inter-organizational culture and helps improve internal management and efficiency. Definition Whistle blowing is a process by which a person claims an occurrence of wrongdoing in or by an organization. Usually the person belongs to the organization and is at a personal risk himself. The allegations made may be internal (to people within the organization e.g. colleagues, subordinates etc.) or external (to people outside the organization e.g. law enforcement agencies, media, regulators etc.). U.S academics Marcia P.Miceli and Janet P.Near set the academic standard for whistleblowing in 1982 as Disclosure of organizations members (former or current) disclosure of illegal, immoral or illegitimate practices under the control of their employees to persons or organizations that may be able to effect action. They have defined whistle blowing as a four step process: A triggering event occurs involving questionable, unethical or illegal activities, and this leads to an employee to consider blowing the whistle. The employee engages in decision making, assessing the activity and whether it involves wrong doing, gathering additional information, and discussing situation with others. The employee exercises voice by blowing the whistle; alternatively the employee could leave the organization, or remain silent out of loyalty or neglect. The organizational members react to, and possibly retaliate against the whistleblower. Common Reactions Around the globe, whistle blowers have been hailed as heroes or selfless martyrs for revealing fraud and corruption in organizations and preventing potential disasters. They may relate to the cover up harmful diseases like SARS in China to the revealing of theft of millions of dollars of public money in Kenya. However, in many cases whistleblowers face severe ramifications for their actions. They end up losing their jobs and being ostracized for their activities. Some may be charged with violation of employee contracts and the dangers might be physical at extreme. It is therefore probable that a lot of people refrain from blowing the whistle due to the fear of retaliation or damaging relationships at work or private life. Utility of Whistle blowing Information revealed by whistleblowers is usually highly critical for the society. In China, Dr Jiang Yanyong possibly saved a million lives by revealing the extent to which the SARS virus had spread even though he was ordered by the authorities not to. In the corporate world, Sherron Watkins of Enron blew the whistle over the financial problems of the company internally which eventually led to the exposure of the scam and the arrest of the top officials. Whistle blowing is also important for improving the internal efficiency of the organization since the employees are the first to know about the problems and early disclosure can lead to remedy of the problem sooner. A 2002 study by KPMG found that around 25 percent of problems reported in an company in Australia was by whistleblowers while the same statistic was 44 percent in Africa. The essence of whistleblowing lies in the fact that staff are able to by-pass the line of their superiors since at times that might be the area where the problem arises and hence they are able to go outside in case they believe that the whole organization is in an improper course. Effective whistleblowing is therefore a necessity for a healthy organizational culture, good governance. Successful whistle blowing is when concerns inside the organization could be raised with confidence, properly investigated and addressed when necessary. Barriers to whistle blowing 1. Fear of retaliation One of the largest barriers in todays organizations against whistle blowing is retaliation against the disclosure. Retaliation can vary from minor harassment in certain cases to the extremity of costing ones life. In a typical case, the employee who blows the whistle would be put under pressure to rescind his words and refrain from further disclosures. Some of the common practices of retaliation are : Marginalise the employee by taking away the job duties. Blacklist the employee so that he cant gain further employment. Conduct retaliatory investigations in order to divert attention from the matter and abuse the whistleblower. Question whistle blowers professional competence, honesty and mental health. Reassign the employee so that he/she is unable to do the job At times, retaliation becomes extreme as Satyendra Dubey was murdered after he revealed corruption on a road project. 2. Legal liability There are significant legal barriers to whistle blowing in several countries. At times there are no significant laws or acts for whistle blowing(e.g. India). These include the traditional laws to respect the employer, act in his best interests etc. There may also be secret laws in institutions to punish whistle blowers and deter further whistle blowing. a. Duty of loyalty and confidentiality Many countries in Asia have is the duty of loyalty and fidelity to the employer. This usually deters an employee from expressing personal opinion or revealing internal information. The Indian Law Reform Commission has recently recognized that while a public servant might be subject to the duty of confidentiality, it doesnt extend to remain silent regarding the corrupt activities of other public servants. The public interest is better served if maladministration and corruption are exposed. b. Secret Acts In most common wealth countries the state has criminal laws prohibiting the release of military and state laws by officials and outsiders. e.g. Pakistan Officials Secret Acts, 1923 makes illegal the disclosure of any information that has been entrusted to him by confidence by any person holding office or to which he has access due the position he holds. These laws thus generate a significant barrier to anti corruption efforts and genrally prohibit disclosure of information without permisiion. In Malaysia, the opposition leader Mohd Ezan Mohd Noor was prosecuted in 2000 under the OSA for releasing police reports of corruption by high level government