Frank Lloyd Wright Research Paper

Frank Lloyd Wright and His Impact Frank Lloyd Wright was a very influential designer and architect who inspired the next century of builders to go beyond their normal standards and break free from the confines of the current building barriers. He used aspects of nature to compliment his buildings, and knew how to perfectly arrange the complex angles and structures to set his projects apart from all others. Frank Lloyd Wright changed the future of architecture with his high attention to interior design, detail, simplicity, and environmental influences.Frank’s upbringing seems to have impacted his choices and views in life. Wright’s father was a Baptist minister and a musician, possibly where Wright may have received some of his creativity. His mother was a school teacher, and she introduced Wright to the Froebel Kindergarten Method, which familiarized children to solely geometric forms and certain patterns on grids. Many say that this was a major part to Wright’s advanced geometric procedures and focus on design and function (â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†).Frank Lloyd Wright held many jobs that added to his architect career early in his life. The first main influence was his part-time employment with a Madison, Wisconsin contractor, working as a draftsman’s apprentice for Joseph Silsbee. Wright also worked with Dankmar Alder and Louis Sullivan. Wright developed a close relationship with Louis Sullivan, who had a â€Å"form follows function† philosophy, just like Wright did later in life. JRank Encyclopedia says, â€Å"By the time Wright was in his early 20s, he had worked on some of the most impressive buildings in Chicago. This quote puts in perspective just how much experience Wright received from his collaborations with Adler and Sullivan (â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†). Wright said himself, describing his work as â€Å"organic architecture; that which proceeds, persists, and cre ates, according to the nature of man and his circumstances as they both change. † This quote shows what Wright wanted his buildings to convey; a view of the natural world through the works of beautiful architecture.The homes Wright created in his earlier years held strong horizontal lines and shapes and roofs that were low pitched and had large overhangs. The interiors of many of his houses were influenced by Japanese designs; they had large open spaces, few closed corners, and large windows to allow for the flow of natural light and to not hide the beauty of nature. The homes were heated by coils built into the slabs of concrete that circulated warm water, heating the house evenly, known as radiant heat.Wright developed a new type of building material, using pre-cast concrete blocks that were reinforced with metal. Several of his houses were built with his new method. Frank Lloyd Wright pushed the standards, creating a new era of architecture that he was paving as he worked ( â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†). Although Frank Lloyd Wright receives so much praise nowadays, during his life time and especially his earlier years, he was not as glorified. Only about 10% of his over 470 buildings and more than 1200 designs received public commissions (McCarter).Having 4 wives and leaving his first family, Wright wasn’t seen as the most likable person, but his designs were irresistible (â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview†). He has set a standard that has not yet been matched; those during his time had not realized his creativity. As Wright continued in his career, people began to notice his uniqueness and â€Å"powers†. Frank Lloyd Wright did not receive the full recognition he deserved during his lifetime. Many people can now agree that Frank Lloyd Wright is the single most influential architect and builder to have lived in the recent centuries.When asked about memorable architects, virtually every first-year col lege student entering American universities could name Frank Lloyd Wright (McCarter). A quote from the Taliesin Architects website truly shows the impact Wright had: â€Å"The greatest artist this country has ever produced seems at last to be coming into his own. America's other great artists–our painters, sculptors, composers – don't really rank with the tops of all time. They're not Rembrandt or Michelangelo or Beethoven. Wright alone has that standing. † (â€Å"Frank Lloyd Wright†).Wright has many extremely recognizable buildings located in many areas around the world, such as the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois; the Midway Gardens in Chicago; the Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania; the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan; the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; and the Guggenheim Museum in New York (McCarter). It’s easy to tell that Wright has been seriously noticed and is overly well known. But, one may ask, what kind of majo r impacts has Frank Lloyd Wright had on the world? Well, homes with a living room, open garage, or a floor plan with many open spaces have all been majorly influenced by Mr.Wright. Frank himself pioneered all of these designs. His low and sweeping rooflines, many windows, and central fireplaces changed how houses would be built for centuries to come (â€Å"Frank Lloyd Wright†). In 1952, Wright completed a home for a World War II veteran that is completely accessible for a person confined to a wheelchair, such as the owner Kenneth Laurent. The house is built on completely one level, with curving walls, added space for turning radii, and lowered light switches and heighted electric plugs; giving the perfect example for just how much Wright could bend to certain needs all while maintaining his personal designs.Mr. Laurent described Wright in an interview pacing up and down the room as he listened to the requirements for the proposed home. Mr. Laurent said, â€Å"Mr. Wright seem ed to be designing the home in his mind right then and there. † (Menendez). Being able to complete complex projects such as this home shows how talented and unique Frank Lloyd Wright was. Frank Lloyd Wright’s advanced designs and forward thinking easily makes him without a doubt one of the greatest architects to have lived in the United States.He changed the future of architecture; inventing new ways to have homes run in a more beautiful and efficient way. His complex but simple interior design elements make his homes and buildings a stable to modern American architecture. His respect to the beauty of nature brings the simplistic gloriousness of the outdoors to reside in the structure and designs of his homes. Frank Lloyd Wright made his name known and marked the history of the United States and the world for many, many years to come. Bibliography â€Å"Frank Lloyd Wright. † Building The Windy City.Web. 24 Mar. 2011. ;http://library. thinkquest. org/J002846/a_wri ght. htm;. McCarter, Robert. â€Å"The Other Traditional American Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis I. Kahn. † Phi Kappa Phi Forum. 2003. Web. 9 Mar. 2011. ;http://find. galegroup. com/gtx/start. do? prodId=AONE;. Menendez, Frank. â€Å"An Accessible Jewel. † Paralyzed Veterans of America. Mar. 2010. Web. 9 Mar. 2011. â€Å"Wright, Frank Lloyd – Overview. † Jrank Encyclopedia. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. ;http://encyclopedia. jrank. org/articles/pages/6404/Wright-Frank-Lloyd.

