Causes And Effects Of The Tiananmen Square Protests

Jordan Chanin-Albanese Government Mr. Hawthorn 3/2/15 The Causes and Effects of the Tiananmen Square Protests Many historians and students of modern China believe that what happened in Tiananmen Square was a turning point in the development of China. Over twenty-five years have passed since the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing on June 4, 1989. Estimates of the number of protesters killed by the Chinese Army range from several hundred to several thousand. We in the West are unlikely to ever know the exact death toll because the Chinese government, to this day, behaves as if the incident never happened. There are no monuments, no speeches on the anniversary of the event, and surviving protestors and relatives of the dead are watched closely by the government to insure that no recognition or memorial services are held – even in private. One thing is sure however, and that is the use of the military employing deadly force on Chinese citizens was a very deliberate and calculated decision by those in power – particularly Den g Xiaoping, the successor of Chairman Mao. Since that last era of widespread protests China has grown economically without any great cry for democracy. While it doesn’t seem possible that the communist government could fall in the current successful environment, it does seem likely that broad changes in geopolitics, information technology, and a resulting smaller and closer global community of people will bring about gradual change . A study of theShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Media During the Tiananmen Square Protests2628 Words   |  11 Pagesthe Tiananmen Square Protests There will always be talk about the biases of the media and the perspective in which it takes when reporting the news; however, when the news is run by the government and the people who write the news are threatened to withdraw from their positions because they will not write propaganda, it becomes a serious issue that can lead a country into turmoil. Such was the situation in Beijing, the capital of China, in 1989, during the student and worker protests at TiananmenRead MoreCensorship in China Essay958 Words   |  4 Pagesbecause of the involvement of Google. Thus it has shined the light on government censorship and corruption. China’s government corruption and censorship has led to a bribery of government and corporation officials, the Shanghai (Xinjiang) Riots/Tiananmen Square Massacre, and current complications with Google.cn. China’s corrupt government affected the bribery of government officials or employees at the nation’s largest companies. The Qatar News Agency has stated that Chinese firms have confirmed bribery;Read MoreProtest Against The Chinese Communist Party2306 Words   |  10 Pagesshambles, the Tiananmen Square Massacre was an unforgettable and shocking event in Chinese history. Its significance, however, lies not in the number of casualties but in the nobility of its aspirations and the power of its legacy. The Chinese Communist Party claimed that the nation, of long history and tradition, was better off following its own path of political dictatorship rather than shifting towards Western influences such as constitutional democracy. However, through the Tiananmen Square MassacreRead MoreTiananmen Square Massacre2321 Words   |  10 PagesDuring the time prior to the infamous June 4 Massacre in Tiananmen Square China, there were numerous events in which provoked political ten sion and ultimately stimulated the massacre itself. These events date back to Hu Yaobang’s death followed by the AFS’ seven requests, Deng Xiaoping’s editorial, the student hunger strike, Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit to China and the imposed martial law causing the tragic massacre. The Chinese Government, citizens, students, PLA and even some foreign journalistsRead MoreNigerian National Petroleum Corporation : Oil1616 Words   |  7 Pagescontinued to lead peaceful protests despite the ban of public assemblies, yet there was an incident were a Shell employee was injured by angry protestors and Shell temporary pulled out of the region in response. This dramatically decreased the petroleum extracted and decreased profits by 200 million in 1993. The Nigerian government attempted to suppress the Ogoni protest through violence. Over 750 people were killed in a series of attacks on the Ogoni villages, yet the protests continued. InternationalRead MoreThe Attitu des of Great Britain, China and Hong Kong to the Handing Over of Hong Kong in June 19971025 Words   |  5 PagesTerritories, to be a part of Hong Kong. However, it was given as a lease for 99 years. Thus unlike in 1997, the whole of Hong Kong need not be handed back as it was, however, Hong Kong had become a united country that breaking apart would cause uproar. After periods of civil war and Communist take over and eventual capitalistic industrialisation, the years passed on to China having good relations with the West. With the Joint Declaration signed by Baroness Thatcher (PM atRead MoreFreedom Of Speech By Martin Luther King Essay1267 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"alarming infraction† (Jefferson) of the constitution. There was not another major incident over freedom of speech until the early twentieth century which involved the Schenck v United States decision in which anti-draft pamphlets were spread and protest rallies held persuading men not to participate in the draft. Under the clear and present danger test this was seen as a matter of national security, [For even] [t]he most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man from falsely shoutingRead More1967 Cultural Revolution of China1617 Words   |  7 PagesPeople’s Republic of China. It was a torture to many people who experienced Cultural Revolution (CR). This revolution which has brought tremendous influence was very a remarkable event in China. This essay will be focused more on cause of CR, public response and its remaining effect. 2. The background of Cultural Revolution Cultural Revolution was a social transformation campaign initiated by Mai Zedong who was the top leader of CCP after 1949. This tragedy was actually caused to consolidate the CCP’sRead More The State of Revolutionary Ideology in Modern-day China Essay2354 Words   |  10 Pagesthe Communists and the Nationalists put aside their difference to jointly fight against Japan. During the time when the Communist Party was fighting the KMT and the Japanese, they were also organizing and mobilizing common Chinese to join their cause. What began as a miniscule group of 57 members in 1921, and remained only several hundred at the dawn of the 1930s, grew approximately from 40,000 in 1937 to 1,200,000 in 1945. So why was revolution becoming the popular option during this time?Read MoreHuman Rights And The Lack Thereof2450 Words   |  10 Pageseconomic prosperity are held in higher regard than human rights. Throughout the following dissertation, human rights violations in China will be explored and expanded upon. In addition these violations will be categorized by the perceived root of their cause. China has become more of a blend between capitalism and communism in an economical sense. China’s economical policies are capitalist, but the government is classified as communist pertaining to the governance through a one party system, and the amount

Essay on The Economics of Marijuana Legalization - 2508 Words

After so many years, America still finds itself fighting a well-known and highly demonized enemy. The enemy is not terrorism. Its an enemy that many Americans have dealt with face to face. This enemy is illegal drugs, marijuana in particular. Marijuana is the most widely used and criminalized drug in the United States. This highly sought after resource yields a black market price tag that creates a street economy all its own. This is Marijuana by itself, it and all the other illegal drugs together combine to form the third largest economy in the world. This is because the demand for illegal drugs is so high. There can be benefits to a legalized drug trade that is certain. The following paper will defend that some uses of†¦show more content†¦Public use would be prohibited except for designated establishments and all other authorized public events and places. The operation of any motorized vehicle while under the influence of marijuana would also be prohibited by law. Violat ions of this law would result in punishments similar to those of current laws governing the operation of motorized vehicles while under the influence. Now obviously there would be many other intricate laws governing the legalization of marijuana. The possible laws mentioned above are general stipulations that would likely head categories of any future laws concerning legalities of marijuana. However, they do present a solid basis for future consideration. There are many ways that marijuana would benefit the economy if legalized. An economy benefits when there is a healthy flow of monies within. This means internal spending by citizens on items of their choice. Citizen spending is what keeps the economy going. The use of citizen?s tax money would also be greatly affected. Tax money would be allocated more properly and used in more strategic ways. The taxation of items such as legalized marijuana brings a flow of money into the economy that would otherwise not be there. This increase of government funds would allocate more money to federal programs that are in financial need. Federal programs include public education, health education, treatment programs, etc. When the public?s way ofShow MoreRelatedThe Economic Impact Of Marijuana Legalization Essay2046 Words   |  9 PagesRevenue – Office of Research and Analysis. The Economic Impact of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado. Marijuana Policy Group. Table 1, shown above, displays excise and sales tax revenues in Colorado during 2014, 2015 and estimated values for 2020, with regards to the different sources of taxation. The projected values for 2020 where estimated by the Marijuana Policy Group, the policy and economic consulting firm responsible for key roles in many Marijuana related national policies across the UnitedRead MoreEconomic Benefits of the Legalization of Marijuana Essay1306 Words   |  6 PagesThe Economic Benefits of the Legalization of Marijuana Crimes related to marijuana have gotten out of control in our society. With more than 750,000(MPP.org) people arrested annually on charges related to marijuana its clear that a change needs to occur. A clear choice would be to crack down on the sale and manufacture of marijuana, but the smarter choice would be to legalize it. There are many economic benefits to the legalization of marijuana. The economic benefits that producersRead MoreThe Social Benefits of Legalization of Marijuana1459 Words   |  6 Pagesgive the definition of Marijuana that is important for my research. â€Å"Marijuana is a mixture of leaves, stems and flowering tops of the hemp plant.†(Marijuana, 317). Today in most countries soft narcotics and especially narcotics like marijuana are illegal. Marijuana is a misunderstood drug that is thought of as dangerous but it isn’t. Because of people’s ignorance and gullibility marijuana has become illegal for all the wrong reasons and should be re-examined for legalization. Society today cannotRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Weed Growing up, everyone is told that, â€Å"Drugs are bad for you,† time and time again. Now as a kid you don’t really understand the reasoning behind it, but you listen to your authority figure regardless. I remember being told this my entire life and even to this very day. But as I got older I realized that people would still use drugs even though it’s illegal. I could never understand why someone would go against the law and jeopardize their life just to use drugs? The drug thatRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1601 Words   |  7 Pagesuse of Marijuana is considered illegal in most of the states of the United States. Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Alaska legalized the use of Marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. Montana, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey and Hawaii have legalized Marijuana for medic al purposes only, the rest of the states have no laws legalizing marijuana (Governing)Read MoreEssay about Should We Legalize Marijuana in Canada?1081 Words   |  5 PagesTo Legalize or to Not Legalize: The Debate Behind Marijuana in Canada The legalization of marijuana is an issue that consistently discussed and debated, not only in North America, but throughout the entire world. Despite being illegal in every country, marijuana remains the most widely used illicit drug in the world. The popularity of this drug is the cause for the continuous legalization debate, resulting in various legislations pertaining to the consumption of the substance. Every country hasRead MoreIt Is Time to Legalize Marijana1700 Words   |  7 Pagestalking about is marijuana, and surprisingly it is all around us. Marijuana is even referred to in today’s media Mainstream media sources that people enjoy, like music, movies, and TV shows, do not even bother to leave the drug out of their system. Now being a young adult and having my own personal experience with the drug and knowing its effects on others, I wonder why it’s not legal. Why is it that this drug has become illegal all over the world? The debate to legalize marijua na in the UnitedRead MoreLegalizing The Legalization Of Marijuana1012 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscourage is a way to fix the problem. Evident by Colorado and Washington, â€Å"the legalization of marijuana can stop most of these possession arrests† (Levine). After the first opening of the first retail marijuana stores on January 1, 2014, Colorado had decreased crime rates, decreased traffic fatalities and increase in economic output (DPA). Since 2010, the marijuana possession arrest have went down 84% since its legalization. The tactic of legalizing, controlling, and discouraging has been proposed byRead MoreMarijuana Legalization1424 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Marijuana Marijuana is the most common drug in America and all over the world. It is legalized in some countries, but most countries prohibit its use. It has proven medical abilities and was used for this purpose for a while before being federally criminalized. The United States has been debating on the legalization of marijuana with some states supporting the move and others against it. (10 Facts About Marijuana) Despite all these debates, the legalization of marijuana is theRead MoreLegalization Of Marijuana Should Be Legal930 Words   |  4 PagesSince the 1970’s, marijuana has increasingly taken the forefront as the next â€Å"socially harmless† drug of choice, akin to the likes of alcohol and tobacco. Many state legislatures have begun a decriminalization process, and in some cases, full legalization and regulation. Though the scope of the following research is not to discuss the differences in legislation, the broad spectrum between completely illegal and legal use of mar ijuana should be noted. Regulation varies greatly from incredibly restricted

