Military vs. Civilian life Essay

5 A.M. and morning drill is blaring over troop’s heads. One more morning that doesn’t allow extra sleep. These are thoughts that are going through military member’s heads as they are herded down to chow like a bunch of cattle. They had a choice to become a respected member of the military community or fight for college and rent money out in the civilian world. Leading a â€Å"normal† life is a big decision. The option of military is thrown into senior’s heads pre graduation. This is the time to outweigh the pros and cons of such a life changing profession. When faced with the decision to go to college cost is always an issue. The options are limited on how it should be paid for. In general, civilian life offers more money. But there is a catch: more money must be spent to get educated. On the other hand, in the military college is completely paid for while on active duty. The college money doesn’t stop there. Upon getting out of the military, member’s get what’s called a GI bill. This is more money that is given every semester while in school, to further one’s education. The best part about the GI bill is that it does not have to be paid back. It is common knowledge that a degree is needed to get a well paying job, having the military pay for this is a great perk. Many things are either substantially cheaper or free in the military. Medical and dental care is an example of this. These bills can get outrageous for simple things as going in for a stomach ache. Military makes it a little easier on troops in that it provides most dental and medical services right on base. It is easy to make a phone call to a medical provider and be seen without having the stresses of cost and missing work. In the civilian world, if seeing a doctor is necessary during work hours, it is considered missed work and not paid for. Traveling the world at the military’s expense is a liberating experience. Most likely traveling to see several locations through deployment and temporary duty locations will happen. As a civilian paying for traveling expenses is a must, unless a job is found that pays for this. Vacation time is a major factor when traveling. Most civilian employers start an employee at 10-14 vacation days per year, with little increase until several years  have been devoted to the employer. If no vacation days have been acquired as a civilian then traveling is virtually impossible. However, in the military 30 days of vacation are guaranteed a year, those days are not counted against a member if they are sent to another air force base for work. Many times the military will send troops to a stateside base to attend some work issues. More often than not there is free time that allows the member to see the sights around where they were sent. So in a sense this is a â€Å"free† vacation. A normal thought that comes with joining the military is war, and all the above perks of the military are outweighed by the fear of dying. However, being faced with a life decision such as what to do after high school causes one to weigh the pros and cons of all their options. Joining the military or going to college and finding a job of that gives added perks, is based solely on what type of person he/she is and what one is looking for in life.

Human Trafficking in Nepal

There are many purposes for human trafficking; forced labor, slavery, removal of organs and sex slavery. Sexual exploitation, or sex trafficking, which Is the focus of this paper Is the mall type of trafficking in the country of Nepal. Many of these women who become involved in the sex world are compelled by economic circumstances and social inequality. While some enter sex work voluntarily, others become involved in sex work by force or deception, such as through sex trafficking. Human trafficking violates these very rights that are supposed to be granted.Nepal Is considered a country of origin, meaning It Is the country where women and children are mainly abducted and taken to other countries where they are sold as sex slaves. Nepal is a country with one of the lowest human development indicators, which increases the vulnerability of the young girls to trafficking and sexual abuse. Women and children, the primary victims of sex slavery, continue to be forced into a variety of sexua l activities including prostitution, pornography, striping, mall-order brides, and sex tourism, all of which can occur In public or private locations.The majority of the Naples women and children that are sold as sex slaves are sold by a family member or close friend. They are mostly smuggled into Indian's and Shanghais red light district, and to brothels in other urban cities. In the Middle East, they are exploited to work at parlor and dance bars. In many cases, older women are known to recruit young girls, promising them a better future where they can break free from the poverty In which they live In (Bales 142). Tuskers is what young Naples girls from the age of 14-16 are called when they are sold to the brothels. Ill many girls are forced or deceived Into prostitution, many willingly go into the sex industry due to their addiction to drugs, while others are in search of a better future, not only for themselves but also for their families that live with impecuniousness condition s. Also, those that do not volunteer to become trafficked are physically forced into labor, most likely sold by parents for the purpose of working off family debts to the government or organized crime groups, which exalts no exercise of choice.A huge portion of the population lives below the poverty line; 2% of the country lives with less than US$2 per day. Economic circumstance and social inequality are the strongest factors that compel women to become involved in the industry. Another factor that contributes to this industry is the balance supply of victims from sending countries and the demand from receiving countries; these countries are the one creating such unethical demands.The United Nations defines human trafficking as: means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of giving or achieving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purposes of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. United Nations 2). Forcing or using someone to profit from sexual exploitation for one's own personal benefits is not condoned by the United Nations; this sort of behavior is considered morally wrong ND offensive to many people in the affected countries . Traffickers generally use the same process when kidnapping or abducting their victims. Many of the people that are kidnapped are drugged and have a very violent removal, that way trafficker has total control of them. After the abduction, the victim is taken out of their native country and taken into a brothel in a faraway country.The reason for this is for the person to not know their surroundings, the language or laws of the country. In the process of bei ng taken to another country the victim's identity document are confiscated. When young girls are being transported from one country to another, they are given a complete new identity by which they must go by. Most victims are threatened in order to comply with the instruction the traffickers have given them. If under any circumstance they contravene the conditions they are physically abused.In the process of obtaining control of the trafficked person, they are drugged and their minds become distorted which does not allow them to think in a proper manner. Many are brainwashed into believing that there is no other better future and that they are of no worth. Human trafficking has a tremendous psychological impact on its victims as a result of the manipulation, abuse, and cultural shock experienced when forced to work a less than desirable Job in a foreign country. Once the trafficker is under control, the victim's enslavement and exploitation begins.Regardless of the violence, working and living conditions, people that are in servitude find their own mechanisms to survive. In addition to being forced to have sexual intercourse with unknown men, they are also forced to drink alcoholic beverages and do drugs when asked to. These women and young girls are not allowed to ask their customers to use protection. As a result of this, a Nepal has had at least eight to ten abortions by the age of 30. Many have said that the owners of the brothels have forced back to work two hours after having the abortion.In some cases if the girl was too young and had sexual intercourse after an abortion, she would pass away do to the intense pain and lack of nutrients. Because they are not able to use protection there are a at least 18 HOW AIDS cases reported in a hour, which means that more than 61% of the Naples women are infected with this disease in the process of having sexual intercourse with a customer (Humans Right Watch). If they refuse to do what is asked from them the custom er has the right to torture them as they please.Many men are now requesting to have sexual intercourse with young girls because there is less of chance of getting a sexually transmitted disease. In addition to this, Nepal and Indian men also believe that if they have sex with a virgin;any SST that they may have, may be removed and she told her story about when she was taken to a brothel. Gina was being forced to have sex with customer, and if she refused she was beat and raped by a group of men. â€Å"When I refused they beat me and raped me. I was only seven years old† (The Day My God Died). Many young girls are physically abused, some get burned with cigars, others burned with acid, and most of them are deprived of food and water for days until they stop refusing the requests of the customers. â€Å"They used to catch me by the hair, bang my head against the wall and throw me on the ground. They would try anything to make me have sex†¦ They beat me with a stick and so metimes hit me with aluminum rods† (The Day My God Died). During the enslavement period, the victim is physically, emotionally, and mentally abused, and if they happened to be let free, most of them attempt suicide.After their enslavement period many feel that there is no point in living with such memoirs. Many do not seek for help or go back to their hometowns because they are ashamed of what they have been through. Not only are they illegal, but isolated as well and with no other way of making a living, nearly all return to sex work, a human trafficking survivor said: â€Å"The people of my village hold me in contempt. They treat me badly. People don't understand that I was tricked and that I suffered a lot† (International Justice Mission). There are only very few ways to escape sex trafficking: being accused, released or escaping.Though there is a very low success rate for victims that try to escape, 11% of females successfully escape sex trafficking. It is very stre nuous for a person to escape; they must be physically and mentally prepared to do it, because not only are there guards that keep watch of the brothels 2417, but if they were to get caught in the process of escaping, they must be prepared to receive any punishment that will be given to them. A young girl named Kyoto Pray said she tried escaping at least three times and when she got caught, she got her hair pulled; he was beaten and even broke an arm.About 7% of females get released by their owners, for one of two reasons either they are no longer attractive or are too old to bring sufficient clients or they have been infected with HIVE . Most end their period of servitude at 18 to 22 years old when they have â€Å"repaid their debt. † During that time, the brothel owner has made a profit four to 20 times the price paid for the trafficked girl. This leaves 80% of girls in those brothels with lost dreams and hope of ever leaving that horrible place, and starting a new life. L w ould not wish that life on an enemy. It was pure hell. It would be better to hang yourself and die†(The Day My God Died). One of the main reasons why many people contribute to human trafficking is due to lack of money. As mentioned before most of the inhabitants in Nepal live with less than $2 per day. Most of the people that are involved in this business are in it in hopes off better future for their families. Due to lack of education and healthcare the slavery business seems the easiest solution to many.About 80% of Napalm's population live in rural areas and depend on subsistence farming for their livelihoods. Nepal has a limited progress in favor of their anti-trafficking laws. In 2007, trafficking in Persons and Transportation (Control) Act (TAP), Nepal law prohibits all forms of trafficking and prescribes penalties ranging from 10 to 20 years' imprisonment, which are sufficiently rigorous and commensurate with those Organization (MONGO) made plans to fund trafficking she lters in Katmandu, Assassination, and Chapman. These cities are major ports for sex trafficking.The young girls who are rescued from the brothels are taken to foster institution where they are treated for any psychological problems that they encounter. Many of the people that are rescued from their owners file a report against them, but many of the people that are involved in Napalm's government are also associated with owners of the brothels. For example, the officials and government often support and encourage trafficking by accepting bribes by brothel owners for turning a blind eye to illegal activity, or by visiting brothels for sexual services.Corrupt government and law enforcement officials are one factor that contribute to the growth of human trafficking, therefore most of the sex trafficking victims do not confide in their overspent system, which also makes it harder for sex trafficking to end in Nepal. Brothel owner make a huge profit annually it is currently estimate to $1 0 billion of revenue per year. â€Å"The trafficking industry is one with large profits, due to the low costs of forced human labor.Because the victims of trafficking are â€Å"expendable, reusable, and re-sellable† cheap commodities, particularly because they are withheld adequate food, wages, shelter, and health care, amounting to large profits for traffickers† (Neck 374). Trafficking is the worst human rights violation that one can go through it is abduction, physical and mental abuse. The pain of being ripped away from ones family and loved one, can be such a deep psychological scar, in which even though a person has been without a family for years they will never forget about the family they once had.This type of pain is something that one cannot comprehend if one has not experienced it. The inequality between women and men in Nepal is reinforced by cultural ideas that the dominance and strength off male, and compliance of the female. The discrimination that the w omen in Nepal are suffering is not only happening in this country is it also affecting many other countries around the world. The expectation of women around the world are very similar; women are to be passive, obedient , oppressed and forced into relationships with people that are forced to be with.It is very important for the men to be dominant in the relationship, as it maintains their social and economical dominance; in order to maintain control of their women they feel forced to use violence. Napalm's government is working on developing a plan do promote women's human rights. Implementing these rights will take time and cooperation of the whole country in order to for the plan to work. Anural Gorilla, is the founder of Mattie Nepal.The foundation has rescued 12,000 Nepal girls and young women from sex trafficking, many who were sold across the border to brothels in India, they are also working on reconciling abducted girls with their families. Therefore, women and children are taught sewing, basket weaving, and cooking to help them build the skills necessary to find a Job, and are also given individual counseling by psychologists in order to deal with emotional problems they are experiencing from past trafficking-related trauma.Many non government organizations like these are staring to take matters into their won hands since the overspent had not yet been successful in stopping this sex trade. â€Å"The well-being and the hopes of the peoples of the world can never be served until peace – as well â€Å"Due to the force, exploitation, and manipulation involved, this trend fundamentally violates the rights to life, liberty, and security of a person, the prohibition of slavery and slave trade in all forms, as well as that no one shall be treated in an inhumane or degrading manner† (United Nations, â€Å"Universal Declaration of Human Rights†).Can one person make a difference in the lives of the two million people that are trafficked an nually? Maybe not but if more people Joined organizations that will help the cause there would be a higher success rate of victims that are rescued from human trafficking. More people are becoming aware of human trafficking and are taking a stand to help end this; there are organization like The Project To End Human Trafficking is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2004 as part of the anti-slavery movement. The initial goal of the founders was not to begin an organization, but simply to offer educational lectures about human trafficking.

