What is an Achilles Heel Definition and Mythology

The common phrase Achilles heel refers to a surprising weakness or vulnerability in an otherwise strong or powerful person, a vulnerability that eventually leads to a downfall. What has become a cliche in the English language is one of several modern-day phrases that are left to us from ancient Greek mythology. Achilles was said to be a heroic warrior, whose struggles over whether to fight in the Trojan War or not are described in detail in several books of Homers poem ​The Iliad. The overall myth of Achilles includes the attempt by his mother, the nymph Thetis, to make her son immortal. There are various versions of this story in the ancient Greek literature, including her putting him in fire or water or anointing him, but the one version that has struck the popular imagination is the one with the River Styx and the Achilles Heel. Statius Achilleid The most popular version of Thetis attempt to immortalize her son survives in its earliest written form in Statius Achilleid 1.133-34, written in the first century AD. The nymph holds her son Achilles by his left ankle while she dips him in the River Styx, and the waters confer immortality on Achilles, but only on those surfaces that contact the water. Unfortunately, since Thetis dipped only once and she had to hold onto the baby, that spot, Achilles heel, remains mortal. At the end of his life, when the arrow of Paris (possibly guided by Apollo) pierces Achilles ankle, Achilles is mortally wounded. Imperfect invulnerability is a common theme in world folklore. For example, there is Siegfried, the Germanic hero in the Nibelungenlied who was vulnerable only between his shoulder blades; the Ossetian warrior Soslan or Sosruko from the Nart Saga who is dipped by a blacksmith into alternating water and fire to turn him into metal but missed his legs; and the Celtic hero Diarmuid, who in the Irish Fenian Cycle was pierced by a venomous boar bristle through a wound to his unprotected sole. Other Achilles Versions: Thetiss Intent Scholars have identified many different versions of the Achilles Heel story, as is true for most ancient history myths. One element with lots of variety is what Thetis had in mind when she dipped her son in whatever she dipped him in. She wanted to find out if her son was mortal.She wanted to make her son immortal.She wanted to make her son invulnerable. In the Aigimios (also spelled Aegimius, only a fragment of which still exists), Thetis--a nymph but the wife of a mortal--had many children, but she wanted to keep only the immortal ones, so she tested each of them by putting them in a pot of boiling water. They each died, but as she began to carry out the experiment on Achilles his father Peleus angrily intervened. Other versions of this differently crazy Thetis involve her unintentionally killing her children while attempting to make them immortal by burning off their mortal nature  or simply deliberately killing her children because they are mortal and unworthy of her. These versions always have Achilles saved by his father at the last minute. Another variant has Thetis trying to make Achilles immortal, not just invulnerable, and she plans to do that with a magical combination of fire and ambrosia. This is said to be one of her skills, but Peleus interrupts her and the interrupted magical procedure only changes his nature partially, making Achilles skin invulnerable but himself mortal.   Thetiss Method She put him in a pot of boiling water.She put him in a fire.She put him in a combination of fire and ambrosia.She put him in the River Styx. The earliest version of Styx-dipping (and youll need to blame or credit Burgess 1998 for this expression that will not leave my mind soon) is not found in the Greek literature until Statius version in the first century CE. Burgess suggests it was a Hellenistic period addition to the Thetis story. Other scholars think the idea may have come from the Near East, recent religious ideas at the time having included baptism. Burgess points out that dipping a child in the Styx to make it immortal or invulnerable echoes the earlier versions of Thetis dipping her children into boiling water or fire in an attempt to make them immortal. Styx dipping, which today sounds less painful than the other methods, was still dangerous: the Styx was the river of death, separating the lands of the living from the dead. How the Vulnerability was Severed Achilles was in battle at Troy, and Paris shot him through the ankle then stabbed him in the chest.Achilles was in battle at Troy, and Paris shot him in the lower leg or thigh, then stabbed him in the chest.Achilles was in battle at Troy and Paris shot him in the ankle with a poisoned spear.Achilles was at the Temple of Apollo, and Paris, guided by Apollo, shot Achilles in the ankle which kills him. There is considerable variation in the Greek literature about where Achilles skin was perforated. A number of Greek and Etruscan ceramic pots show Achilles being stuck with an arrow in his thigh, lower leg, heel, ankle or foot; and in one, he reaches calmly down to pull the arrow out. Some say that Achilles wasnt actually killed by a shot to the ankle but rather was distracted by the injury and thus vulnerable to a second wound. Chasing the Deeper Myth It is possible, say some scholars, that in the original myth, Achilles was not imperfectly vulnerable because of being dipped in the Styx, but rather because he wore armor--perhaps the invulnerable armor that Patroclus borrowed before his death--and received an injury to his lower leg or foot that was not covered by the armor. Certainly, a wound cutting or damaging what is now known as the Achilles tendon would hinder any hero. In that manner, Achilles greatest advantage--his swiftness and agility in the heat of battle—would have been taken away from him. Later variations attempt to account for the super-human levels of heroic invulnerability in Achilles (or other mythic figures) and how they were brought down by something ignominious or trivial: a compelling story even today. Sources Avery HC. 1998. Achilles Third Father. Hermes 126(4):389-397.Burgess J. 1995. Achilles Heel: The Death of Achilles in Ancient Myth. Classical Antiquity 14(2):217-244.Nickel R. 2002. Euphorbus and the Death of Achilles. Phoenix 56(3/4):215-233.Sale W. 1963. Achilles and Heroic Values. Arion: A Journal of Humanities and the Classics 2(3):86-100.Scodel R. 1989. The Word of Achilles. Classical Philology 84(2):91-99.

Drug Research Proposal - 882 Words

There are many different methods of dispersing and accumulating data from subject self-reports, but for the purpose of this research proposal we have elected to adopt a method used in relatively recent study published by the Journal of Drug Issues entitled: â€Å"Substance Use, Drug Treatment, and Crime: An Examination of Intra-Individual Variation in a Drug Court Population†. In order to measure illegal opioid use and its effects on theft rates, we will follow the framework guidelines set forth by Gottfredson, Karley, and Bushway (2008). The study will contain the measures listed, (a) criminal activity listed by type of crime, (b) if criminal activity was directly motivated by the desire to acquire additional drugs, and (c) substance abuse†¦show more content†¦If the same individual is interviewed again several months later while the subject is no longer attending rehabilitation or living on the street, the results may differ tremendously. Incarceration can influence the accessibility of drugs and the opportunity for a user to commit crime. Interviewers will only track and assess subjects in halfway houses, psychiatric facilities, individuals who are homeless, and other known areas of abundant drug circulation (streets). For research clarity, we would like to note that interviewers will not be assessing subjects in jail or prison, as both locations inhibit a subjects’ ability to obtain and/or use illegal substances, as well as their opportunity to partake in criminal activity. Criminal Activity Measures Interviewers will ask subjects to look at a calendar and state whether or not they had committed a series of different crimes for the previous 12 months. Crimes listed are to include: break-in, theft, auto-theft, fraud, forgery, shoplifting, robbery, selling of drugs, and or prostitution. Subjects are asked to respond â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† for each listed crime. Subjects are not asked to disclose number of times crime was committed, monetary amount of damages, and/or legal repercussions to better maintain anonymity of subjects and increase willingness to partake in the research study. The crime variables listed in the interview (break-in,Show MoreRelatedEli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company853 Words   |  3 Pages Eli Lilly Co. lost a group of important select patents so they are now looking to compete by producing new drugs . Due to long research and development times prior to a drug hitting the market, revenue forecasts for the company are unknown. Lilly’s short-term forecast is not much clearer as â€Å"revenue for the fourth quarter of 2013 declined 2 percent to $5.80 billion largely on Cymbalta’s patent expiration, the company affirmed. Net income dropped 12 percent to $727.5 million, or 67 cents per dilutedRead MoreThe Benefits Of Reducing Crime Through A Targeted Literacy Program815 Words   |  4 Pagesyouth drug crime in our community. While all three proposals gave strong arguments as to why their organization should receive our funds, programs similar to that stated in proposal two by Marcia Brady, John Walton, and Samantha Stephens have shown more success in the reduction of drug related crimes when compared to the ‘law and order’ techniques used by the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) which is described in proposal one and the presence of neighborhood patrols described in proposal threeRead MoreProblem Statement For African American Youth1355 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States. According to SAMHSA (2016) â€Å"The rate of illegal drug use in the last month among African Americans ages 12 and up in 2014 was 12.4%, compared to the national average of 10.2% (p.1). In today’s society, at- risk youth are usually at the top of every conversation. As the impoverished communities continue to diminish, substance use continues to progress. In these socioeconomic areas, that are challenged financially, research has shown that we begin loosing this category of youth essentiallyRead MoreWhat Factors Affect Crime Occurrence? Essay1733 Words   |  7 Pagessuccessful research findings. The purpose of this research proposal is to facilitate understanding of what different factors may affect crime occurrence. In this proposal, several independent variables such as age, race, social class, and gender will be examined to see how they affect crime occurrence. Additionally, the proposal evaluates information from previously conducted research to strengthen its research and to get the answers that it seeks. Furthermore, this research proposal evaluates threeRead MoreReducing Drug Trafficking in the United States892 Words   |  4 Pagespersonnel to reduce drug trafficking? 1 Reducing drug trafficking in the United States Linda Ellison ENG 122 Charlie Johnson November 21, 2011 Running Head: Should the government recruit discharged and retired military personnel to reduce drug trafficking? 2 Proposed Claim: Our government/military can stop or reduce drug trafficking in the United States. There is a solution that can be used to keep drugs out of our countryRead MoreThe Health Care Organization Essay1621 Words   |  7 Pagesservices, in a healthy and sustainable environment, through implementing policies, legislations, programs and elective partnerships locally and internationally. Drug control department is under management of medical district, which employing about 96 people. Drug control department Is concerned with the inspection of Private (Community) Pharmacies, Drug Stores, make sure that they are running according to the related regulations, licensing procedure: Renewing and licensing new licenses for Pharmacists, assistantsRead MoreSample Research Paper1642 Words   |  7 PagesThe main purpose of a research proposal is to show that the problem you propose to investigate is significant enough to warrant the investigation, the method you plan to use is suitable and feasible, a nd the results are likely to prove fruitful and will make an original contribution. In short, what you are answering is will it work? A provisional way of presenting all the parameters of research in logical order is known as proposal-writing stage. Irrespective of some other motives such as financialRead MoreDrug Testing the Less Fortunate 1023 Words   |  4 PagesShould drug testing be a necessity for all state and federal aid programs? Drug testing welfare recipients have been a major issue across the United States for a few years now. Many indicate that if working class people are subject to a test prior to hire or randomly during the duration of employment, why should those that don’t have to work for money not have the same treatment? The government estimated that random annual drug testing for welfare recipients would cost each taxpayer an additionalRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana1123 Words   |  5 PagesThis proposal would eliminate marijuana from the Control Substance Act and it would no longer be categorized as a Schedule 1 substance. The proposal would also require a federal permit fo r growing and distributing marijuana within state and national borders. The last aspect of the proposal would require for marijuana to be regulated exactly like alcohol by the Food and Drug Administration as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabaco, Firearms, and Explosives. Both of these proposals are probable optionsRead MorePepcid Ac954 Words   |  4 PagesCompany (JJM). JJM produces Pepcid which belongs to a class of drugs known as H2 Ââ€" receptor antagonists. This class of drugs reduces stomach acid secretion and revolutionized the treatment for ulcers and heartburn. Pepcid is well known for its quick heartburn relief has a stable market position but is still behind the leading competitors Tagamet (from SmithKline Beecham) and Zantac (from Glaxo Wellcome). The prescription ulcer drug market of H2 Ââ€" receptor antagonists in United States was $3.3billion