Faulkner’s and Morrison’s Notions of Parenting

In literature of fictional realism, the difficulty of storytelling often lies in creating a believable atmosphere, in order for the reader to identify with the characters and surroundings. The theme and plot may well be stylish and inspirational, but without plausible characters or a practical setting, the atmosphere of suspended belief the author is striving for can be marred by the simple obscurity of the key elements of character development, functional setting, and writing style appropriate to the story itself. If an author is skilled enough to successfully employ these crucial elements, and have a solid story to boot, then great writing is created. Such is the case with William Faulkner and Toni Morrison. Faulkner’s novel As I Lay Dying and Morrison’s Pulitzer- and Nobel-prize winning novel Beloved express the damage that can be caused through either excess of devotion or indifferent neglect of the respective parent. Both writers maintain focus on the development of the characters, create an active and believable setting, and employ appropriate writing styles to successfully convey their social commentaries. In As I Lay Dying, Faulkner introduces his characters, the Bundren family, as simple country folk faced with grave circumstances. Addie, the mother of the family, is on her deathbed, and not much longer for the world. The household is in a state of despair, performing their perfunctory duties, but with a pronounced lack of enthusiasm. Anse, worrying himself on the front porch, puts it simply after telling his son Vardaman to wash his hands: â€Å"But I just cant seem to get no heart in it,† (Faulkner, 38). Neither Anse nor any other members of the household seem to have any clue as to how to react to the forthcoming tragedy, outside of dispensing their feeble grasp of pathos. Even Tull, the Bundrens’ nearby neighbor, comments on Anse in pity: â€Å"†¦the only burden Anse Bundren’s ever had is himself†¦I think to myself he aint that less of a man or he couldn’t a bore himself this long. † (Faulkner, 73). This simple statement by Tull is a testimony to Anse’s burden as a father and husband. Anse recognizes his failings as both patraiarch and devoted husband; it is that weight that ignites a sudden surge of faithfulness to his wife and urges him upon the journey to respect her last wishes of a burial in Jefferson. Faulkner further establishes the Bundrens as incapable of grasping appropriateness as Cash stands outside of his mother’s window, in her full view, nailing and sawing together the coffin in which she will be laid to rest. The irony is that Addie wants to see it being constructed: â€Å"[Addie was] Lying there with her head propped up so she could watch Cash building the coffin,† (Faulkner, 23). Faulkner is commenting not only on the family’s dim grasp of appropriateness, but on the mother’s part as well, and the reader is left to wonder the reasoning behind Addie’s decision to watch her son build her coffin. In this light, Addie can seem cold towards her children, in that she is looming over Cash’s shoulder as he goes about the grim task of constructing his dying mother’s coffin. In actuality, Addie holds her son in reverence and is transmitting that care using the only method she was taught, by merely paying attention to him. Looking at the characters individually in order to circumscribe a mediocre upbringing, Faulkner’s careful construction of the characters implies the damage the parents have inflicted by their relative indifference. Vardaman remains in a state of reluctance and confusion, simply because no one in the family, least of all the parents, takes the time to fully explain the circumstances. He cannot grasp death’s finality and begins to panic when his mother is placed into the coffin post-mortem: â€Å"Are you going to nail it shut, Cash? Nail it? Nail it? † (Faulkner, 65). His incredulity incites him to action, and the episode spins into Vardaman’s notion to drill holes into the coffin so that she might breathe. Unfortunately, Vardaman misjudges the body’s position and â€Å"When they taken the lid off they found that two of [the drill-holes] had bored on into her face,† (73). The whole of the scene focuses on the fact that Vardaman was acting out of concern and love for his mother, but with disastrous results. This is a vehicle Faulkner employs throughout the novel, that bad ideas are often accompanied by good intentions, which re-emphasizes the tacit misunderstanding of a sound family dynamic. There is an abject, obscure devotion, but the family, including Addie, has had an impossible time of setting that devotion in concrete terms. But it is Faulkner’s use of language to skillfully transition into Addie’s sole monologue that explicates his willingness to peg complex irony into an otherwise straightforward novel. Faulkner utilizes the family’s inability to communicate as a launching point for Addie’s monologue, which centers on the idea that words are often lacking in function. Addie represents Faulkner’s commendable language skills by evoking great sorrow in a single stroke. While previous monologues of other characters create a mosaic of separate sadnesses, it is through Addie that the reader is pulled into pointed and exacted depths of human misery. Moreover, her frank manner of speech serves Faulkner’s purpose of cold accuracy as Addie despairs in her position of responsibility she never wanted nor feel she deserves: â€Å"I knew that that word [love] was like the others; just a shape to fill a lack; that when the right time came, you wouldn’t need a word for that anymore than for pride or fear†, (Faulkner, 172). Devin Mckernan, in his article Conflict of the Feminine in As I Lay Dying, comments on this move by Faulkner: â€Å"That this would be Faulkner’s take on language is obviously ironic, as he depends on his words to not only live but perpetuate his own concepts and beliefs,† (9). Addie’s statement of words being insufficient to fill a particular void is Faulkner’s method of projecting his own frustration at the feebleness and insubstantiality of words. Addie summarizes the futility of spoken words in situations where speech is neither necessary nor fulfilling of any definitive purpose. So automatically her lack of faith in the communication of words is relayed to her children, whom she neglects to communicate effectively with, and Vardaman’s vacancy, Jewel’s bitterness, and Dewey Dell’s airiness reflect Addie’s poor maternal instincts. Too, she is objecting her husband Anse’s reference to ‘love’. For Addie, as for Faulkner, the conveyance of deep-felt emotions or thoughts or ideas or beliefs cannot be hammered down in such abstract terminology; words such as ‘love’ and ‘pride’ are both ambiguous and subjective, hence meaningless. This outlook proves Addie a failed mother and a bitter wife, which is transmuted upon the family and reflects in their dim sense of family. Faulkner’s tact lies in the brevity of Addie’s monologue to express Addie’s resentment of words of feeling: â€Å"†¦sin and love and fear are just sounds that people who have never sinned nor loved nor feared have for what they never had and cannot have until they forget the words,† (174). Clearly, the language is disparaging of the abstract nature of words, but subtly Faulkner is urging the reader to think for himself and what those abstract words mean to each individual, or if they should have a meaning attached to them in the first place. There still remains the implied love that Anse has for his family. After Cash breaks his leg, Anse comes up with the idea of setting the leg into cement as a remedy. This episode is the most profound example of Anse’s poor fathering yet, and the fact that he does not realize the damage being done until a neighbor points out the worsening injury is further evidence of Faulkner desiring his audience to grasp the absoluteness of parental failing: â€Å"Cash’s leg and foot turned black†¦ ‘Didn’t none of you have more sense than that? ’ Mr. Gillespie said,† (Faulkner, 224). Here is the penultimate example of Anse impacting his children out of ignorance, but not for lack of caring. It must be noted that Faulkner still implies a general air of tenderness warmth as Anse â€Å"just aimed to help [Cash],† (ibid), but without the common sense to do anything but the first hare-brained idea he could muster. This scene is also an example of Faulkner’s use of a dynamic setting to deliver the theme of the husband finally finding devotion enough for his wife, but, like Addie, viewing the children as burdensome. For Faulkner, Yoknapatawpha county and its rural Mississippi surroundings provide the requisite set of trials and misfortunes the Bundrens must overcome to deliver Addie safely to Jefferson. On the way they encounter a fierce river that drowns their mule team, providing the first example of the roughness of the terrain as a force to be reckoned with: â€Å"†¦I see the mules come rolling up slow up out of the water, their legs spraddled stiff like they had balked upside down†¦,† (Faulkner, 154). This episode still outlines a familial love between the characters, because it was Anse’s bull-headed devotion to Addie’s dying wish of burial in Jefferson that made the sojourn necessary in the first place, and come what may he would deliver her no matter how rough the road gets, and in spite of his bitterness towards his family. Faulkner weaves the setting further into his tale by making the novel one of necessary travel. As stated earlier, the primary goal of the Bundrens is to deliver Addie to her final resting place in Jefferson. The gathering rain, the swollen, mule-drowning river, and the instance of Cash’s broken leg all provide Faulkner with ample opportunity to make the setting as threatening as Anse’s stubborn devotion. The risks run by the family are outweighed by Anse’s final attempt to do right by Addie, a fact to which Anse is either oblivious or indifferent. Faulkner succeeds in his goal to incorporate as much of the setting to drive his novel and further express the mishaps of Anse’s bumbling paternal figure. As I Lay Dying is regarded as a giant of literary fiction, encompassing stout and functional characters, a dynamic and threatening setting, and a style of versification as subtle as it is simple to relay the message of parental ignorance and neglect. And Toni Morrison, in her novel Beloved, is equally successful in her characterizations, her setting, and her expressive language, but to deliver a message of hope from the most down-trodden, the ex-slaves of post-Civil war society. Morrison rides the road opposite Faulkner, ensuring the proper level of complexity in her characters, taming her setting to nurture as well as inflict tragedy, and designing her language on a more intricate level. Morrison’s characters are not permitted the lack of intimacy like the Bundren family. Sethe, the matriarchal central figure of the story, operates on a far deeper and more complex level than the sum total of the Bundrens combined. She is strong-willed yet vulnerable, fierce yet devoted, at times simple and straightforward in thought, and at other times profound and insightful. In the opening scene, Paul D comments to himself on the nature of Sethe â€Å"†¦the one with iron eyes and backbone to match,† (Morrison, 9). In Sethe, the reader is given a strong character who is also burdened with her charges, Denver and Beloved. But Sethe differs from Anse in her willingness to accept that burden, accept her children and try to raise them up correctly, insofar as her past and her present will allow her. Morrison takes care to create Sethe as a proper mother figure, weaving into her narrative the harrowing story of Sethe’s escape from Sweet Home, integrating Denver’s birth on a grounded rowboat, and illustrating the automatic response of maternal care for Beloved upon Beloved’s entrance into the novel. These two very human flaws are central for Sethe’s internal struggles. She holds her head high in pride, as an escaped ex-slave who has (mostly) succeeded in putting her grim past behind her: â€Å"No more running-from nothing. I will never run from another thing on this earth,† (Morrison, 15). This early declaration from Sethe provides the context for the reader to understand her position; that as a mother escaping from slavery’s treachery caused her to duck and run, but as a woman having overcome that trial she is in firm refusal to let any further hardships force her to turn tail and bail. So it is the shame of having to run, as necessary as that escape was, coupled with the pride of having survived the grisly cruelty of slavery that constitutes much of Sethe’s psychological makeup. This past, however, will lead Sethe down a road of what can be viewed as either temporary psychosis or the pinnacle of devoted motherhood. In one of the most crucial scenes of the novel, the slavehunters have discovered Sethe and her children hiding out in a shed at the back of 124. Sethe, well aware of the inhumanity of the men surrounding her, slays her child, cutting its throat. When the men enter, they find Sethe â€Å"holding a blood-soaked child to her chest with one hand and an infant by the heels in the other,† (Morrison, 149). The other infant is Denver, whom Stamp Paid saves from â€Å"the arch of its mother’s swing,† (ibid). At first glance, this scenario seems strikingly cruel, but Sethe’s personal history as a slave, and therefore her knowledge of its terrors, drives her to commit the unspeakable infanticide: in Sethe’s mind, she had no choice but to save her children from the horrendous fate of slavery by murdering them. This episode portrays the duality of Sethe’s unfortunate past as always having an effect on her well-being and that of her children; she is devoted as a mother, but so much so that she assumes her child’s immediate death is preferable to the inhumanities of slavery. For Morrison, Paul D represents an odd secondary paternal figure, that of the bedraggled former slave male willing to sacrifice his own pride and paset at the chance of a content â€Å"normal† life with Sethe. But this life includes Denver, and from the outset Paul D is aware of Denver’s resentment towards him, not necessarily as a father figure, but as a stranger and a threat to the relationship between Denver and Sethe. Paul D is Morrison’s definintion of an aloof father, aware of his conspicuousness to Denver, and Denver believing that he has no intention of attempting the role of father. Midway through the novel, the reader encounters a crucial moment, as Paul D has been seduced and taken by Beloved, but he is willing to tell Sethe the truth. Paul D finally musters the courage to tell her of his infidelity, and Morrison is sure to highlight Sethe’s courage: â€Å"†¦already ready to accept, release or excuse an in-need-or-trouble man†¦because she didn’t believe any of them†¦ could measure up,† (Morrison, 128). In this statement, Morrison portrays Sethe as she has been from the outset of the story, iron-willed and accustomed well enough to disappointment than to let some wild man from her distant past ruin her by shucking off and discarding her. This outlook is due to Morrison’s extensive development of her character, making Sethe that much more plausible, in the sense that her disturbing past bears down so heavily on her present decision. The established mindset of overcoming any difficulty sets her jaw before she even knows what the issue is that Paul D is referring to. Too, there is an expectant despair in the statement, since Sethe’s past is so loaded with tragedy that she is reluctant to believe anything else is possible. This theme, the inability to completely conquer one’s own past demons, will further define Morrison’s complexity in regard to Sethe and Paul D’s incompatibility as a functional parental pair. Sethe and Paul D are strong central characters but are reluctant to revisit the mutual history that has so bound them, even in the light of a functional and content relationship. As stated by Arlene R. Keizer, â€Å"†¦the knowledge [from Sethe’s and Paul D’s slavery history] that might sustain them spiritually is consigned to the same forbidden area as the knowledge that might destroy them,† (Keizer, 2). Keizer touches on two main points that prove Sethe and Paul D inaccessible as parental figures: one, their shared history is too violent to revisit, hence any former knowledge of upbringing is null and void; and two, this forbidden area constitutes a large portion of their personalities, so any parenting they might attempt would only be a partial reflection of the whole person. Morrison ensures that the past setting of her characters binds them as strong as the present setting. The span of years passed in degradation and submission still wound and hinder both Sethe’s and Paul D’s further attempts to encompass a functional family life. Here a key difference arises between Morrison and Faulkner. Faulkner’s setting is present-focused, concentrating on the immediate actions and linear motion of the story to carry his failed parent theme. His characters can’t see but the road ahead of them, and plod along with a dim view of what is and what still might be, with little to no reference to any previous tragedy. The Bundrens’ past is reflected upon briefly, but merely in passing and without the gravity and great triumph intermingled with tragedy that Morrison employs. Morrison establishes the past as vital to the characters’ growth or retardation, where the strengths and weaknesses are exposed fully in their profound self-reflections, and their past will ultimately haunt them, especially Sethe and Paul D crippling their abilities as parental figures. Often enough, the characters have found methods and means to dissuade the past from surfacing too much, as when Sethe rubs Paul D’s knee, likening the soothing repetitive action to kneading flour into dough: â€Å"Working, working dough. Nothing better than that to start the day’s serious work of beating back the past,† (Morrison, 73). Here, the reader is drawn back to the fact that a collective past such as Sethe’s and Paul D’s must be confronted daily and fiercely, lest the despair it might breed ruin their lives and all that they have worked for. But it is the physical manifestation of Beloved and her move into 124 that wreaks the most havoc, and attempts to crush the semblance of a family Sethe and Paul D were attempting to find. Beloved’s entrance into the novel signifies dual emotions for Sethe, particularly since the longer Beloved lingers, the more willing Sethe is to please and obey her. Beloved completed Sethe in a way that neither Denver nor Paul D could. Sethe becomes doting, gradually sacrificing herself as Beloved grows fatter while â€Å"Sethe pleaded for forgiveness, counting, listing again and again her reasons,† (Morrison, 242). Convinced that Beloved is actually the spirit of her murdered daughter, Sethe is driven to madness by outpouring the devotion she robbed herself of with Beloved’s murder. it is unclear whether or not Beloved is truly the spirit of the child she has slain, but the representation of Sethe’s morbid past is definitely represented. As Jean Wyatt comments, â€Å"Beloved [is] able to articulate infantile feelings that ordinarily remain unspoken,† (Wyatt, 231). Wyatt’s statement encompasses the fullness of the problem. In the literal sense, the reader is drawn to the fact that adult Beloved can speak fully of the murder and articulate her resentment, her bitterness, and demand reasoning from Sethe, which gradually breaks Sethe down into madness. Figuratively, Beloved’s communication serve as a continous reminder of Sethe’s most profound and secret mistake of murdering her daughter. Beloved is a cruel and vindictive spirit, prying Sethe from the care of Denver without Sethe’s full awareness, and capitalizing on Sethe’s regret to the point of Sethe being driven mad. At this point in the novel, a drastic change occurs in Denver. Sethe now dotes upon Beloved incessantly, to the point that Sethe’s health begins to fail and she is driven further into a harmful obsession for Beloved’s well-being. This incites Denver to action, and through her despairing over her mother, Denver dives headlong into maturity, going about town asking for help in the exorcising of Beloved’s malignant spirit. The town gathers and amidst Sethe’s mistaking Mr. Bodwin for Schoolteacher and Sethe’s subsequent attempt to kill him, Beloved vanishes. This episode is Morrison’s most profound irony regarding Sethe as the maternal figure; that by neglecting Denver in favor of Beloved, Denver blooms into a fully grown woman, and succeeds in saving her mother from the terrible spirit of Beloved. The metaphor of the past as a force that requires â€Å"beating back† is crucial also to understanding Morrison’s method of incorporating figurative speech into her novel; the text is rife with similes, metaphors, and euphemisms: â€Å"†¦when trouble rode bareback among them.. or when Amy refers to the whip scars on Sethe’s back as â€Å" a chokecherry tree† (Morrison, 249, 79). These metaphors are Morrison’s most powerful vehicle in delivering her message of hope, where trouble becomes a beast to be tamed and the cruel scars of Sethe’s past are likened to the pleasing image of a tree. It is this language that separates Morrison from Faulkner the most, since Faulkner maintains simple language for a simple people, while Morrison enriches her characters with complex metaphors to fully grasp the potency of those insubstantial words that ever fail to convey a complete meaning. Both Beloved and As I Lay Dying incorporate the three elements of character development, realistic setting, and a sound approach to language use in order to convey their separate messages. Faulkner proves Anse’s and Addie’s failed parenting through his simple-minded but plausible country folks, the fierce and dynamic setting they work within, and the unsophisticated language and writing that epitomizes the questionable decisions and motivations of the parents. Morrison achieves a similar end as her parental characters operate on a more complex thought level, with all the restraints and reassurances of the past. Too, her setting revolves around both the present and the past to create an expansive environment to learn and grow from, and her use of the higher language of metaphor and her final ironic twist implies a mental and spiritual depth that Faulkner’s Bundren family never attains.