Nacirema Free Essays

The Nacirema change their behavior leading up to December 25th on their approved calendar. They believe that a spirit called â€Å"Christmas† will magically fill themselves and the people around then with joy and caring tendencies. They tell their offspring and little ones that a large man in a red suit with a white beard will break into their homes on the 25th and leave gifts if their behavior is good. We will write a custom essay sample on Nacirema or any similar topic only for you Order Now If they are bad this man will leave black natural resources, coal.The children are also told to leave cookies for the man, although he is already extremely stout. The adults although supply the children with gifts and not coal, whether the child is good or bad by cultural norms. The women of the homes spend days prepping the home for others to come. They wipe down floors and use a large machine to attempt to remove debris from the soft areas of the floor, although the floor will just collect more dirt and debris over time.Some Nacirema even go knocking on the doors of other Nacirema and when they answer, they sing. The Nacirema dedicate literature, moving pictures, and several items to this spirit. Also, the Nacirema place large amounts of small balls of light and other items on or around their places of rest to honor the spirit. not really fake greed Nacirema is American spelled backwards and refers to, with a degree/pretense of anthropological self-distancing, aspects of the behavior and society of citizens of North America.Studying the Nacirema remains useful and productive for Americans even half a century after Miner first did so because it helps us realize how our behavior may be viewed by other cultures and what that impression will do for our relati onship. Also, it helps us realize what parts of our behavior that we may have overlooked that are superficial, unnecessary, or flat out wrong. How to cite Nacirema, Papers

Alexander the Great Arriving in Persepolis Essay Example For Students

Alexander the Great Arriving in Persepolis Essay I am Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia ruler of Greece. I have been king of Macedonia since my fathers assassination five years ago. Since his death I have conquered much of the world. I am ruthless, and should anyone attempt to defeat me in battle, they are sure to die. The year I became ruler of Macedonia I set out to the city of Thessaly to restore Macedonia rule. After Thessaly submitted to me I conquered many states, and many other states freely submitted without battles. Two years after my fathers death, my war with the Persians began. Near the city of Troy, I defeated the Persian army. In doing so, all the states of Asia then submitted their arms to me. A year later I would encounter the Persians again; this time the main Persian army would be my opponent. I defeated the Persian army led by King Darious III at the city of Issus, and a year later took the city of Tyre. Furthermore, Egypt surrendered to me. Perhaps they knew they could not defeat me in battle and thought it better not to try. I had now secured control of the entire eastern Mediterranean coastline. I now bring you to my present time in history. It has been five years since I became king of Macedonia, and I have once again defeated my enemy, King Darious III at Babylon. I am now setting my sights on penetrating into the walls of Persepolis. I am very excited about this, as I am planning to retrieving many treasures which lie behind the walls. This will be a very fulfilling defeat because the Persian Empire plundered Athens almost 15 decades ago. I cannot let this go and because of it I will penetrate Persepolis and defeat the Persians and consummate vengeance upon them. With my highly skilled army of about sixty-thousand men, I entered Persepolis and assumed control of its palace. I find myself in the heart of Persia. From the Persian treasury at Persepolis I seized a wondrous amount of money. It is a well deserved payback, and I must resort to the tradition of vengeance for what the Persians did when Xerxes invaded Greece some hundred and fifty years ago. Alexander turned the city over to his troops, who stormed through its streets, slaughtered men, plundered their property and stripped women of their jewellery. My army and I will stay in Persepolis for the remainder of the winter and rest. There are many battles ahead for which we will need strength. It was with this that I started to think that I could not be both the avenger for what the Persians had done in Greece and at the same time be their new ruler. But in early spring I also knew that I owed it to the Athenians to allow vengeance one last time. Xerxes burned the Athenian Acropolis and the towns and temples of Attica those 15 decades ago, and I know that I must do something equally destructive. After a four month stay in Persepolis, it is now time to move on to conquer more states and force them to be ruled by Greeks. The night before we were to leave Persepolis, my men and I engaged in drinking and feasting. As the night went on, and my anger inside me grew, I began thinking of a way to attain vengeance against the Persians. I figured the only way to truly achieve this was to do to them what they had done to the Athenians. It was with this that my army and I burned Persepolis palace of Xerxes. I have now gotten my revenge on the Persians and I can now become their ruler and put the vengeance behind me. .

Ledership Essay Example

Ledership Essay What is leadership? According to Shockley- Zalabak (2009) Leadership is a process of guiding individuals, groups, and entire organization in establishing goals and sustaining action to support goals. What exactly is meant by leadership? There are literally hundreds of definitions about who a leader is and what is considered as leadership. Each definition may vary from one individual to another and may change from one situation to the other. For example we might call an individual a leader because of the persons’ election to the presidency of an institution. Other times we say he/she is not a leader because he/she does not exhibit leadership behaviors expected of the of a leader. In other words, we expected leadership from the legitimate position of the presidency, but when that president does not exhibit leadership behaviors, we say that the president is not a leader. According to Yukl, (2002). The definition of leadership is arbitrary and very subjective. Some definitions are more useful than others, but there is no â€Å"correct† definition. Leadership theories: Theories are most useful for influencing practice when they suggest new ways in which events and situations can be perceived. We will write a custom essay sample on Ledership specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ledership specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ledership specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Fresh insight may be provided by focusing attention on possible interrelationship that the practice has failed to notice, which can be further explored and tested through empirical research. If the result is a better understanding of practice, the theory –practice gap is significantly reduced for those concerned. (Hughes and Bush, 1991, p. 234). The trait theory This theory first surfaced in the writings of early Greeks and Romans and is prevalent today among those who believe that leadership cannot be developed. This theory assumed that leaders has innate traits that made them effective, great leaders were considered to be born with the ability for leadership, so it is either you have leadership qualities or you don’t . According to Shockley – zalabak (2009) theory of leadership, that leaders possessed innate traits that made them effective; is commonly referred to as the â€Å"great man† theory Leadership traits theory is the idea that people are born with certain character trait or qualities and since traits are associated with proficient leadership, it assumes that if you could identify eople with the correct traits, you will be able to identify leaders and people with leadership potential. It is considered that we are born naturally with traits as part of our personality; this theory in summary believes that leaders are born not made Criticism Researches were done to define traits or personality characteristic that best predict the effective leader. List of about eig hty traits or characteristic were gotten but trait approach failed to define clearly a stable set of characteristic associated with effective leadership. Even the concept of what is effective remains open to question. This theory does not prove a comprehensive explanation to how leaders interact with followers and meet the needs of specific circumstances. While truly others can be born leaders, it is incorrect to generalize by saying that leadership traits are in born and unchangeable. It’s true many of our dispositions and tendencies are influenced by our personalities and the way we are born. However, most people recognized that it is possible for someone to change their character trait for the worse. Someone known for being honest can learn to be deceitful, the whole idea of saying someone was â€Å"corrupted† is based on the fact that people can learn bad traits. If people can learn character traits and become different from the way they were born naturally traits can be learnt as well. A person who is prone to being dishonest can learn to be honest. A person who avoids risks can learn to take risk. It may not be easy, but it can be done. STYLE APPROACHES Leadership style approach focuses its attention on the leaders’ behavior. Leadership style is the combination of traits, skills, and behaviors leaders use as they interact with followers: (Lussier, 2004) Though leadership style is based on leadership skills and leadership traits, leadership behaviors is the important component. This is said to be the third approach to leadership studies, a consistent pattern of behavior is what characterizes a leader. â€Å"In shifting the study of leadership to leaders’ s tyle or behaviors, the style approach expanded the study of leadership to various contexts† (North house, 2004). According to Shockley- Zalabak (2009) style approach or theories attempt to identify and arrange the general approaches leaders use to achieve goals. These approaches are thought to be based or a leader’s assumption about what motivates people to accomplish goals. This theory attempts to identify a range of general approaches leaders use to influence goal achievement. These approaches are theorized to be based on the leader’s assumption about what motivates people to accomplish goals. Particular approaches also reflect complex relationships among the personal characteristics of the leader. Top among the style theories is the autocratic-to-democratic continuum first proposed by Ralph while and Ronald Lippitt (1960). Autocratic style of leader is a leader who makes decisions with little influence from others Shockley- Zalabak (2009). The leader that exhibits this behavior makes the decisions, gives orders to employees, and is constantly supervising his subordinate. This leader tells others what to do and usually enforces sanctions against those who chose not to comply. He views his followers as essential for goal achievement but usually feels little responsibility for employee needs and relationship Shockley- zalabak (2009). Criticism Research suggests that autocratically led groups produce more in quantity than democratically led groups, but that the quality output is better when more democracy is practiced. Generally with autocratic styles the led are not happy so they just do as they are told not because they have the interest of the institution at heart or because they enjoy working. Democratic- Shockley-Zalabak (2009) states that this style of leaders is the one that involves followers in decision making. The leader that exhibits this behavior promotes shared decision, team work, and does not supervise his subordinates closely. He assumes followers are able to participate in decision making, they try to create a climate in which problem solving can take place while preserving interpersonal relationships. It is clear that these leadership styles are opposite’s end of a continuum. As such, it’s easy to think that a leader’s leadership style s follows between those ends. Criticism When a leader is democratic at times his other colleagues in leadership positions can look at him as a weakling and also the subordinates might take advantage and wants to be disrespectful. Laissez-faire style- Here the leader behaves as non-leader. Individuals and groups are expected to make their own decisions because of a hand-off approach from the leader. The laissez-faire leader is an example of non-leader. This leader expects groups and individuals to make their own decision. He gives information only when ask by group members. Criticism The success of the group depends greatly on the abilities of the group and groups members willingness to work with little or no leadership. If the groups members consist of people that need a push to do things they won’t be able to achieve much. Impoverished management- According to Shockley- Zalabak (2009) this style is characterized by low concern for interpersonal relationships and task accomplishment. This leader makes few attempts to influence people towards task or goals. He dislikes leadership responsibilities and lets others take the responsibility that rightfully belongs to the leader. This leader is usually uncomfortable with leadership and intellectually resists the need for it. Criticism These leaders may be primarily responsible for the failure of the group. Middle- of- the- road management- This is a style of leader who balances task and peoples’ concerns; commonly referred to as compromised leadership or management. The leader negotiates and compromises to achieve workable agreements and directions for action Country club management- This is a style of leaders who emphasizes interpersonal relationship at the expense of goal achievement the leader here wants to be liked and have group followers who feel supported by the leader. He provides an interpersonal relationship bond that is low on task emphasis and high in interpersonal support Criticism He may want a task accomplished but will not take steps to emphasize this element to others, if members are not highly task oriented; he ends up doing their work. Rather than insisting that the employees exhibit high standards of performance. These leaders may not develop the abilities of the people under them. Team leadership: This is the theoretical ideal: team leaders exhibit high concern for both task and interpersonal relationships by emphasizing goal accomplishment while supporting people, it fosters a sense of â€Å"we† with high performance standards. This leadership share decision making and strives for problem solving designed to solve rather than postpone problem, it respects different point of view and value diversity as long as it contributes to the group effort. Criticism Team members who support one another but do not have enough ability or information to work on problems will not be able to produce a high-quality decision.