Response to William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience Free Essays

INNOCENCE v EXPERIENCE 109 UWA 2012 William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience was combined in 1794. Having compiled Songs of Innocence in 1789, Blake intended that he was writing happy rhymes that all children may enjoy (Norton Anthology pg 118 footnote 1). Not all the poems reflect a happy stance, many incorporate injustice, evil and suffering. We will write a custom essay sample on Response to William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience or any similar topic only for you Order Now Blake represents these aspects of the world through the eyes of ‘innocence’. In contrary Blake’s Songs of Experience were written as ugly and terrifying versions of the same world. These poems were used to reflect a ghastly representation of the world as one of poverty, disease and war. The Songs of Innocence were penned around the end of the American Revolution and the start of the French Revolution, although Blake would have worked on them for years prior. The Songs of Experience were etched during the middle and toward the end of the revolution and reflect how the poet’s view of the world had been affected and changed by the horrific events. Blake’s work is a compilation of a number of ‘songs’. Although each can stand as an independent poem many from Songs of Innocence have a pair in Songs of Experience such as â€Å"Infant Joy† – â€Å"Infant Sorrow†, â€Å"The Lamb† – â€Å"The Tyger† and â€Å"The Ecchoing Green† – â€Å"The Earth’s Answer. † Taking â€Å"Infant Joy,† from Songs of Innocence, it is told from the perspective of a baby â€Å"but two days old. † The baby is perceived as happy and joyous through lines such as â€Å"joy is my name/Sweet joy befall thee! † and plays on the common ideology that infants are happy and loveable. Yet, its counterpart â€Å"Infant Sorrow,† from Songs of Experience, still told from the perspective of the new born, presents the harsh reality of child birth: â€Å"My mother groand! My father wept. /Into the dangerous world I leapt. † The organisation of the work in this way presents two contrasting views of the world from the same perspective. I believe that the main problem that motivates Blake appears to be the comparison between childhood innocence and what we really experience in the world. The modern idea of wearing ‘rose tinted glasses’ springs to mind, in the sense that as a child we view the world as this magnificent, beautiful nd happy place but as we grow and learn more about ourselves and the world our experiences begin to taint that ‘innocent’ view and the world becomes ugly, harsh and cruel. The primary focus of Blake’s work is to create contrast between the fanciful, innocent view of the unjust, evil and suffering world and the harsh reality that suffering, war, poverty and disease really bring. These songs would have been read to children and it can be presumed that it was Blake’s attempt to teach them something about the world in which they were living through engaging their imaginations with his use of poetry. How to cite Response to William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, Essay examples

The Downtown Hotel

Question: Write about the Downtown Hotel. Answer: Downtonw Hotel is located at the CBD of Sydney city, which has captured the hearts of many people working around the city. Downtown Hotel is a classy, cool, and uniquely made hotel that offers traditional Australian dishes such as fish, the christmas shortbread, pavlova, prok meat,and some green vegetables. The interior of the restaurants' walls are pale blue coloured, furnished with leather L-shaped white coaches, chronologically arranged in congruence with classy round-shaped wooden tables. Interestingly, the restaurant is the dinner/lunch preferred destination with a very fast Wi-fi internet connection in Sydney, which attratcts so many customers. To sum it all, Downtown is one of a kind, which outstandingly meets many customer demands, with their meals and top-noth services being immersely outstanding. Honestly, i must credit Downtown hotel for its unique strucure and meals. Ultimately, any customer who has ever been at Downtown can ascertain that thevalue for money spent in the hotel is far much worth. In fact, Downtown makes every customer feel their value for their money, revolving aroud the tasty meals, the free internet connection, and the service rendered. Moreover, Downtown has enough space, romantic and cool environment, with cool music that plays in background. Apparently, the comfortable leather-couch sofas can accommodate more than 45 people at a go. Uniquely, Downtown hotel offers the traditional Australian dishes, which range from pork meat, kangaroo meat (though rarely), the meat pies, the green vegetables, as well as the seafood dominatng the resturants menu. Ultimately, having a dinner/lunch at Downtown is a decision that propels the customers' value for own money. On 24th Tuesday, in April, and on 3rd, Friday of May, i visited the restaurant for lunch and diner respectively. For the lucn I orderd fried chilly fish fillet, with some spiced Asian rice. The order was accompanied by some beef stew as a token of customers' visit. Comparig this meal to our (Fast Foods Restaurant) rice and fish meal, the Dowtowns meal has very standard spices, catchy smell, and the soup offered as a token of appreciation, Downtown dishes are more attractive and customers derive their value for their money. By contrast, Downtown Hotel has the best environment for private dates, private meals, relaxing, and getting the most tasty dishes in town, a notion that Fast foods has failed to achieve. After a careful scrutiny of the Downtowns Hotels' value for money derivation by customers, Fast foods widely lags behind the standards of the competitor, Dowtown Hotel. Clearly, Downtown remains a strong competitor and threat to Fast foods for its respect for customers' value for their money at large. MEMORANDUM TO: FOOD AND BEVARAGE MANAGER IMPERIAL RESTAURANT CC: FROM: DATE: 5/04/2017 SUBJECT: Evaluation process for Fast Foods Hotel Following the abrumpt decrease of customer base in our Hotel, Fast Foods Hotel,the Downtown Hotel has been a major threat to the scetor. Fast Foods Hotel has been experiencing low customer turn up as well as decreased sales volume. For instance, Fast Foods Hotel has been extensively advertising on Australian national TVs to increase sales purchases. For this reason, i have decided to posit this memo to the Fast Foods Manager, to employ some competitive measures in congruence to the Downtown competition edge to effectively compete favorably, and remain as a going concern as well as coping with the dynamic technological world, and the constantly changing consumer needs and preferences. Infact, the Down Town Hotel, pose as serious competition to Fast Foods Hotel, an issue that ought to be accommodated in the Fast Foods Hotel competitive edge. Due to the growth of the technological know-how and the changes in the norm of doing business, the Dowtown Hotel has captured the consumer needs a nd preferences value for money indexing. Therefore, Downtown has been the main reason, and competitor to our hotel, and thus strategic decisions should be drafted as soon as possible to curb the deteroriating Fast Foods Hotel. By adopting some strateties, the Fast Foods manager ought to compete favorably in the town; by offering meals and services that match the customers' value for their money in respect to meals offered, modern meals that satisfy the need of diverse consumers needs, as well as focusing on the decoration of the restaurant. I will be glad to share my observations with you, and very ready to as comply with any decision you make. Yours faithfully, Name

Song Of Myself Essays (109 words) - Song Of Myself, Walt Whitman

Song Of Myself In Song of Myself, Walt Whitman simultaneously Integrates the concept of himself as an individual, Completely unique in the universe, with a sense of himself as a composite of all life, of a kind of divine watcher who floats over the surface of humanity, observing the essential oneness of everyone within the context of their own myriad individualities. He explicates this through many analogies, but one of his most powerful is through his comparison of himself to the grass that still covered most of nineteenth-century America. In this analogy, he manages to convey not only his identity with the community of life, but his eventual participation in the company of the dead. Poetry Essays

