Monday, September 30, 2019

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Essay

There are many events in a person’s life that can be considered traumatic. Trauma can be easily described as a distressing experience caused by an event or physical injury. The symptoms that follow a traumatic event can include disassociation, hyperarousal, and avoidance. Some people choose to cope with their symptoms in many different ways such as substance abuse, medication, and/or therapy. When working with trauma there are many diverse forms of treatment. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing [EMDR] is one form of treatment that appears to be effective. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is a treatment used in psychotherapy to alleviate distress associated with trauma (Shapiro, 1991). During EMDR clients reprocess information while focusing on external stimuli such as, lateral eye movements, hand tapping, and audio stimulation. Francine Shapiro developed EMDR in 1987 after discovering that eye movements had a desensitizing effect on herslef, and also after experimenting she found that others also had the same response to eye movements. In 1987, Shapiro named this approach to treatment Eye Movement Desensitization. A case study was conducted to test the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization. The results indicated there was a significant decrease in distress and increase in confidence in positivity (EMDR Institute, 2012). When this treatment was first discovered it was reported it serves to decrease anxiety and did not claim to eliminate all posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Gaining feedback from clients and clinicians this treatment continued to develop. In 1991 reprocessing was added to eye movement desensitization creating EMDR. Adding reprocessing was to reflect the insights and cognitive changes that occurred during treatment and to identify the information processing theory (that Shapiro developed) to explain the treatment effects (2012). In 1995 the EMDR International Association was founded to establish standards for training and practice (Shapiro, 2001). There have been many studies published in regards to posttraumatic stress disorder and demonstrating the effectiveness of EMDR. EMDR therapy happens in eight stages. EMDR requires clients to think about the past, present, and future. The first phase is designed to obtain history and also to develop treatment planning. Obtaining history information can take one to two sessions or it is something that is continuous throughout therapy. Clinicians will discuss with the client the specific problem and symptoms resulting from the problem. The client does not have to give much detail in regards to history. Some people will share and give great information and specifics and there are others who are only comfortable sharing limited information. With the background information and history collected, the therapist will be able to develop a treatment plan that will identify targets on which to use EMDR (Shapiro, 1991). Targets are the events from the past that created the problem, situations that cause distress, and skills client needs to learn for future well being (1991). The second phase is preparation, it is important to explain the theory of EMDR and how it works. Establishing rapport to ensure clients are reporting accurate feelings and changes that are experienced during eye movements is helpful (Shapiro, 2001). The second phase of treatment the therapist will also ensure the client has several ways to cope with difficult situations. The therapist is able to teach different techniques of imagery and stress reduction techniques that clients can use during sessions. The techniques are used to rapidly produce change in emotional disturbances (2001). The client at this point is learning self care. The third phase is assessment, in this phase the client will select a specific memory/picture from the target event. At that time a statement is chosen that expresses a negative self belief associated with the event (Shapiro, 2001). The negative beliefs are verbalizations of negative and disturbing emotions that still exist. The common statements include I am bad, I am worthless, I am nothing, etc. The client then picks a positive statement to replace the negative belief. The positive statement should reflect what is appropriate in the present (2001). The client is then asked to estimate how true they feel the positive statement is using the one to seen Validity of Cognition scale; one equals completely false and seven equals completely true (Maxfield, 1999). Also, during the Assessment Phase, the person identifies the negative emotions along with physical sensations associated with the memory. The client is asked to rate disturbance on the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) scale, with zero reflecting no disturbance and ten reflecting the worst feeling ever had (1999). The next phase focuses on the client’s emotions and sensations as they are measured using the SUDs rating (Shapiro, 2001). The desensitization phase people reprocess past events while focusing on an external stimulus. This phase allows a chance to identify and resolve similar events that may have happened and are associated with the specified event/memory. During desensitization, the therapist will lead the person in sets of eye movement with appropriate changes of focus until his SUDs levels are reduced to zero or a low number. Another phase is the installation phase. The goal is to increase the positive belief that the person has identified previously to replace the negative belief. The goal is for people to identify and believe in their positive statement and scoring it high on the Validity of Cognition scale. After the positive belief statements and installation the next phase which is the body scan phase, the client is ask to think about the past target and asked to notice and focus on changes in body. The seventh phase is closure. In this phase the client is asked to keep a log during the week of anything related to the memory that may arise. The goal is to ensure that the client leaves feeling better than the beginning of treatment (Shapiro, 1989). It is reported if the processing of the traumatic target event is not complete in a single session, the therapist will assist the person in using a variety of self-calming techniques in order to regain a sense of stability. The last phase examines the progress made thus far. The therapist makes sure positive results on scales have been maintained. The reevaluation phase is vital in order to determine the success of the treatment over time (Maxfield, 1999). Clients may feel relief almost immediately with EMDR; however it is as important to complete the eight phases of treatment. The goal of EMDR is to produce the most comprehensive and profound treatment effects in the shortest period of time, while simultaneously maintaining a stable client. The beginning of EMDR appears to be similar to exposure therapy. There are several studies and reviews that have been completed to test the effectiveness of EMDR in treating trauma. EMDR has been found to be an effective treatment for trauma. It has also been found to work faster than other therapies (Cahill, 1999). A study done by Davidson and Parker compared EMDR to no treatment and compared it to other exposure therapies such as prolonged exposure (2001). This study explored thirty four studies on the effectiveness of EMDR in treating trauma. It was discovered that among the thirty four studies, EMDR was found to be effective with an effect size of . 83 when compared to no treatment. It was also found to be a better choice of treatment than other non-exposure therapies such as CBT which only had an effect size of . 55. Controlled efficacy studies report a decrease in PTSD diagnosis of 70-90% after three to six sessions (Chemtob et al. , 2000). EMDR has been compared with cognitive behavior therapy in past clinical trials. EMDR has also been compared with and found superior to a wide range of other treatments, such as relaxation therapy, biofeedback, standard mental health treatment in a managed care facility, and active listening (Maxfield, 1999). Evidence based support has led to EMDR being acknowledged as effective in the treatment of PTSD. Independent reviewers for the American Psychological Association reports EMDR and exposure therapy as empirically validated treatments (Chambless et al. , 1998). Also the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies designated EMDR as effective for PTSD (Shalev et al. , 2000). They noted that EMDR is more efficient than other treatments as it used significantly fewer sessions than behavior therapy and took less time (2000). Cahill found similar results in a literature review conducted. They found that as a whole EMDR is effective in treating trauma, but that it is equally as effective when compared to other exposure therapies (1999). Some studies also indicate that EMDR may be more easily tolerated by clients than other exposure therapies. In a study by Schubert, it was discovered the use of eye-movements in the EMDR process reduced the pulse and heart rate in clients (2010). This suggests a calming experience as the process progresses. EMDR has been extensively researched in the treatment of trauma survivors. EMDR has been tested with survivors of a wide range of traumatic events, using a variety of control conditions, in multiple types of settings, by numerous researchers (Maxfield, 2002). Research has also investigated the use of EMDR with victims of rape, physical assault, childhood abuse, natural disasters, accidents, and other traumas (2002). EMDR is a therapeutic technique in which the patient moves his or her eyes back and forth, while concentrating on the target event or memory causing distress. The therapist waves a stick or light in front of the patient and the patient is supposed to follow the moving stick or light with his or her eyes. EMDR is fast and rapid approach to therapy. While there are many supporters of this type of therapy there are many critics that believe EMDR is pseudoscience. It is suggested, wit evidence based information EMDR is an effective treatment. It is important to note that only clinicians who have received specialized training in EMDR are able to conduct it.