Cheque Truncation

IBM Business Consulting Services Indian Cheque Truncation Initiative Key challenges for Indian Banks Ravi Trivedy IBM Business Consulting Services deeper deeper  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services The Indian Cheque Scenario – an IBM Point-of-View Cheque volumes will continue to increase for the next 5-7 years – All parties involved have strong reasons to continue to promote check usage Banks – significant revenue flows are tied to the use of checks Slow consumer adoption of electronic payments – cheques are free + Perception of safetyMerchants, Corporates, Governments, and Non Banking Financial Institutions – due to lack of cheap, convenient alternatives and because many accounts payable and receivable systems are designed around checks.  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services Image based processing of cheques in India present several challenges – which all add up to the cost for t he banking industry Geographical spread & volumes impact speed of physical movement of paper (specially inter-city) Multiple languages & scripts Multiple handling due to current processes in ranches – high rejects in an imaging process Legal & Regulatory issues Lack of Centralized Banking systems in many banks to enable STP Potential for fraud/counterfeit cheques increases  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services The Truncation initiative will have a major impact on Payment Operations – some key recommendations Indian Model – Truncation at presenting Bank Big Bang approach – mandatory cutover for ALL Branches Each Bank to decide it’s own model – Truncation at Branch or Service Branch or Outsourced Recommendations for Banks Understand volumes, current operationsDevelop strategy & optimized operations architecture in a truncation environment Define new processes (focus on mitigating operational risk) Re-define clear ing operations & organization  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services RBI’s Working Committee on Cheque Truncation has recommended truncation at the presenting bank itself, to maximize efficiency PRESENTING BANK Big Branches DRAWEE BANK Core Core Banking Banking System System Branch Capture Data and Image One Pass readers for MICR Data, Greyscale & Bitonal Images Front & Back UID assignedAt Teller/Behind Teller Real-time/Batch Intra-Branch Intra-Branch Cheque Clearing Cheque Clearing Clearing House System House System House IMAGE & MICR ARCHIVAL PKI enabled CLEARING CLEARING CLEARING HOUSE HOUSE SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM IMAGE & MICR ARCHIVAL 3 Months + 8 Years Browser based access to images for Banks & Customers Images, MICR,UID2 Clearing House Interface Clearing House Interface Service Branch Service Branch Or Or Or Outsourced Service Center Outsourced Service Center Outsourced Small Branches Images, MICR,UID MIS MIS Signature Signature Verification Verification CustomerCustomer Statements Statements IMAGE & MICR ARCHIVAL  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services Reduced costs, improved customer service and increased flexibility will drive each Bank’s imaging decision Value realization will differ from Bank to Bank New offers of value to customers Reduced costs from re-engineered check exchange practices REALIZED VALUE Reduced costs via productivity enhancements and fraud reduction Near-term customer service enhancement 2005 2006 2007 TIME 2008 2009 2010  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting ServicesWith RTGS and Cheque truncation, Banks will potentially lose a large income leverage The truncation initiative will re-define business models Loss of float Additional cost of infrastructure & Operations Recommendation for Banks Develop a fee based product strategy to offset losses – from customers, from secondary banks†¦. differentiated service models Re-engineer Ca sh Management services for Corporates Create an optimized cost model for Operations – build and operate OR outsource? Utilize the opportunity to image inter-branch cheques to improve customer service & reduce paper process costs Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services Technology choices and implementation models will create differentiation in services and operational costs†¦ Each Bank’s defined operating model is directly related to it’s technology choices, implementation options and costs At each Branch vs. at a service Branch Smaller cities in a region? Remote Branches? Certification of Operations is a must! Recommendations for Banks Analysis of current and expected cheque volume patterns should drive future model Optimize model with a mix and match – inhouse + outsourceSelect Open Architectures to enable backwards integration Security, BCP and Operations Management are CRITICAL  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Busine ss Consulting Services Cheque Processing and IBM – A summary view Over 90% of the 40B US cheques issued yearly are processed with IBM Solutions â€Å"VIEWPOINTE† – Bank of America, JPMChase & IBM Joint Venture for Cheque Processing Centers +1 Billion new items stored monthly +5. 1 Million image retrievals daily Storage space occupies 2. 8 PB of data In India, the Reserve Bank uses IBM Solutions for its high speed clearing operationsIBM manages Cheque clearing/processing Operations in over 12 countries Partnering with BCSIS for Cheque solutions for Banks in India Complete end-to-end CHS functionality (Applications, Infrastructure, Integration, Operations Management, Outsourcing Service Centers) Totally compliant with RBI directives, PKI security enabled Based on Open Standards – enables easy integration to Core Systems  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services IBM uses its structured methodology to enable Banks to maximize their RoI from a Cheque imaging initiative 1 1 Create the VisionCreate the Vision 4 4 Review Bank Operations / Delivery strategy Review / Establish Bank Payments Strategy Obtain Stakeholder commitment 2 2 Develop Business case Develop Business case for Check applications // for Check applications image enablement image enablement Cost effectiveness vs. Business needs Time to market & competitive pressures Identify Applications Systems, Storage & Network Architectures 5 5 Create Implementation Plan Create Implementation Plan Application & integration priorities Rational steps Business Process & Organization Reengineering Coincidence with industry initiativesApplications Setup & Test Applications Setup & Test Setup, configure and Customise applications Integrate with Core Systems, PKI Infrastructure Integrated and User Testing Develop Training program & materials Develop Operations model & timelines Develop infrastructure cost model Develop Operational cost model Develop products & revenue plan 3 3 Develop Infrastructure Plan Develop Infrastructure Plan 6 6 Manage Implementation Manage Implementation Program Management – Process, Change Implement connectivity Establish Organization – Process, IT Training Implement & Test Security for Certification Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services Summary – Maximize your opportunities from the Cheque Truncation initiative Well prepared Banks will benefit greatly from the Cheque truncation initiative New Opportunities Improve Customer Services New Product Offerings Product Differentiation Cross-selling Revenue Higher Efficiency Fraud Savings Productivity savings Operational cost reduction Reduction in call volumes & follow-up  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003 IBM Business Consulting Services Thank You ravi. [email  protected] ibm. com deeper deeper  © Copyright IBM Corporation 2003