Employment Rights and Responsibilities Essays

Employment Rights and Responsibilities Essays Employment Rights and Responsibilities Essay Employment Rights and Responsibilities Essay 1. 1 Below is a list of the facets of employment covered by jurisprudence: Minimal pay Hours worked Discrimination Health and safety Vacation entitlements Redundancy and dismissal Training Disciplinary processs Union rights and audience Pregnancy leave 1. 2 Below is a list of the chief characteristics of current employment statute law Employment Act 1996 Equalities and Discrimination Torahs Employment Act 2008 Health and safety statute law at work Act 1974 1. 3 Why do statute law associating to employment exists? The ground employment jurisprudence exist is to halt the development of workers by their employers. and to guarantee that the employees rights are being followed. If these jurisprudence didn’t exists them employer would be took advantage of and may non be treated right and reasonably. The Torahs cover all facets that could originate. weither this involves age. gender. disablement. The Torahs protect employees from unjust foremans. if there wasn’t Torahs so there would be no regulations. and companies could make whatever they want. These statute law are besides in topographic point to back up employers. 1. 4 Below are beginnings and types of information and advice available in relation to employment duties and rights: There are many topographic points you can acquire information from these could include: Web sites Books Colleagues Manager Information cusps Citizens Advice Bureau unions 2. 1 Describe the footings and conditions of ain contract of employment My contract of employment screens Job Location. as respects to where I am based in my employment. A occupation description. which describes the responsibilities and duties of my function as a attention helper. Probationary period. this confirms length of provisional period which is 3 month so a full contract will be offered. it will include what is expected of me within that period and besides what happens at the terminal of the provisional period. A description of how much I will be paid. any possible wage raises dependent on deriving certain makings. Payroll procedures. this describes how I will be paid. how frequently and when I will be paid. pay slip information. about the company’s rights to do tax write-offs if over paid or if you left and owed holiday/money for preparation or CRB. It will besides include information about Hours. this is information on hours I am expected to make and interrupt entitlements. It will depict my vacation entitlement. how to book it and when the leave twelvemonth commences and terminals. It will besides include information on length of notice needed to end employment by myself or company. It includes information on preparation provinces that I am required to go to compulsory preparation and about the possibilities of farther preparation. Sickness agreements. inside informations the process to follow if I am sick and statutory ill wage entitlements. Confidentiality is included explain the demand for confidentiality due to sensitive nature of the concern whilst working and after go forthing. Data protection. informs of the demand for the company to keep personal information on you. 2. 2 Describe the information shown on our ain wage statement There is a batch of information shown on your wage statement. the sum of pay before any tax write-off ( gross pay ) and besides your pay after tax write-offs. the sum of revenue enhancement and national insurance you have paid. your wage statement will besides include your national insurance figure. your revenue enhancement codification. your wage rate and besides any extra information sing your wage for illustration ill wage. holiday wage and over clip. 2. 3 The process to follow in event of a grudge When you have a grudge. you should compose to your employer giving them inside informations of your grudge. Include in your missive how you would wish your employer to decide the job. Date the missive and maintain a transcript for yourself. Your employer should set up an initial meeting to discourse your grudge. The chief intent of the meeting should be to set up the facts and happen a manner to decide the job. You have a legal right to take a representative to the meeting with you. To exert this right. you must do a petition to your employer that person comes with you. Your representative could be. a co-worker. brotherhood functionary. or canvasser. After the meeting your employer should. without unreasonable hold. compose to you with their determination. They should put out. where appropriate. what action they intend to take to decide the grudge. 2. 4 Identify the personal information that must be kept up to day of the month with ain employer There are several things that must be kept up to day of the month with your employer these include: Name Address next of family contact figure Education and makings 1. List the types of information that are held on your personal record and state why you think they are needed Data an employer can maintain about an employee includes: Name Address Date of birth Sexual activity Education and makings Work experience National Insurance figure Tax codification Detailss of any known disablement Emergency contact inside informations They will besides maintain inside informations about an employee such as: Employment history with the administration Employment footings and conditions Any accidents connected with work Any preparation taken Any disciplinary action 2. Who should you inform if you are altering your personal inside informations? You should ever maintain your employer informed of any alterations in your personal inside informations so that their records are up to day of the month and correct. if you have a alteration in personal inside informations you should inform your director every bit shortly as possible so that they information they have for you is right. this is really of import in instance of an exigency. 3. How should your records be stored and who has a right to see them? Your personal records should be stored safely and firmly they should be locked off so that no 1 can read them. if they are stored on a computing machine the computing machine should be watchword protected. Merely your employer and yourself have a right to see your personal records unless you give permission for other people to see them. 2. 5 Explain agreed ways of working with employer The in agreement ways of working are the codifications and policies provided by the employer for the attention worker to follow these will include statute law. codifications of behaviors and employer’s policies and processs that all attention workers should follow when working in a attention place scene. It is the duty of the attention workers to work within the policy guidelines provided and besides to guaranting that they are working at the criterion expected of them. it is a legal demand to follow policies and processs.

Eugenics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Eugenics - Essay Example As quoted in "Regulating Eugenics," Francis Galton—who was actually a cousin of Charles Darwin—first used the term "eugenics" in 1883. Galton described it as: But who is to say which "race" or "strain of blood" is more "suitable" than another? This paper will look at several topics concerning eugenics and what the practice might mean in the present day and future. There is a type of eugenics that is practiced in nature. If a zebra is born with a genetic defect that affects its legs, it will very soon be culled from the herd by predators. It is a fact of nature that the weakest and sickest are, in general, the first to die; it is survival of the fittest. Humans are one predator that flip this equation on its ear. How many hunters hope to bag the smallest, sickliest of deer? No, human hunters tend to go for the "prize," thus removing from the gene pool an animal that has some sort of genetic disposition—a better immune system; greater intelligence to protect it from predators, automobiles, or starvation; stronger bones and muscle and greater strength—that has allowed it to reach an enviable size and age. To protect from overpopulation, at least in deer, hunting is a necessity; however, by culling these "trophies" from the population, hunters are weakening the stock that otherwise would have been strengthened by natural selection. But perhaps humans make up for this toying with the nature of things by taking care of our own. In Greek literature, there is mention of blind prophet. Left on his own, this man would likely die; instead, he is cared for and tended by his peers. Whether or not this person is fictional or historical does not matter, for if this behavior exists in literature, it can be reasoned that it existed in real life as well. Throughout literature and history, there is mention of a person disabled

Deliberative and civil society models of democracy Coursework

Deliberative and civil society models of democracy - Coursework Example According to the research there are two central view of democracy. In the republican model of democracy, there is solidarity between disparate groups of people. The different groups who comprise society recognize that they are all unified, and that there is a common good that must be sought after. In this kind of democracy, therefore, there is a societal consensus of norms, so that there is a centralized core of democratic principles which underpin the political process. In the liberal model of democracy, however, there are disparate groups, and these disparate groups do not try to unify with society as a whole. Rather, they compete with one another for political power and resources, and the people vote on whose interests prevail. Therefore, society does not have a centralized core and is in danger of disintegrating. The liberal society is marked by societal preferences, whereas the republic society is marked by societal values. Because of this, some critics, including Habermas and B oesche, believe that liberal societies have a problem with legitimacy of laws, as these laws are not based upon societal norms, but, rather, are based on something less, and these laws are subjected to being dismantled by lawmakers on a seeming whim. The international stage is a macrocosm of these problems, according to Dryzek, as the international relations are marked by competition between disparate groups who do not necessarily agree upon becoming a unified whole. Deliberative democracy may help to overcome the problems which are inherent in a liberal democracy. Deliberative democracy introduces reasoned discourse into the political process, therefore it provides more of a substantial underpinning to the moral arguments which mark liberal societies. The way that deliberative democracy benefits liberal societies is that deliberation provides an educative function, as well as a way of bringing disparate communities together in realizing that they might have common ground. It also i s beneficial in that it introduces an element of reason into procedures which determine the common good, which makes these procedures more legitimate. The outcomes are also based upon rationality, which makes the outcomes more legitimate as well. More than this, however, deliberative democracy recognizes that there are certain fundamental truths which should govern all reasoned discourse, these fundamental truths being such aphorisms as respect for others. In this way, deliberative democracy may benefit both state liberal societies and the international stage, which retains many of the elements of a liberal society. Discussion In order to determine the essential question of how deliberative and civil society models of democracy overcome the problems of the liberal democracy, liberal democracy must be compared and contrasted with republican democracy. According to Habermas (1994), these are the two received views of democratic politics. The liberal democratic process, according to Ha bermas, programs the government in line with societal interest. In this way, the government is an apparatus or tool to achieve the ends of society, and society itself it a connection between individuals. The individuals in this view band together to push government in a way that meets their collective goals. In the liberal democratic process, Habermas states that the government is a mediating process. The republic process, on the other hand, requires solidarity between the disparate groups of people. With the republican view, the different groups of society realize that they are all unified, and there is a recognition that society must be oriented towards the common good. In the democratic process, social integration is achieved through the hierarchical regulations of the state and the decentralized regulations of the market. The orientation towards the common good is the third way that social integration is achieved in the republic view of democracy. It is this horizontal method of social integration

Constitutional Amendments in United States Essay

Constitutional Amendments in United States - Essay Example Analysts have observed that Thirteenth Amended influenced the political structure of the United States because it gave the Congress the authority to institute legislation, which would prohibit slave trade. The historical ruling of the Supreme Court in 1857 had indicated that Congress had no power to regulate slavery (Bardes, et.al. 2011). The Thirteenth Amendment allowed the Congress to take additional measures against ten states that had rebelled against abolition of slavery. Evidently, President Lincoln declaration had instigated uproar from these ten states that did not accept the move to abolish slave trade. Historians have argued that Thirteenth Amendment provided an opportunity for fifteenth and Fourteenth amendments, which influenced the freedom of freed slaves. The amendment influenced the social structure because it gave the slaves the rights to be citizens, and share equal rights as the blacks. However, history indicates that segregation in the American society at that time was rampant; whites had more rights than the blacks (Bardes, et.al. 2011). It is arguable that public opinion and the law might not in alignment in every situation. This indicated that social structures were a long distance to achieve. Economic structures of United States automatically changed because slaves could no longer work in agricultural farms. Farm owners registered low profits; Africans had the opportunity to set their own enterprises. Sixteenth Amendment of the US constitution in 1913 gave the federal government authority to influence taxes levied (Milakovich & Gordon, 2008). This amendment was in response to Supreme Court ruling, which adduced that federal government had no powers to in a specific area to withhold taxes. Taking a political angle towards this amendment, it is evident that the government gained more power. Department charged with taxes in the US has a growing number of staffs following this amendment. The amendment influenced the social structure because many people tried to look for ways to avoid paying taxes. Many people changed their spending attitudes and sought ways to shelter the income. The public became aggressive to know how the government spent their money. Evidently, the government channeled federal taxes to support education, social programs that include healthcare, security, and public projects among others (Milakovich & Gordon, 2008). The taxes levied from citizens contributed towards social growth of the nation. In the economic sector, the amendment led to changes in banking laws. In addition, people got the legal opportunity to keep their earnings in government bonds, retirement benefits, and saving account for Medicare (Wilson, 2011). Corporations got the opportunity to bank their money in foreign banks and lobby for tax holidays by citing various