Useful English Phrases for Running a Business Meeting

Useful English Phrases for Running a Business Meeting This reference sheet provides short phrases to help you run a business meeting from start to finish. Generally speaking, you should use formal English to run a business meeting. As you participate, its a good idea to paraphrase others ideas to make sure you understand. Opening the Meeting Welcome participants with quick phrases and get down to business. Good morning/afternoon, everyone.If we are all here, lets. . . get started (OR)start the meeting. (OR). . . start. Good morning everyone. If were all here, lets get started. Welcoming and Introducing Participants If you have a meeting with new participants, make sure to introduce them before as you start the meeting. Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)Were pleased to welcome (name of participant)Its a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)Id like to introduce (name of participant)I dont think youve met (name of participant) Before I get started, Id like to please join me in welcoming Anna Dinger from our office in New York. Stating the Principal Objectives of a Meeting Its important to begin the meeting by clearly stating the main objectives for the meeting. Were here today toOur aim is to ...Ive called this meeting in order to ...By the end of this meeting, Id like to have ... Were here today to discuss the upcoming merger, as well as go over last quarters sales figures.   Giving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent If someone important is missing, its a good idea to let others know that they will be missing from the meeting. Im afraid.., (name of participant) cant be with us today. She is in...I have received apologies for the absence of (name of participant), who is in (place). Im afraid Peter cant be with us today. Hes in London meeting with clients but will be back next week. Reading the Minutes (Notes) of the Last Meeting If you have a meeting that repeats regularly, make sure to read the minutes from the last meeting to make sure that everyone is on the same page. First, lets go over the report from the last meeting which was held on (date)Here are the minutes from our last meeting, which was on (date) First, lets go over the minutes from our last meeting which was held last Tuesday. Jeff, could you please read the notes? Dealing with Recent Developments Checking in with others will help you keep everyone up to date on progress on  various projects.   Jack, can you tell us how the XYZ project is progressing?Jack, how is the XYZ project coming along?John, have you completed the report on the new accounting package?Has everyone received a copy of the Tate Foundation report on current marketing trends? Alan, please tell us how the final arrangements for the merger are coming along.   Moving Forward Use these phrases to transition to the main focus of your meeting. So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, lets move on to todays agenda.Shall we get down to business?Is there any other business?If there are no further developments, Id like to move on to todays topic. Once again, Id like to thank you all for coming. Now, shall we get down to business? Introducing the Agenda Before you launch into the main points of the meeting, double check that everyone has a copy of the agenda for the meeting. Have you all received a copy of the agenda?There are three items on the agenda. First,Shall we take the points in this order?If you dont mind, Id like to ... go in order (OR)skip item 1 and move on to item 3I suggest we take item 2 last. Have you all received a copy of the agenda? Good. Shall we take the points in order? Allocating Roles (secretary, participants) As you move through the meeting, its important that people keep track of whats going on. Make sure to allocate note taking. (name of participant) has agreed to take the minutes.(name of participant) has kindly agreed to give us a report on this matter.(name of participant) will lead point 1, (name of participant) point 2, and (name of participant) point 3.(name of participant), would you mind taking notes today? Alice, would you mind taking notes today? Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.) If there is no regular routine to your meeting, point out the basic rules for discussion throughout the meeting. We will hear a short report on each point first, followed by a discussion around the table.I suggest we go round the table first.The meeting is due to finish at...Well have to keep each item to ten minutes. Otherwise well never get through.We may need to vote on item 5, if we cant get a unanimous decision. I suggest we go round the table first to get everyones feedback. After that, well take a vote. Introducing the First Item on the Agenda Use these phrases to begin with the first item on the agenda. Make sure to use sequencing language to connect your ideas throughout the meeting. So, lets start withShall we start with. .So, the first item on the agenda isPete, would you like to kick off?Martin, would you like to introduce this item? Shall we start with the first item? Good. Peter will introduce our plans for the merger and then will discuss the implications.   Closing an Item As you move from item to item, quickly state that you have finished with the previous discussion. I think that covers the first item.Shall we leave that item?If nobody has anything else to add, I think that covers the important points of the merger. Next Item These phrases will help you transition to the next item on the agenda. Lets move onto the next itemThe next item on the agenda isNow we come to the question of. Now, lets move onto the next item. Weve been having a bit of a personnel crunch lately. Giving Control to the Next Participant If someone takes over your role, give control to them with one of the following phrases. Id like to hand over to Mark, who is going to lead the next point.Right, Dorothy, over to you. Id like to hand over to Jeff, who is going to discuss the personnel issues. Summarizing As you finish the meeting, quickly sum up the main points of the meeting. Before we close, let me just summarize the main points.To sum up, ...In brief,Shall I go over the main points? To sum up, weve moved forward with the merger and expect to start work on the project in May. Also, the personnel department has decided to hire additional staff to help us with the increased demand. Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting As you end the meeting, make sure to arrange for the next meeting if necessary. Can we fix the next meeting, please?So, the next meeting will be on... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at...What about the following Wednesday? How is that?So, see you all then.   Before we leave, Id like to fix the next meeting. What about next Thursday? Thanking Participants for Attending Its always a good idea to thank everyone for attending the meeting. Id like to thank Marianne and Jeremy for coming over from London.Thank you all for attending.Thanks for your participation. Thank you all for your participation and Ill see you next Thursday. Closing the Meeting Close the meeting with a simple statement. The meeting is closed.I declare the meeting closed. Explore useful phrases and proper language use in these business English articles: Introduction and Example Meeting Dialogue Phrase Reference Sheet for Participating in a Meeting Formal or Informal? Appropriate Language in Business Situations

Health Care of Refugees in Canada Research Paper

Health Care of Refugees in Canada - Research Paper Example Industrialists and manufactures in Western countries like US and Canada were happy to welcome illegal workers who were ready to work at cheaper wages. According to recent data published, immigrants account for nearly one fifth of the Canadian population and this number still continues to grow. Undoubtedly, this chaotic situation leads to numerous social as well as health consequences in the country. Studies indicate that the number of people having precarious status and limited access to health is increasing in Canada. It is identified that refugees do not have proper access to health care and they struggle to pay for health care services in the country. Health care is a fundamental human right and hence it is the ethical obligation of medical practitioners to offer health care services to people regardless of one’s age, sex, or nationality. This paper will particularly discuss whether or not the refugees in Canada should have free access to the country’s health care sy stem. ... It seems that physicians who provide care to refugee families generally perform those tasks discretely. As a result, refugees in the country do not obtain the same level of care which is offered to Canadian citizens. Since uninsured refugees are compelled to pay for services received, help-seeking mentality is discouraged among this already vulnerable population. Clinicians claim that this lack of help seeking mentality among refugees can be directly linked to high levels of morbidity. Delayed care seeking also leads to issues like poor follow up for chronic diseases like diabetes, and growing prevalence of HIV and increased levels of mental illnesses. â€Å"In the case of children and youth, problems included delayed surgical interventions, prolonged absence of adequate care for acute mental health conditions (post-traumatic stress disorder and depression), and unavailability of rehabilitation services for children with autism and other developmental problems† (Rousseau et al , 2008). Currently, there are only a few organizations in Canada fighting for the health care needs of the refugee population in the country. Therefore, health organizations do not give particular attention to delivering health services to refugees on time and effectively. In the words of Muggah, Dahrouge, and Hogg (2012), language difficulties and cultural as well as societal influences become a barrier for refugees in Canada to access quality health services. As per reports, the Federal government has decided to limit refugees’ health coverage to services that are â€Å"of an urgent or essential nature† (Wayne, 2012). The government has also planned to provide the refugee population with medications and

Sensory Perceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Sensory Perceptions - Essay Example But what is also interesting is that the brain, rather than being a passive recipient of inputs also directs and conditions the other sense organs. This makes the brain the most powerful sense organ, for it can potentially control the flow and the meaning of information that is gathered through the five basis sensory inputs. There are several factors that determine the accuracy of sensory information. The quality of the information source is one and the health of the receiving sensory organ is another. The conduciveness of the medium of transmission is also a key factor. The way these three factors interact and compound is best illustrated through the example of listening to the radio. Thrown in this mix is the nature/nurture divide that adds complexity the problem of information acquisition. Nature plays a role in that the innate intelligence and modes of survival of the species (ex. carnivorous or herbivorous) determine the necessity for perceiving relative threats, opportunities, etc. In other words, the way animals are programmed to fight or flee and what to eat and what to shun determine their capacity for perceiving select information out of all the available data. Other factors such as health condition, age, etc all have a bearing on the efficiency and accuracy with which information is gathered through the senses. (Pomerantz, 2003) Philosophers since ancient times have grappled with the nature, scope and veracity of human knowledge. In fact, the philosophical discipline of epistemology concerns itself wholly to answering such questions. Epistemologists generally agree that human knowledge is largely a product of human sensory capabilities. In other words, our capacity for knowledge is limited by the range and depth of our sense faculties in receiving and interpreting data. Thus, understanding the roles of nature and nurture are essential to the epistemological analysis. To the extent that human beings are a product

