Emerging Technologies: Business And Society

Emerging Technologies: Business And Society Over the last decade, emerging technologies have no doubt influenced almost every sector of society and business. Whether by their promise of better society and business or by the curse of disquiet etched in their wings; Robotics and Nanotechnology, among a few other emerging technologies, have certainly played a part in shaping todays business and society for tomorrow. The emergence of Nanotechnology and Robotics was, to some extent, instigated and inspired by certain fundamental needs and pursuits of society and business. The business desire for cost-efficiency and societys pursuit of sustainability in the form of better health care, a cleaner environment, security, etc are just a glimpse of what may have triggered the emergence of these among other technologies. However, the technologies success, or lack of it, is to a large extent dependent on, the overall short and long term, how well they respond to the primary needs and pursuits of businesses and society. This report focuses on Nanotechnology and Robotics discussing some of their varied range of practical, theoretical and experimental applications. The report, in essence, draws from the diverse applications of these two technologies, their implications and impacts on businesses and society hitherto and perhaps in the near future. The analysis, also acknowledges and draws from lessons learnt in preceding and contemporary technologies such as genetic engineering and nuclear energy. The analysis shows that the success of the technologies depends on their close evolutionary interaction with their resident businesses and society which are also changing in response albeit at a different pace. Introduction The influence of emerging technologies on almost every sector of business and society cannot be overstated over the last decade. Whether by their promise of better society and business or by the curse of disquiet etched in their wings; Robotics and Nanotechnology, among other emerging technologies in the frontline, have certainly played a part in shaping todays business and society for tomorrow. The emergence of Nanotechnology and Robotics may, to some extent, have been instigated and inspired by certain fundamental needs and pursuits of society and business. The desire for greater efficiency cost or otherwise in business, better health care, a cleaner environment, security and etc for sustainable society are just a glimpse of pursuits that may have triggered the emergence of these two among other technologies. However, just as their preceding or contemporary counterparts such as genetic engineering, their success, or lack of it, is to a large extent dependent on the overall short and long term impact they portend for business and society. Robotics and Nanotechnology are two among the foremost of countless emerging technologies ushered into the new century whose impact on society and business is yet to be fully realised or determined. Determining the impacts of these two is no simple task. The range of applications for these two technologies, whether already practical or still theoretical, is quite enormous and diverse making it even more difficult for one to establish the full extent of their impact. There is however no doubt that these two have had their share of both positive and negative impacts on business and society and will continue to during their evolution. Whatever the impacts, their measure may be drawn from how businesses and society have responded so far. Many studies done on these technologies indicate enormous initial investments by businesses and more recently, measured but nonetheless important investments by society. Nano-scale technology or Nanotechnology has been defined generally as the creation of functional materials, devices, and systems through control of matter on the nanometer (1 to 100+ nm) length scale and the exploitation of novel properties and phenomena developed at that scale. [1] Nanotechnology, just as many other technologies before, has especially pledged enormous benefits for businesses and society. Many studies indicate enormous initial investments by businesses and more recently, measured but nonetheless important investments by society anticipating mostly the benefits it promises. Nonetheless the studies also show that it bears its own brand of curses or threats alike especially for society. Some of the threats may well be known, anticipated and resolved in good time. Others may only be revealed later on in its evolution. Either way, it is imperative that its benefits and identifiable threats be reasonably considered and embedded in their evolution if these two, among others related, are going to succeed. On the other hand, a robot is generally defined as a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through various programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks (Robot Institute of America, 1979)[15]. Robotics is thus concerned mainly with the study, design, building and operation of robot systems for certain specialised tasks [14]. Business and societys desire for greater efficiency cost and better health care, a cleaner environment, security etc respectively also continue to inspire heavy investments in more cost-efficient technologies. Achieving these either by automation, miniaturisation or by the use of better building blocks or materials for technology and products are among the main approaches that converge research and development of Robotics and Nano-scale technology or Nanotechnology among other related technologies. Apart from the brief introduction above, this report is organized into two main sections. The first section covers a brief description on the fundamentals of Nanotechnology. This section is followed by discussions on some of the principle practical, theoretical and experimental applications tracing and focusing on their impact on business and society. The second section deals with robotics and likewise describing the fundamentals of robot systems. This section too is followed by an examination of the major applications of robotics with a focus on their impact on society and business. Nanotechnology As mentioned in the introduction, Nanotechnology generally involves engineering at the nano-scale level (1 to100nm) leveraging novel properties and phenomena of matter at this scale. The concept of engineering at this scale may well be attributed to Feyman (1959) [2]. Modern understanding of Nanotechnology as defined above was built on the initial concept by other eminent scholars like Drexler (1992) [3]. Merkle (1997) [4] also went on to propose additional concepts like building materials by specifically positioning each atom and cost effective mass-assembly of the atoms At the close of the last century in 2000, presented with the anticipated advances and subsequent benefits of Nanotechnology by proponents such as Drexler (1992)[3], Merkle (1997)[4] among others, galvanized leaders in technological research and development, cutting edge innovation and business to converge and discuss extensively the implications of engineering at this scale. At a workshop organized by the United States National Science Foundation (NSF), leading experts gathered and to present their views on Nanotechnology and its implications focusing its potential applications in business and society. A resulting report on the proceedings of the workshop presents rather varied views and perpectives, perhaps due to the diverse applications of the technology or