officials. In London, a whistle blower who revealed that the London police force had released incorrect statements regarding the shooting of an innocent man was also arrested. These laws are also used in political cases. c. Libel In many countries, defamation and libel laws are used to deter the whistle blowers. Power figures and senior officials use their power to threaten the whistle blowers as they can use the court systems to their advantage. In Singapore, National Kidney Foundation suppressed the whistle blowers from revealing wastage of money on first class tickets, excessive salaries etc by using defamation laws and forced apologies. Finally when a major media company refused to bow down, the story was fully disclosed. d. Other Laws There also exists a possibility of criminal or civil charges under laws such as trade secrets or theft. In some countries companies also require that workers sign confidentiality clauses. In Australia, an American who doubted the safety of the new Airbus 380 is facing criminal and civil charges by his ex employer after going public with the potential design flaws. 3. Cultural Barriers There are at times significant cultural barriers to whistle blowers which see whistle blowers as dobbers, sneaks or narks. Some of this comes from the abuses to informants historically. In Nazi occupied regimes, the Soviet Union, Aparthied- era South Africa, informants and anonymous denunciations were often used for maintain power. The organization culture is also equally important. The disclosure of information to outsiders can feel like a betrayal and hence whistle blowers often feel social sanctions for their disclosures. At times, even though formal laws are absent, being shunned or being side lined in the organization can place certain amount of pressure on individuals. Whistleblowers Laws and Protection Initiatives All the countries do not have a legal protection act for the whistleblowers. Legal protection for whistleblowers mostly differs on the basis of the country, state in which malpractice occurred and also the subject matter of whistleblowing. The first law that protected whistle blowers was the US Lloyd-La Follette Act of 1912. It guaranteed the right of federal employees to furnish information to Congress. According to the Act, the causes that encourage the efficiency in the service are defined as the just causes. It goes on to say that the right of employees to furnish information to either House of Congress, or to a committee or Member thereof, may not be interfered with or denied. The U.S. Whistleblowers Protect Act of 1989 (amended in 1994) was established to protect public interest disclosures which were made by federal employees. For aiding whistleblowers in the investigation and to prevent retaliatory action against them, an Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was created. But it was not very successful because of a series of hostile judicial rulings which undercut the protection that was afforded by the Act. A similar or even stronger legislation has been passed by more than 40 states in respect of State employees. The U.S. Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the aftermath of the debacle of Enron and WorldCom which provided for granting sweeping legal protection for whistleblowers in publicly traded companies. Any retaliation against a corporate whistleblower can now lead to imprisonment for up to 10 years. The Department of Labour (DoL) must complete its adjudication of cases relating to whistleblowers within 180 days. If not then whistleblower has following options he may opt to remain with DoL or ask for ade novotrial in court. Following are the remedies reinstatement, damages for compensation, pay back with interest, fees for attorney, special damages and costs. The U.K.s Public Interest Disclosure Act of 1998 is a one of its kind piece of legislation in the sense that it provides protection to employees in the public, private and non-profit sectors, which includes those working outside the U.K. It provides a framework of legal protection for individuals who disclose information so as to expose malpractice and matters of similar concern. It protects whistleblowers from persecution and dismissal. Under the law, employment tribunals have power to `freeze a dismissal and make unlimited compensation awards. The U.K. example has been followed by South Africa to provide protection to employees of all organisations through its Protected Disclosures Act of 2000. Other countries like Australia, South Korea, Canada, Argentina, Slovakia, Russia, Mexico and Nigeria have enacted or are in the process to enact whistleblowers protection legislation (but only to government employees). United Nations Convention against Corruption (2005) The most significant international instrument on whistleblowing is the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Work on the Convention began in December 2000 and the final version was approved by the General Assembly in October 2003. It was adopted in December 2005 after it was ratified by 30 countries. As of now, it has been signed by 140 countries and ratified by 47. Article 32 on the Protection of witness, experts and victims provides for protections of witnesses and experts and their relatives from retaliation including limits on disclosure of their identities. More fundamentally, Article 33 on Protection of reporting persons envisions countries adopting protections for reporting of corruption by any person. The UN Office on Drugs and Crimes Anti-Corruption Toolkit notes that Article 3 is advancement on previous agreements such as the 2000 Convention against Transnational Organized Crime which only protects witnesses and experts. The Toolkit extensively covers whistleblowing and recommends legal and administrative measures for reporting and protection including compensation, creation of ombudsman institutions to receive complaints, the creation of hotlines, and limits on libel and confidentiality agreements. To date, only a few of the countries that have ratified the treaty have adopted comprehensive