The Rhetoric of Pork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Rhetoric of Pork - Essay Example Then he proposes some opinions and arguments to clarify making the avoidance from pork-consumption a commandment – they consume and stagger in smut, their flesh transmits disease – then enlightens why they mustn’t fulfill the logic. If there is a dire necessity, other farm animals will consume feces, moreover all undercooked meats have the possibility for scattering disease. The clarification he puts forth takes a methodology that has more to do with the economics and the assets needed to raise pigs for getting meat. Beasts that have ruminating bellies do quite fine with ingesting hard plants and grasses that human cannot consume, whereas pigs have bellies that resemble more with human beings and need to stake in the same food source. Pigs also need shadow or some exterior method of cooling their bodies, which is the reason they are observed to lurch in filth. Even the space is not well-matched for raising pigs, particularly with developing human inhabitants. Pig s flourish better in dense forests; whereas the needs of more human population causes woodlands to be wiped off to make room for harvesting fields. The area then starts to look more like a desert, plus it gets pricier to raise swine since their necessities are tougher to provide. In brief, Harris’ concept is that the prohibition of pigs arises out of the unwieldiness of nurturing them. It is very unlike the commonly supposed and argued cultural characteristic of not eating pigs. Jewish community in the United States, for instance, has no environmental need to keep abstinence from eating pork since the meat is supplied figuratively on a shoestring and American people on the whole are also not contending with pork for particular diets. Arguments of Mary Douglas Douglas proposed that food proscriptions sanctioned by religion as cited in Deuteronomy and Leviticus are amongst the resources by which particular groups uphold their preservations and exclusiveness, therefore providing them a robust identity or social emblems.  More tangibly, when a person declares his association with a certain group that he/she respects as his self-enclosed universe and outside whose boundaries he sees risk, menace, and hostility, he concurrently summons—openly or covertly—the many emblems of his social identity. There must be compactness between outrages that will make complete sense of all specific limitations. These prohibitions contaminate the individual, so by not consuming the vile animals, one can be clean or 'Holy', so these eating guidelines one way or another demonstrate holiness. Holiness is extensiveness, harmony, amalgamation, excellence. Holiness connotes protecting discrete classes of design. It includes specific definition, discernment and direction. The animals presented in sacrifice must be without imperfection, just like females must be cleaned after giving birth, so must the lepers be parted and ceremonially cleaned.  For instance, in the t ime of Leviticus, filthy lifestyles of a warrior prohibited him from combating. Animals that are hoofed and chew cud (sheep, cattle, goat, etc.) are  farm  animals used by the early Hebrews, therefore they are the appropriate food of these folks and a fragment of the social command. These are the means of support of the Israelites, so they are deliberated pure. The pig is also vile since it does not produce milk like cattle, yarn or hide like sheep so there is

Strip Searches in Schools Essay Example for Free

Strip Searches in Schools Essay The Fourth Amendment is an essential part of the United States Constitution. It grants all United States citizens the right to not have illegal searches and seizures brought against them. With this being said, the most recent debate of the Fourth Amendment has occurred in the United States Public School Systems. Many kids and adults feel that students should have the same rights under the Constitution when attending school as they do when they are out. However, many school officials believe that to keep schools safe, it is essential to bend the rules a little bit. This paper will discuss the debate that is raging in schools, look at recent cases involving the Fourth Amendment and schools, and give my personal view on the Fourth Amendment in schools. The debate that is currently raging in public schools, is whether or not kids in public schools, can be strip searched or not. This has many parents up in arms, because they feel like this violates their children’s safety, as well as, their Fourth Amendment rights. The issue of the Fourth Amendment in schools was never really an issue, until the shooting at Columbine High School in April of 1999. This massacre really put an emphasis on security in schools. With this being said, many schools started to gear towards random locker searches and back pack searches. They never took it to the extreme of strip searches. However, with the recent school shooting at Virginia Tech and with the most recent massacre in Aurora, Colorado, many schools have stepped up their security even more. School officials are scared of having a massacre at their school. So by being over protective, they believe they can prevent one from happening. The debate has begun to surface and be more recognized because parents believe that strip searches are too far. When it comes to their children, most parents are very protective and do not want their children violated in any way. With this introduction of strip searches into public schools, many parents believe the schools, as well as, the school officials, have taken it too far and believe this is a direct violation of their children’s Fourth Amendment rights. However, as we have discussed in class, when a parent drops their child off at school, the school assumes parenting rights of the child for that amount of time. This idea is known as Parens Patriae, or â€Å"taking the role of the parent†. School officials argue that this idea gives them the right to search the kids as intrusively as needed, if they believe it will help protect other students and staff. People against this, such as Dennis D. Parker, say, â€Å"The disastrous effects of overly intrusive searches in schools are only underscored by the availability of alternatives, which are more effective in creating safe environments and encouraging participation and learning by all students in schools† (Parker, 2010). Some parents however, do not mind all of the searches. They believe that it is keeping their children safe at school and that strip searches only happen on rare occasions. Many people are not raising an uproar over back-packs or lockers being searched. They are only fighting against the strip searches. The idea that their children are being â€Å"violated† has them scared. This idea can also be attributed to the recent spike in awareness of child sex-offenders. The media coverage of child sex-offenders in schools, churches, and other places, has the public scared. Many parents do not want their children being molested or raped by a school official. When parents hear the word â€Å"strip† they automatically think the worst. They do not want their child to become a victim of something heinous, such as sexual abuse. This debate has grown fierce. It has sparked many court cases that challenge public schools and whether or not they violate children’s Fourth Amendment rights by conducting strip searches. The most recent and well known case in the media is, Safford Unified School District No. 1 v. Redding. This court case spread across the nation like wildfire and eventually made it to the Supreme Court for review. The facts of the case are that a young 13 year old girl named Savana Redding, was forced to strip down to her bra and underwear and pull both undergarments away from her body. The school officials forced Redding to do this in an attempt to find prescription-strength ibuprofen, which is against school rules to possess and is treated as an illegal drug. The officials strip searched Redding because another student had stated that Redding had this â€Å"drug†. The officials did not find any drugs within her locker or back-pack and stated that they believed Redding was hiding the drugs on her person. The officials believed this constituted a strip search, because the school had a zero-tolerance policy for any type of drugs or violence, and in an effort to protect their students they had Redding searched. Many parents were outraged by what happened to Savana Redding, because they believed it could happen to their children as well. Redding along with her mother and the ACLU sued the school officials for violating her Fourth Amendment rights. This case reached national attention and finally reached the Supreme Court. After reaching the Supreme Court, the two sides battled and Redding was the victor. According to Laura Jarrett, â€Å"In a decision written by Justice Souter,5 the majority applied the T. L. O. standard to hold that the strip search in Savana Redding’s case violated the Fourth Amendment because it was unreasonable in its scope† (Jarrett, 2010). This case however, did not set precedent. Schools are allowed to strip search children as long as it is within a reasonable scope. This means that if a child is suspected of having a weapon of some sort, he/she may be strip searched in order to find it. However, in Savana Redding’s case, a few simple pills of ibuprofen, did not satisfy the reasonableness of a strip search, and thus violated Redding’s Fourth Amendment rights. This case has opened many people’s eyes to how much power our school officials actually wield. This puts many parents in a tough spot, because they do not want their children to be harmed or taken advantage of by school officials, but they want their children to be safe at school. More cases will be brought to court that deal with the issue of the Fourth Amendment in schools. My reaction to all of this is one that is filled with mixed emotions. As a student in college and as someone that grew up through these changes in the school system, I have seen the first hand effects of these new zero-tolerance policies. I grew up a military kid and moved from school to school every year. I attended four high schools and each one had a different policy and a new set of rules to follow. The first high school I attended forced us to wear uniforms, to eliminate gangs within our school and promote a â€Å"community of learning†. My first high school had metal detectors at the front doors and every kid had to walk through them. We had six school police officers that closely monitored all of the students. This measure of security was not fun to go through every day. It was very intimidating and time consuming, because there was only so many metal detectors. I do not believe these metal detectors, or police officers, helped keep our school any safer than they would have been without them. All these devices did, was intimidate you when you walked into a so-called â€Å"learning environment†. According to Parker, â€Å"Recognition that not all disciplinary policies are fair or effective and a requirement that any policies be reasonable represent a necessary first step for students who have not fared well historically in the education system† (Parker, 2010). My first high school obviously had not recognized that. My first high school, almost seemed like a jail. We wore uniforms, walked through metal detectors, police constantly watched us in the halls. According to Jessica R. Feierman and Riya S. Shah, â€Å"Confinement to a detention center or other juvenile institution places children outside the view of their families, friends, and the public, and subjects them to what Kenneth Wooden has called a deliberate â€Å"politics of secrecy,† hiding the conditions in juvenile institutions from the public eye† (Feierman and Shah, 2012). I believe not only was my first high school like this, but I also believe that more and more schools are trying to turn into institutions that monitor kids, instead of teach them. Children respond to relationships, not to intimidation. Along with this, I am conflicted, because I know that there is a need to keep our children safe in school. The world has proven to be a dangerous place, filled with dangerous people. The massacres at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, and others have shown us that we need protection. But I do not believe we need strip searches in schools. According to Diana R. Donahoe, â€Å"Studies have found children who have been subject to a strip search can be greatly traumatized by the experience† (Donahoe, 2012). We have enough problems with teachers having sex with their students, and even some molesting their students. By inserting this power into our schools, this will open up more lawsuits and could even lead to people losing their jobs if something was done improperly. According to Nicole L. Bracy, â€Å"Over the past several decades, public schools in the United States have been increasingly transformed into high security environments, complete with surveillance technologies, security forces, and harsh punishments† (Bracy, 2012). We teach our kids that school is fun and a great place to learn. However, when they grow up and get to school, they realize that school is really a moderate form of prison or jail. In our madness to protect our children, we have really just imprisoned them and taken away from the learning environment. Our schools have become too powerful. With the continued addition of power to our schools, we will have no control over what they can and cannot do. The Fourth Amendment is a vital part of our Constitution and we must protect it, whether that be in everyday life or in schools. This paper has discussed the debate that is raging in schools, looked at recent cases involving the Fourth Amendment and schools, and has given my personal view on the Fourth Amendment in schools. Without the Fourth Amendment protecting us, we are subject to illegal searches and seizures. Students deserve to be protected and not subject to strip searches in school. This issue is far from over and must be brought to the attention of the public, so we can stop the schools from gaining anymore power.