Prejudice and Discrimination Essay

Analytical Factsheet on Prejudice & Discrimination on Class Inequality Section 1: Executive Summary This essay is about prejudice and discrimination occurring in Singapore context to address Class discrimination. This essay will also show reasons to why prejudice and discrimination occurs and the effects of such inequity can cause to the society. In this case studies possible measures and solutions will be highlighted and suggested. Section 2: The issues and who are involved. This essay will discuss the discrimination against foreign workers working in Singapore. I will be elaborating on how class discrimination has adverse impacts on society on economic level and social levels. I define foreign workers as a group of minority that come from different countries to work in Singapore. According to the 2009 Singapore Yearbook of Manpower Statistics, 37. 6% of Singapore’s population are made up of foreign workers (1. 1 million %). This proves that foreign workers are an important component of our labour force. (Construction (70. 7%), followed by manufacturing (46. 8%) and service (28. 9%) sectors. ) The reason why I chose this topic is that knowing that this group of people had contributed to the country’s growth, yet they still suffer from social inequality and it is an important to address such issues and to understand what leads to such prejudice and discrimination against them. The common stereotypes of foreign workers are they are dirty, have weird body odour, lack of proper hygiene, creates disturbance in housing areas. They tend to speak loudly, creating a lot of noise and being responsible for the crime rates in Singapore. (The Straits Times Nov 2007 they eat, litter, get drunk, urinate, sleep and even fight,) They are also classified as poor people, cheap labour, being lecherous and not very well educated, and people with ill intension. These stereotypes then evolve into prejudices and discrimination and people tend to believe such information because it is consistent with their stereotypes while dismissing contradictory information. Having such stereotypes, people will tend to avoid and be unwilling to mingle with this group of people. For example in the case of the dormitory being setup for a group of foreign workers near the Serragoon gardens issue, it has brought about a big fiasco. Residences were worried about the safety and security in the neighbourhood. Working in a foreign country somehow shows that they are poor, in need of money and thus creating an impression that they wouldn’t hesitant to break in into houses to steal. (CNA October 3rd 2008 Dormitory decision upsets some Sera goon Gardens residents) It clearly shows how they are being mistreated by allocating their living quarters next to the cemetery to prevent any social conflict between the locals and these foreigners. (The Online Citizen Nov 2009 Social isolation – left among the dead) Many of them are being deprived of proper housing conditions where many need to be squeeze into a small room. Dormitories provided were usually poorly facilitated and has very low hygiene standards and others stay at worksite which can be dangerous. (The Online Citizen Sept 2009 Special Feature Is Singapore Slum Free? ) Unsafe transportations were used to ferry these workers to the worksites. Due to these factors, resulting in cases where foreign workers’ lives were lost because their welfare and safety weren’t factor in as priority. (Asia One News the New paper June 2010 3 death 14 hurt in latest crash) This group of people are commonly discriminated by the derogatory name( chinaman, bangala) given to them and being viewed a ‘2nd class citizen’ due to the low paid jobs they have thus having low social status. And because of this they are often being disrespected, taken for granted and exploited in the labour market. (The Online Citizen October 5th 2009 Chinese worker issued with receipt containing vulgarities) Section 3: Why it is important for us to talk about it? Currently there are laws and regulation in Singapore to protect these foreign workers but much can be done to improve on the current situation. According to civil society organisation Transient Workers Count Too, Ministry of Manpower hands out booklets to foreign workers upon their arrival in Singapore. These booklets regarding the employment act are available in different languages, hotline number is also provided for workers to report abuses. But employers and agents, in many cases, confiscate these leaflets and brochures, thus such informations are unable to reach them. Public endorsement of the exploitation of foreign workers seems to be allow for businesses and ports in Singapore to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year on foreigners because the economic market have created an industrial and work culture that requires them to accepting conditions that local workers would not agree to. Thus businesses are allowed to cut corners by squeezing foreign workers dry. The restrictive work permit system, which ties foreign workers to a single employer, makes it difficult for them to negotiate for better working conditions let alone higher wages. Many were afraid to speak up fearing that they might lose their jobs. Returning to their countries is not what they are looking forward to as many have taken out loans of up to $9000 just to work in Singapore. These workers have to work for long hours to support their families and to re-pay their debt. Contracts that are written are usually not made clear to the workers. Employers made the contracts solely to protect their own needs, rather than creating an unbiased relationship between themselves and their workers. Unions on the other hand are limited to how much they can do to assist and help demand for better working conditions. When workers are poor and lack legal protection, they are often willing to work longer hours for lower wages. Hence, the reason employers are willing to hire foreign workers in favour of local workers is because working conditions of all low wage workers in general are poor to start with. With such social inequality present in a multi racial country, it is important to address these issues in order to uphold the country’s goal to foster good relationship between different groups of people and to maintain a presentable image in the global world. Most importantly is to educate and ensure growth of such sectors should not be made at the expense of these workers’ rights. Being a small country, the effects if a strike will to occur will affect the country drastically, it will only tell foreign investors that we are not strong enough to provide a stable policies for business dealing and human rights are being abuse thus reflecting badly on Singapore’s reputation. Hence it is important to make sure fair treatment is giving to them. Negative effects will surface if they decided to vacant these jobs and it will definitely crumble the industries that which employments of foreign workers are high. Section 4: Where can we start to fix the problem? To tackle the problems of such inequality, by raising awareness and creating opportunities for interaction is ideal. Giving foreign workers a medium to voice out their opinions is necessary for human rights and the Government should initiate sharing sessions with foreign workers where translators could be brought in to break down language barriers. To help ease the problem of exploitation, laws which work against bad lodging can be further enforce with stricter consequences. For example, improve living conditions so as basic necessities are provided. Reduce discriminatory behaviours acted towards this minority group, the media can also play a part to show that what dangerous or risky jobs are taken up by them to make our living lifestyle better and to address and give credit to their contributions. In addition, subjects such as civics and moral education can be used to reach out to educate students about discrimination at a younger age. References: 1. The Online Citizen Nov 2009 Social isolation – left among the dead http://theonlinecitizen. com/2009/11/social-isolation-left-among-the-dead/ 2. Asia One News the New paper June 2010 3 death 14 hurt in latest crash http://news. asiaone. com/News/The+New+Paper/Story/A1Story20100623-223657. html 3. The Online Citizen Sept 2009 Special Feature Is Singapore Slum Free? http://theonlinecitizen. com/2009/09/toc-special-feature-is-singapore-really-slum-free/ 4. Transient Worker Count too http://www. twc2. org. sg/site/newsletters/2008-sept-oct. html 5. The Straits Times Nov 2007 they eat, litter, get drunk, urinate, sleep and even fight, http://www. straitstimes. com/print/Free/Story/STIStory_180230. html 6. The Online Citizen October 5th 2009 Chinese worker issued with receipt containing vulgarities http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/10/chinese-worker-issued-with-receipt-containing-vulgarities/ 7. Fit to Post June 24th 2010 Recognizing the work and sacrifice of foreign workers http://sg. yfittopostblog. com/2010/06/24/recognising-the-work-and-sacrifice-of-foreign-workers/ 8. The Online Citizen March 6th 2010 Foreign Workers Contract http://theonlinecitizen. com/2010/03/foreign-worker-contracts/ 9. Ministry of Manpower http://www. mom. gov. sg/Pages/default. aspx 10. CNA October 3rd 2008 Dormitory decision upsets some Serragoon Gardens residents http://www. channelnewsasia. com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/380077/1/. html.