backgrounds of the participants. However, the urgent need for a foundational and comprehensive analysis of the technology and its implications seems to be the leading theme. This was a defining moment in the evolution of Nanote chnology. Below is a summary of nanotechnologys focus and principle applications as reported in the NSF (2001) [5] workshop and are being refined with time as shown in the National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan (2007) [6]: Industrial Manufacturing Materials and products, Chemical Processing Electronics application in Information Technologies and Communications Medicine and Health applications in Medicine and Pharmaceuticals. Aerospace For aerospace and planetary exploratory applications. Transportation and civil infrastructure Lighter Materials Sustainability in Energy, Water, Agriculture Food, Materials, Clean environment Defence and Security applications. Even though the current and potential applications of nanotechnology reach deeper than revealed by the above summary, there is no doubt that the above applications have impacted both businesses and society over the last decade in one way or another. Some researchers have even suggested at the emergence of Nanotechnology signalling the entry into the Age of Transitions [6] [7] there would be profound waves of change whether in society or business. Impact of Nanotechnology on business Every category of application highlighted above is representative of a range of industries and businesses that have already responded to, or must soon do so, to the diverse and vast influences, potential or practical, wielded by Nanotechnology. Some of these influences are certainly not unique to nanotechnology and may have been wielded by contemporary and preceding technologies. Others, however, such as the rapid parallel advances in research and development hardly witnessed by preceding technologies have compelled many a business in any of the application categories to reconfigure itself and its approach. These cycles of reconfiguration will even be more rapid when Nanotechnology converges with other emerging technologies that portend similar characteristics. Good examples are traffic on the internet; wireless capacity and computing performance which are said to double every 6, 9 and 18 months respectively [7]. Industrial Manufacturing: Nanoscale engineering of materials and products forms the bulk of current and perhaps even future applications of nanotechnology in industrial manufacturing. This has witnessed the introduction of new materials and products and thus new markets for businesses over the last 10 years. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) forecasted the 2010 2015 Nanotechnology market at over 1 trillion US dollars as shown in the chart below. Chart 1: Estimates of the nanotechnology market by 2010-2015 USD trillions: 1.1 Source: National Science Foundation Subsequent research (RNCOS research) [8] has upwardly revised estimates within half the period settling at 1.6 trillion USD by the year 2013. The market estimates probably continue to inspire a steady increase in investment. Cientifica estimated the global government funding stood at a little less than 9.75 billion USD for nanotechnology. The US government alone invested 1.6 billion USD a steady increase from about 500 billion in 2001. [8] Apart from specialized materials such as nano-composite polymers and other nanoscale structured materials and chemicals; the inventory list of consumer products with a nanotech component currently stands at over 800 and will obviously continue to grow [9]. With this kind of diversity in terms of products and an expanding market, businesses, especially those in manufacturing, will do well to quickly adapt continue their success. Electronics: The potential application of nanotechnology in electronics is set to take the miniaturisation of computers to the next level. It is also set to improve the cost-efficiency and performance of electronic products even introducing product variation that have been hitherto unrealistic. [10] Figure 1: Manufacturing cost projection for logic at silicon-area and transistor levels as illustrated by Doering (2000) [5] As shown in Figure 1, the cost of achieving electronic function is on the decline thus inspiring the continued introduction of new electronic products and business and a consequent the market for the products. This will no doubt also augment advances in related areas such as telecommunications further opening up opportunities for business as illustrated in Doerings (2000) [5] projections in Figure 2 below. Figure 2: Illustrates projected growth of electronic market place with decreasing feature sizes and function cost. Doering (2000) [5] Medicine and Health: Nanotechnology has been applied in medicine, healthcare and pharmaceuticals to introduce better drug delivery and diagnosis mechanisms (targeted) [10] [11]. The resulting advances achieved hitherto continue to attract, not just government funding, but private businesses and organizations are also joining the fray investing themselves in nanotech medicine and healthcare. Of course theres the prospect, albeit some of it being still experimental, of resolving age old problems like cancer. Figure 3: An illustration of Nanotech funding Adapted from ETC Nanotech Report (2006) [11] There is also the prospect of making viable, products that have previously not been viable for business. The overall positive impact of nanotechnology on business related to medicine and health care is that it introduces a new range of products subsequently expanding the existing markets or even reconfiguring them all together [5], [10]. Some studies estimated the world markets expansion for these products from 1 billion USD in 2005 to be tenfold at 10billion USD by 2010 [11]. On the flipside, an expanding product base also means the introduction of products that carry along with them originally unintended effects or even products that are downright harmful to the business side of medicine and healthcare [10] [11]. Aerospace: Businesses and organizations in aerospace research and development have also invested themselves quite heavily with the intention of reaping some of the benefits of Nanotech application over the last decade or so. The introduction or potential introduction of lighter, stronger nanostructured materials or building blocks for aerospace equipment can only portend a positive outlook for this business since this ultimately implies an eventual reduction in costs e.g. in fuelling as well as wholesome aerospace projects [10]. Transportation and civil infrastructure: Lighter high-strength materials developed through nanotechnology implies a reduction of costs; whether in fuelling or maintenance in transportation and infrastructural developments. Impact of Nanotechnology on society The almost definitive nature of business, at least in objective makes much simpler the exercise of nanotechnologies impacts on business. This however, is not the case when it comes to determining societal implications and impacts brought about by technologies; nano or otherwise. Many attempted studies at this exercise acknowledge this difficulty [5] [10]. The period of time required for one to actually determine a certain technologys impact on society as well as the often unpredictable nature of society have been cited in the studies among major challenges to the accuracy of determining societal implication of technology; nanotechnology in this case. The impact of nanotechnology and its related advances on