Communication Strategy Employed By Pop Artist Rihanna Film Studies Essay

Communication Strategy Employed By Pop Artist Rihanna Film Studies Essay In this essay, I will be analyzing how Rihanna has used the media to communicate or portray her different messages through her music. On the other hand, however, there is the media that has its own version of those messages thus, constructing different realities for the perceiving audience. The Media provides information and updates on various happenings and issues on all aspects to the public thus providing them basic knowledge and information to enable them make their own judgments and perceptions such as, social perceptions (Sadaf, 2011). Sadaf (2011) explains social perception as the means in which we make sense of our social world through media representations as it plays an important role in making some issues important and some issues important. I will then discuss Rihannas communication strategy to her audience through her music as well as persona using the narrative theory through communication as a structure. In reality, there is no RIHANNA. Her real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Rihanna is a concept adopted by the music industry to sell music as Wall (2003;153) says, Stars are a form of capital in which a record company invests significant sums of money to gain publicity and reinforce an image they believe will in turn will generate greater sales of that stars records. The stars image however is not real. It is a representation of wider social values and a constructed set of individualness where the audience feels it knows the stars personality but in truth, this image is just a media text. How authentic a star may feel to its audience depends on success of the construction of the stars persona around the different facets of their personality (Wall, 2003; 153). Robyn Rihanna Fenty dropped two of her names and only took on Rihanna because it not only sounds exotic but also there was no Rihanna in the music business. That accorded her authenticity as an artist because when her name was mentioned, people would immediately know which Rihanna it was. Rihanna has thus been able to communicate messages of authenticness through the way she sings dresses and acts while in the public. This is a way for her to tell the public about herself and how her music is supposed to be understood.( Machin,2010;32) This she does through her choice of album names and sleeves from which the audience can make a guess at what she will sound like. Machin (2010; 34) also says that the images used on the album sleeves help communicate certain discourses, values, identities and so on. The chosen typefaces used for the artists name on the sleeve also communicate ideas and attitudes. In my observation, Rihannas public persona and her album sleeves contribute towards her authenticness as a musician but at the same communicating varying messages. Dyer (1987 cited in Tolson 2001) defined authenticity or the act of being yourself as a concept derived from the ideology of individualism where individuals are said to possess an inner irreducible essence. A true self behind whatever public face, or mask they may project. Rihannas authenticness can best be seen in an interview with Oprah on the Oprah Winfrey Show where the viewing audience was teased with a Rihnaana as youve never seen her before opening line. In this interview, Rihanna talks about her life and her relationship with Chris brown. Oprah succeeds in making her cry which is the epitome of the show as through Rihannas tears, the audience is able to feel her emotion. Tim Wall (2003;153) says the audience is made to feel like it knows the stars as individuals but that this experience is mediated through interviews, records, photos but the knowledge obtained about the stars is a product of carefully executed campaign plans all so to encourage the audience buy the stars records and an array of assorted merchandise. However, in the real world, there is no actual audience as they are mere constructions. An audience exists when a certain role has been played out that identifies with certain people who in turn become the audience. (Mafalda 2012) In the interview with Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna played the role of the victim by both the relationship with Chris Brown and in the media. However, the interesting part about the interview was how she turned the story around depicting Chris as troubled and in need of help. While the media had showed her as the victim, she called Chris the victim constructing a different reality for the audience from the one made by the media. Rihanna was able to expand her audience after her publicized domestic violence case with then boyfriend, Chris Brown. The issue was extensively covered by the media in which she was depicted as a vulnerable woman while Chris Brown as a beast. In turn, she used this to earn her more sympathizers and therefore generating a larger audience as she was now looked as a beacon of hope for domestically violated women while Chris Brown lost a few of his own audience as he was now labeled a woman beater. Celebity and scandal are closely linked where scandal is supposed to increase the celebrity quotient of the star. The scandal isnt just about the celebritys life alone but of events that accord them iconicity and notoriety (Nayar, ;113). Rihannas biggest scandal is her involvement with ex boyfriend Chris brown even though he beat her up early in the relationship and not even the fact that he has a girlfriend. Rihanna stirs controversy in her communication through her openness about sex. Wall (2003) suggests that Sexuality and the representation of gender and sexual preference play significant roles in the music and image of individual artists. Rihanna has featured numerous times in mens adult magazines such as GQ and Esquire, also singing a lot about sexual tendencies in songs such as Te Amo in which she plays out a l esbian scene and SM. SM refers to Sadism (S) and Masochism (M) defined by Weinberg (1987) as the frame with which people distinguish their pretend play from actual violence or domination; this frame hinges on the BDSM credo, safe, sane, and consensual. Another commonality is the recurring elements that are played with, including power (exchanging it, taking it, and/or giving it up), the mind (psychology), and sensations (using or depriving use of the senses and working with the chemicals released by the body when pain and/or intense sensation are experienced) (Pawlowski,  2009) In the song SM, Rihanna plays with the media in a way that depicts her first as an object for study. However, she is able to conquer the power from the journalists through BDSM. Edwards (1993) takes the concept of a beauty ideal one step further and contends that the black women featured in music videos exemplify physical characteristics of the tragic mulatto. Many of the black women featured in music videos depict a Westernized beauty ideal of lighter skin, long hair, and blue or green eyes. Previous research findings show that color tone could have some influence in the way a celebrity is perceived and is able to appeal to their audience. People attribute higher status and grant more power and wealth to people of one complexion, typically light skin, within the groups designated as non-white (Hunter 2011) Charles (2009a) suggests that hegemonic representations of white skin are thoroughly rooted in multiple social institutions including education, religion, mass media, and popular culture where images of white beauty do not simply rely on white women with blonde hair and light eyes to sell products. Rihanna uses her body to sell her image, through displaying her femininity recognizable through, for example, edgy clothing that combines frilly, pretty femininity with a masculine style and garments that suggest a more porn-inspired raunch (Levy, 2005). celebrity culture, through the pop musicians (Baker, 2004), provides a rich source of meanings around sexuality. These meanings appear to be heavily saturated by raunchy (see Levy, 2005) representations in music videos where body revealing clothing is accompanied by acts of sexual simulation, self-touching, sexual poses and so on (Jackson, Vares Gill, 2012). She has been able to promote her own personal brand through social networking skills using platforms like twitter, instagram, as well as her uniqueness in her hairstyles, fashion sense, lyrics and attitude. While a good brand elicits thoughts, a great brand elicits feelings. She has been able to create emotional friendships with her fans whom she calls the Rihanna Navy through her social network sites publicizing personal events such as the death of her grandmother whom she called grand gran Dolly. Rihanna has also been able to establish with time an archetype for her brand personality and story. This is in her on camera character as a defiant hardcore girl. This image can be seen in latest albums such as Good girl gone bad, Rated R and Unapologetic. Rihanna has been able to set herself as a brand using her fashion sense, being endorsed by brands such as Armani, Nivea, Oprah, Nike and Clinique increasing her social capital. Her diversity in the brands she promotes suggests her success as a star. However, When celebrities endorse a particular product, the public is more likely to believe in its effectiveness and purchase the product, and when a celebrity particularly endorses a skin-lightening product, they are also endorsing the act of skin-lightening itself, suggesting that their own beauty is attainable and that skin-lightening is a mainstream, culturally acceptable act (Hunter,2011). McCracken (1989 cited in Grace Phang ;4) states that a consumer sees a celebrity endorsing a product and they recognize the essential similarity between the message, product, and celebrity and transfers the meanings of that celebrity to the product simply because Celebrities play roles where their image carries the meanings of those roles. All above factors mentioned have helped her build an identity as a celebrity. However, her Caribbean beats and looks had been around for a while and to succeed as a star she had to undergo a massive change. The duet with Justin Timberlake saw her morph from the girl dancing to Pon De Replay to the woman that invoked desire. This metamorphism in character and identity expanded her fan base. Her identity did not just change with her choice of songs but also her wardrobe. She cut her hair short and dyed it black which also grew a series of metamorphism where it went from cheek length to just one side long the other remaining short, to being boyishly short and finally red. This cutting of her hair was not just fashion sense speaking but she was communicating to an audience. Rihanna has been able to express herself in a variety of ways especially through her dress code, most notably her hairstyles. However, this is a mere strategy to sell her image, as it is a constructed image that the audience associates with her. As observed, all music or movie stars are a mere construction, they are a source of capital for record companies that own them. (Wall,2003;153). A lot of money is invested in Rihanna as the brand, therefore, developing and publicizing her star image is not just to sell individual records as people always need something new to keep them interested but as a brand or commodity (Wall,2003; 154). This practice involves ongoing maintenance of a fan base, performed intimacy, authenticity and access, and construction of a consumable persona. popularity is maintained through ongoing fan management; and self-presentation is carefully constructed to be consumed by others.

Child Development :: essays research papers

How To Prepare For The Birth Of A Child   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all Don’t be doing stuff that would make you at the risk for being pregnant, consider all alternatives, such as delivery, abortions, and adoption, and make a decision. If you decide to carry the child full term, continue on to the following step Make sure you have the means to pay for the options you choose. You will either need a very rich husband, or medical insurance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vitamins, are very important take some every morning until the end of your pregnancy. If they make you puke, try taking them at a different time of the day. If they still make you sick, call your doctor. Your doctors will tell you to switch to a multi-vitamin from the store. If these changes do not work, you will need to change your diet to make sure you are receive all the vitamins you need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prepare yourself emotionally. You need to change your personal habits and lifestyle based on the knowledge that your unborn child is defenseless, and needs to be placed as first priority. Smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, consuming excessive amounts of caffine, and other such habits should be stopped, or your baby ends up as a crack addict. You need to realize that soon you will not have the body of a supermodel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Start a journals to your child. This increase the bond between a mother and child. This will help you realize more rapid that there is an actual human being growing inside you. Write about important events that are happening during your pregnancy. This may be useful later in the childs life. Tell your baby what it feels like when you lay in bed waiting to count it’s fingers and toes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Take care of your body. Eat health foods and drink a lot of fluids.Drinking milk is a wonderful source of calcium. If you are experiencing morning sickness, start eating small healthy meals frequently, instead of three large meals every day. An empty stomach adds to the nausea. Avoid greasy foods, and foods that may give you heartburn. Heartburn is very common with pregnancy. Elevate your legs higher than the level of your heart as much as you can throughout the day, balanced with time spent walking around. Exorcise regularly. Do not over exert yourself, but try stretching and strengthening your leg and mid-body muscles.

Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Nine

He said, â€Å"Hi.† And she said, â€Å"Ho.† God. GOD. Could she just say one normal thing? Thanks Crazy Mouth. He cocked an eyebrow at her. â€Å"I didn't know you were coming to prom.† â€Å"I-changed my mind at the last minute.† â€Å"You look nice.† â€Å"You too.† Which was an understatement. He looked like a double stack of cinnamon apple pancakes with a side order of bacon and hash browns (extra crispy). Like the best thing Miranda had ever laid eyes on. She felt herself staring at him, then looked away, blushing. There was a moment of silence. Another one. Don't let it go beyond four seconds, she reminded herself. It had to have been one second already; that left three, now two, say something! Say- â€Å"Are you wearing space pants?† Miranda asked him. â€Å"What?† How did it end? Oh, right. She said, â€Å"Because your butt is fine.† He gazed at her in that way he had like he was measuring her for a straitjacket. â€Å"I think-† he started, then stopped and seemed to be having trouble talking. Cleared his throat three times before finally saying, â€Å"I think the line is ‘because your butt is out of this world. â€Å" â€Å"Oh. That makes a lot more sense. I can see that. See, I read it in this book about how to get guys to like you and they said it was a line that never failed but I got interrupted in the middle and the line before it was about china-not the country, the kind you eat off of-and that is where the fine part was but I must have gotten them confused.† He just kept staring at her. She remembered the other advice from the book, â€Å"when in doubt, make an offer,† reached out, grabbed the first thing she could put her hand on, held it up to his chin, and said, â€Å"Nuts?† He looked like he was about to choke. He cleared his throat a few times, took the nuts from her, put the bowl back on the table, stepped toward her so that their noses were almost touching, and said, â€Å"You read a book about this?† Miranda couldn't even hear his heartbeat over the sound of her own. â€Å"Yes, I did. Because clearly I wasn't doing it right. I mean, if you kiss a guy and he pulls away from you and looks at you like your skin just turned to purple slime, clearly you need to spend some time at the self-help section of-â€Å" â€Å"You talk more when you're nervous,† he said, still standing close to her. â€Å"No I don't. That's absurd. I'm just trying to explain to you-â€Å" â€Å"Do I make you nervous?† â€Å"No. I'm not nervous.† â€Å"You're trembling.† â€Å"I'm cold. I'm wearing practically zero clothes.† His glance went to her lips, then back to her eyes. â€Å"I noticed.† Miranda gulped. â€Å"Look, I should-â€Å" He caught her wrist before she could take off. â€Å"That kiss you gave me was the hottest kiss I've ever had. I pulled away because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop myself from ripping off your clothes. And that didn't seem like the right way to end a first date. I didn't want you to think that was all I was interested in.† She stared at him. There was silence again, but this time she didn't worry about how long it went on. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† she said finally. â€Å"I tried to, but every time I saw you afterward you disappeared. I got the feeling you were avoiding me.† â€Å"I didn't want things to be awkward.† â€Å"Yeah, there was nothing awkward about you hiding behind a plant when I came into the dining hall at lunch on Wednesday.† â€Å"I wasn't hiding. I was, um, breathing. You know, oxygen. From the plant. Very oxygenated, that air is.† Insert head in oven now. â€Å"Of course. I should have thought of that.† â€Å"It's a health thing. Not many people know about it.† Leave until no longer HALF BAKED. â€Å"No, I'm sure they-â€Å" Miranda blurted. â€Å"Did you really mean that? About liking it when I kissed you?† â€Å"I really did. A lot.† Her hands were shaking. She reached up and pulled him toward her. Just as the music went off, the emergency-exit lighting went on and a tinny voice announced over a loudspeaker, â€Å"Please make your way to the nearest exit and leave the building immediately.† She and Will were pushed in different directions by the crowd surging to the door, being guided by four men in full body armor. The message kept repeating, but Miranda wasn't hearing it or Ariel West screaming that someone was going to PAY for RUINING her NIGHT or the person saying that dude, this was the sweetest way to end a prom ever, man, he was so high. She was hearing again the one-two-three cha-cha heartbeat of Deputy Reynolds, slightly muffled by body armor. This was no drill. â€Å"It's us, isn't it?† Sibby said, rushing over to stand next to Miranda. â€Å"That's why those storm-trooper guys are here. For us.† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"You were right. I should have stayed hidden. This is my fault. I don't want anyone to get hurt. I'll just turn myself over to these people, and they'll have to let-â€Å" Miranda interrupted her. â€Å"After all that? With only three hours left to go? And you, blend-it-like-butter girl? No way. It's not over. We can totally get out of this.† She tried to sound confident, but she was terrified. Just what do you think you're doing? U-Suck channel demanded. I have no idea. Sibby looked at her, eyes blazing with hope. â€Å"Do you mean it? You have a way out?† Miranda swallowed, took a deep breath, and said to Sibby, â€Å"Follow me.† To herself: Please don't fail.

Free Essays on The Real Tragedy Of Hamlet

The â€Å"Real† Tragedy of Hamlet In Hamlet, the death of a character becomes an everyday event. Although many people lose their lives as a result of their own self-centered wrongdoing, there are some whose deaths are a result of manipulation from the royalty. This is the case of Polonius’ family. The real tragedy of Hamlet is not about Hamlet or his family but of Polonius’ family, because their deaths were not the result of bad actions of their own but by their innocent involvement in the schemes of Claudius and Hamlet. The first character to die in Hamlet is Polonius. Although Polonius often acts in a dishonest way when dealing with Hamlet, it is only because he is carrying out plans that were planned out by the king and queen to discover the reason for Hamlet’s madness. Being the king’s Lord Chamberlain, it’s his job to obey the king and queen’s wishes, and it’s this loyalty that eventually proves to be deadly for him. An example of Polonius’ innocent involvement with royalty that results in his death can be found at the beginning of Act III, scene IV. Hamlet: Come, Come, and sit you down; you shall not budge. You go not till I set you up a glass, where you may see the inmost part of you. Queen (Gertrude): What wilt though do? Thou wilt not murder me? HELP, HO! Polonius [behind the arras]: What ho! HELP! Hamlet: How now? A rat? Dead for a ducat, dead! [He thrusts his rapier through the arras] Polonius [behind the arras]: O, I am slain! [He falls and dies] Queen (Gertrude): O me, what hast though done? Hamlet: Nay, I know not. Is it the King? Queen (Gertrude): O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! (Act III. scene IV.) Hamlet stabs him while he is hiding behind the arras in Gertrude’s room. This shows how a member of the royal family kills Polonius, a man innocent of the situation he is in, during the execution of one of their... Free Essays on The Real Tragedy Of Hamlet Free Essays on The Real Tragedy Of Hamlet The â€Å"Real† Tragedy of Hamlet In Hamlet, the death of a character becomes an everyday event. Although many people lose their lives as a result of their own self-centered wrongdoing, there are some whose deaths are a result of manipulation from the royalty. This is the case of Polonius’ family. The real tragedy of Hamlet is not about Hamlet or his family but of Polonius’ family, because their deaths were not the result of bad actions of their own but by their innocent involvement in the schemes of Claudius and Hamlet. The first character to die in Hamlet is Polonius. Although Polonius often acts in a dishonest way when dealing with Hamlet, it is only because he is carrying out plans that were planned out by the king and queen to discover the reason for Hamlet’s madness. Being the king’s Lord Chamberlain, it’s his job to obey the king and queen’s wishes, and it’s this loyalty that eventually proves to be deadly for him. An example of Polonius’ innocent involvement with royalty that results in his death can be found at the beginning of Act III, scene IV. Hamlet: Come, Come, and sit you down; you shall not budge. You go not till I set you up a glass, where you may see the inmost part of you. Queen (Gertrude): What wilt though do? Thou wilt not murder me? HELP, HO! Polonius [behind the arras]: What ho! HELP! Hamlet: How now? A rat? Dead for a ducat, dead! [He thrusts his rapier through the arras] Polonius [behind the arras]: O, I am slain! [He falls and dies] Queen (Gertrude): O me, what hast though done? Hamlet: Nay, I know not. Is it the King? Queen (Gertrude): O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! (Act III. scene IV.) Hamlet stabs him while he is hiding behind the arras in Gertrude’s room. This shows how a member of the royal family kills Polonius, a man innocent of the situation he is in, during the execution of one of their...

Free Essays on Ordination Of Women

Ordination of Women Women’s ordination. Should or should we not allow women to be ordained. This continues to be one of the most debated topics in the catholic society today. There are many, in fact, tons of resources, facts, opinions, and articles on whether women should be ordained or not. But, the fact of the matter is you can do all the research you want and come to your own opinion. Someone will be there to challenge it and give his or her views. Who’s right or wrong does not matter. Women’s ordination has its positives and negatives. Depending on how you look at it will make your opinion. For me, I believe women should be ordained. I have many reasons to believe this and in the following paper I will explain why I believe this and give the evidence I found while doing research that supports my stance. First I will clarify the issue and give some points from both sides to show why ordaining women is a debated subject. The issue at hand is obviously the ordination of women. But what is the real issue? Why are so many people opposed to ordination? Is it tradition? Is it that some people feel insecure or some men felt that this would put some woman higher then them? This may sound ridiculous, but I believe there is a bigger issue at hand here than most people think. Why is women’s ordination such a problem? To clarify the issues I will first point out the different views. There are two distinct sides that have strong views. First, here are the protesters. One belief of the church being against the ordination is simply because of tradition. The church has never ordained women and believes that tradition should be kept by keeping them from doing so. The church can make changes that would allow this but they refuse to do so. When Jesus choose the twelve apostles he did not choose any women. The church does not feel it should change things that represent the intentions of Jesus. Alt hough the church r... Free Essays on Ordination Of Women Free Essays on Ordination Of Women Ordination of Women Women’s ordination. Should or should we not allow women to be ordained. This continues to be one of the most debated topics in the catholic society today. There are many, in fact, tons of resources, facts, opinions, and articles on whether women should be ordained or not. But, the fact of the matter is you can do all the research you want and come to your own opinion. Someone will be there to challenge it and give his or her views. Who’s right or wrong does not matter. Women’s ordination has its positives and negatives. Depending on how you look at it will make your opinion. For me, I believe women should be ordained. I have many reasons to believe this and in the following paper I will explain why I believe this and give the evidence I found while doing research that supports my stance. First I will clarify the issue and give some points from both sides to show why ordaining women is a debated subject. The issue at hand is obviously the ordination of women. But what is the real issue? Why are so many people opposed to ordination? Is it tradition? Is it that some people feel insecure or some men felt that this would put some woman higher then them? This may sound ridiculous, but I believe there is a bigger issue at hand here than most people think. Why is women’s ordination such a problem? To clarify the issues I will first point out the different views. There are two distinct sides that have strong views. First, here are the protesters. One belief of the church being against the ordination is simply because of tradition. The church has never ordained women and believes that tradition should be kept by keeping them from doing so. The church can make changes that would allow this but they refuse to do so. When Jesus choose the twelve apostles he did not choose any women. The church does not feel it should change things that represent the intentions of Jesus. Alt hough the church r...