Cover Letter Content on STAR Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cover Letter Content on STAR - Assignment Example I also cited my sources properly using the MLA system. A weakness that I picked out in my assignment was that I could not find a lot of statistics to support my claim and even if I did I could not find a suitable way to put them in. I also had difficulty keeping my composition less wordy The limitation of copying the claim word to word put me in the difficulty of having only a small choice of revisions of paragraphs. I also had to spend a lot of time to verify and find examples. A future strategy that can help me improve my work is to be more efficient with the sort of examples I come in and put in a more focused search method. The claim is â€Å"Unfortunately, because of all the advancements, the internet seems to favor the technologically elite.† The writer uses the topic sentence to open a window into the claim where he/she is trying to establish that despite the improvements computer technology and internet is bringing, it remains restricted to only a set group of people, which is of those who are mentally and financially equipped with using it. The claim appears to be very weak. Firstly, it is backed by a personal example that runs the risk of being subjective and therefore not strong enough. Secondly, a more relevant and typical example would have been to point out someone who dealt with technology on a daily basis but could not keep pace due to rapid advancements. Also, the story of an eighty-four-year-old is too anomalous an example. Thirdly, there is no way to establish that the evidence given is true or not and is not supported by any further explanation than the vague one given. Fourthly, the relevance is very low and redundancy occurs when discussing her favorite newspaper and recliner. Many broad generalizations are used at the one pointing to the retirees. Computer technology has made breakthroughs and continues to grow rapidly.  Ã‚  

Trusts and equity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Trusts and equity - Essay Example The first of these is the certainty of intention to create a trust. The second relates to the certainty of the subject matter. This requires a clear description of the property involved and the related beneficial interests. The last relates to certainty of objects or specification of the beneficiaries of the trust. Charitable trusts are not required to satisfy this last requirement.2 With regard to discretionary trusts, individuals who can benefit from a discretion, are initially beneficiaries as they are the possible objects of a power of appointment. However, it should be possible for the trustee to establish unambiguously, as to who is encompassed by such power of appointment. This requires certainty of criterion. In other words, the court should be able to determine with certainty whether any specific person is within the range of benefits.3 The fundamental consequence of having a trust is that it imposes a binding obligation on the trustees. In Lambe v Eames, the court held that a trust was not created, merely due to the presence of precatory words.4 In Adams v Kensington Vestry, a husband made a gift to his wife that was for her absolute use.5 The court held that a trust was not created by a testator who gave his entire property to his wife, with the understanding that she would do whatever was necessary regarding the disposal of the property. This was to be done between the children either during her lifetime or upon her demise by means of a will.6 Moreover, the court opined that the entire will had to be interpreted, although confidence could create a trust. As such, the trust relationship has to be expressed in sufficiently certain terms, so as to enable the trustee to carry out his duties. Moreover, trustees should be aware of their obligations under the trust. Strictly speaking, the settlor cannot impose a duty upon a trustee that is legally unenforceable due to its ambiguity.7 Trustees are provided with a measure of protection

Historical Development of Modern Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Historical Development of Modern Nursing - Essay Example This means that they have the right to actively participate and collaborate with the healthcare provider. In order to achieve a maximum level of wellness, a nurse should be mindful of the consumer’s rights for the need for care. The environment, being a major determinant, ranges from the individual’s home to hospital agencies and the society. An individual’s environment is very important in determining one's health. Environmental factors can be psychological, spiritual, legal, political, and economical, among others. Other temporal aspects that may determine individual’s health are the family, community, the general health care system and the individuals themselves. An individual’s genetic characteristics and life experiences determine the health factors. A philosophy has to understand that an individual’s life is a continuum which extends from a high level of wellness to cessation. Individuals have adaptive and recuperative abilities which d etermine the extent of altering ones health status depending on the movement of the individual on the continuum, either towards the positive or the negative as a response to the health care system intervention. Wellness is a dynamic state of physical, psychological, spiritual and social well being. ... This is because people performed it as a compassionate wish of helping others without the recognition of it as nursing. Mainly, it naturally belonged to women as a nurturing job, with an expectation of looking after the sick, the young and the elderly. At this age, there was no training in regards to care giving. In the majority of cases, it was based on experience and observation. They believed that illness came as a result of invasion by evil spirits to individual’s body. Using magic, charms, hypnosis among others, people believed that medicine men and witchdoctors had power over the evil. The final option to send away evil spirits from a person involved trephining where a hole was drilled into the individual’s skull without anesthesia. Middle Aged Nursing During this period, crusaders, prisoners and religious orders provided care. There was no formal education or people under the direction of experienced nursing or any job training. Religious orders from Christian ch urches had basic nursing experience and provided guidance and direction. At this period, there was Protestantism with followers confiscating hospital and school properties connected to Roman Catholicism. This made nursing go to the lowest level, with nurses fleeing for their lives. This created a shortage of nurses and many hospitals closed, leading to no provision for the sick and no care at all. This rendered nursing the work of less enviable women, drunks, prostitutes and prisoners. Because of the situation, cleric Theodore Fliedner and Frederika, his wife, set up the Kaiserswerth institution to train Deaconesses, which was the first formal training school for nurses in Germany. At this school, Florence Nightingale

Customized Competitive Intelligence in International Environment Essay

Customized Competitive Intelligence in International Environment - Essay Example The authors believe that it is a continuous process of assimilating environment information about the changing socio-cultural and political environment within which business operates. Businesses fail not because of lack of competency and financial backup but because of failure to exploit the cultural competencies of the new market and market paradigms. The qualitative research has used wide array of literature and interview with 12 CI consultants, working in different countries to provide guidelines and approach for effective CI. CI is primarily the methodology of gathering of information about the changing business paradigms across the countries with business potential. It provides the business with strong database of knowledge that can be judiciously exploited to gain and maintain competitive advantage. CI is a complex process and must be understood within the broader context of varying socio-cultural, political and legal imperatives of the nations. The understanding of various ext ernal factors facilitates in collecting relevant and authentic information that can be exploited by businesses for sustainable growth across globe. Research has analyzed CI practices for developed and developing nations where the scope of expansion exists for US firms which are as follows: 2. CI in developed countries Applications of CI practices are different for myriad reasons which are distinct in their perspectives vis-a-vis culture, technology, political and legal environment etc. 2.1 Europe European Union has huge market potential but cultural diversity across nations necessitate cross cultural understanding. Business must use different strategies to glean information about businesses in different European nations. Telephonic and email is acceptable and cost effective means of communication. Face to face interview should only be followed for competitors. Language barrier is important factor and native language, wherever possible, should be used to gain trust. CI practitioners must flexible in their approach and be prepared for differences in opinions. They must also corroborate data from wide sources. Last but not the least important is that 2-3 weeks before and after main holidays must be avoided as Europeans tend to focus on their holiday plans or busy finishing their backlog. 2.2 Japan Japan has maintained its technological superiority in digital goods like camera, electronics goods etc. in the international market. Government facilitates CI support to its domestic businesses which, unfortunately, they do not exploit due to lack of analytical tools. But at the same time, it also offers huge business potential for international firms. Due to government support to CI practices, Japan lacks publicly available data regarding businesses. CI practitioners should therefore, focus on developing trust which is critical factor in Japanese culture and use social networking to collect information. 3. Developing countries These are emerging markets which offer hug e scope of business opportunities for international businesses. Due to socio-cultural diversity and different political systems across emerging economies, CI practitioners need to be discriminatory in their approaches while gathering information. 3.1 China It is one of the most important and fastest growing economy which uses CI approach to exploit new opportunities across the globe. There is huge competition in the Chinese market which makes CI practices an intrinsic part of

Response to the Book George Orwell's 1984 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response to the Book George Orwell's 1984 - Essay Example It is discovered that the process injected and agitated with the poison of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance, and incessant public mind control. Words such as "Freedom is Slavery, War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength" are a few of the tactics used to control the minds of its individuals and stomp out any free thinkers and open mindedness. The Citizens of Ocianian, conditioned at birth to be subordinates to a tyrant state stripping the essence of individualism and causing existing persons to pick their way through an ambiguous and meaningless existence. At the heart of this unforgiving novel, the reader discovers a protagonist character that emerges, Winston Smith. Working for the "Ministry of truth" Winston finds himself perpetuating a lie, pumping propaganda and controlling the flow of historical papers and at various times erasing the existence of people identified as" un persons," throwing them down the memory hole. Winston job is to revise the Parties history, water ing down ideals and truth so the dominate strain of the Party is not affected in any way, always on top and never wrong for the choices it makes. Inwardly, Winston struggles with the absurdity of these existential tasks and he find himself profoundly torn with a fundamental universalism; choice.