society hinges on certain major areas of life that are important to the makeup of that society. Below are some of the major areas cited by some studies like the NSF (2001) [5] report on Societal Implications of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and the Royal Society Royal Academy of Engineering (2004) [10] report on Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties: Health care: Among the benefits pledged by nanotechnology, certain applications are meant to improve the quality of health care. Society at an individual level desires health and long life. New products and technologies such as targeted drug delivery mechanisms and diagnostics introduced by nanoscale engineering for health care promise a healthy and quality for individuals and society as a whole. [11] On the flipside, some products developed through nanotechnology also pose a threat to health. Some nanomaterials and particles have presented hazardous characteristics to human health and performance. Analyses and studies on some of the nano products and technologies which present unintended health hazards recommend responsible research and application of nanotechnologies [5]. Sustainability: Society looks for the sustainability of the resources that are its lifeblood. The current application and potential of Nanotechnology focusing on sustainable energy, water supply, agriculture food, materials and clean environment directly impact on the societys quality of life. Energy applications of nanotechnology pursue a parallel advance in achieving sustainable energy building on existing technologies. The threesome approach deals with: efficient energy conversion from primary form using a number of nanotech mechanisms e.g, nano-engineered solar cells, efficient storage energy storage through the use of supercapacitors developed through nanotechnology, and efficient energy saving mechanisms e.g. through the use of better thermoinsulators created using by nanomaterials [12] Sustainable energy is tightly bound with a clean environment. Achieving the former dramatically improves the later. Water supply is also an issue of concern for society where nanotech products and approaches are being used to improve the level of water supply either e.g. using nanotech for desalination. Agriculture and food production are also set to benefit from sustained research and development of nanotech application to agriculture. Defence and Security applications: Defence and security have long inspired the emergence of technologies perhaps because societies have often been reconfigured by conflict. The practical or even just the potential applications of nanotechnology to defence and security either in military weaponry and equipment or in intelligence continue to profoundly affect society. [5] A fundamental concern for society is who controls the resulting advances of nanotechnology thus raising legal and ethical issues. Studies show that society needs to respond at a quicker pace by being involved right from the get-go, putting in place and redefining policy mechanisms, regulation and control of these technologies [10]. Education and Culture: A combination of nanotechnology and other contemporary technologies such as Biotechnology and Information Technology portends a true Age of Transitions for society as has been argued by some experts [7]; a time when social structures and cultures are rapidly reconfigured and reengineered by a rapid technological evolution and eventual revolution. Robotics Robotics is area of emerging technologies that involves the study, design, construction and operation of robot system(s). Slightly variable definitions of a robot to encompass humanlike characteristics describe a broadened modern concept of robotics [13]. The application of Robotics, since the first practical realization of the concept in the early 60s, has increasingly worked its way into many sectors of todays business and society. The primary application of robotics has mostly to do with tasks that are either too dangerous or those that are too repetitive and too precise for humans. In essence, robotics seeks to enhance human performance. The general areas in business and society that continue to benefit from application of robotics in include [14]: Industrial, mainly in manufacturing either in precise or repetitive assembly repair among others so far the most established application of robotics. Healthcare performing complex and precise surgical procedures such as Radiosurgery, Tele-robotic surgery among other medical procedures. Aerospace, Military and security performance of dangerous and precise tasks relating to defence and security example of practical applications include the unmanned aerials and ground vehicles for surveillance, reconnaissance and exploration of hazardous environment. Agriculture Disaster Recovery and Infrastructure again, the use of robotics for the recovery and sometime repair of dangerous environments and difficult to reach areas of infrastructure respectively. Consumer Robotics for day-to-day tasks and service provision the least developed area of robotics but picking up pace. Impact of Robotics on business The robotics principle inspiration of enhancing human performance and the fundamental objectives of increasing productivity and quality in business foreshadow the impact of robotics in business. The application of advancing robotics to various areas of traditional business has and continues to compel change in business design and approach. Business and organizations trading in the primary areas of robotics application have had to reconfigure themselves inspired by this change. In many ways, the impact of robotics on manufacturing business foreshadows the impact of robotics on almost all other areas of industrial robotics application. Manufacturing thus may well be viewed as representative of other areas Infrastructure development, Agriculture and healthcare. Manufacturing: the extensive industrial application of robotics has, to a large extent, improved the efficiency of manufacturing businesses that have properly invested themselves in the potency of robotics. Case studies on some of these businesses show marked improvements in their performance, quality. Chrysler, for example, a leading automobile manufacturer was able to cut cost and improve its flexibility by remodelling its business for the market and by leveraging advanced robotics. Their application of robotics enabled them to cost-efficiently produce a wider range of products [16]. The increasing need for application of robotics in other manufacturing areas like packaging and processing is also opening up new business opportunities for robotics. The trend in manufacturing now is that more and more businesses are inclined to robotics and related automation for their existence. However, although the benefits of applying robotics are worthwhile on the long term for business, the initial investments are, more often than not, prohibitive. This has been the case and will probably continue to hound business into the next generation. Parallel advances in complimentary technologies however likely to mitigate problem. In healthcare, apart from the performance of repetitive tasks, the cutting edge application of robotics is mostly towards the performance of highly complex surgical procedures. However, robotics application here is tightly bound to the human in the sense that robots are not autonomous. Consumer robotics is a fairly new application area that involves a much smaller scale of applications compared to industrial. This