HS630 week 6 Conf 2nd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HS630 week 6 Conf 2nd - Essay Example Usually in event of an incident people involved do not know what they should do. There is lack of communication and panic which results in misguided employees. Without setting objectives or goals, it is not possible to fight any disaster situation whatsoever. An important aspect of management by objective is to ensure that management and employees are on the same page, and everyone is aware of what is expected of them. This is even important in incident management as everyone should know what their job is when fighting a disaster. When this element of management by objective is not applied correctly what usually happens is that there is disconnect between management and employees. Goals are set by management only and input from employees is not taken. Employees are just communicated what is expected of them without listening to them. This causes problems because employees might not even have the resources or capabilities to do what is expected of them. The incorrect application of management by objective therefore creates more problems than it solves. Employees feel helpless as they are being asked to do something that is impossible. Completely ignoring this element results only in total mayhem as people will have no guidance as to what they should do. When people are not aware of their responsibilities or their objectives then there cannot be a unified command which is essential in incident management. Orders should flow from a unified command so that there is no confusion about the roles and responsibilities and objectives. When management by objective is applied all employees are taken on board and their input and opinions are taken before setting goals for them. Objectives should be set in a way that employees agree to them and only then they will be motivated to work towards those goals. Any hurricane or massive accident in the transportation sector can result in

Marine Transportation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marine Transportation - Assignment Example Reasonably, the growing demand for different commodities in different economies around the globe forces for the massive transportation of containerized goods, which on the point of destination will be offloaded and transported inland to the actual location through road and rail transport. Up to the present, over a million vessels have transited through the Panama Canal with a similar number passing through the Suez Canal (Talley 90). Arguably, the two canals have served to benefit adjacent economies to achieve abundant economic growth rates. For instance, the Suez Canal affected Egypt’s industrialization to an extent that the country reigned as a growing economy in the Northern part of the African continent. The rapid growth in maritime transportation is influential to the continued expansion of the waterways (92). The increment in the vessels’ size has served to the advantage of the economies adjacent to the canals citing on the cargo handling processes in the ports whenever. 2. Maritime strategic passages (Suez Canal, Panama Canal, etc.) provide an important service to global shipping and international trade. Discuss the likely economic impact that a disruption of traffic (through an act of piracy) in the Gulf of Aden would have on the Suez Canal, global shipping and international trade. Maritime passages’ purpose of creation emanated from the need for ease in sea transport through the creation of waterways that would shorten the distances of each voyage. In the absence of these canals, ships would have to embark on long distances thus; the cost of sea transport shall increase in the long run. It is knowledgeable that the cost of shipping would escalate if an inland waterway would close or be disrupted. These disruptions, for example, those present in the Suez Canal and the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden since 1957 and in the early 2006 force for changes in trade routes whereby ships engage on lengthy voyages from departure to the

Human Values in Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Values in Management - Research Paper Example The question, however, that is always being asked is to how can human values be defined in context of organizations. Is this a measurable entity or can be weighed in terms of general cognition or perceivable notion. Some scholars say that human value cannot be defined; some suggest it can only be cognitively grasped, or felt instinctively, and shared as an experience. Modern scholars consider conceptualizing human values is a difficult task on account of intertwining of several ideas and thought strands encompassing the term. If classical literature is to be reviewed, then not much of a difference is found between human values. When values are looked into, the search leads to several facets of human existence. But, of late, and in context of organizations, theory of values is being considered for separate study, mainly hailing in the philosophical domain, and widely known as axiology. It is, in fact, the recognition of the importance of human values that has triggered off a wave of d iscussions on organizational ethics which, unfortunately, is often done in isolation and not in conjunction with human values in the same organization. It is normally said that organizational ethics starts getting degraded where human values begin to end. Studies that are normally considered as intellectual or idealistic exercises on human values can be found to have a distinctive and purposive acceptance in areas like management, where it is used in team building, leadership programs and human resource departments. It has always intrigued management studies whether or not human values can be "imparted" to modern managers. Whether it is possible to impart human values as knowledge to these managers? If so, how feasible would that be and what is being done in this direction within and outside of organizations throughout the world. During the last two decades workshops pertaining to this sort of training for managers have become fairly popular among management circles because they are seen as an impetus-giving activity to boost individual, group and organizational performances. Pertinently, the best part of these programs and workshops is that they tend to lap up the content and presentation from the cultural background of the country in which they are held. Each nation has its given traditional set of values that have been passed on from generation to generation and are based on 'ethos' governing the territory. More often than not these values are wed to the human psyche and human values when imparted to the modern managers actually aim at distilling the mind, purging it of negativity and instilling it with purity of thought, word, deed, and action. It is like taking the science of management towards the divinity of an art by nourishing compassion, humbleness and friendliness; and by giving up arrogance, jealousy, and greed. Sticking to the human values always refers to sticking to positive attributes and managements realize that such practices can have positiv e repercussions on businesses through enhanced creativity, selflessness, and enhanced cooperation, better output of work and creation of a general platform that is full of ethico-moral soundness (Chakraborty, 1991). When human values are discussed in organizational context the thrust is primarily on two different types of values. One is at the inter-personal level and another at intra-personal level. Both are related to each other,

Wittig reaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wittig reaction - Essay Example The latter chemical agent is commonly known as the witting reagent, it results into chemical agents known as alkene as well as triphenylphosphine oxide (Carrutthers, 1971). Discovered in 1954 by Georg Witting, it continues to be vastly used in the organic synthesis of alkene preparation. This procedure should not be misunderstood with, the Witting rearrangement chemical procedure which is based on a different theory. The witting reaction is normally applicable in the coupling of aldehydes and kentones, is the single substitution of phosphine ylides. The out coming data from the ylides test results is nearly exclusive with the z-alkene chemical agent product. As such for one to obtain the E-alkene chemical agent, there is need to apply ylides under stabilization which can also be substituted with unstablised ylides. This can be undertaken with the application of the Schlosser modification chemical tests, after which the Witting reaction chemical test can be performed (Vedejs et al, 20 00). The witting reaction has a variation known as the classical mechanism; this is the established theoratical procedure of the witting reaction chemical test. It involves the bulk steric of ylide, this interacts with sterochemicals to produce nucleophilic addittives. This gives rise to betaine, the carbon-carbon bond rotation produces betaine tht in turn produces oxaphosphetane. By eliminating the desireable z-alkene in addittion to triphenylphosphine oxide components, the simplified witting reagents are used in a sequenced procedure. The first sequence of this procedure begins with a combination of aldehyes and ketones, this is followed by the decomposition of betaine. This decomposition occurs to the fifth form, this stage is also known as the rate-determination level. However, with ylides under stablization the initial sequence is noticed to be the slowest. As such the general alkene formation rate is reduced with time, this results into a sizeable proportion of the akene produ ct in which case being the E-isomer. This creates an understanding of the reasons, behind the failure of the stablizing reagents in proper reaction with sterical hindered ketones (Vedejs et al. 2000). Witting reagents such as phosphorus ylides, are prepared in a formulated procedure. Phosphium salt is the known derivative of preparation; it is also a resulting chemical agent from the reaction of triphenylphosphine and alkyl halide. As such in order to create the witting reagent being ylide, phosphonium salt must undergo suspension in a solvent such like diethyl ether with treatment of strong base chemicals like phenyllithium which can also be substituted with butyllitium. This can be shown with the following chemical equation Ph3P+CH2R X? + C4H9Li > Ph3P=CH?R + LiX + C4H10, in this chemical procedure methylenetriphenylphosphorane is the simplified ylide in use (Vedejs and Marth, 1998). This yield is also a precursor to a more defined elaboration of the witting reagents, alkylation o ccurs as seen in this chemical equation Ph3P=CH2 by the main alkyl halide that creates a phosphonium salt substitution. The formulation of these salts, is deprotonated in the normal matter resulting into a chemical agent as identified by the following chemical equation Ph3P=CH?CH2R. The ylide which is the witting reagent is structured in such a way that is identified as phosphorane in written form. This is an established representation of the ylide form, being a vital contributor as carbon remains mildly nucleophilic. Its chemical structure is comprised of a ball-and-stick model arrangement, that is takes the physical form of a crystal structure. In terms of its reactivity, simplified phosphoranes are highly reactive and very unstable in

