I have chosen to look at the Death Penalty in America. Each state in Research Paper

I have chosen to look at the Death Penalty in America. Each state in the US has a different view on what is and what is not a ca - Research Paper Example The execution of those who have committed capital offenses varies from country to country depending on the laws in place and in America it varies from state to state. Some states like Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, Hawaii and the District of Columbia have already abolished the use of death penalty while states like California, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, and Texas among others still enact the practice (Galliher et al. 6). According to (Berkowitz, 66), capital punishment has been in use for many years, since the time of King Hammurabi, as well as during the Roman Empire. However, it has spurred a lot of controversies along political, judicial and moral lines. The proponents of the death penalty argue that it deters crime especially homicide but researchers have over the years established that even though the punishment continues to be imposed, the states that have long abolished the practice have lower rates of murder than those that continue to use it (Morrison, 201 1). This begs the question whether death penalty really deters crime. Criminologists argue that death penalty is necessary as it’s a preventive social measure however, religious leaders belief in sanctity of life thus making intentional killing immoral. On the other hand, the offenders are given a chance to defend themselves and appeal before being sentenced to death though this does not prevent innocent people from being convicted. The constitution of many states also seems to offer too much protection to the accused person which then raises the question whether this contributes to further crime. The paper will discuss the various states that support death penalty and those that do not as well as the pros and cons on the death penalty and why it should not be adopted by every state. History of Death Penalty Death penalty is not a new phenomenon as it was in existence as early a 10th century A.D in Britain where criminals were punished by hanging (Herrmann, 4). Later, they we re punished by burning and beheading among other cruel means. The first person to be executed in USA was Captain George Kendall for being a spy for Spain in 1608. Nowadays, more means of execution which are more humane have been put in place such as use of lethal injection, electric chair, and gas chamber. Under the 8th amendment on the constitution, death penalty is prohibited as it is cruel and unusual but some states still enforce it. The offenders in early times did not have many protections as they do now. A death row inmate can have his/her sentence reduced to life imprisonment if s/he can prove that the sentence was racially discriminatory (Death Penalty Information Center). The convicts are also provided with defense attorneys, investigators and experts and the jury and the judge have to be qualified. They are also entitled to make appeals which are paid for using tax payers’ money. Besides, some states protect the women and the mentally retarded as well as the juveni les against such punishment. In the past, a convict was executed without delay unlike nowadays where the process is too lengthy and those convicted are rarely executed as they die of natural causes before execution; the time between conviction and execution is 25yrs hence convicts have ample time to appeal (DPIC). In the past offenders were executed for committing crimes such as; murder, treason, and drug trafficking. Many states nowadays execute the offenders for committing first degree murder although some states are calling for

Business Idea Diary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Idea Diary - Essay Example It is well known that many persons have issues when it comes to waking up. People set alarms, but fail to wake up even after hearing one. Instead, they just press the snooze button and go on sleeping. The smart pillow comes in here. Connected to power, it shall analyze the persons sleeping pattern through brain activity and then through computer output, the software shall be connected to an alarm that predetermines the number of hours that person needs depending on their sleeping activity and give a choice of three specific time settings that the person can choose from to set the alarm. I will make money to make this product sustainable by placing a business proposal on popular funding websites for people with brilliant business ideas to get donations, funds and investments from. 2. This idea actually came up in mind as I was facing problems in my sleep. I had problems in rising up in the morning and also in getting to bed. I would set the alarm but would either not hear it or actually ignore it. Hence, I thought, â€Å"A smart pillow,† why not? 3. Rating my business idea on a scale of 1 to 10, I think my idea lies at level 8. The reason for this is because it is radical. It brings about a radical change to how pillows are normally used. On its feasibility, the idea is very much feasible. With many other smart devices out there for different purposes, scientists have come up with various ways to monitor brain activity which can be incorporated into pillows. What this product does is that it complements the existing products, in this case pillows that are already in use. This product creates an opportunity for more products of analysis to be brought nearer and create more interaction with their users without negative side effects in the near future. The hurdles that this product faces in the market are one, convincing the likely users that it does not harm them at all because it shall be used in contact with the persons and