might be at the product distribution level like dispensing machines Military and security: investments in robotics for military and security use are leading the advance in robotics as a technology through research and development. Often, the output of these advances translates to new business opportunities when converted or modified for civilian applications. Contemporary technologies such the internet and wireless telecommunication were first military and defence technologies before they became commercialized for business. Aerospace applications: Robotics application in exploratory research and development like aerospace are also contributing to the advancement of robotics and in turn inspiring fresh business area applications such as infrastructure maintenance and transport. Impact of Robotics on society As mentioned above, robotics portends to improve and enhance human performance. To some extent, this does impact society positively. A societys health and safety is improved for instance by the use of robots to perform dangerous and hazardous tasks. However, large scale industrial robotics application may mean job losses especially when robots begin to replace human workers. The implications here are far reaching. Apart from the short term effects of conflict, there is the long term reconfiguration of society to accommodate the changes. In the long term, education and training and other related areas have to be reviewed. There are also broader societal issues such as the need for environment sustainability where robotics portends both positive and negative impacts. The application of robotics in military defence, weaponry and security such as the use unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance revisits the concern of who controls technologies thus raising legal and ethical issues. Robotics and other complimentary technologies continue to influence social evolution by directly effecting change in education and social culture. In other worlds robotics has contributed to the change in the way we live our lives. There is an increasing societal dependence on technologies even though they dont resolve age old societal challenges such as poverty and justice. Conclusion Emerging of technologies often invite scrutiny in the interest of business and society the ultimate consumers of technology. Nanotechnology and Robotics are no different. This scrutiny, as has been illustrated in this report, often takes the form of assessments on the impacts of these technologies on business and society. Again, as shown, assessing and articulating the impacts of technologies is not a simple exercise especially when they are just emerging. It is often a process informed by diverse and sometimes opposing views from leading experts and representatives from society and business. In the end, the impacts identified, positive or negative, define the viability of an emerging technology. The assessment of Nanotechnology and Robotics in this report, perhaps because of the width and depth of their potential applications, yields an overall positive outlook for business and society and in turn for their success as emerging technologies.

Review of Hydro Boost Water Gel

Review of Hydro Boost Water Gel Neutrogena, a long visible player in the hair and skin care industry, has produced many products that has been proven to give positive results for clearer, softer skin and cleaner, healthier hair.  Ã‚   Hydro Boost Water Gel is one of the many products that promises better skin.   This is our review of Hydro Boost Water Gel. What is Hydro Boost Water Gel? Hydro Boost Water Gel is a unique skin cream made with purified hyaluronic acid that provides long-lasting moisture to dry skin.  Ã‚   Its noncomedogenic, oil-free formula is designed to be absorbed quickly into the skin to hydrate and seal in the moisture.  Ã‚   It dries to a matte finish so you can wear it underneath makeup and it will not clog pores. How Does Hydro Boost Water Gel Works? To get the best results from Hydro Boost Water Gel, you must first start with a freshly cleansed face.   Gently smooth on the cream onto the skin. The hyaluronic acid holds up to twice its weight in moisture which makes the skin feel plump and moist.  Ã‚   The glycerin in the cream helps to seal in the moisture molecules to keep it from evaporating from the skin.   Sealing the moisture in will help you to avoid the need to reapply the cream throughout the day.   Your skin will keep the hydrated, fresh feeling all day. The product is pale blue in color and it feels cool to the touch.  Ã‚   It has a crisp, aquatic scent with a cooling sensation when applied to the skin.   The product absorbs very quickly into the skin much like a gel, but it has the lasting properties of a cream. Hydro Boost Water Gel Pricing Hydro Boost Water Gel is available in many stores and online.  Ã‚   Amazon is selling a 1.7-fluid-ounce jar for $18.99. Who Made Hydro Boost Water Gel? Neutrogena, the self-professed number one dermatologist-recommended skincare brand, is the creator and distributor of the Hydro Boost Water Gel.   This company was founded in 1930 by Emanuel Stolaroff under the original name Natrone.   Years later, the company changed its name to Neutrogena, which is the name of its most popular bar soap.  Ã‚   It is currently a brand owned by the famous Johnson and Johnson Company and it manufactures and sells skin and hair care products in over 70 countries. Hydro Boost Water Gel Reviews The Hydro Boost Water Gel has been very well received amongst its customers.   On Amazon, it has a rating of 4.7 out of five stars and over 97 percent of the customers actively recommending it to others.   Many people have stated that they were very impressed with how quickly the cream absorbed into the skin.   They stated that the cream left no greasy residue and they could apply makeup over it with no problems.   They also stated that they did not feel the need to refresh the cream throughout the day, verifying that the cream lasts for all-day wear as advertised. Pros It is oil-free and will not clog up your pores Contains purified hyaluronic acid Has a very fast absorption rate Dries with a matte finish for wear underneath makeup Created by a company with a highly successful history with quality ingredients Has received very good ratings from customers There have been no reports of allergic reactions to the cream Cons This formula is tested on animals The amount of hyaluronic acid is relatively low compared to competing products on the market The jar packaging can create a hygiene and freshness issue with the product as it does allow the introduction of air into the cream, which could degrade the effective of the product and introduce bacteria into the jar regardless of method used to remove the product from the jar for use Should You Use Hydro Boost Water Gel? The Hydro Boost Water Gel is a moisturizing product that was created by Neutrogena, a juggernaut in the skin and hair care industry.   This product imparts moisture into clean skin and then seals in the moisture to retain hydration.   Many people have had impressive results using this cream, with most of them marveling at the speed of absorption of the cream into the skin.  Ã‚   Since this product is available in so many places, you should be able to walk into your neighborhood store and purchase it if you dont want to wait for Amazon delivery.  Ã‚   If you are looking for a long-lasting cream that can keep your skin hydrated all day and wears well underneath makeup, then you should give this product a try.