Importance of Professional development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Importance of Professional development - Essay Example Striving for professional development in field of Beverages: Field of beverages production and manufacturing is solely dependent on the supply chain effective; through effective supply chain can the professional development be achieved. It further demands a thorough insight into the various sectors of the beverages industry where improvements and margins are possible. Considering the modern day challenges and changes that have taken place in the management field with regard to the professional development, a total revamping of the beverages industry is sought which scrutinizes the personnel , the tools and techniques, used along with the processes conducted based on those tools. Highlighting of areas that have direct impact on the improvement and deterioration of the supply chain and the beverage industry is the first step towards obtaining professional development. In modern times, the supply chain operations are conducted through state of the art technology and various other tools that have made things very fast, easy yet demanding. Like any other organization and industry, the beverages industry supply chain requires input from every individual involved. With the operational staff in the front line of actions and delivery performance, the top management have equal responsibility for ensuring the smooth operations and providing of relief and benefits to the middle management and lower staff who perform these supply chain operations. Fragility of Supply Chain: The supply chain department is the most fragile component of any organization that is associated with outside world. Achieving professional development would seek mastering this segment of the organization since it involves both the internal sources, and the external sources. The... The researcher states that in the modern management world, the rules and metrics for achieving excellence have become tough, with more number of players in the market and the supply chains entailing the international players, it is a double difficult job today achieving professional development. However, it is only through the professional approach that the modern day challenges can be faced and mitigated in the discipline of supply chain operations. While organizational behavior has is an effective body that influences human resources, strategic decision management is valued too. It is equally applicable to the field of supply chain. The aim of this essay is to find the management tips and procedures which would guide to the professional development in the field of Supply Chain. Having defined rest of the important factors which contribute towards the professional development, the study, that is presented in this essay would be incomplete without the mention of strategy. It is the p rocess of putting plans into action with consideration of variables attached. Presence of effective strategy is mantioned too, as the back bone towards touching the professional development. The researcher concluds that without it the entire project and its crew would operate in tangents. An important distinction must be made between the goal definition and strategy, goal definition gives an insight into the end product, while the strategy is a step wise process which provides step by step overview to be conducted for the goals achievement.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 15

Human Resource Management - Essay Example or recruiting able and established staff is very much there since every organization or company for that matter wants to achieve efficiency and effectiveness when it comes to getting the things done in a quick manner. There are instances when employees have been known to prolong things just because they do not feel to be in the mood to do so. This is a definitive statement on the part of the employees that they were recruited wrongly at the time of their hiring and the organization did indeed make a mistake in choosing such a worker over other options that were available to it all over the world. It has been seen that at times, the top line personnel present in offices delegate jobs and assignments to their sub-ordinates without even thinking that the same might not be the correct manner and mode of action as to go about carrying out the tasks and responsibilities. They think that delegation would prosper a sense of getting more work within the sub-ordinates who themselves are pretty much occupied with their already assigned tasks and jobs. This is hence not the correct manner in which things should be done and hence a need has to be chalked out to ramify the very same problem. The best possible diversity that could be made in this regard is to appoint top line managers who understand the psyche of the people working under him or her or on the same level as his so that he or she can get a grasp as to what employees usually are best suited at and what they do not prefer under certain strenuous conditions in the office place environment. As a consequence, being able to do more work is definitely considered a plus and an added advantage for an employee but this should not, under any level, exceed his or her capabilities and skill sets. He or she must be assigned the amount of work which is proportionate with his or her pay, already set working conditions and more so the skills on the basis of which he or she was selected in the first place. Diversity therefore could

Bussines Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Bussines Law - Essay Example One of these categories is the business law. Business law involves all the laws that govern the relationship between any business entity and all the parties involved in the entity’s practices. Business law provides guidelines on how a business body conducts its practices with all the stakeholders like the employees, the customers, the society and the shareholders. Therefore, the rules contained in business law provide an avenue for resolving any dispute pertaining business practices (Cabrelli 22). Some of the fundamental elements in business law are the employment law and the contract law. Contract law governs the relationship between a business firm and any party that may enter into a contract with it, while employment law relates the business firm with its work force. Employment law falls under both the state statutes and the federal laws. Its scope extents to employees claim involving termination of employment contracts, discrimination, and employee’s compensation. This type of business mainly deals with the employees’ and the employers’ relationship with each other, their actions, and their responsibilities in the work place. When incorporated into employment law, contract law governs the agreement between the employer and the employee (Cabrelli 67). In this context, all the elements of contract law applies in establishing the terms and conditions of employment. In the subject case concerning Jill’s employment, the major types of laws that will be applied is both the employment law and the contract law. Employment law will represent the entire relationship between Jill and the Momma Mia Company, while contract law governs the agreement between Jill and the company. Therefore, Jill will pursue the elements of employment and contract law during the judicial process. On the first element involving the violation of contract, the plaintiff must argue that the agreement was made after consideration

The comperison of BNY Mellon and Barclay's bank Research Paper

The comperison of BNY Mellon and Barclay's bank - Research Paper Example 3 Introduction 4 Strengths and Weaknesses of the banks 4 Profitability of the bank over a span of 5 years 5 Mission and vision of the banks 6 Bank’s Financial Position 8 Projected Profitability of the banks 9 Conclusion 11 The above paper held a comparison between the financial states of BNY Mellon and Barclay’s bank with an aim of examining the extent to which each of them could withstand the brunt of the financial crisis and the way that they are prepared in meeting any such crises in future. The paper tried to assess their profitability and financial positions and found the degree of resilience of Barclay’s to be far higher than that of BNY Mellon. However, as far as their investment in assets are concerned, that of BNY Mellon is found to be in a better position than that of its peer. 11 References 11 Abstract The present paper aims at examining the financial positions of two leading banks namely, BNY Mellon and Barclay’s Plc through a close investigati on of their respective financial ratios. Moreover, the paper targets at evaluating the strengths and weaknesses as well as the mission and vision of both banks. ... Both banks faced the brunt of the crisis which was reflected in their respective key financial ratios. The crisis had mainly been the outcome of poorly framed monetary policies which implemented a fall in the rate of interest initially and followed it by a sudden hike in the same. This fickle mindedness took a toll over the financial state of the economy and exposed the frail fundamentals of many of its financial houses. However, the intrinsic strength of many of them were also displayed which prevented these institutions from being fully victimized by the crisis. The present paper tries to draw a comparison between the features which characterize Bank of New York Mellon (BK) and Barclays Bank (BCLYF) on the basis of their respective financial figures over the last 5 years (2006-2010). A close examination into the historical key ratio values can possibly deduce the errors committed and precision adhered to by these banks, which determined the degree of their sustenance. Moreover, it also attempts to figure out the profitability of these banks provided fluctuations in the Fed rate. As the view portrayed by any organization is highly important while assessing its strengths and weaknesses, they too would be inspected though the format of the entire paper will be of a comparative nature. Strengths and Weaknesses of the banks Bank of New York Mellon Total assets of the bank used to consist mostly of fixed assets rather than current assets initially although this factor had been improving over time, implying that the bank’s liquidity position is improving over time. Moreover, the bank’s assets in comparison to its total liabilities are also improving over time. Its increasing reliability on equity financing is also remarkable which promises of the

