The Competitor orientation, Tech orientation and Customer Orientation Essay

The Competitor orientation, Tech orientation and Customer Orientation effect on performance through salesmanship and technical selling skills - Essay Example As such, the marketing departments of most companies look into ensuring that the competitor orientation has well stipulated methods by which sales of the employing company shall out-do those of the competitors. The tech orientation seeks to determine the various technological means by which the company can be able to further its sales to the consumers of its products without losing its market base. The customer orientation on itself seeks to define various ways which the company can apply to enable it meet its customers’ tastes and preferences as well as the products’ perceived expectations. Why is research limited regarding the effect of competitor, customer and tech orientations on the company’s performance through salesmanship and technical skills? While no direct answer may be found, this study was conducted with the sole purpose of bringing out this variability. The findings in this study show that the customer orientation selling skills requires the immediate actions by the salespeople. While competitor orientation seem to have more effect on the sales performance, this study reveals that mostly it has been neglected by most marketing managers. Tech orientation seems to what is taking ground at the moment with most companies resorting to the internet to market their products and so a revelation of companies expanding their IT staff reported. The main aim of this study was to understand the effects of competitor orientation, tech orientation and customer orientation on the performance of the company through salesmanship and technical skills. The term "customer service" encompasses an assortment of techniques used by firms to make certain the contentment of a client; from sociable and thoughtful staff to punctual reply when confronted with produce defects. Successful small company owners often cite this feature as one of the most

Course Note on Organizational Behaviour Essay Example for Free

Course Note on Organizational Behaviour Essay DEFINITION OF ORGANISATION According to Gary Johns, Organisations are social inventions for accomplishing goals through group efforts. This definition covers wide variety-of groups such as businesses, schools, hospitals, fraternal groups, religious bodies, government agencies and so on. There are three significant aspects in the above definition, which require further analysis. They are as follows: Social Inventions: The word social as a derivative of society basically means gathering of people. It is the people that primarily make up an organisation. Accomplishing Goals: All organisations have reasons for their existence. These reasons are the goals towards which all organisational efforts are directed. While the primary goal .of any commercial organisation is to make money for its owners, this goal is inter-related with many other goals. Accordingly, any organisational goal must integrate in itself the personal goals of all individuals associated with the organisation. Group Effort: People, both as members of the society at large and as a part of an organisation interact with each other and are inter-dependent. Individuals in themselves have physical and intellectual limitations and these limitations can only be overcome by group efforts. MEANING AND DEFINITION OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Organisational behaviour is concerned with peoples thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions in setting up a work. Understanding an individual behaviour is in itself a challenge, but understanding group behaviour in an organisational environment is a monumental managerial task. As Nadler and Tushman put it, Understanding one individuals behaviour is challenging in and of itself; understanding a group that is made up of different individuals and comprehending the many relationships among those individuals is even more complex. Ultimately, the organisations work gets done through people, individually or collectively, on their, own or in collaboration with technology. Therefore, the management of organisational behaviour is central to the management task—a task that involves the capacity to understand the behaviour patterns of individuals, groups and organisations, to predict' what behavioural responses will be elicited by  various managerial actions and finally to use this understanding and these predictions to achieve control. Organisational behaviour can then be defined as: The study of human behaviour in organisational settings, the interface between human behaviour and the organisational context, and the organisation itself. The above definition has three parts—the individual behaviour, the organisation and the (interface between the two. Each individual brings to an organisation a unique set of beliefs, values, attitudes and other personal characteristics and these characteristics of all individuals must interact with each other in order to create organisational settings. The organisational behaviour is specifically concerned with work-related behaviour, which takes place in organisations. In addition to understanding; the on-going behavioural processes involved, in their own jobs, managers must understand the basic human element of their work. Organisational behaviour offers three major ways of understanding this context; people as organisations, people as resources and people as people. Above all, organisations are people; and without people there would be no organisations. Thus, if managers are to understand the organisations in which they work, they must first understand the people who make up the organisations. As resources, people are one of the organisations most valuable assets. People create the organisation, guide and direct its course, and vitalise and revitalise it. People make the decisions, solve the problems, and answer the questions. As managers increasingly recognise the value of potential contributions by their employees, it will become more and more important for managers and employees to grasp the complexities of organisational behaviour. Finally, there is people as people an argument derived from the simple notion of humanistic management. People spend a large part of their lives in; organisational settings, mostly as employees. They have a right to  expect something in return beyond wages and benefits. They have a right to expect satisfaction and to learn new skills. An understanding of organisational behaviour can help the manager better appreciate the variety of individual needs and expectations. Organisational behaviour is concerned with the characteristics and behaviours of employees in isolation; the characteristics and processes that are part of the organisation itself; and the characteristics and behaviours directly resulting from people with their individual needs and motivations working within the structure of the organisation. One cannot understand an individual’s behaviour completely without learning something about that individuals organisation. Similarly, he cannot understand how the organisation operates without; studying the people who-make it up. Thus, the organisation influences and is influenced by individuals. ELEMENTS OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR The key elements in the organisational behaviour are people,, structure, technology and the environment in which the organisation operates. People: People make up the internal and social system of the organisation. They consist of individuals and groups. The groups may be big or small; formal or informal; official or unofficial. Groups are dynamic and they work in the organisation to achieve their objectives. Structure: Structure defines the formal relationships of the people in organisations. Different people in the organisation are performing different type of jobs and they need to be (elated in some structural way so that their work can be effectively co-ordinated. Technology: Technology such as machines and work processes provide the resources with which people work and affects the tasks that they perform. The technology used has a significant influence on working relationships. It allows people to do more and work better but it also restricts people in various ways. Environment: All organisations operate within an external environment. It is the part of a larger system that contains many other elements such as government, family and other organisations. All of these mutually influence each other in a complex system that creates a context for a group of people. NATURE OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Each individual brings to an organisation a unique set of personal characteristics, experiences from other organisation, the environment surrounding the organisation and1 they also possess a personal background. In considering the people working in an organisation, organisational behaviour must look at the unique perspective that each individual brings to the work setting. But individuals do not work in isolation. They come in contact with other individuals and the organisation in a variety of ways. Points of contact include managers, co-workers, formal policies and procedures of the organisation, and various changes implemented by the organisation. Over time, the individual, too, changes, as a function of both the personal experiences and the organisation. The organisation is also affected by the presence and eventual absence of the individual. Clearly, the study of organisational behaviour must consider the ways in which the individual and the organisation interact. An organisation, characteristically, exists before a particular person joins it and continues to exist after he leaves it. Thus, the organisation itself represents a crucial third perspective from which to view organisational behaviour. NEED FOR STUDYING ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR The rules of work are different from the rules of play. The uniqueness of rules and the environment of organisations forces managers to study organisational behaviour in order to learn about normal and abnormal ranges of behaviour. More specifically, organisational behaviour serves three purposes: What causes behaviour? Why particular antecedents cause behaviour? Which antecedents of behaviour can be controlled directly and which are beyond control? A more specific and formal course in organisational behaviour helps an individual to develop more refined and workable sets of assumption that is directly relevant to his work interactions. Organisational behaviour helps in predicting human behaviour in the organisational setting by drawing a clear distinction between individual behaviour and group behaviour. Organisational behaviour does not provide solutions to all complex and different behaviour puzzles of organisations. It is only the intelligent judgement of the manager in dealing with a specific issue that can try to solve the problem. Organisational behaviour only assists in making judgements that are derived from tenable assumptions; judgement that takes into account the important variables underlying the situation; judgement that are assigned due recognition to the complexity of individual or group behaviour; judgement that explicitly takes into account the managers own goals, motives, hang-ups, blind spots and weaknesses. IMPORTANCE OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR Organisational behaviour offers several ideas to management as to how human factor should be properly emphasised to achieve organisational objectives. Barnard has observed that an organisation is a conscious interaction of two or more people. This suggests that since an organisation is Ihe interaction of persons, they should be given adequate importance in managing the organisation. Organisational behaviour provides opportunity to management to analyse human behaviour and prescribe means for shaping it to a particular direction. Understanding Human Behaviour Organisational behaviour provides under ­standing the human behaviour in all directions in which the human beings interact. Thus, organisational behaviour can be understood at the individual level, interpersonal level, group level and inter-group level. Organisational behaviour helps to analyse why and how an individual behaves in a particular way. Human behaviour is a complex phenomenon and is affected by a large number of factors including the psychological, social and cultural implications. Organisational behaviour integrates these factors  to provide* simplicity in understanding the human behaviour. Interpersonal Level: Human behaviour can be understood at the level of interpersonal interaction. Organisational behaviour provides †¢ means for understanding the interpersonal relationships in an organisation. Analysis of reciprocal relationships, role analysis and transactional analysis are some of the common methods, which provide such understanding. Group Level: Though people interpret anything at their individual level, they are often modified by group pressures, which then become a force in shaping human behaviour, Thus, individuals should be studied in groups also.. Research in group dynamics has contributed vitally to organisational behaviour and shows how a group behaves in its norms, cohesion, goals, procedures, communication pattern and leadership. These research results are advancing managerial knowledge of understanding group behaviour, which is very important for organisational morale and productivity. Inter-group Level: The organisation is made up of many groups that develop complex relationships to build their process and substance. Understanding the effect of group relationships is important for managers in todays organisation. Inter-group relationship may be in the form of co-operation or competition.