whistleblower laws and another dozen have adopted limited provisions. UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression The Un Special Rapporteur has also recognized that whistleblowing is an important aspect of freedom of expression. In 2000, Abid Hussain criticized the use of state security and other laws against individuals disclosing information in the public interest. In December 2004, UN Rapporteus Ambeyi Ligabo joined with the Special Representatives on freedom of expression and the media from the OAS and OSCE in a statement on free expression calling for national governments to adopt better protections Whistleblowers releasing information on violations of the law, on wrongdoing by public bodies, on a serious threat to health, safety or the environment, or on a breach of human rights or humanitarian law should be protected against legal, administrative or employed-related sanctions if they act in good faith. Protecting Whistleblowers in India There are no legislations in India to protect whistleblowers here. There have increasingly been the cases of corporate or political scams and which have cost taxpayers heavily including the banks and investors to the amount of thousands of crores of rupees. A Whistleblowers Protection Act is more important for India than it was for the U.S. and the U.K. It can be a strong tool for ensuring good governance in the country if worked in congruence with the Freedom of Information Act. At this moment we are in dire need of public interest groups like the ones on the lines of Government Accountability Project and the National Whistleblower Centre in the U.S., and the Public Concern At Work in the U.K. These will help in safeguarding the rights of whistleblowers rights and defend the employees against any retaliation. In the act of protecting whistleblowers, we are maybe unknowingly also protecting ourselves. In the case of legal protection also many employees might feel hesitant to, but the very existence of whistleblowers will discourage government and corporate wrongdoings to a considerable event. Based on the experiences of other countries the following set of general principles could usefully be the guidelines for the effective Indian legislation regarding the subject: With the consent of the State governments, Parliament should try and enact a single Act for all employees who work in any tier of government. This shall also include employees working in any organisation be it the private or voluntary sector. It shall also include employees of contractors, sub-contractors and agents of an organisation; former employees and overseas employees; applicants for employment, auditors and attorneys should also be covered. The Official Secrets Act should be outlawed. This will provide for a public interest defence. Also the `gagging clauses in severance or employment contracts should be nullified for public interest disclosures. It makes no sense to ask if the Acts protection should include members of such organizations as the armed forces, the police and the secret services. But it must be made sure of that the disclosures shall not harm operations or endanger the lives of the concerned personnel. Unless the Contempt of Courts Act is first amended to provide for a public interest defence, the judiciary shall remain outside its purview. The whistleblowers information about a malpractice must be substantially true, and consequently the whistleblower must act in the good faith and true spirit. In the case of the calls that are not legitimate or are anonymous the whistleblower should not be provided protection with. The period given to file a complaint must be such long so as to provide him sufficient time (say, 1 year). There should be a clear definition of what constitutes public interest disclosures. Following can be the disclosures to which protection can be provided illegal or criminal act(s), breach of regulatory law, miscarriage of justice, danger to public health or safety or property and any damage to environment, including attempts which are intended to cover up these malpractices. The Act must be constituted in such a way so as to encourage employees to first raise the matter within the organization and mandate organisations to establish proper mechanisms for this purpose. When it is not reasonable to raise the matter within the organization, or where attempts to solve the matter from within have been unsuccessful, employees who make an external disclosure in a specified way should also be protected. It remain a matter of debate that what should be the specified way. By general wisdom, apart from certain designated offices which may include SEBI, Pollution Control Boards, etc., public interest disclosures to such personalities as MPs and MLAs; employee unions; and reputed public interest groups must be protected. Disclosures made to the media may also be protected in some cases but in such a case the whistleblower must carry the burden of proof. The protection should include any and all forms of retaliation and the possible solutions could be on the same lines as in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including criminal liability for retaliation. To carry out timely adjudication of cases there should be a fast track mechanism similar to that of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Decisions have to be made on the points that whether the existing Administrative and other tribunals should be strengthened to do the job or new agencies should be created. Some Famous Cases of Whistleblowing Sherron Watkins, an accountant in Enron blew the whistle for the company. She raised suspicions of accounting improprieties to Enron Chairman, Kenneth Lay. She also warned about Jeffrey Skilling (Chief Executive Oficeer), Fastow (Chief Financial Officer) and other executives who were duping the company. The Chairman just asked an outside law firm, to investigate about it. Before Enron finally declared bankruptcy, Watkins once again informed the chairman that the financial partnerships set up by the huge Houston energy company would prove