Development Assistance Essay Example for Free

Development Assistance Essay The best way for international donors to quicken development in poor Asian countries is to maximize overseas developmental assistance. ODA should be provided both to governments directly and to international and local NGOs. † Development can be considered as one of the most omnipresent concepts today. This term had been a commonplace in governments and non-governmental organizations alike (Nault, 2008). Overseas developmental assistance also referred to as official overseas assistance (ODA), had been a vital part of world economies especially to those who belong to the third world. As early as 1960s, underdeveloped and developing countries have seen the importance of receiving grants in forms of ODA from more developed countries (Berlage and Stokke, 1992) It is now given that most of the countries, which are underdeveloped, or those who are still in the process of developing are indeed in great need of ODAs coming from their more developed counterparts. The lack of resources on the part of the poor countries makes them suffer the opportunity cost of not attending to other pressing issues in within their territories. This paper will present arguments in two fold. First, it will make a point on how international donors can quicken development in poor Asian countries by maximizing the amount it gives through ODAs. Second, it will argue on why is there a necessity to give funds directly to international and local NGOs rather than just giving it to the government; it having the sole discretion on the funds’ disbursement. Similar to the case in developed countries, rising and relentless budget deficits had become one of the major causes for concern in developing countries. Asian countries have been suffering from massive budget deficits for the past recent years (Gupta, 1992). Given that most of the developing and underdeveloped countries are suffering from budget deficit, there really is a need that ODAs should be intensified in order to address other social concerns that are being neglected by the governments due to lack of budget. These social concerns, which deals with welfare and other public issues are often taken for granted by governments despite their noble ideas because they lack resources in financing these programs. If resources will be provided through ODA, the local government will be better equipped of bringing service to their people. Aside from mere economic progress, development must also entail improvements with regard to life expectancy, education levels, literacy, and access to resources (Nault, 2008). With more funds, which are easily available to finance social programs of the government, people may easily reap the benefits of ODAs coming from developed countries. The funds coming from the ODA can be allocated to programs aimed at empowering the grassroots and improving the living conditions of the people. With regard to economic progress, there is also a great need for the funds, which are given by more developed countries. Given the lack of resources of underdeveloped countries, they have no enough assets to stimulate their respective economies. Nowadays, government-initiated economic policies are necessary to save the worsening condition of the global economy. The world economy is being threatened by massive recessions. Hence, there is a necessity for state intervention in stimulating the economy. ODAs can be used by the government to back up state-initiated economic programs aimed at ameliorating the country’s economy. ODAs may be used as capital by the government and also as investment so that it would yield to higher profits in the future. ODAs can also be used by the government in coming up with schemes that will help protect the economy from the global trend of economic downturns by implementing regulations, which will somehow put safety nets to the national economy. ODAs may be used in employment training and job creation in order to assure that the citizens of the country are equipped with appropriate knowledge, which they may use in finding employment. Having established the necessity of increasing the amount of ODAs being transferred by developed countries to their poorer and less fortunate counterparts of Asia, the argumentation will shift towards the necessity of diverting funds not only to state governments but to non-governmental organizations as well. First, the author of this paper acknowledges the vital role being played by the government with regard to managing ODAs. Much substance have been given earlier in this paper and it is beyond argumentation that state-government acceptance of ODAs is indeed necessary. However, a new concept is being realized and offered which relates to the offering of ODAs from developed nations directly to international and local NGOs in the country. Perhaps one of the reasons to such proposition is the lessening trust of developed nations to their underdeveloped counterparts in Asia when it comes with governance. Many Asian countries, especially those who are financially-burdened, are often described in the international arena as engaging in the process of corruption. Documented evidence is being studied to support such claim (Lindsey and Dick, 2002). Good governance within the public sphere is indeed crucial in creating an environment, which will help mobilize resources, both domestically and internationally as well (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2002). Grantors of ODAs take into consideration the political climate within the country, which will receive their grant. They give premium to those who are practicing good governance. However, most countries in Asia had been involved in cases related to corruption. Hence, they do not appear as flawless to those who are sending them their ODAs. On the other hand, NGOs send a message of altruism to the international community. These NGOs project an image that they are indeed concerned in bringing progress to the countries where they have offices in. They appear as the good guys, whose business is to promote the welfare of the oppressed. NGOs are also offering programs that are aimed at bringing progress and development to their host countries. Sometimes, such programs from the NGOs are not being offered by state-governments. Another point is the fact that since grantors of aids are losing trust to corrupt governments, they are finding alternative channels to send their ODAs to residents of the receiving countries. Most NGOs in the international levels have earned themselves of the reputation to help others due to their noble causes. In spite of the manner as to how developed countries will be sending in their grants, what matters most is the fact that these grants are indeed helpful in bring progress and development to underdeveloped countries. References Berlage L. and Stokke, O. (1992). Evaluating Development Assistance: Approaches and Method. London: Routledge Publishing. Gupta, K. L. (1992). Budget Deficits and Economic Activity in Asia. London, Routledge Publishing. Lindsey, T. and Dick, H. W. (2002). Corruption in Asia: rethinking the governance paradigm. Annandale: NSW Federation Press. Nault D. M. (2008). Development in Asia: Interdisciplinary, Post-Neoliberal, and Transnational Perspectives. Boca Raton: Brown Walker Press. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (2002). Official development assistance and private finance: attracting finance and investment to developing countries. Paris: OECD Publishing.

Suicide and the Question of Rationality

Suicide and the Question of Rationality Imoghena Usman Suicide and the Question of Rationality and the Thought of Death (Question 6) In her work, Ethical Issues in Suicide, Margaret Pabst Battin tries to determine if suicide can be rational by using a number of criteria. I believe that two of her criteria can be weakened. While I agree that suicide can be rational, I think she fails to examine critical points that could lead to the irrationality of killing oneself. I will argue that suicide can be considered rational due to the humans capacity to make their own choices and their rights over their own body. However, if the individual committing the act are not the ones making the decision by themselves, then suicide in both cases should be determined irrational because it does not involve the individuals deduction process. Battin states that rational suicide is usually defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the individual is not insane, in which the decision is reached in unimpaired, undeceived fashion, and in which the choice made is not a foolish thing for that individual to do, (132). People determine suicide to be something a person would reasonably and knowingly do. Battin comes up with five criteria, which fall into two groups: the first three being non-impairment criteria and the last two being satisfaction of interests, both which could be used to evaluate other acts as well (132). It seems to be based on the humans logical thinking process and their physical and emotional wants. The ability to reason is the first criterion in the list, in which most think is that the person can come up with different logical reasons and the person can evaluate the consequences of the conclusion (Battin 133). However, there are mistakes that people commit while proving irrationality of suicide as Battin states it is thought that people should be able to predict the consequences after suicide if the act itself should be considered rational (133). Battin is explaining that humans must be able to figure out what would or could happen if they kill themselves in a thought process. However, she declares that many people do not actually see these consequences correctly (Battin 134). Battin points out that people do not imagine their deaths correctly (Shneidman and Farberow; Nagel, cited in Battin 1995, 134) or are focused on affecting the other people in their lives in a dyadic suicide (Shneidman, cited in Battin 1995, 134). This would prove that suicides could be rational because i f individuals could not see the outcomes of their deaths, then the argument about consequences would be prove false. Battin goes on to state that suicides based on religion, to continue life and experiences after death, and reputation, to be seen in a particular way after death, are rational because it would be hard to prove ability to reason due to error in reasoning (Battin 134-135). Overall, I believe that Battin is stating that rational suicide involves a clear mind and extensive thought process. Adequacy of information is another criterion where it is assumed that many suicides cannot meet this to be considered rational (Battin 137). It is assumed that inadequacy is people committing suicide based of mistaken information, such as an individual with a terminal illness committing suicide based off of a physicians facial expressions, and can involve the persons thoughts about present and future consequences (Battin 137). This would mean that people would not be rational in committing suicide because they do not have the right information to base it off of. However, Battin claims that you cannot determine irrationality of a suicide if there was no way possible of the individual knowing; it can only be judged if there was no attempt to get it from reliable sources (Battin 137-138). I think that Battin is inferring that not having the correct information could mean they are unable to participate in rational thought process. Another assumption of suicide not being rational due to t his criterion is caused by internal factors, such as depression where they can unknowingly suppress certain information (Brandt, cited in Battin 1995, 138). She counters this by stating that you can still have adequate information because the future may be already negative, even with a smaller view (Battin 138-139). Therefore, from her counterargument, she is countering any claims of narrow views that the opposition would try to argue by stating that an individuals health status does not matter. Battin states that some would claim that suicide would be irrational if one committed it because of an unlikely future, but states that committing suicides later, such as in illnesses, would be rational while committing it early would not be (140-141). Battin is saying that it would have to depend on the situation that the individual is in. Overall, I think Battin is trying to conclude that it would be difficult to determine the amount of reliable information needed in order to commit ration al suicide. I think that suicide can be rational since it is in regards to the individuals body and mind because it was what they were born with. It is their choice whether they commit suicide or not and they have the right to do whatever they want with it. I argue that they know their own bodies enough since they have lived in them for so many years and ultimately would know what is best for them. Therefore, it would not be irrational to commit suicide if they are the ones who are committing that act. Some could say that just because you own your body does not make it rational to commit suicide. In fact, you may not know much about your body at all and are making an uninformed decision, thus making it irrational to commit suicide. This would be an example of inadequacy of information being used as an assumption for irrational suicide (Battin 137). However, objectors would not know the humans situation either so it would not be fair to say if an individual commit suicide. This is something Batti n acknowledges when she states that each person has their own ideas about suicide and what comes after (142). It is up to the individual to decide whether they end their lives; if they think they have done enough research and learned as much as they can to commit suicide, then they should be allowed to proceed. However, I believe that suicide is irrational if the person committing the act is not the one who thought about it or came up with the idea to kill themselves. To be more specific, the individual who is committing suicide should have thought about it all by themselves without any influence or coercion. This derives from the original definition given in the text, in which the person should not be deceived when committing rational actions (Battin 132). This is something that I believe Battin should have looked at further since it could have affected her choice of criteria. If they are being influenced by any other person, then that is not their own decision. Even if they are committing the act with their own bodies, their mind was not a part of the decision. One example is if they were a part of a cult led by one main individual who had control over their followers. If that person preached to his followers to drink poison for him, and they do, then they were not clearly thinking about it. They let someone else tell them what to do, not what they thought to do. They should also not be physically forced into committing suicide as well. An example of this could be pointing a gun to someones head while handing them a knife and telling them to slit their throats. Whether from physical or emotional pressure, no one should not have a choice on whether or not to end their lives. I would consider this also irrational because that person is not being given a chance on whether to end their lives or not; someone else is making the choice for them. Battin claims that no act is fully rational with coercion (131).   This demonstrates that suicide by force could not be rational because if you are being forced with no other options then there is no way that could fully be your decision. Battin also reinforces this in which one of her criteria is that it should meet the interests of that individual (Williams, cited in Battin 1995, 146). Also, both of these points fail the c riteria of ability to reason, in which they can move from premises to conclusion (Battin 133). If the individual is being forced or influenced by others, then they cannot figure out the premises or conclusion by themselves. If suicide is forced or not their decision, then it does not meet their interests but the interests of others, demonstrating that suicide in that regards could not be rational. One objection to my argument could be that the person was able to make those decisions by themselves even if they were coerced or influenced by another individual because they were able to think about it regardless. For example, they could have answered no and walked away, and that would have been more rational because they actually thought whether they wanted to proceed or not. However, I think that would be less rational in certain circumstances than suicide. Not everyone can decline and look the other way. If an adult had the mind of a six-year-old child, then they could not fully comprehend suicide. If the leader of a cult told that individual to drink a vial of poison, it is likely that they would because they may trust them. They would not have the ability to make a rational decision about suicide because they cannot fully understand the situation. The individual may not have the capacity to say no either. The same would go for an actual child as well, as seen in the text where children would not think of suicide as the end of their lives, but only sleeping (Battin 133-134). This does not fulfill the criteria of adequacy of information, because they do not have the information from other resources or there was no effort to get them from reliable sources (Battin 138). This would mean that even if suicide by individuals under those circumstances was considered, it would not be rational because they do not have a variety of information available to make a conclusion, or it would not be possible for them to an informed decision. It does not fulfill the ability to reason criteria either because they are not moving from premises to conclusions (Battin 133). If they cannot comprehend the situation due to their minds age, then there is a chance that they cannot be able to complete that process. If the person with the gun pointed to their head had their spouse threatened who they loved, then they would seemingly have no choice. Battin reinforces this by stating th at people in forced-choice tests choose the option that suits their most fundamental interest (151-152). In this example, it would be the spouse that is saved if the person is selfless. It also goes against one of Battins criteria, in which it does not serve the persons interests which come from their values (Williams, cited in Battin 1995, 146) because it would not serve any interest to kill the spouse if the individual loved them. By committing suicide for these reasons, I do not think they are committing rational suicide because they are being influenced or have no comprehension of what they are doing. Both examples still lack the ability to reason, in which Battin states that the reasoning for suicide that involves living after death could be rational (135). If they are being forced or influenced, then it must be considered someone is doing it for them. They may not be thinking about it at all. Suicide needs to be thought out, not rushed. In my opinion, rational suicide would ne ed to be the persons choice if it, and not the choice of others. In conclusion, I think that suicide can be rational in regards to Battins criteria, but only if it is the persons choice. Works Cited Battin, Margaret Pabst. The Concept of Rational Suicide. Ethical Issues in Suicide. Prentice Hall, 1995, pp. 131-135. Print.