The Social Conflict Theory Sociology Essay

The Social Conflict Theory Sociology Essay Sociologists believe that there is four different ways of social conflict. Most sociologists will use the theoretical or perspective approach to help research. There are a multitude of approaches that are used by sociologist but, the mainly stick to three types of theories. The first would be the structural functional theory, then the social conflict theory, and finally the symbolic interaction theory. Within these three approaches are several more ways to gain research (Conflict Theories, 2011). The social conflict theory tries to show that society creates conflict due to the inequalities that are present in everyday life. Most sociologists will use the macro level orientation theory simply because it takes society as a whole and shows how it shapes our lives. It uses terms like inequality, power, authority, competition, and exploitation (Conflict Theories, 2011). Some of the examples that would be used in the social conflict theory are authority. Authority takes into account the family, patriarchy, race and ethnicity hierarchies of authority. In inequality there is family, health, and property. Inequality looks at how people are treated and how are perceived by others. Then there is competition which; can be anything from education, religion, to who will move over when you pass someone on the street. Competition is ingrained in all of us from the time we are born until the time we die (Conflict Theories, 2011). The power and exploitation can go hand in hand. The people that are in power or come to power got that way by exploiting citizens along the way. Power, if not kept in check, will make the honest of men corrupt. Once the corruption sets in they will use that power to exploit people along the way to gain more power (Conflict Theories, 2011). Karl Marx believed there two groups of people in society, the wealthy and the poor. He studied what would happen if one group decided to up rise against the other. He looks to see what would happen and what roles the people involved would take. Once the sides are chosen and the revolt has begun, Marx will study the inner workings of the dominate class to see how they retain their status after the conflict has ended (Conflict Theories, 2011). Social conflict can be either used for good or bad. Take any uprising against the local government. In Somalia the people have been fighting their government for equality and fairness. The government themselves are fighting its own people to keep the control or power. All across time there is human uprising against those in power. The earlier battles were fought for land, the later battles are fought for greed, power, and wealth. Some examples of bad social conflict are the recent increase in school shootings, bombings, and over all violence that is plaguing the country today. Unfortunately the innocent by stander is usually the one getting hurt or killed. This is not just limited to the United States; it is all across the globe. Those that are in power want more power and wealth to control those who are less fortunate. So, the social conflict theory is about those in power wanting to stay in power and those not in powers wanting to gain power. Throughout time there have been many battles waged in the desire to gain power. It all began with Karl Marx and has evolved over time to incorporate many other theories about crime and what causes it. There is also the realistic theory; this theory is about ones group gain, due to another groups loss. This can be brought on by limited resources, this can lead to conflict. This can lead to more friction within each group when they compete for resources. This theory is a social psychological theory thought to explain prejudice (Conflict Theories, 2011). An example for this would be immigration. With all the bombings, terrorist attacks, and violence from one ethnic group or religious group. With the recent Boston bombings, this will lead to a negative reaction to all immigrants of Muslim decent. It doesnt matter if they are of Middle Eastern decent, people will see just the color of their skin and automatically lump them into one category, terrorist. This theory can be traced back through history. It can be seen with the British and Native Americans, Whites and blacks, Japanese and American, and recently middle eastern and Americans. Most of these conflicts have happened over one ethnicity doesnt like what the other one believes, whether it is religion, politics, or moral standings. Muzafer Sherif did the famous study called Robbers Cave in 1954. He basically took two groups of teenage boys, put them in a camp, and had them compete against each other. He had 22 boys in the study, all middle class white boys. These boys all came from similar backgrounds and upbringing. He randomly assigned them to a group (McLeod, 2008). In the first week of the experiment, the two groups bonded with each other. The boys chose group names and stenciled them on their clothing and a flag. They bonded over hiking, swimming, and hanging out. This created and attachment that bonded the boys together (McLeod, 2008). In the second week he challenged the boys to competitions against the other group. He used activities like, baseball, tug-of-war and other games. The winning group would receive a trophy at the end of the competition. He also included individual prizes to create competition against the other group and within the groups (McLeod, 2008). The boys became physically, verbally, and mentally abusive towards each other. They burned each others flags, tore up sleeping areas, and had to be physically restrained by the researchers. This study showed that it doesnt matter where you come from, you can turn to prejudice (McLeod, 2008). Then there is the Game Theory which states investigates the strategic behavior of decision makers who are aware that their decisions affect one another (Skekel, 2013). The gaming theory believed that people interacted with each other similar to a game. This was done by strategic moves, winners and losers, rewards and punishments, or profits and cost. It was the first model used to describe how the human population interacts (Game Theory An Overview, 2013). So, with this theory you will have players, strategies, and consequences just like in a game. There are many types of games like zero-sum game, non-zero sum game, simultaneous move games, sequential move games, one-shot games, and repeated games. These games are used to study the gaming theory (Game Theory An Overview, 2013). A popular gaming theory is the prisoners dilemma. The prisoners dilemma shows why two individuals might not agree, even if it appears that it is best to agree (Game Theory An Overview, 2013). They use two people who have committed a crime and pit one against the other. The sentencing is done by how the criminals talk, or not talk. If one partner talks, they get sentenced and the other set free. If they both remain quiet they get a short sentence, if they both talk they both get a moderate sentence. They never reveal what the prisoners chose to do (Game Theory An Overview, 2013).

St Francis Of Assisi :: essays research papers

Francis of Assisi lived about eight hundred years ago. He was born in the city of Assisi, Italy, in 1182. He was the son of Piero of Bernadone, who was a wealthy merchant. He received a education and seemed to follow his father's footsteps as a wealthy merchant. In 1201 he took part in an attack on Perugia, was taken hostage, and remained a captive there for a year. After his release, Francis joined the army but couldn't complete his time because he got sick. This period of time would change his life forever. During his sickness, Francis would spend hours meditating on the Lord in an old church, and he felt God drawing near to him. Some people come to Jesus with a memorable experience, but others come to Christ through a process. Francis' conversion wasn't an overnight experience, but it was definitely real. Francis was famous for his love of all creation. He called for simplicity of life, poverty, and humility before God. He worked to care for the poor. Thousands were drawn to his sincerity, piety, and joy. In all his actions, Francis sought to follow fully and literally the way of life demonstrated by Christ in the Gospels. He died in 1226, at the age of 44. Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement, was born in Brooklyn, New York, November 8, 1897. After surviving the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, the Day family moved into a house in Chicago. It was a big step down in the world because John Day was out of work. Day's understanding of the shame people feel when they fail in their efforts dated from this time. Day lived long enough to see her achievements honored. In 1967, when she made her last visit to Rome to take part in the Congress of the Laity, she found she was one of two Americans invited to receive Communion from the hands of Pope Paul VI.

Burn Case Study

Mr. Davis is a 56-year-old man who was involved in a fire in his home. He was smoking a cigarette and fell asleep, dropping the cigarette and igniting the bed linens. He sustained full thickness burns over the upper half of his trunk and neck (anterior and posterior) and the posterior aspects of both upper arms. He also sustained superficial partial-thickness burns to his face and hands. He arrived at your burn unit 5 hours after injury. Labs were drawn. A foley catheter and NG tube were inserted in the ER. Assessment findings: Height is 72 inches, weight is 185 lbs.You auscultate wheezes in the patient’s lungs and he has a productive cough of a small amount of carbon-tinged sputum. Mr. Davis rates his pain at a â€Å"9† on a scale of 0-10. He denies pain at the chest, neck, back, and upper arms. Urine output has totaled 150 ml since the foley was inserted 2 hours ago. His foley is draining burgundy-colored urine. Mr. Davis is experiencing nausea, has faint bowel sounds , and his abdomen is distended. A nasogastric tube was inserted to low intermittent suction and is draining dark yellow-green liquid.His extremities are edematous making the pulses difficult to palpate. His blood pressure is 96/50, pulse 114 beats per minute, respirations are 24, and temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The greatest initial threat to a patient with a major burn is hypovolemic shock. Using the above assessment: 1. Do you think Mr. Davis is experiencing hypovolemic shock? If so, what data supports this? (2 points) Yes, Mr. Davis is most likely experiencing hypovolemic shock, due to low blood pressure, increased heart rate, as well as an increase in respiratory rate.