Change in Congress Due To Republicans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Change in Congress Due To Republicans - Essay Example A student testing for drugs for the first time may find it a rather daunting, and emotional experience, but they should be aware that they are not there to judge any of the subjects; nor the educational faculty. The student tester must be professional; impartial observation, amiability without familiarity, and also the ability to keep their focus in very testing circumstances. The student will be assessed in all of these areas, and also upon their ability to understand their role in the testing of teenagers, and the statistical likelihood that any student they meet will test positive for drugs. Drug testing is a contentious issue, with some seeing the Supreme Court's rulings in cases such as the Board of Education V. Earls (2002), as allowing a much broader invasion of student privacy than ever before; others argue that students should be required to submit to urine testing as part of the ever pressing war on drug use in America. As early as April 1999, Congress had been under increasing pressure to implement drug tests in schools, with Representatives arguing that: Increasing public concern about the nature of drug use in and around schools made the government choose a selective policy of urine testing to reassure parents that students were not taking drugs in class. It has been claimed that High School Senior Surveys shows a decline in drug use since the 1979, and that daily use of marijuana has fallen "From 10.3% to 4.0%" (Morgan, 1988). His conclusion, that marijuana use has slumped ("Declined significantly"), does not stem fear about student use of the drug, and this is what must be borne in mind when considering the role of routine urine testing in school admissions. Testing in Schools While many object to the use of random drug testing as a condition of admission to school, which is prohibited anyway as the school is a public body, this is not the case for extracurricular pastimes such as sports. The Supreme Court also noted that: Students are required to submit to physical examinations and Vaccinations which indicates that students have a lesser privacy interest than the general public.(Missouri Centre, 2002) Moreover, while there is some evidence that Drug testing of any kind, including for cause or suspicion, was not A significant predictor of Marijuana use." (Yamaguchi, et al, 2003ii) Routine drug testing is a standard procedure in sporting competitions and in the workplace: it should not therefore be seen as an over zealous requirement. "Drug-testing in schools and the workplace is not simply about individual behaviour" (Campbell, 2004, 86), it is, of course, also about the control that the school has over the children in its care. It is a school's responsibility to act as loco parentis and to enforce the law. Concerns over the invasion of a child's privacy during urine testing is dependant upon the idea of close observation of the child making the specimen, and then handing over this specimen to be tested by strangers (Boire, 2004). Of course, issues of trust also make things difficult: Routine drug testing implies, not merely that the tester mistrusts one student (Bailey, 1997, 5), but the entire generation. It may also make students more reluctant to participate in outside-hours activity - with the

Statistical genetics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statistical genetics - Term Paper Example Genetic association assists in finding out if a trait associates with a genetic variation. Statistical exploration of the responsible factors helps to accomplish the objectives. Ideally, genetic linkage is a characteristic of proximal location of genes on a chromosome to cause group inheritance. There is a less likelihood of separation of genes located together. Scientists use linkage maps to determine the position of genetic markers or genes relative to one another. Newton Morton developed a statistical test, LOD score useful in linkage analysis. LOD scores relate the likelihood of finding test data in case there is a linkage in the loci (Posthuma 175). Linkage analysis falls into two groups namely parametric and non-parametric. Parametric analysis adopts that models unfolding the maker and trait loci are well known without any error while the nonparametric analysis makes diminutive axioms regarding the trait model or simply put, it ponders all pedigree information. Linkage disequilibrium is used to describe DNA recombination. Generally, linkage concerns the physical segments of the genome that gives characteristics to a given trait. Various statistical methodologies have been useful in detecting genetic variation and analyzing genotype data. In the recent years, scientists have come up with high quantity genotyping technologies that are cost-effective and assist in understanding the genetic basis of phenotypes of interest. The presence of many SNPs has facilitated the success of statistical genetic studies. The first step in gene mapping used to be linkage analysis (Lin & Hongyu 103). SNPs that have close relationship as far as proximity is concerned can easily co-segregate as a result of linkage disequilibrium. Association mapping is based on theoretical allelic association, which has been more apparent in recent years. The two main approaches that scientists use to map genetic loci are association and linkage analyses. Factors that are

Musical Eras Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Musical Eras - Essay Example a. Chants – The earliest commonly known music was most probably medieval chants. This type of music was found in Jewish and early Christian music and consisted of chanting or singing the Psalms. Chants were developed to regionally to follow local liturgies. Monks often were responsible for singing the chants. One early Monk made a big impression on medieval music. Guido d’Arrezo, an Italian Monk, created the original Do, Re, Me, using his hand (Neff, 2007). The Guidonian Hand was a chart that put notes on the right hand. This easy to learn chart was a system to help people learn the notes. His original Do, Re, Me sounded much like the song Julie Andrews sang in the 1959 musical â€Å"The Sound Of Music† (Neff, 2007). During his lifetime d’Arrezo trained singers at a local cathedral. The Roman Catholic Church made good use of chants using them in their daily and special masses. Most European or American educated individuals are familiar with Gregorian Chants that were very much a part of the early Catholic Church literagy. b. Goliards – Goliards are best described as poet-musicians. These musicians were made up of scholars who sang and recited poetry in Latin. It is believed they played a big part in the development of the Troubadours. Some Goliards were secular and some were religious. Because they were scholars and literate they were able to write songs down.

Dream Worlds Essay Example for Free

Dream Worlds Essay So much has changed in how gender relations are carried out in today’s society. In past societies, much attention was paid to hierarchical relations. The women in the days of yore were only given a certain set of rights and privileges that were determined by men. Over the years, however, there has been a so-called â€Å"emancipation† of women. Beginning with the right to suffrage, women were gradually given increasing rights and participation in present day society. The influence that women have in today’s world is such that it can even be argued that they might even have the upper-hand gender wise. As Dream Worlds II reveals, one of the tools that women have used to regain their dominance over men is their sexuality. As the proverbial gate-keepers for sexual satisfaction, women are able to use their sexuality, seemingly at will, to gain whatever they want in society. While it seems that it is the men who are inducing these women to use their sexuality for material favors or otherwise, a close inspection will reveal that it is the result of a conscious decision of society. By engaging in a more capitalist mentality, the relation between the sexes is no longer about gender but rather accumulation of material wealth. The struggles that emerge between the sexes in today’s society are more concerned with gaining the upper-hand in a material aspect and everything, even sexuality, can be used as a tool in all of this. Given this situation, it would be incorrect to cite that it is subservience to men but rather it is the realization that such a facade is necessary to gain an upper-hand. There is no clear cut solution to this problem. In fact, it can be likened to supply and demand. There is a supply of women that meets a certain demand but in order to take advantage of this there must be an equivalent or greater exchange. It is more of a function of society than it is a battle of the sexes. A mutual agreement that this relationship is ideal in today’s situation.