The Role of a CIO (Chief Information Officer) Essay

The Role of a CIO (Chief Information Officer) - Essay Example However, he is considered to be a key player in the CEO's panel. According to Tim Arnoult "the predecessors to today's CIO was the Senior Vice-President of Data Processing. The role was to post transactions to customer accounts and run daily financial statements for the bank. Today, every core process in the company is enabled with technology and the strategic focus is on the use of information to improve customer satisfaction and to gain competitive advantage. Twenty-five years ago, technology consisted of mainframes in the back-office; today the customer and the bank have the advantage of interacting directly with each other through technology."1 The accomplishment of the efforts put forth by the CIO highly depends upon the technological developments in the following six sectors namely information systems, system infrastructure, business systems, human resources, technology and relations. A competent CIO works by executing modified measures in the above-mentioned spheres in order to boost the IT operations being carried out in the respective company. The following paper is aimed at studying the roles of CIO in diversified fields, ranging from the discipline of learning to the administration sectors keeping in view, the challenging past of the CIOs and the prospects for them in the coming years. CIOs are the administrative executives whose primary task is to look after the services related to the information systems department. Integrating business stratagems into the technology sector of the firm is one of their primary objectives. Furthermore, they are also associated with the tasks of improving the organization's Internet and web projects and assist the CEO in attaining the targets aimed by the company by streamlining the business processes and the underlying features for IT operations. Above all, CIOs are the gurus, the symbols and the architects framing the global economy. Business Environments Affect the Role of A CIO Varying environments have a remarked impact on the roles being served by a CIO. Following are some of the milieus that could be experienced by any CIO working at any level in an organization. The first and the initial one being the Startup IT milieu in which the major responsibility of a CIO is to lay the basis for the IT infrastructure and incorporate it with the business-specific implementations. In this environment, it is the task for a competent CIO to work out ways for the expansion of business units. Next one being the High-tech business environment requires the CIO to indulge himself in the exploration of new scientific and technological discoveries and inventions in the fields of sales and marketing. He should work for the improvements of systems, for instance, emailing, VoIP businesses, video conferencing, etc. The third environ is said to be the Bricks and Mortar environment, during which an extensive stress is being laid upon conventional business methodologies. It can be categorized into setting up the IT infrastructures in health-care or governmental departments. The fourth and the most significant one is the Internet environment. The situation under discussion affects the CIO to a great extent and the CIOs of the current scenario are also the dwellers in the same environment.

The Mathematical Mystery Behind Sudoku Mathematics Essay

The Mathematical Mystery Behind Sudoku Mathematics Essay Puzzle games can be very enjoyable and is popular amongst kids as well as adults. Many of you may know the game Sudoku; where by the goal of the game is to fill in the remaining empty cells with each number from 1-9 appearing no more than once from each column, each row and each of the nine sub-grids. Sudoku is a type of logic-based numerical puzzle game that has a unique solution once completed. The most common form of a Sudoku is constructed as a 99 grid with nine 33 sub-grids and is primarily partially completed. Sudoku has become appealing among puzzle enthusiasts and involves complex thinking and practice. Available daily in newspapers, mobiles and many more, this addictive and brain-teasing puzzle game has become one of the most popular games to play since the time of the Rubiks cube. This dissertation discusses the mathematical side involved in Sudoku. There is no mathematics in actually solving a Sudoku but more of how it is used from a creators side. The 99 grid will be considered in the majority of the report; however a glimpse into other size grids will be discussed briefly also known as variants. Mathematicians have been questioning How many unique solutions are there in a Sudoku? Essentially meaning what are the possible ways of filling in an empty Sudoku grid so that each row, column and sub-grid contains the numbers 1 through 9. Your first thought of an answer may be a couple of thousands, but as you understand the concepts behind a Sudoku, you begin to grasp a whole new aspect. Combinatorics and permutation group theory are largely interwoven with analysing Sudoku. For that reason, I aim to explore these theories and understand how it applies to the methods of enumerating Sudoku grids. In particular I will be looking at Felgenhauer and Jarviss approach to enumerating all possible Sudoku grids where they employ several mathematical concepts. Furthermore I will uncover the importance of Latin squares and its use of constructing Sudokus. There are many constraints in regards to when are similar solutions considered different such as solutions of similar structure, symmetry etc. Preserving symmetries are known as relabeling symbols, band permutations, reflection, transposition and rotation. Burnsides Lemma theorem is one of their techniques in computing the number of essentially different solutions. Many difficult problems are of the type called nondeterministic-polynomial known as an NP-complete problem. This will direct me onto the debate on whether Sudoku is an NP-complete problem. Sudokus can take many forms and shapes. These are called Sudoku variants and consist of rectangular regions, Sudokus with a large region having no clues (numbers), an empty row, column or sub-grid and many more! Here I will research the logic behind irregular Sudokus as well as examining any occurring patterns or whether it has occurred by chance. 1.2 Latin squares and Sudoku Sudoku is also a special case of Latin squares. The Swiss mathematician, Leonhard Euler made many fundamental discoveries during 1782 including Latin squares. A Latin square is an N x N matrix where by a set of N characters are arranged such that each row and column contains one of each character. This is also in the case of a Sudoku, when complete, with an additional constraint that the nine sub-grids must hold the numbers 1-9. A reduction can be made to any Latin square by permuting the rows and columns. This arrangement is an aspect of combinatorics and is most commonly referred to as enumeration. Enumerative combinatorics is a classic area of Combinatorics and involves counting the number of infinite class of finite sets. Counting combinations and counting permutations are two of the most common forms. The number of valid Latin squares is known to be approximately 5.525 x 10 ²Ãƒ ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ·. Write about Colbourns proof 1.3 Combinatorics and Permutation group theory Combinations and permutations have slightly different meaning. Combinations are the number of different ways of selecting n objects from a set but the order of events is not important. From a set of 3 objects, lets call these 1, 2 and 3. If for example I was asked to pick the number of ways of selecting 2 objects out of the 3, there would be three combinations 12, 23 and 13. 12 = 21 since the order of each pair is not important. A permutation on the other hand does consider the position. Therefore if I was to use the above example, there would be six permutations. A simpler way to calculate a larger set would be to use formula 1: Formula 1. = = Where is the combination formula, is the permutation formula, n is the total number of objects and r is the number to be arranged Both methods are one way of computing the number of possible Sudoku solutions and this will be looked at later in the report. Chapter 2 Enumerating possible Sudoku solutions 2.1 Distinct Sudoku solutions There are many approaches to enumerating possible Sudoku solutions. To enumerate every possible Sudoku solution, a Sudoku differs from another if they are not identical. Thus all solutions will be consider unless they are like for like. Felgenhauer and Jarvis was the first to enumerate the Sudoku grid solutions directly in 2005. There approach was to analyze the permutations of the top row used in valid solutions. Their knowledge of the complexity in computing the number of Latin squares has made them aware of how they should go about getting an answer with fewer computations. Hence by using relabeling this could shorten the number of counts. To make it easier, each sub-grid is given an abbreviation seen in figure 3. B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 Figure 1. Abbreviated sub-grid with top band (Felgenhauer and Jarvis, 2006) Firstly they consider every solution to filling in blocks B2, B3, given that B1 is in standard form. To work out every possible way of arranging B1 on its own would essentially be computing the number of permutations of 9 symbols. There are 9! of filling in B1. The main operation they use is called relabeling. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Figure 2. B1 in standard form (Felgenhauer and Jarvis, 2006) Felgenhauer and Jarvis have found that B2 and B3 is the same as the transpose of B2 and B3. Therefore the number of ways of arranging B1, B2 and B3 and B1, B2 and B3 to a complete grid is equally the same. This means that computing one set of possibilities will cut down the number of solutions. Inevitably, there are few pairs of B2 and B3 that needs to be worked out and as well as using reduction the number of possibilities for the top band of a Sudoku grid is 9! x 2612736 = 948109639680. The next section involves brute force computation. As running through all 2612736 possibilities would be exceedingly tedious for B2 and B3, Felgenhauer and Jarvis attempts to identify configurations of the numbers in these blocks which give the same number of ways of completing to a full grid. This in return, will cut down the number possibilities. Permuting B2 and B3 in every way such that the result gives a unique solution will preserve the number of complete grids. This is the same for B5 and B6, and B8 and B9. However this changes B1 from its standard form, so an additional relabeling of B1 needs to be performed. Another approach to reducing the number of possibilities is to permute the columns in each block and permute the rows of any block. Reducing the number of possible ways by permuting. Lexicographical reduction Permutation reduction Column reduction As a result of these methods, Felgenhauer and Jarvis have found that there are approximately 6670903752021072936960 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‹â€  6.671 x 10 ²Ã‚ ¹ Sudoku solutions. In light of this result, there are fewer solutions than Latin squares due to the fact that there is that extra restriction of 9 sub-grids. That being said, there will be no shortage of Sudoku puzzles any time soon. Verification of this result has been confirmed by several other mathematicians Ed Russell to be more precise. 2.2 Essentially different Sudoku grids Whether symmetrical Sudoku grids are considered as two separate solutions is another method of enumerating the possible solutions. In this case, the only solutions are ones that are essentially different. Lets say two Sudoku grids are equivalent if one is a transformation of the other by applying any number of symmetries. If however, no such chain of symmetries can occur between two grids, it is essentially different. Two Sudoku grids are the same provided the first grid can be converted to the second by applying some sort of symmetry. For instance, take figure 3 4 below; the set of 3s in the first grid can be interchanged by the placements of the set of 1s, effectively producing the second grid. 1 7 2 8 6 4 9 3 5 4 9 3 5 1 7 2 8 6 6 5 8 2 9 3 1 7 4 2 4 7 3 5 9 6 1 8 8 6 5 1 7 2 3 4 9 3 1 9 4 8 6 5 2 7 5 8 6 7 2 1 4 9 3 9 2 4 6 3 8 7 5 1 7 3 1 9 4 5 8 6 2 Figure 3. Valid Sudoku grid 3 7 2 8 6 4 9 1 5 4 9 1 5 3 7 2 8 6 6 5 8 2 9 1 3 7 4 2 4 7 1 5 9 6 3 8 8 6 5 3 7 2 1 4 9 1 3 9 4 8 6 5 2 7 5 8 6 7 2 3 4 9 1 9 2 4 6 1 8 7 5 3 7 1 3 9 4 5 8 6 2 Figure 4. Another valid Sudoku grid from Figure 1 As well as this, a solution is said to be the same as another if any two columns or rows are swapped. The first column and second column in figure 3 can be exchanged to give figure 5. The two solutions are said to be symmetrical because the transformation still produces a valid Sudoku grid. 7 3 2 8 6 4 9 1 5 9 4 1 5 3 7 2 8 6 5 6 8 2 9 1 3 7 4 4 2 7 1 5 9 6 3 8 6 8 5 3 7 2 1 4 9 3 1 9 4 8 6 5 2 7 8 5 6 7 2 3 4 9 1 2 9 4 6 1 8 7 5 3 1 7 3 9 4 5 8 6 2 Figure 5. First and second column swapped from Figure 1. Another form of symmetries includes rotational grids. A rotation of Figure 3 by 90 degrees generates a new valid Sudoku grid shown in Figure 6. 7 9 5 3 8 2 6 4 1 3 2 8 1 6 4 5 9 7 1 4 6 9 5 7 8 3 2 9 6 7 4 1 3 2 5 8 4 3 2 8 7 5 9 1 6 5 8 1 6 2 9 3 7 4 8 7 4 5 3 6 1 2 9 6 5 9 2 4 1 7 8 3 2 1 3 7 9 8 4 6 5 Figure 6. Rotational of 90 degrees from figure 1 These operations performed above maintain the property of it being valid and this is known as symmetries of a grid. When an object is subject to these operations, certain properties are preserved. An example would be if one performs symmetry on to a Sudoku grid and repeats this operation once more, the final transformation is itself symmetric. In addition a symmetrical object can be transformed back to its original state by another form of symmetry. Performing several symmetries on a Sudoku grid can also be achieved by grouping its neighbouring pair. So the first symmetry can be paired with the second or the second can be paired with the third and so on. The resulting transformation is nevertheless the same either way. From these properties, it is inevitable to say that the set of symmetries form a group of any Sudoku grid. A group is a set G if it satisfies the following properties: CLOSURE If f and g are elements of G, then f ·g is also an element of G. ASSOCIATIVITY If f, g, and h are elements of G, then f ·(g ·h)=(f ·g) ·h must satisfy. IDENTITY ELEMENT There is an element e in G such that g ·e=e ·g=g for all g in G. INVERSE For any element g of G, there is another element d of G such that g ·d=d ·g=e, where e is the identity element. (The element d = g-1.) The symmetry group is thus generated by the transformations of: re-labelling the nine digits, permuting the three stacks (3 vertical blocks of a Sudoku), permuting the three bands (3 horizontal blocks of a Sudoku), permuting the three columns within a stack, permuting the three rows within a band, and any reflection or rotation. Any two transformations can be merged to shape other elements and together they comprise of the symmetry group G. Given that any element of G can be mapped so that it takes one grid to another, we can say that the set of valid Sudoku grids has a finite number of elements. Thus G has finitely many symmetries. The association between symmetrical Sudoku grids are in fact an equivalence relation and satisfies the following three properties: for grids A, B and C in set G Reflexivity A = A Symmetry If A = B then B = A Transitivity If A = B and B = C then A = C Let A be any valid Sudoku grid, we must consider all the grids that are equivalent to a valid Sudoku grid A. To do this, we firstly have to group together grids that are essentially the same so that we can partition the set of grids. This will break the set of Sudoku grids into subsets, with groups that contain no relating elements within each other. The term subset can be called equivalence classes. This can also be referred to as X/G. In any equivalence class, there are elements that are equivalent to each other by symmetry. The total number of elements in X/G is equal to the number of essential Sudoku grids. To enumerate all essential Sudoku grids, we shall look at all the symmetries neglecting the re-labelling of the nine digits for the time being. The number of distinct symmetries founded by Russell and Jarvis (2006) is said to contain 3359232 (pg 4). In this finite group H, we need to find the average number of grids fixed by an element of H, up to re-labelling. Next we need to verify the number of fixed points of all elements in H. Russell and Jarvis have found that there are 275 classes of symmetries using a software package called GAP. It is interesting to note that some of the elements in H contain equivalent fixed grids. In other words, it is now easier to work out as each of the classes contains one symmetry. However a number of symmetries in H have no fixed points. Subsequently, it is not necessary to calculate the number of fixed grids for those that have no fixed points. That being said, there are only 27 out of 275 classes that contain fixed points, meaning fewer computation s. Rotman. J. J (1995) demonstrate that if X is a finite G-set and |X/G| is the number of G-orbits of X, then Formula 2 holds where, for gцG, X is the number of xцX fixed by g (pg 58-61). Using this notion, we have established that the number of valid Sudoku grids is of a finite set and X/G is the number of essentially different Sudoku grids, so we can obtain the number of essentially different Sudoku grids by using the Burnside Lemma Theorem. Formula 2. Burnside Lemma Theorem (Rotman, 1995) Burnside Lemma Theorem is a useful tool when dealing with symmetry with a set of countable objects. When used to enumerate the essentially different Sudoku grid, the set of equivalent grids form an orbit of the symmetric group. The number orbits are essentially the number of different grid solutions. This may sound slightly (ALOT) trickier to compute, nonetheless Russell and Jarvis have shown that the number of essentially different Sudoku grids is 5,472,730,538 with the implementation of Burnsides Lemma Theorem. Chapter 3 Nondeterministic polynomials 3.1 NP-complete and Sudoku Sudokus may relate to a variety of problems, in particularly, whether Sudoku is an NP-complete problem. It is known that NP-complete problems are one of the most complicated cases in NP, also referred to as nondeterministic-polynomial. Its rival, P problems relates to NP as both being in the same complexity class. Mathematicians have yet to solve whether NP-complete problems can be solved in polynomial time or more commonly whether P = NP. Consequently being one of the greatest unsolved mathematical problems. The majority of computer scientists believe that P à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   NP, as a result would mean that NP-complete problems are significantly trickier to compute than to verify. Unfortunately, nobody has yet found an efficient algorithm, not even with the use of computers available today. A problem is said to be NP-complete when its solution can be proved in polynomial time. And if that problem can be solved in polynomial time, all problems in NP can be solved too. An interesting characteristic of NP-complete problems is that the time frame to solve the problem increases rapidly as the size of the problem gets larger. If that is the case and Sudokus are NP-complete, solving a Sudoku of higher order (say 17 ² x 17 ²) will become increasingly challenging algorithmically then the standard 3 ² x 3 ² version were talking trillions of years. It has been shown that Sudoku does belong to the category of NPC problems by Takayuki Yato of the Univeristy of Tokyo (2003). An exchange for the notation ASP-completeness (shorthand for Another solution problem), led the proof of NP-completeness of ASP. Their proof uses reduction in order to obtain the required polynomial-time ASP from the problem of Latin squares by Colbourn (1984) who has verified, the NP-completeness of ASP of Latin square completion Another accountable source by Provan states that, It is known that solving general-sized Sudoku puzzles is NP-hard, even for square grids with blocks consisting of the sets of rows and columns (Latin Squares) or for p2 x p2 grids with blocks consisting of rows, columns, and the p2 partitioned p x p subsquares. Mathematical programmes such as the 0-1 linear programming and the knapsack problems are also cases of NP-complete problems. A full list of other problems that are NP-complete can be found in Garey and Johnson (1979). Chapter 4 Sudoku Variants 4.1 Variation The classic form of a 99 Sudoku are polyominoes. There are other variations of Sudokus that can be applied to the rules of Sudoku. There are puzzles of the size 66 with 23 regions or a 1212 grid of 43 regions. More so, there are other fascinating Sudoku variants such as Greater than Sudoku. Chapter 5 Personal Critical Review The progress I have made during the duration of this project, have been fairly slow but surely getting there. Having said this on many occasions, I have still not conquered my time management skills! The project started very slow which meant I was behind schedule. Nevertheless my organisational skills have kept me on balance. The GANT chart has been of great help in doing so. What has kept me going throughout this project in particular would be self discipline and motivation. This project has proven that I am capable of working to my own initiative, but also well within a group; my time during the group project. Furthermore, my time on this project has definitely promoted a better mentality of my future ambitions. I have learnt that it is crucial to read a lot, as well as reading as broadly as I can. This in turn have aided in the running of my project. With other coursework deadlines, I made that a priority and had no time to meet with my supervisor. I understand that meeting with my supervisor is equally important because a supervisor is there to encourage and to advice on any difficult obstacles I may encounter. An area of interest to proof whether NP-complete problems can be solved in polynomial time, was left open as future work. This could be the next step of extending this report that little bit further. Chapter 6 Conclusion A challenging problem for further research is to proof whether NP-complete problems can be solved in polynomial time. This has yet to be solved and anyone who has a formal proof will be rewarded $1 million dollars by The Clay Mathematics Institute.