Psychological and social processes in the development of drug addiction Essay

Psychological and social processes in the development of drug addiction Introduction            Drug addiction can be defined as a compulsive need to use drugs in order to function normally. It can also be defined as primary, chronic, neurobiological disease with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one of the following: impaired control over the drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite the harm it does on the individual and its craving.            When an individual persists in the use of alcohol or other drugs despite the problems related to use of the substance, substance dependence may be diagnosed. Repetitive use may result in tolerance to the effect of the drug and withdraw symptoms when use is reduced or stopped.            Some of the most important things to know about addiction are that it is fundamentally about compulsive behavior and that such habits originate outside consciousness; from the unconscious mind. It is also important to know that addiction could be heritable meaning that family background and genetics play a big role. Also, people with additions often have psychiatric disorders and that it is characterized by frequent relapse (one should not expect to overcome addiction on the first try.) Another important thing to note is that different psychotherapy all produces similar results (Cohen, 1985, p.98)..            Drugs that cause addiction include both legal and illegal drugs as well as prescription or over the counter drugs. Addictive drugs also include a large number of substrates that are currently considered to have no medical value and are not available over the counter or by prescription. Several theories of drug addiction exist, some of the main ones being genetic predisposition, the self-medication theory, and factors involved with social/economic development. It has long been established that genetic or biological factors along with social and psychological factors are the main contributors of addiction (Bier, 1962, 74). Biological development of drug addiction Substance abuse and genetics            Genetics is one factor in addiction. The development of an addiction is influenced by multiple biological, familial psychological and social cultural factors. In our societies every one has access to drugs and alcohol, some people use them and other people become addicted. However, not all people who use substances will become addicted dependent or even use them regularly. Similar upbringing, environmental factors rate of abuse for a drug and even peer influence still do not mean that people will struggle with drug addiction.            Genetics account up to around half of the reasons for a person becoming addicted. There ire no specific genes for addiction though there are a number of biological and genetic factors that make someone more or less vulnerable to becoming an addict. Genetics are thought to contribute to the development of heavy substance abuse although environmental and social factors are necessary to lead someone into that problem (Barnard, 2007, p.38).            There are no genes or a set of genes that have been identified to directly cause a person to become a drug abuser or engage in drug taking activities. Genes are important in the control of behavior. If a gene is absent, a protein that controls the development or function of a psychological system may not be produced. In certain cases, the impact may be obvious, such as in case of mental retardation or related diseases. In other cases, the impact of genes on behavior may be less obvious but just as important in a person’s development. This is the case when genetic factors produce a tendency or predisposition to respond in a certain manner. Such is believed to be the influence of genes on a number of behavioral traits and disorders, including drugs and alcoholism dependence. Thus, genes are not the sole determinant of alcoholism or substance absence but their presence or absence may increase the likelihood that a person will become alcohol or drug dependent. Genetic predisposition and vulnerability            Genetic predisposition is considered important n development of drug and substance abuse. It is thought that an individual whose parent or grandparent has/had the problem of addiction are more vulnerable to addiction. This does not directly mean that people born in families where substance abuse has been a problem will have the problem but they are more susceptible to developing an addiction. It is also very difficult for them to quit once they get addicted or have more severe withdrawal symptoms.            Vulnerability to substance abuse is also influenced by demographic, environmental, behavioral and personality factors. Poverty, previous sexual abuse, rebelliousness, delinquency, incarceration and peer drug use are also issues that contribute to a person’s vulnerability without which genes have little or no influence on the person whose family has the history of addiction. Susceptibility to addiction            A person does not inherit a substance abuse but inherit susceptibility to it. Those people who are susceptible to addiction may never develop that problem unless they are exposed to the predisposing factors seen above. Note that a person who does not have a genetic factor may develop the problem and pass it on to his future generation. Genetics may have a place in the transition from recreational drugs taking behavior to established pattern of drug abuse. These genetic factors may include personality traits, mental health, psychological reactions to a drug such as the case of severity of hangovers and risk taking behavior.            Genetics may play a role in determining what kind of a drug a person is likely to abuse and which ione he/she cannot although this is also influence by the peer and environmental factors. Parental alcoholism            Parental alcoholism is known to contribute significantly to the risk of the child developing the same condition. This may occur for genetic reasons though it would also be affected by factors such as personality traits, exposure to alcohol and alcoholism lifestyle, peer pressure and mental health (Andrews, 1961, p.25).            For male children, the risk is up to eight times higher than that of female children of alcoholics. Behavior is considered the biggest factor in this development as disinhibiting and thrill-seeking traits are more in boys than in girls.            Alcoholism however, is not simply caused by genetics and no one should take that as an excuse for taking it and developing addiction. Family does not play a big role in influencing a person’s decision to use or not to use alcohol or other substances.            Adopted children have twice the risk if their biological parents were drug abusers. This suggests that for parents who aim to adopt children should research on the heath history of the child incase the child is susceptible so as to take the necessary measures. This will also help the parent in deciding the type of environment to raise the adopted child.            Biological development could also be argued to affect the brain causing long term changes in the anatomy and physiology of the brain’s neurons. Alcohol, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy) have been shown to be neurotoxic in animal studies. Unlike other cells in the body, neurons in many parts of the brain do not have the capacity to regenerate although recent studies have shown that the adult human brain can generate new neurons in the hippocampus, a part of brain responsible for memory and learning. Alcohol kills neurons in a part of brain that help create new memories (hippocampus and mammillary bodies). If those memories die, the capacity for learning decreases. Methamphetamine is toxic to dopamine containing neurons. MDMA has been shown to damage axon terminals of neurons that produce another neurotransmitter called serotonin. In addition to neurotoxic effects, drugs can significantly alter the activity of the brain. These events could be considered as a biological development of addiction since one the brain cells have been damaged, the person cannot function normally without their presence (Conrad, Martin, & ÄnggaÌŠrd, 1977, p.49). Psychological processes in the development of drug addiction            Drug addiction is behavioral and carries no connotations regarding the drugs potential adverse effects, the social acceptability of drug usage or physiological consequences of chronic drug administration. Although drug addiction is frequently has adverse medical consequences, it is usually associated with strong social disapproval.            Initial drug use can be motivated by a number of factors such as curiosity about the effects of the drug, peer pressure or psychodynamic processes can all provide sufficient motivation for experimental or circumstantial drug use. The development of addiction is thought to involve a simultaneous process of increased focus on and engagement in a particular behavior and the attenuation or shutting down of other behavior. For example, under certain experimental circumstances such as social deprivation and boredom, animals allowed unlimited to self administer certain psychoactive drugs will show such a strong preference that they will forgo food, sleep and sex for continued access. 59499524447500Drug Use 109347025146000899795825500004805045831850031743658318500 Casual drug intensive drug use compulsive drug use Addiction 14560558191500Circumstantial motivational strength motivational toxicity. Drug use            The above diagram represents a continuum of drug use illustrating the progression from casual drug use to addiction. Motivational strength is the determining factor in categorizing drug use. Motivational toxicity has not been considered as a defining characteristic though it may be the most distinguishing feature.            Substance abuse is referred to as psychological dependence by the psychiatrists who are considered as a form of a disease. Another lesser known situation is the pseudo-addiction. A patient with this situation will exhibit drug seeking behavior reminiscent of psychological addiction, but they have a genuine pain or other symptoms that have been undertreated.            Normally, psychological dependency leads to psychological withdrawal symptoms such as craving, irritability, insomnia, depression, anorexia and many others. Addiction in theory can be derived in any rewarding behavior and is believed to be strongly associated with the dopaminergic system of the brains reward system as in the case of cocaine and amphetamines. Some claim that it is a habitual means to avoid undesired activities but typically it is only so to a clinical level in individuals who have emotional, social or psychological dysfunctions replacing normal positive stimuli not otherwise attained.            If a person is physically dependent but not psychologically dependent can have their dose slowly dropped until they are no longer physical dependent. However, if a person is psychologically dependent, there is always the risk of relapse in abuser and subsequent physical dependence. Psychological dependence is not only limited to substances; even activities and behavioral pattern can be considered addictions if they become uncontrollable for example gambling, internet addiction, sexual addiction/pornography addiction, overreacting, self-injury, compulsive buying or work addiction.            Studies have examined factors which moderate substance abuse or dependence. For example there is a significant relationship between psycho-behavioral risk factors such as tolerance to deviance, rebelliousness, achievement, perceived drug risk, familism, family church attendance and other factors and substance abuse and dependence. That relationship is moderated by familism which means the strength of the relationship is increased or decreased based on the level of familism present in a given individual.            There are several factors that are thought to mediate between psycho-behavior and substance abuse. The first factor is risk taking behavior and parental involvement. Studies have shown that children who spend more time with their parents are not likely to get involved with drugs unlike children who get to learn most of the things in life from their friends. Generally people who like taking risks in life are more susceptible in life since they tend to experiment once they become familiar with the substance.            Another example of mediating variable is depression. Depression has been seen to mediate between childhood maltreatment and subsequent substance abuse in adulthood. In other words, childhood physical abuse is associated with increased drug and alcohol in young adulthood. More specifically, depression helps to explain how childhood abuse is related to subsequent drug abuse in young adulthood. A third example of a mediating variable is an increase in externalizing symptoms. In other words, stressful life events are associated with externalizing symptoms such as aggression or hostility which can lead to peer alienation or acceptance by socially defiant peers, which could lead to increased drug use (Gray, 1999, p.75). Management Addiction severity index            Some medical systems including those of at least fifteen states of the United States refer to an Addiction Severity Index to assess the severity of problems related to substance use. The index assesses the problem in six areas: medical, employment/support, alcohol and other drug use, legal, family/social and psychiatric. Detoxification            Early treatment of acute withdrawal often includes medical detoxification which can include doses of anxiolytics or narcotics to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal. An experimental drug, ibogaine is also proposed to treat withdrawal symptoms and craving.            Neural feedback therapy has shown statistically significant improvement in numerous researches conducted on alcoholics as well as mixed substance abuse population. In chronic opiate addiction, a surrogate drug such as methadone is sometimes offered as a form of opiate replacement therapy. However, treatment approaches universal focus of an individual’s ultimate choice to pursue an alternate course of action (Ausubel, 1958, p.76).            Disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. This is seen as a form of psychological development of addiction to drugs.            Drugs such as stimulants cause psychical addiction which could be moderate to severe and withdrawal is purely psychological and psychosomatic. Others such as amphetamine and methamphetamine, cocaine, caffeine, nicotine, sedatives and hypnotics also cause psychical addiction which could be mild to severe and physiological addiction; abrupt withdrawal could be fatal.            Some individuals self-medicate themselves with drugs such as alcohol and other drugs to avoid their intolerable states of their minds such as stress which increase the craving for drugs and relapses. Research as shown that people who survive disasters are prone to stress-related            Social development and adjustment factors also play a major role in drug abuse and addiction. An assumption of the developmental perspective is that the course of one’s life is a process in which life circumstances change, milestones are met or missed and new social roles are created while old ones are abandoned. These events and roles happen at some given stages of life although it also depends with the environment in which an individual is brought up in.            Studies of the social factors involved in drug use have mostly focused on either adolescents or young adults but a significant number of cocaine users may not initiate until they are at their middle adulthood. The majority of people enter into adult social roles on schedule. However some people enter into these roles earlier or latter that the same age peers. The developmental perspective predicts that this will lead to less than satisfactory adjustment and possibly negative consequences including drug and alcohol dependence.            Those who use alcohol and recreational drug at an early age are at a greater risk to developing addiction. The younger a person is when they experiment with drugs the more likely they are to become addicts latter on. These experimentations could be brought about by social functions and festivals in our societies especially. When the parents use alcohol and other drugs in such occasions it may be hard to control the children especially at adolescent stage (Bethesda, 2006, p.57).            Those who experience childhood trauma as well as those growing up in an environment where alcohol and other drug abuse is considered normal behavior are at even higher risk of developing addiction both of which are more or less social. For instance childhood trauma could result from tribal wars due to cultural differences in our societies where a child may be sexually and physically abused.            Some people just become victims of social classes and poverty where parents make illicit brews to sell them for a living. In this situation, the child grows up in that environment where brewing, selling and drinking the brews is the order of the day. Some of the parents who sell the drugs especially in Africa use the drugs on their children as sedatives as their do their work. In this situation the child grows up operating under the influence of drugs. This child has a very high risk of developing addiction latter on.            It is also believed that is a person grew up in the environment where his/her self esteem is suppressed are also at a risk of developing addiction. Also those people who find it difficult to manage antisocial behavior tend to ‘hind’ in drugs which may eventually lead to addiction for example gays. Poor parenting where children are exposed to social media at an early age could also be a motivating social factor to use drugs. Children watch movies which suggest that the only way to operate normally is under the influence of drugs. Such a child is likely to experiment. As much as poverty may contribute to the problem of drug use and eventually addiction, availability of money to buy the drugs may also contribute a lot. When a person is especially at an adolescent stage is exposed to the drugs may be by peers, availability of money will be the next factor. Other social factors that may lead to drugs and eventually addiction include: feeling of insecurity i n relationships, attention seekers, those who find delayed gratification and difficult impulsiveness (Washington, 1980, p.39). Addiction as a learned behavior            It is suggested that people may fall into addiction because of learned behavior. This would explain why those who grow up around substance abusers are more likely to become addicts themselves. Learning theory is based on the idea people don’t have to experience every behavior in order to decide whether to adopt it. If it is observed to bring reward and satisfaction to another person, it can be enough to convince another person to copy it. According to this theory, the answer to addiction is to unlearn the maladaptive behavior.            Studies have shown that the addictive power of a drug has been exaggerated and that interest in drugs diminishes in both laboratory rats and people when alternative rein forcers of an enriched environment are offered to the subject. Rather than addiction, poverty and crimes being inevitable consequences of drugs; drugs are more likely to be a consequence of poverty and crime.            Acute or recreational use of most psychoactive drugs causes the release and prolonged action of dopamine and serotonin within the reward circuit.            In conclusion, drug and substance abuse is more of ones choice than the motivating factors that are involved. No one should blame the biology (genes) and other factor s such as life events and the society for his/her involvement with drugs. Everyone should be responsible of choices they make in life considering the damage such that is posed by addiction both socially and economically (Horgan, 2001, p.76). References Andrews, M. F. (1961). Creativity and psychological health;. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press. Ausubel, D. P. (1958). Drug addiction: physiological, psychological, and sociological aspects. New York: Random House. Barnard, M. (2007). Drug addiction and families. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Bellenir, K. (1996). Substance abuse sourcebook: basic health-related information about the abuse of legal and illegal substances such as alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin ; and including facts about substance abuse prevention strategies, intervention methods, treatment and recovery programs, and a section addressing the special problems related to substance abuse during pregnancy. Detroit, MI.: Omnigraphics. Bier, W. C. (1962). Problems in addiction: alcohol and drug addiction,. New York: Fordham University Press. Cohen, S. (1985). The substance abuse problems. New York: Haworth Press. Conrad, H. T., Martin, W. R., & ÄnggaÌŠrd, E. (1977). Drug addiction. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Gossop, M. (2003). Drug addiction and its treatment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gray, P. (1999). Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Worth Publishers. Heyman, G. M. (2009). Addiction: a disorder of choice. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Hollander, B. (2012). Addiction. New York: Rosen Pub.. Horgan, C. M. (2001). Substance abuse: the nation’s number one health problem : key indicators for policy update. Princeton, NJ: The Foundation. Lewis, J. M. (1976). No single thread: psychological health in family systems. New York: Brunner/Mazel. McDougall, W. (1921). An introduction to social psychology, (14th ed.). Boston: J.W. Luce & co.. McGhee, L. K. (2011). Drug addiction. San Diego, CA: ReferencePoint Press. Myers, D. G. (2004). Psychology (7th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers. Pathways of addiction opportunities in drug abuse research. (1996). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Self, D. W., & Staley, J. K. (2010). Behavioral neuroscience of drug addiction. Heidelberg: Springer. Singh, J. M., Miller, L. H., & Lal, H. (19721974). Drug addiction. Mount Kisco, N.Y.: Futura Pub. Co.. Sora, J. W. (1997). Substance abuse. New York: H.W. Wilson. Bethesda, Md.: (2006). National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health. Washington, D. (1980). The facts about â€Å"drug abuse†. New York: Free Press. Source document