Annotated list of resources Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

List of resources - Annotated Bibliography Example I think that it would be a reliable source for parents or educators seeking such programs. Raz-Kids is, essentially, an online library and reading program all in one, intended for young readers in the range of K through 6. They offer to improve children’s reading through reading for practice, recording the student reading, listening for modeled fluency, and checking comprehension through quizzes assigned to them. Children are encouraged to read, â€Å"†¦The right books for the right students.† ("Raz-kids.com: Online leveled," 2012) This can give the instructors the opportunity to properly track progress. By having the opportunity to have the library of the books in the â€Å"level† with a subscription, children can log in and read from anywhere that they have internet access. This side is adequate in its presentation. It is intended to be kid-friendly with bright colors, but internal access beyond the overview and sample pages is denied without opening an account with the site. This, in my opinion, makes this resource, by no means less credible, but less likely my first choice when reviewing such sites. So with no disrespect intended it is just less essay to give a truly genuine opinion of the overall potential of this particular program The San Diego Zoo website offers a section dedicated to kids, of all ages, that have games, activities, and articles that designed for the young. However, they do not offer a reading program per say, but they have â€Å"kits† available that educators can purchase filled with interactive, hands on activities, as well as, reading and science activities. The overall intention is to teach children those vital skills but, also, inspire children toward science and conservation. The lessons plans provided include skills tests for each section in the form of language arts, arts, and early science skills.("San

WAN intranet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WAN intranet - Research Paper Example Companies with remote locations have started preferring using intranet instead of conventional network configurations because it is easier navigating the intranet than a Local Area Network (LAN). Thus, LANs are being replaced by LANs in progressive organizations. The users login to an internal site to carry out organizational chores, much like using a website. An intranet is just like an organization’s isolated internet. For a company that has numerous remote locations that need to be connected to the private network, remote-access, also called a Virtual Private Network (VPN), is implemented which is actually a user-to LAN connection. When a company has to implement an enormous remote-access, like that of 100 locations, the VPN has to be contracted out with an Enterprise Service Provider (ESP). This ESP will set up a network access server and will deliver desktop client software to the users at all the hundred remote locations, who then install it on their computers. This will be called the VPN client software. The users will then dial up a call to connect to a local Point of Presence (POP) of the ESP to eventually access the network access server and will use their VPN client software to get connected to the company’s private network after having themselves authenticated to the VPN server, where they can share the centralized database, carry out their web business, web meetings, and transfer information. The users are also able to access the centralized database because the installed intranet server enables fast and reliable access to database records by removing the need to replicate databases for separate clients at remote locations (Knight et al., 2005). VPN client is the calling router and the VPN server is the answering router. The VPN client software makes possible a safe and encrypted link between the company’s network and all the hundred remote locations via an intermediary third party. This connection is

Multiculturalism in contemporary english literature(how to do a Essay

Multiculturalism in contemporary english literature(how to do a research for this topic) - Essay Example multicultural education, or multicultural menu.† As pertains to contemporary English literature, contemporary multicultural English literature would be that body of written work by authors whose work comes to fruition during the twentieth century, incorporating themes and characters of a cultural diversity; such as the works of Salman Rushdie, wherein Rushdie’s work, as Deepika Bahri (2004) suggests, is reflects a body of work that represents â€Å"’hybrid temporalities of ‘of colonialism.† Rushdie’s work, as Bahri suggests, falls within the â€Å"paleocolonial† era; or those post-colonial writers who by time and space in a post-colonial empire, whose work has not been the subject of post-colonial resentment and suppression.1 While there indeed exists a variety of contemporary English literary works from which to select that include a multicultural diversity by way of author and theme, with the exception of a limited, albeit growing, bod y of works, they tend to be works portraying the English protagonist in a foreign setting. The goal of this paper became one of searching the existing body of contemporary literature for a work of literature reflecting a multicultural setting, written by author of other than a British born English heritage, and whose story presents a protagonist as hero, or heroine of that story in a multicultural setting and of a multicultural heritage. To that end, the focus rested on the works of author Salman Rushdie, whose body of work emanated from lands other than England, and brought to the reader the opportunity to both discover the essence of a rich multicultural environment and tradition through interesting multicultural characters. Narrowing down the selection within Rushdie’s body of work to the multicultural work encompassing the goals previously discussed, the focus of this paper is Rushdie’s The Moor’s Last Sigh (1997).2 The selection of support materials for inclusion in this paper were made on the basis of

Empirical evidence to support the theoretical framework Essay Example for Free

Empirical evidence to support the theoretical framework Essay Wolfgang and Ferracuti present a general a general version of this subculture of violence thesis, which was drawn on Sutherland’s differential association theory, as well as other approaches, in order to explain why certain groups have higher rates of violence (Cote, 2002 p. 88). The subculture of Violence theory relied to some extent on Wolfgang’s earlier study of homicide in Philadelphia. Wolfgang had found that a significant number of homicides that occurred among lower-class people seemed to result from very trivial events that took on great importance because of mutually held expectations about how people would behave (Waters, 2006 p. 62). The authors of the theory began their work by presenting a variety of propositions and constitute the thesis, ranging from psychoanalytic theories of aggression, medical and biological studies, the frustration-aggression hypothesis, containment theory, child-rearing practices, and social learning and conditioning propositions. Wolfgang and Ferracuti has pointed out that the subculture of violence approve of violence unconditionally and that violence is not necessarily supported by all members of sub-society (Cote, 2002 p.88). One case presentation is provided in which the theoretical framework of subculture of violence is depicted. States that have a higher population of black people but low in white homicide rates, such as Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, contain a large proportion of blacks who come from the South (Hazlehurst and Hazlehurst, 1998 p. 36; Smith and Berlin, 1998 p. 268). On the other hand, the states in which the migrant blacks were reared also show a high white homicide rates. Critically analyzing these facts, one can infer that in the Southern states, there is a subculture of violence more intensive than in other parts of our country, which is shared by both black and white races and which is carries North by both races when they migrate to these new areas (Smith and Berlin, 1998 p. 268). As an example, the analysis of racial stands and status present in the United States, trivial insults are expected to be met with violence, and failure to respond in this way is met with social censure from the peer group adapted this theory to explain violence among American Blacks (Cote, 2002 p. 88; Hazlehurst and Hazlehurst, 1998 p. 36). Maintenance of a manly image is important in the subculture, and individuals who are unable to resolve conflicts verbally are more likely to resort to violence in order to assert their masculinity. Behavior is partly a response to social conditions, and partly the result of an individual’s acceptance of the ideas and values which he has absorbed from the subculture of violence (Hazlehurst and Hazlehurst, 1998 p. 36). Critiques on Subculture of Violence Theory. Fine and Kelinman (1979) have offered a general critique of the notion of subculture as it is used by social scientists. Many of their criticisms are relevant fir understanding the limitations of subculture of violence theory. They note that problems in previous subculture research include (1) a confusion of the ideas of subculture and sub-society, (2) the lack of a meaningful referent for subculture, (3) the homogeneity and stasis associated with the concept, and (4) the emphasis on defining subcultures in terms of values and central themes. They suggest that the subculture construct, to be of maximal usefulness, needs to be linked to processes of interaction among members of groups (Greene and Gabbidon, 2000 p. 133). In addition, it would be difficult to support an argument that a subculture exists in relation to a single cultural interest, and the thesis of a subculture of violence does not suggest a monolithic character (Bean, 2003 p. 229). Tedeschi and Felson (1994), for instance, were unable to identify a community or subculture that placed a positive value on violence. Furthermore, the subculture of violence hypothesis has been criticized on the grounds that it makes a circular argument (Walters, 2002 p. 81-82). Darnell Hawkins (1983) offered a number of criticisms of the subculture of violence theory that could apply equally to other â€Å"cultural† theories (Mann, 1993 p. 115-116): 1. There is an overemphasis on individual value orientations which, when aggregated, are said to generate a subculture. 2. The theory is not empirically grounded and is challenged by some research findings. 3. A great deal of the theory underemphasizes a number of structural, situational, and institutional factors that affect interpersonal violence; for example, for African Americans such factors extend from historical patterns evolving from slavery to the ramifications of an individual homicide, to the manner in which the criminal justice system operates. 4. The theory downplays the effects of the law on criminal homicide patterns. 5. In addition to the implanting of values, there are other possible ways that the social, economic, and political disadvantages faced by African Americans may lead to high homicide rates. Criticisms of the theoretical framework are subjected to various differentiations of human totality. The primary domain associated in the theoretical framework itself is the concept that subculture is the prime effectors of criminal and deviant behavior occurrence, which is not always and not entirely factual. As the statement of criminal governance and behavioral psychology implies, there are still various organizations and domains present in the both intra and inter-personal human attributes, such as physical nature, cognitive capacity and status, moral perspectives, environmental strains and stresses present, and the social conflicts that cover broad scope of conceptualities. Conclusions. In the summary of the theoretical framework presented, Subculture of Violence Theory by Marvin Wolfgang and Italian criminologist Franco Ferracuti (1976), has produced significant contributions in explaining how social community of subculture and violence affects the behavioral deviancy. The major point of the theoretical framework emphasizes more on violent behaviors resulted by a sub-cultural environment that encourages and legalize violent behavioral patterns. The theory assumed that violence only occurs if violence itself is intrinsically present in the community, and eventually, encourage its occurrence. If the subculture engages in behavioral conflicts of violence, chances are, the individuals involved in such acts or those that are indirectly related to the occurrence of that act shall primarily be influence to redo the violent behavior due to the concept of violence-legalizations. The theoretical framework has been based in the reflection of lower-class norms and a learned response to the pressures encountered in lower-class living, empirical support for the existence of impoverished inner-city areas, and the homicide occurrences in African Americans and whites. The social policy implicated involves mainly the racial equity between the races exampled. Reference Bean, P. (2003). Crime. Routledge. Cote, S. (2002). Criminological Theories: Bridging the Past to the Future. Sage Publications Inc. Flowers, R. B. (2002). Kids Who Commit Adult Crimes: Serious Criminality by Juvenile Offenders. Haworth Press. Greene, H. , Gabbidon, S. L. (2000). African American Criminological Thought. SUNY Press. Hazzlehurst, K. M. , Hazzlehurst, C. (1998). Gangs and Youth Subcultures: International Explorations. Transaction Publishers. Heitmeyer, G. F. , Hagan, J. (2003). International Handbook of Violence Research. Springer. Lee etal, M. (2003). Solution-Focused Treatment of Domestic Violence Offenders. Oxford University Press. Mann, C. (1993). Unequal Justice: A Question of Color. Indiana University Press. Smith, A. B. , Berlin, L. (1998). Treating the Criminal Offender. Springer. Vito etal, G. F. (2007). Criminology: Theory, Research, And Policy. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Volavka, J. (2002). Neurobiology of Violence. American Psychiatric Pub. Walters, G. D. (2002). Criminal Belief Systems: An Integrated-Interactive Theory of Lifestyles. Praeger/Greenwood. Waters, N. (2006). Ten List for School Safety: Teach These Laws to Safeguard Generations. Tate Publishing. Wolfgang, M. (2001). The Subculture Of Violence: Towards an Integrated Theory in Criminology. Routledge.