Galactosemia :: essays research papers

Galactosemia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Galactosemia is a genetically inherited metabolic disorder. This disorder leaves the disabled with a partial or complete lack of the enzyme Galactose – 1 – Phosphate Uridyl Transferase (GALT). This enzyme is found in the bloodstream and it is used for breaking down the sugar galactose. This disorder comes in two different variations. Though there is more than one type, it is still rare, having only 1 in 80,000 births being affected by the disorder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Classic Galactosemia is the first and more common form of the disorder. This is the form when the affected has a complete loss of the enzyme. Both parents must contribute a galactosemic gene for a child to receive this very deadly form of the disorder. Because the body has none of the enzyme needed to turn galactose into glucose an accumulation occurs that is like a poison and is highly fatal. Classic Galactosemia is treatable through a strict diet of absolutely no lactose or galactose. Some common foods containing these are dairy products, legumes, breast milk, and many other foods. A test for galactosemia is done at the time of birth with other tests. If left untreated 75% of infants will die. Some effects of having classic galactosemia include: an enlarged liver, kidney failure, cataract, and brain damage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Duarte Galactosemia is the second form. This form is when there is only a partial loss of the enzyme. The activity is usually 25%-50% that of a normal child. A child can get this form of galactosemia by inheriting a classic galactosemia gene from one parent and a duarte gene from the other. Much like classic galactosemia, duarte is found through a test done soon after birth. A strict diet is not needed for this form of the disorder. Instead a diet, it is recommended that lactose be slowly introduced untill normal consumption is accepted by the body. Because the affected can still process the foods, just not as well as a fully functional body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A person with no galactosemia receives two normal genes for production of the GALT enzyme in the bloodstream. This persons genotype is N/N and they have normal fully functioning enzyme activity. A carrier of classic galactosemia inheriets one affected gene and one non, this persons genotype is G/N. This person has less than normal enzyme activity, but nothing that requires a diet or medical treatment. A classic galactosemic has two classic galactosemia genes.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 8