Essay on Bayard Rustin

Essay on Bayard Rustin Essay on Bayard Rustin Essay on Bayard RustinBayard Rustin played an important role in the establishment of American Civil Rights traditions. Bayard Rustin was an outstanding leader in American social movements for civil rights and gay rights. He was focused on practicing non-violence, promoting the ideas of Martin Luther King. According to researchers, â€Å"Rustin helped to lead the Fellowship of Reconciliation and was an advisor to King and also the person who taught King the techniques of Gandhian nonviolent direct action† (West 146). In fact, Bayard Rustin anticipated and participated in what Martin King ultimately accomplished. He was a mentor to Martin Luther King. As Rustin was a gay man, his activity was aimed at social justice struggle and protection of gay rights. He served several years in prison, travelled a lot and studied Indian philosophy. Rustin protested against racial segregation.I think Rustin should be seen in the traditions that carry forward under what might be termed â€Å"t he Age of King† (1955 1968). Rustin’s organizational talent helped King in his political activity. In the documentary Brother Outsider (2003), Rustin’s work was demonstrated to the public from different perspectives. Actually, he experienced discrimination in American society because of his sexual orientation.   As a result, his political activity was not recognized by the public. Rustin encouraged black people and minorities to keep moving ahead, protecting fundamental American values to struggle against discrimination. Rustin highlighted the impact of the so-called mental conflict that existed in minds of white people. The documentary Brother Outsider helped the public to assess the crucial role of Rustin in the political struggle of the 20-th century. Rustin’s charismatic personality contributed to the growth of civil rights movement, although his protests were not always successful.

Medusa The Snake Haired Woman With A Deadly Stare Professor Ramos Blog

Medusa The Snake Haired Woman With A Deadly Stare Why is it that Medusa is considered a frightening monster? Is it the snakes on her scalp or, is it because with a mere stare directed your way she can literally petrify you? There are numerous myths surrounding this supernatural being that have been recorded through time. I will use some literary works to help better understand the story of Medusa and how she came to be this monster everyone knows today. Medusa is a woman who was very beautiful with healthy wonderful hair that was comparable to Athena, the goddess of wisdom. She was Athenas priestess, someone with an importance in religious position. The goddess of wisdom had gotten in an argument with her love interest and also being another god, Poseidon the god of the sea. Poseidon then became furious with Athena and he later on spotted Medusa who he could not take his eyes off of. With the knowledge of knowing Medusas rank in Athens where Athena would associate frequently, Poseidon decided to sexually abuse her because he knew that she believed and worshipped Athena. Medusa then quickly reached out to Athena for aid on the previous traumatic experiences she has been through. Once Athena was aware of these events she was with enraged with Medusa and curses her by creating the famous monster who could turn any man into stone with direct contact. This was a punishment from the goddess because she was sexually abused by Poseidon and because her beauty was compared to her own and Athena was not pleased with that. Medusa was banished from Athens and her location was told to be unknown. She was the only mortal out of the two sisters she had, making her a target to many onlookers. Eventually, Medusa was killed by a man named Perseus who received aid from the gods including Athena to defeat her because of her vile actions after she was cursed. One of the versions of Medusa is from the book Medusa: Solving the Mystery of The Gorgon where she is described as a deadly creature. Her appearance has varied from her having scaly skin with sharp teeth to being in human form with an unsightly face. â€Å"The Gorgons had scaly heads, boars tusks, brazen hands, and wings. They had protruding tongues, glaring eyes, and serpents wrapped around their waists as belts† (Wilk 21). Even though later in time Medusa’s appearance kept changing, her ability to turn any being into stone remained the same. Now, Medusa in Clash of The Titans† appears as a half woman half snake creature. In the film specifically her face only turns hideous at will when she makes direct contact with another person or living being. â€Å"The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters†characterizes Medusa as a vile and horrible monster. â€Å"In later narratives, which focus much more fully on Medusa than on her two sisters, Medusa is presented as an Underworld monster connected to death† (Kaleta). She is comprehended in these three sources as a woman with countless deaths in her hands due to the capability of converting humans into statues. Overall based on the illustrations of Medusa in these sources, she has not been changed a lot. Her look usually goes back and forth from her being in human form or part creature part human. Medusa’s story on the other hand typically stays the same. Medusa for me would easily get a rating of four out of five. She can straightforwardly be in the category of a monster. Not many monsters have snakes in replacement of ha ir, this is just part of Medusa’s unique appearance. Cohen has seven total theses that hypothesizes what a monster is. His first thesis â€Å"The Monster’s Body Is a Cultural Body† explains that appearance as well as the rituals done by the monster is based of off culture. This applies to this creature because in certain stories it is told that Medusa’s lair is full of statues from countless people and animals. Most people will clearly understand who is responsible for all the human figured stones. Medusa’s work is widely known throughout time and the world. Even after Perseus slays Medusa and decapitates her head, her ability to turn people into stone is still intact.The meaning of Medusa in Greek means to protect or rule. Perseus used Medusa’s bodiless head to defeat his foes and protect his loved ones. Her body is a cultural body and more specifically her head. Also the description of her skin is covered in scales and her lower body is part snake. These are signifying that snakes are dangerous, whe n one is in front of a snake one of the first instincts is to slowly move away because quick movements tells the animal that they are in danger and snakes defend themselves by biting with thier poisonous fangs. Thesis number two is all about how The Monster Always Escapes. This ties into medusas story and herself because in the article The Ashgate Enc of Literary and Cinematic Monsters, it reads that there have been a lot of fighters attempting to slay Medusa but all of them failed. The one to finally defeat her was Perseus but, he did not do it alone. Perseus got aid from Athena the goddess of wisdom who gave him a shield that could be used as a mirror to see Medusas reflection on the shield without staring at her directly. Hermes the messenger for the gods gave the young man a pair of shoes that had wings, that was used to travel to his destination. Perseus also got a sword from Zues the god of thunder. The last item was a cap of invisibility given to him by Hades the god of the Underworld. After her death, Medusa becomes a guardian in Hades, the land of the dead. It is there that Hercules later meets her (Kaleta). After death her soul still lives on and is introduced in other heros story meaning that she always escapes and reappears. The next thesis is his third one, The Monster is The Harbinger of Category Crisis. The is basically meaning that the monster Refuses easy categorization (Cohen 6). Categories such as appearance, time period, or the setting. Medusa perfectly fits into this thesis because she is part animal and part human. She also has snakes on her head instead of hair, and snake like fangs (Kaleta). Many people feared Medusa in the past because she kills people instantly with just a simple look in the eyes. Fear consumed people because Medusa causes death. â€Å"The monster is continually linked to forbidden practices, in order to normalize and to enforce. The monster also attracts.The same creatures who terrify and interdict can evoke potent escapist fantasies; the linking of monstrosity with forbidden makes the monster all the more appealing as a temporary egress from constraint† (Cohen 16). This is part of the passage from thesis number six, Fear of The Monster Is Really a Kind of Desire. Medusa is a creature that several fighters in the past that were eager to slay her. There was a type of thirst of being the one to defeat Medusa that many warriors urged to fulfil. This is a reason why there were a great amount of statues in Medusa’s lair. So many of the men failed up until Perseus won the battle against her. The final thesis that will be discussed from Cohen’s article will be thesis number seven â€Å" The Monster Stands at the Threshold†¦ of Becoming.† To sum up, we ourselves are the ones responsible for how monsters came to be, the monsters are our offspring. We are the reason they were created, it could be based on how they were treated or how the world classified them. Being seen as a certain thing can convince people to believe that is what they are. To summarize, Medusa is a great monster, throughout time she has been a woman of beauty who was cursed by the goddess Athena. Medusas physical form and appearance is then described as ugly and displeasing to the eye. Due to her change in appearance, she had the power to turn any man into stone with a simple glare. Cohens thesis apply to Medusa based on her story and physical features. She was not born a monster, but created and many feared her abilities. Because of her uniqueness and many desired to defeat her but only one succeeded, Perseus. After being defeated Medusa still managed to reappear in other heroes tale. Medusa is a monster that continuously comes to surface in literary work. Through time Medusa is somehow always reintroduced, a monster written throughout our time. Work Cited Page Clash of The Titans (2010)- Medusas Lair Scene (6/10). Youtube, uploaded by Movieclips, 22 December 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY00zwMZsqM.   Cohen, Jeffrey Jerome. â€Å"Monster Culture: Seven Theses.† From Monster Theory: Reading Culture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1996. 3-25. Kaleta, Marcin Konrad. Medusa. The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters, Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, Ashgate Publishing, 1st edition, 2014. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/ashgtmonster/medusa/0?institutionId=5312. Kayden, Spencer. â€Å"The Hunt for Medusa’s Head. (Cover Story).† Scholastic Scope, vol. 60, no. 2, Sept. 2011, p. 14. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=f6hAN=70047471site=ehost-live. Leterrier, Louis, director. Clash of The Titans. Warner Brothers, 2010.Wilk, Stephen R. Medusa†¯: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon. Oxford University Press, 1999. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=e000xnaAN=41702site=ehost-live.