Change Management Processes in Business

Change Management Processes in Business Task 1 | Creative and Innovative Change Management Tasks  (Jump to) a) Identify and describe management processes in the organization that have led to successful innovation. b) Explain how management in your selected organization would lead staff to accept and implement innovation c) Evaluate the influence of the organizations vision and mission on supporting innovation. d) Use appropriate tools and techniques to identify at least two potential creative and innovative ideas e) Assess at least three risks and three benefits of the ideas identified above f) Describe at least two appropriate change models to support the implementation of the creative and innovative ideas identified above in the organization Task 2 | Influencing change  (Jump to) a) Identified and describe the characteristics of the main groups of stakeholders. Produce a rationale to persuade stakeholders of the benefits of a creative and innovative idea b) Create a plan to communicate a creative and innovative management idea to the stakeholders identified above, persuade them of its benefits for the organization, and generate stakeholder feedback. c) Show how you would use feedback from stakeholders to identify key goals and priorities for the innovation. Task 3 | Overcoming barriers  (Jump to) a) Identify at least four possible barriers to the implementation of change in an organization b) Plan a strategy to overcome these identified barriers. c) Explain how the strategy plan will help overcome resistance. d) Create a PowerPoint presentation to communicate the strategy plan to at least five groups of stakeholders CREATIVE INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT Task 1: Innovation management processes Identify and describe management processes in the organization that have led to successful innovation. The good organizations become best by adopting innovation. It is more than an invention as it also includes an attitude that encourage new concepts and risk attach with that new concepts. Excessive investments are not needed if a company has awareness about innovation and can use it to create products with unique features. So they create a friendly behaviour for new concepts, ideas, risk, change and even failure (Fortune, March 3, 1997). Managerial innovations are those adjustments in the process of management that gives ideas of products and services and than help in their production and delivery to the customers. It is not essential that effectiveness and efficiencies of product or services get effects from innovations by management (http://tumipc.info). Product versus Process Innovations: Innovations in processes and products are very significant classifications of technical innovations. Product innovations either generate entirely new products with distinct features or may help in increasing the performance and physical features of old products and services. Process innovations are changes in the way products or services are manufactured, created, or distributed. Whereas managerial innovations generally affect the broader context of development, process innovations directly affect manufacturing (http://tumipc.info), the implementation of robotics. Thus product innovations are particularly important during these beginning phases. Later, as an innovation enters the phases of growth, maturity, and decline, Vodafones ability to develop process innovations, such as fine-tuning manufacturing, increasing product quality, and improving product distribution, becomes important to maintaining economic return (http://tumipc.info). Explain how management in your selected organization would lead staff to accept and implement innovation The Human Energy of Innovation Innovation is difficult. Its hard not to be constrained by organisational history, politics and budgets. Its even harder to think of innovation as a human energy and not a process (www.10again.co.uk). Lead the Way to Successful Innovation in Vodafone The collaboration necessary, general cultural differences that can influence the process and the importance that organizational culture has on creating an environment that supports innovation, after these presentation keynotes, I often get a few people who approach me with their stories about innovation in their organizations. They tell me how great the information was and wished they could apply it into their own organizations, but they know that it would never be supported (www.bia.ca). It seems that while individuals are given the necessary time in their jobs to generate ideas, they are not given the time that is really required to explore them through a proper process for innovation. This therefore makes it difficult, if not impossible, for true innovation to happen. Now I realize that those who asked me the question may not necessarily be in positions to change their organizations cultures but maybe they could start to create change within their own spheres of influence, such as a department, plant, location, store, etc. Sometimes Vodafone need to think on a smaller scale and then demonstrate to the organization the value of what they are doing, demonstrated success will help greatly to sell the idea. Implementing innovative cultures and processes into organizations they have found that executives often ask themselves, Why are not they better at innovation? There are lots of examples out there and lots of advice. But in reality innovation challenges differ from one organization to another. Just as each innovation is unique, so is Vodafones culture. The process of innovation that works in one place will not necessarily work in another. They must consider the culture (www.bia.ca). Vodafone India further demonstrates their commitment to innovation when they build innovation into performance management. They measure managements performance on the basis of their ability to create new value-added products, services and ideas. As well, they assess the extent to which managers undertake this jointly with staff, rather than independent of their staff, because this demonstrates a clearer understanding of the use of an innovation process versus simply the result of management directive. Vodafone managers can demonstrate this in their regular department meetings by focussing on the exploration of new ideas. They can train employees in the innovation process. They can allow time for employees to explore their ideas. They apply an aggressive effort to build new opportunities based on the development of new services and products (www.bia.ca). Evaluate the influence of the organizations vision and mission on supporting innovation. In todays fast moving economic situation, mostly category breaking business environments meet their mission, vision and objectives. Only such companies meet their estimate growth, gain profit, out run their competitors and show excellence in execution. They achieve by the culture of innovation. In every industry, the leading companies are the innovators. However the cadre of innovators keeps changing (www.scribd.com). Companies may seize upon a good idea that gives them an advantage for a while, but sooner or later, they cede this advantage to a competitor who has found an even better idea. As Nicholas Stein (2000) correctly mentioned, Innovation is at the heart of sustaining Vodafones competitive advantage. This holds very true as long as they wants to stay on top of their competitors and win the innovation game. Innovation is very important criterion for success in the future, (Horibe, Frances Dale Emy, 2001) an important study done on the rate of return of 17 successful innovations shows a mean return of 56% in comparison with an average Return on Investment (ROl) of 16%. It is clear that organizations need to innovate to survive and achieve good profit figures. What to innovate? Now we understood the importance of the role that innovation plays in Vodafone. The next important question now arise is where and which things to apply innovative ideas in Vodafone India. Suggestion and recommendation for where to apply innovations are as follows (www.scribd.com): Innovation can be applied to products, services, design, invention, development, process, and systems. To make a product or service compete with the new economy. This is essentially to educate organizations to move out of their traditional old habits1 to the new innovation culture. To avoid high risks: Avoiding high risks involving money, staying ahead of competition and high pay off opportunities are the essence of the innovation To gain long term market focus, as a result the Vodafone can save money. Use appropriate tools and techniques to identify at least two potential creative and innovative ideas Creative and Innovative Culture, Change Management: Three Easy Tests Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation and innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation. From this simple definition, it is clear that certain cultural characteristics ought to be prevalent if creativity and innovation are to be maximised. And maximisation of these ought to be a priority for senior leaders, as those organisations that take them seriously, tend to be leaders in their field, tend to maintain their leadership position longer and are quicker to bounce back when competitors leap frog (http://ezinearticles.com). There are many blocks that prevent expression of problems and hinder idea generation. Some solutions include (http://ezinearticles.com): An environment of psychological safety and freedom accepting an individual as unconditioned worth; recognising that the individual is capable of producing but that their value is not based on producing; understanding empathetically; understanding the individual from their point of feeling and view (Vernon, 1970). Tolerance of failure Accepting that many ideas will fail before one worthwhile one will surface and reach commercialisation; recognising that there are benefits to failure, such as competency expansion Blade Runner was initially a commercial failure yet Ridley Scott went on to make some very successful movies. Though senior leaders pay lip service to the above, the reality is often much different. Below are some easy and simple tests to gauge how well Vodafone is performing in practice. Employee interviews. Are interviewees expected to conform to the prevalent norm of not contradicting the interviewer? If they do so, are they less likely to be selected? Interviewees who throw up many ideas and challenge existing methodologies at this stage are more likely to be expressive when they find problems in Vodafone and more likely to bring them to the attention of decision makers. They are also more likely to persuade others to do the same. Thought leaders are good drivers of change and prevent complacency though as a result it is not unusual to find that they cause friction with senior leaders who for some reason or other may be resistant to change. Remember, todays thought leaders can easily become tomorrows established bureaucracy (http://ezinearticles.com). Are senior leaders confident enough to leave themselves open to evaluation from all others in Vodafone? Status deference has many negatives including (http://ezinearticles.com): Higher status individuals tend to dominate the session and reduce the participation of others, People allow higher status individuals to do all the idea generation People place higher value on ideas produced by higher status individuals and People have a greater tendency to allow higher status individuals to get away with bad ideas. Assess at least three risks and three benefits of the ideas identified above There are a number of reasons why creative ideas fail to become innovations. Sometimes it is because the idea, which seems brilliant in concept, is flawed in application. More often, the problem is that organisations invest in creative ideation initiatives (often called innovation initiatives), such as brainstorming events, idea management, ideas campaigns and the like, but fail to invest in implementing the most creative ideas that come from those initiatives. Indeed, they have probably experienced this typical scenario: Vodafone invests in generating ideas via brainstorming events that involve a lot of highly paid managers and researchers. A number of promising creative ideas are generated. Sometimes business plans are developed. Sometimes prototypes are built, sometimes not, but, at some point between the identification of a promising idea and beginning to implement that idea, the idea is killed (www.jpb.com). There are many reasons why creative ideas are killed however almost all of them have to do with risk. Implementing a new idea is perceived as risky and people in the Vodafone do not wish to undertake that risk. So, the idea is killed. Needless-to-say, investing in a creative idea generation initiative in order to generate creative ideas they will never implement is an expensive method of accomplishing absolutely nothing (www.jpb.com). Unwillingness to implement creative ideas is not only a weakness with companies, individuals have the same problem. Imagine a young person applying for a job with Levi Strauss Co and having the idea to write her CV on a pair of Levis jeans and sending it to her perspective employer. Such a creative approach to applying for a job would almost certainly stand out and grab the attention of the hiring person. It could very well result