Servqual Tool in Emirates Airlines

Servqual Tool in Emirates Airlines Servqual Tool The quality of services in emirates airlines: the challenges of continuous improvement Introduction In this paper the concept of quality is discussed to examine its development and applications. Service quality is reflected upon with an elaboration of the seminal SERVQUAL tool in a separate section. The paper also contextualizes customer satisfaction within the overall discussion on quality and business performance. Customer satisfaction and service quality are both also reflected upon to contextualize requirements of the changing times, and the adaptability of these two- inexplicably interconnect pillars of business performance. Quality and customer satisfaction are implicitly linked together in this paper in different sections – they remain linked by their respective definitions upfront. Business performance is an undercurrent to the discussion in this paper given the origins and nature of developments surrounding quality. Customer satisfaction is explicitly a key performance measure but its interconnections with profitability and loyalty are pondered over in trying to ela borate on the concept of market orientation. The paper is divided into four sections- the first one looks at quality in general mapping its development. The second section discusses service quality and its measurement. The third section looks at customer satisfaction and other key variables that shape customer orientation. The last section provides a profile and critique of SERVQUAL. Quality Quality has always concerned the societal intent of consumption. The reasons are fairly colloquial at one level where lack of quality can result in insufficient and unsatisfactory delivery of requirements from a product or service. At another level – given the growing complexity of the business processes over the last century quality has evolved into a discipline – characterized by an equally intertwined interface between control, assurance, and management in general (Dooley, 2006). Broadly speaking in the business context quality is the ‘perception of the ability’ of a product to satisfy its users. By extension it also applies to the processes and management of the processes that shape the product. However, the satisfying paradigm underpinning quality has multiple manifestations: â€Å"conformance†, â€Å"fitness for use†, â€Å"basic minimum requirements vs. attractiveness†, and as a matter of â€Å"interest and individual disposition† to name a few (e.g. Juran, 1945; Pirsig, 1974; Corsby, 1981; Kano, 1984; Reeves and Bednar, 1994). The definition of quality is rather difficult to come by because of the sheer nature of its wide applicability and strands of origin- ranging from the practical business origins to metaphysical origins. The American Society for Quality aptly captures this subjectivity in understanding quality by stating it as †¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"a subjective term for which each person has their own definition† (Wade, 2005; ASQ, 2007). Quality management is made up of two complementary aspects one is quality assurance and the other is quality control. The former is about ensuring a basic minimum standard through upfront production process design. The latter is about reviewing and monitoring output to wean out the ‘defectives’. Assurance is thus inherently preventive and control is mainly curative in a functional sense (Gunter, 1998). Irrespective of the disparate origins, quality management can be safely said to be largely associated with the idea of excellence. A range of concepts and their operationalisation stem from this broader view of quality and mark the growth in research and practice of quality management. Six Sigma, Quality Circles, and Total Quality Management- are but a few from amongst numerous such frames of reference (dti, 2007). The idea of quality at the advent of the century had been around as a selection paradigm- accepting the superior and rejecting the inferior and biased towards ‘control at best’- most of the time the evaluation came from the end user. Along the business value chain as production became large scale after the 1st World War- quality assurance procedures started becoming formalized. It was not only the ‘end of the road’ customer assessment but also a series of filters ensuring only the better quality output being delivered to the customer made control and assurance an important in house practice . The inspection oriented quality control schema had its problems mainly in terms of competent individuals that could ensure monitoring despite not being the ‘know all’ skill set champions. Formalized roles of inspection and quality manager thus emerged and along side assurance models provided a great lift to quality management as a capability. Generic tools for quality management like the control chart emerged in the 1920s and statistical process control matured towards the middle of the century. The revival of the manufacturing of war torn Japan on mature principals of quality control and management finally brought quality management into the forefront. By the end of 1970s it was a global pre-occupation with everyone trying to imitate the success of Japanese low cost and high quality products (dti, 2007; Dooley, 2006). When the word total quality came to the fore in 1970s and finally pinned quality management as a fundamental capability that ran through the organization. The West’s take on quality management was more about ‘standards’ than ‘culturalisation’-but based around the same operational frameworks as in Japan. These gave rise to national standards in response to the need to have a quality association with the national economy as a whole. At the business level quality is now a key management responsibility (Gitlow et al., 1989). Aside from the generalized profile of emergence of quality management above there are a few key landmarks that need to be noted. The first is probably the statistical developments in the 20s and 30s and the emergence of concepts related to probability of acceptance, risk, tolerance levels, and sampling aspects (Shewart, 1931; Dodge and Romig, 1959) establishment of standards and societies also marked the 1930s and 40s (Hutchins, 1995; Dooley, 2006). Industrial production was never under as much pressure as in the II world War. While quality assurance could not keep up with the pressure control came to the forefront to ensure acceptable working products. The maturing of the statistical processes and standards in this regard was a key development. The large scale transmission of these standards to the then military suppliers ensured that the War provided an acceleration to the diffusion of quality management standards and systems (Dooley, 2006; Grant and Lang, 1991). With the end of the war in the formative phase of reconstruction quality was again given a ‘less rushed’ attention. The role of top management, the interface between organisation wide processes, among others found attention. Total quality control came to the fore as a holistic concept with a stage gate approach right from design to delivery to consumer (Fiegenbaum, 1951, 1957, 1961). As mentioned, the post war Japanese revival is a key factor in development of quality management. Over the 1950s and 1960s the ideas of cultaration of quality with pride in workmanship, top management support, liberalized communication and quality circles took hold stemming from Japanese success. The good practice concepts like quality circles emerged as competencies that were tightly woven into the culture of business unique to Japan and required some effort when it came to imitation by the west (Koyangi, 1964; Deming, 1967; Juran, 1967). Quality became integral to organisational behaviour, goals, and associated personnel development. The coining of ‘Total Quality Management’ (TQM), encapsulates this coming of age of quality management as an indispensable competency in the competitive arena that is augmented by increasing customer expectations (Deming, 1986; Anderson et al., 1994; Akers; 1991; Stratton, 1990). The main characteristics-changes and developments though numerous can be safely said to be around making quality: a responsibility for everyone, a necessity rather than a differentiator, relate better to services and information, and ever increasing set of non-manufacturing industries. relate to best practices, dissemination and learning recognized a key function and accordingly resourced in organizations reinforce the primacy of the customer (Green and Welsh, 1988; Marquardt, 1991; Dooley, 2006) As TQM goes from strength to strength the balance between assurance, control, and the new fangled third strand – learning is becoming vital given the dynamic nature and complex requirements that are associated with quality (Green and Welsh, 1988). The standardized tools need to be customized for organisational applications with a sense to create the competitive edge-because the omnipresent paradigm itself is tending to defeat the objective to seeking the competitive edge through quality (Dean and Bowen, 1994). Context specificity or in other customization of model and tools is the call of the day for research and practice alike The generic nature however needs to be preserved in the background given wider economic and societal association of quality management. For instance, as new frontiers like e-commerce open a fertile bed of quality concepts and models will be very valuable for learning and adaptation to the economic and social context (Doty et al., 1993; Dooley, 2006). . However, having an adaptable bed for quality management across diverse industries to draw from is not sufficient. The societal realties have also undergone transition – quality needs to broaden its founding grounds to reflect on new aspects like information management and the virtual realm where quality may have to question its own foundations that are deeply rooted in manufacturing. The successful adaptation to non-manufacturing i.e. services however, is evidence of the emergent nature of quality management that can take on fresh challenges. Service Quality Service quality is a subjective concept that remains challenging to define and to measure (Cronin and Taylor, 1992). This associates itself and can be understood as the application of total quality in the service sector in the main and also implying the service function in frontline delivery of product in other industries. The understanding of service quality has been synthesized from extant literature by Jennifer Rowley (1998). In her work it is seen as a â€Å"perception judgment from a comparison of what they feel service organizations should offer and the performance of the organisation offering the services†. There is no dearth of definitions that try to pack in comprehensiveness to this abstract concept. For instance, Hedvall and Paltschik (1989) refer to ‘willingness and ability to serve’ with a mention of ‘access’, Lehtinen and Lehtinen(1982) view service quality in a three-dimensional space that looks at ‘interactive, physical and corpo rate’ quality facets. Furthermore Gronroos (1984) simplifies the idea by seeing service quality as shaped by ‘technical and functional’ aspects of quality (Rowley ,1988). The link between service and performance and by extension satisfying the customer is challenging because services have a unique combination of characteristics. The first of these combinations is their intangibility- causing issues in measurement as they are a function of the ‘experience’ of the customer. The next is their perish ability –meaning that they cannot delivered from existing stock and thus lending a dynamic nature to service delivery that is difficult to condition. The third is inseparability between production and consumption of service and the last is heterogeneity or customizability as each end user receives a different level-nature of service partly owing to individualized perceptions that are involved in assessment (Zeithaml et al., 1985; Rowley, 1998). The need is thus to work on ‘perceptions’ to assess quality given the cognitive frame of reference that dominates the characteristics of service. The associated requirement is to be able to classify services so as to peg a cognitive frame on a type of service Such an attempt has provided for groupings within the service industry as a starting point to deliver customized measurement models (Dotchin and Oakland, 1994). The influences on consumer expectations have also been classified to augment such efforts (Gronroos,1994) . While the seminal work towards generic developments like SERVQUAL (Parasuram et al., 1988) that is discussed in detail in the last section of this paper, provide founding grounds to service quality measurement- literature sees several issues in the applicability of this generic framework. This also relates to the inclusion exclusion and reconfiguration of the understanding of service attributes and the industry categories discussed before (e.g. Sasser, 1978; Dotchin and Oakland, 1994). A critical perspective on SREVQUAL comes later but upfront – it is of essence is to recognize the importance and complexity in measurement given the sheer abstractness of the idea of service and its quality. The customization of measurement efforts and models in light of different service industry groups has been key to efforts at improving measurement (Dotchin and Oakland, 1994). In SERVQUAL the conceptualization of satisfaction has been found to be too simplistic and the multiplicity of the ‘total experience’ is arguably not captured – this is in addition to the non-customized generic nature of the SREVQUAL tool. A longitudinal and sometimes phenomenological analysis is suggested to capture these nuanced but important characteristics of service quality (Singh, 1991; Rowley, 1994). However, the difficult in devising a comprehensive tool still disposes wider practice of measurement to simplistic methods. Important adjustments and realizations like the use of ‘importance and satisfaction grid’ (Harvey, 1995) provide a very useful feedback and prioritization. For instance, high importance and poor satisfaction is a combination that merits urgent management attention. Another important variable in the service quality metric that needs to be accounted for is the nature of the contract. Again this is because of the attribute of ‘psychological contracts’ that is unique in nature to services (Thornrow, 1998). This has found particular appeal in measurement related to provision of public services. Having formal, informal and psychological components in service contracts provide a platform for balancing expectations and perceptions. These are otherwise very difficult to manage given the basic characteristics of service discussed at the onset of this section. Finally the perceptual plane needs to be also looked at with a balance though by classical definition the perception of the customer is the defining feature of quality-for service quality in particular the perception of the provider and the resultant psychological interface is also key to the metric. The role of customers is also not to be taken uni-dimensionally. There are different st akeholder brackets eg. users, influencers, deciders, approvers that associate with a service category and also vary in their significance (Rowley, 1988). These influence the generic satisfaction and associated performance variable. Given this multiplicity and the psychologically complex nature of interactions, the ‘relationship exchange’ process (Morgan and Hunt, 1994) is key to providing some cognitive stability to overtime service quality measurement. It is also a suitable conduit to ensure that feedback is smoothly translated into strategic action for improvement. Such relationships can be supported by associating service with some ‘bonds’ (Chu and Lin, 2004). For instance, providing unique services, incentives, and even building social ties between provider and customer. However, on the other hand, the impact of such relationships on service quality needs to be moderated for a reliable assessment. They provide grounds for stabilizing the psychological map to better associate performance and expectations but at the same time bias it. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Customer Satisfaction Broadly speaking customer satisfaction is a performance indicator of the extent to which a firm has managed to meet customer expectations through its business deliverables. Having formed the foundation of the marketing concept for nearly half a century the attempts at harnessing the good practices and measurement approaches is a much explored realm when it comes to customer satisfaction (e.g. Drucker, 1954; Levitt 1960; Gronroos, 1990). Over the last few years customer satisfaction has received a reinvigorated interest. Possible reasons for this have been seen as the after effects of a maturing TQM paradigm that is linked with several recognition awards, and also, arrival of national customer satisfaction barometers (Garvin, 1991; Johnson et al., 2001; Helgesen, 2006) The associated concept of customer relationship orientation is posits a strong link between customer loyalty and profitability with customer satisfaction (Zeithaml, 1988; Oliver, 1996). While customer loyalty has been referred to as central to ‘competitive advantage’ (Porter, 1985; Chao, et al., 2007)- this is delivered through customer -satisfaction. This is the basic rationalization behind customer satisfaction being so central to both short term and long term performance assessment. That the ‘ultimate aim of any firm is to achieve customer satisfaction’ remains the central thesis of market orientation (Levitt, 1960). Customer orientation seeks to align â€Å"organizational values, beliefs, assumptions and premises† to deliver a mutually enabling relationship between the customer and the firm (Day, 1994; Strong and Harris, 2004). Strong and Harris ( 2004), define a set of tactics that can deliver customer orientation. They define three sets of tactics. The first define relational tactics (essentially relationship marketing) that engages a nurturing philosophy for long run gains. The second tactic as human resource tactic is more about the direct interface with frontline of the customer and rest of the organisation –essentially empowering the front line through training and support to reap rewards of realized quality of experience of the customer. The final tactic relates to procedural aspects that routinise and systemize customer care and support systems. The study posits that there is a strong interaction and dependency between the three tactics. This key work that examines customer satisfaction and its manifestations under the customer orientation paradigm shares ground with some key extant literature (Narver and Slater, 1990) However, other studies tend to put one set of such aspects – though differently labeled as more important than the others. For instance, Chao et al. (2007) say that while satisfaction remains an abstract idea sometime there is an overt component of interpersonal relationship building that because of over emphasis- instead of complementing customer orientation tends wean resources away from conditioning deliverables to meet consumer expectations. Research suggests that such a lopsided drive is ill-found in the long run While relationship marketing remains important it has to be pegged on consumer satisfaction from products and services for sustainability (Chao et al., 2007). Businesses need to focus attention on relationship building. This however has to be conditioned for long run profitability. Customer satisfaction through meeting expectations from goods, transaction services and pure services, and a sustained follow up and support culture has to be the basis for relationship building. For instance, financial incentives/offers are likely to be ineffective and short lived if quality is undermined. As most of the research in customer orientation gets focused on relationship building this is an important consideration to use as a moderator. Value to the customer can never be undermined for seeking short term profitability. This is because such profitability is not suitably tied in with satisfaction which in turn guides customer loyalty. Views to the contrary also exist mainly from some practitioners. Bruce Clapp (2007) of the Carlson marketing group says that â€Å"relationship strength is more important than satisfaction as a true indicator of loyalty. Customizing the experience of our customers, in-branch and in home, impacts the strength of relationship as it builds. In the experience, ensuring our message is relevant requires that we be closer to our customer. The communication we use, whether direct mail, e-mail or in person, must be tailored to the needs of the customer at an individual level. The term mass customization has gained ground as we look for ways to become partners with our customers and be there when they have a financial need†¦changing the perception about communication from irrelevant to relevant†¦.mattered † (Bruce Clapp in ABA Bank Marketing, 2007) The above text signifies another important side to the changing times that of information and its quality as a deliverable that has become a key product attribute. Relationship management that works to harness this may improve the quality perception of its product without making changes to the product itself. The result is then improved customer satisfaction. The level of abstraction in the idea of ‘satisfaction’ and the changing times with an information overload -have created shadow characteristics for products and services. The idea of ‘value’ is ever more a backdoor into customer satisfaction. Customer orientation in the milieu of discussed tactics that include relationship management and the intertwining of satisfaction, loyalty and profitability is a complex arena. It is thus not strange to see that the core variable – customer satisfaction that inhabits the arena is often found missing from hundreds of studies that explore business performance (Capon, et al., 1990 –review of 320 empirical studies). The inter-linkages are so strong that even controlling for the satisfaction part (if a suitable measurement was deployed) tends to capture most of the variation in most cases. Given that studies seek to look at different sets of variables for instance, in say, production management exclusively – they understandably steer clear of satisfaction measurement and inclusion – resulting in poor significance and scope of such studies. Studies which do involve the customer factor in examining performance have more significance in results but have their own issues. These are to do with industry specific nuances where the interaction between customer satisfaction, loyalty and profitability vary a great deal (e.g. Reichheld and Sasser, 1990; Soderlund and Vilgon, 1995; Page et al., 1996). Accounting for the differences in methods and measurements the issue remains that the customer orientation metric is also industry specific. Though it is omnipresent and universally central to business goals the way it manifests itself is what may vary across business types. For instance, the rate at which profitability increases with loyalty and conversely loyalty increases with satisfaction may vary (Helgesen, 2006). In the days when customer was not inundated with choices -the notion of satisfaction was relatively stable despite its metaphysical connotations. As the number of choices has gone up so is the fickleness of satisfaction. Satisfaction can thus no longer be the guiding tenet for loyalty. The relationship perspective has thus become very important – and as argued above is widely contested in terms of how important? To the extent that it takes away resources from developing the arguably ‘real’ good or service it is overdone. However the ‘value’ it brings in terms of influencing consumer selection in an ambiguous setting of multiple satisfying options remains critical. The issue is that of a balance without a quality good or service to back up the relationship promise failure is imminent. However without being able to retain customers or attract them to quality products and services as there is always a ‘better’ out there investments in the â €˜real’ good or service is also low yielding. The challenge of customer satisfaction as the key variable in consumer orientation is to condition itself to the changing notion of ‘value’ that is now integral to information flows in every consumer-provider interaction. This conditioning should take into account the factors that affect loyalty and profitability because a knock on effect on these is very likely. Finally, there is also industry specificity to consider to an extent but to a lower extent- the times have not changed enough to question the centrality of consumer satisfaction- they are just placing new demands on it. Servqual The recognition of the importance of customer -‘assessment and perception of the quality’ of service has led to the emergence of concept behind SERVQUAL, and its delivery as a tool. This was primarily through the work of Parasuraman, Berry and Zeithmal (1985, 1988, and 1991). The development is a good example of research being driven by the interests of the industry and in the process delivering an instrument of direct utility to the industry. In this section SERVQUAL is reflected upon with a view to explain its foundations, ponder over- the developments, posited advantages and critiques, and in the process, provide a holistic perspective on this key development in service quality management. The basic concept behind SERVQUAL works on a ‘gap’ between the expected and perceived quality of service. The nuances on how this gap has been dealt with in this model –instrument, issues surrounding subjectivity, reliability and validity, and applicability across industries, have provided for generous discussion and developments over the last two decades. The customer view based on a set of questions is primary and the only view that matters in assessing this gap. The original ten dimensions that comprised SERVQUAL namely: reliability, competence, access, responsiveness, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, understanding customer and tangibles – were eventually synthesised into five. These dimensions were based around the following areas: â€Å"(1) tangibles: physical facilities and personnel presentation; (2) reliability: performing the promised service dependably and accurately; (3) responsiveness: helping customers and providing prompt servi ce; (4) assurance: knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and performance; and (5) empathy: caring, individualised attention the firm gives to its customers† (Parasuraman et al., 1988, 1991; Shahin, 2007). These provided for a rationalisation for 22 questions for customers to generate the gap metrics. These questions have since been pondered upon to reflect on the possibility of supplementary questions. Attempts have also been to tailor the instrument to work around reliability, validity and customisability issues. The last implies to the discussions in literature relating to the issues surrounding the generic nature of the instrument, and the need for reflecting on it given the range of applicability to a wide spectrum of industries (e.g. Buttle, 1996; Sullivan Estyes, 2006; Nyeck et al., 2002). SERVQUAL is popular in both the profit and non-profit sector (arguably more so in the latter) primarily due to the generic yet very useful nature of the investigative questions to a range of industries. It has the hallmarks of a good instrument – in being low on time consumption, easy to use and though argued recognised by practitioners to have acceptable reliability and validity. The comparable aspect for benchmarking reasons is also of great appeal (e.g. Brysland and Curry, 1984). It can provide a useful progress chart if done over successive years both for self assessment against set goals and comparative assessment to feedback into objectives and planning. Francis Buttle’s critique of Servqual (1996) provides some key shortcomings. The first one has to do with the subjectivity of expectations and perceptions. The second relates to the assumption the model makes about a â€Å"direct relationship† between service and quality- a perception that shares ground with the ‘gap model’ discussed later in this paper. The final rather philosphical but valid point is related to subjectivity and asks one to reflect on whether the right things are being measured for the desired assessment (Buttle, 1996). Luis Lages and Fernandes (2005) get metaphysical and question the â€Å"level of abstraction† associated with respondent customers. The posited Service Personal Values (SERPVAL) scale to refkect this presents three dimensions of service value to â€Å"peaceful life, social recognition, and social integration†(Luis et al., 2005) . In this scheme of things as a possbile supplement to SERVQUAL – customer staisfaction relates to all dimensions and loyalty and repurcahse intentions are the attributes than can be distilled from the assessment (Kang et al., 2002). The validity position that has been contested in research also stems from the assumption in SERVQUAL as being generalizable across industries and products. Such research posits that some of the areas/dimensions outlined above may have higher or lower position given the nature of the industry or product, and by extension suggests requirement for some customisation in applying the tool. The attempts to make SERVQUAL more robust and improve its application are ongoing. This also indicates the utility of the instrument’s design as a time tested foundation for service quality measurement (e.g. Carman; 1990, Cronin et al, 1992; Brian et al, 2000). Illustrated below is a template of the SERVQUAL instrument Figure 1: The SERVQUAL Instrument DIRECTIONS: This survey deals with your opinions of __________ services. Please show the extent to which you think firms offering _________ services should possess the features described by each statement. Do this by picking one of the seven numbers next to each statement. If you strongly agree that these firms should posses a feature, circle the number 7. If you strongly disagree that these firms should possess a feature, circle 1. If your feelings are not strong, circle one of the numbers in the middle. There are no right or wrong answers – all we are interested in is a number that best shows your expectations about the firms offering ________ services. E1.They should have up-to-date equipment. E2.Their physical facilities should be visually appealing. E3.Their employees should be well dressed and appear neat. E4.The appearance of the physical facilities of these firms should be in keeping with the type of services provided. E5.When these firms promise to do something by a certain time, they should do so. E6.When customers have problems, these firms should be sympathetic and reassuring. E7.These firms should be dependable E8.They should provide their services at the time they promise to do so. E9.They should keep their records accurately. E10.They shouldn’t be expected to tell customers exactly when services will be performed. E11.It is not realistic for customers to expect prompt service from employees of these firms. E12.Their employees don’t always have to be willing to help customers. E13.It is okay if they are too busy to respond to customer requests promptly. E14.Customers should be able to trust employees of these firms. E15.Customers should be able to feel safe in their transactions wi