disastrous and potentially destroy Enron. Coleen Rowley, a special agent with FBI, initially served in the Omaha, Nebraska and Jackson, Mississippi Divisions. After the 2001 attacks, Rowley wrote a paper to FBI Director, Robert Mueller, explaining that the FBI HQ personnel in Washington DC had ignored the warnings given by Minneapolis, Minnesota Field Office. In May of 2002, Rowley brought some of the pre 9-11 lapses to light and testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee about some of the endemic problems faced by FBI and the intelligence community. As a result, the FBI cleared a new Office of Intelligence and expanded the FBI personnel. Frank Serpico is yet another whistleblower. He joined the New York Police Department (NYPD) as a Probationary Officer in the year 1959. In 1967, Frank made his first formal report about the widespread, systematic police corruption, but the police department failed to do anything about it. He gave a complaint to the police Commissioner and the Mayor, but they ignored him. Frustrated, Serpico exposed the NYPD wrongdoings in The New York Times in 1971. Later, he was shot in the face during a raid. None of his colleagues came to help him. Later, Frank was promoted to the rank of detective and was given a gold shield. In May 1972, Frank was awarded the NYPDs Medal of Honor for his honesty and bravery in fighting corruption. Serpico quit NYPD in 1972. Jeffrey Wignand, Vice-President for tobacco research and development at Brown Williamson became the whistleblower on Bg Tobacco, telling how the industry minimized tobaccos health and safety issues. In a 1995 CBS news interview, 60 minutes, he went on speaking about the companys knowledge of nicotines addictive properties, its reckless use of harmless additives, its quashing of research on safe cigarettes, and a variety of other abuses. He was the center witness in the US governments lawsuit against the tobacco industry, which eventually led to the $246bn federal tobacco settlement. Later, Wignand formed a non-profit organization to educate children about health issues and reduce the usage of tobacco among teenagers. Examples of Whistle blowing from India Satyendra Dubey Talk of whistle blowing in the Indian context and one of the first cases that comes to the mind is that of NHAI engineer Satyendra Dubey. Satyendra Dubey, was one of those rare young men who was completely and uncomplicatedly honest. An engineer from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and working for National Highway Authority of India, Satyendra Dubey was supervising construction of the Prime Ministers dream project in the Koderma division in Jharkhand as a part of the Golden Quadrilateral project. In August 2003 he was transferred to Gaya. At Gaya, he exposed large-scale flouting of NHAI rules regarding sub-contracting and quality control. Meanwhile, faced with the possibility of high-level corruption within the NHAI, Dubey wrote directly to the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, detailing the financial and contractual irregularities in the project. Despite a direct request that his identity be kept secret and despite the letters sensitive content, accusing some of Dubeys su periors, the letter along with bio-data was forwarded immediately to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Dubey faced several threats following this. On November 27, 2003, Dubey was found shot dead in the suburb of A.P. Colony in Gaya while he was returning from a wedding from Varanasi. Satyendra Dubeys death sparked off widespread public protest and highlighted the need and urgency of a whistleblowing act. It exposed the high levels of unethical practices being practiced in the uppermost echelons of the ministries and the unholy nexus with the mafia. Shanmugam Manjunath Another glaring example of the apathy faced by the whistle blowers in India is that of the Indian Oil engineer Shanmugam Manjunath. Manjunath was a marketing manager for the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) who was murdered for blewing the whistle on a scheme to sell impure gasoline. An MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, Manjunath worked for IOC in Lucknow. While there, he had ordered two petrol pumps at Lakhimpur Kheri to be sealed for selling adulterated fuel for three months. On November 19, 2005, Manjunath was found dead in the backseat of his own car, his body riddled with at least six bullets. M N Vijaykumar M N Vijaykumar is an IAS officer in the southern state of Karnataka. He has a penchant for disciplining colleagues who supplement their modest salaries with bribes, kickbacks and garden-variety pilferage. He exposed serious corrupt practices at high levels. His wife, J N Jayashree, set up a website detailing her husbands efforts to fight corruption, and to safeguard her husbands life. Other Examples of Whistle blowing from Asia Yoichi Mizutani blew the whistle on a scam by Snow Brand Food Co. in 2002 while working as the president of a Japanese storage company named Nishinomiya Reizo. Snow had been mislabelling Australian beef as domestic beef so that it could benefit from the beef buy-back program of the government which was issued after an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in Japan. Mizutanis reward was an order from the Construction Transport Ministry company to suspend operations a suspension that lasted 16 months during investigation of the scam. Nishinomiya was eventually cleared of participation in Snows scheme. Myron A. Mehlman was the former director of toxicology and manager of Mobil Oils Environmental Health and Science Laboratories. He claimed that Mobil incorrectly reported results of his toxicological testing of Mobil products to company officials and outside agencies. Mehlman held his position from 1978 until he was fired in 1989. He supervised about 100 employees in conducting tests and safety evaluations of Mobils petrochemical products, including gasoline. Mehlman had warned that the true benzene levels in gasoline and other Mobil products posed a serious hazard to the public