in an interview particularly if the Vodafone values creativity as Levi Strauss does. Or it could result in the CV imprinted jeans being promptly rubbished as ridiculous. In my experience, most people who had such a creative idea would be unwilling to risk carrying it out (www.jpb.com). Such a waste of creative time, energy and money does no one any good and makes the world a more boring place than it could be. The Idea Before Vodafone implement their idea, they need to describe it in detail. Separately, they should describe what makes the idea special, that is: what is the unique selling point (USP)? Once Vodafone have done this, ask their self how they might push the USP even further in order to make their idea even more special. Benefits and Risks The next step is to do a simple risk versus benefits analysis. That may sound complex, but might simply be a matter of drawing up a table with a column labelled benefits and one called risks. Then simply lists the benefits and risks in their appropriate columns. If the risks are greater than the benefits, they need to rethink their idea and focus on greater benefits (www.jpb.com). Describe at least two appropriate change models to support the implementation of the creative and innovative ideas identified above in the organization Integrated Innovation Process Management Vodafone as an innovative organization, however, should not have a single innovation process cycle in operation. Rather it should have many of them! Large cycles are suitable for enterprise-wide innovation. Meanwhile, business units can run somewhat smaller innovation process cycles in order to manage their own ideas (although it should be noted, collaborative groups need not be limited to employees of that business unit). Teams, departments and any other group can also run their own innovation process cycles (www.jpb.com). However, these innovation process cycles should not be in isolation. Rather they should inspire and feed other cycles elsewhere in the organisation. For instance, the implementation of a new product idea should inspire innovation cycles in the marketing, sales and customer service divisions as well as at the enterprise level (www.jpb.com). Managers should watch their colleagues innovation process cycles and ruthlessly copy ideas as inspirations for their own cycles. Task 2: Influencing change Identify and describe the characteristics of the main groups of stakeholders. Produce a rationale to persuade stakeholders of the benefits of a creative and innovative idea Thomas Edison had all the characteristics of a risk taker innovator. He was a divergent thinker, making observations about the natural world. He was not afraid of failure. The lessons learned in one of his failures led to success in another project. In addition to the light bulb, his 1,093 patents included familiar ones such as the microphone batteries (The Creativity Handbook, 1994). Creative leadership must facilitate positive relationships in organizations to produce profitable growth through innovation. They now know that creativity is not a personality trait that is available for geniuses. Everyone has unique knowledge and experiences that can be tapped, given the proper environment. This environment must be freed flowing and non-judging to take people through the mental block they learned in early childhood. These blocks are associated with the risk of being wrong (www.aiu.edu). The motivation for innovating comes largely from the joy of doing something that has never been done before. It is like going on an expedition and risking everything to be the first person to climb a mountain or sail around the world. It taps the same drive that exists within a composer or an artist who wishes to create something forever. Create a plan to communicate a creative and innovative management idea to the stakeholders identified above, persuade them of its benefits for the organization, and generate stakeholder feedback. Open Innovation or expanding the pool of brains thinking about their business problems outside of Vodafone is a concept that has gained significant and recent traction. The concept is very sound (http://blog.thinkforachange.com): Open innovation is a paradigm that assumes that firms can and should use external ideas as well as internal ideas, and internal and external paths to market, as the firms look to advance their technology. The boundaries between a firm and its environment have become more permeable; innovations can easily transfer inward and outward. The central idea behind open innovation is that in a world of widely distributed knowledge, companies cannot afford to rely entirely on their own research, but should instead buy or license processes or inventions (e.g. patents) from other companies. In addition, internal inventions not being used in a firms business should be taken outside the company (e.g., through licensing, joint ventures, spin-offs) It used to be that innovation was something that happened deep in the bowels of corporate RD departments. Secretive folks lurked there and lived by the code of NIH or Not Invented Here. A motto that held that if RD didnt think of it, then it didnt exist or wouldnt work or should be ignored. Except a funny thing happenedthe ideas started drying up. Game changing ideas became few and far between. More of the same survived and less of the unexpected was developed. Then one day, some very smart innovation management consultants showed these organizations that there is no such thing as an all or nothing approach to innovation. Open innovation is but one branch of a well-rounded and comprehensive innovation management program. And for open innovation to truly work, they need to have their internal house in order first as it relates to idea and innovation management. Vodafone must have a solid and well managed internal innovation capability before seeking ideas from the outside world (http://blog.thinkforachange.com). That means: Having a strong executive sponsor engaged in the innovation strategy of the organization Having a proven set of processes, tools, techniques and training for moving ideas into prototypes and, eventually, products Having enough resources (human, financial, time, space and capability) to adequately support the idea and innovation management system Vodafone are putting into place Treating innovation and idea management, not as some singular event, but as a true business discipline and strategy for growth Developing a list of problems and/or opportunities that the organization wants to invest money and effort into finding solutions Developing a strategy for seeking ideas from inside and outside of the organization Developing a clear and communicated set of selection and filtering criteria for idea submission and consideration to ensure the idea pool is manageable Determining the utilization of the closed innovation system for the research, development, prototyping, portfolio management and launch planning that Vodafone dont want their competitors finding out about Developing a workable system for protecting the intellectual property rights of all parties in the process Show how you would use feedback from stakeholders to identify key goals and priorities for the innovation. Focusing on Customers Executives acknowledged that business has had to learn these lessons many times, and the need to create a culture where innovation can thrive is not new. A big part of the leaders role is to distract the organization away from itself and its own inner workings and dynamics, and shift the focus to customers, creating the openings where innovative ideas become possible (www.poststone.com). Allow enough time The rapid pace of business tends to create an overload of initiatives and a rush to complete projects as quickly as possible, and creates a significant barrier to sustainable progress. Business moves too fast; you need tenacity to innovate One approach recommended is for leaders to lengthen the time for goal achievement, and encourage staff to spend the necessary time thinking deeply about a problem, gathering data, and moving forward in a thoughtful way (www.poststone.com): People tend to give up when they cant get results quickly. You need to give longer goals, give people time, and ask them to do it slowly and thoughtfully. Generating good ideas is not always the issue: prioritization and resourcing of a few key initiatives is often more important in making significant progress. Task 3: Over coming barriers Identify at least four possible barriers to the implementation of change in an organization De-bunking the Myths of Innovation The executive panel saw little merit in much of the conventional wisdom about innovation, and de-bunked the myths for Vodafone India: The new product myth There is a strong tendency to focus on product innovations, however executives generally see this type of innovation as highly visible, but not necessarily critical to business success (Levitt, et. al. 2005). The breakthrough idea myth While creating the environment where Vodafone staff will speak and tell them their ideas received considerable emphasis, the idea itself is rarely sufficient. Canada was noted as the home of many good ideas that have not had enough sustained effort, persistence and resources to achieve results (Soto, Hernando de, 2000). The creative chaos myth Many business processes support innovation better when they are consistent and measurable. With a consistent and known process, ideas for change can be implemented in a way that employees can understand and execute successfully. The new process can then be integrated into routine and evaluated (Collins, Jim, 2001). Without a consistent baseline to build on, its difficult to see if a new idea would work, and just as difficult to implement successfully. The creative individual myth The power of creative individuals with insight is rarely enough to move the organization, regardless of the level of seniority. High-potential young managers cannot sally forth as ambassadors for a new order and meet with success. The whole organization needs to be mobilized, through accountability at all levels (www.poststone.com). Plan a strategy to overcome these identified barriers. Most approaches to strategic planning put an emphasis in answering the question What should the organization do? The answer to this question is very important for Vodafone. However it does not ensure that the organization is enabled to create value and to make the right strategic decisions. Strategy execution and monitoring of success have been identified as characteristic problem areas in organizational practice (Avila, et. al., 1995). Putting the proposals into practice, the Vodafone can address a more comprehensive set of issues related to fundament, execution and funding (Deloitte, 2005): Fundament:  Why should the organization choose this way? What are the underlying assumptions, the tradeoffs, and the risks? How should the organization respond if one of these assumptions turns out to be flawed or changes? Execution:  How does the organization do it? What are steps for implementation? Who is accountable for this process? How does the organization keep track of execution and success? Commitment:  How can the organization achieve commitment among the management team and all employees? How can the organization inform employees? Funding:  What will the outcome of the strategic planning cost in total? How will the organization fund the planning results? What is the expected return and will it meet the internal hurdle rates for return? Taking into account the broad perspective for strategic planning and considering execution, monitoring and funding issues, the organization and its managers can gain a clear view of where they are going and why. They will also know how to monitor the progress and can assess the payoff. Monitoring of both market data and operational data against planning assumptions as well as sustaining organizational flexibility represents another field of strategic planning improvements (www.themanager.org). Due to consideration of capital allocation and funding issues it is also clear, which other critical corporate processes will be influenced from the strategic planning outcome. Summarizing and bundling this outcome in so called strategic campaigns or strategic initiatives helps the organization to focus and improves intra-organizational communication (Dye et. al., 2007). Explain how the strategy plan will help overcome resistance. Hitchhiking creates ideas that combine the best ideas of everyone on the team. It can also help during implementation if all members see a piece of their idea in the final solution (www.aiu.edu). Creating an environment that is tolerant of mistakes is difficult. It must be made clear that mistakes are acceptable if they are based on solid thinking, enhance learning of what will not work, and are caught early before damage is severe. There must be support for the people who were on the team of the project that failed. The Kirton Adapter: Innovator (KAI) inventory measures preferred styles for problem- solving. The adaptor prefers to be creative within the present system. The innovator wants to create new definitions of the problem and new systems. Thus, both types are creative, but their styles are different. Adapters include bank managers, accountants, production managers, and programmers. Innovators include persons in marketing, finance, and fashion buyers (www.aiu.edu).