Damon nodded thoughtful y, glancing back and forth between the fighting stave and the pil owcase in his hand. Hadn't he suspected something like this for a long time? Subconsciously? After al , there had been that attack on the grandfather, which had failed to either kil him or to erase his memory completely. Damon's imagination could fil in the rest: her parents seeing no reason to blight their tiny daughter's life with this gruesome business – a whole new change of scenery – and then giving up the practice in the provincial, protected little town of Fel ‘s Church. If they had only known. Oh, doubtless they had made sure that Meredith had had self-defense and various martial arts training since she was a child, while swearing her to absolute secrecy – even from her best friends. Wel , now, Damon thought. The first of Shinichi's riddles was already solved. â€Å"One of you has a lifetime secret kept from everyone.† I always knew there was something about this girl†¦and this is it. I'd bet my life that she's a black belt. There had been a long silence. Now Damon broke it. Your ancestors were hunters too? he asked, as if she were telepathic. He waited a moment – stil silence. Okay – no telepathy. That was good. He nodded at the magnificent stave. â€Å"That was certainly made for a lord or lady.† Meredith wasn't stupid. She spoke without glancing away from his eyes. She was ready, at any instant, to go into kil ing mode. â€Å"We're just ordinary folk, trying to get a job done so innocent humans wil be safer.† â€Å"By kil ing the odd vampire or two.† â€Å"Wel , so far in recorded history saying ‘Naughty, naughty, Mama spank'has failed to convert a single vampire to vegetarianism.† Damon had to laugh. â€Å"Pity you weren't born early enough to convert Stefan. He could have been your grand triumph.† â€Å"You think that's funny. But we do have converts.† â€Å"Yes. People wil say anything while you're holding a pointed stick at them.† â€Å"People who feel that it's wrong to Influence other people into believing they're getting something for nothing.† â€Å"That's it! Meredith! Let me Influence you!† This time it was Meredith who laughed. â€Å"No, I'm serious! When I'm a vampire again, let me Influence you not to be so much afraid of a bite. I swear I won't take more than a teaspoon. But that would give me time to show you – â€Å" â€Å"A nice big house of candy that never existed? A relative who died ten years ago and who would have abhorred the thought of you taking my memory of her and using it as a lure? A dream of ending world hunger that doesn't put food into one mouth?† This girl, thought Damon, is dangerous. It's like a Counter-Influence that they've taught to their members. Wanting her to see that vampires, or ex-vampires, or Once and Future Vampires had some good qualities – like courage – he let go of the pil owcase and grasped the end of the fighting stave with both hands. Meredith raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Did I not just recently tel you that a number of those spikes you've just driven into your flesh are poisonous? Or were you not listening?† She had automatical y grabbed the stave as wel , above the dangerous zone. â€Å"You told me,†he said inscrutably – he hoped. â€Å"I particularly said ‘poisonous to humans as wel as to werewolves and other things' – recal it?† â€Å"You told me that, too. But I'd rather die than live as a human, so: Let the games begin.†And with that, Damon began to push the two-headed stave toward Meredith's heart. She immediately clamped down on the stave as wel , pushing it back toward him. But he had three advantages, as they both soon realized. He was slightly tal er and more strongly muscled even than lithe, athletic Meredith; he had a longer reach than hers; and he had taken up a much more aggressive position. Even though he could feel poisoned little spikes biting into his palms, he thrust forward and up until the kil ing point was once again near her heart. Meredith pushed back with an amazing amount of strength and then suddenly, somehow, they were even again. Damon glanced up to see how that had happened, and saw, to his shock, that she also had grasped the stave in the kil ing zone. Now her hands were dripping blood onto the floor just as his were. â€Å"Meredith!† â€Å"What? I take my job seriously.† Despite her gambit, he was stronger. Inch by inch, he forced his torn palms to hang on, his arms to exert pressure. And inch by inch she was forced backward, refusing to quit – until there was no more room to back up. And there they stood, the entire length of the stave between them, and the refrigerator flat against Meredith's back. Al Damon could think of was Elena. If he somehow survived this – and Meredith did not – then what would those malachite eyes say to him? How would he live with what they said? And then, with infuriating timing, like a chess player knocking over her own king, Meredith let go of the spear, conceding Damon's superior strength. After which, seeming to have no fear of turning her back on him, she took a jar ful of salve from a kitchen cupboard, scooped out a dol op of the contents, and motioned for Damon to hold out his hands. He frowned. He'd never heard of a poison that got into the blood that could be cured by external measures. â€Å"I didn't put real poison in the human needles,†she said calmly. â€Å"But your palms wil be torn and this is an excel ent remedy. It's ancient, passed down for generations.† â€Å"How kind of you to share,† – at his most sharply ironic. â€Å"And now what are we going to do? Start al over again?†he added as Meredith calmly began to rub salve into her own hands. â€Å"No. Hunter-slayers have a code, you know. You won the sphere. I assume you're planning to do what Sage seems to have done. Open the Gate to the Dark Dimension.† â€Å"Open the Gate to the Dark Dimensions,†he corrected. â€Å"Probably I should have mentioned – there's more than one. But al I want is to become a vampire again. And we can talk as we go, since I see we're both wearing our cat burglar costumes.† Meredith was dressed much as he was, in black jeans and a lightweight black sweater. With her long shining dark hair she looked unexpectedly beautiful. Damon, who had considered running her through with the stave, just as his obligation to vampire-kind, now found himself wavering. If she gave him no trouble on his way to the Gate, he would let her go, he decided. He was feeling magnanimous – for the first time he had faced down and conquered the fearsome Meredith, and besides, she had a code as he did. He felt a sort of kinship with her. With ironic gal antry, he waved her on before him, retaining possession of the pil owcase and the fighting stave himself. As Damon quietly shut the front door he saw that dawn was about to break. Perfect timing. The stave caught the first rays of light. â€Å"I have a question for you,†he said to Meredith's long, silky dark hair. â€Å"You said that you didn't find this gorgeous stave until after Klaus – that wicked Old One – was dead. But if you're from a hunter-slayer family you might have been more help in getting him dispatched. Like mentioning that only white ash could kil him.† â€Å"It was because my parents didn't actively pursue the family business – they didn't know. They were both from hunter families, of course – you have to be, to keep it out of the tabloids and – â€Å" † – police files – â€Å" â€Å"Do you want me to talk, or can you do your stand-up routine alone?† â€Å"Point taken† – hefting the extremely pointed stave. â€Å"I'l listen.† â€Å"But even though they chose not to be active, they knew that a vampire or werewolf might decide to pick on their daughter if they found out her identity. So during school, I took ‘harpsichord lessons'and ‘riding lessons'one day a week each – have done since I was three. I'm a Black Belt Shihan, and a Taekwondo Saseung. I might start Dragon Kung Fu – â€Å" â€Å"Point taken once more. But then how exactly did you find that gorgeous kil ing stick?† â€Å"After Klaus was dead, while Stefan was babysitting Elena, suddenly Grandpa started talking – just single words – but it made me go look in our attic. I found this.† â€Å"So you really don't know how to use it?† â€Å"I'd just started practicing when Shinichi turned up. But, no, I don't real y have a clue. I'm pretty good with a bo staff, though, so I just use it like that.† â€Å"You didn't use it like a bo staff on me.† â€Å"I was hoping to persuade you, not kil you. I couldn't think of how to explain to Elena that I'd broken al your bones.† Damon kept himself from laughing – barely. â€Å"So how did a couple of inactive hunter-slayers end up moving to a town on top of a few hundred crossing ley lines?† â€Å"I'm guessing they didn't know what a line of natural Power was. And Fel ‘s Church looked smal and peaceful – back then.† They found the Gateway just as Damon had seen it before, a neat rectangular piece sliced out of the earth, about five feet deep. â€Å"Now sit down there,†he adjured Meredith, putting her on the opposite corner from where he lay the stave. â€Å"Have you given a thought – even the briefest – as to what wil happen to Misao if you pour out all the liquid in there?† â€Å"Actual y, not one. Not one microsecond's worth,†Damon said cheerful y. â€Å"Why? Do you think she would for me?† Meredith sighed. â€Å"No. That's the problem with both of you.† â€Å"She's certainly your problem at the moment, although I may stop by sometime after the town's destroyed to have a little tte--tte with her brother about the concept of keeping an oath.† â€Å"After you've gotten strong enough to beat him.† â€Å"Well, why don't you do something? It's your town they've devastated, after al ,†Damon said. â€Å"Children attacking themselves and each other, and now adults attacking children – â€Å" â€Å"They're either scared to death or possessed by those malach the foxes are stil spreading everywhere – â€Å" â€Å"Yes, and so fear and paranoia keep spreading too. Fel ‘s Church may be little by the standards of other genocides they've caused, but it's an important place because it's sitting on top – â€Å" â€Å"Of al those ley lines ful of magical power – yes, yes, I know. But don't you care at al ? About us? Their future plans for us? Doesn't any of it matter to you?†Meredith demanded. Damon thought of the stil , smal figure in the first-floor bedroom and felt a sick qualm. â€Å"I told you already,†he snapped. â€Å"I'm coming back for a talk with Shinichi.† After which, careful y, he began to pour liquid from the uncorked star bal at one corner of the rectangle. Now that he was actual y at the Gate, he realized he had no idea what he should do. The proper procedure might be to jump in and pour out the star bal ‘s entire liquid in the middle. But four corners seemed to dictate four different places to pour, and he was sticking to that. He expected Meredith to try to foul things up somehow. Make a run for the house. Make some noise, at least. Attack him from behind now that he had dropped the stave. But apparently her code of honor forbade this. Strange girl, he thought. But I'l leave her the stave, since it real y belongs to her family, and, anyway, it's going to get me kil ed the instant I land in the Dark Dimension. A slave carrying a weapon – especial y a weapon like that – won't have a chance. Judiciously, he poured out almost al of the liquid left into the final corner and stepped back to see what would happen. SSSS-bah! White! Blazing white light. That was al his eyes or his mind could take in at first. And then, with a rush of triumph he thought: I've done it! The Gateway is open! â€Å"The center of the upper Dark Dimension, please,†he said politely to the blazing hole. â€Å"A secluded al ey would probably be the best, if you don't mind.†And then he jumped into the hole. Except that he didn't. Just as he was starting to bend his knees, something hit him from the right. â€Å"Meredith! I thought – â€Å" But it wasn't Meredith. It was Bonnie. â€Å"You tricked me! You can't go in there!†She was sobbing and screaming. â€Å"Yes, I can! Now let go of me – before it disappears!†He tried to pry her off, while his mind whirled uselessly. He'd left this girl – what? – an hour or so ago, so deeply asleep that she had looked dead. Just how much could that little body take? â€Å"No! They'l kil you! And Elena wil kil me! But I'l get kil ed first because I'l stil be here!† Awake, and actual y capable of putting together puzzles. â€Å"Human, I told you to let go,†he snarled. He bared his teeth at her, which only caused her to bury her head in his jacket and cling on koala-bear style, wrapping both her legs around one of his. A couple of real y hard slaps should dislodge her, he thought. He lifted his hand.

Free Essays on Futurefirst

We’ve decided to use the direct sales route for our product. Direct Selling is the sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location. These products and services are marketed to customers by independent salespeople. Depending on the company, the salespeople may be called distributors, representatives, consultants or various other titles. Products are sold primarily through in-home product demonstrations, parties and one-on-one selling. As reported in 2000, the 55 percent of American adults who have ever purchased by direct selling is exceeded only by the percentage of those who have ever purchased via retail stores (96%) or through mail order catalogs (83%). The primary reason we chose direct sales marketing is we feel that the consumer, in this age of internet commerce, will have a better personal experience while purchasing a new product though direct sales. In addition, we chose direct sales because we want to target a demographic that will purchase from a trusted retail vendor such as the major department store. We’ve decided to sell this product at department stores like Macy’s, Strawbridge’s, J.C. Penney. We’ve also decided to sell it at large-scale gyms like the YMCA or Gold’s Gym and sporting good stores such as Sports Authority and Dick’s.... Free Essays on Futurefirst Free Essays on Futurefirst We’ve decided to use the direct sales route for our product. Direct Selling is the sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location. These products and services are marketed to customers by independent salespeople. Depending on the company, the salespeople may be called distributors, representatives, consultants or various other titles. Products are sold primarily through in-home product demonstrations, parties and one-on-one selling. As reported in 2000, the 55 percent of American adults who have ever purchased by direct selling is exceeded only by the percentage of those who have ever purchased via retail stores (96%) or through mail order catalogs (83%). The primary reason we chose direct sales marketing is we feel that the consumer, in this age of internet commerce, will have a better personal experience while purchasing a new product though direct sales. In addition, we chose direct sales because we want to target a demographic that will purchase from a trusted retail vendor such as the major department store. We’ve decided to sell this product at department stores like Macy’s, Strawbridge’s, J.C. Penney. We’ve also decided to sell it at large-scale gyms like the YMCA or Gold’s Gym and sporting good stores such as Sports Authority and Dick’s....