The Men of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes Essay -- essays research papers

The Men of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes â€Å"I Love Little Pussy† I love little pussy, /Her coat is so warm, /And if I don’t hurt her, /She’ll do me no harm. /So I’ll not pull her tail, /Nor drive her away, /But pussy and I, /Very gently will play. (http://www.zelo.com/family/nursery/pussy.asp) â€Å"Georgie Porgie† Georgie Porgie, puddin’ and pie, /Kissed the girls and made them cry. /When the boys came out to play, /Georgie Porgie ran away. (http://www.zelo.com/family/nursery/georgie.asp) As a young child, mother goose nursery rhymes are nearly the entire basis for learning. By memorizing and reciting these verses, children develop memorization skills, verbal skills through communicating them effectively, and vocabulary. Of course, these nursery rhymes also establish valuable life lessons too. â€Å"Humpty Dumpty† and â€Å"Jack and Jill† both teach us about the violence that can occur as a result of carelessness, and â€Å"Queen of Hearts† teaches children that bad things happen to those who steal. But not all of these nursery rhymes come with such happy lessons. The two that I have chosen teach a more morbid lesson. Each is about how men pursue women for sex. Both illustrate examples of men using women for sex and discarding them, however, their approaches stem from roots as far apart as the polar caps. In â€Å"Georgie Porgie†, Georgie is portrayed as an abusive character. Someone who takes the more up-front, perverted, approach to women. Georgie is illustrated as someone who takes advantage ...

Going to War or Going to School

On March 19, 2003 former President George W. Bush declared war on Iraq, two years after declaring his war on terror. By the end of the year he had mobilized and shipped fifty thousand soldiers to Iraq. The political cartoon designed by Jim Borgman offers commentary on past socio-economic issues, suggesting that certain young adults risk life and limb not just for patriotism but for career opportunities. . Since the September 11 attacks the United States government has been on a quest to seek vengeance. On March 19, 2003 the United States government declared War on Iraq. Over fifty thousand troops were deployed in 2003 and over one hundred ninety thousand were recruited that year by four different branches of the military. Rationally most find it noble to enter into a cause such as the military, it gives one a true sense of pride. But the reality of it is that your quest for honor, respect, and nobility must be pure in every shape and form. Borgman’s cartoon has the ability to question ones true motives by attacking your logic. His use of logos is also transferred into the quote at the top of picture, â€Å"I figure it’s easier to find a war than a job these days. † The message should be and is clearly conveyed to any reader but shocking nonetheless. Mr. Borgman is targeting the attention of young adults who have just recently graduated, those who are confused and lacking true guidance. You can see the same blank and confused look on one of his characters, the recent graduate. Curiously wondering whether the soldier is correct or whether he just wasted four years of his life. But its perfectly natural to be scared when your stepping out of a comfort zone and into something new. It’s like being a kid in a candy store, your senses are just so overwhelmed that you don’t have a grasp on what you truly need to be doing. One looks for the first thing that makes sense to them and then proceeds to stick with it. You might be curious and wondering what can the military offer me that I can’t get with a college degree. Well let me tell you that some of the great benefits, they offer an opportunity to gain qualities such as leadership and follow through. Key elements needed to be successful in society today. Another huge attraction for some is the G. I. Bill, which gives any service men and women the opportunity to attend any institution courtesy of the taxpayers. It’s hard to refer to ethics when speaking about the persuasiveness of political cartoons; personally they have nothing to do with one another. The cartoon surfaced right after the U. S. eclared war against Iraq, showing Borgman’s use of kairos. Which made it apparent that he was trying to push a point upon the American public. Society as a group stays in the shadows of current news but that is because media corporations filter stories, but that’s a different topic. In conclusion I hope that this photograph has altered your outlook not just on previous issues but has given you a current grasp on what is going on today. My mother once told me that history finds a way of repeating itself, the question becomes are we going to do something about it.

Freedmen’s Bureau Act of 1865 Essay

The Freedmen’s Bureau was a government agency enacted March 3, 1865. The purpose of this organization was to aid and protect the newly freed slaves in the south after the Civil War. This was a very influential agency and some people would find it to be a major influence in the life of newly freed slaves. In this paper I will explain to you the purpose, the events that led up to the Freedmen’s Bureau, and the people that influenced the Freedmen’s Bureau. The purpose of the bureau was to provide food and medical care to the freedmen of the south. This bureau was only supposed to be in effect for one year; however, congress extended it contrary to the veto Andrew Johnson. In addition to providing food and medical care to the freedmen of the south; the bureau also helped to manage abandon property, establish schools, and regulate labor. The bureau was successful in educating the freedmen, but was very unsuccessful in establishing land. It was very hard for the newly freed slaves to own land or anything for that manner and it took a very long time to establish anything major for them. Later on after the act was established the freedmen were granted 85,000 acres of land but President Andrew Johnson revoked the land and gave it to the Confederate landowners. After the land was revoked the bureau focused on employment for the freedmen. They were able to acquire employment working on plantations; however, this became a problem when they became sharecroppers and tenant farmers. The bureau had many problems but all in all they did work hard to help the newly freed slaves establish the rights that they weren’t able to obtain. The freedmen’s bureau was established on the sympathy of a Civil War hero. He felt sorry for the blacks that had to transition from captivity to freedom so suddenly. After President Johnson unconstitutionally vetoed the bill, congress passed the bill over his veto. Whites in the south were opposed to African Americans having rights, and the bureau didn’t have the proper military force in place to establish any authority. Eventually the military had the move to the western frontier. The bureau’s work stemmed the establishment of the government involving themselves with social welfare and labor relations. I will now explain the people that played a significant role in influencing and implementing the freedmen’s bureau. The freedmen’s bureau was initiated by former President Abraham Lincoln. It was also headed by Union Army General Oliver O. Howard. George Ruby was an African American teacher and administrator that was the bureau’s inspector. He helped to establish school for African Americans and he also inspected the field officer’s that worked within the bureau. Unfortunately under the leadership of President Ulysses S. Grant, the bureau was disbanded. According to history the freedmen’s bureau was not very successful. Out of all of the promises that were made to the newly freed African Americans, very few were kept. Essentially they were left to fend for themselves. Promises such as employment and some education were kept. The promises for land and racial equality were not kept and this enraged the supporters of the bureau and the African Americans themselves. If the bureau would have had the proper financial backing and the proper number of staff it probably would have been very successful. Being that the bureau let the freedmen down by not providing the necessary funds, land, and education they lost faith in the United States government. The bureau has been labeled a failure by historians. In essence the Freedmen’s Bureau was a relief organization set in place to help freedmen transition from slavery to the free world. Many promises such as land, employment, racial equality, and education were promised; but very few promises were kept. The bureau was underfunded and undermanned and the necessary resources hadn’t been set in place for it to thrive like it was supposed to.

Catharisis in Oedipus the king and Medea Essays

Catharisis in Oedipus the king and Medea Essays Catharisis in Oedipus the king and Medea Essay Catharisis in Oedipus the king and Medea Essay Essay Topic: Medea Catharsis refers to a purgation or purification of the emotions of the audience by art. According to Aristotle, it is applied to a tragedy which can produce in the audience purgation of fear and pity and then gives a heightened understanding of the ways of gods and men. In both plays, Catharsis allows the dramatists to raise the prevailing themes as well as fully express their perceptions toward the society. In Euripides Made, the woman with magic was taken back to a civilized society. However, Made notionally suffered as her husband, Jason, betrayed her. Since she is the woman, the outcast, and the foreigner, in a new environment, barely did she own her right to voice for herself. Having nowhere to turn to, she had a quarrel with Jason and planned her plot against him to revenge. She decided to murder the princess of Corinth and their sons, and eventually she succeeded, leaving the play ending in disorder. Now, the audience would not feel frightened because of the employment of Catharsis. Euripides projects the inequality of sex and attacks the Greek masculinity, but unlike Homers epic, the unspeakable violence attributes to the long-term oppression and pent-up. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus determined to leave his country in prevention of the fulfillment of the oracle. He was said to murder his own father and marry his own mother. Even so, he had an argument on his way of wandering, lost his temper, and killed an old man he met in a rage. The old man happens to be his father. After the incident, Oedipus managed to defeat the monster, Sphinx, by answering her puzzle. Thus, Oedipus became the legitimate king and marry the queen. Audience are bake tit fully participate in process of his downfall. The playwright, Sophocles, intends to address the playing fate as well as their Harriet (tragic flaw) when Jotas attempted to comfort Oedipus that oracle could be sometimes misinterpreted. Her ignorance to the oracle leads him to realize his identity. Likewise, Oedipus has a free will. He should be responsible for his deeds. Throughout the entire play, audience can attach the function of catharsis to the main theme: sight. It expounds that what we see might not be absolutely self- evident. There could be something beyond our capacity of understanding. In the ancient Greek theater, many devices are used in help of enabling the dramatists to deliver messages. Catharsis plays a critical role to Greek tragedy because it has a therapeutic effect on the audience. In other words, it purifies the disquieting the emotions of our daily life.