Effects of Marginalizing Social and Environmental Reporting

Effects of Marginalizing Social and Environmental Reporting AIM The aim of this research work is to observe and analyze the implications of marginalizing Social and Environmental reporting and explain how such reporting can be strengthened. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Problem statement Conventional accounting reports place more emphasis on the financial performance of reporting entities compared to their social and environmental performance. Guidance on social and environmental reporting is currently provided by organizations outside the accounting profession, such as AccountAbility (AA) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). We are going to discuss the implications of marginalizing social and environmental reporting. We will also shed light on how such reporting can be strengthened. Objectives To shed light on the above we will try to find out the following in our project: Identify what has impelled the need for social and environmental reporting. Identify how and why Social and Environmental reporting is being incorporated by entities into their reporting. Identify the alternative approaches to Social and Environmental reporting. Illustrate the relevance of the guidelines presented by organizations such as AccountAbility and Global Reporting Initiatives on Social and Environmental Reporting. Discuss the nature of voluntary disclosure. State the implications of marginalizing Social and Environmental reporting. Outline how such reporting could be strengthened and be effectively incorporated by reporting entities. RESEARCH METHODS The following methods were used to gather information to compile this project: Literature review was done. Previous working papers and journal articles of different accounting professionals and authors were analyzed in order to attain information that was both relevant and reliable in regards to social and environmental reporting. We also interviewed Mr Napolioni Batimala (Audit Manager à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" PWC) to derive the current information available regarding the issues concerning social and environmental reporting and its current stand. Case studies on three Fiji companies were conducted, in order to determine the situation in Fiji regarding Social and Environmental reporting. A qualitative data analysis of the results was carried out. These were selected based on their extensive environmental (FSC) and social (BAT) impacts. FMF was also considered, as it is the largest, manufacturing company in the country. British American Tobacco Fiji Ltd Fiji Sugar Corporation Flour mills of Fiji Library research was also conducted. Extensive archival research and literary research from respective journals was carried out in order to find extensive views and analysis and to get insight on past research and current thoughts on this topic. Annual reports were analyzed such as: British American Tobacco (2005 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 2007) FSC (2005 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 2008) Flour Mills of Fiji (2005-2008) Internet research was conducted as well. Proquest references were sourced to get hold of electronic journals for the issues of journals that USP library does not hold. The access of Internet references provided more up-to-date statistics and secular information that were available in library references. The South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPSE) website was also extensively visited. Corporate websites for these companies were also visited. This project was compiled from discussion generated in our group during meeting in which information obtained by the methods mentioned above were extensively analyzed. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research topic we undertook reflected the social and economic reality of many countries. It no doubt is an indication of the future of many companies in Fiji itself. This project would not have been possible without the contribution of the following authorities and individuals for providing us with latest information and their views on social and environmental reporting. We are very appreciative to: Mr. Tevita Veituna Our Tutor Mr. Nacanieli Rika The Course Co-coordinator Mr. Napolioni Batimala à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Audit Manager (PWC) The organizations and individuals who have contributed information We would like to take this opportunity to thank anyone else who contributed towards the project in any way possible. DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY We, Rieaz, Moreen, Priya and Zafeen hereby declare that the information presented in this project is our original work and correct to date. All the working papers especially used in the literature review or in guidance of this project are clearly referenced in the bibliography with in text referencing given after the various quotations used. RATIONALE With the emergence of many social and environmental problems globally including gender discrimination in the workforce, and excessive use of child labor, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the thinning of the ozone layer and global warming, deforestation, species extinction, waste disposal, energy usage land, air, and water pollution, usage of toxic chemicals, and resource scarcity together with the occurrence of significant environmental disasters such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Bhopal gas leakà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Lodhia, S., 2004: p.111) and the growing power of the media to air these issues worldwide together with the apparent popularity of vocal special interest groups such as Greenpeace and Amnesty International, has resulted in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“increased community attention towards the identification of approaches to deal more effectively with these concernsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?(Wilmshurst Frost, 2000). This is what the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (2001) has to say, A combination of growing awareness of environmental issues by the general population and increased non-governmental organization (NGO) pressure and activity has led many corporations to reflect on and revise their corporate environmental responsibilities. This heightened anxiety amongst the members of society over the adverse effects of business operations on the physical and social environment has culminated into what is referred to as social and environmental reporting, or synonymously, corporate social responsibility reporting (CSR). Social and environmental reporting as acknowledged by Deegan (2006) is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“reporting that typically involves the provision, to a range of stakeholders, of information about the performance of an entity with regard to its interaction with its physical and social environment, inclusive of information about an entityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s support of employees, local and overseas communities, safety record and use of natural resources.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? This seminar paper endeavors to report on the main issues concerning social and environmental reporting. Thus, it will seek to address the following issues in relation to social and environmental reporting: how specific accounting theories help us to understand it, its perceived benefits to the reporting entities and society and some alternative approaches to social and environmental reporting such as AccountAbility and Global Reporting Initiative. It is important to note that in Fiji, social and environmental reporting is voluntary in nature. Furthermore, the implications of marginalizing social and environmental reporting is also discussed together with suggestions on how this type of reporting can be strengthened. INTRODUCTION Conventionally, the accounting function of business organizations have been based on the accounting entity, measurement of economic events in financial terms and users of reports who are only concerned with the financial implications of entity on business position and performance. However, there has been emerging a new focus in business reporting in this era where there are now various stakeholders who are demanding information on social and environmental performance of entities to be disclosed as well as financial performance. These demands have increased pressures on entities to use social and environmental issues in the decision-making process. This is particularly vital for the South Pacific Island communities, which have been plagued by a range of environmental problems culminating in sea-level rise and unexpected climatic change in the Islands. These issues are also critical in Fiji and in recent years growing public awareness has resulted in closer scrutiny of the activities of the major industries that may be contributing to environmental degradation. The oil spillages in Suvaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s major industrial area, Walu Bay (Fiji Times, 19 April 1998; Fiji Sun, 2 Feb 2000) and many activities as such have provoked the need for appropriate environmental and social legislation in Fiji. Many companies throughout the world publish reports that discuss their economic, environmental and social performance. This evidently shows that companies today are now embracing sustainability as a corporate goal, rather than simply aiming for profitability. These practices represent moves towards sustainable development by these organizations, which require these entities to unequivocally consider various aspects of their economic, social and environmental performance. ( Deegan 2006 p.327) Such disclosure includes that in-printed form such as- Examples standalone environmental reports, triple bottom line reports, sustainability and annual reports. In addition information that is disseminated on the Internet via corporate websites. (Hooks van Staden 2007 p.197) These social reporting practices are often referred to as corporate social responsibility reporting, or sustainability reporting. The latter covers aspects of both financial sustainability and performance, and social and environmental sustainability.(Deegan 2006 p.329) The moral arguments for greater corporate social responsibility arise from the increases in size, power and spread of multinational companies, as well as an increased awareness of the impact of companies on the environment and local communities.(Adams 2004 pg.731) This increase in awareness has been brought about by the media, the Internet, and the action of non-governmental organizations. These social reporting practices are often referred to as corporate social responsibility reporting, or sustainability reporting. The latter covers aspects of both financial sustainability and performance, and social and environmental sustainability.(Deegan 2006 p.329) The moral arguments for greater corporate social responsibility arise from the increases in size, power and spread of multinational companies, as well as an increased awareness of the impact of companies on the environment and local communities.(Adams 2004 pg.731) This increase in awareness has been brought about by the media, the Internet, and the action of non-governmental organizations. Social and environmental reporting developed as stakeholders began to demand information on other aspects of an organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s operations, apart from their financial performance. Stakeholdersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ expectations and needs have extended to the entitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ social and environmental performance. These were in the form of widespread interest of stakeholders in terms of demand for social reports of entities, pressure from environmental lobby groups to increase environmental disclosures, and also the increased competitiveness of the business environment where stakeholders today demand more accountability and transparency from organizations, concerning the utilization of their resources. Our project will basically emphasize on social and environmental reporting by business firms. We will also shed light on the organizations outside the accounting profession namely, AccountAbility (AA) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) who are providing guidance on social and environmental reporting. It also incorporates the implications of marginalizing social and environmental reporting and how such reporting can be strengthened and effectively be incorporated by reporting entities. The various theories relating to voluntary disclosure are looked at, such as the legitimacy theory, stakeholder theory and institutional theory etc. How the information is reported and what implications it might have on the users of social and environmental information, in helping make decisions is also discussed. An analysis on some Fiji companies has also been undertaken to determine the extent of environmental and social reporting. However, social and environmental reporting in Fiji, is voluntary in nature to this day. THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS The different theoretical perspectives need not be seen as competitors for explanation but as sources of interpretation of different factors at different levels of resolution. In this sense, legitimacy theory and stakeholder theory enrich, rather than compete for, our understandings of corporate social disclosure practices. (Gray, Kouhy and Lavers 1995 ) Specific accounting theories help us to understand social and environmental reporting, by seeking to explain why many organizations publicly release information about their social and environmental performance, even with the general lack of regulation in this area. That is, it helps us understand what motivates entities to release this information voluntarily. LEGITIMACY THEORY According to Lindblom, legitimacy is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“a condition or status which exists when an entitys value system is congruent with the value system of the larger social system of which the entity is a part. When a disparity, actual or potential, exists between the two value systems, there is a threat to the entitys legitimacy.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?[1] This theory asserts that organizations continually seek to ensure that they are perceived as operating within the bounds and norms of their respective societies (which change over time), that is, they attempt to ensure that their activities are perceived by outside parties as being legitimate. Information disclosure is therefore vital to establishing corporate legitimacy.(Deegan 2006 pg.275) Under Legitimacy Theory, an entity would undertake certain social activities (and provide an account of this), if management recognizes that the particular activities were expected by the society in which it operates. It is part of their social contract, or as is often stated by companies, part of their license to operate. If an entity fails to undertake these activities that are expected by the community, it would be identified as breaching its social contract. This will result in the entity no longer being considered legitimate. Therefore this will have an effect on the support the entity receives from the society, and consequently its survival. Hence, success for an entity under this theory is impendent on it fulfilling its social contract. Lindblom, 1994 and Patten, 2000 state that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“according to legitimacy theory, social disclosure is a means to deal with the firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s exposure to political and social pressuresà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (as cited in Freedman Jaggi 2005). Those companies without much regard to environmental and social performance might find it faced with sanctions or explicit regulations imposed on them. In addition, they may also find it very difficult to obtain resources and finance or find the support of the community in which it works in the form of employee dissatisfaction. Legitimacy theory assumes that society will allow an organization to continue operations up until the firm meets the societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s expectation. And the firm generally meets expectations to avoid further government regulations on operations or bad effects on reputation. But if there are some expectations that the management feels are unreasonable, they may try to change stakeholder expectations or try to justify their actions. Legitimacy theory has been examined in numerous empirical studies with the results being fairly consistent in confirming the theory. For example the Deegan and Gordon (1996) study indicated among other findings, that there was a positive correlation between the environmental sensitivity of the industry to which the corporation belonged and the level of corporate environment disclosure. In addition, another study by Deegan, Rankin and Vought (2000) found that companies did appear to change their disclosure policies around the time of major company and industry related incidents. That is, social disclosure policies in the annual reports of companies tended to change when major social incidents or disasters occurred in the industry. However, legitimacy is not only achieved by the actual conduct of the organization. Legitimacy is gained as long as the society perceives that the firm is acting responsibly. But sometimes, the societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s perceptions are quite misplaced as information disclosures, which are vital to establishing legitimacy do not give an accurate account of the firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s activities. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“An organization may diverge dramatically from societal norms yet retain legitimacy because the divergence goes unnoticed.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?(Suchman, 1995, p. 574) So if society does not know that a firm is not acting ethically, then legitimacy cannot be threatened. Lindblom describes 4 strategies of legitimization that an organization can adopt. The firm may seek to: educate and inform its à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"relevant publicsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ about actual changes in the organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performance and activities. change the perceptions of the relevant public without having to change the organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s actual behaviour manipulate perception by deflecting attention from the issue of concern to other related issues through an appeal to, for example, emotive symbols change external expectations of its performance Hence, we can conclude from the perspective of this theory that, social and environmental reporting may be just a tool that entities use to legitimize or justify their operations. Particularly in the case of entities in industries which have extensive environmental and social impacts. For example, petroleum, oil or gas companies, tobacco producers, pharmaceutical companies, and manufacturing companies. STAKEHOLDER THEORY Stakeholder theory is concerned with how management addresses the various issues associated with relationships with stakeholders. In other words, it is how an organization manages its stakeholders. According to Freeman (1984), traditionally, the firms used the inputs of investors, suppliers and employees to convert inputs into usable outputs which customers use and return to the firm some capital benefit. By this, firms only address the needs and desires of those four parties which are investors, suppliers, employees and customers. Stakeholder theory acknowledges that there are other parties involved, including governmental bodies, political groups, trade associations, trade unions, communities, and associated corporations. This view of the firm is applied to identify the specific stakeholders of a corporation, that is, the normative theory of stakeholder identifies as well as examines the conditions under which these parties should be treated as stakeholders, the descriptive theory of stakeholder. The two make up the modern treatment of Stakeholder Theory. It attempts to describe, prescribe, and derive alternatives for corporate governance that include and balance a multitude of interests. In the ruling paradigm of corporate governance, those who invest their capital into any type of business, and those who risk losing their investment in parts or in total, have a right and a responsibility to govern the business they have invested into. Capital investors or principals either govern the business themselves, or they do so with support of agents or managers who they may appoint. One way to sum up the use of the stakeholder concept in the management literature and stakeholder theories is by reference to the framework suggested by Donaldson and Preston (22). It can be used in a number of ways, they identify a descriptive, and an instrumental and a normative aspect of stakeholder theory that can help understand and classify the different facets of stakeholder theory. They argue that: Stakeholder theory is descriptive as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“it describes the corporation as a constellation of cooperative and competitive interests possessing intrinsic valueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (p.66). This is also known as the positive approach. Stakeholder theory is instrumental since à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“it establishes a framework for examining the connections, if any, between the practice of stakeholder management and the achievement of a variety of corporate performance goalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? Lastly, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the fundamental basisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? of stakeholder theory is normative and involves acceptance of the following ideas: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“stakeholders are persons or groups with legitimate interests in procedural and /or substantive aspects of corporate activityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the interests of all stakeholders are of intrinsic valueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? The difference between the three uses of stakeholder theory is explained by the fact that they imply different types of claims and include different forms of reasoning for their justification. Positive (or descriptive) uses of stakeholder theory make claims to truth and are justified through constative discourses, strategic (or instrumental) uses make claims of effectiveness and employ pragmatic discourses, and normative uses of stakeholder theory can entail different types of claims (rightness, goodness) and be justified through different types of discourses (moral, ethical). However, this research report is limited to explain that the stakeholder theory comprises of an ethical/moral or normative branch also known as the prescriptive branch and a positive or managerial branch. The ethical or normative branch of the stakeholder theory basically deals with fairness, that is, to treat all stakeholders the same. While the positive or managerial approach focus more on the ability of the stakeholders to influence or be influenced by a company. It is primarily a theory of the private-sector firm although the insights can be applied in parts to public sector settings. This is due to the circumstance that public management responsibilities are similar to private sector management tasks not only formally but also concerning the rising network nature of organizations in both spheres. It gives a more refined solution by referring to particular groups within society, that is, stakeholder groups while the Legitimacy theory discusses the expectations of society in general. Stakeholder theory recognises that as different stakeholder groups will have different opinions about how an organization should carry out its operations, there will be a variety of social contracts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"negotiatedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ with different stakeholder groups, instead of one contract with society in general. Stakeholder Theory (Normative/Ethical Perspective): The ethical or normative branch of Stakeholder theory argues that all stakeholders have the right to be treated fairly by an organization, regardless of the resources that they individually control or how economically powerful they are. Therefore organizations should consider the rights of all parties affected by the operation of the entity. The definition of stakeholders in this case would include à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s objectivesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (Freeman 1984). Stakeholder Theory (Positive/Managerial Perspective): The managerial or positive branch of stakeholder theory predicts that management is more likely to focus on meeting the expectations of powerful stakeholders. These are those that have the greatest potential to influence the firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ability to generate profits, that is have the most economic power and influence over the firm. Under this perspective, management would be expected to undertake those economic, social and environmental activities expected by the powerful stakeholders, and also provide an account of these activities to these stakeholders. (Deegan 2006 p.298) Defining Stakeholders A stakeholder in an organization is by definition any identifiable group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organizations objective (Freeman, 1984: 25). As a broad definition this includes many individuals or organizations for instance, governments, shareholders, creditors, employees and their families, local charities, local communities, media and so forth. It also allows the inclusion of groups such as terrorists and competitors (Phillips, 1997). For clarity this dilemma can partly be resolved by narrowing the definition in a meaningful way, that is, to divide the stakeholders into primary and secondary stakeholders. By following Clarksons argument (Clarkson, 1994), Mitchell et al. claimed that the use of risk as a second defining property for the stake in an organization helps to narrow down the stakeholder field to those with legitimate claims, despite the legitimacy of their relationship to the firm or their power to influence the firm. (Mitchell et al., 1997, 857). Therefore, a primary stakeholder was identified as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"one whose continuing participation to the corporation is vital as a going concernà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. While secondary stakeholders were identified to be à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"those who affect or influence, or are affected or influenced by the corporation but they are not engaged in transactions with the corporation and are not crucial for its survivalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. According to Clarkson, primary stakeholders must primarily be considered by management, as they are essential for the survival of a company. Also, in order for the company to succeed in the long run, it must primarily be administered for the benefit of all stakeholders. This definition may be related to the managerial branch of the stakeholder theory that will be discussed later. However, with the focus on primary stakeholders; it is challenged by the ethical branch of the stakeholder theory that all stakeholders have a right to be considered by management. Critiques of Stakeholder Theory There have been a variety of critiques of stakeholder theory from many viewpoints. Weiss (1995) discards the descriptive and instrumental usage of stakeholder theory and comes to a conclusion that the normative use à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“probably might be too limited and has a too weak foundation to be considered as either useful or valid.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? Further critiques suggest that business interests are vital in both the identification of stakeholders and prioritizing their demands (Thomas, 1999; Banerjee, 2000). The stakeholdersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ needs and demands may be limited particularly where stakeholders groups have very different social, cultural and political agenda. A great deal of critique has been towards the level of engagement with stakeholders that is, little consultation instead of genuine dialogue and the exchange of ideas. That is, the stakeholderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s needs are not taken seriously. INSTITUTIONAL THEORY Institutional Theory is a relatively new perspective that assumes that managers of an organization will develop or adopt new practices (such as social and environmental reporting) as a result of a variety of institutional pressures. For example, managers may be concerned that if they do not keep up with other entities in developing new practices, they will risk disapproval from some of their economically powerful stakeholders. SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY According to Godfrey, Hodgson and Holmes (2003), social contract has been described as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the interaction between individuals or organizations within society through implicit or explicit boundaries of behaviorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?, where implicit boundaries are moral obligations and explicit boundaries are regulatory requirements. Therefore, the social contract explains the boundaries of acceptable interaction between participants in a society. The social contract is sometimes used to explain the behaviour of firms where productive organizations are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“subject to moral evaluations which transcend the boundaries of the political systems that contain them. The underlying function of all such organizations from the standpoint of society is to enhance social welfare through satisfying consumer and worker interests, while at the same time remaining within the bounds of justice. When they fail to live up to these expectations they are deserving of moral criticismsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? Thus, because of a businessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ social contract with stakeholders within a community, it is expected to perform only those actions which are desirable and beneficial to the whole society, rather than having to the investors only. This will give the firm acceptance from the society. Hence, management responds positively to environmental and social issues, because it has it has moral obligations to the society and failure to exercise care while carrying out their activities i.e. doing misdeeds towards the community will result in introduction of regulatory requirements to control management performance on environment and employee, for example. POSITIVE ACCOUNTING THEORY: Positive Accounting Theory predicts that all people are driven by self-interest. As such, particular social and environmental reporting activities, and their related disclosure, would only take place if they had positive wealth implications for the management involved. Therefore motives for social and environmental reporting can be a result of a reporting entityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s desire to maximize financial returns for shareholders and (or) managers by using social and environmental reporting as a tool to maintain and enhance the support of economically powerful stakeholders. On the other hand, it may also be a result of an entityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s desire to discharge duties of accountability for the social and environmental impact the organization (potentially) has on a wide range of stakeholders. LITERATURE REVIEW Historical Development: Non-financial disclosure existed in a variety of forms in corporate reports in periods long before the 1990à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s.Studies have found that such voluntary disclosure have existed for a number of decades. For example, Unerman (2000a,b) found evidence of social disclosures in annual reports of the Anglo-Dutch oil company Shell since 1897,with these disclosures becoming more prevalent from the 1950s.Adams te (1998) analysed UK banks and retailers from 1935,Tinker mark (1987,1988) and Neimark (1992) analysed social-type disclosures in the annual reports of the US company General Motors from 1916.Studies by Campbell (2000) and others have examined social and environmental disclosures in companies from the 1960s and 1970s. Thus, the development of social and environmental reporting in the 1990s was a development of non-financial reporting practice rather than a completely new phenomenon. (Deegan 2006 p.331). A review on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ Social responsibility and impact on societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? by Mohamed Zairi (2000) discusses the emerging commitment to address both environment and societal concerns, an area which is growing in terms of significance and proven to impact on business performances, reputation and corporate image. The observation made was that the world wide organizations have staged conferences to debate the relevance of social and environmental reporting on corporations and stakeholders. Also companies have started to make real headway in this area of reporting by proposing a framework that deals with social and environmental reporting and disclosing issues that concerns social and environmental reporting. According to Trevor Wilmshurst and Geoffrey Frost (2000) , they tried to analyze the link between the importances of, as stated by reporters of specific factors in the decision to disclose environmental information and actual reporting practices. They used Legitimacy theory as an explanatory theory of environmental disclosure. The legitimacy t