Medicine Manufacturing: Steps Involved and Types

Medicine Manufacturing: Steps Involved and Types Introduction: There are various types of medicines ranging from veterinary to medicines for human usage. Over the course of time, conscientious and diligent research has been put into improving the quality and effectiveness of medicines. There are hundreds of thousands of medicines available today meant for different ailments but this galore of medicines can be divided into three basic categories Tablets Syrups Gel Every medicine available comprises of two main constituents: Active ingredient and Additives/Excipients. The main remedy is the active ingredient. Whereas, the additives are added to inculcate rigidity, to increase the quantity so that the raw materials can be easily processed and to dissolve certain active ingredients. All human medicines that are produced on industrial scale must go through extensive testing and if its deemed fit for human usage it is produced commercially. There are various standards that are set to test the quality of medicines such as: European directorate for the quality of medicine (EDQM) and U.S pharmacopeial convention (USP). Tablet Manufacturing: In order to make the process more intuitive a specific product (Aspirin) will be discussed. 1. Raw materials: Phenol Sodium hydroxide Carbon dioxide Acetic anhydride Hydrogen Corn starch Water 2. Weighing: The corn starch, the active ingredient, and the lubricant are weighed separately in sterile canisters to determine if the ingredients meet pre-determined specifications for the batch size and dosage amount. 3. Mixing: The corn starch is dispensed into cold purified water, then heated and stirred until a translucent paste forms. The corn starch, the active ingredient, and part of the lubricant are next poured into one sterile canister, and the canister is wheeled to a mixing machine called a Glen Mixer. Mixing blends the ingredients as well as expels air from the mixture. The mixture is then mechanically separated into units, which are generally from 7/8 to 1 inches (2.22 to 2.54 centimeters) in size. These units are called slugs. 4. Dry Screening: Next, small batches of slugs are forced through a mesh screen by a hand-held stainless steel spatula. Large batches in sizable manufacturing outlets are filtered through a machine called a Fitzpatrick mill. The remaining lubricant is added to the mixture, which is blended gently in a rotary granulator and sifter. The lubricant keeps the mixture from sticking to the tablet machine during the compression process. 5. Compression: The mixture is compressed into tablets by a punch machine. On single-punch machines, the mixture is fed into one tablet mold known as dye cavity by a feed shoe, as follows: The feed shoe passes over the dye cavity and releases the mixture. The feed shoe then retracts and scrapes all excess mixture away from the dye cavity. A punch of the size of the dye cavity descends into the dye, compressing the mixture into a tablet. The punch then retracts, while a punch below the dye cavity rises into the cavity and ejects the tablet. The feed shoe returns to fill the dye cavity again, it pushes the compressed tablet from the dye platform. 6. Coating: Tablets may be coated to reduce swallow difficulties or target specific part of the body where the coating will dissolve and take effect. Coating is done by adding desired coating solution to the drum along with the tablets. Blowers are used to rapidly dry the coated tablets and prevent sticking. 7. Testing: The compressed tablets are subjected to a tablet hardness and friability test, as well as a tablet disintegration test. 8. Packaging: The tablets are transferred to an automated bottling assembly line where they are dispensed into clear or color-coated polyethylene or polypropylene plastic bottles or glass bottles. The bottles are topped with cotton packing, sealed with a sheer aluminum top, and then sealed with a plastic and rubber child-proof lid. A sheer, round plastic band is then affixed to the circular edge of the lid. It serves as an additional seal to discourage and detect product tampering. Syrup Manufacturing: 1. General manufacturing procedure: Syrups should be carefully prepared in clean equipment to prevent contamination. Three methods may be used to prepare syrups. Solution with heat Agitation without heat Percolation Although the hot method is quickest, it is not applicable to syrups of volatile ingredients. When using heat, temperature must be carefully controlled to avoid decomposing and darkening the syrup. Syrups may be prepared from sugars other than sucrose (glucose, fructose), non-sugar polyols (sorbitol, glycerin, propylene glycol), or other non-nutritive artificial sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin) when a reduction in calories properties is desired, as with the diabetic patient. The non-nutritive sweeteners do not impart the characteristic viscosity of syrups and require the addition of viscosity adjusters, such as methylcellulose. The polyols, though less sweet than sucrose, have the advantage of providing favorable viscosity, reducing cap-locking (which occurs when sucrose crystallizes), and in some cases acting as co-solvents and preservatives. 2. Cough syrup manufacturing process: Traditional cough mixtures are formulated around a syrup at 60-75% concentration which is made from sucrose, malt dextrin, glucose, invert syrup etc. The remainder is made up of thickening agents, stabilizers and active ingredients. Manufacturers of cough mixtures generally produce their own syrups as this offers greater control of product quality. The manufacturing process must achieve several functions: Dissolving of the sugars to form a syrup Hydration of powdered ingredients Blending ingredients of widely different viscosity Suspension or dissolving of active ingredients The end product must be smooth, agglomerate-free and homogeneous. High Shear mixer is used for mixing. Gel manufacturing Process: 1. Raw materials: Aluminium Acetate, Povidone Iodine, Propylene glycolCremophor RH 40, Lutrol F 127, Cetylstearyl alcohol, Cremophor A 6, Liquid paraffin, Parabene(s), Alpha-Bisabolol, Triethanolamine, Kollidon 30, Benzoyl peroxide, Betamethasone valerate etc. 2. Heating: The temperature should be high enough to ensure the intimate mixing of liquid phase and to prevent the premature crystallization and congealing of its components. Ointments preparation involves separate oil and water phases containing the required ingredients, heating each phase to between 60-70Â °C. 3. Mixing: Mechanical mixers, such as a steel jacketed kettle with agitator are commonly used to prepare semisolid preparations in pharmaceutical industry. The use of mechanical shear or a combination of fusion processes and mixing can be used to facilitate the dispersion or dissolution of the ingredients in the base to form a single-phase ointment. Time, temperature, and mechanical energy input are the three major variables in the manufacturing of semisolid preparations. 4. Emulsification: After the mixing process, the mixer is send to the emulsifier where the immiscible layers are forced to form an emulsion. 5. Cooling: Cooling rate can influence the final product quality. Different cooling rates after melting, mixing, and emulsification steps should be investigated as a process variable. The most important aspect of manufacture is to ensure all ingredients are fully dissolved and well mixed before packing and that the formulations contain suitable effective preservatives. Mixing is continued with cooling until the cream/gel is formed. 6. Packaging: After cooling, the gel is packed. In suspension, mixing of the bulk must be continued during packing to ensure even dispersion of the active ingredients at all times.