Implementing Diversity in the Classroom

? Running Header: Culturally Inclusive Classroom Final Reflection on Personal Growth and My Plan for a Culturally Inclusive Classroom Anna Novak July 27, 2009 EDUC 5173. 01 Dr. Gina Anderson Texas Woman’s University Final Reflection on Personal Growth and My Plan for a Culturally Inclusive Classroom When I first began this semester I thought I had a clear definition of what diversity was and what areas it encompassed. I believed that the term diversity corresponded with issues of race, religion and ethnicity. However, the discussion board assignments and the detailed chapter readings assigned throughout the semester soon broadened my understanding and notion of exactly what encompasses the term diversity. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. This is one of the fundamental concepts I learned from participating in this course. When I first began my journey in this class I had no idea the impact it would have on me and shaping my philosophy as a teacher. I initially considered this a â€Å"breeze† through course, believing that I had a firm understanding of diversity, and how to address it within the classroom. However, I soon learned that there was much I did not know about the levels of diversity, and how hard it would be to create an effective and practical diversity rich classroom. When I began this course and realized that several of my classmates were actual teachers or had some form of teaching experience, I immediately felt as though I was at a sort of disadvantage. I have personally never conducted a classroom, and have no practical experience. However, I soon realized that what I lacked in practical experience, I made up for with personal life experiences. I learned that being a child of military parents and the different locations I had lived throughout my life had given me a unique ability to see view points and issues from completely different perspectives. In fact, I think having never taught a class before presented its own advantages. One of the major ones was that I had the ability to process and assess all of the various ideas and theories that were discussed in depth in this course and apply them to my ever growing â€Å"teaching philosophy. I feel that this course, more so than any of my practical based courses, has allowed me to not only grow professionally, but as an individual as well. I am a better person because of this course, and I think its impact will be extremely beneficial to my future students. Before I discuss how I plan to conduct my own culturally inclusive classroom I feel that there is an important initial step that I as a future educator, and all educators need to take. Through all of our discussions and assigned readings I learned that there are a multitude of different variables involved in creating a cultural classroom and that it is rather easy to get sidetracked or bogged down in subject matter. However, one of the most important aspects I took away from all the readings, and one that I am sure many of us overlook, is the need for self reflection and evaluation, especially in the area concerning our own personal prejudices and beliefs. It is impossible to expect cultural understanding and respect from our students, if we as teachers and role models allow our own limitations are constantly undermining the process ( that whole â€Å"do as I say not as I do† philosophy will not cut it in the classroom). Teachers should mediate cross-cultural adaptations and they can do this only when they come out of their own cultural shell and alter their perception of others. As an educator this key step must first occur before I can even begin to think about creating a culturally inclusive classroom experience. Respecting and Valuing Diversity Throughout my teaching career I hope to instill in my students a sense of appreciation, understanding, and respect for different cultures and backgrounds. I want them to realize that each of them is uniquely different, yet surprisingly similar at the same time. As an educator I want everyone of my students to leave my class feeling a sense of pride for who they are and where they come from, no one should ever be ashamed of their background. However, to aid my students in this I will first need to know more about them, their parents, and their background. When the school year began one of the first things I would have my students do would be to share a little about themselves with the rest of the class. This would be a great way for not only myself to get to know them, but their peers as well. However, it is only fair that I extend the same courtesy to them as well. I would give them a little insight into my own culture and background, as well as some basic information. I would even allow them to ask me several questions pertaining to myself, as long as they do not cross any ethical threshold. So as to build my understanding and knowledge about my students and their background I would give them several forms and information sheets to take home along with their syllabus. One form would be a more form with more detailed questions about themselves, their parents, their concerns, and what they feel is their learning style. The other form will actually be a letter from me to their parents highlighting who I am, my experience, what I am expecting from their child, and how they may get in contact with me. Attached to this letter will be a form asking the parent or guardian to please set up a time to meet with me personally so we can formally meet and so they can discuss any concerns, issues, or anything else they think I should know. Creating an atmosphere of tolerance, acceptance, and caring would involve the whole class. When cultural differences cause problems it should be addressed as a group. The children need to be aware that it is okay to be different from others. By bringing the differences out in the open, it will open the minds of those students not yet exposed to cultural ifferences. I am a strong believer in a cooperative and open classroom, and I think students benefit form an education that they themselves are actively constructing and participating in. I think opening up a discussion on the first day of class and asking them what topics they wish to learn on top of the set curriculum would be extremely beneficial. Physical Arrangement of Classroom In terms of the overal l look and arrangement of the classroom, I am not particularly set. I believe that the room should be decorated in such a way that it reflects the various cultures of the students . I also believe that it needs to be aesthetically pleasing. This is one of the areas where I feel the students should have some say. While as a history teacher I will need to have maps, and important historical dates and people displayed throughout the classroom, I think allowing the students to choose aspects of their own culture that they wish to have on display would not only help in presenting an open classroom, but would help expose students to different cultures. I know that most classrooms are decorated to reflect the different holidays. However, since some of my students might not celebrate the same holidays, I would opt to set up a â€Å"holidays of the world corner. † Here several different holidays would be depicted, and I would ask to have a student explain the origin and traditions of the holiday, that way all of the class could celebrate. As far as the seating arrangement went, it would vary depending on the lesson. For lecture, media viewing, and exams I would prefer to have a traditional row set up or table setup. However, I strongly believe in group discussion, and I think it is a great way for students to think critically about what they have learned. For these â€Å"round-houses† I would organize the desks in a circular patters. Rosenfield, Lambert, & Black (1985) in their research state that â€Å"circles and squares indicate an open, sharing classroom. Students must face one another and cannot hide. Thus ensuring that their input will be heard† (103). However, their will be assigned seating, and when the time comes, assigned groups. Controlling who they sit with will broaden their exposure to different cultures. Additionally, I would utilize the jigsaw cooperative learning style within my classroom. According to Brown and Kysilka (2002) â€Å"students need regular and positive experiences with as many types of diversity as possible. Such experiences, with the guidance of the teacher, will help them to develop the lifelong skills needed to be a proactive citizen in the global society† (p. 17). This method would allow for the greatest exchange of ideas and respect the value of diversity within our classroom. Communication Communication is extremely important when it comes to learning, respecting and valuing cultural diversity. I want my students to know and realize that I fully intend for their parents to be able to participate in their learning experience. Throughout the semester I will provide parents with various newsletters and emails concerning upcoming events, the child’s progress, and how they can be involved. I will also allow both parents and students to set up any individual meetings if they so wish. I also want them to realize that I do care and want to know more about them, and I want them to feel as though they have some input into how the class is ran and organized. Powell and Caseau (2004) argue that in order for students to be successful they need to â€Å"feel that someone cares whether or not they succeed†. Furthermore Teachers need to â€Å"encourage all students to perform to their potential regardless of their culture† (65). However, Communication is not only what is spoken, it is also what is implied with nonverbal communication. I need to be fully aware that different cultures view forms of nonverbal communication such as eye contact, touching, facial gestures, and hand gestures differently. Curriculum One of the great joys of teaching history is that it allows for in-depth discussion and study of several different cultures and people throughout different period of time. Since my subject area is history and while I will be required to spend a great deal of time discussing the classical histories, such as Greece, Rome, England, and such, I would like to supplement my lesson plans with discussions on what other civilizations and cultures were experiencing at the same time, what advances were occurring, and how other cultures directly affected the birth of our own. To allow the students to further their own understanding about different cultures and provide for multicultural study I would like to have my students research a different civilization or culture and report on what was transpiring within their community at a pre chosen time. This will allow students to understand that other cultures and civilizations were still advancing and thriving during the emergence of our own. History is all connected. I also fully intend to introduce the oral history project that I created during this course. This will give students a first hand look at different cultures and will give them a chance to confront their own prejudices. Hopefully this assignment will aid in crumbling the stereotypes these students have concerning other groups, and will allow them to grow personally. Another key to developing a working classroom environment is to understand that a teacher needs to know what it is that they are trying to convey to their students (what they want to teach) and, and how they want to that (how they will teach). Since the times and the technology are advancing teachers need to constantly â€Å"update† their lessons, how they approach the lesson, and even what they know about the material. According to Morrison (2006) becoming an educator literally means becoming â€Å"a life long learner. In theory, the what you want to teach aspect is pretty straightforward, it is the how you teach it that is a little more complicated† ( 143). Not every child learns the same way as everybody. I believe that I need to be conscious of this and develop lessons and activities that present the same information, just in different ways. Instead of using the traditional lecture and note taking method, maybe I should use maps, charts, power point, video, audio, and hands on activities to ensure that each learning style is being addressed. This will ensure that none of my students are left behind. Assessment Assessment is a huge issue in today’s schools. While I agree that teachers need away to determine what level of understanding a student is at, and whether they have retained the information, I feel that there are several different ways to go about assessing. One of the major ways is through exams. While traditional multiple choice and true/false measure retention, I feel that short answer and essay exams help determine what concepts the student actually grasps, and shows different levels of critical and abstract thinking. Thinking (Boud & Feletti, 1997). I am also a fan of oral assessment. This is where I call upon a student in class to answer several questions pertaining to the current topic and I evaluate their response. This does not mean that I am always looking for the right answer, or what I perceive to be the right answer. If the student can fluently present their argument and use exerts from the reading or past discussions to support their claim then it must be taken into consideration and it also proves they are fully involved and is advancing. However, I will of course have to explain to my students that the standardized tests are looking for specific answers, and that they will be expected to know the â€Å"traditional† answers for this purpose. Another means of assessment is derived from the culturally inclusive lesson plan I created for this course. This major project, and others like it, are great ways of determining where your students are developmentally and grade level wise. Group projects and other team assignments are also forms of assessment. It is imperative that I utilize various means of assessment to ensure that the different learning styles of my students are addressed, and to ensure that I am not putting one group of students at a greater disadvantage/advantage over another. Conclusion While I am by no means fully prepared to or sure how to make a diversity enriched classroom environment, I do believe that I am on the right path. I know that I want my students to feel safe and secure in my classroom , and feel as though they can express who they really are. I do not want them to feel as though I do not appreciate or care about their culture, and I want them to know that they can speak openly with me with any problems or concerns they have. Lastly, I believe that one of the most important elements of my â€Å"working philosophy† involves simply loving what you do, and having fun while doing it. Approach each day with excitement and energy, this will make the day more enjoyable, and provide for a more welcoming environment. Students will enjoy being in your class and that will be reflected in their work. If you come to school with that excitement it is bound to rub off on someone, and the passion you bring to your subject matter will inspire your students to find the same love for it. References Boud, David & Feletti, Grahame. (1997). The Challenge of problem based learning (2nd Ed. ). London, England: Kogan Page limited. Brown, S. C. & Kysilka, M. L. (2002). Applying multicultural and global concepts in the classroom and beyond. Boston, MA: Pearson. Morrison, G. S. (2006). Teaching in America (4th ed). Boston MA: Allyn & Bacon. Powell, Robert G. & Caseau, Dana. (2004). Classroom Communication and Diversity: Enhancing Instructional Practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. , Publisher. Rosenfield, Peter, Lambert, Nadine, & Black, Allen. (1985). Desk Arrangement effects on pupil classroom behavior. Journal of Educational Psychology, 77(1), 101-108.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Theme in ‘Shakespeare in Love’