The Theme Of Father/son Relationships In Beowulf & The Song Of Roland :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

The Theme of Father/Son Relationships in Beowulf & The Song of Roland The representation of father-son type relationships in early Medieval literary works is a key theme early authors used to give their works more depth and meaning. Two works that use the theme of father-son relationships are Beowulf and The Song of Roland. In Beowulf, the relationship between Hrothgar and Beowulf is one in which there is no actual blood father-son tie, but the two characters take on all the characteristics of a real father son relationship. Hrothgar, although Beowulf's senior, has to rely on this new warrior who comes to Heorot to help him rid his kingdom of a great danger which he can not get rid of by himself, and Hrothgar treats him as if he were his own son. In The Song of Roland, Charles' relationship with his nephew Roland also takes on the characteristics of a father-son type relationship. In this work, although Charles is the better warrior than Roland, he relies on Roland to watch the rear guard of his army and Roland loses his life while serving his King. The significance of these inter-generational relationships will be looked at in this paper, as well as what the authors through the guise of these father-son relationships were trying to say about various different aspects of life during their time. In Beowulf, the function of the relationship between Hrothgar and Beowulf helps to further the plot in several ways. Whenever there is a reliance on family in any literary work, it gives any story more meaning and significance. When Beowulf first arrives in Hrothgars' hall, we get a sense of the old and incapable state Hrothgar is in "old and gray-haired among the guard of earls" (Beowulf, pg. 62) is how he is first described. When hearing who Beowulf's father is he states in a joyous tone "I knew him when he was a child!..Well does the son now pay this call on a proven ally!" (Beowulf, pg. 62-63) Immediately there is a fond relationship here which will develop even further. When Beowulf claims that he is in Heorot to cleanse the people of the monster named Grendel who is plaguing them, Hrothgar is very grateful and he states "So it is to fight in our defence, my friend Beowulf, and as an act of kindness that you have come to us here!" (Beowulf, pg. 65) We see here that Hrothgar is indeed grateful to have the services of so brave a warrior. When Beowulf slays Grendel, the pride that the old Hrothgar feels towards Beowulf can almost be equated to