Effectiveness of Para-Transit Transport Services

Effectiveness of Para-Transit Transport Services THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PARA-TRANSIT TRANSPORT SERVICES IN NIGERIAN TOWNS: THE CASE OF MOTORCYCLE TRANSPORT IN ABRAKA ATUBI, AUGUSTUS 0. ABSTRACT The thrust of this article is on the desirability of motorcycles in Abraka region as a means of para-transit transportation. The paper examines the existing mode of para-transportation in Abraka region, and discovers that commuters in Abraka region are increasingly patronizing motorcycles as a mode of transport. Also, with the poor conditions of roads in Abraka, most parts of Abraka are denied access to public transport services. In the light of this, a vast number of commuters have now resorted to the services of motorcycle transport in spite of the social risks and incessant cases of accidents associated with this mode of transport. This study discovers through Pearson’s Product Moment correlation coefficient analysis that there is a high significant relationship between the standard of living of cyclists and motorcycle business in the study area. The paper ends by highlighting issues, which should be incorporated in a comprehensive urban transport policy to make motorcycle transport safe and efficient as a para-transit mode of transport in Abraka region. INTRODUCTION The need for an efficient public transport service to cater for the demands of urban commuters cannot be overstressed. Public transport systems are more efficient means of transporting large numbers of people between and within settlements than private cars (Adeniji, 1983). In contemporary transportation lexicon, two major types of public transport systems are defined. These are the conventional public transport system and the para-transit or intermediate systems of public transport. The para-transit or intermediate systems are so called because they include all systems of urban transport, between the private car on the one hand of the scale and the conventional public transport system on the other (Adeniji, 1983). Para-transit modes of transport in developed countries include such systems as car pools, rental cars, specialized commuter bus services provided on a subscription basis, as well as taxi cab related services like dial-a-bus and motorcycles. In the less developed countries, para-transit modes are usually referred to as intermediate modes of public transport. They include the shared taxi cab, mini buses, modified vehicles such as the jeepneys of Manila in the Philippines (Grava, 1977), silos of Chien Mai in Thailand (Fourcare and Manundes, 1977), Molue of Lagos in Nigeria (Olayemi, 1979), Beenos of Surabaya in Indonesia (Fouracre and Manuder, 1978), the cycle rickshaws community found in most Asian cities (Jacob and Fouracre, 1976) and â€Å"Going† in Nigerian Towns, (Okoko, 1990). In recent years, the prohibitive prices of brand new cars and buses have resulted in the reduction of the number of private cars and commercial vehicles generally on our urban roads. Even the fairly used imported cars and buses (Tukunbo) are beyond the reach of the majority of our people. As a result of these factors, there has been a tremendous demand for public transport in our towns in recent years. It is now a common sight to see hundreds of passengers at bus stations or along road sides waiting for hours for the few buses and taxis on the road (Okoko, 1998), This scenario has necessitated the introduction of motorcycles as a means of para-transit transport in Nigeria towns. It first gained prominence in the Cross River State the l970s where it was variously referred to as â€Å"Aka-Uke† or â€Å"Ala-Olok†. This mode has now diffused to other Nigeria towns including Lagos and Abuja. It is now the dominant mode of transport in most of our urban centres e.g. Uyo Calabar, Nasarawa etc. It is variously referred to â€Å"Okada† in the Mid-West belt regions of Nigeria and â€Å"Abacha† in Northern Nigeria. The motorcycle mode has had the advantage of flexibility and door-to-door service especially in towns where the road network does not permit an efficient operation of taxi service. The major problem associated with it is the high number of accident cases often resulting in the death of both the cyclist and the passenger or commuter. Table 1, shows some para-transit modes and their relative performance characteristics. Most of these modes are very popular in Asian and Latin American countries where they are employed both in rural and urban areas. These modes are recommended for use in our towns and rural areas where conventional mass transit facilities are inadequate. In rural areas where the population is less than 50,000, privately operated para-transit modes are adequate. In settlements where the population is between 50,000-100,000 para-transit and privately operated omnibuses are adequate. Mass transit public transport services are recommended for settlements with a population size of over 100,000 inhabitants (Adeniji, 1986). In recent years, with the aid of motorcycling, Abraka community has experienced an unprecedented general economic boom, which has encouraged the increased diversification of local industries and commercial activities. Atubi and Onokala (2004b) stated that â€Å"in human geography, one of the most fundamental themes is spatial interaction. That spatial interaction involves the movement of goods and services and people between various centres in space. In general, when constructing or improving a road network where economic constraints apply, they said, the most economical solution for one road link may not necessarily be the best solution for the network as a whole. That the cost of implementing one project to high standards may consume resources that would be better spent over the whole network, or in filling other gaps in the network with lower standard roads†. The influence of political policies on the transport facilities in metropolitan Lagos was also examined by Sada (1970) where he maintained that politics had more than desired influence on the city network and this is irrational to objective planning of transport network in such a large city. He further said that until the city was given a new dimension such as planning and reversing same existing policies, the problems of traffic in Lagos would still continue to be in existence. Furthermore, for any meaningful division of labour and specialization in production process to take place in any society such as Abraka, there must be an efficient and effective means of transport (Atubi and Onokala, 2004a). The various feeder roads and paths are constructed to connect the interior parts of the region and this gives room or serve as an advantage to motorcycle transport system in Abraka region. METHODOLOGY Data for this article were collected through questionnaire survey in Abraka region. Questionnaires were administered randomly/systematically on respondents. This article specially aims at examining the influence of motorcycle transportation with emphasis on employment opportunities of respondents. For the purpose of achieving the aim eighty (80) questionnaires were administered. For effective administration of the questionnaires the region was subdivided into three (3) regions or zones Viz: Ekrejeta Road, Kwale Road and Abraka-urban Road. The statistical techniques employed include means and percentages as well as the Pearson’s Product Movement Correlation Coefficient (P.P.M .C.C.) THE RESEARCH FINDINGS Table 1: Basic Para-Transit Modes and their Performance Characteristics Source: Howe, J (1983) Conceptual Framework for Defining and Evaluating Improvements for Local Level Rural Transport in Developing Countries (Geneva, H. 0.) Dept. 1983, Pp. 3 7-39. Table 2: Importance of Motorcycle Transportation Alternatives Response Percentage (%) Yes No 77 3 96 4 Total 80 100 Source: Field Survey, 2004. From the table above, it was clearly shown that the importance of motorcycle as a mode of transportation in Abraka region cannot be over-emphasized. It is observed that 96% of the respondents are of the view that motorcycle transportation has played an important role in Abraka region while only 4% disagreed. Also, the movement of people, goods and information are being facilitated via motorcycle transport. Table 3: Ownership of Motorcycle Alternatives Response Percentage (%) Yes (My own) No (Hired) 29 51 36 64 Total 80 100 Source: Field Survey, 2004. Sixty-four percent (64%) of the respondents agreed that most of the motorcycles in use in Abraka community for transport purposes are hired and thirty-six (3 6%) are of the view that the motorcycle used in Abraka are privately owned. Therefore, the lot of motorcycles in Abraka region are hired meaning that the users (cyclists) are operating on a â€Å"balance and take† basis. That is the motorcyclist pays the owner of the machine certain amount of money depending on the terms of agreement after which the machine becomes that of the cyclist. Table 4: Monthly Income Through Motorcycling Amount Response Percentage (%) Below N2,000 N2,000- N4,000 N4,000-N6000 N6,000- N8,000 Above N8,000 23 24 12 8 13 29 30 15 10 16 Total 80 100 Source: Field Survey, 2004. It could be deduced from the above table that the majority of the cyclists earn between N2,000 and N4,000 monthly. This is followed by those cyclists that earn below N2,000 per month. From the table 30% and 29% earn between N2,000 and N4,000 and below N2,000 monthly respectively. Table 5: Time of Operation/Service Time Response Percentage (%) Below 10 a.m 10a.m-4p.m. 4p.m-7p.m. Above7p.m. Always 23 17 19 11 9 29 21 24 14 11 Total 80 100 Source: Field Survey, 2004. The table above shows that the time of operation is mostly in the morning between 10.00 a.m. and reduces until the evening from 4.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. The peak hour of operation being in the morning and evening in Abraka region could be as a result of people going to their various places of work and their return back home. These periods have the highest percentages of 30 and 24 respectively. Following the peak hours are the hours betweens 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. with a percentage rate of2l. This could be because of parents going on â€Å"school run†. Table 6: Fare/Charge Per-Distance Alternatives Response Percentage (%) Yes No 41 39 51 49 Total 80 100 Source: Field Survey, 2004. The responses from the table above means that the fare per distance is likely determined by the passenger and the cyclist, 51% of the respondents agreed that the charge per distance during operation is constant while 49% disagreed. Meaning that, the charge varies with distance. This could be as a result of the operation hour because the fare at night or during bad weather (rainfall) and even during period of fuel scarcity fare tends to vary with distances. During such period, it is the bargaining power between the passenger and the cyclist that determined the fare. Nevertheless, the charge within Abraka region is relatively constant. Table 7: Standard of living through income Received and Motorcycling (observed Frequency) Alternatives Ekrejeka Rd. Kwale Road Abraka-Urban Road total Strongly Agreed Agreed Partially agreed Disagreed 17 2 7 1 12 4 9 1 19 1 5 2 48 7 21 4 Total 27 26 27 80 Source: Field survey, 2004, From table 7 above, the calculated value of the correlation coefficient is 0.90 approximately (see table 9). It could be deduced therefore, that as income increases through motorcycling, the standard of living of the cyclists also increases at 0.05 level of significance. Table 8: Increase in Motorcycle and the population of Abraka Region Alternatives Ekrejeka Rd. Kwale Road Abraka-Urban Road total Strongly Agreed Agreed Partially agreed Disagreed 2 7 5 13 3 6 3 14 1 1 0 25 6 14 8 52 Total 27 26 27 80 Source: Field survey, 2004. From the calculated values in table 8, (see table 9), the calculated value of the data using the Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient is approximately 0.89. From table 9, it also implies that 20.79% of the population of Abraka can be explained by increase in motorcycle activities while 79.2 1% cannot be attributed to increase in motorcycle activities which could be due to other reasons. Table 9: A correlation Table of Population and Motorcycle increase in Abraka Region Table 10: Provision of Employment Opportunity and Motorcycle Transportation Source: Computed from Table 8, 2004 The calculated value derived from table 10 above using the Pearson’s Product Movement Correlation Coefficient is appropriately 0.86 (see table 11). Also, 26.04% of the employment opportunity can be explained by motorcycle transport in Abraka region while 73.96% cannot be explained and may be due to other factors. Table 11:. Provision of Employment Opportunity and Motorcycle Transportation From table 11, there was a high and positive correlation between employment opportunity and motorcycle transportation in Abraka region. From this brief and simple analysis, the fact that motorcycle transportation has a role to play in the employment of youths in the study area is incontestable. ISSUES FOR POLICY FORMULATION The time has come for us to accept the indispensability of motorcycle transport in Abraka region. The availability of a comprehensive and up-to-date information on vehicle population in the country makes it difficult to have an accurate car ownership ratio per capita for the country. Recent phenomenal increases in the prices of imported cars, both brand new ones and fairly used cars otherwise known as â€Å"tokunbo†, have made it difficult for the average Nigerian to own a car. Even motorcycles and bicycles are now priced out of the reach of the middle and low income households in the country (Adeniji, 1986). In the light of the poor economic situation in the country, there is need for the government to give an official recognition to the operation of motorcycle transport in Nigeria. The operation of motorcyclists should be streamlined such that it should not be a case of any body just picking up his motorcycle and going into business. Just like the National Road Transport Workers Union that monitors the operation of taxis and buses, a similar body should also be set up to oversee the operation of motorcyclists. Every motorcyclist should be made to register with this body before he is allowed to operate. This body should issue identity cards and uniforms for easy identification by commuters. In addition to this, the procedure for the issuance of driving licenses should be reviewed. Every motorcyclist should have either a license or a permit before he is allowed to operate the motorcycle. The Government should reconsider the idea of introducing crash-helmets for the use of both the cyclist and the passenger. The importance of crash-helmets cannot be over-emphasized s they protect the head from severe injury whenever accidents occur. Urban roads should from now henceforth be designed to accommodate cycle-ways. This will reduce cut throat competition for urban road space by cyclists, motorists and pedestrians thereby reducing the rate of accidents on our roads. Existing traffic bye-laws and regulations should be reviewed to accommodate the motorcycle mode and conscious efforts should be made to ensure their enforcement. CONCLUSION Transport of any kind is concomitant and a prerequisite to the development of any modem society. It is indispensable in the economy of any society hence it has increased the socio-economic development of Abraka region. This research has revealed that motorcycle business has a significant effect in the provision of employment, increase in the standard of living of the cyclists and a corresponding increase in the population of Abraka region. REFERENCES Adeniji, K. (1983): â€Å"Urban Development and Public Transport in Nigeria† Third World Planning Review, Vol.5, No.4, Pp. 383-394. Adeniji, K. (1986) â€Å"Public Transportation in Nigeria: where do we go from here?† Paper delivered at the NISER Seminar Series, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Pp. 1-22. Atubi, A.O. and Onokala, P.C. (2004a) â€Å"Road Transportation and the Socio-Economic Development of the Niger Delta: A case study of Warn Metropolis†. Journal of Social and Management Sciences Review Vol. 1, No. 1, Pp. 102-113. Atubi, A.O. and Onokala, P.C. (2004b) â€Å"The Accessibility of Centres to the Road Networks: The Case of Lagos Island, Lagos, Nigeria†. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Dynamics, Vol. 2, Pp. 140-15 1. Fouracre, P.R. and Maunder, D.A.C. (1977): â€Å"Public Transport in Cheng Mai, Thailand† Crowthorne, Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Supplementary Report 285. Fouracre, P.R. and Maunder, D.A.C. (1978) â€Å"Public Transport in Swiabaya, Indonasia† Crawthorne, Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Supplementary Report 370. Grava, S. (1977): â€Å"The Jeepneys of Manila† Traffic Quartet, Vol. 26,No. 4, Pp.465-483. Jacobs, G.D. and Fouracre, P.R. (1976) Further research on road accident rates in developing countries. TRRL complementary Report27O. Crowthorne Okoko, F. (1990) â€Å"For an Effective â€Å"Going System†. The Standard Newspaper, Jos, Nigeria. Wed. July 25, p. 9 Okoko, F. (1998) â€Å"The Demand For Para-Transit Transport Services in Nigerian Towns: The case of Motorcycle Transport in Akure. Journal of Transport Studies, Vol.2, No. 1 Olami, O.A. (1979): â€Å"Intra-city Personal Travel in Metropolitan Lagos† Ibadan, NISER, University of Ibadan, Reprinted Series Number.1 11 Sada, P.O. (1970): â€Å"Political Policies and the Development of Transportation in Metropolitan Lagos. Nigerian Geographical Journal Vol. 13, No.2.