Describe one idea worth learning about in the text. Explain why it was worth learning about. John Madden’s Shakespeare in love is a ‘romantic comedy’ set in sixteenth century England. Through its two unfortunate protagonists, Will Shakespeare ‘a lowly player’ with writer’s block and wealthy Viola De Lesseps who dreams of ‘love as there has never been in a play,’ it explores the idea of ‘the truth and nature of love’ in the Elizabethan era.Madden portrays the harsh realities of the time through filmatic techniques such as dialogue, motifs and costuming to constantly remind the viewer throughout the film that the romance that is shared by Will and Viola cannot last in sixteenth century England. This is worth leaning about because as a 21st century viewer I become more able to appreciate the struggle faced by the two protagonists, especially Viola as a woman, in the name of love.Madden makes it clear to the viewer from th e beginning of the film Shakespeare in Love, that the truth of love in sixteenth century England which is based on the idea of marriage as a method of obtaining social or financial gain divides the two protagonists who are separated by the class system. Madden enhances this key idea through the use of dialogue in Will and Viola’s conversations. Viola is quicker to come to terms with the inevitable idea that their love is ‘too flattering sweet to be substantial. The two are living in a brief ‘dream’, which can only last until Viola’s marriage to Wessex. â€Å"Master Will, poet dearest to my heart, I beseech you, banish me from yours –I am to marry Lord Wessex-a daughter’s duty. † However Will and Viola continue to pursue their risky love, getting caught up in the romance and Will boasts to Viola â€Å"for one kiss, I would defy a thousand Wessexes! † As a twenty-first century teenager, the concept of a class system preventi ng two people who love each other from being together was new to me.However I admired and appreciated the two protagonists for going against the rules of society and seeing each other in secret trying to convince themselves that â€Å"love knows nothing of rank or riverbank. † Throughout the film we are reminded through the various recurring motifs, that Will and Viola’s love is one that will not last the expectations and realities of Elizabethan England. The river Thames is a constant setting focus in the film, being the large body of water that not only divides Will and Viola, but The Rose Theatre and The Curtain Theatre.The Thames is spoken of and shown in large establishing wide shots throughout the film. This helps to remind the viewers that Will and Viola are separated, not just by the river but the laws of society that forbid one of the lower class masses to love a wealthy upper class woman. â€Å"Oh Will, as Thomas Kent my heart belongs to you but as Viola the river divides us and I must marry Wessex a week from Saturday. † Often when Will and Viola are together they are shown with the river as a background always highlighting the rift that the class system has created between them, they can never openly be together.This is also shown in the extensive use of disguise used throughout the film. Viola dresses as a boy, ‘Thomas Kent,’ so she might act in Will’s plays. Will also disguises himself as a woman so he can go with Viola to Greenwich. This motif is an allusion to the play that Will Shakespeare would later write, Twelfth Night, but its main purpose is to remind us that in order to be together in public they must appear as disguised forms of themselves, they cannot openly declare their love. The only occasion when Will and Viola can express their love for each other in public is in the opening performance of Will’s new play Romeo and Juliet.This shows the viewer that only in the theatrical world can th ese two really be together, this was interesting to see as the nature of love in sixteenth century England means that the two protagonists will fall in love but the truth of love in this era means that if they are not from the same class in society then they cannot be together. It was worth learning about the risks Will and Viola take in order to try and fit into each other’s worlds as it made me invest much more emotion into their relationship.Shakespeare in Love won an academy award for its use of costuming in the film, which is reflected when we see Viola throughout the film. She is dressed immaculately in elaborate gowns with intricate beading often shown in regal colours such as red and gold which highlight her wealth and status and remind the viewer that she is too above Will for their relationship to be acceptable in Elizabethan society. This is contrasted when we first see Will, he is clearly one of the masses in his worn workman boots, plain white hirt and ink staine d hands. He relies on his words for a living. Viola and Will are from separate worlds and are only equals in the opening performance of Romeo and Juliet where Will is dressed in equal amounts of finery as Viola. This shows that only in the make-believe world of the theatre can these two be equal and accepted. The idea that they cannot marry each other even though they are in love is hard to grasp in the modern day and is the reason why many were unsatisfied by the ending of the film.However it is worth learning that â€Å"love can spring between a queen and the poor vagabond who plays the king. † We see Will and Viola defy â€Å"rank and riverbank† in an awe-inspiring way but we learn that despite their risk taking, there is not always a happy ending. An unfortunate life is particularly likely for Viola because as a woman, during this era she had fewer rights. â€Å"Will she breed? †¦Yes, if she does not send her back. † Women also suffered greater conseque nces if they were to be caught acting in the theatre.This was a foreign idea for me to be learning about because as a twenty first century girl seeing actors regarded as ‘two-a-penny’ in the Elizabethan era was strange and hugely contrasting to the celebrity status actors enjoy today. So it can be seen that the truth of love in Elizabethan England separates the two protagonists who are without control over their own relationships and life choices, a reality for the time that is hardly seen in twenty-first century New Zealand making this theme in the film almost alien to a modern teenage girl like myself.John Madden successfully portrays the constrictions of Elizabethan England and the trials Will and Viola must undergo to be together through his use of dialogue, motifs and costuming. Even the queen ‘cannot part a couple who have been joined before God† and it is worth learning that we don’t always get a happy ending in life. Theme in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ Describe one idea worth learning about in the text. Explain why it was worth learning about. John Madden’s Shakespeare in love is a ‘romantic comedy’ set in sixteenth century England. Through its two unfortunate protagonists, Will Shakespeare ‘a lowly player’ with writer’s block and wealthy Viola De Lesseps who dreams of ‘love as there has never been in a play,’ it explores the idea of ‘the truth and nature of love’ in the Elizabethan era.Madden portrays the harsh realities of the time through filmatic techniques such as dialogue, motifs and costuming to constantly remind the viewer throughout the film that the romance that is shared by Will and Viola cannot last in sixteenth century England. This is worth leaning about because as a 21st century viewer I become more able to appreciate the struggle faced by the two protagonists, especially Viola as a woman, in the name of love.Madden makes it clear to the viewer from th e beginning of the film Shakespeare in Love, that the truth of love in sixteenth century England which is based on the idea of marriage as a method of obtaining social or financial gain divides the two protagonists who are separated by the class system. Madden enhances this key idea through the use of dialogue in Will and Viola’s conversations. Viola is quicker to come to terms with the inevitable idea that their love is ‘too flattering sweet to be substantial. The two are living in a brief ‘dream’, which can only last until Viola’s marriage to Wessex. â€Å"Master Will, poet dearest to my heart, I beseech you, banish me from yours –I am to marry Lord Wessex-a daughter’s duty. † However Will and Viola continue to pursue their risky love, getting caught up in the romance and Will boasts to Viola â€Å"for one kiss, I would defy a thousand Wessexes! † As a twenty-first century teenager, the concept of a class system preventi ng two people who love each other from being together was new to me.However I admired and appreciated the two protagonists for going against the rules of society and seeing each other in secret trying to convince themselves that â€Å"love knows nothing of rank or riverbank. † Throughout the film we are reminded through the various recurring motifs, that Will and Viola’s love is one that will not last the expectations and realities of Elizabethan England. The river Thames is a constant setting focus in the film, being the large body of water that not only divides Will and Viola, but The Rose Theatre and The Curtain Theatre.The Thames is spoken of and shown in large establishing wide shots throughout the film. This helps to remind the viewers that Will and Viola are separated, not just by the river but the laws of society that forbid one of the lower class masses to love a wealthy upper class woman. â€Å"Oh Will, as Thomas Kent my heart belongs to you but as Viola the river divides us and I must marry Wessex a week from Saturday. † Often when Will and Viola are together they are shown with the river as a background always highlighting the rift that the class system has created between them, they can never openly be together.This is also shown in the extensive use of disguise used throughout the film. Viola dresses as a boy, ‘Thomas Kent,’ so she might act in Will’s plays. Will also disguises himself as a woman so he can go with Viola to Greenwich. This motif is an allusion to the play that Will Shakespeare would later write, Twelfth Night, but its main purpose is to remind us that in order to be together in public they must appear as disguised forms of themselves, they cannot openly declare their love. The only occasion when Will and Viola can express their love for each other in public is in the opening performance of Will’s new play Romeo and Juliet.This shows the viewer that only in the theatrical world can th ese two really be together, this was interesting to see as the nature of love in sixteenth century England means that the two protagonists will fall in love but the truth of love in this era means that if they are not from the same class in society then they cannot be together. It was worth learning about the risks Will and Viola take in order to try and fit into each other’s worlds as it made me invest much more emotion into their relationship.Shakespeare in Love won an academy award for its use of costuming in the film, which is reflected when we see Viola throughout the film. She is dressed immaculately in elaborate gowns with intricate beading often shown in regal colours such as red and gold which highlight her wealth and status and remind the viewer that she is too above Will for their relationship to be acceptable in Elizabethan society. This is contrasted when we first see Will, he is clearly one of the masses in his worn workman boots, plain white hirt and ink staine d hands. He relies on his words for a living. Viola and Will are from separate worlds and are only equals in the opening performance of Romeo and Juliet where Will is dressed in equal amounts of finery as Viola. This shows that only in the make-believe world of the theatre can these two be equal and accepted. The idea that they cannot marry each other even though they are in love is hard to grasp in the modern day and is the reason why many were unsatisfied by the ending of the film.However it is worth learning that â€Å"love can spring between a queen and the poor vagabond who plays the king. † We see Will and Viola defy â€Å"rank and riverbank† in an awe-inspiring way but we learn that despite their risk taking, there is not always a happy ending. An unfortunate life is particularly likely for Viola because as a woman, during this era she had fewer rights. â€Å"Will she breed? †¦Yes, if she does not send her back. † Women also suffered greater conseque nces if they were to be caught acting in the theatre.This was a foreign idea for me to be learning about because as a twenty first century girl seeing actors regarded as ‘two-a-penny’ in the Elizabethan era was strange and hugely contrasting to the celebrity status actors enjoy today. So it can be seen that the truth of love in Elizabethan England separates the two protagonists who are without control over their own relationships and life choices, a reality for the time that is hardly seen in twenty-first century New Zealand making this theme in the film almost alien to a modern teenage girl like myself.John Madden successfully portrays the constrictions of Elizabethan England and the trials Will and Viola must undergo to be together through his use of dialogue, motifs and costuming. Even the queen ‘cannot part a couple who have been joined before God† and it is worth learning that we don’t always get a happy ending in life.