The Candyman – Dean Corll and the Houston Mass Murders

The Candy Man- Dean Corll and the Houston Mass Murders Victims: 1. Billy Baulch, 17 2. Billy Ridinger-survived 3. Danny Yates, 14 4. David Hilligiest, 13 5. Donald Waldrop, 15 6. Frank Anthony Aguirre, 18 7. Gregory Malley Winkle, 16 8. Homer Garcia, 15 9. James Dreymala, 13 10. James Glass, 14 11. Jeffrey Konen, 18 12. Jerry Waldrop, 13 13. John Sellars, 17 14. Johnny Delone, 16 15. Joseph Lyles, 17 16. Mark Scott, 17 17. Marty Jones, 18. 18. Michael ‘Tony' Baulch, 15 19. Randall Harvey, 15 20. Rhonda Williams -survived 21. Richard Kepner, 19 22. Ruben Watson, 17 23. Steven Sickman, 17 4. Tim Kerley-survived 25. Wally Jay Simoneaux, 14 26. Willard ‘Rusty' Branch, Jr. , 17 27. Charles Cary Cobble, 17 28. Richard Hembree, 13 Facts: Dean Coril was a 33-year-old electrician living in Houston, Texas, who with two teen accomplices was responsible for kidnapping, torturing, raping and murdering at least 27 young boys in Houston in the early 1970s. Dean Corll was an electrician for Houston Power and Light, but most of Henley's friends knew him as the Candy Man, so named because he had labored for years in the candy manufacturing plant that he and his mother had once owned. Corll was famous for giving away candy to the kids. Coril had an odd choice of friends, who were mostly young male teens. Two, who were particularly close to Coril, was a 14-year-old boy named Elmer Wayne Henley and a 15-year-old boy named David Brooks. The three spent much time hanging around at Coril's house or driving with him in his van. That was until August 8, 1973, when Henley shot and killed Coril at his home. While in police custody, Henley began to tell about his relationship with Coril. He said Coril paid him $200 or more for each boy that he could lure to Coril’s house. After searching Coril's house, the police discovered a bedroom that looked as if it was designed for torture and murder. There was a board with handcuffs attached, ropes, sex toys and plastic covering the carpeted floor. Coril was furious when Henly brought his young girlfriend, Rhonda Williams over to the house with another friend, Tim Kerley. The group drank and did drugs until they fell asleep. When Henley awoke, his feet were bound and Coril was handcuffing him to his torture board. His girlfriend and Tim were also bound with electrical tape over their mouths. He managed to convince Corll to free him by promising to participate in the torture and murder of his friends. Once free, he went along with some of Corll's instructions, including attempting to rape the Rhonda Williams. Corll meanwhile, was trying to rape Tim, but the young boy fought so much Corll, frustrated, left the room. Henley immediately went for Corll's gun which he left behind. When Corll returned, Henley shot him six times, killing him. Over the next few days, Henley readily talked about his part in the deadly activity in Corll's house. He led the police to where many of the victims were buried. The first location was a boatshed Corll rented in southwest Houston, stall # 11. There police uncovered the remains of 17 of the boys Corll had murdered. Ten more bodies were found at various other burial sites in or near Houston. Altogether there were 27 bodies recovered. Henley confessed to knowing about Corll's brutal crimes and also participating in murdering one of the boys. Brooks told police that he had no knowledge of the crimes. When tried, Brooks was found guilty of one murder and sentenced to life in prison. Henley was convicted of six of the murders and sentenced to six 99-year-terms. Because Henley acted in self-defense, he was not convicted of killing Corll. The Crime Scene: Around 8:30 a. m. that Wednesday morning, the Pasadena, TX, police department got a telephone call from a hysterical Wayne Henley. Patrolman A. B. Jamison raced over to the address, 2020 Lamar Drive, a green and white frame house. Three teenagers, two boys and a girl stood in front of the house when Jamison responded to the call. The officer noted the . 22 caliber pistol on the driveway near the trio. Henley informed the officer that he was the individual who had made the call and indicated that Corll was lying dead inside the house. After confiscating the pistol and placing Henley, Williams and Kerley inside the patrol car, the officer entered the bungalow and discovered Corll's dead body inside the hallway. In custody, Henley explained that, for almost three years, he and David Brooks had helped procure teenage boys some of whom were their own friends for Corll, who had raped and murdered them. Corll had paid $200 for each victim he or Brooks were able to lure to his apartment. Henley gave a statement admitting he had assisted Corll in several abductions and murders of teenage boys, informing police that Corll had buried most of his victims in a boat shed in Southwest Houston, and others at Lake Sam Rayburn and High Island Beach. Henley agreed to accompany police to Corll's boat shed in Southwest Houston, where he claimed the bodies of most of the victims could be found. Inside Corll's boat shed, police found a half-stripped car, which turned out to have been stolen from a used car lot in March, a child's bike, empty bags of lime, and a box full of teenage boys' clothing. Police begin to excavate Corll's boat shed on August 8, 1973. Police began digging through the soft, shell-crushed earth of the boat shed and soon uncovered the body of a young blond-haired teenage boy, lying face up and encased in clear plastic, buried beneath a layer of lime. Police continued digging through the earth of the shed, discovering the remains of more victims in varying stages of decomposition. Most of the bodies found were wrapped in thick, clear plastic sheeting. Some victims had been shot; others strangled the chords and ropes still wrapped tightly around their necks. All of the victims found had been sodomized and most victims found bore evidence of sexual torture. On August 8, 1973, a total of eight corpses were uncovered at the boat shed. David Brooks presented himself at the Houston Police Station on the evening of August 8, 1973, and gave a statement denying any participation in the murders, but admitting to having known that Corll had raped and killed two youths in 1970. On August 9, 1973, police accompanied Henley to Lake Sam Rayburn in San Augustine County, where Henley had told police that Corll had buried four victims he had killed that year. Two additional bodies were found in shallow graves. Police found nine additional bodies in the boat shed on August 9, 1973. David Brooks gave a full confession that evening, admitting to being present at several killings and assisting in several burials, although he continued to deny any direct participation in the murders. He agreed to accompany police to High Island Beach to assist in the search for the bodies of the victims. On August 13, 1973, both Henley and Brooks again accompanied the police to High Island Beach, where four more bodies were found, making a total of twenty-seven known victims. Rule: Sec. 19. 01. TYPES OF CRIMINAL HOMICIDE. (a) A person commits criminal homicide if he intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence causes the death of an individual. (b)  Ã‚  Criminal homicide is murder, capital murder, manslaughter, or criminally negligent homicide. Acts 1973, 63rd Leg. , p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg. , p. 1123, ch. 426, art. 2, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg. , ch. 900, Sec. 1. 01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994. Sec. 19. 02. MURDER. (a) In this section: (1)  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Adequate cause† means cause that would commonly produce a degree of anger, rage, resentment, or terror in a person of ordinary temper, sufficient to render the mind incapable of cool reflection. (2)  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sudden passion† means passion directly caused by and arising out of provocation by the individual killed or another acting with the person killed which passion arises at the time of the offense and is not solely the result of former provocation. (b)  Ã‚  A person commits an offense if he: 1)  Ã‚  intentionally or knowingly causes the death of an individual; (2)  Ã‚  intends to cause serious bodily injury and commits an act clearly dangerous to human life that causes the death of an individual; or (3)  Ã‚  commits or attempts to commit a felony, other than manslaughter, and in the course of and in furtherance of the commission or attempt, or in immediate flight from the commission or attempt, he commits or att empts to commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that causes the death of an individual. (c)  Ã‚  Except as provided by Subsection (d), an offense under this section is a felony of the first degree. d)  Ã‚  At the punishment stage of a trial, the defendant may raise the issue as to whether he caused the death under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause. If the defendant proves the issue in the affirmative by a preponderance of the evidence, the offense is a felony of the second degree. Acts 1973, 63rd Leg. , p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg. , p. 1123, ch. 426, art. 2, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg. , ch. 900, Sec. 1. 01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994. Section 15. 31: CRIMINAL SOLICITATION OF A MINOR (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent that an offense listed by Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42. 12, Code of Criminal Procedure, be committed, the person requests, commands, or attempts t o induce a minor to engage in specific conduct that, under the circumstances surrounding the actor's conduct as the actor believes them to be, would constitute an offense listed by Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42. 12, or make the minor a party to the commission of an offense listed by Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42. 2. (b) A person commits an offense if, with intent that an offense under Section 21. 02, 21. 11, 22. 011, 22. 021, or 43. 25 be committed, the person by any means requests, commands, or attempts to induce a minor or another whom the person believes to be a minor to engage in specific conduct that, under the circumstances surrounding the actor's conduct as the actor believes them to be, would constitute an offense under one of those sections or would make the minor or other believed by the person to be a minor a party to the ommission of an offense under one of those sections. (c) A person may not be convicted under this section on the uncorroborated testimony of the minor all egedly solicited unless the solicitation is made under circumstances strongly corroborative of both the solicitation itself and the actor's intent that the minor act on the solicitation. d) It is no defense to prosecution under this section that: (1) the minor solicited is not criminally responsible for the offense solicited; (2) the minor solicited has been acquitted, has not been prosecuted or convicted, has been convicted of a different offense or of a different type or class of offense, or is immune from prosecution; (3) the actor belongs to a class of persons that by definition of the offense solicited is legally incapable of committing the offense in an individual capacity; or (4) the offense solicited was actually committed. e) An offense under this section is one category lower than the solicited offense. (f) In this section, â€Å"minor† means an individual younger than 17 years of age. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg. , ch. 262, Sec. 79, eff. Jan. 1, 1996. Amended by A cts 1999, 76th Leg. , ch. 1415, Sec. 22(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Section 21. 06: HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT (a) A person commits an offense if he engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex. (b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Teamwork in Business Environment