The River essays

The River essays W.W. Jacobs' The Monkey's PawThe Monkey's Pawprovecompensation The "Plot" A couple and their son are visited by a family friend, a soldier who has just returned from India. He shows them a monkey's paw which, it is claimed, has the power to grant three wishes but always ends up causing ill fortune. Against the soldier's wishes, the father decides to keep the paw and wishes that he would receive two hundred pounds. The sum arrives the next day as compensation after his son is killed in an industrial accident. Weeks later, the mother decides to wish to bring the son back to life - with horrific results In "The Monkey's Paw," what evidence of foreshadowing is given ...

Plagiarism is academic dishonesty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Plagiarism is academic dishonesty - Essay Example Writing is the fundamental source of knowledge which is vital for progress and development in all areas. Therefore, writing has to be original and the ownership must be declared. Avoiding plagiarism is also necessary in order to improve the validity of information. When an individual owns a piece of writing, he/she essentially becomes responsible for the credibility of information given therein. This paper tends to explore what plagiarism and academic dishonesty are and the factors that influence academic dishonesty. Literature Review Plagiarism Plagiarism can be defined as the act of taking and using an individual’s thoughts, inventions, or writings and presenting them as your own in your paper. It is an honesty concern and it entails attempting to persuade someone like a college professor that the piece of writing or the idea is your original work, when you are aware that someone else exactly used the thought you did (Cruey 1). In other words, plagiarism is a literary theft. It is the stealth of ideas as well as words. Plagiarized work creates confusions about the original ownership of the data.

Homework 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Homework 2 - Essay Example to day communications among all team members of the project to come up with various creative ideas on how to develop the software according to their goals and preferences of the organization. They recognize that customers can always change their minds about what they want. The scrum master enables the organization to use scrum effectively. They act as an intermediary between the development team and any distracters. They ensure that the scrum process is used as intended because they are the enforcer of the rules of scrum. They chair any crucial meetings and challenge the team members to improve in their developments. There is no role manager in a scrum project since it is not required. All the traditional roles that belong to a project manager have been carefully divided into three scrum roles and reassigned to the developmental team and product owner rather than to the scrum master. Conducting scrum project with a project manager results into conflicting responsibilities, unclear results authority (Rubin

BOOK REVIEW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

BOOK REVIEW - Essay Example Eating is a basic human need and the author is sending a message that the book can be considered as an essential element for survival, taking all the meaning in and not specifically. On page 7, the author compared reading the bible to stepping out of the cave into the real world based on Plato’s analogy. Parts two and chapter three is about learning from the bible and not using the content to personal advantage. In page 22, it is expressed by the author based on the bible that it is important to eat the book because it should be nourishment. The third part until the fifth part explores the different roles of scriptures such as being the text that give lessons to learn, the form which is about following the way of Jesus, and as script which is to be shared to the world (pp. 22-76). The second and third chapters are in depth look on the specific concepts and teachings and the manner of understanding them. Topics within the chapters Lectio Divina and The Company of Translators pr ovide structure to the teaching and scriptures and point out the importance of participatory reading. The author has the last part of the third chapter to the issue regarding translation of the bible and the effect on understanding its content. Reading the book can encourage readers to read the bible. It is a different, open and light approach to a serious literary work that is respected by faith. The title can be considered as a witty way to denote the urgent need to imbibe the message of the book since it is essential to human beings’ survival. The author’s being religious is greatly reflected in the book. His passion regarding his faith and the need to make people realize that eating the book or metaphorically digesting its content is evident in every line. Even the last half where the author has the initiative to translate the bible from the original language to be able to achieve the message version reflects the need he

Course Work Essay Example for Free

Course Work Essay As the Vice President of the Sales, it is his responsibility in the first place to handle sales management leadership and sales compensation program according to David J. Cichelli (p. 38) and not the products being sold in the market. Therefore, it is inappropriate for a new Vice-President of Sales to discuss defective wrenches before a CEO meeting especially that he is unaware of the ethical guidelines being practiced by the organization. In this case, he has to take extra care to discuss the matter to the group without appearing discourteous or impolite. In the first place, the newly hired CEO (Vice President of Sales) has the idea of communicating the concept of customer satisfaction that is vital in the growth of sales as well as important in his role as sales management leader to provide the utmost satisfaction. He also wants to ensure that collaboration among members of the team is practiced as he assumes his duty as part of the CEO team. Evaluating the scenario, he has to look into several avenues and prepare materials to support his argument. First, he has to review the policies of the organization as well as a survey on customer feedback of the product conducted previously, from where he will base his argument. Any information about the company’s structure, ethical guidelines, and procedures will help him shape his analysis and proposal to redirect the company’s concept of customer satisfaction. Tactfully, he may present the problem as part of his initial report using the SWOT analysis from there he may initiate actions essential to the growth of sales. SWOT analysis according to Robert Price is helpful in the â€Å"analysis of the external environment†¦ and internal situation† to see the whole scenario of the problem (p. 104). Second, he may suggest innovation of the product to be introduced as a new model through which the customer may perceive the product having good quality that will â€Å"solve critical customer problem† (Rafinejad, p. 208). Product innovation should be carefully planned to attain the best improvement of the product because as Rafinejad stated, â€Å"†¦too many revisions to a product are disruptive to customers’ business operation and create confusion† (ibid). Third, the company may notify the public through a well-developed notification plan which may includes â€Å"customers’ reaction to the planned changed† (Rafinejad, p. 210). Once the customers’ wants finally established, a formal change notification may take place; this involves e-mail notification, advertising, and other public relation tasks. The need for strong sense of business ethics rooted on customer satisfaction must also be emphasized. This generally requires internal streamlining. Bjorn Andersen stated that business ethics has â€Å"a strong motivational effect that can spur individuals and indeed entire organization to unheard-of peaks of performance† (p. 7). This creates basically a true sense of dedication on the part of the employees in the delivery of products to the customers. To realize this goal, the company has to redefine corporate culture and restructure the organization in such a way that supports the objective of the company as part of the innovation process. Redefinition includes identifying corporate social responsibility approach with hands on business practices through transformation process on the operation level. Andersen mentioned that the process involves policy setting, overall image creation, and pointing out direction for the organization’s ethics endeavor (p. 28). To support the endeavor, the company has to evaluate its structure in a way that accountability for success and/or falling is determined. Likewise, certain business activities must be redirected through assigning corporate ethics program. Linda K. Trevino and Gary R. Weaver suggested to â€Å"formalize company values and expectations† in which multiple elements has to look into such as â€Å"dedicated staff, supporting structures and policies, and extensive employee involvement† (p. 91). Conclusion: The new Vice President of Sales with his expertise in the field of business may share his knowledge that will help the business grow. The defective wrenches may cause the business to fall due to customer complaints that are not dealt with properly. Assigning tasks that will save the image of the company will be realized through initiatives for change in products and corporate ethics. This will be done by means of undertaking strategic planning based on research that may include adapting new policies for the company. Reference Andersen, B. (2004). Bringing Business Ethics to Life: Achieving Corporate Social Responsibility. USA: American Society for Quality. Cichelli, D. J. (2003) Compensating the Sales Force: A Practical Guide to Designing Winning Sales Compensation Plans. USA: McGraw-Hill Professional. Price, R. (2007) The Eye of Innovation: Recognizing Possibilities and Managing the Creative Enterprise. USA: Yale University Press. Rafinejad, D. (2007) Innovation, Product Development and Commercialization: Case Studies and Key Practices for Market Leadership. USA: Ross Publishing. Trevino, L. K. Weaver, G. R. (2003). Managing Ethics in Business Organizations: Social Scientific Perspectives. USA: Stanford University Press.