Marriage in Pride and Prejudice :: Pride Prejudice Essays

Marriage in Pride and Prejudice      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."   Jane Austen provides subsequent argument with the first line of her novel, Pride and Prejudice.   A statement that remains true to this very day.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Austen's' first statement sets up the beginning of the novel.   She states that a man, financially well off, but with no mate to accompany him to share in his wealth, is undoubtedly in search of a wife.   In Pride and Prejudice,   Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy play the role of the rich men.   Mr. And Mrs. Bennet are the parents of five unwed daughters.   Mr. And Mrs. Bennet have conflicting thoughts about the arrival of the rich neighbors. Mr. Bennet thinks nothing of it.   He has no new thoughts about the arrival of Bingley and Darcy.   Mrs. Bennet sees flashing lights.   She views it as the perfect chance to automatically place a few of her five daughters into the rich community.   Marrying off her daughters serves as the main purpose in Mrs. Bennet's life.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mrs. Bennet wants her husband to go and make a greeting to the new crowd.   Her plans are to get in contact with them and make aware her five unmarried daughters.   Mrs. Bennet encourages her daughter, Jane, to set her sights on Mr. Bingley.   Mr. Bennet's' sarcastic comments prove his disconcert on the whole topic.   When Jane is invited to meet with Mr. Bingley and his sister, Mrs. Bennet suggests that she go by horseback in hopes that she could probably get ill and extend her stay.   Mrs. Bennet's' mind is always thinking of ways to marry off her daughters.   Her idea works to perfection and Jane ends up staying longer.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mrs. Bennet goes to work again at the arrival of Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennet's' cousin.   Mr. Collins stays at the Bennet's house for a short time.   He will inherit Longbourn when Mr. Bennet dies since he will be the only, close male relative.   Mr. Collins first intentions are toward Jane, but Ms. Bennet informs him of Bingley.   Collins then changes his target to Elizabeth.   Mrs. Bennet is astounded at the rejection from Elizabeth. Marriage in Pride and Prejudice :: Pride Prejudice Essays Marriage in Pride and Prejudice      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."   Jane Austen provides subsequent argument with the first line of her novel, Pride and Prejudice.   A statement that remains true to this very day.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Austen's' first statement sets up the beginning of the novel.   She states that a man, financially well off, but with no mate to accompany him to share in his wealth, is undoubtedly in search of a wife.   In Pride and Prejudice,   Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy play the role of the rich men.   Mr. And Mrs. Bennet are the parents of five unwed daughters.   Mr. And Mrs. Bennet have conflicting thoughts about the arrival of the rich neighbors. Mr. Bennet thinks nothing of it.   He has no new thoughts about the arrival of Bingley and Darcy.   Mrs. Bennet sees flashing lights.   She views it as the perfect chance to automatically place a few of her five daughters into the rich community.   Marrying off her daughters serves as the main purpose in Mrs. Bennet's life.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mrs. Bennet wants her husband to go and make a greeting to the new crowd.   Her plans are to get in contact with them and make aware her five unmarried daughters.   Mrs. Bennet encourages her daughter, Jane, to set her sights on Mr. Bingley.   Mr. Bennet's' sarcastic comments prove his disconcert on the whole topic.   When Jane is invited to meet with Mr. Bingley and his sister, Mrs. Bennet suggests that she go by horseback in hopes that she could probably get ill and extend her stay.   Mrs. Bennet's' mind is always thinking of ways to marry off her daughters.   Her idea works to perfection and Jane ends up staying longer.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mrs. Bennet goes to work again at the arrival of Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennet's' cousin.   Mr. Collins stays at the Bennet's house for a short time.   He will inherit Longbourn when Mr. Bennet dies since he will be the only, close male relative.   Mr. Collins first intentions are toward Jane, but Ms. Bennet informs him of Bingley.   Collins then changes his target to Elizabeth.   Mrs. Bennet is astounded at the rejection from Elizabeth.

The Failure of Standardized Testing Essay -- Against Standardized Test

Nearly thirty percent of students in this year’s graduating class will not earn their high school diploma (Swanson). In the United States the rate of college graduation is only thirty eight percent, while in 2010, Canada’s college graduation rate was near sixty percent (Lee). In an effort to help with the problem of achievement in America, President Bush, in 2002, signed the No Child Left Behind Act. The Act called for 100 percent of students to be proficient in both reading and math in state given tests by the year 2014. Some criticized that the act permitted states to define what proficient is. Others criticized the punishments for not meeting the targets that were set, which included closure or privatization of schools, losing funds, or being labeled as failing (Ravitch web). Because of those factors, heavy emphases on standardized tests were put in place in schools across the United States. The No Child Left Behind Act’s use of standardized testing negatively affects schools by pressuring schools to change curriculum, cheat to attain better scores, and by making children ill-prepared for higher education. Schools changing curriculum to cater to the testing requirements is one way the No Child Left Behind Act negatively affects schools. This article describes consequences of the heavy emphasis on standardized tests made by the No Child Left Behind Act, â€Å"The Overall lackluster performance is certain to revive the debate on whether history and other subjects, such as science and art, are being pushed out of the curriculum because of the focus on math and reading demanded under the No Child Left Behind federal educational law† (Banchero web). Many of the courses that are being pushed out are courses that a... ...life, who is? Works Cited Banchero, Stephanie. â€Å"States Fail to Raise Bar in Reading, Math Tests.† Wall Street Journal 11 August 2011: A2. Print. ---. â€Å"SAT Reading, Writing Scores Hit Low.† Wall Street Journal 15 September 2011: A2. Print. ---. â€Å"Students Stumble Again on the Basics of History.† Wall Street Journal 15 July 2011: A3. Print. Lee, Micheal. â€Å"US College Graduations Rate Lags, Speaker Says.† The Chronicle: Web. 21 September 2011. Ravitch, Diane. â€Å"Obama’s War on Schools.† Newsweek 4 April 2011: Vol. 157, No. 14. Print ---. â€Å"Why I Changed My Mind About School Reform.† Wall Street Journal 9 March 2010: A.21. Print. Sarrio, Jaime. â€Å"Atlanta’s Testing Scandal Adds Fuel to U.S. Debate.† Atlanta Journal-Constitution 10 July 2011: A1. Print. Swanson, Christopher. â€Å"U.S. Graduation Rate Continues Decline.† Education Week: Web. 2 June 2010.

Assignment Title Self-discipline Essay

Demonstrate self-discipline through relevant activities M2 – Perform relevant activities with a high standard of self-discipline D2 – Evaluate personal levels of self-discipline for entry to the uniformed public services I personally believe that I as an individual posses many skills and qualities that demonstrate my self-discipline. Self-discipline is another form of discipline and an essential quality for a member of any service. Self-discipline can be defined as the ability to apply yourself in the correct manner, including controlling yourself and your feelings. To  appreciate the qualities needed for self-discipline fully, you need to understand the following things; personal grooming and presentation punctuality time management reliability attendance composure attitude performance personality If you lack any of the qualities that make up the key areas of self-discipline then more likely than not, you will not be able to succeed at your job. For example, poor attendance could mean that you are not fully informed of important issues at briefings, which will mean that your team cannot rely on you to respond to certain situations correctly. Over the time I have spent at college I believe that I have successfully achieved some, if not all, of the points listed above. Personal Grooming and presentation In the uniformed public services, where members of the public may be looking to you for help or guidance, it is particularly important that you are of smart appearance. People form impressions and opinions about us from the way we appear to them, so if you want to create the right impression it is important that you are correctly presented. I have shown great examples of personal grooming and presentation by arriving at college (with 100% attendance) in my uniform, with polished boots and well ironed uniform. Punctuality In order to run efficiently and effectively, organisations have to be keep to tight schedules and this means being governed by time. In the public services punctuality is vital so that, at any time, someone can say where, when and how many people are on duty. At the beginning of a shift, public service personnel are briefed about any major issues that may have been arisen, for example, police officers would be kept updated about a missing  child. If you are late for a shift and miss the briefing, then you are preventing that organisation from operating at its full efficiency. Time Management Good time management skills are very useful skills to have. Someone who manages their time well can be far more productive than someone who may appear to be very busy, but who is, in fact, not being very productive at all. Often, there is not enough time to do all the work that needs to be completed by specific deadlines. This theoretically means that employees need to prioritise their work. To prioritise means to sort out which tasks are the most urgent and need to be completed first. People can be easily distracted and lose concentration rather quickly when tasks have to be completed, therefore, it requires a high level of self-discipline to keep on track and stay dedicated. Reliability In the uniformed public services reliability is an essential quality to posses. Being reliable means doing what you have agreed to do, therefore not letting people down. This is extremely important in the public services, where good teamwork is essential and team members need to be able to rely on each other. Attendance All employers, both in the public services and in the private sector, expect their employees to attend work regularly. Poor attenders can be expected to be disciplined or even dismissed. This is because work rotas are planned around the number of people who will be available, and this cannot work if people do not turn up. No team or organisation can operate effectively in this way. Composure If a person is described as being composed, it means that they remain calm, even in stressful situations or times of crisis. This can be extremely important members of the uniformed public services who need to think quickly and clearly at such times. Attitude Having the right attitude can be very important when you have to attend a job  interview. Uniformed public service employers will be looking for someone who shows that they are enthusiastic without being overbearing, confident without being cocky and who are polite and courteous, not aggressive or ‘stroppy’. Having a good attitude can be equally important when you are employed as a member of the uniformed services. You will need to be able to listen to members of the public and to empathise with them without letting your own attitude and feelings come to the for front. Performance Conscientious employees will carry out their job to the best of their ability. Public service workers will always be expected to provide a first-class service and to give the public good value for money. You will find that if your self-discipline is at a high enough standard then you will be able to do this without someone having to watch over you. Personality When ‘personality’ is talked about in the uniformed public services, it means they are talking about the distinctive, unique qualities that make members of a service stand out from others. When you are seen in a uniform people assume that you don’t have a personality. This is definitely not the case. Your personality can make a huge difference to your role within the public services: it can make you popular colleague to work with it can ease relations with the public both at home and abroad.