Mice Of Men Chap 3 Analysis Essay

1) At first George tells the other, him and Lennie are cousins, this shows he is a bit ashamed of Lennie, and tries to find an excuse for looking after him. Later on when George and Slim are talking, George admits the reason how he became involved in Lennie and tells Slim a story about when he told Lennie to jump into the Sacramento River. Steinbeck describes this phrase as † George’s voice was taking on a tone of confession† Steinbeck was his readers to know that George regrets his actions and the fact that he has a â€Å"tone of confession† shows he isn’t proud that he has control over Lennie, instead he feels bad that he used his superiority in a destructive way. 2) When Lennie comes back into the room, Steinbeck describes the way he speaks as â€Å"breathlessly† when he says â€Å"He’s brown an’ white jus’ like I wanted†, Lennie image appears like a child, since just like a child Lennie is excited with the puppies. Slim is watching Lennie’s actions as he hides the puppy from George, which shows Slim Lennie’s lack of maturity. 3) Carlson is persistent in wanting to shoot Candy’s dog, on page 71 he says † ‘he don’t have fun’ Carlson persisted ‘and he stinks to beat hell'† This tells us that Carlson’s is manipulating Candy by making out the dog is really suffering and pretending to be compassionate when really he only wants the Dog shot because it stinks. Also since he thinks that the dog is better of dead unlike Candy is he realistic rather than sentimental and thinks it’s best for the dog that way. Then Slim agrees with George and says † that dog ain’t no good to himself† Slim also offers to give Candy one of the puppies, this shows Slim is caring for both the old dog and Candy and unlike Carlson isn’t wanting the dog to die because he stinks. 4) When Curley picks to fight with Lennie rather than George or anyone not as strong, tells us as readers a lot about Curley. Any other bully would be realistic and go for a smaller guy, yet Curley has a very strong and domineering personality but is also short which makes him resent himself for being short and takes it out on big guys- like Lennie. This is a way of Curley making himself look big, since he hates being the small guy. 5) When Curley and Lennie are fighting, Lennie at first lets Curley hit him even though Lennie’s in pain; he does this for George’s sake and doesn’t want to get into anymore trouble. Whilst Curley is hitting Lennie, Lennie cries for George’s help, he says â€Å"make um’ stop George† this again reinforces Lennie’s relations with George, we can see that he relies a lot on George when he needs help just like a child would. Curley decides to go along with the story that he got his hand caught in a machine, instead of saying what really happened. This is because Curley is ashamed of being the loser in the fight and doesn’t want people to know what Lennie did to him because it will make people think he’s weak.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Barriers to Accessing Health Care Services