Essay on Sustainable Development for Public Administration

Essay on Sustainable Development for Public Administration Essay on Sustainable Development for Public Administration Essay on Sustainable Development for Public AdministrationThe book Sustainable Development for Public Administration written by Deniz Zeynep Leuenberger and John R. Bartle deserves special attention of everyone who wants to learn more about the relationship between sustainability and public administration. The concepts of sustainability and sustainable development play a crucial role in the overall understanding of the significance of public administration. Actually, public administration is focused on the management of human impact on the environment and preservation of the welfare of all citizens. The authors of the book place emphasis not only on sustainability and sustainable planning, but also on the economics of sustainable development and the environment,   risk management practices of the government, and environmental issues, such as drinking water supply, food security and safety, waste removal issues, transportation challenges, etc. Moreover, the authors are qualified to write on this topic. Dr. Deniz Zeynep Leuenberger has enough knowledge and experience to explore sustainable development as she is an Associate Professor in Public Administration/Political Science at Bridgewater State University. Besides, she is involved in coordination practices, working in the Center for Sustainability. John R. Bartle is her colleague. The authors of the book explore an important topic because sustainable development should be supported by a wide range of factors, including various technologies in such areas as education, information, communication, energy, agriculture, industry, etc. Access to these technologies guarantees successful development of human society.The explanation of the authors’ major thesis  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors’ major thesis is that environmental sustainability is considered to be the key function of public administration as it provides all citizens an opportunity to enjoy resources and welfare, hav ing a strong impact on the success and preservation of organizations, the effectiveness of organizational plans and the nation’s economic prosperity. The authors of the book explore a wide range of important sustainability issues that are â€Å"rooted in the management of natural resources and capital† (Leuenberger Bartle, 2009, p. 4). Actually, sustainable development provides an effective plan of actions aimed at integration of environmental sustainability into practice. As environmental resources stand for the so-called â€Å"natural capital†, public administration should consider the role of various organizational plans, decisions and actions that have direct relation to biological systems, including environmental protection, transportation and other issues.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors identify three major goals of sustainable development: biological system goals, economic system goals and social system goals. Sustainable develop ment ensures that the system is effective and does not cause damage to other systems, maintaining the established living standards and life-supporting components. Sustainable development is based on meeting the needs of today’s generations, as well as providing the ability to meet the needs of future generations.The analysis and assessment of the author’s supporting arguments  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors of the book use reliable supporting arguments that contribute to the overall understanding of the key message. Deniz Zeynep Leuenberger and John R. Bartle use documentation on environmental sustainability, conference on public administration notes, peer-reviewed articles, professional publications, statistical data, the U.S. laws, rules and regulations. The authors provide valid sources and documentary materials that help to support the key arguments.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors’ supportive arguments involve the discussion of the key issues on the economics of sustainable development, cost-benefit analysis, measurement of inputs, outputs and outcomes of sustainable development, etc. Deniz Zeynep Leuenberger and John R. Bartle discuss the role of sustainable development as a local issue and as a global issue, placing emphasis on the individual decisions at both local and global levels. For example, the authors refer to sustainable transportation policy that can help to enhance long-term growth and the quality of life. According to Deniz Zeynep Leuenberger and John R. Bartle (2009), sustainable transportation should be aimed at elimination of â€Å"wasteful and destructive incentives† (p. 88).Assessment of the validity of the author’s argument  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The book Sustainable Development for Public Administration written by Leuenberger and Bartle is worth reading and analyzing. The authors’ argument is valid. The validity of the argume nt can be determined by the validity of the author’s conclusion. The authors claim that sustainable development in the field of public administration depends on the effectiveness of application of sustainability to community planning, community growth and other structures. They highlight the importance of the key sustainability-related concepts of public administration, including community members’ participation, equity and preservation of natural capital.The book contributes to the literature on sustainable development, providing much important information on the required topic. The authors are interested in analysis of the balancing between biological, economic and social needs of community members. In other words, the book Sustainable Development for Public Administration reinforces other literature in this area, providing more comprehensive approach to the study of sustainability in public administration.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the book Sustainable Development for Public Administration written by Deniz Z. Leuenberger and John Bartle is worth reading because the authors refer to an important issue in the field of public administration. Sustainability and sustainable development discussed in the book are two important concepts that can be applied to the field of public administration. The authors’ argument is valid. The reader has an opportunity to assess the authors’ argument that sustainable development provides support to equal access and comprehensive approach to the natural capital, highlighting the necessity to manage natural resources in the way that will promote the preservation of these resources for future generations.

USS Hornet (CV-12) in World War II

USS Hornet (CV-12) in World War II USS Hornet (CV-12) - Overview: Nation: United States Type: Aircraft Carrier Shipyard: Newport News Shipbuilding Company Laid Down: August 3. 1942 Launched: August 30, 1943 Commissioned: November 29, 1943 Fate: Museum Ship USS Hornet (CV-12) - Specifications: Displacement: 27,100 tons Length: 872 ft. Beam: 147 ft., 6 in. Draft: 28 ft., 5 in. Propulsion: 8 Ãâ€" boilers, 4 Ãâ€" Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 4 Ãâ€" shafts Speed: 33 knots Range: 20,000 nautical miles at 15 knots Complement: 2,600 men USS Hornet (CV-12) - Armament: 4 Ãâ€" twin 5 inch 38 caliber guns4 Ãâ€" single 5 inch 38 caliber guns8 Ãâ€" quadruple 40 mm 56 caliber guns46 Ãâ€" single 20 mm 78 caliber guns Aircraft 90-100 aircraft USS Hornet (CV-12) - Design Construction: Designed in the 1920s and early 1930s, the US Navys Lexington- and Yorktown-class aircraft carriers were built to conform to the restrictions set forth by the Washington Naval Treaty. This pact placed restrictions on the tonnage of different types of warships as well as capped each signatorys overall tonnage. These types of limitations were affirmed through the 1930 London Naval Treaty. As global tensions increased, Japan and Italy left the agreement in 1936. With the collapse of the treaty system, the US Navy began conceiving a design for a new, larger class of aircraft carrier and one which drew from the lessons learned from the Yorktown-class. The resulting design was wider and longer as well as included a deck-edge elevator system. This had been used earlier on USS Wasp. In addition to carrying a larger air group, the new design possessed a greatly increased anti-aircraft armament. Designated the Essex-class, the lead ship, USS Essex (CV-9), was laid down in April 1941. This was followed by several additional carriers including USS Kearsarge (CV-12) which was laid down on August 3, 1942 as World War II raged. Taking shape at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, the ships name honored the steam sloop USS which defeated CSS Alabama during the Civil War. With the loss of USS Hornet (CV-8) at the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942, the name of the new carrier was changed to USS Hornet (CV-12) to honor its predecessor. On August 30, 1943, Hornet slid down the ways with Annie Knox, wife of Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, serving as sponsor. Eager to have the new carrier available for combat operations, the US Navy pushed its completion and the ship was commissioned on November 29 with Captain Miles R. Browning in command. USS Hornet (CV-8) - Early Operations: Departing Norfolk, Hornet proceeded to Bermuda for a shakedown cruise and to commence training. Returning to port, the new carrier then made preparations to depart for the Pacific. Sailing on February 14, 1944, it received orders to join Vice Admiral Marc Mitschers Fast Carrier Task Force at Majuro Atoll. Arriving in the Marshall Islands on March 20, Hornet then moved south to provide support for General Douglas MacArthurs operations along the northern coast of New Guinea. With the completion of this mission, Hornet mounted raids against the Caroline Islands before preparing for the invasion of the Marianas. Reaching the islands on June 11, the carriers aircraft took part in attacks on Tinian and Saipan before turning their attention to Guam and Rota. USS Hornet (CV-8) - Philippine Sea Leyte Gulf: After strikes to the north on Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima, Hornet returned to the Marianas on June 18. The next day, Mitschers carriers prepared to engage the Japanese in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. On June 19, Hornets planes attacked airfields in the Marianas with the goal of eliminating as many land-based aircraft as possible before the Japanese fleet arrived. Successful, American carrier-based aircraft later destroyed several waves of enemy aircraft in what became known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. American strikes the next day succeeded in sinking the carrier Hiyo. Operating from Eniwetok, Hornet spent the remainder of the summer mounting raids on the Marianas, Bonins, and Palaus while also attacking Formosa and Okinawa. In October, Hornet provided direct support for the landings on Leyte in the Philippines before becoming embroiled in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On October 25, the carriers aircraft provided support for elements of Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaids Seventh Fleet when they came under attack off Samar. Striking the Japanese Center Force, the American aircraft hastened its withdrawal. Over the next two months, Hornet remained in the area supporting Allied operations in the Philippines. With the beginning of 1945, the carrier moved to attack Formosa, Indochina, and the Pescadores before conducting photo reconnaissance around Okinawa. Sailing from Ulithi on February 10, Hornet took part in strikes against Tokyo before turning south to support the invasion of Iwo Jima. USS Hornet (CV-8) - Later War: In late March, Hornet moved to provide cover for the invasion of Okinawa on April 1. Six days later, its aircraft aided in defeating Japanese Operation Ten-Go and sinking the battleship Yamato. For the next two months, Hornet alternated between conducting strikes against Japan and providing support for Allied force on Okinawa. Caught in a typhoon on June 4-5, the carrier saw approximately 25 feet of its forward flight deck collapse. Withdrawn from combat, Hornet returned to San Francisco for repairs. Completed on September 13, shortly after the wars end, the carrier returned to service as part of Operation Magic Carpet. Cruising to the Marianas and Hawaii, Hornet helped return American servicemen to the United States. Finishing this duty, it arrived at San Francisco on February 9, 1946 and was decommissioned the following year on January 15. USS Hornet (CV-8) - Later Service Vietnam: Placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Hornet remained inactive until 1951 when it moved to the New York Naval Shipyard for an SCB-27A modernization and conversion into an attack aircraft carrier. Re-commissioned on September 11, 1953, the carrier trained in the Caribbean before departing for the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean. Moving east, Hornet aided in the search for survivors from a Cathay Pacific DC-4 which was downed by Chinese aircraft near Hainan. Returning to San Francisco in December 1954, it remained on the West Coast training until assigned to the 7th Fleet in May 1955. Arriving in the Far East, Hornet aided in evacuating anti-communist Vietnamese from the northern part of the country before commencing routine operations off Japan and the Philippines. Steaming to Puget Sound in January 1956, the carrier entered the yard for a SCB-125 modernization which included the installation of an angled flight deck and a hurricane bow. Emerging a year later, Hornet returned to the 7th Fleet and made multiple deployments to the Far East. In January 1956, the carrier was selected for conversion to an anti-submarine warfare support carrier. Returning to Puget Sound that August, Hornet spent four months undergoing alterations for this new role. Resuming operations with the 7th Fleet in 1959, the carrier conducted routine missions in the Far East until the beginning of the Vietnam War in 1965. The next four years saw Hornet make three deployments to the waters off Vietnam in support of operations ashore. During this period, the carrier also became involved in recovery missions for NASA. In 1966, Hornet recovered AS-202, an unmanned Apollo Command Module before being designated the primary recovery ship for Apollo 11 three years later. On July 24, 1969, helicopters from Hornet recovered Apollo 11 and its crew after the first successful moon landing. Brought aboard, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were housed in a quarantine unit and visited by President Richard M. Nixon. On November 24, Hornet performed a similar mission when it recovered Apollo 12 and its crew near American Samoa. Returning to Long Beach, CA on December 4, the carrier was selected for deactivation the following month. Decommissioned on June 26, 1970, Hornet moved into reserve at Puget Sound. Later brought to Alameda, CA, the ship opened as a museum October 17, 1998. Selected Sources DANFS: USS Hornet (CV-12)USS Hornet MuseumNavSource: USS Hornet (CV-12)