Case study of sleep disorder and sleep apnea

Case study of sleep disorder and sleep apnea Sleep disorder is one of the most vital problem face by many people in life. Mostly face by older generations and adults. Sleeping is controlled by hypothalamus which is one of the part of a human brain system. Body temperature in some way controls the activities of one’s body, playing a role like a switch for on/off. Higher temperature brings alertness while lower temperature causes sleep. Sleep disorder comes in many different forms like Bruxism, Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), Cataplexy Rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD), insomnia, sleep apnea, night terrors, nightmares and somnambulism. Interfering with normal sleeping habits frequently and continuously can be listed as sleep disorder. Sleep disorder are capable of influencing emotional, physical and mental health of a human being. Moreover, sleeping disorder not only causes trouble to the victim but the person staying in the same house at them. Polysomnography is one of the a test commonly use to test for sl eep disorders. Before the 20th century, sleeping problems are face by many people and there’s no cure and research about it but till this century, due to the rapidly increasing knowledge of mankind, many research have been brought up just to find solutions for all diseases. In the UK, most of the research are mainly focus on sleep apnea but not others as a proof that they are lagging on knowledge of sleep medicine and possibility of treatment in other sleeping disorders. There are some general principles of treatment that could be find worldwide but mostly in US. Treatments for sleeping disorders can generally be grouped into four different categories that are behavioural/ psychotherapeutic treatments, rehabilitation, medications and other somatic treatments. Treatments such as this does not provides a 100% success and not suitable for all sleeping disorders. History of different people and medical reports of everyone is so greatly different so it is best to say that specific treatment are given to specific patient’s diagnosis. Disorders such as narcolepsy are best treated pharmacologically. Chronic sleep disorder influenced 70% of children development and psychologically while sleep-phase disruption affects adolescents who could not attend regular school schedules. Effective treatment will begin with careful diagnosis and modifications in sleeping hygiene may reduced the problem. It si said that special equipments are used for several disorders( obstructive apnea). Research also shows that some sleep disorders are also found to be compromise glucose metabolism. Sleeping is absolutely the essential thing for a normal and healthy lifestyle, according to the United States, roughly about 40 million suffer from long term sleep disorder while nearly 20 million experience mild/ occasional sleep problems. Sleeping disorder suddenly became an important issue because many more people are facing it and body needs sleep to survive because study shown that s leep is essential for immune system and maintaining the ability to fight against diseases and sickness. Learning, growing, functions of brains also comes from the amount of rest absorb because it is said that sleeping helps regenerate and repair cells. Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is one of the most well-known sleep disorder face by many and said to be one of the most dangerous disorder to be faced compare to others. Another name for sleep apnea is call sleeping breathing disorder. This disorder is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is influenced by some activities during sleep. Untreated sleep apnea patients will normally face stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep almost hundreds of time. Facing this disorders means that the brain and body are not getting enough oxygen. There are actually two different kind of sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) and Central sleep apnea. OSA is more common of the two forms of apnea and normal the causes is a blockage of the airway usually the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep while Central sleep apnea is unlike OSA where there’s no blockage but the brain fails to signal the muscle to breath which will due to instant instability in the respiratory control centre. After having modern research from scientist, sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age even children, the causes of having sleep apnea are gender(mostly male) , being overweight, older after the age of forty, having a large neck size, large tonsils, family history and some other problems. Having untreated sleep apnea could cause quite severe effects like high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, depression and worsening of ADHD. Having poor performances in activities in many different places could be one of the sign of facing sleep apnea.

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS - Essay Example He communicates so that he gathers information and communicates analysis findings. The analyst should stick to a professional code of ethics (Shelly and Harry 2012). In addition, he must be self-disciplined as well as self-motivated. The analyst can use the approaches to systems analysis and design (SDLC, CASE, and OOM); waterfall, agile methodologies. Another approach is the open source software, CASE tools (Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools offer automation of a variety of systems analysis processes.) In an organization, systems are interrelated (have a common relationship) and interconnected (have an association or conjugation). There are different system types, and they apply at diverse Management levels: They can be grouped a systems pyramid. Some of them are: Transaction Processing Systems (TPS), Knowledge Work Systems (KWS), Office Automation Systems (OAS), Management Information Systems (MIS), Expert Systems (ES), Decision Support Systems (DSS) and Executive Support Systems (ESS) (Shelly and Harry 2012). ERP Systems helps the flow of information among the functional areas of the organization. Depicting systems graphically/diagrammatically can be done by use of; Context Level Data Flow Diagrams (CL DFD), Entity Relationship Diagram (E-R) and Use Case Diagrams/Use Case Scenarios. Special tools along with techniques assist the analyst make requirement determinations. Tools like data flow diagrams (DFDs) that chart the input, processes, output of the functions of the business, or sequence diagrams to illustrate the sequence of events, demonstrate systems in a structured and graphical form (Shelly and Harry 2012). A project is a short-term endeavor done to create an exclusive product, service, or outcome. Their nature indicates that a project has a specific start and conclusion. Project management applies knowledge, tools, skills and techniques to project practices to meet the project requirements.

Proposal - short online course to training the faculty member how they Research

- short online course to training the faculty member how they can manage their online class - Research Proposal Example Indeed, in the current environment of advancing technology, online training hugely facilitates development of critical skills and knowledge. It provides a more innovative approach to education and acquisition of knowledge that can be adjusted to suit the needs and requirements of individuals. The role of faculty in online classes becomes important element of the success of the same. The proposal is for short training program for the faculty members of online courses so as to equip them with necessary skills to manage their online classes with high degree of efficiency 2. Problem statement The online training courses are major elements of constant learning environment that incorporates the demands of changing business compulsions. The online courses are distinct in their teaching methodologies that rely on digital communication vis-a-vis online conferencing techniques, email etc. The electronic interaction is much different to classroom communication. It requires multifunctional capab ilities that incorporate pedagogical skills like: effective learning processes that can be easily grasped by learners; creating comfortable learning environment; skills to resolve technical issues; and administrative knowledge that can explain the course logistics (Sargeant et al., 2006). Very often, the faculty members of online courses are not trained appropriately in the modalities of online classes. The working population and adult learners are therefore not able to exploit the vast potential of the same. Most importantly, the spatial features of learning environment and medium are crucial factors that influence the learning process. In online courses, the multimedia becomes the key component that is exploited judiciously by the teacher to make course curricula interesting, powerful and highly motivating (Sims, 2003). The efficacy of online teaching is considerably increased when teaching skills are integrated judiciously with managerial skills and use of technology. As such, it becomes essential to impart training to the faculty members to make them more effective online teachers. 3. Objectives 1. One week training course on management skills as required for online courses to equip them with the methodologies of electronic communication techniques. 2. To make online classes more effective and motivating. 3. Managing workload of teaching online. 4. Program description/ design framework The design framework of course is important for increasing the core competencies of the participants and equipping them with skills that add value to their knowledge and teaching skills. The various approaches to instructional designs offer effective teaching under different environment and medium of instructions. The training program would use ADDIE framework or Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation structure. Its stepwise approach helps the teachers to develop easy and iterative instructions which can be applied to real life situations, thus making t hem hugely relevant to the learners (Peterson, 2003). The ADDIE design process promotes active participation of the learners that exploits tacit knowledge of the learners and helps them apply critical thinking to resolve problems or look at problems from wider perspectives of creative advantages (Tee & Karney, 2010). The five stages are described as below: 4.1a. Analysis This part of the program is intended to identify and evaluate the needs of the learners so