Macbeth :: essays research papers

The Blood Theme in Macbeth One of the themes in the tragedy of Macbeth is that of blood. Macbeth is known for his skills as a warrior and his mercilessness that is shown in his killing of MacDonwald. This warrior mentality quickly spreads into his life, and he begins to make killing a habit. When he is told in a prophecy that he shall be king, Macbeth takes it upon himself to murder Duncan, king of Scotland. After this murder he begins to see visions of blood on his hands, blood nothing could remove. As Macbeth becomes more ambitious, he also begins to kill more people to get the power that he wants. The theme of blood is shown throughout the play, and is a problem that Macbeth finds harder and harder to rid himself of after each killing. At the beginning of the play Macbeth is an esteemed member of the army, probably the greatest fighter in all of Scotland. He gets word that a rebellious tribe led by MacDonwald is defeating the Scots. He â€Å"single-handedly† defeats the rebels and â€Å"unseamed him (MacDonwald) from the nave to th’ chops.† With this Macbeth earns great respect among his peers, and even the king. On his way home from war three witches tell him his future. â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All Hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!† Macbeth was already thane of Glamis, and wondered why they would say that he would be Thane of Cawdor or even king, so he blew it off as tomfoolery, and impossible. However, he was later told by the king that because of his valiant fighting against MacDonwald that he was to be given the title of the Thane of Cawdor. All this makes him think again of the witches prophecies, and he wonders if indeed he could be king. The desire for power began to consume Macbeth and his wife, and this ambition caused all of the bloody events that were to follow. Macbeth began to want the kingship that Duncan had more and more. Together Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth plotted to hurry Macbeth’s reign, by killing Duncan themselves. At night Macbeth gains access to Duncan’s sleeping quarters, kills the guards, and stabs King Duncan to death. After the murder, Macbeth is clearly shaken, and can hardly believe what he has done.

Abortion Essay -- essays research papers

Abortion, termination of pregnancy before the foetus is capable of independent life. When the expulsion from the uterus occurs after the foetus becomes viable (capable of independent life), usually at the end of six months of pregnancy, it is technically a premature birth. In the United Kingdom, when the foetus is not born alive after 24 weeks of pregnancy it is termed a still birth. II. Types of AbortionPrint section Abortion may be spontaneous or induced. Expelled foetuses weighing less than 0.5 kg (18 oz) or of less than 20 weeks' gestation are usually considered abortions. A. Spontaneous AbortionPrint section It is estimated that some 25 per cent of all human pregnancies terminate spontaneously in abortion, with three out of four abortions occurring during the first three months of pregnancy. Some women apparently have a tendency to abort, and recurrent abortion decreases the probability of subsequent successful childbirth. The causes of spontaneous abortions, or miscarriages, are not clearly established. Abnormal development of the embryo or placental tissue, or both, is found in about half the cases; these abnormalities may be due to inherent faults in the germ cells or may be secondary to faulty implantation of the developing ovum or to other characteristics of the maternal environment. Severe vitamin deficiencies have been shown to play a role in abortions in experimental animals. Hormone deficiencies have also been found in women who are subject to recurrent abortions. Spontaneous abortions may also be caused by such maternal abnormalities as acute infectious diseases, systemic diseases such as nephritis and diabetes, and severe trauma. Uterine malformations, including tumours, are responsible in some instances. The most common symptom of threatened abortion is vaginal bleeding, with or without intermittent pain. About a quarter of all pregnant women bleed at some time during early pregnancy, however, and up to 50 per cent of these women carry the foetus to full term. Treatment for threatened abortion usually consists of bed rest. Almost continuous bed rest throughout pregnancy is required in some cases of repeated abortion; vitamin and hormone therapy may also be given. Surgical correction of uterine abnormalities may be indicated in certain of these cases. Spontaneous abortion may result in expulsion of all or part of the contents of t... ...here abortion was permitted only to save a woman's life contained about 20 per cent of the world's population. Countries with moderately restrictive laws—abortions permitted to protect a woman's health, to end pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, to avoid genetic or congenital defects, or in response to social problems such as unmarried status or low income—contained some 40 per cent of the world's population. Abortions at the woman's request, usually with limits based on physical conditions such as duration of pregnancy, were allowed in countries with nearly 40 per cent of the world's population. In the United States, legislation followed the world trend. Abortion is illegal in many Roman Catholic and Islamic countries, although it may be carried out in cases where the mother's life is immediately at risk. It is legal in France and Italy, but illegal throughout Ireland. In England, Wales, and Scotland abortion has, since the 1967 Abortion Act, been free on demand and is available on the National Health Service. A woman seeking an abortion has to secure the agreement of two doctors rather than just one—the only medical procedure in the United Kingdom where this is required.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - The Powerful Female :: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