In this essay I am going to critically analyse diversity within the National Health Service (NHS. I will briefly focus on barriers to accessing health care services in relation to age, race, disability, gender and culture and sexual orientation. I will consider the barriers which have unintentionally been put into place within different health services for both service users and members of staff, and the measures that have been taken in order to redress these issues by the government, NHS and Department of Health (DOH). Diversity is the inclusion of all irrespective of an individual’s age, race, capabilities, cultural background, gender or sexual orientation. The St. Helens and Knowsley NHS trust affirm this ideal describing diversity as, â€Å"Different individuals valuing each other regardless of skin, intellect, talents or years. † This is a quote the St. Helen’s and Knowsley trust have used from the Equality Act 2000 on their website to show their beliefs surrounding diversity. In society every individual is born differently, such as hair colour, skin colour, male or female, sexual orientation (depending on your belief that sexual orientation is genetic and not environmental), born into different religious and cultural backgrounds. As the U. K. has become ever more a multi-cultural society, issues such as diversity and anti-discriminatory practices have become ever more significant within our society. An individual who has been treated differently or received an unequal quality of service based on a preconceived idea due to a minority group they may identify themselves with have been discriminated against. Within the NHS these minority groups are known as characteristics, as in characteristics which help build an individual’s idea of their own self-concept. Since the Equality Act was up-dated in 2010 the NHS have not only included race, culture, gender, capabilities, religious beliefs and sexual orientation but also now include, pregnancy/ maternity, marriage/civil partnerships and carers as part of their protected characteristics policy. (http://www. nhs. uk). For the first time the law also protects people who are at risk of discrimination by association or perception. This could include, for example, a carer who cares for a disabled person† (http://www. nhs. uk) There are two forms which discrimination can take place the first is called direct discrimination. Direct discrimination is when an individual is treated differently usually negatively or unfairly compared to others based on the individual identifying themself with one of the above protected characteristics. Indirect discrimination is when a law, policy or procedure has been put into place, which applies to everyone, but this law, policy or procedure will disadvantage individuals who associate or identify themselves with the above protected characteristics. However due to organisations focusing too much on anti-discriminatory practice a new controversial concept of positive discrimination has begun to emerge, this is also being called positive/ affirmative action. Positive discrimination is where minorities or individuals, who associate or identify themselves with the protected characteristics, are given preferential treatment to others. An example of this would be two candidates who are both equally qualified for a job, however one candidate is a white, heterosexual male and the other candidate is a black, homosexual female, by positive discrimination the second candidate would receive the position. Positive discrimination can be due to pressure felt by the organisation to employ a diverse work force, to fill a quota to ensure the organisation cannot be accused of being discriminatory or historical guilt for issues such slavery. â€Å"The idea of positive discrimination came from the US where an ‘affirmative action’ programme has been used to try and ensure the make-up of certain workplaces reflects that of society. † (http://www. findlaw. co. uk) It has been suggested that the root cause of discrimination is due to prejudice. Prejudice is a stereotyped, pre-conceived idea of the way an individual or social group should portray themselves within society (Walsh et al, 2005). For example all Irish people drink alcohol excessively. â€Å"Prejudices can be a result of your own beliefs and values, which can often come into conflict with work situations. † (Pg. 194, Nolan et al, 2005). There are no laws in place against being actively prejudice, this is why the law concentrates against discriminatory practices. (Walsh et al, 2005. ) Ageism is commonly thought of as discrimination against the elderly; many nursing and health and social care textbooks affirm this belief, Kydd et al (2009, Pg. 49) state that â€Å"Ageism is the generalisation of old age as a social problem, this has contributed to the negative stereotyping and ageist practices in relation to older people. † However this is a false perception. Ageism can affect individuals of all ages, for example in 2004 the upper age limitations of free breast screening were 69, (http://www. imsersomayores. sic) however due to a growing older population this age restriction was raised to 73 in 2010 and the lower age limitation remained at 47. (http://www. cancerscreening. nhs. uk). Studies carried by the cancer research charity show â€Å"The 5 Most Commonly Diagnosed Cancers in Females, Average Percentages and Numbers of New Cases, by Age, UK, 2007-2009† (http://www. cancerresearchuk. org). Breast cancer is highest in both categories of women aged 2 5-49 and 50-74, however in the group 25-49 breast cancer was more prevalent by 10% (43%) compare to the 34% in the group of women aged 50-74. These figures show there is a need for the lower age restriction to be reduced. This NHS policy for age restrictions on breast screening needs to be reviewed as it can be viewed to be discriminatory towards women in the UK under 47 who are proven to be in need of this health service. Racism is the belief that one race is superior to another; (walsh et al, 2005) throughout history millions have faced discrimination and persecution due to this belief the most prevalent examples of this is in the Jewish community and the Black community. As the UK continues to become a more diverse, multi- cultural society racism continues to plague Britain. Penketh (2000, Pg. 7) affirms this by stating, â€Å"Black people are more likely to be ‘stopped and searched’, arrested, imprisoned and even to die in custody than whites. † Studies carried out by Unison, the UK’s largest healthcare trades union found that 70% of their non-Caucasian client’s employed by the NHS had experienced ‘racism or racial discrimination’ at work, some employees had experienced verbal abuse and physical abuse in relation to their race. (http://www. unison. org. uk). From this study the NHS have brought out an initiative to help eradicate racism within the NHS, part of this initiative is to have a better complaints and redress system in place, as three quarters of the employees in this study who experienced racism or racial discrimination were unsatisfied with the outcome when the incident was reported to their management. Disablism refers to prejudices against individuals who have suffered ‘mental, physical or sensory impairments’. In the past words such as lunatic, spastic and cripple were acceptable words used within health care settings as a way to describe an individual with specific needs. These terms are still rife within society today. (Walsh et al, 2005). Goodley (2011, Pg. 24) states â€Å"People with some form of impairment are likely to experience social disadvantage, a lack of opportunities and unfair discrimination. † Barton (2002) agrees with this as Barton theorises that individuals with a sensory, physical or mental impairment will at some stage in their life experience oppression in both institutional and individual forms, this can be due to absence of choices, barriers to funding, unforeseen deterioration in their impairment or general ignorance. Within the NHS discriminatory practices occurs on a regular basis despite programmes such as ‘Valuing People Now’ being released by the DOH in 2009, this was a three year strategy to help improve the quality of life for individuals with learning difficulties. This year MENCAP have released a report called ‘Death by Indifference: 74 deaths and Counting. ’ This report highlights the failings within the NHS to provide an equal quality of care for those with specific needs and learning difficulties. The main areas of failing that subsequently lead to the needless deaths of many patients with learning difficulties are failure to recognise pain, poor communication, diagnostic overshadowing, and delayed treatments, inappropriate DNR’s and lack of basic care. Throughout the report it is emphasised the lack of compliance not only to the Equality Act but also the Mental Capacity Act, in relation to DNR’s being allocated to patients without the consent or the knowledge of the patient’s family, friends or advocate. Again a major issue within the report is the NHS complaints and redress system in place. MENCAP,2012) â€Å"In this report we deal with the inadequacies of the NHS complaints process. On average it can take 18 months- 2 years to reach the Local stage, and between 2 years- 4 years to complete the ombudsman stage. † (MENCAP,2012, Pg. 7). Sexism is the belief that one gender is superior compared to the opposite sex, it is generally felt that women tend to be sexually discriminated against within society more so than men. (Walsh et al 2005). Within the health care profession a patient may express a preference in the gender of the health care practitioner (HCP) who provides their personal care (Smith t al, 2011). This is not to be seen as sexual discrimination against the HCP, by noncompliance with the patient’s request this can be viewed as discrimination against the patient’s religious and cultural beliefs. However due to under funding and under staffing with the NHS the ability for HCP to fulfil these requests has been compromised. â€Å"Modesty in dress and a requirement to be treated by a doctor/nurse of the same sex is also important in some religions. NHS staff should consider these requirements in order to preserve the dignity of the patient. However, it is not always possible or feasible to provide same-sex attendance, particularly without adequate notice that this might be an issue, and this should be made clear at the time of making appointments† (DOH, 2009) The Royal College recognise the need for a review within staffing levels within their 2011 report Mandatory Nurse Staffing levels, they also acknowledge the impact staffing levels have on a patient, they state, â€Å"There is a growing body of evidence which shows nurse staffing levels makes a difference to patient outcomes, patient experience, quality of care, and the efficiency of care delivered. (RCN, 2011). Within a female dominated profession such as nursing it is felt that males tend to be more so discriminated against sexually than females. A recent example of this on a national news level is the case of Andrew Moyhing, a male student nurse who won a sexual discrimination case against the NHS. He was told by a female staff nurse that he would need to be chaperone by a member of staff as he attached an electro-cardio machine to a female patient, due to ‘intimate care’ required . Mr Moyhing felt this was unfair as female students on the same ward were unsupervised when carrying out personal hygiene and intimate care on male patients. The Equality Opportunities Commission supported Mr Moyhing releasing this statement, â€Å"The Employment Appeal Tribunal was right to find that it was not acceptable to have a chaperoning policy based on lazy stereotyping, Male nurses are still seen as a bit of an oddity simply because there are so many more women in the profession than men despite the fact that so many doctors are male. † (www. ews. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/health). The charity ManKind this year released a report presenting the ‘Seven Challenges Male Victims Face’, it highlights various forms of sexism especially within statutory service such as the NHS, â€Å"Practically all training with in the police, NHS and local authorities is aimed at women as the victims, men as the perpetrators. † (See appendix 2). Cultural discrimination is when a s ociety does not accommodate or recognise the needs of an individual or group of people from a different religious or cultural background. As a society there will be expectations of what the ‘social norms’ are, what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. When an individual or social group show beliefs or needs that do not fit in with our own social norms they can be met with hostility and intolerance. (Walsh et al, 2005). â€Å"Cultural barriers can prevent, for example consideration of spiritual, relational or dietary needs that do not conform to traditional expectations. † (www. bridgingthegap. scot. nhs. uk). There are many areas of patient care which are can be jeopardised due to ignorance of cultural beliefs, examples of these which are emphasised in the NHS guidelines for cultural and religious beliefs are: Diet- many religions are restricted as to what types of food they can eat, and how the food was prepared, for example an orthodox Jew will not eat pork or any meal that has come into contact with a pork product, Muslims also have similar beliefs surrounding food preparation. Personal Hygiene- as mentioned before patients often express preference to the gender of the HCP who assist with their personal care. An orthodox Muslim will only wash in running water, therefore offering a basin of water to wash in may be seen as offensive. Palliative care and Dying- each religion has different views are to how a body should be ‘laid out’, when a patient dies the patient is given the Last Offices, if a patient is Christian a bible is also usually set in the room, however some religions find it offensive for anyone except the family to ‘lay the body out’. http://www. bfwh. nhs. uk). This is why more importance needs to be emphasised on patient admissions and filling in the ADL forms to the best of our ability, as it can prevent any future offence or discriminatory practices. As you can see in the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (see appendix one) spiritual needs are mentioned, however the contents of the ADL will vary from trust to trust an d all trusts do not include religion or spiritual needs. In the caring profession patients have shown signs of frustration, confusion and anger as their cultural beliefs are not met, over looked or ignored. (Leininger, 1991). Discrimination based on sexual orientation, Roper, Logan and Tierney identify sexuality as one of the ADL (Mckenna et al, 2008), within each NHS trust it varies as to what is recognised as an ADL. As you can see (appendix one) the trust I work for have not included sexuality. Many people within society see sex as a taboo subject and therefore find it a difficult topic to approach and discuss openly, however sexual health is a part of holistic health and should be taken as seriously as any other aspect of health such as mental, emotional or physical. The World Health Organisation defines health as, â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. †(WHO, 1948). Studies have shown that the homosexual community are greatly disadvantaged and are the least likely group that identify with the protected characteristics to access health services. There are a variety of reasons due to this such as, a patient may not be openly gay, when they do access health services a majority of the time assumptions are made the reason for accessing that health service is related to the patients sexual health, also when homosexuals do access sexual health services they feel a stigma of promiscuity has been attached to the homosexual community. (Dunn et al, 2010). In conclusion from this essay I have realised barriers to health service access are a key factor in differential health outcomes among population groups within society. WHO, 2001) Although policies and procedures have been put in place by governing bodies to decrease the occurrence of discriminatory practice, these policies are not always effective; they are only effective when they are enforced by the organisation. Within the health care profession we must always strive to respect an all aspects of an individual’s identify and self-concept (Walsh et al, 2005). Simple measures such as filling in an ADL to the best of your ability can be a preventative method to causing future offence, or discrimination to a patient.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Human Resource Management - Essay Example Human resource management strategies of Facebook Facebook is well known social networking service company that was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with his university roommates there are over 600 million users on Facebook. As at 2011 January, the number of employees at Facebook was over 2000, working in 15 different countries. It is difficult to explain the human resource management of Facebook, this is because of the nature of the company, the HR policies of the company and the management structure of the company (Anonymous, 2011). However, working at the company provides an exciting opportunity to the employees and provides room for innovation for those ready to test new ideas. Planning of employees The human resource management at Facebook Company has the duty of making sure that it plans well for the future of the company in terms of human resource. One critical aspect involved in planning is ensuring that the company has enough employees who will adequately serve the company and help it achieve its objectives. At Facebook, this done by selection and recruitment that allows the company to get the talent and skills it requires (Anonymous, 2011). Managing of human resources at Facebook Managing staff is not easy. There are many issues that comes up which the management has to deal with. However, with proper strategies and polices it becomes easy. As noted by Kotler (1996) there is need to fully maximize on the available staff. Facebook Company views human resource management in a more innovative way in managing it workforce, as opposed to the traditional way. Accordingly, the management has adopted techniques that allow the company to express it goals in a specific manner so that it can be understood by its employees (Baloun, 2006, p, 27). The company as well provides the required resources that its staff can use to successfully achieve their tasks. Thus, the company is able to successful its HRM techniques in way that promotes the goals and objectives of the company of leading in innovation. Training and development at Facebook Despite that fact that training of employees is very important, the company expects its staff to learn by themselves so that they become more innovative. The company has adopted an open and transparent environment. The HRM at Facebook understands that it has the duty to ensure that its employees fully exploit their potential in a positive and safe environment. Accordingly the company has provided a large open space office that promotes innovation (Home-Designing, 2009), easier communication, and better use of time, as employees do not need to work a far to reach the management. This highly motivated the employees. Employees are encouraged to think outside the box and come up with new ideas. However, the management is very good and supportive of its employees. Recruitment and selection at Facebook Recruitment of workforce is a very important activity in any given organization. This entails selection, administr ation, evaluation and performance as well as staffing. As explained by Kotler (1996, p, 96) recruitment and selection helps a company to get the right people in terms of numbers, skills and competency that needed. In line with the mission of the company of discovering excellent talent and providing good working environment to its employees, Facebook Company recruits the smartest

Friday, September 27, 2019

Edit Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Edit Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example According to Platt, the piece uses caricature images painted in different colors and showing the state of misery. Platt argues that the different colors represent different racial groups which seem to be in disagreements. In my interpretation of the artwork, the images are painted in yellow and brown color. These colors portray the existence of racial color between two groups of people. The yellow color represents the Japanese people while the other color represents the white westerners. Furthermore, it has been a custom for the westerners to refer the complexion of Japanese as being yellow. There is a similarity between my interpretation and that of Platt’s because the notion of colors used on the painting reveals racist stereotype in America. In his article Graves claims that Yellow terror artwork portrays chaos in a region consisting two different groups of people that are in disagreement. The author claims that there are Japanese images that look to be in a state of oppression. On the other hand, he talks of people in snake and rat images that represent the other group of people; the American people. Metaphorically, this implies that the group is poisonous and full of hatred towards the Japanese people. In addition, Graves talks of some Japanese with elephant ears used for spaying. This implies that the Japanese people feels that the whole structure of Japanese American society do not comfort them because of oppression. Upchurch claims that Roger Shimomura’s art work mainly focuses on the World War II Propaganda. The author argues that the ‘yellow terror’ artwork is an inspiration from the artist’s family history. According to the author, Roger was born and raised in Japanese American society. All the images included in the artwork are reflection of the negative experience he encounters in his childhood. During World War II the social groups were divided in terms of