Which you would classify as art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Which you would classify as art - Essay Example While any object can qualify as an object of art, every human being has different personal values and beliefs that make them qualify the same item as an object of art. Following an ancient definition of art, any object or activity that requires skills to assemble is artistic work (â€Å"Art and Appreciation†). In this regard, plays that people watch in theatres, artistic portraits hanging on peoples walls, and the well-crafted tables they use at work and home qualify as objects of work. In my living environment, the best illustrations of art are placemats that I use on my table made of hyacinth. First, these placemats qualify as objects of art because it required artistic skills to produce the final object. It is important to point out that the placemats are usually on the top of a table, which is also an object of art. However, the placemats stand out from the table since their form, or appearance is more satisfying than the table. As earlier indicated, the placements mats are made of hyacinth weed, which is a major threat to sea life as the hyacinth mat clogs the waterway and makes any water activity impossible. Hence, the placemats, made of hyacinth, highlight the importance of controlling the spread of the weed. In this case, the placemats qualify to become objects of art since they communicate an idea and they have a sentimental meaning (McFee and Degge). Personally, I value environmental conservation, and I believe that creating awareness on the importance of conservation efforts is the first step towards conservation. Hence, the placemats, made of hyacinth, remind me of the dangers that the weeds posed on the environment, more so the ecological dangers. According to Dissanayake, people’s limited and narrow perceptions construct art, which implies that art will never be universal. For this reason, different people will define aestheticism in different ways. Therefore, what will be beautiful to one person might not

Vodafone in United Kingdom Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Vodafone in United Kingdom - Coursework Example This research will begin with the statement that Vodafone is currently experiencing many changes in its market (operating environment). Due to the diversity of the communication service providers the traditional boundaries of the market have greatly changed. These service providers offer, internet, mobile and broadband services. This change has been enforced and brought about by the evolution of customer needs, an intensified competition in service prices from established and the new competitors, new technologies emergence and regulatory pressures. Due to Factors like; Diversification, market penetration, product development and market development, Vodafone has undertaken the following marketing strategies. There is; Promotions, Price Cuts, Development of new products and market development by starting its new organization in new places. For effectiveness in marketing, Vodafone operates with different branches across with the world with different management. In 1998, the company made a deal with Telecom Egypt which enabled it to increase the stake in the country. After that Vodafone in Egypt was owned by Vodafone 55 % and 54 % Telecom Egypt. This made the company to increase is sales because Telecom Egypt assisted in marketing. The chart below represents the number of shares owned by Vodafone and Telecom Egypt in Egypt. Through the porter’s generic theory of the business environment, the company has identified the possible ways of achieving a competitive advantage over the competitors.

When Worlds Collide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

When Worlds Collide - Essay Example Humans, however, could not help intervene in the course of nature and hence, assist in migration just as when the so-called Torreya Guardians plant Torreya seeds in spots of cooler region from North Carolina to New York. Contemplating upon the impact of climate change, Fox expressed how observations become inclined to thoughts of extinctions and die-offs so that ‘transplantation’ by men, being the remedy accounted for, occurs to be a significant challenge among ecologists. While for ecologist Mark Schwartz, it appears inevitable to rescue some species by assisting their migration, other ecologists realize certain potential threats in this approach. Plant ecologist Richard Primack was bound to conclude that â€Å"our efforts to introduce species will fail† on the basis of Minot Pratt’s gardening with 60 plant species out of which merely 2 new arrivals survived. On the other hand, ecologist Guy Midgley studied 6,000 endemic species where he discovered that protea, a flowering plant, readily interbreed then brought a great deal of critical thinking about the bothersome evolution of new hybrid species which bear the likelihood of eliminating the parent species being saved. Considering, nevertheless, that climate change is allowed to have sole control of rearranging our ecosystems, it would be like as Charles Darwin imagined to be an ‘orderly affair’ between the movement of species and the change in climate it responds to. When t his takes place, according to Fox, no-analog communities or species living in odd combinations develop – a proven situation from analysis of species originating from the last glacial retreat in the past 10,000 to 17,000 years. At this stage, Fox figured that â€Å"it is one thing to move a few charismatic species but quite another to move every anonymous species† that human-assisted migration ought to be customized to meet such concern thus.

Vocabulary game Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vocabulary game - Essay Example The document is arranged in order of the different exercises that should be followed in sequence to prepare the students for the lesson and then to take them through the lesson and finally revise the lesson. It should be kept in mind that this vocabulary game has been designed assuming that the level of English knowledge acquired by the students in question is minimal and have never heard a single term that is used in the lesson. Therefore the teacher will have to use his or her discretion when deciding which exercises are not required as the students above the assumed level. Before beginning the lesson and introducing the terms that will be learnt in unicellular and multicellular it is best to introduce the concept of what is going to be learnt using life experience and day to day concepts. This can be done by talking to students about the single purpose and multipurpose objects such as a water kettle vs. microwave oven and a television or DVD player vs. a home entertainment system. This will enable the students to get an idea of what they are going to learn in the next chapter in science. Once the students have understood the concept that they are going to learn - use the human body to introduce the concept further. This will have more scientific basis and at the same time be something that all students understand irrespective of culture and background (Settlage, J. & Southerland, S. A., 2007). Now that the students understand the concept that they will be learning in the next chapter in their science lesson it is time to introduce some of the basic and common terms that they will be learning. These terms should be introduced with pictures or diagrams. While students may never have heard the terms before it is quite possible that they have seen the different organisms that are being introduced and this will help them to make a connection between the terms and what they already know - this will help retention and better understanding. Now that the students have made a basic connection between the common terms and diagrams it is time to let them work on their own to build and increase their understanding. Now they should be encouraged to use different resources that are available to them to learn the definitions of each of the terms that have been introduced to them. This will help give them a deeper understanding of the terms and will help them make a deeper connection with what they already know and what they are about to learn in the future. Next once the students have adequate knowledge of the terms and definitions some games can be brought in to enhance the knowledge, stimulate more interest and also to make the lesson interesting. Students can be given opportunities to become competitive by dividing them into groups and asking them to match terms with diagrams, match terms with definitions and fill in the blanks in closed sentences that would enable further understanding o

Case study - Franchising Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

- Franchising - Case Study Example The description will seek to apprehend four business ventures that John indulged in, and how they were substantial in building his career. The discussion will provide the merits and demerits of each particular venture; as well as, providing substantive recommendation that John could have opted at each business venture. Background One: Radiator Repair Based on the information presented in this extract, it is good to acknowledge that the radiator business has significant impact on John life. Firstly, John through the business got accustomed to running a service business. On this account, it is good to understand that the radiator business has significant challenges. The knowledge that the business has multi-customers with diverse needs hardens John, equipping him with the ability to handle different customer needs differently. Again, the knowledge that John conducted a family business has significant impact on how he could handle future business. Primarily, family businesses are challe nged by a plethora of factors, the concept of trust and authenticity often dominates different segments of the business. John was hardened to understand the essentiality having a manly figure in the business. This will later be reflected in his future business indulgence alongside different companies. However, there are categorical limitations of this business venture. Firstly, the consideration that radiator repair is a technical job which in any case have limited compensation is not a great idea for an employee. Again, his step-father never encouraged John to take over the franchise and in this case, John was relegated to the concept of a mere employee. In fact, the decision to leave the franchise is whole bestowed on the knowledge that his salary at the radiator business was not sufficient enough to manage his life. John had a family along the way and the radiator venture was not a substantive investment opportunity. In my opinion, John Leaving the radiator repair business owned by his father was a resounding move since it would enable him to look into a broader concept in learning new challenges of building a business from scratch. Background Two: Automotive paint touch-up A prominent character in John is his will to learn new things and his optimism. The idea to enter the automotive paint touch-up business was a bold step considered between John and Joan. The family reallocation to Colorado to build up the franchise was a realistic concept. According to the extract John and Joan did build the business for several years. The advantages of this business are the reallocation and consequently, building the business from scratch in an area which John and Joan lacked market. This was a logical step since it hardened John business concept making John understand the ideal reality of operating a business in a foreign environment. However, this strategy attracts criticism in some sense. Firstly, the knowledge that John and Joan left a prevailing market, in this cas e, John has start-up customers in the automotive industry is a dominion factor of consideration. John and Joan could have done successfully better if they continued with this alternative in Texas. Again, the consideration that this business was a blue-collar type of technical investment was not advisable venture considering John had deep dreams in