Social Work Interviewing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Work Interviewing Skills - Essay Example The role that social workers play in improving the lives of socially challenged people cannot be undermined. Their responsibilities include working with specifically identified people from all ages who need support due to a wide range of dilemmas and guide them professionally to manage their own lives. In order for social workers to determine the scope and root cause of a client’s problem, they must have acquired the necessary skills to interview and solicit appropriate responses to enable them to apply uniquely designed interventions. For this particular endeavor, a 15-minute interview with an adult client diagnosed to be addicted to cocaine was developed with the purpose of setting goals for the intervention with the client and assisting the client to develop his skills in problem solving. In this regard, this essay is written to discuss responses to the following questions: (1) how did information from the literature/research on goal setting and intervening inform the contents of your interview? (2) How did the purpose and profession of social work inform your practice in this interview (support your discussion with evidence from the literature and examples from the video)? And (3) how were your strengths and area for development as a social worker shown in the interview (provide examples). The life of action requires more than analytical intelligence. It is not enough to have an idea and be able to evaluate its worth. Social workers are tasked with the responsibilities for the achievement of goals, the accomplishment of results, and the solution of problems. It is therefore a critical step to understand theoretical concepts underlying goal setting to serve the following purposes: assist social workers and clients in ensuring that they agree on the identified problems and â€Å"the changes that must occur to produce a suitable outcome†, to validate and empower the client through appropriate

Is the Disneyised M&M's World better than M&M's typical McDonaldized Research Paper

Is the Disneyised M&M's World better than M&M's typical McDonaldized selling place - Research Paper Example There are two varying approaches that have prompted the development of the two theories of McDonaldization and Disneyification. If M&Ms World adopts a McDonaldized space branding, then it stands to benefit massively from the great features exposed by the theory. Both Disney and McDonalds have distinct space where people, interact and experience life by consideration of the exterior and interior. McDonalds have a welcoming big letter â€Å"M† that creates a nostalgic remembrance day after viewing it. The color yellow is very lively and attractive. The letter can be seen very miles away. The distinctive creates a lovable exterior characterization for McDonalds. Many McDonald’s outlets have adopted the use of cartoons resembling who are in joyful modes. Many people are most likely to be attracted by jovial pictures of the cartoon. The cartoon is normally adorned in merrymaking in fanciful attires. Most commonly are red muffin, red, white stripped long –sleeve T-shirt and a yellow overall. The exterior design of the most McDonalds outlets is very attractive, in essence. McDonaldized M&Ms World building or space design is likely to resemble the emblematic McDonald design. McDonalds interior has excellent lighting system with trademark design letter ‘†M† inside their building. Most of them are characteristic in nature reveling esthetic and adorable artwork. McDonalds has great architecture and space design exposing welcoming features to the clients. The great number of clients visiting its outlets indicates the extents of comfort and love they have for the space design done by them. Another notable factor about the McDonalds outlets is the spacious regions left for the clients in the facilitation of free movement of the clients. They also have excellent use of light paint colors that pro perly motivate clients since they are very attractive. On contrary, Disneyification of M&Ms World means adoption

Arch of Constantine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arch of Constantine - Essay Example ch of Constantine is a beautiful example of a monument which has a tremendous history as well as a magnificent art in terms of sculptures and styles which decorate it. The Arch was created to commemorate the victory of Constantine over Maxentius at the battle of Milvian. The era when it was created places it in the Ancient Roman Corinthian style of art and as per the characteristics of the art of the era, the imagery used and the characters shown on the building are quite detailed (Strong, 1963). Strong (1963) also suggests that the detail level in such works of art is quite high and even though many centuries have taken their toll on the Arch, it is not difficult to imagine how it would look when it was first completed and shown to the public. Of particular interest are the sculptures and the messages which are placed on the arch itself. Dimensionally, the arch is about 20 meters in height and is roughly 25 meters in width. The distance covered by the arch is seven meters. There are three archways of which the middle one is the main archway with a height of 12 meters. The side arches are seven meters and are relatively smaller in width as well as height (Storage and Maish, 2007). It must be noted that as a work of art, the arch has certainly changed over time as things have been added, removed and renovated through history. For example, while there were eight yellow colored fluted Corinthian columns of Numidean marble originally, only seven of those remain today. The eighth original column was taken by Pope Clement VIII in 1597 and that is now in present day Laterano. This is certainly an irony in art since all the original columns are supposed to have been taken from a building of the Flavian era when the arch was first build (Storage and Maish, 2007). This can be seen as a case of vandalism conducted on a monument which was the result of vandalism conducted on other buildings. Therefore, instead of being a pure reflection of the building arts of the era,

Social Work Interviewing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Work Interviewing Skills - Essay Example The role that social workers play in improving the lives of socially challenged people cannot be undermined. Their responsibilities include working with specifically identified people from all ages who need support due to a wide range of dilemmas and guide them professionally to manage their own lives. In order for social workers to determine the scope and root cause of a client’s problem, they must have acquired the necessary skills to interview and solicit appropriate responses to enable them to apply uniquely designed interventions. For this particular endeavor, a 15-minute interview with an adult client diagnosed to be addicted to cocaine was developed with the purpose of setting goals for the intervention with the client and assisting the client to develop his skills in problem solving. In this regard, this essay is written to discuss responses to the following questions: (1) how did information from the literature/research on goal setting and intervening inform the contents of your interview? (2) How did the purpose and profession of social work inform your practice in this interview (support your discussion with evidence from the literature and examples from the video)? And (3) how were your strengths and area for development as a social worker shown in the interview (provide examples). The life of action requires more than analytical intelligence. It is not enough to have an idea and be able to evaluate its worth. Social workers are tasked with the responsibilities for the achievement of goals, the accomplishment of results, and the solution of problems. It is therefore a critical step to understand theoretical concepts underlying goal setting to serve the following purposes: assist social workers and clients in ensuring that they agree on the identified problems and â€Å"the changes that must occur to produce a suitable outcome†, to validate and empower the client through appropriate

Arch of Constantine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arch of Constantine - Essay Example ch of Constantine is a beautiful example of a monument which has a tremendous history as well as a magnificent art in terms of sculptures and styles which decorate it. The Arch was created to commemorate the victory of Constantine over Maxentius at the battle of Milvian. The era when it was created places it in the Ancient Roman Corinthian style of art and as per the characteristics of the art of the era, the imagery used and the characters shown on the building are quite detailed (Strong, 1963). Strong (1963) also suggests that the detail level in such works of art is quite high and even though many centuries have taken their toll on the Arch, it is not difficult to imagine how it would look when it was first completed and shown to the public. Of particular interest are the sculptures and the messages which are placed on the arch itself. Dimensionally, the arch is about 20 meters in height and is roughly 25 meters in width. The distance covered by the arch is seven meters. There are three archways of which the middle one is the main archway with a height of 12 meters. The side arches are seven meters and are relatively smaller in width as well as height (Storage and Maish, 2007). It must be noted that as a work of art, the arch has certainly changed over time as things have been added, removed and renovated through history. For example, while there were eight yellow colored fluted Corinthian columns of Numidean marble originally, only seven of those remain today. The eighth original column was taken by Pope Clement VIII in 1597 and that is now in present day Laterano. This is certainly an irony in art since all the original columns are supposed to have been taken from a building of the Flavian era when the arch was first build (Storage and Maish, 2007). This can be seen as a case of vandalism conducted on a monument which was the result of vandalism conducted on other buildings. Therefore, instead of being a pure reflection of the building arts of the era,

Lack of Security Essay Example for Free

Lack of Security Essay The Net has a very little security of information embedded and the companies using the Net are subjected to the risk of disclosing large proprietary information without their knowledge. Since the Net was originally designed for a free flow of communication there was no provision for any regulation or security at the time the idea of internet was conceived and put to use. But with the increased use of internet for marketing as well as for advertising there are lot of chances that the copyrights and other property rights are infringed by many computer hackers and pranksters. With the number of people accessing and using the net the chances of anyone go into the Net and meddle with the information and other contents though manipulation by using pirated software and other measures. Even though there are some basic measures that can be used to safeguard the information and to prevent the practice of manipulating such information they are considered as inadequate considering the volume of information that are being fed into the Net every hour. The other disturbing factor is that it is possible for unauthorized users to get into the internal computer systems of the systems and hack away any classified information about the company and its products/services. There is the danger of the copyright protection also put to jeopardy â€Å"when the creation of intellectual property and the upload of a host of information, transmission, access and use of content† is attempted. (Business Europe, 1995) For instance the issue of computer hackers meddling with the internal computer system had costed millions of dollars of business apart from losing the customers for Sheraton Hotels when the hackers booked every room in the hotel chain worldwide. (Seal, 1995) Another serious threat posed by the hackers is their ability to access the customers’ personal information like addresses and credit card numbers and misuse them. This menace had necessitated many software and high tech companies to invest millions of dollars to arrive at solutions to make the interactive shopping on the internet fully secured. ‘Firewall’ is one of such mechanisms that allow the genuine customers to do their shopping online but prevents the hackers from creating any problems. Firewall is one of the combinations of ‘security algorithms and router communication protocols’ that are put to use for the prevention of the tapping by the outsiders into the databases and websites of various corporate entities. (Sales and Marketing Management, 1995) Firewall acts as a buffer in between the internal networks and larger external networks. It is the usual practice of all large companies that advertise on the internet to have firewall in place to protect their internal database and other networks. (Pugh 1995) Encryption is another method used to provide security to the marketing through internet. Encryption can be described as the scrambling of digits and a coding that can be deciphered by the intended receiver of the information who will be able to retrieve the required information. ‘Mosaic’ is one of such encryption programs adopted by the Netscape Corporation for its software and is first of its kind. However even this program is not considered 100 percent safe with its own shortcomings. (Computer World 1994) Hence the companies are forewarned to protect themselves as well as their products and services against the infringement by hackers and other illegitimate users of the internet. It is crucially important that a well designed copyright warning notice appears on every screen, logos and slogans and the companies should also ensure that all of them are registered with the appropriate authorities to ensure protection. Even though it is easier and less expensive for the companies to advertise through Net, it requires a large investment for the customers to access and browse through the Net. If the customers want to have a continuous access to the Net it becomes important that they own a personal computer with appropriate internet connectivity. It involves high cost for the common users. The customers sometimes find it difficult to access the required information due to the fact that most of the modems – the equipment to provide the internet connectivity – are slow and do not allow the customers to use the Net efficiently. Also with the advancement in the technology relating to the visual media enables the companies to make their advertisement with advanced multimedia features. This requires the capacity and compatibility from the computer hardware and hence making the marketing proposals by internet beyond the reach of the common man. Since the marketing through the internet reaches all the age groups it becomes difficult for the managers to control the advertisements effectively. It may be noted that at least 50 percent of the users of the Net is below the age of 25 and the balance above 25 and the advertisements reach all of them invariably. Hence targeting a certain age group becomes difficult. Unlike the conventional methods used for advertising in the magazines and other print media or television the advertisement through internet cannot be measured precisely to aim a certain age group or class of customers. Since the nature of the Net is such that it is so broad and beyond comprehension it is difficult for the companies to really assess whom to target and how to advertise to reach the targeted audience. Further since there are a number of resources in the internet it is not possible for the users to see the advertisement for a certain product or the advertisements from a particular company unless they are prompted to do so. This necessitates a company to still use the conventional methods of advertising which have proved to be more proactive in addition to advertising through the Net. Applying the above advantages and disadvantages of marketing through internet in our instant study of the marketing of the Indian Punjabi music it can be inferred that though the advantages of internet marketing are helpful in furthering the sales of the music products, the disadvantages like file sharing and P2P swapping of music files act to the detriment of the sales growth. But the influence of internet is much large that the advantages resulting from the sales to a wider customer base over rules the disadvantages. This makes the record companies use more and more of the internet as a media of marketing to improve the sales of their products.