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Essay - 2

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Essay Example Therefore, every organization or business should anticipate to be tangled in a merger or acquisition at some point in time. This is basically true for businesses or people living in America, where deal practices outpaces the rest of the world in terms of volume and size. This research aims at discussing various issues concerning merging, acquisition, and international strategies. Cisco Corporation acquires organizations that provide eye-catching technologies, goods, or market prospects and this has been a major growth strategy for this company. To assist merge this corporations quickly, constantly, and slight disruption, Cisco has developed cross efficient groups, distinct mutual philosophies, as well as developed value procedures. This well-organized method to integration permits Cisco the capability to attain speedily the value anticipated from the acquisition, among other benefits. Cisco consumers can learn from Cisco`s real world involvements in this part to assist upkeep the sam e enterprises requirements (Satu, 2012). Acquiring other organizations is a vital strategy for Cisco Corporation to quickly provide new products, reach fresh markets, as well as increase income. Cisco has acquired over one hundred and twenty organizations ranging from small startups to large, well-developed companies including WebEx. As it is noted, it is not easy to merge workers, goods, services, functions, as well as procedures of acquired organizations. With several acquisitions taking place every year, it became apparent that Cisco could not approach the amalgamation effort in an unplanned way, with diverse individual and activities affianced every time. Rather, acquisition incorporation required to become a standard way of carrying out business for Cisco workers. Cisco required an integration approach that would be dependable across the organization, repeatable for every new acquisition, and adjustable as Cisco start to obtain large originations with various functional strictu res. Cisco employed the strategy of standardization in order to determine whether or not this unification was a wise choice. Research shows that with Cisco`s standards for the IT substructure and components, it can implement its incorporation strategy much calmer because everybody knows what to do. All it has to do is to work on recognizing and determining the exclusions to the strategy, and that is a vast change for its capability to finish the incorporation rapidly and effortlessly. The strategy of standardization Cisco used in determining if the corporation is the best choice is a good strategy. This is because this strategy enables it to merge the new organizations in every of the organization`s major operational areas such as, information technology. Given the number of organizations that Cisco has acquired, it would have taken too much time to analyze every acquisition, collect Information technology necessities, submit an integration plan for approval to an IT supremacy group , and every time reinvent the several other duties involved in an incorporation. The manager of Cisco declared that they wanted to have a proactive strategy to incorporating

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Diffusion Theory of Innovation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Diffusion Theory of Innovation - Term Paper Example The French colonized other countries using a centralized system of governance in Paris leaving the countries without the freedom to deal with their local issues (Grier 319). The French government was also strict about the use of its own language in its territories and education was not in its primary agenda resulting in illiteracy of the people in the colonized countries. The British colonization used the decentralized form of government controlling the constitution and foreign relations of its colonies leaving the international trade, public lands, as well as trade surpluses under the control of the government of its colonies (Grier 319). The British also employs free trade agreement in its colonies and optimizes education of its people. The Spanish colonization, on the other hand, is the epitome of mercantilist government with strict restrictions on trade leaving no room for the colonies to bargain with other countries but only to Spain herself (Grier 320).   Bearing either positive or negative impacts, the people of the colonized country still has the authority and power on whether to accept dominion or revert to new perspectives that can bring socio-economic growth to their land more than what the colonizers have to offer. In this paper, the author demonstrates how colonialism affects the development process of the colonized countries. And also the author discusses the legacies of colonization on the macro level with references to specific economic situations or country experiences which depicts their score in development. The theory of colonialism states that there are two models to colonize a country, the mercantilist and the liberalist models. The mercantilist model of colonialism uses the central force of the state to control the assets of the country by instituting trade policies and tariffs, as well as controlling labor and wages (Lange, Mahoney, and vom Hau 1416).

Decision Making Software Analysis and Discussion Essay

Decision Making Software Analysis and Discussion - Essay Example It allows the user to input various possible scenarios to arrive at the best possible solution for each particular situation. Decision Lab allows for the complex computation of figures and further allows for organization of data into meaningful tables and charts. Several other possible applications include: entering multiple sides of an issue or points of view for a particular situation to arrive at best case outcomes; to input data relative to assumptions or hypotheses to understand needed actions and guidelines; input data to determine the most sensible steps to take; and to perform extensive statistical data manipulation with relative ease. Visual Decision recommends the product for a wide range of applications including strategic planning, financial analysis and credit analysis. The software was designed for use with Windows which has universal appeal and application potential since it can customized for multi use integration. Additionally, the software itself is not cumbersome to use and was designed in similar fashion as MS Excel which is widely used. This reduces the time to necessary to learn new software application. Decision lab is based on the PROMETHEE and GAIA methodology.

The Marketing Management In Hotel Industry Essay

The Marketing Management In Hotel Industry - Essay Example The reason why the author does this research is that of his interest in both subject quality manufacturing and HRM and also because he wants to improve the knowledge in both areas that he is interested in. For the manufacturing area the author has some knowledge and regarding HRM is due to the fact that the author is doing the Masters degree in HRM. Also, because the author is from the south UK, so he is interested in understanding how the HRM works in the UK. The author also would like to work and a HR department especially in the manufacturing industry. To achieve the above-mentioned aim, the author has set out two objectives that need to be answered. The first objective that the author state is: To find out how individuals with chocolate retail industry difficulties are treated by the hotel chocolates in the UK (i.e.: the application of the law on equal opportunities towards chocolate retail industry). ... In Chapter two the study continues with the Hotel Chocolat's' Growth in the UK chocolate manufacturing sector about the areas of this study. Next, in Chapter three the study continues with the Customer-Based Analysis. In Chapter four the study continues with the conclusion, recommendations, and statistical reliability and in the last chapter, the author suggests his own personal Recommendations be made in the area of research. Conclusion To conclude after taking into consideration these suggested recommendations, the Chocolat's functions will operate in a better way and a high level of performance will be introduced and the employees will be kept satisfied. What can be done is to recruit more full-timers because the Hotel will be able to invest more, for example in training. In the case where the hotel will have to recruit part timers, it must be ensured that these employees will sign a temporary contract for the summer period. This move will provide the hotel the opportunity to plan in long term in respect with the recruitments.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Litarary theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Litarary theory - Essay Example Sidney does not agree with Shelley that poetry is an expression of the beauty that has been expressed by the mind or the pet. Sidney says the poet use the creative power to invent a new world while Shelley believes that the impression touches the core of a person who prolongs the experience. Just as a child attempts to express himself through sounds and gestures, a poet tries to express the feelings of joy and happiness he carries as impressions the world has made on his mind. A poet first feels the happiness and then this emotion is expressed through the use of words and language, says Shelley but Sidney contends it is a new creation, new nature when the poet is in harmony with the Creator. What Shelley implies is that the beauty of the world is expressed through a poet. This happens when the poet delves deep within, appreciates the nature and its beauty. What springs forth from the inner self is the feeling when the mind is in harmony with the nature. Both however agree that the poet is in harmony – Shelly refers to it as harmony with the world, with the beauty, harmony with the impressions the world has made on him. Sidney says the when the poet exercises the highest power of humanity, he resembles the Creator. This suggests the poet is in harmony with the creator. Hence, what transpires is that a poet has to be in harmony for poetry to be created – call it the nature, the world, the beauty, the creator, whether it is the imagination or the real world. 2. Compare/contrast the mimetic theories of Pope and Wordsworth. Try to identify areas of agreement and disagreement in their discussions of how works of literature imitate or represent the real world. The mimetic theories of Pope and Wordsworth discuss the rules for the critic or the reader. Pope believes that since nature is unerring and unchanging, one should follow the rules of the nature while Wordsworth’s poems imitate the primary laws of the nature. Poetry has its origin in the orderly

Understand How To Lead Groups & Teams And Navigate Conflicts & Essay

Understand How To Lead Groups & Teams And Navigate Conflicts & Negotiation - Essay Example Understand How To Lead Groups & Teams And Navigate Conflicts & Negotiation Leader gives his priority attention to the internal and external customers and their wants or needs, he provide the resources, training and environment reasonable for work to his sub ordinates, he believed in continuous improvement in a positive manners, he encourage the collaboration between his team members and prefer to do work by mutual corporation instead of this working against each other in a team finally affect the future goals on which they are working, leader is a trainer of his team he help his sub ordinates to do their job in a better way, if there is a problem in an organizational environment due to the internal misunderstanding or due to the external factors he trying to cop upit and also get the precautions for the future operation that this mistake do not repeat in future, he trying to improve his communication with his sub ordinates and trying to remove if any communication gap between them he believe in to show by his own rather to communicate it to the sub ordinate s, he choice the resources on the basis of quality not the monetary reward, establish the good organizational environment or improve it and the leader know that who one give his best so he promote the individual reward as well as the team. Leadership is an important function of management which helps to maximize efficiency and to achieve organizational goals. Some of the points related to the importance of the leadership are as following: 1. A person who initiate the work, develop the policies and plans of achieving the goals and provide the guidance about from where to start work. 2. A person gives motivation to his employees by giving the rewards weather economic or non economic and gets his desired work from the employees. 3. A person is not just supervising the work of the employees he provides the guidance related to the work, to improve the efficiency of achieving the goals efficiently. 4. Confidence is one of the important elements which an employee has to express his through and explaining his ideas in front of others which helps to getting the goals. 5. The confidence in the employee is one of the necessary elements which and leader builds in his subordinates. Confidence is the inoculation to perform their liabilities to achieve objectives. 6. Management wants to perform their work through the people. When the environment is like the working environment this helps for the stable growth. Management has to pay attention the employee’s problem and solve them. Modern organizations are developing and shifting quickly and to develop effective strategies they need to hold change and growth. â€Å"Organization development is a wide application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development and reinforcement of organizational strategies, structures, and process for improving an organization’s effectiveness† (Cummings & Worley, 2009). When people with different nature, behavior and goals are gathered and start working together t o achieve the same organizational goals and objectives then due to their difference in the nature and personalities and differing in their individual objectives some kind of conflicts. Conflicts mean that when two different persons have different opinion on one task and they start making the arguments which are not healthy. To resolve these conflicts the role of the leader according leadership is very important. When a team formed to perform a specific task it have diversity different type of peoples bring different skills like knowledge, experience, values, attitude, behavior and point of view. Every person has to share his skills with others to do the work efficiently and effectively, they all have their own