Vocabulary game Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vocabulary game - Essay Example The document is arranged in order of the different exercises that should be followed in sequence to prepare the students for the lesson and then to take them through the lesson and finally revise the lesson. It should be kept in mind that this vocabulary game has been designed assuming that the level of English knowledge acquired by the students in question is minimal and have never heard a single term that is used in the lesson. Therefore the teacher will have to use his or her discretion when deciding which exercises are not required as the students above the assumed level. Before beginning the lesson and introducing the terms that will be learnt in unicellular and multicellular it is best to introduce the concept of what is going to be learnt using life experience and day to day concepts. This can be done by talking to students about the single purpose and multipurpose objects such as a water kettle vs. microwave oven and a television or DVD player vs. a home entertainment system. This will enable the students to get an idea of what they are going to learn in the next chapter in science. Once the students have understood the concept that they are going to learn - use the human body to introduce the concept further. This will have more scientific basis and at the same time be something that all students understand irrespective of culture and background (Settlage, J. & Southerland, S. A., 2007). Now that the students understand the concept that they will be learning in the next chapter in their science lesson it is time to introduce some of the basic and common terms that they will be learning. These terms should be introduced with pictures or diagrams. While students may never have heard the terms before it is quite possible that they have seen the different organisms that are being introduced and this will help them to make a connection between the terms and what they already know - this will help retention and better understanding. Now that the students have made a basic connection between the common terms and diagrams it is time to let them work on their own to build and increase their understanding. Now they should be encouraged to use different resources that are available to them to learn the definitions of each of the terms that have been introduced to them. This will help give them a deeper understanding of the terms and will help them make a deeper connection with what they already know and what they are about to learn in the future. Next once the students have adequate knowledge of the terms and definitions some games can be brought in to enhance the knowledge, stimulate more interest and also to make the lesson interesting. Students can be given opportunities to become competitive by dividing them into groups and asking them to match terms with diagrams, match terms with definitions and fill in the blanks in closed sentences that would enable further understanding o

Nazi Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nazi Germany - Essay Example However, we know that ethnic nationalism is the focal point of Hitler’s ideology. Nationalism gives rise to unity which can revolutionize the efforts and has a power to bring change at large. Due to this confrontation between racism and nationalism, Nazism has faced strong criticism from the nationalists around the world. This movement led the nations towards extreme destruction and annihilation of the millions innocent people. Moreover, we cannot ignore the fact that this ethnic nationalism was the main root-cause of the Second World War and the main reason for disrupting the international peace. The sole purpose behind mass destruction and violence was to create and sustain the supremacy of the Aryan race and to fulfill the motive; Hitler crossed all the borders of intolerance and abhorrence for other nations, considering them as inferior and substandard nations with low-grade races. This increased aggression and hatred for other â€Å"inferior nations† led towards in tense militarism (Fest). It was plain and clear to observe from the facts that Nazis had a deep desire to dominate the greater part of the world which led them to apply any approach that could help them to achieve their goals. Hitler had an innate desire to stretch his regime towards east-side and to let his â€Å"people† to settle down in the most prosperous states. ... This ethnicity violence and hatred for one another benefited Hitler who already had his ideology based on ethnic nationalism (Curta). Josip Broz Tito, a communist and nationalist stood as the toughest contender for Hitler to proceed in Yugoslavia. Nazis considered the South Slavs as low-grade nations with no background and inferior to Aryans. South Slavs and nationals from east side faced more hatred by Hitler as compare to any other nations that have been victimized by him. It was evidently cleared that he considered them as non-humans and had a degrading feeling for them. After the invasion, they were treated with the utmost humiliation. They were prohibited for better education, basic needs as well as any act of kindness was forbidden for them (Curta). They were viewed as racially inferior group by the Reich. Invasion of Yugoslavia and the Initial Military Resistance (Encyclopedia Brittanica): 6th April 1941 marked the beginning of Directive 25 which resulted in the in the Axis( m ostly German) attack on Yugoslavia and within in 11 combat days the Royal Yugoslav army had unconditionally surrendered to tactically and numerically superior Axis forces on 1th April 1941. The Independent State of Croatia (Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska—NDH) thus came into being (Fest). Due to the technological and tactical prowess of the Axis forces. The Yugoslav army envisioned a war plan (R-41) that in case of an Axis attack on Yugoslavia, the different corps and army groups in Yugoslavia will retreat to the south and the 3rd Army Group would then coordinate with the Greek Army to focus in Albania and attack the Italian forces based there. Thus, a corridor would be created where the Yugoslav and Greek armies would then meet the Allied forces in the

Pressure Ulcers in the Hospital Essay Example for Free

Pressure Ulcers in the Hospital Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pressure ulcers remain a common health problem throughout the health care system. It has been conservatively estimated that annually 1 million adults develop pressure ulcers due to faulty nursing or care management. The incidence rates vary greatly depending on the health care sector. However, pressure ulcer incidence rates for hospitals range from 0.4% to 38%, for skilled nursing facilities from 2.2% to 23.9%, and for home health agencies 0% to 17%. The development of pressure ulcers occurs when there is sufficient progressive or reoccurring pressure over time to case capillary destruction, which in the end results to tissue necrosis. The development of a pressure ulcer or failure to prevent such condition from progressing to a more severe stage can result in negative consequences for the health care system (Fitzpatrick and Wallace, p.482). Nursing research has remained at the force-front in building knowledge-based related to pressure ulcer prevention. Pressure ulcers have become a quality issue for all areas of health care. The incidence and severity of the condition are used as markers of quality of care by agencies and acute care hospitals. This emphasis on pressure ulcers across the spectrum of health-care settings highlights the importance of the condition for clinicians (Sussman and Jensen, 2007 p.337). Pressure ulcer management can be based on clinical practice guidelines, which can be a source of enhancement for care plan development. The existing guidelines are broad based and general and, as such, for a good basis for wound care when the goal is comfort as well as healing (Coyle and Ferrel, 2005 p. 320). Purpose of Research   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The purpose of the study is to illustrate the physiological relationship between wound healing and the occurrence of pressure ulcers in hospital work-settings in order to provide means to come-up with another research procedure. In this case, we have utilized various quality researches and validated supporting studies in order to illustrate probable connections. Critical analysis, comprehensive data integration, and interpretation of research outcomes are the founding methodologies applied in the course research. The value significance of this study provides awareness to the public especially in terms of what can these contributing factors impregnate to the condition occurrence. The relationship of wound healing and the occurrence of pressure ulcers are necessary knowledge contribution in the field of health care; since, this is one of the major quality indicators in the clinical setting. Problem and Rationale   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcerations are the result of mechanical injury to the skin and underlying tissues. The primary forces involved are pressure and shear, which is the perpendicular force or load exerted on a specific area causing ischemia and hypotoxia of the tissues. High-pressure areas in the supine position are the occiput, sacrum, and heels. In the sitting position, the ischial tubersosities exert the highest pressure, and the trochanters are afflicted in the side-lying position (Beck 2005, p.205).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the amount of soft tissue available compression decreases, the pressure gradient, consequently, increases, and vise versa. The occurrence of these pressure ulcers are greatly manifested on bony prominences where there is less tissue for compression and the pressure gradient within the vascular network is altered easily upon compression. The changes in the vascular network allow an increase in the interstitial fluid pressure, which exceeds the venous flow. This results in an additional increase in the pressure and impedes arteriolar circulation. The capillary vessels collapse and thrombosis occurs. Increased capillary arteriole pressure leads to fluid loss through the capillaries; hence, tissue edema, and subsequent autolysis results. Lymphatic flow is decreased as well, allowing further tissue edema that contributes to the occurrence of tissue necrosis (Sussman and Jensen, 2007 p.337).