Political Ecology Has Come Of Age Geography Essay

Political Ecology Has Come Of Age Geography Essay Political ecology is by no means a new concept. As a theory it produces a complex framework of understanding into the relationships between political, economic and social environments and the effect these relations have on environmental development and protection, developing common ground where disciplines can intersection (Greenburg and Park (1994).   The nature of political ecology can be so broadly defined that as a field of research has developed, no one definition has been substantiated in order to fully characterise the assertion towards collective considerations of society and nature. Although the adaptation and expansion of this body of knowledge continues to create a broader sub-context in which geographic and development studies are practiced, creating greater obstacles in its theoretical classification, Robbins (2004) defines political ecology as, ‘empirical, research based explorations to explain linkages in the condition and change of social/environmental systems , with explicit considerations of relations of power.   The emphasis placed on political ecology is to provide a sense of connectedness within a field that traditional sees the sum of its parts divided into different areas of definition and implication. As the study of the importance of political ecology by Stott and Sullivan (2000) has shown that by identifying the political circumstances that forced people into activities which caused environmental degradation, in the absence of alternative possibilities, there is a need to illustrate the political dimensions of environmental narratives and in deconstructing particular narratives, to suggest that accepted ideas of degradation and deterioration may not be simple linear trends to predominate.   This approach to geographic thinking provides the academic field with a further dimension of theoretical application but as to whether its use has truly ‘come of age remains a contested issue within academia and the wider world of representative approaches to environmental conservation and positive action towards sustainability. This essay will concentrate on deconstructing whether this critical approach to human-environmental relations has broken the barriers to understanding political, human and environmental interactions in a wider social context. This will be achieved through the examination of critiques within the approach, taking into account the important questions of whose history and whose knowledge is being represented and elements of contested theory and implication that cause problematic outcomes on the global stage of development. Whilst developing this argument, also being taken into consideration will be the contribution political ecology has had within and towar ds development and development studies, in order to establish what the role and emphasis is of resulting work that the approach of political ecology has in the ever expanding field of critical development, evaluating, as noted by Muldavin (2008), ‘where ‘we have been in the past, where we are today, and where we may be going in the future and whether political ecology can ever manifest itself within a structured and conclusive framework or whether the approach will only suffice to be ‘all things to all people (Blaikie, 2008). The field of political ecology is vast, through which the addition to theoretical impact through the development of effective frameworks creating limitless boundaries toward disciplinary input where the flexible and adaptive form found within political ecology has allow new and diverse currents of thought within a positivist framework. When considering whether political ecology has come of age, although there are continual debates over the theoretical and methodological implications towards the approaches undertaken by the academy, overlooking these momentarily, it becomes clear that in an age where environmental protection, conservation and the development of long term ‘green policy is the most predominant topic on policy makers minds, it would be clear to identify the intermediate coming of age of the discipline, despite its continual critique. Arguably, although the approach itself, suffers from what Muldavin (2008) describes as ‘boundaries of ignorance that allow unru ly practices to be maintained and reproduced, the controversial subjection of theory and practice leads to a continual critical reassessment of the approaches implications to form continually renewed policy, although criticised for its lack of engagement with practical problem solving (Walker, 2006). The issues of multi-discipline connectedness and the increasing need for social and environmental synergy brings the issues undertaken by aspects of political ecology to occupy the central stage (Peet and Watts, 2004) of global environmental politics and civil society debates. In order to overcome institutionalized system of knowledge the issues raised in the expansion of political ecology debate has allowed for the production of space for thought, opening up discussion toward how discourse formation and representativeness in the present and towards the future to shape policy and practice in order to drive political ecology to form positive regulation of global commons. Developments within the field of political ecology have been vast over the last forty years, with particular emphasis being placed, in the last decade, on what Bebbington (2003) terms ‘theorizing up (Walker, 2006). As previous environmental narratives are questioned, the ability to ‘theorize up seek ways to ascertain the significance of such studies in broader development concerns, (Walker, 2006) where the approach to political ecology represents an integration of environmental knowledge and social justice that is not yet fully adopted or understood in all environmental debate (Forsyth, 2008). Through this stand point the ability to create suitable space in which to consider social participation in environment development and conservation through the implementation of local initiatives can be utilized. As argued by Simon (2003) for the need of balanced integrated attention to the biophysical/environmental and social political realms at different scales, in order to approp riately analyse the formulation of discourse. Much work has been undertaken to deconstruct commonly assumed environmental narratives and the diversity within the field through interdisciplinary connection and ‘hybrid knowledge or ‘discourse coalitions (Latour, 1993; Hajer, 1995; Blaikie, 2008) that have allowed the formulation of theory and methodology to remain lucid and adaptable to change.   However, although as argued by Watts (2003) the diversity of political ecology should be celebrated, its position in the world outside the academy of [political ecologist] thought provides a bleak landscape of complex terminology and distant solutions bound in red tape. Many political ecologists argue the concept of ‘non-equilibrium ecology (Forsyth, 2008) as the production of long term policy solutions made due to space-time factors.   With this in mind the assessment of political ecology developments dealing with issues such as access, the effect of institutions on vulnerable societies and the increasing emergence of women in development studies need to be taken into consideration. In the past access and control of resources in environment conservation continues to produce a divide in the politics of knowledge production in the global North and South. Although the work of political ecology seeks to understand and further develop the connections between social networks and the natural environment through its interaction with government and non-government lead organisations, the approach has been problematic from its beginning. Peet and Watts (2004) identify a fundamental flaw through the polarization of the â€Å"haves† and the â€Å"have nots†, where an emphasis on the effects of poverty on environment impact has been inherently linked to the causes of degradation in vulnerable areas in need for conservation, focusing heavily on third world and developing countries, which sees negative impacts on the environment fall into a ‘blaming the victim approach within social scientific concerns (Peet and Watts, 2004).   This approach arguably reinf orces post-colonial/post-structuralideologies of power and control over resources, through the reproduction of authority where knowledge toward global environmental management is encoded through institutionalised forms of knowledge rhetoric. These theoretical stand points allow for the rationalization of certain types of conclusion or outcome, whilst justifying change to traditional interaction with the environment including enclosure, exclusion and displacement of particular groups within a society.   The implication of this ideological, knowledge certification sees the privilege of particular forms of knowledge and power through which policy and practice toward further environmental trajectories are planned and applied. Although the production of knowledge and policy is important on a global scale, within particular western frameworks of progressive development policy, questions that should be consider include to whom does the policy speak? Whose history, whose science is being institutionalised and privileged and why? Although it is clear certain material impact push particular bands of knowledge into the foreground of discussion; the discourse of development and political ecology, the issues of scale and region variability inevitably become blurred within a colonial sense of restriction and a prescribed vision of what nature and environmental ‘wilderness should be, rather than development. Due to the nature of power allocation within development, diverse actors tend not to provide solutions but continue to allocate blame to local land users, with institutional development moving towards alleviating and helping the poor rather than supporting them through long term policy implementation, what Vayda and Walters (1999) argue produces a limitless capacity [for political ecologists] to neither verify their subject of scrutiny nor to have understood the complex and contingent interconnections of factors whereby environmental changes are produced (Forsyth, 2008). Through the consideration of access to resources and institutions, the notion of privileged knowledge assertion and limited access toward political production and resource affirmation, a major development to be considered within conservation management and political ecology is the role of women in development (Jewitt and Kumar, 2004; Robbins, 2004). Women are traditionally depicted to have a close, maternal connection with nature. Though this connection womens closeness to nature aids the development of comprehensive agro-ecological knowledge and environmental management practices (Shiva, 1988) that are restricted due to reduced mobility within society and ecological theory production and more disadvantaged by development programmes (Jewitt and Kumar, 2004) and disproportionately represented among the poor, as a homogenous group. Theory toward the construction of a special relationship between women and the environment has previously been detrimental to the development of consistent policy construction toward scale of social movements in ecological conservation, in this sense, the deconstruction of environment narratives by examining wider inequalities in the division of labour towards ‘discourse sensitivity (Jewitt and Kumar, 2004) to support and collaborate (Rocheleau, 2008). The example of Joint Forestry Management in India by Jewitt and Kumar (2004) of the possible developments political theory could bring to development strategies is positive but also there are empirical problems that are interwoven in this collaboration with political ecology as a whole, including the lack of assessment toward whether theory can be effectively put into practice on the ground and whether their effectiveness through diverse communities can be achieved. Although the implications political ecology brings to the surface are very urgent and relevant, toward the development of necessary development and conservation policy, issues which are at the heart of present political, economic, cultural and social debate, its inherent complexities provide problematic understanding and expansion as to whether although in terms of its importance and theoretical distinction, the approach has become more grounded and come of age within academic discussion. On the wider, more global stage its concepts of development and conservation theory, although poignant, fail to provide a consistence material solution to aid positive outcomes for conservation development. As argued by Robbins (2004) political ecology is too focused on the broadly defined ‘underdeveloped world and posits the environment as a finite source of basic unchanging and essential elements, which set absolute limits for human action. However intuitive, this assumption has proven histo rically false and conceptually flawed. When considering the implications of political ecology as a critical approach to human-environmental relations, although it is important to consider the approach as a construction of meaning and justification for social and cultural implications on a multilayered scaled, the approach consequentially leads to complexities and problematic understanding. These inconsistencies begin with the problem of a definition that can be transformed to fit different meanings, inevitably creating obstacle to development and environmental justice.   The inability to connect with the wider world due to the diversity of complex notions of theory, devalue the benefit of the connectedness to other disciplines as the pool of thought is limited to a few. Although keen to move toward grounded engagement with the production of integrated social and environmental knowledge toward consistent policy (as seen through the work of Blaikie) ‘the dependency on single stories (in local level research analysis ) reduces the likelihood of influencing many bodies (Bebbington, 2003; Walker, 2004). Although the emphasis on cultural value is present in research, scaling up solutions from snap shots of research data can see many issues lost or lessened. Despite trying to diversify land based initiatives e.g. through donor site programmes, changes have seen movement away from policy based initiatives. The reproduction of knowledge as power, the allocation of privileged theory and the reproduction of poverty and inequality still remains challenging, as argued by Robbins (2004) who states the assertion that superior environmental knowledge originates in the global north for transfer to the global south is problematic due to the reproduction of colonial knowledge and discounting of indigenous knowledge and participation of local communities. Also within this framework of ‘knowledge as power is the production of ‘wild landscapes working towards conservation initiatives under the initiative of nature as a commodity, which introduces new levels of ambiguity and problematic methodological within the field of development studies and political ecology practices. As cited by Marx, ‘even society as a whole, a nation, or all existing societies put together, are not owners of the Earth. They are merely its occupants, its users; and like good caretakers, they must hand it dow n improved to subsequent generations (Peet and Watts, 2004).   Although, in many instances the commodification of natural resources e.g. the introduction of private parks has created conservation zones, the ethics and highly problematic issues attached to this type of land acquirement has produced environmental conflict. Commodification of land and nature are arguably an expansion of the colonial state, which see the development of an argument where people are removed by state intervention [inherently linked to political ecology (Peet and Watts, 2004)] leaving land to be managed by external structures and nature to be socially constructed causing problems for indigenous groups. Although political ecology approaches are trying to provide a mode of explanation towards engaging nature and political dimensions between human environment relations, they very rarely accomplish a distinctive and workable solution. In conclusion, although the body of knowledge that political ecology produces is highly relevant in modern perceptions towards the urgency of resource dilemmas, the seclusion of the theoretical approach which is confined to non-material based responses to environmental conservation is highly problematic. Although it is argued political ecology has come of age, in definition, the unity of the approach with wider debate still remains marginal to the broader field of development. Blaikie (2008) argues the importance of stabilising political ecology through a more aggressive institutionalization at college and university level. This could be argued as contradictory considering the need and importance of transition to a more decentralised applications of knowledge, through the further inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems and the compromise of researchers and theorists to accommodate the needs of local individuals in order to not displace the values and priorities of communities on th e ground considering the need to further institutionalise theory as stated by Blaikie to make political ecology ‘work. Therefore, it could then be stated that unlike the rediscovery of geography (Muldavin, 2008), political ecology still has many complexities to consider and overcome in order to promote positive impacts towards future environmental development that would result in greater representativeness of the approach in the global arena.   References: Agrawal, A. (2008) The Role of Local Institutions in Adaptation to climate change. 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Second Edition, Routledge: Oxon Muldavin, J. (2008) ‘The time and place for political ecology: An introduction to the articles honouring the life work of Piers Blaikie. Geoforum 39, 687-697 Peet, R. and Watts, M. (2004) Liberation Ecologies: Environment, development, social movements. Second Edition, Routledge: Oxon Pepper, D., Webster, F. and Revill, G. (2003) Environmentalism: Critical concepts. Routledge: London Robbins, P.(2004) ‘Political Ecology: A critical introduction. Blackwell Publishing: UK Rocheleau, D.E. (2008) Political ecology in the key of policy: From Chains of explanation to webs of reaction. Geoforum 39, 716 727 Shiva, V. (1988) cited in Jewitt, S., Kumar, S. (2004) ‘A political ecology of forest management: gender and silvicultural knowledge in the Jharkhand, India in Stott, P., Sullivan, S. (2000) ‘Political Ecology: Science, Myth and Power. Arnold: London Simon, D. 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