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Metals in Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Metals in Sports - Essay Example Metals have gained one of the most diverse applications in sports today. Their qualities make them useful in the process of creating a range of sporting equipment. For instance, metals are used to make goals. Most goal frames are metallic in nature and the reason behind this is that metals possess a high density thus giving them the ability to resist movements, pushes and shoves during the goal hitting process. Metallic goals are common in games such as hockey, soccer, rugby, handball and many more. (Review Centre, 2008) These days, metals are being used to make bats, sticks and clubs. Bats are largely associated with games such as baseball. The latter category is a recent introduction to the game and it has generated a lot of heated debate about the limits and applicability of metals in sports. This is largely because bats are subjected to a lot of movement and are likely to make frequent contact with the respective players. The controversies behind the use of metallic bats shall be examined in subsequent portions of the essay. Certain clubs may be made (in part) of metals. However, most of the time, these clubs are composite items that require the good properties in metal to work hand in hand with other materials. Clubs are usually linked to the game of golf. In close relation to the latter use is the use of sticks in games such as hockey. ... In basketball, the rim that holds a net is metallic in nature. This is necessary so as to provide a strong material that can be used as a support for the heavy players making their pointers. In tennis and badminton, metals are also used as frames to support nets. This is largely because metals are easy to form and can therefore provide a firm shape against which players can play the game. The same qualities can be used to explain why metals are used in volleyball and fishing too. Tackle and rods are also made up of this material known as metal. This is because fishing entails the capture of heavy materials that may only be possible through the utilization of a firm and strong support that can withstand the weight of some of these heavy fish. Metals are particularly useful in the creation of protective sports equipment. Usually, these protective gears may be for the facial area, thighs, shins and many others. Examples of equipment that may be made up of these metals include Cup Thigh pads Shin pads Helmets Mouth guards Interestingly enough, metal can also be found in footwear. This is especially the case in sports that require contact with ice or water. In the process of making boards for surfing, it is common to find this material especially in equipments such as boards for snowboarding and skate boarding equipment. Because the latter materials require a certain level of smoothness and strength that is difficult to achieve with other materials, then the better option to choose in this regard is a metal. Gometals.com (2008) Metals are also particularly useful in sporting events that involve the use of skates. In ice skating and roller skating, metals are used to create the wheels or the skates that are essential for movement

Preferred management decision case study - Logistics of International

Preferred management decision - Logistics of International workers to Mitigate Ebola epidemics - Case Study Example Currently, some parts in West Africa are currently fighting the deadly Ebola virus that has so far resulted in the death of approximately 5,000 people. Many international organisations are sending their workers to help in offering health care services to people affected by these Ebola virus in the countries affected in West Africa (Baas, 2012; Bueche, 2004). International health care workers are playing an important role in ensuring that people in these regions are isolated to prevent further prevalence of the disease, and those already diagnosed with the virus get necessary medication before they are deeply affected (Parker & International, 2003; Hirschmann, 2007). In sending their workers to these countries, organisations are faced with many considerations before making his important decision in the interest of their workers and people in countries affected by the virus. This paper examines some of the management decisions that human resources managers in international organisations sending their workers to Ebola infected countries in parts of West Africa. It focuses in the effect that various management decisions over the welfare of its workers are being arrived at. As pointed, management of workers is an important function of human resource management in any organization (Gilmore, 2009). In this case, the organisation has to put the interest of its workers ahead of its functions. The organisation has to consider its future activities when deciding on the way to manage its workers in the face of the need to take care of people in the Ebola infected country. It is always important that an organisation focus on its future functions before deciding on the strategies to use in the management of its workers. Faced by the dilemma of sending workers back to the United States and the cost implications, the organisation has to consider some of the following important aspects. First, the health of the workers is

Monday, September 23, 2019

Social contract theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social contract theory - Essay Example Therefore in a political sense, the State is the representation of the means by which a group of individuals relate to each other out of the common will to live with other human beings in the community. Hegel views the State as the agent of true freedom for the individual. The basis of self consciousness in an individual, according to Hegel, lies not in his active thinking actions but in the active desires existing within the individual which are in negation. Hegel views self consciousness as desire and he believes that self consciousness can exist only through sublation in a referent other. The certainty of self and individual existence may be obtained through the gratification of the individual’s desires, however these are conditioned by the other; certainty exists only through the cancellation of the other, therefore if a cancellation of the desire is to be effected, there must be the other. (Hegel, 1967). Therefore Hegel does not view the individual a splaying a significant role in politics, except as a part of an institution, i.e, the State. The State is the form of inward self-expression of the people in an objective form. The validation of the individual would exist only in the form of recognition attained from others. For example, where individual ownership of property is concerned, such a property would belong to the person only to the extent that it is recognized by others, i.e, by the State. Being thus recognized by others symbolizes the individual’s struggle for recognition. The State in effect represents the subjective will of a collective group of people. Applying Hegel’s views, an individual’s nature is governed by desire and his self consciousness expresses itself in the form of the gratification of desires. However, according to Hegel, such gratification of desires can occur only in the context of some referent other, i.e, individual recognition is dependent upon recognition by others. In

Utilitarian and Kantain Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Utilitarian and Kantain Ethics - Essay Example Most humans act in a certain manner for their self-preservation and interests. Once an individual acknowledges and comprehends the fact that society as whole benefits and perishes more rather than own self-interests; chaos is eliminated and harmony is achieved. Utilitarianism theories are excellent in moral dilemmas as it enhances the scope of cases that it can manage. One can question this dogmatic approach to this theory. One cannot deny that it creates a solid foundation of benefitting the society as whole. However, utilitarian ethics ignore the struggles of people living in a micro level. One must acknowledge that minorities are essential part of society as they compromise. A prime example of this could be seen in this example. For instance, a train conductor is letting a bridge down for a train to cross. Suddenly, he sees his girls playing with the gears. Does he save his daughter or does he allow millions of people to be victims of death? These are crucial decisions that utilit arian ethics fail to answer. Similarly, Kant’s moral theory is not necessarily to focus in consequences necessarily, but rather focusing on an issue that should be done regardless of the burden it creates. The theory automatically assumes that an individual should naturally execute an action regardless of the consequences. An individual should commit to an action even it causes unhappiness and is not logical. This concept is extremely essential base on the fact that humans should not care if their actions are moral as long as they are ethical. For instance, one cannot blame someone else if they attempt to be nice but instead end up hurting the other individual. One must comprehend that that person had good intentions and meant well. Again, this is vital in the society that we live in because it creates diffusion and a moral viewpoint on conflicts and tensions that occur every day. Moreover, if the outcome that an

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Structural Frame(Jumeriah hotels ) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Structural Frame(Jumeriah hotels ) - Assignment Example All these committees are headed by a chairperson and they involve a chain of employees with defined functions. The investment and allocation committee is further divided into three committees including the asset management committee, the operations committee, and the development committee, all headed by a chairperson. The executive committee is also divided into three groups including the risk management working group, the medical services working group, and the fraud and ethics working group. Authority has been delegated to the executive committee by the board of director. The management committees operate under the executive committee that has delegated authority to them. The working groups also directly report to the executive committee. This approach to management has been effective for Jumeirah Hotels given that it groups individuals with specialized abilities and skills under a single department to uphold efficiency. Each of the functional units in the organization focuses on a particular aspect of the services in an attempt to ensure quality customer service (Daft, 2010, p. 104). The top management, in which case is the board of directors and the executive committee headed by a chairperson, coordinates all the functions of the different committees into a single cohesive effort towards meeting organizational goals (Jumeirah Group, 2014). This approach could be risky to the organization as the hospitality industry fluctuates rapidly, especially in the contemporary society. In addition, the organizational structure is efficient in environments wher e the business environment is not inclined towards updating or changing business operations. This organizational structure could be attributed to the success of the organization as it specific functions to different committees within the organization, all of which are aimed at achieving organizational objectives.