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unfortunately, there is substantial evidence to show that many patients develop their sores in hospital. Versluyen (1995) demonstrated that 66% of patients admitted with fractures involving hip developed pressure ulcers in hospital. This particular medical condition occurs almost exclusively among the elderly and involves immobilization for at least 24 hours. Areas such as accident and emergency, X-ray department, and theatres are all implicated in the causation of pressure sores as trolleys in these areas have been shown to generate pressures (Walsh and Ford, 1999 p.71).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pressure ulcers are serious and frequent occurrence among the elderly, especially those who are immobile and debilitated. There are estimated 1.5-3 million Americans affected. A pressure ulcer will develop in approximately 5% of patients admitted to acute care hospitals. Studies have shown that 60% of pressure ulcers develop in the hospital, 18% in the nursing home, and 18% at home. Pressure ulcers prolong the hospital stay, and the pre-operative mortality rate is increased to 27%. The prevalence of pressure ulcers in the long-term care setting is reported to be 15-25% at the time of admission (Moylan, 2003 p.55). Obstacles and Solutions The problem of pressure development is a natural consequence of faulty health care management, poor health care quality, and negligence. Such condition is now associated, especially those with prolonged pressures, with contractures and/or shearing forces that frequently occur during transfers. Without diligent behavior modification related to skin inspection, and unless intervention strategies are employed to abort the process of skin breakdown, there will always be an open invitation to local, systemic, and generalized infection caused by pressure ulcerations (Whiteneck, 1993 p.231).Various proposed treatments in enhancing wound healing of pressure ulcerations are expensive and to be considered rare; hence, the treatment means may still be unrealistic. In this case, another research to enhance pressure ulceration healing is through the use of therapeutic air mattresses. According to the research of Sinclair and the group (2004), the utilization of air mattresses can further enhance the conditions of wound healing among pressure ulceration incidents. The proposed argument of the research involves the effectiveness of traditional turning and positioning protocols, which is evidently predominant in the nursing setting, and the therapeutic air mattresses. The study has covered elderly patients not less that 75 more than 75 years of age and in a condition of long-care term facility. Upon the progression of the overall research process, the results obtained do suggest that therapeutic mattresses are effective in preventing and healing ulcers. However, considering surface characteristics between beds utilized are still on the process of determining. Therefore, the clinically accepted practice of bed turning and repositioning still needs to be adhered until further research proves such intervention absolutely effective or otherwise (Sinclair, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, further researches may be suggested especially in air mattresses’ effectiveness in providing healing enhancements as well as pressure ulcer prevention. Such procedure is more practical and publicly realistic than the other proposed treatment measures. Research in antimicrobial application for the benefit of pressure ulcers should be well researched again considering the number of subjects involved in the research. The implication of such methodologies in accordance to wound healing involves the utilization of bed mattresses as the most economic and nursing-care enhancing procedure for clinical setting. If such procedure is proven effective, nursing efforts of bed turning and repositioning shall be reduced significantly. If such procedure is proven effective, treatment measures on such condition can be enhanced in terms of cost-effectiveness and practicality. In general view, pressure ulcer occurrence in a particular clinical setting connotes decreased quality of care management; since, pressure ulcers are prevented acceptably through bed turning and repositioning; hence, such methods are essential. Prevention of pressure sores in the hospital is a complicated process involving the assessment of complicated factors and accordingly the recommendation of interventional strategies. The traditional idea that the nurse alone should be responsible for the prevention of pressure ulcers is therefore ineffective (Coyle and Ferrel, 2005 p. 320; Webster, 1991p.53). A team of nursing and medical staff responsible for this task can produce more effective outcomes in terms of preventing such pressure sore occurrences. Nevertheless, the nurse remains the most essential part of such a team and acts as the main source of information about patient condition (Webster, 1991p.53). Executive Summary and Conclusions The problem of the study is basically the occurrence of pressure ulcers among hospital setting, which on the irony, should not even occur due to the presence of clinical managers. The condition of pressure ulcer is basically caused by prolonged stationary immobility conditions of the patient, such as those with paralyzed conditions, unconscious, in coma, and basically immobile. With prolonged immobility, the parts of the body exposed to pressure, such as bony prominences (e.g. trochanters, hip area, scapular region, etc.) are the usual site for its occurrence. The etiological character of the pressure acts in two ways in order to induce the condition: (1) Obstruction of vascularization, which further impedes oxygenation of the area causing tissue necrosis, and (2) prevents healing process of the area. Pressure ulcerations have been a major health care problem as well as the indicators of adequate and proper delivery management of care. In such case, it is therefore necessary to maintain strict, adequate and the best possible appropriate intervention against the occurrence of pressure ulcerations. In the light or research developments progressing in the medical field, various wound enhancing treatments have been proposed in order to enhance the means of curing pressure ulcers. Hospital setting accounts as the highest place of occurrence of pressure ulcerations with percentage rates of 60% as of 2002 survey. The primary age group involved is the elderly individuals who are usually prone to immobilizing conditions, such as (CVA) Cerebrovascular Accident, cardiac problems, etc. With the impaired capacity of the patient to move, pressure accumulates in those sites afflicted; hence, inducing the condition of ulcerations or sore-formation. There are two basic rationales that cause the condition of pressure ulcers for the elderly: (1) aging conditions that impairs the skin integrity of the aged patients, which further predispose them from the conditions of pressure ulcers, and (2) degenerative conditions that cause their immobility. The obstacles of such condition occurrence involve the faulty care delivered by the health care managers (nurses and medical physicians). Hospital management is the prime essential intervener of the condition. In fact, clinical settings view that such condition depicts the status of health care system in the hospital. The justifications of such perspectives are based on the logic that nursing and medical interventions involved in this condition are the most basic procedure of health care field. The inadequacy of proving such care protocol is mainly the responsibility of the health care team. As with the standard protocol of bed turning and positioning, the patient obtains reduction of risks in terms of pressure ulcerations. However, nurses are not the only one involved in the care management of such condition but also the medical care team, although nurses are the primary managers of care delivery for this condition. With the advent of nursing research and enhanced interventions, air mattresses has been deemed to reduce the risks of bed sore formations. As the conducted study proposes, air mattresses reduces the pressure thus aiding in the partly oxygenation of the area exposed to pressure. Such action helps prevent and even slows down the progression of pressure ulcerations. However, due to the small population size of the research, further study has been advised. If the study is proven effective, this may provide decrease work load from the health care practitioners and also helps prevent or reduce the risk of progression of the condition. References Beck, J. C., Ferrell, B. (2005). Geriatrics Review Syllabus. Blackwell Publishing. Coyle, N., Ferrell, B. (2005). Textbook of Palliative Nursing. Oxford University Press Publishings. Fitzpatrick, J. J., Wallace, M. (2006). Encyclopedia of Nursing Research. Springer Publishing Publisher. Moylan, K. (2003). The Washington Manual Geriatrics Subspecialty Consult. Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Rai, G. S., Mulley, G. P. (2002). Elderly Medicine: A Training Guide. Informa Health Care. Sinclair etal, H. J. (2004, February). Do Therapeutic Mattresses Enhance the Healing of Pressure Ulcers in the Frail Elderly Population?. American Journal of Nursing, 62, 243-2451. Sussman, C., Jensen, B. (2007). Wound Care: A Collaborative Practice Manual. Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Walsh, M., Ford, P. (1999). Nursing Rituals, Research and Rational Actions. Elsevier Health Sciences. Webster, J. G. (1991). Prevention of Pressure Sores. CRC Press. Whiteneck, G. G. (1993). Aging With Spinal Cord Injury. Demos Medical Publishing.