The Powerful Female Character in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man    One of the most powerful nuances of any writing is the dialogue within the story. In literature, it is all too often that characters live only in the jaded voice of the author and never truly develop as their own, or are not strongly opinionated in a manner which contrasts the opinions of the writer. It is also unfortunately true that the women depicted in most male-authored literature do not often sound realistic, or how most women one would speak to in the course of the day tend to sound. All too often, women are depicted on a lower level of speech than men. For instance, Dickens and Arthur Miller both apparently subscribed to this notion, as the women in their stories were usually more passive, and not as elaborate as men in their speech, however, James Joyce did not see things in the same light. The most developed female character in Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, is one who speaks with dignity, passion, and the female tact which is all too often ignored in the c haracters of women. Joyce's Dante Riordan's words and thoughts are true to those of literate twentieth century women.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Although a short-lived character in Portrait, Dante Riordan, in a brief amount of time emits an apparently important and mysterious aura, the aura of a woman. Judging from the studies of twentieth century linguists, Joyce's brief representation of Dante through speech is nearly flawless. To more lucidly understand this, one must carefully examine some of the instances at which Dante speaks in her conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Dedalus, Charles, and Mr. Casey, and re-examine the arguments she makes. Dante is introduced into the dinner table conversation as a silent character. However, when the men's conversation turns to the misuse of the preacher's pulpit, Dante begins her interjections.   Ã‚  Ã‚   All too often, women in literature remain linguistically dormant unless called upon, however, studies conducted in the reality outside the covers of a book have shown that women will interrupt a conversation to contradict a previous speaker, and do so vehemently (Coates, 193). A nice answer for any man calling himself a catholic to give to his priest, (Joyce, 273) states Dante as her first response.   Ã‚  Ã‚   At this point, Dante has drawn herself into the conversation.

Analysis of Bbc at the Time of Greg Dyke

EMBA Organisational Behaviour Coursework – Analysis of BBC 1. Analyse the culture of the BBC at the time that Dyke took over. To what degree is it facilitating the success of the BBC? The BBC was set up in 1922 as a public service broadcaster. The BBC quickly became a household name and played a part in shaping British culture. Company culture is the values and beliefs shared by the members of a ‘group’ and the BBC is a ‘group’ which has both internal (BBC employees) and external (general public) members.The BBC is financed by a TV license fee paid by each household and represents the cultural artefacts: the concrete aspect of the BBC which is its ability to maintain its ‘independence and impartiality’ (Keys, 2006) due to public funding and a not for public service ethos. The BBC’s biggest critic: the UK press, are always at the helm of every attack and question over the quality – guarding the BBC on behalf of every person. The public values and principles that the BBC is based on were publically declared by the first director general.The BBC’s role was in ‘inform, educate and entertain’ and to ‘bring the best of everything to the greatest number of homes’ (Keys, 2006) and this became the espoused values for BBC culture. The culture of the BBC is so deeply ingrained in its employees that Dyke commented that what the BBC ‘does has enormous value and helps to define culture. People work at the BBC because of this value. Their commitment to the BBC, not necessarily to management, is very strong-at a level other companies would only dream of’ (Keys, 2006).These basic underlying assumptions of unconscious commitment to the organisation result in an unwillingness to tolerate change, whether good or bad, as it is an unconscious belief that it is interfering with the national heritage that belongs to each and every British person. The BBC culture is so strong that it has the ability to transport the general public on the same journey as its employees. They to, feel that the BBC is national heritage that they own a little piece of. It has a strong external identity of independence and impartiality which creates a sense of nshakable commitment by many employees that what they do is more than a job. When Dyke took over the BBC it had been through a period of cost cuts, staff cuts, implementation of new management controls and the formation of an internal market for services. While the new structure and aggressive cuts left the organisations morale low, the managerial reforms had not affected the core culture which under pinned the ethos of those who worked for the BBC. There was a strong belief by BBC employees ‘that what they achieved, they achieved despite management’ (Keys, 2006).This strong culture had facilitated continued success through a period of uncertainty for both employees, during cuts and managerial reforms, and the ge neral public, during a period of technological advancement in the digital space. However, with strong cultures can come dysfunctions and the BBC shows warring factions of low levels of agreement (with management) but high levels of intensity (believing they achieve without management) which if not addressed could become a barrier to future success. 2. What source of power does Dyke have? How do you predict he will manage in the upcoming political battles that he faces?Dyke has three forms of power: decision making, symbolic power and process power. One of the main sources of decision making power is the formal power of authority. Charisma is one of the forms of authority and Dyke is described by his own friends as ‘commercial, colourful and charismatic’. People with decision making power have the ability to inspire and to attract followers and this can be supported by Carolyn Fairbairn, director of strategy and distributions description that those who knew him ‘we re excited [by] his reputation as an inspiring leader†¦ who was instinctive†¦.. (Keys, 2006). Dyke’s showed symbolic power in his method of gaining a sound understanding of the business situation in his first weeks in post. Dyke undertook an extended ‘walkabout’ away from the BBC’s corporate centre in London in a bid to get to the grass roots of the business. He met with employees and asked ‘How can I make a difference? ’ and he listened to what people had to say and did not express any opinions. He also quickly gained respect at the top of the organisation using similar tactics and Mark Byford described what he really liked about ‘†¦ im and me is we talk a lot about the wider BBC together, not just World services. He doesn’t say everything he does is