Teamwork can be simply defined, â€Å"as a state of unity achieved within a group of people working for a specific economic benefit. † It is used to determine the coordination and cooperation of a business venture so as to attain the optimum output of the employees. All around the world we can find various organizations that work in business group having a fixed and well defined set of rules and regulations to ensure teamwork and maintain team spirit in the organization.Looking at the size and vastness of projects in an  organization, necessary work has to be broken down into different departments, even departments are not sufficient enough to handle the burden of work. Thus in departments there arises the need to make different teams of individual that are assigned a common target, so as to accomplish the organizational goal. A team that works together to share common goal stands out to achieve the goals. Teamwork helps in making the task more interesting with the social su pport and cooperation of the employees and hence improving their skills.NewspaperThe old tale of the Japanese samurai warrior takes a new life in today’s generation. The tale talks about the warrior making his sons realize that if they stick together no power can ever defeat them. Likewise, today’s executives consider that their ability to overcome challenges rests most upon teamwork. In today’s world it is necessary for a leader to work in a team so as to overcome the challenges he faces. Irrelevant of the leader’s rank, he or she needs to gather information, relating to the issue at hand, and consider others viewpoints in order to make an appropriate decision.A leader is always thought to be someone who is heroic and unaccompanied, but instead he is the one who works in a team while solving various problems. Gergern, 2007, here, considers Honoree Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense, America and United Kingdom’s former Prime Minister, T ony Blair. Krupp, being one of the best corporate leaders of America, could not do anything, to reduce carbon emissions, alone.It was the partnership that he, along with Jonathan Lash of the World Resource Institute, created with large corporations including General Electric, Duke Energy and DuPont, which was able to put intense pressure on the federal government to reduce carbon emissions. Believing that no country can alone handle climatic change, Tony Blair being a political leader states, ‘If the U. K. stopped using carbon entirely, industrial production from China would make up the difference in just two years.’Thus it is teamwork that helps leaders achieve success in their respective fields of profession. One’s business and well-being can only grow with the advice, support, ideas and help of his or her TEAM. It is very well said by Napolean Hill that â€Å"no man is an island† and no one can achieve its best or highest success if try to do it by itse lf. It is always amusing to hear that Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to scale Mt Everest, or that Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon.True, they were the individuals who raised the flag, but those achievements were not accomplished alone. Both Charles Lindbergh, the first to fly solo from New York to Paris, and Steve Fosset who flew around the world solo before his untimely death, did it in planes they did not build and with the support of thousands of people who made their flights possible. Every successful entrepreneur has dozens of people cheering them on. Every successful endeavor is the result of many people working in concert, giving advice, sharing the vision and encouraging us.Everyone needs his or her â€Å"companions† in success. If you do not have a â€Å"team† then it is very difficult to optimally achieve the task, and if you do not have a coach then you don’t know whether you are heading in correct direction or not. Remember Napolean Hill– â€Å"no man (or woman) is an island. † Or, as the Beatles put it even more memorably, â€Å"We get by with a little help from our friends. † TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) prides itself on the team’s excellent reputation, credibility and expertise.Academic JournalTeamwork is the most important virtue of a good team. It is the most basic requirement for the successful functioning of any organization. Most individuals work in a business environment that requires cooperative team efforts to successfully reach business goals. All business goals can be only achieved by teamwork and full co-operation of all individuals. This makes the ability to work in teams a critical skill set. It is a skill that is required by any one who wants to effectively contribute to an  organizations development.The recent trend towards leaner, flatter organizations, with fewer levels of hierarchy, places even greater emphasis on the need for cross-functional teamwo rk. Team performance completely depends on the synchronized efforts of the individuals who work in a team. A team that works together can achieve all goals in stipulated time, with 100% perfection and zero defects. The concept of teamwork becomes more important when people work in big teams.Also, teamwork and functioning of a team depend on the team leader. A team that cooperates with its leader and follows him can function smoothly; hence a team which works together achieves heights together. The skill of teamwork is very precious to all organizations; all organizations are always in search of individuals who can contribute to the development of a team. These days’ big organizations also organize special activities to develop team spirit within its employees; this benefits the employees as well.Working in a good team helps employees to concentrate better on their work, it leads to better working environment and hence better development of employees. Thus, teamwork is a skill , which is beneficial and necessary for the smooth functioning of any organization. Cooperation between individuals can only help an organization to successfully achieve its goals and good levels of employee satisfaction.Book Extract or ChapterAccording to today’s business environment, teamwork is a very essential part of every organization. Teamwork improves the quality and performance of the organization and provides job satisfaction to the workers. In an organization, teamwork is widespread and provides flexibly to the organization and shows improvements in the other important areas such as employee relations. Basically teamwork helps the organization to achieve its goals. Using effective teams fallibility can be achieved with provides a  better platform for the organization so that it can operate smoothly in this rapidly changing business world.Teams can only be efficient if it has better working relationship which can only be achieved, provided that working together as a combine effort can make an organization flourish that will also help in increasing job satisfaction and quality of work life. Teamwork will also reduce workload as the work has been divided and it is easy for the employee’s to work more effectively and this will lead to organizational benefits.Benefits of Teamwork:Providing social support to employeesEncourage cooperationMake jobs more interesting and challengingImproves employees technical and interpretation skillsWebpageTeamwork is becoming more significant in the workplace as companies have started to notice the benefits that co-operative efforts can provide. While teamwork has for long been present in the workplace with employees, only recently this has shifted towards the upper level management. One trend that has also recently picked up is the ‘lift out. ’ Companies have noticed that certain groups of employees who are exceptional succeed because of the team that they work with. A ‘lift out,â€℠¢ involves hiring a high functioning team that has worked together in the past.This has many benefits; one of the main being the new group ‘can quickly come up to speed in a new environment. ’ (Groysberg, Abrahams, 2006) Employees that have worked together often have fewer conflicts between each other, and each member of a group is aware of the other members’ strengths and weaknesses, making delegation of a given task much easier and more efficient. As a team grows together, having a variety of different strengths within the group allows the group to function as a single unit, capable of much more than individuals performing together.The longer groups work together, the more cohesive they become and their efficiency only increases. The first known ‘lift out’ occurred in 1946 when a Air Force Colonel took nine of his colleagues to the Ford Motor Company, and helped the desperate company pull through some difficult times. Since then, lift outs have bec ome more common, and today the companies have started to realize the full potential that lift outs can bring.While it may harm the company that lost employees, a lift out can be greatly beneficial financially to the company that’s hiring the team. The company can save significantly on training and acquainting the new group with each other, and can directly put the new employees to work. It is crucial in this day and age for firms to encourage teamwork as the internet has simplified communication and made interaction easier. A good team can be a great asset to companies as they increase efficiency while saving them both time and money.ConclusionAnalyzing the sources given above, we can conclude that:Newspaper article 1- Riaa Khurana: In today's generation all leaders, irrespective of their ranks, need to work in teams in order to achieve success. Newspaper article 2- Shantanu Aggarwal: Every business today can only grow if its members work in a team and solve the problems that the business faces by giving in their respective ideas and viewpoints. Academic journal- Akshai Puri: Any existing organization can only achieve success is it has the beneficial skill of teamwork.It is the cooperation between its members that helps the organization achieves their goals. Book extract or chapter- Gaurav Gandhi: Teamwork helps the organization improve its product and job quality. It also helps an employee get full job satisfaction and work efficiently by reducing his or her workload. Webpage- Vivek Talluri: Teamwork should be encouraged as a good team acts as an important asset for companies and helps them increase their productivity.

Bastien-Lepages essays

Bastien-Lepage's essays One of the most remarkable works in the 19th Century European Paintings section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is Jules Bastien-Lepages 1879 Joan of Arc (Jeanne dArc). Although displayed in a long hall featuring a number of other paintings, reliefs, and sculptures, it draws a certain amount of attention because of its superior size. (100 x 110 inches) Yet despite its large scale, it does seem slightly crammed in with the great amount of other works collected in the room. (A piece of this size should be shown in a somewhat grander fashion; isolated more to highlight its magnificence.) It is flanked by Alfred Stevens In the Studio and Alexandre Cabanels Birth of Venus on the left and right, respectively. Jeanne dArc seems to fit in with the works surrounding it, which logically all come from roughly the same time period. Paintings such as fellow Frenchman Pierre-Auguste Cots The Storm compliment it particularly well. As detailed in the accompanying text panel, the work was originally put on public display in the Salon of 1880. There, it could be viewed with a host of other pieces by critics and commoners alike. The subject matter of Jeanne dArc would have been of particular interest to the French people. Jeanne, a long-time symbol of French strength and heroism (and Frances patron saint), gained a renewed importance during the Franco-Prussian War. It is that striking depiction of Jeanne, in fact, which initially drew me to the work. When I first encountered it, the rendering of the female figure seemed anachronistically photo-realistic (to the point where I wondered what that kind of work was doing among Impressionist and Realist paintings). However, upon further scrutiny of the piece, I quickly realized that it was just Bastien-Lepages incredibly detailed technique on the representation of the life-sized woman, coupled with the contrast of the more i...

applications of technology essays

applications of technology essays A quote I heard many times when I was in high school and which I now know traces back to Sir Francis Bacon, one of our earliest scientist or philosophers as they were then called, is the statement "Knowledge Is Power." Today, I believe that the fuller, more correct statement is to say, "the application of knowledge is power." The study of science, and technology subjects will broader our opportunities in life. As we continue to advance to the 21st century- now lesser than 30 days away-we are well aware that technology is possibly the hottest industrial commodity around the world today. In the years ahead, it will be an increasingly critical factor in determining the success or failure of businesses. It is the fuel many of us are looking at to help us win this race to the 21st century. To do that, we should make technology matter. In this paper I am going to share my technology forecasts. I try to focus on my new forecasts a decade into the future - the first decade of the 21st century, because that is how far most businesses need to be looking ahead. There has never been a neutral or value-free, technology. All technologies are power. They evoke economic and social consequences in direct proportion to their dislocation of the existing economy and its institutions. I believe that technologies such as: biotechnology and genetic engineering, intelligent materials, the miniaturization of electronics, and smart manufacturing systems, and controls, will be the hottest technologies in the next decade. I am going to put together a list of what I think as the top ten innovative products that will result from those technologies. Number one on the list is something we call genetic. There are pharmaceutical products that will come from the massive genetic research going on around the world today. In ten years, we will have new ways to treat many of our ills - from allergies to ADIS. We may see the discovery of new methods of treatment...