The link between Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

The link between Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties There is a continuous interest in the emerging body of literature to investigating the link between social, emotional and behaviour difficulties (SEBD) and speech, language and communication difficulties (SLCN). SEBD in children with SLCN is determined as a concern area of enquiry in recent years. The literature covers Education, Health and Social Disadvantage as its three major perspectives. This essay centers on primary school children with SEBD and SLCN, from an education perspective and it covers certain facts, co morbidities, and the causes from the literature in understanding the link between SEBD and SLCN. Finally, it highlights the need for further study (on this topic) by diverse professionals. history The word Social has been introduced to Emotional, Behavioural difficulties (EBD) in the year 1998. Nevertheless, children experiencing SEBD are considered with Special Educational Needs (SEN) by the Code of Practice, (2001). Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD): refers to the three potential areas of developmental difficulty of a child: to understand, express, engage and acknowledge in a given context. Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN): refer mainly to Expressive (use of words and sentences, vocabulary and grammar broadly), Receptive (understanding the language and processing the information) and Pragmatic ( usage of language in a social context) language difficulties. Population study of children with SEBD and Communication Difficulties Nearly 71% of the children with SEBD are identified of having communication difficulties (Benner et al 2002). These studies were based on 26 papers on the link between SEBD and communication difficulties. In one of their studies, the overall mean of prevalence rate was found to be 63% in children with speech problems previously diagnosed in speech clinics and 46 % in children served in a variety of settings in general population. The research indicates the current estimation of prevalence in children with communication difficulties in  England and Wales is nearly 10% and also children with SEBD are inclined towards having communication difficulties (Law et al 2000). Children with receptive language impairments are at greater risk for developing SEBD (Beitchman et al., 1996). Approximately 3% of school children are having severe form of Attention Deficit Hyperacctive Disorder (ADHD) and are at high risk of anti-social behaviour as well as poor conduct. At least 10% of school age children are affected by motor or vocal tics, or a combination of both. Recent population studies estimate that  at least 1% of general population  of school age children are affected by a clinically handicapping Touretts syndrome. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder affects (1%) of school age children. They display obsessions and compulsions, which are considered as a neuropsychiatric disorder states Gillberg (2005). The study from the literature strongly indicates that the language impairment and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties are interlinked. (Cross, 2004). Co- morbidity of language impairment and SEBD Studies show that children  with SEBD have been studied for the co-occurrence of language difficulties where Benner (2002) finds 71% of the children being experiencing language difficulties significantly and other authors argue if it is due to a core neurological deficit. Botting and Conti-Ramsden (2000), has identified 40% of children with combined expressive and receptive language problems are most likely to experience behavioural problems and antisocial problems. Also Ripley and Yuill (2005) reported that expressive difficulties were linked to high level of emotional symptoms and tend to increase with the age of the child. Psychiatric Comorbidity: It is noticed that 42% of children who had speech or language difficulties at the age 5 had psychiatric disorder when diagnosed (Beitchman et al 1996). 30% of seven to eight year olds were determined as having difficulties of specific language impairments, on the total scale of the teacher completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire from both the special and mainstream schools (Lindsay and Dockrell, 2000). The ascertained percentage of children referring child psychiatric services for behavioural and emotional problems having unsuspected language impairment is 33% (Cohen et al, 1993). The prevalence from other studies also suggests that learning difficulties can account for high percentage of language problems in children with SEBD (Cross 2004). Estimation of concomitant prevalence of language deficits in children who exhibit anti-social behaviour is 10 times that of the general population (Donahue et al, 1994), also the strengths of relationship between language disorders and anti-social behaviour may increase throughout the life (Cantwell 1991).Henceforth, it is an established fact that a child with language difficulties is bound to have emotional and behavioural difficulties which further on have a tendency to rise. Characteristics: Children identified with SLCN may encounter and experience problems such as usage of vocabulary, understanding and recalling information, processing information, maintaining attention, following instructions by listening, taking part actively in various activities or joining in group discussions, relating to peers , memorizing specific vocabulary (SENCo Newsletter, 2010). Children with SEBD are more likely to be disruptive and disturbing, (they could be hyperactive, lack concentration, poor or immature social skills or personality disorders and quite a few exhibit challenging behaviours, mainly due to other complex special needs). This could be temporary or permanent which can become as a barrier towards their ability to learn as they experience restlessness, social withdrawal, poor attention and isolation according to Teacher Training Agencys National SEN Specialist Standards in 1999. Also these children are subjected towards low levels of self esteem, they lack in Regulating their emotions emotion regulation is a form of mental control states Parrot (2001). Developing social cognition which can lead on to failure in learning at school, as a result of emotional damage (Saarni, 1999). The fact is neither are they very different from their peers, nor do they fall particularly under a homogenous group; rather they can be considered on a continuum. In general, the disorders are based on DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, American Psychiatric Association, 1994). These disorders can be broadly divided as behavioural, emotional and developmental disorders. Other disorders include Developmental Disorders (like Autism seen as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder) and Reactive Attachment Disorder, Schizophrenia, eating disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (Cross 2004). Heneker, (2005) postulates an interesting way when making a distinction of these disorders. First, the less-obvious disorders such as anxiety, school phobia, prolonged stress (due to various reasons such as transitions, communication difficulties, depression). Secondly, the well-known disorders such as, conduct disorders, hyperkinetic disorders. However, it is also possible that these disorders cover a wide range of abilities, including SLCN and some of the learning difficulties. Some of the causes and risk factors: Earlier, children experiencing difficulties with social interactions, bad conduct disorders, children exhibiting high levels of frustrations due to peer- rejections/maladjusted, aggressive behaviour or inappropriate behaviour in adjusting to school environment were regarded as abnormal and immature social cognition (Happe and Frith 1996). It is not what we think or feel but what we do that makes us maladjusted†¦.continued severity anxiety may get the better of people and induce them to take desperate ill-considered action which is against their interest but it is the action and not the anxiety which ranks as maladjusted. (Scott, 1982). Fortin and Bigras (1994)  claims that any of these below mentioned risk factors occur in isolation, addressing the complex interaction of the  factors  associated with  SEBD. The main factors being predisposing factor, child-based factors, contextual risk factors and also family-centered risk factors. They concluded that the accumulation of these factors increases the probability  that a child may develop SEBD. Interventions: Within primary schools, there has been a growing emphasis on interventions that can enable to bring difference in children identified with SEBD and also SLCN, with the aim of promoting the childs learning and development and level of school achievement. By introducing the storytelling intervention program called The Big Book of Storysharing by Peacey (2009), has demonstrated in bringing up a positive change while prioritizing on communication and sharing personal stories amongst primary school children from both mainstream and special schools. The purpose of this project is to develop social skills, language and communication skills. It has promoted positive attitudes and narrative skills. Children from special school were able to use words or signs, gaze eye contact while speaking, joining in narration by listening and telling stories, whereas the children from mainstream perceived to be more confident and gained pleasure in narrating stories which shows the effectiveness of the project. PALS a program to develop Social Skills for children. It emphasis and aims towards building confidence in children and participate actively in social contexts. The main purpose of this program is to teach social skills such as listening, sharing, taking turns, dealing with feelings of fear,  coping up with frustration, dealing with emotions effectively, etc. It is accepted by early childhood psychologists and NSW (New South Wales, Australia) that it reduces the problem behaviour and increases social skills significantly in children. It also indicates that children with internal behavioural difficulties (withdrawn, shyness, anxiousness, passivity) lack in communication skills which again has a significant effect in developing their social skills at schools and finally has an impact of low level of school achievement (Cooper, 2002). Henker (2005) proposed an individualized intervention for the children at a pre referral unit (PRU) who are identified for a specific communication need to ameliorate their skills such as: vocabulary, social skills and speech, grammar. It has been noticed that children were able to show improvement in one or more area, where they were attending this speech and language therapy weekly or twice a week. Evaluating staff questionnaires suggests that improvement has been obtained by the children with communication needs. Explanations of Intervention Programs: Peacey (2009) conceives that this project can demonstrate well if a named person from each school takes in charge to mediate with other members of the staff to motivate and repeat or retell the stories for the children. The second factor is to assure the age group of children has to be well chosen. Also this project did not demonstrate to be an effective one in measuring childrens specific difference in their usage of language on the standardized assessments for the children who were at the early stage of language development and have showed only minor improvements as they were experiencing learning difficulties. However, it consists of certain drawbacks. When the children were assessed in the areas such as, attention, impulse control and flexibility; it fails to identify and explain the gain of attention at both mainstream as well as special schools and it could not control impulses of all the children. It is time consuming (for the preparation of the project towards discussing obje ctives with the members for their participation and affirmation). Overall, the project has been identified for a positive outcome of making progress with the story telling skills where children enjoyed and valued their experiences and also it has established the concept of inclusion in both of the school cultures. The graph of the success rate indicates that PALS effectiveness is more on the age group ranging preschool children when compared to primary school aged group of children. Cooper (2002), states that social skills interventions work less effective for primary school aged children and on the other hand it works more effectively for preschoolers. Explanation from literature: Today in United Kingdom the government is providing the opportunity to the primary school teachers in various ways to provide better services to the children. For example, a SENCO training enables a class room teacher in understanding the different areas of difficulties experiencing by a child can play a vital role with the support of specific frameworks. There are other professionals from the local authorities to liaise with in supporting children with special needs including children with social, emotional behavioural difficulties as well as speech, language and communication needs. A large portion of children (with 50 % or more) are entering primary schools with low language levels and 5-7% of children from general population are identified with SLCN. Limited usage of language can oppose making relationships with peers at school and which can also lead to behavioural problems in the future (SENCo Newsletter, 2010). Evaluations and limitations: There are certain limitations to study the link between SEBD and SLCN. It is not always possible to identify language difficulties in children with other learning difficulties as research suggests that children with language difficulties may have underlying cognitive processing delays (Beitchman et al 1998; Torgeson, 1998). Instruments currently available for measuring underlying cognitive process are less technically adequate than instruments designed to assess language development or academic achievement (Beitchman, et al 1998). Often a communication difficulty can be interpreted differently as a behavioural difficulty in some cases (for example, a child who is unable to convey a message to his friend while playing can behave in a noncompliant and aggressive way). In contrast a behavioural difficulty can be interpreted differently when the other person is aware of the communication difficulty or need of that particular child. Language difficulties lead on to substantially high risk of anti-social behaviour. Receptive language difficulties not only go undetected but have adverse negative behaviour and have a profound affect on vital relationships throughout ones life span. Benner (2000). These children  tend to face a significant or high  risk  in attaining school achievement. On the other hand, most of the parents are unwilling to accept the fact that they are in need of help with regards to their childrens behavioural problems and look for help when they find and realize the situation, at a high risk. It is true that the response towards intervention programs is less when the behavioural problems are at an advanced stage. Parow (2009). Previous reviews of literature examined that relation between on wide range of antisocial behaviour and communication difficulties but very little of previous study or reviews focused specifically on Language skills of children identified with emotional, behavioural difficulties. This suggest the need for investigation in understanding the link between SEBD and SLCN by diverse participants. Conclusion: The Special Educational Needs (SEN) graph in England indicates the percentage level of children with SEBD inclines gradually with their age from primary school, whereas the SLCN tends to decline as the child grows. (Cross, 2009). There are substantial amounts of documented associations between behavioural difficulties and language and a large ratio of children with BESD have an underlying language problem. Expressive language difficulties are very apparent, but other language impairments can be harder to detect; a receptive language difficulty could easily be missed as it most often gets considered as a learning difficulty. Nevertheless the relationship is unclear in identifying the primary difficulty in decision making clinically and it is not appropriate for the population of children where language difficulties are unidentified / unsuspected previously. The need to find how language structure emerges through varied time frames is crucial for the current researchers. Therefore, the research indicates the need to encourage diverse participants for further research. In addition to public sectors of educational, health and social service or charity organizations rather include clinical psychologists, community developers, epidemiologists, medics, etc. should be involved. Note: This essay consist of 2,519 words only excluding references.

Symbiosis between George and Lennie in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men :: Steinbeck Of Mice and Men Essays

A coon dog and a tick, an oak tree with moss on the north side, a termite and its internal bacteria, and a shark with tiny fish that eat the extra meat chunks in between the teeth all have one thing in common: symbiosis. Defined as the interdependence of organisms, symbiosis is the basis of the relationship between George and Lennie in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck. One type of symbiosis helps both parties while another type involves one organism being hurt by the exchange. The dog is hurt by the tick while the termites and the bacteria benefit from each other’s presence. These types of symbiosis can occur in humans and are evident in â€Å"Of Mice and Men.† Both types of symbiosis exist between George and Lennie in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The physical symbiosis of George and Lennie is beneficial to Lennie but detrimental to George. Although George used to hurt Lennie, Lennie now needs George to bail him out of trouble. Lennie also profits because he needs a person to tell him what to do. â€Å"He can’t think of nothing to do himself, but he sure can take orders† (39). Lennie is â€Å"a hell of a good worker†(22) and able to â€Å"put up a four-hundred pound bale† (22) but is likely to get himself in trouble without George’s protective influence. George likes Lennie but would be better off without him because â€Å"you (Lennie) can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get† (11).   Lennie hinders George while George helps Lennie.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The emotional symbiosis between George and Lennie helps each man. Lennie’s attachment to George is most strongly visible when Crooks suggests George is not coming back. Lennie is almost moved to hysterics and his fear does not quickly abate. George prefers to feign dislike for Lennie to Lennie’s face: â€Å"I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail† (7). When pressed, George reveals his true feelings for Lennie. â€Å"I want you to stay with me Lennie† (13).   They stay together because â€Å"It’s a lot easier to go around with a guy you know† (35). Both men need and value their strong emotional relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   George and Lennie need each other to achieve their dream of their own farm with rabbits to tend. Lennie could not take care of his rabbits or even survive without George.