Criteria to Evaluate a Website of a Holiday Booking Site

Criteria to Evaluate a Website of a Holiday Booking Site Develop a Set of Criteria to Evaluate a Website of a Holiday Booking Site 4.1 Research Methodology Need for a good methodology A good research methodology is a general plan of how the researcher will go about answering the research questions considering the sources to collect data and the constraints that one might have (access to data, time, location and money, ethical issues etc). It should reflect the fact that the researcher has thought carefully about why a particular strategy has been employed. A collection of methodologies were used to carry out this research. Both primary and secondary data was collected for this purpose. The secondary data comprised of data from literature reviewed from books, journals, Internet and the annual reports of the companies while the primary data took the form of information/results collected from questionnaires and surveys. The first stage of the research comprised of collecting secondary data from the literature review. According to Sharp and Howard (1996), two major reasons exist for reviewing the literature. First, the preliminary search helps to generate and refine the research ideas. And secondly, a critical review is a part of the research process. Like most research projects, literature review was an early activity in this research. After the initial literature search, the researcher was able to redefine the parameters more precisely and undertake further searches, keeping in mind the research objective and goal. The literature review helped developing a good understanding and insight into the previous research done on this topic and the trends that have emerged. According to Gall et al. (1996), there are a number of other purposes of a literature review. To help one to refine further the research questions and objectives To highlight research possibilities that have been overlooked in research to date To discover explicit recommendations for further research To help one to simple avoid repeating work that has been done before To sample current opinions in newspapers, journals and magazines To discover and provide an insight into research approaches and strategies. This stage of critical literature review was followed by surveys to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. There are different research strategies that one might employ. They are: experiment, survey; case study, grounded theory, ethnography, action research, cross sectional and longitudinal studies, exploratory, descriptive and explanatory studies. Out of all these, the researcher has chosen the Survey strategy for the research. It is a common and popular strategy in business and management research. Through this a large amount of data can be collected in an economical way. Step by Step Methodology Undertaken 1. Secondary Data The first stage of the research comprised of collecting secondary data from the literature review. The literature review provided many useful points to consider before commencing the dissertation. It highlighted what research had already been conducted and what new areas could be investigated. 2. Questionnaire– At the next stage of the research project questionnaires was distributed to 15 people of varying ages, sex, economic status and race. 3. Analysis – The qualitative and quantitative data was thoroughly analyzed using the approach explained in the next chapter. Questionnaire is the most popular method of collecting data. It is less expensive and less time consuming than conducting interviews and very large samples can be covered. A set of questionnaire were prepared to collect primary data (interviews survey questionnaire). The different distribution techniques as described by Hussey and Hussey (1997) were followed. The questionnaires were circulated to the employees, Human Resource Managers, students, job seekers etc through Post, Telephone, face-to-face, Group distribution and individual distribution. Hussey and Hussey (1997) identify some important factors to be considered while using questionnaire. These are Sample size, Types of questions, Wordings, Design, including instruction, Wording of any accompanying letter, Method of distribution and return, Method of collecting and analyzing, Actions to be taken if questionnaire is not returned. All of these factors were considered while preparing the final set of questionnaire. Designing and Administering the Questionnaire The design of a questionnaire differs according to how it is going to be administered i.e. the amount of contact the researcher will have with the respondents. In this respect, the design of a questionnaire can be divided into categories: 1. Self-administered: These questionnaires are completed by the respondents without the intervention of the researcher. Such questionnaires are delivered to the respondents through email, Internet or by post and are returned accordingly. 2. Interviewed administered: These questionnaires are recorded by the interviewer on the basis of the respondents’ answers. For example : Telephone questionnaires in which telephonic interview is taken and structured interviews in which the researcher meets the respondent face to face and ask questions. In this research, the choice of questionnaire was determined by a number of factors like the time available to complete the data collection, financial implications of data collection and entry, availability of interviewers and ease of automating data entry. Keeping all these factors in mind, self-administered questionnaire was chosen to be distributed to the sample through post, email, Internet and telephone. The questionnaire (see appendix) was used to give a thorough understanding of what consumers used when booking a holiday online and what they felt was missing. It consisted of 9 questions each supplied with a number of possible answers. The questionnaire was designed in an ‘easy to use’ tick format so most consumers would be able to answer the questions quickly and be more willing to participate in the process. Few important questions from the questionnaire are mentioned below. The detailed questionnaire is given at the end as Appendix I. Have you used the internet for holiday or travel booking before? Yes b. No Do you feel safe using your credit card on the internet? Yes b. No c. I do not use a credit card on the internet What holiday booking website(s) have you used in the past 0-6 months? (choose all that apply) Expedia.co.uk Easy Jet Ryan air British Airways Bmibaby lastminute.com teletextholidays.co.uk uk.mytravel.com cheapflights.co.uk thomson-holidays.co.uk Other Did you find the information on the sites clear and concise? Clear Concise Expedia.co.uk Easy Jet Ryan air British Airways Bmibaby lastminute.com teletextholidays.co.uk uk.mytravel.com cheapflights.co.uk thomson-holidays How do you choose which websites you go to? Word of mouth/referral Search engine and keywords Links from other sites Other Sample Selections If for a particular research, the data is collected from every possible case or group member, it is termed as census. Sampling techniques provide a range of methods that enables one to reduce the amount of data to be collected by considering only data from a specific group rather than all possible cases. The full set of cases from which the sample is taken is called the population. Sampling provides a valid alternative to a census when it is impractical to survey the entire population or the time constraints prevent from surveying the entire population or if the budget constraints prevent from surveying the entire population. (In sampling, the term ‘population’ is not used in its normal sense, as the full set of cases may not be necessarily being people.) Sampling saves a lot of time. Sometimes the researchers collect data from the entire population but analyse only a sample of the data to save time. For this research, sampling was done in order to get more detailed information form the sample selected. Once the data was collected more time could be spent in checking for any errors before analysing the data while this would not be possible if the data would have been collected from the entire population. According to Henry (1990) smaller number of cases means that more time could be spent designing and piloting the means of collecting these data. The internet business can really only succeed if the public accepts new technologies. Despite the hype surrounding the dotcom boom (and bust), research conducted by ICM for Computer Weekly has found a relatively low level of understanding of the Internet in the UK, particularly among older members of the population, and people on lower incomes. Kate Turner, director at ICM research said, â€Å"While younger people are buying technology as fast as they can, the 55-plus group is the one to watch. They are catching up†. The highest proportions of online shoppers are among 25 to 34 year olds (Saran, 2002). Therefore, the sample was chosen such that it covers all the age groups particularly those between 25-35 years old. The choice of sample size is determined by a number of factors like the confidence one need to have in the data, the margin of errors that one can tolerate and the size of the total population from which the sample is being drawn. Given all these influences, the final sample size selected for the purpose of this study comprised of 15 different people of varying ages, sex, economic status and race. 4.2 Rationales behind the questions Already done by the Client 4.3 Actual Results Already done by the Client 4.4 Expected Results Already done by the Client 4.5 Impact or effect on the set of criteria Already done by the Client 4.6 Summary The aim of the questionnaire (see appendix) was to highlight any trends within the online industry and to identify some of the useful website evaluation criteria’s. The responses were used to indicate what appealed to consumers and what deterred them from booking a holiday online. Once all the responses had been received, the answers were collaborated together and analysed. A good response rate was obtained which helped to draw conclusions. Data gathered from this methodology was used to draw specific conclusions. This type of data provides suppliers with key information to modify their offers or features to gain a competitive edge. Referring to the e-Book by Lynch and Horton (1997), the researcher identified 14 evaluation items to check when evaluating website content: first impression, speed, compatibility with all browsers, accessibility, absence of HTML errors, readily accessible to search engines, visibility, usability, trustworthiness, security, currency and authority, objectivity, accuracy, and coverage. Grandinetti (2000) proposed a simple evaluation standard. The information provided on a website was considered to be trustworthy if it explicitly described the author’s name, affiliation, source, ownership and date of posting on the website. Cravener (2000) indicated that the frequency of updates, accuracy and credentials should be evaluated in order to determine the quality of the website. The questionnai re results as well as the literature review helped in formulating a set of criteria to evaluate a website and those criteria’s were tested accordingly. Expedia and British Airways proved to be the 2 most popular sites to use due to their reputation while thomson-holidays.co.uk scored poorly (50% agreeing to the fact that the site is not attractive and 60% believing that it is not that reputable). In line with most people having a few holidays a year, most people use the internet a few times a month to view travel websites. On either side a significant number use the internet for booking personal holidays though 80% of the participants were afraid of using the credit card online. As expected most people use travel sites to book flights. This is their main purpose and hence where sites are going to gain most exposure and revenue. Most people use a particular site due to prices. However, with the other features also scoring highly, it indicates that most people still require the site to be of a decent standard. Most consumers will initially go to a site for price, but expect it to be a secure, easy to use and efficient site as well. When suppliers are deciding what to focus on for the future better offers and real time confirmation seems to be what consumers want. Price of tickets and ease of use were the two most important issues identified by the participants while using a web site for holiday and activity booking while other useful links, website’s reputation and lots of photos on the website scored low. Search capability and download speed were again identified as factors which are a MUST for a holiday and activity booking web site. The extras such as personalised features, feedback provision, good search engine, links to other company websites and minimal mouse travel and keystrokes scored quite lowly. A significant number of people wanted greater flexibility and more information when booking their travel. With such a large majority of people still believing that a travel agent is still needed and using credit card online is risky, travel sites have a long way to go to gain market share. They need to provide more than just better prices to attract and retain customers. 