A Beginners Guide to the Enlightenment

A Beginners Guide to the Enlightenment The Enlightenment has been defined in many different ways, but at its broadest was a philosophical, intellectual and cultural movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It stressed reason, logic, criticism, and freedom of thought over dogma, blind faith, and superstition. Logic wasn’t a new invention, having been used by the ancient Greeks, but it was now included in a worldview which argued that empirical observation and the examination of human life could reveal the truth behind human society and self, as well as the universe. All were deemed to be rational and understandable. The Enlightenment held that there could be a science of man  and that the history of mankind was one of progress, which could be continued with the right thinking. Consequently, the Enlightenment also argued that human life and character could be improved through the use of education and reason. The mechanistic universe – that is to say, the universe when considered to be a functioning machine – could also be altered. The Enlightenment thus brought interested thinkers into direct conflict with the political and religious establishment; these thinkers have even been described as intellectual â€Å"terrorists† against the norm. They challenged religion with the scientific method, often instead favoring deism. The Enlightenment thinkers wanted to do more than understand, they wanted to change for, as they believed, the better: they thought reason and science would improve lives. When Was the Enlightenment? There is no definitive starting or ending point for the Enlightenment, which leads many works to simply say it was a seventeenth and eighteenth-century phenomena. Certainly, the key era was the second half of the seventeenth century and almost all of the eighteenth. When historians have given dates, the English Civil wars and revolutions are sometimes given as the start, as they influenced Thomas Hobbes and one of the Enlightenment’s (and indeed Europe’s) key political works, Leviathan. Hobbes felt that the old political system had contributed to the bloody civil wars and searched for a new one, based on the rationality of scientific inquiry. The end is usually given as either the death of Voltaire, one of the key Enlightenment figures, or the start of the French Revolution. This is often claimed to have marked the downfall of the Enlightenment, as attempts to rework Europe into a more logical and egalitarian system collapsed into bloodshed which killed leading writers. Its possible to say that we are still in the Enlightenment, as we still have many of the benefits of their development, but Ive also seen it said were in a post-Enlightenment age. These dates do not, in themselves, constitute a value judgment. Variations and Self-Consciousness One problem in defining the Enlightenment is that there was a great deal of divergence in the leading thinkers views, and it is important to recognize that they argued and debated with each other over the correct ways to think and proceed. Enlightenment views also varied geographically, with thinkers in different countries going in slightly different ways. For instance, the search for a â€Å"science of man† led some thinkers to search for the physiology of a body without a soul, while others searched for answers to how humanity thought. Still, others tried to map humanity’s development from a primitive state, and others still looked at the economics and politics behind social interaction. This might have led to some historians wishing to drop the label Enlightenment were it not for the fact that the Enlightenment thinkers actually called their era one of Enlightenment. The thinkers believed that they were intellectually better off than many of their peers, who were still in a superstitious darkness, and they wished to literally ‘lighten’ them and their views. Kant’s key essay of the era, â€Å"Was ist Aufklrung† literally means â€Å"What is Enlightenment?†, and was one of a number of responses to a journal which had been trying to pin down a definition. Variations in thought are still seen as part of the general movement. Who Was Enlightened? The spearhead of the Enlightenment was a body of well-connected writers and thinkers from across Europe and North America who became known as the philosophes, which is the French for philosophers. These leading thinkers formulated, spread and debated the Enlightenment in works including, arguably the dominant text of the period, the Encyclopà ©die. Where historians once believed that the philosophes were the sole carriers of Enlightenment thought, they now generally accept that they were merely the vocal tip of a much more widespread intellectual awakening among the middle and upper classes, turning them into a new social force. These were professionals such as lawyers and administrators, office holders, higher clergy and landed aristocracy, and it was these who read the many volumes of Enlightenment writing, including the Encyclopà ©die and soaked up their thinking. Origins of the Enlightenment The scientific revolution of the seventeenth century shattered old systems of thinking  and allowed new ones to emerge. The teachings of the church and Bible, as well as the works of classical antiquity so beloved of the Renaissance, were suddenly found lacking when dealing with scientific developments. It became both necessary and possible for philosophes (Enlightenment thinkers) to begin applying the new scientific methods - where empirical observation was first applied to the physical universe - to the study of humanity itself to create a â€Å"science of man†. There was not a total break, as the Enlightenment thinkers still owed a lot to Renaissance humanists, but they believed they were undergoing a radical change from past thought. Historian Roy Porter has argued that what in effect happened during the Enlightenment was that the overarching Christian myths were replaced by new scientific ones. There is a lot to be said for this conclusion, and an examination of how science is being used by commentators does seem to greatly support it, although thats a highly controversial conclusion. Politics and Religion In general, Enlightenment thinkers argued for freedom of thought, religion, and politics. The philosophes were largely critical of Europe’s absolutist rulers, especially of the French government, but there was little consistency: Voltaire, critic of the French crown, spent some time at the court of Frederick II of Prussia, while Diderot traveled to Russia to work with Catherine the Great; both left disillusioned. Rousseau has attracted criticism, especially since World War 2, for appearing to call for authoritarian rule. On the other hand, liberty was widely espoused by Enlightenment thinkers, who were also largely against nationalism and more in favor of international and cosmopolitan thinking. The philosophes were deeply critical, indeed even openly hostile, to the organized religions of Europe, especially the Catholic Church whose priests, pope, and practices came in for severe criticism. The philosophes were not, with perhaps some exceptions like Voltaire at the end of his life, atheists, for many still believed in a god behind the mechanisms of the universe, but they railed against the perceived excesses and constraints of a church they attacked for using magic and superstition. Few Enlightenment thinkers attacked personal piety and many believed religion performed useful services. Indeed some, like Rousseau, were deeply religious, and others, like Locke, worked out a new form of rational Christianity; others became deists. It was not religion which irked them, but the forms and corruption of those religions. Effects of the Enlightenment The Enlightenment affected many areas of human existence, including politics; perhaps the most famous examples of the latter are the US Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. Parts of the French Revolution are often attributed to the Enlightenment, either as recognition or as a way to attack the philosophes by pointing to violence such as the Terror as something they unwittingly unleashed. There is also debate about whether the Enlightenment actually transformed popular society to match it, or whether it was itself transformed by society. The Enlightenment era saw a general turn away from the dominance of the church and the supernatural, with a reduction in belief in the occult, literal interpretations of the Bible and the emergence of a largely secular public culture, and a secular â€Å"intelligentsia† able to challenge the previously dominant clergy. The Enlightenment of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries era was followed by that of a reaction, Romanticism, a turn back to the emotional instead of the rational, and a counter-Enlightenment. For a while, in the nineteenth century, it was common for the Enlightenment to be attacked as the liberal work of utopian fantasists, with critics pointing out there were plenty of good things about humanity not based on reason. Enlightenment thought was also attacked for not criticizing the emerging capitalist systems. There is now a growing trend to arguing that the results of the Enlightenment are still with us, in science, politics and increasingly in western views of religion, and that we are still in an Enlightenment, or heavily influenced post-Enlightenment, age. More on the effects of the Enlightenment. There has been a lean away from calling anything progress when it comes to history, but youll find the Enlightenment easily attracts people willing to call it a great step forward.

Winston's advertising Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Winston's advertising - Term Paper Example Advertisements involve a number of techniques to attract consumers. Some advertisers focus on a particular age group and design the advertisement on their perception about what the people of that age group would like to see (Haase, 1931 pp 67-80). On the other hand, other advertisers use a different approach to target their customers. They make up a plan to target their customers by dividing them in the gender groups. Some also target the customers using a cultural diversification approach and target people belonging to a particular culture. There is a wide range of techniques which are used to target audience for different products. The common theme of those advertisements is the use of texts and visuals to attract the customers. Designing an advertisement campaign for children would require the marketers to use cartoon characters, colourful pictures and creative art work to attract them, whereas, such an advertisement would fail to grab the attention of professional people to sale machinery or equipments. Hence, the use of symbols, language and illustrations is of immense importance in targeting audience and increasing sales. This paper aims to analyze the advertisement of Winston Cigarette. The advertisement under consideration is published in various magazines like Popular Mechanics, Times Magazines and so on. The advertisement targets the teenagers and males aged between 20 and 30. The symbols, metaphors and textual details are all attractive to the male counterparts of these age ranges. The Role of the Media Used: The advertisement is published in Popular Mechanics magazine November 2004 (p. 41). Magazines are a great source of profit for the companies as they help in gaining and retaining customers. People like reading magazines in their spare time and go through the creative advertisements and try to avail the best product in the available resources. Moreover the promotional campaigns make the most of magazine advertisements which allow the consumers to avail their desired product with favourable packages or discounts. Magazine advertisements further help in directly targeting the target groups. For instance, if a business requires a marketing plan which is mostly encountered by children, children magazines and books may be successful in achieving this goal. Hence we can say that magazine advertisements are highly targeted to the desired population and may reduce the likelihood of being unsuccessful. If the advertisement is not creative enough to capture a large population it is still safe as it will reach to the targets view. The next advertisement may help reducing the losses of the existing marketing campaign. The advertisements by media are very important to get the message of the manufacturer to the consumers. Semiotic Analysis The semiotic analysis is helpful in evaluating the success of advertisements in capturing the attention of consumers by the use of symbolic and textual information. The symbolic features of an advertis ement also give some information about the product. The advertisement under consideration carry many features that worth an in depth semiotic analysis. Firstly the advertisements contain eye-catching pictures and excellent colour contacts to grab the attention of the consumers. The advertisement has made use of different font styles and sizes to make it look more unique. The use of font sizes and styles greatly depend on what the advertiser really wants to tell the customer and what is necessary or obligatory to include but not desired by the advertiser. The advertisement is designed for the marketing of Winston, a cigarette brand. This advertisement involves more textual features than the visual ones. It contains a number of creative and clever sentences that provide a sense of winning and uniqueness. Underneath the product image in this advertisement are the words â€Å"Additive free – Naturally smooth†. These tricky words do not mean that it is safe to smoke these c igarettes or they are not

The Corporate Manslaughter Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Corporate Manslaughter Reform - Essay Example This is but a logical consequence of the very nature of corporations' artificial personality in connection with what possible penalty they could be made to suffer. But the famous case of R. v. P & O Ferries (Dover) Ltd. 93 Cr App Rep 72 (or the famous Herald of Free Enterprise case) have challenged this idea and the courts' decision was to formally recognise that these corporations can be made criminally liable for manslaughter. This decision is taken to mean as holding the corporation itself directly criminally liable for manslaughter (as if the corporation have acted independently on its own to constitute mens rea and actus reus) aside from the individual liabilities of its directors or officers. The US Supreme Court as well in 1909 (along the same line of thought on corporate criminal liability) held that corporations could be held liable criminally for acts or omissions including failure of an agent acting within the scope of his employment. From here, there were recent cases which have stated that a corporation will be held vicariously liable for the illegal acts of its employees if the employees act within the scope of their authority and intend to benefit the corporation. In both jurisdictions (UK and the United States), corporate criminal liability is without question recognised. The Problem of the Second Element of the Offence in Government's Proposed Draft Bill Reform on Corporate Manslaughter Corporate manslaughter is a homicide for a corporation. This means that a natural person is made to answer for criminal liabilities as if it were a natural person being held to answer for the consequences of a criminal act. Taken from... The researcher of this essay states that it is but proper to mention some basic concepts of corporate criminal liability as a preliminary before taking up the crucial issues involved in the Corporate Manslaughter: The Government’s Draft Bill for Reform. Corporate criminal liability is one of those hotly debated topics. One issue that attracts much attention is whether a corporation should be at "fault" before liability is imposed, and precisely what "corporate fault" means. In other words, what liability standard should be required before imposing liability on the corporation. For example, should liability be imposed when the corporation is negligent, when it acts "knowingly," whenever harm occurs regardless of the "fault" of the corporation, or some other liability standard? This essay addresses this issue and provides some deterrence-based insights into the choice of liability standards for corporate crime. The researcher mentiones that there were recent cases which have sta ted that a corporation will be held vicariously liable for the illegal acts of its employees if the employees act within the scope of their authority and intend to benefit the corporation. In both jurisdictions (UK and US), corporate criminal liability is without question recognised. The proposed Corporate Manslaughter Law aims to tackle the identification principle by providing a new basis - a test that focuses on management failure at senior level within the organization instead of focusing on the negligent act of an individual employee.