Margin Review Questions Essay

†¢ If they had continued, Chinese maritime voyages could have had a profound impact on the course of world history. China was the richest, most prosperous, and most technologically advanced civilization in the world at that time, and it would be reasonable to think that, if the Chinese had aggressively competed with their European counterparts, they likely would have prevailed as the preeminent maritime power in the world. This would have had profound implications for the course of world history, most likely limiting the influence of Western Europe and of Christianity on other regions of the globe and increasing Chinese cultural, economic, and political influences beyond East Asia. †¢ The usefulness of counterfactual questions is debatable. They do allow one both to highlight the role of contingency in the course of human history and to highlight the difficulty of predicting the future because of contingency. Moreover, counterfactual questions go beyond mere speculation, because they encourage students to think of what was possible in light of known historical facts. Thus a good â€Å"what if† question can help scholars think their way into historical reality and to hone their analytical skills. Still, no one can fully predict what the consequences of a change in events would have been, and in any case, the reality of the situation as it happened is the subject of history. 2. †¢ This chapter organizes societies in two ways. First, it organizes them into Paleolithic peoples, agricultural village societies, herding peoples, and established civilizations and empires. It then organizes those civilizations by region. †¢ There are other alternatives, including organization by cultural region— Chinese, Indian, Islamic, Mesoamerican, and Christian. Another possibility would have been organization through webs of connections, starting with a single society and radiating out to an exploration of its nearer and more distant contacts. 3. †¢ Several changes would undoubtedly have surprised a knowledgeable observer, including the emergence of Islam; †¢ the revival of China and Western Europe; †¢ the collapse of the Byzantine Empire; †¢ the emergence of Russia and the spread of Christianity into that region; †¢ the emergence of states in Southeast Asia; †¢ the emergence of Japan; †¢ the emergence of powerful empires in West Africa. †¢ However, some features would still be recognizable, such as the persistence of Paleolithic, agricultural village, and herding societies; †¢ the continuance, albeit at a more intense rate, of long-distance commerce and exchange; †¢ the persistence of broad cultural traditions, especially in the Mesoamerican, Andean, Chinese, European, and Indian civilizations. 4. †¢ A global traveler of the fifteenth century might have predicted that Islam, Buddhism, and perhaps Christianity would continue to spread; †¢ that the established cultural regions of China, India, the Islamic world, Christian Europe, the Andes, and Mesoamerica would continue to develop and expand; †¢ that long-distance commerce and exchange would continue to have an important impact on the development of civilizations; †¢ that empires would continue to have a growing influence on world history; †¢ that the regions occupied by Paleolithic, agricultural village, and herding societies would continue to shrink. †¢ Precisely when these predictions were made would make a difference. Before 1492, the huge impact of Western European influence on the Americas would have been difficult to predict. †¢ Before 1433, the relatively modest impact of Chinese overseas exploration would have been difficult to predict. 5. †¢ The gathering and hunting people of the northwest coast of North America possessed permanent village settlements with large and sturdy houses, considerable economic specialization, ranked societies that sometimes included slavery, chiefdoms dominated by powerful clan leaders, and extensive storage of food; none of those features were part of Australian gathering and hunting societies. 6. †¢ In West Africa, three distinct patterns of political development were taking shape among agricultural village societies, with the Yoruba people creating city-states; the kingdom of Benin taking shape as a small, highly centralized territorial state; and the Igbo peoples relying on other  institutions—title societies, women’s associations, hereditary ritual experts serving as mediators, a balance of power among kinship groups—to maintain social cohesion beyond the level of the village. †¢ In addition, the Yoruba, Bini, and Igbo peoples traded actively among themselves as well as with more distant peoples and changed from a matrilineal to a patrilineal system of tracing their descent. †¢ In the Americas, in what is now central New York State, an increased level of conflict among Iroquois peoples triggered a remarkable political innovation—a loose alliance or confederation among five Iroquois peoples based on an agreement known as the Great Law of Peace. The Iroquois League of Five Nations kept peace, adjudicated disputes, and operated by consensus. It also gave expression to values of limited government, social equality, and personal freedom. †¢ The Iroquois developed a system that gave women unusual authority. Descent was matrilineal, married couples lived with the wife’s family, and women controlled agriculture. While men were hunters, warriors, and the primary political officeholders, women selected and could depose those leaders. 7. †¢ In Central Asia, the Turkic warlord Timur constructed a significant empire that retained control of the area between Persia and Afghanistan during the fifteenth century. †¢ Timur’s conquests, however, hid a more long-term change for the pastoral peoples of Central Asia, because his was the last great military success of nomadic peoples from Central Asia; in the centuries that followed, their homelands were swallowed up in the expanding Russian and Chinese empires. †¢ In West Africa, pastoral peoples retained their independence into the late nineteenth century. †¢ Groups like the Fulbe, West Africa’s largest pastoral society, generally lived in small communities among agricultural peoples; †¢ as they migrated gradually eastward after 1000 C.E., they maintained their distinctive way of life and a sense of cultural superiority that became more pronounced as they slowly adopted Islam. †¢ Some Fulbe dropped out of a pastoral life and settled in towns, where they became highly respected religious leaders. †¢ In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Fulbe were at the center of a wave of religiously based uprisings (jihads) that greatly expanded the practice of Islam and gave rise to a series of new states ruled by the Fulbe. 8. †¢ Under the Ming dynasty, China recovered from the disruption caused by Mongol rule and the ravages of the plague to become perhaps the best-governed and most prosperous of the world’s major civilizations; †¢ it also undertook the largest and most impressive maritime expeditions the world had ever seen. 9. †¢ Political consolidation occurred in both China and Western Europe, but in China this meant a unitary and centralized government that encompassed almost the whole of its civilization, while in Europe a decidedly fragmented system of many separate, independent, and competitive states made for a sharply divided Christendom. †¢ While both experienced cultural flowering, Europe’s culture after the Renaissance was rather more different from its own recent past than Ming dynasty China was from its pre-Mongol glory. †¢ While both sent out ships to explore the wider world, their purposes in doing so were very different. 10. †¢ Chinese exploration was undertaken by an enormous fleet composed of several hundred large ships, while European explorations were undertaken by expeditions made up of a handful of small ships. †¢ European motivations for exploration included the desire for wealth from trade, the search for converts to Christianity, and the recruitment of possible Christian allies against the Muslim powers. China, by contrast, needed no military allies, required little in the way of trade, and had no desire to convert foreigners to Chinese culture or religion. †¢ The Europeans sought to monopolize by force the commerce of the Indian Ocean and violently carved out empires in the Americas; the Chinese fleet sought neither conquests nor colonies. †¢ China ended its voyages abruptly after 1433; the European explorations continued and even escalated. †¢ In terms of why China’s explorations were so different from their European counterparts, the fragmentation of political authority in Europe, unlike China’s unified empire, ensured that once begun, rivalry alone would drive Europeans to the end of the earth. †¢ Much of Europe’s elite, including merchants, monarchs, the clergy, and nobles, had an interest in overseas expansion; in China, by contrast, the emperor Yongle was the primary supporter of the Chinese voyages of exploration, and after he passed from the scene, those opposed to the  voyages prevailed within the politics of the court. †¢ The Chinese were very much aware of their own antiquity, believed strongly in the absolute superiority of their culture, and felt that, if they needed something from abroad, others would bring it to them. The Europeans also believed themselves unique; however, in material terms, they were seeking out the greater riches of the East, and they were highly conscious that Muslim power blocked easy access to these treasures and posed a military and religious threat to Europe itself. 11. †¢ The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires had Turkic origins, while the Songhay Empire did not. †¢ The Ottoman and Safavid empires ruled over the heartland of the Muslim world, where a majority of their subjects followed Islam; the Mughal and Songhay empires ruled over regions where Islam was a minority faith. †¢ The rulers of the Safavid Empire were the only ones to impose a Shia version of Islam as the official religion of the state. 12. †¢ The Inca Empire was much larger than its Aztec counterpart. †¢ The Aztec Empire controlled only part of the Mesoamerican cultural region, while at its height the Inca state encompassed practically the whole of the Andean civilization. †¢ In the Aztec realm, the Mexica rulers largely left their conquered people alone, and no elaborate administrative system arose to integrate the conquered territories or to assimilate their people to Aztec culture. The Incas, on the other hand, erected a more bureaucratic empire. †¢ The Aztec Empire extracted substantial tribute in the form of goods from its subject populations, while the Incas primarily extracted labor services from their subjects. †¢ The Aztec Empire had a system of commercial exchange that was based on merchants and free markets, whereas the Inca government played a major role in both the production and distribution of goods. †¢ The authority of the state penetrated and directed the Incas’ society and economy far more than did that of the Aztecs. 13. †¢ The ideology of state that gave human sacrifice great religious importance shaped the techniques of Aztec warfare, which put a premium on capturing prisoners rather than on killing the enemy. †¢ Priests and rulers became interdependent, with human sacrifices carried out for  political ends. †¢ Massive sacrificial rituals served to impress enemies, allies, and subjects alike with the immense power of the Aztecs and their gods. 14. †¢ The emperor was an absolute ruler and was regarded as divine.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ In theory, the state owned all land and resources.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Subjects were organized, at least in the central regions of the empire, into hierarchical units of 10, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, and 10,000 people, each headed by local officials, who were supervised by an Inca governor or by the emperor. †¢ An imperial office of â€Å"inspectors† checked on provincial authorities. †¢ Births, deaths, marriages, and other population data were carefully recorded. †¢ A resettlement program moved one-quarter or more of the population to new locations. †¢ Leaders of conquered peoples were required to learn Quechua, and their sons were removed to the capital of Cuzco for instruction in Inca culture and language. †¢ Subject peoples were required to acknowledge major Inca deities, although once they did so, they were largely free to carry on their own religious traditions. †¢ The Inca Empire played a major role in the production and distribution of goods. 15. †¢ They interacted through webs of empire, large-scale political systems that brought together a variety of culturally different peoples; †¢ through webs of religion that linked far-flung peoples; †¢ and through long-established patterns of trade among peoples occupying different environments and producing different goods.