right, he asks, ‘what do you think’. ’ On his appointment Dyke was not a popular choice as Director-General only gaining his position on a 7-5 vote so his ability to influence at all levels was important. Those with symbolic power can change people’s understanding of a situation so that they adopt your goals as their own. Dyke’s process power due to his formal status held in the organisation hierarchy allows him to be able to stop/start or influence processes in order to achieve a desired outcome.Immediately after starting, Dyke launched an organisational review of the broadcast division and he later extended this to the whole of the BBC (Keys, 2006). Dyke’s process power is strong due to his position as Director General and his previous experience. Dyke’s ability to change peoples’ understanding of a situation and move them in the direction of his own goals, his charisma and ability to influence higher and lower in the hierarchy, and his innate understanding of the process of running a media company set him in a strong position to manage the upcoming political battles that he faces.Gaining t rust is essential after the tabloid attack due to share issues and history of working in the private sector. While Dyke is able to overcome these issues it is essential that he is transparent at all times and shows empathy to the public service ethos on which the BBC is based. 3. The organisational members that Dyke encountered on his walkabout were â€Å"despondent, down, and dismayed†. What underlying problems contributed to this lack of motivation?Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory can be used to analyse the underlying problems which caused the BBC employees to feel ‘despondent, down and dismayed’. Herzberg suggests that motivation will be enhanced by maximising the motivator factors and minimising the hygiene factors (Stilbiger, 2005). There are three main categories people can sit within an organisation when referring to overall motivation: a) dissatisfied and de-motivated, b) not dissatisfied but not motivated and c) positively satisfied and motivated.To m ove those who reside under categories a) or b) it is essential to understand what hygiene and motivational factors are lacking and attempt to rebuild. On Dyke’s ‘walkabout’ of the BBC outside of London it became apparent that when he asked the question ‘how can I make a difference? ’ that the issues were ‘pathetically’ small. The hygiene factors such as ‘fix the roof, get new paint’ were provided by employees (Keys, 2006). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs also explains why tangible issues such as ‘fix the roof, get new paint’ are important to having motivation.Maslow refers to these needs as safety needs and unless you have ‘biological, physical and safety needs’ in place you are unable to move to ‘belongingness needs’ which include work groups. These hygiene factors are important for a business to avoid the feeling of unpleasantness at work. When employees feel these factors are inad equate they cause dissatisfaction and no matter how well the company addresses the motivational factors they cannot work with motivational factors alone – the two go hand in hand. Motivational factors were also contributing to the overall lack of motivation.Due to the period of cost cuts, staff cuts, implementation of new management controls and the formation of an internal market for services that the BBC had been through in the 90’s, the changes meant that divisions were ‘competing aggressively to get a larger slice of the pie’ (Keys, 2006). This was potentially affecting individual’s opportunities for advancement, recognition of their work within the BBC, and sense of personal achievement and growth in their position. This was all being exacerbated by a ‘very analysis based, almost obsessively so’ (Keys, 2006) business from the previous Director – General.On an individual level the motivational circle can be used to understand where an employee is personally affected. This can be split into four categories: satisfaction, effort, recognition and performance and they link to each other. If the link between effort and performance is affected people feel that no matter how hard they work their performance will not improve. This could be due to a lack of resources, knowledge, training, tools and skills and also an ineffective process within the company.This break in the motivational circle can be seen as a symptom of the formation of an internal market for the services of the BBC. The internal market was causing the commissioners to become ‘king’ and the impact of programme–makers on decision making fell dramatically causing producers to become unhappy and leave as they felt the move towards external, independent production was increasing and no matter how much effort they put in within the BBC the performance would never be enough. 4. Analyse Dyke’s initial steps as he begins the c hange process. How has he done so far?What do you think about his approach to organisational change? What do you see as his biggest challenges going forward and how would you suggest he tackle them? Dyke recognised that the organisation had been through a major change period of cost cuts, staff cuts, implementation of new management controls and the formation of an internal market for services that the BBC. While these changes were essential to improve efficiency and to make the finances more transparent the change had been pushed from the top down and not been embraced by the employees.Dyke’s approach to further change is very different to that of John Birt as he recognised that further major changes were needed within the organisation. Dyke begins his role as Director-General by putting distance between Birt and himself by going on a ‘walkabout’. Dyke chooses to use is charisma, understanding of process and influencing powers to begin the change process. Dyke u nderstands that as Director-General of the BBC you are ‘damned if you do, and damned if you don’t’ due the strong public service ethos and culture of the BBC that lives both within the organisation and within every stakeholder.Dyke begins his change process by building relationships with employees both high and low in what Dyke termed ‘were too many hierarchies’. By asking employees views and building relationships before announcing major changes Dyke is able to build a network of people to support him through the changes and in turn influence others within the organisation. Dyke uses this time to launch a review of the organisation and learn where the inefficiencies reside