5.1 Introduction Already done by the Client 5.2 Summary Research carried out by Carlson Digital revealed that word-of mouth is the main reason why sites were visited for the first time, and very few of respondents believed online brands ‘knew what made them tick’(Brand strategy, 2002). Without the benefit of human contact, internet companies have to work harder at understanding customer needs, delivering against these and finding ways to engage with the customer. Research found that customer expectations are high, and they are completely unforgiving of organisations who fail to respond quickly (Brand strategy, 2002). Technical factors such as site navigation, design and downloading speed can determine whether customers will revisit a site or not. To keep customers loyal, the sites must provide fresh content, relevant emails, competitions and offers. Bisignani, CEO of Opodo declares, ’The trend for booking travel online is set to explode’. On the other hand, Sally Johansson, e-commerce manager of Buzz, a low-cost airline says, â€Å"We will never be 100% booking online†. She believes the key to success on the internet is to keep things as simple and clear as possible and avoid adding features that add to the costs (Wheelwright, 2002). Many sites are reluctant to pull the plug on their call centres and some have even placed added emphasis on this facility. It seems that there are still too many people not being drawn to book online. Convenience of accessibility to information is probably as equally crucial as price. The ability to gather information on destinations, hotels, tourist sites and culture enables any traveller to pinpoint their exact requirements and then build a trip ideally suited to them. The main advantage is that this can be done in the comfort of one’s own home. One doesn’t have to physically go and queue to see someone who may only open during working hours or only be able to show some limited offers. However, one does have search through various sites to get the most appropriate package. Most well established sites offer a help line which is ideal for customers who want to use the internet for gathering information and then use a personalised service to ensure they get the right deal. It also inhibits fear in travellers who may need to make changes later on. Most web sites offer an abundance of options for travel. They can hold information about local and far destinations in equal depth and detail, whereas the travel agent will only have expertise in some areas and will be limited in options he can suggest. The best of both worlds, that more consumers are now doing, is using the internet to gather information and then telling the travel agent exactly what they want. This eliminates the fear of booking online and makes the customer more informed and demanding. Travel agents are also catching up with competitors by using their own websites to advertise their offers. Some have also started to focus on niche marketing, such as becoming cruise specialists, honeymoons or offering advice on complicated itineraries or where expertise for one particular country is needed and especially for people not comfortable with using a computer (Maxa, 2002). Some factors consumers should consider when booking online are: †¢ Does the site operate in ‘real time’? This means the airline seat, hotel room etc presented are available the moment you’re viewing it. This prevents problems of being sold out when you come to the booking stage. †¢ Does it provide a free help line number that allows you to talk to a representative to iron out any queries? †¢ Are extra charges, such as trip cancellation insurance automatically added to your package or hidden amongst the terms and conditions? †¢ How often are the special offers updated? †¢ Does the web site levy a fee on the airline tickets it sells? Some sites are already charging consumers and more are expected to follow this trend (Morrison, 2002) †¢ Will the site be trading when you want to travel? Many travellers are unaware that if they book a flight or hotel and that company ceases trading, they are not protected by legislation or insurance schemes (Macefield, 2002). When deciding to book online the consumer needs to realize how flexible their requirements are. The more consumers are willing to compromise on times, dates and holiday sites the more likely they are to finding a cheap deal. Consumers also need to be ready to book as soon as they see what they are looking for. Even in a slow economy most offers get booked very early on. 5.3 Limitations There are few noted limitations for this piece of research. First of all it cannot be ignored that research is dependent on the data collected using a questionnaire. The objective features of websites and not dealt in detail (e.g. background theme or hierarchy information) which makes it difficult to elaborate the suitable design factors equalled with the subjective measures. Secondly, this research is based on the survey research method which has some limitations of its own in the form sample selection bias. The sample of the survey is selected by the researcher and there is always a chance that the acquaintance of the researcher with the sample may alter the results as per the researcher’s way of thinking. The researcher tried to gather demographic information like age, gender etc but could not capture information like income levels etc. The participants were not ready to divulge such information. The validity of the results may be challenged in the absence of demographic in formation, because literature suggests the relative importance of evaluation criteria might vary with income and education level. Lastly the study lacks a section in the questionnaire that could be used to measure the level of user satisfaction for each website. A recent study found that user satisfaction for e-commerce customers consists of multiple dimensions (McKinney et al. 2002). There was a possibility to add more inter-dependent variables in the research model. For example, trust has been identified as an important issue in web site design and e-commerce (Jarvenpaa, Tracinsky and Vitale 2000, McKnigh et al. 2002). It would have been significant if the level of trust the participants had in each website could be measured along with the reasons (Kim and Moon 1998). 5.4 Recommendations for future work Already done by the Client 6.1 Discussion Travel is seen as an ‘escape’ motivation – a wish to escape routines of family, home and work. It might be a ‘pull’ motive a want to see things, places, and people and to engage in actions and behaviours (Ryan, 2002). Travel is ultimately thought of as entertainment (Miller, 2001). For these reasons booking travel should also be fun and hassle free. Consumers want to feel inspired, excited and motivated to book travel. Online sites have recognised the lacking of a one-to-one experience and have turned to using customer service help lines. This move, although against the promotion of booking entirely online, portrays the current competitive market. Online travel sites have needed to work a lot harder to stay competitive and profitable. Having looked at the past and present situation, one can start to predict what the future will be for the online holiday booking industry. A recent report from industry analysts Jupiter MMXI (Johnson, 2002) noted considerable growth in Europe’s online travel market and predictions suggest it could be worth more than  £12bn by 2006. Even with events such as September 11 terrorist attacks, consumers are keen to start travelling again. Dermot Halpin of Expedia states, ‘People want to travel. September 11 was a tragedy, but people bounce back. Individual travel is becoming more and more popular. People don’t want to be told what to do. We allow them to do what they want.’ With such great competition in the travel market, online travel providers need to distinguish themselves from the others. From consumer surveys, customers perceive the service of the airlines’ websites as significantly better than that of travel agencies (Romita, 2001). This is where travel agencies need to focus on to draw consumers to their site. From the questionnaire results we can see that consumers are drawn to sites on cost and reputation. An image of providing excellent customer service will attract visitors to that site and keep them loyal for future bookings. High street travel agents are able to do this much better due to their face to face interaction with customers. Online travel providers need to realign their focus with the ever demanding public and dedicate their sites to providing excellent customer service. From the literature search it was found out that the extent to which websites follow the architectural principles and are optimized on the evaluation criteria has an impact on the level of user satisfaction and, in turn, on the level of user loyalty. In other words, a website with a high architectural quality may produce a higher level of user satisfaction, which then leads to increased motivation for users to revisit the site. User satisfaction is one of the most frequently used measures of system success because the performance of a system is usually related to users’ satisfaction ratings (DeLone and McLean 1992). Customers are looking at the future for sites with better offers and technology to provide real time confirmation. They want greater flexibility and more information when booking travel. Online travel has now become a fundamental part of booking travel, whether to search for the best offers or just gather information on some Holiday package. Customers are becoming more demanding as they can now pick and choose who they wish to give their business to. The future looks bright for the online Holiday booking industry. As more people accept changes in technology and become computer literate, a new generation is developing that use the internet for most their day to day needs. 6.2 Final Summary Already done by the Client Brand Strategy, (2002). How to get close to customers online, Brand Strategy, January 9, 2002, p13. Delone, W. H. And Mclean, E. R. (1992), Information systems success: the quest for the dependent variable. Information Systems Research, 3(1), 60 – 95. Gall, M.D., Borg, W.R. and Gall, J.P. (1996) Educational Research: An introduction. New York, Longman. Henry, G.T. (1990). Practical Sampling. Newbury Park, CA, Sage. Hussey, J. and Hussey, R. (1997). Business Research – A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Macmillan Business Wiltshire. Johnson, B. (2002) Travel beats the dotcom gloom, The Guardian, August 19, 2002. Macefield, S. Warning to go-it-alone tourists, The Daily Telegraph, March 16, 2002, p4. Maxa, R. (2002). Rising European Air Fares, Savvy Traveller, March 23. Miller, G.(2001). Corporate responsibility in the UK tourism industry, Tourism Management, Volume 23, Issue 6, December 2001, p589-598. Morrison, M. Orbitz first to charge service fees, Airline Business, Jan 1, 2002, pg15. Romita, T. http://www.eyefortravel.com/index.asp?news=10158src=nwsltr, Eye for travel, January 23, 2001. Ryan, C. (2002). Equity, management, power sharing and sustainability – issues of the ‘new tourism’, Tourism Management, Volume 23, Issue 1, February 2002, p17-26. Saran, C. (2002). Consumers are not inspired by the Internet, Computer Weekly, Feb 28, pg16. Sharp, J.A. and Howard, K. (1996) The Management of a Student Research Project. Aldershot, Gower. Wheelwright, G. Wednesday Surveys ITD1, The Financial Times(London), March 13, 2002, p10. Mckinney, V., Yoon, K. And Zahedi, F. (2002), Web-customer satisfaction: an expectation and disconfirmation approach. Information Systems Research, 13(3), 296 – 315. Jarvenpaa, S. L., Tractinsky, N. And Vitale, M. (2000), Consumer trust in an Internet store. Information Technology and Management, 1(1 –2 ), 45 – 71. Lynch P.J. Horton S. (1997) Web style guide. Available at: http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/intro/purpose.html Grandinetti D.A. (2000) Help patients surf the Net safely. Register Nurse 63(8), 51–54. Cravener P.A. (2000) The world wide nursing web. American Journal of Nursing 100(11), 75–76.