Kidneys :: essays research papers

Kidneys   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In vertebrates, kidneys are the two major organs of excretion. Excess water, toxic waste products of metabolism such as urea, uric acid, and inorganic salts are disposed of by kidneys in the form of urine. Kidneys are also largely responsible for maintaining the water balance of the body and the pH of the blood. Kidneys play important roles in other bodily functions, such as releasing the erythropoietin protein, and helping to control blood pressure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kidneys are paired, reddish-brown, bean-shaped structures. They are about eleven centimeters long. Kidneys are located on each side of spine, just above the waist. They are loosely held in place by a mass of fat and two layers of fibrous tissue. It is believed that the kidney first evolved in the original vertebrates where freshwater organisms needed some means of pumping water from the body. The kidney became adept at reabsorbing glucose, salts, and other materials which would have been lost if simply pumped out of the body by a simple organ.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cut surface of the kidney reveals two distinct areas: the cortex- a dark band along the outer border, about one centimeter in thickness, and the inner medulla. The medulla is divided into 8 to 18 cone-shaped masses of tissue named renal pyramids. The apex of each pyramid, the papilla, extends into the renal pelvis, through which urine is released from the kidney tissue. The cortex arches over the bases of the pyramids (cortical arches) and extends down between each pyramid as the renal columns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Urine passes through the body in a fairly complex way. The initial site of urine production in the body is the glomerus. The arterial blood pressure drives a filtrate of plasma containing salts, glucose, amino acids, and nitrogenous wastes such as urea and a small amount of ammonia through the glomerus. Proteins and fats are filtered out of the plasma, to remain in the normal blood stream. The plasma is now called glorular filtrate. One-hundred to one-hundred-forty milliliters of this filtrate are formed each minute!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The filtrate passes along a convoluted tibule. The majority of the water content and some of the dissolved materials are reabsorbed through the walls of the tibule and back into the blood. Water, sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, and all glucose are reabsorbed into the bloodstream, yet products such as urea and ammonia remain in the tibule. During the final stage of the passage process, most of the remaining filtrate is selectively reabsorbed until only about one percent of the original filtrate is to be excreted as urine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Urine is eventually collected in the kidneys. The urine is collected in