health and environment and that they should be reduced and that Mobil products should be modified. After his firing, Mehlman successfully sued Mobil charging that the company systematically covered up environmental and human health problems. Sibel Deniz Edmonds is a Turkish-American. She had worked as a FBI translator and founder of the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition (NSWBC). In March, 2002, she had accused a colleague of covering up illicit activity involving foreign nationals and also alleged that there were serious acts of security breaches, cover-ups, and intentional blocking of intelligence which according to her were a danger to the United States security. Following this she was fired from her position as a specialist of language at the FBIs Washington Field Office. Since that time, court proceedings on her whistleblower claims have been blocked by the assertion of State Secrets Privilege. On March 29, 2006, she was awarded the PEN/Newmans Own First Amendment Award in recognition of her defense of free speech as it applies to the written word. Marlene Garcia-Esperat (August 29, 1959 March 24, 2005 in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines) was a Filipina whistleblower and investigative journalist who wrote a weekly anti-graft column for local newspapers. As a result of her anti-corruption work, she was murdered in her own home. Her case is significant, as it is the first in the 56 murders of Filipino journalists since 1986 for which the people ultimately responsible were identified, in addition to the people directly involved. Esperat, as former employee of the Department of Agriculture in Central Mindanao (DA-12) and Midland Review, Tacurong City columnist, exposed the alleged Jocelyn Jocjoc Bolante fertilizer funds scam, in which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was implicated. Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani (9 June 1983 10 November 2009) was an Iranian physician who examined prisoners who were wounded or killed during the 2009 Iranian elections protests. He had reported on the state use of tortureon political prisoners. He died under suspicious circumstances on November 10, 2009, at the age of 26. Tehrans public prosecutor Abbas Dowlatabadi said Ramin Pourandarjani died of poisoning from a delivery salad laced with an overdose of blood pressure medication. The findings fueled opposition fears that he was killed because of what he knew. Pourandarjani had worked as a physician at the Kahrizak detention center. Iranian authorities earlier had claimed at various points that Pourandarjani had been injured in a car accident, committed suicide, or died of a heart attack in his sleep at the health center at the police headquarters in Tehran where he worked. The Future of Whistleblowing The following are some of the principles for whistleblowing legislation based on international best practice that should be considered when developing new legislation. The work of the OAS Working Group is also a valuable resource including the Model Law on whistleblowing developed a few years ago: Broad Coverage The law should have a broad coverage. It should apply to public and private sector employees and also those who may face retribution outside the employer-employee relationship such as consultants, former employees, temporary workers, students, benefit seekers, family members and others. It should also apply to national security cases. Protection against retribution The law should have a broad definition of retribution that covers all types of job sanctions, harassment, loss of status or benefits, and other detriments. Employees should be also to seek interim relief to return to the job while the case is pending or be allowed to seek transfers to other equivalent jobs within the organization if return to the existing one is not advisable due to possible retribution. Protection of free speech The law should recognize that there is a significant importance in free speech whistleblowing. Public interest and harm tests should be applied to each release of any information that could have been released under FOI cannot be sanctioned. Confidentiality The law should allow for whistleblowers to request that their identity should remain confidential as far as possible. However, the body should make the person aware of the problems with confidentiality and also make clear that the protection is not absolute. Waiver of liability Any act of public disclosure should be made immune for liability under other acts such as Official Secrets and libel/slander laws. An even more significant move would be to eliminate archaic Official Secrets Acts such as already has been done in New Zealand. Compensation Compensation should be broadly defined to cover all losses and place the person back at their previous situation. This should include any loss of earnings and further earnings. This loss should not be capped. There should also be provisions to pay for pain and suffering incurred because of the release and any retaliation. Rewards In some cases, whistleblowers should be rewarded for making disclosures that result in important recovery of funds or discoveries of wrongdoing. Qui Tam cases, such as have been used in the US, may be an appropriate mechanism for recoveries. Disclosure Procedures The law should set up reasonable procedures to encourage and facilitate internal procedures to disclosure wrongdoing. However, the procedures should be straightforward and easily allow for disclose outside organizations to higher bodies, legislators and the media in cases where it is likely that the internal procedure would be ineffective. There should be easy access to legal advice to facilitate disclosures and reduce misunderstandings. No sanctions for misguided or false reporting The law should not allow for criminal sanctions against whistle blowers who make false disclosures. The disclosure might have been made in good faith. In case of delibarate falsehood, normal sanctions such as a loss of job should be sufficient. Extensive training and publication The