in the organisation. By using both the relationships and analysis, Dyke begins to establish himself as a credible Director-General.He quickly puts in place tactics which are quick wins: changing the internal competitive market and the use of resources. These high impact changes ar e important for Dyke to establish his power and leadership of the BBC. Dyke clearly recognises the employee ‘commitment to the BBC, not necessarily to management, is very strong-at a level other companies would only dream of’ (Keys, 2006). For Dyke’s success it is essential that he shows employees that he understands the underlying culture of the BBC and is able to listen to his employees.Dyke needs to build a team that are able to discuss, decide and do real work. Dyke needs to select team members for their skills and set clear rules of behaviour and address the strong belief by BBC employees ‘that what they achieved, they achieved despite management’ (Keys, 2006). If Dyke can build a team within the BBC he has a very strong chance of success. 5. Analyse the structure of the BBC at the time Dyke took over. How appropriate was the structure given the goals of the BBC at that time? The structure of an organisation should follow strategy and for this r eason company structure can change often.The structure of an organisation should exploit the core competencies of its employees and managing organisational behaviour. John Birt had created an organisation based on bureaucracy due to the resistance to change that he met when restructuring the BBC. He found the internal resistance to change and the press hostility difficult and his management of staff became ‘defensive, solemn, businesslike’ and his style became rationalised and methodical without regard for people. Bureaucracy has positives which are its efficiency and fairness – this can be seen in the formation of an internal market for services that the BBC which brought inances under control and improved transparency. On the other hand it can be inflexible, restrict innovation and de-motivating – this can be seen with the loss of talented producers. The BBC at the time Dyke took over is divisional. The BBC network operations were split into two major di visions: broadcast and production. However, the broadcast division became more powerful as they were the division that set the strategy and content. The structure created unhappy programme makers who began to leave the BBC and set up their own companies to tender for the production from the outside.The structure was important to begin the re-structuring process of the BBC to make it a more transparent and accountable for its spending. However, the structure was causing the BBC to lose talented people and losing its internal innovation and intellectual property by pushing it outside of the BBC. When Dyke joined the BBC the external market place was rapidly changing. Digital, pay TV and the internet were making the average consumer more needy than ever and the BBC was required to stay at the forefront of the changes as it was funded by households.Audiences were becoming more and more fragmented and every new channel was gaining fewer viewers. For the BBC this meant that it was becomin g difficult to provide programming for all and the BBC mission from 1922 was – to ‘bring the best of everything to the greatest number of homes’ (Keys, 2006). The structure at the time Dyke joined was causing the BBC to become reliant on outside talent and leaving it open to flounder in the future. Keys, T, 2006. Greg Dyke: Taking the helm at the BBC (A). IMD286. International Institute for Management (IMD). Silbiger, S, 2005. The 10-day MBA. 3rd ed. Piatkus Books Ltd.

Gloria Anzaldua’s Aztlan: the Homeland

In her essay La Frontera, Gloria Anzaldua provides a detailed history of the persecution of the Chicano settlers of the U. S. Southwest at the hands of their Anglo oppressors. Anzaldua refers to the Aztlan, the borderlands between the United States and Mexico encompassing parts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, as a â€Å"vague and undetermined place created by the emotional residue of an unnatural boundary†¦the prohibited and forbidden are its inhabitants†¦the squint-eyed, the perverse, the queer, the troublesome†. I find the author’s utilization of the word queer to describe the Aztlan peoples particularly interesting, as it draws a recognizable parallel between the historical struggles of Chicanos with the enduring tribulations of the LGBTQ community in modern America. Anzaldua accuses â€Å"The Gringo†¦the fiction of white superiority† of â€Å"seizing complete power, stripping Indians and Mexicans of their land while their feet were still rooted in it† and even goes so far as to make mention of â€Å"Anglo terrorism†. The author’s characterizations of the oppressive actions of the political-ruling white class towards the Chicano people can just as easily be applied to recent legislation crafted by several right-leaning politicians that serves only to strip LGBTQ individuals of their civil rights and to designate said persons as second class citizens. These statutes include the recently invalidated Proposition 8 here in California as well as the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, which would have forbidden gay couples from enjoying the same marriage benefits as heterosexual spouses, current state laws or constitutional amendments in 35 states that define marriage as being exclusively between a man and a woman, and current anti-sodomy laws aimed squarely at gay couples in 13 states that remain on the books despite such laws being outlawed by the US Supreme Court 10 years ago. Such anti-gay legislation is similar in prejudicial and persecutory scope as recent anti-immigration legislation enacted in Arizona and Alabama that seeks to intrude on the civil rights of Latin Americans in those states, who face imprisonment and deportation for non-compliance. As described by Anzaldua, the continuous berating of the Chicano people, â€Å"faceless, nameless, invisible, taunted with hey cucaracho and mojado† is ll too similar to the constant torment faced by members of the LGBTQ community by intolerant members of the oppressive majority, such as being verbally assaulted as â€Å"fags†, â€Å"queers†, â€Å"homos†, and much worse. Gloria Anzaldua eloquently equates the Chicano struggles with their Anglo imperial masters in the Aztlan with the LGBTQ struggle for civil rights in modern American society, and unfortunately, these fights will have to both continue to be waged will into the foreseeable future.