How has the sociology of education helped you understand gendered Essay

How has the sociology of education helped you understand gendered issues in education - Essay Example Unfortunately, all these social progress appear void when we hear reports of gender bias, and gender discrimination within the educational institutes. The educational institutions and academicians are the beacon of social reforms, the forum and its owners kindle progressive and visionary principles to sustain and developed society. It is discouraging to observe these vocalists of social and human rights, negating these principles in their professional attributes (Praechter, 1998, pp. 178). The article has elaborated the contributing factors which have caused gender split among the young generation. The faculty of the academic institutions are involved in certain measures which provoke differences between males and females; the steps are although deliberate but such offensive measures are so common in our schools that no one bothers to challenge or restrict such offensive statements. The sociologists have complained against the curriculum being taught to the young generations; and alleged that the basic differences between female and male society are exaggerated and highlighted in these schools. Such teachings in later stages develop a sharp edge between the students and professionals from both the genders. It is suspected that educational institutions establish primary differences between masculine and feminine in their teachings, which eventually translate into social inequality (Maher, 2001, pp. 78). It is alleged that "traditional gender ideologies and present changing gender norms affect the way gender is taught through the hidden curriculum found within every classroom today" (Lloyd, 1992, pp. 86). The schools are accused of teaching gender norms, which is source of intensifying the gender inequalities, "education is one of the leading institutions that teaches and bolsters the gender inequalities". The research reveals that the

Business statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business statistics - Essay Example Population variation and mean are the true measurements while the sample statistics are estimates of these values but which hare still helpful in making conclusions about the whole population. This is a very basic introduction to the utilization of statistics and the tools that have been developed to help decision makers. While a bit dry, the topic has to be understood and utilized by all students of management sciences at both under graduate and graduate level. Examples and practical demonstration are much more helpful to visualize the concepts and practical usage of these tools. The limitations of the paper include an inability to discus hypothetical testing for mean and variance and degrees of freedom in detail; these would have provided a better insight on the probabilistic conclusions for population parameters taken from sample statistics. Further review should be done to discuss the results and methods of hypothetical testing and how these are used in the business setting. H.G. Wells once said ‘Statistical thinking will one day be as necessary for efficient citizenship as the ability to read and write’. In a diverse world, no two events are the same yet for rational decision making it is necessary to be able to predict with some certainty the probable events which can occur and then plan accordingly. Statistics is the science of making decisions by analyzing any given set of variable data. Descriptive statistical techniques allow the data to be represented in an easily understandable form with clear anomalies, patterns, relationships and expected trends apparent. These include Frequency  Distribution; Histograms; Boxplot; Scattergrams and Error Bar plots; and diagnostic plots. Qualitative techniques help in further analyzing and forming conclusions about certain sets of data through which important decisions can be made. For managers and those working in the business fields, they have to make many decisions which will impact the quality

Determining the Type of Anemia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 31

Determining the Type of Anemia - Essay Example Anemia is a disease that can strike an individual at any age while others are inherited from parents with the condition. It is also noted that some types of anemia are severe, incurable, and capable of killing while others are mild and can easily be treated. Therefore, it is important for an individual to keep seeking medical attention in case one suspects that he or she is suffering from the disease so that appropriate treatment can be provided.  Garrison (2009) reveals that there are about 400 types of anemia that an individual can suffer. However, the most common types are Iron-deficiency anemia, Pernicious anemia, Plastic anemia, Sickle Cell and Trauma-related anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia is considered the most common and occurs when the body cells cannot manufacture adequate hemoglobin. It is also common among women at the childbearing age and is catalyzed by menstruation and pregnancy (Garrison, 2009). Plastic anemia, on the other hand, occurs due to the inability of intest ines to absorb adequate vitamin B-12. Plastic anemia is mainly caused by the destruction of the born marrow by things like accidents or chemical agents. Sickle Cell is one that is hereditary in which the red cells become crescent-shaped. Trauma anemia is that which occurs when one loses large quantity of red blood cells at a go, especially due to an accident.By looking at the findings and symptoms that Mrs. A is showing, it is evident that Mrs. A is suffering from iron-deficiency anemia, which occurs when the body is not in a position to make adequate hemoglobin that contains oxygen. This is proven by the fact that her hemoglobin level is too low, at 8 g/dl. This resulted from the fact that she has abnormal blood cell as  revealed by physician’s findings which shows that she has microtic and hypochromic cells.   

Kingdom of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Kingdom of God - Essay Example One of the major messages that were sent by Christianity focuses on the afterlife of the believers. That is why it is important to explore the concept of Kingdom of God. First of all, one should note that it is not observable (Luke 17:20). In other words, it is not same particular part of the physical world. Another point that should be mentioned is that the Kingdom of God marks a new age in the development of the world. For example, in Luke 16:16 it is suggested that preaching of the new Gospel reflected the transition from old Jewish centered faith to new, international one. So, the actual appearance of the Kingdom will be a major event in the history of humanity. In Mark 10:15 it is stated that if people want to enter the Kingdom of God they should have a child like faith. This is particularly important since it suggests that many people should work on themselves to develop this kind of faith. It is quite obvious that one of the major characteristics of Kingdom of God is love which is the concept that is promoted by Jesus Christ (Mark 12:32). All this results in the understanding that the Kingdom will be based on Christian ideas. Finally, Kingdom of God will come to the Earth unexpectedly, as it was depicted in the parable of Ten Virgins (Matthew 25: 1-13). This means that people should be aware that every minute might be the last and act accordingly: refrain from sinning in order to get into the Kingdom of God.

Determining the Type of Anemia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 31

Determining the Type of Anemia - Essay Example Anemia is a disease that can strike an individual at any age while others are inherited from parents with the condition. It is also noted that some types of anemia are severe, incurable, and capable of killing while others are mild and can easily be treated. Therefore, it is important for an individual to keep seeking medical attention in case one suspects that he or she is suffering from the disease so that appropriate treatment can be provided.  Garrison (2009) reveals that there are about 400 types of anemia that an individual can suffer. However, the most common types are Iron-deficiency anemia, Pernicious anemia, Plastic anemia, Sickle Cell and Trauma-related anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia is considered the most common and occurs when the body cells cannot manufacture adequate hemoglobin. It is also common among women at the childbearing age and is catalyzed by menstruation and pregnancy (Garrison, 2009). Plastic anemia, on the other hand, occurs due to the inability of intest ines to absorb adequate vitamin B-12. Plastic anemia is mainly caused by the destruction of the born marrow by things like accidents or chemical agents. Sickle Cell is one that is hereditary in which the red cells become crescent-shaped. Trauma anemia is that which occurs when one loses large quantity of red blood cells at a go, especially due to an accident.By looking at the findings and symptoms that Mrs. A is showing, it is evident that Mrs. A is suffering from iron-deficiency anemia, which occurs when the body is not in a position to make adequate hemoglobin that contains oxygen. This is proven by the fact that her hemoglobin level is too low, at 8 g/dl. This resulted from the fact that she has abnormal blood cell as  revealed by physician’s findings which shows that she has microtic and hypochromic cells.   

Demonstrate the persistence of Wordsworthian ideal of country folk Essay Example for Free