Psychological Effects of Technology Addiction Essay Example for Free

Psychological Effects of Technology Addiction Essay Technology is taking over all aspects of life. Education, work and leisure are all becoming increasingly dependent on being able to interact with technology. But what of the academic or career prospects of those who do not want to interact with this technology? Before taking this English 305 class, I tried to avoid computers as much as possible. I didnt have any interest in cyberspace such as chatting, email, and gender swapping. Through this class, I had a chance to contact others through cyberspace. However, I still have a fear of computers. I decided that I want to know more about computers and cyberspace. I will first discuss cyberspace, then I will discuss about technophobia. Its well known that people say and do things in cyberspace that they wouldnt ordinarily say or do in the face-to-face world. The virtual world is quite different from the real world. People cant see a person in cyberspace. People cant see a persons facial expressions and body language. The sensory experience of encountering others in cyberspace-seeing, hearing, and combining seeing and hearing is limited. For the most part, people communicate through typed language. In cyberspace, people will probably never be able to physically interact with each other. There are no handshakes, pats on the back, hugs, or kisses. The limited sensory experiences of cyberspace have some significant disadvantages- as well as some unique advantages as compared to in-person encounters. Since communicating only with typed text, people have the option of being themselves, expressing only parts of their identity, assuming imaginative identities, or remaining completely anonymous. Anonymity has a disinhibiting effect that cuts two ways. Sometimes people use it to act out some unpleasant need or emotion, often by abusing other people. Anonymity also allows them to be honest and open about some personal issue that they could not discuss in a face-to-face encounter. Sitting quiet and staring at the computer monitor can bring a person to an altered state of consciousness. Some people experience a blending of their mind with that of the other person. Some people experience a state of consciousness that resembles dreams. These altered and dream-like states of consciousness in cyberspace may account for why the Internet is so attractive for some people. It might also help explain some forms of computer and cyberspace addiction. In cyberspace, birds of a feather easily can flock together. Support groups  devoted to helping people with their problems can be a very beneficial feature of cyberspace. For people with antisocial motivations, thats a very negative feature of cyberspace. In most cases, everyone in cyberspace has an equal opportunity to voice his or her opinion. Everyone, regardless of status, wealth, race, gender, etc. starts off on a level playing field. Some people call this the net democracy. Although ones status in the outside world ultimately will have some impact on ones life in cyberspace, there is some truth to this net democracy ideal. Now, I want to write about technophobia, which is a resistance to talking about computers or even thinking about computers. Although technology is taking over all aspects of life, there are up to half of the population is technophobic, possessing negative opinions about, or having anxiety towards, information technology such as personal computers. I found a study the book, Technophobia (Mark J. Brosnan). Thirty-seven per cent of the general public report regularly using a personal computer, a far higher percentage than mobile phones, electronic organizers, pagers, modems, etc. (MORI, 1996). When the factors of anxiety and attitude, or, more specially, of computer anxiety and computer attitude, are combined, the concept of computer phobia indeed begins to emerge. Since I was a technophobic person, I want to know how this psychologically impact peoples life. There was an original assumption that technophobia would be a transitory phenomenon, common amongst older adults who had missed out upon technology in their education. Raubs (1981) early study reported that older people were more anxious than younger people. Other research indicates that the over fifties are less anxious than the under thirties, suggesting that far from reducing anxiety, computer experience can increase anxiety levels (Brosnan pg. 11). However, Anderson (1981), Elder et al. (1987) and Igbaria and Parasuraman (1989) have all found that age has a positive effect upon computer anxiety. As the diffusion of technology throughout many aspects of life has exposed virtually everyone to computerization, the relationship between anxiety, age and experience has become less clear. The only clear relationship between age and computer anxiety would therefore appear to be with respect to ones age when first interacting with a computer. I found a very interesting study, which shows the difference of psychological impact between male and female. Just as technophobia has been reported as affecting more females than males, computer addiction has been   found to be almost exclusively a male phenomenon (Shotton, 1989). Brosnan (1995) identified that in a student population, male students first interaction with computers occurred significantly earlier than female students first interaction with computers. This is significant as Todman and Monaghan (1994) report that early use of computers is associated with more favourable quality of initial experience, which leads to lower anxiety and greater readiness to use computers. A large number of studies found that females report higher levels of computer anxiety than males (it is maybe not true because of my English teacher!). A smaller number of studies report no sex differences in computer anxiety. For example, Anderson (1981) found that males and females did not differ in their levels of anxiety, either before or after a computer literacy course. Temple and Lips (1989) found male students to have taken more computer science course and to be more likely to want to choose it as their major than female students. In conclusion, the findings regarding gender differences in technophobia have not been consistent. Conclusion Whether we refer to the second industrial revolution or the digital revolution there can be little doubt that computer tech nology will play an ever-increasing role within our domestic, leisure and work environments. For the technophobe, this can only mean an increase in the potential sources of anxiety. Through this research, I could find a few things. First, by studying technophobia the full extent of the phenomenon has become apparent. With surveys revealing technophobia in up to 50 per cent of many populations, feelings of computer-related anxiety cannot be dismissed or marginalized. Indeed the sheer numbers of technophobes provide the commercial motivation for continued user-friendliness in hardware and software design. The huge preponderance of technophobia can in itself be empowering, such that an individual does not have to internalize feelings to personal inadequacies. Second, I found that much research has highlighted that feelings are transitory and that sex differences in computer-related attainment can be eradicated when recasting the computer-based task as appropriate for females. The literature on sex differences has been used to emphasize the role of these influences. Technophobia is a legitimate response to technology. Technology is taking over all aspects of life. Education, work and leisure are all becoming increasingly dependent on being able to interact with technology. But what  of the academic or career prospects of those who do not want to interact with this technology? Before taking this English 305 class, I tried to avoid computers as much as possible. I didnt have any interest in cyberspace such as chatting, email, and gender swapping. Through this class, I had a chance to contact others through cyberspace. However, I still have a fear of computers. I decided that I want to know more about computers and cyberspace. I will first discuss cyberspace, then I will discuss about technophobia. Its well known that people say and do things in cyberspace that they wouldnt ordinarily say or do in the face-to-face world. The virtual world is quite different from the real world. People cant see a person in cyberspace. People cant see a persons facial expressions and body language. The sensory experi ence of encountering others in cyberspace-seeing, hearing, and combining seeing and hearing is limited. For the most part, people communicate through typed language. In cyberspace, people will probably never be able to physically interact with each other. There are no handshakes, pats on the back, hugs, or kisses. The limited sensory experiences of cyberspace have some significant disadvantages- as well as some unique advantages as compared to in-person encounters. Since communicating only with typed text, people have the option of being themselves, expressing only parts of their identity, assuming imaginative identities, or remaining completely anonymous. Anonymity has a disinhibiting effect that cuts two ways. Sometimes people use it to act out some unpleasant need or emotion, often by abusing other people. Anonymity also allows them to be honest and open about some personal issue that they could not discuss in a face-to-face encounter. Sitting quiet and staring at the computer monitor can bring a person to an altered state of consciousness. Some people experience a blending of thei r mind with that of the other person. Some people experience a state of consciousness that resembles dreams. These altered and dream-like states of consciousness in cyberspace may account for why the Internet is so attractive for some people. It might also help explain some forms of computer and cyberspace addiction. In cyberspace, birds of a feather easily can flock together. Support groups devoted to helping people with their problems can be a very beneficial feature of cyberspace. For people with antisocial motivations, thats a very negative feature of cyberspace. In most cases, everyone in cyberspace has  an equal opportunity to voice his or her opinion. Everyone, regardless of status, wealth, race, gender, etc. starts off on a level playing field. Some people call this the net democracy. Although ones status in the outside world ultimately will have some impact on ones life in cyberspace, there is some truth to this net democracy ideal. Now, I want to write about technophobia, which is a resistance to talking about computers or even thinking about computers. Although technology is taking over all aspects of life, there are up to half of the population is technophobic, possessing negative opinions about, or having anxiety towards, information technology such as personal computers. I found a study the book, Technophobia (Mark J. Brosnan). Thirty-seven per cent of the general public report regularly using a personal computer, a far higher percentage than mobile phones, electronic organizers, pagers, modems, etc. (MORI, 1996). When the factors of anxiety and attitude, or, more specially, of computer anxiety and computer attitude, are combined, the concept of computer phobia indeed begins to emerge. Since I was a technophobic person, I want to know how this psychologically impact peoples life. There was an original assumption that technophobia would be a transitory phenomenon, common amongst older adults who had missed out upon technology in their education. Raubs (1981) early study reported that older people were more anxious than younger people. Other research indicates that the over fifties are less anxious than the under thirties, suggesting that far from reducing anxiety, computer experience can increase anxiety levels (Brosnan pg. 11). However, Anderson (1981), Elder et al. (1987) and Igbaria and Parasuraman (1989) have all found that age has a positive effect upon computer anxiety. As the diffusion of technology throughout many aspects of life has exposed virtually everyone to computerization, the relationship between anxiety, age and experience has become less clear. The only clear relationship between age and computer anxiety would therefore appear to be with respect to ones age when first interacting with a computer. I found a very interesting study, which shows the difference of psychological impact between male and female. Just as technophobia has been reported as affecting more females than males, computer addiction has been found to be almost exclusively a male phenomenon (Shotton, 1989). Brosnan (1995) identified that in a student population, male students first interaction with computers occurred significantly earlier than female  students first interaction with computers. This is significant as Todman and Monaghan (1994) report that early use of computers is associated with more favourable quality of initial experience, which leads to lower anxiety and greater readiness to use computers. A large number of studies found that females report higher levels of computer anxiety than males (it is maybe not true because of my English teacher!). A smaller number of studies report no sex differences in computer anxiety. For example, Anderson (1981) found that males and females did not differ in their levels of anxiety, either before or after a computer literacy course. Temple and Lips (1989) found male students to have taken more computer science course and to be more likely to want to choose it as their major than female students. In conclusion, the findings regarding gender differences in technophobia have not been consistent. Conclusion Whether we refer to the second industrial revolution or the digital revolution there can be little doubt that computer technology will play an ever-increasing role within our domestic, leisure and work environments. For the technophobe, this can only mean an increase in the potential sources of anxiety. Through this research, I could find a few things. First, by studying technophobia the full extent of the phenomenon has become apparent. With surveys revealing technophobia in up to 50 per cent of many populations, feelings of computer-related anxiety cannot be dismissed or marginalized. Indeed the sheer numbers of technophobes provide the commercial motivation for continued user-friendliness in hardware and software design. The huge preponderance of technophobia can in itself be empowering, such that an individual does not have to internalize feelings to personal inadequacies. Second, I found that much research has highlighted that feelings are transitory and that sex differences in computer-related attainment can be eradicated when recasting the computer-based task as appropriate for females. The literature on sex differences has been used to emphasize the role of these influences. Technophobia is a legitimate response to technology.