Demonstrate the persistence of Wordsworthian ideal of country folk Essay Demonstrate the persistence of Wordsworthian ideal of country folk, childhood and natural education in the two texts that you have chosen. Critical Essay by Rachel Gowland. Wordsworth, as a poet of the romantic era, had several themes, which contribute to this title. This essay will be looking at these themes and discovering whether they have any relevance in the texts studied. These are, the Secret Garden and Goodnight Mr Tom. The preference for rural life and its people was at the height of fashion at the time of Wordsworth. Social reformers such as Rousseau talked about the noble savage and the rustic idyll was an accepted theme for artistes and poets alike. While the social revolutions may have changed by the time the texts were written, the ideals are still continued to some degree. Wordsworth had many sympathies with the victims and vagrants that wandered in the cities and the countryside. Many of his short poems were portraits of simple rural people, intended to illustrate the nature of these folk and their basic wisdom. Poems such as Michael (1880) have the characters almost fused with their natural surroundings. In Michael, patience and tenderness are the key features of the old mans character. There is strength and a natural affinity to the hills and fields in which he lived and worked. 1 The Secret garden is almost a glorification of rustic folk and their simple way of life. Mary Lennox first encounters Martha, who gives her glimpses of a simple life quite alien to her. Theres twelve of us an my father only gets sixteen shilling a week. I can tell you my mothers put to it to get porridge for em all. They tumble about on th moor an play there all day an mother says th air of th moor fattens em. (Page 32) 2 Through Martha, she begins to emerge from her egotistical former self. She starts to think about others rather than herself. Thank you. She said it stiffly because she was not used to thanking people or noticing that they did things for her (Page 71) 2 Martha appears a particularly content and dignified individual, who takes pride in her work and her family. She treats Mary as an equal in many ways and is amazed by Marys colonial pride. Marthas plain good sense is treated with respect throughout the book and her dialogues with Mary often bring about great changes in her young charges attitudes. It was not the custom that Mistress Mary should do anything but stand and allow herself to be dressed like a doll, but before she was ready for breakfast, she began to suspect that her life at Missthlewaite Manor would end by teaching her a number of things quite new to her. (Page 32) 2 Marthas is described as an untrained Yorkshire rustic who was not trained to be subservient and had no notion that she should be. In this way she becomes an emboldened character, who helps Mary to grow through her plain sense. Martha was obviously trained well by her mother who also is a rustic woman. She is almost the guiding hand in the background, helping Mary, and later Colin, to transform. Her wisdom shines through Martha and Dickon and all the principles held in family life. Hers is the good mother, the mother earth in Wordsworths poems. The respect for her and her kind shines through in the text as it does in the poems, through the voice of the narrator. She is again a considered equal in the narrators eyes to all who she comes into contact with. This makes it possible for her to contact Colins father and speak to him about his charges. I sent for you today because Mrs Sowerby said I ought to see you. (Page 112) 2 The idea of simple sense and country wisdom is proved right in the text. It is the uneducated, untrained folk in the text who can see through the external ugliness of Mary and Colins characters to the beauty that lies beneath. And it is the country folk who unlock these children from their past to an almost redemption. This celebration of rural life and the people can also be seen in Good night Mr Tom. The events that occur in Wills life in the city are overcome by the calm everyday life of the country and its folk. The main character in Wills life is Tom who exudes this country wisdom and good sense. Will takes to heart Toms thoughts when persevering with a new task like learning to ride a bicycle. He could hear his Dads words over and over again in his head. Takes yer time, everythin as its own time. (Page 291) 3 Tom guides Will through his life events, helping him to come to terms with all that life throws at him. This is in marked contrast to the ideas of the psychologist, Mr Stelton, whom they both encounter in the hospital when Will is rescued. Toms ideas of healing through fresh air, hard work and simple country life are in conflict with the ideas of analysis and treatment. Even the appearance of Tom as a gruff, solid but warm-hearted individual is different to the description of Mr Stelton. Tom was well into his sixties, a healthy robust, stockily built man with a head of thick white hair. (Page 10) 3 In contrast to The man was going bald and the hair that remained was of a thin texture. His skin was as white and shiny as a cloistered nun. He gave Tom a bland smile. (Page 217) 3 The psychologists educated ideas appear foolish in response to Toms good sense. As in The Secret Garden the figures of authority and city education are made to look ignorant in response to the wisdom of characters such as Mrs Sowerby and Tom. The characters in the village of Little Weirworld are full of warmth and sincerity, with a genuine sense of community that includes everyone in their midst. Their simple pleasures and way of life helps them maintain a sense of calm dignity and practical sense, even in time of crisis. When Mrs Hartridge received a telegram, it was with care and concern that the villagers arranged for someone to be there when she received it. This contrasts sharply with the lack of interest shown by the people in the district where Will originally came from. She keeps herself to herself. Bit of a madam. Thinks shes a bleedin saint if youll excooth me languid. She does night shifts so I dont never see her. I live next door yer see. Mind you, I dont arf hear some funny noises. Very funny. (Page 203) 3 Tom is ridiculed by the city folk for his accent and intention, but they appear very flippant and foolish when the full story is uncovered. Id like to git my hands on that women, the warden growled furiously. His pride had been shaken badly. It was embarrassing to have them think he didnt know his job. (Page 207) 3 Again, it is the simple country folk in the text who can see through the external ugliness and weakness to the beauty that lies beneath. And it is the country folk who unlock Will from his past. Wordsworth and his contemporaries, viewed childhood as a time of great innocence and joy. A time when new experiences are welcomed and emotions and senses are at there most responsive There was a time when meadow, grove and stream The earth and every common sight, To me did seem Apparelled in celestial light, The glory and freshness of a dream. (Line 1-5) 4 They viewed the child as a redeemer of the adult with their innocence and freedom of mind and spirit. In the Secret Garden, the children can be seen to hold the key to all wisdom. Martha plays an important part in helping Mary to grow into a whole human being. He wouldnt like me. Said Mary in her stiff, cold little way. No-one does. Marta looked reflective again. How does tha like thyself? (Page 61) 2 In the same way Mary then passes on her newfound wisdom to Colin and they both look to Dickon to expand their experience. It is Dickon who becomes the real redeemer. He exudes healthy childhood wholesomeness. A boy was sitting under a tree, with his back against it. He was a funny looking boy about twelve. He looked very clean and his nose turned up and his cheeks were as red as poppies and never had Mistress Mary seen such round and such blue eyes in any boys face. (Page 92) 2 He makes Colin believe that he can get well and walk. His positive calm attitude clears the gloom from Colins mind and he begins to believe in himself. When tha stops bein afraid thalt stand on em, Dickon said with renewed cheer. An thalt stop bein afraid in a bit. (Page 206) 2 Once Mary and Colin finally learn to become children again they can then redeem Colins father. He begins to wonder whether he can have a relationship with his son but has many doubts. Colin changes this by becoming a positive character that is not afraid of the future or his health any more. In this way he heals himself and also his father. It seemed actually like the laughter of young things, the uncontrollable laughter of children who were trying not to be heard. (Page 272) 2 And He said it all so like a healthy boy-his face flushed, his words tumbling over each other in his eagerness- that Mr Cravens shook with unbelieving joy. (Page 274) 2 The child as a redeemer can also be seen as a theme in Good Night Mr Tom. Will looks at Tom through the eyes of a child and as such does not see the gruff exterior that the villagers have seen for the forty years since his wife died. Will brings memories of his wife flooding back but with them comes healing. Tom stood behind him and stared over his head into the shop. He remembered how Rachel used to spin with delight in there. (Page 57) 3 Tom learns how to socialise again through necessity and becomes a member of the village community once more. Mrs Fletcher looked steadily into his eyes. His forehead had lost its old furrowed look. The deep pitted wrinkles had softened outwards. Behind his scowling manner was a kindly old man and if it hadnt been for the arrival of a rather insipid little boy, she might never have known, nor might anyone else for that matter. (Page134) 3 He responds emotionally to Will in ways that have been closed off for a long time. He called me Dad, he whispered croakily into the darkness. He called me Dad. And although he felt overwhelmed with happiness, the tears ran silently down his face. (Page 288) 3 In the same way, Will has his own redeemer in the shape of Zach, who teaches him to like himself and believe in his own abilities. As Martha and Dickon, Zach is a positive thinker who believes anything is possible. Will had lived all his life with criticism and blame, and Zach and Tom gave him back his self-esteem. Willie almost dropped the clod of earth he was holding. No one had ever said they liked him. Hed always accepted that no one did. Even his mum said she only liked him when he was quiet and still. For her to like him he had to make himself invisible. (Page 77) 3 In this way both Mary Lennox and Will are similar, in that they have to learn to love themselves before they can be loved in return or learn to respond to others around them. It seems clear that the theme of natural education is persistent in both texts. In the Secret Garden there is a distinct lack of formal education in all the children encountered. Mary had a series of governesses but learnt by her own volition, because she chose too. Her education almost begins again when she reaches Misstlethwaite Manor. Through Martha and Dickon she learns how to explore, imagine and play. She begins to discover the simple pleasures of play. The skipping rope was a wonderful thing. She counted and skipped, and skipped and counted, until her cheeks were quite red, and she was more interested than she had ever been since she was born. (Page 71) 2 At first alone and then with Colin she explores the garden and her curiosity and thirst for knowledge begins. The awakening of the garden itself mirrors her awakening. They learn through this almost holistic approach, that through the garden and nature they become physically, socially and emotionally aware. Again it is Dickon who inspires them with his positiveness and his knowledge. Dickon, has little formal education but has a wealth of knowledge which appears to be much more useful than the facts leant in a classroom. He is a pure Wordsworthian invention. Do you understand everything birds say? said Mary. I think I do and they think I do, he said. Ive lived on th moor with em so long. Ive watched em break shell an come out an fledge an learn to fly an begin to sing, till I think Im one of em. (Page 95) 2 His mind is unfettered and unspoilt by a formal education, especially one that almost encourages passive learning i.e., the vessels to be filled approach, over active exploration and discovery. Mary and later Colin learn to become independent and active thinkers. Colin saw it all, watching each change as it took place. Every morning he was brought out and every hour of each day when it didnt rain he spent in the garden. He would lie on the grass watching things growing, he said. If you watched long enough you could see the buds unsheathe themselves. (Page221) 2 This positive attitude to learning and education can also be seen in Goodnight Mr Tom. Will has a formal education, but has to grow in spirit to progress in the mind. Again its the positiveness of the people and surroundings that help him to a new confidence. Well begin this evening, he said sharply. That do? Wot? Learnin to read and write. Ill teach you to write yer own name for a beginnin. (Page 102) 3 His times of growth and change correspond to when he is with nature. He makes friends and begins to learn how to interact whilst picking blackberries. He becomes more relaxed and confident whilst on holiday by the sea. Again there is this almost holistic approach as Will improves physically, mentally and emotionally. He is able to express himself through art and then acting as his confidence grows. Finally through nature and physical expenditure he is able to come to terms with the grief and loss in his life. In both texts the children are changed by the country folk around them and the ideals and life that they uphold. These rustic folk become educators and healers through their wisdom and plain good sense. The children bloom through a newfound confidence and most importantly an acceptance of oneself. Once this happens they can then consciously and unconsciously redeem the adults around them. In these ways the Wordsworthian ideals are prevalent throughout the texts. Bibliography ENGLISH ROMANTIC VERSE;PENGUIN BOOKS;1986. FROM BLAKE TO BYRON; BORIS FORD; PENGUIN BOOKS; 1982. THE SECRET GARDEN; FRANCES HODGESON BURNETT; PENGUIN CLASSICS; 1995. GOODNIGHT MR TOM; MICHELLE MAGORIAN; PUFFIN BOOKS; 1981. ROMANTIC CRITICAL ESSAYS; DAVID BROMWICH; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS; 1987. BEYOND ROMANTICISM; ROUTLEDGE; 1992. LITERATURE, EDUCATION AND ROMANTICISM; ALLAN RICHARDSON; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS; 1984.